The Express. — London, England, 1848-04-26 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, APRIL 26, 1848• cabriolet was filled with piles of the list of candidates, drawn M. by the i fielega earse u tes workmen otend at whicht Luxembourg. sihe w of 20 workmen. p resi dent, ',Ore at once distributed to the workmen, who went off almost immediately after to their respective ',miens to place in the urn these printed lists. We read in the PresPe : A decree of the Provisional Government, dated April 12, inserted in the Bulletin des Lou, as No. 229, opens to H. Ledru-Rollin Minister of the interior, an extraordinary credit of 600 , 000 f. for extraordinary expenses of public safety. The decree is not preceded by any preamble what ever. We shall not attempt to supply that silence, and we shall confine ourselves to a single observation. The opening of this credit involves the suppoeition tht the sum of 932,000 f. set down for the same purpose duri a ng the present year, by the law of August 8, 1847, has been completely ex hanged. How comes it to pwa that this sum of 932,000 f. has been expended before a third of the year has elapsed ? Does the fault lie with M. Duchies' or M. Ledru-Rollin ? Will it be necessary, in order to ascertain that fact, to wait for the revelations of some Revue Retrospective? The Provisional Government has decreed that the import duties on sago, when brought in French vessels, shall be 10f. the 100 kilos. from India, 20f. from other places out of Europe, and 30f. trom the entreptits : if by foreign vessels, 40f. up to two oclock, as we are informed by . a person who visited the Mairiee, there was but little in dication of any movement or excitement among the electors. At that hour, however, the numbers ap peared to be on the increase. It was calculated that, at the hour of closing the bureaux last night,not above a third of the entire num ber of electors had voted. MM. Louis Blanc and Albert and their partisans bad distributed before hand, among the operatives, printed lists; but these voters generally, to their credit, formed lists of their own ; and it was remarked that upon their bulletins there were but few of their own class. The bulletins delivered by the bourgeoisie contained invariably the names of at least four operatives. The delivery of votes will oease at 10 o'clock to-night ; but the result of the election will not be known before Wednesday evening or Thursday morning. 1 am informed that the directors of several lines of railway have demanded of the government the fol lowing conditions of their dispossession: 1. For the companies having lines completed and in opera tion, and producing a not profit above tour per cent., five per teat. stock producing dividends equal to the net profit of the last year, increased by one-third.--2. For lines at work and producing a net profit of from three to four per cent., the reimbursements of their capital in five per cents. at par. —3. For companies whose net profits are below three per cent., reimbursements of capital in four per cents. at par.- 4. For companies whose net profit is nothing, or below three per cent, reimbursement of capital in three per cents. at par.— O. For compaeies too recently in operation to calculate net revenue, reimbursement of capital in five per cents. at per, with a bonus of one third to those who hive not borrowed, and without a bonus to those who have bor rowed. The state in each case taking the liability of the losas.-6. To companies whose lines are in construction, end whose realised capital assures their engagements, reimburse. I ment of capital in fir. sat par, with a bonus of one third.— , 7. For oompanies not able to fulfil their engsgements to the L state, reimbursement in fives at par without a bonus. pose the national development by these subversive ten clench*, which the majority of the nation con demned. The chivalrous wamor addressed a few words of pees and reconciliation to his misguided countrymen, but they refused which his prudent counsels, and the generous proposalhe made ts them. He was therefore compelled to return. He remounted his horse, and, at the same moms , t, he was na f fstrerously shot at and mortally wounded by three balls, two which entered his back, and the third passed through hh head. Exasperated at seeing their chief assassinated in so cruel and perfidious a manner, the troops furiously engaged in combat with the rebels, who:were forced to take flight, leaving a great number of dead upon the field. foe troops pursued them and encountered a second band of insurgents, commanded by Struve. These they satso also ked an d completely routed, and had not night i a n ' would not have ceased to pursue them. The official report state* that the troops had only 35 wounded, 20 of whom were soldiers of Baden and the rest of the grand duchy of Here. They had not a man killed. A letter from Carleruhe of the 21st says:—" Struve and Weisshaer, who had taken a position near Weisenthal with a troop of 1,000 men, suddenly fled 20 Hessians 'and 15 Baden men were wounded. A deserter of the 2nd Regiment, and one of the 4th, were killed. The rebels suffered considerably ; a waggon filled with the dead had entered Gandern ; Willich and another chief were among the slain, and eight wero made prisoners." The republican bands continue to overrun the fron tier portions of the grand duchy. A letter from Schaffhausen states that the republicans are stationed all along the road between Engen, Blomberg, and Stiihlingen. The diligences between Mile and Stockach are stopped, and that between Schaffhausen and Aran was rifled of 4,000 florins. Messrs. Venedey and Spatz, the two delegates sent by the Frankfort committee of fifty into Baden, have issued a proclamation at Lens kirch to the inhabitants of Baden, in which they state that all their attempts to bring the republicans to terms of peace have failed, and they therefore call on all well-minded people not to join in an enterprise which is disturbing the internal peace of Germany. A letter from Offenburg, of the 20th, says that the inhabitants of that town were divided—one-tenth for. the republic, andthe other nine-tenths for the present order of things. FRANKFORT. —The senate of this town has pub lished a proclamation in which it announces the proximate creation of notes of the Chamber of Fi nance to the amount of two millions of florins. PRUSSIA.—A letter from Cologne of the 24th, states that a great meeting to have been held there on that day would be postponed. It was expected that the elections, which are fixed for the let of May, would not pass over without some disturbances. AUSTRIA.—The only news from Vienna, from which we have dates to the 20th, is, that the Em peror had accepted the resignation of Count Taffe, Minister of Finance, at his own request. treat them with a culpable leniency. He seems to have I forgotten that they were con demned pirates—in fact, twice condemned—and utterly unworthy of confidence. The very arrangements of the convicts on board a transport facilitate projects of mutiny and conspiracy. On the night of the 3rd of January they broke loose, and arming themselves with pieces of timber commenced the attack. The crew was thrown into a state of inex plicable confusion. We do not see that any signal was given to rouse the passengers or warn them of their 'peril. The captain was frightened, and lost all presence of mind. Nothing was done to oppose the mutineers, who had now:seised upon the arm chest, which had been most negligently left open. The !ewer crew ran up into the rigging to save their lives ; and the few Beret) , ans who attempted to do their duty were [ overpowered and thrown into the water. Amongst I these were the captain and Mr. GILL, the third mate, whose gallantry was worthy of a nobler field and a better fate. Had there been half•adozen persons on board with equal pluck, so far as we can make out from the accounts, the dreadful catastrophe might have been averted. It is a curious trait, that after Mr. GILL was bound and almost cut to pieces, a sort of superstitious fear prevented his assassins from throw ing hint overboard, as they had done many others without any ceremony. As he lay on the deck dying, five of the convicts stood over him as a guard, cutlass in hand, and unable to look upon his mangled form, they covered him with a blanket till he was dead, and then took courage to touch him and throw him into the sea. We sincerely hope the Straits government will mark their appreciation of the courage displayed by this gallant youth: it is of the utmost importance that such a spirit should be fostered in our navy. We need not recapitulate further. Some of the wretches have been retaken; hut half at least have eecaped, and, even should they be taken, their punishment can afford but little compensation to the families which have lost their supporters, and the merchants or underwriters who have lost the cargo. This is the third vessel which has been sacrificed in this manner. We say sacrificed, for it is really nothing Aces. The General Wood has shared the fate of I the Freak and the Harriet Scott. Surely then is aJ terrible culpability somewhere. To what purpose do we keep up such a naval armament in the Chinese and Indian seas, and incur such vast expense in expe ditions to put down piracy, in those waters, if catas trophes like these cannot be prevented? Apart from the circumstances growing out of the mutiny, two obvious mistakes were made—these wretches, doubly convicted, ought never to have been sent from the country : they should have been summarily dealt with at Hong-Kong. They bad merited death, even according to the humane provisions of European law, and the lives and property of men ought never to have been again placed at their mercy. The fact is, oar criminal jurisprudence is becoming a mere farce both abroad and at home: even the interior rats s of Asia, who, in common with our home malefactors, reap the advantages of its mistaken mildness, laugh at and misinterpret a leniency, the motives for which they cannot comprehend. The experience of Mr. BROOKE—given in his recently published journals—is entirely in accordance with our views in this matter. He does not hesitate to avow his conviction that severe measures—or "hard knocks," as he calls them —are the only arguments that &pirate can be brought to feel the force of. Our punishment should be mo dified according to the habits and ideas of the race to which it is applied; but such terrible incidents as the one we are considering should warn us that in the case of pirates severity is not only just but humane. Having occe—twice—convicted men of crimes worthy of death, what right can we have to place innocent unarmed people at their mercy ? But, if this argu ment could be over-ruled, what, in the name of all that is sane and politic, could induce their being sent on a long, intricate voyage --through seas swarm ing with fellow pirates—in a vessel unprovided with any means of defence, without a single soldier to guard them? Half-a-dozen men would have been quite sufficient. It is said we have them net to spare, our stations in the East are so thinly garrisoned. This argument is good against sending them at all, but not in favour of sending them without escort.; If our authorities will continue to try experiments with altra-depravity, the public ought not to be called upon, at least in their private capacities, to bear the risk. It will come to this in the end —if not stopped in the way we suggest, that is by dealing with the convicts at home—that merchant ships will refuse the service altogether ; and this is the best thing they could do under preeent circumstances. The editor of the Straits Times throws out a sug gestion that the underwriters should refuse to insure any vessel used for the conveyance of convicts with out a military guard. We venture another, that passengers shall take care not to entrust their lives amongst such perils, and that merchants should decline to venture their goods with out being satisfied of their being well pro- tected. It is a question for them, as well as for the underwriters—more especially for the native merchants of our eastern ions, the great ma jority of whom being Mohammedans have a con scientious objection to insurances, and therefore take all the chances of the voyage on their individual re sponsibility. We sincerely hope that this dreadful calamity will not be suffered to pass by " unim proved." It will be of small utility that we wreak our vengeance upon the captured culprits, if we do not put it out of the power of any similar band of deeperadoes to repeat the atrocious tragedy in the future. pelves to their defence in case of attack by Austrian ships of war, without, however, provoking such attack. With respect to mercantile ships with the Austrian flag, it is the intention of the government that they shall be allowed to pursue their voyages without molestation. But, as it is possible that Austrian ships, or others under cover of ' the Austrian flag. with the pretext of trading, may be fitted out as privateers, to molest the ships of his Majesty's sub jects, or those of the Italian states allied with ours, the com manders of the royal ships are directed to eacertain that vessels hoisting the Austrian flag are really in the merchant service, and used for traffic only, by the examination of the papers on board, or by any other mode they may deem ne cern iry. Should there appear reasonable grounds of suspi cion that they are privateers, such vessels will be conveyed to one of the po ate rts of the st, for te ulrior decision of the competent tribunils.—J. B. OE/ah/t, C onsul-General. SPANISH DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE. The following diplomatic correspondence will be read with interest: TO THE RIGHT HON. HENRY LITTON AULIVEB. Foreign-office, March 16, 1848.—Sir,—I base to recom mend you to advise the Spanish government to adopt a legal and constitutional system. The recent downfall of the King of the French and of his family, and the expulsion of his ministers, ought to indicate to the Spanish court and govern ment the danger to which they expose themselves in en deavouring to govern a c ountry us a manner opposed to the sen tim e nts and opinions of the nation ; and the catastropne which has just occurred in France is sufficient to show that even a numerous and well-disciplined army offers, only an insufficient defence to the crown, when the system followed by it is not in harmony with the general system of the country. The Queen of Spain would act wisely in the pre sent critical rate of affairs, if she were to atrengthen her executive government, by widening the bases on which the administration reposes, and in calling to her councils some of the men in whom the liberal patty places contidence.-1 have, &c., Raman/Wes. TO MB EXCELLENCY THE DUKE DE SOTOMATOIL Madrid, April 7. 1648.—5ir,-1 enclose for your excel lency the copy of some remar ks annot but which Lord Palmerston has lately addressed to me ; and I c express to you all the desire which I feel that the government of her Catholic Majesty should deem it fit to return without delay to the ordinary forms of the government established in Spain, by convoking the Cortes and by giving them explanations cal culated to efface the impressions occasioned both in the kingdom and abroad, by the arrest and apparent intention to banish several citizens (amongst whom are to be found some of the moot distinguished members of the Cortwho up to the present moment have neither been tried no r ac cused of any offence. Your excellency will, lam sure, per mit me to remind you, that what especially distinguished the cause of Queen Isabella from that of her royal competi tor, was the promise of constitutional liberty inscribed on the banner of her Catholic Majesty. It is certain that that circumstance powerfully contributed to obtain the sym pathy and support of Great Britain in favour of her Majesty; and consequently your excellency cannot be sur prised at the sentiments which I express here, supposing even that the general situation of Europe and the universal ten dency of public opinion did not prove most clearly that at present the firmest guarantees of a throne are to be found in the national liberty and in the enlightened justice which are dispensed under its authority. I avail myself of this OCCaliOs to renew to your excellency the assurance of my highest con sideration. H. L. Butwza. THE DUKE DE KOTOMETOE. TO Hit. BULWER. Foreign-office, April 10.— Sir,-1 yesterday received, after two days' delay, a note from your exceilency, date d 7th inst., and enclosing a copy of adespatch of Lord Palmer ston, dated the 16th ult., relative to the internal affairs of this country. That note was already known to the govern- nient of tier Majesty, because it had appeared in substance and by anticipation in an opposition journal, published at Madrid, under the title of the Clamor Publico, which, judging from this fact, has the advantage of being' yore Acquainted with the diplomatic despatches which excellency addresses to the Spanish government before they reach their destination. Setting aside the ul . e- rior commentaries and the inductions which such a grave and significative circumstance presents to me, I shall content myself with telling you what my duty prescribes to me on the subject of the communications which you transmit to me. At th dte of lech March last, when Lord Palmerston sent you h i s d a mpa•ch, the Spanish Cortes were sitting; the press was completely free, and the government of her Majesty had adopted a line of conduct full of kindness and conciliation, which its enemies and its adversaries themselves were com pelled to admit. What motive could therefore induce the Minister of Foreign Affairs of her Britannic Majesty to make himself the interpreter of the feelings and the opinions of thia country, and that in an unfitting tone, when speaking of the' government of an independent nation, to recommend the adoption of legal and constitutional measures, as if such was not the conduct followed in Spain—to allow kimself to ad vise it to modify the bases of the administration, and to ad mit into the councils of the crown men belonging to such ,ra such a political opinion ? Certainly the minister of her Britannic Majesty is not, in sl•ch a work, the best possible judge of the character and habits of Spain, where order and institutions are growing up, since foreigners take no active part in the management,of public affairs, and have to su oort no determinate part. Tho present cabinet, which has Merited, and which still merits, the entire confidence of the Queen and the Cortes, and which since its accession to power has governed conformably to the constitution and to the laws; this cabinet, I say, cannot see without the most extreme sur prise the extraordinary pretension of Lord Palmerston, which leads him to interfere in this manner with the internal affairs of Spain, and to support himself on inexact and equivocal data, and the qualification and appreciation of which cannot in any case come within his province. The government would have much ti my to completely justify its past and present con duct; but it does nut consider itself called on to do it with regard to its sovereign and the cones, and in no way at the instigation of a foreign influence, which in itself would be to commit an offence against the dignity of the government and the independence of the nation. All the legal parties in Spain unanimously reject such a humiliating pretension; and the Spanish government, in now doing it, is undoubtedly the legitimate representative of the general opinion of the country. What would Lord Palmerston, what would your excellency yourself eay, if the Spanish government were to interfere and pass an opinion on the administrative acts of the British cabinet, and recommend a modification in the regime of the state, or if it were to advise it to adopt more effica cious or more liberal measures to alleviate the frightful con dition of Ireland ? What would he say if the representative of her catholic Majesty in London, were to qualify so harshly m: your excellency has done, the exceptional measures of repression which the English government prepares against the aggression which threatens it in the midst of its own states ? What would he say if the Spanish government were to demand, in the name of humanity, more considera don and more justice on behalf of the unfortunate people of I Asia ? What, in fine, would he say if we were to reminu him that the late events on the continent give a salutary lesson to all gov.rnments, without excepting Great Britain, and that consequently the administration of the state should be given up to the illustrious Peel ; to the skilful man who, after having conciliated the general opinion of his country, has kaown how to merit the sympathies and the esteem of all the governments of Europe? He would say—what the Spanish government has a right now to say—that he does not recognise the right of any power to offer observations, which he rejects as offensive to the dignity of a free and independent nation. Animated by sentiments suitable to Spanish dignity, and to I every government which respects itself, the cabinet of her Catholic Majesty cannot avoid protesting in the most ener getic manner against the contents of the despatches of Lord I Palmerston and of your excellency ; and coasidaing that it cannot retain them without being wanting in dignity, it re turns them enclosed, and at the same time declares, that if your excellency should at any other time in your official communications on points of international rights, go beyond the bounds of your mission, and interfere in the particular and private affairs of the Spanish government, it will con. eider itself under the painful necessity of returning your despatches without further remark. FRANCE.—PARK.—M 0 NTSO YARDS OP Ig4B. The Gazette des Tribususus gives the following account of the Montagnards, some of whose recent proceedings have attracted a good deal of public attention " The Monts guards, whose effective force, somewhat variable, amounts to from 400 to 500 men, were formed at the Prefecture of Police, the first of them having been that small knot of re publican combatants who, headed by H. Caumidiere and M Sobrier, took possession of the hotel on the Qum den Orferres, in the midst of the struggle of the 24th of February. The organisation of this corps has never been regular, neither have its uniform and equipments. Tee Montagnards, without joining any other corps, and it must be slid without consenting to submit to the severe rules of discipline, placed themselves at the moment of danger with praiseworthy devotedness at the disposal of the Prefect of Police. They have, however, acquitted themselves with zeal and iutelligent energy of the difficult missions entrusted to them. As a proof of their want of discipline, it may be stated that a few days ago, in consequence of a misunder standing with the staff, the company of the national guard which was to have taken the post of the Prefecture of Police waspiehindttime ; and when they did arrive the Montagnards, who had previously done the service in conjunction with the national guard, refused to allow them to enter the hotel. The captain, seeing that their force was considerable, withdrew his men in order to prevent a collision. On the two following days other companies of the national gourd were also re. fused admittance to the hotel by the Montagnards, a refusal against which they energetically protested. On Tuesday, the day on which the rappel was beaten, several individuals were arrested fur distributing communist pamphlet. or utter ing communist cries. These individuals, who were pro tected from the vengeance of the crowd by the national guard, were sent by the commissaries of police before whom they were taken to the Prefecture of Police, same of the na tional guard escorting them. On reaching the Hotel of the l'refecture the Montag lards, who occupied all the entrances, refused to allow the national guards to enter; they required that the warrants for detaining the accused should be given up to them; and they then selected certain of the prisoners, saying that they knew them, and would answer for them. In vain did the national guards insist on being allowed to place the men in the custody of the regular authorities; they were resisted and threatened, and when at length they retired, the prisoners were set at liberty without any other formality. On being informed of these circumstances the prefect, M. Cauesiiliere, assembled the Montagnards, end expreated his indignation at their c induct. lie told them that no one should be allowed to set himself above the laws, and that they must submit to the usual rules of discipline. He added that they should leave the Hotel of the Prefecture forth with, and be lodged in the building formerly occupied by the lostitut des Jeunea Aveugles. At this some mur murs of discontent were heard, whereupon the prefect declared that they should not be allowed to oppose his orders, that discipline should be respected. and that they must obey willingly, or he should be obliged to employ mea -1 tares to enforce obedience. On the same day, the ?dents gnards evacuated the Preficture, and went to occupy the building prepared in the Rue Saint Victor. It was, how ever, arranged that twenty of them should do the service of the hotel, in conjunction with the national guard and the garde republicaine. On Thursday, the Prefecture was guarded by the Montagnards and the garde republicaine, the national guard being at the review. On Friday, a company of the let legion, under the command of Captain Moise,went to the Prefecture to take possession of the post. On arriving they found the Montagnards in arms ranged before the vestibule, sad barring the passage ; and their chief declared that his men would not allow the national guard to enter the interior. Captain Medea represented in vain to the Muntegnards teat, as an old soldier, he must, in obedience to the orders he hail received, occupy the post of the Prefecture in spite of all resistance. He then made an appeal to the volunteers of the garde republicaine, who were pre s ent at but took no part in the conflict. 'lam an old soldier,' he said, ' as republican as those who prevent me from entering —a better republican, perhaps, for I was the companion and friend of the four Screens de la Rochelle, who proved the sincerity of their convictions by the loss of their heads on the scaffold. I appeal to you, young citizens—l have an I order, and I must perish or execute it.' The garde re publicaine cried as one man, Vine la narde gationale! Enter, brave captain!' This put an end to the conflict, and since the national guard has done the service at the Pre fecture, in conjunction with the garde republicaine and the Mentagds." M. JU ar LEs FACIE.—We read in the Gazette de Lyon:—" A somewhat amusing scene lately occurred at the Club de l'Orgue. A member, is speaking of the candidate. ship of Jules Fevre, author of the famous circulars of Ledru- Rollin, announced that the said citizen had written, that if he were to be nominated representative in several depart ments he would beaten to choose the department of the Rhone, in which he was horn, had numerous friends, and had rentered his first services to liberty. This declaration,---- - so flattering to our department, was hardly terminated when a person present rose and announced in his turn that on the SCENE IN THE TUILERIES ON FEB. 24. previous evening, in one of the principal clubs of Saint M. Emile de Girardin gives the following persona. Etienne, he had heard read a letter from H. Jules narrative of the events which took place in the palace of the Fevre, in which he declared that withou: hesita- Tuileries on Feb. 24, the day of the abdication and flight of lion he would choose the department of the Loire. Louis Philippe : This declaration led to a debate, in the course of which M. Emile de Girardin was passing before the Hiltel dee , the piton 'peaking offered to prove his assertion. A Affaires:Etrang4res, when the accidental discharge which third citizen then rose and announced that he had arrived lighted a revolution took place. On Feb. 24, at 7 o'clock in from Valence, where he heard the same declaration of pre- the morning, he had gone through the streets, and had, by ferenee professed for the department of La Drome. A roar personal observation, satisfied himself of the grunt, of the of laughter from all parts of the club greeted this burlesque situation ; he then determined to go to the Tuileries, and ar incident." rived there at 8 o'clock, after having scaled several SARDINIA.—ALTERATION IN THE SARDINIAN barricades. He demanded to seine to the King; FLAG.—The following notice to mariners has been issued by General Rumigny requested him first to see M. the Sardinian consulate ?—" London, Sardinian Consulate, Thiers, who was at the head quarters of the Ca- April 18, 1848.—Sir : I beg to communicate to you, for the roused with MM. Barret, de Remusat, Duvergier d'Han- information of the members of Lloyd's, the following ex- ranee and Lamoriciere. M. de Oirardin went there tract of • despatch from his Excellency the Minister of and convinced them that the situation was more grave than Foreign Affairs at Turin, dated the 7th of April, 1848: they imagined. From the head-quarters he went back to ' While passing the frontier of his states, hie Majesty, deal- the Tuileries—a proclamation was got up hastily, but where rous of manifesting distinctly the important and sole motive was it to be printed ? There was plenty of artillery, but no which led the army under his command on the territory of printing-office. A printing press and types would in that Lombardy, ordered that the flag hoisted should be the Italian moment have been worth more than ten cannons and their GERMAN Y. tricolor, with the escutcheon of Savoy in the centre. His ammunition. M. Thiers implored M. Merruan and M. de Majesty has ordered that the same flag shall be heisted on Girardin to compose and print as quickly as possible at the the mainmast of his ships of war; which, however, are to printing-offices of the Constitutiontut and the Prone the DEFEAT OF THE REPUBLICANS. retain also in natio n alal place at the stem the blue national proclamation which had been prepared, and which an- DEATH OF BARON VON GAGE RN. flag. As the merchant vessels are to adopt the same nounced the formation of the ministry of Thiers, Barrot, flag, in the way pointed out, I have the honour to acquaint Duvergier, and Rimusat, and the dissolution of the BADEN.—Baron Von Gagers, the leader of the you Ntf m i a th , co th m e muniute y t u fact for o r information, and in order that chamber to the au th orities of the port in At the s ame moment that M. de Girardin time out of the German movement for reform , and prima mover in y— which ?on reside. I have thehonour to transmit to you also Tuileries MM. °Mut, de Broglie, and d'Haumonville ar the assembling of the preparatory assembly at Frank- the instructions given by the Admiralty at Genoa to the offi- rind there on foot. The were not received. Seconds I fort, has been treacherously shot, whilst endeavour- w hich dg his Sardinian Majesty's ships of war, by are hours. To go from the Tuileries to the Rue Montmartre, ing to bring the republicans to views of peace, We yo will observe that they are *trietly enjoined to offer craving thirty barriers, required mere than thirty minutes. gave an account of the fate of Gagers, and the defeat no molestation to the merchant vessels of Austria (Signed) The proclamation of M. Tillers is composed and printed. It J. B. HILTH, Sardinian Consul General. To the Secretary was in vain to attempt to post it up; it was hissed at, and of the republicans, in a late edition yesterday. Th e of Lloyd's.—lnstructions to the following effeet have been immediately torn down. M. de Girardio, judging by this details of the affair are given as follows in the Frank- given to the officers commanding the ships of war of his fact of the gravity of circumstances, took upon himself fort Journal of the 23rd : Majesty the King of Sardinia, and have been officially to compose immediately the following proclamation : Lieut.-General Osgern undertook the command of the communicated to the Consu l-General in London " Tuileries, Feb. 24, 1848 ;11 o'clock in the morning troops of Baden, and went to Schliengeu, on the leth, when The state of hostility in which his Sardinian Majesty's Abdication of the King ; sal the Duchess of Orleans; intelligence arrived that the insurgents had occupied Gan- government finds itself with respect to his Majeety the dissolution of the Chamber gen amnesty and returned dens. He personally reconnoitered it during the night, and Emperor of Austria, renders it necessary that es inten- with all despatch to the Tuileries. He info . rmed Marshal on the 20th, at 4 o'clock in the morning, the recoil was tions with respect to maritime emergencies should be made Bug. aud, at the head-quarters of the Carousel, of what wu beat. The troops were all en route for Ganders, which at 5 manifest. It is not the intention of his Majesty in this war passing, and then went to the cabinet of the King, where o'clock was evacuated by the insurgentr,who bad takenup their to avail himself of those rights on the sea which belligerent he was introduced after losing several minutes in attending. position near the city. As loon as toe general's troops en- powers have assumed to thernselvee. It has not escaped his The King was in an arm-chair, near the window. MM. tend the city intelligence was brought that the insurgents Majesty's government that the greater part of the efficers Thiers and de Remusat were present ; they were standing desired to capitulate. The grand ducal commissary was and crews of Austrian ships of war is composed of Italians, near the fire-place. about to repair to them, when they asserted that they would and that in a war essentially Italian, and waged solely for " What is the matter, M. de Girardin ?" said the King.— negotiate with none but the general in command. General the purpose of expelline strangers from Italy, it is generous " There is not, sire, a moment to lon, and if the most dui- Gagern accordingly rode to the outposts, accompanied only not to combat with Italians. The government, there- live meaeures are not now taken, in an hoar royalty will by a few horsemen. He exhorted the rebels to obey the fore, has instructed the Admiralty to order the com- have ceased in France." TOWS of the law, and to renounce the civil war, and not op- msndere of the royal slips of war to confine them. 111 eyes were directed on H. de OirudM, es it he had lest ITALY. LMIIIARDY.—We have received several of the Italian journals, including those of Turin, Milan, and Florence. Advices from Milan are to the 20th. A report having been circulated that King Charles Albert and his army had manifested an intention to abandon the war which they undertook for the advantage of the ungrateful Lombards, the proviional government tent an immediate message to the King to assure him of the cordial gratitude of the Lombards towards their liberator. Many thousand signa urea were appended to this letter. - On the 17th the government published the follow. ing bulletin : An official report of the commander-in-chief of the " Corps-francs" announces that a rencontre took place at tie bridge of Sarca (Tyrol) between a corps of 60* Aus trians and Col. Arconi. The enemy, repulsed after having lost six men and some wounded, retired into the fort of Toblino, where be is surrounded, without hope of receiving succour from Trent, where the presence of the troops is non sidered indispensable to keep the population in check. The volunteers lost one man killed and four slightly wounded. Vicenza is guarded by a corps of 3,000 volunteers ; the for tifications of this city are continued. On the 14th the Pied montese General (Della Marmora) arrived there. At V.- I rona the Italian troops are closely watched, and the Italian grenadiers at Campagnola are surroundet by cannons. A letter received from the head quarters of General ou,stalla announces that the first corps of Tuscan troops of about 2,000 will pass the Po at Breacello to join the sight wing of the Piedmontese army under General Bava by the route of Viadama, Sahbiooeta, Gersola, and Marcaria. Charles Albert has taken the command of all the Tuscan troops directed towards Lombardy, to which will be joined soma Neapolitan troops. Peschiera is blockaded. Letters from Rovigo, of the 11th, say that the de legates sent by the committee to confer with General Duranda at Bologna, and to entreat him to advance as promptly as possible with the pontiticial troops, announced that on the following day a moveable co lumn of volunteers would march from Ferrara for Badia, to put itself at the disposition of the com mittee of that city. Other columns were to be marched for Padua. General Duranda in person was expected with a column of regular cavalry. A letter from Commesagio, of the 16th, says that Peschiera was still in possession of the Austrians, but that the following day a vigorous attack was ex pected to be made upon it, the Piedmontese army having been reinforced by a battering train. A letter from Tione, in the Tyrol, dated 16th, says: The army of volunteers, 10,000 Wrong, is advancing into the Tyrol, under General Allemandi. This army is composed of all the best, the noblest, and meet enthusiastic of Italy. Bodies from Naples, Rome, Florence, Genoa, and Turin, arrive every day to swell the columns of Allemandi. This general, by a bold and able inance u vre, has taken up such a position in the Tyrol as will cut off the retreat of the Austrians, who have no other resource but to lay down their arms. The positions of Trent, Rive, and Roveredo once occupied by the volunteers of Allemandi, it will he impossible for the Austrian army to retreat. A corps of volunteers of Italians inhabiting Paris, is announced u in march from that city ander Colonel Antonini, who are coming to put themselves under the commander-in-chief. Allemandi is in possession of all the shore of the Lago di Garda; the two steam boats are in his possession, as well as several schooners and a great number of smaller Teasels. The Austrians, terror-stricken My these bold movements, retreat everywhere, opposing little resistance. The Princess Belgiojoso,.with her corps, has arrived at Salo, and been receivt d with much distinction by General Allemandi. This corps has requested to form part of the advanced guard, which has been granted to them. TUSCANY.—The Alika of Florence of the 17th announces the arrival there of the Polish poet Mikie wits, at the head of a Polish battalion coming from Rome, and on their way to the seat of war. They bear the papal banner conjointly with the Polish one , which has received the blessing of the pontiff. On the 16th the grand duke gave audience to Monsig. Corboli Bussi, the papal envoy, M. Piazzoni, agent I from the provisional government of Milan, accredited, to the Tuscan government, and M. Champy, the French envoy. ROME.-The Epoca of Rome of the 13th, after announcing the disturbance that took place there on the 11th, adds that the civic guard made several arrests on the occasion. All the rioters seized had arms and money in abundance. The following day precautionary measures were taken to secure public tranquillity; but the disturbances recommenced; persons were attacked in the streets, and their purees taken. Cries of " bread" assailed the bakers' shops, and when bread was offered to the crowd they de manded money instead. The energy of the minister of police, and the excellent conduct of the civic guard, soon put an end to the disorder. The whole affair is ? attributed to foreign intrigue. candy FRANCE. PARIS, MONDAY, 6 P.M. The schism which I noticed in my letter of this morning as prevailing in the government has become , so flagrant that it is not any longer disguised by those journals which are understood o speak the sentiments of the one party or the othe t r. fhe Na tional to-day says : We have believed it good and wise policy to maintain the principle of unity in the government to the period of the meeting of the constituent assembly. It seemed to us ne cessary that the men who took possession of sovereignty on the 24th of February should arrive altogether before the new chamber, to render an account of the exercise of their power. Faithful to this sentiment we continue to give the list of the central committee, without being desirous of entering on the system of exclusion. Our independence towards all the members of the Provisional Government, without exception, is complete; but our personal sympathies are not equal towards all—we declare that distinctly , . Still, on behalf of the republican cause, we have imposed silence on our private sentiment', desirous as we are to secure, before everything, by the union of all democratic forces, the consolidation of the republic. A day will come on which, resuming our full liberty, we can discuss not persons, wbo interest us little, but acts. That day cannot be far distant; but we are certain that public opinion will thank us for adjourning to the meeting of the assembly a discussion which at present would only embarrass the march of the government, and by conse quence aid the enemies of the republic, who ere always alive, always ready to profit by our faults. It is impossible for • moderation and patience not to prevail in the end. Considerable disappointment has been felt and ex pressed at the apparent apathy of the electors. On visiting the polling places to-day I found no more signs of excitement or movement than yesterday. La Presse comments on this apparent indifference as follows : It was generally expected yesterday that the new electors, jealous of the exercise of their rights, and responding to the reiterated appeals of the journals of every shade, would have 'looted to the voting places to throw their list into the urn. That expectation was greatly disappointed, for scarcely did a feeble minority take put in the ballot, which is to close this day. Is this political indifference or electoral manoeuvres' The latter we could not comprehend; we should more easill comprehend indifference, without however approving of it. - ____—..-- Such indifference could be explained by the absolute low of ON Monday our columns were darkened with the all hope. Without doubt the situation is eminently grave, Particulars of one of those sad tales of shipwreck, 4 an the men in power are far from being equal to the situa tion ; but a country such as France ought not to despair of piracy, and murder, of which the Oriental seas can itself. It would be to desert in the face of Europe. alone furnish examples. The melancholy fate of the The Constitutionnel complains in strong terms of General Wood is soon told. She was a merchant the influence which has been exercised to induce the vessel belonging toJsRDINE, MATHESON, and Co., Chi- electors to vote for the candidates recommended by nese traders, and was appointed by tender to convey the delegates of the Luxembourg, and states that in a body of 93 convicts, one of them a Portuguese, from some cases force has been resorted to to prevent the Goa, all the rest Chinese from Hong-Kong, to Ban- distribution of other lists ;it also publishes several bay. The ship was also laden with merchandise, and letters from correspondents pointing out abuses in the carried passengers. The convicts consisted of the mode of distributing the cards, and obstacles thrown most desperate wretches, doubly convicted in China in the way of electors who are considerd unfavourable of piracy and other of the moat heinous offences ; men to t h e candidates put forward by the party of As. the who, in our ordinary penal settlements , under the , kyorme and the Luxembourg delegates. The recent regime, would either have been executed at males Natianale contains a very strong and indeed once, or sent to Norfolk Island. Yet, according to an violent article, in which it declares that there is a insane usage, these desperadoes were taken on conspiracy to establish a dictatorship, at the head of board of a vessel in which were ordinary passengers with their families, without military escort , or other which it gives the four names comp arin g the minorit y 1 of the present government. e ffi c ient means of keeping them in order. As soon as I The Rjpablique publishes an account of the meeting placed on board it even appears that all their handcuffs I were taken off and earned away—though on the rc- lof workmen that was to be held in the Champ de monstrance of the captain, SS pairs were returned for use 1 by Mars yesterday, which does not a g ree with that g iven the Petrie, stating that but few workmen were during the voyage in case of need. present. The ltriatblique says: Yoor Capt. STOKOE was a humanitarian. For a while The meeting of workmen which was to have taken place his cargo were inlet and well-behaved. He began to in the Champ de Kars was held is she Champs Elysees. A resolute to persist. These are no times for flattery; and therefore we tell the community of which these gentlemen are members, that this is a movement which has rather been wished than expected else where. The influential merchants of Liverpool are looked upon as politicians more liberal in sentiment, more judicious in opinion, than energetic or coura geous in charact.?r. They are always found on the right side as soon as it becomes fashionable. They were glad to raise their -voices against the truckling of Bri tish ministers to the Holy Alliance, and to pour their contempt and indignation upon unwise restrictions on commee as soon as they had CANNING and Hus lassosrc to keep them in coun tenance ; and they laughed the corn-law to scorn as soon as PEEL de clared against it ; bat they did not (as a body) throw their weight decisively into BROUGHAM'S scale when battling against the Orders in Council, nor were the allies they sent to the Anti-Corn Law League at its first formation by any means so important in point of number as of personal worth and ability. In no invidious spirit do we revert to these remi niscences. Our object is to remind the merchant princes of the eecund commercial city of the land that they have never yet exerted themselves for the common cause, with that full power which their wealth, their intelligence, and, from our hearts we believe, their patriotic sentiments, ren der them capable of doing. They owe an arreer of political services to the country and to their own re putation. And the task which Mr. ROBERTSON GLADSTONE and his colleagues in the Financial Re fin in Association have taken in hand is precisely that which Liverpool more than any community in the empire is qualified to undertake. That Birmingham should take the lead in the reform movement of 1830 was natural : the number of small masters in the dis trict, azd the independence of a factory organisation which characterises the staple trade, favours the growth of personal independence there. That Man chester should take the lead in the anti corn law movement was equally natural: in no other place were the evil effects of the bread-tax in all their ramilicatione so extensively or so acutely felt. Liverpool, from the magnitude and complexity of its mercantile relations, and from its entire dependence un commerce ,is, of all places in the empire, the most fitted to attain a comprehensive practical experience of the evil influences of our existing financial system ; and Liverpool is therefore the natural focus of finan cial discontent—the natural starting point of an agita tion for financial reform. We have heard apprehensions expressed that the energy and influence of Liverpool may be neutralised by the co-existence of two independent, and it may be rival, associations aiming at the same end. We confess that we do not participate in these apprehensions. Before the Financial Reform Associ ation was contemplated, an association called the Na tional Confederation had been established for the purpose of obtaining a reform of local and national taxation. The latter consists principally of the trading or shotrkeeping class ; the termer exclu sively of merchants. We do not believe that any pseudo-aristocratic disinclination to co-operate with their fellow-citizens in humbler circumstances has been the cause why the promoters of the Financial Reform Association have sought to form it. We feel convinced that their reason was the felt necessity of employing each class to struggle against that abuse of which it had the most lively perception. The exorbitant local rates in Liverpool (as high at present, we believe, as 35. 4d. in the pound, and likely to rise still higher) are the grievance moot telt by trading classes, and en grossing most of their attention. The mercantile elutes, on the contrary, are most alive to the dangers with which our system of general taxation threatens national commerce and national credit. Had both classes merged into one association there would have been a risk of either party thinking that its more cherished object was languidly urged by the other. Starting from different points, the assail ants of local and national taxation are sure to converge to a common centre of attack. Each party will find its own task sufficiently onerous, and at the out set at least will find its advantage in independent action. But even on the assumption that we are mistake as to the motives which have prompted the founders of the second association—granting, for the sake of argument, that they have deferred to some miserable, mis-proud, paltry feeling of unwillingness to follow where shopkeepers have taken the lead—we have more confidence in the sturdy John Bull feeling of the trading class in Liverpool than to imagine that this will give them seams or lasting annoyance. In these silly feelings they know that Mr. GLADSTONe and the other founders of the association do not participate; and, conscious of their own worth, they w.ll aid these gentlemen to humour an unhealthy vanity —sup posing it to exist—at which both parties smile. They are too much in earnest—too intent upon obtaining relief from misgovernment—to heed the whimsies of men who may " immure themselves in the bastille of their own (imaginary) rank." We have said that the Financial Reform Associa tion, by devoting itself to the reform of national or general taxation, and the National Confedera tion, by devoting itself to the reform of local taxation, though starting from different points, must necessarily meet at the goal. This is true in a variety of respects, and might be illustrated Ma variety of ways. One example may suffice at present. One main object of the Financial Reform Association is to get the heaviest burden of the taxes transferred to the shoulders best able to bear them ; and one prin cipal mean of accomplishing this is the substitution of a direct tax on realised property for such in direct taxes (of customs or excise) as fetter industry and commerce. Again , one main ob ject of the National Confederation is the re duction of local rates, an object to which every measure that economises collection must necessarily contribute. An economical machinery for collecting the direct taxation imposed by parlia ment for general purposes, is also au object with the former body. Now, nobody who has experienced' the blessings of periodical calls from collectors of income-tax, collectors of assessed taxes, collectors of parish rates, coil, ctors of poor-rates, &c., &c , but must have had the reflection forced upon him how much the expense and worry of collection would be diminished if Mere could be but one collector for all the direct imposts, local or general, levied in any district. It would be a great relief if all England could be parcelled out into municipal districts; if the direct taxes imposed by parliament could be consolidated and simp:ified, and entrusted to the collection of one officer in each district ; and if the local rates imposed by elected municipal authori ties in each disti ict could be similarly consolidated and simplified, and left to be collected by the same officer. Let the Financial Reform Association agitate (and move the constituencies throughout the country to agitate) for an extension and simplifica tion of our direct imposts, and the division of the kingdom ii to collectomtes ; let the National Confederation on its part agitate (and move all parishes, boroughs, and liberties throughout the country to agitate) for the division of the kingdom into districts of manageable size and population, each with its elected and responsible magistracy for manag ing its police, paupers, &c., and imposing the necessary rates. It would soon become apparent that the col lectorato and the municipality might with advantage be made co-terminous, and that it would be a great economy and convenience to have but one collector for all direct general imposts and local rates. 11, 1, his reason. He perceived M. Merman, the pri a , of the Censtinstiennel, who was present, and appool T i t°l him. The statement of M. de ffirardin was co ' M. MeteTUlttl, After a moment of silence, the King said—. What es be done ?"—"Abdicate, sire!—"Abdicate ! y e , out a moment's hesitation, and confer th e regency 0,,Z Duchess of Orleans, for the Duke de Nemours will he accepted.' Th e King rose sad said, " Gentlemen, shall I mount en hone ?"" Ne," was the reply.—The Duke de ?Continua; approached the King, and pressed hi n t o a b di cate.— 'fie King said, " I abdicate. The regency of the Duchess of Orleans is accepted." The discharge of musketry was more distincly bu n t It was then clear that the Tu leries would soon be an ae ga ... : Go, go, M. de Girardin !"—ld. de Girardia went with 6 3 other guarantee than the word of the King, At the corner of the Rue Richelieu and the Rue St, Honore he was stopped by the guardians of the bar e „m oo He announced te them the abdication of the Kug n i ; regency of the Duchess of Orleans, the dimulutioa of th e chamber, and a general amnesiy. They would net bat e , Et.—" Is it printed ?" "No !"—" Is it written " "No.', —" What guarantee have we then ?" "My word."—.. wh o are you ? " " Emile de Girardin." The &piny who has resigned ? " " Yes."—" That is enough." n p par."— Acclamations were heard on all sides , , sad eta ofoo„ transport, " The King has abdicated !"—" The chamber dissolved!" M. de Oirardin panes, and arrives at the Place du Pala Royal, where the fire was kept up between the post of the Cnateau d'Eu and the people. Ile endeavoured ineffeet a . ally to stop tbe fire. General Lamorietitre was nut more f or . he was aka wounded is the arra._ tunate ; Alter an hour thus spent, M. de Girardin returned to the Tuileries, where he found neither king, princes . 0 , m i a i o eers. "Where were they I" M. de Girardin dsd p 4t , know.—lnterogated by the crowd, who entered, he coda only reply : " The King has abdicated! The Duch. d Orleans is regent ! The chamber is dissolved ! A gesso.' amnesty is proclaimed!" "Is that true ?"—o y iL o " Write and sign it then." M. de Girardin sot down at table where he wrote and signed about 500 bulletins of abdi cation, for which the crowd almost fought. Mk was one o'clock. At this time the regency of the Duchess Orleans was favourably received, but as news too good be tine. " Lead us to the Chamber of Deputies," said the crow to M. de Oirardin. He complied. A host of [nee follow him, and was preceded by a Hag borne by an eld aid camp of Napoleon, Colonel Dumoulin. Arrived at the Ctiamlier of Deputies he went in alone, took his old place near that of M. de Lanoutine, hut he quitted it to go behind the seat on which the Duchess Orleans was placed between her two sons, by the side of Duke of Nemours. She held in her hand a speech. " Madame, ascend the tribune with your two ions," M. de Girardin. The duchess hesitated. She roe, again sat down. The public tribunes were lhairged. The duchess and her sons retired. M. de Oirardin immediately ascended the public tribunes, and addressing the crowd, said, " Quick, a flag to protect the Duchess of Orleans:" One of the combatants immediately descend,4 'Oh his bag. A moment afterwards the duchess was at the hotel of the President of the Chamber, and then left in a carriage, with. out foreseeing the events which afterwards occurred. Che Court. Yesterday, the birth-day of the l'rincess Alice was celebrated at Osborne. The Viscountess Jocelyn, lady in waiting to her Majesty, took her departure from Osborne, 3estezday morning. The royal dinner party at Osborne last evening in. eluded the Duchess of Kent, hie Excellency Baron de Benet, the Baroness de Bpeth, and Sir G. Coupe,. The Marchioness of Douro was also expected to arrive at Osborne esterday evening, (From last night's Gazette.) DoWNING-STREET, APRIL 25.—The Queen hue appointed the Hon. W. Napier to be Clerk of the Works and Civil Engineer for the island of Hong-Kong. WAR-OFFICE, Aram 21. let Rer. Life Gds.—Lieut. G. H. Cavendish to be cant., without pur., Tice Sir C. W. Kent, Bart., dee.; Cor. Geo. Visct. Du;TUB to he lieut., vice Cavendish; Lieut. T. H. Kingnote, from hop. 12th If. Drags., to be cot, and suh-tieut., vie. Lord Gwynn; 1. P. Grams, gent., to be cor. and sub-lieut., by pur. ' vim Kingscon., who rets. 2nd Drag. Gds.—CapL A.D. Wiped, from h..p. 00th F., to be apt, Lice Fir 11. St. J. Mildmay, Bart., who each. 14th Lt. Drag.—LicuL-Col. S. R. Warren, from h..p., unattached, to be lieut-coL, vise E Harvey, who en.; Major J. W. King, to be lieut.-col., by pur„ vice Warren, who vt. ; Capt. C. smuart, tole major, by put., vice King ; Lieut. J. F. Fitzgerald, to be capL, by pur., Lice Steuart ; Cornet S. K. Ibbetson, to be licut„ by pur., vim Fitzgerald. Coldstream Regt. of F. Gds.—Major and Brevet-Col. T. Chaplain, to be lieut..coL, by pur., vice C. A. F. Bentlaek, who rvt upon hop. unattached ; Capt. and Lieut-CoL and Brevet-Col. C. M. Hay, to te major, by par., vice Chopta; Brevet-Col. J. Uncle, from b..s, undtt., to be rapt. and lieutocol., vice Huy; Lieut. and Capt. G. A. Vernon, to be aim. and lieutocol., by par., rice Linton, who M.; Ens. and Lieut. W. G. Dawkins, to be lieut and rapt by pur., vice Vernon ; D. B. Williamson, gent., to be ens and lieut., by par., nee Dawkins. 23th Regt. of F.—Ens. W. G. Tomer, to be heat., without pa, vice Whiny, dee.; C. C. Dick, gent., to be ens. vice 'turner. Sali F.—Major N. It. Brown, to be lieut.-ail, without put, via Deeds, dec. ' • Capt. A. C. Guodeuengb, to be major , vice Brown; Lieut. T. Bourke, to be cant , vice Goodenough; En.. J. Joni^ to bs Brut e pros ~o uke; Ens. W. Scott, to be lieut., by par., rice Jades, whose prom by par., has been canc.; E G. Kenny, gent., to be era, without par., vice Scott. 4Srd F.—Brec-Major H. Bruere, to he major, without par., vies Egerton, dec.; Lieut. J. W. Primed e, to be apt., awe Bruere ; Ere. W. Manes, to be lieut., without par., nee 'Saloum, app. adjvd.; Lieut. F. G. Wilkinson, to adjut, vice PIitIITOSC, promoted. 64th F.—Assist-Burg. W. 11. Short, from Slth F., to be mast, stirs., vice Pardon, who resigns 74th F.—Lieut. T. W. Evans, to be apt,without pur., vice Bra.. Major Alma, dec.; gent., to be ens., without per. 69th F.—nerg.-Major W. Watson, to be quartennast, Der; deceased. Cape Mounted Rillemen.—Lieut. J. F. Doyen, to be adjut Harvey, retired. Coinassansar.—Dep.-Aseist. CommilLoGen. P. 11. St. John Nail . may has hero permitted to resign his commisaion, from Slat Jen. OFFICE OF ORDNANCE, Aram 21. Omps of Royal Engineers.—urea.-elajor G. C. Page, to be beat, ; ma, am Alderson, seconded ; Sec. Capt. 11. W. Lusdrd to be caPtsi vice Page; First LieuL A. D. Craigte to be sec. rapt., ace Luilirdi -Lieut. G. H. Gordon, to be first lieut., vice Caulk.. ART-UNION OF LONDON. Yesterday, the twelfth annual meeting of this association was held in Drury lane Theatre. The Duke d Cambridge took the chair, and, after briefly alluding to the falling oil' of the subscriptions, called upon the smeary, Mr. G. Godwin, to read the report, which, owing to pun: cuter circumstances, exceeded in length that of any previa. year. The following are the principal features of this document : " RiPORT.—The council of the Art-Union of London have been accastomed, from the foundation ono.f the society, to announce at each anniversary no large n crease on the amount of, the preceding year's subscription, that they Collie before you on the present occasion with less elation than the amount which they have to report would amply justify, but for such previous great success. The total nth subscribed which they have to report at this, the twelfth annual meeting, is 12,6571. ss. ' being nearly 6 , 0001 . leg than the amount last year. This great diminution must be attributed to various concurring causes. A season of eon mercial embirrastment, and the exciting events of the period (events which will make it memorable in the sneak of the world), would suffice to account fir part of the bill ing off. The council, however, are compelled to attribute it mainly to circumstances of more immediate coalmine with the society. • • • • • The council were much surprised on receiving, in October last, a communication from the L'irds of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade, claiming a right of interierensi which extended to changing the constitution of the 'weir Lion, under clauses in the charter, introduced by your cuaa cil themselves, with the view simply of preventing the per of the association from its legitimate purposes, by it dividuals for their pirate gain. In this communication ths Board of Trade proposed these alteratiene 1. That the whole Dumber of ',onto of art from which the prism were to be taken should be Perks ltd by a committee, instead of permitting the prizetiolders to select, as heretofore, from the vetoes public exhibitions of the year.-2. The abandonment alto g ether of r annual distribution of engravings from modern pictures, and taa thereof the occasional distribution of engravings of a superior chine ter as prizes amongst the subseribein—And 3. The retention of 10 per cent. out of the receipts," for the purchase of work' not for die tribution, but for public exhibition." " In a long correspondence which followed, and has bees published, your council first strenuously denied the right of the Board of Trade to alter the constitution of the eatery. ; and secondly, pointed out the impracticability and the us jurious results which would be caused by the changes pp' posed, if they could be carried out. A deputation from the council afterwards attended the Right lion. If. Laboaeheel , President of the Board of Trade, to expla'n further their views, when the board withdrew, pro temix,re, the requir e ' menus in respect of the engravings and the retention of 10 per cent. of the subscribers' money ; but c lied for theorist, lion of, at all events, the higher prises by :he cauncil, and requested that the council would consider whether the/ could themselves suggest some arrangement to that effect. At the next meeting of the council, a letter mu orderedt• be sant to the board, containing the following resolatiots passed unanimously : That the council having eonsidered the commanication whish to* place at the relent interview wit! the Preeklerd of the horded = respectfully beg leave to state it as t h e ir opinion, [hate a Mange in the constitution of the locker, as to take ally the selection of the pictures from any of the prizeliolders, . 041 a b .', mole Injurious to the Art-Union; and they trust that the Board o Trade will leave unaltered a principle which has Lein the bale of the swami of this society. " The reply to this from the Board of Trade contained timation that their lordshife had " made the fo llowing bye laws in addition to those which had been transmitted 10 them by the council of the Art-Union of London ": 1. In the annual distribution of prises fur yeari 1949, IMO !!, 1851 reepectively, a certain proportion of tbe prise- ili,anbuted s •t. consist of pictures, drawings, iculpture or other narks of azt.6l; l ously selected by a committee appointed in such manner ss a meeting of the member. of the society Mall decirlr, or, in de .4.r. such appointment, by the council for the time Grrig nib" . d in or a comourz. thereof ; and in the distribution for the year lal2, an all quest distributions, the whole of the prizes dietributed shidl do? et of works previously selected in milmirr aformaiil. -2 . IslThei nreen, of prizes to be previously selected in the year , I +10! andris!_tr. and the mode of distributing the prises so elected in those subsequent years, shall be divided by a general meet r m a t t:: 1 rs he of the society, to be holden at least three months of the fo _ e 0!!", Trade, or o r distribution o any otherf the year commi ll,l 9ttee ,subj of the prny counc il to ect to the approval.f.f /,; f n. consideration of art-unions may at the time be referrer& " On the 11th of the present month, when the effect Mai hinotneorfrearryenceietronetm7the fu ad nd d s T o me f th d e t aoc he iel oll y President of the Board: this day, the Marquis of Northampton, Vioeiltreddnt, .010 1 waa requested to state to you that the amount of sidann. B'v,—At a meeting of the council of the Art-tninn et kondoe, ll6l , the present year will fall short of that of eithir of the o three years by several thousands of pounds. This enonn &int. flan of their reavarow, which will be most diesels to sins% w ow as in ai g 'c° let Te te red' r to *toe— Wo 14, iftf of the receipt that th cleerex this di &pre, rather •----- lor r,iple, tho tins the pc into el the co tlicwe which ins!tn which tion oi in c 5 Union public Tb towl mule( the it asa 0,11 zL all -.-