The Express. — London, England, 1851-08-19 00:00:00

Ehe •rprTfils. TO CORRESPONDENTS. • ' FisltJas.( " Tba esstanuny be am* event, les ..e," is p•blabeil every Twists, sal Vtiday might. to that Cot mmt. Mg " Ihyrow..*Lanisa per,. •.'Mil!, Ltuussimhsittet. by Two die dny r ; Lb/intim& Hum WATER AT LONDON 'PRIME 76.. • 0. • w .n. 4. _1 71...... Tu. maw. —Manioc 7a. 60. Afttailea. lb. 2.. LONDON, TUESDAY, AUGUST 19. . SiseE the famous blockade of Athens, and the not inexplicable, though yet unexplained, choler of the British government against King Onto and his ministers. few have had any desire to hear of Greece. Even its classic reminiscences have peened out of vogue; and, save Mr. URQUHART. there Is none amongst us so fraught with the spirit of twat-dpropos as to make either books or speeches on the subject. All that our contemporaries have chronicled of Greece itself of late has been confined to the account of the solemn crowning of divers Greek poets by Ring ( alto. Ills Majesty feels himself and his dynasty, no doubt, fast passing into a myth, and he clings to the straw likely to Host him still into future notice. Diplomatic Europe, indeed, thinks end talks le en of OTito himself than of Orrnis sue- COMM' ; the fixing upon whom forms one of the open and difficult questions of the day. The handling of this question hitherto, and, in deed, wo are sorry to add, the entire policy recom mended to the King of Gsberb and followed by him, have tended to one of two results, Dither to make Greece Russian, or to make it republican, and to leave no medium at tainable. With respect to the essential point of religion, a prince being chosen of a catholic family, it was ordained that his children should he reared in the Greek persuasion. King Ornu, however. has had no heirs, and the succession reverts to his brother. Ilia next brother refuses the condition of changing his religion ; whilst his youngest brother, Ansbnewe, refuses himself to qualify by change, yet offers to merry and devote in promise one of his still unborn tinegeny to the Greek succession and the church. The Greeks complain, with justice, that this is scurvy and derogatory . treatment of them. The bossing them about from prince to prince, making light of a people, and solving the difficulty by con demning Greece to a minority and a regency, is monstrous. The national conclusion of every Greek mind is, either to do without a king at all, or take one from that royal family which alone professes the Greek religion. To such an alternative has Bava rian stupidity, led by French puerility, both flattered by Russian astuteness, brought tho kingdom and dynasty of Greece. 'lt is scarcely necessary to observe how so uncer tain a elate of the future acts upon the present in Greece. Not only are Minis years numbered, hut the Bavarian succession itself impossible. Instead, therefore, of providing for the future, (Minding and strengthe :: ill g institutions, consolidating parliamen tar) parties and maturing p, ilitical views, the Greeks feel themselves not on :teemed progressing in a regular voyage, but upon one drifting to inevitable wreck. The effort is not to save what cannot save itself, but to make the most of the emergency, and to grasp and ran away with all that can be secured. This recklessness this extreme anxiety to get over the prement and fling the future loamy chance is evi dent in the acts of the government of the day. If there wits site lady in Grecce more sqweielly to be Ps-pilled and uphold for the sake of a potent voice in carrying and contesting questions, it was the Senate. The favourite Will of Gunter and of Miorreasien was ever to govern exclusively by . a senate. But the Greek Senate, though indulging in no (maims opposition. still acts the Mentor at time , on the prodigality of government. The Kist: and government know but one way of what they call strengthening thenselsts—it is that of making places; in other words, adding ten or twenty thou sand pounds a year to expenditure, without re . ference to debt or income, or without deigning to inform par liament of the nature and particulars of this increase of expense. Just as the Elector of Ilesss treated his states, and just the way in which he pro duced that melancholy revolution which his swamped the liberties of northern Germany, and fin. ever de atrocod the honour of its prowls>. King 0 tin think, the Herter of It, a good MAO, and imitatt s him. The Greek Semite imitates the 11,••x•-Passel 14%14:duns and demands informa tion. The KIN.; replies, not indeed as yet by calling in the Austrians to help him to rub leis subjects of a budget that he will nut even specify. hut lit swamping his little senate, by elevation to that dignity of the nun-.t good-fur-nothings. On a late pm 1111 l tuin the greater part of the new Greek Senators were found to be Russian serfs, men who might he claimed and striped by their masters. 'the result, and, of course, the aim, of such promotion, made by Cinti,ritov. and by OTtlo, van be mewly to diseredit the very institution of a senate, and to throw overboard the political ideas of France, which, at tragt, would govern by notabilities, for thaw of Rusia, width tolerate nothing short of autocratic government. The mietortune of the greater and earlier portion of King Onto*, reign has beau. that instead of en tertaining a Greek policy, with honest principles; Of admieistration, he adopted a French plicy. which. at the time. was merely one of managing eoteditu- " timed assemblies and constituencies by corruption and intimidation. The French prestige has now rearmed. King Onto sees nothing in Paris on vinyl) he can depend fur either being supported at Athens. or pushed in after times to a loftier throne. Itemett is the great European dictator. under whose auspices a new holy alliance has been founded, to the exclusion of France as well as of England. 'to this holy alliance (Imo has acceded. Ile swears ouw by the CZAK and no longer by the house of thu.sess And his Majesty avows it, and dings the promises of support made him by the CZAR in the face of such of his subjects as still ven ture to resannwnd a national policy. 'fo such ends have all the efforts of France to combat English in thwiwe at Athens led, viz., to a complete Russian itication of the court and gove au of Greece. France, however, bus perceived her mistake. It was but too clear that MM. PIA:ATOM and GUIZoT had brought Greece to the same precipice as that down which they had precipitated France. and indeed to the brink of which they have brought all Europe, with the alternative of saving itself by becoming either republican or Cossack. What every country in Europe will say to this alternative, it is not diffi cult to divine. All are probably like Greece. where the court is Cossack and the people nationally and constitutionally monarchic, but still prepared to do without a king• if they cannot hope . for one who has the feelings of natiamdity or the principles of truth and honour. IT is not easy to say why about the middle of A ug ust —at the close of the London season—there should be always a marked increase of activity in the collection of rates and taxes in and around the me tropolis. The fact unfurtanately is beyond a doubt. The luckleas permanent inmates of the rent Babylon know that as sure as the 12th of August comes round, so sure will there be a simultaneous rush upon them of collectors of the Queen's taxes, parish rates, water and gas rates, &c., ac.. &e. Is it that these gentry seek amusement by bagging rates' at the same time that their betters are bagging grouse ? tlr is it that they redouble their real to extract money from the pockets of the bourgruisie as soon as they Feel assured that the more elevated classes of society having migrated to other regions. are safe from their intrusion? Such favouritism shown by the tax-gatherers towards the lords of the soil, as is implied in the latter conjecture, would be quite in keeping with that evinced towards them by the im poaers of taxes. So recently as the earlier years of the present century fully two-thirds of the burden of ' taxation fell upon the laud and its owners; at the present moment scarcely one-third of it fa Is upon them. There is no reason to complain that a great change has taken place in the proportion of the na tional burdens borne by land and landed proprietors. The capital and tesources of the industrial comma city as it existed in the beginning of the century ' have largely increased since that tone. New kinds of remunerative industry and new kinds of capital may be said to have since been called into existence. Strom.boats, shares in gm, water. canal, and railroad THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 19, 1851. companies, the value of which now aniollo many millions, are creations of the half ceatthichdisi just expired. It is fair that this to wealth, w h is protected by the law of Vand, , ahead beo ((( to due proportion of the expen. of thee etatit:',llut Or , antiquated and mysterious financial system renders it rather difficult to ascertain whether more than this due proportion has not been transferred to the shout- dory of the owners of this new created property, and 1 others of the same class. This mystery would of itself he enfficient to warrant suspicion that the lords' ' of the sail base becu availing themselves of their ascendancy in parliament to relieve themselves from a larger share of the national imposts than they arc entitled to do. And complicated and obscure though our system of taxation is—difficult though it may be to trace the incidence and operation of different taxes—enough is apparent to show that the lords of the soil have shifted so large a proportion of the national burdens from their own shoulders, as leaves them no claim to exemptions they have hitherto enjoyed, much less to others they are struggling to obtain. Our Custom-house tariff, much though it has been simplified of late years, still embraces a greater number of commodities than any other Custom-house tariff in the world. A greater proportion of our na tional income is raised by indirect taxation than is the ease in any other country. 'The articles selected for customs imposts are generally those of universal use, and thus the poor man is brought within their scope quite as much as the rich. The same holds good with the Excise portion of our inland revenue. It is already apparent, from the part of the evidence taken by the Income-tax Committee, which we have published, that the greatest facilities for false and Imperfect returns exist in the schedule relating to real property. Turning from general to local taxation, we find the county gentlemen allocating an enormously disproportionate share of the poor and other county and parish rates on any luckless railways that may cross their district. Returning to general taxation, we find real property exempted in a great measure from those Imposts upon inheritances which other property must bear. All these things point to the necessity of a change in the proportions of the national imputs borne by different classes, and (as the only menus to insure these proportions being fairly and honestly assessed and levied) to extensive alterations in our whole system of taxation. This is the first great reform that the people of this country have just now at heart. They may not at present Nee clearly the way that leads to it, but they feel keenly and profounillv the necessity of treading it. Tho Liverpool and Manchester Finan cial Rethrm Associations, and the National Parlia mentary and Financial Reform Associations, have nut tended to create this feeling—they have sprung from it. These associations have not accomplished much, and they appear at present to be one and all in a state of abeyance ; hut as one of them goes out, others of a similar kind will spring into exist ence. They will multiply throughout the land like drops of water on the window-glass at the com mencement of a shower, and they will run into each other as those drops do until the whole surface of the glass is dimmed and moistened. I his is always the way that, in a free country, the national mind pre pares itself for a great and irresistible etthrt. The protectionist fiction, which would pc-rpetuate by juggling and delusion the system of unequal taxa tion it can no longer uphold by barefaced power, and the trimming Whigs, who would retain office by playing fast and loose between that faction and the public, may rent assured that a speedy and entire change in our financial system is inevitable. But a re-distribution of taxation is not the only inevitable change indicated by the altered proportion of the national taxes the land and its owners bear. A re-distribution of political power is approaching with equal certainty. Charters, constitutions, reform bills, rarely transfer power from one class to another ; they are, in most eases, mere formal recognitions of a transfer that has already taken place. When the laud bore the greater part of the national burdens, the land constituted the greater part of the national property. Now that land bears the least part of the national burdens, mere land constitutes the least part of the national property. Now there are only two sources of political power—intellioence and wealth. Under any form of government the possessors of in telligence and wealth sway the popular will and opinion are, in short, political leaders. Indeed, these two elements may be said to be one and the !sante ; fur the practical intelligence which imparts I political power, operates' in the first place by drawing ' property to itself. %Unit mule the English barons powerful before the Wars of the Roses ? The property which they acquired and held by the strong hand which en abled them to command their retainers. What nook. the Romiiih church powerful in England before the time of HENRY N . M.? *the tythes and broad lands which its innumerable agencies—priests, secular and regular, convents of monks, friars, and nuns, altarages mad ehaparies, confessors and itineraut preachers— had drawn to it. What made the great aristocratic fiunilies powerful at the time of the revolution? Let us take, for example, the house of Russidd.. Its abbey lauds, so much spoken of, were, in fact, but the tine small beginnings of its fortune*. It had speculated suet-vaulty in the improvements of the }ens; it had availed itself of the increased value which building gave lands in London and its vici nity ; it had thus become enormously wealthy, and notwithstanding its proverbial mediocrity of talent— " the low, dull, Bedford lever - it had 34..1111e and tact enough to turn its wealth to account in rearing and maintaining a structure of political power. The annals of our own land tell us in unequivocal language that the holders of the purse are the rulers of the state—and the annals of all lands, if we extend our inquiry to them, will confirm the tale. Well, in virtue of this natural law the owners of the land, so long as land was the principal and almost sole property, were the masters of England. But two-thirds at least of the realised property of England now exists in different forms. Nay more, the lands of England arc mortgaged to an enormous extent to the owners of these new kinds of property. The national wealth is shared in by new classes. Even the working classes—the intelligent and provident artisans—have their share m it. How much of the national debt is held in small portions by that class? How much more is pledged to them as a security for their deposits in savings hanks? How much property do ' they possess in benefit clubs, life assurance societies, and other similar institutions? The aggregate pro- perty of the 'Wee of the working classes is great; and the new organisation of industry—the factory and mill systems -introduced by the application of large capitals to manufacturing purposes, it' it in sonic respects appears to place the operatives more entirely under the control of the capitalists, on the other hand, places the latter in a state of greater dependence on the good will of the latter. A new distribution of political power has taken place in society, amid the political machine of the state will never work smoothly until its external forms are made to correspond exactly to the internal social A new reform bill is as inevitable as a new sys tent of taxation. These are the two great tasks upon which the energies of the English people are about to he brought to bear. SPAIN. MADRID, Am 13. TIIE GREAT EXIIIBITION.—The amount taken for season tickets yesterday was 3/. The mmsey taken at the doors from the visitors for the day amount,d to 2,306/. 16,, snaking the total of receipu 2,6117. 16.. 31,325 entered the building. _ - - • • Itomr.—A letter from Rome of the Bth states that Count Alexander Calsnilrelli, mini•ter of war during the republic, condemned to ituprisuami wt fora long term of years, is immediately to be releleied from confinement on the intercession, it seas said, of Bsron I.7sedom, the able minister of Prussia to the holy see. '••-.14# a; : hiiiNtE; e PLR'S, MONDAY EVENIIO. Alert ielbliolotely nothing remarkable in the po litic-111 woad to-day, unless it be the abeenee ,f any new committee or manifesto. The Thaborite repub licans had promised to issue their " comptc reidu," but they seem to have changed their minds , wisely thinking that the recent supply of such , vacaticn pro sen manifestols g re h,: t b e i r .„. that i c t ry t h v e vl d l demand. received h i e n M t o h t e n t f ai au n . bourgs. The ottrriers find it too prosy, and, amid 'the circumlocutions of parliamentaay language, they I are at a loss to find out a practical meaning. Some of the royalist papers allude to the crowds who fre quent the out-door amusements at the barrKres on a fine Sunday or a fete day, as evidence that the maws are in reality indifferent to politics. But this is a profound mistake, and may bee very fatal one. The working population of Paris are now perfectly calm, because they know that the least agitation would be the signal for severe repressive measures, and per haps serve as an excuse for a coup t'e'at, but they look forward with steady determination to 185'2 as the dawn of a new era. They believe that they shall then really gain that sovereignty which was feeb.y at tempted to be set up when Louis Blanc and Albert (ouvrier) sat on the peers' benches at the Laxeril ' nourg. In the midst of drawing-room intrigues it is easy to forget, while talking of other pretenders, that his Majesty the People is also one, and ore that must be very seriously thought of before May 102. 1 It is said that the Duke do Noailles has arrived from Frohadorff with instructions to signify the ICount de Chambord's entire approval of the ire el policy adopted by MM. Berryer and do Fallous.l MM. de Itotours, de Chaulieu, and do Hesse...pier,' partisans of M. Berryer, are, however, blamed for giving publicity to their letters , which produced the open schism with the l'ohlivie. It is hoped, by conciliation, to bring the Opinion into the fold of orthodox legitimacy. But the Gaz.ette de France and its candidate, M. Larochejaquclin, I are given up to final impenitence. It be comes, however, every day more difficult to know who are really the followers of the various legitimist leaders. General St. l'riest was supposed till the other day to be an alter ego of M. Berrycr, and to be entirely in the confidence of the Count do Chambord, and yet the uncial has written a warm letter of adhesion to M. Nettement. The municipality of Paris, whose ordinary labours were in great measure suspended during the fetes, have been sitting diligently during the past week. They have voted very large sums of money for several metropolitan improvements, to be carried into effect immediately, and have deliberated upon various plans of amelioration which are before them. Among the latter is a project for the establishment of a new market, and the formation of two wide streets in the narrow crowded quarter of the Gros Caillou, a district 0f40,0110 souls, possessing neither a school nor a market. The sum of 00,000 fr., which the city of Paris votes annually for the encouragement of artists has been appro priated as follows :—The paintings in seven chapels in the church of St. Eustaclie are to be restored, decorations and mural paintings are to be executed in the churches of St. Sevcrin and St. Jaques do Haut Pas, and orders have been given for sixteen paintings to be distributed among the churches of St. ltoeh, St. Nieolas-du-Chardonneret, St. Elizabeth, St. Pierre-du-Gros-Cailluu, and St. Etienne du Mont. 100,000 fr. have been voted towards the re-building of the Jewish temple in the Rue Notre Dame de Nazareth. The school in the Cloitre St. Merry, which now contains 200 boys, is to be transferred to the Rue du Temple, and the numbers are to be in creased to 333. A demand of the prefect for a sup-1 plementary credit of 18,0 11 01 r. for the expenses' of the coming elections of officers of the na tional guard was not acceded to without some grumbling, and some deprecatory allusions to the large sum which the national guard costs the city. This sum, including the pay of 813 staff officers and 008 drummers and trumpeters, amounts to 1,200,000 francs per annum, certainly a very large sacrifice for pseudo-military parade. A vote of 205,758 fr. was readily adopted fur proceeding with the interior de corations of the Hotel de Ville. The enlargement of this stately edifice has cost a sum of 3.200,0001. ster liug, besides nearly a million and a half more for in ternal decorations and furniture. The estimated expenses of what yet remains to be done amount to 620,923 fr. Whenever the city gives a fete, large expenses are incurred for temponiry dceoritioiis, and these were so considerable on the late occasion that it is thought good economy to hasten thi com pletion of the permanent ornaments according to the original design. To-day a committee of icquiry has assembled at the I hotel de Ville, to consider the mode of currying into effect the hew voted in the bust dues of the sitting of the Ass.smbly, for pr longing the ltue de Itivoli and bcilding central markets. The execution of so vast a }un, or one in which so many persona are interested, never! before occupied the attention of the city of Paris. 4300 houses or warehouses will be pulled down forttwith, and on the moderate calculation of 20 persons to each house, there will be at least 12,000 proprietors, mer chants, shopkeepers, or simple inhabitants compelled to seek for new quarters. By the terms of the law I I on colonial banks the capital of these establishments is fixed at three millions of francs fur each of the hanks of Martinique, Guadeloupe and the Reunion ; and at 70ii,1Nff. for Guiana. Of this capital two I millions for the three first named colonies, and sisyektf. for Guiana have been provided by a deduc tion mode from the indemnity allowed to the colo nists by the law of April 24, 1849. The remaining capital of 1,200,0001. ntay be made up by voluntary subscriptions either in cash or in five per cents. at par. The minister of marine and of the colonies has decided that subscriptions for this purpose shall he received simultaneously in the colonies and in France. Each subscription must be to the amount of a: least one share of 500 E M. de Chasocloup-Laultat, Minister of Marine arid of the Colonies, is apoointcd to the ministryof foreign affairs ad interim, during the absence of M. Baruche. Yesterday the opening of the railway . from Angers to Nantes was inaugurated by the Minister of Public Works. .t museum of a novel kind has been added to the sights of Versailles. A large building has been crec'ed at Trianon for the purpose of exhibiting a collection of French saddlery and harness from the earliest times, together with many specimens from Africa and the Levant. In this building arc also to ho placed the historical state carriages, which have hitherto been locked up in a room on the ground floor of the Palace of Versailles, to which the public were not admitted. They are ten in number and con sist of the coronation carriage of Charles X., the carriage used at the baptism of the King of Rome, the carriages called the Topaz, the Victory, the Tur quoise, the Brilliant, the Cornclian, the Amethyst, the Opal, and the funereal car of Louis XVIII. General Waldemar has arrived at Strasbourg, assumed the command of the military division of that place, vice General Nlagnan, removed to the com mand of the army of Paris. At the Bourse the Fives fell 15c. closing at 93.65, and the Threes fell 10c., and closed at 57.35. The Gazette of this day contains a royal decree declaring that the prince or princess to be born of the Duchess of Nlontpensier shall be entitled to all the prerogatives of an Infant of Spain. Correspondence from Cuba, of the 17th July, are silent on the subject of the famous pronwicianultto. he authorities of the island are prepared to crush any outbreak. THE LEVAN f.—We have received by the Levant mail Constantinople journals to the nth, and Athens journals to the 9th, both inclusively. They are destitute of news of political importance. The (barrier d'dthenes gives further accounts of conflicts between the gendarmes and bands of brigands iu different parts of Greece. There were several killed and wounded on both sides. DEATH WHILE BATHING AT Il.terlNGS.—Mr. W. R. Quarry, a young man, aped 2.3. 1.»I his life here on Sunday morning, in a very painful manner. At 20 minutes b. fore 7 o'clock he entered the sea opposite Carlisle-parade. with tie or seven other persons. The sea was ebbing, and nearly at its lowest, and there wet MM..' turf, with a breeze front the south-west. In 10 or 12 minutes the party came out of the water, excepting Quarry, who was then missed by hit companions. by whom he was seta about three mi nutes before, standing with the water breast high, and oc- I casioually dipping. A young man nuin...l Rolland% wentto , _ _____________ the spot where Quarry was last men.but could nod no trace , F RENCH PROGRESS IN WEST AFRICA.—We leant of him. Beats And dray were put in requitition, but without (rum the Baboon Rarer that the French have founded a AVAIL and, although every ezerthm has been made, up to , new fort and establishment on a point called the !liaison sYsterday the body had nut been Towel. It is supposed that Carree, and where there are already several European th. , diyeated sank in some soft mud. And that his body is houses. Hitherto the French trade in the river has been no, c oncealed in it. The spot in ph.stion is the site of a sntall, but now there is a port for catching the hippnPo subterranean forest, and the sand* are very treacherous, tannis. A French bishop named Ressieu presides over the owing to the presence of &compost il vegetable matter. The Homan catholic missions, and is called the Bishop of the deceased conducted a chemist's business in All Sainwstreet. Ostrom. TILES LAST GREAT FIRE IN CALIFORNIA. The following is a postseript to the letter of our New York correspondent published yesterd y :a — NEW YORK, At:a. 6. After closing my regular despatch this morning, the steamer Empire City arrived from Chaves with a large number of passengers, and one million seven hundred thousand dollars in specie and gold dust on freight, and three hundred thousand dollars in the I hands of pro.enger4. The news from San Francisco is fifteen days later than previous dates. The following are particulars of the tiro at San Francisco, which destroyed ten squares of buildings, and property to an amount estimated at 4,0110,000 dollars. The fire broke out, at 11 o'clock a.m., on the 20th of June, in a frame house on the north side of Paci fic-street, about twenty yards from Powell-street. It was undoubtedly the work of an incendiary. Down Pacific-street sped the fiery storm, stopping not for a second, but on, on it drove before the now fast rising winds to Washington. In the meantime, while thus extending south it was spr:ading north and cast. At about half-past 12 o'clock the flames had complete pos session of Washington-street on the Plaza. Despite every effort, it crossed over to the houses at the north-west corner of the Plaza, consumed the old lAdobe, occupied by Burgoyne and Co., and others, together with some half dozen houses between that and Dupont-street. It was stopped on the south by t d he n c u u m u c t us bu o il t t i l l i e n ri g . ü by nt j iri u n st g ice u N id iz ta, an at ai i oce lt up w iell as making fearful headway towards Montgomery-street. The Alla California office withstood the flames for a while, but it too fell before the fiery blast that swept around it. The new Jenny Lind Theatre on the square was consumed. All the houses on both sides of Washington between Kearney and Montgomery . , except the Verandah, El Dorado , and Burgoyne s new banking house, shared the same fate. The small frame on Montgomery-street upon the site of Delmonico's took fire, and the block on the opposite side of the street, was in imminent danger for a long time, but by the tremendous exertions of the citizens it was saved. At this point the tire was stopped, but it extended still further down to Washington street as far as Jones's-alley. consuming Cobb and Co 's auction house, on the east side of that alley. Towards the north everything went down before the flames. At Broadway it was stopped. Sansone street scented doomed, but it too escaped, the fire stopping at its eastern limit about half a square from that street. The boundaries of the fire arc as follows. Beginning at the house where the fire started, situated a short distance from the north-cast corner of Powell and Pacific-streets, it extended along the east side of Powell and Broadway, sparing some half-dozen houses at the south-cast corner of Powell and Broadway; down the south side of Broadway to Kearney, destroying every house ex cept Tattersall's livery stable, at the corner of Kearney and Broadway; along the west side of Kearney to a point just opposite the City-hall, where it crossed the street to the Court Exchange. From that point it extended towards the water by a line about midway between Pacific and Broadway, and parallel with Pacific to Moutgotnery ; from Montgomery, following the same line to Oluo street, along the west side of Ohio to Pacific. From a point in Pacific, opposite the entrance of Ohio southwardly, to Jackson ; up the north side of Jack son to Jones's-alley, sparing Bidleman's warehouse and four frame buildings at the corner of Mont gomery and Jackson streets; along the west side of Jones's-alley to Washington, consuming Cobb and Co.'s auction house on the east side of the alley ; up the north side of Washington to Montgomery; from Washington to Clay. No house on Montgomery was burnt, except the small frame before spoken of on the side of itelmonico's ; on the north side Clay, from Montgomery to Kearney, all the frame buildinp were destroyed between Kelsey, Smith, and ltisley s, and the California Exchange ; front Cla' to Wash ington, on the Plaza, the Jenny Lind 'theatre was the only building burnt; along the north side of Washington, the fire extended to the Baptist Chapel, two doors from Stockton along the east side of Stockton to Jackson; up the north side of Jackson to Powell; along the east side of Powell to Pacific, the place of beginning. This space extends six streets from east to west, and five from north to south, including ten entire squares, and the major part of six others. The principal buildings that were burnt are the elegant new Pres byterian Church, of the ltev. Mr. Williams, on Stockton-street; the large brick building on the corner of Jackson and Dupont-streets, occupied on the second floor us the armoury of the Ist California Guards; the Adobe on the Plaza, the Alto Cafffio-- /do office, the Jenny Lind *I hentre, City Ilall, City Hospital, and the fine new four story brick building of Messrs. Murkwald and Caspar. in Jackson-street, near Kearney. hose saved within the burnt district were the Baia U buildings, Custom-house, Veran dah, El Dorado, California Exchange, all the fire proof houses on Montgomery-street, between Washington and Clay. Bolton, Barron, and Co.'s buildings, on Merchant-street, Kelsey, Smith, and Hitley's, and Bidleman's. On Merchant-streo, the Union Saloon and the houses opposite, to the aston ishment of everybody, escaped. It was expected at one time that the Post-office would go, and a general movement of papers and valuables was made, but fortunately the tire stopped at the county building. The City Hall, towering four stories high, and built of combustible materials, burnt like a fierce volcano. The sight presented as the flames obtained possession , and shot high into the air, was grand beyond de scription. All the officers of the courts and of the city government succeeded in saving their records. The City Hospital soon after took arc, and here the scene of distress as the unfortunate inmates, some 00 in num ber, were brought out, WWI harrowing. Many who were burnt in the former fire, and the explosion of the steamer New World, were stilt under treatment. By the untiring exertions of Dr. Chaplin, Mr. John Cotter, and a number of other benevolent persons, they were all removed without any serious accident. One man on Montgomery-street became exasperated at those around, and drawing a revolver fired three tunes at different persons. A ball passed through the hat of one, hut fortunately injured nobody. As soon ns the fire broke out, Burgoyne and Co. re moved all their books, papers, and deposits to their new banking-house at the corner of Montgomery and Washington streets. None of the other hankers were burnt out. The Alta Calitiwnia was the only newspaper that suffered. Since the above was writ ten, we have heard the names of two persons who were burnt to death: Mr. Bach, of the firm of Bach, Barnett, and Co.; and Mr. Lyon. A man was shot dead by an officer in Bush-street, for plundering the property placed there by the sufferers in the fire. Mr. Sanchez, in Sacramento-start, discovered, about two o'clock, some villain attempting to set fire to his premises. He fired at hint, but without etket. The incendiary escaped. and I - TUE SEIZURE OP A MERCHANT Slur BY MILITARY . ___ —_ PASSLNGEII,.—The following letter, in reference to the RETURN TICKETS FOR TUE WEST INDlES.—Ex seizure of the barque Leer:aside, by Captain Vess y and the cursion and return tickets are now issued by the Royal military under his charge, has been addressed by a relative West India Mail Packet Company. l'ersona can visit of that officer to the editor of the Hampshire Teleyrapit Madeira, or any of the places included in the West India Mail Sir—ln one of your last numbers you inserted a paragraph Packet scheme, in the company's packets, and if they em copied from a St. Helena paper) headed "Seizure of a , Hbark on hoard any of the homeward packets within six erchant Ship by Military Passengers." As that state- I months from the date of issue of their passage tickets a went only gave some of the facts, I trust, in justice to the • considerable saving is effected. parties impiicated, that you will allow a place in your co- I in COLONIAL lam sto the real state of the cute, as I I have it from un- BlSllOPS.—Arrangements have been completed for the immediate establishment of a mission in doubted authority, and as it appears Captain I, asiey's Borneo fur the whole of the Eastern Archipelago. It has official statement to the Harty: Guards. It would now seem been currently stated that the first bishop of the new see that Captain Vesey was compelled to act in the manner he will he the Rev. C. F. Childe, M.A. ' principal of the did, for the preservation nut only of his own life , ' fe, hut, in Church Missionary College, Islington. Arrangements are all probability, of those of the rest of the passengers and . also in progress for erecting new bishoprics in Western Aus the crew. The eaptaiu of the voise! was constantly drunk, trails, Sierra Leone, and the Island of Mauritius. It is be used the moat disgusting language in the presence of the liceed that one of the new bishoprics will be offered to the passengers, among whom . was a lady, and after having • Rev . Dr. Mortimer, head master of the City of London twice presented a pistol at Captain Vesey, was at last in Schou . I a — liberal in ' politics, and evangelical in religious the act of firing it off within three inches of his heart when ' mat ter;._ Nunday Tan.. he was disarmed and handcuffed . . Captain Ve . sey's life . was q ., IE TRoops ss only saved by his fortunately being able to seize the pistol, ' ''' OS raiI:SAGE To TUE CAPE OP with his thumb placed under the hammer, by which it was : Goon Hore.—The head-quarter division of the 12th much cut as it fell. The next day, as Captain Campbell Lancers, in the Charlotte, arrived at Madeira on the 27th continued, when sober, to be as violent as before, he was' ult., and was to sail again in a few days. The 2nd diet kept in confinement, his boxes and papers scaled up, and : gioai in the Berkshire, had not touched at that island. Captains Vesey and :Cele, with the assistance of the crew, I The division of the 2nd ( Queen's) Infantry, in the Cyclops carried the ship in perfect safety to St. Helena, when they , steamer, touched at Madeira on the 14th ult., and left for delivered Captain Campbell to the magistrates , who did not 'the Cape. The 2nd Battalion 60th Rifles , in the Itetribu hesitate a moment in keeping him in prison to take his lion trial. The Duke of Wellington, the Marquis of Anglesey, I on and Sidon steamers, also arrived there on the 23rd ult. These troops were all well. and Lord Fitzroy Somerset, on reading Captain V my's I ARRIVAL OP TIIE NEW SCREW STEAM SHIP statement, and the report of the St. Helena magistrate, and FRANKFURT. — On Sunday night at a late hour this new questioning an officer just returned from St. Helena on the screw steamer, destined for the Mediterranean, arrived in subject, declarial that they considered Captain Vesey as the Mersey, after a run of 18 hours from the Clyde in the not only blameless, but as having acted with the greatest face of heave head winds. She is one of Messrs. Vienna, coolness, courage, and determination. Captain Vesey's Jones, and Co.'s fleet, is of 700 tons burtben, has two MVO, friends feel that whets the Duke of Wellington expresses and capable of the same freight as a full rigged brag. Her such an opinion, they may be perfsctly satisfied. Trusting engines and screw have worked admirably in the . trial to that you will excuse me fur trespassing upon you at such which they have been subjected , and this is the first seas length, I am, Sir, your obedient servant, E. ViliEY. — Pay. going steamer to which Beattie's patent for the improved - --nenerars Unice, Aug. 15, MI. " application of the screw has been applied. SIAM.-A NEW KING. Our readers will probably remember that, about two years ago, there appeared in the columns of the Erpress some genuine letters from a royal prince of Siam, his highness Chau Fit Moiigkirt. This prince is the sovereign ruler of Siam, and his acces sion to the throne is big with important events to that kingdom, and promises to confer great advan tages to the trade of this country, as there is now a prospect of g' • • g more than was contemplated by the unsuccessful eaubassi of Sir Janes Brooke to the court of the late king. The death of his late ma jesty was viewed with much apprehension, as it was generally believed that a struggle would take place for the sovereignty and involve the country in a civil war. Yet notwithstanding the number of aspirants to the throne all has passed over without bloodshed, noise or tumult of any kind. In fact the day which witnessed the demise of his lute majesty (April 3) was one rather stiller than usual, and a would have been hard to believe that a king had fallen were it not for the appearance of the shaved heads of the nobles as they passed from the palace in their boats. The evening of the king's death an order was heralded for every faithful Siamese to manifest his grief by the usual sign under penalty of fine and scourging. The next day Bangkok became a gigantic barber's shop, and multitudes who had cultivated the much admired tuft with pride and satisfaction mourned in earnest as the razor removed it, no more to have a place on the cranium for a year to come. The aspirants for the throne were two sons of the late king, and three of his half-brothers, two of whom were successful c ompetitors, and succeed to the throne, the elder as king , and the younger as second or vice-king. This last office has been vacant since the year 1832. The present monarch is well known abroad, having made himself popular by his free in tercourse with foreigners, his creditable progress in the English language, and his attention to some of the modernsciences. 'fheyounger brother or vice-king also speaks the English language with some degree of fluency, and has paid considerable attention to the arts and customs of civilised nations. There is little doubt but that for the future a different and more enlightened coarse of policy will be pursued towards foreigners, indeed we are assured by our correspon dent, who is high in the confidence of the King, that his Majesty has stated that if the English and American ambassadors should return, they would be kindly received, and liberal treaties be neg otiated with them, at the same time remarking that their treatment and want of success in their late visits was wholly owing to one man. The peace and quietness which has attended this change of dynasty, so uncommon amongst eastern nations, was in a great measure no doubt, owing to the length of time which the late King lingered, his illness having commenced sonic time in January last, his death taking place at .1 a.m. on the 3rd of April. This circumstance gave the pniklang (chief minister) an opportunity to make complete ar rangements, such as collecting forces, stationing guards in different parts of the city to keep the people quiet, and taking other precautions to pre vent the other aspirants from an attempt at gaining the throne by force. Soon after it became apparent that a change was inevitable, and the number of aspirants were known, many of the -iamese them selves were exceedingly fearful that the King's death would be followed by anarchy and confusion, and that blood would be shed. The following letter from Dr. Bradley, an old and well-informed resident at Bangkok, and sent to our Singapore correspondent for publication, will be read with interest: Bangkok, April 10,1851. Mr. Editor.—His Majesty, the late King of Siam, de parted this life on the morning of the 3rd inst., Mere break of day. His Royal Highness 1. 1. Chnnfah Mungkut, was, early on the sante morning, escorted with all the honours of state tram his temple to a place which had been specially fitted up for him within the royal palace walls. Be was then ceremoniously disrobed of in, priestly garments, and clothed, not as a king, but as one who waits an appointed time, or rather a day, which their astrologers say is an aus picious day. for his coronation. Some peculiar notitm has led him and his counsellors to think that it would not be so well to he crowned in their fifth month as in the sixth. Hence the day atipuinted for his coronation is the kith day of i May. It is understood that he will not take possession of ' the royal palace until after his coronation. Ile styles him self now the president or acting King of Siam, the name or title fixed upon to be given him at his coronation is the fol lowing—Sotudet l'hra Paramendr Maha Mungkut. His brother to have titles equally honourable, though the part he will take in the government must necessarily be a little lower than that of his elder brother. A perfect change has taken place in the dynasty of this kiintdom, with su much peace and quietness, that but few of the inhabitants of this city knew the hour it hap pened until it was all over. None of the missionaries heard of it until eight or ten hours after it transpired. It is a very remarkable eircumstance, considering the state of public feeling but a few weeks since, and the fact that this is a heathen people, that this great revolution has taken place without the shedding of a drop of human Mood. All parties that were iu a menacing and fearful attitude towards each other have completely submitted to him whom the High Council of the kingdom has elected to become the late King's successor, and there seems to be universal satisfac tion produced by the change. But a few days be• fore his (loyal Highness left the priesthood, 1 had the pleasure, in company with my colleague, Prof. John Silshy, of a %sry friendly and familiar interview with him at his temple. Ile received us in an upper room, and gave us a pleasant entertainment, and spoke encouragingly to us of his purposes when he shall come two full power us King of Siam. Oho of the improvements he proposes to make is to have his reign practically a limited monarchy ; the spirit of what he said was, that he could not think that it was good either fur king or people to have only one will to rule a kingdom, as had been the case during all the late reign. Another encouraging thing, he said, was, that he was pleased with the proposition we made ut having a high school established in Bangkok for the purpose of teaching Siamese youth the English language and the sciences con nected with it, and that he would give this subject due at tention at the beginning of his reign. This prince and his brother are here universally under stood to he the particular friends of the English and Ame ricans, consequently as they come into power u great change becomes apparent in the feelings of all classes as manifested toward the American missionaries and other " white-faced " foreigners. Ile who is to be vice-king hail excluded himself from all intercourse with the Eng lish and the missionaries for more than a year, and it could not he determined what were his motives. Now he mani fests a desire to cherish friendly intercourse with them. A few nights since he had all the few remaining white-faced merchants of Bangkok iu his presence, and received their hearty congratulations. Some two or three evenings after that he requested all the missionaries to visit him ; nearly all did so, and held a very familiar conversation with him on the intents of the country. Ile intimated that it was the intention of his brother and himself to have quite • !lunatic: of new ships built,and also toprocure two steamboats. Our old Siamese teachers who hail been frightened from our employ by the oppressive measures of the lute King, have returned to um, feeling themselves to he now free to labour fur us, and to have tt appear that they are indeed our friends, because " the powers that are to all human appearance the friends of the English and Americans." Now in my opinion is the time, the very time appointed by him who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, for the governments of England and America to send ;heir ambassadors to Siam to negotiate a new treaty. I have no doubt that almost every reasonable desire on their part would be promptly granted. Thanks to the good seam of the English government, but more especially to him who rules in the councils of nations, that war hes not been deter mined by them against Siam, but contrariwise, pacific This is OtAllike. ZOE Court. OSBORNE, MONDAY, Are,. Ic. Divine Service was perftwalisl yesterday iteffei n4 t Osborne by the Rev. Mr. l'rutio roe, 111.14.. h..r Map Prince Albert, the l'rinee of Wales, and the Pribeesslt., The royal suite and 110UsdPad attended. There was no addition to the royal dinner puny tenlay. Sunday beinz the birth-day of the Dueloess of Kent, the rnorniou: aces 00.. h. r.. 1 i t .:o !... o',. r'n •• r in n rry pc.ts on tie chutslt toslho, rail hoktio ko r u...n rl „1 standard. Yertenlay evening her Royal Itighntsrer London trod-x. men illuminated ; and, ar wont!, they dined together at thu Kings Arms 'Eaten', Kennington.— Ity her Msj,..s y ., gracionr command u de , scrt of thu linert fruit, of the s, „. son was sent from the royal gardens at Frogmore; and h. the Duchess of Kent's orders the table war supplied rrrFi a Hoc buck.--Mr. W. Wright, sen., of l'allm.ol, pn . sided as chairman ; and the vocal department, under tl direction of Mr. !Lansford, contributed much to the hid tr'y of the evening. Despatches were ree , i red yesterday at the Colonid from the Governors of Ceylon and Iluitg were also received front the thricriter of c.0.d., .0 Governor' of the other North Atnerit.in Colouiev, Lori ,1•4 from the Governor of the Gambia. Yesterday the annual revel in lionoar of her jesty's accession to the throne was Mid at Wiml.or customary merriment. LAMBETH FREEHOLD LAND SOCIE-1) A general meeting of this society took plat, evening at the Southwark Literary and Scientific I e tion, Borough road, for the purpose of making lin., objects and operations of the te.viciatisii. the • though originally confined to the Irwough of Lam!. applicable to the whole kingdom ; and there are vim liarities in itt constitution which distinguish it fr.,. freehold land societies. Members are allowed the i.ii• purchasing land, or other freehold or leasehold I.: thentselves, should they prefer to du so. Persons .1. taut locality, desirous of becoming shareholders, it, sify themselves together, it they think fit, for the ;• of land or other property in their immediate viciiii•i subscription is extremely low—a shilling a week ; Females and minors are eligible fur mend,. ! shares are 3111: each, and there are nu fines on ,• . • All profits are divi ded istually among the walla tiers paying their subscriptions in edranee liberal discount. No responsibility attaches to shir• !...:.1 beyond the payment of their subscriptions. Menib. r. withdraw, or tran.ifer their shims, without liar, .4 ::: receive the value of their shares innainey. In the absence of Sir Joshua Walmsl•y, MP., an ! ti. other vice-presidents, Mr. RANKS, one of the directors, presided. that the whole of the first estate, consisting of aimad lots, had been allotted, with toe • xception of 41.. , Ur -:x to the full satisfaction of all conoertost 1 ni. tate was situate near the Dartmouth Arms and Forest Hill sta tion; it comprised nearly 37 acres, command. d the tic , . delightful views, and was within a fourpt any ride Lon don-bridge. The society had :motto e ,Lito iu iew ; and it was probable that further allotments would be made in the coarse of a few months. Mr. B. B. WALE, of Foreg-iiid, association, stated that, thong!, the s.s•i••ty only n ten months iu existence, upwards ,d* tido shares hit lwen taken up. (hear, hear.) The Iss—ut allotment of the Forest-hill estate had given the gr,:iti -t ,iti4tartion. Ther had been no refusals; the allotments had 1,,,n must Vae taken up, and in mane cases h:uul-ow,• vrentium. had I offered for them. There were now upwards of do.l hold land societies, and there had not ;wen one le amongst them. They were us yet in their infamy were destined to effect un unparalleled chi, •en tary the condition of the masses. Their oln. et first was to attain political power, but they were es i . available fur politicians of any class: and if they had hitherto chiefly confined to one party, it was on arcsu tho greater clear-sightedness and determination of party. (Cheers.) The societies had a commercial a m a political value, by enabling laud to be bought quantities as cheaply :14 in large ones. It was a fact that in MO the land of this country was he Z 40,000 individuals; while now it was confined to - • The original promoters of the society hail liberally _ix • their right of priority, and had taken the chant, m ballot along with the other members. (Cheers.) Mr. 11. J. GOLDEN, the solicitor of the moved a resolution, declaring the society entitled support of the meeting. the resolution having been carried, Mr. GODDEN stated that members now joinin2 not required to pay up the back subscription.. but commence from any time, and be available for the ballot. Applications for shares were then received, and closed the business of the meeting. ASCENT OF MONT BLANC UT FOUR ENGLISIIMLN Chatnouni, Aug. 14.—This quiet Alpine valley has frr t week been in a most unusual stateot activity and About seven days ago the people learned that three stud• from the University of Oxford, and an English au , i. were getting themselves into condition for attemptite! ascent of Mont Blanc : Guich...4 and villagers were At • • 0;4171 ; isl 4. ire, and the itdrentunnei party were rv,t with much interest wherever they neut. On Te morning, at seven o'clock, all the inparationt being Buse plete, the party set out from the Hotel do Loudres. I' included Mr. Floyd, said to be a sou of the general of that name, avid cousin of Sir Robert Peel, Mr. Phillips, u third Oxfordutan, and Me. Albs rt Smith, with sixteen grace, sixteen porters, and a number of readmits for the post of guide who attended the voyagers and their paid party for the purpose of 'canting the ruts to the summit of the mountain. Alter their departure telescopes were fixed from the windows of the inn, and in other places, to watch the progress of the toilsome :recent, and before six o'clock it was evident the voyager. had crossed the great glacier, and had arrived at their resting place for the night—on the Grand: Mutat. Yesterday morning, as soon as day light afforded a clear view, the adventurers were again visi ble by aid of a good gla.ss, and by twelve o'clock were seen making the final ascent. They rested rat the summit for about twenty minutes, and then commenced their descent arriving here last night about seven o'clock. The excite ment during the previous twenty-four hours had been very great in Chamouni. Anxious wives and parents haviee husbands and sons amongst the party up in the snows, and the interest being by no means dinnuished by the fact that Sir Robert Peel ( who had arrived here after the departure of his relative for the ascent) invited nearly AI the men re maining in the village, about sixty in number, to ;in enter tainment provided at an autterge, where they were sup plied with wine and other popular liquids iu which to drink " the health of the Englishmen who were sleeping on Mont Blanc." This ceremony was performed very zealously, and repeated in the most willing manner again and again till long after midnight. When in the evening the party from Mont Blanc approached the village, nearly all the inhabitant* assembled to meet them. GUM were fired in quick succession; the harles and fiddle* of the valley were in requisition, and a sort of half comical half triumphal scene ensued. The travellers and guides looked very jaded and sun-scorched, and had very bloodshot eyes and rather dilapidated costumes, but, in other respects. seemed to be in tolerable condition. This successful ascent by four Englishmen, turns the scale of numbers in favour of the English ; the French tourists having been hitherto accustomed to point with satisfaction to the fact that move of their countrymen titan of ours had succeeded in reaching the top of the King of the Alps. The present forms the 25th ascent—the first dating in 1787. The cost as well as the labour and danger of these daring excursions is very great. The talk of the village declares that the ascent will cost the party of four travellers fully 150 f. THE Gorr. PERCIIA COMPANY'S NEWLY IMO covtAtEn MOUE or DlSCltAittitNll GeNrowirine.—Yesters day some interesting experiments were tried at the Outta Pereira Company's Works, Wharf-road, City-road, for the purpose of demonstrating the means by which this extraor dinary production may be applied to the operation of dis charging gunpowder. A galvanic battery was connected with upwards of 50 miles of copper wire covered with gutta percha, to the thickness of an ordinary block lead pencil. This wire, which was formed into coils, and which has been prepared for the projected submarine telegraph, was attached to an old barge moored iu the canal along side the manufactory, the cods being so fixed together (although the greater portion of them were under water) as to present an uninterrupted communication with the battery to a distance limited at first to 57 miles, but afterwards extended to 70. A "cartridge" formed with a small hollow roof of gutta percha,thareed with gunpowder, and having an intercominunitsding , "7 attached, was then broutht into contact with the electric current. The result was, that a spark was produced, whieli, igniting the gunpowder, caused au immediate explosion similar to that which would arise from the discharge of a small cannon. The same prices... was carried out in Se rious ways with a view of testing the efficient minim r in which the gutta percha had been rendered impervious to wet, and in one ins . ante the fusee or cartrid g e wag plated under the water. In this eas e the efficienc y of the electric agency was equally well demonstrated by the explosion of the gunpowder at Cite mo ment the necessary .` contact " was produced ; and by way of showing the perfect insulation of the wire, an experiment was tried which resulted in the discharge of the fusee three seconds after the connexion with the battery had been broken. This feature in the cies:theca Irases pecially interesting front the fact of its removing all dale. culty and doubt as to whether the gutta perch; would so fur protect the wires as to preserve the eurrentof electricity under the must disadvantageous circumstances. The expe riments were altogether perfectly successful, as showing' bc)ond all question, that the properties of gutta perch; and electricity combined are yet to be devoted to other purn o , l than that of establishing a submarine telegraph. the blasting of a rock, the destruction of a fortification, and other operations which require the agency of gunpowder, have otters been attended with considerable danger ;rod trouble, besides involving large outlays of money, but it may be truly said that the employment of electricit y matiner described is calculated to render su ch o p erations comparatively free from difficulty. Amongst the company present on this omission was Sir Charles rashly, who met a warm interest in the proceedings, and expressed himself much gratified at the moult. in tam thin , that Mia 4 mast we IL ft diatcl (163,1 surip. ft II av tuna thaur II 'An bodit at th 80111.1 StUll. Clint in je , that year, kale ahnu and ro!st to d.l spect migh stanc mean the F L ew, ouu be ac built tor, be 1.1 ri.4 • .11 r stone SE TUN .- 9.C10C jest', Louis nun, Ilatci with 24 thy too the u fore teplar is due effect 0130