The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-26 00:00:00

SHAM FIGHT AT SOUTHEND.

About 1,000 Volunteers assembled yesterday to
enact a sham fight at Southend. They met under
the most favourable auspices. The day was fresh
and bright. There was no oppressive heat, and the
ground was free from dust. Southend was all the
morning very lively. Hundreds poured into it from
London, and hundreds more found their way to it
from the surrounding country. The sea, or river,
in front of it was thickly dotted with craft of all
kinds. The town itself looked very neat and trim—
just got up for the bathing season, and nestling
very cosily amid much verdant foliage. Yet,
peaceful and secure as it seemed, it was destined
before the day closed to find its tranquillity dis-
turbed, although very harmlessly, by an invading
force. Until about 2 o'clock there was no enemy in
view, while its streets were thronged with gallant
men whose duty it would be to defend it, if neces-
sary, against attack. Shortly after 2, however, five
gunboats could be discerned quitting Sheerness on
the opposite coast. Slowly but steadily they neared
the Essex shore, and it soon became evident that
they were approaching with hostile intent. Still

Southend betrayed no fear, but sent forth all its in-
habitants, young and old, to line the high range of
cliffs on the right of the town—known as the Cliff-

town-parade—the very point at which the enemy
seemed to have made up his mind to effect a land-

ing. Ladies especially flocked to the spot in
goodly numbers; for they like, at all events, the
pomp of war ; and their presence gave assur-
ance that no great danger was at hand. Nor was
there. The proceedings both at sea and on shore
were simply the result of arrangements which
had been made under the sanction of the War-office
and the Lords of the Admiralty for a combined
naval and volunteer demonstration at Southend on
Whitmonday. Thus sanctioned, the five gunboats in
question—two of their number being the Sepoy and
the Bulldog—having on board a detachment of
Royal Marines, consisting of about 400 men, under

the orders of Vice-Admiral Sir %V. J. H. Johnstone,
advanced to within about three-quarters of a mile of
the shore and, facilitated by the fire from their guns

the operation of landing the invading force in small
boats was commenced. To rebel the invaders the
West Essex Yeomanry Artillery, under Col. Palmer,
were stationed on the brow of the cliffs, having a
battery of four 6-pounders on the right and two
6 pounders, with two Armstrong guns, on the left of
the position. The 3d Essex Volunteers were also
posted—advantage being taken of the broken char-
ctor of the ground—along the edge of the cliffs, in
skirmishing order. In the rear—and at as consider-
able a distance as the nature of the ground, which
was little more than a quarter of a mile square—
would admit, the Ist Administrative Battalion of the
Tower Hamlets Corps, the 3d, 10th, and 12th Tower
Hamlets, together with which a company of the
Artists' was brigaded, were drawn up in line under
tha command of Lieut.-Col. Buxton. Behind these
again were the sth Essex, the Ist Essex Engineers,
and one or two other local corps. The whole force
thus drawn up was under the orders of Col.M'Murdo.
As the Marines approached the shore in the small
boats they were subjected to a heavy fire, which
was answered with no less vigour from the gunboats.
On they came, however, even to the very base of the
cliff, and succeeded in effecting a landing—an ope-
ration easy enough in mimic warfare, but which
they would have found scarcely possible when the
very steep nature of the ascent up which they had to
scramble is taken into account, in the face of a real
foe. Having secured a footing at the bottom of the
cliffs, despite the tremendous fire kept up bythe skir-
mishers of the 3d Essex above,the Marines formed in
column, and throwing out blank companies of skir-
mishers proceeded to ascend the slopingheights before
them. The 3d Essex, much shattered—or supposed
to be so—by the fire of those skirmishers, as well as
by that from the ships, were compelled to retire
behind the Tower Hamlets Corps, under Lieut.- Col.
Buxton, which were drawn up in line to support
them. The enemy still continued to press on, and
some admirable file-firing took place; but notwith-
standing the efficiency with which it was main-
tained on the side of the Volunteers they were
forced back half way across the limited space set
apart for the manoeuvres of the day, when being
supposed to have suffered very severely on the right
from the fire of attacking force, they changed front
their right being thrown back on the left company
of the left battalion of the line, so that they still
were between the enemy and.the town which it was
their great object to defend. Col. M'Murdo also kept
a battalion in quarter distance column in reserve on
the left of the line, and when the movement by
which the front of the Volunteers was charged was
executed, he caused it to deploy to the left so as to
prolong the new alignment, w hile the heavy guns
were brought round from their original position on
the cliffs and placed on the right of the line. Thus
with their backs to the town, the Volunteers sub-
jected their adversaries to a rapid and well-sustained
fire, while they, on their part, returned it briskly,
but were eventually supposed to have had the worst
of the encounter.

The fighting having thus been brought satisfac•
torily to a close, the various corps marched past Sir
W. S. H. Johnstone and Colonel 111‘Murdo, who
was accompanied by Lieutenant-Colonel C. P.
Ibbetson, Colonel Gordon, of the Royal Artillery,
and several other officers. Colonel M'Murdo
then bri,:fly addressed the several corps, and ex-
plained to them the nature of the movements in
which they had been just engaged, pointed out that
the skirmishers had retired somewhat too hurriedly
before the attacking force, complimented them on
the readiness with which they had subsequently
recovered their formation, and on their general
efficiency ; while he thanked the Adir iral and
officers in command of the Royal Marines for the
desistance which they had rendered him in bring-
ing the proceedings of the day to a successful ter-
mination.

the
Mr. Weston says the cause of the postponement
of the opening of his " Retreat " at Kentish-tows
n an is
orderhe
inclemency of the weather. The real difficulty i
of Vice-Chancellor Wood, prohibiting the opening of the
gardens for the present.
chasing Horn man's pure Tea d efit of reduce duty obtained by pur-
very choice at 3s 4d. and
;
4,. "High Standard'' at 4s. 4d. (formerly 4a. Bd.), is the
strongest and most delicious imported. Agents in every
town supply it in packets,

PRICE..... ...4d.
STAMPED —.M.

The Great Battles of the Rappahannock.

(From the Richmond _lnquirer of May 7.)
The details of the great battles which were fought on
the Rappahannock on Saturday and Sunday—or more pro-
perly the battle which continued through these two days—
come to us only in that confused, but exhilarating fashion
which usually attends a victory, the glow of which obscures
the picture of its strategic and mechanical effects. From
amidst this confusion we are only enabled to give the line
of the battle, which Extended from Chancellorsville to
Wilderness Swamp, in Spottsylvania, cutting across the
Orange Plank road at an acute angle, our troops, of course,
occupying the southern ground, and, after the two days'
fight, driving the enemy, by front and rear charges, across
the river in the neighbourhood of Fredericksburg. An
tfort was made by the enemy to drive our army from its
position and Mary's Hill on Saturday evening, which sue •
ceeded for the night, but the position, with the prisoners
and guns, was recovered on the following morning.
The battle is considered one of the most desperate ever
fought, as the slaughter on both sides will attest, During
the enemy's retreat our artillery had a fair sweep of them
while crossing a ford, and added greatly to their disaster.
Our entire loss is estimated from eight to ten thousand—
that of the enemy from twenty-five to thirty thousand, in-
eluding eight thousand prisoners.
Many reports have doubtless reached you of the fight at
Wilderness Church yesterday, which, in many respects,
was one of the bloodiest of the war. Our loss is heavy,
both in officers and men ; but, through the aid of a merci-
ful Providence, victory once more perches upon the banners
of the South.
The battle commenced in the neighbourhood of Chancel-
lorsville, on the plank road from Fredericksburg to Orange
Court House, and extended to a point known as Wilderness
Church, on the same road. The enemy had thrown up en-
trenchments end constructed abatis, which, after
fighting, were carried by our troops. Early in the day their
lines were broken, and in confusion their defeated forces
left the field. Many prisoners were captured, some 3,000
of whom have reached this point. Among them is Briga-
dier-General Hays, who commanded a brigade in General
Couch's corps, and his Aid-de camp, Captain Echols. The
prisoners brought here represent some 40 different regiments,
and, as usual, are mostly men of foreign birth.
Among the officers whose names 1 have heard mentioned
as killed are General Paxton, of Stonewall's brigade ; Col.
Walker, of the Tenth Virginia, and Col. Mallory, of the
Fifty fifth Virginia. The country will lament the misfor-
tune which has befallen our army in the severe wounding of
Lieut.-General Jackson, who lost his left arm. General
A. P. Hill was also slightly wounded in the leg.
On the lower end of the line, where Major-General Early
commanded, there was some hard fighting yesterday morn-
ing. In the afternoon Marey's Heights were carried by
the enemy, and several hundred of our men, belonging to
a Mississippi regiment, captured. Five or six pieces of the
Washington Artillery were taken at the same time. This
morning General Early was reinforced by Generals
M'Laws and Anderson, and the fight renewed, when the
heights were retaken and the pieces recaptured, with a
number of others.
In the fight on the upper line yesterday, in addition to
the prisoners mentioned, some two thousand others were
captured, and five batteries of field artillery. From this
fact some idea may be formed of the character of the
fight and the extent of our triumph. It is stated that Gen.
Lee regards it as one of the most satisfactory victories of
the whole war. There is a report that General Stuart had
succeeded in destroying the pontoons of the enemy last
night, thus cutting off their retreat.
I sent you a letter yesterday which I presume the cap-

ture of the train at Ashford prevented your reading. I hope
this note, hastily written, will be more fortunate. You will
hear from me again to-morrow. It is believed that the fight
is for the present nearly ended, though there is tolerably
heavy cannonading going on now at Fredericksburg.
Killed, in the battle near Wilderness Church, on Sunday
morning last, Sergeant Dolphine S. Rawlins, of Company
A, Second Virginia Regiment.
Two trains, bearing 700 wounded and 200 sick soldiers,
reached this city yesterday morning from Guinea's station
on the Fredericksburg-road. From wounded officers who
came down on the train we have some interesting but scant
facts of the recent sanguinary battles. On Thursday Hooker's
right wing had reached a point near Spottsylvania Court
House, his left resting on the Rapidan at Ely's Ford, and
his centre on Chancellorsville, two miles southwest of
Fredericksburg. The hostile lines were at this time in
close proximity and skirmishes were frequent. On Friday
evening, about 6 o'clock, Gen. Jackson attacked the enemy's
right flank, and the first generalbattle ensued. Gen. Rhodes,
commanding D. 11. Hill's old division, being on our ex-
treme left, began the fight. The enemy had, during
Thursday night, thrown up formidable breastworks to
resist an attack from the direction of Fredericksburg,
but our forces advancing from a nearly opposite direc-
tion, they were, of course, worthless. The enemy
finding himself outflanked, deserted his works with-
out resistance, and fled towards Chancellorsville.
Night coming on the pursuit was discontinued. During
Saturday Jackson continued to press the enemy's right,
whilst General Lee assailed him in front. On Sunday
morning, shortly after midnight, the hostile armies occupy-
ing lines directly parallel with the plank road leading from
Fredericksburg to Orange Court House, the enemy ad-
vanced and delivered battle. At this critical juncture Gen.
Jackson received his wound in the manner detailed by us
yesterday. After one of the most desperate and bloody
battles of the war, which lasted until ten o'clock on Sunday
morning, Hooker was beaten at all points, and fell back
towards the Rapidan at its confluence with the Rappahan-
nock, some sixteen miles above Fredericksburg. This was
the battle of Chancellorsville. While it was raging, Sedg-
wick, with an overwhelming force, advanced from the Ra-
pahannock, below Fredericksburg, upon Gen. Early, who,
with one division, had the heights of Fredericksburg. After
a short but desperate resistance Early was ccmpelled to re-
tire towards Chancellorsville, and Sedgwick took possession
of the long coveted heights. In this fight the enemy cap-
tured a number of prisoners and five guns of the Washing-
ton artillery battalion. It is said that two entire companies
of the Washington artillery were taken, but we think the
report doubtful. When a reverse overtakes us a scape goat
is never wanting. In this case, it is said, we could have
held our position but for the pusilanimous conduct of some
infantry regiments. We, however, believe our defeat at
this point to have been solely due to the immense odds
brought against us.
Among the killed we have heard of Gen. Paxton, of the
Stonewall brigade; Col. Walker (Warren ?), of the 10th
Virginia; Col. Mallory, of the 55th Virginia; Major Miles
Selden, aide to Gen. Heth ; Capt. Greenlee Davidson, Let-
cher battery; Capt. Edward Branch, of Richmond Grays,
and Capt. Banks, of the Petersburg Grays. Major Chan-
ning Price, of Gen. Stuart's staff, was killed on Thursday,
near Spottsylvania Court-house.
Our victory on the Rappahannock has cost us dear in the
severe wounds unfortunately received by the great and good
General Jackson. His left arm has been amputated above
the elbow ; a bullet has passed through his right hand.
His condition is now, we learn, as favourable as could pos-
sibly be expected, and he will doubtless recover, and is not,
we trust, lost to active service. We could better spare a
brigade or a division. It would be grievous to think that
his banner will never more flash out upon the Yankee rear'
and throw them at its first gleam into headlong rout, with
the sudden outcry, " Jackson's coming I"—that the stern
eye of the hero will never more lighten with a warrior's joy
as he launches brigade after brigade upon the stubborn foe,
until the hated flag stoops, and the columns reel, and
break, and fly, with the vengeful Confederate cheer ringing
in their cars.

Our base foe will exult in the disaster to Jackson; yet
the accursed bullet that brought him down was never
moulded by a Yankee. Through a cruel mistake, in the
confusion, the hero received two balls from some of his own
men who would all have died for him.
The official despatch of General Lee, announcing the
great victory which our arms, under God, were blessed
with, also gives the intelligence of the death of 13rigadier.-
General Frank Paxton, in command of the Stonewall
gade. 110 succeeded General Jackson, upon whose staff he
had served in all the various victories gained by that indo-
mitable chieftain, and was appointed to the command of
captured *
are id to be in a
a all
14at
the Stonewall brigade when Jackson was promoted, He
has ably filled the position, leading his men into the thickest
of the fight, and gallantly fell on the field,
We also captured nearly 10,000 prisoners, 7'
000 of whomi
5-
0u
ipnieeac,ess
of artillery, and
station, on their way
to R h
mestimated ond. Our loss in killed and wounded is!
`Pe
lost
6,000 or 7,060.

"LOST AND SAVED." By the Hon. Mrs. No :ton.
--A second edition of Mrs. Norton's remarkable
work has
just been issued by Messrs. llurst and Blackett. "Lost
and Saved," says the Examiner, " is a novel of rare excel-
lence, fresh in its thought, artistic in its grouping, and its
balancings of lights and shades, shrewd and subtle in its
character painting, and with a brave soul speaking throug
it. It, is Mrs. Norton's best prose work ;
and distinctively original, as every work of true genius must be, its place is
beside the best contemporary fiction."
CRYSTAL PALACE.--ONE SHILLING DAY, MON-
DAY, MAY 25.—Admissions on payment, 34,397; ditto, by
season tickets, 1,666; total visitors, 36,063.
Can any one answer the question, What is a Magneten f
We only know some of its marvellous effects,
and admire
e
the ingenuity of those who apply its power to
&e.
Dr.
uses, for instance Herring's magnetic brushes,
Hassall reports, " I regard them as the moat
hitherto made, as respects their mechanical construction
and their magnetical action." They are the remedy fox
N.B.—Counterfeits
perfect brushes
grey hair, neuralgia, rheumatism,. a
are being made. Offices, 32, Basuighall-street, London.

N. /.._.•.1.4".
Destructive Fire and :LOSS of
Deypnport. 7 •KrigAA ;,54, 611
-41„
4All
On Saturday evening the great but methndical co stp3c-; 4
of the streets was disturbed by the cry a flre•
yard was confidently stated to be on fire : and, .asAay berg. IL
easily supposed, the probability of a vast destructi:en of na-
tional property caused great terror. This, however, .happily
proved not to be a fact, although at one time it apiwared
fearfully too probable, But still the conflagration was a
great one, and has scarcely ever been equalled in the dis-
trict with the exception of the burning of the Royal Hotel
and Theatre at Plymouth.

In order clearly to understand•the spot where the firs
broke out it may be necessary to give a brief description of
the premises. Running out of the north side of Fore-
street, near to the Royal Hotel, is a street called Tavistock-
street, which on that side numbers some five or half dozen
houses on each side, and then joins Princes-street, on the
opposite side of which the thoroughfare is continued under
the name of Marlborough-street. At the corner of Dais-
tock-strect awl Princes-street was a grocery and provision
shop, kept by Mr. Emmet. Business was there g.ein;:7 oa
brskly, as is usual on a Saturday night. until about;
half-pint eight o'clock, about which time the assistant,
withal-ft Souwiy, c one in f.ff a round of goods de-
livery, and cowmen, ed inc.-wing for another. Whilst
so engaged Foinc customer came in for a quantify of cazo-
line oil—one of the producte of petroleum—and Mr. Emilie,
rather than call the assistant from his work, went himself
down into the store cellar to obtain the oil. Scarcely had he

I isappeared from the shop when a terrific explosion occurred,
which shook the house and those adjoining to their founda-
tions, and a streak of flame rushed up through a small pump
hole in the shop floor which communicated with the cellar.
Following the flames were ,great clouds and vapours of
smoke, and all the gaslights were simultaneously extin-
guished. In this state of terror and darkness Soundy at-
tempted to get down into the cellar adjoining that in which
the explosion occurred, and obtained the key of the water
cellar, but he was driven back by the flames, and utterly
unable to ascertain the fate of his master, who was never
more seen alive.
There are no back premises to these buildings, and the
water supply is kept underground, so that communication
with the cellars being cut off all chance of immediately sub-
duing the flames was destroyed. Soundy remained on the
scene of the catastrophe; but all his efforts of a remedial
nature were unavailing, for the fit e shot rapidly up from the
cellar and through the shop Poor, winged it are., along the
cornices, and took possession of one floor after another, un-
til having a complete draught of air from top to bottom, it
roared and flamed like a veritable blast furnace. Alarm had
already been given, and in a few minutes the borough, dock-
yard, and gunwharf engines were on the spot; but they
were neatly all compelled to remain helpless spectators of
the flames for about half an hour in consequence of want of
water. Meanwhile the adjoining property caught fire, and
then for four succeeding hours did the fire lick up the
streams of water, as if in mocking scorn, shooting up its
flames each time higher as if in gay derision. Clouds of
fire were carried away, and some of them landed in the dock-
yard, causing intense alarm ; others fell upon neighbouring
houses, setting chimneys on fire and scorching roofs,but still
the great body of fire was confined to the one corner house
of Emmet's, and there doubtless it might have remained
had water been at hand. Municipal management, however,
had not so ordained it, and consequently crowds of ready .
and workers were kept idle, while house after house
was ignited, until five were to be seen flaming away together,
and then the water came, but came too late. Nearly every
ship of war in the harbour sent its quota of officers and men
on shore, who were untiring throughout the night in their
humane and sometimes very hazardous labours.
At the dockyard news of the fire was received at about 20
minutes to nine, and immediately Sergeant Sandercock rang
the alarm bell, the engines were got cut, and a large number
of the artisans speedily assembled, who, with the metropo-
litan police, rendered every necessary aid possible. While
some of the engines were sent out to the scene of the fire
two were worked in the yard, water being obtained from the
reservoir and the dockyard main, and carried by means of
14 lengths of hose up Fore-street and round into Tavistock-
street. This mode of obtaining water was very fortunately
available, or else the whole of two or three streets would
inevitably have been on fire, for the powerful West of Eng-
land and other engines present at one time had only one
hose playing between them. From the gun wharf also an
engine was sent, with men to work it, and as they met with
the general difficulty—lack of water—they dug a hole in
Princes-street, near the Robin Hood public house, allowed
water from a private house close by to run into the hole, and
so fixed their suction pipes, for there were no plugs handy
to which they could affix the hose. Some of the marines
did great service at this time by carrying the hose through
some of the adjoining houses, and playing on the back of
the burning pile. In the midst of this terrible scene brave
companies of men- of-war's men and soldiers brought ladders,
placed them against those points to which the wind carried
the flames, and literally swarming up them—at imminent
risk of their lives— they dirt eted streams of water on to the
roofs of the houses adjoining, and by keeping them cool pre-
vented the further progre:sof the flames. The Royal Hotel in
Fore-street was at one time considered as a likely sacrifice,
and the most intense alarm existed amongst the lady and
other visitors stopping there, for the sparks were carried on
to the roof, and some of them, falling down, went through
the broken skylight of an outhouse immediately behind the
hotel, and sot fire to some old lumber. This, however, was
speedily extinguished and safety restored.
By half-past I() o'cicck it was clearly impossible to save
Mr. Emmet's house, and consequently attention was paid
to the adjoining property, and all possible means resorted
to for the purpose of cutting off the fire, but without suc-
cess, for the flames continued to rise until nearly 2 o'clock,
when they were for the first time got under control. The
scene of devastation then presented was something terrible
to behold ; five houses were smouldering in ruins, and a
great body of fire was still concealed under immense clouds
of vapour. Water was continually poured on to this dan-
ger-us heap throughout the night, and the West of England
engine—one of the most serviceable at the fire—continued
doing so at intervals throughout the whole of yesterday.
Having extinguished the fire, a party of Sappers com-
menced about 4 o'clock on Sunday morning to search in the
ruins for the body of Mr. Emmet, about whose fate doubt
had long before ceased to exist. When found one hand and
one foot were entirely missing, and the whole of the body
was charred, rather than burnt.

LONDON, TUESDAY, MAY 26, 1863.

The Royal Speech delivered yesterday at Turin
to Messieurs the Senators and Messieurs the Depu-
ties of the Italian Parliament by VICTOR EMMANUEL
11. may be described at once as, above all things, a
speech of generalities. Yet the generalities were
so judiciously chosen that it must be regarded alto-
gether as a:telling speech in its way. It seems
strange that it should be so, yet it actually does
happen to be so nevertheless, that only now, after
so long an interval of silence in his regard, does the
KING, standing in front of his throne, offer to the
assembled Legislators of the Peninsula a tardy
expression of his opinion in regard to the dead
Statesman through the agency of whose wily policy
his Majesty, above all men living, has so
largely profitted. " You first commenced
your Parliamentary labours at the time
when Providence," says VICTOR EMMANUEL (not,
we may be certain, without a qualm), " had taken
from us the illustrious man who so powerfully as-
sisted me in the difficult enterprise of our rege-
neration." After all this lapse of time, during
which the old, long-vexed question of Unification
seems to have sullenly fallen into the background,
its noisiest champions, as it were, dropping off
one after another into a doze of very exhaustion
—it cannot possibly but occur to us at length, re-
garding the whole state of things yonder in Italy
from a distance, and, as much as we possibly can
contrive to do so, dispassionately—it cannot possibly,
we say, but occur to us that out of the whole turmoil
one man, and one man alone, can be described as
having in any way materially profitted, in a worldly
sense, out of the whole of it. CATOIIR was in a
manner killed by it—worn out prematurely by the
harassment of his secret anxieties, toils, and labours
in .the development of his Macchivellian enterprise.
GARIBALDI has unquestionably come to grief
through it. His prestige—at one time, and for a
long time too, paramount and unrivalled—has long
since been cast down into the very dust.
The Invincible was overthrown by a mere
Colonel of Bersaglieri, in an insignificant tussle
in a little hole-in-a-corner among the heights of
Aspromonte. The redoubtable conqueror of the
Two Sicilies, the most daring of modern Con-
dottieri, literally put his foot in it at last—into
the Italian Boot that is—when he was shot down,
with a torturing bullet left in his ankle, as
though he had been some ordinary deserter,
trapped and driven to bay, by one of the petty
officers in the army of King VICTOR EMMANUEL.
The King himself is really and truly the one man,
who in a worldly sense can be in any way described
as having benefitted by the revolutionary move-
ment in Italy. Yet, while it is so, who will
hes.itate, who can possibly hesitate, to assert—what
comneon sense certainly compels us to assert—that
a man like GARIBALDI, who has individually pro-
fited nothing by the Revolution, has been through.
out it, is still to this present moment, far more con-
sistent in his course of proceeding in reference to it,
than the Royal voluptuary who has profited every.
thing by it ? That pre-eminently bold, yet at the
same time also, it should be said, that pre-eminently
d iscreet Swashbuckler, who was dubbed long ago by
GARIBALDI himself,iin a moment of loyal effusion, the
—Re Galantuonzo. Remembering how it, has come to
Peas that GARIBALDI, as one may really express it,
singlehanded, with the audacity of one of theold B uc
caneers, seized the Kingdom of the Sicilies and made
a present of his booty to King VICTOR EMMANUEL
—one certainly cannot but wonder over the moral
left by the exploit—when thinking that that same
saldier of Fortune was eventually shot down like a
dog by the soldiers of the KING he had served so
effecteially ! That he has been for months past
slowly recovering from his wound in his little rocky
home at Caprere, while the Monarch who has so
largely benefitted, in a material way, thai t s, by the
largeness of his acquisitions in the shape of con-
quered cities and absorbed territory, can point.
to the result of it all, as (so far) quite successfully un
fait accompli--referring, as Victor Emmanuel did,
with not unnatural complacency, yesterday, in his
royal speech, to the reassembled Senators and De- I
puties at Turin, to Cle recognition of his new king.
dom by many of the Foreign Powers! To his
continued success in arranging dynastic alliance
after dynastic alliance—the marriage of his daugh-
ter, the Princess CLOTILD.t, to H.I.H. the Prince
NAPOLEON, being followed but a few years after by
the taking to wife of his other daughter, tLe
Princess MARIA Pia, by the youthful King
of Portugal ! The King referring also yesterday,
exultantly, to the conclusion of treaties of
Commerce successively, by his administrators, with
France, Belgium, Sweden, and Turkey—other

Treaties of Commerce being yet, at this moment,
in process of negotiatiou with England and
with Holland. So elated, in fact, with the
results of the whole movement is the one
wan who has individually benefited by it,
that is to say, the King—[Cavouß having died
under the weight of its prosecution, GARIBALDI
having fallen under a fusillade from the royal sol-
diery because of his at any rate consistent pertina-
city in striving to carry it out to the very last ex-
tremity]—that to his Majesty's view everything is
rose-coloured. Army and navy are getting rapidly
disciplined and perfected, he almost tells us—for
something more! "Within two years," says his
MAJESTY, " from the campaign of the glorious sub-
Alpine army, the soldiers of our new provinces have
been organised, and we are now proud of an Italian
army, beiliiant alike by its valour and solid in its dis-
cipline. Our navy, rich with so many great elements,
and to the development of which you have devoted
so mach solicitude, will equal in progress the renown
the army has attained." All the while listening
to those sonorous words, reading them as they come
flashed to us by telegraph, we cannot but muse over
the somewhat selfish complacency of the royal
speaker, remembering not only, as we have said—
how his Chief Statesman succumbed in the over
zealous advancement, coute qui coute, of the
interests of his King—how his Chief Soldier,
the greatest military adventurer now living, was
thrown aside like a broken sword-blade when it
had done its utmost in carving out, through a
host of difficulties, the still incomplete and
malformed Rough Outline of a State, called the
Kingdom of Italy.
Reading the KING'S Speech of yesterday—at
the close of its perusal there comes discor-
dantly to recollection one sinister item from a
mass of evidence recently brought forward in the
British House of Commons by an eyewitness as
credible as the noble lord the Member for the
borough of Chichester :—" In the next room [Lord
HENRY LENNOX is recounting his recent peregrina-
tion through the prison at Salerno] there were 230
persons, and to state the squalor and filth in which
these men were would require an abler and more elo-
quent tongue than mine to paint ! Among them were
men of the National Guard, who were condemned
to that living death because they had listened to
the voice of GARIBALDI ! One of them was a most
wretched object, and many of them had been in
prison so long that they had literally no clothes, and
were therefore unable to rise to ask for that pity
which had before greeted my ears !" The grave
of CAVOIIR, the rock of Caprera, the dungeons of
the State prison at Valerno—cluster like un-
sightly and reproachful vignettes round that pic-
tuied pageantry yesterday in the Royal Palace at
Turin.

The Royal Geographical Society has bad an
unexpected and scarcely looked for triumph to
celebrate at its annual meeting, where full justice
was rendered both to the difficulties and the suc-
cess recounted by the eloquent discourse of their
President. The address of Sir RODERICK MUR-
CHISON will be read with deep interest, for it
gives, in a simple, yet graphic manner, an out-
line of the labours and researches that resulted
in the remarkable discovery over which we are now
rejoicing. The details of the expedition, the Presi-
dent purposely left to be more fully given by the
discoverers themselves, whose speedy arrival in
this country is now confidently looked for. It was
enough to tell us, in the interval, that they had
richly earned their reward by a long course of
exertion and danger, which needed all their tact
and courage to bring to a speedy conclu-
sion. Only a few weeks since, as Sir RODERICK
Nlußcuisom reminded his hearers, the greatest
anxiety was felt for the fate of the enterprising
travellers, and these gloomy forebodings were
heightened bythe rumour, happily false, of the death
of Consul PETHERICK. It will be remembered that
this gentleman had arranged to meet the travellers
at Gondokoro, on the White Nile, and there to supply
them with money and other necessaries. These ar-
rangements were of course dependant upon the safe
passage of both parties through the dangers of the
intervening route, and unfortunately the loss of all
Consul PETHERICK's stores would have prevented
him from assisting his friends, although he reached
the appointed spot. But help was at hand. Another
English traveller had heard of Mr. PETHERICK'S
troubles, and with a liberality and enterprise that
reflect the highest honour on him, he immediately
fitted out an expedition at his own cost, resolved if
possible to relieve the explorers, or, if that hope
failed, to pursue the explorations himself. His
energy was rewarded by meeting the wanderers at
Gondokoro five days before the arrival of Mr.
PETHERICK, and by supplying all their needs. The
joy of the travellers at beholding him can with
difficulty be pictured in a civilised country. "The
meeting," says Captain SPEICE, "of two old friends
suddenly approaching one another from the oppo-
site hemispheres, without the slightest warning,
can be better understood than described. He was
our saviour, if not in the interior, at any
rate on the Nile." The account of Captain
SPEKE'S adventures among the native tribes are
full of interest. He was fortunate enough to obtain
the favour of three powerful Kings—one of whom
behaved to him with singular kindness ; another
detained him in a kind of honourable captivity for
five months, this delay being very vexatious.
The lest district through which he had to pass was,
however, the most troublesome, for the people were
barbarous, and the King endeavoured to take from
him his only chronometer. The adventurers passed
a whole year in getting through three kingdoms,
is no one of which had a white man ever been seen.
And Sir RoDERIcK MURCHISON remarked that they
would scarcely have accomplished this alive had
they not been liberal in their gifts to the Kings,
and had not these Sovereigns, whose power is abso-
lute, anxiously wished to open a trade with the
.vhites. In spite of all delays and dangers,
however, the travellers safely accomplished
their journey, and they have thereby entitled
themselves to a high place among the list
of eminent discoverers. "The question of
the sources of the Nile," said the President, " has
occupied
geographers and travellers from the re-
motest periods of history ; and when we come down
to the period of the Romans, we learn from SENECA
that NERO sent up two centurions to settle the
question, but they returned without accomplishing
is not,lishing
what our two countrymen have effected. It
therefore, for us only as geographers to rejoice on
this occasion, but our country should be proud of
such a feat as has been accomplished by the two
g Inuit officers of the Indian army ; and I have no
oee
yus
ebsrti that
triaeonwhen the recitals of their toils and
known,jour-
moafdeinterior
n as
e owkeilnl
samewe
applausenever he
oa
et hpeuyv, willio
a gads tmh
se i ro
f graphic
whose
namesttt e
sbthat
r cwe theitle
hwwi with
so justly bestowed on my illustrious
friend LIVING
sTONE after he had traversed Southern Africa?'
Many a long day elapsed from the return of the
two centurions from their fruitless quest, before Sir
RODERICK MURCHISON received Captain
SPEKE'S
laconic telegram, " The Nile is settled P'
Curiously enough it was Captain SPEKE
who first propounded the theory which has sub.
sequently proved to be the right one, namely,

that the true centre of Africa is a great
elevated watery basin, abounding in fertile lands,
its large lakes fed by numerous streams, and its
waters escaping to the sea by fissures and
depressions. "While this theory was clearly verified
in Southern Africa by Livingstone in the escape of
the Zambesi, as narrated by himself, and is well
known to be true in the case of the Niger, so does it
apply to the Nile,in as far as the great central lake,Vic-
toria Nyanza, occupies a lofty plateau of 3,500 feet
above the sea. In this example, as the waters flow
from a southern watershed, and cannot escape to
the east or to the west, there being no great trans-
versal valleys in the flanking higher grounds, they
necessarily issue from the northern end of the
Lake Victoria Nyanza, and, forming the White
Nile, take advantage of a succession of depressions,
through which they flow and cascade. The upper-
most of these cascades, and close to the lake, has
been named, after my predecessor, Ripon Falls,
'thenceforward, the White Nile, fed by other affluents
his it flows to the South, has a descent of 2,400 feet,
when it reaches Khartum, which is 1,100 feet above
the sea. The general course of the Nile, from south
to north, and its peculiarity as a stream, in having
no affluent between the Atbara River and the sea,
a distance of 1,700 miles, has been illustrated by Sir
HENRY HOLLAND. The phenomenon of its being
confined to this northward course is due to the
fact that the flanking higher grounds, ranging
from south to north, do not afford, as in Southern
Africa, lateral valleys which lead to the sea."
The triumph of ascertaining these valuable and in-
teresting facts has been justly earned by English-
men, and this by the perseverance and courage
with which they have explored these danger-
ous and inhospitable regions. Further infor-
mation will doubtless be obtained by sub
sequent discoverers, but the glory of the
first discovery indisputably rests with Captain
SPEKE and his brave companion. Sir RODERICK
NIURCHISON justly reminds the public of the en-
couragement given by him to the proposed route
by Zanzibar, at a time when great prejudice existed
against it. The result is gratifying in every point
of view, and adds a fresh leaf to the laurels won by
British discoverers.

The wording of the address to the KING by the
Chamber of Deputies in Prussia is now published,
and is most worthy of attention. It is of some
length, and is very carefully arranged. The com-
pilers of this document appear to have achieved
what the French call a juste milieu, between assert-
ing their rights and yet showing respect to their
SOVEREIGN. The address commences by remind-
ing the KING that at the commencement of the
present session, the Chamber pointed cut to him the
importance of a return to constitutional rules by
means of which alone could they hope for a restora-
tion of peace at home and strength abroad. This is
strictly true, and had the Ministers not been
eo headstrong in their course, very different
would now be the prospects of Prussia.
They appear to have adopted Perversity as their
motto, and the more the Deputies objected, the more
determined grew their opposition to all popular
rights and all constitutional principles. Next re-
ference is made to the very extraordinary conduct
of the Ministers. In this passage, not being restrained
by the respect that naturally influences their lan-
guage towards the KING, the Deputies speak out
strongly, and in no way mince matters. " Your MA-
JESTY'S Ministers openly express unconstitutional
principles, and prepare to act on them." This is
stating their grievance in plain terms, and proclaim-
ing the dereliction of those entrusted with high
authority in a manner that cannot be mistaken.
Their offences are then enumerated. They have re-
fused to take part with the Chamber in the bill on
Ministerial responsibility, and they have gone so far
as to declare that "they could not submit their respon-
sibility to the judgment of the judicial court desig-
nated by the constitution." Tais is a cowardly act
in the first place, and, secondly, proves a violation
of the first principles of the constitution. The most
inexcusable act is last cited, namely, that they have
on a most futile pretext withdrawn themselves
from the Chamber in defiance of the right of the
two Chambers to demand their presence. After-
wards reference is made to their influence abroad,
and here it is truly stated that danger is to be
apprehended, and that the Ministers have
disappointed all their hopes by their foreign policy,
while by their very unconstitutional acts at home
they have lost the confidence of populations and of
governments. Even when the Chamber of
Deputies has raised its voice against their mistaken
and mischievous course no heed is paid to their
suggestions; and the Min:sters have even gone so
far as to declare that they should make war if
they thought it necessary—that they should
make war with or without the consent of the Cham-
ber. Great stress is laid on the failure of the prin-
cipal object of the session in consequence of the
rupture of the personal relaticns between the Minis-
ters and the Chambers. We now come to the most
important part of the reply, that part of it in which
the Chamber tells the KING that it has no further
means of coming to an understanding with the
present Government, and that it declines to co-
operate in its present policy. They go so far as to
say that they consider an abyss is between the
advisers of the Crown and the country, an abyss
which cannot be filled up but by " a change of per-
sons, and, what is more, by a change of system."
" The country calls for respect for its constitutional
rights," says the Address, " may the respectful
prayer of the Deputies be heard by your MAJESTY,
and may you, es in the glorious days of our
past, seek for and find the éclat of the royal house,
and the power and safety of the Government, in
the reciprocal bond of confidence and of fidelity be-
tween the Prince and the people. It is only in
that union that we are strong. On that condition,
but on that alone, we may without fear await any
attack from whatever quarter it may come." This
last passage is a worthy conclusion to this most for-
cible address. If the KING resists the appeal he will
have only himself to thank for all that may occur.
It would have been difficult, if not almost impos-
sible, for the subject to have been better treated than
it has been in this eloquent and energetic document.
Deputies
of responsibility, r
easppoeasibrtiol i havetyand
been
animated
a
actuated
lo
by a
due sense
ertewdmeis love of their country which has alwayssinb-y
a
ehno hoo
nest s great
theiran cl gloriousremarks
m ark s ;
d etehey
ds.
do
oTihioeyt
cry
peace where there is no peace, but, on the contrary,
they show the danger
while
they suggest the
remedy. It is earnestly to be trusted that this
final attempt will be successful, and that the KING
will at last recognise the evil that must ensue from
his tyrannical course, if he should obsiinately per
sist in it, hearkening
at last, to
wiser and better
ejunsels, before the time for improvement shall have
passed by altogether.

followingst resolutions May the 2lid---
IMPERIAL CONTINENTAL GAS LIGHT COMPANY.
—At a meeting of shareholders of this company
the la
jlie.liti
aawtlißnisr,mEizh,aimn thoenchair,Saturday
were passed :—Moved by F. J. Welch, Esq., seconded
by S. W. Lucas, Esq., and resolved—" That whilst
this meeting would be much pleased to see
an increased dividend, or a capitalisation of undi-
divided profits, or both, it begs to express its entire con-
fidence in the directors, whose prudence, discretion, and
management have obtained for thiq company so pre-eminent
a Position." Also resolved—" That the chairman be re-
quested to forward
board of a copy of the above resolution to the
directors,"