The Sun.
London, England, 1857-12-21 00:00:00

" (F. 0. 51)
" (749).

" War Office, sth Dec., 1857.
"HORSE GUARDS.

" Sir,—Her Majesty's Ministers having taken into
consideration the present defenceless state of the country,
consequent upon the reduction of our home force in the
prosecution of the Indian war, and the withdrawal and
embodiment of a great portion of the milli,* they have
determined upon raising some auxiliary corps of local
militia, formed of gentlemen of the present Yeomanry
Cavalry, and others willing to serve as volunteers therein.
" It being of the greatest importance in promoting
this object to nominate as officers gentlemen whose
energy and ability have been already proved, communi-
cations have been addressed to the colonels of each
existing Yeomanry corps, soliciting the recommendation
of such gentlemen who are best fitted to officer the new
force.

" I have much pleasure in informing you that your
name has been submitted to us fer the purpose, and
approved of. Yon will, please, therefore, to attend at the
Commander-in-Chief's office to receive your commission
and instructions, on Saturday next, the 12th inst., at
10 a.m. You will wear the full uniform of the troop
to which you belong.
" I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
" PAN MUM"
The gentleman who had received this unexpected
nomination did not fail to be in attendance at the hour
appointed, radiant in all the glories of the Royal --
Yeomanry Corps. Some dozen or more officers,
each representing some other gallant corps were
assembled in the outer room of the War Minister,
and warm and hearty were the mutual osmgratulations
addressed to each other upon the good fortune which
had smiled upon them. A short interview with the
military authorities led to the unpleasant discovery that
all the expectant officers of the "Auxiliary Local Militia"
had been the victims of a most unmerciful joke, and that
her Majesty's Ministers had really no intention of re-
medying the "defenceless state of the country" by the
formation of any gallant corps suoh as that to which these
gentlemen from the country had been so recently ap-
pointed. We are informed that Mr. Field, and the
detective staff of the "Private Inquiry Office," have
been directed by the military authorities to discover, if
possible, the ingenious founder of the "Auxiliary Local
Militia," in order that Lord Panmure and the heads of
the department may reward him with that promotion
which his patriotic anxiety for the defenceless state of
the country so justly merits.

THE ST. PANCRAS TRAGEDY.—The adjourned inquest
was held this day upon the bodies of the man and
woman who were discovered dead in a room in Har-
per's coffee-house, 38, Drummond-street. The bodies
have not been identified. Nothing further than that
which has already appeared in The Sun transpired this
morning. The jury returned the following verdict :
" That the deceased persons were found dead, with their
throats cut, but how such wounds were inflicted there
was no evidence to show."
THE COMMERCIAL CRISIS, AND HOW IT AFFECTS THE
DIFFERENT CLASSES.—When we compare the various
opinions which have been expressed with reference to
commercial vicissitudes during a period of years by many
of the periodicals of the day, it is really laughable to
remark their extreme fallacy. As an evidence of this, a
contemporary ventured not long ago to assert that a
Silk Dress would be "a lady's despair," and as difficult
to obtain as an Indian shawl ! But the result of the
panic has been to bring down the aggrandised values of
siiks to their normal standard. In fact, the Lyons'
manufacturers are selling their silks at a lower price than
for years past; although it is very probable that as the
crisis passes away prices will again advance. Messrs.
Jay were particularly fortunate last week, when in the
Lyons' market, to meet with a manufacturers' stock at
full 25 per cent.. under late prices ; and these goods were
forwarded immediately, and are now to be seen at the
London General Mourning Warehouse, 247 to 251,
Regent-street. There cannot be more suitable materials
for Dress at this season of the year than those referred
to, as, although " black," they are not indicative of
Mourning, but are of beautiful figured and brocaded
patterns, witlitrt being conspicuously showy.