Um.

MONDAY, NOVEKRER 18TH.

A HORRIBLE murder was committed at No. 10, Drury-court, Strand, on Friday morning. Richard Reeves, aged 19, the son of a basket- maker, deliberately strangled his half-sister, a girl of 11, because she did not immediately bring him a 'key which he asked for. A few hours after the commission of the crime, his father and stepmother became uneasy at the absence of the child, and commenced a search for her. They were told by two boys that their son had just told them "it was no use looking for Polly ; I strangled her this morning in the coal-cellar." On their return home the parents found that it was but too true. murderer was shortly after- wards arrested in Carey-street, Lincoln's Inn-fields, and admitted his crime with great coolness.

— The Bishop of Durham (Dr. Baring) consecrated a memorial church recently erected at Newcastle by the family of the late Mr. Boyd, banker. The Bishop afterwards lunched at the Queen's Head Hotel in company with a considerable number of the leading inhabi- tants of the town. As it was his Lordship's first public appearance in his diocese, he spoke at some length in reply to the toast of his health. After some remarks on the spiritual destitution of New- castle, which it appeared from a report of a committee of the House of Lords was greater than in any town in England, he spoke in hopeful terms of the good which woulebe effected by the extension of the influence of the Church of England.

"They must not judge of that Church from its effect in one year or ten years, but they would be able beyond that time, if they watched the progress of it, to trace gradually the influence of the Church of gagiand upon the mass who had been hitherto alienated from it, and while the very fact of the existence of that Church in that locality would be immense, and in a measure would have a moral effect on many who did not come within its reach at first, it would be after many years that its real blessing could be measured. They did not build a Church to lest for two or three years, or ten years, but that Church was built for ages. (Applause.) And it would be in future generations, as well as, he trusted much, in the present generation, that the real blessing of that Church would be seen. He was not a sanguine man, but ho was very hopeful for the prospects of the Church of England, because he saw what great efforts were being made in the present day in her behalf, that the lay members of the Church no longer left it to the clergy to do all, but were going heart and soul with the clergy, and were, he believed, gaining more and more influence in the country. (Applause.) At the same time, while he believed that, it was impossible to conceal from them- select that there was a very great peril, unless the Church did take the place she professed to take as the teacher of the poor, more especially throughout the country. If sire neglected that duty much longer, she would be so weakened, just because she was unable to produce evidence that she was the Church of the nation, that they could hardly expect but that she would be stripped of that which at present belonged to her with respect to temporal things, and lie was thoroughly satisfied that if stripped, while he believed she would still exist as an Apostolic Church, her means for good would lie materially crippled, and every true-hearted member of the Church of England in the present day was beginning more and more to feel that probably on the efforts of a few years depended the existence of that Church as an Established Church, connected as it WAS with the Crown, and possessed as it was of means of doing so much lasting good. (Applause-)" — The terrific gale on the eastern coast, which commenced on Wednesday, continued to rage up to Friday morning. At Yarmouth upward of 200 fishing-vessels left the harbour on Tuesday, and the only tidings of them is that they foundered on the Holm Sand. At Shields, the list of disasters is a long one. The three life-boats of the port were fully employed throughout Thursday night, and were the means of saving the lives of numbers. At Harwich, also, several serious casualties have occurred. At noon on Friday, the gale ap- peared to be moderating all along the coast. — A man of the name of Benskimol, a native of Gibraltar, brought an action in the Bail Court, on Saturday, against Mrs. Gallagher, the late owner of the celebrated Talking Fish, for 611., being the amount of wages which lie claimed for his services in taking care of the animal for upwards of a year. The plaintiff stated that lie came to England in 1858, with one Cavanneli, the proprietor of the fish. It was first exhibited in Liverpool, and while there was bought for 3001. by Charles Pollard, the alleged agent of the defendant. Pollard also agreed with the plaintiff- to engage him to " attend upon" the fish at a salary of 11. a week, clothes and board and lodging. He had the " education and management" of the fish, wrapped it in blankets at night, and slept with it. Pollard, who was examined for the defence, however, said he had never engaged to give the plaintiff 11. a week, but only board and lodging, and the gratuities given him by visitors. It came out in cross-examination that he had been tried fourteen years ago for stealing 2000/. worth of bills from the present Emperor of the French, but was honourably acquitted. Ile lived with Mrs. Gal- lagher as man and wife, but did not know anything of her private business. He lived by racing commissions, and did time best he could " like other gentlemen." Mrs. Gallagher was also called. She cor- roborated the evidence given by Pollard, and said she had acted very liberally to Benskimol, in maintaining him after the fish died until he got another situation, which was not for four months. After a long consultation the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff, with 45/. damages. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19TH.

— Sir Robert Peel is still the subject of torrents of abuse from Archbishop Cullen and the Ultramontane press. On Saturday, he visited Belfast, and received an address of welcome from•the Corpora- tion. He spoke at great length in reply, and thus referred to the attacks which had been made upon him :

" Now, gentlemen, when I came to this country, I was led to suppose that her Majesty's Government, however keptdar in England arid in the House of Com- mons, was unpopular with a section in this country because it refused to involve the people of this country in a European war, in defence, or rather by the advo- cacy, of that subjugation under which Italians have groaned during many years.

Sir Robert then gave an account of his tour through various districts of Ireland. He had travelled over a vast range of country with a view to ascertaining whether the reports of an approaching famine which had been so industriously circulated were founded on truth or not. The impression on his mind was that, while there was cer- tainly a comparative failure of the potato crop, there was no proba- bility whatever of any serious scarcity of food. " It was very easy to understand the interested motives of some who were anxious to gain public applause by a feigned zeal for the public in spreading abroad these exaggerated rumours." Sir Robert concluded by drawing a contrast between the comparatively insignificant appear. ance of the town of Galway, which depended on a Government grant for becoming the great centre of communication with America, and the stirring mercantile communities of Sligo, Derry, and Belfast, which had risen solely through their own unaided exertions. — The Right Honourable R. C. N. Hamilton, formerly M.P. for the county of Lincoln, presided at the twenty-third meeting of the Oxford Agricultural Society on Friday last. Mr. Banks Stanhope, one of the present members for the county, was also present. In proposing the Army and Navy, the president took the opportunity of comparing the peaceful and happy condition of this country with the distracted state of America, with reference to which he observed :

"When that unfortunate civil commotion commenced, he felt, like many other people, that it would give rise to a great deal of bloodshed and a great deal of anarchy in that country. But, like many other persons, he never entertained any strong sentimental feeling for the prosperity of that model republic in the United States. Those gentlemen who had been in the habit of talking a great deal about their power of carrying their arms into other nations, if it should be necessary to do so, had certainly as yet in everything that had taken place proved that they considered discretion the better part of valour. (Hear, hear.) At the very earliest period they bad executed what Lord Palmerston had pleasantly described as a rapid movement at Bull's Run (laughter), and had completely verified the old adage: "He that fights and runs away, May live to tight another day."

He thought, however, that some good would come out of this de- plorable state of affairs. Englishmen would be taught to place the highest value on their own institutions, and that they possessed a a greater amount of national liberty than fell to the lot of any re- public in the world.

On the cotton question, Mr. Hamilton expressed himself as follows :

" From the pressure of the manufacturing districts we have been induced, unfortunately, to neglect our colonies, in order that the manufacturer might obtain his cotton perhaps a quarter of a farthing per pound cheaper. (Hear, hear.) We now found that it was only from those colonies that we could derive that staple article which employed such a large portion of our population, and he hoped the public at large would be convinced that when we have the means in our own possession of providing that supply which will enrich the manufac- turer and clothe the people, we ought to be induced to rely more upon our own resources and the resources of our colonies, instead of trusting to toe resources of foreign countries. (Cheers.) These opinions might not be exactly in unison with what were called the principles of tree trade, but he was glad to find that many of our journals possessing the largest circulation were gradually coming round to this view—that we had made a ghat mistake in not relying upon our Well, I am happy to find, gentlemen, that men of independent character, of all dames and creeds in this country, unite in affirming and approving the policy of her Majesty's Government ; and I must say that I am glad to find that this is the case, because, depend upon it, no Government in the United Kingdom could hope to remain four-and-twenty hours in power if it ventured to have followed any other policy; and no coquetting with the Ultramontane section would be able (applause)—no coquetting, I say. with the Ultramontane section would be able to ward off the indignation and the censure of Parliament. (Cheers.) Now, as regards myself, from the experience I have had, if anything were wanting to induce me to sympathize with Italy—if anything were wanting to cause me to applaud the policy of the Government in this respect, it is the very melancholy and unhappy practice which I have seen ever existing in this country, of mixing up purely secular subjects with ecclesiastical censure. (Hear, hear.) Now, this mixing up of purely secular subjects with ecclesiastical censure is very ob- jectionable, and I must say, for my part, that I highly disapprove the principle of fulminating ecclesiastical denunciations against the political acts of public men who may chance to differ from the authors of denunciations on the grounds of religious observance. (Cieers.) Now, gentlemen, just figure to yourselves his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury exhuming from the sepulchre of our Par- liamentary debates extracts from Hansard, and incorporating them in a circular to the clergy of his province, denouncing, with the most severe ecclesiastical censure, political views upon the extension of the franchise, or upon Irish tram- ways. Or go further :—suppose the Archbishop of Canterbury holding up to popular indignation a Roman Catholic who goes for purposes of charity into the outlying districts of Stepney and Spitalfields for the purpose of doing good. Why, such conduct as that would only raise a smile of pity in England, and would tend, unquestionably, to lower the character of that sacred office which he so worthily fills. But I am sorry to say that it is precisely that I complain of in this country. I know, fortunately, that it only exists on one or two occasions, and I know this, that it meets with the condemnation of every man, no matter what his creed or class—that it meets with general condemnation. (Cheers. Why, his Grace the Archbishop Legate of this country, not following the example which was set by his honoured predecessor, Dr. Murray, has thought proper to collate extracts from Hansard upou various subjects—Spain (cheers), Italy, and I know not what—and with Jesuitical ingenuity to endeavour to construe them into an accusation against myself, as a charge against the Irish people. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, I am not sure that the Archbishop is quite right in the course which be is now following in placarding me in a pastoral of most unjust insinuations, to whom do you thick? The clergy of the diocese of Dublin. Well, now, I do pity the man—I may say that my heart bleeds for the man, who would lay any weight on such insinuations as these. (Hear, hear.) For myself, thank God, I am made of sterner stuff (great applause) than to suppose that my countrymen for one moment would believe or place faith in acts or language which savour rather of monkish superstitions of the Middle Ages than the bold features of re- ligious toleration. (Tremendous applause.) I know not, gentlemen, how far the ecclesiastical discipline and doctrine of the Church of Rome may approve such conduct, but this I do know, and I echo the sentiments of every man in the room—this I do know, that such blasphemous denunciations of public menet the sacred altar of the Most High, the ultimate Judge of all men, are incompatible with the sacred precepts of the Gospel, and receive as they deserve, the universal condemnation of every man of a liberal and enlightened mind. For my part, I forgive from the bottom of my heart the course of the Legate, and I accept by anticipation the apology which his calmer moments must suggest for the uncivil and unjust denunciations with which he has thought proper to visit me." colonies in time of war to keep our manufactures in full operation. (Hear, hear.) If these colonies had been encouraged to the same extent that slave_ grown cotton had been encouraged in the United States, we could have depended on them for the supply of that eommodlty which is necessary for the employment of our population. (Hear, hear.) It was a most absurd thing for people to go and denounce slavery in Exeter-hall when they were at the same time encou- raging the produce of slave labour. (Hear, hear.) He repeated, it was a most absurd thing for a man to go to Exeter-hall and'cleuoauce slavery and slave labour wherever it might be, and immediately afterwards jump into an express train and go to Manchester or elsewhere' and set his mill running eighteen hours a day for the purpose of working up that very produce which he had obtained by means of slave labour. (Hear.)"

Later in the evening, the toast of the County Members was pro. posed ; Mr. Banks Stanhope returned thanks on behalf of himself and his colleague, Sir M. Cholmeley. With reference to America, he said he quite agreed with the remarks of the President on the subject :

" He had no great sympathy with the Americans. (Hear.) He deeply regretted the fact of 18,000,000 of people being engaged in war, but we had never ex- perienced such kindness and generosity at their hands as to induce us to manifest any great sympathy for them. (Hear, hear.) It was of the most vital impor- tance that we should see clearly what democracy was when it was held up as an example for our imitation. We ought to look at its results, and be prepared to resist any of that pernicious undermining of our Constitution which might prove most disastrous. (Cheers.) He did not profess to be a great historian, but be did not know of anything in modern history co extraordinary as the Southern States departing from the Northern. And what was it all about? Certainly not on the account of the slavery question, for there was no intention on the part of the Northern States toast the negro free. The proceedings of the Northern States were precisely what we blamed in Russia and Austria. Nowhere were persons more completely coerced than in thelNorthern States, and when news- paper editors dared to express an opinion in favour of secession they ran the risk of being tarred and feathered ; and when our own Government remonstrated against the treatment which had been experienced by a British subject, all the redress was an impertinent reply from the American authorities. (Hear, hear.) He would ask, was there anything worse on the part of any absolute Government that those acts which were now committed by the freest nation in the world? (Hear, hear.) When democracy was fairly put to the trial it broke down alto- gether, and was transformed into an absolute Government and a military nation. This had been clearly manifested in a neighbouring nation, where a President had been elected by universal surffrage. (Hear, hear.)" — A Reform Conference on a large scale was opened at Leeds on Monday. Delegates from different parts of the kingdom to the number of 120 were present, chiefly, however, from the large towns of Yorkshire and Lancashire. Amongst them were Mr. S. Baines, M.P., Mr. W. E. Forster, M.P., and Mr. Barnes, M.P. Mr. Finnin (a journeyman compositor), the President of the Leeds Working Men's Parliamentary Reform Association, opened the proceedings by reading letters of apology for non-attendance from numerous members of both Houses, including Earl Russell, Earl de Grey, Mr. Bright, Mr. Cobden, &c. &e. Mr. George Wilson took the chair, and spoke at some length on the objects of the conference. He stated numerous facts to show the immense disproportion between the representatives of the combined wealth and population of Lan- cashire and Yorkshire and that of the small boroughs. Thetford, for instance, with a population of 7000 and a constituency of 216, re- turned two members ; and Leeds, with 200,000 inhabitants and 7000 voters, was only represented by the same number. He disclaimed, on the part of the association, any wish to attack either the throne or the House of Lords, but lie thought the time was come for the introduction of an irresistible movement, an equitable readjustment of the representation, and a widening of the franchise. The object of the association was to combine all Reformers " on the same track, or on parallel lines as far as they could." Similar associations had failed on account of intolerance in this respect. Those who were only prepared to go to a certain point, would not work with those who were willing to go further. C4-operation alone was required at the present moment. After Mr. Wilson's speech a long discussion took place, in the course of which numerous delegates addressed the conference. Mr. Baines, M.P., said he thought the day for a great and comprehensive measure of Reform had passed away, but Reform was still to be had bit by bit. Mr. Barnes, M.P., said he feared the present House of Commons were not so liberal as the last, and instanced the church-rate question as testing the illiberal feeling of, the present House. He was in favour of a 61. franchise both in counties and boroughs, but saw no inconsistency in introducing such a bill, together with petitions in favour of household suffrage. Ul- timately, a business committee were appointed, with instructions to bring in a definite proposition on the subject of Reform.

— Mr. Bright has written a letter on Reform to the Secretary of the Glasgow Council of United Trades, a body which has just de- cided upon the organization of a Reform movement. After express- ing his approval of the course taken by the Council, Mr. Bright says :

"At this moment there are at least six millions of men in the United King- dom who have no more political power, through any system of representation, than they would have if they were inhabitants of Russia or Austria ; they are more in number than all the men in the new Italian kingdom, and they are pur- posely excluded from every political franchise in a country which professes a great anxiety for the establishment of representative institutions m other lands."

He then proceeds to point out the short-comings of the Reform Bill of 1832, and the requirements of the present day, and after a severe animadversion on the false professions of too many "hustings Liberals," concludes thus :

"The position is this: The Queen has admitted your case. Statesmen the most eminent of every party have admitted it. The existing constituencies have admitted it. The House of Commons has admitted it, for it read a second time, without a division, the bill of 1860. What, then, is wanting to your a ccess, so far as that measure grants your claim ? Nothing is wanting but our own n.

esident in earnest resolution, manitested daring a few months of political discuss' " I speak to the great nnenfranchised class, and especially to those

towns and villages. You have an organization, more or less complete, almost everywhere. Cannot this organization, for a single year, be made an instrument for your political deliverance? Is good or bad government of no consequence to the millions who toil? Is representation good in every country but in this? I know how opinion has grown, and that accident and combination only are want- ing to make it an omnipotent force on this question. Accident rarely fails a 000d cause, and combination is a weapon that may become invincible in your Bands. Your correspondence with the unenfranchised throughout the country will show you how ready your countrymen are to help you. "I would advise you to call upon them in every town and in every trade. They will see that the hour is come. And, while you manfully assert your right to free citizenship in your own country, there will not be wanting those in classes not now excluded to take you by the hand in a real fellowship, and to work cordially with you to throw down a barrier which is as personally insulting to yourselves as it is injurious to the country."

WEDNESDAY, NOTEXBER 20TH.

— Another military crime is reported in the Times of Wednesday. private Chadwick, of the 9th Regiment, stationed at Corfu, was sentenced, on the 26th of October, to six days' confinement for in- subordinate conduct to Corporal Donallan. After the award, Chad-

wick went into the corporal's barrack-room, and, without a word, shot him in the side. After lingering in great agony for two days, Donallan expired. Prompt justice was, however, dealt out to his murderer. On the 30th a court-martial was held, Chadwick was sentenced to be hanged, and the sentence was carried into effect on the 8th.

— The Reform Conference at Leeds sat again on Tuesday, Mr.

Barnes, M.P., in the chair. The business committee, appointed on the previous day, brought up a series of resolutions for consideration, the principal recommendations of which were that Reform Asso- ciations on a broad basis should be organized throughout the kingdom, and that a meeting of delegates should be held in London to decide upon a . measure to be presented to the House of Commons. The last resolution expressed deep regret Government should have ap- parently abandoned the Reform question, and gave it as the opinion of the Conference that unless the Cabinet introduced a bill on the subject immediately on the opening of Parliament, they would forfeit the confidence of the country. The resolutions were then put seriatim to the meeting, and were all carried unanimously, an amendment in favour of manhood suffrage having been withdrawn in accordance

with the urgent request of many delegates. The business of the Conference was then declared to be at an end.

— For several months past a Commission of clergymen and laymen,

appointed by the Bishop of London, the Court of Common Council, and the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's, has been deliberating on the question of the union of City benefices. On Tuesday a final meeting was held, the Lord Mayor presiding, and a definite scheme was adopted. The Commissioners report on 17 proposed unions of City benefices. Three they reject, for the present at least, as inexpedient, and adopt 14. In each case the church of the two united benefices will be pulled down ; all the human remains found under the church carefully deposited under a suitable tomb ; the pulpit, organ, altar, &c., transferred to the new church which is sub- stituted for the one taken down ; the materials and site are then to be sold, and out of the produce of such sales, supplemented by glebe property and other assistance, a new church is to be erected, and a benefice created in some district of the metropolis where more urgently needed. The 14 churches to be pulled down are every one at present all but useless. The population of the City is, and has been for years, steadily decreasing, and the average attendance is, in many cases, not more than 10, or even 5. In the last 10 years the population of the 98 parishes in the City of London Union has decreased from 55,000 to 45,500, or at the rate of nearly 20 per cent. The 14 new benefices will be created chiefly in the densely. populated and spiritually destitute districts in the eastern portion of the metropolis. St. George's in the East, for example, with a popu- lation of 27,000, will be relieved by the creation of two new benefices within its limits ; St. Mary, Haggerston (26,627), St. Mark, White- chapel (15,790), St. Leonard, Shoreditch (22,111), St. Jolt' the Baptist, Houton (21,370), and several other crowded districts, will each be divided into two, or even three, benefices. In order to carry the above recommendations into effect, it will be necessary for the Bishop to cause each separate proposal for the union of the benefices to be laid before the patron and vestries of such parishes, the vestries having the power of exercising a veto, or of proposing modifications. A sufficient sans to compensate (if necessary) the patrons for the substitution of new benefices for those now in their gift must also be raised.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21ST.

— The concluding " demonstration" of the Leeds Reform Con-

ference was held in the Victoria Hall, onWeduesday. The attendance was good, nearly 2000 people being present. Mr. E. Baines, M.P., took the chair, and addressed the meeting. He adduced a long series of statistics and calculations in order to arrive at an estimate of the property and statistics in the country possessed by the working classes, who were at present excluded from the franchise :

"They had 4,000,000 working men in England and Wales, and taking them

and their families together, he thought they might fairly take their average earnings at 11. per week,which would give no less than 208,000,000L per annum. (Cheers.) Had they any other property? Yes. They had furniture and clothing, and ornaments, and he thought they could not value these things at less than 101. per household, which, if multiplied by these four millions, would give forty millions of property thus belonging to the working classes. (Cheers.) That was not all. In the savings banks of the United Kingdom they had forty millions sterling, of which thirty-six millions belonged to the people of England and in a great measure to the working classes. (Hear, hear.) But that was not all. He had told them that they had three million members of provident and friendly societies in the country, having an accumulated capital of twelve millions, and paying annually five millions. There were, in addition, 100,000 members of benefi. building and land societies, some of the largest of which they had in Leeds, and hd was informed by Mr. Taylor, of Birmingham, that they had a capital of six millions sterling, and were paying yearly 1,270,0001. They had also a number of co- operative trading societies (cheers), societies admirably conducted by the work- ing clasq.s, and having an estimated capital of one million sterling. (Hear, hear.) Then there were a considerable number of working men who did not possess the franchise, but had made themselves owners of their own cottages, and he did not think they ought to put down the aggregate value of those cottages at less than six millions sterling. (Rear, hear.) There was one other fact. Of the en- franchised millions he had referred to, it was estimated that there were about 400,000 who were not working for others, but were obtaining a living either as small shopkeepers, handicraftsmen, or masters, and each of these men would have a stock of tools or materials, and certain debts representing the floating capital of his business, and it would be a very reasonable computation to esti- mate these various things at 101. per head. This, multiplied by 400,003, would give property to the value of four millions. (Hear, hear.) Now what was the con- clusion lie drew from these figures? In the first instance, they had the annual income of the working classes estimated at 208,000,0001. sterling, and if they added together the various items he had mentioned they would have a further sum of 105,000,0001., and all belonging to the working classes of this count' (Cheers.) But suppose it should be said,' This property is considerable, but it is not equal to the property of those belonging to the middle and upper classes.' Well, then, he said, ' If you calculate so nicely, I throw into the scale 4,000,000 heads, -4,000,000 hearts, 4,000,000 consciences, 4,000,000 families, 4,000,000 homes, and these, be the other scale as heavy as it may, will kick the beam. (Loud and prolonged cheering.)"

If the working men of England would only combine generally to demand their rights, they would certainly obtain them. Mr. W. E. Forster also addressed the meeting. He said that as Mr. Baines had brought before them the statistics of the whole country, he would call their attention to a few facts connected with Leeds and Bradford in their own neighbourhood :

"Since he had represented Bradford be had had a very careful inquiry made as to the number of working men who bad votes. The constituency numbered 3450, but of these there were only 802 in receipt of weekly wages, of whom 32 were factory overlookers, and, with the exception of one or two mechanics, included in the 69 artisans, there was not a single factory operative in Bradford who had a vote. (cries of ' Shane.') Leeds and Bradford would not be what they were if they bad not working men who were worthy of votes, and a representation of the people which deprived those working men almost entirely of votes was not a representation of the people, but a mockery and a sham. (Applause.) But how were they to get this Increase of the suffrage? The aristocracy would not give them that increase of the suffrage. The unddle.classea could not if they wished give it to them, and be did not know that they would even wish to give it to them. If they helped themselves, others would help them. (Hear, hear.)" The only way to obtain Reform was an active and untiring organiza- tion, bringing all sorts of legitimate action to bear on members. Such an organization could not be formed in a better manner than by the establishment of similar bodies to the Leeds Working Men's Reform Association all throughout the country. He deprecated the proposal of Mr. Bright to carry on an agitation for reform by means of the trades' unions, as he thought the objects of such unions should be to watch over the interests of trade, and, secondly, be- cause such a step would give some semblance of truth to the absurd objection that reform might lead to a difference between labour and capital. In conclusion, he repeated his conviction that if Working Men's Reform Associations were established and supported through- out the country, three years would not pass without that most im- portant class of the community, now excluded, being admitted to the franchise as their right.

Mr. Leatham, M.P., Mr. Barnes, M.P., and numerous other dele- gates also spoke to the same effect, and a vote of thanks to the chair- man brought the meeting to a conclusion.

— A highly important trial of a newly patented invention in screw machinery took place at Portsmouth on Wednesday. The Octavia, 51, originally designed as a sailing frigate by Sir W. Symonds, but converted in 1860 into a screw, made her official trial on the measured mile. The enginea, the principle of which has been patented by Mr. Sells, chief draughtsman to Messrs. Maudslay and Field, con- sist of three cylinders with surface condensers, the latter having eleven inches of pipe, and two air-pumps. The shaft is moved by three cranks instead of the usual two, thereby obtaining. a more equable motion : the cylinders are surrounded by " water jackets," and are thus completely encased' in steam. The cisterns, which are only two-thirds of the size of others of the same power of engines in other ships, are fitted with a greatly improved condensing apparatus. These improvements, will, It is now satisfactorily proved, effect a saving in the consumption of coal of not less than fifty per cent. The machinery worked throughout the trip in the most satisfactory manner, and the speed attained varied between 11 and 13.0 knots. — The fifteenth annual conference of the British Organization and the Evangelical Alliance was held in Freemasons' Hall on Wed- nesday, Sir Culling Eardley in the chair. The chairman opened the proceedings with a brief retrospect of the advances in religious free- dom and toleration throughout the world during the present year. With regard to Essays and Reviews, he expressed his admiration of what lie called the Bishop of Salisbury's gallantry on the subject : "He did not think, however, that any proceedings taken by ecclesiastical au- thority would accomplish the object which the members of that society desired. The public of England wanted that it should be shown, not only that the doc- trines of Dr. Rowland Williams were contrary to the Church of England, but that they sapped the foundations and laid the axe to the root of their common Christianity. If so, be knew no body better calculated to call out the Christian feeling of the country than the Evangelical Alliance, and it was intended to bring the subject forward, in order to give to the Alliance an opportunity of speaking out io reference to it. He hoped that a kind and respectful action taken with regard to these errors would have the effect of weakening error and strengthening God's truth. It was also felt that it was the duty of the Alliance to grapple with, not the question, but the spirit of dealing with the question of church rates. The fact was that people on both sides were much exasperated, and did not give each other sufficient credit for good motives." After a long discuision, the followiug resolution on the subject was carried unanimously : "That this conference, composed of and representing Christians of various evangelical communities, who are above all things desirous that evangelical truth should be preached from every pulpit in the empire and the world, cannot but express its deep regret that the names of influential clergymen should be attached to the volume entitled Essays and Reviews, that volume containing opinions which strike at the very foundation of Christian verity and all revealed religion, and this for the followingamong other reasons: first, because the influence of such volume cannot be confined to the Church to which the writers belong, but must affect all religions organizations, both at home and abroad ; secondly, because most of those who have contributed to it hold or have their position with its authority and emoluments in virtue of having entered into a solemn and public obligation to preach the faith of God, which large portions of that volume tend directly to destroy ; and, thirdly, because so marked an opposition between the teaching of the volume and the public subscription of most of the writers is cal- culated to excite suspicion as to the integrity of clerical subscription and minis- terial engagements in general, and thus do essential injury to the conscience of the nation, and lower the standard of truthfulness throughout the land."

— An influential deputation waited on Lord Palmerston on Wed- nesday, for the purpose of urging on his Lordship the necessity which existed for the construction of an embankment on the south side of the river, as well as the north. The deputation consisted of a large number of the leading inhabitants of Lambeth, Southwark, Camber- well, &c., &c., and included Mr. Williams, M.P., Mr. Roupell, M.P., Mr. Briscoe, M.P., Mr. Layard, M.P., Mr. Brady, M.P., and Mr. Doulton. A memorial was presented to his Lordship, setting forth the defective sanitary condition of the districts lying along the south side of the river, and the injury to property constantly inflicted by floods, and suggesting that, as a great proportion of the coal tax, with the proceeds of which the northern embankment was to be con- structed, was derived from the south side of the river, it was but fair that the inhabitants on the south side should be similarly bene- fited. In reply, Lord Palmerston said :

"That he thought that there was a great deal of reason and truth in the argu- ments which had been advanced, and as far as he was concerned he certainly would wish tosee both sides of the Thames properly embanked. He had beard officially a great deal about the misery and loss caused by the inundations of the Thames over the low-lying districts on Rs southern banks, and he certainly thought that if the north was embanked the south side ought to be so too. In fact, as far as the interests of the south side of the river went, it was, in his opinion, even more important that that should be protected, as it was more exposed to all the nuisances arising from the flooding of the Thames. He entirely agreed with them in their principle that it ought to be done ; the question as to the manner and extent of the protection afforded would have to be considered hereafter."

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22ND.

— The town of Southampton was thrown into a state of con- siderable excitement on Thursday by the appearance in the harbour of a Confederate war-steamer, the Nashville, having on board, in irons, the crew of the Harvey Birch, a Federal merchantman, which she had captured and burnt. On Tuesday morning, the Nashville fell in with the Harvey Birch, in ballast from Havre to New York, at the mouth of the Channel, ordered her to heave to, and to haul down his flag. This having been done, the captain of the Harvey Birch went on board the Nashville, and was told that his ship would be destroyed immediately, and that an hour and a half would be allowed for the crew to get their things ready and come on board the Nashville. The ship was then burnt, and the entire crew, who numbered twenty-nine, with the exception of the captain and mate, were put in irons, and kept as prisoners till the arrival of the Nash- ville at Southampton, where they were set at liberty with all their personal effects. The Nashville remains in the tidal basin, and the captain announces his intention of refitting, but it appears doubtful whether such a proceeding would not be in violation of the neutrality proclamation. She was only recently purchased for the Confederate navy, and at present carries only two rifled 12-pounders. It was asserted at first by the released prisoners that the captain of the Nashville possessed neither letters of marque nor a commission, but he has since produced the latter.

— The annual report of the Postmaster-General, just issued, contains numerous interesting details of the postal arrangements of the United Kingdom. Last year, no less than 564,000,000 letters, 71,000,000 newspapers, and 11,000,000 book packets, were delivered in the United Kingdom. 2,000,000 letters had to be returned to the writer in most instances from bad or insufficient addresses, 10,000 having actually been posted with no address at all. The carelessness of the public ni posting letters is also shown by the fact that no less than 50,000 postage-stamps were found loose in letter-boxes and mail- bags. 7,229,146 money orders were issued during the year, repre- senting a suns of 13,858,404/. ; an increase over the previous year of 260,038 orders and 607,4741. The gross income of the Post-office for the year was 3,524,7101., being an increase of 83,0751. on that of 1859. Deducting all expenditure, the net income was 1,102,4791. The staff of officers employed last year numbered 25,282 men, 3650 of whom were employed in the London district alone. The total number of post-offices was 14,000, against 4500 in 1839. In consequence of a widespread dissatisfaction among the letter- earriers and others at the rate of their wages, a committee was ap- pointed by the Postmaster-General to investigate the subject, and has resulted in a considerable increase in the scale of remuneration.

— Mr. Layard, M.P. for Southwark, addressed his constituents On Thursday. In the course of a long speech he expressed his re- $ret that no Reform Bill had been passed last session, but attributed at to the carelessness of the people themselves. If they only com- bined and resolutely demanded Reform, they would obtain it. After some remarks on the various measures passed during the Session, he alluded to the American war in the following terms :

" I think we err when we judge the American people by the fact that aboli- tion has not been proclaimed. fo proclaim abolnion at once would have been impossible. You could not at once release 4,000,000 slaves, and if you did, it might lead to domestic catastrophes too horrible to be contemplated. But what was the ground upon which the separation took place? It was the wish of the North to prohibit the introduction of slavery into what are called the Territories with the view of leading to its gradual extinction in the Southern States. That was the question upon which the great contest for the presidentship took place, upon which Mr. Lincoln was elected, and which has led to the present lamentable war. I am not here to discuss whether North or South be right. We have said we will not interfere. To Fay that because we have recognized the Southern States as belligerents, therefore we have recognized them as an independent State, is absurd. We could not help recognizing them as belligerents. How could we be prepared to treat 12,000,000 people as pirates? Even the North has found it impossible to do so, and has been obliged from the very nature of things, to do as we have done. (Hear, hear.) Let the Americans settle their own quarrels. All we can hope is, that when this terrible contest has an end, whatever that end may be, the liberty, happiness, and freedom of these magnificent States may not be impaired. (Hear, hear.) We know that the interruption of communications with the Southern States may. lead to deplorable results in this country. Thousands—nay, millions—of our people are anticipating great misery and distress; and yet, with all that suffering in prospect, not a single petition has been addressed to any member of the Government in favour of breaking the blockade, or doing an illegal act. (Cheer) I say, then, that the conduct both of the people of England and of the House of Commons has been noble conduct, and that the time will come when the wise and good men of America—and there are many such in the States—will acknow- ledge that in confining ourselves to expressions of sympathy we have adopted. the policy best calculated to assist them in their terrible struggle. (Sear, hear.)"

In conclusion, he referred to the reaction boasted of by the Tories :

" There may have been a reaction against certain extreme opinions, but that is not a Tory reaction. At the same time, it is not impossible that a Tory Go- verment may sometimes be a good thing for us. It may show us, for example, the great advantage of a Liberal Government. An alderman should eat mutton- broth once or twice a week, if for no other purpose than to increase his relish for turtle and punch. So let us have a little Torymutton now and then to enhance our appreciation of Liberal soup. (A laugh.) Some people may think that a little experience of that union of Church and State which has recently been so earnestly advocated by a distinguished defender of the faith might be useful in persuading us to continue our efforts for the freedom of reli- gion. (A laugh.) But I do not believe that a reactionary Government is pos- sible for any length of time. (Hear, hear.) The people are now on the road of progress. They will not suffer anything to check the wheel; they must go on; they must obtain a share in the administration of their own affairs. I believe they will soon Obtain it. The Government have been liberal in their foreign and in their colonial policy; it is not possible, when the proper time comes, that they will not pursue a liberal policy m domestic affairs. 'With that conviction I have accepted office, and in doing so I believe I have neither renounced my opinions, broken my pledges, nor neglected your interests."