The Sun.
London, England, 1867-01-02 00:00:00

THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA.

LIVERPOOL, Jan. 2.
The African Company's steamer Calabar, the first
of the bi-monthly line of steamers arrived here this 7
morning. Her dates are Fernando Po, Nov. 29th ;
Cameroons, 29th; Old Calabar, 27th; Brass
River, December 2d; New Calabar, 2d; Bonny,
2d ; Benin, 3d ; Lagos, sth; Jellah Coffee, 6th ; I(
Accra, 7th ; Cape Coast Castle, Bth ; Cape Palmas,
10th ; Sierra Leone, 15th ; Bathurst, 19th ; Tene-
riffee, 24th ; and Madeira, 26th. Old Calabar,
Cameroons, Fernando Po, and Bonny were healthy.
Trade was very brisk at all the above ports.
it
In consequence of a misunderstanding King
tc
Agary at Cape Coast Castle had been arrested and to
sent to Sierra Leone. Trade was very dull, but the 10°
public health was good. Sickness has entirely dis-
appeared from Bathurst. to
The Calabar brings eleven passengers and a fair to,
cargo.

SHARE 11.1.9.RKETS.— This day.

ORDINARY SHARES AND STOCKS.

tare; Railways. I Paid) Closing Bu'in"B
i rice. dene.

)0 88 48
)0 1122 121
,0 40 15

at Bristol and Exeter ~
at Caledonian
at Cambrian
Cork and Bandon --
20 ICorn wall . . al,
at Dublin & Belfast June. 10(
at Dun ,Perth, & Ab.Junc.
ICO !;.London, aerip Certi. all
Do.
at Glasgow &S. Western 10(
at Great Eastern, Urd. stk. tut
st Do. N. Aug!. at. No. x 10(
of Great North of Scotland 10(
st Great Northern 10(
at D.,. A stock .. 101
I Do. LI stock luf
Do. New, is. at 25 pm 10
of (it S. and W. of Ireland ICS
at Gt. Western -Original Jul
at 1),,. 6. Val. Rail gua. 10(
at Do. South Wales
at Do. W. Mid. —Ox tore 10(
at Do. Nevrpot t
at Do. Hereford . 104
st Lane,shire..tr, Yorknltin. 101
at London and Black walll 101
at Lou., Brigh.,& S Coast, 10.
at Lon., Chat., and Dover 10;
at Do. Metrop. Ex. A.. 101
at Lyn. & North Western 101
at Lou. & South Western 10
at Man., Sher., & Lincoln, it
at 3tetropolltan....
10 Do. New
10

4 6
65 68
70 72

10 1.6 118
)0 28 2)
10 5 6

30H 2 291 1

)0 1:8 120
)0 127 12z;

Do. Extension...... I
3letropolitan District. al
Do. do. do. 1
,0 'loo. and St. John'Ord

A nid:and
9 Do. £9 Share

st Do, Birrain.. & Derby 1
25 Alid Kent . . . a
st North British ...... IC
st Do. Ed., fth., & Dun. 10
st N th. Eastern— Berwick 101
25 Do. (1.11• E purchast 16.1
st Do. Leeds
st Do. York lOl
st Do. Carlisle ..... 101
25 Do. Stock. & Darling, al
10 Do. do. 1860-61 ll
et North London
3t Do. do. 1884 6 .
at Do. do. 1866
at North Staffordshire
at N. &S. W. Junction
15 Scottish Central
,t Scot. N. E , Aber. stock 104
10 110. Scot, Mid. stack lOl
it Shropshire Union 104
it South Devon lOl
it "outh E. stern .
0 itairres, Wok., & Wok a'.
it fail. Vale luu
0 , Do. C

it Vale or Neath
it Waterford & Kilkenny 101
10 Waterloo & Whiteha i I
It West Cornwall 10(

)9 I 90 02
,0 54 64

COLONIAL GO VEIL

)0 32 3i
)0 32 3i

121 129

1..) 85 87
10 15i 16

10 10 W
)0 12 )21
10 62 V*
)0 52 63
II 126 147
81 3} 21;
0 10 11
11 84 86

ift3 /23i
11 2.1,
92 14;

)0 37 88
XI 4 18
)0 107 lt
13.4 - -
)0 66 67
10 100 102
)0 - -

11 34 36
8 9 10 p
I'l 116 120
9 1 21)
4 1 2p
10 70 72
11 114 118
/0 148 152
- -

10 46 48
0 67 o 8
11 8 fl
50 253
3 ,

SISNT SECUR

British Columbia, 6 per
cent., De 0.31, 1572 10
Can.Gov.6 p.c.Ja.J6July
1877-84
Do. 6p. c. Feb. & Aug 1 I
D. sp. c. Mar. Sept 101
Do. 5 p. c. Jan. .t July 101
Do. sp. inscribed 8k 104
Cape G.llope, 6 p.c.1873 101
Du.Apl.&Uct, 1890-1901, 101
Do. do 1530-9 lOl
Do. JanAtJuly, 1890-9 i 101
Do. 5 per cent. 15 April
anu 15 Oct., 1900.... 101
Ce 3 lon, Nov. 1863, 6 p.. 101
Do. 1878, do lOl
)Liuritiva, 6 p. c, 1873,
Jan. and July
Do. 1..'78
00. 1882; Mayls, Nov.ll, 104
Do. 1895, Feb. Aug lOl
atal Gov. 6 per cent lOl
N.B.Gov.6p.o.Ja.&July 101
N. S.W. Gov. 5 p*C.,18116 101
Do. 5 p.c. 18;1 to 1870 101

Do. 5 p.c. 1888 to 1893 101
New Zealand, 6p. cent 101
Do. 5 per cent.... lOl
Nova Sc,,tia Gov. 6 p. e
sterling, 1875 l9l
Queensland Gov. 6p. c lOl
S. Aus.Gov. 6 p,c 18158-9 101
Do. 1878 & upwards ll
Vlo,Gov. Sp.a.Ja ez July it
Do. do, April.t Oct ll

131 3)j 30}

36} 3} 6} 5}4

130 I I

114 II

11'21 I
Si
54}04 3i
71
111
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10 77 78
10 75 77
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1U 1(2 104
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121 f 1 31

38
1091 $f

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102 i li

10 88
10 ICO 102
10 144

35i 5

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)0 105
)0 161
10 105
/0 IG6
10 96

)0 00
)0 8t
10 P 8
10 81

101
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191 20 ;01

107
100
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108
100

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911 8

ITIES.

831 41

901 90

lot i

16g 17

ME SUN, LO" L ON, WEUNESIAV EVENING, JANUARY 2, 1867.

The Fire at the Crystal Palace.

The public interesi in the disaster which has
caused the destruction of a material part of the
Palace at Sydenham is shown by the crowds of
people who have gone to see the ruins during the
last two days, but especially yesterday. On Mon-
day evening a telegram was received by the autho-
rities there from Osborne to the effect that the
Queen was concerned to hear of the fire, and wished
to have some details in reference to it by post.
These were furnished by Mr. Bowley, the manager,
by the mail of that evening, and would reach her
Majesty yesterday morning.
Already steps have been taken by the directors
towards repairing the damage caused by the fire.
Yesterday, Mr. Edwin Clark, the consulting engi-
neer of the company, and Mr. Rose, the resident
engineer, made an official survey of the ruins, and
agreed to recommend to the directors the enclosure
forthwith of a space of about 120 ft. on the northern
side of the screen, separating what was the tropical
department from the rest of the nave, with the view
to the eventual restoration of that part of the fabric,
if the directors should so determine. As the roof
and side's of the building for that distance north of
the screen have been saved, the enclosure of so much
of the space is easily effected, and the rest of the
area, extending about 300 feet further in that direc-
tion, and which is now covered with the wreck oc-
casioned by the fire, may be restored in course of
time. As much has been said, and truly said, in
reference to the languid supply of water from the
hydiants in the Palace for some time after the fire
broke out, and to the inefficient state of the canvas
hose, it may be well to state what precautions were
ordinarily taken by the company in the event of fire.
With respect to water, they have four different and
abundant sources, and that irrespective of the various
fountains and lakes on the terraces and in the
grounds. At the top of each of the water-towers,
north and south, there is a tank 42ft. 6in. in dia-
meter by 38ft. deep, and capable of containing about
700 tons of water each. At the north end of the
building there is an open reservoir, level with the
floor of the building, extending over an acre and a
half, and ordinarily containing 5,500,000 gallons of
water, though capable of containing half as much
more. In the immediate vicinity of this and of the
water tower at the northern end there are two raised
tanks, 15ft. deep, and each capable of ;containing
207,360 gallons. When the fire began there were
about 9ft. of water in the large open reservoir, or
4,950,000 gallons, and next morning, after the fire
was completely extinguished, 7ft. of water remained
in it, or about 3,300,000 gallons, although six of
the large engines of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade
had been draining it for two or three hours conti-
nuously, while the fire raged, and more or less dur-
ing the following night in cooling the ruins. The
immense volume of water stored at the top of each
of the lofty water-towers is easily available in case
of fire, and was available on Sunday last during
the conflagration. It is, moreover, capable of being
delivered and directed upon a given point at a pres-
sure of from 1101 b. to 1201 b. the square inch, and that
simply by gravitation. Such was the supply of
water ordinarily at command for the uses of the
building and in case of fire. But, unfortunately,
for some time at least, and that at a most critical
period, just after the outbreak of fire, and when
all the resources of the company should have been
called into requisition with the view of extinguishing
it, all that immense volume of water was kept pent
up for want of some one familiar with the duty
promptly to turn on the mains, and was rendered
still further useless by the rotten condition of the
hose belonging to the company. The fire broke out
about 2 o'clock, and Mr. Rose, the resident engi-
neer, arrived 20 minutes or half-an-hour after-
wards. Until then the hydrants appear to have
been but imperfectly charged, and hence the
languid supply of water when it was most wanted
at the first appearance of fire. The fist act of
Mr. Rose on his arrival was to cause all the mains
in the building to be turned fully on, including
those of the tank at the top of the northern water-
tower ; but as the grounds and building are exten-
sive all this required time, and in the interval the
fire made great way. The moment, however, the
mains were completely charged a new and most
vexatious effect was produced. The water, which
until then had required to be coaxed and cajoled,
flowed in such force as to burst the canvas hose, and
it was not until the Croydon and Clapham engines
with their leathern hose arrived that any decided
effect was produced in arresting the progress of the
fire.

It is currently reported, upon what appears to be
reliable authority, that in the event of the northern
end being rebuilt the cost will be from £50,000 to
£60,000, and that in addition to the expense of
reinstating it in other respects, should the directors
decide upon restoring the tropical department, with
the various courts that have been destroyed, as it ori-
ginally stood. In the meantime the ordinary re-
creations of tke Palace go on as usual, and the
effects of the fire cannot be seen from the interior
of the building. They can, however, from the
grounds, and during yesterday, as on Monday,
crowds of persons assembled to see the ruins. The
havoc caused in the Alhambra and Assyrian Courts
is most complete, and scarcely less so in the Byzan-
tine, immediately opposite. All three are dis-
mantled, and present a dep!orable sight. Of
the Alhambra Court, erected and embellished
under the superintendence of Mr. Owen Jones, and
with which thousands must be familiar, little re-
mains but the gilded walls, and these are blackened
in places by the action of the fire and otherwise
defaced. As will be renir2mberel, it was a repro-
duction on a small scale of the far-famed Court of
Lions, the Tribunal of Justice, the Hall of Abence-
rages, and the Divan of the fortress-palace of
the Alhambra, situated on a hill above the city of
Granada, in the South of Spain, the capital of the
Moorish Kingdom of that name. Passing through
the central archway a fountain was seen supported
by the lions that gave name to the court, and
through the archway opposite the stalactite roof of
the Hall of the Abencerages, composed in the ori-
ginal of innumerable pieces. The Court of Lions,
in Mr. Owen Jones's reproduction, was 75ft. long,
or two-thirds of the length of the original. The
columns were of the same height and size as those
of which they were restorations, and the arches that
sprang from them were also of the actual size of the
originals. The Assyrian Court was 120 ft. long,
50ft. wide, and had an elevation of 40 feet. Its
chief interest lay in its illustrating a style of art of
which no specimen had, it is said, been before
presented in Europe, and it was erected from
designs by Mr. James Ferguson, assisted by Mr.
Layard. The Byzantine Court, on the opposite
side of the nave, was a restored copy of a clois-
ter of the Church of Santa Maria at Cologne, of the
date of the close of the 10th century. The roof was
beautifully decorated with Byzantine ornaments,
and at one end was a recumbent figure of Richard
Cceur de Lion from Rouen, which has been compa-
ratively little injured by the fire. In the centre
stood a marble fountain, au exact copy of one at
Heisterbach, on the Rhine. That, too, has been
but slightly damaged, as have also the recumbent
effigies of Henry IL and his Queen, Eleonora ;
Richard 1., and Isabella, wife of King John, copied
from those of Fontevrault Abbey, burying-place of
the Plantagenets, and which are said to be the only
copies in existence. The greater part of the court
itself, however, with all its characteristic architec-
ture and elaborate decoration, has been irreparably
injured. With the library and reading-room
perished a copy of the New Testament, printed in
1851 for the then King of Prussia, and said to be
unequalled as a specimen of Gothic typography.
Twenty-five copies only of the book were printed
when the type was broken up. Of these five existed
in England—four now. The magnificent volume
was the gift of the late King to the library of the
Palace.

MERCHANT SEAMEN'S ORPHAN ASYLUM,
SNARESBROOK.—The fourth entertainment provided
for the inmates of this institution during the winter sea-
son took place on Monday evening, when, under the title
of " Literary Extracts in Prose and Verse," Mr. Arthur S.
Wieland gave a series of readings and recitations from the
works of popular authors, proving equally successful in
catering for the amusement of his audience in the
delivery of both the humorous and pathetic selections
made.

Th French in Mexico.

Diplomatic agents of the Emperor Maximilian
accredited to certain European Courts complain of
the interception of letters sent to them from Mexico.
Despatches known to have been put on board
packets in Mexican ports have never reached their
destination. It must of course be a matter of con-
jecture where, by whom, and with what objects this
foul play has been perpetrated. It is thus that au-
thentic information of what has lately passed in
Mexico is rendered almost impossible. A few
letters have escaped, and extracts of them arc sub-
joined. They proceed from Imperialist sources, but
their writers are of high respectability, and the facts
they contain may be acwptel as undoubtedly cor-
rect. The first in date was written at Mexico, No-
vember 17. It contains the following passage :
" The French are going, but they have not said
so here officially, nor do they leave the Government
any liberty to act at this moment of supreme diffi-
culty, when action might perchance be the salvation
of the country. The situation of affairs is extremely
difficult by reason of the attitude of the French, in
open collision with the Government, which must
perforce keep up an appearance of harmony, and in
decided rupture with the Emperor, whom they are
endeavouring to drive out of the country in a man-
ner greatly resembling violence. Meanwhile we are
upon hot coals, seeing one place after another fall-
ing into the power of the enemy merely because the
French would not allow us to form a national army,
while they themselves do absolutely nothing. Na-
poleon will not run counter to the United States,
and we it is who must pay for the inconceivable
errors that have been committed in this unhappy
expedition. The disorderly and fatal policy adopted
has had our ruin for its result."
The following extract is from a letter dated Vera
Cruz, November 21 :
" The country is in a state of fever, brought on
by the unfortunate position in which we find our-
selves. The French want to carry out the fatal
convention of July 30, authorising them to take 50
per cent. of the proceeds of the maritime custom-
houses. "When this shall be done, the part remain-
ing to the Government will be only one or two per
cent. of those proceeds, with which it is not possible
for it to exist. Everything here is paralysed by the
want of resources of our own•and by the of
the French. We have been obliged to suspend mili-
tary operations, and the enemy daily gains ground .
The French beheld with shouldered arms, entirely
unmoved, the surrender of Oaxaca with all its mili-
tary materials and stores. The Austrian garrison
of Jalapa surrendered, leaving to the enemy its arms
and thg park of ammunition. Our complete inac-
tion encourages the Juarists. Alas! for poor Mexico.
Generals Marquez and Miramon are now with the
Emperor, and both of them hope and feel confident
that the state of affairs may change greatly for the
better. But the French insist on appropriating the
receipts of the custom-house, the only important
branch of revenue in the country, and this aggra-
vates the evil. No money can be sent by this steamer
to Yucatan for the troops who are there bravely
fighting against the Indian barbarians. You will
have seen by the papers the atrocities committed by
the Juarists at Atsam, where they destroyed the
railway (constructing with English capital) between
Mexico and Puebla, burnt the carriages, sacked the
houses, violated the women, and carried off the
daughters of the first families in the place, after kill-
ing their fathers and brothers who defended them.
One of these unhappy girls contrived to escape and
hid in some bushes. Her savage captors probed her
hiding-place with their sabres, and drove her out to
die covered with wounds. You will perhaps also
have read the murders committed by the Liberals o

Guaymas on the persons of Fanori, Almada, and
other officers. After the disaster of Ures they em-
barked with their families for California. The Libe-

rals sent an armed vesiel in pursuit, which over

took them and brought them back to Guaymas,
where they were all shot—men, women, and child-

ren, down to the very infants at the breast. The
corpses were dragged through the streets, mutilated
and burnt. The immaculate Juarez and his com-

manders upon the frontier are dividing and sharing
among themselves the estates and property of the

Imperialists.

They confiscate everything, and

whithersoever they carry the liberty they bring
the traces of profound ravages remain. This is

what Jules Favre and his friends applaud as pa-
triotism and liberalism. Such are the Republicans
_ _

and patriots protected by the Washington Govern

went."

A third letter is from Merida, Yucatan, and is
dated November 27. Its writer says :

" Pablo Garcia, with the assistance of Tabasco,
has now invaded the territory of the Carmen, oc-
cupied Palizada, and summoned the Laguna to sur-
render. The French steamer anchored in the port
will not assist in the defence of the place, its com-
mander having orders not to do so. . . Apropos
of the manner in which Mexican affairs are judged
in Europe, I am induced to refer to an article pub-
lished in the Revue des Deux Ofondes for September
15, under the title of Le illexique et ks Chances de

Salut du Nouvel Empire, by M. de Keratry. What
is there said concerning the Emperor's journey to

Yucatan is false and absurd. Every one here knows
that no member of the Gutierrez family accom-

panied him, and that his journey, far from being a
failure, was a continual and spoUtaneous ovation,

such as few Sovereigns have ever recaved.'
The force to which the Austrian garrison referred
to in the letter from Vera Cruz surrounded at dis-

cretion consisted of a few Indians and half-castes,
the cowardly mongrel breed of which thousands have

been wont to fly before a mere handful of horsemen

The Imperialists declare Mexico on the eve of a
saturnalia of atrocities unparalleled even in her
blood-stained annals, and they bitterly denounce
what they call the treachery of the French Govern-

meat, which they say has abandoned them to

;he mercy of their enemies. They expect whole

sale executions and confiscations to redouble as

the Juarists advance.

Mexican diplomatists in

Europe positively contradict the report lately spread
that the Emperor Maximilian had been held pri-

soner by Marshal Bazaine, but they admit that a
very strong pressure was put upon him to induco
him to quit the country ; and they point with parti-

cular indignation to the fact that the French are

actually treating with Juarez in the presence of the
Prince whom they lured from his own country to a

foreign throne only to desert him iu the hour of his
greatest need.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE—This Day.

(Br TELEGRAPH.)
GRAVESEND, Jan. 2.
Arrived—Rose Eliza, steamer, from Dieppe ; Holland,
steamer, from Ostend.

DEAL, Jan. 2.
Passed; Jan. I.—Devana, from London, for Port Phillip