The Sun. — London, England, 1865-12-02 00:00:00

Metropolitan Board of Works. The usual meeting of the Metropolitan Board of Works was held yesterday at the office in Spring. gardens ; Sir John Thwaites in the chair. FINANCE. The financial statement which was presented showed the following cash balances in the hands of the treasurer :--Current accounts, £114,139 19s. Bd. ; deposit accounts, £lo2,ooo—total, £216,133 19s. Bd. Payments were ordered to be made to the amount of £22,793 9s. 2d. HOUSELESS POOR OF THE METROPOLIS. A report was brought up from the Finance Com mittee, submitting a list of the sums expended by boards of guardians to Ladyday, under the Homeless Poor Act, 1864, which had been duly certified for payment; and it recommended that chequesbe drawn for the same, amounting together to £1,604 Os. 7d. The report was received and adopted. THE HEALTH OF WOOLWICH. A report was submitted from the Local Board of Health of the town of Woolwich, stating, in answer to allegations which had been made, that the health of the town was in a very favourable condition. On the motion of Mr. HUDSON, this report was received, and a copy of it was ordered to be trans mitted to the War Department. _ PROGRESS OF THE THAMES EMBANKMENT WORKS, LOW LEVEL SEWER WORKS, &C. The chief engineer presented the following re port on the progress of these works :-- "North Side of the Thames— Thames Embankment, Contract No. 1, between Westminster and Waterloo bridges —The works which have been carried out in connection with this contract comprise about 1,670 ft. in length of tim ber coffer dams and of iron caisson dams completed ; and about 1,5681 t of timber and caisson dams are in course of construction in various stages of progress. Structural works of concreting brickwork, granite, and other ma sonry, and works of excavation have been and are now proceeding within the various completed timber and iron coffer dams and caissons for a length in the aggregate of 1,5611 t. The completed works comprise 975 ft in length of the main low level sewer ; 2841 t. of the flushing- sower; 1,604 ft. of egg-shaped sewer, 4ft. by 2ft. Bin. for the inter ception of house and other small drains which formerly discharged on the foreshore, and 701 ft. of the subway. The works of the Westminster pier and of those contiguous thereto have been brought to the level of the subway. The embankment wall and works have been banked up, and the foreshore to a considerable extent filled in with material brought to the spot by carts from the land, or by barges from the conservator's dredgers. The quantity so filled in is approximately estimated at 408,627 cubic yards. The ap proximate value of works done by Mr. Furness in the past month is £133,144 for works, £56,441 for materials, and £54,944 for plant. " Thames Embankment Contract N 0.2, between Water loo-bridge and Temple-gardens.—The dam at the eastern end of the contract is fast approaching completion, and the works within Somerset-house dam are actively progressing, as are also those in the special length for the Temple-pier. During the month 1,534 cubic yards of excavation have been got out, and 1,829 yards of Portland cement contrete filled in ; 106 rods of brickwork constructed ; 700 cubic feet of. granite bedded from the river wall, and 1,900 ft. super structure of 6in. York landings laid ; the total completed length of the low level sewer is 1,270 ft., and of the subway nearly 900 ft. The approximate value of the whole works completed, and of the materials and plant upon the ground is £157,543, of which £4,533 represent the work done in the past month by Mr. ititson ; of the total amount the pro portionate sum of £106,861 is for works, £20,625 for ma terials, and £30,017 for plant, &c. " Low Level Sewer.—The works contained in this con tract are fairly progressing, I,oBoft. of the unrivetted por tion of the main lino, and 655 ft. of the Old Ford branch having been constructed within the past month, and includ ing the portion of sewer constructed in open cutting from the river Lee to the Abbey Mill Station a total length of nearly 31 miles is completed. The value of the whole of the works executed is about £173,100, of which the sum of £13,500 is due to the progress mado by Mr. Webster in the past month. "Abbey Mills Pumping Station.—The whole of the exca vation for the foundation of the building has been got out, and the lower portion covered with a bed of concrete 3ft. 6in. thick, on which the brick footings of the outward walls of the building have been made, and 10 rodsof brickwork in connexion therewith completed; the depth of the excavation from the surface of the ground is 31 ft, Gin., this great depth being requisite on account of the soft nature of the soil. The value of these works is approximately £12,000, £,3,000 being for the work executed by Mr. Webster in the past month. Some boilers and several large castings for the pump-wells have arrived upon the ground. "South Side of theThames.—Thames Embankment, Contract No. 1. —Mr. Webster has completed 500 ft. run of paling for the dam, and 500 in staging have been driven to an average depth of 16ft. About 500 cubic feet of timber have been used in these works, and about 100,000 ft. are delivered ready for use. "J. W. BAZALGETTE, Engineer." The report was received and ordered to be en tered on the minutes. THE BREAKING-UP OF SOVTIIWARK-STREET BY WATER COMPA.N I ES. The Engineer presented a report in reference to a complaint made at the sitting of the Board on Friday last in reference to the interference by cer tain gas and water companies with the brickwork of the side entrances to the subway in laying down their supply pipes, and he stated that pipes had been laid down from High-street, Southwark, to a point west of Southwark-bridge-road, for the Southwark and Vauxhall Water Company. From Southwark-square gas mains had been laid down by the Phoenix Gas Company, and in both instances, in crossing, the arches of the subway had been cut through, and one of the pipes protruded from one to two inches from the under side. In both cases the concreted arched foundations had been broken through, ruining the paving, which he stated would not now last one-fourth the time it would if it had not been disturbed. Mr. COLLINSON said on Monday last he went through Southwark-street and he saw the way in which it was broken up by these companies. So well and firmly bad the paving been put down and so solid had the concrete become that the workmen could only get it up by the use of sledge hammers and wedges. Having laid intheir pipes by the aid of pickaxes over the side entrances to the subway they had on the spot a water cart, from which water was passed into the trench, and the old concrete, which it was supposed would thereby be made soft, was then thrown in again. After the great expense to which the Board had been put, how could it be expected that the roadway, which had been broken lip with such force, could ever be properly replaced unless fresh concrete was used, and the work was done in a proper manner? Mr. CARPMAEL said if they were to have subways only for the purpose of allowing gas or water com panies to take off a portion of the arch, to allow them to lay down their large pipes, and that could not be done without damaging their property, it might become necessary for the Board to go to the Court of Chancery for an injunction to restrain them from doing so. If gag and wat er compan i es were to be permitted to break into the arches be longing to the Board two or three inches, they would next go to 10 or 12 inc hes, and the y d id not even in a proper manner. He con reinstate the paving sidered subways to be in the same position as cellars, the property of the Board ; and if gas and water companies chose to break into them for their own purposes, he thought they ought at once to take up the suggestions of their solicitor, and maintain their property against such interference, and prevent them from doing further mischief. Mr. FREEMAN suggested that this subject should be referred to the Streets Committee, and if gas and - water companies were not using proper concrete, that was a matter which ought to Le brought under the notice of the District Board of Works, whose duty it would be to see that the paving was re stored in a proper manner. The CHAIRMAN said the report of the engineer showed that what they had done was most dis heartening to the Board. They had set an example by the formation of a model street, and it was most discouraging to them if it was to be broken up and destroyed in such a manner, tha t the engineer's report would be printed and circulated in the same way as the other communications on the same subject. - It was finally resolved that a copy of the enri neer's report be sent to the gas and water companies) and that the subjec t be referred to the S treets Com mittee to take such steps as they may be advised to protect the interests of this Board. It was further agreed that each member of the District Board should be furnished with a copy o f the engineer's report. PARLIAMENTARY SCHEMES. The Chief Engineer presented a report, stating that the Parliamentary deposits for the coming Session of Parliament were unusually heavy, no less than 57 railway and other schemes affecting the metropolis having been deposited with the Board in compliance with the requirements of the Standing Orders; most of them being for projects of an ex tensive character would require much careful in vestigation. He suggested that the usual arrange ments should be made to enable him to collect materials for the preparation of his report upon these plans. The recommendations were then agreed to. AERATED BREAD COMPANY. A report was presented from the Main Drainage Committee, which detailed the proceedings, which had taken place between Dr. Letheby and Dr. Miller, and suggesting that no solid matter should be passed into the sewer. It concluded by recommending " That a communication be addressed to the Aerated Bread Company to the effect that unless they can adopt some safe mode of discharging the refuse of their manufactory into the Blackman-street sewer, the board will have to cut off the communication between their bakery and the sewer." Some discussion ensued upon this subject, but it was eventually referred back to the committee for further consideration. METROPOLIS SEWAGE AND ESSEX RECLAMATION COMPANY. Mr. LEGG moved, pursuant to notice :—" That the engineer report to the Board what deviations and additions are proposed to be made to their scheme by the Metropolis Sewage and Essex Re clamation Company, as mentioned in their applica tion to Parliament for the ensuing session, and the amount of preference capital proposed to be raised by them, and how such alterations and additions will affect the interests of the Board." There was no discussion upon this motion, and it was put and unanimously agreed to. The rest of the business, which was quite of a formal nature, having been disposed of, the Board adjourned. Naval and Military Intelligence. Instructions have been received at Chatham directing the whole of the 12i-ton 300-pounder smoothbore Armstrong, with which the ironclad frigate Bellerophon, 1,000 horse-power, is to be worked by means of the machinery invented by Mr. Reed, the Chief Constructor of the navy. It has been already fitted, for experimental purposes, to one of the guns on board the Bellerophon, on which the invention has been submitted to a variety of tests with the most satisfactory results. The ma chinery by which each of the guns and its fittings, together w eighing 27 tons, are manceuvred is ex ceedingly simple, and by its means two seamen can train the gun in less than a minute. Not the least important and valuable feature in the invention is that the mechanical arrangements by which the gun is worked are placed below the gun battery. They are thus removed from injury by a hostile shot. It had been intended to have the Bellerophon com pleted in readiness for undocking by the end of the present month ; but an order received from Chat ham directs the date for her completion in readiness for being floated out of dock to be altered to the 31st of January. There is still a large amount of work to be completed on board. The riggers have set up a portion of the wire-standing rigging, and are now preparing the running gear. The Orestes screw corvette arrived at Ports mouth yesterday, in tow of the paddle-steamer Medusa. She is ordered to be brought forward for commission. The Edgar, screw line of battle ship, Capt. T. Brandreth, flagship of Vice-Admiral Sir Sidney C. Dacres, arrived at Spithead yesterday morning from the coast of Ireland. It is expected that she will go into Portsmouth harbour this morning to dismantle and pay out of commission. One of the iron mortar boats in the Portsmouth reserve has been lying afloat in that harbour for some months, coated below her water line with pre servative and anti-fouling compositions, the prepa rations of various persons who have come forward to assist the Admiralty in.devising a safe method of preserving and keeping clean the bottoms of iron ships. This mortar boat has now been brought down to Portsmouth harbour,,and placed in dock, where the different compositions have been surveyed by the officials of the yard and reported upon. Some of them appear to have stood very well, as they generally do where no abrasion has taken place, but the anti-fouling pigments, with one exception, have utterly faded in preventing the growth of ma rine matter. The one instance alluded to is a pre paration of mercury. There is one preservative composition, however, that from its novelty and the well-known name and reputation of the officer who has suggested its use deserves more than the passing notice we have given to the others. This is nothing more than a coating of Portland cement, the use of which, and the mode of its application, were suggested to the Admiralty by Captain Coles, R.N. The patch of cement has been on the mor tar boat's bottom upwards of 12 months, and has been subjected to considerable rough usage, yet it retains its hold on the iron, except round the edges of the frame, as firmly as ever, and remains as hard as granite. Whether a coating of cement 4.1 f an inch in thickness over a vessel's bottom could be applied without producing a damaging effect upon her speed, by increasing the displacement, is a dis tinct question, which must be judged by itself, our present purpose being to explain how Capt. Coles proposes to preserve the bottoms of our iron ships by turning them into stone. Thin iron plates, the thickness of an ordinary sheet of copper, are taken, and a series of cuts punched in them, each cut form ing three sides of a parallelogram about half an inch in length and two inches apart. These plates are next screwed on the ship's bottom by common iron screws tapped in three-eighths of an inch, the cuts in the plates being then bent outwards by a chisel to an angle of about 45 degrees. Covered with these plates the bottom of the shiphas reached its "hedge hog" back form, and to enter on its final stone state the Roman cement has merely to be applied over all in the manner followed in buildings on shore. It is not attempted by Capt. Coles to prevent fouling on the outer surface of the cement; that he leaves to the care of the chymists. What he professes to do is to preserve the iron of the ship's bottom from oxidation, and make the cement coating serve as an intermediary between the ship's bottom and any sheet-copper or anti-fouling mixtures that might be applied to keep the ship under the water-line free from marine adhesions of any kind that can affect the speed of the ship. The advantages that may be quoted in favour of the cement are-1, rapidity of application when a ship's bottom has once been pre pared ; 2, the possibility of replastering when a ship's bottom has once been cemented over any por tion damaged, by striking on the ground, or by shot,aiter being without displacing any other portion ; 3, the h r o apidity with which the cements sets gg g ed aypied ; 4, the fact that the cement can be i o n ut pr f e e t a e r et o protecting g scraped, or otherwise cleaned with its beinc, rubbed off ; 5, its efficacy thaectiaorl, armour-plates a von No p o e d r e f n ect sh i i n ps from galvanic . sulator between the iron plating of the ship and the copper or Muntz metal on her bottom ; and 6, increased strength to the bottom of the ship and protection to it under certain conditions against the action of torpedoes. Against the advantages may be placed the disadvantages of increased displace.. ment and weight of hull, and the possible effect this would produce upon the ship's speed. A contractor's trial of the engines of the screw steam sloop Amazon, 4, took place outside Ply.. mouth Breakwater on Thursday, when the weather was extremely calm, there being only a light breeze from the north occasionally. The Amazon is from lines by Mr. E. R. Reed, Chief Constructor of b the Navy. She is a wooden ship, of 1,081 tons, uilt at Pembroke, with a wooden prow, iron deck beams, and iron masts. Her length is 187 ft., her breadth 32ft., and her present. draught 13ft. 631 n. forward ; and 16ft. siin. aft. The sloop is intended for a first-class despatch gun vessel ; she is full rigged, but is not yet supplied with armament or stores. The fuel on board was about 200 tons. Her engines, of 300-horse power nominal, are direct actinghorizontal, with surface condensers, super heaters, &c., by Messrs. Ravenhill, Hodgson, and Co., and are of the same descriptions as those by that firm on board the Lord Clyde, 24, of which a very detailed account appeared in The Sun of the 14th of November last. Six runs at the measured mile under full boiler power produced a mean speed of 12.053 knots, and two runs at half-boiler power of 10.319 knots. The load on the safety-valve was 271 b. ; pressure of steam on boilers, 251 b. ; vacuum in condensers—full power forward, 25i ; aft, 251; half-power forward, 27 ; aft, 27 ; mean pressure on cylinders, 26.751 b. ; weather barometer, 30 deg. 10 sec. The propeller was four-bladed, diameter 15ft., pitch 12ft. 6in. The boilers produced abundance of steam, and the engines worked most satisfactorily. When put in commission the Amazon will have a complement of 100 officers and men, and her armaments will consist of four guns—viz., two pivot and two broadside. The latter will weigh each 6 tons, and will carry 1501 b. shot. The pivots, 64-pounders, will project. The pivot gun in the bow will be water-borne by the wooded prow. The deaths of the following officers have been officially reportedto the War Department since Nov. 1 :—Major-Gen. J. Eyre, Royal Artillery. Capts. —W. B. Davenport, 62d Regiment ; J. F. Pilking ton, 82d Regiment ; It. Lichfield, Royal Artillery ; J. Blake, 28th Regiment ; A. Troyer, 4th Ceylon Regiment ; and W. H. Groves. Lieuts.—T. Lyster, Royal Engineers ; M. Guard, 2d Batt. 11th Regi ment ; H. G. Heath, Ist Batt. 18th Royal Irish ; H. Batty, 70th Regiment (killed in action, New Zealand); A. P. Maurice, 91st Highlanders ; and A. Maclauchlan, 104th Bengal Fusiliers. Ensigns— A. James, 2d Batt. 25th King's Own Borderers ; and R. Dundas, Ist Batt. Rifle Brigade; Surgeon- Major G. Williamson, M.D., 64th Regiment. Surgs. W. Hanbury, Staff ; H. Fraser, 60th Rifles ; and A. Cunningham, 86th . Regiment. Assist.-Surgs. J. Michael, Royal Artillery ; A. Macintyre, M.D., 2d Batt. 11th Regiment ; and M. Finnucane, and J. G. S. Mathison, Staff. In the naval intelligence which appeared in The Sun of Thursday allusion was made to a newly-in vented compressor, the production of Mr. Price, employed in checking the fall of an anchor-cable. We are informed that, although the apparatus was introduced to the Admiralty by Mr. Price, the in vention is due to Mr. Alderman, of 2, Savage-gar dens, Crutchedfriars. The following appointments were made yesterday at the Admiralty :—Sub-Lieut. Wm. R. Clutter buck, to the Malacca ; G. Fordham, Ist class assist. engineer, to the Tamar ; T. Conroy, acting-assist. surgeon, additional, to the Victory ; C. B. Green field, acting-assist. surgeon, additional, to the Royal Adelaide ; and Allen C. Dennys, second master, to the Oberon. THE VOLUNTEERS. THE 19TH MIDDLESEX. The distribution of prizes to the successful coma petitors in the recant shooting of the corps took place last evening at Westminster-hall, in the pre sence of a large number of spectators. Colonel Erskine, inspector general of volunteers, attended on the occasion. • Lieut.-Colonel HUGHES, M.P., commandant, in opening the proceedings, said that this was the fifth occasion on which the corps had met in Westminster Hall for the purpose which had called them together on that evening. It was always customary on these occasions to give a brief history of the corps during the past year, and he was happy to say at once that the history he should have to give them that night was a prosperous and satisfactory one. (Hear, hear.) To come first to the commonest test—namely, the test of numbers. The 19th Middlesex mustered in 1864 649 members, and this year their enrolled strength was 641, so that during the year it would be seen they had lost eight of their number. On the other hand, of course, a regiment might have very large numbers and yet might not be a very efficient corps. Now, in the matter of efficiency they had made a small gain, but such, he thought, as more than compensated the loss they had sustained in numbers. The efficients were in the year 1864 489, and in this year they were 491. He was happy to say that the musters of the corps on all occasions when they had been called out—on the occasion of their inspection and the great review at Brighton— had been extremely satisfactory. (Hear, hear.) At the time of inspection the enrolled strength of the corps Alas 622, and they had on parade on that oc casion the large number of 461. lie attributed that in a great measure to the plan they adopted this year of having their inspection very early in the year, and that was done partly under a certain sort of vanity. The 19th Middlesex was the first regiment ever inspected by their late inspector general, Colonel M‘Murdo, and they had deter mined, if possible, to be the first metropolitan regiment that should be inspected by their present inspector general, Colonel Erskine, in which un dertaking they had succeeded. (Hear, hear.) At Brighton they mustered 447, which, considering the numbers of the corps, was again an extremely satis factory muster. (Hear, hear.) This year there had been three battalion prizes given for attendance at drill, and the members of each company had had an opportunity of attending 62 drills of the regi ment and of their company. All these three prizes had been won by members of No. 2 Com pany, all of whom had attended every one of the 62 drills. (Applause.) As regarded shooting, the returns this year, he was sorry to say, showed a considerable falling off in the numbers who had been able to pass through the various classes, for whereas in 1864, when they had their own range at Thornton Heath, they passed 205 members through all their classes ; in this year they had only managed to pass 148 men. That was a falling off which they must all deeply regret, and the cause of it was that their present shooting range was at such a very great distance (Epsom) from London that the men found it very difficult to get time to go down in order that they might shoot through their classes. Notwithstanding, there was about a third of the regiment who had managed to shoot through their classes, and when they con sidered that these men performed on an average a journey of 150 miles in order to do so, he must say that the return of the average shooting of the corps was still one of which they might reasonably feel proud. Their success in shooting during the year had not been quite so great as last year ; but still on the whole it had been creditable. With respect to their finances, he was again sorry to say that they were not in so satisfactory a condition as they could wish. At the same time he did not mean to say that they were not perfectly able to bear.the debt they had upon their shoulders. They were about £lOO behindhand, and that deficiency was due to the expense to which they had thisyear, been put with regard to a rifle range. It should be remem bered that that corps received no help from out side, but if any lady or gentleman desired to become an honorary member the present was a good oppor tunity for doing so—(a laugh)--and he would answer that they should find themselves in good company. Although they had only four honorary members, yet one of these was a Cabinet Minister, Earl De Grey ; another was a very distinguished general, Sir De Lacy Evans ; and a third was a most distinguished judge, Vice-Chancellor Kindersley ; and the fourth was their late commander, Colonel Bathurst. (Cheers.) They had this year spent a good deal of money in getting into their present head-quarters, but be believed they were thoroughly worth what money had been expended upon them. The members of the corps had now a club where they might meet which socially together, and they had also a gymnasium, affordi ng an opportunity for physical education, w a as corps one c ooufldt h h a e ve m . os ( t He e a ss r e , n h t ea ia r.) lan T d h u e seful things hon. member having expressed his conviction that the 19th Middlesex was in established permanence, and that its prosperity no longer depended upon any one, two, or three persons, said that the tone of the corps was all that he could wish it to be, and ten dered, in conclusion, his thanks to the officers for the thoroughly brotherly spirit in which they had worked together—a spirit which could not fail to permeate the whole corps. (Hear, hear.) Mrs. Hughes then distributed the prizes, of which there were upwards of 100, representing an aggre gate value of something more than £2OO. At the conclusion of the ceremony of distribution, Colonel ERSKINE briefly addressed the volunteers. He remarked that it must be a great pleasure to all TEM SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 2. 1865. who were interested in the welfare of the 19th Mid dlesex to learn from so good an authority as the commanding officer that the corps was in a highly prosperous state ; and a great deal of what he had told them he (Colonel Erskine) was enabled, from the official position he had the honour to hold, to confirm. Having had the good fortune to have made the annual inspection of the corps on more than one occasion, he had always found that the corps acquitted itself in a very creditable manner. He had also seen the corps very frequently in the field, and it had always shown itself equal to taking a high place among the other corps of the great citi zen army. With regard to musketry practice, the corps, he thought, had acquitted itself creditably in that respect also, when they took into consideration the very great disadvantage under whichthe corps had laboured during the year with respect to a rifle range. Proficiency in drill and skill in mus ketry went very far, no doubt, to make a corps an efficient military body, but there was one other matter which must not be overlooked, and which was of the greatest importance—he meant discip line, and without it nothing could be done in actual warfare that was likely to bring a good result. Military histories teemed with examples of the value of discipline in military operations. After paying a high compliment to Lieut. - Colonel Hughes, to whose guidance he attributed much of the ef ficiency - which marked the corps, and also to the adjutant and musketry instructor, Captain Wil liams, the gallant colonel concluded by expressing his conviction that as long as the same spirit that had been manifested in the corps from its formation continued they might look forward into the future with confidence. (Cheers.) Three cheers were then given for Mrs. Hughes, Colonel Erskine, and Lieut.-Colonel Hughes, M.P., and the interesting proceedings terminated. RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE SEVERN VALLEY. An extraordinary general meeting of this com pany was held yesterday at the offices, Victoria street—Mr. J. Parsons in the chair. The CHAIRMAN said this was practically the final meeting of the company. They had at last come to terms with the Great Western Company, to the effect that the capital of the Severn Valley was suf ficient for all their engagements, minus £7,000 or £B,OOO, assuming that they issued the unissued pre ference shares created in 1862 and 1864 at a price representiug 90 per cent. of their stock. The rate of interest secured on the stock was 4i per cent., which would not enable so small a company to issue the stock at par, and this was the cause of their difficul ties. It was the temporary loans from time to time and the different rates of interest they had been paying that had contributed to make up the defici ency of £7,000 or £B,OOO. If the ordinary share holders would pass the resolution about to be pro posed, and be prepared to sacrifice their dividend for the next half-year, the company would be able to show a clear balance sheet. He then moved a formal resolution, with the view of discharging the liabilities of the company. The directors were autho rised on the completion of the agreement with the Great Western Company to offer the unissued 41- per cent. preference shares to the existing ordinary shareholders in proportion to their holdings, and to dispose of any shares not taken up. The motion was carried, and a vote of thanks to the chairman closed the proceedings. COPIAPO EXTENSION. A general meeting of this company was held on Thursday at the offices, New Broad-street—Mr. Holland in the chair. The report stated that there was an increase of £3,400 on the gross traffic, and of £2,900 on the working expenses. The balance at the credit of the profit and loss account, after paying £1,060 on debenture bonds, amounted to £10,789. The directors hoped to receive power from Chili to increase the capital by the issue of debenture bonds, when they would propose to divide the accu mulated profit. The CHAIRMAN, in moving that the report he adopted, observed that the traffic on the railway was highly satisfactory. A great deal of money had been expended in laying down fresh sleepers, and the expense of renewals; generally had diminished the amount at credit of profit and loss account. He trusted that the working expenses would be gradually decreased. The report was unanimously adopted, and the meeting separated. EAST INDIA IRRIGATION AND CANAL. The half-yearly meeting of this company was held on Thursday at the office, Queen's-place, Southwark-bridge ; Mr. J. Thomson in the chair. The report, an abstract of which has appeared in The Sun, was taken as read. The CHAIRMAN, in moving its adoption, said he was sorry their works had been so much retarded by inundations. Since the last meeting they had had to pass through the whole of the rainy season, but by the latest accounts active operations had been resumed. They had chiefly confined their works to the portions of the undertaking which they thought would yield a remunerative return on the present outlay. They had reason to expect a large return on the cost of the irrigation works when completed, probably 20 per cent. It appeared from minutes recently issued by the Governor-General that the Government did not intend to hand over any more irrigation works to private enterprise. The com pany had had many difficulties to contend with. They had in the first instance to prevail on the Government to part with the land, and next they had to satisfy the shareholders as to the value of the undertaking. Mr. BOUVERIE seconded the motion for the adop tion of the report. Mr. THORPE had great confidence in the report of the engineer, and thought they could not object to the determination of the Government to grant no more irrigation concessions in India, on the ground of their profitable nature. After some discussion as to forfeiting upwards of 2,000 shares for non-payment of calls, the report was adopted, the retiring directors and auditors were re-elected, and the proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks to the chairman and directors. 'SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. INNS OF COURT HOTEL The ordinary meeting of this company was held on Thursday at the hotel, High Holborn ; Mr. Cox in the chair. The report stated that the hotel would be com pleted in two months, and the contract for furnish ing the premises was now under the consideration of the Board. To meet this necessary outlay, and the purchase of two additional houses in Holborn and Lincoln's-inn-fields it was proposed to increase the borrowing powers to the extent of £50,000. The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report, said the hotel would be ready for business in March next, and he estimated the cost of furnishing it at £30,000. In connexion with the creation of the new Law Courts a new line of street would be opened giving a direct communication between the Strand and Holborn, which would materially en hance the value of their property. The Board had no intention of calling up the remaining £2 due on shares, or of issuing the unappropriated shares, if they were empowered to borrow the £50,000. Colonel FRASER seconded the motion, which was unanimously agreed to. The meeting was then made special, and the direc tors were empowered to borrow £50,000. A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the pro ceedings. CHICAGO.—The entire assessed value of real and personal estate in Chicago is $48,733,782, while the annual product of manufactures is stated at $25,710,292. Doubt less to a slight extent the same value may be counted twice in this estimate, as for instance the leather product of $1,005,300 appears again in part of the saddlery product of $25,000, and in the boot and shoe product $1,102,542. So also the iron product of two and a half millions may bo repeated, a part in nails, $200,000, tin and hardware $268,850, in the agricuftural implements, $38,425, light ning rods, carriages and in the rolling mill, whose product is set down at $900,000. So the malt product, $129,000, appears again in that of the thirty breweries, $2,195,300. The product of the flour mills, $1,729,592, is identical in part with that of the bakeries, $635,175. Over one-fifth, or exceeding five millions of the entire manufactures, comes under the head of brewcnies, $2,195,300, and liquors, $3,706,000. TIMES.—Can the Tory party hope to survive the attack which Mr. Bright made upon them on Thurs day at Blackburn ? For the greater part of the hour which he occupied in speaking the member for Birmingham fulminated against the Conservatives and the policy of obstruction which they have pur sued. The great orator entered upon this congenial task with characteristic zest, and heaped up phrase upon phrase in denunciation of the ignorance, the selfishness, and the injustice of his opponents. The occasion of the speech no doubt excused, and per haps justified, strong language. It was delivered at a meeting of the inhabitants of Blackburn, called together to testify their respect and sympathy for Mr. Pilkington, the defeated candidate for the re presentation of the town. Blackburn is a place which owes its existence as a Parliamentary borough to the Reform Bill, and was therefore bound by every tie of gratitude to the Whigs. Mr. Pilkington had represented it for eighteen years, during the whole of which time he had zealously voted with the advanced guard of the Liberal body. Yet this faithful defender of the people was himself abandoned by his former constituents last July. For the first time, we believe, since it has been a borough, Blackburn returned two Tories to the House of Commons ; and, regard being had to the occasion, Mr. Bright was clearly warranted in ex posing to the ungrateful town the political vices of the men whom they had preferred as their repre sentative. Everything Mr. Bright said was true. Whether what he said was the whole truth is an other question. The Conservatives have been grievous sinners, but it is hard to believe that Englishmen are so infatuated as to persist in tolerating, and even supporting, a party which has never done the State any service. And if there be any doubt on this point, there can be no doubt that as a tactician Mr. Bright made a great mistake in his undiscriminating attack on this unhappy party. These wholesale diatribes only produce a reaction in favour of the men who are so vehemently de nounced. People feel, like Captain Shandy felt when he heard the curse of Ernulphus, a sentiment of pity for the unhappy victim of unmeasured con mnation. These men of Lancashire, whose per verse conduct roused Mr. Bright's indignation, are, after all, very much like himself. They are pushing, vigorous, shrewd men of business, energetic and self-reliant, but then they have Mr. Bright's faults as well as his virtues, and not the least among the drawbacks to their perfection is the fact that their hearts are often too hot for their heads. When they hear a political party abused without qualifi cation, they ask whether it can be true that the country gentlemen they know so well, and have learnt to respect so much, are really so thoroughly depraved ; and a little acquaintance with history would enable them to say a good deal in reply to Mr. Bright's accusations. It is true that the Con servatives opposed Free Trade, but there are countries where the Conservatives are the opponents of Protective duties. English landowners exhibited a selfishness which is, unhappily, not confined to their order. When Mr. Pitt proposed Free Trade between England and Ireland, it was the manufac turers of Lancashire who raised the cry that they would be ruined by the measure, and succeeded in getting it postponed. In the United States it is the manufacturers of Pennsylvania and Massachusetts - who tax the corn-grower of the Western States by Protective duties on foreign manufactures. It is true that the Conservative party opposed the repeal of the Navigation Laws, but they had the respect able authority of Adam Smith as an excuse for their opposition. It is true, again, that they opposed Catholic Relief and the repeal of the Test and Cor poration Acts, because they were possessed with the notion which animated the Pilgrim Fathers, and animates the United Kingdom Alliance, that a State was bound to have a religion, and was justified in coercing for their own good a malcontent minoriiy. All these and a thousand similar charges may be made against the Conservative party, but we shall scarcely get at the truth by dwelling on one side of the picture. It is as absurd to suppose that they have had a monopoly of vice as to believe that Liberals possess a monopoly of virtue. If Tories have by their obstinacy brought the country more than once to the verge of a revolution—and it is perfectly true that they have done so—they have also preserved the nation from a constant succession of organic changes which would have been little less disastrous. Mr. Bright looks back 40 years and sees in the history of the past nothing but reforms dangerously delayed, abuses obstinately and selfishly maintained ; but if, instead of this comprehensive retrospect, he would confine his attention to the state of opinion some 30 years ago, when he was himself entering upon life, he might find occasion to modify his opinions. Thirty years back was the very heyday of the Liberal party. They were flushed with great success, and were looking for ward to a rapid series of reforms. Some of their hopes—the greater part of them—have been realised to the benefit of the nation, but some have been discarded as delusions. We have carried free trade, we have reformed municipal corporations, we have removed the tast religious disability, but some things we have left undone. Where is the Ballot, which in 1835 was a main article of the Liberal creed, and to which Mr. Henry Berkeley clings with fond affection ? Mr. Bright still votes for it, but Mr. John Stuart Mill, who does the thinking for the Liberal party now, as _Bentham did in his day, has pronounced the ballot-box a pernicious instrument, only to be adopted as the less of two evils, and the adoption of which would be quite unwarrantable in the present state of English society. It is a fact quite evident that the belief in the Ballot is expiring; the new generation laughs at it as an exploded superstition, and when Mr. Henry Berkeley ceases to be its advocate it will soon be remembered only by political antiquarians. If, again, an advanced Whig of 1835 had been asked what was the ideal of representation to which he looked forward, there can be no doubt that he would have answered, " Universal suffrage and equal electoral districts." He would not, perhaps, have advocated such an electoral machinery there and then, but he would have professed his confidence that in the fulness of time, when the people were sufficiently educated for its reception, that would be, the plan to be adopted. But here, again, younger politicians smile at the dreams of their predecessors, and, with clearer political insight, see that the rea lization of their hopes would be the destruction of, all representation whatever. Mr. Bright ignores the growth of political ideas which he has not the patience to try to comprehend, but he does so to the detriment of his own influence. Calmer rea- 1 soners, who see how opinions change, and that the world is getting wiser as it gets older, may join with him in denouncing the folly and the selfishness, which Tories have too often shown, but they must acknowledge at the same time that they deserve some thanks for successfully withstanding nostrums which they perhaps ignorantly opposed, but which are now seen to have been based on conceptions radically fallacious. HERALD.---As we ventured some months ago to predict, the trial of Captain Corbett has ended in his complete and triumphant acquittal. The pro ceedings against him were taken under that celebrated Foreign Enlistment Act which her Majesty's legal advisers have so much reason to bless for the fees it has brought them, and so much reason to objurgate for the discomfitures in which it has involved them. Even eminent lawyers are not indifferent to pecuniary considera tions ; but we should think that those upon whom the conduct of prosecutions under this act has devolved during the last four years would willingly surrender the money they have made to escape the memory of defeats in open court, :each one more damaging than its predecessor. Poor Sir William Atherton, if he were now alive, might have his fill of sweet revenge upon his rivals and successors. The late Attorney-General, it is well known, was treated with scant courtesy, and told to vacate his place that he might make way for some one whose knowledge of international law was greater than his own. But though much was expected of Sir Roundell Palmer, his warmest admirers would not venture to praise his conduct of the Alexandra case, or to say that the manner in which he has left subsequent prosecutions to his subordinates is cal culated to remove the prevalent impression that Sir William Atherton was rather badly used. But we do not care to re-open old sores, or to dwell upon past miscarriages. In double sense we may now ejaculate, " Sufficient for the dayis the evil thereof." Therefore we will say nothing now about the Alexandra mess or the steam-ram muddle. We will pass over the compromise which let off Mr. Highatt on payment of a fine, and the blundering which prosecuted Mr. Rumble to an acquittal. Nor will we now enlarge upon the peculiar notions of justice which induced the Government, after doing their utmost to convict their own officer, to put him on half-pay because he was not guilty, and to punish him for being innocent by depriving him of his appointment, We will deal simply and solely with the case which was decided yesterday, and, shortly sketching the facts proved, we will leave our readers to form their own opinions as to the correctness of the conclusion. Captain Corbett was the commander of a vessel called the Sea King, which sailed from the port of London for Bombay on the Bth of October last year. From the nature of her cargo it would seem that a voyage to that port was at least a pos sibility, but, as is not unusual, the owners formally gave the captain power to sell his ship at any port out of the United Kingdom. In this, however, there was nothing wrong, and nothing illegal. As an article of commerce a ship may be sold as inno cently as a bale of cotton goods or a cargo of bitter beer. It is only when the vessel is " armed or equipped"' for warlike purposes that the provisions of the Foreign Enlistment Act apply, and it is not pretended that the Sea King was in this condition. But on the 17th of October, when off Madeira, the Sea King was sigdalled by the Laurel, which had then recently left Liverpool, in charge of Captain Waddell, with arms and ammunition for the Confe derates. The work of transhipping the cargo of the Laurel to the Sea King at once commenced, and Captain Waddell assumed the command. Accord ing to the story of the Crown witnesses Captain Corbett was active and urgent in persuading his men to remain in the ship with her new captain and altered destination. He told them he had sold the vessel, and that the " gentleman in grey" would give them good wages and large bounty ; that they would have their chance of prize money, and would not have to fight unless they got into a corner. One of the witnesses also stated that a bucketful of sove reigns was carried into the cabin, and that some of the men had money given to them to induce them to join. It was further said that the captain had been especially careful to select a crew of single men, lest concern for wives and children should induce marine Benedicts to refuse to enter a risky and irregular service. But if Captain Corbett's object had been to enrol seamen for the Confederate service he must have been wofully disappointed. Only five of the entire crew would consent to remain in the Shenan doah, and for having incited these men so to remain Captain Corbett was indicted. The rest of the crew were landed at Teneriffe, many of them com plaining that they had been deceived, and threat ening all manner of proceedings against their com mander for their wages. It will be seen that even on its own showing the case for the Crown was a very weak one. The captain drove as good a bar gain as he could on behalf of his principals, and the purely business character of the transaction is shown by his having got £5,000 above the reserved price for his vessel. And then came the question of na tionality. Not until he had sold the ship was it pretended that he said a word to the men about serving in the Shenandoah ; and as the Foreign En listment Act is only operative on English soil or English deck, there was clearly no ground for con victing him on account of anything done after the Sea King had passed from English into American bands. But the case for the defendant did not rest here. There was no proof whatever that he knew who his customer was to be, or that he was not as completely in the dark as any of his men until he reached Madeira. The case had this further blot, adroitly hit by Mr. Edward James in his conclud ing address, that the nationality of the men enlisted was never proved, and that thus one essential ingre dient of the offence was wanting. The first witness for the Crown had been convicted of felony, and he attributed to the captain a conversation with Allen, the second witness, which Allen himself said took place with some of the American officers. The third witness told an uncorroborated tale about a bucket ful of sovereigns, and every man called on that side had been kept by the Crown for months on very liberal pay for doing nothing. They contradicted each other, and they were all contradicted by the evidence for the defence. The conversations, in ducements, and suggestions, said to have been used by the defendant, appeared to have been ;employed by Capt. Waddell and his officers. These gentle men, it was abundantly clear, had mentioned the rate of pay, and had made continual advances in their offers of bounty. They urged the men to enlist, and sketched the plan of operation, while the utmost that Captain Corbett did was to stand by and tell his men they were free to choose their own course. The crew, which was said to consist wholly of bachelors, contained seventeen or eighteen mar ried men. The captain promised his crew legal compensation for his breach of contract with them, and he even took the somewhat unnecessary pre caution of getting releases from the men who shipped on board the Shenandoah. For those who refused to join her—who, if the theory of the prosecution were correct, were resolutely frustrating his entire purpose in making the voyage—he provided a pas sage home, and his conduct in other respects was entirely inconsistent with the idea that he had com mitted a breach of the law. His case was supported by men comparatively strangers to him, by Ameri cans who had but just left the Shenandoah, and by others who had nothing whatever to gain by swear ing falsely, who had been at sea while the Crown witnesses were living at home on " subsistence money," and who had barely returned in time to give their evidence. The case was too clear for doubt and almost too transparent for argument. There were answers in law and answers in fact, either of which was fatal to the theory of the pro secution. After elaborate speeches on each side the Lord Chief Justice summed up, and the jury, after a few minutes conference in the box, returned a verdict of not guilty. Thus ends the latest, and, we trust, the last of what may be called the Con federate prosecutions. As Englishmen, we regret to observe that the readiness of the - Government to take up charges of this nature against any who looked like Culifeclenite ayinpubbieers Inereabed as the chances of success diminished, and rose as the fortunes of the nation which owned the sway of President Davis fell. The memory is not plea sant, but it is ineffaceable ; the reflection is not flattering, but it is unavoidable. When the his tory of the gallant but abortive struggle of the Southern States for freedom and nationality shall be written truth will compel the historian to record that we, as a nation, showed our sympathy only when success was probable ; that we were rigorously neutral when official recognition might have been of material assistance, and that when valour and wisdom, and skill and desperation had to succumb to overwhelming force, 'we were strong upon the stronger side. Nay, even after the war was over, the struggle ended, the North triumphant, and the South lay bleeding, crushed, and helpless at her feet—even then we hurried forward to do suit and service to the victor, by using an elaborate and costly legal engine in the vain endeavour to convict, in violation of law and in default of evidence, those whom we suspected of rendering material help to the vanquished at a time when such help was not altogether vain. It is true that we have been saved from the disgrace which a conviction obtained under such circumstances would have inflicted upon us ; but we owe our escape not to the firmness of our Ministers, but to the freedom of our institutions ; not to the sagacity of our Executive Government, but to the purity of judicial administration ; not to the caution with which the law has been set in motion by those in authority, but to the conscien tiousness with which that law has been applied by twelve honest men guarding in the jury-box the purity of English justice and the palladium of English liberty. THE " ANGLO-AMERICAN TIMES" ON THE FATE OF JEFFERSON DAVIS. -- The policy of mercy and conciliation adopted by President Johnson in his dealings with the States lately in rebel lion 'against the na ti ona l aut h or it y, an d t h e readiness with which he granted pardons to many of the prominent leaders of the rebellion, have led the public to e x p ec t th a t J e ff erson D av i s would either be discharged from custody without a trial, or if placed on his trial and found guilty that through the clemency of the Executive he would ultimately escape the penalty of his treason. The clamour for his immediate trial and execution which followed on his capture had long since died away, and the sober second thought of the Northern people had decided that there was no object to be gained by his punishment, that the dignity and power of the American Government was amply vin dicated, and that the Chief-traitor had already been sufficiently punished. One of the greatest virtues claimed for the lamented Lincoln was that he had never signed the death-warrant of any man, and that he had no sentiments but those of mercy and forgiveness for the rebels ; and it was urged that the policy which would have been adopted by Mr. Lincoln, had he lived, with reference to Davis, should be followed by his successor in the President's office. Since the trial and execution of Captain Wirz, however, an ominous change has taken place in the utterances of the American Press regarding Davis. We now find many of those journals which two or three months since deprecated all measures of harshness against the rebel leader again predicting his early trial and execution as a traitor. The Philadelphia Press, the editor of which is said to be in the confidence of President Johnson, commences an article published the morning after the execution of Captain Wirz with the ominous words, " AND NOW FOR JEFFERSON DAVIS !" The Chicago Tribune, the great Republican organ of Illinois, says that if Davis is pardoned " the law will be cheated—not vindicated." The New York Herald says :—" Wirz has been executed—Davis may, or may not, share the same fate !" and the newspapers generally throughout the Northern States are returning to the charge against Davis with an earnestness which is an augury of evil and not of good to the fallen rebel. Meanwhile the people of the Southern States are zealous in their endeavours to secure his pardon. The President is beset with beautiful ladies bearing petitions for his release ; the Con ventions and Legislatures of the South are praying for his pardon. The Georgia Convention recently addressed a memorial to Mr. Johnson, a paragraph of which'reads as follows : "Jefferson Davis was elected to his high position by our suffrages, and in response to our wishes. We imposed upon him a responsibility which he did not seek. Ori ginally opposed to the sectional policy to which public opinion, with irresistible power, finally drove him, he be came the exponent of our principles and the leader of our cause. He simply responded to the united voice of his section. If he then is guilty so are we. We were the prin cipals ; he was our agent. Let not the retribution of a mighty nation be visited upon his head, while we, who urged him to his destiny, aro suffered to escape. The liberal clemency of the Government has been extended over us ; we breathe the air ,and experience the blessings of freedom ; we thetefore ask that the leader, who , in response to the Democratic instincts of his nature, the principles of his party, and the solicitations of his section, became the head and front of our offending, shall not be bruised for our iniquities, or punished for our transgres sions." It has been insisted in some quarters that gr. Davis must certainly be tried, if only to settle the question of the right of secession, or to obtain from the Supreme Court an authoritative definition of the crime of treason. Nothing can be more absurd than this. The Constitution of the United States explicitly declares that " Treason shall consist in levying war against the United States, or in giving aid and comfort to its enemies," and it prescribes death as the punishment of the convicted traitor. That Jefferson Davis did levy war against the United States, and give aid and comfort to its elle' mies, are facts so notorious that it would be impos sible for any jury to ignore them. In the eye of the law, then, he deserves death. Was it not by 111 act that four hundred thousand of the best men 01 the Republic found their graves on the battle-field s of the South ? Was it not by his act that thirteen thousand Northern captives pined and died in that stockade at Andersonville ? Is it not by his act that a debt of three thousand millions of dollars I 5 pressing upon the American people to day ? An?' finally, is it not by his act that the whole country 1 $ in mourning—that thousands have lost their best be loved in the bloody war ? that ten thousand children ? are fatherless, and ten thousand wives widowed • And if he be responsible for all this, who shall stIY that his crime is not one which as richly merits death as that of any criminal who ever yet swung from the gibbet to satisfy the stern requirements o .f outraged law? And yet we trust that Jefferson Da' will be spared. He is no longer the leader of a rebellion. He has lived to see his armed legions who were to " die in the last ditch" before submit' ting to the Federal authority one after another suing for pardon to that power which they so long defied. He has lived to see " liberty proclaimed throughout all the land, and to all the inhabitant s thereof." He has lived to see the shackles of the slave broken, and a nation born again ! And he la only a poor, harmless prisoner, powerless for gond, or evil, the defeated representative of a defeate d cause—too contemptible for vengeance, too 1 11 ; significant for resentment ! Let the restored Republic, then, be spared the horror an d degradation of bringing this man to the scaffold. Let the work of peace, so auspiciously commenced, be carried on to its conclusion. This is not the time for the conquering Americans to sully their proud triumph by a single stain of blood. They are a noble, a generous, and a Christian, people, as were their fathers before them. The . l have done their work, and with the blood of their best citizens they have cemented the Union. Th e South fought gallantly for a bad cause ; it has lost, and now it knocks at the door of the Union for re admission, having accepted emancipation, and ask s only that its leade r s hall be spared the ignominy of a death on the gallows. The appeal is reasonable' nay, more, it is just. If Jefferson Davis—til i e representative of the So u th ern cause —i s consigned to a felon's death, then the Southern States of th e Republic, which shared his errors and his defeat , can never again fraternise with their Northern brethren. There may be submission to a power that cannot be resisted, but not peace such should dwell in a Republic, to make ts republicanism real. Jefferson Davis represent ° the Southern States when they departed from th, e Union—let him represent them in their return ; and the same broad shield of mercy and forgivene ss which has covered their errors should also ov er his. COUNTRY MARKETS 4, , - RIPON—FRIDAY. Tho neighbouring farmers brought a good supply of wheat and other grain to market to-day, and last week° prices maintained. LIVERPOOL.--FRIDAY. The market to-day was well attended, and wheat ad; vanced 2d per cental on all fine qualities. Flour advance d 6d per sack. Indian corn 6d per qr. higher. Beans 'an; altered ; oats in good demand ; oatmeal 6d to is per lo g° dearer. DERBY—FRIDAY. There was a tolerable show of wheat, for which raol money was made. Barley lower ; oats met a firm dema nd ' and beans made higher prices. Now white wheat, 50s to 55s ; old red, 50s to 53s per 3 6 stone. Barley for malting, 32s to 40s per qr. ; grinding' 27s to 30s per 30 stone. Oats, new, 2 1 s to 26s ; old, 28s t,.° 31s per 24 stone. Beans, old, 5 0 s to 525; new, 44s to 4°5 per 38 stone. WAKEFIELD.—FRIDAY Wheat trade firmer ; new in fair supply, and in many in stances is higher ; old fully as dear. Fine barley fetches full prices. Beans and oats steady. Averages, November 27—Wheat, 1,091 qrs, at 48s barley, 730, at 35s 8d ; oats, 53, at 26s Od. STAMP ORD.—FRIDAY. With a middling quantity of wheat the trade ruled fa i r a extreme rates for superior qualities, other sorts du' Barley at barely late rates. Oats and beans at remuners" tive rates. Old white wheat, 50s to 52s ; red do., 42s to 43s per 36 stone. Barley, malting, 32s to 36s • grinding, 27s to 3 ° per qr. Oats, new, 22s to 28s ; old, 25s to 27s per 21 stone? Beaus, 44s to 54s per 38 stone. Peas as of late. LINCOLN.—FRIDAY. About the usual supply of wheat ; trade fair and bes t sorts the turn higher ; inferior as before. Barley at r ather less money. Oats at full prices. Beans rather higher. 36 New white wheat, 51s to 56s ; new red, 42s to 48s pe r stone. Barley- for malting, 35s to 40s per qr ; grinding' `27s to 29s per 30 stone. Oats, 26s to 30s. Beans, 418 t° 51s per 38 stone. MONMOUTHSIIIRE-THURSDAY. There has been a good supply of wheat on offer at ill several markets of the county during the last few days, 1)11 ,: buyers showed a tardiness in making purchases, althouP holders submitted to a slight reduction. In foreign ther e was nothing doing. Barley 2s per qr. advance. Oats in favour of buyers. Beans and peas no alteration. The following are the average quotations :—Wheall 0 5. ! Od to 5s 4d per bushel ; barley, 3s 3d to 3s 8d ; oats , b" ld to 2s 7d. BRISTOL SUGAR.—FRIDAY. There has been only a small business doing this week either raves or refined. Prices remain unaltered. Emu 11 ' steady demand. Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS DUE. Australia and New Zealand, via Southampton D. 19. Ditto, via Marseilles Dec. 13. Brazil and Cape Verde. by British paoiket Dec. 4. Ditto, by French packet Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena Deo. 2 2 . China, _Penang, and Singapore. via Sou hampton Dec. 2. Ditto, via Marseilles Dec. 13• Falkland Islands Gibraltar, via Southampton , . India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton.— Dec. 2 Ditto, via Marseilles India (Bombay), via Southampton. Dtc. 1 2 * Ditto, via Marseilles .. . ...Dec.,..6 Mauritius, via Southampton Ditto, via Marseil ei ' Newfoundland Portugal __Dec 4. Ditto, by private ship to Lisbon.. . United States and British North America, by Bri tish packet Dec. 6 . _ _ _ Ditto, by United States packet, via Southamp ton Ditto, via Curk Ditto, by Canadian packet, via Londonderry.. Dec. l• West Coast of Africa. Madeira, and Teneriffe Dec. 11 ' West Indies and Pacific (except Bahamas, Cuba, and Mexico Cuba And Mexico Deo. 2 r Bahamas, via New York. Dee. Bermuda, ditto.... Dv,. 2°' THE CUNARD COMPANY.—In the course of an article 011 ocean steamers, the Times says:—" Americans will CO! to Europe now by tens of thousands yearly, and if the Cunard Company would build a score of Scotian theit would probably be filled. Then the voyage is short. 1 4 is a mere crossing, and the risk of delay and loss is nothing. We hope that this company will do justio their past reputation by still keeping themselves at tb d head of Transatlantic navi ga tio n , b u t to d o this they r° 11 " exert themselves, and not rest on their former successes' Births. CHICHESTER.—On the 29th ult., at Arlington w -- 114 Barnstaple, the wife of Sir Bruce Chichester, Bart. , (3 ' daughter. NORTH.—On the 28th ult., at 16, Arlington-stree t, th Hon. Mrs. North, of a daughter. ROSEHILL.—On tho Ist inst., the Lady Rosehill, of a sou' Marriages. . DAVIES—HUMFREY.-61 the 30th ult. at at Stoke A lban y; the Rev. W. H. Davies, youngest so . n ‘ o f the late the David Davies, M.D., K.C.H , to Lcetitia Blan che, youngest daughter of R. B. 'Humfre Esq., of St eP.- Albany House, Northamptonshire. t WILBERFORCE—LANGFORD. —Oll the 28th ult., Saint Paul's, Knightsbridge, Albert Basil Orme Wilberforo,o: Esq., to Caroline Charlotte Jane, eldest surviving dauge ter of Captain Netherton Langford, R.N. Deaths. BROMLEY.—On the 30th ult. at at The Marina, St.Leonara'Si on-Sea, Sir Richard Madox . Bromley, K.C.8., the Commissioners of Greenwich Hospital, aged 52. a... OURRAN.—On the Ist inst., at 10, Camden-grove, P e o h ham, Thomas Henry Curran, Esq. , late of Wralivor '7 aged 68. lioshe r- MINGAYE.—On the 30th ult., at Hyperion Lodge, A 81 . Kent, Admiral William James Mingaye, 3 g e- MouNE.—On the 28th ult., at his residence Church- Stoke Newington, Sparks Moline, aged 34. ' BUTHERFURD.—On the 29th ult., at 14, Albany--:trect' Edinburgh, John Rutherfurd, Writer to the Signe' late one London : Printed and Published by WIL .A.Nr".;" of No. 112, Strand, Muter, at Viz Sus thee,l-ac °.+,- of Strand, in the Precinct of the Sf.voy. In O" 31idd1ese2,—Saturday, December 2, ISO.