The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-15 00:00:00

THE SUN. LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER .15, 1863.

THE S OITTHERN CONFEDERACY.

(From t Special Correspondent of the Times.)
RICIImoND, Nov. 14.

The Cour .ederate States are evidently approaching
a stage it i this war which will test more than ever
the stubbornness and tenacity of their temper and
patience , and can only be successfully encountered
by a ne.tional spirit as systematic as it is resol-ete.
Their enemy, with as much pertinacity, and far
more sagacity than heretofore, hems in the edges of
the " r ebellion" on every side, avoids the frequent
recurrence of pitched battle and general engage-
ments, pounces with hawk-like swoop upon isolated
and inadequately supported bodies of men, evinces
possession of admirable secret information, keeps the
Confederate generals eanstantly on the rack, and,
ha rrassed by irruptions of cavalry, makes his supe-
riority of numbers, and still more his abundance of
supplies for horse and man, more and more felt, and
finally is investing the ports of Secessia with a cor-
don of vessels so numerous as for the first time in 30
months to make access to the Confederate coast
really dangerous and difficult. On the other hand,
in rebel dom itself the Federals have a powerful
ally in circumstances which, to my thinking, have
from the beginning quadrupled the magnitude of
the Confederate task. No one who has been con-
versant with the Northern States during the 2k
years can have failed to notice with astonishment
the faith stronger than death which the Northerners
have exhibited in their " star," their " manifest
destiny," their " religion," their Alpha and Omega,
their dream of dominion from sea to sea, and (to
quote Mr. Everett's words) " from the icy Pole to
the flaming belt of the Equator." No parallel faith
has ever been exhibited by the Confederate States in
their future. Six great Southern victories in the
field and three drawn battles, exhausting the nine
principal collisions of the war, the entire absence of
any such panic routs as Bull Run or Chicamatigee
the triel inefficacy of the Federal blockade, the nn-
molestegl predatory flight of Alabamas and Floridas
at sea, have altogether failed to inspire the masses
of the South with a tithe of that confidence in them-
selves which neither defeat, nor disaster, nor hope
deferred, nor illusions dispelled, have ever shaken
out of the Northerners. Deny it who may, there
is something sublime in this shadowy earnestness
and misty magnificence of Northern faith and self-
reliance. Would. that I could see promises of future
and final South(' rn triumph in any corresponding
quality of the Southern mind! In many fashions
Southern nnislith crops up and recoils upon the Con-
federate Government, making, for instance, Mr.
Memminge is task, though he takes his stand upon
raw material worth 60 or 70 millions of pounds
sterling., Herculean as compared with Mr. Chase's,
who iss'aes vastly larger promises to pay on a security
of bre adstuff exports worth only 60 or 70 millions
of dollars. There are, of course, other reasons to
account for the fact that three dollars in e green
backs" will buy two dollars in gold, while it requires
30 paper dollars of the Confederacy to buy a like
sum ; but this fundamental explanation of the dis-
crepancy in value of the irredeemable paper issues
of the two sections lies in the vastly superior faith
in themselves of the Northern people. For months
we have beard throughout the Confederacy the
cuckoo cry, " Da something to arrest the deprecia-
tion of the turrency, or we perish ;'' but hitherto
nothing has been done, and, as is now seen by every-
body, we al .e on the brink of a precipice. It is univer-
sally adtriif.ted t hat the coun try is richer in everything
that COU'itatUtCS wealth than it was 12 months ago;
that the re is a sufficiency of meat and far greater
abunda ace of cereals than last year; that fruit and
vegetables has been granted us in unusual abundance,
that It ttthmond has supplies of coal and wood vastly
in excess of those laid in against last winter—in proof
of whit h I may mention that the streets are now
as well lighted as those of London, whereas last
year their Cimmerian darkness was a favourite
theme of the New York, Herald; but in spite of
these facts unfaith in Confederate currency grows
apace, the fa-rmers refuse to part with their crops on
any terms, lhur fetches 100 dols. per barrel, and is
rising, buccn is close on 3 dols. a lb., everything is
proportionately dear, and nothing plentiful, save
Confederate currency, until at last a woman going
to market has been heard to exclaim, "I carry a
basket to, 'market to hold my money, and I carry a
pocket-liocik to fetch home the slice of beef which it
buys."

le.
his emergency all eyes turn to the Confede-
rate c;ongrees, which meets upon the 7th of Decem-
er ; and never was graver question submitted to a
deliberative assembly than that which awaits its
immediate discussion. Some 800 or 900 millions of
el:Wars are afloat in a community which could with
difficulty sustain a circulation of 200 millions, and,
worse than all, Mr. Memminger's paper mill is
harder at work than ever, until the dollar, which
now represents a value of fourpence English, pro-
ii.oes shortly to be worth only four farthings. Toe
reaundant currency has somehow to be funded, fresh
Issues to be suspended, A limited amount of circulat-
ing mediura to be put forth, and a solemn pledge
given Vaat this amount shall not hereafter be ex-
e edoe.. I am bound to record that the people are
Arl a temper to stand extravagant taxation. For
1:3 Ay weeks past the Confederate Cabinet has been
early engaged in discussing and excogitating a
ache
me of relief, and a financial convention of the
presid
ontoof Southern banks is to assemble at
Augusta
the 16th inst. I have reason to think
that some
favour sttell plan as the following has found
will be give: eyes of influential men. Authority
issue 1,000 ntitoki the Secretary of the Treasury to
and eimultaneountnis of 6 per cent. coupon bonds,
o per cent. on
veal and
to
impose an annual tax of
personal estate capitalised,
of which tax one-hka.lita.
Bile]: to be paid in currency and
the other halt in
willie or coupons of the 1,000
:million loan. There
Percent,)
inducements offered
into this
(such aa a bonus of 5
Z.) at once to buy up or
convey t currency
circulation
retired it is hoped that
so mulch of the existing
reautoloon will be quickly
retired as will immediately
put to the sutataPori,c.es, and admit
of a limit being
currency_
Other details of this scheme there are e in abundance,
. what
I have sketched.
but, concisely stated, its outline is not fm, from
isit
o
my own appretaeosis
will not be prompt and drastic enough ill
is ti that
tion to sweep away at once the vast r,d4iitaatiPeeraoi
the currency, to inspire confidence in 4 n di
nrusYtful
supplies prompt
people, and to bring Y into
market.
If it fails there is no alternative left for the Gover_u_
naent but to seize and impress whatever it erealtt
'with a high hand, and to this step it will be ini_
pelled, rather than yield to the hated Yankee, by the
almost unanimous voice of the Confedet ate people.
It was long ago remarked by Machiavelli that no
people once embarked in war is ever forced into
peace by reason of pecuniary inanition, and never
were there nations less amenable to considerations of
cash than the two sections of a sundered republic,
which three years ago exhibited an average of
indi-
vidual wealth among its citizens such as could be
found nowhere else upon earth. The embarrassments
of the Confederates in adjusting their currency, in
getting the supplies which abound in distant Florida
and elsewhere up to the mouths which need them,
end in introducing through an increasingly stringent
blockade all that is vital for the continued struggle,
may be, and probably will be, grievous and per-
i'ling ; that they will be such as to extinguish or
paralyse future resistance will not be lightly cre-
dited by one who knows what difficulties have
already beenpiementei surmounted, what shortcomings sup-
plemented, energy and ingenuity displayed.
The re-
vernmentVvesselsapture of the two principal Go-
vernment
have since January last been
engaged in
fifty ratio;:he blockade, and which have
made nearly
up
to voyages between them, will
doubtless be held
iz
411E:gland by Mr. Seward as
a great instance of
and yet it re-
cleirt N large charity to re
avigour;
:Las t ff, ctive such a
tithe pierced at will
muck .de as has been for
I.)‘, the Cor hu lila and Girafft., or
~s
iasshe has recently,
been called, the Robert E.?tee,
I)
oubtiees fresh ure
vernment vessels will soon be 01),37in_
the
Ingeit_beheste-
reau, and in
of the Ordnance Bu
is the glut. of blockading goodsintroaeoed. m
into the
Contederaey by the vessels belonging
to
i
' Private
rstand there are
cornparhea, that I wide. at this
housed at Wilm mo-
ment fifteen cargoes ware._
___ltin-ton,
prices before they are ..
offered for
awaiting a rise ia
ate. Never since tne estabiisi',rn;2nt of Anierle.m in.
;;;•ptiL: of bran-

ciej)-41-:cz,ve !-Iv.,ve there b

dies and wines in Richmond, Augusta, and many
other cities as at this moment. The blockade-running
seems about to be intermitted, not so much by reason
of the increased energy o 2 the blockading a quadrons
as of the fact that the Southern market is glutted
by the goods already introduced.
The principal alteration since I left the army of
Gen. Bragg is the capture by the Federals of Racoon
Mountain, and the erection by the Confederates of
batteries on the summit of Lookout Mountain.
Three weeks ago when I was there, the Confederate
batteries were not more than half-way up the
mountain, and were principally directed against
the Federal batteries on Moccasin Bond. But
the necessity of sweeping the valley between the
two mountains, and of commanding the stream
called Lookout Creek, which divides Lookout
and Racoon Mountains, and across which
the extreme Confederate left now faces the
extreme Federal right, rendered it necessaryft
the
Confederates to haul artillery to the summit of
Look-
out—a laborious feat, which was successfully accom-
plished by Colonel Alexander, Acting Chief
andiefof
Artillery to General Longatreet, an active
valuable officer, But I cannot conceal my own im-
pression that very little energy has been shown by
the Confederate Government in their operations
against Knoxville and Eastern Tennessee. Suc-
cesses have been gained at London by the Confede-
rates, and it would seem that nothing more was re-
quired to drive Burnside out of Knoxville than a
hearty and harmonious co-operation between Gene-
ral Stephenson, who is at London, and General Sam
Jones, who is in Western Virginia. But no energy,
no enterprise, has in this quarter been exhibited,
although I am assured by officers attached to Jones's
command that, in their opinion 10,000 Confederates
could sweep East Tennessee clear of Federals. I fear
that the harmony of action between the armies of
Generals Lee and Bragg,
the transfer to and f f
and back fro Tennessee
the slowness
and his which has been repre-
sented in England
as existing, is as imaginary as
m
frofrom Virginia to Tennessee,
to Virginia, of General
Longatreet
and difficulty which accompany the
movement of army corps, who are cognisant of the
weeks which such an upheaval exacts, will under-
stand the impossibility of any such strate4y as the
Confederates have been credited with. Great as has
been the acumen exhibited by the English press
throughout this war in sifting Northern versions of
the news,—an acumen which has often been com-
mended in my hearing since I came to the South,--
you have yet to learn that in regard to the number
of the Confederate troops engaged, and to the Con-
federate generals in command, there is often in
Northern accounts of battles not one grain or ves-
tige of truth.

General Lee is lying in his intrenched camp to
the south of the Rapidan, threatened alarmingly by
the thunders of the Northern press, and feebly by
the movements of Gen. Meade. We are promised
a battle from day to day by the editors of either
section. I have myself the greatest doubts whether
an action is imminent. Nevertheless, there is no
manner of question that Meade is urged forward
from Washington in very much the same fashion
as was Burnside 12 months ago. Possibly Meade's
recent success against two Confederate brigades
(Hoke's and Hay's), which were left in an exposed
position to the north of the Rappahannock River,
may tempt him on to a battle. If he attacks Gen.
Lee a repetition of the battle of Fredericksburg
assuredly awaits him. But there are indications
that Meade would rather be displaced than forced
to initiate battle against his better judgment. His
sudden pounce upon Hoke's and Hay's brigades on
the 7th inst. was admirably conceived and executed,
and resulted in placing in Gen. Meade's hands a
larger number of " butternut" prisoners (about
1,700) than have ever hitherto been captured by
Federal Generals in Virginia. Assuming that Gen.
Lou gstreet's operations against Gen. Sherman are
successful, I incline to the belief that rain and snow
will put an extinguisher upon active operations
East or West, without any such battles as Frede-
ricksburg or Murfreesborongb, which signalised the
last December ; and that a long winter of discontent
is about to settle down upon both sections, of which
the coming drift and complicated history lie bidden
more deeply and inscrutably from human ken than
ever yet was the future shroudeu from the eye of
men.

The French in the Mediterranean.

A letter from Nice, dated Dec. 10, says :
Wnat has become of English enterprise ? our
countrymen are asking. It is not only M. Ferdi-
nand Lesseps who seems bent on realising the
grande idee of converting the Mediterranean into a
French lake ; every month sees the formation of
some new steam packet service, conducted with
French capital and with an unusual amount of
French energy. The Messageries Imf eriales, pos-
sessing a fleet of excellent boats, have long had a
kind of monopoly of the Mediterranean traffic; and
at last, now when competition is created, strange to
say, it owes its origin to the French and not to the
English. Posted up on every wall may be seen
programmes of the new companies of Valery and
Frassinet, who undertake to traverse the whole
Mediterranean. There is not a port of any im-
portance on the Spanish and Italian coast which
is not daily visited by one or other of these
great rival companies. The people begin to asso-
ciate the tricolour with anew commercial era. All
the, passengers are English—all the boats are
French. It is to France that the tourist tribe are
indebted for the means of gratifying their classical
tastes, and for converting every sheltered olive and
orange-clad nook on the shores of the Mediterra-
nean into an English colony.
It is truly to be regretted that this ample field
for English enterprise has been, strange to say, ne-
glected. We might fairly have imagined that thee()
energetic Englishmen in wide-awakes and wide
pockets, who elbow their way through the Conti-
nent, would have carried some of their love of mari-
time speculation with them. Wherever they can
plant their foot their money is scattered broadcast
around them, but they seem to mistrust the treach-
erous blue waters. On the mountain side, on the
glittering, glistening coast of the littoral, every rood
of ground, worth anything for profit or residence,
maintains its Englishman. Monster hotels are
found in secluded dells, Protestant churches and
even chapels of ease invite the eloquence of our
itinerant and consumptive countrymen along the
southern shores of France. From Marseilles to the
new geographical boundary of France, beyond
Mentone, the English language in all its various
ditoeoes ._
and patois is alone spoken. On the rail-
wale the engineers are English ter • the guards, the
veller
nor a
viihnitierpret in English the Wishes of the tra-
dialoge, whhe is looking out in his guide for the
boys, cab drivers,
shall express his wants; donkey
e:e. omnibus conductors, indulge in
those
English
wziil ptressions which are associated on
i:ir familiar conversation. The
AthnegClaoinstpinoeuert
rire
Milo; the style of the French
vaudeville, the
at the hotel and reaseto.anglais the welcome guest
English alone are the IZil The English and the
vellouseccentricities are fortievged class; their mar-
Frenchman, or enthusiastic hall;
Where low-atted
, would bah taken
off by a sergeant-de-villa, th:n
Whet:ate..
. _,,,ja,” and official exclaims,
el Bah cieet un eingui Li Paes,a
on
as natural
But once on the sea, the English
.
earh.ould be
element, it is very different.
most at home, he feels himself a eh.
swagger about the "flag that braved 6 ' all his
a tee-
it,
11r-emend
years," &c., must be forgotten ; he
French. pe,,:kteea;tehci
by the tricolour, and walks on
must forget his Euglish hours, his English habit:
and for the time suppress his intense nationality'.
It is hard to find ourselves driven away from tilt,
high road of the East and to know that, from
Gibraltar to the Bokphorus, the French are fast
being considered the dominant maritime race.
The annexation of Savoy and Nice has been at-
tended with more important consequences than
we anticipated. Nice and the smaller towns on the
coast afford to foreigners proofs of the wonderful
results of French skill and French progress; the
public gardens spring into new life, touched by the
hand of French taste; the Var, whose banks have
so often witnessed the spectacle of rival armies,
which saw the gallant gathering of the gentlemen
of Provence, when, under the Marsbal B 11 i 1
they Grove the e e 8 e!
Austrians across the 'turbid and

swollen river, must be surprised to find its torrent
confined by immense dykes which oppose a barrier
to the floods which in winter devastate the plains.
All this is the work of the French, and the Italians
are beginning to appreciate the advantages of their
civilization. It is true that it costs them dearly.
One cannot belong to a country full of les grandes
dees without paying a high price for it. The
t take
the lion's
a
n i race,
thosee,
s,
share before poor myriads, having pilfered all their lives, find
their treasure taken from them. The troops and
gendarmery
of
French en
were France
theyere makew e
calledr e thegoverning
in themo regret
hoc
hbapaorpre of
ye
tdhaeysw
the English spoils.

Lord Clarence Paget on the Naval Reserve.

A large and fashionable company assembled yesterday
afternoon on board the Thames Marine Officers' training
ship Worcester, off Erith, to witness the presentation of the
prizes to the young cadets of the school by Rear-Admiral
Lord Clarence Paget, C. 8., M.P.
The ceremony took place on the main deck, which was
appropriately decorated with flags and evergreens. Sir Jas.
Duke, M.P., was called upon to preside—and in addition to
Lord Clarence Paget there were present, Mr. Henry Green
(the Chairman of the Committee), Admiral Hall, Mr. W,
Phillipps, Capt. Lean, R.N., Mr. W. Bullivant (the Hon.
Secretary)--. and a number of the officers of the Royal Naval
Reserve attended in uniform. The young cadets (about 50)
were ranged in the middle of the deck.

The CHAIRMAN briefly opened the proceedings.
Mr. BULLIVANT, the Hon. Secretary, read the report of
Mr. Muggeridge, of Greewich, as to the examination and
proficiency of the lads.
Captain DOMETT, of the London Local Marine Board of
the Port of London, the other examiner of the boys, also
gave the result of his examination of the boys, which was
highly satisfactory.

Lord CLARENCE PAGE; who on rising was received with
considerable applause, said he had been engaged during a
somewhat long life upon various public objects, and could
safely say that he had never undertaken a duty with greater
and more sincere pleasure than the duty which he was about
that day to undertake. Having adverted to the success of a
similar institution at Liverpool, which had led him to aid,
in concert with the late Mr. Richard Green, in estab ishing
one also in the Thames, he said it was almost unnecessary
for him to dilate upon the great importance of such institu-
tions as this in their great naval ports. There could be no
doubt that hitherto they had been somewhat behindhand in
the matter; for when they considered the vast amount of
their commerce, the enormous size and the vast number of
their merchant ships, every lover of his country would agree
with him that it was high time that such institutions as
this were established at all the principal ports, and it was
with feelings of great gratification that he now witnessed
there that day what had long been witnessed in Liverpool,
and what he trusted he should witness in other great ports
of the country. After a few words of exhortation to the
youths before him on the nature of their future career, and
warning them against the dangers and temptations to which
they would be exposed, he proceeded to impress upon them
the importance of attending to their studies, more espe-
cially as regarded mathematics and mechanics. In continu-
ation, he charged them all to attend particularly to the use
of the steam-engine, and to lose no opportunity of making
themselves acquainted with its details. Thera were also
many other branches of mechanics eminently useful, and
he trusted that, inasmuch as they had no such advantages
of education in his (Lord C. Paget's) younger days, they
would so benefit by them as to arrive at the highest possi-
ble position which they could attain in the particular branch
of service to which their attention would necessarily be de-
weed, He might add a good deal more with respect to other
branches of science equally important; but he must remind
them that there was one thing of greater importance than
all science, and his last words to them should be the expres-
sion of a hope that they would remember the Giver of All
Good, for no man he believed could be happy then, and he
was certain that no man could be happy hereafter, who did
not love his God. (Hear.) Therefore he recommended his
young friends strongly, while they were pursuing their
worldly studies, not to forget that other and far more impor
tent study, the study of the Word of God. He had the
greatest confidence in the success of an institution conducted
and supported as this was, not only by the individual sub--
scribers to the institution, but by public opinion as to the
necessity of such institutions in this country. Of its
ultimate success he had no doubt whatever, and he ear-
nestly requested the committee, for reasons which he should
advert to in addressing the Naval Reserve, that they would
not omit to teach and show the science to those young men
which was becoming most useful, namely, the science of
gunnery. This was the first public occasion on which he
had, so to speak, had an opportunity of making personal
acquaintance with the officers of the Naval Reserve, and he
could assure them that it gave him the most sincere pleasure
to be enabled on the present occasion to meet them all face
to face. (Cheers.) They were aware that they had in the
creation of this magnificent force many difficulties to en-
counter, and he was sure that they would give him the
credit for being an earnest and a zealous supporter of this
great and important movement. They could not, of course,
expect to arrive at perfection all at once. They (the Go.
vernment) had had various difficulties to get through, and
many prejudices to get over. He was sure that when he
stated in a few words some of those difficulties, so far from
having any cause fer dissatisfaction, they had every cause
to be perfectly satisfied with the progress which the move-
ment had made. Assuming, however, that there were
some who were a little dissatisfied with the terms on which
they entered the service, or the severity of its drill, yet he
was Persuaded that they would, all patriotic and public
spirited as they were, waive any little feeling of dissatis-
faction, and make common cause with the Government,
doing everything that lay in their power to forward the
movement ; while, on the other hand, he could assure them
that the Government were most anxious to meet their
wishes on every point consistently with their duty to the
public interests. For instance, he knew they were put to
inconvenience by repeated drills. He was quite aware,
and the Government were perfectly aware, that an intelli-
gent body of educated men, who were quite equal in all
respects to the officers of the Royal navy, when they set
to work with a will and were determined to master the
subject, it needed not that they should treat them in
the matter of examination in the same manner in which
they Would treat those who were beneath them or who
did not move in their position in life. They were all
aware that when they had once made themselves masters
of the subject, it would be quite sufficient that, in order
to receive their annual certificate of competency,
an examination of a muoh less irksome nature would
be sufficient. Of these things they (the Government) were
perfectly aware, and her Majesty's Government had at that
moment a code of regulations whereby they were endeavour-
ing to :t over such difficulties of detail as he was describ-
ing. (Cheers.) There were other matters, on which perhaps
he had better not enlarge upon the present occasion, viz.,
the question of the flag they should carry. He would state
generally what the Government desired. They desired to
see a British ship carry a flag by which, whatever port she
might enter, whether she be a ship belonging to the Royal
navy or to the mercantile marine, it should be known that
she was manned by the first officers and the finest seamen in
the service ; and they knew what would be the result of that.
The desireof the Government was that their grand merchant
ships should enter ports all over the world, the officers being
everywhere recognised as belonging to the Naval Reserve.
(Cheers.) There were other matters, matters connected
with promotion, and so on. They were perfectly aware that
in whatever position of life they wore placed, every man
must look forward to some promotion—it was inherent in
the nature of man that he should do so. All that he wanted
them to know was that these things were not neglected.
The Government asked them to look ahead, and to believe
that if their services were performed faithfully and honestly
to the Crown promotion would be granted to them.
(Cheers.) Those were matters upon which he entered with
them frankly as a friend, because he would tell them that
from the very first he had looked on the reserve as the main-
stay of the country. He did not want to be mistaken. He
trusted that they would not think for a moment he wished
any one to suppose that he thought the Naval Reserve
should supplant the navy. It must be an auxiliary to the
navy. That was the position of the Naval Reserve. He
would tell them what he looked forward to see. and that
was the broad sea covered with British merchant ships car-
rying rich cargoes hoisting the invincible reserve flag, and
which would not any longer want convoys, but should
convoy one another. He looked forward to the day when
every captain of a large ship and his officers should possess
a thorough knowledge of gunnery, so that no hostile vessel
should dare to meddle with them, and if at any time an
enemy had the temerity to come near, they (the Govern-
ment) should find in their hands and arms the very safety
of the country. He believed that they must go on, and they
were going on. True it was they did not show such a mag-
nificent force as the volunteers who were performing drills
in public every day, and therefore were constantly before it
and got remarked upon ; but he assured them that the very
highest personage in the realm took the deepest possible in-
terest in the Naval Reserve. (Cheers.) No one took a
deeper interest in its success than dld her Majesty the
Queen, and her inquiries were constant as to its progress.
(Cheers ) He was sure that of itself was quite sufficient to
induce them to come forward ; and when they heard of pre-
judice in regard to matters to which he had adverted, do not
let that prevent them coming forward in the present condi-
tion this noble institution. (Cheers.) The noble and
and he thole
.gallant lord then presented the prizes to the successful can-
delatea.
Captain TRIVET begged, as an officer of the Naval Re-
in"t° thank
e reserve and assisting them in overcoming
eatabli.hi the noble lord for the exertions he had made
their delimi the
They now wanted nothing more than a
officers and men
ortt. it would gladden the hearts of all the
Highness Prince Aifflre'cineeal Naval Reserve if his Royal
name at their head.
head,
(Cheers.)
them to enrol his august
After some remarks frorn .
the chairman of the come,itteete,rtrhal Hall and Mr. 11. Green,
the chairman closed the proceedinnnsusual vote of thanks to
As the company left the ship 'he Proceedings.
ds and the band o lir. Grew, g cadets manned
yar , workmen played the
national airs,

COURT OP SESSION,

PTN.- F. it, SIM (SIME'S FACTOR.)
This petition was presented last week by a judicial factor
appointed under the Pupils' Protection Act, for the pun.
pose of having his bond of caution cancelled, and a new
bond by the National Guarantee and Suretyship Associa-
tion taken in its stead. The case was reported by Lord
Barcaple, on account of the importance of the question
whether bonds by a company of limited liability could be
accepted by the Court.

Counsel was heard in support of the application. It was
maintained that, as this company was registered in terms
of the " Companies Act, 1862," it Caine under the provi-
sion of the 27th section of the Pupils' Pretection Act,
which provides that th© Court shall authorise, if they deem
it expedient, " bonds or policies of the British Guarantee
Association, or other public company incorporated by act of
Parliament or Royal Charter, carrying on business within
Scotland, to be accepted and taken instead of bonds of cau-
tion by private individuals." Under the 18th section of the
Companies Act, this company must be held to be " incor-
porated by act of Parliament." This view has been taken
by the Parliamentary committees, who now deal
with banks registered under this act as in the
same position as " banks established by act of Parlia-
ment or Royal Charter." One object of the act
was to save companies the expense of obtaining a
private Act of Parliament for themselves ; and it is expressly
provided by sec. 18 that upon registration of the memoran-
dum of association the subscribers shall thereupon be "a
body corporate," Accordingly, Mr. Thomson argued, the
Court has power to take the bond of this company, the only
question remaining is—ls it expedient to do so ? Now, that
must be ascertained in the usual way, which is by remitting
to the accountant of court, and getting his report, In the
present case that has been done, and the report of the ac-
countant is in every way favourable to the application. He
is satisfied of the respectability and responsibility of the
company, and both he and the Lord Ordinary concur in
thinking that their bond may be safely taken. In the pre-
sent instance there seems to be only one element of difficulty
This is a company of limited liability. This is not thought
by the accountant to present any practical difficulty, and in
that view the Lord Ordinary concurs. In the case of a pri-
vate cautioner, the accountant can only satisfy himself from
the ostensible character or supposed circumstances of the
person at the time, and these must frequently prove
deceptive. Even where the sufficietcy of the party is
at first undoubted, unfortunate circumstances too often
occur to alter his position. Again, where the circum-
stances of the party are positively known to be suffi-
cient for the obligation undertaken, and likely to
continue so, it remains unknown how many other
cautionary obligations he may have undertaken. None of
these objections apply to a public company, and accordingly,
so far as the question is one of general expediency, there
seems no doubt of the desirableness of substituting bonds by
a public company for those by private persons, The re-
sponsibility and sufficiency of a company may be judged of
and ascertained in the same way as that of a private person.
In the present case, the factory funds are not large, and
there seems no doubt that the association is amply sufficient
for the amount. Mr. Thomson also read to the Court sta-
tistics of the present financial condition of the company.
The Lord President said he had great difficulty about the
case. It was a novel one, and the whole system of com-
panies with limited liability was as yet untried. There was
here a cautioner already, and he thought that at present
the safe course was to refuse the application.
Lord Deas doubted whether a company merely incorpo-
rated under the Companies Act could be held to be "in-
corporated by Act of Parliament" in the sense of the Pupils'
Protection Act. There appears to be no doubt of the per-
fect respectability of this company, but the last-mentioned
Act seems to contemplate a company with a private Act of
its own, as to whose condition the Government has satis-
fied itself. Mr. Thompson has very properly admitted that
the Eritish Guarantee Association had a private Act, con-
taining very express provisions, and its shareholders were
liable to the full extent of their fortunes. I do it with re-
luctance, but it seems to me that, looking to the whole cir-
cumstances of the case, we must refuse this application.
Lord Curriehill concurred, and observed that he was glad
that in this case they were able to decide on principle, with-
out suggesting any doubt as to the perfect respectability of
the company. He was unable to hold that where the liability
of the shareholders of a company was limited to the amount
of the shares, its bonds could be accepted by the Court.
Counsel for the petitioners, Mr. Comrio Thomson ; agents,
Messrs. Duncan and Dewar, W.S.

and without the least temptation, as to the time the act was
committed he was in the receipt of wages to the amount of
two guineas per week. He then sentenced him to be im-
prisoned and kept to hard labour for 12 months.
John Double, 53, was charged with bigamy.
Mr. Laly prosecuted; and the prisoner was defended by
Mr. Collins.

This was a very remarkable case. It appeared that the
prisoner was married to his first wife at Ipswich in 1842, and
that they lived together for 16 years, when they separated.
The prisoner was married a second time in March, 1859,
and it appeared that the brother of the first wife was pre-
sent e.t both the marriages, and gave both the brides away,
and he said that he explained to the second wife that the
prisoner had been married before, and that his wife was
living, but notwithstanding this she persisted in having
the ceremony performed.
The second wife said she had no complaint to make
against the prisoner, and that he had been a good husband
to her; and it appeared that she and the prisoner had co-
habited together for 12 months previous to the second mar-
riage.

The jury found the prisoner Guilty.
The prisoner was sentenced to a mouth's imprisonment.

THE MURDER IN TiiE WATERLOO-ROAD.

At the close of the business, the Grand Jury brought in,
amongst others, a true bill against Samuel Wright, for
wilful murder. This is the melancholy case which took
place on Sunday morning last, the prisoner having been
examined and committed at once upon that charge.
The Recorder informed the Grand Jury that as there was
no more business for them, he would release them from
further attendance, which he had great pleasure in doing at
so early a period.

One of the gentlemen of the Grand Jury thanked his
lordship, and asked permission to mention a matter which
might perhaps be deemed rather absurd, but nevertheless
he could not help mentioning it. He, with his brother
jurymen, were glad at being released so soon, and they
thought with him, that when they came to serve their coun-
try, it was rather hard that they should be charged such
enormous prices for refreshments. They had been called
upon to pay the sum of is. for a sandwich, for which, any
where else, they ought only to have paid 2id. It was a
paltry sum in itself, and it was not the money that they
looked at; but it appeared to them to be a principle which
ought not to pass without observation.
The Recorder said it certainly was a large amount for a
sandwich, and it was very desirable that the subject should
have been mentioned, as the witnesses were, no doubt, liable
to the same overcharge.