The Express. — London, England, 1853-08-19 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS.—TItt:RIDAY, AUGuer IS. The Lo to CHANCELLoIa took his test at 6 o'clock pE twos PRESENTEI.I. Tilt. Ct' or Loci. MAItCHAND.—Iiv Lord BEAU MONT, from Louis Marchand, praying - that a committie saight he appointed to inquire into his came. lIACKNEYCARRIAGE BILL. Lsrd STANLEY of ALDERLEY gave notiee that he should to-morrow MOTO the suspension of the standing orders for tho purpose of enabling this bill to pass through all its stages. REPOIti OF THE BOARD FOR CONSOLIDATING TILE STATUTE LAWS. The LORD CHANCELLOR would take that opportu nity of hying on the table a report which had been made to him by the Dosed for Consolidating the Statute law.. fie regretted that he had not been able to do so earlier in the session, but the directions which he had given to the lentlemen engaged in the work had been to continue their abours until nearly the close of the session, and then to re port to him what they had done in order that it might be laid On the table and printed. As the report would shortly be in their lordship s hands, he would not go into any minute detail as to what had he, n done ; but he thought it was due to their lordships and to the gentlemen who had devoted so much attention to the subject, to otate shortly the course which had be, O pursued. Tceir lordships would recollect that very ratty in the session it was his desire to accomplish • consolielotien of the statute law—if not of the whole, at least of a material portion of it. The course he pursued was tn apply tint to Mr. lierenden Ker, who was the only surviving nu inb•r of the c =mission tunstitutcd by Lord Brougham for a similar purpose, amply, for the consolida tion of the criminal and statute law. That commission did proceed with the criminal, but not with the statute law, and they made one report on the subject. It appeared to him that the best way would be to continue the services of Mr. Ker, and to plate under him four gentlemen hest quali fied for the task of commencing this very useful proceetlini b . As the whole matter was to a great extent experimental, he did nut choose to involve himself in the necessity of ex tending the engagement beyond a year, if it should tent out that he had been too sanguine, and that it was a work which could not be usefully accomplished. He, therefore, 'retained foes very able gentlemen for one year, and they met him at his house on the last day of March with Mr. Ker, and be pointed out the course to be taken. lie thought, in the firs: {.lace, that it should be ascertained whet the statutes were that remained to be consolidated. There were some 40 quarto volumes, designated " the Mutates at large," and printed eery closely. He had pre viously satisfied himself that though there were a great many volumes of statutes to be consolidated, it was a decep tion to imagine that there was anything like the 40 volumes, for they consisted not only of statutes 03.1 in force, but of Innumerable sts'utes which had been repealed, and some which had become obsolete, whilst others were temporary acel local, and would form no part of • consolidation fir general purposes. Ile, there fore, directed, in the first instance, that a revised list should be made of what statutes there were now actually in force. The board had great facilities for that purpose, because there was a report which gave them down te the reign of alocen Anne, and they had other asaistance, without which they could not have accomplished such a task within four months ; but he was happy to say that that task had been completed. Two of the gentlemen—Mr. Anstry and Mr. Rogers—directed their immediate atten tion to look through the whole statutes for this purpose. This they did, ant: made the list, and the result was rather a curious one. It appeared that from Magna Chart' down to the end of the 13th and 16th of her present Majesty's reign, there had been passed 16,412 public statutes, leaving Out the whole of the local and personal acts. There had been repealed 2,700, and virtually repealed by enactments acute:stint with them ' 2,600 more. There were 3,900 public statutes as to which the board were not able to say they were not all in force. Of those again 420 related ex clu•ively to Scotland, 600 to Ireland, and 400 exclustvely to the colonies; and leaving those out of the nnestten, there remained in force 2,495 statutes—say 2,500 Ice round numbers—general statutes applicable to England Or the United Kingdom. Therefore it was to the consoli dation of that body of 2,590 statutes that the attention of the commi•stoners must be mainly directed. The commis 91011er1 in their report analysed all those statutes. The two gentlemen to whom he had referred having made their report, another member of the board, in order to test the accuracy of it, had neatly completed the same process beginning backwards—that was, going up from the reign of Victoria, in order to be perfectly accurate. That would be an ex tremely useful work, nut only for lawyer, but laymen, who would be able to see at ono, whether • particular sta tute was or not in force. It being a matter of doubt what was the Ilticet course to panne—whether they should take the laws as they now are, add put them into one, asking them more readable and acceasible ; or, secondly, whether it would be better to unite with the statute' es different subjects (as, for instance, the law of distress) the common law, the un written law, on the 'abject ; and thirdly, whether it would be better to make • agent, Improving and pointing out what alterations were aecemary—that being so, his dine ties was that they should take some subject which would be the easiest, and make a consolidation in all those differ ent forms, in order that he might be able to decide what would be the most expedient course to take. Ooe of the eommtmionen selected the subject of " distress for rent," and he had made three digests of that—one being a digest of the statutes lawn the earliest time, the other a digest of those statutes, with the whole or such part of the law as appeared to be so connected with the statutes, as to make them intelligible ; and thirdly, a digest with considerable aniendtuesa which he had pointed out. That was a part of the report which he was about to lay on the table. Mr. Cade had been connected with the poor law some years ago, and be then commenced a digest of all th e laws relating to the pour from the reign of Queen Elizabeth down te the present time. That digest bed been nearly completed, and it would be a mast saint 'Batavial to have before them, as their lordships would sup pose when he told them that there were 160 odd statutes on this subject consolidated, whether in the best possible fors or not be was sot then prepared to my, but it would ao doubt be of great utility. He thought he stated enough to show that the gentlemen to whom the task had been assigned bad neither been idle, or forgetful of the duty which they owed to the public. (Hear, hoer.) Whether their lordship. would Sri* is all they had recommended was another matter. Mr. Her bad told them that it was desirable that each of them should makes • suggestion in writing as to the beet course to be punted, and they bad •; thee e fore made mush • suggestion ia writing, but of saline they would not take umbrage if he exercised his discretion, as be was rispoosible for the plan which might be adopted. He had coma to the conclusion, having got this useful basis, and specimens of the different modes of digesting the law, as well as Mr. Coode's digest of the poor laws—he had eons to the conclusion that the beet course would be, that each of the gentlemen should take some subject, and he had suggested that they should be such as involved nothing bat statutes—such, for instance, as the poor-law—in which there was no common law—each would be aloe almost all the revenue laws, the laws relating to public works, railways, end works of that sort. Whe ther the precise abject& had been fixed upon he could net say ; but he had determined that each gentleman should hake one subject and consolidate the whole statute law on that subject, of course clear from repulsive long sections sad formal enactments. That having been done, he would call attentisa to one or two considerations suggested by them, and which were of a singular petals. Their lordships were aware that eight years ago there were passed sortaia sets known as Railway Consolidation Acts and Lads Clauses Acts, for coasolidating into one act all the enactments that used to fled their way into a railway bill. Now it was curious enough, taking the quantity of printed pees in them acts, and the number of acts which had since passed, which had incorporated all those classes, to me the moult, whisk was this, that if they had only prated area copy of each railway act the r e b a d hem a "'via, is printing of 116 folio pages in that one ropy. And inasmuch as 1,000 copies were printed of each, that they were printed over twice in the shape of bills ; and laassauch as the seta which passed did not constitute above one-fourth of those which wets brought in as bills, and were finally lost, the saving which had been effected by those consolidation ae s was enormously great; and one direction which he had given was, that they ought to have the benefit of the experience which might be derived from such circumstances. They should see, therefore, whether they could not adopt the same principle in a variety of other matters. Most of their lordships were engaged is the duties of magistrates; and he did not see why the laws relating to the duties of that saes sheuld not be pat into one act. Again, there were the laws relating to the national debt. The Ch an cellor of the Mitchequer had told him that it was troublesome beyond measure for persons engaged in matters of Inane* to look Into the various statutes. He might further instance the laws relating to landlord and tenant which might be dealt with in the ems way. He was sorry that be had not had an opportunity of laying the report on the table before, but he bad bad reason to hope that his noble and 1 d friends Lord Brougham and Lord Lyndhurst would have been pre sent that evening. Ho regretted their absence, but he did not think it safe to defer the matter until to-morrow (this) evening. In conclusion, he would only say that he had the most perfect conviction that it was • scheme which would be of essential use to the public. (Hear, hear.) The report woe then laid on the table. BURIALS BEYOND THE METROPOLIS BILL. Os the notion that this bill be read a third time, Lord REDESDALE objected to some of the eztraordi nary powen which it contained. He also thought that there was so asperity for setting apart compulsorily &por tiere of cemeteries as uscareented ground. It might be done if desired, but there was no TWOS why it should be enacted that it must be done. There were other points Si to fencing arid boundaries which appeared to render the bill very incomplete. Earl (MANVILLE said the bill had met with the ap proval of a member of the late government, who bad charge of the business is another place, and it !lad also been ap proved h her H p =s government. The bill then COPIES OP SPECIFICATION REPEAL BILL. The Comeau' eseadzsents to this bill were considered sad agreed to. TURNPIKE ACTS_C9NTINUANCE BILL On tbe;eaiiiientiiis of the eiggWic7Wreseo;Tor dis agreeing wit► the amesdatents made by the Lords. Lord ItEDICSDALE mowed that their lordship insist oa the arimiadesest, by which the clauses vitiate to the drawing N carts by doge oa ttawspike reeds. After sees diseaseits Ow login t►oo wood to, sod a Naboosso yes ordered. CONSOLIDATED FUND APPROPRIATION BILL. This bill was read a third time shit passed. The following bills passed through committee :—Militia Pap; Land Tea Redemption Act Amendment South S,a And other Annuiti.a. Provision for Payment, &c. ; Appro. of Offend, Ira Act Amer.,dcttn! ; It!tting Bonita ; C)mmoos Inc:oeura (No. ; Fomala Conviets; Loan Soeictici; M Wily Trinity Church, Hulme, Vaiiility ; Friendly Societies; Copyhold, Consmis , iion C.mtinttance ; and Metropolitan Sewers ActiaContinuance, Rills. The following bill, were read a third time and plumed . Land Tax Commissioners Names; Defacing the Coin; Linen, &c. Manufacturce (Ireland); Militia Ballots Sus. Pension and Militia Law Amendment; Pilotage; Smoke NaisAnce Abatement (Metropolis) , Stock in Trade Exemp tion; Customs Teta Act ; andSustomsConsolidation Act, _ _ The Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Bill passed through com mittee, and The house adjourned at 20 minutes put 6. Ett: enrcoA. THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, AUGUST 19, 1853. r 0 CORI:kSrONDENTS. —.—.... & •.c•tod !tittle.: •f " Vaprroo," emtait.aas —ca atm neat• el totrottr," la I...,bliatcd trery Tuesday aaol Ifrolay .taut, 'II time 'or runt & ran '.,.rtarrt.. Wooled , or Ennronr,"Looloa Et ming roper, art .t air thiloo, li , , Bouretio.stror., Tyro o'elook ea the lay of pub!. Lion. ElOll WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Taw Del-11Oraing. 21. 102............Aftermace. 21. S. To.resaaw —Monks& 21. U. .Jllierases. 8%.184a. LONDON, FRIDAY, AUGUST 19. IT is impossible to read the note addressed by the Turkish Divan to Count NESSELRODE—a transla tion of it will be found in the interesting letter from a Constantinople correspondent which we pub lish to-day—without feeling that its language is that of the indignant irony of high-minded men. " Con nsissant," it commences, " le profond interet que 8. M. l'Emperenr de Rolm, ainsi que la grande majorite de son people prennent A tout cc qui con cerne in reliyion peon protease, et apprtleinnt en tit,renient les motifs de cetinteret." Whether intended or not, this is polished and withering sarcasm. It is clear from our correspondent's narrative—and he has from his position access to the best sources of information—that the sanguine expectations of those who talk of the last Russian soldier re-crossing the Truth on the 10th of September, are utterly base. less. The EMPEROR has accepted the proposition suggested by England and France, and adopted by Austria ; but meanwhile a new proposition suggested by the Porte, and adopted by the four Powers, is on its way to him for acceptance in its stead. It is clearly the wish of Russia, even though it should I ultimately have to evacuate the Danubian Provinces, at present to seize upon every pretext for putting off the evil day. The contracts for provisions, the formation of intrenched camps, all indicate that the unwelcome guests will postpone their departure as long as possible. This substitution of a second and different declaration by the Porte, received after the first has been accepted, will eagerly be seized upon by the Russian Court as a pretext for renewing cavils and inter change of protocols. The Russian dignity will affect to take offence, explanations will be asked, apologies I required. And while the wordy war is waging, the Russian troops will be strengthening their position in Wallachia and Moldavia. One blunder after another has been committed by the European Powers. If they had sought to play the game of Russia they could not have done it bet ter. First, they wasted time, allowing Russia to get the start of them and seize the Principalities. Next, like men who are conscious of being too late, they made matters worse by a pottering excess of haste. They first send off a proposal for accommodation, sure to be accepted by Russia, without previously consulting the Porte, and then send off the Porte's offered proposal after it, although they might be sure that the latter could not reach fit. Petersburg until the former had been eagerly clutched at and accepted. Russia cannot but laugh in its sleeve at these fruits of the collective wisdom of the diplomacy of Western Europe. But it is upon the diplomatists of England that the full phials of its contempt and scorn must be poured out. The truckling of English diplo =fists to Russia on other occasions, as well as the present, is pitiable beyond con ception. The correspondence between the British and Russian Governments, relating to tho Salina mouth of the Danube, which has been presented to Parlia ment, and was published on Tuesday last, though it adds little or nothing to what was previously known about the obstructions to navigation in that quarter, contains a curious illustration of the tone which Russian diplomacy has been allowed to assume habitually in its communications with British agents and ministers. On the 20th of October, 18M, Sir O. H. SET YOUR writes from St. Pttersburg to Lord PALMER STON :—H At this moment I am convinced that fresh remonstrances upon the subject on my part would only produce an angry reply from the Russian Chanceller." Now the subject on which our Minister at St. Petersburg was afraid to address the imperious Russian Minister, lest he should be scolded for hi importunity, had been in agitation from November, 1848, and to the present moment is left in quite as unsatisfactory a state as at the beginning. It is more over a subject of the highest importance to British commerce, inasmuch as it involves the safety of all our ships and crews trading to the Danube, and indeed our means of communi cation with all the territories on that river. And it is clear that Russia has been mysti fying and laughing in her sleeve at our agents, con sular and diplomatic, throughout the protracted cor respondence on the subject. In October, 1831, Count NESSELRODIS had the assurance to maintain. in a communication to the British Minister, that the navigation of the Bolin& channel was actually in a better condition under the Russian than it had been wider the Turkish Government. According to his statement or ly light vessels traversed the passage when it belonged to the Turks, and their primitive mode of keeping it 1 clear sufficed ; but commerce having extended under Russian sway, and vessels of deeper draught being employed, more costly means were required, and had been used with effect. In the same month of October, 1831, Count NESSELRODE, writing to Baron Bitursow, assumed • totally different ground. Ho admitted the fact that the depth of water on the Selina bar had diminished since the right of property in the channel passed from the Turks to the Russians, and gravely argued that the change was the consequence of a law of nature, by which the mouths of all great rivers get sanded up in time, which man cannot control. The obvious meaning of these con tradictions was, that the Russian Government were determined to allow the navigation of the Salina to go on deteriorating. The trolly-sanctioned rights and interests of English commerce were violated by the Russian Government ; the itish Ministers were openly scorned and mocked by the Russian Govern ment; and matters standing thus, the British Envoy at St. Petersburg writes to his Cabinet that he dare make no further remonstrances to the Russian Chan- . oellor, for fear of awakening his ire, and the British Cabinet tacitly sanctions this poltroonery. When the Russian Court sees the rulers of Great Britain address it thus, in behalf of their own coun trymen, " with bated breath, and whispering hum- Nimbus, even in a boadgoods key," it would be I strange if that Court ptid much attention to remon strances from the same rule rs in behalfot a foreign State. The Russian Government no doubt believes that the representations of the British Cabinet respecting the evacuation of the Danubian Provinces may be evaded as safely as its representations respecting the navigation of the Sullies. And, if this I be the case, at what time before the Greek Kalends are we to look for that evacuation of the provinces of which Ministers and their abettors talk so confidently ? The question to which we have just been adverting is a curious commentary on that superior zeal in opening roads for the facilitation of commercial intercourse, which Mr. COBDEN attributed to Russia over Turkey on Tuesday last. The Salina Channel of the Danube is an important highway of commerce ; it was effectively kept open by the Turks; it is allowed to become impassable by the Russians. The question of the comparative amount of taste and talent for road-making possessed by the two nations is, it is true, one of very secondary importance. The nation which is our best customer—which takes the largest quantities of goods off our hands, and makes the promptest payment-- best deserves to have its amity cultivated in commercial regards; how it distributes these goods throughout its own territory, or transmits them to other countries, is for us a matter of marvellously little consequence. THE SHORT HAY CROP. There is a good deal of anxiety everywhere about the wheat crop of this year; and a good deal of con gratulation about the barley and oat crops : but less is said about the hay than the subject deserves. The subject of hay has risen to be of even more impor tance than it was before the days of railroads, when the welfare of tens of thousands of post-horses was implicated with the June mowing. After those horses were shelved, hay lost some of its dignity for a few years, till the admission of foreign cattle under the tariff of 1842 gave that stimulus to stock farming which has gone on increasing ever since, and cer tainly will go on increasing for many a year to come. The more secure we find ourselves, under Free Trade, of a good supply of grain from various parts of the world, the more we turn, very wisely, to stock and dairy farming; and the more important, in consequence, does the hay crop become. Our agricultural journals are already pointing out to the farmers that the butter trade is a far steadier one than the corn trade; and nobody doubts that we are dreadfully stinted in cheese, and that the consumption of butcher's meat has yet to extend to large classes of agricultural people who now hardly know the taste of it. At this moment, we hear much of the high prices of stock in the market ; and at this moment, there is less anticipa tion than there might be of the approaching time when the prices of stock will probably fall, from the excessive dearness of hay next winter, and the neces sity that farmers will be under to rid themselves of the cattle that they cannot feed. In the rains of the winter, the hope was that, how ever the wheat lands might suffer, the pastures would flourish after such an irrigation. But then came months of cold dry weather, during which the grass seemed scarcely to grow at all, except in the rare spots where artificial irrigation is practised. And, as every thing else was backward too, the shutting up the pastures for hay was a thing difficult to manage. The winter stock of food was ex hausted; and it was necessary to cut the grass, over many hundreds of acres, from day to day, for the day's food. At bud came good weather, and the groves sprang up and rushed into flower. Some, but not very much, was saved in this fragrant and perfect state ; but there was temptation to wait for its becoming somewhat thicker, and then the rain came, and poured down for weeks. Since it ceased, the agricultural world has been so busy—the hay harvest being five or six weeks late—that too much of the gnu has gone to seed, injuring the quality of the hay, and well-nigh ruining that of the soil. The mischief is great ; and when winter comes, we shall find the seriousness of the deficiency in the high price of hay. If, by that time, we are blessed with any approach to that system of agri cultural statistics which we mean to have as soon as we can get it, we shall find the national loss of pro perty, in consequence of the deficient hay crop, to be serious enough to set us thinking how we can secure ourselves against its happening again. In some of the less improved districts of England, the rule. still is, as •it was when Davy suggested the use of bone-dust for manure, and was laughed at by the farmers for his pains, that it takes three acres of grass land to feed a cow; whereas, not only in more advanced districts, but in many old-fashioned places, it is found possible to feed two cows on half that quantity of land. This is a very moderate proposal; for we do not want to make a rule out of a few ex ceptional cases of extraordinary painstaking, or marvellous high farming. By moderate skill and care, and application of capital, it is found practi cable to feed four cows instead of one on three 1 acres of land. Now, what atrocious waste is here—in those old districts where the cattle roam, spoiling with their wasted manure (so pernicious when wasted !) miles of pasture, while millions of our people are in want of meat, butter, and cheese, and while a bad hay season cost' us hundreds of thou sands of pounds! These are the facts that a system of agricultural statistics would inform us of; and the resit of such information would be an institution of stall feeding of cattle which would place us almost beyond the reach of such deficiency and loss in future. The advantages of stall feeding have been so clearly proved in so many published cases, that it would hardly be supposed necessary to insist upon them but for questions and expressions of amazement that occasionally make themselves heard. A small farmer in an old-fashioned district is still asked what he can possibly find for his men to do, seeing that he has as many men as acres; and he is told that he is very wasteful of wages, for his neighbours find that one man can manage nine acres, taking care of cer tain horses to boot. We still see the old-fashioned men buying various manures at high prices, and wasting a world of time, and cart, horse, and man power in getting seaweed and the like, while their cows are poaching their wet pastures into a sort of honey-combed surface, where the dressing can not be properly distributed, and tho mowing will be a sorry affair : where also the lumpy state of the grass is an offence to the eye, and a vexation to the mind that thinks of the waste of manure that is the cause of the lumpiness. Such are the nine acres, when in the charge of one man. The one acre, in the opposite case, is fertile in every foot of it ; and with a fertility which suffices the cow for the year round. If any of it is in grass, it is rolled to a smoothness almost like that of a lawn; it is dressed with bone dust or guano ; it is watered with liquid manure ; it is bush-harrowed ; it is inter. dieted to duck or dog, and to every other creature ; and, when in its early fragrant flowering, it is cut down and found to amount to three tons per acre ; and, if desired, it will yield another crop of nearly the same bulk. As for the part that is not grass, the cabbages, which are the most nutritious of aliment for cattle, are growing all autumn and winter Ifor spring food, to come in with ra p e , or rye grass, or lucerne, while the grass is growing for bay ; and then in spring comes the sowing, in intermediate rows, of swedes, man gold, Belgian carrots, Bc., to give their nourish ing leaves in autumn, and their roots in winter. And in the stable and the tank, meantime, is the home-made guano accumulating which bears its share in the beneficial experiment, and fills its place in the modern agricultural rule—the more green crops, the more stock ; the more stock, the more manure ; the more manure, the more green crops. And here comes the other popular objection : it is so cruel to stall-feed cows—to keep them shut up ! No doubt it may be made a cruelty, if mismanaged ; but no one who has compared the condition of stall-fed with roving cattle, with due consideration of age, variety of seasons, and average of years, can have any doubt that the ad vantage rests with the stall-fed animals, as to health, comfort, and longevity. As to the state of the case in March there will probably be no dispute, the winter accommodation of roving cattle being, of _ _ course, in every way inferior to that which ie ar ranged for permanent residence. We do not fear to take July—the grandest month of the year for out door cattle. If put out in July, the stall-fed cattle will return eagerly to their stable to escape the sun, the flies, or the first drops of rain. When people talk of a state of nature as best for cattle, they have not only to mako sure that a primitive age is a golden age for the beasts of the field, but to remember that the primitive age cannot be renewed or imitated by English farmers. They must re member that aboriginal cattle had the range of forests for shade, and ponds and streams for coolness, and a power of vagary of all sorts, quite unlike what can be allowed to out-door cattle on modern farms. Even in the early days, the cattle were certainly driven to stand in the water and crouch in shade where insects abounded, and must lash away the flies without ceasing, under penalty of going crazy. And the dislike of cattle to rain, and the injury done to cattle by rain, are well known. From these evils stall-fed cattle are guarded. If properly cared for otherwise —if curried like horses, and rubbed down the legs, and placed in airy, well-cleaned stalls—they wi❑ show by their plight, by their produce, by their freedom from disease, and by their longevity, that they are no victims of cruelty. This matter is important now because the hay has, to a considerable extent, failed, and the conse quences are sure to show themselves next winter and spring, while it is yet time to prevent so serious a loss from recurring next year. It is yet is time to prepare the ground and sow spring food, other than grass, and to begin a large practice of agricultural economy in the stall-feeding of cattle. The next winter must be got over as it best may : and the pro bability is that a quantity of stock will change hands, and undergo doom, from the high price of hay. But we may be ready to make a new start, from that time forward, and to bring our land to bear such an increase of stock, in proportion to its area, as may fortify us against future failure of the grasses by giving us a surplus of stock out of which to make a surrender, and a variety of aliment for our stack which shall reduceone dependence on any one sort to a point of safety. MORE MISTAKES OF THE "Timzs."—The Times yesterday announced that the coal trade of the New castle districts had resolved to raise the price 2s. a ton. This, wo understand, is a mistake ; the increase of price decided on being only, we are assured, 2s. a chakircm, or about 9d. a ton. TURKEY. CONSTANTINOPLE, Aro. 9. The steamer from Odessa, which arrived on the 3rd inst., brought letters from the foreign consuls and several of the commercial houses there, intimating that, according to advice. from St. Petersburg, the Emperor had accepted the oint propositions of th e cabinets of London and Paris. This news, which may or may not be true, has caused a sensation among the Turks and Greeks of Constantinople, the former of whom are far from being glad of it, while the latter see in it a triumph to the court of St. Pe tersburg. The acceptance (if true) will, in fact, add to the difficulties in the way of the definitive sole- tion of the difference; for it so happens that the pro- positions of England and France not having ap pearedto the Ottoman ministers such as could accepted, the Sublime Porte has substituted for them the draft of a note, drawn up in concert with the representatives of the four great powers, in a conference which was held on the 23rd of July, at the house of Rechid Pasha ; and this draft note, of which a copy was forwarded to Vienna on the night of the 23rd-24th July, accompanied by a very explicit explanatory despatch, and was sent on from that capital to St. Petersburg. Here is an exact translation—it is addressed to Count Nessel rode : " Aware of the deep interest which his Majesty the Emperor of Russia, and the great majority of his people, take in everything that concerns the reli gion they profess, and correctly appreciating the motives from which this interest spnngs, it is with pleasure that I bring to your knowledge the fir nan. which my august master promulgated towards the end of the month Shahan of the present year. Moreover, in order to dispel all doubts, I assure y ou, on the part of the Sublime Porte, that while his Nis jeety the Sultan reserves to himself all the legitimate rights of sovereignty over his own subjects, it is his sincere intention to ensure in perpetuity . to the Greek church the enjoyment of all the privileges which his Majesty may see fit to grant to any other sect among his Christian subjects. In conclu sion, I entertain not the least doubt that the assur ances given in the firmans above mentioned, which have inspired confidence everywhere, will give satis faction to Russia. " MEHEMET REBIIID. "Constantinople, July 23." In the explanatory note submitted to the represen tatives of the four powers it is said that this draft is the lut concession Turkey can make, and that the evacuation of the Danubian provinces is insisted upon as soon as it shall have been received by the court of St. Petersburg. The definitive solution of the difference, therefore, must follow from the ac ceptance of this note by Russia, not from its accept ance of the Anglo-French propositions, and the answer of Count Nesselrode cannot be re ceived at Constantinople before the 10th of this month. But what if his government, resting upon its acceptance of the Anglo-French propositions, should insist on their being forced upon Turkey ? The at tempt would be most unjust, and would not succeed. Turkey would prefer war ; the more that fur her there is more danger in abstaining from than in making war. All the Mussulmans are indignant at the Russians, whose troops in the princi pali ties are dying off like flies in consequence of diseases engen dered by the want of suitable food and proper care ; whilst the Turkish troops opposed to them enjoy robust health. Desertion, too, is frequent from the Russian ranks. The Russian authorities act most arbitrarily in the principalities, and since the occu pation of these provinces the obstructions at the mouth of the Sulina are allowed to increase more ra pidly than ever—a cause of great injury to the trade of England, whose ships are thus in amanner embargoed in the Danube, while every effort is made to push Russian trade in these quarters by the removal of imposts. It is thus that Russia (aided by the in ertness of Austria) keeps the treaties which bind her to clear the mouth of the bulina. Apprehensions are entertained here of the defec tion of Austria from the good understanding of the great powers, and these apprehensions have increased since the 30th of July. On that day, Lord Itedcliffe, M. De Lacour, and the representative of Servia at this court received information that the Austrians, under the pretext that the public peace might be disturbed in Servia, insisted upon occupying that principality, in a friendly way if permitted ; if not, by force. This news excited an angry sensation against Austria, and it is said that M. von Wildenbruck, the Prussian minister, spoke warmly on the subject with M. von Bruck. Lord Redcliffe considers the preten sions of Austria on this point absurd, or stupidly treacherous; and M. De Lacour opines that it would be doing them too much honour to discuss them seriously. A letter from Jassy, in the Inim/erer of Vienna of the 14th, states that the Emperor of Russia has left it free to the liospodars of Moldavia and Wallachia to obey the summons of the Sultan, or to remain in the Principalities. It was supposed that the Hospodar of Moldavia would proceed to Constantinople; but according to a letter from Bucharest of the 9th, the Div.in of Wallachia had requested the Hospodar not to leave the principality at a time when his presence there was so much re quired. FRANCE. (BY BUBMAYINE TELEOI: I'lo PARIS, FRIDAY MORNINO. Grains and flour imported either by land or by Freach or foreign ships, and without distinction of production or flag, will be subjected up to the 3 lst Dec.,1853 but to the minimum duty fixed by the law 8f the lath April, 1832. Rice, dried ve4etables, oat meal, 25c. Ships will be exempt from tonnage dues. The Imperial Court of ltouen has condemned the four foreign correspondents. (By ELECTRIC TELEGRATH.) PARIS, THURSDAY. PARTS BOURSE—Closing Prices: Pour-and-a-Half per Cents., 105 f. 15c. ; Three per Cents., 80f. 15c. ; Bank Shares, 2,850 f. GERMANY. AUSTRIA. We have received the following telegraphic des patch: " Vienna, Aug. 17.—The official journal of this day contains an imperial decree, taking off the state of siege at Vienna and Prague." SPAIN. We have received the Madrid journals of the 12th, but their contents are unimportant. A letter of the above date states that rumours had been current of arrests haring taken place in consequence of an in tended insurrectionary movement, but that they were entirely void of foundation. It also mentions that an officer on half•pay had been ordered out of the capital for causing to be printed a number of copies of a protest against the royal decree relative to the concessions of the railways, which he intended to circulate clandestinely. The lithographic stone on which the protest had been written was seized and destroyed. EGYPT. A letter from Alexandria of the sth, in the Con stitutionnel, says:—" The great news of the moment is the alleged discovery of a coal mine on Mount Sinai. The Viceroy is highly delighted at this. lie immediately gave orders that engineers should be sent to the spot td analyse the ore and make a re port. Should the report be favourable measures will be at once taken to commence working the mine." The Nile being exceedingly high, the water has been introduced before the ordinary period into the canal Haleih, which passes through Cairo and crosses the whole of the province of Sciarkia, to rejoin the Nile near Damietta. The Viceroy was present at the ceremony of cutting the dyke, with Said Pacha, and this proof of their recon ciliation produced the best impression on the public mind. The Albatross steamer has arrived from Toulon, on July 14, having on board the Cheriff of Morocco. This steamer is to remain stationed in this port until his return from Hedjaz. M. Baumier, vice-consul of France, accompanied the Cheriff. M. de Laporte, the French consul at Cairo, has embarked on board the Nil steamer, to return to France. He has with him a young hippopotamus, a gift from the Viceroy. The chase after and capture of this animal cost not less than 30,000 fr., and it is intended for the Jardin des Plantes. The Mbota, giving news of the same date, says: The numerous orders for corn from Europe, from France especially, had occasioned considerable acti vity in business. A good many cargoes of wheat had been shipped, but the scarcity of vessels checked exportation. stidprnduced great fluctuatinnv in prices. owing to multiplied sales and resales in the market itself.' Abbas Pacha had given his uncle Said a steam boat and several villages in the province at Doman hous, as a pledge of the sincerity of their recon ciliation. AUSTRALIA AND THE CAPE. ARRIVAL OF THE HARBINGER. Yesterday the General Screw Company's steam packet Harbinger arrived at Southampton from Aus- tralia and the Cape of Good Hope. tier dates are : Sydney, Friday, May 12; Melbourne, Sunday, May 22; Mauritius, Tuesday, June 21 ; Algoa Bay, Sun , day, July 3 ; Table Bay, Thursday, July 7 ; St. Vin cent, Wednesday, Aug. 3. The Harbinger bnngs the following passengers, viz.: from Sydney, 18; Melbourne, 39; Cape of Good Hope, 8 ; disembarked at the Cape of Good Hope Ifrom Melbourne, 5 ;—total, 70. Her cargo consists of a few packages of merchan dise and a considerable amount of gold, viz., 130,000 ounces, on freight. The Harbinger has brought an immense ship letter mail, consisting of nearly 250 bags and boxes; the largest number of letters that ever was brought into Southampton. The Harbinger fell in with the following ships during the voyage :—Mac 23, leaving Melbourne, barque Franklin, ship Anne Cropper, American barque Templeton, and American vessel Zaccheus, standing in. July 5, between Algoa Bay and Cape Agulhas, exchanged numbers with barque Stttncler ings, bound westward. July 6, saw the screw steamer Antelope, off the Cape, bound eastward. July 7, in Table Bab ship Kent, from Calcutta to England. July 9, lat. 33 S. lon. 13 E., barque Viewforth, Singapore to London. August 4, ex changed colours with barque Morayshire, lat. 19.45 N., lon. 24.19 W. August 11, barque Henrietta, from Swanage to St. Jago de Cuba, 36 N. 22 W. The news contained in the Australian journals brought by the Harbinger has been anticipated by the Overland Mail. In reference to the Cape news, the South African Atkertnter of July 7 says : • Since the despatch of the Mauritius and Queen of the South little has occurred in this part of the world beyond the usual routine of a peaceful and progressive settlement. The Governor is still on the frontier completing his arrange ments for defence and the improvement of internal order and obedience to the laws. In an excellent minute ad dressed to the Legislative Council, he speaks in the cautious language of a man who knows the world, of the probable success of his measures, and of their certain success if the colonists perform their part of the work faithfully and cheerfully. The constitution was legally promulgated on the lit day of July, and several clear directions have been issued by government to the future constituencies on the subject of registration. The public and the government are completely reconciled. Real discontent has disap peared. Grumbling is confined entirely to a few individaals who evidently misunderstand the pro visions of the constitution, or who know not what they would have. Already more than a sufficient number of candidates for the Council of Fifteen have been invited or publicly proposed in different parts of the colony. Each candidate must be invited to stand, by a written re quisition, signed by not less than 25 qualified electors, none of whom can sign more than one requisition. Of the gen tlemen thus invited three have signified their acceptance— namely, Mr. G. Joubert, of Colesberg, and Mr. J.B. Eb den, and Mr. H. E. Rutherford, of Cape Town. It is pretty well known, however, that the following names will speedily appear in the same list—viz .: Sir A. Stockenstrom, Bart., Mr. J. L. Smuts, Mr. Advocate De Wet, Mr. Wicht, Mr. Jarvis ' Mr. F. Reitz, Mr. Molten , Mr. Fleming, Mr. Illaine,Mr.ldeintjes,Mr.Godlonton,Mr.Cock,and Mr. Wood, with several others who perhaps would not wish to be named until some local action, az they say in America, takes place in their behalf. The registration will occupy same months. The following is the summary of the Cape Town Mail of the same date : General Cathcart has announced his assumption of the office, conferred upon him by her Majesty in April last, of " Her High Commissioner for the settling and adjustment of the territories in Southern Africa, adjacent to or contigu ous to the Eastern and North Eastern Frontier of this Colony, save and except the Orange River Sovereignty ; " in which capacity he is authorised to " take all such mea sures, and do all such matters and things as by him may be lawfully and discreetly done, for pnventing the recurrence of any irruption into the said col , ny of any tribes inhabit ing any of the territories aforessi(l, and for maintaining the said colony in peace and sat. ty from invaders, and for pro. muting, as far as may be pos.ib:e, the good order, eivilisa• tins, and moral and religious instruction of the tribes afore said." Sir Ricorge Russell Clerk and Mr. Osten hire also entered upon the duties assigned to them as Assistant• Cent. mis‘ioners to his Excenency for these iutl:ortant purposes. The complete rc•establishment of peace has enabled the farmers en the frontir r districts to return with contiihnce to their farms, and agricultural operations arc resumed with spirit. Sheep-farming in particular. On the let of July the order in council establishing th e new conAtituti.m .us du) . promuJgated, Rail steps have already been taken in all parts of the colony for carrying the measure into operaticn. On Vie following day several requisitions " were addressed to as many gentlemen of in. flucnce and character in the western districts, calling upon them to allow themselves to he nominated as candidates for the Upper House, the elections for which are required to take place before those of the low. r ; and in the eastern province, notwithstandirg an at:cmpt on the part of a few individuals to ilissuade them, the inha bitants have entered with alacrity upon the extrebe of their new privileges. The gentlemen invited in the western districts are, Messrs. Smuts, Jarvis, Wicht, llteda De Wet, Zeederberg, ltuthurfoord, R ei tz, a nd EMI ' en and it is ex pected that at least double that number will be athlrtt•Fed by the electors of the western province. The only reply yet published is from Mr. Ebilce, who has accepted the invitation. The numlb:r of members to be chosen is fifteen eight for the western and seven for the eastern division of the colony. The tribes beyond the colony appear at present to be peacefully disposed. Of the Katfirs, little is now heard, but that they are gradually settliug down upon the territory assigned to them by General Cathcart. Some nue riling ness was at first repotted on the part of the younger and inferior chiefs, but Sandilli and Mecum° having surren dered the arms demanded of them, and given the " word" fur Peace, hostilities have ceased, as sud denly as they commenced; and the Gaika tribes, lately so formidable, are now spoken of as cite, (lent easterners to the traders in their neighbourhood, of whore, by the last accounts, they were busy supplying themselves with blankets and other matters suitable to their new condition. ...... The mail steamer, Calcutta, arrived in Table Bay on the 23rd June, sailed again for India on the 26th, ad well. By the Frontier Fo.t of this day, we have two important government notices. One announces a regulation for pre- venting Tuinbookies from entering the colony without pa,aes from persons authorised to grant them, on pain of imprisonment with light labour; and the imposition of a tine on the ehi.fs to whose community the intruder may belong. The other provides in detail, for the support of armed men, on all the frontier farms lately granted, or to be granted, on quitrent. - The f death of Lady Sale is reported to have taken place at Cape Town on July 6. VESSELS IN TAIILE Rev.—Antelope, A. It. French, for Australia ; Earl of Shaftesbury, Pickering, tor Madras ; Dorisana, Robertson, for Liverpool; lf,nt, Terry, for Lon don; Durham, Eager, fur Port Phitlip ; Chariot Kerr, Potts, for Moulmein; Canton, TwechuiFe, for Moulmein; Ipswich, Gillie, for Mauritius; Bonnuz•i, Burnett; Pey tons, Jenkins, for Port l'hillip; Jan Punter, Clarkson, for Swan River; Marsden, Widdecome, for St. Helena; Harmony, Little, for Melbourne:; Fortuna, Carrel, fur Port Phillip; Robert Stephenson, Pence, for Algo► Bay; Flora, Challis, for St. Helena ; Nile, Whannel, for Mel bourne ; Bromleys, Koos ; Mercury, Watt, for Natal ; Cleopatra, Carrew, for lehaboe ; Conservative, Mauer; Flying Fish, Granger ; Prince of Wulcs, Spence ; Antelope Duncan. ESSELS IX SIMON'S BAY.—H.M.S. Meander, Com modore Talbot ; H.M. brie Gnosis, Cum. the Hon. Keane; H.M. brigantine Dart, Lieut. R. Deane; li.M. briir, Contest, Com. the Hon. L. W. Spencer, for porta mouth-; 11. M. steamer Dee, Lieut. Smith ; Tasmania, steamer, Cobb, fur Hobart Town. Phoenix ; Ostrich, Ste• phenson, for Calcutta. AUSTRALIAN MARKETS AND PRICES. In the Express of Wednesday, we published in exerts° a general mercantile report from Melhourne. We now give insertion to the subjoined extract from the circular of Messrs. Walton and Bushell, referring to the Sydney markets : The arrival of the overland mail from Sydney, v::, Singa pore, puts us in possession of most satisfactory edifices from our friends, to the 31st May ; they are still n.ceiving large accessions to their population from various quarters, as well as considerable num”ers from California, from which port they have received also considerable additions to their steam c...asting fleet. The markets continued exceedingly brisk, notwithstading the large arrivals which had taken place, and prices generally had remained exceedingly firm, leaving large profits to the shippcss. BEER.--licavy importations, but pries fully maintained. Pale ale exceedingly scarce, and much wanted. BitANDY.—Martell's and llenneuy's in very great de mand ; other brands als) readily saieable, and the price con tinues firm. BOOTS.—Laced front, tipped and nailed, realise 100 to 150 per cent. ; boys' and children's 100 per cent. CANDLEb have again improved, and the demand very good ; Belmont sperm are mostly used, and find ready sales at good rates. COALS and Ftrt. ('sVylam's patent steam) are much wanted, and owing to the number of steam vessels running on the coast, the l'anama line about to be established, and steum vessels from England making Sydney their head station, the price of coals and fuel is likely to be exceedingly high, and these articles very{ . scarce. DEALS and BUILDING MATERIALS are much inquired for, and immediate shipments, especially of deals, strongly urged. EARTHENWARE, if well selected, yields enormous re turns. FLorit.—Large importations had taken place from the United States, and the price had receded. FUUNITI:11.11 still in great demand, with every prospect of continuing so; medium quality preferred. el.airs, cane and wood seated, are much wanted, and realise from 150 to 200 per cent. _ Inusiroivozny.—Assorted invoices inquired for. JawnidAtur.—Cheap silver hunting watches, and good gold ditto, are wanted. MANUFACTERES.—Invokes, well selected, sell readily at large advances. MATCHES readily saleable—we recommend a large parcel to be sent off immediately—market bare; round wooden bole, preferred. . _ . MITIALS.—Market bare of bar iron ; hoop was in de maad, i to 1 inch being used largely for binding hay ; r it rod dull. Tin plates dull of sale. Nim.a.—lnsports very heavy, Ewbank'o 21s. to 23a. per cwt. OILMAN'S STORES have advanced in price, and ship ments should be made without delay. PAINTS.—The demand for this has increased, and stocks are greatly reduced ; the quantity of wooden houses erect ing will take off large quantities. Colours principally green, white, and black. PERFUMERY in good demand, invoices selling readily at good advances. PROVISIONS are very high; bacon, hams, cheese, and butter muck wanted—best kinds most inquired for. SADDLERY realise 50 to 60 per cent. on real cost, bat must be tolerably good. SLATES are very scarce, and very much wanted, and the requirements of the place immense. SEOAR.—Refined loaf and crushed much wanted, and shipments should be made with as little delay as possible, the market being bare. TALLOW is scarce, and increasing in value. Beef reali sing 341. to 35/. ; mutton, 40/. to 42/. per ton. The colony use nearly all the tallow brought to market for their own consumption., WOODEN Horan still inquired for, and shipments would yield enormous returns. WooL.—But moderate quantities coming into the mar ket, which were bought up, after much competition, and the prices fully supported. We have to congratulate oar friends who shipped by the Royal Exchange, Hendrick, Hellespont steamer, Eliza Hunter, and the John Rition—the consignments by which had arrived to a most profitable market. The Harbinger steamer left on the 12th May with 12,514 ounces of gold on board ; the Hooghly left on the 25th May, with 7,078 ounces on board. The escort brought 9,628 ounces into Sydney the week ending 31st May. Bills of exchange -30 days' sight, 1 per cent. premium. Gold 31. 14s. to 31. 16s. per o unce. TILE BRIBERY COMMISSIONS. THE 11.41INSTAPLE BRIBERY COMMISSION.—The COMmiseioners meet on the 30th inst. to inquire into the bribery and corruption alleged to have existed at the lut and previous elections for Barnstaple. THE TYNESIOUTH BRIBERY COMMISSION. The com missioners appointed to conduct this inquiry will not meet until 4th October._ Tux MALDurs BRIBERY COMMISSION. The commis sioners have just presented their report, in which they state that extensive bribery and corruption has existed at the last and all previous elections for this borough. THE CANTERBIIRY BRIBERY COMMISSION.—Lord Lon desborough, the last witness examined before the commis sioners, was examined in a semi public sort of way in din Court of Common Pleas, no persons being present beside his lordship, the commissioners, and their clerks. His lord ship's evidence was altogether of the flott-nti-rseordo kind, with the exception of the admission of the fact, that " ho had no means of telling the amount of expenditure at his elections, that he did not pay the money, but that it was found by his relations, that the accounts were rendered to them, and that Mr. Alderman Brent had generally an un limited authority or carle blanche to make payments as ho pleased." The Hull Commission has been sitting at intervals for now nearly two months, and the report of the commissioners on the Cambridge inquiry is about to he presented. A sun of 30,0001. has been voted to defray the expenses of these inquiries. TIIE COLLISION ON THE CLARENCE RAILWAY.— On Thursday evening, the inquest, which commenced on Saturday, was brought to a close, and resulted in a verdict of manslaughter against William Callendar, the driver of the engine Durham, which, on Thursday morning last, occa sioned the deaths of Matthew Watson and Christopher Norris, by running into the carriage in which they were travelling to their work at Whitworth Colliery.