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Civil War Harper's Weekly, November 26, 1864

Welcome to our online collection of Civil War Harper's Weekly newspapers. These papers have reports and analysis not available anywhere else. The illustrations bring the war to life, and allow you to develop a more complete understanding of the war.

(Scroll Down to See Entire Page, or Newspaper Thumbnails below will take you to the page of interest)

 

Pirate Florida

Pirate Ship "Florida"

Sherman in Georgia

General Sherman's March Through Georgia

McClellan Resigns

General McClellan Resigns

Before Petersburg

Troops Before Petersburg

Reinforcements

Reinforcements

Pirate Florida

Capture of the Pirate Ship Florida

Lincoln's Home

President Lincoln's Springfield Home

Long Abe Lincoln

Long Abraham Lincoln

Blockade Runner

Blockade Runner

Civil War Map

Civil War Map

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOVEMBER 26, 1864.]

HARPER'S WEEKLY.

755

(Previous Page) tion beats harmonious ; and that the best men in each aim to make that general justice practicable which can alone secure the peace of the world.

THE BOSTON SAILORS' FAIR.

ON the morning of election day Captain WINSLOW, of the Kearsarge, came ashore at Boston, and going at once to his home in Roxbury, voted for the cause for which he had fought. On the next day the great Fair for the Sailors was opened in Boston by the customary speeches ; but with a variety of material and a cordiality of purpose which show how true the national heart is to the brave men at sea who defend the national honor and the flag.

It was a happy event for the opening of the Fair that Captain WINSLOW, the hero of what is perhaps the most interesting single naval incident of the war, should be present. Yet the sinking of the Alabama was only one incident. The history of the navy in this war is fully worthy its earlier exploits. The fight at Hatteras ; the opening of New Orleans, the defeat of the Merrimac; the capture of Hilton Head; the occupation of Mobile Bay ; the sinking of the Alabama; the explosion of the Albemarle ; the capture of the Florida, with the inflexible blockade maintained along the coast of a continent, and the hundred illustrious episodes of individual daring and victory, are all naval triumphs upon which the shades of LAWRENCE and DECATUR, of ESEK HOPKINS and OLIVER PERRY may approvingly smile. When the war began there were some forty ships in the navy, and ISAAC TOUCEY, the Secretary of the Navy, knowing that the Government was to be attacked, had put all but four of them out of its reach. Less than eight thousand men sufficed for the service of these ships. Now the vessels have increased to nearly six hundred, and fifty thousand seamen care for them. Meanwhile FARRAGUT and DU PONT, and WORDEN and PORTER and WINSLOW, have written their names bright and clear in our history.

The object of the Boston Sailors' Fair is to found a home for seamen, such as the United States has not yet provided. For by some remarkable arrangement nineteen or twenty years must elapse before one of the men, for instance, who fought upon the Kearsarge can become the permanent inmate of a United States marine hospital. To secure that berth a sailor must have been in the service for twenty years. This is making what the French would call a long antichamber.

The Fair has opened with such spirit that there can be no doubt of realizing a large sum for its generous purpose. Every body will be glad to cheer the honest heart of the sailor boy, and to assure him, wherever, in strange and remote seas. he fights for the flag that those whom the flag protects hail his work and honor his bravery.   

MR. STEPHEN MASSETT is lecturing in Baltimore, where his " Drifting About" has proved very successful.

DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE

THE MILITARY SITUATION.

THE interest in the military record of the past week is chiefly prospective, gathering especially about Sherman's projected campaign. In Virginia no important event has occurred, except the withdrawal of Sheridan's army to the vicinity of Winchester. He was followed by the rebel cavalry who, November 11, engaged Merritt and Custer. The latter retired, but did not succeed in drawing the enemy northward. The skirmishing was renewed the next day, Sheridan trying in vain to bring on a general engagement. General Powell advanced with his division, and drove the rebels through and beyond Front Royal, capturing two cannon, 150 prisoners, and several wagons. There is nothing new from the Army of the James, except that the enemy is lining the west bank of the James from the Howlett House, near Dutch Gap, to Drury's Bluff with a chain of formidable batteries. It is evidently the expectation of the rebels that on the completion of time Dutch Gap Canal Richmond will be attempted by a combined assault of our land and naval force. The Richmond Examiner (November 9) even supposes that Grant will be reinforced by the best part of Sheridan's army. Early's army is supposed to number from ten to fifteen thousand men. The rebels have on the James River three iron-clad rams,, built on the plan of the Tennessee, and four wooden gun-boats.

On the night of November 5 about 600 of A. P. Hill's men made another sally to capture the pickets of Mott's Division A sharp skirmish followed, in which time rebels lost many men.

Commander Macomb's official report of the capture of Plymouth by our naval force gives as time results of the victory the capture of twenty-two cannon, many small arms, large quantities of ammunition, and a few prisoners. The Albemarle was found completely submerged. The following vessels took part in the expedition against Plymouth: the Commodore Hull, Shamrock, Chicopee, Otsego, Wyalusing, Tacony, and Valley City.

GENERAL SHERMAN.

General Hood's movements for some time past have indicated an intention on his part of taking up finally a position on time Mississippi River. On the 23d of October he was at Brookeville, in Northern Alabama. At this point his army separated into three columns, all moving toward the Tennessee River with the design of crossing at three different points Decatur, Whitesburgh, and Gunter's Landing. From this time his movements are not certainly known to us, but time necessity of supplying himself from the country probably led him to scatter his forces pretty widely along the banks of the Tennessee. Whether he will move northward on Chattanooga or Nashville time will develop. The Charleston Mercury of October 31 volunteers the opinion that Hood had better whip Sherman first and make his advance afterward ; it does not see how a rebel army, not numerous enough to confront its adversary in the field, can afford to leave him in the rear. It says : "The idea of recruiting our army in Tennessee is good, provided we go there in time right way, inspiring confidence and showing power and skill. But a fugitive campaign of a week or two, ending in retreat or disaster, would do much more harm than good would chill the lukewarm, and confirm the desponding and timid."

In the mean time General Sherman, leaving Thomas north of the Tennessee with a force sufficient to confront

Hood, has moved with his main army in another direction. October 23 he was at Gaylesville, Alabama, having up to that time kept well in Hood's rear. From that point he moved to Resaca, and had reached Atlanta and joined Slocum's Corps at that place during the first week of November. Here the election took place on the 8th. Wednesday morning the rebels made three attacks on Atlanta, but were repulsed, retreating toward Macon. From this date we have no information, and the most various conjectures are made as to the movement upon which he probably set out on the 10th or 11th. General Gillem had just routed the enemy in East Tennessee, driving him into Virginia, and this has led to the supposition that Sherman's move will be along the line of the Virginia and East Tennessee Railroad. All of the Gulf States are open to him, and it is conjectured by many that he is moving southward to the coast, taking Andersonville in his way. This inference is also drawn from a note addressed by him to the Western Sanitary Commission, in which he says, under date of October 25 at Gaylesville : "I thank you for the prompt fulfillment of the request to send certain articles for our prisoners at Andersonville. Things have changed since, and I may go in person to deliver these articles to the prisoners." Others have supposed that he would move on Savannah or Charleston. The rebel papers, it is to be hoped, are as much bewildered about the affair as we are at the North. Atlanta is still held by the Twentieth Corps.

General A. J. Smith's Division from Memphis is at Paducah. Forrest has been operating on the Tennessee River in the western part of the State ; but he failed in taking Johnsonville, which was his chief object, the river being always navigable to this point. On the 8th Wheeler and Forrest withdrew from Johnsonville on the approach of a Federal naval and land force to this point.

Several attempts have been made to cross Texas cattle over the Mississippi River for the benefit of Hood's army. It is supposed that a strong force of Texans were ready to cooperate with Hood on time west side of the Mississippi.

FROM THE SOUTHWEST.

On the 18th of September Admiral Porter presented a sword to Brigadier-General Joseph Bailey, who did him such service in extricating the gun-boats and other vessels of the fleet from their perilous position above the falls at Alexandria during the Red River expedition.

The rebels have three gun-boats on the Red River, the most formidable of which is the Missouri, mounting six heavy guns, and thickly armored. These are supposed to be lying at Shreveport. As the Red River is rising these boats are daily expected to descend.

November 6 General Canby was severely wounded by a guerrilla while ascending the White River on time gun-boat Cricket. It is thought that his recovery is doubtful,

EXPLOSION OF THE " TULIP."

On the 11th inst. the gun-boat Tulip, attached to the Potomac flotilla, left St. Mary's in the afternoon for time Washington Navy-yard. While passing Rugged Point in the early evening her boilers exploded, rending the upper portion of the vessel to atoms, scalding her officers and crew, and sending them about in every direction. She had on board 69 persons, officers and men. Of these only nine are accounted for, and some of these nine were mortally injured.

RESIGNATION OF GENERAL McCLELLAN.

The following order was issued by the President November 14:

That the resignation of George B. McClellan as Major-General in the United States army, dated November 8, and received by the Adjutant-General on the 10th inst., be accepted as of the 8th of November.

That for personal gallantry, military skill, and just confidence in the courage and patriotism of his troops displayed by Philip H. Sheridan on the 19th of October at Cedar Run, whereby, under the blessing of Providence his routed army was reorganized, a great national disaster averted, and a brilliant victory achieved over the rebels for the third time in pitched battle within thirty days, Philip H. Sheridan is appointed Major-General in the United States Army, to rank as such from the 8th dry of November, 1864.

SOUTHERN NEWS.

On the 7th of November the rebel Congress assembled at Richmond. Among those collected together on this occasion we recognize the familiar names of Hunter, Bocock, Johnson, Wigfall, Orr, Foote, and Rives. Of the members of the House, only 62 were present at the opening of the session, nearly half of whom represented rotten boroughs. The Richmond hotels embraced the opportunity to advance the price of board to $40 per diem.

Davis's Message is of especial interest on account of the important measures upon which it touches. He devotes time first portion of the document to a review of the military campaign since June. He sees no disparaging feature in Sherman's advance into Georgia or in Grant's near approach to Richmond. The loss of all their cities, he claims, would still leave the contest undecided. He does not once allude to the Confederate defeats in the Valley, but points with an indignant gesture to Sheridan's barbarian mode of carrying on war. Mr Davis then proceeds to a consideration of the Confederate finances. The total amount of the rebel debt on the 1st of October was $1,147,976,208, of which about half was funded. The increase in debt during the six months from April to October was nearly $100,000,000. In these statements the foreign debt is omitted. This amounts to £2,200,000 in gold, or about $50,000,000 in Confederate currency, and is provided for by about 250,000 bales of cotton owned by the Government. To the foreign debt must also be added the soldiers' dues. Hood's army has not been paid for fifteen months. The chief difficulty, he says, to be apprehended is from a depreciated currency, which he attributes to two causes redundancy in amount and want of confidence in ultimate redemption.

Mr. Davis advocates a universal conscription, exempting no class, and he advises that the detailment of editors, teachers, physicians, etc., he left to the discretion of the military authorities. In regard to the employment of slaves in the army he expresses himself with great caution. He thinks it would be wise to increase the number of slaves employed in accordance with the Act of February last, which provided for the impressment of 20,000 slaves. He claims, however, that time slave is not only property but also has a personal relation and obligation to the Government. If the slaves were used as soldiers then they would cease to be private property, and must pass over to the possession of Government. But Mr. Davis is not in favor of conferring freedom on the negro in order to make him a soldier, but only after a period of faithful service.

After time reading of the Message in the House, Mr. Blandford, of Georgia, presented a bill, placing all domiciled white males between 18 and 45 in time army, revoking all exemptions, and authorizing the President to make details when necessary. This was referred to Committee on Military Affairs.

Mr. Murray, of Tennessee, offered a joint resolution declaring that the Confederate States will give neither sympathy nor aid to the establishment of a monarchy in Mexico.

Then Mr. Swan, of Tennessee, offered a resolution declaring that no exigency exists or is likely to occur requiring the placing of negroes in the army, and he was desirous of prompt and decisive action which should put at once to rest the idea at which his resolution was aimed. The resolution was postponed to Thursday, November 10. A resolution was agreed to instructing the Committee of Ways and Means to introduce a bill for the purchase of clothing for Confederate soldiers in captivity. The House adjourned till the 10th. The Senate adjourned immediately after the reading of the President's Message.

On the 10th the Senate sat in secret session. In the House the subject of arming slaves was the order of time day. Mr. Chambers, of Mississippi, offered the following resolution;

Resolved, That the valor, constancy, and endurance of our citizen soldiers, assisted by time steady co-operation of all classes of our population not in the field, will continue a sufficient guarantee of time rights of the States and the independence of the Confederate States.

Mr. Chambers spoke at length in opposition to making soldiers of slaves.

The news of President Lincoln's re-election had been received at Richmond November 11. The rebels accept it as

a declaration on the part of the North in favor of four years more of war, but claim that our perseverance will be exhausted before another year shall have closed.

NEWS ITEMS.

It is officially announced that the efficiency of the army in the field requires that the furloughs of all regimental officers and enlisted men fit for duty shall terminate on the 14th instant.

It is reported that General Hancock, in consequence of the condition of his wounds, is to be relieved of the command of the Second Corps, and assigned to the command of the Department of Washington, General Augur succeeding him in the Army of the Potomac.

Mosby, the famous guerrilla chief, a few days ago ordered seven of our men in his hands to be hung in retaliation for seven of his men who had been executed by General Custer. Four of these escaped ; the others were hung near Berryville.

Lieutenant Brain, the captor of the United States steamer Roanoke, has been released by the Bermuda authorities upon showing his commission from the Confederate Secretary of the Navy.

FOREIGN NEWS.

EUROPE.

MR. JOHN LEECH, the celebrated illustrator of the pages of Punch, died on the 29th ult, aged 47 years.

The Schleswig-Holstein question has been finally settled by the treaty of peace signed October 30. Denmark cedes Schleswig, Holstein, and Lauenburg to the victors. Lauenburg, in accordance with the vote of her Diet, will probably be annexed to Prussia.

THE EAST.

A terrific cyclone has broken over Calcutta, causing enormous destruction of property. Of two hundred vessels in the Hoogly (a branch of the Ganges), nineteen are reported to be totally lost, and of the remainder, twenty only are reported to be sea-worthy.

The fleet of the English, French, and Dutch has successfully attacked the forts of Prince Negato in the Straits of Shimonosaki. The Japanese have sued for peace and promise to open the Straits.

INTERESTING ITEMS.

INCIDENT OF THE LAST ELECTION.—At the last election a very interesting incident occurred at Sturbridge, Massachusetts. Deacon John Phillips, who is 104 years old, appeared at the town hall and deposited his ballot for Presidential electors and State officers. He was brought in a carriage, and then conveyed into the hall in a chair, supported by a platoon of our returned soldiers, and received by the citizens of the town rising from their seats, amidst the tears and heart-felt emotions of all present. After resting for a moment, the venerable patriot expressed a desire to shake hands with all the returned soldiers. Some thirteen soldiers then formed in line. When each one was introduced to the patriarch, and took him by the hand, with the announcement of the time each had served in the army. After this, three hearty cheers were given for the returned soldiers, and three rousing cheers by the whole assembly for the " old soldier of the Revolution."

Colonel Edward Phillips, eldest son of the venerable deacon, now in his eightieth year then made an impromptu speech to the soldiers, in the course of which he said that he was the oldest man in town who was born in town, and yet, said he, my father is here and still lives." The old gentleman was then presented with two sets of ballots, one for Abraham Lincoln and one for George B. McClellan, and requested before all present to take his choice, when he reached out his hand, and in an audible and deep-toned bass voice, said, " I shall take the one for Abraham Lincoln."

The town then voted that the chairman of the selectmen present the ballot-box to the old gentleman, who took his ballot with both hands and deposited it in the box, stating that he had voted for Washington for President, and had attended all the Presidential elections since, excepting that four years ago, when he was sick, and did not attend.

A CHAPLAIN in Arkansas says a man buying furs was conversing with a woman, at whose house he called, and asked her" if there was any Presbyterians around there ?" She hesitated a moment, and said she "guessed her husband hadn't killed any since they'd lived there."

MURDER WILL OUT.--A case is under examination at Albany which illustrates the importance of trifles in the detection of crime. In September a cattle dealer by the name of Thompson was murdered in West Albany under circumstances which appeared to furnish no clew to the detection of the murderer. A stranger had gone out in the evening with Thompson from his hotel to look at some cattle just arrived from Saratoga, and penned in an obscure portion of the market. The next morning the cattle dealer was found murdered, and robbed of about $5000. The criminal had escaped. But a drover had seen the two men together on the day of the murder, and remembered the stranger, who had asked him, '' Didn't you keep bar somewheres? Haven't I seen you before?"

A month afterward. the drover was in the cars on his way to Schenectady, and falling into conversation with a stranger, the latter abruptly asked him, " Didn't you keep bar somewheres? Haven't I teen you before ?" Upon this followed the arrest of the murderer, who, but for this casual repetition of a question, might possibly have escaped detection.

This case reminds us of a similar one of recent occurrence in England. This, however, was a case of robbery. A house breaker having plundered a house of considerable valuable property in the course of his rummaging went into the upper story. No one was at home but the house-maid, and she was at this time preparing to retire for the night. As the robber peeped in he saw her before the mirror with her night-dress and night-cap on, and heard her remark, "How nice I took in my night-cap!" A few days afterward this girl encountered two young men on the street and one of them thoughtlessly said, " How nice I look in my nightcap !" The recognition then became mutual and the robber was arrested.

ARTEMUS WARD writes that he is tired of answering the question as to how many wives Brigharm Young has. He says that all he knows about it is that he one day used up the multiplication-table in counting the long stockings on a clothes-line in Brigham's back yard, and went off feeling dizzy. Even when in Mormondom Artemus, about to give an entertainment, gave a prominent Mormon a family-ticket, and as a consequence he found his evening audience made up entirely of " dead-heads," with a long string of the privileged family trailing some distance outside.

FIVE miles from Waterville is Derrynane, the well known residence of O'Connell. It lies low on the shore of a little bay, and is sheltered to landward by a grove of trees ; it looks like the quiet drowsy residence of an old fashioned country gentleman, and it is difficult to realize in it the head quarters of the Emancipation and Anti Union agitations. His eldest son and successor, the late Mr. Maurice O'Connell, was a celebrated shot, and one of his amusements in driving along the road was to shoot the wretched little dogs which rush out from every cabin to bark at strangers. He was an unfailing shot, and it was a grotesque thing to witness the zeal with which men and women would snatch up the yelping curs and hurry them out of sight the moment his carriage was seen. It was not always, however, that such precautions were availing, for on one occasion he shot a dog in the arms of its owner. Another day, walking in the streets of Tralee with a friend, they espied a luckless tobacconist peacefully smoking his cigar in front of his own shop door. "You can't knock that fellow's cigar out of his mouth," suggested his friend. "Can't I?'' said Maurice you shall see." This time, unluckily, his aim was not as true as usual, for he carried away the tip of the tobacconist's nose, and had to pay a fine of £400 for the pleasure of performing the operation.

THE sponge business has become a prominent department of industry in the Bahama Islands. It is almost entirely the growth of the last twenty years, and nets an-

nually about 20,000 dollars. The sponge is fished and raked from the sandy bottom of the ocean at the depth of twenty, forty, or sixty feet. It belongs to a very low order of animal life, organization hardly being detected. When first taken from the water it is black, and becomes exceedingly offensive from decomposition. It is so poisonous in this condition that it almost blisters the flesh it happens to touch. The first process is to bury it in the sand, where it remains for two or three weeks, in which time the gelatinous animal matter is absorbed and destroyed by the insects that swarm in the sand. After being cleansed it is compressed and packed in bales like cotton. The sponge has been applied to a variety of new purposes, and within the past few years has quadrupled in value.

TIGERS AT SINGAPORE.--In Singapore the average mortality caused by tigers has for a long time been calculated at one man a day. The local Government have recently made great efforts to drive away these destructive animals. Convicts have been specially employed to hunt them down, and the reward offered for their destruction has been considerably increased. These measures have to a certain extent proved successful, but that they have not been altogether so is shown by a statement in a late number of the Straits Times. In little more than a fort night in the month of August last five men had been killed by tigers, and these were not merely conjectural cases, but cases in which the evidence of the cause of death was indisputable.

MARIE ANTOINETTE.--In the beginning of her married life, to use the poetical yet truthful language of Burke, "she glittered like the morning star, full of life, and splendor, and joy." Radiant with hope, and dreading no danger, for she felt no sin, she may have been, by excess of candor or the too unrestrained flow of animal spirits, occasionally thoughtless or even imprudent. But after winnowing and sifting every act of her life for seventy-two years and more, most impartial men have now come to the conclusion that, in every passage of her history in which unfavorable opinions were formed of her conduct, she has been the victim of calumny and slander. To her mother she was always a respectful and dutiful daughter, as to her husband she was always a dutiful and loving wife. This she showed in her whole conduct, as well as in the letters collected by Count d'Hunolstein and M. Feuillet de Conches, in which appear that careless candor, that perfect abandon and espieglerie so compatible with, and oftenest joined to, the most perfect purity of mind and morals.

THE rewards of literary success, as indeed of success in any pursuit whatever, are in these days something marvelous. It is said that Mr. Tennyson has already realized L10,000 by the sale of his last volume, and that Mr. Wilkie Collins is to receive .£3000 for his new novel in the Cornhill Magazine, and still be at liberty to republish it in a complete form after it has appeared in the periodical. And it is not only in England that these large sums are realized by authors. No less than 30,000 copies of an illustrated edition of Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables" were lately sold in a few days, and 1500 more were ordered. The times are changed indeed since Dr. Johnson was obliged to dance attendance in Lord Chesterfield's ante room in the vain hope of obtaining a paltry dedication fee.

A YOUNG nobleman of the Papal States, on succeeding to his family title, found that his uncle and predecessor had expended nearly the whole property in assisting the Pope at the time of his flight from Rome. Time young man was left all but penniless ; he naturally determined to seek Pio IX., expose his condition, and implore from his Holiness either repayment, or some such office as would recompense his loss. It proved, however, no easy matter for him to obtain the desired interview. By some unaccountable contingency the Pope was never able to receive him, though he applied through many channel for the favor. Months passed on, and finally two or three years, and the young nobleman was still soliciting the permission to lay his claim before his holy debtor. At last the Pope under took one of his journeys; the nobleman followed him, found him on one occasion less carefully guarded than usual, forced the consign at his private door, and entering the sacred presence, threw himself at his Holiness's feet, and expounded his case. The Pope listened both patiently and amiably while the youth detailed all that his uncle had given, and how the family estates were mortgaged in consequence, and how since the uncle's death he had been seeking the Pope to obtain favorable consideration of his claims. The Pope, as I have said, listened most graciously, insomuch that the nobleman congratulated himself in the confident hope that his petition would assuredly be granted. "And how long ago is it," said the Pope, " since your excellent uncle died?" "Just four years ago, may it please your Holiness." " Then," returned the Pope, " for four years exactly, il suo signor zio has received in heaven the reward of his magnanimous devotion to the Holy See. Benedicite !" This said, and extending his two fingers over the abashed and kneeling suppliant, Pio IX. swept out of the room.

A BISHOP IN PURIBUS.—We can not resist the temptation of relating the following anecdote of the Apostolic Bishop of New Zealand, the suns of whose adventure lies here. Be had persuaded the Bishop of Newcastle to start with him from Sydney on a missionary cruise in his little yacht to New Caledonia, the New Hebrides, the Loyalty, and other islands in his then extensive diocese. Like our selves they put in at the Bay of Islands. The Bishop of New Zealand wished to show his brother of Newcastle a little of the country, and for that purpose proposed to take him to a distant station on the other side of this very river. The ground was soft and boggy, as we had found it, and the Bishop of Newcastle had never been accustomed to "rough it" in such a country as this. He could ride his fifty miles a day in his own diocese; but his hardy brother always walked, and besides there were no horses to be had here. Always neat and spruce in his dress, looking " as if he had just conic out of a bandbox," and afraid like a cat to wet his feet, he picked his way most carefully and delicately, unlike his brother Bishop, who tramped on

through thick and through thin," till at last they came to the river side. The river was swollen with the heavy rain which had been pouring down in torrents for some days previously, and he of Newcastle looked awfully puzzled, wondering how they were to cross neither bridge nor ford being visible in any direction. He was still further puzzled when he saw the Bishop of New Zealand, without a word, deliberately taking off shoes, leggings, stockings, and, last of all, his breeches. In reply to his brother Bishop's "whatever next?" he coolly collected his various articles of dress and stepped into the river up to his apron, calling out as he did so, " Now then, Newcastle, off with your breeks, and follow your leader !" There was no help for it, as there was no other means of crossing the river, and the good Bishop invariably refused to be carried across by any of his Maori suite, on the ground that it was not right to treat such noble fellows " like beasts of burden."

A BANQUET of horse-flesh at Lyons, which came off lately, was attended by a considerable number of commercial and manufacturing notabilities, advocates, medical men, and others. The guests expressed great satisfaction at the dishes prepared.

THE daily consumption of oysters in Paris, notwithstanding their high price, ranging from 80 cents to 100 cents per dozen, is between 7000 and 8000 baskets. Each basket contains 150, so that Paris requires daily from 1,050,000 to 1,200,000 of these mollusks—a total of 36,000,000 a month, or 228,000,000 for the eight months containing the letter r, during which oysters are in season.

DEAR WALNUTS.—On Monday, the 26th of September, General Hitchens, Mayor of Tenterden, England, sitting alone at the Town Clerk's office, sentenced a boy of sixteen, named William Webb, for a theft of six walnuts front a tree, to six months' imprisonment with hard labor. No previous offense of any sort was alleged against the boy.

A WHEEL-BARROW FULL.—An ancient barrow was opened a few days ago near Whitechurch in Hants. It measured eighty feet in circumference and four feet in height, and was composed of chalk, rubble, and flints. A small crushed urn, four skeletons, three those of adults, and the other of a girl of about twelve years old, and a small sun baked urn filled with calcined bones and ashes, and nine small rudely-chipped flint arrow-heads were found in the barrow.


 

 

  

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