The Sun.
London, England, 1863-02-20 00:00:00

rt-tE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 20, 1863

is a vary great hardship when a man is cornpelLd to
! falsify his convictions at the frown of an
„gi7 landlord or the sign of a rich customer,
p,:,tronage affects his trade. It is easy
whose
to exclaim at he moral weakness of the concession,
yeet ordinary English yeomen
but we must not e,7
and traders to be
" Like CATO, firm, like AnISTIDE, just,"
if with these virtues we couple the " noble" poverty
of "rigid CINCTNNATIIS." Men may have very
strong opinions on the corn laws and the currency
I without being prepared to sacrifice their own corn
and coin to support them. It is a different thing
to take an open bribe and to shrink from ruining a
family for what will certainly be represented by
the wife and mother as an obstinate crotchet or
foolish whim. The evils attending this state of
things are very great, for they gradually disgust
men with politics; they either decline to vote, or
vote against their wishes. A false tone is spread
through political society, and our much-vaunted
representative system rests on a false basis.
How then is this state of things to be amended ?
There remains one way, and that a way much ridi-
culed, much decried, and opposed with a suspicious
vehemence by a large preponderance of both sides,
but never tried. We allude, of course, to the
Ballot, of which we have been for so many years
the earnest and unflinching advocates. To all
assurances of its unsatisfactory results, its evil
effects, and its certain failure, we only reply, let it
be tried. It is strange that if the objec-

tions raised are honest, the objectors are so
unwilling to submit them to the very simple
test of experiment. Another favourite argument
frequently brought forward, is the un-English
character of the secret vote. Are we to conclude
that bribery and intimidation are " Eaglish" vir-
tues It is idle to argue and legislate as if men
were pieces of mechanical perfectien. The real
wisdom and kindness is to adopt our laws and
theories to human nature as it is. We have Divine
authority for the prayer " Lead us not into tempta-
tion," and those who refuse to recognise the prin-
ciple contained in the words may depend upon
it that they commit a fatal mistake. The
adoption of the Ballot would diminish incalculably
the temptations to which the elector is exposed, and
would lessen likewise the inducements offered to
the candidate to exercise undue influence. The
real secret of the opposition to the Ballot is to be
found in the unwillingness of both sides to run the
risk of losing supporters by fair elections ; and,
until reform has really begun in the camps and
cabinets of our leading statesmen, it is idle to
descant upon purity of elections, and to attach
penalties to isolated offenders.

The man who introduced garrotting has ren-

dered the public a service, although at the expense
of certain private individuals. People's eyes have at
length been opened to the fact, that in attempting to

be humane, the authorities of our prisons have be-

come unjust. It has long been a common saying

hat better food was to be obtained in prison than

n the workhouses, but little attention was paid to

it by the public, believing it to be said only as a
slap at the relieving-officer and other parish autho-

.
rams. The truth—the whole truth—has now come

out; and we find that the meaning of the fearful
words, prison discipline, signifies, simply, regular

hours for meals and exercise.

At a special meeting of the National Association
'or the Promotion of Social Science, held at Bur-

lington House, on Tuesday evening, the advisability
of renewing the practice of transporting criminals
beyond the seas was considered ; and after long
discussion, the motion of Mr. ITAsTINGs, to the
following effect :—" That it is not desirable to at-
tempt any return to the old system of transporta-
tion, which, apart from the opposition it would
provoke from the colonies, would entail heavy and

permanent expense on this country without pro-
ducing any adequate advantages, or any result

which would not be better as well as more cheaply

obtained by well regulated convict establishments
at home," was carried by a large majority. In their
anxiety to protect the colonies from the infection of

crime, the gentlemen who came to tho above con-
clusion forget that it is not proposod to force crimi-
nals upon any state, province, or colony. West
Australia has petitioned Government to send "long
sentence" men and " lifers" to their not over fertile
or productive colony. Lord ALF RED CHURCHILL
justly maintained that West Australia, separated as
it is from the nearest colony by a distance of up•
wards of 600 miles of arid desert, was a fit place to
send convicts, so long as the Colonists can
find employment for them, yet his argu-
ments found but little favour with the
meeting, and if Sir WALTER CROFT'S remarks
are reported truly it seems to us that his
opposition to transportation contains strong argu-
ments in support of it . He said " that, looking at
transportation in its deterring aspect, he did not

consider that the prospect of being sent to a
flourishing colony would prevent bad men from
crime. If they were to be sent to West Australia,
instead of five garotters there would be ten. If
penal settlements were established in rugged and
bleak places, where stern dissipline was to be
exacted, how were the convicts to be controlled

Why, a large army would be necessary, and our
soldiers would have to be punished like our crimi-
nals. Look at our penal settlements. Why, the
convicts used to commit murders in order to be
hanged for the purpose of escaping from the horrors
of the settlements. The proper way of dealing with
the subject was to pass long sentences with no remis-
sions ; and when the convicts were discharged they
ought to be placed under the control of the police."
The statement that sending garotters to a flourish-
ing colony would double their number, reads curi-
ously in conjunction with the information that in
old penal settlements convicts used to commit mur-
der in order to get hanged, and so end their
misery. Again, what he says about the
injustice of subjecting soldiers and others to
the hardships of penal settlements, if situated in
rugged and bleak places, is not fair, because they
might be relieved from time to time, and he might
just as well say that it was cruel to immure
prison matrons and wardens in our gaols. We do
not wish that the old system of New South Wales
and Norfolk Island should be revived, nor would
we have a large military force engaged in guarding
the convicts--that duty should be performed by
special officers engaged and trained for the purpose,
thus obviating the necessity of sending soldiers on
a duty naturally repugnant to their taste. While
there is work to be executed in new colonies—
while in rugged and barren districts roads have to
be made to enable the emigrant to traverse the
country, there let our convicts be sent. In the
Nor-West portion of the Australian continent there
are wide-spread tracts of fertile land ; but many of
these are divided from the coast by stony wastes.
The climate is healthy, and if roads of communica•
tion were opened, and Government showed the way,
immigration would soon set it. Would New South
Wales and Tasmania ever have been made produc-
tive colonies, but for convict labour, which opened
up the resources of the country. Why not turn
the evil of our country to advantage in pro-
ducing new fields for enterprise. Let the convicts
be treated well, but let them be worked hard, and
let them feel they are not at play. Care must be

taken in the selection of governors and others in
authority, who ought to be well paid, to ensure
the services of capable men, With a strict but
just rule, we should hear nothing of men murdering
each other to end their troubles, nor yet, as at
present, would thieves go to prison to grow fat.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

[REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.]

EGYPT.
ALEXANDRIA, FEB. 19.
Ismail Pacha has taken his departure for Con-
stantinople on board a Turkish steamer.

THE INSURRECTION IN POLAND.

POSEN, FEB. 20.

The Posener Zeitung of to-day publishes a de-
claration of the President of the Association for
the promotion of German interests in the province
of Posen. After fully stating the grounds of the
views which he puts forward, the President con-
cludes by saying that all measures taken by the
Prussian Government for the protection of the fron-
tier between Prussian and Russian Poland are to be
thankfully acknowledged by the German inhabitants
of the province. They would, however, consider any
special intervention of Prussia in favour of Russia,
as dangerous and fatal to the welfare of the pro-
vince of Posen.

CRACOW, FEB. 20.
The Russian have attacked Staszow, but were

repulsed.

POLAND.

(PROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
WARSAW, Feb. 13.

By far the must important event relating to the
present outbreak, is the convention made between
Russia and Prussia, by which the later not only
allows the Russian troops who fight against the
Poles to be conveyed through the Prussian territory,
but engages, should Russia find herself in a diffi-
culty and required her army at home, to march an
army of 70,000 men into Poland, to put down the
insurrection. Moreover, the Russian soldiers, if
driven into Prussia, are to keep their arms, and are
at liberty to return when they can do so—an in-
stance of which occurred not long ago. About 400
Russian soldiers, 20 officers, and 2 generals having
been compelled to take shelter in Prussia and been
disarmed, have, in consequence of this new conveu-
tion, been permitted to return, and were actually
sent to Czenstochowa. This most flagrant breach of
the international law—so worthy of a despot like
the King of Prussia—ought to awaken the apathy
of the Western Powers, and particularly of Eng-
land, who is so jealous of interfering in other coun-
tries' affairs. It would, indeed, be the height of
injustice to suffer the Poles to be thus crushed by
the combined forces of the two spoliators of their
country. If in this apparently unequal struggle
the Poles are doomed to succumb, at least let them
have a fair fight with their arch-enemy, Russia,
without any one else interfering. And should
Europe remain silent at this officious and tyrannical
conduct of Prussia, the execration of the whole
Polish nation would, I am sure, be upon it.
The insurrection extends to all parts, and the
plan of the Poles is to make a slow, guerilla kind
of war upon the Russians—seldom to attack them,
but harass them continually, except when they can-
not help to accept the battle. At Wengrow and
Wenchocks the insurgents fought like Hone ; badly
armed, and some without any weapons in their
hands, they rushed furiously at the enemy, and
caused severe losses in the Russian ranks. And,
although the Poles had a great number killed,
yet they retreated in good order, and showed that
patriotism can supply bravery and efficiency. The
Russians are infuriated, and always revenge them-
selves upon the poor inhabitants, whom they mur-
der without mercy. At Tomaszow the atrocities
perpetrated by the Cossacks and the infantry are
beyond description. Old men, women, and chil-
dren, persons lying sick in their beds, were dragged
out and slain, like so many beasts. One, a doctor,
was enveloped in straw and set fire to. This sys-
tem of murdering and pillaging is the one ordered
by the highest authorities to be pursued, and all
means, such as to intoxicate the soldiery with
spirits, are employed to carry it out.
The Grand Duke Constantine issued an order
that the troops are to act as if they were in an ene-
my's country, sack and pillage; and that every
house in which an insurgent may seek to conceal
himself is to be levelled to the ground. It is not
surprising that such a war would even disgust some
honest Russians, and several of the officers who
passed over to the insurgents, and have been recap-
tured, were at once shot.
The reports of the conflict at Siemiatzore, in
Lithuania, have been exaggerated by General
Nazimow, who gave the number of the insurgents
killed as being 1,000, and that the Russians had not
one soldier lost. The fact is, the Poles only num-
bered 300, who stood their ground firmly, and
when attacked opposed a vigorous resistance, but as
the Russian shells and rockets set fire to the town
they evacuated it, and the poor inhabitants under-
went the same ordeal of pillage and murder as at
Tom aszow.
The whole of Lithuania, Volhynia, and Ukraine
are also declared in a state of siege; the military
governors exercise the power of putting to death
any one they choose, and you may be sure they will
not neglect this most pleasing duty to them. But
no cruelty, no vengeance will daunt the courage
and the devotion of the Poles. If this is to be a
war of extermination it will be so, for the country
most be turned into a desert rather than that it
should be ruled over by such birbarians. Genera-
tion after generation of the Poles will arise and
fight for the liberty of their country and its rights,
and this is the feeling which pervades all classes.
The unpopularity of the Marquis Wielopolski is
so universal that I should not be astonished to see
him some day a victim of a desperado. The Em-
peror, however, is pleased with him and sent him
an autograph letter of thanks for his signal services.
At Kowalew, not far from the Prussian frontier,
tho insurgents stopped the train, and took from one
of the travellers the despatches he was carrying
from the Grand Duke Constantine, containing
among others, a letter to the Russian Ministers at
Berlin, Paris, and London, endeavouring to explain
,hat the insurrection was not caused by the recruit-
ng,—a rather difficult task. The following is the
translation

" Warsaw, Feb. 4,

' M. r A.mbassadeur—Tho foreign revolutionary press of
all countries, which we perceive derives the greater part of
its intelligence from the Cracow Czas, endeavours to repre-
sent the insurrection of Poland as a consequence of the
recruiting and the terrible way in which it was carried out.
The Lemberg Gazetta of Narodotva—a paper more i evolu •
tionary, if possible, but more candid than the Czas—has
refuted most completely the view the Czas has managed to
propagate all over Europe. According to the confessions
of that journal, and the proofs alleged in su?port of there,
rebellion had been long prepared by the Poles. The enemy
thus furnishing us with weapons to be used against him, I
deem it my duty to enable your excellency to correct the
erroneous views propagated upon this particular subject.
I therefore enclose a translation of two articles contained
in the Gazetta Narodowa, adding, at the same time, that a
week previous to the term of recruitment, about 1,600
persons absented themselves from Warsaw to form anucleus
of revolutionary bands. Rebellion, then, it is evident,
must have been resolved upon prior to the beginning of the
conscription.
" I have the honour to be, M. l'Ambassadeur, your most
humble and obedient servant,
"To his Excellency Baron " TEGOBORSKI."
Budberg, Russian Ambassador at Berlin."
Comment on such an apology from Russia is

superfluous.
The head of the Nationel Government in War-
saw has caused to circulate flying sheets of the
authentic military reports of the insurgents for the
information of the inhabitants of this metropolis.

FRANCE•

PARIS, FEB. 20

The Constitutionnel affirms that pauperism is on
the decrease in Paris, and since the old town has
disppeared in the splendour of this new arrange.

meni, an analagous amelioration has tak‘n place
among the pow er classes. Various reasons are as-
signed for this, but chiefly the spread of education
is mentioned.

The (pinion° Nationale animadverts upon the
conduct of M. Bismarck in the debate upon
Poland. It trusts that he will not much longer bo
able to quote the indifference of the Western
Powers as an excuse for his policy. It is assured
that the Gcvernments of France and of England
will not permit King William to violate the prin-
ciple of non-intervention, and allow him to assist
the Czar in crushing a people worthy of all our
sympathies.
Le Pays has heard it rumoured that General But-
ler is to be the ne w War Secretary ! The position
of Prussia and Poland are still the chief subject of
disctession. Le Pays condemns the conduct of the
Czar and the King with just severity. Le Siecle,
quoting the opinions of the English press with re-
gard to the recent continental events, remarks on
the unanimity of the English, French, and German
press respecting the conduct of the Prussian Go-
vernment. The same journal announces the
proaching recognition of the Kingdom of Italy by
I the Grand Duchy of Baden. Robberies seem to
be on the increase in Paris according to English
fashion.

BOURSE, Feb. 19.—The market continues heavy,
but without any further depreciation in prices—
Threes, for the Account, being now at 70f. 10c.
Railway Shares quiet, with little change in quota-

tions. Prior to the ()lose the market was firmer,
owing to the reduction in the discount of the Bank
of England, and left off as follows :

It per Cents. O9 75 Bank Shares 3375
Do. end month.... Credit I. oncier 1507 50
3 per Cents
Do. end month 7O 10 Italian Loan 69 85
New 3 per Cents .. Russian - -
Do, end month.... Austrian
Credit Mobilier.... 1214 Spanie.h Threes 53
Do. end m0nth....1211 25; Rome Debt . . 491

BAIL

'AYE3.

Cash. Account.
Orleans lllO .. 1107 50
Northern ....
New ditto . 1015 ..
Lyons and Mediterranean 1180 .. 1185
Geneva ..
Southern 790 .. 797 50
Western
Eastern

Sardinian
Austrian -
Lorpbard

North of Spain
Saragossa..
Ditto to Barcelona

The Confederate Naval Victory at

Charleston.

The Richmond Dispatch contains the following
:elegrams in reference to the recent Confederate

naval victory at Charleston :
" Charleston, S.C., lan. 31.
"The two iron-clad gunboats Chicora and Pal-
metto State, with three steamers as tenders, went

out beyond the bar at 1 o'clock this morning to

attack the blo&cading fleet. Firing began soon
after 1, and for a time was very rapid and conti-
nuous. Afterwards it slackened, but continued at
intervals until 9 o'clock this morning. Owing to

,he fog the result has not yet been ascertained

Commander Ingraham is aboard the Palmetto State

as commander of the expedition."

" SECOND DESPATCH.
" Charleston, Jan. 31.
" This morning the gunboats Palmetto State,
Captain Rutledge, and Chicora, Captain Tucker,
accompanied by three small steamers—the General
Clinch, Etiwan, and Chesterfield—all under the
command of Commodore Ingraham, made an attack
on the blockaders, and succeeded in sinking two
and crippling a third. The engagement commenced
at four o'clock. The Palmetto State, with Commo-
dore Ingraham on hoard, opened fire upon the
Federal gunboat Mercedita, carrying 11 guns and

158 men, which was soon sunk in five fathoms of
water. Her commander, Capt. Stellwagen, with a
boat's crew, cam© on board and surrendered. One
shot pierced her boiler, going clear through. Capt.
Stellwagen and crew were paroled by Commodore
Ingraham. Capt. Tucker, of the Chicora, reports sink-
ing another Federal gunboat and the disabling of the
steamship Quaker City. The latter was set on fire
by the Chicora, and hauled down her flag to sur-

render, but afterwards managed to escape, using
only one wheel. She was very seriously damaged.
The number of the blockading fleet outside at the
time of the attack was 13, with two first-class fri-

gates, the Susquehanna and Canandaigua. The
Federal loss was very severe. It was a complete
success on our part, with not a man hurt. Our
gunboats were not even struck. All the blockaders
have disappeared. There is not one to be seen
within five miles with the strongest kind of glasses.
Our boats are now returning to Charleston. The
following is the official despatch :

" THE REBEL OFFICIAL REPORT.

" On board gunboat Palmetto State,

" I went out last night. This vessel struck the
Mercedita, when she sent on board a boat and sur-
rendered. The officers and crew were paroled.
Captain Tacker thinks he sunk one vessel and set
another on fire, when she struck her flag. The
blockading fleet had gone to southward and east-
ward out of sight.
I, D. N. INGRAHAM, Flag Officer Commanding."
" THIRD DESPATCH.
" Charleston, Jan. 31.
" Our gunboats Palmetto State and Chicora have
reached the wharfs. They were enthusiastically
cheered by an immense concourse of citizens who
had assembled to greet them. Salutes were fired
from the forts and batteries. Not a man was hurt on
our side, and our gunboats were not struck by the
enemy. Our attack on the fleet was a complete sur-
prise to the blockaders,each one running away with-
out caring for the others. It is supposed that nearly
all of the crew of the Mercedita perished. The Pal-
metto State,which engaged the Mercedita,having no
boats, and fighting at the time, could render her no
assistance. The Quaker City was struck twice, and
one of her side wheels almost torn off."
"FOURTH DESPATCH.

" Charleston, Feb. 1.

" Gen. Beauregard and Commodore Ingraham, as
commanders of the land and naval forces, have
issued a joint proclamation, dated Jan. 31, declaring
the blockade of Charleston raised, the entire hos-
tile squadron having been sunk, burned, or dis-
persed by the superior naval forces of the Confede-
racy. Yesterday afternoon General Beauregard
placed a steamer at the disposal of the foreign con-
suls to see for themselves that no blockade existed.
The French and Spanish Consuls, accompanied
by General Ripley, accepted the invitation.
The British Consul, with the commander of the
British war steamer Petrel, had previously
gone five miles beyond the usual anchorage of the
blockaders, and could see nothing of them with
glasses. Late in the evening four blockaders re-
appeared, keeping far out. This evening a large
number of blockaders are in sight, but keep steam
up, evidently ready to run."
" THE LATEST DESPATCH.
" Charleston, Feb. 1.
" Official Proclamation.
" Head-quarters, Land and Naval Forces,
Charleston, S.C., Jan. 31.
"At about 3 o'clock this morning the Confederate
States naval force on this station atteeked the
United States blockading fleet elf the harbour of
the city of Charleston, and sunk, dispersed, or
drove off and out of sight for the time the entire
hostile fleet. Therefore we, the undersigned coin-
of the Confederate States naval
man ders respectively
and land forces in this quarter, do hereby formally
declare the blockade by the United States of the
said city of Charleston, S.C., to be raised by a
superior force of the Confederate States from and
after this 31st day of January, A.D. 1863.
4, Q. T. BEAUREGARD, General-Commanding.
"D. N. INGRAHAM, Flag-Officer Commanding
Naval Forces in South Carolina.
(Official)
" THOMAS JOURDAN, Chief of Staf.
" The results of the naval engagements yesterday
are two vessels sunk, four set on fire, and the re-
mainder driven away. The foreign Consuls here held
a meeting last night, and were unanimously of opi-
nion that the blockade had been legally raised.
Twenty blockaders are off the bar to-day. Other
Very import Ant wevemente are in progress lzore"

- Pr7'
-
‘4;l-4-4`;'"- einalar

HER MAJESTY.

WINDSOR CASTLE, Feb. 19.
Baron Gros, and Earl and Countess Russell,
arrived at the Castle yes crday.
Lord Russell had an audience of the Queen.
Baron Gros, French Ambassador, was presented to
the Queen at an andience by Earl Russell.
The Judge Advocate-General arrived at the
Castle to-day, and had an audience of the Queen.
The Prince of Wales, attended by Lieutenant-
General Knollys and Major Teesdale, went to Lon-
don this morning.

The christening of the infant son of CountiGleichan
(Prince Victor of Hohenlohe) and the Countess
Gleichen took place in the Chapel Royal, St.

Lanes's.

The sponsors were the Prince of Wales, the
Princess of Leiningen (represented by Mies Emily
Gore), and Captain William Frederick Seymour.
The child was named by the Prince of Wales,
Albert Edward Wilfred.

Ihe ceremony of baptism was performed by the
Rev. Francis Garden, M.A., Chaplain of the Queen's
Household, St. James's Palace.

PRINCE OF WALES'S THEATRE.—We understand
that the Prince has honoured Mr. Fechter by expressing a
wish that the theatre of which this accomplished artist is
now lessee shall be re-named after his Royal Highness.
The Lyceum is therefore to be called in future the Prince
of Walss's Theatre.

THE PRINCE OF WALES AND THE LIFEBOAT
CAUSE.—H.R.H. the Prince of Wales has intimated
through General Knollys his great pleasure in becoming
the vice-patron of the Royal National Lifeboat. Institution,
and in contributing a donation of £3O for the purposes of
the Institution. The Prince of Wales thus occupies in the
Institution the place which the late lamented Prince Con-
sort, his father, filed since 1850 with so much advantage to
the cause of humanity. At that period the society possessed
twelve lifeboats, and its annual expenditure was about
£BOO. The Institution has now a fleet of one hundred and
twenty-three lifeboats, and its expenditure is £15,000
a year. These boats save every year on an average 350
lives from shipwreck on various parts of our coast. It is
worth recording that the lifeboat of the society at Padstow,
on the Cornish coast, was, with the permission of the late
Prince Consort, named the Prince of Wales. On the day
that ihe Prince attained his majority, on the 9,h Novem-
ber last, that lifeboat was providentially the means of saving
a shipwrecked crew from a watery grave—a coincidence
with which his Royal Highness, as Duke of Cornwall, was
most pleased to be made acquaint,d with.

His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge was
so far recovered from his recent slight attack of gout as to
be able to attend at the Horse Guards yesterday.

The Duke of Rutland, by thest late accounts re-
ceived in town, is better, but still there exists some anxiety
as to the condition of his grace.

His Excellency Mous. Antonia Flores, Minister of
:he Equador, has arrived at Maurigy's Hotel, from Paris.

The Countess Blucher arrived at the Pavilion
Hotel, Folkestone, on Wednesday, and left on the following
day for Paris.

Tne Dowager Lady Poltimore has arrived at her
house in Upper Brook-street.

Lady Herbert of Lea, with the Eqrl of Pembroke
and sisters, iq still at Rome, and is not expected home till
after Easter.

Count Baptiste Metaxa has arrived at the Colo-
nial-office with despatches from the Lord High Commis-
sioner of the lonian Islands.

The Right Hon. B. Disraeli gave a Parliamentary
dinner on Wednesday at his residence, Grosvenor-gate.

There were present the Duke of Marlborough, the Earl of
Carnarvon, Viscount Exmouth, Lord Edward Thy nne, Lord
Claud Hamilton, Major-General the Hon. George Upton,
Colonel the Hon. Charles Rowley, Sir James Elphinstone,
Sir Fitzroy Kelly, Sir Hugh Cairns, Mr. Ker Seymer, Mr.
Sclater Booth, Mr. Cavendish Bentinck, Mr. Drax, Mr.
Fitzwilliam Hume, Mr. Peel Dawson, and Mr. Ferrand.

DEATH OF THE EARL OF CO 1 TENHAM —We have
to record the death at Felcourt, Surrey, on the 18th instant,
of the Right HMI. the Earl of Cottenham at the early age
of 38. The deceased peer was the eldest son of the first earl
by the daughter of Mr. William Wingfield-Baker, and was
born in London in 1824. The late earl was Clerk of the
Crown in Chancery from 1818 to 1858, in which year he
was appointed a deputy .lieutenant of surrey. The first
peer, the father of the late earl, was Lord Chancellor.
DEATH OF BARON REAY.—The Right Hon.
Baron Reay died on the 18th inst., at Plymou'h, at the age
of 87. He is succeeded by his son, the Hon. Eric Mackay.
DEATH OF THE DOWAGER BARONESS HEADLEY.
—This venerable lady died on Monday last at
Aghadoe, in the county of Kerry. Jane Lady Headley
was at least 95 years old, having been born in 1767 or 1768,
and was the eldest daughter and heiress of Mr. Arthur
Blennerhassett of Ballyseedy, in the county of Kerry—a
branch of the Cumberland Blennerhassetts. She married
June 24, 1783 (as his second wife), Mr. George Winn, a
distinguished lawyer, who, for his services as Baron of the
Exchequer in Scotland, was crea ed a baronet in 1776,
having succeeded to the Essex estates (at Little Warley) of
his cousin, Mr. Mark Winn, and also to the Yorkshire
estates of his cousin, Mr. Charles Allanson (whose name
he assumed) of Bramham Biggin. In 1797 ho was created
Baron Headley, Allanson, and Winn of Aghadoe, and
died in 1798, leaving two sons and daughters. The eldest
son, Charles, inherited the ancient baronetcy of Winn in
1833, and at his death the title fell to his nephew, the pre-
sent Lord Headley, eldest son of the Hon. George Mark
Arthur Way Winn, M.P. for Maldon, by Elizabeth,
eldest daughter of Mr. Lewis Mejendie, of Hedingham
Castle, Essex. It is understood that the large property of
Lady Headley comes to her grandson, the present peer.
CITY bUBWAY.—The bill authorising the Me

tropolitan Board of Works to make a new street.
from Chatham-place to the Mansion-house contains a clause
providing that the Board may make under the new street
a sub-way, and permit it to be used for the purpose of laying
down gas or waterpipes o* telegraphic wires, "cr for any
other works or purpose."
FESTIVAL AT MALTA.—The Roman Catholic fes-
tival in commemoration of the shipwreck of Si.
Paul on the coast of Malta was celebrated on Monday at d
Tuesday last by an illumination and the usual church cere-
monies. It was observed there was &marked improvement
on this occasion in the manner in which it was conducted, a
distribution of bread to the poor having been substituted
for the display of political devices and expensive triumphal
arches, which gave rise on former occasions to breaches of
the peace, in which the Italian Consul was insulted and
maltreated.

MR. SHERER, THE SCOTTISH VOCALIST.—On
Tuesday evening last the Polytechnic Institution

was the means of restoring to the publio Mr. Sherer, the
well-known illustrator of Scottish song. Ike audience was
large, but Mr. Sharer was apparently suffering from ner-
vousness. As this wore off, however, he became " himself

again," and sung the "Barring o' the door" and "Duncan
Gray" with his wonted spirit ani power. The other songs
were "Come under my Plaidie," "My Spouse Nancy," and
" The brisk young Lad," in all of which most of the ad-
mirers of Scotttsh song have formerly heard him.
THE CA SE OF MR. EDMUND O'ROURKE, OTHER-
WISE FALCONER.—The result of the proceedings
yesterday at the Bankruptcy Court in the case of Mr.
O'Rourke, otherwise Falconer, late of the Lyceum Theatre,
was an order from the Commissioner to Mr. Falooner to file
a balance-sheet, showing his liabilities, with all convenient
speed.

THE DUCHY OF CORNWALL.—Some interest is
taken at present in the income of the Prince of
Wales from the Duchy of Cornwall, now that it has be-
come the duty of Parliament to make a provision for the
Prince, and the accounts of the Duchy for 1862, which
have just been published, throw some light on the matter.
According to these accounts the income derived from the
Duchy during that year by the Prince of Wales was £2,130,
that being the amount of "payments made to the trustees
and treasurer of his Royal Highness" for his use. The gross
receipts for the year were £63,004, consisting of £30,884 for
" rents and profits of courts ;" £2,432 for, produce of the
royalties of coal mines in Somerset, £5,528 for royalties of
dues and rents of mines and quarries in Cornwall ; £350
for the receipts of wood sales; £16,216 an annuity from
Consolidated Fund in lieu of " Tin coinage duties,
post groats, and white rents," and £7,692 for dividends and
interest. These receipts, however, are only the gross re •
turn, numerous deductions requiring to be made. There
is a sum of £7,853 for expenses of management ; £2,657 for
superannuation allowances, donations, and charities, law
charges, &c ; £4,462 for property tax, annuities in lieu of
estates surrendered, &c.; and 1;,499 for investments and
outlay fcr the benefit of the estate, of which £10,117 is for
the purchase of leasehold interest in a property at Berk-
hampstead and expenses, making the total amount of de-
ductions £28,202, which, deduoted from £63,004, the gross
receipts, as already stated, leaves a balance of £34,802. This
sum, it will be noticed, is considerably less than the amount
paid for the Prince's use, but the Council for the Duchy
had also at their disposal a balance of £23,801 from the
previous year, or a total net balance of £58,603 ; so that
they were enabled to pay the above sum of £52,132, leaving
a balance in their hands of £6,473•
importing Tea without colour on the leaf pre-
vents the Chinese passing ofl inferior leaves as in the usua.
kinds. Horniman's Tea is uncoloured, therefore; always
2,280 agents,
opo, Sold packets by

THE FRENCH IN MEXICO.

(REUTER'S EXPRESS.)
The following news has been received in New
York from Mexico :

" Vera Cruz, Jan. 13, 1863.
"M. de Saliguy has been nominated Grand
Officer of the Legion of Honour.
"General Mejia has defeated General Doblado,
capturing 400,000 dols. from him,
" The guerillas are said to give great trouble to
the French, hanging on the skirts of the army and
annoying them in every possible way."
(Translated from the Diario de la Marina of
January 31 for the New York Herald.)

We take the following extracts from a letter
from Vera Cruz, brought here by the French trans.•-
port Ardeche, bearing date the 23d of January
" ' On the Bth Oen. Forey was still at Orizaba,
and it is said that he will not move from that place
until he receives reinforcements of 10,000 men, for

which he has applied to the Emperor. With this
force he can establish his reserves to cover the road
by which he advances, and with his present army
(some 30,000 men) he will attack the garrison of
Puebla, who, it is said, are anxious to meet the
French in battle, having lost all fear of their in-
vaders.

" The lines of communication are still inter-
rupted, end trains and supplies only go to Orizaba
under strong guards for protection.
"' The cities of Tampico and Jalapa have been
evacuated by the French ; while there they assured
the people safety and protection ; those who sup-
posed they would continue in the enjoyment of these
benefits have had to abandon these places, and the
steamer which brings you this letter also takes some
500 emigrants from Tampico. The Juarez authori-
ties now occupy the city, and they hang all those
who have lent aid to the French.'

" An order has been issued from the prefecture of
French police for the district of Vera Cruz, direct-
ing that all persons accused of treason, insubordina-
tion, rebellion, &c., shall be brought before a French
council of war to be dealt with summarily, what-
ever may be their nationality.

" Vera Cruz, Jan. 24.

"In compliance with the order of la'_s Excellency
the Commander-in-Cnief of the French army, the
sentence of death pronounced by the court-martial
against Bartolo Banderos and Justos Pesos, for
poisoning French soldiers, was carried into execu-
tion at the Castle of Ulloa. Ihe two culprits, after
having received all spiritual comforts, were shot in
the presence of the Mexican prisoners."
The New York journals also publish the follow—
ing

"Havannah, Jan. 31.

"By the French transport Ardeche we have
dates to the 24th, and by way of Santiago de Cuba
we have dates from Vera Cruz to the 17th
instant, brought there by the steamer Louisiane,
of the St. Naziire line. Though there is nothing
et importance, we have many vague rumours,
but nothing confirmed, save what I wrote you in re-
gard to Tampico. The merchants there, whom I
reported to you as having bound themselves under
the penal sum of 24,000 dole. to furnish 2,000 mutes,
it seems were only bound by 10,000 dols. to furnish
1,000 mules. They did not fulfil their contract, and
forfeited the 10,000 dole. It was reported that
General Mejia defeated Gener IDoblado, capturing
400,000 dols. and a large number of guns—some
two or three thousand, says the Vera Cruzana.
Another report is that the French were victorious
in a skirmish at Tehuacan. The last dates in Vera.
Cruz from OrizAba were to the Bth.
" It is said that 80 persons have been exiled from
the city of Mexico to Morelia, for refusing to pay
their proportion of the contribution lately levied.
"The French have taken some high-handed
measures in Vera Cruz lately. A letter from Vera
Cruz informs me that they hung 11 prisoners in the
presence of the other Mexican prisoners. The cause
is alleged to have been that they had tried to poison
some Frenchmen. Several have been sent to Mar-
tinique,and those who would like to express their
opinions against the present order of things dare
not, having a forced trip to the French Antilles
before their eyes. _

"The Siege trains which are to operate against
Puebla are about to be sent from Vera Cruz to
Orizaba."

INDIA,.

By the arrival of the overland mail we have re-
ceived our private correspondence rind files of
papers, from Bombay to the 28th of January and
from Calcutta to the 19th of January.

The following, says the Times, is the letter of our
Calcutta correspondent :
" CALCUTTA, lan. 19.
" It may seem strange that though the English
have been masters of India for a century, t.nd for
60 years have been lords of its central districts,
there are provinces in the interior the size of three
Englands, a report on which now reads like a tra-
veller's description of an unknown country. What
is known generally as Central India, and now more
correctly as the Central Provinces, administered by
Mr. R. Temple, who acts as Chief Commissioner,
has never been officially reported on since the days
of Sir John Malnolm and Sir Richard Jenkins till
within the last few months. Since we extinguished
the Mabratta Peishwa and made him a State pen-
sioner; sit ce we punished the treachery of the
Rajah of Nagpore in 1817 in the affair of Seet-
abuldee, Central India has remainec: sealed to the
outside world, and even to the offices in Calcutta.
The Se.ugor and Nerbudda territories, which consti-
tute one half of the Central Provinces,were neglected
by the North-West Government, which had too much
to do_ After Nagpore was annexed by Lord Dal-
housie nine years ago, the Calcutta authorities never
got an official r,,pori of what went on, though they
called for it again and again, and finally dismissed
the Commissioner in disgrace. His successor broke
down from bad health, and a Punjab civilian was
sent to amalgamate Nagpore with Saugor, and the
Nerbudda terri•ories with the Central Provinces, to
reduce superfluous expenditure, and to tell the
world, Government included, all about the country
-and peovle. This Mr. Temple has done most rffec'

tually.
" The Central Provinces are the second best
cotton fields in India and will daily rise in import-
ance. To benefit them the navigation of the Goda-
very is being opened, and a branch of the Great
India Peninsular Railway from Bombay will have
its terminus at the capital, Nagpore, 12 months
notice. If an equilateral triangle, with a base of
550 miles from east to west, be placed on the centre
of a map of India, it will nearly represent these
provinces. With an area of 150,000 miles, their
population is estimated at 9,000,000. The Sat-
poor% Hills running from east to west, south of the
Nerbudda, divide the provinces into two nearly
qual halves, the hill districts being the region of
forest and no little wealth of iron and coal as well
as diamond in olden days, and the plains below being
the great cotton country, partl3 drained by theGods-
very ; the provinces, both hill and p.oin, are pretty
well included in the ancient Gondwana. The Goode
were certainly in pisebistoric times the finest and
most powerful of the aboriginal races of India.
Vast architectural remains still testify to the splend
deur of their dynasties and to the greatness of the
capitals of their four kingdoms—Mundla, Deoghur.
Kherla, and Chanda. As the Hindoos spread down
into the Peninsula the Gond Chiefs retired before
them into the hills, the people degenerating into
savages, who offered human sacrifices, and the chiefs
priding themselves on acquiring, by marriage with
their conquerors, some Rajpoot blood. The Ma'
hommedans followed and made Nagpore a depend
denny of their great Vice-Royalty of the Deccan,
and when the Mogul Empire broke up with Aui cog'
zebe's death in 1707, Central India was swept by
hordes of Mahrattas and Pindarees. The Mahratta
house of Scindia took the Saugor part of the prod
vinces, and the house of Bhonsla the Nagpore part.
The descendants of the Mabommedan Gond princes
of Deoghur and of the Hindoo Gond princes of
Chanda still exist as State pensioners, but all traces
of the other two Gond kingdoms are obliterated.
The Bhonsla family possessed Berar as weir as
NAgpore, but atler the great Mahretta war in 1803
we gave that fine province to the Nizam of
bad, and we now again administer it as a security
tor the payment of his tnilliary contingent. Lord
Canning and Sir C. Wood were both eager to unite
Nagpore and Berar in 1860, once more as a Lieu'
tenant-Governorship, so as put the whole cotton'
field of Central India under one ruler. But the
Nizam refused to allow this, except under presser,e'
and it yet remains to be done in the future.
, 1,.,11
1803, also, Cuttack was ceded to us, and a British
Resident was placed in the Court of Nagpore.

FRENCH MEN-OF-WAR IN THE EASTERN SEAS.
According to the last advices •he French ships Gironne,
Calavadas, and Lynx woe at the Island of Iteunioll;
tat
Imperatrice and Alphea were at Suez; the Perle was
the Mauritius; and the Douai was met ill the-Red $Ol