The Sun.
London, England, 1866-01-05 00:00:00

MARYLEBONE.

SHOCKING CRUELTY TO A HORSE.-FULL PENALTY IN-
rosED.—John Porter was charged at the instance of Mr.
Love, of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Animals, with cruelly allowing a horse to be worked in
an unfit state.

George Young, an officer of the Society, said he was in
the Chalk-farm-road when his attention was called to a
horse in a coal-waggon, containing three tons of coals. It
was shivering and working in a very restless manner.
He examined it, and found on lifting up the saddle an ex-
tensive old wound on the offside, and which was discharg-
ing a quantity of humour. The saddle was pressing
into it and was covered with the discharge. It was blow-
ing and panting very much. It was broken-winded and in
great pain, and quite unfit for work. On looking at the
other horse in the waggon, there was found an old raw
wound on the shoulder. The horses belonged to Mr.
`'Dooley, the contractor, and prisoner, who had charge of
all his horses, said he did not know that the back was quite
so bad. He, however, said he was aware it was hardly fit
fcr work.
Defendant said he was not aware that the horse was so
bad.

Mr. Mansfield fined him 40s. and costs, or, in default, to
be imprisoned for one month.

THAMES.

ROBBERY IN THE LONDON Docx.--Frederick Fether-
stone, a labourer, was brought before Mr. Paget, charged
with stealing a pint of red wine and a quart of Barcelona
nuts from the ship John in the London dock.
Edward Ellis, a dock constable, said the prisoner was
leaving the London dock at the principal gateway. Yes-
terday afternoon he looked very bulky. He searched the
prisoner and found under the waistband a square bottle
containing a pint of Tarragona wine, and in his pockets a
quart of Barcelona nuts. He asked the prisoner where he
obtained the property, and he replied that a sailor on
board the ship John gave him the wine and nuts. Ho
went on board the John, and ascertained that the prisoner
had been at work on board, and was engaged by the
captain for two days. A cask of wine on board had
been pierced and a gallon of wine taken from it. Part of
the cargo of the John consisted of nuts.
The prisoner, in defence, said that a sailor on board the
John gave him the wino and nuts.

Mr. Paget sentenced the prisoner to be imprisoned for
two months and kept to hard labour.

The prisoner implored of the magistrato to inflict a fine
which he could pay, and not send him to a prison. He had
a wife and large family.

Mr. Paget -II can't help that. A distinct robbery has
been committed. I cannot doubt it at all. If your story
is true, you must have known that sailors have no right to
give away property. I have had a great many of these
cases, and I wish it to be known that I shall not inflict
fines fur the unlawful possession of property in the dock;
for that you are charged with, but commit to prison for a
long terms all offenders, or else commit them for trial.
These petty robberies are very numerous, and in the aggre-
gate much valuable property is taken out of the docks.
The Prisoner—Make me pay a fine, sir.

Mr. Paget—No. I should be wanting in my duty to the
public if I passed over these cases with fines. The sen-
tence is two months' imprisonment and hard labour.

SUICIDE OF A BANK OF ENGLAND CLERK.—
Information has been received at the Bank of
England of the determined suicide of Mr. Needham, one of
principal clerks in the New Three per Cents. Office. Tho
melancholy oocurrenoe took place on 'Wednesday at the
deceased's rosidene in Stoke Newington. The unhappy
man inflicted a serious wound in his throat. Ho was at
the Bank in the early part of the week. No cause can be
assigned for the act. An inquest was held yesterday, and
the verdict of the jury was temporary insanity.
CURIOUS TWELFTH-DAY C U STOM. —Few Londoners
may be aware that to-morrow, the Feast of the
Epiphany, a curious and unique ceremonial is to he wit-
nessed by any one who will go to the Chapel Royal, St.
James's, at noon—the offering in the Queen's name on the
altar of gold, frankincense, and myrrh—commemorative of
a similar offering 1870 years ago by the " wise men of the
East," who thus did homage to the Holy Child of Beth-
lehem.

Total 1,462,603,751 90 1,419,877,955 55
Certified by the Senator-Governor of the Bank of France.
(Signed) Ro ULAN)).

Cotton Supply Association.
_ —4-__

At the meeting of the Executive Committee of this As-
sociation, on Tuesday, a letter was read from Sao Paulo,
stating that the seed forwarded by the Association to that
province has been distributed under the direction of Senhor
Commendator Prates and the superintendent if the Sao
Paulo Railway. Much eagerness was manifested by the
growers to obtain the seed, and wherever it has been
planted it has come up in a very promising condition, so
that good results are looker for next harvest. The public
press of Sao Paulo has doze excellent service in inducing
the farmers of the province to take up the culture of
cotton. The superintendent of the railway has for several
years been zealously_ and successfully endeavouring to
excite an interest in the cultivation of cotton. A letter
was also received from Ste Paulo proposing the forma-
tion of a joint-stock company for the purpose of receiv-
ing the cotton grown in the interior of the province and
transmitting it to England. It is calculated that should
the present rate of progress continuo for two years
longer there will be something like half a million of
arrobas (7,143 tons) of cotton produced annually. In the
districts towards the south, such as Itu, Porto Felix, Pira-
porado Curuca, San Roque, Sorocaba, &c., and in those
towards Minas, where the soil is of a quality that will
scarcely admit of the growth of coffee, though well suited
for cotton, there is the utmost eagerness for the new cul-
tivation. At present tle cotton is shipped in Santos for
Rio, and the charges amount to five per cent., at least, so
that a great saving world be effected by the establishment
of a depot at Sao Paulo, from which the produce would bo
conveyed by railway to Santos and embarked at once. It
is believed that a company, with agents to communicate with
the planters, and receive their produce, would be a success,
and give increased impetus to the cultivation of cotton.
Previously to the American war, and for the first two years
of the struggle, not a pcund of cotton was sent down to San-
tos to be shipped for a foreign market, but this year's crop
will probably exceed 200,000 arrobas, or 2,857 tons. A let-
ter received from the 3onsular agent at Guanaxuato, Mexico,
entered minutely into details of the remarkable cotton
growing capabilities d the Gulf sea coast, especially that
portion which lies between the small port of Tuxpan and
that of Soto-de-la-Marina, including about the centre of
the line, the rather important port of Tampico. Although
the cotton plant is almost indigenous to Mexico, its culti-
vation is only of recent date ; even in 1848, when the
writer first became acquainted with the country, it was
entirely unknown. In various parts of the interior the
growth of cotton his been attempted, but often with only
poor success, owing to the general want of irrigation and
the early frosts, which cut off the plants before the yield
has been fully obtained. Nevertheless, in the State of Du-
rango, cotton has been grown in sufficient quantity to be-
come a lucrative breach of industry. The section of the
country indicated is said to be well adapted for the growth
of cotton, and were proper means employed a vast
quantity could be easily produced. The state of Tamauli-
pas, at the extreme southern end of which is the town of
Tampico, extends northwards to the banks of the Rio
Bravo, and is estimated to contain an area of 100,500 square
miles, with a population of about 100,000. On either bank
of the two noble rivers, the Tamesi and Panuco, at the
confluence of which the town of Tampico is situated, there
are virgin or partially cultivated lands upon which cotton
might be grown to almost any extent. The writer's atten-
tion to this section of the country was first attracted in
1847-8 by the observations of the officers and soldiers of
the American army then occupying Tampico, who, being
natives of Louisiana and Alabama, were struck with the
admirable qualities of the soil, and the colour and staple of
such cotton as was produced by stray plants or was found
in private gardens. The writer's investigations have been
recently renewed in consequence of the publications and
appeals of the association, and he now reports that this dis-
trict contains an enormous area of uncultivated land espe-
cially fitted for the growth of cotton; that it has two navig-
able rivers for the transport of produce to the vessel's side ;
that there is a safe anchorage, and the voyage to England
can be performed in as short time as from the United States;
that freights would probably be somewhat lower, as ships
to Tampico gain a handsome outward freight, whilst those
to New Orleans go out in ballast, and require a higher
rate to compensate for the extra outlay ; and that the
climate is as healthy as a tropical one well can be. The
formation of an English company is advocated, for which
special concessions could be obtained from Government,
and under the management of experienced cotton growers
from the Southern States success is confidently antici-
pated. It is also recommended that a supply of labour
should be sought amongst the recently emancipated ne-
groes of the United States, who would at once become citi-
zens and obtain abundant employment. A letter was read
from Black River, Jamaica, enclosing a sample of the first
picking from a field of cotton planted the last week in July,
and stating that the writer believes he shall fully realise the
expectations he had formed. He has been urging the small
settlers to plant cotton, and has been the means of origi-
nating an association which he hopes will ,ontributo to a
further extension of the cultivation. Any small quanti-
ties of cotton are purchased, and a respectable consign-
ment will before long be made. Further details in
illustration of the progress now making are promised. A
letter was received, stating the writer's conviction that
Antigua will shortly abandon sugar on many estates for
cotton, and there are some estates now out of cultivation
which would make the fortune in cotton at Bd. of any en-
terprising man. The writer has five estates in the island,
which are as much as he can attend to, and he is fully per-
suaded that there was a necessity for the recent act to pre-
vent cotton stealing, which some have supposed would by
its stringency interrupt the progress now making in the
cultivation of the staple ; the thieves and the receivers
will be checked in their future operations. A letter was
read from the Foreign Office, expressing the readiness of
the Earl of Clarendon to instruct her Majesty's consuls in
cotton-growing countries to continue to forward all parti-
culars which they can obtain respecting the growth of
cotton in their several districts. A letter was received
from the President of the Royal Commission, Naples, grate-
fully acknowledging the resolution of the association to
offer medals for the best samples of Italian grown cotton
at the forthcoming Neapolitan Exhibition, and stating that
due publicity has been given to this generous determina-
tion.—There was no other business of public interest.

THE KNIGHTS OF THE GARTER.—The assistants
of Sir C. G. Young, Garter Principal King of
Arms, have just placed the arms, banner, and insignia of
Earl Cowpor, one ne newly-created knights of the Most
Noble Order of the Garter, within the Chapel Royal of St.
George, Windsor Castle. The helmet, sword, and mantle
were placed over th" knight's stall on the prince's side of
the choir, at the end nearest the royal closet, that being
the position assigned to the junior knight. The coat of
arms, beautifully enamelled upon an ormolu plate as usual,
was affixed to the back of the stall, and beneath the
heraldic device wore the words, "Du tree noble et puissant
seigneur—Francois Thomas do Grey, Comte Cowper,
Vicomte Fordwich, Baron Cowpor et Baronet, Prince de
l'Empire Remain, &c."

The rest of the witness's evidence related to the
boats and to the whistle of the steamer's engine,
which he thought was not shrill enough, but Mr.
Churchward said the Samphire's whistle was the
same as that of a locomotive, and could be heard
from 20 to 25 miles off.
William Pulsford France, a Government contrac-
tor, said—l saw the passengers and others lowering
the small boats. One of them did not go down
freely from the davits. First one went down and
then the other. After the two boats swinging were
lowered, I noticed two other boats on deck aft, but
there was nothing to lower them with. I heard
passengers ask where the captain was to give orders.
A man with a lamp, represented as the engineer,
pointed the captain out to me. The captain then
slipped down the ropes into the water to save a
passenger. After that I saw the captain at the
wheel. The passengers then asked the captain
to tell them in what position they were, as he
was bound to do so. The captain replied
that the steamer had not made any more
water for the last hour or more, and that if the
partition stood she would ride till morning, but that
if the partition gave way she would go down head
foremost. The captain said he expected help from
Dover in the course of half an hour. The passen-
gers then suggested the making of a raft, when the
captain replied that all his crew had deserted him.
We said we would make a raft if he could find us a
saw, but the captain said he could not find one, the
carpenter having left. We asked him if he had any
rockets, blue lights, or powder, and the captain re-
plied that they were all in the fore cabin, which was
then under water. I asked for some pitch to set a
light for a signal, but could not get it. There were
only two lights on deck, lanterns being carried
about. I took the engineer's light and went on the
paddle-box, and stood there until I saw the light of
the Belgian steamer which was coming to our
assistance.

By the Mayor—l was on the paddle-box a quar-
ter of an hour. Our boats had then left a long time.
By Mr. O'Dowd—l cannot say how the quarier
boats were lowered : there were no ropes by which
to lower them.

By Capt. Harris—The boat is lifted on the rail
of the steamer ; the keel of the boat was on the rail.
Some passengers got in before it was lowered. The
' ladies were pulled out by Mr. Drummond, a gentle-
man of our embassy at St. Petersburg, as they risked
being thrown over in lowering the boat. I saw no
lowering tackle. The boat did go into the water,
but capsized, but how this happened I do not know.
It appeared to slip over by the keel, the stern going
down and the bow hanging up. Three gentlemen
went overboard after this boat capsized. One I saw
get in, another swam from the paddle, and the third
was drowned. I saw the captain fasten ropes round
the waists of the first and last of the three.

Mr. Fox—You spoke of pitch ; did the captain
not have a bucket of tar ?

Witness—No ; my intention was, if I bad got
some pitch, to put it in a pail and set it alight on the
paddle-box.

Mr. Fox—You did not think of asking him for
Pharaoh's serpents, I suppose ? (Laughter.)
By Mr. Fox—l should say that the captain was
more competent to decide upon the course of action
to be adopted than the passengers. After the colli-
sion I heard no more orders given by the captain. I
do not think the first boat was got into the water in
less than 10 minutes from the time of the collision.
After being knocked down by the collision I went
aft. As near as I can tell it took six or seven mi-
nutes to lower the boat. During thattime people were
rushing about the deck, some holloaing, some cry-
ing—all in a state of alarm. I heard none of the offi-
cers of the ship endeavouring to allay the alarm.
Mr. Drummond did so ; he was the most collected
of !us all. I do not think lam confounding the
lowering of the first and second boats. The pas-
sengers on deck called out for lights. I saw only
two, but I saw lights in the cabin.
By Captain Harris—l went down into the cabin,
but I did not bring up any light. All I know is
that passengers on deck were calling out for lights.
I do not say lights were not there.

Captain Baker—l dare say they would each have
liked to have a light.

By Mr. Edwards—lt was not a foggy or hazy
night ; it was dark, but clear. Ido not know that
it is customary to burn a tar-barrel as a signal of

distress.

By Captain Baker—Had I been on tho look-out
that night I think I could have seen the hull of the
barque, without lights, five minutes or a quarter
of a mile off, but I cannot speak positively as to
distance.

It was nearly six o'clock, when the court again
adjourned until to-day.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT EXHIBITION, SOUTH KEN-
SINGTON.—The committee are continuing their in-
quiries for authentic pictures, and would be glad to receive
information respecting portraits of the following persons :
—Edmund Dudley, statesman (1462-1510) ; Sir Richard
Empson, favourite of Henry VII. (1510) ; Sir E. Poynings,
author of " Poynings' Law" (1512) ; John Stow, anti-
quary (1525-1605) ; Guy Fawkes, conspirator (1606); Giles
Fletcher, poet (1588-1623); Phineas Fletcher, poet (1584-
1650) ; President Bradshaw (1586-1659) ; Archbishop
Bramhall (1593-1663); Robert Herrick, poet (1591-1674) ;
Denzil Holies, statesman (1597-1680) ; and William
Prynne, lawyer and writer (1600-1699).

STEPHEN MAssErr, universally known through-
out America, California, Australia, and India, as
Jeems Pipes, of Pipeville, and whose fame in the United
States is equal to the Charles Dickens of our own country,
is expected to arrive by the next steamer from New York,
and will shortly givo his most successful entertainment,
entitled " Drifting About." The merits of this artiste are
spoken of by the American press in terms of the highest
commendation. The Morning Call, of San Francisco, says:
—" His narrative and descriptions were racy and interest-
ing, and interspersed with imitations of peculiar people,
met-while passing through the world, which were very
amusing. His imitation of Madame Anna Bishop was ex-
cellent, inimitable, and, as well as his 'Forest in Hamlet,'
was loudly applauded. The gems of the evening were
the touching poems of Beautiful Snow,' and the Vaga-
bonds,' which he read with extreme pathos. While re-
peating the ' Vagabonds,' and speaking as if to the beg-
gar's dog Roger, we saw numbers of the audience rise to
catch a sight of the imaginary dog, the acting and reading
were so natural. There was much variety in the lecture,
and none of it was long enough to tire, while, as a whole,
it was a great success."

In reviewing the past twelve months one is struck
by two prominent facts : the enormous amount of
tin which has changed hands, and the extraordinary
proportion of it which has been borne by Straits.
This description of tin has in fact so improved in
quality, and is now so much more uniform than for-
merly, that in many trades it has taken the place
of English, of which, during the latter period of
the year, there has been rather a deficiency in
the supply, and almost superseded Banca in
this country, the extra quality of which is not
equal to the extra price. Consumers have con-
fidence in using it, and large speculative transac-
tions are daily taking place in it, which would be
almost impossible in any other description. We
propose therefore to take Straits as our standard,
for there is no doubt both English and Banca are
ruled by the fluctuations in the price of Straits, and,
by following the variation in its prices, to give as
clearly as we can the course of the tin trade during
the past year. At the commencement of the year
Straits stood at £9O cash, with a good business do-
ing, and at £92 with full prompt; but large ship-
ments continuing from Penang and Singapore pro-
duced an unfavourable change, and the market fell
to £B6 10s. cash. At the end of the month, how-
ever, the announcement by the Dutch Trading
Company that they would not hold their sale in March
gave a little strength to the market, and prices re-
covered again to about £9O cash. Early in Feb-
ruary rumours of an intended interview between the
late President Lincoln and the Southern commis-
sioners, with the object of terminating the war, gave
a further impulse to the market, and £9l was freely
paid, but holders having little confidence in the
article were eager to reduce'their stocks, and pressed
sales, so that before the month closed a reaction had
set in, and Straits was difficult to dispose of even at
£BB per ton. March opened very quietly, the pres-
sure to realise continuing. Advices, also, of large
shipments of Straits were received, and as the arrivals
of Banca in Holland were heavy, in the middle of
the month the lowest price during the whole of the
year was touched, viz., £B5 10s. for Straits, and
£9O for Banca. Some large speculative orders,
however, being executed at this time, gave a firmer
tone, and before the month closed £B7 was freely
offered, with but few sellers at the price. In April
the greatest fluctuations during the whole of the
year took place, Straits advancing from £B7 to £96
cash, brought about by the steady purchase of con-
sumers, exporters, and speculators. Up to about
£9l the advance was quite gradual, but when the
news of the cessation of hostilities in America was
telegraphed the market advanced to £96 cash, at
which it remained very firm. On the 17th the news
of the assassination of President Lincoln became
known, when an immediate fall of £4 took place,
but the market gaining some support, closed firmly at
£94. May opened with little other business than
that for immediate consumption and export, but at-
tention began to be given to the approaching sales,
and as the supply of Straits was large, and the ar-
rivals of Banca towards the sale showed an increase,
prices could not long be maintained, and quotations
gave way to about £9O cash. On the 24th the
Dutch Trading Company announced their sale for
the 29th of June, causing a further slight de-
cline, and the month closed with sellers at £9l
cash, and £92 with full prompt Early in June prices
tended further in buyers' favour, for £9O and
even £B9 10s. was accepted for immediate cash; some
important purchases were then made, and prices
again advanced to about £93 cash and £94 afloat.
The Dutch sale took place on the 28th,when, to the
surprise of some, the whole 167,800 slabs found
buyers at £56, equal to about £95 10s. laid down
here. Strange to say the price realised did not in-
fluence our market in any way. During the whole
of July the market was very flat, and in consequence
of pressing offers from Holland of Banca under the
sale price, Straits fell here to £9O cash in spite of a
good export demand. During August the decline
still continued, owing to the large supplies which
were advised from the East, and in spite of the
greatly increased export demand both to America
and France, the price gradually dropped to £B7 10s.
cash, from which, however, the market recovered
before the end of the month to £B9. Early in Sep-
tember holders again lost courage, and although
large purchases were made every day for export to
America, the market receded about a pound per ton.
When, however, it was found that the quantities
bought for the United States were actually shipped,
the market gradually recovered, and September
closed with steady buyers at £92 cash, and £93 10s.
with full prompt. Once more, at the beginning of
October, the price fell to £9O, caused mainly by the
advance in the rate of discount, but this being soon!

counteracted by large purchases of all kinds of tin
for export, the market became very strong again,
and a large amount of business continued to be done
during the whole of the month, until £96 and £9B
full prompt was freely paid. During the whole of
November the market remained uniformly strong,
there being no greater fluctuation in prices than
10s. a ton. We commenced December with buyers
at £96 10s. cash, which price continued to be paid
till just before the holidays, when a slight tendency
in buyers' favour was observable, and we closed the

year with buyers at £95 per ton. Having so far
reviewed the fluctuations in the prices of Straits,
we would draw attention to some of the more
remarkable features in this trade. The arrivals
of Straits have been larger than they have
ever been known before, and judging from the
quantity now afloat to Great Britain, there does
not seem to be any prospect of their falling off.
This, too, we must remember, is in the face of
far lower prices than the average of the last ten
years. Again, if we look towards Holland, we shall
find that the arrivals of Banca are over the average
of former years, and those of Billiton more than
they have been ever known ; all of which facts can
lead us to no other conclusion than the producing

power of the tin mines of the East is far greater

than was ever anticipated ; that even now they may
be only developing, and that lower prices, instead
of checking, may only increase production. In our
own mines in Cornwall the case is reversod ; durmg
the last six months all efforts to keep the supply.
of
ores up to the first six months of 1865 have
led.
Some have attributed it to the miners keeping back
their ores, in anticipation of obtaining higher prices,
but we believe this to be erroneous. The tin hase l
note
been raised, and a great many of the mines are less
productive than they were a few years ago. Again,
the working of some of the mines has been at an
actual loss for some time, and it is not unnatural to
suppose that they will have to be abandoned in the
course of time. What, however, we lose in the pro-
duction of English, we shall find made up in the
supply of foreign tin, and may conclude that the
supply of all kinds of tin for thenext 12 months will
be fully up to those of the past year. There is no
doubt that the greatest portion of the tin imported
during the first six months of the year must have
left little or no profit to importers, but we do not
hear any complaint from them about their operations
during the last six months. We have further to
notice that the consumption of foreign tin in this
country has been larger than it has ever been known
before, and amounts to fully 3,000 tons against
about 2,000 tons in 1864, the same in 1863, 1,825
tons in 1862, and 950 tons in 1861. The export of
foreign tin has also been unp' recedenteclly large, and
estimated at fully 2,000 tons, against 1,350 tons in
1864, 1,130 tons in 1863, 1,080 tons in 1862, and
508 tons in 1861. The export of English tin
this year has been much in excess of former
years. The Government returns are only made
up to the end of November, but taking
the export during December on an average
of former years, we find the total export of
English tin during 1865 has been 5,250 tons against
4,500 in 1864, 4,380 in 1863, and 4,090 in 1862. In
looking at the available stock here and in Holland,
and what is now afloat for this country, we think
those interested in the trade will agree with us that
it looks most formidable and much in excess of
former years. That we must give up sanguine
hopes of,those prices which ruled a few years ago is
plain ; but it must not be overlooked at the same

time, that although the available supply of foreign
tin is very large, there is at present a decidedly
small supply of English, with a total exhaustion of
second-hand parcels, and there is no telling how far

the production of home-made tiu may be curtailed
during this year—that there are no stocks in the
hands of consumers ; that the tin plate trade is in a
most flourishing condition ; that the consumption
of all kinds of tin must necessarily be large ; that
in France and Germany no stocks are kept ; and
that America will have to draw many a ton of tin
away from here before their stocks reach the figures
at which they stood before the war ; and, lastly,
that prices are by no means high at present. All
these favourable features go far to counterbalance
the heavy stocks on hand, and though they do not
warrant us in looking for much higher prices,
strengthen us in the opinion that there will not be a
heavy fall.—(Front the Circular of Messrs. von
Dadelszen and North.)