The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-10 00:00:00

ASIA MINOR.

(From the Lcrant herald.)
SMYRNA, Oct. 24.—The rain-famine which is complained
of in the capital equally afflicts Smyrna, and is daily be-
coming more and more the topic of common local remark.
Only a few drops, so to speak, have fallen for months, and
wells and cisterns are alike dry almost everywhere. Each
successive change of the moon has been hailed as sure to
bring relief, but as yet the hope has been in vain. This
morning, however, the clouds promise well, and our weather
prophets are confident that a great douche is at length at
hand. If so, the relief to man, beast, and ground will be
great, for all three are water-starved beyond the memory of
our very oldest inhabitant.
In perhaps some atmospheric connection with this unus-
ually prolonged drought, we had a couple of sharp shocks of
earthquake on Saturday night last. Happily no harm was
done, nor (seeing how we are used to these little voleanic
freaks) was any one much frightened, so far as I have
been able to learn. The shocks appear to have been felt
still more sensibly in the interior, as accounts from
Aidin and Oushak report some slight injury to houses in
both places, but fortunately no damage to life or limb in
either. The vibration came from the eastwards, and seems
to have expended itself, or nearly so, on reaching the sea in
this neighbourhood.
I regret to have to mention the death of one of the most
esteemed members of our local British colony—Mr. Fred.
Whittall, which took place on the 15th, after :a very short
illness, at Aidin. The deceased gentleman was the second
eon of our universally respected doyen, Mr. C. Whittall,
son., with whom every class of our population warmly sym-
pathises under the bereavement. The body was brought
from Aidin on the 16th to Bournabat, and there interred in
the family mausoleum, in the midst of one of the largest
funeral attendances which Smyrna or its neighbourhood
has witnessed for some years. Every section of the popu-
lation—native and foreign—sent its representatives to ex-
press respect for the deceased gentleman and condolence
with his venerable father. The incident, happening so un-
expectedly as it.did, has cast a gloom over our local society,
much beyond what any mere private bereavement of the
kind might have been expected to produce."

SMITHFIELD CATTLE SHOW.—The annual show
of the Smithfield Club will commence on Monday, 7th
December, and continue the four following days, at the
Agricultural Hall, Islington, on which occasion, we doubt
uot, but most of our country readers will visit the metro-
polis; and to such we would say, do not omit to look in at
Madame Tussaud's unrivalled exhibition in Baker-street,
where many additions of models of the Monarchs of Eng-
land, &c., have been made during the past year.
THE MAILS, &c.—SOUTHAMPTON, Nov. 9.—The
Royal Mail Company's steamship Parana, Capt. J.
H. Jellicoe, sailed hence to-day with the Brazil and River
Plate mails, 143 passengers, £221,621 in specie, English
jewellery value £1,360, French jewellery value £6,026, and
a full:cargo of British and foreign merchandise. The Solent,
Capt. Hammack, leaves on Tuesday with mails for Madeira
and St. Thomas, resuming on her arrival at the latter port
intercolonial service on the West India station ; the America,
Capt. Wessels, on Wednesday, with mails for New York ;
and the Ellora, Captain J. R. Kellock, on Thursday, with
the Mediterranean and Bombay mails. Ihe Hammonia,
Captain Schwensen, is duo on Thursday, with mails of the
31st ult. from New York ; and the Plata, Captain Sawyer,
on Saturday, with the West India and Pacific mails.
THE CONCENTRATION OF THE LAW COURTS.—
Last evening, the first general meeting of the 21st
session of the Law Amendment Society was held at the
offices, 3, 'Waterloo-place, Pall. mall, Sir Fitzroy belly,
Q.C., M.P., in the chair, Mr. Palmer moved the following I
resolution:—" That a committee be appointed to consider
what rt3tion should be taken with reference to the proposal
for bringing together into one place or neighbourhood all
the superior courts of judicature with the offlces attached
thereto, and to report on the same." Ile said that last year,
in consequence of the standing orders of the House of Ccm-
mons not being complied with, the bill for concentrating the
courts could not be introduced, but he was now
in a position
to state that the bill would be introduced in the ensuing
session. Mr, Edward Webster seconded the motion. After
some discussion, the chairman said that he was certainly of
opinion that the Society of Lincolinn would be the very
for its object the general
last to oppose a movement 'laving
The
motion was then carried. The
benefit of the people. T
annual address from the council of the society was read and
adopted, and a vote of thanks to the chairman closed the
proceedings.
REVISING BARitISTERS.—The Court of Common
Pleas has appointed the 17th and 21st inst. to hear
the appeals from the decisions of the Revising Barristers
during the late revision, under the 6th Victoria, cap. is
The cases will be taken in the following order:—Robinson,
appellant, and Dumpley, respondent (Northamptonshire),
Bennett and Blain (Lancashire), Counter and Addams
(Ashburton borough), Force and Fiona (Exeter), Smith and
Hall (Sandwich borough), Crowther and Bradney (Kidder-
minster), Garbutt and Trevor (Yorkshire, North Riding),
_own,
Henrike and Booth (London), and Jessop and the
from the borough of Ipswich.
Clerk (a IPswicht
A STRANGE DISCOVERY.—The turning up of a
horseshoe, real iron, from a depth of seven metres
in the deluvium of pre-Adamite deposit bids fair to put out
of joint the famous Abbeville jawbone. The phenomenon
has been found on railway excavation in the Orne Valley
between Caen and Conde, The Journal du Calvados gives
ample details, adding that not only horse bones and sundry
other antediluvian fauna, but skeletons of the Hudson's
Bay beaver are plainly recognisable
THE WHALE FISHERY.—On.ii-crdibt;the Sir Colin
Campbell, Captain e
13irni , arrived at Peterhead
from the whalings with one fish, which will produce about
' c
17 tons of oil. Like others, Captain Birnie reports having
seen a large number of fish in Cumberland Gulf, and he
expects that the vessels wintering will make a good fall
fishing. Ile reports having seen the Alibi, of Aberdeen,
and
with one half fish, the Sophia and Lady Franklin, of
the same port, clean. The Alert, of Peterhead, bad got 22
tons of oil, but the Lord Saltoun and Queen were unsuc-
cessful. The Caraperdown of Dundee, had 100 tons, and
the Franklin, of New London, one fish and a half. The Sir
Colin brings home 17 of the Alibi's crew and 14 of the Lord
Saltoun's, so as to reduce the crow of both vessels to winter-
ing Proportions.—Scotsman.

- EASTERN FISHERIES.—In consequence of
the heavy gales of the last few days many of the
boats have come into Great Yarmouth harbour, and less
fi
have therefore been landed. The quality of the fish
taken has improved of late, Similar reports come to baud
with reference to the operations of the Lowestoft boats.
The local Board of Health of Great Yarmouth proposes to
apply to Parliament next session for powers to purchase an
extensive range of riverside
property, which it is intended
to apply to the requirements of the fishery, so as to prevent
the quays being blocked up with "swills*" ,
A GRATEFUL OFFERING.—"A Sailors Daughter"
has just transmitted, through Messrs. Drummond, the
bankers, £lOO to the National Lifeboat Institution,
THE REWARD OF TEgr.ERANCE.—J. B. Gough,
Home," -valued at 100
the temperance lecturer, has drawn, in the Art 'union
of
London, Ross's picture of "Leaving
guineas.