The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-31 00:00:00

The Opening of the Charing-Cross Railway,

OFFICIAL INSPECTION BY CAPT. TYLER, R,E.
Yesterday the official inspection of this important
metropolitan railway was made by Captain Tyler,
R.E,, the Government inspector, previous to the
almost immediate opening of the line for passenger
traffic. The inspection, which was of a most rigid
character, commenced at the western extremity, or
Charing cross end of the railway, a number of gen-
tlemen connected with the Charing-cross and South
Eastern Railways being present, among whom were
Mr. Eborall, the general manager, Mr. Knight, the
traffic superintendent, Messrs. Stanton and Barry,
for Mr. Hawkshaw, Mr. Wythes, the contractor,
the Duke of Sutherland, Major Malcolm, in-
spector of Indian railways, Mr. Walker, the tele-
graph superintendent, Mr. Cockburn, the superin-
tendent of the Charing-cross station, &o.
About 12 o'clock the train left the Charing-cross
end of the line and proceeded gently along the
down rail to the junction at the Waterloo-road,
when a minute scrutiny of the signals (Saxby's
patent) and the points was made by the inspector.
After some time had been spent at this point the
train proceeded on its way to London-bridge, pass-
ing the new Blackfriars station, which is provided
with two side and one central platform. The whole
of the signals, points, stations, and permanent way
were carefully examined by Captain Tyler, who we
believe expressed his satisfaction at many of the
arrangements, and on the arrival of the train at
London-bridge the party alighted, and the inspector
proceeded to thejunction with the main line, which
was closely inspected, together with the working of
the points. The new line at London-bridge runs
into the Greenwich and North and Mid-Kent ter-
minus, from which platform the trains for Charing-
cross and the intermediate stations of Waterloo and
Blackfriars will be started.
It was nearly 5 o'clock before the examation at
this end of the line was completed, and the train
then made a return trip along the up .line of rails,
pausing for a few moments at Bleckfriars and
Waterloo, over the Thames-bridge, to Charing-cross,
and running up alongside the platform, which was
lighted for the occasion with the globular lamps
which have been supplied to all the stations. Here
the inspection, which lasted nearly six hours, ter-
minated.
Before leaving the officials who had accompanied
him, Captain Tyler expressed his desire to go over
the line once more, in order to see that some im-
provements suggested by him are carried out.
The first train which will be run will be between
the Charing-cross terminus and the Greenwich and
North and Mid-Kent terminus at London-bridge,
thus opening a communication between the country
intersected by those lines and the West-end of Lon-
don.

The length of the new line is about two miles,
and the distance between London-bridge and
Charing-cross will be accomplished by the trains in
about five minutes, though it can be done in three
minutes. The distance between Charing'eross and
the Waterloo station is about half a mile, Waterloo
and Bleckfriars a quarter, and Blackfriars and
London-bridge ore mile.

PRIZE DESIGNS.---" As affording the most striking con-
trast, Mr. Benson shows with these a fresh exhibition of
modern watches, with cases made from prize designs at the
South Kensington Museum, some of which are fine specimens
of engraving."—Times, Sept. 15, 1862. Chronometer, duplex,
lever, horizontal, repeater, centre seconds, keyless, split
seconds, and every description of watch, adapted to all chi
mates. Benson's illustrated pamphlet OR Watches (free by
post for two stamps) contains a short his _
tory of watchmak-
ing, with prices, from 3 to 200
guineas each. It serves as a
guide in the purchase of a watch, and enables those who live
in any part of the world to select a *watch, and have it sent
safe by post. Prize medal and honourable mention, classes
33 and 11. J. W. Benton, 33 and 34, Ludgte-11111, London.
Established 1749. Watch and clock maker by special warrant
or appointment to )14li, the Prime of Wales.

Gold, 152. Exchange, 167. United States' Sixes
mgistered, 1881, 10444 .Treasnry,7-34
New York Central Railway, 134 k;
Illinois Centrals, 119. Cotton, 82c. Breadstuffs
rising. Provisions improving. Sugars steady.
Coffee firm.

Dec. 19, 11 a.m.

Chattanooga despatches of the 18th state that
Gen. Wheeler has rejoined Gen. Hardee at Dalton,
where he is reorganising his cavalry for an active
winter campaign against the Federal lines of com-
munication.

On the 16th the Confederate cavalry commander
Ferguson, with a small force, captured the train of
the Ist Cavalry Division, while on the route from
McMinnville to Sparta, in Tennessee. No late news
from Knoxville had been received.

The same despatches announce that General
Morgan crossed the Tennessee River at Gillespie's
Landing, 60 miles above Chattanooga, on the 13th.
Captains. William and Robert Cummings, who
escaped with General Morgan from Columbus, were
captured, together with 14 of their escort, during
the ride from that town.

General Howard's cavalry is in pursuit of General
Morgan.
Considerable anxiety is evinced by the public to
learn the true situation of affairs at Knoxville.
The statement in the despatch from Cumberland
Gep on the 16th, to the effect that the Union
citizens were leaving Knoxville, leads to the belief
that General Longstreet is about to again besiege
the town.
The World remarks :

" The news from Knoxville has not a very cheer-
ful look. One of two things, we fear, has happened
—either our forces have been two widely scattered,
with a view to cut off Longstreet, upon the theory
that he was retreating in disorder; or else he has
been lately reinforced from General Lee's army.
This last is practicable. It would be an awkward
circumstance if, after all, Knoxville and East Ten-
nessee should be repossessed by the Confederates."
The guerilla attacks upon Mississippi river
steamers continue, and the Brazil was fired into
near Roomy on the 11th, and three women and one
man were killed, and several others wounded. The
Tecumseh was burnt on the 16th, but it is not
stated at what point.
The Federal steamer Dacotah arrived at Sambro
immediately after the capture of the Chesapeake,
and her commander ordered both captor and prize
into Halifax.

The Tribune's Washington correspondent writes
that the capture having been made in British
waters, the vessel will be surrendered to the pro-
vincial authorities. A demand, under the Ashburton
Treaty, for the return of the vessel end prisoners
has, however, been made upon Lord Lyons by Mr.
Seward. _ _

The official reports of the commanders of the
Monitors made to Admiral Dupont immediately
after the failure of the attack upon Fort Sumter, in,
April last, were submitted to Congress by Secretary
Welles with his annexed report, and show that
these vessels were incapable of resisting the concen-
trated fire of heavy rifled ordnance. Captain Dray-
ton, of the Passive, says :
" I was struck in quick succession in the lower
part of the turret by two heavy shots, which bulged
in its plates and beams, and forcing together the
rails on which the carriage of the 11-inch gun
worked, rendered it wholly useless for the remainder
of the action ; a little after a very heavy rifle-shot
struck the upper edge of the turret, broke all of its
eleven plates, and then glancing upwards struck 1
the pilothouse with such force as to send it over,
open the plates, and squeeze out the top, exposing
the inside of the pilothouse, and rendering it e,7-
tremely likely that the next shot would take off the
top entirely."
Captain Rodgers, of the Weehawken, reports :
" Two or three heavy shots struck the side armour
near the same place. They so broke the iron that
an pierced
d s
a o
great as to make
any
m
it only remained in splintered fragments, much of
od. Theok de which could be picked off by hand, and the wood
36was
boltsex P
se
were broken inc k
the was
turret, a hole, through which water ran into the vessel ;
in the pilothouse. To the Patapsco no damage was
done which disabled her, although injuries which
she received, if multiplied, would do so. Forty bolts
in the funnel were broken. After the third shot

from the 15-inch gun of the Nantuck a port stopper.
became jammed, ;several shots striking very nearu used
port and driving in the plating. It was n:t.arstuZl
again. A number of the ssmc plates were.t started
so much that another shot in their
were cut
have knocked them off. The deck
_Pitahe
iron, and
in 12 places; ono shot cut throng:,
starting the
vicinity y would
about two inches into the
brenkiag, for some
plates, several bolts; and
feet below. The plates on
places, and one,
tthbe e Paid() armour of the
close proximity,
1 Nahant were badly broken in several
shots tri
where struck by two
od, and the wood.backing
partly stripped from the;Zack plates started up and
quite
broken in, with edging
The deck was struck twice
rolled back in places'
damagingly,onc shot
near the propeller wheel,
s Passage, and
There were marks of nine shots;
shattering and
starting 23 bo ,
ite tearing
anotherthe Plato
startingin i its passage,
and 20
bolts were broken perceptibly, the heads
sbGolotsf
: , off inside the turret, and the bolts starting
ilyieb - • length
almost their . outside, some of them flying out
itnhethe turret.
completely, and being
from eturret, o
taueefound at a considerable dis-
th n the deck. One shot struck
the upper part of the turret breaking through every
plate. The pilot-houseand
wrecked, and four more pas
muchshots (laasuitagreccdeived
would have denaoll:ihed it.
One shot at the base
broke every plate through, and evidently nearly
penetrated it."

in the folic)
The ROO/lend Inquirer,
fft's'l-prr.oiet
Lin-
coln's proclarn '
" He is going to forgive us something it seems,
on cortain term-s. Forgive us who P Forgive u',.;
because he has invaded our States with armed mul-
titudes to compass our destruction?.,Yorgive us be-
:7-i:gtl7.lnogf
tiaanig:LsrityP,,uib.eliiseheti,s,
caus3 he. has plundered our sns, ravaged our coasts,
burnt our towns, desolated our homes ? Forgive us
for the many thousands of brothers and sous whom
he has plain upon our soil while repelling his inva-
sion, and for the many dear mutilated ones who
will /*crania the legacy of the war when the war is
over ? lie may forgive us for all these his crimes,
but so long as we have hearts to feel and hands to
strike we shall never forgive •
him. But he goes
further, he makes his forgiveness dcpezdent upon
'terms. We have to swear that the proclamation of
emancipation which we received with mocking last
year, and which has since been a general derision,

Our record of "death's doings" for the year which is just
drawing to a close is, we fear, both long and sad. Taking
the " upper ten thousand " first, we dud that their ranks
have been thinned during 1803 to an extent far in excess of,
the annual average. -
In the catalogue of Royalty departed, we have to chro-
nicle only a single death, that of Frederick Charles Christian,
King Of Denmark, whose name must henceforth disappear
from the Almanach do Gotha.
Among the members of the peerage of the United
Kingdom there have been no less than 30 deaths to be set
against 16 deaths in the previous year. The list is as fol-
lows :—The Marquis of Lansdowne, the Earl of Cottenham,
the Archbishop of Dublin, Viscount Temple own, Lord
Waterpark, Lord Reay, Lord Clyde, Viscount Massareene,
Lord Seaton, Lord llatherton, Lord Sandys, the Duke of
Grafton, Lord de Saumarez, Lord Downes, the Earl of
Lauderdale, Lord Macdonald, the Duke of Hamilton, Lord
de Prune, the Earl of Mornington, the Marquis of Nor-
manby, Lord Sudelay, Earl Beauchamp, the Marquis
Townshend, the Marquis of nuntl, Lord Lyndhurst, Lord
Sinclair, Lord Chesham, Viscount Midleton, Earl Poulett,
the Earl of Elgin, the Earl of Charlemont. Three out of
Y
the above titles, namely, the baronies of Lyndhurst, Clyde,
and Downes, have become extinct, and the earldom cf
Mornington has become merged in the superior honours of
the Duke of Wellington.

The baronets deceased during the year number thirty
five ; the following are their names :—Sir ri. Bruce, Sir M.
Blakiston, Sir 0. J. Honyman, Sir J. B. Robinson, Sir
H. Lushington, Sir J. Outran;, Sir R. Hughes, Sir G. C.
Lewis, Sir J. Louis, Sir R. Bateson, Sir W. L. Wrazall,
Sir J. W. Pollen, Sir A. Warren, Sir C. E. Eardlcy, Sir
A. Campbell, Sir A. Armstrong, Sir Isaac Grant, Sir J.
R. Dashwood, Sir J. Bonham, Sir W. M. Stanley, Sir
R. A. Anstruther, Sir T. Sykes, Sir H. Nugent, Sir J. G.
Sinclair, Sir F. E. Scott, Sir T. G. Skipwith, Sir F. W.
Slade, Sir H. Martin, Sir J. B. Warren, Sir R. P. Glyn,
the Rev. Sir G. Shiffeer, Sir St. Vincent Cotton, Sir 1).
Cameron, Sir A. Nicolson, and Sir F. H. Gilbert. The
last four mentioned titles have become extinct.
In the House of Commons the following deaths have oc-
curred :—The Hon. William T. Bernard (Bandon), Captain
Gladstone (Devizes), Sir G. C. Lewis, Bart. (Radnor, &c ),
Mr. Western Wood (London), Captain Gordon (Berwick),
Mr. Francis M.Calcutt (county Clare), Captain J. S. Winos
Johnson (Montgomery Burghs), Mr. Beriah Botfield
low), the Right Hon. Edward Ellice (Coventry), Mr. G.
\V, Hope (Windsor), Mr. J, H. Langston (Oxfotil), Mr.
William Cubitt (Andover), and Mr. George Potts' (Barn-
staple).
From the various orders that compose the knightage the
following names will have to be struck out Charles
Allis, Sir William Bellaire, Sir Henry William Bruce,
K.C.8., Sir James L. Caldwell, G.C.8., Sir John Camp-
bell, the Right Hon. Sir Cresswell Cresswell, the Hon. Sir
George Elliot, K.C.8., Sir George Leigh G oldie, K.C.8.,
Sir Robert Hagan, Sir Hugh Halkott, G.C.H., Sir John
Banbury, K.C.8., Sir Henry Hops, K:C.B., Sir Joshua
Jebb, K.C.8,, Sir John Spencer Login, Sir Thomas Erskine,
Napier, K C.B , Sir James H. Plumridge, K.C.8., Sir
William G. Power„ K.C.8,, Sir Henry Roper, Sir William
Henry soweil, 8., Sir William Stevenson, K.C.8., Sir
Warwick H. Tonkin, Sir William Wightman.
Other members of the aristocracy who died during the
year were as follows :--Viscountess Boyle, the Hon. and
Rev. Thos. Ji. Keppel, the Hon, Mrs. Fitzgerald, Dowager
G. A. C. Dashwood, Esq., the Hon. Miss Stapleton, Lady
Countess Ashburnham, the Hon. Mrs. W. H. Yeiverton
Kathleen Tighe, Dowager Lady Bolton, the Hon. and
Rev. Adolphus F. Irby, the Hon. and Very Rev. Dean
Pakonham, the Hon. Robert Curzon, the Hon. Mrs. Ca-
vendish (mother of the Duke of Devonshire), Dowager
Viscountess Andover, the Hon. Herbert A. Moreton,
Miss Louisa M. Tollemache, the Hon. Charles Bruce, the
Hon. Samuel Crichton, the Hon. Samuel Talbot, the Hon.
Mrs. Plantagenet Cary, Dowager Lady Foley, the Hon.
Lady Rushout, Viscountess Gough, Lady Olivia Sparrow,
the Hon. Lady Maude, Dowager Lady Headley, Lady
Elizabeth Borough, Dowager Lady
Fitz Gerald, Esq., Major the Hon. 11. Powys-Neck, Lady
Kumaine, Edward Fox
Frances Wade, the Hon. Mrs. Calliphronas, Mrs.JamesLady
D. Brabezon, Mr. T. C. Robertson, Lady Monson,Ftl a
Margaret Jane Stuart, the lion. Lionel
H.
zearenee'
the Dowager Lady Banbury, the llon•
George r Nelson,
the
Dov;ager Lady Poltimore, the Hon. Miller,
Lady Elizabeth Dawson,
lderloVl. Ca gram,
Wgram, the
the Dowager Lady 1.'.._.(1Y.-111111er, the
Hon. Mrs. Stratford, the Hon.
~CaptainrshamllLl dell, Lady
Sophia Hoare, Lady A.molia C. Mr. Charles VT.
Dowager Lady Stanley
th E n the Hoe.
Charles Sinclair, Soul,
law.
Grattan-Bellew, Mr.
Bsauclerk, Lady Scaton,ofLaAdy3lCaatherine
sq,, Lady Camilla
Sinclair, Mr. Joseph Weld, of u worth, Mr. John Labou-
y *Westbury, Vero
Mrs. MuLsgadravz.Lad
Esq, the
fl)V"re farm , William Dow-
ager Beckett, Lady
Mr. George Forbes, Mr. Anselre. E. Guise, Mr. John
George Fludyer,
White-Jervis, Miss Caroline Lamb, Captain Francis Price,
Mrs. F. W . Ord, Mrs. B. y.
Brownlow, Mrs. Childers,
Beaver, Mr. F. A.
the Dowager Lady Broughton, Mr. W. Gamier, Miss
Catherine Scott• Douglas, and Capt. Edward Wilmot.
Besides the Archbishop of Dublin (already mentioned),
two members of the episcopal body have died during the
year, viz., the Bisho Gibraltar Quebec'
PS of and
Amongst the other notable personages whom death has
carried off, first
and foremost stands the name of William
MakepeaceThackeraY \ hose recent loss we are all mourning.
Besides him
wo have to chronicle the deaths of the Vert.
Archdeacon 'Bonne Mr. Justice Wightman, Professor
Cockerel?, 1.I„A MrY. Augustus Egg/ R.A., Mr. Jas.Wm,
Gilbert, S, (founder of the joint-stock banking system),
Mr.
M -Sines B. Harding (artist in water colours), the Rev.
~..,
• Win. Hope (founder of the Zool
ogiM. Wm. eari ProfessorshipMulrea, at
dy,
Oxford), the Rev. Alexander M.Cau
11. A„ Miss Julia Pardoe, Mr. A Pgleßeed, the Rev.
YFollett, the Rev. Dr.
Ratios (of Liverpool), the Rev.
Andrew
Dr. Russell (formerly Head ~
Master of Charterhouse), Mrs.
Thomson (author of the " Memoirs of the Duchess of
Marlborough"), Mr. William Tooke, F.R.S., the Rev.
"
Richard A. Willmott, 'the Rev. Fred riek William Faber,
n, Mrs
rubella
the'Rev. Josiah Forshall, Mr. J.. •
GreeT. cosM n
, r.
Trollopo (the novelist), Mr. William B. a
Jas. T. Willroore (engraver), and the Rev. henry Drury.
In the list of distinguished foreigners who have died
ons.
during the year are the names
of M
Neap
French tanßillault fame), the
e
French Minister), General Pepe (of eap
Dr. L
(ter
French General Bedoau, the Rev.L.
Beecher
of Mrs. Beecher Stowe), Delacroix (the Be
painter),
Said Pasha (Viceroy of Egypt), Jacob Grimm (the philo-
logist), Samuel Houstotm (the American general and poli-
tician), Madame Lamartine, General Oudinot,, Horace
Vernet (the eminent painter), Alfred Victor Vigny (the
poet), William Lowndes Yancey (of Alabama )

iGnot:RnN:igEhNbTooußfr REWARD.-9Aanfra
stteT;::aht A
THE LATE BRUTAL OUTRAGE UPON A
lir
assaulted
aßu
lEtre
amis: Lt -h
be recollected that a short time ago a woman '--
- Majesty's4\\l
BETHNAL-GREEN-GOVERNMENT
This morning the Commissioners of her °f
Treasury issued a bill offering a reward
appre-
hension of Joseph Anconey, one of the men coucerned.
QUEENSLAND EMIGRATION. The Ship Prince
Consort, 2,500 tons burden, belonging to Messrs. T. M.
Mackay and Co., sailed on the 25t
inst. from Plymouth
for Queensland, Captain Aim,'
esou, commander. The
Prince Consort is the thirty-si 4th vessel that has sailed on,
the land order system of oro;
gration, under the immediate
direction of the Queensland. Government. She contains 373
souls, divided into paYint), cr
and consisting of 151 assisted, and free passengers,
members of families, 173 single
men, and 44 single females.

THE CROW N PRINCE OF PRUSSIA AND THE
HOLSTEIN
QuESTION.—Our Berlin correspondent writes,
under date Dee. 28
Od hero the Crown Princehis waY
had an interview with the Prince of Augustenburg, an old
friend of
Who rode with him in the same carriage from
Guntershausen to Gotha. His Royal Highness has been
Very active in the interest of the popular cause ever since.
With what result, the next few days will pi obably show."