The Sun.
London, England, 1867-10-19 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONvON, SATUBDUY EVE'NENG, OCTOBER 19, 1867.

BRITISH rossx

London, Chatham, and Dover Railway.

MEETING THIS DAY.

This morning a general meeting of the share-
holders of the London, Chatham, and Dover Rail-
way was held at the board-room of the Victoria
Station—Mr. Hodgkinson, M.P., in the chair—for
the purpose of electing a share director, pursuant to
the provisions of the London, Chatham, and Dover
Railway (Arrangement Act, 1867).
The CHAIRMAN said that the meeting of to-day,
as they all knew, would be under different auspices
from the previous ones, and that they now met in
compliance with the clauses of an Act of Parliament
for arranging the affairs of the company.

The CHAIRMAN then went into a narrative of the
arrangements which had been made since they were
obliged by the bad position of their company to
take some radical steps to preserve their very
valuable property, reminding them that a committee
of investigation was appointed, which committee
went into an elaborate scruti►►y into the precise
position of the company ; and on October 1 a report
was prepared, and in that report it was deemed ad-
visable to ask the whole of the directors to retire,
with the exception of Lord Harris, the chairman ;
and although his lordship had since retired, it
was only just to say that further examina-
tion justified this recommendation. They would
also recollect that the committee of investigation
was appointed iu the place of the others, and that
there was a debenture committee, with Mr. llodg.
son as chairman, and these several bodies brought
their bills before Parliament, and it was under the
authority of this Act that they met to-day to carry
out that clause, which says they should elect a
fourth director within two months.
Mr. HARTRIDGE said that the directors were not
now directors, but trustees. They (the share-
holders) could not do anything without resorting
to the courts of law. The new Act had placed
them in this position.

A SHAREHOLDER wished to know whether the
officials of the company were to remain, for the
shareholders had heard a great deal with regard to
them, such as free tickets being given to their
friends to travel up and down the line with, &c.
The CHAIRMAN, in reply, said that the accounts
had been prepared in compliance with the advice
of the Investment Committee. With regard to
the consolidated bill of the company the share-
holders had approved of it. He knew nothing
about the free tickets, but they would inquire
into it.

Mr. BUCHANAN then proposed Mr. George
Cavendish Taylor, and said that he was one of a
smellfungus committee who had looked into all
the minutiae of the company's affairs, and his con-
duct had been much approved of.
Mr. lIOTHAM seconded this nomination.
He was unanimously elected, and this terminated
the meeting after a vote of thanks to the chairman.

THE PRICE OF FOOD.

The rise in the price of wheat is exciting interest,
not unmixed with astonishment. The harvest in
England was considered fair, and in America abun-
dant. It is now asserted tl at the promise given by
the well-developed ears has tees deceptive, the yield
when threshed not equalling the expectation. The
French crop is lees than an average. I'olan I, Bel-
gium, Spain will be complied to import, while
Southern Russia and Hungary have enormous sup-
plies. The harvest in Egypt is good ; and in Tur-
key, both in Europe and Asia, the crops are fair.
Large as the yield this year has been throughout the
United States, prices keep up, for it is known that
both in England and throughout America the
surplus supplies have been heavily drawn on. In-
deed the United States was approaching a famine
when the bountiful harveAs of this year came to the
rescue. California will export largely, for her gr.i-
narks have of late years been fall, except when she
sent away her surplus stores. It is not then that
the average yield of the present year has been
deficient that the rse is due so much as to the ne-
cessity for making good the deficiency of former
years, more especially in the United States. Two
or three large harvests on the great prairies will fill
up the exhausted barns of the world, but the United
States cannot redeem in one year the waste of half a
decade. Some allegea combination of Greek specula.
tors on a gigantic scale as the cause. Bat what most
surprises is the fact that, while the loaf rises, meat,
especially mutton, which is known to be more abun-
dant than ever, should not fall. The public may rest
assured that it is easier to raise than to reduce prices.
The energy of the few will beat the grumbling of
the many, each of whom is not materially interested.
People erroneously imagine they have established
Free Trade, and that prices will find their true level;
but a careful inquiry will show that they are victims
of monopolists, who plunder them right and left,
even in their great commercial metropolis of Lon-
don. What is the difference between the buying
and selling price of a fishmonger in a fashionable
district ? Let the customer buy in Billingsgate,
and even then he will obtain an imperfect idea.
France has been entertaining the world, having
attracted, by her warm invitations, hungry thou-
sands, who have helped to empty her larder and to
fill her purse. She has made a good thing out of
her generous invitation, and now her agents are
everywhere employed in purchasing the grain of
Europe. What with the deficient harvest and the
unusual strain on her supplies she has much to
make good ; and her factors compete with those of
England in all the grain markets and help to raise
the price. We extract from the Springfield Repub-
lican of Oct. 5 the following report on the harvest
in the United States :

" THE ABUNDANT HARVESTS OF 1867.—The crop
reports of the department of agriculture for August
and September have just been issued. The August
reports give the general average for the several
States, from the approximate estimates of corres-
pondents, of the crops then harvested as compared
with those of 1866, together with the current con-
dition of the growing crops, while the September
tablespertain chiefly to the state of the fall crops. The
August returns show a uniform reduction in the gene-
ral average of wheat as compared with the July
figures, and in the September estimates the wheat
harvested as compared with the crop of 1866 drops
the figures somewhat lower in a number of the
States. This is attributable to bad weather while
harvesting, and in some sections the grain is found
to be shrivelled and threshed out less to the acre
than anticipated. The leading wheat-growing
States report the following percentage of increase
at the close of the harvest :—Ohio 130, Indiana 50,
Michigan 33, Wisconsin 17, Minnesota 25, Illinois
11, lowa 20, Missouri 40, Kentucky 34, West
Virginia 60, Virginia 50, Tennessee 40, Georgia 80,
Arkansas 45, New York 14, Pennsylvania 40.
Only Kansas and Texas show a falling off from last
year. The amount of those crops for the current
year will be more accurately shown by the reports
due October 1.

" The prospects of the corn crop continue to im-
prove, :and if the frost holds off the general crop
may be a fair one. While a number of States re-
turn a low estimate, others, particularly the
Southern States, show a marked improvement
over last year. The cotton crop promise,' well
up to September first, when the worms were ap-
pearing, and much apprehension is 'felt in various
sections for its safety. Of the cotton-growing
States, extracts from the correspondence show
that Georgia promised to yield 53 per cent.
beyond the crop of 1866, South Carolina 50, Ala-
bama 42, Mississippi 24, Arkansas 18, and Ten-
nessee 9 ; while Louisiana and Texas show a con-
siderable falling off from last year. Rye, barley,
and oats exhibit no material change from the pre-
vious reports, though oats are seriously injured in
some sections by the extreme wet weather during
the harvest, but generally the crop appears superior
to that of last year. Buckwheat shows an average
acreage, with prospects of a fair crop. Potatoes
are rotting badly in many large potato-growing
States, and the crop will probably fall below the
yield of last year. The leading sugar-producing
States show a fair increase over the crops of last
year. Sorghum is evidently on the decline in most
of the States without sufficient reason. The crop
now growing is in good condition.

_ .
" In a few States the apple crop promises well, but
in a majority the crop will be from 10 to 40 per
cent. below the crop. of last year. Hay shows an
increase in almost every State, and quite a large
one in many, Pennsylvania returning an increase of
50 per cent., New York 24, Michigan, Wisconsin,
and Illinois 28, Indiana 26. The average will reach
from 25 to 30 per cent. above the crop .of 1866. The
wool clip will probably fall from 5 to 10 per cent.
short of that of last year, which is attributable to
the severe weather of last winter, and the conse-
quent exposure and destruction of a large number
of sheep."

THE ALLEGED DANGER OF BOAT-RACING.-S 0 far
as we aro able to gauge medical opinion amongst those who
have the best opportunities of judgment, and who are
special authorities on the subject, Mr. Skey's caution as
to the evils of boat racing finds but a feeble echo in their
experience, or in the suggestions which spring from it.
Several of the most eminent physicians in London who
have communicated to us their experience are unable to
recall a single case of heart-disease which could be
traced to it; and, while one or two isolated instances
of mischief to the vessels of the lung dwell in
their memory as exceptional, they are disposed to
believe that the risks of over-exertion aro fully ap-
preciated by boating mon, and that the weak who
suffer in training most usually take early and timely
warning. The evidence of Professor Humphry, who care-
fully discusses this subject in a letter which we print to-
day, goes entirely in the same direction. With an experi-
ence of a quarter of a century in large Cambridge practice,
constantly in contact with the boating men, he believes that
the ill-effects of boat-racing aro rare, and can quote no
striking instance 'of thorn. On the other hand, he lays a
great stress on the enormous ♦alue of the exercise as a
physical training, which can ill be spared for our rising
youth, and as a pastime which forms the man and pre-
pares him for after struggles in life, while it is free from
vicious associations.—British Medical Journal.

A GOLD-DIGGER'S FORTUSES.—One day at
Ballarat a man rushed up to the polico magistrate, his
face livid, and speechless with excitement, so that tho
magistrate began to think he had just committed or
witnessed a murder. At last he found words to ex-
press himself. lie had coma upon a nugget so big
ho could scarcely carry it, and dared not bring it in alone.
Two or three of the p dice went back with hint to holy
him, and he brought it in in triumph, followed by a
procession of diggers. And indeed it Was a nugget. It
was about as big as a leg of mutton, and much the saute
shape, white lumps of quartz sticking to it like so much
fat. It weighed 135 pounds, and ho was offered
£5,000 for it on the spot. He refused to soil it., and take
it home to England, to exhibit it. But it proved to bo a
nugget of expensive habits, and at last was sold to pay for
its keep and lodging, and the finder ended, as so many
finders of great nuggets ended, in poverty and wretched-
ness, and even madness.

POLLUTION OF RIVERS.—The Royal Commission,
over which Mr. R. Rawlinson presides, has held meetings
this week at their offices, Victoria-street, Westminster, for
the purpose of arranging for the prosecution of inquiries
into the condition of rivers in the South of England and in
Wales.

The well-known actress, Miss Kate Terry, was
on Thursday married to Mr. Lowis, of the EM (2f Lewis
and Allouby, Regent-street.

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.—This Day.

(Before the Assistant-Judge.)

STEALING THE MARCHIONESS OF HASTINGS'S RINGS.

John Thomas Bell was placed at the bar charged
with stealing six valuable rings, the property of the
Marchioness of Hastings, from her ladyship's
boudoir at the St. George's Hotel, Albanarle-
street.

The prisoner pleaded not guilty.
Mr. Sleigh prosecuted and Mr. Ribton defended
the prisoner.
Miss Bradley was the first witness examined.
She stated that she was lady's maid to the Mar-
chioness of Hastings. The marquis and marchioness
were staying at the St. George's Hotel, Albe-
rnarle-street, in July last. Her ladyship had
a quantity of va:uablo jewellery, amongst
them a number of rings. They were
quite safe when her ladyship arrived at the hotel.
On the 21st of July six rings were stolen from her
ladyship';3 jewel case. The rings produced are those
taken awry by some person.
Mr. Lampart, proprietor of the White Bear
Hotel, Piccadilly, said the prisoner in July was
staying at his house. On the 21st of July he saw
the prisoner between one and two o'clock ; he was
not then wearing rings. Between five and six the
same evening the prisoner was wearing six on his
fingers. The next morning prisoner asked him to
lend him some money on the rings, which he refused.
On the Monday following, the 29th, he asked if any
letters had arrived for him, and being told in the
negative, he said it was very inconvenient, as he
should not be able to go to Goodwood. . He then
asked whether he (witness) would advance him some
money on the two rings he had previously left in his
care. He (witness) told him he had better send them
to a pawnbroker's. He said he did not know one,
and he then asked witness if he would oblige him by
sending the rings to a shop of that description. He
(witness) got £5O on the rings from Mr. Brown's, in
Leicester-square, which he gave the prisoner. Pri-
soner then left town for Goodwood. On August 15
he saw an advertisement in the papers respecting
some stolen jewellery, and he then gave information
to the police, and a day or two after Inspector Sil-
verton came to his (witness's house) and took the
prisoner into custody. lie never made any com-
munication to the prisoner before he gave informa-
tion to the police. lie saw the prisoner in the
House of Detention. He (witness) said he was
sorry to see him there, and prisoner replied it was
the greatest lark in the world how he got the rings.
He was walking along Bond-street, and met a
lady, she took him to a street leading out of Bond-
street, went through the hall, where there were
servants in livery, upstairs into the drawing-room,
and stayei there about three quarters of an hour,
after which the lady put the rings on his fingers,
and Put two on her own hand at the same time out
of the case. He went on to say he had made an
appointment to meet her the next night, and, as he
had no money, he borrowed the money of me on the
rings. The lady, he said, had made an appointment
to meet him the following night, but she did not
keep it. Witness advised him to give all the infor-
mation he could in order that the property might
be recovered. That was the only account that
prisoner gave of how he became possessed of the
rings. _ _ _

kr. Ribton—Then it is in consequence of the
information the prisoner gave that the rings have
been recovered.

Mr. Sleigh said it was not so.
Witness—lie gave information with respect to
two, but of the others he said he could not recollect
where they were. After the money had been ob-
tained he went about a good deal. On leaving
Goodwood prisoner went to Worthing, he said, to
meet the object of his heart.
The Assistant-Judge—The object of his what ?
Witness—His heart, my lord.

In reply to further questions from Mr. Ribton,
the witness said the prisoner di I not make any
mystery about the rings ; he wore them publicly in
the coffee-room. The first step ho took with
respect to putting the police on the tract was to go
to Messrs. Hancock, the Court jewellers, who had
an advertisement in the papers relative to the loss of
the rings.
In reply to Mr. Sleigh, witness said he had known
the prisoner for four or five months, and always as
the Hon. M. Bruce. Prisoner always seemed,
whilst ho was at witness's house, to have plenty of
money.

The Assistant-Judge—Have you over bad ahy
betting transaction with prisoner ?
Witness—No, my lord.
Mr. Phillips, assistant to a pawnbroker at 35,
Brewer-street, said he bought one of the rings pro-
duced for £25. Prisoner said they were family
jewels, and being pressed for money he was dis-
posing of them. He gave the name of tbo Hon.
Henry Bruce Stillwell, Royal Engineers, Chatham.
Mr. Crouch, of 203, Oxford-street, said on the
23d of July the prisoner entered his shop and asked
him to buy a diamond cluster ring. He said ho
wanted £35 for it. Witness eventually bought the
ring for £25. Prisoner gave the name of the Hon.
M. Stillwell, 3d Company, Royal Engineers, Chat-
ham. Witness saw the prisoner wearing two of the
other rings now in court.

Mr. James Webb, jeweller, Oxford-street, said
he purchased one of the rings now produced, from
the prisoner, on the 23d of July. Prisoner asked
£25 for the ring, but he eventually gave £lB for it.
The prisoner gave the name of Bruce, and his
address at St. Johu's Wood.

Samuel Button, assistant to Mr. Attenborough,
of Piccadilly, said on the 26th of July the prisoner
brought in a ring for sale, for which he wanted £3O.
Ile gave the name of Henry Bruce, 3d Company
Royal Engineers, Chatham. He gave the prisoner
the price he asked for the ring.
William Wilder, assistant to Mr. Brown, of Cran-
bourne-street, proved the pledging of the two rings
for £5O by Mr. Lampard.
Mr. Henry Dore, partner iu the firm of Hancock
and Sons, jewellers, of Bruton-street, said the value
of the six rings was about £6OO. _ .

Mr. Ribton—Were the rings purchased at your
house ?
Witness—Some of them. He advertised the
articles by direction of Lady Hastings.
[We shall give the conclusion in our late edition.]

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.—This Day.

LONDON, Oct. 19.--Wind this day at noon—South-
W esterly; moderate breeze and fine weather, but rather
cloudy.
CARDIFF, Oct. 18.—W ind N.W.—Sailed—Charlotte
Gladstone, for Madras; lleio, fur the Cape of Good Hope ;
Robert Morrison, for Birnbay.
CLYDE, Oct. 13. Wind N.W.—Arrived -• Bellona,
fro:n D erno ara.
LIVERPOOL, Oct. 17.—Wind N.W.—Arrived—Magnet,
from St. John's, Now Bruuwick ; Hannah Morris, from
ditto.
OFF HURST CASTLE, Oct. 19.—Wind S.W.—Arrivd—
Pera, screw steamer, from Alexandria.
BRIDGEWATER, Oct. 17.—Wind
W. —Arrl~ed—Sivling,
roni Onega.

(By Telegraph.)
GRAVESEND, Saturany Morning.

•
Arrived—Challenger, from liankow; Forth, steamer,
from Hamburg; Noptuno, fro:a Z:tozibar; Argo, from
Altona.
DEAL,-Saturday Moruing.
Passol—ll. M. yacht Osborne, from Woolwich, for
Portsmouth.

GOLD FROM NEW ZEALAND.—The official return
of the quantity of gold exported from Now lialand shows
tilt 3,388,0280 z, have boon exported since the discovery
of its gildiields and of that quantity 179,3250 z. were ex-
ported during the second quarter of the current year. Of
thetotal, Otago contributed 2,138,818 oz., and 48,5900 z. of
the quantity for the quarter.
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Iloth pills and ointment aro carefully prepared. Vegetable
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