The Sun. — London, England, 1846-12-26 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. Pli rATION Filolll DIRECTORS OF IRISH lAN ES TO GOVERNMENT. _ . Th, I; :ay Qll ii;fluPtitial deputation from the a„ggregate eetinz of Irish directors, held with a view of consi d"ing kow the progress of their works might be made a vailable towards relieving the present alarming and In treasinm destitution of the poor of Ireland, waited upon the Right Hon. Charles Wood, 'Chancellor of the Ex ehequee, at his c fficial residence, Downing-street. Tho deputations, who were introduced by Mr. George , 4 lotratt, M.P., comprised the following gentlemen: — Mr. Alderman Joseph Boyce, director of the Midland Great Western and Royal Canal Company; Messrs. James Perry, director of the Midland Great W.-stern and Royal Canal Company; Joseph Kincaid, direcor of th., Dublin and Kingstown Railway; Gi'orge Tyrrell, director of the Londonderry and Enniskillen; Henry Currie, F. H. Hemmings, B. Layard, and William The interview lasted upwards of two hours. Mr. Alderman BOYCE informed the Chancellor of the Exchequer that the deputation had the honour of Waitin g upon him in order that they might submit their views respecting the expediency of the Go vernment affording aid by direct loan to Irish railway companies. Some days ago another de- Potation, of which he also was a member, waited neon his Excellency the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland With a similar object. His Excellency promised to tor- Ward their statement to the government backed by such te commendation as he considered the extreme urgency of the country in which he was placed imperatively re quired from him; but while they telt deeply grateful to alo Excellency for the courtesy extended towards them, I nd for the interest manifested by him in a subject of stleh vital importanoe to the people of Ireland, they felt that it would be a dereliction of duty on their part if t hey L did not communic a t e personally with the heads of t he government at the seat of legislation;partieularly as b ut a very brief period would elapse before the assem ring of Parliament, and exert themselves to the u tmost •11 demonstrating the necessity that existed for the re quired l oan a t a cr i s i s o f so awful and alarming a nature.. ,several of the Irish. railway directors assembled in uublin last Friday week, and it appeared to them that government aid to Irish railway companies, by way °f loan, would enable them to assist very materially 'o relieving the present distress, and afford the same 44 0' for a considerable period, by providing an imme diate and ample field for unemployed and prodne ive labour in the acceleration of their works. They lf urther considered that this employment would not be c onfined to any locality, but would be spread over large districts of the country, from north to south, and to earry out that object the meeting empowered the depu tationista to submit to the Government the following su ggestions :—That previously to a loan from Govern ''ent to any Irish railway company, 20 per cent. of their c apital shall be bona fide paid up, and expended on the UUdert a ing ; that the Government shall advance to such capital, a sum not exceeding 30 per cent. of their "'Taal, in instalments of 5 per cent., at such times as an .ttual amount shall be paid up by the shareholders. The VRht Hon. Gentleman would perceive that the amount . i-• loan thus required was less than that now authorised r . Y . their Acts to be borrowed, but it brought that power 'do, action sooner. _ ale CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER asked the latount of capital of the Irish Railway Companies a1 "1,9 " 1 ,9 incorporated. the KINCAID said that in the statement drawn up by " . o deputationists for the perusal of her Majesty's Go- Zatnent, there was a table showing the number of Irish rai lways incorporated in the years 1845 and 1846, to !_ e ther with the amount of their capitals. In the former there were eleven companies incorporated, the ew2segate of whose capitals exceeded by a few hundreds •,4 wit ,000/. and in 1846 the number of incorporated rad ett3; companies was increased by twenty-one, their ththils figuring in the aggregate 8,817,9001. Now if • he Plan suggested were carried out, the total amount to ‘rn advanced by Government would be 4,890,000/. ; 9 IY, in 1847, 1,250,0001. ; in 1847-8, 1,000,000/. on .7, I ncorporated companies of 1845 ; and in 1847-8, 0 ,0001, ; in 1848-9, 1,320,0001. on the incorporated t o l t nPanies of 1846. During the same period the sum nt to ba paid up by shareholders was estimated at ' O ,OOO/. Th. _, it k - OF THE EXCHEQUER observed, that th;e Understood the suggestions of the deputation aright, a l ! required a Government loan of 4,890,000/. to be b anded on the construction of Irish railway con:1- ;7 1 1e s incorporated in 1845 and 1846, and to be ad -1.2„d in the followine proportions, at stated periods, u,OOO/. in 1847, 2,320,000/. in 1847-8, and 1,320,000/. tt3,1 8 9 0 1• 111 ,,,• Alderman BOYCE said that was what the meeting bn_' rr eetors had instructed them to suggest, and to urge ea the Government the propriety of conceding it at as a Period as possible. loa ri t ' PERRY explained that if the required Government Rrant a nd granted, there would be arising from that tai to 4 t l the deposits of shareholders sufficient capi -4,640 nr , w arrant an expenditure of 4,260,0 001 . in 1347, I,76 o '`" J ° l - in 1847.8, 4,140,000/. in 1848-9, and fr om , :_,l- in 1849. The advantages to the Government th e .:mloPting the plan suggested were fully detailed in h e statement prepared by the director's deputation, and th- w ould take the liberty - of directing the Chancellor of ofe.:;•xchequer's particular attention to them. Instead t or ' e uvaneing an immense amount of money, unassisted, ate r rYing out works for the most part of questionable ti,"Y, and in many instances worse than useless, from d Pau perising effect tilt tricly so apparent upon the in lurot habits of the lab o urer by t h e p resen t s y s t e m of prat relief, and with the prospeetof repayment at best t hree doubtful, by advancing five millions duri ng th e next years :t.) Irish railway companies, an additional a unt of ten millions would be paid by the shareholders, t hert by causing fifteen millious to be expended on Irish railways, the advantages of which can scarcely be over rated, as, whatever improvements are in contemplation fa r Irelald, these MIA prove to be most important a uxiliaries. It appears from the present weekly expen diture by the Government for the relief of distress, and rdeh has been rapidly on the increase, that b y Au g ust ex ext the amount will probably be above 6,000,0001., thus tiding the loans required for railway companies for th e neat three years. The security would be ample for thr e e ) a Yment of the loads , w hich would only amount to Work s e 'ghts of the money actually expended on the kivi r ,' Whilst the direct profits to Government, by bor instassi foll ows ,_5 b e "t at 3 per cent., and lending at 4 par cent., would ,00,000/. to be returned by annual v ann 'olents in 20 years, commencing soon after the ad ae s' e, would bear a gross amount of interest equal to an —er. 5,0 00 ae of ten years per cent. annum on ,000/. would yield 200 ,0001., from which deduct 3/ der cent , per annum on the same sum, 150,0001, leav 4,__a clear profit of 50,0001. to the Government, which, 60}Z,n000an average of ten ears would amount to t t tnpor an advantage this might be y added the direct but not sumption of tea, coff ee, in the greatly increased con lo duties , as g well as o !uowear, and other articles pay raodities. priced manufactured corn , An animated discussion then t 0 ,,0 r Chan ce ll or of the Exchequer and th place between the wor e ks deutationiste, re _,lPecting the progress of public or in . Ireland, and tietails connected with the prospects o ilie s• Upwards of an hour having bee n railwa Y ' l Pa" "XcFedingly interesting conversation, uccupied in an The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, who receive d with marked attention the statements submitted to hina S t t l it was not to be expected he could undertake to give h deputation any de fi nite promise. The subj ect they ad brought under his notice was one of a highly r et tant nature, and they might rest a ssured that in all its detail s i t wou ld rece ive the most attentive considera tionoi Government, who were anxious that labour should _o di rected into productive channels , a nd not ex p en ded n useless or unproductive works. It The deputation then retired, impressed with the desire ti e nifested by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to further eir views. LC)- n — ` - ' O N AND SOUTH-WESTERN EXTENSION. t Zb i ursd ay another Court o f C om pensation was held at - •ioro s "3es4or avern, Kennington, before Mr. R. Wallinger, . and a special jury. ".". Montagu Chambers, Q.C., and Mr. Lush, ap ared for the claimant, and the Attorney General, Mr. Pi: Rill and Mr. Merewether for the comp an y . d is ue claimant, Mr. Miskin, is a practising su r g eon and e u „t n ajog chemist, carrying on his profession and oc- W`ng a house and back premises, being No. 59, in the si_ estr uinster-bridge road, under a lease, of which twde.n.ty f: Years remain unexpired. at a rent of 55/.. in ad ttipn ns_lotne stabling at the back, also occupyed by him co d er lease. On notice being given by the railway p ose P s anY that these premises were required for the pur • l oss of of the r a il-- --, way Mr. Miskin sent in a claim for the e l m s , interest in the unexpired term of years in the f o ", for the fixtures on the premises amoun tin g to of 1,5 43 i 5 d., and a further claim of the enormous sum stlciden 128 . Bd. for the goodwill of his profe,sion, by Sto c k . r „,ercoval, and the removal of his furniture and clair e Ibe railway company it appeared conceived the titled o t t ° be far a b ove w h at the claimant was fairly en and ref use d to p a y. w „ e ATTORNEY GENERAL said, addressing the j ur y , "PPy that he had succeeded in rendering it th e is - 'essary to o ccu py th e i r t ime ; he had on the part of fair: ll3 PanY (who were disposed in all cases to act with F ri 'as and liberality) made a proposition to his Learned e t ai v adt Mr. Ch am b er*, w hi c h h a d b ee n accepted. The ten ant had mad e out a c l a i m amounting to 2,4481. 3 s. s eu l t _,ut, acting u n d er th e a d v ice of his counsel, had con it4l4;that a verdict should be taken for 1,200 1 ., the Tfiorig offered by t h e compan y. Jury then returned a verdict of 1,2001., being 4 42 d a p?' 3 6. Id. less than claimed; the verdict including I f or i : lt ges or compensation for value of property, good removal. Pretaisescourt was crowded by the inhabitants of adjacent ora N E W ARRANGEMENT OF THE GREAT WESTERN orders of Wednesday next, in compliance with the ie,rs of the P os t mas ter : General, the night mail from erar to Paddington will start at 9 p.m., instead of 9.35 as heretofore ; it will leave Bristol at 11.50 p.m. ; Glo ucester, 11.40 p.m. ; Oxford, 1.45 a.m.; and the °I stations in like proportion. "I'ENING OF THE IPSWICH AND BURY ST. ED -11")s. —This line was opened yesterday for passenger 7 r i alli s: , The distance from London . to Bury, by road, is * In Les ; by rail, via Ipswich, 95 miles. The inha ;ltarits of Bury were in hopes that they would not be ~,4 1' gQd by the circuitous route of the line, but by the " distance. The following scale of fares issued by not caste rn Union Company shows, however, that such is _n i ot the fact. From London to Bury, first class, 18s., second class,. third class, 7s. With a view of comparing the `.greuitous with the direct fares, we may mention that the 4,lll.?terii Counties Comp a ny charge for a di s t ance of 71 I , i les, on the C am b ri d ge li ne , a t th e ra t e o f—fi rst class, k second class, 10s. ; third class, ss. I Id. The sin.- Vuttnty of the tires on the Bury line is, that the same THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 26, 1 amount is charged for going 84 miles from the metro p us the whole distance, 95. INDIAN LINES. (From the Overland Delhi. Gazette.) RAILWAY TRAFFIC. —We have been favoured %hit a detailed table, giving the actual traffic on the greed trunk road, near Cawepere. The results are, briefly, a daily overage for the month of September, of 67-2 hackeries, laden and unladen ; 13 8 camels, ditto ; 14 2 bullock and ponies, ditto ; 9.4 coolies and banghies, ditto ; 1 3 carriages ; 1.5 . 9 native bailees ; 1.2 palkees ; 1.1 doolees ; 04 elephants ; 94 0 horses ; 1.022.2 foot passengers. There is, perhaps, no country in the world, with any pretence to civilisation, in which there is such an im leen e mass of unprteluctive labour, as in India, and, stranger still to bay; in that species of labour, the cur rying trade, if we may so 0 rm it, which, above all others, entails a constantly recurring expense. Out of 4,032 hackeries which rassed over the Cita npore Trunk- road, from the Ist to the 30th of September, inclusive, 3,228 were laden, and 804, or one-fifth of the whole number unladen. "We could scarcely have selected a more strik ing instance in proof of our hypothesis. The fact itself is sufficiently illustrative of the carrying trade, and of the expense of carriage generally—for the unproductive labour must somehow be paid for ; and what process so simple, we do not say so expedient, as that which compels the owners of goods to pay at the rate of tons of goods for every ton thus carried ; and yet such is the system in practice generally in India, and such, perhaps, it must necessarily be with such lumbering and crazy conveyances as' we see daily passing before us. The same remark applies, and, pethaps, with will greater accuracy, to the transit of smaller parcels as effected by coolies and banghies. The proportion of unproductive labour must be, in this instance, still lamentably greater, and serves to show how backward this country is in its several, and even in its peculiar, modes of transit. With these preliminary remarks we may proceed to examine the valuable registry of traffic already noticed, at the same time premising that such information as we may glean from the statistical details of one month must necessarily be very imperfect, and more especially when that one month happens to be, as in the present instance the most unfavourable month for traffic in the year. Our acquaintance, moreover, with that particular dis trict is not sufficiently intimate to enable us to draw any definite conclusion from the traffic on any one par ticular line of road, as that from east to west, as to what it may be also from north to south. Taking the usual loads as undermentioned—for a four•bullcck hackery, 20 maunds ; an elephant, 20 ; camel, 6 ; bullock, 2i ; pony, ; coolie, i—and, making due allowance for such conveyances as passed unladen, we find,. with that safe proviso, errors excepted, that the average daily amount of goods exceeded in weight 43 tons. On the principle that money makes money, and that railways create traffic, this amount would be consi derably increased, and there would be, supposing the charge not very exorbitant, at least 60 tons of goods available for dispatch daily, and as the average weight of a Manchester and Liverpool train is, if we recollect rightly, about 47 tons, there would be a sufficient supply, under any circumstances, for a daily train up and down in one isolated district. The average cost for conveyance of goods by land carriage in India may be estimated at 30 rupees per ton (27-4- maunds) every 100 miles. By a railway at the or dinary rate of 2'BB pence per ton per mile, at the ave rage velocity, it would be 13 rupees per ton per 100 miles. Here, then, there would be an actual saving, in the mere cost of conveyance, of nearly 200 per cent., and this saving, in addition to the other unnumbered ad vantages which increased speed affords, would act more powerfully to brin g i n t o ac t ion th e productive resources of India than any legislative enactment or any system of bolstering privileges whatever. In the registry of traffic on which these remarks are founded are not included, we have retvon to infer, any returns of Government stores, which are constantly passing through the country. These latter, we understand, except in time of war, or when thei.e is any unu-ual emergency, are forwarded by river transit, when such is available, and must therefore have been overlooked when the statement of traffic was being pre pared. But as the railway companies may reckon with every confidence on the employment which Government c.in furnish, we have only to add the amount of those stores to the general traffic of the country, and we shall form by no means a disheartening estimate of the amount of goods available for transit. It would be difficult, or p,rhaps next to impossible, to form even any approximate guess of the number of tra vellers who could afford to pay the fare, however low it may be, for railway travelling. The table under con sideration furnishes us with a sufficiently distinct view of the number of travellers on that particular road. The total is somewhat startling ; more than 1,200 are daily passing on that road, and yet how few of these could afford to pay even at the rate of a pice per mile. The number passing daily in carriages and native convey. ances, palkees and doolies, at the lowest average, exceeds 48, and of these perhaps 20 could afford to pay for a seat in a train. The number passing on horses and ponies is placed at 94, and of these perhaps a fifth part would give up the horse for the rail. We have at this rate, without including any from the foot- passenger class, about 35 travellers daily likely to avail themselves of the accom modation thus offered. If the charge for third-class passengers be sufficiently low, something slightly in excess of that charged for goods, we might multiply this number by ten, and give the result as the average daily amount of railway passengers. We have to add to this the charge for conveyance of the mails and Government servants, and shall even then,fortn a very inadequate idea of the extent of travelling which railways would create. We have only to multiply these results by ten—per haps by a hundred—in order to gain a more correct estimate of the amount of traffic in a single section of the country. The railway system, like the human frame, is wonderful and complex in all its parts ; and if the system be healthy, all its movements are regu lated with unerring precision. As it is impossible to guess from the infant in arms whether he may turn out eventually a giant or a pigmy in stature and strength, so is it impossible to guess, especially under circum stances so novel and in such an immense breadth of country, whether a railway can ever here possibly present those gigantic combinations which elsewhere it has confessedly displayed. A raily may be easily projected, and, as far as the difficulties of engineer ing are concerned, as easily made ; but it can only thrive by unremitting vigilance on the part of its conductors, and by the line having been so judiciously selected as to embrace the requirements of the country, and to unite its main arteries. A railway, so we are told, now connects the Falls of Niagra with the re motest parts of Albany, and what was formerly a fatiguing tour of many weeks, may now be passed over with ease at the rate of sixteen miles an hour. Cities containing a population of 20,000 souls now occupy sites on which, about twenty-five years ago. long cabins were constructed. The extremes of civilisation may be there said to meet, for groups of Indians, lately the un profitable owners of the broad lands around, assemble to offer for sale at the various station houses their simple trinkets, and gaze at the ponderous machine as it rushes forward to its destination. And why may not the same results be anticipated in a country like India, in which everything is in an a infi n n i i o te .e ly d ' , hi i g n h s t- u r e s h ta a t n e e l i f i a n d e v n a t tice advance ment, and which h and s f security?an proofs are de gree, so long an report of the railwaydirectors e registry of required, e commented, proves likewise interval s e 3nf r e p s r t o proves, traffic, cn which we hav _ far transit; and thus the feasibility of railways. Th that there is a sufficiency of gods has the first pebble been th rown, which, in due time, by the zea l o f t assers by, will be converted into a mountain. -- "" . " ------- = 2 -- -7- ' -------- ' —: apr A opke l ae .A RUING FIRES.—ThHTSday night a fire, nearly at tendedb with fatal consequences to a mother and infant, Borough, in the Occupation days, was 4,Victoria Unionstreet, lo d been confined only a itirnates rth' ; back, when m fl g ew w f i the bed set it in flames. parent mu c h d from trouble, I , y and alighting on brought the other inmates The screains of the poor woman nm h d t e ”s r eev infant :rraalt e , i n t neighboursthe fi first s t t o floor t h o room, the infant and its who, atter engines quit kly attendt succeeded destruction. The brigade that part of the premises i and the fire was confined to in rescuing fortunately the occupier wial which it commenced. Un broke out at 12 ; Dover place, uninsured. A second fire pro perty of Mr. J. Hepburn. It originated Kent-road, the manner to the above. The Lai driginated in a similar engines promptly attended, z d a t t , b a e nd %Vest of England fire w as soon ex tinguished, the dams_ e done not b e i n Fortunately Mr Hepburn was insured v i yy considerable. the San- o ffi ce . At the fire that broke out yest er d ay Edward street, Portland-plece, the escapemorning, in the Royal Society for the Protection of Litefrom belonging t o stationed in Great Portland - street, was the means Fire ' saving the lives of seven or eight persons. Thefi of had obtained such a firm hold of the premises beforeare" discovery was made, that had it not been for the the timely been as sistance afforded, all these persona must have burnt to death. TELEGRAPHS IN ITALY.—A line of telegraphs is about to be established along the coast of the Adriati c , between Venice and Trieste. The distance is 26 Ger man miles, or about 119 English, and there will be 22 stations, the expense of which is estimated at 9 8,000 florins (2,8001.) At the time of the French domination in Italy, a line of telegraphs existed from Ancona to Brindisi and Naples, which, though on an inferior scale. was of great service to the French, in signalising the movements of the English fleet. THE WORCESTER GUARDIAN.—This journal was published, for the last time, yesterday, after ably and faithfully fighting the battles of Conservatism, in the districts through which it circulated, for upwards of twelve years. The proprietors of its ve teran ally, Benow's Worcester Journal (esta blished in the year 1709), some time since purchased the copyright, types, &c., of the Guardian, and, in discontinuing its publication, announce, " That they have added its circulation and business to that of the Journal, assuring their numerous patrons that the same independent course which has guided the conduct of the Journal, and raised it to the high estimation in which it is held amongst all classes of the community, will be pursued with renewed vigour, the conductors of the paper trusting, by the zealous and faithful discharge of their duties, to maintain for the Journal the proud position which it has held in the city and county of Worcester for a period of nearly one hundred and forty years." We learn from Rome, on the 14th instant, that the preparatory works for the railroad from Rome to the frontier of Naples and Civita•Vecchia had already com menced.— Galignani. PROVISION 8 FROM THE 'UNWED STATES.—The Rozcius and Victoria, from New York, wnich arrivt d at Liverpool on the 23d instant, brings 19,000 bushels of wheat, 1,000 barrels of flour, 32,426 bushels of Indian corn, 10 barrels corn meal, 111 barrels and 34 packages of peas, 603 boxes of cheese, 40 firkins butter, 896 kegs lard, 32 casks bacon, and 1,980 hams. THE SUNDAY TRAINS QUESTION. At tho tact Edinburgh Town Council the discussion of this much agitated and important question, - as rEgards free public cenvenience and right, and the intolerance, en a stnall scale, of a ludicrous railway tyranny, was in. traduced by Mr. C. B. Tarr, who brought forward the motion of which he had given notice at last meeting. He said—l feel perfectly confident that the moderate extent which the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway afforded of tra velling on Sunday never would, with the exception of a very few of our Scottish towns, have created the slightest observation in any other city or town in Europe. lam no Sunday traveller myself ; but I have occasionally tray; Iled on that day, and I must say that I do not envy that man who, being obliged to travel on that day, cannot by observation and reflection improve his mind and profitably occupy his time. The rich man is com paratively independent of the privilege of travelling on Sunday ; but I maintain that every man who uses a vehicle of any description on Sunday is equally guilty of committing a breach of the Sabbath as the man who travels by a railroad.— (Hear, hear.) May we not say to those directors who so scrupulously compel Sabbath observance on those who may have a legitimate reason for spending an hour or two in travelling on the Sunday, "Ye hypocrites, why do ye not first take the beam out of your own eye before attempting to take the mote out of your neighbour's eye" if it be true that about one hundred of the railway clerks were em pb.yed on the boeks of the company from ten o'clock in the morning till a late hour in the evening.—(Hear.) Since the council gave their former deliverance on this subject, a document has been issued by the directors, which proves that we can have uo hepo of making any impression on the four gentlemen on whom the controul has unfortunately been devolvad by their colleagues, ex cept by the adoption of some such decided measures as that at which my motion aims. In the face of the fact that t heir proceeding has not received the support of any responsible or representative public body in Scotland, with the doubtful and chance exception of the town council of Dundee, these four gentlemen declare that they have the support of public opinion. The process by which they arrive at this conclusion is by comparing the number of signatures to the memorials on each side of the question. In this way the petitition of some congre gation in a distant part of the country, who have not one particle of interest or of knowledge regarding the ques tion—(A laugh)—is reckoned by these four gentlemen as several hundred times more worthy of attention than the memorial signed by your Lordship on behalf of this council, which, by the confession of Dr. Candlish himself, fairly represents on this question the opinion of the Scottish metropolis.—(]Near, hear.) I have every proper respect for Kirk Sessions and Presbyteries so long as they keep within their own sphere ; but when they would assume more than the functions of a legis lature by laying restraints on personal liberty, it be comes the duty, especially of a body like this council, to make a stand. In fact, the whole of this controversy has arisen from certain leaders in these church courts having become proprietors and directors, with the sole view of conducting the railway according to their own theological opinions ; which is the same thing as com- pulsorily regu!ating the Sunday movements of the in habitants of the most populous districts of Scotland. In the document I have referred to, these four gentlemen complain of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway having been selected as the battle-field of this question. The selection was entirely their own. The question had been brought by certain rigid Sabbatarians before the shareholders again and again, and the largest number of votes ever given in favour of the motion for shutting the railway on Sundae, was fifty-six shares, held by about a dozen individuals. Now, here was the question de cided year after year—the Sunday trains in operation ; and not a word of complaint from the public. At this stage the four gentlemen to whom I have alluded purchased shares in the railway. On the 19th of August last, up to which day the list of shareholders was corrected, not one the four directors whose votes have stopped the Sunday trains held a single share.—(Hear, hear.) They now only hold as many shares as qualify them as directors, and there can be no doubt bought those shares for the sole purpose of attempting to stop the Sunday trains, which purpose they have been accidently enabled to accomplish by a crisis in the affairs of the company to which I need not refer ; and after all this they turn round upon us and deprecate their railway being made the " battle-ground of the question."— (Hear, hear.) The part taken by the press affords a strong refutation of the bold assertion of the directors that public opinion supports them. Almost the only papers that have given them any support are the three or four which are thirled to the Free Kirk—(a laugh) —and which can hardly be looked on as ordinary, newspapers, being maintained for a specific purpose and being directly under the control of clerical com mittees. Laying these three or four aside, the only paper in Scotland that supports director& granny is one of Tory politics, in our own city ; another, which had at first given them a modified support, having since aban doned the field. In Glasgow (with one exception, of the class already alluded to) the directors have not, in the press, a single supporter. In England, also, I may add, they have been almost unanimously condemned. And the loudest in condemnation have been those papers usually called religious. It would be needless to point out the bearing of these facts on the monstrous assertion of the directors that they are supported by public opinion. (Hear, hear.) It is evident that men who resort to such unscrupulous devices, both in action and speech, need not be dealt with very tenderly. I cannot see that my motion goes in the least beyond the exigences of the case.—(Hear, hear.) The railway company are ap plying to Parliament for extended powers, including the power to take possession of private properties, and to monopolise the means -of transit in new dis tricts; and the plea, of course, on which they make this application is the public benefit and conve• nience. I cannot see how any man can deny that in such a case we have a right to tell Parliament that the com pany have failed in their duty as regards the powers they already possess, and that they should therefore re ceive no further powers till they exhibit a determination to make a better use of them.—(Hear, hear.) The council have already memorialised the directors of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway on this subject, and have been civilly told that the memorial will receive the attention it justly deserves; but I conceive we must now make use of such means as are fairly in our power for the purpose of bringing them to reason. If, as I maintain to be the case, this company has violated the compact virtually made with Parliament, in procuring their sanction to the Bill for making the railway, are we not justified, when this company makes another ap plication to Parliament for additional powers, in taking steps to enforce the fulfilment of their compact? Before the opening of the railway, the public had the benefit of the mail coaches between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Now, wken the mail is carried by steam, these directors say, "We will carry the bags, but we will prohibit the persons." Had they ventured to tell Parliament, when they were applying for their Bill, that, as soon as they had a monopoly of the read, they would shut it up en tirely every Sunday, the proposition would have been scouted; indeed, so preposterous does it appear, that no one could think of introducing a clause to provide against it.—(Hear, hear.) Now, however, that the absurdity has been perpetrated, our proper course is to take mea sures, when these directors appear before Parliament again, to call the attention of the Legislature to the manner in which they have abused the powers forme' ly given to them, and to insist that they shall first fulfil their engagement to the public before further powers are granted. What precise measure should be taken it is necessary to prescribe. It may be best to remit to the Lord Provost's Committee to adopt such measures as they consider advisable.—(Applause.) I beg, therefore, to submit to the Council the following motion :—" That the Town Council should oppose any Bill brought into Parliament by the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway Company till they accommodate the public by restoring the means of conveyance on Sundays, to the same mo derate extent as they enjoyed previous to the late reso- lution of the directors to put an entire stop to Sunday travelling." Mr. A. ROBERTSON said he had great pleasure iu seconding the motion of Mr. Tait. Every day brought new facts before the public connected with the atrocious conduct of these four directors.—(Hear, hear.) It was a fact quite notorious, that some of these very individuals who had se shamefully deprived the poor man of all opportunity either of visiting his friends, or of attending worship in some of the neighbouring churches, rode several miles in their carriages en the Sundays. By de priving the hard-wrought mechanic Sunday . of the opportunity of enjoying himself on the innocent and healthful recreation, they had inflicted a serious injury o f the nd l a : I d a . universal execration would g on the community, and hehad he no r d a o i i s i e b d t t a ha a t i a ns s t ho t u h t of and a laugh.) Hehad —(Hear, been told by many influ ential greatly Sunday diminished,trai em ential parties behe throughout ar, the le l n o g n and bearing, in this respect, on one locality, he had lengthgi n a g n dto breadth Liverpool council a letter from Mr. List, the able superintendent d th r i u t- tik s e i n li n ee ess t naendencinrinimeeneehmatein Leon. ian. The letter was of the county police for Mid-Loth much pleasure in bringing under the attention of the d to the effect t e written at the urgent request of D r. Renton, who was anxious to as cer t a i n some information in re g ard effect which the running of Sunday trai ns had on Sat). bath de secrat i on i n t hi s district. Mr. List's letter was as foßows : " County Police-office, County-buildings, Edinburgh, Dec. 10, 1846. " Dear Sir,—ln answ e r to yours, I beg to give yo u the following intbrmation. In doing so, I have no doubt that I shall be condemned by some; but as I am per fectly convinced that much crime arises through drunken ness, I think every exertion ought to be used towards weaning the labo ur i ng c l ass from frequenting t h e d ra m shops,aonnld Monday facilities morning afforded until those Saturdaywho are night to frwnfresh air and recreation, and thus en d eavour to prevent them desecrating the Sabbath by driving them into dram shops. Of t wo ev il s, most ass ure dly c h oose the immured to get in least. " Previous to last summer I always found it necessary to have two extra con s t a bl es on d uty at dock's Lodge, during the Sunday aft ernoons an d evenings, for the purpose of maintaining order, owing to the number of people that frequented the public-houses in that imps 3. diate neighbourhood—there being no less than nine such houses all within the circumference of a quarter of a mile, Fighting and breaches of the peace were of weekly occurrence; in fact, on many occasions, the road at the barracks and alone. to Meadowbank had more the appearance of a fair-day than the Sabbath. Last summer I found no occasion to have any extra con stables at Jock's Lodge, the public-houses being less fre quented, and no breaches of the peace committed. The same applies all around Edinburgh. The sergeant at Musselburgh reports that he saw no increase at the public-houses in his district, neither did he see more drunkenness than on former occasions. It is quite true that the Sunday trains lead many from the town churches; but it is equally true that many attend churches in the country, with their aged parents, who were never able to do so before. Son* of these places of worship arc those they attended in childhood. " I have often contrasted Edinburgh and Glasgow with London, Liverpool and Birmingham. In the two former places there is scarcely any opportunity afforded the labouring classes to see the beauteous works of na ture in the country ; but ample facility to waste their time in public-houses, become drunkards, outcasts, and ult . mately food for the police. On many occasions I have walked and rode about Edinburgh and the suburbs, on a Sunday evening, and counted no less than 60, 70, and 80, and on one occasion 125 intoxicated persons, in my perambulations of about three hours. Now, look ing at the latter places on a Sunday evening, you may nee hundreds returning from the country—some with their wives and families—and scarcely one amongst them the least intoxicated. Surely there must be some thing wrong. "ru conclusion, I beg to say that I am as anxious as any one for the proper observance of the Sabbath, but I do think the present agitation on the subject by a por tion of the religious part of the community, will not in any way tend towards the improvement of the labouring class. "I remain, dear Sir, yours truly, "• A. J. LIST. " Superintendent of County Police." Mr. WEatirss said, he begged to inform the Council that on Sunday, tnt 15th ult., the first day on which the railway trains were stopped between Edinburgh and Glasgow, no less than 241 carriages of a private kind drove up to the various places of public worship ; and if the day had happened to be wet. which it was not, it was not unlikely but that this number would have been considerably greater.—(Hear, hear.) They had no he sitation in saying that not fewer than 400 horses, and as many servants, coachmen, &c., were employed in con nexion with these carriages. Bailie MACK said he regretted exceedingly that Mr. Tait should have expended his maiden speech at the council board in suppoit of the motion which he had laid on the table. The motion he (Bailie Mack) held, with great deference, was not only irreligious but highly tyrannical. First of all, and speaking in a financial point of view, if this motion was carried into effect, it might be necessary to involve the corporation in a large sum of money, expended in Parliament, opposing the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway Bills. Now, as he understood the motion, it proposed that the council should, in an ultra vires manner, apply the funds of the city's creditors and of the community to oppose those bills. But, apart altogether from that, he held it to be a most tyrannical proceeding towards those gen tlemen. What was the state of the case ? The old di rectors introduced the running of Sunday trains—a thing which was very little to their credit, seeing that they did it in opposition to the wishes of upwards of 100,000 of their fellow citizens. Having, in the face of that opposition, set agoing, and carried on Sunday trains, until such time as the public, most unquestionably, were roused to the enormity of the crime —(A laugh)—then these gentlemen were ousted, they were turned out, and very properly so ; and they were succeeded by gentle men equally respectable, he was sure they would all ad mit—by gentlemen who feared God and had respect to his commandments—(Mr. A. Robertson—" I don't be lieve it")—and who, besides, had respect to the statute law of the country. He did not mean to go over the law of the case, as he had done so on the last occasion the subject was before them ; but he . submitted that these gentlemen were doing nothing contrary to the law.— (Hear, hear.) What right had the council to go to Par liament to oppose them ?—what right had the council to hold this in krrorent over them ? He did not go the length of some of his frienth as to the powers of a rail way ; but he contended that they were only bound to keep it open on lawful days.—(Mr. Robertson—" Every day.") He maintained that they were bound to keep it open on lawful days ; but if his friend (Mr. Robertson) ayere of a different opinion, was he taking a manly course ? Let him apply for a suspension and interdict against the resolutions of directors, or let him raise an action of declarator in the Court of Session to find out whether the directors were acting contrary to law, and bound to open the railway on Sunday hereafter. Then he (Bailie Mack) would understand it ; but it was a cowardly proceeding to hold this motion over the heads of the directors. He repeated that it was not a manly way to bring this question to a final issue, to do it by threatening opposition in Parliament. It these gentle. men were wrung, they were amenable to the laws of the country ; and let those members who had spoken in sup port of this motion resort to the law for redress. Bailie Mack then, at great length, referred to movements that had taken place in London for opening the Post office on Sunda) s, but which was frustrated by the religious feel ing of the community. He read one of the memorials which had been presented to the Treasury on that occa sion, by some of the tradesmen of London to show the high estheation in which they regarded the Sabbath. He then read a portion of the report of the Parliamentary Committee on Sabbath observance to a similar effect ; as also a memorial which had been presented to the direc tors of the South Eastern Steam Packet Company sail ing from Folkestone tor Boulogne, by the engineer of that company, who set forth, in such a strong light, the disadvantages and immorality which resulted from Sabbath sailing, that the directors gave it up. He con cluded by moving, as an amendment, the previous ques tion. Mr. CUSHNIE seconded the amendment. Dr. RENTON said, in place t,f a speech, which he had not prepared, and which, after the full discussion the subject had received from the board, would be an inflic tion on the patience of its members, in the same way as the abolition of the Sabbath train itself has been upon the patience of the public—he would simply read an ex tract from the Act of Parliament, 7 and 8 of Victoria, chap. 85, sect. 10, respecting the purchase of railways by the Legislature, which enacts, as regards all rail ways having Sunday trains, "It will be imperative thst the company shall provide comfortable covered fourth-class carriages, stopping at all the stations, to run for ld. per mile."—(Hear, hear.) The Act of Parlia ment recognises the principle of Sunday trains, to be run at a very moderate rate, on certain conditions most favourable to the working classes, but it does not make it imperative for railways to run Sunday trains. This must be a matter of arrangement to be made by the board of directors of every company.—(Hear, hear.) He hoped, therefore, that the pressure of public opinion upon the Edinburgh and Glasgow board will render an application to Parliament unnecessary, by making them feel the very unenviable poiition in which they have placed themselves by the late compact they have entered into. It was, to say, the least of it, a most unholy alliance. The same outcry had now been raised against the Sab bath trains that was formerly so loudly extended against Sunday funerals. It was then said that these funerals, with hearses, provided for the poor, would lead to dis order, tumult, an d d esecration; in place o f t h ese th e ver y opposite effects h a d resulted, namely, peace , order, and the greatest deco rum, w i thout the s li g h tes t d e t r i m e n t to religion and m ora li ty . Exactly s i m il ar b ene fi c i a l con sequences had accompanied the running of the railway trains.—(Hear.) After a few words from Mr. WHYTE in support of the amendment, and some remarks from Mr. FA.LICNER in favour of Mr, Tait's motion, Mr. Dicx said he had no doubt whatever, when this matter was formerly before the council about supporting the motion of Mr. Falkner, that the Sunday trains should be continued ; but he confessed that he had some doubts as to the propriety of opposing bills which the railway com pany had introduced into Parliament for entering upon undertakings that were intended for the public benefit, merely because the directors refused to annul the t eso lution to which they had come to as to the running of Sunday trains.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. CLARK said—Without expressing any opinion on the motion now before the council, I could have wished that Mr. Tait would have allowed the directors of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway Company time to re consider more fully the position in which the inhabitants of these important cities have been placed by their shut ting up all intercourse between them for nearly thirty cotisecutive hours of every week. I think if the council were to move at present in the matter they may after wards have cauoe for regret, from the fact that a portion of the directors of that board left the matter in the hands of those who were more immediately located and eon neet.-d with, and supposed to be cognisant of, the feelings and opinions or the inhabitants of Scotland. seeing that after an appeal has been made to the public opinion they find that matters are much in accordance with their own views instead of what was represented to them, when they deputed their colleagues to make such arrange ments as would prove acceptable to the inha bitants of Scotland in reference to a commu nication between these cities on the Sabbath-day. As I have now good authority for stating that the line of' neutrality which the English directors have hitherto adopted shall not longer be continued—(Hear, hear)—and that the original facilities enjoyed by the public will shortly be restored, therefore, in my opinion, any application to the Legislature is unnecessary, the more so, that the power exists within the Board it-elf to rectify the injustice which the community has sustained, in consequence of the infringement made on their civil rights and privileges, of which they have been deprived by the unlooked for, and I had almost said sur reptitious movement, on the part of a mere local portion of the Board. Mr. BLYTH and Mr. STOTT followed in support of the motion, and pointed out the inconsistency of many of the individuals who joined in the Sabbath desecration cry by travelling in their own coac h es, wh il e t h e y would not allow the , railway to b e open to the working man for purposes of necessity and mercy. Bailie DUNCAN had regarded this question as a different question from that which had been discussed at a previous meeting. lie held that they were not discussing whether it was a right and proper thing f or t h ose ra il wa y di re ctors to run a morning and an evening train on the S u ndays or not; but they were there on a mot i on ca lli n g upon them to go to Parliament and o pp ose t hi s ra ilway co mpany in reference . to any Bill w hi ch they might see it right to introduce into Parliam ent. Now he thoug ht with Mr. Clark, that this motion was premature. Th e g entlemen who were in charge of the railway might get a little breathing space to consider the matter, and it was possible enough, if they saw such demonstrations of opinion of the enlightened opposition of this country as had been alluded to, that they might be induced to re store matters to their former condition. He was much pleased to receive from a gentleman c onnecte d w ith the railway company the motion on whi c h t h e S un d ay trains had hitherto been running ; and he would take the liberty of reading it. It was adopted in February, 1642, and was to the effect, that tr a i ns s h ou ld b e dis patched morning and evening, at such hours as should allow the servants of the company, and those travelling , with the trains, an opportunity of attending divine ser vice. He was not aware, when the discussion took place, of the precise terms of this motion, but he had since ascertained, upon what he considered good au thority, that this motion had not always been acted up to. He had been told that the number of individuals ' leaving Glasgow and coming to Edinburgh, was small indeed ; but that the number leaving Glasgow, and going out at such stations as Kirkintilloch, Croy, and Cast.lecary, was very great. He ascertained that from 200 to 250 left Glasgow every Sabbath, but that the great majority of these persons were not on works of necessity or mercy. They were not connected with the localities to which they went ; and that they went to Kirkintilloch for the purpose of spending the day in the neighbourhood of Campsie Glen. He was likewise told that in the afternoon it resembled very much a fair or a race-day, and that it was necessary to open the sta tion-house an hour before the usual time, in order that they might issue the sixpenny tickets to these persons. He mentioned these facts for this reason, that if the former resolution was to be again adopted by the com pany, it might be done under proper regulations in reference to the matter to which he referred. He had already said that the motio❑ was premature ; and he thought there was great force in what was stated by Bailie Mack, in regard to the matter of the funds. Were they, as a Town Couucil, called upon by the urgency of this matter ?—did it come so near to them as to affect the interests of the community so much (and here it should be remembered that they had not yet got a specific return of the number of individuals pass ing on the Sundays from Edinburgh to Glasgow) as would justify them in using the funds of the corporation in carrying on an opposition to the Bills of the company in Parliament ? There was another reason, however. These gentlemen said that it was a regard for the Sab bath which induced them to come to this resolution ; and were they to visit this act with pains and penalties? --(Cries of " No, No.") He would ask his friends, the dissenters at the council board, to consider well this matter before they were prepared to take such a step. If he wanted to get a Bill from Parliament for the pur pose of advancing his own pecuniary interests, and if, because he held certain principles, he was to be opposed by the Town Council in his endeavour to get that Bill, they were punishing him because he held these religious opinions.—(" No, no," and " Hear, hear.") But there was another ground on which this motion should be resisted, and that was the ground taken up by Mr. Dick. They all knew that no measure which this com pany might introduce would pass the Legislature unless it in some degree contributed to the advantage of the public welfare; and this being the case, the motion pro posed by Mr. Tait reminded him very much of the story of the boy who had got his foot hurt, and because he did not find his mother disposed to pay some little at tention to him, and to grant him some little request, he said, " I will be revenged upon you;" and he struck hts foot.against a wall. Now, because the directors of this railway refused to run Sabbath trains, they were pro posing by this motion, to frustrate the attempt of the company to get means which would be for the public welfare.—(Hear, hear.) Therefore he thought that in the whole circumstances, the consideration of this motion should be disassociated with anything that the council did on a former day; and he (Bailie Duncan) could see no iaconsisteacy whatever in gentlemen who supported the motion proposed at the previous meeting, now voting against that of Mr. Tait.—(Hear.) The LORD PROVOST said that the difficulty started by Mr. Dick in regard to the motion was fully met, if' not in the motion, at all events in the speech of Mr. Tait, in which he proposed that it should be left to the Lord Provost's committee to take such steps as they might consider to be most proper for accomplishing the object. There had been a great deal said about the large sum that would be expended in opposing the Bills of the rail way company in Parliament, and he begged for himself to say that if the matter came before the Lord Provost's committee, he would oppose as much as any one the ap propriation of the city's funds for opposing this Bill. But he would tell them that, without expending one far thing, they would put a spoke in their wheel. He would take upon himself to guarantee this. Then, as to the tyrannical nature of the motion, alluded to by Bailie Mack, his lordship said he would like to know on whose aide the tyranny lay. He was of opinion that it lay viith the directors, who had tied up their legs, and would not allow them the means of locomotion, who had placed a wall across the railway, and said, " You shall not cross it."—(Hear, hear.) Bailie Mack proposed—and the proposition was a very natural one to come from a lawyer—that if they wanted redress they should takeout a suspension and interdict of the Court of Session. That was not a very pleasant thing; but he would suggest that a far more easy road was, to meet the directors in Par liament, when they would be quit of the quibbles and quibbling of the law.—(A laugh.) Therefore, as to ap plying for an interdict, he had no wish to try that. The Council had already come to the resolution that they should endeavour to have that road opened en the Sun day; and if it was a right thing that this should be done, ought they not to take effective measures for se curing- that object? And as they had the means of ef fecting that object, they ought not to hesitate to take them.—(Bear, hear.) The memorial referred to by Bailie Mack, as emanating from the tradesmen of Lan don, was against the opening of the shops on 'he Sundays. This was not the opening of a railway, but the opening of the regular business of London. Now, he, for one, was as much opposed to the carrying on of or dinary labour on that day, as he was opposed to the re solution of the directors discontinuing a morning and an evening train on the Sundays. Bailie Duncan had given them an account of the numbers who went f:om Glasgow to Kirkintilloch, for the purpose of visiting Campsie Glen. Now he had the authority of a talented and highly respected gentleman for saying that, as Glas gow drew its working population from all-the towns in the country, the railway, being open on the Sabbath day, enabled many of these persons to visit the towns from which they came, and to attend the churches there with their parents or their sisters. But even granting that a great number of those that went to Kirkintilloch spent the day in visiting Gampsie Glen, if they did not think they were doing wrong, what right had we to coerce them by shutting up the means of conveyance? And when it was remembered that these were not the individuals who were in the habit of attending upon church, he would ask if it was not better that they should be enjoying themselves in a visit to that glen, rather than in the lanes and tippling houses of Glasgow. As to the idea of pains and penalties mooted by Bailie Duncan, his Lordship said he had no difficulty at all in meeting it. The directors, when they went to Parlia ment, came unde.z an implied agreement that they were to give accommodation to the public ; and if they did not fulfil that agreement, was it not quite right, when they came again before Parliament, that they should not get farther powers, until they had discharged the duties previously imposed upon them?—(Hear, hear.) The Lord Provost concluded by saying that there was nothing that a railway company dreaded more than a little opposition in a Parliamentary Committee ; therefore, if the directors did not do what was just, they had only to tell them that they would meet them where they would get justice.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. C. B. TAIT having added to its motion the follow ing paragraph :—" and that it be left to the Lord Pro vost's committee to inquire what steps may be taken to give effect to this resolution," the roll was called, when 20 voted for thf motion, and seven for the amendment. For Mr. C. B. Tait's motion,—The Lord Provost, Bailies Ritchie and Tullis, Messrs. Burke, Falkner, Wil son, Anderson, Stott, A. Robertson, Blyth, Weroyss, Hay, Drummond, Cochrane, Calder, Dick, Cruckshank, Clark, C. B. Tait, Renton. For Bailie Mack's Amendment—Bailies Mack and Duncan, Convener Cushnie, and Messrs. Burgess, Whyte, A. Tait, and J. Robertson. POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION. On Wednesday last Mr. Bullock Webster gave his second lecture at this establishment, on practical drain. ing. On this occasion he confined himself exclusively to the method of draining strong clay soils for surface water only—not where the subsoil itself was filled with water, but where the injury arose from the water resting on an impervious bed of clay. He urged that very d« ep draining on that kind of soil had been tried and failed years ago, and he mentioned the names of several per sons who had proved this, amongst whom we observed was Lord Portman. He also said that the strong lands in the Weald of Kent, they were returning to the old system of 30• inch drains. There however were, he stated, circumstances under which deep draining may have answered, viz., where there had been a great deal of water under the subsoil which could not get away. He thought that drains at a depth of four or five feet in clays. could certainly do no harm if filled with porous material ; but he conceived that it would add much to the expen-e, without adequate advantage, and he warned his hearers not to form conclusions too hastily. In the course of last year he said he bad travelled about 16,000 miles in search of the data upon which he had based his reasoning ; he had examined draining which had been done in various parts of the country within the last 30 or 40 years, and he -found in all in• stances he was fully borne oat in his own opinion on the subject. He then touched upon the subj. et of the dif ferent tiles with much sound philosophy, and concluded by expressing his belief that the c)lti.elrical tile, divided horizontally, , 4 as preferable to the flat solid tile, as from a more effective current, and consequently a greater capability for clearing the drain. MADAME Bisllor.—This charming vocalist took her farewell on Wednesday night in the character of 'spline, in the Maid of.Artois. The effect produced by her charming voice and finished style was never more striking. The most rapturous applause was elicited by her interpretation of all the well-known moyceaux : she was frequently encored, and, at the fall of the curtain, was called for, cheered, and complimented with several bouquets. ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL, GRAY'S INN• ROAD. — All the convalescent patients in this hospital were on Christmas Dayregaled with roast beef, plum-pudding, and porter. POSTPONEMENT OF OPENING THE IPSWICH AND BURY LI NE .—The disappointment occasioned to the directors of the Ipswich and Bury Railway and the public by the line not being opened on Monday, after the public announcement made of the intention of the directors to open it for passenger traffic yesterday, arose in part, we are informed, from the Inspector-General of Railways being called to Ireland immediately after his visit of inspection on this line, whence he did not return in time to enable the directors to obtain the requisite permission from the Railway Board. We learn, how ever, that the authority to open the line to the public is almost hourly expected, and that they will probably have the benefit of it on an early day this week. The report of the Inspector-General was in every respect satisfactory as to the state of the works and their fitness for immed►ate traffic.—lpswich Express. THE ARMY.—Lord George Paget, major in the 4th Light Dragoons will, it is expected, shortly succeed to the Lieutenant-colonelcy of the corps. Major-General Lambert, whose appointment to the command in Ja maica was anticipated in this paper some weeks since, will proceed early in the year to the place of his desti nation. The 74th Foot have moved from Glasgow to Paisley. The barracks at Athlone, Ireland, are being considerably enlarged, and there will shortly be accom• modation in the town for a detachment of cavalry. FRIDAY NIGHT'S GAZETTE. FOREIGN-OFFICE, DEC. 22, 1846. The Queen has been pleased to approte of M. Manoel de Oliviera Santo , as Consul at the Cape of Good Mope for the Emperor of Brazil. ADMIRALTY, DEC. 18. Corps of Royal Marines—Captain and Brevet Major Thomas Wearing to be Lieutenant-Colonel, vice Hewes, re tired on full pay; First Lieutenant Phineas Priest to be Captain, vice Wearing, promoted; Second Lieutenant John Manger to be First Lieutenant, vice Priest, promoted. OFFICE OF THE POOR-LAW COMMISSIONERS.. Somerset House, Dec. 24. In pursuance of an Act passed in the session of Parliament held in the fourth and fifth years of the reign of his late Majesty King William the Fourth, cap. 76, intituled "An Act for the amendment and better administration of the laws relating to the poor in England and Wales. This is to give notice, that the Poor-law Commissioners have appointed Aneurin Owen, of Egryn, in the county of Denbigh, Esq., to be an Assistant Commissioner of Poor laws; and that the said Aneurin Owen, on this said 24th day of December, took the oath required by the said Act, before the Hon. Mr. Justice Erle, one of the Judges of her Majesty's Court of Queen's Bench, at his chambers, in Rolls'- gardens, Chancery-lane.—By order of the Board, W. G. LUMLEY, Assistant Secretary. WHITEHALL, DiC. 11. The Lord Chancellor has appointed George Wiles, of Hor bling, in the county of Linceln, Gent., to be a Maitter Ex traordinary in the High Court of Chancery. WHITEHALL, DEC. 17. The Lord Chancellor has appc;inted Thomas Thompson, of Bishop Wearmouth, in the county Palatine of Durham, Gent., to be a Master Extraordinary in the High Court of Chancery. BANKRUPTS. George Rogers, ironmonger,' Gloucester, to surrender Jan. 8, and Feb. 5, at one, at the Bristol District Court. Hutton, official assignee, Bristol; Wilkes, Gloucester. James Andrews, grocer, Llantrissant, Glamorgan, Jan. 8, at half-past eleven, and Feb. 5, at eleven, at , the Bristol Dis trict Court. Millar, official assignee, Bristol ; Prideaux and Son, Bristol. Michael O'Hara Nash, licensed victualler, Bristol, Jan. 8, at half-past twelve, and Feb. 5, at twelve, at the Bristol District Court. Acraman, official assignee, Bristol; Tre hems and White, Barge-yard, Bucklersbury, London ; Sabine, Bristol. William Barker, millwright, Royton, Lancaster, Jan. 5, and Feb. 1, at eleven, at the Manchester District Court. Pott, official assignee, Manchester • Wilson, South-square, Gray's Inn, London ; Wilson, Ma nc hester. Henry Bartleet, builder, Redditch, Worcestershire, Jan. 12 and 30, at twelve, at the Birmingham District Court. Whitmore, official assignee, Birmingham; Motteram and Knowles, Birmingham. Thomas Cook, printer, Leicester, Jan. 15 and Feb. 12, at twelve, at the Birmingham District Court. Bittleston, offi cial assignee, Nottingham ; Bowley, Nottingham. Thomas Hulse, shoe-seller, Birmingham, Jan. 6 and Feb 3, at eleven, at the Birmingham District Court. Christie, official assignee, Birmingham ; Rowlinson, Birmingham. Henry Green, button manufacturer, Birmingham, January 3 and 30, at twelve, at the Birmingham District Court. Valpy, official assignee, Birmingham; Harding, Birm ingha m. Philip James Luntley, druggist, Bread-street-hill, City, Jan. 9, at half-past one, and Feb. 5, at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Whitmore, official assignee, Basinghall street ; Sadgrove, Mark-lane. Henry n Wilkinson, cabinet maker, Watford, Jan. 7, at half past twelve, and Feb. 3, at twelve, at the Court of Bank ruptcy. Bell, official assignee, Coleman-street-buildings; Strutt, Buckingham-street, Strand. William Alfred Elston, Bugbrook, Northamptonshire, sm., geon, Jan. 13, at one, and Feb. 9, at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Groom, official assignee, Abchurch-lane, Lom bard-street; Freeman, Bedford-row; Freeman and Hicks, Northampton. John Card, builder, Dilton, Wiltshire, Jan. 18, at half past twelve, and Feb. 11, at half-past one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Bell, Coleman-street-buildings, official assignee ; Fennell, Child, and Kelly, Bedford-row; Miller, Frome. William Law Wood, ironmonger, Gracechurch-street. Jan. 5, and Feb. 5, at eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy, Belcher. official assignee; Henderson, Mansell-street, Good man's-fields. Alfr6d Fielder, brewer, Southampton, Jan. 5, at one, and Feb. 5, at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Pennell, official assignee; Dyer and Co., Ely-place, Holborn. Owen Roberts, farmer, Tym y Coed, Carnarvonshire, Jan. 8. and Feb. 9, at eleven, at the Liverpool District , Court. Morgan, official assignee, Liverpool; Edwards and Peake, New Palace-yard, London ; Williams and Edwards, Plas Pigot, Denbighshire ; Dodge, Liverpool. Robert Elliot, agricultural implement maker, Liverpool, Jan. 12 and 29, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court. Bird, official assignee, Liverpool;. Holme and Co., New Inn, London ; Booker, Liverpool. . _ William Oswin, boot and shoe maker, Liverpool, Jan. 12 and 29, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court. Morgan, official assignee, Liverpool ; Vintents, Temple, London ; Deane, Liverpool. William Junes and George Clay, boiler-makers, Liverpool, Jan. 8, and Feb. 9, at twelve, at the Liverpool District Court. Cazenove, official assignee, Liverpool; Smith and Ce., Bedford-row, London; Greatley, Liverpool. Daniel Harford, licensed victualler, Birmingham, Jan. 20 and Feb. 3, at twelve, at the Birmingham District Court. Vaipy, official assignee, Birmingham ; Smith, Birmingham ; Weeks, Cook's-court, Lincoln's Inn. ELECTION OF BENCIIERS AT THE INNER TEMPLE.— It is understood that the adjourned hearing of the case relative to this matter took place on the 30th November and 2d of December last. Eleven judges were present. Sir T. Wilde had formerly been heard for the appellant, Mr. Haward ; Mr. Sergeant Talfourd and Mr. Merrivale appeared for him on these two occasions. The case of the Benchers was conducted by Sir F. Thesiger. The arguments were confined to the jurisdiction and validity of the mode of election by a ballot, in which a single blackball might exclude. The judges took time to deli berate, and have since delivered their unanimous deci- sion to the effect that an unlimited discretion is vested in the Benchers as to the choice of new members, but that the mode of election is unreasonable, and the judges recommend the adoption of a more satisfactory mods in future. ESCAPE OF A PRISONER:FROM WAKEFIELD GAOL, AND RECAPTURE.—On Saturday evening a young man named Joseph Ibbotson made his escape from the Wake field House of Correction, to which he had been com mitted for two years, at the last York assizes, on a charge of passing base coin. He had broken through the roof of a privy, and, after climbing over several walls, precipitated himself from a height of about six yards to the ground. His escape, it is said, must have been attended with imminent danger. His flight having been discovered, information was sent to the neighbour ing towns; and on Monday evening, about half an hour after receiving notice of the occurrence in Manchester, the prisoner was in the custody of Mr. Superintendent Taylor, by whom he was given up to the Governor of the Wakefield prison. He had been twice convicted at the borough sessions in Manchester, being on one occa sion sentenced to three months' imprisonment in the New Bailey, and afterwards confined for twelve months in Lancaster Castle.—Manchester Guardian. A German journal relates the following :—A short time ago M. Fraxiexoni, the professor of Italian at the University of Prague, announced that in future during his lectures all the Jewish students would be expected to occupy the seat behind the Christian students, of whatever country. Some of the young Jews resisted this order, and took their seats promiscuously. The professor remonstrated, and most of the Christian stu dents took part with him. The Jews laid a complaint before the director of studies, M. Zeitler, a prelate, who summoned a council of the professors, at which M. Fraxiexoni demanded the expulsion of six of the Jews who had been most active in their resistance to his order. M. Zeitler, however, reprobated him severely for his intolerance, and informed him that the council would not admit of such distinctions. The Dean of the Univer sity, who is also a prelate, said he coincided with M. Zeitler, and M. Fraxiexoni was compelled, on pain of dismissal, to retract the order that he had given. YARMOUTH FISHERIES.-Our boats have most of them made up, and have realised a larger catch than for many years past, the boats averaging, according to the information received from an old fish merchant in the town, from 33 to 40 lasts a boat. As far as can be as certained the prices average about 15L a last, although a few of the finest of the fish realised as much as 404 a last. A large portion of the catch having been taken during the last few weeks, it is feared that a market will hardly be found for all of them, especially as the French have been prevented purchasing, while the stock of billet or cord wood is nearly exhausted, and the suspension of the river traffic will render it difficult to obtain a fresh supply for curing the latest caught fish.— Cambridge Adv rtiser. MESSRS. ROWNEY, DILLON, AND ROWNEY'S MO DERN IMPROVEMENTS INT PENCILS.—We lately received some backlead drawing pencils from Messrs. Rowney, Dillon, and Rowney, of Rathbune-place, of a very novel character, being neatly and elegantly finished, and which, on trial, proved vastly superior to those of the old kind, notwithstanding their extremely low price. The lead is so beautifully tempered as to retain a fine point for a length of time, and is also iree from grit or danger of breaking, the common faults of pencils of the present. day, while the process of finishing, which polishes the cedar and:tamps the makeis's name and the degree of the pencil in gold, is most ingeni.ais, and reflects great credit on the taste of the manufac turers. We took particular p. ins in trying these pencils in every possible way, aad they are such as completely to justify us in according them the very highest praise. From an inspection of Eoale very beautiful drewings done with them, their full superiority is made manifest. An evenness of tone, and their freedom in handling, combined with the intense depth of the softer degrees, point out their value over the Cumberland lead pencils. The material from which black lead pencils are manufactured is found in various countries, as North America, Bohemia, the East Indies, France, Spain, Guernsey, England, Ireland, and Scot land. And yet it is a curious fact that the had of each country differs most materially from that of others, either in the form of crystallization or in the substances found in combination with it. The Borrow dale mine, in Cumberland, has long been held in the highest esteem, from the purity of the lead found in it; and some idea may be formed of its value from the fact of the manor of Borrowdale being, at the dissolu tion of the monastery, let by James for the yearly rental of fifteen shillings and four pence, while, in 1804, the stock of blank lead then on hand was valued at 54,0001., and the value of the annual consumption stated to be 3,5001. This amount which afterwards greatly increased has latterly proved too heavy a demand for the productive powers of the mine ; and the immense falling off in the quality of. the produce has led many of the pencil manufacturers to try various compositions as substitutes. Among other inventions, a Mr. Brockeden, an artist of very consider able scientific acquirements, patented a method of com pressing lead-dust into a solid form, but this, however in genious in theory, has not answered in practice as we found the pencils made from this lead to be exceedingly rotten, and it is now scarcely made use of by any of the pencil manufacturers. The failures of other sources in duced Messrs. Rowney, Dillon, and Rowney to investi gate this subject more fully, and, with the aid of Mr. Thomas Rowney, of the Royal College of Chemistry, have succeeded in producing an article of great import ance to the Fine Arts as well as of general utility to the public. r MARKET NEWS.—(THIS DAY.) This being a holiday, no business was transacted' t Mark-lane. SINIXTUrZELD. This being Christmas-clay, the supply of Bemis on sale was very limited, and of middling quality. On the whole the Bref trade was firm, and Monday's quotations were resdily supported in every instance. The numbers of Sht ep were unusually small, while the Mutton trade was steady, at full prices. There were only three Calves on offer, and which were taken at late rates. In Pigs scarcely a transaction took place. From abroad we received 70 Oxen and Cows, the whole :of which found buyers. Milch Cows were heavy, at from 161 to 181 each, including their small Calf. Per albs. to sink the offal. s. d. S. d Inferior Beast*, -... 3 4 3 Second quality ditto. 3 8 3 10 Prime large Oxen.. 4 0 4 2 Prime Scots ...... 4 2 4 4 Large coarse Calves 3 8 4 2 Prime small ditto .. 4 4 4 8 Suckling Calves ..20 0 29 0 Inferior Sheep .. . 3 10 4 0 I. d, to s. d. Second quality ditto 4 2 4 4 Coarse-woolledditto 4 6 4 s Southdown Wethe. 410 5 2 Ditto out of the wool Large Hogs •• •• •. 3 8 4 4 Small Porkers •.. 4 6 4 8 Quarter old Pigs ..16 0 19 0 Lambe •• •• •• •• •• 0 • 0 0 Beasts. 356 , SUPPLY AT I Sheep. _ _ 320 MARKET. Calves. I Pigs. 3 1_ SO ATERird.A.T33 AND LEADEN HALL. A steady business was doing Isere, at full prices. At per stone, by the Carcase. s. d. to s. d. S. d. to 1. d. Beef, inferior.... •• 3 C 3 2 Mutton, inferior .. 3 6 3 8 - middling .... 3 2 3 4 -- middling.. 310 4 2 . _ mime re .. 3 4 prime ..-.. 4 4 4 8 Prime small 3 6 3 8 ; Pork, 1arge........ 3 6 4 2 Veal— ••••••• • • • • • 3 8 4 8 small •... 4 4 4 Lamb. Os Od to Os Od. BOROUGH HOl O M.A.B.IMET. During the present week a moderate business has been transacted in the finest colory parcels of Hops, both in pockets and bags, at full prices. In all other kinds so little is doing that prices are almost nominal. Sussex pockets, Si 14s to 418 s ; Weald of Kent, ditto, 4/ to 41 8s ; Mid and East Kent, ditto, 416 s to 6165. HINTS on the DAGUERREOTYPE. As a great deal of the effect - of these portraits, as pictures, results from the manner in which people go dressed for a sitting, we wish to give our readers a ruts or two, which they would do well to bear in mind.-- Avoid pure white as much as possible. Some ladies dress themselves out in snowy berthas and spotless wristbands; but many a good picture is spoiled by the spottiness occasioned by the powerful action of this colour upon the plate. Violets have also the same effect upon it. A lady takes her sitting in a purple dress, and is astonished to find herself in a white book muslin in her portrait; this particular colour acting more intensely than the pure light upon the prepared silver. The very best kind of dress to wear on such occasions is a satin or a shot silk, or any material, in fact, upon which there is a play of light and shade. Plaids always look well; and an old tartan shawl thrown across the shoulders, and well composed as to folds, would form an admirable drapery: but this is an artistic liberty which ladies are very loth to submit to. At most of the Daguerreotype establishments, articles of apparel, suitable as regards form and colour, were at first provided ; but n o b o d y used them. "We wish to be taken as we are," was the invariable remark ; and so they were stereotyped to their heart's content in a heap of finery put on merely for effect. We wish ladies would be a little less prim on such occasions. It is quite melancholy to see the care they take to brush the hair, and apply that abomination, fixiture, to make it "look nice ;" whereas, if a good breeze had broken it up into a hundred waves, the effect in the Daguerreotype would have been infinitely more beautiful. And let them by all means abjure the system of making up a face for the occasion. The effect is painfully transparent. The mouth, so expressive in all faces, in these portraits is nearly always alike ; and for the simple reason, that we put its muscles into attitudes which are not at all natural to it—we substitute a volun tary for an involuntary action ; and, of course, stiffness is the result. If the ladies, however, must study for a bit of effect, we will give them a recipe for a pretty ex pression of mouth—let them place it as if they were going to say prunes.—People's Journal. The Poor-law Commissioners have appointed Anewrin Owen, Esq., of Egryn, Denbighshire, one of the Assistant Tithe Commissioners, to be an Assistant Poor-law Commissioner, in the place of the late Colonel Wade. CHRISTMAS CARGOES.—Thursday the Eastern Counties Railway presented an unusual scene in conse quence of the arrival of extensive trains, carrying pas sengers, lugeage, and baskets, hampers, &c., containing a most extraordinary supply of poultry for the London market. By the morning mail train upwards of 2,000 packages were brought to the horeditch station. An afternoon train, which consisted of nearly thirty car riages, carrying between 300 and 400 passengers, arr i ve d considerably after its appointed time. As it was expected that a large supply of packages with poultry, &c., would arrive during the Christmas week, the di rectors caused the area immediately in front of the house at the terminus. Shoreditch, to be covered in with a tarpaulins for the warehousing of the goods, and some of their clerks were stationed there to give to the owners their several packages. CHELTENHAM AND OXFORD RAILWAY.--The com pletion of this undertaking promises many indirect bene fits, beyond the direct and substantial one of furnishing the shortest line to Oxford and London. The building now occupied as the General Hospital and Dispensary will be required for the purposes of the works, and the town—by an advantageous arrangement with the eem pany—will secure what has long been considered a desi deratum—an extended building on an improved site. The officials of the company attended the quarterly beard at the hospital on Monday last, and proposed to purchase the hospital at cost price—to pay in advance expense of plans and specifications for a new erection, and also the full purchase-money one month after the passing of their Bill, the hospital to be carried on in the present building, for one year after that period. The proposal was unanimously accepted by the governors of the charity, and ,the time is not far distant when a new hospital and dispensary—ornamental to the town, and in every way adapted for the benevolent purpose for which it was established—may be expected to rise on the Sandford-field, a site most eligible, and the land for which was secured some 'years since. We find, also, by reference to the deposited plans, that the Grammar School will be required, and _that, consequently, an other school-house will have to be erected at the expense of the company. This will afford au excellent oppor tunity of increasing the extent of the building, and also of extending the usefulness of the school.--Cheltenham Chronicle. USEFUL TO CORN DEALERS.—The following com munication as to the means of'converting the continental prices of corn into English computation is from Mr. Tate, a well-known authority in matters of commercial calculation:—" The anxious attention which is now directed to the prices of corn on the Continent giving rise to frequent quotations of trade prices in France, I beg to inform those of your readers who may rot be ac quainted with the manner of converting such prices into those of this country, that, assuming the par of ex• change to be 2.5 i francs per pound sterling, if 228 shillings be multiplied by the number of francs in the price per hectolitre, and the !product be divided by 100, or the two lower figures be cut off, the result will be the cumber of shillings per imperial quarter. Thus a recent quotation for the price of wheat being 25 francs per hectolitre, 2285. multiplied by 25 equals 5,70 0 , giving 575. for the equivalent price per imperial quarter. It may be serviceable further to mention that a variation of one franc per hectolitre is about equal to that of 2s. 3d. per imperial quarter. REVOLTING CASE OF MANSLAUGHTER.-HARIVICE4 ' TUESDAY.—An inquiry into one of the most disgusting cases of neglect on the part of a husband probably ever heard of in this part of the country, was, after many ad jeurnments brought to a close yesterday. It was held before Mr. Henshall, the coroner, at the Moorgate t pu he b o wife o u r s i a e f a n r this r to l n , g o ni in the h body ae lonely o h f ou A s l e i ce familiarly Heaton, known as the "Eighteen Acre Farm." On the body being viewed, the jury discover, d that the left cheek of the poor w man had been gnawed away by rats or cats. The bed in which it laid was in a horribly filthy condi tion. The lower parts of the body were frightfully mutilated, an i the flesh had evidently' been eaten away. There were holes in the thighs and back to the bone, ar d in breadth the siz, of the hand. The jury were informed that the husband had slept in bed with the corpse ior one or two nights, and that he had fre quently heard the attacks of the vermin on the body. Fr. ,m the evidence of numerous witnesses examined, it appeared that the unfortunate woman having had a para lytic stroke, she was confined to her bed in a helpless coildbion for two yi ars and a half. The husband was st , ..ted to be in gotd circumstances, possessing property to tine extent of upwards of 3,000/. Ile was described as berhg so p. liw,tais as to refuse to provide a person to wait upon her, or even to obtain what was absolutely nec , ssary for her comfort. Se“..ral witnesses deposed to the most inhuman neglect on the part of the husband. Th e medical tes timony proved that her death was caused by the gross neglect of those who had charge of her, and the jury found a verdict of manslaughter against the husband, Heaton, who was committed for trial at the ensuing assizes, on the coroner's warrant. A RIGHTEOUS DECISION.—Some time ago, a poor fugitive escaped from Maryland, and, hotly followed by the pursuer, on his way to safety beneath the broad flag of Old England, in Canada, was overtaken and seized in Vermont. The abolitionists instantly got out a habeas corpus, and carried all parties before court, to see what warrant they had to arrest any man in Vermont who had committed no crime. Three judges were on the bench, two of them young and energetic, one aged and feeble, who came to his seat by the habit of years, but seldom spoke, his eyes being dim and his strength abated. The counsel spoke—the defence wished to know why the man was held in custody. The lawyer for the slaveholder rose to reply, and said he should move the offender was guilty of a breach of the laws of Maryland state ; he was a slave, and had stolen himself. The other lawyer then said he should require proof that he was a slave. The slaveowner then stood up, and held forth a document ; " This," he said, " is a bill of sale, made in my favour, for this man, signed by his original owner." Then the old judge rose to his feet, and with a voice of thunder, strangely loud for one so old, de manded, " Who signed it, sir ?" " John Williams," replied the astonished owner. " Take it away I take it away . !" said the old man, raising his hands to heaven, " It is not valid, sir ; it is falsely signed, sir ; it is a blasphemous forgery ; none can sign that bill of sale but God Almighty." The court was electrified ; the slaveholder slunk out, and Vermont, awakened like a sleecer, gave twenty thousand abolition votes at the next election.—Eatract of a letter from Troy, State of Acu, York, Oct., 1546. STRANGE ITEMS. --It is estimated that the annual amount expended in New York city for cigars, is not less than 730,000 dollars. The annual cost of feeding I the dogs in the United States is said to be seven mil -1 lions of dollars! It is said that 17,000 sacks of saw dust are annually consumed in London for, stuffing dolls alone.