gis 
THE GARDENERS CHRONICLE. 
[Dec. 30, 
form an obstacle to the navigation ; the tunnel to be con- 
structed of such a bore as to obviate the possibility of the 
carriages getting misplaced in their passage. Railway 
carriages and vehicles of all kinds, as well as passengers, 
_ would thus be safely and rapidly transferred from one side 
to the other, It is considered that with the present low 
rice of iron, three tunnels might be cheaply constructed, 
all starting from the station of the Brandling Junction 
Railway, one proceeding in the direction of Neville-street, 
the other in that of the Castle-garth, and the third goirg 
towards the station of the Newcastle and North Shields 
Railway. 
Norwich.—A competition is at present going on among 
artists for the commission to perpetuate the memory of 
the late Earl of Leicester, and to commemorate the im- 
provements in agriculture which were fostered under his 
patronage during the greater portion of his life. The 
memorial is to be a column of about 120 feet high, with 
emblematical devices. The subscription consists of 4,000/., 
which the erection of the column is to cost, exclusive of the 
stone, which has been presented by Lord Hastings from 
his quarries at Seaton Delavel. The monument is like- 
wise intended to serve as a landmark to the eastern coast 
| of England. It will be erected at Holkham, near the seat 
of the late Earl. 
Railways .—The following are the returns for the past 
week :—Birmingham and Derby, 1,300/.; Birmingham 
and Gloucester, 1,594/.; Eastern Counties, 2,3487. 5 
Edinburgh and Glasgow, 1,735/. ; GreatWestern, 12,9397. ; 
Grand Junction, 6,580/.; Glasgow, Paisley, and Ayr, 
1,090/.; Great North of England, 1,320/.; Hull and 
Selby, 870/. ; London and Birmingham, 14,2647. ; South 
Western, 4,840/. ; Blackwall, 572/. ; Greenwich, 6897. ; 
Brighton, 3,422/.; Croydon, 1917. ; Liverpool and Man- 
chester, 5,505/.; Manchester and Leeds, 4,305/.; Mid- 
land Counties, 2,332/.; Northern and Eastern, 1,481/. ; 
North Midland, 4,002; Newcastle and Carlisle, 1,345/. ; 
South Eastern and ‘Dover, 2,806/. ; Sheffield and Man- 
chester, 470/.; York and North Midland, 1,540/.—A pro- 
ject called the Middlesex and Surrey Grand Junction 
Railway is now occupying some attention; and as it is 
_ proposed by the parties connected with the plan to com- 
mence their operations from the Harrow station, on the 
Birmingham line, through Epsom to Mersham on the 
_ Brighton line, crossing the Great Western and Sonth 
Western railways, it is likely to come in strong competi- 
tion with other projects now in the field. This line, it is 
said, will form a connecting link of all the railways from 
Scotland tojthe West and South of England.--On Wednesday 
week a numerous meeting of the shareholders in the Exeter 
and Plymouth Railway was held at Bristol, to take into 
consideration the propriety of completing the line from 
Exeter to Plymouth, The proposition of the directors 
was that the Bristol and Exeter Companies should advance 
600,000/. for that purpose, being one-half of the capital 
required. After a long discussion the proposal of the 
directors was negatived by the proprietors by a majority 
of five votes, and was: accordingly withdrawn.—A general 
idea of the extent of fluctuation which has occurred in the 
value of railway property during the present year may be 
- gathered from a ‘circular jast published by Mr. Greaves 
of Liverpool. It appears from this that the Chester and 
Birkenhead have been as high as 26, and as lowas 16 ; 
Eastern Counties as high as 10}, and as low as 73; Edin- 
burgh and Glasgow as high as 553, and as low as 453; 
Glasgow and Greenock as high as 15}, and as low as 10; 
Grand Junction as high as 219, and as low as 192; 
Great Western as high as 96}, andvas low as 857; Lan- 
caster and Preston as high as 33}, and as low as 29; 
Liverpool and Manchester as high as 214, and as low as 
190; Birmingham as high as 226, and as low as 202; 
South-Western as high as 703, and as low as 62; Brighton 
as high as 42+, and as low as 32; Manchester, Bolton, 
and Bury, as high as 86}, and as low as 50 ; Manchester 
and Birmingham as high as 363, and as low as 20; Man- 
chester and Leeds as high as 974, and as low as 6); Mid- 
Jand Counties as high as 86, and as low as 60; North 
Midland as high as 90, and as low as 633; North Union 
as high as 84}, and as low as 70; Paris and Rouen as 
high as 323, and as low as 22;; Rouen and Havre as 
high as 104, and as low as 5$; South-Eastern as high as 
342, and as low as 227; Sheffield and Manchester as high 
as 60, and as low as 431; and York and North Midland 
as high as 1324, and as low as 93. 
IRELAND. 
Dublin.—A notice has been issued from the Court of 
Queen’s Bench, announcing that Monday the 15th January 
is appointed for the state trials, and’ another notice to 
the same effect has been sent by the Crown solicitor to all 
the traversers and their attornies., The Landlord and 
Tenant Commission will reassemble in Dublin on the 3d 
January, and continue their sittings for a month, after 
which they will adjourn their inquiries to Cork, Limerick, 
Belfast, Waterford, Galway, &c., for the convenience of 
witnesses. The revised jury list arranged in alphabetical 
order, has been transmitted to Mr. Shaw, the recorder, 
who is now in England, for his final inspection, previous 
to its delivery into the hands of the high sheriff, Mr. 
Latouche. The new sheriff, Mr. Ball, may not be sworn 
in before the commencement of the trials on the L5th 
January. in that case it will become the duty of Mr. 
iLatouche to make out from the general list of jurors a 
special jury panel. In the general list there are about 
eight or ten thousand names, comprising ail classes of 
jurors, but placed according to raak and property. The 
sheriff is to make his selection from the general list; but 
he is bound to place upon the special panel all persons 
marked or qualified to act as special jurors. The special 
panel will probably contain seven or eight hundred names, 
including about two hundred Roman Catholics. About 
_ Monday, the 8th January, the high sheriff will be required 
by the Attorney-General to attend the Court of Queen’s 
Bench, in order that a special jury should be struck for 
the trial of the traversers in the state prosecutions. 
Nambers corresponding with all the names in the specia 
panel will be placed in a box, and in the presence of 
the solicitors at both sides forty-eight names will be 
drawn by ballot. The Crown solicitor and a solicitor 
acting in the name of the traversers will then strike off 
twelve names each. On the day of trial the first twelve 
of the remaining twenty-four answering to their names 
will constitute the special jury in the state prosecutions. 
The usual weekly meeting of the Repeal Association 
was held on Monday, Mr. Magennis in the chair. Mr. 
J. O’Connell said he had to commence the business of 
the meeting by announcing the death of the Member for 
Tipperary, Valentine Maher, Esq., who died suddenly on 
Christmas-day. In the course of a warm eulogy on the 
character of the deceased gentleman he said he was not a 
Repealer, but he had no doubt the people of Tipperary 
would fill the vacancy by electing a thorough Repealer. 
Mr. John O’Connell read a correspondence between him- 
self and Lord Devon in regard to the publication of evi- 
dence taken before the Commission. On this point, his 
Lordship declined pledging himself or his colleagues. 
Mr. J. O’Connell commented at some length on the 
vagueness of Lord Devon’s letter, and designated the 
Commission as a mockery. Mr. O'Neill, of Bunowen 
Castle and Mr. O'Neil Daunt addressed the meeting. 
The week’s rent was upwards of 470/.—Mr. O’Connell is 
still enjoying his favourite field sports in the country, and 
is to be entertained at a public dinner in Tipperary on the 
4th January. 
Finnoe.—A man named John Cahill has been com- 
mitted for examination on suspicion of being concerned 
in the murders of the late Mr. Waller and Miss Vereker. 
Mrs. Waller continues in very delicate health at Finnoe 
House, and is unable to be removed to Kyle Park, the seat 
of her son-in-law, Mr, Stoney. 
SCOTLAND. 
Edinburgh.—Several candidates are in the field for the 
musical professorship vacated by Sir Henry Bishop ; but 
the chances of success are now entirely between two 
persons,—Mr. Donaldson who ran so close a race with 
the ex-professor at the last election, and Dr. Gauntlet. 
Mr. Donaldson was formerly a music-teacher at Glasgow, 
but marrying a lady of fortune, studied at the bar and 
became a barrister. He is not known by his works on 
music, but is the popular candidate in Edinburgh. Dr. 
Gauntlett has been distinguished as a musical lecturer 
and by his imp in building. He is a 
practical musician;but has little local influence, being a 
resident in London.—The Lords of the Session on Satur- 
day unanimously passed a bill of suspension and interdict 
against the recent resolution of the council prohibiting 
any of their body from officially attending divine service. 
Immediately after this decision was announced a meeting 
of the town-council took place, the Lord Provost in the 
chair, when it was resolved to resume the old practice of 
going to church in municipal state, leaving it as before 
optional with the members to be present or not as they 
felt inclined. 
THEATRICALS. 
Drury-Lann.—On Tuesday night after the Opera of 
Der Freischutz the management of this theatre, according 
to good old custom, presented the public with a new Pan- 
tomime entitled Harlequin and King Pepin, or Valentine 
and Orson. Messrs. Howell, T. Ridgway and Blanchard 
appeared in their well-known parts of Harlequin, Clown 
and Pantaloon, and sustained their reputation by their 
performances. A new Columbine appeared in Miss 
Carson who was very favourably received. The panto- 
mimic scenes alluded as usual to the passing events and 
trifles of the day. The Queen’s visit to France, the new 
Regulation Hat, the Derby Sweeps, &c., were all the 
subjects of a passing joke, and the performance closed with 
a moving representation of the victory of Trafalgar, ter- 
minating with the ‘‘ Nelson Memorial,” in Trafalgar-square, 
amidst a concourse of water-deities, and a blaze of varie- 
gated lights. 
Haymarxer.—After Mr. Knowles’s Love Chace and 
the gymnastic performances of Mr. Risley and his son, the 
novelty of the season at this theatre was a new burlesque 
fairy tale by Mr. Planché called The Fair One with the 
Golden Locks, a clever drollery full of apt allusions to the 
events and opinions of the day. The piece was well got 
up and received with a great deal of applause. 
Princess’s.—On Tuesday after the performance of 
Don Pasquale and Twice Killed, there was produced a 
musical burlesque spectacle called the Magic Mirror, or 
the Hall of Statues: The subject is the adventures of 
Sing Song, Prince of China, and as the play-bill has it, 
Own Brother of the Sun, in search of a wife. The piece 
contains the usual amount of allusions to the affairs of the 
day, which told well with the audience : and being seconded 
by the attractions of agreeable music and scenery, and the 
acting of Mr. Bedford in Pooh Pooh the Emperor's 
Prime Minister, as well as Mrs. Grattan’s personation of 
the Prince, the piece was completely successful. It was 
dressed and got up on a scale of splendour rarely seen in 
a minor theatre. 
ApEtpat.—This theatre was crowded on boxing night 
by holiday folks attracted by the pantomime of Blue 
Beard, whose history seems to have lost none of its at. 
tractions for a Christmas audience. It was well brought 
out and is likely to have a run. 
Pisceliancous, 
Captain Conolly and Colonel Stoddart.—We copy the 
following paragraph from the Dedhi Gazette of the 28th 
Oct., received by the Overland Mail this week :—** On 
the 6th of September last a messenger named Luteef, from 
Colonel Stoddart; arrived at Hyderabad (in Scindr), 
where he made himself known to a British officer late 
in political employ, having left Bokhara 80 days previons. 
He travelled by the Candahar route, in hopes of finding 
some British officer there to whom he might deliver his 
letters, some of which were addressed to Major Todd by 
certain chiefs in Turkistan, others being from Colonel 
Stoddart himself. He was most unfortunately robbed of 
all these papers in the Pisheen valley by Meer Dil Khan, 
by whom he was beaten, but suffered to proceed on his 
way. He states that he left the Colonel alive and well, 
though a prisoner in the citadel of Bokhara. It seems, 
further, that on Captain Conolly’s arrival in Bokhara 
from Kokan, Colonel Stoddart and he lived together, first 
in the house of Summund Khan and afterwards in a 
house supplied by the king in the city. About 60 days 
after Conolly’s arrival came the news of the Cabul dis- 
asters, when both officers were immediately seized and 
imprisoned in the citadel. Their servants were at the same 
time confined in the common prison. One of these was 
considered an European, and was called Yousoof Khan. 
After two months the latter were released, but Yousoof 
Khan being discovered intriguing to convey letters to 
his master, he and three others were put to death by 
order of the Ameer. The latter now waged war with the 
Khan of Kokan, of which country he possessed himself 
for atime, but was eventually defeated. The Khan of 
Khiva availing himself of this circumstance overran a 
portion of the Ameer’s country and defeated his army in 
action. Returning after this to his capital, the Ameer 
put Captain Conolly to death, but was induced to spare 
Stoddart’s life by the earnest expostulations of that 
officer. This happened about six months after the death 
of Yousoof Khan and the rest. The story of Luteef is 
corroborated by a letter received by Colonel Sheil from 
Abdool Summund, the Topchi Bashi at Bokhara, in 
whose house Stoddart and Conolly were living previous 
to the seizure, and who claims 3000 tillas which he had 
lent the latter, as a voucher for which Colonel Stoddart 
had supplied him with a leaf out of Conolly’s journal ; 
this was safely delivered to Colonel Sheil. Stoddart 
would hardly have done this had Conolly been alive at 
the time.» Abdool Summund’s letter did not actually 
mention his death, but referred Colonel Sheil to the 
messenger, Mirza Rujjub Ali, for full information on all 
joints. Colonel Sheil, however, seems to have received 
the letter by some other hand, so we have yet to learn 
the Mirza’s vivd voce news. ‘he Ameer of Bokhara was 
apparently actuated partly by revengeful and partly by 
political motives in putting Captain Conolly to death so 
immediately after his own defeat by the Khan of Khiva, 
who was well known to be Conolly’s staunch friend, and 
he may have suspected the two of being in league together 
against him. Luteef visited Herat on his way to Scinde, 
and confirms the murder of Kamram by Yar Mahomed, 
which was perpetrated at Ghorian. We trust soon to 
have further particulars to add.” 
Mildness of the Season.—The Hampshire Advertiser 
says, ‘* On Saturday last, as a gentleman was journeying 
from Portsmouth to Arundel, he was forcibly struck with 
the unprecedented sight of a quantity of swallows playfully 
disporting themselves in the beautiful valley at the entrance 
to Arundel, a circumstance never before remembered at 
this season of the year. As an additional proof of the 
summerly mildness of the weather, the same gentleman 
informs us that fresh-gathered violets from the open 
ground perfumed his breakfast-table at Arundel.” The 
Bath Journal states that ‘‘ On the morning of the longest 
day in the present year many ponds of water in the eastern 
part of the kingdom were covered with ice; on the morn- 
ing of the shortest day the thermometer stood at 50, or 
nearly 24 degrees higher, and primroses are now in fulk 
blossom in many places. The Rev. Dr. Godfrey, Gros- 
venor-place, has crocuses in an advanced state.” The 
Falmouth Packet also says, ‘ The genial mildness of the 
season in this neighbourhood surpasses anything in the 
memory of the oldest persons. Roses, violets, geraniums, 
pinks, auriculas, fuchsias, &c. abound in our gardens, and 
in a garden in Berkeley Vale we observed on Thursday 
last more than 20 ripe strawberries. The fields and birds 
give every indication of advanced spring. Our fish-market 
is not only abundantly supplied with the finest fish, but 
those peculiar in summer, such as the sur mullet, John 
Dory, whiting, &c. are frequent.” 
Lab. 
Court or QuEEN’s Bencs.—The Queen v. Peter Townshend.— 
‘his was an indictment cha the defendant with having been 
; jury. Mr. Sergeant Talfourd, iv 
observed that most persons well 
of the highe 
family had bi 
referr i 
n the affidavit. 
y of introducing the name, and counsel advis 
utely requisite that the name should be inserted 
s, but that it need not transpire in Court, and upon 
anding the Dw consented to the name appearing. 
it was then prepared. The name was inserted in oe 
» an interlineation, acd in another in a blank w h 
¢ for it, and the affidavit was then swom befo: 
ts 5 
lady to ap) 
shortly afterwards, and then applied to the Court 
Bench to strike Mr. Vallance off the rolls of the Court as an at- 
torney, upon the ground that this name in question was inserted 
