The Sun.
London, England, 1867-10-09 00:00:00

THE INQUEST.

At the court of the Coroner for the city yesterday
the adjourned inquiry was held into the circum-
stances which led to the death of Police-sergeant
Charles Brett during the attack on the police van
on the 18th September. The Coroner (Mr. Her-
ford) said that, inasmuch as 23 persons had already
been committed for trial on the charge of murder
arising out of this case, among whom was the man
mentioned to the jury at a former inquiry as the
man who fired the fatal shot, there was no need for
them to pursue the evidence further. It would
difficult, if desirable, to get witnesses to go so fully
into the inquiry as had been done in another court,
and he thought there was sufficient evidence on the
depositions to warrant them in coming to a verdict.
The jury found a verdict of " Wilful Murder"
against William O'Meara Allen and others un-
known.

FRENCH FINANCE.

The Semaine Financiere publishes a long article
on the panic which lately affected the price of secu-
rities at the Bourse. The writer admits that false
rumours may have produced a certain effect on the
market, but only of a temporary character, and he
insists that mere reports could never have influenced
the public mind so seriously had not great uneasi-
ness already set in, and prepared, as it were, the
general sentiment of the money market to listen to
false representations. Two kinds of circumstances
had acted on the public, one of an economic char-
acter, and the other political. Our contemporary
says:—"From the economic point of view there are,
first of all, the facts specially connected with the
financial market. How could a revelation such as
that which occurred last month as to the position of
the Credit Mobiliere and the Immobiliere be made
without affecting numerous interests and exciting
serious distrust? That incident proved that a con-
siderable capital, represented by scrip in the hands
of shareholders, was menaced in its integrity, and
condemned to remain without revenue for an inde-
finite period. To the securities without produce
which encumber the market, and which represent
enormous sums either entirely lost or compromised,
to shares and bonds of the Spanish and Italian rail-
ways, to the Mexican Bonds left in depreciation, not-
withstanding the governmental patronage which so
ostensibly encouraged their issue, were going to be
added the scrip of two companies which had of late
years taken and exercised the high and active initia-
tive in speculation, both in movable and landed pro-
party. Such an event should inevitably give a
profound shock to public confidence. Besides, this
sad surprise surged up in the midst of economic cir-
cumstances which raised perspective difficulties for
the ensuing winter. We have this year two bad
crops in corn and wine, and we are subject to dear-
ness of provisions ; manufacturers are suffering and
restrict their operations. As to the French funds,
they could not help being affected by the known
amount of the floating debt, and by the extraordi-
nary expenses entailed by the reorganisation of the
army. On the other hand, political circumstances
are not calculated to counterbalance the unfavour-
able elements of the financial situation. Wo do
not wish here to allude to incidents of the kind of
those which have appeared to affect the Bourse
during the past week, and which have been denied
by the Government. We speak of the political
situation from a general point of view. What cha-
racterises this state:of things is the incertitude and
ignorant perplexity which it inflicts upon public
opinion. Are affairs marching towards war or
peace ? No really decisive answer has yet been
given to settle the dilemma with sufficient evi-
dence and authority for the re-establishment of
public confidence on a solid basis. The ' dark spots'
of which the Emperor spoke a month since have
not yet been effaced by a new Governmental decla-
ration. The Moniteur announced a few days
ago that the services of the contingent of the last
reserve would last this year five months, instead of
three. This precaution of military instruction evi-
dently does not correspond with an ordinary state
of things. General Fleury is going from Vienna to
Berlin. It is not permissible to attribute a political
object to that journey? The principal Ministers are
at Biarritz, and it is allowable to think that they are
going to deliberate with the Emperor on the mea-
sures which will express what the unity of direction
in the governmental views is—what the concerted
action of the different Ministers aims at. How can
the confidence of the public be restored before the
results of the councils at Biarritz are announced?
The presence at the same place of the Italian Mini-
ster, M. Nigra, is also an indication of important
negotiations prepared in connection with the Italian
crisis ; on that point, also, in order to see clearly,
information is required as to the decisions which will
be taken, and doubt must be submitted to until the

final word is pronounced. Therefore, in no reason-

able manner can the disquietude and the agitation

of the financial market be attributed to the inexact
rumours spread as to the details of daily facts."

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.—This Day.

(By Telegraph.) .
GRAVESEND, Wednesday Morning.
Arrived, Oct. B.—Anglo-Saxon, and Happy Return, from
Guernsey; Fanny, from Demerara; Waverley, froth Cal-
cutta ; Bertha, from Guernsey.
_ _

Arrived, Oct. D.—Hero, from Guernsey ; Waterloo,
steamer, and Batavier, steamer, from Rotterdam ; Florence
steamer, from Antwerp; Rhine, steamer, from Boulogne
Velocity, steamer, from Calais; Collings, from Almeria;
Fusileer, steamer, from Dunkirk; Holland, steamer, from
Ostend.

DEAT.:, Wednesday Morning.
Passed, Oct. B—City of Foo-Chow, from Calcutta, for
London.
Anchorod—Garibaldi, from London, for Qoudentinoplo ;
Lion, from calla°, fox Dunkirk.

THE PUBLIC RECORDS.

The Deputy Keeper of the Public Records, Mr.
T. Duffus Hardy, gives in his 28th annual report an
interesting account of the progress made during the
year 1866 in the classification and calendering of
the va'uable State papers and other documents
under his care, It appears that the distinction for-
merly drawn between literally and legal applicants
have been abolished, and that all persons, whatever
their objees may be, can inspect and copy the
pu:;lic rec:.ris gratuitously. The photozineography
operations at the Ordnance Survey Office at South-
ampton were continued during the year under the
superintendence of Mr. ll'ilFaut IlasnTi Sanders,
the second part of the English series having been
published in the course of the summer. The third
part will comprise documents of the reigns of Queen
Mary an I Queen Elizabeth. Mr. Sanders has
selected for photozincography a number of curious
documents relating to State prisoners in the Tower
of London. Among them are the warrant for the
commitment of Sir Henry Vane, July 7, 1660 ; the
warrant for the commitment of the regicides, Colonel
Martin, Colonel Downe-1, Colonel Lilburne, and
others, August 15, 1660 ; a Secretary of State's
order to " put Dr. Heyden into the dungeon this
night, that wee may see what effect this will have
upon him towards his confession," January 24,
1666-7 ; an order under the Royal sign manual to
suffer the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury to have
access unto the Lord Strafford "to confer with
him upon certaine matters in which Wee have given
him Our commands," January 21, 1678-9 ; writ for
the delivery of Algernon Sydney to the Sheriff of
London on the 17th of December, 1683, for execu-
tion—the writ specifying that he is to be dragged
through the city of London to the gallows at Ty-,
burn, and recites all the details of a sentence for
high treason, the Sheriff's receipt being attached,
witnessed by Sir George Jeffreys, Chief Justice of
the King's Bench; an order under the Royal sign
manual, signed with a trembling hand, for the
commitment of the Duke of Monmouth's children,
July 9, 1685 ; warrant for the delivery of the
body of James, Duke of Monmouth, to the Sheriff
of London on the 15th of July, between the
hours of 9 and 11 in the forenoon, for execu-
tion on Tower-hill, July 13, 1685 ; the King's
order to allow the Duke of Monmouth and Lord
Grey to have each a servant ; that the Bishop of
Ely is to acquaint the Duke of Monmouth " that he
is to dy to-morrow," and that ho may see his
children, 14th July, 1685 ; the King's order for the
Duchess of Monmouth to have access to the Duke,
either this day "or to-morrow morning," 14th
July, 1685 ; the King's order to permit the
Duchess of Monmouth "to dispose of the body of
her daughter, that is now dead in the Tower, as
shee shall think fitt," 12th of August, 1685; an
order for the commitment as "safe" prisoner of
George, Lord Jeffreys, 12th December, 1688 ; an
Order in Council to permit Mr. Laurence Braddon,
who wrote several works respecting the mysterious
end of the Earl of Essex, " to see and viewe ye
chamber in the Tower of London where the late
Earl of Essex was found dead," 24th January,
1688-9 ; an order under the Queen's sign manual
to deliver the body of George, late Lord Jeffreys,
to his relations, and permit them to carry it out of
the Tower "in a private and decent manner" for
burial, 30th September, 1692 ; and the Speaker's
order for the commitment of Mr. Secretary Wal-
pole for corruption in receiving 500 guineas and a
note for 500 more on account of two contracts for
forage for the troops in North Britain, January 17,
1711-12. Mr. Prendergast and the Rev. Dr.
Russell, the commissioners appointed to select for
transcription the Irish official documents now among
the Carte papers in the Bodleian Library at Ox-
ford, prosecuted their labours during the year with
much zeal and discretion, having examined 28
volumes, containing upwards of 10,000 documents

ranging in date from October, 1619 to 1689, a
period full of events of the utmost importance in
the history of Ireland. The papers selected for
transcription amount to between 2,500 and 2,600
in number. On the value and importance of these

papers the Commissioners remark that, as they
proceed in their researches they are the more con-
firmed in the belief that it is to this great collection

of papers that the state,smAn and student tuns

principally have recourse in order to form an ade

quate conception of the events which have most
materially influenced the later period of Irish

history. Of the papers selected by the Commis•

sinners transcripts of 1,157 documents have been
made in duplicate in 16 volumes and deposited in the

Public Record-office, one copy to be preserved there
and the other to be kept in such place in Dublin

as may be selected for its deposit. The calendar
of the Carew papers, which likewise contain highly
valuable materials for the elucidation of Irish history,

has been continued by the Rev. J. S. Brewer and

_
Mr. William Millen. It will thus be s::,,eu that her

Majesty's CTovernment has not been unmindful of
the claims of Ireland to have the materials for its

history made public. As the important historical
documents in Rymer's " Fcedera " are compara-
tively unknown to scholars in consequence of the
scanty and almost useless indexes to the various

editions, the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LLD., has
been engaged, at the suggestioti of the Master of the
Rolls, to draw up a syllabus, or catalogue raisonne
of the contents of the entire work. Various other

catalogues and calendars calculated to facilitate the

labours of literary inquirers were also in course o

preparation ; and during this year nine volumes were
published of the " Chronicles and Memorials of

Great Britain and Ireland during the Middle Ages,"
making a total of 75 volumes. It is satisfactory to
learn that the public demand for these publications

continued to increase, 17,014 having been sold up
to the end of the year. The fees received at the

office in respect of searches, authenticated copies,
and attendances amounted to only £628 12s. 10d.
The decrease in this item; however, is simply owing

;so the fact that all fees were abolished after the

26th of May, 1866.

A Tribute to Wheeler and Wilson.

Not alone are you exulting
At your Grand Gold Medal sheen,
In the triumph of your Sewing
And your Button-Hole Machine:
We, Britannia's own women,
Also take a noble pride,
And our lip; from hearts exultant,
Into festal music glide. , -

That your skill and mighty efrort,
Which has kept vile drudgery's chain,
Better far than any other,
From the household's great domain,
Is acknowledged by th' impartial ;
And 'tis beautiful and grand,
In our gratitude to sparkle
Thus o'er all the joyous land !

Onward, then, ye benefactors,
With your industry and skill,
Never resting on your laurels,
But supplying millions still !
Not in present years this medal
Only decks your work sublime,
But your memory shell be by it
Honoured in all coming time.

EFFECT OF NEW MILITARY ARMS.—An article iu
the ifonzteur gives some details of the effects of the new
military arms. According to the writer the improvement
made in cannon and muskets, far from increasing the
slaughter on the field of battle, has diminished it. lio gives
the subjoined figures: —" At Austerlitz tho French loss was
14 per cont. of the effective engaged, the Russian 3U per
cent., and the Austrian 44 ; at Wagratn the French 13 per
100, and the Austrian 14; at Borodino the French 37 per
100, and the Russian 44; at Bautzen the French 13, and
the Russians and Prussians 14 per cent. ; at Waterloo

French 36, the allies 31; at Magenta, French, 7, Austrians
8 ; at Solferino the French and Sardinians 10, and the
Austrians 8 per 100." According to the report of the
United States General Rosencrantz on the battle of Mur-
freosborough it required 27 cannon shot and 155 musket
balls to kill one man. On each soldier of the enemy killed
there was an expenditure of 9001 b. weight of iron. The
mortality in armies is not due to the field of battle, but to
disease; bivouacking on cold nights, halting in the midst
of snow, marches under a burning sun—these are the real
and terrible foes of the soldier.
_ . _

THE EASTERN FISHERIES. -- The deliveries of
herrings at Great Yarmouth have been somewhat reduced
during the last few days by stormy weather. The quality
of the fish landed has been good, and prices have ranged
at from £lB to £3O per last (13,200 fish). Several of the
beat have loot gear, nets, &c.