The Sun.
London, England, 1857-10-24 00:00:00

DREADFUL SHIP WRECKS.

NORWICH, FRIDAY, OCT. 23.
-At an early hour this morning the Ontario, of
Shields, a full-rigged vessel of 700 or 800 ton.,
struck on the Barber Sands Of Great Yarmouth,
and became a total wreck. The mate was picked
up by the Caistor beachmen. It is believed that
he is the only survivor, and that the captain, his
wife, and 22 other persons were drowned.
It also reported that another vessel went down
during the gale which prevailed on Thursday night,
with all hands lost.

AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS OF SCOTLAND. The
statistics of acreage under rotation of crops in Scotland
and of farm stock for the year 1857 have just been
reported to the Board of Trade by the Highland and
Agricultural Society. In Mr. Hall Maxwell's letter to
the Board he states that the only point in which the
present repott differs from that of 1856 is that in
Caithness and Orkney tenants rented at from 101. to 201.
have been brought within the scope of the inquiry in
Highland districts to persons paying not less than'2ol.
of rent operates only in Argyll, Arran, Inverness, Rose,
and Sutherland. In addition to the results reporttd, he
states that there must be included about 220,000 acres of
tillage and 320,000 head of stock estimated in 1854 to
be in the bands of small occupants not embraced by the
inquiry. The enumerators have been requested to
fureish the secretary with their estimates of produce so
soon after the 11th 'of November as possible, on
receiving which the final report for the year will be
made up. The tables now published show that ilia
number of occupants in Scotland included in the inq airy
is 43.432, and that the acreage under rotation of crop
is 3,556,572, as against 3,545,191 in the prelims;
year. Toe following is the acreage reported nod.-r
the different crops :—Wheat, 223,1523; barley,
188,3871 ; oats, 938,613 i ; rye, 5 9894 ; here, 21,6071 ;
beans, 39,186 ; peas, 3,6873 ; vetches, or tares, 18,4181 ;
turnips, 476,6911 ; potatoes, 139,819; mangold, 2,8031 ;
carrots, 1,4011 ; cabbage, 1,704 ; rape, 2,0321 ; flax,
1,5341 ; turnipseed, 2,5761 ; other grain and root crops,
ern ; bare or summer allow, 18,5821 ; grass and hay
under rotation, 1,459,1051. The table of stock gives
the total of all descriptions as 6089,368, as against
7,090,384 in the previous year. The classification of
stock for 1857 is—horses for agricultural purposes atm. e
three years old, 126471 ; do. under three years, 34,“7 ;
other horses, 23,991'; milch cows, 303,912 ; other .cat-
tle, 475,327; calves, 195,198; sheep for breeding,
2,632,283 ; sheep for feeding, 1,181,782 ; lambs,
1,869,103; swine, 146,354; or total horses, 185,409;
total cattle, 974,437 ; total sheep, 5,683,168.
THE ORGAN NUISANOE,—The accompanying petition
is now being extensively signed by the inhabitants of
Belgravia and Belgravia South To the knights,
citizens and burgesses in this present Parliament as•
eembled.—The bumble petition of the inhabitants of
Belgravia and Belgravia South—Showeth that the Feace
and tranquillity of our streets and residences are dis-
turbed by day and night by a number of persons, as we
believe exclusively foreigners, having barrel or hand
organs and such like instruments for the purpose of
obtaining money. That the provisions of the 2d
and 31 of Victoria, cap. 47, are wholly inoperative to
enable the police to deliver your petitioners from this
continual and increasing annoyance, the limit of the
powers of the police being, in fact, only to remove such
a nuisance if it obtrude itself opposite the house of a sick
person. Your petitioners feel it to be a poSitive inva-
sion of right that under pretence of music any itinerant
person shuuld be permitted to occupy a large area of any
Areet designed and intended solely for traffic with a
machine to annoy the inhabitants and distract them
from their lawful business. That assuming that some
few individuals may be found who are partial to those
instruments, they constitute undoubtedly a very insigni-
(leant minority, and your petitioners submit that they
might indulge their tastes by taking the hawkers
and their instruments into their homes without in-
flicting a wrong on their neighbours. That importuv
nate begging is forbidden in our ',tree's,. Your
petitioners, therefore, pray your honourable FLu4e
to regard those adventurers as beggars, which in
truth they really are, and have them dealt with by
law accordingly. That the law will out now per-
mit nuisances injurious to health to be carried on in the
4reets, however beneficial to the owners of such esta-
blishments, and yet, notwithstanding, even' now belie e
a sick person can avail himself of the power to remove
such a pest from his vicinity he must go or tend to seek
the aid of the police, who cannot remain stationed on
i'+e spot for the sake of an individual ; and such are the
number of those mendicants that ten of more in one street
in the same day is a moderate computation of their
sieitatione, particularly in those streets which have not
tie traffic peculiar to the cowl:tie:vs of the city. Tuat
the members of your honourable House residing in L, n-
don will not require to be informed that this invasion
has now complete impunity. They who make it are
At.rat tut or brought over here from abroad on a specu-
lation for gain, • and your peAtioners think it a great
.4rievance that the peaceable inhabitants are to remain
in any degree the victims of a rystem thus established
fin. lucre. That the police force cen give your honour-
able House ample testimony that tee general wish of the
ensfetslytedprabyy
geeal'rni
suchin inhabit b
ua
staseies
st.o
A sacned t hyeo
us
rt r epeettsi t
inoon
elroan
your honourable House to
pass such an enactment as
shall restore to your petitioners the right to enjoy tran-
quillity in their homes, of which the weak legislation of
the Police Act is the means of depriving them."

c.} .

A NAGV INVENTION FOR PREVENTING

COMBUSTION.

Yesterday afternoon a party of scientific and lite-
rary gentlemen assembled at 34, Alfred -place, Bed-
ford-square, by invitation of Messrs Schuessel and,
Thouret, to witness . some experiments illus-
trative Of the capabilities of their new invention
for preventing combustion. The inventors pro-
fess to be able, by this discovery, to render in.com-
buatible every substance hitherto liable to be con-
sumed by fire, and they state that by its applica-
tion conflagrations in theatre and private houses, on
railways, and on board ship, will be impossible,
whip, persona dressed in any material whatever
which has -been prepared with the preventive will
no longer be exposed to danger from fire. When
the sad loss of life and the domestic tragedies which
are of such frequent occurrence, from the ignition
of muslin and other dresses and of light cur-
tains, are borne in mind, any means by which such
occurrences can be even mitigated, if not entirely
prevented, are deserving of public consideration.
Messrs. Schussel and Thouret yesterday first ex-
posed to the flame of an ordinary candle unprepared
pieces of muslin, plain and flowered, which of
course were rapidly ignited and consumed. The
same kinds of muslin, prepared, were next held to
fae flames for a considerable time, the only effect
being to char the fabric. Not the slightest flame
was visible, and the effect of the application of the
candle was confined to those parts with which the
flames came into immediate contact. Shavings,
twisted in the way in which cigar and pipe lights
are often made, were next tried in the flame of
the candle, with the same effect. A small
box of ordinary deal, which had been prepared,
but was incased in inflammable canvass, was then
placed on a clear, strong fire, and its force aided
by a liberal supply of firewood all round, for a
quarter of an hour. At the end of that time the
box was removed, broken up, and handed round
for inspection, showing that the outside only was
blackened and charred ; during the whole process
not the slightest flame was produced from the box.
Lastly, upon a tall screen with two cross bars four

long Pieces of flowered muslin were hung, 2 unpre-
pared piecesbelow, and 2prepared pieces above. The
under strips were speedily lighted, the flame rising
with great force to the upperpieces, but with a similar
effect as before ; the parts with which the flames
came into contact were charred, not ignited ; and
the'attempts of several of the gentlemen present to
set other portions on fire by means of lighted
torches ended in the same re3ult. The inventors

say that the material will be as cheap ~as
common starch, or that a bale of linen, or cotton,
or mkslin, one cubic foot square, may be pre-
pared by it at a cost of a penny, that the cloth
so prepared will preserve its anti-inflammable
qualities until it is again washed, and that
mere wear has no effect upon it, -and lastly
that the preparation is of such au innocuous nature
that it not only leaves the fibre unaltered in
strength and character, but may be applied to the
most .delicate colours in all textures with the excep-
tion of light rose and blue silks, with which extra
pains must be taken. The experiments yesterday,
so far as they went, fully sustained these state-
ments, and we understand that they were prelimi-
nary to an exhibition of the invention upon a larger
scale in the course of a few days, to which the public
generally will be invited. The annual loss, both
of life and property, which could be prevented by
the general adoption of a cheap and effective
method of preventing combustion, is so great even
in a pecuniary point of view, that if the inventors,
upon an extended trial, are found to have dis-
covered an effectual antidote, they will have con-
ferred an invaluable boon upon society.

A telegram from St. Petersburg quotes the exchange
on London as low as 36.

Levearooe, Friday.—The screw steamship Antelope
has arrived, with dates from St. John's, Newfoundland,
to the 12th inst. Unfortunately, she has brought no
late papers, The screw steamship Indiana, bound from
New York far Southampton, put into St. John's on the
12th, after being 12 days out.
PROPOSED NEW STAMM—CAMBRIDGE, October 23.
—Among certain new statutes recommended by the
Councif to the Senate, is one appropriating about a third
of the endowment of the Lady Margaret Professorship
to the Norrisian Professorship, to come into operation at
the next vacancy of the former.
It is understood that all the arrangements connected
with the Ottoman Railway from Smyrna to Aidin have
been completed, that the contract for the entire line has
been taken, and that the whole of the shares have bees
aoo
ft;
Cpsec
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app re
samlt
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aNde
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Odwr TbiFtyhhTesEgezrwve
eaoortrkawie scEol
Rafwsttei
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rd
PTON, Friday.
—The brig Gefjon, Capt. Bechen, bound from Santos to
Altona, with a cargo of coffee, came into collision on
Wednesday night last with the brig Rowley, Captain
Elliott; of Shields, bound to Algiers with coal. The
collision took place off the 0 were, and the brig ;Rowley
almost immediately sank. The captain and crew were
taken on board the Gefjon, which vessel arrived here
this afternoon for repairs.
ELECTRIC LIGHT.—We learn that the launch of the
Great:Eastern steamship, which it is expected will.eakre
place early in the coming month, will be effected under
the brilliancy of the electric light, as far as the moving,
of this wondrous iron monster is done during the nights
and which must occupy a considerable portion of the
darker hours, seeing that it will require a period of at
least 16 from the moment of her first leaving the upper
stays or cradle, until she quietly rides in her future ale.
ment. It is to be presumed, therefore, that the coins
mencement will be during the night, that her final glia
into the river may be witnessed by thousand in the clear
light of day. The use of the electric light will, there-
fore, be of great moment in this important operation
in which,. it may be said, the whole nautical world
interested. On the other hand, it will fully test the
merits of the various improvements made in this system
of removing darkness, for, if the lights to be errected-
burn. steadily and brilliantly throughout the night, they
will meet the requirements of the Trinity House, as re-
spects the illuminating power for lighthouses. The
brilliancy of the electric light has never been quese
stoned, and the great difficulty hitherto has been in
securing, density and steadiness.. These points are
overcome, we are assured, by the application of met'
cury instead of carbons, and that a lunar light, 'pure,
dense, steady, continuous, is now obtained. This, all
we have already said, will now •be fully and publicly
tested. The point to be determined is even 01
much universal interest than the Great Easters
steam-ship itself • for, if what is represented ie
established beyond controvery or dispute, a great eS
tional boon will be secured. Nothing can be of greater
value to tbie country than an efficient and powerful
light for the coast. Those now in use are not sufficient',
effective, and during fogs and severe weather, are fro'
quently useless beyond the immediate precincts of the
lighthouses, whereas the new light—the mercuric-electric
we suppose it may be called—is unchangeable in colour,
and its penetrating powers in fog and thick weather are
Little has Wes
ercomingtbe
sraepidreosr, nistekeloaoswpoeroffecthtliys
new
twr apolradni noafroyv.
cattier; which carbon light presented, bat the discoverers
have been persevering in thoir trials and tests, so as to
make every point perfect before its submission to public
display. We understand that tie discovery is due to
Professor Way, but that other gentlemen identified with
the prosecution of the question of electric light bare
assisted in bringing the matter to its present state of
perfection. The test to which it is to be put is a bold
one, and is of itself an earnest of the sincerity of th°s°
who consider it perfect for all useful purposes. We trust
their efforts will be crowned with success as brilliant as
their own light, not only on their account, but as a rolit;
ter of national import and interest. It will be a grand
feature indeed in this extraordinary feat of launching
this monster ship.—Mining Journal.
TEE LATE SUPPOSEED CASE OP HOCUSSING AND
ROBBERY.—Yesterday a long inquiry took place at the.
Lord Wellington Tavern, Tottenham-court-road, before
Mr. Wakley, coroner, on view of the body of Mr. Wm.
Ashton, aged 53, lately carrying on the business of a
woollen factor, at Garetone, in Lancashire, who was
se
inl tw a iyn
terminus, D tu mo no;
d
Monday night last, in an insensible state. E I ward
sdtirseceotv,eureedar lythinogNuoprothn the
.w
eestperanveßm
Hill, police-constable, deposed that he discovered the dr
ceased, and bad him conveyed in a cab to the University
College Hospital. By the Jury—l did not notice all
marks of violence on his person, with the eiception of th
BHP ht bruise on the forehead, which no doubt he received
in falling. Some further evidence having been girt
Mr. Mushet, of the University College Hospital, said
that the deceased's death was the result of the spleen an''
kidneys being diseased. A verdict was returned in se.
cordance with the above evidence.
CUSTOM HOUSE, This building is undergoing
thorough repainting, but not before it was necessarit
both for the cenveitence of the public and health of the
officials, The dark, dismal passages once coloured
white, and the gloomy-looking " long-room" and tree:
sury," in which places the largest portion of the diurnal
duty connected with customs is performed, will, after
years of shady-looking antiquity, be restored to their
primitive state.—Civil Service Gazette,
BREAKING DOWN or THE BRIDGES ON THE EASTER%
COUNTIES LINE—On Thursday night and yestarrOf
morning two of the bridges on the Eastern Counties HO
were carried away by the flood. The traffic beyond
Broxbouree is entirely stopped. In this dilemma the
directors applied to the London General Omnibus Cop'
pany to aid them. The London General Omnibus Cony
pany at once offered to provide fifty omnibuses and 100
horses to a,sist them, and several of the company
omnibuses are now working the traffic between 13r01c'
bourne, Ware, and Herttord. The traffic will, it is
hoped, be resumed in a few days on the railway.
CORREGGIO'S " MAGDALEN."—A private letter fora
Dresden says :—" An English- artist named Ross bas
created quite a sensation here by the successful way
,111
which he has copied seTeral of the pictures in IP'
gallery, particularly the celebrated Magdalen,' of 01.1"
r,ggio. The last picture is considered the gem of tP°
gellery, and the German artists admit that our °our
tryman's c, py is the best that has ever been me.
lii not this a feather in our artistic cap ?" A
"of the " Magdalen," painted by Correggio, the Pr.'s
perty of Lord Ward, was in the Manchester s'
Treamres Exhibition, and a third picture, also by th:
artist, but differing somewhat from the other two,
in the Florence Gallery.

DIONEY MARKET

AND

COratIERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

CITY, Two o'CLock.
L tters from Liverpool state that the Cotton
Market yesterday was without change, the demand
being very limited. The sales were 3,000 bales,
one half of whi-c were taken for export and on
speculation.
The Bank of England return, completed for the
week ending the 17th inst., exhibits the movements
-which compelled the directors of the establishment
to resort to such extreme measures. As was an-
ticipate) there is a sensible decline in the reserve of
notes and the stock of bullion, while the falling
off in the other securities is smaller than might
have been expected from the release of the divi-
dends and the repayment of advances obtained
during the shutting. The balance sheet is,
therefore, in all respects unsatisfactory. The
question asked is whether the next one will
Show any improvement, but the course of
affairs has been so disturbed that it is difficult to
form any reliable opinion upon the subject. It
is argued, however, that the pressure must have
abated, as least as far as it related to discounts, or
the authorities would, as a matter of self-defence,
have adopted still more stringent regulations. If
the drain of bullion, however, assumes the propor-
tions which many predict, further inconvenience
may yet be felt, and the symptoms in this respect
are certainly not encouraging. The principal
items, and the changes they present, are as sub-
joined :

Active Circulation
Increase
Bullion

£20,183,245
193,135
9,524,478

Decrease
Rest
Decrease
Public Deposits
Decrease
Other Deposits
Increase
Seven-Day and other Bills 869,070
Decrease
Government Securities
306,066
Decrease
20,539,565
Other Securities
1,859,312
Decrease
3,217,185
Notes unemployed
807,215
Decrease

The official return of the exports of bullion
from the port of London for the week ending
Thursday last is as follows

Gold Bullion Boulogne ... 26,600 On.
„ . Com ... Boulogne ... 220 „
Silver Coin .... Boulogne ... 1,000 ,

There is a moderate demand for money in Lom-
bard-street, and full rates are paid for accommoda-
tion.

The Funds have receded about A per cent., and
the market throughout to-day has appeared heavy.
Business, however, is very dull, and this partly
accounts for the depression now apparent, Per-
haps the Bank return may have assisted in
promoting a heavy tone, and also the anxiety
felt with regard to the drain of gold to
the United States. Consols have been 888. I for
Money, and 88/ for account. The New Three
Per Cents. are 874 to 88i ; the Reduced, 87 ;
Exchequer Bills, 15s. to lls. discount ; and the
Bonds, 971 Bank Stock is 210.

Foreign Stocks have been dealt in to a fair
extent. Turkish 6 per Cents., are firm at 871 to
88, and the 4 per Cents. at 97i to 98. Venezue:a
Stock is 29 and the Deferred, 111. Mexican
Bonds have realised 194. ; Guatemala 5 per Cents.,
0 ; Russian 5 per Cents., 105, and the 4i per
Cents., 97 ; Buenos Ayres, 81, and Dutch 4 per
Cents., 97i 1..
The following are the nominal prices of Foreign
Stocks :—Grenada Deferred Bonds, 5 G ; Mexi-
can, 19 19i ; Peruvian, 76 77 ; Portuguese 3 per
Cents., 43 44 ; Russian 5 per Cents., 107 109 ; do.
4i per Cents., 97 99 ; Spanish 3 per Cents., 401
ditto Deferred, 251 /.
The Railway Share Market has been very dull
Una morning, and but little business has been re-
Ported, the few transactions entered into being
at rather lower rates. North-Western, Midland,
and North-Eastern (Leeds), declined 58. ; Lanca-
shire and Yorkshire, and North-Eastern (Berwick),
108• ; and Caledonian, 108. to 15s. Brighton im-
proved 1/., and South Devon 15s. The Foreign
and Colonial lines were very inactive. Grand
Trunk of Canada declined 10s., and East
Indian improved about ss. Great Western
of Canada and Scinde brought previous prices.
Mining Shares were in very limited request ;
Sortridge Consols were 2t ; North Frances, 13i ;
and Tin Croft, 4.
Joint Stock Bank Shares are a shade firmer,
Oriental Bank improved ss.

In the Miscellaneous Market Australian Agri-
cultural Shares improved 11. ; Copper Miners of
England brought 31, and National Discount Com-
pany, 3i• .

13RITISEI FUNDS.—CLOSING PEACES—THIS DAY.
( From the Official List,) _

Business done.
sank Stock
3 per tent. Reduced Annuities . .... 874 i
3 per Cent. Consols Annuities BB4 New 3 per Cent. Annuities B4l 8 i
Low., Annuities, expire sth lan. 1860.... 2
Ditto 30 Years, expire 10th Oct., 1859 1 13-16 I
0 . sots for Account,
IS:chequer Bills, 24d.
i3lOOO . ...... ll d
kLiiit,
-- S ;,sli
,Fxchequer Bonds, 1858, 34 per Cent....
.Ditto, 1859 ... 974 .1
LI PRICES OF FOREIGN FUNDS—THIS DAY.
Buenos Ayres Bonds, 6 per Cent.
Ditto Account
Guatemall Bonds, 5 per cent 53
Mexican .1 par Cent -.
Ditto Account
Russian Fiends, 1822, E St., 5 per Cent lO5
Ditto, 44 per Cent. 97
Tnrkio ,onds, per cent B3 i
Ditto Account
Ditto Guaranteed, 4 per Cent.
Ditto Account 971
Venezuela Bonds, 4/ per Cent
Ditto Account
.. 29
Ditto Deferred, 2 per Cent. ...... ....... 114
Dividenle on the above payable in London.
b ateli Exchange, 2 per Cen.:., 12 Guilders
Do. 4 per Cent. Certificates
TWO O'CLOCK.
.. BB3 4
884 1

Console, money ...
Console account....

The rate of discount at Hamburg has declined to Eli
per cent.

THE LATE COLLISION ON THE SOUTH WALES RAIL-
WAY.—The inquest on the bodies of Mr. Ashman and
Mrs. Israel has been again adjourned.
The Waterford Mail states that the hon. member for
the borough of Youghal (Mr. I. Butt) is at present at
Vienna, " entrusted by Lord Palmerston with a secret
diplomatic mission."

.- --
The North British Australasian Company have notified
that they are now incorporated under the Limited
Liability. Act, and that new certificates will be issued
to the shareholders.
MICHAELIiAs Tecir.—The Lord Chancellor will re-
ceive the judges and Queen's counsel on Monday, the
2d day of November, at his lordship's residence, in
Upper Brook-street, at 12.

A. telegram, dated Revel, October 22, received at
Lloyds' yesterday, mentions that the steamer Sydenharn,
from Hull to St. Petersburg, was aground on Nargo and
leaky.

John
LORD JOHN RUSSELL IN NORFOLK.—Lord
Russell has been on a visit, during the last few days, to
Sir John Bolleau, Bart.,
two of the
of Ketteri
Lord John and his host married
daughters of the earl of Mint°. ngsilisatlisi—all' Norfolk,
BRITISH STEAM FISHERIES COMPANY.—An
extra-
ordinary meeting of the
shareholders
yester-
day, at the offices, for the purpose of vas
held
confirrnieg the
resolution passed at the meeting- of the 21st of S-1)-
tember, for the winding-up the company's affair 4. The
motion was unanimously confirmed.
TRIAL FOR FRAUD.— At the Reading
day a young man of gentlemanly appearance, and said
to be well connected, named John Singleton CoPkY
Sessions yPster;
Rill, described in the calendar as an "accountant,' was
tried before the Recorder of the borough, Mr. Sergeant
Merewether, on an indictment charging hitr with having,
on the 19th of June last, endeavoured to obtain the sum
hose/ , by means of false pretences, front Mr. Edward
l, a grocnr, residinz at Reading,. 11e falsely repre-
sented to the nrogeculor that bis creditors intended to
501 is..ue a fiat of bankruptcy againA him, and offered f,,r.
501. to arrange matters. The jury, having consulted
to
10 minutes, returned a verdict of
guilty, wit forh
a
recommendation to mercy. The Recorder sentenced
hrn to 12 calendar months' imprisonment with hard
mbour.

20
20
10
St.