The Sun.
London, England, 1870-12-06 00:00:00

THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS.

The Mark Lane Express says :—The weather of the
past week, reverting to a seasonable temperature, and
being mostly dry, has been extremely favourable to all
out-door operations. The soil has continued to work un-
usually Well, and the young wheat looks on the whole
healthy and promising. There is yet a small bite of
grass helping to keep stock, and, with a mild winter and
early spring, the difficulty of cattle keeping may be tided
over. Wheat prices have som3what given way, but we
can hardly estimate the reduction generally at above
per qr. Our general averages have now precisely gained
the 4s. per qr. which we held as very likely two
months ago, being 50s. sd. against 465. 5d., the then
range, but the London rates now exceed them by ss.
3d. Whether as much more will shortly be further
gained events must determine, and the future being un-
certain and unseen opinions are but of little value ; but
the late efforts of the French, should they become the
occasion of protracting the war and increasing the agri-
cultural difficulties of the country, must also increase in a
like ratio the future necessities of France. On the other
hond, should they incline Prussia to an early peace, there
are wants enough now to provide for, and Great Britain
with her granary stores may have to open them freely for
her neighbours; for it is fair to expect the Baltic, as well
as the Black Sea, will be fast closed by frost. This latter
idea obtaining in Londim gave more tone to the market
on Friday, inasmuch that the Is. lost on Monday was in
many cases recovered. With large orders for oats to Ant-
werp, this grain experienced the same rise ; for the large
cavalry forces of Prussia cannot depend on a spoiled
country, where oats were a confessed failure, and all forage
was short. We do not therefore see low rates for any
grain in prospect, and the last mail advices from New
York noted the extreme rise on wheat in three days at 10
cents per bushel, or about 3s. per quarter.

RAILWAY ACCIDENT.—AII accident, which caused
much destruction to property, occured yesterday morning
on the Apedale branch of the North Staffordshire rail-
way, near the main line at Tunstall. The negligence of a
signalman caused two trains to come into collision. One
of the engines and several of the waggons were smashed,
and the driver and stoker were injured.

ACCIDENT TO THE DUKE OF RUTLAND.—The
Duke of Rutland had a severe fall while out hunting with
his foxhounds on Friday, near the Hougham crossing on
the Great Northern Kailway. The horse on which he was
riding dropped short on taking a fence and a ditch beyond
falling with its breast against the bank, and the duke was
pitched off on his head, and was severely shaken by the
fall. His carriage was telegraphed for, and he was con-
veyed to Belvoir Castle.
THE QUEENS VISIT TO THE ROYAL ALBERT
HALL. —The Queen, accompanied by the Princess Bea-
trice, visited the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday morning
for the purpose of inspecting the progress of the works.
Her Majesty first looked at the exterior of the building on
the west side, and examined the mosaic frieze designed
by Messrs. Armitage, A.R.A., Armstead, Horsley, R.A.,
Marks, Pickersgill, R.A., Poynter, A.R.A., and Yeames,
A.R.A., and executed by Messrs. Minton, Hollins,
and Co., who employed the female students of the
Kensington Art School in its production. Her Majesty
then passed through the amphitheatre into the body of the
hall, and afterwards ascended to the royal box. In order
to have evidence of the acoustic properties of the hall.
Frederick Britten, one of the contractor's boys employed
on the building, sang, and Mr. Healey, an officer of the
Science and Art Department, was called upon to play a
set of scales on the violin with the most delicate har-
monies. The Queen then commanded that Miss Anna
Williams, an amateur, should afford the opportunity
of judging of the effect of a female voice. T 1 is her
Majesty heard from the royal box, and afterwards from
the balcony on the third story, where the most delicate
notes were perfectly audible. The Queen passed into one
of the small lecture theatres, although in an, incomplete
State. Her Majesty was pleased to express to Mr.
Thomas Lucas her gratification at the manner in which
the contractors carried out the design, and her interest in
the early completion of the building, which Mr. Lucas
stated would certainly lie before the end of January.