The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-01 00:00:00

The meeting was then made special for the following
purpose—of authorising the company, pursuant to
" The Isle of 'Wight Railways (Extensions) Act, 1865,',
to issue either wholly or partly as ordinary, or wholly
or partly as preference shares, as the shareholders
may det2rmine, the new capital authorised to be
raised by that Act, for the purpose's of the company's eas-
tern lines ; and also to entitle the directors, so soon as they
can legally do so,to issue the further debentures authorised
by the said Act to be issued, for the purposes of the said
eastern lines."

Mr. MANN, a thareholder, stated that a gentleman who
was largely interested in the company was opposed to the
motion now submitted to the meeting, and ho felt bound,
as representing that gentleman, to enter a protest against
the adoption of the motion.

After some irregular conversation, it was decided that
the special meeting should stand adjourned until the 29th
instant.

The dividend declared at the meeting was at the rate of
5 per cent.

The proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to the
Chairman.

THE LAW ON SMALL PENALTIES.—To-day an act
of Parliament, passed in the late. session, to amend
the law relating to small penalties will take effect. Where,
upon summary conviction, any offender may be adjudged
to pay a penalty not exceeding '.CS, such offender, in case
of non-payment thereof, may, without any warrant of dis-
tress, be committed to prison for any term not exceeding
the period specified in the followingscaleunlessthe penalty
be sooner paid :—For a penalty not exceeding 10s. the im-
prisonment is not to exceed seven days; for a penalty not
exceeding £l, 14 days ; for a penalty not exceeding £2,
one month ; and exceeding £2 and not exceeding £5, the
imprisonment is not to exceed two months. The act is not
to affect the power of imposing hard labour in addition to
imprisonment in cases where hard labour might on non-
payment have been so imposed if the act had not been
passed. It is to apply to penalties including costs recover-
able in a summary manner under any act passed before or
after the commencement of the same. The act, which is
only to extend to England, is not to apply to penalties
under revenue acts.

ANDREA FERARA.—
According to this history,
Ferara was a Spanish artist, and in the height of
his celebrity had an apprentice, who was an excellent
workman, and possessed a high spirit of emulation to per-
fect his skill in the service of so great a master. His am-
bition, however, was disappointed by the habitude of An-
drea, that when the blades were in a certain state of forging
he excluded the workmen, and locked the door of the
atelier while he performed some unknown operation,,
after which he again admitted the assistants to
finish the blades which wore in progress. The
apprentice was persuaded that this seclusion con-
cealed some occult process which essentially effected
the perfection of the arms. Anxious to possess this im-
portant secret, upon the first absence of his master, he
bored a hole in the door of the atelier, and at the next
occasion when he and his fellows were excluded, returned
alone to the smithy, and applying his eye to the prepared
orifice, discovered his master in the act of drawing a
heated blade from the forge. The lad watched with sus-
pended breath. Ferara laid the red steel on the anvil, and
taking from a bench a small tin like a flour-dredge, rapidly
covered the glowing metal with a coat of white
powder, which he then hammered into the iron until
it was cold, when ho again returned it to the fire, and hav-
ing given the proper degree of heat, repeated the same ope-
ration of powdering and hammering on the other side of
the blade. This process was performed in succession upon
all the weapons then in progress, until the whole be-
ing completed Ferara laid down his hammer and
turned towards the door. The varlet perceived that
the mystery was at an end, and dreading to be sur-
prised, abandoned his eyelet-hole, and fled to his com-
panions, with whom he was immediately recalled to con-
tinue their vocations. The apprentice exulted in his dis-
covery, but he could not boast with the ancient sage—"My
secret is my own ;" and it escapelamong his companions.
These youths, being less ambitious to emulate the skill of
their master than to vaunt the possession of his mystery,
their disclosures were soon repeated to Ferara, and one day,
when the inquisitive apprentice was alone in the smithy.
Andrea entered in a tempest of wrath, and loaded him with
reproaches for having betrayed the secret of his art. The
young man replied with intemperance, and in the heat of their
altercation Ferara struck him on the head with a hammer
which he had in his hand, and laid him senseless at his
feet; the blow was fatal, and to avoid pursuit for the
homicide, Andrea fled the country, and escaped into
France, from whence, in an itinerant exercise of his pro-
fession—not uncommon in the middle ages, and still con-
tinued in the Wandersche of Germany—he passed the sea
into Scotland.—ccrithill Magazine for August.

Preparations, which seem to announce the ap-
proaching arrival of King Leopold, are being made at the
Palace of Ostend. Among others is an inclined plane
leading to the Belvedere, which is a favourite retreat of his
Majesty. An arm-chair on wheels will enable the King to
reach that spot without fatigue.

rPh. n.e ..+noe.nor Finrstic of nrslnnvnil
or fine gingham, are also much used for trimmings on
white petticoats. We have seen one with two narrow
fluted flounces, edged with a pink band. Above them were
seven very narrow tucks, and crossway bands of pink ging-
ham stitched on in the form of diamonds, at equal distance
on the tucks. Those petticoats trimmed with black in this
way are most useful and economical, as they can bo worn
with any coloured dresses. _ .

When worn with transparent dresses, the petticoats are
made with fluted flounces, headed with lace insertions,
under which a coloured ribbon to match the dress is
passed.
- - • - -

For morning wear tho striped materials are the most
fashionable. Those intended to wash have trimmings
that can be easily removed and replaced. We have seen
several trimmed in different designs with black velvet with
a white edge ; in the centre are sewn white pearl buttons.
We noticed one petticoat of maize, with white and black
stripes, bound with black, without any flounces. Falling
over them was a band of black and white velvet about an
inch and half wide, from which hung loops of narrow
black and white velvet, and from thorn grelot hanging but-
tons, alternately black and white. Above the band of
velvet was a very handsome Persian cachemire trimming.
Blue is a very fashionable colour, though only suited to
delicate complexions and fair hair. We see many blondes
dressed in blue literally from head to foot, the very
gloves blue, but this has rather a heavy effect. When the-
gloves are a pretty grey or stone colour, the ensemble is
much more elegant.

For ladies with dark hair, maize is a very fashionable
and becoming colour. Our dark-haired clegantes (among
which are included many of the most distinguee) are wear-
ing straw hats of the brigand or Diana shape, edged with
black velvet, and trimmed with maize and black feathers
or flowers. One that especially attracted our attention had
rather a high crown, and the borders, slightly pointed both
back and front, were bound with black velvet; a plain
tulle scarf was tied loosely round, the ends drooping be-
hind. In the front was a bunch of yellow tea roses and
small black grapes with frosted leaves. The scarf was
placed over some of these flowers and under the others.
With this hat was a drab veil, spotted and trimmed with
straw.

The Fanchon and Dutais bonnets are still the favourites.
Some of the Empire bonnets, with the high crown and stiff
curtain, seem to have been been invented as a warning to
show how ugly things can be made if carried to excess ;
when of a moderate shape, they are rather pretty. Cer-
tainly the chignon being worn so much higher than for-
merly, requires a peculiar shaped bonnet, but many of the
Fanchon shape are made so as to accommodate the fashion.
As to the different ways of dressing the hair, it is
impossible to describe a hundredth part of their number ;
we can only refer our readers to the fashionable coiffures
and the fashion-plates.

The parasols are more elegant than ever, the handles
being very richly ornamented, and the body made of either
silk or satin richly bound, or covered with lace.
White is very much in favour for toilettes of all kinds.
The white alpaca dresses and cloaks, so much in vogue a
month ago, have become quite common at all places of
fashionable resort, and have, therefore, been discarded by
those ladies who do not care to continuo a style after it
has been adopted by the mass. White foulards, NV'ith
coloured flounces or patterns, and white muslins richly
embroidered or trimmedover coloured slips, are substituted
for alpaca.
The foulards with coloured patterns make very elegant
dresses when trimmed with coloured silk rouches, or bands
of Cluny lace, over ribbon. For ladies of a more advanced
age they are made with silk or chenille fringes, and tassels
of passementerie. The silk girdle cords make a very
pretty and simple trimming for a young lady's dress.
For out-door coverings, the Yak lace half shawl or
burnous is very fashionable. The silk grenadine circular
is also pretty, though, of course, not so dressy. The black
silk mantles, worn with dresses that have not mantles of
the same, are nearly tight fitting, short, and•magnificently
trimmed with passementerie and guipure. The fashion of
fastening the sash outside is cetainly worn, but it is very
ugly, and has an untidy appearance. The little double-
breasted loose jacket, cut up at the sides to the waist, and
fastened•with large buttons is very distinguee, and well

worn.
From the many models submitted to our inspection, we
have selected the following toilettes as most likely to meet
with the approbation of our readers :
Toilette de villa of white and maize striped foulard ; the
skirt scalloped, with box-pleated flounce under the scal-
lops. A ruche of maize silk on the scallops. Small Figaro
jacket, without sleeves. Round the jacket and armholes, a
thick crimped Thibet fringe. Under this veste is a white
foulard tight-fitting body, embroidered down the front and
sleeves with wheat-ears in gold silk. Black velvet sash,
with long broad ends falling behind, and embroidered like
the body. Black lace rotonde. Diana hat, with gold wheat-
ears and black feathers.

White Indian muslin, with double skirt, the under ono
trimmed with eight rows of insertion, lined with mauve.
Over this skirt is another, out in pointed scallops, and
trimmed round with lace. In each scallop_ are five straps
of insertion, and at the upper point a bunch of flowers em-
broidered. Veste Russo of muslin and insertion. Open
jacket, with coat basque and long sleeves, trimmed to