The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-27 00:00:00

mos WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

Tins DAY—Morn. 24 min. aft. I—Evening 3 min. aft. 2
Tn-Moßsow—Morn. 23 min. aft2—Evening 45 min. aft. 2

THE WEATHER—Sux 031110 E, DECEMBER 27.
THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE.
41—highest shut° noon yesterday.
33 —fewest this morning and during the night.
36—this day at noon.
BAROMETER, 29'32—rising.
WIND, Northerly.—Light, with fine, frosty weather.

%*, •

§AIII,

LONDON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1856.

The sanguine hopes of a peaceful solution of
the Neuchatel difficulty, if not completely frus-
trated, have been greatly moderated, by recent
events. Prussia is disposed, for once, to take
high ground, requiring the immediate and uncon-
ditonal liberation, without trial, of the prisoners
charged with the
_abortive attempt at insurrec-
tion. Baron MANTEUFFEL, in his Note to the
Prussian representatives at Paris, London,
Vienna, and St. Petersburg, declares " the preli-
minary and unconditional fulfilment of that
demand to be indispensable to any ulterior nego-
tiation on the final• settlement of the questions
relating to"—what he is pleased to designate as
—" the Principality of Neuchatel." This, of
course, cannot be granted by the Federal Govern-
ment. It would virtually amount to a concession
of the entire question—a recognition of the claims
of FREDERICK WILLIAM to the Sovereignty of the
canton, an admission that any and every person
might with impunity endeaTour to overthrow the
existing government, and bring anarchy, or, what
is scarcely better, civil war into the unhappy dis-
trict.

" CLICQUOT" must have some very cogent reasons
for this extraordinary terror of a judicial investi-
gation. There is clearly something more than
meets the eye in his excessive soreness. It may
be that some awkward revelations may come to
light, that might implicate the Sovereign in the
acts of his quondam aide-du•camp. It cannot he
any doubt respecting the future fate of the cul-
prits. The Swiss patriots are too magnanimous
to shed their blood. They are not actuated by
feelings of vengeance, but merely by an inflexible
resolution to assert and maintain their ow* indepen-
dence, which would be seriously compromised, if not
altogether compromised, by submission to the
arrogant demand. That they will never abandon
under any circumstances, however ominous. For
that they will contend to the last man and the
last shilling ; and woe to those who, presuming on
fancied strength, shall assail the sacred principle.
The fate of CABLES the Bold and his myrmidons
may teach a salutary lesson to the invaders.

FREDERICK WILLIAM fancies that he has secured
the active assistance of France, and at least the
neutrality of England. Of Russian sympathy and
assistance he is certain, not only as a moderate
return for value received during the late war, and
the gratitude which, so far as Russia is concerned,
especially consists in a lively sense of future
favours, but also the intense hatred of the CZA RtO
anything associated with the Republican name.
The petulant effusion in the Moniteur, to which
we have recently directed public attention, proves
that he has not miscalculated the effect of the per-
sonal appeal to the vanity of the French Emperor.
The contemplated matrimonial alliance between
the heir presumptive of the House of Hohenzol-
leren and the Princess Royal, will, he confidently
anticipates, " muzzle the English Minister,' so
long as the unconstitutional influence of that ex-
cellent pater familias, the irresponsible Foreign
Secretary, shall remain in the ascendant, and as
we have already stated, there are ample reasons
on Russia. He could, therefore,
for counting
afford "to show his teeth," to " bark, although
not prepared to bite," to make exten-
sive military preparations, although, like
the celebrated King of FRANCE, it may be merely
to " march up the hill, and—down again."

L prudent Monarch he has secured a
locusil:n
j a
m_ a
means of wriggling out of any
untoward consequences. He will " certainly not
refuse to examine the proposals that may be made
as the result of united diplomatic action." The
moderation (!) of which he has already given so
many proofs is not yet excluded by the military
measures which he is preparing. Like Mr.
LENVILLE, when about to assault NICHOLAS
NICKLEBY, be has provided a loophole for escape,
and, judging from his antecedents, he will not be
slow to avail himself thereof when the proper

time shall arrive= that is to say, when he finds
all his buckrum any i bullying going for nought.
Like ancient PISTO L, he will eat his leek, but will
also lustily swear a t the inconvenience. Notwith-
standing the oral: nous appearance of affairs, we
therefore confided tip anticipate that the Prussian
cloud will pass a W ay, and that the manly attitude
of the Swiss will secure that which they have so
deeply at heart- —the permanent independence of
their loved fatlic u•land.

It will be obas rued from a communication given
by us in another part of onr impression of this
evening, that 111 Tr. HENRY BERKELEY is "at it
again"—delightf ! About the Ballot of course,
for what but the Ballot could be expected to be
the theme of an:r of Mr. HENRY BERKELEY'S cora-
munications ? 'What possibly could COLUMBUS be
expected to talk about—before the discovery of
the New World —but the lands beyond the
Atlantic, the realms of Prester John, the
regions of Cathay and Cipango ? What—during
the agitation of the League what but
the iniquity of the Corn Laws could possibly be
the theme of Mr. COBDEN'S vituperations ? What
—before the grant of 20,000,0001. by way of com-
pensation to the West India Planters—what but
the infamy of the Slave Trade could be the object
of the ire of Crai-airsoN ? And precisely what
CLARKSON was to the cause of Emancipation—
and what COBDEN was to the causeof Free-Trade—
and what CoLumsus was to the beautiful hypothesis
of another Hemisphere we take Mr. HENRY
BERKErgY to be to the cause of the Ballot. It
is essentially his cause. He is its chief recognised
advocate. He, as far as England is concerned, is
conspicuously and pre-eminently the champion of
the Ballot, the champion of the principle of Secret
Voting, the champion at once of the independence
of the Electors, and of their Chosen Represen-
tatives.

As such, and as such, we may say, notoriously,
anything the hon. member for the city of Bristol
may write in regard to the Ballot is entitled, we
conceive, to very particular consideration. Mr.
BERKELEYhaS now manfully, but good -humouredly,
and most resolutely, taken up the cudgels with the
Times—about the Ballot. And. how they do
belabour each other, to be sure, with the heartiest
goodwill imaginable ! You may hear the
sounding thwacks, dealt right and left, if
you will but listen for a few moments to

the combatants. About the heaviest blow
of all, to our thinking, being the one but just
now delivered. Mr. BERKELEY, in it, fairly has
his adversary—in lAGo's phrase—" upon the
hip ! " Would that it might prove not only a
heavy blow, but a great discouragement as well
—as far as the Times' animosity to " The Bal-
lot" is concerned !

The owners and occupiers of property on the
River Thames will have an immediate oppor-
tunity afforded them for deriding on such mea-
sures as may be deemed necessary to avert the
evil with which they are threatened—viz., the
discharge of the Metropolitan sewage between
London and Gravesend. The deputations ap-
pointed by the Mayor and Corporation of Graves-
end, and by the inhabitants of Eritb, to wait on
Lord PALMERSTON and the LORD MAYOR and
Aldermen of London, in opposition to the various
schemes of the Metropolitan Board of Works,
have issued a circular, notifying and practically
inviting their attendance on Monday next at a
public meeting, to be held. at the Bridge House
Hotel, London Bridge. It is to be hoped
the owners and occupiers of property so situated
will respond as they ought to the invitation,
and give their best support to the public-
spirited gentlemen of whom the deputations
are composed. The unanimous feeling and
opinion of both Gravesend and Erith
is faithfully represented by them and a large
minority of the Metropolitan Board, and the
London public is of their way of thinking. In
justice, therefore, to these gentlemen, and in
order to the prevention of a great and costly
blunder, we trust the attendance will be large,
and the course decided on worthy of the occasion.
A short-sighted spirit of economy or an implicit
reliance on Government would be sadly misplaced.
Now is the time for effort, when prevention is
possible, rather than afterwards, when action may
prove too late. Government have the plan of
the Board in hand, and, whatever plan may be
ultimately decided on, will have to submit it to
Parliament for approval. For anything we know
to the contrary, there is no indisposition on the
part of the Premier and his colleagues to act
fairly in the matter ; but it must be remembered
to carry out the sewage beyond Erith to Sea
Reach will cost a round additional sum ; and a
good case must not merely exist, but be clearly
shown, to induce either the Chancellor of the
Exchequer or Parliament willingly to part with or
to vote away the money. The issue is a good deal
in the hands of the parties invited to the meeting
—the parties, in fact, who will be the chiof suf-
ferers in health and pocket if a bad plan is decided
on. The way to have this issue as they desire is
to follow the lead of the individuals who have
issued the invitation—gentlemen who have given
proof of their ability, and who appear to have a
thorough understanding of the subject. Depend
upon it, a powerful combination and the utmost
vigilance of a standing oommittee will be required
to insure an approximation to absolute justice.
One way or other resistance will have to be
offered, and that oharacterised by promptitude
and discretion.

"The great Holt rabbit case" appears even
worse than we had anticipated. It is impossible
to peruse the report of the proceedings and the
able and independent arguments of the eminent
barrister (Mr. M'ENTEER) who represented the
prisoner HAGON, without being painfully
struck by the flagrant contempt of law and
justice exhibited by some of the " great unpaid"
in the transaction. That report appears in, ex-
tenso in another part of this day's impression, and
we heartily commend it to the consideration of
every unprejudiced and true-hearted Englishman.
There is no point more thoroughly con-
ceded than that no men should take
part in adjudicating on matters in which
they are in any degree personally concerned. But
Lord HASTINGS, despite the pending application
respecting his own, to say the least of it, intem-
perate conduct respecting. a previous deci-
sion on a precisely similar point, persisted
in remaining on the bench, notwithstanding
the earnest remonstrances of a gentleman not
to be put down by magisterial insolence,
or lordly slang—nay, more, from his privileged
place, he thought proper to add to the insults he
had previously offered to Mr. TILLETT, saying,
when asked whether he could " deny the fact that
he had entered Mr. TILLETT'S house, threatened
to blow his brains out, and did every thing he
could to prsvoke him to fight a duel"—" Why,
my good fellow, ho has no fight in him !
If Mr. TILLETT likes —I have no doubt"--
Here the Noble Baron left a hiatus valde deflendas,
but the meaning whereof was rendered perfectly
clear by the subsequent hint—" You know that
in Ireland they do these things much easier !"
It is true that his Lordship subsequently retired

from the bench without joining in tne adjudica•
tion. The suggestion of an indictment at the
next assizes produced that effect. But he had
taken part in the proceedings—and scarcely had
the Right Hon. JACOB ASTLEY BARON HASTINGS
departed before Colonel F. ASTLEY conveniently
arrived—and although he had not heard all the
evidence gave hia casting vote in favour
of the conviction. He had even the sin-
gularly bad taste to interrupt, and, vainly
attempt to confuse, the learned counsel for the
defence. All these are matters that cannot rest
at the present stage. That there must be ulti-
mate proceedings is certain, and neither Lord
HASTINGS nor Colonel ASTLEY may greatly pride
themselves.

But it also clearly appears that a question of
title was at issue ; and that it was an attempt,
by means of a criminal proceeding before unpaid
magistrates, to get rid of a disputed right, which
had been enjoyed for more than half a century by
the defendants and their predecessors. This was
a grave question, which could only be pro-
perly settled before a superior court, or at all
events by one of the venerable and strictly im-
partial Judges of the land. The refusal of the
professional gentleman who appeared for the
prosecution to produce the award, which he did
not venture to deny was in his possession,
power, or procurement, and which it was
asserted gave the right claimed by
the defendants, and totally negatived the
charge should at once have terminated the pro-
ceedings. But Mr. WENTEER went further. To
the astonishment and dismay of the prosecutors,
he produced a copy of the award, which established
the right of his client to do that which was called
a trespass, and he tendered witnesses to prove
that the common had been in the possession of
these men for forty-five years. But still
the majority of the magistrates were bent
on a conviction, and they sent these
deeply-injured men to spend their Christmas
holidays in a House of Correction, in default of
payment of the fine imposed.
As we have stated, the matter cannot rest
here. We trust that Sir GEORGE GREY will con-
sider fully and maturely the means necessary to vin-
dicate the law, and to prevent so gross an abuse of
power, by interested parties, in any future pro-
ceedings of a similar character.
It is but justice to Mr. W. H. COZENS-HARDY
to say that he emphatically protested against the
decision of his brother magistrates, and acted
throughout with strict propriety and justice.

PRINCE FREDERICK WILLIAM OF
PRUSSIA AND LORD COWLEY.

The following bit of gossip has been furnished to the
Nord by one of its Paris correspondents. Speaking of
the ball which took place at the Tuileries, on the 20th
inst., the writer says :—" I am enabled to communicate
to you a little incident of this fete, about which there is
much talk in the diplomatic circles. You know it is the
custom at court fetes for the ambassadors to have the
precedence even over princes of the blood, if they are
not direct heirs to the throne. In deference to the Prince
of Prussia, hie august guest, the Emperor expressed a
desire that his Highness might offer his arm to the Em.
press, and preferred a request to the ambassadors of Aus-
tria, Russia, and England, that they would condescend
to yield their right for that evening. Baron Hubner and
Count Bisseleff immediately complied with the wish so
courteously expressed by his Majesty, remarking that
the application made to them was in itself a sufficient
recognition of their claims. Lord Cowley, however, did
not take the same view ; in company with Lady Cowley
he left the ball. It is needless to say that by everybody,
and especially by the ether diplomatists present on the
occasion, this proceeding of the noble lord is regarded as
being anything but consistent with the rules of propriety
and courtesy. It is said—for, as you may imagine, this
incident has given rise to many calculations—that Lord
Cowley, who represents the hostility which Lord Pal-
merston entertains towards Prussia, and, above all, to the
future alliance of the Royal family of Englaud with that
of Prussia, has not been sorry to have the opportunity
of making towards the illustrious prince, in whom these
two families are to be united, what might be called a
demonstration. It must be confessed that the time and
the place were at all event; badly chosen."

Francis Brodigan, Esq,, of Pilton House, county
Meath, and Pall mail, London, has been appointed as
High Sheriff for the county and town of Drogheda for
the year 1857.

Governor Stevenson, of British Honduras, has, we
are informed, been appointed to the Mauritius, and Mr.
Seymour, who is now President of Nevis, will succeed
Mr. Stevenson at Honduras.

The private letters from Paris manifest an improved
tone. A return of the Bank of France to their ordinary
limit of 90 days for discounted bills seems to be expected
almost immediately.
The Amsterdam stock-market exhibits a slight in.
crease of firmness. At Hamburg the rate of discount
has receded from 7 per cent, to 6i.
The bar silver brought by the last West India steamer
has been sold at 6114. per ounce, an advance of id. on
the price obtained for that by the previous packet. A
slightly higher price has, however, been obtained in the
interval.

APOTUECARIES' HALL.—The following are the names
of gentlemen who passed their examination in the science
and practice of medicine, and received certificates to
practise, on Wednesday, Decembtr 24 :—William Rey-
nolds Hayne, Essex ; John Neill Waugh, Australia ;
Henry John Beach, Cheltenham ; Herbert Beresferd,
Chesterfield ; Henry Gawen Sutton, Middleshro'-on
Tees ; Dani©l Benjamin Hine, London ; Lauriston Win •
terbotbam, Cheltenham, ; William Henry Collins, Here-
ford ; John Irwin, Whitehaven ; Philp Wyatt Cockell,
Royal Navy ; Samuel Rowe, Leice,ter.
ANOTHER MEDAL FOR COUNT CAVOUR.—Count
Cavour was, on the 22d, presented, at Turin, with
another gold medal sent by the inhabit,nts of Como. It
bears on the obverse the profile of the Count, and on
the reverse the words, "To the defender of the Italian
cause. Como, 1856," surmounting an anchor and branch
of oak. This testimony was accompanied by an appro-
priate address, concluding as follows : " While we,
rendered impatient by our long sufferings, must yet limit
our efforts to such sterile demonstrations, do you, in the
proud post you occupy, continue indefatigably the work
you have commenced, in order that success may soon
crown our hopes,"
SHIPWRECK AND EXTRAORDINARY ESCAPE OF TSE
CAPTAIN.—A letter from Falmouth announces the
total loss of the brig Ritson, of Maryport, which
left Liverpool on the 25th ult., for Barbadoes, with a
general cargo. She was a brig of 237 tons, and had
a crew of seven hands on board, one of whom was
drowned. The brig foundered on the 15th instant,
having met with a hurricane, attended with a very
13th started
1 h
5 t
thecrew
the stern,
no longer keep her afloat, and she
damagefoundered.e thatthe 1
The
on the
was done in hat. 45 44 N., long. 10 44 W.
didhea heavy
other s sea,
a , which
damage, (t
°n
Captain Colzier went down with the vessel to a great
depth, and was on her when she blew up with a tre-
mendous force, but happily he rose aga'n, and was
a spar which came up from the bottom with
extreme yvelocity so as to rise 45 feet above the surface
of the sea. The crew got away in boats, and were
picked up by a Dutch vessel.
REPRESENTATION OF DUMFRIESSHIRE.—By the demise
of the Marquis of Queensberry, Lord Drumlanrig, his
only son, and representative of Dumfriesshire in the House
of Commons, has become Marquis of Queensberry. In all
probability his accession to the peerage will render the
representation of Dumfriesshire vacant, though we believe
the point has never been formally tried whether or not
Scottish Peers can sit in the House of Commons. In
the event of a vacancy, however, the election cannot
occur for some time. The general impression, as far
as we can judge, is that the former representative of the
county, Mr. Hope Johnstone, of Annandale, ought to be
asked to renew his connexion with the constituency.
The only public part which has recently been taken by
Mr. Hope Johnstone in political affairs has been is re-
ference to the important question of education ; and
though on this subject he does not go so far e.s we could
wish, the views which he enunciated, particularly at a
county meeting held here in April last, prove that he is
no bigoted adherer to things as they were, but is pre-
pared to legislate in accordance with the changes which
arise in the condition of the ceuntry- —Dumfries Courier
hibtENSE SCREW COLLlERS.—Arrangements are being
made on the Tyne to introduce a class of vessels into
the coal trade which, if the experiment prove successful,
must materially affect the fortunes of this branch of our
mercantile marine. The present class of screw colliers
carry from five to six hundred tons ; but Hugh Taylor,
Esq., of Backworth House, the chairman of the London
Coal Exchange, and other gentlemen engaged in similar
operations, have determined to build a fleet of vessels to
be employed in this trade capable of doing more than
double the duty performed by the moderately-sized
vessels now in use. Messrs. Charles Mitchell and Co.,
of Low Walker, are building the first of these vessels.
She will be 250 feet long, 35 feet broad, and of corres-
ponding depth, and will carry 1,500 tons of cargo, and
sufficient fuel for the voyage. The bottom of the ship
will be made double, and will be constructed on the
cellular tubular principle, the same as adopted in the
Great Eastern steam ship, building at Millwall. The
space between the double bottom will be made available
for carrying water ballast on the return voyage, of which
there will be 450 tons. Messrs. Mitchell and Co. are
also building another class of iron screw colliers, to go
with eargoes above bridge in the Thames,--Sunderland
Herald.