The Sun.
London, England, 1867-10-24 00:00:00

The Sheriffs' Inauguration Dinner.

Last evening the inauguration dinner of Alder-
man Stone and Mr. William APArthur, Sheriffs of
London and Middlesex, took place in Haberdashers'
hall, Gresham-street. The Sheriffs presided.
Covers were laid for 150, to whom a splendid en-
tertainment' was served by Messrs. Ring and
Brymer, of Cornhill. Among the company were :

—Alderman Sir B. W. Carden, Mr. Alderman
Lawrence, M.P., Alderman Sir Sidney Waterlow,
Mr. R. W. Crawford, M.P., Mr. W. T. M'Cul-
lagh Torrens, M.P., Mr. C. Gilpin, M.P., Mr. R.
W. Kennard, M.P., Sir Joseph M'Kenna, M.P.,
Mr. Thomas Cave, M.P., Mr. Henry Edwards,
M.P., Sir John Thwaites, the Chairman of the
Metropolitan Board of Works ; Sir F. Lycett,
Sir C. S. Crosley, Mr. H. Pownall, Prime Wardens
of the Goldsmiths, Skinners, Haberdashers,
Ironmongers, Vintners, and Tallowchandlers, Mr.
Alderman Sidney, Mr. Alderman Cotton, Mr. Alder-
man Gibbons, Under-Sheriffs Dividson and Roche,

the Chairman of the Corporation Committees, the
Vice-Chairman of Committees of the Board of
Works, and Mr. Sheriff Twentyman.
Grace having been chanted by the vocalists in
attendance, and the loving cup having been given
with usual éclat,

The toasts were proposed by the Sheriffs alter-
nately. After the usual loyal and patriotic toasts of
" the Queen" (proposed by Alderman Stone) ; " the
Prince and Princess of Vales and the rest of the
Royal Family" (by Sheriff M'Arthur) ; " the Army,
Navy, and Volunteers" (by Alderman Stone, and
responded to by Major Penrhyu and Major Saun-
ders), Sheriff M'Arthur proposed " the Lord
Mayor and the Corporation." Ho highly compli-
mented the Lord Mayor fcr the ability he had dis-
played and the liberality with which he had dis-
pensed the hospitalities of the city during his year
of office. By doing so he had well earned the high
estimation of his fellow-citizens. In fact,- he had
done everything they could have wished. As to the
corporation itself he could only say it was one of
the oldest municipalities in the empire. It had been
at all times distinguished for its loyalty to the
Throne ; it had made many sacrifices for the main-
tenance of law and order, and the advancement of
the civil and religious liberties of the community ;
indeed, the history of the corporation formed one
of the brightest chapters of English history. The
toast was received with all the honours, and
responded to by Mr. Alderman Sidney.
The next toast was " The House of Commons,"
proposed by Mr. Alderman Stone, and briefly re-
sponded to by Mr. Crawford, M.P., who stated that
he did not believe the number of electors added to
the roll as occupiers under £lO would in the city of
London exceed 200 ; and as for the lodger franchise
it was exceedingly difficult to say what a lodger
was. He did not think there would be many
claiming to be registered under that designation, but
there might be some. There was, indeed, a good
deal of truth in what had been said of the Reform
Bill being " leap in the dark," and ho was there-
fore very glad that he was not expected to give
any very decided opinion in regard to it. (A laugh.)
The other toasts were " The Bar," proposed by
Sheriff M'Arthur, and acknowledged by Mr. Sleigh ;
" The Sheriffs," " The City Companies," ti The
Trade and Commerce of the City," " The Magis-
trates," and " The Visitors."

'The company separated about half-past 10 o'clock.
Mr. Harker, jun., was toastmaster.

STEAM FROM LONDON TO CHERBOURG.—With re-
ferenco to a paragraph in a recent number, we aro informed
that the steamers to Cherbourg sail from Pool twice each
week, arriving again at Portsmouth every Wednesday and
Saturday.

a. ---~

fin <*al •

lIER MAJESTY.

BALNfORAL, Oct. 22.
The Queen and royal family drove out as usual.
The Duke of Buckingham had the honour of din-
ing with her Majesty and the royal family.

The Marchioness (Dowager) Townshend and
Lady Audrey Townshend have arrived in Paris from
a tour of the German Spas.
The Earl and Countess of Derby intend to leave
Knowsley for their residence in St. James's-squato
on the 4th of the ensuing month.
The Earl and Countess of Dudley have arrived
in Paris from the noble earl's shooting-box at Black
Mount, N.B.

The Earl and Countess of Warwick and family
arrived at their residence in the Stable-yard, St.
James's, on Tuesday evening, from Warwick Castle.
The Countess (Dowager) of Lichfield has arrived
at her residence in Hill-street, from Paris.

Viscountess Palmerston, accompanied by Vis-
countess Jocelyn and llon. Miss Jocelyn and Vis-
count and Viscountess Sudley, arrived at her resi-
dence in Park-lane yesterday, from Brockett
Herts.

Lady Georgina Willoughby de Broke has ar-
rived at the Alexandra Hotel, Hyde-park-corner.
Lady Frances Gordon and Miss Gordon have
returned to town from a tour on the Continent.

We have,to announce the death of Lady Georgina
Mary Louisa Oakley, who died on the 20th inst.
Her ladyship was the eldest daughter of Henry
George, second earl of Ducie, by his wife, the Hon.
Elizabeth Dutton, eldest daughter of Lord Sher-
borne. Her ladyship was born July 18, 1831, and
married, Jan. 29, 1856, the Rev Charles E. Oakley,
rector of Wick war, Gloucestershire.
The Right Hon. Sir William Hutt, M.P., and
Lady Hutt have left Grosvenor-square for Paris.
The Right Hon. Edward Horsman, M.P., and
Mrs. Horsman left Glenfeshie, Kingusie, on Satur-
day, for Lochinch, near Stranraer, on a visit to the
Earl of Stair.

Sir Edwin Landseer is at present lin Ross-shire,
the guest of Mr. J. E. Coleman, at Lochluichart
Lodge. The veteran artist is still well and active,
and is 'enjoying his favourite sport of deerstalking
with considerable success.

THE FATE OF DR. LIVINGSTONE.

The following is the full text of the letter written
by Mr. J. S. Moffat respecting his brother-in-law',
Dr. Livingstone :

" Claremont, Sept. 17, 1867.
" Sirs,—People are incessantly asking me whether
I have not given up all hope respecting Dr. Living-
stone. There appears to me no necessity for us to
make up our minds on the subject at present. I
put off writing to you until we should hear once

more from England, and as no further intelligence
about Dr. Livingstone has been received I shall say
once for all what appears to me to be the state of

,he case.

" All the evidence to the effect that Dr. Living-
stone was murdered by the Mazite comes through
one channel, namely, the Johanna men, with Moussa
at their head. Two or three different accounts
have been given by these men, and no one ac-
count is reconcilable with the others. I will not
occupy space or time by going into details, but
any one may satisfy himself on this point.

" Reports have been received through other
channels, not corroborating, but absolutely contra-
' dieting, the account given by the Johanna men.
Arab traders have come from the immediate vicinity
of the spot where the murder is alleged to have oc-
curred, and yet have not heard of an event which
could not have railed to cause a good deal of excite-
ment through an extended region. A message has
been sent to the Sultan of Zanzibar by a chief
inland that Livingstone had passed his territories
alive and well at a point beyond the scene of the
supposed murder.
" What has become of the Africans who were

with Livingstone ? He started from the coast with

three sorts of people. The sepoys soon came back,
unable to bear the hardships of the climate and
journey. The Johanna men came back with tho
story which has made so much noise in the world ;
but where are the negroes, of whom there were nine
or ten, who had been sent with Livingstone, and
the sepoys from Bombay ? It is not said that they
were killed. What has become of them ?

" Great stress is laid on Dr. Kirk's opinion.
Granted. No man is better qualified to judge. But
has he made up his mind ? He wrote at the first
blush of the affair, and said he feared it was true.
A month later he wrote and said it was not well to
go spreading reports and putting things in the
papers. We had better wait for more evidence. I
am not aware that he has expressed himself very
decidedly since then.

" The continued silence of Dr. Livingstone is said
to look bad. How long has he been silent ? Not
much more than 12 months. He was silent longer
than that when he crossed the continent further
south at a narrower place. I myself have been 12
months without communication with the civilised
world, though I have never been in such secluded
regions as those to which Livingstone was directing
his course when the Johanna men say he was
killed. If Livingstone is off the caravan routes
which lead to the coast near Zanzibar, be is not
likely to find any one to carry his letters. If, as I
think quite possible, the negroes are still with him,
having got so far, be would not be likely to return,
but would continue his journey, and I should not
be in the least surprised if he turned up in some
most unexpected quarter.

" Probably the Johanna men, like their neigh-
bours on the Continent, can tell most circumstantial
lies. My father has been killed and buried, too,
before now, with all the necessary formalities ; and
so have I, on a smaller scale.

" My own belief is that when the Johanna mon
found that Livingstone was going into a region too
remote for their taste, they did what many servants,
black and white, have done before them—took to
their heels some fine night when the explorer was
asleep, and made the best of their way back to
Zanzibar.—l am, &c.,

" JOHN SMITH MOFFAT."

TO TIIE EDITOR OF TIIE SUN.
Sin,—ln to-day's papers there is a report which
holds out hopes that Dr. Livingstone is still alive,
but which I believe to be incorrect. I left Zanzibar
on the 10th of September, up to which date the
Sultan had received no information whatever, and
Dr. Kirk assured me that he most fully and firmly
believed that Dr. Livingstone was dead.
The Cape steamer which brought the news left
Table Bay on the 20th of September ; by what
. _

I lien's information could reach the Cape from
Zanzibar iu 10 cloys is utterly impossible to divine
by Your most obedient servant,
JULIUS KESSLER.
1, Grote's-place, Blackheath.

CABINET COUNClL.—Summonses have been
issued fur a Cabinet Council on the sth proximo, at the
First Lord of the Treasury's official residence in Downing-
street.

TILE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE AT PLYMOUTH.—*
Yesterday his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge
paid his aunual visit of inspection to Plymouth. Yester-
day morning the troops in the garrison were reviewed by

his Royal Highness iu Devouport Park, and in the after-
noon the Duke inspected the progress of the forts forming
the western defences In the evening ho dined at Mount
Wise with the local heads of departments. He concludes
his inspection to-day, and takes his departure in the after-
noon.

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, Colonel
Kepp,l, and suite honoured the performances at the
Theatre _Royal, Adelphi, last evening with their presonee.
The Prince of Wales, attended by Lieutenant-
Colonel Keppel, visited the Guards' Industrial Home
and Institute yesterday.
His Excellency Count do Vistahermosa has left
the Spanish Legation for Paris.
The Duke of Norfolk has left Paris on a tonr in
Germany.