The Sun. — London, England, 1846-01-06 00:00:00

THE OREGON QUESTION. (From the Morning Herald.) It is remarkable that so few writers, either in Eng land or America, rest the dispute about the Oregon territory upon the just ground, viz., superiority of title. Yet this is, after all, the real question at issue. It is a simple case of right or wrong, without the possible in tervention of what Lord Eldon used to call a grey case. America, as Mr. Polk has truly said, is entitled either to the whole or to no part of the territory in dispute. There is no via media in establishing, whatever there may be in enforcing the claim. We echo Mr. Polk's decla ration—Great Britain is either entitled to the whole or to no defined part of the Oregon, though she would still possess the right to a joint occupancy, under the provi sions of the Nootka convention. But England and America, assuming the question of title to admit of doubt, are not in the same position, and do not urge the same pretensions. If we had originally no valid title to Oregon, we disclaim any that might be supposed to arise on the construction of the treaty of 1827, and accordingly are bound to concede the whole to America. Let America, if the right he on her side, possess every acre of land and water in the disputed region. But if, on the con trary, the British title be clear as the noon-day sun, which is our conscientious conviction, we yet do not claim to monopolise the whole benefit of the western shore. England has no desire to act the part of the dog in the fable, depriving her kinsmen in America of advantages which she cannot use herself ; but, on the contrary, is content to share them with the Common wealth. Oregon's chief importance springs from the trade, yet in its infancy, with China. England, moreover, has expressed her entire readiness to open to American enterprise ports to which her title is beyond question. The navigation of the Columbia, affording a very easy communication from the interior to the sea, is the next matter of importance to which the conflicting claims are directed. But England does not seek to engross the sole use of the river, but offers to share it with the United States. The pretensions put forward by Ame rica reach to a monopolisation of everything worth caring for westward of the Rocky Mountains ; and this distinction between the claims of the compet ing nations raises, in the absence of direct and con elusive testimony of title, a presumption in favour of Great Britain. But the question of title is not a doubt ful one —no, not for a moment. Great Britain is, in contestably, proprietrix of every acre of land or water that lies within the disputed boundaries. To confirm her title, precedent, fact, and every known law of the civilised world have harmoniously and irresistibly com bined, and we offer the following general observations in support of this view. The American title to Oregon is resolvable into three distinct branches,—first, that ac quired by the purchase of Louisiana in 1803, from the French liovernment ; secondly, the right derived from Spain, by the convention of Florida in 1820 ; and, lastly, the rights acquired from the discoveries and exploration of American citizens subsequently to 1782. With re spect to the title dependent on the cession of Louisiana by the French, we would observe that France never pre tended to any dominion westward of the Rocky Moun tain, and in support of this statement we quote the lan guage of Mr. President Jefferson, employel by him in letter hearing date 1803. He says : " The boundaries (of Louisiana), which I deem not admit ting question, are the high lands on the western side of the 3lississippi. enclosing all its waters (the Missouri, of course), and teriniaating in the line drawn from the north-west point of the Lake of the Woods to the nearest source of the Mis sissippi, as lately settled between Great Britain and the United States." This admission of its chief magistrate disposes of the title of America in as far as it rests upon the purchase of Louisiana, and, to use Mr. Cushing's own words, it is now tao late to attempt impeaching a title so admitted, even were the pretended discoveries in France of the hon. gentleman better authenticated than they are. Mr. President Jefferson, then, having relieved us from arguing on the right derived through France, we come to ,he Spanish American claim, and we may preface our arguments by remarking that the alleged title of Spain depends entirely upon discovery and settlement, which we shall hereafter consider. The Spanish American claim rests upon the treaty of Florida ratified in 1820, by which Spain ceded to America such rights over the estern coasts as she herself possessed. If at that period, 1820. Spain had a valid title to Oregon, without im peaching the original title of Spain, Great Britain is precluded from disputing the American claim; but if, prior to 1820, Sp a i n had already parted with her interest in the subject matter of the dispute, the American claim, so far as it depends on Spain, at once falls to the ground. But is a valid title in Spain at the date of the treaty of Florida compatible with the received construc tion of the Nootka convention of thirty years previously —viz., of 1790? We think not. For, consider the cir cumstances that led to the ratification of the latter treaty. In the year 1788, Esteban, a Spanish officer, proceeded to Nootka Sound for the purpose of founding a settle ment. It happened that about the same time Captain Meares, and other British subjects, arrived in the Fe lice on the same coast on a trading expedition, and in the course of the following year were seized by the Spanish authorities. The result of this aggression of the Spanish Government was a remonstrance, and subsequent nego tiations between England and Spain, which termi nated by Spain submitting without reserve (we cite Mr. Cushing) to the claims of the British Governmeat. By the convention which succeeded, the free commerce of the north- western shores, and the right of found ing settlements, were guaranteed to both countries. There cannot, therefore, be a doubt of the right of this country to found settlements in, and trade with, the north-west shores of the Pacific, even under the title of Spain, which America has so earnestly laboured to es tablish. We next arrive at the question of priority of discovery and settlement, and we shall confine ourselves to a comparison of the titles of England and America in their own right, because the derivative title of America we have already disposed of by the confession of Pre sident Jefferson, and, secondly, by the Nootka conven • tion. If the discoveries of Spain established a title to Oregon, Great Britain has succeeded to it by the treaty of 1790. But to proceed. By the law of' nations, the navigator who first lands on an unappropriated shore conveys a presumptive title to his native country, not only to ports, bays, and rivers, but also to the interior. On this principle alone did Spain make title to her once vast trans-Atlantic possessions, and un less the principle be disputed, which we cannot suppose possible, the title of Great Britain to the whole of Oregon, river, plain, and mountain, is complete. The first known circumnavigator was Drake, who, in 1581, sailed along the entire length of the north-western coast of America, and on several oecasions planted a European standard on the then supposed fabulous western shores. Wake was followed by Cook in 1777, who visited every bay and creek of the long line of coast, of course many y ears previous to the establishment of the American Republic. In 1786 Captain Meares actually entered the mouth of the Columbia River, and bestowed the name it now bears upon the northern promontory. These acts, performed by British subjects, all occurred prior to any attempt on the part of the St a t es t o exp l ore or settle the region lying to the westward of the Rocky Mountains. Te combat these cogent claims, the American Plenipo tentiary resorts to aisubtle and untenable distinctions between landing on the shores and penetrating a few mile i into the interior. Though Captain Meares, argues Mr. Buchanan, was the first to anchor it the mouth of ties river, Captain Gray it was who acquired for his ceuntry a right to the navigation and to the surrounding territories by ascending a few miles towards the source. And the saute kind of argument is employed against Captain Vancouver's discovery in 1792. But what if we were to admit the validity of this distinction, savour ing as it does or special pleading ? Why, the American Charge d'Affaires himself abandons it in attempting to make out the claims of the Spanish adventurer, Perez. We (note the following :-- • " lc is unnecessary to detail the discoveries of the Spaeiards, as they regularly advanced to the north from their settlements on the western coasts of North Ame rica until we reach the voyage of Captain Juan Perez. i n 1774. 'nit navigator was commissioned by the Vice roy o t st sa i c o to pro cee d i n t h e corvette Santiago to the GO:h degree ef north latitude, and from that point to exemine the coast down to Mexico. He sailed from San 13!as of the 25th of January. 1774. In the performance of this commission, he landed first on the north-west coast of Queen Charlotte's Island, near the 54th degree of north latitude, and thence proceeded south along th e shore of that i-land, and of the great islands of cl ua d m and Vancouver, and then along the coast of the Conti nset until he reached Monterey. He went on shore and hell intercourse with the natives at several places, and especially at the entrance of a bay in latitude 49i de grees, which he called Port San Lorenzo, the same now known by the name of Nootka Sound. In addition to journals of this voyage, which render the fact incontes teele, we have the high authority of Baron Humboldt in its favour. Th at distinguished traveller, who had access to the manuscript documents in the city of Mexico, state that Perez and his p ilot Estevan Martinez, left the port o f S an Bi as on the 24th of January, 1774. On the 9th of August they an chored (the first of all in European na v i gators) Nootka Road, which they called the Port of San Lorenzo. and which the illustrious Cook, four years afterwards, -called King George's Sound." In this passage the coasting and n l o s t n s d e i e n f are the founda tion of the claims ; but we do Spanish title, which runs up, as we have our own. e shall merely point out the inco ns i stency into or :he American Plenipotentiary, and the absulurtillsratearligneuy ments he adduces in support of his demands. A m l e e r z e an n te c r i4 g2 thing turned, which it does tot, on square miles discovered and kenzie, a 13:itish subject, carried his discoveries in 1789 preceded him ; bat, i n tru t h, no rate tier than any who claim (eta be based on such a circumstance only. A t . this thy many hundreds of United s square miles within th e a of the ta t have never MI r a boundaries 1 "tt been visited by civilised insn ; but the States, never thel claim these unknown reg i o ns _ part of their domi n i on , and would naturally and with reason repel any intrusi on . Th e rule of natio nal is 4- [nue prev ia f— illet he w h o fi rst discovers t h e s hore acquires a t itleto the e. djacent lauds, and on this principle of law the title or Great I . lritaiu to the w hole ineontestible. long already on of Oregon meals ottreaders, but the patic,nce ,wf We h ate trespassed too . in attention to we cannot forbear can most exttaordinary embodied in a stat e argument ever title prove that the. Atneicaper. Mr. Buchanan, in order to England, writes thus : an' "Even British geogra" h is , generally admitted in to the territory in disa"sete bane not doubted our till a splendid globe now in the Depa rtment ofe There is thearge and ei:ntly received from London, an d owe re and Co., manufacturers and pubM..7 4.n ed bY Maltb y for the Diffusion of Useful Knowl s ilg e _e,' which assigns the SocietyY this territory to the United States." We have not seen the globe to which the Armen Plenipotentiary refers ; b ut if h i s argument anything, we would direct hi s attent i on to the m p r tt as '- Mr. Wyld, one of the first g eograp h ers of the age which Oregon is not assigned t o th e U n i ted States;asin THE SUN, LONDON, TUES DAY MORNING. JANUARY 6 , 1846 , indeed, pending the provisions of the convention of 1627, it could not be. We think, then, there is conclusive evidence of our title to the entire district ; but whether we ought now to insist on the strict right is another and distinct question. The convention of 1827 seems now to preclude either country from setting up a claim to the whole ; the natural termination of a joint te nancy is a partition, not conducted on the principle of dividing the superficial area in equal parts, but on a divi sion of the real advantage which the country affords. What need England care for the addition of a few thousand acres, more or less, to her countless thousands of square miles in Canada, in India, Australia, and the innumerable islands under her dominion ? The real ad vantages of the north-western coasts are the facilities of establishing trade with China, and the colonies of the Pacific Ocean. Any arrangement securing to Great Britain this source of future wealth, together with the free navigation of the Columbia River, she may fairly accept without any compromise of the national honour. • These things being conceded, it matters little how the boundaries are drawn from the Rocky Mountains, whether by following the 49th parallel to the sea, or by making the Columbia River, which seems the more natural and convenient, the line of demarcation. Less than this Great Britain cannot, and ought not, to accept, especially when menaces accompany the advancement of ' a rival claim. Woe be to the country that stoops to buy off an unprovoked war by concession. We should sincerely rejoice to see an amicable adjustment of the dispute, nor are we without hope that such a happ, measure will terminate the affair. Despite all Mr. P o lk s frothy denunciations, America will not relinquish her extensive and profitable commerce with Great Britain for no higher object than bolstering up the credit of Mr. Polk. The subjoined extract from Mr. Cushing's lecture does not betoken any disposition for war ; Time is the great regulator of all things in this world. If nothing else occur to dispose of the Ore gon quest i on , in time, the backwoodsman of the west will do it with their axes, cattle, and ploughs, and if need be, their rifles. Emigrants from the United States have a land journey to Oregon, which is, comparatively speaking, easy ; for their horses and cattle feed themselves on the road, carry or furnish provisions for the emigrants, and carry the utensils, and constitute the capital with which the settlers are to begin life in Oregon. Emigrants from Great Britain have a much longer land journey to make, besides a sea voyage of 3,000 miles ; or in the whole, a sea voyage of enormous length and expense, if they go by the Cape of Good Hope or Cape Horn. Besides which, all British emigrants in America have a great tendency to cease to be Britons and to become Ameri cans?' Be it so—the day will probably arrive when Mr. Web ster's prediction will be verified to the letter, and these immense wilds, occupied by a thriving population, will net submit to a dependency either on Great Britain or the United States. REVIEW of the COTTON TRADE. (From Haywood and M Viccar's Circular.) The review of the year 1845 is simple. The fluctua r tions in fair qualities of Upland and Orleans cotton from the highest to the lowest have exceeded 12 per cent., and the import, generally, has been profitable. The season opened under favourable auspices. The stock on hand was large, but prices were so low as to inspire con fidence. All expectation of an overwhelming import, which had operated so prejudicially in the month of November and in the beginning of December of 1844, had disappeared before the month of January of the present year, and the result now proves the American crop to have been ,2,394,500 bales, exclusive of 25,900 bales from Texas. It is true that there are many who in January last believed this to be an over-calculation, and, under the conviction that the growth would not ex ceed 2,100,000 to 2,200,000 bales, prices rather advanced in that and the following month. In addition to this motive for action, common both to the speculators and the trade, the announcement of the intended repeal of the duty on cotton furnished fresh stimulus, and the sales were very extensive. But, in spite of this, the month of March, by a combination of circumstances, proved to be unsatisfactory, since, instead of advancing, the market declined id. per lb. The duty of 5-16 d. per lb. on cotton wool, however, being then taken off, the real difference in money to holders was not important, but as many of them in the first instance expected to gain that amount, the disappointment seemed almost equivalent to a loss. In the early part of April, the statements as to crop, which had, as just stated, been gradually diminishing, now began again to increase, and the receipts into the ports seemed to justify the new anticipations. It was for a time in vain that the buying here continued large, and that the probability of dissension between the United States and this country respecting the Oregon territory was again brought more prominently forward by the declaration of both parties in the House of Commons as to the general determination of the Legislature not to surrender our early rights to the disputed country. All was unavailing, under the pressure of the heavy stock and Mersasing supply, to raise prices. On the contrary, they again receded. This state of things, it is true, was only of short duration, for the profits realised by spinners being at least 2d. to 3d. per lb., at the end of April and in the beginning of May, the decline was again recovered, and the excitement upon the American question seemed to gain fresh force. It is certain that neither then nor at any time since has it been generally believed that the discussion would terminate seriously ; yet a certain degree of fear has existed that, previously to any final arrangement, so angry a feeling might be raised as to interpose increased difficulties. The negotia tions were now rendered more delicate and critical from the decided manner in which each party had asserted its claim, and with every wish to avoid actual hostilities ; yet in discussions between nations the slightest untoward incident may lead to open rupture. It is this same sentiment which still pre vails, and which has always more or less entered into the views of holders throughout the year. The message of the President is of a nature to confirm this impression. Returning, however, to the question more immediately before us, June was a month of large business, though without any advance in price. The only new feature which manifested itself was that of ad viees as to the appearances of the coming crop of 1845- 1846, which were not propitious. Though the period of the year was far too early to form any correct judg ment, yet the plant germinated it was said so unfavour ably, as in the opinion of many to furnish a reasonable motive for steadiness in prices. In July the intelli gence continued to be of the same description, and it was then also supposed that the crop would be later then usual. Speculators, encouraged by the facilities of the money•market, as well as by the continued prosper ous state of trade, and the lowness of prices, pur chased largely on the one hand, whilst the spinners on the other deemed it prudent to keep up their stocks to a point beyond their usual quantity. It was the large supply in the port alone which tended to keep the market in check The weather might have had some little effect at that period, but this was only slightly ' regarded, though circumstances have since proved of what immense importance was its then character. Before the end of August all apprehensions as to the harvest, if any were ever seriously entertained, seemed for a time to subside, and the market again im proved. The stock of American cotton had reached its maximum of 832,000 bales. This amount now began sensibly to dimitdsh, and the month of September was one in which the business transacted was of vast extent. Ia the beginning of October, in consequence of the alleged deficiency of yield in the wheat crop, and of the injury done to the potato crop in this and other countries, a settled dull and anxious feeling began to prevail, and this continued unabated throughout the remainder of the month. November was still more discouraging, and a second advance in the rate of interest to 3i per cent. by the Bank of England (the rate of interest had already been raised on the 16th of October from 2f to 3 per cent.), effectually destroyed all h o p e o f c h ange f or the better in the money-market, and with this. all prospect of amendment in cotton seemed for the moment to be annihilated. During the present month of December there has been a regular and steady de mand daily ; but a tighter state of the money-market, coming too at a period of the year when there is always rather, a desire than otherwise to liquidate existing en gagements and to diminish the amount of responsi bility, both on the part of merchants and brokers, had, until counteracted by the advises of the last packet bringing reduced estimates of crop, operated still fur ther to depress prices and to, throw a gloom over com mercial transactions generally. The projected changes in the Ministry, and the uccettainty of the immediate stillm the ore to abolition-of e ffect of the measures to be proposed with refe rence t o toe Opening of t h e ports f or the a d m i ss i on o f gra i n, and lition of the corn-laws, have contributed unsettle the public mind, and in the doubt that has been raised and the hop es and fears which have alternately pred om i nated, trade has suffered, and con fidence has been considerably shaken. The railway deposit rlich belo ngs to ano th er p ar t o f oursub lon also, 'i likewiseeucets,tihas been one of the principal causes of the distrust which has • pervaded the monied interest, and through this influenc e • essential injury has been done to the holders of cotton. Having now alluded more especially to the fluctua tions in the article itself, other events of th e y ear as they are more or less indirectly connee.ted with it call for a few observations. The first one of these in the order of time, and probably in importance; as it refers to cotton itself, is the abrogation of the whole import duty, which is one of the most remarkable events in the history of commercial policy. It is a measure fraught with wi s d om , not only as being in itself of vital im portance to the country, but as a precedent for other changes of a like nature. It will tend to give a still greater development to the manufacturing energies of Great Britain, and will better enable us to compete, in common and heavy fabrics, with that very country, the United States, where the raw material itself is pro duced. It had beet; a complaint that the duty, awghi‘clpohicnontchte cost,itute s wasoacarsuseinggoodoso so r heavy a manufactures per c to en b t e suprseded in th e S out h America' markets, and it was to correct the evil in that hemisp h ere, extension to I n di a , upon which soand to p reven t i ts n prosperity dep en d e d, that, seeing the s uch of o ur f uture financial state of the country would b ear t h e abstraction, the wisely abandoned thi s b ranc h of revenue, thovue Go zment certain that, for immediate popularity, other reductions it is might have been selected, and other t axes taken off, which would have been more acceptable to the multitude. This act of the Government cannot be too much commended. :The next point which calls for comment is the mania in railway speculation during the greater part of the year. The words of the historian of 1720 describe i n so accurate a s pirit the folly of 1845, that it can hardly be out of place to qu ote them. Speaking of the South day, of thatsays, " All dis tinctions Sea and other schemesl. he n sex, character, and circum stances, of party, religion, we re swallowed up in this universal concern, or in some such pecuniary project. Exchange - alley was filled w ith a s trange concourse of statesmen and clergy men,_ories, Churchmen a nd Dissenters, W higs T and Pli f rieisms, la w y ers tradesmen, and even with multi tu es °f w omen- All other professions and employments were utterly neg l ected, and the people's attention wholly engrossed by this and other chimerical schemes, which were known by the denomination of bubbles. The sums proposed to be raised by different expedients amounted to 300,000,000 sterling, which exceeded the value of all the land of England. The nation was so intoxicated with the spirit of adventure, that people became a prey to the grossest delusion." By a most valuable synopsis, pub lished in the Time. newspaper last month, it will be seen that 47 completed railway companies had paid up and borrowed 70,000,000 Z ; that 118 lines in the course of construction, and for which Acts of Parliament had been obtained, required 67,000,0001.; that for the railways projected, amounting to 1,263 companies, 59,000,0001. of deposits would be necessary ; so that the total capital invested and required (taking the amount actually paid up at 54,000,0001. in railways completed, and those in the course of execution, sanctioned already by Par.ii went, into account, together with 59,000,000/. to be paid of deposits upon new lines), would be 113,000,000/. Thus, to carry out these projects, including the money already borro Ned, 590,090,0001. would be neces sary, the very magnitude of which sum must strike every one as evidencing the highest deg ree o f insa nity in any nati o n which could entertain projects in volving such an outlay. The " deposit question," as it has been generally designated, arose out of this extra ordinary state of things. By the Act Ist and 2d Vic toria, it is rendered imperative that the deposits upon the undertakings in question should be paid into the Bank of England, to the credit of the Accountant-Gene ral, within 14 days after the meeting of Parliament. It is true that the check so opportunely given by the Bank of England, by raising the rate of interest, effectually put an end to many of the schemes, but it was supposed, in the first instance, that a sufficient number had complied with the forms necessary to make the deposits alone 20,000,000/. Subse quent information has led to the conviction that this sum was greatly overstated, and that the amount required will not be 10,009,000/. ; but during the time that the process has been going on of weeding out the lines which had not complied with the necessary for malities, great uneasiness has existed in the money market. The banking interests all along has felt quite unable to explain how the difficulty would be met, and although certain that, from the total impossibility of complying with the law, there must be some mode of ex tricating the country from its embarrassment, yet even now that 10,000,0001. only are supposed to be required, the monied interest is necessarily upon its guard, for to withdraw this sum, if only for a few days, from the re quirements of trade, would be to put a stop to the whole machinery of the circulation, and derange all branches of public financial arrangements. The President's message, though looked for with great anxiety, has produced less effect than might have been expected. Its tendency by a few is not thought to be unpacific ; but the generality of persons consider, notwithstanding its calmness of tone, that there is a determination pervading it which is anything but ami, cable in spirit, or generous in feeling. It seems to breathe a decision of purpose hardly concealed by the moderation of its language. Its demands assume con clusions which are most exaggerated, and its harshest and worst feature is that it seems to close the door by anticipations to all interference in a matter which, in case quarrel is to be avoided, can best be arranged by foreign friendly arbitration. It is difficult to suppose that nations so wise and so enlightened as our own and that of the United States, should not recoil from the idea of war for the sake of so trifling an object as the pos session of a wilderness separated from both countries by rocks and deserts ou the one hand, and by the ocean on the other ; but as there is a point beyond which conces sion would be considered weakness, it is impossible to say what may be the result. The deductions to be drawn from all the facts before us, are, as usual, liable to much uncertainty, and the ' crop, after all, in the opinion of most persons, is the main point upon which, as far as cotton is concerned, the future depends. There are some who rate this high, and consider that it will reach 2,300,000 to 2,400,000 bales, but there are others equally well informed, who pretend that 2,200,000 bales will be the maximum. Added to this contingency, there is the certainty of a large consumption and a good trade, and the remote pos. sibility of war ; but the transactions of this year, as far as regards speculators, have been so unfortunate that it is probable the market will be left very much to the trade for some time to come, and under these circumstances it is rare for prices to improve either very rapidly or con siderably. Decline seems considered by every one to be out of the question, but whether or not any material ad vance is to be experienced depends so much upon points that are yet doubtful, that to predict an important rise, should it prove to be the case, would be rather a fortu nate conjecture than the result of reasoning which at present could be fully justified. LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF BANKRUPTCY, Jan. 5. Two Commissioners were sitting, and both were occu pied thronghout the morning in hearing cases of insol vency, the majority of which were unopposed. (Before Mr. Commissioner HoLBoYD.) IN RE COLLINS. This insolvent, who carried on business as a coal met , chant at Earl-street, Lamketh, came up for his fina order. Mr. STURGEON appeared to oppose on the ground that the insolvent had been most recklessly trafficing in ac commodation bills, and becoming security to loan so cieties. In four cases the acceptors of the bills were non est inventus. The insolvent said, that at the time he got the bills discounted he was in good circum stances, that he had 50L, 60L, or 1001. of property after payment of his debts, but during that time he was suffering his security to the loans to run out. His pro perty now amounted to 20t, which he inserted in the schedule as " unincumbered," although there was a dis pute respecting it between the Sheriff of Surrey and his landlord. Mr. Sturgeon urged that all the bills had been given, and when the insolvent was in a sinking state he got the bills discounted. Insolvent said he had lost a great deal of money by doing too much for a good many. Tae insolvent'si solicitor said that the insolvent had lost 4001. in ten years, and three horses in the the last year. That he had lived in the house No. 27, for years, that the bills held by the opposing creditor were given merely to clear off a vexatious action by a third party, and there was a hope of still going on. The in • solvent was willing to pay five shillings in the pound, but was not prepared at present to make it certain. The insolvent supplied many of the Clubs at the west-end of the town, and they acted liberally towards him, so that when Parliament met he would be able to settle. The Learned COMMISSIONER said the insolvent having lived so long in one house was creditable to him, but nothing justified his representing his son and others to be in good circumstances; but, as perhaps he might still be able to get on in business, the case should be ad journed to afford an opportunity to come to some ar rangement. CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT OLD COURT. The RECORDER entered the Court at ten o'clock, and the grand jury having been summoned, and having appeared, he said that it would not be necessary for him to occupy their attention for any length of time. The only cases desiring any particular notice were those of a murder that had been committed on the high seas, and a robbery that had been attended with circumstances of great aggravation. The Learned Recorder then went in extenso into the case of Johnstone, the facts of which have already appeared fully in this journal, and suid that unier all the circumstances he must recommend them to find the bills. The other case to which he alluded to was one of a robbery of a 10/. note (the robbery iu Regent's-park), in which the prisoner had used, the most violent means, and he would request them to give this case the most serious considPration. There was nothing else of a character that required him to detain them longer. The swearing in of the petit jury was then pro ceeded with, which occupied the greater portion of the day. Joseph Heaviside surrendered to answer an indict ment charging him with the offence of misdemeanour. Mr. Payne conducted the prosecution ; Mr. Clarkson, with Mr. Baldwin, appeared fur the defendant. From the statement of the Learned Counsel for the proseculion, and the evidence that was adduced, it ap peared that the defendant was the mate of a vessel called the Nunez, and the offence with which he was charged was having committed a series of assaults upon a led named John Huggard, who was an apprentice on board the vessel. According to the statement of the prosecutor, a rather weakly but intelligent boy, he sailed from Shields on a voyage to Alexandria with coals, and when they sere near Gibraltar the defendant beat him severely with a rope's-end, and when they were in the harbour of Alexandria, and the coals were being discharged, he was set to " trim" the lighter, that k shovel the coals level as they were discharged from the vessel, and because he was not strong enough to do it, he said the mate pelted him with large pieces of coal, which made wounds on both his legs, and that the captain put bluestone into the wounds, and he also said that after this, and while his legs ware very bad, the mate used to jeer him, and tell him to go aft and " get his bluestune." He likewise said, that because he could not learn the compass the defendant used sometimes to give him a couple of dozen blows on his hand with a shoo, which made his hands very sore, and caused lumps to come upon his wrists. In cross-examination. the boy admitted that he might have d—d the black cook, and that he had said he should like to leave the ship. He likewise said, that on the occa sion when he was struck with the rope, he had been ordered to see that the cook did not waste the water when he served it out, and that he neglected to do so, and told the mate that he had " turned in" instead. Mr. Brown, the medical superintendent at Stangate Creek, proved that on the arrival of the vessel in England he examined the person of the witness, and found sonic sores about his ankles, but in answer to a question from the Court, he said lie did not think they could have been occa,ioned in the way stated by the boy, but they seemed to him more like the injury that would be oc casioned by the ;friction of a shoe upon a tender skin irritated by salt water. Mr. CLARKSON, in addressing the jury for the de fendant, argued that it was a most trumpery charge ; that with regard to the story about throwing the coals it had been negatived by the evidence of the surgeon, and as to beating with the rope, the defendant was perfectly justified in inflicting it, by reason of the complainant's neglect of his duty in not reporting to him, upon so im portant a su bj ect to a ship at sea, as the waste of the water that was on board. The RECORDER having summed up, the jury, after deliberating a short time, returned a verdict of Not Guilty. Mr. PAYNE applied to have the defendant held to bail, to answer any indictment that might be P referrei against him. He had co mm i tte d a great many other assaults upon the boy besides those which formed the subject of the present indictment. Mr. CLARKSON objected to this, as the vessel was about to sail. He said the captain of the Nunez was ready to caned the boy's indt-iitzu-e..1., aii' - 1 prevent. the parties from coming into collision in future. • The mother of the complainant having consented to this course, the indentures were cancelled, and the de fendant was then discharged. _ _ During the whole of the day the cold in this Court Wft3 most intense—the temperature differing only in a slight degree from that of the external atmosphere. Mr. Commissioner Bullock and Sir C. Marshall complained of it, and requested that heated air might be forced into the Court, but in spite of their request no diff.rence in the temperature was effected. Hot and cold al, are, or should be, alternately forced into the Court through per- forated zinc plates placed under the seats, but these orifices are only the means of conveying a thorough draught of cold air upon the person of every one who is compelled by business to occupy a seat. The system of ventilation is not only inefficient but mischievous, and complaints are almost daily made during the sitting of the Court. NEW COURT. No case of any interest occurred in this Court during the day, the jury, as they generally are (,n the first day of the sessior, waiting until the bills are returned by the grand jury. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MANSION-ROUSE. A man named Robert Thompson, who was known in the neighbourhood of Stag-alley, Bartholomew-lane, at the time of the railway fever, was brought before the Lord Mayor yesterday in the custody of a policeman, charged with having stolen a banker's receipt fur money on account of a railway company. Mr. James Hitchin, of Newington-terrace,Brunswick place, Dover-road, stated that he was a gentleman oat of business, and that to the best of his recollection, on the 17th September last, at about one o'clock, the pri soner came to him at the Hall of Commerce, to which he was a subscriber, and had him called out. The prisoner said that he came from Mr. Gibbons, who was known to witness, for the banker's receipt for the deposits on 40 shares in the British and Irish Union Railway. The de posits were 3/. per share, amounting in the whole to 1201. Witness, believing that the prisoner was duly authorised to receive the document, went to Mr. Brown, of Thread needle-street, procured the receipt, and handed it to the prisoner, who waited fur him outside the Hall of Com merce, and stated, upon being put in possession of it, that he had to go as far as Westminster, and would return in an hour or an hour and a half. Witness waited in anxious expectation until five o'clock, but the prisoner never returned, and witness then went to the house of Mr. Gibbons, of Collet-place, at the East-end, oil and colour manufacturer, to ascertain what could be the cause of the delay. Mr. Gibbons said that he had neither given the prisoner authority to get the banker's receipt, nor even seen the prisoner at all upon the subject. The prisoner disappeared altogether for some time, but wit ness determined to punish so flagrant a violation of honesty and good faith, and never dropped the pursuit until he succeeded in apprehending the " stag." The LORD MAYOR—Was it not an unusual course to give a banker's receipt for money without a written ap plication or order from Mr. Gibbons ? Witness (as our reporter understood the witness)—No. Mr. Gibbons was to sign the deed upon producing the receipt. The LORD MAYOR—And you did not require any authority from Mr. Gibbons ? Witness—No. I never thought that any was at all necessary. The LORD MAYOR—And you have lost 120/. by the disappearance of the receipt ? Witness—That was the deposit-money I paid ; but my loss in the affair was 260/. That was the amount of the value of the shares. They were bought in against me at Liverpool at 3/ premium, and I have spent 101. more in my endeavours to bring the prisoner to justice. An attorney who attended for the prisoner, and who evidently thought he could make people look at the complaint as a mere joke, said he had a question or two to ask of the witness, if the Lord Ma% or considered that the case required any inquiry at all. The LORD MAYOR having intimated that he looked upon the charge as being one of rather a serious kind, The prisoner's attorney—Pray, was the allotment of the shares made to you ? Witness—No. I purchased the letter of allotment. The prisoner's attorney—The Act says that the party to whom the allotment is made must be the person who is to sign the deed, and that he alone is responsible. Now, there is nobody at all responsible. The LORD MAYOR—But that question has nothing to do with this. This gentleman was induced by the repre sentation of the prisoner to part with his property. It does not signify what sort of property is in question. It was of value to the owner. The prisoner's attorney—l think the name of the person to whom the shares were allotted was Fletcher, was it not ? Witness—l think it was. The prisoner's attorney—You think it as. Are you not sure of it ? Witness—Yes, I can swear the name was Fletcher. The prisoner's attorney—My Lord, these things were never shares. There was no deed signed, for nobody knows anything of Mr. Fletcher. The LORD MAYOR—That does not signify one far thing. The banker's receipt everybody must know is valuable security for the deposits. There may be quite enough in this business to justify the commitment of the prisoner to the Central Criminal Court for the robbery. The witness—l request your Lordship will remaad the prisoner for a few days, until I shall have the op portunity of producing Mr. Gibbons. The prisoner's attorney—My Lord, I hope you will call upon the prosecutor to produce the Reverend Fletcher, to whom the shares he claims as his are said to have been allotted. The LORD MAYOR—You may produce him upon your side, it you please, as your witness, or Mr. Hitchia may call him upon his. The prisoner's attorney—My Lord, it is quite clear that this is altogether a stagging job. There is no principal who can be acknowledged as entitled to sign the deed. The LORD MAYOR—II is time that the " stags" should be brought to justice. I hope we shall be able to " stag" some of them here. Remanded till Wednesday. A poor woman, named Margaret Wright, upwards of 70 years of age, was brought before the Lord Mayor by Captain Kincaid, the governor of Bridewell Hospital. Captain Kincaid said that the old woman had been some time since committed to Bridewell for two months, for having broken a window, and was sent, upon being discharged from that prison, to the City of London Union, in Cannon-street, for the purpose of being con veyed to her parish in the country. By her own ac count, after she had remained at the Union-house at Peckham for a fortnight, she was discharged, although she was anxious to be allowed to remain at that asylum. The Loan MAYOR—She did not discharge herself ? Captain Kincaid—She says she wished to stay there, For she was in a state of utter destitution, and that the authorities would not allow her to remain beyond Mon day morning. The Loan MAYOR-I must say it is very discreditable to the authorities of the large union of the City of Lon don to hear such complaints. They will not take the trouble to make inquiry into the cases brought before them, and thus the poor are doubly afflicted, and an enormous increase of expenditure takes place. I have this day received an account of the mischief done in the breaking of windows during the last year, by persons who came here in consequence, in most instances, of the defective system of the City of London Union. From Ist Jan. to 31st Dec., 1845. Total number of persons charged before the Lord Mayor with breaking windows Total number of panes of glass broken by the above Total estimated valae of the above £44 13 0 Of that number persons charged with breaking windows of the Manion-house B2 Number of panes broken at the Mansion-house 103 Value of glass destroyed at the Mansion house £2B 12 The Loan MAYOR observed that the amount of the expense incurred, according to the list he had read, would have diminished the expenses to which the City was subjected by the extraordinary conduct pursued by the authorities of the union. The old woman, in answer to questions put to her by the Lord Mayor, said that she had two brothers in Cum berland, farmers, and she believed they would now have no objection to support her. She had, when only four teen years of age, thought for herself when she was in capable of judging, and married a soldier, and her family looked down upon her, but she hoped they would (those who remained of them), now that rhe was aged and in firm and destitute, forgive and assist her. The LORI) MAYOR said he would take care that the poor creature should be safely and comfortably conveyed to Cumberland. His Lordship said he could not take a better opportunity of returning his most grateful thanks to the press for the able manner in which they had re sponded to his call for assistance in rendering service to the poor children who were to be seen about the streets in a friendless and deplorable condition. He had received a great number of valuable communications npon the subject, and he had not the slightest doubt that a remedy would in a short time be applied, and in all probability efficaciously, to the alarming evil. Mr. Jan:es Young, the master of the Fairy steam-boat, was summoned for that, being in the command and ma nagement of the Fairy steam-boat in the Thames, he did on the 29th of December, wilfully and carelessly navi gate such vessel, whereby certain danger was incurred by persons on board another steam-vessel, contrary to the rules and regulations laid down by law. Mr. Thomas Gun, master of the Ant steam-vessel, said that on Monday, at one o'clock, on the passage from the Adelphi to London-bridge, and as he passed Lon don-bridge, the Fairy came on his quarters, and forced the nose of his vessel upon the Bridegroom steam-vessel, on her passage to Chelsea, and if the Bridegroom had not gone astern, great damage and danger would have Lwen incurred. Mr. Banyon (from the Watermen's and Lightermen's Company) stated that the rules and bye-laws had been only just published, and the owners, Sec., of the steam vessels were not yet aware that they had been sanc tioned. It was proper to state that Baron Platt, to whom the rules and bye-laws hal been submitted, had confirmed them on the 22d day of December. The LORD MAYOR said he should go no further in this case, as the rules and bye-laws could not be well known, but he should punish in all future cases ; and he directed that copies of the rules and bye-laws should be published for the instruction of all parties. He more particularly called the attention of the masters or those vessels who had been in the habit of racing and over loading, to the orders to which he alluded. He should most positively put every one of the regulations in force, and give no quarter. GUILDHALL John Asbury and Henry Lee, two lads eighteen years of age, were charged by p o li ce - cons t a bles 290 and 269 with attempting to pick a gentleman's pocket at the . Old Bailey. e It appeared from the evidence that police-constable 269 saw the prisoners at about five minutes before o'ciock tint morning do:10)g f;t. at the; Oldni3ailey, and when they place became crowded, he saw both prisoners put their hands in tho gentleman's pockets. He then took them into custody, and when they were proceeding down Skinner -street, he saw one of the prisoners drop a white cambric pocket-handlterehief, which he produced ; and the other prisoner said the two officers were two raecal, to take them into custody merely tor an attempt to pick the pockets. Alderman Moox said that it was a most lamentable thing to see so many boys devoting themse.ves to ciime. He therefore committed both prisoners for one month. BuIV-STI7E.EII Joseph Parker, a boy apparently about fifteen years of age, was charged with stealing one hundred cold: s of a publication, now out of print, the property of Mr. Car diff, the printer and proprietor of the Court Mayazine. Policeman F 25 stated that on Saturday night, having reason to suspect that some stolen property had been concealed in some barrels which were lying in Stoeltiug lane, near Lincoln's Inn, he searched them, and found in one a parcel, which he now produced. lie left it in the barrel, and remained there to watch the place. At about twelve o'clock at night he saw the prisoner take the parcel out of the barrel, and walk off with it under his arm. Witness then took him in charge, when the prisoner said that he got it from his master's office, that it contained some tracts, and that he was going to take them home for his mother to read. Witness asked him who was his master, and he said Mr. Cardiff. The spot where the paled was concealed was about three yards from the b,ck entrance to Mr. Cardiff's premises. Mr. Cardiff stated that for the last ten years a system of robbery had been carried on by persons in his em ploy, and, though several bad been discovered and dis charged, the robberies continued. The prisoner was employed by him as an errand-boy, and the papers pro duced were his property. There were about a hundred copies of the same leaf of an old book, the copyright of which was his (witness's) property. The work was out of print, and very scarce. The prisoner, who made no defence, was committed for trial. SOUTHWARK. Cha►les Perryman and William Hardwick, two well dressed young men, were placed at the bar, charged with attempting to rob Captain Randall of a gold watch in Horsemonger-lane, and with having assaulted a po liceman in his efforts to secure them. Captain Randall stated that as he was standing near the corner of Swan-street, at half-past ten o'clock that morning, witnessing the execution of Quennell, the two prisoners made the attempt to rob him of his watch, They rushed upon him in the crowd, and one of them (Perryman) made three attempts to pull the watch out of his fob, but did not accomplish it, owing to the chain having been twisted firmly round his brace. He (com plainant) called for the police, and 272 M, coming to the spot, took the prisoners into custody, in doing which one of them struck him a violent blow in the face, and both of them endeavoured to escape. Another gentleman, who was present at the execution near the same spot, said that he was robbed of his watch, but, owing to the pressure of the crowd, he could not un dertake to identify the parties. Evidence was given of the previously bad characters of the prisoners, one of whom, Perryman, had been con victed at the Old Bailey and sentenced to be transported, which was afterwards commuted into imprisonment. Mr. COTTINGUAN said that the dreadful spectacle of an execution did not prevent the prisoners from exercising their vocation even under the very gallows; that it was fortunate for them they had not effected the robbery, for if they had he would assuredly have comtnitred them for trial, and as the sessions were then sitting, probably they would have been tried, convicted, and sentenced to be transported. He should wave the circumstances, and commit the prisoners for three months each to the House of Correction. The 'MAGISTRATE, addressing Captain Randall, expressed his astonishment that a man in his situation of life should have been a spectator of such a scene as an execution, awl advised him in future to remain at home. MARLBOI?OUGH-STREET. James Williams. a young man well-known to the police, was charged under the following circumstances: —Mr. James Logan, of Duke-street, Portland-place, stated, that about one o'clock on Saturday night last, as he was proceeding along Oxford-street, he was beset by the prisoner and two other men, who hus►led him. and he felt their hands in his pockets, they then struck him down, and were running off, but a police constable of the E division succeeded in securing the prisoner, although his companions escaped. The prisoner said he had never touched the prose cutor. Mr. MALTBY asked the prosecutor if he had lost any thing. The prosecutor said he believed not, excepting his latchkey, which might have fallen out of his pocket in the scuffle. The prisoner was remanded until Thursday next. SUSPICIOUS CASE of POISONING AT BROMLEY. It may be within the recollection of the public, that about eightevin months ago a young woman, named Harriet Mont ton, was found poisoned by prussic acid at Bromley, under such circumstances as to leave little doubt that sb e had been murdered. As so long a period has elapsed since the occurrence, it may not be amiss to briefly bring to the recollection of the public the circum stances of tb is mysterious affair. It appeared, upon the different inquiries that took place upon the coroner's jury, that the deceased was a young woman of respect able connexions in the neighbourhood of Bromley, and at the period in question she had come down from London to see her friends for a short period, preparatory to going Lc) a situation as governess in a family in Arundel, io. Sussex. She left her mother's house in the evening in good health and spirits, and nothing more was heard e.f her until she was found dead in a privy at the rear of a Dissenting chapel at the back of the High street, Broniley. At first not the slightest suspicion was entertained that there had been any foul play, but from circumstanc es that subsequently transpired, the coroner's jury deemed it requisite that an adjournment should take place, in order that the surgeons who were called in might b ave an opportunity of making a post mortem examinati.wa. This was accordingly done, when it was discovered that the deceased was very far advanced in pregnancy, and that her death was occasioned by the administriedon of a large dose of prussic acid. It appeared quite clear, from the medical and other testimony,. that it was almost impossible for the deceased to have herself administered the large quantity of deadly poison tha t was found on her stomach, and the inference was that it was given to her, and, from the evidence, probably in the chapel, where it was supposed she had gone to to eet her seducer, and that afterwards the body had been removed wh , re it was found, with a view to lead to tit e idea that the unhappy young woman had destroyed herself, or had died in a fit. One circumstance of great tsuspicion, however, arose in the mind of the Coroner's jury, which was the absence of any weapon or instrument likely to produce death, or any vessel calcu lated to c ontain poison, and this chiefly occasioned the adjournin ent which led to the discovery above alluded to. After two or three adjournments of the inquiry, when no very , rnaterial additional evidence was adduced, the Commias inners of Police employed Mr. Pearce, who wai at the head of the detective force, to prosecute the in quiry, and several meetings of the jury took place, but no fresh evidence calculated to throw any light upon the mysterie us transaction was brought forward, and at length ene matter seemed to have entirely dropped. The jury, or rather a considerable maj , irity of its memberrs, who felt a very strong impression that a most foul eci me had been committed, were determined, how ever, t.,iat the matter should be brought to some issue, and t 6 ey made repeated and pressing applications to the Coro!u it 'to continue the inquiry. The Coroner, how ever, refused to call the jury together to conclude the inqurry ; and after repeated applications a memorial has, with , n the last few days, been sent to the Secretary of t ferpolm w Si ill be be taken Jaynes Graham toav have State , . requesting him to interfere to compel the Coroner to p erform what the jury consider to be his duty. An answert o the e ffweacst t rec eivedhat t e on necessary sa full! inquiry into the circumstances of the case, and that no feu they delay 4 shall take place ; and it is understood that a, communication has been sent to the Coroner of such a character as will compel him to commence the in quiry. DE'STRUCTI'VE FIRE, AND LOSS OF TWO LIVES. OA Saturday morning a fire, which was attended with disatit rous consequences to both life and property, took plae., upon the premises occupied by Mrs. Pryer, a laun d ress, situated at 23, Cambridge-place, Junction - road,. near the Great Western Railway terminus at Pad ding to in. It appears that police-constable D 179, on goin g his rounds early on Saturday morning, observed an u n usual light in the first floor of the building, which indus, ?.d him to raise the alarm of fire ; but unfortunately it wt some time before the inmates could be roused from their slumbers, and not until the flames were burst ing trough the front windows, as well as up the stair case, with the greatest impetuosity. Several of the lodg rrs managed to escape from the blazing building, as did-. t trs. Pryer and another female, wbo was severely burnt: upon the body as she descended the stairs. The scene shortil.y afterwards was of the most heartrending descrip tion, Jr not only the inhabitants of the burning house, hut also ti] ()se adjoining, were seen either at the windows or huddid d together in the street in their night-dresses. Upon the fir at alarm information was speedily conveyed to the differ e nt stations, and the Baker-street engine was soon upon the spot, as well as neighbouring engines. The paris h and West of England were also early in arriving, and s i • was an escape belonging to the Royal Society for the .E 'rotection of Life from Fire, Mr. Staples, the supei'.tntendent of the fire brigade, soon set the men to work,, but, unfortunately, before the engines began to play, the fire had reached the second floor, and after pierc'a ig through the windows of that story, they made their v /ay through the roof, and burst out with redoubled fury. Th e G ran d J unct i on Works furnished a suffi cient :supply of water, which was speedily discharged into t h e midst of the burning-property, and by the most praise -worthy exertions of the firemen, they were enabled to cut off any further communication, but it was past time after tvs .rds it was imagined that all parties had made a safe roykreat from the premises, and when they were eon gratul a ting each other that such was the case, a di s covert' nf a most melancholy character was made upon the ground of the back parlour. On further examination, it was found that two human beings, man and wife, had been tworificed to the fury of the devastating element, who ha d rented that room, and whose remains were so mutilated that no likeness was discernible, although no doubt remains that they are the unfortunate parties re ferr d to. Their name was Wane, or Ward, and their remains were conveyed from the seene, in order that a coronet 's jury may arrive at a verdict. The origin of the fire is not known, and we regret to add that nut one of the- inmates was insured to the amount of a single farthing; so that they have lost everything, and have Veil kindly lodged since the oecurrence by their neigh- • bours. From inquiries, made up to the latest period, there is no doubt that the two unfortunate persons were suffocated in their beds, as they were not seen nor heard of by any of the other inmates, and if it had been known . that they were in the building they could have been saved by the firemen, as well as with the assistance of the fire escape froth the Royel S,eiety. (ADDITIONAL PARTIeULAIt9) The following additional particulars. were obtained yesterthy :—lt appears that shortly atter the outbreak, the Royal Society's escape for the protection of life from fire, reached the spot. This was quickly raised in front of the burning building, and the conductor ascending the same, he called !may to the parties within, and happily succeeded in awaking; the majority of them. Whilst, however, he was on the machine ihe flames burst through the windows with such violence as to can-,e him to leave his pest. The persons who were thus aroused were enabled, alter some trouble, to rush through the flame and smoke on the stairs, arid thereby escape a horrible death. Had it not been for the intrepid conduct of the man in charge of the escape, the loss of life unquestion ably would have been far more extensive. Some time after the firemen had succeeded in getting the flames subdued, and whilst they were exploring the ruins, intel ligence was received that a lodger in the house named - Wain, was, together with his wife, missing. This in duced the firemen to examine the place more minutely, and in the course of a short period the remains of the two parties were found in the midst of a heap of rubbish, most frightfully burned. The two feet of the man, together with one of hiS arms were completely burned away by the action of the fire. The woman was also burned to such an extent that the head was laid open, and the brains scattered about the ground. COMMERCIAL POSITION OF THE UNITED STATES. Within the past two years there ha's been a complete revolution in our foreign export trade. We are now ex porting articles of food in immense quantities to Great Britain; and the foreign demand for our staples is in creasing so rapidly that we can hardly suptply it. Our packet ships are crowded full of flour, grain, beef, pork, cheese, &c. Cotton at present appears to be a secondary article fur shipment, and is taken principally by transient vessels. Two-thirds of the aggregate value of our ex ports, in former years, have been in the great southern staple; the planters of the south have been almost ex clusively benefited by the increase in our export trade, as it was confined to the productions of their section of the country. Our exports are now drawn from every section of the Union: the wheat and corn of the west, the productions of our northern dairies, are as important to the people of Great Britain at this time as the great staple, cotton, has been heretofore. The United States are destined to occupy a position among the commercial nations of the world second to none. We have furnished the raw material to clothe the people of every country. and we are rapidly becoming the granary of the world, and the principal source of supply for food to feed the most powerful and wealthy nation in existence. Efforts have been made to cultivate cotton in the East Indies, but they have failed, and the manufacturers of Great Britain are compelled to consume that grown in this country by slave labour. Our breadstuffs are becoming necessary to the existence of the operatives of that kingdom, and they will be compelled to admit them upon the most favourable footing. Considering the immense exient of soil within our• limits, our agricultural pro ductions are very few, which can be attributed almost entirely to the want of markets. The population of the States is so limited that our surplus products are annu ally large ; but with an external demand so large as the opening of the ports of Great Britain would give us, the growth of the principal grains would be immense. The western States alone would supply any deficiency in the harvests of Europe, and nothing would enrich those States so much or so rapidly as au active demand for all the bresdstutls they could produce. Our principal staple productions arc so necessary to the nations of Europe. that they must have them. Tfey must be fed and clothed, and in a few years we shall have to supply them with the raw material f.‘r these purposes more exten sively than we ever yet have, and our position, as a pro ducing and exporting country, is therefore every year becoming vastly important.—American paper. THE LATE ANTI-CORN-LAW MEETING AT 'HEREFORD. TO /'HS EDITOR OF THE SUP/. Sm.—Having read in y. ur paper of the 2d inst. your comments on the anti-corn-law meeting K hich took place at Hereford, on Wednesday last, I observe it stated that in my allusion to the wages of the agricultural la bourers in this vicinity, I was met by " indignant cries of six shillings a week, and that I did not venture to as sert that the average rate of wages was more than six shillings a week." During the time I was speaking the noise was so great that although the remark may have been made I did not notice it ; but when at the close of the proceedings Mr. Nash, in his speech, made allusion to it, I immediately stated that he was in error ; that we pay Bs. a week and drink, and charge them 6s. per bushel for their wheat. You will find that tam borne out in this statement, by referring to the report of the proceedings which appeared in the Hereford Times of Saturday last. I therefore trust you will allow this ex planation to appear in your next number, as I feel satis fied that upon your part the misrepresentation was un intentional, and I remain, Sir, your obedient • humble Servant, JOHN TOMKINS. Weir, near Hereford, Jan. 4, 1846. INAUGURATION OF THE NEW POSTMASTER•GENERAL. On Saturday last the Earl of St. Germans, the newly appointed Postmaster-General, was inaugurated into the office, and commenced his charge of the establishment by visiting the several departments in the course of the day. His Lordship was attended in his progress through the office by the Secretary, Colonel Maberly, and received by the gentlemen appointed to preside over the various sections of the establishment, who minutely pointed out to him the nature of the several duties performed in each of the upper offices. In the afternoon he visited the inland office, where the intricacies of the daily business were ex plained to his Lordship by W. Bokenham, Esq., the super intending president. To the several ramifications of the duty, from the posting to the dispatch of the letters, his Lordship appeared to pay great attention, discoursing freely with the executive officers with reference to the nature of the duty in their charge. In the newspaper office the magnitude of the business appeared to surprise the new Postmaster-General, who entered these offices a short time before the great supply of newspapers were posted. As the hour of six o'clock drew nigh (the time when the window in the office in St. Martin's-le-Grand is closed for the reception of at ws papers passing without charge), the sorting-tables in the centre, and at the end of the office rapidly filling, and upwards of 200 men being engaged in the several duties of " facing," " assorting," " throwing-off," re sorting the papers a second time into the boxes repre senting: the post towns—his Lordship paused to witness the scene before him. Lie then closely watched Of. window near the hall, where immense bags were being put in by the vendors and others. Upwards of 30,000 newspapers being posted at this window in less than a quarter of an hour, forming a pile as they were emptied trom the sacks several feet square, and some yards high, his Lordship was quite surrounded with daily and weekly journals, and ai the hall clock tolled the hour for closing, the papers fell thickly around him, as they were hurled through the opening of the already descending sash filch closed the scene. At this moment one of the papers, flung by some boy out of breath, who had just managed to " save post," struck his Lordship on the breast, but he good-humouredly smiled at the incident to his attendants. Having carefully examined the vari ous stages of the duty, from the commencement to the close, his Lordship took his departure shortly after the mails were dispatched to their several destinations. MARKET NE WS.-( YESTERDAY.) CORN—EXCIEELATGE The arrivals of Wheat of home produce up to our market during the whole of the past week—arising, chiefly, from the late boisterous weather—were on an unusually limited scale, and of very middling quality. Of English Barley, Malt, Oats, Beans, and Peas, including Flour, the receipts were again small. From Ireland very few Oats come to hand; but from abroad the imports of Wheat, Barley, Oats, and Flour were seasonably extensive. Fresh up from our own coasts, as well as by land carriage and sample, very little Wheat came to hand ; hence the stands were extremely bare of samples of that article. The attendance of buyers being tolerably numerous, the factors were very firm, and, .at the opening of the trade, suc ceeded in obtaining a trifle more for selected qualities of white. That slight advance was not, however, supported, and the market closed somewhat heavily for most descriptions, at about last Monday's quotations ; still, a fair clearance was effected. The show of free Foreign Wheat was small, yet the amount of business actually transacted in it was trifling, at unaltered currencies. In Corn under lock next to nothing was doing, yet the importers were firm, and would not sell except at extreme prices. There was a full average quantity of English Barley on the stands; but by far the largest portion of it was greatly out of condition. The best malting qualities commanded a very steady trade, and must be considered the turn dearer. In all other kinds very little was doing at late rates. Superfine Malt moved off freely; other kinds slowly, at late rates. The supply of that article on offer was comparatively small. The supply of Oats, from all quarters, but more particularly from Ireland, being small, the Oat trade was ste a d y, at an advance in the. quotations of 6d per quarter. Beans and Peas were in, full average supply and heavy inquiry, at pre vious currencies. Flour was a slow inquiry, but not cheaper. CURRENCY PER IMPERIAL MEASURE Wheat—Essex & Kent, Malt—Chevalier Red, New .... 54 s to 67s Oats— Yorkshire. and Ditto,White, Old.. 57s 728 Lincolnsh., Feed. 24s 27s Norfolk and Lin- Potatoe coin, Red... • • 528 653 Ditto, White .. --s 68 8 Youghar and Cork, Black ... • Irish, Red , a le 548 Cork, White .• • Ditto, White 53 3 57 5 Scotch, Feed. • • stye—Old • „ Barley — Grinding..... 323 378 Maple . ....... .. • 415 44 3 • Chevalier •. .• • . . 37s 35s e a —w lt Matting •• i B6" Its 4B Pease— G rey. e e as a g GeTori Pi g eon y sk ... . ••• • 3 43 8 34 3 : 4 445 1 15 : Malt—SUffolk and Nor • folk ••"••• • • • • • 58s 62s Flour—Town -made .• • 555 57 3 B W o h il i e t r e s . : ::: ::: : : ' 5 18 4: 5563: Brown s7s 60s Suffolk Kingston and Ware 63s 65s Stocktn & Norfolk 46s 48 3 FOREIGN GRAIN AND FLOUR IN BOND. Wheat—Dantzic .. liamburgh 56s 62s Pease ••• • • . Berle,iat - 25s s s 2 2 7 8 : Flour n —American _ —.New • • • • • • • • 22s 23s SIVIXTEIN7ELD. Since this day se'onight the imports of live stock into London have been moderately good, they having amounted to 40 Oxen and Cows, together with 114 Sheep, from Rotterdam, while from Schredam, per the Attwood, we have received 47 oxen, 30 cows, 1 bull, 300 sheep, sod 2 pigs, in, for the most part, fair average condition. We had on sale 40 foreign beasts and 190 sheep. The former found buyers, at from 161 to 22i; the latter 353 to 44s per head. At the out ports, 70 beasts and 100 si Nip have been received from Holland. From our own grazing districts, the arrivals of beasts fresh up this morning were but moderate, though of fair average quality. The attendance of buyers was by no means large, yet the primest Scots, Sec., commanded a steady sale, at fully h•gle last wc-ek's quotations. Otherwise, lirw, f ver, irP , wrlf7 5.411,v:hat inactive, at art w bullock droves from the northern counties comprised 1,7 5, short horns., from the ea,tern districts 300 S c : 00, - short horns, &c.; from the western a n d midland 'd Herefords, Devons, &c.; from other parts of Erg' a ' 400 of various kind s , a nd from Ire 120 ben s„. :.T The minila r$ 11 Sheep were again limited, owing to "'2 the mutton trade was firm, and lust week's p,iees were tlilc supp -, rted--1 he be,t old D ,, wns prctinci/ and at which a good clearance was effected. Calves wereilie short supply, and s t ea dy d er n an d, at very f u ll prices. rr j pork trade r u l e d s t ea d y , but DO improvement can be ;artier' in their value. Per albs: to sink the offal. . 4, s. 41. e. d. d. le Interior Beasts .. •. 2 8 3 Second quality ditty 4 2 15 !zseottil quality ditto. 3 4 3 6 Coarse-woolled ifit to 4 8 Prime largo Oxen.. 3 8 310 Southdown Wethers 5 U Prime Scots ...• .• 4 0 4 4 Dittea out or the wool 4 Large coarse Calves ; 4 4 IV; t,arge flogs .. •••• 3 I" i 1 I . :•itis small ditto 5 0 5 4 small Porkers .4 . , uekling Calves •18 0 3: 0 Quarter old .. 16 A d 'nferior Sheep A • 3 6 4 0 Lambs .... .. 0 v Beasts. 2,945 SUPPLY AT MARKET. M& ,( ). Calves. I r'„ I 23,600 74 2t " NMI/GATE AND LEADEztautx.X.• For the time of year very limited supplies of count y slaughtered meat have come t o h an d for aese 1 112r " e i f during the past week, owing to w hi c h, an d t h e com parstiren limited quantities on offer killed in the m e t r op o lis, the gen erP demand has ruled steady, and prices have been well sup' po,ted in every instance. h Several imports of foreign 5 114 tered meat may be shortly expected ; and we understa s d that the few packages which ha ve a l rea d y come to LO T , have paid the shippers extremely well. About twenty c!,,, cases of foreign Beasts and 100 of Sh ee p, di 4pose d of inr ce first instance in Smithfield, have changed hands here stn our last. At per stone, by the Carcase. , d s. d. to s. d. s. d. to - Beef, inferior...... 110 3 0 Mutton, inferior .. 3 6 4 middling .. •. 3 2 3 4 middling.. 4 2 prime large .. 3 4 3 6 prime .... 4 6 , prime small .. 3 6 3 8 i Pork, 1arge........ 310 " 4 Vea1.............. 4• 5 2 -- small . ... 4 8 ' Lamb. Os Od to Os Od. ARRIVALS DURING THE PAST WEER:. . Beasts Sheep Calves PO' 30 200 23 0 20 150 200 30 100 80 10 30 73 10 40 1 90 25 50 90 20 70 60 l th) 25 80 80 920 70 90 40 83 100 Go 2°° tcotland Yorkshire ............... Lincolushire Norfolk Cambridgeshire Essex ..... .............. Surrey ••• • • ........... Devonshire •••••.•• a• • • • • Wiltshire Other parts .. . Total • ... • 220 910 240 1, 460 Previous week's arrival...... 325 1,560 340 .1,660 100 190 Difference since par last • • • . 105 650 nonouGs AND SPITALPIELDS. u e ell The receipts of Potatoes at the wat e r- s ide have again limited during the past week ; but by railwa average supplies have come to hand, in tolerable con The demand is by no means active, yet pri ces ars sup er York Reds; 80s to 130 s ; York Regent's, 100 s to 130 e, Scotch Reds, 90s to 100 s per ton. BOROUGH HOP MARKET. A very steady demand exists for mid and East Kent .7_4, in pockets at fully last week's quotations. In all other lcfAj of Hops only a moderate business is doing, yet prices are supported. WOOL. Ved The imports of Wool during the week have been on 5 4 4 limited scale. By private cont r act n e x t to nothing is to in any description, but i n p r i ces we b ays no. vari atto notice. Large public sales will shortly take place. ALLOW. The market has beco m e firmer, and 43s is paying for 00 Yellow Candle on the spot, and th ere are b uyers o f Talloc 00 , be t notice contracts at 42s 6d to 42 s 9d. Town Tallow 18 11 ; • 11 imore than a short time since; b u t we h ear th a t even 0 41 a less than a fair average supply. The p r i ce i s 42s 6d cash. NEW CATECHISM —The following i 3 a specimen; the Christrian charity which children ar e taught by Puser ,„: clergy in a parish church of Northumberland : —Quest ion After attending church in the morning, an d you we re w o o to a Dissenting meeting-house in the evening, whot would that be? . Answer: A grievous sin, a heinous sini.es Queetien 1.1 hat would that sin be called? Answer: 0 0 sin of schism.—Question : What would you ask theP a r r ia b is o who was preaching here? Answer: I would ask hisl a i hs o was ordained by a Bishop. It i s nee dl ess t o a dd, i answers are drilled into the poor children b e f ore hand. t o that such is the lang uage o f th ose w h o rank iimoefklll, clergy. A late Bishop of Clogher, a Vere, and a We"' what did ordination by a Bishop profit them ? ,160 SUICIDE OF A VAT-SERGEANT I N THE G E ENR. , - - T GEARDs.—WINDSOR, SUNDAY. —Yesterday evening a n t i lio quest was held bef o re W m . Martin; Esq., the Coroner nfil e g borough, at the Infant r y Barracks, Sheet street, on the I '4 of John Richardson, a pay-sergeant in the 2d battali nii r a Grenadier Guards. The first witness ex am i ne d wa s Geo t rio Sawyer, colour sergeant, wh o s t a t e d th a t when b sae deceased, on the previous evening, h appeared very ti n ' elt consequence of a report in the barracks relating to bin' se and two daughters of one of the other sergeants, w biebi Aa said, was false. Sergeant Hen r y R an d s d epose d th a t the o ," 0 ceased always appeared t o be a man o f soun d m i n d, but considerably excited about the rep or t a ll u d e d to by the for witness.:Colonel Sir Johnßurgoyne st a t e d, that shortlye nine o'clock that morning, Captain Bradford, the Aaju t o l reported that Sergeant Ri c h ar d son h a d h ung himself, ii:oo6 gave witness a seal e d l e tt er . Wi tness knew nothing a the reports alluded to, nor anything particular coneer t i l . o s the deceased, having only lately himself joined the battai t ' o re The surgeon having proved that the usual means to res ill animation were resorted to without effect, the Coroner bfroesci summed up, and the jury returned a verdict of " Tenir llc e: insanity." The deceased, w h o b ore a genera lly e xce o : character, had been in the battalion f or u p wa rds of fin years. ESCAPE AND CAPTURE OF A TIGER.—On •pvf day, the 22d ult., as a caravan, bel ong i ng t o t h e prePri'd of a small collection of wild beasts, was passing tbr° Potter Heigham, on its way to Yarmouth, the drive r Ld making room for a passing vehicle, incautiously overtu`, the caravan. The bars of the tiger' s d en no t being s';, o s ciently strong to support th e we i g ht su dd en l y t h ro ws l'r e y them gave way, an d th e f eroc i ous an i ma l b e i ng thus ono; pectedly liberated, after taking off an eagle's bead as bt ed 5 exploit, betook himself to the neighbouring fields. . 41 ", A at the probable consequences of the intrusion o f so bole ro innovator upon the peace and safety of their flocks and 118 ,,,i‘l Messrs. Rudd and I'. R. Murrell, two resident farmers,_to a consultation with the proprietor of the menagerie, 1 , 1 ;i: the best means of capturing the formidable object ed_,d, pursuit; and armed with guns, and attended by the it%e as well as a large muster of labourers provided with forks, they determined u p on en d e avouring to entangle 0• in a sheep net. This, however, having failed, a large b i : s cl per, containing a piece of flesh, was placed in his wail SI upon his jumping in to seize the food the lid was o r " e ll, down and soo n secured, the animal uttering a hideous . , e d. which the s t ou t es t of his captors could not hear unlit° t so Fortunately -none of the party sus t a i ne d any injury, 513 1 to coldness of the weather, no doubt, g rea tly contribute abed facilitate the captu r e, by ind uc i ng th e an i ma l to ta k e sio' under a fence.— Norfolk News. SUPPOSED INFANTICIDE.—On Saturday Mr. B d ham, the sitting magistrate at Worship-street, was infe r rsi by Inspector Pascoe, of the N divi s i on , th a t th e b o dy 0 t ht infant had been found, under suspi c io us c i rcums t ance s. st r ol, house of Mr. Carter, a linendrap e r, i n th e N ew N or thd Hoxton, and that Harriet Gibbs, the serv a nt, was in cusl . , r as the mother, but was in such a state as precluded the r,, sibility of her being at present brougt,t forward f or exen 3l ot tion, although the charge was mitered ag a i ns t h e r on td police-sheet. On inquiry it appeared that s h e h a d for st time been suspected of being enciente, but she stronelY to the last defiled it. On Friday night, however, sh e 'if missed for upwards of an hour from the house, and it I g r ia discovered that she had fastened herself into a privy ib refused to open the door when required, and it was at ientd forced open, when it became apparent that parturition eb e recently taken place. No child was visible, however, but police being sent for, a search was made, an d th e hod,' ', lO l fine male infant, dead, was f oun d i n th e so il. Th e wretci fer young woman, the mother, immediately received the pO he t sional aid requisite in her condition, ► but remains et master's house, under the surveillance of the police. Nothing could be better devised th an Ni co ll's 11 r, gistered Paletot to suit the ever-vari e d nature o f our climate forming, as it now does, not on l y t h e s i ne qua non Of t pee o railway traveller, but is equally so adapted for any gentler taking out-door exercise. It may be said distinctly to the costume of the nineteenth century, if that is rigu. l 4 called marked which is only conspicuous for an unpretee, and graceful bearer, the wearer feeling so m uc h at sp Certainly as an over-coat it is patronised highly, and is arid a general public favourite, being so peculiarly nglish, s c , avoiding all foreign extravagance of style. It must be 4 4 , knowledged as a vast improvement over the old great at . associated in our remembrance with an uncomfortable setts tion of tight buttonings, which, from its very eluinsi°c,g defeated its object, the warmth of the per son , as i n t e rferl with the proper circulation of the blood. The principal li n ia are black, blue, brown, and olive; also the clerical mixtt'd called Oxford, and can be had of the patentees, or oSil o r the most respectable clothiers out of Londo n . E ver y 'wi n e)) paletot is three guineas, and is s t am pt e d i n t h e li n i ng the words, "Registered 6 and 7 Vic., cap. 65. H. J. and Nicoll, 114, Regent-street, London. [ADVERTISEMENT.]—A Danger ous C ase o f Err i b ; J pelas, attended. with Swelling and Inflammation, wired ed Holloway's Pills and Ointment.—Extract of a letter dst East Kea], Spil s b y, Lincolnshire, October 3, 1843 m b eg to announce to you a most wonderful cure wroug ht tlr r e myself by your Ointment and Pills. I had a ver y Sev_ a le attack of er y s i pe l as i n my right foot and ancle, with a vie bif ing and inflammation to an alarming extent. I was un a s p , to move without the assistance of crutches. I consulted ay I eminent physician to no purpose. Howev er , i n l e ss t dr u s 4 two weeks, by the use of your Ointment a n d Pills, ~lit cured, to the surprise of all who knew me. Signed, J°_,'"' Gildon, a farmer.—Sold by all druggist s , an d at Prof.oe'- Holloway's, 244, Strand, London. To CURE A WART.—Scrapecarrot fine, and - ' if with salt, and apply a poultice five or six nights. BIRTHS. On the Ist inst., at Edinburgh, the wife of Captain son O , late n the of the 4t Light ragoons of a son. Arthu r 28th ult. h , at CroDydon, S ' urrey, Mrs. John Emberson, of a son. On the 28th ult., the lady of Walter Meller, Esq., of ton Villas, Maida-vale, of a son. JP * On the 29th ult., in Upper Seymour -street West, Stephen Denison, of a daughter. On the - 31st ult., at Kennington, Mrs. Teevan, of a sol l ,; e f, On the Ist i ns t . , at V incent-square, the wife of the William Jephsoc, of a son. On the Ist i nst., at Caledonian-place, Clifton, the la dy Major Anderson, of a daughter. MARRIED 1 ° Ou the Ist i ns t., at Hackthorn,Gervai,e Tottenham g n fc Sibthorp. Esq., to Louisa, third d a u g ht er o f Robert C r scr" Esq., of Hackt horn and Harrington, Lincoln. h' On the Ist inst., at Sevenoaks, James Edward Hehhi et o f waite, Esq.. M.R.C.S., t o El eanor Rosa, second daug hter the Rev. William Presgrave, A 111. DIED, On the 30th ult., Mr. Dill Baker, of Oxford-street. - On the 31st ult., in High-street, ~ usantla, youngcst da u b ter of the late Mr. W. A. Hawkins. On the Ist inst., at Old Chapel-row, Kentish-town' Thane, Esq., aged 64. On the 2d inst., Jahn Gibbs, only son of Jim MasseP Brunswick-place, Regent's -park, Esq., aged 26. t 044 On the 2d inst., in Sussex-place, Kent-road, TO Esq.. purser, R.N. On the 2d inst., at Olney, Bucke, Hugh Maltby, - 0 ; London : Printed and Published by Ulan YOUN 6 ii:h t N. 112, S tran d, P r i nter , at The Sun Office, No. t , DI Strand, in the Precinct of th e S avoy, i n t h e C t Middleaex, Tuesday, January 6, 1646. .ny, bEL, IViti kr 4. hkatv; .. R. 1/1 en 4 ' t r' I t' • )4 41. •)rt T 11 411 .), l i in 4 - k r er izi Itz ttb °r ° 4 , no r te4 , i ' )11 4t, 11 . 4,1 1 Free Trail l'hp 4. C4,,,,;tlrht or I ' l 4 °44 • to th% " N w tal m , kr De j 1. 4 . 1 X 4 41 , ~ find h ot , th, 418: 1( a t , 4 qt, o t o r % Th he " th a Z fo r 11