The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-28 00:00:00

LETTS'S DIARY.

In addition to our numerous, never-ending
variety of Christmas presentations, with their dis-
tinctive recommendations,:each and all in their own
beautiful brightness, come others of a more sedate
but useful character, bringing one's business home
"to Book !" While we are amused with the mul-
tifarious treasures of wit, fun, and fancy displayed
by our Christmas charmers, we are timely reminded
by the Messrs. Letts's Diaries that these Christmas
contributions are only for "once a week," while their
diurnals are for " all the year round ;" which is
certainly in the ratio of about fifty to one, no small
recommendation. Besides which, their number is
legion ; in every variety of form, size, and price,
adapted to every class, from the grave chronicler of
his own and other people's doings to the scribbler
of his misdoings. They aro made to suit the man
of pleasure, for paying attention to his engage-
ments, to the lady of fashion for her daily calls, to
the man of business for taking due note of his bills
to pay, and more pleasant still when he will receive
the promises to pay him. On the whole, taking
their merits into account, " Letts's Diaries" deserved
to be paid in full.

How the Belgian Volunteer Movement
Began.

At the distribution of prizes of the 19th Surrey
on Saturday evening, by Col. Warden, of her Ma-
jesty's 19th Regiment, on which occasion the chair
was occupied by Lieut.-Col. Richards of the 3d City
of London, R.V., Captain Bertrand Payne, com-
manding the 4th Middlesex Artillery Volunteers,
took the opportunity, in responding for the nume-
rous visitors present, to make some very interesting
remarks on the part taken by the Chairman, Colo-
nel Richards, in starting the Volunteer movement.
He said, after paying a tribute to the exertions and
talents of Colonel Richards as a pioneer and sup-
porter of various other beneficial and patriotic
changes of the last few years, that there could exist
no doubt that the meeting convened at St. Martin's
Hall, on the 16th of April, 1859 at which the late
Admiral Sir C. Napier presided, had practi-
cally launched that Volunteer movement of
which they were all so justly proud. That
meeting, which was entirely convened by Colonel
Richards, amid a storm of ridicule and objections,
took place on a Saturday evening. The speeches
of Sir C. Napier, Sir D. MacDougall, Sir A. M'Nab,
Gen. P. Taylor, and Col. Richards himself were
thoroughly ventilated by the press. On the follow-
ing Tuesday a leader appeared in the 2 imes, com-
pletely endorsing the speeches and objects of the
meeting, and one month afterwards the Government
Circular to the Lord Lieutenants of counties gave
its sanction to the enrolment of volunteers. For
10 years previously Col. Richards had written con-
secutively in the public journals, urging the very
thing that had taken place, and prefigured it in a re-
markable manner in all its bearings. He had since
enrolled, organised, and commanded one of the best
and most numerous battalions in the Volunteer ser-
vice, composed of the working men of the city of
London. He regretted that Colonel Richards was
now about to give up his command, but he (Cap-
tain Payne) could tell them that the gallant colonel
in the chair had, as it was, made more than sufficient
sacrifices of time, which might otherwise have been
devoted to varied and successful literary pursuits
and labours.

We have reason to believe that the prevalent
rumour respecting the three most recent Royal marriages
in this country is founded on the truth, and that in each
instance there are good grounds for expecting additions to
that family which is respected by every loyal subject.—
The Lancet.

GABBITES, THE BOY MURDERER.—NO Commu-
nication has yet been received from the Home
Secretary in answer to the recommendation to mercy made
by the jury in connection with the sentence of death passed
on Henry Gabbites at the recent gaol delivery for the
West Riding at Leeds. We understand that a remark-
able change has come over the demeanour of the unhappy
youth since his conviction ; the cool, careless manner in
which he conducted himself having given way to a deep
sense of the awful position in which he now stands.
During the last few days ho has been visited by his father,
sister, and other of his relations, and his interviews with
them have been of the most affecting nature. lie refuses
to believe that mercy will be extended -to him, and ex-
presses the utmost contrition for the crime of which he
has been found guilty.—Leeds Mercury.

la rue quotation of gold at Paris is about at par, and
tae short exchange on London is 25.171 per £1 sterling. On
comparing these rates with the English Mint price of
iOid. per ounce for standard gold, it appears that gold is
about the 64111 C price in London and Paris.

Chest,
Di

LINES LEASED AT FIXED RENTALS.
er and llo:yilead, -
Rio, 5 per cent.. 112
FOREIGN BAIL WAYS.
Great Luxembourg, 121
Sambre and Meuse, 7i
South Austrian and Lombardo Venetian, 15g

FOREIGN MINIM
Chontales Gold and "Inver alining, 2/ 3
St. John del Key, lim., 491 50
BANKS.

Alliance, Urn.. 18; 19
Bank of Egypt, 3
Imperial Ottoman. lim., 9i 1
Land Mortgage Bank of India, Lim., 21
London and South-Western, lim., 171
London and 11 estminster. 97
Metropolitan and Provincial Bank, 11m., 111
Oriental Banx Corporation, it;
Union of London, 441
MISCELLANICOUR,
Anglo-American Telegraph, 13 16
Atlantic Telegraph,
Dit o, 8 per cent., 70 2;
City of Moscow Gas, lira., 161
East India Irrigation and Canal, 10 91
Gen. Credit and Finance of London, lirn., 41 1
General Steam Navigation, lira., 261
Italian Irrigation (Canal Cavour), 7
London ticneralOmninua Company, Um, si
'dras Irrigation and Canal (4 per cent. guaranteed by In;
dian Government),
Ditto (all), 18
Panam New Zealand, and Aus. R. Mail, 71
Rio de Janeiro City Improvements, 191
Royal M iil Steam. P 7
Telegraph Construction and Maintenance, Ilm.,
Ditto (135), 131
Viceroy of Egypt, Mortgage, Loan, I 7

The Rodney, 78, 500-horse power, Mr. W. H
Harris, master, fitting in the steam basin at Sheer-
ness for the flag of Vice-Admiral the Hon. Sir Henry
Keppel, K.C.8., Commander-in-Chief of the China
squadron, is complete in her rigging, but there is a
considerable amount of work still remaining to be
finished on board before she is ready for the pennant.
Her Majesty's ironclad ship Northumberland, 26,
6,621 tons, 1,350-horse power, arrived in the Med-
way, from the Victoria Docks, between 5 and 6
o'clock on Tuesday evening, accompanied by the
Adder, Locust, Bustler, and Monkey steamers,
which had attended her round from Woolwich.
Shortly after her arrival she took up moorings in
the harbour, in readiness for being placed in the
steam basin during the approaching spring tides.
The Duke of Cambridge has awarded silver medals
and gratuities to the following non-commissioned
officers at Chatham garrison, for long service and
good conduct—viz., Sergt.-Major J. Kidd, 109th
Regiment, medal, and gratuity of £l5 ; and Sergt:
E. Bourke, 2d Battalion, 10th Regiment, medal,
and gratuity of £lO.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—This Day.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

EXTRAORDINARY CASE.—John Barnard, cab driver,
badge 11,223, was charged beforo Mr. Knox with being
drunk and incapable of driving a horse and cab in Picca-
dilly, and he was further charged with carelessly driving
the said horse and cab and causing the death of a horse,
value £lO, the property of John George, cab proprietor.
Police-constable David Brown, 167 0, said that about
one o'clock that morning while in Piccadilly he heard a
crash, and on going up he found that the prisoner, who
was drunk, had driven the shaft into another cab-horse
and damaged the cab it was attached to. He took the
prisoner to the station.
Joseph 'Truelove, 13,1G7, the driver of a Hansom cab,
said that about one o'clock that morning he was going
westward along Piccadilly, nearly opposite St. James's
Hall, when ho saw the prisoner coming in an opposite
direction on his wrong side. He called out to the prisoner,
but, before he could get out of the priioner's way, ho drove
the shaft of his cab into his (witnes.s's) horse. The priso-
ner fell off his cab. He (witness) led his horse to the
opposite side, it being severely injured, and afterwards
went to fetch a man to kill it, and when ho got back he
found that it was dead.

In answer to Mr. Knox, the witness said the prisoner
was drunk, and not going at a fast rate.
Mr. George, Iluntley-street, Brunswick-square, the
owner of the horse, said its value was £lO. His cab was
also damaged, but he did not care about that.
The prisoner's employer said he had been obliged to
have his horse killed in consequence of the injuries it re-
ceived. The entrails of Mr. George's horse fell on the
ground.
Mr. Knox committed the prisoner, who had no answer
to the charge, for two months, with hard labour—giving
the owners of the horses time to arrange as to to the com-
pensation to be paid.
Subsequently it was stated that the owners had
arranged the matter between than.
A MASTER CARMAN AND HIS MAN FINED FOR CRUELTY
TO A HORSE.—EIi Griffin, a master carman, of Kensington
Basin, and John Leo, a man in his employ, appeared before
Mr. Knox to answer the complaint of the Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the former for causing
a horse to be cruelly worked while in an unfit state, and
the latter with working the horse,

The case was before the court on a former occasion,
when it was proved Lee was driving the horse attached
to a waggon, and that it was totally unfit for work, and
Mr. Knox adjourned the case, ordering a summons to issue
against Griffin, the owner of the horse.
Mr. Cherry, the Government Veterinary Surgeon, stated
that he had examined the horse, and that it was in amiser-
able condition, old and lame, having a diseased off hind
hoof of old standing. Griffin told him that he bought the
horse of a man who had contracted for diseased horses,
and that he would send for him to fetch it away. He said
ho worked the horse occasionally, but not on the day in
question.
Griffin said he bad had the horse killed, and Lee said
that he took the horse out on his own responsibility.
Mr. Knox said it was a very bad case, the only thing in
Griffin's favour being that he had had the horse killed. He
should fine Griffin £5 and costs, or a month, and Les 205.,
or 14 days.