The Sun. — London, England, 1846-08-22 00:00:00

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. YORK AUGUST MEETING.—FRIDAY. The Convivial Stakes of 30 soya. each, 10 ft. T.Y.C. (9 Subs.) Mr. A. W. Hill's bf, by Plenipo, ist 111 b ( Marlow) 1 Hesseltine's Torn Tit, Bst 41b 2 5t02 on T w ili ght filly. Won easy by a length and a half. Sweeps of 30 sous. each, 10 ft, for three-yrs old colts, Bst 71b, and fillies. Bst 41b. One mile and a quarter. (10 Subs.) Mr. Bank's Duke of Richmond (Holmes) 1 kr. Meiklam's Alliance Lord Westminster's Caprice Mr. L. Fox's Shelforth 4 Mr. Meiklam's b c, by Touchstone, out of Laura 5 Won in a canter by four lengths. Betting-7 to 4 agst .11 elfortb, and 5 t o 2 agst Duke of Ri chmond. The F illy Sapling Stakes of 50 soya. each, 20 ft, Bst 41b each. Alr ' One mile. (6 Subs.) A r • H. Brook s ' L um i nous ... (Lye) I • Jaques's Diphthong Won in a canter. The Consolation Scramble of 50/., added to a Handicap of 5 sovs. eachve furlongs. kr. • Vi r alters's Ratcliff e , 5 . yrs, Fi 7st 7lb (Wintringham) 1 R T. !. P. R. Price's Kismet, 3 yrs, sst 101 b Stanley's Abdiel, 2 yrs, 4st 61b 3 Mr. Ramsay's Mid-Lothian, 4 yrs, 7st 71b ; Mr. Meiklam's rueboy, 6 yrs, Bst 61b ; P Mr. Boynton's Poussin 6 yrs, rTat 61b ; Mr. S. L. Fox's salmsinger, 4 yrs, ist 411); Mr. ostyn's The Premier, 3 yrs, ist ; Mr. Fox's Little John, Est 111 b; Mr. Allen's Lady Alice, 3 yrs, Est 41b; and JaqueJaques's, Spur, 3 yrs, sst, also started. s' 1 agst Abdiel, 5 to 1 agst Kismet, 8 to 1 agst Ratcliffe and 10 to 1 each Mid-Lothian and Trueboy. Won by a neck, The Great Yorkshire Stakes of 10 soya. each, with 100. added; for colts, Bst 71b, and fillies, Bst 21b. The second to receive 501. out of the stakes. One mile and three „quarters. (116 Subs.) Meiklam's PoY nton Lor d Anson's 1ag0.... Lor d Glasgow's f by Retriever, out of Emilia A ,The following also started, but were not placed :—Mr. oherat Fitzwilliam—Mr. Banks's Charcoal—M r . B ro wn's Con—Lord Chesterfield' s Sp an i s h J ac k—M r. H ar l an d' s Aessack Maid—Mr. E. R. Clark's The Conjuror—Mr. Reed's Ramsay's Malcolm—Mr. Wormald's Quad • and Earl Zetland's Ada. • ettiog.—Eveu on lago, 4to 1 agst Conjuror. sto 1 ags t .--oynton, and 16 to 1 each agst Quadruped and Emilia filly. W on by a h ea d, l ago beating E m ili a fill y b y a nec k . The Gimcrack Stakes of 10 sous. each, and 100 added, for two yrs old colts, Bst 71b, and fillies, Bst 21b. The second to receive 25/., and the third to save his stake. One 'Mile. (28 Subs.) Capt. Harcourt's fby Lanercost, dam by Tomboy (Lye) I Pedley's Foreclosure kr. J. Scott's Tim Whiffler 3 The following also ran:—Mr. Jaques's Sir Martin—Mr. weiklam's Deloraine—Mr. Osborne's Hyderabad—Mr. W. .b_Seott's Dashing White Sergeant—Mr. S. L. Fox's Chapeau rge—Mr. J. Marry's Limestone—Mr. Mostyn's fby La- Tet, out of L'lli ron d elle—and Mr. Whitelock's Prince d. Won by a length. gat ebers' Plate of 50/. ; 3 y rs o ld, E s t 10Ib ; 4 yrs, ; yrs, Bst 101 b ; 6 yrs and aged, 93 t ; mares, &c., Zoi we s l3l b ; winners once, 3lbs, twice, slbs extra. Heats s.ll'. mi le a half. Lord e ex's Waxholme, 3 yrs esterfield's Snake, 3 yrs 2 2 Won by a head. , PASLEY ACES The 7'll Bl Stakes of S sov ß s. each, 3ft and 25 .—THURSDAL added. One ttr, ir mile. (4 Subs.) 3 -4en nedy's b fby th e D oc t or ou t of Mildew's Dam, air, Yrs, 7st 21b (Prince) M 1 Mesmeri a,John 4 yrs, Bst 4113 tone's Marian Ramsay, 4 yrs, Bst 41b... 2 3 :: Wils on ' s The b k Hill's S ir Ch ar l es, age d , 9st 111 b k r u 4 M e r o , Members' Plate of 50 guineas. Heats, two miles. 4r, w. r,ry s Pilot, 4 yrs (Robinson) 1 1 kr, A. 11. Johnstone's Roper's Daughter, aged 3 2 Th e 0I Cook's S urety, 5 yrs .... 2 dr Cook's Cup, 100 sovs., added to a Handicap of 25 sovs. kr. ,each, 15 ft, an d 5 on l y if d ec l are d . T wo m il es. Lsre - D rri'a John Har r i s , 4 yrs , 7 s t 51b (Robinson) 1 k r. "40nton's Plaudit. 4 yrs, 7st 1,4 1 turland's Elerni, 5 yrs 7st 21b The Sel ling Stak es of 5 sows ' . each, 2 ft, and 25 added. Heats, Sir 3 . once round and a dis. qtr. Boswe ll'sll's Cla u di a , 3 yrs (R ut h er f or d) 1 1 & a i The Bashaw, aged k r. uonaldson's Maid of the Mill, aged 'l'l l ,, a b r7 Y's Saddlebow, 5 yrs . . 3 dr 10 is' 4 al sleY Cup of 40 sovs., added to a Sweepstakes of , I ladl ' e v a s• e ach, h ft, was won in two heats by Mr. Merry 's say ge, 4 yrs Bst 41b (Robinson), beating Marian Ram- The , Bst Ib. ' • ohABERYSTWITH RACES.—WEDNESDAY. I - Tiny Raw Stakes, of 5 sovs. each, 3 ft, and 20 added. qtr. pa rr, One mile and a half. (8 Subs.) fir, d 8 Faith, 3 yrs The ,oddard's British Grenadier, 4 yrs 2 ‘'Ettdiganshire Stakes of 15 sovs. each, 10 ft, and only ,t-,tr, p 5 ,if declared. Two miles. (9 Subs; 6 paid.) 4 4 ~t rs raith, 3 yrs 6st walked over ~ -•°aswood Stakes ' of 5 sovs. each, 3 ft, and 15 added. Atr. y. Heats, one mile and a half. . . kr. iirotheroe's Chance, aged, 12st (Williams) 1 1 I tr. 8 rsh all's lc eedwood, aged, list 71b ... 2 2 kr. bullina British Grenadier, 4 yrs, lOst 101 b 3 3 TheauVi3', Waterloo, aged, list 31b ttalte a t;°r,"gh Members' Plate of 251., added to a Sweep -4 eat s c s ' ' soya, each, one mile and a half, was won in two ak parrs A ir Bullin's Ulysses, 7st 131 b (Ennis), beating ~,, Lad y Harriet, 4 yrs, 7st 131 b. "e T rad e THURSDAY. 801. 8. 'BBMtt'S Cu of 504 added to a Sweepstakes of 10 hat eac h r 5 ft, and only 3 if declared. One mile and a Mr p k 9 Subs., 4o f w hom declared.) T he Eby, p . .1 , G0 2 ,,,,a1th, 3 yrs, 6st 51b, walked over. `rarr, h aute Stakes of 10 sovs. each, 5 ft. and 20 added, Th . ", 3• „sse.s - , - 4 ers, 4 mites, 2 subs., were won by Mr. Builin's - ` - 'etiat; 3l %,,. (Mr. Thomas), beating Chance, aged. kr, P ad, " ' , embers' Plate of 25/., added to a Sweepstakes k r , h s p,?!,3 soy's. each. Heats, two miles. Th e . ' G alli- , mi( h, 3 yrs, Est 61b (W. Butler) 1 1 4. 4 ' 8 British Grenadier, 4 yrs, 7st ilb 2 2 ek Stakes of 1 'soy. each, and 10 a dd e d ; th e secon d /All , to receive 21. Heats, one mile. 'Kr. 1 , 0 7/74 'S Waterloo, l Ist 61b...( Mr. Williams) 4 3 1 1 4,. ~.....t a rsliall's Mount a i n M a id, lost 41b 5 1 2 2 It: Z Ullin's The Lady, 9st le r i,,P ' owell's Charley, 9st 1, 0 4 ,.' 1 .e Ladies' Plate, by subs. of 3 sovs. eac h, one m il e, was )1 4 "2. 1 1 three heats by Ulysses, Bst 41b (Ennis), beatin g L a dy x t 'et, 9st 61b. last is announced in the " Sheet Calendar," that "the stud, ~ doge Property of Lord G. Bentinck, will be sold in lots ' 11 the Doncaster and Newmarket meetings, and at att l dl'Park Corner." It is clear, from the above, that the 18 told, but to whom has not yet transpired. RAILWAY RETURNS. _ . I tit lt y 4l / 4 1:444,T TRAFFIC.—The following are the Total Receipts of Rail ;4l)eetty_" PaSt week—that is to say, up to the date to which the eek itothe lretur" are made, together with the receipts of the same Previous year : We ek . . •el tetu n i t Last R• bl i, 4 ,• NAME OF RAILWAY. week. ---„, •••••••„....... 43..1' 4 4.15 --------""--•••-•'------ .f .£ Arbroath 258 239 1 , Iltu tolanc l i tnd Forfar ... .. •.•.• • •• • • ~! Chester Birmingham .•••••• • • • • •• - - 18 !4 Dublin and Birkenhead .•••••• •• • • • • 736 715 . h„.',, - : 1 n and Drogheda •••••••• • • • • • • • • 934 530 16 iis` til 7l and Kingstown i Da t ::and Arbroath .••••••• • • • • • • • 417 378 16 P4llac,"‘ and Sunderland .• ••••• - • • • • 6i7 400 ur 1 6 Ea st gh and Glasgow .••••• • • • • • • 4,735 3,221 11,55 a t lal as ug r eu rl 2 :w . ty C L..,, o n tl io n n tie . s . l . Torthastern• • 8,984 6,248 •398 - 15 „ - -iiig o .,_ , Kilmarnock , and Ayr •••• • • 2,261 2,002 1 6 kira veB : and Greenock• •••••• • • • • •• 1,241 1,228 15 Great send and Rochester. ••••• • • • • • 339 283 16 Ram w estern ............... ••• • • • 20,453 20,033 e la o ol 902 589 16 p Lond on ••• • • . I S Lond o n and Werth Western, &c. ..... 46,284 42,804 .., Lon t i on and 81ackwa11.............. 1,496 1,244 1 6 Lon c i o _ and Brighton. ••••••• • • • • • • • 9,830 8,593 16 t ond _. and Croydon .•••••• • • • • • • - - - \ lu n _r and South Western. •••• • • • • 8,181 8,864 15 alanc4rater, Bolton, and Bury ••• • • • • 1,239 1,022 is Ma ttel:t es ter and Birmingham ........ - - ,„ ester, Leeds , and Hull Assoc• • 7,784 7,654 1,17,4.1 and Counties l5 ' 4 elvea sti _ es •••••••••• • • • • • • • • • 20,902 17,629 1c ev „ .... : and Darlington ••••• • • • • • 3.437 2,948 1 Z lc gwetts ' a * t l e and Carlisle ........ ••• • • • 2,227 1,798 16 1,,,,,rf01k.. an d Nor h l Shields.• ••• • •• 539 569 ~...„ xlioortrthh "British- •:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: .. .. .. .. 2, 5 1 75 27 _.-- . , linion and Bolton and Preston - 15 17 1,:2 Corbeil, and Orleans•••••••••• Presto 8,129 Rouen ................... 6,632 8,129 7,410 15 Ric hniond nd WYre -. - .. - " " 1,419 848 •- - 154 `tenth 1,931 Manchester .. • . •••• • • • • • • • 1,931 1,305 15 t'outh D tern •• •••••••••• • • " • • • • • • 10,168 8,246 avon•-• - •• • - - " '• •• - .. 1'145 -- 16 "aft Vale . 1,247 1,2 . ..•. . 03 16 ter . • l' °rk and North Midland _ ' AssociATlON.—A tte: lC , tPORT MANUFACTURERS was held at the Tkp r ti ;;K of the Manufacturers' mel_b tulkeley Arms Inn, on Associatio n Monda last. It is generally 44 e 'vq hat the object of the meeting y must have had some 4 n ee toa contemplated working of short time, and this op, fi ttion is strengthened by a knowledge of the fact that 1, 44 44, 411 f in Stockport, extensively . engaged in the cotton :61%;kture, has already reduced its weavers to short time. b tp elte;t corning in connexion with the present temporary -- t r i,_--on of trade, and the example to the same effect set °f qe7 ma nufacturers of Blackburn, .may have bad the effect 44 I. ' elltli ning the manufacturers of Stockport to the adoption Itat':oilar course. We trust, for the sake of both manufac hoe4l44 operatives, that the event may prove that the t,tl)4,BllPposition is unfounded. —Mane /istrTimes 041172° BURGLARY. Yesterday intorinatio . n was ;Novvi,74 a mona the metropolitan and City police of the - Ne '''g ba r r in Cheapside :—lt appears that e the 1 1 t h Wo an g d ag o'clock on the morning of Monday, t eleeti lt i instant, three two individuals were perceived abeu t„ ° , t hilli s-te et and other streets adjacent to Cheapside,. but C, a ted" 4. 1 t that particular time was observed in them t craele k2eesiook, it:rouse- suspicion. A few minutes before . h pi, 'its, - Iz . ever, a noise was heard at the premises . of *41441 iit' t : a tes and Leger, hatters, &c., No. 74 Cheapside, th 4 .. 4 'iise n arrow court in Soper-lane, Queen-street, and it e7tefro,,"red that some persons had effected . their escape ,15144entinil..ijoyPo.n examination it was ascertained _that the bbd' L am 1977. had been entered,. the locks and desks forced ti ei . op en. ...._. in gold and Bank of England notes y Ill tlee ''‘olen. The police have as et no clue to the c I.4lats -11-t t • ll e7 0 - 11° 1'T OF CONVICTS. The Secretary of State 4p'' has ",e Department (by her Majesty's royal clemency) .4viot,ed warrants for the release of one hundredandthirty transport 4°Trt gerbe,contly brought to England in the Scotia (1 4 7 11 1 of i' ra ti n ci s a, and Placed in the Warrior hulk. Part of the t r „ on t o h... pprtation having been rem ac it n t e e n d n b t y of re t c h o e m ir m e e x n: 1,411,514 y eon"d_sl_jes.!.'s free pardon, on t o „Z.reoivedu,:t. the men are leaving Woolwich daily, and fp,,, : ,,vit 4de nos varying, from 51.. to 201._ each, according -.te e , , forme purpose of carrying them home to their Coat and friends. b•-•031k.,, ocii,/11...,11,QAL ADVANTAGES OF THE ELECTRIC TELE :)%.4! L an • L.-.4ne fact of the- suspension of the Leeds Commer ek ,--„113„gr company's business, which took place at twelve fbfltierte;,' ',H•onday last, was' know ' n in Birmingham in about iv to e - °' en hour after that time, by means of the elec illabdilltPli' w hich has been recently completed on ii c elig m __ ll €? of railway. Immediately o . n the arrival of the pi'' ° lk e . e .e It Was forwarded to the various banks and pub tlotilt.4: bl this town. The advantages of such an almost . t rtant t e : 11 , 8 mode of c ommunicating intelligence . so im n - th tn bie nt lute mercantile world is too obvious to requrea fo 3; t o ° Prot) and great praise is due to the railway officials i 0 the ,„Pritnde with which they communicated the news 4,`nat-u3ro interested portion of the public.-.. Birmingham Tz t 411: iCeitiIIrini3FIA.IIHERLAIN'S OFFICE.—The office unt o il f d ofs erlain has been closed for a vacation 44' 'apt emb er D . call be e. • unng t e Vacation Iliad h no City "Pren- LITERATURE. THE NORTH BRITISH REVIEW. No. X. So many critical periodicals are now published that one is almost a repetition of the other. Nevertheless, even with this drawback, the Nort. 7 l British Revivals peculiarly entertaining. A most elaborate essay upon the character and writings of the celebrated John Foster opens the number, and is not unworthy of a noble sub ject. Foster was one of those few men who wrote so well that we wish he had written more. The scanty frag ments which he permitted to appear, after a thousand emendations, and the most scrutinising supervision, are evidences of the possession of qualities seldom granted to one individual. From a most unfortunate fastidious ness as to the merits of his own most superb compoai• tions the literary greatness of Foster was stunted. Still, from what little he has left, we can discern the vastness of his intellectual proportions. Ex pcde Ilerculenz. Would that others would take example from the diffidence in publishing peculiar to that eminent author ! A rather dry, though instructive, paper on " The Jacobites ;" another of those interminable disquisitions upon ( a most uninviting topic !) " Russia under Nicholas ;" about the nine hundred and ninety ninth review of " Newman on Development ;" an earnest and deserved eulogium upon Sir James Mackin tosh, with articles upon the New Timon, and Baron Humboldt, make a pleasant number of a pleasant publi cation. Our opinion, however, upon its merits—judged by the number before us—is rather one of negative com mendation. The readers of "Nicholas Nickleby" will re member that when Mr. Lillyvick asks whether his nephew's infant "is a nice baby," Newman Noggs replies " Well, it ain't a nasty one !" Ju.t such an opinion do we feel compelled to give of the North British Review. COURT CIRCULAR. The Millbank-Prison Commission had a meeting yesterday, at Gwydyr House, Whitehall. The Com missioners present were the Earl of - Chichester, Lord Seymour, and Mr. Bickman Escott. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England had a special general meeting yesterday. There were present the Bishop of Chichester, the Bishop of Rochester, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Earl of Chichester, and Sir Georg , - Grey. The Committ,..e on Education of her Majesty's most llonourablo Privy Council, had a meeting yesterday a:ternoon, at tie Privy Council-office, Whitehall. The Lords present were the Lord President, Lord John Russel, Sir George Grey, the Earl of Auckland, and the Earl of Clarendon. HER MAJEST Y'S MARINE EXCURSION. THURSDAY.—Her Majesty and Prince Albert left Wey mouth at six A.M., and proceeded to sea, kept along the coast, laying-to off Lyme Regis, Sidmouth, Babacomb Bay, passing through Torbay, and round to Dartmouth, her Majesty passing the night at anchor in the River Dart. The royal yacht anchored at a quarter after three r.at. The weather was very wet, and there was a good deal of wind. FRIDAY.—The Queen and Prince Albert left Dartmouth at six o'clock A.M., and arrived at Plymouth at half-past nine o'clock. The Admiral, the Commander of the Forces, and all the principal naval and military authorities, went on board the Royal Victoria and Albert yacht, and paid their respects to her Majesty. The Countess of Mount Edgecumbe also went off to the royal yacht, to pay her respects to her Majesty. The Queen will take an excursion up the town on board the Fairy, and will be present late in the afternoon at the launch of the Thetis. MUSICAL INTELLIGENCE. THE TURNER FAMILY.—A private performance took place on Wednesday at St. James's Theatre, in presence of the Duchess of Somerset, the Duchess of Leinster, the Mar chioness of Clanricarde, the Countess of Lincoln, the Earl and Countess of Charlemont, Lady Palmerston, Lady Wharn chile, Lady Lawley, the Hon. Colonel and Mrs. Dawson Darner, General Upton, Lady Stewart, and other fashion st!fle persons, of the Turner family, recently arrived in London from Somersetshire. These are three gifted Lilli putian instrumentalists, of the respective ages of four, six, and eight years, all girls. Miss Caroline is the eldest, and she plays on the harp, as also Miss Rosina, who is second. Ms, Sophia is the star of the little troupe, and she is a vio linist, handling her instrument, which is as big nearly as herself, with the self-possession of a Paganini, and casting most patronising looks at her auditory. It is curious to see Miss Caroline and Rosina playing on one harp, the one sitting and the other standing over, whilst little Sophia fiddles away gloriously. A very clever musical family is that of the Turners, with natural abilities that may be turned to good account, but we hope the poor things will not be taxed too heavily in their studies and labours. Much kind encourage ment was bestowed on their exertions. THE MERCHANT NAVIES OF FRANCE AND ENGLAND. (From La Presse.) At tie moment when the principal Chambers of Corn merce of the kingdom are forming an association which proposes to itself " the extension of navigation by the development of the maritime relations of the ports," it is not uninteresting to sum up, in a few words, the situa tion of our merchant navy in comparison with that of Great Britain. We shall borrow the statistics which establish on one side the superiority of, the English navy, and on the other the inferiority of the French, from the official coriaments published by the Governments of the two countries, and recently republished in a pam phlet entitled Progress of the Commercial Navigation of England. It follows from these documents, that in the year 1820, the effective of the English merchant navy amounted to 25,374 vessels, measuring 2,648,593 tons, and in 1844 to 31,320 vessels, measuring 3,637.231 tons. Has there been an analogous progress in France? Very far from it I Instead of an increase, as in England, there is a deplorable decrease, at least the following figures prove as much. Thus, in 1827, the effective of our merchant navy was 14,322 vessels, measuring 692.125 tons, and in 1844, 13,679 vessels, measuring 604,637 tons. We ought to add, that out of this num ber, of 13,679 vessels, 8,900 measured less than 30 tons(!) 2,852 measured from 99 to 300 tons, and 219 from 300 to 600 tons. There are, definitively, only 652 vessels ca pable of navigation on a large scale, and amongst all these ships there is not one measuring 700 tons, whilst England every day dispatches vessels of 1,200 tons bur den and upwards. This superiority of the British navy is no less evidently disclosed in the coasting navigation. Thus, in 1841, the French coasting trade conveyed, ex clusive of the coasting fishery, 2,424,246 tons of merchan dise, a traffic which employed 79,483 loaded vessels; or, to speak more exactly, which occasioned an equal number of passages from one port of the kingdom to an other. If to this number we add that of passages on the east, which amounted to 31,768 vessels, representing a tonnage of nearly 705,000, there is found, as the entire movement in the coasting trade in 1841, a general total of 111,251 vessels and 3,128,802 tons, worked by a naval personnel which always, taking account of the passages repeated by the same vessels, represents the service of crews amounting in number to 434,896 men. At this same period—that is to say, in 1841—the coasting trade of Great Britain was nearly five times more consider able than ours; it amounted for one of the two move. ments alone—coming and going—to 11,318,000 tons, and the passages, which had been 215,000, had employed more than 800,000 men as crews; and at least an equal number are employed either in loading, or in the pre servation of the merchandise. This state of things has not changed since 1841, at all events, not to our advantage. The French coasting trade has remained nearly stationary, while that of Great Britain has increased. It is true that the ma jority of the transports effected by our coasters, present, from one year to another, very few variations. We allude to woods, materials, salt, wines and brandies, grain and meal, coal, iron and manure, which form in weight three-fourths of the cargoes of our coasting vessels. As to the steam navy, the ensemble of the movement of our navigation (entrances and departures together) amounts, on the average, to 6,545 boats (or voyages), with cargoes, giving a total of 750,000 tons, whilst in England the effective of the steamers employed in the transport of merchandise is thirteen or fourteen times higher than in France. The coasting fishery shows, on its side, the same in feriority with regar d to E ng l an d . The official tables give, on an average, 6,431 boats, navigated by 27,286 men, but, on deducting the unable ones, only 22,000 men can be reckoned, whilst on the English coasts the popu lation engaged in the small fisheries amounts to more than 150 000 individuals. It is true that the English coasts are more extensive than our own; but in an equal space, they do not the less offer double the number of fishermen. It is true that our great fisheries offer more resources, but that branch of navigation is very far from being ameliorated; and, for the last seven years, it presents a reduction of about one-fourth. These various statistical facts afford a material proof of the inferiority of our merchant navy.. The inferiority of our " military" (war) navy is an indisput able fact Thus, therefore, in every respect, our na vigation is incapable of entering into competition with the English. It appertains to the Chambers of Commerce to seek out the most proper means of raising the state of our navy. We do not doubt the success of their efforts, convinced, as we are, not only of the goodness of their cause, but of that want of reform which makes itself felt on all sides, and which will, we hope, lend a fresh impulse to the Conservative policy. SCARCITY OF FRUIT.—We believe the price now paid for good ripe fruit is much above what it has been during the last twenty years. The following comparative statement shows how scarce and dear good apples, pears, and stone fruit are:— 1845. 1846. Pears per p0t...75. Od. to Bs. Od. 28s. Od. to 30s. Od. Plums ditto ...4s. Od. to ss. Od. 18s. Od. to 225. oi. Damsons ditto .4s. Od. to ss. Od. 255. Od. to 40s. Od. Apricots a doz. Os. 4d. to ls. Od. Is. 6d. to 3s. Od. Peaches ditto...ls. Od. to Is. 6d. 2s. Od. to 3s. fid. And so on with other fruits in like proportion. ALTEN MINING ASSOCIATION.—The half-yearly meeting of this Association was held yesterday, at the office in Old Broad-street, J. Labouchere, Esq., in the chair. The report showed an a c t ua l l oss i n the last eighteen months of 3,0001., but the six months just past had realised a profit of 1,3001. Should this success continue. the directors proposed to make a dividend of ss. per share in October. The produce of copper was 54i tons. The assets in Alten were 4,123/. 13s. 7d. ; and the assets in London, 8,048/. 3s. 10d. After a short discussion the report was adopted. Letters which have just been received from Gibraltar mention a report, that General Cavaignac had in the pro vince of Oran surrounded and put to death an Arab tribe, consisting of 600 men, women, and children; that the war is now carried on on the principle of extermination, and that the French soldiers receive ten francs for every pair of human ears they bring in, whatever the age or sex of the original owners of these ears may have been. It is but justice to the French people that the publication of such rumours should give their rulers an opportunity of contradicting or explain ing them. It is with this view we make the statement, and it will be gratifying to every friend of humanity if the Debats, or any other paper speaking from authority, could be enabled to contradict this report.—Chronicle. THE FRENCH IN OTAHETI. VALPARAISO, MAY 30, 1846. The following are extracts from a letter received by a vessel just arrived from Otaheiti:— OTAIIEITI, Arnie 15, 1846.—0 n the 22d of March, about three o'clock in the afternoon, a few of the natives found their way into the town, and set fire to the houses of Major Fergus, a Polish gentleman, in the service of the French, and Mamoi, a native chief, in the French interest; the latter they killed before the French were able to interfere. The French soon turned out to check and chastise the natives, and a general firing commenced on both sides, which was kept up till near seven o'clock in the evening. So sudden and unexpected was the attack, that the inhabitants were all struck dumb with consternation, and - a scene of the greatest confusion en sued. The foreigners began immediately to remove their fannies from the town onboard the vessels; some hurrying away from the scene of the conflict with their wives and children, and others escaping with their books, papers, and what money they could lay their bands upon. There was a loss in killed and wounded on both sides, but the precise number I have not heard. Next day, being Sunday, there was a cessation of hosti lities, but almost every day since shots have been exchanged ; and to-day they bad another engagement. The plan adopted by the hostile tribe appears now to be to hang about the neighbourhood of the town and to harass the French with out coming to anything like a pitched battle. This morning [the dates of the writer's letter run on consecutively from the 11th to the 15th of April] a party of the natives in the in terest of the French went, by permission of the Governor, a short distance from the town, and attempted to plunder the provisions, vegetables, &c., of the enemy, when they were attacked and repulsed by the latter; they had one man shot through the liver, who is now dead, another badly wounded, and a third is missing. The other side lost one man killed. In the second engagement above mentioned, which was the most serious, the French had a force of about 250 men. After a sharp firing of about an hour and a half, the French and their allies (Kauakas, as the natives are called) returned with two poor devils prisoners. The opposite party lost men in killed in this engagement also. I cannot help alluding to the cruelty of this wretched war of a powerful nation with the poor inoffensive natives, and I do think that the adoption of more conciliating and politic measures on the part of the French would at least mend matters. The agreement entered into between the Governor and Sir George Seymour was broken soon after the Admiral left, by the sending of the L'Uranie to the Leeward Islands, and destroying the beautiful little village on the Island of iluahine. To give a particular account of the events of the last three weeks would require more time than I can spare; but I may remark that the situation of the French is insecure, and that of the British residents is extremely critical and unplea sant. Neither our lives nor our property are safe, and what makes it worse for us is, that the 'French accuse us of insti gating the natives to renew hostilities, and with supplying money and ammunition for them to carry on the war with ; and so strong is the feeling against us, that the French, even our old acquaintances, keep aloof from us. This feeling of hostility has most unfortunately been communicated to the "French natives, or allies," as they are called, as will appear by the fact that about a fortnight ago, Dr. Henry, of the Salamander, while walking in Dr. Johnstone's garden, was fired at by a French native, and wo u nd e d i n th e b ac k of the head. The cloth cap he had on directed the course of the ball upwards, which saved his life. The ball took with it a part of his scalp. The native was tried by court-martial, and acquitted. The verdict was, "Shot by accident." Dr. Henry is now almost well again. What the British Admiral will say to this verdict when he comes here, is a question of deep interest to us. In the event of the French troops being beaten by the natives and driven within the outposts, the commander of our own man-of-war, the Salamander, is strictly forbidden even in that case to send his boats to our assistance. We were told publicly by the "Director of European affairs" (a French functionary), that, should the troops be beaten, French boats would be sent to our relief, to which we should be conducted by a guard of French soldiers, or to the square of the Government-house, at our option. But though all this seems very fine, we don't much relish "a guard of French soldiers." Our countryman had a narrow escape. He, with the rest of us, sent his property on board, and shortly after wards a 32-pounder was shot slap through his house! lle landed his goods a week ago, and was obliged again to pack up from the uncertainty (in which) we all are in as to the result of all this fighting. Every one is obliged to keep within doors from six in the evening to six next morning • and as for the pleasure or comfort of living here we are obliged to subsist entirely upon salted and preserved meats. The following appears as an article of news this afternoon in one of the Valparaiso newspapers : " OTAHEITE.-The Hamburgh brig Vigilant brings us news of two attacks of the natives and French. One was in a valley, and both parties had several killed and wounded; the other was at a tower defended by a small (un corto) num ber of French, who made a sally, attacked (the natives) a ith the bayonet, and took from them a piece of artillery which they had brought." The same paper adds : " There was a scarcity of all kinds of provisions. Flour was at 20 dolls. a barrel, and biscuit at 15 dolls." The Vigilant has come here, chartered by the French Go vernment, to take provisions hence to Otaheite. She has brought from Otaheite a cargo of molasses, and 20,000 dol lars in specie on private account. Another letter from Otaheite states that a small schooner of 62 tons burden, sailing under the flag of the " Navigators' Islands," chartered by two British subjects, of the names of Evans and Paynter, to trade amongst the Islands, is sup posed to have been run away with by the crew or by the crews and captain jointly. The schooner was called the Malolo, and the master's name is Turnbull. While the char terers were on shore negotiating for a return cargo to take to Otaheite, on the sth of March last, they saw the schooner stand out to sea, and they have had no intelligence of her since. Evans, and another Englishman, a passenger, after waiting ten days on the island, procured a native boat, and proceeded to Otaheite, and gave information of the circum stance to Captain Hammond, of the Salamander, in the hope that he might be able to render assistance in recovering the schooner. It is with the same view that I mention the fact, as if inserted in the papers the publicity given thereby to the affair may lead to the discovery of her fate. V. English merchantmen just arrived—The Ann Rankin, from Glasgow, in 110 days; the Cor sa i r , f rom L on d on , i n 91 d ays the Ann Mary, anchoring, from Liverpool, 135 days.—Val paraiso, May 31st. THE 9th LANCERS at the BATTLE OF SOBRAON. We are requested to publish the following copy of a letter addressed by Major-General Sir Harry Smith to Lieutenant- Colonel Fullerton, commanding her Majesty's 9th Lancers, in refutation of a calumnious statement which has obtained circulation respecting the conduct of Colonel Campbell at the battle of Sobraon. Although the statement referred to did not appear in our columns, we have much pleasure in giving publicity to so complete a vindication of Colonel Campbell's character : " Simla, June 18, 1846. " Sir—ln reply to your letter of the 14th inst., this day re ceived, representing that some vile, calumnious, and wicked reports are in circulation by certain newspapers in England, to the effect that her Majesty's 9th Lancers did not do their duty in the field at the memorable battle of Sobraon ; I have the satisfaction to record the following facts, although I bad heretofore believed that a regiment of British Dragoons was protected from insult and indignity by its own appellation. " On the celebrated morning of the 10th of February the division of Infantry under my command was directed to post itself on the banks of the Sutlej, fronting the left of the enemy's position, and near the village of Guttah, as near the enemy as possible, but not to get within range of his cannon. " The brigade of cavalry under Brigadier Campbell, of the 9th Lancers, and in which this corps was, I had received instructions would be placed in support, to the rear of the left of my division, and to the right of General Gilbert's. " At daylight in the morning Brigadier Campbell rode up to me with his staff, and pointing out his brigade, requested to know if it was posted as desired. . . " I highly approved of its position. Not certain that I was with my division near enough to the enemy, I directed Brigadier Campbell to move up a squadron of the 9th Lan cers which he, instantly did, for the purpose of ascertaining the range of the enemy's cannon. " The squadron was commanded by Captain Read, who handled it in a masterly manner, moving up to the enemy's position with skirmishers; rapidly a heavy cannonade was opened on this squadron. My object as to distance was at tained, and I withdrew the 'squadron, which Captain Read again brought back in the steadiness with which it had ad vanced, although at the time under a sharp cannonade, and when this squadron rejoined the beautiful body of men the 9th Lancers, I saw that flash of the British soldier's eye which is not to be mistaken, and a sort of pulsated motion in their saddles, evincing that eagerness for the fight their national courage inspired. " My division was ordered to the assault of deep and strong entrenchments—no field for cavalry, difficult enough for in fantry—and I directed Brigadier Campbell to remain where he was, to support my division and G enera l Gilb ert ' s, i n case wewere beaten back; an event I did not anticipate, although I provided for it. " After the victory, I ascertained that so eager was this brigade for the assault, that it had been moved forward, and had lost some men and horses lsy the enemy's cannon. This I regretted, but could not animadvert upon so laudable a de sire to participate in the danger and glory of victory. Had I made use of this brigade in the assault of entrenchments, it would have been madness; while I assert, with veteran con fidence and the knowledge of British soldiers which expe rience acquires, that never did our country, so famed for gallantry in its soldiers, possess a regiment better animated with every noble feeling of the brave, from its officers to the privates, than the brigade of Brigadier Campbell, of which the 9th Lancers formed a conspicuous portion; or never did the revered Sovereign of our realm possess a regiment of Dragoons more efficient in physical strength, or better animated for war, than her Majesty's 9th Lancers. " I have entered into a lengthy detail, almost unnecessary, for our noble and gallant Commander-in-Chief's dispatch contains all that I have recorded in a few words; and the world may rely on it, that such a General would never com mend the craven-hearted—an appellation, I thank my God, in 41 years' experience, I have never seen applicable to a British regiment in the most daring deeds of arms.—l have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient humble servant, " 6 H. G. SMITH, Major-General. " To Lieut.-Colonel Fullerton, commanding her Majesty's 9th Lancers." ADVANCE IN WAGES. -A HINT TO MASTERS AND WORKMEN:—There is now some evidence of a much better state of feeling than when strikes among workmen were the order of the day. The operative carpet-weavers of England petitioned their employers for an advance of wages, which was granted for six months, on condition that the Scotch manufacturers would give a similar rise. This was acceded to with great good will. The English operatives, by letter, then requested their Scottish brethen to use their influence with their employers to give a corresponding advance on wages, and to use every moral means in their power to be successful, as in the event of want of success the English weaver would, at the end of six months, lose the advance, which is a valuable one, being fully eleven per cent. Accordingly, the Scottish weavers have petitioned their employers, and already five firms have given, the advance, in a very handsome manner, two firms in Ban nockburn, and three in Glasgow. The firm of Messrs. John Geddes and Sons have deserved great praise in this affair, in at once giving the advance, and allowing it to come into im mediate operation. It is expected that this rise of wages will become general. It is hoped that the carpet manufac turers of Kilmarnock and Aberdeen will likewise give the advance, which now appears likely to be general, in the handsome manner that the other manufacturers have done.— Scotch Reformer's Gazette. The Turkish police lately proceeded to the house of a French hairdresser residing at Pere, in search of a Turkish woman with whom ho was suspected to carry on an intrigue. The French- Ilan barred his door and refused them admittance, so that they were obliged to wait for the arrival of an officer of the French embassy to force their entrance to the house. As long a delay as possible was contrived, and in the mean time an opening was made in the wall of the house, and the woman passed through it in man's clothes. The hole was masked by a picture, and when the police entered they found nothing. NAVAL AND MILITARY DEPARTMENTS. There has just been issued in a printed forni, by order of the House of Commons, an extract from the sixth report of the Committee of Inquiry into the system of account and audit in the Ordnance Department, dated the 6th of December, 1845, relative to the preparation, audit, and presentation to Parliament of annual accounts of the receipt and expenditure of the naval and military departments, together with Treasury minute thereon. The following is the more material portion of the said Treasury minute, dated 13th of January, 1846: " Under these circumstances, their Lordships are of opinion that the time has arrived for applying to the naval and military departments, in a uniform and consistent manner, those principles of account which have been recommended by the highest authorities on the subject, and have stood the test of a practical trial, and for giving them the forco of positive rule, and my Lords will proceed to state, as briefly as possible, what those principles are, and in what manner they should be applied. 1. According to the immemorial practise of this Go vernment, as explained and enforced by the Treasury minute of 13th of March, 1818, only such services are to be included in the estimates to be laid before Parliament by the executive departments as have been approved by the Treasury or financial department, either as the re sult of previous correspondence, or on a consideration of the estimates themselves, which are laid before the Chancellor of the Exchequer previously to their being submitted to Parliament. "2. No executive department is authorised to exceed the sum appropriated by Parliament under each general head or vote in their respective estimates, or to apply any surplus which may exist under one vote, to supply the deficiency on others, without the express previous sanction of the Treasury, to be given on a written re presentation of the circumstances which render the adoption of such a course indispensable fur the public service. " 3. All the votes, including that for works and re pairs, are in future to be taken for sums to be expended during the last year ; and on the last day of the financial year the annual account is to be closed, and the balance is to be struck at all the stations at home and abroad ; and any unappropriated balance that may appear when the accounts shall have been made up to that day, to have remained on the aggregate of the votes of any de partment, shall revert to the Exchequer, to be reported to Parliament for the purpose of being applied as ways and means. " 4. Provided the expenditure for each work included in the Admiralty and Ordnance estimates, is confined within the amount of the total estimate for its comple tion, submitted to Parliament in the first column of the form applicable to this vote, the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty and the Master-General and Board of Ordnance, will, after the new form of estimate for works and repairs shall have been fully adopted, be at liberty to apply the aggregate of their respective votes for works, in such proportions for each work as the exigen cies of the public service may require. "5. The annual account having been closed as above described, on the last day of the financial year, eight months are allowed, according to the existing naval sys tem, for the arrival from the different stations abroad of the accounts of the preceding financial year, and for making them up previously to the general account being delivered to the commissioners audit. 'Whatever period may be necessary for receiving and consolidating the subordinate accounts, must in like manner be allowed to the War-office and Ordnance Departments, but it is very desirable that the period fixed should not be longer than is indispensably required for the object in view. The cause of the great delay which has hitherto taken place in closing the Ordinance accounts, which renders the accounts, when furnished, of little avail for any practical purpose, and the proper means of remedying it have been already pointed out in their Lordships' minute, dated 3d of December, 1841, as one of the most important points for the consideration of the Com missioners of Inquiry. " 6. The appropriations credited on the estimates in aid of the vets are to be the sums actually realised, and brought to account during the year preceding the esti mate, instead of the prospective receipts expected to be realised in the year for which the estimate is voted. " The Credits in Aid' have already been placed on this footing in the Navy, Ordnance, and Commissariat estimates, and when a similar change shall have been made in the War-office estimates, there will be nothing left to be desired on this point. " 7. That detailed audit, the object of which is to allow or disallow the different items of expenditure, according as they are or are not conformable with departmental rules, or are or are not supported by proper authorities and vouchers, will continue to be conducted by and on the responsibility of each department ; but that higher and more general description of audit, the object of which is to ascertain and report whether the grants of Parliament have been duly a ppli e d to t h e pur poses to which they have been appropriated by the An nual Appropriation Act, as explained by the annual es timate upon Which that Act is founded, will be conducted in future by the Commissioners of Audit under the superintendence of the Treasury. It 8. A detailed account will be annually prepared by each department for the information of the Treasury, according to the form in which the annual army account is now prepared, including, in addition to a comparison of the expenditure with the grants under each of the general heads stated in the Appropriation Act, a statement of the result of the actual expenditure, as compared with the estimates, under the subordinate heads into which the votes are divided into the depart mental ledgers; and also an explanation, sinr.ilar to that given in the War Office account, showing what the balances consist of. This account will be transmitted by each department to the Commissioners of Audit on or before a date hereafter to be fixed. Inspector Donegan, of the H division, said that the pri soner had denied being in Whitechapel at all on Saturday, although the fact was so well attested, and pointed to a re spectable mechanic with a branch of the deadly nightshade in his hand, and said the man's daughter purchased some berries of the prisoner in Whitechapel on Saturday, and alter eating them, was taken ill, and sent to the hospital. Mr. Prophet, a surgeon, residing in Whitechapel, who attended upon Mr. and Mrs. Parker on Sunday afternoon, stated, in answer to questions by the magistrate, that he could see at once from the symptoms that the man and his wife had swallowed berries of the atropa belladonna, or deadly nightshade. An extract of the plant was use d ex ternally to dilate the pupil of the eye. The extract of bella donna was very rarely prescribed internally. The deadly nightshade was collected in the shady parts of woods and j hedges, similar to the foxglove. Inspector Donegan took it upon himself to put a question to Mr. Prophet. He asked, if light would not destroy the properties of the atropa belladonna? Mr. Prophet—Yes, it would. Donegan—l know it grows in shady places. Mr. BALLANTINE said, the prisoner called himself a herb gatherer, and asked Mr. Prophet if the herbalists purchased the deadly nightshade of the collectors? Mr. Prophet—l believe they do for simples. The character of it can't be mistaken by those who collect herbs. Mr. BALLANTINE—I should think not. The prisoner, in defence, said he bought the berries he sold on Saturday last of a man near the Elephant and Castle, who was dressed in a velveteen coat, and he was not aware of their dangerous properties at the time. Mr. BALLANTINE said that statement did not tally with what the prisoner told Mrs. Parker. He asked the inspector if the inquest on the bodies had terminated? Donegan—No, Sir ; it is adjourned till Wednesday. Mr. BALLANTINE said the prisoner was charged with a very serious offence, and he should allow the case to stand over for a week. The evidence went to show that the prisoner had sold poisonous berries to a great many persons, who were taken ill afterwards, and two of them had died. He should have thought that a man of ordinary acuteness, who was in the habit of collecting herbs, and particularly a coun tryman, ought to know the dangerous properties of the ber ries of the deadly nightshade. He directed the police to ascertain whether the prisoner was in the practice of supply ing herbs to the herbalists and others, and whether he had been in the habit of selling the deadly nightshade as night shade. If he had done so, the case might assume a new as pect. He then remanded the prisoner, on the charge of man- , slaughter. In making their report on this account, the Com missioners of Audit will call the attention of the Trea sury to every considerable deviation between the esti mated amount and the actual expenditure under the several subordinate heads into which the votes are divided in the estimates; submitting at the same time, auy explanations that may have been furnished to them of the circumstances: which rendered such deviations necessary. " 9, An abstract account will be annually prepared by each department for the information of Parliament, according to the form in which the annual navy account is now prepared, showing the results under the general votes or heads into which the expenditure is divided in the Appropriation Act, which account will be transmitted by each department to the Commissioners of Audit at the same time with the more detailed account adverted to in the two preceding paragraphs. " 10. The Commissioners of Audit will refer to the Treasury any question that may arise in the course of the examination of the accounts which may appear to require their Lordships' authority or decision. Their Lordships concur in the opinion expressed by the members of the Committee of Inquiry and by the Commissioners of Audit, that the audit check of the accounts of the four departments of the army, navy, and ordnance and com m i ssar i at, the object of which is to secure the legal appropriation of the Parliamentary grants for those services, ought to be established under the authority of an Act of Parliament ; and as the An nual Appropriation Act appears to be the proper place in which to make the necessary provision for this duty, it is requested that the Committee of Inquiry will prepare and submit to this Board a draft of such clauses as they may consider best calculated to accomplish the object in view, in order that they may be submitted to Parliament as part of the next Appropriation Act." CITY OF LONDON MECHANICS' INSTITUTION.-011 Monday night an interesting lecture was delivered to the members of this institution in their lecturing hall, Gould square, Crutchedfriars, by H. W. Dempsay, Esq., chemical teacher at the City of Westminster Literary and Scientific Institution. The subject chosen by the lecturer was carbon, the properties and combinations of which were illustrated by numerous brilliant experiments. The lecturer com menced by remarking that in almost every case one-half of the solid substances of the animal and vegetable kingdom is composed of carbon. This element is seldom found in a state of purity, and then only in one form, that of the "diamond," and no doubt it appeared strange that this beautiful sparkling gem was the same in chemical compo sition as the black porous mass known as charcoal. The diamond was found capable of being burned, by concen trating the sun's rays upon it, as early as the year 1694, but the real nature of its combustion was not known till Lavoiser burned a diamond in a vessel of oxygen gas, when carbonic acid gas was produced in weight exactly equal to the consumed diamond. The lecturer remarked that the most common form in which we find carbon is that of char coal. Carbon may also be obtained from bones, by burning them in close vessels, which produce what is called " ivory black." Another form of carbon is coke. The lecturer then went into the various combinations of carbon, illustrating his observations by experiments—alarming his audience with an occasional explosion, similar in kind, but differing in degree, to those which take place in mines, through the escape and ignition of gases, into whose composition carbon largely enters. The " Davy Lamp" was described, and other inte- resting matters gone into, illustrating the various properties of carbon under the different forms and combinations in which it is presented to us. The whole went off remarkably well—the lecturer receiving at the conclusion the well merited plaudits of his audience. HOP INTELLIGENCE.—FARNnAM, AUGUST 21.—Should the weather prove favourable, hop picking will commence on Monday next in some of the most forward plantations around this place. Several growers, we are told, anticipate a crop of twenty to twenty-five cwt. per acre. At Hale, near Farnham, the hops are generally very good At Crondall they are not so tall on the poles, which is accounted for by the land not being so rich nor of so deep a soil as about Farnham ; but still many plantations look exceedingly pro mising compared with their appearance in the early part of July last. At Bentley the hops look exceedingly well, if we except two or three spots or gardens, such till recently were of hops, expected to condemned as not likely to be worth picking, vet now are the same number M from next Monday. very much altered for the better. At Froyle Sir Thomas s plantationsexpec produced edf tr At Wennell, near Alton, there are some very fine plantations yield iacres ller d h o l auassh last double somet ll yeare excellent; quantitypieing of only waiting for fine weather to enable the pickers to begin work. The duty is laid at Farnham, and also at Alton; from 160,000/. to 170,000/. 7 and the produce around is ex p ec t e d to exceed that of the famed year 1836. THE CHINESE MEDAL.—Our readers have already perceived by the Gazette announcement that the medals to the land and sea forces which took part in the Chinese war, are being die. tributed : the last notice bore reference to Particular vessels of war. The same pattern medallion was struck for the army as for the navy. It is about the size of a crown piece, perhaps a little heavier, and is composed of solid silver. On one side is a representation of her Majesty, similarly wrought as upon the current co i n of the empire, and the reverse displays various national and naval and military emblems, &c., including a cannon, anchor, B, e . &C. These are ap propriately represented beneath the spreading branches of the palm. The whole is surmounted by the words Arrat's eseo scire pacent (I quit arms for the enjoyment of peace), and flnished by the wor d s, China, 1842. The clasp connecting the ribband is of German silver. The ribband, it is understood, will be crimson, fringed with yellow and blue. The medal is fr3in the design of Mr. lirylde, of her Majesty's Mint, where it was executed, and somewhat resembles those issued on the occasion of the victories at Ghuznee and other places in our Oriental territories. A different design for the reverse was at first executed, namely, the British lion trampling on the Chinese standard, but it was abandoned for the appropriate one above described. Mr. Charles Warner had an interview with Earl Grey yesterday, at the Colonial-office. IMPORTATION OF FOREIGN ANIMALS.—The Windsor, Captain Truscott, from the East Indies, arrived in the East India Docks on Friday, having on board an extraordinary tortoise, weighing several hundred pounds, and supposed to be 200 years old; also a very fine male leopard, with re markably large and rich spot, and a young sloth bear; the whole of which were purchased on board by the proprietor of the Surrey Zoological Gardens. The same day a very fine chimpanzee, the only one in London, was added to the collection. MR. ROWLAND HILL.—The town council of Cupar have memorialised Lord John Russell, praying that Mr. Hill may receive some appointment in the Post-office, which may enable him to see the whole of his scheme of Post-office re form effectively carried out.—Caledonian Mercury. REVIEW OF THE CHELSEA PENSIONERS.—On Tues day last several thousands of spectators were assembled in Hyde-park to witness the review of the Ist battalion of Lon ' don pensioner's, who, after having been embodied for a week's exercise, were inspected at eleven o'clock on that day by Colonel Pitt, inspecting field-ollicer of the London dis trict, in presence of the Adjutant-General and a large assem blage of military officers. The battalion mustered apparently about four hundred men, principally between the ages of forty and tifty, very few exceeding the latter period, and as re garded physical strength they seemed in no respect inferior to the troops who usually parade in that arena for military exercise. The battalion was commanded on this occasion by Lieutenant-Colonel Tullocb, the military superintendent of pensioners. After marching past in slow and quick time, and performing the manual and platoon exercises, the men went through the usual routine of a field. day with a preci sion, which, considering their long absence from military duty, was quite remarkable, and seemed particularly to attract the attention of the younger soldiers in the field. The battalion repeatedly formed, wheeled, and countermarched in columns, formed squares to resist cavalry, deployed into line, ad vanced by subdivisions, &c, keeping up a rapid and well directed lire on every occasion after these movements. The uniform, consisting of a blue frock coat with scarlet cuff and collar, and black belt with a light forage cap, appeared par ticularly well adapted for the force, and when in line had a striking effect. Everything was in the highest order, and these veterans, many of whom bore on their breasts the de corations gained in hard-fought fields, appeared proud at finding themselves once more in arms, and able to show that the lapse of years had neither damped their military ardour nor obliterated their military recollections. This is the first occasion on which any force of the kind has been reviewed in London; but two other battalions are in course of forma tion, which will make a considerable addition to the de fensive force of the metropolis. The whole number autho rised by Parliament to be raised is 20,000 men, of whom it is understood that about 12,000 are now completely armed and equipped ; so extensively are the pensioners spread over the kingdom, that there is no town of any in finitude without at least an effective company, fbrined from those permanently resident there. The pay during the days of exercise being about 2s. a-day, in addition to pen s i on , ma k es admission into the force an object of competition to those old soldiers, and the only punishment is expulsion, which it may safely be affirmed would prove quite sufficient also in the regular army, if the men were paid at a corresponding rate. UNFOUNDED REPORT OF VAN AMBURGH'S DEATH. —By letters received by Mr. Wallett, the clown at Astley's, from Boston, United States, it appears that there is not the slightest foundation for the report that Van Amburgh, the famous brute-tamer, had been destroyed by a tigress at Woonsuckett, Rhode Island, while endeavouring, at the re quest of a young lady, to take away some meat which the beast was a . bout to devour. The story is a pure fabrication, invented to bring a new paper into notoriety. Van Amburgh was reported to be in good health, and making a most suc cessful tour. THE FLEET-STREET NUISANCE.—The workmen are getting on rapidly in laying down the new granite paving of Fleet•-street, so as to cause as short an obstruction as pos sible to the free passage to omnibuses and other vehicles through this thoroughfare. The portion from Temple-bar to a little beyond Chancery-lane is now finished. THE LATE DEATHS FROM POI- ; THE MURDERS AT BARNARD SONOUS BERRIES. CASTLE COMMITTAL OF THE ISIUR- Yesterday John Hillard, an old Cambridgeshire man, a DERERS. herb* gatherer, was brought before Mr. Ballantine at the NORTHALLEnTON, TI/lIIZSDAY.—The investigation coil- Thames Police-court on remand, charged with causing the corning the alleged murder of Joseph Yates and Catherine deaths of Thomas Parker, late proprietor of the Veteran Raine, on the 9th of August, 1845, near Barnard Castle, was beershop, in the Whitechapel-road, and Samuel Jones, a resumed on Tuesday, at Greta-bridge, before a full bench of child aged three years, who expired in the London Hospital magistrates. after partaking of a pie in which berries of the otropa Lelia- : It will be recollected that, in a previous notice of the donna, or deadly nightshade, sold by the prisoner for nettle- , affair, the deceased parties were described to have been seen berries, were introduced. in Bridge-street, Barnard Castle, late on the night of the above The inquiry created very great interest, several other per- ! date, with several persons. On the following day (Sunday) sons besides those who died in the hospital having been ' they were missing, and not the least clue could be obtained of affected by eating berries of a similar description, which them. On the night of the 12th of August the body of they purchased of the prisoner. Yates was found in the river Tees, four miles below Maria Parker, who was attired in deep mourning, and ap- Barnard Castle. It presented marks of violence, but peered to be in a very weak condition, was the first witness the coroner not deeming a surgeon's examination neces called. She stated that her late husband was the landlord sary, a verdict of found drowned was returned. Ten of the Veteran beershop in the Whitechapel-road. On Satur- days afterwards that of the female was discovered in the day afternoon last the prisoner came int o her house with river at Hutworth near Darlington, and the coroner's jury two baskets on his arms, one contained herbs, the other found a similar verdict. The bodies were interred, and berries. He called for a half-pint of beer, and then asked the matter would probably have here rested, had not her to purchase some of the berries. She observed that the magistrates interposed, and requested the superintendent they looked very nice, and asked what they were. The i to institute an investigation into the circumstances connected prisoner said they were nettleberries and surpassed I with the deaths of the deceased. It should he observed black currants, and were very nice for tarts, or for that on the night they were missed a severe quarrel took making wines, puddings, and other things. She told him place between a man named Breckon (who is now undergoing she was a countrywoman, and had never heard of nettle- a twelvemonth's imprisonment in Durham gaol) and the de berries before. He said he had travelled a long way to ob- ceased female. It was also known that another person, of the tarn the berries, and that he had somet i mes o b taned similar name of Barker, had often threatened Yates, in consequence berries on the Surrey hills. She obtained the consent of of a quarrel about a coat, said to have been stolen by Barker her husband to purchase a pint of the berries, which were from a Captain Bainbridge. A third party (Rainej appears about the size of a small sloe. She gave the prisoner 3d, for to have been actuated by the knowledge of Yates being in them. On the following day (Sunday), which was the an- possession of a few shillings. niversary of her wedding, she made a tart with the berries, The first clue to the supposed criminals was given by a after cutting the stalks off, and also cut up two apples, which woman of the name of Humphreys, who had for some time she mixed with them. She and her husband partook of the previously appeared in au unhappy state of mind, a r i s i ng tart at dinner-time ; her husband a t e very heartily of it. ifrom the possessio n o f a secret which she had taken an oath Before the remains of the dinner were removed, a customer I to keep. Ultimately she told the whole history of the mar camein to pay some 'stoney, and was accompanied by a child, I ders to an acquaintance, by whom it was communicated to named Samuel Jones. The little boy looked very anxiously the police, and after m uc h trou bl e two of the parties, named at the tart, and she gave him s o me , li t tl e t hi n ki ng at that time Barker and Raine, t% e re success i ve l y captured. that the berries were p o i sonous . A f ew m i nutes after her The third party implicated, Breckon, being confined, as husband had finished his dinner, he said he was very drowsy, before stated, in Durham gaol, representations were made and went into the bar parlour. His lethargy soon increased, to the Secretary of State soliciting his removal, to be ex his countenance changed colour, and the pupils of his eyes be- amined with the other prisoners. An answer was received, came dilated. He said he had a very strange coppery taste in however, intimating that it could not be granted until the his mouth, and that he would go up stairs and lie down upon expiration of his present sentence. the bed. As he went up stairs he staggered, and upon ente r- Under such circumstances, the magistrates proceeded with ing his bedroom fell upon the floor, and became insensible. their inquiry, and on Tuesday the two prisoners, G. Barker She became alarmed, and immediately proceeded to the shop and T. R. Raine, were brought up for final examination, of Mr. Coleman, a chemist, in the Whitechapel-road, and the Venerable Archdeacon Headlam being the chairman of obtained an emetic for him and a seidlitz powder for herself, the bench. She attempted to administer the emetic to her husband, but A great mass of evidence has been adduced at the several could get very little down his throat, as his teeth were firmly examinations, of whisk the following is the principal : set. He subsequently became delirious, and was very rough. Ann Humphreys said—l recollect the night of the 9th of His contortions were dreadful. He attempted to strike her August, 1845. I" went to bed near twelve o'clock. I got up in his delirium, and when he recovered a little said he was again immediately. Ido not know the reason I got up, but sorry, and asked her to kiss him. Those were the last words something made me do so. I looked out of my father's door she heard him speak. He was conveyed to the London Hos- into Bridgegate. I saw Joseph Yates and Catherine Raine pital at seven o'clock the same evening, and died at ten talking. They called me towards them. I went, as re o'clock on the following morning. The child to whom she quested, and we stood about a minute talking, when John had given some of the tart died on the same day. The Breekon, Thomas Raine. and George Barker came up to widow, who was deeply affected, then began to detail her us. Rains said to me, "Let us have a walk towards the own sufferings. She did not eat so heartily of the tart as her bridge." Ile then said, "Yates had some money, and we husband, but she was very ser i ous l y affected. She experi- want it; how shall we d o to get i t? " I said, "Poor fellow, enced a nauseous taste, lik e copperas, i n h er mouth, a tin- let him alone. " He said, " We will have it." Barker gling in the fingers, and stupor. Soon afterwards she lost and Raine then asked Yates for his money. Yates said the use of her limbs, and was taken to the hospital, where he was willing th to spend it a mongst them he site remained till Wedne s d a y, an d was st ill very ill, uld not give it to em. Barker and R but ains then In answer to questions by M r . BALLANTINE, the witness t oo wo k Yates's money. They counted it, and there was said the prisoner certainly called the berries nettleberries. eleven or twelve shillings. They then both struck and He did not say that he had eaten any of them. The berries kicked him. He cried and shouted " murder" several times. were about the size of black currants. After she had Catherine screamed as hard as she could the whole time. vomited, she selected one of the berries which came front her They told us if we screamed they would serve us the same. stomach, and observed it contained small seeds of a greenish After this they threw him (Yates) over the crane wall into cast. the Tees. The Tees was very rough, the night was very David Sugg, police-sergeant, No. 17 11, produced the re- dark, and it rained heavily. They then asked us if we would mains of the tart in a small dish. The poisonous fruit tell? Catherine exclaimed she would tell the first policeman closely resembled the small black cherry, but were not so she saw. They asked me the same, and I was afraid, and I large. Sugg also produced a stalk of the atropa belladonna, said I would not; and they made me declar4" "So help me or deadly nightshade, with leaves and berries ou it. The God, I would not disclose what I had witnessed." They first, but for five small leaves at the stem, might easily be again asked Catherine if she persisted in telling, because they mistaken for the common bilberry. The witness said the must be on their guard. Catherine was resolute, and de- ' prisoner was well known as a herb collector, and in the Glared she would tell. One of the prisoners, I cannot say autumn sold blackberries. He had a basket of that fruit in which, then said, "If that's the case, we won't give you the his possession when he was apprehended. Sugg then put in chance." They then all seized her, and threw her over the the following certificate : bridge in a moment ; she fell into the middle of the Tees. I "I hereby certify, that Thomas Pa r k er and Samuel Jones saw Breckon have hold of Catherine's feet as she was going died in this hospital on Monday last, August 17th, front the over the battlement of the bridge. Barker has since that effects of a poison commonly called deadly nightshade.— time requested the to meet hint. I said I would, but never JOIIN C. DAY, apothecary, London Hospital, August 20th, did ; I was afraid h e i nten d e d to do something to me—l ex -184G." pected he would ser v e me as they did Catherine. lle told Thomas Bilby,',a post-boy, stated that he saw his fellow- me to mind and keep the affair a secret. I said I would do servant buy some berries similar to those produced by se . I h ave been much distressed since, and very unhappy Sugg, on filackfriars• bridge on Satu r day l a st, lie also in my mind. I declare solemnly all I have said is t rue . bought some himself, and after eating a few of th em was Oilier witnesses were examined, who spoke to hearing the violently affected and taken to the hospital. He was still cries described by Humphreys at the time and place men very weak dotted, and to seeing the prisoners in the immediate neigh- Islr. BALLANTINE—Did you buy them of the prisoner? botirhood. Witness—Yes Sir; lie is the man. (It may here be ob- It was statedy a witnes s named Harrison that about a Yatesl served, that the prisoner is a most peculiar-looking man, and wee k before was missing the prisoner Barker, who that it would be impossible for any person to mistake him then slept with him, asked Harrison to go with him, and assist to give A ates a beating, which he declined to do; and after seeing him once.) Peter Martin, another post-boy, deposed that he also pur- also on the night of the murder he remembered that it was chased similar berries of the prisoner on Blackfriare-bridge, past two o'clock before Barker came into the house to bed, and was suffering front their deadly effects. Ile was also that he conversed "with him, and afterwards Barker started taken to the hospital, and nearly lost his life. After lie ate so much in his sleep, as to induce Harrison to leave th e the berries his throat was parched, his limbs were paralysed, lodgings. and he went raving mad, but was recovere d. Themagistrates consulted together a considerable ti me , an d Sugg here stated that other cases had been admitted into the 11ev. Chairman at length announced that the prisoners two other hospitals. stood committed for trial on the charge of wilful m ur d er at The prisoner said, all the berries he sold were good the next assizes. ones. After the witnesses were duly bound over, the prisoners Mr. BALLANTINE—Then, perhaps, you will eat the remains were removed to York Castle. of the pie—there it is ? ...............--- The prisoner shook his head. Mr. BALLANTINE—It appears you have done great mis chief. MELANCHOLY DEATH. Yesterday afternoon Mr. G. I. Mills, the Deputy Coroner for West Middlesex, and a highly respectable jury, re assembled, pursuant to adjournment, at the Green Man Ta vern, Downshire -hill, Hampstead, to further prosecute an in quiry on view of the body of Miss Marianne Johnson, who was alleged to have committed suicide by poison. The de- . ceased lady, who was in her fifty-sixth year, resided at No. 8, Well-walk, in the above vicinity, and was a niece of the late Lord Collingwood, whose demise took place some few yearlsince. She possessed a very large fortune, and, although somewhat eccentric in her habits, was a distinguished mem ber of the beau monde. She was subject to syncope, or fainting fits, which generally resulted in a morbid depression of the spirits, and she would sometimes use expressions that might induce an impression she was of unsound mind. About four years since she attempted to destroy herself by plunging into a piece of water at the rear of her establish ment, but was rescued by a gentleman then on a visit. Shortly after a commission de lunatico inquirendo was held as to the state of her mind, which failed, however, to prove her insane. The case was conducted by Sergeant Wilde. The chief object of the adjournment was to have a post inortem examination, and the inquest-room yesterday was, in consequence of the intense interest excited throughout the neighbourhood, filled to overflowing, there being several dis titaguished members of the faculty present, besides some of the deceased's friends and relatives, amongst whom were Major Newnham, Captain Blair, &c. Elizabeth Sanders (the deceased's femme de chambre) stated that she bad been in her mistress's employ for the last two years. On the morning of the 15th instant the deceased left home in her carriage about half-past ten, to proceed to Mr. Patterson, the dentist. She had previously complained of toothache. She also called at a shop in Holborn, and at the Apothecaries' Hall, where she made some purchases, con sisting chiefly of bottles of scent and articles fur the toilette ; and having paid several visits, she returned home in the evening about half-past seven, when she complained and said she had headache as well as toothache. Witness knew it was suspected that deceased had poisoned herself, from certain bottles that had been found in her room. John Dowse, the coachman, deposed to his having driven the deceased about on the day mentioned by the first wit ness, and that his mistress stopped at the Apothecaries' Hall for about 20 minutes. Miss Price, of No. 9, Well-walk, Hampstead, said she knew the deceased very well from visiting her, but she (witness) did not believe the deceased had taken anything with a view to self-destruction. She also considered deceased perfectly sound in her mind. The first witness re-called—Went into deceased's room about eleven o'clock on the night of the 15th inst., and remained with her until she went to bed. The next morning at ten o'clock she was found dead in her bed. Messrs. Williams and Evans, the surgeons, of New Grove House, Hampstead, were immediately called in, the latter of whom had attended her ten days previously. Neither of them could detect anything that might account for death. Mr. Williams had made a post ?nor tem examination. Putrefaction of the right portion of the abdomen had commenced, and the cuticle was separated. The primary cause of death was found in the thorax. The heart itself was much smaller than usual for persons of her age. In the pericardium there were about four ounces of serum tinged with blood, whilst the valves of the heart were perfectly healthy, both the aorta and the pulmonary artery. The lining membrane was much softened, which was evidently after death ; the lungs were healthy, but very oedematous; the bronchial tubes also; on the right side of the pleu r a th ere was some i n di cat i on of dis ease having existed, the pleura itself containing about a pint of fluid; the stomach was exceedingly distended, whereas the mucous membrane was perfectly healthy, the contents con sisting ofabout three ounces of semi-fluid in a mass; the in testines were also distended, the liver of an extraordinary size, and much congested with blood; the spleen and the other viscera quite healthy. The CORONER—Hare the contents of the stomach been tested? Witness—No, Sir. The CORONER—Testing the contents of the stomach is very important, and it certainly ought to have been done in this case. Were there any marks whatever in the mucous membrane, indicating poison? Witness—Not the slightest, Sir; and the immediate cause of death was a cessation of the action of the heart. The brain was healthy, although there was a slight adhesion of the Jura 2natur, yet all the other organs in its vicinity were also healthy. There was not the slightest ,external indication of the disease which resulted in deceased's death. After much more con firmatory evidence, the Coroner summed up, and the jury at length recorded a verdict of " Natural death." EXPLOSION AT WALTHAM ABBEY.—On Thursday night, about five o'clock, much alarm prevailed at Waltham Abbey, in consequence of an explosion which took place at the percussion -cap manufactory of Mr. Joyce, happily un attended with the loss of life. About the above hour, a number of girls and young women were under the roof, at tending to the manufacture of the percussion caps, when a loud report was heard. The effect of the explosion caused the destruction of the premises; but, fortunately, the only person injured was the son of Mr. Joyce, about twelve years of age, whose right leg was fractured. The cause of the ex plosion is supposed to have arisen from the combustion of the material with which the caps are charged. Nearly the whole of the windows of the houses in the neighbourhood were demolished, and the report was heard at a distance of several miles. FREE-TRADE DEMONSTRATIONS—SALISBURY, THURS.. DAY, ,Ana. 23.—A grand public dinner was given at the Assembly Rooms last evening, in celebration of the passing of the Corn-law Bill. Covers were laid for 150. The chair was taken by Robert Squarey, Esq. R. R. R. Moore, Esq. (of the League Council), Alexander Faron, of London, Harris, Esq., of Bristol, and several other visitors attended. A number of ladies were in the gallery. The festivities were renewed this day, and at an early hour the bells of the vari ous churches sent forth their joyful sounds, and flags were here and there hoisted from the windows of the inhabitants. At one o'clock some of the electors, non-electors, benefit societies, &c., assembled at the Free-trade Reading-rooms, where a grand procession was formed. Just previously to starting there were more than 4,000 persons congregated. The sight at this tin,e was very imposing —the bells were ringing, bands of music playing in the midst of a forest of banners of every hue. The procession having paraded the town, proceeded to the tea meeting at East Harnham, where a spacious pavilion was erected near the river. Some hundreds of persons, notwithstanding the very unfavourable state of the weather, attended. MR. GREEN'S NOCTURNAL TRIP.—Mr. H. Green, after making a night ascent in the Coronation Balloon, from Vauxhall-gardens, on the second day of the licensed victual lers' fancy fair, effected a safe descent in a field on the estate of Mr. Soame, Salisbury Hall, Walthamstow. His clothes were completely saturated. - - `THE SUN, LONDON, SATAIRDAY EVENING, AUGUST 22, 1846. - ,1' STATE of the MINING DISTRICTS. The following are extracts from the report (just pre sented to Parliament by command of her Majest ) from the Commissioners app o i n t e d to i nquire rata' th in e y opera tion of the Act sth and 6th Vi c t or i a , c. 29, anci to the state of the population in th e m i n i ng districts, 1846. This report is extremely lenghty ; and the following are only a few of the portions of it which well merit quotation and special attention. It commences thus:— TO THE RIGHT HON. HER MAJESTY'S PRINCIPAL SECRE TARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT. Sir,—l have the honour to acquaint you, in thiS, my third annual report, that the Act of Parliament by which females are excluded from working in mines and col lieries, and other regulations made for the benefit of persons engaged in that species of labour, is generally observed in the portions of the mining districts to which I have this year been able to give my attention, some localities excepted, where either the neglect or opposition of a few employers, or the inveterate habits of the people, oppose an obstacle to the uninterrupted observance of the law. I have reason to believe that the employment of females below ground in any part of the miniug districts is reduced to a small number ; and I have received in creasing testimonies to the good effects arising to the mining population from the discontinuance of that de grading occupation. In my two previous reports I have had occasion to men tion that legal proceedings have been frequently necessary to cause the removal of females from the large collieries at Clackmannan. In consequence of communications from me the Procurator-Fiscal of Alloa commenced another prosecution against the oversman and one of the work men in that colliery. The cases were submitted to the Crown agent in Edinburgh, and the Advocate-Deputy was sent by him to Alloa to conduct them. The result was, on the 15th of December, a conviction, and a fine of 51. each upon the oversman and the workman. On that day the proprietor of the colliery, Mr. James Ray ner Wilson, as stated by the Sheriff Depute, John Tait, E?q., " appeared before the Sheriff Substitute, and de posed on oath that the employment of females at that time had taken place without his consent, concurrence, or knowledge." Notwithstanding this, the Fiscal informed me that two days only after this trial, no less than forty females again went into Mr. Wilson's pits to work. A lengthened and laborious investigation took place, and the case was reported to Crown counsel, who, on the 11th of March, instructed the Fiscal "to serve a com plaint" upon Mr. Wilson. The complaint was accord ingly served, charging Mr. Wilson with " having em ployed, or having allowed or permitted to be employed, within the pits at Clackmannan colliery, eighteen females." The case came on for trial on the 21st of March, before Mr. Sheriff Tait. Mr. Wilson appeared, and pleaded guilty to having permitted the employment of two out of the eighteen. The Advocate Depute, who had been sent from Edinburgh to conduct the case on the part of the Crown, deemed it prudent to accept this plea, and the Sheriff then sentenced Mr. Wilson to pay a fine of 20/., and failing payment, or sufficient distress by " pounding," to be committed to Alloa prison for the period of one month. There was a large attendance of colliers in the Court, and one or two coal masters from Fifeshire and the surrounding neighbourhood. . It is satisfactory to see that since the termination of the strike in July, 1844, more activity has been mani fested in building school houses, providing trained teachers, and opening schools, at which the payments are so moderate (Id. and 2d. per week) as to leave no excuse to the parents for neglecting to send their chil dren. The old private schools, where the payment re quired was from 3d. to 6d. per week, were often pre ferred by the parents to the old description of national schools, «here the payments were much less, but where the children, left chiefly to the monitors, advanced slowly. The new schools, under properlyqualified teachers, unite cheapness with excellence. Some of the young men now conducting these schools have passed through the prescribed course at the institution for training schoolmasters at Durham. One was trained at Batter sea. They will be found valuable assistants in the im portant work of enlightening and forming the minds of the rising generation. At nearly all the large mining villages in the two counties where exertions of this kind were wanting, they have been made within the last two last years with every promise of success; and additional efforts are in contemplation in behalf of localities still insuffi ciently provided for. The Marquis of Londonderry has adopled very liberal and effectual measures to place the opportunities of a sound education within the reach of all the inhabitants of his populous mining villages. His Lordship's managing agent, Mr. Hindhacgh, informed me that the cost to Lord Londonderry, of the schools now in operation, will amount to no less a sum than 3001. a year. By his Lordship's directions, Mr. llindhaugh ascer tained in the course of last year the number of children of an age tor education in the villages of Pensher, Rainton, and Piddington. On his Lordship's property they were found to amount to about 1,000, of whom about 600 are now, and have been since January last, at good schools, at which they pay only one penny a week. The schools formerly in existence were partly supported by Lord Londonderry, at a cost of about 401. a year. MONMOUTHSHIRE AND B'RECON. Wich respect to Monmouthshire and Brecon, the Commissioner writes:— The demands of duties in other quarters had, until December last, prevented my giving attention to the manner in which the Act of Parliament, with the ad ministration of which I am charged, is observed in the mineral district of Monmouthshire and Brecon, or to the state of the mining population in that district. I proceeded thither on the 3d of that month, having previously intimated to the proprietors and managers of the various iron and coal works my intention of visiting the district, and bespeaking their co-operation, if neece iary, towards giving full effect to the law. I found that the main provisions of the Act had not been generally attended to. In a few of the principal works they had, I believe, been pretty strictly observed, and in others partially; but the employment of females under ground was acknowledged to have been continued in eight of the works, and also of boys under ten years of age in several more. The payment of wages in public-houses, by contractors, was also very common. About seventy females were, as I was informed by the respective managers, dismissed from their employ ment under ground, in the works alluded to, immediately on the receipt of my letter on the subject, and many boys under ten were removed from the mines at the same time throughout the district. The demand fcr labour being still so great, and wages so high, it is to be hoped that nothing more than a slight and temporary inconvenience may have been suffered by any parties in consequence of this change. The managers or proprietors of the various works, with whom I communicated on the spot, most readily undertook, almost without exception, to do everything in their power to prevent any future infringements of the Act in these particulars. All parties, how ever, were anxious that An impartial vigilance should be exercised throughout the district, to prevent any laxity arising in any quarter, by which the rest might be subject to disadvantage. The facilities which exist for avoiding compliance with the law, especially in some localities, make this the more ne cessary. I have therefore been in communication wits professional gentlemen, residing on the confines of the district, who have taken steps under my direction towards enforcing the penalties of the Act in the above particulars, as mentioned at the commencement of this report. EXTRAORDINARY FACT CON- NECTED WITH THE POTATO DISEASE. WINDSOR, FRIDAY. The following most singular fact in connexion with the alarming disease now so prevalent amongst the potato crops throughont the kingdom cannot be too generally made known. Publicity being given to the circumstance may be the means of causing other persons than the party in question to adopt similar measures with, it is to be hoped, equal success in reference to the preservation of their crops. recently,ln eiaierlidy an part appointment in the Lord Steward's the of last year Mr. Giddings, who, until o p w l a e n v t e e r d , were revai s J o e d the seriously h a u depart ment in the royal household, and who now fauns some land gene withral y l sinomtheepoptaartioshesoufpColn a vele p r o , about rtion o a f mileh is farm n m b thistown , They, h affectedm becomin g with th e decayed di se ase andwhich covered so black spots, that they were considered entirely use l ess, and p dangerous even to give to his pigs. He therefore determined upon letting them remain in the ground throughout the (then) ensuing winter and the following spring, in order that they might rot, and thus act as manure for the land. After remaining in the ground for upwards of eighteen months, he had the land upon which they were grown dug up ; and then, to his great surprise, it was discovered that the whole were entirely free from disease, and that every potato, without a single exception, was perfectly sound, and in the best pos sible state. Mr. Giddings's crops of potatoes, this year, are in the same diseased state as they were last season, scarcely one being fit for human food. He has, therefore, determined to adopt the same plan he formerly pursued, by letting them remain in the ground until the spring of next year. Several of the neighbouring farmers, whose crops are similarly affected, have likewise determined to try the same experiment, with, it is to be hoped, the same successful atfl 101 CHICHESTER CATHEDRAL. —lt is witl, much pleasure we are able to state that the effigy and table tomb of Richard Bishop of Chichester, who died in 1252, which was in a sad state of mutilation, has, after some months' labour, been re stored by Mr. E. Richardson, the sculptor, and replaced in its late position under the shrine, in the south transept of the cathedral ; where, with much pomp and ceremony, Edward I. with Queen Eleanor and the Court witnessed the translation of the Bishop's remains and the setting up of the present tomb, in the summer of 1278. A rose window has been placed in the east gable of the cathedral.— The Builder. We learn from Posen that, in consequence of the scarcity of provisions felt in that province, and which the presence of a large body of troops could only aggravate, the King of Prussia has countermanded the grand review which was to take place this year between Franstadt and Guhrau. THE BRITISH MUSEUM.—A notice has been posted at the British Museum, announcing that the institution will be closed from the 31st instant to the Bth of September, after which the hours of admission till May next will be from ten to four, instead of from ten to seven. REAPERS.—During the last ten days great numbers of reapers, from Donegal and the west of Ireland, have left this port, chiefly by the Glasgow and Ardrossan steamers, for the harvest in Scotland. The Londonderry and Isabella Napier steamers, on Monday last, freighted each nearly eleven hundred of them, and we understand that six hun dred more were waiting at Portrush to go by the same ves sels. In consequence of the numerous railroads in progress affording employment to able-bodied labourers, hands for the harvest in the sister countries are in great request just now, and good wages are paid. Those who passed through this city showed, both by their general appearance and the im proved state of their clothing, that their condition has under gone of late considerable melioration, notwithstanding the great failure of the potato crop of last season.—Londonderry Journal. NEGRO CONDESCENSION.—A paper in Philadelphia, edited by coloured men, says :—" If a white girl is sober, careful, and industrious, she should be as much respected and taken care of as a coloured lady. HIGH TIDE.—On Friday about noon the river pre sented an unusual appearance in conseq uence of the tide, which rose to a very great height, causing much damage to property placed in all the , : , 11 lying warehouses near the water side. ~:~~~~T-