The Sun. — London, England, 1841-01-23 00:00:00

MORNING EDITION. •and as the news by it was not of any special moment, th'ngs were not particularly affected. It is noticed among mercantile men, as an omission in the treaty about to be concluded with China, that no ar rangement is hinted at of a nature to place our trade with thlt country on a better footing in future. What they ap pear to desire is— I. An admission of the right of British subjects (with due protection by the Chinese Government of their per sons and property) to reside at and trade with Amoy, Niugpoo, and other leading commercial ports of China, as well as at Canton, to which they are at present confined. 2. The abolition of all Hongs or Corporations, or otbei monopolists, endowed with the exclusive right of transact ing with foreigners; and a free option on the part of the British merchants to sell their goods to and to purchase Chinese produce from such parties as they may think fit. 3. The abolition of the Consoo Fund, and all other arbitrary and exorbitant imposts on British! ships and commodities, and in lieu of these the establishment of such fair and defined import duties as shall enable the British merchant to calculate precisely what he is to pay, and as shall protect him from the extortion of Nlaudarins and other Chinese authorities. 4. The recognition of the British Consuls, or other su perintendents of British interests, at the various ports to which ourcommerc.r may be admitted, and the privilege of those, as well as all the other British subjects, of di rectly petitioning the general Government at Pekin for redress of grievances. 5. That a British Ambassador or other representative 0" the British Government, permanently resident at Pekin, should be recognized by the Chinese Government, as such a representative would constitute the best medium of corn rnunica!ion between the British Government and subjects and the Government at Pekin, and form the most effectual preventive of that system of fraud and deceit on the part of the local authorities, under which occurrences at the uutports have been utterly falsified, and the truth excluded. 'these suggestions are highly important, and will no doubt receive the attention of Governnvnt, as it is under. stood that they have been submitted to Lord Palmerston by Mr. Alexander Graham, a manufacturer near Glasgow, who may be said to describe in that respect the feeling of the mercantile interest of London also. All are perhaps too sanguine, however, in supposing that any rapid pro gress can be made in such matters with the Chinese. THE FIFE BURGHS. Kirkcaldy, 19th January, 1811. The following correspondence has trkcn place bctrvcen Colonel Ferguson's end Dr. Bdwring's Committees : TO COI7ONEL FFRGUSON'S ELECTION COMMITTEE. The Committee appointed by the friends of Dr. Bow. ring are anxious to remove any impression entertained in any quarter, that, in calling on that gentleman to stand as a candidate for the district, they have been actuated by feelings of personal hostility or factious opposition. Their motives can be expressed in very few words. Considering that the constituency are entitled to have for their rep c sentative the man who, from his experience, talent, inte grity, and industry, was beet qualified to attend to their interests in Parliament, they, after mature deliberation, :cid on Dr. Bowring as the man on whom that honour should, in their opinion, be conferred. Such being their motives, they arc desirous that nothing should occur to divide or injure the Liberal interest , and they have a proposal to make, of such a nature as, that if the friends of Colonel Ferguson decline to accept cf it, they will bring on themselves the responsibility deny divi. sion that may occur. Colonel Ferguson ttl3 said that he is favourable to an extension of the franchise, end he has distinctly pledged himself in favour of the Ballot. Dr. Bowring's Cornni:ttee, acting on a suggest ion eloquently expressed in the. Doctor's address of Saturday last, are ready to refer the question of the representation to which ever of these tests Colonel Fcrzussn's Committee may prefer. They will, therefore, either— First—Agree that the question, whether Colonel Fer guson or Dr. Bowring shall be the representative of the district, be referred to a general vote of the whole adult male population, taken in such f rm as the two candidates may amicably arrange; or, Second—lf this proposal should be declined, Dr. Boering'a Committee will agree to submit the question to a Vote of the Electors taken by Ballot. If Colonel Ferguson's Committee will agree to stand by either of these proposals, on the understanding,that if the Colonel is found to be in the minority be shall withdraw from the field, Dr. Bewring's Committee pledge them selves to adopt the same alternative, and to insure his im mediately retiring if the majority in found against him. The Committee is conclusion, take this opportunity of strongly urging the propriety of one or other of these pro posals being adopted, as a means admirably suited for saving such a constituency as this from the evils of a contest ; and they have the satisfaction of reminding their friends of the other party, that, on the occasion of a some what similar division in the neighbouring constituency of Cupar, a reference to the Ballot, made by Mr. Ellice and accepted of by the other party, was the means of obvia ting those evils. By direction of the Committee, (Signed) ALEX. REID, Chairman. EXCERPT from the MINUTES of the Committee for con• ducting the Election of Colonel FERGUSON, 19th Janu. cry, 1841 : Inter alia —A Communication from Dr. Reid, in the name cf . Dr. Buwring'a Committee, addressed to this Meeting, was read : and the Committee having maturely and deliberately considered the same, the following Reso lution was unanimously adopted, viz. ; " That this Committee decline any discussion of the motives which have influenced Dr. Bowring's friends to bring him forward for the purpose of opposing a Liberal Candidate who has already been favourably received by the electors. In the propositions now submitted to them, this Committee can see only a scheme which might result in still farther disuniting the Liberal interest in these Burghs. They resolve, therefore, to reject all such pro positions; and they will rely, with perfect confidence, upon the geed sense of the constituency to establish Co lonel Ferguson's claims to represent them in Parliament." The Committee request the Cliairman to communicate the above Resolution to Dr. Bowring's Committee. (Signed) JAMES RUSSELL, Sec. STATE OF TRADE AT NOTTING HAM: (From:the Nottingham Review of yesterday.) The fancy bobbin-net trade, notwithstanding that spring orders may be now contemplated, is still extremely dull, except for first rate patterns, which are made ready for sale without needlework. Some small excitement has arisen respecting the renewed trial on Sneath's patent for spotting on circular bolt machines, known in the Court of Common Pleas as Fisher v. Dewick. The singularity of this con tinued litigation is evident; first, that the patent may bo considered valueless, as most of the machines licensed from the patentee, are either broken up, or are standing for want of demand for the article. Second, The improvement of Litchfield used by Dewick (though certainly a resem blance), is so decidedly superior, as to render the original invention nearly abortive, both in speed and in fabric. Doubts having arisen as to the cut-up hose trade, and its effects upon the employment of the population of the Midland Counties ; we herewith subjoin a statement, pub lis'ied by Mr. Felkin, in the Times London Newspaper some time since, in the correctness cf which we agree, w Inch will prove that it i 3 not steam power that has thrown the population out or remunerative wages or employment, but the mere operation of the scissors, the thread-carrier, and treble slur-cock. \lr. Felkin states that 10,500 frames produce yearly, fult fashioned cotton hose, 420,000 dozens; 6,600 frames produce yearly, cotton cut-up stockings,Ac., 1,950,000 duz. ; total dozens, 2,400,000. If the 17,100 frames were all making full fashioned hese, by the same ratio, thoy would produce yearly, 684,000 ; leaving a deficiency in the supply of 1,716,000 doz. _wl-tich would require an additional 45,400 frames to be built, to make the same number of hose. Cut-up hose were not made previous to 1809; the sys tem began by making cut. up gloves. A Bill was intro duced into Parliament in 1812 to prevent the practice. The Framework-knitters Company was incorporated in 1664, to prevent the making of fraudulent hosiery. The making of warp tattings is not by zny means im proved. The serious reduction in wages seems to have paralyzed this once important body of workmen. The sann.! may he said of the warp blond workmen. The last abatement has had an effect the manufacturers did not ex pect ; many of the workmen have left the business, as un p rortilklo and have taken drawer and cut-up f rames . Thi s, a few years since, would have been ranked amongst the impossibilities, no one then supposing that these high minded -. , .orkrrien would have submitted to work at what has been considered a miner branch of the trade.) The imitations of the French jacquard laces, we are a'raid, preceed very slowly ; indeed, the warp trade is exces,:lvely flat. The silk netted workmen in this town are, nrriny of them, unemployed. Great complaints are heard of tile order= going to Alansfleld; it is asserted that this is owing to the rmsters at that place giving the hosiers long credit, which they are enabled to do by giving goods in lieu of waves. si;k ;love have great hopes held out to diem by many of the hosiers, that their sprang orders n ill come rattling in shortly. LETTERS ILLUSTRATIVE OF TILE COURT AND TIMES OF WILL:NM 111., BY JAMES VERNON, ESQ. EDITED BY G. P. R. JAMES, ESQ —We do not know that, upon the whole, there has been published at one time, from the pen of one man, a mere interesting and important c,;l - of letters than those now before us. When it is recollected that the leading spirits of this day, included among them Godolphin, Harvey, 'Marlborough, Sunder land, I3Lth, Mo nmout h , Wharton, and a host of others of the two still bitterly opposing parties of William and James, and that Vernon, from his peculiar pthition, c,-,me more or less into contact with them all, and that the lett( rs in which he records the ficts that came to his know ledi4e are addressed—the who,lO of thena—to his patron and fricnd, the Duke of Shrevr i sbury, himself intimately con nce!el vvi;ll the events of , ,fhe pre ce di ng years, and having y plaed a cent:picuous p.t connection with them, w e need not seek to aggrindiso interest and wino of the publication. / We cannot better close our notice of this ighly interesting and important work than in t word 3 of its ;Ail:a editor, Mr. James, the popular novtliA and hi-tor:an :—" These letters sic a treasury of facts, some trivial, some remark. able ; but 23 a whole, displaying the mannt - rs of the age._ the pasiiens, the faults, the the wiscurn, the power, the map,nanimity of those we have been accustomed to look up to—the tortuous path of political intrigue—the secret motives of grand actions—the small springy of great events —and the - foundation, development, and completion of in stitutions which affect our liberty and floppiness even in the present day."—lVaval and Military Gaz;lte. Two MORE CHILDREN BURNT TO DEATH. —Oa Thursday two inquests were held before Mr. Payne, the City Coroner, at St. Thomas's Hospital, on the bodies of Charles Farrel!, aged seven years, and Henry Watling, four years and a ha'f, who were burnt to death. It is not hag 3ince Mr. Farrell, the father of one of the deceased childrt 11, died in this hospital, in consequence of the effects of iiiikuica received on the Croydon Railway. P WALSALL ELECTION. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) Mr. Gladstone, accompanied by his brother, the Mem- her for Newark, has now returned to the borough, to await the issue of the contest. His Committee specially invited the electors by card, to meet li!na last night at the George Hotel Assembly Rooms. How many attended we have been unable to ascertain, everything being con ducted by his friends in a very secret manner ; bat we have every reason to believe the meeting was very small. We know of two or three individuals, who not being pos sessed of cards, were refused admittance. It has been rumoured that it is their intention to have a discussion with the Anti-Corn:law party, on Repeal and Free Trade ; and the names of Dr. Holland, of Sheffield, and Mr. Wilkes, Barrister, Liverpool, have been mentioned, as likely to be the Pro-Corn-law and Monopolist Advocates. We fear, that from the day of election being now so near at hand, this project will be given up, however desirable it might be to the friends of Mr. Smith, seeing the nicely balanced state of partier, and that the Tories are issuing every other day placards containing unsupported assertions against the repeal of the Corn•laws, which would be fairly and thoroughly can vassed in a public debate, and could not fail to be the means of obtaining considerable additional strength to the Anti-Corn-law cause, and the certain return of the free trade candidate. A soiree also took place last night in the Dragon As sembly Room, at which not less than four hundred indi viduals sat down to tea. It was at once the most re spectable and most numerous meeting of the kind we have ever seen in Walsall, a large proportion being fe males. Able addresses were delivered by Messrs. Smith, Kettle, Rawson, Ccbden of Manchester, and Hayworth of Liverpool, on the subject of tie Corn-laws. At present bosh parties are exceed:ngly active, not a stone is left unturned by either. No labour or expense is spared; and as the day of election Crams nearer, the ex ertions of both seem to increase. We have heard from pretty good authority, that a .por tion of the Carlton Club funds is at the disposal of Mr. Gradstone's friends, should it be found necessary. Mean time, to inducWle publicans to support him, suppers arc given at a great number of their houses, which are to remain unpaid until the election is over, by which method they hope to get their votes. Walsall, Jan. 21. (Faom the Anti-Curia-taw Circular.) The movement of the Le•;ue at Walsall has called down upon it, as was anticipated, censures both loud and deep, from parties whose interests are, or who think their interests are, likely to be injured by it. The an nouncement of Mr. Lyttictoa's retiring from the con test was received on the part of the leading Ministerial organs with a yell of extcration against the League. They have since assumed a tone of greater forbearance, without desisting, however, from hints, that although tho League may be spared now, a rod is in pickle which may be laid on in time ; but the minor provincial Ministerial organs are still busy, either calumniating and denouncing the Leave, or seeking to undermine it it. the esteem and good-will of its more wealthy and in fluential members. We repeat, that all this anger and hostility, covert and avowed, was anticipated, and that therefore it can neither move our temper nor shake o resolution. Tae determination on the part of the League to take up a course of independent action, to move right on ward to the attainment of its great end, regardless what effect its policy might have upon the relative strength of political parties, was the result of pro tracted and anxious deliberation. It was adopted after a careful scrutiny of every argument for and against. It was not adopted in anger. For the Conservative party in Parliament, which has hitherto been opposed to them to a man, the League could have no predeliction ; for the Conservative party out of doors, many of whom co-operate with them, they entertained no hostility ; feeling but a desire to convert them all. To those Liberal statesmen who have sup ported them they were, and are grateful; but in the pbal tux of Ministerial supporters, and in Ministers themselves, experience had taught them to repose no confidence. We will not affect to deny that the equi vocation of many Ministerial Whigs, and the superciious scorn of the Premier, have at times moved the delegates of the League to anger ; they are men, and must feel as men. But the resolution which they have again and again announced, to pursue their immediate object, leaving political parties to sink or swim, was adopted after the transient ebullition of passion had passed away. It was adopted as any other resolution tending to for ward the views of any other Association, (Railroad Company, Joint Stock Bank, or the like), without the slightest vindictive feeling towards any man or set of men. We refer to the discussion raised by the proceedings of the Walsall election as proof that the League are carrying their resolution into effect in the same dis position of mind that animated them when they adopted it. Mr. Lyttelton refused to co.operate with them, and therefore they opposed him. Mr. Gladstone vi lifies and misrepresents them, and therefore they repay his scorn and hatred with scorn and hatred as deep and lasting as his own. But they have neither assailed nor lent their influence to any party in the State. They have shown their readiness to support the candidate who would actively befriend them, totally disregarding his ulterior connections. Above all, they have afforded no ground for complaint to Ministers. If circumstances have convinced them that it is not to Ministers but their own exertions that they are to look for the repeal of the Corn-laws, they have not set about their work by trying to elevate themselves to the rank of a political party, and make or unmake Ministers. They made their first over ture to the Ministerial candidate. When repulsed by him, they confined their opposition to him, and did not extend their hostility to his party. They have continued to advocate their cause as simply anti-Corn law, not as anti-Ministerial, notwithstanding the obloquy and railing, and the more dangerous, insidious attempts to break up the League, with which they have been visited on the part of the Ministerial organs. The railing accusations brought against the League on this occasion rest mainly upon three assumptions : lat. That Mr. Lyttelton was a Liberal. 2d. That Mr. Lyttelton, had tint the League interfered, was cer• tain of success. 3d. That the League ought to have bad a candidate ready to set up before it despatched a deputation to Walsall. We will review these assump tions seriatim. Ist. Mr. Lyttelton, it is said, is a Liberal. What is the meaning of the phrase ? It is easy for any man to say, " I am a Liberal ;" and if unreasoning adhesion to a party in office, supported by those Members of Parliament called " Liberal" for want of a more accu rately descriptive epithet, be sufficient evidence of libe rality, it is equally easy to prove the assertion. Now we have our definition of the word liberal. That man is liberal who will assist us in procuring a sufficiency of food t'or the people—anybody opposing us, whatever he may call himself, is illiberal. " But for the interference of the Anti-Corn law League Mr. Lyttelton was sure to be returned." This is untrue, and was never asserted, even by Mr. Lyttclton's friends, until he bad withdrawn from the contest, and thus rendered it impossible to prove the contrary. Let Mr. Lyttelton speak for himself. In his retiring address ho says, tt I regret to say, that in ninny instances where I had every reason to expect prompt and cordial support, 1 have met with either lukewarm neutrality, or decided opposition." It is after this unqualified confession that he proceeds to say, "In addition to these discouraging circum stances I have had to encounter the avowed hostility of the agents of the Anti-Corn•law League." We pass over ;he unwarrantable misrepresentation of the League contained in the sentence from which our last quotation is extracted ; it is enough for our pre sent purpose to have shown that, even before the League came into the field, Mr. Lyttelton had reason to distrust his prospects. It was not until after Mr. Lyttelton had withdrawn that his paid lawyer ven tured to insinuate that his prospects of success were good; for Mr. Bolton's letter to the Morning Chro nicle does not go the length of asserting that his re turn was secure. It is only the partisan commenta tors upon Mr. Bolton's letter in the newspapers who go the length of making that round assertion. We do not hesitate to affirm that Mr. Smith has received more pledges of support than Mr. Lyttelton had, or could have received, had he been left to oppose Mr. Gladstone without interference. Add this consideration —that Mr. Smith is supported, after the most frank and explicit declaration of his opinions, and because of that trunk and explicit declaration ; whilst Mr. Lyttel ton was supported by many who disapproved of his views, not on account of their willingness to keep their d;fferences in abeyanc-, but because his views had been kept concealed from them. tt The League ought to have bad a candidate ready to put up before they interfered. This is the language of professional or trading politicians, and in their mouths it is not unnatural ; but it proceeds from a total mis conception of the objects of the League and the character of its members. We use the phrase "professional or trading politic:ans" without any intention to insinuate disrespect. A class in society, the business of whose lives is politics—that is, legislation and administration—i s as necessary as a class of lawyers, of teachers, or the like. It is of such that the parties of the Government and of the opposition, which must always exist in representa tive constitutions, arc composed. The business of professional politicians, of either party, is to persuade the constituencies, by giving them a majority in the Legislature, to place them in office, and when they are in office, to tEana,gc the public business of the country as well as they can. We do not question the talents, the sincerity of professional politicians ; we admit the necessity and propriety of availing themselves of every vacancy in the representation to endeavour to gain the seat for one of their party, but in addition we contend for the right of the constituencies to say to one or other, or both parties of professional politicians, " We have no confidence in you ; we will not vote for one of you until be promises, besides supporting his party, to do us this or that piece of service." The Anti-Corn-law League consists of constituents ; there is not one pro fcssional politician among its active members. The Anti-Corn-law League is of no party ; it does not take upon it to set up candidates, except in cases of stringent necessity ; it leaves that to the politicians, who are a l ways rea d y enoug h professioPal THE to produce candidates. Menenius, a favourable specimen of that aristocracy which in all societies seeks to arrogate to itself exlusively the profession of politicians, called the malcon tents of Rome " The belly ;" the Anti-Corn•Law League accept the metaphorical designation ; they are contented to be called, they are the party of the belly. Their cry is, " We must eat ; repeal those laws which prevent our earning an honest subsistence ; we prefer some rulers to others, but the difference between them all is as nothing to our craving for food." The eating interest is in the field, not as candidates for senatorial honours, but determined to support no politician who will not leave industry free to eat its dear-bought meal in the sweat of his bow. We are constituents, not legislators. Our policy is not to ask admission for ourselves into the Legislature, but by our independent position to force from those who are ambitious of getting there the advo cacy of our claims. We leave to the professional poli ticians the setting up of candidates ; but we are no longer to be wheedled into supporting them by fine words ; we want something to eat. There are many other good things a good Government can do for us, but not if we are starved while it is doing them. The eating ques tion is the first in order ; the only one which admits of no delay. We, the head and hand labourers of the country, are determined to do the work of professional politicians no longer without food ; we have made an " Eating Union," and have made a strike. We do not set up a third party of professional politicians ; but if a third party think of setting up for itself, it should have our support if it zealously and sincerely aid us in our efforts to get bread. On these grounds we say that our accusers would have had no right to complain even though the League had brought forward no candidate for Walsall. The League is not a league of statesmen but of constituents. True statesmen, instead of railing at it, would avail themselves of this new element of pub lic opinion to work out good for the country. O❑ these grounds we rest the defence of the move ment made by the Anti-Corn-law League at Walsall. They have driven no Liberal from the field ; they have not eri en a c. ndidate secure of his election from the field ; in bringing forward a candidate who has better prospects of success than the retired candidate, they have done more than any person was entitled to ask of them. We have dwelt at this length upon the particulars of the Walsall election, although, for our own parts, we do not think that failure there ought in the least to detract from the public confidence rqosed in the League. All that the League was bound to do in its electoral agitation was, to urge upon electors on every occasion the propriety of supporting no candidate of any party who refused to pledge themselves to the total and immediate repeal of the bread-tax. Seeing that the electors of Walsall seemed in danger of neg lecting this duty, the League sent a deputation to remonstrate with them. Finding the electors sincere in their desire to lend their in fluence to oppose the bread tax, the League co-operated with them in their search for a proper candidate ; and one having been foun I, the lecturers are aiding in the canvass. All this the League had a right to do ; was in consistency bound to do. The League has done its duty : it is not re sponsible for events which are beyond its control. Our actions arc our own, and• for these we arc responsible ; events are in the hand of Providence, and for those we are not responsible. Be the result of the Walsall election what it may, the League will persevere in the course of policy they have adopted. Whenever they interfere in an election, and their interference will be limited only by their power, it will be with a view to enforce a pledge for total and immediate abolition of the Corn•law. From this declaration it will be seen that we do not seek even in our present situation to conciliate support by affecting a wavering in our reso lution which we do not feel : neither do we provoke opposition by expressions of vindictiveness which are alike alien to our feelings. Our course is prompted and directed by stern apathetic convictions, that it is our duty to act thus. Our motive rises above the low region of personal hostility or partisanship. We have a task to discharge which forbids our giving car to the whispers of liking or disliking. Our avowal is made. If any political party finds in us opposition, it must be because it insists upon march ing over us. If any who have hitherto acted along with us listen to the insinuations of enemies, and dissent, we cannot help it. We have got hold of a principle which we know to be true, and we know that princi ples are eternal, while the wishes and pursuits of men are eternally changing. George Canning declared that be would oppose Reform to the uttermost. Toe wave of Ruform has swept over George Canning's grave. Sa with our cause. It will triumph and endure when Peel and Melbourne, and their pretty conflicts, are forgotten. No hostility, no breaching, will draw us from the "path upon which we have entered. We arc supported by conscious rectitude, and by the approbation of those whose good opinion we value. We speak not merely of those who are, like ourselves, constituents merely— we speak of statesmen, in the strictest sense of the word. As a specimen of the encouragement we meet with, we subjoin a letter which we have received from a gentleman, universally acknowledged to possess a high intellect, as extensive accomplishments, and as un bending integrity as any in Parliament—be the other who he may. We may add, (what will with some be a better recommendation,) that he generally votes with Ministers : " I know not whether it is the Manchester Anti-Corn law League or not that has started our friend Mr. Smith for Walsall, but I hope that the League has the credit of doing so, for there never was a more politic step. The penny postage was won by such tactics. It is the true way to make both parties, as well Tory as Whig, wince under the pressure of this question, whenever they are so nearly balanced that Corn-law repealers can step in and turn the scale between them. The effect will be to mako the Whigs inquire of every candidate they start for any future borough vacancy whether he will pledge himself to support the repeal of the Corn-laws or not. Whenever a vacancy occurs, and these tactics are available, they should be brought to play. I; is the only way to give import ance to the repealer-B." (From the Liverpool _Mercury.) We were much gratified to learn yesterday, on most respectable authority, that the prospects of the free trade candidate are daily brightening, and there is now every prospect of his success. The numerous meet ings held, lectures delivered, and addresses pouring in from all quarters, have had the effect of creating a spirit of enthusiasm, before which the advocates of monopoly begin to quail. If we needed any further proof of this, it is to be found in the angry diatribes of the landlord's oracle, the recreant Times, which has dar - A to threaten the electors, if they presume to act upon their opinions, and exercise the elective franchise in the manner best calculated, according to their judgment, to promote their own welfare and that of their families, and the interests of the country t large, by voting for one who will oppose the Corn laws. The threat of the shameless renegade ought to put the electors still more upon their mettle. Mr. J. B. Smith is a candidate pre-eminently qualified in every respect to represent a manufacturing town. What recommendations his opponent has to entitle him Eto the support of such a place we are utterly at a loss to discover. Putting all other considerations out of the question, and looking only to the one fact, which ought to weigh most with the electors of 'Wal sall, irrespective of all party topics, Mr. Smith is the able and consistent advocate of cheap bread, extended commerce, and free trade. Mr. Gladstone is compara tively unknown, or known only as the champion of the bread-tax, and the defender of the monopoly of the landlords, the consequences of which are daily becoming more apparent in our declining manufactures and the miseries of the people willing to :work, but unable to find employment. The elec tors of Walsall have a glorious struggle before them. No other constituency, excepting perhaps that of Clare before the passing of the Catholic Emancipa tion Act, had ever such an opportunity of acquiring immortal honour. Lot them only triumph in this struggle, and the blow will be fatal to the bread-tax— the harbinger of its appeal ; thenceforth the words Walsall and Free Trade will be regarded as all but synonymous ; and future generations, whilst rejoicing in their own comfort and the welfare of their country, will bless the memory of the gallaet men who struck the first effective blow at that monstrous system of in justice and oppression which shackled its energies, and reduced it to the very verge of ruin. Men of WeLall! the eyes of the whole nation are upon you. Do your duty—scorn alike the bribe, the threat, and the drench, and your t: iumph will be hailed by one shout of joy and congratulation throughout the land. THE WEATHER. ROYAL GALLERY OF SCIENCE, ADELAIDE. STREET. NooN, JAN. 22. Barometer 3 0 .45 In. Thermometer - . 53 Highest Lowest Wind N. N. W.—Freezing Puilit 32 Deg. EFFECTS OF TILE THAW.—The country papers received in town yesterday bring lamentable account s of the fatal and devastating (fleets produced by the sud den thaw. Scarcely any part of the country has enjoyed immunity from inundation, while whole districts, east, north, south, and west, have been laid under water. The destruction to life and property has b.:en great. Similar distressing accounts arc received from France, the Nether_ lands, and many other places on the Continent. , - SUICIDE or Mit. A. GItA NT.—Mr. Alexander Grant, of Carnousie, the Ministerial candidate for the Elgin burghs, committed suicide on Monday last, the 18tli inst. Deep speculations in tea are said to have turned out unfavourable, and to have prompted the unfortunate gentleman to this rash act. Sir Andrew Leith Hay was also in the field for these burghs, but Mr. Duff, of Haddo, on the Conservative interest has been the favourite since the starting.—Mornbg Post. We are happy to hear that our army is to be increased to the extent of 10,000 m. n. Ti rru , wanted. There is also a ruilluur—iluiv au; kihow —that an addition is to be made to the Marines.—Briyh ton Gazelle. SUN, 5 LONDON SATURDAY. JANUARY 23, 1841. Mr. DYER wished to know whether the Chair a t or made, the foundations ; have all been easiied away, Assessor was to sum up. ki;cl tee im,d, with other coaches, leild to make a circuitous The SOLICITOR—II the chairman felt any legal (ME route ii,rough a by-road.—Bath Chronicle. culty, he would call in the Assessor to sum up for him. Sausanay.—Several lives have been lost, and immense Mr. DYER OH/light it might be bettor that the As• thma ge d ' u e' sessor should preside over the proceedings from the be ginning to the end. The CHAIRMAN had asked that he might be permit ted to have such assistance on the last Court day, and it had been refused him by the Court. The order for the attendance of the solicitors in sup port of the former presentment haying been read, Mr. LESLIE wished to know if the former present ment were to be shown to them without obiervatiou. The SOLICITOR—The proceeding was in the nature of a new trial, and therefore the former presentment would be carefully kept out of view. Mr. MULLINS thought that the attention cf the jury ought to be directed to the li7w of Sewers, and to the former presentment. He had always contended that the charge ought to he revised by the Court before the Chairman delivered Mr. ADEY did not deny the right of a Conamisioner to addrees the jury. The rule only said that it was in expedient. He thought the course to be pursued on Friday was very simple. The Chairman would state the facts to the jury, and tell them that, eating under the advice of the Assessor, such and such was the law of SEWERS OF WESTMINSTER AND PART OF MIDDLESEX. A Court of Sewers was yesterday held at the Office of the Commissioners, in Greek -street, Sobo, T. L. Donaldson, Esq., in the chair. The minutes of the proceedings of the previous Courts having been read, a long conversation, in which the Chairman, Captain B3gue, Mr. Leslie, the Clerk, and some of the Corn 'loners took part, as to the manner in which the col lectors performed their duties, and as to the best means to be adopted as a check upon the collectors, so as to prevent the recurrence of any deficiency, such as that reported to have occurred at the late meeting. The different collectors were in attendance, and reported the various sums that each had paid in since their last re port. Various summonses were ordered to be issued against defaulters. An application was made for some distress -warrants, and in reply to Captain Bague, the Chnirman said it was constantly the practice of this Court to issue war rants without putting the applicant on their oath. Mr. BROUGHTON doubted whether a warrant to size a man's goods was a legal warrant, except it was issued upon the oath of the party applying for it. The SOLICITOR, on being applied to, said that the impression on his mind was that an oath was necessary, but that he would be prepared to give an opinion on the next Court-day. FLoOD ON SALISBURY PLAIN. The following arc additional particulars from - the Wilt shire Independent, respecting the loss of life and pro perty caused by the late flood among the villages on Salis bury Plain. One of the most serious calamities with which this country was ever visited, occurred on the evening of Saturday last at Shreaton, Tilshead, Elston, Maddiagton, and the adjoining parishes, by which property—belonging chiefly to the poorer classes—the cottagers, mechanics, yeomen, and tradesmen—to the amount of twelve or four teen thousand pounds has been destroyed, and the lives of three human brings lost. The situation of these villages is too well known here to need much description ; suffice it to , that those parts of them where the inhabitants mostly l;ve—the streets—arc situated in a valley, by the side w . the high rood, and in many places are close to the iivulet which finds its way into the Avon, above Salisbury. The surrounding country is open and hilly, sloping down in almost all directions for miles around, towards tho valley. The snow-storm of last Thursday night, which was particularly heavy in this neighbourhood, covered the hills toe considerable depth, while the hollows were in many instances full of da s. The earth had been for a long time bound up with frost, so that when the thaw be gan scarcely any of the melted snow could be absorbed: During the Friday, more scow fell, and on the Saturday a most rapid thaw, accompanied by rain, set in. The brook, which for a long time had been perfectly dry, soon filled ' with water end overflowed its banks. At Tilshcad, which was first visited by the fleed, the water is described to have come rushing along the street to a depth of several feet, and mee:ing with fresh supplies from every hollow, and at every turn, continued its irresistible course on to Shrew ton, Elston, and Maddingten. The time sit which the water began to rise, so as to occasion alarm, is various) , stated, but we believe that shortly after noon the inhabi tants began to entertain serious apprehensions for their saf.ty. At Tilshead six homes Were completely overthrown, but fortunately no lives -were lost, the inmates having in every instance escaped, although n 44 the greatest diffi culty, some of them having been taken out of their cham ber windows and removed to places of safety. In many places the road is covered to a depth of full two feet with the broken stones which were loosened and washed down by the current during its ccurse. At Shrewton the destruction of property was the great est ; and inelatacholy to relate, three human beings, a father and his daughter in one family, and a little boy in another, have fall,n victims is this awful visitation. F- , rty houses are entirely destroyed, and with them, in le Ai) instances, the furniture ealscie A cow, belonging to :ir. Nichols, Was drowned. '; Vn,fat' sire)), and four fat pig:, belonging to Mr. Williaipa a thri. butcher, besides a great number of store p'gs bOenging;st other persons, have been lost. Walls, barni',Attklalcs,' , 'she.ds, and outhouses of all kinds, are every wher4. in 'ruins ; in short, such a scene of desolation and Eaton as This village in particular exhi;aits, is, we thank God, rarely witnessed in this coun try. An earthquake ceultWiut have caused greater devas tation. Mr. LESLIE gave notice, that on the next Court-day he should move that the name of every mover and se conder of a motion in the Court of Sewers should ap pear in the record of their proceedings, and that no motion should be put from the Chair, except the same should be reduced to writing, and signed by the mover and seconder. the case. The CHAIR➢IAN raid, that as it was ❑ow so late, half pa: five, he shoed propose to adjourn, Mr. Leslie having kindly consented to postpone the motion, of which he had given notice, to some future opportunity. The Court then adjourned. THE LATE FLOODS. On the warrant being handed round, Mr. LESLIE objected to more than one person being included in the warrant. He contend.id there ought to be a separate warrant against each person. Mr. BROUQIITON thought the practice would not hold water, if the matter came to extremities. BRENTFORD. NEW BRENTFORD, THURSDAY EvENINc4,---The man named Henry Correll, who was found on Sunday forenoon on a bed in the cabin of his barge, apparently asleep, but in reality insensible, and labouring under concussion of the brain, is still alive, but from the dreadful injuries he has received no hopes of his surviving are entertained. On Tuesday night the culvert under the Grand Junction Canal at Isbrwood burst and flooded the high-road to the depth of sc‘eral inches, but happily did no further da mage. It has since been repaired. After the adjourn.. ment of the inquest yesterday on the body of William Sruce, two other inquedts were held by Mr. Baker, the Cormier, which arc connected with the recent calamity. The first was held at the sign of the White Hart, in Windmill-lane, OH Brcntford, on view of the body of .11r. Charles Mar is, a market-gardener, residing in Brook lane, ad /3rentford. whose body was discovered on Mon day last in an armlet of the river Brent, near his own residence. It was ultimately agreed to rifer the matter to the Solicitor to report upon. Mr. Rose was then called in and appealed egainst the assessment of the chapel in ‘Vestgate-street, Pimlico, on the ground that the assessment was excessive. The Surveyors, in the course of the examination of this case admitted that if a piece of ground were occu pied by a dissenting chapel, and a similar piece of ground occupied by a church, they should value the chapel at a higher rate than the church, because the one was in :alienable and the other might be sold. Mr. LESLIE objected to this mode, because it was taxing people in fuluro, which the Court had no right to do. Capt. BAGUE moved that the rate on the premises *bould be reduced from 9-11. to 701. When some evidence had been taken, the Jury, after some discussion, returned a verdict " That the deceased was found drowned, but how he ezme into the water there was evidence to show ;" expressing at the same time their belief that it was purely accidental. The second irquest was held at the sign of the George and Dragon, at Brentford-end, on view of the body of Mr. William Fowler, aged 69 years, an extensive wharfinger and lighterman, residing at Brentford-end, three of whose barges were sunk by the inundation on Sunday mornirg, and who died on the evening of the same day. It was by the evidence adduced clearly proved that the death of the deceased, who was the master of William Spruce, had not been accelerated by his loss, inasmuch as he was scarcely conscious of it. He had for some years been ailing, and for the last three weeks had not left the house. On Sun day afternoon be left his bed-room, when, a noise being heard, he was fcund in a dying state, and before medical assistance could arrive he t xpired. Verdict, " Natural death." Mr. LESLIE, on comparing this case with others, thought that some persons were ill-used m that Court.. He should not take upon himself to propose any altera tion, because he denied the power of the Court to alter the presentment. Mr. WHITE wished to keep the rate at 941. Mr. STARKE proposed an amendment that it be rated at 55/. At Winterbourne Stoke a great deal of damage is done, one house, belonging to Mr. Poulton, is entirely de stroyed—furniture and all. Part of Mr. lie How's house, the Bell, is down. Other houses have also suffered, as well as walls and outbuildings. At Elston the houses are not numerous, but with the exception of Mr. Mills's and Mr. Leonard's, they are all destroyed. A poor old woman, named Vallis, who live in a covage near Mr. Mills's, and us ho• for years past has beer, a pensioner of Mrs. Mills, and has had liar dinner from that lady's table daily, was in a state of great alarm, the water being several feet deep all round about her dwelling ; Mrs. Mills also being very anxious about her, Mr. Mills undertook to go to her, and after struggling in the water, which in places was op to his chin, succeeded in reaching the house, and in removing her fears ; the house was built of brick, therefore it was in no danger of falling. At Orchcston three houses are down, besides much damage to walls, outhouses, &c. At Mtddington also much loss of property has been sustained. The rise and fall of the water were remark ably sudden, not much above twelve hours having elapsed between the commencement and the end of the flaod ; it had attained its greatest height at from eight to ten o'clock at night ; and at three o'clock in the morning the roads were dry. Such a visitation was never before known. The scene is said to have been awfully grand ; the whole valley was filled with a mass of living rolling water.. extending in length as far as the eye could reach, and in places nearly half a mile in breadth. Fortunately the flood began during the day ; had it commenced after the people had retired to rest, the loss of life must have been dreadful, and many head of cattle must have perished. The destruction of buildings would also probably have been greater—as it is, upwards of 300 of our follow-creatures are deprived of house and home at this inclement season, and about sixty houses have been destroyed. We are happy to state that everything that can be done for the immediate relief of the sufferers has been done. The schoolroom at Maddington has been fitted up for the reception of several of the destitute families. Mr. Mills has taken into his own house as many as he can find room for, and has turned some of his outbdild_ ings into temporary dwellings for those whose homes are destroyed. All are doing their part—the clergy, the gentry, the farmers, the cottagers—all, according to their ability, are affording that relief which is so much wanted. A local subscription has been set on foot, r.nd about 300/. was quickly raised ; this will provide cloth ing ard food for a short time for the most necessitous, but we hope and trust something on a large scale. suffi cient not only to relieve immediate wants, but to restore those industrious persons who have lost so much, to their former comfortable position, will be done. A subscription list should be opened in every parish, and from the pulpit of every church and chapel in the county we hope appeals will be made to the charitable, for this purpose. On Tuesday last inquests were held by Mr. Whitmarsh, at Shrewton, en the bodies of three unfortunate persons who lost their liVes in consequence of the flood on Satur day night. In each case verdicts of " Accidental Death" were returned, For the amendment Against it The Court then divided on the original motion, when thete appeared— For the motion .. . Against it Majority Mr. Aveline, the Vestry Clerk of Paddington, ap pealed against the rate assessed on St. Mary's Church, Paddington-green, but would not press cn that subject, but would abide by the decision which might be come to on the general question as to the liabi,ity of churches. lie also appealed against the assessment on the watch house and vestry-room, and the alms-house and the na tional school, on the ground of excessive assessment. Evidence having been gone into as to the value of these respective properties, it was dc'ermined not to inter fere with the presentment of the jury. SOUTH WILTSHIRE-DESTRUCTION OF THIRTY-SIN HOUSES. Oa Saturday last there appeared no extraordinary rising of the waters_ in the locality cif Shrewton till about six o'clock in the evening, when a deep body of water sur rounded those villages, which lie very low, and terror and dismay seemed to oppress the spirits of every one. About eig:it o'clock the scene baffled description ; the night was (ark, the wind very boisterous, the roaring of the waters dismal, and the falling of houses in ever,' direction with a dreadful crash truly appalling ; and twenty-five houses, in less than three hours, were consequently either total]) washed away or reduced to heaps of untenantable ruins. Children were heard crying for their parents, and parents for their children, and four hundred souls were left without house or home. At i\laddington and Orchestmi, which adjoins Shrewton, there were eleven houses destroyed, snaking a tutal of thirty-six houses. The whole damage done is more than 10,0001. A subscription has been set on foot, and temporary dwellings made in the large school room at Shrewton, and also in barns at that place, for the Nameless wretched sufferers, of whom there aro 400. Mr. Torpey appeared on behalf of Mr. Owen, to ap peal against the rate assessed on Albert Chapel, in College-street, Chelsea, on the ground of the chapel being rated beyond its value. Evidence having been gone into, the rating was con firmed. A letter was rend from the trustees of Ranclagh Chwet, complaining of being over-rated, but no one was in attendance to support the appeal. A letter from the Marylebone Vestry was read, stating their willingness to abide by the decition of the Court of Law on the question of the liability of churches to be rated. Mr. T. DYER wished to know if, in accord ance with the order of the Court, the Solicitor had conferred with Mr. Butt the Vestry Clerk of St. George's and St. Giles's, Bloomsbury, with regard to the special case to be submitted to the C'urts of Law. The SOLICITOR said that communications had passed between himself and Mr. Butt, but that there had been no et-inference. Mr. T. DYER said that it ha I been represented to him that the Vestry Clerks were by no means in clined to concur in drawing up a special case. Mr. LESLIE never expected they would. Whoever heard of a number of lawyers agreeing together, to deprive themselves of business 2_ Mr. I. WHITE moved that the consideration of the petitions be postponed until the Court had entered into a consideration of the causes of the late calamitous accident, attended with loss of lift, at Brantford. Mr. WILLOUGHBY thought the emergency was not sufficient to warrant a departure from the order laid down on the business paper. Mr. LESLIE thought it was quite disorderly to pro pose any amendment of that sort. Mr. White should wait tit tit the other business of the Court was dis posed of. . . Mr. ADEY suggested that the Chairman ought not to put the question. The CHAIRMAN determined that the proposition of Mr. White was out of order, and could not be put ; and the Court proceeded to consider the petitions. Various persons appeared who had been summoned for irregular drainage in parts of Chelsea. The Solicitor for Chelsea Hospital requested a sum mons for certain witnesses to be called before the traverse jury on Friday next. The request was granted, and the subpoena issued. The SOLICITOR reported that Mr. Bicknell had re fused to concur with the Court in having a view jury. The CHAIRMAN said he should not, on that account, forego the view which he considered necessary, and he should, therefore, put the question. Mr. LESLIE thought it ought to be left to the jury to ask the view, and whet the Court had to do with ordering it he could not imagine. The presentment was by the jury, and he could not think why the Court should interfere in regard to the view. TUC C 1 AIRMAN said that in all similar cases a view could be demanded by either party, and it appeared to him that the jury could not fully judge the question without viewing the premises. The motian for a view jury was proposed, but not being seconded it fell to the ground. TIIC SOLICITOR said that out of respect to the Court the Sheriff of Middlesex had applied to know whether the Court wished for a special or a common jury. Mr. LESLIE said that application was the conse quence of the ridiculous precept they had signed. Mr. M ULLINS moved that he be requested to return a proper jury. M. v r. LESLIE said they had, under the advice of Mr. ' Ogle, summoned a traverse jury under Peel's Act. He contended that was wrong ; the Sheriff could not un derstand them, and now wished them to commit them selves further. They ought to refer the Sheriff to the Act of Henry VIII. Mr. WlLLouctisY looked upon this act of the She riff as a mere act of courtesy. The motion of Mr. Mullins was then put and carried. Mr. T. DYER was anxious that whatever was done should be entered on the minutes. They were now about to enter upon a proceeding, the like of which had not occurred for 150 years, and therefore it was ex tremely important that the Chairman should be well advised so as to avoid every thing like irregularity in the charg e . He wished to know whether the assessor wEis to attend as Asse2.sor on the part of the Court, er as counsel to the Ch.lirman. Mr. WILLOUGHLY Fad the Assessor Was the Counsel to the Chairman, as the Chairman was the organ of the Court. Mr. L ESLIE wished to know whether the Com missioners were to be gagged, whether he was to be prevented saying anything, bewever wrong he might think what was said by the Chairman or Assessor, be cause if such were the case, he should not come. Could any Commissioner be stopped by Mr. Ogle ? Were all the Commissioners to sit like dummies and not make any observations ? The CHAIRMAN said any Commissioner might put any questions, but that they would be precluded from making any observations. Mr. LESLIE never heard any thing more preposte rous than that th e mem b ers o f the Curt should be bound by the charge if they dissented from it, and that they should have no opportunitv ofexpres g tl:cirdissent. Mr. ADEY did not envy the jerv, if '2OO Colaurns moneys had ail to speak. It was invariably the practice for the pre.!-idin g Judge to sum up alone. Unless some rule were adopted, the Court on Friday would be a bear garden. They had a rule preventing Commissioners from addr ess i ng j ur i es. Mr. T. DYER suggested that, tl. charge should be submitted to the Counnisroners bc for,. b,,ti.g put to 'Aie jury, and that, for this purpose, a CJurt he held previ ously to Friday. lie hoped no Commissioner would ever interrupt a Chairman, but still the charge ought to be submitted to the Court before it should be de livered. Mr. ADEY wished to know how a charge coilld be prepared until the evidence were heard. The SOLICITOR said the course to be tli , en he that he, ~is ,zoiicitor, cihasaiet a.id erdl evide, . do the same, and the Asscszor or cli4iitodn si,ould suin up to the jury, THE OVERFLOWING OF THE AVON. The rapid thaw which commenced on the night of Fri day last caused a more extensive flood along the baEks of our river than has been known sinee November 1823, Though there has been much destruction of property, it has not been anything like so great as might have been justly feared, and there has been no loss of human life in Bath• On Saturday the water approached the level of the banks, and rushed along its course with great force and swiftness. Very little preparation against a further rise was made by the itiliabitaies of the immediate vicinities, who retired to rest at, the usual time, little expecting, the state of things that was to meet their sight at their awak ening. Shortly after midnight, the river rolled over its banks with most alarming impetuosity, and at about three o'clock in the morning the lower part of th e adj acen t houses were deeply floo ded. A scene of indescribable dist— ! may soon took place, and the frightened inhabitants set about removing tile contents of the lower parts of their, houses to the upper rooms, not being sure that they should escape with their lives. The effects of the flood were, as usual, the most severely felt in the Dolerneads, where, in consequence of the po verty of the inhabitants, houses with four rooms very generally contain as many families. During the recent severe weather, much misery has been experienced by this • part of our population. In many of their dwellings there was neither food nor fuel, and hut a very scanty supply of clothes and bedding. The aggravation of their condition, I occasioned by the flood, may be easily imagined. On Mon day, after the water had left their houses, the inhabitants Iwere seen occupying them, wet as they were, without hat ing a spark of fire, and exposed to the cold wind, making its way through the broken windows, and from which the rags which had stepped them up had been washed by the flood. I Many strong walls were washed down by the torrent ; ' houses have been partly demolished ; and other damage of various kinds has been done along the river's banks. The lower parts of the parish of Bathwick were much invaded by the unexpected swelling of the waters. Th e I first alarm given in this neighbourhood was that raised by a poor gardener, en elderly man named Day, residing in a ' small cottage close to the banks of the river. On proceed ing down stairs at about two o'clock on Sunday morning, he found three feet of water in his lower rooms. Ilis cries for help attracted the notice of the police, and the neigh. bourhood was soon roused into a state of the greatest ex citement and alarm. Posple with lanterns were seen run ning in all directions to look after their out-of-door:pro perty, and all was noise and confusion. The wife of the gardener above-mentioned had to be taken out of her bed- I room by means of a boat, but not before the water had reached the ceiling of the lower apartments. It was ne cessary to use boats in several other cases for the rescue of life and property. There was much j eo p ar dy h ere an d elsewhere among the pigs, who, confined in their styes, filled the air with the loud and piteous lamentations which these sagacious animals are in the habit of pouring forth when approached by danger. The Avon was observed by persons living in l3athwick to rise at the rate of aboet tee inches an hour. We may here mention that the river ceased to rise between nine and ten on Sunday morning, soon after which it very perceptibly began to subside. The total rise of the water may be stated at about 20 feet. There has been more or less damage done all along the course of the river through the city, but no very prominent injury, except that sustained by Mr. Chadwick, the rail way contractor, has come to our knowledge. The flood was, of course, greatly felt in the Lower Bristol-road. The old houses in the Lower Bristol-road, near the Old Bridge, which have stood tire test of many a winter's torrent arc now becoming absolutely dangerous, from age and decay, both to the inmates and passers by. The back walls of two of them fell into the river with a loud noise, leaving the inmates, a woman and two children, in bed, ex posed to the inclemency of the weather. The valley of the As on, as seen from our surrounding hids, had a very extraordinary appearance. The city ap peared to be half isolated ; and towards Bristol the river looked like a series of small lakes. The same appearance prevailed in the vale of Claverton.—Bath Chronicle. KNAREETOROUGII.—The rapid Cl4w whic'A took place on Saturday caused ,ho Nidd, and the several other sue: ma in the vicinity, to be much swollen, inundating the lowlands in their serpentine course to a considerable extent ; a n d thus, this " old fashioned winter," as it has been te; tried by scrxie, has disappeared, and left behind it some glorious spring-like weather.— York Courant. DEsnv.—The thaw on Saturday last was so rapid that the watercourse in Curzon-street, on Sunday morning, oveifloived and flooded Cheapside and the \Vardwick, doing considerable damage, and causing great inconveni ence to such of the inhabitants allow houses are not raised sufficiently to avoid such visitations. The Dcrwent over flowed its banks, and laid the nicadoas on tie Notting ham road under water to a considerable depth. —Derby Reporter. I:RE AND SKEW.—The melting, cf the snow has caused strong floods in the rivers lire and Skew, but not to that extent which might have been anticipated at the breaking up of the storm, BATII.—On Thursday evening last, we had a very heavy fall of snow, which was very general. The coaches from London experienced great difficulties in their journeys. The Bath mail, on coming down Marlborough Hill, had to pass through snow as high as the springs of the coach. At half-past two in the morning the same mail, the Age, and another each were brought to a stand-still about three miles on this side of Marlborough, the snow having drifted pieces to the height of fifteen feet. At half-past six the mail made an effort to proceed, a passage having been cut through the fields, the drifts of snow having rendered the road impassable, and it was one o'clock P.M. before the mail arrived in Bath. The above coaches were dug out of the snow six times between Caine and Marlborough. Tho Bristol mail, from L-,ndon, did not arrivo till twenty minutes to three in the afternoon of Friday, being eight hours and a half after its time. The Devonrort mail was compelled, on its journey to London, to stop all night at :%; von miles Wincmiton, as no post horses could 6. ifr'ronvil. - . here to a 41cp..,, of irom 15 to 20 feet, and the guard was obliged to wait until day-light, when ha made his journey across the fields to .134sipgsteliet At Stouclioge-hill, where:anew read ins RAIL WAY CONFERENCE. On Tuesday last, the 19th inst., a general meeting of delegates from all the principal railway companies in England was held at the Queen's Hotel, Birmingham, for the purpose of considering the best means to be adopted for preventing a recurrence of the accidents which have lately taken place on railways. A numerous and highly influential body of directors, with some of the most eminent engineers and managers of railways, at tended. Mr. George Carr Glyn, the Chairman of the London and Birmingham Railway Company, was called to the chair ; and probably no meeting was ever held where the members represented a larger amount of pro. perty. The parties present were the representatiecs of considerably above .50,000,0001. of capital. The utmost cordiality was manifested, and the strongest desire ex pressed by all present to adopt every possible means of accomplisbieg the proposed object. Those who were most conversant with the manage ment of railways stated their conviction that by far the greater portion of the accidents which had occur red were referable to the neglect and disobedience of orders on the part of railway servants ; and while som e few casualties must be expected to occur in any mode of locomotion by such immense numbers of persons as are conveyed on railways, it must be to an i m p rove d state of discipline and moral responsibility on th e p art of the men employed on railways that the exemption from accidents must be looked for. In these sent i ments every person who delivered his opinion concurred. The deliberations of the meeting lasted for several hours, during which time the regulations and signals adopted on all the principal lines were fully discussed, and the following resolutions were unanimously passed ; after which the meeting broke up, with the understanding that a future conference should be convened whenever it ap peared desirable. " Resolved—l. That in consequence of the public anxiety occasioned by the accidents which have taken place on various railways, the Companies here repre sented, in order to profit by the combined experience of the principal lines, have deemed it expedient tbet a general conference should be held for the purpose of taking into consideration the causes and circumstances of such accidents, and the means that may be desirable of more effectually guarding against their occurrence for the future. " 2. That this meeting acknowledges the grave re sponsibility which attaches to Railway Directors, and the obligation under which they lie to adopt all judi c:,,us arid practicable expedients for insuring the general , ACCOIIIMwhiiou, comfort, and safety of the passengers entrusted to their charge ; that, under a stron g impres sion of this responsibility, they have assembled on this occasion, and have pursued their deliberations at the present conference. " 3. That this meeting, while it deeply regrets the accidents ivhich have occurred, looks forward with con fidence to filo beneficial results of unremitting vigilance and habitual caution steadily enforced and established, as the greet means of increased safety to railway con veyance ; and accordingly they would deprecate any sudden or hasty legislation on the subject, being con vine“.l thAt the means referred to, aided by such im proved arrangement and mechanical adaptations as a more matured experi , :nee may suggest, will amply ac complish the desired object. " 4. That the moral character and general fitness of cnginemcn and firemen, as well as of policemen and, other servants, in the correct performance of whose du ties the public safety is involved; ,are so essential to tile security of all railway travelling, that this meeting re commends to all railway companies the strictest exami nation into these points, and that it should be a rule more generally adopted amongst different managements, not to employ servants having; worked on other without authentic and satisfactory testimonials from their former employers. 5. That in case of serious reglect of duty on the part of railway servants, it is desirable more frequently , to put in force the penal provisions of Lord Sevutout' Act, in order that the strictest discipline may be main tained. At the same time this meeting considers it due to men whose services are so arduous to encourage the requisite discipline and obedience of orders I, v reuluLcai.juu, aria Liy U C Nwardt, for extraordi exertions or long-sustained- good conduct. "6. That the Directors at this meeting assembled have taken into their ocriQUl COADideratin the expo- MORNING EDITION diency of placing on the ungine a third !nein tor or captain, in addition to ti,e and i're/ man usually employed ; 4r,d they are; of opinion t such a measure, by distracting utte.d.ion, thority, and removing or distributing the respon'oh l ": of the engineman, would increase rather than lessvi , ''• risk of accidents to the train. "7. That this meeting considers it desirable t; there should be an uniform system of signals rear and applicable to all railways." After some ferthei - discussion the meeting broke uP' A CHASE At"l'Elt A THIEF. An occurrence of a rather ludicrous character fc° place at Vsrttford, on Monday. 'Fry° men, stranger 6 to the town, watched an opportunity when no one wa sh ' the place, to go into the shop of Mr. Fulwood, chandler, at Watford, and they were in the. Act rummaging the till, when the servant accidentally eal e , in, and sAed them what they wanted ; they some evasive reply and attempted to get out ei :Top, and when the servant endeavoured to stop !,hey forced their way past her, and ran off. An al ry t : was immediately giv en , rid West, the constable of 1 "„ ford, soon came up, and having ascertained the` two men had gone down the torn in the &ratio ,1 Rickmansworth, he set off after them, aceonq;aeici l about Carey or fifty men and boys belongirg town, do g s, Ste. The fugitives having 'a good star t, g t ° some distance b, for e their pursuers, and they to ol ' o the fields at the back of the town, and ran for n'a rl o a distance of two miles, like deer. They then "I, to flag, and their pur s uers b e i n g c l ose on their tr BC ' fi l they doubled back ag a in, a n d en d eavoure d to or' ce ; themselves under a h e d g e. Th e i r f o ll owers , how-l ve a ; were too keen for th em ; th e y were quickiy drivo ° " 0 of cover, and they aga i n s t ar t e d t owar d s the .1 141/ ,(1 steathroad, and when they came t o th e f enc ing re7 ef Cashiobury, the Earl of Essex's seat, they s prung ' 4l , and took t o th e woo d, h op i ng t h at t h ey s h ou ld bee r, u •to conceal themselves in it. The constable, howe ve t was close upon th e i r h ee l s , an d w h en th e y bad , g b a t , some distance in the w o o d th e y t oo k separa te 4 and the officer, followed the one nearest to him, arl d i u bt as he was in the act o f c li m bi ng uo a tree h e ejtfah him by the legs, and pulled him down and secured r c i in a very exhau s t e d sta t e ; h e was escorte d to Watford, and safely lodged in the cage. '1 be Per toner was subsequently taken before the Rev. Mr. v -- : e pel, a Magistrate fo r th e county o f IL rts, w h en he gtto his name William Dawkins, an d sa id t h at h e ca me l f ' t o Wendon to look for work. The charge of felonY clearly made out against him, an d th e M ag i s t r ate C O O , mittod him to St. Alban's gaol fo r t r i a l. Ins comp nien succeeded in getting away from his pursuers. FRANCE. CHAAIBER OF DEPUTIES. —SITTING OF JAN' tic, The President took the chair at half-past one e t c l ),, l' t and immediately afterwards informed the Chamber .t lie had received the following letter from M. Mer olllo dated the 17th inst. : mos' " Monsieur Ic President—lnvested w ith an ex press '"„ j date to submit to the Chamber th e p ro t es t o f 12,0 0 v our fellow-citizens established on th e b an k s o f the P i : and menaced not only in their interests, but also personal security, by the consequences of the treat/ ';pt eluded on the 31st of October last, with the Gover a , fi 'ibe of Buenos Ayres; and feeling all th e i m p ortan ce f duties imposed by this mission in p resence o f a Pe r ; tr imminent ratification, I beg you will have the goodr c6 dot inform the Chamber that the still feeble st a t e o f my P e 7,ts, and above all the non-arrival of the private doennia which have been promised to me, alone pr ev e n ts my e a a of its immediate attention to so grave an affair. At the C f :biti " this week, without doubt, I shall have the honour, ",,` t to assent, of fixing the day on which it may b e conveni" i ,ol the Chamber for me to put to the Ministers the qu est 'el , which I am personally charged to put relative to the roes cumatances of the treaty in question, and the diEa st ,, consequences which would result from its ratificatio n t he M. Baudin read the report of the Committee I t ho Bill for the credit o t sixty thousand francs in favour ' 9 library of the Arsenal. -M. Humann, the Minister of Finances, presented the following Bill of Credits : 0 0 " Art. 1. A sum of 40 millions is appropriated no l o completion of the e x t raor di nar y wor k s o f t h e ser vice ° of ponts et chaussces, in augmentation of the sod 188,295,000 f. rema i n i ng to be employed in 1842 so ri• lowing years, a n d vo t e d by special laws. These sPP r°l Ji• ations, amounting altogether to 228,269,000 f., shall vided under special heads. " Art. 2. A sum of 254 millions, including 92 M I ., foe at which the expense of the fortifications of P ar die 1842 and following years is fixed, is appropriated t° extraordinary works of the War Department for t hee t ge gineers and artillery, and for barracks and military zines. t he " Art. 3. A sum of 52 millions is appropriated t o t l of extraordinary works to be executed by the - departille rl ' the marine and in the ports and arsenals. jiAlf " Art. 4. Upon the grants fixed by the Foe for articles, credits, amounting to 75 millions, are opcno!, the expenditure char gea ble upon the estimates of 1842. 44 ' Public wor ks 33,700, 0001. Ministry of War 36,300 ,000 Ministry of Marine 75,000,00" sod " Art. 5 refers to the classification of the credit Li ' d to the facul:y of carrying over the amount not erul' i° Y e the` Art budget. • sre " Art. 6. The expenditure for which these cre dll4 o l opened upon the estimates of 1842, up to the amoun t° the millions, is to be covered by a sum to that e xtent 01 ' th e produce of the loan of 450 millions, mentioned and of re, head of Extraordinary Ways and Means, in the W I ° - ceipts of the estimates of 1842." t d tb l: The Minister, in the course of his expose, s", -c il of 254 millions mentioned in Article 2, s e verity-u' e „,o l lions were destined for the completion of the defe , r oe s• the frontiers and the interior of the kingdom, i nu !i' i tcf o dcntly of the fortifications of Paris; seventy-five ilr - e for were for barracks and military magazines, and tw e :: - dr ti the artillery and powder. He stated that it was to appropriate seventy-live millions annually for `Tbe from the year 1812, for extraordinary public w orks. 050 expenditure under this head would, he said, be mere edits sixty millions for 1841. The total am ou nt of the c ,' - hich now demanded would, ho said, b e 534 millions , 'oho would exceed by eighty-four millions the a mount % A O , proposed loan. The Ministers bad not chosen , b,`„ isr to increase the amount of the loan, f o r it would ';,o s ' proper to draw upon capitalists beyond their On this point he added, political circumstanc eg oor' not influenced our determinations as to to dinary works, otherwise than by inducing " il - Coll take into consideratlon the necessary Pro cs , - I e l , which, sooner or later, in the present situat' - i n bot , " Europe, France must have adopted. It is not cr ! ic - r t ° , profound regret, how ever , G ent l emen , t h at , in o r ",; e 11 81) provide for the war d e p artment , we h ave b een 0 14 "„ - o sti to diminish by one-half the amount of grants to thL„rasi, et chaussees, and t o res i gn ourselves not to undertio; o oi new enterprise bef ore t h e year 1848 . Th e e rnuls t° the nations advanc e d i n c i v ili sat i on di rects i tse lf o nlY; 3 „ier e present day to the conquests of peace, and we must nei, • it t r-tc the still imperfect state of international relation s e itm compels them to consnme i n s t er il e ex p en di tur e the er ;, ,,„a demanded for reproductive employment, M. 11 C t . rO t then read a v er y l ong an d d e t a il e d expose o f the di" - re tlit branches to which it i s i n t en d e d t o appropr i a te the c. for the war department. to be The Bill pre - ted by H. H ordered presente_ 'y „ .w.rann was crdc printed and distributed, tcti The 'Minister of P u bli c I ns t ruct i on t h en prese rl der cu Bill for the protection o f lit erar y p ro p er t y . It was °r to The Ottler of the Day now was the adjourned disci . ' c op upon the Bill for the sale of landed and house P r " under legal judgment The remaining articles were p u t t o th e vote And sue. ceslively adopted. " )1* .On the ballot on th e e n sem bl e t h o num b er; we re, ,cre Bill, 148 ; against i( 12 ; but as the members p r ePentecr, Lot sufficient accor di ng t o t h e regu l at i ons o f the Gila a new ballot v‘as order, d ;he next sitting. The Citamber adj:urried at a quarter to six. G Al A N Y . BERLIN, JAN. 15.—The State Gazette says " ° lo , ' accounts from Frauenburg announce t h at R u dolp h , "„ - f napfel arrested on s us pi c i on o f being the murdere r - Bishop of Ermcland, h as confessed his crime." . 0 1 rvc' His Imperial Highness the Archduke Frederick v rP t the turn to 'Vienna, from the expedition to Syria, 15th of this month. The young Prince will retai' :,a the English Ordt'r of the Bath, which is hardly e v ,;,. r , -I ° r ferred on any foreigner, and with that of St. Anu —' ,, c 7c. Russia, which incluths in it ail the Orders of the cri A 'r ' ,i% Of the two Roinaa Catholic Arclihshoorics 0 " t e , Bishoprics in the kingdom of Prussia the haft are novi prived of their chief pastors. These are the Archb isb %sti of Cologne and the Bishoprics of Treves, Ermcland. .ntl POLISH FRONTIERS, JAN 3 .—The S ena t e o: Craco' c ' o 3 , the dissolution of the C ,, tnmission of Inquiry , l'`,!, t he dressed a request to !he respectiv e C our t s t o u:,dcr.3,'- t ho regular trial and sentence of their subjects confined i n b io prisons of Cracow for high treason or disturbing the tranquillity, and then to withd r a w th l A u stri. , n g" r , r t ' v of as there is no reason to apprehe n d th a t t he tranqu' l "." r iso the republic will be interrupted. I hear that the AL ls c i e to Government has at once decla re d it s rea di ne ss to B C C , e their request, and that negotiations with Re' 3 , l wi; l Prussia have been opt - ned, which it is to be h°Pc soon have favourable result. VIENNA, JAN.ll.—General Buren von Hesse _YI P ~t oa s cornplishcd his mission t o t h e S out h G, n Co" r "„' returned to Vieniia, and has airead% 11,14 cbs make a verbal report of the ruse :s of it to ois n'^" ' Prince INlettrriit - :. „ t 1 551 I3RCSSELS, JA N . 20.—The average price of o bc— ,liire. week was 19f. 4 c ., an d t h at o f R ye lii. 51c. per }wet(' GELGIAy p NDS—rigljoltiEt.o JAN. -'f'• ACCUtIi Ddit, per Cr•nt. ;,;.•,:',llsCtllid'S Loan, n ...... .. • ' , • 1 (71 '. ,, an of Thirt . • Thirty.seven """" I.e7n of Cit•,, 4 per echl .... ...... Sock ty of Cornrovree, per .......... Bank of Belgium, 5 per ........ ' National Society Exchange on Loniiim (short) —Brussels Papers, Jan. 20. AUSTRIAN F1.11 ,, D5..--VIENNA, JAN. 1 1 ur ysg five per Cents. Metalliques Foer per Cents. Three p.r Cents. al' HULL AND SELBY RAILWAY.--On .kl '"• ° ",. l nu ts owing to the frost, thu train on this railway was II running two miles I..,Sheffield Patriot. CA Ty at ST] Fitx at r ( ----.-,... at th , hi ay Dr ci te ! 22. ; Pr 167. u0„ 11 .• !t r . 0 " I I 13 t T 1 Hari hie. \rest Pair It pant Of hew l' i coral, Tri m To P e Lo The frr After trAt E GA Sontl the corIV! Gran Tkis M \ Val: "er ) 1%4 Sk4 414 fee