The Sun. — London, England, 1837-08-29 00:00:00

TURNPIKE ROADS (IRELAND.) I Ordered, by the House of Commons, to be Printed, 6th July, 1837. REPORT. The Select Committee, appointed to inquire into the Mo nopoly enjoyed by persons in Ireland, on certain Roads there ; how far the said Monopoly is consistent with Law, the Convenience of Travellers, and the Revenue of the Post-office ; also, into the best mode of removing the said Monopoly, keeping in view the Rights of Pri vate Parties (if any) ; and to whom a petition from Limerick was referred ; and who were empowered to re post their Observations, together with the Minutes of the Evidence taken before them, to the House :—Have considered the Matters to them referred, and agreed to the following Report : It appears manifest, from documentary evidence and ample Reports* relating to the Turnpike Roads between Dublin and Kilcullen, Naas and Limerick, Dublin and Ashbournc, and between Cork and Kilworth Mountain, that tolls, of an unusual character, are exigible on these Roads. It appears to your Committee, that the convenience of travellers has been impeded, and the intercourse of the public greatly interfered with, by the monopoly so effectu ally established by Messrs Bourne and Taylor between Limerick and Dublin : and that complaints have been made for many years past of the injurious and oppressive effects of the tolls allowed to be levied upon these reads. The origin of the evil complained of, as regards the Naas and Limerick road, was an Act of the Irish Parliament, passed in the year 1793, inflicting a penalty of ss. on each horse attached to carriages plying for hire, under certain con ditions therein specified. In the Petition presented by Messrs. Anderson and Bourne to the Irish Parliament in 1793, they ask for the same rate of tolls only as are payable " on the northern and other roads at that time." The following is a copy of that Petition, as taken from the Journals of the Irish House of Commons : " 20TH JUNE, 1793.—A Petition of John Anderson, of the city of Cork, merchant, and William Bourne, of the city of Dublin, gent., was presented to the House, and road, setting forth, That in the year 1791 the Petitioners contracted to con vey his Majesty's Mails by coaches between Dublin and Lime rick. That, from the extreme bad condition of the road be tween Naas and Limerick, they have been compelled to lend upwards of 2,0001. to hare some of it made passable, a large part of which sum they have not a probability to ever receive. That, to avoid part of one stage, the Mail- Coach has been, and is, obliged to go near three miles about ; and that if a ge neral and effectual repair does not precede the winter, they conceive the public must be deprived of the benefit of the Mail-Coach Establishment, and that the Petitioners must sus tain great loss. That the present line of road is in general nar row, hilly, and circuitous; that, in several instances, a consi derable reduction of distance might be effected by making a New Road between one town and another, and by taking off angles, by which most, if not all, the hills would be avoided. That the Petitioners believe the sum of 27,000/. would be re quisite to make the necessary and proposed improvements, which sum the Petitioners, involved as they are, and seeing no other prospect of being extricated, would lend to such per sons as might be appointed, on being properly secured, or would advance, anti, under the penalty of 20,0001., covenant within four years, to make such New Roads as upon survey should be deemed necessary, and repair and put into complete order such Old Road as should be continued of the line, and would keep the entire line of road from Naas to Mar) borough and Ballyroan, and from Maryborough to Limerick, in perfect repair for thirty years, upon having the tolls made equal to those on part of the Northern and other Roads, and assigned to the Petitioners for the term of their agreement ; and there fore praying that a Bill may be brought in for the said purpose." The Petition was referred to the consideration of a Com mittee, who reported, by the Hon. Mr. Perry, resolutions as follow : . . Resolved, That it appears to this Committee that the Petitioners have fully proved the allegations of their peti tion. Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee that the Petitioners deserve the aid of Palrian - lent. And thereupon it was ordered, that the Bill be brought in by the Hon. Mr. Perry and 11r. Solicitor-General. This Act, founded on the foregoing Petition, granted a lease of the roads and tolls for thirty years from that date, on certain conditions therein specified, as to upholding the roads. . _ In this Act a power was given to levy a penalty of ss. a horse on every coach on the roads from Dublin to Lime rick, protided the passengers therein exceeded nine in number, being similar to an enactment obtained br i fluen tiai persons near Limerick to protect the monopoly of car rying passengers to Dublin by the canal, against the com petition of a long coach or omnibus, introduced even in these days to carry sixteen or eight een passengers at a cheap rate. In terms of the Petition on which the Act was framed granting the lease of the tolls from Naas to Limerick, the pa; men's to be made were to be the same as those on the Northern and other roads. No fire shilling penalty ever did apply to the Northern Roads, nor was it ever attempted to apply the additional 4d. to the,e reads ; therefore it would appear that the protection to the public held out in the Pc tet on of Messrs. Anderson and Bourne lied been infringed for their benefit and to the disadvantage of the public. In 1798 a Bill was brought into the Irish house of Com mons for making and repairing the road from Dublin to Kil eullen Bridge, and to the 21st milestone westward of the said bridge. It was presented as a Public Bill by Mr. \Volfe. The Original Title was, " To explain and reduce into one Act the several laws for making and repairing the Turnpike Road leading from the city of Dublin to Kilcullen Bridge, in the county of Kildare, and to the 21st Milestone westward of the said Bridge ;" and to this the public may be supposed to have assented. The progress of the Bill was as follows : Read first time 23d July, 1798. Read second time and committed, 27th July. Order to receive clauses, 30:h July. In Committee, ib. Reported with amendments, 31st July. Read third time, '2sth August. Amended at the table, and title altered, 25th August. Passed, Sent to Lords, Pa. Agreed to by ditto, 30th August. Thus it will be seen that in the original title of this Bill, and which fairly may be held to be the only true and proper one, no mention whatever is made of the extension of the period covenanted for by the Act of 1793. The said Bill was read a second time and committed, without any mention whatever of said extension. The Committee was then empowered to receive certain clauses, which clauses contained the prolongation of the Act of 1793 for 20 years longer, making the term 50 in place of 30 years, while 25 years of the 30 years' Act bad yet to run. The power given was, " To receive a clause or clauses for prolonging the dura tion of the Act for repairing the Limerick Road to the same period with the said Bill ; also a clause or clauses for the further improvement of the road, from the bounds of the county of Cork at Kilworth Mountain, to the city of Cork." At the Third Reading of the Bill, the original title was changed into the following New Title : " To explain and reduce into one Act the several laws for making and repairing the Turnpike Road leading from the city of Dublin to Kilcullen Bridge, in the county of Kildare, and to the 21st milestone westward of the said Bridge ; and for prolonging the duration of the Act for repairing the Road from Naas to Limerick ; and for the further improvement of the Road from Kilworth Mountain to the city of Cork." Which title now heads the Act. These suspicions facts tend to prove that the prolongation and extraordinary pains and penalties of the Act could not have been known to the large body of the people to be affected by it. The Act in 1798 was passed during the rebellion in Ire land, without any amelioration or diminution of the heavy tolls or enormous and inoperative penalties authorized by the then existing Act, or any benefit conferred on the public in consideration of the many advantages derived by the lessees from the extension of their monopoly from 30 to 50 years, of which your Committee has been made cognizant by the evidence taken before them or before previous Com mittees. In 1810 the extraordinary Act alluded to, which em powered the exaction of a penalty of .ss. a horse for even one passenger, in addition to nine (being the whole number of passengers thereby allowed to be carried outside and inside inclusive), or the penalty of 40s. daily at each gate, amounting, as it would do, to 601. sterling daily, payable at the 15 gates, which at one time were between the cities of Dublin and Limerick, was repealed. In 1811 a Bill was passed at the instigation of the Messrs. Taylor, re-enacting the penalty of ss. per horse, which had been repealed the year before ; and in the very same Session another Act was passed, again repealing the penalty of ss. per horse, and substituting the penalty of 4d. per horse additional toll on horses drawing carriages for hire, on the pretext that the repeal of all penalty would act injuriously on the funds of the road. It should be hero observed that the penalties above referred to were never exacted on horses drawing post-chaises for hire ; they were and are confined to stage and mail-coaches, whereby the lessees, who are stage proprietors and mail contractors, have maintained, and do maintain, a monopoly of the carriage of passengers by one Coach and one Mail between the great cities of Dublin and Limerick, to the exclusion of all competition. It appears to your Committee a gratuitous and unfoun ded allegation, that repealing the ss. penalty had acted in * Especial attention should be given to the whole of the very complete and valuable Report made by a Select Com mittee in 1832, of which Mr. More O'Ferrall was Chairman. f u riously on the funds of these roads, because the ss. pe nalty had been virtually a dead-letter law, as to revenue, being so enormous as never to have been levied, or in any way beneficial, unless to protect the monopoly, and never could nor ever did apply to mail-coaches. No revenue appears to have been or is at present actually collected by Messrs. Taylor from any description of car riage under either Act, while the Messrs. Bourne run their stage-coaches and mail-coaches constantly along that road without the lessees enforcing the payment of this additional 4d., although they (the Messrs. Bourne) demand and charge the 4d. under the very same law against any kind of carriagi plying for hire on their own road.* Messrs. Bourne being proprietors of stage-coaches, as well as lessees of the road from Naas to Limerick, the right to charge an additional toll of 4d. a horse has virtually given them a complete monopoly of the coach business on this road. In consequence of this monopoly they became and con tinued the unopposed contractors for conveying the mail be tween the cities of Dublin and Limerick. The Messrs. Bourne became indebted to Government for a considerable sum of money, against which they charged, as a set-off, the 4d. additional toll on every horse drawing mail-coaches along the line of road they held as lessees and mail-coach contractors. This claim was always resisted by the Postmasters-Ge neral and Post-offices of Ireland and England, but at last was submitted to by the Treasury in 1835, on the showing of the opinions of Counsel taken by Messrs. Bourne ; but the Messrs. Taylor have never succeeded in enforcing a similar claim, although fortified by numerous legal opinions. The liability of mail-coaches to the payment of tolls in Ireland commenced in 1790, and depended on Acts passed for one year only, for the exaction of Post-office taxes ; and was never sanctioned, until the Act of 1793, by any other than an annual Act. The toll was imposed on the plea of bad roads, and the Act, being passed yearly, was liable to cease whenever the cause was removed which brought it into existence. In this view of the matter, no contractor or lessee had a right to calculate on the perma nence of the tolls, or find fault with their removal. The revenue of the Post-office has been deeply affected by the monopoly of the Messrs. Bourne ; for, in addition to the penal toll of 4d. per horse, they have received 1,0851. 17s. 6d. yearly for carrying the mail between Dublin and Limerick. The latter sum has been saved to the public on the contract commencing on the sth of July cur rent ; for the Messrs. Bourne have agreed to carry the mail without any remuneration whatever from the Post office, rather than allow a new contractor to establish him self on the road. This likewise proves the effect of this monopoly to the public. Reports furnished to your Committee by Sir Edward Lees, at present Secretary to the Post-office of Scotland, and who filled that department in the Irish Post-office pre vious to its consolidation with that of England, having been of essential service to your Committee, and having saved them very considerable labour and time, and certainly much expense to the public, in bringing their investigation to a close, your Committee conceive themselves bound to express their approbation of the ability and zeal displayed by Sir Edward Lees in this matter while Secretary to the Irish Post-office, and of the praiseworthy continuance of the interest he took in the economical management of that department even after his removal from it to Scotland, and which conduct appears to your Committee so proper in an officer holding the high and responsible situation which he filled during so many years in the Post-office of Dublin. These Reports appear to contain the opinions he held and endeavoured to enforce while Secretary to the Post-office in Ireland, as to the non-liability of mail-coaches to pay any penal or additional tolls whatever ; and your Com mittee have ordered them to be printed in full, as valuable and convincing documents, which your Committee can confidently recommend to the especial attention of the House and the Government, as affording strong grounds, as your Committee conceive, for the immediate adoption of the recommendations they have felt it to be their duty to submit. Your Committee having carefully considered the Docu mentary Evidence laid before them, and evidence given by the witnesses, are of opinion, That it appears to Your Committee no just right exists to levy tolls on more than two divisions of the road between Kilcullen and Dublin, and on nine divisions of the road from Naas to Limerick ; and, further, that additional gates on these roads, erected for the convenience or security of the lessees, does not warrant any additional cherge for a passage through, even although a change of horses may take place, or additional gates be erected, it being evident from the Act that a certain amount only should be levied as a whole on each line of road, to increase which, under any pretext, does not appear to be justified by the spirit of the Act ; and that this view of the case and rule is appli cable to earri,ges of every description. That penalties acting as prohibitions on the use of stage coaches on Turnpike Roads, are highly inexpedient and detrimental. That the 4d. additional toll has been a dead letter as re gards Messrs. Taylor, and equally so as regards Messrs. Bourne, with the exception of its being a protection to their monopoly and paid by the Post-office, under an order from the Treasury, on legal advice obtained by the private parties on an exparte case, and therefore should be put an end te. Your Committee therefore recommend that the mono poly enjoyed by the Messrs. Bourne should be done away with as soon as possible. 1. Because it is highly injurious to, and subversive of, a free intercourse between Dublin and Limerick, and would have been at an end so long ago as in the year 1823 ; so that the lessees have already enjoyed all the large profits arising from the extension beyond the period contemplated by the original Act, being now no less than about 14 years. Because no satisfactory grounds have been made ap pear for the Act of 1811, which granted the 4d. additional toll ; that the said Act has been virtually nearly in operative against everything but mail-coaches, for its application to which your Committee see no good rea son whatsoever, and therefore recommend its being re pealed ; and that care be taken that it shall not be permitted to affect the second mail from Dublin to L'me rick, and the districts branching from or connected with that portion of the country, when the benefits of frequent and uninterrupted conveyance of mails by the Railway from Birmingham to Liverpool are communicated to Ireland, as they have already been to the North of England and the whole of Scotland. That the Post-office should discontinue the payment of the additional 4d. per horse, until the whole case has been submitted to a thorough and searching inquiry. That your Committee are so strongly impressed with the necessity of putting an end to the monopolies of roads and toils from Dublin to Kilcullen, from Naas toLime— r:ck, from Dublin to Ashbourne, and from Cork to Kil worth Mountain, so as to induce them to recommend that the whole case of the part of the public, the Post-office, and the Treasury, should be left to the decision of a com petent tribunal with as little delay as possible ; and that compensation should be made to the parties, as that tribu nal shall adjudicate, previous to the repeal of the Acts under which they respectively hold their interests. *. The Committee think it right to observe that since the above was drawn up, Mr. F. Bourne has stated that he did actually pay the 4d. for a time, and ceased paying it in conse quence of a private arrangement with Messrs. Taylor. A curious scene took place at Hamilton on Tuesday last, viz., the marriage of an old man, ninety-four to a young woman nineteen years of age. On the evening the ceremony was to be performed no fewer than 1,500 persons turned out to witness the procession.—Glasgow New Libe rator. TUNBRIDGE WELLS, AUG. 26.—The arrivals within the week have been very numerous, and include— Viscount Neville, Count de Arno, Sir Thomas and Lady Montresor, Sir Charles Des Vceux, Sir Lewis and Lady Grant, Lady Wigram, Sir William and Lady Russell, Sir George and Lady M‘Gregor, Sir Alexander and Lady Childwell, Hon. Mr. and Lady Capel, Colonel and Mrs. Lloyd, J. A. Smith, Esq. ; Rev. Robert Gream, Lieut.- Colonel Chester, Dr. and Mrs. Browning, Captain and Mrs. Cowles, Captain Knox, Captain and Mrs. Cotton, Captain Shoe, &c. _ CHURCH-RATES.—On the 18 t h i nstant , Ri c h ar d Harris, Esq., of Kislingbury, was summone d b e f ore t h e County Magistrates for non-payment of a Church-rate of one penny. With what shadow of j us ti ce t h e Church wardens could demand this rate we are at a loss to imagine, as no meeting to consider a rate has been held since June 23, 1836, when the rate was refused by a majority of nearly two to one. About six or seven years ago, a debt o f f rom 800/, to 9001. was incurred in repairing the pari s h c h urc h . Mr. Harris, by various parochial assessments, has contri buted at least one hundred pounds towards the liquidation of that debt. This year a subscription was entered into towards defraying the remainder of the debt. Not satisfi e d with this, the Churchwardens, in the plenitude of their wisdom, hit upon the peace-disturbing expedient of a rate for incidental expenses, which Mr. Harris refusing to pay, he was summoned as before stated. If the Church-rate battle must be fought at Kislingbury, the Dissenters could not wish for a better leader than Mr. Harris. He is not only a gentleman of property and influence, but a man of unflinching eourage and resolution in a good cause. .The Churchwardens talk of appealing to the Ecclesiastical Court—let them do so. If they wish to make the Esta blished Church detestable, persecution for money is the most certain method of obtaining their object.—Northanzp ton Chrouick. A quaint old author denounces oysters as being un godly, uncharitable, and unprofitable meat ; ungodly, be cause they are eaten without grace ; uncharitable because they leave nothing but shells ; and unprofitable, because they must swim in wine. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 1837 LORD PALMERSTON'S ADDRESS TO THE ELECTORS OF TIVERTON. TO THE FREE AND INDEPENDENT ELECTORS OF THE BOROUGH OF TIVERTON. Gentlemen—Permit me again to request that you will accept my best thanks for the great honour you have done me in electing me to be one of your representatives in Par liament ; and be assured that I shall strive to show myself worthy of your confidence, by a zealous performance of my public duties, and by an anxious regard for the local inte rests of the intelligent and active community which I have the good fortune to represent. The result of the general election has been to give to the Reformers a decided and sure majority in the House of Commons, fully sufficient to secure the ascendancy of those principles of Government which you profess, and according to which you desire to see the affairs of the country ad ministered. It will undoubtedly be necessary for the Reformers to remain united ; for by union among themselves, by perseve rance against difficulties, and by patience under temporary delays, the Reformers of the three United Kingdoms will ensure the steady progress of legislative improvement. Ireland is the part of the empire where the greatest abuses prevail, and where the remedies are most urgently required for existing evils ; and the people of Ireland have unequivocally demonstrated, by their present choice of re presentatives, what their opinion is of the relative merits of the two opposite systems of government upon which oppo sing candidates have recently taken their stand. Gentlemen, I hope shortly to have the pleasure of paying my respects to you upon an occasion of public amuse ment, at which political differences will be laid aside, and at which party struggles will be forgotten ; and, in the meantime, I have the honour to be, Your devoted and faithful servant, Stanhope-street, Aug. 15. PALMERSTON. AMERICAN MONAY MARKET. A popular writer in the New York Papers, on the all absorbing subject of a return to specie payments, who signs himself " Necker," states that the debt due to New York, from the cotton States alone, is more than sufficient to pay the mercantile balance due by the United States to Europe. This, we believe, is correct ; and we have throughout argued that America has the means of liquidating her liabilities in full, if proper time is granted to the commercial commu nity, and they are not driven to raise money on most ruinous terms to maintain their credit in this country. The writer contends that it would be impossible to establish a National Bank at this moment, and is of opinion that unless the Government enters into a contract with the Penuslyvania sank, as the only one of sufficient capital for such a pur pose, years will elapse before specie payments can be gene rally established. In speaking of the amount of debt due by the cotton districts, he says : " This is surely a fact which speaks trumpet-tongued as to the only measures that can produce relief. This fact proves, beyond all manner of question, the vast importance to us, first, of sustaining as far as belongs to us the cur rency of England ; and, in the next place, of an immediate regulation of our domestic exchanges ; and it brings out in strong relief the importance of the facts I have heretofore stated, of the manner in which the acts of our Government, causing the importation of ten millions of specie, destroyed the equilibrium of the English currency, and reduced the price of cotton from 30 to 50 per cent. And how they an nihilated our internal exchanges by the wicked manner of executing the provisions of the Deposit Bill, and their un constitutional adherence to the Specie Circular. It also shows, as clearly as anything can be shown, the impolicy of any attempt at this time to create a National Bank. It calls loudly upon Congress to make use of the only means within their power of at once restoring our credit in Europe, and reinstating our domestic exchanges, by a proper con tract with the Pennsylvania Bank of the United States, the only institution in the country with sufficient capital and established credit at home and abroad, and whose situa tion will enable her to take the measures necessary to pro duce a resumption of specie payments, by issuing a currency that will at once be at par all over the Union. " Let our southern brethren think deeply o❑ this sub for the south and south-western States are the portion of this Union most deeply interested in our relations with Europe. Their crops constitute by far the largest part of our exports. " By the Treasury returns of 183.5 and 1836, ending the 39th September, Dollars. The export of cotton was Rice 'l2 obacco manufactured Ditto ditto Total " Now, our whole domestic exports for the same period were but 107,916,630 dollars, so that cotton, rice, and to bacco constituted mere than 80 per cent. of our domestic exports—and it is very well known that Europe is the great market in which they are sold. " Experiments are now surely in bad odour everywhere. We must now go back to experience, for in that school have we been taught a bitter lesson. We must not listen to any plans devised by politicians for political purposes. We have had, Heaven knows, politics enough ! Let us now have something substantial—for the ten years, from 1818 to 1828, we had as good a currency as could be desired — the same institution that secured it to us then, is, with the same capital, now in existence, though acting under a diffe rent Charter. We have had nothing but trouble since we left it. Let us therefore retrace error, and for four or five years employ it to regulate our exchanges and secure and disburse the public monies ; and if at the end of that time we shall need further capital, and a national bank should be demanded by the people, no doubt we shall have a Congress and an Executive that will cheerfully create one." DEATH OF WILLIAM IV.—The intelligence of the death of the late King William the Fourth has created a sincere feeling of regret in the United States—sincere, because, as republicans, there can be no political interest felt in royalty, and because no inducements exist to call forth the language of flattery for the purpose of propitiating favour with the rising run. Every paper in the Union announced the event as being of great importance, and in the columns of all, his late Majesty's memory is treated with respect. No British monarch has died since the declaration of American in dependence whose public character commanded such fa vourable consideration from the Americans. Adverse as they are to the kingly office, yet they recognised in William the Fourth a man who used that office only for his country's good—for the purpose of extending and improving the elective principle, which is the very foundation and corner stone of all American institutions. So prevalent has been the feeling of respect for the deceased monarch, that some of the New York papers have recommended that the flags of American merchantmen be hoisted half-mast. In seve ral instances this was done. The same suggestions were also made in this city ; and if they were not complied with. it was from no feeling of indifference to the event, but solely from a conviction that there would be an impropriety in republicans thus openly recognising royalty. The exterior of the official residences of the First Lord of the Treasury and of the Chancellor of the Exche quer, in Downing-street, are undergoing renovation. TILE THAMES TUNNEL.—We are glad to learn that the interruption which the progress of this great na tional undertaking has met with is likely to be of much shorter duration than could have possibly been anticipated. Mr. Brunel has been incessant and indefatigable in his ex ertions to remedy the damage done, and his success has been so great that hopes, now amounting to certa'nty, are entertained that the works will be resumed, without danger or inconvenience, in the course of a very short time. On Saturday it was ascertained that the aperture had been completely closed, and on the pumps being applied it was found that little or no water obtained access to the shaft of the tunnel • but as some danger was apprehended if the wa ter were taken off until the clay newly deposited in the aperture had in some degree become consolidated, the pumping was suspended till the following day. On Sunday the pumping was resumed, and it was very soon found that the engine had complete command over the water, which was reduced to nine feet in the shaft. Yesterday the water still was reduced to four feet in the shaft, and there is no doubt but the water could be at once drawn off without difficulty if that were thought desirable. Mr. Brunel, however, with great prudence, postpones the drawing off the whole of the water till the clay becomes consolidated, and has acquired a proper consistence. As a proof that the damage done on the present occasion is trifling in comparison to that done when the water first broke into the tunnel, it is only necessary to state that on this occa sion more has been done in five days towards drawing off the water than was done on the first occasion in five months. By very recent arrivals from the Levant, which bring dates from Constantinople to the 7th instant, we learn that the Capundan Pacha, together with the Reala and Pa trona Beys (Vice and Rear Admirals), was on the 6th at anchor at Mitylene, but upon the point of departure ; it was not known whither he was bound, although it was believed that his destination was Tripoli. The squadron consists of two line-of-battle ships, two frigates, and six smaller vessels. The flag of the Commander-in-Chief was flying in a frigate, while those of the Vice and Rear Ad mirals were borne by ships of the line. The plague at Constantinople was rather on the increase. Swan-hopping being at an end, the navigation barge is now laid up " high and dry" at Strand-on-the- Green. _ _ _._,... A few days since a porpoise of considerable dimen• sions, after eluding its pursuers for many hours, v ra4 0 101 between Richmond bridge and Tedd ington lock, SICILY (From the Malta Gazette of the 9th.) Her Majesty's steamer Confiance, Lieutenant Arlett, which bad been sent by Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Briggs to the coast of Sicily, in consequence of advices received by this Government from the British authorities in the Sicilian ports as to the state of affairs there, returned to this island on Monday last, having visited Syracuse, Ca tania, and Messina. The cholera morhus had reached Syracuse, where the mortality was about sixteen a day. The people, however, were incredulous as to the existence of any real disease, and, giving ear to many silly reports, circulated by ev►l disposed -persons for the purpose of deceiving them, be lieved that poison had been disseminated with a ♦iew to de stroy them. This poison, it is pretended, has been dis covered in the form of powders and liquids, mixed up with the food, and even acting upon the respiratory organs, and affecting the air with a deadly influence ; and it hexing been declared formally that these ingre dients had been found in the house of the Intendant, that functionary, as well as the Inspecting Commissary and the Commissary of Police, fell victims to the ignorance of the populace, and the wicked designs of the agitators. Martial law had been declared in the town, but the troops were not sufficiently numerous to subdue the rioters, who at length carried their excesses so far as to stone a poor countryman to death, accused of having sown poison in the fields, and ten other persons, amongst whom was the Cap tain of the Lazarette and a priest, were shot in the public square, just before the Confiance left the place. At Catania the same attempt to work upon the minds of the multitude by attributing the appearance of the cholera in Sicily to poison was only partially successful. No blood was shed, as at Syracuse, but scenes of riot took place ; the Magistrates were deposed, the troops disarmed, and the Royal statues and emblems destroyed. On the 30th ult. a yellow flag was hoisted as a signal of revolt ; but not being joined by the neighbouring towns the seditious became more marked as they proceeded in their mots of violence, and o■ the 3d instant many of them were arrested by the better classes of the inhabitants, who re-instated the authorities, and returned to the soldiers their arms. Up to the 6th inst. Catania was quite free from the cholera. The advices from Messina are dated the sth inst. That town and port were perfectly tranquil, and without any case of cholera. It is quite evident, from a perusal of the incendiary papers which were printed and circulated in Syracuse and Catania, that the promoters of the disturbances in both towns were actuated by political views. But an expedition, consisting of four steamers, a frigate, a store-ship, and seve ral transports, with 4,000 troops, which had been collected at Reggio, under the command of the Marquis of Caretto, was seen by the Confiance making for the Sicilian shores ; so that probably by this time these unfortunate cemmotions are quelled. The communication with the interior was very inter rupted, and trade quite at a stand. But we learn that at Palermo and in the neighbourhood the alarmists had been very active in creating disturbances, and that in the com mune of Misilmeri ten of them had been shot by sentence of a court-martial, for acts of rebellion, murder, robbery, and incendiarism. It is stated that from the 15th of June to the 25th •f July, Palermo had lost, by disease and disorder, 22,268 of its inhabitants, and that the deaths by cholera extended to all classes. It had, however, nearly disappeared at the lat ter date, very few deaths having happened immediately after the 25th. Besides the capital, Trapani, Syracuse, and Modica seem to be the principal places attacked ; but of this there can be no certainty, in the present disturbed state of the country, and the obstruction of the posts. THE CHOLERA IN MALTA. (From the Malta Gazette of the 9th instant.) Our weekly abstract of cases of cholera in Malta conti nues to show a decline in the disease of the most favourable nature, the new cases this week being only 424, deaths 246, remaining under treatment 306. Besides which the mili tary and naval hospitals have been entirely without pa tients ; and when we look to the daily numbers, which on the Ist instant were—cases 109, deaths 51, the diminution of the mortality is still more promising. New Cases. Deaths. August 2 ... 73 ... ... 46 48 ... ••• ... 36 The weekly casualties in Gozo are no less encouraging, the new cases being reduced from 164 to 67, and the deaths from 67 to 34. (From the Malta Gazette of the 16th inst.) In 'Valetta the fresh attacks seldom now exceed three daily. In fact, the disease has been regularly and decidedly on the decline for the last four weeks throughout these islands ; so much so, that some of the temporary hospitals in the country hare bees found no longer necessary. The daily returns give the following aggregate numbers i 3 Malta for each day since our last publication : New cases. Deaths. August., 27 ... •.. ... 30 10 .. ... 40 ... 11 ... 40 ... 1$ ... 26 ... ... ... 35 ... ... ... 17 ... ... ... 12 ••• Compared with last week's statement, the number of at tacks (226) and of fatal cases (130) are both reduced by about one half. The decrease of the new cases and the mortality in the island of Goa() bears the same proportion to former statements. We may therefore, upon the whole, look forward to the steady disappearance of the disease as an epidemy—an event most fervently prayed for by all classes ; and, in truth, the population generally, actuated by their own good sense, and a confidence in the Divine protection, are returning to their usual occupations ; and we trust that the trade of the island will soon be relieved from its present state of stagnation. The King of Saxony was sufficiently recovered from his late illness to be able to leave Laybach on the 13th instant, and was expected to be back at his summer Palace at Pillnitz about the 24th. Lord Leveson is expected at Devonshire-house to day, from Paris. Lord Foley has arrived on a visit to his noble uncle and aunt, the Duke and Duchess of Leinster, in Dublin, from his seat, Witloy Court, Worcestershire. Lord and Lady Fitzroy Somerset have left town for Weimer Castle, on a visit to his Grace the Duke of Wellington. Lord and Lady Francis Egerton have joined the distinguished party assembled at Dunrobin Castle, on visits to the Duchess-Countess of Sutherland, His Majesty the King of Wirtemberg, travelling under the title of Count Von Teck, and suite, will embark for Rotterdam to-morrow morning, at an early hour, on board the Batavier steamer. The marriage which was in bontemplation between the Princess Maria, one of the King's daughters, and the reigning Duke of Brunswick, will not, it is understood, take place. MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE.—On the 23d, at Wrenbury, Cheshire, the Earl of Hillsborough, to the Hon. Caroline Frances Stapleton Cotton, eldest daughter of the" Viscount Combermere. The ceremony was performed in the presence of a numerous assemblage, among whom we noticed the Duke of Newcastle and the Ladies Charlotte and Georgiana Clinton ; the Marquis and Marchioness of Downshire ; the Ladies Charlotte, Mary, and Lord Ed win Hill ; the Earl Talbot ; the Earl, Countess, and Lady Sarah Amherst ; the Lords Crewe and Sandy' ; the Hon. Meliora S. Cotton ; the Hon. W. Henry Cotton ; the Hon. Mrs. Cunliffe Offley,and the Hon. Annabel Crewe ; Mrs. and Miss Cotton. Immediately after the ceremony, the newly-wedded couple set off for Omburley Court, Wor cestershire, the seat of Lord Sandys. The Earl of Wilton has arrived at Swansea, from Falmouth. He is accompanied in his cruise by the Hon. Captain Talbot. The Countess has quite recovered from her accouchement, and will leave town in a fortnight for Heaton Park, near Manchester. Her Ladyship s two eldest daughters are at Walmer Castle, on a visit to the Duke of Wellington. Mr. William Holmes, M.P., is on a visit to Sir Robert Peel, at Drayton Manor. Mr. Henry Thomas Hope has returned to Mans field-street from a tour. Deepdene will be gay next month. Harrowgate was never known to have more visitors than at present for some years past. The libraries, public rooms, and promenades, are literally crammed. Leamington continues full of company, and the arrivals are numerous and of distinguished rank. Mr. Elliston has offered a powerful attraction to our numerous visitors and residents, in the engagement of Madame Vestris and Charles Mathews, for a limited number of nights. They appear at his neat little theatre on Tuesday next, in the popular pieces, the Barrack Room, He Would be an Actor, and the Loan of a Lover. Lord and Lady Howick arrived at the Star Hotel, Glasgow, on Tuesday, on a tour to the Highlands. Soon after their arrival they were waited on by the Lord Provost and City Chamberlain, who accompanied them to several of the most interesting sights of the city. The Noble Secretary at War and his lady were particularly pleased with the Exchange, Cathedral, Necropolis, the Glasgow Bridge, the spinning and weaving works of Messrs. John stone, Galbraith, and Co., and the warehouses of Messrs. J. and W. Campbell. Lord and Lady Howick left this for Lochlomond on Wednesday.—Glasgow Argus. SPORTING IN T ELLIGEN CE TATTERSALL' S—YESTZIMI r. DONCASTER ST. LEGER.. The room was better attended than on Thursday last, with out any material improvement in business. Cardinal Puff was not so much in favour as when we last quoted the odds, owing, no doubt, to a slight improvement in his stable companion, Epirus. Bto 1 was offered against Mango, but no one seemed disposed to get on ; The Doctor was out of demand. Hen riade was backed for about one hundred and fifty pounds at 10 to 1 in good quarters, but we did not notice a single bet against Grisette or Slashing Harry. Prime Warden dropt three or four points, and Robin Hood colt about as many. Closing prices :- 3 to 1 agst Lord Westminster's Cardinal Puff—taken 6 to 1 agst Mr. Greville's Mango—offered 10 to 1 agst Mr. 5. Fox's The Doctor—offered 10 to 1 agst Duke of Cleveland's Henriade—taken 10 to 1 agst Mr. Forth's Grisette colt—offered 10 to 1 agst Mr. Bowes's Epirus--taken 11 to 1 agst Mr. Heseltine's Slashing Harry—offered 16 to 1 agst Mr. Walters's The Prime Warden—take 1,7 to I 17 to 1 agst Mr. Golden's Robin Hoed colt—offered 20 to 1 agst Lord Exeter's Dardanelles—offered 200 even be.tween Robin Hood and Prime Warden 5 to 1 agst Henriade and Slashing Harry—taken Melbourne, we understand, is dec'ared not to start. BOULOGNE RACES, Auarsr 25. The Pas-de-Calais Stakes of 100 francs, given by the town, added to a subscription of 50 francs for each horse, for horses bred in the Department; three yrs old, 104111 ; four yrs, 1131 b ; five yrs, 1171 b ; 6 yrs, 1211 b ; aged, 1241 b ; s tallions, 31b. extra. Heats, ene mile and a quarter. Mr. M. Grieve's Front-de-Bceuf, by Pegasus, 4 yrs 1 1 Count Deboissieur's Coeur-de- Lion, by Pegasus, 4 yrs 2 2 Won easily. Betting-3 to 2on Front-de-Bccuf. The Jockey Club Stakes of 500 francs, with 500 francs added by the Prince of Moskovra ; three yrs old, 931 b ; four yrs, 1071 b ; 5 yrs, 1141 b ; 6 yrs and aged, 118 lb ; mares allowed 31b. Tho horses to be bred in France. Heats, once over the course. En trance 150 francs. Mr. J. Horlock's b. m. Zerlina, by Houston, 2 yrs... walked over The Gold Cup, value 3,000 francs, given by the Town, for horses of all ages and countries, added to a subscription of 300 francs for each horse. The weights the same as for the Jockey Club Stakes. Heats, once round the course. Mr. T. Carter's b. m. Miss Carmarine, 5 yrs 1 1 Mr. J. Horlock's b. m. Lady Albert, 5 yrs 2 2 Mr. M. Grioves's h. f. Longlawn, aged The horses commenced both heats at full speed, and continued it throughout. The first heat was won by a neck ; the second easily by throe lengths. Betting—The second heat, 6tol on Miss Car marine, with numerous takers. The third and last day's rases will take place on Wednesday next, the 30th instant. INTELLIGENCE EXTRA. LIVERPOOL OCTOBER RACES. These races are fixed for Monday, the 9th of October next, under the Stewardship of Viscount Molyneux. The Stakes to run for are : A Hurdle Sweepstakes of 15 cove. each, 10 ft., with 50 added by the Gentlemen of Liverpool ; four yrs old, lOst. 71k ; fiy; yrs, list. 61b ; six and aged, 12st. A winner of one Hurdle Race or Steeple Chase to carry 51b. extra, of two, 71b. extra; thorough bred horses, 51b. extra. Two miles. Gentlemen riders. A Hurdle Sweepstakes of 10 sovs. each, 5 ft., with 25 added by the Proprietors of the Race Course, for horses that have hunted with the Cheshire Hounds, Sir Thomas Stanley's, and Mr. Leech's, of Carden. 12st. each. Once round. Gentlemen riders. A Hurdle sweepstakes of 7 sovs. each, 5 ft., with 25 added by the Proprietors of the Course ; four yrs old, 10st. 71b ; five yrs, Ilst. 61b ; six and aged, 12st. A winner of one Hurdle Race or Steeple Chase, before starting, to carry 51b. extra ; thorough bred horses, 31b. extra. Heats, once round and a distance. Gentlom-n riders. The nominations take place at Liverpool on the 11th September. ROCHESTER AND CHATHAM RACES. Entries for the Rockingham Stakes :—Airy, 6 yrs ; Sir Frede rick, 3 yrs; Sepoy 4 yrs ; Dudu, 3 yrs ; Pincher, 6 yrs ; Ranvil lette, 6 yrs ; Pinerose's colt, 3 yrs. There is no alteration in the acceptances for the West Kent Stakes. The matches between Morella and the Problem filly, and between the Mysie colt and the Ursula filly, in the Newmarket First and ieconi October Meetings, are compromised. AQUATICS. SWEEPSTAKES MaTcti.—The announced sweepstakes match amongst watermen and landsmen took place yesterday, and was really well contested, although there were but very few of the gentlemen who laid any money out on it. It was with four pa'rs of oars, in one heat, the distance being from Vaux hall to Westminster, back round the pier of Vauxhall, round the pier of Westminster, and back to Archer's-road, to finish the match. There was a waterman and a landsman in each boat. They came in thus .—J. Moreton, Stangate, and Rooke ; F. Godfrey, btrand-lane, and Farrell ; Job Jones, Whitehall, and Hall ; Thomas Piner, jun., Whitehall, and Cousins. Piner and his partner got aground while turning the pier. Scut,usits' iNIATcH.—The apprentices plying at Westmins ter-bridge contested yesterday for a purse, given by the gen tlemen patrons of the manly sport of rowing. It was to be contested by seven pair of sculls, and the distance was from Westminster-bridge round the police vessel below Somerset House, up the north shore round a boat of Chandlers at Mil bank, and back to Westminster-bridge. The following had entered to contend :--Charles Smith, green ; Henry Camp bell, blue ; John Birch, red ; Thomas Goodrum, yellow ; Wil liam Meckiff, purple ; William Newell, pink ; and James El lis, white. Shortly after three tine men took their respective stations, and on the signal being given started off well, yellow, blue, and white being close together, when, after an arduous and well-contested heat, yellow came in first, white second, blue third, and green fourth. The above boats were placed by the umpire, the terms of the match being that the first four boats of the first heat should be entitled to contend for the grand one. At half-past six the men were again at work, the distance being the same as in the former heat. Yellow took the lead, which he kept throughout, white being second, blue third, and green fourth. The rowing of this heat was a treat to all the spectators, that of Goodrum, Ellis, and Camp bell in particular ; in fact it would be invidious to attempt to draw a distinction. Smith, however, did his best, and is en titled to his share of praise. The Hon. Wm. Howard, the new M.P. for Suther land, is uncle to, and not a brother of, Lord Morpeth. Mr. Howard sat in the House many years ago for a long time during the minority of Lord Morpeth , as Membr for Morpeth. He is second son to the late, and brother to the present Earl, and the Dean of Lichfield. Lord Morpeth and the young Duchess of Sutherland are his nephew and niece. The Hon. Gentleman had a brother, a Major of the 10th Hussars, who was killed at Waterloo. Yesterday the Lady of Adrian Hope, Esq., of Carlton-gardens, gave birth to a daughter—the first fe male child that has been born in the Hope family for a series of years. It is rumoured at the United Service Club that Admiral Sir Josias Rowley is likely to succeed Sir Philip Durham as Port-Admiral at Portsmouth, when the three years' service of the latter have terminated. Sir Josias Rowley has recently held the command in the Mediterra nean, and was a great favourite of the late King. Many other officers, however, are - named ; as also for Plymouth, now held by Admiral Lord Amelius Beauclerk. The lessee of Drury-lane has arrived in Paris to look for novelties for the ensuing campaign. He will also engage a new corps de ballet from the French theatres. Official advices from Smyrna state that the plague was then rapidly on the decline, only eighteen cases hav ing occurred from the Ist to the 9th inst., the date of these accounts. The disease had also very much diminished in the surrounding districts. . GRETNA GREEN.-011 the afternoon of Tuesday last a chaise with the pole broken, and otherwise damaged, drove up to the Commercial Inn, Carlisle, and curiosity was immediately excited to know the cause—the " how," the "wherefore," and " all about it." It appears the chaise had been employed in dispatching from some twenty or thirty miles south of Manchester towards Gretna Green a gen tleman vi hose daughter had flown away on the wings of love in company of some devoted Adonis. Papa, as may be presumed, was in mighty haste to recover the " lost one ;" but in driving down Natland Brow, about two miles to the south of Kendal, the accident which we have just noticed occurred to the chaise. Fortunately her Majesty's mail for the north came up as the gentleman was in his quan dary how to proceed further , and he availed hi▪ mself of a vacant place in it to pursue his romantic daught en—West morland Gazette. LIBEL LAW.—The principal anomaly of the law of libel is that which permits slander to be uttered with impunity, and circulated without limit, while the same words reduced into writing, and communicated to only one person, would form the subject of an action. The modern and well-settled doctrines on the law of libel is, that it is for the jury to say whether the tendency o f the writing i▪ s to injure the plaintiff. The great anomaly between the two species of slander would be best remove d b y extending thi▪ s principle to slanderous words. It is certainly a very unreasonable distinction to hold that, in on e case, the meaning and effect of the words are to be det ermined by the court, and in the other by the jury. The interests of the public might be safely left in the hands o f j uries ; th e y are not disposed to put a harsh and strained construction upon the language either of private individualsor the press.—The Jurist. Mr. Assheton Smith once was ready, a la Cum berland, the late, not the present Duke, to take his Bible oath that he had not interfered in the Carnarvon Election, when everybody knew that . he had. Last week he was the hero of a Tee-total g athering , Feliheli, displaying a large medal on his breast. '1 his week he has gloried in making as many electors drunk as he could get together, which were precio us few. He cheated his t ee - total con science by being absent.—Cernarvon Herald. A Preston paper winds up an inquest paragraph with the following startling sentence :—" Tho jury then found a verdict that the deceased had died by the visitation of God, in consequence (y . fits." Mushrooms are exceedingly plentiful this year. On Thursday last eleven hundred weight were sent by the boats from the tieghbourhood of Northwich and Nantwich to Manchester, to be there co n ver ted into ketchup. On the previous Tuesday six hundred weight were sent from the same place, WIND DAY. Yesterday, previous to the departure of the King of Wirtemberg from the castle, the Queen conducted his Ma jesty into the library and other apartments of the castle. The King expressed the highest admiration at the gran deur and elegance of those splendid rooms, and frequently ac kncwledged the condescension and kindness of her Majesty in conducting him through them herself. Shortly after wards the King took leave, and, attended by his suite, left for the Clarendon Hotel, Bond-street, whence he will shortly take his departure for the continent. The Queen, on her return from her drive, yesterday afternoon, walked on the new terrace, and through the slopes, as far as Adelaide Lodge. Her Majesty was accompanied by the Duchess of Kent, and attended by her ladies and gentlemen in waiting. The Marquis of Conyngharn left yesterday, for Dudley House, Park-lane ; and Lord and Lady Charlemont left to-day. It is not expected, at present, that her Majesty will go to Egham races to-morrow. COURT CIRCULAR. Viscount Melbourne left town at 12 o'clock yesterday' for Windsor Castle, on a visit to the Queen. Lord Glenelg returned to town yesterday morning, from a visit to her Majesty, at Windsor Castle. The Earl of Albemarle, master of the horse, had an in terview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday , in Downing-street. Viscount Melbourne and a select party dined with Lord Holland, at Holland House, Kensington, on Sunday evening• FASHIONABLE INTELLIGENCE. DEPARTURES. Vice-Admiral. Sir Tremayne and Lady Rodd, from Wim pole-street, for Tunbridge Wells; Dowager Lady Malet, from West Cowes, Isle of Wight, for Wallop, near Stock bridge ; Captain the Hon. W. H. Beresford for the Conti nent ; Mrs. Camac, from Mansfield-street, for Hastings ; Sir Robert and Lady Harland, from Thomas's Hotel, for Nor folk ; Colonel Dealtry and the Misses Dealtry, from ditto, for Lufthouse Hall, Yorkshire; Tyler Smith, Esq., Mrs. Smith, and Miss Smith, from the Berners Hotel, for Little Hotgh ton, Northampton. ARRIVALS. Mrs. Birch, at the Berners Hotel, from Tunbridge Wells; J. Addison, Esq., and Miss Addison, at ditto, from the Con tinent; the Rev. W. Fowler and Mrs. Fowler, at ditto, from Baldock ; Dr. Terry, at ditto, from Rugby. CHANGES. The Prince and Princess of Leiningcn, from Bonn, on the Rhine, for Amorbark Castle, Leiningen ; the Hon. Henry and Mrs. Ccventry, from Dundas Castle, N. 8., on a tour ; the Marquis of Salisbury, at Hatfield, from Childwall Hall, Lancashire ; Sir Horace Seymour and the Dowager Lady Clinton, on a visit to Sir George Seymour, at Norris Castle, Isle of Wight, from a tour ; Mr. and Lady George Codring ton, from Paris, for Baden ; Prince Schomberg, from Chel tenham, for the continent ; Lord Barham, at Windsor Castle, from Barham Court; Lord Delamere, from Longshavve , Derby, for Vale Royal ; the Countess Dundonald and family, at Boulogne sur-Mer, from Paris ; Lord Molyneux, from Meggermie, Perthshire, for Stoke Farm, Berks ; Lady and the Misses Conroy at Leamington Spa ; the Marquis Los Llanos , from Boulogne, for Paris; the Duke d'Ossuna, at Brussels , from Ostend ; the Marquis and Marchioness of Blandford, and the Ladies Spencer Churchill, from Hovvbury-park, Beds ; Earl and Countess of Cavan, from Eagle-burst, Hants, for the Isle of Wight; the Earl of Darlington and Mr. Tisdall , from Dundee, for the Moors; Sir Robert Steile, from Meer hay, Dorset, for Paris ; Count and Countess Dunniskiold, at Copenhagen, on a visit to the Court of Denmark ; Lord and Lady Suffield, at Gunton House, Norfolk, from Yarmouth. THE QUEEN.—At tl e Du ham counlr mating , called for the purpose of voting addresses to the Queen and the Queen Dowager, Earl Durham, who moved the first address, thus described the qualities of her Majesty : ' I have had opportunities of knowing the fact, that year after year her Majesty's intellect has developed itself in a waY that has astonished even those about her ; and there is not an individual who had access to her personally, on her ac cession to the throne, who was not struck by the extra ordi" nary self-possession, and the commanding tone , which 51,0 assumed on taking the reins of Government into her hand , the expectation of which could hardly have been justified by any conception which might have been formed of a per son so young, placed in a position so difficult. 1 will sum up, gentlemen, her qualities in two words ; and if those do not come to your hearts as well as to your understanding s, no eloquent, no florid description of mine, would a nswer that purpose—l believe her Majesty to be, in education , in mind, and in heart, a true, thorough Englishw oman. THE QUEEN DOWAGER.—It may not be gene' rally known that a Queen Dowager enjoys most of the pri vileges belonging to her as Queen Consort. But no rnn° can marry her without special license '•from the Crown, on pain of forfeiting his lands and goods. Blackstone states that a Queen Dowager, when married again to a subject, does not lose her regal dignity as Peeresses Dowager do their Peerage when they marry Commoners for Cathe rine, Queen Dowager of Henry V., though she married A private gentleman, Owen ap Meredith ap Theodore, com monly called Owen Tudor ; yet, by the name of Catherine Queen of England, maintained an action against the Bishop of Carlisle. And so the Queen Dowager of Navarre, mar rying with Edward Earl of Lancaster, brother to Edward I" maintained an action of dower (after the death of her se cond husband) by the name of Queen of Navarre. Nor can the Queen marry a subject without the consent of the Crown ;" but, as her Majesty is " the Crown," Queen Victoria, for instance, could give her consent to her owe marriage with any peer or person whom she might select. The Dowager Marchioness of Hastings and t he young Ladies are preparing to leave Noel House , Ke "' sington, for Loudon Castle, in Scotland. The Earl of Shelburne arrived at Lansdowne H ouse yesterday from Bowood Park. His Lordship is going t° the German Spa in a few days. Count Potemkin, the Russian Ambassador at Mu" nich, recently formed a matrimonial alliance with a young English lady, named Grainger, on a visit with her friends in the Bavarian capital. The Archbishop of York has arrived at Bishops' thorp Palace. His Grace, who has occupied the episcopal bench 46 years, is one of the keenest sportsmen among our ancient nobility. Lord Lovaine has retired from the Guards and re turned to England from a tour in the north of Europe. The Eail of Brownlow has been on a visit during the past week to Sir Robert and Lady Peel, at Drayton 111anor. Earl Spencer has arrived on a visit to Earl end Countess Grey, on his way to the north. The Lords of the Treasury have awarded to the,. late Town Clerk of Doncaster, Mr. Fisher, the sum r!' 8,4001. and interest, as a compensation for the loss of 1 0 office, which sum will be increased to upwards of 9,000/. by the interest now due. It is said that the sum paid yearly to Lord Dudley Stuart by the late Duchess of St. Albans, namely, 2,0001., will be continued. There are twenty-six new Irish Members elected for the ensuing Parliament. Three brothers, sons of the late Luke White, are returned ; also four O'Connells. There were five of that name in the last Parlilment. The Revising Barristers of the City of L on d° will sit on the 15th of September, at Guildhall, for the pur pose of taking into consideration the claims of persons to vote for Members to serve in Parliament. The Earl and Countess of Winchilsea have arrive d at Dover, where the Noble Earl has taken a mansion, from their seat, Eastwell Park, Kent. The Earl and Countess of Radnor are entertaini n g a distinguished party at their seat, Longford Castle, nea r Salisbury. • The Marquis and Marchioness of Bute are da il y expected to leave Luton for their seat, Cardiff Castle. t ltret T e l Ev le eanr M iln ag a l; r d q o Marquis i hisuonfwt Camden Countess otof vßisri et a c r ik r , i i ns v on e co d kb, i l ats A oßn r a l ya t n hn g ad n t o d a n u - g s t h r t e e e r, Abb e y' Kent. The Duke of Athol still remains in seclusion acit Kilburn, where ho is occasionally visited by his family a 0 friends. His Grace enjoys good bodily health. Sir William Paget, b ro th er o f th e Marquis of An" glesea, is at present in Li ver p oo l, f or th e purpose of a sca,r ; taming the st a te o f cr i me , an d t h e num b er o f unfort unal n females who inf es t th e t own , prev i ous to d ev i s ing some P ia for The their amelioration. sportsmen are in excellent spirits at the 1°11 _ 1 :: coming season for partridge shooting. The birds are v" plentiful. Lord Stanley is not expected at Knowsley be fore the middle of September. k on Amongst the guests at Bolton Abbey last wee ' a , c l a visit to the Duke of Devonshire, were the Du ke s a r- Duchess of Sutherland, the Duke of Brunswick , the t he quis of Stafford, the Earl and Countess of Burlington,arti Hon. George and Lady Louisa Cavendish, Scc. Th e P broke up on Friday lust. T h e true SIR JOHN ACKWORTH ObihiANNEY friends of reform will be proud to learn that this Gallant.ooin Admiral, who so nobly stood forward as their chilled to the late contest for South Hants, has been aPP° o f her the important command of Commander-in-Chiefint/rent Majesty's ships and vessels in the Tagus—an apP_ ° h , which must prove highly gratifying to the worth o rld• via W of miral's feelings, and the gratification of our na y g ot', And sure are we that he will nobly uphold the in the wooden " walls of Old England," and maT ta rn l ; r ot every sense of the word, the sacred motto of the In' w an hero of Trafalgar, that—" England expects that eel wilt do his duty."—Hamphire Independent.