The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-19 00:00:00

TUE SUN, LONDON, MONDAYMEVENINGI !DECEMBER -19, 1859.

which will yet compel them to give liberty to the

captive.
It has become clear enough, in the course of the
investigation, that BROWN did not contemplate
taking the life of any one. He did expect that on
his opening a way for the negroes to flee, they
would have done so in great numbers, and it is
thought by many that hundreds have actually
escaped, though such facts are always concealed,
as much as possible, by the pro-slavery papers.
But BROWN could say with self-evident truth, " As
I believe most firmly that GOD reigns, I cannot be-
lieve that anything I have done, suffered, or may
yet suffer, will be lost to the cause of GoD or
humanity." He felt assured, he says, that in the
worst event, before he began the affair at Harper's
Ferry, "it would certainly pay." Ho had been a
good deal disappointed in his own plans, " but
GoD's plan was infinitely better." And while ex-
pecting his fate in prison—" I do not," he says,
"feel degraded by my imprisonment, my chains, or
the prospect of the gallows. . . . I am joyful
in my tribulations, that I do not feel condemned of
Him whose judgment is just, nor of my own con-
science." Similar to this was the feeling of his
wife. " She regarded him as a martyr in a righteous
cause, and was proud to be the wife of such a man.
The gallows, she said, had no terrors for her or
for him." While he was employed for the last two
years nearly on his " commission from Heaven,'
they had been separated, though in constant corre-
spondence, and now they met—to concede indeed a
few tears and heart-heavings to the best sentiments
of nature, but soon to resume their mutual firmness
grounded on the consciousness of the most unselfish
and noblest purposings and hopes, to arrange for
their family, as coolly as if it had been the eve of
an earthly voyage instead of an eternal one, and
that by public execution—to act, indeed, as if this
were a public:honour. Their mutual sentiment was
expressed in his remark " that it was doubtless
best that he should be legally murdered for the good
•f the cause." No affectation was there in all this.
He plainly said that it would " be pleasant to live
longer, but as it was the will of GoD he should
close his career, he was content."
It is certainly long since there has been an exe-
cution lika this—an execution of a man whose
children his executioners, by their hired ruffians,
had already attacked and murdered without provo-
cation—who had felt those murders a summons to
deliver those, to keep whom in bondage those be-
loved children had been murdered—who had suc-
ceeded in setting free hundreds of the coloured Ame-
ricans, to whom their white American brethren
denied not only personal liberty, but any rights at
all which they were bound to respect. A man who
could die thanking Heaven for giving him the cou-
rage to live or die for his cause—such a murder of
a man for acting, however mistakenly, under im-
pulses which all but brutalised tyrants must admire,
—a murder by the cool decision of men-stealers' law,
of a manifestly God-fearing man—is indeed a no-
velty in these days of cool calculation and faith in
nothing. It must arouse attention ; indeed, it has
done it. Meetings for sympathy have been held in the
Free States. Some of the few untainted ministers
have preached on it. It has been discussed in
Houges of Legislature. And its terrific aspect to
the slaveholder was apparent enough on the day of
execution, in the vast military display by which
the whole field was covered.
Well, Virginia has performed her great feat ; the
first, by summoning all her military she vanquished
seventeen men—she then executed her wounded
victim. What has she gained ? Whom has silo
intimidated? What stronger fetters has she im-
posed on her slaves ? She is rather weaker in al.
things. The slaves must know of it all and
ponder it all, and become more than ever con-
scious that they have rights, for which
801110 white men are contented even to die. They
will hear of BROWN'S noble determination to have "no
religious ceremonies either in the gaol or on the
scaffold, from ministers who consent or appro7e of
the enslavement of their fellow-creatures ;" and
that thought, the most eloquent and touching we
ever recollect to have seen—" I would prefer rather
to be accompanied to the scaffold by a dozen slave
children, with a good old slave mother, with their
appeal to GOD for blessings on my soul, than all
the eloquence of the whole commonwealth com-
bined!" Read that, ye Gospel Ministers to slavery
throughout the Union. Read the fire-written
warning to you from a soul just about to quit its
body, and which never knew what it was to defend
man-stealing, and man-selling, and man-owning,
for a salary—read it—and, if your hearts do not
quail within you, neither will you be persuaded
though one rose from the dead. American aboli-
tionists tell us that the Ministers of the Gospel
(dare we so pollute the name) in America are the
stronghold of slavery—it is most likely to be true.
The scaffold of BROWN is their condemnation
throughout Christendom.

DESTRUCTION OF BETHNAL GREEN

CHURCH BY FIRE.-(THIS DAY.)

A conflagration, which has resulted in the
total destruction of the old church at Bethnal-
green, broke out at half-past 12 this morning. The
fire was of such a destructive nature that in a com-
parative short space of time the whole of the mag-
nificent interior fittings, organ, bells, &c., were a
heap of rubbish.

REMOVAL OF TIIE COURT FROM THE ISLE OF
Wioirr.—According to present arrangements, the Royal
Family will :leave Osborne on Wednesday next the 21st
inst.
His Excellency the Swedish Minister and the
Countess Platen arrived at the residence of the Legation in
Grosvenor-place, on Saturday, from visiting Sir William
and Lady Middleton, at Shrublands Park, near Ipswich.
The Duke of Buccleuch and Lord Walter Scott
have left Boughton House, Northamptonshire, for Scot-
land.
The Duchess of Athole has left the St. George's
Hotel on a visit to the Earl end Countess of Derby, at
Knowsley Park, Lancashire.
The Duke de Carriccolo has left the Brunswick,
for Paris.

The Earl of Sefton has arrived in town from
Crosteth Hall, Lancashire.
The Earl and Countess of Winchilsea have left
the St. George's Hotel.
Frances Countess Waldegrave and Mr. Har-
court, M.P., will leave Strawberry Hill on Friday for
Nuneham Park, Oxon, where they intend to receive com•
pany during the Christmas holidays.
Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston left London
on Saturday afternoon for his lordship's seat, Broadlands,
Rants. _ _

Lord and Lady Willoughby de Eresby have left
town for Torquay.
Lord and Lady Huntingfield have left the St.
George's Hotel.
Lord and Lady Arthur Hay have left Pester
House, Haddingtorslaire, on a visit to the Earl and Coun-
tess of Tankerville, at Chillingham Castle, Northumber-
land.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer left town on
Saturday for Hawarden Castle, Chester.
Lady and the Misses Williams have arrived at
the Brunswick, Jermyn-street, from Brighton.
_ _

Mr. W. W. Beaumont, M.P., and Lady Margarel
Beaumont arrivtad_ at their seat, Britton Hall, Yorkshire.
on Saturday, from visiting Lord and Lady Lyveden, ai
Farming Woods, Northamptonshire.

Tho Dowager Lady-171usgrave has arrived at the
St. George's Hotel.
The popular actor Lafont, so long a special
favourite of the habitues of the French The ttre in London,
after an absence of some duration from the stage, has lately
made his reappearance before a Parisian public with more
than ordinary success, at the Gymnase Theatre, in a new
drama entitled "Lo Pere Prodigue," from the pen of Alex-
andre Dumas, fits.

CAPTAIN NORTON'S EXPERIMENTS

EV THE ART OF WAR.

TO THE EDITOR, OF THE SUN.

Sir,—l have just returned from \Valham-green,
where I have made the seven experiments detailed
below.—l am, Sir, your obedient servant,
Dec. 17, 1359. J. NORTON.

1. Gossamer cartridge as adapted to my 11-inch bore
three elliptic groove rifle, on Horton's central fire principle.
It may be attached to the shot, shell, or bolt, for the pur-
pose of loading more rapidly.
2: Iron or steel elongated rifle shot, with four wooden
wings to suit the four grooves of the rifle, coated round
with paper pasted on, to prevent injury to the interior of
the rifle, such as those I use from my one-pounder rifled
brass cannon, which cannon I successfully tested with per-
cussion shells at Woolwich about 18 years ago, on which
occasion, the late Lord Hardinge being present, wrote me a
letter of congratulation, saying that my experiments with the
rifle cannon would lead to the most valuable results. These
shots are well adapted for piercing plates of iron. (See Me-
chanics' Magazine, Dec. 31, 1858, p. 11, also Sept. 2, 4859.)
3. Elongated or leaden shot, cast in wooden or pasteboard
jackets, which prevent leading of the rifle, and are easily
rammed home. This was fired from Major Nuthall's im-
proved rifle.
4. A SIMPLE MEANS OF DEMONSTRATING THE 'WORKING
OF LIQUID FIRE SHELLS.—The elongated shell being
charged with the liquid described in a former paper, and
stopped with a porous cork projecting a little, the shell
may then be laid on canvas or other combustible matter;
and in about ten minutes the fermentation of the mixture
will force its way through the pores of the cork, and meet-
ing the oxygen of the atmosphere, will become ignited, the
cork acting like the wick of a candle, and the liquor un-
derneath feeding it; an elongated leaden shell thus
charged, and adapted to the Lancaster military rifle, will
continue to 'burn for ten minutes with an intense heat
which cannot be extinguished by water.
5. IMPROVED RIFLE FIRE-BRAND.—My first brand was
SO constructed as to break its neck on striking loose flow-

ing canvas, when the liquid-fine spread on the Canvas and
set it on fire. My present improved brand has a tube of
glass charged with liquid-fire placed within it; it is then
closed with a plug 'of cork ; on firing the rifle, the glass
tube breaks by the jar of the exploded charge. The liquid
is diffused in the interior of the brand, and cannot imme-
diately escape from it, but after a few minutes it will per-
colate through the sap pores of the wood, and burst into
flame. (See " Mechanics' Magazine," 19th August, 1859.)

6. The ladies' revolver to be loaded with gun-cotton
cartridges, which insure certainty of fire, and no soiling of
the barrels. This I recommended through the " Mecha-
nics' Magazine," to the ladies in India who were prac-
tising to fire with pistols during the rebellion there. I
wish to instruct the whole of the British volunteers in the
manner of preparing the various war appliances that I ex-
hibited at Beaufort House, Walham-green.
7. Using the grenade for house defence without ex-
posing the person.

ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA, COVENT-

GARDEN.

The opening of the pantomime at this theatre is
from the pen of Mr. J. V. Bridgeman, who has
selected for his subject the old nursery legend of
" Puss in Boots," which he has amplified somewhat
after the following fashion. The first scene intro-
duces us to the interior of the mill, where Huon,
the youngest son of the original miller, is disco-
vered, lamenting over the harsh treatment he re-
ceives from his eldest brother, Mealoff, to whom the
old miller at his death has bequeathed the mill,
leaving:Huon merely a cat. Huon also refers despair-
ingly to a certain Princess Blanchefleur, with whom
be is madly in love. His soliloquy is interrupted by
Mealoff, who orders him to leave the place at once.
Huon is greatly irritated, and drives his brother
out, a circumstance which he the instant afterwards
deplores, because he sees, as the consequence of his
rash act, starvation staring him in the face. His
sad forebodings are interrupted by his
Cat, who has been lying coiled on some
sacks in the background. Pussy bids him cheer up,
and promises that he shall obtain the hand of the
Princess. Huon is incredulous, on which Puss in-
forms him she is a fairy in disguise, and, as a proof of
this, conjures up the traditional pair of top boots and
bag, the former of which she puts on. Master and
Cat then set out upon their adventures. Scene 2is
laid in Fairyland, where Innocentia, queen of the
good fairies, reviews her subjects, who have all en-
listed as rifle volunteers, in consequence of the sus-
picious movements of a certain Worldlinessa, a fairy
of Machiavelian tendencies, who is a near neighbour
of Innocentia. The same Worldlinessa pays Innocen-
tia a visit for the purpose of prevailing on her to
recall the Cat, who has been sent by Innocentia to
watch over Huon. Worldlinessa's object in doinf,
this is to obtain for the Baron -Wilfulwight, a lug!.
berly boy, son of the Count von Grabenuff, the Prin-
cess Blanchefleur's hand. Innocentia refuses com-
pliance. Worldlinessa, although bursting with
rage, pretends to take the refusal in good part, but
complains of the warlike preparations which she
beholds around her, and which she looks upon as a
menace and reproach, her own motives being, as she
asserts, so pure and free from ambition. Her repre-
sentations do not, however, convince Innocentia,
who determines to keep up, her armaments in an
effective state, not for purposes of aggrandisement,
but simply of self-defence. The scene concludes
with a grand review of Innocentia's forces.
Scene 3 is laid in the Royal Palace, where we
make the acquaintance of the Count von Grabenuff,
Lord Chamberlain, and his hulking son, Wilful-
wight, for whom he wishes to obtain the hand of
the Princess Blanchefleur, and who, as his name
suggests, is a perfect young pickle, indulging in
every kind of mischief. Shortly afterwards Puss-
in-Boots has an audience of the King to bring him
certain presents from her master, whom, according
to the old story, she ennobles by the title of the
Marquis de Carabas. The king is so pleased, that
he accepts the presents, and informs Puss he will
visit her master forthwith. Puss is somewhat puz-
zled at this, but scampers off to the corn-fields—
Scene 4—near the Ogre's castle, and informs her
master, Huon, what he has got to do. She then
harangues the reapers, calling upon them, on pain
of instant death, to declare that all the country
round belongs to the Marquis of Carabas. They
obey Pussy's injunction. On the arrival of the
King and his court, his Majesty is delighted, and
receives very graciously Huon, to whom he has
sent a magnifisent suit of clothes, for, in answer to
his inquiries, on hearing cries for help, Pucs has
rushed in with the sad intelligence, that, while the
Marquis has been bathing in a river near at hand,
his own clothes have been stolen. The Princess
falls in love with Huon immediately she be-
holds him, while Puss, well satisfied with the
success which has hitherto attended her plan,
rushes off to the Ogre's castle. This brings us to
Scene 5. Pussy gets the Ogre to change into a mouse,
and, having caught him, quietly seizes his castle.
Everything is going en most smoothly, when the
Count, warned by Worldlinessa, runs off with the
Princess, Puss-in-Boots having so far forgotten
herfelf as to get tipsy, and being, in consequence,
unable to extend her fairy protection to the Princess.
In scene nine we perceive the Count, the Coun-
tess, Wilfulwight, and the Princess, cast upon the
seacoast, at the mouth of a large marine cave. They
are extremely ill and unhappy. Worldliness is
about to assist them to put off again, when she per-
ceives, from certain unmistakeable symptoms, that
she is foiled by Innocentia. She immediately, in
the spirit of worldliness, deserts her protege. The
cavern changes to a most magnificent fairy scene.
Innocentia advances, with more than ordinary fairy
splendour, and, after restoring Blanchefleur to her
lover, brings about the usual changes. Huon is
transformed into Harlequin, Blanchefleur into
Columbine, the Countess into Pantaloon, the Count
into Clown, and the business of the harlequinade
then begins.

SOUTHAMPTON, Saturday.—His Royal Highness
the Prince of Wales embarked from the docks this evening
at 20 minutes to 6 o'clock, on board the Royal yacht Elfin,
the Hon. Captain Denman, en route from Oxford Univer-
sity to her Majesty's residence at Osborne. The Prince was
received by Mr. P. Hedger and Mr. J. Levy, on the part of
the dock company, to whom his Royal Highness expressed
his thanks for their attention. The Hon. R. Bruce (Go-
vernor) and Colonel Koppel (Equerry-in-Waiting) were in
attendance on the Prince, who appeared to be in the best
health,

Mr. R. P. Collier, Q.C., has been appointed coun-
sel to the Admiralty and Judge Advocate of the Fleet, in
succession to Mr. Atherton, now her Majesty's Solicitor
General. This appointment, not being an office under the
Crown, does not vacate Mr. Collier's seat in the House a
Commons as member for Plymouth. _ .

The Attorney-General has directed the junior
briefs in the department of the office of woods, forest, and
land revenues of the crown to be sent to Mr. P. M‘Mahon,
of the Oxford Circuit, in place of Mr. W. N. Willes, who
has been appointed a county court judge.
The Government has granted an annual pension
of ,E5O to Mrs. Janet Taylor, of 101, Minories, author of an
"Epitome of Navigation and Nautical Astronomy, "
roved Lunar Lunar Tablesi" " Guide to the use of Maury's
Charts," &c.„ for her services in the cause of navigation, a
deserved and gratifying recognition of merit.
Sir J. Wm. Ramsden, M.P., was entertained on
Thursday evening at a banquet '(riven in his honour by the
principal inhabitants of lluddersfield, with which the hon.
bart. is so closely connected. Appropriate speeches, relat-
ing to local affairs, were delivered.
A letter from Coblentz states that the Moselle
is so blocked up with ice that the navigation has been
stopped, and the steamers which plied on the river have
been laid up for the winter near Cud. The,Rhine, up to the
present time, has so little floating ice on it that the bridge
of boats has not yet been removed, bat the steamers have
suspended their operations from Coblentz to Berg, in eon.
sequeueo of the quantity of ice in the itlaiu&int,

LATEST NEWS.

The following telegrams have been received at
Mr. Reuter's office :

PARIS, AIoND Y.
The Moniteur of this morning contains the fol-

Iwing :

The reception of the Marquis de Villamarina and
M. de Desambrois took place yesterday.

Last night the improvement in Prince Jerome's
health continued.

On the Ist of January the Emperor will receive
the corps diplomatique and the legislative bodies.
N.B. The above telegram has been delayed by
an interruption of the telegraphio lines.

PARIS, DEC. 17.

Prince Metternich has officially informed the
French Government of the nomination of Count
Rechberg as First Plenipotentiary of Austria at
the Congress.

The Patric of this evening states positively that
Cardinal Antonelli will attend the Congress, and
that he will arrive in Paris on the 4th January.

The Pays announces that to-morrow the Marquis
de Villamarina will present his letters of recall and
M. Decambrois his lettres de creance.

It was asserted on the Bourse that Count Kisse-
leff had been nominated First, and M. Balabine se-
cond Plenipotentiary of Russia at the Congress.
The health of Prince Jerome continues to im-
prove.

In an autograph letter of the Pope to the Empe-
ror, his Holiness declares that he is willing to be
represented at the Congress, having full confidence
in the loyalty and firmness of the eldest son of the
Church, to whom God has intrusted the mission to
protect the patrimony of St. Peter against illegal
covetousness.

MARSEILLES, SUNDAY.
Letters received from Naples state that during
the night between the 12th and 13th inst. nume-
rous arrests, including several eminent persons, were
made. The persons arrested are accused of having
clandestinely printed journals, and of having sup-
ported a subscription in behalf of General Garibaldi,
several documents concerning which have been
seized.

The police were searching for the distributors of
the photographic portraits of Agesilas Milano.
The Sardinian Consul had been momentarily
arrested by mistake, but was set at liberty.
Advices received from Algiers state that the
formal opening of the railway to Blida.h had taken
place.

VIENNA, DEC. 18.
The report of an intended abdication of the
Emperor is totally unfounded.
The statement that the Archduke Maximilian
would be absent from Austria two years is likewise
false. The journey of his Imperial Highness to the
Brazils will only occupy six months.

FRANKFORT-ON-MAINE, DEC. 17.

In to•day's sitting of the Federal Diet the pro
posals of the Wurzburg Conference were brough'
forward. They are as follows :

1. The publication of the proceedings of the Fede.
ral Diet.

2. A common civil and criminal legislation.

3. A common law of domicile.

4. A revision of the Federal military constitu-
tion, by increasing the Federal forces organically
and not numerically ; and,
5. The fortification of the coasts of the North
and Baltic Seas.

The Christmas Taeation of the Federal Diet has
been declared, and will continue till the sth of

January.

BERNE, DEC. 18

The Federal Council intends to ask at the Con-
grzss that the neutrality of Savoy may be guaranteed
by the Italian Confederation, as it already is by
Piedmont in virtue of the treaties of 1816.

STOCKHOLM, DEC. 17.
To-day an enthusiastic demonstration of the
towns in favour of the Italian people took place.
The Diet has unanimously resolved to present an
address to the King requesting his Majesty to de-
fend at the Congress the right of the Italian people
to decide their own affairs.

A telegram received from Copenhagen states tha'
the Royal Palace of Fredericksburg was last nigh
completely destroyed by fire.

HAMBURG, SUNDAY.

The sitting of the Common Council yesterday
lasted until 1 a.m. All the speakers, with one ex-
ception, declared the proposal of the Senate con-
cerning the Constitution perfectly impracticable.
The Left demanded the immediase 'rejection of
the proposal, and the nomination of a committee to
elaborate, according to the views of the citizens,
such changes as might be admissible.
The Centre moved that before rejecting the pro-
position a special committee should be appointed to
inquire into and report on the question.
This motion was agreed to, and a committee was
then elected.

ST. PETERSBURG, DEC. 17

The French Ambassador, the Duke de Monte-
bello, has communicated to the Russian Govern-
ment the wish of his Sovereign that the functions
of the First Plenipotentiary of Russia at the Con-
gress may be intrusted to the Minister for Foreign
Affairs.

Prince Gortschakoff has replied, by telegraph to
Paris, that he will take into consideration the wish

of France.

MADRID, DEC. 17,

The division of General Prim has taken a
position two leagues from the general encampment,
in order to protect the works for opening the road
to Tetuan. The division of General Ros de Olano
has been placed to the right of this road.
The defeat of the enemy yesterday has produced
.ernent in the Moorish army.

discourage

FRANCE.

PARIS, SATURDAY

The Emperor and the Empress went yesterday
to visit Prince Jerome. The bulletins published
at the Palais Royal were as follows :
" Ninein the morning.

" The state of his Imperial Highness has not
undergone any material change during the night ;
the expectoration has been frequent and slightly
tinged with blood; his situation continues grave."
" Six in the evening.
" The state of Prince Jerome is still grave. A
pleuretic stitch in the left side has rendered the
application of a fresh blister necessary."

" Saturday, 9 a.m.
" The state of his Imperial Highness-has under-
gone no change for the worse. The night has been
rather quiet.
" RAYER ; CRUVEILIIIER ; LE HELLOCO.

This afternoon the Prince was much the same

Mgr. Sacconi, the Papal Nuncio, had the honour
of a private audience of the Emperor yesterday and
delivered to his Majesty a letter from the Pope.
The weather in Paris is extremely severe to-day.
The streets are covered with a thin coat of snow
frozen hard. There is a sharp north-east wind

blowing, and the thermometer has stood all day at
six degrees below freezing point.
The Government has suppressed the report of the
trial for a separation between Count• Migeon and
his wife on account of a well-known political per-
sonage having been mentioned by M. Jules Favre.
All the London evening papers were seized
to-day.

The Moniteur publishes the official return of the
Customs revenue for the month of November, which
amounted to 15,485,434 fr., being an increase of
2,857,723 fr. on the corresponding month of the pre-
ceding year. The receipts for the 11 months of
1859 amount to 173,165,308 fr., showing an improve-
ment of 5,800,209 fr. on the corresponding period of
1858.

"It is rumoured," says a Paris letter in the Nord
of Brussels, " that the Prince de la Tour d'Au-
vergne will assist at the Congress, in the place of
Baron de Bourqueney, who positively declines the
post, for family reasons."
THE BOURSE, Dec. 17.—The market was rather
heavy at the opening, but afterwards somewhat
recovered. Threes, after having been done at

70f. 40c., improved to 70f. 55c. ; Mobilier varied
from 842 f. 50c. to 850 f. ; Lombard, 573 f. 75c. to
576 f. 25c. ; Austrian, 572 f. 50c. to 575 f. ; Lyons,
935 f. to 940 f.; Orleans, 1,417 f. 50c. to 1,422 f. 50c. ;
Southern, 535 f. to 537 f. 50c. The following were
the last quotations :

41 per Cents. .... 96 9) Credit Foncier 725
Do. end month Belgian 4i . —
3 per Cent 5....... 70 30 Piedmonteso (5) B5 50
Do. end month.... 70 60 Roman B4 75
Bank Shares 2900 Austrian —
Credit Mobilier .. 845 Spanish Threes
Do. Account B5l 25 liome Debt 44/

RAILWAYS.
Cash. Account.
Orleans
Northern 971 25 .. 970
New ditto 862 50 .. 861 25
Lyons and Mediterranean 935 .. 940
Geneva 517 50 .. 545
Southern
Western 582 50 .. 580
Eastern
Sardinian 422 50 .. 425
Austrian
Lombard .. ....... • •
Exchange on London, at sight, paper, 25f. 10c. ; money,
25f. 90.; three months, paper, 24f. 95c. ; money, 24f. 931 c.