The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-20 00:00:00

lIIE FRWAN OUTRAGE.

four
CI 111mi:1'F t,4 thief) O'clock this morningmen,,‘"'whO, it is 'said, are leading members of the Fenian
Brotherhood, were brought to the Police-station in Marl-
„borough-mews, and formally charged with treason-felony.
The names of three of the prisoners are respectively
English, Esmonde, and John Mulvany. .
GeO-ide Smith, the'man who was arrested on Wales-
"day night, has been for some time suspected and watched
by the police ; but it was not until Allen gave information
to the police that Smith was supposed to be implicated in
the attempt to blow up the House of Detention. He is a
shoemaker by trade, living in Dudley-street; St. Giles's,
and is an Irishman, as are most of the residents in the
street. Several witnesses were brought to identify him on
the night of his arrest. He was placed among a number
of mcn taken out of the street ; but none of the witnesses
identified him, and he was at length discharged from
custody.

Yesterday Dr. Jenner, physician in ordinary to her
Majesty, forwarded to the Royal Free Hospital, Gray's-
inn-road, by special command of the Queen, who is pa-
troness of the hospital, a large quantity of hot-house grapes
and other fruits, for the use of the sufferers from the late
explosion, and also expressed her desire to know how the
sufferers are progressing. Up to a late hour last
evening all the patients were doing well, with the exception
of the old man, Humphrey Evans, who in the opinion of
the surgeons, Dr. Alexander Marsden and Mr. Gant, was
not likely to live through the night. Another sufferer,
Anne Chalice, was admitted yesterday, seriously in-
jured. A letter from Mr. Robert Paget, vestry clerk and
hon. secretary to the Clerkenwell Explosion Relief Fund,
was received in the course of the day by the hospital
authorities, stating that the homes of the sufferers would
be restored to them, and that the committee would do
everything in its power to mitigate the sufferings and repair
the losses caused by the explosion. The gratifying intelli-
gence was at once communicated to the patients. The
damage done in such a place as Clerkenwell by this
explosion is almost incalculable, for within the district the
most costly time-keepers in the world are manufactured,
and the best class of jewellery is to be found here. The
name which Clerkenwell bears for democratic associations
is to he ascribed to its unlucky " green " rather than to
the working population generally, for the workers in
Clerkenwell,are as industrious and peace-loving a body of
men as any body of artisans in the kingdom. They have
no trade unions and no rattenings. Clerkenwell is known
as a " poor" parish ; hut it is a well-known fact that the
poor who claim the paupers' relief are chiefly of the class
who lodge:in the parish and work in the City, and not of
the staple ,trades of this ancient suburb.
Among the reports circulated through Westminster was
one that the gasometers at the Chartered Gas Company's
works, Horseferry-road,were in danger of being blown up;
upon this the manager called together the men, the
majority of whom are Irish Catholics and north country-
men, and having addressed them, and endeavoured to
ascertain their political feelings, was pleased to find that
they one and all expressed their abhorrence of the recent
outrages, and volunteered to be sworn in as special con-
stables. In the course of yesterday many were appointed,
under the Act of Parliament, for six months ; so that in
'Westminster those first open to suspicion hare turned out
the least to be expected and the first to act in any
emergency.

The Irish tailor Desmond, now in custody for the Cler-
kenwell outrage, was one of the journeymen who took an
active part in the late tailors' strike. He was in custody
at the Clerkenwell Police-court, charged with picketting,
and was committed for trial. It was very well known at
the time that what is termed a Fenian Centre was esta-
blished in Soho, and that money was sent from Dublin by
Fenians for the purpose of carrying out the ulterior views
of those who organised the strike.

The i .mbent of Clerkenwell, in acknowledging the
receipt of subscriptions, gives examples of the necessities
created in " the outer circle of this disaster" :—" Women,
he states, who used to gain a livelihood by mangling have
lost their work because their customers will not entrust
their clothes to them, for fear of another catastrophe ; a

teacher of writing (Waterloo-place) cannot gather his class
of boys ; a woman (Woodbridge-street) who will lose her
lodgers if she does not refit the house. I would also men-
tion that as many as sixteen cases of confinement, many
of them prematurely brought on by the shock, are in the
hands of one lady visitor. We send out more than a
gallon of beef tea, strong and good, every day to these.
Nearly all these persons had lost the little clothing they
had prepared for the children when born, and we have
been enabled to supply them with everything abso-
lutely necessary for the occasion, besides nurses to anent"
them."

The vestries of LzLmbetli, Marylebone, and Padtliqgton

met yesterday, when resolutions strongly expressive
of abhorrence of the outrage, sympathy v ith the victims,
and readiness to assist in the preservation of the peace
by offering facilities for swelring-in special constably,
were adopted. For the last day or two an ail ress to the
Lord Mayor of London with reference to the Clcrkenwell
outrage Las been lying for signature at the Glasgow
Royal Exchange. The address expresses abhorrence of
the crime, and requests his lordship to convey to the sur-
viving sufferers the deep sympathy of the subscribers, and
to apply the sum raised by them in subscriptions of half-
a-crown each towards the relief of distress occasioned by
the catastrophe. When the list was closed on 'Wednesday
afternoon it bore the names ,fif 1,280 gentlemen, the
amount contributed being £l6O.

SPECIAL MEETING OF MIDDLESEX
MAGISTRATES.

Yesterday a special meeting of the Middlesex ma-
gistrates was held at the Sessions House, Clerkenwell, to
consider the necessary steps to be taken in consequence of
the recent desperate outrage at the House of Detention
Mr. Henry Pownall in the chair.

The CHAIRMAN, in opening the business, said they were
all aware of the circumstances of the recent outrage, and
therefore it would not be necessary for him to detain them
with any lengthened observations upon it. On Thursday
evening, on his return home about six o'clock, he received
a communication from the Home Office, the details of
which he did not think it necessary to state ; but he con-
sidered it of so much importance that he immediately went
down to the House of Correction, where he saw the
governor, and requested him to send some of his warders
to the House of Detention. He then made some arrange-
ments with the governor whereby the safety of the Fenian
prisoners was guaranteed. He had adopted measures
which had defeated the ends of the plotters. In the ordi-
nary course the prisoners would have been exercising in tt
yard at the time the explosion took place.
Lord RANELIGH said he should not have presented him-
self upon any ordinary occasion to the court thus early, but
he wished to draw their attention to some facts to enable
them to come to a right decision that day. He trusted
his friend Mr. Henry White would move a resolution
approving the conduct of the governor, the chaplain, and
officers of the prison. In order that they might know
some of the real facts, he would state, in tl e first place,
that the chairman, as he had already informed them, had
received a communication which, he believed, was addressed
to him from the Home Secretary, Mr. Hardy, informing
him of the intended attack. He believed there was a
similar letter sent to Sir Richard Mayne informing hir;
that an attack was contemplated on the House of Deten-
tion, and Sir Michard Mayne informed the governor of
the House of Detention of the fact ; and if he was not
wrongly informed, the governor replied that he would
protect the inside of the prison if Sir Richard Mayne
would protect the outside. The information that was
communicated by the Home Office of the intended rescue
was received from Ireland. It was known in Ireland, it
was known in Paris, it was known in London at the
middle of the day ; and that being so, he wanted to know
how it was that the Chief Commissioner of Police had not
taken those precautions that were necessary for the safety
of the people.

Sir ALEXANDER SPEARMAN (interrupting) said he should
like to know whether Lord Ranclagh was about to make
an attack upon Sir Richard Mayne—Sir Richard was not
there to defend himself.

Lord RANELAGII said he should be the last person in the
world to attack a man behind his back, but, at the same
time, there was serious blame somewhere. It was not
with the magistrates, and if it did not rest with the Com-
missioner of Police, he would like to know with whom the
blame did rest.

The CHAIRMAN said that nothing had occurred that was
not perfectly satisfactory to themselves, to the Home
Office, and to the public. (" No, no.")
Lord RA NEL.% CH then moved the following resolution :
" That the magistrates of the county of Middlesex, in
scions assembled, this 19th day of 112 c: ember, 18G7, desire,
after full inquiries into all the, circumstance 3 of the cri-
minal attack made upon the Houle of Detention on Fri-
day last, to express their unanimous opinion that every
available protection within the prison for the safety of the
building and the custody of the prisoners was taken, but at
the carne time to record the opinion of this court that
efficient measures were not adopted by the Chief Commis-
sioner of Police to guard the exterior of the prison and the
approaches to it ; and, moreover, that if such measures had
been taken and the previous information given by the
Home Office to Sir Richard Mayne had been acted upon,
the diabolical attempt would probably have been frus-
trated, and th-tt at all events the chief authors of the
outrage would have been discovered. This court is of
that an investigation into the reasons for the pas-
sive conduct of Sir Richard Mayne should be immediately
in-itituted by the authorities empowered to make such an
investigation."

mr.w. P. BODKIN brought up the report of the
visiting justices, which stated the facts of the outrage as
already before_ the public, They Paid a cemPlhuent to the

geoterna Mul officers of the prison for the ablif tiituitfer itf
which they discharged their duties.
Major LYON seconded the resolution of Lord PArieligh.
, Mr. HENRY WHITE moved an amendment to the effect
that the magistrates desire, after full inquiry, to express
their unanimous opinion that every available protection
for the safety of the building and the custody of the pri-
soners had been taken.

After a few words from Mr. LAURIE,
Mr. Alderman ROSE expressed a hope that Lord Rana•
lagh would withdraw his resolution.
Mr. HARVEY LEWIS, M.P., was sure that a full and
searching inquiry would be made by the Government into
this atrocious affair, and, further, that if the conduct of
Sir R. Mayne called for investigation such would be made.
He requested Lord Ranelagh and the mover of the amend-
ment to withdraw their motions.

Mr. KEMP held the opinion that, if an inquiry were
deemed necessary, they were not in a position to criticise
the conduct of anyone beyond those wally..

Captain liasLEr. considered it a pity that Government
did not prohibit the sale of petroleum and phosphorous to
all persons but chemists.

Mr. STANSFORD said the Government had a very serious
and widespread conspiracy to deal with, and lie hoped the
meeting would not separate without pledging themselves
to give the Government all the support in their power.
Lord CADOGAN trusted the meeting would not lose
sight of the object for which they had met—the relief of
the sufferers by the explosion, and expressed a hope that
Lord Ranelagh would withdraw his motion.
Lord RANELAGH could not upon his conscience see how
he could withdraw his resolution.

Mr. LAURIE then moved the following amendment :
That this court desires to express their abhorrence of the
atrocious act perpetrated at the House of Detention on
Friday last, by which so many persons have been killed
and maimed, and to record their determination in every
way to support her Majesty's Government in their due
suppression of all such diabolical and treasonable outrages,
and in the maintenance of law and order ; and the court
is convinced that in recording their sentiments they are
giving expression to the feeling of the community at large.
The court also desire to express their deep sympathy with
the unfortunate sufferers who have been victims of this
wicked and unparalleled crime."

Mr. Alderman SALOMONS entirely disapproved the course
adopted by Lord Ranelagh. They had met there to ex-
press their conviction that everything under the circum-
stances had been done, and not to question the conduct of
any public officer.

Lord RANELAGH said that as a matter of duty he could
not withdraw his resolution. Sir R. Mayne knew of the
contemplated attack on the Thursday, and in not adopting
measures to prevent it he had not done his duty.

Some discussion then arose relative to the amendment of
Mr. Laurie, when

Lord RANELAGII said that he hoped the public would
see whether he had adopted a right or wrong course, and
out of respect to the court he would withdraw his resolu-
tion. (Cheers.)

Mr. Laurie's amendment was then read over.
Mr. HENLEY seconded it, and it was carried unani-
mously.

Other resolutions were than proposed and carried, ex-
pressing a vote of thanks to the officers of the prison, to-
gether with the grant of an additional week's pay, as ale
appreciation of their conduct in so trying and exciting a
scene, and, further, that a report of the damage done
should be reported to the bench.

The mag,istrates of the county then passed a vote of
thanks to the chairman, and the meeting separated.

THE EXPLOSION AT NEWCASTLE'.

The Northern Daily Express reports at length the
inquest on the seven persons who were killed by the
explosion of nitro-glycerine at Newcastle. The coroner
deemed it necessary to inquire into the death of Mr.
Mawson, who had the direction of the proceed ags. The
principal witness as to the events was Sub-inspector
Wallace. He gave a very clear statement, which re-
capitulated the facts already recorded. The following
statement in reference to nitro-glycerine, however, is of
great public interest :

Isaac Lowthian Bell, sworn, said : I have made che•
mistry my special study for many years. I am proprietor of
chemical works. Nitro-glycerine is not used in our iron
mines. We made the attempt to use it, but abandoned
it, owing to the effect it had upon the health of the men.
I have been in mines in Norway where it was used. The
existence of nitro-glycerine has been known for twenty
years, yet it has only recently been introduced
to public notice, only since 1861 ; consequent'y but a small
practical acquaintance has been gathered of it. The chemical
affinities of nitro-glycerine are so slight that very trifling
circumstances, such as the variation of only a few degrees of
temperature during its preparation, is sufficient to cause
a considerable change in the nature of the product. As
: may be supposed, its component parts separate with ins-
! me:visa-able velocity. Hence the violence of its explosion,
which has been calculated at ten times that of gun-
powder. I think gunpowder, gun-cotton, &c., are most
properly excluded from storage in towns, yet their pre-
! Bence is comparatively free from danger as compared with
nitro-glycerine. Fire alone can ignite gunpowder, and
although gun-cotton can be ignited by percussion, it must
be of great intensity. Nitro-glycerine, on the other
hand, particularly if impure, is liable to spontaneous
combustion at ordinary temperatures, as was found to be
the case with some exploded in a room where the tempe-
rature had never exceeded 86 degrees. The gas, as
given off, if confined to the vessel containing the nitro-
glycerine, exercises pressure upon that remaining.
Unless you continue nitro-glycerine under set
pressure, it is liable to explosion. It was found
by Kopp to be liable to explosion under the least
shock or slightest movement. Again, if this substance is
brought from a cool place and exposed to a temperature
of 68 to 75 Fahr., decomposition takes place, pressure
ensues, and, on removing the vessels containing it, ex-
plosion may be the consequence. To this cause has been
attributed several explosions at Stockholm. Exposure to
a temperature of 46 degrees Fahr. causes nitro-
glycerine to crystallise, and the result in solid matter is
liable to explosion on the slightest disturbance. Upon
one occasion, in Silesia, a workman attempted to separate
a portion of nitro-glycerine ; explosion took place, and
he was blown many feet into the air. Nitro-glycerine
also, when exposed to a temperature sufficient to cause
ebullition, is also very prone to explode. It is said that
the presence of two spirits deprives nitro-glycerine of
its explosive qualities. To separate the two spirits
from the nitro-glycerine, water is added, and the nitro-
glycerine resumes its explosive character. If, as 1
am informed, the blasting oil as manufactured by Nobel
(Harbruch) is diluted with wood spirits, it would appear
from the evidence we have heard that cold, by ponderat-
ing, is capable of preventing the nitro-glycerine from
becoming wood spirit. He had a copy of the instructions,
on page 5 of which it was stated that nitro-glycerine could
be stored for an indefinite time without loss in weight or
deterioration in qua!ity. He thought that such an inti-
mation as that was very likely to mislead persons who
were in the habit of using it. He knew chemists who
affirmed that nitro-glycerine as found in commerce W-3
more or less subject to decomposition, and consequently
liable to produce the results he had just given. It also
stated that the peculiar property of blasting oil was, that it
would not explode, and even while in an explosive state its
carriage was safe. He thought, so far from that being
true, it was liable t ) explode while being brought into
contact, and consequently should not be carried by any
railway company, as they well knew the shocks it would
sustain in the truck. It also states that the blasting oil is
liable to crystallisation in cold weather. It certainly does
state that you had not to heat it upon a stove, but it does
not give any precautions for it when it is frozen, nor about
its explosive power when in that state. I think the thirty
canisters originally stored in the town, if each contained
two gallons, would hold about 960 pounds of liquid. Had it
been pure intro-glycerine, it would have been equal to
4 tons of gunpowder. Percussion, motion, or moderate
temperature might have caused the explosion of it at any
time. Its explosion would have been sufficient to
blew down 115,000 tons of solid rock. The effect or.
buildings so frail in structure as houses, when viewee
in comparison with solid stone, is fortunately only
matter fur conjecture. The component elements o:
nitro-glycerine are carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxy-
gen ; it is, in fact, similar to gun-cotton. Glycerine is used
instead of cotton. Glycerine is used as the "base." I
would suggest that nitro-glycerine should be manufactured
at the place where it is to be used. Having heard the
evidence given as to the explosion,my opinion is, that after
the empty tins had been conveyed to the second hole,
either by movement or possibly .by spontaneous combus-
tion, the crystals of nitro-glycerine had exploded. Com-
bustion had possibly been caused by the stuff slipping or
moving a little. I believe the article is not manufactured
anywhere in Britain.
The Coroner, in summing up, said they had had the
whole of the evidence brought before them, and he proceeded
to inform tin-in of the bearings of the law CM the subject
of nit:.,-glycerine. An Act was passed in the 3-car 1866,
and, having reference to the previous one passed in 1862,
rt,latin!,-, to the state of petroleum, should be incorporated
with that. He thought that when the Government heard
of this inquiry they would perhaps take more stringent
measures towards its safe storage. There was an Act which
imposed a fine of i,"20 per day upon any one storing petro-
leum without the license of the local authorities. In 1866
another Act was passed by special reason of this nitro-
glycerine. Such goods are to be kept marked, and notice
of their character given to the local authorities. Such was
the law. He did not think it was necessary for them to
inquire into the proceedings of Mr. Spark, as the affair
was out of his hands altogether. If the explosion had
occurred in the White Swan-yard the inquiry would be- -
assumed another aspect.
Mr. Spark rose and was going to speak to the coroner,
who told him to sit down. The Coroner, at the request
of the jury, read several excerpts from the Acts of Parlia-
ment. The jury retired, and after an absence of a quarter
of an hour returned the following verdict :—" That death
has been caused by the explosion of nitro-glycerine acci-
dentally, and the jury are unanimously of opinion that
the law in reference to the storing of nitro-glycerine in
tlris_cgc_ia.4 Won grossly violated." •

THE JOINT -STOCK COMPANY MANIA.

The history of the Joint-Stock Company Mania,
when written, will prove interesting and instructive .
to the careful student, for it will give a record
of English life more loaded with dishonesty and
crime, more widespread in disastrous results, than
the annals of any other country could furnish.
Indeed, on it the story should be based of " All
for Greed—and Nought for Love." The mania was
commenced by a gang of unprincipled impostors,
it was continued by the foolish and unscrupulous,
and it is now being wound up by the cruel and vo-
racious. The Act of 1862 limiting the liability of
shareholders in a company, opened the gates of
trade to all classes. One of its first effects was a
curious alliance between men fertile in imagination,
unprincipled in action, and as deceitful as needy,
with those who possessed names and characters, to
be used as decoy-ducks to allure the public into the
snare. The revolution in trade inaugurated by the
Act was almost instantaneous. There were lords
and baronets ; there were admirals and generals ;
there were M.P.'s and professors, who, through
the opened gates, saw bright visions of wealth,
heightened by every illusion the promoters could
devise ; and how this combination worked, all Eng-
land can tell. Prospectuses filled the columns of
newspapers, the creations of the fertile imagina-
tions of the unprincipled gang, and lay on the
breakfast-table of every man who had any means.
New things came thick, promising fabled wealth to
those who would invest small sums, and even the
sceptical were beguiled by the array of names whose
possessors vouched for the truth of the attractive state-
ments. At last, England, after a career of a thousand
years, had hit on the Royal Road to Fortune. Our
blundering forefathers had shackled trade, while
society, built on the effete notions of feudal times,
had degraded it, but a new era had opened. Gentle-
men who had never done anything useful, who had
hitherto been rather an obstruction and a nuisance
in the world, now came forth to solve most intricate
problems of finance—to construct and conduct
gigantic hotels—to rebuild cities—to colonise wastes
—to reclaim submerged districts—to open out new
channels for barter—and all on a scale so vast, with
means so simple, with a return so immense, that the
imagination of every one was captured. Those who
held back saw their more adventurous neighbours
pass over their heads in the scale of society. The un-
believing BROWN beheld the believing JONES move
to a better house—a more fashionable neighbour-
hood—start a carriage, and keep a footman. The
explanation was easy. JONES had embarked in a
good thing. His 4 per cent. was now 20, and his
capital doubled. Henceforth BROWN'S natural
jealousy was aided by the comments of his women-
folk at home. JONES was a man of enterprise, of
ability, everything he touched prospered ; but they
who were hampered with the foggy, obstinate
ideas of BROWN remained in the dark, and thus
spurred, he began to read more carefully the allur-
ing prospectuses which appeared in his newspaper,
awaited him at his club, or covered his breakfast
table. His first timid step met with so gratifying a
result that more bold ones followed, and BROWN
presently again became JONES'S neighbour, and the
ladies in their own equipage haughtily recognised
their old neighbour. There is nothing more fasci-
nating or more demoralising than making huge
gains without any exertion. Money to these lucky
ones loses its value; labour loses its dignity ; vanity
takes possession of the mind ; for the strokes of for-
tune are conclusive proofs of the excellence of his
judgment and of the enterprise of his character. Nor
can it be wondered at, as the world grants the pre-
mises. BROWN and JONES, everywhere spoken of as
shrewd, excellent men of business, go ou their
way rejoicing, having simultaneously made a for-
tune and a character by a few investments in " good
things." That society should run mad when such
instances were numerous is not surprising. Com-
panies came out like mushrooms. The proprietors of
every concern on the eve of insolvency, by the simple
conversion into a Joint-Stock Company, retired
men of wealth, taking in exchange for the load of
their debts, the hard coin of their unhappy dupes.
The gorged promoters became reckless in the under-
takings they launched in proportion as the voracious
public showed the inclination to swallow all. But
there is an end to the gorging capacity even of a
boa constrictor. Ihe cooks who had hashed up the
dishes knew what an indigestible mess JOHN BULL
had bolted, and that when he awoke to conscious-
ness, after his intoxicating feast, he would open his
eyes to a griping reality. So they prepared for ano-
ther phase when the symptoms became apparent,
for another little game remained, to play. The
stuffing may be the more agreeable and profitable,
for the victim i 3 in a fool's paradise, but there was
for the cook still a scarcely less remunerative part.
He may call on the suffering patient with spectacles
on nose, and gold-headed cane in hand, learnedly
to discuss the evils of a surfeit, the folly of a disre-
gard of the laws of health, the wisdom of modera-
tion and abstemiousness, and administer pills and
draughts. The men who had been most active in
promoting these companies were the foremost in
smashing them. Those best acquainted with the
utter rottenness of the institutions combined merci-
lessly to destroy them, and it became their interest
to work the reaction from the greatest height, down
to the lowest depth. In the first place, their profits
were in proportion to the rise into the clouds to
which they could float their balloons ; in the second,
it lay in the depth into which they could sink them in
the ocean of ruin ; and in both they were aided by the
folly of mankind. The most sanguine are the most
desponding. Those who rush with the greatest
credulity into the danger rush most panic-stricken
to get out of it ; and the same fertile imaginations
that had pictured such gratifying results were those
that spread the prognostications of evil. The na-
tion has made the notable discovery that a title, is
no proof of a man's qualification for business—that
an act of Parliament does not alter the laws of trade
—and that profitable and successful undertakings
are gounded on the necessity for their creation, and
the honesty, the economy, the industry, and the
ability of their management. If a private firm fails
to conduct a business to a success, that success is
not likely to be attained by Tom, BROWN, and
HARRY combining to work it. We have now
arrived at a third stage of the disastrous
period we have attempted to sketch. Another
gang of harpies are at work on the wrecks left by
the storms of 1866-67. 'The law which smoothed
away all obstructions on the road to ruin conducted
the vehicles which ran over it to the Court of
Chancery. So lined was that road with plunderers
that few of them arrived there with much left ; but
that little is being carefully sifted and gleaned.
The machinery of the Court leaves nothing to be
desired by those who live on plunder, and as little
to be hoped for by those entrapped in its meshes.
Over its portals should be written, " All who here ,
enter, must abandon Hope." It is sure to be the
interest of some to avail themselves of the obstruc-
tion processes, which Chancery technicalities invite,
and it would be an instructive lesson if the history
were given on reliable data of the cases adjudicated
upon during the last eighteen months. The Joint-
Stock Discount, Barned's Bank, the Contract Cor-
poration, are noticeable instances. Every penny
for which the shareholders were liable has been
called up. Failing the existing proprietary, it is
contemplated to go back through the list of those
who held shares during the twelve months preced-
ing the stoppage. The case of the Contract Cor-
poration is absolutely astounding. 'The liability
was for £lOO per share, of which £lO had been
called up when the concern stopped. By an order
of the Court a call of £55 per share either has been
cr will be made ! Who can wonder at the utter
stagnation which has marked this disastrous year,
when such companies can run such careers—almost
without comment ? Meu are too apt to set it down,
when the course of dishonesty appears to be uni-
versal, that it is in obedience to a law of nature —that
they are victims to their ignorance of this law—and
that they would only display their own folly, by
entering an indignant protest against it. —Anglo-
Ainerioan Times.

The Postmaster-General has accepted offers for
carrying the mails during 1868 from the United States t•
Great Britain from the Hamburg American Packet
Company, the North German Lloyd, and the Inman line.
A contract is also to be made with the Cunard Company,
and four mails weekly will be sent from America
during 1868.