3iiiont1autung.

Lord Stanley was expected to attend an educational meeting at raken ham on Thursday. Instead.of his real presence, he appeared by letter; which Captain Townshend M.P. read to the meeting, as follows.

"St. James's Square, Oct. 31.

"My dear Sir—I write to express my deep regret and annoyance at the inconvenience which my absence may cause to you and your friends. The reason of that absence I. cannot at this moment fully explain; I will do so when permitted ; and in the mean time I must begyou to believe in my assurance that it is of a nature to leave me no option whatever as to coming or staying. I go down to Knowsley tonight. I telegraphed to you within half an hour of being made acquainted with the circumstances which.obanged my plans. This is all I can say at present.

" Believe me, very faithfully yours, STANLEY. "Sir W. Jones, Bart."

. Captain Townshend added, that he suspected there was some "state occasion" for Lord Stanley's absence. [It is understood that an e'er has been made to Lord Stanley ; and the momentous adumbrations of his letter are couched in language which implies that it is not in him to meet with rejection the proposals by which he is honoured : but whether the " heir of the house of Derby" will receive the paternal sanction remains to be seen.] The statement prevalent last week, that Major-General Codrington would succeed General Simpson in command of the British Army in the Crimea, is confirmed. Sir William Codrington is a son of Sir Edward

Codrington-" go it, Ned"-" the hero of Navarino." He was an officer of the Guards. He has seen no war service except in the Crimea. He is on the sunny side of fifty, and he joined the Army in the East as a volunteer. But when Lord De Boa came home, and Colonel Airey took his place as Quartermaster-General, Major-General Codrington was ap- pointed to command a brigade of the Light Division-the fighting brigade that stormed the battery at the Alma. In all the actions in the Crimea he has been distinguished ; and the only shade on his fame is the alleged mismanagement of the attack on the Redan. But that, it is said, has been satisfactorily explained. The Queen has bestowed the Grand Cross of the Bath upon Lord Pan- mure. Brigadier-General Williams, the defender of Kars, is to be made a Knight Commander.

The Peri of Westmoreland retires from the post of British Ambassador at Vienna ; and Sir Hamilton Seymour, the diplomatist to whom the late Emperor of Russia confided his plans with regard to Turkey, as described in the famous " Secret Correspondence" published in 1854, is named as his successor.

The United Service Magadne reminds us, that among the military wor- thies who have been recently rewarded, Sir John Burgoyne has been for- gotten ; yet Sir John has been engaged in nearly all the stirring opera- tions of British arms during the century,-fighting in Egypt, fighting at the capture of Malta, fighting in the Peninsula, under Sir John Moore as well as under Wellington, and only prevented from being at Waterloo because the Master-General of the Ordnance could not dispense with his services in England. In the Crimea, we have all heard how Sir John ori- ginated the famous flank march, and how he pointed out the Malakoff as the key of Sebastopol at the first inspection. Nor have his services in civil affairs been less eminent, Yet Sir John Burgoyne, the friend of Moore and Wellington, remains-a Lieutenant-General, because, " being an officer of Engineers," he cannot be promoted to the superior grade until there is a death vacancy.

A correspondent recalls the fact that a distinguished Englishman-Ge- neral Guyon-who has done good service in the present war, still remains at Constantinople without employment, and without any share of the honours so plenteously distributed. General Guyon's case is indeed a herd one. Although the resuscitation of the Turkish army in. Asia and tire fortification of Kars are in a great measure due to him, yet because Zarif Pasha's blunders in 1854 destroyed the Turkish army and led to the rout at Kurukdere, General Guyon has been suspended from all em- ployment. Had Guyon's plans been followed, it is probable that Be- butoff would have been defeated. But the Turkish intrigues threw the blame on Guyon, and there is reason to believe that the influence of Austria at Constantinople has contributed to keep him in obscurity. Now that other heroes of the Kars army are brought before the public, let us not forget this one who laid some of the foundations of their triumphs.

Two appeals are made this week te the public for aid: In one case, Mr. Walter Savage Lander points out the case of James the great-grand- son of Daniel Defoe, now seventy-seven years of age, and living " in great though uncomplaining poverty at Kensington," and asks for a public subscription to lessen the hardships of his life. The second appeal comes from Mr. Thomas Carlyle, Mr. Charles Dickens, and Me John Forster, in behalf of Miss Lowe, Dr. Johnson's goddaughter, and her sister, two aged ladies, the daughters of Mauritius Lowe, a painter and friend of Johnson. They are now living in poverty at Deptford. In May last, several literary men of note signed a memorial to Lord Palmerston, appa- rently from the pen of Mr. Carlyle, seeking a pension for them. The Premier said he could not grant the ladies a pension from the fund set apart for the encouragement of literature, but "from some other fund" he made them a donation of 1001. There is still wanting about 4001. to purchase an annuity of 30e, which will make up an income for these ladies ; and for this sum an appeal is now made to the public. Subscrip- tions will be received at Coutte's bank.

There has been much speculation respecting the wheat crop of 1855; and the want of accurate statistics on the subject is daily felt. Mr. . James Caird, a well-known authority, endeavours to supply the want in some degree, by furnishing the Times with an estimate, based on " un- usual opportunities of observation," as he had " traversed the entire is- land from the Solent to John O'Groaes." Mr. Laird thinks that as a much larger breadth of land has been sown with wheat, and as all the valuable wheat crops were secured in excellent order, the harvest on the whole is nearly an average produce per acre over much beyond an average surface. As an indication of the correctness of his conclusion, he quotes the quanti- ties of wheat delivered in the first week of October, in the English mar- kets, during the last three years : 95,494 quarters in 1853 ; 151,801 quarters in 1854; 155,921 quarters in 1855. But he thinks it would be prudent to assume that the yield of the last wheat crop is something below a average-

" We may take the deficiency at one-tenth, and then, with the foregoing data, we have the following results as the produce of 1855. Average wheat crop of the United Kingdom qrs. 13,600,00e To which add one-fourth for increased breadthsown in con- sequence of high prices, a favourable seed-time, and a liberal use of guano

16,875,000 Deduct one-tenth for defective yield of last crop 1,687,500 Total estimated wheat crop of 1855 15,187,500 Estimated annual consumption of the United Kingdom 18,000,000 Apparent deficiency to be supplied from abroad 2,812,500

-which is little more than one-half of the average annual importation of the last five years."

But inasmuch as the lateness of the harvest saved three weeks' con- sumption of the new crop, and as the high prices diminish consumption, he reckons that " there will remain little more than 1,000,000 quarters of wheat and flour for which we shall be dependent on foreign supply."

The quarterly return of Marriages, Births; and Deaths, just issued by the Registrar-General, presents some interesting points. The marriages in the quarter ending June 30th were fewer by 1935 than the number in the corresponding quarter of 1854; but that was above the average. The decrease is chiefly in the mining and numufactnring district& The

3,375,000

births in the quarter ending September 30th were 154,834; exceeding by 99 the births in the summer quarter of 1854. The increase of popula- tion, deducting 87,934 deaths, and 15,530 emigrants from England and. Wales, is 51,370. Emigration from the United Kingdom has fallen from 109,236 in the summer quarter of 1852 to 44,698 in the last quarter. The cost of provisions has increased ; corn rising from 518. 10d. in 1853 to 76s. ld. a quarter in 1855 ; beef, from eye in.1853 to 5-jd. a pound in 1855 ; mutton falling from 68. to 6d. a pound, and potatoes from 117s. 6d. to 748. a ton, in the same period. The fall in the price of potatoes, • the liberal administration of the Poor-law, and sanitary arrangements, are held to be the causes of the better state of the public health, and of the fact that the mortality is lower than it was in the summer of 1853. Great stress is laid by the Registrar-General on improved sanitary ar- rangements. " The decrease of the mortality in some districts is striking, and the Re- gistrars in their notes endeavour to account for this evident fact. Some re- fer the improved health of the people to the fine weather; others to active employment in the harvest; others to the removal of the population, either in search of employment, or by drafting into the Militia and into the ranks of the Army. In the mining district of Redruth, the Registrar conceives that the frugality and temperance' promoted by the high price of provisions has been salutary ; in other districts the benefits of improved health are connected with 'good wages and plentiful work' ; in many places the utility of sanitary measures is admitted. The Registrar of Pontesbury, who has registered no death for two months, 'can assign no cause.' One Registrar makes the fol- lowing statement-' The deaths are below the average. In the township of Workington, containing a _population of 6122, the deaths during the last nine years have averaged 42 quarterly ; this quarter they are 21. In the other nine townships, containing a population of 3412 there have been only 4 deaths. Some ascribe the decreased mortality to Providence ; others to improved sanitary arrangements.' Various causes in operation undoubtedly contributed to, this happy result-that if all the deaths of British soldiers in the Crimea during the last three months were added to the deaths in Eng- land, the slim would be less by some 20,000 than the deaths registered in England during the three summer-months of 1854. More lives may be saved by sanitary arrangements at home every year than have ever perished abroad in the years of our greatest losses in war; and the enlightened peo- ple of this kingdom will suffer no such embarrassment as the Registrar of Workington has recorded if this result be realized, as they know that all effectual measures for the improvement of the human race receive the bless- ing, because they are the inspirations of Divine Providence." Result of the. Registrar-General's return of mortality in the Metropolis for the week ending on Saturday last.

0(1845-'34.

of 1843.

Zymotie Diseases 278.9 ...r• 219 Dropsy, Cancer, and other diseases- of uncertain or vartableseat . 41.5 ...• 40 Tubercular Diseases 163-4 .... 187

Diseases of the Brain, Spinal siarrow,rterres, and Senses

IOC& ....

its

Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessela 37.6' .... 40

Diseases of the Lungs, and of the other Organs of Respiration

141.1 . • .. 122 Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs of Digestion 674 .... 47 Diseases of the Kidneys, doe. 13.7 .... 12

Childbirth,diacases or the Uterus, Bee

9.1

Rhenmatima, diseases of the Bolles, Joints, Se 6.7

Diseases of the Skin, Cellular Thane, Sc...

2.3

Malformations 3.4

Premature Birth 23.8

Atrophy. ..... ..... -.. 24.3

Age ..... 38.3

Sudden 7.3

Violence, Privation, Cold, and Intempelialow•-•••• • • 25.7 .... 30 Total (including unspecified eatikes)' • .... 980.8

scat

Lord Brougham has gone to Cannes, with. the intention of staying- there till the meeting of Parliament. The French Ambassador and the Countess De Persigny have been-gueota of Lord Palmerston, at Broadlands.

The Marquis of Lansdowne is on a visit to Paris.

The widow of Louis Philippe, the Duke and Duchess Nemours, and the Duke and Duchess Montpensier, are staying at Genoa.

Madame Goidsolimidt-the Swedish Nightingale-is announced as in- tending to visit London to give a concert in aid of the Nightingale Fund.

A Belgian newspaper gives currency to two pieces of amusing but ques- tionable gossip. The young Duchess of Brabant is fond of horses, and all that pertains thereto. It is told of her, that when she visited the Hotel de Chimay at Paris, she bestowed particular attention on the stables ; and that, seeing the coachman much embarrassed in harnessing the horses to a car- riage she Ness about to use, the young lady " came forward with her usual alertness, and in her lace dress, and with her delicately gloved hands, as- sisted him, and got through the work with great. adroitness." The other story is, that she introduced a German game at cards, called Schwarz Peter, in the private circle at St. Cloud ; the losers at which have a black mark made on their faces with charcoal.

The Secretary of the Post-office announces, that, in future, the additional penny chargeable on newspapers sent to Canada, vie the United States, will be collected in Canada. The charge on this side is still one penny. All newspapers, unless especially directed vie Halifax, will be sent via the United States. Letter-postage to Canada via the United States is 8d. when conveyed by British packet, 18. 2d. when conveyed by United States packet ; heavier letters being charged in proportion, according to the scale of weight applicable to inland letters. Hereafter, unpaid letters will be sent by the cheaper route, unless specially addressed "By United States Packet." Pre- paid letters will be forwarded by the route indicated by the postage paid thereon. At present the British. and United States packets leave Liverpool alternately on the Saturday.

The rise in prices, and the augmentation of taxes, resulting from the war, affect disagreeably even the wealthy and well-born classes. Lady Fitz- Flunkey finds it advisable to reduce her weekly allowance of canary bird's marrow pomatum, from three bottles to two. She wears one muslin dress less than usual during the season, and deducts a dozen buttons or so from her page's livery. Her respected spouse, Sir Theodore Fitz-Flunkey, re- frains from purchasing a fourth hunter, and, settling his collar in front of a full-length mirror, mildly expatiates to his domestic circle on the severity of the sacrifice he is compelled to make on behalf of his country's honour. The Honourable Jemima Bodikin (the Worcestershire branch of the Bodi- kins) feels the pinch of the times, and, with moistened eyes commutes her lap-dog's morning meal from gravy soup to mutton broth. Thompson John- son-who made the large fortune you may have read of in the jujube trade- Thompson Johnson meets his son and heir on his return from Magdalen Col- lege with unwonted severity of mien, scowls at his waistcoats of gigantic plaid, coughs with feigned nausea when the word " cigar " is mentioned, and broadly intimates that Thompson Johnson junior must forthwith economize his resources and spare the paternal pockets. Mr. and Lady Sybilla Barnacles and the little Barnacles, instead of their contemplated trip

Ten Week* 'Week

to Paris, fall back upon the more sober enjoyments of the neighbouring watering-plate of Wigwam-super-Mad. Lord and Lady Orchis find it con- venient to postpone• the erection of their intended conservatory in the early English style of architecture, for a year or two longer. Lower down in the social scale, the inconvenience of high prices and heavy taxes begins to be more sharply felt How is it with the widespread social wilderness of the multitudinous poor, stretching obscurely in all directions, and out of which the classes which live at ease emerge like scattered islands in a wide and desolate sea ? How is it with the working poor ? The answer is short and painful : they are suffering severely. Little margin have they for re- trenchment or economy ! — Tracts for the Present Crisis, No. 32.

The hurricane and heavy rain of the night of the 25th October inflicted some serious imam by land and sea. There were destructive floods in South Wales, in Durham and Yorkshire. Many wrecks occurred on the coast from Dungeness to the mouth of the Tees ; and several crews were drowned. The work' at Dover harbour suffered from the violence of the sea. The gun-boat Iliad was driven ashore on the Norfolk coast, on Tuesday. All the officers and men were landed in safety, and it is thought that the vessel itself may be got afloat again.

A bronze medal has been struck at Hobart Town to commemorate the ces- sation of transportation to the colony of " Tasmania "—no longer Van Die- men's Land—in the year 1853. One hundred medals only have been made ; and it would seem that they are to be presented to those persons who were most active in removing the convict curse from the island.

Beware how you take an application for a passport to the Foreign Office if it be watered and not sealed ! A gentleman who required a passport for a lady in great haste the other day took a recommendation from a banker ; it was watered ; a young gentleman " with incipient 'mustachios " declined to receive it, as it was only watered ; and the applicant had to hurry to and from the City in order to present the sealed letter before the Foreign Office dosed.

The emigration from Liverpool during the month of October exhibits a remarkable falling-off compared with that of the same time last year—not half the number of emigrants have left the port. According to the Opinionc of Turin, the post-office authorities at Milan have been much annoyed by receiving letters for merchants addressed "Mi- lan, Sardinian States." Whether the writers erred from ignorance or in- dulged in a bitter jest, of course can only be conjectured. About ninety bakers have left England for the East, to supply bread to the army and the hospitals.

"An Old Indian" complains in the Times of the inefficient arrangements for the transit of India passengers across Egypt—the provisions are deficient, of bad quality, and badly cooked. Mr. Brunel has been inspecting Mr. John Laird's yard at Birkenhead, with view to the formation of a " gridiron " there on which the leviathan steamer now building at Blackwell could be placed for repairs when necessary.

A atearine-candle manufactory has been opened at Richmond, a suburb of Melbourne. Hitherto the Victorians have sent their tallow to England, and received a portion of it back in the form of the superior kinds of candles: can they make those candles cheaper for themselves ? The last advices from America fully confirm former reports that there will he immense supplies of grain and flour for the European markets.

Many of our readers will remember a " Prince Leo of Armenia," who offered his services to the Queen when war looked imminent, and who subse- 'quently was defendant in a criminal action for damages, brought by a gen- tleman whose wife had yielded to the blandishments of the Prince. It now turns out that " Prince Leo of Armenia" is none other than the son of a shipowner of Semarang: After playing many swindling pranks in Germany —getting into good society, and frequenting the legations—he has been con- signed by the Berlin Police, in his proper character of Joseph Johannis, to the House of Correction.

Two fugitive slaves, almost starved, having subsisted for a time on fruits only, hailed a train on the Madison and Indianapolis Railroad ; John Mau- court, the conductor, took them up, carried them to Vernon, and remitted them to slavery. For this act—a free man in a free State voluntarily restoring poor fugitives to bondage—he was rewarded by the railroad com- pany with dismissal. The Magistrates of West Bromwich have decided that an assembly of Mor- mons are not entitled to the especial protection of a law respecting religious meetings as "'Protestant Dissenters.' It may be recollected that a criminal court in London gave a contradictory decision two or three years back.

CRYSTAL Pamece,—Return of admissions for six days ending Friday November 2, 1855, including season-ticket-holders, 9523.