The Sun. — London, England, 1848-02-09 00:00:00

IMPE RIX L PA LI AM NT. (THIS DAY.) HOUSE OF COMMONS. The SrEAKER took the Chair to-day at Twelv e o'clock. Mr. BARCLAY took the oaths and his seat. NEW WRIT FOR DUBLIN. On the motion of Mr. HAMILTON, a new writ was ordered to issue for the University of Dublin, in the room of the Right Hon. Frederick Shaw, who since his election had accepted the office of steward of her Majesty's Chiltern Hundreds. JEWISH DISABILITIES. Mr. MUNTZ presented two petitions from Bir mingham in favour of the Bill for the removal of the Jewish disabilities. Mr. Sheriff CUBITT presented similar petitions from Andover. ROMAN CATHOLIC RELIEF BILL. Mr. C. ANSTEY presented petitions from the Roman Catholics of Leicester, Cowes, Penzance, Ox ford, and Bury, in favour of the above Bill. Mr. C. ANS FEY gave notice of his intention, in consequence of the counting out of the House last night, to renew his motion as an amendment upon the motion for going into Committee of Supply. THE BISHOP OF HEREFORD. Mr. URQUHART having, a few days since, pre sented a petition from Stafford, praying, the House to adopt some measure by which the dignity of Spiritual Peers would not be impaired, wished to know from the Right Hon. Baronet, the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it was the intention of her Majesty's Ministers to advise her Majesty to call the Bishop of Hereford to the house of Peers ? Sir GEORGE GREY said that by the provisions of the Bill creating the bishopric of Manchester the time had not yet arrived when the Bishop of Here ford would be called up to the House of Lords, that statute providing that the last consecrated bishop, with the exception of the Bishops of London, Win • cheater, and Durham, should not have a seat in the House of Lords. DROPPED NOTICES. The following notices were re-appointed for to morrow :—Select Committee, to consider of the best mode of providing additional room for works of art given to the public or purchased by means of Parlia mentary grants :—Lord John Russell, Sir Robert Peel, Mr. Hume, Viscount Morpeth, Mr. Goulburn, Mr. Baring Wall, Mr. Charteris, Earl of Lincoln, Sir Benjamin Hall, Viscount Granby, Mr. Parker, Mr. Wakley, Mr. Disraeli, Mr. Vernon Smith, and Mr. Bankes ; and the Jewish Disabilities Bill: — Adjourned debate on the second reading. DESTITUTE POOR (IRELAND). On the order of the day being read, Mr. P. SCROPE rose for the purpose of asking the Secretary for Ireland whether any and what legal proceedings had been taken against such boards of guardians or relieving officers as had reglected the duties imposed upon them by the Act 10 and 11 Vic., c. 31, of affording due relief to the destitute poor. The lion. Member considered the subject was one of very great importance, as in consequence of the great distress in Roscommon and the western parts of Ireland, it was absolutely necessary that the measures provided by the Government should be carried out without distinction. It appeared from several accounts that the utmost distress prevailed, the workhouses were crowded to repletion, the fever hospitals could not accommodate the whole of the patients, and the gaols were almost all of them un - able to contain the numbers sent to them. In one of the gaols in Galway, which was built to accommodate 150 persons, there were actually upwards of 900 persons contained within its walls. He did not ask the Government to relieve by any fresh measure this fearful state of things ; all that he required was that the Government should ace the measures which they had already provided effectually carried out. The people of Ireland were in most cases ignorant of the provisions of the law, and of the duties of the relieving officers under the Poor law Act passed in the last session. It was the intention of the Legislature that the measure passed last year should be a compulsory one, and that the property of Ireland should be compelled to support the poverty of the country. If it was not intended to be compulsory, what justification could there be for the Government discontinuing the system of relief which they had carried on for some time, by which 3,000,000 of persons, or about one-third of the whole population of the country were relieved ? The circular of the Poor-law Cornmissic.ners informed the boards of guardians that they were compelled to relieve the starving poor. The Lord-Lieutenant had himself stated that the poor had now a right not to starve. The Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, in opening the Limerick Special Commission, also took occasion to say that the measure passed last session took away all apology for crime, as the poor were now entitled to be relieved. What was the mode in which that law had been carried out ? For the union of Ballinagh, in the county of Mayo, it appeared that in September last 65,000 rations were daily distributed. 'What must have been the condition of the poor people of that union when those rations entirely ceased ? A rate of 13,863/. was declared necessary for the support of the poor, but only 8681. had been collected, and during four months among the defaulters was in cluded the names of some of the highest rank of the county of Mayo. The defaulters had been written to by the Commissioners, telling theta that the rates must be paid. The s y s t e m of eviction and clearance was in the mean time being can ied on to a most alarming extent. According to the evidence of Mr. Tuite, one of the Society of Friends, it appeared that upon . every land might be seen the agents driving the poor people from their miserable dwellings, pulling down the houses as soon as th ey l e f t, and then refusing the wretched people admittance into the workhouse, a right which was given them by the Act of last year. In one gentleman's estate, upwards of 1,000 persons had been evicted, and this gentleman was at that time a defaulter in his poor-rates to the amount of 481. Another portion of the barony of Ennis belonged to a gentleman named Bingham, who was down in the list as a defaulter for 119/. 3s. Bd. Now what was the condition of Mr. Bingham's tenants at the time ? Why it appeared from the " Blue Book" that many of them were in a state of absolute starvation, while others had died on their way to Ballinagh, where they were going to seek for relief or work. In this district there had been no such a thing as an outrage committed, and it was disgraceful to find such a state of things as this existing in it. Mr. HUME rose to order. The Hon. Gentleman, if he was not mistaken, had given notice simply of a question, and he put it to the good sense of the lion. Gentleman, whether it was fair to go into such a statement as this in the absence of any previous notice. Mr. SMITH O'BRIEN said the matters which the Hon. Gentleman was bringing under their conside ration were of ea urgent nature, and he hoped the Hon. Gentleman would not allow himself to be persuaded to delay his statement till a future day. Sir GEORGE GREY did not wish the House to imagine that Government were not prepared to answer the statements of the Hon. Gentleman, but he put it to the lion. Gentleman whether, considering that several Hon. Gentlemen had given notice of substantive motions upon this subject, it would not be better to postpone his statement till one of those motions came before the House. Besides, an im portant question had been fixed for discussion to- day, and it would be inconvenient to many Hon. Members if it were not gone into at once. Mr. AGLIONBY must also join his entreaties to those of the Right Hon. the Secretary of State to the Hon. Member, not to allow his statement to delay the discussion on the New Zealand Bill, as many 110 0. Members had come down to the House fully prepared to go into that question. lir. P. SCROPE said, having gone so far into his statement, which was one of great importance to the country, he h ope d t h e H ouse wou ld a ll ow hi m s h o rtly to complete it, and he would promise to detain the House but f or a very few minutes longer.—(Hear, hear.) Th ere was one other union to which he must be allowed to refer. It was the Cavan union, which had a valuation of 150,000/., and yet, during the last few trying months the rate collected did not amount to more than 11d. in the pound. The distress in the district_ w as most appa lli ng, an d many deaths from starvation had occurred, and yet many of the landed proprietors had made default in paying the rates. But he had to complain more of the con duct of the board of guardians than of the rate-payers, for they had allowed many poor creatures to die of starvation by their neglect of duty. In one case the child of a poor woman died of starvation, and upon a . _oroner' s Jury return i ng a verdict to that effect, the Poor-lavv. Commissioners commanded the board of guardians to inquire into the case. The board, how• ever, neglected to do so, and in less than a month afterwards the woman herself died of starvation, and what he wanted to know was, whether the law they had recently passed was to be carried out in this negligent manner ? Had such cases as these oc curred in this country, the overseer would have been liable to severe punish men t as a criminal offender, and he wished to ask the Go vernmen t w h ether the same law !prevailed in Ireland or not ?—(Hear, hear.) Why did they not make allowances for the poor, with whom the prisons of Ireland were now filled, for crimes which poverty and distress had urged and led theta on to commit? And he would ask why mea sures had not been taken against the board of guardians and relieving officers for the neglect of the duties imposed upon them by the Act of Parliament for the relief of the poor, the w ant o f which relief, he had prove d , so many had died within the last few months, and were now dyi ng ? Sir W. SOMERVILLE, in reply to the llon. iAle_mber, .said the Government we r e re so l v ed t o ‘ VgiV e nothlng undone to enforce the payment of the THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 9, poor-rates, and that : they had already taken effective measures for that purpose. They had divided the unions which were too large, and ap pointed separate inspectors for each division, and separate workhouses, and they had no &mitt that those proceedings upon the part of the Government would tend to a better state of things in Ireland ; and moq likely the reports which he should next lay on the table would show that the poor-law system worked more satisfactorily. (LEFT SITTING.) DESTITUTION in the METROPOLIS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Stit,—The severe destitution and squalid misery chat every day meet the eye in our passages through the metropolis - , which for its wealth and benevolent in stitutions ranks highest among nations, is sufficimit to make the heart of every humane individual heave a sigh, and ask themselves how can these things be ? In my peregrinations through this city of cities, I have frequent opportunities afforded me for observa tion, and recently I have occupied a portion of my time in visiting the abodes of my wretched and much neglected fellow-creatures. To properly ascertain the extent of destitution now existing, a visit to the soup kitchens lately opened in various parts of the metropolis for the famishing thousands will fully and fearfully - convey the fact that there are vast numbers dying from starvation. Among the soup kitchens worthy of comment is one (the first that gratuitously opened its doors to the poor) situate in Ham•yard, Windmill-street, where daily may be seen from 700 to 800 miserable beings huddled together for warmth, waiting for the distribution of soup and bread, which is given through the medium of tickets. The applicants vho daily assemble are so numerous that many, very Many, who have remained for hours amid the pitiless; storm, in the greatest despair, to be re lieved, haye4eeri a compelled to leave foodless, home less, tOw_ancter Whither we know not. Oh, Sir, were you to C - Ondeieend to look upon this spot any day (save Sunday, and where are they on the Sabbath ?) between the hours of three and four, rem , I feel your heart would sicken at the sight, and, like my self; you would exclaim how can these things be ? Women •with infants at their breasts, bowed down with the clOpt , st•despair—emaciated and forlorn, with scarcely stifieient apparel to cover their attenuated frames--wtiting with anxiety to be relieved, and whose 'sle - rider forms are hustled to and fro by others of a little stronger order, who are also eager, as if between life and death, to reach the doors of the soup kitchen. So great is the pressure on the Coors that barriers of great strength have been erected, and the attendance of the Metropolitan Police has been deemed necessary to quell the excitement arising out of a starving multitude. The benevolence of those who have originated this relief for their poorer brethren, and poor they are, nearly unto death, reflects the highest credit, and I do hope, Sir, there will be no relaxation on the part of the affluent in affording support to such charities. The Press, which has ever proved a po.verful instrument in the cause of the poor, has never been found wanting in its energies for the poor man's cause; and now we have our streets crowded by the forlorn and destitute, and who are wandering in a state of starvation, let me hope you will on this occasion devote a space in your valuable paper on behalf of the distressed. The widows will not fail to offer up their prayers of gratitude for your aid, nor will the lisping orphan be behindhand in calling a blessing upon you from Him " who is the Father of the fatherless." Many kind-hearted and Christian individuals are using their best efforts to establish soup kitchens in various parts of the metropolis. Upon my visit to the : - oup kitchen alluded to sonic few days since, I was much pleased to find M. Sayer, of the Reform Club, devoting his time in preparing the soup for the poor, aided by another indefatigable person who takes an interest, almost to the sacrifice of his health, in softening down the pangs of the wretched recipients. The gratitude emanating from these poor and dejected beings is great indeed, and they leave the place with their sunken faces illumined with joy, where only a short time before despair sat with fearful forebodings. Among the subscribers to this soup kitchen is H. R. H. Prince Albert, who has generously subscribed the sum of 201. for the benefit of the poor. When we find subscriptions emanating from this quarter it is pleasing to the mind to know that the poor are felt for, and that their pinings have met with royal com passion. I sincerely trust, Sir, this donation will be followed by others, in order that there shall be no complaining in our streets, no more deaths by star vation! Pardon me, Sir, for enlarging so much on the subject. I feel satisfied you will not hesitate to do your part in endeavouring to arouse the lethargic feelings of some who can well afford to con tribute towards the poor, and the insertion of these few words may (and I have no reason to doubt it) be the means of awakening the dormant state into which humanity has fallen, and bring forth that aid to the suffering thousands who are daily famishing before our eyes. Should you doubt the truth of any sentence herein stated, which I should hope you will not, a visit to the soup kitchen will fully verify all I have written, and apologising for the length to which I have gone, beg to remain, Sir, Your most obedient servant, JOHN GRIFFIN. London-road, Southwark. P.S. I have partaken of the soup and the bread with a view of testing its quality, and can consei,,n tiously state that it is composed of the best materials. Cleanliness and good order is strictly observed, and a visit to this kitchen will at once prove that there are men "who have hearts that can feel for others' woes:, MONEY-MARKET.—The premium on gold at Paris is 1.21 per mine, which, at the English Mint price of 31. 17s. 10ial. per ounce for standard gold, gives an ex change of 25.46 ; and the exchange at Paris on London at short being 25.571, it follows that gold is 0.45 per cent. dearer in London than in Paris. By advices from llamburgh the price of gold is 434- per mark, which, at the English Mint price of 3/. 17s. 101 d. per ounce fot standard gohl, gives an exchange of 13.91 ; and the exchange at Hamburgh on London at short being 13.121, it follows that gold is 1.14 per cent. dearer in London than in Hamburgh. The last quotations at St. Petersburgh of the exchange on London was 37 7.16 pence sterling per rouble, at three months' date. Ac cording to the usual calculation, that 60 59.100 gold imperials are equal in value to one hundred sovereigns, the transmission of gold establishes an exchange of 31 45-100 pence per silver rouble, and the gross profit at present from importing gold from Russia is about 21 per cent. To this must be added the interest arising from the bills at St. Petersburgh on London being drawn at three months' date; and, on the ether hand, the charges of transport will have to be deducted. MEETING OF THE UNION BANK or LIVERPOOL. —Yesterday (Monday) the thirteenth general annual meeting of the shareholders of the Union Bank was held at the Clarendon-rooms, for the purpose of receiving the directors' report. There was a very numerous attend ance of proprietors. Edgar Garston, Esq , occupied the chair. Mr. Lister, the r, read the report, which stated that the directors, at their last meeting; had ex pressed a hope to have an increase in the surplus fund from year to year, but the calamities in which the coin• mercial world had been involved had caused them, in stead of adding to the surplus fund, to take from it that year 20,0001. The paid-up capital was 300,0001, the number of shareholders, 269. On the 31st December, 1846, the reserved surplus was 50,000/. to which add the net profit for the year 1847, 42,277/. 13s. 2d.; total, 92,277/. 13s. 2d.; from which deduct two half-yearly dividends of four per cent. each, 22,3761„ and income tax paid by bank, 833/. 4s. Id.; total, 23,209/. 4s. ld., which deducted, left 69,068/. 9s. Id. Carried to the contingent fund, as a provision for bad and doubtful debts, 19,0681. 9s. id., and for the present reserved sur plus fund, 20,0001.; total, 39,068/ 9s. ld., which de ducted, leaves the present reserved surplus fund 30,000/. The directors recommend that the rate of interest in future be reduced from 8 to 6 per cent. per annum till the surplus fund should amount to 60,000/. The report was adopted, and resolutions in accordance with the suggestions of the board unanimously agreed to.— Liverpool .Mercury. THE CON VICT ESTABLISHMENT AT WOOLWICH. — ALL Fort LovE!—A day or two since a convict, belong ing to the Justitia convict hulk at Woolwich, named Warren, who had been removed from Milbank Peniten tiary about a fortnight since, attempted to perform a feat which bears some analogy to that of Leander, of classic memory, on the Hellespont. A munber of female convicts had been brought down from Millbank Prison, for removal on board the Eliza and Henry, a hired trans port ship, lying off the Royal Arsenal, and amongst them was a female with whom Warren had formerly cohabited. The prospect of thirteen thousand miles between him and his " Hero" was too much for the poor fellow, and, after one or two longing, lingerin g looks at the vessel, he sprang from th e d ec k o f th e Justitia, a height of between thirty and forty feet, and plunged into the stream. From his powers as a swimmer there is no doubt he would have reached the Eliza and Henry; but a boat, rowed by another convict, named Fletcher, pursued him, and he was brought back to the hulk, to endure a separation which must last ten or seven years, the period for which his ' ladye love" and himself are respectively sentenced. On Monday morning a savage attack was, made on a guard of the Juititia, named Daniel Fraser, by a half-witted convict, named Joseph Craig. The cause of the outrage has not transpired, but the guard was struck and knocked down by the prisoner, who afterwards kicked and jumped upon him, and had it not been for the assistance of some prisoners standing by the consequences might have proved serious. A convict, named William Wrenshaw, who was placed in solitary conlinerre nt for en assault on Quartermaster Knowles, attempted to commit suicide on Sunday by strangulation. lie had tied one end of his handkerchief to his arm and the other end round his throat, and it was with some difficulty that Mr. Blyth, the assiatant surgeon, succeeded in restoring animation. JEDBURGII. One day last week, as some boys were amusing themselves on the ice at a place well known as the Goose Pool, one of them happened to go down, and on getting on foot again, all wet and dripping, was surprised to observe a splendid salmon jump up through the hole thus made, on to the ice. The fish was immediately captured by the boy, and carried home alive, proving, no doubt, a s o l e ti um to hi m f or th e d uc ki ng h e had received,--Kelso Chronicle. LIBRARIES FOR THE PEOPLE. BURNS' SELECT LIBRARY. Chronicles by Sir John Froissart. 2 Vols. BOHN'S STANDARD LIBRARY. History of the Popes. By Leopold Ranks. BENTLEY'S STANDARD NOVELS. The In provisatore. By lions C. Andersen. COLBURINPS STANDARD NOVELS. Emilia - Wyndham. By the Author of " Mount Sorel,"bi"c. KNIGHT'S MONTHLY VOLUME. The Book of Table Talk. By several Con tributors. MURRAY'S HOME AND COLONIAL LI BRARY. Adventures in Mexico. 2 Parts. A brilliant evidence of the spread of knowledge and of the substantial progress of civilization is af forded by the enterprise upon which some of our most distinguished publishers have adventured. Instead of exclusively devoting their energies to the production of works of a costly character — with paper of the thickness of vellum and the smooth ness of satin, bound in morocco and emblazoned with arabesques—they appear to be emulating each other by issuing volumes of very considerable intrinsic value, and yet of extraordinary cheapness. With all this emulation, moreover, the books thus published are of a sound and wholesome kind as regards morality, and of some note in the higher walks of literature. They tend in a great measure to compensate society for those brutalizing and pernicious effusions w hich may be termed the spawn of literary depravity—fic tions of an imbecility worthy of Catnach, of a vul garity not unsuited to Whitechapel, and of a licentious ness as gross as the most lascivious passages of Charles Paul de Kock. Of such productions there are, un happily, but too many ; they are written for many guineas and sold for a few pence; they are heaped up in the windows of the lower order of booksellers ; they are disfigured by the coarsest wood-cuts, are circulated in the form of weekly serials, and are, we doubt not, if the truth were known, most frequently to be met with in the beershop and the brothel. Against these disgusting and (morally speaking) poisonous periodicals vigorous efforts have, of late years, been made by more than one eminent and po pular publisher. If we are not wonderfully mistaken, the very first individual who made this attempt systematically was Charles Knight-,a man who has since acquired for himself an elevated position in our national literature, by becoming the biographer and one of the most discriminating commentators of Shakspere. Immediately after Mr. Knight came the two brothers William and Robert Chambers, of Edinburgh. To those three publishers, and to the memorable " Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge"—a society originated, inaugurated, and conducted throughout by Lord Brougham—the gra titude of the people of England is in a very great measure due. They have effected more than State allowances for education (God knows !) in purify ing the taste and enlarging the minds of the humble classes. Their compositions have done immeasurably more in the way of imparting instruction and diffus ing information than all the schoolmasters of all the normal schools of the United Kingdom. Their penny magazines, and penny tracts, and three-half penny journals, and sixpenny treatises, have proved of far more practical benefit to the community than quires of evangelical pamphlets and cartloads of orthodox homilies. They have revealed to the un educated—God through Neture, and Religion through Philosophy. Since the groundwork of improvement was established by these singularly cheap periodicals, a higher class of writing has been brought out in the shape of a succession of complete volumes. The effort has spread from Edinburgh and Ludgate hill to New Burlington street, to Great Marlborough street, to Portman-street, to York-street, and to Albemarle-street. Mr. Bentley, Mr. Colburn, Mr. Burns, Mr. Bohn, and Mr. Murray, have prospered in the same field in which Mr. Knight and the Messrs. Chambers had already met with such remarkable successes. To " Boma' Select Library" a new addition has j ust been made by a reprint of " The Chronicles of England, France, and Spain," by Sir John Frois sart. This edition is a condensation into two volumes of the renowned original, but, although the present copy is a curtailment, it is so abbreviated as in no respect whatever to mar the beauty, the grace, or the eloquence, of the descriptions. The narrative is rather pruned of redundancy than dwarfed into deformity. Appropriate embellishments are given to the heroic chronicles, and the frontispieces are in a manner miniature cartoons. Of itself; this single work, in its present form, must have been regarded as a boon to the multitude, enabling the middle classes to familia rise themselves with a very celebrated and splendid composition, at a very moderate outlay—but it must be remembered that the production is only one out of a voluminous series. As an extension of that series it is doubly welcome. In the new edition of the important " History of the Popes," by Leopold Bank° (translated by E.Foster),we have a fresh instalment of " Bohn's Standard Library." Already we have repeatedly had occasion to commend the selection of the prose and poetical works which has characterised this publication from its very com mencement. In reviewing it from time to time, we have spoken of the philosophic lectures of Schlegel, the rhetorical writings of Robert Hall, the biographies of Roscoe, the dramas of Schiller, the memoirs of Cellini, the revolutionary chapters of Lamaiaine, the political treatises of Machiavelli, &c., Seca we have now to mention the issue of one of the most noted histo rical labours of modern times, the record of the deeds, the policy, and the vicissitudes which have marked the eras of the Pontificate. It were needless to enter at this moment upon any criti cal examination of the work of ,Leopold Ranke; the demerits of his luminous pages have been noticed repeatedly by some of the most enlightened critics of the age (and, among others, by Mr. Macaulay) ; it is therefore only necessary to observe that the most scrupulous attention has been paid to its arrangements and typography, in this novel and elegant scheme of republication. The most celebrated fiction hitherto penned by a remarkable and gifted man—the Danish poet, Hans Christian Andersen—we mean, of course, in so speaking, his "Improvisatore," is printed as the new volume of " Bentley's Standard Novels." It is a book which materially adds to the value of the series, seeing that it is one which has acquired more fame for its authof than any single one of his other productions. To the generality it is not probably as bewitching as his beauti ful " Picture Book without Pictures," or as melo dious as his songs and poetical fragments, or as fascinating as his fantastic fancy of " The Shoes of Fortune," or his other inimitable stories for chil dren. To cultivated minds, however, " The Impro visatore" is immeasurably more acceptable than the previous compositions of Andersen—conveying to us, as it does so freshlyand deliciously his impressions of the people and scenery of Italy ; and revealing, as it does, the richness, the strength, the enthusiasm, the gentleness, and the purity of his odd, but admirable genius. Another novel of singular ability, but of a more recent and less noted writer, "Emilia Wynd ham," is the last volume published of " Colburn's Standard Novels," a library of equal merit to the one just mentioned, and composed of very different materials. The reprint extends to upwards of five hundred goodly pages, and is interesting as one of the most popular tales yet issued by one of the most popular of our anonymous novelists. Mr. Charles Cox, the publisher, has for a considerable time past continued the " Monthly Volumes" originally brought out by Mr. Charles Knight, and the example of his predecessor appears to have excited him to a very laudable emulation. In his hands the periodical has been in no respect de teriorated either in merit or variety. The last num ber (XXVI.) is among the most entertaining yet submitted to our attention, being a delightful " Book of Table Talk," by several con tributors, a book of such eccentric and diversified contents, as to remind us, especially, of the famous " Year Book" of William Hone. Many of the papers in it are illustrated with wood cuts, end two of them are indiscribably facetious — the French cook, and the French postillion. Know ing the miseries to which the unfortunate Mexicans are at this moment subjected in consequence of the unprincipled aggression of their neighbours, we can not but regard as well timed the new numbers (LII. and LIII.) of " Murray's Home and Colonial Library." They consist of " Adventures in Mexico and the Rocky Mountains," by George F. Buxton, penned in a lively and gossipping strain, and coloured by a vivid accuracy. They will convey to all observers in this country an excellent idea of the social peculiarities and geographical characteristics of that splendid but ill-doomed republic. Among the many sketches of an attractive character must be especially mentioned the picture afforded by the writer of the famous ex-President Santa Anna. " Don Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna," he says, "is a hale-looking man, between fifty and sixty, with on 01d Bailey countenance and a well bailt leg." His Senora is described as "a pretty girl of seventeen." Mr. Buxton is manifestly no admirer of Santa Anna, and accordingly retails with extreme gusto all the old slanders of his bf d troa r e b nino a lh u ,le c ur h ni eries and peculations. His affection for de egse, abandoningbeh i i s t t observed,hebi voluptuouse dy aed have e n his isseo of prevented ffetrhteuinieasy a n into the perils of a: murderous - warfare ; and, as to his avarice and addiction to peculations, it can never be forgotten that he has pawned his enormous and magnificent possessions (estates extending over very many miles, and covered with vast herds of cattle) to meet the exigencies of the republican ex chequer. With all his faults and vices, history will declare of the ex President that he was remarkable fur his heroic bravery and for his glorious devotion as a patriot. His last resolution—War to the knife— is a sufficient token that his bravery has not diminished and that his patriotism has not decayed. Such are the class of periodicals which are now produced for the advantage of the community, at a comparatively insignificant cost, and of a class calculated to afford both instruction and amassment. LITERATURE. LETTERS OF MADAME LA DUCLIESSE PRASLI.N. 1 Vol. Exquisite as the correspondence of the unfortunate Duchesse de Choiseul-Praslin is in itself —breathing as it does the pure passion of a gentle, gifted, and right womanly heart—we cannot but think that it is loy no means calculated for being the vehicle for afford ing instruction in the French language to children. Not that the letters themselves are in any respect in differently written, for they are composed in the truest idiom of the French tongue ; not that they contain other than noble and exalted sentiments, sen timents such as any parent would rejoice to have inculcated into the dispositions of his offspring; but the whole correspondence is associated with the recol lection of a hideous and diabolical crime. The book smells of blood. Every page is reeking with the breath of the assassin. E a ch sentence is tainted with the after act of a devilish and brutal murder. We can scarcely open the volume without a shudder; and the likeness of the wretched and saintlike victim, looking so calmly in the frontispiece, brings back to remembrance that awful morning which dawned so frightfully over Paris. The original idea of this compilation was a mistake ; the manner in which the letters have been grouped together, and the explanatory notes arranged, is creditable to the skilful and practised hand of M. Fenwick de Porquet. Of the murdered Duchess, the editor truthfully remarks—" a toutes les virtus d'une excellente mere de famille, son excellent cceur joignait une, charite toujours active et une bien faisance innepuisable." As the effusion of such a na ture these memorable letters must be received. CLAIMS OF 7 7 11 E CHURCH OF ROME. By the Author of '• Proposals for Christian Union." Although the age of fierce and rancorous polemics has not yet terminated, the pre , ,ent clay is remarkable for the prevalence of more genial and beneficent ideas upon religion than the times of our forefathers. As a fresh evidence of this improved spirit we welcome the little volume before us, in which "The Claims of the Church of Rome" are considered, with a view to unity—and this, be it remarked, by one who is manifestly no Papist. The writer was already favourably known by his " Proporals - for Christian Union," and here in his second advocacy of the esta blishment of conccrd and true brotherhood among Christians, he develops still more widely and vividly the particular character of his aspirations. Quoting from the preface to "Eustaze's Classical Tour," the writer takes this sentence as his motto—"Reconcilia- tion and union are the objects of his warmest wishes, of his most fervent prayers; they occupy his thoughts, they employ his pen ; and if a stone shall happen to m trk the spot where his remains are to repose, that stone shall speak of peace and reconciliation." Who will not join in these desires and sympathise in this solicitude ? A HANDBOOK OF ANGLING. By Ephemera. Here we have a substantial volume, goodly in bulk and precise in explanation, inducting one into all the pleasant mysteries of fly-fishing, trolling, bottom fishing, and salmon-fishing, giving one the natural history of river fish, and more than hinting to us " the best modes of catching them." To show that the author is no tyro in the gentle craft, but on the contrary a rare proficient, it is only necessary to say that he is "Ephemera" of Bell's Life in London. That is surely enough ; it is the reader's guarantee, and the writer's diploma—proving him to be as com petent an authority anent the science of angling as ever was Izaak Walton or Charles Cotton. The book is a ♦ery encyclopmdia of information about inland fisheries and inland fishermen. It assures us in 363 pages that Ephemera) was born when: the sun was in Pisces ; and, if he be as good an angler in practice as he is in theory, we should like uncommonly to breakfast with him some fine morning when the trout are more than usually disposed to nibble. THE LAST DAYS OF O'CONNELL. A Series of Papers written or edited by William Bernard Illaccae. In this remarkable volume Mr. Maccabe bas pro duced for posterity a record of the last moments and the funeral obsequies of the greatest man of Ireland, and one of the most extraordinary men of modern times. In its way the work is altogether invaluable. The materials of which it is compo , ed have already risen from the ephemeral interest of news of the mo ment into the dignity of history. Besides giving us a complete narrative of the death of the illustrious and immortal Liberator, the compiler has enhanced the book by incorporating with its contents the fune ral eloquence of Miley and Ventura. On the volume reaching another edition, he will, of course, add to these the forthcoming oration of Lacordaire. The work is an enthralling memento of the statesman, the ()rater, the champion, the patriot, and the Liberator, O'Connell. TO THE SECRETARY OF THE BRADFORD REFORM ASSOCIATION. Sir,—On Thursday Lord George Bentinck moved for a Select Committee to inquire into the condition and prospects of the sugar and coffee-planting inte rests; which, after being talked upon for two nights, was passed without opposition or division in a thin House at two in the morning. Of course what is to be gathered is incidental rather than direct. One of the earliest effects was to pro • duce from the Chancellor of the Exchequer a decla ration that the Government intended to make no alteration in the sugar duties. It is amusing to see how parties can change their tactics with their interests. There was Lord George 13entinck for the Nest Indian coal be judged at a di s t ance , was a fac simile of the s'holding out what so far as broadside which in 179 3 used to be displayed in some part of the house in all reli gious families, representing negroes packed together in the hold of a slave-ship. The West Indians abhor the slave trade, as landlords do monopoly. On Friday Mr. Disraeli contributed one of those speeches,. which forty years ago would have made him a rising young man, but have so little effect on the politi ca l mac hi ne i n th e pre sent generation. Il e pronounce d th e pr i nc i p l e o f buying in the cheapest market to be that of retail traders only. Upon which lam moved to inquire, whether you have any traders of so elevated an order in Bradford, as to be di s po se d to admit the new com mercial principle. Ile wound up by calling Alanchester " the capital of commercial fallacy," as being dark upon the truth as it is known in Buckinghamshire; and sat down under cover of a fire of Latin, apparently directel to conjuring the Member for th e W est Ridi ng i nto t h e R e d S ea, b u t which might hav e b een ta k en f rom th e P ropr i a quay maribus, for any effect it produced upon the obdurate Member or t h e H ouse. S o cer t a i n it i s that the springs of power have changed. A more important question than whether sugar shall be dear or cheap, is, what is to be the conduct of the anti -slavery party. It is strongly to be feared, that if it had been left to us, w e s h ou ld never h ave d on e what ou r fathers did. The tide at present is setting towards the exploitat i on, as the French would call it, of the less powerful races of mankind ; and a pettifogging poli tical economyis prompting i nn umerable Mr. Inkles to look at I arico with an eye to her marketable qua litice. Our young republicans are most of them pro slavery at heart; to pull down what is above them, and trample on what is below, being their potion of the duties of a citizen. Yet the moment is not one for discouragement but for activity. It is not impos sible that this quarrel may be what is to find occupa tion for the next half-do zen generat i ons, an d th a t slave-driver and anti-slave-dri ver are th e t wo cas t es into which the world is goin g t o reso l ve i tse lf . Th e old struggle for politi▪ cal freedom in Europe is nearly burned out, and seems very likely to go through the remainder of the p rocess without ever breaking again into a general blaze. Of co urse the watcher is a speckled bird, who with his eyes about him presum,s to see farther than his neighbours with their heads under their wings. The time cannot be far when even statesmen will see danger in the strides making by the great liberticide power on the other s i de of the Atlantic. Lord George Bentin• ck urged Ministers on Friday to seize on Cuba; who promptly protested posed lar against being Hseu p.capable of such an jocu Americanism. ly alluded also, to what is no joke, the threat . of one of . the generals of the slave breeding republic, that " it shall not be long before Uncle Sam throws . his . hat over Canada." The Americans are open in their, announcement that they mean soon to seize upon . Cuba, which they will getting at tempt, doubtless, by a portion of the Cuba slave-owners to o declare for liberal institutions." Might it not occu r to anti-slavery leaders in England, if they do not utterly eschew all human policy, that one way to bar this consummation would be to prompt the Spaniards to loose their negroes from their bondage, and t o o b ta i n the assist ance of the English Gov?crnmrent in gi v i ng a lib era l support to such a pl an _o t. more strange than that Cuba has eight h undred miles of railroad,is the information that it is !sot long since the Spaniards were actually attempting the introduction of free labour lot Cuba. flobody knows w h a t ma y b e done for either good or evil till he tries; but sitting with the mouth opens to sea _what the wi n d w ill bl ow into it, was never th e method by which blessings were dispensed to man. The military rule is never to waste time in think ing on what ought t) be done but cannot. The anti slavery part y have not the smallest chance of pre venting the equalizat!en of the sugar duties. Like thousands more, I w ould willingly pay the extra penny to keep out slave-grown sugar. But since we cannot, why should not we try what can b e ob tained on the other si de of the subject, from a Govern tl.ent which is as well-disposed as it is stro ng ? .1 a m, Sir, your obedient servant, T. rERRONET THOMPSON. Blackheath, London, 8 Feb, 1848. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PLYMOUTH, FEB. 5. Her Majesty's frigate Meander, 44, Captain the Hon. 11. Keppel, which left Spithead on Tuesday, bound to the Cape and Labuan, put in here yesterday morning, having on board Mr. Brooke, the Raja of Sarawak ; Mr. Na pier, the Lieutenant-Governor of Labuan ; Mrs. Napier and family; and Lieutenant Hosken, R.N. I lis Excellency Governor Brooke is suffering from the effects of a severe coll. The weather was bois terous all yesterday and the early part of to-day, and none of the passengers have come on shore. Captain Keppel landed at the Devonport Dockyard this morn ing, and visited the naval authorities. To make good defects the frigate has been supplied with head gratings, a bumpkin brace, and some squares of glass carried away and broken in the Channel; she has also been furnished with one of Errickson's sounding machines, two boat's compasses, and two boat's fire hearths. Mr. James Walker, the Admiralty engineer, ar rived here from London last evening on an official visit to inspect the works at the Breakwater. We have the painful duty to record the sudden death of Mrs. Alicia Oldfield, the lady of Colonel Oldfield, Aide-de-Camp to her Majesty, and Commanding Officer of Royal Engineers, residing in Plymouth citadel. Mrs. Oldfield, who was 56 years of age, retired to rest about ten o'clock last evening, and her bell not being rung as usual this morning, Colonel Oldfield entered the apartment and discovered that she had expired during the night. The coroner for the borough, Mr. John Edmonds, held an inquest this evening at the Guildhall, when a jury, formed of several military officers and some civilians, after a short inquiry, pronounced, by their foreman, Major- General the Hon. Henry Murray, a verdict of " Found dead in bed, and died by the visitation of God." PORTSMOUTIT, TUESDAY.—The Rolla, 10, exercise vessel for the seamen apprentices at this port, has had her bottom re coppered, and was taken out of dock this morning. The Sealark, 8, Commander Monypenny, sailed yesterday afternoon for Plymouth, where she will receive advance wages and final orders. The engines of the Sharpshooter will be completed repairing or refitting this week ; she will be taken out for trial next week. She is completely rigged and fitted for sea excepting some parts of her armament fittings, µ hich are not yet completed by the ordnance. She will he commissioned at the end of this month for Afediterranean service. The Champion, 14, Commander Hayes, hoisted the pendant yesterday in the basin, and is entering some fine men fast. She was docked to-day to have Muntz's metal sheathing (which has been applied to her bottom in lieu of copper) examined. She will be undocked to-morrow, and the Powerful, 84, Captain the Hon. R. S. Dundas, will be taken in to be re coppered. The following is a copy of a general order just propagated by the Admiral-Superintendent of Ports mouth Dockyard, having for its object the enlighten ment of the Admiralty functionaries upon the matter therein enjoined of the several officers of dockyards to report upon : " GENERAL ORDER. " Portmouth Dockyard, Feb., 1848. " The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty have not considered the last quarterly reports from this yard to be of a satisfactory description ; and it is their Lordships' direction, that the reports of the foremen upon the officers, with the remarks of the master shipwright attached to them,' shall be accom panied by a confidential report min him of the working of the new system, with such such sugges tions as time and experience may point out. " The foremen, inspectors, and leading men, are hereby enjoined to pay strict attention to the system of weekly and monthly returns'—they are not to be mere matters of form, but are to be accompanied by remarks more or less copious, as may be requisite. Upon this head, I particularly direct attention to the concluding paragraph of their Lordships' circular of the 27th of February, 1847, page .5. " Weekly reports from leading men to inspectors — from inspectors to foremen once a fortnight—monthly reports from foremen to master shipwright. " The reports of foremen on officers will be trans mitted to their Lordships with the master shipwright's observations, and with such as .1 may think fit to make. _ " Finally—lt is my duty to impress upon all fora men, inspectors, and leading men, that a strict atten tion to their Lordships' circular before mentioned, is invariably to be paid, and that their own advancement in the service is entirely and exclusively dependent upon themselves. " This order is printed for the more perfect infor mation of all the officers concerned, to each of whom a copy will be supplied. " H. PRESCOTT, Admiral Superintendent." WoorAvlcri, FEB. 7.—Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Adam, K.C.B. Governor, and Rear-Admiral Sir James Alexander Gordon, K.C.8., Lieutenant-Go• vernor of Greenwich Hospital, visited Woolwich Dockyard to-day to witness the operation of the new sawing machines for cutting the frame timbers, and and for cutting crooked logs of wood, without cross ing the grain in the least degree. The gallant Ad mirals were, in the absence of Commodore Sir Gor don Bremer, received by Mr. Elson, Master-At tendant ; Mr. Lang, Master-Shipwright; Mr. Chat field, Assistant to the Master-Shipwright ; and Mr. Atherton, Chief Engineer. On enterin, , tle saw mills the saws for cutting the wood and giving it the necessary bevelled form at one operation were set going, and from the ease with which the difficult forms required of the wood were made perfectly true for their various purposes gave great satisfaction, and the details by which the objects in view are attained were explained by Mr. Cochrane, the inventor. A large crooked log of timber was then cut with the grain, and on the planks being separated, the advantage of the the invention was evident, as the most shapeless logs may now be cut with very little waste. _ _ The Caradoc iron steamer was taken into dock this afternoon. r 11.0 MOTIONS. ADMTRALTY, FEB. 7.—W. B. Feyen, to be surgeon of the Espiegle. APPOINTMENTS.—TO the Alarm, W. Rees, boat swain, advanced to the second class. To the Asia, W. Brown, acting boatswain. To the Excellent, E. D. Aske and C. P. 11. P. St. John, lieutenants. To the Hercules, J. G. Budd, second master. To the Madagascar, C. 0. Robinson, second master. To the Powerful, T. Andrews, midshipman ; R. Blanc, naval cadet. To the President, James E. Hunter, naval cadet. To the Prince Regent, W. L. Gordon, assis tant surgeon, confirmed. To ;the Star, H. J. -Ver non, lieutenant. To the Zephyr, It. H. Albin, first class assistant engineer. John Stephens, boatswain in Sheerness Cheque, advanced to the second class. F. G. Pearce, secretary's clerk to Vice-Admiral Sir E. King. PLYMOUTH, FEB. 7.—Her Majesty's frigate Mean der, 44, Captain the Hon. F. Keppel, bound to La buan, with his Excellency Governor Brooke, Raja of Sarawak, and other distieguished passengers, left the Sound for her destination yesterday afternoon, with a light wind from W.N.W. Her Majesty's sloop Pantaloon, 10, Commander henry H. Douglas, from the West Indies, having landed her mails at Cork, left that port on Saturday, and arrived here this morning. She will probably go up Hamoaze to be paid off. The brig Viper, of Londonderry, from Sicily, with sulphur, fruit, and bee's-wax, bound to London, went ashore in a fog on Saturday night, near Salcombe. The vessel has become a total wreck ; crew saved. CHATHAM, Fan. S.—This day the Banshee, Holy ' head steam packet, Master- Commander William Smithett, was put out of dock. This vessel has un dergone several alterations since she has been at this port, which have much improved her appearance. The Cleopatra, 26, was taken into the dock this day, to be repaired, ;and to be brought forward for commission.. The Wolverine, 16-gun sloop, and the Waterwitch, 19-gun sloop, were taken into dock on the 7th inst., to be fitted for sea. The Lucifer, steam-vessel, has been re commissioned by Lieutenant Richard 11. Risk, late second lieu tenant of the Birkenhead steam-frigate. She sailed this morning for Greenhithe to adjust her compasses, from there she proceeds to Cork, touching at Ports mouth and Plymouth. The Hercules, 72, store-ship, Master-Camraander Fulton, .was towed away from this port by steam vessel to the little Nore, where she will be inspected by the Port Admiral. On this ship being put out of dock on Saturday last, a serious accident occurred to George Trussell, a private of the Royal Marines, who was standing on the edge of a p lank, when it tilted up, and he was thrown into the dock, and received such injuries that he was taken on a stretcher to Melville Hospital. The Vivid steam vessel, designed by Mr. O. Lang, assistant to the Master-Shipwright,of this yard, was launched at 2 pm. on the 7th inst., in the presence of the Captain-Superintendent, Sir Thomas Bour chier, K.C.8., and a great number of naval and remarkably dra el was was com menced m ilitary officers and ladies and inhabitants of the town. The launch was effected with the g reatest e a s e , and the Vivid glide d into the water in fin e style, amidst enthusiastic c heers from the numer ous specta tors.faonrdvs,:;_hdn launched Thene, Vividad4t r herin aft . o g l . " 2 ks Thist of Crater wellvessel ss on the e Sit.Sl' 7 te i r mn me nced building on the 18 th of January, 1847, and is built of well-seasoned teak, oak, and mahogany ; her bottom is of mahogany of three-fold thickness ; her cabins are superb, being fitted with bird's-eye maple and Spanish mahogany, with gilt mouldings. This vessel is expected to outdo the Banshee in speed. She is to be fitted with two oscillating engines of 160- horse power each, which will he furnished by Messrs. Penn, of Greenwich. The following are her dimen sions:--Length, laft.; breadth, 22ft. Jill. depth, 1848. lift. 4in.; burden in tons, 352 18-94 ; the engine room; 108 ft. Din. ; register tonnage, 126.68. The Vivid was taken into dock the same day to be coppered. APPOINTMENTS. ADMIRALTY, Fan. B.—To the Caledonia—lL W. Brent, naval cadet; M.D. Carnes master's assistant. To the Champion—T. Lock, naval cadet ; R. Coen, master's assistant ; R. Bate, carpenter. To the Col lingwood—W. B. C. Christy, assistant surgeon, con firmed. To the Eatcrprise—T. L. M'Clintock, lieutenant; W. S. Couldry, second master. To the Fisgard—J. Patterson, boats wain ; G. Maynard, J. Hansford, A. Richards, G. Goldsack, and E. Per cival, third class assistant engineers. To the Ganges —W. Pidout, boatswain. To the Illustrious—J. Budd, boatswain, confirmed. To the Imaum—T. Bennett, Captain. To the Kingfisher—H. A.Dewar, gunner. To the Ocean (for packet service at Dover) —B. Aplin, lieutenant. To the Powerful—F. Os burne and G. A. H, Vaughan, naval cadets. To the Queen—H. M. Alexander, naval cadet. To the Raleigh—T. T. Roe, naval cadet; F. Morgan, assis tant surgeon, confirmed. To the Rodney—J. C. Bing, lieutenant. To the Star—P. Bagwell, naval cadet ; J. Freshfield, clerk. To the Vernon—R. B. B. Creagh, naval cadet. To the Wanderer—J. Col lison, boatswain, confirmed. S. Angear, inspector to Devonport-yard. SCOTTISH PATRIOTIC SOCIETY. A meeting of the Committee of this Society was held on Friday afternoon, at the office of the institu tion, 75, Princes -street. Among the members pre sent were William Murray, Esq., Henderland; Pro fessor Alison, M.D.; David Milne, Esq., of Milne Graden ; Professor R. Lee, D.D.; William Cumming, Esq., M.D. ; Richard Huie, El., j M.D.; John Wig ham, un., Esq ; Robert Stark, Esq.; W. Campbell. Esq, W.S. ; William Murray, Esq., of Henderland, Preses. Arologies for unavoidable absence were receive , l from Dr. Neill, Professor Gregory, and the Rev. Dr. Henry Grey. With reference to the minutes of the previous meeting, the SECRETARY stated that, conformably ' with its instructions he had, in respectful communi cations forwarded through the official channels the resolution come to at the last meeting, soliciting her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen and his Royal Highness Prince Albert to bestow their patronage upon the society. lie had also intimated to his Grace the Duke of Sutherland the resolution of that meeting asking his Qrace to accept the office of President, and had forwarded similar letters to the noblemen and gentlemen nominated as Vice Presi dents, &c. The answers received were all favourable to the wishes of the committee. His Grace the Duke of Sutherland had obligingly consented to accept the office of President during the current year. Letters were read from Lord John Russell, Sheriff Alison, J. Matheson, Esq., M P., &c., accepting the office of Vice- Presidents. The SECRETARY then stated that, on the previous evening he had received a communication from Mr. Anson, intimating that her Majesty the Queen, and his Royal Highness Prince Albert had graciously consented to be joint patrons of the Scottish Patriotic Society, and had commanded him to forward the sum of one hundred pounds towards the funds of the society, as a donation in their joint names.— (Applause.) Mr. Anson's letter having been read, it was unanimously resolved, " that this meeting de sires to record its grateful sense of her Majesty and Prince Albert's condescension in according this society their august patronage, and to express its thanks for their very handsome donation towards its funds." The secretary was therefore directed to transmit copies of the resolution, accompanied by suitable letters, to her Majesty and Prince Albert, through the official channel. The SECRETARY having reported the progress made with respect to the obtaining of ground for labourers' gardens in the vicinity of Edinburgh— the subject was remitted to the sub-committee on allotment gardens. On the motion of W. CUMMING, Esq., M.D., thanks having been voted to William Murray, Esq., of Henderland, for presiding, the meeting thereafter adjourned. JEWISH DISABILITIES RELIEF BILL. In our paper of yesterday we recorded the presen tation by Lord Palmerston—a former representative of the University of Cambridge—of a petition from members of the Senate, in favour of the Bill for the relief of Jewish Disabilities. On the occasion, Mr. Goulburn—the present re presentative of the same university—stated himself to have received a petition from the University of Cam bridge, against the Bill. It is no doubt true that such a petition has been entrusted to Mr. Goulburn. The meeting at which this petition was passed com prised in all 117 members of the Senate, of whom 78 voted for, and 39 against, the petition with which Mr. Goulburn is entrusted. To the petition presented by Lord Palmerston, not one of the names of those 39 dissentients is appended,C those gentlemen having already pronounced their opi nion, unsuccessfully, in the Senate. The following list, giving the names of those who did sign the petition presented by Lord Palmerston, will serve to show that the intelligence and liberality of the University of Cambridge are not to be mea sured by the recorded acts of resident members of the Senate : LIST OF SIGNATUF.ES TO THE PETITION IN FAVOUR OF THE " JEWISH DISABILITIES RELIEF BILL," FROM MEMBERS OF THE SENATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE. Right Hon. Thomas Babington Macaulay, late Fel low of Trinity College. Professor Airy, late Fellow of Trinity College, Astro nomer Royal. C. Babbage, Trinity College. W. Empson, Trinity College, Professor at E. I. Col lege, Haileybury. Rev. J. L. Heaviside, late Fellow of Sidney Sussex College, Professor at E. I. College, Haileybury. W. F. Chambers, M.D., Trinity College. Hon. George Denman, Fellow of Trinity College. The Right Hon. Sir Edward Ryan, Trinity College. W. L. Birkbeck, late Fellow of Trinity College. Rev. Professor Henslow , late Fe llow of J ohn' s . R. G. Latham, M.D., Fellow of King's. James Spedding, Trinity College. John Ilibbert, late Fellow of King's. Arthur I3arron, late Fellow of Trinity College. James Armytage, Fellow of Trinity College. Rev. W. A. Soames, late Fellow of Trinity College. S. Hunter Christie, Trinity College. Hon. Richard Denman, Trinity College. Tom Taylor, Fellow of Trinity College. John Worlledge, late Fellow of Trinity College. lion. Rev. L. W. Denman, Magdalene. W. A. Clavering, Trinity College. Woronzow Greig, Trinity College. Sir John W. Lubbock, Trinity College. Rev. James Brogden, Trinity College. John Mitchell Kemble, Trinity College. R. W. Rothman, M.D., Senior Fellow of Trinity College. P. Le Neve Forster, late Fellow of Trinity College. J. T. Wharton, Trinity College. John Halsey Law, Fellow of Kings. J. E. Blunt, Trinity . College. A. W. Kinglake, Trinity College. H. Fenwick, St. John's. Rev. R. Sheepshanks, Senior Fellow of Trinity College. Professor Pryme, late Fellow of Trinity College. T. Joddrell Phillips, late Fellow of Trinity College. Francis Dumergue, Trinity College. C. M. Roupell, Trinity College. Hugh Ker Cankrien, Trinity College. Edmund Beales, Trinity College. W. J. Tayler, Trinity College. Rev. J. Prend e rgast, D.D., Queen s. J. P. De Gex, Fellow of Jesus College. Francis Fisher, Fellow of Jesus College. William Pirie, Trinity College. Archibald Smith, late Fellow of Trinity College. Colin Blackburn, Trinity College. C. Chapman Barber, St. John's. H. Thring, Fellow of Magdalene. E. S. Creasy, late Fellow of King's. Hon. W. C. Spring Rice, Trinity College. W. Gurdon, Fellow of Downing. Thomas Flower Ellis, late Fellow of Trinity College. Horatio V addington, late Fellow of Trinity College. T. B. Burcham, late Fellow of Trinity College. P. Colquhoun, St. John's. R. Baldwin, Trinity College. G. Sloane, Trinity College. R. Solly Flood, Trinity College. W. B. Armstrong, Trinity College. J. H. Mills, St. John's College. AnnivAL OF THE POPE'S NUNCIO AT CONSTANTI NOPLE.—A letter from Constantinople of the 17th ult. says--. , The Pope's Nuncio, Mgr. Ferricri, arrived yes terday at Constantirople, in the Sardinian steamer the Tripoli. A very brilliant reception was given to him. After the usual salutes were exchanged between the Sardinian packet boat and the foreign vessels of war, the Nuncio, accompanied by the Catholic Armenian boat triarch, disembarked at Top - Khan a in a superb with five pairs of oars which was placed at his disposal by the Government. lie was then conducted with the other persons of his mission, in carriages belonging to the court, to his hotel at Pera. The crowd Pius IX.! hich as sembled on his passage, cried " Iglu live Long live the liberty of Italy!" The co from these cries might almost have believed that he had not left Rome. Immediately after reaching his hotel he received the congratulations of the diplomatic body, and of the deputations of the different religious communities, united and not united. The Porte has given him the hotel he occu pies, and will pay all his expenses whilst he remains here, which will be for two or three months. Among the persons who form part of the Nuncio's suite are Monsignor Vespesiani, the Canon Capri Galanti, Count Ferretti, nephew of the Cardinal and cousin of the Holy 'lather, and Count Marchetti, COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, TUESDAY. - The Queen and Prince Albert, accompanied by their Royal Highnesses the Prince of \Vales, Prince Alfred, the Princess Royal, the Princess Alice, and the Princess Helena, and also by their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Saxe Coburg, and by Count Arthur Mensdorff, left Windsor Castle at eleven minutes before three o'clock yesterday afternoon, for town. The Royal. suites consisted of the Viscountess Jocelyn, Madame de Wang,enheim, Lady Caroline Cocks, Hon. Miss Paget, Lord Byron, Mr. It. Ormsby Gore, Colonel Buckley, Captain the llon. A. Gordon, and Baron Fritsch. The august party occupied six carriages and four, and was escorted by a detachment of the Royal Re giment of Horse Guards from the Castle to the; Slough station of the Great Western Railway, and. left by a special train for the Paddington terminus. The Queen and Prince Albert proceeded front Paddington in six of the royal carriages, escorted by a party of Light Dragoons, to Buckingham Palace, where her Majesty and his Royal Highness were re ceived on their arrival, at four o'clock, by the Dowager Lady Lyttelton, the Lord Chamberlain, the Master of the Horse, the Vice-Chamberlain, the Earl. of Morley, Lord in waiting, Lord George Lennox, Lord in waiting to Prince Albert, the Master of the Household, and Colonel Drummond, Groom iii waiting. The Queen will hold a Privy Council cn Friday afternoon, at three o'clock, at Buckingham Palace. A deputation from the Committee of Owners of Houses in the perish of Islington, for opposing the erection of the Fever Hospital in the Liverpool-road, in that parish, consisting of Mr. Abbott, Mr. Baker, Mr. Johnstone, Mr. Taylor, Mr. S. Lewis, Mr. Hershall, Mr. Reeve, and Mr. F. Minasi, had an interview with Viscount Morpeth yesterday, at the Office of the Woods and Forests, Whitehall place. Colonel W. L. Freestun had an interview with Sir George Grey yesterday at the Home-office. A deputation from the landowners, clergy, gentry, manufacturers, yeomen, and others, resident in the counties of Dorset, Wilts, and Somerset, on and near the line of the proposed South-Western Extension. from Salisbury to Yeovil, had an interview with the, Commissioners of Railways yesterday, at tke Office of the Board of Trade, to present a memorial, unani mously agreed to at a public meeting, held at Shaftes. bury, on Tuesday, the lst February, 1848. The deputation was composed of T. B. Bower, High Sheriff of the county of Dorset; the Marquis of Anglesey, represented by Lord A. Paget, M.P., and William Beer, Esq.; the Right Hon. Lord Arundel, of Wardour Castle, by C. F. Arundel, Esq. ; the: Earl of Pembroke, represented by R. W. Lumley, Esq. ; the Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, M.P., and William Wyndham, Esq., of Denton House, by Wil liam Robson, Esq. ; the Earl of Morley ; Sir William Meddlycott, Bart., Ven House, Somerset; John Benett, Esq., M.P. for South Wilts ; George Bankes, Esq.,M.P. county of Dorset ; John Floyer, Esq., M.P., county of Dorset; Henry Ker Seymer, Esq., M.P. for the county of Dorset ; Charles Baring Wall, Esq., M.P., Norman Court, Wilts ; Henry Seymour, Esq., of Knoyle House, Wilts ; Colonel Thomson Jacob, of Shillingston House, Dorset; George Harbyn, Esq., of Newton House, Somerset ; George Whielden, Esq., WTyke House, Dorset ; John Bailward, Esq., of Horsington House, Dorset ; Ferdinand Huddle ston, Esq., of Sherton Caundle, Dorset; John Rutter, Esq., of Shaftesbury, accounted for the absence of the Marquis of Westminster ; John Grove, Esq., of Fern. House ; and Robert Graves, Esq., of Charlton House, who were appointed members of the deputation at the; meeting. A deputation, consisting of Mr. W. J. Hale (Chair man), Mr. Thomas Brushfield (Treasurer of the, parish of Christchurch, Spitalfields), Mr. Waldron, Mr. Mitchell, and Mr. Gilkes, had an interview with the Commissioners of her Majesty's Woods and. Forests, yesterday. ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA. The prospectus of this establishment has just been issued. The following arc the most important parti culars :—The theatre will open for the season on Tuesday, March 7, for the performance, it is stated, " of operas of the most eminent composers, without distinction of country." The company is powerful. Besides Madame Grisi, Madame Persiani, Madame Ronconi, Mdlles. Steffanoni and Cobari, who were engaged last year, the list of principal soprani is strengthened by three additions—Madame Castellan, from her Majesty's Theatre; Mdlle. Angiolina Zoja. who has acquired considerable reputation in Italy; and the celebrated Madame Pauline Viardot Garcia, sister of Malibran. The only contralto announced is Mdlle. Alboni, but she is a host in herself. The tenors will compriie Signori Mario, Salvi, and other favourites of last year, with Signor Luigi Mei, a new importation from the Scala at Milan, and M. Roger, the well-known primo tenure of the Opera Comique •i in Paris. The bassi profundi will consist of Signor Marini, a certain Signor Corradi Setti from the Scala. with Signors Tagliafico and Polonini, highly capable subordinates. Signors Tamburini and Ronconi will be among the barytones, and Signor Rovere continues to officiate as basso cornice', although it must be evident that his voice is a decided barytone. For second tenors we are to have Lavia and Soldi (another new acquisition), and for seconda donna, the evergreen Madame 13elini. It is enough to say of the band and chorus, that they will consist of the same performers as last year, with some additional reinforcements; Mr. Costa, of course remaining at the post which he fills so admirably. A. mlitary band under the direction of Mr. Godfrey, is also announced. 13. sides the operas which were most in vogue last season, the. Cencrentola is to be produced for Albona, the Favorita for Grisi, Guillaume Tell for Castellan, La Figlia dcl Reggi mento for Zoja, Ilaydee, ou, le Secret for Roger, and the Huguenots and Fidelio for Viardot Garcia. Auber and Meyerbeer are stated to be employed in arranging their respective works to suit the exigen cies of the Italian stage. The Huguenots will (judi ciously) be considerably abridged. The ballet arrangements may be shortly dismissed. Lucile Grahn and Flora Fabbri are to be the principal. female dancers, supported by Mdlle. Wauthier, Mdlle. Leopoldine Brussi, a new star from Vienna, and a host of lesser lights. About the male dancers we have nothing to remark. MM. Casati and Appiani will be the ballet masters, and Mr. Alfred Mellon the leader. For the scenery it suffices to name Messrs. Grieve and Telbin. STRAND THEATRE. The new management of this little theatre, under the sole direction of Mr. Oxberry, commences most; prosperously, and if we may judge from the enter tainments we witnessed last evening, there cannot be a doubt of complete success. The performances com.. menced with The Midnight Hour, the characters in. which were well sustained. It was followed by a two► act drama, translated from the Frsnch, entitled The: Minstrels of Provence; or the Gipsies Stratagem.. The plot of the drama is short and well contrive& Gauthier, Prince of Provence, is in love with the Countess of Martique, and Jaconde, a young courtier and companion of the Prince, in love with Edile, the companion of the Countess. A lover's quarrel en sues, the Prince resolves to court Edile, and Jacemde the Countess, or failing in this, to woo every woman. they may chance to meet, maid, wife, or widow. The Countess overhearing the plot, she, with her come. panion Edile, disguise themselves as Bohemian gip sies, and follow them in their expedition. The Prince and Jaconde arrive in the village of Martique on the morning of the fi'le of the rosiere, and commence their love making v ith Jeanette, the Baillie's intended. wife ; Jeanette's former lover, Lucas, arrives, and. then of course the plot thickens. The Countess having proof of the treachery of the supposed minstrels, denounces them to justice, they are arrested by the Baillie, tut the Countess not wishing to carry the joke further discovers herself, and all ends happily. The Countess bestows her hand on the Prince, Edile to Jaconde, and Jeanette gains the prize of the rosiere, a thousand crowns, and a husband in the person of Lucas. Miss Egan, as the Countess, oup._- . parted the character with grace and dignity. Mies n tr a Coleman as Edile sustained the part very prettily!;Ls with her accustomed care and judgment. iI s Terry, as Jeanette, was excellent — n ever haver e:Had seen this talented actress to so much ails;e g e n n saved. g b the piece flagged at all it would ourite. War y nold and Miss Love, as the Prince and Jaconde, were Lucas, and Rogerson. the acting of this deservedly pubtacvfeav both admirable. Huntley as the Baillie, were very as od. Ma c beth T go t -r• rant rallestig followed, the character of the 3 : anMacbe th was sustained by Oxberry to admiration. The entertain ments concluded with a successful new ballet entitled. the Sprite ofthe Vineyard. Mdlle. Louise Blanche, as Jeanegaude, acted beautifully—in the course of the ballet she executed some exquisite dancing, which was much applauded. Mr. H. Cooper, M. Disloque, end Mr. 11. Reeves, each sustained their respective parts excellently. The house was w ell and respect ably attended. A CURIOUS DOCUMENT.—The following is s ver batim ct titcratim copy of an account granted by James Hood (who was a cabinet maker in Ayr) to Mr. David Ewen, who is now Collector of Customs at Ayr. Jenny Shaw (or Mrs. Paton) kept a respectable glover's shop. The leather and hair referred to was what James Hood purchased from her for the purpose of repairing the chairs. The words within brackets are our own:— " Fehruar; 26th 1823 " repairoin of feften chairs for Mr. David Ewen at wan shilling and sixpence IL [each] they ought to be which Just comes to 1/. 2s. 6tl. owing to the Steepin and raxing of Jenny Shaw's lather and teesin her towzie hair with the perplaixitie of all rauld] nails and straughtin them —they railie ought to be the soum [sum] above men tioned. (Signed) "JAMES 11001)." The original is in the possession of Mr. Alexander Brown, of this city.---iVortli British Mail,