The Brecon Reporter and South Wales General Advertiser

T O "W 3ST TALK BY OUR 6P3CIA.Ii CORRESPONDENT. --+- Our readers win v/nderstand, that we do not hold ourselves respon tiblefor our able Correspondent'a opinions. "I" ON Sunday evening I went to hear Professor Huxley at St. Martin's-hall. I was some- what disappointed with the arrangements. The first announcement led you to think that the lectures were got up especially for the masses; but reserved seats at 2s. 6d. do not look very decidedly in that direction. True, there there was a place into which entrance might be gained for 3d., and a small portion of the building was free; but it needed no practised eye to dis- cern that those who crowded St. Martin's-hail on Sunday evening were not persons without suffi- cient leisure on other days to obtain the know- ledgEt Professor Huxley has to give. Indeed, with our habits of thought, some excuse is needed for secular lectures on Sunday; and the only excuse to which much weight is likely to be attached is, that they would be calculated to reach a class ex- cluded by circumstances, or by the habits of its members, from other and perhaps more civilising Influences. Tennyson warns us that knowledge must have a second place, and not a first; and expresses his own views, and the views of the most enlightened philosophers and Christians of our time, in lines familiar to the readers of,, In Memoriam Let knowledge grow from more to more, Bat more of reverence in ua dwell; That heart and mind, according well, May make one music as before, Bat vaster. WHEN coming home I witnessed a piece. of practical humour on the part of a policeman, which may be found amusing by some, though, I confess, it excited my indignation. A poor woman, evidently half-drunk, was walking down Guildford-street, her clothes sweeping the ground after the manner of a train. On this the facetious policeman put his foot, whereupon the pins and gathers gave way. The victim of his wit turned on him as, it is said, a worm will if treated in a similar manner. The policeman, however, never lost his temper or his humour; but with exquisite irony said to her, Go and drown your- self." A woman with her little child was luckily passing by. Instantly she took some pins out of the back of the child's dress, and pinned up the wretched creature's clothes, abusing the policeman heartily the while. The representative of justice had the decency to skulk away. And the woman still rescuing her poor sister from her state of alarming deshabille, went on philosophising:—" It is us and the likes of us that enables others to go flashing away with their brooches. We are the fools, my dear;" frequently dwelling in strong terms on the undoubted fact that the policeman must have had a mother himself, and occasionally varying the proposition by making it more general, and carrying it out to its utmost consequences. If there were no mothers there could be no sons, and if there were no sons where would the world be ? That's what she'd like to know. MR. BRIGHT'S idea of the coming Reform Bill is unpopular, even in quarters where Mr. Bright's words carry great weight. A re-distribution of seats is thought to be of more urgent need than even a lowering of the franchise. A measure that would be final, for the present generation, at all events, seems the general wish. The bribery and corruption in the small boroughs are crying evils, to say nothing of the injustice of a place like Portarlington, for instance, with 86 electors, being as fully represented in Parliament as Huddersfield, with 1,831. The latter place re- turns only one member, while Richmond, with 338 electors, returns two, that is, as many as Manchester returns, with 20,410 electors. SPEAKING of matters affecting labour—what a fine fellow is that ploughman, Mr. Thomas Ewing Myreside. His speeches and the meetings of the Midlothian Farm Servants' Protection Association where they were made, have interested everybody here whose attention has at all been turned to questions arising out of the relations between em- ployer and employed. The combining of men in the position of life of these ploughmen is quite a new feature, and points to a time when the pre- sent relations between capital and labour will be considerably modified, if not completely changed. THE report of Mr. Carl Schurtz on the Southern States gives some interesting information. On the subject of negro laziness, he says that through- out the South generally the propensity to idleness is strongly developed. It would appear that the Southern planters, not having faith in the free labour of negroes, cannot, if I may use the word, utilise it. Whilst most of the old slaveholders," says Mr. Schurtz, complain of the laziness and instability of their negro labourers, most of the Northern men engaged in planting with whom I have come in contact speak of their negro la- bourers with satisfaction." He adds: A good sausage, and having eaten a small bit of it, left the place amid much laughter. They soon re- gretted their conduct. In a few days the man was dead. The above would seem to put in a new light the old dialogue, generally understood as satirical, on the over-delicacy of officers. Did you know Brown, of ow-as ?" Ya-as." "Ha ate po-ak." And did he die ?" Why, of co-as, he I died!" The point was, that an officer's eating I anything so coarse must inevitably be attended, with fatal results. I IT was rumoured some days back that Mr. j Stansfeld was in the Government again. Every, j body seemed glad: it would be hard to do any- thing more popular. It appears there was no J foundation for the report. It is, notwithstanding j a generally expressed opinion in club gossip—you may take it for what it is worth—that Mr. Stans- feld, when Parliament opens, will be found as a member of the Government, strengthening, by his skill and eloquence, the Administration of Earl Russell. Z.

SUMMARY OF PASSING EVENTS. THE first week of the year 1866 has passed, and many of us have reflected upon the circumstances which occurred in that year which has fled for ever; we have looked over our affairs, taken stock of our capital, and have entered again upon our several duties with a firm determination of acting justly and honestly to our fellows, and of living a quiet and peaceable life. The Emperor of the French, following this example, held his annual levee on New Year's Day, and to each deputation his Imperial Majesty expressed a hope that he might augur a long day of peace and prosperity for the world; a sentiment which will doubtless be echoed in the speech of our august Sovereign at the opening of the British Parliament in Feb- ruary. The two greatest Powers in Europe thus happily united in bonds of friendship and good will, need not fear foreign foes. The armies of both countries, under an amicable arrangement, might be reduced, and instead of every tenth man in France and every fifteenth in England being supported in comparative idleness on the taxation of labour, half the soldiers and sailors we now have might turn their attention to more lucrative employments, and a considerable burden would be taken off the backs of the people. THE United States of America, notwithstanding all the gloomy predictions which were uttered respecting the future of that great country, pro- gresses in the most satisfactory manner, and the reports presented to Congress by the various de- partments of the Government afford undoubted evidence that the work of pacification, and recon- struction is proceeding rapidly. President Johnson recently sent a message to Congress, in which he stated that the Southern people were yielding obedience to the laws "with more willingness and greater promptitude than, under the circum- stances, could be reasonably anticipated. Sec- Itional animosity," he says, is surely and rapidly merging into a proper spirit, and national repre- sentation, connected with a proper system of merging into a proper spirit, and national repre- sentation, connected with a proper system of taxation, will result in the harmonious restoration of the relations of the States to the Union." The "rising of negroes in insurrection," and "the disaffection amongst the blacks," &c., which we often see on 'placards to induce persons to buy daily papers, are only so many exaggerated facts. Of course, in large communities there are fre- quently drunken riots, and the negroes, in their present ignorant state, are doubtless often led into temptations when their animal passions become ex- cited, and quarrels ensue; but we might as well say when there is an Irish row in London, and the police get knocked about, that Irishmen are in open rebellion against the Government. We trust, however, that the time is not far distant when every negro will have an equal chance of education with the white man; it will then be his own fault if he does not raise himself in the social scale. THERE has been an attempt at revolt in Spain General Prim, who was formerly considered a popular officer in the army, outwardly expressed dissatisfaction at the existing Government, and, at the head of some 600 insurgents, marched on Zamora, a populous town in the environs of the metropolis, but, to his surprise, the garrison re- mained loyal, and prevented the entrance of the insurgents. Martial law has been proclaimed in Madrid, but the Minister of the Interior, accord- ing to the latest accounts, has expressed his con- viction that order will soon be re-established. GENERAL satisfaction is expressed throughout the country at the commission appointed to inquire into the late insurrection in Jamaica. The sus- pension of General Eyre is now generally acknow- edged to be just, pending the inquiry. The British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society, through their secretary, are commenting loudly upon the new laws about to be introduced into that colony; and a memorial, signed by ten missionaries at Jamaica, has been presented to the Queen, point- ing out the grievances of the black man, and pray- ing that a full and impartial investigation shall be made into the laws of that island, from which the greater portion of the population suffer injury. IN politics we have little to record beyond mere surmises. The Times assures us that, from a well- informed source, it is enabled to state that the new Reform Bill is to be based upon a JB6 rating franchise for boroughs, and a .£20 rental franchise for counties. This is not a very "advanced" measure; it does not even equal that proposed by Mr. Disraeli in 1852; but now-a- days the Times is no great authority; indeed, we have frequently heard it said that we should ba safer in taking as untrue the great Thunderer's prophecies, than accept them as likely to be ful- filled. Mr. Bright's recent speech at Rochdale has been discussed in all manner of forms; one el&ss of persons do not believe he goes far enough -in form, and others that he goes too far. "spjkathigr he has hit the happy medium remains to o d. As the champion of liberty, M apjptarig to have thrown upon his back §LlibtJ$ej^$esi»igcg3 from which individuals suffer. civil service writes to him com- tfiqSgjjj} he has to pay income and jasgfegs^l Palejg tS &ear his share of parochial he, together with all cf incise, customs, and the §^s&o^gMg^/§,JiS^0|iiited, by an ancient j heavy pains | and penalties. Mr. Bright, in reply, considers that in this case there is cause for complaint. But the member for Birmingham we are informed, is daily inundated with letters from persons who are suffering under either real or fancied wrongs; and, if he were to reply to all, it would occupy the whole of his time. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has also his troubles to undergo, consequent upon numerous correspondents ad- dressing him personally; but a new feature has cropped up this week in connection with, the tax taken off Insurance Policies, which was not fore- seen in the new Act. It has been a practice, under lenient terms, to pay insurances septenni- ally in advance, and these policy holders complain that they are unable to recover the difference between the amounts paid for duty under the old system and those which would be due under the present rates. Mr. Gladstone, in acknowledging a correspondent's letter upon this subject, admits it a grievance, but does not hold out any hope that the relief sought can be afforded. WE have had a batch of murderers disposed of within the last few days, on which subject, per- r haps, the least said the better; let their names be forgotten. We may, however, just epitomise them. Sir G. Grey declined to advise the exercise of the Royal prerogative in favour of Robinson, the Wolverhampton murderer, and he was hanged on Tuesday at Stafford. Forward, or Southey, the billiard-marker, who murdered three children in London, and his wife and child at Ramsgate, shared a similar fate on Thursday. Welsh, the Leeds murderer, has been respited; and Eli Sykes, who murdered his sweetheart at Batley, through an attempt at self-destruction by throwing himself down the stone stairs, shortened the few days he had to live, and death anticipated the hangman's cord. A DISASTROUS fire broke out in the London St. Katharine's Docks, on Monday, which, with all the efforts of the combined metropolitan Brigade, was not extinguished till the following Thuxs day The damage done to property is estimated at X250,000, which is distributed amongst the lead- ing insurance companies. The origin of the fire is a mystery, but it is believed to be the work of an incendiary. A DISAGREEMENT between the carpet weavers of Kidderminster and their employers has caused a considerable sensation in that locality. It appears that there are more hands than can find employ- ment, and the wages are proportionately low. On Saturday a meeting of the operatives was held, at which it was agreed that the weavers should accept the masters' prices, and that those employed should raise a fund to enable others who were out of work to emigrate. ANOTHER fearful gale has visited our coasts, and a number of shipping accidents are recorded, and again the Royal lifeboats have done their duty, and saved many persons from a watery grave. In London the gale was severely felt; in one instance a house in the midst of a great thoroughfare had its roof carried clean away, whilst, in many streets, the tiles and slates were falling, to the infinite peril of pedestrians. Con- siderable difficulty was also caused in the navi- gation of the river Thames. THE tenant farmers appear to be taking active measures to obtain a mitigation of the evils they suffer from extreme game preserving. In Norfolk a petition is being signed which is to be presented to the Prince of Wales, asking him to use his efforts in lessening the injuries done to crops by the over-stocking of estates with game.

TERRIFIC SI'OBM AND LOSS OF LIFE Another severe storm has passed over Liverpool and the neighbourhood, and the damage done both to shipping and inland property must be very great. On Saturday and Sunday the weather was fine no signs of a storm were visible, and the consequence was that a large number of vessels put to sea with a fair wind. On Monday morning, however, about threa o'clock, the wjnd veered round from the S.W. to W.N.W., and blew one of the most terrific gales that have occurred for some time. The ship J. S. de Wolf was towed into Newry, with loss of sails, bulwarks, and decks, swept. The barque Paramount, from Galveston, has run ashore at Colonsay, dismasted; the Delta is at the same place, water-logged; and the St. George, from Quebec to the Bristol Channel, is a total, wreck near the Paramount; and numerous other wrecks are re- ported. Accounts received in Liverpool by the Java show that a storm of the most disastrous nature had pre- vailed on the southern coast of America. At Mobile. nearly all the lighters in the harbour had been sunk, and quantities of cotton destroyed. Several large vessels in the bay had suffered much damage, and the ship Roger A. Heim, which went ashore on; the sand- bank at the entrance to the harbour, was expected to become a total loss. Mobile, however, was not the only port that had suffered, as nearly every port on the coast had been ravaged by the storm, and several vessels driven ashore arid totally wrecked. The anemometer at the Liverpool'Observatory indi- cated for some hoars a pressure of 251b. to 301b. per square foot, a heavier pressure than has been known for a long time before. Daring one short but furious blast it mounted to. 30Jib., and in one squall during the week the pressure reached 32lb., but that was only for a few moments. Accounts of the ravages of the gale continue to arrive from all parts of the coast. It was also felt very severely in the metropolis on Monday, the roof a house in Fleet-street having been blown off into the thoroughfare, happily without injury to any one. Numerous other accidents are also recorded.

TERRIBLE ACCIDENT IN HULL. On Monday one of the most terrible gales that have evor visited Hull raged through the town and neigh. bourhood, and resulted in a most terrible calamity. iH tiring the early part of the day the gale was exceed- ingly violent, and caused great damage in many parts of the town. About nine o'clock a gust of wind of unusual violence caught a large new building intended for a coach manufactory, and blew one of the walls down, which fell on to some houses beneath. An entire block ,of houses in Temperance-street was thus either blown down or completely smashed in by the falling wall. Without a moment's warning seven houses with their inhabitants were converted into a heap of ruins, in some cases not even a wall being left standing. Besides the houses which were thus completely destroyed, the fronts of four or five standing opposite were smashed in, five of the seven houses being down a narrow court. When the crash of the falling houses was heard the greatest alarm and consternation, as may be imagined, prevailed in the neighbourhood, and numbers rushed to the scene of the calamity only to find their friends and neighbours buried in a heap of ruins. Ready hands and brave hearts were not wanting to search for friends amidst toppling walls and falling timbers. Many were found in a,, frightfully mangled condition, and four were found dead. Two children, one a girl, were preserved in an almost miraculous manner. When the house fell in they, by some, means or other, slipped beneath several beams, which, being thrown into a slanting position, protected them from the falling ruins. The search for the bodies was continued daring the day, soma of the sufferers having been buried for many hours before they were found. Four were found dead, and twelve or thirteen more or less 1 seriously injured. A family of nine were most miraculously preserved. At the time of the accident I they were seated at breakfast in their little front } room. Every other part of the house was smashed to atoms, but this room and its nine inhabitants escaped unhurt. The following is the list of sufferers as far as we could learnRobert Brown, dead; Sarah Scott, 36, severely injured; John Scott, dead; Scott, dead; Scott, dead; Sarah Scott, about 14, injured; M. A. Blackay, Henry Charles Newmarch, John Nary, Sarah Brelby, and John R. Newmarch, all seriously injured. j

THE SUPPOSED FIRING AT A RAIL- WAY DRIVER. A correspondent of the Dublin Express writes :— On the return to Mullingar, on the following morning (Wednesday), of the driver, W. Wall, who was reported to have been fired at, he was brought before Captain Talbot, R.M., County Inspector Jackson, &c., and having minutely described the spot where the outrage was said to have been committed, those gentlemen and some constabulary accompanied him to the place, and there found that instead of a shot having been fired at the engine, it had simply come in contact with one of the telegraph poles, which had been accidentally blown so far across the rails that the end of it lay directly in the line of the engine, and the concussion of the two bodies led the driver,to the inference that a shot had been fired at him. This fact was proved to a demonstra- tion by the fractured portion of the telegraph pole being found on the line, and the corresponding mark of a point, and not of a ball, on the hood of the engine. The driver (Wall) at once acknowledged his mistake, and accepted the state of things as thus proved. Owing to the belief that a shot had been fired, con- siderable anxiety was felt for the safety of his Excel- lency Lord Wodehouse, who was to return from Carrick-on Shannon yesterday (Wednesday), and guards of the constabulary were in attendance at the different stations; but, on the arrival of hia excellency at the Mullingar junction, County Inspector Jackson was honoured with admission to the state carriage, and then and there gave his excellency the above par- ticulars, at which he laughed most heartily."

THE SUPPOSED MURDER NEAR MER- THYR TYDVIL. Robert Coe, the young man charged with having murdered one John Davies, on the 2nd of last Sept., was brought, in the custody of Mr. Superintendent Wrenn, before Mr. Fowler, at the Police-court, for examination on Saturday. George Davies, the father of the alleged murdered man, was the first witness called. He ep:i>ke to the body of deceased being that of his son. Sergeant Hodgson afterwards made a statement to the effect that the prisoner, when he arrested him, said he was, he believed, the last person with the deceased, but at the same time declared his innocence of the murder. Mr. Superintendent Wrenn than applied to the magistrate for a further remand, stating that the evidence which he was getting to- gether was not quite complete. The magistrate at once acceded to the request, and remanded the prisoner. The Cambrian Daily Leader Rays The rumour of further arrests reached Merthyr on Thursday, but has not been confirmed up to the time of our dis- patch. It is certain, however, that other arrests I will be made, for the more closely the case is ex- amined the stronger are the indications of more than one having aided in this most brutal murder. The ftiends of deceased say that he could have had but 30s.; but no money was found. The discovery was made in a singular manner. Davis, the farmer, and a servant man, were together in the wood looking for sheep. They were preceded by a dog—one of those sagacious Welsh shepherd dogs which seem, in many cases, to possess more than the intelligence and saga- city of their owners. Suddenly the dog stopped and exhibited great uneasiness, so much that the servant man said, 'We must see what ails the dog, master; he has got something there.' They then made their way through the briar, when the ghastly spectacle lay before them. The murdered man was of steady habits, and bore a good moral character. His friends say that he was not given to drinking, and they do not think that he was made drunk and enticed into the wood. The supposition is that he was certainly inveigled into the wood, but by what means is un- known. He was found in the back part, where mere ramblers would scarcely go. One surmise thrown out is that there is a woman in the case. Some time before his disappearance a cousin came on a visit to the house from a voyage, and being a light-hearted sailor it was thought that his adventures and descriptions had tempted Davies to run away from the plodding habits of a blacksmith and see the world. This was one reason why a keener search was not made."

EXCITING RACE WITS A RUNAWAY ENGINE. Daring Act of a Fireman. About two o'clock on Tuesday afternoon the wires" flashed the astounding intelligence to the authorities at the Centrar Station that engine No. 392 was then tearing along the down line at tre- mendous speed without any one upon it. The con- sternation of the parties was immense, as it was at once concluded that the unrestrained race of the loco- motive must result in causing a considerable damage to some portion of the line. From inquiries we have made it appears that the engine was standing with a ballast train at Durham, only the fireman being on it;, the driver standing on the ground near. While thus standing, No. 392 was run into by another engine. The shook detached the ballast engine from the train, threw opell the regulator and pitched the fireman upon the ground. The result of the regulator being open was that No. 392 came away at a gradually increasing rate of speed. Meeting no impediment to its progress, the engine ran on at a great pace. The passengers on the platform at Leara- Sv!ia ftartled by the guideless engine ushmg past, and the wildest conjectures were, of course, indulged in as to the strange occurrence. It n* usual to slacken speed in approaching and crossing witb°riiflnii lf0ri enfiine cam0 rushing on wShW °ktd SpMd' the company's servant! at At this ?• 0nce sa.w ^ere was something wrong, cms station an engine wag standing the drivor nf aSSK- H. aVot'Sw tot from the trlf\a rfu?,aw3 £ > a*d detaching his engine irom tne tram ho followed as fast as he could. It was speed estimated^ ruimway %oinS at a rate of onlv succeeded in mileS T bou^' that ^christ hXX? aboST,ri S,rfVJ ^"5- life inm /fUagevS manner, and at the risk of his succeeded ^ls ?wn engine on to No. 392, and dam ace bein ^1DglJg lfc UP> fortunately without any GiSSt andg« f T must besn the case had was intended hv^ BOt in their pursuit. It rise threnineTm^ariy'S .serraEts Gateshead, being stopped, to open. the switchs and run it among The prompt action of Gilchrist and Batv commendable, and they are certainlv eritftWi the diTO{0A what iff aMMtog.

'i AMERICA. ..„. NEW YORK, DEC. 27. The provisional Governors of North Carolina and Mississippi have been removed, and the Governors elect directed to assume office. The Governor of South Carolina upon assuming office telegraphed to President Johnson the assurance of his unalterable purpose to aid in upholding the Federal laws. The oountry population in portions of Virginia and Mississippi are flocking to the large towns, fearing a negro outbreak at Christmas. No negro riots are as yet reported, except at Man- chester, Virginia, where a coloured mob released two coloured prisoners from gaol. At Alexandria, Virginia, a fight has occurred be- tween the blacks and whites, in which four whites and six negroes are reported to have been killed. Secretary Seward, in reply to a request of New York merchants for the friendly intervention of the United btates in the Hispano-Chilian dispute, replied that the friendiy offices °f the United States had already Md 'OP*1 The owners of the ship Nora, in consequence of the repudiation by the British Government of the claim for damages for her destruction by the Alabama have appealed to the Federal Government to support them in their claim, since they, as private citizens, have no other means of redress. It is reported that a movement is on foot for a com- promise between the Fenian factions. Great numbers are said to favour the retirement both of Mahoney and of the Senate. The Hamburg ship Newton, from New York for Hamburg, has been totally wrecked off Nantucket. All hands were lost. Captain Semmes has been arrested by order of the Government, on the ground of having during his fight with tne Kearsarge, hoisted the white flag, and escaped under cover of a cessation of hostilities. Captain Semmes claims to have been included in the Sherman- Johnston capitulation. The Mobile Register of the 19th insfr., pronounces the Government Cotton Agency system in the South to be a total failure, a social misfortune, and a source of the hugest robbery and corruption.

MILITARY REVOLT IN sfaiN. BAYONNE, JAN. 6. Intelligence received here from Madrid up to noon on the 5th inst. confirms the news that General Prim is at the head of the insurgents, who, to the number of 600, were marching towards Tarrancon. The gar- rison of Avila, consisting of 300 men, revolted and marched upon Zamora, but the garrison of that place remained faithful to the Government, and prevented them from entering the town. The Avila garrison then proceeded in the direction of Benavente. Madrid was perfectly tranquil. > PARIS, JAN. 6, EVENING. Dispatches received here from Madrid announcethftt martial law has been preclaimed in that city. The in- surrection does not assume a more serious character. Prim has under him 600 insurgents. General Pierrard has been arrested at Valladolid and brought before a court-martial. Marshal O'Donnell has made an inspection of the barracks in Madrid, and was received with shouts of Viva la Reina." The distribution of the opposition newspapers has been stopped in Madrid. The Minister of the Interior has announced the present state of things to the Cortes, at the same time stating his con- viction that order would be promptly re-established. The minister described the insurgents as factious, against which Senor Figuerola, a Progressist member, protested, and reminded the minister that ambitious men now followed the example set them by other ambi- tious men in 1854. It is stated that Carlos Latorre has been arrested at Badajoz. T PARIS, JAN. 7. intelligence received here from Madrid announces that the members of the diplomatic corps had an in- terview with Marshal O'Donnell, on the 4th inst., on the subject of the insurrectionary movement in Spain. A letter published by the Tettyps states that the insurgents raised shouts of Viva la Union Ioerioa, and that 10,000 workmen were ready to take up arms at Barcelona. p, J»IADRTD, JAN. 8, MIDNIGHT. The Chamber of Deputies have unanimously re- solved to present an address to the Queen, expressive of their loyalty to her Majesty's person. According to the latest official dispatches, the in- surgents under General Prim bad arrived at Urda, in the mountains of Toledo, but it was not known what direction they purposed taking. It is considered that they will experience difficulty in escaping, as the columns under Generals Zavala, Eohagne, and Concha are acting in concert, in order to surround the insur- gents and cut off their retreat. General Prim is ill, and is compelled to accompany the insurgent columns in a carriage. The garrison of Avila, on entering Portugal, were disarmed by the authorities. Complete tranquillity prevails throughout Portg.

VENETIA." VIENNA, JAN. 9. It is officially announced that it is the intention of the Government, in order to simplify the political organisation of Venetia, to introduce reforms having for object the greater development of the autonomy of that province.

THE ANGLO-AUSTP-FAN TREATY OF COMMERCE. VIENNA, JAN. 9. I he treaty of commerce between England and Austria has been officially promulgated here to-day in the English a-nd German languages. The preamble states that in virtue of this treaty the subjects and commerce of both countries are placed upon equal footing with the most favoured nations as regards commercial advantages. The treaty will come into operation on the 1st January? 1867, and its preliminary duration is fixed for ten years.

The Last Confederate Prisoner.—The last Confederate prisoner of war has been released, on eon- dition that he would leave the country. Captain Gas- man refused to take the oath to the United States, and asked no favour but to be released, to leave the country. The Government refused to grant his re- • quest until the 16th of November, when orders were given to allow him to depart without taking the oath. Captain Gusman commanded the Creole Guards of Baton Rouge, and fought under Stonewall Jack-oa and his successor, The mineral oil mines just discovered ílit Trowbridge, in Wiltshire, have been visitndby • "n- patent persons, and a favourable opinion has expressed by them as to the material foi.r •; adapted for the manufacture of paraffin oil. /■