The Sun. — London, England, 1846-12-23 00:00:00

WEST CORNWALL RAILWAY. first ordinary general meeting of the proprietors °I the West Cornwall Railway was held yesterday afttr lbi;d4s Mr. Louis the OM es of the Company, in Broad-street ; Vigurs, chairman of the board of threetors, in the chair. The meeting was made special for the purpose of au thorising the directors to apply to Parliament for Power s to make a branch to St. Ives. Th 9 CHAIRMAN stated that originally it was int- iicled PY to ext en d t h e H a yl e R a ilw a y a t either en;i, !,tit the refused to grant powers for that purpose, and ule Present company was organised by the parties aho P r omoted that scheme. The line Parliament had granted o co them was opposed by the Central Devon and b Lnwall Railway Company, which would have com fol'va, with them to a certain extent. That scheme led to pass the Standing Orders' Committee, but still olle Promoters opposed them through every . stage. The t i PPosition proved nugatory, and the project had been plaided over to the South-Western Company, who pro - o . °se d to revive it again next session, abandoning that therefore Which would have competed with them, and they t ryore did not intend to oppose it. Sufficient time had t"' Yet elapsed to admit of the accounts being made up, uat at the next half-yearly meeting a full statement of re- Pts and disbursements would be laid before the share- He did not anticipate that such statement I . l 'd show an y extens i ve b a l an ce of the deposits in 1;1 d, bat i t was grat if y i ng to k no w that they had ob Old a li ne f or a ll th e i r trouble and expense which gelded them a return of 10 per cent. upon the outlay. e first contract wou ld b e rea d y t o b e l e t in about a s , ll th, when a ca ll wo u ld be made. to otte report recommended the formation of the branch Iv., and the improvement of the port of Hayle, stated that interest at the rate of 41. per cent. would Itid in calls, and 5/. upon calls paid in anticipation. e CHAIRMA N stated that the total amount of de - Was t tgWas 32,7001., of which 28,000/. had already been bi i i;„ away. Their liabilities would swallow up t he 14 - ",ne• Four thousand shares had been allotted to the Railway Company, upon which nothing had been l t d' and th ere rema i ne d 5,000 shares still to be allotted. or Oficial overtures had yet been made either for leasing u rchasing the line by any company. 41 :le rep ort was t h en a d o pted, and the routine of basi % Of a first ordinary meeting gone through. The % aneration of the directors was fixed at 1,000/. a year; of the auditors at 21/ ; and the secretary's salary fixed , T c at 400 Z per annum. " special resolutions referred to in the report were put from the chair and carried unanimously. c ool nwers were taken to oppose the South-Western x o Pally should th er e be any necessity for it. T h a nswer to a question, haa t u a e CHAIRMAN stated that the 4,000 shares were f °116, - ._ ° 'er to the llayle Railway as a consideration com p ; ;sale of their line. The line was delivered up to this Prop r i, on the 13th of November last, and the Hay le Th a - „1 41 7 would be entitled to interest from that date. keeti -4 ? were then voted to the chairman, and the n g broke up. ho, S TUN STAMFORD, AND BIR -GFIAM (STAMFORD TO WISBEACH) RAI LWAY. N t h ° first general meeting of the proprietors of this terdP l aY, under their Act of incorporation, was held yes. tkpat thei r offices, 18, Abingdon-street; Thomas Ma - T a YI sq., in the chair. he usual f orma li t i es h av i ng b een gone th ro ugh, the tbe r etz trY (Mr. Seward) read the report. It stated that *it e c ,, u .erne originally proposed was 90 miles in le . ngth_, tips „ 5 114 , 1 ,ng from Leicester to Wisbeach, with a capital of ha tc rithon in 50,000 shares. The scheme had no sooner t o 4 its appearance than three existing companies en tealai t he arena, to occupy the district with railway comh kidj„eation--namely, the, London and Birmingham, t Counties, and the Syston and Peterborough. ev e s s tate of things, holding out ruinous and expen I nerkp e t "test, co m bi ne d w ith the state of the money 11 P 7 1 , last year, determined the directors to give d,t°Per ~""'e opposed portion, and restrict their ~onsto that which was unopposed. The ford t 0 o rs only soug h t t h e presen t li ne f ro m Stare obtai Wisbea c h, 22 miles in length, which they had 12 ,6p 0 m• This reduced the capital to 22 5 , 0001 ., or thr ee „Shares of 201. each. It was proposed to condense 41 44 ° , 4 t ) the old shares into one of the new, which would Paid b e 6 s. paid on each. The next call proposed ,Paid " 0 1/. 145., which would make 51. in all 4 "e t u „P on each of the new shares. The h ad b e ts had great pleasure in stating that an offer Lo ads tip made by the great Northern Company (late e , tira l ; rl and York) t o u nite with the present one. The iut r oPosed were—the present company to make the 2 25 ' ° ° "' L ch the dir ec tors stated could easily be done for ° I ttao u ,o • the G reat Northern guaranteeing on that 11 48:'," capital six per cent., commencing in July, Nit. ;nether th e li ne w as completed by that time or Wl th: t r°,nl the time that the agreement was ratified up .o I tere ti me the shareholders of the present company ! - '%Ye five per cent. on their paid up calls. It kti f - u rther o b served, that the G reat Northern might at 1 1 4 T al e purcha se th e St a mford and Wisbeach line at 50 s har e-nt Premium on the capital of 225,0001., and the tio,eholders of the latter scheme would have the op. 4 ; after the opening of the Great Northern line, to to k „ an ge their shares at par for shares in the larger Pri et ,'" an Y• The expenses arising from the enormous a t i s -4 of last year had been very heavy, but this had for 6 : 1 i n a great measure from going to Parliament b e i - 4 l'e large scheme, the preliminary expenses for that atog very great. Th e w h o l e ex p e nditure was 5 4. ,_, Bl . Bs. ld., l eav i ng a b a l ance i n h an d o f 6,4181 ex t ;". Notices t o P ar li amen t h a d b een g i ven f or t h ree Th e CHAIRMAN branch es . le CHAIRMAN then ag e dressedimee o t n inl h also i m m e_ p e r, congratulating,v n t shareholders thve s cl posittlono.rdeNr,he they met last May, pursuant to the shares were at a discount, but 4 0 ; n e l s e sto w na ere, he was glad to say, at a premium. The t he Great im y ortant feature in the report was the proposal of p Northern Company, which the directors ad .td the adoption of, as presenting most favourable 8 . They would not, however, be called on to de m, the question at once, as another meeting would be i e to be ca ll e d i n th e l a tter end of January , o r the f:r - j,, llli tti t'ag of February, at which the terms would be retev Y s ubmitted. He proposed that t he re p ort be propriet a4°Pted, printed, and circulated a mon g the ans rs • n wer to severa l ques tions, tithe No Alll3ikri said that the capital would more tha n prat Nline, though, should it not be sufficient, the p er kern would have to complete it ; that the t 6. ere the would be guaranteed on the 225,0001., wha r the line might [cost; that the expenses, though vreP.arently large in relation to the length of the line, it 't as small as any other scheme of last year. It was ~h.eXpected the calls would come very heavy. he motion was unanimously agreed to. u p on the mot i on of Mr. BADGER, seconded by Mr. t ' l , lo 4TKINS, a_resolution was next carried in approva l o f terms onered by the Great Northern Company. Resolutions were likewise unanimously carried, ap khiting twelve directors, eight being members of the th e e eat Northern board, and four belonging to that of duripresent company, with 1,000/. for their expenses g the current year ; also, appointing Mr. Pearson - Imaging director, and Mr. Seward, secretary, at 1501. Per annum. of meeting, having passed with acclamation a vote ra thankups to the chairman and board of di rectors, then k e C. pr,;()), I PARATivE VALUE Of TEA.—At a time lik e th e 41.0-,s.etit, when meetings are being held in rapid aucces th: In the c hi e f seats o f manu f actur i ng i n d ustry, and it,,,," g e neral public are actively astir, to procure an tj a e n,dtnent, if not a n entire remission, of the duties on re n -i ms ' t is curious to contrast the present price of that dr,Thcontemned article Bohea, now declared to be a tO in the market at even 2d. or 4d. per pound, with h _s: it bore exactly 138 years since, when it appears . to 4 e be,. eoe s -n the chief, if not sole quality, then in extensive ilow uca Ptinn, to the exclusion ofgunpowder, hyson, and re ap , e rY pekoe, in name, if not in reality. In the " Post pnhurand Historical Account," &c., of March 19, 1709, tril l t l4h , e d " for ye author by David Leach, in Elliott's nee kip 3'e Little Old Bailey," is an advertisement of ellt,;`,leitard Fary, druggist, at the Bell, in Grace and e ' street, offering good coffee at 6s. Bd. per lb., 40 11 B°a nd Bohee at 163. 4d. per lb., " except the IviliZ tea, by the ship Loyal Bliss, now on her passage, t hat •„' ° , ll e is equal to," and is declared to" exceed most !Intin l ,lnid at 205." This is succeeded by a second a - Le It;ituent from some renowned dealer " at the Star, the fi n t°l4 -court, near the Covent-garden," offering d 11 E01 1 °4 Bohees in the kingdom at 149., 16s. 8 ~ 20, and for milk" at 16s , and the " finest Bohee" at h eavier whleil prices, too,. must have been somewhat article when themoney and l a the last i. that time comparative value of . and now is taken into consideration. needs .4t,„Pt'sons advertisement also " Brazil snuff, that co ott r e idered -mrneo dation," 's offered at what is evidently the low prieel o f 545. per pound, or 4s. per , t ,_ e, the h ' 440 % 0 na n s ty " , 4 , ll Pellat' l n; a - n es c i t . P°r tugal' at 10s. Sd., and Barcelona, Wondrous sundry other, with almost antediluvian *Lien, 1) at p r oportionate moderate charges ; but ta nder ()tont rded to v.° and alarming vs this may sound . to ar e _,.., 4 0 inveterate snuff-taksrs, some crumbs of comfort careful housewife by the benevolent 'lern s O kt f Williani Tazvvell, livin "at the further end of the b -era- sile3', in the Grace g church-street," to supply the best English barrel soap, " superior to crown, and sergeeneepest ever made for cleaning linen, shaloons, i Per It!' and worsteds," in 321 b. half-firkins for es. or 24( k lmen ii not much more than a third of the price theap he 3 ' . s anie description of useful article now fetches. d all ~extensive diff , :rence in the consumption of each and en,s'le articles, however, must be likewise taken into estierati throeCrum ri, on . - -1 - 13 w APPLIED TO BLASTING.—On Tuesday, kill gli , the kindness of Mr. M'Callutn, of the Lady Of ‘ - tuarry, a gentleman who has been a manufacturer Ye a g r u rPowder in the west of Scotland for the last twenty tea r „ - p a nd who has of late turned his attention to the ptt,"`acture of gun tow and gun sawdust for blasting the ll°B " , Proceeded to blast some whinson rocks o Ilenlallost solid description, in the presence t ot e Professor dee! Y an d ° number of other scientific gentlemen,. . N t a ' a r t e i,, d all the exeriments quite exceeded their ex sewn - us ; and then ocks, instead of presenting rugged I . lpli t 7eas in blasting with gunpowder, produced a el. an 1/1 f o r t .cell saved a great deal of time to the workmen . ortAther e t , ng the stones of a proper shape for caus . ewaying Purpo,es. e rst . . Th ti • experiment was in a bore w as thr ee feet in length and 2A- inches In diameter, which u ,,,, c 7 e h trged with nine ounces of gun tow (31b. of gun.- „ . r would be requisite to fill the bore necessary to roe ' l 3 ? t . lie eff: ets w, re splendid, bringing down all the s , cl ' . adjacent, to the extent of about 10 tons. The and " 2 1 7Perim , nt w as w ith a bore o f 3 beet 4 inches, and cot ularnetcr, and wa s c h arge d w i t h 11 ounces of tow t h e .ton mixed (41b. of gunpowder would be requred); i n titi."ereets were fuPy more appirent of its strength than we ,..e pre v i ous case, bringing down about 13 or 15 tons 'hilt. --Glasgow Argus. THE SUN. LON 00N. WEDNESDAY MORN 1N(;, DECI4:MBE ft 23, 146 LABLACHE AT HOME There is a house in Paris, No. 14, Rue Ta trout, at which, if you pay a visit between the Lours of half-past, five and six, the door is opened ainv,,t lief'Gre y o u h rung the bell, and a smiling, polite, Italian servantdi. burthens you of your hat, your cloak, and your cane, with a ready attentian, which plainly shows that your visit will be a most welcome one. You traverse and ante-chamber, a drawini.:-room, sumptuously furnishe , -, and then find your..elf in a second room. where the family and a ew friend- are waiting the announcement of dinner. A magnificent Paul Veronese, lighted by a lamp similar to those with which the Paris jewellei-s illume their glittering &splays, adorns the walls at the end of the ro.)m. Opposite this picture, between the windows, stands the famous cupboard, which contains 200,000 francs worth of snuff-boxes, of every shape, of every country, of every epoch, in golf, in shell, in porce lain, in agate, in rare woods, embellished with eiamonds, rubies, emeralds, prtraits, landscapes, and groups. Each sovereign, each minister of state, or celebrated personage, has contributed his box to this gigantic col lection. Ever ..ince he came into the world, Lablache has received no present, no souvenir, no new year's gift, under any other form but that of a snuff-box. And yet; in all this collection, the handsomest and the most curi ous are those that have been bought by the great Nea politan himself at private sales, at which he is the most constant frequenter, and the most formidable bidder. His eldest daughter, who is very handsome and witty, was first married to Bouchot, one of the best French painters, and after his death she became the wife of Thalberg, the first pianist in Europe. She performs the honours of the house, whilst her husband, standing in a corner, torments his victims with his last calembourg. Henri, Mulas, Dominique, Mdlles. Nanina and Mimi, and, when he is able to leave London, Frederic with his wife and children, complete this hand some and numerous family. Cottereau, a charming painter, and the greatest inventor of paradoxes in the world; the poet, Giannone; Accursi, the most intimate friend of poor Donizetti; Garofolini, an amiable and dis tinguished professor; Doctor Marcrecelli, the brother of the unfortunate companion of Pellico, and two or three others—such are the ordinary guests of the illustrious basso. They talk, they laugh, and discuss every imagi nary subject, except music. From a fastidious feeling of delicacy the words, music, singing, theatre, are excluded from their vocabulary by the master of the house and his family. As to Madame Lablache, she is everywhere and nowhere. Active, indefatigable, she sees that the dinners and other substantial repasts are properly served, she receives the bulletins from the theatre, she gives a shake of the hand to the guests, orders to the servants, and advice to the cook. Half Lablache's successes must be attributed to this excellent persom. Give to Bartholo, to Geronimo, to Leporello, an ill-tempered and cross grained wife, and Rusini, Cimiarcsa, and Mozart would still wait for an interpreter for their exquisite music. The husband of Xantippe would have made but a sorry singer. But six o'clock has struck, and the Amphitryon alone is missing. All at once the well-known sonorous thun dering voice is heard on the stairs. He has but said " Merci," to the porter who gave him his journals and letters, but the cannon at the Invalides does not produce a greater explosion. Lablache is received with noisy and sincere acclamations of pleasure. He enters, with out seeing or hearing anything, with his hat on, and smiling countenance. He is lost in ecstasy. The pockets of his paletot are so inflated that he looks three times his natural size. Each time his hand dives into these depths he draws forth a statuette, a cup, a Chinese ornament, a medal, a shell, or some rare or curious article, that he has just bought at the Hotel Bullion, or in the Rue des Flaneurs. Dinner is then announced, and lablache tears himself from the contemplation of his acquisitions, for the maca roni will not wait. It is at Lablache's house only that genuine mccarOni is to be met with. Everywhere else it is spurious. There it may be had at any hour of the day. From morning till night there is an unceasing consumption of macaroni, and often has the unfortunate cook, who, like the ancient vestal, never extinguishes his fires, to melt, butter and scrape Parmesan at four o'clock in the morning after the return from a ball. Nothing can be more cheerful, more animated, than a dinner at Lablache's table. This cosmopolite artist, who has seen so many countries, known so many illustrious personages, who speaks or understands so many lan guages, relates, when thus amongst intimate friends, such a number of amusing anecdotes and singular his tories, as would make the fortune of twenty newspaper editors. From the time, when extended on his back, he made the Marionettes of Saint Carmo perform their va- rious antics, until the present, when Sovereigns and Em perors tap him familiarly on the shoulder, what a host of events and reminiscences has he stored up! One can never weary of listening to him. During dessert a few more uabitues drop in, and then the conversation becomes noisy and confused beyond _ _ measure. At times the stentorian voice of Lablacile is heard thundering above the din. At last, during a mo ment's pause, Cottereau takes the opportunity of ask ing Lablache what is the best remedy for a cold. "The be"st remedy for a cold," he replies, "is this.. --One day I was at Vienna, there was a concert at Court. At the moment when I approached the piano, I__was seized with such terrible ho - aiseness that not only I could not sing a note, but I could scarcely speak a word. The King of Naples, old Ferdinand, who had always ex pressed great affection for me, kindly approached, and, taking me aside, said, Will you cure yourself imme diately?' "`Please Heaven, Sire !' "4 I have an infallible remedy against colds.' " ' Save me, then, your Majesty.' Listen to me attentively.' " lam all attention.' " You will take a large black raddish—you know what a raddish is ?' "I know nothing better, Sire,' " You will have it cut into thin equal slices." " Very Good, Sire.' " You will take care afterwards to powder it well with sugar, and you will leave it during an hour or two, in order that that sort of white liquid which exists in ra dishes may be entirely ext rac t e d.' "`Certainly, Sire.' "' Then you will drink a spoonful on going to bed, and another when you wake to-morrow morning.' "' And then ? ' "And then, that is all ; it is an immediate and com plete cure.' " I very humbly thank your Majesty.' "'Have you well understood everything ?' " Perfectly, Sire.' " That will do and ou revoir.' Two days after I sang at the theatre the ' Marriage Secret.' I never felt in better voice, and was never re ceived with more indulgence by the audience, King Fer dinand being the foremost to applaud me. Between the acts his Majesty sent for me. Well, what did I tell you?' cried the King, in a triumphant tone ; Did you follow my prescription?' y e s, Sire, murmured I, blushing in spite of I never could tell a lie in my life. The truth is, myself,• that not having great confidence in hi% Majesty's specific, Ihad thought no more about it after leaving the palace. " Ah,' said the King, who apparently laid great store by i ! B sc u u r r , cure, Sire and u . s hear . how you set about it ?' I first sent for a radish.' " Well cut ry itg good.' o n d :slices.' Very " TI itEL'aTshaelnah.l, put pepper, salt , oil, and vinegar, and eat Farceur !' cried the Ki n g , g You m er it th a t I should not ivben3r.ostuintghisouptreltatuyglinugff,- box that I had intended for you: " Oh ! Sire.' " T ake it, you rogue; and try in future not to laugh at the doctors.' " After dinner, when he has no other engagement, Le blaehe's greatest enjoyment is his rubber of whist. If M Nr. Rothschild, Hopp, and Delmore, if the public—the richest and most egotistical of all these millionaires — could hear the heavy sigh he heaves when obliged to go out, they would not have the heart to draw him from family circle and his whist. Like all the great artists, at certain intervals Lablache is seized with the mania of solitude and retirement. He has built a magnificent villa on Mont Pausilipe, where, he says, he will finish his days in peace. This villa cc copies all his thoughts, and at last he obtained leave of absence for three months in order to go and visit his laurels and orange trees. He arrives there with immense delight. The first week he finds his Paradise rather monotonous; the second he ennuyes himself; the third, he discovers that he does so; and the fourth, he speaks of it to his wite. This Paris life, which does not render him happy, but which prevents any other from doing so, when seen from a distance, inspires him with involuntary regret. DR. WWILLIAM.—We are happy to state that Lord John Russell has given to this eminent officer the valuable appointment of medical attendant to the Board of Cthtbms, recently become vacant. This appointment was conferred in the most handsome manner, without any application on the part of Dr. 11• William, Lord John's secretary stating, in the letter which announced it, that the appointment was conferred on account of Dr. 111‘William's distinguished services in the River Niger, in the year 1841. pit at Oldbury. A STRANGE CASE OF MURDER.—In the Philadel phia Oyer and Terminer, Bridget Batmen was placed at the bar, charged with the murder of her infant daughter. She is a married woman, living separately from her hus band, and had two children, a boy of three years of age, and an infant of nine months old. She lived in Shana gunk aed was seen to leave the house with the infant in her arms. She passed down a lane, crossed several fields and continued until she got into a wood, in which was a secluded dell. No houses were near the spot. Five hills rear their heeds around the dell, forming a beautiful am phitheatre. A small stream of spring water ran through it which emptied itself into the Schuylkill. There was a cascade of several feet, which fell into a pool, over which a tree dropped its leaves. It was in this pool that the prisoner held the infant until it was quite drowned. She covered the body with a stone, returned to her home, where she found a shovel ; with her little boy she went b.sck to the place, and dug a hole, into which she placed the child, and arranged the earth and leaves over the little body in such a manner as to elude detection. She was seen with the shovel passing one of the houses, and told the woman of the house that she carried the child to the Almshouse, where it was adopted. Suspicion that :he had murdered it was excited, and she was arrested ; she confessed thu fact, and te. , k three respectable citi- Z 2133 to the spot whore the child was buried, and its body was recovered. When it was examined she wanted to carry it away in her apron. Although apparently insane, she was found guilty.—Aew York Sun. TO THE RIGHT HON. LORD JOHN RUSSELL, M.P. LETTER NO. 111. My Lord,—llaving satisfactorily disposed of Mr. Scrope's plan for the reclamation wssta lands in Ire land, by showing that its principle is f.aught with the very evil under which that country at present labours, and, even supposing his plan were not open to sneh in superable objection, that it could be impossible to bring it into practical working, I now propose to lay before your Lordship and the public the plan which I suggest should be adopted, with the mode in which it might be sattly, and, considering its importance, easily carried into execution, and which is, in fact, the very plan which I have successfully pursued here for the last ten years. I trust neither your, Lordship nor any person will fancy that I hold out the reclamation of waste lands as tbe only panacea for Irish grievances. No: I only believe it to be one of the most effectual. Equal laws—a strin gent poor-law enforcing the claims of industrious labour to support from the land—an extension of the fisheries, and a well-arranged plan of voluntary emigration Ere all excellent, perhaps necessary remedies, and should assuredly receive the best attention of the Government. Before stating my plan, I would observe that another . great advantage it - has over that of Mr. Scrope's is its comparative simplicity and cheapness. That gentle man's Bill proposed that there should be an entirely new hoard, with commissioners in chief, assistant-commis sioners, engineers, surveyors, clerks, collectors, re ceivers, and other necessary officers. But even this is not all. The commissioners were to have model farms, and appoint bailiffs ard superintendents thereof, and to establish schools, and to plant and cultivate any of the lands, and to execute such roads and drainings, and erect such houses, cottages, buildings, and fences as shall be deemed proper ard expedient lor the improvement of such land. No person in the slightest degree acquainted with the public or private character of Mr. Scrope could for a moment imagine that he wished to perpetrate a great job, entailing upon the country enormous ex penses, and those who have not the honour of knowing him, and who, from reading his life, might be led to form a different conclusion, would feel relieved by the 17th clause, which lirni! - s the expense to a sum not exceeding two millions; and for this amount the Honourable Gen• tleman seriously proposed not only to perform the above mentioned work, but also to purchase the fee-simple of the lands! Yet stern Cocker declares that 2,000,0001. of money divided among 3,000,000 of acres would give exactly 13s. 4d. per acre for these objects, a sum which would not enclose the land. My plan would only require the cost of commissioners in -chief, who, after personal inspection, would have to report upon the several memorials which were presented. These reports would be made to the present Board of Works, who would require what further information or explanation they might consider necessary. When they were satisfied, the memorial and reports would go before the Chief Secretary for his final decision. The com missioners would act perfectly independent of each other, and, as the comparative success or failure of each recla mation would in a great degree depend upon the cor rectness of their reports, Government would only ap point the most competent persons, whose several reports annually laid before Parliament would secure an honour able rivalry between them. _ _ The firsi step would be to lay down certain general rules, upon compliance with which Government assist ance would be given. The second, to divide the waste land in Ireland capable of being profitably reclaimed into two classes. Ist. Those belonging to proprietors who are willing to take the reclamation upon themselves if assisted by Government. 2d. Those which belong to proprietors who are un willing, or too incapacitated persons, who are incapable of undertaking the work, and these lands would have to be purchased by Government, under authority of au Act of Parliament, and resold or let to persons willing to embark in the reclamation. The most important engagements into which the proprietor wouli have to enter, as a condition of receiv ing Government assistance, would be— Ist. That the land should be mortgaged to Govern ment for repayment of the advances with fair interest ; such repayments to be made at stated periods. 2d. That the land should be divided into farms of such size, and let upon such terms, as would induce men of intelligence and capital to take leases, which ought not to be for a shot ter term than 30 years. Supposing the necessary Act of Parliament obtained, there would be two classes of memorials sent in—one from persons in the neighbourhood of waste lands, the owners of which were unwilling, or incapable, of enter ing into the undertaking; and these would simply state the fact, and pray that theland might be purchased for the purpose of reselling or letting—the other from pro prietors desirous of entering into the undertaking upon their own account ; and such memorial would set forth— Ist. The number of acres, and the value per acre, in its present state. 2d. The probable value per acre when reclaimed. 3d. The cost of reclamation per acre during the first course. 4th. The probable value of the crops per acre during the same pericd. sth. The amount of assistance required. Immediately upon receiving such memorial, Govern ment would send a commissioner to report thereon, and if such report were satisfactory on all points, assistance would be given, and the proprietor might immediately begin. My next and concluding letter will enter into a detail of the advantages which the country will receive from the adoption of this plan. I have the honour to remain, Your Lordship's most obedient servant, R. W. DEATH OF SIR GEORGE H. BARLOW, G.C.B.— We have to record the demise of Sir Geore Hilaro Bar low, Bart., who expired, after a lengthened illness, at his seat, near Fareham, Hants, on Friday last, at the advanced ay.e of 82 years. He was fourth son of Mr. William Bit'low, of Bath, and Miss Butcher, daughter of Mr. Robert Butcher, of Walthamstow. He was, at an early age, in the civil service of the East India Com pany, and in October, 1805, on the death of the Mar quis of Cornwallis, succeeded as Governor-General of India. After retaining that appointment till May, 1807, he was then selected to fill the office of Governor of the Fort St. George, at Madras. In 1803, previous to be coming Governor-General of India; he was created a Baronet, and eventually, for his public services, had the honour of the Civil Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath. He married, in April, 1769, Elizabeth, daughter of Mr. Burton Smith, county Wexford, by whom he had a family of fourteen children, but he was divorced from that lady in 1816. The deceased Baronet is succeeded by his third son, Robert, now Sir Robert Barlow, Bart. OrAHEITE.—Lord Palmerston has made the follow ing reply to the memorial from this city, respecting this unhappy island, which was transmitted to his Lord ship:— " Foreign Office, Dec. 5, 1846. " Sir,—l am directed by Viscount Palmerston to ac kno Alt•dge the receipt of your letter of the 27th ult., transmitting a memorial from the Bath Auxiliary to the London Missionary Society, requesting that measures may be adopted for ensuring the independence of the Society Islands, and for procuring permission from the French Government to allow those natives of Otaheite who may be disposed to withdraw from that island, and to seek an asylum elsewhere. And I am directed to ac quaint you, in reply, for the information of the memo rialists, that her Majesty's Government will pay due at tention to the subject of their memorial.—l am, Sir, your most obedient humble servant, " W. T. Blair, Pa,q." —Balk Journal. " E. J. STANLEY. METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENTS.—On Monday the second portion of the houses belongine• to the Mercers' Company's estate in Long- acre were sold for the building materials, all of them, including the extensive range of factories occupied by Messrs. Horne, the coach-makers, coming down for the proposed improvements at the north end of Bow-street and Long-ante, opening a direct line of communication between Waterloo bridge, the London and Birmingham Railway, and all the northern districts of the metropolis. The theaolition of the east sid e o f Upper St Martin's-lane, for the proposed new street, is proceeding rapidly. SUDDEN DEATH OF MR. HATCHER, THE HISTO RIAN OF SALISBURY.—It is with sincere regret that we a nnounce the death of our esteemed townsman, William B e ery Hatcher, Esq., author of the talented " History of Salisbury," which forms one of the most magnificent ' volumes of that fine series of topographical works, Sir Richard Colt Hoare's history of Wiltshire. Up to within a tow hours of e t iehvis bodilydeath mentalu rs u a de exertion icoun tornary routine of n Herald.ho i v s o u v a e I r , d h e cea was s e r f e o u v s d i bilbe his beds h riaturelaa• afternoon, Ir. G DEATH FROM THE LATE T N E Eje. I E : si T isI E AI N s F Ed se p COLD uotFy cLoAIrNFoEDn.e_rT LIFE.—On THE a a l O v n c n l . d o N A r n T i p o , e n o . d — F onuolE°T appearancescon 3gf,io whose death it was g aged 56 years, ham-road , m Middlesex, i.oad N h e e w l d r n o poinquestn, oant.tthhee body l p lo e e s f - eA t d a n v nh e r ea n du , ob F yee u ee l i - ; deceased was the widow 0, a soldier forward, that It a causedppe appeared thed fromw an want hoof evidencethe c common necessaries broiungthh that she usually who died about two years ago, and .n She had t e Life Guards, ob tained her living by washing and chart latterly had Is. 6d. per week from P sth instant, George's in the East. On Saturday, the No. 3, she rented the back kitchen of the house,_ to Yeoman's-row, Fulham-road, for which she agreed s e the g a . rish of St. pay Is. 3d. per week, and it was in this apartment h was found on Tuesday last, by her landlord, stretched upon two boards placed across a couple of chairs, without anything under her or ov er h er , an d in a state of com plete nudity. She appeared to be very cold and faint, and nearly insensible. There was a bit of fire in the grate, but not bigger than could be held in the hollow of his hand, and there was neither food nor a farthing of money in the room. As soon as her wretched condition was discovered, she was helped to a cup of tea and some bread o lying,lo a e cd, n eh d a ad butter,yion having, the htei but she s; fi seen boeu euo nrtp gradually osotshoneedh%f%,vaa ylael esednn food ( su , 07of fvd nk n deatrhy , a): boards. closed l e Na Vtiwsm woman, morning, cmTa t at n hhn d sce. ( ‘ l sl e s e In e wasf t i he lodging never and was not in the habit of speaking of her circum stances. She had often been asked To go into the work house, but she refused, saying, she would rather die in the streets. Mr. Madden, the relieving officer of the parish of Kensington, deposed that deceased had never asked for more than the is. 6d. she received. On a post mortem examination of her body there was not the slightest particle of food found in her stomach. The surgeon (Mr. Moulls, 45, Brompton-row) could not ac count for death from the appearance of the body ; but from the la;story of the case, which he had heard, he considered that death had been caused by exposure to cold during the intense frost of Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday last. The jury returned a verdict that the de ceased died from exposure to the intense cold and the want of the common necessaries of life. BANK OF AUSTRALASIA. On Monday the half-yearly meeting of this company -; was held at th e esta bli shment in Aust i n F r i ars , an d wits largely 8., t ended. Oliver ',.lrrer, Esq., presided. Mr. MILLI KEN , t h e srcrctary, read the advertisement calling the meeting. The CuAram AN : sa id they were aware this meeting was called in cons equence o f a resolution passed, and for en abling the directors to c ommu nicate anything of im portance to the shareholders as to the progress of the bank. In this case the directors had nothing particular to communi ca t e ; i t would therefore be h i s d uty t o give a general outline of their progress since June. At Sydney the aff a i rs on the whole were i n a satisfactory state, and any loss there would be on the old transactions. As to Launceston the directors were still in a state of anxiety, and were sorry to say that one considerable failure had taken place which might involve the bank in a loss they did not anticipate. At Melbourne the busi ness had considerably improv e d, and if the other branches had progressed i n t h e same ay, he should have had to congratulate th em on their prosperity. A t Adelaide there had also heft' a great improvement. The . branch at Hobart T own had dune more bus i ness th an in the year before, neither was there a fear of any increased loss in that quarter. He again repeated that the great source of anxi e ty f or the directors was the unfortunate state of things in Launceston, but he hoped that, by the attention of the directors, and a little more forbearance on the part of the shareholders, affairs would right them selves in that quarter, as well as elsewhere. There was one fact of importance he would mention in respect to the Bank of Australia, which was, that the papers sent for had no w arrived, and he hoped there was no obstacle to their proceeding rapidly with the appeal be fore the Privy Council, in which case he had no doubt of the judgment being favourable to the s hareholders. — (Hear, hear.) Should this be the case, and they only got over the affair of Launceston, there would be the commencement of the prosperity of this company. Mr. NEWSOM s a id a report was going about that their loss just mentioned was about 60,0001.—(No, no.) The CHAIRMA N rep li ed, that the debts of the firm were about 26,0001,, th e l oss upon w hi c h might be 10,0001. Mr. NEWSOM said he understood the Bank of Aus tralia had made an offer to compromise the claim of this establishment ; if so, would it not be better than going to law?—(Hear, hear, and " No no.") The CHAIRMAN observed that ' it would be very unwise to stop now they were on the very threshold of a favour able judgment.—(Hear, hear.) A SHAREHOLDER asked what guarantee they would obtain for any compromise with the Bank of Australia? He thought they should leave the matter to the discre tion of the directors. Mr. J. WILSON was for leaving things in the hands of the directors, in whom he had every confidence — (Hear, hear)—or he was willing to break up the corn pany.—(No, no.) After some observations from Mr. BRowNRIGG, Mr. NEwsom, and ether gentlemen, Mr. WooTToN moved a vote of thanks to the chairman and directors, which was seconded, and passed without opposition, when the meeting adjourned. DEATH OF THE LANDG RAVE Or HESSE .—The Frankfort Journa4 under the date of Carlsruhe, Dec. 10, announces the death of the Landgrave of Hesse that evening. He was born in 1779. He is succeeded by his younger brother, Gustavus Adolphus Frederick, born in 1781. CAUTION TO COUNTRY INNlEEEPERS.—innkeepers in the country will do well to be on their guard against the proceedings of a gang of fellows, members of the London swell mob, who are supposed to be travelling about the country committing plunder in all directions. Various cases have come to the knowledge of the police, and on Friday they succeeded in committing another robbery of the same character at Esher, and to a very considerable amount. Between four and five o'clock in the evening of that day four well-dressed men drove up with a horse and cart to the Three Mariners public house in that village, kept by Mr. Shorter, and called for some gin and water at the bar, and after a short time two of the fellows said they had some busin ‘ss to trans act in the neighbourhood, and wished the others to await their return, and then left the house. The two who remained contrived to divert the attention of the land lady while the other two were no doubt engaged in committing the robbery, and, having effected their objt ct, they rejoined their companions, and all four got into the cart and drove off towards town. The landlady, upon going up stairs a few minutes afterwards, disco vered that the bedroom had been forced open, and the drawers ransacked, and 451. in gold and silver and a quantity of jewellery and plate had been stolen. A mounted messenger was dispatched in pursuit of the cart, and he traced it to Kingston, when, finding there was no chance of his overtaking the men from the dis tance they had got in advance, be returned to Esher, and the fellows con•equently esc?ped with their booty. COAL WANTED AT NEWCASTLE. ---One of the many difficulties which have beset us since the storm set in is a want of coal for the consumption of the town. The Manors depot, at the railway terminus, was beseiged on Monday with claimants for this necessary article ; but such was the state of the line from whence the supply should come, that no waggon could travel, and it was not until four o'clock, p.m., that any could be procured, and then only a small quantity arrived. It is understood, however, that the colleries have plenty on hand. — Local Paper. SURVEYING NO JOKE.—PRESENTATION OF PISTOLS. —A somewhat ludicrous occurrence took place the other day at the fashionable town of Leamington, where, as is usual in other places which have so rapidly progressed in public estimation, the inhabitants look with a jealous eye on any projected innovation at all calculated to destroy existing advantages. It so happened, however, that a short time since a juvenile surveyor, employed on the Rugby and Leamington li n e, armed to the teeth with the insignia of office—flags, chains, bill-books, '&c.—had the temerity, with two or three subordinate officers, to march through the nursery gardens of Mr. Cullis, an old and respected tradesman of the place ; of course the damage done was considerable, and the captain of the cross staff and his gallant band having, unguardedly, left their weapons on the enemy's plan tations, immediate possession of them was taken by Mr. Was. Upon returning to the field of action the fact was discovered by the aggressors, and an order to "stand and deliver " was formally made to Mr. C., who, in his turn, insisted upon " an interview" with the commander of the men before he would consent to a surrender, and ere long, having re ti re d i nto his castle j ust b y , h e was bearded by one o f t h e group, " who, with a regular North-Western " p u ff; d emande d restora ti on o f the property. Aft er a war of words, Mr. Cul li s i nv i te d hi s assailant into his st rong -h old, and se l ect i ng f ro m kis armoury a brace of pistols, loaded ready for priming, placed them before his antagonist, and requested him to prime, and take hi s choice" so that their differences tuight be speedily adjusted. Such treatment as this had not been anticipated, and it is scarcely necessary to say the adventurers precipitately retreated, leaving behind them the spoils, which were not given up until an ami cable treaty was " signed, sealed, and delivered, at the head-quarters of the company. EXTENSIVE FIRE IN TEIE STRAND.--Yesterday morn ing, about one o'clock au cxteusive fire broke out in the shop of Crow and Co., woolkm-drapers, corner of Bedford -greet, Strand. For half an hour the firemen used their utmost exertions, and finally succeeded in arresting the progress of the flames by two o'clock, but the interior of the house and a great deal of stock were destroyed. THE FORTIFICATIONS AT SHEERNESS.—DECEM RER 21.—Since we last reported progress theso works -have continued to advance rapidly. Indeed, from the nature of the works; being for the most part composed of turf and clay, the winter months are quite favourable for their construction, at least so long as such intense frosts as we experienced during the last week, and which al most entirely put a stop to further progress for the time, keep away. The large and formidable battery opposite the dockyard gate, facing seaward, is now com plete, with the exception of the curtain or parapet wall, which will shortly be proceeded with, after which beds (ttlhhoeew one eh ph i r ' a h nt e od m ttoi u l e s t k hi e es t l r od y l dd w e walls cr k c s e o sd fur the platfo rms o f f rom 40 to 50 guns will be laid : i n aat e r c ( )( t 4 i t aa g irsroi the m. p b p a o l t i en t battery , y aa and dd n present an excellent specimen of substantial workman ship. These land defences, which extend continuously from the Thames to the Medway, interrupted only by the drawbridge to Mile-town, are in course of being re paired and heightened by the soil procured in the deepening of the moat which protects them. The ex cavations for the moat which surrounds the new bat tery, and which have been continued northward as far the second angle of the old fortifications, and southward into the moat surrounding the land defences, are very nearly completed, and workmen are now engaged in some parts banking it up with rubble stone. The greatest number of men are, however, engaged in the construc tion of the ravelin on the Mile -town side of the draw bridge, round which the moat is to be conducted, thus rendering a second drawbridge necessary. The excava tions for this extension of the moat intersect an old convict burying-ground, in which, it is stated, repose the remains of the notorious Parker, the mutineer. The i ravelin is calculated to be able to contain 3,000 men. The repairs and alterations of the old works are com • pleted, the beds for the traversing platforms of the guns are all laid down, and nothing now remains to hinder the immediate mounting of the guns. The magazines are in course of being filled with powder, large quanti ties having bean ordered to be kept in store. New bar racks, capable of containing 1,000 men, are to be erected in the neighbovrhood of the present. The plans and specifications are out, and we mistak e if by this time the contract is not taken, a party of Sappers and Miners having been for some time employed over on the Isle of Grain shore boring and sounding for a foundation for three Martello towers intended to be erected there. • HAZARD OF WEARING A GOLD R ING .—A youn g week appeared before the m ag i strates of Hall mfaxana , u l n s d t er an affiliation summons, and while admitting his liability pleaded poverty; but unfortunately for him, he happened to raise his hand to smooth down his hair from before his eyes, when one of the magistrates e spied, on the little finger of the defendant, a gold ring, and an order for 2s. a week was made soon after, appa rently in consequence of the presence of the ring.— Ala nchester paper. RFIVARKABLE ARRIVAL.—A vessel arrived in the West India Docks from Calcutta, had on board, in ad dition to an extensive c4rgo of East India produce, 71 cases of champagne, 53 cases of sherry, 15 cases of claret, and 25 cases of red wine. It is well known to be a constant practice to shi p win es for the round, as it is termed, that is, for a vo y a g e to the East Indies and back, which vastly improves the quality, and frequently raises its value full 300 per cent., but this is generally confined to sherries in casks. and wino the produce of i the Cape of Gond Hope, and ve,s are not cognisant that cased wines, (specially of the valuable description men , tinned, have been nitherto subjected to a similar process I for the same purpose. THE TRIAL TRIPS WITH THE OVERLAND INDIAN DIAIL (From theAugsburgh Gazette.) Tlte first raoiety of the six trial journeys' arranged by the British Government for the conveyance of the Indian dispatches through Germany is now completed ; and it will not be considered inapposite to take a comprehen sive survey of the events of those journeys, and to glance at the further consequences that may result from them. The ordinary consideration of this snbject, as an interesting competition for the honour of the greatest celebrity, as an adventurous neck-or-nothing " steeple-chase," is equally absurd and incorrect. As regards England, the object is nothing less than the securing of a second route—one at least equal in point of celerity to that through France, in the event of a political quarrel with the latter country ; as regards Germany, the restoration of the old, middle-aged Vene tian-Hanseatic commercial road—the construction of a new public road along the banks of the Rhine, over the Alps, to the Adriatic Sea and the East, and also the freedom from useless intermediate traders"; and as re gards Holland, a more direct and rapid connexion with its East Indian colonies ; and as regards Belgium and the western and southerly parts of Germany, in particular, a most important conveyance of goods, passengers, and letters, which is already increasing in importance. We can assure our readers, from the best sources, that the • English Government and the East India Company are perfectly satisfied with the results of the trial trips hitherto undertaken with reference to Germany ; and their zeal for this line is far more increasing than diminishing. The Cracow affair, far from restoring the entente cor diale, has only served to show that a fissure bas been rent between the two Cabinets by the Spanish marriages, which cannot be filled up again by all the opposite argu ments of the public organs on both sides. The English statesmen are determined to command a second continental postal line " at any price," and they will assuredly call it into existence, no matter whether via Trieste, Ancona, or Brindisi. Hitherto, all the facts have told in favour of Trieste, where the Austrian Lloyd has so powerfully united its efforts to those of Waghorn, and is, moreover, perfectly prepared to offer all the pledges of a regular service. Unfortunatdly, however, the unhappy idea seems to be cherished in Vienna of conducting the overland route through the capital, and the construction of the Bruck and Salzburg road seems to be rejected altogether (?) The establishment of the Trieste route may be wrecked in this opposition alone, but on no other obstacles. Switzerland and Naples receive the project with open arms, and the railroads just decreed by the Pope will help the undertaking amazingly. Austria would then have once more to regret that she had not embraced it at the right time, but opposed to the unalterable geo graphical features of the country a centralisation mania in this case utterly impracticable. We hope, however, that the energy and tact which have hitherto been manifested in the execution of the great state roads by the genial Baron Kiibeck will not abandon him on this occasion, and will point out to him right speedily the only way in which the carrying into effect of the beautiful idea of an Austro-Indian com mercial road is possible. Here we will lay betore our readers a correct summary of the three trial trips hitherto attempted, together with the preliminary trials, from which it is clearly to be seen how the sea and land journeys of the French and the Waghorn couriers were effected:— REVIEW OF THE BRITISH CORN TRADE. The demand for the coarser kinds of wheat for ship [ll,M to Ireland has in no degree abated; on the con trary each day has brought increased orders, at (n -hanced limits. And large as the shipments from Livk r pool, Lundell, &c., to the sister isle have lately bean, the ❑ecessity for further supplies becomes more and mo:e urgent. We ventui el to give an opinion last week to ' the effect that a simultaneous rise in the value of wheat might be expected in all parts of the kingdom, and what has since occurred has proved that our im pression was well founded. Not only has wheat risen materially at the principal consuming markets, but even in the agricultural districts, though farmers have brought forward good supplies, the rise has amounted to fully 3s. per qr. The primary cause this state of things is, unquestionably, the great scarcity of food in Ireland consequent on the potato failure. Admitting that the first accounts of this calamity, which described the loss as almost total, were exaggerated, and supposing that about half of the usual quantity of potatoes have been grown in the United Kingdom, what an immense amount of food must be required to make good even that defi ciency! In Ireland millions of the people subsist almost wholly on the patato; need we, then, be surprised at the position of that unhappy country, knowing as we do that more than one-half the ordinary food of a large class of its inhabitants has been entirely lost? Substi tutes, under these circumstances, must be obtained some how; and England will be looked to in this emergency. Nothing ca❑ afford a clearer proof of the urgent ne cessity of our Irish neighbours than the enormous rise which has taken place in the value of Indian corn. At first this article was received with great prejudice, but it soon took a higher place in the esteem of the Irish peasantry, and has lately been selling at Limerick and other towns at prices not obtainable for wheat. So long as Indian corn was procurable, wheat was comparatively neglected ; but the stocks of the first named article have been completely exhausted, and still the people are without food. The natural col- sequence has been a greatly increased demand for low priced qualities of wheat ; and so large have the pur chases for Ireland in the English markets been of late, that a great clearance of the old foreign stocks in gra nary has already taken place. The rise in prices of Odessa, Danube, and similar descriptions of wheat, has within the period of a fortnight amounted to about Bs. per quarter at all those places where these sorts are to be met with. At Liverpo3l the influence of the Irish demand has been more felt thaa even in London; and notwithstand ing the great rise which had taken place there the pre ceding week, wheat was quoted 6d. to 9d. per 701 b., or 3s. 6d. to 4s. per qr. higher there on Tuesday than on chat day se'nnight, Indian corn continued, however, to maintain the lead in the upward movement, and for parcels on the spot the extraordinary price of 70s. to 725. per qr. of 4801 b. were paid. On the same day bonded flour was in great request at that port for ship ment to France, and for good brands of Western Canal, 365. per brl. was obtained. Other articles were equally dear. Later in the week the demand was more or less checked by the extravagant pretensions of sellers; still a fair extent of business was done on Fri day, wheat bringing a further advance of 2d. to 3d. per 701 b., and Indian corn being quoted 2s. to 3s. per 4801 b. higher than on Tuesday. From Hull and Leeds the accounts of Tuesday state that some influence had at length been produced on the wheat trade at those places by the advices from London, Liverpool, and elsewhere, and that the millers had be come anxious purchasers at rates 3s. per qr. above those previously current. In the western and north-western markets the upward movement has been more decided. The Birmingham market, though plentifully supplied with home grown wheat, was cleared at rates from 3s. to ss. per qr. above those at which purchases might have been made on that day se'nnight. A,t Bristol a large amount of business aas likewise done :.the advance realised on English being 35., and that on free foreign 4s. per qr. The advices from Scotland give a very melancholly account of the distress prevailing in the islands and highlands ; and the value of food seems likely to rise there nearly as high as in Ireland. Besides the demand from the more destitute districts I.a. all low-priced articles, a lively inquiry appears to have be:n ex perienced at Glasgow on Irish account, and rather extensive shipments were in progress of being made. Wheat was on Wednesday quoted 2s. to 3s. higher at that port, and all other kiwis of grain were in request at enhanced terms. At Edinburgh prices have also rise❑ materially. Letters, dated Wednesday, quoting an advance of Is. to 2s. per quarter on wheat, is to 2s. on barley, and Is. to Is. 6.1. per qr. on oats ; though in consequence of a heavy fall of snow, the London accounts of Monday had not then reached the Scottish capital. The arrivals of wheat coastwise into London have been quite moderate this week, and by land carriage samples very little has been exhibited at Mark-lane since Monday. The parcels offered from Essex and Kent on Wednesday were speedily cleared off at an ad vance of Is. to 2s. per qr., while on Friday, with no in crease in the supplies from any quarter, factors suc ceeded in establishing a further enhancement of about Is. per quarter. Foreign free wheat has been in very lively request throughout the week ; the extravagant pretensions of holders have, however, in some measure checked business, or the sales would pro bably have been even more important. The bargains closed on Wednesday were at rates quite 2s. per quarter above those at which sales were made in the beginning of the week, and this advance was paid without any ap parent reluctance in execution of orders from Ireland. When, however, a further rise of is. to 2s. per quarter was demanded on Friday, buyers became somewhat less eager, notwithstanding which, considerable parcels again changed hands. Having but little wheat under lock at this part, and a lively French inquiry being calculated on, the rise in bonded has kept pace with that established on free ; and for moderately good Dantzic as much as 655. per quarter has been realised. The town millers have again put up the top price of flour, and the highest quotation had risen on Friday to 60s. per sack. All other descriptions of flour have felt theinfluence of this advance, and good households were at the close held at 2s. to 3s. per sack higher than in the commencement of the week. For American flour the inquiry has also been active, and owing to purchases on French account, nearly as much money has been realised for the article in bond as duty paid. Of Indian corn we have none on the spot worth naming, and having had comparatively few floating car goes offered, the transactions have been of less import ance than of late, but that higher terms would readily have been paid cannot be questioned, the demand having in no degree abated. THE FOREIGN CORN TRADE. By the steam-ship Acadia we have advice; of recent dates from the United States. The New York letters reach to the 30th of November. The weather had then become winterly, and a speedy close of the inlandn;;i: gation was expected. Owing, however, to the very high rate of freight to Europe, business in flour and grain had become dull, the difficulty in procuring ship-room having thrown serious obstacles in the way of business. Good brands of Genessee, which had at one time brought $6 25c. per barrel, had gradually receded to $5 371 e. The supplies from the interior had been very liberal in November, and notwithstanding the large shipment made, the stock on the spot was then estimated at 500,000 barrels. From Canada we learn that winter had set in, and that mo: t of the vessels had left the St. Law rence. Prices of flour appear to have been better sup ported at Montreal than at N ew Y or k, an d t h e latter is certainly the cheaper market.. Owing to the non-arrival of the Hamburgh mail of Tues day, our advices from the Baltic are not of such recent dates as we are usually enabled to furnish. From Dantzic the latest accounts are of the Bth inst. ; the weather was then severe, the thermometer having been down to 18 degrees. The river navigation had, consequently, been put a stop to, and no further arrivals of grain were looked for down the Vistula till spring. The animated English accounts had meanwhile caused holders to raise their pretensions ; at 545. to 565. per qr. fine high mixed new inland had met a ready sole, and for 591bs. to 60lbs. mixed Polish 51s. to 525. per qr., free on board, had been paid. Stocks in granary are re presented to be small there, and with a continued English demand prices would, it was calculated, advance during the winter months. Advices from Rostock, of the 10th instant, inform us that after several days' sharp frost a thaw had set in, by which the roads had been rendered bad, a circumstance which might, it was thought, prevent supplies coming forward. Only a oirgo or two of wheat had been shipped from that port during a period of some week., so very unimportant bad been the supplies. Good 611bs. to 62Ibs. Wheat was then held at 505., Barley of 51Ibs. to 52Ibs. weight at 28s. to 295., and boiling Peas at 395. to 40s. r er quarter free on board in spring. At Hamburgh the weather appears to have been very changeable up to the 11th instant, sinc e w h en we are without advices. Short periods of frost and thaw had succeeded to each other; and though there was much drift ice in the Elbe, its navigation was still practicable. We are, however, d ispose d to attri• bute the non-arrival of Tuesday's mail to increased ' severity of the weather, by whi c h we th i nk it very likely that the river had become blocked up. In Wheat the transactions at Hamburgh seem to have been of quite a local character, but the town buyers had paid equal to 545. to 555. per quarter for good 611bs. red marks of Wheat. Several contracts had been closed to ship Bar ley from the Danish islar.ds to Ireland, at prices varying from 28s. 3d. to 295. 3d. per quarter free on board. From France the reports respecting the Wheat trade become more and more exciting ; and unless the wants of that country have been greatly exaggerated, a con tinued demand for bread stuffs may be reckoned on. In some parts of the kingdom the scarcity of food seems to be almost as great as it is in Ireland.—Mark lane Express. SMUGGLING EXTRAUEDINARY.—On Thursday night Syreen, a custom-house officer, apprehended a woman named Eliza Smith, a passenger on board an American vessel, on suspicion of having smuggled t.bacco in her possession. Upon examining her dress, 1.71b5. of to bacco were found concealed under it ; but the most re markable of the expedients which have been resorted to for the purpose of deceiving the lynx-eyed deputies of the customs, was that of giving to the contraband weed the semblance of a loaf. A quantity of cut tobacco had been pressed into a tin, over which a thin layer of dough was spread, which, being baked, had the appearance to the eye of a veritable loaf. The quantity of tobacco which the woman had contrived to secrete in this and other modes, amounted to no less than 701bs. She was brought before Mr. Rushton yesterday, and remanded to Tuesday, in order to allow of a communication being made to the commissioners of excise.—Liverpool Chrcm. The price of wheat according to the six weeks average which gaverns . the duty, is one shilling and sevenpence higher than at the same period last year.— Mark-lane Express. 1 , ~Aleit-7':' LAW INTELLIGE/ , e '.. ,4 ' 4 ! ---- 4,,q- s .: -.,; ' N VICE CHACERY COLTRT, I : ;i A T ~., (Be:ore Vice Chancell o r S ir J. K. t : : ;a,•):Stet-ii- IN RE NORTH. ._;41,6%. 4 _____ , .... A . 4 The further hearing of thi s p et i t i on was ti e ..,.(1113M.:62F day. The argements on both sides having cone uded, His Hoxoun. delivered judgment. This was a petition presented to the Court ou behalf of four infant children, there being no testamentary guardians and no real estate. It was also prayed, in a petition from certain paternal relatives of the infants, that a reference should be made o the Master, but that was opposed, on the ground that the infants had a mother living. Such a ground of objection he ha never heard b sna(restsd be:*ore. The reference i rayed for might be made without affecting the right of the mother to the guardianship, but it was quite a different question whether the mother should he appointed a guardian. It was also another and a dif ferent question as to how the children should be educated with respect to religion. Upon the petition he would make a common order referring it to the Master to determine what guardian or guardians should be app o i nte d f or t h e children. The next ques tion was as to what should be done with the shildren in the meantime. Three of the children had been in the charge of their mother, a lady of whose respectability all parties had spoken in the highest terms, and of whose kindness to her children he had not the least doubt. The eldest daughter had been na, re under the grandmother's care (the lady who abducted them) ; but that point would not affect the subject -matter of con tention between the parties in this case. The question with regard to religious instruction of the infants was one that must not be disregarded. It was therefore the duty of the Court to consider what was to be the education of the children in doctrinal tenets, and that nothing should be done in the interim to obstruct that object. The father of these children had been brought up a Protestant, from which religion he had never departed. It appeared, however, that for two or three months previous to his death, he attended a Roman Catholic chapel with Mrs. Elizabeth North, his wife. It was stated that his notions upon religious points were latitudinarian, a circumstance which might account for his attendance at a Catholic place of worship. He returned to a part of the country where he resided a few weeks previous to his death, and where there was no opportunity of attending a Roman 'Catholic chapel, or of seeing a Roman Catho lic clergyman. lie then fell ill and refused the assist ance of a Protestant rector. But it did not appear that any proposal had been made to him, or that he had made any request for a Roman Catholic clergyman to attend him in his last moments, and he died without the assistance of a clergyman of either the Roman Catholic or Protestant persuasions. It did not appear that he had ever received any instructions from a Roman Catholic I clergyman, nor did it appear that he had ever departed from the religion of his youth. It was certainly stated that Mr. North was a catechumen, or person undergoing, as it were, a noviciate in the Roman Catholic faith, but under all the circumstances he must say that it did ap pear to him that he remained a Protestant until tee end of his life. Mr. North died intestate, and did not express any wish as to how his children should be religiously educated. Under these circumstances what was the duty of the Court with respect to the religious education of the children? They should take care that the same was not interfered with. The father had left no instructions on the subject, and it is presumed that he died in his own religion. He, therefore, felt bound, under all the circumstances of the case, until further evidence was produced, to direct that the children should be brought up in the doctrines of the Church of England. With respect to Mrs. North, cf whom he wished to speak with the greatest respect, it appeared that she had be come a convert to the Roman Catholic faith. Ile was bound to consider not only the rights of the mother, but the rights of the father, which regarded the perpetu ation of his creed. It was likely that she would exercise a very great influence on the minds of the children, end he would order that they should be placed under the charge (until the master's report), of Mrs. Wilson, Mrs. Frederica North, and Miss Arabella North, their paternal aunts. The mother, however, was to have free access to them daily, and to spend two hours in their company every day, in the ipresence of one of the above named persons, the subject of religion not to be introduced at these inter views. COURT OF L..v CH, Dec. 22. NEWTuti AND CO. V. STEWART.-TIIE CANTERDCRY AND HERNE BAY RAILWAY, Mr. Crowder, Q C., and Mr. hell were for the plain tiffs, and Mr. Keane for the defendant. This was an action brought by the plaintiff , Messrs. Newton and Co., the well known advertiseictnt agents of Warwick-square, against the defendant, Mr. John Stewart, one of the provisional committee of the Canterbury and Herne thy Railway, and a mem ber of an opulent firm in the City, to recover 2341. 13s. 4d., for advertisements which they had insert d in vari ous newspapers by the orders of the company, which was registered on the 16th October. The offices of the company were at No. 158, Strand, where the secretary. (Mr. J. Wilson), who, with Mr. Daniel Keane, the soli citor to the company, were its registered pro jectors, but carried on the business cf an engineer and patent agent. The defendant joined the company on the 15th of November, and stated on that day, ac cording to the testimony of the secretary, that he had given a Mr. Bayn authority to place his name on several provisional committees, and justified the placing of his name on that committee. The " panic" cut off the pro ject in its bloom. The accounts were audited, and the sum for which the action was brought was audited a 3 due to the plaintiffs. It was arranged that each of the provisional committee should contribute 721. for the purpose of defraying the debts incurred by the concern, 351. of which was to be paid in the first instance ; but it appeared the defendant alone had contributed his quota. The orders for the advertisements were given by the plaintiffs in the ordinary manner, through the secretary who had received orders to that effect from the com mittee. The defendant attended the various meetings of the committee, and took an active part in the ma nagement of its affairs. The secretary, it appeared, waited upon the plaintiffs, and handed them a prospectus of the company, and asked them to open an account with them, to which, after examining the names, they assented. The defendant's name, amongst many others, was in the prospectus, and it was proved, that he signed the usual form of consent, and conseqently allowed his name to be registered. _ _ _ Mr. Alexander, a clerk in the plaintiff's office, proved the receipt of the orders, and the insertion of the adver tisments in the various nbwspapers. Mr. KEANE objected to this proof as insufficient, and held that the papers filed at the Stamp-office were the only admissible evidence, and quoted the 6th and 7th William IV. in support of his objection. Mr. CROWDER said the whole of the papers in which the advertisements appeared were in Court, and offered to put them in evidence. He would not undertake to produce the certified copies filed at ti e Stamp-office, as those he proposed to produce were manifestly sufficient. Mr. KEANE asked Lord Denman to take a note of his objecti n, Lord DENMAN acceded, and intimated that he consi dered the plaintiffs had proved enough. Mr. KEANE, in addressing the jury, contended that those who allowed their names to be put on provisional committees did not pledge themselves to pay all the expenses which the officers of the company might think proper to incur in endeavouring to obtain an Act of Incorporation. It could not be supposed that a rational man would delegate this indefinite authority to others. He should show that Mr. Bayn had placed the defendant's name on the committee without his consent. They would have to decids whether the putting down of his name by the defendant made Lim liable for the claim, and whether the act of b - , , coming a member of the com mittee made him liable for all the antecedent data of incurred. t 1 e c They ompanynndmutsht look those which the in might afterwards of a manfterwards in be taking such an office. No one who took such an office in the autumn of last year ever intended to be respon sible for tie whole debts of the company with winch he became connected. This he held was the p - cper meaning of the Regis.ration Act. Mr. Bayn was called, and stated that he was a friend of the defendant's, and that he gave his name without his consent to Mr. Keane as a provisional committee man for the railway. This was on the 16th of October. He did not write to the defendant fur some time after. He had placed his name, and the names of others, on committees without their consent. Some had repudiated his acts. Mr. CROWDER replied, and held that the defence set up was p3rfeetly inconsistent with the facts eltcited, as the defen lat.t voluntarily became a member of the com mittee, as he had acted in that capacity, and as he had confirmed the correctness of the plaintiff's bill in direct ing the secretary to annex it. after it was audited, to a letter which was sent by his direction to the other mem bers of the committee respecting the debts of the company. His consent was conclusive. Not withstanding the statements of Mr. Bayn, he thought he was jutifiod in saying that he had authority to add his name to the committee—at any rate the defendant took upon himself the office. Great stress was laid upon the fact that the defendant did not join the company until Nov. 15, and that he could not be held responsible for debts incurred before that period. But he made no objection to the amount of the claim. The advertisements after that period were simply renewals of those which had been given, and were necessary for the proper carrying on of the company. Lord DENMAN left it to the jury to say whether the advertisements were necessary for the purpose of esta blishing the company, and/ whether the defendant had'"` made himself liable, by the part which he had taken in M. h . the management of its affairs. There could be no doubt that he was a provisional committeman. If they thought he was liable, but not before the 15th of November, the amount could be arranged amongst the parties. The jury retired, and after an absence of two hours and a half, rammed into court with a verdict for the plaintiff for 2341. FEARON V. THE PENINSULAR AND ORIENTAL STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY. The jury were called in this case, which was expected o have been a protracted one, but Mr. COCKBURN, who appeared for the plaintiff, inti mated that the record had been withdrawn. COURT OF EXCHEQUER, Dec. 22. LAMERT V. HEATH. In this cause (in which a new trial has been obtained) the Attorney-Oeneral, Mr. James, and Mr. Baddeley, appeared for the plaintiff ; Mr. Martin and Mr. Willis for the defendant. This action was brought to recover of the defendant, a stock-jobber, carrying on business in the city of Lon don, the sum of 4321., being the amount of a sum of money paid to th e defendant by the plaintiff, in respect of certain scrip shares in the projected Kentish Coast Railway. The case, which was in part heard yesterday, was resumed this morning. It appeared that the plaintiff had ordered the de PRELIMINARY TRIALS. France—From Alexandria to Marseilles, 190 hours ; from Marseilles to London, 85 hours—total, 275 hours. Germany—From Alexandria to Trieste, 1f,6 hours ; from Trieste to London, 994 hours—total, 254 hours. FIRST TRIAL TRIP. France—From Alexandria to Marseilles, 196 hours ; from Marseilles to London, 79 hours—total 275 hours. Germany—From Alexandria to Trieste, 130 hours ; from Trieste to London, 107 hours—total 237 hours. SECOND TRIAL TRIP. France—From Alexandria to Marseilles, 152 hours ; From Marseilles to London, 771 hours—total, 2291 Lours. Germany—From Alexandria to Trieste, 133 hours ; From Trieste to London, 120/ hours—total, 253/ hours. THIRD TRIAL TRIP. France—From Alexandria to Marseilles, and from Marseilles to London, 246 hours. Germany—F.tom Alexandria to Trieste, 156 hours ; from Trieste to London, 97 hours—total, 253 hours. Totals of the above Trips—France, 1,0251 hours ; Germany, 9994 hours. The average gives, for one journey, 2564 hours on French, and 2491 on the German line; and if the liminary trips are excluded, 250 1-6 for the first, aa 247 5-6 for the second ; if it be further considered that the Ariel sailed twelve knots an hour, and the Ardent seldom upwards of ten, and very often only tbree knots, which will be taken into consideration by those ac. quainted with the subject, as the object is not a competi tion between the two wholly unequal vessels, the superiority of the German route cannot remain doubtful another moment; and every German heart will rejoice that it is a general co-operation for so noble an object which hoists the standard of Germany and enables it to float on high in this hard contest, whilst the constantly increasing force of the well exercised disputants promises a certain victory. THE CHOLERA. TREBIZONDE, Nov. 20.—We have received letters from Teheran of the 28th of October, from Tabreez of the 4th of November. Nothing of importance had taken place in Persia, except the continued prevalence of the cholera, which had extended to the other provinces, where it had not appeared last spring or summer. Moha med Schah's health had much improved ; during the whole time of the prevalence of the cholera he had re sided in the mountains. This monarch, so weak in mind and body, is less afflicted with the gout than ho was. He is occasionally to be seen riding dressed in tatters, in the environs of Teheran, attended by a numerous guard of cavalry. The heir to the throne, whom the cholera has just carried off, was, like his father, of a frail constitution and weak intellects. Persia has to felicitate herself at the death of this young prince, who would have been still less capable of governing than his father. He had become the humblest servant of Russia—the mere mention of the name of the " Gar-blanc" made him tremble. When in 1837 the Emperor Nicholas visited his provinces on the other side of the Caucasus, the Schah sent his eldest son to Erivan to compliment him. The diminutive size of the Persian Prince was a remarkable contrast to the colossal figure of the Russian Emperor. Eye-witnesses of this interview, have told me that it was with difficulty that the Emperor could refrain from laughing when he saw before him a weak child, dressed in a grotesque manner with an immense pointed cap in the shape of a sugar-loaf on his head, and bowing with timidity when he approached the Emperor. The Crar, however, con tained himself, took the young Prince on his lap, ca ressed him, and put a ring of great value on his finger. It is said thet the heir to the throne has never forgotten the impression produced on him by this interview. The cholera was still at Tabreez at the departure of the last Tartar courier, but it had not committed such great ravages there as at Teheran and Ispahan last summer. Tabreez stands on a height, and it is ex pec,ed that the severe cold, which set in in October, will soon put a stop to the disease. The European consuls had left the town and retired to Herbi, at the foot of Mount Sahant. Behmen Mirza, Governor of Tabreez, and brother of the Schah, had retired to Halat Buseban. It appears that the cholera had ceased to commit its ravages at Ispahan, but that it still raged at Schiras and Kirman. This plague has not advanced in the direction of the Caucasus, Tiflis, and Erivan, are still free from it, and the rigours of the season will prevent it passing the Caucasus. Bnt Europe is threat ened with this terrible plague in another direction. After having carried off numbers of the inhabitants of Bussora and Bagdad, it has got to Diarbekir. There is a constant commercial intercourse between this town and Aleppo, and it is much to be feared that it may spread into Syria. PROBABLE PRICE OF SUGAR. We have already more than once directed attention to this interesting subject ; and, so far as experience has as yet gone, our prognostications have been found to be pretty nearly correct. During the ensuing sea son, it is not likely that sugar will fall lower than an average—say of 30s. per cwt. in bond ; and had the past fruit season in the mother country been more favour able, it is not improbable that the price might have ruled even a shilling higher. Lower, during the period of the 7s. differential duty, it is certainly not likely to go, as that would be to suppose that the present price in the continental markets would fall, which under the circumstances is almost impossible. Thus, calculat ing the prices on the continent for brown at 225., and yellow 255., they will not be sold in England under 435. and 4Gs., and our planters obviously need not sell similar qualities under these rates, which leaves them 295. and 325., liable, of course, to the various expenses of transit. The following, with which we have been recently favoured, puts the matter in a very clear light; and may be relied on, as the opinion of a party capable from his position o f arr i v i ng at a just conclusion :—" Taking 50s. 6d. as th e average price of sugar in the British market since the reduction of the duties on British plantation sugar to 145., it follows from reference to actual sales, that 295. Id. per cwt. has been the price lately received by the producer on the average. Of this price 9 s . Id. h as been the result of protection, which take away, and (other things remaining the same) 19e. 10d. will be the future price of sugar; that is, the grower w ill rece i ve nea rly 15.22d5, say two-thirds of the present price only. Hence, to preserve the present ratio o f p ro fi t ( or loss) the cost of production must be red uce d 33 per cent. or one-third. Now, in the year 1848, when the crop which we are now about to plant will come to market, there will be after July 5 a protection of 4s. 6d. which will go to aufament the price of sla ve - grown sugar just admitted to competition with ours. F , r the last year foreign slave-grown sugar —say P orto Ri co, similar in quality with ours, brought on the average 145., but for several years previous only 12s. could be obtained for it, and at that rate it was found that the commodity could be profitably grown by slaves, and new lands were continually brought under cultiva tion. Assuming, however, the price to be 14Q., and adding the differential duty of 4s. 6d., it results that foreign sugar will rule at 18:. 61 for our quality in the British market. or come into competition with ours at about the price British plantation has been va lued at for the year commencing July 5, 1848. If from any cause foreign sugar advances beyond the estimated price., the price of British plantation will also be aug mented in like sum; and so, on the other hand, if the price of foreign sugar recede to what it was in 1845, and previously, the price of British plantation will be lower than 183. 6d., or less than two-thirds of the pre sent price, will be realised to the grower."—Jamaica k Times.