The Aberystwyth Times Cardiganshire Chronicle and Merionethshire News

THE RUSSIAN COMMISSIONERS' VISIT TO WALSS. He&cters of the Times and other metropolitan papers of Mon- day were told that—"An interesting and important commis- •ioft, consisting of some of the most distinguished Russian engineers, accredited by the Emperor of all the Russias, tirived in London a few days since, charged with the wity of acquiring information as to the working of the Railway system in Great Britain. The deputation is 'accompanied by Count Bobrinsky, Conseiller d'Etat, Count Zamoyski, Count Arexander Berg, son of the General- issimo xsf the Russian Atinyand Viceroy of Poland, andM. liobett Vondesen, Conseiller de la Cour in the Engineer- ing Department of the Russian Empire. Introductions from the Railway Department of the Board of Trade en- abled the commission to seek the opportunity of inspecting ia its entirety the system of the London and North Western Railway, its mode of working, its great engineer- ing achieveme&ts, and its various industrial etitrep6ts. The Duke of Sutherland, who is an hereditary director of this railway., and whose devotion to the science of engineering in all its branches is well known, on learning the errand of the commissioners at once placed the re- sources of 'the company at their disposal, and personally, Volunteered to accompany the commission over the most interesting portions of the north-western territory, and especially of the new route just opened up by this coifc- puny via Shrewsbury into South Wales and the great coal and iroa districts of that principality. The commission, Attended by Mr Baker, engineer-m-chief of the London And orth-Western Railway, -and a large pafty of engineers, several of whom were understood to represent Varies European States, left Euston Station by 'the ten a.m. express on Thursday morning. The magnitude of the' commission will be wnderstood whsn it is explained that the party occupied saloon carriages, the Duke of Sutherland and two or three of iis co-directors accompany- 'ing them. T8ve first stoppage 'was made at Grewe, where the commission were receded by Mr Rafmsbotham, the locomotive superintendent of the railway-, by whom they were conducted over the extttisive shops of the company at this plaoo, includinjrtheir new steel works and their locomo- tive engine factory, &e. Frem Crewe thefparty proceeded to Shrewsbury, where they passed the Tiight, proceeding next <3ay to Poet Maaoc and Festiniog, through the beautiful scenerydfithe Valeof Towy Railway, returning to Brecon for the nigb't. One great object of the com- mission while hi South Wales will'be to examine into the worl-ing of the 2ft. (Jin. gauge mineral lines of railway, Whifch it is apposed will be adapted to large districts in the north of GEtirqpe. The commission are to proceed this week over the Western Galleys Railway to the Crumlin Vtaduet, and thence; over the new South Wales branch of the -London and North-Western Railway to Merthyr Tydfil ecnd Cardiff. Before returning to London the commission will visit Hereford, and thence via Chester, by the new bridge over the Mersey at Runcorn, to Liverpool, where among other great works they are to view the magnificent hotel now in process of erection by the viiilway- company at that port. The commission are expend to be absent a fortnight." Tiie foregoing is, perkaps, in the main, tolerably cor- rect, but UD some of its-details, it is, assuredly, faulty. Our readers, therefore, if they accept the imperial report u to the housing of the commissioners at Shrewsbury, "WjJl not-be far astray, but we invite them rather to trust to-& looal report for the after proceedings. The following isirom 'our own representative,' who joined the party at Welshpool on Friday morning In obedience to yom instructions and a courteous invi- ttationfrom official quarters I joined the party, whose 'roving commission led to an examination of the triumphs of-engineering in the Principality. The Royal train—for royaldt was, being composed of royal commissioners from foreign states, and conveyed in the royal saloons of the North-Western Company-arrived at Welshpool soon alter ten o'clook-on Friday morning, in charge eff Mr E. Wood -the district manager of the London and North- Westem Railway. At Welshpool, after a few minutes' 'delay, a Cambrian engine was attached to the train, which "Was then placed under the care of Mr Geo. Owen, C.E., 'Mr Elias, manager, and Mr Walker, locomotive super- intendent, of the Cambrian Railways. The morning was keen and the Montgomeryshire hills were covered with "■now; The train did not stop between Welshpool and Aberdovey, save for a few minutes at Machynlleth for Water; but at Aberdovey a halt was made for the pur- pose of giving any of the commissioners who chose an opportunity of taking an airing on the engine for the better observation of the engineering difficulties encoun- tered along the coast, and for the freer enjoyment of the rare scenery the county of Merioneth affords. The Duke of Sutherland and Count Bobrinsky availed themselves of the privilege, and were accompanied by Mr G. Owen; but the climate of Wales soon proved too severe for the Russian noble, who succumbed, and left the vantage ground of observation to the English Duke and the Welsh Engineer. Our Welsh mountains never looked to greater pefrection. 'We had left the snow behind us after we crossed over ■ the summit of Talerddig-the highest ground in Mont- gomeryshire—but the ringing frost remained, and the tops only of the distant mountains of Merionethshire were tipped with white. As Towyn was passed, CaderIdriø- On a throne of rocks, in a robe of clouds, With a diadem of snow, 'stood out with wonderful clearness.; .but the crowning beauty of the day's trip was the first view of the monarch of Welsh mountains, Snowdon, as seen from 'the Friog cutting between Llwyngwril and Barmouth. The whole mass was clad in white, over which the-sun shed a flood of light. I have seen Snowdon in spring, summer, autumn, and winter, but never saw it under -such a wonderfully attractive combination of circumstarnces before, and had We got nothing for our day's ride but "this one peep at Snowdon, one of the party, at least, would have been amply repaid. But our commission into Wales was not to inspect Scenery, but engineering; so as mudh haste as possible Was made to arrive at Portmadoc. Soon after one o'clock we reached that important outlet for the slate traffic of Merionethshire. The great object of visiting the Festiniog district on the part of the commissioners was to inspect the working of the 2ft. guage system of lines with a view to their adaptability as subsidiary lines abroad; and also to test the powers of Fairlie-'s patent 'double-bogie' engines, one of which, the 'Little Wonder' has for some time been running on the Festiniog railway. These engines are, in themselves, great curiosities. The largest driving wheels among them are but 2ft. 4in in diameter, while the prevailing size is 2ft. These wheels are worked, for the most part, by 8in., cylinders, the pistons having 12in. stroke, and, with 1601b. to ,2001b. steam in the little boilers, they can pull from forty to seventy empty slate trucks, weighing 13cwt. each, together with goods trucks and passenger carriages, up a strong incline at the rate of many miles an hour. Although the party reached Portmadoc before two o'clock a start for Festiniog over the little guage line' was Hot effected until 3.20, by the ordinary train, which had nothingspecial' about it, only the ordinary number of Carriages sand empty trucks'being conveyed. The time of the comiX'issioners was occupied in examining the -Little Wonder' lot the station, and some pieces of machinery pertaining to the line: notably one for bending rails. Over this. an animated discussion as to the virtue of double-healdttd rails took place between Captain Tyler, one -of the Government engineers—who held that they were only affected by his English brethren, not being used on the Continent—and Mr Spooner, C.E^ of the Festiniog Railway, Mr'George Owen, and other English.engineers who affirmed their superiority. The Duke of Sutherland manifested a thorough acquaintance with the subject by Bundry remarks he let drop during the course of the dis- cussion which remarks, by the way, lost none of their weight by falling from the lips of a duke! Several of the inhabitants of the neighbourhood had congregated -about the station to see the party off, and many were the 'Speculations as to who was who of the strangers. It was ,confidently affirmed that tiheDuke of Argyll was amongst the party—indeed his grace was pointed out to me but 'for all that he was rot present-; and the public were no less confident of the presence of Lord Richard Grosvenor And Lord Alfred Paget. The only excuse for this confi- -dence lies in the fact that the former of these lords did accompany the expedition as far as and the latter inspected the Festiniog line, in company with Mr Moon, of the North Western, a few months ago. The Welshmen "Were utofc behind their neighbours in wishing to do homage to a;real live duke, so his graee of Sutherland was an object.s £ great curiosity and some of the outsiders were evidently disappointed that he did not wear his coronet, but rather chose to be covered by a S 3im crow,' and that by no means a new one r • • And hew; let me interpolate a very fair joke made by one of the-directors of the Festiniog Railway. To'take it' your readers must bear in mind that it is a line special- ly cansfcmieted for slate traffic:—"That's his grace of Sutherland is it J" observed the director, "well, we carry I eounteams' and duchesses' every day, but we never carried a. '.fluke before that I know of!" At last the .start was made. The Little Wonder' was attached to half-a-dozen passenger carriages, followed by so many empty slate waggons that the whole measured *quite a quarter of a mile. The Festiniog line has been tnore than oncedescribed in the Oswestry Advertiser. It is one continued up-hill from Portmadoc to Diphwys, and :the curves are so sharp that there, more nearly than any- where else in the old country, can the American feat of a guard in the van in the rear of the train, lighting his pipe by the engine fire in the front, be accomplished Indeed at cne or two points it almost seemed as if, for once, Yankee fables were te become Welsh facts, so close did the two extremities near each other! In one place I noticed the train on four eurves at the same time, where it foimed a double S. The regulation speed over these curves is twelve miles an hour-we went sometimes at thirty, and Mr Spooner would go even faster if the Board of Trade would allow him There has never been any accident, save such as might have occurred on any railway, during the six years it has been working by steam locomotives, and from ordinary accidents it has been remarkably free. The traffic receipts of the little Festiniog line," we are told, realize frem P,30 to £40 per mile per week, and the whole cost, includin" a mile of breakwater in the Glaslyn estuary, haif-a-mile of tunneling, and an almost uninterrupted aeries AJf cutting in syenite rock, and breastwall embank- ments, or, rather rubble stone viaducts, together with stations, workshops, seven locomotives, and more than one tkoasand waggons and carriages, has been about £ 6,000- per mile. It is the pecuniary success of the Fe'stindog line, which pays about thirty per cent, upon its original capital of 236,000, which makes it doubly interest- ing. Upwards 6f P,50,,000 have been expended upon im- provements, and this, taken from revenue has since been capitalised, making a total capital account of, say 286,000, Upon which about 12| per cent, is BOW paid. But it is not alone the guage, nor the curves, nor the safe and profitable working of the line wh ch make it interesting to the engineer. Nor is it even the grand scenery which it com- flaands in the Maentwrog Vale, Festiniog is 700 feet hove Portmadoc, the elevation tyeing accomplished in Ie ss than twelve miles, giving an average grauktent of 1 in 92, and a maximum gradient of 1 in 80. Tfefe line is cut into and embanked upon the steep right hand slope of this valley, furrowed as is this slope vyktil the deep hollows of the mountain watercourses; an the cuttings, tunnels, and embankments are equally striking with the permanent way itself. The width between the nearly vertical sides of the cuttings is but about eight feet, allowing hardly room for driving a cab through them; the two tunnels-one of 60 yards, and the other 730 yards-are scarcely larger in cross-sectional area than the trains themselves; while the embankments, if we may give them that name-the engineer calls them breastwalls'—are almost invariably stone walls eight feet wide at the top, with a batter of 1 in 6 on each side. Some of these breastwalls are fifty feet or more in height, and are sharply curved." The scenery along the line is charming. The vale of Festiniog is famed even for Wales where there is so muth attraction, and on Friday the absence of foliage on the trees so enabled passengers to look down into the yawning gulfs ver which they passed, that a soupijon of danger helped to tickle the imagination. Tanybwlch (where beds had been ordered for the night) lookted so close 'below us, tlown in the depths, that it seemed as if a run -off the line &t that point would have landed the party at their quar- ters at a pace Mr Spooner and Mr Fairlie never dreamed of However, fortunately for the enlightenment of Russia and for the persons of Russians representatives, no such speedy transit was effected, and the party reached Diphwys in safety. Here we were landed ami&t a wilderness of slate, and net by any means at the 'Back of the North Wind Nobody wished to stay long in so sharp an atmosphere, and the downward jotttney was soon com- menced; at a rattling pace we reached Hafod-y-Llyn station, where the bulk of the party alighted en route for the Oakley Arms Hotel and dinner. In addition to the names I have already incidentally mentioned, the follw/ing gentlemen were of the party Sir William BakeTMembèr of the Council for Indiet), Count Zamoysky, 'Count Berg, Count Breitler, Professor Saloff, M. JulanS Danvers (Government Director of 'the Indian Railways), Mr J. L. Thornton (Under Secretary of State for Indial), Mons. Pihl'(Engineer to the Norwegian Governments Mr Robert Fairlie, Mr George Crawley, Mr Frederick Power, C.E., Mr E. S. Dallas (of the Times), Mr James Samuel, C.E., Mr Julian H. Tohnd, C.E., Mr A. S. Hammond, C.E., Mr Patchett (of the N«n>fch Western), MrSandberg, C.E., Mr Johnson, Mr Thompson, Mr A. S. Hobson (Secretary Railway Working Association), Mr Carghill (of the Engineer), Mr Preston, Mr Thomas Preston, &c. It was understood that the expedition, as 'far as the Festiniog line was concerned, arose from an invitation on the part of the 'Railway Working Association,' some of the engineers whose names I have mentioned being di- rectors of that company. The experiments with Fairlie's engine were conlanued on Saturday, and were highly satisfactory, and on Monday the Comniissioners pro- ceeded to Brecon, via Machynlleth and lllanidloes, on the Cambrian Railways. Your own 'Commissioner' did not accompany them, but the following was the official pro- gramme issued by the Mid-Wales and Brecon and Merthyr Companies, by Mr Broughton and Mr Henshaw, the respected managers of these lines :—" The train will be run specially from Llanidloes to Brecon, where the party n- will proceed to_ the Wellington Hotel, which has been en- gaged for their reception and accommodation. About three p.m. they will leave by a special train to Three Cocks, where Mr Fairlie's patent engine will be in wait- ing with a load, waggons of coal, &c. It will at once start for Builth, accompanied by the party, to enable them to witness its power over this portion of the line. They will then return by special train to Brecon. On Tuesday morning they will leave Brecon by special train, at 10'20 a.m., for Talyllyn, where Mr Fairlie's engine will be waiting with a load of waggons of iron ore, &c. It will start at once, accompanied by the party, to enable them to test its ability up the steep gradients of the Brecon and Merthyr line, from Talybont to Dowlais, ar- riving there about 12'30. The party will then visit the extensive works of the Dowlais Iron Company, to ex- amine the process of iron and steel manufacture there. They will leave Dowlais by special train at 2'15 p.m. by 'way of Cefn to Merthyr Tydfil, whence they will travel via Taff Vale Railway to Cardiff." The Fairlie's engine mentioned in this programme is one of the ordinary narrow (4ft. lOin.) gauge. Since I wrote the foregoing very unauthorized report for your columns, I see by the Pall Mall Gazette that the party was to leave Shrewsbury on Friday morning, and arrive at Brecon the same night via the Vale of Towy Railway, visiting Festiniog by the way! Why, they could not have performed the feat if they had been drawn by the Flying Island of Laputa or any other equally swift mode of conveyance! Fairlie's engine, even, could not have done within miles of the journey! But no doubt the report was written at Crewe before the terra incognita of Wales was invaded, so no wonder there was a hazy notion of geography in the mind of the writer.

CORN, t-c. LIVERPOOL CORN MARKET.—YESTERDAY. There was a full attendance. Wheat TWOPENCE PER CENTAL DEARER on the week. There was more doing in Flour, at last week's prices. Oats, Oatmeal, and Barley were in better request, at late prices. Beans 3d. per qr. in buyers' favour. Indian Corn moderate sale at an improvement of 3d. per qr. LONDON, MONDAY.-Last week's supplies were generally moderate. Exports 660 qrs. Wheat, 40 qrs. Oats. English Wheat returned 6,804 qrs., foreign 14,449 qrs. The severe frost having greatly impeded the navigation of the Thames, business was almost suspended, but where English Wheat was deliverable ONE SHILLING PER QR. ADVANCE was made. All foreign was firmly held, and the low descriptions of Russian brought rather more money in retail. Country Flour 21,151 sacks, foreign 867 sacks 7,881 barrels. This branch of business was firm, and rather more occasionally realised for Norfolk and other country sorts. Full prices were also demanded for all descriptions of foreign, both sacks and barrels. Town prices were without change. Maize 7,418 qrs. This grain brought fullyadvance on last Monday's rates. British Barley 3,227 qrs., foreign 9,861 qrs. Business was quiet at former rates for malting sorts, while grinding foreign was held for rather more. English Oats 1,107 qrs., Irish 1.470 qrs., foreign 24,658 qrs. Swedish -oats, where deliverable on boand ship, brought 6d. to Is. more money, and granary descriptions were about 6d. dearer. English Beans 805 qrs., foreign 20 qrs. This grain rather hardened from the severe weather. English Peas 586 qrs., foreign 408 qrs. White -boilers were held for some advance. CUBBENT PBIOES OF BRITISH OKAIK AND FLOCK IN MARK LANE. Shillings ip qr. Wheat, Essex and Kent (white), old 45 to 48 Ditto, ditto new 88 47 Wheat, Essex and Kent, (red) old 44 46 Ditto, ditto new sfl 43 Wheat, Norfolk, Lincoln, and Yorkshire (red) old ..45 47 Ditto, ditto ditto new 86 43 Barley 89 Beans gfi 42 Oats, English feed 18 19 Flour, per sack Of 2801b, Town, Households, 87s. to 43s. WARWICK, SATOKQAT.—There was a middling attendance at this market, and a nominal amount of business was transacted, at firmer rates. NOTTINGHAM, {UTUBDAY.—The corn 'exchange was mode- rately supplied with samples of wheat, the inquiry for which was steady, at prices about Is. per qr. higher. There was « quiet sale for barley, at high prices. In oats and beans there was not much doing, and prices were unaltered. LEICESTER, SATUBJDAY.—^This corn market was pretty well supplied with samples of wheat, the demand for which was by no means brisk, and last week's prices were fully supported, and in some slightly exceeded. Barley and oats in short supply, and quite as dear. Beans the turn in favour of the seller, and dull of sale. BRIDGNORTH, SATURDAY.—The following were the prices:- White wheat, 6s. Od. to 69. 2d. per bushel of 721b; red wheat from 5s. 8d. to 5s. lOd. per bushel of 721b. Malting barley, 5s. 8d to 5s 9d. per 88qts.; grinding barley, Us. lOd. to 15s. per lOse. Beans, 15s. lOd. to 16s. Od. per bag of lOsc. Oats, 18s. Od. to 15s. Od per bag of 8sc.; seed oats, from 15s. lOd. to 16s. per bag of 10sc. Indian corn, 18s. Od. to 13s. 6d. per sack of lOsc. Vetches, from 7s. 6d. to 8s. the imperial measure. SHREWSBURY, SATURDAY.—The following were the prices:— White wheat, 6s. 6d. to 6s. lOd. per 751b red, 6s. Od. to 6s. 6d.; oats, per sack of Use. 101b, 17s. Od. to 17s. 6d.; beans, per 12sc., 18s. Od. to 18s. 6d.; peas, per Use. 10lb" 18s. Od. to 19s. Od.; bar- ley, malting, per 88 quarts, 5s. 4d. to 5s. 7d.; grinding, per 13sc. 101b, 19s. to 20s.; malt, per imp. bushel, 8s. to 8s. 6d. There was a better tone than of late in the market, millers buying rather freely. WELSHPOOL, MONDAY.—Quotations:—Wheat (per BOlbs.) 6-t. 8d. to 69. 10d.; old ditto, Os. Od. to Os. Od. Barley (per 40 qts.), 4s. 9d. to 5s. 3d.; Oats, (per bag), 17s. to 20a. Od.; Eggs, 14 for Is.; Butter, Is. 4d. to Is. 6d. per lb.; Fowls, S. 61. to 4s. 61. per couple Ducks, 4s. Oil. to 5s. 0J. Potatoes, Ss. Od. to Sd. ad. per bushel. Geese, 5s. each.

CATTLE. NOTTINGHAM, SATURDAY.—There was only a moderate show of beef on offer, which changed hands at 6d. to 7d. per lb. Mutton a quiet sale, at improved rates-8d. to 9d. per lb. Pork in short supply, and very dear. Very little veal showing, and high prices were realised. PETERBOROUGH, SATURDAY.—Our market was but mode- rately supplied with beef, which moved off at prices varying from 6jd- to 7d. per lb. Dull trade for mutton, at 7Jd. to 8d. The supply of pork was not large, and prices were unaltered. METROPOLITAN, MONDAY.-The total imports of foreign stock into London last week amounted to 4,897 head. The cooler weather has imparted an Increased amount of firmness to the cattle trade, and although the business doing has not been extensive, there has been a decided tendency to higher rates. From our own grazing districts the receipts of oeasts have been about an average, but of varied quality. The demand has been steady, and choice breeds have commanded more money. The best Scots and crosses have sold at 5s. 2d. to 5s. 4d. per 81b. From Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and Cambridgeshire we received about 1,100 Scots and crosses; from other parts of England including Lincolnshire, 520 of various breeds; and from Ireland' about 100 oxen, &c. As regards Sheep the supplies have been modetate, and the general quality has given satisfaction. The inquiry has been firm for all descriptions, and the best Downs and half-breds have occasionally made 6s. per 81b. Lambs have been in moderate request at from 7s. to 7s. 6d. per 81b. Calves have been quiet, and for Pigs the market has been dull. LIVERPOOL, MONDAY.—There were at market 2,300 beasts and 6,881 sheep. The stock on offer were nearly the same in number as last week, and the quality of a fair description for the time of the year. Buyers were very numerous, but rather shy in their dealings on account of tbe prices asked. There were 815 Spanish beasts on offer. A good clearance made at the close. Quotations:-Best beasts, 7Jd. to 7jd.; second best, 6 £ d. to7d.; inferior, 5d. to 6Jd.; sheep, 7d. to 9!d. per lb.

MISCELLANEOUS. LONDON PROVISION, MONDAY.—The arrivals last week from Ireland were 562 firkins Butter and 3,914 bales Bacon, and from foreign ports 16,052 packages Butter and 813 bales Bacon. The severe cold has caused more inquiry for Irish Butter, at irregular rates, according to quality. The finest foreign in good demand, and for extra fine quality higher rates obtained. The Baeon market ruled slow, the prices of anything not the finest are in favour of buyers. LONDON HOP, MONDAY.—Our market continues without any material change, the scanty lots pf new English now offering being firmly held for extreme values. New Americans are quiet, the limited trade in this class being confined entirely to best qualities, and all other grades remaining totally neglected. Yearlings of all kinds are dull, and the pressure put upon Ame- ricau stock in particular, of which there ig a heavy quantity on hand, has occasioned ro^er prices to be taken. Import for the week ending 1%'n »e»ftiarv: European 1 848 bales. American 970 „ Uotal 181^ bales. ASkibst the nrevions week 1768 bales. I Accounts from Europe report the Bavarian market as dearer, and the Belgian very firm. New York advices to the 28th ultimo re- port the market as dull, exports having fallen off greatly of late, I and choice sorts are firmly held for advanced rates. Mid and East Kent £ 7 0 £ 9 15 £ 13 5 Wealds 6 0 7 10 8 0 Sussex 5 15 6 10 7 0 Bavarians.; 6 10 8 8 10 10 French 5 5. 6 0. 7 0 Americans 4 10 5 15 6 0 gs Yearlings. 1 15 2 15 8 10 WORCESTER HOP, SATURDAY.—Messrs Piercy, Longbottom, and Faram's circular øays-" At our market to-day a few new hops were sold at higher rates, and holders have stiffened in their demands for'the remaining few. Yearlings are unchanged, and only seU aldVly, although relatively so much cheaper in price." LONDON SEED, MONDAY.—The supplies of English Cloverseed continue very limited, fine qualities commanding very high prices. foreign Red Cloverseed was fully as dear, with a steady demand. Choice white Cloverseed continues very scarce, an brings extreme figures. English Trefoil realized fall prices; foreign qualities were held for as much money. There was no alteration either in Brown or White Mastardseed. Good Ganaryseed realized full rates, and fine qualities of English were scarce. The severity of the weather during the past week has tended to check business in all agricultural seeds, although seedsmen are not considered to be well in stock. LONDON WOOL, MONDAY.—Business in the market for Eng- lish wool has been only to a moderate extent, nevertheless the demand has ruled firm, and the value of all qualities has been maintained. Consumption of Colonial produce has continued undiminished. CURRENT PRICES OF ENGLISH WOOL. B. d. to B. d. FLEECES-South down hogget8 .per lb. 1 0.1 11 Half-bred ditto. 11 14 15 Kent fleeces 1 3 1 S Southd'n ewes and wethers .„ 10 1 1| Leicester ditto 1 1 8j SORTS—Combing „ 1 4 1 44 Clothing 1 4 1 4i HALIFAX WOOL & WORSTED, SATURDAY,—Th« market continues dull. Wool maintains its price, but there is a very light turn over. There is, indeed, no demand for it. Spinners are very poorly employed, on unprofitable terms. The position of the spinner is unquestionably a bad one. There seems to be a fair amount of business turning over in pieoes, in which depart- ment quotations may be said to be firm. LONDON POTATO, MONDAY.—Supplies have come less freely to market. The trade has been steadier, and the quota- tions have ruled firm. English Shaws. 70s. to 85s. per ton. English Regents 90s. to '105s. „ English Rocks 60s. to 75s. „ Scotch Regents 90s. to 105s. „ I Flukes. 503. -to 60s. „ BIRMINGHAM HIDE AND SKIN MARKET, SATURDAY.- Hides: 951b. and upwards, 4Jd. to OJ. per lb; 851b. to 941b., 4i. to Od. per lb.; 751b. to 841b., 3id. to Od. per lb.; 651b. to 741b., Sid. to Od. per lb; 561b to 641b, Sid. to Od per lb; 551bs and under, Sid. to Od. per lb.; cows, 3Jd. to Od. per lb.; bulls, 3d. per lb.; flawed and irregular, Od. to Sfd. per lb.; horse, 7s. 61. to 13s. 91. each. Calf: 171b. and upwards, Ðld. per lb.; 121b. to 161b., 71d. per I b 91b. to Illb., 71d: per tb.; light, 7|1. per lb.; flawed and irregu- lar, 5d. per lb. Wools, A 1,83. 2d.; A, 6s. 4d.; B, 4s. 8d. WOLVERHAMPTON HIDE, SKIN, & FAT MARKET, SATUR DAv.-Hides: 951bs. and upwards, 41d. per th.; 851bs. to 941bs, Sid, to Od. per lb.; 751bs. to 841bs., 8d. to Od. per lb.; 651bs. to 741bs.. 3Jd. per lb. j 56lbs. to 641bs., 8!d. per Th. 551bs. and under, Sid, Cows, 65lbs. and upwards, SBd. to Od. per lb.; 641bs. and under, 33 d per lb; bulls, 2 £ d. to 2d per tti; flawed and irregular, 3Jd. to 3jjd. per tb; kips, 21d. to 4id. per lb; horse, 2s. 6d. to 13s. 6d. each. Calf: 171bs. and upwards, 5Jd. per lb.; 121bs. to 161bs, 71d. per lb; 91bs. to lllbs., 7d. per lb.; light, 7d. per lb.

LONDON PRODUCE.—SATURDAY. SUGAR.—For common brown descriptions there is a moderate inquiry, and rates are steady at 25s. 6d. for Lebu, and 24s. 6d. to 24s. 9d. for Taal. Crystallised: Buyers are dull, and dropping in value. Refined prices show a decline of Is. on the rates of this day week. COFFEE.—Some demand has prevailed for plantation and native Ceylon. -Of the former 200 sacks have sold at full prices, and several (parcels of the latter at 588. to 59s. per cwt. for pert and real good ordinary. TEA.—The market is dull, but rates are not lower. Common sound Congou Is. Old. to Is. Oid. SALTPETRE is firmly held, at 22s. to 23s. 3d. for common, and found buyers on the spot. TALLOW.—The market is dull at 463. 6d. spot., 46s. 9d. March; 47s. sellers last three months. OILs.-Linseed is dull, at 30s. 9d. to 81s. London; 29s. 9d. Hull, spot. English brown rape dearer at 42s. 3d. spot, 42s. 6d. Febru- ary to April. METALS.—But a limited inquiry has prevailed for any kinds of metal to-day. Tin is rather firmer, at zCll4 for Straits, X115 for Banco. English tin is firmer. Copper is steady. Chili bars, Urmeneta brand, £ 66 5s. to £ 66 7s. 6d., Wallaroo, £ 7210s. Spelter is rather firmer at VI8 17s. 6d. to 219 24. 6d., for Silesian; English £ 18 15s. to M9. Iron in moderate request. Bars in Wales 96 15s., and London X7 5s. to X7 10s. Staffordshire barsf8 5s. to £8 7s. 6d. Lead in moderate request: soft English pig zCl8 15s., L.B. to £ 19; W.B. £19 10s. per ton.

TRADE INTELLIGENCE. THE WELSH IRON, TIN-PLATE, AND COAL TRADES. Although reports are current as to the great quietude in the iron trade generally, the dulness is hitherto unfelt in this dis- trict, the principal works being kept going briskly; and, on the whole, the prospects for the year are not by any means discoura- ging. This, however, is accounted for by the well-filled order- books of the makers, most of which were made before the last year-closed. Since last week there has scarcely anything tran- spired worthy of reporting. Buyers continue studiously to refrain from giving out any but the least important contracts, their object being, it is believed, to influence the market in their favour by further depression. In regard to foreign requirements, makers entertain pretty sanguine expectations of some extensive engagements forthcoming, thinking it evident that the immense lengths of railways in progress, and about to be commenced in the United States, Canada, and other British Colonies, must necessitate very large supplies of rails and other railway mate- rial. The Russian Loan, which was referred to in last week's re- port, and the probability of its leading to an early accession of contracts from that country, is now beginning to show signs of verification, Russian agents having commenced to make inqui- ries and it is confidently hoped that a fair share of the orders that will be given out will shortly be found on the books of the Welsh manufacturers. There is only a moierate export demand for bars, occasional cargoes being taken to a few of the Continental markets. The home trade has yet shown but little improvement. The railway companies have begun to enter into light engage- ments, which will probably become more extensive as the year advances, and the necessary renewals will incur large require- ments. In the tin-plate trade there is increasing firmness, and makers are in a fair way to secure enhanced prices. What turn the American spring demand will take is anxiously looked forward to, as upon this mainly depends the future prosperity of the trade. At some of the works a further reduction of make has taken place. The steam coal collieries are still well employed, the home and foreign contracts on the books being sufficient to keep all hands going with average regularity. The severity of the weather for the last few days has added largely to the consumption of house qualities, and the collieries are well employed. A fair business in coke continues to be done on Staffordshire account.

REVIEW OF THE BRITISH CORN TRADE. ,(From W Mark Lane Express.) Act usual at this period of the year, our last issue was accompanied with the best statement procurable of the yield of the eorn crops, which certainly confirms the worst impressions that were entertained of them. It appears that not one of these caine up to an average. Even oats, which were at one period held to be good, were below it. Barley proved much under the estimate, and as regards pulse, only winter beans were favourably reported, these being a small proportion of the whole. We have carefully gone into the particulars of wheat, and the matter stands thus: Of above 500 returns received, 148 only returned an 'average, 53 above an average, and 307 under an average —some considerably. Taking these returns as fairly representing the whole acreage grown, and deducting the 53 over an average from the 307 below an average, we have 244 left, or nearly one-half, in this position, which. repre- senting 1,771,578 acres, at 1 qr. each, shows as many acres short of an average crop. This brings the yield to the low estimate of 11,000,000 qrs. The best yielding counties were Essex, Xent, Bucks, Cornwall, Lancashire, and Northumberland; about the worst, Northampton, Notts, Oxford, and Worcester while Rutland, Salop, Warwick, and Wilts were without a single return amounting to an average. We can only account for such counties as Lancashire and Northumberland standing so high this season from the fact of their being late, when we had the finest weather and our inference, as a whole, is, that un- less we have a fair portion of sun towards the end of May, to continue for two months or so, we may certainly reckon on a deficient harvest, not to be made up by any subse- quent fine weather. Farmers themselves have been deceived; there was much less than met the eye, both in the sheaf and in the stack, and the present prices on such a produce are anything but encouraging; but the chapter of accidents is not under command, and we may yet see some revival before the next operations of the sickle. Frost has again visited us smartly, and this must retard foreign suppHes, though nothing could have exceeded the dulness that introduced the week in London and we have to note 14 consequence a further general decline of Is. to 2s. per qr.; with, however, some symptoms of recovery on Friday. Danzic, which had lost ground, has recovered, and the intensity of the frost was said to have closed the Sound. Paris was also dearer for flour. The sales of English wheat noted last week were 62,115 qrs. at 42s. 2d., against 68,857 qrs. at 51s. in 1869. The imports into the Kingdom for the week ending 5th Feb. were 770,878 cwts. wheat, and 141,380 cwts. flour.

Dr Mackarnesp, the new Bishop of Oxford, was enthroned on Monday morning in Christ Church Cathedral. ADVICE TO MOT,HERS.-Are you broken of your rest by a sick child, suffering with the pain of cutting teeth; go at once to a chemist and get a bottle of Mrs Winslow's Sooth- ing Syrup. It will relieve the poor sufferer immediately it is perfectly harmless; it produces natural quiet sleep, by relieving the child from pain, and the little cherub awakes "as bright as a button." It has been long in use in America, and is highly recommended by medical men. It is very pleasant to take; it soothes the child; it softens the gums, allays all pain, relieves wind, regulates the bowels, and is the best known remedy for dysentery and diarrhoea, whether arising from teething or other causes. Be sure and ask for Mrs Winslow's Soothing Syrup. No mother should be without it.—Sold by all Medicine tr Dealers at Is. ljd. per bottle. London Depot, 205, High Holborn. At a recent meeting of the Diocesan Council at the Chapter House at Lichfield, reports having been read by the Bishop of the decisions of the several rural deaneries on the education question, the following resolutions were passed, and the Council then adjourned for the further consideration of the subject—1. That, without expressing any opinion on the question absolutely, the Council is willing to advise the acceptance of a conscience clause by all schools aided by the Government grants on the prin- ciple of perfect liberty of withdrawal to the parent. 2. That, in reference to future building grants, the Council would urge it as a condition that any school hereafter re- ceiving a building grant shall be at liberty at any time to return the grant, and be free from any conscience clause. 3. That it is undesirable that education should be generally enforced. 4. That no system of education be encouraged that does not seek to provide in tbe first instance for the religious training of toe children.

THE BISHOP OF EXETER AND THE BLSLTOP OF LICHFIELD. Dr TEMPLE has withdrawn his contribution from "Essays and Reviews" because, for one feason, he con- siders that as a bishop he must be more guarded in everything he does." It might be allowable, he thinks, for FREDERIC TEMPLE to publish One essay amongst several, when it would not be allowable for the Bishop of EXETER. We are not Coin,&, to enquire into the truth or fallacy of this opinion; and most certainly we are not about to join in the almost unanimous cry with which the Press has assailed Dr TEMPLE for what it pleases some people to call his recantation. There are, doubt- less, reasons to regret the decision at which he has arrived, and we should have been better pleased for many reasons, for the sake of Christian truth and liberty, if the "Essays and Reviews" had remained as they were, with reverent and valuable papers like those of Dr TEMPLE and Professor JOWETT bound up with much that almost 'every devout reader must have condemned. At the same time, nobody who has carefully read the Ragby sermons can believe for a moment that Dr TEMPLE has acted unlike himself, either in his speech on Wednesday or his explanation on Friday. The speech was remark- able, no doubt, for its extreme deference and somewhat profuse expressions of gratitude towards men who had, as we and many others think, treated him badly. But Dr TEMPLE, it must be remembered, is a man whose charity very few people can comprehend, who is quick to see the good in others, and slow to believe that attacks upon himself are directed by any but pure and lofty motives. His speech in Convocation was only a repetition of his address to the clergy at Exeter, where he told them that their very opposition to him, springing as it did, in his belief, from a love of what they held to be truth, would tend to bind him and them together. Dr TEMPLE is charitable even to the uncharitable, and such a man will inevitably excite the contemptuous criticism of those who are willing enough to support him as long as he is the representative of religious liberalism, and goes to no extreme lengths in the greatest of the Christian graces. Amongst the leading ideas running through his sermons, courage in forming and following our own convictions, blended with a tender respect for the opinions, and even the prejudices, of others, is visible on almost every page; and the man who, speaking in Convocation last week, showed such a deep sense of the value of individual thought, and at the same time such a deep regard for the welfare of those who may be emphatically called the weaker brethren," is the same Dr TEMPLE who preached at Rugby, and not, as some of our contemporaries bit- terly say, only another Bishop of Exeter." Perhaps there is something in lawn sleeves, or the atmosphere of the episcopal chamber, which tends to make men bishopy," and we cannot deny that Dr TEMPLE has acted more like a conventional bishop than we anticipated; but we utterly refuse to adopt the silly theory of some of the dailies, and believe that, because Dr TEMPLE has rather disappointed us all for once, his fine nature is per- manently deteriorated by his elevation to the Bench. He has suffered enough already for his-courage or weakness, whichever we choose to call it; and it is mean to throw stones at him after his brother bishops have patronized, and Archdeacon DENISON has forgiven, him. Dr TEMPLE, however, is another proof of the fact, which has been made so plain in the political world of late years, that it is the men who live the greatest lives whose little faults receive the loudest blame, In this very discussion in con- vocation, for instance, the Bishop of LICHFIELD committed an offence incomparably graver than Dr TEMPLE'S, but the papers have passed it over in silence. The reason, of course, is obvious enough. Dr SELWYN is an excellent person, and makes an active, careful, kindly prelate, but the country takes very little interest in a man simply because he is a good bishop. Many of our readers, how- ever, reside in his diocese, and watch his sayings and doings; and some of them perhaps are influenced by his example. If so, we trust they may not look for guidance to his lordship's conduct in this debate. Dr SELWYN was not ashamed to speak in the most extravagant terms of the "evil results" of "Essays and Reviews," and to confess* at the same time that he had not read the book and did not intend to read it The right rev. prelate, we should think, unlike Dr TEMPLE, has very little sense of the weight attaching to a bishop's words, or else fails to recognize the serious nature of a prevalent fault amongst theologians—that of condemning one another without evidence, on no other foundation than common rumour, which, inmatters like these, is more often wrong than right. We had supposed that one important episcopal function wasto study the controversies of the day with an impartial mind, so as to be able to advise and assist the clergy committed to the bishop's care, and this seems to be Dr TEMPLE'S opinion. He says he has made up his mind to withdraw the essay from publication because, with good reason or without, it has been the cause of very much distress, anxiety, and perplexity, to very many good people; but he proceeds, I do not mean to people like ourselves, who, of course, must face distress and anxiety of this kind." We wonder whether Dr SELWYN felt the unintentional satire of the remark, followed as it was soon afterwards by these words-" He did not set himself up as a judge of others, but he confessed that he did not think the Bishop of LICHFIBLD was quite justified intheparthe took the other day, when he said he had not read the book, and did not intend to read it. Itseemed to him in such cases that the duty of those who acted at all was to act with a full knowledge of all the circumstances." Dr SELWYN, whose genial nature could not fail to be at- tracted by the nobility of Dr TmpLzls, had some cordial words of welcome to say to his brother prelate; but we cannot regret too much that he was betrayed into the very reprehensible practice of condemning a book of this kind which he had never read. Not to have read the volume was, to say the least, a blunder in a bishop; but to con- demn it from his place in convocation, and in condemning it to sanction one of the worst faults of controversialists, shows only too plainly that Dr SELWYN is wanting in some of the most important qualities which go to make up a spiritual overseer. Of course the lack of these qualities is thrown into strong relief in contrast with the far more perfect character of the Bishop of EXETER, to whose chivalrous sense of honour and generous fear of hurting other men's feelings must be attributed much of any ap- parent weakness or inconsistency that may have character- ized his conduct. It is not given to every diocese, however, to be directed by a TEMPLE, and, in spite of some very obvious defects, Dr SELWYN is a man whom it is impossible not to like and admire. But for that very reason, we hope all the more earnestly that he will be more careful in future how he encourages in his clergy what we must call an unfair and ungenerous treatment of their opponents. Oswestry Advertizer.

TRAFFIC RETURNS. w 1870. Great Western ) £ 71,089 West Midland V. 1869. South Wales J £ 68,634 1870. London and North Western } £ 118,152 Shrewsbury and Hereford 1869 Shropshire Union J £ 110,633 For the week ending February 13th. CAMBRIAN RAILWAYS (178 miles open).—Passengers parcels, horses, carriages, dogs, and mails, £ 1,027; mer- chandise, minerals, and cattle, £ 1,114. Total for the week, £ 2,141. Aggregate, to this date, £ 14,191. Corre- sponding week in last year (176 miles open).—Passengers &c., 2924; merchandise, &c., 21,210; total £ 2.134- aggregate, to this date, 214,082. For the week ending February 6th. BRECON AND MERTHYB RAILWAY (60J miles open).- Passengers, parcels, &c., £ 146 19s. 4d. goods and live stock, £ 929 8s. 10d.; total, £ 1,076 8s. 2d.; £ 17 14s. 4d. per mile per week. Corresponding week last year (591 miles open).—Passengers, &c., 2143 17s. Id.; goods, &c., 2713 12s. lid.; total, PM7 10s. Od.; £1488. 3d. mile week. Increase, £ 218 18s. 2d. Aggregate from 1st Januarv (five weeks), 1870, £ 5,422 18s. 6d.; ditto, last year, £ 4 420 13s. lid. Increase, £ 1,002 4s. 7d.

A young man named Nobbs, a porter at the Indian Office, was on Monday charged at the Lambeth Police-court with haviog caused the death of a woman with whom he lived, by throwing her over Westminister-bridge. Between eight and nine o'clock on Saturday evening, the prisoner and the deceased were stand- ing on the southern side of the bridge, near the Surrey shore when the woman suddenly disappeared, and three witnessed deposed to the fact that the prisoner not only made no effort te save her, but that his movements at the time of her death were of a suspicious nature. Nobbs had made a statement which attributed the occurrence to either accident or suicide. Pend- ing the discovery of the body, he was remanded. MODERN CUSTOMS.—Presentations and testimonials are largely on the increase this nrfjflern custom appears to extend to almost every household, for no auspicious event is allowed to pass without its being marked by some pleasing souvenir; Birthdays, Christenings, Marriages, the seasons of the year, such as Christmas, New Years &c., invariably receive special commemoration. The at- tention of one of the great London Manufacturers, Mr J. W. BENSON, of 25, Old Bond-street, and of the City Steam Factory, Ludgate-hill, has been directed to this subject. With the view of giving more artistic effect to this custom of society, he has published a most interesting Illustrated Historical Pamphlet upon Watches and Clocks, also one upon artistic Gold Jewellery, Silver and Electro- plate all are profusely illustrated with choice designs, and are sent post-free for 2d. each, thus bringing within the reach of those who live even thousands of mile s away from London, one of the largest and most artistic collec- tions which can be seen in any part of the world and, it necessary, designs are prepared to illustrate any special case, i-i r. r

On Sunday two young skaters were drowned at the Hamp- stead Ponds. In the evening there was a complete causeway of ice across the Thames immediately above Blackfri&rs Bridge, and river conveyance was impracticable. Mr Plunkett (conservative) was on Monday elected without opposition for Dublin University, in place of Mr Lefroy (conservative), resigned. BREAKFAST.—EPPS'S COCOA.—GRATEFUL AND COMFORT- ING. -The very agreeable character of this preparation has rendered it a general favourite. The Civil Service Gazette remarks:—"The singular success which Mr Epps attained by his homoeopathic preparation of cocoa has never, been surpassed by any experimentalist. By a thorough know- ledge of the Datural laws which govern the operations of digestion and nutrition, and by a careful application of the fine properties of well-selected cocoa, Mr Epps has provided our breakfast tables with a delicately flavoured beverage which may save us many heavy doctors' bills." Made simply with boiling water or milk. Sold by the Trade only in i lb., i Ib., andllb. tin-lined packets, labelled—JAMES Epps & Co., Homoeopathic Chemists, London,