The Sun.
London, England, 1869-01-26 00:00:00

ATTEMPTED MURDER.

An inexplicable case of attempted murder has just been
investigated by the county magistratets at Southampton.
They committed the accused, a man named Morris, for trial,
but prison will ho nothing strange to him, for it tranpired,
that ho has been 20 times tried by court-martial, and 80
times in prison, and at last was discharged from the Poyal
Artillery, "unworthy of being a soldier" being the endorse-
ment on his discharge. Being abroad when discharged, he was
sent home, and arrived at Southamton on Saturday last,
Here a staff sergeant received him, but ho became so pas-
sionate on finding that his papers were not at once forth_
coming—they were sent by post by the same steamer--
that the sergeant handed him over to a sergeant-major of
the Army Hospital Corps stationed at Netley, who, on ac-
count of his running away and declaring that he would not
stop there, placed him in a ward usually allotted to,
convalescent lunatics and directed two men to see that he
did not run away. He became very much annoyed at hav-
ing to give up his bundle, and repeatedly complained to the
attendants that he was not at once discharged. During
Sunday night whilst one of them, named Coppins, wa.g
sitting in a chair, it is supposed asleep, the prisoner, with, a
rasor, which he must have secreted, cut his throat and bhut
him out of the ward. The second attendant hearing the
noise got up and tried to pacify him, but he threatened
to serve him the same, and then he quietly conversed with,
him for a time until assistance arrived. Tho prisoner wai
then secured. His papers arrived by the following post, and
he would in duo course have been discharged that morning.
His only defence was that the men had told him that he
was to meet with his death there, but this wasdenied. The
wounded man is likely to die. Morris's papers make no men-
tion of his showing traces of insanity.

TRADE AND FINANCE.

-d

The most important feature of the week in the stock
markets has been the announcement of a dividend of 14,
per cent. on the ordinary stock of the London, Brighton,
and South Coast Railway Company, an event not alto.
gether unexpected, but one scarcely anticipated. This
magnificent property, which at one time was returning
a fair dividend to the proprietors, was brought to the
verge of ruin by the operations of lawyers, engineers, and,
others interested in the starting of competing lines.
Eighteen months ago bankruptcy appeared imminent,.
The actual liabilities of the company on capital account
at that time amounted to £3,200,047, and their credit and
resources were so completely exhausted that the 4
directors found it impossible to renew the deben-
tures falling out at 5 per cent., or, indeed,
at any price. This failure put a total stop to the financial
operations of the company, and a complete exposure of
the state of affairs was the result. It soon appeared that.
the company had been ruined by extravagant expenditure
on lines that afforded but little chance of success. The
endeavour on the part of particular companies to
monopolise certain districts, with the view of pre-
venting competition, seems to have been particularlT,
grateful to the vanity of the directors, but proved in the
end extremely disastrous to the pockets of the shareholders.
In the case of the Brighton line, however, these proceed..
ings came to an end, although not before very extensive
damage had been done. The directors speedily re.
traced their steps. The " capital account " was
closed, or rather kept open only for legitimate
purposes, and many of the proposed lines were abandoned.
By judicious management and careful expenditure, the
directors have succeeded in redeeming the honour of the
company, now so long in pawn, and it is stated that the
whole of the Four-and-a-Half per Cent. Debenture Stock,
authorised by the meeting of the 30th of July last, has been
taken up, and no difficulty is now experienced in renewing
terminable debentures at a still lower rate of interest, SO
that all liabilities in respect of capital are amply provided
for. It must be noted that the results have been attained
without any fresh creations of capital.
The present accounts are the first published in the forms
prescribed by the recent Regulation of Railways, Act
and will tend to dispel much of the confusion which for-
merly existed in the minds of the shareholders with regard
to the condition and prospects of their property. It is
now compulsory to stay the actual condition of the
revenue and capital accounts, and the various items insisted
upon will go far to prevent any tampering with the
accounts, except by the most experienced and practised
hands. Another important feature is the fact that the
directors are obliged to state the estimated cost of lines in
course of construction.

The official liquidators in Overend, Gurney, and Com-
pany (Limited) have issued a circular, from which it
appears that they have been enabled to obtain advances
on the securities in their possession, and they will there-
fore be enable to meet the promissory notes falling due in
March next. This will necessitate another call of £5 per
share, leaving a further liability of £lO ; and the liquidators
openly hint at the fact that a further call of some amount
will be required in August to meet the promissory notes
falling due in September. The fact of the refusal on the
part of the banks to advance money upon them speaks
volumes as to the class of the securities in the hands of
the liquidators, and it requires no spirit of prophecy to
foresee that " Overend's—in liquidation " will long con-
tinue to exist, and that the greater part of the " securi-
ties" will take years to realise, if, indeed, they are ever
recovered. The present call is estimated to produce half
a million sterling, and it is hoped that part may at some
future time be returned to the shareholders, a matter
about which we have the gravest doubts.
Trade generally has been quiet, and notwithstanding
the abundance of money, there is very little evidence of
any great speculative movement. Wheat has declined
from 3s. to 48. per quarter, but the fall is more apparent
than real, as the condition of the produce is much affected
by the recent unfavourable weather experienced, and the
deterioration in quality is, in many lust Ances, very con-
siderable. Metals have ruled very active ; and English
tin, which advanced £l4 last year, shews a further improve-
ment of £4 to £5 since the Ist of January.
With regard to the wine trade, Messrs. Stallard and Smith
observe : " From Oporto we learn that the wines of last
year are progressing favourably, and although limited as to
quantity are likely to prove of good average quality. Great
care will be necessary in selecting the wines for shipment,
as many were spoilt by the rains falling at the time of
gathering ; we are by no means disposed to take the
gloomy view that many do of this branch of our trade, as
although it is true that the public taste is altered, so far
as high-priced old bottle wines is concerned, still there is
an evidently growing demand for wines well matured in
wood. The total quantity exported from Oporto last year
was 37,725 pipes, of which quantity 27,020 pipes were
shipped to the United Kingdom."

The London correspondent of a provincial news-
paper states that the completion of the agreement between
the State and the Telegraphs Company, which was in
jeoparday a few weeks ago, is now placed beyond doubt,
and Mr. Scudamore's magnificent schemes are therefore in A
fair way to be realised, to the great benefit of the general
public.
The Hon. Reverdy Johnson has accepted the in-
vitation of the Corporation of Manchester to pay a visit to
the city in the last week in February. In all probability
his Excellency will be entertained at a banquet in the
Town-hall, by the Corporation, on Thursday, the 25th of
February, and that an address from the City Council will be
presented to Mr. Johnson on the morning of the Mile d&y.
Herr Carl Hause, whose exquisite performance on
ening,
the pianoforte gave so much pleasure last season, an-
nounces that he will give a concert at the Queen's
February
Concert
aHtaenigovhetr;sq,cluoN•ce., on Thursday evening,'
the 4
rDmthvsE,
arisEmENti—Henceorth no ono will doubt the valuable
properties of Du Barry's health-restoring Revalenta Arabica
Invalids' and Infants Food, since to the thousands of blessings
it has already received from Invalids whose position had been
deemed hopeless, we may now add that of his Holiness the Pope,
whose health has been perfectly restored by it after thirty years of
unsuccessful medical treatment. We quote from the " Gazette du
Midi," July 25th :—" Rome, July 21,1866. - The health of the Holy
Father is excellent, especially since, abandoning all other reme-
dies,rab jig
Food, of which has confinedwhhh heimsconsumesentirelyelf to p 'sßeervva. lenta
Ameal.
aplaa Barry's
every
It has produced a surprisingly beneficial effect on his health, and
his Holiness cannot praise this excellent food too highly." We
extract a few out of more than 63,000 cures :—Cure No. 58,216, of
the Marchioness de Brehan, of seven years' liver complaint
wasting away, debility, nervousness, with a nervous palpitation,
all over, bad digestion, constant sleeplessness, and the most in-
tolerable nervous agitation. Cure No 1.771: Lord Stuart de
Decies, Lord-Lieutenant of Waterford, of many years' dyspepsia.
No. 49,832: "Fifty years' indescribable agony from dyspepsia,
nervousness, asthma, cough, constipation, flatulency, spasms,
sickness, and vomiting —Maria Joly " Cure No. 46,270: Mr.
James Roberts, of Frimley, Surrey, of 30 years' diseased lungs,
spitting of blood, liver derangement, and partial deafness. Im-
portant Caution—Beware of the many unsavoury and more than
sloppy imitations to which, without authority, Baron Liebig's
name is most audaciously attached.
•
In tins, at Is. lid. ; 1 lb. 2s. 9d. ; 2lbs. 48. 6d . , 511 as , lls •• 12 lbs.
225. ; 24 lbs., 40s.—Also BARRY'S REYALENTA ARABIC/. CHOCO-
LATE POWDER is packed in tin canisters; for 12 cups at 25., for 24
cups at 3s. 6d., for 48 cups at Cs., for 288 cu; at 308 for 576. cups
e 30s. and Atkalins
at 55s.—being about one penny per cam.
are sent free of carriage in England on receipt of Post Mace
Orden—BAßßY DU BARRY and Co., No, 77, Besent-street, Lon-
don; end ail cirocera and glemiltg.

ROIAL AMPHITIIEA [RE AND CIRCUS,
HOLBORN.
Continued Changes. New Programme every Evening. Ad-
ditional artistes. New AOR and Fresh Novelties. Signor CAS-
TELLorn in his thrilling and unparalleled Ladder Act, and
igrnr LI:FONT, the Elastic Wonder, every evening. Increased
attrActions in the performance of the Great CAERE Troupe,
introducing Herr Oscar Carre and his magnificent stud of Fifty
Performing Horecs. Ihe laughter provoking Clowns, Burgcs
and Loyal, in a series of whimsicalities. novel and new. In ad-
dition, a spectacular hit of Panlomimic Extravagance, entitled
THE M, RVEL OF ELECTRICITY, in which the whole
Strength of the establishment will take part, besides 250 troops
end beautiful ponies. Doors open at Seven, commence at half
Morning Pert -irmances Monday, Wednesday, and Satur-
-day, commencing at Half-past Two.

II E " SUN" NE WSPAPER.—G. R. GLEN lE,
14 Sporting Library, 4, Connaught-terrace, Edgeware-road.
lavers the LAT tt; EDITION of "THI SUN " at the earliest
oossible moment after leaving the press. Trois able to deliver
J)ples in Town, the Suburbs, and in many parts of the country
at a comparatively early hour the same evening, say 40 miles by
9.4 r) o'clock
Orders by pea punctually attended to;