The Sun.
London, England, 1857-11-04 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

The Virginians. A tale of the last century. fly
W. M. Thackeray. No. I. Author
"Esmond," &c.

The appearance of the first number of a nee-
serial by Mr.oTead ar.
tlhdaa
loclkfienn-
oatvyheeilsprareaessiteleobrjtse.
da3,A(,)
itferd: thereo
'rira la)
,10,4.
fewt. wtohothr
e familiar with the characters in the wele...me
yellow dress, with the life-like satire of Beeky
Sharp, with the quaint, old-world dignity ef
Esmond, with the cordial heart and simple manner
of "Nature's Gentleman," Colonel Newcone-.,
while a host of minor figures, drawn by the hantl of:
Michael Angelo Titmarsh, have raised many ri
smile in mirth-moving Christmas volumes. Tho
title of this new book and the author's recent
visit on the other side of the Atlantic might induc
the reader to anticipate a sketch of Atnerican lila
of the present day. Mr. Thaekeray has, however.,
avoided this invidious task ; ho carries his
readers back a hundred years, when discord arek
rivalry had not severed the old world from the new;.
and though his story is evidently one o;:
the great struggle, the spirit in which he under..
takes it is shown the very first page, where he tells us
that his heroes are two brothers, who "found them-.
selves engaged on different sides in the quarrtli,
coming together peaceably at its conclusion, sa
brothels should, their love never having materially
diminished, however angrily the contest divided
them." These two brothers, as the reader soon dis-
covers, are no others than the grandsons of Colonel
Henry Esmond and the Lady Rachel. They had
an only daughter, the heiress of the estate in Vi:e
ginia, where they had teeth ended their days Thin
lady, Madam Esmond Warrington, is introduceal
to us as a widow, the manager and princess of tue
estate, and a very despotic princess she is. Such a.
picture does our author draw of this authoritatie e
lady, that, like Fear alarmed at the sound himself
had made, he exclaims, " I am rather glad for my
part that I did not live a hundred years ago at
Castlewood, in Westmorland county, in Virginia.'
The Colonel himself has passed away from
scene before this story opens. We are given a
glimpse of his closing days, spent in his
quiet study, leaving to his daughter the
management of all his affairs. " A something had.
occurred in his life which had cast a tinge of melan-
choly over all his existence. He was not unhappy
—to tho-e about him most kind—most affectionate;
obsequious even to the women of his family, whom
he scarce ever contradicted ; but there had been
some bankruptcy of his heart, which his spi. it never.
recovered. He submitted to life, rather than etie
joyed it, and never was in better spirits than iu his
last hours, when he was going to lay it down "
Those who read the love story of Henry Esmond,
will remember the "something" alluded to. Ano-
ther old acquaintance is met in England, Beatrice
Esmond, the young and beautiful, transformed int,-
Baroness Bernstein, old and faded, but shrewd aad.
imperious still, giving, perhaps in memory of old
times, a cordial welcome to the grandson of her
former lover. Henry Warrington, the youngest of
the two brothers, and the heir of the estate
in consequence • of the reported death of his
brother among the Indians, which report
is doubtless incorrect, pays a visit to England.
to make acquaintance with the old home of his
ancestors :

" Again and again Harry Warrington and his brother
had pored over the English map, and determined upon
the course which they should take upon arriving at
Home. All Americans who love the old country—and
what gently-nurtured man or woman of Anglo-Saxon
race does not I—have ere this rehearsed their English
travels, and visited in fancy the spots with which their
hopes, their parents' fond stories, their friends' descrip-
tions, have rendered them familiar. There are few
things to me more affecting in the history of the quarrel
which divided the two great nations than the recurrence
of that word Home, as used by the younger towards the
elder country. Harry Warrington bad his chart bill
out. Before London, and its glorious temples of St.
Paul's and St. Peter's, its grim Tower, where the brave
and loyal had shed their blood, from Wallace down to
Balmerino•and Kilmarnock, pitied by gentle hearts ;
before the awful window of Whitehall, whence the
martyr Charles had issued, to kneel once more, and then
ascend to Heaven ;—before Playhouses, Parks, and Pa-
laces, wondrous resorts of wit, pleasure, and splendour ;
—before Shakepeare's Resting-plaoe under the tall sp►re
which rises by Avon, amidst the sweet Warwickshire
pastures ; before Derby, and Falkirk, and Culloden,
where the cause of honour and loyalty had fallen, it might
be to rise no more :—before all these points of their pil-
grimage there W3B one which the young Virginian bro-
thers held even more sacred, and that was the home of
their family,—that old Castlewood in Hampshire, about
which their parents had talked so fondly. From Bristol
to Bath, from Bath to Salisbury, to Winchester, to Hex-
ton, to Rome; they knew the way, and had mapped the:
journey many and many a time."

The journey thither realised all his anticipations,
and is thus vividly described by his biographer :
" The post-chase whirled the traveller through the
most delightful home-scenery his eyes had ever lighted
on. If English landscape is pleasant to the American
of the present day, who must needs contrast the rich
woods and glowing pastures, and picturesque ancient
villages of the old country with the rough aspect of Lis
own, how much pleasanter must Harry Warrington's
course have been, whose journeys had lain through
swamps and forest solitudes trom one Virginian ordinary
to another log-house at the end of the day's route, and
who now lighted suddenly upon the busy, happy, splen-
did scene of English summer. And the high road, a
hundred years ago, was not that grass-grown desert oi
the present time. It was alive with constant travel and
traffic : the country towns and inns swarmed with her
and gaiety. The ponderous waggon, with its bells and
plodding team ; the light post-coach that achieved the jr ur.
ney from the White Hart, Salisbury, to the Swan witu
Two Necks, London, in two days; the strings of pack-hoe a a
tbat had not yet left the road ; my lord's gilt post-chaise
and six, with the outriders galloping on ahead ; the
country squire's great coach and heavy Flanders mares ;
the farmers trotting to market, or the parson jolting t•►
the cathedral town on Dumpling, his wife behind on
the pillion—all these crowding sights and brisk people
greeted the young traveller on his summer journey.
Hodge, the farmer's boy, took off his hat, and Polly, the
milk-maid, bobbed a curtsey, as the chaise whirled over
the pleasant viliage-green, and the white-beaded children
lifted their chubby faces and cheered. The church-spires
glistened with gold, the cottage-gables glared in sunshin, ,
the great elms murmured in summer, or cast purple
shadows over the grass. Young Warrington never had
such a glorious day, or witnessed a scene so delightful.
To be nineteen years of age, with high health, high
spirits, and a full purse, to be making your first journey,
and rolling through the country in a post-chaise at nine
miles an hour-0 happy youth ! almost it makes tHIJ
young to think of him ! But Harry was too eager to
give more than a passing glance at the Abbey at Bath,
or gaze with more than a moment's wonder at the mighty
minster at Salisbury. Until he beheld home it scourer"
to him he had no eyes for any other place."
On his arrival he met but a chilling reception,
until the Baroness Bernstein interested hereelt iu
his behalf. The cold, selfish English family lorm
a good contrast to the imperious Virginian, but
both countries may fairly trust Mr. Thackeray to
show them in their true colours. As yet but this
faint outlines are drawn on the canvas, and it is
impossible to judge what the effect will be whea
the skilled hand of the practised master shall hap;,
filled in the glowing hues and softening shadows.
That the finished picture may be worthy of hi.t
fame will be the hearty wish of all his readers.

RUGBY SCHOOL.—The election of a master for Rugby
School, in the room of Dr. Goulburn, who will resiga
at Christmas next, will take place on Thursday, Ilia
12th inst. The appointment is in the gilt of trustees.
Attention has been called to a proceeding of the Sar-
dinian Government calculated to damage the market for
their securities. An English clergyman left some CJU.
pens of Sardinian bonds, amounting to 121. 10s., ain,.fig
his study papers, which were burnt. Through Sir Ja."o-
- Hudson, the British Minister at Turin, he applied tr ,
leading London bankers. Count Cavour,
thwas viii).
11 have them paid upo❑ indemnity, offering, the security of
perative, and that no formality or guara
the
replied that the Sardinian law upon the
ne conversant wilt
duction of the coupon. To everyone
caseso this will appear
point
would
: authorise
nathseofpabyumsinenestsoifn thea such
sicvidend without hpi 0-
' as unjust as it is unusual.
Sardinian
Government would ba
if the will existed the Saridsion
for the nominal risk ~f
powerless to make
misfortune
of this description, to whiva
j remedying
I resolved, however,
hsers of Sardinian bonds must hence-
that they hold them subject,unlike
j every holderaofmsiuscfohtro securities
take
a is liable.
technical
advAasutiatgheasinbetii::
matter,
UOrl minde
r foreign States, to the peril of total.
in case of their destruction by fire, shipwreck, or
anyloss similar caeualty.—Tinicz.
1 ftohrethh
bonds
sr all
of oPf

SPIRIT OF TFIE PUBLIC JOUNALS.

THE ATTEWIT TO LAUNCH THE GREIT

EASTERN. I.
((Prom the Ti axes.)
The consummate engineer muse possess not only
grandeur of ideas, but accuracy of execution. His
eye must be microscopic as well as telescopic,
and as fitted to inspect a mite as to comprehend
the heavens. The higher his aspirations and the
more daring his plans, the firmer grasp must he
have of every detail, and the surer must be his
footfall at every step. If there is nothing too
great for him to adventure, it is because there
is nothing too little for him to care for. The
case of the monster ship which it was yesterday ,
attempted to launch at Linaehouse is a proof
of this. The greatest and m )•st wonderful of
modern constructi'ns is complete, and only waits
for a fit machinery to move it from the place
where for four years it has been the admira-
tion of the world. Yet, until cables and drums
and breaks are made to do their work, it must re-
main stranded and unable to realise the fond hopes
of its projectors.
The Leviathan," as we believe it is now
is one of those gigantic conceptions which we owe
to thegenins of these latter days, Within the last
30 years practical science has altered the face of the
globe and changed the destinies of nations. It is
now almost core monplace 'to dwell on the steamboat,
the ra•lway, and the 'telegraph, or to remark that
we live in a wonderful age—an age of enlightenment
and progress. But we may take the last 10 years,
and, from a consideration of what has been done,
deduce the ?act that boldness, perseverance, and
skill are working greater prodigies than ever. In
this country we are in the midst of the movement.
The most memorable scientific enterprises of late
years have been the Britaimiabridge, the Subma-
rine Telegraph, the Crystal Palaces of Hyde-park
and Sydenham, the Atlantic Telegraph, and the
wonderful ship which was for the first time moved
yesterday. All these have been carried out here,
and we have learned from them to interest ourselves
deeply in the progress of important works. The
" big ship" has been for the last year or two the
great topic of interest in our island of Cyclops.
Here was a work by the side of which all the
achievements of former times would be diminished
to nothing. The world had been of late accustomed
to large-sized vessels, but this was great with a
greatness out ofall comparison with its predecessors.
Former competition only looked to an increase of a
few hundred tons. The Cunard line and the Collins
line were content if they alternately oirdid their
rivals by 20 feet of length or an extra half knot in
the hour of pace. But the new ship disdained com-
parison. Her principle was new, her size was new, she
would be propelledbyaunion of p Priers iieve r before
joined, she would elver the water iu a new man-
ner, she would necessitate anew system of business
to sail her at a profit, she might even be expec'ed
to call new towns into existence on the shores of
harbours sufficient to shelter her. The longest
steamer in existence is less than 400 feet ; the new
ship is 680 feet ; the principal saloons form a suite
400 feet long ; the burden is nearly 23,000 tons—
nearly five times that of any vessel afloat. The
nominal horse-power of the screw engines is 1,600
horses, that of the paddles 1,000 horses. She car-
ries two steam-propelled boats, each as large as a
good sized Thames steamer. She is to carry 4,000
passengers, and, should it be necessary, could con-
vey 10,000 troops to India in little more than a
month. It cannot be wandered, then, that we have
all been interested in the great work, and taken a
patriotic pride in it ; that many of us have been to
see it, have looked at it from land and water, ad-
mired its sharpness and cleanness of build, gaz'd
down from its lofty sides to the ground, some sixty
feet beneath, wandered over its decks while the
whole fabric resounded with the clang of metal, and
have returned home to expetiats on it as one of
the few sights which haVestot
report. asiesrea- ••
The public naiistf.ll444l naturally feel disap-
pointed that for a nireaifi'agleast the launch must
be postponed. :The'sffijYtikiletioved for about four
feet, and that ssalle-'l.f.twould'seem that the
im-
mense mass was allotect: to stir too suddenly, and
was then brought Up •*itli.a jerk. The consequence
was that site stuck fast, and hags remained sticking.
Yet the evil is certainly much less than if it hal
burst from all restraint, and the whole bulk had
ruOsed downward to the Thames. Happily, the
breaks were sufficiently powerful and the chains
su.fficiently strong to prevent such a calamity. So
-we may hope that the defect will be remedied by
this day month, and that the close of the year
will see the " Leviathan " introduced to the
deep. The present failure may certainly have
tried the patience of the distinguished visitors,
though they cannot have anticipated anything very
exciting from .a gradual motion which was to last
two days and a night. Like the ii.thiattie Telegraph
the ,great ship must look for success to a second
trial. We. seem to have been a little unfortunate
in our grandiose schemes of late. The Valentia
cable laas -parted, " Big Ben" has cracked, and now
the " Le,viathen" will not budge. If we add to
these the collapse of that elaborate structure the
Sepoy army, we have a pretty good list of failures
for I.S. ,51. owever, when the strong man sees an
obsts.cle he feels that he is on the threshold of an
achievement. The breaking of the cable in the
Atlantic will doubtless lead to inventions that will
ens.ble us to lay cables everywhere. The stoppage
.of the great ship on her ways will teach us how to
launch dozens of great ships in future. In these
things we confess to being optimists. The most
dangerous part is that of a prophet prophesying
negatives. It is not so long ago that locomotives
were pronounced absurdities, and the Electric Tele-
graph was looked upon as an i .genieue toy. Every
succeeding triumph of marine architecture has been
looked upon wi,h mistrust,which saccess has continn-
ally dissipated. The Great Western, the Great Bri`
taro, and the Himalaya, have one after another
caused the wise and cautious to s h aka their heals. The
great ship, we hope and believe, is destined to a
prosperous career, and to be the model for many
another giant of the seas. Nay, we can foresee a
day when its primacy will have vanished, and when
it will be remenab red as a meritorious work of
original conception, bat surpassed by the subse-
quent progress of science.
However, we have now to do with to-day, and
we cannot but congratulate the public on the
completion of this stupendous work. India in
four weeks, Australia in five—these are words
of good omen to the world ! • How all the deeds
of war and diplomacy sink into insignificance
compared with tile effects produced by the progress
of science ! Here is the world brought together
and its peace secured by the application of
mechanical lays, while the great and the good, and
the noble and the powerful, have been trying in
vain meralkty and reasoning, negotiation and
treaties, age upon age. We may well rejoice at
such an event as the launch of this vast structure,
and we have little doubt that. we shall shortly re-
joice at it. Putting aside the gain to commerce and
civilization, it is plain that the result must be to
strengthen and consolidate this widely and ex-
tended empire. It has always been objected to the
British dominions that they lie scattered over the
globe too far from the mother country and from
each other to be useful in peace or secure in war.
Thus India was in flames for weeks before we knew
it and for monehs before we could remedy it. Thus
the Calfre or the Maori may count upon his term
of unpunished lawlessness. In a war with Euro-
pean countries, or with a combination of European
countries, stilt further evils might be apprehended.
But with the progress of science the world is be-
coming smaller and our dependencies more easily
managed. Time and mind are working for us.
This Indian revolt would have been a more
terrible affair even ten years back, when ocean
steamers and clippers were few. In a few years
hence we may couut on having made a correspond-
ing advance. With a telegraph stretching west-
ward to Newfoundland, and eastward to India and
Australia ; with " Leviath anal" to carry our troops
by sea, and railways to forward them by lend, we
may reckon on holding our own in quiet and
security.

(Prom the Morning !Jerald. )

To affirm that the spirit-of the present age is
exclusively mechanical would be a gross exaggera-
tion, but its dominancy cannot be denied. In au in
dustrialand commercial country the aim always is t,
obtain a maximum of result from the application of
the minimum of power. By such processes produc-
tion is increased, while labour is economised. Dur-
ing the present century this principle has been ruo e
and more reduced into practice. The steam-engine
has been improved ; vtreets and the interior of fac-
tories and private dwellings have V eon illuminat
by
gas; the electrictelegraphhaa been invented, uniting
Islands and continents ; while railways have con-
quered time and distance. In naval archiectur-
,
our advances have been p us. The clipper
ship, with or without the auxiliary screw—the screw
itself, almost
i superseding the paddle-wheel, which it
certainly will do n vessels of war—and ths increased
tonnage of our mercantile marine, prove that
mechanical genius Wbeen as active on the ocean as
on the land. The _ hay
3 Indian,
the Cunard, and the
Peninsular and Oriental steam fleets were once
thought to have exhibited colossal dimensions never
ishea
to be surpassed ; but they "hide
heads" before the Great
Eastern, the launch of
which conamenced yesterday. With all the details
of this monster specimen of naval architecture on.
readers are familiar, the whole having been explained
by its builder, Mr. Scott Russell, at the
scientific
of
congress recently held in Dublin, the proceedings
which were copiously reported in our columns.
,v.e
may, however, upon this occasion, remind the public
that she is of the gigantic burtilen of 22,000 tone,

that her paddles are as large in their circumfer-
ence as the equestrian circus at A.stley-s and that
Ave can generate a propelling force equal to 11;500
horse puw,r, Which it is computed would set in
motion all the cotton mi!!s iii Manchester
.at 'ii-A!
and the same time, or raise 132,00) fttt,il6ris of water
up to the top of the Moouttrit in one minut?. She
will be held at her inoOrings by two anchors of seven
tons weight each, with a ciiain of 140 fathorns evel:l7
liuk of wb'ch will weigh GA!). The buiider having
completed his work, the genitts of the engineer has
again been called into requisition to move the enor-
mom bulk of wood and iron into the stream of the
Thames ; and,
however magnificent the conception
of this mighty structure may be, it hardly exceeds
in grandeur the Ingenious contrivtances adopted to.
ensure the success of the, crownit,g atlievement.
What an.Xloll3thon4ht, what continuous reflection,
what patient calculation, what foresight of possiqe
contiugoncie3 and eventualities, Mr: Brunel has
bestowed upon the solution of this problem Never
was a launch so daringly adventurous ; never was
the adaptation of means to an end surrounded by
so many difficulties. An ace )unt of the CjIIIII9IIC3-
ment of the interesting experiment of launching
this monster steam ship is givfin in another column.
At twelve o'clock she was christened, appropriately
enough, " Leviathan," by Miss Hope, daughter of
the chairman of the Eastern Steam Navigation
Company. Soon after the attempt was made to
put her in motion, and although this succeeded to
a certain extent, further operations were arrested
by an accident to the machinery, by which we regret
to learn that several workmen were more or less
injured.

-It will be unnecessary to enlarge on the prepara-
tions that have been made, or on the machinery
used on this interesting occasion, as the details,
down to the most minute points, have already ap-
peared in this journal ; we would rather assume
that the Groat Eastern is ready for sea, and offer
some remarks, albeit they must partake of a specu-
lative character, as to the probable success of this
great commercial experiment. Thera can be no
doubt, ceteris paribus, that large ships are more
profitable than small ones. A vessel of 3,000 tons
can be worked more economically than four vessels
of 750 tons each. The wages of three captains are
saved, and the relative proportions of the subordi-
nate officers and crew are largely diminished. Ex-
perience shows that the wear and tear is less costly,
and hence, excepting in the coasting trade, and in
shallow waters, large tonnage is displacing small.
But it is possible that excessive dimensions may
prove uuremunerative ; for, though the Great
Eastern will have the advantage of carrying coal to
last out the longest voyage, and may run to Cal-
cutta or Me bourne in thirty days, yet it may be
urged that she will never be certain of finding a full
cargo at the ports she may frequent; and those
ports must be few, on account of the enormous
dock accommodation she will require. Then
arises another point, which actual experience alone
can answer—will she pay by the conveyance
of passengers ? Upon this point we have some
data to guide us. Before the Peninsular and
Oriental Company monopolised the steam carrying
trade to India and China, some 50,000 tons of the
finest merchant ships in the world used to convey
British manufactures, iron, Szo., to India at about
20s. per ton, and brine, produce from India at 3/.
to 4/. per ton ; and this they were enabled to do
because a considerable part of the expenditure on
sailing the ships was derived from the profit on
passengers and valuable goods, packed into a small
compass, now carried by steamers.
There can be no doubt that passengers will pay a
high price for speed, for every merchant is sensible
that time is money ; and even the opulent tourist,
who travels for pleasure, instruction, or health, will
agree to the same terms. It is therefore reasonable
to expect that the Great Eastern will command a
very large remuneration from those classes, and
we know, from the experience of the Cunard line,
as compared to the packet ships between Liverpool
and New York, which it superseded, that the
rapidity of the voyage largely increased the num-
ber of passengers. Another fact bearing on this
inquiry may here. be mentioned. Before the
Cunard line was formed, the merchants of Liver-
pool who were connected with American houses
always freighted goods in American bottoms, for
their interests were as foreign as the trade in which
they were engaged, and they cared nothing for the
British mercantile marine ; but, when the Cunard
steamers began to run, the merchants were com-
pelled to give them the freight of their goods, and
for this reason—the steamers made the passage in
10 or 12 days, while the sailing-snips occupied 30 to
40 days in the transit. The English exporters drew
bills upon the American consignees at a date, and
of course it was necessary that these should be
accepted and provided for at maturity ; and, as
their payments frequently depended upon. the
sale ...i- Vererge.odaecnxistgnea, the difference between
10 days and 20 days became of serious import-
ance, and hence it arose that the Cunard's got the
freight exclusively for lighter and more costly com-
modities, and retained it till the Collins' or Ameri-
can line was started in opposition. Now if the Great
Eastern can accomplish the voyage to Calcutta or
Melbourne in 30 days, a similar reason will ensure
her the freight; but, as already indicated, the vast
quantity she can carry at one time may not always
be ready, and to put her on demurrage would be '
ruinous to shippers.
We may present the subject under another
aspect, and it is opportune to the future government
of British India. The outbreak of the mutiny took
our Ministers by surprise, and they were unable to
dispatch a military armament by steam to the East,
because the available number of ships could not
carry coal for the whole distance, and foresight had
been wanting to supply the depots at the Cape of
Good Hein. Hence troops ware forwarded by the
slow process of sailing vessels, and brave men had
to conttnd against fearful odds for a protracted pe-
riod. If the Great Eastern should realise the expec-
tations of many, and proves capable of reaching
Calcutta in a month with 10,000 troops on board,
would it not bed wise policy to add half-a-dozen
such leviathans to the Royal navy, even should
they remain inactive for years? \Yuen the people
of India knew that we possessed assured means of
landing 60,000 troops upon their shores in 30 days,
would they not dre ttl ta rebel ? And it the ships,
from the fear they inspired, were never sent upon
a mission of repression, would not the tranquillity
they enforced amply repay the cost of their con-
struction and repose ? We think it would, an 1 the
proclama,iou of Nana Sahib confirms that opinion.
Ho was aware that we could reach India rapidly
over the isthmus of Suez, and hence he announced
that we had been annihilated in the attempt. How
would such cunning ruilrans feel when conscious
that we could strike an avenging blow in one short
month ? Thus, been, we have considered the qua
lines and cap abilities of this most extraordinary
vessel under commercial and milieu-7 aspects, ne',
in parting with the subject, wish both projectors
and pron. ietors that ample measure of success which
they so richly deserve.

AFFAIRS OF THE LIVERPOOL
BOROUGH BANK.

At a large ani influ.3litial meeting of the depo-
sitors and others, creditors of the Liverpool Bo-
rough Bank, held at the Bank yesterday, Mr.
Wrigley in the chair, the following offer was made
on the part of the b znlz :—" That the clairos of all
depositors and other creditors for amounts exceed-
ing 2)01. should b 3 satisfi,d by the promissory
notes of the bank, payable at 6, 12, 18, or 24
months' date, bearing interest at the rate of 7 per
cent. per annum." _

With regard to this offer the following resolution
was adopted upon the motion of Mr. W. F.
M`Gregor, seconded by Mr. Thos. Gair :—" That
this meeting considers it advisable to accept the
offer of the directors, under the sanction of a com-
mittee of depositors consisting of the following
gentlemen :—" Messrs. J. H. Wrigley, B. Darby-
shire, WM. Hope, P. G. Hepworth, P. Rawson,
Thos. Gair, Tyson, and W. F. M'Gregor."
A conference then took place between the com-
mittee so appointed and the directors, and a com-
mittee of shareholders in the bank, when, after ex-
planations by the directors' :ind shareholders' com-
mittee, trio latter came unanimously to the follow-
ing resolutions :—" First, that the offer made on
the part of the bank be accepted : second, that Mr.
Sellar, the manager of the bank, be requested to
send a copy of the minute to each depositor and
other creditor of the bank for an amount exceeding
2001."

Mr. BRANCKEIt, one of the deputation -sent to
confer with the bill brokers, returned from London
on Monday night, and at the meeting yesterday.
(Tuesday) he reported that the bill brokers had ac-
ceded to their requests, though some preliminary
matters as b the manner in which the bills shall
be taken up are not yet settled. A committee of
seven depositors was formed to act in the matter
with the committee of fifteen shareholders and four
gentlemen unconnected with the bank. Some rather
augrY discussion took place relative to the non-
' prroduction of a rough balance-sheet by the &me-
othes,ioannciiydeonsiderable excitement was caused by
*.zi)
st io' vrey t
notes,
thetes, joayinic reised wish of- some 'depositors to
eliCit a verbalWhahe o
so, isatr of Lnce from the directors rela-
the seven per cent. promis-
too long dated. some persons considered to be far

PROGRESS 01' THE N
,esults of the di iitOti GOLD-FIELD.—One of the
egions is
gra,lually though but slowly
June 3, to Sydney, 11
devrsloping itself in the shape of an exoort. The gold en•
=erect for export the week cndi, g
; and to this
amounted in the aggregate to 820 ounces
should be added 300 ounces taken by D. passenger whc.-1
declined to make an entry of it at the cuetoins.—Austra-
lian and New Zealand Ga,zette.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT—Nov. 3.
OfiD
(Before the Reeorclor.)

John Bentley, 23, was indicted for a felonious
assault upon Sarah Catherine Harditiv.
Mr. Sleigh prosecuted, Mr. Metcalfe defended
the prisoners
The prOSecutrix in this case was the daughter of
a person iu humble circumstances, who obtained
her livelihood by letting lodgings, and the prisoner
was one of the lodgers in her house. There was this
peculiar:ty in the case, that the prosecutrix, who is
30 years old, was both deaf and dumb, and her evi-
dence was interpreted to the court and jury, appa-
rently with very great facility, by Mr. Downing,
the secretary to the Deaf and Dumb Institution.
According to her evidence she wos alone in the
Louse with the prisoner, and, having gone into his
bedroom in the morning to clean it up and perform
th.,, necessary domestic offices, not knowing that he
was there at the time, he laid hold of her, an 1 com-
mitted the offence imputed to him by the pre-
sent indictment. It appeared that immediately her
mother returned she told her what had happened,
and the prisoner was taken into custody.
Tne defence set up was that the prosecutrix was
a consenting party to what took place, and wit-
nessei were called who spoke to her having commit-
ted various acts of indecency upon several occasions
with other lodgers in the house.
The jury returned a verdict of Not Guilty.
John Brooks, 27, Caroline Richardson, 38, and
Harriet Peech, 21, were indicted for a burglary in
the dweiling-house of John Coleman, and stealing
2301. in gold and bank-notes, his property.
Mr. Poland conducted the proseeution ; Mr.
Ribtou defended Brooks and Peech ; Mr. Sleigh
and Mr. Sharpe were counsel for the other prisoner.
The prosecutor is the landlerd of the King's
Arms public-house, Meeting-house-lane, Peckham,
and it appeared that the robbery in question was
committed on the Ist September. On the after-
noon of that day the prosecutor had a very consi-
derable sum of money in gold and notes in a bag
and a box in a drawer in his bedroom, and about 6
o'clock he went there and saw that the money was all
safe. He went up again shortly after 9, and he then
found that the drawer had been forced open and the
whole of the money stolen. The evidence against the
prisoner was entirely of a circumstantial character.
It appeared that all the prisoners werein the habit of
frequenting the prosecutor's home, and that Brooks
was in front of the bar shortly before the robbery
must have been committed, and that the other two
prisoners were also in the neighbourhood, and two
witnesses who lived opposite tne King's Arms swore
very positively that about 8 o'clock in the evening of
the robbery they saw the prisoner Brooks in the
prosecutor's bedroom with a candle in his hand.
From inquiries that were subsequently made it
turned out tlaat Brooks and Peech cohabited together
and that almost immediately after the robbery they
wade purchases of jewellery to the amount of 501.,
and this jewellery was found in their possession
when they were taken into custody. With regard to
the prisoner Richardson, evidence was given that
she was seen coming away from the back part of
the prosecutor's premises on the night
.of the. rob-
bery, and that when the other prisoners were taken
into custody Peech sent a person named Allen to
Richardson to ask her for some money to make her
defence, and that she then made a sort of admission
that she was concerned in the robbery, and had
part of the proceeds.
The jury found Brooks and Richardson guilty of
stealing the money, and acquitted Peech.
The Recorder sentenced Brooks, who had been
before convicted of felony, to six years' penal ser
vitude, and Richardson to be kept to hard labour
for 12 months.

NEW COURT.
(Before the Common Sergeant.)
Peter O'Brien, 29, nailmaker, and Simon O'Brien,
26, nailmaker, were indicted for assaulting John
Whittaker, a police-constable, and causing him
bodily injury.
Mr. Bodkin and Mr. Clark prosecuted, and Mr.
Lilley defended.
The prosecutor, who appeared in great suffering,
and bad to be carried into court, remained in a reclin-
ing position while giving his evidence. He stated
that upon the night of the 23d August he was on
duty near Chelsea-bridge, when his attention was
called to the two prisoners, who were on the bridge
creating a disturbance, and had assaultdd some man
who was there. He requested them to move away,
but had no sooner done so than he was assaulted by
both the prisoners, while some women held him.
They beat, kicked, and nearly strangled him, by
forcing their hands into his regulation stock ; for-
tunately some officers came up, and rescued him in
an almost dying state. They prisoners both said
that if the other constables had _not coma. up theT
wouldhave killed him and thrown him over.
The jury found them guilty.
_._ ~..

The Common Serjeantsaidthe case was the most
brutal he had ever tried, and if the unfortunate
constable lost his life, which was not at all impro-
bable, they would then be tried for their Jives and
suffer the extreme penalty of the law ; at present
he should pass upon them the severest sentence that
the law allowed, and that was three years' impri-
sonment, with hard labour.
The Court was occupied until a late hour in the
evening tryinc, a man named Ryan for an assault
upon one of' the General Omnibus Company's
servants.

The case, which was but partlygone into, stands
adjourned until this morning, and as another de-
fendant has to be tried in connection with it, we
defer the report until it is completed.