The Sun.
London, England, 1868-10-09 00:00:00

REMARKS.

Barometrical pressure has decreased at all stations since last even-
ing: on the W. coast of Ireland the change since yesterday morning
has been nearly o'4in. The difference in pressures, in aN. and S.
direction, is nearly the same as it was yesterday. Temperature in
Great Britain is considerably higher. A S.W. gale set in last night on
the Irish coast, and it is now blowing at Holyhead : it ceased at
Roche's Point early this morning. A fresh south-westerly wind still
prevails generally. Rain has fallen generally, except in the B. of
England. The weather is cloudy or overcast.

Everyone, of whatever politics he may be, will regret
to learn that Sir William Heatbcote has decided to retire
from the representation of Oxford University. 'There was
no member more respected on either side of the House.
In this he was a worthy successor to the late Sir Robert
Inglis ; but though a decided Conservative, he did not
possess Sir Robert's bigotry. Sir William was born in
1801, was educated at Winchester and Oriel College,
Oxford, was first-class in classics 1821, became Fellow
of All Souls, and graduated B.C.L. in 1824, D.C.L.
in 1830. He sat for Hants from 1826 till 1832,
and for the northern division from 1837 till 1849, when
he accepted the Chiltern Hundreds. He was first elected
for his university in 1854, on' the death of Sir R. Inglis,
and has been at the head of the poll in subsequent elections.
He will always be remembered by Churchmen as the friend
and patron of Keble, whom he presented to the living of
Hursley. Sir William has been a tolerably frequent
speaker in Parliament, especially on university subjects.
He of course has always opposed changes in the univer-
sity, especially Mr. Coleridge's Tests Abolition Bill. He
retires from Parliament because at his age (sixty-seven) he
finds the late hours trying to his health. No successor has
yet been named.
The death of Sir John B. W. Smythe Gardiner, of Roche
Court, Hampshire, and Whalley Court, Lancashire,
Bart., is announced. He was born in 1814, succeeded to
the title in 1851, married when he was 47 years old, and
leaves an only child, a daughter. He was formerly in the
navy. Mr. Montagu Burrows, Chichel Professor of
Modern History at Oxford, married his sister. As Sir
John leaves neither son nor brother the baronetcy becomes
extinct. He was the fourth baronet.

Notwithstanding the labours of John Howard and
Elizabeth Fry, notwithstanding the improved state of our
prisons, the high civilisation to which we have attained,
and that regard for humanity of which so much boast is
made, torture does not seem to have been altogether
banished from our gaols. An inquest held by Mr. Payne
at the Queen's Bench Military Prison discloses a system of
refined torture which would be considered severe for the
Inquisition. The deceased was a soldier and an inmate of
the prison. He had been committed for striking his
corporal with his clenched fist. He appears to have been
a most violent man, the prison authorities had great
difficulty in managing him, and altogether his character
was not that which in itself would move one to pity. But
the punishment inflicted for insubordination is nothing
less than disgraceful. He was put upon bread and
water. This might be needful. But bread was only
served out once a day, at twelve o'clock. Having had
this, the prisoner had to wait till twelve o'clock next day
for another meal. In other words, punishment is inflicted
which would be likely to impair a man's constitution for
life. But this is not all. At breakfast-time—that is to
say, when the prisoner had been some twenty hours
without food—he was taken down into the breakfast-
room to see his fellow-priioners eat ; and after breakfast
marched back again, without having his hunger satisfied.
This must have been almost unbearable. No wonder he
wished himself dead. And is it row strange that when he
found a rope in his cell he used it for putting an end to his
existence ? That nourishment which is indispensable to
keep up the power of resistance was wanting. What
wonder, then, that when the temptation came he gave
way to it. The position of the gaolers on the question,
too, is peculiar. They were unanimous in their opinion
—not that the man was driven to it, but that he tried
hanging (without intending to kill himself) as a means of
exciting sympathy.

Epicures have been complaining bitterly of late, and
with reason ; for have not oysters, within a few years,
become something like 500 per cent. dearer than they
were? And has it not become more than a possibility that
if something be not done there will soon be no oysters, even
though the price were yet again doubled? But the
gourmet may take courage. Something is about to be
done, A royal commission that antidote for every-
thing bad, from the abuses of the Irish Church to dear
oysters—has been issued, and the commissioners have set
off for the Continent to inquire into their systems of pre-
serving the favourite molusc. It is to be hoped that they
will inaugurate some plan by which oysters, cheap and
plentiful, may be preserved to us.
Good news for those who abominate racing. The race,
according to one of its own prophets, is fast losing its hold
over the hearts of the people of England. rt, has probably
gone over to France. Says the racing correspondent of
the Pall• Mall Gazette : " Racing has certainly lost some.
thing of its interest for the public during the past year. As
one great race after another is run it is obvious that the attend-
ance is smaller in comparison with that in former seasons.
The betting on the Cesarewitch has been extremely heavy ;
nearly every horse which accepted was backed, but a great
part of the betting was done by people who know very
little about the matter beyond what they see in the news-
papers, and who, perhaps, never look at a racehorse from
one year's end to another. And this shews that the love
of the sport for its own sake has extremely little to do
with the attention given to it. The Cesarewitch used to
attract large numbers from all parts, and the Heath was
then almost as full as on the Two Thousand day. Now,
notwithstanding the convenience afforded by fast trains,
there were comparatively few present." Has the fiasco
connected with Lady Elizabeth had anything to do with
this ?

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SERIOUS ACCIDENT.—A shocking accident is re-
ported from Cork. Three soldiers belonging to the 81st
Regiment, who had been assisting in raising fortifications
at Camden Fort, were engaged in withdrawing a charge
of powder, the fuse of which had apparently failed to
ignite, when the charge exploded. One of the men, named
Cruice, was killed almost instantaneously; the other two
were badly injured.
THE CLYDE PORTS.—The amount of Customs'
revenue collected at Glasgow in September was £132,843,
as compared with £101,911 in September, 1867, and
£79,787 in September, 1866. For the quarter ending
September 30th this year the Glasgow Customs' duties
produced £332,940, as compared with £298,492 in the cor-
responding quarter of 1867, and £244,355 in the corre-
sponding quarter of 1866. The amount of Customs' re-
venue collected at Greenock in September was £172,783,
as compared with £122,320 in September, 1867, and
£139,378 in September, 1866. For the quarter ending 30th
September this year the Greenock Customs' duties pro-
duced £399,484, as compared with £368,404 in the corre-
sponding quarter of 1867, and £385,535 in the correspond-
ing quarter of 18E6.
THE GREAT EASTERN.—The Great Eastern steam.
ship arrived at Sheerness at half-past 4 yesterday after-
noon from Liverpool, to take on board the French Atlantic
cable. The ship came into the harbour very slowly, only
using her screw. The dockyard riggers and the Govern-
ment tugs belonging to Sheerness Dockyard safely moored
her at her original position in the Medway, about two
miles from Sheerness pier. Crowds of people assembled
on the beach and pier to witness her arrival. Navigating
Lieutenant Brockman, of her Majesty's steam yacht
Wildfire, accompanied the vessel from Liverpool to Sheer-
ness.

A court-martial was held yesterday on board the
Victory, flagship of the Commander-in-Chief at
Portsmouth, Admiral Sir T. S. Pasley, for the trial
of James alias George Hodge, private Royal Marine
Light Infantry, serving on board her Majesty's ship
Duncan, oa a charge of insubordination, which was
fully proved, and the prisoner was sentenced to 18
months' imprisonment with hard labour in Win-
chester gaol, and at the expiration of the term be
dismissed her Majesty's service. The court was
under the presidency of Captain T. B. Seymour,
Aide-de-Camp to the Queen, and captain of her
Majesty's ship Victory.