The Express. — London, England, 1853-01-19 00:00:00

41te eriirefso. TO CORRESPONDENTS. A Mr d &Utile et " 711. Eaprise," sestausise tits rasa emit "Ossetic; is pabliatted every Teestay a.l hiday eight. le Sim psa. Adoinmorlaisad“ r.zpross,.Ldimlia liveslos piper, must be IS the Oils, tk Sesvereestrest, by Tye Vela& till dog at pelastlea. RION WATER AT LONDON BRIDOII. Ts Dal—Mormisig. Ob. 1n...—. Minim. !Hi. Usi. Timmessow—llonue. 101. IM .41*. LONDON, WEDNESDAY/ JANUARY 19. AMIDST the friendly strife,—not unmingled with national reprosehes,—of the tidies of England and the United States it will rather abash the former and encourage the latter so learnt that the number of the Quarterly Review jest pablished defends and eulogises our now ancient, and altnost forgotten, prac tice of Impressment. The most avaricious and cruel plinter,—however much enriched by the labour of slaves,—sad ready to defend• slavery for his own advantage,—has never though! eiseenbieg the great and growing prosperity of the States to Slavery. A kisdred, or a worse practice, however, not the result of private avarice, but of public policy, —net the act of the strong white man on the weak and black stranger, to whom he often has a natural antipathy,—but deliberately ordained by the State, and carried out against those whom the State is bound to protect—a practice sand a policy begin ning in outrar ons violence pea' generating a wide spread and long-continued system of cruelty and op pression,—the !system of Impressment—is praised and advocated in one leading English Conservative journal, for no other reason than that our immense maritime population, in conjunction with it, has been *stressful at sea. Impressment not having been carried into effect Scathe last forty years, the 'great majority of the *slating generation can know' practically nothing of it, and may not therefore at first share our disgust at reading in the Quarterly that "im plement is the palladium of our national safety "—that the relief proposed for the shipping interest is condemned, because the nominal abolition of impressment is " looming in the distance," that the old " system of manning the navy" is as perfect as any human institution of the kind is ever likely to be, that " it has for it law, reason, and policy," and "that it has had centuries of success." We must, therefore, briefly remind' the public what Impress ment was. _ _ _ Let us just say that we• neither deny nor wish to depreciate our great naval itieoemes,—but they were obtained by officers who entereavoluntarily, and, ve7 often, by volunteer mewl. Xt the same time it is clear that but for our vast seaboard—the largest by far of any European state, and but for the maritime habits of a proportionately large population, the real foundation of our extensive mercantile shipping—no policy . whatever could have obtained for us a lasting maritime superiority. Accordingly for that superiority we are wholly indebted to the peculiarities of our posi tion, and to the habits and character of the people, and in no degree to any such practice as that of impressment. In comparison to many other plans that have been suggested of providing against any hostile attack—such as organising the whole body of fishermen into a cant fencibles, and drilling them a few days in the year, paying them amply for their services, and binding them to serve afloat within a certain distance of • the land,—or maintain ing in peace a sufficient number of seamen either on beard ship or in barracks,qo man twice our number of ships then required,—or simply trusting to volun- Wilenlistment under proper pay, just as voluntary tis found to secure the requisite number, and more than the requisite number, of all kinds of officers—in comparison with any one of these planslmpreesment is now seen to be a poor device. It is not to be thought of, and cannot, in feet, be had recourse lo t A novel clue of persons now much required in our ships--engi neers--cannot be impressed; it is equally clear that the seamen, who have grown in intelligence and skill, tan sow no more be itqpreased than the engi neers, and therefore impressuent can no longer be successfully had recourse to., Whatever may be the fancied apprehensions of men in office, and whatever means they may adopt to emu the national safety, like palladium of the Reripwer is virtually estin suisned for ever, and the Ministers who dream of re lying on that to secure =eke the navy in the ease emergencies will be no better than dolts or trai tor,. The time has gone by when the sailors can be treated as slaves, or in any degree worse than their fellow-countrymen; sad-whatever plan of ensuring their services may be adopted, it mart be bend on the principle of treating them fairly, and of buying their serums at the common market price for their Was. The impressment which 'is maid to have secured "unwire of seems" was generally ordained by preeleastioa et the beginning d a war, and press pap were farmed and armed in all the seaports to •arise on the muses sad f: D I77 them off to the ships et the royal navy. fimeek we-of-war were also em . 1761 in looking oat for .tbabeereward bound ship s taking thew crews hem them by force. The seems freqesatly resisted; swims lights ensued; the people of the sesportaeMed by the semen, and the preesgsage were often debated. Lives were lest on both sides, bat, the contest sided in seising sash sea se mold mkt meagre, and arming them off from their oeoapetiess o their wives, and gamillA s tr u e! gold warm to load wages, from liberty is a Bet whoa A l p _mime got warning of what was to some they Wit* dilp sad fled tato the meetly, sad the pme_ail few slaves. It the homeiraw' - Odle von poopm4 for the FRANCE. PARIS, TVICIDAT EVIINTNO. The Paris Bowes to-day experienced another of those serious declines which have of late been so fre quent. Notwithstanding all the effort. recently made to impart confidence, every description of secu- 1 rity has sustained a material decline. The Three per Cents., after many attempts to raise the market, finally closed at a fall of 0 centimes on the day's 1 1 operations; and the Four-and-a-Half per Cents. at a decline of 40 centimes: the official prices being for the former 79f 75c., and for the latter 105 f. 10c. All that has been stated in our previous telegraphic despatches relative to the want of confidence has been confirmed to-day, and the opinion is very gene rally expressed that the Rentes, Bank stock, and every other investment will still go materially lower. The congress of delegates from the learned socie ties of the departments of France will hold their annual session for ten days from to-morrow. Arrangements are in active preparation for com pleting a line of electric telegraph between Chambery and Turin. A decree has been issued ordering an examination of a project for the construction of a dock at Marseilles. _ _ . . Prayers have been offered up in all the churches in the'diocese of Nantes for more propitious weather. The Labrador, with Abd-el-Bader on board, ac companied by his suite, arrived at Syra on the 31st nit. Free admission to the Dardanelles was imme diately granted, and the Emir was admitted to an audience by the Sultan. According to the last report of the Bank of Vienna the specie on hand on the let inst. was 43,217,386 florins, and the amount of circulation 194,943,266 florins. In the committee of the First Prussian Chamber, the proposition of the government respecting the peerage was adopted by a vote of 8 to 7. The Emperor of Russia has nominated the Grand Duke Michael Nikolajewitech as Grand Muter of Artillery. The great military activity in Poland increases every day. The number of soldiers in Poland at this moment is not lea than eighty thousand. The *bolero has not yet disappeared. The Russian Synod has decided to send the Mon ' traegrine some valuable church services and orna ments, in proof of their sympathy. From Denmark we learn that the telegraphic line between Elsinore and Copenhagen is completed, and is now in active operation. The Chamber of De puties has voted, by a majority of 60 to 2, the construction of a railroad also between these 'deputation from Dijon, consisting of the mayor, M. Andre, and M. Vernier, deputy, had a private audience of the Emperor L ouis Napoleon yesterday, and presented his Majesty with a gold medal, com memorative of the inauguration of the railroad be tween Paris and Dijon. The Emperor expressed his gratification at this token of esteem, and pre sented the Mayor with a magnificent gold snuff-box, ornamented with the imperial portrait, and set in diamonds. The Arch-Duke Rainier, ez-Vieeroy of Lombardy, died ea the 11th intent at Batas Tyrol. I have way mew to believe that the French government is at this mama wing all its influence to brim *sat a seer Oast is Span, and that in furthenase el desp4W designs e its own, fraught with danger to the passe of the world. That the Queen el Spain is stenefly disposed to abolish con stitutional government in that country cannot be doubled. After the resignation of IL Aristabal, and the Queues hank regig to el l ar arvass's statesmanlike and reliance can lieiL=Tri l l s seral profemdons no that i the present Brave Marine's policy hes only been just so he slanged as woe necessary to appease a powerfal 'imposition. A hvourable opportunity to overthrew the nnethatisa I anziouidy sought for. In the dupe attaidineuthe enterprise lies the field for the intrigues of theTuileries. If Queen Isabella can be pomaded to strike tho blow, it is calculated that she w l mmemmirily be driven torely apon French aid awl prolutien. Isolated as she aly is from the nevem pewees, who sympathise with the Car limb. and belated as she would be from England by the asneetion of her constitution, Spain might at say minest be made a French camp, and her har bones Awls he French ships of war. It is not lightly or unadvisedly that I call attention to this subject as ass of immediate interest, and deserving the most swim conaideration. _ toating-00-ei, they emit stews away by pilot vessels, - or land 4 them at the extreme point of the coast and risked shipwreck rather than run their men into the danger of impressment. More thanes= the seamen oa the north and east coast added to r . O desertion, sad oarryingca thier vessels t ook is large numbers in Hound. Such horror be reviewed and extended were ire t revived. The streets of the sea-ports w d be filled with violence, outrage, and murder, and the seamen forced late wroag by the State would seise the ships they meld lay leads on, and take refuge in America. The advocates of imps...client laboured under a *lmp delusion. We know that there are always plenty of men to be had he adequate wages, and that in proportion es the national capital II directed to manning ships, men certainly will be found for them. Impressment began in utter tgnpnnoeof that great fact. proclaimed that the naval service was so coerces that no wages could induce men to serve, and that force was necessary to compel them. At the very time that it was desirable to make the navy attractive and secure the attachment of the seamen, impreascuent slums wads it Jtatsfol,—for seseguluF is not an unpleasant occupation.—and drove them into hostility to the State. It was an act of do lmas*, and required the application of to bear on the seamen which ought to ha v e power n directed against the enemies of the State. Hence press-gangs, prison or guard-ships, men-of war cruising against our own merchant vessels, tenders, soldiers, and officers, to take care of the' impressed men—and hence on the breaking out of war a rash application of the national no men to commit oppression on the seamen at home instead of directing them to resist the foreign enemy. But men taken into the service by force must be kept obedient by force. There was a continual dread that impressed men would break into mutiny sad' disobedience ; in fact, mutiny was almost as meek the rule as the exception, and, consequently. the whole discipline and government of mea-1 of-war was one continual outrage, the cat, or the whip, or the starting-rope, being con tinually hung over the het* of the seamen, or up plied to their backs—just a* the government of a gang of slaves. The officer who relaxed the system could get nothing by his humanity, acid cruelty was generally recommended for its efficiency. From impressment grew a great multitude of costly officers, to keep impressed men obe dient, and a far greater expense than would have purchased the voluntary service of twice the number of seamen that ever were employed. What the Reviewer therefore calls the "palladium of our safety'" never was put in *practice for a day without exposing us to great dunger, and inflicting on us great evils. That it was legal was sometimes questioned; that it was just or reasonable was denied by the whole civilised world. It filled our I am informed that the budget contains an aug mentation of four millions under the bead of the marine department, and that an explanatory note appended to the item is to the following effect : This slight augmentation will enable us to re-establish the moan squadron, to Masses our armed ships of the line from eight to twelve, to finish Cherbourg, and to arm the MAW It is quite clear from the above that the navy will be turthwith plaza' on a war footing. Bowides the present establishment at Toulon, there will 5 or 6 armed ships ready for sea at either Brest or Cherbourg. The " ocean squadron" has not existed since the expe dition to Algiers. So much for the value of peaceable professions. The ridiculously small sum of four mil lions, which it is thought advisable to mention in the first instance will, of course, be but a trifling instal ment of the expenses which all the warlike prepara tion alluded to in the note will entail. But supple ments to French budgets, like the postscript to a lady's letter, are commonly the most important part of them. In the list of bankrupts now posted at the Bourse may be seen the name of Maret de Beaune, 19, Place Vendome, as wood of the Bone Mining CompanytAl gieria. If the French law required the venous designations by which a bankrupt is known to be published with all the particularity enforced in Portugal-street, it would have been necessary to add to the above description " Now Duke of Bassano, Grand Chamberlain to his Impe rial Majesty Napoleon III„" for such is the proper style and title of the manager of the Bane mines, and I understand the shareholders are loud and bitter in their complaints against this exalted personage for having led them into a bad speculation. I have just heard a striking instance of the way in which ducks and drakes are made of public money. M. Thayer, a member of the present Senate, had a pension under Napolion I. of 2,000 fr. for "services rendered." This pension, like all others of the same class, ceased with the restoration in 1815. M. Thayer has just been rest .red to the pension list, and has moreover been paid the whole of the arrears:, amount ing to 74,000 fr. lam told that on receiving the money he exclaimed: " Well, that is so much re- streets with bloody outrages, and our ships with covered from the enemy." I know not where this mutineers: it oppressed the national finances with kind of thing is to stop. The name of those &An. what is still known as the dead weight, and it made lug to be creditors of the empire is legion. our professions of humanity and justice the mockery The Petrie states that the Sultan has caused to he and the scorn of all other nations. , announced officially to the Emperor Napoleon lIL In conjunction with Corn lA*•,.and Navigation• that the blockade : tithe - northern eoastot Ajbltnia Laws, impressment was not incompatible with • eat- a Turkish sipadroa, its reoltseqwerstrthelotette* taro degree of national success sad tuitional great- Montenegro ' , will be An force. froniAbe moment tt i nese, but as the nation has thrives , sad eh Wing ;the arriegit the squadeoe. has increased from the abolition of Corn and :Ntivi- The Cursed Chamberlain of the Eatleror has glean gation Laws, we have obbiined a tall assiraies Isotiotifinat fines the Ise At neat ascot is geista that they were not the causes of our prosperity. go admitted to the reception at the Tantrism must &p -m:re we have attained a full conviction that impress- pear in uniform or in full dress. ment, which was • part of the same system thrnt b 1.4 -1;;;;- tioe and coercion, was not the means of securing the peeved once that period, has been restored, and is to triumph of our fleets. They were successful not in occupy a platform in the grand gallery of the Luzern consequence, but in spite of such an outrageous viola- bourg, on the occasion of the ball to be given to the Lion of the rights of seamen ; and to secure their success Emperor by the Senate on the 23th. hereafter the State must disavow all belief in the vir tues of impressment, and all intention ever again to have recourse to it. The Reviewer defends one out rage by referring to another; but England is not France, nor can its people be made soldiers by a con scription nor sailors by a forced registration. It is merely contemptible for the statesmen of a free eouotry to look for any kind of guidance to the acts et a despotism. The two ere governed by wholly different principles, and • system of naval or mili tary service there may be congenial to slavish habits, while here it is a gross outrage. To the writer of the article in the Quarterly Review—who has grown old in defending the political wrongs of a semi-bar barons period, and whose original perception of right, never very acute, seems to have been extinguished by his official habits of doing and advocating injustice,— it is in vain to appeal. But to the editor and the pro prietor of the Reviews we appeal, in the name of humanity and our country's reputation, to cancel and expunge from its pages the deliberate approval and recommendation of a great and scandalous public orime. SPAIN. The followings the best answer which, after three weeks' deliberation, the Spanish ministry is able to give to the too truthful letter addressed by Nazism to the Queen : " Ministry of War. "Excellency,—Her Majesty the Queen having read with atoniahment the exposition addressed by you to the throne, under date of 15th December last, and clandestinely distributed in the shape of a dying sheet, and being painfully affected by the tenor of that document, characterised not miff by a want of respect for her royal person, but also by excessive personal praise,unbecoming comparisons, and an ab solute violation of the 2nd, sth, 6th, and 16th clauses of the Second Treaty, tattle 17th, of the Royal Ordi nances and the present law on the press, her Majesty has deigned to command, as I hereby inform you by her royal order, that I should tell you that the con tents of your exposition have excited her deepest dis pleasure. The desire of her Majesty is also that her orders be strictly executed, and that, consequently, your excellency should proceed forthwith to execute her royal order of the 9th of December, 1852, inas much as you are concerned. (Signed) "JUAN LARA, Minister of War. " Madrid,Jan. 11, 1853. "To his Excellency the Duke of Valencia, Captain-General of the Army." The royal order of the 9th December, 1852, en joined General Narvaez to repair to Vienna to study the military archives of Austria. Of the conduct of Narvaez in power we have expressed a pretty intelli gible opinion ; but the Queen of Spain is the last person in the world from whom an indignity to the fallen Marshal ought to proceed. The Electoral Committee of the moderate opposi tion has published an address to the electors of the capital requesting them to vote for M. Mon, M. Pedal, M. Mendizabal, M. Lajan, &c. The government has authorised an electoral meeting of the moderate party. The Heraldo publishes an article, in which it supports the demand of the holders of coupons to have them entirely converted into 3 per cent. De (erred Stock, instead of remaining reduced one-half as they have been. The Heraldo says that the claim is not only just in itself, but if granted, would open the principal money markets of Europe to Spa nish Stock, and would enable the government to con vert great part of its floating debt, which is very burdensome, into permanent stock. Letters from Berne of the 14th state that on that day the Council of States granted concessions for the Zurich and Ounterswyl—the Zurich, Winterthur. and Egg—the Lea-on-Frauenfeld and Romanshorn —a ys nd the Wallenatadi and Glarus (left bank) rail wa. It woe stated, from the Valais, that the people had accepted the new constitution. TEE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 19, 1853. THE WEST INDIA MAILS. CONTINUANCE OF YELLOW FEVER. We add the following to our telegaphic summary et the news brought by the Parana : Acoordig to the statement of Captain Rirett and Dr. Radon, the commander and dtetor • of the ship, the yellow lever was very bad hi the West Indies. Five had died on board the Parana on her homeward voyage, viz.:—Lieutenant Patrick Inglis, R.N., Admiralty agent, William , Demmer, James Fagan, Henry Hobbs, and James ea; rAw. Wei then on board dying, and three were convalescent. The last ease of fever hap pened on board on the 12th inst., and the last death I lon the 13th inst. There had been, during the voyage, 60 cases of sickness on board the Pantos, 30 of which were yellow fever. Thirteen of the crew had been left behind in Jamaica Hospital; viz., 12 ill from fever, and one from pleuritic. At St. Thomas the fever had broken out on shore. _ _ Amongst the victims to yellow fever in the West Indies since the last despatches were Lieutenant Lyater, Admiralty agent ; Captain Matson, in com mand of H.M.S. Highfiyer, who died at sea; and the second lieutenant of H.M.S. Scorpion. On the 27th of December, three more officers and 35 men of the Dauntless were ill of the yellow fever at Barbadoes, five of whom could not survive. One half the officers of the Dauntless and one-filth of the ship's company had perished of that disease. It was, however, too late to arrest the mortality on board of her, for she could not steam away from Barbadoes, and Antigua, the nearest place, would be four days' I sail. Cholera had made its appearance at Barbadoes on shore, but the garrison was still healthy. Cholera had made frightful ravages at the Baha mas, particularly amongst the smaller islands. Riots had taken place at Governor's Harbour and Hatchet Bay in consequence of the populace refusing to allow a stipendiary magistrate to land for fear of his introducing the cholera, and he was obliged to return to Nassau for a detach ment of the lit West India Regiment, to support law and order. Arrow-root was selling at the -Ba hamas at 1 dollar per pound, and creosote 2 dollars per ounce. PANAMA. On the 17th December arrived the P. M. S. S. Company's steamer Panama, from San Francisco, with the United States mails, 2,693,209 dole. 97c. in gold dust and 182 passengers. She brings dates from San Francisco to Ist December. At Acapulco there had been a very severe earth quake, which did great damage to every building in the town. In the principal square the earth opened and threw out an immense cloud of smoke. The P. S. N. Company's steamer Bogota arrived on 19th December, at 2 p.m., from Valparaiso, Callao, &c., bringing her Majesty's mails, 403,022 dole. 7 rials in bullion, and 12 passengers. The negotiations entered into between the Peru vian Minister at Bogota, Senor Tavara, and the New Granadian government, by which the latter de manded 8,000,000 dollars from Peru, and that Gen. Deustua (at present governor of Callao) should be incapacited for any government office, have not been ratified by the Peruvian government ; but Senor Tavara has been recalled from Bogota, and Senor Jose Oregorio Paz Soldau has been appointed in his stead, and will arrive on the 3rd of January here, en route. It is generally supposed that Ecuador and New Granada will make war against Peru, and that Chili will join the latter. The new governor for this province, Don Salvador Camacho, of Itoldau , arrived here Pea evening, and will immediately take charge of the government of the Isthmus. He is a friend of Obando's, and conse quently of the Rojo party. The roads are in very bad condition indeed, so much so u to require three days to make the journey from Cruces to Panama with goods; riding mules go through in seven to eight hours. The remittances from Panama for this steamer amount to 56,778 dols. 41 rift's on resident mer chants' account ; 462,819 dole. 74 rials of the amount ex Panama, and 403,022 dots. 7 rials from south. MEXICO. The Panama Sear of Dec. 21 furnishes the follow ing details of the events of the war between the French emigrants and the government of Sonora: News has been received in Acapulco of the termination of the war between the French immigraats and the govern ment of Sonora, Mexico. As our readers remember, a body . of French gentlemen adventurers received from the Mexican government liberty to drive back the Apaches, who continually ravaged and destroyed the eattlements, and in consideration for their services, they were to be al lowed the exploration of the state for silver and gold, both of which metals an known to exist in abundance in Sonora. - - ....,-- A party of French, 214 in number, well armed and equipped, started from Guymu, on an expedition against the savages, and after clearing the country , supposed to be the best for mining, a portion of them returned towards Ouymas. They were under the command of Count de Hamissat. Some difficulty arose on his march, he having received intelligence that he and his companions must become Mexican citizens, if allowed to work the mines. Upon this, he immediately declared against the government, and Oen. Blanco, the Commander-in-Chief. The Mexican government sent some 760 men against him, who lay in wait for him at Hermosillo, at some considerable distance from Guymas. On the count's approach to Hermosillo, the Mexican force occupied • walled enclosure near the town, and suddenly fired upon the French force, killing 22 men, in which was included almost all the officers, save R&M rat. The French, nothing daunted advanced, scaled the walls, and opened a deadly figs u po n the Mexicans, who were cooped up like sheep in the court, killing a large number. The French burned 83 buildings on the spot. It is calculated at least 160 of the Mex ic ans fell in the court, and in the irregular fighting in the streets. Having thus completely beaten this force, the French were virtually masters of the state, as they were hourly in expectation of reinforcements by sea. They ad vanced towards Gum's, but were met as the road by a Mexican of note from the seaport, who told them a doleful story of the dangers they ran in advancing upon Guyana, and offered them full pardon and 11,000 lola. for their subsistence if they would lay down their arms. At this time the Count de Rectum% was so sick with the dysen tery, that he was nearly senselese_,_ and his men were carry in duE s g him forward on • litter. Tke men were in r, without officers, and accepted the conditions, mare 1 into town and piling their arms. It was then they 1 that they had been completely deceived. So great even was the pude at Guyana, that General Remo had sent away four pieces of cannon four leagues leis the sky, and secreted them. Finally, however the !reed hew got away to San Francisco and Miamian, Count de Rummest being placed in a dying state on a reseal for Mandan. CALIFORNIA. DEc. I.—The wa;;;;otihacfCOmmenoed, and the season was likely to be a very bad one. Considerable anxiety was felt for the new brick buildings erected on made land. Business generally was dull, owing to the Wines* of the roads to the mines, &o. The farmers are doing very well, and receive i go od re turns from the land, which in many places s very rich. The quicksilver mines of New Almaden, near St. Jose, are very rich, the ore giving from 70 to 75 per cent. The receipts of gold dust continue very steady, as will be seen from the semi-monthly ship ments. The quartz companies are making active preparations for working, and a short time will show the result of these speculations. COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. (From De Cordoves Mereantile Ina tiliircesatr.) KINOITON. Since the 21st this market has presented no appearance of activity whatever. At the same time importatimas, es pecially of flour and meal, have beet rather extensive, but it is not anticipated that any important decline will take place in prices. Holders evince no anxiety to realise, and this circumstance, together with the enhanced value of goods at places of shipment, will contribute additional firmness to oar market sad quotations. Of flour the only operations which have been effected are males of 700 barrels of Baltimore and 2.50 barrels of Phila delphia at 32..6d. per barrel. In codfish we report sales of acargo from Bagged Island, at 13s. for tierces, and 18s. 6d. per box, and portions of another from Halifax at 13s. and 19s. respectively; 12s. his been offered for a large parcel of tierces only, but de clined. The stock continues moderate. Pickled fish is in good inquiry. Alewives have commanded 20e., and her (prime No. 1 roe) 18s. per barrel. A few barrels of No. 1 mackerel in the Ranged Island cargo were sold at 345., with half barrels at 18s. Cod ad is held for 2s. 9d. In all other respects the market is without &mtge. Produce is also quiet, but we notice a further decline in the value of the lower grades of sugar, which is attributa ble chitfly to the increased supply of inferior descriptions. Exchanges on London: Colonial and Jamaica Banks, 90 days, per cent. prem.; 60 days, 1 per cent. prem. ;30 days, 11 per cent. pivot. STAPPORD.—A testimonial has been presented to Mr. Philippe, who retired from the contest at the last elec tion in that town, to avoid the loss of the second mot to a liberal candidate. ITALY. The Sardinian Chamber of Deputies concluded on the 14th the discussion of the bill authorising the government to alienate an annual rente of 2,000,000 lines. Count Revel offered an addition to the mca• sure, which was accepted by the government, and the bill passed by 90 votes to 27. A Florence letter of the 9th, in the Parlament° of Turin, states that the persons lately arrested on po- litical grounds are still in prison, and that they are to be tried by the Council of Prefecture of Florence. The Grand Duke held a grand reception on the evening of New Year's-day; and it was observed that his Highness received the English visitors with marked coldness. GERMANY. Private letters from Berlin state that Prussia will support in the Federal Diet the Hanoverian propo sition to erect batteries upon the North Bea and Baltic coast. Many of the interior, and especially the southern states, regard this as purely a matter concerning the maritime states, and will oppose the application of the Federal revenues to the object. The customs revenue returns of the Austrian ern. pire,just published, offer, for the first time. an illus tration of the favourable influence which even small and partial reductions of import duties, can exercise on the national revenues and the consumption of the population. The import duties have increased during the financial year from 19,678,6978. to 22,028,6710., that is to say, by 2,349,9748. The transit and export duties have increased by 192,5290., giving in all an augmentation of 2,464456 d. To this increase the three months of the financial year, during which the old prohibitive tariff was in operation, contribute but 390,6000., while the remaining nine months, ending November 1, 1852, dazing which the reduced duties have been levied, give 2,050,600fi. Professor Germans, says the Protolfforl Pod Goatee, lima 'salved. from the once of the public' prosecutor, a copy of the indictment to be preferred against him , and a summons to appear personally to the abut*. A DUEL. A oserespondemt, whose statement must be taken for what it may really be worth, states that at Boulogne, last week, a duel took plain there. The belligerents are stated to have bees, the Hon. Captain Chichester, of the Coldstream Guards, sad a Major Moore, also bolding her Majesty's commission. The muse of quarrel was very trifling, arising oat of a few words @poises at • public dinner-table, which not being able to be salialsetOrily ex plained on the spot ) " a meeting " was determined en for the next day ; but, strange to say, ea the arrival of the parties at the field of battle, they were unprovided with pistols. The matter was, therefore, adjourned until Satur day morning last. When the major received the fire of his adversary, without returning it, and immediately sitar wards acknowledged himself in the wrong. The seconds in the matter were Mr. A. Bernal, formerly of the Madras ICavalry, and brother of a distinguished M.P., and a naval lieutenant, son of a gallant admiral. ACCIDENT ON THE GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY. —On Monday morning,.between 1 and 2 o'clock, as an engine which had conveyed the mail train to Peterborough on the previous night was returning to the north, its course was suddenly arrested near Reseeding station, about 12 miles north of Peterborough, by the bed of the rails sink ing to a torutiderable depth, carrying along with it and almost burying the engine. The engine driver and stoker were both projected to a considerable distance from the engine, but it is said that neither of them was seriously hurt. The morning goods train from London arrived at the spot shortly after the accident, and se both lines were rendered quite impassable it was also brought to a stand still. The parliamentary train from London came up next, but information having in the mean time been given to the various stations on the line, an engine and sot of carriages were in readi ness on the north side of the place where the rails had given way to convey the passengers forward. In tranelerring them, however, by means of an omnibus from one train to the other, the vehicle stuck fast in the middle of some water, with which, in consequence of the late heavy rains, the road warn flooded. It was with the utmost diffi culty that the omnibus was extricated, and this was not effected before the inside passengers were drenched to their knees and greatly terri fi ed by their unpleasant position. Up to Monday night the line was not clear, and all the trains between London and York on that day had to be worked by the "loop." They were all late, and the luggage train from London already mentioned did not arrive at its desti nation at sll. The accident is attributed to the late con tinuous fall of tato, which has loosened the embankment. Vie railway authorities regard it as a most fortunate eir- Nametapee that the slip did not occur during the progress of a passenger train, as the consequences must then have been malt minus. Sly Court. • WINDSOR, JAM. 18. The following had the honour of dining with her ilhjesty yestarday:—The Duches• of Kent, the Prince of Leiningen, the Prisons Adelaide of Hohenlohe, the Lady in-Waiting to the Duchess of Kent, and the Bareness de Sppth. Her Majesty's private bead attended in the evening, and perfOrmed the following soleetion : Owner% "Le Part da Diekta" dew. waturna, Mani. "Mids ummer 11 1:17 1 1 Dream " Mendelmolus. fieleation. "Faust" oohs Marta, "Oiseasiosal Oratorio" Minus°. Trio and Finale. " riabnia. No. 5 " Mozart. The Viscountess Canning has succeeded the Countess of Charlemont as Lady-in• Waiting to the Queen. Lord Klphinitose and Lieut:Colonel Hos. H. Hood have relieved Lord Bron and Lieut.-General Sir Frederick Stovin, u Lord and Groom in waiting. The Duchess of Sutherland is expected at the Castle to-day on a visit to her Majesty. The Right Hon. Edward Cardwell, accompanied by Sir Charles Barry and the Bann Marochetti, had an interview with the Earl of Aberdeen yesterday, at his official residence in Downing-street. Mrs. Chisholm had an interview with the Duke of New , castle, yesterdsy, at the Colonial Office. Mr. James Baines,fof Liverpool, accompanied by Captain J. W. Forbes, of the ship Marco Polo, and Captain Alex ander Newlands, had an interview with the Right Hon. E. Cardwell, at the Board of Trade, yesterday, on the subject of ships deserted by their crews in Australia. A deputation of the Trustees of the British Museum, con sisting of the Right Hon. H. Goulburn, Lord Mahon, the Bishop of London, Sir Robert high-, Mr. Hallam, the Right Hon. T. B. Macaulay, and Mr. V. R. Hamilton, at tended by Sir Henry Ellis, had an interview, yesterday, with the Earl of Aberdeen and the Chancellor of the Ex chequer, at the official residence of the First Lord of the Treasury, in Downing-street. Mr. R. Jebb had an interview with Viscount Palmerton, yesterday, at the Home Office. Sir Hugh Hume Campbell had an interview, yesterday, with the Earl of Aberdeen. Mr. Wham Cubit', M.P., had an interview, yesterday, with the Duke of Newcastle. LENT PREACHERS appointed to preach before her hisdesty, for the year 1853:—Frbruary 9, Ash Wednes day, Dean of the chapel, Lord Bishop of London ; 11, Friday, Dean of Christchurch, Oxford, Dr. Gaisford ; 13, Sunday, Lord Bishop of Durham; 16. Wednesday, Rev. C. Baring ; 18, Friday, Dean of Wells, Dr. Jenkyns ; 20, Sunday, Lord Bishop of Exeter ; 23, Wednesday, Rev. Henry M. Bieck; 25, Friday, Dean of Ely, Dr. Peacock; ' 27, Sunday, Lord Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol. Marsh 2, Wednesday, Rev. Dr. J. Cartmell; 4, Friday, Dean of Exeter, Dr. Lowe; 6, Sunday, Lord Bishop of Peterborough; 9, Wednesday, Rev. Dr. Hook; 11, Friday, Dean of Rochester, Dr. Stevens; 13, Sunday, Lord Bishop 'of Chester • 18, Wednesday, Hon. and Rev. C. L. Courtenay ; 18, Friday, Dean of Winchester, Dr. Gamier; 20, Palm Sunday, Lord Archbishop of York; 23, Wednes day, Rev. A. fa. Cornwall ; 2.5, Good Friday, Dean of Worcester, Dr. Peel ; 27, Euter Day, Lord Almoner..— ERWIN! BRUCE, Vice-Chamberlaii. - - LENT PREACHERS appointed to preach at her Ma jesty's Chapel at Whitehall on Wednesdays and Fridays, for the year 1853: Feb. 9, Ash Wednesday, Dean of Salis bury, Dr. Hamilton ; 11, Friday, Rev. W. Strong ; 16, Wednesday, Rev. E. Bankes ; 18, Friday, Rev. S. M. An derson ; 23, Wednesday, Rev. J. Vane ; 25, Friday, Rev. C. Moore. March 2, Wednesday, Rev. T. Randolph ;4, Friday, Rev. W. Bradford ; 9, Wednesday, Hon. and Rev. J. T. Pelham ; 11, Friday, Rev. J. Monson ; 16, Wednes day, Rev. Lord A. Fitsclarence ; 18, Friday, Rev. C. A. Margins ; 23, Wednesday, Hon. and Rev. W. R. Capel ; 26, Glad Friday, Dean of Hereford, Dr. Dawes.—Baxasy Bares, Vioe-Chamberlain. (IRON LAIIIT 0AZ3712.) ST. JAMES'S PALACE, JAN. 15.—The Queen has been pleased to appoint the Duchess of Sutherland to be Mistress of the Robes, in the room of the Duchess of Atboll, resigned ; also, to appoint John, Marquis of Breadalbane, K.T., to be Lord Chamberlain of Her Maje sty ' s Household, in the room of Brownlow, Marquis of Exeter, K.G., re signed. WIIITEHALL,JAN.IS.—The Queen has been pleased to direct letters patent to be passed under the Great Seal, granting unto Lieutenant-Colenel the Hon. Lauderdale Mauls, the office of Master Surveyor and Surveyor General of the Ordnance of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. -- ----- WHITEHALL, Isx.l7.—The Queen has been pleased to grant the office of Her Majesty's Solicitor General for Scotland, to Robert Handyside, Esq., Advocate. FOREIGN-OITICE, JAN. 17. —The Queen has been pleased to approve of Mr. Wilhelm August Flock., as con sul at Kingston, Jamaica, for the Free Hanseatic city of liamburgh ; also, to approve of Mr. Ed. Mullendorf as Consul at Sydney, for his Majesty the King of the Rekrians. CROWN-OFFICE.—MEMBERS RETURNED TO SERVE 111 MHO PII.IIIIIICT PA/ALI .—Jag. 15—.. County of Limerick : William Monsell, of Tervoe, in the county of Limerick, En., Clerk of the Ordnance.—County of Wilts, Southern Division : The Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, of Wilton House. in the said county of Wilts, her Majesty's Secretary at War. OXFORD Tx'sTimm DAT. OXFORD, TUIBDAY. The poll has again been opened at intervals during the day, and 33 votes have also been registered. 16 of which were sa favour of Mr. Gladstone, and 17 in favour of Mr. Percival, giving a majority of one vote on the day's poll to the latter gentleman. SILTS OP TR. POLL.-111•111 O'CLOCK. Gladstone 987 Percival 863 Majority for Mr. Gladstone 124 Amongst Mr. Gladstone's voters today were :—Professor Claughton, Trinity; Mr. George Cary Elwes, All Souls ; Rev. H. Ellison, University; Rev. E. F. Marshall, Ws-d -ims; Rev. C. Nevin, Trinity ; Mr. Charles Saville Curry, Merton; Rev. H. Hayman, St. John's. THE VICAR AND THE VESTRY OP ST. PANCRAS.— Yesterday, at the weekly meeting of the Board of Ihree tors of the parish of th.Pancras, James Parker Pierce, Esq., churchwarden, in the chair, a letter from the Rev. Thomas Dale, the vicar of the parish, was put in end read. This communication, after acknowledging the receipt of the report of the committee, condemnatory of the vicar, for his alleged breach of faith as regards the supply of books to the workhouse, goes on to say, that, in his proper place, as chairman of the vestry, he, the vicar, was ready to explain and justify Ike course he had taken, and he was most desi rous that the parishioners should be put in possession of the whole facts of the case.—Mr. T. E. Baker, in moving that the letter be entered upon the minutes, expressed his regret that, at the proceedings of the vestry last week, remarks were made against the vicar in his absence, which were in his (Mr. Baker's) opinion, unjustifiable and unfounded. Had the vicar been present, he (Mr. Baker) felt sure that he would have been able fully to jus tify his conduct (" Hear," and " Oh, oh.") He (Mr. Baker) was not the advocate of Mr. Dale, but he admired the old English principle of fair play, and that no man should be traduced and calumniated in his Owen ; he therefore trusted that Mr. Dale would be invited to take the chair at the next meeting.-11r. Kink& lad • motion for next Wednesday, respecting one of the officers, and he would not give way to Mr. Dale, either on a personal or any other question. Had Mr. Baker been present at the previous meeting, he would have found that there was no unjust asensation made against the vicar.—Mr. HOW'S had sup ported the report, but at the same time it was only just to allow the vicar an opportunity of defending lr imseU, which he (Mr. Howes) was sure he could do to the satisfaction of the vestry.—The Chairman bore his testimony to the inva riably honourable and indefatigable conduct of the vicar. As • public accusation had been made against the vicar, it was only jut to allow him an opportunity of placing himself in a proper position with the public.—The Churchwarden con eluded by reading • letter from the vicar, in which he re pudiated the assertion of Mr. lfcllett, that he (Mr. Dale) was in any way implicated in the new Churchwardeas Bill, The letter was ordered to be entered upon the minutes. It is intended to present • requisition lot • spe cial meeting, in order to afford an opportunity to the vicar to be present. PROPOSED BATHS AND WASH-HOUSES FOR 'SLING- Tow.—A poll has been taken in the parish of St. Mary, Islington, on the prop osal made in the vestry last Thursday for adopting the Bat he and Wash-houses Act in the parish. At the close of the poll, last evening, the numbers were— For the motion, 668; against it, 462. As the act requires a majority of two to one, in order to give effect to its provi sions, the motion is lost. POOR-LAW OFFICERS.—There has just been printed by order of the House of Commons en interesting document respecting the Tewkesbury Union. The Board of Guardians carried resolutions to reduce the salaries of the several officers, on account of the "cheapness of provisions." The officers appealed to the Poor-law Board, and the reasons were required from the guardians that induced them to pass the resolutions. They urged that the value of agricul tural produce had been diminished at least 39 per cent. ; that the rates had increased, and that food was cheap. Tho Poor-law Board replied that they had " never recognised the principle that salaries should be liable to vary as the price of food fluctuates." The Poor-law Board thought that no sufficient reason had been assigned for the reduc tion, declaring that the fixed salaries of the medical officers remunerated them only for their ordinary duties. A CITY OF Doos.—A Madras paper contains an! interesting canicidal statistics for the curious, from which it appears that in five years Madras had been relieved of about 19,500 dogs, whose y elling bed been silenced for ever by a very summary and efficacious process, at an expense for slaughtering of 2531. The period for authorised cool tide commences with the 15th April, end terminates with the 15th of September of each year, a period of five months; so that, on en average, 800 dogs were sent to their long last home to the briet period of one month by the club of the dog-killer, end thus put beyond the possibility of getting rabid. THE GREAT CITY FORGERIES. MANSION HOUSE. Robert Ferdinand Pries was brought before Sip Robert Walter Carden for further examination upon the charge of having uttered certain forgeries to an immense amount. Mr. Ballantine, instructed by Messrs. Crowder and Maynard, and Messrs. Vansandon and Co., appeared for the prosecution ; Mr. Wontner for the defence. Th e justice room was, long before the time appointed for the examination, crowded with mercantile men, all of whom appeared to be deeply interested in the proceedings. Mr. Ballantine said—Upon the last occasioa there was formal difficulty with reference to proving a letter which I thought rather important, although probably no great amount of importance attaches to it. That letter, from the notions we have given, we shall now be in a condition to put in. I propose so to complete the case, and its ism% v ia be the forgery of an accountable receipt fur goods whi c h I i apprehend it sln point of law. I shall prove through Mr. Freshfield, who is solicitor to Messrs. Coleman and &chi• terfoht, and who is attending in consequence of their names being mixed up in the matter, that they have unfortunately through these transactions been obliged to stop payment. Mr. Freshfield will also produce forged documents of the same character to the amouet I believe of 50,0001. In almost every instance I shall show these documents to be forgeries, and that moneys have been obtained upon them to this enormous amount. I intend also to present a case against the prisoner of what I believe will turn out to be forged bills of lading, and the transac tions there are of a character that involve some doubt as to whether the offence is a forgery, or whether it would ouly amount to a charge of obtaining money by false pretence,. In cases where shippers have entire confidence in their con signees two bills of lading are occasionally sent over, and although :they are never intended to be parted with the practice enables a fraudulent person, after having disposed of the one representing the entire cargo, to dispose of the other also. I am afraid it will turn out that Mr. Pries, being aware of this fact, has either forged bills of lading, or, having parted with one bill of lading to • consignee, has taken and parted with, to others not conversant with these matters, a second bill of !idiot representing the same cargo. It Is almost fearful to co emplate the amount of fraud committed by these and the other means to which I have called your attention. While one cannot help admiring the faith and the credit which exists in the City of London, one ma only regret that we should find a person holding such a high position as the prisoner, who bas cast so great a slur upon the credit and respectability which attaches to the merchants of this great metropolis. Mr. Freshfield—l appear on behalf of Messrs. Coleman and Stohlterfoht. These proceedings have been taken on the part of Messrs. Montsaux and Co., whn very promptly caused this gentleman to be apprehended. Messrs. Colman and Stohlterfoht have, in consequence of the very large frauds and forgeries committed upon them, been com pelled to suspend their payments, and therefore they have not taken the prominent part in these proceedings which they otherwise would have done, but they owe it to their character and to the commercial world, to appear and give every assistance to the prosecution. I produce seven accountable receipts purporting to be signed by Messrs. Brown and Young, and to embrace quantities amounting to 28,000 quarters of wheat, upon which Messrs. Coleman and Stohlterfoht have advanced 0,0001. in cash, and are under acceptances for 41,0001. more, making together 50,0001. These sums are independent of the accountable receipts which have been referred to by the learned counsel which were given up by Messrs. Coleman and Stahlterfoht, in consequence of other arrangements between them and Mr. Pries. We are attending as a duty that we owe to the mer cantile interests of the City of London and the country at large to state these facts, and to afford every possible assist ance in furthering the ends of justice. The Chief Clerk (Mr. Goodman) then read the deposi tions which were taken upon the former occasion. Mr. Ballantine said he proposed to finish the first case by proving the service of two documents. Joseph Haggett, the officer, said—Since the last exami nation I have served two notices, copies of which I produce, one upon the prisoner, and the other upon Matilda, his wife. (The notices demanding the production of a letter which the prisoner had addressed to his wife, and which will be found to be referred to below, were then read.) Mr. William Frederick Ingalow examined—At the last examination I stated that I saw a letter produced by the lady whom I suppose to be the prisoner's wife. Mr. Ballantine— Will you Mate the contents of that letter ? _ Mr.Wontaer—l object to this course. The evidence shows that the letter is not in the possession of the prisoner. The rule of law is, that when a prisoner has notice to produce that which is in his possession, and he does not produce it, that then secondary evidence may be given; but I know of no case which goes so far as to say that a document seen in the possession of the wife which is not produced in pur -1 swum* of a notice served upon the prisoner, or his wife, has ever been receivable in the shape of secondary evi dence, . . Sir R. W. Carden—l think, as the document has been proved to be in the handwriting of tho husband, and as I do not like to throw any impedimenta in the way of a full, fair, and Impartial investigation of it case that comes before me, I ought not to allow any little legal quibble to prevent the facts from being brought to light, and therefore if there are difficulties with respect to the production cache letter, I should certainly hear the secondary evidence which is tendered, and leave it to the judges hereafter to decide upon its admissibility. The present is merely a preliminary investigation, and it is my duty to receive the evidence which the learned counsel for the prosecution proposes to adduce. . _ — Mr. in g alow (again examined)—l have a recollection of the letter alluded to as that which I saw in the hands of Mrs. Pries, the prisoner's wife. I took down, as near as I could recollect, in the afternoon of the same day, a note of the contents, in order to be able to refresh my memory. I do not pledge myself to the exact words. The letter began My dearest, dearest Matilda,—When you have got over the first shock you will be better without me. Teach little —not to hate his wretched father," or " the memory of his wretched father." Afterwards was this sentence Oh, God ! by what change of circumstances have I been led to act (or do) as I have done !" or words to that effect. Afterwards came the words—" I am an impostor, a swill dler, and a forger." The last sentence I remember in the letter is—" I dull take the Quickest means of putting en end to my existence.—Tour R. F. Pains." Mr. Thos. Young, lighterman, waterman, and granary keeper, said—l am in partnership with John Dadin Brown, of Bermondsey wall. I have no transac tions directly with the prisoner. Supposing that goods ars consigned to us they are removed by a delivery order from the person landing them. They would be given in the names of the parties who housed them with us. If a change of property took plass as to con signed goods, it would be usual for the persons receiving the order to present it to us, and if we are satisfied with its authenticity, the rods could be transferred to their names, if they requested at, and such persons would be enabled to obtain documents to that effect ; and we should hold our selves responsible to the parties to show the transfer wts given or the documents referred. I look at the documents produced in the court, beginning, "By order of R. F. Pries, we have this da transferred into the name of Messrs. Coleman and Sto blterfoht," and ending with the signature, " Brown and Young." That signature is not in the handwriting of my partner or myself ; neither has it been written by our authority. We never authorise any ono to write our names. Six It. W. Carden—Do you require the bill of lading of the party who applies for the goods ? The Witness—The goods are generally landed to us by the merchant or factor. We seldom have bills of lading unless the goods go into our hands direct. Sir R. W. Carden—Then it is not necessary to produce the bill of lading for the purpose of giving up the geode? The Witness—No; when we have the goods they are in the warehouse. Mr. Ballantine—lt is the person interested in the pro. party who receives the bill of lading ? The Whams—Yes. Mr. Ballantine—Yon, as warehouseman, merely sot under the person who disembarks the goods ? The Witnese—We take the factor's or the merchant's order. _ _ _ _ _ . Sir R. W. Carden—l believe the dock companies do not allow any transfer of goods without the production of the bill of lading ? The Witness—l am not aware what the rule of the dock companies is. Mr. Herman Christian Turck examined—l am a mer chant, and em partner in the firm of Coleman, Stohltarfoht, and Co. William Robert Barclay is another partner. I have had very large transactions with the prisoner. The two document' before me were in my possession up to the 31st December last ; having received one on the 23rd Oa • tober, and the other on the Bth November preceding. They then had the names " Brown and Young " to them ; bat what is now written across them was not there at that time. I returned them to the prisoner on the Mat December. At the time I received them, I advanced large sums of money upon them. I cannot specifically mention how much, as the amount went into the 'general account; they were securities for large sums of money. I delivered them up to the prisoner on his promise to repay us the advance we had made upon tkem, at the rate of about 30s. a quar ter. He stated to me, at the time of obtaining them, that his object was to obtain an advance front other parties. I produce seven other documents which were deposited with me by the prisoner. The amount of money advanced upon these seven and the other two would be security for 61,4351., in cash and acceptances. Cross examined by Mr. Wontner—l have not made any advances to the prisoner since the 31st December, since which date he has paid me 20,0001., 10,0001. of which he returned on the following day, the lst instant. After de ducting the 20,0001., there is still a balance due to us of 81,000 i. Mr. Brown further examined—The writing on the seven documents is neither my writing nor that of my partner, and it does not in the slightest manner resemble it. The prisoner had no authority from us to use our signature. Mr. Ballantine said he bad now closed his case with re gard to the accountable receipts, and should ask for a remand for a week, lest he might have omitted anything material. He would now proceed with another case: Mr. Ignac Sholoff examined-1 am a foreign banker, carrying on business in partnership with Proepilregon teaux, at No. 17, Gracechureh-street. I know the prisoner well. I produce seven bills of lading that I received from him on the days on which they are dated, and I have parted with two of them. Upon the nine I advanced him 0,0001. I should not have advanced any money upon these hills of lading if 1 had known that other bills of lading applying to the same cargo had been parted with elsewhere. Sir R. W. Carden—How many bills of lading are gene rally sent with goods?