The Sun. — London, England, 1860-03-15 00:00:00

NEW THEATRE - ROYAL, ADELPHL Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. Benj. Webster. THIS EVENING, ICI ON PARLE FRANCAIS, Mr. J. I. Toole, Chas. Selby, Billington, Mrs. Chatterley, Mrs. Ell lington, Miss Kate Kelly, and Laidlaw. Alter which, PAPER WINGS, Mr Alfred Wigan, J. L. Toole, D. Fisher, Billington, P. Bedford, Stuart, C. Selby, Eburne, C. J. Smith, Powell, Romer, Mrs Alfred Wigan, Miss H. Simms, Miss Kate Kelly, and Mrs Chatterley. Followed by DINORAH TINDER. DIFFICULTIES. Messrs. J. L. Toole, P. Bedford, Eburne, C. J. Smith, Miss X. Kelly. Doors open at half-past six—Commence at seven. Box- Office open from 10 to 5. No charge for securing seats, nor fer bills of performance. All fees to servants of this establishment are strictly prohibited. Acting Manager—Mr. Wm. Smith. ROY AL ST. JAMES'S THEATRE, King-street, St. James's. Lessee, Mr. T. B. Chatter ton. Directress, Miss Wyndham. The nearest Theatre to Chelsea, Pimlico, and Westminster, the Park being open to carriages and foot passengers all hours of the night. EVENING the pert ornaanoes will commence with " No. 40." Magri. H. T. Followed by FIRST AFFECTIONS. Craven, G. Spencer, and Miln eiryndham. After which the eircessful burlesque of DIDO. Blesdame■ Wyndham, Clara St. Casse, Eliza Arden, and Mr. Charles Young. To conclude with MAGIC TOYS. Miss Lydia Thompson, Miss Clara St. Cases. Reduced Prices—Gallery, 6d ; Pit, ls. The Box-oftlee open from 11 to 5 daily. Doors open at half-past six ; perform ance commences at 7. ROYAL ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.- MISS LYDIA THOMPSON has the honour to an nounce to the nobility, gentry, and the public, that her BENEFIT, and Last Appearance but Four at the abote Theatre, will take place on MONDAY, Marsh 26. Tickets to be had at the Box-office of the Theatre, and of Miss Thomp son, 8, Argyle-street, Euston-road, W.C. CONCERTS. CANTERBURY HALL THIS EVENING, LUCREZIA BORGIA, (Donizetti). Donna Lucrezia Miss Russell. Matlio Orsini Mrs. Anderson. Gennaro Mr. Henry Herbert. Don Altonzo Signor Tivoli. Conductor—Mr. Jong;thm ans. Comic Vocalists —.Messrs. George Olson (the Irish Come dian and Mimic), W. T. Critchfleid, and E. W. Mackney. Several interesting Pictures are added to the Fine Arts Gallery. The suite of Halls have been re-decorated and eautined, and constitute one of the most unique and brilliant sights of the metropolis. The gallery is ope , l from 5 till 11 on Sunday Evening. THE WEATHER.-SUN OFFICIS i MAUCH 15, Is6o. THERMOMETER, TN TIUSH IDL 50—highest since noon yesterday. 35—lowest this morning and during the nlgbt. 46—this day at noon. BARoMS•rEx—X9.B6; rising rapidly. W.N.W. ; rather fresh, with fin© weather. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Turs Div.—:dorning, 7h. 19m.—Afternoon, 7h. 53m. To•MORRO W.-Mort jug) Bh. 37m.—Afternoon, 9h. 2-Em, , e•ltik t f - ;Are • -r e.,, ~~ .ri BRITISH NATION LIFE ASSURANCE ASSOCIATION.—Chief Offices, 291, Regent-street London, March 15, 1860.—Notice is hereby Given, That an EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING of this Asso ciation will be held at the Chief Offices of the Association, No. 291, Regent-street, London, on THURSDAY, the 22d day of March instant, at Two o'Clock in the afternoon pre cisely, for the purpose of confirming, or otherwise, an agree ment for the transfer of the business of a Life Assurance Com pany.—By Order of the Board, HENRY LAKE, Manager and Secretary ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA. COVENT-GARDEN. under the management of Miss L. Pynasstd Mr.W. Harrison. THIS EVENING, Henry Leslie's Operetta Romance of DICK TURPIN. Messrs. St. AIWA and G. Honey ; )lissse Thirlwall and Cruise. After which, will be repeate d the grand Opera, en titled LIIRLINE, by W. Vincent Wallace. Mesars.W. Har rison, Santley, Corri, and G. Honey Misses Louisa Fyne, Pilling, and P. Cruise, Conductor, Alfred Mellon. Doers open at half-past 6—Commence at 7. THEATRE -ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Lessee, Mr. J. B. Buckstone. THIS EVENING, will be rierformed the new and original Comedy, in three acts, entitled THE OVERLAND ROUTE. Messrs. C. Mathews, Buckatone, Compton, Chip pendale, Mrs. C. Mathews, Miss Weekes, and Mrs. Wilkins. To conclude with PAUL PRY. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mathews. THEATRE -ROYAL LYCEUM.- Sole Lessee and Directress, Madame Celeste. THIS EVENING will be performed the drama of THE SERGEANT'S WIPE. Principal characters by Mr. James Vining, T. Lyon, J. Johnstone, J. Rouse; Mrs. Keeley Aar first appearance), and Madame Celeste. After which, the magnificent Transformation Scene from KING THRUSHBEARD. Coneincline* with the new Drama of A TALE OF TWO CITIES, by Tom Taylor, Esq., from the story of that name by Charles Dickens, Esq. Principal characters by Mr. James Vining., Walter Lacy, Villiers, Rouse, Forrester, J. Johnstone, T. Lyon, Morton, Palmer, White, H. Butler, Clifford, and Fredericks ; Misses Kate Saville, Stuart, Turner, Mrs. Campbell, and Madame Celeste. Commence at 1. ROYAL PRINCES S'S THEATRE.- Lessee, Mr. A. Harris. For the Benefit of Mr. H. Barnett. THIS EVENING, THE CORSICAN BROTHERS. G. Melt!lle, A. Harris, and Miss Clifford. Followed by the Farce, CRUEL TO BE KIND. Mr. A. Harris, Frank Matthews, and Miss Carlotta Leclereq. After which, a new Christmas burlesque pantomime, by H. J. Byron, called JACK THE GIANT KILLER ; or, Harle quin King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Jack, Miss Louise Keeley—Harlequin, Mr. Cormack - Panta loon, Mr. ?aulo—Columbine, Miss Caroline Adams—Clown, Mr. A. F. Forrest 4:1, 4 • I , * C•3to._ THE SUN. LONDON, TIIURSDAY, MARCII 15, 1860. see church rate abolitionists are preparing a counter storm of petitions for the 28th, the day when Sir J. TRELAWNY fights the battle of the second reading of his bill. Though petitions should have little to do with so plain a question of right and wrong, yet as they are practically of no little importance, we hope the friends of religious liberty will rebuke in this way the blind intolerance of their oppo nents. Then there are contests, of less prominence in deed, but all in reality parts of the war of the unprivileged with the privileged. Across the Tweed there is the Edinburgh Annuity Tax Bill. The tax is one levied to support in comparative affluence 18 ministers of the Established Church. Till the late disruption, this was the Church of the vast majority of the people. While this was the case the privileged Churchmen treated with con tempt the complaints of the few Dissenters. But, now that the former Established Church has become, legally, a Dissenting Church, and has to pay its own ministers, it finds paying to the sinecurists of the Old Church a heavy grievance, and the annuity tax must soon follow ministers' money in Ireland ; it must be abolished. Mr. DILLWYN has also a bill before the House to place the Dis senters on a level with the favoured class in regard to Free Grammar Schools. At present the law does not knew of the existence of religion ex cept as embodied in the Church catechism, articles, and prayer-book. Now very numerous founda tion schools having been originated by men of minds in advance of their times, have prescribed in their deeds no special form of religion, and no parti cular creed for these schools. But by the con venient interpretation given to the word " religion" by judges who have always been of the pri vileged sect, the children of all other sects, with their parents,' have no rights in regard to these schools. Nonconformists cannot be trustees, or teachers and their children cannot attend except as a matter of favour ! In this age of education one would have supposed that even the privileged would have been ashamed to claim such endow ments exclusively for the Church of about a third of the three kingdoms, but no ; they fight for this sectarian privilege with all the zeal of a sect of infallibles. But, looking at another phase of the subject, it We learn that the Sardinian Government has yielded to the too powerpl persuasion of NAPO LEON, so that Savoy and Nice are to be ceded to France. On the other hand, the French Govern ment will not give up the districts of Chablais and Faucigny to Switzerland, as lately rumoured. No, France takes all and cedes nothing. And this is the solution of the bombastic proclamation that NAPOLEON went to war only for an " idea "—the independence of Italy from the Alps to the Adriatic ! Words, words, words—but the end is not yet. is curious and instructive to notice, that even the privileged are demanding liberty, and so far, even they sympathise with the spirit of the age. They fret against the restraints which necessarily accompany privilege. They find their Liturgy though " incomparable," though " the nearest per fection of anything human," though "second only to Holy Writ," though a " necessary accompani ment to the Bible"—they yet find it too long—too full of repetitions too dark or superstitious, and sometimes—too ready a step through its rubric to Puseyism and Popery. They want to re vise, to curtail, to rub off rust, and so forth—yes, even the privileged cry through worthy Lord EBURY for Liturgical liberty. Last night again we had, through Mr. LOCKE KING, another cry—one for liberty to wow• ship. Strange, at first sight, it would seem that such a demand should be heard now in England. We all thought that everybody might worship when, how, and where he liked; and so he may, if he be not a clergyman of the Church of England. He may belong to the wildest sects—may revere the late HENRY Dnum- MOND as an apostle, and the church in Gordon square as a thin.' Temple—may be a Quaker, or a Shaker, a Roman Catholic or a Baptist—and he may pray and sing and hold forth anywhere as long as he pleases, so that he does not stop the QUEEN'S highway. And this sort of liberty of preaching has been a fact in the history of almost all the churches of Christendom. But the Anglican Churchman has it not. He can lawfully worship only in a place duly licensed by a bishop. His church may be where no one will follow him, or where (as in the City of Loudon) all his hearers have run away; but there he must keep. His church is his prison. Some brawling Methodist may be cramming to suffocation a room to which the people will go—but he cannot, legally, place himself in a familiar way on a level with his fellow man. He must be the man of the desk or pulpit. He must have an altar, and chancel, and rails, an East-end, and all that, or he is out of order. Like the old Austrian Generals, he must lose the battle with ignorance, or, what is worse, with dissent itself, by rule, while the BoNA PARTES of Dissent are winning everything by adaptation of their movements to the demands of the hour; and yet our Chancellor of the Exchequer is afraid to grant the Anglican clergyman free ' trade in his own p_ofession. There is yet one phase more of the religious liberty movement of the present day, one kindred with the last. We have heard of it often, but our attention was specially called to it, for we never went ourselves yet, even in our editorial capacity, by an article in All the Year Round (February 25th) on worship in theatres. The style at once reveals the writer. No one can doubt his competency to observe, and to describe to the life ; neither can any doubt his judgment as to what is due to both religion itself and to the classes who are invited to worship in theatres. He went on Saturday night, as well as on the Sunday night, that he might note differences, and, on the whole, pronounces decidedly in favour of the effort. Many of our readers must have seen the article; and we recommend it to the notice of all interested in " the million ;" not least of all, also, to the worthy men who first took the outrageols " liberty" of preaching and praying in theatres. Many just criticisms they will find, and some useful and kindly advice. No one can tell them better than the writer how to touch the hearts of the many, and as he avows himself desirous they should do so, they will do wisely to listen to so wise a guide. He points them to something better than all the " isms" of the past or the pre sent. Lord DUNGANNON and Lord SHAFTESBURY may each learn useful lessons from the author of is Oliver Twist." Our Free-trade Budget out of the way, we must next have a Free-trade in Religion Budget. Every thing tells us that the days of Ecclesiastical Protec tion are as surely numbered as those of Commercial Protection. Most anxious is the House of Commons that its dim light should not be a religions dim ness. If it could it would silence all mention of Churchmen and Dissenters, of Puseyites and Evan gelicals, of Popery and Protestantism there. But, while religious protection lasts this can never be. The unprotected sects will envy the protected seats, the protected sects will give themselves provoking airs towards the outsiders, or ignore them as unau thorised upstarts. The receivers of State bounty, if attacked, fight savagely.for their profitable pri vilege ; and the non•recipients, if they do not ask State pay for themselves, bitterly grudge it to those who are, as they think, their inferiors in purity and zeal. At this moment the unprivileged are fighting seve ral hard battles with the privileged. Foremost among them is the great Church-rate battle. This is one which has been waged with various success for nearly thirty years. It is the most popular of the battles. In no way is the offensiveness, as well as injustice, of privilege more striking, than when it sends the policeman to a man who cares about no religion, or to the man who is fanatically, or at least earnestly devoted to some unprivileged form of religion, and demands his money or his goods on behalf of the favoured creed. Hence elparch.rate' abolition has been carried in the House of Commons for years by increasing majori ties ; till this year,thc pr . . 1 eged,seeing church-rates all but gone, have made one grand effort to save some thing. All the ignorance that could scrawl a sig nature or authorise one to be • written, and all the subserviency at the command of country clergymen and squires has been summoned to do service, and nearly 4 , 00 0 petitions, signed by an average of 30 persons each, have been sent up to the House of Commons. Some ask coercive power in one shape, some in another ; but, we believe, all argue that unless Churchmen have authority by law to compel each other to pay, they cannot, like Dissenters, maintain their worship The libel cn the Church is their own. We have a better opinion of Churchmen. We The monopoly exercised by the Gas Companies of the Metropolis has long been a source of public annoyance and discontent. A meeting of some importance was held on this subject yesterday afternoon, when the delegates from the various metropolitan districts assembled at the Vestry room of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, with Dr. BACHHOFFNER in the chair. Mr. BEAL, the Hon. Secretary, reported correspondence with the soli citors of the several parishes, and proeeeded to discuss the state of the gas question at the present time. It is certainly a matter which requires im mediate interference, for the system of monopoly which is carried on by the Companies amounts to absolute tyranny. The metropolis is divided into ten or twelve districts by the associated Com panies. They bind themselves, by agreement, not to interfere with each other's districts, and, conse quently, their customers are entirely at their mercy. If a householder finds his supply of gas inadequate and unsatisfactory, or should he have any dispute with th e C o mpany which sup plies him, h e i s compelled to submit to their dictation, o r give up gas altogether. No other Company will supply him, as they are grievance. bound by penalties not to interfere, and therefore each company is free to dictate its own terms to the consumer. But, although the customer is not allowed to transfer himself, he is transferred by the companies from one branch to another without being consulted in the matter, The inconsistency always apparent in monopolies is exhibited in their actions. One company charges one rate, another one altogether different. One charges for cannel gas 65., another for common gas 45., a third 4s. 6d. Some charge for meters, some do not. The exorbi tance of their demands is fully testified in the following passage from the Secretary's speech : " They demand that we shall recognise districting, and guarantee to them a monopoly. That they shall have liberty to prescribe any form of contract, or the consumer must go without gas. That con sumers shall give security for three years' gas rent, or go without; that a consumer shall either give three months' notice of discontinuing a supply, or pay three months' rent.. They decline to allow the parishes to light their own lamps, as is usual in Scotland and some towns of England, and refuse to supply a parish with gas only, unless also they light and extinguish, which is tanta mount to giving any quantity they please. They decline to be bound by a fixed pressure, whilst all persons using gas cooking-stoves and heating by gas complain that they cannot keep the burner alight from deficient supply. They de sire us to be content with a gas equal to 12 wax, instead of 12 sperm candles, when numerous towns and a large portion of the metropolis have already obtained the standard we demand. They propose that we shall only test the illuminating power at their works, when we obtain it, or pay for it, in our houses. They will not consent to purify it, although the south of London has been almost poisoned by neglect ; and at the west-end we can not do business with the impure supply. They peremptorily decline to allow us to test it at the main—they refuse to recognise any machinery which will protect us from infractions of any law which may be passed, except that provided by the Gas Works Clauses Act, one of those acts smuggled through Parliament, nominally guaranteeing great benefits really imperative. They ask a price which is absurd. They demand a maximum of 65., -whilst at Uxbridge the price is now fixed at 3s. They decline to admit the Metropolitan Board of Works to appoint auditors, but have a fancy for the Board of Trade, and the Parliamentary machinery to be called into operation, to act upon its decision. They decline to use a machinery (other than the useless proposals of the Gas Works Clauses Aet) to reduce the price of gas, when their dividends reach 10 per cent., whilst they demand the power to raise it. We propose a clause that they should not sell their powers or transfer them without our sanction. They an swer by demanding a legal sanction to district ing, and by striking out our restricting clause." Such an unreasonable claim could never be asserted under a different system. We confess we are sur prised to find Government so reluctant to act, and Parliament so slow to interfere, in this matter. Since it is a subject of personal concern to almost every householder in the metropolis, it is surely a case where legislation is imperatively called for. Mr. BEAL, however, expressed little hope of any active assistance from the Government. They ad mitted the validity of the principle at stake, but declined to interfere, though they allowed that things could not remain as they were. Parlia mentary committees sat on the subject, but owing to the dissolution of Parliament, and the opposition of interested parties, they did not bring up the cus tomary report. The Parliamentary agent for the companies, it was stated, had agreed to leave the four great questions of price, illuminating power, meterage, and pressure, to the committee of the House of Commons, whose decision, we hope, will bring this matter to a speedy settlemer.t. The general feeling and sense of the public is always against a monopoly, and when it amounts to an organised system of dictation and fiscal extortion it becomes an absolute and intolerable social PARLIAMENTARY DIVISION. HOUSE OF COMMONS. MARCH 14. RELIGIOUS WORSHIP BILL. Order for Second Reading read ; Motion made, and Ques• tion proposed, " That the Bill he now read a second time :"—Amendment proposed to leave out the word " now," and at the snd of the Question to add tliP words " upon this day six months :—Question put, " That the word ' now' stand part of the Question :"—The House divided ; Ayes 131, Noes 168. ATEs-131. Adam, W. P. Ewart, William Mitchell, T. A. Agnew, Sir A. Ewart, J. C. Morris, D. Alcock, T. Ewing, H. E. C. Noble, J. Ayrton, A. S. Feriioy, Lord Onslow, Guildford Bagwell, J. Foley, Hon. H. W. Padmore, R. Baines, E. Forster, Charles Paxton, Sir J. Ball, E. Fortescue, Hon. D. Peacoeke, G. M. Barrow, W. H. Freeland, H. W. Pease, H. Bass, M. T. French, Fitzstephen Pechell, Sir G. Baxter, W. E. Gilpin, C. Pilkington, James Bazley, Thomas Glyn, G. C. Pollard UrquhartW Beach, W. W. B. Goldsmid, Sir F. Ricardo, 0. Beale, Samuel Gordon, C. W. Rich, 11. Beaumont, W. B. Greenall, G. Ridley, G. Berkeley, H. Greene, Capt. J. Robertson, D. Biggs, John Gregson, S. Roebuck, J. A. Black, Adam Gurney, Samuel Roupell, W. Bright, J. Hadfield, Geo. St. Aubyn, J. Briscoe, J. I. Hanbury, R., jun. Salt, Titus Brocklehurst, John Hankey, Thomson Scholefie,d, W. Browne, Lord J. T. Hassard, M. D. Seymour, H. D. Bruce, H. A. Henley, Lord Shafto, R. D. Buchanan, W. Jackson, W. Sheridan, R. B. Butler, C. S. Jones, D. Smith, Augustus Buxton, C. Kendall, N. Somerville, Sir W. Caird, James Kennard, C. Somes, Joseph Carnegie, Hon. C. Kershaw, J. Spooner, R. Clifford, C. C. King, J. K. Stacpoole, W. Coningham, Wm. Kinglake, A. W. Stansfeld. J. Craufurd, E. 11. J Kingscote, Lt.-Col. Steuart, A. Crossley, Frank Kinnaird, Hon. A. Sykes, Col. W.H.' Dalglish, Robert Knatchbull-Hugess Taylor, Hugh . Davey, R . Langston, J. H. Trail!, G. Davie, Sir H. R. F. Lawson, W. Turner, J. A. Davie, Col. F. Lee, W. Watkins, J. L. V. Dent, John Dent Leighton, Sir B. Wemyss, J. Douglas, Sir C. Lindsay, W. S. Western, T. S. Dunbar. Sir Wm. Locke, John Westhead, B. Duncombe, T. S. Lysley, W. Whalley, G. 11. Dunlop, A. Mackie, J. Willcox, B. M. Ellice, Rt. lion. E. Mackinnon, W. A. Willoughby, Sir H Ellice, E., jun. Marjoribanks, D. C. Elphinstone, Sir J. Massey, W. N. Evans, Sir De L. Mellor, John Evans, T. W. Mildmay, H. NOES-168. Adeane:ll. J. Gore, J. R. 0. Newdegate, C. N. Arbuthnott, Gen,H. Greville, Col. F. Newport, Visct. Ashley, Lord Gray, William Nicol, William Atherton, W. Grey, Rt. Hn. Sir G. North, Col. Baillie, H. J. Griffith, C .D. Northcote, Sir S. H. Beecroft, G. S. Gurdon, B. Packe, C. W. Bernard, W. S. Haliburton, Justice Packs, G. H. Blackburn, P. Hamilton, Major Pakenham, Col. Blencowe, J. G. Handley, John Palk, L. Botfield, Beriah Hardy, Gathorne Palmer, R. W. Brady, John Heathcote, G. H. Papillon, P. O. Bramston, T. W. Heneage, G. Parker, Major W. Bridges, Sir 8., Bt. Henniker, Lord Patten, J. W. Bruce, C. L. C. Heygate, Sir F. Peel, Sir R. Burghley, Lord 11111, Lord E. Peel, F. Burrell, Sir C., Bt. Hodgkinson, G. Portman W. H. B. Byng, Hon. G. H. C. Holland, E. Powys, L. P. Cartwright, Col. H. Hood, Sir A. Pritchard, John Cave, S. Hope, G. W. Puller, C. W. Cavern -1 18h, Lord G. Hotham, Gen. Lord Rogers, John Cayley, E. S. Howard, Hon. C. Russell, Hastings Cecil, Lord R. Howes, Edward Russell, A. J. E. Childers, H. C. E. Hubbard, J. G. Selater-Booth, G Clifford, H. M. Hunt, G. W. Selwyn, C. J. Clinton, Lord R. Ingham, R. Seymer, H. K. Close, M. C. Jermyn, Earl Seymour, Sir H. Cobbold, John C. Johnstone, J. J. H. Sibthorp, Major Cole, Hon. IL A. Kekewich, S. Smith, S. G. Cole, J. L. Ker, R. Smollett, P. Collins, T., jun. Kerrison, Sir E. Stanley, Lord Corry, H. T. Lacon, Sir E. Steel, John Cross, R. A. Lefroy, A. Stirling, Wm. Cubitt, Aid. Legh, G. C. Stuart, Col. Cubitt, George Legh, W. Taylor, Colonel Deedes, Wm. Lennox, Lord H. G. Thompson, H. S. Dickson, Col. Lewis, Sir G.C., Bt. Trefusis, Hon. C. H Dodson, John G. Liddell, Hon. H. G. Valetort, Lord Duncombe, W. E. Lindsay, Colonel Vandeleur, Col. Dundas, Frederick Long, R. P. Vane, Lord H. G. Dunn, John Longfield, Robert Verner, Sir Wm. Dunne, Col. Lopes, Sir M., Bt. Vernon, L. V. Du Pre, C. G. Lowe, Rt. Hon. H. Walker, James R East, Sir J. B. Lyall, G. WalpDle, S. H. Edwards, Major H. Lygon, Hon. F. Wallington, J. W. Egerton, Sir P. March, Earl of Whitbread, S. Egerton, A. F. Martin, 3. Whiteside, Rt HnJ Egerton, E. C. Merry, James Whitmore, H. Fgarton, W. Miles, Sir W. Wickham, 11. W. Farquhar, Sir M. Miller, T. Winnington, Sir T. Farrer, James Mitford, W. T. Woodd, B. T. Fenwick, Henry Montagu, Lord R. Wyndham, Sir H. Finlay, A. S. Montgomery, Sir G. Wynn, Col. Foley, J. H. Moody, C. A. Wynne, C. G. G allwey, Sir W. P. Morgan, Major Wynne, W. W. R. Gard, It. S. Mowbray, Rt. Hn. J. TELLERS. George, John Mure David Bouverie, B. P. Goddard, A. L. Napier, Sir C. Adderley, C. B. Among the various benevolent and philanthropic societies of the metropolis, the Railway Benevolent Institution deserves to fill a prominent place. A country whose railway traffic is so immense and so continuous, whose commercial enterprises are so greatly facilitated by the rapidity of transit afforded by rail, owes something to the class of men whose lives are spent in the arduous and often times dangerous employments afforded by the railway system. The numerous accidents which occur, more especially to the stokers and engine -drivers, throw honest and deserving families into distress, while the men engaged in other branches with less risk of life and limb are still subject to the losses occasioned by age and sickness. The gene ral good character and civility of the men employed on the various lines add to their claim on public benevolence and sympathy, and the many who are drawing large incomes from railway property should consider that this society possesses a legiti mate demand on their support. The noble chair man of the public dinner, which was celebrated last evening, said that he was of opinion that by evincing a generous sympathy for their employees they would get a better class of men, who, knowing that their families would be cared for, would face the hazards attendant upon their calling. Lord SHELBURNE went on to say that so deeply was he impressed with this convic tion that he proposed.the proprietary should sub mit to a rate, and some idea may be formed of the vast amount of railway property in the United Kingdom when he stated that a rate of one half penny would produce £lO,OOO a-year. The cordial support thus given by the chairman of one of the largest railway companies in the kingdom is a valuable testimony to the excellence of the institu tion. TELLERS. King, Hon. L. Horsfall, T. B. THE CUSTOMS ACT,'. MEETING THIS DAY. LATEST A large meeting of the importers and dealers in foreign and colonial produce was held this day at the London Tavern, for the purpose of considering the amended reso lutions, Nos. 16, 17, and 18, laid before the House of Com mons by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The chair was taken by R. W. Crawford, Esq., M.P. The CHAIRMAN in opening the business of the meeting, briefly alluded to the large amount of capital invested in the foreign and colonial trade of the country, which ho said had made Great Britain the commercial depot of the world. It was therefore of the utmost importance that the trade should be free from all obstructions and restrictions, and that being universally admitted, it was clear that these resolutions of the Chancellor of the Exchequer were not only vicious in principle, but quite opposed to the best interests of the country. (Cheers.) THOMAS BARING, Esq., moved the first resolution, en dorsing the sentiments expressed by the chairman, and de claring his belief that the proposals of the Government, if carried out, would most certainly be destructive of our foreign and colonial trade. The resolution was as fol lows : " That it is of vital importance to this country, as a com mercial community, that the trade, which makes Great Britain the depot of produce for the supply of all parts of the world, should continue to be as free as possible from all restrictions and impediments, and tint no obstacles should be offered to its maintenance and expansion." Mr. BAILLIE seconded the resolution. An amendment was proposed by a gentleman in the body of the meeting to the effect that the resolution did not go far enough, but it fell to the ground for want of a seconder. Mr. Solucs, M.P. for Hull, supported the resolution, stating at the same time that he had been requested to do so by a majority of his constituents, who were largely en gaged with colonial and foreign trade. They were of opi nion, and he agreed with them, that the present proposals were mischievous in the extreme, without producing the slightest advantage. (Cheers.) The resolution was then put by the Chairman and car ried unanimously. Mr. HUBBARD, M.P., moved the second resolution, and insisted that the Chancellor of the Exchequer should be imperatively called upon to let the traders of England alone. (Cheers.) These registration charges were paltry in cha racter and wholly opposed to the spirit of modern legislation. A short time ago the Legislature set its face against the Stadt Dues because they obstructed trade, and now the Chancellor of, the Exchequer was proposing to revive them in the shape of Customs Dues of a still more vexatious nature. tie was informed that the penny tax would not produce more than £50,000 ; but it was not to the amount of money that the trade objected, it was the great inconve nience it would occasion tothe commercial world. (Cheers.) The resolution was as follows " That this meeting therefore views with anxiety and regret the proposal of new taxes and charges in resolutions Nos. 16, 17, and 18, in committee on Customs Act; believ ing that they would prove most unequal and vexatious in their operation, and in many instances would injuriously affect large and important branches of commerce." Mr. MOFFATT, M.P., seconded the resolution, at the same time stating it as his opinion that the proposed changes would divert half the foreign trade of this country to other channels. (Cheers.) The resolution was carried unanimously. Mr. BUCHANAN, M.P., moved tho third resolution, vie. :-- "That the proposed modifications by the Chancellor of the Exchequer by no means meet the views of those en gaged in the various trades, and appear to them still to offer great obstructions to business." Mr. T. HANIEY, M.P., cordially seconded the resolu tion. Mr. STEBBING, of Southampton, supported the resolu tion, and said he was certain the budget would never have been approved of if it had been earlier known that it con tained this most obnoxious scheme. (Cheers.) The Chairman submitted the resolution to the meeting, when it was carried unanimously. Mr. PALMER then moved the 4th and last resolution as follows " That an humble petition, embodying the foregoing re. solutions, be addressed to the House of Commons, and tha the chairman of this meeting, R. W. Crawford, Esq., M.P. be requested to present it ; and the co-operation of all mem. bars of Parliament interested in commerce be invited." BOLOGNA. RAVENNA. Annexation Separate kingdom FORLI. FERRARA. at 6 a.m. this morning. Saturday. Mr. HussnY VIVIAN seconded the resolution, and said the scheme ,was about one of the worst that could have been devised. The resolution was carried unanimously. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the pro ceedings. BRISTOL THEATRE.—BristoI and Bath have now added their voice to the general com mendation of the piece, and we have no doubt " The Dead Heart" will long be a successful stock piece at any rate at the Adelphi. During ttre present week, the enterprising lessee and mana ger of the Bristol Theatre, Mr. Chute, has put a newdrama upon the stage for three nights, engaging for the purpose 'the two principal Adelphi performers, Mr. Webster and Mrs. Alfred Mellon (formerly Miss Woolger), and whose representations of the two chief characters are admirable specimens of the highest order of histrionic ability. The plot of the piece is highly interesting, full of startling inci dent, and heightened by fine dramatic effect. Mr. Webster was Landry, and his consummate skill as an actor was visible in every phase of the character, in which plays with marvellous truthfulness and power. As Cathe rine, Mrs. Mellon's interpretation of the strongest passions that can possibly agitate the mind of woman, is elo quent in its description, making fiction so nearly akin to truth that there were audible sobs throughout the house. Twice during the week the Adelphi drama, by Dion Bour cicault and C. Kennedy, Esqrs., entitled " The Willow Copse," has been represented. The Luke Fielding of Mr. Webster was a singularly impressive piece of acting, affording Mr. Webster ample scope for displaying his esti aordinary powers of psychological deli neation. His impersonation of the injured tather, proud and dignified in his sorrow, was quite appalling in its pa thetic truthfulness.—Bristol Mirror. UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL.—At a meeting of the committee yesterday, a letter was read from Mr. W. Walton, Secretary to the Imperial Continental Gas Asso ciation, enclosing, by direction of Sir Francis H. Goldsmid, M.P„ a cheque for 100 guineas, as a donation to the hos pital, being Sir Francis Goldsmid's share of a testimonial voted by the proprietors of the association to a committee of directors. IFIE SUN, LUNDUN, THURSDAY EVENING, MARCH 15, 186 G. Annexation Separate kingdom Void through informality Void through informality Annexation Separate kingdom Void through informality FRANCE. NEW 8. The following telegrams have been received at Mr. Reuter's office : FLORENCE, MARCH 14. The returns of the vote in Tuscany, with the exception of 32 communes, show : Annexation Separate kingdom . 330,087 13,156 BOLOGNA, WEDNESDAY EVENING. The result of the voting in Romagna has been proclaimed today by the Court of Cassation, amidst loud cheering. The following is the result of the - voting in the different provinces : 76,276 63 161 38,115 54 39,269 54 76 Annexation Separate kingdom Void through informality The total numbers are as follows : Annexation Separate kingdom Void through informality At Fusignano 500 women presented themselves o vote, but their votes were of course declined. . 202,659 254 444 The following is the official return of the voting in the Romagna : BOLOGNA, THURSDAY MORNING. For annexation to Piedmont 200,659 „ Separate Kingdom Cancelled TURIN, MARCH 14. The Sardinian Government, it is asserted, has consented to the demand of France to effect the cession of Savoy and Nice by a special treaty to be concluded between France and Sardinia, The treaty will be followed by a • ote of the municipalities, and the two contracting parties will afterwards communicate to the European Powers the nature and the motives of this terri torial arrangement between them. By this ar rangement Sardinia cedes to France, Savoy unto Mont Cenis, and Nice unto Villafranca, inclusively. Thus all the passes of the Alps will be possessed by France, who likewise obtains the districts of Chablais and Faucigny. Mr. James Fazy and Dr. Kern have been informed by the French Govern ment that France declines to enter into negotia tions for ceding Chablais and Faucigny to Switzer land. The following telegram has been received at Mr. Reuter's Office from the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company : CALCUTTA AND CHINA MAILS. MARSEILLES, THURSDAY. The Panther, with the above mails, arrived here Mails to leave for London at 10. Letters on MADRID, MARCH 14. On Monday last a Moorish messenger delivered a letter to Marshal O'Donnell from the Emperor of Morocco, expressing his desire for peace, and re questing the Marshal to ,facilitate an arrangement advantageous to both nations. Marshal O'Donnell consented to negotiate, but declared that he will not suspend his military operations. BERLIN, MARCH 14. The committee of the German National Associa tion now assembled in Berlin is about to publish an energetic declaration against the theory of natural boundaries, and the annexation of Savoy to France, stating therein that Germany will be strongly united in future times of danger. TE rUAN, MARCH 12. The second campaign has gloriously commenced. On Sunday last numerous Moorish tribes, includ ing the Kabyles of Melilla, attacked the encamp ments at Tetuan, and were repulsed. The Moorish positions were taken, and the Moors pursued for a distance of half a league. Their losses were con siderable. PARIS, WEDNESDAY. A Paris letter in the Independance has the follow ing :—" I believe it to be quite true that the penalty of major excommunication is suspended over King Victor Emma*uel. The ceremony will be performed at St. Peter's at Rome with great pomp ; the Car dinals present; the Church hung with black; the figure of Christ on the cross veiled ; and wax tapers, yellow in colour, successively lighted and extin guished. All the monastic orders will go to the Cathedral in procession, and return to their monas teries chanting the Misersre. The person who transmits me these details, says that he does not think that the Pope himself will pronounce the ex communication, but that a cardinal will be delegated to do so. It is stated that a number of English have already arrived at Rome, in the hope of wit nessing the curious spectacle, should it take place." " We are informed," says the Catirrier de Paris, " that the elections in Savoy and in the county of Nice, to decide on the annexation of those provinces to the French Empire will take place on the 18th inst." The French Government has just given an order to a Mulhouse firm for 3,000 pieces of calico for troops, the whole to be delivered within a month. A piece consists of 100 metres, which, multiplied by 3,000, gives just 300,000 metres. It is said that so large an order has not been given since the last war, but I do not say how far it would be correct to infer from it, as some do, that large bodies of troops are about to be put in movement. BOURSE, March 14.—The market was at first rather heavy, but rallied on the English Consols arriving with a rise of t. Threes improved from 67f 75u to 67f 95c. Mobilier varied from 742 f 50c to 745 f; Lombard, 535 f to 536 f 25c ; Austrian, 502 f 50c to 505 f; Lyons, 887 f 50c to 891 f 25c ; Orleans, 1,385 f to 1,387 f 50c; Eastern, 638 f 75c to to 640 f. The following are the last quotations :- 4f per Cents. .... 95 55 Credit , Fonder 745 Do. end month .. I Belgian 4t — 3 per Cents 6B Piedmontese (5) .. 80 Do. end month 67 95 Roman Bl Bank Shares 2B OO A ustrian Credit Mobilier .. 747 50 Spanish Threes Do. Account RAILWA.YB. Cash. Account. Orleans Northern 925 .. 925 New ditto 832 50 .. 832 50 Lyons and Mediterranean 892 50 ... . 893 75 Geneva 470 470 Southern Western 585 _... 582 50 Eastern Sardinian 392 50 .. 395 -- 505 .. 503 75 Lombard .. . Exchange on London, at sight, paper, 25f. 10c.; money, 25f. me. ; three months, paper, 24 f. 8 71 c. ; money, 241 85c.. TFYLD'S MAP OF SAVOY AND SARDINIA. Again we have the indefatigable and ever wide awake Mr. Wyld in the field of enterprise with his maps. Now we have a clearly-defined and admi rably-finished map of Savoy, part of Switzer land and Sardina, the Duchies of Parma, Mo dena, Tuscany, and the Romagna, with Venw tia and part of the Tyrol, all dovetailed to gether with south-east frontier of France in 1792 —the same limits as settled by the treaty of Paris, 20th November, 1815. • Besides we have the extended frontier of France during the Republic in 1796 which embraces the same territories as the proposed addition to the French Empire of 1860. The map taken altogether becomes doubly valuable at this critical juncture of time in the affairs of Italy. Mr. Wyld deserves well of the public for his promp titude in bringing out this last new map. THE RIVAL CANNONISTS.—It is said that Mr. Whitworth has offered to shoot a cannon match with the G o vernment and t heir p rotege, Sir W. Armstrong, £lO,OOO a side, the tests to be such as would determine for eir relative merits as t he best gun for field service, endurance h in use, facility in load in g and firing, accuracy of fire, powerce of penetration, length of rango. economy of production, capability of firing any form of shot—solid or hollow, shell or case, and efficacy against iron and stone, and through water. The Government will not find it easy to evade this challenge, for Mr. Whitworth is not a very likely individual to be beaten by official dodging, and the questions put to Mr. Sidney Herbert in the House of Commons by Mr. Baillie, Capt. Vernon, and Mr. Legh, show that that as sembly is becoming aware of the merits of the case as be tween 11Ir. Whitworth and he War Office, and alive to the importance of fairly determining the relative value of the Armstrong gun and its rival.—Liverpool Albion, MEIIOI NAPLES. " We have received letters 'from Naples," says the Sleek, " which paint the sit ua ti on i n very gloomy colours, Police agents encumbered the streets. M. Cacace, an advocate, had been arrested for no motives that are known, but was set at liberty on the intercession of the French Ambassa dor. M. Zir, so well known to travellers as the land lord of the Hotel della Victoria, and M. Gatti, an eminent Orientalist, have also been taken into cus tody. The police supposed some hieroglyphics which the latter possessed to be seditious emblems! A greengrocer of the Place Barraca has likewise been arrested for having exhibited in his window radishes, turnips, and lettuces together, the colours of which are those of the Italian flag. The letters add that a Royal ordinance had been issued, direct ing that all civil and military functionaries shall, in the course of the present month, be subjected to some days' stoppages of pay, and that the amount obtained thereby shall be sent to the Pope." In another letter from Naples it is stated that M. Zir had been set at liberty on the demand of Lord Elliot, the English Minister. Extract of a letter, dated Naples March 11, says : " You will no doubt see reported in the journals that numerous arrests have lately been made here. The exact number is 24, and they were only kept in the Prefettura di Polizia till their passport could be got ready for the various routes they preferred taking, as they were ordered to leave the country. The reason of their expul sion from Naples is that they were the authors of the numerous seditious pamphlets and placards which have for some time been going the round of the different provinces of the kingdom of the Two Sicilies, exciting the people to open revolt, and in viting them to imitate the Tuscan and the Romagna, and become dependent of the King of Sardinia. This, to the utter horror of every true patriot, has caused great sensation. The King would not again pardon the chiefs of these underhand machinations, which, it is said, were encouraged by the authori ties of that power, who would be the only gainer by the fall of this Government, and who has for a long time been fomenting dissensions with that object; for it is scarcely credible that any nation would work for its own annihilation as an indepen dent country. That every one here should desire a freer Government or a constitutional King is only to be admired, because, although possessing the very best institutions and laws, none are ever acted upon, and few are the men found honest enough in Naples to enforce them conscientiously. The per sons lately compromised are the same as were ar rested some three months ago, and set at liberty by the King's order. Every one concurs in thinking their exile the best thing that could have been done for them and for the quiet of the coun t ry. Every day their Majesties drive up and down the Chiaia unattended ; and I can vouch as an eye witness that all the carriages that line the Corso, filled with the flower of the nobility and gentry, rise and bow most graciously to their Majesties in passing." SARDINIA. A communication from Turin, in the Constitts tionnel says :—" Preparations are being made to celebrate with extraordinary pomp the proclama tion of annexation. The members of the Provi sional Governments will come to Turin to present their homage to the King. MM. Farini and Rica soli will be on this occasion named, the former, as already announced, Minister of the Interior, and the latter, Minister of Agriculture and Commerce, a department of the Government which is about to ba re-established. M. Savagnoli will probably be made Minister of Justice; and another department, that of Marine, is, it is said, about to be created, which will be given to M. Elona, of Genoa. The Municipal Council is getting up a solemn recep tion for the occasion, and at a meeting held yes terday, an address was voted to the King, in which a strong desire is expressed of seeing his Majesty accept the annexation and defend it against all op position, and for which purpose the Council declares its readiness to support the most serious sacrifices. This movement will extend to every part of the kingdom. It is presumed the annexation will be effected without difficulty. Sardinian troops have been, within the last few days, massed on the fron tiers, ready immediately to occupy Central Italy. The troops of the Provisional Governments will keep garrison in the old States. In spite of this provision, every necessary measure has been adopted to support a struggle, should such take place. Barracks have been converted into mili tary hospitals ; the Intendance has been in creased in number and sent to the frontiers, and large supplies of provisions and of military stores and ammunition have been collected. Will not the neighbouring provinces—the Marches, Ombria, and Venetia—feel the effect of this great event ? It would be unjust to render Sardinia responsible if a conflict were to arise ; and a conflict, even with Austria, would not be unpopular here, but quite the contrary. Count Cavour is not ignorant of that circumstance, and governs in consequence." A letter from the same city in the Nord says:— "It is generally reported that a French en trenched camp is to be formed at Cremona, in addi. tion to that at Pavia, and that 7,000 men will go to Tortona. The military Intendance has given orders at Milan for an enormous quantity of biscuit, and at Genoa artillery and ammunition waggons from France are being constantly landed." LOMBARDY. The Independance, which some days ago an nounced in very positive terms the speedy with drawal of the French troops from Lombardy, now contradicts its own assertion. It says : _ ___ " The French troops stationed in Lombardy will not return to France, a counter-order having been sent to Marshal Vaillant. Three versions of the motives of this modification in the intentions of the French Government are given. One is that the first orders sent were only to the effect that the troops should be kept in readiness to leave; but that is not probable, for similar orders were given long ago, and it was even believed that they would be followed by an occupation of Tuscany in order to prevent the annexation. According to the se cond version, Count Cavour solicited and obtained an adjournment of the departure of the French troops, in order that the measure should not have under present circumstances the character of an open rupture between the two Governments. The third version is, that Marshal Vaillant indicated in his reports that the departure of the army would be the signal for a conflict between the Austrian troops collected beyond the Mincio and the Italian volun teers (most of whom are Venetians, and very hostile to the Austrians), who are on the other side of the river. Between such a conflict and the resumption of war there would only have been a step. Which ever of these explanations is the true one, the fact is certain that for the present the French will not leave Lombardy." SPAIN. The Madrid journals of the 10th state that Queen Christina had sent 140,000 reals (35,000 fr.) to the fund for the relief of the wounded soldiers of the army of Africa; and that the Duke de Rian zares and the Count de Recuerdo, one of her Ma jesty's children, had also sent liberal donations. The Naval Gazette says that the additions which the provinces will at their own expense make to the navy will probably consist of two iron sheathed gunboats, two ships of the line, eight frigates, four steamers of 200-horse power, four of 100-horse power, and two gunboats. A letter from Vienna, in the German Journal of Frankfort, says :—" The principal reason for which the Austrian clergy opposes the grant of the same religious rights to the Protestants as to the Catholics is, that they know that if it were made a great number of Catholics would turn Protestants. The concessions accorded to the Hungarian Protes tants have already produced numerous conversions in Hungary. The clergy are alarmed and irritated, and the high clergy in private speak of the Em peror Francis Joseph in terms which they dare not employ in public. A letter from Berlin states that the Court is ex pecting at every moment to receive the news of the death of the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, brother of the late Queen Louisa of Prussia, and uncle of the Prince Regent. The Grand Duke is the oldest sovereign in Europe, being in his 81st year, His son and successor is blind. AMERICA. The following telegram has been received at Mr. Reuter's office : QUEENSTOWN, THURSDAY. The Canadian mail steamer Anglo-Saxon, Capt. Ballantine, from Portland, Maine, on the 4th, has arrived. She landed all mails. The Edinburgh arrived out on the 2d inst. The surveyors of the Hungarian had found three bodies—a fireman, woman, and child. The cargo, which was scattered along the coast, was drifting ashore. The mails, soaked to pulp, were forwarded to. Halifax. NEW YORK, MARCH 2. Cotton better. Sales of the day 1,000 bales. Middling Upland llic. Flour firm. Provisions dull and unchanged. Sugar dull and heavy. Freights unchanged. MONTREAL, MARCH 3. The residence of the Governor-General was en [rely destroyed by fire on the 28th ult. NEW ORLEANS, MARCH 2. Cotton irregular. Sales 13,000 ; of the week, 50,000 bales. Receipts amount to 76,000, and ex ports to 74,000. Total exports, 132,000 bales. Re ceipts ahead of last year, 374,000 (674,000 ?)" SAVOY AND SWITZERLAND. The following despatch from our Minister at Berne indicates the point of view in which the proposed cession of Savoy to France is regarded by the Swiss Government and people : Capt. Harris to Lord J. Russell.—Reeeived March 2. Berne, Feb. 27, 1860 • _ . My Lord,—As the attitude of the Swiss Govern ment and people must have an important bearing on the question of the proposed cession of Savoy, I have made it my business to observe that attitude closely ; and having read in some of the newspapers an answer of the Federa' Council to the address of the Vaudoise section of the influential society of the Helvetic, which implied that they directly ap proved of the annexation of Northern Savoy to Switzerland, I sought an interview with the President this morning, who stated to me that those versions of the answer were purposely strained and incorrect, and pointed to me, in the Bund, a semi-official newspaper, the answer as it was really given, and whist' contained nothing of the kind. The President said that, no doubt, there were many people throughout Swit zerland who were fascinated by the idea of the an nexation of the provinces of the Chablais, Fair cigny, and the Genevois, and who would, in such a case, view with indifference the cession of thereat of Savoy to France ; but that sounder heads looked more closely into the matter, and, reflecting calmly on the future, foresaw difficulties and dangers in. such an arrangement which made the statue quo infinitely preferable. He said that, in the first place, this annexation would introduce into the conferation a Roman Catholic element of a very bigoted character, which would increase the difficulties with which the federal Government had to deal already. That many persons in the Canton of Geneva were anxious for the annexation of the provinces of North Savoy to their canton, in order to increase the area of taxation, and relieve themselves from its heavy pressure, arising from the enormous outlay which has taken place lately in the city of Geneva for the construction of quays and other public im provements; but that this would engender discon tent in the newly annexed provinces. The Presi dent added that in drawing the new military fron tier French engineer officers would doubtless be sent to act with those of Switzerland for that pur pose, and that difficulties and jealousies world arise similar to those in the vexatious question. in the Vallee des Dappes. The first portion of these remarks suggested to my mind a very palpable danger, which I stated to the Pre sident, and which he had already foreseen, namely, that the province of North Savoy, sub sequent to the arrangement above alluded to, might, when worked upon by dissidences in religious mat ters (and those who have witnessed the strife in this country between the Calvinist and ultramon tane will easily understand how it can be made a powerful political engine), and impatient under in creased taxation, throw themselves into the arms of , France with such a manifestation of the popular will, and would render the interference of the great powers with a view to prevent their annexation to the French Empire extremely difficult. I need hardly add that with the southern shore of ;,tie Lake of Geneva and the approaches to the l jalaia in the hands of France, the independence and neutrality of Switzerland would be seriously com promised. Of the value of that neutrality, and of the sagacity of the statesmen who secured it in 1815, the late war afforded ample proof. Switzer land, thus guaranteed, interposed her mountain bulwarks between the vast armies contending in the plains of Italy and the rest of Europe. Thou sands of innocent persons, flying from the horrors of war, found refuge with their property within her frontiers. Commerce and industry pursued her avocations even in intercourse with her three belli gerent neighbours, and with the rest of Europe; and it was one of her cities which was chosen for the site of the conferences which were to give peace to the Continent. Of the practicability of her neutrality, proof appears in the frank admission by the Governments of the belligerent powers at the conclusion of the war, of the honest course pur sued by the Swiss Federal Council throughout its duration. I have reported this conversation with the President of the Confederation, and have ven tured on these remarks, in order to place before your lordship the very serious aspect under which the cession of any part of Savoy to France must be regarded as affecting the future independence and. neutrality of Switzerland, quite apart and distinct from what is taking place in Italy.—l have, &c., (Signed) E. A. J. HARRIS. DEFORM. TO TIER EDITOR OF THE BUN. SlR,—What is mainly wanted by the country in our re presentation is—that while every class should be hoard, one class should not preponderate by mere numbers, and thus be able to overpower and tyrannise over the others. The difficulty is to know how to accomplish this moat desirable result. It is submitted that there is a basis for doing so : it is simply to give men votes in proportion to their pro perty. If a man with a property worth £6 a-year has a vote, a man with a property worth £6O a-year should have six votes. What would be wanting in property in one class would be made up in numbers ; what would be want ing in numbers in another class would be made up in pro perty. Thus would the balance be preserved, and ekes tyranny be impossible. The suggestion is not yet too late r more especially as the Reform Bill is not likely to pass this session. On this principle Conservatives would become household suffragists at once.—Your obedient servant, Edinburgh, March 4 H. K. DEATH OF LADY GRANVILLE.—We (Brighter; Gazette) regret to announce the death of Lady Granville, which took place at the Royal-crescent in this town (where her ladyship had been for some months residing) at twelve o'clock on Tuesday night, in the presence of Lord Granville and her ladyship's mother the Duchess of Dalberg, who had arrived from the continent about a week previously. The deceased lady was afflicted with dropsy, and had been in dying state for the last fortnight. Her ladyship, who wail only forty-six years of age—two years Lord Granville'e senior—has left one son by a former husband. She was a remarkably fine and handsome lady, and her death is deepll lamented by her sorrowing relations and friends. THE DEATH OF BARON WATSON.—It was stated yesterday at Guildhall that Russell Gurney, Esq., Q.C., the Recorder of London, had received instructions from the Lord Chancellor to proceed without delay to Welshpool, to conduct the business of the assizes, in consequence of the sudden demise of Baron Watson. LIGHT DUES.—The amount paid for light dues during the past year, according to a return just made to the House of Commons, was £273,570 9s. 7d., of which sum British ships paid £179,984 14s. 7d., and foreign shiP s £93,585 15s. The over sea trade paid £219,810 14s. 9d. of the gross sum, and the coasting trade £53,759 14s. 10d. THE COAL TRADE OF THE TYNE.—Accordini to the annual abstract of the Tyne Coal Commissioners' so; counts published yesterday, the enormous quantity ° I 4,407,225 tons of coals was exported from the Tyne to 1859; in thoyear 1858 there were 4,018,990 tons exported , the increase during 1859 over 1858 being 388,235 tons. BURRADON COLLIERY EXPLOSION.—When the last despatch was sent from Burradonithe coroner's inque st was still inquiring into the circumstances of the-explosio n in the colliery at that place, but had not finished the exo' mination of the officials of the pit, who were entering into lengthened details of the internal arrangements of th e colliery and the mode of working it. The object of the counsel engaged for the relatives of the deceased men and boys in going so much into detail appears to be to test til° parties, and compare their evidence as to the responsibili t y of those in charge of the colliery at the time of the xo sion. After they are all examined, and that will bo a Wort. of some days, independent evidence as to the state and n 10 ‘" of working the mi ne w ill be called by the owner of the NJ' liery and by the Government; pitmen will then be 80 ' mined, and possibly the inquiry will close with the evidence of the Government Inspectors. As the court has been caw pied two days and a half in taking the evidence of two ern sons, it is difficult to state when the inquiry will close . relatives of the deceased have the assistance of Mr. Se, geant Ballantine, who has been brought down to the lit by one or two large manufacturers for that purpose, learned gentlemen having received a retainer of 20 0 gnio e n The examination of the witnesses on behalf of the oveirlica meat is conducted with considerable ability by Mr. War:fti, Lockey Harle, and the inquiry promises to be the most ing and searching ever held upon a coal mine explosion w ' o f the northern counties. The fact that large employer s ..- labour have come forward se handsomely to protect the terests of the bereaved women and children beforh the 'dy,. roner's Court has given great satisfaction among the wo _te ing men of the north, who, with the public generallY) taking a very lively interest ii the proceedings. DION. The state, a corded i joint- sti bows ;; thought to modi 'fiance. and on cent. The 1 paymer 3 per C A cal become! Itailwa: The h to this Then Market quiet, el Money, movemc India cent. 1 per 'Cei 97i; E: Bush. active, 1 6 per C Russia; NI exica: 2i per C at 451 ; The prem. ; Ayres 1 the Cat Turkey li and In th transact went, a firmness Wester] wick), I Wester] and Soi The also pa Lombar 103; G Trunk Canada Joint shown : at 37i; and Re 3 per Ce. Now 3p India S 1 Ditto Dit t , Ditt o Ditto Ditto D Consols India Si Ditto Exeheq' Ditto £ Ditto Si rani is Ditto Ditto 33uenos Ditto Blexisai Ditto l'eruvis Ditto Ditto Mitts Itussial Ditto Spanisl Ditto Ditto Ditto Spanist It urkiel Ditto Ditto Ditto Veaezu Ditto Belgiai Datch Ditt( Peruvi Ix barley, 6d ; ai Tat barley peas, Ex( barley 2,214 trim Xecoi Priin Prim Cree. Nu( 2 38 tc Beast Sheet Calve rigs NB ;leas° Lowe l amb, O 58 So stock trade 6 d to Pork, It( steel mutt 4s gd calve kilo] £4 o -A- Si £4 Tra( 44 o A h