The Sun.
London, England, 1866-10-03 00:00:00

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

NORTHAMPTON AUTUMN MEETING—TUES:IIh7Y.
Stewards : Marquis of Hastings, Earl of Stamford and
Warrington, George Payne, Esq., and George Bryan,
Esq. Handicappers : Messrs. Weatherby. Judge : Mr.
Clark. Clerk of the Scales : Mr. Manning. Sttivter :
Mr. M‘George. Clerk of the Course : Mr. T. Marsh all.
The experiment to hold a meeting at Northampt on in
the Bedford week was tried yesterday with but moderate
success, for although a good programme was issued, the
racing was indifferent and uninteresting, and the fields
small. The meeting is a speculation of some of the inha-
bitants of the town, and although the management is en-
trusted to the same efficient staff of officials that have been
identified with the Spring Meeting, the race committee
have no monetary interest whatever in the affair. The ring
was only moderately attended, but the Stand was well
patronised, although throughout the afternoon there was
au absence of exciting features, speculation On the Cesare-
witch and Cambridgeshire being unimportant. Racing
commenced at two o'clock with the Ecton Handicap, seven
only of the nineteen animals coloured on the card going
to the post. Immediately the betting opened Novice was
made favourite, 5 to 2 being eventually taken, but Vigi-
lant, who made his first appearance this season, and
having a long way the best of the weights, got well
off, and won as he liked from Venturesome and
Cedric, the latter conceding to him no less than
401 b. Sir Charles Rushout obtained the barren honour
of a place with Moonbeam, who carried the top-
weight for the succeeding event, the Two Year Old Handl-,
cap, and her impost did not stall-off the "talent," who,
remembering her recent form, took 5 to 2 about her readily.
She failed, however, to concede a stone and a half to
Stokeley, who, it will be remembered, beat a large field at
Odiham. The Cottesbrooke Welter Cup, reduced to a
match between Little Ellen and Wild Dove, also went to
the representative of Mr. Brayley, who thus carried off two
races in succession. The principal event of the meeting
—the Autumn Handicap—followed, the absentees from the
ten "coloured" being Breadalbane,- Provisor, and Drum.
Pintail had rather an attractive aspect with 7st 131 b, but
it was reported that she was not up to the mark, and, at
the close, Laugham, who only received 41b for the two
years, was quite as good a favourite. Among the other
competitors was Plutus, but as was the case at Newmarket
in the October Handicap he could not stay, and the two
"pots" were easily upset by Miss Harriette, who won
over this course in the spring. The remainder of the races
fell through, and during the intervals there were some
betting on the Cesare witch and Cambridgeshire, the feature
of the betting on the first event being the advance of Lee-
turer, who was freely supported down to 30 to 1. Pin-
tail's wretched performance had a somewhat prejudicial ef-
fect on Jollity, against whom 14 to 1 was offered, but
Bradamante was .not affected in the slightest degree by the
indifferent form displayed by her stable companion, and,
although not supported, at 9 to 1 she was remarkably firm,
backers offering to accept a shade over those odds to large
sums. Proserpina, who came with such startling rapidity
into a, prominent position in the quotations on Monday,
maintained her place at 12 to 1. The remainder of the
transactions require no comment, the list of the quotations
appended to the day's running at once indicating the
amount of business transacted. Subjoined are details of
the racing :
The ECTON PLATE of 50 sous (Handicap); winners after
Sept. 27 (at 10 a.m.) 71b extra; about five furlongs,

straight.
Mr. T. Golby's Vigilant, by Vedette—Corbeau, 4 yrs, 7st
(H. Clark) 1
Mr. Hodgman's Venturesome, 3 yrs' 7st 51b (Heartfield) 2
Sir C. Rushout's Cedric, 4 yrs, Bst 121 b (Walters) 3
Mr. Pryor's Novice, 3 yrs, 85t....„.. (Loates) 4
Sir H. de Trafford's Gundrede, 3 yrs, Est 131 b (Carver) 5
Mr. G. Angell's Lady Valentine, 4 yrs, Est 91b...(Parry) 6
Mr. W. G. Craven's Skiff, 5 yrs, 7st 111 b (Kenyon) 0

Betting-5 to 2 agst Novice, 4to 1 agst Skiff, sto 1 each
agst Venturesome and Vigilant, and 6 to 1 agst Cedric.
After a trifling delay at the post, the lot got well away,
Vigilant making play with a clear lead of Skiff and Cedric,
Venturesome heading the remainder to the brow of the
hill, where Skiff dropped away, and Venturesome improved
his position, but Vigilant, gradually increasing the lead,
won easily by five lengths from Venturesome, who de-
feated Cedric about a length for second place ; Novice was
fourth; Lady Valentine and Skiff, head and head, were
next, and Gundrede last.
The TWO-YEAR-OLD HANDICAP of 5 sovs each, with 40
added; winners after Sept. 27 (at 10 a.m.) 51b extra ;
half a mile; 19 subs.
Mr. Brayley's br c Stokeley, by Voltigeur—Madamo
Clicquot, 7st 31b (Murray) 1
Sir C. Rushout's b f Moonbeam, Bst 101 b (J. Adams) 2
Mr. G. Angell's br f Canard, Bst 21b (Parry) 3
Mr. J. Hanks's ch c Alcazar, 7st 81b (Clement) 0
Mr. H. E. Walker's br c General Kmety, 7st 21b (Clark) 0
Mr. Partner's ch c Glengarnock, Est 121 b ...(J. Graham 0
Mr. G. Hodgman's brf Variation, Est 121 b (Bartholomew 0
Mr. Hidson's b f Miss Calthorpe, Est 91b (Sanderson 0
Mr. J. Nightingall's br c by Yedotte—Testy, 6st 91b
(Wyatt) 0
Mr. J. Foy's br f Changeable, 6st 51b J. Thompson) 0
Betting-5 to 2 agst Moonbeam, 4to 1 agst Changeable,
6 to 1 each agst Stokeley and Variation, and 7 to 1 agst
General Kmety. Several breaks-away occurred, but even-
to illy the flag fell to a good start, Stokeley getting away
iu trout ; but in a few strides Changeable took up the run-
ning, closely attended by Moonbeam, Stokeloy, General
Kmety, and Canard, and in this order they ran to the brow
of the hill, where Moonbeam, on the inside, joined the
leader. At-the half-distance Stokeley headed Moonbeam
and Changeable, and coming away about 200 yards from
home won cleverly by a length ; about a neck divided
second and third, the Testy colt was fourth, Changeable
colt, close up, fifth, General Kmety sixth, Variation
seventh, Alcazar eighth, and Miss Calthorpe and Glen-
garnock last. '
The COTTESBROOKE WELTER HANDICAP of 10 sovs each,
.3 ft, with 40 added ; gentlemen riders, professionals 41b

extra ; winners aftor Sept. 27 (at ten a.m.) 71b extra ;

once round ; 3 subs. -
Mr. Brayley's br f Wild Dove, by Wild Dayrell—Maud,
3 yrs, 11st (inc. 71b ex.) (Cannon) 1
Mr. P. Merton's ch f Little Ellen, 4 yrs, lOst 131 b (in.
71b ex.) (Payne) 2
Betting-5 to 4on Wild Dove, who made play through-
out, and won in a canter by a length.
AUTUMN HANDICAP of 100 sous, added to a Handicap of
15 sous each, 10 ft, and 5 only if declared ; winners of

any handicap after Sept. 20 (at ten a.m.) 71b extra ; the
second to save his stake ; a mile and a quarter ; 16 subs,
6 of whom declared.

Mr. Pryor's Miss Harriette, by Lambton—Waterwitch,
3 yrs, Gst 91b (Forster) 1
Mr. M. Dennett's Langham, 3 yrs, ist 91b (Cannon) 2
Mr. 'Teen's Duet, 3 yrs, Gst (11. Clark) 3
Mr. Payne's Pintail, 5 yrs, 7st 131 b (Challoner) 4
Mr. Hidson's Edgbaston, 3 yrs, Est 91b (carried Gst 711311
(Murray) 5
Mr. E. Phillips's Arkansas, 4 yrs' 7st 101 b (Carver) 6
Count F. de Lagrange's Plutus, 3 yrs, 7st 21b (in 71b ex)
(Barker) 7
Betting-3 to 1 each agst Langham and Pintail, 4to 1
agst Duet, 100 to 15 each agst Plutus and Miss Harriette,
and 8 to 1 agst any other. Mr. M'George succeeded in
despatching the seven on pretty equal terms, Pintail tak-
ing a slight lead of Miss Harriette for the first hundred
yards, when the last mentioned took up the running,
closely attended by Edgbaston, Pintail going on third, Plu-
tus next, and Langham bringing up the rear. Approach-
ing the half-mile post, Edgbaston drew up to Miss Har-
riette, Pintail being about two lengths in the rear of the
pair for a short distance, when bhe was passed by Plutus,
Arkansas at the same time dropping into the rear. Making
the turn for home Langham and Duet improved their
respective positions, and Plutus fell back beaten. When
fairly in the straight Miss Harriette increased her lead,
and, coming away, won easily by six lengths from
Langham. Duet was a bad third, Pintail was fourth,
Edgbastoa fifth, Arkansas sixth. Plutus did not pass
the post.
The WOOTTON PARK FREE HANDICAP of 5 sovs each, with
50 added ; the winner to bo sold for 50 sovs ; winners
after Sept. 27 (at 10 a.m.) 51b extra; one mile.
Mr. G. Angell's Black Prince, by Knight of Kars—Black
Cotton, 3 yrs, Est 21b (Sayers) w.o.
A MAIDEN PLATE of 30 sovs, added to a Sweepstakes of 5
sovs each; two year olds fist 71b, three Bst 91b, four
9st 91b, five, six, and aged 9st 121 b ; three quarters of a
mile. Was declared void.

The SELLING STAKES of 3 sovs each, with 25 added; two
year olds 7st 101 b, three 9st 31b, four lOst 31b, five and
upwards lOst 51b, mares and geldings allowed 31b ; mai-
dens allowed 61b ; winners this year 51b extra ; the
winner to be sold for 80 sovs ; if entered for 60 sovs
allowed 41b, 40 91b, 20 181bs ; about three quarters of a
mile. Did not fill.

BETTING ON THE COURSE.
CESAREWITCR.
9to 1 agst Bradamante
12 to 1 agst Jollity
12 to 1 agst Proserpina
14 to 1 agst Dubiety
20 to 1 agst Lecturer
33 to 1 agst Rama
83 to 1 agst Regalia

TURF AGENCY OFFICE,
100, JERMYN-STREET, ►ST. JAMES'S, LONDON.

34-R. SYDNEY SMITH (Member of Tatter-
sall's) begs to inform the racing public he will
execute COMMISSIONS (by letter only) on all the prin-
cipal races throughout the year. For further particulars
and prices Bee advertisement in The Sportsman newspaper
every TUESDAY, THURSDAY, and SATURDAY.
Price Current published DAILY, and forwarded on receipt
of stamped directed envelope.
Post-office Orders to be made payable at the Pi
ceapey
or St. James's street offices, and cheques to be crossed di
tu
London and Westminster Bank."

The Nord states that a royal decree will shortly
be published appointing Earl Spencer, Lord Elcho,
and Commander Colville, Commanders of the
Order of Leopold.
The Brussels journals mGermanyention that the Count de
Flandre has gone through
Como, where he will await the Empress Charlotte'
his sister, coming from Rome, to escort her to
Brussels.

LONDON GAZETTE.—Last Evening.

ADMIRALTYLSEPT..29:

Royal Marine Light Infantry--. First Lieutenant and Quar-
termaster Daniel Connor to be Captain, vice Smail, to
half-pay ; Second Lieutenant Thomas Crafer to be First
Lieuteuolt, vice Connor.
OcronEn 1.

Royal Mar'ne Light Infantry—First Lieutenant Andrew.
Wm. Douglas Smith to be First Lieutenant and Quar-
termaster, vi,3 Connor, promoted.
The Lords Commissioners of the Adml-alty have ap-
pointed William IL Sloggett. Esq., Staff Surgeon, RN., to
be Visiting Surgeon at Devonport, under the Contagious
Diseases Act.

WAR-OFFICE, PALL-MALL, OCT. 2.
7th Hussars—Lieut. William Edward Shaw to be Captain,
by purchase vice Edward M. Palliser, who retires; Cur
not Edward Dean Fisher to be Lieutenant, by purchase,
vice Shaw • Ensign W"liam Blakeney, from the 4th
West India I.tegiment, to bo Cornet, vice Edward Dean
Fistier.

Bth Hussars—Licut. John George Stopford, to be Captain,
by purchase, N:ce Hem./ Stratton Bates, who retires ;
Cornet and Adjutant Frederick Henry Maitland to have
the rank of Lieutenant; Cornet Wiliam St.Lo lialet to
be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Stopford; George Peter
Low, Gent., to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Malet ; Cor-
net Frederick Henry Maitland to be Adjutant, vice Lieut.
Thos. Coates, who has retired.
14th Hussars—Lieutenant John Hunter Knox to be Cap-
tain, by purchase, vice William Henry Travers Clarke
Travers, who retires; Cornet George William Douglas
Kempson to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Knox ;
Joseph Lawrence Mi'ligan, Gent., to be Comet, by pur-
chase, `:CO Kempson.
Royal tegiment of A -tillery— Lieutenant-Colonel and
Brevet-Colonel John Desbrisay Mein to be Colonel, vice
John William Croggan, removed as a General Officer;
Lieutenant Colonel John Eliot to be Colonel, N:ce James
Abbott, removed as General Officer; Captain and Brevet
Major John Harvey ElWyn to be Lieutenant-Colonel,
vice Brevet-Colonel Mein ; Captain and Brevet-Colonel
Chas. Harris Blunt, C. 8., to be Lieut.-Colonel, N .ce Eliot;
Second Captain Archibald Robertson Gloag to be Cap-
tain, vice Brevet-Major Elwyn ; Captain Thomas ler.
Harward, from the Superaumerar; List to be Captain,
vice Brevet-Colonel Blrnt ; Second Captain Thomas B.
Strange to be Captain, vice Brevet-Colonel Francis C.
Maude, C.B, retired on temporary half-pay; Lieutenant
Edward Thomas Ouchterlony to be Second Captain,
vice Gloag ; Lieutenant Alexander W. Duncan to be
Second Captain, vice Strange ; Lieutenant Robert J. P.
Saunders has been permitted to resign his commission ;
Sergeant-Major Jeremiah Daley to be Ridging Master,
vice Charles Clarke, deceased; Staff-Surgeon Edmund
Humphrey Roberts to be Surgeon, vie° Howell Walters
Voss, deceased , -Assistant-Se-geon Alexander Oswald
Cowan, M.D., has been permitted to resign his Gum-
in;ssion.

t Regiment of Foot—Captain Richard William Boiiar-
diston Crowther from the 63d Foot, to be Captain, vice
George Rowland promoted.
2d Foot—Captain John F. A. Ci:erson, from the 70th
Foot, to be Captain, vice Brevet-Major R. Crosse
Stewai.., promoted to a half-pay Majority, without
purchase.
3d Foot—Lieutenant Her-y Thomas ITalahan to be
Captain, by purchase, vice Arthur Worthington, who
retires ; Captain Charles Verey has been permitted to
retire from the Service by the sale of his Commission.
sth Foot—Captain and Brevet Lieut.-Colonel William
McDonald, from the 72d Foot, to be Captain, vice Francis
Henry Ponder, promoted.
7th Foot—Captain Thomas Reeder Clarkson, from the
68th Foot, to be Captain, vice Charles Sutherland
Dowson, promoted to a half pay Majority, without pur-
chase. _ _

13aTTOot—Ensign Henry Adrian Wyatt-Edge from
the 59th Foot, to be Ensign, vice Buchanan, who ex-
changes.
15th Foot—Captain Edward Mason, from the 17th Foot,
to be Captain, vice Johnson Wilkinson, promoted.
18th Foot—Surgeon John Eldon Young, M.D., from the
40th Foot, to be Surgeon, vice Ceorge William Peake,
M.D., who exchanges; Staff As4istant-Surgeon Joseph
Lindsey Curtis to be Assistant-Surgeon, vice Hunter
Alexander Ce,ghlan, appointed to the Staff.
21st Foot—Ensign Edmond Charles Browne to be Lieute-
nant, with6ut purchase, vice Edward Frederick Pole,
deceased; Gentlemen Cadet. William Yule, from the
Royal Military College, to be Ensign, without purchase,
vice Browne ; the Hon. Montague Mostyn to be Pay-
master, vice John F. A. Hartle, deceased.
23d Foot—Captain Chester Doughty, from the 85th Foot,
to be Captain, N ice Robert Douglas, promoted to a half-
pay Majority, without purchase.
25th Foot—Captain Standish Hadley Jackson, from half-
pay, late 78th Foot, to be Captain, vice Arthur Cotton
Young, who retires upon half-pay on appointment as
Staff Officer of Pensioners. _ _ _

Foot—Lieutenant Andrew David Geddes to be
Captain, without purchase, vice James Moorhead,
deceased ; Ensign Raymond' W. E. White to be Lieu-
tenant, without purchase, vice Geddes • Gentleman
Cadet Henry H. Swetenhatr, from the Royal Military
College, to be Ensign, without purchase, vice White.
28th Foot—Lieut. Francis H. P. Duncan has been per-
mitted to retire from the service by the sale of his Com-
mission.
31st Foot—Gentleman Cadet O'Moore Creagh, from the
Royal Military College, to be Ensign, by purchase, vice
Herbert Taylor, who retires.
32d Foot—Capt. Robert E. S. Harrington, from the 52d
Foot, to be Captain, vice Brevet Lieut.-Col. Bassano,
promoted.
34th Foot—Captain Granville William Puget to be Major,
without purchase, vice Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel James
Maxwell, promoted to a half-pay Lieutenant-Colouelcy,
without purchase.
35th Foot Staff Assistant-Surgeon William Patrick
Smith to be Assistant-Surgeon, vice Donald Macgil-
livray Davidson, M.D., appointed to the Staff.
38th Foot—Ensign Thomas Francis Stulwell to be Lieu-
tenant, without purchase, vice Charles Alexander Stuart
Alenteotla„whose promotion without purchase on the 7th
February, 1866, has been cancelled ; Ensign James
Al9xander to be Lieutenant, without purchase, vice
Thomas Francis Stillwell, whose promotion without
purchase on the 18th February, 1866, has been cancelled;
Ensign Walter St. James Young to be Lieutenant, by
purchase, vice James-Alexander; whose promotion by
purchase on the 23d March, 1866, has been cancelled.
40th Foot—Surgeon George William Peake, M.D., from
the 18th Foot, to be Surgeon, vice John Eldon Young,
M.D., who exchanges.
42d Foot—Lieutenant John Spence, from Adjutant of a
Recruiting District, to be Captain, without purchase,
vice W. G. Everard Webber, deceased ; Lieutenant J.
W. Haynes to be Captain, without purchrse, vice Spence,
who retires upon full-pay ; Ensign Arthur We, esley
Warrand to be Lieutenant, without purchase, vice
Haynes.
59th Foot—Ensign Ralph Edmonstone Buchanan, from
the 13th Foot, to be Ensign, \ :ce Wyatt-Edgell, who
excharges.
60th Foot—Ensign Henry Richard Ponsonby Lindesay to
be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Clifford Fortescue
Borrer, who retires • Gentleman Cadet the Hon. Keith
Tumour, from the Royal Mi"tary College, to be Ensign
by purehase, vice Lindesay ; Stuff Assistant-Surgeon
Philip Lefeuu,...o Kilroy to beAossitshtaenst-tSaff.
Assistant-Surgeon, vice
George Allan Hutton, promoted u
61st Foot —Capt. Gilbert de Lacy Lacy, from the 12th
Foot, to be Captain, vice Brevet -Major Edward Thomas
Wickham, promoted to a half-pay Majority, without
purchase.
63d Foot—EnsiE, i Justinian Heathcote Edwards to be
Lieutenant, by purchase, vice John P. M. Burton, who
retires.
64th Foot—Capt. Jol-i A. Wood, from the 54th Foot, to
1:a CaptP:o, vice Brevet-Major Winter Goode, promoted
to a half-pay Majority, without purchase ; Richard S.
Crawley, Esq., to be Paymaster, vice Paymaster, with
the honorary rank of Major, James Howes, placed upon
hal-pay.
65th Foot—Capt. Frederick George Frith, from the 74th
Foot, to be Captain, vice Brevet-Major Ferdinand
Turner, promoted to a half-pay Majority, without pur-
chese. _

72d Foot—Lieut. Stapleton D. Barges has been superseded
for being absent without leave.
75th Foot—Wm. Clode Bradden to be Lieutenant, by pur-
chase vice St. John Clerk, who retires.
77th Foot—Captain Richard Butler Willington to be
Major, without,purchase, vice Henry Alfred Macdonald,
deceased ; Lieutenant Herbert F. L. Browne to be Cap-
tain, without purchase, vice Willington; Ensign Vivian
Page Byrne to be Lieutenant, without purchase, vice
Browne ; Gentleman Cadet Percy Charles Heath, from
the Royal Military College, to be Ensign, without pur-
chase, vice Byrne.
78th Foot—Major and Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Grceme
A. Lockhaa t, C. 8., to be Lieutenant-Colonel, without
purchase, vice Brevet-Colonel Colin Campbell Mclntyre,
C. 8., who retires upon full-pay, under the provisions of
the 88th clause of the Royal Warrant of the 3d Feb-
ruary, 1866 ; Capta'n Oswald Barton Feilden to be
Major, without purchase, vice Brevet Lieutenant-
Colonel Lockhart, C.B. ; Lieutenant Andrew Mr r-
ray to be Captain, without purchase, vice Feden ;
Ensign Bei _de George Jarvis to be Lieutenant, without
Eurehase, N:CO Murray; Ensign W'iliam F. Maitland
Kirwan to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vi- 3 John Robert
Melklarn, who retires ; Gentleman Cadet Gilbert
O'Grady, from the Royal Militav College, to bo Ensign,
_ without parebase, vice Jarvis; Gentleman Cadet the
Honoerable Matthew Henry Moretor from the Royal
Military College, to be Ensign, by purchase, N-00

KKirwan.-
82d Foot—Captain and Brevet-Major Samuel Peters Jar-
vis to be Major, without purchase, vice Major and Bre-
vet-Colonel George Latham Thomson, promoted to a
Half-pay Lieutenant-Colonelcy, without purchase ; En-
sign Thomas William O'Driscoll to be Lieutenant, with-
out purchase, vice James Newman Tanner, deceased ;
Ensign Lucius Joseph Collum to be Lieutenant, by pr
chase, vice O'Driscoll, whose promotion, by purcha.er:
on the 3d August, 1866, has been cancelled; GentilZii_
Cadet Herbert Anthony Sawyer, from the FfEt. vice
tarp College, to be Ensign, without pure
Collum.
e 48th Foot, to
D
86th Foot—Captain Colin Campbo", from tith
be Captain, vice Brevet-Major Chr-les 0
promotion,
promoted.
Captain, by
94th Foot—Lieutenant James Drownf)Lo
by
' purchase, vice John MacktnlaY,
,b, from the 31st Foot,
purchase, on the 7th ult.,
95th Foot—Ensign O'Moore 925„, Leech, placed upon
to be Ensign, vice Janes Iv'
half-pay. Delves Broughton to be Lieu-
96th Foot—Ensign A
ukrceYStopben Henry K.Wilson,who
tenant, by purchase, , t; has bee:cancelled.
vice t Tristram James Muir DunloP,
Waif College, to be Ensign, by pup'
from Sangster, from the 66th
• I vice Edward Douglau Ha "vest, pro-
frrootimre st;hoGiefotyl,odrii3la nitot:
chase, vice Broug,l4os.
v Majority, without purchase.
.aGiane'orge Rowland Waugh, from tho 57th
be Captain, '
911,100,;le't,dot
too. o
—t
behalf
_Capolrarl,t p i
lareytit°res upon NAce
99th Foot
..Jas.
Lennon, who
Carr B;oarbec
1,,,0‘, to be Captain, vice Ely, promoted.
half-pay ;
Lieutenant, v-co Bar-
C—El:v. ualltr. da
ri•
clay • Gentleman Cadet Alexander Thos. Sefton Aber-
crolu'hy Rind, from 'the Royal M"itary College, to be
Ensign vice Chas. Harilson Carr
103 d Fool—Ensign T. Price to be I
v:ce Lieutenant William S. nstructor of Musketry,
appointment. Nugent, who resigns the
4th West India Reg;ment G
from entleman Cadet Thomas J.
Aloysius Azre y, the Royal Militaif College, to be
1.. •
nsign, without purchase,•
ce Ponsonby Sheppr-d,
promoted; Serjeant W "
N..
lam Blakeney, from the sth
Lancers, to be Ensign, •
.w,.thout purchase, vice Patrick
Kelly, k".led in acti •on : George Froom, Gent., to be En-
sign, by purchase, N:CO William Blakeney, rans.ei-e t - •d to
the 7th Hussars.

BREVET.
Lieut.-Colonel and Brevet Colonel John Coussmakor
Heath, of the Bombay Army, to have the local rank of
Major-General while sorving on the Divisional Staff in the
East Inclief/.

•
' Lieut.-Colonel and Brevet Colonel Henry Dalrymple
White, C. 8., half-pay, Unattached, to have, the local
rank of Brigadier-General, while in command of a brigade.
Captain Frederick Macdonald Birch, of the Bengal Staff
Corps, to be Major.
Captain John Spence, retired full-pay, 42d Foot, to have
the honorary rank of Major.
The undermentioned officer; having completed the
qualifying service w;th the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, to
be Colonele, under the provisions of the Royal Warrant of
tho 3d February, 1866 :
Lieut.-Colonel William Hardy, Depot Battalion.
Lieut.-Colonel John Walpole D'Oyly, 11th Foot.
The following promotions to take place consequent on
the death of General Sir Charles Menzies, K.C.8., of the
Royal Marne Artillery, which occui:ed on the 22d August,
1866 : - -
e;l°h
,Iniolworth Porter, Royal
y.-al Engineers, to be
'Captain and. Brevet-MajorC Wit
Major.
Encgaipntaeeirns,
CtohaberleLsielutt.enßaiuut;

Liverpool Cotton Market.—This Day.

- -

The market opens strong. Sales probably 20,000
bales.

SHIPPING INIELLIGENCE—This Day,

LONDON, Oct. 3.—Wind this day at noon—North-
Easterly; moderato breeze, and fine weather, but rather
cloudy.

BY ELECTRIC TELE G RAP H.

GRAVESEND, Wednesday Morning.
Ai:ived, Oct. 2—Alborg, from Wyborg; Picton, Ellen
Marshal', Niels Ebbeseu, Alexander, end Caroline,
—all from Cronstadt ; Marcur, from Wismar.
Arrived, Oct. 3—Union, from Frederickstadt ; Dawn,
from Cronstadt; Svea, from Svartwick ; Amarante, from
Dantsic ; Perseverance, from Medemblik-; Cambridgeshire,
steamer, from Cronstadt; Orion, from Rotterdam; Elide,
steamer, from Ostend.

Sailed, Oct. 3—Maria Pia, steamer, for Lisbon.
DEAL, Wednesday Morning..
Passod the back of the Goodwin on the 2d—Wendelina
Romenda, from Rotterdam, for Ancona.
Passed —Corelan, barque, from S nd wall for Dartmouth.

At the ordinary general meeting to-day of the
shareholders of the' Bank of British Columbia, the
report presented stated that after paying all charges,
deducting rebate of interest on bills not due,- the
undivided profits amounted to £11,511 14s. ld.,
which the directors recommended to be appropriated
as follows:—£B,94o in payment of a dividend at
the rate of six per annum ; £2,000 to reserve fund,
which fund, after making deductions of £21,200
for bad debts, will have a balance to its credit of
£20,000, leaving the sum of £604 16s. Id. to be
carried forward to current half-year.
The annexation of Venice to Italy is to be marked
at Venice by the re-opening of the Venice Theatre,
which has been so long closed. The director of
La Scala, at Milan, has undertaken to arrange the
first twelve performances.

The vine harvest is expected to be a bad one all
over Italy. The production has been small, and
the oidium has committed ravages among the grapes
which are coming to maturity.
The Western Morning News states the nondna.
tion of candidates at Falmouth is fixed for the 15th. Mr.
Smith and Mr. Fowler have completed their canvass, and
hare for tho present left the borough.
There has been an extraordinary catch of pilchards
in Mount's Bay during the last few days. A large
" school" was discovered on Saturday stretching from St.
Michael's Mount to Penzance Vier. The owners of one
net realised five hundred hogsheads, which would make a
million and a quarter fish. On Saturday Mounts Bay
presented a very busy scene, the continual arrival of
large boats laden with fish, the shovelling them out into
baskets, and the carrying of these off to the cellars where
the fish are cured, kept a large number of people in a state
of activity and excitement. The bulk of the fish is sent
to the Mediterrangan, Wesleyan Cornwall supplying
Rome with its chief diet.—Western Morning News

Admiral Fitzroy's system of storm warnings
has, as everybody knows, signally failed, and a Royal Com-
mmission has stated thus much. But we aro no better off
than we were before the commission was appointed. What
can be more absurd than to station our meteorological ob-
servatory at Kew, and to issue warnings from thence, when
the great majority of the storms that visit these islands
come from the south-west ? It is as if a general, knowing
the direction from which the enemy approached, were, in-
stead of advancing to meet him, to retire 300 miles to the
rear, to await the news transmitted by a drummer boy that
his position was being attacked We shall have no proper
system of meteorological observation until we have sentries
at the most advanced outpost, until, that is, we have an
observatory on the south-west coast of Ireland.—Eastern
Morning News.
THE WEATHER AND THE CHOLERA IN DEVON.
SHlR.E.—According to the Western Morning News, the ex-
traordinaiy quantity of one foot of rain (within a small
fraction) fell in Devonshire during September. It rained
29 days out of the 30. The same paper states that the
number of deaths from-elislera- has been at least 70. Yet
the Exeter papers refused to say a word about the
epidemic.

HOP-PICKING IN KENT.—Hop-picking its so far
completed in the distt:ct surrounding Maidstone that the
South-Eastern Railway Company have commenced run-
ning their special trains for the conveyance of pickers back
to London. On Saturday about 2,000 were despatched,
and on Sunday 2,200. On Monday only 500 were sent
from Maidstone, but each day the numbers will increase
as the work is completed. A gentleman in the neighbour-
hood has visited 29 districts, and he g:ves the average
growth of hops at 6j cwt. per acre, and states the quality
to be excellent. The health of the disti:ct has again im-
proved, there having been but two deaths from cholera
during the week. There have been 23 new attacks and
28 recoveries. Several vendors of stale fish were on Mon-
day brought before the county magistrates. The offenders
had made themselves liable to a penalty of £2O, under the
Diseases Prevention Act, for each fish offered for sale.
The magistrates sentenced each defendant to a month's
imprisonment.
HOLBORN THEATRE ROYAL.—The new Holborn
theatre, the youngest and by no means one of the largest
of our metropolitan temples of the drama, may certainly
be considered one of the best arranged and most comfort-
able. In this respect its youth is in its favour, the great
improvements achieved during the last few years in the
science of ventilation having been brought to boar with
admirable effect. As a general rule, even the handsomest
and best ventilated theatres aro anything but pleasing to
the sense of smell ; a fact easily understood when we bear in
mind that such is the entire absence of windows in the
great majority, that even at midday rehearsals the scanty
gleam of daylight has to be freely eked out with gas before
the performers can see their way in safety about the stage.
Mr. Sefton Parry, the enterprising proprietor of the new
theatre, has at all events steered clear of this error, and
his stage in the daytime is as light as any ordinary draw-
ing-room, whilst a full number of windows, suPPle-
malted by au ample provision of other means of von-
tilation, affords so abundant a supply of fresh air, that we
may fairly expect the theatre to continue throughoutt.
Great
career as fresh and sweet as at the present n 2
:
attention has also been paid to the comfort
in other respects. The stalls aro softly-cushioned fnet: visitors
most arm-
chairscomfort-
of really luxurious dimensions;b
and all other parts
able, in fact, of any theatre in London
well provided.o v
of the house are in their degree equally
:nen d with a total dis-
completed in the most
The fittings also have all r
affording strong con-
style of theatrical work-
rceogmaprldeteofandoo:lti;orotu.hg.ehroi!nty
trust to the prevailing
• • usually run up with a single eye to
public view ate
from
nomy. In arrangement this theat
the most extreme eco ro
manship, wherein such parts as are to be in any way hidden
extent the French method, the dress circle
followr
some n:
p t the Adolphi, in a balcony. The "slips"
Jso are, as will be seen from the sketch oposite,
divided
off into private boxes. Among the principal members of the
company may be noticed Mr. Parry himself, a first-rate
oiectsi
utog,
g the ladies,
lve atrartist in eccentric comedy ; Mr. Belmore, the rising young
tn actor who achieved such a startling success in the charac-
ter of Softy in "Aurora Floyd ;" and Messrs. Voltaire,
e
JGarden,
Burke,
anG A
G. F. Nereiveailnle. celebrity
ebmn.oy from
Char-
lotte Saunders, a well-known and favourite
theatre
actress; Miss
New York; Mrs. Raymond; and Miss F. Johnston and
Bessie Foote.—Autuntn Edition of the "Brown Book."
MUNDEN's Dromio was no doubt a very admirable
performance. To •
this actor, although he makes no
mention '
of his appearance in this particular part, it will
be remembered that Lamb has devoted ono of his " Elia"
essays, "In the grand grotesque of farce," he writes,
"Munden stands out as single and unaccompanied as
Hogarth." Mr. Sergeant Talfourd described him as the
most classical of actors: as being in high farce what Kern-
ble was in high tragedy. Tho lines of the two artists, ho
admitted, were sufficiently distinct ; but ho discovered the
same elements in both ; the same directness of purpose, the
same singleness of aim, the same concentration of power,
the same iron casing of inflexible manner, the same statue-
like precision of gesture, movement, and attitude. . . .
There is something solid, sterling, almost adamantine, in
the building up of his grotesque characters. . . When
he fixes his wonder-working face is any of its most amaz-
ing varieties, it looks as if the picture were carved out
from a rock by nature in a sportive vein, and might last
for ever. . . . His most fantastical gestures aro the
grand ideal of farce. . . . His expressions of feeling
and bursts of enthusiasm are among the most genuine
which we have ever felt. Munden was a pupil of Shuter ;
but he surpassed his preceptor in variety. His Old Dorn-
ton, in " The Road to Ruin," of which character he was
the original representative, exhibited a pathetic power rare
among comic actors. Though often wildly extravagant in
farce, his performances in high comedy were accounted
natural and artistic, while marked with a forcible indivi-
duality.---Once a Wei.

West Herta Agricultural Society.

WATFORD, Tuesday.

The second annual dinner of the members of this
society, which took place last night in the Corn Ex-
change, was very largely attended. The president
for the year was the Earl of Clarendon, butthe noble
earl was prevented from attending by indisposition.
In his absence the chair was occupied by the Earl of
Essex, and among the guests were Lord Chesham,
Lord Ebury, Viscount Malden, Lord Rokeby, Capt.
the Hon. R. W. Grosvenor, M.P., the Hon. H.
Cowper, M.P., Mr. Abel Smith, M.P., Mr. Surtees,
M.P., Mr. T. F. Halsey, Mr. Alderman Copeland,
Mr. W. Jones Loyd, Mr. Alfred Sedgwick, Mr. G.
Webb, Mr. J. 11. James, and many other influen-
tial agriculturists.
The noble CumamAN prefaced the toast of " The
Queen" by stating that the Earl of Clarendon was
unable to preside in consequence of being in a deli-
cate state of health, which rendered a short resi-
dence in Italy desirable.
The toast was drunk with all the honours.
The toast of " The Prince and Princess of Wales
and the other members of the Royal Family" was
received with great enthusiasm.
The noble CHAIRMAN, in proposing " The Army,
Navy,Yeomanry, Militia, and Volunteers," expressed
his satisfaction at the statement which had been
made a few days ago by the Earl of Carnarvon that
her Majesty's Government had come to the full
determination to use every possible effort to put our
troops on the same footing with regard to equip-
ment and organisation which had proved so success-
ful in the case of the arms of Prussia. (Cheers.)
The toast was responded to by Lord Rokeby,
Viscount Malden, Major Foskett, and the Hon. H.
Cowper, M.P.
Mr. W. JONES LOYD then proposed " The House
of Lords," connecting with the toast the name of
Lord Ebury. (Loud cheers.)l
Lord EBuRY returned thanks on behalf of the
august body to which he had the honour to be-
long. He was perhaps better acquainted prac-
tically with the Lower than the Upper House,
but he had acquired such a knowledge of that
House that he felt a great honour to be associated
with such a distinguished body, and he had there-
fore peculiar pleasure in responding to the toast.
(Cheers.) Speaking in the presence of the men of
Hertfordshire he might be allowed to say that the
House of Lords had recently been greatly honoured
by the accession to its ranks of one of their mem-
bers, and he was quite sure there was no society that
would not feel proud in the accession of such a man.
(Cheers.) There was no doubt that on ordinary
occasions the boast of the House of Lords was a
conventional one, a method of showing the respect
of the nation for one of the constitutional autho-
rities of the country. But at agricultural meetings
that toast had a peculiar significance. The House
of Lords derived great influence and authority from
the fact of its being a territorial aristocracy. In
fact, it contained the bulk of the lauded proprietors
of Great Britain, and if any set of men were inte-
rested in the progress of agriculture it must be the
landowners of England. He trusted the time was
far distant when the toast of the House of Lords
would be received otherwise than it had been re-
ceived on the present occasion. He hoped it would
always be received in that cordial manner, because
it proved that those who possessed the fortune of
birth had not neglected those responsibilities and
duties which were attached to property. He had
been requested to propose the Bishop and the mi-
nisters of religion. Fortunately the religious and
civil elements in this country were so closely inter-
woven together that neither party could make a
move without the other participating in it. The
consequence of these meetings was that they
were always favoured with the presence of a
clergyman. He congratulated the clergy and
laity upon the revival of an institution which
had been so long seriously neglected in this
country—he meant the harvest homes—four or five
accounts of which he had recently seen in the Hert-
fordshire papers. Whatever the agriculturists
might do to increase the fertility of the soil, every
one must acknowledge that it was God alone who
gave the increase. (Hear, hear.)
The Rev. R. L. JAMES responded. _ _

. _
Mr. lIALsEY then proposed "The health of the
Members for the County, Mr. Surtees, the Hon.
H. Cowper, and Mr. Abel Smith." (Loud and
repeated cheering.)
Mr. SURTEES, M.P., in responding to the toast,
congratulated the company on the excellent gather-
ing which had taken place, and on the ploughing,
which had been extremely good—so good, that if
our ancestors who lived at the beginning of the cen-
tury could have witnessed it they would have been
greatly astonished. If any one asked how such
ploughing had been brought about, he should say it
was not so much owing to the skill of the manufac-
turers of ploughs or of the ploughmen, but to the
imagination and intelligence of the farmer, who had
in many instances suggested the improvements
which had been adopted by the manufacturer.
(Cheers.) He regretted that he had not the plea-
sure of meeting the agriculturists of Hertfordshire
under more favourable circumstances. They all
knew the inconveniences and losses which the far-
mers had sustained in consequence of the cattle
plague ; they all knew the inconvenience which the
butchers had sustained by the prohibition of cattle
from the markets, but he trusted that better times
would soon arrive. (Cheers.) Referring to the
completion of the Atlantic telegraph, the hon. mem-
ber observed that one of the first messages sent by
that instrument was certain information respecting
the Fenians in America. With regard to that body
he would just say that it was most extraordinary
that the people of Ireland could be so deluded as to
imagine that they could by any possibility over-
throw the union between England and Ireland. He
pitied many of those poor deluded persons who had
been in the habit of receiving contributions from
their friends and relations in America, these con-
tributions having been stopped for the pur-
pose of promoting Fenianism. (Hear, hear.)
With respect to the army he hoped the Go-
vernment would consider whether some increased
pay should not be given to those soldiers who had
served for 10 years and were willing to serve again.
He also thought that additional fuel ought to be
afforded to them during the winter months. (Hear,
hear.) He;wished to take the opportunity of in-
forming those who might not be aware of the fact
that a Central Agricultural Association was in course
of formation, and that it was well deserving of their
support. The prospectus stated that in order to
meet the want which at present existed, it was con-
sidered desirable that a Chamber of Agriculture
should be established, whose duties should be to
watch the agricultural interest, and to support or
oPPO6O any measures which in their opinion were
calculated to affect the same. Ile trusted that the
agriculturists generally would take the trouble of
making themselves acquainted with the objects of
the society, and give it their cordial support. (Cheers.)
The Hon. H. CowPER, MP briefly responded,
expressing his conviction that le society was now
firmly established and that its years would be counted
by tens and twenties. (Cheers.)
Mr. ABEL SMITH, M.P., also responded,'.
ns
t os doingsm e d
so he observed that those who had beenaCu
to attend meetings like the present would m
that occasion the brilliant remarks of their late one
presentative, but they would, nevertheless, rejoice
that the House of Lords bad received such a dis-
tinguished acquisition. (Cheers.) He (Mr. Smith)
had been a farmer for some 12 years, and had always
felt great pleasure in meeting those who were engaged
in agricultural pursuits. (Cheers.) Ile congratulated
the society on having at its head men so conversant

with agriculture as the Earl of Essex, than whom
no man in the country had done more to promote
the calm° of agriculture. (Cheers.) He did not take
quite so gloomy a view of the present prospects of
the agriculturists as some of his friends. His own
balance-sheet had certainly been a very poor one ; but
he believed that times were improving, for wheat was
103. per quarter higher than last year, and barley
also was at a higher price than it was at that time.
There had also been excellent crops of grass, and
sheep were realising higher prices than they formerly
did. Linder these circumstances he hoped and trusted
that the prospects of the farmers were improving. •
Viscount MALDvN, in proposing-, "The Health of

the President, Lord Clarendon," said that, although
politics were properly tabooed on occasions like the
present, he believed that should the present Go-
vernment, at no remote period, be inclined to relin-
quish office—(cheers, laughter, and cries of " No,
no")—there was no man to whom the country would
look with greater satisfaction, and no man who was
better qualified to take the reins of Government,
than Lord Clarendon. (Cheers.)
The noble CHAIRMAN expressed his great regret at
the absence of Lord Clarendon. The contingency to
which his noble friend had alluded might not be so
far distant as some persons imagined, and he believed
that if any such change did take place, no man could
be looked up to with greater respect than Lord Cla-
rendon. (Loud cheers.)
The Hon. H. W. GROSVENOR, M.P., then pro-
posed " The Master of the Hounds" (Lord Malden),
to which his lordship responded.
The noble CHAIRMAN, in proposing "Prosperity
to the West Herta Agricultural Society," said that
last year, in referring to the birth of the society, he
expressed a hope that, being well nurtured and at-
tended to in its infancy, it would gradually improve.
It was now his pleasing duty to say that the hopes
which he then entertained had been most fully rea-
lised, especially taking into consideration the ad-
verse circumstances under which it was established.
(Cheers.) The unfortunate visitation with which
the country was afflicted was sufficient to throw
a damp upon the energies of the farmers and make
them unwilling to enter into a society which, under
ordinary circumstances, they would be most will-
ing to support. But, notwithstanding these draw-
backs, the society had prospered. The num-
ber of members had increased by 20, and the
subscription had increased something like £5O, and
there was a much larger attendance than on the
previous occasion. (Cheers.) He might also men-
tion that with regard to the Cattle Association
formed last year, its operation had been very suc-
cessful. The number of cattle insured amounted
to 900 head, and the mortality had been only 3 per
cent. (Applause.) It was also satisfactory to know
that the funds contributed to meet the losses were
quite sufficient, within a few shillings. (Hear.) Un-
der these circumstances, he believed the society
would go on and prosper. The most perfect unani-
mity prevailed among the committee, and the society
was greatly indebted to the worthy hon. secretary,
Mr. Alfred Sedgwick, for his unwearied assiduity
and attention to its interest and welfare. (Cheers.)
If all these circumstances could tend to the pros-
perity and increase the usefulness of a society, he
thought they might all look forward to its growth
and long continuance with perfect confidence.
(Loud cheers.)
Lord PLOKEBY then proposed " The Health of the
Chairman," who responded.

The toast of " The Vice-Chairman and Committee
of Management, the Treasurer, and Hon. Secre-
tary," was proposed by Mr. J. IL JAMES, and re-
sponded to by Mr. Alderman COPELAND and Mr.
SEDGWICK.

" The Judges" and several other toasts were
afterwards given."

The Wreck Register and Chart for 1865.

A foreigner, looking at the Wreck Chart of the
British Isles, might not unnaturally conceive that a
very large proportion of the ships that pass to and
from our ports every year were wrecked on our
shores. When, however, he came to be informed
that the number of vessels that cleared outwards
and entered inwards last year alone, from the dif-
ferent ports in the United Kingdom (without
counting vessels employed solely as passenger-ships)
was 409,255; that they represented a tonnage of
65,231,034 ; and that the value of their cargoes
must be estimated at not less than £500,000,000 ;
the said foreigner would probably be much sur-
prised, after all, to learn that not one per cent. of
this great multitude of vessels was wrecked either
in our narrow seas or on our coasts.

Such, however, are the facts of the case ; and it
is not for us to justify even the loss of this relatively
small amount of valuable property. On the contrary,
we are amongst those who contend that„as education
advances, and careful and thoughtful habits are in-
stilled into sailors, this percentage of wrecks must
diminish.

Considering the increasing trade of this country
every year, and the consequent increase of shipping
frequenting our shores, the general average of ma-
rine disasters reported to the Board of Trade will
probably continue to augment proportionately from
year to year.
Again, it should be remembered that the number
of wrecks in a year cannot fail to be increased or
diminished, according to the prevalence or absence
of gales of wind like those which proved so disastrous
to the ill-fated ship London in January last, and to
so many other vessels which were in such compara-
tively safe anchorages as Torbay affords, where it
bad been supposed the whole British navy might
have ridden in safety during the fiercest storms.
Thus, in October 1859, there was the Royal
Charter gale, and a loss of 343 ships. In January,
February, and November, 1861, there were north-
east and south-easterly gales, which added 460 to
the number of casualties. In January, October,
and December, 1862, there were westerly gales,
with upwards of 540 casualties ; and in January,
March, September, October, November, and De-
cember, 1863, there were westerly gales, with 930
casualties. In November, 1864, there were 264
casualties, with the wind chiefly in the south-south-
east and south-west ; but, owing to the absence of
any special gales of remarkable duration and vio-
lence during the previous part of that year, the total
number of casualties in it was 274 below the-number
in 1863 ; and it is worthy of remark, that the whole
number of casualties, other than collisions, reported
in 1864, was less than the numbeireported in any
year since 1858. The annual average for the ten
years ending 1865, including collisions, is, for total
losses, 505, and for partial losses, 889 ; as against
this the numbers for 1865 are, for total losses, 540,
and for partial losses, 1,116.

From the carefully compiled Wreck Register of
the Board of Trade, we find that the total number
of wrecks and casualties, from all causes, on the
coasts of the United Kingdom and in the surround-
ing seas, reported in 1865, is 1,656. The number
reported in 1864 was 1,390. The corrected annual
average of the 11 years, from 1855 to 1865 inclu-
sive, was 1,372. It should, however, be mentioned
that the wrecks in 1864 were below the average of
the preceding five years, alihough they were above
the corrected average of the last 10 years.
The number of ships lost or damaged iu the
1,656 casualties reported in 1865 was 2,012, repre-
senting a registered tonnage of 377,000 tons.
Of these 2,012 ships, 1,690 are known to have
been ships belonging to Great Britain and its de-
pendencies, with British certificates of registry, and
938 to have been foreign ships. Of the remaining
84 ships the country and employment are unknown.
Of the British ships 1,198 were employed in the
coasting trade, and 492 were employed in
n and home trade; and of the
foreigntßhrh
ei (over ti
British
ships
were employed
number
in the British coast-
ing trade. Thusl w
of British vessels
sea)i foreign
o
wrecked continues to maintain awseadrec,re
t to pre-eminence
in the work of destruction, and add,
as a natural result, in the sad loss of life.
Of the total number of casualties (1,656) re-
ported iu 1865, 354 were collisions,
and 1,302 were
casualties other than collisions. Of these 1,656
casualties 540 resulted iu total losses,
and 1,116 in
partial damage, more or less serious.
We find that 470 total losses took place from
causes other than collisions ; 245 only were
caused
by stress of weather ; 99 were caused by inatten-
tion, carelessness, or neglect; 38 arose from defects
in the ship or in her equipments (and of these 38 no
less than 30 appear to have foundered from unsca-
worthiness), and the remainder from various other
causes.

Again, of the 832 partial losses, other than colli-
sion, 501 were caused by stress of weather, 137
arose from carelessness, 48 from defects in the ship
or her equipments, and the remainder from various
causes, which we believe to be, in the majority of
cases, obviously preventible if ordinary care and
skill had been shown.

It is for those who feel an interest in Preventing
shipping disasters to ponder over these startling

fac ts, and continue to direct public attention to this
J'.m portant subject. Our object is, to some extent,
l'omplished in thus calling general attention to it ;
bu t our main purpose at present, is to make a few
rea narks on the distressing loss of life which these
v a:rious and inexcusable causes of disasters inevit-
ably produce.

We find that the total number of ships reported
to have foundered, or to have been lost on our
coasts from unseaworthiness, in 10 years, is 423 ;
and that the number of casualties caused through
vmseaworthy ships, unsound gear, &c., and resulting
in partial damage in. the same time, is 499. With
these 423 vessels sank, probably, one million ster-
ling's worth of property, and several hundred valu-
able lives.

In 1865 there were 98 casualties to fishing-smacks
and vessels. There can be no doubt that the wea-
ther must have been most severe to produce such
havoc amongst our fishing-craft ; but even in these
cases, the indications of handy, trustworthy weather-
glasses, or barometers on the plan of those so use-
fully employed by the IN ation al Life-boat Institution
at nearly all its numerous life-boat stations,
might probably have saved many a fishing-
vessel and her hardy crew from the terrible fate
which overtook them, not without unmistakeable
atmospheric warnings, during the fearful gales of
last winter.

But excluding these 98 fishing-vessels, the num-
ber of ships employed in the regular carrying-trade
that have suffered from wreck or casualty during
the year is shown to be 1,914. If this number be
again subdivided, it cannot fail to be observed that
more than half of it is represented by the unsea-
worthy, overladen, or ill-found vessels of the collier
Blass, chiefly employed in the coasting-trade. In cor-
roboration of this remark it is only necessary to cast
a glance at the Wreck Chart which accompanies the
Wreck Register. We observe that the north-east
coast is, as usual, completely covered with the sad
results, in too many cases, of unseaworthy, over-
laden, and ill-found vessels in the coal trade.
The wrecks are thus specified in the returns to the
Board of Trade :

Vessels. No.
Fishing-smacks ••• ••• •.• •.• ••• ••• 98
Colliers laden ... ... ...
...
...
... 535
Colliers in ballast... •.• ..• ••• •e• ••• 140
Metallic ores ••• • .11 •110 11011 II" 111. 150
Stone ores.... 41" elle ID" ••• ••11 ••• 109
Ships with other carges, and other ships in ballast... 980

Total vessels...

... 2012

It is a remarkable fact that, taking the past seven
years as our guide, we find that casualties to compa-
ratively new ships continue to bear a very high pro-
portion to the whole number of disasters ; thus :-
908 casualties happened to nearly new ships ; and
1,701 to ships from 3 to 7 years of age. Then there
are casualties to 2,086 ships from 7 to 14 years old ;
and 3,477 from 15 to 30 years old. Then follow
1,267 ships from 30 to 50 years old. Having
passed the service of half a century, we come to
the really old ships Lamely, 230 between 50 and
60 years old ; 102 from 60 to 70 ; 48 from 70
to 80 ; 14 from 80 to 90 ; 6 from 90 to 100 ;
and 4, 101 years and upwards. The ages of 3,002
are unknown. The state of rottenness and the
want of repair of some of the ships above 20 years
old often call for remark. Even at the age of 25 to
30 it sometimes happens that a ship is so rotten as
to fall to pieces immediately on touching the ground,
without giving the crew the slightest chance of get-
ting out their boats. In one case, an old ship, a
foreigner, which went to pieces as soon as she
touched the ground, it was found that her seams had
been payed with clay and red ochre, to keep the
water out. It seems to us that the Merchant Ship-
ping Act has failed entirely to control this sad state
of things ; and, indeed, its authors contend that the
provisions of the act never contemplated touching
them ; for they argue—and there is much force in
their observations—that the common law of the
land should be brought into operation to compel
shipowners, like all other owners of property, to b©
answerable for wilful or overt acts of carelessness.

Of the 2,012 vessels lost or damaged in 1865, 82
were rigged as ships, 130 were steam ships, 542
schooners, 419 brigs, 187 barques, 187 brigantines,
and 196 smacks ; the remainder were small vessels
rigged in various ways. Of the 2,012 vessels referred
to 902 did not exceed 100 toss burden, 793 were
from 100 to 300 tons, 210 were from 300 to 600
tons, and 107 only were above 600 tons burden.

From the table showing the parts of the coasts
on which the casualties happened, it will be seen
that, as usual, the greatest number occurred on the
East Coast. The numbers are as follows :—East
Coast, 868 ; South Coast, 187 ; West Coast, 386 ;
N.W. Coast of Scotland, 46; Irish Coast, 146 ; Isle
of Man, 15 ; Lundy Island, 3 ; Scilly Isles, 5.
As regards the loss of life, the returns show that
the number lost from shipwreck on or near the coast
of the United Kingdom in 1865 was 698. These
lives were lost in 164 ships ; 124 of them were laden
vessels, 33 were vessels in ballast, and in 7 cases it is
not known whether the vessels were laden or light ;
131 of these ships were entirely lost, and 33 sustained
partial damage. Of the 698 lives lost, 275 were lost in
vessels that foundered, 53 on board vessels in colli-
sions, and 335 in vessels stranded, or cast ashore.
The remaining number, 35, were lost from various
causes, such as being washed overboard in heavy
seas, by explosions, &c. The loss of life in 1864
was 516, which was less than the number in any
year since 1855. In that year (1855) the National
Lifeboat Institution began to take most active steps
to provide our coasts with lifeboats, having during
the previous 30 years struggled hard for support to
carry on its great and national work on our shores ;
but in that year the late Capt. Hamilton Fitzgerald,
R.N., left the society the munificent legacy of
£lO,OOO. Its committee most wisely and promptly
decided to spend the whole of the money in placing
new lifeboats on the coast. Since that period the
Institution has contributed to the saving of 5,758
lives from shipwrecks. How many of these persons,
in addition to their wives, children, and other rela-
tions, have reason to bless the name of this and
many other benefactors who have given the cost of
lifeboats, and who have thus aided to accomplish
such a large amount of solid, palpable, good work.
The greatest loss of life during the seven years
ending.in 1865 occurred in the Irish sea, which is
one of our principal highways to and from America.
The number of lives lost on the coasts and sand-
banks of the Irish sea, during these years, is more
than double the number lost on any other part of
the coasts, although during the year 1865 the num-
ber on the East Coast of England was very slightly
in excess of the number lost on the coasts of the
Irish Channel.

The most fatal winds during the year 1865 are
thus given :—N., 61; N.N.E., 59 ; N.E., 90 ;
E.N.E., 58 ; E., 55 ; E.S.E., 56 ; S.E., 97 ; S.S.E.,
60 ; S., 94 ; S.S.W., 133 ; S.W., 192 ; W.S.W.,
102 ; W., 73 ; W.N.W., 91; N.W., 101; N.N.W.,

It will thus ho seen that westerly gales are far
more destructive to shipping than gales from any
other quarter.

Again, we find that distinguishing the casualties
of the past seven years according to the force of the
wind at the time at which they happened, 678
occurred when the wind was at force 6 or under,
that is to say, when the force of the wind did not
exceed a strong breeze, in which the ship could carry
single reefs and top-gallant sails, and that 810 only
happened with the wind at force 9 and upwards,
that is to say, from a strong gale to a hurricane.
Thus we observe that in the last seven years, 118
took place in a calm ; 176 in light air or just suffi-
cient to give steerage way ; 450 in light breeze ;
120 in gentle breeze ; 78-1 in moderate breeze ; 1,280
in fresh breeze ; 1,217 in strong breeze ; 441 in
moderate gale; 836 in fresh gale ; 1,873 in strong
gale ; 1,444 in whole gale ; 505 in a storm ; G 93 in
a hurricane ; 50 variable ; and 400 unknown.

During the past year the number of collisions re-
ported was 354, of which 114 occurred in the day-
time and 240 at night. In 1864 the number was
351, that being an excess of the number of collisions
reported in any year since 1855.
We know of nothing more distressing than a col-
lision between two powerful ships far out at sea.
On a recent occasion, when the screw steamship
Osprey, of Liverpool, and the steam sloop-of-war
Amazon, came into violent collision, nothing but
the calm that brooded upon the waters off Start
Point saved hundreds of lives from being lost. In-
deed, if the survivors had not fallen in, after the