The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-21 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 21, 1856.

THE BREAKING-UP OF THE ICE AT ST.
LOUIS.-FEARFUL CATASTROPHE.

(From, the St. Louis Republican, Feb. 27.)
Yesterday morning the apprehensions of all con •
nected with the river were excited by a despatch
from Alton, stating that a rise of 10 feet had taken
place at that point, caused by back water from the
Missouri, which was pouring out a tremendous
current, the gorge below St. Charles having
been swept away. Predictions were then made that
the ice here would break up about three or four
o'clock p.m., when the rise would have had time to
reach this point. Accordingly, every boat com-
menced preparing for the crisis, by shipping a crew,
and getting up steam. For several hours all was ex-
pectancy 4nd suspense on the levee. Until 11 o'clock
a.m. the river continued to fall, probably on account
of a gorge having given way below. The river then
commenced rising rapidly, and at 2 o'clock p.m. had
risen about three feet. Almost all the boats at the
levee had steam up, and were turning their wheels.
Tce now commenced running in large cakes, and
lodging against the gorge at the foot of Washington
avenue. The current became very rapid and swept
and boiled under the gorged ice in 'the whirlpools,
carrying much of the floating ice with it. The ferry
boats across the river commenced whistling almost
continually, and thousands of persons were attracted
to the levee, all anxious to see the first movement
of the ice. The boatmen were pnerally on boa, d
of their boats. Presently the F. X. Aubry (s),
lying at the extreme upper end of the levee, raised
a long whistle, and exclamations of " The ice is
coming," were passed through the crowd, the whole
length of the levee. The excitement now became in-
tense, and the store windows were suddenly seen
crowded with spectators, many of whom were
ladies.

The first object that attracted attention was an old
stove, which came down on a large piece of ice,
which was instantly capsized and sunk. Then came
an old steam-boat hull, which, when it struck the
gorge, was turned bottom upwards and carried
under the ice. It swung around against one of
the Alton wharf-boats, and together with a large
field of ice, which came just behind it, broke the
fastenings of the boat, and drove it forcibly onshore.
The crowd, who had collected on the wharf-boats
for a near view of the scene, immediately scattered,
and at this moment, ten minutes past 2 o'clock, the
whole body of ice opposite the city commenced
moving in an unbroken mass. There was one si-
multaneous shout, and the crowd became quiet
awaiting the result. The fire-bells were tolled, and
the news that the ice was moving spread like wild-
fire through the city.
The crowds of spectators became immense. Foot
passengers had continued to cross on the ice up to
the time of its moving, and about twenty persons
were overtaken while crossing on the thorough-
fare at the foot of Chesnut-street. They made
their best possible speed to reach shore, and we
believe all gained a safe landing, and had no time
to spare.

The ice at first moved very slowly, and without
any perceptible shock. The boats lying above
Chesnut-street were merely shoved on shore, and
for the first five nights sustained no damage.
Messrs. Eads and Nelson's Submarine No. 4,
which had just finished her work at the wreck of
the Parthenia, was almost immediately capsized,
and became herself a hopeless wreck. The Sub-
marine floated down lying broadside against the
Federal Arch, which boat was being wrecked and
of little value. Here the destruction commenced.
The Federal Arch parted her fastenings, and at
once became a total wreck. Lying below the
steamers Australia, Adriatic, Brunette, Paul
Jones, Falls City, Altoona, A. B. Chambers, and
Challenge, all of which were torn away from the
shore, and in company with the Submarine and
Federal Arch floated down with the immense field ,
of ice. This fleet of ten boats was more or less
damarted at starting, by crowding against one
another. All the upper works of the Brunette
and Australia were torn to pieces, and the Altona
was badly damaged. The shock of the crashing of
these boats when they were driven together can
be better imagined than described. All their
ample fastenings were as nothing against the enor-
mous flood of ice, and they were carried down ap-
parently fastened and wedged together. The first
obstacles with which they came in contact were a
large fleet of wood-boats, barges, and canal boats.
These small fry were either broken to pieces or
forced out of the water upon the levee in a very
damaged condition. We are not able to state the
number, but there could not be short of 50 in all,
which were either sunk, broken to pieces, or car-
ried away with the descending boats. About 20
of them met with the latter fate, and the whole
fleet lodged about one mile below, against the
point of the island at the Lower Dyke. The
Adriatic lost one of her wheels by swinging against
the Falls City, after they landed upon the bar
below. The Falls City is very badly damaged
The Panl Jones was also badly damaged. The
A. B. Chambers sustained but slight damage. The
Challenge did not fare so well and was badly
injured.
After these boats had passed down the Bon Ac-
cord and Highland Mary, lying together, were car-
ried off, and are both a total loss. The New St.
Paul,' on the docks, was slightly damaged, and part
of the docks wore swept away from her. The High-
land Mary struck against the Die Vernon, da-
maging the latter boat considerably. The Louis-
ville was also torn away from her moorings, and at
last accounts was lying broadside on across the cur-
rent, with the other boats below. She is probably
a total loss. The Lamartine was carried away in
the same manner, and will doubtless be lost. The
Westerner broke her fastenings and swung against

the Jeannie Deans, injuring the latter bo'itt consi-
derably. Of the other boats, in what was consi-,
dered the safe harbour above the dyke, there is

scarcely one that did not receive some slight injury
by the contact of the fleet as it passed down, but
their damages were comparatively slight, and they
are thought to be safe from further harm.
Some of the boats lying above Chesnut-street
fared badly in the meantime. The F: X. Aubry
was forced into the bank, and had her larboard
wheel broken. The noble Nebraska, which every
one thought in a most perilous situation, lost her
larboard wheel, and was not otherwise much in-
jured. The Gossamer, Luella, Alice, and Badger
State were forced on shore and slightly 7 damaged.
Both the Alton wharf boats were sunk and broken
to pieces. The old Shenandoah being wrecked,
and the Sam Cloon, were forced away from shore
and floated down together against the steamer
Clara. The Clara did not part her fastenings, and
the Cloon and Shenandoah lodged, where they were
soon torn to pieces and sunk by the ice and one of
the ferry boats, which came floating down alone.
The ferry boat floated on down to the foot of Mar-
ket-street, carrying part of the Shenandoah with
her. The steamers Clara and Ben Bolt were both
badly damaged by the ice, and forced partly on
shore. The G. W. Sparhawk was sunk, and looked
as if broken in two, lying at the shore. The Keo-
kuk wharf boat maintained its position against the
flood, and saved three boats below, viz., the Polar
Star, J. S. Pringle, and Forest Rose, none of which
were, up to this time, materially injured.
After running about an hour, the character of
the ice was changed, and it came down in a frothy
crumbled condition, with au occasional heavy piece.
At the end of two hours it was very slowly,
and finally stopped about half-past five p.m.
During this interval a number of passengers crossed
it from the ferry landing on Bloody Island. They
were chiefly passengers by one of the trains just
arrived, and desirous of reaching the city while
they had an opportunity. The experiment was a
daring one, but they all landed safely on this side.
Just before the river gorged, huge piles of ice,
20 and 30 feet in height, were forced up by the
current on every hand, both on the shore and at
the Lower Dyke, where so many of the boats had
come to a halt. In fact, those boats seemed to be
literally buried in ice. The ice had not been broken
below Cahokia Bend, and all the drift thus far had
gorged between the city and that point. Hence
its sudden stop. At six &clock p.m. the river had
risen at least ten feet. This suspension of the ice•
was considered unfavourable, as it would doubtless
soon start again with increased weight and force.
The thousands of spectators who had collected on
the levee began to disperse as darkness fell upon
the devastation scattered. around, fully assured
that the morning would present a wider scene of
destruction. There was no way of forming an
estimate of the amount of damage that had been
done, and no conjecturing that which was to come.
The terrible sweep of water, with its burden of ice
—the smashing to pieces of boats—the hurrying to
and fro of the excited crowd, was one of the most
awful and at the same time imposing scenes we
ever witnessed. The officers and crews of many
of the boats went down the current with them—the
lookers-on became alarmed,
and sprang from boat
to boat in a rush for the shore, and we heard it
rumoured that two or three lives were lost in the
general melee. The captains and owners of canal,
flat-boatsa and *agog gods leayin their property

to the mercy of circumstances. They could evi-
dently do nothing to save it.
About seven o'clock p.m. the gorge below sunk,
and the ice commenced running again. The cur-
rent was now much more swift than it had been
before, and the night was very dark, a heavy and
steady rain having set in. It is now impossible to
tell how many boats have been damaged, or to what
amount. Of the boats that remained at the wharf
at dark, the following have been sunk or swept
down by the tide : Regulator, F. X. Aubry, N.
L. Milburn, Alice, Luella, Clara, Ben Bolt, G. W.
Sparhawk, sunk—Pole Star, J. S. Pringle, loaded
for new Orleans—and Forest Rose • leaving only
three boats, the Gossamer, Badger giate, and Ne-
braska, at the levee.
We are utterly at a loss to tell how any of the
above-named boats have fared, or to what point
they will be carried. From a messenger who has
returned fr3in the arsenal we learn that the steam-
ers Adriatic and A. B. Chambers are lying in a
slough, just above the arsenal, 'safe. The Falls
City has gone to the east side of the island.
C ,rrected estimate of vessels sunk and property
destroyed :
(From the St. Louis Intelligencer, Feb. 28.)
There are numbers of our citizens, as well as
others at a distance from St. Louis, who have
formed erroneous opinions in reference to the ex-
tent of the damage done to the steam-boats during
the late terrible catastrophe, and in order to im-
part correct information to our readers, we have
made out a statement of the facts, which may be
relied upon as correct. The excitement incident to
occurrences of the kind having passed away, we
are now enasoled to give 0-I.4able information as to
the actual losses and damakes

BOATS stun'.
Sam Cloon' 515,010 Highland Mary... $3,000
G. W. Sparhaak 13,000 Fifty wood and
Submarine, No. 4 20,000 canal boats 25,000
Federal Arch l,OOO

Bon Accord
Snoutiodoah

Total loss

$100;000

THE MOLDAVIAN FROSTIER.

The following petition has been addressed to the
Porte relative to the Moldavian frontier :
"On the eve of the important Conferences which are
to regulate, in Paris, the general conditions of peace, and
to insure, by a new and definitive fixation of the frontier
in the East, the repose and security of Europe, we ad-
dress ourselves with confidence to the benevolent pro-
tection of the Sultan, our august Sovereign, humbly ex-
pressing to him our wishes, in order that ho may promote
their realisation, which is not less important to the com-
mon interests of the great European family than to the
private advantage of the Austrian propositions, accepted
by Russia, this power is to surrender the portion of the
territory of Bessarabia, beginning at:Chotym and following
the line of mountains as far as Lake Sasyk. We take the
liberty to observe that the mountains therein mentioned
are a succession of low hills, which become still lower as
they approach the south, where they decline into an
immense marshy plain, without any natural boundary,
fortress, or obstacle calculated to serve as the basis of
defensive operations. Such a frontier, which a great
military power could with difficulty defend, would offer
but an illusive protection to a feeble State like Moldavia,
and would not even admit of the establishment of a Cus-
toms line. But, independently of these reasons, of which
it appears impossible to question the exactness, a more
grave and important consideration, involving a question
of high morality, appears to us to point out the Dniester,
our former limit, as the only prudent, rational, and poli-
tical solution that can be arrived at. Bessarabia, an in-
tegral porti"n of Moldavia, was violently separated from
it by the treaty of Bucharest in 1812, to be incorporated
with the Russian empire. Nevertheless, by the conven-
tion of 1512, enter into by Selim 11., of glorious memory,,
with Bogdan, son of Stephen the Great, Prince of Mol-.
davia, the Sublime Porte bound itself to defend and
maintain the territorial integrity of Moldavia, the pri-
vileges and immunities of the inhabitants, and the in-
ternal independence of the Principality. The treaty of
Bainardji, concluded between the Sublime Porte and
Russia in 1774, and the treaty of Jassy, signed in 1791
between the same Powers, conferred on Russia the right
of protecting the Principalities. Now, that right of pro-
tection, such as it results from the very stipulations of
treaties and of several hatti-sherifs, particularly that of
1802, issued at the special request of Russia, has been
expressly recognised, in order the better to secure and
guarantee the territorial integrity of 'Moldavia, the north-
eastern boundary of which, agreeably to those conven-
ventions, was to be formed by the Dniester.
" How then could Russia, the protectress of the Prin-
cipalities, the voluntary guardian of their privileges and
their territorial integrity, have legitimately despoiled
them of that same territory which she has so solemnly
guaranteed 'I
" How, after so many precautions against the Porte,
with the object of confirming still more the principle of
our integrity, could the protecting Power have recog-
nised the right to violate it by an exemption in its own
favour and in its special interest
" How could the state of war between the Porte and.
Russia have, in 1812, been the just motive, to the pre-
judice of our Principality, for the violation of rights for-
mally admitted by the first of these Powers and guaran-
teed by the second
" Good faith, equity, the security of Europe, which
is interested in giving us a frontier which can be easily
defended, and which by a fixed and natural limit may re-
move all chances of dispute, the community of origin,
language, manners—all, in fine, prove our indefeasible
right to recover our ancient limits to the Dniester.
" We supplicate the Sublime Porte ,to weigh well
those considerations, and to support them energetically
with the Allies, with Russia herself, which, thanks to
the spirit of wisdom and moderation that now seems to
direct the councils of her young and august Sovereign,
may reconsider a measure arbitrarily adopted at a pe-
riod of crisis and of violent wars. She cannot but admit
that it behoves a great nation to repair an act of injus-
tice ; that it becomes the ancient protectress of a weak,
but a Christian and orthodox people like herself, to re-
store to her entire the province whose security had been
placed under her guardianship."

Naval and Military Intelligence.

The fleet at Spithead were exercising yesterday in reef-
ing and making and furling sail, &e. At daylight all the
gun-boats stationed at the Motherbauk were ordered to
got up steam, by signal from the Duke of Wellington, and
they manoeuvred outside the Nab and about Spithead
for some time, and then returned to their anchorage.
The Prospero steam-vessel arrived at Portsmouth on
Wednesday evening; from Pembroke, with the Janus
new gunboat, after casting off which she left on her re-
turn to Pembroke, calling !at Plymouth with supernu-
meraries for the fleet there. The Great Tasmania hos-
pital transport, Captain Crow, arrived et Spithead from
the Black Sea on Wednesday night, and was towed into
harbour yesterday afternoon to land her invalids, num-
bering 421 men, from nearly every regiment in the
Crimea and the Mediterranean. Her Majesty's steam-
sloop Geyser, 6, Commander Tower, arrived at Ports-
mouth on Wednesday evening, with two new gunboats
from Laird's dockyard, LiverpoA, which she towed into
harbour. The Sprightly steam-tender, Acting-Master
A lien commanding, conveyed supernumeraries to her
her Majesty's ship Devastation, 6, steam-sloop, Comman-
der Marshall, on Wednesday evening. The Transit screw-
steamer troopship, Commander C. R. Johnson, R.N., hav-
ing refitted, got up her steam yesterday and tried her
engines. She is now ready to embark. The Admiralty
steam-yacht Black Eagle, Master-Commander Patley,
arrived at Portsmouth yesterday to attend on- the Lords
of the Admiralty, who are expected to via the fleet.
The steam-battery Glatton, 14, Captain Cumming, was
paid wages yesterday, and the crew granted six weeks*
leave. The Avon steam-tender, Second Master-Com-
mander Veitch, arrived at noon yesterday from Ply-
mouth with supernumeraries for the fleet. The Rhada-
manthus steam-tender, Master-Commander Cole, left
yesterday with supernumeraries for the fleet at the east-
ward. The Eagle steam-transport, No. 171, left Spit
head yesterday afternoon for the Thames. The Castle
Eden convict-ship arrived at Spithead on Wednesday
night from Bermuda, Cork, aril Plymouth ; she landed
120 ex-convicts at Cork, an landed at Plymouth
Lieutenant Griffiths, R.N., two overseers, their wives
and families, and five naval invalids. She has now
on board fifty-three ex-convicts and sixteen military
invalids, with whom she sailed yesterday for Woolwich.
The Ormelie transport, No. 203, Captain Leamon,
arrived at Spithead yesterday, from Malta, with Go-
verninent cavalry horse fittings. The Collingwood trans-
port, No. 206, Capt. Stewart, arrived also yesterday
from Malta, with condemned stores ; she sailed for Dept-
ford to land them. The Clifton transport, No. 106, went
into Portsmouth harbour yesterday to land her stores.
The crew of the screw steam-ship Brunswick, 80, Capt.
Hastings R. Yelverton, bent sails on Wednesday. She is
appointed to leave Plymouth te-morrow for Portsmouth.
The steam gun-boat Ant will be launched from No. 4
slip in the Devonport dockyard to-morrow.
The-St. George, 120, Capt. Harry Eyres, from Lisbon
and. Cork, and the paddlewheel steam-frigate Magi-
cienne, 16, Capt. Nicholas Vansittart, and the screw
steam-ship Desperate, 8, Commander R. D. White, from
a cruise in the Channel, arrived in Plymouth Sound on
Wednesday.
The Cadmus, 20, screw corvette, building at Chatham,
is so far completed that she will shortly be ready for
launching. This vessel has been constructed under the
superintendence of Sir B. Walker, Surveyor of the Navy,
and his sub-surveyors. Her armament will consist of 20
8 inch 60-cwt. guns, 9 feet long, and one pivot 68-
pounder of 95 cwt., and 10 feet long. The following are
her dimensions :—Length between perpendiculars, .200
feet ; length of keel for tonnage, 171 feet 94 inches ;
breadth, extreme, 40 feet 4 inches ; breadth for tonnage,
40 feet ; breadth moulded, 39 feet 4 inches ; depth in
hold, 23 feet 11 inches ; burden in tons, 1,462 21-94.
Rear-Admiral Sir Henry Chads, K.C.8., is appointed
to the command of the Cork station, in the room of Vice-
Adriliral Sir George R. Sartorius, promoted.
_ _

Capta.in George Goldsmith, C. 8., is appointed to be
Soperintendent of Chatham Dockyard, in the room of
Rear• Admiral Wyvill, promoted to flag.
Capt. Henry Eyres, C. 8., is appointed to the Exmouth
vice Capt. Hall.
Commander A. B. Beecher is promoted to be Captain
on the Reserved List.

Lieut. E. M. Henderson has been appointed to ,the
Russell; Lieut. J. 0. Grady, to the Russell ; Lieut. F.
Semple, to the Meander ; Lieut. G. D. Murray, to the
London ; Lieut. S. Tuke, to the Cruizer ; Lieut. J. B.
Telfer, to the Centaur; Lieut. N. D. T. Lillingston,
to the Seahorse ; and Lieut. H. Moore, to the Nile.

The following lieutenants were yesterday appointed to
the command of gun-boats :—Lieut. his Serene Highness
Prince Victor Hohenlohe, to the Traveller; Lieut. J.
C. Byng, to the Lively ; Lieut. H. Davies, to the
Spider ; Lieut. G. A. T. Drake, to the Bouncer ; Lieut.
W. F. Gregory, to the Hyena ; Lieut. J. C. Gooch, to
the Frown ; Lieut. W. H. Jones, to the Partridge ;
Lieut. J. B. Grove, to the Rainbow ; Lieut. C. G. F.
Knowles, to the Raven ; Lieut. H. R. Wratislaw, to
the Redbreast ; Lieut. H. Berkeley, to the Havoc ;
Lieut. W. G. Silverlock, to the Grappler.

THE LATE DUEL AT BERLIN.

The North Prussian Gazette, of the 17th inst.,
contains the following declaration, sent to it for

publication by Herr von Rochow, of Krahne, the
brother of Herr von Hinckeldey's opponent :
" The accounts, partly incorrect and partly false, that
have been circulated concerning the cause of the dael be-
tween the Director General of Police, Herr von Hinckeldey,
and Herr yen Rochow, of Plessow, make it incumbent on
me, as the brother of the latter, to make known the follow-
ing particulars, the truth of which: in every sense I guaran-
tee. The conduct of the police towards the members of
the Jockey Club in the month of June last year induced
my brother to lodge a complaint, which led to the punish•
ment, for breach of discipline, and the removal of Herr
D—, the lieutenant of police, and it afforded to my
brother the satisfaction of seeing the official acts of Herr
D condemned as unjustifiable, and as injurious to
the parties who had suffered by them. In a convention
that took place respecting this affair between my brother,
accompanied by Herr , and the Director-General of
Police, you Hinckeldey, the latter made to them a commu-
nication which my brother considered himself bound
after he had taken down the expresious, and verified
their accuracy by written and verbal conference with
Herr —, to repeat to two other gentlemen, the parties
most concerned. One of these gentlemen, belonging to
the military profession, considered himself obliged in con-
sequence to lay the case before the Council of Honour,
which step caused the putting of a question to Herr von
Hinckeldey. In reply, Harr von Hinckeldy declared offi-
cially that he had not made that communication to Herr
von Rochow and Herr —. The military tribunal above-
named, upon receiving this answer, declined proceeding
further in the affair. Through Herr von Hinckeldey'e
official declaration, my brother lay under the imputation
of having uttered an untruth ; but being, on his side, con-
vinced that he had strictly and faithfully reported the ex-
pressions of Her you Hinckeldey, he complained through
the official channel, and demanded, by stating the affair
and bringing forward Herr as a witness, that Herr
von Hinckeldey should be made acquaintedwith his plaint,
and that he should be induced to make each a declaration
as to render it possible for hiss (the complainant) to alter
his opinion that Herr von Hinckeldey had officially
uttered an untruth. This plaint led to various other
steps, but in the cause itself to no further result than the
judicial decision, imparted to my brother, that ne reason
appeared for officially prosecuting the matter. In the
course of these negotiations it transpired that Herr von
Hinckeldey thought and maintained that his communica-
tion bad not been as represented, and that it did not boar
the construction put on it by Messrs. von Rochow and
—, bat that he had merely made it hypothetically, and,
moreover, confidentially. This latter assertion was not
assented to by my brother ; on the contrary, it was de-
clared positively by him, as well as by Herr —, that
Herr von Hinckeldey had made no appeal to the discretion
of himself or Herr —, in so far as the expression was
concerned, but solely for another part of the conversition,
and upon this point ho and Herr were entirely agreed
from the vary first, when the purport of the conversation in
question was verified between them. My brother attached
such importance to this point that he made the omission
of it by Herr von Hinckeldey the condition of a settlement
sought to be arranged by the mediation of a third party.
This condition was also accepted by Herr von Hinckeldey,
and thus an understanding was effected respecting tho con-
tents of a declaration which the latter was to make touch-
ing the disputed expression that had given rise to the
proceedings. But an understanding could not be effected
respecting the form in which this declaration was to be
drawn up. The case appeared quite as little to the judi-
cial authorities as it did to Herr von Hinckeldey to war-
rant a legal plaint, even on the grounds of private wrong,
although my brother emphatically repudiated the insinua-
tion made of his wishing to provoke a duel, and although
he expressly resorted to this judicial mode of vindication.
Under inch circumstances, my brother thought he need
entertain no scruple of presenting to one of the gentlemen
named above, who requests it, a copy of the resolution
adopted by the military tribunal, declining the mediation
of the Council of Honour, together with comments of his
own on the steps actually taken or intended to be taken
by himself with the authorities iu order to obtain au offi-
cial settlement. Having been made acquainted with the
resolution in question, Herr von Hinckeldey sent my bro-
ther a challenge to fight a duel with pistols. The issue of
that duel has been already made known by the umpire,
Herr v. d. Marwitz, whose statement was published in
No. 61 of the New Prussian Gazette for the 12th of March,
this year. " A. vox RocuoW, of Krahne.
" Berlin, March 17, 1856."

LORD ST. LEONARDs AND THE IRISH COURT OF CHAN-
uEßT.—Yesterday was published a copy of the communi-
cation addressed to the late Chancellor of the Exche-
quer, Mr. Goulburn, by Sir E. B. Sugden (now Lord
St. Leonards), on about the month of December, 1844,
relating to the finances of the Irish Gout t of Chancery.
This paper contains sundry suggestions on matters of
detail, including arrangements respecting salaries, the
appointing of a taxing-officer, and other points of a simi-
lar character.
PILOTAGE RETUENS.—A blue-book of 300 pages, just
out, contains voluminous returns of the by-laws and
regulations relating to pilots and pilotage, the names
and ages of pilots, the rates of pilotage in force, and the
amounts received for pilotage at the various ports. It
appears that the total amount received for piloting ves-
sels into the port of London in the year 1854 was
81,5511. on British and fDreign ships. The total amount
received for piloting vessels out of the said Fert of L.
.
don in 1354 was 36,061/. These returns were ordered
to be printed last August, but have only just made their
appearance.

[PRICE 4D. STAMPED SD•

porting Intelligence.

TA_TTERSALL'S-YESTERDAY.

The transactions were numerous, but for the most
part unimportant. The principal movements may be
briefly described.
Coal Black hose, on the strength of the support which
she had received in the City in the course of the morn-
ing, attained a. prominent position for Earl Spencer's
Plate-10 to 1. was taken abont her ; the investments
were, however, only to small sums.
A strong disposition was now and then evinced to back
La Victime, but nothing was done to warrant a qudta-
tation. According to the " City List," in which she
was priced at S and 10 to 1, she was as good a favourite
as anything; ; 9, to 1 was offered against Flacrow ; 9 to
1 taken about Posthorse.
The betting on the Northamptonshire Stakes showed
no variation of moment from Monday's quotations.
For the City and Suburban Handicap, The Fisherman
was buoyant it 6to 1. St. Hubert was in good demand
at 100 to B—adds which were scarcely obtainable at the
close. Arios';o was repeatedly backed at 100 to 7.
The odds q noted against Yellow Jack for the Cheater
Cop were bocked to upwards of 150/. ; and 500 to 200
was taken ab put him for the Two Thousand ; 2 to 1
taken to 1501.. about Flyby-Night. For the Derby, SOO
to 100 was to ken about Wentworth. The other trans-
actions do not, require any comment.

:NORTHANIPTONSHIRE STAKES.
Sto 1 ag,t Winkfield (offered)
12 to 1 agst Paletot (taken)
12 to 1 aget Little Davie (taken)
12 to 1 art Besika (taken)
15 to :1 aget Fiatterer (offered)
100 to 46 agst Puck (taken)
500 to e 5 agst Siding (taken)
EARL SPENCER'S PLATE.
9to 1 agst Flacrosv (offered)
9to 1 agst Postborso (taken)
10 to agst Coal Black Rose (taken)
12 to 2 agst Berezina (taken)
C £TY AND SUBURBAN HANDICAP.
6to 1 agst Fisherman (taken)
100 to i 3 agst St. Hubert (taken)
100 to 7 aget Arioste (taken)
GREAT NORTHERN HANDICAP.
100 to ti agst Sir George (taken)
TSWk) THOUSAND GUINEAS STAKES.
2to 1 agst Fly•by-Night (taken)
sto 2 agst Yellow Jack (taken)
15 to 1 apt Milton (taken)
10 to 1 bar two (offered)
•

CHESTER COP.
12 to 1 azst Yellow Jack (taken)
200 o 9 " wanted" about Imogene.
DERBY.
S to Y agst Wentworth (taken)
13 to 1 aget Yellow Jack (taken)
1000 to GO agst Itogerthorpe (taken)
750 to 25 agst Bird in Hand (taken)
1000 to 1L aget colt by Slane--Barbarina (taken)

NORTIIA IvIPTON AND PYTCHLEY HUNT
MEETING.-DI ARCH 26 AND 27.

Acceptances for Earl Spencer's Plate. Five furlongs.
52 subs, 21 of whom declared.
Age st lb
Comfort • 5 9 0
Michaelmas Maid 6 8 4
Octavia
Fiacrow 4 7 9
Tom Burke _.... 4 7 2
Titormus 4 6 13
Citnieina, _... 4 6 13
Bessie 4 6 11
Plausible
John Barleycorn 5 6 10
Berezina....... 4 6 10
Bucksfoot
Flyaway
The Archer
Little 3 6 8
Duet
Acceptances for the Nene Stakes. One mile and a half
Age st lb .Age st lb
Kingof Trumps—. a 8 8 Siding ...... 4 6 4
Alonzo ...—........ a 8 0 Noisette
Alembic 5 7 2 Treachery
Weathercock__ 5 6 12 Anniversary 3 5 8
Master Slender ... a 6 7 Eloquence 3 4 12
Ethelbald

Age st lb
La Victime
C by Bay Middle-

ton—blander, 3 6 5
Blue Rock 3 6
Prince's Mixture 3 6 3
British Remedy 3 6 2
Timotheus a 6 0
Tug o' War
Bonnets o' Blue 3 5 13
Alastor

Bishop of Osna-
burg
Ponthor®o
Lunette 3 5 10
Coal Black Rose 3 5 7

1 MEETING.--APRIL 1.
:rfield Plate. One mile.

DONCASTER SPRINk
Weights for the Chester
Age st lb
King of Trumps... a 3 11
Typee 6 8 8
Ariosto
Romeo
The Assayer 5 7 5
Cardsharper ...... 5 7 5
GriecalnsEsuriens 4 7 0
Little Tom' 6 6 13
Yeutick 4 6 12
Gamekeeper 5 6 12
Bracken 5 6 12
Solostar 4 6 12
Palmeraton 4 6 111
Duke of Lancaster 5 6 10
Vandal
Atherstone ...... 4 6 7
The Medway. ..... 4 6 7
General Picton... 4 6 7
Baroda
L'Addio
Treachery 4 6 2
Canute

Age st lb
Vanessa 4 6 0
Louvat
Leamington
Le. Victirne
Hospitality
' Alfred 3 5 8
Pollux
De Gbinkel
Ephorus
Coal Black Rose 3 5 7
Squire Watt 3 5 5

Ariel
Omer Machu

Anniversary 3 5
Pretty Girl
Napoleon 111. .. 8 5
King of thcGipsies 3 5

Coniternation 3 5
Pera

Bright
Frenzy

AWFUL SUDDEN DEATH OF RIDING.
MASTER MAGNESS.

This celebrated individual, so well known at the Con
and by most families of distinction, especially at the
West-end, and throughout the county of Surrey, was,
discovered on Saturday night last, a corpse, lying nem
the steamboat-pier of the river Thames, at Putney. The
event has caused a, painful sensation throughout the eni
tire districts of -Putney, Roehampton, and Richmond.
Mr. Carter, the coroner for Surrey, having received
information of the melancholy event, that gentleman
held an inquest yesterday on the body of the unfortu-
nate deceased.
Louisa, the wife of Charles Harlon, a coachman, re-
siding at Putney, said that on the night of Saturday
List at half-past eight o'clock, in consequence of her hus-
band having b een drinking a little at the Star and Garter
Inn, she proceeded towards the house for the purpose of
getting him home, when, as she passed down the alley
by the side of the Bell Tavern, intending to pass along
the towing-path to the Star and Garter, she saw a male
person lying of i his face, and his bat about a yard from
his head, under the terrace wall. Hearing footsteps ap-
proaching, she waited until she saw a man coming np
the towing-path from the direction of the Star and Gar-
ter, when she called to that person. Upon his arrival
the head of the gentleman was raised, and witness found
that it was the deceased Mr. Magness, who she knew re•
sided at the Rose and Crown at Putney. There was feam
at the mouth, as if he was in a fit, bat, however, he was
motionless. She proceeded to the house, and gave the
alarm. The business of the house was managed by his
daughter and her husband. Mr. Turner, his son-in-las,
proceeded to ;the place, and, with assistance, the 61. i.
ceased was taken home, being found quite dead.
The daughter, upon being sworn, said that the de-
ceased was her father. His name was James Magness,
and he was 59 years of age and had resided in that house.
A quarter of an hour before he was brought home, he
left their bar-parlour, having lighted a fresh cigar, and
as he went out by the side door she playfully patted him
on the back and closed the door after him ; but did not
notice which way he went. On that day he was per-
fectly sober, but had been to Wandsworth to obt-sin a
renewal of his licence, which had been deferred for an-
other fortnight, some allusion having been made that he
was not, but that his son-in-law was the ac ual occu-
pier, when his presence was required before the
bench. On his return home he seemed rather excited,
and after partaking of a glass of sherry. be proceeded
on horseback to see the race between the Oxford and
Cambridge clubs. The only bet he had on the match
was for a glass of brandy-and-water. After the match
he returned home, and during the remainder of the
day appeared still somewhat excited, and spoke of the
further postponement of the renewal of his licence,
but made no complaint of feeling ill. She further
deposed that for some time he had been labouring under
an affection of the heart, and was taking medicine for it,
having consulted two physicians upon the state of his
heart. Upon his person was foundhis gold watch, valued
at 1001., presented to him by some of his 1 former
o ld pupilsbr e aas
t
a mark of respect for his high character. u
pin, shirt studs, and his money were found to be all safe.s
The learned Coroner remarked that it Was fortunateat
'
the deceased had fallen into honest hands • if he h
and the property bad been taken from him, it would hnaove,
led to an apprehension that he had been attacked, rob-
bed, and killed.
The jury returned a verdict of natiral death, no doubt
accelerated by the excitement he had that day undergone.
The proceedings then terminated.

GOOD FRlDAY.—Yesterday Mr. Bokenham, con-
toiler of the Circulation Department of the Post-office,
issued orders for a half-holyday today ; consequently
there will be no delivery of letters within the limits
of the London district post this afternoon. The collec-
tion of letters and newspapers from the branch offices
and receiving houses will take place in the evening, so
that they may be forwarded by the general post and fo-
reign mails, as also the night collection, for despatch by
the morning mails. No business will be transacted in
the money-order department of the Post-office. The day
will be observed as a holyday at the Bank of England,
the Stock Exchange, Royal Exchange, and all the pri-
vate banks ; at the Government offices, the Inland Re-
venue, Customs, and all the public docks, and the courts
of law and

STAMFORD, March 18.—Last evening, Mr. Augustus
Stafford, M.P., appeared before a large audience at the
Assembly-rooms in this town, to give an account of two
expeditions undertaken by him to the Crimea in two suc-
ceeding years—viz., in 1854 and 1855—in which, as he
remarked, he found at the same place and among the
same people a state of things so utterly different.
After a few prefatory observations, the lecturer said he
should begin his narrative at Marseilles, proceed 'thence
to the Crimea, and then conduct them to that place which
had been the subject of so many sympathies—Scutari.
He embarked on the 2d Sept. last at Marseilles, on
board the Uccle, an English transport, with 760 French
troops. Cholera was in the town when they sailed,
and eight hours afterwards it broke out among the
troops on board. As they steamed southward the heat
increased, and so did the cholera. This large number of
men had been sent out without any medicine whatever.
Not possessing the silent fortitude of English soldiers,
their cries were most piteous.. On reaching Malta, the
state of the ship was so horrible that he almost deter-
mined to quit it; but, at the urgent request of many
poor sufferers, he was induced to stay with them. Cholera
then began among the English sailors. After briefly
glancing at the scenes which ensued before the close of
the voyage, the lecturer remarked that the French
transport system is not, with all cur faults, so good
as ours. It was told him by a French officer on
beard, and it had been confirmed indirectly by many per-
sons who had opportunities of ascertaieing the Fan e
statistics, that the French bad lost between J uly,
1854, and July, 1855—slain in battle, left dead on the
field, 12,000 ;died afterwards of wounds received in
battle, 7,000 ; sent home with loss of limb or broken in
constitution, 25,000 ; died ofdisease, chiefly diarrhoea, cho-

lora, and dysentery, 60,000—total loss, about 105,000,
exclusive of all who hal Leen killed or died dtiring the
last seven months. "But," added his informant, "we
do not put this in the newspapers ; we only report a loss
of 20,000. You English know too much about your
army ; we kaow too little." The hon. member then de.
scribed Balaklava harbour, stating that he should think
the bay was not above 400 acres in extent. The first
view he had of Sebastopol—he spoke as a civilian--mails
him wonder why our at my did not advance and take it
at ones, and 10 minutes' explanation from an artillery
officer tulle him despair of taking it at all. He went
through the town after it was taken, and he must Fay
that the evidences of the civilisation of Russia, judging
from that town, nearly, if not fully, equalled anything in
this country ; and, though we were at war with Russia,
he could not ride through Sebastopol without a sigh to see
so many homestead; so utterly laid waste. It was sur-
prising to see the east amount of earth which had been
raised to the top of the Mame!on and of the Redan in
the face of the enemy. This teas as wonderful to our
engine r s as it was wonderful to our Commissariat ?tow
the Russians bad been able to feed so vast an army with
the sea supply entirely cut off. Bearing these facts in
mind. he joust Fay he thought that history would award
t m glory to the defenders rather than to the besiegers of
Sehastopol. While he wag standing near the Green-hill
a t ry a cannon shot came by him, and it struck him
that it was like the sound of crisp snow driven sharply
over ice. The hon. member next described " that most
miserable village of Balaklava," the infamous extortions
practised by Maltese, lonian, and Italian stellkeepers in
its street=, and the horrors of its hospital, where he found
cureons quarrelling with orderlies, and orderlies with
surge° le, while -their wretched patients died. No ar-
rangemen's wet() male for tl • e-nbarkation of the sick
at Balakia,a. Sometini' s the French were obliged to
c sriy down oar sick to the shore ; there were not suffi-
cient boats to embark them when they got to the shore,
and when the transp its came the unfortunate creatures
had to lie cn the hart beards until the skin was worn off
their joints by the friction occasioned by the motion of
the vessel. You might trace the course of these tran-
sports from Balaklava harbour to the entrance of the
B sphorus by the skeletons of the miserable sick thrown
overboard on the way. On arriving in the Bosphorus,
owing to the insufficiency of accommodation, three or
four days sometimes elapsed before the sufferers could
be!landed ; when they did land there were ne arrange-
ments for supplying thim with food, or for their recep-
tion in the hospitals ; and, between one thing and ano-
ther, he had known them to be from 4 o'clock in the
afternoon until 12 the next day without anything to eat.
Altogether, so dire was the aspect of affairs at Scutari
that it seemed as if Heaven had forsaken us, and as if
our sins bad given us over to destruction. At thin
junctare came Florence Nightingale, and then order
arose out of chaos. Our story brightened from the arri-
val of that lady there. He was at Scutari in the autumn
of 1854, and then he saw the horrors which all had heard
described, and which he would not attempt to describe
again. He was there in the autumn of 155, and all was
changed. Confusion had given place to order, filth to
cleanliness, the aggravation or neglect of every human
suffering to the mitigation of all the evils of war. But
there was one thing not changed. He found among our
soldiers the same good feeling, the same noble demea-
nour, the same heroic spirit that he witnessed the year
before. And there was another thing not changed ; for
in the same little room, with no luxuries and very few
comforts, engaged in her ceaseless work, there he found
Florence Nightingale. Considering the difficulties she
had bad to contend with, she bad 'been one of the few
that had not disappointed England. He was in the
French tent hospital at the front of the camp, and they
owned that in the comforts and lu:turies supplied to the
sick and wounded they could no longer compete with us.
He asked Miss Nightingale, " Wh at do you think of the
soldiers now'" She said, " They have their faults, and
those who in their several positions: in life may feel that
they have a little neglected the education of the lower
orders will be the last to blame those brave men for the
faults they do possess ; but they reanond to kindness and
they recognise discipline, and, for ourselves, we have
never heard from them one word oar seen one gesture
that might not have teen fitted for the drawing-room.
They have been to us, and to all the ladies, gentlemen
and Christians." He asked one poor fellow what he
thought of Miss Nightingale, and the reply was, "Well,
I hope she will go up to Heaven before she dies." After
glancing at the burial-place at Scutari, where as many
as 80 corpses were occasionally co:nsigned coffinless to
the earth at cne time, the hon. member concluded an
eloquent and highly-interesting lecture with a glowing
tribute to the memory of the brave men who had so
nobly fought and died for their country—themselves
descendants of the heroes who fought at Agincourt, at
Blenheim, and at Waterloo. The lecture was listened
to with marked attention throughout, and frequently
elicited hearty applause.