The Express. — London, England, 1853-12-13 00:00:00

so se Cuestitutiva Ilia fur New South Wales • re3l 3 second time in the Legialative Council of t! ..e pfvm T i the •.!nd of September by a majority fiat her consideration of the measure is tpoord 6.1 'h. coli s ou ti r I%th el September a great public meeting sJ yba u 81din'y to agree to a petition to her canoeing a protest against the piovisions r , ) , it,„ Bili, opposed to the wishes s a Oltenia of the inhabitants, and to all sound .g po iphs of British liberty. The p e titio n ers ea r'''. a "ice to see established a form of government [ ow l in a s,swdance with the genius and spirit d t he constitutioa of their mother•country, and &due the the presnt thegisle Council does not stid cannot re peesentvoice of the people of New and is therefore incompetent to frame s constitatioo which will be satisfactory to the inha bitants of the colony. They also declare their per kt: c onfidence in the wisdom and justice of the un pris: parliament. and the sentimisits that sway the c rawls of her Majesty on this question ; and they ray her Nlsiesty to withhold her assent to any mea ow that mai . fail to embody the views and wish e s o r has m A j,,,f, Lila subjects and petitioners; and that some regard be paid to those views in any mea gre that oily be laid before the imperial parliament. petition was unanimously adopted by the meet isk the proceedings of which lasted fur several Loot A' tcr()ltt.t. the following summary of the position of the co l, i ey of Victoria is extracted from the Mellmurne of the 2:Ir1 of Scptember THE 11. LI, FIELDIA. it. .v.iarat reported in our last seminary has be „se mond.. ided. The teualtmuu diggings, from which femur accOlitlta were received ateast five weeks age, have sot Wailed the e.peion at first formed, though retest .flootroit e a alOre favourable view of them. They • w ar weeding over 3 largu eau et of territory, and • con ,,,uresle =nese of diggers seem determined to give them c biz uo.l. Omit things are expected of the Ovens during th e ra.o,sa room. r. Besting° also con'inues to maiataio as ',rdium. But the chief talk of late ha. been about hailers:, the not of our gold fields, and mill worthy of being reeked smote the best. At the close of last month several digger, there tame upon what they called a regular "table of ate those who were so fortunate as to strike the liar took almost fabulous quantities out of their claim., Oats, tam their richness, received the appellation of the jorelisrs' shops." The escort retires having confirmed the earnest reports, • " rush " was the immediate oonse. camas; thosgh, from the mature of the new diggings in that quarter, mul•itudes will be doomed to disappointment. Ali the 'navy tiods bare been obtained by deep 'Weiss: and the reader will see that the term is aisd with ore degree of propriety when we in form him that the depths of toe holes is frequently man 80 to U 0 feet, and that many very productive ears have lately been above 100. The gold is found is the beds of what may be called subterranean creeks— that is, creeks which have formerly he= on the surface, but are sow Moiled beneath the deposits of more recent times. Ilsi• beige the ease, there is nothing on the present surface 'vindicate the direction of the aboriginal channel. As de rma= by the diggers themselves, the gold is found in • f our trim .111 to eight feet wide at the top, end two to Warr het wide at the bottom. 1; is obvious that there nest be great uncertainty in finding gold where it is con- Iced to lath a narrow and capricious line. At this too wet some are sinking for this gutter over a width at 300 yards. The reoult of such • mode of operation is that not more than one hole in fifty bits the has, and the rest are what the diggers call thieen." Some of the holes in Cassell= gully have been estimated to yield gold to the value of 2,0001. per paw foot, bet this is probably en exaggeration—at least we have it ea good authority that one hole (one of the richest) was valued at 8001. per running foot, and as the gutter was 10 feet wide, it would give 110/. for the moan foot, instead of the I,'SOO/. or 2,0001. mentioned by a contemporary. Esperiments in deep sinking have alsi been going on for some time at Seedily, with the view of reaching • second bottom; and, should experience con fi rm the conjectures of sperulatios as to there being several isriferous bottoms, we shall enter upon a new era in gold-digging. There might, te that case, arise a necessity for a different set of regula tions for the management of the goldfields. Mining would sane to be followed as • profemion, in which capital sag cooperation would be indispeasable requisites to continuos todu,try and success. Since the date of our last summary (August 16), the et ecets have brought down 268,927 ounces. The returns show a reedy weekly increase, with the exception of last week, which exhibits a shortcoming of no less than 12,000 ounces, tskieg the average returns for the preceding four weeks. ibis as attributable, no doubt, to the recent agitation in tart locality, which has thus cost the thirster. about 50,0001 It ray have appeared small matter, looking only at the time, to devote • day to • great demonstration ; but mikes • different figuee when considered statistically. Std the statistics of sndu-try been always preserved with se same accuracy, and =ea so immediately resolvable ate • demonstration of pecuniary profit or loss, the Indus sal closes might have received many a salutary lemon. la the table of receipts which we subjoin the returns by 'le private escort should be added to those from Bendigo tad M'lvor, but as we are unable to giro the exact share doe tench we enter them separately : GOLD RECEIVED BY ESCORT PIECE AVOl'aT 13, 1853. Aug,2o. Aug. 27. Sep.3. Sep.lo. 8ep.17. Indigo, etc—. I'leor ?nests escort Liam 4,738 6,91.5 8,377 13,257 13,615 Omni Ws!ban 20%1 01: IL WOOL. TIN sues which cireamstanees have caused as to devote it the present summary to other matters' 'reeled's u from eattnag at lay length upon the subject of minor products tithe esieny. We know, however, that B toteresto wen fat lavolved in the article of Aostralian wool that we mu prepared some information with reference to that ntick, *lnch will doubtless prove interestwip. IN Moral with which we have been favoured by the einem authorities at the undermentioned ports of this easy, we have been enabled to compile the following cam pestivetable of *sports of wool, which before the discovery if geld MS oar staple psodection : TOOL •HIPPED DV WINO THE TEAM =DING JOLT 5. 1852. 1853. lbs. IA•. lbousa Grolos' Part Fairy Portland 1,752,800 3,080,460 18,647,•567 11,310,294 TIN avian a ban in 1852 was 66,634; and in 1853, MICK bat it would be wrong if we did not apprise oar British "aim that a mums is going out, of which we have before Loud rhea, sad which may one day serieuly affect the reprly of wool which they now draw from them shores. The value of t►e carcase is so steadily g•iaing upon that of it. Ante as naturally to affect the care with which each is notched by tlie settler. Fiat, fat, large-sired sheep now holseatly sell at 30s each, the current price before the tr.. 4 discovery hiving been 10.. to 12.., w►ile the deem has warmly improved in talus at all. KJ fart, too, is the pro Irma between meet end Masontown altering, that higher !twee still tot the camas, are reas..nebly to be looked for. Besides thus, that terrihle scourge of the sheepowner, be slab, is spreading rapidly through oar flocks, and the hq► tap./ labour prevent. the sqeitten from grappling with it es they ought. bheep are run is bock/ of ennui memble vise, frequently camped out, and allowed to wen d.,, and, incept when brought up by wide rivers, this theartatian disease progenies almost unopposed. £ coutaiuous high prig•: of wool in the English markets 14 1 afford a great escours;ement to the settlers to struggle sit► these two tendencies so greatly deteriorative to oar wail; sad the reinuticturen of Oust Britain will have to stood that eaceurigeraeo., oh they must gradually teach themselves to look elsewhere fora supply. GRIN. For I supply of bread s tuff' we must still neonate e.nelves to looking abroad. Our own production is a uttv drop in the bucket compared with our consorith tm , and so numerous is our population becoming, and anti large consumers are they of all the metonyms . of that the supplies of all adjacent colonies, New , taland included, mint for • long time be uttcily 4 idenatite to our rs nairemente. We have considerable "oaks of American dour on hand ; but shipments f rm the ports of th, Cutted States appear now to havo r ea nearly euenended ; and, as is always the case .4 a rapidly-damn ding market, low prices have for a Las , prevailed, and we b egin to f en • poss ibl e scarcity before our own hassests come round. It is rather • (earful thought to those who do not deal in dour, and therefore havt mu ju'esest in high price., that a community like ours, accutomed to extr a v agant consumpt i on, is so far distant from all extrusive sonny. of supply. The cosine of post with Lultithal and America neoesearily occupies many month', and between the te rinds of orders being sent and utile executed them setts. quite a pcssibility of prise" Raging from a rata that will he ruinous to shippers, to s•oe utt, short of (amine to the e oweinier. While fodder con :son so high that oaten hay has ling kern. pound fo.,r, Pound dearer than wheaten dour , our agriculturists w ill genitally avoid turning their attention to the production of nem. And in the meantime, probably for many years, the supply of these colonise with breadstuff' will constitute a trade very well worth the careful attention of the merchant. of Gnat Britain and America. ?RADII AND CONNERCR. The market i s still overstocked with goods ; but our ex. traordiaary powers of consumption have prevented any thing lige • &tided g'dat, while symptoms of a firmer failing are beginning to .eobear. Credit and confidence an unshaken ; and setivitv is discernible in every elcoart tient of industry and tato-prise. Building operation. are ''rend OR to a 'ennui' g event, and the town is, c „trendy, spreading out in all directions, end eababitiaz on aproventent in external appearance which would reflect !edit os older cities. A new hotel has been opened. ' uP is a style of at eat magnificence. An arcade 41 been intend ia the centre of the city. l'ublic baths are added to tly:•, list of our luxurits. We have now a post-utfice which is a perfect model of conwiletentra and convenience ; and, it the official management of the institu tion bear any analogy ta the mechanical perfections of the building, we shall hear no more complaint. about postal irregularities. We have the pleasure also of according in this summary a decided mitres, in railway undertakings. The Melbourne and Ilobasn s Bay Railway is in course of construction, and is 'gaveled to be opened for traffic in six or eight,montha. The terminus at the bay is to lie connected with a pier, which will admit of large vessels coming along side for discharging their cargo. This will be of immense advantage ' not only to merchants, who will thereby get their goods landed both at leas expense and in better order, but also to immigrants, who will be saved from the vexa tions attending the present system. The wonder is that such a work woe not undertaken sooner; but,once begun, we hope that it will be pushed forward speedily to its cool pletioo. nolltnaratON. The immigration returns show a slight dimi•utien in the number of new arrivals. Cases of dastitutiou are not so frequent as they were, and tiomplainu on the part of immi grants of hardships endured during the voyage, or at land log, are not so constant as they uved to be. Instances, how ever, still occur. In our last summary we referred to a case of misconduct on the part of • captain of a passenger vessel, of • peculiarly aggravated character, and it will be 1 , 0010 satisfaction to lhoee whi read our former remarks to 'tun that the delinquent has since been sentenced to three years' hard labour on the clads. The owners of • vessel who could entrust human lives to such • drunken ruffian u this man was proved to be, richly deserve • similar fate. Mat lOCIAL CONDI HUN. There is one aspect of oar social condition respecting which it is of essential importance that correct ideas should be entertained in Eur.pe ; it relates to the supremacy of law and order, the security of person and property. We are far from saying that all is accomplished in this respect that is desirable, or that every man who contributes to the revenue of the state has a right to eapect. Tee outrages is which we had so often to refer, eight, ten, and twelve months ago, in and around Melbourne, are now of comparatively rare occurrence—a fortunate state of things. howeeer, which will not long endure if our legis lative council do nut make a vigorous st Ind against the un wise and mistaken interference of the Duke ul Newcastle and the imperial government with the measure which the council passed last anion against the unrestricted admission into the colony of conditionally pardoned csnvists from Van Diemen'. Land. 7 -- Provisions in general are not dear, in pr.iportion to house rent; at least tee, sugar, butcher's meat, and potatoes are at a reasouable ptice ; but bread, milk, butter, and such vegetables as turnips, cabbages, eke., are still at a high figure; the quarters loaf is Is. 64. It is evident, then, that the first and necessary expenses which meet a man on landing are very heavy ; but let not the sew comer be therefore discouraged; if he is the sort of ma. suited to the colony—sad elemental working and labomringuietkare— he will soon be in a position to meet his expenses, and also to put by money to join one of the many building and freehold land societies which the high pries of land and extravagant rents have called into active existence within the lest few months. Ear fish readers given to such pursuits as market-gardening, poultry keeping, dairy farming, &c., will form their own conclusions of the prospects of those following such callings in a country with a range of prices like that quoted in the market report. Battersea gardener., Surrey fowl Innen, and the dairy people of Kent and Nine will probably lick their lips at the thought of cauldloven at 2s. a piece, eggs at 6'. per dozen, sad milk at 2s. per quart. We can assure ono and all of such that we have room for thousands of them; that these high prices do not arise from any native scarcity ; that the gardener will Ina plenty of land, the dairyman any number of cattle, and the poultrywornan fowls innumeralme. It must he distinctly understood, in spite of all the " meshing" letters which have swarmed in the English papers, that e Industrious workman may secure employ ment at high wages the very day he lands; while, at the same time. the clerk, showman, or broken-down city idler lingers about oar streets, dispirited, unemployed, and mise rable. THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 13, 1853 arrivals from every other iliggicgs, caused by the pr.Litic yields that have been turned up principally in Prince Regent's Gully—a portion of the Canadian gully hoc of gold. At one stop, called the Jeweller's Shop, I am told by a ci derma chum, that he saw two nom was: out 90lbs. before breakfast of the precious metal. Some dozen holes will each yield, it is said, from 4,033!. to 5,003/. each ; others in the same line are now turning out •' shysers"— i. e., yielding only a few pennyweights to the tub. Such is the uncertainty of gull-digging that many may sink near where gold is being gut, yet few of them may get beyond mere wages for all their toil. In the spot where these immense quanti-ies have been pro cured the sinking is Irons 100 to 120 feet, and so wet that thoee employe-1 are obliged to work in gangs night and day. I say this much, lest any romantic beings may leave their homes and position in England, fancying they have only to dig to become rich. lam little inclined to return to the scene of my former toils in the diggings, although I admit when these tempting fishes of luck occur it unsettles me for a time. I em still in the post I held when last I wrote, and I am only waiting for something to spring up more advantageous to leave it, either to return to England or to try some other country. An event of some import is is come off neat week, no less than the turning of the first sod for the first railway in Vietorta, t a run from Geelong to Melbourne. Latrobe is to handle the spade and barrow on the occasion, supported by the Legislative Council and a great host of °finials. I have • ticket fur the &Maw and the ball in the evening, and in my next I shall be able to report progress. Trade of late has been dull, both here and in Melbourne, partly attributable to the glut which has taken place in all the general commodities. Flour at one time was freely sold at from 61. to 71. per ton. Now it has jumped up to 231, and is still getting dearer. Potatoes are now 27!. to 301. per ton, and very scarce at that figure. Beer is also getting up in price; us party in this town holds 7,000!. worth, and will not sell a bottle of it for another month. Gold, on the contrary, is falling in price, and can scarcely be sold at 31 161. the ounce, partly from the uncertainty whether an export duty will pus the legislature. We have not had any letters from England fur two months. How is this ? Some are in doubt as to the safety of the Stratford, wLich is reported to have a large mail for this colony. Talk of the pleasures of this place. We have had violent rains sad winds for more than a week, and the result is that scarcely a street is passable. The refusal of the Queen to sanction the act of legislature relating to pardoned *convicts being excluded from the colony of Victoria is causing some talk, and great dissatisfaction is felt that she should par don any man transported even for life, with the proviso that such pardoned criminal do not return to Eaglaud. Thinking and welLdisposed persons ask why they should be allowed to rush into Victoria to begin again their crimes. It is shown that seven out of ten of the men convicted in Melbourne and here have been pardoned criminals from Van Diemen's Land— is strong feet against this colony being subject to the intru sion of such men. The Duke of Newcastle has lost ground ' here from the strong expressions used iu his despatch relating to this matter. THE PASSES OF THE BALKAN. - . - At the third ordinary meeting of the Royal Geo graphical Society, held last nignt at the rooms of the Horti cultural Society, in Regent•treet, Sir It. Mt. mei'lsms in the chair, the second portion of • paper by Lieut.-General A. Joeirmes was read, entitled "A elouraey into the Balkan, or Mount Homes, with a description of the defiles through this celebrated mountain range, end a comparison of the routes pursued by Darius, Rystapet, Alexander the Great, and—Marshal Diebitcb. The first portion of this paper, which was noticed in the Daily Nears of this day fortnight, ended with a sketch of the communication between &Aimee and Kasen, and the continuation read last evening proceeded to describe in military detail the pass through the range ftom Salymni to Starika, thence to Belrove, which was described 14 being in parts very difficult, espe cially between Salymni to Starika. At Takowitz the general says there is a long defile, an hour long, while in other places the pass is confined to narrow bridges over deep ravines. Near Shumla, at Kilwoga, the difficulties are stated to he less considerable, and here it was that the Rus sians, under Diebiteh, forced the passage against the Turks in 1829. Pasting the route of Alexander, 33G nc , the paper minutely described the locality on the banks of the two lakes of Dewna, the lower and the upper, end the writer hazards the opinion that the isthmus between them was the ground of the battle between the Macedonians and the Triballians, and that the Parawaddi River was the Lygisos of Arian. The advance of the Turks themselves through these districts, when they extended their conquests northward, was then partially referred to, and some com ment was made upon the fact, that the routes of Darius, Alexander, and Diebitch, had proceeded by the same lines. The CHAIRMAN in expressing the thanks of the Society to General Joehmus for his communication, stated that he had been told by Col. Cheney, that it was regarded by military men as particularly viduable at the present time, acd he (the chairman) had no doubt if it were arranged and systemmatized, it would be found so. Perhaps Col. Everest would give his opinion as to h.,w, in ancient times large armies, like those of Darius and Alexander, could traverse such aistricts as the Baleen, witheut those cam minariats, which in modern times were considered indis pensable Col. EVEIMAT could only suppose that the invading army availed itself of the stores of provisions hoarded by the inhabitants of the villages and towns which were scattered through the mountains, and that its progress was facilitated by the divisions amongst the tribes by which the district was peopled. After some conversation as to the geological formation of the Balkan range, Admiral Lord RanaTocK asked fur information as to the possibility of forming a clime:ion between the Danube (near Silistria) and the Black Sc.,where it was understood that the Romans had attempted to cut a camel. Re nal anxious upon the subject, because such a communication would obviate the inconvenience sf closing the mouths of the Danube by the Soudan. Dr. COIAII:HON paid a high compliment to G 1 Joch. mus. The ic'sa of a canal between the Danube and the Black Sea he regarded as a myth, the high range of the land rendering it, as he believed, impossible to carry out such a work. A number of very beautiful paintings of scenery and event► in South Africa were exhibited at the meeting by Mr. Thomas Baines, draughtsman to t►e forces undue Oenersl Somerset. Among the donations to the library, reported to have been made since the former meeting, were a number of charts of the Raglan and Turkish ports in the Black See, &e., recently published and presented to the society by the Hydrographic Office, and a very valuable folio volume, containing some beautiful illustrations of scenes in Ethiopia, drawn and described by John M. Bernate, artist to the late B h mission to the Court of Shoe, presented by the author. Amongst the company present were Admiral Lord Rad stock, the Earl of Sheffield, Lord de Mauley, Sir David Doodas, Sir R. Peel, Captain Fitzroy, Colonel Everest, and Professor Herman Abich, of St. Petersburg. LETTERS FROM EMIGRANTS. MELBOURNE, SIPT. 20, 1853. I am still at work for the same mater (a builder). Our wages have increased lately. Some masters are giving 30s. per day—ours is giving 25.. Our trade is rather un settled at the present time, many of the men have struck for 30e., but I don't think wages will average more then 235. I have now to inform you of the capture of some of the escort robbers, who have been taken at last. One who earned Q .. , en's evidence has committed suicide. His be ;titer has l'so now turned approver, and yesterday the trii lof three hers was concluded, and all three sentenced to dc:h. The tiggings are now wearing a more favour able a; i earance, mid what with the few arrivals from Englauu lately, ant. the large numbers that have lately left town !zr the diggings, Melbourne is not quite so full as it has been. The foundation stone of a terminus for the Melbourne and Geelong Railsr-iy was laid at Umlaut; to-day, and it is espected the line will be opened in about a twelve month. I have j ust beard that the Stratford, with the mail of the 4th of June, is arrived to-day. The Suesez, from London, reachid here on Sunday last. It is a treat to soli an English paper here. The Shanghai reached this port on the 11th, being one day overdue. The Post-office here is greatly Unproved lately, they have now plenty of room, and we hope that now we shall stand • chance of getting what our good folks at home are kind enough to send se. —, who came out with me, is now in the Pat-office here at • salary of 3001. a•year. I might have obtained &berth there if I had chose, but I find my trade—that of a carpenter—better. The weather is now very fine, we shall soon have the summer with its hot wig& and clouds of dust again. GEELONG, VICTORIA, Sort., 1853. Siaoe I last wrote to you we have gone through a period of groat musty and apprehension, ascribable, I believe, to the went of • proper person to govern the colony with discretion, decision, and prudence. About two months since a meeting was held on the Bendigo diggings, to discuss the justice of the license fee of 30s. per month, which was very numerously attended, and re sulted in • deputation being appointed to deliver • petition to the Lieutenant-Governor, praying that the fee might be reduced to the sum of 10s. An interview was granted by Latrobe to the delegates, but, instead of his throwing oil on the troubled waters, he discussed the question as one in which only the dishonest and turbulent diggers were interested, and then proceeded to use remarks towards the German portion of the diggers, most ill.judged, Billion], and foreign from the truth, and giving no hope that any reduction of the license would take place. So dissatisfied were the persons composing the deputation at the ofthand manner of the Lieut.• Governor, that they called a meeting of the people of Melbourne, which was presided over by the mayor, Mr. Smith, M.L.C., at which they gave an aegount of their interview and the irrelevant remarks made by Latrobe, which caused so mach disgust that not only the towns became interested in the question, but the other diggings, especially at the " Ovens," and Giulburn, became scenes of largo meetings, at which trio vances were detailed that struck many with surprise, and one unanimous resolve was come to not to pay more than I 10e. per month for the future. Those who tendered more were t►reatened with summary expulsion from the gold I I fields, and red ribbons were to be worn by all to indicate I the resolve that had been come to. Many were prepared to go to "durance vile," rather than pay the larger sum. The posts from the mines were anxiously looked for about the lit of the month, when, judge of the further surprise created when the intelligence came from Bendigo, Mclver, Castleemine, and the Ovens, that no license fee would be demanded during the month of September, about the same time a paper was extensively issued by the Lieut. Governor, half justifying the remarks made to the dele gates and half denying the statements put forward by them, still, however, saying he could oat think of retom• mending any diminution of the licensed fee, yet on meeting the Legislative Council WWI weeks after, he, in his speech, gays, on reconsidering the question of license fee, he in clines to the opinion that it ought to be reduced in amount, ' if not entirely abolished, and as • substitute a revision of the tariff and an export duty ou gold could be levied. Can I you fancy conduct so opposite taking place in • colony where the greatest love for monarchy does not exist? Since I the meeting of council a bill has been introduced by the Colonial Secretary making the charge for digging for gold the next three months 401., the government promising to settle the future amount before the expiration of the three months. At Ballarat the license fee has been gene rally paid, but a deputation has come down, eompoeed of some of the members of the party I eame out with, they are sow in Melbourne, end will urge upon the government the claim of the digger to a share in the representation of the country, • 10s. license fee, and a generally more extensive sale of government lends contiguous to the diggings, that men may have an opportunity of cultivating the soil as well as digging in the immediate district of the gold fields. Matters appear quiet, jest now, but I very much fear that towards the end of the mouth another scene of disorder will ensue, which most likely will end in a con 11.et between the miners and the police and troopers ; nod, should such take place, I cannot fancy the small force at the command of the government would be able to effect much. Latrobe is and has been a most unfit men for Vic toria, especially with her recent heavy importations of in telligence and commonsense. Ballarat has been during , the last fortnight a lively place, from the hundreds of new MALICIOUS OU FRAGES. During the night of Tuesday last Mr. Jonathan Shaw, or, extensive farmer and cattle breeder, at Bretton West, near Wakefield, Yorkshire, woe the victim of an ex traordinary outrage. Mr. Shaw had had four or five men employed in treating a large number of sheep for the " scab." About six o'clock on Monday evening al or GO of these sheep were put up in an outbuilding by the shepherd, a man named Granger; and on the Glittering morning, when his son went into the place he discovered that no fewer than nine were quite dead, from stabs and cuts in the throat, whilst ten others were bleeding to death from simi lar wounds. Men were at oace set to complete the task of slaughtering and properly dressing the • hole of the 19 sheep ; and a searching investigation was set on foot by the It appeared that, on Tuesday night, the men who had been engaged with the sheep, the shepherd, his son, and a young men named Sykes (who ie in business with his father as a butcher), were all drinking together at Mrs. Langley's, the Beaumont Arms. Young Sykes was fetched home by his mother at about 11 o'clock, and, &evading to the state ments of his mother and sister, was never out afterwards. As however there were suspicious discrepancies in the state menu of Sykes' family, and as he had previously been heard to utter threats against Mr. Shaw, he was taken into custody and brought before Mr. John Barff, at the Wake field relics Court, on Friday, when he was remanded. Mr. Shaw has frequently suffered from the wanton acts of some malicious enemy. Some time ago a hovel was broken into and a valuable cow belonging to him killed. On another occasion his stables were broken open, and six or eight eutirc horses set loose to fight with each other, nor was it p.asible to separate them without great rick of life, or until several of them had been seriously injured. Ihe Derbyshire Courier complains that lately some mil ereants have retorted to a system of poisoning the pheasants of Mr. A. M. Mundy, of Shipley Hall. Several of the pre serves have roads passing by them, of which the parties avail I themselves to throw poisoned fo od where the birds most resort. At the beginning of the season Mr. Mundy lost one of his best pointers, and since then a valuable retriever dog, both by poison. There is very little d yobt that Mr. Mundy's party were watched, and tile road too c 'meth judged by which they would Mum, and that poisoned food was laid where the dogs would be sure to pass, as in each instance they were suddenly seized, and t:itel a lmost imme diateiy, and on analyeation of the contchta of the stomach poison was discovered. COLLIERY ACCIDENT.—FIVE LIVES LOST.—An accident of a very melancholy kind has lately occurred at CowdenMath Culliery. Five min employed at the coal• work, in being let down a pit in • cage, wire precipitated, by the rope breaking, to the bottom of thu shaft, a depth of 36 tathoma. Three of the men were Instantaneously killed by the fall, a fourth died the next morning, and shortly atter. wads the fifth also died. This mean:holy cetcurrtnee has cut a deep and mournful gloom over this di! trier cra.n n Ward, r. POOR LAW BOARD AND 111EIR POWE..S. - • - A meeting Was held at Manchester yesterday afternoon, of deputations from Board. art Guarliens, in Lancashire and Yorkshire, " for the purpose of determin- Lug what steps (if soy) shill be taken during the next session of parliament, either to limit the points of the Poor-law II tarsi, or to attempt u more extensive interfer ence therewith." The meeting wits convened fur the pur pdee, in fact, of carrying out a resolution passed at a similar meeting, held at the Albion H to l is the month of January last, to the effect, " That parliament should with draw from the Poor-law Board the unconstitutional power now exercised by it of making laws, which power only belings to puliameut itself; and this power parliament has no right to delegate." Mr. J. But; of Btubbylee, in taking the chair, said this meeting had been called in consequence of the advice given by Mr. Walter, M.P. for Nottingham, and Mr. Cobbett, M.P. for Oldham, to the deputation to the Pour-law B appointed last spring by the Bleeds of Guardians in this district—that inasmuch as the Poor-law Commissiun must apply to parliament next session for en extension of their powers, that would be the proper time to ask for • limits- Goo to those powers, or to abrogate them. It would be for this meetin,i to determine what ought t, be done. In his opinion, parliament had no right to delegate any of its legislative powers, as it hail done, to the Poor-law Board, and he did not attach much weight to an opinion enter tained, amongst others, b one of the hon. memb e rs f o r North Lancashire, who had been there thi. morning, hut had gene away, because he could not support their views—that because Mr. Baines, and the present govern ment might be safely trusted, therefore no interference was called for, because it was impossible to say how long the power would remain in the bands which now held it. (Hear.) Besides several oommunicatiuns from Boards of Guardians, he had received letters frown Mr. Wickham, M.P. ; Lord (.4 .derich, and Mr. Welter, M.P. The latter was as follows: Bear-wood, Noy. 28, 1853. Dear Sir—l regret that it will not be in my power to attend the meeting at Manchester, on the 12th of nest month, u I shall be occupied with domestic hospitalities at that period. I shculd be very glad if, in the mean'ime, you could favour me with an outline of the views gene rally entertained by the guardians in the northern district! with respect to the abridgement of the Poor Law Commis sinner.' jurisdiction, as I might possibly be able to offer a few practical suggestions on the subject. The motion for the renewal of the Poor Law Commission is not likely to come on very early in the session, and there wiil probably be plenty of time between now and Easter, to concoct some amendment which shall have a lair chance of being carried. Believe me, yours very tru!y. " J. Holt, Esq. J. WALTER." He (the Chairman) in his reply to the above, said, " Out committee entertain greatly varied opinions as to what it may be desirable to do in the way of limiting the powers of the Poor Law Board. All are in favour of taking away from them their present unconstitutional power of making new lawe ; bat some, and those not a few, would, if they could, abolish the Board altogether. I am persuaded that any such extensive attempt at interference as the course last sug gested would be fruitless . • I, therefore, think the view moot generally adopted will be to take such steps as may be come dered moat advisable for preventing the board in future' from making orders, new in practice, or in principle, having the force of law, and of thus mischievously med dling with local administration and local discretion.' Lord Goderich, in the course of his letter, said, " 1 have en hesitation in assuring you that I desire greatly to sec the discretion of the local hoards of guardians int teased, and the power of the central authority cut/lined within well defined limits, such as will prevent the issuing of orders similar to the one of August, 18.52, and other like inter ferences." All tho letters which he (the chairman) had raceived from boards of guardians, declared their willing ness to co-operate in the movement, except those of West Derby and Charley. Mr. HADFIELD, 24. P., read a communication from Mr. C. Broadbent, corresponding secretary of the Anti-Poor- Law Association, at Sheffield, condemning the Poor Law Commission, on account of its vexatious interference with the local boards. The Rev. Mr. BUTLER, of Nottingham, in moving the first resolution, said the Poor Low Commission was univer- sally unpopular, on account of its centralising power. He had himself been compelled to resign the office of chairman of the Nottingham board of guardian., because he was tired of coming so frequently into collision with a body which, although its conduct was always marked by cour tesy, showed a determination to act on its own positive plan, without taking any advice whatever from local persons, who might be able to give it. The resolution was as fol lows : " That as the Poor Law Board will, during the en suing session, have to apply to parliament for a renewal of the act under which they are appointed, this meeting con siders it • favourable opportunity for boards of guardians and ntepayen to apply to parliament for a limitation of their powers." Mr. JOSHUA FILLDEN, of Telmorden, seconded the I motion, not because it went as far as he wished, but in deference to the majority of the commlnee who framed the resolutions. He was in favour of going to parliament for the total abolition of the poor law board—(hear)—as opposed to thou institutions under which we lead risen to he • great and powerful nation. For when they came to look at the law, as it was passed originally, at the unconstitutional powers vested in it, at the de Mal of the right of relief which had been far centuries acknowledged by all persons at all versed in the laws and institutions of the country ; a law which made poverty a crime, and punished a misfortune that might happen to soiy ono of us ; when we remembered all this, he was sure every man se he really bad any wish to see the working people of this country honest, independent, and upright, as they had always wished to be, must have felt this a most cruel and unjust law.' It had been found necessary to amend it by 40 subsequent acts of parliament, and the Poor-law Commission had only !teen estahle.hed because it was felt that no local boards could be made to carry such a law into effect. In reply to an inquiry from Mr. Smith, of Bradford, the CHAIRMAN stated that according to a parliamentary return last session, the cost of the central Poor-law on tablishment at Owydyr-house was 260.009/. annually. Mr. SMITH, of Bradford, did not see any necessity for a commission of three men to sit in London to sea this law carried out, when other laws could be carried out without any such commission. lie, therefore, =meted as au amend ment, that after the word " parliament," in the resolution, the words should be replaced by the words for the discon tinuance of the Poor-law Commissioners, now called the Poor-law Bond." Mr. Wourrzsmoimn, of Oldham, seconded the amend- went. Mr. NEWTON, of Leeds, supported the amendment, relat ing, as an instance of the vexatious interference of the cm teal authority, tho conduct of the Poor law Board in the ease of au application from the Leeds Maid of Guardians to confirm their dismissal of the head of the Le:als Industrial School, on account of improper conduct. The Poor-law Board replied that they found him guilty of the charges made against him, but, of c.urse, the guardians would look over his suspension, and re-instate him. The amendment was then put, and carrii.d by a majority of 15 to 8. The Rev. Mr. FROST, of Bradford, moved—" That this meeting is of opinion that the posers possessed by the Poor law Board of making orders, which have the force of law, are most uncenvtititioual in principle at(' mischievous in practice, and such as parliament has no right to delegate ; and, therefore, this meeting determines to Evoke ever effort during next Session to prevent the renewal of such powers to any body." Mr. Frost was of opinion that a large portion of the Poor-law Act was utterly unsuited to the labouring population of the manufacturing districts. Mr. Alderman LITTLE, of Oldbam, seconded the motion. Mr. Demme, of Leeds, moved, That the boards of guardians, through their delegates and other persons here present, pledge themselves to bring this subject before the public in their several locative', in order that petitions may be sent, praying the legislature not to renew the Poor Law Board." The Rev. Slr. HERECIIID seconded the motion. Mr. NEWTON, of Leeds, said he had a letter from Mr. Pease, of Darlington, saying that alter being a guardian from the time the Poor Law Amendment Act was passed, he should its obliged to give it up. finding that suck were the restrictions on guardians that he was unable to do jus tine either to the poor or to the ratepayers. Mr. S. FIELDEN, of Oldham, moved, "That in order to meet the expenses which must be incurred, the several par ties bare present pledge themselves to raise the necessary funds among themselves and friends." Mr. FOSTER, of Blackburn, seconded the motion. Mr. GERMAN, of Bradford, moved, " That a committee be appointed to carry out the resolutions of this meeting, with full power to send a deputation to London, and to take all such other measures at may appear to them important and necessary to accomplish the object of the meeting, and that each committee do certaist of the following gentlemen, with power to add to their number (here follows the list of names) ; and that they be requested to meet at the close of the present proceedings to appoint a secretary and com mence proceedings." Mr. HARTLEY, of Burnley, seconded the motion. A vote of thanks to the members of part; !meat present fer attending the meting having been adopted, Mr. JOHN CHEETHAM, M.P., in thanking the gentlemen assembled, expressed a doubt of the prudence which had dictated the amendment. Ile believ.ol they would get large support in the Bowe cf Commons for modifying its powers, but not for entirely abolishing the board itself. Mr. J. P. Counter, M.P.. thought Cher if they could not get the abolition of the board, the amendment passed this day would strengthen their hands in going for the modi fication. The meeting separated at four o'clock. MIDLAND RAILWAY.—It is stated that, with a view to economise the working of the line, the directors hav, redncs•d the working staff, and have also increased the fares for day tickets between Doncaster, Sheffield, and Rotherham. SIMMENT OF GOLD TO FRANCE.—Of the gold from the United States per the ltdyal Mail steam-slip Arabia, at Liverpool on Sunday-666,061 dollars—there were 277,022 dollars transhipped to France per the steam ship Margaret, ycsterday, from Liverpool to nacre. KAMEN arc still scarce, and their wages keep up. In London there is great difficulty in getting seamen, unless at very high wages. As much a• snit 10n. a month in given to seamen on hoard col!i,rs. The l'egin- Mill! Company have sent to Smthampton automata their own ships there for a crew to t the round the This monster steamer wiit nit be ready to leave Loua.n, however, for a forttight or :brae weeks. FORGERIES ON Tile': BANK OF EN ti*LAND. - 410 - On Saturday, a young mar. named .I.ln Wilson was committed be trial by the Sin flieid magistrates fur uttering forged notes on tie Bank et lirglatl. During the past twelve months repeated %are occurred of bad notes being passed upon the trad.,rl.:n of the town, and more then a dozen cases have come to the knowledge et the police. The trick was the some in every instance, and, from the statements of the victim!, it was c.ear that time utterer was the same individual in ail the eases. The busiest hour on the Saturday evening was generally se lected for the accomplishment of his l urvose. Ile would then present himself at the shop of a..me !etcher or grocer, with face begrimed as though just come fri in week, ■od telling a plausible story to account fer possession of the note, offer to make some slight purchase to git it changed. His arts were generally successful ; but in one instance, where the counterfeit wu detected, toe fellow left the note in the hands of the shopkeeper and took to his heels, whilst the tradesman made en entry in his ledger of the drum stance, along with such a description of the man as would enable him to speak to his identity at any future time. Notwithstanding these repeated Treads, the guilty party eluded detection until this week. The police then übtaiutd information which induced them to visit a low house iu a back street of the town, short, after the postman had been seen to deliver a Jetta'. there. They were admitted by the wife of Wiison, who made an attempt to burn the letter, but was prevented by Inspector' Linley, who with considerable difficulty got it from her. The letter was addressed to " John Wilson, 28, Sims-croft, Sheffield," and bore the Birmingham post mark. It con tained two forged Bank of England notes, and the follow ing curious specimen of the vernacular : " air i bans very (sorry) it was My fault i Could not send them sooner but i hope thee Will be soone a not for you i shall be very glad to beer of you doing Whell Write to yr Brother for sertin neat monday send me all the mime you can. good night" The notes were numbered 46505 end 56045, bore date 12th Arril, 1853, and were signed "For the Governor and Company, J. Vautin." In these instances the imitation of the genuine note was very good, though from the rough ness of the water mark, and its indentation on the paper, it was apparent that it had been obtained by stamping, while ' the paper was in a wet state. Many of the notes which the prisoner had succeeded in passing were clumsy counter feits, got up so a way to present an arpearance of having been some time in circulation. 'lnc i.pprehended the wife at the time of their visit, and st.bseguently her husband surrendered hitbsi If. Five or of the eases have been proved. The prisoner made no de fenczr. His wife was remanded at large. GLASGOW MERCHANTS AND XANCHESTER POSTAL ARRANGEMENTS. 0 A good deal of annoyance rr,:mics to be felt by commercial men connected with Glasgow and Manchester at the present postal arrangements. In :he early part of the year the Manchester Commercial Association reps:. seated to the late Postmaster-General that less time was given after high change ou market days at Manchester to post letters for Glasgow than might reasonably be afforded. Souse of the Pest-office officials objected to any change, but ' their opposition was act aside, and the departure of the post was changed from the micld:‘, of the after noes till late in the evening. Then C 41140 an obstruction by the railway people, who took off the evening mail train altogether, so that letters have recently bad to be ported by hall-past one in the afternoon. In other words there is no communication with Glasgow after the Manchester market is over, at two o'clock in the afternoen, until the following day, so that the commercial parties are in a worse position than before. Whether the Glasgow mergmtile community suspect the change has been the result of collusion between the Post-office and the railway companit-, or not, they are now disposed to take strong measures to counteract the movement, as will he seen by the foi.awing document, hearing their signatures, and a copy of which found its way to Manchester oa Saturday : "Glasgow, Dec.S, 1853. " We, the undersigned, being merchants and dealers who regularly send and receive cotton wool, goods, yarn, or rther merchandise by railway to and Item Liverpool and Lancashire, finding ourselves greatly annoyed, and our business retarded and interrupted, by the very unreasonable time that elapses between posing at letters in these quarters and the time of their arrival here, as well as the great irregularity of such arrival ; and further, under %tending that the late alteration of the mail trains was made at the instance of the railway companies, and not by order of the Postmuter-General, we do hereby resolve : " That, unless measures are taken by the railway com panies to arrange their mail trains no that letters posted in Manchester and Liverpool—say by tour o'clock afternoon —shall arrive in Glasgow not later than seven o'clock next morning, we shall, (rum the lit of January next, give in. structions that all our goods shall be forwarded by steamer rid Liverpool, and we shall continue this arrangement until the railway companies see tit to comply with our reasonable demands ; of all which we now Rive intimation to the railway companies that are concerned." SINOTE.-THE COAST OF PONTUS. (Prow dmadol.) • A stroll on shore to see the p7a;..e and sketch it from the circling beach agreeably filled up • long lovely evening. The sun had veiled hie bloodshot eyes behind a dark bank of clouds, leaving lurid tints of purple and yellow to pervade earth, air, and water. The wind, hushed • the bay, as frozen over ; the town, silent as sleep or death, not even one twittering bird to break the heavy stillness of our walk ; fishermen drawing their nets languidly, pendent sails wooing the breeze in vain, and lazy owe unimproved along boats' sides; all Sinope the embociment of calm re pose in its highest ideality. The temples, palaces, and porticoes, erected by • powerful line of kings, have been levelled with the duct. Nought remains of so much magni ficence save a dirty oriental town of a thousand wretched houses, surrounded by crumbling walls and tottering towers of Byzantine construction. Almost equally a wreck is the enormous hull of an embryo two-de.ter, which staniis unlatinched on the stocks ; built here where timber and work are cheap; never finished; allowed to rot. Dam this fact elucidate the subject ? Alas for Sinope. The ancient capital of Portia. under that great man Mithridates Eupator, and the birthplace cf that great beast Diogenes the Cynic, originally a colony of the Milesians, and deriving its name from an amphibious young lady who was the unnatural offspring of a river and a town, the Asopus and Methone after she eloped hither with a t h ud element, Apollo or the Sun, shows indeed but few traces of such illustrious antecedents. Many fragments of ancient architectural art, however, such as broken columns muti lated cornices, and half-defaced inscriptions on arc hitraves and sepulchral Moues, have been made use of in raising these feeble fortifications, and they still attest what Sinope once was; while the quarries above the town, whence one of the calcareous beds in the trachytic rock overlaid by a black volcanic formation seems to have furnished its build ing materials, tell an eloquent tale of its !widen downfall, for large blocks lie there hewn and ready for removal, some sculptured, and tome signally on their way to the city. We saw also the picturesque ruins of an aqueduct, designed by Pliny the younger to supply the Summar, with geed water from a distance of sisteen miles; and the ancient mole can be distinguished under the sea, enclosing • considersb.e space along the shore, and leaving only a narrow entrance for galleys, but many of the great square stones composing it hare been worn and displaced by the action of the wares with the aid of that universal destroyer, Time. WITHDRAWAL OF ROTTERDAM MAIL PAC KETS, AND REDUCTION OF POSTAGE TO HOLLAND. GENERAL POST OFFICE, DEC. 1833.—After the despatch of the contract mail packet, appointed to leave London for Rotterdam, on the 14th inst., tie correspond ence fur Holland, which has hitherto been conveyed, us rule, by the direct packet, will be forwarded from London daily (Sunday excepted), by the route of Belgium, unless speciselly addressed to be sent by any otner rouse. On and from Thursday the 15th instant, the postage upon letters transmitted between the United Kingdom and Holland, either by the route of Belgium, or by private ship direct, will be reduced to Sd. for a letter not exceeding half an ounce in weight, increasing for heavier letters, according to the scale in operation for chorgis:g letters in the United Kingdom. This Postage will include both the British and foreign rates, to destination, and it may be paid in ad vance, or the letters may be forwarded unpaid, at the option of the sender, except however, in the case of registered letters, the postage upon which, as well as the registration fee, must always be paid in advance. The same rate of 84. per half ounce, &a., will be chargeable on letters between the United Kingdom and any Dutch whiny or country beyond sea, addressed viO. BoLland, but on such letters the postage must be prepaid. The British postage on a letter addressed to be conveyed, v.:. llollsad, between the United Kingdom and any country on the Continent of Europe, when sent either by the route of Belgium or by privote ship direct, will be reduced to Id. the half ounce, and so on, which rate must also Lc prepaid. Newspapers for llolland, whether sent by way et Belgium or by pri vate ship direct, will continue liab:c to a postage of one penny each, which must be rid in advance. Periodical works, not of doily pub:ication, which Lave heretofore been conveyed by the direct packet to Roth rdam at a reduced We of postage, cannot be sent s!.l 13:41urc, excepting at thc usual rates chargeable for letters. BIRMINGHAM AND MIDI AND COENIIEE CATTLE Snow.-.-MIIIIINGIIAM, MONDAY.—This *how opens to morrow. The judges went round and awarded the prizes. The stock exhibited possesses the very highest merit both as regards quality and excellence. The gold medal for the best ox or steer in the Tad was awarded to Mr. W. Merril, of Ludh.rm-Insn, Norfolk, fcr his Hereford steer. 11.1:17;URY COLLEGE. .- The Chrintinas distribution of prizes to the suc cessful csndi lates in the several classes at the above iudi. tution took pine° yesterf iy, and derived more thni: nary interzst from the general impression that it was the last which would take p:ace uo , !-.-r the same auspice?, or at least under similar circumstances. It is well known that the renewed charter IA lost session opens Redleybury to the whole empire, but whether it is still to remain under the control of the directors or to be transferred to the L 'ca.! of Control, is nit yet known with certainty even to this( most interested. The friends of nomination are, however, full of hope, and prepared for any contingency, are.u , ok that the same talent which has up to this time made the civil se:vice of India the most distioguished in the world, will, under the new system, toen enable competethe f s r u i fa:4 with relations all eornf e t r h s e . Court ,,rhe rorrizieficre,ra theoTh best essay in English was carried away by Mr. Melvill, suit o to the principal of the college, and the names of the other successful candidates will be found in the subjoined list. The examination was held as usual in the library, when Mr. Russell Ellice, chairman of the company, presided. Oa the Wile were arranged, in costly bindings, the books which were to form the rewards of the successful student. Medals, prizes, and other honourable distinctions of stu dents leaving college. Dcc2mber,lB33: Mangles, highly distinguished with medal in Ciassics, ditto in Persian. prize in Sanscrit ; Trotter, highly distin guished with medal in Political Economy and History. prize in Cla,iics, dit•u in Hindustani; Master, highly dis tinguished with medal in Lsw, ditto in Telugu; Protiyn, highly distiag.ii.,ited with medal in Mathematics; C. P• Elliott, highly d. tiuguished with prize in Hindi; Skinner, highly distinguished wi:h prize in Persil::; Game, H. S. Alesandn, 0. W. Elliot, Msgei le, Anderson, highly distingi.shed : Webster, passed with great credit. Prizes and other honourable di:auctions of student: re maining in coliege, December, 1853: Third Term: Bainbridge, highly distinguished with prize in Pa:Weal Economy and History, ditto in Scn•erit ; Morris, highly distinguished with prizz in Mathemati. •. ditto in Telookio; R. S. Melvin, highly distinguished with prize in Law, ditto in Tertian ; Hunter, highly dist:it guished with in Hindustani ; Glrclon, highly distin guished with 7ri7e in Hindustani ; Watertili, highly di.- tinguished with prize in Classics; Simeon, Martin, W. Lane, Sheppard, Cx;lalan, hill, Lerpen, highly di:tingulibed ; Robinson, Fairfax, Thornhill, Wynn!), passed with great credit. Second Term . M'Neile, highly distiatgalshed with prize in Mathematics, ditto in Political Economy and History, ditto in Law, ditto in Sanserit; Clifford, highly diftiu guished with prize in Persian; Mackenzie, highly distin guished with prize in Sanserit ; Harrison, highly distin guished with prize in Classics ; Thomas, C. Lou:, Damen, W. Robertson. J. C Calvin, Arbuthnot, Crawford, highly; distinguished; Smith, Poynter, Lindsay, W. W. Rali..rtau::, passed with great credit. First Term.—M. Melvin, highly distinguished with pr:ze in Classics, ditto ia Mathematics, ditto iu Law, ditto for the best Engli h Ess,,y Browne, highly distinguished with prize in Sanscrit ; Sharpe, G. N. Barlow, Cocketcl, J. H• P. Ward, NiiCiar, Carr, Lyall, Kindersley, Prinsep, Ho• . •per, E. Colvin, hl manger, C. J. Daniell, highly ditlngui.liad; R. W. Barlow, Coul , on, Borrowdails, Grant, Reid, Than son, passed with greet credit. Rank of students leaving college, December, 1&S3: Bengal.—Firit dr.; 1, Mangles ; 2, Trotter ;3, Pro byn ;4,C. P. Elliott ; ;5, Skinner. Second class :6, Mag nin; 7, Andersen; S, Webster; 9, Daniell. No third class. Madras.—li:st class: 1, Master. Second elms : 2, Alex ander; 3, E. F. Eliott. No third class. Bombay.—First class : 1, Moriarty ; 2, G:nnc. St cond class: 3, G. W. Elliot. No third class. FINE ARTS. -4, - Mn. RALPR M'oawuM's LECTURES AT MAIZI.Eo- ROUGII-110UAE.—Last night Mr. Wornum continued his weekly lectures nn the History of Ornamental Art. These lectures draw crowded audiences, and have to be repeated in the afternoons of the days fol lowing, in order to enable all the students who are desirous of attending them to he present. Last night Mr. Wort am's lecture embraced the period of Roman degeneracy from Greek art. The lecturer showed that what is commonly understood by Roman was nothing more than the florid development and decay of Greek art, carried on in Rome by Greek artists. This decay was chiefly distinguish( dby the importance attached to the material, the extensive and barbarous U3C of gold, t xtreme attention to ac cessories to the neglect of principal features, and the loss of that clear distinction of parts which characterised good Greek as it characterises all good art. Mr. Woraum showed by extracts of Pliny, Vi truvius, and °tilers, that the critics of the time were fully aware of the baseness of their art, and spoke of it, as Ruskin and Carlyle speak of much of ours, namely, as being no more nor less than so much insanity. The lecturer gave a sketch of the house arrangement and decoration of the time of decadence, and impressed upon his auditors that Pompeii, from which the balk of our knowledge on this subject is derived, was mere:y a poor village, compared with the great cities of the empire, and that its frescoes are no more to be held as examples of the most splendid work of the time than three-halfpenny wall-papers are to be looked to as instances of our decorative art, instead of the frescoes of I)yce and the other decorators of the Houses of Parliament. MUSIC. - HARMONIC UNION. The pieces performed at Exeter Hall last evening were two secular cantatas ; Macfarren's Lenora and Handel's Alerarder's Feast. Respecting Mr. Mucfarren's work we have little to add to what we have already said. Our musical readers are aware that the poem is Bt e.;er's celebrated ballad of " Lenore," translated by Mr. John Oxenford. We are still of opinion that this ballad is not a happy subject for musical treatment,. in the form, a: least, adopted by Mr. Macfarren. The poem is an imitation of the old legendary ba".ds; long narrative ditties, in sude and homely metre, which used to be chanted to some tune so brief and simple, that any number of verses might be sung, or recited, to it. When modern poets wrote imitations of these ancient lays, u that fashion of singing was gone by, of course they were meant to be merely read, or recited in plain speech. Take any of the modern ballads written in the antique style, such as Walter Scott's Border Ballads, Macaulay's Lays cf Ancient Rome, Re., and it is plain that their simple ballad form, and their metrical rhythm, are essential features of their beauty. Just such • ballad is Bur ger's " Lenore ;" and it seems a perversion of its design and a destruction of its character, to turn it into a regular cantata, with all the pomp and circumstance of choruses, recitatives, airs, duets, and orchestral sympho pies ; the ballad being a simple sanative of a wild 1. - .tend supposed to be related by some bard or minstrel to a group of eager listeners. if you clothe such a thing with compli cated, elaborate music, the simplicity of the ballad form is lost; and what is worse, the rapid movement of the story (an essential feature) is destroyed. This incon gruity between the subject and its musical treatment, which struck us when we first heard Mr. Macfarren's cantata, struck us with equal force last night ; and we regret that Mr. Macfarren should have chosen a ec t which, not withstanding the great merit of his work in many rcti sets, will prevent it from ever gaining popularity. Last night it was care f u lly sad well performed. The solo singers, Miss Dolby, Madame Weisa, and Mr. Weis; exerted themselves ably ; and the choruses (some of wls:;h are very ditEcult) were sung with precision and effect. The orchestra, how.. ever, was by far too loud; the hurricane of drums, trumpets, trombones, and other noisy instrument., often totally drowned the voins of the singers. The Nees was warmly applauded at ita close; and the composer appeared in the orchestra to Low his acknowledgments to the audience. The performonce of Alezrutd,r's Feast was not very suc cessful. It is a charming work ; and its most besutiLd effects are produced by the clearness and simplicity of its style, and the absence of that dr pth and elaiioratimo whereby Handel gives power and grandeur to his oratorios. But on this very account it is difficult to perform it well. Last night the chorales were too poudi rous—too grave and solid—too much in the oratorio style. Tae airs, too, which are exceedingly ardaous, and demand most highly-finished singing, were intrusted to very incompetent Lands—young singers of some merit and considerable promise, but quite nnflt for the task impost:l upon them. Between the path, necalilssohn's magnificent violin con certo was phiyed by ht. Swinton in a style of consum mate excellence. which 'afforded the highest debgl.: to the amateurs.