The Sun.
London, England, 1866-01-10 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY' EVENING, JANUARY 10, 1866.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT—This Day.

OLD COURT.
(Before Mr. Justice Mellor.)
THE RUSSIAN ROUBLE NOTE FORGERY.

Philip Brann was indicted for feloniously and,

without authority of the Russian Government,
engraving and making documents purporting to be
five rouble notes, being equal to about 12s. 6d.
English. The prisoner, it will be recollected, was
tried with Holchester, Beyer, Berens, Davis, and
Silvermann, who were indicted for forging such
notes, and that the five prisoners above-named were
con bricted, but Bran) was acquitted. He was, how-
ever, detained on other indictments, and one of
these was preferred against him this morning.
Sergeant Ballantine, for the prosecution, said
the offence in the case before the court was a
simple one, as the prisoner had never denied his con-
nection with the five men who had been convicted.
He also admitted having engraved the plate, but
urged that he had no guilty intention, and that he,
like Liban, who was the principal witness on the oc-
casion of the first trial, was acting in the interest of
the Russian Government in bringing the guilty
parties to justice.

The question submitted by the prosecution to the
jury was whether, the prisoner engraved the plates
in complicity with the men found guilty last session,
or whether he was acting in such a manner as to
further the ends of justice. _ _ _

Liban, Inspector 'Thompson, and Sergeant Alul-
vany repeated the evidence given at the former
trial, as far as it affected the prisoner, the effect of
which was to show that ho constantly acted with
the other men.

Inspector Hamilton, however, in his evidence,
said the prisoner came to him at the City police-
station, and told him certain matters relative to
steps that were going on with respect to the forgery
of the note, and said that he told him to go on with
his inquiries, and that the City police would give
him every assistance in bringing the forgers to
justice.

A witness from the office of the Russian Consu-
late also gave evidence that the prisoner came there
and made certain communications, and that he was
directed to proceed with his exertions. He knew
that the practice of the Consulate was only to
reward parties where their exertions were crowned
with success.

The learned Judge thought that the evidence
against the prisoner, as it at present stood, "as in-
sufficient to convict the prisoner, because it was clear
he had been to the Russian Consulate, and that he
had been referred by the authorities there to the
police, and that more than a year ago he had gone
to the City detectives and made them acquainted
with the matter.

Mr. GIFFARD said that if there was any doubt in
his lordship's mind, he had no desire to press the
case against the prisoner further.
A verdict of acquittal was then returned.
SHOOTING WITH INTENT TO MURDER.

William Shirley, lampmaker, was indicted for
feloniously shooting at Henry Hus, with intent to
murder him. There were other counts against the
prisoner.
The prisoner pleaded not guilty.

It will be recollected the prosecutor was a lamp-
maker living in Roupell-street, Lambeth, and that
the prisoner was formerly an apprentice of his. On
the 2d of December last year be proceeded to the
factory, and had an interview with M. Huis, and a
somewhat lengthy conversation ensued, the prisoner
claiming a written certificate of character and dis-
charge. Mr. Huis refused to do anything beyond
giving him a character in the usual manner, and
words then ensued, the prisoner telling Mr. Huis
that had he been apprenticed to any other man, he
(prisoner) would have been a good mechanic instead
of a sailor. The conversation ended, and as the
prisoner was leaving, a shot was fired, which
took effect on the person of Mr. Huis, a
struggle ensued, and the pistol, a revolver, was again
discharged, the shot taking effect in Mr. Iluis's
hand. The prisoner was also shot during the affray,
and when assistance arrived the prisoner said that
he was the party aggrieved. The pistol, however,
was taken from the prisoner's hand, and Mr. Huis
stated that it belonged to him, and had been missing
from his factory since last August, at which time
the prisoner was working for Mr. Huis.
The prosecutor, in his evidence, said the prisoner
had ten years ago been his apprentice, and had since
that time occasionally worked upto about 18 months
ago. On the 2d of December last year the prisoner
called and told him he was about to enter the em-
ployment of a railway, and he wanted a written cha-
racter. He said he would give him a character in the
usual manner, but that he would not write it. He
further told him that if it was true that he was about
to enter the service of a railway company he (pro-
secutor) would be furnished with a printed form to
fill up. He (witness) then went to wash his hands
preparatory to leaving the premises, m hen the pri-
soner followed him, and began talking angrily, say-
ing that had he been apprenticed to any other man
but a foreigner he would have been a good mechanic
instead of a man to a great extent destitute of a
trade. He again asked him to give him a written
character, but he refused, and as he was leaving the
factory the prisoner shot him in the neck. He called
the prisoner by his name, and said " William, what
are you doing ?" The prisoner then fired another shot,
which did not take effect, and then he closed with him
to get possession of the revolver, when the prisoner
discharged the pistol again and the shot took effect
in his hand. He continued to struggle with the
prisoner until he got the pistol out of his hand ; at
this time both were on the ground. When he got
the pistol he (prosecutor) discharged it twice at the
prisoner in self-defence, the struggle, however,
continuing all the time. He (prosecutor) dropped
the pistol on the ground which the prisoner picked
up, and the next circumstance he recollected was
seeing the prisoner in company with a lot of other
persons. He gave the prisoner in charge for at-
tempting to murder him, and on looking at the
pistol he discovered it to be a revolver, which had
been taken away from the factory by some person
in August last. The prisoner was in his employ
when the pistol was missed.
Cross-examined by Mr. Metcalf—He told the
prisoner that the pistol had been stolen, and he
(witness) accused a person named Ch adder of having
taken it. He had been on terms of intimacy with the
sister of the prisoner. He bad been very intimate with
her, but he did not know she had complained of his
cruelty. He knew the girl had been to the doctor
for an injury to her wrist, but he was not the cause
of it. He never took up a soldering iron and
threatened to kill the prisoner with it. He had
never on any occasion threatened to shoot a
policeman. He had resided in Princes - street,
Stamford - street, previous to " going to Roupell-
street. He left there in consequence of a fire con-
suming his place. He was insured in the West-
minster Fire-office, and got £5OO as the amount
of the policy. He had never quarrelled with
the prisoner in consequence of his threatening
to go to the fire-office to tell them about
the fire. He had never threatened to shoot the
prisoner's sister. He had never struggled with her.
He might have pushed her, but he never treated her
cruelly. She said he was a bad temper, but he did
not think he was. The pistol was loaded with ball
when it was lost. He kept it for the protection of
his premises.

(We shall give the conclusion in a later edition.)

THE FAMILIES OF THE FENIAN CONVICTS.--Mrs.
Stephens, wife of the escaped head centre, has given
a number of articles of ladies' ornamental attire to be
raffled for, in aid of the wives and families of the Fenian
convicts, and the sale of the tickets for the " drawing"
throughout all parts of the country has attracted some
attention. It is supposed that the further circulation of
these lottery tickets (which are in themselves 'illegal, irre-
spective of any political significance they may be supposed
to possess) will be prevented.

A SAJLOR'S LEAP FROM A TRAIN.—On Monday a
sailor named Williams was charged before the Liverpool
county magistrates with an infraction of the bye-laws, by
leaping from a railway train, on the Liverpool and Garston
line, on Saturday evening. The train was going at full
speed towards Garston, when Williams, who was intoxi-
cated, in spite of the opposition and efforts of some pas-
sengers, opened the carriage door and jumped out. It was
dark, and no one could tell what became of him, but when
the train arrived at Garston a messenger was despatched
along the line, and Williams was discovered lying in a
ditch at the bottom of the embankment. Not a bone was
broken, and he had not even been bruised. He was fined
20s. and cots.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—This Day.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

A FORGIVING WIFE.-Mr. Charles John Martin, a master
plumber and glazier, of No. 33 A, Dean-street, Soho, was
brought before Mr. Tyrwhitt, on a warrant, by O'Shaugh-
nessy, one of the warrant officers, charged with assaulting
his wife, Louisa Martin, a certified accoucheuse.
Mr. E. D. Lewis, of Great Marlborough-street, appeared
for the complainant, and stated that the parties had been
married a number of years, but for some time past the de-
fendant had given way to habits of dissipation, and had
frequently assaulted the complainant. On the previous
night he came home in a state of intoxication, and as soon
as he entered the house he seized the complainant by the
hair, scratched her throat, struck her in the face—the re-
sult of the blows being apparent, she having a pair of black
eyes—and also kicked her in the lower part of her person.
He should call the complainant, and, after hearing her evi-
dence, should ask his worship to deal with the case as
one coming under the Aggravated Assaults Act.
The complainant, whose countenance was much dis-
figured by a pair of bad black eyes, then gave evidence
fully bearing out Mr. Lewis's statement, and sail that in
consequence of the scenes of violence which took place she
had a daughter, about 14 years of age, lying very ill. She
wanted nothing from her husband, as she was able to
maintain herself by her profession, but peace.

The defendant said his wife first assaulted him.

Mr. Tyrwhitt committed the defendant for 21 days, at
the same time remarking that the defendant's conduct was

very cruel.

The complainant appealed to the magistrate to impose a
fine, offering at the same time to pay it.
Mr. Tyrwhitt said ho had no doubt if ho imposed a fine
the complainant would distress herself to pay it, and he
therefore would not alter his decision.

MARKETS—This Day.

MARK-LANE.

Fresh up to our market, to-day, the arrivals of wheat
were but moderate. The trade for all qualities ruled heavy,
and the business done was at quite Monday's decline in the
quotations.

The market was moderately supplied with foreign
wheat. Tho demand for all descriptions was somewhat
restricted, yet prices ruled stationary.
Floating cargoes of grain were in but moderate demand,
at late rates.

Barley was in fair supply, and heavy request, on former
terms.

Malt sold slowly, at late rates.

Oats were in very moderato supply, and the trade ruled
firm, with a slight upward tendency in prices.
Beans wore dull, at fully Monday's decline in the quota-

tions.
Peas were in slow request, at the recent fall in their
value.

In flour sales progressed slowly, on former terms.
SHIP ARRIVALS THIS WEEK.
Wheat. Barley. Malt. Oats. Flour.
English and Scotch 720 1110 2,350 690
Irish -
Foreign 1420 320 1.440 110 sks.
brls.
COMPARATIVE QUANTITIES AND PRICES OF GRAIN.
For the week ending Jan. For the corresponding week
6, 1865. last year.
Qrs. Aver. Qrs. Aver.
Wheat 49,310-46s 3d Wheat 63,806-38s 2d
Barley 60,005-32 s 9d Barley 64,062-27 s 10d
Oats

BOROUGH HOP.
The demand is chiefly for retail parcels, at stationary
prices.

WHITECIIAPEL.

The supply of meat on sale is moderate, The trade is
steady, as follows :

Beef, from 2s 10d to 4s 6d ; mutton, 3s 10d to 5s 4d ;
veal, 3s 10d to 4s 10d ; and pork, 3s 10d to 5s 6d per Blbs.
by the carcase.

HEALTH OF THE METROPOLIS•

(Fronz the Registrar-General's Weekly Report.)

Weekly returns are now published of the births,
deaths, rate of mortality, and meteorology in 12
large towns of theUnitedKingdom, besides London,
Sheffield and Newcastle-upon-Tynebeing now added
for the first time. The population of the 13 towns
in the middle of the present year is estimated at
6,122,894, and they stand upon an area of 177,817
acres, nearly equal to 278 square mile's. In the
week that ended on Saturday, Jan. 6, the births re-
gistered in London and 12 other large towns of the
United Kingdom were 4,353 ; the deathsregistered,
3,490. The annual rate of mortality was 30 per
1,000 persons living. In London the births of
1,127 boys and 1,125 girls, in all 2,252 chil-
dren, were registered in the week. In the cor-
responding week of 10 years, 1856-65, the average
number, corrected for increase of population, was
2,085. The deaths reaistered in London during the
week were 1,520. It was the first week of the year,
and the average number for that week is, with a cor-
rection for increase of population, 1,585. The deaths
in the present return are less by 65 than the esti-
mated amount, and less by 83 than the number re-
gistered in the preceding week. Eighty-four deaths
occurred from fever, 57 from whooping-cough, 34
from scarlatina, 15 from small-pox, and 49 from
measles. The registrar of the sub-district of St.
Giles North reports that measles is very prevalent ;
6 deaths from this disease were registered by him
during the week. An attendant at the British Mu-
seum, aged 22 years, died on Dec. 30, at 145, Sey-
mour-street, Pancras, of cholera. A female servant,
aged 25 years, died on Dec. 27, at the workhouse,
Marylebone, of consumption, accelerated by want
and exposure. One hundred and sixty-three persons
died from phthisis, 219 from bronchitis, 104 from
pneumonia, and 73 from diseases of the heart.

The following deaths were reported as resulting
from carriage accidents :—A cab proprietor, aged
49 years, died on Dec. 25, at St. Mary's Hospital.
Run over by an omnibus. A coachman, aged 37
years, died on Dec. 26, at Middlesex Hospital. Run
over by a cab. A cowkeeper, aged 29 years, died
Dec. 29, at 16, Elizabeth-place, Kennington.
Thrown from a cart by collision with a brougham.
A carman, aged 31, died Dec. 26, at Guy's Hospital.
Run over by a van in Bermondsey. The son of a
labourer, aged 3 years, was killed on Dec. 27, in
Bermondsey, by a van passing over him.
The annual rate of mortality last week was 26 per
1,000 in London, 25 in Edinburgh, and 29 in Dublin ;
45 in Liverpool, 35 in Manchester, 36 in Salford, 29
in Birmingham, 33 in Leeds, 34 in Sheffield, 32 in
Bristol, 36 in Newcastle-on-Tyne, 30 in Hull, and
31 in Glasgow. The rate in Vienna was 32 per 1,000
during the week ending the 30th ult., when the tem-
perature was 24.0 deg. Fahrenheit lower than in the
same week in London, where the rate was 28 per
1,000.

The highest rate of mortality during the week
occurred in Liverpool ; during last quarter the
annual rate of mortality in this town was 33 per
1,000, and the deaths from typhus averaged 47
weekly ; during last week, of the 417 deaths (at the
annual rate of 45 per 1,000) 48 were referred to
typhus, 26 to measles, 12 to scarlatina, and 19 wero
inquest cases. Whooping-cough was very fatal last
week in some parts of Manchester and Birmingham.
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean
height of the barometer in the week was 29.685 in.
The barometrical reading increased from 29.31 in.
on Wednesday to 29.95 in. on Saturday. The mean
temperature of the air in the week was 43.2 deg.,
which is 6.5 deg. above the average of the same
week in 50 years (as determined by Mr. Glaisher).
The highest day temperature was 51.8 deg. on
Thursday. The lowest night temperature was 32.2
deg. or, Saturday. The entire range of temperature
in the week was, therefore, 19.6 deg. The mean of
the highest temperatures of the water of the Thames
was 42.7 deg. ; that of the lowest was 41.6 deg.
The mean degree of humidity of the air was 84,
complete saturation being represented by 100. Rain
fell to the amount of 0.52 in. The general direc-
tion of the wind was south-west.

Charles Christopher Robinson was hung yester-
day at Stafford. He was convicted at the recent assizes of
the murder of a young girl named Seagor, whose throat he
cut. He was in the 19th year of his age, and had, it seems,
led a dissipated life. There was a dense crowd to see the
poor wretch executed. Before his death he professed
penitence.

An inquest was held yesterday in the gaol at
Leeds on the body of Eli Sykes, the Batley murderer. It
will be remembered that soon after his conviction ho threw
himself over the rails of some stairs in the prison, and
from the injuries he received he died last Saturday. The
jury returned a verdict of fele de se, and Sykes' body was
interred within the precincts of the gaol last evening.
MURDER OF A BISHOP IN CHlNA.—Recent ac-
counts from Shanghae state that a Christian village
north-west of Pekin had been burned down, and that the
Catholic bishop who resided there had been assassinated.
On learning this melancholy intelligence, the representa-
tive of France at Pekin addressed an energetic note to the
Chinese Government, which promised that measures
should be immediately taken to punish the authors of
p those crimes.

The Murderer Southey.

MAIDSTONE, Tuesday.
To-day, at a numerously attended general session
meeting of the county magistrates, held at the
sessions-house, a letter was read from Mr. Omerod,
praying for an investigation into Southey's state of
mind. The Rev. Shirley 'Woolmer also had an in-
terview with the magistrates, who consented that
Southey should be examined by Dr. Kirkman, sur-
geon to the Barming Lunatic Asylum. Dr. Kirk-
man was accordingly closeted with Southey this
afternoon for two hours, and the conclusion he came
to was made known to the magistrates. A resolu-
tion was carried that Major Bannister, the governor
of Maidstone Gaol, should proceed with a sealed
packet to the Home Secretary by the first train in
the morning. The contents of the packet, of course,
are unknown ; but it is generally believed that a
respite for a commission of inquiry is asked for.
Messrs. Gold and Son, under the advice of Mr.
E. T. Smith and Mr. R. Blake Steele, who were
Southey's counsel, have filed an affidavit of certain
facts, with a view of inducing the Attorney-General
to issue his fiat for an appeal to the Court for
Crown Cases Reserved, but no reply has been re-
ceived from the Crown-office.

Messrs. Gold and Son have received the follow•
ing reply to a communication of theirs on behalf o.
the convict :

" Whitehall, January 8, 1866.

" Gentlemen,—l am directed by Secretary Sir George
Grey to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 6th
inst., and I am to acquaint you, in reply, that he must de-
cline to hear counsel upon the question of the sanity of
Stephen Forward alias Southey. As to the other point
mentioned by you, I am to state that it cannot be enter-
tained by the Court of Criminal Appeal, unless reserved
by the judge at the trial, who would in that case have
himself respited the execution.—l am, gentlemen, your
obedient servant, " H. WADDINGTON.
"Messrs. Gold and Son, solicitors, 1, Sorjeant's-inn,
Chancery-lane."

LATEST PARTICULARS THIS DAY.
The authorities at the Home-office have not up
to the present time granted any respite to the con-

vict.

The Last New Disease.

(From the Lancet.)

We have lately had to refer more than once to
the prevalence of parasitic disease in Germany,
arising from eating pork infested with the newly
observed trichina spiralis. Dr. Thudichum addresses
us with the following particulars of the outbreak at
Hedersleben

Reliable accounts of the epidemic of trichiniasis
at Heclersleben, in Prussian Saxony, show it to have
been the most extensive and fatal of all outbreaks
hitherto recorded. 'While the llettstadt outbreak
caused severe sickness to upwards of 150 persons,
and the death of 28 out of this number, the epi-
demic at Hedersleben has already (up to Dec. 21,
1865) produced upwards of 90 deaths. From these
figures we may fairly conclude that the total num-
ber of persons attacked amounts to several hundreds.
All this havoc has been caused by one trichinous
pig ! The butcher, having recognised the abnormal
appearance of the meat of this pig, had carefully
disguised it by mixing it with the meat of two
healthy pigs, or added it in small pieces to larger
joints of pork to make up weight. He made this
confession shortly before his death, which was caused
by trichiniasis contracted from his own meat. His
wife also died of the disease.

The most lamentable part of the history of this
outbreak is, however, the circumstance that the
practitioner resident at Hedersleben failed to diag-
nose the disease in the early stages of the first cases,
when there would have been time to seize and
destroy much of the fatal pork then exhibiting in
the butcher's shop. The sudden and simultaneous
seizure of many persons with vomiting and purging,
spasm, and collapse, effectually simulated a com-
mencing epidemic of cholera, and opium was used
freely to arrest the symptoms. When the course
and fatality of the outbreak at last led to a correct
appreciation of its nature, the time for prevention,
mitigation, or palliation had passed by.
Many physicians from all parts of Germany have
gone to Hederslehon to 'study tho disease. The
public have been roused once more to a sense of the
danger. Panic impels to unreasonable propositions,
and reasonable measures are neglected. Ignorance
and folly form a grotesque background.
At Berlin, a meeting of town councillors, butchers,
doctors, and a sprinkling of the general public was
held shortly before Christmas. Professor Virchow
addressed the meeting, and urged the necessity of
instituting a microscopical examination of all pork.
At the conclusion of his speech, he handed to the
president a piece of smoked sausage and a piece of
meat from a pig which had been recognised as
trichinous. Thereupon a veterinary practitioner
named Urban rose and combated all that science
has acquired during the last five years as an un-
founded illusion. " Trichinae," he said, " are the
most harmless animals in the world. It is only
doctors without practice who make a noise about
them, in order to create some occupation for them-
selves," &c. (Great interruption ; the president is
obliged to stop the veterinarian.) Drs. Virchow
and Mason demand an apology from M. Urban.
Dr. Mason challenges Urban to eat some of the
sausage on the president's table. (Great applause.)
Urban wishes to explain. The meeting calls upon
him to eat. "He had not spoken of Berlin doctors
—(Eat, eat !)—but of those at lledersleben. (Eat !)
Ile would first see whether the sausage contained
trichinae." (Great laughter, and continued shouts
of "Eat, eat, eat !") Whereupon M. Urban sud-
denly seizes the sausage on the president's table,
bites of a piece, cats it, and leaves the hall forth-
with, amid the applause and laughter of the
assembly.

About five days later (on December 23) the
Oelkszeitung reported that the veterinarian Urban
was ill. He was confined to his bed, and his arms
and legs were paralysed. A hope was expressed
that the illness was not caused by trichinae con-
tained in the sausage of which he had been bad-
gered to swallow a piece. Vain hope !
The Berlin butchers, finding their trade extin-
guished, held a meeting on the 30th of December,
and resolved, with 200 votes against nine, to make
arrangements for the miscroscopic examination of
all pork. They have petitioned for the co-opera-
tion of the municipality, and desire to make the
examination obligatory upon all.
The butchers in the exporting towns of North
Germany also instituted miscroscopic examinations.
Thus we learn that a butcher of Flensburg, in
Schleswig, who kills 15,000 pigs per annum, the
meat of which is mostly exported to England, has
adopted this measure of precaution. This is laud-
able, but no one should rely upon such examination
exclusively. All pork should be most carefully
cooked before use. Trichinae in man are prevented
with certainty only by careful and thorough
cooking.

Some say, " We in England do not eat raw meat,
and therefore the danger of trichiniasis does not
affect us." This is an error. In at least one county
the agricultural labourers do eat raw bacon. But
the strongest proof of the possibility of trichiniasis
breaking out among us at any time is the circum-
stance that the common tapeworm from pork, Tienia
solium, is always infesting a number of persons
throughout the kingdom. Now if measles survive
salting, smoking, and cooking (so-called), and after
ingestion, become tapeworms, a fortiori it is clear
that trichina 3 will survive these processes, because
they are much better protected against their influ-
ence than measles. The trichina has been discovered
in this country ; cases of trichiniasis have unques-
tionably been observed, and instances of encapsuled
trichinas are constantly being discovered in our,
anatomical theatres. Only last year a subject with
millions of trichinae in its flesh was dissected in the
Middlesex Hospital. Why, therefore, disguise or
deny the danger ? Let us prevent it. Let' us be
ready to meet it at all stages. Let us search for the
source whence the pig receives the trichina, and
endeavour to close it up.

Mr. MASON JONES, who recently fought two
losing battles in the Liberai cause at Coventry, was pre
sented with a testimonial at that place last evening. There
was a densely crowded meeting in the Corn Exchange, and
the proceedings were of an enthusiastic character.

Ethnological Society.

An ordinary meeting of this society was held yes-
terday evening—the president, Mr. Crauford, in the
chair—when three papers were read.

The first was by Mr. Campbell, consisting of some
notes on the Lapps, made at the request of Mr.
Crauford, during a journey in the autumn of last
year along the western and northern coasts of Nor-
way. Mr. Campbell's attention was particularly
directed to the stature of the Lapps, of whom he
took several measurements, which proved that they
are much more diminutive than other European
races. Some of the women were not taller than
4ft. Gin., and the men 4ft. 10in. The average of
12 measurements was sft. lin., which is about six
inches less than the average stature of Englishmen.
Mr. Campbell exhibited numerous sketches taken
during his journey, which represented the men and
women to be very good looking and remarkably
intelligent.

In the discussion on the paper, Sir Edward Bel-
cher, Dr. King, and lir. Campbell took part. The
two former pointed out some general characteristics
in the manners of the Lapps which resembled those
of the Esquimaux, though the latter differ from
them greatly in stature. Dr. King expressed the
opinion that the inhabitants of the northern por-
tions of the globe diminish in size proceeding east-
ward from the western part of North America to
Lapland.

The next paper, contributed by Colonel Phayre,
chief commissioner of British Barmah, was " On
the Ethnology of Indo-Chinese Nations." The
object of the paper was to give an epitome of " The
Burmese Chronicle of Kings," a work preserved
with reverential care. The author of the paper
criticised the narrative, and came to the conclusion
that there was some historical basis for portions of
the legendary work.
The third paper, " On the Characters of the South
Sclavonic Maces," contributed by Miss Irby, gave a
highly favourable description of the Bulgarians and
Servians, and contrasted them with the Greeks,
greatly to the disadvantage of the latter in their
moral and industrialqualifications, in the following
terms :—The Greek is ambitious and irascible—the
Bulgarian only tenacious of his own, and not easily
roused to anger. In quickness, acuteness, and
subtlety of intellect, the Greek is his superior;
while the Bulgarian is strong in common sense,
steadiness, and perseverance. Unlike the Greek,
he is devoid of brag, vanity, or pretentiousness of
any kind. The Bulgarian is more industrious and
painstaking than any of his neighbours, and espe-
cially addicted to the cultivation of the soil. Even
in Servia Bulgarians carry on a great part of such
agriculture as there is. The superior cleanliness
and neatness of their houses is one of the charac-
teristics which first strike the eye of the tra-
veller from Greece. They are fond of
flowers, and cultivate their little gardens carefully.
A Bulgarian maiden, to complete her holiday
garb, places a flower behind her ear, and twines
flowers in the long plait of hair which hangs down
her back. One striking difference in the moral
character of Greek and Sclav is the honest simplicity
of the latter. Truthfulness the Greek rarely pos-
sesses as an instinct of his nature, though education
and habit may teach him the practice of truth. He
is sharp enough to know that honesty is the best
policy, and clever enough to practise honesty when
the standard of society requires it. With Servians
or Bulgarians Englishmen have unfortunately little
intercourse. Those who have had any perceive in
them a truth and sincerity of nature which wins
respect and confidence.

The Rev. Mr. DENTIN, who had been for some
time in Servia, fully confirmed Miss Irby's favour-
able description of the people. He said they have
made great advances in civilisation during the last
three years, and were it not for their exclusion from
free communication with other parts of Europe they
would occupy an important position. The people
generally are better educated than those of any other
country, the Government having provided schools
for giving education of a high class to those boys
who exhibit indications of superior intellect. The
mineral resources of the country he represented to
be rich and abundant. The copper and iron are of
the best quality, and there is great promise of find-
ing gold, from the striking resemblance of the
physical and mineralogical features of the country
to the gold-bearing district of Australia. Mr. Dentin
also spoke highly of the Montenegrins, who, though
very poor, owing to the mountainous character of
their country, are considered the aristocracy of
Servia, and closely resemble in character the High-
landers of Scotland.
The meeting then adjourned.

THE PROPOSED CHANGE IN THE AMERICAN MAIL
DESPATCH FROM LIVERPOOL—The proposal to
change the despatch from Saturday to Friday was again
brought up at the council meeting of the Liverpool Cham-
ber of Commerce yesterday. Mr. Rathbone (chairman) said
a communication had been received from the American
Chamber of Commerce, who declined to follow up the sub-
ject, though Mr. Rathbone said he believed the American

merchants individually were friendly to the change. Mr.
Prange said that so far as his inquiries had extended this
was not the case, and he believed that even if the change
were made competition would cause a despatch by some
other lines than the present on Saturdays. He (Dlr.Prange)
had been informed by Messrs. M'lver, of the Cunard Com-
pany, that they could not get their steamers ready for a
Friday's despatch without coaling on the Sunday. The
chairman said that, with one exception, all the chambers of
commerce in the country were friendly to the change.
NEW LIFEBOATS FOR NORTHUMBERLAND.—Two
fine new lifeboats, each 34 feet long, and built of
solid mahogany, accompanied by transporting carriages,
have j'ist been sent by the National Lifeboat Institution to
Hauxley and Newbiggin, on the coast of Northumberland.
Their self-righting qualities were fully and satisfactorily
tested a few days since in the Regent's Canal Dock. The
transporting carriages of the boats were also tried on the
occasion, and were found to answer admirably. The cost
of the Hauxley lifeboat was presented to the institution
by Eleanor, Duchess of Northumberland, and it is called
the Algernon and Eleanor. The Newbiggin lifeboat is also
the gift of a benevolent lady, named Miss Hopkinson, of
Brighouse, Yorkshire, through W. Anderson Ogg, Esq.,
of Cheapside. The lifeboat is named the William Hopkin-
son, of Brighouse, after the donor's late brother of that
name. These two lifeboat establishments will, we trust,
long remain monuments of the two philanthropic ladies.
The Hauxley lifeboat was publicly launched to-day ; the
Newbiggin lifeboat is to undergo the same ceremony on
Saturday next. The National Lifeboat Institution has
now 153 lifeboats in connection with it. Of these 23
are stationed on the north-east coast, namely:—North-
umberland, Berwick-on-Tweed, Holy Island, North Sun-
derland, Boulmer, Alnmouth, Hauxley,Newbiggie, Culler-
Upgang, Scar-
coates, Tynemouth No. 1, Tynemouth No. 2, Durham,
LIFEBOAT.—Wears
rnWhitabnyd,
Withernsea.
Whitburn, Sunderland, Seaton Carewi a
. Mid-
dlesborough, RedcarSaltb i
ui sea,
rno ,
borough, Filey, Bridlington,
ACCIDENT TO THE MARGATE L
requested to state that the lifeboat to which the ac-
cident on the 7th inst. at
occurred Margate was a private
one, belonging to the boatmen of that town, and was in no
way connected with the National Lifeboat Institution ; in
fact, it is a boat used for the salvage of property as well as
of life. The secondlifeboat in that town, which is used
exclusively for the saving of life, is a self-righting boat,
and is the property of the National Lifeboat Institution.
A BODY FOUND IN THE T Y d
HAMES.— ester ay
afternoon, while the men at work on the Thames
Embankment were excavating in one of the caissons oppo-
site the dry arch of Somerset House, they found an almost
complete skeleton buried many feet in the mud. The skull
bore marks of fracture. There was also a complete set of
false teeth set in gold with spring sides, and also double
gold eye-glasses, proving the body to be that of some one
well to do. The clothes were almost entirely destroyed,
with the exception of one Wellington boot, of fashionable
make, and part of, apparently, a top coat, there being two
halfpenny pieces in the side pocket; but no papers are dis-
coverable. The teeth are of recent fashion, and the body,
with the other things found, are in the safe custody of Mr.
Bell, the officer to the Coroner of the Duchy of Lancaster,
Mr. J. W. Payne, by whom an inquest will be held, should
it be deemed necessary.
The great fire in the St. Katharine's Docks ware-
houses is not yet wholly extinguished. Workmen are
employed in the removal of vast quantities of damaged
property, and powerful fire-engines are throwing water
on the places where the fire is still burning. It is likely
to be several days before all danger is past.
CAMBRIDGE HOUSE, PICCADILLY.—There was an
auction yesterday at the residence of the late Lord Palmer-
ston. By some strange wording of the advertisement it
led many to suppose that the effects of the late illustrious
statesman were to be disposed of. There was not the re-
motest foundation for the supposition. All the late Lord
Palmerston's effects had been removed from the house, and
all that was left there belonged to the owner of the house,
Sir John Sutton.