The Sun.
London, England, 1862-06-17 00:00:00

THE SUN LOLiDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JUNE 1862.

specious, could hardly be branded as insidious.
There was no masking or cloaking about it. It
was as transparent as the day. And so thought
the House. For, upon going into the lobbies on
the ultimate division, the proposal of Sir HUGH
CAIRNS was resolutely set aside by a majority of
180 over 124. Thereupon the House at once went
into committee on the bill—the whole of the first
thirteen clauses of the bill being agreed to (the fiftk
and the eighth not without considerable opposition)
before the House resumed : the eommittee obtain-
ing leave to sit again on Thursday.
As to the fifth and eighth clauses of the Transfer
of Land Bill—the former carried through committee
yesterday, by a clear majority of 42 out of 84 ; the
latter by a clear majority of 51 out of 229—clause
5, as interpreted by the member for West Glouces-
tershire, involved within it a scheme by which titles
might be declared indefeasible—the other clause
referred to affecting directly the vital question of
registration. We may take it for granted, we sup-
pose, that by whomsoever a Bill of this kind were
introduced, emanating from whatever Government
it might, it would, as a matter of necessity, be
assailed in committee after the fashion witnessed yes-
terday among the lawyers of the Opposition, by one
after another of the most specious objections, glibly
articulated and artfully illustrated by an immense
variety of wholly imaginary cases in point. The
House of Commons and the country have this en-
couragement, however, towards the acceptance, con-
ditionally, of what might be called the first rough
draft of an enactment in regard to the improvement
of the laws regulating and facilitating the Transfer
of Land—the appreciable and perfectly reliable en-
couragement, discernable at a glance, in the fact
that the Chancellor's Bill, as it now stands, has
passed through the sharpest ordeal that could pos-
sibly have been marked out for it. It has been
sifted and scrutinised, and turned inside out, and
upside down, and examined, as it were fibre by
fibre, and picked, so to speak, word from word find
letter .from letter—by the Law Lords in committee
—and this not only in regular committee, but in
Select Committee.

The Concerts at Northumberland House on the
18th and 25th June are tinavoidably postponed, in muse-
tuence of the' death of a near relation of the Duchess of
Northumberland.

We regret to hear that Mr. M. Milnes, M.P., is
confined to his room by a very severe attack of rheumatic
gout, which not only prevented his attendance at the sec.
tion of Social Science over which he had undertaken to pre-
side, but will probably for some time incapacitate him for
public business.
MANSION-HOUSE.-Last evening the Lady
Mayoress gave a grand ball at the Mansion-house. The
company, about 1,400 in number, included some of the
Royal Commissioners for the International Exhibition, all
the English and Foreign Commissioners, and the members
of the Court of Aldermen and Common Council. Shortly
after 10 o'clock dancing began in the Egyptian-hall, and
was continued into the small hours of the morning. Supper
was served about midnight in what used to be the ball-
room of the Mansion-house. The saloon, in which the Lady
Mayoress and the Lord Mayor received their guests, was
tastefully decorated with choice flowers, as was also the
Egyptian-hall.

-- -
THE UNDERGROUND RAILWAY.—In excavating
the cutting opposite Ray-street, which is intended to con-
nect the Clerkenwell tunnel with the station in Victoia-
street, the workmen have uncovered the large vault which
contains the remains that were removed some years back
from the pauper burialground of Clerkenwell. The vauli is
•f great depth. A great number of labourers and artisans
are employed on the site of the terminus in Victoria-
street, and mounds of clay are being burnt ready for use
in the foundations. The stations at King's-cross, Gower-
street, and the rest of the works of the line, are in a state
of great forwardness.
MAIN DRAINAGE OF THE METROPOLIS.—It
having been intimated to the Metropolitan Board of Works
that several members of both Houses of Parliament are
desirous of viewing the main drainage works, we understand
that the board have had under their consideration the most
convenient arrangements for affording such. opportunity,
' and that it is proposed that after inspecting the construction
of the extensive pumping station near Deptford-creek, and
the eeveral sewers in conjunction therewith, they sborria
cross the river to the northern outlet near Barking-creek,
and follow the course of the outfall sewer to the junction of
the high and low level sewers at Bow-creek. The whole of
these works are now in a sufficiently advanced stage to show
the magnitude of this great undertaking, and the unprece-
dented character of the very ingenious arrangements for
freeing the metropolis and the Thames of the rivers of
sewage which at present defile them.
WORKING MEN'S SOCIAL INSTITUTES UNION.—
On Saturday Lord Brougham and other social reformers
met at the Law Amendment Society's rooms, Waterloo-
place, when a prospectus of a new organisation was sub-
mitted for consideration. His lordship presided. The pro-
spectus set forth that all existing schemes looking to
the improvement of the labouring classes failed to
meet the wants of the social nature ; hence multitudes still
sought its indulgence in the public-house, and thus habits
of a degrading character were contracted. The object of the
new association is to provide for working men social insti-
tutes which should supersede the beer-house by supplying
rational amusement and recreation, combined with the
means of intellecßtuyallainmcpcwovheomwenats
qu
and social
to act a
advancement.shon.
The Rev. J.
secretary, read letters expressive of earnest sympathy with
the objects set forth in the prospectus, from Hon. W. F.
Cowper, Dr. Guthrie, Miss A. Cooper, Mrs. Bayly, and
others. Resolutions in favour of the undertaking were passed,
and a provisional council was appointed, with power to re-
vise the prospectus, for the purpose of bringing the matter
before the public, and of raising by subscriptions and dona-
tions the requisite funds for carrying the undertaking into
effect.
The commercial advices from New York yester-
day state that the whole amount of the authorised issues of
demand notes, £30,000,000, is now in circulation, and that
the satisfaction of the people at the effects produced is sue,h
that there is a general disposition to urge the Government
to issue £30,000,000 more. Meanwhile there is not the
slightest sign of any wish to terminate the struggle by con-
cessions or arrangements of any kind. " The universal
sentiment toward the South," it is said, " is surrender or
extermination." The tax bill was still in hand, but the
House of Representatives had agreed that Congress should
adjourn on the 16th inst. if the Senate would concur. Both
houses had just passed the bill for the recognition of Hayti
and Liberia, and henceforth the Diplomatic Corps at Wash-
ton may be expected to include representatives from those
countries. The shipments of last year's produce continued
on an extraordinary scale, the total for the week ending the
4th of June having been larger than for any week for seve-
ral months past. They included about 130,000 quarters of
wheat, 68,000 barrels of flour, and 4,732,1261 b. of salted
meat. Yet, in the face of these exportations, there wero
discouraging accounts from some of the principal grain
districts in Ohio of the prospects of the wheat crop, the
damage from fly in several instances being Audi that the
farmers wore ploughing up the wheat to sow Indian corn.
The recent fraudulent issue of Indiana State Bonds con-
tinued to be a subject of anxiety, and the amount was now
conjectured to be about £400,000.
ATTEMPTED MURDER AND SUICIDE.—MARL-
BOROUGH, WILTS, Monday.—This town was thrown into
a plate of unusual excitement yesterday by the report that
an old man named James Dangerfield had nearly murdered
his w;fe, and then made an attempt on his own life by cut-
ting his throat. The couple, nearly 60 years of age, resided
in the last of a row of cottages close to the gas-house ; and
soon after seven o'clock in the morning, cries being heard,
the door which was locked was burst open, when a most
terrible scene presented itself. The wife had been attacked
with a spade. Her head had been scalped, and nearly beaten
to pieces, and her arm was broken and dreadfully lacerated.
The room was like a slaughter-house--pools of blood over
the floor, and the walls splashed and daubed. An open
razor and several knives were lying on the table. The
wretched old man, who has been before imprisoned for ill-
using his wife, has been removed to the station-house with
his throat cut, but was not considered in actual danger.
Mr. R. E. Price, surgeon, was in attendance on the unfor-
tunate woman, and entertains but slight hopes of her reco-
very. She was sensible up to Sunday night, and every-
thing was being done to alleviate her sufferings.

Two HUNDRED AND FIFTY POUNDS PRIZE TALE.
—Messrs. Cassell, Fetter, and Galpin announce the com-
mencement in No. 240 of " Cassell's Family Paper," to be
published 23d June, of a new Tale, entitled " Contrast ; or
the Oak and the Bramble ;" written by Mr. F. H. Keppel,
under the following interesting circumstances : Two
primes, the one of £250, and the other of £lOO, were offered
by John Cassell for the best and second best tale submitted
for competition; the Right Hon. Lord Brougham and
Matthew Davenport Hill, Esq., Q.C., Recorder of Birming-
ham, tkc., having consented to act with Mr. Cassell as ad-
judicators, the conditions being that the tales must be illus-
trative of the triumph of morality, sobriety, and industry
over idleness, apathy, and self-indulgence. The First
Prime of £250 has been awarded to " Contrast ; or, the Oak
and the Bramble;" and the readers of " Cassell's Paper,"
and temperance reformers in particular, are promised a
gratification of no ordinary kind in the perusal of this
tale.

TEE EGLINTON MEMORIAL.--A meeting of sub•
scribers to the Eglinton memorial was held at Ayr on the
13th inst. It was announced that subscriptions had already
been received to the amount of £7,200. A committee was
appointed to determine upon the nature of the memorial ;
it consi3t4 of the Marquis of Ailsa, Lord Colville, Sir Jas.
Fergusson, M.P., 11.-Zjght Hon. C. H. Hamilton, Mr. Oswald,
of Auchincruive, and Mr. CamONll, of Blytheswood.

PIRACY ON THE NORTH-WEST COAST OF IRELAND.
--The schooner Jewess, Captain M'Sherry, arrived in .941"
way-roads on the 13th, from Liverpool, with Indian corn.
When off Blacksod Bay, county Mayo, she was boarded by
fivo boats, containing about 40 men, who took charge of
the schooner, and threatened that if the captain or crew
made any resistance they would run the ship on shore:
They opened the hatches and loaded all the boats with
the Indian corn. The captain estimates that there
were about 12 or 15 tons taken away. A correspondent of
the Freeman's Journal says :—" The extreme destitution of
the people in that part of the country was the cause of this
piece of small filibustering on the high seas. The people
are coming to the conclusion that they will not starve while
there is grain on land or wave."
-

SUICIDE IN THE PUBLIC HlGHWAY.—Yesterday
morning information was received by the police of a most
determined and extraordinary suicide on the Barnet-road, a
short distance from the village of Redbourne, by a respect-
ably-clad man who was walking along the footpath. Just
as an omnibus was passing he pulled off his necktie, and
taking a razor out of his pocket deliberately cut his throat,
nearly severing his head from his body. The act was wit-
nessed by several people. The body is that of a man of 35,
clad in black coat and waistcoat, and corded trousers. Re-
ceipts for rent, gas, water. and poor rate, paid at 5, Went-
worth-street, Whitechapel, and 53, Penny-fields, Poplar,
were found on his person..

DISASTROUS FIRES AT ST. PETERBBURG.—Ac-
counts from St. Petersburg describe a series of disastrous
fires which have taken place throughout the past week, and
which are attributed to revolutionary incendiaries. On
Monday last, the quarter near which the Government
Bank stands, and which consisted of markets and small
shops, was entirely consumed, from Garden-street to the
Fontanka River. Subsequently there have been similar
outbreaks in other districts, and, according to some esti-
mates, nearly a third of the entire city has been destroyed.
Happily, however, the parts burnt are those of a poor and
inferior, although crowded character. The hard ware
dealers are said to have lost everything, and some ware-
houses containing drugs have been included in the confla-
gration. The loss thus far is roughly estimated at from
£500,000 to £1,000,000. Business of all kinds had been
brought to a complete stand, but late telegrams, received
this morning, affirm that there had been no further fires for
some time, and that the people were beginning to recover
confidence.

CORBY POLE FAlR.—This very curious fair,
which is only celebrated once in 20 years, was held last
week. Corby is a village in North Northamptonshire,
abcut three miles from Rockingham Castle, the centre of a
district celebrated for its old-fashioned customs, charters,
and privileges, of which the pole fair is an example. Under
their charter, which, owing to the absence of some of the
parish officers, was not to be seen, the inhabitants of the
village claim a right on the fair-day to levy a toll upon all
persons passing through it; persons refusing to make the
required payment are to be put in the stocks. At each
entrance to the village a triumphal arch was erected, and a
temporary toll-bar was formed by a rope, which was ex-
tended across the rcadway. The great excitement of the
fair was the "chairing," of which there were two modes
practised, In one a chair is fastened to two poles, and car-
ried on the shoulders of four men ; in the other a thick pole

old.

is carried by two men, and the person to be honoured has
to get astride of it. There were also the usual shooting-
galleries, a cheap theatre, and other accessories of a country
fair. The Corby men claim under the same charter to be
exempt from all tolls, from service on juries, and, according
to some, from service in the militia. At the British school
in the village John Anderson, the fugitive slave, is now
being educated.
THE BRIGHTON SEWERAGE.--Brighton has re-
solved to clean herself. A scheme of sewerage adequate to
the wants of the town has been determined upon. The
slovenly and detestable plan of running the sewage into the
sea, to generate abominable odours by reaction with the salt
water, has been wisely condemned. This and the other
main principles laid down in these pages have been adopted
as the basis of the new system. . A main sewer will col-
lect all the sewage of the town, and convey it to an outfall
to the east of Rottingdean. At this point it will be dis-
charged into the sea twice in 24 hours, and the current will
sweep it eastward, avoiding the risk of annoying any in-
habitants of the coast. As the whole cutting will be
through chalk, the construction will be easy and inexpen-
sive. It is estimated that £30,000 will accomplish this im-
portant undertaking. Thus, for a sum which must be re-
garded as trifling in relation to the wealth of Brighton and
the benefits that must result from the outlay, the town will
be redeemed from the reproach of uncleanliness and disre-
gard to the health of the visitors. In accordance with the
principle of the London main drainage scheme, provision is
made for an outfall. But the plan is perfectly compatible
with the utilization of the sewage for agricultural purposes.
At anv part of its course through the main sewer leading
to Rottingdean it will be quite feasible to pump out liquid
sewage and apply it to the land. That this—the proper
destination of the sewage•--will eventually take place we
entertain no doubt. Mr. Brady's Committee will, it is
hoped, not break up without demonstrating the methods of
rescuing the sewage of towns from utter waste, The self-
cleansing ordinance adopted by the inhabitants of Brighton
is an ample vindication of their public spirit. We, who,
like all other toiling denizens of the great metropolis, have
a personal interest in the salubrity of this beautiful water-
ing-place, rejoice in the decision. As sanitary monitors we
are especially glad that the advice we felt it our duty to
urge has been adopted in so liberal a spirit.—Lancet.

A CHURCH ON FIRE.—On Sunday morning a
fire was discovered on the premises occupied by Mr. T. C.
R. King, a plumber and glazier on Elm-hill, Norwich, and
although Mr. Hitchman, chief constable, and the city fire
brigade\vere promptly on the spot, and a plentiful supply
of watar was obtained, the shop was completely gutted, and
great injury inflicted on the stock in trade. The premises
adjoin the "Dutch Church," a portion of the conventual
buildings which for manly formed part of a monastery of
Black or Preaching Friars, but which at the period of the
Reformation were secularised under the general title of St.
Andrew's Hall. The Dutch Church, as its name implies,
has, however, always continued to be devoted to public
worship, having in bygone times been set apart for the use
of the foreign Protestant refugees who settled in consider-
able numbers in Norwich some two centuries since. Of
course, the loss of so interesting a relic of bygone times
would have been deeply regretted, but although the roof
caught fire, and the whole structure was for some time in
imminent danger, it is satisfactory to find that the exertions
of the firemen were succeosfal, and that the damage sus-
t a;ned by the church was comparatively small. The foreign
Pretestant refugees having gradually become absorbed in
the general population of Norwich, the church has latterly
passed into the hands of a Dissenting body, and, notwith-
standing the injury occasioned to the roof, service was
celebrated on &unday as usual. The damage sustained by
Mr. King was very serious, but it is covered by an insur-
ance in the Norwich Union to the extent of £5OO.
TOADS IN RocKs.—There is much reason to
doubt that toads have ever been found alive in the heart of
blocks of stone, hermetically closed. They may have some-
times crept in through chinks and crannies. and have con-
tinued alive for a comparatively long period; but the many
stories told of their discovery in the solid and undisturbed
strata of our earth will not bear examination. To a geolo-
gist the thing is simply impossible; the toad belonging to
one age, and the rock to another, separated from it by mil-
lions of years. The toads, for example, of our secondary
periods—the labyrinthodons of the Crystal Palace restora-
tions—were vastly unlike those of our own degenerate days ;
and experiments have shown that, so far from being• able
to sustain life for ages, this reptile dies, slowly indeed, but
surely, in a few months, if immured in tho manner referred
to by your correspondent, who may find the subject very
fairly discussed in White's "Natural History of Selborne,"
edited by Captain Thomas Brown, Edinburgh, 1833, note
Queries.
to Letter XXII., p. 55.—Notes and

VENOMOUS CATERPILLARS.—A most singular
case, perhaps the only one on record, of death caused by
caterpillars occurred a few days ago in the commune of
Dardilly, near Lyons. A little boy, not more than eight
years old, had gone into a neighbouring wood in quest of
birds' nests. Perceiving one on the top of a tree, he
climbed up, but in so doing shook duwn an immense num-
ber of caterpillars, many of which fell on his shirt, his
only upper garment, and soon covered his breast, which
was bare, and penetrated to his arms and shoulders. For
a few minutes the child took no notice of this, but he soon
felt such an itching sensation that he was compelled to get
down again and run home for assistance. Upon examina-
tion his skin appeared covered with large red spots, which
were soon followed by a general swelling, then by fever,
somnolency, and delirium; and, notwithstanding all medi-
cal care, death ensued in the course of a few hours. Tho
kind of caterpillar which caused this disaster was the DOM-
byx proce•ssionea of Reaumur, a very venomous species.
Botanists know that if a nest of these insects be touched, or
only stirred up with a stick, the person so doing, and re-
maining for some time near the spot, within reach of the
emanations arising therefrom, will be attacked with a papu-
bons eruption of a more or less confluent nature, which will
last several days, and be attended with violent itching.
Dr. Calueell, physician to the hospital at Charenton, had
preserved a nest of these caterpillars in a large glass phial,
which was not opened for upwards of 10 years. At length,
the phial being accidentally wanted, it was opened in the
presence of several persons, who all caught the eruption.
This strange property has even suggested to several mem-
bers of the faculty the idea of using these caterpillars in
cases in which it is required to subject the skin to a strong

and pet manent irritation. We may remark, in conclusion,
that the number of caterpillars which infest the trees this
year all over France is quite unprecedented—a circum-
stance which has called the attention of the authorities and
of various learned societies to the question of protecting;
inseetiverous birds, the only really efficacious enemies o
caterpillar,—Gdz:ftianf'i .1148501.9er,

LATEST NEWS.

CONSTANTINOPLE, JUNE 16.
The amended consolidation scheme has been
published to-day.

The Caimes are to be withdrawn at the end of

three months.
The new Consols will be precisely similar to the

MADRID, JUNE 17.
The following official statement has been pub-
ished to-day

"The Government, desiring to strengthen the ties
which connect the colonies with the mother country,
has determined on progressively granting prudent
reforms until all inconveniences have been removed,
and both the mother country and the colonies are
governed by identical faws."
In Congress yesterday the dissent of the Opposi-
tion members prevented any vote beirrg taken upon
the expedition to Mexico.

PARIS, lIIINE 16.

In the Corps Legislatif to-day an additional
article to the budget was presented, opening to the
Ministers of War and of Marine a credit of 15
millions for the expedition to Mexico.
The Paris papers of this evening contain news
from Havannah to the 24th ult., stating that the
French transports Seine and Douay, with 400 men,
have arrived at Vera Cruz.

Orders have been given by the Government to
prepare ships of war to convey troops to Mexico.
The Patrie of this evening states these rein-
forcements at 5,000 men.

3 30 P. 141.

The Bourse has been very flat.
Rentes closed at 68f. 35c., or 30c. lower than
OD Saturday.

TURIN, luNE 16.

In the Chamber of Deputies to-day the Finance
Minister presented a provisional sketch of the
budget until the end of 1862.

The Minister requested an authorisation to aug-
ment the Treasury bonds by 100,000,000 to
200,000,000 lire pending the receipt of the returns
arising from the sale of the Church property.
In the Chamber of Deputies to-day, the Ministry
brought in a bill granting the concession of the
railways in the southern provinces and of others in
Lombardy to the Talabot-Rothschild Company.

DRESDEN, JUNE 16.

In to-day's sitting of the Second Chamber, the
report of the Committee proposing the adhesion of
Saxony to the Commercial Treaty with France was
unanimously voted.

ST. PETERSBURG, JUNE 16.

The Northern Bee of to-day says :—" Two Sun-
day-schools, in which teachers justified incendiar-
ism, have been closei by order of the Emperor."
The reports of conflagrations having taken place
at Moscow are denied.

BELGRADE, MONDAY.

A Servian boy was murdered yesterday evening
by some Turkish soldiers. This caused a sangui-
nary conflict between the Turks and Servians, which
lasted the whole night. Two of the suburban gates
were demolished.

By the intervention of the foreign Consuls order
has just been re-established.

The Turkish Militia have been withdrawn from
the city, and the Turkish inhabitants placed under
the protection of the Servian authorities. '