The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-03 00:00:00

THE SIIN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING JANUARY 3, 1856

refusing leave of absence himself, and requesting
the Commander-in-Chief to do the same, or send
substitutes, but actually informing Lord LIVER-
root that with respect to certain General Officers
on leave, it "gave him much satisfaction, to find
they had been roughly handled by the newspapers !"
Shades of the Peninsula can it be possible! Ye
who devote the Newspaper Press to the infernal
gods for meddling with " the gentlemen of the
army," by reporting and commenting on their
lathes, what will you say to this ? It gave the
Iron Duke, who knew something about the Penin-
sula, " much satisfaction" to find delinquent
" General Officers" no less "roughly handled" by
the Press ! Jabber over that !

The Earl and Countess of Chesterfield have a large
party assembled at Bretby-park. Among the company
are the Countess Howe and Lady Adelaide Curzon, the
Countess of Glengall and Lady Margaret Butler, the
Earl of Wilton, the Earl of Euston, Lord Cavendish,
Lord Burghersh, Hon. Julian Fans, Col. the Hon. Cecil
Forester, Col. the Hon. James Macdonald, Mr. and
Lady Sophia Des Vceux, Lord Henry Gordon Lennox,
Mr. and Mrs. John Stanley, Mr. Knightley, Sir Thomas
and Lady Gresley, Mr. Bulkeley, and Miss Anson.
We understand that the Earl of Stamford has taken
the Quorn country, lately hunted by Sir Richard Sutton.
His lordship will reside at Melton Mowbray.
We understand that some other title will be substituted
for that of Ampthill in the peerage about to be conferred
upon Sir James Parke, lately one of the Barons of the
Court of Exchequer.
Lord and Lady Eleho have taken their departure
from the St. George's Hotel. The Hon. Augustus and
Lady Harriet Vernon, and Mr. henry Drummond and
Lady Lovaine, have also left the same establishment.
The name of Lady Adeliza Norman was substituted
for that of her sister in-law, the Lady Adeliza Manners,
in a paragraph which appeared in a contemporary yes
terday.

We are glad to learn that Sir George Grey was suffi-
ciently recovered from the effects of his recent severe
accident to attend at the Home-office yesterday.
Lord Ward has forwarded the sum of 201. is aid of
the building fund of the Birmingham Free Industrial
School.
EAST INDIA COAL COMPANY.—We are informed that
the East India Coal Company obtained its certificate of
complete registration under the Limited Liability Act
of 1855, on the 27th ult. The steam engines and ma-
chinery for working the mines on a large scale are now
in course of shipment to Calcutta.
" URGENT PRIVATE! AFFAIRS."—We perceive by the
latest general orders issued by the Commander•in•Chief
in the Crimea, that the officers going home " on urgent
private affairs "are Lieut.-Colonel Stepney, Coldstream
Guards ; Captain Digby, Grenadier Guard■ ; Paymaster
Blake, 93d Highlanders ; Lieut. Buller, 17th Regt. ;
Assistant-Commissary-General Croekshank.
DEATH OF SIR HENRY EVERY, BART.—The death of
Sir Henry Every, Bart., of Egginton-hall, Derbyshire,
is announced. The deceased baronet was well known
as a county gentleman of high standing, who was always
ready to make himself publicly useful. Sir Henry was
the ninth baronet, and a deputy-lieutenant for Derby-
shire. His grandson succeeds to the title and estates.
Sr. MATTHEW* BRIXTON.—The incumbency of this
church, lately rendered vacant by the resignation of Dr.
Vaughan, has been conferred upon the Rev. Mr. Gar-
land, incumbent of Deal.
The vessels from the United States which have en-
tered the port of Havre during the past week brought to
that port 96,596 barrels of flour, 117,352 sacks of wheat,
8,005 sacks of maize. In addition, eight other sessels
are either in the offing or in the port of llavre, without
having yet landed the breadstuffe which they have o❑
board.— Galignani,
THE MUSEUM OF ORNAMENTAL ART AT MARL-
BOROUGH HOUSE.—The number attending, &c., during
the month of December, were as follows :-11,050 per-
sons on the public days, and admitted free ; 270 persons
on the students' days, and admitted as students on
the payment of 6d. each, besides the registered of the
classes and schools.
A ROUGH•LEGGED BUZZARD.— A fine bird, of thehawk
tribe, believed to be a " rough-legged buzzard," was seen
on Friday in a field adjoining the High-station, South
Shields. Just as the half-past 12 o'clock train from
Shields approached the High-station the bird rose up
slowly and majestically, and flew about 50 or 60 yards,
when it alighted on the ground. The rough-legged buz-
zard is very common on the Labrador coast. It is also
found in the German forests, where it breeds. Some
years ago several specimens of this bird were obtained
from the neighbourhood of Shields and Marsden.—
North Shields Gazette.
THE WEATHER IN THE ATLANTIC.—The merchant ship
Elvira, of Boston, United States, Captain Crossby,
which left New York on the 7th of December, ran for
shelter into Plymouth on Monday. She has had fair
winds during the passage, but so strong that she was
constantly shipping seas ; and on the 22d a gale from
S.W. blew so furiously that the ship could not run be-
fore it any longer ; and the master was compelled to
heave her to, when she shipped several heavy seas—one
which swept away the bulwarks, and carried off the
second mate and two seamen, who were unfortunately
drowned. The same sea bruised the master and injured
several of the men, two of whom are not expected to re-
cover. The Elvira has lost her maintop-gallant-mast
and some sails. She is a new ship of 1,138 tons register,
and has on hoard 65,000 bushels of wheat and 300 barrels
of flour—one of the largest cargoes ever shipped. The
cargo is supposed to be uninjured.
FEARFUL GUNPOWDER EXPLOSION.—MALACCA, Nov.
14.—A frightful occurrence took place here on the
evening of the 12th inst. The schooner Alma, of this
port, had arrived here from Singapore in the course of
the day, with a considerable amount of cargo, but only
that part of it consisting of opium and about 3,000 dols,
in specie was then landed. The vessel anchored at Pulo
Jawa, about a mile from the town of Malacca, being
the place where small trading craft of the Alma's class
generally lie. Amongst the other cargo still remaining
o❑ board were 15 piculs of gunpowder, contained in 75
kegs, besides a picul belonging to the ♦essel, which was
in a small copper magazine. A heavy thunderstorm oc-
curred during the course of the evening, and about half-
past seven the Alma blew up, it is supposed from having►
been struck by lightning. There were twelve persons
on board at the time, consisting of the Chinese captain
and four of the crew, and seven Malays, passengers
from Singapore. One man was picked up alive, al-
though dreadfully wounded, and sent to the hospital,
and the bodies of the three others were found frightfully
mutilated. Of the other eight no traces had been dis-
covered, and the vessel itself is said to have been com-
pletely blown to pieces. A bale of cloth is reported to
have bee❑ found at Tither, about a mile from the place
where the schooner was anchored. There were no other
vessels lying ♦ery close to the Alma, those nearest being
the gun-boat and a large trading prahu, but as far as we
can learn no injury was done to those vessels, or any one
on board of them.
EXTRAORDINARY SPORT.—The Earl and Countess of
Stamford have had a large party of friends staying at
their beautiful seat, Enville-hall, Staffordshire. His
lordship and party have been enjoying field sports. On
the 19th ult. and following days, the following noble-
men and gentlemen killed an unpreoedented quantity of
game :—The Earl of Stamford, the Earl of Strathmore,
the Hon. S. Lyttelton, Sir Geo. Wombwell, Mr. H. C.
Taylor, Mr. W. 0. Foster, Mr. W. Trow, Mr. H. Brad-
ley, Mr. W. Grazebrook, and Rev. C. Jesson, killed, on
the 19th, 314 pheasants, 333 hares, 65 rabbits, 3 par-
tridges, 1 blackcock (hybrid), 1 bittern, and 4 wildfowl.
On the 20th, with the exception of Mr. H. C. Taylor,
the party killed 186 pheasants, 208 hares, 70 rabbits,
11 partridges, 5 woodcocks, and 3 wildfowl. On the
21st, the same gentlemen, with the exception of Mr.
H. C. Taylor and Mr. W. Trow, killed 490 pheasants,
58 bares, 52 rabbits, 2 partridges, and 4 wildfowl. On
the 22d, the same party, with the exception of Mr. W.
0. Foster and Mr. W. Trow, killed 126 pheasants, 133
hares, 40 rabbits, 1 woodcock, and 1 wildfowl. Total,
2,113 head.

- TESTIMONIAL TO A CLERGYMAN.—The inhabitants of
St, John's-wood have presented to the Rev. D. Butler,
M.A.., on his resignation of the curacy of St. John's-
wood Chapel, where he has officiated for 15 years, a very
handsome silver centre-piece for the table. It is composed
of three figures in frosted silver, representing Faith,
Hope, and Charity on a tripod stand, the oak tree form-
ing the stem above, which is beautifully represented in
silver ; the whole is surmounted with a basket, orna-
mented with acorns, containing a handsome glass bowl.
On one compartment of the tripod is engraved the fol-
lowing inscription :—" Presented to the Rev. Daniel
Butler, M.A., by friends and members of the congrega-
tion of St. John's Chapel, St. John's-wood, as a testi-
mony of their affectionate regard, and estimation of the
value of his ministrations, December, 1855." The centre
piece was manufactured by Charles Williams (late Catch-
pole and Williams), 223, Oxford-street.
CHANGES IN THE HOUSE OF PEERS DURING THE PAST
YEAR.--The following members of the peerage of the
United Kingdom have died since the Ist of January,
1855. The Dukes of Manchester and Somerset, the Mar-
quis of Thomond, the Earls of Sefton, Leitrim, Caith-
ness, Caledon, Stanhope, Carysfort, and Antrim ; Vis-
counts Boyne, Ponsonby, O'Neill, 'Afford, Hereford,
De Vesci, and Strangford ; and Lords Raglan, Decie4,
Kenyon, Erskine,Wharneliffe, Delamere, Ravensworth,
and Truro, together wirh the Baroness Basset. Of these
the Marquisate of Thomond, and the Viscounties of
Ponsonby and O'Neill and the Barony of Basset have
become extinct. During the same period the Earldom
of Southeak, a Scottish title attained in the rebellion of
the last century, has been restored in the person of Sir
James Carnegie, Bart., Mr. E. B. Roche, late M.P. for
County Cork has been raised to the Irish peerage as Lord
Fermoy, and Mr. Baron Parke has been created an Eng-
lish peer by the title of Lord Ampthill.
SERIOUS AFFRAY WITH POACHERS.—On the night of
Wednesday last, as Lord Wenusa's keepers, of Stanway-
court, Gloucestershire, were on their beat, one of then,
a man named Pigeon, was attacked by two poachers.
Ile collared one, and the other cried out to him, "If
You do not let my companion go I will shoot you," and
immediately discharged his gun, the whole contents of
which lodged in the right elbow joint. Finding Pigeon
still kept tight hold of the man, the latter commenced
an onslaught on the keeper with the butt end of his gun,
which he broke over the poor fellow's head. At this
moment two other keepers came to his assistance, but
the man whe fired the gun had made off. They ook
the other poacher prisoner, and we hear the man that
shot Pigeon has since'been'taken into custody. Amputa-
tion was deemed needful, and Pigeon's arm was taken
off below the shoulier joint, under the influence of chlo-
roform.

making arrangements for the better organisation
of the Asiatic affairs ; troops are sent there from
every part of the empire, with provisions and
clothing, as well as ammunition. Erzeroum is so
full of the latter that the Government has been
requested to stop sending any more.

pillaged all the inhabitants, three of whom were
seriously wounded in defending their property.
They earned off the most wealthy among them, in
order to obtain a ransom for them. Two of the
inhabitants were dreadfully mutilated by the as-
sailants, their noses and ears being cut off. On
the road from Athena to Afarcopoulos, it is not
safe to pass even in the open day. A few Nights
since some brigands entered the village of Tatoi,
near Athens, and made prisoners of and mutilated
some gendarmes who were stationed there."

SPAIN.
MADRID, Dec. 31.—The Government has been
authorised by tho Cortes to levy the taxes for 1856.
The decimal system is to be put in vigour in Spain
in 1856. M. Olozaga has left for Paris. Some
foreign capitalists are soliciting permission to esta-
blish a bank at Madrid.

Le Nord publishes an article professing to sot
forth the " real and absolute results obtained by
the allies after two years of war," in which neither
the capture of Sebastopol nor the destruction of the
Black Sea fleet is mentioned. "It would be diffi-
cult," according to this authority, " to decide
whether, upon the whole review of the two years'
war, the advantage belongs to Russia or to the
Allies."

A letter from Kalisch of the 25th ult., in the
Austrian Gazette, says :—" According to the
latest accounts from the Crimea, the Russian
troops have been reinforced by a regiment of Hus-
sars of the Guard and by the Radetzky regiment
of Hussars formerly stationed at Odessa. It is
therefore evident that no want of provisions is ex-
perienced by Prince Gortschakoff."

The Hamburg Correspondent states that in con-
sequence of orders transmitted from St. Peters-
burg, Vassif Pacha, General Williams, and six of
the other pachas taken prisoners at Kars, will be
taken to Moscow, and thence to St. Petersburg.
The other officers and the soldiers will remain for
the winter part at Tiflis, and the rest in the forti-
fied places in the Caucasus.

We read in the Journal de St. Petersbourg :
"The managers of the dispenSary of Maximilian,
placed under tho patronage of the Grand Duchess
Helena Pavloyna, announce that wounded officers
who may be staying in this capital will be gratui-
tously attended to, and that warm and light apart-
ments are at their service."

Mr. Drummond's late speech at Guildford is
reprinted conspicuously in the Journal dc St.
Pete) sbourg.

THE PENINSULAR MAILS.

SOUTHAMPTON, THURSDAY MORNING.
By the Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam
ship Sultan, Captain Christian, we have dates from
Gibraltar, December 26th ; Cadiz, 27th ; Lisbon,
30th ; Vigo, 31st.
The Sultan brings a few passengers, 3,1301. in
specie, and a cargo of fruit, eggs, &c.
During the voyage the Sultan experienced heavy
weather off Cape Corrobedo. On the 31st ult. she
spoke the steamer Madrid, with the outward Pen-
insular mails. Lisbon exchanges at three months
are quoted by this mail at 54i on London ; Paris,
521 ; Amsterdam, 431 ; Hamburg, 48 g ; Genoa,
518.

There was a scarcity of both bills and money on
London, and consequently a variation of one-eighth
upon the quoted rate ; on other places few trans-
actions had taken place, paper being scarce in con-
sequence of the rise in London. Stock and Bauk
shares shad risen at Lisbon, but were again dull
when the packet left, at 43 to 481 for Three per
Cents., with confreres ; and 44 to 441, for regis-
tered stock. Bank of Portugal shares, 500 to 503
milreis per share of 500 milreis. Oporto Bauk
Shares 17 to 20 per cent, premium.
Official notice bad been given that the King
would open the Cortes on the 2d January, by
which time the arrival of the Ministers of Finance
was expected.

Heavy rains bad prevailed, but the weather was
fairer when the Sultan left the Tagus.
Tho steam-transport Golden Fleece was at Gib-
raltar ; the Prompt, Etna, Caroline, Calpo, &c.,
had also touched the port.