The Sun. — London, England, 1846-12-24 00:00:00

ROYAL SURREY THEATRE. Lessee, Mrs. Frances Davidge. On SATURDAY EVENING Next Will be performed an original Drama, entitled THE HAND OF CARDS—GAME, LIFE, STAKES, DEATH. The characters will be supported by the whole of the talented Company. To conclude with a grand fairy Pantomime, called THE KING 01' THE CASTLE ; or, Harlequin in the Land of Dreams. Har lequin, Herr Detain; Pantaloon, Herr R. Deulin ; Columbine, Mdlle. Theodore ; Clown, Herr E. Dentin. MORTALITY IN TII E METROPOLIS.--1 he total number of deaths registered in the metropolitan districts during the week ending Saturday, the 19th inst., was 1,262-50 amount, we regret to say, considerably above the average of the five last autumns, in which the mor tality stands as 1,000. Under the head of zymotic (epidemic, endemic, and contagious) diseases, the deaths (171) fall, fortunately, a good deal short of the autumnal average, but under almost every other class of disease a very great increase of mortality is perceptible. Thus, the deatl.s from diseases of the brain and nerves were 151 for the week, while in the average they stand as 151; those from affections of the lungs and organs of respira tion amount to the enormous number of 525 for the wee k, against 313 in th e average; and those from dis easeeaes o f t h e heart and bloodve sse l s to .52, again s t 29. deaths from violence, privation, cold, and intern pei twee, daring the being - . During week were v ery nearly double the am;umnal average, 46 against 2 D • Ig the same period 1,311 births wel.e re v , tered in the metro :an exutas over t:.© mortality o f po I i tan districts, bew , L b only 49, 'l4 : THE WEATIJER.—SUN OFFICE, DECEMBER 24. r.IIERMOMETER, Lowest, 34; Highest, 39; Noon, 33. BAROMETER, 29.29 —WIND E., rain. THE SUN, LON',3ON, THUR'SPAY: EVF,N'tNG I _DECEIVII3FiIt nwt . . _ - • - THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE. Now ready, at all the Libraries, in 3 vols., The eminent PANTOMIME THEATRE, and the FIRST PANTO- MRS. TROLLOPE'S NEW ROMANCE. M IME COMPANY. F ATI! EUSTACE ; ON SATURDAY NEXT, DECEMBER 2G, A TALE OF TIIE JESUITS. Will be performed Balfe's Opera. entitled THE BONDMAN. This work will awaken eager curiosity in certain circles. It Marquis de Vernon, Mr. Weiss ; Floreville, Mr. Rafter ; Morliere, will strike people wi h dismay ;it will confirm the creed of some, Mr. Horricastie ;La Valliere, Mr. Galli ; ..krdenford, Mr. Harrison ; and disturb the opinions of others."—Atlas. Mal-a-Propos, Mr. Harley; Madame Corinne, Miss leaner; Gricette, Horny Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Ma/Thorough-street. Mss Rebecca Isaacs. After which will be produced the Grand Comic Christmas Panto- - mime, bong a mixture of the historical and legendary, entitled HARLEQLTIN AND ST. GEORGE AND TIIE DRAGON. The Overture and Music composed by Mr. R. Ilughes ; the new and ex tensive Scenery by Mr. Grieve, Mr. Teibin, and numerous as sistants ; the Tricks and Transformations by Mr. Blamire ; the Ma chidery by Mr. R. Sloman ; the Dresses by Mrs. Bovey, MIS. Balls, and a host of auxiliaries. The whole produced under the superin tendence of Mr. W. West. Scene 1. ABODE OF KALYBA, THE ENCHANTRESS.—Date and lo cality not exactly known, but considered by the Antiquarian Society to have been discovered " somehow or other," " some time or other," near " somewhere or other " Kalyba (the Enchantress, not by Baife, mistress of all the elements, except those of " Arithmetic," having quite miscalculated her power), Mr. H. Horricastle ; Fiends and Fu ries (illustrating a common expression of speech. with anything but a common expression of countenance), Messrs. J. W, Morgan, Burt, Connell, and H. Payne; Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, (tile four Ele ments, with a strong love of mischief), by Dealers in each ; the March of Intellect (travelling " m cog." as," Young England," a true bit of British blood, by Intellect out of Industry, dam by Science, out of Perseverance, has never been beaten, and can be matched against anything), Miss Annie Payne.—How the March of Intellect pays a " flying visit" to Kalyba ; and how, being empowered by the Committee on National Education, he gives the old lady sudden no tice to quit, by as suddenly changing the premises to Scene 2. INTERIOR OF INFANT SCHOOL—Schoolmaster, Mr. Big wig, who, at the request of his " Illustrious Visitor," gives the boys a half-holiday on tit:, occasion. Scene 3. EXTERIOR AND BARSACAN OF COVENTRY CASTLE. — The Earl of Coventry (Lord High Steward of England, and his own into the bargain), Mr. Mazzoni ; the Countess of Coventry (a good housewife, and supposed to have been the inventor of the ce'ebrated " Coventry Cake"), Miss llaines ; Head Nurse (with a good character from her last place), Mr. Cheel ; Master George (afterwards cele brated for a battle he fought with a dragon, but at present without any knowledge of" arms," except his nurse's), Miss Marks; Masters Andrew, David. Patrick, Denis, James, Anthony (very youthful knights, but destined, with their " cousin George," to astonish the natives by and by as " The Seven Champions of Christendom"), Mas ters Coyle, Savell, Dix, Welsh, Desborg, Francis.—How the youthful St. George is feted on his birth-day—how he makes his" first," and nearly his " last " appearance ix public on the occasion—how his " cousins " Andrew, David, Patrick, Denis, James, and Anthony come to n ish him many happy returns of the day—and how Kalyba shows her " love of children" by taking the " whole brood under her wing." NOTICE.—" Nothinge material to our historic" occurring during a period of fifteen years, the author trusts that the audience will al low him to cut it, and come again to Scene 4. KALYBA'S lIOCSE OF CORRECTION !—St. George of Eng land (a rum'un to look at, but a rare'un to go), Mr. W. 11. Paybe ; St. Andrew of Scotland, St. David of Wales, St. Patrick of Ireland, St. Denis of France, St. James of Spain, St. Anthony of Italy (all pretty much of the same kidney !) Mr. Heath, Mr. Douglas, Mr. Marks, Mr. Chapino, Mr. Sanger, Mr. J. Haynes.—How St. George and his brother champions (considerably grown since their last ap pearance in public) are kept in durance vile, and on " very short commons" by Kalyba—how Kalyba pops her affections on St. George, who " can't abide her"—in short, how—but wo won't anticipate— merely observing, that the upshot is the Downfall of Kalyba, and the Emancipation of the Seven Champions of Christendom ! Just ready, in 3 vols. post Svo., price U. 116. Ga. MEMOIRS OF rrIIE LIFE OF GENERAL PEPE. Comprising TUX PRINCIPAL MILITARY AND POLITICAL EVENTS OF 310DERN ITALY. WRITTEN BY HIMSELF. Richard Bentley, New Burlington street, (Publisher in Ordinary to her Majesty.) ILLUSTRATED TALE IN " THE MIRROR," Price Is. On January 1, 1847, Chapters 1., 11., 111., and IV., of T" m SEIt ' S WIL L; Or, LOVE AND AVARICE. An English Tale. By PERCY B. ST. JOHN. The Mirror will continue to be Edited by Mr. St. John, assisted by several eminent writers, and will be Illustrated in the first style of art by Hine, Archer, and Walnisley. Now ready, Vol. 1., new series, price ss. 6d. 11. Hurst, 27, King William street, Strand. NEW ILLUSTRATED WEEKLY PERIODICAL. Price Id. ; stamped 2',',d. ITOWITTS JOURNAL of LITERATURE and PROGRESS. Edited by WILLIAM and MARY 110 W ITT, supported by the first talent ot' the age. Early Numbers will contain articles by Leigh Hunt, Barry Cornwall, Dr. Southwood Smith, w. J. Fox, Miss Mitford, Miss Bremer, It. H. Horne, etc., etc. Tho First Number will appear on the Second of January. *** William and Mary Howitt have no further literary connexion with " The People's Journal." Published (for the Proprietor) at 171, Strand, corner of Surrey street. PORTSOKEN WARD. At a COURT of WARDNIOTE, holden in and for the said Ward, before the Worshipful FRANCIS GRAHAM MOON, Esquire, Alderman, on Monday, the 21st day of December instant, and by adjournment, to the 22d and 23d instant, for the choice of Ward officers for the year ensuing— _ It was unanimously resolved — That this Wardmote considers the privilege claimed by the Court of Aldermen to originate all ordinances, resolutions, &c., to amend the bye-laws intended for the good government of this City, and thereby interfering with the qualification of persons to be elected members of the Court of Common Council, is contrary to the spirit of the age, and destructive of the rights of free citizenship. That this Wardmote condemns the right of the Court of Aldermen to draw sums of .money from the City's cash (further than for the due administration of justice) without the consent of the Court of Common Council, they (the Aldermen) not being subject to re-ele.:- tion, and consequently irresponsible to the freemen of this City for the just expenditure thereof. That the thanks of this Wardmote be given to Francis Graham Moon, Esquire, Alderman, for his great attention to the public duties devolving on him as a magistrate of this City, for his kindness and tlrtianity to tho inhabitants of this Ward, and for his able and impar tial conduct in the chair during the continuance of the Wardmote. That the best thanks of this Wardmote be given to George Wright, Esq., Deputy; William Christie, John Parker, Samuel Hawkins Jutsum, Thomas Carlyle Halyard, John Danford, James Killby, and James Richard Thomson, Esquires, who have this day been re elected Common Councilmen of this Ward, for their services in the Court of Common Council during the past year, and the constant at tention paid by them to the comfort of the inhabitants, and the local interests of the Ward. Scene .5. HoyErt ROADS.—flow the Seven Champions of Christen dom set out for their respective destinations—" the management having, in the handsomest manner," made special arrangements for that purpose with the various " Metropolitan Conveyance Com panies." Scene 6. BANKS or THE NlLE.—Almanzor, King of Morocco (his own Lord High Admiral, Commander-in-Chief, &e., on his way to King Ptolemy's Court, to court King Ptolemy's daughter), Mr. T. Matthews ; Ptolemy, King of Egypt (rather a remote ancestor of Ibrahim Pacha, better known as Abraham Parker), Mr. Priorson. Moorish Sailors, Attendants on King Ptolemy, &c. How ilmanzor came to Egypt to be married—the Princess having a decided objec tion to their being " bound in Morocco ;" and how St. George, not Laving even " dipped" into the question of " lights," runs his steamer on shore, and saves himself on the funnel. • That the foregoing resolutions, signed by the Ward Clerk, be in. serted in the usual papers. Dec. 23, 1846. WILLIAM MORSE BATH°, Ward Clerk. Scene 7. GRAND HALL IN THE PALACE OF PTOLEMY THE FIRST, KING OF EGYPT.—The Princess Sabra, Mr. Hance, about to be mar ried to the King of Morocco, but patriotically devoting herself to the digestive organs of the Dragon (a gentleman, whose prodigious allowance of jaw enables him to speak tor himself ), Mr. Wiellnd. flow this 'marriage in high life" is suddenly interrupted by the Dragon, who, not only forbids the banns'; but elopes with the bride ; thereby plunging " her illustrious parents and several families of dis tinction at the west-end of the town into the deepest affliction," .Ste. (vide Morning Papers). ROYAL PROCLAMATION. " Who'll kill the dragon ? I "Orme he shall gorge ; I, says St. George, I'll kill the dragon."—Old MS. Arming or St. George for the approaching Fight. Latest odds at the " Corner," 1,000 to II on the Dragon (taken). " May the best man win." Scene 8. THE DRAGON'S HACST IN THE DESOLATE VALLEY. — How the Dragon introduces the Princess Sabra to his " coantry quarters ;" how St. George follows on horseback (the railroad not being quite finished) ; how he and the Dragon fall in, and then fall out. The Battle (for particulars of which keep your eyes fixed on Messrs. Payne and Wieland). How the result of the last round not only elevates St. George to the " Crown" of Egypt and the " five shilling pieces" of England, but at the same time introduces the audience to Scene 9. GRAND HALL OF CIIIVALRY.—IIow St. George receives the" Battle Money" (alias the hand of the Princess Sabra). Re appearance of the March of Intellect. Introduction of Old Friends in New Characters. Harlequin.... Mr. Howell, I Clown •• .. Mr. T. Matthews. Pantalooli.... • Mr. Priorson. Columbine Miss hicks. Scene 10. DEALER IN CURIOSITIES AND IRON3IONGER AND CUT LER'S SHOP.—lmproved Surgical Instruments. "Holding the mirror Hp to nature." " Fanii:les furnished" on a novel principle. A loud Report on the New Houses of Parliament. A fashionable complaint flies to the Clown's head. Scene I i COIi;CIIATDLER'S SHOP AND CRANARY.—MOre ways than ene of being "in cl„ver." Specimen of the very best "Britannia metal." Plenty of " game" in high preservation. Cabinet measures and corn measures. A lot of " chaff "in both. Harlequin gives Clown" the sack." Abundant specimens of the New Tariff. Scene 12. SIAMESE VILLAS AND NtiRSEItIr GROUND.—" To be let, to gether or separate." Ethiopian Serenaders provided on the shortest notice. " Get out of the way, Old Dan Tucker," and make way for " patent elastic India-rubber boots." Effects of " putting your feet in it." The Spanish marriage horticulturally illustrated. Spanish mit and Orleans plum. " A plague o' both your houses." Scene 13. TINMAN AND Tattcm's Snors.—The original little Tin Xettle. Water always hot. A grate mistake. " Going out a shoot ing." Grand Experiments hi Gun Cotton, ending in an awful Catas trophe. Scene 14. INTERIOR Or URITISII AND FOREIGN TOY WAREHOUSE.— Toys for tPe Million. Magic Cards. How to " cut and shuffle." Jack in the Box and oat of it. First-rate teem and turn out. "See the Conquering Hero comes." Scene 15. Tii STATUE AS IT Is ; or, Wellington at Hyde-park- Corner. Scene 16. THE STATUE AS IT WAS ; or, Wellington at Waterloo. Look here upon this picture, and on this." THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Under the Management of Mr. B. Webster, sole Lessee. On SATURDAY EVENING, Dec. 26, Will be performed a new and original Drama, called THE rOCSD OF WRONG. Sir Arthur Foljambe, Mr. Stuart; Lichen, lar. Rogers ; Reuben Gwynne, Mr. Webster ; Ducks, Mr. Buck stone ; Ilanvood. Mr. Howe; Lady Charlotte Willoughby, Mrs. Clifford ; Mary Ryland, Miss Fcrtescue ; Jenny, Miss Woulds. After which the New Comic Drama of STORY TELLING ; or, Novel Effects. In which Messrs. Farren, Buckstone, Miss I'elbin, aed Mrs. Hamby w:11 appear. To conclude with (first time) an Original Grand Fairy Extrawa. ganza of the INVISIBLE PRINCE; or, the Island of Tranafti bolights. Principal characters by Mr. James Bland, Miss P. Horton Mrs. L. S. Buckingham, Miss Reynolds, and Miss Julia Bennett. THEATRE ROYAL, LYCEUM. Under the Management of Mrs. Keeley. On SATURDAY EVENING Next. Will be performed a Drama, founded on the New Christmas Annual of Charles Dickens, Esq., and adapted to the stage (by the exclusive permission of the author, from the proof sheets) by Albel Smith, Esq.. called TILE BATTLE OF LIFE. Principal cha - *acters by Messrs. Leigh Murray (his fourth appearance here), Turner, E. Matthews, F. Vining, Meadows, Keeley ; Mrs. Woollidge, Miss 3)ftly, ;),liss May (her Thurth api earance here), Miss Grove, Miss Foster, and Mrs. Keeley. To conclude with a:New Comic Pantomime entitled THE BUT TERFLY'S BALL. Harlequin (Ist time), Mr. John Lauri; Clown, Mr. J. W. Cozier ; Pantaloon, Mr. Gough ; Columbine, Mrs. Laid law ; Attendant Sprites, Masters. C. and F. Lauri. THEATRE ROYAL, ADELPHI. UNDER THF. DIRECTIDN OF MADAME CELESTE. On SATURDAY EVENING Next 'Will be performed an original romantic Drama, called CO LOMBA, TILE CORSICAN SISTER. characters supported by h [act anle Celeste, Mrs. Yates ; Messrs. Wright, Worrell, Bedford 0. Smith, &c. Between the pieces the celebrated ENTORTILATIONISTS, Mr. John Lees and his three I'upils—the Masters Hanlon, will ex hibit their wonderful Jeux Gymnastiques. After which a grand Fairy Spectacle, founded on the Ballet of LA GISELLE, entitled THE PHANTOM DANCERS; or, the Wills Bride. Principal characters by Mr. Wright, Mr. P. Bedford. Mr. 0. Smith, Mr. Gillenford, Madame Celeste, Miss Marian Taylor, :Hiss Emma Harding, Miss Ellen Chaplin, and Mrs. Laws. PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STREET. J. M. Maddox, sole Lussee and Manager. ON" SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26, will be presented a Drama in Two Acts, by Bayle Barnard, Esq., called BLANCHE DE VALMT. After which, (3d tim e ) a new and original Musical Romance, entitled THE SEVEN MAIDS OF MUNI•_:II ; or, The Ghost's Tower. Col. Bertrand, Mr. C. Fisher ; Capt. d'Armincourt, Mr. Allen ; ('apt. Bellejambe, Mr. Lefler; Lieut. Adolphe, Mr. Wynn; Cornet Grorados, Mr. Campton ; Baron Bristlet•ach, Mr. Walton ; Bumps, Mr. Bonner; Seven Maids of Munich, Misses Sara Flower, Rourke, Honner, ;Hawks, Millar, L. Marshall, Laporfe ; Uriel, Miss Marshall ; Madame Crontz, Mrs. Fosbroke. To conclude with (first time) an entirely new Grand Comic Christ- DIAS Pantomime, entitled The ENCHANTED BEAUTIES of the GOLDEN CASTLE ; or, Harlequin and the One-Eyed Genf. FRENCH PLAYS.—ST. JAMES'S THEATRE. Lessee, Mr. John Mitchell. O❑ MONDAY EVENING Next Will be performed L'ECOLE DES MARIS. Sganarelle, 3f. Cartigny ; Valere, M. Langeval; Ergaste, 3f. Lucian ; Artiste, Frere de Sganarelle, M. Dorgebret ; tin Commissaire, 31. 31asquil- Per ; I.ln Notatre, M. Pagenier ; Isa belle, Mademoiselle Angelo ; Eleonor, Madame Fouquet ; Lisette, Mdlle. Khin. After which, LE PARRAIN. 31. Durand Rentier (Le Parrain), 3f, Perlet. To conclude with MONSIEUR PIQUE ASSIETTE. Pique- Assiette, Monsieur Perlet. Boxes, 6s. ; Pit, 3s. 6d.; Stalls, 35.; Gallery, 2s. Doors opened at h ilf-past Seven, and the performances commence at Eight. ETHIOPIAN SERENADERS, ST. JAMES'S THEATRE. It is respectfully announced that this evening being Christmas eve, therewil b no performance; but this Inimitable Entertainment will be resumed on SATURDAY EVENING NEXT, and continued every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday; and, in complianee with numerous applications, they will give a GRAND MORNING PER FORMANCE on WEDNESDAY NEXT, commencing at Half-past Two o'Ciock.—•St. James's Theatre, Dec. 24. ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE. Proprietor. air. W. Batty. ronised by her Most Gracious Majesty the clue". Prince Albert. Prince of Wales, and Royal Family. Grand Christmas Holiday Fetes. O❑ SATURDAY next (Boxing Night) a double rotation of Equestrian and Gymnastic Novelties. The "Demon Horse ; or, TIL; Twelve Wishes and the Charmed Bit." Hear Neuparte, the great Dutch Bottle Equilibrist. On SATURDAY EVENING Next Will he performed a grand new Magical Equestrian Romance, en t Jed THE DEMON MORSE ; or, The Twelve Wishes and the Charmed Bit. New and entire change In the SCENES of the CIRCLE. To eonclitile with the Grand Ghristmas Comic Fairy Pantomime, entitled THE FORTY THIEVES; or, Harlequin and Ali Baba and the Robber's Cave. Clown, Mr. Rochez ; Harlequin, Mr. W. Her vey; Pantaloon, Mr. Laffarint ; Columbine, Miss Louisa Waite. tux -Mice open from eleven till live o'clock.—Doors open at six and commence at half-past six o'clock.—Stage Manager, Mr. W. Broadfoot. RAILWAY SHARES BY PUBLIC SALE. MESSRS. LAMOND and Co., RAILWAT SHARE AUCTIONEERS, beg to thank their Friends and the Public for their continued support and patronage, anc to announce that their Public Sales of Railway Shares, &c. take place every TUESDAY and Feiner, at One o'clock, at th, Hall of Commerce, Threadneedle-street, London, to which place, favours, containing instructions (with a reference), are respectful].) •equested to be addressed. All Scrip and Share Certificates must be deposited, the day srevlous to their being offered; and advices of results will I , na•arded by the first post after the sale, and the proceeds imme iiately disposed of according to instrixtions. Offices. Hall of Commerce. Threadneedle-street, London. WATEIt AT LONDON-BRIDGE TIIIS DAY. Iforning .. 17 minutes after 4. I Evening 41 minutes after 4. , •Ar , , - ..' z' ...,--- • N ''S 5 ' mttLili•ki, ' .. A V .. ~.., r , , A r - ., :. .1z • , - .. ..• ... v . # tr-,..„ . : -: +'` 1111110,21 • C';4l' .'.:‘• 1 ',..ik .....-- •• • Alieltring AtAt LONDON, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1846. Incidentally the views of the present Government have been in a measure divulged with respect to the propriety, the advisability, and even the necessity for some national system of education. During the customary proceedings at a dinner given at York, on Tuesday evening, in connexion with the York and Ripon Diocesan Board of Education, the Right Hon Chairman, Lord MORPETII, took occasion to raise corner of that curtain which it is to be hoped will be altogether removed before the close of the ap- proaching session. After an apologetic assurance of his incapacity to enter fully into the consideration of the various local exigencies, on the plea of his being now "more confined to the streets of London than to the woods and forests, with which he is nominally associated," the Noble Lord very adroitly touches upon that grand question which has latterly engrossed so much of the public attention, and the settlement of which is anticipated from the wisdom and liberality of her MAJESTY'S advisers. The concessions, the principles, the acknowledgments, and the half pro. mises embodied in the expressions uttered by Lord MORPETH will be peculiarly gratifying to the popu lation, as they will be regarded as an official assur• auce that the moral and intellectual wants of tin, community will not he neglected by the Administra• tion. More than this, the observations made or. Tuesday evening by the Noble Lord, the Chief Corn missioner of the Woods and Forests, will be devoured with peculiar avidity by the multitude as the 19th of January becomes day by day a more appreciable ane, conceivable " to-morrow." So long has the necessity foe some State assistance to the education of the populace been apparent, so repeatedly has the aid of the Government been postponed, so numerous and con flicting have been the plans propounded, and so con tinually have the expectations of the public beer disappointed by the dilatoriness of successive Cabinets that anything like a mere announcement of opinion or the all-important subject seems like a perceptible step in the right direction, and is welcomed accord ingly. Since the last election of Lord JOHN RUSSEL] as representative for the city of London, there has been no such definite exposition of the views of the Ministry upon the question of national education as that contained in the brief but satisfactory rernat k , of the Noble Lord the Member for the West Riding of Yorkshire. With a very natural circumspection, Lord MOR. PET"' deprecated any anxiety to extract from him any inferences or conclusions as to the ulti mate intentions of the Legislature. "I will not," he says, " encounter the topic as to how ear the State ought to act—how far the Statf ought to move—or how far the State ought to stand aloof with-respect to the education of the people." That concealment of the machinery which has been. or is being constructed by himself and his colleagues, was indeed the only course the Noble Lord could pursue under the circumstances. It would have been miserably premature and marvellously inappropriate to expound the schemes of the Government in detail, or to commit the Ministry by any decisive declara tion. In making this reservation, however, Lord MORPETR very . judiciously insinuated the readiness of the present Administration to meet the wishes of the people to a considerable extent. " I may per haps," he observed, " without incurring the imputation of great rashness, venture to conjecture that the fittest course to pursue would be, not that which is indicated ,, by an ex t reme v i ew on e i t h er 'side of the case. In other words, we are not to anticipate from the Government any educational measures resulting from the dictates of party zealots or religious zealots, from fanatics or latitudinarians. That is unquestionably the declaration which might have been anticipated from a Russell Cabinet. That is precisely the prin ciple most in accordance with the present enlighten ment and with the present prostration of factions. The Legislature is neither to be influenced by the voice of passion nor by the promptings of indiffe rence. It would be equally monstrous to com mit the Department of Popular Instruction to the — direction and discretion of ANA CHARMS CLOOTZ 1)1* Of SOLOMON EAGLE. Bigotry would be as repressive and pernicious in its effect upon an independent people as the most frantic and mischievous infidelity; and anything at all border ing on either of those extremes would be found to be essentially prejudicial. Undue earnestness in behalf of anything dogmatic or conventional would exercise a baneful influence over the intellect and morality of the people, if it did not actually breed insubordination. Indifferentism would in like manner counteract all the advantages which might be otherwise experienced from a legislative interference. In a subsequent portion of Ms speech, Lord MoR PETII expressed himself yet more definitely. " With respect to the country at large," he exclaimed, " I am not satisfied with the exact state of things which prevails at present." That is assuredly emphatic and significant enough ! That is virtually an engagement that something will be done by the present Government towards the amelioration of these mental wants of the populace, and this be cause a distinguished member of that Government has explicitly announced his dissatisfaction with the existing state of things. Lord - MORPETII was not, however, contented with this simple declaration. lie proceeded further. He enter into the minutiae of these national exigencies. "I think there is a call," said he, "for more schools than we have"—so much for the extension and diffu sion of education by the Ministry. " I think there is a call for better schools than many of those we have"—so much for the remodelling of the sys tem or systems at present adopted before the matter is embodied in a Ministerial prepo sition. Then, again, that little dissylable " many " implies that good may be extracted from the systems of some; that all the schools at present existing are not improveable in every particular ; and that advantageous clauses in the scheme to be here after introduced to Parliament may be drawn from Experience, as well as suggested by Anticipation. " I think," he continues, " that many of our masters are ill qualified for their office; and almost all less well paid than we could wish"— that is tantamount to an engagement that the normal schools must undergo a thorough reformation. No thing, indeed, could be wanting to inspire us with confidence as to the intentions of the Ministry in re gard - to national education after the lucid and candid enunciations of Lord MORPETR ; nothing could be wanting to confirm our most sanguine ex pectations of the principles likely to be sanctioned by Lord JOHN RUSSELL, after these assurances from the mouth of the Right Hon the Chief Commissioner of her Majesty's Woods and Forests. Not the least valuable portion of the harangue de livered by the Noble Lord on Tuesday evening was that in which he directed his remarks to the children superintended by the York and Ripon Diocesan Board of Education, in which he inculcated in graceful terms the holiness of probity, of purity, of industry, and of morality ; in which he alluded to that superb minster, which is not only the adornment of the ancient city of York, but which is one of the noblest architectural memo , rials of England. " I hope," he said, " that yon will never look at its grey walls and massive roofs, tower ing as they do above the more humble buildings around them, without remembering that you your selves ought to aspire to rise above the grovelling • cares and the low passions of the life around you ; and that you will never see the first beams of the morning, nor the last • hues of evening reflected from its shining pyramids, or its gorgeous traceries, without remembering that there are still more exquisite proportions in the har mony of well-regulated affections, and that there are • sunsets still more valuable in an honest spirit and in a well-spent life." In upholding thus the cause of liberality, enlightenment, and civilisation, and in speaking thus to the ductile intellect of childhood, Lord MORPETII is worldly employing one of the noblest prerogatives of his rank and fulfilling one of his loftiest duties as a Minister of the Crown. Destitution, and pestiknce, and famine now reign in Ireland. At present their only active opponents are British wealth and British sympathy. The misery, however, that now overwhelms that unfortunate country does not spring from recent events, it has only been aggravated by them. If the true annals of Ireland be searched at almost any period during the last six hundred years, they will be found to afford, in the quaint language of Lord BELLAMONT, " a periodic record of progressive ruin." Living for ages upon the edge of famine, a slight increase of their usual misery has been at all times sufficient to pre cipitate myriads of the Irish people into that fearful gulf. During the reign of ELIpBBTEI, so prosperous for England, the Irish seem to have descended to an abyss of misery deeper, if possible, than the present; for " notwithstanding," saith the poet SPENSER, " the province of Munster was a plentiful country, full of corn and cattle, yet they were brought to such wretchedness as that any heart would rue the same. Out of every corner of the woods and glens they came creeping forth upon their hands, as if their legs could not bear them ; they looked like anatomies of death, they spake like ghosts crying out of their graves ; they did eat the dead carrion, happy when they could rind them —yea, and each other soon after, insomuch :hat the very carcasses they spared not to scrape out tf their graves." Coming down to a later period, we find Mr. FITZ.. Gxunorr, the grandfather of the present Lord CLARE, describing Ireland, in the year 1763, in the following terms :—" It is always with regret that I discover the nakedness of my country, but upon this occasion I ought not to hide it. "Upon this occasion I must remind you that Ireland is not more than one-third peopled. This island is supposed to contain three millions of inhabitants, and of these two millions live like the beasts of the field upon a root picked out of the earth, almost without hovels for shelter, or clothes for covering. What method can be found to prevent the ruin of a state in which these evils not only continue, but increase ?" These evils have notoriously continued and in creased up to this very hour. Why have these evils so long existed in Ireland ? 'Why does the state of Ireland differ so widely and so miserably from the state of England ? The reason is plain and undeni thle; it is because the laws—those great trainers snd educators of nations—are different, and have tlways been different, in the two countries. Every one can point out active and immediate causes of Irish evils, but few will take the trouble of tracing them to their ultimate cause—the difference of laws, which we assert, without fear of disproof, to be the common origin of all the woes and agitations of Ireland ; for what, after all, hay. these agitations been but irregular efforts to redress injurious laws, resembling in this respect blotches upon the drunkard's face, which are only violent efforts of nature to remove the poison improperly admitted into the system. Holding this opinion as to the cause of the evils of Ire and—an opinion entertained, we believe, by nine-tenths ,f the educated inhabitants of both islands—we read with hopeful pleasure a report of an argument lately made, at an Irish court of registration, in which it was insisted, that under the articles of union with Ireland, all statutes attempting to establish a differ ence in civil rights between the two countries, are ipso facto null and void ; and that, consequently, Ire land can obtain perfect equality in such rights by an Appeal to the existing laws. We noticed this argu ment in a former article, and pointed out what would be the results of establishing its correctness. We resume the consideration of this argument, and shall here shortly consider what is the nature of the in strument commonly called the Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland, and by what law its pro- visions are to be tested. In the argument to which we allude, the origin, objects, and nature of the Act of Union are thus stated : "For some time prior to the year 1800, no power on earth (to use the words of the declaration of Irish rights) had authority to bind the people of this country, except the King, Lords, and Commons of Ireland. In that year a treaty was entered into and concluded, for the purpose of uniting the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland into one kingdom. This treaty is commonly called the Act of Union. This instrument is not, however a mere Act of Parliament, but a treaty—it is so expressly termed in the second paragraph of the fourth article, which runs thus:—' That such Act as shall he passed to regulate the mode by which the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons to serve in the Parliament ~ f the United Kingdom, shall be summoned and returned, shall be considered as forming part of the Treaty of Union.' No other Act of Parliament is styled a treaty. What is the meaning of the word treaty ? It does not signify a law enacted by a governing body to bind its subjects, but it means a compact entered into between e..-ordinate and sovereign powers. The co- ordinate and severeign powers who were parties to the Treaty of Union sere the separate and independent kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland, represented respectively by the King, Lords, and Commons of each kingdom. The 1 Treaty of Union commences with the following recital : Whereas, in pursuance of his Majesty's most gra cious recommendation to the two Houses of Parliament in Great Britain and Ireland respectively, to consider of such measurs as might b,st tend to strengthen and to consolidate the connexion between the two kingdoms, the two Houses of Parliament of Great Britain, and the two Houses of Parliament of Ireland, have severally agreed and resolved that in order to promote and secure the essential interests of Great Britain and Ireland, and to consolidate the strength, power and resources, of the British empire, it will be advisable to concur in such measures as may best tend to unite the two kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland into one kingdom, in such manner and on such twins and conditions as may be es tablished by the Acts of the respective Parliaments of Great Britain and Rolland. Anti whereas, in further ancehave likewise agreed upon cer tain of the said resolut oi', both Houses 01 the said two and establishing the said following.' Immediately after n r ia a m r J e ri l, t ? s s r f e o s r p e c e i r t e i v e e t l o y a: g parposes in the tenor' this recital, the trusty sets out the articles of union, eight in number. Thise ar;icies were first settled by the Irish Parliament, and sent to England as the terms and conditions upon which Irellsad would consent to be united to England. England acoepted these conditions with some slight alterations. Ireland agreed to these altera tions, and confirmed the articles so 'altered. The ar ticles of union thus became matters of stipulation and bargain between the two independent kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland. Great Britain solemnly pledged herself to an exact observance of these terms and con ditions, and Ireland confiding in that solemn pledge, con sented to the union, which she was at that time fully competent to reject." The statements above quoted are no doubt histo rically true. The Act of Union is a treaty entered into between the two kingdoms of Great Britain and Ire land, at that time sovereign and independent, and connected only by the golden link of the. Crown ; the very nature of the instrument would prove it to be a treaty even although that denomination had not been affixed to it, as in point of fact has been done in the fourth article. A treaty is a common law enacted and ratified by two or more nations for the due execution of which each nation, party to the treaty, pledges itself to all the other nations parties to the same. The paragraphs or divisions of a treaty are not termed sections, as in an Act of Parlia ment, but articles, and a treaty is said to consist of so many articles. All these forms are observed in the Treaty of Union. It consists of eight articles, and the ratification of these articles was thus solemnly declared by the Le gislatures of Great Britain and Ireland :—" In order, therefore, to give full effect and validity to the same, be it enacted by the KING'S most excellent Majesty, by and with, &c. &c., that the said foregoing recited articles, each and every one of them, according to the true intent and tenor thereof, be ratified, confirmed, and approved ; and be, and they are hereby declared to be, the articles of the Union of Great Britain and Ireland, and the same shall be in force and have effect for ever, from the first day of January, 1801." And as if to mark a difference between the Treaty of Union and an ordinary Act of Parliament, and to intimate a superior and more lasting obligation, the Sovereign did not give his consent in the usual form of Le roi le vent, but on the part of the nation solemnly swore to observe it, by saying, " So help me GOD I will maintain this Act." The law of nations is the interpreter of all treaties. The law of nations may be cited and relied upon in all British courts of justice, for it is part of the law of England. In the case of TRIGUET and another v. BATH, 3d BURROWS, 1478, it was decided that the law of nations in its full extent is part of the law of England, and that the law of nations was to be col lected from the practice of different nations and the authority of writers, such as GROTIUS, VATTELL, BARBETRA C, BINKERSHOEK, &c. To the test of the law of nations all questions of law arising out of thP, Treaty of Union must therefore come, and by the rules laid down in the law of nations the British courts of justice are bound to decide all such questions. That the Act of Union is a treaty, and that the law of nations is, its proper interpreter, thus appears to us to be positions altogether undeniable. We pro pose, in another article, to apply the test of the law of nations to the sixth article of the Treaty of Union, and to examine whether, according to the strict rules of law, that article can bear the interpretation at tempted to be given to it in JACKSON'S case; that is, whether that article extends to Ireland, as of right, all British civil privileges, and restrains the United Parliament from passing any laws which would de prive our Irish fellow-subjects of any civil right, privilege, benefit, or advantage that is possessed by the subjects of Great Britain, and thus affords to Ireland the means of acquiring every British civil right by an appeal to the ordinary legal tribunals of the country. At the adjourned Middlesex Sessions, which com menced last Monday at the Court-house, Clerken well, the Assistant-Judge, in the presence of a full bench of magistrates, addressed the grand jury upon two important subjects ; the first related to the insti tution of the grand jury ; the second to the impera tive necessity of taking some decided steps with the view of effecting the reformation of juvenile offenders. Upon the latter topic we have for a long time cordially concurrred in the opinion entertained by Mr. Sergeant ADAMS, and have frequently pressed its paramount importance upon the attention of our readers, But, upon the former, we differ very widely from the leaning which, as elicited by his recent observations, the mind of the Assistant-Judge evidently manifests in favour of the abolition of grand juries. His opinion seems to have been formed from the following considerations :—The fact, that a com mittee has been appointed to report upon several presentments made by Middlesex grand juries, de claratory of their comparative inutility, regard being had to the nature of the charges brought before that Court ; the belief, that police magistrates had the fullest opportunity of judging whether the charges preferred were prima facie supported or not; the evil and useless system of bringing, 24 times every year, never less than 36, and frequently 72, gentlemen from their different localities ; and, lastly, the circumstance, that statements are often made be fore grand juries quite at variance with the original depositions taken before the committing magistrates. We except to very much of these several allegations : but, even granting them all to be true, we deny them to be of sufficient weight to warrant the object for which they have been specifically enun ciated. In the first place, it would not be wise to attach much importance to the above-men tioned presentments of the grand juries, seeing that, if they were abolished, they would be freed from a duty which must necessarily entail some personal sacrifices ; and risen are not unfrequently spurred on, from selfish considerations, to recommend changes in •existing institutions, of either the origin, or present valuelor which, for the protection of the reputation and liberty of the subject, they may be i n compara ti ve ignorance, or upon which they have never been at the pains to bestow any deep reflection. The Assistant-Judge concedes that, " when. grand juries were first established, they were a most important institution, to counteract any ten dency to despotism by the coroner, or to lessen the evils of popular excitement; but that, at present, their appropriate sphere of utility seemed to be in the higher criminal courts." We answer, that to-morrow a man may be exposed to be harassed by the despotism of a coroner, or the pernicious effects of popular prejudice; and that as against the injury of continued persecution, to the accused, who is con• scious of his innocence, the grand jury presents a powerful bulwark for his protection. The graver the offence imputed, the greater is the necessity for such an institution ; and we confess, therefore, we neither admire the discrimination of the Judge, in limiting the superior criminal tribunals as the only appro priate sphere for grand juries, nor can we extol the judicial perceptions of the several grand juries, who seem so ready to concede their " comparative inutility, regard being had to the nature of the cases brought before them," when, in the very last calendar, 65 of the 68 prisoners, whose names it contained, were charged with felony. Keeping in mind the heavy sentences to which persons convicted of felony are liable, we hope thi s country w ill never b e w i t h ou t a grandjury to intervene between the prisoner and his threatened appearance in a criminal dock before a petit jury. We pretest against a judge lamenting, in the presence of grand juries, the inconvenience to which they may be occasionally put by having to attend the sessions; and we have no sympathy with men who grudge the time which they are herein called upon to devote to the public service. It is a duty, grave and humane, which they owe to the State. The protection which it is benevolently meant they should give to the innocent, overtaken, it may be, by adverse circumstances, speciously, and perhaps vindictively concatenated, which have led an ignorant, or weak-minded, or prejudiced magistrate, to commit him for trial--the like protection, which it is the solemn duty of every grand juryman, by a rigid and impartial investigation, to afford to a subject, thus unhappily placed, it may be his own lot to look for and desire, before the close of his life. It is all very well to observe that police magistrates have the "fullest opportunity" of decid ing whether charges are primit facie borne out or not The opportunity may be the best possible, but if the magistrate be incompetent to avail himself of it, what becomes of its vaunted value? Country magistrates, taken as a body, are shamefully unfit for the functions incidental to their office ; and the indiscretions of the metropolitan are nut so " few and far between " as to sanction the abolition of the " most important" insti tution of the grand jury. Statements may be made before these bodies differi►,g considerably from those received by the magistrates. These discrepancies may often be the result of a venial humanity. With the subsidence of the various gusts of passion by which the mind of an injured party may have been prompted to put the law in motion against his aggressor, and the subsequent knowledge of marks of deep contri tion on the part of the offender, the prosecutor may be benignly disposed to save the prisoner from suffer ing further punishment ; and thus, yielding to the pardonable errors of his nature (if such they be), be come the means of preventing the grand jury from finding a true bill. That, on the other hand, the ends of justice are defeated by witnesses being tam pered with, and bribed by " hush money," may not admit of dispute ; but this corrupt practice is not confined to witnesses before grand juries—it is noto rious that witnesses are, by the like means, kept out of the way when they ought to be forthcoming at the trial itself. But would this constitute an adequate reason for abolishing trial by common juries ? Would it not at once be said that its advantages far counter vailed the solitary abuse ? We give the same response to the project for sweeping away the venerable and valuable institution of the grand jury. We have so recently written upon the desired reformation of juvenile delinquents, that it is unnecessary to dilate further upon this subject at the present moment. Five hundred of these youthful offenders, whose ages vary from seven to twelve years, have been committed to prison within the last twelve months. A boy was last week sentenced to six months' imprisonment, which the Assistant-Judge intimated he would gladly have avoided passing, had the law left any other course open to him. Shall this conflict between law and philanthropy be longer en dured ? Madrid papers to the 14th have arrived. Senor PIDAL, on the second election, has been re turned for Madrid, by 287 against 214, the number of votes polled for the Marquis DE SOCORRO, the Pro gressista candidate, The manner in which the Count DE MONTEMOLIN has been received in London has created a great sensation in the Spanish capital. Senor MoN had been closeted for some hours with Senor BRAVO MURILLO; the subject of the confer ence being, as is supposed a modification of the Cabinet. MADRID BOLSA, DEC. 14.—The Three per Cents. were done on the 14th at 34i for cash ; the Four per Cents. at 21; the Five per Cents. at 21A; the Vales at 8a ; the Debt without Interest, at 6t ; and the Coupons, at 191. We have received the Paris papers of Tuesday. The affairs of Germany and of Spain are com mented on in these journals. The Courrier Francais thus describes the state of opinion in Germany, and the alarm prevailing there. We fear that the state ment of the Courrier, that the free states of Germany have nothing to hope for from official France, is but too true : " The state of opinion in Germany seriously alarms the three Powers. That alarm betrays itself in all their official organs, whoe diplomatic correspondents bitterly reproach the German press with making common cause with the French press. The petty states of the Confederation, menaced in their existence by the destruction of Cracow, look up to France for protec• Lion. They have, however, little to expect from that quarter, and they are told by the diplomatists of Vienna, that the protest of the French Cabinet, on which the Germans appeared to rely, had produced less sensa tion than even the English note.' Now, we know with what indifference Lord Palmerston, entirely preoccupied with the Spanish marriages, protested (hypothetically) against the incorporation of Cracow. We may judge from that of the tenor of the note of M. Guizot. The Germans, consequently, have nothing to hope from official France. Still they hope, knowing well that a brave and humane nation is to be found behind a false and egoistical Government. Moreover, Germany has no choice left. All that badly balanced scaffolding, raised by the treaties of Vienna, threatens to crumble entirely under the states of the Confederation, shaken in their very foundation by the downfal of Cracow. None of them are sure of their existence for one day, being surrounded on all sides by predatory Powers. Upon what country should they rely in their imminent danger, if not upon France, the only supporter of democracy in Europe? Dreading the effects which French ideas still exercise in Germany, in spite of the pitiful attitude of our Government, Austria preaches a crusade against France. One day she asserts in the Austrian Observer, that we dare not accept war, and that were the Powers to share among themselves Saxony and a.l the states of the Confederation, France would look on as she did in the case of Cracow. The next day M. de Metter nich writes to the Augsburgh Gazette, that if France de termined on war it would be to absurd Rhenish Germany, as she had lately absorbed Spain and Italy, as she pre viously absorbed Belgium, and we know not how many other imaginary countries. Behold M. Guizot and the Court of the Tuileries denounced to Germany—and by Austria!—for their extravagant ambition. Louis XIV. and Napoleon are outdone by our sublime Minister for Foreign Affairs, who must certainly wonder at himself, and perhaps consider himself bound to refute such an imputation. It is reported that the Germanic Diet will refuse to recognise the act of incorporation of Cracow. Germany, they say, ought to decline all participation with the three Powers in the political complications that ma'y arise from the violation of the treaties. The commercial cities, injured by the incorporation, in their interests and their relations with Cracow, loudly complain and expostulate. Breslau has sent deputations to Berlin to demand that Cracow should remain a free city. Prussia perceives, rather late, that her connivance with Austria and Russia has estranged from her the affection of Germany, and is now endea vouring to justify herself in the journals devoted to her cause. In conjunction with the London and Paris press,' says the Universal Gazate, ' the Ger man papers particularly atlack Prussia in the case of Poland. Nevertheless Prussia does not possess 1-30th part of the partitioned kingdom. She could not, without endangering her own safety, oppose that par tition, and it did not behove her to undertake, for the restoration of Poland, what England and France de clined to do. Did she not alwa) s treat the Poles with kindness ? &c. Would Prussia make use of that lan guage if she did not find her influence compromised in Germany? And, if the fate of Cracow excited such agitation in the public mind, what shall be the alarm produced by the last absorption of Poland now ef fected by the Czar, and which is the mere conse quence of the act of Cracow That absorption of the kingdom of Poland places Russia in the heart of Ger many. The Czar dreaded so humble a state as Cra cow. What jealous domination will he not now inflict on Germany, from which in future no' barrier will se parate him?" On the subject of Spain the National says that the Ministry is dislocated ; that Mr. BuLwsre has re sumed his influence with the young couple, and that the deplrture of CHRISTINA for France is probable. But still it contends that the desire of independence on the part of ISABELLA has as yet produced no fruits ; the scandal of the Palace has not affected general politics, and, although the Ministry is dislocated, the person charged with its reconstruction is Senor MoN, the creature of the Count BRESSON. The Constitutionnel, in noticing a rumour which prevails in Germany, that it is the intention of the Emperor of RUSSIi to destroy even the name of Poland, and to call that portion of it which is sub mitted to his yoke New Russia, expresses its dis belief of the rumour, because there is already a province named New Russia, of which Odessa is the capital ; and, secondly, because Poland, being an older country than Russia, to call Old Poland New Russia would be a solecism. There does not appear to be much force in the latter objection. One who, like the Emperor of RUSSIA, has set all rules of morality and justice at defiance, will scarcely be re strained by the rules of grammar. In consequence of the measures adopted by the English Government for the reduction of the duties on sugar, produced by free labour, some of the towns in the Nord have demanded from the Minister of Commerce permission to export, free of duty, beet root sugar taken direct from the manufactories. The l‘linister has acceded to this application. The Minister of Finance publishes the returns of the quantity produced and the consumption of beet root sugar during the present season, from which it appears that 293 manufactories of the article were in operation on the Ist of December. The quantity manufactured down to that date amounted to 16,559,180 kilogrammes (16,559 tons) ; that sold for consumption amounted to 7,355,886. The duties levied on beetroot sugar during the year amounted to 14,217,916 f. It was not yet known on what day the KING and QUEEN of the BELGIANS would leave Paris for London. Their MAJESTIES would, however, spend the Christ mas holidays at Windsor. Prince VICTOR DE ROHAN- GUEMENE, Duke de Bouillon and de Nontbazoo, expired on the 10th instant at the Château of Sichrow, in Bohemia, in the 81st year of is We read i❑ the Journal du Hdvre " A letter from Vera Cruz of the 25th of October, speaks of the arrest of a midshipman of the French navy, on suspicion of having carried ashor3 some dispatches of the American Commodore. After having kept him a week in prison, it was discovered that the pretended dis patches were merely an American newspaper, which this young man had carried by ;Mer of his captain to a com mercial house. The discoNery was rather tardy, and, consequently, the French commandant had expressed great indignation at this conduct of the Mexican autho rities towards a French officer." Some fluctuation took place on the Paris Bourse on Tuesday. In the end prices improved, but no reason for it was stated. The Three per Cents. closed on that day at 80f. 80c. ; the Five per Cents., 118 f. 65c. ; the Orleans Railroad Shares, 1,265 f. ; Rouen, 9101. ' • Havre, 6601. ; Great Northern, 6481. 75c. ; Avignon, 8851: ; Vierzon, 6101.; Bordeaux, 562 f. 50c. ; Troyes and Montereau, 346 f. 25c. •, Bas:e, 220 f. ; Dieppe, 3601.; Paris and Strasburg, 4851.; Tours and Nantes, 490 f.; Paris and Lyons, 511 f. 25c. ; Lyons and Avignon, 490 f. ; Bordeaux and Cette, 451 f. 25c.; Spanish Do-re.tic Debt, 32%. MARSEILLES, DEC. 17.—Marseilles and Avignon, 880 f. Northern, 643 f. ; Paris and Lyons, 5051. BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, DECEMBER 23. . . . Boulogne and Amiens, I6%—Dutch Ehenish, 4:!Z 4 Lux embourg, %—Natnur and Liege, 34—Northern of France Constituted, 10%—Paris and Lyons Constituted, 84—Paris and Strasburg Constituted, VA—Sambre and Meuse, 4%. AMERICAN NEWS. LIVERPOOL, WEDNESDAY EVENING. The packet-ship Europe, Captain Furber, has just entered the river. Her accounts are of the Ist inst. They add little to the intelligence received by the last mail-steamer. A frightful steam-boat collision had occurred on the Mississippi, about seven miles above Natchez, on the 21st ult. ; 20 or 30 lives were lost, and about the same number were miserably scalded. Nothing new had occurred in the political news. No later accounts from the Rio Grande, Vera Cruz, or Canada. The commercial accounts add nothing to our last reports. The commercial article of the New York Herald of the Ist, dated Nov. 30, six F.M., quotes the rate of exchange at 106 to 106 f premium. THE CAPTURE OF TAMPICO, " United States steamer Spitfire, before the Town of Tampico, Nov. 14, 1846. " Sir,—l have the honour to inform the depart ment, that I entered the river of Tampico this morning, with all the small vessels of the squadron, and a strong detachment of seamen and marines from the Cumberland, Mississippi, St. Mary's, Princeton, and Porpoise. " On my arrival at the city I was met by a depu tation from the citizens, offering the surrender of the place, on condition that their laws, institutions, and property should be respected. "I will hold the place as long as possible. Its im portance requires that a garrison of 500 or 600 men should be sent to occupy it as speedily as possible. To obtain this object I have dispatched Commodore Perny to Matamoras to make arrangements with General Patterson to have a force without delay. "As I deem it important the Ikiisiissippi should sail 'without delay, I must defer a more particular statement to another opportunity. " I have the honour to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, " D. CO4N NOR, Commanding Squadron. " Hon. J. Y. Mason, Secretary of the Navy, Washington." TWO EXTENSIVE FIRES (THIS DAY.) _ _ . This morning the metropolis was visited by the out break of two extensive fires which were not exti❑guished until a vast amount of valuable property was consumed. The first outbreak took place at four o'clock, upon the premises in the occupation of Mr. Banfill, and Mr. Hatchfield, cabinet-makers and upholsterers, 20, Ed w ard street, Langham-place, St. Marylebone. The discovery was made by a police-constable passing along his beat. He immediately aroused the inmates, but the fire had obtained such a firm hold that it was with great diffi culty the residents were able to effect a safe retreat. The engines of the parish, London brigade, County, and West of England offices, together with an escape belonging to the Royal Society for the Protection of Life from Fire, were remarkably early in arriving, and there being plenty of water at hand, the firemen under the direction of their foreman, set to work most vigorously, but it was nearly six o'clock, before the fire could be rubdued, and not until it had passed throughout the building, de stroying in its progrcss the whole of the furniture. stock in trade and other effects. How the fire originated could not be learned. The second fire broke out at seven o'clock. at 32, Old street-road, the property of Mr. R. Harris, also an upholsterer and cabinet-maker. The flames originated in the manufactory. At the time of the outbreak, one or two of the workmen and apprentices were in the place, and they immediately tried to subdue the fire, by throw ing buckets of water upon it ; in that endeavour they were foiled. Finding that they were unable to get the mastery over the flames, one of the parties started off to W hitecross-street engine station, with intelligence of the disaster. Mr. Hallett, the head engineer, immediately started to the spot, but before sufficient time had elapsed to set the engine to work, the whole of the extensive back premises, and the front ware house and dwelling, were wrapped in one immense sheet of flame. The sparks and large flakes of fire were at the same time ascending high into the air, threatening destruction to the surrounding habitations. As soon as possible the engine was set to work, and by distributing the water over the tops of the adjoining houses, they were prevented from becoming ignited. Numerous other engines from the parish of Shoreditch, and the London Brigade, with Mr. Superintendent Braidwood, followed in rapid succession, and owing to the combined exertions of all, the further progress of the destructive element was cut off, but not until the back premises were levelled to the ground, their contents destroyed, and the whole of the costly furniture in the front building consumed. At eleven o'clock this fore noon the engines were still working upon the smoulder ing ruins. THE ROBBERY AT MESSES. ROGERS AND CO.'S.- A BILL RETURNEIP.—An acceptance, forming part of the property stolen from Messrs. Rogers anti Co. for the recovery of which so many efforts have been made, and such large rewards offered, was -returned yesterday to the accepters, Messrs. Batty, Melville, and Co., whole sale stationers, Aldersgate-street. it was contained in a letter, the writer of which stated the affitir would never be traced, and the bill being of no use to him, he re turned it to its owners. This is the second of the stolen documents which has lately been returned, evidently by the same party. The writing of both the letters in which the securities were enveloped is similar , and ink of the same colour. Th e orthography, also, is equ a ll y defective. So far as we can learn, no clue to the reco • very of the stolen property is afforded by these letters. CLOSING THE EQUITY COUNTS AND OFFICES.— Yesterday the Lord Chancellor, the Vice Chancellor of England, the Master of the Rolls, and the Vice-Chan cellors Wigram and Knight Bruce, sat in their respective courts, for the last time before Hilary T erm. The Re gistrars, Masters, and Six Clerks' Offices, as also the Affidavit Office, closed this day for the purposes of general business, and will continue closed until the 7th of January next. The office of the Accountant-General of the High Court of Chancery will also be closed dur ing the same period. Notwithstanding the closing of the offices and the rising of the respective courts, in cases of positive emergency, where the parties are desirous of filing a bill for the purposes of obtaining an injunction, &c., in pressing cases, a limited attendance at the offices will be given, to file the necessary bill and affidavits pre paratory to an application to either the Lord Chancellor or one of' the other judges at their respective houses for such injunction. BRITISH PHILANTHROPIC PENSION SOCIETY.— Yesterday a dinner was given to the pensioners on this admirable institution, at the house of Mr. Titchener, the Britannia Tavern, Bishopsgate-street Without, where an excellent meal, consisting of meat, poultry, mince-pies, &c., was provided for the aged receipients of the society's bounty. in addition, gratuities of half-a crown to each pensioner were kindly given by Mrs. Perrin and Mr. J. Flemming. The British Philan thropic Pension Society, which, we are informed, was established in the year 1838, for the purpose of affording permanent relief to the aged and infirm of both sexes by means of a small weekly allowance for life, is dis tinguished from other associations of a similar character by requiring no claim to its bounty beyond that of age and distress—its charity not being restricted to the members of any particular trade or class—it is there fore eminently worthy the support of the benevolent, in order that its sphere of usefulness, at present bounded within a somewhat scanty space by its means, may be extended still further, and thus gladden the hearts of many now sinking beneath the accumulated afflictions of age, poverty, and sickness. 'IMPORTATION OP POULTRY.—It is known that large quanti ies of poultry are imported weckly, from France, Holland, and Belgium—the latter more particularly; but the arrivals now taking place are much be yond the usual average, which the festive season of Christmas will readily account for. The steam-ship Ilar:equin, from Boulogne, brought on Monday 94 cases, 2 hampers, and 4 baskets, the production of France ; the Belfast, from Calais, 5 baskets and 14 cases ; the Rapid, from Harlingen, 10 baskets, of Dutch produce ; the Sir Edward Banks, from Ostend, 4 baskets and 43 cases, of Belgian production. These, with other arri vals, took place in one day, and comprised every descrip tion of poultry, both in a live and dead state, suitable to this particular time. The arrival by the Harlequin is one of the largest we remember to have taken place, and as further large snpplies are expected during the week, in addition to those from all parts of the country, of home growth, it is anticipated that poultry generally will be obtainable in the metropolis at a moderate price. The slight change which has again taken place in the weather will have a beneficial effect on the immense quantities of all sorts of meat and provisions with which the town will be &tucked during the present week. ,1•10NEY and COMMERCIAL NEWS. CITY, QUARTER TO THREE. The sales of Cotton at Liverpool yesterday were 5,000 bales, of which 2,500 were American on speculation. There was no alteration in prices. Shares were rather higher. Speculation in Cotton at the port above named is now exceedingly flat indeed. It appears to be a settled point that the directors of the East ledia Company, and the Board of Control have granted the concession of the first line of railway to be cornmerced in India to the East India Railway Cctortel, the managers of which, after incorporation, are tot have the rower of extending branches in e directions from Calcutta which may receive the sanction of the Indian Government. Interest 4 the rate of four per cent., is to be guaranteed, and the Government of India are to have power to purchase the lines out and out, at the current value of the day. At first the East India Railway Company are to provide a capital of three millions sterling. There are not any late arrivals announced in the City. Many in mercantile circles, especially connected with the East India trade, have recently heard with re gret of the sudden death of Mr. James Wilkinson, th e indigo broker. Having on many occasions availed our.. selves of the information practically possessed by hie l, annexed we give a remarks contained in a strictly- coin' mercial contemporary, believit g in sincerity that the picture drawn of the deceased is not overcoloured "Died on the 15th inst. , James Wilkinson, of Leaded ; hall-street. He was a native of Yorkshire, and as well known and respected by the manufacturer s of that in dustrious district as he was in London. For men/ ears his monthlcirculars have been q uoted for com mercial information by journals of all parties. His at tachment to the late William Cobbett is well known, so, we have often beard him repeat the pleasure he felt sP the predictions of his prototype with regard to the failure of the potato and introduction of Indian e e ° !I 80.. into Ireland. Mr. Cobbett called the potato the debasing root,' and ascribes to its general use the degre; dation of that unfortunate count Mr. Wilkinso_ was himself averse to potatoes as a r c bstitute for b: c it: food, yet at the moment of his death he was engeg e i a ., the purchase of a cargo to ship to Ireland, at th stance of a Noble Lord with whom he had recerrhis formed an acquaintance. In fact, whether with the working man, the merchant, or the man or, CO birth, his demanour imparted cheerfulness seutoined tent. Like Cobbett, Mr. Wilkinson Ot er o , his strong opinions in favour of his countrymen, opposition to Cobden at the Anti-Corn -law M ee t rader - the Guildhall ; for, although in favour of fre! 0 the . ~ Mr. A ilkinson felt that native produce sbouldn.ba_.,ce of preference over foreign, and maintained the i J u vi s a ; jar taxing malt, hops, &c., whilst foreign Pr ec f t .tistiele ll ,' ported duty free. Mr. Wilkinson was a gook' s", goers and the principal efficer of that department at tu!_ n wt o hence. in of Trade has publicly declared that his informatioe ~:,,li to be depended upon. We must not forget t 0 T. l e n ' o ' : s , that amongst his numerous acts of public usel e oh in there is one to which the maritime interest are sw ot o f debted, namely, the alteration in the adrneaszrefn at merchant vessels ; and in assisting to eff ect this Boa change, he had the proud satisfaction of se eing ou r . ..., De d vessels made equally, if not better, adapted forst:Via and stowage to the ships of other nations. Thedvaii/u ce of these remarks devoted his time more to the a savor ment of the public weal, than his own pecunitight him tage, which, with the changes in trade, hrel fees ion, down from the pinnacle of greatness in his Pr e w ith to circumstances when money bad lost his influenc unier. him. He has, however, brought up respectablY A l i l l i in in ous family, mostly sons, some of whom follow _l e _ his established business. He died without A strUgfi ' apparently in a tranquil state." The Consul Market has been very firm this gi9 k ril ei lli a i l at 93i to 94 for the Account. At the same time 1,, r: a 1, e Dee be noted that hut few investments for cash -e t ! on an made in the Stocks now open. There has °,, e ati r. upward movement in the premium upon FAeu e i has bills, te value whih is nw at 12s. Bank Stoe r rte 1 3° rallied to 206. 0 f The New Three-and -a -- Q ua— r Cents. have been quoted at 951-. - q uest. The Foreign Funds are rather in snore I - '-r , to Mexican for the Account have been sold at ° taut; Portuguese Four per Cents. are at 36 for the A h ec Tw o.. the Three per Cent. Spanish at 38k; the D iztc n t at Account and-a-Half per Cents. are at 60i; for the 60i-; and the Four per Cent. Certific ates at 921. , _ sd With the exception of the North Staffordshire so bee n the East India Railway Sh ar es, the mark et has not brisk to day. The quotations are annexed. cLoSrlia ONE rIlle" . PRICES OF BRITISH FUNDS. O'C LOCK. 20 6 Bank Stuck . 29 4 143C 95 05 206 94 3 per Cent. Reduced Anns rNew 3% per Cent. Annuities 96 , iN 9 Long Annuities to expire Jan.lB6 o 97s 94 Consols for Opening Exchequer Bills, 10001. 1 1 ,6 d. ... + ***** , 93 : 3 8 9 t2 P 12 p 12 p quo, 500/ ••• 12 p ii 8 12 --- P Ditto, Small oNE TRW" 11 . 8 12 -- p , nicF.S OF FOREIGN fUNDS. O'CLOCK 877 i Brazilian Bonds Mexican, 5 per Cent. 1846........ —., 24% Ditto, Account 2-tr a Portuguese Bonds, 4 per Cent Ditto. Account ......... ..... 38 ..... Spa n;sh 5 par Cent. 1840. Ditto 3 per Cent. ... .. 38% 37N1 Ditto, Account . 37'3 13 Dividends on the above payable London. Dutch, 2 1 A per Cent . in 60 Ditto, Account 6O 931 3 4 Ditto. 4 net Cent. Certificates 92 3 % 93 1 4 Ditto Bonds vkla PRICES or BUSINESS DONE CLOS.--., R iILWAY SHARES PAID * AT ONE O'CLOCK. yEle r f; Aberdeen Amber., Nott., Boston, 2% and Eastern Junction 2%..... 23/83/a Armagh, Coleraine, and Portrush Itt Belfast & County Dowtt ............. .• Birminghaniand - Dudley ..... . ....... Birmin. and Gloucester..loo l2B ............... Ditto New 174 — ••• ••••.... Birmingham and Ox cord Junction Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire June 2 3%. — •••••• ..-- • , 75 1 / 4 P • Boston, Stamfd, & Birm. 225. — Bristol and Exeter . ......... Ditto, New ...... .. ..... Bristol and Glouce s t er 3O ...... --.............. Bristol and Liver. June 2 l / 2...... -- .... .. Buckinghamshire 5 ......... Caledonian .... 29 ai i 7 ' a ... ... •.... Ditto Half Shares 2 1,12 2%.••• ...... Ditto, Clydesdale J une 25 ...... Chester and Holyhead... 27 1 . ..... Churnet and Blyth e ..... Chester and Manchester 425. Ctieltexham and O x f or d 2 ... ...... ... Clarence IOO ........ Do. Ist Class, 6 per Ct. 10 ..... Do. 2d Class, 5 per Ct. 10 Do. Government Loan, , ••• 4 per Cent. ..... -- ................. •..• ...... Cork and Kill arney Cerk and Waterford ... 1% Dnlitwtoa,llHalf Shares *************** Co . ..... ... • _ ••• Direct Lincoln, East Ret ford, and Sheffd. June. 2 5 Direct Northern .................... : Direct Norwich . ••• Dublin and BelfastJunc. 12% — ••• ....... Dublin, Belfast, and Coleraine Dundalk & Enniskillen 10 Eastern Counties 141. 165....... 2 - 3% :......::::::::::: Ditto New l2l. 16s — ............... Ditto Perpetual, 5 per Cent No. 1. . 61.135. 4d, _ , .• •••••• ..•• , Ditto ditto, No. 2... 6/. 13s. 4d ..... ********* Do., York Extension.. 2 3%% .......... EastDereh'm andNor'ch 1 Eastern Union ... Ditto, Quarter Shares 10 Do. Exten.(llarw , ich) 1% — i• • • •..•' - . ... - . , Do., Camb. and Ely 2%...... ............... East Lancashire Ditto. New Do., do. (late Preston and Ormskirk)... Do., do., New Scrip l4 ..... —...— ....... " East Lincolnshire •••••• 1.4 ...... ............•• East & West of England 1%...... ............... Edinburgh and Glasgow 50 ...... 76% ........... • " Ditto Half Shares Ditto, Quarter Shares 12% - ... .......... . Edinburgh & Northern.. 12% — ... ........ ...• Edinburgh and Perth... 3 Elyand Huntingdon ..; 12% — ..... • ......... Enniskillen and Sligo ... 2% — ............... Exeter,Yeovil,& Dorset 2% ............... Glasgow, Kilmar., & Ayr 50 Shares (5 p Ditto, New % per 15 ...... --- .... : ....... :: ............ Do., cent. guar.) ... ...... 12%...... • ............. Goole, Doncaster, &c... 2 • ••• ••••••••• Great Eastern &'Western 2% • ••• •• Great South. and West. (Ireland) Great Munster 2% ...... . ........ ...., Great North of Scotland 2% ▪ ..... .. .... . ... 2 .0 Great Northof England..loo Ditto New 5 Ditto, New ... l5 7 1 1 .........................................«.1.... ::: Ditto, New Great Western B5 126 ............... ',7311i Ditto % Shares ........50 Ditto 4 Shares Ditto Fi ft hs Ditto, New Huddersfield & Manches. 13 Ditto, Extension 3 Hull and Selby 5O Do. Half Shares Ditto 41Shares ... ... .. .................. ... ......... ......: ... : • 1--- ! IP' ipswich iC Bury :t. Edm. 14 _ ••• . .............. 4, Do., do., and Norwich 5 ...- 45 ............... ... Lancaster and Carlisle... 50 Do. New Leeds and Bradford 10 Leicester and Bedford... 163. Leeds, Dewsbury, &c.... 2 4 % .-. .. ...... ..•••• ...- Do., Branch (Blue) ... 2% — .............. . " -. 1 Do. Extension(Green) 2%...• — ............ • 16 Leeds and Thirsk 17% 1 6 14 ...............4 Ditto, New Do., Prefer., 6 per Ct. 3% 4% ........ . ..... Do., linclistr & New .....• castle Junction .... 2% .....• ........... '" -"" t L - ,ndon and Blackwall. 161. 13 3 .4 d ............... 'a Do. New Ditto Extension ~ 7 %•••••• - ........ ". London, Brighton, and South Coast Ditto, Fifths .. 40 ...... 48 47% ......••• ..... Do. Consol. Eighths.. 10 ...., Do. Guarant. 5 per ct. 9 London and Greenwich 12/ 15s 4d — ............... , .... Do. Preference ...18/17s 2d — ..............• London, Hounslow, and Western ondon and N. Westernloo 195 194.........••• ....4 Do. Quarters Do., cio., New Ditty Fiftli 3 6P 128 ... .... 2924 14 0 - . , "Ai i - i§s 14 284 V 1,14 *e at LC A BC tO 04