The New York Herald Newspaper, February 23, 1875, Page 4

THE ARNINS. OP PRUSSIA, Sketeh of the Founder of the Present Race of the Arnims of the German Territory. A GRAND GENEALOGICAL DESCENT. The Ancestral Home of Sol- diers and Statesmen. BERLIN, Feb, 1, 1875. Much has been said about the Araims of Prus. Ma, yet a little more will c:rtainiy be acceptable, especially in view of the posslolity or probablity of ims family soon coming to power in Prussia or Germany. A iew days ago a very interesting book was lent to me. It was primarily a descrip- tion of Schloss Boytzenburg, a possession of ove of the Arnims, but contaived ali the his al data connected with the orivin aud development of the great aristocratic ‘amily. For a space of 800 Years the history 1s traced sor us, aud in its perusay ‘We came across some very inte ng old charac. ters, sketches of whom may interest you, 48 they dig me. We sha!) have to dwell at some jength on the sketch of Hans George von Arnim, a man who stood opposed to Wallenstein and played @ most important part in the Tuirty Years’ War. Of the present Arnims and Count Harry we sball say but litue in this article. We must reserve some of our interesting jacts until either he or the one of Boytzenberg becomes German Cnancellor, THE ORIGIN OP THE ARNIMS, The Arnim iamily is one of the strongest and oldest noble bouses Of Prussia and its origin dates a@Way back in the Middle Ages. So long ago as the days of Kaiser Otto LJ. (983-1000), we hear o1 a re- QBowned Knight named Eridagus of Arnim. distinguished himseiffor his bravery in the wars against the Danes, Who, in 988, invaded the Ger- Man coast near Stade, on the Elbe. In the twelfth century the race of tue Arnims had attained to great power and extent, aud nobles of thie house held ; Ossessions in tue principality of Geldero, in the county of Zutphen, io tne Netbverlands, in the duchy of ourg, Pomerania, in the Mark of Brandeuburg, god even in Bavaria and Francomia. The Arnim family residiog im the Mark Brandenburg tt Was whicti soon attained the greatest power and fame in the Empire. Members of this branch be- came distinguished as geuerals and statesmen, and all were famous for their loyalty to the Em- * pire, even at the time when Germany was simply the ‘iootball” o! joreign Powers and parties, ARNIM—THE ANCESTRAL HOME. es The ancestral tome of the Arnim family of Bran- | Genburg is generally cousidered to ve the village of Armim, near Stendal, in the Aitmark, Docu- ments irom the time of the Margraves Johann I. end Otho Ill, of the year 1229, mention the name of Alard of Arnim, the oldest known member oy | toils branch. The village of Arnim appears to have been the ancestral seat of the Brandenburg ar. Bims up to the Siteenth century. The family heid @t that time rich estates, not only in the Altmark but in the Uckermark, and in tue latter land we Qnd mention in a ducument of the year 1286 ol a certain Hennekinus (Henning) of Arnim, who is the ancestor of the Brandenburg Counts of Aruim 80 distinguished in German history. His descend ants acquired extensive possessions in the Ucker, Mark and the neighboring counties, ana they bore, besides the original ‘amily name, that of the estates on which they dwelt. THE RACE OF THE ARNIMS thus became divided into numerous branches. The Principal branches of the Arnims in tne Uck mark are, since 1375, the Biesentnal and the Zehd- enick lines. These two principal lines were again divided into numerous offshoots, of which a num- ber have, in the course of centuries, died out, While others have, witn the acquisition of new | estates, founded new and flourishing branches. Thus, tor example, Count Harry yon Arnim, by the acquisition of his Pomeranian estates, has become the founder of a new line—the Counts of Arnim- Nassenbetde—waich, like the line of Arnim-Kréch_ lendort, whose present owner Is the brother-in-law 0: Prince Bismarck, and the line of Arnim-Boyt_ senburg, wh enief is the orother-in-law of Count Marry von Arnim, have proceeded from the principal Arnim-Bieseatnal line. It would lead us too Jar to follow the Arnims from genera- ‘tom to generation, We must be content, there- fore, with men: ing some Of the most famous members of t scendants met a jew days ago in council at Beriin. HANS GEORGE OF ARNIM. Let us giance at toe live of that worthy knight, Hans George von Arnim, imperial Field Marshal aod Electoral Saxon General, Field Marsnal and Generalissimo, born in 1581, died in 1641. Hans George began his career in 1613 by entering tne Swedish military service, following the custom of his day of accepting foreign service when there Were no opportunities ‘or fignting in the Fatner- lana, Gustavus Adoiphus had then deciared war sgainst the Czar Michael Ill. Feodorowitsch, of the Bouse of the Romanoms, desiring to secure the Ras- sian crown for bimself or bis brother, Carl Philip. | Alter the conclusion of peace, Hans George von Arnim was iutrasted vy Gustavus Adoiphus with Various missions, and ue it was who cumpletea bhe negotiations respecting the marriage of Gustavus with Maria Eleonora, the sister of the Elector George William, of Brandenburg. Hans George left tue Swedisn service in 1021, in order to offer his sword to King Sigismund, of Polana, and to assist him in bis struggie agains! the Turks. at the nead of a regiment of Germans he fought With the Poles against Osman Vi. so successiuily That the latter was giad to sue for terms. Inthe folowing year he left the Polish service and re- Sarned to Germany, where THE THIRIY YEARS’ War ‘Was aiready raging. Tue Elector George William, of Brandenburg, under the influence of the im Perialis: Count Adam, of Schwarzenberg, was for @ long time devoted to the imperial interests, es- Peciaily atter the first causes of the war—tne oppression of tue Protestants—nad been placea in the background by political issues, and the Straggie tad become, especially by the inter. ference of the Danish King, Ouristian [V., more a political than a religious one. So Haus George, though a Protestant aud a true friendof the evan- Geiical saith, entered the service of the Emperor Ferdinana IL, in 1626, when, as multary couneil- lor @ud commander of horse aud toot, he aided Wallenstein to nis most impor ‘operations, He Was oi Service to lis OWu jatueriand, however, in procuring irom W ib the appoimtment as commander of the imperial troops in Brauden- burg 60 jong 4% any chould be Lecessary there. In Us position Le tovk care to prevent excesses and abuses by lis soldiery BANS GEORGE AND Io 1648 Hans George wa Kaiser Fer- diana Li, to the dignity oF 1uperial Fieia Marsnal, Wod as such he couduc the beleagueripg of Straisund watt the arrivai o; Waleustein, Wuen, alter the siege Was raised, the Danes were’ driven Out of Pomerauia, and tue enemy were compelled to make peace, at Laveck. on izth of may, 1629. Immediately afterward ne received tie Command to lead the Poles, w 10,000 meu, agaist ihe Swedes. He | gal bloody Victory on tne Stubw Heath, nea nwerder, op the 26tu of Juue, 16 Woereoy Gustavus Adolpnus vare & taken prisoner The Swedes the e Oo @ trace with tie Poles jor @ cessation of hostilities during the Space Of siX Jeurs, ihe Kestitutions Ea.ct, issued by Raiser Ferdigeud ou tie 6th ut Marcu, 1629, rendered it impossivie ior Hans George as a Prot. Qetaut to Go luuger Service LO Lhe \nperial cause, He retured lo Uls estares, Which had been totally fumed by the Daves, though it Wes a long time beiore tue Protestant princes took him into ura on the 261n of 1630, Gustavus Adoiphus ianded on German su:i, occupied Pone- fania aud many ploces in Meckienourg and the Uckermark, Tue North German eVangeiical princes met in April, 1031, at Leipsic, in order to Wiseuss Lhe pOoition (bey slivQid take in toeex- ected struggle between UOTAVUS ADOLYUUS AND THE EMPEROR FERDI- WAND. "i Hans George von Araim, then Fieid Marshal in the service vi Saxony, appeared at the Aswemoiy with the Electors 0; Saxony and Brendenvurg, gad he it wes Who hegotia'ed the alilunce ve tweeu Gustavus and the two Protestant kiectors Othe Th O; Sepremver, 168, the Oattle of Bre feid took piace Le\ Ween the imperialists, uncer Ally @od Count Pappeuieim, aud (he Swedes and jons wuder Gustavus Adoipnus and Hans von Arnim. @ Vievory of the Swedes ‘Was 20 00 ‘oat Sesony Was ea He | Cleve, in Mecklen- ( remarkaole family, whose de- | | tirely abandoned by the imperial army. Adoipuus theh proceeced with lia army to the Koiue and the Palatinate, Hans George led we saxons to Bohemia, took possession in Oc! over, Gustavus | lcd), 0: Teseben, Leitmeritz, Kandwitz and Prague, | deveated at Limburg the cavalry sent by Lilly tO SfOp Dis progress, and in November pelled Eger, then Se. lo Cupitulate, e wckeuwerth and Paike- Kaiser Ferdinand, seeing tre de eats be Was suffering, called Wallenstein (whom be bad dismissed in 1630) again to ois aid, and thls general, supported by a large army, com pelied Armim LO retire to Saxony — In 162, uow- ever, he ed @ united army v1 Saxons, Swedes aud Brandenourgers to silesta, where he re- estaviushed the Protestant service and was every- re welcomed as deliverer, On the 6th of igust he stormed and touk Glogan, in Seprember sia, secured im October lurther successes, aud would have aceomp.sued more but ior tne refusal O; the Swedisu and Brandenburg geverals to support him. Gustavus Acolpnus jeil in batue of Litzen on tue léth of November, lt woereupon Elector John George, of Saxony, called Arnim from Silesia to Dresden, in order to discuss | with him the plans tor the iuture. AKNIM DICTATING TERMS. On the 30th of November Arnia seut in his ad- to the effect that toe alliance with toe >Wedes should be upheld; that the Elector iim. seu should De commander-in-chie!, and that three armies snouid be jorined—ove on the Knime, tu operate aguinst the Spaniards; & second ou ihe Main, to oppose the Bavarians, Aa third ou tue Eibe and tue Oder, lor the protection of Saxony and bracdenoburg. He deciared this must be vone im order to attain peace; but he would have @ peace ior the whole of Germany, and vasea upon a weil approved constitution ior the Whole of the binpire, Without such a constitution, ne said, the kmpire would break down; and to prevent this @ Universal peace Was absolutely necessary— @ peace [rom Which uo part of Germany, whether Protestant or Catholic, stould be ex! ed, wud theresore 8 general pardon to ail Protestants the Emperor shoud oe w liminary condition, The Eiecvor accepted uns and (1633) promi-ed to sacrifice every- ug for the evangelical cau. In March, he made Hans Geor.e Command Cale: of the Saxon troops, numbering 44,000 men. Aroim first marched to Silesia, wuere, Lowever, iittie Was done, Wallenstein nad then otuer piaas ik view; he Wished to come to terms of peuce vetweeu himself and the evangelists, and tien, united wilh Lhem to dictate terms of peace of Kaiser Ferdain- naud. Arbim at first refused (o euter intu be- gotiations with Wallenstein, but On receiving aa intimation trom the Elector to see the im, erialist weueral, be Was about to proceed to Ieen, when the beWs urrived that Wallenstetn, by command OF the Kaiser, had been assassinated. AFTER WALLENSTEIN’S DEATH @ battle took piace at Licguitz ou the lath of May, ids4, between ArnimMm gud the imperial general, Vount Colloredo. The imperialists were dc.eated abu (he result Was that Lezotiations tora separate peace Were instituted betweeu the Emperor and the k.ector—and, 1D lact, a one-sided (reaty was Signed on tne suth of May, 1685, at Prague, the E.ector leavgg the Swedes ana tne silesians in we lurcl, Dut receiving Jor Huusel( the Lunsitz aud four Magdeourgian estates and tne arch- bishopric of Mavdeburg lor his son during lie. Arbim Was greatly enraged ut this one-sided peace, aud leit the Saxon service lu disgust and retired to the Mark, shortly aiterward tue Elec- to, of Brandenburg und neariy ali tue other Ger- man princes accepted the terms of the treaty ot Prague. The Sweues alune refused. ‘Ynis vrowgat on tue French-Swedish part oi tne Thirty Years’ | War, 1635-1640, when the conflict became entirely | political one, Framce and Sweden were united | agaimst the imperial party, aud in Ociober, 1605, | tue Swedes began hostilities against Saxony, | ARNIM DID NOT NBST | long out of harness. Kefusing to accept command in the Freoch urmy, he deciared bis readiness to accept service iD Saxony in case a geueral am- | hLesty should be given to (he Oppressed silesians. | The negouations to these ends were going on when a strong command of Swedish cavairy sud- denly swept upon Schloss Boytzeuberg, ani ried | HANS GEORGE VON ARNIM 4 PRISONER TO &TOCK- Hi OLM, In October, 1638, he managed to effect his escape. He cook service again in Saxony, aud was first used 1D diplomatic missions, lu Order to bring about a uuited action between the Saxons, Prus- slang, Poles, Danes, the German princes gud tue iree cities, for the purpose of ITeeing Germany jrom tne Swedes, Aiter this aliiauce had veeh brought about, Arnim accepted (he chie! command of the imperial aud Saxon alued troops, but shortly alterwards, April 28, 1041, be was suddenly struck Gown by death, In Consequence oF tou great exertions, And with him ceased the hopes of being svou freed from the Swedes and of securing Pomerania by tuis time tor (he Elector of Brinden- burg. His body was suiemaly placed to rest in tne Kreuzkuche at Dresuen. His lite Lad been one of | great interest, and its record fi!l3 many interest- | ing pages in German history, Notwithsvanuing tue Old hero’s many changes i service, he was at heart true to bis satherland, and even Wuen In tie lmperial service, a# We bave seen, he used bis in- fluence vo save his Dative land from tue greater horrors 01 War—sacking and pillagiug. What wit | the sacking of his palace by tne Swedes, the beavy | War ana peace contributions oi his umes, Hans George ieit littie to lus descendants except estates burdened wiih debt. DESCENDANTS OF HANS GEORGE. When unger Frederick William, the greates: of the electors of Brandenburg, this State, then a very small affair indeed, commeuced to assume the Fesponsiuiity ol protecting Protestantism in Germany, and began the deveiopmeuts which | eudead iu the electorate becoming One of the | great European Powers, the Arnims were never | missing. eitver on the battle field or in the | councils of the Hohenzoilern. It would lead us | too far here Lo speak at jeugth about the many Arpims who played important rdles in the s.rug- | gles of Branaenburg against Sweden. Poland and | France; in the contests vl the German Emperor against (he Turks aud Frenca, iu the jeadersbip | OL the Brandenourg auxiliary tioops, in tue wars ot Frederick the Great ,in the struggles against Napoleon, and in (he Campaigns of a iater perioa they aiways fougnt for King acd Fatverland,” and one o/ the family reached the hignest round of the Prussian iagder oi Military promotion, General Field Marsual GEORGE ABRAHAM VON ARNIM, | born 1651, died 1734, began bis career at sixteen by entering tne vody guard of the Great Elector. He took part tn twenty-five campaigns, seventeen sieges, und the ary record of bia amilita:y career would occupy pages. Auotuer wemoer of the family, George Dietioil vou Arnim, became Prussian Minister and ieit a higo record. Born mM 1679, he weld the highest omces oO; state uuder three kings; from liv6 to 1738 Governor of tue Uckermark; in 1738 Minister Of State and Presiaent of the War Department, aud Divector aud Curator ol tie Academy of Selence at Berlin, He received the order oi the Biack Eagle and died in 175% George Devo von Arnim’s grandson, Wilheim ' von Arnum, Who died im 1501, became Prussiaa Miflster oO; State and was elevated oy Dis sov- ereign to the rauk and dignity of a count. His grandson agam, Count Adolf Heturich von Aruim (born 1804), early obtained wie bighess offices and trusts of State. At thirty he was Government President in Stralsund; then he was trausie red, in a like capacity, to Aacoen, whee he endeavored to bring about a reconcliiation betweeu tue Prussian government apa tie Arci- bishop of Cologne, in 1942 le was Calied to Berlin as Minister oi the Interior, whic: post be occuplea Gut the year 1845, in 1847 he occupied a seat in the United Landtag, Where be Was dis \ingnisned as @ speaker, ald Was respected and honored py the Opposition. iD the “aignt ot terror,” irom the isth to tne lgch of March, 1548, he was intrusted vy Frederick William iV, with the jormation of a new inet, of which he hinsell was the President—the first Prussian siniscer-Presi Gent, But this post he occupied ouly ten days, retiring OM accouat of # aierence of opinion Wi fis sovereign. In 1854 Ne Was called us a hereditary member of tne Prussian douse of Peers, where he was the leader: tue couserva- tives, He died at Scioss boytzenburg on the sin of January, 1563, his son, Count Adolf von Aruim Boyizenourg, 18 at preseut forty years oi age, aud Prestdent the province O/ Silesia, and be Will in ail prov. wollity soon be calied to be Minisier of the In. leror, @$ 00D a8 this postis vacaut, and be 1s erally looked Upon as the provable successor of Pricee Bismarck iu the Chancelorsaip of the Empire. | BISMARCK’S BUGBEAR. (From the New Yorker Presse, Fev. 22.) Toe New Yorn HeRaLp, whic is certaimiy the most Wideiy Circulated Dewspaper on the lace of the earth, is becoming more and more the bugbear of the organ of the German Cnancelior, and prop. ably of the latter himself (e'se he would prowipit the ravings of the Norddeutsche Allgemeine). However, as it i# impracticavie to silence tue chatty correspondents or the fearless editors of tos world-sh they have recourse to a means of bringing the paper into disrepute which was (re- quently proven effectual in Germany—namely, of calling the H@RaLD ao organ of the Jesuits, if they want to throw suspicion upon a Ger- nidn-American, upon @ iree-thinker (in liberal national circ! @ butional enthusiast, or subdjecl, they Ouly need to Call Dim # Jesuit and their dim is accomplished, It is not necessary \o quote at length the edorts of the German reptile press iD this Girection, They are well knowao everywhere, aud our columns attest them suMiciently, The efforts of our German-American press and of our Bismarckists are aiso known to our readers, as We discuss them occasionally. It ts Duta repetition of the old experience that the men who are che traitors to the persecuted cause, Who are the renegades, are tue joudest to their effusions of loyality toward the “Emperor aud the Empire.’ You need only move in the circle of certain societies ot New York to meet with the ex-Catmolic viii sCuOOllua-tefs aud Siwiiar Childrea of Gud Who excei in casting wud weir mower. Lbey Oli Lelong to tue ciass of other of Mrs, ‘Iiiton, in Brooklyn, Woo ve- #0 jamous in une Gay and Whose memivers are imbued witu ihe unconqueravie desife to ae- | Jame their corporeal oF spiritual mother. Ail tnose ive rise UGA discussion, it pase whe bave stall a fe ind wee wey « t hd oe 1b @ Very mus rhe ape. BUt that ame in their hearts ave ieee | CI onan sive bug ere coming there those Who im teow 66 jones Wi ‘sad | leuo ob Whatever, | was once in poll ics “to let every one be happy | | there are but very few papers ont of tne tlou- | US Means Many abortive prosecutious are uipped | bred Im antagonism to the Catholic Church, Severa| thousand years have passed, but Cain | and Absalom soli” pass as types Of the most | abominaoie inuumanity. But let us drop the | @X-village school masters, the quacks and the others who delight in the rd/es of rene- | gades in our midst, to returo tu the “Allge- meme Zeitung” and we New York HEkaLp. Tne organ of Prince Bismarck labors under a ureat error ib sQoposing taal It Can reseh the HERALD by the same kind Of devunctation tn Americaa ciicles that proves effectaal in Protestant Ger- mauy—uamely, that it is an organ of the Jesuits. Ii you leave out a comparatively small clique of proiessional “progreseists,” ‘guch @ policy wil certainly of no avail even in German-American circles, not to speak of the English-speaking or American circles. This | jact constitutes one of the great advantages of this country, despite tS loud-lamented uraw- backs. over tne old Fatherland, apd more especi ally over that puritanical Prussia, Whose pride it | alter his owa fasnton.’? Why single outthe HEXALD as @ scape; when sands in thts country who defend Bismarck’s pol- ley of ‘blood and tron,” and bis persecution of the Church? Why should the American peopie ve- NEW YORK HERALD, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1875.-TRIPLE SHEET. | THE TRANSIT OF VENUS, The United States Expeditionary Ship Swa- tara Searching for German Scientists. The Prussians Found—Comfort- able, Successful and Happy. Comparing Notes~--A Bright Record for the American Astronomers. UNITED Sta’ STEAMER SwaTARa, | come accompiices 1M this perverted policy which | the Chancellor nas adopted with such oustinacy Persecution of the clergy, persecution o! the | pre secution of the democrats, persecution | of men's as-ociations and intimida- | tion of che national Legisia'ure-~ and other | things are not omy hot congenial to the Ameri- | cap, bus he really does not comprehend their | possibilliy even, Ii he basa dawning conception of them itu consequence of President Grant's attempt at Usurpanon the Americau’s arti Tuce his at least su™icienty demonstrated how despotic desires and dynastic imitations will be met. Ine God in whom the citizens of Amer- ica believe ig 6till their ooly Sovereign and Master here, and hence the Churen 1s stil free, and emperors and despots are still at a discount. I! the organ 0! Prince Bismarck and the other journals that defend the preset policy the German Empire could only realize this fund mental element in the Amer.can character, they would find the atutude of an independent ri peeer like tue HENALD not only comprenensib): ut Natural aud necessary, and cease to maxe themselves ridiculous in American circies by de- nouncing It as an organ of Jesuitism., Even to a German reader across the oceun tue columns of the HERALD afford aimost every day a reiutation | of this sully charge, Jor they prove pot only that chey are open to the discussion of the loterests of | all sects, but that the dotmgs of all whe sects | are discussed by the eultorial staf regutarly twice | a week. He who knows that this policy of the HERALD toward religious and churen questions was adopted loug ocelore the beginning uf the present strue m Germany and even jong before the Vord Deutsche Allgemeine had its existeuce, Will | comprehend without dimticulty how aimless ana ineffectual are tne attacks of the Nord Deutsche Allgemeine upon the New York HERALD. The only effect they can have is that the un- American world will become still more eager to know the contents of its columns. Mf Mr. Bennett’s | Paper needed an advertisement jor the outside | world le could desire no better than Is given to | it by the organs of Bismarck. CRIMINAL LAW IN ENGLAND, pisadiok PMs ee GOVERNMENT PROJECT FOR THE APPOINTMENT | OF PUBLIC PROSECUTORS—THE DIFFERENCES | WHICH PREVAIL IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF | THE POLICE SYSTEM. Lonpon, Feb. 8, 1875. The government bas prepared a bill, which will be introduced in the House of Commons almost immediately after the meeting of Paritament, for the appointment of public prosecators in Engiand. | I have seen a dra‘t of this proposed statute. Be- fore giving # summary of its provisions | shall | state what the condition of things now ts with re- gard to criminal prosecutions in this country. | England is the only country in Europe without a | public prosecutor. When I say so I do not except | even the otner portions of the United Kingdom; Jor in Ireland the Irish Attorney General and in Scotland the Scottish Lord Advocate are pubiic | prosecutors, As the Scotch law is diferent trom the Englisb in many respects 1% 18 uot, perhaps, surprising that its administration should also be different from the administration of the law in | England; but as, saving in respect of coercion ' acts and the like, the common and statute laws are precisely the same in England and ireland, and as, moreover, their administration gen- | erally is conducted on the same system in both countries, it 18 astounding that, while jor some centuries back there | | has been a public prosecutor in Ireland, it is only | | now we are waking up to the necessity jor | | one in Engiand. And this ts all the more wonder- Tui because the abuses and shortcomings reseiting | from the Want of such an Official have long been | notorious, and irom time to time have been | brougut under the notice of the Imperial Parlia- | ment. In very special cases now | PROSECUTIONS | are conducted by departments of the government. | Thus the Treasury prosecutes in some murder | cases and in such cases as the blowing upol a | portion of the House of Detention by the Fenians, | Again, tne Post OmMice prosecutes wheo letters | are stolen by sorters or letter carriers, and Mint | prosecutions—i. ¢., prosecutions against persons | for coining counterieit com or uttering it—are | conducted under tne Attorney General. But nine- | teen-twentieths of the prosecutions in Engiand | are leit to take care oO! themselves duripg one- | haut their process and go a-begging during the ower hail, “inousands of people suiter the loas uf property lather than attempt to bring the thieves to Justice, SO EXpensiVe 13 Il lor Ove to insttme a crilumal prosecution ou mis Own account. In18, be it Ooserved im passing, is the only country in Europe, at least, where a private prosecution ina crimindi court 13 permitted. And tas brings me | lo What 18, peruaps, the Very Worst abuse 1m the | criminal 8¥scem of England. | PRIVATE PRUSECUTIONS— | that is, prosecutions mstcuted and carried on by | private persons—are very viten adupted for the | Working oUt 0: questionavle objects. Usurers | and shopkeepers Who find a difficulty im recover- lng their money uliege taise preveaces on the part | of their creditors, wuere there are really notniug of the kind, in order to bring the screw of criminal courts to bear as a more efecuve instrament of | compuision then any that caa ve 1ound im civil | proceedings, But even where there ts only @ | bominal private prosecutor, and criminal pr ceedinys are carried out in a District Court ora ourt of C unty Assize, tue system of procedure, | pt Where @ Gepartment of tue government | prosecutes, 18 most Gbjectionable, anu 10 the last degree UuWorthy of a great country Which uses the name Of the sovereign @$ prosecutor tn all cases. When @ Case 1s in tS preliminary stage besore tne magistrate there is nobody to conduct it but the policeman who happens | to have the accuset in bis charge. ‘The | consequence ts that very o\ten cases are sept up | Jor trial belore the Judge aud jary on very imper. depositions. When the proxecation does ch (he Superior Guurt aod the case 1s avout to led ou jor trial, (ve Geposiions are handed by Ue oficer of tie Court to some oue of the bar- | risters Who attend the particular Court im searcn | ol pracuce. Thus tt may bappen, and does ofcen hippen, that tuey are hanued to very imcompe- tent mes—were Wig biocks—in Whose hands the culprit bas @ betier cnance of escape tham if Do | one at aii appeared sor the prosecution, it 13 | mot so } IN IRELAND, There no prosecation cau be carried to the Dis- trich Of Assize Court without the flatof the Attor- ney General autuorizing iur.ner proceedings. BY ‘he bad and mimen expense saved to the coun- | 43 MUCA Injustice to accused persons. Moreover, the At.orney Geuerai is represented in every criminal court by barristers of nis OWn Belec- and thus there is some gu duct of the upetent person. | For each of oUF provinves of Ireland there 1s | 4 Crown Solicitor, Wo 1s charged with the duty of | prepariug the Cases ior the criminal courts and | deawing up t Tieis jor the piosecuting coun. | sel Juis ts toe system which suould be adopted tor Bugiana; out in tr THE BILL to which I have referred, aud which bas been “ratted in the ofice oi tue Secretary of State for | the Home Deparcueut, #108 considerably snort of | the ish preceden’. It empowers Her Majesty to | &ppoiat ior the district o toe Central Criminal | Court, and for such jrovincial districts aa soe way be advised, prosecutors to act Under tue Attorney General, She way appolut a ourrister or a solici- | tr 0: @ certain number of years’ professional | stanuing to (he Office of prosecutor, The humver | of years Of pro.e*Sivnal Stunding 18 MOL At pes | ent Lied ap io the dvait bill, ‘ie opinion of Par. | Hiameut Wii be taken OD tat point. Tne prose. | cutor is hot to have charge of the case antil i leaves the Police Court, From what have already stated it will be seen that | is 18 @ MaDiest defect in tue proposed measur He is, however, to bave wuthoriy to cali on t officiils Of police Courts to furnish bim with copi Of G€positivns Made in Cases Of persous commited for tii’. All eXpenses incuried in prosecutions consucted vy & public prosecutur are to be charged 06 Lhe comsul\ualed junu—thas is, OM the imperial Onauces of the United Kingdom, | No provision ts Made tu tie dra.t vill lor the ap. | PUINtMeLt Of LUFKsters \o Couduct the Cages ID court; Uf the pill sh r ie tion OF t. @ pu prOsecu.or Biuwe., AN ex leut xeciion Of (he crait vill 18 one proniolting | auy private imdividual trom proceeding with ' Crianal prosecution Without the sanction Of the | pubic prosecutor, A Very objectivpaole jeature | O! Ube Dili Ie (hat it is Obly peruineive @Od Bot oD- | h@atory tu iw emagimen ior tment of | puolic yy rae tae ire will "i DungpIn, New Z| ad, Jum, 15, 1875.) The United States expeditionary ship Swatara left Hobart Lown for the Auckland Islands on the sth of Decemper, or, more properly, she satled tor New Zealand and the Chatham Islands, intend- | ing to touch at the Aucklands en route, This was | tm pursuance of a request from the German Consul General at Meibourne, who was fearful that the German transit party sent to these islands had met with some serious mishap, novhing had been heard of them on thetr arrivai since thelr departure from Melvourne, more than three montns should have made during this period two visits to New Zealand for chronometer comparison, and gerous character of the coast, taken in connection | the absence of all news trom her, taken in con- Dection with the fact that this group of rocks 18 situated in @ very stormy latitude, surrounded almost constantly with ap impenetrable vall of jog, rain or suow, and girt about with miles o/ reeds and sunken rocks, was sufficient to excite the liveliest apprehension, THE COURSE OP THE GOOD SAMARITANS. Accordingly, when, upon the morning of the 234, the main island was made out tnrough the mist, ail of the telescopes and binoculars in the ship were brought into requisition to discover traces, 4 possible, of the German observing party. Our | course lay up a long bay or arm of the sea, named upon the charts as Sarah’s Bosom, and as we steamed slowly ulong in the shadow of the sav- | age looking cliffs, and saw and heard the tremendous westerly swell breaking and thunder- | mg into foam upon the rocks that lay upon all sides, we began to believe that the fears of the Consul were to be realized. However, passed around one of the larger islands in the fog, we suddenly opened on a smail cove upon the right and saw dimly througa the mist a collection of about @ dozen small white, cottage-looking buildings nestling closely together at the 100+ of the nil). THE PRUSSLANS FOUND COMFORTABLE AXD INDUS- TRIOUS. Shortly afterward the swatara was at snchor, a boat was manned and several of the officers went ashore, The sight of the observatories had of course dispelled all fears tor their safety, bat everybody was anxious to know what success had attended their observations on the day of the transit, ‘These gentiemea found th Germans very comfortabiy situated indeed ; lodged in a fin: ecapacious cottage, Juruisbed with evisry conven- lence. They had met with NOTHING BUT SUCCESS since leaving Meipourne. They bad arrived at the islands after @ short voyage, locé.ted their sta- | tion and sent the vessel to New Zesiland to com- Pure chronometers with our station at Queens- town, and she was expected back any day. She arrived the next day. They were under a@ thou- sand obligations to Captain Chaaaier for his kind- ness; but really they wanted for nothing in the world but clear weather to enabla them to com- plete their star observatious for latitude ana longitude, so that they might return home, and they would be very glaa to comy-are chronometers with us, NOTES OF THE PRUSSIAN OBSERVERS. In answer to the questions Concerning the suc- ceas they had met with in observing the transit, | they told us that the transit wiad occurred on the only clear day they had had tor weeks, and that they thought themselves remarkably fortunate. During the early part of th: day it had rained heavily, but the weather hyd cleared when the | transit was thirty minutes old, and the sky had remained clear until thirty minutes after tne transit was over. They secured 115 photographs—good ones— several micrometric measurements ana pertect observations of internal #@nd external contact at ogress 4 GOOD TIME. The entire party, eight 3n ail, came on board ana dined in the wardroom. ‘and we had avery jolly evening after the German iashion. We remained over uutil the afternoon of the next day—Christ- Mas—when we started Dor Dunedin, arriving here Sunaay evening. AMERICAN SUCCESSES. We learned here that tae weather in all parts of New Zealand had beem most unfavorable on the day of the transit; ths, only successfai party being that of the Americans at Queenstown, ia charge of Dr. Peters, He succeeded in obtaining over 200 perfect photograpls, with numerous micrometric | measurements and jeriect observations of the last contacts, both extemal and internal. ENCA ASH REPORTS, The principal Eng) ish observing station in New Zealand was ai Crys.st Church, and Major Palmer tm charge telegrauihed as follows:— From Burnham oo servatory here the observation Of Ingress Was Spo ed by ciouds which prevented any measurements with the double image microm- eter, privr to ibte Taal Contact, and entirely hid tue | planet irom View @ iew seconas bewre tue contact | itseii, Photogra pas near the contact were impos- bie, About lourteen minutes alier comtact ihe sup owed a little more brightly at inter- vals, and @ few micrometic measures of the distance of limbs were made during some eight or ten minutes, buy; these would be of but litde value. A Jew piv stographs, most ol them indilfer+ ent, were also #2cured, At inree o'clock tne suo became entrely uidden. At bali-past tour v’clock the look oi the sky to windward gave nopes that the observation at egress—o! immensely greater value than that,of Ingress—mignt yet be secu ed, but if azain Grounded over, aud the suu Was not seen at all from oaif-pust three until some ten Minutes alter the end of the transit, when tt shone brigntiy until suaset, ‘Khe five sub-stations at Grahamstown, Auck- land, Welling'¢n, Dacedin and Nasevy met with the same bau foriune, both ut ingress and egre: THE Fith:NCH ASTRONOMICAL KESULT. before. According to | arrangements, their vessel, a small sailing bark, | as we | | the Chathams, Ail tnis could be artributed, 1 sup- | pose, to the fact that they, next alter the Frenen | Aranstt pariy as tne Campbell Islands, were the | most unt this hemisphere, Mr, Edwin Smith, of the Unitea States Coast Survey, Chiet 01 the Chatham Isiand party, reports that the weather on the duy oi the transit was execrabie, Thick, rainy weather prevaiied with- out brewk Until! the planet had compieted one-nait of Its jourbey across the sun's lace. ‘Thus the con- tacts af ingress were lost. A snort interval of ciear enabled them to secure a uumber of hotogry is, Heavy clouas then swept over the fice of UH@ sun, and No further observations were posaibie during the transit, WHATQHAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED. _In summing up the results obtained by the Swatara parties it may be remurked that while BO One 0: the parties wus blessed witht a perfectly clear sky on the day of the transit still the data obtained are quite enoagh ior the purpose, pro- corresponding stations in the Northern Hemi- sphere, Dr. Peters,-of the New Zealand observing station, was, perbaps, the most fortunate or the Ameri- cans, obtuluing next toa perfect set of observa- tons. While the English parties, in the same country, stationed at Christ churet, Auckiand, | Naseby, Wellington and Duuedin, tailed entirely on account ol the weather, the American parites 1p Tasmania obtained very good results, But the | most lortunate Of all were tae English parties in | Austraua, at Sydney and Melbourne the weather was Clear, and complete sets o/ observations were secured, the Contacts, both at ingress and egress, | Demng ovtained. At the American station at Chatham Island the | | Tesults were very meagre and apparently of tnd - ferent value; but even with the data ovtained | astropomers Wil be able to compute with sum cient accuracy, from their knowledge of the orvit | of the planet and its rate of speed, the path of | Venus across the sun’s face, if not the exact in- stants of contact. A LOSS TO THE CAUSE OF SCIENCE. | establish an observing party at the Crozet Islands; bot the continuous stormy weatuer apd the dan- | With the limited amount of time at our atsposal, | fendered this imp ssibie without runmng % | Tsk of losing one or two of tne other | Stations, In Cases of isolated stations like | this foreign governments iurnished each ov- | serving party with a separate vessel, the | Englisn party at Kerguelen Isiand having two | war steamers for their use. The French party at Campbell Isiands, tae German pariies at Kergue- jen, at Mauritug and at the Aucklands had each | @ Vessel to land and to remain with them, while | the Swatara, a third rate American mau-of-war, | had five parties, with instruments, houses, provi- | stons, &c., complete, to laud and attend to. H COMPUTATIONS AND CORRECTIONS, | ‘The resuits of ail this expenditure of time and | ) labor will not be Known for many months, or, at | a } » Unt the astrovomers at headquarters tave | Dnished their computations and made their tinal | corrections and comparisons witn the astrouo mers and scientific men of other nations; but the sun's distance once accurately known the dis- | tances of ali the planets will be ascertained, and a | great advance will have been made in the most | wonderful and mysterious of all the sciences, | BANQUET TO THE AMERICAN AND FRENCH OB- | SERVERS OF THE TRANSIT—PROFESSOR PETERS’ SPEECH. {From the Otago (New Zealand) Times, Jan. 9.) ‘The dinner given last evening by tne members of the Otago Institute to the officers of the French | and American transit of Venus expeditions, way | remarkably successful, Seventy-six gentlemen, of whom only twelve or thirteen were Non-members, sat down to an excellent dinner, The President of the Institute’ ; (Mr, J. 1. Thomson) occupied the chair, and was supported on the right and left by Professor Peters and M. Boquet de la Grye and the officers of the French and American expedi- tions and o! the war ship La Vire, His Honor Mr. Justice Chapman and the Rev. Dr. Stuart. Cap tain Hutton and Messrs. J.S, Webb and McKerrow acted as croupiers, Alter ull jastice had been done to the viands | the Chairman gave @ toast to “Tne very good healths of Dr, Peters and M. Boquet de laGrye | and the members oF their respective staffs,” | PROFESSOR PETERS!’ SPEECH, | _ Professor Peters, WUo on rising to recurn thanks | om behalf of the American expedition was re- | celved with loud and prolonged cheering, said | teeir worthy President lad began bis speech by | going back thirty years, but he (Prolessur Peters) | would goa littie lurther back and vegin at the Very veginuiog. Although they weed not be afraid that he was going to make a very long speech, be would begin at the very beginning, When New Zealand made its | first appearance in bistory. Tae historical | Tecord oi New Zealand began with an astronowi- | cal event exactly sumilar to that which had giveo | the occasion Jor their intercourse to-nlgut. (Ao- | Plausy.) Captaio (then Lieutenant) Cook was sent out to | Otaneite, He there became aware irom a native | tracition o1 the existence of a large unknown } country in the South, and after having accom- plisued his work at Otahelle—nhaving successfully observed the transit of Venus—ne staried ip | search o1 the coutinent, and found New Zealand. He circumpavigatea xew Zealaud, aud irom that day New Zealand existed in history. (Applanse.) One hundreu aug tive years bad passed away since then, and now much had changed upon the sur- Jace of the earth! If an innabitunt of Venus was endowed with signt poweriul enough to Watch the doings and workings and move- Ments of mankiad, and exercised that power only at those intervals when Venus came midway between, or in toe same line with the sun and the earth, Would he not be as.onisned in 1874, when be Came to look again upon the same spots that he saw in 1769? He would see beauutul cities Woere beiore he only saw wiidernesses, He would see that the civiizaton vol kurope had gone througa the lengin ana breadth of a country which Was then lunapited only by the Maorl He | established 1n a country Where when Cook sailed aloug 1's Coasts ae saw notoing vut the poor sim- ple children of nature; und periaps vnat same in- | Babitant o1 Venus night also cast a glance at Lake | Wakatipu—(appluuse)—and remark there a littie party vusily eazages looking at Venus and the | sun. The problem which they vad to soive by obser- | Vations of the transit of Veuus was the measure- | ment oi a very smali quantity—to the measurement Ol a small quautity Ly Ineans of two large quauti- titles. Let taem suppose two astronowers, one | at tue centre o. tie earth and one at tue suriace | Of the earty, iookiug at Venus wnen she was | nearly in the direction of the sun. The observer at the centre of the earth would see Veous at a certain puint; and the observer at tue suriace, if not exacily In tue direction from tne centre of the earth to (he sun, wuld see Venus a ilttie displacea im anowber point, 1s was ins aiffereanci | this displacemeut, which hid to be measured. He Sad “the centre of the earth,’ out, Of course, DO one--not even thelr darlug irieuds of the Freaco eXpeditiou—would veature to go there. ‘There- fore, they took two ovservations—one in the northern aud another im the soataern hemis- poere—aud Ovserved the displacement iv regard 1o the sun’s centre between those two points. The further apart the better, and, there- lore, the points 01 observation were extended vver | as wide a rauge as possible, und not at that point | where Venus Was in the zenitn. For that reason | every one tried to get as lar away a3 possible Irom that pointin which Venus was in the zenith, For that reason, also, had the French selected their scation in tie very centre of ige southern Polar Tegiobs. Now, the question was, How couid they measure the displacement upon which | an depended, as thew chairman had ex- | Plained—the parallax upon which ail aepenaed—in order to measure the distance be- | tween tho sun ana tue earth. Ln tormer times—in | the last centary—waen the previous observations of the transit were taken, tiere Were no otner | Means avaiavie but to tollow the rules ol Hailey | or De Lisie~to wea-ure the time wnen Venus Would be seen im contact wich the sun—when rtunate of all the observing parties on | vide a8 good results have been oDtaiued at the | It is to be regretted, of course. that we failed to | My Vo observe the transit of Venus in 1769, | | would see arts and manuiactures of all kinds | | not believe Let she English, Germans on | Bad photographic instruments as perlec Americans aud Freuch, He beieved, thereiore, that each of the Auerican photographs | Wonld be superior to each one of the | photographs taken by the other nations mentioned, The measure of angular position, however, was pecuiiar to the Americans, He would now tell them how many Observations lg party had taken. They nad gotab out 299% (Ap. | plause.) From that hamber, however, would ave to be deducted over 60; So that of useful ob- servations there were 237—237 measurements of one contact. He had to be explicit on this point in order not to depreciate the ovservations of nis arty. ? Professor Peters went on to say that. in order to give bis audience an idea of toe smallness of the angle they wanted to measure, he would ask them fo picture to themselves an angie formed with a human hair, The angie which they had to | ascertaim Was equal to an angle lormed by a bair extended at a distance of 8,000 feet. They had to measure the thickness of a humaa hair at a distance of 8,000 (cet. ‘This was the first time in history that the United States had partici+ pated in an observation of the transit of Venus, | This was the first time that the transit oi Venus | hai been observed in New Zealand since its dis- | covery in 1769, His party lelt tuat they could not | have accomplished what they haa if 1 were not | lor the great kindness they had met with, THE FRENCH ASTRONOMER’S ADDRESS. | M, Boquet de la Grye, the chief of the French expedition, who addressed the company in ms naive language, tiem said;—Alter the amiable and complimentary expressions of the President, 1 must say | feel somewnat con used. I thand the members of the institute for the cordial reception accorded to myself aud my countrymen ia Duve- | din, areception which bears testimony to the in- terest taken by it im the astronomical question | Whicn We came here to determine, We came here to determine a great quede tion—viz., the distance of our poor giobe from the body to which God has given the | attribute of conveying us ligut and heat, iriend who has preceded me—the chief oj the | AMerican expedition—has had the happiness to meet with complete success, and has been abie to au his name to a successiui eluctdation of this question, Mr. Peters hus met with such com | plete Success that there 18 no need of other ob» ! bo icin has accomplished all that was to ee CUBA. PROGRESS OF THE WAR IN THE CINCO VILLAS DISTRICT—A RIGID CENSORSHIP OVER THE WAR NEWS. Havana, Feb, 17, 1875, Nothing has been received here for the past week which can be considered reliabie from the | Cinco Villas or Santi Espiritu, Several despatches | have been published in the papers of Havana, trom headquarters, in all of which the insurgents have been reported as having been severely punished and retreuling to the mountains, burning the cane of all the sugar estates wich are in t backward marci, On the street tuere are ramors Of insurgent successes, aud as tue Spinish troops have not advanced more than a couple of leagues irom their base of Operations, the supposition in Marana is that the insurgents have no: retreated at all. THE CENSORSHIP OF THE PRESS. An order 1s yonnied this morning irom General Concha in which ue says that he wul hold rigor- ous censorship over the pre: from the Cinco Villas, and any deviation from u order will be severely punished. CALIXTO GARCIA DEPORTED TO SPAIN, Among the passengers who sailed (rom this Port on the 15th inst. in the Spanish mati steamer Mendez Nuneg tor santander was the insurgent General Calixto Garcia, Who is sent to Spain as @ political prisoner. EFFECT OF THE WAR ON THE SUGAR TRADE. Very little has been done in the shipment of sugar for the past two weeks. Planters who are out of danger are holding on, anticipating a whole. sale destruction of the sugar cro, in the neigh. bornood oi Sagua, Cieniuegos and the Cinco Villas, and toereby ovtaining higher prices, yes ii i IMPORTANT CATHOLIC CONVENTION. ORGANIZATION OF A XOUNG MEN’S NATIONAL UNION. In accordance with @ call issued som? time ago by Very Rev. G. H. Doane, V.G., o! Newark, and Messrs, John Reagan, E. £. Starrs, T. J. Ryan and | James F, Hagan there assembled yesterday after. ternoon in the hall of the Catholic Institute, in | Newark, N, J., several hundred persons, including delegates jrom neariy one hundred young men’s Catholic and literary societies of various parts of the country, the object being to form a National Catholic Union, on much the same pian as the Young Men’s Christian Association and for virta- in regard lo news ally the same object. The hall was bande somely decorated with flags, streamers | ama society banners. Among the dele gates were many clergymen associated With young men’s Catholic associations. The Newarkers took the initiative in the matter be- cause of the fact that the first young men’s Catholic Association of the country was estab lished in that city. Shortly aiter two o’clock the meeting was called to order by Father Doane, wha expressed great gratification at seeing so large a | Bumber present. The purpose tor which they had | met, the desire to enlarge their usefuiness ae Christians and citizens, was suited to che day, the | birthday of the “Father of his Country.’”? Beiore | him (Father Doane) there were comparativeiy jew | Persons, but behind nim there were miluons. Mr. dames F, Hagen then read the call of the | meeting, which set forih that, “fhe growth and | Muitiplication of young meu’s Catuolic socieies, | having for their object the improvement v1 tueir Members im various uselul ways, and afforaing | tuem opportunities for wholesome and innoceat | Tecreation, and uniting them in iracernal charity, 18 a Work Which 18 extremely desiraole, anu callg for the hearty sympatuy aad support of all classes | of our fellow Catuohcs. We have the good wisne: | @nd encouragement oi the most of our preiates and priests, wader whose auspices and authority these societies exist, and tue sympathy oO: sisier socie. ties. When the National Union is formed and properly organized, the work of affiliation can go Oo, and by the time the next Convention 1s held, or in a very jew years at most, we shall have con- ventions representing, we trust, nuudreds of s0- cieties and thousands of members. With the | blessing of God aud the co-operation of sister | societies, this Union will be accompiished and prove a blessing aad saieguard to tue Uatholic young men of America.”’ On motion Vicar General Doane was chosen tem. porary chairman. Alter expressing his thanks | and hopiog that @ young man would be cuosen permanent president, a3 tbe young meu suowed wore activity in the work, it was stated taat there | were ninety-eignt delegates present, representing | Jorty- two different socieues, New Yorn was rep resented by ti:veeu societies, M. J. Driscoll, of St, John’s, Brooklyn, Was chosen temporary secretary, aud F, J. Newman, of st. John’s, Hast Cambridge, | Mass., assisiaut temporary secretary. Messrs. Lynca, Duon, Gleason, McManus, Kelcher aud Meagher were appointed a committee on cre- dentiais. On permapent organization tne follow- | Ing committee Was, on motion, appointed by the chair, one from each diocese represented :— New York, E. i. McGlinchy; Brooklyo, George | Boyd; Newark, F. McDonuid; Philadeipnia, | #. M. Daly; Budalo, Jono McManus; Bos‘on, M. A. Martin; Rocvester, Thomas F, Meagner; Albany, | FP. D. Kelleher; Hartford, Joon Roper. Waite thid | committee Was atsent, preparing tueir report, Father Doane anuounced thac there would be held in the eveulug a meetng for addresses, &c. ; that this morning the delegates, aiter mas would resume their session; that im the aiternoon, at hali-past five, there woulda be a gymaastic exis To-day the ‘reock war steamer Le Vire, with’| the limbs touched either externally or internally, | tion In tue Institute Gymuasinm, and in the even- the French Veaus transit party on board, arrived from the Cany veil Isjands—a small group situated about two hvvidred miles to the soutuward of the Auckiand Isi¢s, She is on her way home with the party and instruments, They report that they haa almost continuous stormy weather during their stay, Uoat tne sun was entirely obscured auring the transit, and that consequently no ob- servations cf any kind were secured, THE AUSTRALASIAN PARTIES’ NOTES. Since wat time otner sciences had come into | existence, anu as every uence heiped the | others, these sciences helped astronomy. For in- | Stauce, they now haa photograpiy, and when tne tune Was approaching that the transit of Venus should again take place, one of their first ideas | Was lo make use of photography to determine this small dispiacemenut, He Would expiaty how the measurewents of photography stood in re- gard to the former measuremenis. It was | necessary 10 mark the exact ume when Venus’ centre was a certain distance irom che sun's centre, Let them suppose ihe suu’s centre and Venus’ Were ina vertical line, then the dis- | Ing @ banquet at the Park House. tne Covamittee | on Perinauent Organization reported tue ioliow ing as the officers of the Conveution, the report being unanimously adopted:—Pres.dent, Very Rev, George H. Doane, , Newark. Vice Pres Kev. W. F, jew York; A. Keegan, ol, Brookiyn; Kev. Join H. Ly Aloany; Ke Boston; Muyo Thomas McManus, Hartford; Thomas F. Meagher, Rochester. Kecording Secretaries—M. H. Styger- son, S. F. McDonough and P, P. Connolly, Oa | assuming the chair Father Doane thanked the as- semblage and said he took their honor as a com. During titis visit to Dunedin we learned some- | placement would be such that the distance of the | pliment, not to himself, but to the organization of thing of the success atienuiog tue Australian transit partaes, They were nearly all fortunate in having good. weather, and very valuable data were obtained, ‘The goveit. ment astronomer at Syduey reported thata@ veareitai halo was visible around Venus, indicating the atmosphere, whica was visible be- fore the pict was wholly on the sun, drop was uisceruible, The government have @ totu. of v6) photog gre egress ang. 350 photo,raphs of the planet on the sun. | The asti@pomer at Bitsbane reports that the | Was | favorable, and that no vlack drop io, ‘he d ark edge of Veuus was tluminated five Minates Iveiore contact. At the station internal contact at. ingress and egress Wis observed, was rt At Willi@mstown, a sub-station near Meiboarne, | the rucern #1 and external contacis at egress were observed, and the astronomer at Carliloa was even mort turtunate, for te vvserved the iaternal ingress @nd both concacts at egress, The ovser'ver at Kmerald Hii] Was aiso successiul 1M tis obs ervations. At Adel wide observations were secured, put at Port Darwin tie cioady weatner prevented ob- servations being taken of the first contact, but toe trans |t Was Visib'e vccasionaliy afverward, THO AMERICAN PARTY AT CHATHAM ISLAND. The sw Boe left Dunedin on tbe 80th of Decem- ber Jor ti 6 Chatham Isiand. Arriving toere on the 4th Of dat Miary and taking the OC} mn pati on board We Teturued to our ancu here on tie doth inst. We found the Cuatnau id Vy a vut ooking ravher Qt ue Drosoedt Of wetting away ir No black | centre would be either Shortened of lengthened cording 4% the observer stoud ih the northern | or southern hemispuere, li Venus and the san | Were on the same cievation avove the horizon, the parallax Would jeei the effect in not beimg short- | ened to avy considerable extent—in Jact, tie | distance would not be affected at all, but it would | Dave an effec: upou tue angle. The greatest effect Would be Upon the angie; and they had the Means of computing tae aagie which the iine rum the sun's centre to Venus’ made With a cer- tain given line upon tae spnere, This displace- nent Was fol merly measured alone; #0 10 The Cons tact they Observed how much longer one part, observed the contact ater another. — if photography had been appded, the distance Would have been ineasured on a photographic Plate~-the distance of the augle Of position, The | American expedition directed their efforts to | make the phovoyraphic observation a8 periect as possible, aud cousiuered the contact observation only a8 @ contirmaiun, or ratuer a8 an Ooserva- | ok necessary ior exaniintug ceriam physical | Phenomena connected wit the contact, principal photographic apparatus was a le of five inches aperture anu forty feer focal di tance, without any magnilying lense between. The Image of the sun in Ulis lense, as could be easily seep, would ve about four and a half luches, ana the image oi Venus woula be avout Oue-thirtiech of au toca, What Was peculiar in the American {ustruments was this—that they Bot only Measured the distance, ow m pl 2 e pO oO but also the tom, Hi beileved Bo Other nation had « similar apparatus. be- Meved that next to tue ‘ae Wrench, As iar as be American syste had ascertained B | Which he was the head, On motion, (he Chair ap. pointed committees on Constitution and Bylaws and on Resolut.ons, The geutieman named on the last commitiee by Chairman Doane \o repre- sent Brooklyn was not satisiactory to the Brook lyn ailon, 80 @ delegate said, with some | Spirit. 18 spark of discord gave rise to much ex- citement and heated talk, Many delegates trying to speak at once. Amid much confusion the Con- vention adjouraed until to-day, An excited Brooklyn deiegate called upon the fifceen societies representing that city to with | draw, ‘ais was alter Father Doane nad declared tne Convention adjourned. ‘The questioa 13 opeo aa to the action of the Brookiyaites, FATAL EXPLOSION AT SING SING. In one of the marble quarries connectea with Sing Sing Prison yesterday alternoon a snocking accident occurred, Which resulted in the instant deatn of one person, While two others were seriously if not fatally injured, It appears that several cans of mitro-glycerine were being con. veyed to the spot where a powerlul steam Grill is at work opemug up @ new vein Of marole, when oue of them, containing avout twenty-five pounds o: the dangerous Com- pound was wecideutally overturned, xplosion A terrioe Joliowed, instantly killing Orlaudo er Who had chal or the bu inflicting terrivie injuries on ngy, @ Citizen, Aud Edward fF. Matinews, convicts, ine injured meno were ‘A aad but it is fe jared the last Bamed