The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-04 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 4, 1861.

most of our readers will shrug their shoulders and
pronounce the lecturer of Corpus Christi College
right.

Mr. D'ORSEY would begin at the beginning.
He does not in his lecture forget even the nursery
and the first instructors of children. He quoted
QUINTILIAN as to the choice of nurses with good
pronunciation, and censured the carelessness
of English parents in allowing vulgar, un-
educated servants to surround their children ;
but it was to our National Schools and Universities
that he chiefly addressed his observations. He ad-
verted to the sad condition of English teaching in
our National Schools, proving his assertion from
the reports of the inspectors. " He had ascertained
that in our great public schools, no direct attention
was paid to English ; no recognition of the dignity
of our own language and of its idiomatic structure,
so different from that of the ancient tongues ; no
organized English department with an able Saxon
scholar its head : most of the head masters being of
opinion that sufficient provision was made by the
c4.-dinary practice of translation, writing an occa-
sion3l theme, or declaiming a passage from SHAKE-
SPEARE on ' Speech-day.' Some exceptions
existed,—the City of London School, King Edward's
School at Birmingham, and the School at Bury St.
Edmund's."

We can all of us witness to the truth of those
statements, unless we happen to have been in boy-
hood at the schools he names. Few, indeed, are the
schools in which the grammar and structure of our
own language are stuEied at all in proportion to its
importance. Germans and Frenchmen do not treat
their vernacular with such contempt as to leave it
to chance whether it be spelt correctly and written
, grammatically and in good taste. We have, per-
, haps, the richest language on earth, yet we seem
as if we knew it not. We smooth it somewhat, no
doubt, on the grindstone of Latin and of Greek;
but, like the diamond, its beauty and worth can
be fully developed only by friction with itself.
No doubt much might be done from the com-
mencement to the termination of what we commonly
mean by a child's and youth's education to give him
a much better mastery of his own language.
If required from childhood to express him-
self, on topics suitable to his age, in the most
perspicuous, condensed, and correct language, we
should not surely be bored as we are with sermons
chiefly, and speeches in fair measure, which task
our patience to the uttermost with empty verbosity,
and by the violation of almost every rule of good taste.
To some, just perceptions of propriety in language
could, indeed, never be imparted. In regard to
style, they resemble persons who have no ear for
music playing an air mechanically. But, during
the time which the great majority of the middle
as well as of the upper classes attend school, even
boys might soundly learn the principles of good
writing. If, in regard to that comparatively early
age, we might suggest a hint to schoolmasters, it
would be to set their pupils to practise English
composition, on topics thoroughly within the compre-
hension of boys. A greater error cannot be, we
imagine, than to give a boy or even a lad such
topics as the passions, or the virtues, or the cha-
racter of persons beyond their power to appreciate.
The best description of cricket or football ; or of
the different ways in which boys spend their money,
or of their last excursion, or of a family of child-
dren's common characters, filled up from his own
knowledge under fictitious names, would be far
better practice, both for thought and composition,
than anything not thoroughly under their command.
General topics, on which a modern GOLDSMITH
or a BACON would not find it easy to be pleasantly
or profoundly original, are too often given to
children. The result is a stilted artificial, or
imitative effort. The thing required is to give
the best expression to thoughts natural to a
child. The child who can do this will be "father
to the man " who can do it. Too often, we fear,
from early habit, the man who sits down to
write, or tries to make a speech, attempts
something unnatural and artificial—something
beyond—if we may allude to the oft-cited expression
—first catching his thought, and then cooking it.
As to our adult writers and speakers—the
clergy especially, who have been so much before
us of late, it is not for us to tender much of
our advice. The Bishops, it seems, have taken
their pulpit enunciation in hand, and certainly
not too soon ; the worst is, it would now appear
that Bishops have already tried their best, and
with what results Mr. D'ORSEY has
just told us. This augurs but unfavour-
ably for them as elocution masters ; or
elocution examiners. The open expression of public
opinion will, however, do much. All the pulpit
readers and:orators will know that they are hence-
forth under special observation. Many of them
will take prompt steps for self-improvement. All,
except in the very rare case of utter indifference to
what their fellow-creatures think of them, will feel
some concern to get rid of awkwardnesses which have
been publicly censured and voted intolerable. In-
deed, we have but little doubt that if the press does
its part, if it does not suffer the thing to sleep, if it
returns to the criticism, and to the demand for im-
provement, from time to time, this alone will be
enough. The clergy will soon begin to discover '
the way to desk and pulpit reformation, if the pub-
lic does but tell them,—We must have it.

CHARLES DICKENS has somewhere written—it is
in one of his picturesque fugitive pieces published
originally, if we recollect rightly, in household
Words—" When the wind is blowing, and the
sleet and rain is driving against the dark windows,
I love to sit by the fire, thinking of what I have
read in books of voyage and travel." And who
amongst us all does not ?—though he may not have
the capacity to conjure up the scene before his
" mind's eye" as vividly as the Great Novelist,
"Such books," adds the latter, in the same place,
" have had a strange fascination for my mind from
my earliest childhood; and I wonder," he exclaims
with a whimsical astonishment at himself, "I won-
der it should have come to pass that I never have
been round the world, never have been shipwrecked,
ice-environed, tomahaNyked, or eaten." In a vague
way similar reflections must have occurred often
enough before now to many other English " Gen-
tlemen who live at home at ease." Islanders as we
are, citizens of the greatest maritime power upon
the globe, we have all of us an instinctive hanker-
ing after the sea-faring life. The veriest landsman
amongst us has an unaffected interest in everything
relating to that element which has been,
throughout our history, at once our securest
defence, and the noblest arena of our glory.
Honoured though the Royal Army is, it is the Royal
Navy that is regarded by one and all alike as
the National Profession. Among all the warriors
who have ever won the admiration of their com-
patriots in this country, the one who has incontesti-
bly gained for himself the enviable pro-eminence of
being the " darling Nero of England," is the
greatest of our Sea Captains. The favourite story-
book of childhood in this country is the n 4rrative
of the adventures of a poor shipwrecked sailor. The
best-thumbed pages of our annals are those in which
the marvellous exploits of our great sea-fights are
recorded, from the glorious feats of BLAKE down to
those of DUNDONALD. And were it otherwise, it

would only have been the very depth of ingratitude
upon our part. For it is to these men, it is to this
class, it is to this particular profession, that we are
indebted for being what we are. Without their
aid we should have remained among the most insig-
nificant States of the earth, instead of being the
lords of one-fifth of the whole habitable globe—
embracing within the compass of our empire vast
dominions in the Old and the New World, in the
east and the west, and the north and the south, in
Europe, Africa, America, and Australasia.

It is not, however, to the pages of our voyagers,
or still more to those of our nautical remancists,
that we need ever have recourse in order to gratify
to the full our appetite for the marvellous in regard
to the maritime service of England. Here, as
elsewhere, the truth of Lord BYRON'S dictum is
wonderfully verified that—

,c truth is always strange,

Stranger than fiction."—Don Juan, my 101.
In testimony of this we have but to turn
annually to the astounding statistics given to the
world, autumn after autumn, in the shape of the
yearly official Wreck Chart and Register.
Here is the last of these terrible records, the one
that has but just now been issued—" The Wreck
Register and Chart for 1860 " Like its predecessors
it tells by its appalling array of facts the magnitude
of the perils encountered by " those who go down to
the deep in ships !"_Those gallant hearts sung of in
the classic and pathetic verse of the Sailor Fal-
coner—

" Tars—who unmoved behold the angry storm
In conflict all the rolling deep deform,
Who, patient in Adversity, still bear
The firmest front when greatest ills are near."

Enough almost might be said upon this point by
simply notifying the fact that, upon a rough
average, calculated upon a series of years, we have
a loss revealed to us through those Charts and
Registers of 800 lives annually, and of £1,500,000
worth of property yearly doomed to destruction.
Year by year, of coarse the precise number of lives
lost, the actual value of property destroyed, will be
found to fluctuate. But the numbers and the value
as we have here given them may be taken as the

average.
During the past year of our LORD 1860, the
wrecks off the coast of England have—by
reason of the foul weather that prevailed
more or less throughout that twelvemonth—been
unusually numerous. They amounted in fact
to no less than 1,379. Nevertheless it is some con-
solation to find that the number of lives lost in
consequence of these casualties, proves to have been
considerably below the average. Instead of being
800, the total amount did not exceed 536—still a
terrible waste of life notwithstanding ! Whilst,
however, 536 perished—as many as 2,158 persons,
we find, were in 1860 snatched from a watery grave
by life boats, shore boats, and other means, includ-
ing the rocket and mortar apparatus. There are
two or three circumstances conneeted with the
shipwrecks of 1860 that are sufficiently curious in
themselves to deserve particular notification. For
example—as to the direction of the wind that proved
most destructive, we find that—" 111 vessels were
wrecked during the prevalence of the wind from
S.W. ; 128 from W.N.W. ; and 104 from N.W. 8
vessels were wrecked during absolutely calm
weather ; 151 in a fresh breeze ; 168 in a whole
gale ; 101 in a storm ; and 139 in a hurricane."
Again as to the immediate cause of several of these
catastrophes—" 21 wrecks took place from not
heaving the lead; 2 from intemperance; 35 from
general negligence and want of caution ; 39 foun-
dered from unseaworthiness ; and 5 from defective
compasses." Everyone of these sources of disaster
being obviously fortuitous and preventible. Besides
this, it is somewhat singular to note the following
items ih regard to the ages of the vessels wrecked
—items strangely demonstrative (as has been re-
marked elsewhere) of the very curious fact that
when these ships "should be most vigorous" they
are in reality " most feeble," as will be understood
at once when the reader finds that, " during the
past three years, 3'77 vessels under 3 years old were
wrecked ; and 472 between the ages of 3 and 7
years ; whilst 644 of them perished between the
ages of 15 and 20." So that we are constrained to
add unhappily, Q. E. D.
Altogether, it is frightful to reflect that during
the last eleven years only there have perished in
this way along our shores 6,83 seamen—chiefly on
board our coasting colliers. During nearly nine
years past there have been 10,336 vessels thus
wrecked along the coasts of the United Kingdom.
Placed side by side with which last-mentioned re-
cords must be given by way of consolation the gra-
tifying announcement that during the last five years
alone, no less than 11,495 lives have been saved by
means of lifeboats, of shore-boats, of ship-boats, and
of the life-saving apparatus. Much, therefore, has
undoubtedly already been done, but obviously, quite
as obviously, more, far more, remains to do. And
the directest way of all in which to do it, we do
conscientiously believe, is by furthering the inte-
rests of the NATIONAL LIFEBOAT INSTITUTION, by
prompt subscriptions and hearty goodwill, for their
funds are low, and getting lower, by reason of their
unwearied liberality in furnishing lifeboats along
the coast. Let our countrymen only think that the
sympathy they now display may yet even conduce
to save their own lives in the days of peril and dis-
aster. It is said that " who giveth to the poor
lendeth to the Lord ;" but they who support the
LIFEBOAT INSTITUTION are only lending to them-
selves, by insuring the rescue of their own lives and
those of others. Countrymen ! be prompt in your
generosity, and it will be a sweet solace when you
die, whether it be on land or wave.

SUDDEN ILLNESS OF THE EARL OF EGLINTON

—On Tuesday evening the Earl of Eglinton was suddenly
struck down by apoplexy while in the act of leaving Mount-
Melville House, St. Andrews, where he had been dining
with a party of golfers and friends. Up to six o'clock on
Wednesday night, his Lordship's condition was such as to
excite serious apprehensions.—Caledonian Mercury.
MARRIAGE IN HIGII LlFE.—Yesterday the mar-
riage of Viscount Sandon and Lady Mary Francis Cecil,
eldest daughter of the Marquis of Exeter, took place at St.
George's Church, Hanover-square. As usual on such
occasions the church was crowded with spectators.

The Emperor and Empress, the day before leaving
Biarritz, paid a visit to Beholia, in order to see the famous
Ile des Faisans. This small island has for some time been in
danger of disappearing, owing to the.waters of the Bidassoa
washing away at intervals portions of earth ; but works are
to bo erected at the joint expense of Spain and France for
preserving it from destruction on account of its historical
interest. .

Duels seem to be increasing in Germany. The
Zeit, of Frankfort, states that a hostile encounter has just
been fought near that city between Major Von der Tann,
Chamberlain to the King of Bavaria, and an Austrian
officer, whose name is not given. The Major was shot in
the abdomen, and soon after expired.
ROYAL THAMES YACHT CLUB.—The autumnal
recess of this club having concluded, the usual monthly
meetings of members have been resumed. There was a
very full attendance on Wednesday night, including the
noble commodore, Lord Alfred Paget. Twenty-one noble-
men and gentlemen were added to the list of members,
amongst whom were his Grace the Duke of Marlborough,
Lieutenant-Colonel G. P. Evelyn, owner of Le Neve,
schooner, Mr. Augustus Nugent, of the Little Wyvern,
cutter, and Mr. R. Hesketh, of the Peri, cutter. This great
club, which now possesses 230 yachts, amounting to 14,000
tons, is, by the above addition, nearly full. The number of
members, from time to time extended, has been fixed at
900, and there are now only ten vacancies.

A letter from Biarritz says :—" M. d'Eseayrae
de Lauture has been received here with all the distinction
to which his adventures in China entitle him. He had the
honour of dining with the Emperor. M. d'Escayrac has
brought back with him a young Chinese girl, who speaks
French remarkably well.

A Corfu letter of the 21st ult. states that the
health of the Empress of Austria continues improving, and
that her Majesty's spirits fire excellent.
HEALTH OF THE EARL OF GIFFORD.—We are
happy to learn that the E; trl of Gifford, M.P., is recovering
from the severe illness w hick has for the last few weeks
confined him altogether to the house.
It is understood ti sat the lord lieutenancy of
Monmouthshire, rendered vacant by the accidental death of
Mr. Capel Hanbury Leigh, will be offered by the Premier
to Lord Llanover.
Advices from the Roman States announce that
the steam-frigate Asmodee, with the Siamese Ambassadors
on board, arrived at Civita Vecchia en Tuesday evening.
1 he Ambassadors proceeded at once to Rome. •
The Nouvegist de .Rouen says that before the
Tuileries can be made habitable according to the Emperor's
taste, it will be necessary to pull down the Marsan pavilion
on the Rue Rivoli side, as well as the Flora pavilion on the
quay, which is now in course of demolition.
It is rumoured in diplomatic circles that Russia
has sent a comminatory note to the Porte, remonstrating
against the expedition to Montenegro; there is even a talk
of a Russian fleet being sent to Cattaro, and it is said that
Austria is very uneasy at the projected movement.
The whole of the objections of the Conservatives
in the parish of Maryle•bone were yesterday disallowed by
the revising barrister, 'Mr. Tyrrell, who awarded costs in
each case against the objector, Mr. Martin, amounting to
between £3O and £4O.
The rectory of Inworth, near Kelvedon, Essex,
rendered vacant by the death of the Rev. Samuel Wix,
M.A., has been conferred upon the Rev. Frederick Poynder,
M.A., of Wadha.m College, Oxford, second master of Char-
terhouse School.
A letter from Homburg states that three days
ago the ceiling of the Conversation Room fell in, and that
several persons were injured. No details are given.
The advices from Rio de Janeiro mention the
failure of the house of Pinto and Pimenta, for nearly
£lOO,OOO. They were dealers in imported goods, and the
liquidation is not expected to yield more than 30 per cent.
It appears that it is not in the Mediterranean,
near Marseilles alone, that the tunny fish has been this year
so abundant. The Algiers journals state that large quanti-
' ties have appeared on the coast of Africa, and that some of
them are of extraordinary size, one having reached the
weight of 150 kliegs.
A communication from Nuits (Cote•d'Or) says :
—" The vintage has commenced here, and is favoured with
beautiful weather, which cannot but have a most favour-
able effect on the grapes. The year 1861 will assuredly be
classed among the number of good years. Considerable
purchases of the best growths have already been made by
foreign dealers at high prices."
A Polish deputy in the Council of the Empire of
Austria was lately condemned in Austrian Gallicia to 24
hours' imprisonment, for having at a funeral taken part in
singing the Boz cos Polak°, or national Polish air, which is
considered seditious. As the bill on the privileges of the
members of the Council has not yet been definitively adopted
the Chamber, must give him leave of absence to enable him
to undergo the imprisonment.
DEATH OF MR. ARTHUR SMITH.—We regret to
announce the death of this gentleman, brother of Mr.
Albert Smith, whom he has only survived some eighteen
months. Mr. Arthur Smith was well known in literary
and theatrical circles as one of the clearest-minded and
most practical men of the day. He had the management of
his brother's entertainment, and all the business arrange-
ments of Mr. Charles Dickens's Readings were entrusted
to his care. He was one of the Committee of the Theme
Fisheries Preservation Society, and the author of a clever
and witty little book called "The Thames Angler." Mr
Smith was in his thirty-seventh year.
MR. ALFRED MELLON. The excellent pro-
menade concerts given at Covent-garden Theatre will ter-
minate with next week. No pains have been spared to
render them attractive both to the general public and to the
lovers of classical music, a Mendelssohn or Beethoven
night varying with an evening devoted to the Volunteers,
and artistes of the first celebrity being engaged in every
department. The last "classical concert" will take place
to-night, and a performance of Haydn's oratorio of the
" Creation" (entire) is announced for Monday.
MARRIAGE WITH A DECEASED WIFE'S SISTER.—
REPUDTATION OF THE WIFE.—An instance of the injlls-,
tice of the law prohibiting marrisge with a deceased wife's
sister came before the Leeds Board of Guardians on Wed-
nesday, on the application of Christiana Stead for an order
of maintenance against Thomas Stead, a forgeman, lodging
in Hunslet. It appeared that Stead had been previously
married to the sister of the applicant, and that about two
years ago, his wife having died, he went through the
ceremony of marriage with the latter, at the parish church.
Since that time they have disagreed, and, on Stead refusing
to support her, she applied to Mr. Hartley, the relieving
officer, for relief. The officer ordered Stead to appear before
the Board, when he declined to make his wife any allow-
ance, on the ground that they were not lawfully married.
It was admitted that the applicant was the deceased wife's
sister, and Stead said that unless the law could compel him
to support her he would not do so. The chairman (Mr
Middleton) told him that he ought to be ashamed of himself,
to come before a body of gentlemen and repudiate a woman,
whom he had taken as his wife, on such a ground. Mr.
Thompson said he was disposed to try the case, and he
therefore proposed that they make an order upon the hus-
band for 3s. per week, and instruct the officer to summons
him before the magistrates if he refused to pay it. Mr.
Kirk seconded the motion, which was carried, after a short
discussion.

THE DIGESTION OF A BOA CONSTRICTOR.—
Geignani informs us that the Museum of Natural History
in Paris has just made an acquisition in a singular manner.
About a month ago the boa-constrictor in that establish-
ment took a fancy for its own blanket and swallowed it
entire, so that the administration, considering the chattel
to be beyond recovery, put it to the profit and loss account.
But, lo I twenty-six days later, what should the keeper find
one morning in the boa's cage, but the identical blanket,
this time under the form of a great roll, a yard and a -half
in length, and about 15 inches in circumference I The said
roll has been placed in the Museum, to be preserved as it is,
and we may state that the boa is "as well as can be ex-
pected" after this remarkable performance.

Oscar Becker has been lodged in the House of

Correction at Bruchsal, in order to commence his term of
punishment. In accordance with his request, his employ-
ment during prison life will be that of a joiner. The prac-
tice of placing a variety of handicrafts-at the option of the
prisoners is now generally pursued in German gaols, and
has been found to exercise a very favourable influence upon
the habits and morale of the convicts. In Berlin, for in-
stance, a great deal of the carved woodwork for which the
town of late has gained some reputation is manufactured by
the inmates of Moabit Penitentiary, the majority of whom
did not even know how to whittle a stick before the day of
their confinement.

A LUCKY RAGMAN.—A local paper says :—" A
collector of rags and bones, named Powell, residing in Mane
vers-street, Sneinton, near Nottingham, in the course of
his peregrinations last week bought an old waistcoat, which
as is usual in the business, he offered for sale for 2d. ; but
it was so utterly worthless, that he could not dispose of it.
Taking it home, he tore it up, when to his surprise, he
found in the lining of one of the waistcoat pockets a cheque
for £3OO. He was, no doubt, puzzled what to do with so
much wealth, and the last that was heard of him was that
he had gone to London in order to convert the cheque into
cash."

THE PUBLIC BATHS OF LIVERPOOL.—At the
meeting of the Liverpool Town Council on Wednesday, Mr.
Tobin drew the attention of the council to certain gratifying

statistics in connexion with the baths. Ho found that in

1842-3, when the baths were first established, they were
visited by 11,700 persons, and during the past year by
303,000 persons; also, that the receipts in 1842-3 were
£l5O, whereas the past year they were £6,400. Such facts,
Mr. Tobin observed, must be a great encouragement for
the building of baths and washhouses in other towns, in
which, he hoped, there would be erected buildings as com-
modious according to their size as those in Liverpool.
DIABOLICAL ATTEMPT AT DONCASTER.—A most
diabolical, but, happily, unsuccessful attempt to set fire to
a workshop and stable at Doncaster has just been discovered,
and it is apparent that the perpetrators of the outrage had
calculated with some certainty on the success of their plan.
Mr. Quartermaster Bull, of the 3d West York Militia, has
a stable and other outbuildings adjacent to his residence in
Carr-lane, Doncaster, The building is divided into several
parts, and in a portion of it he has an engine, which he lets
to Messrs. Cutdy, machinists; and in another part ho has
some valuable models connected with the machine trade.
On Friday last by turned his horse out to grass, and, hav-
ing no further use for the stable for the present week, he
locked the door, and did not re •enter it until Wednesday

last, when, to his astonishment, he made the startling
discovery that some person or persons had attempted to
set fire to the stable by introducing, through a small
hole above the manger, some combustible material, which
had first been lighted. The straw, which was almost
clean and a foot in depth, had been burnt to a cinder,
and the manger and wood-work all but destroyed; but
for want of ventilation the fire had srnouldered on and
I eventually died out. Had it not done so the whole
of the models in the room above would have been de-
stroyed, and Messrs. Candy's plant also consumed. Mr.
Bull was insured in the Yorkshire Fire-office to the extent
of £1,400, so that had the place fallen a prey to the act of
an incendiary he would not have been a loser to any great
extent. Mr. Etches, the chief constable, and Mr. Gregory,
the assistant-superintendent, both of the borough police
force, have taken steps which it is to be hoped will, with the
aid of a reward, bring the perpetrators of this cowardly act
to justice. No motive can accurately be assigned for the
attempt, as Mr. Bull is much respected by all who know him.
" DIRT CHEAP !"—The living of Hurstmonceaux
—where the estimable Archdeacon Hare laboured for so
many years—has just been sold for £7,300, which the auc-
tioneer said was " dirt cheap." Dirt, indeed, though in a
sense not intended by the knight of the hammer ; for can
anything more defile the purity of a Church than this sell-
ing of souls for the possession of £1,200 a year ?—The
Liberator.

The Great Western Railway of Canada announce
that the revenue for the half-year ending the 31st of July
will not warrant the directors in recommending a dividend.
The weather in Paris for the last two or three
days has been exceptionally fine. The sun shines out
warmly, and the windows are kept open exactly as in the
height of summer.

The Official Gazette of Turin announces that the
sons of King Victor Emmanuel were present at the cere-
mony of laying the first stone of a monument, to be erected
on the field of Castelfidaedo, to commemorate that battle.

DEATH OF THE VICAR OF HARROW.—We regret
to announce the death of the Rev. John W. Cunningham,
M.A., vicar of Harrow-on-the-Hill, and the 'oldest bene-
ficed clergyman in the diocese of London. Mr. Cunning-
ham was educated at St. John's College, Cambridge, and
graduated in 1802.
PASSPORTS FOR AMERICA.—We are authorized
to state that the United States' Consul at this port has re-
ceived official notice that all persons going to tho United
States will require to have passports from the authorities of
their respective countries, vised by a Minister or Consul of
the United States.—Liverpool Daily Post.
DR. PANTALEONE.—We learn that Dr. Panta-
leone, who for so many years, in his capacity of physician,
enjoyed the confidence of the principal English and Ame-
rican families at Rome, and who was so brutally expelled
from that city in the spring, on the ground of his political
opinions, is about to settle as a medical practitioner at Nice,
where his services are likely to be in request during the
ensuing winter.

THE SUICIDE AT THE AUSTRIAN EMBASSY.—Yes-
terday Mr. George S. Brent instituted an investigation into
the painful circumstances attending the death of Bartholo-
mew Wittmayer, aged 28, the valet of the head-secretary
of the Count Rudolph Apponyi, the Austrian ambassador.
The jury returned a verdict of "Suicide, while in a state
of mind unsound."

ACCOMMODATION FOR THE STEAM TRADE AT THE
LIVERPOOL DOCKS.—An application from the Cunard Com-
pany for extended accommodation at the Huskisson. Dock
was received by the Mersey board yesterday, and referred
for consideration. Messrs. Haigh and Co. were yesterday
empowered to construct the roof and sliding doors for an
enormous shed at the Huskisson Dock, by which goods
will be effectually protected from the weather, &c. ;
cost, £8,650.
An incident of Austrian brutality is given in the
Temps. A few days ago, some soldiers, billeted in a house
at a few leagues distance from Pesth, lost seven florins.
Their suspicions turned on a young Hungarian named Honth,
whom they denounced to the commandant of the district.
The supposed culprit was:then ordered to deliver up the sum
in question, but declaring his innocence, and failing to do
so, was condemned to 300 lashes. Honth fainted several
times under the executioner, and the day after was so ex-
hausted by the punishment that he died of its effects, not,
however, too late to hear himself cleared from the stigma
thrown upon him, by a girl who committed the theft coming
forward and publicly confessing it,
PETERBOROUGH GREAT FAIR.—The great fair at
Peterborough, called " Bridge Fair," was held on Wednes-
day. The day being unusually fine, there was an enormous
number of visitors. The horse and cattle fairs were as ex-
tensive as heretofore. Fat beasts were a ready sale, at from
Ss. to Bs. 6d. per stone, and fresh short-horn stores in good
condition made from £lB to £2l. There were a great many
Irish beasts of a much better kind than used to be brought
to this fair, and though there is great risk with them, and
prices were as high as the short-horns, they were freely
purchased for home grazing. The ram fair was well sup -
plied by the best breeders, and full prices were made. Horses
also were an advance upon recent fairs, and, taken generally,
business appeared to have felt the inspiriting influence of
the late harvest.
EXTENSIVE FIRE AT MANCHESTER,—About three
o'clock yesterday morning a cotton waste warehouse, oc-
cupied by Messrs. Chadwick and Taylor, situate in Old
Factory-yard, Manchester, was discovered to be on fire, and
the flame spread with such rapidity that when the fire bri-
gade of the city arrived there appeared to be little hope of
saving the building or its contents. The men exerted
themselves vigorously for many hours, but it was not until
noon that the fire was got under. The whole building is
more or less injured, and the loss on that and the stock is
estimated at £12,000 or £14,000. The cause is attributed
to spontaneous combustion.
A GENTLEMAN POISONED BY MISTAKE.—Mr.
Hanbury Lee, of Pontypool-park, has died from the effects
of poison given him, at his residence, Plymouth-house,
Penarth, near Cardiff. Mr. Lee, who reached his 81st year
some few days since, met with a slight accident by falling
down part of the staircase. A. bottle of medicine was or-
dered to be given the aged patient, and some embrocation
to be applied to his back. On Friday night last the butler
was requested to give his master a portion of the medicine.
The two bottles, one containing the medicine and the other
the embrocation, lay upon the mantelpiece. The butler gave
the deceased the embrocation instead of the medicine. The
fatal mistake was instantly discovered ; medical gentlemen
applied the usual remedies with the stomach pump, but the
poor sufferer, who called his household around him, shook
hands with them, and more than once begged they would
not hurt his butler, who had given him the poisonous liquid
in mistake. He died the following evening.—Bristol Daily
Post.

A WORD FOR THE MIDDLE AGES.—The great
Religious period, again, when Catholicism was the religion
of Christendom, was favourable to able adventurers. Its
thoroughly democratic organisation was the means by
which the lower classes were raised into freedom, and a
career was offered to all ability. The priesthood was the
highest office and dignity ; and the priesthood was acces-
sible to all alike ; and, when this opportunity had once been
opened to the humblest classes, they had gained a social
advantage which could never be taken from them. The
organic period of Christendom, then, was an age of privi-
lege for adventurous ability. However true it may be that
the present is an age, and America a country, for low-born
genius to rejoice in, it may be a question whether there is
any kind of age or country, on the bright side of civilisation,
which men of natural force could not make their own way
very much to their own wish.—MlSS HARRIET MAR-
TINEAU in Once a Week.

MADAME BONAPAR,TE-WYSE:--The publication
of Mr. Wyse's letter, denying any relationship to Madame
Bonaparte-Turr, has revived a good deal of gossip about
Madame Bonaparte-Wyse. This lady is the daughter of
Lucien Bonaparte, who was destined by the Em peror Napo-
leon I. to be the wife of the Prince of the Asturias before
the dethronement of the Spanish Bourbons was decided on

She was accordingly brought to Paris to be educated, but,
being given to satire, used to transmit to her parents cari-
catures of Madame Mere and her Imperial uncle, whose
weak points she hit off so humorously that he, inter-
cepting some of the epistles, got enraged at the portrait
which his niece drew of him, and sent her home in disgrace.
Her whole life has been a series of imprudent actions, and
to a great extent she is an alien to her family. In 1852 she
claimed, as an Imperial princess, a dotation, but her claim
was rejected. The Emperor, however, presented her with
a considerable sum of money, to relieve her from some
presging embarrassments.

ROWING MATCH BETWEEN JOHN MACICINNEY
AND G. DREWETT.—Another great match has been added
to the list for the present season. John Mackinney, of
Richmond, and George Drewett, of Chelsea, are matched
for £lOO, to row on Nov. 19 from Putney to Mortlake.

SWIMMING.-THE LEANDER SWIMMING CLUB

—On Wednesday evening last a•race for a silver medal, fair
breast swimming, took place at the Lambeth Baths, be-
tween the first-class swimmers of this club, and after some
very excellent swimming, was won by young Grove, who
carried off the prize for the second-class swimmers, given
by the same club, last week. First Heat—Grove, 1; Wat-
son, 2 ; Shots, 3. :Second Heat—Evans, 1 ; Haines, 2.
Grand Heat—Grove, 1; Evans, 2—Grove winning by
four yards.

PEDESTRIANISM.--We last week noticed that a
pedestrian, named Elston, had commenced the task of
walking 00 miles a day for six successive lays, and we have
now to inform our readers that the young man completed
his arduous undertaking on Saturday last, a little before six
a.m. The weather throughout the week was generally
unfavourable fot pedestrian performances, and on Satur-
day afternoon and evening there was incessant rain for
several hours, and about the titre Elton completed his task
it came down beautifully. This, however, did not lull the
excitement of hundreds of men and boys, who stood about
in the drenching rain, waiting patiently over an hour for
the arrival of their pet pedestrian. He came at last, and
although pretty much exhausted, not more so than anyone
might reasonably expect to find him at the finish of a 360-
mile walk in six days. Immediately on reaching the
Anchor Hotel he went to his room and changed his clothes,
and afterwards joined a numerous party of young people at
the hotel, and sang them several songs.—West Sussex
Gazette.

Second-rate cookshops have a wonderful power
of developing. greasiness. Every item shines. The very
hungry, however, who go there generally need greasy food
—I mean physically ; fat makes fat and warmth. I confess,
though, that on hearing a wise man the other day remark
how Greenlanders ate blubber to produce " carbon," I could
not help saying (to myself, of course, for he was a great
medical authority) that they probably ate it because
they could not get anything else. lam a great be-
liever, nevertheless, in nature as guide and caterer in
eating. She not only provides oil and fat for the inha-
bitants of the Polar regions, but takes away from him
the extreme disgust we should feel at such food. In-
deed, I believe that the palate is the truest regulator
of our diet. What we like best agrees with us best—
in moderation—there is the rub. Dainty dishes are some-
times abused, because they tempt us to eat too much.
Their daintiness is not their defect. The same bulk of nasty
food would disagree with us much more than the same bulk
of nice food. Some people, indeed, profess that they don't
care what they eat. They are generally mistaken ; but if
not, all I can say is, they ought to be ashamed of them-
selves.—Olive a Week.

CRYSTAL PALACE.—ONE SHILLING DAY, Thurs-
day, Oct. 3.—Admissions on payment, 2,572 ; ditto by sea-
son tickets, 831. Total yi§iitors, 3,406,

LATEsrf NEWS.

PARIS, OCT. 4.
A Council of Ministers was held yesterday, under
the presidency of the Emperor.

TURIN, OCT. 4.

Letters from Venice state that a strong naval
expedition, with troops on board, had left that
port for the coasts of Dalmatia and Fiume.

ROME, Our. 3.

The Pope has received the Siamese Ambassadors.
The ex-Qneen of Naples was present at the funeral
service performed in honour of the Bourbon soldiers
killed last year while fighting against the Garibal-
dians and Sardinians.

CONSTANTINOPLE, OCT. 3.

The Porte has consented to the raising of the
blockade of Montenegro, provided that Prince
Nicholas and his Senators signed an engagement
henceforth to respect the Turkish territory.
Namik Pasha has been appointed Governor of
Bagdad.

BELGRADE, OCT. 3 (EVENING).

A Servian officer has just sent a challenge to the
Austrian Consul-General for his disrespectful beha-
viour towards the Prince of Servia.

PARIS, THURSDAY.

The Paris papers of this evening announce that
the King of Prussia will arrive at Compi4me next
Sunday evening.

The Pays of this evening states that it has rea-
son to know that the news that Anatria wnuld
effect a large reduction in her army is unfounded.
The Constitutionnel of this evening publishes an
article signed by its chief editor, M. Grandguillot,
entitled " The Visit of the King of Prussia."
This article commences by recalling that, in the
course of the last ten years, almost all the Sove-
reigns of Europe have visited France, and ex;
presses hopes that these meetings of the Sove-
reigns will lead the peoples to esteem and under-
stand each other.

" France," it continues, " sees nothing else in the
visit of the King of Prussia."
Replying to the construction put upon the visit
by the German press, which considers it as a mere
act of courtesy in exchange for the visit of the
Emperor of the French last year, M. Grandguillot
says,—" It is, we think, difficult to admit that the
Sovereigns of the two most influential and solidly
established Continental Powers should meet solely
to exchange a few commonplace courtesies."
M. Grandguillot considers the treaty of commerce
now negotiated between the two countries to be of
immense importance, " because political treaties
only reconcile sovereigns, while commercial treaties
reconcile nations."

The article terminates as follows :

" King William of Prussia is one of those princes
who are able to understand their country and their
age. The firmness and the uprightness of his cha-
racter are proverbial. He comes of the race of those
princes who, boldly declaring to their people that
they trample under foot unjust prejudices and blind
hatreds, and that they disdain the favour of an
ephemeral popularity, only seek the impartial ap-
probation of posterity."

TURIN, OCT. 3.

It is not true that =Prince Carignan will repre-
sent King Victor Emmanuel at the coronation of
the King of Prussia at Konigsberg.
General Rocca will deliver to the Sultan the
Collar of the Order of tate Annunziata.
The anniversary of the battle of the Voiturrio
has been celebrated wit b. great enthusiasm in Sicily;
Perfect order prevailed,
News has been receiv •ed here from Palermo stating
that a popular demon! rtration was to have taken
place in that city to ex :press the popular wish that
the Italian army shoulocl proceed to Rome. In con-
sequence, however, of the precautionary measures
adopted by the authorities it did not come off as
intended.

PESTH, OCT. 3.

It is asserted that 'military auditors will provi-
sionally try civil causes in the Comitat of Pesth,
and that a military Court will administer the penal

blishment, in which he hopes to build more than
one vessel for the Austrian navy. A sum of
16,000,000 florins, which would be required to in-
crease the navy, is no doubt, a large one ; but we
must not forget that it would give immense ac-
tivity to maritime enterprise, and open a career
to thousands of Austrians. From the moment at
which Austria shall have a powerful navy, the
coasts will be bound more firmly to the rest of the
Empire.