The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-24 00:00:00

REMA EKS.

Extraordinary low pressures arc reported this morning ; at no
British station does the reading reach 29 inches. The increase noticed
last evening in the S. of England has been followed by a rapid de
crease. The least reading, 28'57in., is at Holyhead, and that at Roche-
fort Is o'B7in. higher. Temperature has increased slightly. The S.W.
ale which blew during yesterday in the Bay of Biscay still con-
tinues there, and is very strong. It was felt also at Cape Clear and
Penzance, Winds are now fresh from the W. in the Channel : they
are S.E. on our E. coast, and have veered to N.W. in Ireland, but are
not strong. On our Scotch coast the sky is clear, but cloudy or
overcast elsewhere. Rain has fallen generally on the S. and W.
coasts. The weather does not look any better, but the sea is still
moderate. Warnings repeated.

The Ritual Commissioners sat on Wednesday. It
is stated that there have been one or two close divisions
lately as to Liturgical Revision.
It is stated that the guarantee fund of the Church
Association for opposing Ritualism has reached the desired
amount—Xso,ooo.

A Post-office order has just been issued to the
effect that on and after the let of January, 1869, dog
licenses will be issued to the public at all Money Order-
offices in Great Britain.

It is generally believed that the Vice-Chancellor-
ship of the County Palatine of Lancaster, vacated by the pro-
motion of Mr. W. M. James, Q.C., will be conferred on Mr.
John Wickens, of the Chancery bar.

Lord Hatherley will not receive the judges, ser-
geants, and Queen's counsel on tho first day of Hilary
Term. This is an unusual step for a now Lord Chancel-
lor to take.

he fall of rain has been so heavy in the north
that the public roads, in .a parish near Montrose, were under
water on Sunday last, and the congregation bad to hire the
ferry boat to convey them to their place of worship.

Mr. E. B. Lockyer has lodged a petition against
the return of Mr. Loch for tho Wick Burghs. Bribery, un-
due influence, violence, and gratuitous distribution of whisky
are among the corrupt practices alleged.

The Bishop of Peterborough will preach his first
sermon in Peterborough Cathedral on the morning of
Christmas Day. His lordship is about to pass ten days in
and around the city of Leicester, the most densely peopled
part of the diocese of Peterborough.

The death of Lord Belhaven, a peer of Scotland,
is reported as having taken place on Tuesday, at his country
seat in Lanarkshire. Lord Belhaven was a staunch Whig,
and for many years acted as her Majesty's representative in
the General Assembly of the Scotch Church.

Another captain was fined at the Liverpool police-
court, on Tuesday, for having gunpowder on board his yes.
eel when docked A trifling penalty was only inflicted, the
ignorance in consequence of a copy of the
pdoefretnrdeagnutlationsn
pleading
not having been served upon him.
A return ordered by the House of ComtuOLS on
the subject of spirits and malt has just been issued. Th's
return gives the quantity of spirits and of malt on which
duty has been paid for each year, extending as far back as
1800 and ending 1867. Like returns aro also given of the
quantities of foreign and colonial spirits imported during
the same period, with the amount of duty paid.
Returns will be found of the quantities of British
spirits exported in each year, and likewise of the
quantities meth) lated duty free, and on drawback of the duty
under the act. In the retut us ou the malt duty, the popu-
lation, rates and amounts of duty, and the average price of
barley is given for each year fiern 1800 to 1867 inclusive
BOIIITI4I tare likewise made duty free for distillation, expor-
tation! Of Patti@ feeding i and of the malt and. beer exported
on cirawbnek i 8 (101 l nu Um 10,

Crfairt

HER MAJESTY.

OSBORNE, Dec. 23.
Her Majesty, accompanied by Prince Leopold,
drove out yesterday afternoon.
The Queen, accompanied by her Royal High.,
ness the Crown Princess of Prussia (Princess
Royal), drove out this morning.
_ _

Princess Louise and Princess Beatrice walked in
the grounds.

POLYTECHNIC 11VSTI7UTION.

A round of amusements of a most admirable cha-
racter bas been provided by the managers of the
Polytechnic for the Christmas season. Foremost
among them is a lecture by professor Pepper on
" Singing and Sensitive Flames," of a very insane-
character, and a new entertainment by AD'.
George Buckland, of the oft-told Eastern story
" Aladdin and his wonderful Lamp," illustrated by
magnificent dioramic pictures, designed by Messrs.
F. Page and Login. The flying palace is realised
in quite a charming style by Mr. Apps and Mr.
Maurice's new illusion, by which spectral figures
perform upon the stage all the wonderful move-
ments seen in the zoetrope. Among the other
fresh attractions is a puzzle, called "The Mysteri-
ous Hand," which is placed in the centre of the
great ball, which has been redecorated throughout.
Of the new entertainments as a whole, it is net
too much to say that never before have so many
novelties been prepared for the Christmas holidays,
even by the Polytechnic authorities.