The Express. — London, England, 1857-02-14 00:00:00

LETTER COPYING MACHINES.- AJ L•tlia* Potable Nail*. al Ma. twh.ftgtt:t. di iwpln .ttb ....41.0*. T .._ •• = aliftirl Was own sit 4 wbalimi:=Tll". •0111.-iate.. ma. THE DAILY NEWS: LONDON MORNING /he loadlart tis= l".""a lbe obselliet maw" mese se 211 seed idio On ...bar m& owl Wei t lb babel smee-b be wren of lb kw PO we., awl is Yr being old. =WI enbubbilb Wawa= rrrrrr. db. maw. obi =mama ielbbo-tble pipb ••• - rIW SILIRLI AND IMPAITIAL egMei liras la Yr irdara err werpOid LTanti MOIR HOOT. ALL OVIRSIOS r ADVIL/ARMOR& Auk red, Imp ?enew tri ern ass Orr ereamPrerkk MO prior Ark ..ield kr NMI drarearr aal ro= k r d .., a Is Ow WNW. , ;CC ai b Is by wisbe be a rend& We s ifs pit wir. WWI. 1 y .r.: E. W TALLY NEWS FORWARDED to the COUR- I" Tay IMMO POW , not mow : mar; la =VOIIII X aDDOI. 16. /0101.0 ark. ra AsraL PUBLIC sa the TRADE are reminded lOwas be fIIfPIAIAD Ow LT Z5ll NO TAIP_SAM. Areefi="Pi T Z 4lloll, r'ae. RAILY NEWS 11 .. .. 0 1EAD, tram 8 LTAVie., own 3 pas.. a 4 ; la I". w b k at C: Aiti=" EXPRESS.—Tho PUBLIC sad TRADE T SUPPLIED mil Ammon. akt_ US..' IS 0 !TIT lINIk Na 4 No. Owns nal SILT X SW* IS ITU ID awl LINT MIS IT II Is So usIUINE HE EXPRESS—The PUBLIC sad TRADE ao PM lID oven .... 1a .., le , I. by V. OVUM IN 946b140Y, We. ILIADDA4. nal DAILY 1111Wil T w DYAD T the expreoo. TO OORSISPONDINTS. afiemissems %Who kr seis..." WM. 6 rmiag Persir MMIt le It lie 0.1116 114 810N1111411141. Wllre Valli MI die iv el poillairs. Toe hewn. 9TigLlO. Mc C OL C. Oros--AM the .. 01)11sieitnewsT eel e. neMbra i r ma T it Weekee. C. 11101. S. WRIST. Cr A BIRD IN TRI HAND WORTR TWO IX lIK—Arl MARASCO/IN AND TRU RUNNER gozw. ear Ramme. rd ire nig). Madero Cr Aar —Dar Wm ddlirdAr HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Toe MT -Mani% Ni. lins...--..- shone , " N. Mo. brasseasw-nerskas 11.110.--- Atirsous. P. Is. LONDON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14. In the Horn of Loans yesterday, the Earl of Dew eve notice that he would, when the papers were laid on the table, bring forward a definite motion on the subject of the hostilities in China. In reply to the Marquis of CLANRICARDE, The Loan CHANCELLOR stated that as the buil seen of the Irish Encumbered Estates Court was found to require throe commissioners, measures were already being taken to till up the vacancy acme Mooed by the promotion of Baron Richards. Their locdahips adjourned at 7 o'clock. Is the Horn of Commons, on the motion fee ping into committee of supply, Mr. LAYARD adverted to the enomalous dream. dimes under which war had been declared with Yersia. Reports had been spread that negotiations were now in progress with the view of arranging the questions in dispute. He inquired whether these reports were correct, and intimated his intention of challenging a formal debate on the subject on some early day. Lard rsursairros dated that negolistions had =d r yers dill pending, al which the Persian la Pads was the iderisediary. Any debate at the present juncture weal& he submitted, lend to interrupt the hitherto ilneurable mn = a of diplensatie 'flab be being abaci a pads remits et the present con e :s ok Bowen:r. Rovcs hew, ma when, the legis lature could its oemdtidicnal function of matrol or supervidon ever their Swede entangle. mon. Before a brutal et emienblemishonahips they were always told that their interlinear* wee pre mium; while negotiations WM pending, they were warned against interim/Ann; tad aiter the event, their interference wee too late. Lad JOHN Ross= eamormhei spar the Llin which the lame wen pissed is :Penis& war. H. be that dienedua weal at the IreeeM merem* be premstum, but Wed termed te I see r me ou7 i n tremimation. ens way et emsear, et the negetintimm t when, he elresemal , three be se phi ihr *Alm fbo leersnee, bet the Mum would be pealed in emiertaking a 1411 and marching inquiry into the Idris wines of tranmetions which had culminated in the present war. Yr.OIADeTOIII concarred in this view, observing tat the had undertaken the . war on their owe , and Irma mmred to justify th . * eendeet ist Hsu tvssrsh i N, l ßD =Nsad4. I S SHI THI TRH OM ref, Mrs ssiHNlssi; KW HOS,4•MOMNIS MT. rimmiers. Tan Till 001ISICAN Muni rib. lit.o Essa—Aail eDIN £D TO WON DIRIC I. Lair : 1i. 60 1. 14 aai obd libs SW. lawn amass. WY% sad Peale; II • ilso.—Doan seas el Wilma S. - ewerusest boiii liars dial Ara won allassi - sstailarr Whoa =6,00 101101 4 tril to Too dt i s a ari podia hrs. Ibi bare basin ors into committee, Tba Chamrcrstosrrlba Emma= roes to make bissoesel financial shisorml. After c aned the Impo supply votse. osseilsralas leap t the matting defiers /Ay aflbs soma Isosital_ tar. Sir O. C. Lewis ealsesibis s osrussalles st as. war erd oposfilblfia fir the troirmilt MOW. ari Is to yet wbieb osmirse fie lot se Apt sr& The silmisi morn sr Or omit yorr bad bra bar big loss. slarreat at Ti. sr poled st Si ward kora pubs* roma Issesse- Ibis ars, via., 71,0011.01101. Mt agitator bad t om to too at 40,113,0004, imeloile. 11111.101111 of srsallins aalsisto Sardinia; isliesolog sadist. =110.313,01 011 ., sr of waratibiss aros Ass debt if a coadossat mosis et two slam 1111111 bft sot ot the aronzt. The astral sapsaitors bid Ism however, only a li ttle beyond 78 millions, end as ems to the total sr mot of 7,499,0001. bed bra lairroweil sa stook ad Esehopsr-bille. tbe final bolsassoboat absurd & sasplas of 1,384,0004 Me Power haws kw aglow r Ere Ulla bad bra postai by polimmst, of e• 1 a ss Weiss hod bra bras& and the n em minims roil sot be recirrst tits verso old esporditure of the these pass of was midi the period beim asossesesmat of right bar lomat mini at the cosorsisa absat 40 mit. limas bad ism raised rasa ISIS ley am terse art 41 edam by ken. A son et 81 WM= ba t tharallev, bra retributed to oars of irar.of wlik, Yam% about fro lama nomisoil usurapsart y tir Roishoper. Palos on Is tbs. odors& masilitgs• of ths mum= be NM the pool derrad Rea the at 116,474,0001. Peorisiog that the war bad hit b od it an shades ot 30,283,0001. to the per resat Mt, sad et 12,120,0001. to the boating Ismiribb mar different erassisatissr is soma sharp of 1^0044 the Ammo pusisd to the ses tomb of mask syslintf rads& Zsessisbal tlot s is ..sos. as it was saird, of MS, br the seissliss of dr imam* MI bra Bruer& by arospast rewrißlks. the mat leor yoms. barbs Ur lig l== 611 manyemsits sod shoat debt, provieion mut be made he eleven millions i and a Mif in reibElgt* at resemtly greeted loons. , When te this wee Mar the rammitorr et taxes re- • mitts& ekes UM, erawitest _k the whole to 1 760,0011.„ be seMetaki List MAW dr legislature I nor the meld emilmicer is hold bound to tise eattleimast egedeletie that year. Sir , G. C. Am metered serewleat at bite into the abstractssslw I MMus direr and indirect taxation, and at her le he arrangement , which hi pegs's& be etas he the present year, Amid ISM he destining be empip with the very ' aumerese emprile that bed bra merriled for the ' Menden at the ilia re sal fa kemanoss. Be beileided te deal only pegs wilk the Wee la pses& en sessert et the we. Ot these a per- , resest Weser k the anise an spirits dam stile am Mks aid • lAN esseelly, and weed be kilt _leaded fir wet reit duty had ' already cemd, awl weed midi • less at two mil- I Uses ea the MOM fir the ersimirri rim There I narked the keens ter, at whim past Whey he Pee • betel shirk sea deeedhed the pular in which the kw miring le he rifles new stood in pureeing' st ads passi is 11111 sd eidiegnent years. As at prema egpskted, the ter would remain at l&L Agell; ink isepsft then to sd. for two yews hem sea swig Wgiensar in 1860. The preimptbn deb, wee Imam tax for another yew beerever, was aseromil by en sod - dental rrleliss be the weeding of the eneetassat, of which the ireverneret led no intention to take ad vantage. Between he pageant time aid IMO, as the kw new steak en aggregate mes* et Sled. woad het readable for beam tax. Mk be pro posed to redeem to 21d., dimileard egaso,y ever the three years, raking 7d. for sea year. bream of 1501. and over would then be eir Oct to the arse tariff casually levied by Sir IL Peel; sad epos those of hes - mowed, now at 1 he to. tended to imps. • Tate of 01. Mier Ms saserisr of Moms, whist ha mitimated at 11 salllfeem be scald not a&hed to sass& the while mesent et Weeded reductisen in the &Mee es Is. ad auger he which 11:=1 a raw err d Mien, smaller sell at Ismer intervals them been ar range& when the sander wee reeked. 'Ilt• total revenue hr the yaw 111674 wadi this remain as follows. From Ceram 1111,1101,0001.1 Exeise, 17,000,000 J.; Stamps, 7,4110,111161.1 land and as sured tax, 3,150,0001.; imam and property tax, 11,450,0001.; Post-office, 3,000,0004 • Crown lands, 36.5,0004 ; misce ll aneous, 1,000,00 01 . The gross receipt! would thus amount to 66,366,0001., which, as set against an estimated expenditure of 66,474,000!., would leave a surplus of 891,000!. The whole amount of taxation now to be remitted was 11,571,0004, from which, however, the Exchequer would only sustain a lees of about 7 millions during the ensuing year. The right hon. baronet con cluded by moving a formal resolution granting two millions to her Majesty to redeem the first senes of Exchequer Bonds. The speech of the Chancellor of the Exchequer was followed by the usual series of cursory remarks and questions upog various points of detail, all formal discussion being postponed. , Sir. G. C. Lewis afterwards replied and explained, and the house resumed. . The Passing Tolls Bill was read a second time, on the motion of Mr. LOWE, and ordered to be referred to a select committee. The house adjourned at half-past 10 o'clock. Tne Financial Statement of the Session is always looked forward to with interest by various classes of the community. All the eco nomic sectaries who have favourite specifics to recommend, all the political gramblers who have party pins to seek, all the bangers-on of power in possession or in expectancy, and finally, all the thoughtful portions of the toil-worn and ill-repre sented many who find heavy taxes hard to pay— await with move or less of curiosity and hope the announcement by the CHANCELLOR of the Ex en Eaten of the amount of proposed expendi ture for the coming year, and the methods whereby he proposes to provide for it. No man understood better than the late Sr Rose= PEEL how to deal with this prevalent feeling ; no man took gve pains to maintain an impenetrable reserve as to his intentions up to the moment when he rose to propound his elaborate scheme of amendment or revision ; and no man in our time so well knew how to bold the attention of a crowded House of Commons during the coarse of a monster speech, full of dry details, up to the climax of concession or improve ment wherewith it always closed. Among his suc cessors there has hardly been an attempt (save that of Mr. GLADSTONE, in 1853) to imitate his example. Budget-making is still an art and a mystery wherein there is, and will ever be, but few proficients of the highest class; and budget-speech making appears to be a knack wholly beyond the capacity of ordinary financiers. Seldom has the ministerial revelation been expected with more anxiety than that of Sir CoanEWALL LEWIS last night. Irrespective of the party hopes and fears which encircled it, a wide-spread holing of impatience prevailed throughout the country as to the cessation of the war taxes, about which, in so far as they were dependent on statute able technicalities, there ought never to have been any room left for uncertainty. At five o'clock the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER began his care fully prepared address ; at eight o'clock he admitted that he had exhausted his stock of materials, having long before exhausted the patience of his auditory and his own powers of audible articulation ; the result will be found in the solid man of typography which we present on a previous page : yet we venture to think that few of those who may have leisure to devote to its perusal will find in it much they did not know, or did not fancy they knew, before. The sole point of moment or importance had been supposed to transpire two days previous to its official announcement ; and when the hungry and wearied members heard Sir C. LEWIS confirm what everybody had already anticipated—that the war ninepence was to cease after April next—they rose almost unanimously, and quitted the house, leaving only a few odds and ends of all parties to endure unto the end. The truth is, the circumstances of the country, and still more them of the Cabinet, did not afford much room for invention or novelty on the occa sion ; and if they bad, oar present unadven turous and uncreative Minister of Finance is not the man to avail himself thereof. We are about to close our three years' war account, and about to open a new reckoning in the too long neglected pages of " peace, retrench ment, and reform." Everybody understands that Re form at least will never be carried out satisfactorily or completely by the lavish hands that gave rise to war expenditure, and who, to judge by the pains they are already taking to get up new quarrels and conflicts, or the costly show of them, must lend a very reluctant aid to the present diminution of national expenditure. But we are • business people, and arc content to have the old wasteful system wound up almost anyhow, in order to stop the outgoings and get the new set of books fairly opened. And thus when the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER sums up the cost of the Russian war, and tells us that the 40,000,0001. we borrowed fur that purpose will be gradually liquidated by existing arrangements, without the retention of a seven penny income tax for more than three years, we are disposed to draw a long breath, rub our hands together, possibly walk up and down the room in patriotic meditation, and eventually give in our adhesion to the belief that things might after all have been much worse. Con sidering the way in which things were managed during the early part of the war, we are almost THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 14, 1857. inclined to wonder that, beside our forty millions of extra taxation and forty millions of borrowed money, we are not to be called on to pay still more for the blunders of oligarchic misrule. Very much in the some spirit will the public be disposed to look, in the first instance at least, upon Sr C. LEWIS'S programme of continued and aug mented taxation. Nobody really expected to hear of a Ministerial proposition this year to remit the duty on Paper or a portion of that on Wine. Some credulous folk, perhaps, imagined that a tax so universally unpopular and mischievous as that on Fire Insurance might have been given up; but if any such there were, they will learn how egregiously they have been deceived. It is of all others the impost which Sir C. LEWIS, with the prudence of a true docerimire, goes out of his way to declare that he will never agree to relinquish. With better judgment, he intimates his intention of keeping up the present duties on distilled Spirits, which, although imposed in aid of a war revenue, ars fairly chargeable in time of peace, so letaj as the place they yield continues to increase, eali Qjimt islWation does not threaten to re-appear 411ealialie extent. We cannot use the same =:Lwino adverting to the project for a new akes% Sugar and Tea, with a view to arrest the proms, of the declining charge on those neces saries of life. By the expiration of the temporary act which suspended the gradual decrease in the Customs charge on tea and sugar, the consumer would, after the sth April next, begin once more to derive the benefit intended by the framers of that enactment; but the CHANCELLOR of the Exeun t:wen steps in and says--.. I propose to do so mach for the relief of incomes above 1001. a year from war barflies', that I cannot think of affording any mitigation of burthens to those which fall below that scale: and as they would obtain a certain small modicum of relief by the resumption of the state of tl , ings that existed three years ago, I have determined to submit new schedules of declining duties, which will have the effect of securing some few hundred thousand pounds to the revenue, and letting the inappreciable decrease of price sink for some years into the pockets of the wholesale mer chant." Assuredly there never was a Finance Minister who evinced at all times and under all cir- _astances a greater appetite for unpopularity. The grand totals of income and expenditure pre sented to our view for the ensuing fiscal year, are inevitably higher than those to which we have been accustomed in time of peace. klaking dee allowance for the nominal augmentation of upwards of four millions on account of charge for the collection of the revenue, which now for the first time figures in the balance-sheet, we have still above 85,000,0001. to be provided for by taxes between April, 1867, and April, 1848. Moss tau three millions of this, indeed, islet apart hell* payment of debts contracted on our own seem said on behalf of our Allies during the stead Crimean campaign ; and some other items d fair deduction, though of less amount, may likewise be made. But to have a margin of 800,000 L to meet all contingencies it will be necessary, according to Sir C. Lewis, to raise by direct or indirect taxation above 66,000,0001. of money in the space of twelve months. We cannot help saying that this is more than it ought to be: and we cannot help feeling that with the knowledge Ministers must have had that such burthens impended over this long-suffering com munity during the first year of European peace, nothing but the sternest necessity should have induced them to sanction or originate measures cal culated to embroil us in Oriental wars. ARE we never to hare doom with Mr. Mutant " wondrous tale," not of Alroy, but of the Aube- French treaty relative to Italy? Three times has this story been served up to the House of Commons, and for any progress that has yet been made in its discussion, it may be made to serve as a standing dish throughout the session. At first Lord PAL MERSTON vowed that there was no such treaty in existence. Next he alleged tart it was not a treaty but a convection; that it was contracted for a limited period, which had expired, and with re ference to peculiar circumstances which had ceased to exist ; and moreover that it had never been completed—had not even been signed. On the last eetasion on which Lord PALMERSTON referred to the treaty or convention, he admitted that he had been mistaken when he asserted that it had never been signed. Considering how peremptory Lord PALMERSTON'S affirmation to the contrary was, this is an unlucky admission. People ask themselves whether this is the only point on which Lord PALMERSTON has been mistaken ? Whether he may not have been in error likewise in what he said of the scope and duration of the convention? The mere change in his lordship's mode of discussing the subject is enough to invite such questions. On Tuesday the provoking PREMIER apologised to Mr. DISRAELI for not losing his temper, and laughingly proclaimed his inability to "muster up any indignation." His lordship was the very model of Sir Harry Wildair thrashing Alderman Smuggler, and all the time professing his regret at being compelled to resort to such an extreme measure. But on Thursday the PREMIER'S equanimity, real or assumed, de serted him ; and his rejoinder to Mr. Duels= approached, in its tone, more near to down right scolding than any previous speech of Lord PALMERSTON'S that we can recall to memory. All this looks as if the unlucky Austro- French convention regarding the affairs of Italy were a sore subject with the PREMIER. It seems pretty clear, however, that he is not disposed to throw any further light on the subject. Neither indeed to all appearance is Mr. DISRAELI. Delighted with having" established a raw," he abstains from giving any distinct account of the treaty, and from any attempt to have it produced. Yet the only way to atilt Os acidifying controversy is to produce the busty. Whoa we have it before us we can say which of the two disputants has described it correctly ; till then their wrangling resembles that of the contra eersialists about the colour of the chameleon, in Gay's fable. Surely the treaty can be got hold of. Will not the kind friend who informed Mr. DISRAELI of its existence add to the obligation by procuring him a copy of it ? Or cannot Lord PALMERSTON procure one from the French Government? If his lordship's account of the matters correct, the convention is now merely a matter of history—a last year's almanac; and its publication can do no harm to any one. This suggestion as to the production of the treaty we throw out simply with a view to save the time of the House of Commons, by putting an end to the controversy about its tenour. At the worst it can only tell we, if produced, that when the question of Italy is under discussion, the French and Austrian Governments think only of their own interests and ambitions, not of the rights of that oppressed coun try—and that we knew before. It can only teach the Italians that they ought to place no reliance on foreign aid—that "who would be free, themselves must strike the blow ;" and if the events of the last half century have not already taught them this truth, they are unteachable. We can easily linden Lord PALMERSTON for seeking to cast a veil over what was done by France with regard to Italy,with the knowledge, if not with the salmon" of our own Government in 1854, if he will honestly tell us what are the intentions of our own Government with regard to Italy in 1857. We shall be excused for feeling some anxiety on this score by all who are aware of the Austrian propensities of the courtly English Minister at Florence. That a diplomatist so notoriously hos tile to Mu liberal cause in Italy should bo allowed bi Main each an important past, is of Melt emeigh to throw a suspicion on the intends= of our own Government with regard to Italy. Since the discussion of the Italian question in the Paris Conferences, nothing has been done by Ministers to prove the sincerity of the language held by their Plenipotentiary on that occasion. Lord CLAMSIMON declared that the conduct of the Go vernments of Central and Southern Italy was a standing provocation to revolution. lie maintained that the preservation of law and order in Italy was a matter that concerned all European Governments, inasmuch as a revolution in any one European State was almost invariably followed by similar move ments in its neighbours. Among the Italian abuses which Lord CLARENDON specified 611 most urgently calling for redress, were the atrocities of the King of NAPLES, the overwhelming priestly influence in the Roman Government, and the pre sence of foreign troops in the independent Italian States. All that has since been done by England to give effect to these declarations is the withdrawal of the English Embassy from the Court of Naples. Of the effects of that half-measure we shall have occa sion to speak hereafter; our present concern is with the entire amnions of our Government. It has done literally nothing to obtain the withdrawal of foreign troops from the independent States of Italy. It maintains at Florence a Minister whe is notori ously a partisan of Austria, and inimical to the Liberals of Italy. Nay, if the current talk of intel ligent, honourable, and well-informed Italian Libe rals may be believed, the Foreign Minister of Enr land has urged upon the Sardinian Government the expediency of being more cordial and compliant towards Austria, with a warmth of explain ad is scarcely consistent with the ordinary ilesemas diplomatic correspondence. In short, the swings and doings of the English Government have been such as to awaken in the breasts of Italian patriots an idea that it is angry with their statesmen because they will not fawn upon Austria at England's bidding, in order that Austria may bo in duced to support the policy of England in matters which no way concern Italy. It may be that the fears entertained by Italians of seeing the rights of their country sacrificed to the convenience of Eng *sh Ministers have no foundation. We hope they are groundless. But the only persons who can abuse the public of these suspicions are the English Ministers themselves. And the only way in which they can accomplish this is by a frank exposition of their Italian policy in Parliament. IT should be a part of the business and the plea cure of this day to do homage to St. VALENTINE, however wide apart his concerns may be from those which are supposed to occupy us. It is really matter for congratulation that, while debating our budget, and computing the expenses of past, and the proba bilities of future wars, we see all London engaged to day in a celebration which has not a thought of poli ties or pelf connected with it. Our town readers must have seen myriads of Valentines in the shop windows since February set in : and they must have observed an entire absence of political allu sion, of all gravity, all bitterness, of everything but what is congenial with the loving and frolicking spirit of the day. We see hits at the ladies' skirts, it is true, and grimaces on lovers' countenances that the once graceful maidens have become as unap proachable as the damsels of romance in giants' castles ; but of substantial griefs and fears, sins and sorrows, we hear and see nothing in the messages of St. VALENTINE. And this precious exemption if not from thej mere mood of the hour. For many weeks sores of artists have been occupied in designs ing, elaborating, painting, and cutting for this day, s gifts ; and for many days there has been no getting anything done by stationers and newsmen that could be deferred till the 14th of the month. For months have children and servants been laying by their coppers and small silver pieces for love-gifts on this day; and through the whole course of preparation the spirit has been, as it always is, true to the occasion. If it is ever true that the merry French and the gloomy English are representatives of opposite moods to the rest of the world, it is not true to-day ; for never, when France was at her gayest, could her temper have been more genial or more mirthful than that of England on the day of St. VALENTINE, of old or now. It may be doubted whether the English arc not, au fond, the meet humorous, if not exactly the gayest. Their 'good-tempered enjoyment of satire, their mirth at jokes against themselves, their inex haustible relish of truth-telling pantomime, their fidelity in keeping such festivals as this pure from all alloy of social discontent, seem to show that the heart of merry England is as sound and u light as ever. Nothing can be more wonderful than the external changes noticeable on St. VALWITINL's-day; and nothing can be more radically unchanged than the spirit of it. Half a century ego it was told u a wonderful fact that in London 200,000 Valentines were delivered by the postmen—the postage* amount ing to little short of 1,7001. That was the way the old folks reckoned ; while the young were ab sorbed in the conception of a hundred thousand pairs of lovers. If it was objected that all who sent valentines were not lovers, the reply was ready that there were plenty of lovers who did not send valen tines. All over the country the post was lute ; and in every village the population ran to the doors and windows when the distant horn of the post-boy was heard. Ilia swollen bags were discharged from door to door, and when he went his way few were left disappointed. In some places the best of the fun was over the evening before—the giving of gifts taking place on the eve of the day when the partner was claimed. A tale of Mrs. °ries shows how lately this custom existed in old-fashioned Norfolk ; and the anecdote in that tale can be vouched for by personages yet living—the snatching of a packet of family letters, stolen as a valentine, and treated as might be expected of thieves. The story testifies to the dearness of postage, as well as to the existence of the custom of throwing gifts in at the doors after dark. In Hertfordshire Yd elsewhere the children went from house to house tereesiee true-lovers'-knots, garlands and money, and mode a procession in honour of all lovers. In Kent, the badness was burning " the holly boy" on the one band, and " the ivy girl " on the other—nobody knew why ; but it must be done by order of St. VALENTINE. In the western counties, an old owl and two sparrows must be caught before daylight and presented at the chief house before the family were awake, or the largess was forfeited. Elsewhere the young people were all stirring early, because the youth or maiden met earliest was to be the lib-long Valentine. Almost everywhere, from John o' Groat's to the Land's End, the young people were drawing their mates by lot, so as to liken the occasion to Twelfth Night. From time immemorial, the gifts have been of all values, from the rare jewels bestowel by French and Italian princes, and the enemies gloves and silks which the gallant Parrs complains and exults over in his Diary, to the gingerbread heart of the village wheel boy, or the gaudy Cupid which the town apprentice buys for twopence. Of these and many other ancient forms, some have become obsolete; others are com promised, and the rest transmuted; but the genial spirit of the day and the Saint remain. The anony mous gilts, thrown in at nightfall, have ceased in favour of the German Christmas tree ; and the pair ing by lot is not the serious and exciting scene it was; but the sending of letters is on the increase from year to year, and the beauty and costliness of the postal offerings are something remarkable—in any place but Paris. No doubt, a great number come from Paris. It is said that tho importation deserves a separate heading in our national accounts : but there is still plenty of employment left for our artists at home, and a brisk circulation of capital en gaged in the business. If one could look into any aristocratic nursery, or into the home of any spoiled only child, one might be astonished at the display of fillagree, of flower and bird paint ing of a high order, and of exquisite caricature ; so that the young gentleman or little lady is provided by the end of the day with an album that has cost more guineas than one would tell of in Smithfield meetings or workhouse receiving rooms. Not that there is any censurable luxury in this way of keep ing the festival. It is an innocent and useful re course, once a year, to art-pleasures ; and the money is well earned and well spent. But the mode of expenditure has changed. Instead of the twopenny Post-office sending out 200,000 Valentines, the General Post-office sends out now 800,000 or up wards, the number increasing every year. Instead of an anxious morning reception or evening lottery, in which youths and maidens believed they were find ing their mates for life, we have fun, frolic, and bounty ; caricatures of old bachelors, with arms made to swing the walking-stick, or of old maids whose heads nod to the needle; or surprises of gifts to young people from papa or mamma, acting the lover for the fun. The real earnest is mow for the children The rest is fun and frolic. A great change in an observance which can boast so old a date. Some say that it goes back to ancient Roman days, when vir gins' names were drawn in honour of PAN and Juno on a February day which the early Christian priests laid hold of in the name of St. VALENTINE, the meet loving of martyrs. Others give the credit of the festival to the French princess, daughter of HENRI IV., who named her Italian palace after St. VALENTINE, and also compelled her cavaliers and maids of honour to pair off for the year by lots, she alone being free to choose her partner in the chase and in the dance. Again, it is certain that the monk poet LTUGATE, early in the fifteenth century, and CHARLES Duke of ORLEANS, who was brought from the field of Agincourt to the Tower of London, wrote Valentines ; and CHAUCER, at an earlier date, told how the birds chose their mates on that soft-hearted saint's day. Whoever began the observance, it is very old ; and with as it has not ceased to be venerable. Though the old methods are changed, though the Poet-office and the mails are altered almost beyond knowledge, and we are reputed to be a graver and a wiser people than of old, we are keeping VALENTINE'S-day more liberally and more fully than ever. It is at this moment dividing life in London into two aspects. It is ushered in while Parliament is dis cussing grave facts of past war, present expenditure, and future tax-paying, and under its star statesmen have gone home thoughtful, and with brains all bent on business. But the loving saint presents another aspect of life on the same spot. lie brings in love and wooing, a little impersonal satire and harmless quizzing, and a host of pleasant thoughts about spring, with its doves, and lambs, and early flowers. We will make him welcome this year and every year, because life itself is better than its cares, and because love is higher than politics, and the new-born generation, to-day:exulting in its special festival, is worth at least as much as us grey beards; and more so, if we think too much of politics and pelf. Sir Robert Peel corrects an error which occurs in the report of his 'yeah on Thursday night. He write.—" I said that Mr. Adderley invited me to attend a public meeting at the Saitley Literary Institution on the oecaeion of its ' in auguration whereas lam made to say, 'on the occasion of a jollification,' which latter word, of course, never passed my lips." It is under Mr. Beale's financial auspices (says the Literary Gazette) that Mr. Theckeray has been making his recent appearance*, although the satirical huniourist, in replying to an invitation from the secretary of a suburban literary institution to repeat him lectures on the Georges at a • reduced rate, refused, on the ground of having ' sold him self to Mr. Barnum'--an intimation which was gravely repotted to the committee of the institution by the disap pointed secretory." We (Literary Gazette) regret to observe the _ _ announcement of the death of Dr Eli Smith, the superin tendent of the American minion at Beyrout. Dr. Smith was the companion of Dr. Itebinaos in hi. tour of explora tion in Palestine, and his long residence in these regions has enabled him to render tallied& aid to other eastern travellers. In consequence of the decease of Mr. Richard Smith, brother to Mr. Albert Smith, the Egyptian Hall will be clewed all next week. The lecture-room of the Royal Institution was crowded last night to hear a lecture by Mr. Malone, on the most recent improvements in photography—the engraving of photographs by the electrotype process, to which the name of . . . hiss been given. It ie said in the germ-rooms, and we (At/tenant Mrs. Nisbet's return to Imagine with good lb* slug& niegke shortly looked for. W• Nei ` the Carmarthen journal :—" The op paneling disk' Propert, Esq., of New Cavendish-street Loel owl d Blaenpystill, Cardiganshire, as Sheriff for thee. his native county, is a signal instancy of what industry Offeligegrity will accomplish. We believe the worthy High andflakes pride in avowing that ho left Wales some half swim ego without a shilling more than would carry him to Liffeffeg.where his honourable ambition led hint, and where he WNW the field for that honest unremitting struggle which • limigrovidenee never disregards. We hear he has not mil dewed the ineumbrance, which equalled the value of dr lYa property his thriftless parent left as his only heri- WO* has by purchase added considerably to it, and now reaps Iha reward of his industry by the distinction of serving as aboff for the county he quitted—friendless and poor." The Pays' London correspondence says that a lodging has been taken in Piccadilly for Ferukh Khan, and that the Persian ambassador gets on extremely well with Lord Cowley, whose affability he (bide. pleasing contrast to the more demonstrative manners of Lord Stratford de Radcliffe. The marriage of the Grand Duke Michael of RUM with the Princess Cecile of Baden is to take plane at St. Petersburg in March. LONDON AND MIDDLESEX ARCILEOLOOICAL Soctcrv.—A general meeting of this society will be held on Wednesday evening, the 18th inst., at the Gallery of British Artists, Suffolk-street, when the chair will be taken, at eight o'clock, by the Very Rev. the Dean of Westminster, a von president of the society, and the following pa will be read Middlesex at the time. of the Do 8 y. By Edward Griffith, Esq., P.R.S.-2. Walks in the City Blehopegate Ward. By ths Rev. Thomas Hugo, M.A.- 3. Monumental Brasses of London and Middlesex. By the Rev. Charles Boutell, M.A. A collection of antiquities will be formed at the place of meeting to which members sad others are invited to contribute. The society intends to visit the Tower of London in the month of Jose. The Builder,of this day,states that Mr. Planc.he has accepted the invitation of the Committee of the Exhibition of Art Treasures to superintend the arrangement of armour and arms. LATEST INTELLIGENCE. INDIA. (DT SIIIIUILINZ TELEORAP/1.) TRIESTE, FKIDAT, Fen. 13. The steamer Calcutta arrived this morning at 7.30, with the following summary of Indian news: ALEXANDRIA, FEB. 7. The India and China mails leave to-day with advice. of the following duke, viz.: Bombay, Jan. 16; Calcutta, Jan. 8; Madras, Jan. 13; Ccy. lon, Jan. 16. Troops were about to be sent from India to Chins. At Bombay the money market was characterised by increasing tightness. Tho import market was very active. Exports were quiet. Freights, 21.105. to 2/.125. Exchange on London, 2s. 21d. At Calcutta tho import market was inactive. ht indigo a slight decline is reported. The terms of the money market were more stringent. Exchange, 2a. 2ld. At Madras the import market was steady. A farther advance had taken place in indigo. The lank had raised its rate of interest 1 per cent. Freights were somewhat lower. Exchange, 21.113 d. We think it right to state that we are quite satis fied that the delay in the transmission of the last telegraphic summary of the overland mail by the Submarine Telegraph Company, on which we re marked at the time, arose entirely from an uninten tional oversight. CHINA. (BY 111:BMAILINE TELEGRATH.) TRIESTE, FRIDAY. By way of Alexandria; we have &him from Hong Kong of Dee. 30. All the foreign buildings at Canton have been pillaged and burnt down. Admiral Seymour had been throwing hot shot into Canton, but at the latest dates had desisted from hostilities and was strengthening his position. The Chinese (residents?) had threatened to burn down the town of Hong Kong. The lorcha Alma had been taken by Chinese, who are said to have mutilated the master. The steamer Thistle, while towing the lorcha Anonyme, was attacked by :100 junks, and her cap tain was obliged to cast off the lorcha and abandon her with her cargo. A very bad feeling against the British was spread ing from Canton to other Chinese ports. It was rumoured that the Emperor of China was desirous of peace, but that the inimical feeling of tha Cantonese was uncontrollable. Exchange at Hong Kong, 4a. Bid. ; Shanghai, 6s. Bd. PERSIA AND AFGHANISTAN. (nom ova ovrx TRIESTE, FRIDAY. According to intelligence received at Bombay from Bushire, dated Dec. 30, the Persians were meditating an attack upon the British troops en camped near that city. _ _ _ General Sir James Outram, with his staff, sailed from Bombay for the Persian Gulf on the 16th of January. . . The government was preparing for immediate despatch, reinforcements, to form a second division . . for senior in Persia. Several interviews had taken place between Post Mahommcd and Sir John Lawrence. The nature of their communications had not transpired. MARSEILLES, SATVRDAT. The steamer Enxine arrived this morning, at eight o'clock, with the India and China mails. UNITED STATES. ARRIVAL OF THE PERSIA. BRITISE AND SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH.) (MOM OUR OWN COBLISESSONDINT.) LIVERPOOL, SATURDAY.. This morning early, the Royal Mail steam-ship Perak', Captain Indkina, arrived in the Mersey, with the usual mails from the United States and the British possessions in North America. She sailed direct from New York on the 4th inst., making the passage in a little more than nine days. The United States steamer Atlantic arrived a quarter of an hour after the Persia. The Persia brought 110 passengers and 373,623 dole. in specie on freight, chiefly on French account. The Persia passed the mail steamer Baltic, hence on the same day. She left New York inward bound, on the Bth. She logged 362 miles, and the three succeeding days 340 daily. The New York and the Tempest arrived at New York on the lit; and the City of Manchester on the 3rd. Stringer, the bank robber at New Orleans, had confessed to his plunder. The House of Representatives at Louisiana passed a resolution instructing members of Congress from that State to oppose the contemplated duty on kexican advices of the 14th January, report the insurrection of San Louis Potosi u having been quelled; the insugents fled, and most of the leaders were killed. It is expected that General Vidauri would soon advance to support San Louis Potosi. Money at Now York is in active demand. Stocks iichange on London 1081 to 109, with little The cotton market is again firmer. The provision market steady, and sales free at full rates. Sugar rather more active, and coffee is in better request. Freights in good inquiry. Corn to Liverpool, 61a. Cotton, 70 to Heavy goods, 255. per ton. The Moniteur of yesterday contains the following " The Emperor will in person, on Monday, the 16th of February, at one o'clock precisely, in the Salle des Markehaux, at the Palace of the Tuileries, open the Legislative Session of 1887, and will administer the oath to those members of the Senate and Corps Legislatif who have not yet discharged that formality." We also find in yesterday's Moniteur : " As the mission confided to the Comte de !Remy of Ambassador Extraordinary to his Majesty the Emperor of Russia, is to be prolonged, the functions of President of the Legislative Corps will be per formed during the next session by M. Schneider, the Vice-President, who will enjoy all the prerogatives attached to that high position." The produce of the imposts and indirect revenues of the French empire for the month of January, 18:17, amounts to 4,380,000 f. more than in 1888, and to 11,640,000 f. more than in 1805.