giortIlaurono.

The memorial of the Guards to the Queen, the existence of which tran- _ spired last week,, has been printed thisweek in the newspapers, occupying a full page of the largest morning journals : in its original shape it is bound like a pamphlet, in crimson covers. The document is dated "August 17, 1866' ; and is signed "Albert, F.M., Colonel of the Grenadier Guards; Strafford, General, Colonel of the Coldstream Guards; George, Lieute- nant-General, Colonel of the Scots 'Fusilier Guards; Thomas Wood, . Colonel and Lieutenant-Colonel, commanding Grenadier Guards.; G. F. Upton, Colonel and-Lieutenant-Colonel, commanding Ccddstream Guards; G. Moncrieffe, Colonel and Lieutenant-Colonel, commanding Scots Fusi- lier Guards."

Although this notable memorial is so bulky, its substance may be very briefly stated. The Brigade of Guards consists of seven battalions, each

• 'on being virtually a regiment. These battalions are commanded by an officer holding the rank of Regimental Major in the Guards, but that of full Colonel in the Army. Each company in the battalion is com- manded by a Captain who holds the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Army; and in the absence of the commanding-officers of battalions, the two senior Captains command the battalion and are called acting Majors or mounted officers. It should alto be stated, that Lieutenants and En- -signs in the Guards have respectively the rank of Captain and Lieutenant -in the Army. These, except those of the Ensigns, which dates from Wa- terloo, are very old privileges. Now, by a Royal warrant dated the 6th October, and one of the fruits of a Commission on the subject which sat last year, it was ordered that Lieutenant-Colonels, having served three years in actual command, or as second Lieutenant-Colonels, or as Mount- ed Officers in the Guards, should become full Colonels. The memorial- ists admit that it is wise to make regimental service as Lieutenant-Colonel the basis of future advancement ; but they contend that the operation of -the warrant is unjust to the Brigade of Guards. The allegation is, that . by fixing the starting-point for the rank of Colonel at the position of Acting Major in the Guards, "the greater parted the Army will necessa- rily arrive at that rank with less service and as younger. men than the

• oftioers of the Guarde:" This is shown as follows-

" On the 20th rune 18,14, 1fhe_oeried selected fee the purpose of this corn- gr,-11°1`019 serving- '64 tieutene","h"**-41*.ni_the Line, and 13 Ac- g.Majors bf the Guards. The avers' - - --*•cant-Colo: • nels of the"Line on obtain:, -•o! service of. the 161 fiee„.. • :years and-tea month.- •- weir Liseutenant-Colonelcies was twenty-two . average enwebee • ; while' the average service of the Acting Majors—the

;four yew.- _ of years it had taken them to become mounted—was twenty- tag - and eleven months. It therefore appears, so far—at the first blush

•••• — were' of inquiry—that the Guards are two years longer in arriving at their starting-point than the Line. . . . It will be found that the average

• period in which the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel was attained by the 154 Lieutenant-Colonels of the Line is taken from periods of service varying from ten years, the shortest., to forty-feur years, the longest, embracing a period of thirty-five years; While the average service in which the 13 Acting Ma- jors of the Guards obtained that position is derived from periods of service varying from twenty-one years, the shortest, to twenty-seven years, the longest, or a period of only seven years as contrasted with the thirty-five lege of the Line."

Discarding from the calculation those Who Were promoted without pur- chase, it appears that "the Guards are upon the average three years and four months longer in reaching their starting-point for the rank of Colonel than the ofiloers of the Line." As an °facer of the Guards will not at- Wit the rank of Colonel under from twenty-four to twenty-seven years,

• "and as a great nuMber of officers of the Line will attain it in periods Tarying hem tivetityld ttrenty-six years, "Guardsmen will be distanced

by nearlyall Linesmen who are purchasers." Another regulatiottivill have an injurious operation in the Guards. Officers holding the rank of Brevet-Lieutenant-Colonel for service in the field, may after six years' service with that rank become Colonels ; but this rule cannot benefit the officers of the Guards; " for while one step of brevet rank will enable an officer of the Line to commence the six years' service, the officer of the Guards must of necessity obtain two steps of brevet rank in order to be- come a Brevet-Lieutenant-Colonel."

In the second part of the memorial a plea is put in for the " vested in- terests " of those officers who were Captains and Lieutenant-Colocela previously to the 17th Juno 1864 - and it is laid down that the new-aye- tern of promotion with respect to daptains and Lieutenant-Colonels of the Guards, must press at once and has already prated " with peculiar, un- just, and cruel severity on those officers; and that it amounts to a breach of faith on the part of the authorities, and is directly at variance with the principle of reepect for vested interests which the report recognizee and affirms, and on which it professes fundamentally to proceed." " The first promotions consequent upon the warrant appeared on the 28th November 1864 ; since which, Colonel Scott, of the Soots Fusilier Guards, and Colonel Gordon, of the Grenadier Guards, have each seen thirty-four officers (excluding Ordnance) junior to themselves pass over their heads. Lieutenant-Colonel Tyrwhitt, of the Scots Fusilier Guards, has already had thirty-one juniors placed above him ; and there are others who have not yet been passed over by so mauy, but who will equally. and to a greater extent suffer, as Lieutenant-Colonels of the Line suooesswely complete the three years' service to the rank of Colonel."

The remedies proposed for their grievances are as follows-

" 1. That the Captains and Lieutenant-Colonels of the Guards, existing as such on the 20th June' 1854, should receive their rank of Colonel on com- pletion of three years' service as Captains and Lieutenant-Colonels; and

"2. That the period of service after which it would be equitable to grant the rank of Colonel to the Captains and Lieutenant-Colonels who hate attained that rank subsequently to the 20th June 1854, should be recon- sidered, with the view of giving them an equal chance in the race of pro- motion with the Line."

Setting forth their claims on the ground of the antiquity of their privi- leges, and the constant loyalty and proved military merit of the Brigade, they humbly beseech her Majesty, that "the officers of the Guards may be placed in a position which will rectify the disparity now established to their prejudice, and give them a fair chance of arriving at the great ohjeot of the soldier's ambition, the post of command, as rapidly as their com- rades of the Line—in a position, in short, which will put them upon a footing of equality with the remainder of her Majesty's service."

Some doubts have been thrown on the success of the Civil Service Ex- amination scheme ; and much dissatisfaction at the result of the exami- nations, which are said to be too severe. The following letters seem to have been published with the view of meeting the objectors. " Treasury, Dec. 6. "My dear Mr. Dean—As you are one of our earliest and best friends in this essential reorganization of the public service, especially in its relation to the education of the country, I feel it due to you to report progress. "Nothing can be more satisfactory than the progress which has been made. The time is near at hand when every first appointment to the public service, civil and military, will be made according to well-considered ar- rangements, with reference only to superior fitness.

"The steps which have been already taken in this direction are acting powerfully upon our educational institutions. taford has nobly responded to the call' and the leaven is working downwards through the London, the Irish, and Scotch Colleges, and the proprietary and other schools, stimu- lating both masters and students, suggesting enlarged and improved plane of instruction, and bringing them all into comparison, as a general -Oral- versity. would, but without either the expense or the exclusive tendencies of an University. "The most blessed change, however, will be when the thousands of small appointments, which are at present the food of corruption in. a certain class of boroughs, become the reward of self-improvement and consistent good con- duct to our youth in every part of the United Kingdom. Those who have given their attention to popular education in this country, as you are well aware, generally agree that the great desideratum is to induce persons of the labouring classes, and of the claw immediately above it, to send their chil- dren to school, and to keep them there till they are of an age to profit by the instruction received ; so much so, that proposals have been seriously made to convert it into a legal obligation. Now, the selection of the best-qualified persons for several thousand situations applicable to persons. of theta classes of society, which annually fall vacant, appears to furnish precisely the in- ducement required ; and this experiment may well be tried before we have-re- course to the deteriorating motives founded on the opposite principle of com- pulsion. What could give a stronger impression to parent and child of the value of education than the knowledge that it was an indispeneahle condition of public employment ? How could the importance of nefinfaieing a good character be more obviously demonstrated than by making thie,' in pombma- tion with education, the avenue to the honourable and profitable eel-vice of the country ? Every wholesome influence would also bd strenthened by this new appropriation of what has hitherto been called the .016vernment patronage, but for which we must now find some new name. The Vliantry gentleman, the clergyman, the Dissenting minister, the master manufac- turer, will find that a new importance is attached to his testimony in refer- ence to the young men who have grown up under their superintendence. The situations at the bottom of the scale of public employment are not oily far the moat numerous, but, in proportion to the circumstances ancl•expeota- an-d-uni-. classes whom they are conferred, they ere the most valuable taon. _ -•••1 it is an important fact, that character, or ratter the • ----eaeity be more initiated upon, a'tettin evidence of character, W.:Z:1 01

the lower than in the higher situations.' "Believe me, my dear Dean, yours sincerely, •

"C. E. 1......ZVELYAL

"The Very Rev. the Dean of Hereford."

"Inland Revenue, Somerset House, De. estnber. "My dear Dean—Although the date of the institution of fr.be CivilBer- vice Commission is so recent, I see every reason to anticipate satisfactory re- sults. A competent, impartial, and uniform tribunal, appears to be pro- vided, which will secure a supply of well-instructed men e

you u to the de pertinent of Inland Revenue. ,

"I have heard an apprehension expressed, that the examinaiion is so severe as practically to lead to the rejection of the majoritylof candidates. I believe, however, that the prescribed attainments are not higher than the public service requires ; and Abet the difficulty will tease as 'Parents and teachers become aware of the capacity and acquirements necessary for- sha- ms.

"ShOuld candidates be wanting, an ample supply will be found by throw- ing open the appointments to competitive examination; and the most lamentable event would be the adoption of a lower standard of qualification than that at present established.

"You have done me the favour, during several years, to select candidates for office in the Excise from among those of the most deserving in the schools under your observation. The result has been very satisfactory; and you will confer an additional obligation by continuing so to recommend a limited number. I shall be very glad if, in your visit to the Mechanics' Institution at Huddersfield, you find that an occasional prize of an exciseman's place is likely to promote merit and stimulate exertion ; and that a call is made on roe for one appointment annually.

"From the opportunities I have had of observing the proceedings of the Huddersfield Institution, I conclude that it is among the most promising and interesting of those valuable bodies.

"Believe me, ever most faithfully yours, Joan WOOD. "The Very Rev. the Dean of Hereford."

The country will experience much satisfaction, though no surprise, on learning, as we believe we are correct in stating, that her Majesty the Queen has, in a manner as honourable to herself as it must be gratifying to her people, been pleased to mark her warm appreciation of the unpa- ralleled self-devotion of the good Miss Nightingale. The Queen has transmitted to that lady a jewelled ornament of great beauty, which may be worn as a decoration, and has accompanied it with an autograph letter —such a letter as Queen Victoria has ere now proved she can write—a letter not merely of graceful acknowledgment, but full of that deep feel- ing which speaks from heart to heart, and at once ennobles the Sovereign and the subject.—Morning Post, Dec. 20.

The Duke of Argyll has decided to send out immediate instructions to the officers of the Army Post-office in the East to open money-order offices, for the transmission of money to the United Kingdom, at Con- stantinople, Scutari, Head-quarters of the Army, and Balaklava.

One of the events of the week is the death of Mr. Samuel Rogers. He expired, at his house in St. James's Place, early on Tuesday morning, in the presence of Dr. Beattie and Mr. B. Paine. He was born in 1762; and was twenty-five when he published his first volume of poems, in 1787. Five years later, the " Pleasures of Memory" appeared ; and he continued to publish at intervals until 1822, when the first part of his " Italy " was given to the public. The morning journals do not print brief biographies of Rogers, but articles on his life and character. They seem more struck by the fact that Rogers lived so long, ow and heard so much, than by any incidents in his own career. From the articles in the Times and the _Daily Newe we cull a few extracts.

"To have lived in the days of General Washington, and to have heard discussions as to the propriety of admitting the independence of the North American Provinces, and to have been alive but yesterday, seems well nigh an impossibility ; but such was the ease of Samuel Rogers. When he opened his eyes upon the world, that great and powerful country which is now known as the United States of North America was but an insignificant dependence of the mother-country—a something not so important as the Antilles, even in their forlorn condition, are at the present moment. They were just rising to be somewhat of a little more significance than the 'plantations to which Defoe smuggled off the troublesome characters in his fictitious tales. _ They now constitute one of the most powerful states in the comity of na- tions He lived through the government of India by Warren • Hastings ; and, being in London at the time, could well understand the discussions which took place upon the subject of the India Bill. The - battle of Assaye found him a man forty years of age. He was in full possession of his faculties when Lords Hardinge and Gough won their victories in North-Western India, but the other day The rise, decline, and fall

• of Napoleon Bonaparte, was but an episode in the life of Samuel Rogers. He was a young mall of some standing in the world, fully of an age to appreci- ate the meaning and importance of the event, when the States-General were assembled in France. If we remember right, he actually was present in Paris at or about the time and may have heard with his own ears Mirabeau hurling defiance at the Court, and seen Denton and Robespierre whispering

to each other that their time was not yet come He saw Garrick, and watched the entire career of every good actor since. All the Ilembles fell within his span. Ile heard the first remarks on the Vicar of Wakefield' ; and read, damp from the press, all the fiction that has appeared since from the Burneye, the Edgeworths, the Scotts, the Dickenses, and the Thaeke- rays

"Great injustice should we do to the memory of Samuel Rogers, if in the few remarks we venture to offer upon his character we did not give the fi re place to his boundless and unassuming charity; of which his unvarying kindness to literary men at the outset of their career was but a single form. Were this the proper place to recount histories of this kind, we could tell many a tale of forlorn and well-nigh hopeless wretchedness relieved by his hand. It was not necessary with him, as with costive philanthropists, that misery should have what is called a ' claim ' upon him in order to bring him to the garret where it lay pining. He had seen mention of it in the police reports, or in the public journals—he- had heard it spoken of at the dinner-table of a friend. No remark issued from his lips at the time he heard it as though he heard it not ; but the next day betimes he might have been seen in person examining into the truth of the representation, and, if need were, affording relief with no sparing hand. All this was done without ostentation and without boast. . . . . As a poet, his name will continue to occupy an eminent place upon the catalogue of classical English writers ; as a literary critic, as a judicious connoisseur in art, and more especially in painting, few men have ;his equals. For half a centnry, too, his house was the centss-eiitteesey society. and the chief pride of Mr. Rogers lav so much in gatherw. "mid his.' Men who had .1-- --euy setne .vea `......escning forth a help-

ing-hand to friendless resrit."

By the death Ss,"; Mr. John Cowling two posts at the University of Cam- bridge. are "vacant; the High Stewardship, and the office of Standing The Globe intimates, that Mr. John George Shaw Lefevre, a younger brother of the Speaker, and Assistant Clerk of the Parliament, is likely to obtain the former post. Mr. Lefevre was Senior Wrangler in 1818, A very interesting experiment was made on Monday to test a new plan of permanent way invented by Mi. Bridges Adams, whom our readers will recognize as a frequent correspondent, most fertile in sug- gestive inventions. The line was laid down, under the direction of Mr. Joseph Cubitt, CE., on the part of the up-line of the Great Northern Railway used for conveying heavy goods and coals to the coal-station at Maiden Lane. The object of the new plan is to secure greater strength in the permanent way, coupled with .a more even elasticity, .60 as to Maid

perpendicular deflection by a passing weight, horizontal deflection by the blows from the wheels, and jar from a want of continuity in the surface.

"The rail [as described in the Times] is similar to the ordinary rail, but two inches deeper—that is 7 inches instead of 5 inches in depth. There is a flange at the top and bottom of the rail. On each side of the rail are fitted angle-brackets. One side of the bracket fills up the space between the flanges, and is secured to the rail by bolts. The other side of the bracket extends outward from the rail, forming a kind of longitudinal shelf at each side of the rail level with the ballast and immediately under the upper flange of the rail ; so that when ballasted all that is seen of the rail is the upper flange, which rises about 2i inches above the upper side of the bracket or longitudinal shelf. These project about 61 inches on each side of the rail, and form with the rail a longitudinal and horizontal bearing of 13 inches in width. The ballast is packed from the surface at each side of the rail, under the brackets, and thus secures the permanent way. There are no wooden sleepers used, the gauge of the rails being preserved by iron ties about nine feet apart. The whole is constructed of wrought iron, and consists of four parts—viz. the rails, brackets, the bolts, and tie-bars. Each joint is protected by two whole pieces at each side of it, forming in the whole when put to- gether a compact mass. The various parts are so contrived that no mistake can occur in putting them together, and they can also be laid down with great facility. By this plan of rail, the bearing-surface is brought within about 2i inches of the tread of the wheels; and the consequence is, that the rail is prevented from rocking, the lower part of the rail forming a kind of keel; and the brackets constitute bearers on each aide, which impart a steadiness to the rail and a smoothness in passing over it. The packing being close to the surface, the greatest regularity can be preserved in packing the ballast under the bearers, so as to give a uniformity to the bearing of the rails, not obtainable by any other method in use. The rails and bearers form one continuous piece from end to end of the line. The portion of the Great Northern line upon which the new way is laid has a gradient of 1 in 110, and coal-trains of 300 tons and the heaviest engines pass over it about sixty times a day. It has been laid down about a month, and appeared in excellent condition."

This improvement is to be adopted for the Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railway. The new rail gives the element of safety to passengers and economy to shareholders. The "permanent way" at present is not permanent, because it is not strong enough to undergo the stress put upon it. ,Passengers are sacrificed ; and to the shareholders the economy is about the same as if ships were rigged with pack-thread instead of ropes. The scantiness of the material causes a diminished outlay at first, though the diminution is not great ; but it causes a greater cost, as the- work has to be replaced all the sooner.

"The cost of a metal and timber road is in round numbers at present about 2000/. per mile for an inefficient structure. To make if adequate to to the work required, would need an outlay of 2600/. to 2800/. per mile ; and this sum would make a far better way wholly of wrought iron—a way which, compared with the timber system in renewals would only be an annual expense of 26/. per mile per annum, as against 54/. per mile per an- num; thus economizing 28/. per annum, exclusive of the simplicity and cheapness of maintenance, and free from the ordinary accidents of defective way.

The cold weather begins to tell upon the health of the London popula- tion. The deaths which in the week ending December 8 were 1099, rose last week to 1271-that is, quite up to the average of this season of the year. There has been since the second week in November a fall of the mean temperature from 41° to 32.7°, and an increase of no. deaths.

Lord Palmerston bad a general dinner-party on Saturday : the French Ambassador and the Countess Persigny, the Marquis of Clanricarde, Lord Panmure Sir Colin Campbell, and Sir Robert Peel, were among the guests._ Viscountess Palmerston afterwards held a reception. On Wednesday, there was another dinner and reception.

It is rumoured in Turin that the Emperor of the French will visit the King of Sardinia in the spring.

Lord Harris lately paid a flying visit to the French settlement of Pondi- cherry, where he was warmITreceived. At an entertainment given by the Governor, Admiral Verniac, French and English reciprocated compliments- on the alliance of the nations.

Sir Charles Jackson, late Puisne Judge left Bombay on the 3d November, to take up his new appointment, and only three or four days later the news arrived that his intended successor, Sir William Jeffcott, Recordecof Singa- pore and Penang, died on the 23d of Weber, at the latter place of chronic dysentery. The seat at the Bombay bench will therefore necessarily be va- cant for about three months.

A great many travellers have arrived in Egypt to spend the winter months- in the upper country, where the climate is very genial. Among others, there are now on the Nile the Earl of Portarlington, Lord George Paulet, and Lord Abercromby.

Colonel Sibthorp, whose health bad been broken of late, died on the 14th„ at his house in Eaton Place, in the seventy-third year of his age. He was first elected for Lincoln in 1826, and except in the short Parliament that sat' in 1832-'3.'4, when Sir Edward Bulwer defeated him, he represented Lincoln till the day of his death. Colonel Sibthorp's Parliamentary peculiarities are fresh in the mind of all. He was a thorough old Tory, and one of the "fifty-three old cannon-balls" who voted against, free trade under Lord

Derby's in 1852. - • • Dr. W. F. Chambers, late Physician to, the Queen, died on the 16th, at his residence, Hordle House, near Lymington, Hampshire. This eminent physician was born in India, in 1786, but educated at Weatminster and Cam- bridge. Dr. Chambers was for many years one of the physicians of St. George's Hospital, and had, up to the time of his retirement, in 1348, one of the most lucrative practices in the Metropolis.

• On Sunday we were witnesses of a ceremony which has not been performed for centuries—viz. an excommunication : the subject being M. Sonntag, a merchant at Coblentz' who was divorced from his first wife, and eight yeses ago was married, by the civil authorities only, to his preeent one. Last summer' M. Sonntag was commanded by the clergy to separate from his wife, and not obeying their degree, he was on Sunday excommunicated. Dean Kramentz, after preaching a sermon against the civil marriage, put on scime other sacerdotal garments, and, accompanied by two clergymen bearing wan tapers, read, standing in the middle of the church, the sentence of excom- munication against M. Sonntag and his lady. He then extinguished the tapers, saying that the persons named were not worthy to see the day of the- Lord; and, throwing the candlesticks to the ground, breaking them to. pieces, exclaimed "Let the bells sound the funeral knell !" We imme- aiately hoard the sound of bells and the chants -for the dead. The Dean, in conclusion, proclaimed that no One-whomsoever was to hold relations with

the excommunicated, to salute them, &c. This prohibition has not had much effect, for their house has been filled ever since with visitors, and at night they have been serenaded. —Letter from Coblenk in the Times, Dec. 12.

The Queen has sent six easy chairs to Fort Pitt, Chatham, for the use of wounded soldiers.

When times were bad for the farmers, Mr. George Lane Fox, of Branham Park, Yorkshire, allowed his tenants 10 per cent off their rents : prices are now high, and the tenants have offered to pay 10 per cent extra on their rents. Mr. Fox has declined the gratifying offer ; and advised his tenants to take advantage of their prosperity to improve their farms, so as to meet less easy times. The farmers have requested Mr. Fox to allow his portrait to be painted, to be presented to his wife: he has consented.

The Victoria Rifle Ground at Kilburu has been hired by Government for rifle practice by the Foot Guards. The Royal Marines are practising with rifles at Chatham.

There is a great demand for shipwrights in the West of England, in con- sequence of the numbers required to construct gun-boats at various ports for the Government.

In consequence of the Sardinian Government having discharged 9000 men, on whose services they have no further claim, and who are at liberty to enter the British Italian Legion, this force will before long be complete.

An addition of 500 men—artisans and navvies—to the Army Works Corps, organized by Sir Joseph Paxton, has left London this week for the Crimea. It is expected that these sturdy fellows, at rather higher wages, will do three times the amount of work hitherto performed by Croats and others in the Eastern army.

Colour-Sergeant James Falkner and Sergeant John Laundry have been appointed Cornets in the Land Transport Corps. They are the first non- commissioned officers of Sappers who have been awarded commissions for good and distinguished services in the field.

The Reverend S. G. Osborne has written letters to the Times calling at- tention to the atrocious state of the Turkish prisons ; he describes their filthy, crowded, unhealthy, and disorderly condition ; showing how much a Howard is needed in the East in these days.

Critics beware ! Mademoiselle Dupuis, an actress of the Vaudeville Theatre, Paris, appeared on Saturday, before the Tribunal of Correctional Police, to complain that M. Jallabert, editor of the Theatre, had libelled her, by comparing her in offensive terms to a Nuremberg doll. The Tribunal decided that such a style of criticism was not allowable ; and as it appeared to have been dictated by personal animosity, it condemned Jallabert to pay 500 francs fine and 2000 francs damages ; also to insert the text of the judg- ment in his paper, and to pay the expenses of inserting it in three other papers of Paris, to be chosen by the complainant.

-One of the writers of a satirical paper at Seville has been stabbed dead by the tenor-singer of the chief theatre in the city.

The Times is to be excluded from places of public resort in Austria, for speaking out on the Concordat.

The Times maliciously publishes this "news for Mr. Bright."—" A penny paper, the Gainsborough Gazette expired of inanition last week. Two penny papers published at York became defunct a week or two ago. Another penny paper, the Scottish Daily News, and two Glasgow penny papers, have also ceased to exist. The copyright, types, &c., of the Manchester Daily Telegraph are advertised for sale."

The frost, which broke up yesterday sennight, has returned this week, with great severity, accompanied by a biting Easterly wind and a clear and beautiful sky. On Tuesday night the frost was so intense that it stopped the works of the great clock of St. Paul's.

The reporter at the Winchester Assizes complains—"Mr. Baron Parke is warmly robed and ermined ; and the consequence has been, that during the whole of this circuit notwithstanding the very cold weather we have had, his Lordship has had all the fires put out and the windows of the court put wide open. The cold is intense, and every one is complaining of it."

Mr. Justice Crompton was prevented from opening the Maidstone Assizes with punctuality—because the train in which the Queen's Judge travelled from Croydon was "shunted" on its route to make way for a special train conveying gentlemen of the prize-ring to a fight ! A skating society, composed of young people of both sexes, belonging to the first families has been formed at Madrid. The fair members of this so- ciety have adopted a very picturesque costume for the occasion; consisting of a Polish pelisse, trimmed with rich braid, a short kerseymere petticoat, plaid trousers, small beaver hat, with a plume of feathers, and coloured mo- rocco boots.

The poultry at the Birmingham Show brought great prices. A Dorking cockerill and three pullets, seven months old, were sold for no less than 30/. 10s.

The African mail-steamer Candace, just arrived, has brought among her cargo "twenty bundles of monkeys' skins."

A society is in course of formation at Paris to promote the consumption of horse-flesh as human food.

The Swabian Mercury contains the following from Frankfort—" The for- tune of Baron de Rothschild, who recently died, has been valued at from 40,000,000 to 50,000,000 forms. A sum of 1,200,000 florins is destined to continue the alms which the deceased was in the habit of distributing every

week, as well as for the distribution of wood to the r in winter. The fund for giving a dower to Jewish maidens receives 50, iii florins; the fund for the sick as well as the Jewish hospital., 10,000 florins each; the Jewish school, 50,000 florins. Sums of 3000 dorms are bestowed on several Chris- tian establishments. The clerks who have been more than twenty years in the firm receive 2000 florins, the others 1000; the juniors from 300 to 500 florins. Many legacies are left to servants."

In consequence of a representation from the Norwich Town-Council, the Board of Trade have directed Lieutenant-Colonel Wynne, R.E., to inspect the Eastern Counties line between London and Norwich.

A marvellous account comes from California of the discovery of gold at Table Mountain : it is said that the metal is found there in greater abundance than in any place hitherto discovered.

The St. Theme's section—from Chaudiere to St. Thomas, forty miles—of the Grand Trunk Railway of Canada, was opened on the 1st. This with the Brockville section snakes 165 miles opened this year—what the Company promised to do. On the 3d, the Hamilton and Toronto line of the Great Western Railway was also opened.

The Rome and Frascati Railway is progressing well ; it is expected to be opened early next year.

Berlin now possesses extensive watenvorlm, made with English capital, and constructed by Sir Charles Fox and Mr. Crompton, the latter being the actual superintendent of the work. At present only a few public buildings are supplied with the water, but early next year the city generally will re- ceive the like advantage. The water is obtained from the river Spree ; the works are on a very grand scale, and are thoroughly efficient.

A company at Berlin has commenced the supply of baths and waahhousea for the people, on the plan now so familiar in London.

Both in London and the country many employers intend to give their servants a holiday from tonight to Wednesday morning, not transacting any business on Monday.

The number of persons imprisoned in the Papal States in 1860 was 10,436; in 1854 the total had swelled to 13,006.

There has been a fire at the Paris Palais des Beaux Arts. It was soon got under ; but a fresco painting by Delaroche, representing the history of paint- ing, sculpture, and architecture, down to the reign of Louis the Fourteenth, was considerably damaged.

Cnvrerat PALACE.—Return of admissions for six days ending Friday De- cember 21st, including season-ticket-holders, 4659.

At the last great sale of sugar by the Dutch Commercial Company at Am- sterdam, the prices realized were 26 per cent above those at the October sale. More recently, the markets of both Amsterdam and Rotterdam. for coffee as well as sugar, have fallen in sympathy with the reduction in Eng- land.

The Earl of Lucan has sent us the subjoined correspondence, with a demand for its publication entire. Without awaiting our publication, his Lordship has sent a duplicate to the Times, which had copied our article on "Lord Lucan's Promotion" ; and the correspondence has been reproduced in other journals, which had not the same claim upon them.

TO THE EDITOR OP TUE SPECTATOR.

Sin—You appear by the Times to have given insertion in your paper— unwittingly, I am inclined to hope—to a detractive—ay, an abusive—article on my professional character.

You can scarcely have known that it is a compendium of the malice, ma- lignity, and falsehood contained in an anonymous pamphlet called The Ca- valry at Balaklava, by a Cavalry Officer ; still leas can you have known the correspondence, though published, which passed between one and Ge- neral Bacon on the subject. I now enclose a copy, which I suppose you will not hesitate to publieh with this letter. So soon as I found out that he was the author of these fabulous tales, I wrote, defying him to produce an au- thority or establish the truth of any one of his allegations. I now call upon you to show the truth of your facts or name your authorities. Fortunately, and in this I may differ from some others, I know that my character can only be benefited by the elucidation of truth, and that I can defy all male- volence. Should you decline to do what I require., I shall consider it incum- bent on me, but most reluctantly, to appeal to a Jury of my countrymen for protection. I cannot believe that the character of a soldier can be made sport of with greater impunity than that of any other professional man.

I must regret that you disapprove of my appointment to the Coloneley of the Eighth Hussars : it is, however, ample consolation to use to think, and with much confidence, that the regiment at the head of which I have the good fortune to be placed, and the rest of the army in the field, better judges than the akulkers and runaways at home, will not view it with the same dis- favour ; nor do I believe that the public here looks unfavourably on roe, feeling very generally that I have suffered injustice tind ill-treatment enough. The three individuals who have conspired against my character as little represent the feelings of the Army or the Public as the three tailors of Too- ley Street, more honest men, represented the opinion of the l'eople of Eng- land.

I shall be glad to learn what redress you propose offering for the great wrong you have, not purposely, I hope, done me.

I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant, Lucart. Lakham, Chertsey, Dec. 18.

" CORRESPONDENCE, &C.

Laleharn, Chertsey, Aug. 16.

"Sir--I am now positively informed that you have avowed yourself the author of the pamphlet • The British Cavalry at Balaklava, by a Cavalry Officer.'

" In the preface you declare that you give no information that has not been well authenticated by those who were present at the scenes enacted. Supposing you as I must, to have acted with these intentions. I owe it to you fully as much as I do to myself Co disabuse you, and to state that the pamphlet is a perversion of truth, a distortion of facts and mere fiction; indeed, instead of the information being well authenticated, as you say you believe it tube. it is quite fabulous.

•• I entirely deny that it can be substantiated that all ranks complained of my

manners and mode of address, or that my competency to command was ever un- favourably questioned : there were no murmurs from my men against me at any time; and to say that there were any feelings of mistrust and want of confidence in me, and that field-officers and privates ever gave expression to such feelings, is as false as it is malignant ; and I boldly affirm that the very contrary is known to have been the fact.

The amount of forces stated to have been at my disposal at the battle of the Alma is exaggerated by one-half ;• and it would be difficult to show that there was any mismanagement or want of decision or energy on my part,—faults, be it observed, imputed for the first time, and anonymously : no part of the information relating to this battle can be well authenticated, as it is wholly untrue. •• All the reflections on me respecting the flank march are also groundless. The cavalry were not delayed or lost in • wood; there was no censure passed on me by Lord Raglan; there were no murmurs from my men, nor dissatisfaction expressed Or felt by any one; the whole again is fiction and untruth. " The account of the reconnaissance made by the Russians of our position on the 7th of October is as false as the rest : my conduct on that occasion received the ap- probation of Lord Raglan, as it did of General Rosquetywho was a spectator ; nor did the smallest altercation between Captain Nolan and myself take place On that occasion, or on any other.

"Raving now shown the falsity of all the main facts of the pamphlet, I feel myself justified in asking you to supply me with the names of the parties who appear to have so grossly imposed upon and deceived you; nor can I believe that you will be disposed to shelter them or show them any misplaced consideration. •• If any one is able to authenticate these foolish tales, let him come forward. desire inquiry and discussion, as I only seek the establishment of truth. " I have the honour to be, Sir, your obdient servant, " General Bacon." " 6, Marlborough Road, St. John's Wood, Aug. 17. " My Lord—I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship', letter, dated Laleham. August 16. " I venture to observe, that it contains some strong expressions, which I do not think in any way called for, as applied to myself or the authorities you require me to give up: however, your wishes have been anticipated by me, as you will perettiVil on reference to the Rejoinder I considered necessary to publish.

" I have the honour to be, Sic. A. RACOX. " The Earl of Lucas]."

" Hanover Square, Aug. 20. "Sir—Immediately on the receipt of yonr note I sent to your printers in %Vette.. Ion Road,i but failed in getting the Rejoinder you laid you had considered necessary to publish. Instead of allowing your authorities themselves to say anything they might wish to my disadvantage, you have voluntarily come forward, without the smallest provocation, and published anonymously a vituperative, scurrilous, and " • This is an on-or; the exaggeration being ono-third, COO Instead of 91,0.

" This was an error; It should have been said Wellington S ",

calumnious pamphlet, in which you charge me with professional incapacity and im- becility, and do not scruple to impugn my veracity and courage ; and you were un- generous enough to do this at a time when, from the circumstances of my recall from my command, it would be supposed that many might be found too ready to give credence to any misrepresentations to my disadvantage which might, if well founded. at all excuse the great injustice which had been done. That my character has not suffered, as I admit, from your publication, is no fault of yours. Twenty-eight years ago you served during some months under my command. I am not aware that anything happened then, or has during so many years happened since, to account for any bad feeling on your part towards me, or that would in any way explain what has influenced you in doing me so great a wrong. "I call upon you at once to withdraw your calumnious pamphlet from circulation, and to offer some atonement for its publication; or I shall, in my own vindication, con- sider it necessary to publish this correspondence, and show you to the world as a scurrilous libeller. I shall remain in London till tomorrow morning at eight o'clock, to receive any answer you may have to send to me. " I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant, Lrcax. "General Bacon."

"August 20,7 p.m.

"My Lord-I have thia moment received your Lordship's letter in reply to mine of Friday last, three days since. "I have not impugned your Lordship's veracity. I quoted Major Burton's letter which was published in the Tunes. See page 30 of my pamphlet.

"I have not questioned your Lordship's' personal courage, although I have ques- tioned your capability as the general commanding the cavalry. See page 64. "You call upon me to withdraw my pamphlet ; which I decline doing. "1 have the honour to be, my Lord, your obedient servant, A. Bacox."

"The Rejoinder is, I find, published, and without giving the names of the authori- ties. It Is as trashy, as malicious, as malignant, and as truthless, as the original pamphlet Cest tout dire. L."