The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-05-23 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, AND GENERAL COMMERCIAL ADVERTISER

COMMERCIAL de MONETARY NEWS.

MONDAY NIGHT.

IF the condition of the money market, as judged
of by the price of the public funds, may be taken
as a fair test of the state of commercial affairs, the
latter may be considered very satisfactory, not-
withstanding the dulness which still prevails and
the apparent total absence of speculation. The
Funds have gradually improved in value, and
although the accounts from the seat of war have
been in some degree conflicting, they have expe-
rienced but little fluctuation. The returns of the
Bank of England show a very small diminution in
the stock of bullion, it being only £18,713 ; but it
may be remarked that, during the week included
in the return, the receipts of gold from abroad
were but small, whereas during last week the
imports were considerably in excess of the exports
of the precious metals. For commercial purposes
the money market has been rather tight, and the
rates of discount have been higher, reaching as
much as six per cent. on first-class paper ; still
there have been no failures of any magnitude, and
nothing to distrust the confidence which appears
to prevail as to commercial security. It would
appear that the demand for money for legitimate
purposes has led to an increased rate of interest,
the advance on the part of the Bank of England
having been in no way influenced by any appre-
hension as to mercantile stability.

In the manufacturing districts there is no actual
improvement, buyers still holding off on the chance
of pieces being still lower, and confining their
purchases to immediate requirements: Opinions,
however, are gaining ground that activity will
shortly be resumed, and that very soon the trade
in home manufactures will be on a satisfactory
footing.
The Corn trade has experienced a considerable
impetus during the week, and Flour has advanced
no less than 2s. 6d. per barrel. This is owing, in
some measure, to the protracted dry weather and
the backwardness of vegetable crops, which during
this season of the year usually enter into compe-
tition with the consumption of bread. There is
still, however, a good prospect of an abundant
harvest ; and as arrivals have been large, there is
no great confidence in any further advance.
Our SHARE MARKET has been very steady all
the week, with the tendency of prices decidedly
upwards. There has been a larger business also
than of late. Local stocks are in good demand,
and continue to improve with the market generally.
We annex this day's quotations :—Caledonians, 271;
Edinburgh and Glasgow, 28; Great Northern, 218 ;
Lancashire and Yorkshire, 60t, 4 s ; Liverpool,
Crosby, and Southport, 118 • London Stock, 961
f • Ditto Eighths, ld • Midland Stock, 581
; North British, '7l ; gouth Eastern, 18* 1-16;
Poltimore Copper and Gold Mine, 2d; Shrewsbury
and Chester gar. 8 per cent. pref. 16*; Borough
Bank, 11* ; Lancashire Insurance, 413 ; Liverpool
United Gas, 198.

The return from the Bank of England for the
week ending the Gth of May gives the following
results, when compared with the previous week :
Public deposits ... £2,748,437; Increase £409,615
Other deposits ... 10,587,010; Decrease 101,521
Rest ... 3,214,897; Increase 10,035•

On the other side of the account—
Government securities £11,625,492, Decrease £941,115.
Other securities ... 15,144,039; Increase 394,579
Notes unemployed ... 4,713,280; Increase 812,850
The amount of notes in circulation is £21,143,990,
being a decrease of £830,310 ; and the stock of
bullion in both departments is £12,589,366, showing
a decrease of £18,713, when compared with the
preceding return.

ISSUE DEPARTMENT.

Notes issued £25,857,270G0vernmt. Debt £11,015,./00
Other Securities 2,984,900
Gold coin &bu11'n.11,857,270
Silver bullion ...

£25,857,276
BANKING DEPARTMENT.

£25,857,270

Prop. Capital ... £14,553,001G0v. Securities £11,625,402
Rest ... ... 3,214,897 Other Securities 15,144,039

Public Deposits 2,748,43 Notes ... 4,713,280
Other Deposits 10,587,01 Gold & Silver Coin. 732,096
7-day & other bills 1,111,5
£32,214,907

£32,214,907

COTTON.—The recent large arrivals having been
thrown upon the market, and middling and lower
qualities being in large supply, there has been a
decline in prices of those descriptions of about
1.1.16 d. to *d. per lb. Finer qualities are, however,
scarce, and previous rates have been well main-
tained. The sales during the week, up to Friday,
amounted to 45,130 bales,—of which 2,900 were
taken on speculation, and 4,290 for export, leaving
37,940 for the trade. To-DAY the sales amounted
to about 6,000 bales, of which 1,000 were on spe-
culation and for export. The following are current
rates compared with the corresponding period of
last year

New Orleans, middling
fair .

Yorkshire market, and the new clip of Irish, which
is finding its way to the market very slowly, is
selling at 15s. 6d. to 16s. per stone. Imports for
the week, 354 bales,—viz., 60 Buenos Ayres ; 81
Mediterranean Ports; 119 West Coast America;
84 Irish ; 2 Scotch : and 8 Coastwise.

1854.

Uplands, ....

fair

A VERY " GREEN" FELLOW at Ulverston lately boiled
his watch in salt and water to clean it, acting upon the
suggestion of a friend who was fond of a practical joke.
When he opened it subsequently he found it all verdigris
and as green as himself.
CHURCH OP ENGLAND EDIICA.TION SOCIETY.—The
first anniversary of this society will be held at the Royal
Amphitheatre this day. The chair to be taken by the
Rev. Dr. Mlceile.

TirE NEW BULLET.—The government have presented
Mr. Pritchett with £l,OOO for improving the bullet which
they have adopted.
RAILWAY ACCIDENT.—On Thursday the boiler of a
locomotive engine exploded on the Penthar branch of the
York, Newcastle, and Berwick Railway, near Sunderland.
The engine-driver was scalded, and was otherwise severely
injured. Two or three other persons were also injured,
but they are likely to recover. The engine was driven
off the line, but no considerable damage was done to pro-
perty.
ON FRIDAY MORNING, his Royal Highness Prince Al-
bert went to Sutton, accompanied by the Earl of Derby,
the Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, and the Hon. W. P. Tal•
bot, and attended by Colonel the Hon. Charles Grey and
Captain Du Plat, for the purpose of inspecting the site
offered in that neighbourhood for the Wellington College.

Gid. 6,

SALES. IMPORTS. s 10C h
„---.—. A.—..., r.--..---, --.......-.
DESCRIPTION PRICES. Week , Pre vi- Week This
ending I ously ending Year. MaYl9
May 19 thisyr. May 19
Sea Island ll @3O 600, , 8540 I
Stained 33 73 40 580 5800 270270
Boweda 33 63 9730 159270
Mobile 4 63 6480 80470 1 52
New Orleans. 33 83 20740 320910
Pernams, &c. 61 83 460, 18680 .... 12151100 549240
Bahia, &c 63 6/ 390 10910 .... 10018: 10040
69666
16980
Maranbam
Demerara, &c I 330 . 164: 110
ltgyptian _. . 53 10 1280 43669 3048 17713' 58860
Com.W.l.&c. 7 8 10, 2130 .. 11861 3030
Surat
2019 114688 207060
Madras
Bengal 3 20 1170 .... 974/ 3660
-- -- --,—:
45130 772310 16933 972132 87166

SHERIDAN'S OPINION OF TUE POWER OF A FREE
PRESS.—" Give me but the liberty of the Press, and I will
give.to the minister a venal House of Peers—l will give
him a corrupt and servile House of Commons—l will give
him the full sway of the patronage of office—l will give
him the whole host of ministerial influence—l will give
him all the power that place can confer upon him, to pur-
chase up submission and overawe resistance—and yet,
armed with the liberty of the Press, I will go forth to
meet him undismayed—l will attack the mighty fabric he
has reared with that mightier engine—will shake down,
from its height, corruption, and bury it amidst the ruins
of the abuses it was meant to shelter."

A HINT TO SANITARY REFORMERS.—If, as sometimes
happens, a snail creeps into the hive, the bees immediately
stint, it to death. The body is far too heavy for the bees
to drag out, and yet, unless precaution be taken it would
putrify, and make a stench in the hive. To prevent this,
they entirely embalm it with propolis ; and which is still
more remarkable, should a snail with a shell intrude into
the hive, it withdraws its body within its shell at the first
sting, and the bees, as if they knew that the shell would
not corrupt, in such a case spread no propolis over the
shell, bat merely fasten up the orifice.—Lindley Kemp's
Indications of Instinct.
GAMBLING.—The lower walks of life abound with
characters once steady and industrous, but, owing to their
propensity for gambling, they have become bankrupt in
character as well as pocket. Weeping wives and neglected
children too plainly testify that the ale-house, with its cor-
rupting appendages is the constant resort of him, who,
though fallen himself, earns. a precarious subSistence by
decoying others. In the higher ranks, the seductions of
the gaming-table have acted with Satanic spell in leading
its votaries from all that is respectable, to infamy and dis-
grace. Fortunes inherited through a long line of ancestry
have completely disappeared, and the reckless possessors
have found themselves deliberately stripped of•everything,
and turned penniless on the world.—Rev. Moore's
" Original Tales and Sketches."
FORT-AUGUSTI7L—BACHELORS, WHERE ARR. YOU ?
A paragraph under this head appeared lately in the• Ladies'
Journal, stating as a remarkable fact that all the shops in
Fort-Augustus were kept by young unmarried females,
all fresh, fair, and twenty. We beg to offer as a still more
remarkable fact, and probably the cause, not the effect, of
the prior fact, that not only is this so, but that the provost,
the minister, the schoolmaster, the doctor, the inspector,
the lock-keeper, the exciseman, the baker, the flesher, the
shoemaker, the tailor, the carpenter, the piper, and the
fiddler of this very remarkable village are, all of them,
singular to say, living in single blessedness ! Without
inquiring into the laws of sympathies and antipathies
connected with these• facts, or how they seem to'be so
nicely balanced here, we•should like to watch what affect
a smart tax on bachelors (to help this budget in these
warlike times) might have in destroying the anomaly, and
converting some of our•friends into flaming Benedicts.—
Inverness Advertiser.

"iIITIVEWifILITIA. ACT, which has received the royal
assent, is now in operation. The militia may be embodied
whenever a state of war exists, and her Majesty, since-the
Act was passed, has sent a message to Parliament, on
which steps have been taken to embody the force. It is
provided that thetimeof training may be extended after
a corps of militia is called out. The time of drill is not to
be reckoned. Further; it is provided that notice of the
time and place of meeting is to be sent by the command-
ing officer by post to the residence of the men as stated in
their attestations,. and to be deemed sufficient notice.
PasTn.—Two emissaries of Kossuth's were hanged'on
the 29th ult. at a place called St. George, in Transylvania.
Their names were Joseph Varady and Franz Bartalis.
Two of their companions were reprieved, but will have to
endure an imprisonment for 18 years in irons and with
hard labour.
NARROW ESCAPE OF THE KING OF HOLLA.ND.—A
letter from the• Hague; of the 16th, says :—" The King
yesterday incurred some danger, in consequence of the
horses running away with his carriage, and gallopping at
a fearful rate through several streets before the coachman
could pull them in. His Majesty remained quietly seated
lin the carriage, and in that way escaped all injury. After
a short delay, the coachman was able to drive on to
Maison de Bois, the palace where the King was goihg to
when the incident occurred."

MATunnoNy.—A Barcelona journal, the Correo, re-
cently inserted the following advertisement :—"I am a
widower, without children; am forty-five years okl, am
tolerably good-looking (at least so it is said), and possess
in one of the most populous districts of this town, a shop,
which does a good business. I want to marry again. I
will give my name• to any honourable woman, even if she
should have my own age, provided she possesses some
fortune. Apply to the Correo, of Barcelona?' "In
less than seven days," says the Correo, " not fewer than
twenty-eight females, young, middle-aged, and old, pre-
sented themselves at our office to demand the•address of
the advertiser." _

PRODUCE.—WhiIe the markets generally during
the week have been very inactive, the amount of
business done being small, and prices almost
nominal, the interest has been centred in the pro-
posed alteration of the Sugar Duties. We give
the following remarks on the subject from the
circular of Messrs. T. and H. LITTLEDALE and CO.,
published this morning :

GREAT Fran AT POPLAR.-04Friday morning, about
three o'clock, a fire of a most alarming and destructive
character broke out in the extensive range of premises
belonging to the London Manure Company, situate at No.
40, New Bridge-street, Plough-wharf, Cubit's-town, Isle
of Dogs,. Poplar. There was a large quantity of oil, vitriol,
and other matters in the building, which burned with in-
tense fury, spreading destruction to all around. It was
nearly eight o'clock before the fire was. finally checked,
and not until property to the amount of several thousand
pounds was consumed.
RECITATIONS FROM MEMORY. From an advertise-
ment it will be seen that Mr. G. Melville will, this
evening, recite from memory Shakspeares play of " Ham-
let;" and on Friday, the play of Macbeth," in the
Concert-hall, Lord Nelson-street. Of the unique and
pleasing nature of. Mr. Melville's performances, the press
speaks in terms of high commendation ' • and from what
we learn a great treat may be anticipated.
SYRIAN NOTIONS OF MEDICAL SKILL.—A doctor is
thought nothing of here unless he resorts to violent
remedies. I was told a curious anecdote of a soidisant
doctor, who acquired a great reputation in Beilan.
was much given to administering emetics, and having a
very delicate patient, resorted as usual to this method of
cure, leaving in the hands of the patient's brother three
strong doses of emetic, which he directed should be ad-
ministered at intervals of three hours. The brother, finding
the first powder had no immediate effect, gave the unfortu-
nate invalid the remaining two within five minutes. The
result was violent sickness, succeeded byspasms and cramp,
which in a few hours terminated fatally. Next day,the doc-
tor was astonished to learn, on inquiry, that his patient was
dead, and evinced his concern in his face. " Never mind,"
said the brother, "it was so fated, but, Mashalla! you are a
great doctor : the medicine you gave never ceased opera-
ting till the moment of my brother's death. It was a
fine medicine, and if it couldn't cure him, nothing earthly
could:"—Nea/e's Eight Years in Syria.
OUR IMPROVIDENT CHANCELLOR OF THE RICHE-
QUERR.—The Worcestershire Chronicle tells the follow-
ing amusing anecdote :—" The Chancellor of the Exche-
quer, on his way from Hagley to London, to resume his
official duties after the Easter recess, was called upon to
pay his fare for the journey at Worcester. But when he
came to examine the state of his personal exchequer, he
found, to his discomfiture, that he had not enough cash
to meet the demand, owing, we suppose, to an under-
estimate before starting of his probable expenditure. In
this fix what was to be done ? There was no making up
the difference with a deficiency bill,' and the Bank of
_ _

" The proposal of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to
impose an addition of 15 per cent. on the Sugar duties,
Colonial and Foreign, caused a suspension in the article
for some days : but last week, since the proposition has
been more clearly understood, a large business has
been done in Colonial, favoured by the slight ad-
ditional protection to the sth July, and the fact
that, after that date, (though the duty is to
be equalized with Foreign,) it will be at the rate
of 12s. per cwt., instead of 10s. as before fixed ; but what
is more important, the standard samples, by which the
duty will be levied, are to be raised in quality, and a gra-
duated scale of duties imposed, so as to admit all low dark
Muscovado kinds at ls. less, say 118.—at which rate we
anticipate Khaur, low kinds of West India, and possibly
of Brazils and Manilla, but only of the lowest class, will
come in,—whilst it is surmised that the better descriptions
of Bengal, white Benares, and Cossipore and vacuum pan
West India, will be charged the higher rates, say 14s. and
16s. It must be apparent to all that these changes are
simply a boon to our home refiners, who do seem to watch
over, and succeed in protecting, their own branch of the
Sugar trade much more effectually than the importers can
do ; but to raise the duty on one class of Sugar—such as
Benares, for instance—hitherto•admitted at the ordinary
Muscovado rate of 10s., whilst others of the same class are
positively reduced, without any previous notice, is simply
an act of legal fraud against the importer. Of course, '
these remarks are merely by anticipation, and we yet hope
that the opinion, particularly of the East India body, may
have sufficient weight to induce some consideration being
shown to such imports as shall arrive to the 31st Decem-
ber next, being purchases made on the faith of the exist-
ing law."
To-DAY there has continued a steady demand for
Plantation Sugar, the sales, including Saturday's
business, comprising 80 hhds., 400 barrels Bar-
badoes at 345. to 395., 50 hhds Demerara at 365.
up to 425. 6d. for grainy, 30 hhds. Jamaica at
345. 6d. to 355. 6d., 30 hhds. Antigua at 355. to 365.,
20 hhds. St. Vincent at 31s. 6d. to 345. 6d., a small
lot of Trinidad at 355. 6d., 1300 bags Madras at
31s. 6d., and 5,000 mats Mauritius, from the quay,
at 345. 3d. per cwt. Large transactions have
taken place in Rum, upwards of 500 puns., chiefly
Demerara, having been disposed of, but the exact
terms have not transpired. No transactions to
notice in Coffee. 80 bags Para Cocoa are reported
at 275. 6d. per cwt. We have no sales of moment
to report in Tea ; common sound Congou may be
quoted at 11d. per lb. The Rice market is again
rather highei, 1,365 bags good middling Bengal
having chiefly realized 13s. 9d., and a small parcel
of cargo lls. 6d., besides which, 600 bags damaged
Arracari were sold at 10s. 6d. per cwt. for first
class. We have also to notice 40 boxes Pearl Sago
at 21s. 6d., 30 barrels Rio Tapioca at 425. per cwt.,
and 30 bales white Bombay Hemp at £26 per ton.

THE WAR.

Wool.—The attendance of the trade still con-
tinues to be engaged with the public sales in Lon-
don, which are progliEssing at an average decline
of 2d. per lb. This series opened higher than was
expected ; but, as we anticipated last week, have
since given way to about the expectations of the
trade. There is nothing new in this market, the
general state of dulness which has characterised
the trade for a considerable length of time still
prevails. There has been part doing in English
Rd Irish Mabing *kin, at 11A to 13(1, fox the

BOMBARDMENT OF SEBASTOPOL.

England was not at hand to assist 'the minister in his
emergency with a loan. The Chancellor was relieved by
the courtesy of the booking-clerk, who, recognising his
person, raised his hat, and said he presumed he was
speaking to Mr. Gladstone. The Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer admitted his identity with that gentleman. The
clerk intimated that it was not customary, that he was
aware, to give'credit for railway fares, but if he (the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer) would remit the amount of the
fare he was:deficient in postage stamps, he would make it
right. Mr. Gladstone thanked him, undertook to do so,
and, we are glad to say, was safely conveyed to his desti-
nation. With a punctuality which many lesser persons
might well copy, he forthwith remitted the deficiency.
We can only hope that in dealing with the public finances
the right hon. gentleman will not cut matters so close as
to run the risk of stumping' the nation as hewas 'stumped'
at the railway station."
THE AMERICAN EXPEDITION TO JAPAN.—This expe-
dition left Hong Kong on the 14th January, and when
last heard of was at Loo Choo, a dependency of Japan, but
governed by its own King. An officer of the party thus
describes Loo-Choo You cannot, or rather it would be
difficult for you to imagine the beauties of this island, with
respect to the charming scenery and its marvellous per-
fection of cultivation, its ancient bridges, paved roads,
canals, dilapidated works of defence, &c. There are
five palaces in the city ; the one we visited is of
very 'great extent, probably covering a space of three
acres, with massive walls, quite equal to many of the old
castles of Europe. The island contains a population of
150,000 or 200,000 souls, and we have as much control
of it, and the authorities and people, as if it were a con-
quered country ; and, what is singular, not an unfriendly
act or an instance of coercion has occurred in bringing
these things about. We have explored the whole interior
of the island, and surveyed the entire coast. The people,
wherever our parties go, attend upon them and sup-
ply them with lodgings and provisions. At first they
would receive no compensation; but the Commodore
insisted that nothing should be accepted unless it was
paid for, and there is now little difficulty in that way.
Hitherto our whaling ships have never dared to enter the
ports of this island ; now they can do so with perfect
safety, and be furnished with supplies at fair prices. As
an evidence of the confidence we have in their peaceful
intentions, we shall leave a party on the island in charge
of a depOt of coal established here this very day. The
Regent has promised to take good care of them during
our absence. We sail in three days for Jeddo Bay, the
Macedonian, Vandalia, Southampto, and Lexington
haying already gone.

FIFE AT AN ORGAN FACTORY.—On Sunday afternoon,
shortly after one o'clock, a fire broke out in a building
in Rose-yard, Rose-street, Soho-square, London, occupied
by Messrs. Bevington and Sons, organ builders, Mr. Lit-
tleton, music printer, and Messrs. Hopkinson and Purviss,
wholesale oil and colourmen. In the course of a few
minutes after the alarm was sounded, the Rrigade engines
and those of the West of England office kept pouring tor-
rents of water upon the fire, but nearly two hours elapsed
befare the conflgration could be extinguished.
•THE RUSSIAN CAMPAIGNS OF 1828-29.—When the
Russians invaded Turkey in 1828 they lost 50,000 men by
sickness alone, by want of the necessaries of life, and
neglect of the commissariat department; 50,000 Russians
died on the plains of Turkey, not one man of whom was
killed in battle, for their advance was not resisted by the
Turks. In the next year (1829) the Russians lost 60,000
men between the Pruth and the city of Adrianople. Some
of these, however, s ere legitimately slain in battle. When
they arrived at Adrianople the troops were in so wretched a
condition, from sickness and want of food, that not 7,000
men were able to bear arms ; how many thousands of
horses and mules perished in these two years is not known.
The Turkish government was totally ignorant of this de-
plorable state of affairs at Adrianople till some time after-
wards, when the intelligence came too late. If the Turks
had known what was going on, not one single Russian
would have seen his native land again ; even as it was,
out of 120,000 men, not 6,000 ever re-crossed the Russian
frontier alive.— Curzon's Armenia.
SUNDAY SCHOOLS.—In 1851 there were 2,407,60
scholars upon the books of the Sunday schools in England
and Wales. About three-eighths were in the Sunday
schools of the Church of England, the rest were divided
among the various denominations of Dissenters and the
Roman Catholics, the largest share being taken by the
Wesleyans (the original connexion), who had nearly half
as many scholars as the Church of England. The num-
ber of teachers was 318,135, chiefly young persons; 10,383
(almost all in the Church of England schools were paid
teachers, supposed to be mostly the masters and mistresses
of National Schools. It has been estimated that the
number of Sunday scholars under six years of age is about
a sixth of the whole number, and that the propor-
tion above fifteen is at least a tenth of the whole. In
the manufacturing districts the proportion above 15 is very
much larger than in London ; the senior classes comprise
many young persons of eighteen or nineteen, and the course
of instruction in those classes is of a superior character.
Many Sunday-schools sustain week-evening classes,
where the scholars are instructed in some secular art
or knowledge ; many have libraries for the scholars' use
(and it must be recollected that the books are often read
by the families of the scholars); and some have originated
for the senior scholars " mutual improvement societies,"
where lectures are delivered and other means of intellectual
progress are provided. Sick clubs, too, and provident
clubs, and penny banks are frequently established in
connexion with the Sunday-school. Excursions and festi-
vals, in which the children and their teachers join in re-
creation, are now universal. Thus there is in some degree
(although too small) a constant kindly intercourse between
the different classes of society ; and thus, perhaps, are
being gradually fostered in the minds of the working
people juster sentiments than hitherto' have been received
of the disposition of the class by fortune placed above
them. But in this department of its usefulness the
Sunday school is yet but in its infancy, awaiting, probably,
the time when ministers and influential members of the
church shall recognise its undeveloped power for good.—
Census of Edit-cation.
SOLDIERS' Stocits.— On Saturday last the Guards
were passed in review in honour of the Queen's birthday,
and three or four men actually fainted on the parade-
ground. The men were at their best, well fed; fresh, and
young. Yet out of less than a thousand soldiers three
men fainted, whilbs ten times their number crowded to see
them unharmed. The day was fine, and far from oppres-
sive ; even in the crowd, composed of men, women, and
children, not the weakest of them suffered, while three
young men out of a thousand picked representatives
of their country's manhood fell senseless in the ranks.
How is this to he accounted for? It is but too
easy. The crowd, well dressed, ill dressed, or half
dressed, were at least dressed at their ease, while each
soldier was half strangled by a high, stiff, leather stock,
and strapped and braced in all directions. The stocks were
taken off, and the fainting men instantly recovered. Surely
the time has arrived forfinally discarding all such remnants
of barbarism and folly. A man is not a better soldier, he does
not shoot straighter, march steadier, nor is he a more effi-
cient campaigner, because he is habitually kept on the verge
of apoplexy. This is a point on which civilians may speak
with as much certainty as all the field-marshals in the
world. The custom of the stock is even as the custom of
the pigtail, which, as may be seen in Hogarth's pictures,
was considered indispensable to the Guards in his day.
Indeed, the pigtail was comparatively a harmless folly, for,
except the trouble to which it put the wearer, it could'
scarcely interfere with his movements, save in case of pre-
cipitate retreat with an active enemy close in his rear. But
the stock ! We entreat any of our readers who may enter-
tain'any doubts about the matterquietlyto tighten his cravat
until his veins swell nice and blue about his temples, and
then to make a sufficient knot. Let him then hitch a
stiffly bound octavo under his chin, and in this condition
commence any active exercise. The experiment should'
not be a momentary one, fbr it must be remembered that
the soldier is bound to carry this instrument of torture upon
him on all services, and with a very heavy load of arms,
knapsack, &c. We will venture, however, to say that any
gentleman who will obey the above directions, and simply
lounge about his room in-a dressing-gown for ten minutes,
will have more than enough of it. The continental armies
have had the good sense to discard an article of dress as
destructive of freedom of action as it is of health andlife.
Any medical man will explain the manner in which ,
con-
tinuous pressure at the particular point where the stock
' makes itself felt acts upon the circulation, and the destruc-
tive consequences that must necessarily ensue. What the
stays are in the hands- of the female mantuamaker the
stock is in those of the man-milliner who presides over
the accoutrements and; dress of the British soldier. If
those tall men in armour are posted at the Horse Guards
rigorously to prevent the entry of common sense-to that
mysterious building they are but too successful. Happily,
they are too heavy liar service on the Danube, and, if we
must despair of improvement at home, we hope that there,
at least, the experience of our French allies may reach our
generals, and that we shall soon hear no more- of half-
choked soldiers fainting upon the parade-ground.—Times.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

The Paris Moniteur of Sunday says :—The government
has just received two despatches from Vice, Admiral Ha-
melin, commander-in-chief of the squadron of the Medi-
terranean, on the movements of the combined• squadrons
in the Black Sea since the bombardment of Odessa. The
following are the principal passages :
" Ville de Paris, before-Sebastopol,
May 1,.1854.
1` Monsieur le Ministre—The fourth day after the bom-
bardment of the imperial fort of Odessa, the wind having
turned to the north, the two squadrons set sail on the
morning. of the 26th of April, and took the direction to-
wards the western coast of the Crimea, as I had settled
with Admiral Dundas. On the 28th, finding ourselves in
sigbt of the land adjoining Eapatoria„ I detached the
steam corvette the Caton, accompanied by the Furious, to
explore the bay to the south of that town. The Caton,
in accomplishing her mission, captured three Russian
vessels, of which two were coasters. The Furious took a
fourth. Already, in the morning, the Descartes, in
cruising ahead of the squadrons, had met with an Eng-
lish brig which, having been captured on the previ-
ous evening by a Russian frigate, had been precipi-
tately abandoned by the, latter, when, perceiving the
squadrons, she had started with all her speed to
gain the port of Sebastopol. Of these four prizes, two
have been sent to the Bosphorus; as regards the two
coasters, they were sunk. On the 29th, the wind having
allowed us to sail towards Sebastopol, the combined squad-
rons sailed towards the entrance of that port. They lay
to there for some time, in order to see if it were true that
the Russian squadron had determined to come out to meet
us, according to the report which the Russian authorities
had caused to be spread in the Black Sea, as we were in-
formed by the prisoners who were interrogated on the
previous evening. If such, in fact, had been the intention
of the Russian fleet, never did a better opportunity occur
for its showing to the population of the Crimea that it was
anxious to avenge the humiliation of the check which had
been received in their neighbourhood at Odessa. The
weather was fine, the breeze was from the south joli frail
—that is to say, favourable for getting out of Sebastopol,
as well as for getting into it again. I shall add, that in
order to induce the Russian admirals to come out to meet
us, we directed two of our ships to keep out of sight of the
land of the Crimea, but in vain ; the Russian ships re-,
mained immoveable at their anchors while we were thus
waiting for them.
" We have profited by the time while we were lying-
to before Sebastopol once more to explore the neighbour-
ing bays ; it was done by the Caton and the Furious.,
Other steam-frigates presented themselves at the very
mouth of the port, and have examined with the greatest
attention of what the Russian fleet was composed ; it ap-
pears to us to consist of twelve ships of the line, three
sailing frigates, and a very considerable number of steam-
ers, the most of them of small dimensions. The Russian
prisoners interrogated pretend that the ships of the line
are to the number of 14, of which two, in truth, are not
in a very good state, and the steamers, to the number of
26, of which three are large. What would appear to con-
firm the report of the Russian prisoners is the fact that
two large vessels appeared from the top of our masts to be
under repair in the basins of Sebastopol, and might, con-
sequently, be the two ships of war in a middling state, of
which the prisoners had spoken."
" Ville de Paris, before Sebastopol,
May 5.
" Monsieur le Ministre,—Since the last letter which I

had the honour of sending to your excellency, dated Ist
May, the two French and English squadrons have not
ceased to cruise at a little distance and within sight of the
port of Sebastopol, where the Russian Ships persist in re-
maining immovable at their anchors. This immovability
not being calculated in any degree to slacken the opera.
tious of war which Admiral Dundas and I have prqjected
on the Russian coasts, an Anglo-French division starts
this evening, under the gegamand 0 Rear Admiral Lyons,