The Sun.
London, England, 1869-02-10 00:00:00

THE SIAMESE TWINS.

After the lapse of thirty-eight years the Siamese Twins
have returned to London and commenced a series of exhi-
bitions of themselves, with a view, it is said, of recruiting
their fortunes, which were lost in the American war.
They are now nearly 60 years of age ; they are small, with
the high cheek bones, sallow parchment skin, and flattened
features of the Mongolian race. Their language is more
American than English. The distinct individuality of
these curious beings is no matter of doubt, though they
share many sensations and are well or ill together. They
are now on their way to consult a celebrated French sur-
geon, with a view to being disunited ; but it is evident
that the operation could have been performed with more
safety fifty years ago. The band of flesh which connects
their bodies is very short, and it draws the two so closely
together that they cannot stand on the same plane, but
are compelled to stand at an angle of seventy degrees. It
seems extraordinary that, notwithstanding this impedi-
ment, they should have been able to work at farm duties,
to shoot, run, and drive with tolerable facility.
One of them is shorter than the other, and:not so well pro-
portioned. Their exhibitor at the Egyptian Hall informed
their visitors that the twins were content to remain as they
were, but that the members of the families had expressed
a desire to have the connection severed. The twins were
well-to-do planters in North Carolina at the time of the
outbreak of the civil war.

It has been currently reported at Wigan that the
petition against Messrs. Woods and Lancaster, the Liberal
members, will be withdrawn, in deference to some of the
leading members of the local Conservative party.
At a meeting of the friends of Mr. Ripley at
Bradford, it was resolved to send a deputation to Mr.
M. W. Thompson, the late member, asking him to come
forward again as a candidate for the borough. The Radi-
cals as yet have made no sign.
The magistrates of Tipperary are about to take coun-
sel together how they may better preserve the peace. There
certainly seems to be some necessity i for such deliberations,
recollecting that four murders in that county still remain
undiscovered, although they all occurred within a circuit
of six or eight miles.

The end of the Warrington election is rather
tragic. It seems that Dickson, the unfortunate poll clerk,
who behaved so eccentrically on the day of the election,
putting down some voters and leaving others out, has be -
come so ill in consequence of the excitement of the petition,
that he has had to be sent to a lunatic asylum.
A London correspondent of a Manchester contem-
porary says the impression gains ground that a very strong
attempt will be ma le to procure the suspension of the writ
for Norwich, where the issue of another contest would be
more than ever doubtful, and where it would therefore in-
fallibly be decided again by money.
The great rainfall of Sunday has causal im-
mense floods in Lancashire, Yorksh're, Cumberland,
and other counties. The Irwell, the overflow of which
did so much damage in this neighbourhood three
years ago, was yesterday thirteen feet above its
ordinary level, five or six feet below the great
flood of 1866. In North and East Lancashire large districts
are under water. At Preston great damage has Leen Cone
to the new parks, and last night the water was still rising.
At a place near Carlisle 148 sheep were washed away.
A strong argument in favour of capital punish-
ment in case of murder is supplied from the neigl, buurhood
of Masborough. A man named Lyon- has just been com-
mitted for trial for attempting to murder his wife. lie is,
says the Sheffield Independent, the same fellow who, some
years ago was charged with the murder of a little girl
at Masbro'. lie placed some chemical compound on the
door-step of a house, so that the fumes entered, and one of
the inmates, a child, died from its suff,cating effects. On
that occasion he got off with a short imprisonment.
The Hon. Reverdy Johnson arrived at Glasgow
yesterday, and proceeded to liilmardinay, as the guest of Mr.
Dalglish, M.P. To-day at noon his Excellency visited the
Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, where he was welcomed by
a large assemblage of members. An address was presented
expressing a deep sense of the importance of maintaining
friendly relations with the United States, cordial apprecia-
tion of. sir. Johnson's services towards the solution of dif-
ferences, and a hope that at no distant day the United States
would recognise the benefits of free trade. Eis Excellency,
In reply, said political economists were divided as to whether
commercial relations were best promoted by free trade.
When the United States were brought to see that free trade
gave this country an advantage in commercial relatioue With
Om fink wouitlitot_bo slow to Asiont it.