The Sun.
London, England, 1858-09-16 00:00:00

FALKIRK TRYST.

TUESDAY, Sept. 14.—The second day of this
market commenced with the sale of cattle. The
weather being favourable, the cattle had a fair ap-
pearance. The show was composed of Highland
cows, 2-yr-old West Highland stots, and a fews lots
of 3-yr-olds of the same breed. North country stots
and stirks were a pretty large show. The Angus,
Galloway, Fife, and other polled cattle were, collec-
tively,a tolerable show. The short-horned cattle were
tolerably fair in point of quality, but rather short in
numbers. The Irish cattle were a short supply,but in
m any instances the qua litywas good. The buyers were
not, so many as has been seen at this market in
previous years, arising partly from the absence of
the feeding portion of the East Lothian farmers,
and also from fewer Englishmen being on the
ground. The market in the early part of the morn-
ing was somewhat stiff for .all kinds. The demand
for real West Highland stots and stirks was fair,
but for northern cattle the market was ex-
ceedingly stiff, particularly for stots, the inferior
kinds of which were difficult to cash ; and of this
description of stock a good number remained un-
sold at five o'clock. Kyloes were little in demand
in the morning, but a few lots towards the fore-
noon slipped off the ground. The Highland cows,
a number of which were on the ground (some of
them left since last market), met very little en-
couragement. - At the close of the market a con-
siderable number of all kinds were left unsold. The
six-quarter Argyleshire stirks ran from £2 10s. to
£4 10s., and the best quality about £6 a piece ;
two-year-olds, from £6 to £9; small northerns,

.om-- 325. 6d. to 40s. ; and ._heifers of the same
kind, from £6 to £9. Upon the general
Highland stock a reduction of at least 7f per cent.
was experienced below last month, and at least 15
per cent. below the corresponding market of last
year.

THE FRENCH CORN LAWS.—WC find the follow-
ing in the Echo Agricole :—" The question which excites
general attention at the present moment is what measure
the Government will adopt on the subject of the corn laws,
the provisional decrees which regulate the question expiring
on the 30th inst. We are asked what, in the event of the
sliding-scale being again brought into activity, will be the
position of persons who have purchased corn abroad, and
which shall not have arrived in a French port by the 30th.
The first decree of 1853, establishing the minimum of the
duties fixed by the law of April 15, 1832, or 25c per hecto-
litre, without distinction of place of growth or flag, replies
to the question. Art. 3of that decree says The enact-
ments of the preceding articles fixing at 2,5 c. per hectolitre
the entrance duty on corn and flour, and at 25c. per 100
kilos. Cott on rice and dried vegetables, shall be applicable
to all French or foreign vessels, which shall prove that their
cargoes, composed of the above mentioned articles, shall
hove been completed, and their departure effected from any
foreign port before Dec. 31, 1853.' As the enactments of
the decree of 1853 were successively extended to the 30th
inst., it follows that any vessel which shall have left any
foreign port before Sept. 30, will only pay the low duty of
2.5 c. The silence of Government as to its intentions on the
subject of the corn laws naturally gives rise to different sur-
mises. It is said "that other very important affairs having'
absorbed the time of Ministefs and the Council of State,
they have not been able to establish'a new law on any other
basis than that of the sliding scale, and that it may possibly
occur that the provisional decrees May.. be again extended
to the 31st Dec. next. It is said by ofhersihat these decrees
will be allowed to expire. on' the 31Sf Sept.., and that the
sliding-scale will come into operation litit only provisionally,
the intention of the Government being to present a new
law to the Council of State immediately after the close of its
vacation. The sliding-scale establishes such high duties
on importation that they are tantamount to prohibition. In
that case we should remain with only our own resources to
supply the consumption of the country and the probable de-
mand of our neighbours. Would such resources be suffi-
cient ?"

DESPATCH OF AMERICAN LETTERS.—The screw
steamer City of Washington, with 115 passengers, a good
cargo and mail, sailed yesterday for New York. On
Saturday next the Arabia, Cunard vessel, takes her de-
parture for New York with mails and passengers. Letters
for her must be posted on Saturday at one p.m., and with
late fees until two, on the landing stage at three.
EXPLOSION or GAS AT ALBERT-GATE, KNIGHTS-
BRIDGE.—On Tuesday night, shortly before 12 o'clock, the
inhabitants of Knightsbridge were greatly alarmed by a
tremendous report, resembling that of a heavy piece of
ordnance, which was soon ascertained to have proceeded
from an explosion of gas at the residence of Colonel Fulke
S. Grenville, Esq., M.P., Albert-gate, Knightsbridge, by
which three of the female servants were so severely injured
that faint hopes are entertained of their recovery. The
hon. member and family left town the day before yesterday
for Ireland, and some repairs of the gas pipes were
found necessary. Dining the night the servants were
awakened by a strong smell of gas; they proceeded down
stairs, when on entering the back parlour with a light a
terrific explosion took place, knocking down and scorching
them in a dreadful manner. On the smoke clearing off it
was found that Elizabeth Foot, Margaret Scales, and Eliza-
beth Blamfield were severely injured. They were at once
conveyed to St. George's Hospital, where Mr.lTomlinson,
house surgeon, rendered every aid that medical skill could
suggest, but the yoor girls remain in a dangerous state.
* PERILS OF PILGRIMAGE.—An incident has just
taken place, says the Par, which shows what a state of
disorganisation jarevails in Arabia at present. It is known
that a son &14.' No nephews of the Emperor of Morocco, to
fulfil a vow witde by the head of their family, left in May
last on a pil -Sage to the holy cities. After visiting Mecca,
they proceiejad to Medina, which contains the tomb of Ma-
hornet, as ilia as those of the two first caliphs, Aboubekir and
Omar, On leaving this latter city, the princes, who were ac-
companied by a numerous suite, were attacked by one of
the tribes of the district of Assyr, which pillaged the caravan
and insisted on receiving a large sum as the ransom of the
Moorish party. One of the young men having attempted to
offer reststanco was nearly filled. The princes, seeing that
-11°thing, ei6a.was to be clone, were obliged to send one of th!tir
officers to Yambo, a town under the rule of the Turkish
authorities, for the sum required ; and it was 'only when the
awourt was handed over to the assailants that the caravan
•014-coatinue ibis:m=o7.