The Sun.
London, England, 1871-01-06 00:00:00

things judicially. They place upon the facts the inter-
pretation that suits their interests, and abide by it through

ick and thin.

French refugees are an ordinary feature of London
society now. Most of them are of course Imperialists, and
furnish some interesting information. From the con-

versations I have held, I find it the almost unanimous
impression that the Empress was largely responsible for
the abrupt declaration of war. The Emperor would have

vacillated and procrastinated, as he always did before.
His wife thought a final decision was necessary, and—
took the wrong one.

The release of the Fenian prisoners, I understand, has

been delayed merely in consequence of the necessity for
having the Great Seal of Ireland attached to their pardon.
The number of men in English prisons to be set free is
twenty two. There are two men, Davitt and Wilson,

who were recently convicted of buying arms at Leeds and
other places and forwarding them—for the use, it was
supposed, of the Fenians—to Ireland, who will not be
included in the amnesty, at all events for the present.
The political offenders in A'istralia, few in number, are

to be released, and an order to that effect has already

been despatched to the authorities.
No little consternation has been caused among the non-
commissioned officers and the intelligent rank and file of

our regiments by the proposal of " A Staff-Ser-
geant" in the St. Paul's Magazine. The writer has
evidently struck a vibratory chord it the service
when he says that the minor situations in the civil
service abroad and at home might very well be given
to the vexillarii of the army, or men who had served

their country well for a number of years. The
suggestion that grants of land should be given in the
colonies to deserving old soldiers, is not nearly so accept-
able, it would seem, as this last scheme. It is contended
that the respectability which characterises the body of
Commissionaires, and the humble, but steady-going con-
duct of pensioners generally, are sufficient guarantees that
men who have done well in active service may safely be
trusted with responsible and comfortable positions under
the Civil administration.
I seldom hear the slightest allusion to the great Inter-
national Exhibition which will shortly open at South

Kensington. I deem it a duty to mention this forth-
coming show in order that people may remember
that such a thing is to be. Partly because such a multi-
plicity of exciting matters have lately demanded attention,
partly because international exhibitions are not the
novelty they once were, the grossest ignorance prevails on
this subject. When the Paris Exhibition of 1867 was in
progress every newspaper served up a weekly bulletin
touching the state of the great " gasometer." I have
met many people in London itself who have never
heard of the English Exhibition for the present
year. Yet it is progressing favourably. Exhibitors
are interested in the show, if the public are not, and there
will certainly be no lack of objects to fill the building,
The structure itself, which has been about two years on
the way, is advancing rapidly. The month of February
will be devoted to getting in the different classes of ob-
jects, beginning with machinery and finishing with paint-
ings. The Ist of May is the day fixed for the opening.
That somebody thinks about the matter is evident from
the fact that a newspaper is to be published entirely de-
voted to the exhibition.
The asphalte pavement which has been first tried in
the City in Cheapside, is to be also laid down in Moor-
gate-street and other places. It has proved a complete
success. Needless to say that in Cheapside the
pavement had to undergo the most severe trial in re-
spect of heavy traffic, yet it has proved satisfactory in
all weathers. The company undertake to keep the
asphalte in repair for twenty years at a moderate charge.
Its advantages are unquestionable. It is noiseless, neces-
sitates less traction power for drawing vehicles, and saves
the shaking to the houses caused by the old pavement.
Nothing seems to be so popular as mechanical qr

driving, not over-paid. The London School Board have
decided upon engaging, in addition to the secretary at
£BOO a year, a statistical clerk at £250, a shorthand writer
at £2OO, and a junior clerk at £lOO. The applications for
these posts are enormous—outrageous, even in those
days of governesses and secretaries. An applicant handed
in the required documents yesterday, and was informed
by the messenger that about " three barrels-full "of appli-
cations had preceded his. A single parcel from Man-
chester was declared 'arge enough to hold a bust of the
candidate.
There is little that is reassuring either in the literary
prospect or the retrospect. I cannot remember a worse
year for literature than 1`,73, and the opening of
1871 is not more promising. Cast the eye over the list
from last January to this, and what is there to reward
the inquiry, in English books ? The completion of Mr.
Morris's "Earthly Paradise," Bulwer's " Life of Lord
Palmerston," a piece of " Edwin Drood," and Mr.
Disraeli's " Lothair "—the last being by far the most suc-
cessful work. This is not a very extensive list of really
noticeable books. The year's history, however, supplies
one satisfactory inference. The diminution in the num-
ber of novels shews that the deluge of trash is beginning to
produce weariness. The rage for novels has undoubtedly
fallen off, and this species of literature has declined in
point of profit. Of announcements for the month there
is as yet positively nothing worth mentioning, unless I
note the 3rd and 4th volumes of Mr. Hepworth Dixon's
" Her Majesty's Tower," and a new book by 141. du Chaillu.
The magazines are noticeable this month. Especially
good is the Fortnightly, which has contributions from
from Professor Von Sybel, Karl Blind, Mr. Fawcett,
M.P., Lady Amberley, and Mr. Meredith. The first
writer has produced a most extraordinary essay. He
claims our sympathy and support for German supremacy,
and then proceeds to describe the future Government of
the Empire as someth;ng like the Government of Eliza.
both in England

SERIOUS CHARGE kGAINST A
SHIPBROKER.

Mr. W. Beach, shipbroker, was on Wednesday brought
up on remand before the Gloucester magistrates, charged,
in brief, with having converted £5OO to his own
use and benefit. He acted as inward broker for Cap-
tain Copp, of the barque Torryburn. Captain Copp gave
him an order to draw from Messrs. Price and Co., timber
merchants (the senior partner in which firm is the member
for the city), his freight, amounting in all to about £B5O.
Beach disbursed £350 of this money on account of the
ship. The captain went to Ireland, and wrote thence for a
bank draught for £5OO to forward to his owners. Beach
senthim instead a cheque for £5OO, which was dishonoured,
and the amount had not since been paid. The case is of
considerable importance to merchants and shipmasters, the
defence being that no specific directions las to what was
to be done with the balance of the money were given at
the time the authorisation to draw the freight was signed.
It was proved that on the day the cheque was given,
Beach was overdrawn at the bank to the extent of
13s. Id. The magistrates said the case was involved
in great difficulty, and sent the defendant for trial at the
Assizes, so that the opinion of a judge might be taken
upon it.

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL.—A ball in nil
of the funds of this hospital is to be held at Willis's
Rooms on the 17th inst., under the potronage of her
Royal Highness the Princess Christian of Schleswig
Holstein, her Serene Highness the Princess Edward of
Saxe-Weimar, the Duchess of Manchester, the Duchess of
Sutherland, &c,
- - -

THE YELVERTON MARRIAGE.—Lady Avonmore
has sent the following to the San Francisco Bulletin :—"ln
the Bulletin there is a paragraph headed the " Yelverton
Case,' in which I notice rather a serious error. Will
you kindly correct it, for I think it is only fair that
the public, who have taken such a deep interest in it,
should have a true version of it, although when a case has
lasted over eight years, and has gone through eighteen dif-
ferent trials, it is somewhat difficult for anyone not ac-
quainted with the facts to keep au courant. The decisions
of the supreme courts both of Ireland and Scotland were
in my favour, the one of the Irish marriage and the other
of the Scotch. In the trial in England, to which yon
doubtless allude, the marriage issue was never decided.
I having been nonsuited on the ground of no jurisdic-
tion. Upon another occasion the House of Lords, having
a conjoint action before them, refused, ou the one
hand, the petition of Major Yelverton to be declared free
of marriage with me, and on the other pronounced a judg-
ment "non-proven" against my marriage. This singular
decision took the legal world by surprise. It was the acme
of mystification of the Scotch law of marriage. Major
Yelverton was not freed, but I was not bound ! Fortu-
nately, our real status did not depend upon the Scotch
marriage, the Irish one having been finally proved in 1862,
since which time the continuation of the various suits
has only been litigous and vexatious, as a Scotch court
could never interfere with an Irish marriage, and the liti-
gation was merely intended to stave off criminal proceed-
ings for bigamy in Scotland. We were not married athird
time in England, otherwise I presume there might be a
third claimant for dower on the Avonmore estate, such are
Iaw.—THERESA
peculiar complications of the British Iaw.I2HERESA
AVONMORE."
KINAHAN'S LL WHISKY.—This celebrated and most
delicious old mellow spirit is the very cream of Irish
Whiskies, in quality unrivalled, perfectly pure, and more
wholesome than the finest Cognac Brandy. Note the
red seal, pink label, and cork branded " Kinahan's LL
Whisky." New NVholesole Depot, 6A, Great Titchfield-
street, Oxford-street, W.