The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-29 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY' EVENING, DECEMBER 29, 1865.

`he Late Fatal Collision in the Channel.

THE BOARD OF TRADE INQUIRY.

DOVER, Thursday.
The inquiry was resumed this day at the Town-
hall, before the Mayor (Mr. W. Nunnery), Dr.
Astley, and Captains Harris and Baker (Nautical
Assessors).
The first witness called was—
George Henry Suters, who said—l was on board
the Samphire in charge of her Majesty's mails on
the night of the 13th inst. I was formerly in the
Royal Navy in the capacity of carpenter. We left
Admiralty pier at 10 57 p.m. It is my practice to
check with the first mate of the ship the time of
arrival and departure. We were prevented doing
this on the night in question by the collision. After
I stowed the mails away I came on deck and walked
aft, and I noticed that the steamer's lights were
burning brightly. I heard the chief mate tell the
look-out man forward to keep a good look-out, as
there might be some herring boats about. On going
down the cabin on the night in question to check
the time with the chief mate I heard the look-out
man forward call out " A light on the port bow."
I immediately returned on deck, and the collision
took place instantaneously. I could then see the
sails of the bark and also a dim light on board. It
appeared to be a green light. I saw the bark's light
just before the collision took place. After the colli-
sion I hailed the bark ; I called, " Bark ahoy !
Lower your boats ; we are sinking." I saw two
men drop from the bark's bows on to the deck of
the Samphire. I then went down the cabin to try
and save the despatches, but I did not succeed, for
before I could get at the bottom of the ladder I
was up to my chest in water. I heard some
screaming from the fore cabin. When the light
,was reported off the port bow the captain called
out, " Port, port, hard aport ; stop her ; turn her
astern !" I then assisted in lowering the boats,
and the passengers, who were panic-stricken,
rushed into them. I got into one of the boats
with some of the crew and a number of passengers,
and we were ordered by the captain to go after
the bark to ask them to heave to. We followed the
bark and hailed her. No notice was taken, though
I think she must have heard us, because of the
noise we made. I don't think we got nearer than
700 or 800 yards. We pulled ashore and landed
the passengers, after first rowing about the bay in
search of a tug. We had 20 persons in our boat,
including the crew. We landed the passengers at
the Admiralty pier at a quarter to 2 o'clock. We
had four oars in the boat, but we could only use
three, because the passengers would not bale out,
and the first mate, who was in the boat, was obliged
to do so. The passengers were very troublesome,
and caused the boat to ship water. Among other
things my cap was used to bale out thewater in the
boat. I noticed that the fore part of the vessel was
sunk as far as the fore " sponsor" when I left her,
and I should think that seeing this would induce the
passengers to believe they were going down.
Cross-examined by Mr. Fox—lt is my duty to
land the mails as quickly as possible. If the
steamer was going too fast in a dense fog or
foggy weather it would be my duty to ask the cap-
tain if he did not think they were going at too
great a speed. I have no instructions with regard
to the speed. lam instructed to land the mails as
quickly as possible. The Post-office authorities do
not say anything if I land the mails too soon, but
they do if lam behindhand. I did not think the
Samphire was going at a greater speed than was
consistent with her safety. I did not hear any one
hail from the bark. I spoke to one of the men that
dropped from the bows of the bark. He had his
cap, guernsey, and trousers on, but no shoes and
stockings. He drew my attention to his bare feet.
He looked to me as if he had just " turned out."
The captain was cool and collected during the whole
proceedings, and did everything he could under the
circumstances. The passengers were more like mad
persons than anything else.
By the Clerk—When I heard the look-out man
call out " a light off the port bow," as I understood,
I was three or four steps down the companion-
ladder, and I was looking seaward.
_ _

Robert Whitbread, a boatswain of the shore party,
said he saw both the Samphire's lifeboats when she
left the harbour on the night of the 13th. They
were both uncovered. They are always left unco-
vered during the winter season in case of emergency.
_ _

Mr. O'Dowd here handed in the London Gazette
of the 13th of August, 1864, containing an order in
Council relative to the regulations of lights of the
United States vessels, and quoted the act of Parliament
by which the order in Council was made in evidence.
Thomas Hardy was recalled, and said when he
came from the engine-room after the collision, lie
brought up three lamps alight—one was a globe lamp,
one was a half-globe, and the other was a semi-circle.
Cross-examined by Capt. Harris—The lamp-I.6°m
is at the bottom of the fore cabin companion, ex-
actly in the spot where the collision took place, and
it was smashed by the collision.

Mr. Knocken offered to produce the lamps of the
Samphire for the satisfaction of the Court, but Capt.
Harris said the Court was perfectly satisfied that the
lamps were in a proper condition from the evidence
of Mr. Barber, the surveyor to the Board of Trade,
and they merely wished to ascertain the facts of the
case to contradict some extraordinary statements
that had been circulated regarding the matter.
A Dutch pilot named John D. Hondlohne was
the next witness called. He said—l am a North
Sea and Channel pilot. I reside at Rotterdam.
(The witness then handed in various documents to
show that he had safely piloted various vessels.) I
am a regularly acting pilot according to the prac-
tice of my country. I shipped on board the Fanny
Buck on the 10th inst. at Rotterdam to navigate
her to Cardiff. She was in ballast. I was em-
ployed to navigate the ship in consequence of the
illness of the master. The mate acted for the
master. The crew consisted of three Englishmen,
two Americans, a Swede, and one Prussian, and
persons of other nations to the number of 14. They
all could speak English. The captain was on board
the bark on the night of the 13th inst., but he was
below unwell. About 10 o'clock that night we passed
the South Foreland lights on our starboard side.
We went on the south side of the Goodwin Sands.
The weather was clear on the sea, but towards the
land it was hazy. We could see small boats at sea,
for we passed several fishing boats that had no
lights. I think we were about five miles from the
Admiralty-pier. We had all plain sails set up to the
topgallants. The wind veered from the north to
north-west. We were steering sometimes west by
north, and sometimes west by south, according to
the wind. We exhibited all our lights, a green one
on the starboard and a red light on the port side. I
was on deck the whole evening. I saw the lights
myself, and they were burning clearly. I saw the
mate trim the lamps from about 10 to 15 minutes
before the collision took place. He took the lamp
from the screen into the pantry in the cabin which
is on deck. I saw him go into the pantry. I saw the
lights were burning better when he came up. They
were burning bright enough to be seen from a mile
and a half to two miles distant. They were ordinary
lamps. There was a man on the look-out at the
forepart of the vessel, one at the wheel, and I and
the mate were on the deck. The man at the fore-
castle sung out, " a light," and then we made out
the light on the steamer's masthead "in shore" of
us. I think the steamer was then three miles off.
We did not alter her course from that time until the
collision took place. As we approached we saw the
steamer's port or red light, and I then knew it to
be a steamer. This was about five or six minutes
after we first made out her masthead light. We
were going from six to seven knots an hour. • The
steamer, so far as I could see, did not alter her
course. I did not see the green light until the
steamer came very close to us. The steamer ran into
us, and we ran into the steamer. (Laughter.) Two
men from our vessel hailed the steamer by way of
caution. It was a heavy shock, but the bark con-
tinued her course. When the steamer was put astern
I heard some persons on board call out for assist-
ance. We did not lend assistance because of the
damage done to the starboard side of our vessel,
which we had temporarily to repair, otherwise she
would have gone down. We took in our topgallant
sails and let down the jib. We got a sail from off the
bows, and threw it over the hole where the accident

happened. We brought the bark to Sandgate, and
anchored her in about seven fathoms of water, about
2 o'clock on Thursday morning. The bark subse-
quently sailed to Dover, after canvas had been
nailed over the hole made by the collision, and was
towed from the Admiralty-pier into the harbour. I
then went back to Rotterdam.
By Mr. Edwards—l was on the starboard tack
the whole ovening. Our yards were braced up sharp
about 9 o'clock. The bark was then abreast of the
Goodwin Sands. The proper course when some dis-
tance from land is west—south-west until we got to
Dungeness. The tide was settled to the eastward.
We steered ashore after the collision took took place,
because we wanted to come to anchor, as the vessel
was making so much water. If we had heaved the
vessel to, the effect would be that we should go
down altogether, and therefore we could not render
any assistance to the steamer. Our vessel was much
higher than the steamer. As soon as I saw the
steamer's lights I looked to see if ours were burning,
and saw the green light burning, and also the re-
flection of the red light. It was a fine night. About
10 minutes elapsed between the time of my seeing
the light at the masthead of the steamer and the
collision.

Cross-examined by Mr. Fox—The lamps were
lighted after the sun was set, about 4 o'clock. I don't
know who lit them, but it is the special duty of the
steward to attend to them. The steward is an Eng-
lishman. It is not my duty to look after the lamps,
and therefore after the lamps were put up I did not
see any oil put into them. I have never stated that
the steward put any oil into the lamps. I was exa-
mined before the coroner on Saturday week last.
Mr. Fox here read a portion of the witness's evi-
dence adduced at the coroner's inquest, and asked
him if he told the coroner and jury he would swear
he saw the lamps trimmed—first one, and then the
other.

Witness—l saw the lamps taken into the pantry
to be trimmed, but I did not go into the pantry.
Mr. Edwards said the witness, who spoke English
but imperfectly, did not understand the questions.
Continuation of examination by Mr. Fox—l have
sometimes seen oil put into the lamps. I saw the
steward running to the lamps on the night in ques-
tion, but I did not notice that oil was put into them.
I had only joined the vessel a couple of days. We
did not lower our boats after the collision took place.
We got our boats ready to put out in case the bark
should sink, to save our own lives. We heard the
cries for help but we did not lower our boats, but
looked out for saving ourselves. I did not know
what condition the steamer was in. I did not know
whether the steamer was sinking, because we went
astern so quickly. With the exception of shorten-
ing a little sail we did not attempt to heave to. If
we had tried we could have brought our vessel to in
a couple of minutes. After the vessels had parted
I did not see a boat follow us, nor hear any hailing
from the boats, but I did from the steamer. We
shortened sail about 10 minutes or a quarter of an
hour after the collision took place to lessen the
pressure of the water. We had three boats. In that
weather the long boat would have been capable of
carrying all the crew of the bark.

Re-examined byMr. Edwards—A steamer in ordi-
nary cases passes astern of a sailing vessel, and
always has to give way to a sailing vessel. A boat
with a crew of four men came to our assistance.
After the collision occurred I believe we only had
12 men on board, the two having gone on board
the steamer. It would have taken a long time for
us to have lowered the boats to go to the assistance
of the steamer. We lowered a lantern to the
water's edge to see what mischief bad been done,
and we then discovered the injuries the bark had
received. The first time we tried the pumps we
found the vessel had made 18 inches of water.

Cross-examined by Captain Baker—After clear-
ing the steamer we laid up west to north-west, to
fetch in the seven fathoms of water. I saw the hull
and deck of the steamer about a couple of minutes
before the collision. When I first saw the hull it
was three or four points on the starboard bow. I
don't think we should have got clear if I bad put
the helm either up or down. I think I was justi-
fied in standing on my course without making any
attempt to get out of the way, but leaving the
steamer to get out of the way. On such a night I
think the hull of our bark should have been seen
half a mile distant.

The inquiry was again adjourned until this day
at 2 o'clock.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

for which could only be raised by preference stock,
the result would be ruinous to the present share-
holders.

After other shareholders had spokeri,

The CHAIRMAN moved—" That this meeting, re-
gretting the aggressions made upon the company's
property, trusts that surrounding companies may
be induced to agree to such friendly relations and
arrangements as may greatly reduce if not obviate
the outlay of that new capital which otherwise the
public interests may require ; and approves a re-
commendation made by the chairman and deputy
chairman in reference to such a reorganisation of
the Board as may unite the proprietors and the
Board in defence of the company's rights and
interests."
Mr. ROBERTS seconded the motion.
_ _

Mr. ADAMS moved as an amendment—" That
the Liverpool shareholders, having heard the expla-
nations of the directors, decline expressing any
opinion at present."

The amendment was not seconded.
The original motion was then carried with but
five dissentients, and the proceedings concluded.

THE IRON TRADE.

WOLVERHA3IPTON, Thursday.
This afternoon the usual quarterly preliminary
meeting of the ironmasters of South Staffordshire was
held at the Swan Hotel. Mr. John Hartley, of the
firm of G. B. Thorneycroft and Co., of this town,
was appointed chairman by rotation, in the room of
Mr. W. 0. Foster, M.P. for South Staffordshire,
whose year of office expires at this meeting, and
whose services were suitably acknowledged. The
question of prices was then undertaken, and it was
resolved that in the ensuing quarter the list should
remain unaltered upon that which has been in ope-
ration now for several quarters past. The prices of
best finished iron throughout South Staffordshire
will therefore remain at for bars £8 10s. at the
works, and the other descriptions in proportion.
The committee then reported upon the recent re-
ductions that had been made in the railway rates
for the carriage of iron from this district toLondon.
The reduction was not so much as had been ex-
pected ; and the existing great difference between
the prices charged for damageable and undamage-
able iron was referred to as needing alteration in
the direction of a reduction upon the extra 2s. 6d. a
ton now charged for what is termed damageable.
The committee were instructed to continue to agi-
tate the matter. Lord Lichfield, the lord lieute-
nant of Staffordshire, attended to assist the trade,
as far as he should be able, in reference to the anti-
cipated intention of the Government to extend the
Factory Act to South Staffordshire. His lordship's
kindness was esteemed by the meeting, and a meet-
ing, to comprise the general manufacturers as well
as the ironmasters, will be held by and by. The trade
of the district was shown to be in a steady condition,
but not in that state which prevented underselling,
accompanied with competition from Belgium. The
pig iron makers are firm at a rise of £5 a ton in many
instances upon the rates of the last preliminary
meeting. The trade had before them a suggestion
that the association might, as a body, assist a
scheme for independent railway communication
with London ; but it was resolved that the matter
could not be taken up by the association. Consi-
derable difference of opinion was expressed relative
to competition in railways. Some ironmasters
thought that the district was not better served
under a system of competition than when there
was no competition, whilst others held as strongly to
an opposite view. By all, however, it was admitted
that to take up any particular railway project would
be commencing a dangerous precedent, one from
which it would be difficult to depart when other
joint-stock schemes of supposed benefit to the dis-
trict sought their patronage. There could be no
doubt that the ironmasters regarded the proposed
factory extension with disfavour ; and they ex-
pressed to the lord lieutenant of Staffordshire the
difficulties that would be presented in the working
of the act here, owing to the night and day shifts,
which the boys work in common with the men.

Antiquarian Excavations.

-

A most interesting excavation is now being car-
ried on among the trenches of the British and Roman
encampments at Mallon, by which the positions of
various fortifications, most unwisely levelled down
and lost about the commencement of the present
century, are being recovered. A railway cutting is
being taken through this anciently fortified ground,
and numerous burials and many antiquities have
already been found. About 15 years ago the first
railway cutting was made, and it has been found
that two Roman burials were then destroyed, por-
tions of them having been found recently. At the
same time a very large British stone cairn had been
partially cut through, and the burial nearly all de-
stroyed. The tumulus was 30ft. in diameter ; the
height could not be measured, as the apex had been
removed when the ground wa's levelled 60 years
ago. The remains found showed that the body had
been doubled up and buried on its left side. There
had been an urn and some flint instruments buried
along with it. The barrow is regarded as one of
three lost British tumuli, and had during the whole
this century been buried beneath a thick layer of
black soil abounding with Roman pottery—the two
periods being thus strongly marked. After leaving
the large British cairn, the ground was all black
soil, chiefly from the levelling of 1800-6. In addi-
tion the fragments of pottery, a surprising quan-
tity of bones of oxen and swine was collected.
From some point of the top earth a small iron
arrow or spear head fell down, and in the same
vicinity an unusual deposit of broken Samian ware
and the Durobrivian pottery was found, together
with a coin of Constantius, a locally made (imper-
fect) lachrymatory, handles and necks of amphorae,
&e.- Another British cairn of stone, formed in a
hollow of the natural surface, and, though smaller
than the first, built of limestone in the same man-
ner, was met with at a point measuring 20 yards
from the level crossing over the line of railway. The
western part of this tumulus had also been removed
in making the first railway cutting, and the greater
part of the burial has been destroyed. Exactly in
the centre of the hollow the human remains were
found. The body was unburnt, evidently doubled
up, and was very much decayed, evidently older
than the burial in the first British barrow. No per-
soral ornaments or implements were found withthis
burial. The tumulus was small, about 15ft. diameter
and 4ft. high, and was buried entirely beneath a
layer of black soil 3ft. thick. There were remains of
charcoal, but no mortar covering and no lesser
tumulus. From the northern edge of this tumulus
the natural oolitic grit rose rapidly, and at a few
feet distant to the north the skeleton of an unburnt
male body, of considerable stature, laid at full
length, north-west and south-east, upon the surface
of the undisturbed grit, was found. The body had
been buried superficially, but, including about a
foot of levelled surface, lay about 4ft. deep. Stones
had been piled round the burial, but only in a rude
cist fashion. The bones, from the access of air and
wet, were so rotted that no part of the skeleton
could be preserved except one thigh bone, which is
now in Mr. C. Hartley's collection. This was the
skeleton of an old Roman, the jaws being toothless.
The burial had been an early one, for with it was
found alarge copper coin (first brass) of Antoninus
Pius,Pl, and a very
isof beautiful urn of the Durobrivian
pottery. This urn
ex-
actly of the shape figuredeirnywd er igc ah
tt?s w„ acr ee
Celt,
nRd ims
Roma
n
and Saxon," p. 210, lefthand figure, top group, ex-
cept that the white enamel on the blue-slatish ground
is a double or inverted zigzag pattern, instead of a foli-
ate one. The urn was smashed by the workmen, and
a few fragments were lost, but it has been rebuilt by
Mr. Monkman, and sufficient has been obtained to
show the form. This urn is a very beautiful piece
of Roman pottery. The body was laid with the face
to the east. At 34 yards' distance from the level
crossing of the railway a trench or covered way was
cut across, of 20ft. width, and a depth of 10ft., the
bottom of the excavation. just reaching the level of
the line. The bottom of this trench, or vallum, was
covered with a semicircle of ashes and charcoal
nearly lft. thick, and for 2ft. or 3ft. upwards the
section showed layers of ashes, among which nume-
rous bones of oxen and swine were dug out. It is
remarkable that so far as the stratification of ashes ,

ascended there was no trace of pottery, but that
above the lines of ashes and charcoal the soil filling
the ditch abounded with pottery unmistakably
Roman. The inference is that this covered way was
a British one, subsequently adapted by the Romans,
and ultimately filled up by Mr. Hastings during the
present century. The British and undisturbed Ro-
man periods were, however, plainly marked on the
section. In the British deposits only a bone pin was
found ; in the Roman accumulations various domes-
tic utensils, among them a colander or strainer,
pierced at the bottom, were found. Just at the
northern edge of the ditch the complete skeleton of
an ox was found accompanied wieh the large twisted
handle of an amphora and other pottery. At an
advance equalling 40 yards a smaller trench was
cut through, only penetrating about 2ft. into the
solid rock, but being about 7ft wide. In this were
the remains of a huge fire, of which the ashes yielded
various bones of animals, half calcined. Mr. Cop-
perthwaite is of opinion that these were the remains
of a long-continued camp fire, probably of the allies
who were, it is presumed, encamped on the east as
well as on the south of the main quadrangle. The
excavations at this point yielded a small coin of Helena,
mother of Constantine the Great. Coins of this date
have been often found at Malton and not elsewhere,
and Mr. Copperthwaite holds Malton has most evi-
dence in its favour of having been the birth-place
of Constantine the Great. Of the present
coin the exergue is partly defaced, the legible portion
being LENAE AVG. The trench also
yielded quantities of Roman pottery in fragments of
many utensils of various colours and manufacture,
and there were several Roman bricks or tiles. In
no case, however, has a potter's name been found.
There are still more important excavations to come.
Deaths from Excessive Drinking.

Dr. Lankester held an inquest yesterday after-
noon at the Royal Free Hospital, Gray's-inn-road,
on the body of Ann Prigmore, aged 38. John
Prigmore, plumber, 43, Wakefield-street, Gray's-
inn-road, said he was the husband of deceased, who
was an habitual drunkard, and in a delicate state of
health caused by her intemperate habits. She be-
came suddenly ill on Friday morning, and died
before medical assistance could be procured. The
medical evidence proved that the death of deceased
had resulted from congestion of the brain produced
by excessive drinking. The husband of the deceased
said he attached great blame to a publican in Harri-
son-street, who constantly supplied his wife with
drink, although he earnestly requested him not to do
so. He had also given drink to one of his children.
The coroner said nothing could be more repre-
hensible than the conduct of some publicans in
giving drink to confirmed drunkards. The jury,
having expressed their concurrence with the coroner's
remarks, returned a verdict of "Death from drunk-
enness."—The Bury Post reports another shocking
case from excessive drinking. On Thursday last
an inquest was held at the Bull Inn, Troston, be-
fore Mr. G. A. Partridge, on the body of a man
named Thomas Hurrell, aged 49, who met with his
death under the following shocking circumstances :
—George Leeks, gamekeeper to the Duchess of
Cleveland, at Santon Downham, deposed that on
Tuesday night he stopped at the Bull, Troston, not
liking to proceed further because it was so dark ;
Chas. Lloyd, of Brandon, was with him. They found
deceased in the kitchen, and he asked them for drink.
Lloyd said in a joke, "You can have half a pint
every five minutes for an hour." Deceased replied,
"I'll have it." Lloyd said, " Don't you have it
without you like it." Deceased did not seem tipsy
then, and he drank eleven half-pints and was sick ;
he then wanted to toss witness for more beer, but
he would not. Some time afterwards the deceased
was brought into the kitchen (after witness had
been to the King William), and laid in front of the
fire ; he Nv as then very drunk, and soon appeared
ill, dying, and expired before the doctor came. The
eleven half-pints were small (2d.) beer. Witness
believed he could have drunk that quantity without
hurting himself. Charles Lloyd, landlord of the
Duke's Head, Brandon, said he did not force the
deceased to drink. William Girkin said he found
deceased lying on the straw in the stable, and
brought him into the kitchen. Mr. 11. Taylor,
surgeon (who had made a post mortem examination),
said the deceased died of congestion of the brain,
caused by the beer.—Verdict : " That the deceased
died from the effects of excessive drinking."

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE•

-4,--

EALING STEEPLE-CHASES-THURSDAY.

The attendance was as great as on tho opening day, and
the absence of fog rendered the sport much more enjoy-
able. The principal race of the meeting, the Ealing Grand
Steeplechase, produced a good race, although the favourite,
The Hornet, evidently had the race in hand from start to
finish, and fully justified tho immense support awarded to
him. His victory was received with great cheering, the
• backers generally being on to a man. In fact, the "talent"
had their own way throughout the day, as will be seen by
the success of the favourites. The committee may con-
gratulate themselves on the happy result of their exertions,
and every credit is due to them for their attention to all
the minor details. The sport over, a general rush was
made for the station, but notwithstanding the enormous
traffic, very little inconvenience was felt, the excellent
arrangements of the Great Western Railway Company pre-
venting any great confusion, and especial praise Is due to
Mr. Guest, the station-master, for his courtesy and for the
strenuous exertions he made to ensure the safety of the
public. The following is a full return of therunning :
The Ealing Plato of 30 sovs. for four-yr-olds and upwards;
winners extra ; selling allowances; entrance .2 ~sovs.
About three miles.
Mr. Ewart's Tambour Major, 5 yrs, list llb (£so)._

(Griffiths) 1
Mr. F. Ellis's Amazon (late Polly Perkins), aged, 12st 21b
(XSO)
Mr. Lloyd's Molly Asthore, 5 yrs, list 81b ( £100)
(Owner) 3
Mr. Skinner's Irish Lass, yrs, list 81b (£loo)(Brazier) 4

reaching the stand the second time, when Rochester had
run into third place, followed by Salamander, The Rogue,
Astrolabe, Arlescott, and Portland, who were well up.
Rochester showed a deal of temper opposite the winning
post, and Castle could not prevail on him to continue the
race, Ironsides and Innellan also pulling up and returning
to the enclosure. Three quarters of a mile from home
Hornet held a clear load of Doubloon, Salamander next,
but the last mentioned soon dropped away and was not
persevered with, Arlescott, who ran through his horses,
taking third place. Approaching the brook he got up to
the girths of the favourite, but Griffiths setting him going
again drew away, and increasing his lead up to the straight
won easily by eight lengths from Arlescott, who defeated
Portland by six lengths for second place. Doubloon was
next, pulling up, and Astrolabe walked in with the crowd.
None of the others passed the post.
The Open Hunters' Stakes of 5 sovs each, with 30 added ;
13st ; professionals 71b, and jockeys having won a

steeplechase 51b extra; selling allowances. About three

miles.
Mr. Oldreeve's Beverley, 13st (Inc 71b ex) (150) (R.Land) 1
Mr. Gooch's Half Skin, 12st (Mr. Hall) 2
Mr. Merton's No Name, 12st 51b (130) (Owner) 3
Tho following also ran :—Forester, Woodpigeon, Black
Prince, and Nitrogen.
Betting-6 to 4 agst Beverley, 3to 1 each agst Forester
and No Name, 6to 1 agst any other. Beverley was first
off, No Name, Woodpigeon, and Half Skin heading Nitro-
gen and Forester, side by side, Black Prince bringing up
the rear. On the far side Woodpigeon took up the running,
but gave way to Forester after crossing the brook, Beverley
going on third. Three quarters of a mile from home Bever-
ley again assumed the lead, No Name being second, Fores-
ter and Half Skin next. On landing into the winning field
Beverley was clear of Half Skin, and although the
latter made a desperate effort ho was easily defeated by
four lengths ; No Name a bad third ; but nothing else
passed the post. The winner was bought in for 83 guineas.
The Volunteer Cup, added to a Sweepstakes of 3 sovs
each, 13st 71b each ; winners and winning jockeys 71b

each. About two miles and a half.
Mr. F. Allen's Banker, aged, 13st (Barry) 1
Mr. Coleman's Doctor, 6 yrs, 13st ........(Mr. Coleman) 2

Oldminster, White Stockings, and Saucebox also ran.
Betting.-5 to 4 agst Banker, 2to 1 agst Doctor, 4to 1
agst Saucebox. The latter made play for a short distance,
when the favourite took up the running, which he carried
on till within three-quarters of a mile from home, where
Doctor joined him, but Banker quitted him easily in the
straight and won by four lengths. Saucebox and White
Stockings cantered in a long way in the rear of the
second.

RACING FIXT
JAN

Manchester
FEBR
Lincoln

MA.
Derby Spring 1
Liverpool Spring
Warwick Spring
Doncaster
Lewes Spring

TILES FOR 186 G.
GARY.

AP:
Ne wmarket Craven 2
Durham
Catterick Bridge
Abergavenny 5
Chelmsford Spring
MJ
Ascot Spring 1
Salisbury
Bath 8
Harpenden lO
York Spring

ARY.

JU
Windsor Summer 5
Newton
Hampton 7
Odiham
Bibury l3
Stockbridge
Chelmsford l9

Nottingham Spring 27
',CH.

Croxton Park l6
Northampton
Windsor Spring
28 Newcastle Spring

Thirsk lO
Epsom Spring
Newmarket Ist Spring l6
Chester
Curragh 24
Y.
Epsom Summer l5
Uxbridge 2l
Manchester
Ascot Summer 29

Liverpool
Beverley 2O
Ipswich
Hungerford
Newcastle on-Tyne 26
Curragh '26
Worcester
SLY.

JU
Carlisle
Newmarket July
Pontefract
Abingdon
Reading
AUG

Down Royal Corp lB
Stamford l9
Winchester 24
Southampton g. 25
1 Huntingdon
UST.

Brighton
7
Brighton Club
Lewes lO
Egham l4
Wolverhampton l4
Stockton l5
Oxford l6
Hastings 2l

York August 2l
Plymouth
Lichfield
Devon and Exeter 28
Tunbridge 2B
Derby Summer 28
Weymouth 3O

SEPT]
Warwick September 4
Curragh
Leicester 6
Doncaster
Canterbury lB

OCTO.
Northampton 2 1
Newmarket 2d October 8
Curragh

'MBER.
Richmond
Monmouth
Manchester Autumn 24
Newmarket Ist October 26
Walsall
BER.
Newmarket Houghton 22
Worcester

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

TIMES.—The figures given yesterday by our Paris
Correspondent show not only that the Extradition
Treaty has had_some effect, but, still more, that the
allegation of the Moniteur to the contrary applies
more, on the face of the return, to France than to
England. If England in the course of twelve years
has given up twenty-four fugitives, and France
only fourteen, it is for the latter to explain why
the Treaty has been inoperative. It is true, as our
Correspondent observes, that the document only
gives the actual extraditions, not the demands (if
any) that proved without effect; but if there have
been any considerable number of the latter, or any
at all; it is a matter on which the British public
is without information. In this country there does
not exist the least desire to shelter from justice a
single individual in the great British Alsatia which
has established itself in the heart of this metropolis.
We are all ready enough to suspect foreigners, and
to wish their absence, when we cannot quite under-
stand their physiognomy, or doubt their means of
honest existence, or suspect their social relations.
If the document before us had stated that we
annually exchanged several hundred criminal run-
aways, we should feel all the safer from our own
bad subjects as well as our neighbour's. We are,
therefore quite ready to hear why the treaty has
not worked, and how it could be made to work better
so far as regards its legitimate application. Any
remonstrance with this object would have found
great favour here. But the naked announcement can
only give pain. We are sorry there should be the
smallest hitch in our relations with our great neigh-
bour. We are sorry not to be in all respects en as
good terms with her as her other neighbours. We
resent the apparent suspicion of our amity and sin-
cerity. As regards the matter itself, we feel
threatened with the loss of a mutual benefit in the
furtherance of justice. But what will annoy most
and excite most suspicion is the rumour that the
present treaty has been denounced only to make way
for another, if it can be obtained, more in accordance
with the genius of the French law and the exigencies
of the French Empire. Something is wanted, it is
said, that shall abate the practical difficulties and
delays now encountered by those who attempt to
avail themselves of the treaty. The routine of Eng-
lish law is admitted to be answerable for some of
this obstruction, but when reference is made to the
countries with which the treaty works more effec-
tually, we are led to apprehend a fundamental dif-
ference between ourselves and France as to its pro-
vince and objects of extradition. If there be such
difference, and if England and France are quite
agreed as to what are political offences and what are
not ; if, further, there is no fear of political objects
being pursued by charges of an ordinary criminal
character, then we should hail any inquiry into the
tardiness and uncertainty of our criminal processes.
It could only end in away as much to our advantage
as to that of France. It is, however, quite out of
the question to expect that justice shall be sought
and obtained, or any parallel procedures carried on
in the same way in both countries, or without differ-
ences unintelligible and indefensible in the eyes of
the foreigner. England claims to be an asylum, not
only in the absolute protection it affords to poli-
tical offenders and religious refugees, but also in
the security it must give everybody, whatever his
offence, against acts of mere violence, against mere
suspicion, against the sudden and resistless grip
which in some countries lights on its victim like the
hand of Death, and hurries kim from the face of day
and the society of men to a prison which is only ano-
ther name for a grave. Whatever processes are done
under this treaty at the demand of France must be
in this country, and, as far as they go, must par-
take of the spirit which animates our whole legal
and political system. Every Englishman called on
to authorise an extradition will, for the sake of his
own peace of mind and self-respect, insist that he
knows something about the case, and that he has
had good reason to believe the charge is of a bona
fide character. Of course there are difficulties that
require a delicate treatment. A political refugee may
easily be a man fairly amenable to charges of a very
ordinary character, and be really lax in his morals,
as well as revolutionary, or republican, or absolutist
in his politics. On the other hand, every man
charged with homicide or forgery may try to claim
political protection. On these points, we presume,
some discretion must still be left the British func-
tionary charged with hearing the demand and de-
ciding upon it. We should all be shocked to think
that anybody could be suddenly seized in our tho-
roughfares, and carried off we know not where, or
to what sort of trial, upon the production of a docu-
ment signed by a foreign official, of whose charac-
ter and position we can know nothing. If, as
hinted, the operation of the treaty has been ob-
structed by such feelings and scruples, then the
remedy is to be found in the removal of just cause
for suspicion, and in giving such security that the
English magistrate may feel sure he is not a blind
instrument of persecution and oppression. But ,

some amount of difference there will be and must
ever remain between any two countries. Their in-
tercourse can never be an interchange of benefits
and services exactly the same in kind and
form. The completest reciprocity is that be-
tween those who interchange, not in the
same thing, or in a common medium, but in
different things, each side according to its nature
and power. The Englishman who goes to France
does so for what his own country wants and France
can give. . The Frenchman comes to England for
what he seeks in vain at home, and hopes to find
here. It must be so, also, in ie operations of law
and in the workings of political systems. IN o
doubt the securities for freedom in this country
entail great inconvenience and give room for
licence. They must thereby affect our character as
the immediate neighbour of a country which delibe-
rately prefers an Imperial to a Constitutional Go-
vernment. But it must not be said that we have
no reason to complain in return.' The state of
things in France fills our metropolis with classes of
persons whom we should wish to be far away. We
see here, in the very centre of a commercial and
industrious metropolis, a great number of French
refugees whom France herself evidently has no wish
to demand from us. As far as they are concerned,
France regards England as we lately regarded our
own penal colonies, till they would no longer be so
regarded. These persons exist here in a state of
banishment, with no other resources than wits that
have acquired no useful industry, and living really,
if not upon vices, upon the pleasures of the hour.
They are a not inconsiderable part of our so-called
dangerous classes. There is no such English class
in France. We send her commercial people, re-
spectable residents, and wealthy tourists ; she sends
us a few straggling artisans, and a great number of
adventurers, ne'er-do-wells, and downright swind-
lers. This disagreeable class of imports is the natural
result of her social system. When this is the per-
sonal interchange, France has no right to complain
that even in the most preliminary stages the admi-
nistration of our law is somewhat more tedious
and uncertain than hers. But even if a few con-
cessions be necessary, we trust that the Treaty will
not be permitted to expire without a good substi-
tute—better, if France can make it. No one can
wish that these two countries should be asylums for
one another's murderers and robbers. Neither
country could gain by a jealousy of that sort. As
we have not ourselves heard loud complaints of the
ineffective operation of the Treaty, we conclude
that it must have worked, as many treaties and
other arrangements can only work, by an entire
prevention of the evils to be removed. The offen-
ders in both countries have anticipated the demands
that might be made under the Treaty by not cross-
ing the Channel. Thus it may be apparently in-
operative and yield no statistical returns, and yet do
much silent good. It may or may not be so. The
case for the determination of the Treaty—and no
doubt the French Government think they have such
a case—requires that just and properly authorised
demands have been made, and then frustrated by
the delays, the needless jealousies, and the intrica-
cies of English law. If it be so, and if such a case
has been made out, then we shall gain by the dis-
closure even more than France, for we are vastly
more interested than she can be in the simplifying
of our legal processes, in the removal of uncer-
tainty, and in expediting the course of detection,
inquiry, and conviction.
POST.—Agriculturists, especially such as breed or
fatten cattle, or keep dairy cows, have had a very
anxious time of it during the last few months, and
we are sorry to add that at present we do not per-
ceive any clear indications of their troubles soon
coming to an end. The present joyous season has
been rather dull for many of them. Their situa-
tion is not unlike that of Job when the messengers
rushed into his tent and announced the abstraction
of a portion of his flocks and herds by his enemies,
and th 4 destruction of the remainder by lightning.
Scores of farmers in almost every county in Great
Britain have lost great numbers of beasts of every
age and condition. Those of them who have not
yet been visited by the scourge cannot tell the day
when it may approach. Such as have already suf-
fered from the pestilence, in many cases to the
amount of hundreds of pounds, live in continual
fear lest it may return and almost ruin them. And
in many cases it does return and make a clean
sweep of every horned beast on the premises. The
result is, that a careful inspection is made several
times a day of all animals in pastures and in straw
yards. The symptoms of seizure by the plague are
now so familiar to farmers that they can detect its
presence among their cattle, though they may hap-
pen to be several hundred yards distant. If an animal
is seen standing by itself in the corner of a field, or
under a hedge, with lowered head and drooping ears,
it is inferred at once that it is sickening with the
complaint; and should a nearer inspection prove
that the eye is dim and dull, and the hair along
the back bone dry and staring, then there is no
mistake about the matter. Members of the bovine
tribe, like striker doer, and indeed most of the in-
ferior animals, invariably seek solitude when labour-
ing under disease or wounds. Sometimes beasts
suffering from the plague will continue to eat hay
for a time while at others they refuse all food. The
infected are mostly separated from the herd and
placed iu sheds. Gruel and other things are given
them, which cause them to cough violently, and
evidently increase their sufferings. There is a con-
sfant discharge of water and humour from the eyes.
The animal prefers lying down to standing up. If
roused, it staggers about like a drunken man. The
breath of the beast is almost unbearable, by those
who are obliged to drench and look after the plague-
stricken creatures. Without waiting for the more
violent symptoms which precede death, and which
we need not describe, it is now usual to shoot the
animal when it is deemed to be past recovery, and
afterwards bury it deep in the earth, covering the
body with quicklime. Cats, dogs, hares, and rabbits,
and every animal that passes from fields where dis-
eased cattle may be found to those containing sound
ones, are believed, whether rightly or wrongly, to
be capable, of communicating the terrible contagion;
and we must state that facts and probabilities seem
to favour this theory. The malady has been terribly
destructive among young cattle and stores, and
the only beasts that appear to have had some
exemption from the prevailing epidemic are those
that are being stall fed—a circumstance which
seems to indicate the importance of giving plenty
of good nourishing food to such animals as we ex-
pect to preserve. In the meantime the action of
the Government manifested through the Orders in
Council still continues to be, as it has all along been,
extremely cautious and somewhat slow ; and it has
not yet succeeded in overtaking the scourge in its
devastating career. Magistrates at petty sessions
and mayors of towns still continue to issue orders
about fairs and markets, and about the movements
of cattle within their districts, which are not iden-
tical in spirit or uniform in their operation. Not
only so, but markets for cattle continue to be held
in various parts of the country. Such, we are given
to understand, was the case so recently as last week
in Devonshire, as well as in some towns near the
centre of England, and close to districts where the
disorder is now raging fearfully. Hence dealers,
whose stores are virtually impounded within certain
localities where strict regulations are enforced, com-
plain loudly of the want of uniformity of action
that characterises the measures hitherto adopted,
and assert that if they could but remove their ani-
mals to counties specified by them they could soon
sell them. The Orders in Council, published in a
second supplement to the London Gazette of Friday
last, have greatly disappointed the agricultural
community, inasmuch as they do not announce the
prohibition of all fairs and markets for a time
throughout Great Britain, as well as the adoption of
decisive measures by the Government itself for the
thorough isolation of all neat cattle except those
meant for the butcher. The chief responsibility still
continues to fall on the local authorities, but the ut-
most power of the Executive is required in a crisis
like the present, in order to devise and effectually
carry out the plans for the thorough isolation of black
cattle which the existing arrangements have failed
to accomplish, and the adoption of which is regarded
as the only human means of stopping the plague.
The new Orders in Council vest the power of issuing
notices respecting the movements of beasts in
the Justices of the Quarter Sessions, and not in
those of the Petty Sessions, as hitherto was the case.
This regulation will have the effect of enlarging
the area of proclaimed districts, and may lead to
more uniformity of .action in certain counties than
has yet obtained. The county magistrates and
mayors of towns have it now in their power to issue
and enforce very stringent orders with respect to
the movements of cattle within their jurisdiction,
always excepting such as may pass by railroad to a
fixed destination ; and these, we presume, will be
fat beasts, whether imported or home fed, and meant
for immediate slaughter. It will now be competent
for local authorities, after the 3d day of January
next, to alter, vary, renew, or revoke any order
previously issued, should circumstances require it;
and the regulations of the Privy Council, just pub-
lished, are to be:in force not longer than the Ist of
March, unless continued in some further order.
The present lamentable disorder among the beasts
of the field will be attended with serious conse-
quences not only to the immediate sufferers, but
also to the public at large ; and we fear that we
have not yet seen the end of it, for when it once
gets a hold in a locality it lurks there, and not un-
frequently reappears as virulently as before, when
the principal parties concerned thought it had
certainly departed. The native tribes in Southern
Africa, whose chief wealth consists of flocks and
herds, have long resorted to precautionary mea-
sures in order to prevent the contagion of the lung
disease infecting sound beasts. They resolutely

refuse to allow traders and others who have
diseased oxen to water them at their wells, end
in many cases try to compel them to march past
their territorities. The inoculation of sound beasts
by means of a strong thread drawn through the
lung of a diseased dead animal, and afterwards
inserted in the fleshy part of the tip of the tail
without touching the bone, is frequently practised
by them, and in many cases with good results. The
absence of ozone during the last two dry summers'
especially as is alleged in districts where the plague
has been very prevalent, is pronounced by e°llllB
persons as having been a predisposing cause of the
s,!ourge which is now destroying British herds. 118
no specific cure has yet been discovered,
we must
persevere in the system of isolating beasts whether
sound or not, and try to prevent, as much as possi-
ble, all contact with them. Had the country been
in the 'possession of statistics giving the number of
black cattle to be found in the kingdom up to A cer-
tain date, it would have been possible to . get LIP
certain data, on the basis of which calculations
might have been made for giving moderate com-
pensation to those who have been losers by this
disease. Local mutual associations now fight shy
of all persons wishing to enter who have disease
either on or near their premises. We apprehend
that a rate of a shilling or two a head on eve**
horned and polled animal in England and Scotland,
a premium which would have been willingly paid
by the owners, would have been found sufficient to
cover all losses, and we are very much mistaken if
some of our great insurance companies would net
have thought it worth their while to work such a
scheme.

An Australian's Impressions of England• '

The first thing that strikes him forcibly is the
magnitude of the towns and cities, especially the
enormous extent and population of London—not
the first day or the second, but after living in it
for a week or two, and seeing the miles of streets
closely built and crowded with people in every di-
rection. He, accustomed to think a great deal
about the carriage of goods, and about road difficul-
ties, can scarcely conceive how such masses of
people can possibly obtain their daily supplies of
food and fuel, even by the bewildering number
of railways that radiate from the great metropolis.
He sees little signs of manufactures, and he won-
ders how these miilions can get a living. Do
they live off each other, or off the country in
general? Do foreigners, colonists, and provincials
all flock to London to be fleeced, that the city popu-
lation may be supported ? He feels as if England
must be small indeed to necessitate men to leave the
healthful, breezy country, to crowd into the streets
and courts and alleys of London, Manchester, Bir-
mingham, and Glasgow. The contrast between the
wealth and the poverty of England strikes him with
a strange feeling of awe when he compares the
hideous slums of London with the miles of streets
in which no one can live op au income of less than
£l,OOO, £2,000, or £5,000 a year ; or when, " in the
season," he contrasts the splendid equipages, the
beautiful, horses, the liveried servants, the per-
fectly appointed equestrians, the idle gentle-
men, and the handsome and elegantly-
dressed ladies in Hyde-park, with the ragged
beggars whom he meets at every street corner.
And yet, painful as this is, how pleasant to an Aus-
tralian home on a visit to London and London
society. For the first time in his life he is at leisure
to see everything and to enjoy everything; and for
the first time in his life he finds other people who
are ds idle as himself, and with whom he can visit
or travel, or merely saunter about London. It is
only in London that one can find company in idle-
ness or pleasure seeking. In all great manufactur-
ing towns life is as busy and rather more anxious
than it is in Australia or the United States ; and in
small provincial towns there is too much exclusive-
ness for Australians to penetrate into society when
on a short visit. The great beauty of the English
landscape, its undulations, its softness, its wonderful
variety of mountain, wood, and shore, impresses
most favourably a visitor from our far south land.
Its perpetual verdure contrasts with our pastures
scorched up for many summer months. The exqui-
site changes in the tints of the foliage of your forest
trees—from those of spring, when the young leaves
are " some very red, and some a glad light green,'
as your oldest descriptive poet expresses it, to the
luxuriant greenery of summer, and then to the
mellow and russet tints of autumn—are always full
of interest to eyes long accustomed to evergreen
trees, almost all of one genius, with long, narrow,
pointed leaves.--Cornhill Magazine for January.