The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-27 00:00:00

- -
FEBRUARY.
Lincoln Spring
MARCH.

Derby Spring
Liverpool Spring .. 7
Shrewsbury Spring .... 9

Northampton 4
Croxton Park 7
Durham
Newmarket Cruven

Newmarket Ist Spring.. 1
Chester
Yurk Spring

.. 2

Salisbury
Bath 23
Epsom Sumner

Epsom Summer (con.) 1
Manchester 7
Aecut
Alexandra Park 2O
Ju

' Hampton
Newton
Newcastle
Worcester Summer
'LY.

Newmarket July
Carlisle
Pontefract

Nottingham Summer .. 18
Chesterfield .... 21
Goodwood

AUG

Huntingdon
Reading
Egham
Oxford
York August 22

Plymouth
Lichfield
Devon and Exeter 29
Derby Summer 3O
Weymouth
:MEER.

SEPTE:
Weymouth (continued) 1
Leicester
Doncaster
Brecon
OCTO

Richmond
Monmouth . ...
Manchester Autumn
Newmarket Ist October, 26
IBER

Northallerton
Newmarket Second Oct 9
NOVEMBER.

Newmarket Houghton.. 23
Worcester Autumn .... 31

Worcester Autumn (continued) ...... 1

Now ready, G. SHELTON'S Derby Guide, la. G. R
Glenie, Sporting Library, Connaught-terrace, Hyde-park ,
Sunday Times Office, Fleet-street; and all agents.

Locx.F.T'S Derby Analysis at a glance shows what thf
field for the Blue Riband will be selected from ; and con-
tains also selections for all the great three-year-old contests,
aelcotiona fr,r Manchester meeting, Waterloo Cup, &c,
Price one shilling; had from Sunday Times office, and all
the usual agents, or from E. Locket, Box L 2, Manchester,
and G. R. Glenie, Connaught-terrace, Hyde-park.

MARK El S ---This Day,

HAY MARKETS.
The hay markets are closed to-day.

COLONIAL.
The markets are closed for the Christmas holidays, bul
business will be resumed on Tuesday, 3d January, 1865,

The Question of the Duchies,

The Constitutionnel publishes the following letter,
dated Frankfort, 25th December :
According to the best informed German journals, the
substance of the actual position of the affairs of the Duchies
is as follows:—On the sth of November the Vienna Cabinet
proposed to the Berlin Cabinet to take as a starting point of
tho negotiation in the question of the Duchies the text of
the declaration of the 28th of May at the London Confe.
rence—the Duchies separated from Denmark, and united
under the sovereignty of the hereditary Prince of Angus-
tenburg. The Cabinet of Berlin replied, on the 17th of this
month, proposing the following conditions to th 3 Vienna
Cabinet : Incorporation of Lauenburg with Prussia ; estab-
lishment of a sort of Prussian suzaainty in the Duchies;
a military and maritime convention ; in other terms, aban-
donment to Prussia of the naval ports of the Duchies and of
the superior command of the fleet and of the army of
Schleswig-Holstein; right of protection over the Baltic
Canal to the North Sea ; in short, reserve in her favour of
everything which would assure to her the high hand in the
direction of the affairs of the Duchies.

At the commencement of the negotiations the Duke of
Augustenberg intimated that he was willing to accept the
propositions which Austria and Prussia might deem it ad-
visable to submit to him. The agents of the Prince did
not hesitate to declare that they counted upon Austria to
prevent M. de Bismarck from making too hard conditions.
If it was simply the wish of Austria to prevent the
incorporation pure el simple:with Prussia, it is probabl
that she has already succeeded. But it remains to be seen
how far she is disposed to admit an indirect annexation of
the Duchies to that State, and to allow the Duke of Augus-
tenburg to be made simply a Prussian Governor.
Prussia is endeavouring as hard as she can to assume in
the North of Germany a position which Austria with.agree-
ment with the Secondary States, has always opposed. In
this state:of affairs it may be asked what benefits are to
fall to Austria for her campaign in Schleswig-Holstein.

Letters for the United States of Colombia, or
Central Amerioa ; altered scale or weight.—
On the Ist of January next, and thenceforward, the scale
of progression for charging letters addressed to the United
States of Colombia, or to any of the States of Central
America, via Panama, sent by packet, will be modified by
substituting for the existing scale a scale of weight having
half-an•ounce as a unit; the postage advancing by single
rates for each additional half-ounce or fraction of half-an•
ounce.—By command of the Postmaster-General,—
General Post-office, Dec. 26, 1861.
THE SHERIFF OF SOUTHAMPTON IN A FIX.—
The Hampshire Independent states that Sheriff Emanuel,
of Southampton, had determined this year to go beyond
the generosity usual on the occasion among the holders of
that office in Southampton--the provision of abundant
good cheer for the debtors in the prison. He had deter-
mined to pay the debts for which they were imprisoned,
thus setting them free. Unfortunately his intentions too
soon became known, and an amusing result was the con-
sequence. The custom prevails in the county court,
where the greater proportion of the business tran-
sacted consists of plaints preferred by tallymen, of granting
warrants of commitment of defendants for limited periods on
the hearing of summons after judgment, but to suspend their
execution during the pleasure of the plaintiffs, in order to
give the poor debtors an opportunity of meeting the demands
upon them. Mr Emanuel's generous offer at once presented
to this large class of plaintiffs a capitt.l opportunity for col-
lection of hitherto considered bad debts, whilst to those who
did not feel disposed from thefr dwn resources to discharge
their liabilities as easy method was thus provided by which
they may be relieved from future claims The county court
bailiffs found that they were all at once called upon to do a
thriving and unexpected trade, and on Friday the arrivals
in the debtors' ward of the prison were so numerous as to
call the attention of the official's to the circumstance, and.
Mr Emanuel was at once communicated with, in order to
prevent his being victimised in the way which was intended
by the abuse of hie good intentions in such a cunning but
scandalous manner. The worthy sheriff proceeded to
the gaol, and there a numerous group of county court
debtors met his view. " And who put you here ?" he said
to one. The answer was, "A tallyman." " And who
you ?" he asked a second. The same reply, " A tallyman."
To a third he addressed himself in a similar manner, and
was once more told, "A tallyman." The trick was now
fully exposed, but Mr Emanuel nevertheless determined
that, though his original intentions must be abandoned
they should have a good dinner, and inquired for how
many he should provide. " Oh," said the official, " the
county-court bailiff told us there would be at least another
dozen to-morrow," and a female could not help venting
her wrath at the detection of the trick by exclaiming,
" Why, I shouldn't have come here but that I thought you
were going to pay the debt for me, and I should get out
free," We need hardly add that the sheriff departed with
hie mind a little enlightened as to the frailities of human
nature, but notwithstanding the imposition attempted to be
practised upon him he does not forget that it is Christmas
time, and he charitably ordered a bountiful dinner for as
many who, under such extraordinary circumstances, hap
peued to be in the debtors' ward to partake of it.

The French Minister of Public Instruction has
just addressed to the rectors under his authority a
circular in which he suggests that great advantages
may be derived, and the public wealth increased,
by the introduction of additional fruit trees, vege-
tables, and plants into the plots of ground which
are attached to the 27,000 normal schools of France
for the instruction of the pupils in gardening and
the most improved methods of agricultural cultiva-
tion. The Minister announces that with that view
he has concerted with the Minister of Agriculture,
who has ordered the inspectors in this department
to visit such schools as may be on their way and give
to the masters whatever counsels may be necessary,
sending in a report on the general situation.
A man named Pillar, the keeper of a cafe in
the Rue Aumaire, was tried on Saturday by the
Tribunal of Correctiunal Police on a charge of allowing
gaming in his establishment. The dtfenciant's house being
in a populous quarter, was frequented by great numbers
of artizans, merchants' clerks, and shopmen, many of
whom frequsntly lost their whole weekly earnings there,
and his customers had greatly increased within the last year
after the polico had enclosed two other houses in the same
neigbourhood. Numerous witnesse were examined,
who deposed that they had lost considerable sums in

defendant's house; one of them as much ns 7,000 f. at dif-
ferent times. It was clearly proved that the defot iant en-

couraged gambling, and often head the stakes, which Eorn e-

tiems were as high as 500 f. It appeared' however, that his
profits were chiefly derived from the sale of very indifferent
refreshments, at extravagant prices. The defendant denitd
that he had ever encouraged gambling, but as the evidence
clearly proved the contrary, the iribunal declared the
charges fully established, and condemned him to two months
imprisonment with 100 f. fine, and also ordered the confis
cation of the furai'ure and articles seized by the police.

Doncaster Spring . 14
Warwick Spring
Chelmsford Spring

Catt Erick Bridge l9
Thirsk 2l
Epsom Spring 25