The Express. — London, England, 1863-04-03 00:00:00

§IOOND-HAND PIANOFORTES. = A jax max. sad WOOD bays a Imp miselmeat aseemilemil Planobyrtis, by the meet esteeehed mho; es gmealfillialeel grketet-40L Reitentalayelt. gilt •xprttiO. ro . O.OI.IISPONDINTIL laweellimeents Intended for " . 111;17pr - ;;" Leaboe Evening =mist be se Quo odes, le, Bouveel•4lbeel. by Two I, es ibe day cd gebbeaeleo. gArmAizzr. OD Banat MoNDAT, mum( ADO ABOUT NOTHING. yre.r.. Howe, Ocnaptou, lama: Hoodlums R. l O. Tw* &e. BUCKSTON I AT BOHR—And BORROWING A HUSB A ND. i Mu Marls Hawk, etc. LYCEUM. Ow Henn MoirAT, A AUDDRN ATTACK. Mews. More sad Wlddlcoreb ; Mlr Bland° wad Mn Lee.—Awd THE DOW MOTTO. Mena Yachter, Shore. Bre:wham, sad itaysierwl Mesa C. Leeleroci, X. Terry, and IlkwortAy. BRITANNIA. To-Ntoßlow 'Timm TOR COURIXR 01 , LYON& Mews Reynold& Bird. and Drummond . Mrs. Z. Yarnold. —JEAN NI E DEANS. Mr. BI sad Mrs. & Dian —And THE RETURN OY THE WAN Mr. and Mrs. Cranford. MOE WATER AT LONDON NALIDCUL TEN DAT —WeirslAL IL Ms. ....AllineoL 16 •9CL 1000asow.41arales. !6 ao•—•ifterlogo• 2 h. UAL LONDON, FRIDAY, APRIL 3. MR. SCHOLZFIELD has succeeded in getting his Bill for the establishment of Partnerships with limited liability read a second time. Expe rience unfortunately proves that, notwithstand ing this partial success, the Bill is by no means secure. Only last year a similar Bill reached the same stage, but was ultimately rejected. And, indeed, within the last twenty years, it must be remembered that all attempts to accom plish this contemplated legal reform have failed. The arguments in favour of the principle of Mr. &BOLIVIA:1.1;S Bill are conclusive. There is not a single speculative lawyer, political economist, or small capitalist who is opposed to the measure. If the question be argued upon general grounds, it must be admitted that when two or more parties are willing to con tract on certain terms, they are prima facie entitled to do so. If any restrictions are to be put upon them, those who propose the restrictions ought to furnish cogent evidence of their necessity. If the principle of limited liabi lity were still an open question—if there were no such things in this country as joint-stock compa nies in which the liability of each shareholder is limited—the cam might be different. But, as was pointed out more than once in the course of the de bate a few days ago, the principle of limited liability has been conceded, and, as Mr. MstrNs added, the advantage of the concession has been proved by the number of persona who have availed them selves of it. According to a Parliamentary return no fewer than 2,334 companies have been regis tered between 1857 and the end of 1862, exclu sive of joint-stock banks. It seems, therefore, idle to say that the facilities afforded by the new legislation to small capitalists are not fully appreciated. The only question now is whether the same facilities might not be extended further. At present any seven persons by signing what is called a memorandum of association may form a company. And the liability of each member of such a company may be limited to any particular rum. Now, why stop here? What reason can there be against permitting three or four persons to constitute themselves limited partners, or against four persons constituting themselves limited partners, and two others unlimited part ners? This is a species of contract which is re cognised in every other system of law except that of England. Acid if anyone chooses to take the trouble to look into the Code de Commerce which forms a principal chapter in NAPOLRON'S great work, he will find the several kinds of this peculiar partnership accurately defined. That Code has been adopted by many of the nations of Europe, and the same law has been adopted in the several American States. Whatever the objection to such a partnership may be, it certainly is not that of giving practical effect to the principle of limited liability by a fit legislative enactment. Mr. THOMAS BARING, indeed, says that if Mr. SCHOLITIZLD'S Bill is adopted "the whole founds " tion of oommerMil security" will be destroyed. But even if this great capitalist were serious in his alarms for the "mercantile morality" of England —which, however, the &r imos-Gimes'. seemed to doubt—he is only repeating what was said again and again by Lord Ovmsrows and other great bankers, when they vainly opposed the principle of limited liability some few years ago. The amusing thing is that Mr. SCHOLIFIRLD'S Bill introduces no new principle. Indeed, accord ing to Sir linos Cis, there are means even now by which the institution of a partnership of limited liability may be esta blished. The only effect, therefore, if the Bill were to become law, would be to permit that to be done directly which can be done now indi rectly, or by the aid of an ingenious conveyancer. As the law stands at present, if the clerk of • mercantile firm is paid in proportion to profits, or receives a salary in the ratio of profits, he is not liable as a partner ; but if he receives a share of profits he is liable as a partner. Again, a man may furnish the whole capital of • trad ing partnership, and take securities for re payment, yet even if he stipulates for 15 or 20 per cent. interest, instead of a moderate share of profits, he pill not be liable as a partner. Such irrational distinctions it is impossible to defend. But the fact that they exist implies the fact that partnerships with limited liability practically exist also, so that Mr. BARING% dread of revolutionising the foundations of Euglishoommerocis superfluous. The only effect of Mr. Scuoisriar.a's Bill will be to facilitate the establishment of such limited part. nerships. - In an ordinary partnership, according to the _ law of England, every partner is liable to the whole extent of his fortune, and hitherto any one who shared in the profits of a concern has been considered a partner. Such wu the principle established by a judgment of Chief Jus tice Eras at the end of the last century. It is now proposed to modify this principle. A man is not to be made liable to his uttermost farthing because he is interested in a commercial concern. So long as the creditors have notice that an indi vidual is not responsible for more than a certain mom, they are not to be allowed to sue him for more than that sum. Creditors may or may not deal with a partnership of this sort. That must be at their own option. But if they deal with full notice of the nature of the part• nership, they have nothing to complain of. The advantages of such partnerships are obvious. A man starting in business may have no capital. His friends or his former master may be very willing to assist him. If the friend or the master want to lend him money, the young man has no security to offer. If either proposes to take a share in the profits of the concern, he is in danger of being made • partner. In this dilemma the capitalist finds it difficult to move. Again, what ever facilitates the employmeSl of **spits' rd. motes commercial activity and increases the pros perity of the country. There are of course sissy small capitalists who would be very willing to embark a small sum in an undertaking, but who would hesitate to do so if their whole fortune would be jeopardised. The object of Mr. SCHOLEYIELD . B Bill is to meet both difficulties. A man is not to be made liable merely because he lends money, nor even because he is entitled to a certain proportion of the profits. There are, however, two points in which the Bill in question is manifestly defective. In the first place, although it is clear that all partnerships in which any of the members are only liable to a certain sum ought to be ear-marked or registered, it is equally clear that there can be no necessity for registering any other kinds of partnership. It is to be hoped, therefore, that clause 18 will be modified. In the second place, it appears to us that no partner whose liability is limited should be allowed to take part in the management of the concern. A limited partner ought to be looked upon simply as a per son who supplies a certain amount of capital. The others should conduct the business, and should of course be liable to their last farthing. This is the principle generally adopted in other countries, and its soundness is not to be questioned. Cbt eourt. WINDSOR CANTLE, Aran. 2. The Queen, accompanied by Princess Louis of Hems, drove out yesterday afternoon, attended by Lieute nant-General Hon. C. Grey, Equerry-in-Waiting. . . Prince Arthur, attended by Major ilphinstons, arrived at the Castle last evening from the Ranger's Lodge, Green wich Park. Prince Alfred, and Prince Louis of Hesse, rode on horse back, attended by Captain Westerweller. Colonel the Hon. A. H►rdinge, C. 8., has succeeded Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. D. de Hoe, as Equerry-in• Waiting. The ancient and royal charities amcselated with Mau day Thursday were distributed yesterday to 44 mid men, and 44 aged women, in Whitehall Chapel, with the customary ceremonial The number of each sex corresponds with the age el bar Most Oestrous Majesty the Queen. At 2 o'clock a processioc, coexisting of a detachment of the Yeomen of the GYM!, under the commend of Sergeant- Major King (one of the yeomen carrying the royal aline in a gold salver of the reign of King William and Queen Mary), The Rev. Dr. Jell, sub-almoner, Joseph Hanby, Esq., eronstary and yeoman of the almoury, and his aasietant, acoosipanied by six children, two from each of the parishes of St. John the Evangelist, and St. Margaret's, West minder, and from St. Mnryle•Stnod, who bad been selected for participation in this privilege for their good conduct, proceeded from the Almoery•oftice in Scotland- The arrival of the procession having been signified to the Lord Bishop of Oxford, Lord High Almoner, and to the Sub-Dean of the Chapel Royal, the Rev. Francis Garden, M.A., they, preceded by Mr. Liogerd, Sergeant of the Vestry of the Chapel Royal, met it at the entrance, and took their places immediately after the yeoman with the alms. The whole procession they &droned in the following order, en. : The Boys of the Chapel Royal ; The Gentlemen of the Chapel Royal ; The Priests of the Chapel Royal ; The Sergeant-Major of the Yeoman of the Guard; The Sergeant of the Vestry ; The Lord High Almoner; The Sub-Almoner and the Sub-Dean ; The Children from the National Schools ; The Yeoman of the Ahnonry and his Assistant ; The Yeomen of the Guard. The procession passed up the centre aisle to the steps of the altar, aid the Lord High Almoner, the Sub-Almoner, the Sub-Dean, and those forming the procesmion, having taken their assigned places, on either side of the chapel, the royal alias being deposited in front of the royal closet, the afternoon service (a special service for the occasion) was im pressively read by the Rev. Dr. Vivian, Senior Priest in Waiting, commencing with the Exhortation, 0011111SliON Absolution, &c. ; 41st prim (The Grand Chant). First Lesson, St. Matthew, 25th chap., from v., 14, to v. 31. For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who milled his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods." First Anthem (41st Psalm). —" Blamed is he that con. sidereth the poor and needy ; the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble."—Sir George Smart. 1/. 15s. distributed Meech woman. T 3 each man shoes and stockings. Second Anthem (A Prayer)—" Hide not Thou Thy face from us, 0 Lord, and cast not off Thy servants in Thy displeasure : for we confer our dm unto Thee, sod hide SIOi oar unrighteousassa. For Thy TIMItC)'• sake deliver no from all our sios."—Farrent. Woollen and limn cloths distributed. Third Anthem —(6lst Psalm, 6th verse) :—" 0 Lord, grant the Queen a long lite, that her years may endure throughout all generations." 7th vase—" She shall dwell before God for ever : 0 prepare Thy loving mercy and faith fulness, that they may preserve her." Ll2od Foam, 113th verse—" As for her enemies, clothe them with shame : but upon herself let her crown flourish."—Nate. Purses distributed. Second lama, St. Matthew, 25th chap., begin v. 31, to tha sad : "When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with him, thee shell He sit upon the throw of His glory." Fourth Anthem.—(lsaiah 63, Ist var.)," Who is this that cometh from Edom, that Y glacier's in his apparel, Ms. Telling in the greatness of his strength! I that speak in righteousness, mighty to 'ave." 16th ter.—" Doubtless Thou art our Father, our Redeemer ; Thy name is from everlasting. Matthew 21st, 9th var. —" Hosansch to the Son of David ; Maned is he that °meth in the name of the Lord : Llosannah in the highest! Amen."—Arnold. Then followed two prayer composed for the occasion. Then followed the prayer for the Queen. Earth red purse contained the usual gold sovereign, and a- further sum of U. sod 10s. as • maimutation in lieu of provimons, formerly issued from the Lord Steward's depart ment of the Queen's household. Each white purse couteinsd.the Manoday coin, consisting of 4d., 3d., 3d., and pence in silver amounting to 44 pence, these of her Majesty. The clergymen from her Majesty's Chapel Royal who Weeded on this occasion vex, the Sub Dean, the Rey. Francis ()sedan, ILA., Re.. Dr. Vivian, Rev. T. Halmos% J. Clarke Haden, J. V. Poveb, and C. Parke. The gentlemen from her Majesty's Chapel Royal in at. tendaoce were Basra Chapman, &ruby, Alachua, Cum mins, Lawler, Benson, Thomas, Wynn, and Fester, Yr. Cooper presided at the organ. One of the Alaunday women, Catherine Osborne, aged 77 years, a Flemish woman, who married a soldier of the 3rd Regiment of Fusilier Guards, died a few days ago, and was buried on the 31st Ida This woman was on the field at Waterloo succouring the wounded British soldiers, and binding up their wounds by means of her own dream torn into bandages. The Lord High Almoner kindly granted the royal bounty for this distribution to the members of Catherine Osborne's family. The purses were made upon this occasion by the poor children of the iodestriel schools recently esteldiehed in the Victoria Dock-reed. Oa Friday and Saturday in the past week,and oe Mooday and Timidity is the correct week, her Majesty's royal bounty of sa. with, and the royal pie alms of 13s. each, were dis tributed to aged sod descrying poor who bad been previously selected by the Lord Hugh Almost and by the Sob- Almoner from those who had bola reoommeoded by various elargynim is London and its vicinity. The number relieved amounted to Dearly 1,000 permits. The diatributme was arranged and 000dacted by Joseph Hanby, Esq., secretary sod yeoman of the Almonry in Ordinary. Despatches were seat yesterday from the Colonial-offiee to the GOTOTZIOII of Canada, Gibraltar, Malta, Umloa . Hoeg-Kos.g, sad Karl Cowley, we (Ga Firms) understand, intends giving • state diluter sad westing party on Wedneedikr next to celebrate the marriage of the Prises of Welsh hie lord shiP.• absent* is gegland when the ceremony took pines having prevented his doing eo at the time. A splendid illumination is being prepered in the garden. EVERYBODY KNOWS Mr. MILES. Alfred Webb Itiles RIWOVID FROM BOND-511UMT to 7% BKOOLSTILEST, Iliusoveroquare, to WM 'The lee /*mews (nekeweiod by him) to all she Yew Patterns, BM= THAN IVLIL" EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL 3, 1863. those customs duties which are levied epos the importation of foreign comnlciaidee and the produce of foreign inanst , 7 has nememsay led toe larger importation teem thread. lad «enigma* a larger exportation of the produce of Billadi industry. (Cheers.) No foreign nation will seed se their goods for nothing ; they expect to be paid for them. The trade between nations is a trade of barter, of exchange, of commodity for commodity; and, therefore, every amount of importation of foreign commodities into this country mist, by consequence, carry with it a corre speeding expo:tidies of equal valued the produce of the in dustry of the people of this country, which was never more thriving than it has been since then liberal system of com merce has been introduced. Whereas immerses ago-1 believe tee or fifteen yeses ago—the aggregate valued( the exported commodities of the country was about 60 millions, I be lieve that in the last yes: and the year before it amounted to 120 millions or 130 minims, a most striking proof that the liberal spirit of cowmen, so far from crushing and extinguishing the manufactures of the country, has in fact doubled the demand for them in all parts of the world. (Cheer.) Well, then, there were the shipping interests, and we were told when we wanted to liberalise that part of our industry, when we proposed to take off those res trictions upon the purchase of foreign vessels which bad long been considered by builders of ships as the security by which alone they could expect to derive any profit ; when we proposed that we were told that we were ruining the shipping interest ; and a most distinguished member of that interest, then a member of the House of Commons, adjured um almost with teen in his eyes to abstain from inflicting ruin and destruction upon them. (laughter and cheers.) What do we see now? We see all your maritime ports, where private en terprise and capital are constructing those magnificent Yes. eels that are to ride proudly to every part of the world, and,bring back equal returns—we see them crowdedlwith workmen ; our ears are dinned with the buy hum of in dustry ; we see their docks and building-yards filled with vessels in different stages of construction ; in fact, we find that those nations, the Swedes, the North Americans, and the nations of the Baltic, who, it was said, would undo us in shipbuilding, and deprive our shipbuilders of their market at home, we have found them coming to England to buy ships ; coming to this country, where the shipbuilding in dusty was to be ruined and destroyed—coming here instead of building at home. And why? Because here they find better skill, better labour, and the greater accu mulation by the operations of commerce of all the elements of shipbuilding ; and they find that they can in the United Kingdom procure better and cheaper and more lasting ships than they could make in their own country, which was the object of so much alarm. (Loud applause.) I am thinking now of the time when men thought that wood was the only material that would float upon water, when they believed that iron was too heavy, and would go to the bottom. (laughter.) That illusion has been dispelled. Now we see almost all the vessels which carry the commerce of the country built of iron. There are exceptions, I believe, in reread to the timber trade and some other branches of navigation, for which wooden vessels are still preferred, but that change from wood to iron has been most advantageous to the ship building interests of this country, and more especially to the Clyde and the Forth, because hers you have these elements; here you have that iron corresponding with the timber that grew in the Baltic and North America ; here, too, you bare the coal by which that iron is to be worked ; therefore you have every advantage of natural material, and you have also that advantage for which you are eminent above all the nations of the world, namely, the advantage of mechanical skill sod persevering labour, and of accumulated capital, by which that skill and labour can be brought to bear. (Cheers.) Well, then, I, Mr. Provost, accept with cordiality that testimony which you have offered to me in words, and which this great town of Leith affords in visible objects, to the merit and truth of those principles of free trade which of late years have formed the foundation and the aim of the legislation of the country. (Cheers.) I newt that your prosperity, which if founded on these great natural advantages—and when I say natural advantages I include not only those phy sical advantages of position and of access by water which you enjoy, but also those creative powers with which nature has endowed your people—l trust that these natural advantages will carry you still further in that progress of im provement of which I have seen with such delighted snider tion those great and remarkable specimens to-day. I can only say that any government which may succeed ours—for our government, I need DO/ /ST, make DO promiees, because we refer to acts, but I am persuaded that no government which by the sanction and support of parliament can ever be placed in the east of power, will ever fail to pursue those prin. ciples of enlightened legislation by which your prosperity has hitherto been so greatly advanced, and by which, I trust, in future times it is destined freely to surpass that which with delight and pride I have witimmed this day. Hr. Provost and gentlemen, I beg spin to thank yen most cordially for the kind address you have presented, and for this magnificent reception, and can assure you I shall carry away with me from the town of Leith sentiments of the deepest gratitude for the kindness which its inhabitants have shown me on this occasion. (Loud cheers.) The PROVOST then called for three cheers for Lord Palmer ston ; and three cheers were given to the Provost for pre siding. The noble load subsequently lunched in the council chambers, and proceeded to Edinburgh by an early train. Ile remains tonight the guest of the Lord Advocate, and will return to London to-morrow. After the despatch of our report of the proceedings et the Edinburgh Banquet on Wedoesday evening etyma toasts were proposed, including "Her Majesty's Mioisters," which was responded to by the Duke of Argyll; "The two Houses of Parliarneot ;" "The Free Coestitutions in Europe ;' "The Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh," proposed by Lord Palmerston, &c. His Excellency the Marquis d'Azeglio left the Italics Legation yesterday for the Easter ream. The Duke of Wellington left town yesterday for Stratlifieldsaye. The Duchess of Wellington will joie his grace on Saturday. The Duchess (Emily) of Beaufort and Lady Edith Somerset returned to town on Wednesday from visiting the Dasher of Beaufort and family at Badminton. The Marchioness (Maria) of Aileahury has joined the circle visiting the Duke and Duchess of Manchester at Kimbolton Castle, near Huntingdon. Earl Cathcart has left Maurigy's Hotel for Thorston-le•Stniet, Think. Viscount Palmerston and the Right Hon. William F. Cowper, ILE, will leave S.:ottani to-morrow morning for London. Viscount and Viscountess Campden have left Portman-square, for the Continent, and contemplate a protracted residence abroad. The funeral of Viscount Templetown is to take place to-morrow at Kensal-green Cemetery. The Baron and Baroness Weldenbourg and family have arrived at the Brunswick, Jennynetreet, from Baden-Baden. The Hoe. Blanche Thellusson has arrived at the Queen'. Hotel, Upper Norwood. Lieutenant-General Augeratein baa arrived at Maurigy's Hotel from Brandon, Norfolk. Mr. and Mra. Webb, of Newatead Abbey, have left the St. George's Hotel for Scotland. AN Osmium DirricuLvv.—We happened to wit ness a alight difficulty the other day. It so happened that there were eleven passengers in the omnibus, one side of which was occupied by five ladies, whose ample dresses left no vacant space. A twelfth passenger appeared, in the shape of a broad•etenied broad-brimmed old Quaker, with one of those unruffled Imperturbable faces so common among his sect. The conductor opened the door, pushed him in. shut it with a bang, and shouted "Right!" We were off, and 1 the impetus propelled him like a cannon ball to the other end of the carriage ; at length he seised one of the brass rods, end began to realise the difficulties of his position. There were six passengers, the lawful number, on one side ; there was no vacant space there ; so he turned his eyes to the other. The five ladies were packed as does as her riogs in • barrel ; they gave 110 sign ; they seemed eves 1111. conecions of his presence. He surveyed them slowly on* by one, but his appealing look produced no effect. At length a sodden chasms came over him ; a sleepy, dreamy szereasioe stole over his face ; be believed himself at home, and about to seat himself is his own easy chair. Perhaps he thought of his usual after-dinner nap ; at all events, he quietly drew his coat tails aside, turned his beck to the ladies, and dropped himself heavily down. There was a suppressed scream, a titter, and a sudden movement which left sulleleat apses for his ample perms. The ladies avenged themselves by talking of and at him the whole way, la !arguers that was far from coeoplimeetary ar par liamentary ; but he seemed mildly ancemoious of all that was taming around him, and convinced that my laughter wee si sign df Incipient imanity.—Freser's Afenesies for LORD PALMERSTON'S VISIT TO SCOTLAND LEITH. TiOLSDAT NIGHT. Lord Palmerston arrived here shortly after two o'clock, and wesoonducted by the Provost over the OM docks, and the various improvements seggested in the town and her hour were pointed out and described to his lordship. The *obis visitor afterward' proceeded to the ecru Exchange, where a large company assembled to meet him, and was there presented with an address from the corporate autho rities of the town. Lord PauteiterroN, in reply to the address, said—l am deeply sensible of the kindness which led you to invite me to this distinguished meeting, and which has prompted those expressions of approbation and confidence which are contained in the address that I have just had the honour to receive. Nothing can be more gratifying to those who are engaged in the public *orrice than receiving expressions of approval on the part of the en lightened communities in the country, and where you, Mr. Provost, in that address, and the municipality of the town, point specially to those madame which in recent times have tended to encourage the development of the pro ductive industry and the commercial enterprise of the country, I mod feel that there is no community better en titled tosppreciateany benefits which may have been conferred upon the country in that direction than the people of Leith. I have been happy enough to receive strong and flattering demonstrations of personal regard and approval of my gene ral conduct from those parts of Scotland which I have minted before I came here. I received them on the banks of the Clyde, and I should indeed have been mortified if I bed not received them also on the banks of the lath—(cheers)—and I em glad to find that though the waters of the Clyde were warm and re fresbing, those of the Forth are equally so. (Cheers.) It is cow, gentlemen, many long years since I visited the town of Leith. The great features of nature remain as they were. Your noble estuary is, as then, open to receive every friendly visits, and open also for the departure of your vessels to every quarter of the globe. That pliant island lochkeitb still rises gloriously from the waters of the Forth—your beautiful prospects are still bounded by those picturesque hills of Fifeehire which are the admiration of all. (Cheers) Your links are not perhaps so crowded with golf players as they used to be—(loud cheers)— ' —because that game, I am told, has somewhat migrated to- wards the north. Your sands, lam told, are not so much trodden by the heels of the racing courser as they used to be — (cheers)—but, then, they still are for pleasure and recreation, and your noble waters afford equal advantage for health in bathing. (Loud cheers and laughter.) These great features of mature which you have it now in your power to offer, re. main the rune. There is one lamentable exception. There is that unhappy water of Leith—(cheers, and laughter)— one might wish, for its sake, it were the waters of Lithe —(renewed cheering and laughter)—that it might forget its former glories and the happiness of its former days, bus then, it is like "the last rose of summer—ilanghter, and great cheering)—left mourning alone—All its lovely companion—(namely, the old trading smacks)—now faded sad gone." (Great laughter and cheering.) In the days of which I speak, its muddy bottom was covered at low water with a great accumulation of very small and indifferent wooden ships. They are gone—peace go with them. But though the great features of nature are unchanged, I should hardly know again the Leith of my former years. Whatever way I turn I face the results of British intelligence, of ample and well-guided expenditure of capital, of aerosol al and skilful perseverance; and your town, which at that time could not rank high among those communities which are placed by nature on the banks of admirable estuaries, now deserves to be classed in the first ranks of British ports. (Cheers.) I have traversed to-day with the graded delight three splendid docks which of late years have been the creation of your genius and your in dustry, and it is a proud satisfaction to the people of Leith to know, that they have built the finest dock for the reception of vessels and for their :spire which exists in any port at lead of the east coast of the kingdom. (Cheers.) You have a dock 400 feet long, within 20 feet of being large enough to receive even the Warrior and Black Prima, but large enough to repair all the other ships of her Majesty's navy if they should require, in consequence of any disaster, either of tempest or of action, to come to your friendly port for refitting or repair. Well, this is a noble work, and one which should content ordinary men ; but I have had shown to me a pine which you contemplate carrying into execu tion on a much larger scale, which will afford brim and docks almost unrivalled except perhaps by the great towns of Liverpool and London. (Cheers.) I trust you will be able to accomplish this, and to your honour be it said that all you have done, and I belie►e I may also smut, all you are going to do, has been dose by the expenditure of your own capital and industry, and therefore it is doubly ho. nonrsble to you, and more advantageous it will be in the end than if it had been the result of donations from other parts of the empire. (Cheers.) Your worthy provost has adverted to the muse which this and preceding governments have punned in regard to the commerce of the country. Well, there was a time when it was believed that the interest sad the profit of the few was to be preferred to the interest and the advantage of the many. When monopolies were hold to be sacred things, not to be touched by the profane hands of innovation, when exclusive privileges and protection were considered to be the foundation of national prosperity, I remember a very enlightened foreigner talking to me upon the subject, and maintaining, and I was unable to con vince him of his error, that it was all very well for England to counsel liberality of commerce and the abolition of restrictions and protection, these being the ladder by which, in his opinion, she had risen to greatness and prosperity, and that we were acting a treacherous part to other countries in advising them, before they had reached our commerce, to cad away the means by which alone we had reached that summit. Why, I told him—You are taking the wrong end of your argument; these restric tions, which you ray were the means of our greatness, have retarded its accomplishment (Cheery.) They have been the obstacles which have prevented the earlier development of the natural energies and resources of the country, and you now, by persevering in following our steps in error, will only be the longer before you arrive with us at that summit of truth. (Loud cheers.) Well, gentlemen, strong sad ancemsful in point of argument as those were who advocated free trade and the unrestricted exchange of commodities with other countries, so long was it before practical men could be convinced of the truth. We were told—This is all very well in theory, but we are practical men ; you are theorists and idle dreamers; practical men &loth are those who are capable of judging of the effect of legislation upon human affairs. Well, it has often and well been said that the prac tical man was the greatest theorist, only he was a bad theorist ; that he founded his opinions upon the theory which ha had based upon narrow education, and upon a mistaken view of the foundation upon which theories ought to met ; that those which he called theorists had founded their opinion. upon a larger and more rational view of things ; that they therefore were right, and that lie, conse quently, was wrong. (Hear, hear.) Great and obstinate was the battle fought between those theorists and those practical men, both commercial, and manufacturing, and agricultural ; all thought that those theorists were their ' bitterest enemies—that their theories, if carried into practice, would be the ruin of all the industry of the country, sod, therefore, they resisted them, as it were, to the death. Well, their resistance was vain, but their death was not the consequence of their defeat. (laughter.) Look around in every direction, traverse your agricultural districts, ice., those parts that you were told were to be left barren and uncultivesed the moment that the country was to be deluged by the importation of foreign corn. Wh►t errors are often comprised in and imported by the mirapplicatiou of a word, and because "deluge' is a word that conveys the idea of a submersion of land by water, and the extinction of life and property, the application of the word "deluge . ' to the importation of the staff of life created a pre judice in the trials of men, and they said, For Heaven's sake duel bring upon us a second "deluge" in the shape of imputation of the staff of life. (Laughter and cheers.) Well, look is your agricul tural districts, see what new life has been inspired by the competition which the abolition of the laws has produced; how science has been brought to the aid of agriculture ; machinery which never before was thought applicable to the cairn, of the land has been largely sad most beneficially introduced for the purpose. Ask now the owners end the renters of land, and they will tall you, if you are now capable of conviction, that they see their error, that they would not have protection back again if it could be bestowed up= them, and that they admit the advantages which have accrued even to them by the extensios of the commercial intercourse of the runts" with other OSiiOllS. (Load cheers.) ; The manufacturers rid, If you let is the geode's of foreign industry nobody will bey oars, and we shall be reduced to beggary. Why, every reduction which bad been made in LATNIT INTELLIGENCE. SPAIN. The Madrid journals of the 30th ult. state that IL Pavia has been named maritime prefect at Havannah and DL Herrera at Manilla. The ceremony of decorating the Prince of the Asturias with the Grand Cordon of ,the Legion of Honour took place thel preceding day, at the p•laee at Madrid. Her Majesty had near her the King her husband, and the great officers of the royal house hold. The young prince, in the uniform of • corporal of Chatuseurs, was placed between his august parents. The French Ambassador, in pre senting the insignia to her Majesty, said : Madam,—l place in your Majesty's hands the insignia of the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour which the Emperor, my august sovereign, has conferred on the Prince of the Asturian in order that your Majesty may have the pleasure of decorating the prince yourself. I shall not allow myself to add anything to the tenor of the letter addressed to your Majesty by the Emperor. Let your Majesty only deign to permit me to congratulate myself cc having been chosen to perform this honourable Mill ion, and to manifest to you the hope th►t one day, when the prince shall have become a man, he will consider the insignia which the two young princes of Spain and France will have worn for the first time as it were simultaneously, on the same day, as a bond of sym- pathy and affection which will always unite them as are now united the two government' and the two countries of which both of them are the love and the hope. The Queen replied as follows : Monsieur l'Ambassadear—Be kind enough to make known to the Emperor, your august sovereign, the astir faction which I feel at this fresh proof of his cordiality to. wards Spain, and towards my family. The investiture of the honourable order, with the insignia of which lam about to decorate my young son, will doubt less be a permanent reminiscence of the friendly relations existing between France and Spain, and the honourable exception made by the Emperor u regards the age of the Prince of the Asturias will be an additional proof of the interest which his Imperial Majesty has on more than one occasion manifested towards my family. I am delighted, Monsieur rAmbarsadenr, that you, whom 1 esteem, should be the faithful interpreter of those sentiments and the medium between his Imperial Majesty and myself on this so pleasing an occasion. The Queen then placed the insignia on the breast of the prince. Their Majesties afterwards addressed some friendly remarks to the ambassador and the members of the embassy, and the proceed ings terminated. (REUTIeII IMILIONAXIL) DEFEAT OF THE IMPERIAL FORCES IN CHINA. DESTRUCTION OF THE BRITISH LEGA• TION IN JAPAN. (By telegraph from Salm) • SHANGHAE, Fro. 23. The late General Ward's and the Imperial forces have suffered a severe defeat in the storming of Tai lain. The casualties among the united forces amounted to 500. The expedition to Fooshan has failed. Advioes received here from Japan announce that the British Legation at Yeddo hsd been destroyed by gunpowder by the Japanese. No fatal acci dent, however, resulted. The country was unsettled. MELBOURNE, Fn. 23. Dissatisfaction prevails in the Council at the proposal of England to renew the transportation system. The total amount of gold shipped since the de parture of the last mail amounts to 99,375 oz. Intelligence received here from New Zealand announces the total wreck of her Majesty's ship Orpheus, on Manakan Bar. Commodore Burne and Commander Burton, together with 188 men, officers and crew, were drowned. AIISTRLI. VIENNA. Ana 2. The Vienna papers of to-day publish a telegram from Constantinople, dated the 28th ult., stating that the Prince of Berri& has expressed to the Porte a desire to re-establish friendly relations with it, and to make every concession that the interests of Berrie will allow him to do. According to the same telegram the second divi sion of the Turkish army has received orders to occupy the line of the Balkan as far as Donas. It is stated that Aeli Pseha will be appointed Grand Vizier. The rumour of the taking of Herat was unfounded. RUSSIA. ST. PETERSBURG, Ann. 2. The resignation tendered by Prince Lobanoff, the Russian ambiumador at Constantinople, has been accepted. . . . . ... . . .. . . ASI imperial decree has been published fixing the duty on raw sugar imported into Rings by land at 2} roubles, and that on refined sugar im ported by sea at roubles. of his weather predictions. He at the same tim e prophecied afresh that " between March 29 and April 2 there would be violent gales and very hea vy rains in most parte of western Europe, and that the navigation in the Channel would be particularly dangerous." " Millions of people," he went on t o say, " will be able to verify my predictions about the rains from March 29 to April 2." M Mathis, de la Drams being really a learned man, and IL 1, de Girardin and others having complained that the Institute of France did not pay sufficient attentioe to his prophecies, I made a note of the above in ray pocketbook, and I now send my report of the ached weather, during the period assigned, in that pa rt of western Europe called Paris. The mornin g of the 29th was cloudy, but not a dr o p of rain fell, and there was a soft, s a w, western breeze. At noon the sun came out, and there followed that unusually fine spring 'Niue* which was enjoyed by the thousands who west to the Vinoennes steeplechase. From that time to 6 o'clock in the evening of April 2, the hour at which I am now writing, there has been no rain in Paris. For the last 24 hours we have had a cloud less sky. The moonlight night was soft and balmy, and the north-east breeze to-day is singularly gentle. Daring M. Mathieu's four dam the Channel, which was to have been so dangerous, has delivered its mails backwards and forwards with the utmost regularity ; and multitudes of meteorological tele. grams attest that the weather generally throughout western Europe has been neither stormy nor wet. It in, therefore, for M. Mathieu de Ls Drome to show cause, if he can get listeners, why his predic tions are better than those of a Murphy's almanack. "M. Mathieu de la Drome," observes the Saint Public of Lyons, "had predicted tempests and heavy rain in all the south of France, and prin. cipally at Lyons and Geneva, from the 29th March to the 2nd April. We have now reached the latte r of those dates, and the sky has not been obscured for a single moment." A Poitiers newspaper, the Journal de la Vienne, contains an account of the arrival in that city by railway of the Duke of Beaufort's hounds. The natives were greatly struck by the appearance of the hanteman and whips. "Their faultless dress, their scrupulous neatness, the dignity of their man• ners, the order and regularity which go• yarned all their movements" are said to have attracted general attention. After leaving the railway they were in marching order in a few minutes. A detachment of regular cavalry could not have done better or quicker. They proceeded in perfect order to the Hotel le France and thenceito Nienil-l'Eepoir, where his grace is to stay. The duke is accompanied by several friends, among whom are members of the Paris Jockey Club and the Imperial Hunt. Easter Tuesday is fixed for the opening day of this grand wolf hunting. It is rumoured that Verdi is at work upon a new opera called Sala/sea°, to be produced not later than 1866, and that K Flaubert will be assisted by M. Theophile Gautier in the composition of the libretto. On Sunday last a number of the tame doves which perch upon the trees of the Tuileries, and feed out of the hands of visitors, were poisoned by some villain or madman who has not yet been dis covered. EXPRESS FROM PARIS. (110 K 003 OWN PARIS, THURSDAY ERRING. Although the Opinion Nationale, which is the principal Polish organ in Paris, disbelieves the DESPATCH OF THE WENT INDIA, PACIFIC, AND news that the Warsaw committee has ordered the MEXICAN Mine.—The Royal Mail Company's ship La insurgents to lay down their arms, and treats it ellia3l;.eic4Pietiviglie:pe sailed fTsu;orS°l3,l:ititr yesterday , as an invention of telegraphic agencies, the in- West Indies, Mexico, the Pacific, California. C entral telligenoe was generally credited at the Bourse. are Col on el i l w B'orkgeertahreird is l i r th Fo l i tLpasa for tasmninosg ara m w d h t o b m . That belief, added to the apparently firm position Rev. Mr. Lawrence and Lieutenant Beowne for Jamaica. of M. Fould and the triumph of his financial The La Plata took out on freight English gold coal. principles, has completely restored confidence. 21 e0 j1 57 :j e sil , v afri:. 2s ' ' a ir e i' e m aDd e jeweile ?' I,. : i. „r x ,' ; w ,, Fr C r y d ; The Rente closed very firm with a rise of 650., 6 . .. ~008/. • sad a full cargo of French and . Eagle& mer and Mobi li er rose 35fr. Railways were firm, with Caap"M‘ c , oRATINO CARNIVAL IN TORONTO.—The skating the exception of the rival companies, Lyons and canival sad competition at the Victoria Pond, Torooto, on Southern, whose shares fell 7fr. or Kr. the 28th of February, attracted a very large number of The France says that the committee of the Corps s b P.„7, t g 4t° "' Oct present slur D g Inftelhnoooutr:lluclfieswahnd gen tlemen Legialatif appointed to examine the new bill on to take the grestest g intenet in the 'prom 0 hogs A Mo d of companies with limited liability has pronounced music was ete r 'essed at the entrance end of the pood, and against the restrictive clauses, and in favour of the play ed of the sun airs a 11111:10jathwetrire was tition i ; ot O i :i:g ta r tr d . utmost freedom of transactions ; the bill has there- condition, and the skaters had to confine their operatioss to . fore been sent back to the, Council of State for a smalswnon at the southern side of the pond A large ring was f ormed by the spectators, the greater proper ion revision. of whom were ladies, and the competition for the muse It is stated positively that Prince Napoleon 'a c c rjr:l7 l .: b j:l t ie . thr Z o ' a t e rb ili • feat' "li ere r. perfectly b""8/. going to Egypt next week. The Princess Clothilde , ing. The ia;rll of _looomotiro were en eo w tirolj reversed, and on remains in Paris. The prince, who will be absent I their " ir'on'clad" they they propelled themselves as ramMy back as i ' th' much to thedelight of the @recta who "iii . upwards of a month, takes with him a train of !It .. t . m . , c.diwr i 6rseb " . The y turTh'd aid tlnsta in means, and in their company will visit the battle- OW their approbation when any feat of an extraordinary elsa• fields of the First Consul, the Pyramids, and the r T il " . . j o u " nowTrull/ l' i l e nt kl t t l : l ; kat T,. `" will' with "tba„ works of the Isthmus of Sues canal. It is expected' utmost itonrhalasee, and was his feet again in a twist. I that the prince will meet the Sultan, who, ac-1 ling and whirling about ...., of the ra L on Pidly i ,". ... A bek".... ; Pill'i' da ahi cording to the latest telegram, was to start from I played by ''''' mole a t ,ls a f e i y "T o l s : --enc ;ses — ii; Constantinople for Egypt this day. the competition for the prize to be awarded to the best En• There will be an election of two academicians I "ea,. astanis i s" ,,,t r a d e servingrm" t r i : ° ,, n o tl! bey Irldissad."`T/I,Tiu, por t ed 'on St. George's-day, April 23, in the place of the were sage to decide who WU the moat e Profiedent, and rat late Duke Pasquier and M. Biot . It is probable r e c e i vued a prize of the same value. There use a Very 001 e that M. Jules Janis will be elected, for I under- a;r7sigesttoilthl7sZutZ to `t'es; matches.in er on!t n eet e" trele or , re stand that M. Dufanre withdraws his candidature. graceful and rapid movements of the "'W. 11".° The other successful aspirant will doubtless be M. William Henderson. ex ted i l t r i s g tral e°°"' admiration.o skill The Taw; Littri, who, as the author of one of the best die- : juvenilia uoder six years of fse, which seated a good deal tionaries extant, is peculiarly qualified to be a 1 of aMi Beth t t . Z . Ti e t fa:l7:2 the their Ural' i iS 2: tr ik: : member of a body which has kept the world wait-' maltase acted properly in givii r eg a prise to win,F ing for nobody knows bow assay years for the "be- I The Dutch slaves in Guiana, which are a b ou t to "Dictionary of the Academy." be emancipated, will be @Ojeda to state s apervisim. There appeared in the Conatitmlicessel of March 9 This differs from the apprms • • of the amaiscirelta a letter from M. Mathieu de is Drams (translated sates of the British West Indies. Dutch slaves will by the Times), in which he lainentei that several : r o i ti b l' ai Nm t r,2 l. , d ,d,T i 7, - ,t, f a r it t b. f ,, f° " l , Z t ralke9;stethe.; score of ships have gone down solely from neglect wages, rod to spend those wages as they t hin k proper. In, to who Chun west be his WWI& the days Lie inov little eon, bow over Pert' oil paw sass the robe balk role fend ben the the I WWI 110111 ibll pro, of tl that oPez tan o THE POLISH INSURRECTION. The Russians, we learn, are erecting additional fortifications at Warsaw, principally in the Wola suburb. They have erected a redoubt, which will be armed with thirty-six cannons. Similar works are being executed, it is said, in other Polish towns. We read in the Pose* Journal : In Lithuania, the Medan government baa given to the peasants the land they cultivated, and that fact prone bow serious the state of things in that province most be. The proprietors, it may be remembered, had voluntarily decided in that sense. The government, fearing that the peasants might take part in the insurrection, went beyond the col• panics step of the nobility by proclaiming that they, the peanuts, were henceforth possessors of the lands they held. The price of redemption which they are to pay to the government does not appear to be heavy. The grand object in view is to render the peasants favourable to the govern. meat in exchange for great material advantages. One thing, however, still causes uneasiness to Russia : the per sante of the province just mentioned wish to return to the Boman catholic religion, and it is not very probable that the government will moment to their win's.' on that pent. The Press of Vienna attempts to explain the con duct of the Vienna Cabinet in connexion with the Polish insurrection. Austria, we are told," it says, " defends all the counsels of the powers which are of a nature to give to Poland, under the Rus sian domination, the independent position which the Poles enjoy under the rule of Prussia and Austria. But, on the other hand, Austria lays great stress—and this is of considerable importance with reference to Russia—upon the religious side of the question. The Emperor Nichols& destroyed in Poland not only the political guarantees of the treaties of 1815, but the religious ones. The Vienna Cabinet asks, above all things, at St. Petersburg for the re-establishment of equality between the catholic and schismatic churches. That point view is of the greatest importance in the Polish question, for catholicism is in Poland the most effectual means of combating Panslavism."