The Sun. — London, England, 1846-04-06 00:00:00

RAILWAY COMMITTEES (SATURDAY.) GROUP IX. The Committee met to-day at twelve oclock, Lord Wors ley in the chair. WEST OP SCOTLAND JUNCTION. After some conversation, itiwas arranged that, in abandon ing the junction with the Greenock and Polloc and Govan lines south of the Bridge-street station, the promoters of the West of Scotland Junction did not give up the small branch proposed to connect it with the Barrhead and Neil ston, and that opposition should be heard on t hat head. Mr. Gray, the deputy-chairman of the Clyde River Trust, was called, and was undergoing examination against the via duct proposed over the river, when Mr. HOPE wished the promoters of the Bill to put in the exact plan of the bridge they intended constructing. They had spoken about two or three plans, and he wished to know which of them they selected, in order to regulate his exami nation of witnesses accordingly. It was announced that the promoters were prepared to take any of the plans that the Committee proposed ; either that with seven piers detached from the present bridge, or one to abut on it ; or else to cross above it, as explained by Mr. Miller. After some discussion on the point, the room was cleared. On our admission the Cx.intsiax intimated that the parties should confine themselves to one plan for crossing the river. Mr. ANDREWS then said the plan selected was the viaduct with the same number of arches and with continuous piers. Mr. Gray's examination was then resumed, wh deposed generally that he opposed the present scheme, because it would interfere with traffic of the streets, while the crossing of the Clyde at the point proposed would drive the ship?ing down the river forty or fifty feet. The crossing would also damage Glasgow•bridge. The cross-examination of the witness did net elicit any particular point, and the Committee adjourned, at three o'clock, till Monday at twelve o'clock. GROUP X.XI. LONDON AND OXFORD. The Committee re-assembled this morning at the usual hour; present, Mr. Finch (chairman), Mr. Lawson, Lord A. Hervey. and Mr. Wodehouse. The CHAIR3IAN then gave the decision of the Committee with respect to the objection raised against the validity of the contract deed. He said the Committee were unani mously of opinion that the objection raised was invalid, and that they should, therefore, proceed with the investigation. Without mentioning the names of those they had consulted on the subject, he might say that they had obtained the opi nions of persons whose authority on such questions was very great, and who were all of the same opinion. Mr. Humphrey Brown, general traf f ic manager of the Bir mingham and Gloucester Railway, was then called to give evidence with respect to the traffic which might be expected by the line. He taid he had had much experience in the management of traffic by railway and water conveyance, and was formerly manager of a large carrying trade. Since the first formation of railways he had been actively engaged in making estimates of traffic for lines now in operation. Those estimates had been generally realised. Was well acquainted with the district which the line would traverse. Had re ported on the traffic of the Great 'Western Railway for a body of shareholders at Liverpool at the time it was dis cussed whether the Great Western should be constructed on the broad gauge from Maidenhead to Bristol. The re venue which he anticipated would be derived from passengers travelling various distances, estimated from those now tra velling by public and private conveyances at 44,403/. 14s. 10d., 100 per cent. increase by the construction of a railway 44,403/. 14s. 10d. ; passengers who now travel by the Great Western 1 1 ,251/. 6s. Bd. Total revenue for passenger -traffic 102.058/ lea. 4d.; merchandise and agricultural produce by load, 9,241:1 2s. 2d. ; minerals by road, 5781. 15s. 4d. ; mer chandise which now came by Hereford, 12,512/. 10s.; total, 22,2321. 7s. 6d. Horses, cattle, sheep, and pigs, 7,6071. 10s. 7d. ; parcels, mails, dogs, horses, and carriages, 4,6091. 17s. Bd. ; total for traffic, 136,6081. 12s. id., out of which would have to be deducted 25,929/. 16s. 7d. for tollage to the London and Birmingham Railway; 44,271/. 10s. 2d. for maintenance of roads, stations, locomotive power, and the general expenses of the line (40 per cent.), making a total of 70,201/. Cs. 9d., and leaving a disposable balance of 55,4071. ss. 4d., or 71. per cent on the capital of 900,000. 1 ., and leaving a surplus for contingencies of 3,407/. ss. 4d. By this line coals in the district would be reduced from 325. 6d. to 175., thus saving 15s. per ton. The saving to the district in coals would be 155,000/. (The assents and dissents were banded in.) He then detailed the saving of time and expense which would be effected, by having the use of the terminus of the London and Birming ham Railway, over that of the Great Western. This evidence concluded the case on the part of the promoters Mr. 'Lawlor then proceeded to address the Committee in opposition to the project, in bebalf of the Great Western Railway Company, and the landowners who had petitioned against it, namely, Sir. Cox, Mr. Granville Prim, Lady Grenville, Lord. Carrington, Sir John Dashwood King, Lady Wenman, Lord Abingdon, and the Colleges of Oxford. He said the line was open to innumerable objections: it was a competing line with the Great Western, and ran, for sixteen miles of its route between three and four miles of it. The promoters, in the event of the line not passing, would be in volved in ruin, and in ruin no less deplorable, if it received their sanction, because it was obvifus tha it would not be constructed, but handed over to its competi. tors, the Great Western Railway, in which case it would not be made at all. Then it was alur.l to say that the lin( would be of advantage to the district, bcause it was Reif• evident that the Great Western offer,d every facility which the whole district required. Then let the Committee bear in mind the difficulties with which the Great Western had to contend in making their branch front Dh'cot to Oxford, which was indisputably the best line of railway in the coun try, and that it had only been opened twelve months; that the directors had had scarcely time to make ail the arrangements necessary for affording the inhabitants of Oxford all the advantages cf their line. In what had the Great Western gained ? A person might travel from Oxford to London for 9a, and the fares were being gradually reduced, but in the event of any of their passengers being withdrawn by a competing lire this salu tary insertion would be frustrated, and they would be obliged to increase their fares to keep up the revenue which they de rived from a larger number of passengers. It was true the collegians of Oxford were originally opposed to the Great Western, but the line was altered and re-altered to meet their wishes, and at length they give their ascent to it. He should call Dr. Winter, the late Vice-Chancellor of OxfOrd before them, in order to show the feeling of the colleges with respect to the Great Western and the proposed line. They had no security that the proposed line would give greater facility fur the transmie sien of parcels at a cheaper rate than the Great Western, fur they might, and would, no doubt, charge the highest rate allowed by Act of Parliament. Would it then be either fair or equitable to pass a competing line to one so lately opened, and whuee resourees had not as yet been fully developed and at the instance of a few diseepointed and envious persons ? were they to adopt vindictive legislation because a few persons, of this kind wanted a railway to their doors. If the Great Western had been guilty of all the misconduct which bad been attributed to it by the promoters of the London and Oxford, was it not likely that more than two persons, living at Oxford would have invested their capital in it ? Either abuses did or did _ _ not exist; but it was most evident from this that they did not exist, and that the proposed line was rot required by the inhabitants of Oxford. Then they admitted that their line was a bad one in an engineering point of view. Then, again, this line was to effect a solution of the gauge question. The absurdity of this was evident when it was considered that the cons; ruction of a narrow gauge line into a broad gauge district would make " confusion worse confhunded," and that the Great Western was constructed on the broad gangs to Exeter, and proposed to be extended to Fishguard and Porthdynallen, in South Wales. He was at a loss to know how the line was to save 155,000/. per annum. in the article of coals, when in the estimate furnished by Mr. Brown the amount of revenue for coals was set down at 578/. only. It was equally ridiculous to conceive that the whole of the stations could be made for the sum proposed, namely, 22,000/. Then the whole district, instead of a rich agricultural one, as stated, was a poor one, and thinly po pulated, which he should prove by witnesses. Uxbridge, for instance, to which the Great Western proposed to make a branch 212 miles in length, would be a mite nearer London than by the line proposed. Then let them look at the towns they proposed to accommodate. In the list of places in clutled in their list, he found places south of Maidenhead where the Great Western had a station, and Hanwell, wh ere they also hail a station; Hampstead and harrow, to which the London andßirrningham gave accommo lation ; andother places the population of which they had included in their list, and which they proposed to accommodate, were intersected by the Great Western. They proposed to carry coals to Thame, but the line of the London and Birmingham to Ayl es b ury, and the proposed extension to Thame, would fully give this accommodation. The assents were only 137, and from persons residing on sixteen miles of the line, whilst the dissents had been received from persons residing within twenty-two miles of the line. Was it likely that the large landowners who had petitioned against this line would have done so if it would bestow upon them ail the advantages stated? No; they preferred to depend for railway communication to a solvent Company instead 'of a project admitted to be bad and inefficient, and proposed by parties of whom they knew nothing By the branches proposed from the Great Western to Henley-upon-Thames, to Wycombe and to Ux bridge, no town of the slightest consequence would be more than seven miles distant from a railway. Then, as to coals, the Great Western brought them from Bath to Bulls bridge and other places. - If they granted this line, it would be a precedent to which all the commercial peti tions presented to them were opposed, for parties to propose the construction of lines immediately parallel to those now constructed in the same direction. He should call witnesses to prove that the soil at Stoke was not chalk, as stated by Mr. Addison, who was hitherto unknown as an engineer, and whose evidence they must, therefore, look upon with considerable caution; he had made no borings, yet, in a soil fluctuating in every acre, ho felt perfectly satisfied in saying that it was either chalk or London clay, from merely looking at breaks in the earth. How, then, could he say with any confidence that he could safely construct via ducts of an immense height in soil of which he must, from this, be ignorant ? After some further observations,he con cluded by calling on the Committee not to pass the preamble of the Bill. LATEST PRICES OF SHARES. IN BANKS, ASSURANCE, AND OTHER COM. PANIES' STOCK. From tie Official List, PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY EVENING LONDON, FRIDAY, APRIL 3. JOINT-STOCK BANKS. Dividend Amount Name of Company, per of Paid. Price Annum. Share. ----- -- Australasia Britsh I% orth American 51. per cent. 50 0 0 50 0 0 44% Commercial of Si. per cent. 100 0 0 20 0 0 22 Colonial Si. per cent. 180 0 0 25 0 0 16 Londn and Westminstr 61. per cent. 100 0 0 20 0 0 56% London Joint-Stock Metropolitan - 25 0 0 710 0 Provincial of Ireland.. 81. per cent. 100 0 0 25 0 0 48% Ditto, New. ••••• •• • SI• per cent. 10 0 0 10 0 0 17% National of Ireland .. Si. per cent. 50 0 0 20 0 0 18 Nat. Provncial of Eng. 51. per cent. 100 0 0 35 0 0 35% Ditto, New- ....... 51. per cent. 20 0 0 10 0 0 Union of Australia .. - 61. per cent. 25 0 0 25 0 0 25 Union of London. •• • • Si. per cent. 50 0 0 10 0 0 12 nvsuizazircm COMPANIES. Dividend Amount Name of Company. per of Paid. Price Annum. Share. £ s. d. £ s. d. Albion ••••••• • • • • • • • 31. 10s. 500 0 0 50 0 0 71 Alliance Mrit. and For. 6 per cent. 100 0 0 11 0 0 19% Ditto Marine 6l. per cent, 100 0 0 5 0 0 6% Atlas .•••, • • .• ... •• • • 13s. 6d. pr sh. 50 0 0 5 0 0 16 y, British Commercial Clericl,3lecl.& Gen. Life 51. per cent. 100 0 0 210 0 634 County - 10s. 50 0 0 5 0 0 - Eagle ...... ...... Economic Life. 1 & 30s.bs. Eng. & Scot. Law ••• • • • 51. per cent. 50 0 0 2 0 0 2% European Life ••• • • • 5% per cent. 20 0 0 All paid. 20 Freemasons' .. •••• • • • • 5/. per cent. 20 0 0 3 0 0 Globe - 138 Guardian •••••• • • • • • • 51. per cent. 100 0 0 36 10 0 49 Imperial Fire ..... •• • 61. and bonus 500 0 0 50 0 0 240 Imperial Life •••• • • • • 12s. 100 0 0 10 0 0 17 Indemnity Marine •• • • IL sh. & bs. 100 0 0 513 1 29 Law Life• 1/. ss. 100 0 0 10 0 0 50 Legal and General Life - 50 9 0 20 0 6% London Fire ........ 10s. 25 0 0 12 10 0 15% London Ship ........ 10s. 25 0 0 12 10 0 15% Marine -.•••• • • • • 51. per cent. 100 0 0 15 0 0 10% Med. Invlid & Gen. Life 4% /. per ct. 50 0 0 2 0 0 3 National Lean Fund- 51. per cent. 20 0 0 210 0 2% National Life. Palladium Life 5l. per cent. 50 0 0 2 0 0 2/. 2s. Phcenix IL p. ct. & bs. - - 205 Protector Life.... •• • W. per cent. 20 0 0 1 0 0 1/. 4s. Provident Life.. ••• • • • 1/. ss. 100 0 0 10 0 0 23 Rock Life ..... •••• • • • 4s. 5 0 0 010 0 4% Royal Exchange .• •.• • 51. per cent. Stock. - 180 Sun Fire.. • • . • . • • - - 210 Ditto Life 11. 6s. - - 49 Universal Life DOCKS. Dividend Amount Name of Company. per of ; Paid. Price. ! Annum. Share. I - X s. d. X s. d. Commercial - East and West India - 140 East Country .... •• • - 21 London - 116 St Katharine -••• • • . ' 5 per cent. I Stock. - 104% Southampton •• ••• • - 41. per cent. 50 0 0 , 50 0 0 j 30 LIST OF SCOTTISH COPEP.S.NIES' PRICES Dividend Amount Name of Company. per of Paid. Price Annum. Share. A a. d. £ s. d Bank of Scotland • • 6l. per cent. 100 0 0 165 Royal Bank of Scotland 61. per cent. 100 0 0 159 British Linen Company Si. per cent. 100 0 0 224 Commercial Bank .. • • 61. per cent. 100 0 0 16234 National Bank .......• 6/. per cent. 10 0 0 1414 Union Bank of Scotland 7341. pr cent. 50 0 0 92 Western Bank .. • ••• • • 61. per cent. 50 0 0 80 North of Scotland Bank 61. per cent. 5 0 0 7% Clydesdale Bank ••• • • • 61. per cent. 10 0 0 1371 Eastern Bank Si. per cent. 10 0 0 11 Caledonian Bank Edinb.& Glasgew Ban:: 61. per cent. 50 0 67, City of Glasgow Bank . 51. per cent. 10 0 0 13 Scottish Union Ins. Co. 51. per cent. 20 0 0 1 0 0 245. Hercules Insurance Co. 7/. per cent. 100 0 0 10 0 0 147 i Insur. Co. of Scetlnd• • 51. per cent. 10 0 0 All paid. 9.74 North British Incur 5341. pr cent. 200 0 0 10 0 0 28 Caledonian Fire Insur lOl. per cent. 100 0 0 10 0 0 24 Edinburgh Life Insur 6l. per cent. 100 0 0 12 10 0 1834 Edin. &Gla.sg. Railway 1/.los. per c. 50 0 0 50 0 0 72 Ditto, X Shares •. • . 7s. 6d. p. s. 12 10 0 All paid. 17% Edin., Leith, & Grantn 20 0 0 20 0 0 17 inasgw & Ayrshir Rail. 51. per cent. 50 0 0 All paid. 7016 Glasov & Greenck Rail. 21. per cent. 25 0 0 All paid. 19 Gl.gw & Garnkirk Rail. 5/. per cent. 25 0 0 All paid. 401% Dundee & Arbroth Rath 6/. per cent. 25 0 0 All paid. 39 1 4 standard Life Assarnee.lsl per cent. 50 0 0 210 0 8 Name of Company. V.T.I..TMZ-IXTOI7.IiCS East London..•• .. •• • • Grand Junction .. •• •• Vauxhall •• • • •• •• •• • • est llidcll , l.sex • . • • • Dividend per Amount of Anum. I Share. £ s, d. 100 0 0 31. 10s. 41 13 4 21. 10s. 100 0 0 51. per cent. 100 0 0 cm. C. 3 12 9 11745. Names of ti Dividend Companies. per Annum., Price. Names of Companies. Ashtn& 01dli, 97 31.55. pc, 72 Ashhy-d-la-Z , 112 41. I 70 Barnsley.. • l6O, 121. i 180 Basin Brkni&Abrg 150 1 51. I 85 Cromford 1100' 141. 150 Dudley 1100 4/. Derby .......100, GI. 73 Elisrnre&Chs , l33, 41. j 65 Erewash 1001 Z2l. 303 Forth & Cord , 100 41. GrandJunetn 100. 71. 95 Grand Union' 100 1/. 10s. Glamorgnsh . 172, 1331. 210 Glstr & Brkly, 00 Grantham ,150 12/. 100 Iluddarsflrld .57 Kennt &Avn 79 7s. 63. Lancaster .• • 47 11. 10s. Leeds& Livrp 110 311. 520 Leicester l4 O, 101. 105 Lelestr &Nth 83 4/. CO Lougliborogh,l42. 701. 850 131onnionthsb. IMntgomrysh I Maccl , :sneld .1 iNeath • • • • • • , Nottingham .1 'Peak Forest . ;Regent's iflochtio le [Shropshire [Somrset Coal, Paid. Do.LkFLISt ,Stffrit&Wo,c i Strew9bury..l . Strtfriron AT 'Severn and/ 1 Wt. j t Trut 4 Mr-1 V, 5 1 .1.11 ;Tharnsgz3loii Worestr & I Birathig. j 'Dividend per Annum. 1/. 5s 71.105. 61. p. c. 2SI. 151. 201. 11. 10s. STATE OF TRADE. 1/. /3s, FOREIGN WOOL TRADE, LEEDS, APRIL 3.—The fo reign wool market continues in akout the same state as List week. The business done is compalativay small in amount, and prices are stationary. ENGLIII WOOL MARKET, LEEDS, APRIL 3.—Sales have remained dull this week, and late prices are with difficulty maintained. WAKEFIELD WOOL MARKET. APRIL 3.—There is no alleviation to the dull state of the trade, which rela tively continues in the same position as we reported List wet-k, and consumers merely supply immediate re quirements._ LEEDS.—We scarcely ever witnessed less business done at our Cloth hail than was the case both on Saturday and Tuesday. There wa, a complete absence of specu lation, the merchants confining themselves to purchasing only to order ; prices continue much the same as for some time past, and the stocks in the manufacturer.' hands are very small for the season, and no disposition is evinced to increase them. In the warehouses business has been very dull during the week, and the few buyers who visit the market purchase with great caution, and in much less quantities than they have usually done at this season. On the -A hole, the spring trade this year is duller hitherto than it has been for several years past. BRADFORD MARKET, THURSDAY.—We regret that we cannot notice any improvement in the state of the staple manufacture of this town. Some hopes, however, are entertained that should the next news from America be of a favourable character, there will be an increased demand of complete goods for the markets of that country ; and that when the New Tariff Bill is passed into law, both the home and the German trade will be better. MANCHESTER, THURSDAY EVENING.—Though it is expected that the late glorious news from India will re vive the state of trade in that hemisphere, still it has produced no sensible operation for the better in those articles considered as especially suitable for the East. The cloth market has been dull all the week, and the market closes very heavily to-day, at scarcely last week's currency. The home market is very dull, and no signs of improvement appear. Yarns are without change in value, and perhaps rather better to sell. BARNSLEY.—The trade of this town is considered dull at present ; in fancy drills the summer orders being nearly completed, it is generally flat at this period, but the other branches of the linen trade experience more than ordinary depression at this time of the year. LEICESTER. —There is not the slightest alteration for the better in the market this week, both the London and country houses being equally flat, and but littl e d o i ng i n shipping for the season. Worsted yarns are reduced a halfpenny per lb., at which sales are with difficulty ef fected, although the spinners state they cannot buy wools to meet this reduction. Long wools are flat, without alteration in price. Short sorts are brisk, and command good prices. —Leicester Journal. NOTTINGHAM.—The several branches of the hosiery trade continue in the same stagnant state. The fancy bobbin trade has not in the least improved ; many ma chines are standing, and some hundreds of good work men are half perishing for want of food. The warp lace trade, late so flourishing, to use the words of a consider able master warp lace maker, i s half annihilated. The exception is to warp mitts and gloves made by the jacquard and some f e w by slide bars, which are brisk. —Nottingham Review. DEATH OF THE REV. CHANCELLOR FLETCHER.— We have this week to announce the death of the venerable Chancellor of this Diocese, the Reverend Walter Fletcher, M.A., of Dalston. He was seized with paralysis, whilst in the discharge of his duty, in Dalston Church, on Sunday last, and died on Wednesday, at the ripe age of 79 years. Mr. Fletcher was a native of Derbyshire, and first came to this diocese as Chaplain to Bishop Vernon, now Archbishop of York, by whom he was appointed, in August, 1793, to the vicarage of Dalston as the successor of Archdeacon Paley. In 1814 he was appointed Chancellor of the Diocese, on the death of Dr. Grisdale, whose daughter he had married. He was also Vicar of Lazonby, and held a Prebendal Stall in the Cathedral of York. Mr. Fletcher was the tutor of Sir James Graham, Bart., and kis brothers, and of the present Duke of Beaufort. He was a man of most charitable disposition and active benevolence, and was es teemed and respected wherever he was known. The livings of Dalston and Lazonby (worth respectively 2001. and 40C1. per annum) and also the Chancellorship are in the gift of the Bishop of Carlisle. — Carlisle Journal. CATTLE Fens —During the lastweek, several fairs in this county and Wales have taken place, and the sellers have been satisfied with the prices. It is considered a question of doubt, whether the graziers who have purchased store beasts at very high prices will be remunerated by fattening the m . However weave the best information afforded. It is extra ordinary that, so many fairs occurring almost together, the stock sold high.— Shrewsbury Chronic le. business has been r" tr ß ans 3 a l c A t ß ed ßE in T, W A est P-R ln a dia l— sugt ar th ee is ly we a e n k y , owing to the want of supply ; but for Mauritius there has been a good demand, and about 5,000 mats have found buyers at extreme rites. For Bengal these has little inquiry , —Nristei envy. been but WYCOMBE BRANCB. Mr. TALBOT then proceeded to state the course of this branch, which is proposed to be constructed from the Great Western Railway, at Maidenhead to Wycombe, at an ex pense of 134,6331. It would be nine miles, five furlongs, and seven chains in length, and would pass through the towns of Woburn and Cookhana, - would be three miles from Great Marlow, two-and-a-half miles from Beaconsfield, six miles from Monks Risborough, eight miles from Princes Risborough, and seven from Amersham. The town of High Wycombe was situated on the old coach road between London and Oxford, and before the opening of the Great Western Railway possessed a considerable traffic in coaches, waggons, and posting, the loss of which had caused serious injury to its trade and market, and great depreciation in the value of property. The manufacture of paper and chairs, and a trade in corn, grain, and flour, have been carried on in the town to a considerable extent, the stream. upon which it is situate turning thirty one mills in the immediate neighbourhood, of which nineteen are paper mills, and the remainder corn mills. These trades have necessarily suffered from the like cause, the manufacturers being unable to compete with their rivals at other places, who possess the advantages of railway corn - munication, and are unable to undersell them in the London market. For want of the means of transit, the corn mills are only worked to half their power, al though the district affords abundant duce, which, if a rail way were established, surplus w o p u r lod be ground into flour, and sent t o the Lo This line would accommodate all the large market towns t market. the vicinity of the line, would offer the sam e or betterin com munication than the London and Oxford, and at a trifling expense compared to it. He therefore trusted th at he had made out a good case in its support. ThS Committee then adjourned until Monday. --- His Serene Highness the Hereditary Prince of Saxe Meta ingai, hon 'Yining oured the Italia n O pera -h ouse w ith hi s p resence on Saki/tin , . POLICE INTELLIGENCE. GUILDHALL. On Saturday, Mr. Jones, the chairman of the Joint Committee of Shareholders of the ME tropolitan Rail way Junction Company, for pursuing certain complaints against a portion of the provisional committee men, again appeared before the magistrates to support three informations to penalties under the Joint Stock Com panies Registration Act. The first information was for not registering, with the other documents, the list of subscribers, within one month after they had become such ; and, by a clause in the Act, the solicitor of the company was liable to the penalty for the neglect. Mr. Wire, for the defendant, and Mr. John Bar ber, of Furnival's Inn, the solicitor to the company, raised an objection that railway companies were not within the scope of the fourth clause of the Act, which requires the list of subscribers to be filed. In the case of " Young v. Smith," decided last term, the Chief Baron said the second clause excepted railways from the provisions of the Act, except as here inafter specially provided, and in the 26th clause there was no reservation in respect of railways, therefore the Act applied to all Joint-stock Companies except rail ways. On the other hand it was urged that as the rail way Companies complied with the various other clauses in the Act, it clearly showed that they were public bo dies within the meaning of the Act, and therefore could not be exempted from any particular clauses ; also that the Attorney-General would never have permitted penalties to be sued for unless he bad considered that Act extended to railways. Sir PETER LAURIE said they must take especial care that they did not arrive at a decision contrary to that of the judges. He had had nothing to do with railways thank Heaven, and nothing gave him greater pleasure than the recognition of the principle on the judicial bench that those who held out their names to lure the public to purchase should be personally responsible for the result. The magistrates reserved their decision on Mr. Wire's objection, and proceeded to receive the evidence. Mr. Thomas Reynolds, the high constable of the Tower Hamlets, proved that he was a subscriber. He wrote for fifty shares, received forty, and obtained the scrip on signing the subscribers' agreement and parlia mentary deed. Mr. James Matthews, of Bexley Heath, applied for and received 200 shares as a provisional committee man, but had not paid anything for them. Mr. Wire said it was such conduct as Mr. Mat thews's that had brought the concern to its present state. Several other persons proved that they had been sub scribers. No list of subscribers had been filed, but Mr. Barber's acceptance of the office of solicitor to the com pany was registered. Mr. Alderman Gibbs and Sir Peter Laurie consulted, and deferred giving judgment for a fortnight. The second complaint was against Mr. Barber, as so licitor to the Company, for neglecting to register the form of the letter of allotment. Mr. Wire said the Bth requisition of the 4th clause was, that a copy of every circular should be filed that was addressed to the public, or to the subscribers, as to the formation or modification of the Company. The form of letter of allotment did not answer that descrip tion. It was not addressed to the public, and no per son was a subscriber till he had paid his deposit. The magistrates postponed their decision on this case. The third complaint was against Mr. T. B. Kemp, for acting as a director, he not holding at least one share i❑ the company. Mr. Wire submitted that this was substantially the same complaint as had been dismissed last week, and a new fiat ought to be produced to show that the Attor ney General sanctioned the proceedings. Mr. Jones said the defendants had committed from twenty to thirty offences, and the fiat was intended to cover the whole proceeding. Mr. Alderman GIBBS called for Mr. Kemp's written consent to become a promoter, registered on the 15th of October. This also contained an agreement to take one or more shares. Sir PETER LAURIE said the principle of the last de cision must be applied to this. Here was an engagement to take a share entered into before he acted as a director, and at the time he became a promoter. He was, in offset, a shareholder, and saddled with all the liabilities of one, as he ought to be. Alderman GIBBS said he should concur in that deci sion, and they dismissed the complaint. The magistrates stated that, pending the considera tion of the reserved points, no new iatormation would be received. MARLBOROUGH-STREET. Edward David Veasy and Wm Moak, gentlemen, of Trinity College, Cambridge, were charged with having disturbed the audience and interrupted the performances at the Pi ieccss's Theatre, on Friday evening, by violent conduct end language, and also with having broken a plate of glass, value 50s. The boat race between the students at Oxford and Cambridge, which took place in the morning, had the e&et of bringing to town a large party of collegians. In the evening a batch of Cambridge men went to the Prif:cess's Theatre, and many king, as asserted by the police, Bacela plenus, a disturbance ensued under these circurust acct. s. Mr. Maddox, the lessee, said, about ten o'clock his attention was called to a party of young gentlemen who were coaductinf, themselves in an outrageous manner, and who were using very bad language. lie went up to the party to remonstrate on the impropriety of their behaviour, when he was asked what he had to do with the affair, and called an opprobrious name by one of the party. Another of the party said he would show them what Cambridge lads could do, and this was followed up by the defendant Vesy and others making a resistance against the constables who were in attendance at the theatre, and who had hewn called to sup press the disturbance. The defendant Veasy broke a plate of glass in one of the doors before he was secured. The reason alleged by rho defendants and their party was that they could not get seats in the dress circle. 'nitre was quite sufficient room in the boxes, but the defendants, thoueli they carte in after half-price had commenced, would not be satisfied with the vacant places, but exr.ected to have these seats which an early visit to the theatre could only en Li! le them to. The defendants, who wished to be accoranio dated with seats together, were told that this was im possible, but that they might have a private box or stalls if they chose to pay the difference. This the defen dant refused to do, and as their conduct disturbed the audience, the police were employed to take the most riotous into custody. Massinghum, the boakeeper, said a party of sixteen or seventeen gentlemen came to the theatre about half an hour after the half price had commenced. The party paid their money, but in a short time they all returned, complaining tiler could not get such ac commodation as they approved cif in the dress circle, and demanded a return of their money. There was sufficient room in the boxes, but of course the best places were occupied by those visitors who came earlier. The de fendants and their friends were very riotous and abusive, and Veasy broke a glass plate in one of the doors. Police-constable Sheppy, A 1, proved that the de fendants and their party were very violent in their con duct, and used very foul language. The defendants made resistance when given into custody. The acting-manager, Walton, said he was behind the scenes when his attention was attracted by the noise in the box part of the theatre. He went forward, and he heard a number of gentlemen, friends of the defendants, abusing Mr. Maddox, the lessee, in language that would have disgraced a costermonger. One of the party called out as soon as the police were summoned, that they had taught the police at Cambridge their duty, and they would give the same lesson to the London police. The conduct of the party had the effect of stopping the per formance and alarming the audience, In defence Maule said there were no seats to be had in the boxes. They demanded the return of their money, when they were called a pack of schoolboys, and that led to an altercation. Veasy said his friends and himself could not see the performance, and this induced them to ask to have their money returned, which was refused. He denied break ing the glass in the door. Both defendants also declared they were not intoxi cated. The police, however, said that the party were more or less under the influence of drink. Mr. HARDWICK lectured the defendants on the great impropriety of their conduct. It could not be for a mo ment endured that persons of the rank of gentlemen should enter a theatre, and conduct themselves in such a manner as to put a stop to the performances, and to ter rify the timid portion of the audience. If the deft ndants chose to demand the return of their money, and if the demand was resisted, they had a remedy, and they must therefore not attempt to effect their purpose by violence and abuse. Veasy fined 34, and 21. 10s. damages; Maule fined 31. LAMBETH. John Tapson, a smartly-dressed young man, was placed at the bur before Mr. Elliott, for further ex amination, on a charge of stealing a portmanteau, con taining a variety of valuable property, from the terminus of the Great Western Railway Company. Mr. Justins, from the office of Messrs. Maples and Co., solicitors to the Great Western Itailwp4 c ompany, attended to prosecute, an d M r. C ollar :A, the superin tendent of police on the Great Wes sera line, was also , in attendance to watch th e case . The first witness, Henry an intelligent a . Weatherdon little boy, stated that on auesday or Wednesday last, the prisoner, who lotted at the house of his father, asked him to go witli him to see the railways. The prisoner called a cr,o, and they proceeded to the Great Western Railway terminus. While there the prisoner went up to one of the carriages on the line, picked up a portmanteau, which lay inside, looked at the address, and desired the witness to lay hold of one of the handles. He did so, and they carried the portmanteau to the cab, and drove home with it to his (witness's) father's house, 16, Palace; New-read, Lambeth. Sion after, the prisoner left the house with a large bundle. James .Ayres, a shopman to a pawnbroker in the Westminster -road, deposed that on Thursday morning the prisoner offered to him in pledge a fashionably -made laciy's satin dress, and a polka of the same material, eoth of the best quality. Suspecting from the account which he gave, that he had not become honestly by the property, witness sent for a policeman, but while the messenger was in search of one, the prisoner went away. In the afternoon he returned, and insisted on having the property back or the money advanced upon it, and then stated that it belonged to his sister, who resided at St. John's Wood. Witness again sent for a constable, who took the prisoner into custody. Francis J. Harrison, shopkeeper to Messrs. Whistler and Edwards, pawnbrokers, in the Strand, produced a variety of articles which the prisoner had pledged at the shop of his masters, on Wednesday last, for six shillings. Mr. Justins severely censured the conduct of the witness for having taken such a quantity of valuable articles from a perfect stranger for so small a sum of money. Harrison said that the prisoner had told him he bought the things from au Invalidai impital. •" Price. Prig 3. Mr. Justins observed that he should not be satisfied with such a representation, and at his (Mr. Justins's) request, The MAGISTRATE ordered the property to be handed over to a constable, and bound the witness over to attend at the next examination. Po:ice c, nstable Redford, 52 L, deposed that he went to the House No. 16, Palace New-road, where the pisoner lodged, and there found the portmanteau and the articles then produced. Mr. David Williams, a draper of Brailth, in Breck nockshire, said, that on Tuesday last, be was a passen ger by the afternoon train on the Great Western Rail way, and his luggage consisted of a carpet bag and a portmanteau, and which was put into the luggage wag gon. On arriving at the Paddington station, the carpet bag was found safe, but the portmanteau could not be found. It belonged to his daughter, who accompanied him, and contained besides a variety of dresses, a purse with from thirty to forty shillings in silver, and an old fashioned and valuable gold watch belonging to a c'egy man, and which he brought to town to have repaired. Miss Sarah Williams, the daughter of the last witness. identified the whole of the property produced as hers She also identified the portmanteau found at the pri soner's lodging. Mr. Collard here said he had every reason to believe, that if the prisoner was remanded for a few days, he should be able to get some further important in formation. The prisoner, who offered nothing in defence, was ac cordingly remanded to a future day. SOUTHWARK. _ ... Just as Mr. Traill was about to quit the bench, a middle-aged, respectable-looking man was placed at the bar, charged with embezzling large sums of money, the property of his employers, Messrs. Tate and Co., coal merchants, Bankside. Mr. Stephen Nelson Tate said that the prisoner had been in their employ as collecting clerk about two years. It was his duty to receive money and pay it over to him every evening. In consequence of some of the out standing accounts not being paid, inquiries were insti tuted, and it was soon discovered that several consider able sums of money had been received by the prisoner, which he had not accounted for. The prisoner, finding that inquiries hail been made, absconded, and had not been heard of until he was taken into custody by a City police-constable on the previous evening. He was, con sequently, taken before the Lord Mayor at the Man sion -house, who sent the case to this court. In answer to Mr. Traill, witness added that the defal cations have all occurred since January, 1846. He wished the prisoner to be remanded, as he had not been able to get the witnesses together ; there were, how ever, two in court who had paid the prisoner 701. which I he had not accounted for. Mr. TRAILL asked the prisoner whether he wished to say anything at the present stage of the inquiry ? He replied, in a very desponding tone, that he had nothing to say, only he hoped they would not send him to a cold cell. He was now completely wet through, and so weak, that he could hardly stand. Mr. TRAILL remanded him until Wednesday, and directed the officer to convey him direct to Horsemon ger-lane gaol. REPORT UPON THE PRESENT CONDITION AND RELATIVE MERITS OF THE HARBOURS OF LARNE, LOCIIRYAN, PORTPATRICK, DONAGHADEE, AND BEL FAST. (Surveyed by order of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, by Captain George Evans, R N.) TO CAPT. W. A. B. HAMILTON, R.N., SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY, &C., &C., &C. Gwyder House, Whitehall, 31st Jan., 1846. Sir,—ln compliance with the orders contained in your letter of the 25th of November, 1845, desiring that I should proceed to examine, and report upcn the present condition of the harbours of Lame, Lochryan, Port patrick, Donaghadee, and Belfast; after a careful exami nation of them, I have the honour to submit the following report : LARNE. This port is the safest and the easiest of access of any on the N.E coast of Ireland. Since my last report on Lame, in 1836, a very correct chart of it, by Commander Mudge, R.N., has been published by the Admiralty. A lighthouse has been erected, and lit up, by the Irish Ballast Office, on the eastern side of the entrance ; and a quay of two hundred feet long, with jetties, projecting on piles, having sixteen feet water alongside them, at low springs, have been constructed inside the entrance, by Mr. Agnew, the proprietor of the port, at an expense of only 1,350/. These improvements have rendered Larne the most eligible port of communication with Scotland, of any on the N.E. coast of Ireland. If a rail road, tending to create a mercantile traffic, were con structed from Larne, either to Belfast, or the north of Ireland, the port of Larne contains the most eligible sites for docks, quays, and ova-ehouses ; which, from the abundance of materieds at hand, and cheapness of labour, might be constructed, as Mr. Agnew's works prove, at a very moderate expense. While sounding and examining Larne, I had an ex cellent opportunity of observing the effects of a heavy gale, from the northward right into the harbour on the 11th of December last. I watched the entrance during the continuance of the gale, and at all heights of the tide ; very little swell entered ; the regular trading steamer, from Portsmouth, came in after dark, dis charged part of her cargo, took in another, and departed for Liverpool, in the height of the gale. During her stay in the port, which was only one hour and a half, she perfectly- tranquil alongside Mr. Agiletv', jetty. The old rubble walls and cottages on the beach, just in side the entrance of the port of Larne, distinctly prove, that, for ages, no sea of any violence could have entered the harbour, or, situated as they are, barely clear of high water mark, they would have been washx. away, LOCH RYAN. This port, which, in winter, frequently affords shelter to three or four hundred sail, riding in perfect t.e:turity, is safe of approach, and easy of access, day or night, in any weather. Since I reported on Lochryan, in 1836, a tower has been built on Cairn Point, and I am informed, that a lantern is to be placed on it this sumn3er. When tl i,. is lit, the Cairn Point, which has seven fathoms' water close to it. can be approached on the darkest night, without hesitation ; and nothing will be required to make it the most eligible port of communication with the North-East coast of Ireland, but a pier or jetty, for the accommodation of passengers and goods. opinion, packet There are three plaees in Lochryan which have been spoken of as eligible for embarking mails, passengers, and goods, viz. Finnert Bay, Cairnryan, and Stranraer. Having had a very good opportunity of observing the effects of the heavy gates of last month (December, 1845) en the different localities of this loch, I have no the hesitationi 3es t in place,dthat Cairnryan is station, or the ter minus of a railroad for goods or passengers. Finnert Bay, which is tao miles nearer the entrance of the loch than Cairnryan, is too exposed, and would require a very e e e i la th r e in r g fo rn r y a extensive and solid breakwater, the expeese of whin h would far outweigh any advantage the two mile.; might afford; independent of which, from the nature of the present bay, it would, in all probability, be soon filled up with shingle. Stranraer has certainly very good anchorage; but the present pier is dry at low water, and would require to be considerably extended. The Scaur shoal is very much in the way of vessels going up to Stranraer, in thick weather or dark nights, and pas sengers going to Ireland, from Glasgow and the North, would have to pass Cairnryan on their way to Stranraer; thus adding five miles by land, and the same distance back again by water, to their journey, I therefore feel justified in giving the preference to Cairnryan, where a very eligible site for a pier or jetty presents itself at the Claddy-house point. A pier might be constructed in a N.W. direction from the Claddy point, extending about halt a•cable's length, which would have from 14 to 18 feet alongside of it, at low springs, for nearly its whole length, as the Claddy point is steep too. This pier might be constructed of wood or stone, there being no pressure of sea to injure it. The Claddy point has also the advantage of a rivul e t of f res h water, which might be conveyed in pipes along the pier, for the use of the vessels, filling the boilers, &c., &c., and the level ground about the Claddy point offers a most desirable site fur the terminus of a railroad. PORTPATRICK. After a careful examination of this port, I see no reason to altar the report I made of it in 1836, and which has been confirmed by every naval officer that has been subsequently applied to—viz., that Portpatrick is not, nor ever can be made, a safe harbour, either to run for, or depart from, in westerly or south-westerly gales, without incurring a most enormous expense. The plan which I have the honour to submit will show the nature of the port better than any description I can give of it in writing. It will be seen, that it lies open to the prevailing winds from the westward and south west, which cause a heavy sea to roll into it, and with such violence, as to prevent any vessel lying in the outer harbour, or even the inner one, without sustaining injury to her hull, fastenings, or engines. The only way to subdue the swell, in the inner harbour, would be to remove the old pier that tends to direct it there; but the doing so would leave no place of shelter to the few small vessels trading to that port. The present small steamers employed to convey the mails cannot get in or out of Portpatrick at low water, there being only three feet water over the bar leading to their berths. In spring tides they.lie aground, even in their berth, at low water. This circumstance not only prevents any regularity in the arrival or departure of the mails, but would render any attempt at acceleration by railroad useless. During westerly and south-westerly pi gales, ta btreio kleovwwe without hsaot water, they imminent y c a m n un must tr t s e rk n u enter of life. al g iorfreo. ( jodduenpa nr on from on nttehrei n P o r t - and lie exposed t o t h e sea ; if t h ere b e wa t er over the them, , th tp e haes y y depend si m nrgu u n stmthr.erisk co catching ov o so n fcbreaiing; g the check ropes, when k f o o o r o , ke if d th to e y Against the cliff. On dep ar ting, there is so little room -to get way on the vessel, that if she be struck with two following seas at the entrance, she would, in all proba bility, lose her way, and fall off with her head towards the pier or rocks, rendering it impossible to give her either head or stern way with the engines ; so that she .must either be dashed against the piers, or dri v e n into Ithe harbo ur , aga i nst Mr. Cook's Craig, there being no - room to turn her, either by dropping her anchor or the use of sails or engines. Should any accident occur to the engines, on the first shock they receive in going out between the pier heads, the vessel must be dashed to pieces. The lighthouse, which was erecting on the South-pier head when I was there in 1836, has not been lit since 1839. It cannot be approached in bad weather ; the g seen sea breaks thirty feet over the lantern, and the p; ter it stands on is so frequently under water, that it has ti le appearance of a half-tide rock. I understand that, in consequence of tho foundation of the South-piergiving wr ay, which threatened the destruction of the lighthouse, 1 , vast quantity of atones, weighing several tons each, .I,:ere, a few pan ago, thrown into the outward angle of the South-pier and jetty. These large blocks, instead of protecting the masonry, during the westerly gales, actel as battering-rams for its destruction, being hurled against the angle with such force as to cause considerable damage. They finally disappeared, hav ing been driven in various directions, after pounding themselver to pieces. The North-pier, as will be seen by the plan, fortunately has not been finished ; for, if it were, it would be a very hazardous experiment to steer a vessel into the harbour, during a south-westerly gale. At present the swell which rebounds from the south pier and jetty, across the entrance of the harbour, ex pends itself amongst the rocks on the north side ; but, where the north pier finished, there would be a check and rebound from it, that would so agitate the entrance as to defy any man to steer through it. In short, however suitable Portpatrick might have been, and no doubt it possessed great advantages, when small sailing sloops were employed to convey the mails, it is clearly manifest that, after the introduction of steam-vessels, it should have been abandoned, not only from its incapability of admittin g st eam - vesse l s o f suffi cient length and power to insure a regular and safe passage across these stormy seas, but because there were other ports, not far off, better situated with regard to mail deliveries, and which might be entered or de parted from in perfect security in any weather, and by the largest class of steamers—namely, Lochryan and Loch Larne. Were Lochryan and Loch Larne adopted, it would only be necessary to erect a jetty at Cairnryan, as Mr. Agnew offers the use of his, at Larne, gratis. Should a fair trial be given, to ascertain the relative merits of the present route, via Portpatrick and Donaghadee, and the route I have the honour to propose, by Lochryan and Lochlarne, the mails and passengers could be em barked at Cairnryan, in any weather, and the pier need not be constructed till the result of the trial wouldenable a decision to be formed. DONAGHADEE. I beg to submit a plan of this harbour, which will give a much better idea of it than any description of mine. A reference to the soundings, marked red, which I took last month, will show the extent the harbour has silted up, since I sounded it in 1836. I found a quantity of large stones extending from just inside the entrance to a "puddle dyke" in the centre of the harbour, that had never been removed ; those stones had been washed into the harbour from the glacis, during easterly and south-easterly gales, and ought, together with the puddle dyke, to have been removed. Don • aghadee in its present contracted and shallow state, will not admit of larger steamers than those now em ployed, and even they find great difficulty in entering it at low water, during easterly gales. There is no serious objection to Donaghadee as a packet station, it being situated on a weather-shore, during the prevailing winds, and frequented by the packets during daylight only ; it might be deepened to ten feet all over ; but it is evident, however, that it is too small to be of any ser vice as a harbour of refuge. It will always require an annual expenditure to keep it up, and has not capacity for admitting that length of vessel which alone could ensure regularity and safety in conveying the mails across those seas. BELFAST. I have the honour to submit a plan, showing the im provements that have taken place in this harbour since I reported on it in 1836. All that part coloured " brown" is entirely new, consisting of embankments formed, and a cut made, and deepened to nine feet, at low water. They are at present excavating and deepening the river, from the bridge down to the cut, and widening the quays at the north, or town-side of the river, to meet the rapidly increasing demands of the trade. When these works are finished, vessels drawing 9 feet water will be able to get up to the quays at Belfast, at low-water springs. There will be always some difficulty in navigating the tortuous part of the channel, until the second cut is made (particularly in thick weather or dark nights), owing to the great length of the steam-vessels now generally in use. When the second cut is made down to Garindyle, the channel will be straight. Gas lamps may be placed at intervals, along the embankment, which would enable steam-vessels to run up and down at all times, as easily as a carriage gees along the street. As a port of com munication with Scotland, and the north of England, there is no doubt but a great many passengers would fiud it very convenient to be landed at Belfast; yet, it must be remembered, that the sea passage between it and Ce.irnryan is fifteen miles longer than that between the Cairn and Larne; and, although these fifteen miles are performed in the comparatively smooth water of Belfast Lough, considerable delays might reasonably be expected from navigating it in thick weather, or dark nights, particularly among the shoals at the upper and narrow part of it: on the other hand, passengers or mails landed at Larne might be sent in two directions. Those for the northern parts of Ireland might go direct by a railroad to Ballymena, or by the new road along the north-east of Antrim to Coleraine, Londonderry, Donegal, and Sligo, while the other portion destined for Belfast, and the whole of the centre and south of Ireland, would find a rapid and economical mode of transmission, by means of a railroad to Belfast. It is, therefore, rea sonable to suppose that a majority of the passengers would prefer the safest and most expeditious sea passage, which is, manifestly, that between Lochryan and Loch Larne, in consequence of there being no limit to the size or power of the steamers, which might be placed on that line. Having complied with your instructions, by reporting, to the best of my ability, ou the present state of Loch Larne, Loch Ryan, Portpatrick, Donaghadee, and Belfast, I humbly submit, for their Lordships' information, the following trials I made last month (December, 1845), to test the relative merits of the route by Portpatrick and Donaghadee with that by Loch Ryan and Loch Larne. On the 22d of last month I went, during one of the hardest gales we had this winter from the N.N.W., in the Albion, an iron merchant steamer, from Streviraer to Bel'ast (49 miles), in five hours and a half. The Albino is about two hundred tins burthen, has one kindled aid thirty horse power, and draws when loaded six feet and a half water. She had a full cargo, and averaged nine milts an hour against the gale. I timed her from passing C.tirnryan to abreast of Larne, and she ran the dis:ance (30 miles) in three hours and a half. This, considering the circumstances of wind and water, is as long a passage as would occur, during the year, be tween Cairnr) an and Larne. I also went, on the 17th of last month, in the Pike mail boat, Lieut. Boyton, from Donaghadee to Port patrick. The water was smooth : we had a leading wind, and the sails were set ; yet, owing to the limited size and power of the boat, we were two hours and fifty minutes running across (19 miles.) This clearly proves the great superiority of the Larne and Loch Ryan route ; for the Albion went against the hardest gale we had this winter, two miles an hour faster than the largest boat that could enter Portpatrick could go, in fine weather, with a fair wind. The mail boats, during adverse gales, are obliged to tack, under steam and canvass, across the channel, having neither length nor power to stem the gale. The Pike, Lieut. Boyton, was, under such circumstances, nine hours and a-half crossing, a few days before I went in her. It will naturally occur to you, Sir, to ask, why has not the route via Portpatrick, been abandoned long ago, if there be such objections to it ? The reeson is easily explained. When the Commissioners of Inquiry into the Post-office Department, 1836, strongly and una- ' nimoasly recommended in their report (Sixth Report of the Commissioners appointed to in quire into the department of the Post-office, 1836), that no further expense should be incurred on Portpatrick or Donaghadee, and that Cairnryan and Larne should be adopted as the best route for the mails, the proprietors of Portpatrick, and the civil engineer, stated that, if the mo ney then voted for the completion of Portpatrick (23,7001.) was expended on it, the harbour would be rendered perfectly safe, and possess ample accommodation for the reception of first-class steamers, drawing 12 feet water and upwards. Although the Lords of the Treasury had complied with the recommendations of the Commissioners of In quiry, by stopping the works and paying off the work men, yet their Lordships ' considering that nearly 150,0001., public money, had already been spent on Portpatrick, and that the Engineer was quite confident of success, their Lordships consented to go on with the works. The present state of Portpatrick sufficiently explains the result. _ _ _ _ Under these circumstances, it is my humble opinion, that is well worthy of their Lordships' consideration, whether a fair trial of the two routes is not desirable. By granting it, their Lordships will settle a question which, for many years, has been the cause of consider able anxiety to the bankers, merchants, and manufac turers of Scotland and the North of Ireland.—l have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient humble servant, GEO EVANS, Capt. R.N. INSTRUCTIONS to COMMITTEES OF RELIEF DISTRICTS IN TOWNS IN IRE- LAND. (Etracted from minutes of the proceedings of the Com missioners appointed in reference to the apprehended scarcity.) The Commission having had under their considera tion the necessity of establishing local Committees, pro perly organized, in towns where destitution is likely to prevail, through whose superintendence the approach and progress of distress, in such localities, may be watched, and the means of relief administered, according to the instructions of Government, it is resolved — I. That the Mayor, or, where there is no Mayor and Aldermen, the Chairman of the town Commissioners of any town in which it shall be established, on good and d sufficient grounds, that extreme distress isntnaetanr at ha n d, op,e in consequence of the failure in the p ed of the follow requested to convene a meeting, cornpos ing classes: — Mayor and Aldermen. The town Commissioners (In towns where there is no Mayor or Aldermen.) Clergymen of all persuasions. Chairman of any Poor Law Union, which may include any part of the town. Poor Law Guardians of electoral district or districts. Magistrates of Petty Sessions. That this meeting should select, from amongst them selves, not more than twenty members, who, with the resident Magistrates (if any), Cost-guard officers (where available) and an officer of the Board of Works, should form the Local Relief Committee. II That each Committee should hold regular periodi cal meetings, at a place or places to be fixed by them, where all Committee business should be transacted ; and that regular minutes should be kept of the proceedings, in a book to be supplied to them from this Commission, and that three members should be a quorum. 111. That it is evident, and is also in strict accordance with the views and instructions of the Government, that the owners of property, and other rate-payers, are the parties both legally and morally answerable for afford ing due relief to the poor, and tf at the same parties are, from their local influence, and their knowledge of the situation and wants of the people in their neighbour hood, best able to furnish such relief, without waste or lujidirectiO 91 . the New employed, That the measures to be adopted by the officers of I Government, are to be considered merely as auxiliary to those which it is the duty of the persons possessed of property, in each neighbourhood, to adopt. That the Local Committee should, therefore, put them selves in communication with such persons, and should solicit subscriptions from them, proportioned to their means, and to the extent of distress in the locality to which they belong. That where, notwithstanding such subscriptions, some assistance is likely to be required from the Government, a list of the sums subscribed, together with a list of in dividuals from whom subscriptions might have been ex pected, should be confidentially brought under the notice of the Lord Lieutenant, who, after due consideration of the case, will determine on the sum to be contributed, from the funds at his disposal, in aid of the local sub scriptions. In cases where there may arise a scarcity of food, within a district, or the price of food may have been artificially raised, the Government will be prepared to transmit to the Local Committee, at cost price, including the ex penses of carriage, a quantity of food corresponding to the amount of subscriptions paid in for that purpose, and to place that food in the Minis of the Local Com mittee, for distribution, on their own responsibility, at cost price, or as wages of labour to destitute persons un employed on local works, or when absolute destitution is united within ability to labour, in gratuitous donations. IV. That, in cases where any assistance is afforded by Government, either in aid of local subscriptions, or otherwise, the following rules are to be invariably ob served in the administration of relief : Ist. A task of work shall be required from every per son capable of giving it, who applies for relief. 2d. The payments for the work performed shall be made in food, and shall, in every case, ce limited to such a quantity of food as will be sufficient to support the workman, and the helpless persons of his family. 3d. If, in any case, it be impracticable to pay in food, the payments in money shall be limited to what is ab solutely necessary for the above purpose. 4th. Gratuitous relief shall be afforded only to those persons who are entirely incapable of giving a day's work, and who have no able-bodied relative on whom they are depend, nt, and in these cases only, in which their reception in the workhouse of the union to which they belong, is, from want of room, impracticable ; and, lastly, sth. The works in which destitute persons are em ployed, shall be in prosecution of some public improve ment, approved of by this Commission, within, or adjacent to, the distressed locality, and shall be such as will be capable of being brought at once to a close, when the circumstances of the people are improved. V. That the Committee should ne prepared with plans or suggestions of small useful works of public improve ment, for the employment of the destitute poor, in all cases where relief is given to the able-bodied. VI. That the Committee should divide the town into districts, and should obtain minute reports of the cir cumstances of each family, from whom application for relief may be made ; that at their meetings certificates or tickets should be given to such only as are ascer tained to be without means of providing for their fami lies ; that such tickets or certificates be the authority to the Superintendent of the Public Works for receiving the persons to wh om they are granted ; and th a t a re gister of all cert i ficates or tickets granted by th e Com mittee be preserved i n a book, to be supplied f or t h a t purpose by this Commission. VII. That the secretary, or person officiating as such, of the Committee, should take charge of the books, and other documents, and should conduct the correspondence with this Commission: VIII. That towns in which there is no mayor and aldermen, nor town commissioners, be considered as coming under the class of county relief districts. J. P. KENNEDY, Secretary. Castle, Dublin, 14th March, 1846. MATCH BETWEEN AN ENGLISH AND A FRENCH STEAMER. The following is an account of a match in the Gulf of Guinea, between the French frigate Caraibe and the English frigate Penelope : " Rear-Admiral Montagnies, commanding the squadron on the western coast of Africa, has just returned to Goree on board the steam-frigate Caraibe, who made a most rapid run of the fourteen hundred leagues from Senegal to Fernando Po and back again ; one month was sufficient for this double trip, and to confer with the English Commodore relative to the right of search and the execution of the treaty of the 29th May. The commanders decided on a trial of speed be tween their two vessels, and the English Commodore was glad of the occasion to measure his frigate with an adver sary worthy of her. The Caraibe is only of 450 h.-p., the Penelope of 670. This inferiority of 220 h.-p. was the more to the disadvantage of the Caraibe, as she is a longer boat, and was built for 1,748 tons, the Penelope not exceeding 1,616. Commander Jones was therefore confidieat of suc cess. On the other side the French Commander, Count Bouet Willaumez, trusted to the good qualifications of his vessel, and did not share in the good opinion the English Commodore had of the Penelope, as she was faulty in her construction, and he was confident of gaining on her con siderably or he should not have deemed a slight advantage as flattering to the Caraibe ; he therefore increased his steam power by adding a supplementary weight of 20 kilograms of lead on each safety valve. The trial commenced out at sea on the 6th of February, at it A AL, weather squally, the thermometer marking 33 deg. of heat. The signal was given by Rear-Admiral Montagnies. The vessels started under a stiff breeze, both engines plying at full speed. An hour after starting the Caraibe slackened her pace to wait for her adversary, being three miles a head, that is to say, two-thirds of a league in the hour; in ten minutes the Penelope was alongside. The log of the Caraibe marked ten knots an hour. in coming alongside the Penelope hoisted the French colours in compliment to the Caraibe. The second trial was to be with only three boilers. The French frigate again took the lead, leaving the English vessel far behind. She again slackened, having gained two miles and a half within the hour. The leg of the Caraibe still marked ten knots, a stiff breeze at the time. The Penelope came alongside in fifteen minutes, and again hoisted the French colours The third trial was with only two boilers, which is usual during the passage across the Atlantic, and saves feel. The Penelope, which has tubular boilers, was in hopes of taking her revenge. At the end of the hour the Caraibe was one mile and nine-tenths ahead. The Penelope took twelve minutes to come up, and not only hoisted the tricolor, but gave three lusty cheers, which were responded to by three cheers from the crew of the Caraibe, assembled in the shrouds. Commodore Jones, a worthy and brave old officer, was not sorry, he said, to have found so good an occasion for testing his vessel ; and said to the French admiral "This must be, the happiest day of your life, Captain Bouit.' You mean, commodore, a happy day for M. Schneider, who made the engines.' The Penelope gave a parting salute of fifteen guns, which was replied to immediately by the Caraibe. The right of search falls to the ground on the 6th March, when the cruizers of either nation inspect their own flag."— Journal des Debats. THREATENED ATTACK BY INDIANS. MAY s.—On account of our animals, it was necessary to remain to-day at this place. Indians crowded nume rously around us in the morning ; and we were obliged to keep arms in hand all day, to keep them out of the camp. They began to surround the horses, which, for the convenience of grass, we were guarding . a little above, on the river. These were unwed:at( ly driven in, and kept close to the camp. In the darkness of the night, we had made a very bad encampment, our fires being c( m mended by a rocky bluff within fifty yards; but, notwith standing, we had the river and small thickets of willows on the other side. Several times during the day the camp was insulted by the Indians ; but, peace being our object, I kept simply on the defensive. Some of the Indians were on the bottoms, and others haranguing us from the bluffs ; and they were scattered in every direction over the hills. Their language being probably a dialect of the Utah, with the aid of signs some of cur people could comprehend them very well. They were the same people who had murdered the Mexicans ; and towards us their disposition was evidently hostile, nor were we well dis posed towards them. They were barefooted, and nearly naked ; their hair gathered up in a knot behind ; an d with his bow, each man carried a quiver with thirty or forty arrows partially drawn out. Besides these, each held in his hand two or three arrows for instant service. Their arrows are barbed, with a very clear, translucent stone, a species of opal, nearly as hard as the diamond ; and, shot from their long bow, are almost as effective as a gunshot. In these Indians, I was forcibly struck by an expression of countenance resem bling that in a beast of prey ; and all their actions are those of wild animals. Joined to the restless motion of the eye, there is a want of mind—an absence of thought —and an action wholly by impulse, strongly expressed, and which constantly recalls the similarity. A man who appeared to be a chief, with two or three others, forced him'elf into the camp, bringing with him his arms, in spite of my order; to the contrary. When shown our weapons, ill-' bored his ears with his fingers, and said he could not bear. " Why," said he, there are . none of you." Counthig the including in the number a mule which w h a o s wi e i l ig g the nu ' m - made out 22. "So many," said he, people .arounditlhencasihnrja hel 5 ,, nd he pointed if you have ber, " and we—we are a great many b ; t to the hills aed mountains roun.d n t s h i i h s le ki h n e d in a o s much ,, as the people, particu your arms," said he, I had some difficulty in restraining twanging .hibaol,ou,;' we have if it had been given , by . a more d e• Don't said he ; on t you , say that —your larly Carson, who felt an insult res i e . ' ' speaking in good . English ; and pro lbsiaafyeblstel,i'natitiaeaoonlldgdeninar'lln was nearer . to his end than he will be befoie he meets it. Several alansitmanlisghhtad; abnedenenareicyesisnartihl.,ev left behind near the camp morning, before the Indians made their appearance several men were sent to bring them in. When I was begin ning to be uneasy at their a b sence , t h ey returned with information that they had been driven off from the trail by Indians ; having followed the tucks, in a short distance they found the animals cut up and spread out upon bushes. In the evening I gave a fatigued horse to some of . the Indians for a f east; an d t h e v ill age w hi c h carried him off refused to share with the others, who made loud compl a i n t s f rom t h e roc k s o f t h e part i a l dis tribution. Many of these Indians had long sticks, hooked at the end, which they used in hauling out lizards, and other small animals, from their holes. These belong to the people who are generally known under the name of Diggers ; and to these I have more particularly had reference, when occasionally speaking of a people whose sole occupation is to procure food sufficient to sup port existence.—Captaia Freenwnt's United States' Ex ploring Expedition in Oregon and California. THE ARMY OF THE SUTLEJ.—Tht:re is one little cir cumstance connected with a portion of this gallant army of so touching a character, that we cannot forgo the delight in recording it in our colums. Amidst the din of battles and the wild hurrahs of victory, the wail of distress from his native land reached the Irish soldier on the remote banks of the Sutlej. His heart responded to the call, and within a fe w days the Irish soldiers subscribed no less than 8401. to the re lief of their suffering fellow-countrymen, and this sum they placed in the hands of their veteran commander, Sir Hugh Gough, himself an Irishman, for transfni - ,.s;ori to the scene of distress Having thus discharged their duty to the Gad of Charity, they went with lighter spirits to the stern per formance of their military (Wiwi to tboir 60yereiga And thar I COWltrylm•Ohorver, DUTCH MAIL. TUE HAGUE, APRIL I.—The Government has just sent to the Second Chamber of the States Generat its answer to the observations made in the Provisional re port, on the project of law relative to the conditional augmentations of the imports and export duties of vari ous articles.' We see in this document, that the Govern ment has observed with satisfaction, that the Second Chamber had found in the circumstances in which the Netherlands are now placed with respect to Belgium sufficient motives to assent to the proposals which had been made to the legislature. The Government, on its part, sees no difficulty in yielding to the desire expressed by the majority of the Chamber to remove from the project of law, the gene ral tendency which had been given it, to render it ap plicable to Belgium alone. We have received, by way of Sincapore, accounts from Batavia of the Ist of February, they inform us that in consequence of the failure of the potato crop in Holland, orders have been given to export a large quantity of rice. Ships laden with colonial produce for the Government were authorised to take one-third of their cargo in rice, other Dutch ships, which desired to take in rice, were admitted for that purpose, into the smaller ports, where there are no Custom-houses, and the duty on exportation is excused. With respect to the robbery in Riouw, which we mentioned in our number of the 28th of February, we learn from the official account, published by the Government at Batavia, that a band of about fifty Chinese, forcibly entered the house of William Koek, an English mer chant, settled at Riouw, in the night of the 11th of December, and having secured the inmates, began to plunder the house, &c. Mr. Leisk, an English seaman, who resided with Mr. Kock at the time, succeeded in making his escape, and giving an alarm, which made the Chinese hastily take flight. The patrole which came up was not, however, strong enough to capture any of the thieves in their flight. The inmates of the house escaped with some slight ill usage, the value of the property stolen is estimated at 1,070 florins. This crime is attributed to plots among the Chinese at Since pore, who have extensive connexions, and are much feared by their countrymen, to which it may be as' cribed that no discovery has been made of the robbers, though a reward of 1,000 florins has been offered. It is in contemplation at Timor ke pang to establish a depot of coals, for the use of steam-boats between Sincapore and the Dutch coast of Australia. THE HAGUE, APRIL 2.—The First Chamber of the States General, in its sitting yesterday gave its a , sea to three projects of law : 1. That for regulating the excise on sugar. 2. That fur making an extraordinary grant to the Benevolent Society. 3. That for transferring to the budget for 1846, cer tain sums granted for 1845 for the Mint. HAMBURG MAIL. FROM THE GALICIA FRONTIER, MARCH 19.—The arrests in Poland and Galicia still continue. Count Potolucki and his family have just been taken by General Armes to Cracow he is said to have been one of the most zealous adh eren t s of the insurrection, and it is reported that on his estate of Bo brok, in the territory of Cracow, a lime-kiln was f o und, which was converted into a manufactory for arms, in which there was a considerable stock of weapons of every kind , with scythes and pikes. His request to remain under the protection of Russia was refused, because this was on!I granted to those who delivered themselves up with arms 111 their hands, whereas those who came clandestinely into the country to seek for protection were given up to the militarl tribunal at Cracow. MARCH 20.—The melancholy fruits of the insurrection , which, if not occasioned, was powerfully supported by tl lB aristocracy and part of the clergy in Galicia, begin already to appear in all their frightful consequences, according to the accounts from Rozeszow. The peasants come in bands to the tribunal of the Circle, and demand the reward of their heroic defence, as they call it, of the throne and the monarch'' , Their modest requests are confined to the abolition of the Corvees, the division of the estates of the nobles /kV have been killed and taken prisoners, of which they claim the half, the abolition of the monopoly of salt and tobacco, ani exemption from military services. It may b e conce ive . , with what astonishment the gover n o r li s t ene d t o th ese bold demands. It seems that this state of things has given occe: sion to some precautionary measures; for these last two days all courriers and diligences arrive at the frontier s with a military escort. We leave it to the statesmen of AO' tria to settle the question of this emancipation of the peasail o, which would change the whole Austrian system of Govere ment. The most melancholy is, that it is now difficult t° gain the confidence of the peasants. Thel priests and the nobles have no influence over them, and the officers of Circles meet with no attention to their exhortations. The Bishop of Cracow has returned to his flock. GALICIAN FRONTIERS, MARCH 21.—The accounts front Galicia are more favourable. Tranquillity is restored. The organisation of the public authorities, in those places w here the justice and police officers of the nobles had been broken up, proceeds with tolerable rapidity; and it is hoped that the praiseworthy activity of the high imperial authoritie, g , will soon effect what is necessary. The count r y has of course sustained a severe shock, and years may p O ,: More it entirely recovers, which is the more to be regretted' as Galicia has of late made considerable improvement;: Thanks to the regulations of the Paris propagandi, which had forbidden its partisans to sell corn, that the revelutioli , at least immediately after it broke out, might not be want it is not likely that there will be any great scarcity in the country, because large stores of pro', visions have been discovered on most of the estates, !W." others are found every day. On the whole about fifty emir, saries of foreign Polish committ ees h ave been partly Vil l e ' and partly taken prisoners. The number of insurgents ne t subject to judicial inquiry may amount to 2,000 in Galicie alone, of whom the least guilty will probably be soo n dismissed. tin the whole, as the proceedings are concellY, ing facts and not plan s o f consp i racy, they will proceeu rapidly, and probably be te rm i na t e d i n a few months. T he roads are everywhere secure, and remittances of money are again forwarded by the Post-office to Galicia. The Prussian resident at Cracow has received instructia e rom Berlin to co-operate, to the utmost of its power, in the restoration of the Senate of Cracow.—.hamburg P apern March 31. COTTON CULTIVATION IN INDIA' (From the Bombay Times.) The publication, in our pap, r of the ith instant, 0 the epistle of our correspondent, " Mr. John Thomas' broker," together with the letter of " Indophilus,"t° which he referred, has l e d t o our b e i ng favoured wit/ the subjoined intere s ti ng commun i cat i on , d escr i pt i ve the experiments in cotton cultivation at Dharwar. Th e information given as to the efforts of the Ryots to el: tend the growth of the exotic pl an t, i s i n t h e hi g hest degree satisfactory, and goes far to prove that the ide a so generally entertained as to the apathy of na tii o agriculturists, and their aversion to innovation, is, if not groundless, at least of far more limited application than parties have hitherto believed. We trust that MP Miller will take an early opportunity of sending us . 10 account of the succes s f u l ex p er i ments w i t h t h e saw-gift' to which he alludes in the concluding paragraph of laiS letter. " Tu the editor of the Bombay Times and Journal Commerce, " Sir,--In the letter on the subject of ' cotton culture in India,' republished from the London Times in yot issue on the 7th instant, Indophilus has, as you hal e suggested, somewhat exaggerated' regarding the oda' of the New Orleans cotton planted in Dharwar. TO is, however, confined to his figures: the main inference' of the decided success attained, and the important fact that the culture is increasing and has b een ta k en u p IV the natives,' is fully correct, and will be satisfe.ctorg s h o wn, I doubt not, by an expos i t i on of the real state e' the case, which, with your permission, I will here O r° for the information of your readers. The experiment was started at Dharwar in the 0 03° mer of 1843. Th at season there was about 600 acres °f New Orleans co t ton sown, b ut not more than 300 ac re' cultivated ; the other moiety, owing to the unavoidab le absence of the gentleman who bad it planted, was a l ', lowed to run to waste, and the little it produced was n s t taken into th e es timate of the season's ou t-t urn . Of 300 acres cultivated, 80 acres were in the Governme w farm at Koosghul ; the rest was planted by the 11)T t5 ' A portion of the produce of the latter was sent to Chen / and realiied 7 tales 2 macs per picul, the highest pri c . then ruling. Another portion was shipped to Liverpo ol ' and brought aid. per pound last May. In 1844 there we re r sown and cultivated about 2,100 acres-225 acres in tt o Government farms, and the rest by the Ryots. produce, about 245 bales, is partly in Borobk and partly on the way there; and will, I doubt 11 ° 1 ; shortly be submitted to the Chamber of Commerce ~ its opinion. In 1845, we had seed enough to Ple j ,: o 17,000 acres, of which upwards of 10,000 acres bf i t,s been planted. The whole would have been sown 1, for the almost total want of rain throughout the nor t h eastern part of the district, and one entire talooka the south. Of this quantity, 900 acres, or tbereabotP" has been planted by the Ryots on contract for Govern:, ment—the st, upwards of 9,000 acres, on their Or The picking quantity tcyk district, i a n nl of andthis t c h r e o p prospect has now c r o c ei r ; account, Government having abandoned the exper t is g mn io un d ct , ael b ci o f t ni h nr na a p s sa.r to tsa ci o' quality. f " Mr. John Th omas seems to infer that thousan k o ,-$ Mississippi, ought to p ro d uce thousands of bales. T 0 would do for the ba n k s o f the ssissippi, where 1 0 7 A 1 P I O worth five dollar s an acre per annum, and the co st adtivation at l eas t ten d o ll ars more ; b ut here, in the plats; g of the southern Mahratta country, at one ru t t per acre rent, and two and a half rupees cost of c tg vation, 501 b., or the eighth of a bale per acre, is cl tti satisfactory, and pays very well. " I might add something further in regard to the sl i o e : g in in tr s thewit with saw-gins, , which oduntion of at New Orleans cotton, but will not trouble you furth er s n i e d s e s r N‘ a ' e s satisfactory have i'had dhe raesth withat present. " W. R. MILLER" " Koosghul, Jan. 14, 1846," Landon: Printed and Published by AtUTIDO YOU'llth or . A 3 Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, N 0.112, Strand, is ° I L % I 7 Of th. ToTi la the Coat) , of ALiddliagi ) 19 P-' - ' 6, 1546. BIRTHS. gr i ,. On the 23d inst., in Upper Seymour-street, Portman-square , Daniel Gwynne, of a daughter, _.4 0 04 ' On the 27th ult., at Bryanswn-square,3frs.H.Fowler Bros. - of a daughter. Ott On the 31st ult., at Monnington Rectory, Herefordshire , 01 Gilbert F. Lewis, of a son. lsdf On the 31st ult., at Eagle's Cairnie, North Britain, the Captain the Hon. George Grey, R.N., of a son. O A On the 27th ult., at Athlone, the lady of Captain J. E. Ro be 6th On theß Regiment. of a daughtr. I ;eg 3d inst., at Maida-vale, e Mrs. John Murray, of a dal; On the 2d inst., at North Stoke, Oxon, the lady of the Bev. _., R. Hurle, of a son. M co t' On the 2d inst., at Trinity AßßlED. Church, Marylebone, Lie u Lrili oe ' Colonel Perceval, late of the Grenadier Guards, to Ca " — daughter of the late J. It. Parker, of Upper Harley-street. e FL" On the 2d inst., at St. Pancras Church, the Rev. Thornfloitt Rector of Emberton, Bucks, to Mary Ann, relict of the late 1" Fo On tster,he E 2dsq. inst., at Southborough Church, Kent, Fredericic Esq., to Susanna, daughter of the late T. Child, Esq. __ ~, __ _______ , ~ DIED. l IT ° JO° On the 24th ult, at West Hatch , Chigwell , Essex , Samuel Abbot, of Trinity College, Cambridge, aged 21. n f.l . 1 ' ...t mon -- On the 24th ult., at Park-hill, Clapham, John, inf - Nicholson, Esq. c c tnWArlof On the 29th ult., W. Hughes, Esq., late of St. John's, ..°,-,..._ icy- On the 29th ult., at Radcliff, New Ferry, Cheshire, EJ"'" Edward Lane, Esq. -----±l, THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, APRIL 6, ima.