The Sun.
London, England, 1867-01-22 00:00:00

THE WEATHER.

The frost continues, though with abated severity.
It was accompanied yesterday, as on Sunday, by a
high north-easterly wind. In the morning, and
during the previous night, the Receiving-house
thermometer registered 27 degrees. At noon it
had risen to 32, where it remained until 8. o'clock
last night, when it sank to 29. The ice in the
parks was crowded during the day, and the evo-
lutions of the ladies and gentlemen of the Skat-
ing Club on the waters in Kensington Gardens
were a source of great attraction to a large number
of spectators, who lined the banks in carrifeagresa,nodr
on foot. The ice on these waters is from
tahhear
el f
were
oerfie five inches 5
hesothoi cpke.
re°
eoen
on the oiucne,du andonnd
0 rge of
skating
e
St.r
the Long Water about 7,000. i e
tore.n
Tthhee Sieeerpieenfteinuer
Water there were 12,000 A is o
v
n last
ee o snee
i
ht h
inches thick and soundlf.ap
eetrsBion thens'ekeolou
on
by were t
oar
cliadrigge
torchlight.
t. numberl,h o
The
lake
James's-park was also crowded during the day,
chiefly by the working classes. Upwards of 10,000
persons were on the ice.
Serious inconvenience and loss aro now experi-
enced by the mechanics and other persons living at
Woolwich but employed at the Thames iron Works,
and at other establishments on the north side of the
Thames. For some days the ordinary means of pas-
sage from pier to pier by steamer was entirely cut
off by the state of the ice. On Friday the steamer
had made the early passage across with some diffi-
culty and danger, but did not venture on a second
trip, having been entirely hemmed in at North
Woolwich by huge masses of floating ice and snow.
A large number of men who had taken their tickets
to cross and proceed to the tidal basin and other
stations, finding the traffic thus suddenly interrupted,
demanded a return of their money, which was re-
fused ; but after some considerable clamour and even
threats the money was refunded, and the men were
driven to the expedient of proceeding by way of
Fenchurch-street, notwithstanding the expense, or
otherwise abandoning their employment.
At noon yesterday the weather at Weymouth

At Great Yarmouth yesterday several trawling
smacks arrived and reported a loss of hands during
the late gale. In the storm of Wednesday many of
the smacks were off the coast fishing for soles, plaice,
&c. A heavy sea boarded the Glance, belonging to
Mr. L. Shuckford, and carried off one of the crew,
who was drowned. A similar disaster occurred to
the Daring, the Swallow, and other smacks. The
smack Racer was run down by a Hanoverian
schooner, but the crew ware fortunately saved by
the smack Pet, of Yarmouth. The fall of snow on
the flat and exposed coast of Norfolk has been enor-
mous. The traffic in the parishes of Flegg Hun-
dreds, immediately surrounding Yarmouth., has been
in a great degree suspended, and the numbers of
labourers have been engaged in clearing the main
71 In some places the snow is from 10ft. to
12ft:deep. The dykes, lakes, and broads in the
vicinity are frozen over, and afford but poor cover
for the flocks of wild yowl which seek refuge at this
period of the year in these famous Norfolk retreats.

The signs of a thaw in the north riding of York-
shire indicated on Saturday night were but brief,
and north-east gales with snow and hail have con-
tinued since, being particularly severe near the coast
on Sunday. The demand for coals is greater than
has been known for a very long time, and on Sun-
day " colliers" were run throughout the day answer-
ing the double purpose of pilot engines and coal sup-
ply trains. On Monday morning the first trains all
got through,iand all the North and East Riding lines
are fully open for traffic, with the exception of the
Hull And Scarborough, of which one line is yet

blocked in places. There is every indication of a

continuance of storm, and the distress thereby occa-
sioned in the agricultural districts is great, there
being no occupation for the labourers. The borough
bailiff of Malton convened a meeting of the inhabi-
tants yesterday morning, at which a public subscrip-
tion was resolved upon to supply the pressing wants

of the poor, and provide temporary employment for
the labouring population. The weather is milder,

but the streets of Melton are banked with snow from
three to four feet deep. A great flood is anticipated
when the thaw comes.

ABERDEEN, Monday Night.

During the last 48 hours a great deal of snow has
fallen, and railway communication is again inter-
rupted. The north mail was six hours late this
afternoon, and the Deeside, Banff, and Peterhead
lines are all blocked up. Two London mails were
despatched, but as the snow continues to fall thickly
to-night it is feared the south line maybe impassable
to-morrow. The storm is interfering with business,
and the number of the unemployed is very great.

Charles Dickens in London and Liverpool,

The Athenaeum remarks as follows on Mr.
Dickens's late readings at St. James's Hall :—" For
the moment we can but state briefly, but as strongly
as language admits, the admirable success of Mr.
Dickens in the resumption of his Readings, the first
of which took place in the presence of a crowded
audience at St. James's Hall, on Tuesday night.
Barbox Brothers' is less varied and 'sensational,'
perhaps, than any other of the stories by which this
best of readers has won his reputation ; but delicacy
in marking character, finish in setting every detail
before a large public, play of a musical and many-
toned voice, seconded,by play of feature, excellently
clear of any approach to that grimace which be-
comes disgusting,--could not be carried further, nor
was ever the self-respect of a thorough artist in his
prime, contented only insomuch as he can give the
best of his best, more clearly manifest. As to the
Boy at Mugby' (not forgetting Mr. Sniff and his
corkscrew), an outburst of the broadest farce ever
directed against a social evil,' it is impossible to
exceed the fun and absurdity of a scene which we
have all witnessed, suffered from, and laughed at."
The Liverpool Mercury, of Friday, thus comments
upon the renewal of those readings in that town :
Last evening, Mr. Charles Dickens gave the first
of a series of three readings in the small concert-
room at St. George's Hall. There is no need to
speak of Mr. Dickens's abilities as a reader. He
long ago won his spurs in that capacity, and it is
only his reputation as a novelist which makes us
forget Dickens the reader in Dickens the author.
As in his writings he deseribesplaces and individuals
with a microscopical minuteness of observation, so
in his readings he brings before the audience, with
equal vividness, the characteristic traits of the
personages introduced. Mr. Dickens evidently
has a natural talent for dramatic representation,
and this he has spared no time to cul-
tivate. An author of unparalleled popularity,
Mr. Dickens might have contented himself, as
as easily as might be. But he is
many people do, with getting through his
indkteh.at
He
ethdinoge,s
if
fnoitt
ebveiddoennetlyatoanlel, osfhotuhlodse whbewo think
on
shirk even the lAbour of committing a two hours'
reading to memory —a memory which never blun-
ders, and which is so good that it scarcely seems to
need even an occasional reference to the book. Last
night he read two of his contributions to the last
Christmas number of All the Year Round—
" Barbox Brothers," and the " Boy at Mugby." If
Mr. Dickens desired to increase the popular appre-
ciation of his writings, he could not do so more
effectually in becoming their vocal interpreter. As
a great actor will strike out new and previously
hidden points in a character, so Mr. Dickens in-
vests his stories with a profounder interest and a
deeper meaning than the majority of readers would
discover in them. There was probably no one of
last night's audience who had not read " Barbox
-
Brothers," but very few, we venture to say, bad
realised with the keen vividness which they must
thel
‘r
Dickens
storyAarnp of
s te,
have done, as they listened to Mr., Dickens, the
beautiful Lam pepaatialdioshiws
ihnievhalibelonged
e daughter. t
of ,
was remarkably effective in his recital
"t, I
conversation with the stranger at the station, rela-
tive to the peculiarities of parliamentary and " skir-
mishum" trains, and imitated the
polishing process
which the kind-hearted fellow constantly carried on,
with a comicality which was fatal to the gravity of
the audience; but even more effective was the deli-
very of the passage wherein the daughter tells of
her father's affectionate thoughtfulness for her. The
meeting of Barbox with little Polly, and the subse-
quent incidents also afforded Mr. Dickens oppor-
tunity for the display of the dramatic ability which
he possesses in such large measure. " Thy Boy at
Mugby" was pure andl simple fun—not without a
touch of broad sarcasm in it, though—and the au-
dience frequently interrupted the reader by bursts
of uncontrollable laughter. He was a veritable
" boy," hugging himself upon his superiority to
." Papers," and revelling in all the shams of the
refreshmenting" department. All the humorous
points in this little sketch
were capitally brought
out, and amazingly enjoyed. This evening " Dr,
Marigold" and " The Trial from Pickwick" will
morning be read, and to-morrow " A Christmas
Carol."

••;r:i

PRINTERS' PENSION, ALMSHOUSE, AND ORPHAN
ASYLUM CORPORATION.—The election of ten pensioners out
of thirty-three candidates to the pension fund of the above
corporation will take place at the London Tavern on Mon-
day, the 4th of March next.

!!I'l

,

LONDON, TUESDAY, JAN. 22, 1867.

The question of the EYRE defence again attracts
public attention from the discussions that are tak-
ing place upon the matter. In consequence of some
misunderstandings the Secretary of the Eyre De-
fence and Aid Fund, Mr. HAMILTON HUME, has
published the letters that have passed between him

and Messrs. SIIAEN and ROSCOE. These latter, itx
appears, objected to the terms of the advertise.-•
rnents put forth by the Eyre Defence and Aid Con-
mittee, but upon examination we cannot see that
there is any reasonable ground of complaint, aril
Mr. HUME gave them a very suitable explanatic
when he said that they were perfectly cone ;et
and in exact accordance with the facts stat ed
by themselves. Two actions will be commenced
against Mr. EYRE and Colonel NELSON by the
solicitors of the Jamaica Committee. We do not,
indeed, see the object of the statements put forward
by the solicitors of the Jamaica Committee, but
they appear generally dissatisfied, and are anxious
to show that, as the Government have undertaken
the defence of Colonel NELSON, there will not be
demands on the Defence Fund in his case. This
does not seem to be their concern, but we have no
doubt that the public will learn this with satis-
faction, and it is certainly a matter to afford
satisfaction. No doubt it has at the same time
given great umbrage to those who have come for-
ward with such vehemence and bitterness against
Mr. EYRE and those who assisted him. We feel,
indeed, assured that the Government could not
have done otherwise than undertake the defence.
We can readily understand that the decision should
have caused dissatisfaction. The complaints made
are, however, quite uncalled for, and had better
have been left alone. As for the expression that
" the national purse has been interposed between
these victims of martial law and an English court
of justice " it is quite absurd. If anything
were wanting to prove the inadvisability
of all theseproceedings it would be seen in the confu-
sion worse confounded that has been made by those
who have persisted in carrying on this prosecution
of Governor EYRE:

The public will appreciate in its true light the
whole course pursued by those malignant persecu-
tors of Mr. EYRE ; but it will not advance their
cause, but, on the contrary, damage their reputation
still more to find that they are interposing delays
and hindrances ; and it is now evident that there is
some object in view which they seek to effect
by delay, for an application was made on
Saturday to Mr. Baron BRAMWELL in Chambers
for the purpose of retarding the progress of the
,actions commenced against ex-Governor EYRE.
This is an unworthy course to pursue, because if
such a thing as this prosecution is to be under-
taken it should be done at once, and there can be
nothing gained by delay that we can see. In point
of fact the whole affair seems both puzzling and
unsatisfactory ; but we trust that the public will
not suffer themselves to be misled by the arts em-
ployed in the conduct of the matter. We
consider that Mr. EYRE has been shame-
fully treated from the outset of the
affair, and now the way in which this prosecution
is being carried on is making bad worse in a tenfold
degree. If the purpose of this last statement from
the Jamaica Committee be to retard the affair, and
thus throw the others off their guard, we can only
say that it is a very unsuitable mode of proceeding,
but we hope those who have come forward to assist
Mr. EYRE will not be. turned aside from their pur-
pose by- any of these extraordinary manoeuvres.
It is a scandalous thing that a man who
has done so much for his country should be
kept in suspense like this, and perhaps at last, when
not fully prepared, or thrown off his guard by the
delays and obstacles interposed, be suddenly called
upon to make a stand or take his trial. The whole
course of the proceedings against Mr. EYRE have
been characterised by a total want of justice and
fair play, and we hope long before they begin their
last attempts that the general voice of public opinion
will be declared against them pretty strongly, and
in a manner which cannot be very easily mistaken.

A good deal of interest and discussion have been
excited in the literary world by the singular case of
" HoGG v. MAXWELL." The appearance of the
promised magazine, with all the attractions of Miss
BRADDON'S extended reputation and undoubted

ta'ent, had been looked forward to with a good deal
of curiosity, and certainly the publisher, Mr. MAX-
WELL, had spared neither trouble nor expense in
keeping up the interest. Advertisements of all
kinds, ornamented placards, and other ingenious
devices in the fashion of the day, were resorted to,
and the new publication was to be ushered
into society with all possible advantages.
So perverse and disappointing are the turns
of Dame Fortune's wheel, however, that,
at the very outset of its career, the new literary
adventurer encountered two very serious and unex-
pected obstacles. The first was the astounding
appearance of a rival of precisely the same name
and character ; and the second, its natural conse-
quence--an enemy whose very name is alarming to
most of us—a Chancery suit. It seems that some
three years ago, Mr. HOGG registered the title
" Belgravia," having then some idea of bestowing
it on the popular and attractive magazine now
known as " London Society," which we must con-
fess appears to us the better name of the two.
However,: Mr. MAXWELL was unaware of the
hidden danger, and went on spending his money
and informing the world in general that
a new magazine of great attractions was to de-
light the large circle of Miss BRADDON'S admirers
under that lady's editorship, and assisted by her

fertile and brilliant pen. Mr. HOGG meanwhile
heard and made no sign. It is in this respect that
whatever the decision of law the case in equity is
against him. It is not credible that the publisher
and managers of the rival " Belgravia" should not
have known of the announcements ; indeed, to .do
them justice, they do not pretend any such igno-
rance, but, confessedly, were "fully aware of his
intention." We cannot but think that a publisher
who has a prior claim to a particular title,
and intends to assert that claim, is bound in
honour to give the earliest intimation possible
to any one who unknowingly infringes his rights.
Mr. MAXWELL has good reason to complain that
the rival " Belgravia " has shared the publicity
given by his advertisements and exertions. Those
who may not be familiar with the dispute, and
consequently not aware of the difference in the
publisher's name, might very well have purchased
or ordered the earlier numbers of Mr. HOGG'S
" Belgravia," thinking it to be Mr. MAXWELL'S
"Belgravia." The law, as is well-known, gives
little comfort to either side. It admits Mr. HOGG'S
priority of claim, but holds that registration confers
no exclusive privilege. "It would be absurd,"
says Lord Justice CAIRNS, "to suppDse that
the Legislature meant that by the registration of one
word, copyright in that word could be obtained,
although it was the title of an intended publication."
It admits that Mr. MAXWELL has been spending
his money and trouble for the benefit of other par-
ties, but denies tnat such outlay gives him a claim
to profit by its returns. " Expenditure alone,"
says Lord Justice TURNER, " could not create such
a right, for then any person expending money
upon a particular undertaking could restrain
another from carrying on a similar undertaking."
So that English law, as usual, is a series of
negatives. Its exponents are very ready to say
what it cannot do, but less prompt in telling
us what it can do. It is so much afraid of
interfering with individual rights and privileges