The Sun.
London, England, 1860-01-09 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, JANUARY 1860.

LORD CANNING'S PROGRESS.

"To Lala Sahib Sree Navas Gobind, the Vakeel of Ma-
harajah Sindhia, a khillut of the value of 3,000 r.
"To Resaldar Kaziin Ali Khan, a khillut of the value of
2,000 r., and confiscated lands paying an annual revenue of
200 r. a year to the Government. • •
" To Thakoor Luchtnun Singh, Minister of the Jyepoor
State, a khillut of the value of 3,000 r.
"To Nawab Fyz Alee Khan, Commander-in-Chief of the
Jyepooa forces, a khillut of the value of 2,500 r.
" To Pundit Sheodeen, Private Secretary to the Mahara-
jah of Jeypoor, a khillut of the value of 2,500 r.
"To Moulavie Mohindeen Khan, magistrate of Jyepoor,
a khillut of the value of 2,000 r.

The following " notification" from the Foreign
Department, dated " Governor-General's Camp,
Agra, Friday, Dec. 2, 1859," has been published :
"On Tuesday, the 29th of November, his Excellency the
Viceroy and Governor-General held a Durbar for the pri-
vate reception of the princes and chiefs of Central India
and Rajpootana.
" The undermentioned princes and chiefs had audiences
of his Excellency :—The Maharajah Sindhia of Gwalior,
the Maharajah of Jyepoor, the Maharajah of Kerowly, the
Maha 'Rao Rajah of Ulwur, the Nawab of 1 onk, the
Maharajah of Dholpoor, the Nawab of Jowra, the Mahara-
jah of Bhudawur, the Jageerdar of Jussoo.
" Each chief was accompanied by a few of his nearestre-
lations and of his principal officers of State.
"On arrival and departure the Maharajah Sindhia re-
ceived a salute of 19 guns; the Maharajah Jyepoor and
Kerowly cache salute of 17 guns ; the Maha Rao Rajah of
Ulwur, the Nawab of Tonk, and the Maharajah of Dhol-
poor each a salute of 15 guns ; and the Nawab of Jowra a
salute of 13 guns.
"On Wednesday, the 30th of November, the abovemen-
tioned prinCes and chiefs, with their attendants, the prin-
cipal native residents of the Agra division of the North-
West Provinces, and the civil and military officers of Agra
and the adjoining districts, were received by the Viceroy
and Governor-General in open Duller.
"When all were assembled the Viceroy and Governor-
General, accoinpanied by his Excellency the Commander-
in-Chief, entered, and took his seat. under a Royal salute.
"The Maharajah Sindhia of Gwalior sat on the right
hand of the Viceroy and Governor-General, and the
Maharajah, of Jyepoor on his Excellency's left hand.
" Suitable khilluts were bestowed on all the native
princes, chiefs, and gentlemen present, and the following
rewards were given for loyalty to the British Government
and good services during the rebellion :
"To the Maharajah Sindhia increase of territory and
exemption from some of the obligations imposed on the
Gwalior State by the treaty of 1844.
" In conferring these rewards upon the Maharajah, the
Viceroy and Governor-General addressed his Highness in
the following words :
" Maharajah of Gwalior,—lt is with no ordinary plea-
sure that I receive your Highness in this assembly, in the
presence of his Excellency the Commander-in-Chief and of
many high officers of the Civil Service, and other English
gentlemen, and before many loyal native subjects of the
Queen. lam glad to receive your Highness at Agra. It
was from Agra that, a few days after the outbreak of rebel-
lion, I received the news of your prompt and loyal tender to
the Lieutenant-Governor, the lamented Mr. Colvin, of the
services of the most trustworthy of your own personal
guard. It was from Agra that, 12 months later, when the
brunt of rebellion had fallen at last upon Gwalior, a great
part of that army marched which under Sir H. Rose drove
back your enemies and reseated you within 20 days in the
palace of your capital. These were the opening and closing
scenes of the rebellion in the neighbourhood of this city.
During the intervening year_and since that time you have
earnestly supported the British Government with your
wkole strength, and in everything have shown yourself
mindful of the ties which bind you to it. As the head of
that Government, I thank you hear*. I now make
known to your Highness that in remembrance of the ser-
vices which you have rendered, and to increase your autho-
rity and dignity, land to the annual value of three lees will
be added to your territory ; that the limitation now imposed
upon the number of your infantry troops will bo enlarged ;
that the arrears due from your Government on account of
the assigned districts are remitted, and that henceforward
no payment will be claimed from your Government
when the proceeds of those districts fall short of the sums
stipulated by the treaty of Gwalior. I have already told your
Highness that if, unhappily, lineal heirs should fail you, the
Government will see with pleasure your adoption of a successor
according to the rules and traditions of your family. Your
Highness and all your Excellency's subjects may be sure that
it is the earnest desire of the paramount power that the loyal
and princely house of Sindhia shall be perpetuated and flou-
rish. 1 expect, and lam sure that I shall not bo disap-
pointed in the expectation, that your Highness will continue
to apply all the energies of your Government, civil and mi-
litary, to enforcing peace and giving contentment to the
country under your rule.' "
"To the Maharajay of Jyepoor the Pergunnah of Kote-
Kassim was given.

S !

•
" To Bhopal Singh, an officer of the Jyepoor State, a
kbillut of the value of 1,500 r.
"To Sobhay Singh, another officer of the Jyepoor State,
a khillut of the value of I,ooor.
"To Captain Jewun Ali, comratindant of Jyepoor Artil-
lery, a khillut of the value of 1,2001.
"I o Chummun Lall Dass, an officer of the Jyepoor
State, a khillut of the value of 500 r.

"To Thakoor Pert p Singh, of Ludana in Jyepoor, a
khillut of the value of 1,200 r.
" To Gunga Singh, Vakeel of the Kerowly State, a khillut
of the value of I,ooor.

" To Thakoor Lukhdur Singh, of Ulwur, a khillut of the
value of 3,000 r.

" To Nawab Khan Jehan Khan, a relative of the Nawab
of Jowrah, for his services at the siege of Delhi, a khillut
of the value a 1,500 rupees.
" To Rajah Juswunt Rao, Bahadur of Luckna, in zillah
Etawah, a khillut of the value of 5,000 rupees, in addition
to a jagheer already granted to him.

" After the concluding ceremonies the Viceroy left his
seat under a Royal salute, accompanfejt by his Excellency
the Commander-in-Chief. The Maharajahs of Gwalior
and Jyepoor having boon conducted from the tont, the
assembly broke up.

"On Thursday, the Ist of December, the Viceroy and
Governor-General, accompanied by the Secretary and
Under Secretary to the Government of India, and by the
officers of his Excellency's person's staff, paid return visits
to the several princes and chiefs in succession at their re-
spective encampments.
" His Excellency was met by the chiefs themselves and
by their principal Ministers, is accordance with established
custom, and was received at each encampment, both on
arrival :Ind departure, with a Royal salute.

"In each case the usual offerings were presented and
accepted, and, the customary ceremonies having been ob-
served, his Excellency retired.

" By order of his Excellency the Viceroy and Governor-
General of India,

"O. BEADON,
Secretary to tho Government of India;
with the Governor-General"

AUSTRALIA.

(From the Correspondent of the Times.)
MELBOURNE, Nov. 17.

The Malta, with the September mail, was eight
days after her time. She left Suez on the 28th of
September, and Aden on the 4th of October (instead
of the 3d). She reached Mauritius on the 17th,
where it was found 'necessary to dock her, which
detained her till the 22d. She arrived at King
George's Sound on the sth, and sailed on the 7th,
reaching Nepean Bay at 2.20 a.m, on Friday, the
11th, and Hobson's Bay on Sunday, the 13th inst.
Tho Benares will take the homeward mail to-mor-
row morning at daylight.
On the 21st of October Ministers were defeated
on an amendment to the Address, embodying a vote
of "no confidence." It was, moved by Mr. Nicholson,
who, since Mr. Haines's departure, has been looked
up to as the " coming man ;" and it was carried, after
four nights' debate, by a majority of 39. It is worthy
of remark, that of the four Ministries which have run
their course in one week less than three years, three
have been turned out on an express vote of "No con-
fidence." There are some political reasoners here
who contend that no Ministry should retire from
office except upon a vote of " No confidence," and
the practice is not unlikely to become normal with-
out an express rule or resolution of Parliament. A
summary of the four nights' personal debate would
not be interesting or even intelligible to your
readers; but the broad feature was this—that the
Convention men of all shades who voted against
the late Ministry hurled defiance against the com-
ing men, declaring that they would " turn them
out," and that they would consent to no supplies
unless the new Ministry came up to their mark on
the land question. The result is that in their ad-
dresses, hustings speeches, and authorised placards,
nearly all the Ministers have bid high for their
seats, even to " deferred payments"—that is, pay-
ment by instalments, which I fear will often result
in no payment at all.

"His Excellency announced this gift to the Maharajah
in the following terms :
" 'Maharajah of Jyepoor—The presence at this durbar of
yourself, a prince sprung from the oldest and noblest fami-
lies of Raajpootana, and a faithful and zealous feudatory of
the British Crown, is very gratifying to me. The territory
of Jyepoor was loss continuously harassed by the rebellion
than many others, but occasions were not wanting to you in'
which to show your signal loyalty. When the rebel force
approached your capital, and called upon you to surrender
the British officers in it, your answer was ' Come and take
them.' When the Political Agent was absent on distant
duties you gave a careful and considerate protection to-his
family. When opportunity offered you sent in safety to this
city of Agra, under an escort of your own, 60 Christian
lives. You have dime all in your power to aid the British
troops by keeping open the communication through your
country. In recognition of these services I desire your ac-
ceptance of the Pergunnah of Kote-Kassitn, as au addition
to your territory. It was lately an appanage of the King of
Delhi, by whose treason and rebellion against the British
Power it has been forfeited. In adding it to your possessions
I feel certain that I place it for ever in loyal hands. I de-
sire to take this opportunity of thanking your Highness
and the Jyepoor Durbar for the faithful performance of its
promises, and of the wishes of the British Government in
steadily suppressing suttee within your territory, and in
allowing no abuse i f the right of sanctuary by murderers
and robbers.'

" To the Maharajah of Kerowly a khillut of the value of
20,000 rupees and remission of debts due to the British Go-
vernment.

On the 28th it was announced in both Houses
that Mr. Nicholson had succeeded in forming a
Cabinet, consisting of Mr. Nicholson, Chief Secre-
tary; Mr. Wood, Attorney-General ; Mr. 'Weal-
loch, Treasurer; Mr. .1. C. King, Public Works;
'Mr. Service, Crown Lands; Mr. Pyke, Customs;
Mr. Baillio, Post-office ; Mr. Fellows, with a seat
in the Cabinet and Executive Council, without
office; and Mr. Adamson, 'Solicitor-General, but
without a seat In the Cabinet or in Parliament.
Some of these names must be unknown to even such
of your readers as are connected with the colonies;
indeed, some are almost unknown in public life
here. The difficulty of the Ministry will arise from
the incongruous elements composing the majority
which put the one Ministry out, and which rather
let the new in than placed them in power. In their
hustings manifestoes they have sailed so near the
Convention as to alarm the Squatters, but that fac-
tionless Conservatism which takes its stand on
property. The Ministerial plan of deferred pay.
meats is this :—They do not promise to sell lots
payable by instalments, withholding the Crown
grant until all the arrears shall be paid ; but any
man who desires to have 320 acres is required to
pay for 80 and to have a lease of the remainder,
with a right of purchase Within 10 years. This will
certainly impair the land revenue probably by one-
half, possibly by two-thirds. There is to be a land-
tax, but not for the purpose of sustaining the credit
of the colony at home, as it will be a mere local as-
sessment, locally expended. From the expressed
opinions of some of the Ministers the export duty
on gold also is likely to be given up, and there is
to be a revision of the tariff, "by transferring the
duties from articles which we do not produce to
such as compete with articles which can be produced
by native industry." I have, however, faith enough
in the practical sagacity of the majority of the eke-
tors to trust that this proposed transfer of duties can-
not be carried to an extent to amount to protection,
though it is likely to check the consumption of Bri-
tish goods to some extent, and so impair trade. The
model of the present tariff was first adopted by the
Legislature of Van Diemen's Land in 1852, and was
soon afterwards established in Victoria and New
South Wales. South Australia has always retained
the old system of levying ad valorem duties on
nearly all imported articles, ti.e list of free goods
being very limited. The articles taxed are those
of large and universal consumption—namely, spirits,
wines, beer, tobacco, sugar, coffee, and tea. One or
two articles have since been added, as opium (since
the Chinese immigration), and chicory, because it is
used to adulterate coffee. Ad valorem duties were
rejected as liable to fraud and evasion, and as being
very costly in the collection. So far as revenue is
concerned, the result has been satisfactory in all
the colonies which adopted the reformed tariff. All
the financial reforms in England for the last 16
years have proceeded on the same principle. When
in 1839 the Customs duties yielded £22,000,000, de-
rived from the taxation of 1,134 articles, besides
" all other articles," upwards of £21,000,000 was
yielded by the duties on 16 articles. Any material
departure from the principle of taxing the few
articles of large and universal consumption will cer-
tainly be a backward Movement which will, I fear,
destroy confidence in the stability of our financial
system. The Legislature will meet on the 29th of
November, and the Treasurer's " budget" will, no
doubt, reach you by the December mail. It must
necessarily embrace so much of the land and mining
legislation of the new Ministry as is calculated to
affsct our finances, and as such is of higher interest
to many of your readers than any mere political
question.

"The Viceroy and Governor-General in conferring these
rewards upon the Maharajah publicly thanked his Highness
for the steady and active loyalty ho evinced throughout the
rebellion, especially in issuing a proclamation, soon after
the first disturbances broke out, declaring his own intention
to adhere to the cause of the British Government, and call-
ing upon his subjects to support him in sending troops to
assist in preserving order in British territory, and after-
wards in rendering assistance to the Chief of Kotah at a
critical juncture.

"To the Maha Rao Rajah of 171wur a khillut of the
value of 20,000 rupees.

"After investiture the Viceroy and Governor-General
addressed the Maha Rao Rajah in the following words :
"Maha Rao Rajah,—You are welcome to this Durbar
for your. father's sake. There was no better ruler and no
more faithful feudatory to the Queen in Rajpootana than
Bunnee Sing. In his last illness he sent his troops to the
support of the British Government, and many of them were
killed in the discharge of that duty at no great distance
from this city. I regret to think that he did not live to see
their death avenged. Maha Rao, you are very young to be
left alone, as the successor to the rule of an ancient State.
I know that you have had bad advisors, and that you have
been misled by them. But these men have been removed
from you, and I now enjoin you to use the time which must
elapse before you can begin to govern so as to show by your
conduct that the Governor-General of India need not hesi-
tate to recognise and support your authority when that time
arrives. Walk in your father's footsteps, and you will be
sure of that support. Guide yourself by the advice of the
Governor-General's agent, Major Eden, and of the political
agent, and receive the counsel which I have 'iven to you
in the friendly spirit in which it is spoken. the guns of
your father's force which were lost shall be returned to the
Ulwur State if possible; if not, I will send others.'

" To the Nawab of Took, a khillut of the value of 20,000
rupees.

" On investing the Nawab, the Viceroy and Governor-
General thanked his Highness for the aid he affbrded to
the British Government throughout the rebellion, and for
liis stout defence of tho fort and town of Tonk against the
rebel army under Tantia Topee. His Excellency also as-
sured tho Nawab that the Pergunnsh of Nimbhera, which
passed during the disturbances into the hands of the
Godsypore State, would shortly be restored to him.
" To the Nawab of Jowra, a khillut of the value of
20,000 rupees, an increase in his salute of 13 guns, and a
remission of a part of his Highness's contribution towards
the expense of the Malwa Contingent. •
"The Viceroy and Governor-General thanked the Nawab
for his steady attachment to the British Government, and
for the exercise of his influence in supporting its authority
in Malwa.

"On investing the Maharajah of Dholpoor with his dross
of honour, the Viceroy and Governor-General thanked him
for the services he had rendered at the commencement of
the rebellion in saving the lives of Christian subjects of the
Queen, and for his personal loyalty to the British Govern-
ment on all occasions ; but his Excellency exhorted the
Maharajah to enforce his orders on the officers of the Dur, -
bar, and not to allow Dholpoor to become an asylum for
criminals accused of committing heinous crimes in British
territory.

" Rewards were also conferred by his Excellency on the
principal Sirdars and Ministers of the native States who
were most forward in carrying out the orders of their se-
veral chiefs for the support of the Queen's troops, and the
maintenance of British authority.
" To Rao Rajah Dinkur Rao Rughonath, Dewan and
First Minister of the Maharajah Sindhia, his Excellency
addressed the following words :
"‘ Dewan Dinkur Rao,—With the concurrence of your
Sovereign and Master the Maharajah of Gwalior, I take
this opportunity of testifying the appreciation by the Go-
vernment of India of the service which you have rendered
to his Highness and to the paramount power. You "!vlll
receive a confiscated estate in or near to the Benares divi-
sion free of revenue in perpetuity, and yielding a rental of
5,000 rupees a year. I believe that seldom has a ruler
boon served in troubled times by a more faithful, fearless,
or able Minister than yourself.'
" The following rewards were also given :
"To Baba Mohurgurh, Commander of the Maharajah
Sindhia's troops, a lrhillut of the value of 5,000 r., and con-
fiscated lands with a yearly rental of 2,000 r., free of revenue
to Government in perpetuity.
" To Baba Bulwant Rao, Commandant of the Maharajah
Sindhia's troops, a khillut of the value of 5,000 r., and con-
fiscated lands with a yearly rental of 2,000 r., free of revenue
to Government in perpetuity.
"To Moulavie Mahommed Nasir Khan, Nazim of the
Maharajah Sindhia's Adalut, a Ithillut of the value of 5,000 r.

The sporting world of Victoria has lately fur-

nished some food for public discussion. In all our
colonies, and particularly in Victoria, horse-racing
is pursued with great ardour; but, unfortunately, it
is almost wholly in the hands of people who make
horse breeding, dealing, and racing their trade.
Racing is certainly in much lower hands, both abso-
lutely and in relation to the average social position
of the people, than it is in England or eveu Ire-
land. The intensity of our sporting propensities
may be measured by this fact, thEA although our
whole population scarcely exceeds half a million, it
supports its Bell's Life in Victoria—England can do
no more. Colonel Robins, who has been for some
time residing here as agent for the Indian Govern-
ment in the selection of cavalry horses, thus ex-
pressed himself at a recent meeting of the Turf Club
on the sporting morality of our turf men :--
"He thought that for 21 years he had been on the Indian
turf. . . He had been only running his horses two years
ox the Victoria turf, and at every meeting, with the excep-
tion, perhaps, of the Turf Club meetings, there had been
some ' cross' or other. (Here the gallant gentleman used a
strong expletive.) Ho would find out where the crosses'
were if he remained hi the colony. No honest man got a
chance, and he himself had been told numbers of times
' Don't do it, Robins, for you'll never win.' He challenged
no one, but he would never run a race again, for he knew
very well he would never be allowed to win. (A laugh.)
Whether it was the jockeys or the owners who did these
things he did not know, but this he knew, he could never

The Prince of Wales's majority was celebrated
sere on the 9th of November with great fervour. (From the arrespondent of the Tiazes.)
A general holiday was proclaimed, and Melbourne CAMP IN FRONT OF CEUTA, DEC, 26.
adjourned to the country—a very sensible way of Christmas Eve, Iroche Buena, is a great festival
honouring any national event. The railways all in Spain, and is kept much as Christmas Day is
established excursion trains, and the Governor gave with us in England. -Here the usual custom was
a sort effete champetre, called a " lawn party," in not departed from. A double ration of wino and a
the beautiful grounds of Toorak, where some 1,500 small gratuity sufficed to put the Spanish soldier
people were amused and regaled. In the neighbour- in great good humour, and there was much sound
hood of Melbourne are many beautiful wooded spots of mirth and jollity in camp during the evening.
suitable for pic-nic purposes. These were all occu- Whether or not these sounds reached the ears of
pied. The pretty river Yarra was crowded with the Moors, or whether the renegades deceived them,
boats, and the whole, or nearly the whole, popula- and told them that on the following morning the
Lion gave themselves up to enjoyment. The weather, Spaniards would be sleeping off a debauch, and less
which had of late been unusually cold, brightened able than usual to defend themselves, I cannot say,
up on the day in question, and was genial, but not but soon after 7on Christmas morning our friends
too warm. Altogether, it was a day of rational of the dark countenance and dirty white garments
enjoyment. showed upon our extreme left, descending upon the
Though it cannot be said that there is any evi- beach, making use of our new roads, and apparently
dente of an impending commercial crisis, it is im- aiming at enveloping Ros de Olano's camp. At the
possible for even a superficial observer to fail in same time they advanced towards his right, their
noting a singular uneasiness in the public mind as line assuming their favourite crescent form, and
to the commercial condition of the country. 'ln the came up to a very moderate distance from the
first place, the supply as well as the export of gold Alphonzo redoubt (on the left of all), so called after
has been falling off since 1856, notwithstanding the the Prince of Asturias. There ensued a very smart
increasing development of our quartz reefs and the little fight, in which the enemy received a sharp
application of capital, including machinery, to every lesson. I perceive, by papers which might be sur-
branch of gold mining. In 1850 the quantity ex- posed better informed, that the Moors have been
ported was 3,003,811 oz.; in 1857 it fell to 2,779,655. giving out fantastical histories of their victories over
oz. ; 1851 witnessed a further decrease to 2,516,976 the Spaniards, of their having taken redoubts, which
oz. ; and this year it bids fair (or foul, we ought to they might have held had they thought it worth
say) to be 200,000 oz. or 300,000 oz. short of last while, and in which they would have captured guns
year. Up to last Friday the quantity brought down if the Christians had not been so prudant as to
by escort was 1,888,094 oz., against 2,046,351 an. remove them beforehand. These are mere fables,
last year. The quantity shipped this year is 2,020,589 and it requires but ono visit to our line of redoubts
oz , against 2,108,730 oz. in 1858. Now, the Eng- and a very short acquaintance with the Moorish style
lish aspect of the case is that we ha; e not the means of manoeuvring to feel certain that they are so. But
of paying for the same quantity of imported goods the agents of the Emperor of Morocco will hardly
that we had in former years ; and yet imports con- have the audacity to represent the affair of the 25th
tinue to pour in. Our own aspect of the case is more of December as a victory. The enemy was vigorously
consolatory. We are now producing many consum- received and promptly checked. From the redoubts
able articles which we used to import, and we be- the artillery made good practice and punished him
lieve that our industry, employed in the production severely. On the left the infantry were chiefly en-
of such articles, is better remunerated than it would gaged. The Moors had advanced in a reckless, im-
be in mining for gold. But it is the undoubted de prudent manner, apparently thinking only of out-
crease in our purchasing power which the English flanking the Spanish position, and not considering
merchant should look to, and that this has not been that they might themselves be cut off, or at least
sufficiently attended to will appear from the fact brought within bayonet reach; The consequence
that our imports continue to increase upon our ex- was that they suffered not a little, and had to retire
ports beyond the portion represented by railway with such precipitation that they left upwards of
stock and plant, which is met by our export of de- 40 dead bodies behind them, contrary to their usual
bentures. Last year our exports and imports nearly custom. When the Spaniards advanced without
balanced; this • year the imports arc nearly firing, to charge them with the bayonet, they did
£1,500,000 in excess of the exports, according to not stand for an instant. In this manner a com-
the valuation at the Custom-house; but undoubtedly pany of the Regiment of Zamora drove a lot of them
a portion of this import is for railway stock, not to out of a position they had cccupicd, the Moors
be remitted for except by the export of securities, 'Ring in such haste to decamp, and having such
and a portion is brought in by way of capital to be very long legs, that only two or three were caught.
permanently invested in the country. lam unable It seems nearly impossible to make them prisoners.
to make any correction for which I could claim ac- In one encounter (most of these little actions are
curacy. I may be able to estimate it at the end of made up of a number of small tights between a few
the year. At present I refer to it as an explanation companies of Spaniards, and detached bodies of the
of the apparent anomaly, that in the face of this Moors, who seem to have no idea of attacking in
large excess of imports exchange is not at a large battalion or otherwise than irregularly), in which
premium, and there is consequently no inducement a number of Moors were killed, one of them was
to export specie. surrounded by four Cazadores, who came down upon
Up to the 14th inst. the value of imports was him with fixed bayonets, shouting and signing to
.£12,721,708, while that of exports was £11,223,439, him not to fire, and that they would give him quar-
the excess of the former being £1,498.269. Our ex- ter. The Moor took no heed of their overtures,
ports this year are within £75,000 of the value of levelled his long gun, and shot one of them, where-
exports up to the same time last year, so that the upon he was, of course, put to death by the others.
large difference is owing almost entirely to the in- The enemy had been driven back and seemed dis-
crease of imports, the value of which last year was couraged, but still showed in considerable force at
only £11,221,380. I have never ceased to present some distance in front of our lines, when a battery
these accounts in such a way as to operate as a of long rifled 4-pounders opened upon them from
warning to the English consignee, and I now write the Alphonso redoubt. There was a wood which
in the hope of checking positive disaster. lam con- they evidently thought out of range, and in which a
vinced that any depression of trade arising from the large number of them had assembled and remained
excessive supply of imported goods is not charge- spectators of the little skirmishing that was still
able to any great extent against our own merchants going on. The first shot pitched beyond them, and
and traders, but is almost wholly attributable to produced an instant commotion and a tendency to
the speculative exporter from the English shipping move to the rear, and two or three more, which just
ports, especially London and Liverpool. got their range, sent them rapidly to the right about.
The supply of most kinds of goods being large The slopes and hills in their rear were dotted with
enough to keep the markets depressed under any them, making off in all haste and looking, in the dis-
circumstances, the evil is further aggravated by the tance and in their whitey-brown haicks, like so
condition of the money market. The banks have 2 o'clock they had
many frightened sheep. Before
become cautious—l will not use so strong a word all disappeared, and no more shots were heard.
as " alarmed"—by their own published returns. The Spanish loss was six killed and 34 wounded.
Of course each bank knows the state of its own Some companies went out to see if they could
affairs without the aid of such returns; but it is find any wounded Moors, but discovered none but
these periodicals statements which make each bank dead. The bodies of a number who had been
acquainted with the condition of the whole. The killed in the ravines near the sea were burnt
" debts due to the banks"—in other words, their there. The general opinion in camp is that the
discounts—are larger this year than they have yet Moors are getting cowed at finding themselves
been. This time last year they were under eight invariably repulsed with heavy loss and without
millions (£7,999,213) ; this year they exceed nine gaining an inch of ground. They had been ac-
'millions (1!9,388,594.) The banks have conse_ customed to harass Ceuta and to skirmish with the
quently checked their discounts of late. This will handful of men which the garrison could send out
limit remittances, and so damp the disposition of the against them, until they came to form a most con-
English merchants to consign to this country. This temptuous idea of the value of ;Spanish soldiers.
is the natural process of restoration. One conse- Against the force now opposed to them they find
quence of this policy of the banks has been to cause a they can do nothing, and the artillery, especially,
downward tendency in the prices of securities. Bank seems to be an arm of great terror to them. Mean-
shares, insurance companies', railway and mining while the Spanish recruits are getting practice, and
companies' shares have all suffered depression. are learning to think little of the enemy who had
There are now between 40 and 50 mining coin_ been represented to them as formidable, and whose
panics in the market. The payment of their appearance to young soldiers must unquestionably
deposits and instalments has created a great de- be so. Ihe Moors arc generally tall powerful men,
mand for money, and may in part account for of ferocious aspect and great agility, and their mode
the increase of discounts by the banks. It is of coming on, like so many howling savages, is not
only a few of these mining companies that are calculated to encourage and give confidence to lads
in working condition ; most of them are waiting who for the first time find themselves in action.
for machinery, and some have sent to England for Most of those whose dead bodies we have seen were
their engines, not being able to get supplies here. men of mature age, seemingly 40 years old, or even
Same.persons feel alarm at the decrease of specie more, although, perhaps, we take them to be older
in the hands of the banks in proportion to their than they arc. They are horribly dirty, and few of
notes in circulation and deposits. Their circula- them have anything on but their haick. Among
tion is £1,998,005 ; their specie, £1,815,818. As the things brought in yesterday, besides arms, were
the deposits exceed £6,000,000, there can be no some leathern pouches, with a strap to sling over
doubt that if everybody drew out his balance and one shoulder, the pouch falling under the opposite
i
every holder of a note demanded cash far it the arm. In these they keep their powder loose. Load-
banks must stop. But who ever heard of a run ing must be a long process with them, and if all
going to that extent ? To meet a liablilitv of their guns are of the same kind. as those I have
18,000,000 they have, in round numbers, £2,0C9,000,
seen, with flint locks of an antiquity of construe-
and past experience teaches us that this is a fair tion that entitles them to a place in a museum of
proportion. While their liabilities to the public old arms, they must speeeily become unserviceable
amount to only £8,500,000, their asset; are in wet weather.
112,500,000—a proportion which imparts confi- We had some squalls of rain during the skirmish
dente enough to prevent any thing like a run. yesterday, and at nightfall these were changed for
Another cause of partial gloom is the recent and a driving torrent, while. a violent gale sent against
present state of the flour market. Speculative iour
_ the tents with such force that they were speedily
wet through. It was a very "dirty" night indeed;
chasers forced the market up till the price teaselled
there was scarcely a tent in camp through which
£34 per ton. It was said that some of tb.e more
the water did not make its way in greater or less
sanguine held for £45, but a rapidly rising rearket
stimulated importation. Then came reaction,
and quantities. In short, it was a repetition of the pre-
the prices came down to £lB to £l9. Same of thevious Sunday, the 18th, and rather worse than bet-
papers still quote £22, but the real market price is' ter. Even for those who were so lucky as to have
£l9. In consequence of this we had rumours of a dry couch (and those were very few) it was
failure, but as yet there have been none attributable I , Tamely possible to sleep, owing to :the roaring of

N I:Ali' E. PAPEIt

(Irfill* :',, \''t,
A ,ii.:„...7i ; . ~' - Vi• C A ~lz
;4--"Ai; Sl4*ek :ii'',
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.D
:a''-' t. 4-; ,;S,''
the wind and flapping of canvas. T6.4l44bii' r '7,
c
gloomy, muggy, end without much wind. ' Mars - S
have been perfectly quiet. Our chief occupation
ha, been repairing damages, repatching tents, dry-
ing
beds and clothes. lam told that sickness is
again on the increase, which, indeed, is not to be
wondered at after the weather we have had..
DEC. 27, 8 A.M.
Till about ten o'clock last night the weather was
pretty quiet, but then the tempest broke forth again
and raged all night. It still continues. The rain
has left off for a while, but. the Wind is as fierce as
ever, making the strongest tent poles bend till one •
thinks t Ley must break. Judging from appearances
we have not vet done with the rain. With such
weather as this there is little probability of fighting
or marching. The Moors, we are assured by persons
who have lived among them, have a great dislike
to the rain. As for our march to Tetuan, it will
hardly, I should think, be commenced until there is
a prospect of weather rather more propitious. These
rains convert the new roads—which are superficial,
only fine weather paths—into swamps, or some-
thing very like it, most laborious to march over,
and which would be speedily so cut up as to be im-
practicable for artillery. Nevertheless, the report of
an early move is rife, and I believe everybody
Would rejoice at its provingtrue, for we are heartily
weary of this gusty rainy camp, and would gladly
exchange it for the line of march, even though with
a temporary increase of hardship. But I suspect we
have still a little time to wait here. This stormy
weather is unfavourable to the transport of trooops
from Spain, and I doubt the army's moving until
further reinforcements have come up.
Major-Gen. Echague, who commands the Id
corps, which was the first to land in Africa, and
who was wounded in the sharp action of Nov. 25th,
before the remainder of the army came over, has
been promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general.
The Spanish Gacela .31ilitur states the number of
men who have volunteered from various regiments
to join the army in Africa to be upwards of 6,000.
The rain has recommenced as heavily as before,
and there is every appearance of its lasting all day.

THE BLACK DOCTOR.

M. Vries, who has attained a certain degree of
notoriety under the above name, appeared yesterday
before the Tribunal of Correctional Police to an-
swer the charges of illegally practising medicine
and pharmacy, and of swindling. The accused
stated his age to be 55 his profession that of a phy-
sician, and his birthplace Surinam. In reply to
questions of the President, he stated that it was in
1834 that he had left his country, and that he had
visited Holland, America, and England, to intro.
duce foreign medicines. It was true that in Eng-
land he had endeavoured to set up a new religion,
had preached against the idolatry of Rome, and had
proclaimed that he feared neither the poignards of
the Jesuits nor the thunders of the Vatican ; but
that affair was now ended, and he occupied himself
no more with it. At Lon lon, his system of medi-
cine had not succeeded, because there, as at Paris,
he had been unf,-.irly treated. He lost an "enor-
mous sum" at London. " You came to Paris in
1853," said the President. " What did you come
for ?" "To introduce foreign medicine, and
to propose means of replacing steam in loco-
motive:,." " You are, then, a universal genius ?"
" Every physician is a chymist." " You are a phy-
sician, chymist, and religious reformer; have you
not also discovered perpetual motion ?" " Per-
petual motion does not exist, Sir." "I know that
very well, but you gave out that you had dis-
covered it. In fact, you represent yourself as a
wonderful genius in all things." The accused
then went on to say that he had been put into the
Debtors' P: ison in the Rue de Clichy for non-pay-
ment of 500 francs, and that be had lived
there in comfortable style. In a prospectus he had
convoked all the architects of all nations to send in
plans for a temple of Solomon, to be erected in the
Champs Elysees, and had promised a prize of
2,500 f. for the best. One plan had been sent to
him, and he had suspended it in his dining room ;
but it was not a good one, and he had not paid the
money. " You did all that," said the President, " in
order to attract public attention •, and to obtain
that object all means appeared good to you. 'Thus
you took the name of the Black Doctor, though yen
are not what may be called black ; and you wrote
to the President of the Academy of Medicine a
letter, in which you undertook to cure persons
afflicted with cancer, dysentry, and dropsy. Pray,
who made you a physician ?" "I, myself, sir,"
answered the accused. "But you represented that
you were a physician of the university of Leyden !"
" Hippocrates had no diploma ; and if the Lord
himself were to return to earth to cure men, the
Faculty of Medicine would prosecute him!" "When
you had obtained a certain degree of notoriety, did
you not obtain permission to exercise your system
of curing cancer in the Hopital St. Louis ?" "Yes ;
but when Dr. Main, of that hospital, saw that I
was likely to succeed, he ;you'd not let me continue."
" We now arrive at an eventful period of your career.
In 1858 you pretended that you cured M. Sax of
cancer ?" "I believe that I did cure him." "In
consequence of the notoriety which you gained
medical men deemed it right to ascertain
whether or not you really had the means of curing
cancer, and Dr. Velpeau introduced you to the
Hopital de la Charite r "Yes ; and if I had been
allowed to continue my system I should have ef-
fected cures." " Seventeen persons afflicted with
cancer were there placed in your hands, and 'on
undertook to cure them in six months; but at the
end of two months seven were dead ? ' "Net one!"
" Dr. Velpeau and Dr. Fauvel affirm the contrary.
The former analysed your remedies, and found in
them nothing peculiar—nothing that is not to be
obtained everywhere. But as to your patients—
they are at this moment all dead, except two, and
those two are dying!" "At the end of two months
none were dead, and since then it is not I who
have attended them !" "On the demand of Dr.
Velpeau you were excluded from the hospital, and
you then caused puffs on your skill to be inserted in
the newspapers, and had your portrait published.
Did not this publicity bring you in money ?"
"Your bad faith is evident," said the public prose-
cutor, "as a year ago the law authorities warned
you that you could not practise without a diploma,
but you took no notice." " You always told the
people who consulted you," said the President,
" that you were certain to effect a cure ?" "The
promise of a cure gives moral force to the patient."
" You always stipulated on being paid before you
commenced operations, and you did not always ad-
here to the bargains you made. Thus, a Spanish
lady came from her own country to consult you,
and you undertook to cure her for 10,000 f., of
which 3,000 f. were paid in advance. But after you
had got this latter sum you learnt that the lady
was rich, and you wrote to insist on having 40,000 f,
with 10,000 f. down. She complied with- your re-
quest, but she died !" "I demanded payment
from my patients according to their means. [Tho
President here mentioned several cases where the
patients died after the pretended cures of Dr.
Vries.) Witnesses were then called. Several de-
posed that Vries had professed to be able to cure
members of their families effected with cancer, but
that lie had failed, in some eases the patients dying.
M. Redot said that after the accused had treated
his wife for some time, he (Redot) had asked him
whether he thought he could effect a cure. " Cer-
tainly !" said Vries, and yet at that very moment the
poor lady was dead ! His (M. Redot's) servant was
so exasperated at the man's presumption that she
had called him an ass and a thief. In his case, how-
ever, defendant had restored the money which had
been paid. M. Sax was then called, and his pre-
sence excited much interest. He said that he had
been afflicted with such a terrible cancer in the lip
that Dr. Ricord had not only told him that an
operation was necessary, but that it would most
likely end fatally, and had accordingly advised him
to put his worldly affairs in order. Nevertheless,
in eight days Vries had perfectly cured him, and
what was more, had taken 2,000 f. instead of 3,000 f.,
which had been promised. Several other witnesses
were then called, and among them was Dr. Fauvel,
who described what took place in the Hopital de la
Charite, and who declared that the defendant did
not even know what a cancer was ; also, the direc-
tor of the School of Pharmacy and some apothe-
caries, who deposed that the substances which the
accused had pretended were remedies from unknown
plants, and to which lie had given fantastic names,
were simply alum, sulphate of potass, opium, &c.
The evidence for the prosecution having been closed,
numerous witnesses were called on behalf of the
accused, and they declared that he had cured them
of complaints more or less grave; one of them, a
workwoman, who had been in the HOpital de la
Charite, even said that he had cured her of cancer.
At this stage of the proceedings the fui ther hearing
of the case was adjourned for a week.—Galignani'a
Messenger.

An extensive failure has taken place at Melbourne,
that of a provision contractor named Graham, for £BO,OOO.
STAFF COLLEGE.—At an examination recently
held to supply vacancies in the senior class at the Staff
College, Captain the Hon. W.Feilding, Coldstream Guards;
Captain Hartman, half-pay, formerly of the 15th Hussars;
and Captain Norris Goddard, 2d battalion 17th Regiment,
were successful. These officers will accordingly proceed
to join the senior class at Sandhurst.--Army awl Navy
Gazette.