The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-11 00:00:00

Beyond the success of Asteroid in the Chester Cup, and
his subsequent defeat by Buckstone in the Stewards' Cup,
the racing ast week possessed no feature of interest. If
Mr. Merry had started Buckstone in the former race he
must have I eaten Sir Joseph's horse. No person who saw
Stradella and Buckstone in their encounter at Newmarket
will for one moment believe that it was the true form of the
French mare, as she beat both Buckstone and the Marquis
in a common canter, two of the beat horses in training.
Haddington ran an extraordinary game horse, and but for
the 101 b penalty he incurred by winning the Metropolitan,
Mr. Jackson would to a certainty have carried off the great
Cestrian prize for the second year in succession, as Asteroid
was "all out" to beat him by a neck.
The Bath Meeting, which is generally disastrous to seve-
ral of the Derby favourites, will commence to-morrow.
The list issued by Mr. Reynolds comprises 12 items equally
spread over Tuesday and Wednesday, and thoueh none of
the Derby "cracks" are engaged, it is very probable we
aball see what Baldwin is lade of, and get another peep at
Bright Cloud, who was hardly up to the mark when de-
feated by Cerintha, at the Newmarket Craven Meeting;
and besides these, it is not unlikely that Lady Augusta
will run, as she is also engaged in the Biennial. The
Weston Stakes and Two Year Old Biennial, have also mag-
nificent entries, and the Badminton Stakes has already be •
come so popular, that it secured 27 nominations, and
as the Bath and other handicaps have filled well, no
fear need be entertained of witnessing those shortcomings
which were last week so painfully apparent on the Roodeo.
Toe field for the Three Y.?ar Old Biennial will very likely
comprise Lady Augusta, Baldwin, Bright Cloud, Sauterelie,
Escape, Stockbroker, 01. norchy, Judea, and Watford.
With regard to Lady Augusta, Lord Stamford may very
likely reserve her for the Oaks, and in that case the race

will result in a match between Baldwin and Bright Cloud.
From the heavy sums entrusted to Lord Palmerston's horse
for the Derby he ought to pull through. For the Two
Year Old Biennial I fancy Crytheia most. In the Bath
evid Somersetshire Handicap John Day has three engaged,
viz, Canary, Balham, and Portland. If the stable
trust the former, he cannot lose after his running
with Haddington in the Metropolitan, but as Ca-
naries do not always si❑g when wanted, I shall repose
most confidence in BALTIAM to furnish the wi❑ner.
The acceptance for the Bath Handicap not having been
declared, I will merely point out that the Danebury repre-
sentative (either Canary or Balham) will be hard to beat.
The County Members' Plate will likely fall to Sea Nymph
or Souveraine. The Weston Stakes is even more interest-
ing than the Two-yr-old Biennial, for Molly Carew figures
in the list .'f company ; but I am informed she will be an
absentee. In that case the Glenmasson colt may atone for
his defeat at Salisbury. The Welter Stakes may be placed
to the credit of Judea or Tippler; whilst Livingston,
Crytheia, and Golden Dust will in all probability be the
most dangerous trio in the Badminton Stakes.

The action for trespass brought by the Stewards of the
Jockey Club against Mr. Wines (" Argus"), will be tried
at the next Cambridge Assizes. Sergeant Ballantine has
been retained for the plaintiffs, and Mr. Hawkins, Q.C.
will lead for the defendant.

" NEATLY DONE."

The expedition of Gen. Steele, in April, up Deer
Creek, Mississippi, in pursuit of guerillas and sup-
plies, has been, says the New York Times, " one of
the neatest things of the war, though we are sorry
that some unnecessary damage seems to have been
done to peaceful people on the route." There seems
to have been abundance of this unfortunate draw-
back. The report states that upon landing, " Fergu-
son's brigands," a regiment of Confederate cavalry
under Major Ferguson, " were visible in the safo
distance, and from the time the expedition left until
its return they were always in sight, but rarely near
enough to get within reach of danger. If a man fell
out of the ranks to do a little private stealing on
his own account, and was separated a mile from
the main body, he was sure to be picked up by these
prowling guerillas; and in this manner probably
not less than 100 men were lost during the march.
The first plantation of note reached after leaving
Black Bayou was that of Gen. French. In other
days Steele and French were not only classmates
at West Point, but they occupied the same root*
and enjoyed relations of more than ordinary
strength and intimacy. These facts, however,
availed the rebel general but little, for his cornbins
and 'fodder' were given to the flames, his horses
and mules driven off with as little hesitation as if
he had formerly been the deadliest enemy, instead
of the classmate of our commander. After reaching
Deer Creek and turning southward, the expedition
passed through one of the most magnificent countries
in the Union. The land is of the tatmostrichness,
and is settled by a population whose palatial dwell-
ings and surroundings show them to be possesoed of
wealth, education, and refinement. Each planta-
tion contains 500 to 5,000 acres, the value of which
is nearly or quite double that of land in ally other
portion of the State. Tait' feature in the value of
the land is not owing entirely to 42 superior pro-
ductiveness, but much to the advantagua which ars
supposed to attend the possession r:,l a property and
residence in a cultivated and aristocratic commu-
nity. The houses era very large, built at came
with a view to comfort and elegance; are surrounded
with an endless profusion of floral ornamentation,
and, in the costly furniture within, and substantial
mills and outhouses and negro residences without,
indicate the refinement and wealth of their owners.
It was in this succession of teritstrial Edens that
General Steele operated; and which by the aid of
fire and other warlike institutions, were soon re-
duced to a level with common earthly dwelling-
places. I may say, in brief, that the national forces
continued down Deer Creek a distanee of about 60
miles, and then, cons:dering that his small force
might be endangered from the rear, General Steele
returned, having occupied three days in going
down, and the same number in
getting back
n the rebel to Greenville. The amount of damage done
region through which our
troops passed will at a low estimate reach three
millions of dollars. They brought in,
with them
450 mules, 100 horses, 34 yoke of oxen, 400 head
of beef cattle, 30 waggons, 4,0001 b, of bacon,
70,0001 b. of sugar, and 500 gallons of molasses, and
about 1,000 slaves. They destroyed about 20 cotton-
gins, nearly the same number of corn-mills, 500
hogs, 100 tons of fodder, and 700,000 bushels of
corn, The inhabitants along the route were nearly
all at home, and of course very much frightened at
the approach of our troops. Among all they found
but one plantation belonging to Union men, and
they had gone north soon after the breaking out of
the war. Some of the balance were not virulent
Secessionists, and confessed that in the beginning
they had opposed disunion, but along with thou..
sands of others had been forced to afford a nominal
if not an active consent to the movement. It may
be said here that the cotton-gins, mills, &c., of the
only Union family on the route were given to the
flames, the same as those of others. In this case, as
in nearly all the others, the ardour of our soldiers
carried them away so much that they never waited
for orders to set fire to a corn mill or haystack, but
did it as a matter of course. The propriety of burn-
ing cotton-gins may be subject to dispute; but as
Ferguson, in preceding our troops, set fire to all the
cotton, it was thought advisable by the stragglers
to make a complete operation by destroying the
4ins. The inhabitants along the route grumbled
considerably ; both sid.g, they said, averred that
the .bjc.c of their coming was to protect pcgceable
citizens, and yet, between the two, they found
themselves reduced to poverty. There was but one
house burnt oa the route. This was unoccupied,
although filled with costly furniture. The firing
was done, not by order, but by some irresponsible
soldiers. In coming back the people along the
route were notified that we claim possession of
the Mississippi to Vicksburg, and that, in case
any more passenger boats are fired upon from
Greenville, the entire country through which the
Union forces had passed would be reduced to a
desert. They all professed a desire to have this
irregular system of warfare stopped, that they had
frequently protested against it, and would, if pos-
sible, prevent its recurrence. Among the wealthy
residents along the route taken by our troops is a
Major Lee. His daughter, a few days before our
landing, had surrendered to the invincible Fer-
guson, and at the time of our arrival the happy
couple were enjoying the full splendours of their
lune de miel. Just before our forces ireached her
father's house, she mounted her swiftest steed, and,
in company with her husband, fled before us with
a success so decided that when our troops discon-
tinued their march she, by continuing her flight,
managed to secure a place of safety, and also an in-
cident with which she can amuse the Fergusons of
coming years. This Yankee cloud over her happi-
ness having rolled away, it is to be hoped that the
balance of her honeymoon will be undimmed in its
splendour."

CURIOUS CASE OF POISONING.

The Abeille Medicale states that a short time ago a scien-
,fic gentleman at Berlin received a small quantity of the
condensed juice of the Upae, and resolved to try the effects
of it upon himself. One afternoon he accordingly took three
grains of this drug, which he found very bitter and rather
selfish. Immediately afterwards he felt extremely gab. a
a bad headache which he had at the
the
alter a while he experienced a sensation of oppression
0 out.
On Nevertheless, he had the imPnit'denco.
On turning a corner he became aware of
13considerable
stiffness along the spine; this was about half. an
..our atter
until the patient
time disappeared; but
and
havingstiffness
ff n
coffee,es s at
h taking
ethe feltt he pvoti3sioenn
extremities;.t shock
aonct hktohuer
throughoutsl
asmt
be minutes,
i 1
titionuhitieeul
hesehi, taking asaakkunht
tendenagaytdtaho
eintnutii
the
speech,helpe d L ud
ot whni 8-
h
none, althou.th the
tmentalhrown facultiesback wa
remainedbackwards, t e
xoAursentssishrnai
nlenhpl
egw,eiwt:
araohesaw‘
vadted.tir.
as
Thereeioi
iial
g impeded
w a s
hish.
:c"
fr re emshisas i tot an cokft e
camese osny ,mapntdomtshilsoreaonfetwinued
h
sghal stairsriotge sspestni ; et tgasol it length
tehf a' succeededintoae
duringsCe hea tat Irt iei hntdee e.
carriages ud fir i :et lie ent . to bring it on. These at
verytaeks
dwi
fhe were
lt
,attendedand t h
exv with bring
little pain, deglutition was-
thient felt very weak; alter every at-
hospital, emetics 'were ini
tankw nh
the poisontphuelnse
3i fan: aoanrtey7i
n 2 relapsed into inertness. At the
glottis,a d m in i
as
nt edr
difficulty
ffit
eou
lexpelty o f
181Indeunscsutlaarrte8YSESPteasmInsedin; tthhee vomiting was attended
remau:mediatelY
In n e at the rate of ten for every quarter of an hour,
brieattshttnregd; the latt,e.rp
and
de symptom, however, soon subsided.
Thirty drops of laudanum were ad-
three parts at intervals of half an hour.
e); of the b
The patient fell asleep, but was olactkenanadwankeecnked bLyauthdelncounni-
traction of the musclwasagain administered and sleep returned. On the fol-
lowing morning the patient felt very weak, but only com-
plained of stiffness in the left muscles of the neck; the
pulse was at 66. Wine and light food were now given in-
stead of medicine, and on the sixth day the patient left the
hospital perfectly recovered.

METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS.-0a Friday
the usual weekly meeting of the board was held at
the board-room, Spring gardens; Mr. J. Thwaites in the
chair. A report was received from the Streets Committee
stating that having had under consideration various com-
munications from vestries and district boards, and owners of
property, on the subject of the proposed Finsbury park, and
also the report of Mr. Oakley. the surveyor, thereon, and
having viewed the sites referred to in the Finsbury-park
Aot, they are of opinion that the land, in extent about 120
acres north of the Seven Sisters'-road, east of the Great
Northern Railway, and west of the Green-lanes, is the meet
eligible for the proposed park; and recommending that the
resolution of the board of tho 4th March last, definine, the
land to be obtained for the park, be so far varied Its to ads
aobfl theto lande
as broevpeo referredt
on tt
ho being
r e
a d itaken°il
of the public
k.
the
par
tThheechausibrjmeoatnbseituagtedditeheuatsstehdew ap ; .ith
board closed doors,
v
We are tin.,
ed Of public
of the committee,the ropert
inpo