The Sun. — London, England, 1849-01-11 00:00:00

DEAL, JAN. 10.—Wird W.S.W., squally.—Arrd. Gihsi,n, China ; Windsor, Grei: son, Madras ; Gulnare, Jamaica; 11) men, Me.de, Pugwash ; N,r thumherland, Calcutta ; Gambia, Gambia. Awl. from the River—Geelong, \Vyse, Cape of Good Hope. The Druid, Thomas, which arrived in the Downs to-day from Demerara, experience d severe gales during the whole of last month, and on the 26th was struck by a sea, which carried away bulwarks, stanchions, boats, bowsprit, shrouds, fore topmast rigging, shere anchors, fore chains, and some chain plates ; at the same time she broached to, and was thrown on her beam ends, when everything was cut away to clear her. RAMSGATE, JAN. 10. The William Orightsed, Wright, from Yarmouth to Shoreham, which was on shore near Deal, has put in here to-day, with loss of anchor and chain, on her way here she got on shore again. YARMOUTH, JAN. 10.—The Margaret, Brig, of Avock, from Poole to Hull, struck on the Scroby Sand this morning, but was gut off, and has been assisted in here making water. ABERDEEN, JAN. 9.—The Mansfield, Leslie, of and for this port, from Hartlepool, was totally wrecked at Johnshaven yesterday; crew saved. CLONAKILTY, JAN. B.—The Ceylon, Lapan, from the Clyde to New York, was totally wrecked in Ross Bay - this morning; 28 of the crew and passengers saved; there is but little of the cargo saved. The Diadem, Skeene, from New York, in coming up the river, struck on Burbo Bank, and has arrived hero vNith 13 feet water in her hold. LLANELLY, JAN. 9.—The Victory, of Aberystwith, for the Spitty Copper Works, struck against Lougher Bridg e last night and sank, but it is expected that the vessel and cargo will be saved. SWANSEA, JAN. 10.—It blew a strong gale here last night from the west, when the Lady Prudhoe, for Cuba, was obliged to slip both anchors, and has got safely into harbour. The Maria, of St. Ives, from Pentreath, which sank 7th inst. off the harbour, is expected to become a total wreck; some of the materials have been saved. OSF Tusßen, JAN. 9. Roger Steward, Deme rara, for Liverpool, with loss of bowsprit, sails, &c. OFF MARGATE, JAN. 10.—Wind W., fresh.—Sea Witch, Reyner, Shanghae; Gulnare, West Indies. --- MARKET NEWS.—(THIS DA Y.) NEIATGATE AND LEADENHALI. These markets were "heavy, and prices had a down ward tendency. Bee'', from 2s 6d to 3s 4d; Mutton, 3s 4d to 4s 4d; Veal, 3s 4d to 4s 4d; and Pork, 3s 6d to 4s 6d per Blbs, by the carcase. NEW ISLINGTON CATTLE IVIAREET. Although the holding of the second cattle market was fixed for to-day by the promoters, not a single head of stock of any description was brought forward. We can, therefore, make no report of the proceedings. No buyers were in attendance. MEAT MAILICETS. SoUTHALL, JAN. 10.—Our market to-day was well supplied with each kind of fat stock, the demand for which was heavy, at drooping prices. —Beef, from 2s 6d to 4s; Mutton, 3s 41 to 4s 8d ; Veal, 4s to 4s 4d; and Pork, 4s to 4s 6d per Blbs, to sink the offal. 1103IFORD, JAN. 10.—All kinds of stock were very dull, and lovser to purchase.—Beet, from 2s 8d to 4s; Mutton, 3s 6d to 4s 10d ; Veal, 4s to 4s 4d; and Pork, 4s 2d to 4s 6d per Sibs; Suckling Calves, 18s to 245; and quarter old store Pigs, 17s to 22s each. LEWES, JAN. 9.—Prime Sheep mostly sold at full rices; otherwise the demand was in a sluggi,h state.— Beef from 3s to 4s 2d ; Mutton, 4s to 5s ; Veal, 3s 10d to 4s 4d ; and Pork, 4s to 4s 4d per Blbs. HAT MAREETS. SMITHFIELD.—Meadow Hay, 2/ 16s to 31 13s; Clover ditto, 31 5s to 41 lOs ; and Straw, 11 3s to 11 9s per load. A full average supply, and a dull trade. CUMBERLAND.—Meadow Hay, 21 18s to 31 13s ; Clover date, 31 8s to 4/ 10s; and Straw, 11 5s to 1/ lOs per load. Supply but moderate, and trade rather dull. WHITECHAPEL.—Meadow Hay, 21 16s to 31 15s ; Clover ditto, 3/ lOs to 41 15s; and Straw, 11 3s to 1 94 per load. Trade dull, at the above quotations. CORN AVERAGES. GENERAL AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN For the Week ended Jan. 11,1848, made up from the Returns of the Inspectors in the different Cities and Towns in Eagland and Wales per Imperial Quarter. I WHEAT. I BARLEY. I OATS. 1 26 sE I BEANS. I PEAS. PRICE .. I 45s 10d 30s 8d I7s Od 4d I 32s 4d 375 9d DUTIES ON FOREIGN CO NR. WHEAT. BARLEY. I OATS. I BYE. 1 BEANS. I PEAS. 103 Od 25 Od 3s 6d 2s Od 2s Od 2s 04 CHANCERY.-(THIS DAY.) This being the first day of Hilary Term the Lord Chancellor resumed his sittings. His Lordship, in con sequence of the arrangements that have been made for the convenience of the equity bar, sat in his court in the Old Hall, Lincoln's Inn, instead of his court at Westminster. His Lordship will not sit at West minster till after Parliament has met. The Court heard appeal motions and appeals, but no case of any interest, except to the parties concerned, came before the cow. , during the whole morning. —OLLS' COURT.—(THIS DAY.) His Lordship the Master of the Rolls sat for the first time to-day since Christmas in his Court, at the Rolls house, Chancery-lane. This being the first day of Hilary Term, his Lordship heard motions, and was oc cupied the whole morning with a motion for a new trial, in which Mr. Sergeant Channel was engaged. Nothing of any interest came before his Lordship. VICE-CHAN CERY.—(THIS DAY.) (Before the VICE-CHANCELLOR of England.) His Honour sat in his Court in Lincoln's Inn to-day, it being the first day of Hilary Term. This was the fir st sitting of his Honour since Christmas. 1.14 L ATTORNEY-GENERAL v. THE EARL OF STANFORD.— JUDGMENT. Ills HONOUR gave judgment this morning in this case, ,Which was argue d b efore him for several days in Decem ber last. Our readers will recollect, from the statements we gave on the hearing of the case, that the cause came before the Court upon an information filed by the Atter ad-master DbY-General, at the relation of several inhabitants of the town of Manchester, against the trustees, manch s: and usher o f th e " F ree Grammar School he of e • - ter," p ra yi ng f or an accoun t an d a reference to the Mas ter of the Court, to settle a scheme for the future ma nagement of the charity, having regard to the alteration which had taken place in the circumstances of the town since the foundation of the school; for the appointment of new trustees in the stead of those now made de fendants, on the ground that they were not qualified under the terms of the deed creating the charity. The charity was founded by Hugh Oldham, Bishop of Exeter, and the deed bore date in the 16th year of Henry VIII., the Lord Bishop having, at his own cost and charge, built within the town of Manchester a house adjoining to the College of Man. Chester for a free school, there to be kept for ever, and to be called " The Manchester School." He had also, at his own expense, purchased other premises, which he had conveyed, together with the said school-house, to Hugh Bexwycke and Joan Bexwycke and their heirs, " to be disposed and converted to and for the continu ance of the teaching and learning to be had and taught in the same school." It was witnessed also that Hugh and Joan Bexwycke granted the saidpremises and others described, " to twelve persons therein named, and their heirs for ever, to the use and intent that they should per form, fulfil, and observe all the acts, ordinances, provi aastens, and constitutions contained in the schedule thereto nent nexed." Th e sc h e d u l e then provided for the appoint andM payment of a high master and usher, who should teach freely and indifferently every child and scholar coming to the school, without any money or other reward except only their stipends, 101. for the high Master, and 51. a year for the usher. It was next pro l'ided, th a t a f ter the surplus revenue of the charity had e ureulated to 20L, the annu a l surp l us was to be g i ven Let the etiibition of scholars yearly at Oxford and Cam• bridge, who had been taught schol ar should have in the 2 school, so that no yearly above 6s. 5 2d. It was al so Provided that future vacancies in the number of the trustees should be filled up " from among honest gentle lneu and honest persons of the p ar i s h of Manchester." In the course of time, the revenues of the charity having greatly increased, the salaries of the masters were raised; twelve exhibitions of 60/. each were instituted, and the r emaini ng surplus was invested and accumulated from ti to time. In 1832, these accumulations, amounn one hundr e d an d twenty-nine thousand poun ti ds g M the Three per Cents., an order was obtained on tetition under Sir Samuel Romilly's Act, the 52d, Geo. IL, chap. 101, for a reference to the master to settle a scheme for the future management of the charity. The masters had been permitted for many years to take b oarders, and the respective salaries of high master, Usher, and two assistants, had been increased to 5001., , 2 1 , 50 /., 170/., and 1351 ., t h e number of scholars being 200. , he income of th e c h ar i ty had increased to 4,500/., leav -I..ng a surplus of 2,8001., after all expenses. The Master's Scheme!V provided for certain extra tuition, and the sum ;',0,0 was set apart for rebuilding the high master's ~o u !e, and other improvements, all out of the surplus k m . ..". The system of boarders was also sanctioned, and boys from six to twenty years of age were made eligible remain at the school. The masters' salaries were k_au increased, the exhibitions were continued, and the tu!erders as free scholars were allowed to participate in impugnu ra• In 1835 the information was filed, seeking to i',,. the scheme of the master as above stated, on .:ettground that the A ttorney-General was no party to t''.. and that the trustees not being residents in Manches trb wereal ineligible to fill the office. The informa w° so objected to the manner in which the school or as a e.it,rFrti on,_ as being quite subversive of the nature system of feb Grammar. school." It objected also to the boarders of the deed as being at It with the terms j e sted to thealid the intentions of the founder, and it ob- Master' himmense outlay expended in rebuilding the . a ose &c In their answer the defendants re lied Principal ' * present systerltipPli long usage h av i ng recognised the Lord Ch ancellor the ease was argued before h ie present that all children 01;1 1840, who gave it as his opinion were to be admittedai age to be capable of instruction we e of opinion that thee i:e achool• His Lordship was aarders should not participate In the exhibitions, and t h teat in any Way by which tteley should not derive be -17 expenditure of the charity 1 1?ight be increased, but his did not think that 190 trustees should be removeedrdshiptleree was made to theb above appeal, and the matter4b reheard before il.'_rd Lyndhurst, the decree was so ufaeari_nevgaried that it re 'tfresd to the master to inquire strer what restric ..'ll and limitations the maci :lac arders Th s were to re foie the • e matter had n ow „._.Court on the report of the come be leestionb decided .. master, and the the fo, "e of be andationand taking boarders was inconsistent with th Th e ... g a objects of the charity. His Honour, sheer scheme t considerable le ' for the length into the case, ordered the sev er , ' i _ . _ _ or carrying on the charity to be varied in lear ae,'!),_caen. particulars, and stated it to be his b oarci ers 'A4: . I cl . d ?pinion that the practice of taking jests ~,, a, inconsistent with the foundation and ob .L tiae charity. THE SUN, LADBROOKE V. SMITH.-JUDGMENT. NIKON W. THE TAFF VALE RAILWAY.-JUGDMENT. QUEEN'S BENCH.-(THIS DAY.) (Sittings in Banco) This was the first dai'of Hilary Term. The Learned Judges took their seats on tho bench shortly after ten o'clock. DAWSON W. HAY. 1 , This was an action tried at the last Guildhall sittings, before Lord Denman, when a verdict was given for the plaintiffs. The plaintiffs are the well-known advertising agents, and they brought this action to recover the payment of an amount incurred on account of the Shrewsbury - and Leicester Direct Railway Company, of which the de fendant was a provisional committeeman. :11r. TEMPLE moved for a rule to show cause why the verdict should not be set aside, and a new trial granted, on the ground of misdirection, and of the verdict being against evidence. He contended that no evidence had been adduced to show that the defendant had taken any part in the proceedings of the company of a kind which could make him liable for its debts. lie also argued that the Learned Judge, in leaving it to the jury to say bow far the acts of the defendant were calculated to lead a reasonable man to suppose that he had authorised the persons giving, the orders to pledge his credit, was mis direction. His Lordship should have added, that to make out liability, it was necessary that the plaintiffs should have been aware of such acts. Ruie granted, _ _ Lord - DENMAN remarking that it was desirable that the question should be argued. BAIL COURT.-(THIS DAY.) Mr. Justice ERLE, after hearing two unimportant motions relating to points of practice, sat at nisi prius, and disposed of several undefended causes which in. volved no feature of public interest. EXCHEQUER.-(THIS DAY. (Sittings in Banco.) CASE OF WILLIAM COBBETT. Mr. William Gibbetc, whose case has been so re peatedly before the Court, appeared under a writ of habeas corpus to complain of the manner of his treat ment in the Queen's Bench Prison. Atter hearing him at some length, The CHIEF BARON—Most of the arguments urged by Mr. Cobbett have been repeatedly heard by the Court and disposed of. The facts are these:—Mr. Cobbett is detained under an attachment, and we have repeatedly told him that it does not belong to us to deal with that attachment, it having issued from the Court of Chan cery, which only has jurisdiction in the case, and is clearly competent to deal with it, if there be any grounds for setting it aside. With respect to the other complaint, that he is detained in the wrong prison, or in the wrong part of the prison, or that the governor has placed him in class No. 1, the question has been repeatedly settled and disposed of by the Court. The true construction of the Act does give the governor the right to place a prisoner in either class, and if he keeps him in more strict custody than he is warranted, the redress is not by a habeas corpus, but by an action ; and the Court believes that Mr. Cobbett has already brought an action upon the subject of his complaint. Under these circumstances he must return to the place where he has been detained in custody, and I must say that I don't see what advan tage Mr. Cobbett has in coming regularly before one of the Courts every term, applying for and getting a writ in vacation, which he knew he would not obtain when the Court was sitting in term. He has done this several times, and possibly he may do it once too often. If a prisoner make an affidavit, and swear that he is detained unlawfully in custody, I do not see how a Judge at Chambers can refuse to grant a habeas corpus. Probably he is bound to grant one, but if Mr. Cobbett chooses every term to persevere in making these appli cations, and thus waste the public time, he may find at last that he does not do it without some peril. He has heard stated repeatedly what the law is, and it may be at last that the Attorney-General may be called upon to save the public time, and support the dignity of the Court, which I do not think has been treated with re spect by these repeated applications upon the same grounds. _ . - Mr. COBBETT—I wish to make one observation, my Lord— The CHIEF BARON—Not one word, Mr. Cobbett— not one word—we have heard with patience what you have had to say, and we cannot hear one word more. Mr. Cobbett - again asked to be allowed to speak? The CHIEF BARON (with some warmth)—Mr. Cobbett, I desire you to be silent. The Court desires you to be silent. The applicant then left the Court in the company of ,he sheriff's officer. VENTILATION OF THE COURT. The judges, bar risters, suitors, and others in the court were subject to the greatest annoyance and inconvenience this morning in consequence of some portion of the ventilating ma chinery getting out of order, by which repeated gusts of cold air were thrown down from the upper part of the court, making every one uneasy, and threatening the most formidable colds. Sir Fre deriek Thesiger interrupted the business to apply on behalf of the bar for a little hot air instead of the cold air which had been blown upon them so liberally during the morning. Their Lordships gave instructions to that effect, and directed all the doors to be closed, but the entrance of cold air still continued, and their Lord ships were obliged to remain satisfied with the protection afforded by the curtains upon the bench, while many of the bar sought refuge in the other courts. COMMON PLEAS.-(THIS DAY.) (Sittings in Banco.) The judges who sat in this Court were the Lord Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Maule, Mr. Justice Cresswell, and Mr. Justice Williams, Only one case, not of sufficient importance to justify a report, came under hearing during the morning, and there being no other business before their Lordships, the Court rose at half-past eleven o'clo c k. The CHIEF JUSTICE intimated that if the Court were in the same predicament to-morrow the old new-trial cases would be proceeded with. SHERIFFS' COURT.-(THIS DAY (Before Mr. Under-Sheriff BURCLIELL) ATKINS V. MANTELL. _. . This was an action to recover the sum of 3141., the balance of an account for goods sold. The plaintiff is an upholsterer, and the defendant is the executor to a person named Walker. The furniture was supplied between the years 1832 and 1838, but the plaintiff and Mr. Walker being on intimate terms, no settlement was pressed. Mr. Atkins, a son of the plaintiff, was called, and prwred the delivery of the goods, and that the balance claimed was now due. On the part of the defendant a number of receipts were put in. The plaintiff's COUNSEL contended that as there was no plea of payment, these receipts could not be received in evidence. The UNDER-SHERIFF Said that:strictly speaking, they could not, but he should think that it would be better to admit them if they were found to be correct. The Learned COUNSEL said there was a difficulty in such a case, as it was impossible to say at once to which account the receipts applied, as there had been previous dealings between the parties to the amount of 1,000/. The UNDER -SHERIFF said that he would reject the evidence, and take a note of the objection, if required to do so. The Learned COUNSEL questioned the witness, and he said that the receipts applied to a former account due to " Atkins and Giblet," although the receipts were given by plaintiff, as he was to receive the partnership debts. The defendant's SOLICITOR then addressed the jury, and said that the defendant had been driven to rejecting the claim by the other creditors of the estate, which would only pay a dividend of 6s. Bd. in the pound on their debts, an d t h ey were qu i te ta k en by surprise at a demand being made. Ile also said that the whole of the estate had been administered. The UNDER-SHERIFF said, in the absence of a plea, the jury had nothing to do with the matter, and if they thought the receipts had been satisfactorily explained, they would give a verdict for the full amount. Verdict for plaintiff. BANKRUPTCY. -(THIS DAY.) (Before Mr. Commissioner GOULBURN.) IN RE STOREY. This bankrupt had carried on business as a banker at St. Albans, and to-day was appointed for the choice of assignees. The business of the day was confined to taking proofs, no account having yet been filed. CITY IMPROVEMENTS.—Yesterday the Commis-. sioners for the City of London Improvements obtained possession of the whole of the houses in Castle-court, Cloak-lane, north side of Dowgate hill, Budge-row, Tower Royal, St. Thomas Apostle, and the numerous courts and alleys intersecting, consisting of nearly 200 dwellings, for the formation of the ne w street from the end of albrook to the Middlesex side of Southwark bridge. They are all now vacated and will be pulled down forthwith. The commissioners have already com menced the widening of Cannon-street, the east side of which, extending trom Turnwheel-lane to Dowgate-hill, being already removed. TAKING THE VEIL.—The solemn and interesting ceremony of the reception of a young lady into the Ro man Catholic order of the Sisters of Mercy took place yesterday in the chapel of the Most Holy Trinity, Par ker's-row, Bermondsey. The postulant, a Miss Watkins, the daughter of wealthy parents, went through the usual forms of admission in the presence of many of the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church and a very crowded assemblage of spectators. The solemnity o f the drviee and the ~interest attached to the occasion breasts to creat e f ee li ngs o f t h e d eepest sympat h y i n t h e of all present. His HONOUR also gave judgment in this case, dismis sing the bill with costs. he Court then proceed( d to hear motions, but nothing of any interest came before his Honour during the morning. (Before the Vice-Chancellor KNIGHT BRUCE.) His Honour heard motions and petitions to-day, it being the first day of Hilary Term. (Before the Vice-Chancellor WIGRAM.) ZONES V. HOW,—JUDGMENT. His HONOUR stated that in this case, which stood in the paper to-day for judgment, he remained of the some opinion he had expressed at the hearing. This case stood on the paper for judgment to-day, but at the suggestion of his HONOUR, who stated his opinion to be, that the question must be dccided at law, the matter was ordered to stand over to Wednesday next in order that the parties might consider of the issue to be tried. The Court then proceeded to hear motions. LONDON, TIJURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 11, 1849.: ST. CLEMENT DANES BURIAL GROUND. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SlR,—The paragraph which appeared in your journal of the 6th instant, on St. Clement Danes Burial-ground, is calculated, more especially at the present time, to mislead those whom it most concerns —viz., the public. The left-handed compliment which would make me discriminate between the odour arising from boiling fat, the "open grating commu nicating with the sewer," and that arising from decom posing dead bodi es , I d ec li ne accept i ng. I t is quite true that I have during many years endeavoured to convince my count r y men t h at t h e li v i ng cannot with impunity inhale the odours arising from the grave yard. The conclusions which I have long since arrived at are the result of some labour, close obser vation, and personal risk. " Dead men tell no tales ;" yet, though our legislators seem to think that the cesspool and the sewer should be the chief objects of their solicitude, they will find that the dead man's question, which should have been first in the category, will force a recognition, and demand a remedy. The forthcoming retribution would fall less heavily had the facts on record been duly appreciated. I could, Sir, say much, and to the purpose perhaps, in its graveyard to the c on diti on o f Cl ement ' s -l ane, grave.yard and other abominations, but, for the pre sent, I forbear. I may, however, restate a portion of my evidence before a Committee of the House of Commons in 18 40—viz., that in this lane, in which the living breathe, on all sides, an atmosphere im pregnated with the odour of the dead, there had been 41 deaths in 18 months ; whilst in 111148 the propor tion of deaths on the north-eastern, the grave-yard side of the lane, are at the rate of one in each house— that is, there are 37 houses on that side, and 37 dead bodies are taken out of those 37 houses during the year. And, be it remembered, these deaths are ex clusive of those who are smitten there, but die, or re cover, as the case may be,in the hospitals or elsewhere. It is said, that the smell of which I complained before the Committee on interment in towns, in 1842, arose, undoubtedly (?), from an open grating communicating with a sewer in a yard in the above lane. Perhaps by the removal of pi g - s t yes and boiling houses, one ' s olfactories may have a less appreciatory task imposed upon them. But though the nose is not merely an ornamental appendage to the face, but the registrar of odours ; and though the " sentinel" may be constantly on guard, he cannot persist in the recognition of even the most disgusting effluvia beyond a certain period of time ; yet, what does this prove ? Why, that by the sense of smell we recognise the presence or ab sence, of an odorous compound, and th a t i s a ll. L e t not people, therefore, deceive thems e l ves , or d ece i ve others. Life has, in myriads of instances, been de stroyed without any smell being perceptible. If it were not so, how comes it that the fathers and mothers of the generations that are past never smelt the rni asms that impaired the health, or destroyed th e li ves of their offspring, by the various diseases to w hi c h childhood i s more es p e cially liable—a s measles, scarlet fever, &c.? Or why was it that about this time last year, when the mortality in London alone exceeded by thousands the ordinary two weeks' average—why was it, I say, that no one smelt anything peculiar; whilst this year, when cholera (an exaggerated form of typhus) is the destroying angel, have the victims seen, or have they recognised by the nose th e p ecu li ar principles th a t h ave p o isoned their blood an d k nave d them out of their lives ? I, Sir, am anxious not to participate in, or sanction, any such notions, and this is the chief cause o f m y troubling you wi th this corn munication.—l am, Sir, your obedient serva n t, GEO. A. WALKER. St. James's-place, St.James's, Jan. 8. COMMISSIONERS OF SEWERS. The new Metropolitan Commissioners of Sewers held their first meeting yesterday, at the Sewers-office, in Greek-street, Soho. There was a very full attendance of members, amongst whom were the Earl of Carlisle, Lord Ebrington, Joseph Hume, Esq., M.P., Hon. F, Byng, E. Chadwick, Esq., C.B , Dr. Southwood Smith, Lambert Jones, Esq., Dr. Buckland, and John Leslie. Esq. The Earl of CARLISLE was elected President of the Commission, and having taken the chair, said, it had been a subject of regret that, in consequence of legal and technical difficulties, the opening of the new Commission had not taken place some time ago, but they could only strive by increased diligence and exertions to make up fur the time which had been lost. He thought any one who scrutinized the list of` those who composed it would perceive that its selection had been guided by a wish to comprise within its numbers persons qualified by pre vious experience, and of high attainments, and whose successful exertions in the general cause of sanitary re form entitled them to the consideration of G overnment, butt the best vindication of the composition of the Commission would be the future efficient performance of its functions. It could not be said that they commenced their labours at an ordinary time, or under common circumstances, for though the metropolis had certainly not been exten sively visited by the baneful cholera, they could not be sure whether its destructive energies might not at pre sent be bound by the strong hand of winter, and that when the spring came on, it might not fall upon them with a hundredfold power. From what had just oc curred at Tooting much was to be feared, but he trusted the Commission would take care that the workhouses of the metropolis were more carefully examined. The Government had recently constituted a general Board of Health, and he thought it was most desirable that that Board and this Commission should establish an inter change of reciprocity and good offices, and with this view it was proposed that one of their chief officers should hold a continual communication with both Boards. The business of the Court was then proceeded with. The officers of the former Commission were provisionally re. appointed. Mr. Stubbes, however, the treasurer, being desirous of retiring, a committee was appointed to consider his case. A gratuity of 2501. was voted to Mr. Hertalet, the secretary, for increased exertions under the old board, 250/. to Mr. Row, the surveyor, and 2001. to Mr. Phillip, the sub 'surveyor. The solicitors were directed to retain Sir John Henderson as the standing counsel of the Commission, and complaint books were ordered to be kept at all the offices of the Commission. The meetings of the Commission were then ordered to be held the first Thursday in every month; and thanks having been voted to the Noble Chairman, the Commission adjourned till next Tuesday PRUSSIA. M. Temme, the Director of the Chief Court in Minster, who was arrested there by the order of that Court itself on a charge of treason, for the part ha took in the vote refusing the payment of taxes, has published a formal protest against his arrest. He denies that the local court has any jurisdiction in a matter which, if it involve any criminality, comes under the cognizance of the Court of Berlin alone, and impugns the step it has taken on account of its previously expressed animosity to him, which prevents its deciding any question by which he is affected with impartiality. He denies also that a deputy can be proceeded against for anything he may have done in his legislative capacity. He claims a speedy hearing and legal decision in his case, which, however, must be removed from the Court of Mun ster, on every legal ground, of incompetence, and because as it has commenced the prosecution, it can not also pronounce the decision. By his own account of his arrest, and the first steps of the inquiry, the proceedings against him appear to have been some what informal : " By order of the Court of Justice of this city I was suddenly arrested on the 28th inst. and confined in the city prison. In the warrant of arrest it was stated that the Chief Court of Justice had commenced a prosecu tion against me for having aided in carrying into effect the well-known refusal of taxes resolution, passed on the 15th of November. The examination and imprisonment had been decreed without any preliminary inquiry having taken place. On my being examined I was in formed that the prosecution had been commenced on the ground of a proclamation issued by the deputies of the National Assembly to the Prussian people, which had been published on the sth of December by the Deutsche Reform, a journal appearing at Berlin, and in which my name was mentioned among others. A copy of the paper was laid before me. No other charge was made against me. Only on the ground of a statement con tained in that journal, as the decree of the Court ex pressly mentioned, a prosecution for high treason had been commenced against me, and my imprisonment bad been ordered. I, of course, refused to give any expla nations at the examination. To be imprisoned and pro secuted" for high treason merely on the ground of a statement made by a journal is a case entirely unprece dented in the administration of justice in Prussia." The letter is dated from the criminal prison, where, he says, the President of the supreme Court may have been sent by his colleagues to a cell prepared for his reception by removing the robbers or murderers who were its former tenants ! It has been before stated that if the prosecution is conducted wholly . at the discretion of the judges of the different courts, the judicial officers compromised will be treated with the utmost severity, so fierce is party feeling. M. Temme was for several years second director of the Criminal Court of Berlin, but afterwards was removed to Tilsit—it is said, on account of his con tributions to the Lo:pziger Zeitung. He was then called to fill the post be recently held in the superior Court of Munster. As a writer on criminal law his reputation is great ; but though he has a large circle of friends in Berlin, in Munster he was not much liked; his nomination to the Court there violated the old principle of promotion by seniority, and this prejudiced his colleagues against him. He is himself a Catholic, but having married a Protestant, allows his children to be educated in the Evangelical Church—another cause of offence to the Catholic population of Munster. No doubt now remains that the prosecution of the Deputies of the Opposition has the full approval of the Ministry. In addition to M. Temme and the other judicial Deputies who have been arrested, the same step has been taken against those Deputies who held any administrative office under the Government in the provinces. It is under stood that the warrants are prepared for the appre hension of the whole 180 Members who signed the resolution. The process will be one of the most gigantic political prosecutions ever recorded. I I nothing,- else but an usurpation of our sovereign powers, and that the said Junta neither has nor could have the remotest authority iu any degree I whatever. Thence let all our subjects of every grade and condition be informed, that in Rome and in every part of the Pontifical dominions there does not exist nor can arise any legitim a t e aut h or i ty w hi c h i s not derived from us. We have, from our aforesaid will and plea sure, of the 27th of November, instituted a temporary Government Commission, to whom alone exclusively belongs the regulation of all public matters during our absence, and until another disposition is made by our will and pleasure. "Pius PAPA IX. "Datudt in Cejeta, di 25 Dec., 1548." LITERATURE. WIIAT I SAW IN CALIFORNIA. By E. Bryant, late Alcalde of St. Francisco. Seldom has a book appeared at a more opportune moment. Mr. Bryant's very interesting travels would have been welcome at any time, but appearing just now, when the El Dorado of California promises to realise the golden visions of Sir Walter Raleigh, their value is immeasurably enhanced. " What I saw in California" appears in Numbers VI. and VII. of Bentley's Standard Library, a monthly series, which has already presented us with the chefs d'ceuvres of the inimitable Sam Slick, with the marvellous legends of the Porcelain Tower, with Maxwell's very inte resting revelations concerning the Czar and his Court and people. The former numbers of the " Library" are, however, eclipsed by this last addition. " What I saw in California in 1846 and 1847" gives a very interesting picture of that now celebrated region, enlivened by anecdotes and sketches of men and manners innumerable. To the account of what was seen in California in 1846 and 1847, is appended an account of what is to be seen there in 1849—and this part of the work will, we suspect, be found not the least attractive. The following passage details the manner in which the gold is obtained : " The hill sides were thickly strewn with canvass tents and bush arbours; a store was erected, and several boarding shanties in operation. The day was intensely hot, yet about two hundred men were at work in the full glare of the sun, washing for gold—some with tin pans, some with close woven Indian baskets, but the greater part had a rude machine known as the cradle. This is on rockers, six or eight feet long, open at the foot, and at its head has a coarse grate or sieve; the bottom is rounded, with small cleets nailed across. Four men are required to work this machine; one digs the ground in the bank close to the stream; another carries it to the cradle, and empties it on the grate; a third gives a vio lent rocking motion to the machine; whilst a fourth dashes on water from the stream itself. The sieve keeps the coarse stones from entering the cradle, the current of water washes off the earthy matter, and the gravel is gradually carried out at the foot of the machine, leaving the gold, mixed with a heavy fine black sand, above the first elects. The sand and gold mixed together are then drawn off through augur holes into a pan below, are dried in the sun, and afterwards separated by blowing off the sand. A party of four men, thus employed at the lower mines, averaged 100 dollars a day. The Indians, and those who have nothing but pans or willow baskets, gradually wash out the earth and separate the gravel by hand, leaving nothing but the gold mixed with sand, which is separated in the manner before described. The gold in the lower mines is in fine bright scales, of which I send several specimens. " As we ascended the South branch of the American fork, the country became more broken and mountainous, and at the saw-mill, twenty-five miles above the lower washings, or fity miles from Sutter's, the hills rise to about a thousand feet above the level of the Sacramento plain. Here a species of pine occurs, which led to the discovery of the gold. Captain Sutter feeling the great want of lumber, contracted in September last, with a Mr. Marshall, to build a saw-mill at that place. It was erected in the course of the past winter and spring, a dam and race constructed; but when the water was let on the wheel, the tail-race was found to be too narrow to permit the water to escape with sufficient rapidity. Mr. Marshall, to save labour, let the water directly into the race with a strong current, so as to wash it wider and deeper. He effected his purpose, and a large bed of mud and gravel was carried to the foot of the race. One day Mr. Marshall, as be was walking down the race to this deposit of mud, observed some glittering particles at is upper edge; he gathered a few, examined them, and became satisfied of their value. He then went to the fort, told Captain Sutter of his discovery, and they agreed to keep it secret until a certain grist-mill of Sutter's was finished. It, however, got out and spread like magic. Remarkable success attended the labours of the first explorers, and in a few weeks hundreds of men were drawn thither. At the time of my visit, but little more than three months after its discovery, it was esti mated that upwards of four thousand people were em ployed." Even without the all•attractive appendix, " What I saw in California," written as it is in a most animated style, and abounding as it does with information, constitutes one of the most agreeable books of travels that have recently appeared. TREYETHLAN ; a Cornish Story. By W. Davy Watson, Barrister-at-Law. 3 Vols. If " Trevethlan" be Mr. Davy Watson's first literary attempt, it augurs well for his future career. This " Cornish Story," notwithstanding its modest appellation, is more interesting and more worthy of perusal than the majority of the more pre tentious fictions which are almost daily issuing from the press. " Trevethlan's" great charm is the straightforward honesty of purpose and dig nified simplicity by which it is characterised. There is no striving after effect apparent either in the style or the arrangement of the incidents. The story is founded upon a favourite theme of novelists. Be tween the elders of the families of Trevethlan and Pendarrel a deathful animosity had long subsisted, which animosity is far from being shared in by the younger branches. Lady Eleanor Pendarrel is another Lady Ashton, but with this essential difference—a woman's heart throbs in her bosom notwithstanding her ambition, her imperious tyranny, and her other unwomanly cha racteristics. The denouement of the love story of Trevethlan and the gentle daughter of the imperious Lady Eleanor is not calculated to please the tastes of the sentimental. The author of this " Cornish Story " seems to consider the romantic attractions of a trip to Gretna Green quite insufficient to counterbalance the sin and sorrow of filial dis obedience. For his forcible enunciation of this un palatable truth, if he meet with little sympathy from \ those for whose benefit it is intended, he will at least be rewarded by the approbation of all whose approbation is worth having. This brief allusion to its closing scenes does but little justice to the interesting nature of the tale. The real heroine is Lady Eleanor, and most admirably is her character, with its good and evil peculiarities, deli neated. Some of the minor personages, more espe cially a country minister and a quiet middle-aged brother and sister, living in happy retirement in the suburbs of London, with whom Trevethlan becomes acquainted in his wanderings, are most attractive characters, naturally and beautifully portrayed. We understand that the Rev. William Corbett Le Breton, curate of St. Olave, Southwark. intends offering himself as a candidate for the Golden Lectureship, when it is declared vacant by the Court of the Haberdashers' Company, in whose gift the appointment is vested. We heartily wish the Rev. Gentleman success, as we are in formed that he is only curate of St. Olave, the living being under sequestration, that, in the absence of the rector, he is only in receipt of one quarter of the annual income, although doing the entire duty of the living. PRICE OF BREAD IN EDINBURGH.—The price of the 41b. loaf was yesterday reduced a halfpenny. It is now sold at sixpence halfpenny, ready money, or if paid within a month ; and sevenpence credit. Flour, 2s. 4d per stone. MARRIED.—Dec. 25, at Blairgourie, Scotland, a jovial basket-maker, to a fair maid from Glasgow. The happy bridegroom is nearly fifty years of age, has a wooden leg, and is the recipient of 2s. 6d. weekly from a neighbouring parish. The youthful bride is about twenty -tvt o years of age. FLUCTUATIONS OE THE FRENCH FUNDS.—La Presse says:—" In the year of Grace 1805, before the battle of Austerlitz, the public funds stood at 61 francs; on the arrival of the news of that great victory they fell to 59 francs, 80 centimes. A glorious peace raised them to 60 francs 60 centimes. Before the birth of the King of Rome (in 1811) the price was 81 francs 50 centimes. The day following that event the price fell to 78 francs 75 centimes. In 1814, before the fall of the Emperor Napoleon, the funds stood at 45 francs 25 centimes. After the entrance of the allied armies into Paris they rose to 49 francs 50 centimes. A Provisional Govern ment was appointed, and they rose to 52 francs, The deposition of the Emperor was decreed, and they rose to 55 francs 75 centimes. His abdication raised them to 63 francs 50 centimes. In 1815, Wore the landing of the ex-Emperor at Cannes, they stood at 84 francs 61 cen times. On the news of his arrival in France they fell to 77 francs 60 centimes. After his re-entry into Paris they stood at 73 francs. He set out for the army, en couraged by a fall to 54 francs 75 centimes. He gained the battle of Ligny, and they declined to 53 francs 50 centimes. Yet, after the disaster of Waterloo, they rose to 59 francs 75 centimes. On the second abdication of the Emperor, and the re-entrance of the allied armies, the funds rose td 61 francs. So that, in point of fact, the price of stocks was lower by 1 franc 20 centimes, after the battle of Austerlitz, than after the re-entrance of the allied armies into Paris!" WHITTINGTON CLUE.—A festival was given at this institution last night, in commemoration of its first anniversery, at which about 1,500 visitors were present. We need hardly observe that the Whittington Club is established at the old Crown and Anchor Ta vern, the rooms of which are devoted to the ordinary objects of a literary institution, combined with the prac tical advantages of a household, whereat the cost of living is confined within the most economical limits. The building is most admirably adapted for these pur poses; and there was excellent accommodation for the festival of last night. The entertainments were of a varied character. A prefatory speech was delivered by Mr. Sheen, the president, in the long room, which was prettily decorated with evergreens; and then came songs, duets, and pianoforte fan tasias by a few expert amateurs. An adaptation of the farce Box and Cox followed, wherein a brisk little gen tleman in spectacles gave a capital imitation of Buck stone and other actors of obscurer individuality ; and by-and•bye there were optical illusions and divers tricks of legerdemain. The programme concluded with a ball and supper, " roast beef and plum-pudding," so pro mised the bill, " forming prominent features of the latter." The scheme thus provided by the committee seemed to be highly relished by the company, and the utmost cheerfulness prevailed during the time we were present. The reunion was politely conducted, and the social intercourse which it was the object of its pro moters to encourage fully secured. Other meetings of a like friendly nature have already taken place, the ten dency of which, no doubt, has been to multiply the sub scriptions and strengthen the existence of the club. Letters from Haraburgh report a firm market for stock and railway shares. At Amsterdam public secu rities were generally better. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Six,—lbeimosiTespectfully to direct the atten tion of your nautical readers to another invention by Mr. Bush, who is well known in the scientific world, as having erected the "light of all nations" on the Goodwin Sands. The invention to which I allude is " Bush's Patent Compass." I have had much experience in nautical matters, as commander of the iron screw-vessel Ranger, and have always found the local attraction of the ship on the compass cause it to veer two to three points, ac cording to the list of the vessel; but having, wit nessed experiments made on Mr. Bush's compass f or concentrating the local magnetic attraction of iron vessels, so that the needles of the compass should not be subject to that deviation which has proved so fatal to our ships of war, and to the lives of our brave tars, and having had several opportunities of testing the accurate performance of this inv en ti on , un d er almost every var i e ty o f circumstances, I have great satisfaction in being able to state that nothing could have i answered better; for it was alw a y s correct— the iron having no effect on it ; and I much prefer it to the compass adjusted according to Professor Bar low's method. Permit me to add, that I hope ere long to see Bush's compass adopted by every ship sailing on the high seas.—l am, Sir, your most obedient, ALEXANDER GALLOWAY, R.N. Greenwich, Jan. 3, 1849. IRELAND. THE ANTI-POOR-LAW MOVEMENT. DUBLIN, WEDNESDAY.--'--The following requisition, bearing the signatures of a number of landlords and landholders of the county, has been addressed to the Sheriff of Westmeath, Mr. Middleton Berry, a gen tleman who has taken a prominent part among the opponents—and they are legion—of the Poor Law in its present shape : " We, the undersigned landholders and inhabitants of the county of Westmeath, strongly impressed with the conviction that this country has been brought to the verge of destruction by the operation of the present system of P oor -l aws, and that general injury has been effected to th e trade, manufactures, and agricultural interests of Irel an d b y mistaken legislation, request that you will call a, meet i ng of the county of Westmeath, on an early day, in order to petition Parliament for an im mediate alteration of .the Poor•law, and the restoration of our trading and commercial interests on the footing contemplated by the Act of Union." The Sheriff has appointed Monday, the 22d instant, for the day of meeting. The whole country is now fairly up in arms agai ns t th e Poor-law. I t i s th e all engrossing and nev er - en di ng theme o f newspaper criticism ; but, unfortunately, you look in vain for two writers among the legion, whose opinions coincide as to the remedy to be applied to mitigate the evil. There is a most admired unanimity in condemnation of the system; but there the union ends. All the rest is bitter and fruitless controversy. THE WEATnEa.--There has been a very sudden change in the weather, which up to Monday night was remarkably fine for the season. Yesterday was intensely cold, with incessant rain ' • last night it blew a perfect hurricane, the rai n s till falling, and up to the dispatch of thi s letter the storm continues to rage with such violenc e as to preclude the poss ibili ty of the Holyhead bo a t ma ki ng the passage in time to catch the two o' c l oc k tra i n to London. SALE OP TEE OTOWE LIBRARY.—.-There was little in the catalogue of yesterday calling for particular no- tice. The chief feature in the day's sale was a remark ably choice copy of John Boydell's collection of prints, engraved after the most capital paintings in England, with French and English descriptions. This collection, which includes 450 very fine large plates, many of them proofs before letters, wa s se l ected for Mary Boyden.. The disposal of this lot excited an active competition, but it was ultimately secured for the Beaufoy Library for seventy-five guineas. A copy of Bloomfield's His tory of the County of Norfolk, in five volumes, very scarce, sold for 131. Bocattin's Falles of Princes and Princesses, with other Nobles trough ye mutabilitie and change of unsteadfast Fortune, with their most detest able and wicked Vices, translated by Jo. Lidgate, Monk of Burye, a rare tract, in black letter (1554), realised 51. Brant's Stultifera Nevis, the. Ship of Fooles, wherein is sh owed the Folly of all States, Latin and English, translated by Barclay, another curious black-letter tract, sold for 10/. 155., to Mr. Andrews, of Bristol. Brea denbach's Opus Transmarine Perigrinationis ad Vene randum et Gloriosem Sepulcruna Dominicum in Jerusa lem, gothic letter, first edition, a rare book, and un common object of curiosity and interest, being one of the first books of travels ever printed, realised 114 Britton's History and Description of A ncient realised ea S l t is o e n d e Crosses, sold for 61. 2s. 6. ; and Brockedon's Illustra tions of the Pass e s of the Alps, with upwards of 100 plates, for 41. 16 5 . ; the latter purchase being m a d e b y 3 M 6 r o . l ß B a s. in 6 , d. of the Haymarket. The day's sale '1 he Christmas pantomime draws good houses at the Dublin Theatre Royal. The Queen's Theatre, Dublin, is nightly thronged to suffocation to witness the new piece dramatised from Mr. Dickens's Christmas story of the Haunted Man. GEOLOGI.—Last evening Mr. J. Ashbury Smith delivered the first of a series of Wednesday evening lec tures on Geology and the " Vestiges of Creation," at the National Hall, Holborn. The lecturer was listened t o with great attention, a nd was several times applauded in the course of his able delivery. The hall was well attended. DERWENTWATER.—Derwent Lake was completely froze❑ over last week, and many hundreds daily amused themselves with skating upon its glassy surface.—Cum berland Pacquet. OFFICE OF HARBOTJa MArrza.--Captain Fisher, R.N., principal harbour master of the port of London, has resigned his appointment, after thirty years' ser vice. It is an important office, and no doubt the Lord Mayor, in whom the appointment of a succes sor is Tested, will take care that none but an officer of acknowledged character and qualification shall suc ceed to it. SINGULAR DEATH.—On Thursday a Woman named Whitby, living in Douro-street, died under singular circumstances. The husband of the deceased had an abscess in the side, and about ten days ago, while she was dressing it, she pricked or cut her thumb. Some o the matter from the abscess got into the wound and pro duced inflammation, which gradually increased, and the result proved fatal.—Liverpool Courier. The Lord Bishop of Manchester left Sedgeley on Monday night for London, to attend some meetings re specting ecclesiastical matters. His Lordship is expected to return on Friday.—Manchester Courier. ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY. The half -yearly general court of the Royal Hu• mane Society, for the recovery of persons apparently drowned or dead, was held yesterday at the offices in Trafalgar-square ; Mr. B. B. Cabbell, M.P., one of the vice-presidents, took the chair. From the minutes of various committee meetings it appeared that since the last half-yearly meeting in July there had been 77 cases, including 81 persons, of apparent drowning, successfully treated by the medical officers of the society. Eight, however, were beyond recovery. Among the cases were 25 of attempted suicides; and in the same period there had been of what are called Hyde Park cases (from the Serpentine) 156 cases, all of which were successfully treated, including three attempts at suicide by ciNwaing. During the whole year 1848, there had been 132 cases, involving 145 persons, of apparent death by drowning, under the treatment of the society. Of these 11 only were be yond recovery, and 43 were persons who lied at tempted to destroy themselves. The following 10 cases, embracing 13 persons, were referred to the general court for rewards, and upon the recommen dation of the committee medals were granted to them, viz : 1. Miss Julia Flesketh, for saving Mrs. Fleming during a squall off the Isle of Wight—the society's silver medal. 2. Mr. William Lucy, of Rotherhithe, for saving a boy named Edward Clapham, who had fallen into the Thames—this is Mr. Lucy's second case—the society's silver medal. 3. John Hyslop and John Grainger, two seamen of her Majesty's ship Acre, for saving, in the Madras roads, on the 3d January, 1848, a seaman named Charles E. Brown, who had attempted to commit suicide, by throwing himself overboard in a state of temporary in sanity—the society's silver medal to each. 4. Mr. 11PCann, surgeon, Parliament-street, being a medical assistant to the charity, for restoring, by skilful and unremitting attention, James Murray and Miss Smith—the society's honorary silver medal. 5. Captain 'Millman, of her Majesty's 4th Fusiliers, and Mons. Chiron and his son, of Mauritius, for having, on the night of the 25th June, saved five officers in her Majesty's service in that colony—four belonging to the sth, and one to the commissariat department. The de tails of this case excited much admiration, and it was resolved to present Captain Millman with the society's gold medal, Mons. Chiron and his son receiving the silver medal. 6. Samuel Simms, captain of the Wartermen's steam packet, No. 12, for having saved the lives of Mr. Noble and his child, who bad fallen into the Thames, off the Tunnel•pier—the society's silver medal. 7. Lieutenant the Hon. \V. B. Dc Blaquiare, of her Majesty's ship Virago, for having saved a boy, named William Smith, who had fallen into the Victoria Dock, in the harbour of Aberdeen, on the 20th of September last—society's silver medal. 8. John Robinson, a seaman on board her Majesty's ship Skylark, for having on the 7th February last, at sea, when the vessel was running five knots with all sail set, saved another seaman, John Blasden, who had first cut his throat and then jumped overboard—the society's silver medal. 9. Joseph Field, a seaman on board her Majesty's ship President, for having whilst at sea, on the 2d September last, saved Thomas Saunderson, who had accidentally fallen overboard—the society's silver medal. 10. Mr. Thomas Austin, of Lancaster, for having, on Halton Waters, in the river Lune, saved Mr. John Helme, who had fallen from a boat during a regatta. This being the sixth of Mr. Austin's exploits, the silver medal was awarded to him. The accounts were then read. It appeared that the income of the society during the year had been 1,8301. 15s. 3d., and that, after defraying the expenses, there was a balance left in hand of Si. is. 3d. The Treasurer (Mr. B. lIAwEs, sen.) strongly re commended the necessity of increased support to maintain the society in its present state of efficiency, without resorting to its property in the funds. It was subsequently resolved to present the icemen, who had so nobly exerted themselves in the Parks on Sunday to rescue the persons who had fallen into the water, with a gratuity of 11. each; and it was inci dentally mentioned that the bathers in the Serpen tine during 1848 had been nearly 100,000 fewer than in the preceding year. The officers of the society were then re-elected, and the proceedings terminated. PRESTON QUARTER SESSIONS, Jaa. 3. (From the Preston Guardian.) ;Before Mr. T. BATTY ADDISON, Chairman; the Rev. J: 0. PARR, Vicar of Preston; and Messrs. J. BAIR STOW and J. ECCLES.) Mary Richardson, 30, was charged with stealing, at Chorley, a half-crown, from the person of a labouring man named Thomas Norris. Mr. Blair pi JSC 2.lted, and the prisoner was undefended. The facts of the case were briefly these:—The prose cutor was drinking at a public-house, called the Fox and Goose, in Chorley. Whilst there, the prisoner and two other women came in, and he treated them to some drink. After a time he went out to the stone in front of the house, being somewhat "fresh." Before going out he had a halt. crown in his left-hand pocket. Of this he was certain, having looked at it. Whilst at the stone he felt a hand put into the pocket where the half-crown was, and on putting his own hand in immediately after he missed the half-crown. The prisoner was the only person near him at the time, and she was on his left side. He took the woman into the public-house, and charged her with stealing the money, but she denied the theft; however, he gave her into cus tody. A quarter of an hour afterwards the half-crown was found in a passage at the end of the house, about two yards from the stone where the prosecutor was standing. The prosecutor was unable to say with cer tainty whether he had been down the passage; he thought he had not. The jury returned a verdict of Not Guilty, whereupon the following extraordinary scene occurred:— The CHAIRMAN (to the jury)—Why, this woman has been convicted before and imprisoned in Lancaster for two years. A set of stupid fellows like you cannot see the evidence.—(Great sensation in the court.) You (speaking to the prisoner in an ironical tone) have had a wise jury; when you are tried again you may hope to have such another. You set of stupid —, how can you think of giving such a verdict when you are upon your oaths?—(lncreased sensation.) Is there one man amongst you that is not as sure that she stole that half crown as you are that you are sitting in that box?— (Suppressed expressions of disapprobation on the part of the bar.) A juror--I beg your pardon; we consider that the man cannot swear to her hand in his pocket. Why, he says he turned round— The CHAIRMAN—WeII, don't argue; you are not fit.— (Great sensation). You (the jury) cannot pretend to have any doubt about the matter; it was your duty to have given a verdict according to your oath.—(Expres sions of disapprobation). The Vices—l beg to say that these observations don't proceed from the whole bench.—(Cries of "Hear, hear," from the gentlemen of the bar, and general applause throughout the court.) The CHAIRMAN (greatly agitated, addressing the audience)—Silence! Who is it that dares— The REV. MAGISTRATE again rose, and observed—" I beg to say that I am, Sir, as well as you, a member of the Court;" after which he resumed his seat, and the painful exhibition was terminated. [The Court then proceeded to the next case with the same jury, who seemed quite petrified with astonish ment; and we may here state that it was a general opinion, not only of the bar, but of all present, that the jury had returned a proper verdict.] THE APOPLEXY OF GOLD. The oldest and most extensive empire in the world is that of Gold, and in this age of subversions even that empire is threatened with overthrow, and the danger proceeds from a republican region. The philosopher's stone may now be advertised cheap, or future alchemists may propose the transmutation of gold into a snore precious metal. A. spade in Califor nia is now worth its weight in gold ; a blanket is almost as dear as so much gold lace ; a freize jacket is worth cloth of gold. Imagine this depreciation ex tending to Europe with the arrival of ships from Fran cisco, ballasted with gold, and the sovereign brought to the level of a dump. Fancy gold so fallen in the world as to play the part now performed by lead or pew ter,serving for workhouse platters, for common coal scuttles, for porter pots, for pipes, and cisterns. Fancy copper rising above it, and gold sheathing the bottomlhatr of ships i ns t ea d o f t h e more prec i ous me t a l. 1 a reverse of fortune would this be. And w ta t : m a i change, too, would be wrought in our language, auri sacra centuries would be reduced to dross. The a 5 now to speak how many fine thoughts that have lived in for fames will come to sound as absurd holden mean will of the passion for pewter, andatssieogg mean. Golden signify literally something prospects The sun itself leaden dreams. leaden prospects and of honour as golden, and it have made him of some dreamsPvvill sound dumply as will completion golden common . yellow ware. A s ' good for nothing " thing richer than . will convey ideas of penury the B olden age it will seem thatnatutrheatniolfght for the go most abject. of a g ood thing is and so it may be with ' says the adag e, poor gold broughtpoverty by to abundance, Imagine this Too much pot entate who has swayed th e world from the first dawn of lization begging his bread, unsought, spurned, condemned to the most menial offices. 1 The old song was as prophetic as century predicted the dow f lof n a the French mo narchy and the Pope in the past e "The wealthy fool with y al:, gold in store;" for what fools will they appear who have gold in store when it comes down to a few pence the pound, and when bullion is discharged by gold-wihppers from the holds of ships as coals are now. Alas! what a change of fortune for the golden', ITALY. The Pope published the following proclamation on Christmas-day : " Having been by Divine disposition, and in a man ner nearly wonderful, raised, although ourselves un worthy, to the High Pontificate, one of our first cares was to promote union among the subjects of the tempo ral state of the Church, to consolidate the peace of fami lies, and to contribute in every possible manner to their benefit, and, as far as in us lay, to render the state flourishing and tranquil. But the benefits we endea voured to impart to our subjects, and the liberal insti tutions with which we deigned to accede to their desires, instead of procuring that gratitude and devotion which we had every right to expect, have, too frankly, we must acknowledge it, brought only repeated bitter ness and displeasure to our heart, from the part of those ungrateful people, who, whatever may be their number, our paternal eye would always wish to see restrained. It is now known to the world in what manner wo have been deceived, and that an alma has been made of our concessions, subverting the spirit, and per verting .the sense of our words, in order to deceive the multitude; and also how those same benefits and in stitutions have been used by some as a shield to the most violent excesses against our sovereign authority, and against the temporal rights of the Holy See. Our mind shrinks from the duty of particularly lamenting the late events from the commencement of the 15th day of last November, when a confidential Minister was barbarously murdered in full day, by the hand of an assassin, and the act was still more barbarously ap plauded by a class of madmen, enemies equally of God and men, as of the Church and every honest political institution. This' first crime opened a series of others, which, with sacrilegious boldness, were com mitted during the following day; and seeing that these have already met with the execration of all virtuous minds, in our own state, in Italy, and in Europe, and will further encounter the same in all parts of the world, we spare our heart the immense grief of repeating them. We were constrained to withdraw ourselves from the place where they were committed, from the place where violence prevented us from applying the remedy, reduced only to weep with the good, and to deplore with them these sad events, to which is added the still more grievous fact, that justice is utterly inactive against the authors of such abominable crimes. Providence has conducted us to this city of Gaeta, where, finding ourselves in full liberty, we again solemnly repeated our pro tests against the above-mentioned violences, which we had from the beginning made in Rome itself before the representatives accredited to us from the dif ferent Courts of Europe and other distant na tions. We did not at the same time omit in this act to give temporarily to our States a legitimate Repre sentative Government, without derogating from our ac corded institutions, in order that the capital and the State might still remain provided with the regular and ordi nary administration of public affairs, and to insure the security of the persons and property of our subjects. We further prorogued the session of the High Council, and the Council of Deputies, who bad been recently called to resume their inter rupted sittings ; but these our determinations, far from persuading those persons, the perturbatora of the peace, and the authors of such sacrilegious violences,_ to re-enter th e pat h o f d uty, have b ut incited them to greater crimes, arrogating to themselves those sovereign rights which alone belong to us, by having convoked in the capital, by means of the two Councils, an illegitimate Representative Government, under the title of Provisional and Supreme Junta of the State, and published in the act of the 22d day of this month. These obligations are inseparable from our sovereignty, and the solemn oaths by which, in the pre sence of the Lord, w e h ave p rom i s ed to preserve the patrimony of the Holy See, and to transmit it in its in tegrity to our successors. " It constrains us to raise our voice aloft,andtopro test before God and the whole world against this so gray© and so sacrilegious attempt. We, there andtor e , altogethernconse quence declare null, and of no effect, illegal, every act violences which has been the conse quence of the which have been men tioned to us, repe ating been further,established that n this in J e, un t i t; of tate which has calf; a proper calf indeed it will look when not worth its weight in veal ! It is clear that the divinity of gold, like that of the lama, depends altogether upon his shrouding himself. The moment he is found out, the sources of his being discovered, and full measure of his abundance taken, there is an end of his wors hi p. In this, as in other instances, familiarity breeds contempt. The mere that is had of him the less i s ma d e of him ; and the moment is measure is taken, not in ingots but in degrees of latitude and lon g it u d e, h is decline and fall are fixed. California, as th e F rench phrase it, is coming to market in block; men are putting the valley of the Sacramento in their pockets ; one vaga bond picks up a plum before breakfast, another fills a worsted stocking with gold dust, realising th e s t ory of the golden leg. But these Dead Sea fruits h ave not the faculty of keeping, and as they pour into the market they must turn to ashes by process of depre ciation. It is curious enough,.now that every foot of land in the neighbourhood of San Francisco has its enormous temporary value, to turn to Commodore Wilkes's account of the country before its cession. Commodore 'Wilkes had the command of an ex ploring expedition of the United States in 38-42, a duty which he performed with admirable ability, being a man of very superior qualifications. He described Francisco as the most spacious and best harbour in the world ; but all the rest was poverty and barren ness. The town Yerba Baena consisted of a frame building belonging to the Hudson's Bay Company, a store kept by an American, a billiard tabl e , th e p oo p of a ship occup i e d as a dwelling house, a blacksmith's shop, and some outbuildings. This fine town is sur rounded by a sterile soil and bare rocks. Such is one of the principal stations of the El Dorado. The blacksmith's shop must by this time be changed into a Storr and Mortimer's. There is every diversity, it seems, of soil and cli. mate in California, and the valleys of the Sacramento, the scene of the gold-finding, and the San Juan, are mentioned as the richest in fertility by Commodore Wilkes, who little dreamt at the time that their clods were gold. The climate has this peculiarity, that the summer is colder than the winter. Even before the discovery of the gold every neces sary of life was enormously dear in the country, trade conducted chiefly by barter, and civilization in a low state, the upper classes idle and dissipated, the Indians inordinately addicted to gambling, which they may now indulge in for stakes of golden pools instead of bits of rubbish.—Examiner. SHORT ROUTE TO THE PACIFIC. A project long contemplated as a vast improvement in commercial geography is at length on the point of being realised. An American company is to run steamers from New York to the Isthmus of Darien, whence goods and passengers will be conveyed across to Panama ; from Panama a second line of steamers is to ply to Oregon and the new El Dorado of Cali fornia; and a third from Panama along the coast of South America to Guayaquil, Callao, and as far as Valparaiso. A branch line is also proposed from California to the Sandwich Isles and China. The enterprise will, it is said, commence in the present month. The road from Chagres to Panama across the Isthmus is to be re paired and improved by the Government of New Grenada, from funds supplied by the American Com pany; and, in order to encourage trade, this Go vernment has exempted vessels frequenting the ports of the Isthmus from tonnage dues, and has reduced the duty on imports to one per cent. on assorted car goes. This establishment of a regular communica tion across the Isthmus of Panama, will do for the New World what a similar communication across the Isthmus of Suez has done for the old ; it will consti tute an era in the history of commerce, and by bringing the ends of the earth into juxtaposition, will have a powerful influence on the progress of civilization. The voyage from New York to San Francisco in California, round Cape Horn, is 17,000 English miles, and occupies a sailing vessel about five months. The two voyages from New York to Chagres, and from Panama to San Francisco, have an aggregate length of 6,400 miles, and will be performed by steamers in about 30 days, or in 36 days, allowirg time for the journey across the isthmus (about 60 miles, over land about 800 feet in height), and for un shipping and reshipping. The new line of communi cation will be of great advantage to the trade of our own country. It will reduce the length of the journey from Britain to Lima and Guayaquil one half, and the time two-thirds. And it will benefit the world by accelerating the settlement and growth of a great:civilized population on the western shores of North America. New California, lying betwixt the parallels of 32 and 42, with a fertile soil, and with the Pacific on its western side to temper the extremes of heat and cold, ought to be one of the most desirable countries in the world. TRURO ELECTION. The nomination of a successor to the late Edmund Turner, Esq., as a representative of Truro in Parlia ment, took place on Tuesday, at the Market house, in that town. At ten o'clock, Humphrey Willyams, Esq., with his friends, appeared at the northern en trance, and Montague Edward Smith, Esq., at the southern, accompanied by their several friends, with banners, flags, and bands of music. The MAYOR requested the usual forms to be gone through, and subsequently addressing the electors, said that in consequence of the death of their late Member, and from a precept received from the sheriff, which had been read, the electors were required to elect a fit and proper person to represent their borough in the Commons House of Parliament. He trusted they would, and required them to conduct the election with good temper, order, and in strict conformity with the law. G. SI/axons, Esq., said he had the honour to pro.. pose to them Humphrey Willyams, Esq., as a fit and proper person to represent the borough in Parliament. He was a townsman, and had spent his whole life with the electors—their local interests affected him in common; he was a magistrate, a banker, and a miner, and, in short, combined in himself all those qualifica tions which should be possessed by their representa tive. The Hon. Gentleman who was to be named in opposition was a gentleman, a rising man in his pro fession, and was clever; but these did not make of themselves a fit representative ; further, he was a stranger to them.—(Cheers.) Mr. E. MercuELL seconded the nomination. Dr. CARLTON rose from a sense of duty to propose an opponent to his friend Mr. lillyams, in the per son of Mr. M. E. Smith. The candidate he supported could scarcely be called a stranger—he was a brother of a worthy fellow-townsman, and was one of the ornaments of the Western Circuit, and chiefly he was a warm and able advocate of Conservative principles, and well fitted to represent the borough in Parliament. Mr. BURROWS seconded the nomination. HUMPHREY WILLYAIIS, Esq., addressed the elec tors. He said—lt has often been my lot on similar cccasions to the present to appear before you to solicit your suffrages on behalf of other candidates ; but on the present occasion I appear in my own proper per ton soliciting your interest on my own behalf. It is much easier to advocate the cause of others than one's own, and though I feel great embarrassment, yet I have this consolation, I am not a stranger to one of you; 1 have always lived among you, and hope to die in your locality. My manner of life and pro fessions are my goo d a d vocates, an d my principles of attachment to the constitution, and y et rs y liberal tendencies, ha ve b een for thirty e unchanged. The h onoura bl e candidate, i con tinuation, regretted t o allude thenfluence men of the exercised at this e l ec ti o n by their coracles Church of England, who came in u. F? who danger upheldwhich fromand told the silly tale that it wid be dangerous to %wen By doing so, trust him (Mr. withWillyams)e in danger. Why, th e Church was inp fclemrgy destructive in they said the Church would b her worst enemies —her own ministers, nies, and dogmas, w P e o r p e i sha like rites, and ce their tendency to the Crown and the Ch urch. By one voter he had been told that he could not be sup use a ccent was b d a a emp oyer. He replied ported because from Loud that he did get on ; the voter said, are no friend t o y " Then you our country." He would say to the constituency that if they got a re presentative ve from London, instead of from them selves they were n o f r i ends to their town. M. !E. SMITH, Esq., said his • • title to their support depended on his professions of tional principles. The business of the day was not a personal question, b ut one of constitutional principle. He was opposed to free trade. Proper economy and retrenchment he fully approved of—not the cutting up wholesale, but the exercising a proper and rigid economy in administration. lie was a sincere ad vocate of the question of education, and for the adoption of measures to promote the better recreation of the working classes. Now, whilst we were en joying the blessings of peace, was the time to con sider such questions. On a show of hands being taken, The MAYOR declared the majority to be for Mr. Humphrey Willyams. A poll was demanded for Mr. Smith. A very sharp contest is expected. " TRURO, WEDNESDAY.—The polling commenced this morning at eight o'clock. The numbers stood thus :—At nine o'clock, for Willyams, 86 ; for Smith, 103. At ten o'clock, for Willyams, 168; for Smith, 173." The circulatio n o f f orge d no tes of the Bank of England app ears t o b e grea tly on the increase, and it would seem they are e x ceedingly well executed, so much so as to deceiv e goo d j u d ge s. It is suspected that th e plates are engr ave d a broad ; but although the police and the authorities havo been unremitting in their en.. deavours to trace out the offenders, it 1145 beau laithe r t g without UCCE sa.—Neavastle Journal.