The Sun. — London, England, 1858-03-09 00:00:00

staid, " has cost this country millions of treasure and thousand's of still more precious lives." (Hear.' There fore the gentlemon who laughs at me and cheered Mr. Cobden west reconcile as he can this latter opinion of Mr. Cobden with his own present views. I tell you, there fore, I do not believe that the present Ministry is des tined to that short-lived existence which oar opponents are so eagerly counting upon. I believe weshall be judged by our measures, and by our measures alone, and that if the people find that the policy of our government is a spirited, but at the same time a wise policy—if they find teat we eonduct the affairs of this country with energy Vat with prudence, if they find that under our influence our foreign relations become peaceful and tranquil—that revolts abroad are put down, and schemes of government well matured for our dependencies are introduced and established—if they find that all those social questions that interest this country, whether they be reforms of representative assemblies or reforms of laws, so long as they are improvements, and they are supported by the existing ministry—if they find that suoh is our policy — I do not think it will be in the power of any combination of factions to destroy our government ; but, on the con trary, I feel confident that because we do our duty to our Sovereign and our country, we shall be supported by the Queen and by the British people. (Hear, hear.) The right hen' gentleman concluded his speech amid loud and repeated congratulatory greetings. vote of thanks, proposed by the newly-elected member, and seconded by Dr. Luz , was then passed in favour of the Sheriff, who presided, the brief acknow lodgment of which concluded the proceedings. leg ER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. 1.1. In consequence of the trumphant success of the closing representations, and in order to accommodate the numbers whe have been unable to obtain places, THREE CONCLUDING PERFORMANCES will be given n TUES DAY, March 16; THURSDAY, March 18; and SATUR DAY, March 20. They will be arranged as follows Tuesday, March 16, LA TRAVIATA Violetta, Piccolo mini ; Alfredo, Giuglini. Thursday, March 18, IL TROVATORE: Leonora, Spezia; Azucena. Sannier ; Manrico, Saturday, March 20, LA FIGLIA DEL REGGIMENTO : Marie, Piceolomini. Last Scene o f I MA.. RTlRl,comprising the celebrated duo by Madlle. Piccolonum and Signor Giug. lini. Prices :—Pit Stalls, 12s 6.1; boxes (to hold four persons), pit and one pair, V. 2a; grand tier, 3/. 3s ; two pair, 1/. 55.; tbree pair, 15s ; gallery boxes, 103; gallery stalls, 38 6d ; pit. 3e 6d; gallery, 2e. The Box-office will be opened on Thuralay, March 11. "Places in the meantime may be secured by application to Mr. Fish, stage door, Her Majesty's Theatre. No other representation can be possibly given before the commencement of the Summer Season. T HEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Lessee—Mr. J. B. Buckstone. THIS EVENING, 0 commence at Seven o'clock, with Sheridan Knowles' comedy of THE LOVE CHASE. Con stance, Miss A. Sedgwick ; Widow Green, Mrs. Wilkins (her 241 appearance.)' Followed by PRESENTED AT COURT. Misses Swan borough, Fitzwilliam, and Mr. Buckstone. To conclude with SHOCKING EVENTS. Orchestra Stalls (which may Ile retained the whole of the evening). 6s. each. (No charge for booking.) First Price. a. d. Second price. a. d Dress Boxes 5 0 Dress Boxes 3 6 Upper Boxes 3 0 Upper Boxes 2 0 Pit 2 01Pit 1 0 Gallery R OYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE. Proprietor, Mr. Charles Kean. THIS EVENING, will be performed Skalcsperes Play of A MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM. After which, a new grand comic Christmas Pantomimes entitled HARLEQUIN WHITE CAT ; or, The Princess Blanche Flower and her Fairy Godmothers. The Princess Blanche jWhite Cat), Miss Kate Terry ; Harlequin, Mr. Cor mack ; Clown, Mr. Huline; Pantaloon, Mr. Paulo ; and Columbine, Miss C. Adams. R 1 - 4 &T R E-R OYA L, DRURY-LANE. Lessee, Mr. E. T. Smith. THIS EVENING (TUESDAY), March 9, a new and original Comedy THE LOVE KNOT, Mr. and Mrs. Leigh Murray, drc. Followed by the new grand pantomime, LITTLE JACK HORNER. Commence at 7. THEATRE ROYAL, ADELPHI. Lessee—Mr. Ben. Webster. THIS EVENING, will be performed RORY O'MORE. Mr. Barney Williams. After which, YANKEE COURTSHIP. Mr: and Mrs. B. Williams. To conclude with LATEST FROM NEW YORK. Commence at Seven. R OYAL LYCEUM THEATRE. —Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr. C. Dillon. THIS EVENING, will be presented SHE STOOPS ro CONQUER. Mrs. Dillon and Mr. Toole. Followed by the new farce of DOUBLE DUMMY. Mrs. Mellon and Mr. J. L. Toole. After which, a domestic tale, by Westland Marston, en titled A HARD STRUGGLE. Mr. C. Dillon, &c. To conclude with MY FRIEND FROM LEATHERHEAD. Mr. Toole. Doors open at half-past 6, to commence at 7. 3oz•office open from 11 to 5 daily. ROYAL SURREY THEATRE. Lessees, Messrs. Shepherd and Creswick. THIS EVENING, will be performed THE FATAL MAR RIAGE. Followed by THE TWO POLTS. Concluding with THE ORPHAN OF GLENCOE. CANTERBURY HALL, Westminster-road.— OPEN EVERY EVENING.—The follow iqg company of Vocalists are engaged for the performance of Sdections from all the popular OPERAS, MADRIGALS, CHORUSES, GLEES, DUETS, dic., viz. :—Miss Russell, Mrs. Badzey, Madlle. Marietta, Sliss Brunell, Miss Ray, Madame Eartoletti, Miss Montague, and Madame Marietta ; Herr F. Jonghmans, Mr. Henshaw, S. Jones, J. Barker, W. Melling, Senor Antonio, E. L. Hime, Mr. Badgey, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Bell, and Mr. Bernard ; Messrs. T. Maclagan, W. T. Critchtield and E. Mackney. Piano forte, Mr. Cecil Hicks ; harmonium, Master Williams ; Director, Herr F. Jonghmans. Commence at Seven &clock precisely. Suppers, dzs., until twelve o'clock. Mr. AUGUSTUS BRAHAM will appear every Evening. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tim DAN—adorn., 51 min. aft. 7—Even., 3i min. aft. 8 TO-31011310W—Morn. 23 min. aft. s—Even. 11 min. aft.lo THERMOMETER, IN THE StILDE. THE WEATHER SuN OFFICE, MARCH 9. 43—highest since noon yesterday. 32—lowest this morning and during the night. 41 —this day at noon. BAROMETZB, 29.66—rising rapidly. WIND, N.W. by W. to W.N.W. ; fresh, with cold cloudy weather—partial hail, showers, snow, and sun- shine. e *-5 LONDON, TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 1858. The Ministerial re-elections proceed s.noothly. In no instance has opposition been offered to a candidate who vacated his seat by accepting office under the Crown. The only case in which a con test is likely to occur is that of the University of Dublin , and there the old member is prevented from again soliciting a renewal of confidence in consequence of his elevation to the head of the profession of which he had long been a distin gnishei ornament. We venture to say that if Mr- XAPIlit, or Mr. HAMILTON had again to appear before the electors of T. C. D., they would be retirreed without going to a poll. Some very important revelations have how ever been made. Although " walking over the 73 course, several members of the Government have spokes clearly and distinctly respecting the prin ciples by which they would be guided in their future career ; and we are bound to say that the doctrines enunciated are at least as acceptable as any that could reasonably have been anticipated from tleeir quasi Liberal predecessors. Contrast the spoeches of Lord STANLEY and Sir F. KELLY with airs that a member of the Palmerston Cabinet might - be expected to deliver, and the scale will l ' ertai " l T not incline against the Derbyites, in the emir,„ Alot , person.h of any disinterested and inde pendentthen, should a fair trial be refi,2s.ed to those who bid so fairly for popular flilauk; ao eandidly, and Ye:sterday, the leader of the u , eof cora _ maim appeared before his constituent,, and via. for the fifth time , returned as the chos en sapi , :• i enta,t ive of the electors of Buckinghamshire. At an y time the opinions of the Right Houourable Gentleman would be received with respectful attention. As one of the most influential mem bers orf her Majes t y 's Opposition, co they would be deration. entitled to cairn and deliberate nsi But Dow that he is placed at the bead of the armorial department ; that he is practically to decid 9 on, or at least to inaugurate, the fiscal and monetary reforms that may be introduced, the importance of his statements is increased in a duplicate rAtio The views of Mr. Dislual are THE tTN 1.4 0 -NDON' , TUESDAY E VEN I NG, MARCH 9, 1858 second only in importance to those of the PRE MIER ; and, indeed, they may be regarded as those of Lord DERBY himself, for whatever might be the reticence towards the less prominent mem bers of the Government, there can be no doubt that the person on whom the burden of the con test will fall in the forthcoming Parliamentary campaign, is thoroughly acquainted with the inten tions of the head of the Government. As might easily have been anticipated, the great question, which led to a change in the Ministry was clearly explained by th•; Chancellor of the Exchequer. He proved that it was by no factious vote that Lord Palmerston and his coadj eters were driven from office, and he had therefore the greater reason to demand the reasonable forbear ance—and we will add " fair play "—that should be afforded to men who had very unexpectedly been called to the discharge of arduous duties, without any previous notice. They might be fully competent to examine a new measure, all the details whereof were cautiously concealed, until the last moment, without having one on the subject, " ready cut and dry, " to be brought forward without delay or postponement. As we have referred to the Conspiracy to Murder Bill in another part of this days' impression, we shall not further allude to it here, but proceed at once to the interesting questions respecting India and Reform. The Chancellor of the Exchequer shows that, in 1853, he was desirous of postponing the renewal of the Company's Charter, until the pend ing inquiry had been terminated, and which might have induced Parliament to come to a different conclusion from that at which it arrived, and led to the termination of the double Government, and perhaps averted the deplorable catastrophe that occasioned the expenditure of so much blood and treasure—all parties now concur in the pru dence of that course. Mr. DISRAELI declares the reason why he opposed immediate legislation be fore the restoration of complete tranquillity in the Anglo-Indian Empire. But the vote of the House of Commons has removed that reason. The prestige that belonged to the Company has been totally dissipated by the adverse vote of the Commons. The Directors are in a moribund con dition. The glory has departed from their house, and the sooner the last struggle is over, and they have been decently and respect ably interred, the better for all parties con cerned ; or, as Mr. DISRA.ELI suggested, that their political " burial should be consummated in the most decorous, and even splendid manner." That a bill will be forthwith introduced by the Government for that purpose, and we must patiently await the promised explanations as to its details. As to the Reform Bill the Right Honourable Gentleman clearly exposed the mode in which the public were bamboozled during the last seven or eight years. Every pretext for procrastination was eagerly seized on. There could be no reform while war was pending. The nation had not sufficiently recovered its equanimity after that war had been concluded, and a Ministerial defeat on the Chinese question and an appeal to the country was the excuse for fur ther procrastination. The Times and Post again wanted delay, but the feeling of the country could not be trifled with, and therefore something was promised ; of which as yet nothing is known. Can it be supposed that if Lord PALMERSTON were reinstated in once, that the anticipated bill would be brougint forward during the present session? Most certainly not. There would be an adequate excuse, which would be eagerly seized on, and therefore we may as well see what Lord DERBY offers, and how much better will be the biddings of his opponents. Mr. DISRAELI eanphatically repudiates a Go vernment on su f ferance, and he has proved his title to do so. His views on this point, if pro perly regarded, may prove useful to his political opponents. It is said on good authority that the Govern ment have, at all events for the time being, abandoned the " Conspiracy to Murder Bill," and that the resolution has already been announced to the Cabinet of the Tuileries. This is as it should be. This is, indeed, listening to the voice of public opinion, and showing that " deference to the feeling of the country" that ought to be exacted from every constitutional administration. We are not now yielding to untenable demands or blustering menaces. It will be distinctly and unequivocally ascertaiked, before another month has elapsed, whether the existing law is, as declared by the highest legal authorities in the House of Lords, adequate to punish such abuse of the hospitality supplied to every claimant, or whether there is a deficiency that would reason- ably require amendment, not on account of urgen demands, but for the sake of public justice. As we have repeatedly explained, the contem plated change in the law which led to the over throw of the PALMERSTON Government could not, in the slightest degree, conduce to the security of the EMPBROX, the great object desired by the French Government. Men who " have set their lives upon a cast," and are prepared to " stand the hazard of the die," will not be deterred by substituting transportation or penal servitude for a protracted imprisonment. The plottings will still continue whenever political fanatics have worked themselves up to the requisite degree of excitement. If they can be so wrong-minded as to consider that assassination could be justified under any possible circumstances, they would persevere although the code were rendered far more sanguinary, and the penalty were life itself in place of exile. As we have repeatedly stated, it is not the severity, but the certainty of punish- ment that proves effectual. The most Dra con ic regulations frequently defeat them selves. Juries will refuse to convict, points of law will be conceded in favorem vit , e, and still worse, parties relying on the pro tection supposed to be afforded, will neglect suit able precautions to avert the impending dangers. As a morning contemporary justly declares that Loris NAPOLEON and his advisers scorned the Conspiracy Bill and never attached any value to it, save so far as it indicated that "its authors were squeezable, and afforded grounds for hope that persevering pressure might extort still greater concessions from them." The precedent, too, was useful, inasmuch as it might be made a pot ent weapon of coercion against minor states. How could Sardinia or Switzerland hold on, when even a zs le a a t mighty England truckled to the irresistible Em edlticotiai.ailoln;tsTlehgeitFimreantceh Government ha s oa and . surrendered her most cherished trod:- s f t e t ". „ i l:: : : ht s ia s es p a,l o passport te m farpomwoerres. stringent I t has ile professing to afford an the sacred taken care that no frosarelisoil 'Without a cert. . a pe y r i s ' o un n s t i ° lall touch with h vr s iaa o: t Gov erinneLt. ficate of character Nor is it contented done in F ra nce, but it has more than invited thas ration of other Governments, so that i t map not °t. stand alone is the stringency of its regulations. Should Eng l an d succumb, other nations must also yield, so that there would not be a really free coun try on this side of the Atlan tic, It is, there- fore, with sincere pleasure that we hale heard the rumours which the statements of members of I the Government afford reason to hope may be well founded. At all events we hare heard suffi cient to believe that the Civis Anglicanus will be just as much respected under the Government of Lord DERBY as that of Viscount PA LMERSTON, and we may, therefore, more patiently await the explanations that must be given on the renewal of the Parliamentary campaign. TILE THEATRES. DRURY-LANE. A new comedy in three acts, by Mr. Stirling Coyne, entitled The Love Knot," was produced at this theatre last night with unequivocal success. The action is exceedingly slight, although some of the incidents are complicated and involved in an extraordinary degree. The scene lies in the year 1740, Marian Chilcott is the daughter of a Jacobite colonel, who has been implicated in the treason of the times, and who flies to France to escape appre hension. The colonel dies in France, and Marian returns to England ; but as she, as well as her father, had been proscribed, she assumes the name of Leeson, and sets up as a milliner in London. Here she meets with, and is privately married to, a fashionable barber, Bernard, who makes her promise, for special reasons of his own, she will not declare their marriage until such time as he deems fit. The plot, in short, consists in the persecution of Marian by three men of fortune —Lord George Lavender, Sir Cronus Harbottle, and Mr. Wormley. Bernard is the presiding genius of the piece, and the true guard of innocence, The barber at the end is discovered to be a French marquis, who, for reasons political and pecuniary, has been compelled to conic to England and earn an honest penny for his livelihood. Marian is a marchioness, and all her cares and troubles are brought to a happy termination, when her husband pulls a paper from his pocket, and shows a letter from the home secretary, or some other authorita tive official, in which her father is exculpated from all treasonable crimes. The acting in general was excellent. Mr. Leigh Murray showed himself a most accomplished - , artist in his personification of the barber, and supported it with unflagging spirit and vivacity throughout. Miss M. Oliver made a most charming part of Marian. The other personages were played by Mrs. Leigh Murray, Messrs. Robert Roxby, Til bury, Kinloch, Glindon, and Mrs. Frank Mathews. The dialogue, which was sparkling, told through out ; the miss en scene of the period was excellent ; and even the minor parts were performed by the ladies and gentlemen who severally sustained them, in a manner that left nothing to be desired. HAYMARKET. Mr. Sheridan Kuowles's comedy, the "Love Chase," was produced at this house last night, under a circumstance of peculiar and special interest, viz., the appearance for the first time in London of Mrs. Wilkins, the widow of the late eminent counsel, Mr. Sergeant Wilkins. Mrs. Wilkins made her debut in the character of the Widow Green, and we will say at once, that if the comedy was revived to givo her an opportunity of essaying that part, the revival has been completely justified. The lady's success was, we may justly say, without making any allowance for a first appearance or inexperience, a decided triumph. Mrs. Wilkins has fine, merry, sparkling eyes, and a laugh—just the laugh that a coquettish widow seeking a husband ought to have. Her byplay in the scene where Sir Wm. Fondlove pays court to her in the presence of Master Waller was so perfect that the notion of the novice was quite dispelled from the spectator's mind. It was in every respect a perfect piece of acting. The last scene, where she discovers that the bride groom awaiting her is not the young and handsome Master Waller, but the old and gouty Sir William Fondlove, tried her powers to the utmost, but she passed through the ordeal with decided success, and on the fall of the curtain was called for, and greeted by a perfect storm of applause of the most genuine kind. OLYMPIC. A new farce, called " Ticklish Times," written expressly for Mr. Robson by Mr. J. M. Morton— the first now part for the great actor, by the way for a long period—was produced last evening, and received with immense laughter and cheers. The dialogue is smart and telling, and every scene is full of whimsicality and excitement. At the fall of the curtain the audience broke forth into a universal call for Mr. Robson, who came torward amid the most enthusiastic applause, and announced the new farce for repetition every evening until forth©r notice. 114.YOVER-SQUARE ROOMS. Mr. Stephen MassetP, a gentleman from the other side of the Atlantic, made his first appear ance last night in the Hanover-square Rooms, and indeed, in England, as a vocalist, composer, imitator, and elocutionist. The entertainments consisted of a variety of ballads, recitations, and, in addition to his other modes of entertainment, Mr. Massett adds a thrilling description of two mutinous sepoys in Bombay being blown from guns, which, as he was an eye-witness, must, of course, be accurate ; but we very much doubt whether an English audience, especially in Hano ver-square Rooms, will be much attracted by such a novelty. Mr. Massett was loudly applauded by a numerous assembly of ladies and gentlemen ; and we have no doubt, with some changes and improvements in his entertainments, such as his own experience will hereafter suggest, that his success in this country will be commensurate with his varied and novel attainments. THE LIVERPOOL BOROUGH BANK. A full account has just been published of the recent meeting of the unfortunate shareholders of the Liverpool Borough Bank. No report was allowed rN.se, d t a uh t the peone x; cbl t i i ul m sti 0 e to:sni Mr. .oappearreporterse aley, in on t e h h e oa l fv o i c tn a hg l e news pabp been resolved e Lel u p impressionsre secrecy,t or s , ha d d t t h h h a e e t s s e uw r c s oc e ue t lea o d epdoi resultni o :af t rr t r yo h m e i d ga i s ib c y r e e n d af discreditable n majority a motion for the publication of a short hand writer's minutes of the discussion. It appears that when the bank stopped in October last its liabilities were 3, 500,000/. Of these the portion upon bad bills is about 450,0001. The whole of the capital of 1,000,0001. is estimated to have been lost, and to meet the outstanding claims during the realisa tion of the assets a call of 51. per share has been made, and which should produce 500,000/. This call seems to have been tolerably well met, and a hope exists that another may not be necessary. A shareholder wished the names of the parties by whom the bank had sustained losses or from whom compromises had been accepted to be read, but the step was resisted on the ground that it would re move the inducement for other debtors to eud.ea your to make terms if it should be known that their insolvency would then be published. Mr. Dixon, one of the directors, made some instructive revela tions. He said he had been the youngest member at the Board, and found it was a custom for all the " outside" directors, that is, all except the managing committee, to be kept in the dark with regard to the most important proceedings of the establishment. "lam on delicate ground here," be added, "but the practice of the directors into so o f this bank in respect to not having an insight its affairs is not by any means unusual or excep tional. It is not the only bank in the kingdom where the outside directors know little or nothing a t a ll." There is reason to fear Mr. Dixon's state ment may be perfectly accurate, and it would be a public service if he or any one cognizant of such m atters would proclaim the names of the institutions in question. In another part of his remarks Mr. Dixon described circumstances which precisely re call some of the events in the history of the Royal British Bank. "Towards the end of June last," he observed, "the statement laid before me led me to the conclusion that no dividend ought to be de clared. This view was assented to at a meeting of the directors, but at a meeting afterwards suddenly convened the decision was reveried. The motive was that it would be very dangerous in the then position of the bank to run the risk of the excite ment that might be produced by the non-declara tion of a dividend ; it might have resulted in a run and the stoppage of the bank." At that period it is now supposed nearly the whole of the capital was gone. ABANDONMENT OF THE CONSPIRACY BILL. We understand that Lord Derby has determined to abandon the further prosecution of the Conspiracy Bill, Ind t a despatch, d e t a iling the reasons for this change intention, is understood to have been trananaitted to Pikris. - The L or d Cha n cellor of Ireland has appo i n te d Mr. Wi lliam J. Napier Ilia private secretary, assisted by Mr ' It"311"(1 W. GamblN barrister-at-law ; Mr. Wm. B. Drury, Secretary of Lunatics; and Mr. William Lees, pursebearer. LATEST NEWS. AUSTRALIA. By the arrival of the Columbian we (Times) have received our private correspondence and tiles of papers from Melbourne to the 16th January, and from Sydney, New South Wales, to the 6th January. The following is the letter of our Melbourne correspondent MELBOURNE, J. 16. The Simla arrived on the Bth inst., bringing not only her own (the November mail), but also the October mail, delayed by the Emeu's disaster, which you will have learnt before this time. Our local Parliament re-assembled on the sth inst., after the Christmas recess. We had rather a hot Christmas, more fitted for cold salmon and cu cumber, cold lamb and salad, cider cup and iced clarets, than the orthodox beef and plum-pudding, and yet we are so imitative that our banquets, with the thermometer at 100 deg., are carefully adapted to a northern winter. I only wonder that people do not light a sea-coal fire, and shut the window - shutters, to make believe it is a real Christmas. It would, however, have required a stronger imagination that of Charles Dickens's Marchioness to " make believe" that 100 degrees in the shade is a real thorough-bred Christmas, though it was cool compared with the Wednesday before, when we had a hot wind 110 deg. in the shade, and 139 deg. in the sun, aggravated by bush fires in many parts of the country. In February, 1855, I measured the heat of the hot blast. The ther mometer was insulated in a corner formed by the portico of a stone-built house. The wind was due north, blowing hard, and the time noted (11 a.m.) the north-east sun's rays had not touched the corner in - question. The temperature of the blast was 1.17 deg. Fahrenheit ! But to return to Parliament. Our present Constitution was framed by a Council consisting of one-third nominees and two-thirds elected members. The latter were elected when the population of the colony was short of 80,000 souls. There was a property qualification for members, and the right of suffrage was limited. The consequence was that the demand for reform was coeval with the introduction of the now Constitution in Novem- ber, 1855. The number of the old Council had. been twice increased, first from 30th 54 and secondly to 66, by the introduction of representatives of the mining districts. It was by the Council so increased that the ballot was carried ; so that the first elec tions in September, 1856, under the new constitu tion, were by secret suffrage. The next reform was the abolition of the property qualification (2,0001. or 2001. a year in land,) by Mr. Duffy's act. There the matter remained until the close of the late session, when, in the electoral act then passed, the suffrage was extended to all men of 21 years of age—" manhood" suffrage it is here called. The act contains another clause giving a plurality of votes to freeholders, and around the metropolis it is quite practicable for a man having a 50/. freehold in several electoral districts to give about 10 votes in the said districts in one day. Ministers have now introduced three Bills : one to shorten the duration of Parliaments from five to three years ; another to increase the number of members and alter and equalize the electoral dis tricts on the basis of population ; and a third to regulate elections, the novel and important feature of which is a provision for the representation of minorities. The Bill for altering the electoral dis tricts and increasing the number of members to 90 (from 60) proceeds on the principle that the popu lation of the colony being 450,000, and the number of members being 90, 5,000 is the mean number which belongs to one member. Frac tional differences cannot be avoided, and from the great territorial extent of some of the thinly-peopled districts a large margin is neces sary and unavoidable. Some districts have three members assigned to them, some have live, and a few have seven—all odd numbers, in order to admit of the minority-representing scheme. The plan is that in districts entitled to three members the electors shalt not vote for more that two candi diclates ; in districts having five members, for three; and in districts having seven members, for four; and it is considered that the remaining one, two, and three members, as the case may be, will repre sent the minority. In the debate on the second reading this scheme was generally accepted by both sides of the house. In committee I think it will be further modified by reducing the larger districts so as to make the division uniform—i.e., 30 dis tricts returning three members each, equal to 99 members, voters being allowed two votes only. I believe this measure will be carried by a very large majority ; but I d ou bt whe ther its working will fulfil the expectations of its most sanguine supporters. It is also clear that under the present system minorities are in fact re presented. Thus Conservative A and Radical B stand for a district having 1,000 voters. B carries it by a majority of 1. So far the 499 who voted for A are not represented ; but Conservative A tries his fortune in another district against Radical C and beats him by a majority of 1 al so . H ere th e adverse opinions of the two districts collectively are equally represented. I do not remember that in Democratic America the Whig minority is ever unrepresented, and if the scheme go beyond the mere representation of the minority, and operates to g ive a majority i n th e H ouse to the minority out of doors, it will be pro ductive of evil ; but with universal suffrage I do " a good thi r d " w il l b e o f the opinions of the majority, tho ug h th e y w ill not conceive it w ill work to that ex t ent. S ome members who come in the minority, (where squ a tti ng preva il s, a w p h p il a e re i n n t s ly ome he representatives distrieo o f for instance) in all probability the man at the head r o a f l th m e i p n o o l r l it w y i , ll vt e ncid thee in third with the gene ral will represent the majority o f the country, though the mino r ity i n his district. It has been tried at the Cap e , b u t l r opinion not long enough to ascertain its working, so that here, as elsewhere, it must be deemed an experi ment. Another very important measure, which has passed the second reading and has been commit' ed, is au Education Bill. Hitherto, we have had two systems at work, managed by two board 4, with a double machinery of secretaries, clerks, and inspec tors namely, the Denominational and the Na tional or Secular system. In the schools under the Denominational Board religious instruction is mingled with secular teaching in any way and to any extent desired by the several denominations. In the national schools four hours of secular instruc tion are required, but certain hours are set apart during which the priest or minister or religious teachers approved by the parents have access to the children of their respective persuasions. The new bill seeks to bring the whole under one board, and to make the whole of the public schcols of the country approach more nearly to the national aye tern than they do at present. There is also what is called a compulsory clause ; but it does not go to the extent of the Prussian system, which enables a police man to catch a boy and take him—not to a police court as a "rogue and vagabond," but to a school. It merely adds th e gentle pressure of an increased rate upon the parent who neglects or refuses to send his child to school. This bill passed the second reading by a majority of 33 to 11. It is chiefly opposed by th e R oman Catholic mem b ers i n the house and by the priests out of it ; but the lay members of that Church are nut unanimous. Some persons are sanguine enough to suppose that the bill can be so modified, without materially impair ing it, as to obviate or soften the opposition of the priests and their followers, but I have no such hope. They will accept nothing but the unalloyed denominational system. They state that it is an essential article of their religion that re ligious services should pervade secular instiuc tion, and that it is contrary to their religion to separate secular instruction from devotional practices. But I believe the bill may be made satis factory to a great number of Roman Catholic parents. We hare a large National Training School in Melbourne, with 714 scholars at the last report. The Roman Catholic bishops and clergy withhold their sanction from it, and yet it numbers 131 Catholic scholars. According to the proportions exhibited by the census returns, the number of children of the Roman Catholic faith should be rather under 180 ; that the school numbers as many as 131 shows how small has been the influence of the withholding of the bishop and clergy's counte nance. STATE OF TRADE, MELBOURNE, SATURDAY, JAN. 16. During the whole of the month since the departure of the December mail there has been a great depression of trade without any very disastrous occurence. There was one considerable failure, that of a Mr. Riorden, which illustrates the too great facility with which a trader can get credit, and the rapid rise and fall of trading firms. He came here a few years ago, and it is said without much capital, and yet by successful operations about 12 or 15 months ago he was believed to have a capital of some 35,0001. He then com menced speculating largely, and was aided in so doing by a house here, who imported for him, he finding the means of closing each transaction by cash and bills before the bills of lading were handed over to 'Jim. These transactions have extended to nearly half a million. If Riorden's ex pectations had been fulfilled—especially if flour had risen as much as it has fallen—he would have made a large for tune; as it is, he has lost his previously acquired capital and his creditor's money to boot. This great cast for wealth or ruin is far too common in all these colonies, and indicates rather a low tone of mercantile morality. " The "4th of the month" passed over without disaster, and up to the arrival of the mails there was great quies cence, but with almost a suspension of business, caused by the delay of both mails. The e news of the disastrous state of trade in England and America has increased the gloom here, and there is a whisper of further failures. Still Ido not think the pressure will be verygreat or of long duration, unless, indeed, some of our largest houses should be pulled down by English failures. It has been authoritatively an nounced here that the failure of Denuistoun's house will not affect the house here, the Melbourne house not being part ner s of any of the other firms, and being themselves solvent, but they have been large shippers of gold (46,000 oz. for instance in one parcel), against which they are said to have drawn. It is only necessary to look over the tabular statements of the Argus to infer a very considerable depression fur some time to come, and when I have added a few correc tions this will be more conspicuous. In the first place, our imports during the last year have exceeded our purchasing power, as partly indicated by the value of imports and exports respectively. I say partly, beea,use our gold is valued too high—not with respect to its sale-price in London, but with respect to its purchasing power. It is always valued at 80s. per ounce, whereas its purchasing power, deducting charges, does not exceed 765. per ounce. This converts the stated excess of imports (833,0001.) into 1,278,0001., by the addition of 445,0001., over-valuation of gold. It is true that in 1856 our exports exceeded our imports in value by 1,370,366/. ; but if we apply my correction of 4s, per'ounce on 3,000,000 ounces, it would reduce the sur plus of purchasing power by the sum of 600,0001. or to 770,366/. Deducting this excess of export in 856 from the excess of imports in 1857, 1,278,0001., we have an insuffi ciency of purchasing power on the two years rather over half a million—quite enough to depress trade, and yet not such a deficiency as to protract the depression over a long period. There is also a temporary stagnation in the wool market, which cheeks the normal demand for imports of all kinds. But by far the greatest cause of decreased demand fur im• ported goods arises from the extent to which money has been invested in building, land, and joint-stock under takings. These have pretty well absorbed the accumula tions of the last two years, which I believe were very considerable. Even nom money is readily found for land purchases, and building enterprise, though checked, has not yet ceased. Your readers will recollect that in the early part of last year I expressed an opinion that our export of gold in 1857 would be about 1,000,0001. short of that of 1836. This is the case. The export of 1 , 56 exceeded 3,000,000 oz. ; in 1857 it was 2,757,047 oz. ,valued at 80e. poroz. 11,028,1881. Though this affects our external trade it must not be taken to indicate a decline of prosperity. We now produce much that we imported in the early days of the golden era. Iron and wooden houses were imported largely—we now build of brick and stone, and that too on a more commo dious scale than formerly. Timber is extensively manu factured into boards at the saw mills around Melbourne. We raise some 2,000,0001. worth of farm and garden pro duce which had no existence in 18534. There is conse quently much greater comfort than there was throughout the population, though we do not count our income by quite so many pounds. It is not to be doubted that the practice of English houses to consign for " sale and returns" is ♦ery injurious. It baffles the calculations of the most prudent importers ; and every consignor who has helped to glut the market thinks himself cheated by the dismal account sales he gets. This is especially the case with British manufactured goods not suited to the taste of the market. They are shipped from home because they are not there saleable. They are equally unsaleable when they arrive. If the mer chant has made an advance, he sells to iodise his advance. If not, he holds for the consignee's orders. At last the latter gets tired, gives an order to realise, and a "slaughter" sale by auction teriniba,. es the account. For this no one is to blame but the speculative consignor, who has not suffi ciently informed himself of the market. Our net gain of population from abroad was in 1457, 41,647, which makes our population on the 31st Dec. last, 457,000. NEW SOUTH WALES. (Front the Sydney Morning Herald of Jan. 9.) MONEY .A.N H SHARE MARKET. Since our last summary, dated Dec. 9, 1857, the share market has been almost inactive, and prices have remained stationary. The half-yearly meetings of the Commercial and Joint-Stock Banks aid General Assurance Company will take place towards the end of the month, and it is an ticipated that the dividends declared, with the exception of the Commercial Rink, will be the same as last half-year. During the year 1857, which has just run its course, there have been several marked fluctuations in the stock and share market. At the commencement of 1857 there was a downward tendency, and prices ruled lower than they had for some time previously; bat in April a better feel ing was evinced, and shares of all the dividend-paying companies, as well as Government debentures, rose consi derably. This advance was well maintained un , l October, when, owing to the tightness in the money-market, com bined with the news from England of the high rate of in terest ruling there, the market began to droop, and the prices of all securities, notwithstanding their dividends have been fully equal to those before declared, have given way ; and in some instances the fall in prices, as compared with the quotations of the 31st December, 1856, show a decline of from Si. to t/, per share. Commercial Bank and Union Bank shares are 51. to Cl. per share lower than last year. Bank of New South Wales remain at the same price, 451. per share. Australian Joint-Stock Bank and Gaslight Company have advanced IJs. per share. Australasian Steam Navigation Company and Hunter River New Steam N..vi gation Company are 10s. per share lower. General Assur ance Company have improved 108. per share, and New South Wales Marine ss. per share. Government deben tures of all descriptions are dull of sale. In April, 1b57, there was a great demand for this security, and the Inter minables advanced to ono per cent. premium. Since that period, however, the market has been glutted by the con tinued issues of the Government and Interminables, and are now almost unsaleable. Those due in 1860 are quoted at 16, and the 20 years' Debentures at 96. The great demand for money in England has no doubt affected the price of those securities ; but there is also the fact that the Government want to borrow 400,0001., which sum was proposed and authorised by the Legislature to be raised by Treasury bills bearing 6 per cent. interest. Until this loan is effected we cannot anticipate any im provement in these securities. Besides these causes, the step taken by the banks of allowing interest on deposits has materially added to the flatness of the stock and share market, as it is believed by many that these institutions will not be able to pay the handsome dividends they have been doing the last two years. The rates of discount have continued throughout the past year at 6 per cent. for bills having 95 days to run, 7 per cent. fur 125 days, and over that time 8 per cent. THE MINT. The amount of gold-dust imported into tho Sydney brand' of the Royal Mint for the purpose of coinage during the year ended 31st Ddeember, 1857, Las been 223,215ez. ; during the year 1856 the quantity received was 289,940ez. The following are the quantities received quarteriy during the years 1856 and 1857 :-- 1856. 1857. oz. oz. First quarter, ended 31st March 68,875 ... 30,861 Second ditto, 30th June Third ditto, 30th September 55,912 ... 53,191 Fourth ditto, 31st December.. 63,094 ... 107,816 Total 239,910 ... 223,215 It will be observed that the amount received during the last quaiter of 1857 was almost as much as was received during the previous three quarters. Thal value of gold coin issued during the year 1857 was 767,5301., and consisted of 499,000 sovereigns, and 537,000 half-sovereigns. THE ESCORTS. The amount of gold dust received by escort from our several gold-fields during the year 1857 has been 148,126 oz. As compared with 1856, during which year 138,823 oz. were received, there is an increase of about 9,300 oz. in favour of 1857. The yield from our southern gold-fields has steadily increased during the past year, while far the northern fields there is rather a falling off. The following are the amounts received by each escort quarterly during the year 1857 : Western. Southern. Northern. ounces. ounces. ounces. let Quarter 21,197 ... 3,630 ... 9,271 2d ditto ... 19,224 ... 6,799 5 , 255 3 , 1 ditto ... 19,936 ... 7,731 ... 8,258 4th ditto ... 27,399 ... 12,724 5,699 87,75 G 30,887 29,483 THE CUSTOMS. The receipts of the Customs for the Port of Sydney during the month of December amounted to 48,5101. lls. Bd. ; for the corresponding month of 1856, 44,090/. 14s. 2d. was received. There is, therefore, an increase of 4,4191. 17s. 6d. on the amount collected during the month. During the year 1856 the revenue received was 447,8541. 15s. 116. ; for the year ended December 31, 1857, the receipts have amounted to 510,1261. Os. 3d., which is an increase of 62,571/. 4s. 76., or about 13 per cent. in favour of 1857. The following table will show the amounts received monthly during the years 1856 and 857 :- 1856. 1857. January £31.X02 14 2 £44,851 19 5 February March 32,801 5 3 ..... 40,276 16 4 April May June July August September 37,426 16 3 ...... 39,999 13 10 October November 39,160 0 7 December ........ 447,854 15 11 £510,426 0 3 The largest receipts were during the month! of October 1856 and Dec, 1857, and the lowest i n April 1856 and Nov. 1857. The receipts quarterly during the years 1855, 1856, and 1857 were as follows : 1855. 1856. 1857. £ 0. d. s. d. £ 6. d. let guar. , end ed March 31 . 91,595 2 8 98,403 3 7 130,985 1 2 2d ditto, ended June 30 142,999 10 1 105,446 6 10 126,233 16 3 3d ditto, ended Sept. 30 92,635 14 9 116,079 10 8 125,993 0 10 4th ditto, ended Dec. 31 78,816 11 1 127,925 14 10 127,214 2 0 406,046 18 7 447,854 15 11 510,426 0 3 It will be observed that during the year 1856 the amount received q aarterly shows a gradual increase, whereas, dur ing the years 1855 and 1857, there is a corresponding decrease. The increase of Customs' revenue for 1857, as compared with 1855, amounts to over 104,0001. It is gra tifying to find that the Customs' revenue, notwithstanding the depressed state of trade, has steadily increased, and we may fairly anticipate a like, if not a larger amount for the year 1853. The following is the amount of gold on which duty has been paid during the quarter ended 31st Dec., 1857--- oz. dwts. For London China 942 6 Calcutta 2,585 2 Melbourne l6 5 12,377 4 THE REVENUE. A comparative statement of the Consolidated Revenue of the colony of New South Wales, and of the Special Funds paid into the Treasury at Sydney, during the years ended the 31st December, 1856 and 1857 respectively, showing the increase or decrease under each head thereof, has been published in the Gazette. The following is a sum mary of the same :- The Customs' Revenue for the year ended the 31st De cember, 1856, amounted to 471,4011. ls. 6d. ; for the year 1857, 533,216/. 17s. 7d., which is an increase of 61,815/. 16s. ld. in favour of 1857. There is an increase on the duties collected on wine, ale, porter, beer, &c., tobacco, sugar, and molasses, coffee, chocolate, and cocoa, and cur rants, raisins, and ther dried fruits ; and a decrease on spirits and tea. The duty on spirits distilled in the colony during the year 1856, was 51,0741. 14s. 10d. ; for 1857, 68,4771.105. 4d. Increase, 12,402/. 15s. 6d. Under the head of gold : the duty on Goldminers' Rights' business, licenses, and leave of auriferous tracts for 1857, amounted to 22,6891. Bs. 9d. The fees for escort and con veyance of gold during 1856, were 4,474?. Bs. 10d. ; during 1857, 3,774/. Os. 2d. The licenses to dig and saareh for gold in 1856, brought in 30,6811.165. Bd. ; in 1857, 2,7971. 15s. Decrease, 28,584/. 10s. 4d. From this amount must be taken the sum of 22 689/. Bs. 9d., received under the Gold-fields' regulations of 1857, which will leave a decrease of 5,894/ ls. 7d. on the year. The Miat receipts during the year 1856 were 12,556/. 4s. 7d. ; for 1857, 10,8401.145. 10d. Decrease, 1,715/. 9s. 9d. The Land Revenue, including proceeds of land sales, rents of land, quit rents, redemption of quit rents, and survey of runs for the year 1856, amounted to 298,631/. 9s. ; for 1857, 273,883/. Os. 2d. Decrease, 24,7481.9 a. 9d. The rents received exclusive of land for 1856 were, 10,698/. 12s. 11d. ; for 1857, 11,154/. 10s. 7d. Increase, 455/. 17s. Bd. The amount received for licenses during 1853 was 49,711/. 11. sd. ; during 1857, 65,717/. 2s. 2d. Increase, 16,006/, ls. 9d. The receipts derived from postage for the year 1856 were 29,458/. 10s. 11d. ; for 1857, 36,288/. 12s. 3d. Increase, 8301. Is. 4d. The amount received for fines and forfeitures for the year 1856 was 9,7311. 12e. 3d ; for 1857, 8,1131. 7s. 4d. Decrease, 1,61 b/. 4s. Ild. The fees of office received during 1856, amounted to 26,4211. 15s. 3d, ; during 1857, 29,2481. 17s. sd. Increase, 2,827/. 2s. 2d. The railway tolls during the year 1856, amounted to 11,1571. 4s. 7d. ; during 1857, 9,4181. ss. 2d. Decrease, 1,7381. 19s. sd, The assessment on stock for the year 1856, was 31,3871. 7s. Bd. ; for 1857, 31,2401. 18s. 9d. Decrease, 1461. Bs. Ild. The revenue derived from the sale of Government pro perty during 1856, was 1,313/. 13J. 6d. ; during 1857, 2,6001. 12s. 9d. Increase, 1,256/.195. 3d. The reimbursements in aid of expenses incurred bo Go. vernment for the year 1856, amounted to 33,8891. 19s. 5d.; for 1857, 14,5371. 61. ld. Decrease, 19,3521. 13s. 4d. The miscellaneous receipts for the year 1856 were 32,944/. lls. ; for 1857, 18,6911.95. 9d. Decrease, 14,253/. is. 3d. The immigration remittances for the year 1856 amounted to 13,7011. 59.; for 1857,18,16_1. se. 10d. Increato, 4,4611. Os. 10d. The revenue derived from special receipts during the year 1856, was 39,2031. 6s sd; during 1857, 40,448/.4s 9d. In crease, 1,244/. 18s 4d. The total amount of revenue for the year 1856 was 1,158,468/. 16s 8d ; for the year 1857, 1,196,301/. Os Bd. The increase on the several heads of revenue for the year 1857, as compared with 1857, amounted to 182,777/. 13e. 2d. ; the decrease to 144,9151. 9s. 2d. There is, therefore, an increase of 37,8321. 4s. in favour of the total revenue of the year 1857. FRANCE. PARIS, MONDAY EVENING. The Paris correspondent of the Times says—The official note of Lord Malmesbury, in answer to M. Walewski's famous dispatch, was to be pre sented this day. The correspondence which took place previously was of an unofficial character, and was probably with a view to prepare the way for a more formal paper, such as should be presented to Parliament. lam assured that it is conciliatory— that quality does not exclude dignity and firm ness—and, as might be expected, bears more or less the impress of the feeling produced by the ever-to-be-regretted addresses. On the whole, I in cline to the belief that the breeze will blow over, and that the Emperor is really desirous to maintain the alliance. I hope to be able to judge better in a day or two. M. Walewaki will, doubtless, send a rejoinder, and it is hoped that whatever unpleasant feeling now exists will graslually subside." The Emperor yesterday gave a private audience to Baron de Schweizer, Minister of Baden, who presented a ktter from the Grand Duke, notifying to his Majesty the death of his brother the Grand Duke Louis. The French court will go into mourning for a week from Thursday. The ConstitutionneZ having stated that Prince Mirza of Oude was to be received by the Emperor at the Tuileries, Moulvee Mohummud Mussee Hood Deen, agent of the Prince, has written to that journal to say that, though his Majesty would no doubt have graciously accorded the Prince an interview, none has been solicited, inasmuch as "it would be a violation of all the customs of mourning established in the Eastern courts td seek a new friend so soon after the death of a relative, and to put on the garments of ceremony required for such an occasion." The Gazette de France, following in the footsteps of certain of its contemporaries, declaims on the disadvantages of parliamentary government : " England," says that journal, with astound ing logic, " always remains England. She has parliamentary men ready for all circumstances which may arise from political difficulties. Lord Derby may be overthrown as suddenly as was Lord Palmerston, and a revolutionary policy may succeed without transition to; the Conservative policy which rules at the present moment. The inconveniences of the Parliarientary government consist precisely in these sudden changes, which modify the relations of Great Britain and the cabi nets of the continent. These cabinets can never rely on the policy of the Euglish Government, which, favourable to them to-day, may prove un favourable to them to-morrow. What spirit ani mates the British nation ? What principles of justice or right does it ever place above its inter ests ? These questions should be taken into con sideration when it is soughtito ascertain the amount of safety which exists in close relations with that nation. We believe that all enlightened men have long since come to a conclusion on this subject." As the period approaches when the Court of Ces sation must decide on the appeal of Orsini, Pierri, arid Rudio against their sentence, the two latter give signs of the most abject fear. Pierri has had, at his request, an interview with the Procureur Imperial, at which he promised to turn approver so that his life is spared. He offers to reveal the names of all the persons implicated in the late at tempt, whose number, be says, is very great, but he refuses to make any unconditional disclosure. The Estafetta ' having been twice condemned for offences against the press laws, is suppressed as a matter of course by the second decision against it. The last numbor appeared on Sunday. BOURSE, March 8. —The market was steady at the opening, but afterwards gave way, as there was a fall of kon Consols. The following were the closing quotations 4l per Cents 93 25 Credit Foncier Do. end month — Belgian 4 3 per Cent. ..... ... 68 95 Piedmontese (5) Do. end month 69 20 Roman B9 Bank Shares ...... 3050 Austrian - Credit Mobilier ... t 42 50 Spanish Threes Do. Accoint B4l 25 home Debt — RAIL' Orleans Northern New Ditto 7B2} Lyon and Mediteran. 810 New Ditto 782 Geneva ' AYS. -- - Midi Western 662 Strasburg Grand Central Sardinian Austrian " It is rumoured," says the Malta Times, " that a teleg ram h as b een rece i ve d here from the autho rities in England to look to the state of the island defences ; and that in pursuance of that order a military commission is now sitting, of which th e Lieut.-General commanding and the Colonels of the RI-al Engineers and Ito) al Artillery are mem bers." The Young Princess de Ligne, whose serious ill ness had been announced, is now in a fair way o; recovery, THE WEST INDIES. Advices from Jamaica are to the 10th February. Instructions had been received at the General Post office of Jamaica that from and after the Ist April next all letters to and from England will have to be prepaid or they will not be forwarded, the rates of postage to be the same as charged at present Capt. Tregoning had arrived in the Dee steamer from St. Thomas's, having been engaged to inspect several mining properties in the island, with a view to the publication of his opinions upon the country generally as a mineral one. The weather had been very dry, with strong south-easterly breezes for five or six weeks, and the health of the island was greatly improved. The latest !quotations of ex changes on London were as follows Jamaica Bank-90 days, 1i per cent, premium ; 60 days, 2 per cent. premium ; 30 days, 2i per cent. premium. Colonial Bank-90 days, 11 per cent. premium ; 60 days, 2 per cent. premium ; 30 days, 2i per cent. premium. Merchants' Bills—On London-90 days, par .to Ito per cent premium. On the United States -60 days, 1 per cent. premium. At Granada the sugar crop had commenced upon several plantations, and very good sugar was being produced. The weather was favourable for cropping opera tions, Cocoa was pouring in from all parts of the country, and many bags were sent home by this packet ; the quality of the present stock is much improved. Trade generally was active. The importations of lumber and provisions from America, and of dry goods from the United Kingdom, had been large ; and, there being an ample stock of everything in the market, prices were gradually descending. His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor embarked in the Reindeer surveying vessel on Sunday, the 31st of January, on a visit to Carriacou, returning on the following Thursday. Sugar making had commenced at Carriacou, and seemed to progress favour ably on the Beausejour, Craigston, and Grand Bay e•iates. The House of ,Assembly at Barbadoes was en gaged in an interesting discussion the 2 , 1 ult., on the report of a committee appointed to consider as to the expediency of repotting the debates of the House, the committee rzcommending the appoint ment of an official reporter. The Solicitor-General strongly opp sed the recommendation, and the proposition was rejected by nine votes against seven. THE PACIFIC. By the arrival at Soutnampton of the West India wail steamer Parana, we have files of the Panama Star and Herald to the 9th of February. _ _ The steamer New Granada, Captain Charles W. Waller, from Valparaiso and Callon, arrived in Panama Bay on the 6th. At Chili the monetary situation had not improved sensibly, although the market has been slightly eased by the deposit of 150,000 dollars placed by Government in the Bank. Government had also rest Ted to circulation, in Santiago, the sum of about 250,000 dollars, partly by payment of inte rest and capital of the public debt, and partly by payment of interest and also redemption of the bills at the Mortgage-office. News was rt. c eived from all quarters of the abun dant crops of wheat and barley, which promised a rich harvest. The rain which fell on the 27th of December, far from causing harm, as some persons feared, seemed to be rather favourable than other wise, and it was expected that the monetary crisis would mostly disappear when the markets began to receive the abundant agricultural produce promised from every part of the country. The merchant steamer Catapilco was wrecked on the Bth of January off the port of Pichidangui ; crew and passengers saved. The Cabinet definitively chosen by the President of the Republic of Bolivia had been organized as follows ;—Filiance, Citizen Thomas Frias ; Govern ment, Justice, and Public Worship, Citizen Rupert Fernandez ; Public Instruction and Foreign Affairs, Citiz-n Luke Mendoza de la Tapia • Pro motion, Citizen Manuel Buitrago ; War, General Gregorio Perez. CENTRAL AMERICA. The steamship Columbus, Captain J. M. Dow, from San Jose de Guatemala and intermediate Cen tral American ports, arrived off Panama on the evening of the 7th Feb. The latt at dates from the various republics are Guatemala, Jan. 21 ; Cojute peque (Salvador), Jan. 23 ; Granada (Nicaragua), Jan. 9 ; San Jose (Costa Rica), Jan. 30. Files of the Gaceta" de Guatemala to Jan. 21 con tain very little news. The cholera had ceased in the capital and in most of the other cities. A court-martial was held on the 14th on Col. Wm. Knoth, charged with having executed Don Juan Santi Antoni, captain of the sloop-of-war As cension, in March, 1857. The captain, it appears, was a Frenchman by birth, though holding a com mission in the Gua , einala navy. The French Mini ster had taken the matter up, and the Government of Guatemala had pensioueo the widow and son of the murdered man. The sentence of the court martial was not made public in the official papers. It had been referred to the court of justice, for its opinion on certain legal points. The tiaceta del Salvador from Cojutepeque is to January 23d. The Legislature met on the 22d, when President Campo delivered his message. It opened with a review of the campaign in Nicaragua, and touched lightly on General Barrio's attempted revolution. He recommended a revision of the civil and penal codes, and suggested that the task should be intrusted to a commission. The public revenue was declared to be in a flourishing state, and the State debt was so reduced that he hoped it would be paid off in three years. The commerce of the country bad increased, and certain restric tions had been taken off. The President congratu lated Congress that the country was on the beat teems with the other Central American States and with all foreign nations. The claims of some foreigners for money due since the time of the - Federal Government had been paid off, an d the rest would be settled in a short time. The Presi dent gives the following favourable account of the progress of the country : "The progress of the country, Messrs. Represen tatives, is a true progress. Notwllistanding the misfortunes of the last six years we have been able to improve our legislation. Our ports, our roads, and our prodections of revenue are increasing every year ; but what is most satisfactory is that the cus toms of the people keep pace with the general pro gress." MARKET NEWS.—(This Day.) HAY MARKETS. sstrrwrimm.—Meadow hay, 21 lOs to 4' Os; clover, 31 lOs to 51 Os; and straw, 1/ 4s to 1 / 10s per load. A nsodevate supply, and a fair demand. CUMBERLAND. —Meadow hay, 21 103 to 41 Oa ; clover, 3/ 10s to 5/ Os ; and straw, 11 4s to 11 lOs per load. Trade steady. Virarrzousrup.—Meadow hay, 2/ 10s to 41 Os; clover, Si. 10a to 51 Os ; and straw, V 4s to 1/ lOs per load. )3oth hay and straw were in . steady request, at our.quota. tions. COLONIAL. TEA.—There is Tory little business doing. The trade baying been occupied with the samples of the public sales to take place this week. Quotations are unaltered. SuGuit.—Ths market has exhibited little alteration and there are few inquiries for any descriptions ; in prices there is little alteration to report. In the refined market s alit . tle business is doing , a nd dried goods remain dull of ale COFFEE.—There is a moderate demand for the better qualities of Plantation Ceylon, and prices remain firm ; other kinds are inactive, and at rather lower quotations. RlCE.—Very little business has been reported, and holders continue to demand rather higher rates, a slight advance having been realised on the better qualities. Rum.—Thers is a limited enquiry, and prices are steady. The deficiency in stocks, however, compared with the same time last year, amounts to 2,500 puncheons. TALLOW. —Thera is not much business doing, but full rates are current. P. Y.C. on the spot is quoted 54s 6d ; March, 533 . 6 d • April to June, 51s 9d to 52s ; and Town Tallow, 53s 6dper cwt. net cash. LLOYD'S 8111 : PPING.—(This Day.) LONDON, March 9.—Wind this day at noon, N.Vi r strong breeze slid cloudy with snow. COWES, March B.—Wind N.W. to N.N.W. ; Ari i„,i___,Tohn Stewart, from Callao, and sailed for Lon don; Indian Hunter, ditto. PLYMOUTH, March B.—Wind N.W.— Sailed—T. J. Roger, for Havana. TRESCO -- Arrived—Constantine, frotfi Bombay. OFF SCILLY, Feb. 25.—Arrived—Agnes, from Buenos Ayres, for Antwerp. PORTSMOUTH, March 8.--Wind N.W. to Arrived—Constitution, from Rio Janeiro, for Bremen. OFF PORTSMOUTH, March B.—Arrived—Racehor se, from Algoa Bay. GUERNSEY, March 6.—The Duchess of Kent, from St. Sampson's to London, with stone, foundered during a heavy gale from the N.W., this afternoon. Crew saved by the Admiral Windham (schooner), which has put back. QUEENSTOWN, March 7.—Wind W.—Arrived—Toma• tin, from Callao. CARDIFF, March B.—Wind N.N.W.—Arrived—Sirius, from Gibraltar. Sailed —George Metuck, for Monte Video ; Helen, St. Jago. March 9.—Arrived—Niagara, (8), froni OFF RPOOL BO L at I o V n E . , from St. B.—Wind W.—Arrived—Fan n y , RHYL, March B.—The James B.oltue (sloop), which wag wrecked wsey. here . yes terday, was baund from Irelan d iia to _ - - The Damascus has arrived from Now South Wales in 14 days, which, in the face of the protracted easterly wiude, 'joust be moldered a good voyage.