The Sun.
London, England, 1865-09-26 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

Tl3LES.—There is every reason to hope that peace,
abroad as well as at home, will be the leading aim
of President Johnson's policy. Few could have ex-
pected that one who denounced rebellion so sternly
would display such moderation and humanity in the
hour of triumph, or that so eager a partisan would
prove capable of rising so far above party influences.
Perhaps Mr. Johnson himself, like his predecessor,
Mr. Lincoln, hardly foresaw the mellowing effect
of responsibility upon his earlier views, and would
freely admit that, in his short experience of office,
he has both learnt and forgotten much. This power
of rapid self-adaptation is an eminently American
virtue, and it has infinitely facilitated the work of
pacification in the South. The Southerners do not
pretend to have altered their private convictions, but
they look facts in the face, and, finding the question
of slavery settled once for all by force of arms, they
make the best of it and cheerfully rejoin the Union.
The same good sense and readiness to let bygones be
bygones have been shown by the Northern people,
and still more remarkably by the Government.
What concerns us, however, more nearly is the pre-
sent attitude of the United States towards foreign
Powers, and here again it is but just to acknowledge
that our fears have not been realised. Even Mr.
Cobden firmly believed that a declaration of war
against the Mexican Empire would follow immediately
upon the subjugation of the South, but nothing of
the kind has yet taken place, or appears to be con-
templated. Our own relations with the Washington
Government have never been more friendly since
France and England, in justice to the United States
as well as to themselves, recognised the Confederates
as belligerents. Mr. Seward, indeed, took exception
to the terms in which Lord Russell announced the
withdrawal of that recognition, but he coupled his
remonstrances with assurances of his desire not only,
to preserve amity, but to establish " a lasting and in-
timate friendship between the two nations." The
sincerity of this desire is fully appreciated in this
country, and the remembrance of any misunder-
standings that may have arisen in the course of the
war is becoming fainter and fainter every day on
this side of the Atlantic. It is, therefore, peculiarly
vexatious to hear that one source of irritation, which
ought long since to have been closed, is still kept
open by the proceedings of the Shenandoah, which
continues to rove the seas under a Confederate flag.
We have already called the attention of our
readers to the depredations of this cruiser—the only
relic of a flotilla which once numbered five steamers
and four sailing vessels. In spite of positive infor-
mation that the Confederacy was crushed, that
President Davis was a prisoner, and that all the
Southern Generals had laid down their arms, Capt.
Waddell chose to wait for an official notification of
it from a Government which no longer existed, and
Ito pursue, in themeantime, his buccaneering voyage.
Having planned a kind of battue among the whalers
of the Northern Pacific, he was engaged, by the
last accounts, in burning one after another, and it
was believed that he would succeed in destroying
the whole fleet. Such ravages had never been com-
mitted by the Alabama herself during the height of
the war, and they, of course, infuriated the mer-
cantile community at San Francisco, to which port
many of these ships belonged. The news has since
reached the United States, and our Washington
correspondent comments on its effect in keeping
alive the old grudge against Great Britain. it is
natural that it should do so, and, however little we
may deserve them, we must bear patiently with
reproaches for which there is too good an excuse.
The mischief done in wanton malice by the Shenan-
doah is enough to justify any degree of resentment,
and as there is no one else to be held responsible,
except Capt. Waddell, who cannot be got at, no
wonder that the brunt of it falls upon us. So far
as we are blamed for the original launching of the
Shenandoah in British waters, we can only reply,
as we have so often replied before, that we had no
means of preventing the construction of a hulk
which should afterwards be converted into a ship of
war beyond our own territory. On another point,
however, there seems to be a misapprehension which
it is desirable to remove. The special ground of com-
plaint against us, as reported by our correspondent,
is that we have deviated from the course adopted
by other Powers, and given Confederate cruisers
the benefit of 24 hours' shelter in British ports, " so
that" (to quote the words of an American officer),
" even if our vessels followed the Shenandoah into
any of your ports, in any part of the world, we
should not be allowed to take her." Thus stated,
the construction put on Lord Russell'§ Despatch
by the American public is erroneous in more than
one respect. It is not the fact that her Majesty's
Government stood alone in the application of the
twenty-four hours' rule,for precisely the same ground
was taken by the French Government. Nor is it the
fact that Captain Waddell would be able to claim
benefit under any circumstances whatsoever. No-
thing can be simpler than the principles on which
we have granted or refused shelter to these cruisers.
On the 31st of January, 1862, Lord Russell com-
municated to the Colonial-office certain directions
for the guidance of Colonial Governors. The first
part of these directions related exclusively to the
Bahamas, and prohibited the admission of any ves-
sel of war, Federal or Confederate, to any harbour
in those islands, " except by special leave of the
Lieutenant-Governor, or in case of stress of weather."
Any such vessels of war, or any vessels of war which
might be already lying there, were to be required to
depart with all possible despatch, but no ship of war
belonging to one belligerent was to be permitted to
sail within twenty-four hours after the departure of
any ship belonging to the other belligerent. The
rule laid down for the United Kingdom and the
colonies differed from this in one particular. Ships
of war belonging to either belligerent were not
directly prohibited from entering or remaining in
our pmts, but only from making them a place of re-
sort for purposes of war or warlike equipment. They
were, therefore, to be ?sheltered there so long as
might be absolutely necessary for provisioning or
repairing, but the same twenty-four hours' rule was
to be applied. When the recognition of the Confede-
rate States as belligerents was cancelled on the 2d
of June last, all the ports in our Empire were closed
'against vessels of war under a Confederate flag,
and all such vessels were cautioned to depart forth-
with, but the twenty-four hours' rule was to be
maintained in their favour " then and for the last
time." A reference to the Circular of the French
Minister of Marine, published in the Mointeur of
June 13, will show that precisely the same reserva-
tion was made by the Imperial Government
•' You You will cause to be observed, for the last
time in their behalf, the rule laid down in my Cir-
cular of the sth of February, 1864, and by the
terms of which an interval of at least twenty-four
hours must be observed between the departure of
any vessel of war of one of the belligerents and the
subsequent departure of any vessel of war of the
other belligerent." The justice of this provision is
self-evident, but it has no bearing. on the case of
the Shenandoah, which was not lying in any of our
ports when Lord Russell's letter was received. It
is true that in the next paragraph permission was
granted to Confederate captains to enter our ports
and disarm their vessels, at their own risk, within
one month after the receipt of that letter by the
Colonial authorities, but it was expressly added
that the twenty-four hours' rule would there be in-
applicable. The worst, therefore, that could hap-
pen is that Captain Waddell should have presented
himself at Vancouver's Island within a month after
the Governor had received Lord Russell's Despatch,
obtained leave to disarm the Shenandoah, and
thereby saved himself from the doom of a pirate.
It is highly improbable that he would have
bethought himself of doing so while he was in hot
pursuit of the whaling fleet. Even if he had, the
Shenandoah's career would be at an end, for she
must instantly part with her armament, whereas if
he bad not,port thelnivodayd b
of grace
pgoraceen towould be over, and no
British
him. Whether by
his conduct he has not forfeited all claim to avail
himself of any such privilege is a further question,
which may be left to the legal advisers of the

Crown, but we do not scruple to etpress the hope
that, in the event of its arising, it may be answered
in the affirmative.

HERALD.—It is not very often that the patient
and protracted investigation of a criminal charge
ends in a manner so unsatisfactory as Madame
Valentin's recent trial for perjury. Three times
within as many months have the relations of this
unhappy woman with her former protector, M.
Donflon, formed the subject of judicial inquiry
before the tribunals of this country. The Court of
Exchequer spent five days in establishing her title
to property of which it was said she had obtained
unlawful possession, and at the August session of
the Central Criminal Court a man named Lafour-
carde was convicted of having given false testimony,
adverse to Madame Valentin, for a pecuniary con-
sideration. On that occasion the jury emphatically
affirmed their belief in her truthfulness ; the judge
expressed his strong reprobation of the manner in
which the proceedings against her had been con-
ducted, and the sentence passed upon the prisoner
was one of considerable severity. After these two
decisions in her favour, it might have been supposed
that her troubles were over. But her adversaries
were not to be so easily beaten. They charged her
with having herself committed perjury, and to
answer this accusation the defendant was on Thurs-
day last arraigned. The prosecution had, rather
indecorously, originally included in the indictment
a charge of perjury at the trial of " Bouillon v.
Valentin" in the Court of Exchequer, but this was
not proceeded with, as a new trial having been
moved for, the case is still pending. The inquiry
last week was, therefore, confined to certain state-
ments Madame Valentin had made on oath when
examined as a witness at the trial of Lafourcarde.
The charge against that person related to certain
allegations made by him in an affidavit relative to
Madame Valentin's expressed intention of leaving
this country for America, which were sworn to by
him in order to procure her arrest and incarceration
in Whitecross-street prison until her claim to M.
Donflon's property could be disposed of. The ques-
tion at Lafourcarde's trial was whether these state-
ments were true, in his knowledge or belief ; and
as Madame Valentin positively denied that she had
ever formed or expressed the intention of going
to America, his conviction became inevitable. At
this trial, however, she made, in addition, certain
statements as to the days in last September on
which she was in London, and as to a conversation
she had with Lafourcarde during her imprison-
ment. The whole of these statements were denied
on the part of the prosecution, and for perjury in
respect to them Madame Valentin now stands con-
victed. Of the three charges we have mentioned
probably the second only can be said to come within
the legal definition of the offence of which the de-
fendant was accused. The date of her arrival in
London, and the fact of her not having had a con-
versation with Lafourcarde at a particular time and
place, were matters on which accuracy or inaccuracy
were scarcely " material" in the legal sense, so as
to make any deviation from the truth with respect
to them the subject of an indictment. That a witnes s
incorrectly answered questions bearing on these
points might be good ground for receiving her testi-
mony with caution, but not for sending her to a
criminal prison. The second assignment, however,
was more important, and with respect to it the credi-
bility of the witnesses against her became an all-im-
portant question. Those on whose testimony the
prosecution were compelled to rely were certainly
not of an order to command respect or to compel
credence from any resonable men. Apart from the
formal evidence given by shorthand writers, the case
rested upon the oaths of Lafourcarde and his daugh-
ters. Of these the first was brought from the pri-
son to which he was only last month sent to undergo
a term of 18 months' imprisonment for the very
offence he sought to impute to Madame Valentin.
And the justice of his conviction was proved by his
own admissions. He had said to more than one
witness that he had sworn to a lie, and that he was
to get 12,000 francs for giving evidence on behalf
of M. Bouillon. Further, he had owned, on cross-
examination by Mr. Bovill, that his religion induced
him to believe that there was no crime in such false-
hoods, and that his charge for speaking the truth was
£l,OOO down. Though he had profited greatly by the
bounty of the woman against whom he spoke,.he had
soon after her arrest taken part in the breaking open
and rifling of the bag iu which the shares and coupons
given her by Donflon were deposited. Nor did the
evidence of his daughters go for very much. They
simply repeated their father's story. Their antece-
dents were not the most reputable, and to them, as
to their father, Madame Valentin had acted with
considerable generosity. M. Richard, an inde-
pendent witness, was also called, but he had only
heard the defendant say that she would not remain
in London, and his evidence went to some extent to
contradict the case for the piosecution, as she said
nothing to him about going to America or any
other foreign country. The case, therefore, rests
upon the unsupported and uncorroborated testimony
of Lafourcarde, a confessed and convicted perjurer,
and his three daughters, over whom both their
father's past training and present position must
have exerted an influence sufficiently great to lessen
the value of their evidence. The jury, however,
must have thought differently. They evidently
thought they could safely act upon the allegations
of persons lying under these grave imputations,
and, accordingly, they returned a verdict which in-
flicts au irreparable injury upon the defendant, and
affords at least a temporary triumph to her adver-
saries. To say that this result was unexpected
would be but faintly to express the sentiments with
which the verdict was received by every one who
heard or read the proceedings at the trial. As was
stated by the prisoner in her address to the Court,
when called up for judgment, the verdict surprised
everybody, including the presiding judge and the
counsel on both sides. And the Recorder, while
passing sentence, carefully avoided a single word
that could be construed into an approval of the
verdict. On the contrary, he laid stress on the
fact that it was for the jury and not for him to
determine the fact of the prisoner's guilt orin-
nocence, and that all he had to do was to act upon
the conclusion at which they had arrived. We
have no wish to make the verdict in this case the
text for adverse comment upon the manner in
which jurors generally discharge their important
duties. Nor have we any intention to comment
severely upon the particular jury by whom Madame
Valentin was tried. Observers of these things
may think they discover the indications of a com-
promise, and may conclude that a verdict- of guilty
with a recommendation to mercy, given at a few
minutes before seven, and after forty minutes' de-
liberation, looks very much as if -a fear of being
locked up for the night had overborne the deliberate
judgment of some at least among the twelve wise
men who for the time garrisoned the palladium of
English liberty. Still we greatly regret that such a
case should have had such an ending. We are ac-
customed to pride ourselves upon the fairness of our
tribunals, and in the main our pride is fully justified
by the manner in which justice is there administered.
But no one who reads the proceedings at the trial,
and the verdict in which it resulted, can help being
reminded of the Welshman who found the prisoner
not guilty, but hoped he would not do it again, and
of their north country compeers, who recommended
to mercy because they were not sure the prisoner
was the man. It is unfortunate when any jury gives
a decision whose absurdity would be comic, if its
consequences were not almost tragic. But such a
decision is especially to be lamented when the per-
son who suffers by it is a foreigner, of whose inno-
cence there is an unusually 4- e_rong precut/MUM and
whose previous misfortunes have established a strong
claim upon our sympathy and commiseration. It
may be that the sentence upon Madame Valentin
can hardly remain unreversed, but we greatly regret
that the verdict which preceded that sentence should
ever have been pronounced.

THE "SATURDAY REVIEW " ON Two AMERICAN
COMEDIANS.—Within the last few weeks we have
been favoured with visits from two American actors
of what is called " character." Both of them have
earned a high reputation in those cities of the United
States which can alone confer theatrical honours on
the other side of the Atlantic. At home, we under-
stand, they distinguished themselves in what is com-
monly termed legitimate business ; that is to say, they
acted in the old stock comedies, without relying on
pieces written for the sole purpose of suiting their
own peculiarities. Here, however, they have repre-
sented certain exceptional types of humanity sup-
posed to be among the offshoots of American soil.
Mr. John E. Owens, who has lately left us, repre-
sented an exceedingly stolid and uncultivated far-
mer, the inhabitant of some Eastern State. Mr.
Jefferson, who has very recently made his appear-
ance among us, portrays the Dutch settler of the
early period of New York civilisation, as exhibited
by Washington Irving in his story of " Rip van
Winkle." The theatre for both has been the
Adelphi. Distinct as these two actors are from
each other in look, manner, and style, as well as in
the description of character selected for representa-
tion, they both apparently proceed on the common
principle of taking in hand, perhaps inventing, a
marked idiosyncrasy, and working out its details to
the highest possible degree of finish. For this rea-
son they may be classed with Mr. Sothern, since with
him also minuteness of detail is the grand con-
sideration. Broad sketches do not, as it seems; be-
long to the notions of histrionic art entertained by
these three proficients. As the old Dutch painter
is said to have boasted of. the number of touches
which he bestowed on the elaboration of one shirt-
collar, so may these new actors, trained on the other
side of the Atlantic, glory in the quantity of minute
action which they employ in order to realise their
conception of a character which they have thought
worthy of study. How the old conventional fop of

two centuries' standing was sublimated into the
unique Lord Dundreary, by Mr. Sothern, has now
been known to every playgoer for the last two
years ; and Brother Sam, who at present reigns
in Dundreary's place—for he is expected back in
London after Christmas—is another illustration of
.the successful application of the same method of
proceeding. In addressing himself to the London
public, Mr. Sothern was remarkably fortunate in
the character which had made his fortune in the
United States, and which perhaps owed part of its
American popularityi to a desire of the Yankees to
laugh at a Britisher who was a lord into the bar-
gain. While the details of Dundreary were entirely
fresh, the basis from which they sprang was per-
fectly familiar to the Haymarket audience, which
could therefore understand the moral and intel-
lectual status which he was intended to represent.
From the days of Charles 11. we have had our Fop-
pingtons and Flutters, who stood apart from the Dori-
mants and the Mirabels, libertines of a more robust
sort, as cultivators of effeminate dialect and extreme
indolence of manner. These fops were sometimes
supposed to ape the fashions of France and Italy, as
even at the present day fops on the German stage
are very fond of the verbs in " iren," but they were
not half so foreign as they looked. The military
swell, who is allied to the old fop by an outward
semblance of effeminacy and indolence, but differs
from him in the retention of his soldierlike courage,
would seem to be of a later growth. He was made
perhaps more prominent than he had been before,
about 40 years since, when the Hussars of the 10th
regiment rendered themselves unpopular by certain
strange affectations, and were satirised not only by
the caricaturists of the day, but by the Rev. George
Croly in his comedy, " Pride shall have a Fall."
Since that time he has not been allowed wholly to
disappear, and he still lives in Mr. Leech's drawings
of fashionable guardsmen. Duudreary grasped within
himself the peculiarities of many varieties of the
genus fop, and each of these could be perfectly ap-
preciated by every London playgoer, though the
compound result was entirely novel. Mr. John E.
Owens, on the other hand, was less fortunate. No
character could have been more elaborately wrought
than that of the ungainly boor whom he presented
to the Adelphi audience, and who, we are told by
competent judges, more strongly resembled a
rustic inhabitant of New Jersey than any other mem-
ber of the human family. The actor was compara-
tively young; but, by a strange manipulation of his
head and face, by a low shambling gait, by the adop-
tion of a voice seemingly affected both by years and
drink, he produced a perfect picture of dirty disre-
putable senility, in which not a relic of youth could
be traced. The state of mental fog in a low-bred
perversely cunning old man, who perpetually mixes
up one subject with another, and occasionally asto-
nishes by an outburst of shrewdness, could nut have
been more completely embodied. s " Just so"—
a deperate attempt to conceal utter ignorance of the
purport of a proposition by the use of an affirmative
form of reply—was a marvellous indication of an
intellectual blank ; and he had a certain manner of
seating himself in a chair with great difficulty, care-
fully adjusting the tails of a very shabby coat, and
concluding the difficult performance with a little
shriek of triumph, which, often repeated in the
cotirse of one evening, never failed to awaken a
roar. But, with all his acknowledged merits, Mr.
Johu E. Owens was so far unfortunately placed that
he had selected a character which had nothing in
common with English associations, and the aspect
of which was rather repulsive than attractive. 'The
dialect and manner of Solon Shingle, as the farmer
was called, had little in common with those which
are popularly attributed to Yankees ; and though
we could perceive that his details were consistent
with each other, it was difficult to surmise to what
sort of actuality they referred. Dundreary him-
self was a creation of the fancy, and those
matter-of-fact critics who complained that they
had not seen his prototype in society ignored the
peculiar talent of Mr. Sothern. But every one knew
the sort of entity to which he pointed, whereas the
very elements of which Solon Shingle is composed
are strange to Englishmen. Moreover, although
" Our American Cousin" was a notoriously bad
piece, it was not so utterly effete and contemptible
as the wretched compound of farce and domestic
drama which introduced Solon Shingle to the British
public. The Dundreary scenes at any rate answered
the purpose of developing the principal personage,
and the principal personage was an agreeable object
to behold. But dirty, sleepy Solon Shingle, always
chewing and spitting, and always losing the thread
of the discourse, had been just as fully exhibited at
the end of the first scene about his talents as a most
finished actor of exceptional idiosyncrasy, but he
also leaves a regret that he was not presented under
more favourable circumstances. We are told that
Mr. Jefferson, whose debut at the Adelphi is the
chief theatrical event of the day, holds in America
about the same rank as his predecessor. But, how-
ever that may be, it is certain that Mr. Jefferson's
chances of obtaining an English popularity are in-
finitely greater than those of Mr. John E. Owens.
The character of Rip van Winkle, though his twenty
years' sleep distinguislies him from the rest of his
fellow-mortals, is one that everybody can understand.
'Moreover, Mr. Jefferson's version of the part is not
only intelligible but picturesque, often as inebriety has
been depicted on the stage, lie exhibits the vice under
a new form. Rip is as confirmed a drunkard as the
worst man against whom the editor of the British
Workman could direct his pictures or his letter-press
—the modern Helot, at which little dissenting Spar-
tans might be taught to point. He neglects his wife
and child, he wastes his substance, and he tries to
pick up a miserable existence by shooting on the
Catskill Mountains, where he never contrives to hit
anything unless it be some valuable beast belong-
ing to his wife. His debauchery, too, is of the most
abject sort. If he would only be content to sit at
the head of a party of boon companions, his foible
might be pardoned ; but he is quite as much ad-
dicted to solitary as to convivial drunkenness. He
loves to figure in a roystering clique, but he likes
also to carry a bottle in his pocket, and while, with
his arms round his wife's neck, he is swearing that
he will not take another drop, he is drinking over
her shoulder. Yet, with his immense failings, he
has one quality that compensates for them all—in-
domitable good-nature, and it is in giving its full
value to this quality that Mr. Jefferson chiefly dis-
plays his genius. 'There is an ease in the move-
, ments of Rip denoting a frank, jovial nature ; his
countenance, with many shades of expression, is
good-humoured through them all ; he is never cross
in his cup, and he is never stupid. The severity
with which his wife punishes him for his delinquen-
cies—a stout broomstick being the ordinary instru-
ment of castigation— causes him to animadvert
upon her in no measured terms when he
finds himself in the midst of a party of sympathetic
souls ; but there is a strong domestic affection deep
in his heart, and if he somewhat lacks devotion to
his (in every respect) better half he is doatingly
fond of his little daughter, who instinctively appre-
ciates the kindliness hidden from the view of his
wife by his vicious exterior. The dramatic object of
the 20 years' sleep, caused by imbibing the magic
potion proffered by the ghost of Hendrick Hudson,
is to show Rip's character under a new aspect. He
is a completely old man—much older, in fact, than
he could possibly become through a lapse of 20
years ; but this incongruity must be pardoned, on
the ground that it is necessary to produce a suffi-
ciently strong contrast between the first and second
parts of the story. Rip is no longer a picturesque
vagabond, with strong thews and iron constitution;
but his figure, still picturesque, is one that might
have belonged to Symeon Stylites. His desolate
condition on entering among persons to whom he is
an utter stranger, and who regard him as a tramp,
while he feels certain that he is in his native village,
gives rise to a great deal of quiet pathos, which
reaches its climax when the aged wanderer is at last
recognised by his daughter. We have indicated
what Mr. Jefferson has to do rather than described
how he does it ; but if we state that every possible
detail of character that could be produced under the
circumstances supposed is represented with the most
perfect ease—an art that thoroughly conceals art
being aided by a happy union of natural qualities—
we shall have implied that Mr. Jefferson has already
taken a high position among modern theatrical ar-
tists. The present age is not ideal in its tastes, but,
in addition to sensation and spectacle, it is able to
appreciate studies of individual character, and the
more minute the finish the more will such studies be
liked. It is in the elaboration of odd figures,
snatched from out-of-the-way nooks of life, or so
fashioned by the actor as to be completely consistent
with themselves, that the greatest histrionic successes
of late years have been achieved ; and much credit
is to be given to the best American audiences for
training a series of actors whose qualities do not
appeal to the vulgar seuse, but can only be fully
appreciated by something like a discriminating
judgment. There is no doubt that Mr. Jefferson
will for some time to come remain the leading object
in the eyes of the playgoing world ; and 'in the
meanwhile we may praise Mr. Boucicault for the
clever manner in which he has fitted an old story,
twice dramatized already, to the peculiarities of so
original an actor.

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Agricultural Prospects.

- -

The week opened with a hot day ; wind S.E., clear sun,
with little wind. Monday was another hot day ; wind
N.E. to N.W. Thermometer up to 74 degrees ; barometer,
30.20 inches. Tuesday was a thief, foggy morning, the
day proving sunny and hot. Barometer very high, up to
30.45 inches. Our advices from the West Riding of
Yorkshire say :—" We have had another week of fine, dry
weather, and the markets are but little influenced by it,
except as it affects turnips and potatoes, the former of
which are fast going away, and the latter not well spolfen
of. I hear complaints of the yield of wheat and barley, and
expect they will weigh up light. Our farmers are now want-
ing rain to enable them to prepare for wheat-sowing.''
From Suffolk on that day it was remarked : " The weather
continues wonderfully fine, and our farmers are busily en-
gaged on their land." From Norfolk it was observed :
" We have had another week of uninterruptedly fine wea-
ther, with light winds from the south-east." From North-
umberland our advices state : " The weather since my last
report has continued fine and hot, wind varying from N.W.
to S.E., to-day it is S.W." On Wednesday the morning
was dewy with a fine hot day, barometer falling. From the
west coast of Scotland it was said, " The weather continues
unusually fine." From the east coast, "We have a con-
tinuance of brilliant weather ;" while from Lincolnshire it
was written, "D uring the past week we have experienced
delightful weather, which no doubt has been a great boon
to the farmers." After a long spell of dry and scorching
weather, which was most acceptable for the northern har-
vest, doing much good to the condition of all corn north of
the Humber, a sudden change took place early on Thurs-
day morning, when heavy rain fell for several hours, with
the wind from the north, and the temperature lower. This
moisture was most acceptable to the farmers, giving them
an opportunity of proceeding with ploughing on all the
heavy soils which had previously become too hardened "to
allow of the work being well done. In other respects the
showers would be useful and improve the turnips and assist
the mangols much. From Suffolk our advices state : " The
condition of the samples has not much improved with this
fine weather." From Warwickshire it was remarked
" After 26 days of uninterruptedly fine weather in this dis-
trict, we had a heavy fall of rain last night, which is most
acceptable. Harvest is now secured, and the quality and
condition of the new crop vary more than has been known
for years. The spread of the potato disease has become
serious, and turnips have suffered considerably from blight
during the late dry weather. It is certain that the Year's
crop cannot be used freely, excepting the few picked sam-
ples, and there must necessarily be a large demand for
American and Black Sea wheats, to give the millers the
strength the new crop will require. There is now a diffe-
rence of fully 10s. per Quarter for common new and old
red wheat, which far exceeds the regtal of many far-
mers." Friday was a fine autumnal and agreeable day,
the great heat having for the present passed away, ther-
mometer being down to 60 and 62 degrees, wind N.E., ba-
rometer 30.20 and rising. Similar weather was experienced
in the East Riding of Yorkshire, our advices thence stating
—" The weather up to yesterday continued hot and dry,
and very favourable for concluding harvest operations. The
wheat crop in this locality varies considerably, and the yield,
as far as yet ascertained, below an average. Barley is similar
to wheat as to quality, with the yield about an average one."
Saturday was a fine healthy day, and this complete change
in the temperature will set the maltsters to work in good.
earnest, as hitherto they have generally been afraid to begin,
though the purchases they made of barley appear to have
been only to be ready when the change came, and the finer
sorts they must now have. These will be but a small por-
tion of the whole ; as two-thirds, most probably, of the
English crop will consist of weathered samples, only fit for
the distillers and feeding purposes. The Scotch growth
will be of a heavy weight, condition dry, but colour high
from the rains experienced before being cut. These, hovi-
ever, will have a run. The handsomest qualities are those
from the Sanle districts, white and heavy; but such have
been run up to an extortionate price by the anxiety of the
ale brewers from Burton-on-Trent to secure so much when
the weather was so unfavourable in England for the crop.
The rates have calmed down a little, and future prices will
depend on the competition from the Trent. The con-
sumption of malt since the 30th of June has been immense,
but up to that date the make -had been less in England
than last year. It is generally understood that the large
maltsters have been well cleared out, and that the stocks
of the great brewers have been much reduced by the
large consumption of beer throughout the summer months
and up to the present time. The maltsters have there-
fore a clear course to commence this season with, and
much must depend on the quality the new barleys will
make, as to whether the brewers buy freely. The farmers
will now have to turn their attention to the securing
of the primest samples of seed wheat they can find. In the
south of England there will be a poor choice, north of the
Humber a better, and north of the Tweed the finest of all.
We have seen a good sample of " red straw" white from the
Lothians weighing 6411b5. per bushel, and red " Spalding"
63ilbs., of a bold and handsome berry, and such as can be
recommended as an excellent change for the south. The
best grown in England is the "Nursery," being handsome
and heavy, and. those who have a desire to sow thin samples
can secure plenty from the Fens at very moderate prices.
..Ifark-lane Express.