The Sun. — London, England, 1849-02-26 00:00:00

Vttrb Wbition SUN OFFICE, Seven o' Clock. WHITEHAVEN AND FURNESS JUNCTION RAILWAY.—(THIS DAY.) The seventh half-yearly general meeting of the above company was held this afternoon, at the offices in Basinghall-street; Lord Lonsdale in the chair. The report stated that ten miles of the railway were now completed, and had been opened for mineral traffic ail month. These ten miles extended from Mire House Station, a bout a mile from Whitehaven, to the river Calder ; the opening of which would supply coals, lime, &c., to St. Bees, Brigg, Stones, Braystones, and Sellefield stations. The portion of the line between Mire House and Whitehaven, and the line from the river Calder to Ravenglass (the latter being five mites in length), were being urged on with dispatch, with a view to the section of the line between Whitehaven and Ravenglass (sixteen and a half miles) being opened for passenger tra ffi c in the month of May next. From the cost of works completed, and the forward state of the remainder, which were being finished between Whitehaven and Ravenglass, the cost per mile of these sixteen- and-a half miles can be stated with tolerable accuracy at under 10,000 L a mile, including every charge that could arise for works, stations,l&c., up to the open ing of that portion of the line. Beiond the sixteen and a half miles of railway above reported on, there re mained two sections of the line to complete the whole ; the one, from Ravenglass to Bootle, being six miles ; the other, from Bootle to the Furness Railway, a distance of eleven miles. The proprietors were aware that on the former section 14,0001. had been laid out, and 22,0001. remained to be expended, and on the latter section the works were not yet commenced. In reference to the line entering Whitehaven, the direc tors were constructing part of the harbour branch, ex tending as far as Preston-street, so as to secure a station convenient to the town•simultaneously with the comple tion of the line to Ravenglass, and with a view to the economical working of the line, until opened through out, arrangements had been made with the White haven Junction Railway Company, for the supply of locomotive power and carriages for working the portions of the line now opened. The finances of the company had to some extent improved during the half-year; the arrears of calls had been considerably re duced; and during the period subsequent to the 31st December, there had been further payments on account of arrears. The call of IL, payable in December, had bcen paid upon the usual number of shares upon which prompt payment is made—about 8,000; and the directors would continue to act upon the expressed wishes of the shareholders, that the arrears should be, as far as pos sible, kept down. A considerable number of shares, upon which the directors previously satisfied themselves that the holders were utterly unable to pay up, bad been vested in the company; and the sum paid on the shares which have been so taken over, up to the present time, amounted to 17,9741. The balance-sheet represented the total receipts to amount to 166,3591. and the expenditure to 164,6171., leaving 1,74 IL in hand. The expenditure of the present half-year amounted to 33,3491., of which 1,593 L was for land, and 30,4531. for works. The report was unanimously adopted, after which thanks were voted to the Noble Chairman, and the meet ing terminated. GREAT WESTERN and UXBRIDGE RAILWAY.—(THIS DAY.) The half-yearly meeting of this company was adver tised to be held to-day at 449, Strand, in accordance with the provisions of the Act of Parliament, but no shareholders, with the exception of the directors, making their appearance, it stood adjourned until to-morrow. SEED MARKET, MoNnwv, Faa. 26. The Spring Tares for sowing purposes, as also for Clover Seeds there was a steady trade at rates about equal to those of this day week. Other seeds of all kinds met a very mo derate inquiry. Per Cwt—English red Clover, 30s to 355; fine ditto, 35s to 36s ; Foreign ditto, 25s to 36s ; old ditto, 30s to 36s ; English white ditto, 20s to 30s ; fine, 35s to 42; old, 25, to 403: Foreign new ditto, 30s to 36s ; old ditto• —s to —s ; Trefoil, 18s to 205; fine ditto, 20s to 22s ; old ditto, lOs to 15s ; Rib Grass, 243 to 303; fine ditto, —I to —3; English Caraway new, 30s to 32s ; Foreign date, 30s to 313 ; and Coriander, lOs to 17s. Per Quarter—St. Fein, 505 to 555; Rya Grass, 18, to 30s ; new ditto, 32s to 345 ; Pacey Grass, Os to Os ; Linseed for feeding, 38s to 425; ditto for sowing, 56s to 60s; ditto for crushing, 42s to 48s ; Canary, 70s to 805; fine ditto, tiOs to 90s; Hopp, 345 to 365. Per Bushel—White Mustard Seed, 8s to lls ; brown ditto, 123 to 173; Turnips, white rounds, 151 to 20s ; green and red, 15s to 23s ; Tares, old, 305 to 3s; ditto fine new winter, 7s to Bs. Per Last—English Rape, new, 261 to 301; Foreign 25/ to 26/103. SWITZERLAND. The Gazette de Berne speaks of a new collision on the Lombardian frontiers. Two shots were fired on the night of the 26th from the side of Tessin on a de tachment of the Austrian troops. Two deserters are supposed to have been the parties who fired. General Haller has complained of this violation of neutrality. The Federal Commissioner Sidler, after having ad vised the Cantonal Government to institute an in quiry es to this, replied in fitting terms to the com plaint. The Federal Council has approved what has been done by the Federal Commissioner. TATTERSALL'S-THIS EVENING Six o'CLocK, LIVERPOOL STEEPLE CHASE. 7 to 1 agst Prince Ge.)rge 7 to 1 agst The Curate 0 to 1 agst Proceed 10 to 1 agst Napoli on 14 to 1 agst Knight of Gwynne 14 to 1 agst Wolverhampton NORTHAMPTONSHIRE STAKES. 8 to 1 agst Loup-garou 12 to 1 agst Pyrrhus 15 to 1 agst War Eagle METROPOLITAN HANDICAP. 6 to 1 agst Lugar 10 to 1 agst Canczou CHESTER CUP. 25 to 1 agst The Tartar 25 to 1 agst Halo 30 to 1 agst Geraldine 33 to 1 agst Blucher 40 to 1 agst Lugar 50 to 1 agst Ballinafad 50 to 1 agst Do-it-again DERBY. 16 to 1 agst Honeycomb 25 to 1 agst Uriel 25 to 1 agst Nunnykirk IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. (THIS EVENING.) HOUSE OF LORDS. 'Their Lordships assembled shortly after Five o'clock. Messengers from the Commons applied for leave for the Earl of Glengall to appear before the Irish Fisheries Committee. The Marquis of SALISBURY presented several petitions against the Scotch Marriages and Registration Bills. NORTH WALES RAILWAY. On the motion of Lord MONTEAGLE the order for the attendance of Messrs. Chadwick was enlarged for three weeks, as we understood. IRELAND REVENUE BILL. On the motion of the Earl of GRANVILLE this Bill was read a third time and passed. iIABEAS CORPUS SUSPENSION (IRELAND) BILL. w LL. LAais The Marquis of NE moved the third read ing of this Bill. Lord BROUGHAM again drely the at tention of their Lordships to the conduct of Burke , juryman, on the trial of Duffy , w ho h aving been swot before tne the evi dence true gire a ver di c t according to evidence , l declared, bad been he ard, his intentionn is o a t n s o tpirciotn:ict, cross - exa mined the witnesses in a partisan plauded in court , and when the jury were dischar ged p ha rangued the mob on the victory.they had given. It should be remembered that he was accountable for his conduct. The conduct of the counsel was also unparal leled. In the course of a somewhat long experience at the bar, he had never heard of a Court being treated in the manner which these Judges had been treated by the counsel for the defence, who wished to fasten a quarrel upon them. The conduct of the Court had been gam-. plary.—(Hear, hear.) Lord CAMPBELL agreed with his Noble and Learned Friend in expressing his indignation at the conduct of the juryman, and h e h a d no h e sitation in saying that anyjuryman who so misconducted himself was liable to punishment in the same way as a judge who should so misconduct himself would be also liable to punishment. The Bill was then read a third time and passe d. SCOTCH MARRIAGES BILL. Their Lordships, on the motion of Lord CAMPBELL, went into Committee on this Bill. The various clauses were agreed to, with some verbal alterations, and the House resumed. SCOTCH REGISTRATION BILL. This Bill passed through Committee, and their Lord ships adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. The SPEAKER took the Chair a few minutes before Four o'clock. Mr. Mesx t NEW MEMBERS. Member the oath. ,:nd his seat for Donegal. The Hon. was introduced by Sir and Mr. Stafford, Wm. Veruer Mr. PRTSE Payss. The z took the oaths and his seat for the Cardigan boroughs, d uc ed by Lord Marcus Hill and AA -' Gentlernali was intro - SECOND RE - h : —Nr*G'us°Bl•Yn c-. The following Bills were readDaiseor-i d Cine:-- Airdrie Police and Municipal. Bedford Charity A ct Arnendmtnt. General Land Drainage and Improvement Company (In corporation and conferr!ng of Powers). Kendall Fell Act Amendment. Lancashire and Yorkshire and London and North - Western Railway Companies (Trarsfer of Interest 'n tbe Preston and Wvre Railway, [Tr' . -- end Dock, and regu. 14„7 &f . A . 1 . 1 ... , f daig of the . .• 'dog). ii,,,,:r ' and Impror , ..nt. i' , .4 sr - _ ' rr,-.1z,,D1 ORDER -0. FILE. ' , Byer . .. r e, .•,‘ °IV MS.presem .:, petition, signed • : trrayi ‘" ..- ', -Yt -- erk in the Money Order-o ffi ce, gb a tile' '4l, i.".", ' ' 41 -0 grant inquiry into the alleged s • --- , -.. :' P: 'int of the. General Post-office. Ai .' '. ' ~,,,,,, ~:.. SH 'POOR-LAW. R pro-owed a petition from the cottall of Aymosh • num; " ' cl, ;he por-lsw. THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 26, 1849. STAMP DUTIES ON NEWSPAPERS. Sir T. BIRCH. presented a petition from certain letter-press printers in Liverpool, praying the House to remove the stamp duties on newspapers; also a petition f ro m inhabitants of Liverpool, praying for a removal of the taxes on the social comforts of life. DIAL-ADMINISTRATION OF COLONIAL AFFAIRS. Mr. SCOTT presented petitions from the inhabitants of certain electoral districts in New South Wales com plaining of the mal-administration of affairs in the co lony, and as being utterly at variance with the prin ciples of the British constitution. NAVIGATION-LAWS. Sir J. JOHNSTONE presented a petition from cer tain shipowners, tradesmen, and artisans of Scarbo rough against the repeal of the navigation-laws. SECEDING CLERGYMEN. Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD presented a petition from the inhabitants of Rochdale, praying the House to extend the provisions of the Act of Toleration to o!ergymen seceding from the Established Church. NATIONAL EDUCATION IN IRELAND. Lord BERNARD presented a petition from a place in Ireland, against the system of national education in Ire land. TURNPIKE TRUSTS BILL. Sir JOSHUA WALMSLEY presented a petition from ,he inhabitants of Thetford against the Turnpike Trusts Bill. (Sir John Hobhouse) bad objected to the form in which the Hon. Member had put his question on a pre vious evening, as he had endeavoured to introduce into it a little speech.—(Hear, hear.) He hoped that the Hon. Member would put his question in a proper form, in order that it might be easily answered. had a considerable reduction in the amount ex pended for the relief of the poor, and we have flattered curselves that reduction would be permanent.—(Hear, hear.) But, Sir, what has been the case ? Why, in England itself alone the increase since that period has been fifty per cent. in the amount expended for the relief of the poor—(Hear, hear,—and the county rates I find similar results. For the year ending the 25th March, 1835, the amount raised for county rates amounted to 671,0001., but in March, 1847, it was 1 266,0001., so that we have been nearly doubling our county rates since 1835.—(Cheers). And I must say think that local charges of this kind form a much surer index of the state of the country than the imperial tax ation, because they are expended for the relief of pauperism, the suppression of crime, and the con struction of gauls and workhouses.—(Hear, hear.) Your local expenditure, in fact, is a kind barometer, showing the social state of the whole country—(Hear, hear)—and I must say the pro gress of these rates during the last fourteen or fifteen years has been of a most discouraging and alarming to in the local tribunals themselves. It is my conviction that this progress in the local expenditure must be stop ped by imperial legislation. To reduce and check the local taxation, to check this growing evil of increasing expenditure you must apply the remedy in this House by general legislation.—(Hear, hear, and cheers.) Now, Sir, I think these facts will prepare us all for entering into this subject, with a desire, if possible, to find a means of reducing the expenditure which leads to these evils.—(flear, hear.) I now come to the point upon which I have heard much cavilling; but I do not wish it to form an obstacle in the way of any Hon. Gentleman joining me who may be anxious for reduction.—(Hear, hear.) It has been objected to me in this way. lam asked, why do you take 1835 as the standard to go upon ?—(Hear.) It is said that lam taking an arbitrary standard, and I have been charged with being dogmatical in the view I have taken of this ques tion,, and that I have taken an imaginary standard. No ; I have not. What I have done in this case is pre cisely what we should all do in our private affairs When we find we have been doing wrong we look back to the point where we started from when we began to go wrong.—(Hear, hear.) And in doing that lam only following the precedent applied to similar causes by my Honourable Friend the Member for Montrose, as well as many other Hon. Gentlemen, both Whigs and Tories. I appeal to the House whether after the French revolu tionary war, it was not the pracctice in this House of the leading men of both parties to refer to the standard of 1792. Mr. HUME—Both Whigs and Tories did so. Mr. COBDEN—Whigs and Tories did 3 0 , my. Honourable Friend reminds me. I - point of7fact men of all shades of politics did so, and 1792 was the point from which they started before they bad entered into these unhappy hostilities.—(Hear.) It waslhe practise adopted by Mr. Pitt after the A . meri• can war. A Finan c i a l C o mmittee was appointed in 1817 by Lord Castlereagh, where Lord Castlereagh himself sat, and that Committee distinctly referred to 1792 as the standard to be aimed at, and the point of departure to which they should endeavour to return.—(Hear, hear.) Well, Sir, I will allude to an expression from an Hon. Member who sat on the Opposition side of the House in 1822, when he argued to show the propriety of the course we are now pursuing. I will quote from a speech made by the Marquis of Lansdowne, who moved as a resolution, some% bat analogous to mine. He said it was necessary for him to compare the present with former estimates, as that was the only way in which they could derive any advantage from the experience and wisdom of former times; that the practice was approved of by Right Hon. Gentlemen whose authority the House could scarcely dispute, he said. he meant Mr. Pitt, who in 1786 had a Committee appo int ed which took for the ground of its inquiry the peace estimates 0f1763 —that was the only practical ground on which a question of this nature could be determined.—(Hear.) Now, Sir, I hope I may not be unjustified by the pre cedent. I am not one who attaches an undue weight to precedents; but I think this case, to which I h ave re ferred, forms a good example for me in drawing the attention of the House to the estimates of 1835 tied I say 1835. I may as well state that if I took 1833, 1834, 1835, and 1836, it would make little difference in the argument. I find that . the interest upon the funded and unfunded debt in 1835 was 28,514,000/., and in 1808 28,563,0001, so that there is wily about 50,000/. difference between those two periods. I find that the army and navy iu 1835 was 11,6e7,000/. and in 1848 17,645,0001., and the Kafir war, which I cannot separate from the estimates, for I know not when it may commence again, cost 1,000.000/., making alto gether 16,745,000/. for last year. The civil expenditure and consolidated funds was in 1835, 4,251,000 L, and in 1848 6,548,000/. I w ish to draw the attention of every-Hos. Member to this point—that the 28,500,0001. of the funded And unfunded debt, cannot be proposed for any reduction, you have for the civil ex penditure 6.598,0001., and more than half of this goes to the consolidated fund. But I hope you will iu time be able to make considerable reductions in that You come then to the sum of three or four millions a year for the miscellaneous service, upon which you are to exercise the pruning knife, unless you adopt the plan I represent to you,namely, that of reducing your mili tary establishments to the extent of 8,000,0001. Many gen tlemen connected with the m ili tary esta bli s h ments o f t h e country th ink I do this out of personal feelings against them, I can assure them I do it from no such motives, but from necessity. If you wish to make great reductions you must apply it to the Army, the Navy, and Ordnance. —(Hear, bear.) I will now show you what the increase of the expenditure has been since 1835, and what caused the increase, and I will then leave it to the House to decide whether those causes remain at the present time.—(Hear, hear.) In 1836 there was an additional vote of 5,000 seamen to the Navy.—(Hear, hear.) I am speaking to Honour able Gentlemen who well remember what has passed in thin country. In 1836 great apprehensions were telt in this country respecting a Russian in vasion. —(Cries of " Dear, hear.") We had at that time iome three or four igentlemen in this country at that time who, I thouht, had a mo nomania on the subject, and I perpetrated two or three pamphlets on the subject.—(Laughter). The cry was raised all over the country and it was echoed in the press, and the result was ,hat my Right Honourable Friend (the Member for Halifax) recommended the increase in the navy, and it was also recommended in the Speech front the throne, but is there any thought of Russian invasion now. — (Hear, hear, and l aug ht er .) I n 1838 the rebellion in Canada occurred that gave rise to an increase of 8,000 men in our army; that re bellion was, however, soon put an end to, and Canada has obtained all she can desire from self-govern ment, and I only wish the population of this coun try was placed on the same f oot i ng . I n 1839 there was another increase proposed in the army. There bad been an apprehended outbreak in South Wales—l allude to the affair at Monmouth—the riots treaded by Frost, Williams, and Jones. There . w as great turbulence that part of the country, Ind the Noble Lord distinctly stated that an addi t i on o f 5,000 men was requ ired to meet thei r d omest i c trou bl es . Well, but we have had since then some years of uninter• rupted peace at home, many years during which Chartists were not heard of, and when there was no turbulence in the .and ; yet the 5,000 men remained.—(Hear.) I now came to 1840 and 1841. We had a war with China—a war in Syria—we had a threatened rupture with France, and we were embroiled with America with res pect to the arrest and trial o f M r . M'L eo d. These were periods of excitement, times not without peril to the pea ce of the country, an d an a ddi t i on o f 5,000 men was made at that tim e . Th e Chi na war i s at an end. Syria is in the hands of the Turks. There is no longer a threatened rupture with France ior with America, and the M'Leod matter has been settled—(Hear, hear) —yet the 5,00 0 men rema i n.— (Hear, hear.) I then come to 1847. We had a dispute with the United States with respect t o th e M a y ne boundary. In fact , a dispute between the two countries had existed for some time with respect to Carolina—a dispute kept up since 1842, and there was considerable apprehension in America, and some on this side o f the water, that the dispute would lead to war. 4,000 sailors were added to the Navy; but Lord Ashburt on brought over a t rea ty set ding the whole dispute with respect to the Mayne boun lary; yet we have had no reduction in the number of these sailors.—(Cheers.) Now, Sir, then I c o me to 1845, In 1845 a serious state of things existed. We had a dispute with the United States with respect to the Oregon boundary, and President Polk sent a very warlike me ssee;e. General Cass made some very foolish see echts, and there was a . strong feeliing on both sides of the water that i mm inent Manger to both sides was impending. America had threatened to take possession of t he whole territory, and we were bound in honour to keep possession of a territory wnich had been ced ed to us by u ni versal consent. He had at that time a proposition for a fleet of evolution. The proposition was acceded to, and I of p a p ers the recollect it was stated inthe time that the squadron was more .formidable than that which won the battle of the Nile. It was paraded about Spithead in th e face of the American Navy, 1,700,000/. was voted at that ti▪ me to the Navy and Ordna nce , for the maintenance of that new fleet, and ' the Honourable Member for Montrose :gave a willing assent to the inc r ease in hr r'olmates under the " c i rc uinnstances mentioned.— Llittghter • 1414 I "Hear, 'hem.," from Mr. Hums.) w as settled in th e End uregan question summer of 1846 ; that se ttlement was the last act of the Right Hon. Barone t (Sir Robert Peel) before he left office in 1846. No p lea, therefore, exists for keeping up this enormous armament- In 1846 , no s ooner was the Oregon matter settled , than we entered i nto a dispute with France respecting the Spani▪ sh ma rriages. %Ye call it a Court quarrel, because, h e must maintain, that the people of this country h ad no interes t in i▪ n.—. (Hear, hear.) But it gave rise t o bad blood in France, and to a state of irritation in this cour . itry : . and the press of the two countries fanned it . into . a fl ame , and no one can deny there was gr eat if not hostility, between the two countries. It was increased by the previous publication of Prince Joinville's pamphlet, and also by the old grudge with Mr. Pritchard. In 1846 we increased our mili▪ tary and nav a l; ex p en di ture 1,200,00 0 /.; and in 1847 this spirit continued b e t ween th e two countries unt il we had question about fortifying our country against the attacks France. We were informed by Mr. Pigou, the gunpowder maker, that Frances was coming to attack us.—(G re at laughter.) W ell, then, one million nearly w as i ncur red by the mil itary and navy in 1847. I believe the whole increase was 1,600,000/. for the army, navy, an d or dnance in 1847 . But what I wish to ask is thi s — w h et h e r there one of those causes which led to these su ccess i ve augmentations to our ma rine and to our ordnance and army, which now remains. —(Hear, hear.) The cost of which I hare spoken I think must hare been the most serious of 411, though I stated it was but a diplomrtic quarrel, yet as it had become dynastic, and as the second generation, in Prince Joinville, had entered into this quarrel, it must have grown into something serious to the two countries if the question had not been solved by a very rude hand—by the late revolution in France —which has put an end to all quarrel betwen this country and France on the subject of the marriages in Spain.—(Hear, hear.) Well I wish to ask Honourable Members, those who are going to oppose me on this motion, Those whn will not admit that we must return as speedily as practicaible to the standard of expenditure such as we had in 1835, to put tneir finger en any one of those causes for tno.e sticce,ive augmentations of this t xpenditure, and ell me if one now remains.—(Hear, hear.) We stand at the present moment in an infinitely superior poittion as regards our foreign relations to which we did in 1835; for in that year, when we had reduced our expenditure to that point, Hun. Gentlemen will remember we were not in a very friendly position with Russii. For several years we had no ambassador at Russia. We .err marauding too at at that time on the coast of Spain. for we had our quadruple treaty by which we furnished mercenaries under our foreign marine. But I ask and one who opposes me in asking this reouel , di of our armament, to point out where the reduction is threatened. Is it with America, with its boundary question ; is it with Russia, will its millions of ser:s; or is it with France, with its people involved in rintestirnz dit•sensions? Is it with Germany that Iwo dread a collision? Where is it to come from? I tell you that if England confines hrself to her own affairs—(Hear, hear)—if she did not run needlessly and rashly into the tnternal disputes of other countrie.., there never was a time when we stood as free from the danger of war as at this moment. There is one objection to our going back to the standard of our ex penditure in 1835, and it is this; we are told we re duced our expenditure in 1835. The Hon. Member for Montrose will not admit that.—(Laughter.) I re member in that year, in my own humble way, writing on the subject of the expenditure for our armaments, which was eleven millions and a half, and contending for its reduction.—(Hear, hear.) BANK OF FRANCE. The follosving is a return of the situation of the Bank of France up to Feb. 22: ASSETS. Cash and ingots Ditto in branch banks Bills past due Bills falling due in Paris, of which 14,620,680 f. 6c. are from the branch banks ••• ••• ••• Bilis in the branch bAnks . . Advancu.s on coins and ingots... Ditto on French public securities Dit , o by branch banks... ... Ditto to the Stat e on Bons du Presor. Ditto on the loan of 150 millions . Rentes of thy reserve Lund . Reutes disposabh, tunds Inves'inents of the new branch banks in the public funds ... . . ". n 67,179,697 56 . . 127,756 980 00 ". _ 138,723 05 ... 53,468200 15 92 393,887 87 19,128,167 00 31.430,42905 1.554.337 00 50,000,00000 50,000,000 00 10.00i),000 42,581,488 13 12,806,741 39 Hotel and lurniture (it the Bank ... 4.000.000 00 Real p-operty ot tre brown banks ... 2.273.734 00 Loan 0! 10.000.00 W. to ire city ot Paris 7,090 000 00 Interest in National Discount Bank ... 200.000 00 Ditto bra.ich banks ... ... ... 230.000 00 Bills voile-fed at P , ,IT, ••• •• 8 921.538 38 ;lit() at thi , brancoes ... ••• ... 4,546.759 00 Expenses tit adininistratiur of the Bank 127 831 36 Inv. of the branches ... ... .., 138,002 00 Miscellaneous ... ... ... ... 406,981 15 Advance to the depattnit nt of the Ssiiie ••• ... ••• ... ,oati co' 3,000,000 f. to tht City of Mar seilles ... ... ... ... ... 2,000.000 00 750,000 00 LIABILITIES. Capital ... f. 689,033,497 09 Ditto of the Branch Banks f. 67.900,000 00 :eserve fund ... 23,350,000 00 Ditto of the branch banks Reserve-immobihere ... 10.000.000 00 Notes to bearer, in circulation ... Ditto of the branch banks ... ... 2,980,950 00 ... 4,000,000 00 ... 404,974,300 00 .., 17,214,850 00 Ditto to order (post-bills) 895,341 00 Account-current with Treasury creditor 33.852,756 74 Various accounts current 0,595,374(53 Ditto in branches ... 25,051,701 00 Bills payable at sight 5,172,300 00 Ditto at branches ••• .. ••• 867,592 00 Bills of the branch banks payable by the Bank ... ... 6.334,358 94 Ditto of the Bank payable by branches.. 2,689,099 00 Dividends payable .. • • ... 436,413 25 Liquidation of the Algiers Bank ... 233,649 04 Discounts, interest, and expenses ... 855,790 74 Ditto branch banks ... ... 815,735 00 Re-discounts of the last six months ... 246,109 85 Ditto in branch banks .. ... 460,661 00 Miscellaneous ... 108,715 00 f. 689,033,497 09 THE 4 , DUE' WEST INDIA MAIL PACKET. There is some doubt and uncertainty as to when the next West India mail will reach this country. When the Tweed was wrecked on the same spot at which the Forth is reported to have been lost. the Avon arrived at Southampton within four days after the time allowed by the Post-office for her being due. This circum stance arose, however, from the Avon having been met with at sea and her captain made acquainted with the loss of the Tweed. As it is not very probable this will be the case again there is not likely to be a West India mail received here (if the Forth is wrecked, and no Go vernment steamer is sent home with the mail) until the sth of March. It is worthy of notice, however, that many very competent persons connected directly and indirectly with the West India Company, entertain some doubts as to the fact of the Forth having been lost on the Alacranes. When the Teviot was at Na,sau on the 2d of January, a large ship had juit been wrecked on those reefs ; and in tact, the wreckers of the Bahamas were actually engaged on the wreck at that time. Now, it is more than probable that the Forth was at Jamaica on the Bth of January, and, if so, she must have been in the vicinity of the Alacranes immediately after that date, unless she changed her route. It is not at all improbable, therefore, that the large ship on the Alacranes might have been mistaken for the Forth. There cannot be a doubt that the Admiralty agent on board the Forth decided on n , , t going to the Mobile, on account of her being so touch behind time. Now the mail packet was due at Mobile about the very date of the telegraphic diipatch from that pLice to Captain Caappell. The rumour. therefore, of her loss, coupled with her non arrival at Mobile in due course, might have induced a belief at the latter place of the accuracy of the report. The captain of the Forth wrote on the 6th January to his wife at Southampton, informing her that he should arrive home about the Ist of Marcb. In fact, he could not possibly, if ever} thing even went well, arrive home before. Until that period has elapsed, there fore, there is some slight hope that the wreck et the Forth is not true. It appears that there is a species of harbour at some part of the Alacranes where the wreckers find shelter. These wreckers belong to New Providence and the rest of the Bahamas. They have been about the reefs ever since the wreck of the Tweed, and at the time the Forth is said to have been lost were busy, as has been already related, with the wreck of the large ship that was lost there. BATHS AND WASIIHOUSES. PARISHES OF ST. MARGARET'S ♦ND ST. JOHN'S, WESTMINSTER.—On Sa turday forenoon a meeting of the select vestry of the united parish , s of St. Margaret's and St. John's, West minst( r, was held in the vestry room of St. Margaret's Church, to consider the propriety of nominating commis sioners for carrying into execution the Act 9 and 10 Vict., being an Act to encourage the estab'ishment of baths and washhouses; Mr. Trollope in the chair, when a resolution was agreed to, that the Act should be car ried into effect, and the following were the commissioners appointed for that purpose (being the full number re quired by the Act) :—The lion. T. C. Talbot, Lieute nant-Colonel Short, Rev. T. Jennings, rector of St. John's; Mr. William Hawes, Mr. G. Wilson, Mr. James Hunt, and Mr. William Burridge. PLYMOUTH, FEB. 23.—A small vessel stove up, was passed in the night of the 21st inst., about mid-channel, by the Corkscrew steamer, arrived here from Cork. Sid. 25, John Bright, Sydney; Penelope, Cape of Good Hope. CARDIFE, FEB. 24.—Wind W.N.W.—SId, 23, Su perior, Manilla. MILFORD.—SId, 24, Diana, Calcutta ; Sarah, New York. LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, Feb. 24. (Sittings at Nisi Prius, at Guildhall, before the Lord Chief Justice WILDE and a Special Jury.) BROWN AND OTHERS. ASSIGNEES, V. NORRIS. (Continued from our Third Edition of Saturday.) The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE summed up, and stated, that if the payment were made iairly and bora fide, and in the o' dinury course of business, or if it were made under the influence of pressure, the jury should find for the defendant; but if it were made ♦oluntarily, and in the execution of a desire to give the defendant a pre ference, in contemplation of bankruptcy, they should find for the plaintiffs. The jury returned a verdict for the defendant. JUDGES' CHAMBERS, Feb. 24. (Before Mr. Justice PATTEBON.) ORDER OF AFFILIATIuN ON COLONEL BLANE. Mr. Justice PATTESON granted to-day a writ of certiorari to remove this case into the Court of Queen'a Bench. _ _ _ _ The application was made on Thursday last by Mr Pushley, on behalf of Colonel Blanc, who statrd that the grounds for the application were, that the mother of the child having applied to Mr. Hardwick, the magistrate of the Marlborough-street police•court, for an order of affiliation, which he refused, the case could not be re• heard by tv.other magistrate, and also, that the chile having been born abroad, it was not within the jurisdic tion of the English law. FINANCIAL REFORM. Mr. HUME said, as he had given notice that he would submit to the House a motion on the motion for going into a Committee of Supply—that, in the present state of the finances of this country, her Majesty's Ministers, before calling on this House to vote the estimates for the public service, should submit a general financial statement of the whole or expected revenues, and the total intended expenditure for the en suing financial years—he had come down to the House prepared to carry out the resolution. He was sorry, however. to find that by a resolution which the House passed a few nights ago they would be unable to move more than one amendment to the motion for going into a Committee of Supply. When he gave his assent to the resolution he had formed an opinion that they would be left with regard to the Committee of Supply in the same way as before, and he must say that he had been completely taken in by his own act.—(Laughter.) He thought it necessary to say that much, because be was anxious that the motion of his Honourable Friend near him (Mr. Cobden) should come on before any vote was granted. He biped and trusted that before another session any restriction which prevented more than one division taking place would be done away with. He had consented to the resolution from an anxiety to push forward the business of the House, and not to prevent amendments being made upon the motion for going into Supply. He would take the opportunity of making his mo tion on Friday next, and he would, therefore, now leave the course free to his Hon. Friend Mr. Cob- den, and he hoped he would be as successful as he de served to be. ENGLISH WORKMEN IN FRANCE. Mr. B. COCHRANE wished to ask the Noble Lord at the head of the Government the question of which he had given him notice with respect to the inten tion of the French Government to those English workmen who had deposited part of their earnings in the saving banks of France, but who were obliged to leave that country at the revolution without obtaining the return of their little all. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that he understood it was the intention of the French Government, and that they were ready to pay the sums, and the only difficulty in their doing so arose from identifying the claimants. THE RECTORY OF BISHOPS WEARMOUTH. On the question that the House do now resolve itself into a Committee of Supply, Mr. HORSMAN rose to repeat his question to the Noble Lord at the head of the Government relative to the rectory of Bishopswearmouth. He believed that the Noble Lord at the head of the Government had re ceived a communication from the Bishop of Durham, pointing out the inaccuracies into which the Noble Lord had fallen in the last answer to his question ; and he wished, therefore, to know, whether the Noble Lord still adhered to his answer. The Hon. Member again went into a recapitulation of the case of the rectory of Bishopswearmouth, and the course pursued by the Bishop of Durham. He wished to know whether any of the points alluded to by the Noble Lord in his answer to the former question were inaccurate. Lord J. RUSSELL replied, that on the authority of the Bishop of Durham he stated that the income of the late Dr. Wellesley, the incumbent, was 3,5001. The Honourable Gentleman said that it was much larger. He (Lord John Russell) could not say whether it was or not ; he had simply offered the information he had received. The Noble Lord then read a letter from the Bishop of Durham, setting forth that some dispute had arisen with respect to the proper application of the " way fees," and that the trustees were not disposed to take any active part in the disposition of the fund placed at their dispo sal until it had been definitively settled. The Govern. ment acted upon a memorial which they had every reason to believe expressed the sentiments of the majority of the inhabitants. Ho certainly should not take the trouble to inform himself as to the disposition of the fund, as in the event of the general question being raised iri the House the matter in question would form a proper subject of discussion. Mr. HOMMAN merely wished to know if the Noble Lord thought that a bishop could divert a portion of the temporalities of a living to other purposes with. out violating the law? Lord J. RUSSELL apprehended that a bishop so act ing would be amenable at law. EMIGRATION. Mr. MONSELL referred to a document signed by Mr. Merivale, stating that emigrants would be sent out from each part of the kingdom, according to its popula tion, out of the votes ordered by Parliament for that put• pose ; also, from a statement made by Mrs Chisholm, it appeared that 13,533 had been sent out from England, 2,739 from Scotland, and but 1,879 from Ireland, which included orphans taken from the workhouse. He wished to know whether the statement was correct, and if so, if the Colonial-office considered this a proper disposition of the funds placed at their disposal by Parliament? Mr. HAW ES was understood to say that there were 2,763 persons who had emigrated from Scotland, 3,554 from Ireland, and 22,000 odd from England. He be lieved that the colonists preferred English to Irish emigrants.—(Laughter.) Mr. JOHN O'CONNELL asked whether as a large proportion of the Irish emigrants from Ireland were young parsons, and especially orphans, there was an) provision for their being educated in the religion of their parents. Mr. HAWES said a Committee bad been formed in the colony of the leading merchants, to see that the t mi grants were properly distributed, and ho presumed that their religion would be attended to. MR. COBDEN'S FINANCIAL SCHEME. Mr. COBDEN rose to move the following resolution: —" That the net expenditure of the Government for the year 1835 (Parliamentary Paper, No. 260, 1847) amounted to 44,422,0001.; that the net expenditure for the year ended sth January, 1849 (Parliamentary Paper, No. 1, 1849), amounted to 54,185,000/.; the in crease cf nearly ten millions having been caused princi pally by successive augmentations of our warlike esta blishments, and outlays for defensive armaments : that no foreign danger, nor necessary cost of the civil Govern ment, nor indispensable disbursements for the services in our dependencies abroad, warrant the continu ance of this increase of expenditure : that the taxes required to meet the present expenditure impede the operations of agriculture and manufac tures, and diminish the funds far the employment of labour in all branches of productive industry, thereby increasing pauperism and crime, and adding grievously to the local and general burthens of the people : that. to diminish these evils, it is expedient that this House take steps to reduce the annual expenditure, with al; practicable speed, to an amount not exceeding the sum which, within the last fourteen years, has been proved to bo sufficient for the maintenance of the secu rity, honour, and dignity of the nation." He said : I rise, sir, to put the amendment into your hands of which I have given notice, because 1 have thought it my duty, and a matter of great interest to the country, that before we went into a Committee of Supply, and before we went into any details of the esti mates, we should take an opportunity of discussing our financial condition and prospects, and the cause of the increase of our expenditure for the last ten years. I wish to explain that, in bringing this motion on in the shape of an amendment to the motion for going into Committee on Supply, I by no means wish Honourable Members to infer that the plan that I propose here, or have proposed elsewhere, is one which I expect the Government will bring forward in their esti mates to-night, or on Friday next. I shall b. very sorry if Ray Honourable Member made such an inference ; but what I propose to do is. this; it can be done instanter; all 1 wish is that this House shall have the opportunity of expressing their opinion as to the desirableness of carrying into effect a great reduction in the expenditure of the country. Now, Sir, there is another thing which I wish to notice in connection with the notice of motion which I have given. That is the fact that whereas the public expen diture of this country was 44,000,0001. in 1845, it was upwards of 54,000,000 in last year. In stating these sums it must be recollected by the House that I am only dealing with round numbers, and that in every instance I have taken the amounts under those really stated in the balance sheet of the country .—(Hear, hear.) Now, on this subject we can make a remark that there is a manifest difference between - the mode in which the accounts of the national expenditure are drawn up, and those of our own.—(Hear, hear.) For instance, in the French accounts, each item is made to bear its own charge, `and show the way in which it arose.—(Hear, hear.) In fact each portion of the French Budget shows its own portion of the debit, so that those statements which are put down in this country as charges are those put down as the reverse, and made debits on the French account. —(Hear, hear.) For instance, those items which are put down as necessary expenditure are those made regu lar debits, such as religious establishments for the State, the arts, bridges, the whole of those expenses incurred for the support of workhouses and unions, which in this country are charged as matters of local taxation, are in the French Budget made to figure as portions of the national statement presented by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. And in stating this much I must carefully guard the House against any forgetfulness of the indirect taxation of this country. The budget of last year for 54,000,0001. was made up in such a manner a s , i nc l u di ng all the charges of the state, those for local taxation com bined, made up 77,000,000/.—(Hear, hear,) Thi s 77,000,0031. was to be placed against an expenditure of 72,000,000/. by the French people, there being an expenditure of the former sums, including h os _ pi tals and all local charges, of 80,000,0001. by 3 6,000,000 of people against an expenditure of 72,000,0001. by a population of 49,000,000, and that too in revolution h luitirrease which hasandinsurrec taken placetionary ov in the emeL N a oywe,arsior! in. the local expenetiture of the country I see something that is deserving of the solemn and serious attention of the House.—(H ear, hear.) I will take in the first have been raisedpl ce n t the shape amount f rates e s r rates the s w maintenance of the poor. In 1.837 the amount raised for the su pp ort of the poor in Great Britain, was 4 , 300,000/. ; last y ear the amount raised for Great Britain and Ireland amounted to 8,841,000. I take the 1837 as titre first starting point, because in 1837, the new poori.lrw woe brought into operation, end we then THE IRISH POOR-LAW. Mr. MOORE presented a petition from certain land owners and ratepayers in the county of Down, in favour of emigration and the employment of the Irish poor in works of public utility, in preference to the poor-law. THE WAR IN THE PUNJAUB. Mr. GEORGE THOMPSON gave notice of his intention to-morrow (Tuesday) to move for a return of the British troops, regular and irregular, ordered by the Governor-General of India, or any subordinate functionary, to take the field in the Punjaub, from the 18th of April to the 31st of December, 1848, showing the number of guns, the number of regiments or detachments of regiments, and the strength of each regiment or detachment in officers and men ; also for a return of the camp followers attached to, and officially reported by, each regiment, de tachment, and field department of the troops so employed; also for a return, showing the number of combatants and non-combatants that were paid by the Field Pay department, or subsisted by the Field Com missariat department, during each month of the above period; also for a return of the number of native al lies, whether commanded by British officers or native sirdars, that were in the field or maintained during the same period. IRISH POOR.LAW. Mr. A. STAFFORD, seeing the Noble Lord at the head of the Government in his place, wished to ask him when it was his intention to bring in a Bill founded on the resolution of the Irish Poor-law Committee for raising a rate in aid. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said he purposed moving for a Committee of the whole House, to take into consider ation the first report of the Irish Poor-law Committee, and he would fix that motion for Thursday next. THE WAR IN THE PUNJAUB. Mr. GEORGE THOMP:ION rose to solicit the indul gence of the House, to whose impartiality and courtesy he appealed, while for a few moments he spoke in expla nation of a matter personal to himself, touching the correctness of a statement he had made in his place in Parliament, upon an important subject, and the answer given to that statement by a Minister of the Crown. It would be in the recollection of the House, that on Friday last he put a question to the Right Honourable Baronet (Sir J. C. Hobhouse) the Pre sident of the Board of Control, relative to the papers connected with the war in the Punjaub. The question was asked in the precise words of which notice had been given the day before, and was founded upon two facts referred to in the terms of the question, namely, that the war in the Punjaub had been gcing on since April, 1848, and that it had occasioned the calling into the field of 120,000 men, including camp followers. The Right Hon. Baronet, in replying to the question— and upon the style and manner of that reply he (Mr. Thompson) would make no comment—thought it his duty to give a fiat contradiction to both the facts referred to. "It was not the fact," be said, " that the war in the Punjaub dated as far back as April, 1848; the origin of the war was of a much later date. He also denied that the army in the field amounted to 120,000 men; he did not know whether camp followers meant camels and things of that sort. The fact was, that the forces did not amount to half that number, nor anything like as many." It was in vindication of the accuracy of the statement so denied, that he (Mr. Thompson) now ventured to claim permission of the House to occupy a very email portion of its tune—a favour which he trusted would not be denied, as it was of the utmost importance to the cha racter of every Member that he should prove the accuracy of the assertions he made in that House. In the absence of those official papers, which it was his most anxious wish. to see laid upon the table, he (Mr. Thompson) had had recourse to the ordinary channels of information—the newspapers published in India. Those journals had informed him, that on the sth of April, 1848, Mr. Vans Agnew, of the Bengal Civil Ser vice, in the capacity of an assistant political agent, and Lieutenant Anderson of the Bombay Fusiliers, in command of a small force of infantry, ca ♦alry, and artillery, were dispatched from Lahore to remove the Dewan Moolraj from the Government of Moultan, and to instal the Sirdar Khan Singh in his place; that they arrived at Moultan on the 16th of , . ' April; that on the 17th they were set upon by some rebel soldiers belonging to Moultan; that they defended themselves in a small fort on the outside of the town; bu diet on the 20th the prinei)al part of their escort c'eierted to the insurgents, and the two gentlemen named perished. This he (Mr. Thomrson) had thought it right to regard as the origin arid commencement of the war in the Punjaub. From the tame journals he learnt that, on the first in r. of the disturbance at Moultan, the Chief of Bhawulpore dispatched forces to the relief of the British officers, which arrived too late to render any service; that on the news reaching Lahore Major Edwardes was ordered to march on Moultan, with the Seikh troops under his command, that some regiments of the Lahore service, under two distinguished Seikh chiefs, were directed to march towards Moultan, end that two moveable brigades, one from I Feroaepore and one from Lahore, consisting of three thousand men each, were directed to march on the 27th, and to unite on the banks of the Ravee on their way to Moultan. Below Moultan, on the Indus, a steamer was dispatched up the river by Colonel Shaw, with a company of Native Infantry and two guns, and Major Jacob, with a squadron of the Sindo Horse, was sent to watch the frontier. It was quite true, that when all doubt had ceased at Lahore respecting the deaths of Messrs. Anderson and Agnew, it was re solved to suspend decisive operations, pending a refe rence to the Governor-General and the Commander-in- Chief ; but it was not less true, according to every state ment in the Indian papers, that prior to the 2d day of May, a small force of irregular cavalry and artillery was dispatched from Loodianah to the aid of Bhawulpore ; that another of irregular cavalry and artillery was sent from Lahore to Govindghur ; that a detachment of Seikh troops was ordered towards Moultan ; that. the defences of Lahore were strengthened, that the political agents at the out-stations were called in, that all officers absent on leave were ordered to join their regiments, and that the troops along the whole of the right bank of the Sutlej were required to hold them selves in readiness to march at a m , ment's notice. At the same time, Major Edwardes, Colonel Cortlandt, ana the Nawaub of Bhawulpore, were taking measures to unite their forces, and bring them into the field against the Dewan of Moultan. Such were the notorious facts upon which be (Mr. Thompson) had founded his statement on Friday last, that the origin and commencement of the war in the Punjaub dated from the month of April, 1848. If anything else were needed to prove this, there was the proclamation of the Lahore Government, dated the lith of May, which was a formal declaration of war against Mooing, and contained the threat to " root him out from the face of the earth, and bring him to entire destruction and everlasting perdition." He would now say a word upon the denial of the Right Hon. Baronet, that the army in the field in the Punjaub amounted to 120,000, including camp followers. He held in his hand a return of all the troops now in the field in the Punjaub and at Moultan, including the re serve at Sirbind. The following was an abstract:— The grand army under Lord Gough amounted to 21,020 ; the Lahore force under General Wheeler t o 5,51 0 ; Brigadier Wheeler ' s own force to 2,360 ; the reserved force under General Hill o;oa;ndthteheM M o ultan t 7 0 ,5 5 8 , ( 8 ) Bombay y fo m rc o e u tdta n n de f r G eree eneral W under Brigadier h die t r o Dundas to 6,750, making a grand total of 49,020 men, exclusive of from 15,000 to 20,000 native auxiliaries. So much for fightin g men. Some days question put to the P res id ent of thßperarevdio o f letter Control, a previously to the pamphlet had been publi s h e d i n the form of ettr frein General Sir Charles Napi er , l ate Governor of Sinde, 3 to the Right Hon. Sir John Hobho use . I n that letter the Gallant General informed Sir John Hobhouse that " the usual calculation is, that, for every fighting man in the high caste Bengal army, there are five servants, or camp followers, notecombatants. - In the Bombay army, where the caste is generally lower, there are ' a bout three camp followers for every fighting That an army i n march, con s i s ti ng of 10,000 fighting me n, ma' am ounts in the mass t "the General must feed to 40,000 or 60,00 0 men "—that this crowd o f non- co mbatants and their animals." The statement of General Napier ssTpi was fully confirmed by a military writer in the Delhi Gazelle of October the 25th, _or the war in the f who, speaking of the prepa rations Punjaub, says, " the number of men to be assembled at Ferosepore amounts more or less to 20 , 000 men. Their camp followers will exceed 100 000, but we will take them at that figure." Now, assuming th e correctness of General Napier and the write r in the Delhi Gazette, whose statements confirmed each other, mid taking the Bombay troops in the Punjaub at 10,000, and the Bengal at 39,000, there were 80,060 camp followers attached to the former, and 195.000 to the latter, making 225,000 in all; which, added to the 49,000 fighting men, gave a grand total of no less than 274,000 men in the field. In the statement made on Friday, he (Mr. Thcmpson) had set down the fighting men at 40,000 and the camp followers (two to each soldier) at 80,000, making, together, the number 120,000. He had now demonstrated how greatly below the actual amount were the numbers he had stated. With this explanation he was content to leave the matter with the Rouse, and also the question of expense, which would be determined when the accounts were produced. Mr. ELLIOT, in the absence of the Secretary to the Board of Control, made some observations with reference to the statement made by the Hon. Member, but was indistinctly heard in the gallery, in consequence of the noise which prevailed in the Mouse at the time. He was understood to eay that his Bight non. Friend THE Ct , UINTRY MARKETS. LxvicarooL, Fax. 24.—The market yesterday was dull throughout. We had very few country buyers, anu the business effected in any article was on a very moderate scale. The prices of wheat, oats, dour, and oatmeal were considered to stand the same as quoted last Tuesday. Barley, beans, and peas, were also unaltered in value. Indian corn was the 'thief article in demand, but the prices were not so good as on Tues. slay by 6d. to Is. per quarter. 30s. per 4801 b. was the top price of American round yellow corn, and 2es to 295 for white and mixed. No change whatever in prices to-day. a. d. 8. I. d. s. d, Barley, Feeding.. 1 6 to It 9 Wheat, per 701 b English, white .. 7 3 to 7 6 Do. red.. .. 6 9 7 2 Irish, new .. 6 0 6 4' Dc, old .. .. 6 4 6 7 Dantsic .. 7 6 - 7 8 Aye, Per 4bolb .. 0 0 0 0 Beans, English, pr imperial quartr 34 0 36 0 Irish and Scoteh, per 4801 b.. .. 3tl 0 31 0 Do., good mixed 7 0— 7 4 Lowerlialtic,whitt3 7 0 7 3 Do. red.. 6 10 7 st) American • .. 6 6 7 4 Canadian .. 6 6 6 11 Spanish, red and Foreign, duty pd. 25 6 26 0 European, per im perial quarter.. 32 0 33 0 Peas, English, per imperial quartr 32 0 34 0 Foreign .. .. 32 0 34 0 . white. . •• 7 0— 7 4 Tuscan and Bar- Malt, English, per Imperial quartr 58 0 81 4) letta, red .. • • 6 6 611 Marlanopoli .. .. 6 • G 3 Odessa, Polish 't.. 6 3 -- 6 DO., Irish .. 55 0—56 '0 Do., brown • . 54 0— 57 0 Flour, English, pr Do., hard—Ul• • 5 6 6 0 2801 b 35 0 36 I Egyptian .. .. 4 0 4 6 Irish, extra flne .. 37 0 38 0 Oats, per 451 b United States, per English and Scotch 2 5 2 10 barrel .. 26 6 27 0 Welsh .• . .. 2 6 2 7 Canadian • . 26 6 27 Irish, new .. •• 2 6 2 71 Oatmeal, English, Do., old .. 2 7 2 9 & Scotch,pr24olb 24 0 2b 0 Barley, English, pr Irish, new • . .. 23 0 25 0 imperial quarter 32 0 34 0 Do., old .. . 23 0 —:23 0 Irish, Scotch, and Indian corn, per Alanx,psr 601 b 3 6 3 9 4801 b • • .. 28 0— 30 0 MANCLIESTER, FEB. 24.—The trade throughout the week has been of an exceedingly sluggish character, and prices generally have continued to exhibit o downward tendency. A most inactive feeling prevailed in our market this morning, and wheat must be noted Id to 2d per 701 b cheaper than on this day se'nnight. Flour being very difficult of sale, the best descriptions receded in value 6d, and miedling and inferior qualities fully Is per sack. Oats and oatmeal were likewise in very limited request, and the turn lower. READING, FEB. 24.—Wheat, per quarter, 34s to 55s ; bar ley, 25s to 355; oats, 16s to 22s ; beans, 30s to 40s; peas, 30s to 40s. Fat hogs, 9s to Os Ott ; porkers, 9s 3d to Os per score. Poultry—Fowls, per couple, 3s 6d to 4s Od; ducks, per couple, 3s 6d to 4s 6d; geese, each, Os Od to Os; butter, per lb, Is 2d to Is 3d; eggs, 14 to 16 for Is. ABERDEEN, Fxs. 23. Grain—Oats 13,9 d t 01153 6d, 401 b per bushel ; barley, 23s to 245, 521bs per bushel ; bear, 23s to 245, 52 lbs per bushel ; wheat. 50s to 53s ; oatmeal, Ms to 14s per boll ; flour, 38s to Os per sad.. Provisions— Beef, 4dl to 7d per lb ; mutton, ditto, 4d to 7d ; veal, ditto, hd to 7d ; pork, per stone, 4: to 5s ; lamb, per quarter, Os to Os ; tallow, per stone, 4s 6d to ss; rotatoes, per peck, 10d to Is hay, per cwt, Cs to Os ; rabbits, each Od to Os ; hares, oath, Os to Os ; grou,e, per brace, Os to Us ; butter, per lb, 10d to 11d ; eggs, per dcz, 8d to 9d ; cheese, per stone, Os to Os ; hens, per pair, 4s to 4s 6d ; chickens, ditto, 3: Od to 3a 6d ; ducks, ditto, 316 d to 4: ; ducklings, ditto, 2s to 21 6d ; turkeys, each, 4s 6d to 61 IN; gene, ditto, Op to Or; butter for e;portation (prows cure), per cwt, Ch to 60s; eggs, wholesale price, per dozen, 5d to 1, ti ; 41b loaf, 8d ; 21b loaf, 4d ; pork, per stone of 14 lbs Os Od to 3s 6d ; pork fine, small, Os od to 5s 6d ; pork large, 3s 6d to 4s 3d; ship pork per barrel of 201 Ibs, Os to 100 s. Meal—Oatmeal, is 4d to Os Od; bearmeal, is 3d to Os Od; peasemeal, 24 to Os Od ; aids, 6d to 7d ; barley flour, Is 4d to Os 00 ; barley dust, 7d to 8d ; flour, 2s to 2s 2d ; barley, per lb, lid to 2d. DALKEITH, Fza. 22.—The relative weight per four bushels of the three prices of wheat were 18st 31b, 18st 01b, and 16st 41b. Oats, 12st 120), 12st Ilb, and lOst 100). Barley, 16st 81b, 15st 131 b, and 14st 51b Peas and beans, 18st IBst 70), and 17st 31bs. Qrs. Best. Current. Inferior _ 326 Wheat ...... 12 0 £2 7 0 £1 J 2 0 677 Oats 296 Bart y 46 Pease and Beans 1 10 0 1 7 0 1 4 0 Avetag.- of wheat £2 4s Od. CORK, Fen. 23. -Fleur Firsts I4s6d to 15s 6d; extra 16 seconds 13s 6d to 14s 6d ; household , lOs to 13, ; thirds Ss to I is per cwt. Meal Oatmeal listo 1 Is 6d; Indian .realBl ; w,,- a t meal lls per cwt. Indian corn 755t0 7 12s 6d ton Bran b. per ton. Hay Farmers 13s Od to 42s Od; averag.i Os; dealers 38s re 48,; averatze lOs Od per ton. Str w-h armers 14e Od to 27s ; average _223; :teeters 28s Ott to 30s :)d; average 00s Oil per ton. Bread-Wheaten loaf 61d to 7d; household loaf sid to 6d per 41b. Frcsh butter, 10d to Is per lb. Coals -Nee port 17s; Lydrey 18s ; Landore 17s ; best Neath Guilin 16 , per ton. Tallow 43s 6d to 44s per cwt. Whiskey, 25 o. p., 6s Oil per imperial gal lon. Meat-Beat 4d to 7d; Mutton 5d to 6#d; veal sid to 7d ; pork 4d to bid ; bacon 7it to 8d ; sausages 6d per lb. Hops 61 its per cwt. Bangor slates 3i 2s 6d to 3/ 5s per ton. Bark-Barbary 61 to 71; Valonia 111 to 131; French 61; English 6/ per ton. Flei , ce Wool 105 to Es per stone. Hemp 35/ per ton. Fish-. Scotch herrings 18s to 00s; red ditto 25s to 27s per barrel; Newfoundland to 12 . 10, per ton. Timber- New Memel 4/ 101; old scarce ; red pine 31 15s; yellow pine 3: per ton; deals, first quality, 20 ; second quality 17/ per LO. Hides -Market lls to 16s; salted llsto 1s per cwt ; calf skins 2d to 21i1; market 2cl to `lid per lb. Potatoes, white Hid to 12d; Minions 13c1 to Od. Coax, Fes. 23.-The weather during the week has been fine, dry, and seasonable. The trai:e is still influenced by the causes adverted to in our last, namely, continued arrivals, and the absence of the large millers from the market, as purchasers; and the consequence is a continued and even increased depres sion in the various markets of the kingdom. In this quarter the depression is perhaps even greater than in others, the in flux;of foreign grain (though in most cases the vessels only call for orders) being of itself sufficient to throw a damp upon a trade already affected by other influences. The article of Indian corn, especially, has suffered by the large supplies poured in, and we have to report a further se rious depression in this branch of the trade. The supplies of home grown grain are very scanty, and owing to this we have very little alteration in the value of any article. In prepared Irish wheat we have no transactions to record. But little business has been done in Foreign also, which must be quoted Is per barrel lower, the selling price of Marianople, to-day, being 278 per barrel. Malting barley is scarce and in demand. Prepared oats are little altered from our last, but the trade in the article is languid, and the market is devoid of animation. The trade in flour is very dull, bakers purchasing only in the most retail manner, and con• fining themselves altogether to the supply of their more imme diate wants. The tendency of prices is downwards. We have had a moderate business doing in Indian corn, but at consi derably reduced rates, the current price for prime samples being 71 to 71 5 s per ton. A small cargo has changed hands at 61 17s 6d per ton. Indian Meal is in slow request at re• duced rates. BELFAST, FEB. 22.—We have get into broken weather again, which, for the present, stops the usual field labours for the season. It is, however, satisfactory to know, that our farmers have taken advantage of the fine weather we have bad since the Ist of the month, and are at present in a more forward state with their spring sowings and preparations than in any former year. The supplies of grain at market are small, and unequal to the demand, which keeps our prices relatively high. Wheat is still required to some extent for seed. I reduce the top price, however, 2d, and inferior parcels 3d to 4d per cwt. Flour—lt is difficult to give correct quotations in flour. I re duce fine 6d per cwt. Barrels are held at a reduction of 6d also, but dealers hold off, not being disposed to give extreme prices. States flour 27s 6d to 28s. Canadian 6d less per barrel. Maley, a slow sale, at about former prices. Oats— The demand fur seed seems to be generally setting in, and gives a high tone to prices. Feeding parcels, however, barely maintain their value. Oatmeal sells slowly at a reduction of 2d on the week. Indian Corn is in limited quantity, and is few hands ; yet, from the small demand for it, prices are barely maintained. Yellow sells at 71 lOs to 71 15s per ton, and white 5s less. SUMMARY. We stood at this moment in reference to our foreign relations in an infinitely better position than we occu pied in 1835. We were then in an uneasy position with regard to Russia and the Northern Powers, and were marauding on the coast of Spain. With whom did we now dread a collision with Russia with ber serfs, who would give her plenty to do with Germany, or with France? If England took advantage of her insular po sition, and would not interfere with other powers, never had she stood in such a favourable position. It was said that the establishments were much too low in 1835 ; he denied it. The Honourable Secretary to the Admiralty said that the dockyards establishment were almost in a state of rnin in 1835. That argument had been used in 1816, when it was proposed to reduce the establishments of 1796. It was said that Mr. Pitt had expressed his regret for having reduced the estab lishments so low in 1796, until Lord Granville declared in the House of Lords that Mr. Pitt had always expressed his approval of the reduction of 1796. He would appeal to she Right Honourable Baronet (Sir James Graham) whose administration lately he admired on the subject, and ask him if the dockyards in 1836 were in a state of desti tution. The time was now come when it was their duty seriously :to [consider whether they could reduce this expenditure. He could understand how Protectionists could consistently vote for maintaining our colonial establish ments, but he could not understand how Free traders, or those who thought Free-trade must be henceforth the rule of the country, could rote fur these establishments. We had given the colonies Free-trade when they liked, but they must defend themselves. It was said we were to make the colonies integral parts of the kingdom ; but how could they do that unless they shared our taxes and our debt. Henceforth this country could not expect to derive say greater advantage from our colonies than ether nations, and therefore it was not bound to keep up an establishment for their defence. It might be proper to keep up such garrisons or Gibraltar, or Malta, but it was unjust to the inhabi tants of this country to tax them for the maintainance of colonies such as Australia and New Zealand, which could support themselves, and in which the condition of the labourers was infinitely superior to that of the small farmer in this country...-(Hear.) They must prepare to relieve themselves from the expenditure they had incurred in those colonies. Why, in New Zealand they one soldier to every ten colonists, armed, fed, and clothed at the expense of the people of this country, among a population every man of whom carried his rifle as a matter of course, and knew how to use it. What did they want with troops in Australia, when there was not a single aboriginal inhabitant. He believed those troops were intended rather to keep down the colonists than to defend them. This was a system requiring a total change, and if that change were made there where no difficulty in making the reductions he pro posed. With regard to the troops at home, he thought that there were an infinitely greater number of troops than there was any necessity for. At no time, either in Ireland or England, had there been one hundred men in arms assembled during the last, year against the Government. He be lieved, as far as England was concerned, that had it not been for the Irish element there would have been no turbulence in this country notwithstanding the heavy distress which weighed upon the working classes in 1847, who, aware that every morsel of food that could come from abroad was permitted to come, were per fectly loyal and tranquil. He had heard with some in dignation that it was the troops and special constables which had prevented a rising last year. He did not be- Here it, and he was glad not to believe it ; and with re gard to those persons sentenced to transportation for life, he hoped it would be remembered that this country was exposed to the electric shock of the French revolution, and they had reason to congratulate themselves that it had taken such little root in this country. The con dition of the people of England was no ex cuse for keeping up our prices ; therefore, the House ought to call upon the Government as an act of justice to the taxpayers to reduce largely the military and Laval forces of this country. He would not dwell upon the advantage it would be to commerce and agriculture to reduce taxation. He would not remind country gentlemen of the benefit of the reduction of the malt and hop duty. But it was no use talking of the reduction of those duties unless they re duced the naval and military establishments. There were all sorts of taxes which ddfferent persons desired to see removed; but none of them could be removed unless they reduced the expenditure. They ought to consider the amount of danger to the country from reducing the forces, and the amount of danger for continuing the burthens, they could not but conclude that the country was in more danger of being crushed beneath these bur dens—than of being injured from abroad) It might be said that we must increase our forces because other powers had done the same. With regard to the navy we were the first offenders. We had begun the increase , and now France was willing to reduce, and we should follcw her example. In the cost of collection of the revenues there was great extravagance, and they might make a considerable reduction in tne item. Then, with regard to the Woods and Forests, i the Noble Lord the Member for Bath (Lord Duncan) saved by his Committee only half the 600,00001 he would enable the Government to make a great reduc tion iu taxation. He would if be had the management of the expenditure devote ten millions sterling and no more for armaments, which would give him 1,600,0001. for civil expenditure, that in 1835, without exceeding the expenditure of the year.— (Hear, hear. He was convinced thet any step they took in mitigating the pressure of taxation as the people did for the securing that at tachment of the /people to our institutions and to defend the country against foreign attacks than all the armaments that they might maintain —(Cheers.) The Hon Member concluded by moving his resolution. Mr. HUME seconded the motion. The Chancellor of the Exchequer although differing from his Hon. Friend, admired the calm and temperate manner in which he had brought it forward, and the admirable manner in which he had kept his pledge of abstaining from any attack on :any person or on any Government. As he had said These establishments had been increased with the gene. re concurrence of the House, and he could not think that measures which met with that general concurrence should be so far wrong as the Hon. Gentleman seemed to imagine. This was a question not of hundreds but of millions, and in discussing it he (the Chan cellor of the Exchequer would make no objection to taking the year 1835 as a point of comparison, although he could not accept it as the standard. (LT FT SPEAKING.) TOOTING, SATURDAY NIGHT.—The statement from Tooting last evening as to the condition of Mr. Drouet's health, and signed by his brother, Mr. Richard Drouet, is, " That Mr. Drouet continues dangerously ill, and confined to his bed."—Observer. DOVER, FEB. 24.—The French fishing boat Saintie Marie sunk off Dungeness last night, having been in contact with the Diana, of Lsverpuul; two of the crew drowned. HOLYHEAD, FEE. 25.—Wind E.—Sid, 25, Pastenstea, Rio &loin. RAILvv AY siIARE mARHETS. LIVERPOOL, FEB. 24. Srocx EXCHANGE. —The market has been firm to-day, and 110.1 prices pabi.—The sales are—Aberdeen, Preference, 6 per cent, in perpet., I Is. 3 Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Chester (late C. and 8.),221., 6 per cent., 1849, 6r. .da.—Caledonian, Preference, 7 per cent 111 i Lancashire and Yorkshire (late Manchester and Leeds. Fittlis, 21. 3s. 9d. d4.—Lancaster and Carlisle, 55—Leeds and Thirsk, 2614—London and North-Western, 141—Ditto, New Quarters, 61. 3s. 'Jd., 614. p.—Ditto, Quarters (C), 41. Is. 3d., 414 p. Manches ter, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, 111. Preference, 11%—Ditto, 201. Shares, 11 dis.—Midland Rock, 88M—North Union (A), 416 Shrewsbury and Chester (late N. W. M.), New 12 1-3 Shares, 1 p. — South-Eastern, 26—Ditto No. 4, Thirds, 77, —York, Newcastle, and Berwick (tL N. E. Purchase), 6 per cent. guaranteed, 1/. Is, 3d. —Northern of France, IT, dis. FEB. 24, STOCK ExcrtaNca.—The market generally remains comparatively quiescent. if there be any exception, it is in Shropshire Unions, which are sligntly improving. The closing prices of local stock re main almost the same as yesterday. The sales are—London and North-Western, 141—Ambergate, Nottingham, and Boston, 4% dig. Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton, 22—Shropshire Union, 435. 9d.—Couth Staffordshire, 3 dh. YORK, FEB. 24. Sxeca EXCHANGE.—The busine:s transacted to-day was ac fol lows :—Eastern Counties, 10h —Great Northern, 10 N i —Sheffield. Rotherham, and Goose, N. div., guaranteed, 5 per.cent., —York. Newcastle, and Berwick Extension No. 1, 21%—Ditto No. 2 (late New Berwicks). 2l NE WCAGTLE-UPON-TINE, FEB. 24. STOCZ EXCIIANGE. The business done in the Stock Exchange to day has been as follows : Great Northern (B Shares), 6 per cent.di s % —Hartlepool Deck and Railway, 140 cum. new - Manchester. Sheffield and Lincoln, New 101. l'reference, 11% —Wear Valley. New, 5%. GLASGOW, F. 23. STOCK EXCIIANGE.—The following are to-day's transactions:— Aberdeen, Preference, 525. 6d.—Clydesdale Junction, 60 - Dun dee and Arbroath, 257i--Edinburgh and Bathgate 74—Edinburgh and Perth, 15s—Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ayr,s per cent, guaran teed, 10.4 —Ditto, Halves, No. I, 71. ls.—Ditto, Tlalvcs, No. 2, 71. ss.—Great North of Scotland, ss. 3d.—Great Northern, 111. 33.—• North British, Quarters, 745. REPEAL OF THE DUTY ON MALT AND HOPS.—* On Saturday the Warwickshire Protection Society held a large meeting, with a view of determining the pro priety of adopting measures to procure a total repeal of these taxes. The Lord-Lieutenant (the Earl of War wick), Mr. Ncwdegate, M.P., Mr. R. Spooner, M.P., ix-, were present. We are unable to report the general pro ceedings of tho meeting as the press were requested to withdraw during certain preliminary business, but it was subsequently intimated to them that very con siderable discussion had ensued upon the policy of enter ing, at this precise moment, on a local agitation of the question, and that an adjournment bad been carried until some day after Mr. Disraeli's motion in the Com mons on the Bth of March next. Mr. Thomas Umbers, of Wappenbury, was in the chair. PENINSULAR. 'SAILS.—SOUTHAMPTON, FEB. 25, 1849.—The Peninsular and Oriental steam-ship, niche, Captain Weeks, with the Peninsular mails, in charge of Lieutenant Inglis, R.N., arrived here last night, soon after ten o'clock. The dates of sailing were—Gibraltar, 16th instant ; Cadiz, 17th ; Lisbon, 19th ; Oporto. 20th ; Vigo, 21st. The freight brought by the Poch* consisted of 42 boxes of specie, of the value of 7,0004 47 boxes of dates, 730 boxes of oranges, 6 cases of leeches, 29 cases of eggs, 6 casks of wine, and 13 pack ages of sunaries. The passengers were Mrs. Harding, Captain Walker, ILA., Mr. Yellers, Mr. Hornigan• Major Lopes and son, Mr. Laing, Mr. parson, Messre.• Schench, Godfrey, and Chenes. MEMOIRS AND CORRESPONDENCE OF SIR RosIST MURRAY KEITH, K. 8., MINISTER PLENIPOTENTIART AT THE COURTS OF DRESDEN, COPENHAGEN, AND VIENNA, FROM 1769 To 1793. Two VoLs.—We are re quested to state that the above work is published this day by Mr. Culburn, and may now be had of all book sellers. Also just published -2. Sir E. Bulwer Lytton'e " King Arthur," 2 vols., Iss. ; 3. A New System of Geology, by the Very Rev. W. Cockburn, D.D., Dean of York, 3s. 6d. ; 4. The Castlereagh Correspondence, vols. 3 and 4, completing the Irish Rebellion and Union: 5. Mr. Burke's " Anecdotes of the Aristocracy," 2 vols.; 6. Saw Slick's new work, "The Old Judge, or, Life in a Colony," 2 vols. ; 7. The Gener a l Ind ex t o B ur ke's History of the Landed Gentry, comprising all the native (upwards of 100,000) mentioned in the work ; 8. A Second Edition of Mr. Ross' Yacht Voyage in Lori Rodnej's Cutter the Iris, 1 vol., 10s. 6d. ; 9. Part 3 of Chatcaubriand's hlemoirs, 2s. 6d. rADVERTISEMENT.:I—THE EARL OF ALIIIIOROI7OO AND HoLLowAt's PILLS.—An astounding cum by this miraculous medicine, alter every other means had failed. See extract from hit Lordship's letter, dated " Villa Messina, Leghorn, Feb. 21, 18 45 . Professor Holloway—Sir: I beg to acquaint you that your pills hay, ef fected a cure of a disorder in my liver and stomach which all the most eminent of the facility, at home and all ever the continent, had net been able t• effect ; nay, not ever tho waters of Carlsbad or MA' rienbad. (Signed) " ALDB011011011." These wonderful pill s Will cure any disease of the liver or stomach.—Sold (also fielloway'S Ointrn.ut) at Professor Holloway's Establishment, 244, Strand, and ell medicine vendors throughout the civilised world. BIRTHS. On the 19th inst., at the Harehills, near Leeds, the wife of W, S. Ayrton, Esq., of a son. On the 2 st inst., at Beltha-villas, Barnsbury, Mrs. I. Ponsford, of a son. On the 21st inst., at Turnworth, Dorsetehire, the wife of W. P. Okedon, Esq., of a son. On the 21st inst., at Belton, near Great Yarmouth, the Wife of J. E. Sp fling. Esq., late of the 46th Regiment, of a son. On the 22d inst., the wife of the Rev. H. Stretton, bent of Hixon, Staffordshire, of a son. On the 22d inst., in Somers-place, Hyde-park, the lady Of N. W. Winstanley, Esq., of a daughter. On the 23d inst., at Broad-green•lodge, Croydon, the wife of W. Baines, Esq., of a son. MARRIED. On the 19th inst., at Bruton, Somerset, William Ward' Esq., of Broad Chalk, Wilts, to Jane Catharine, fourth daughter of the late T. White, Esq., of Coomb-hill, Bruton. On the 22d inst., at St. ohn's, Hackney, John Salmon Gordon, Esq., 96th Regiment, to Frances Charlotte, third daughter of the late Rev. J. M'lntyre, rector of St. James e, Jamaica. Joh n On the 22d inst., at St. G eorge ' s , H anover - square , Mortimer, Esq., to Mary Robertson, of Argyll-street. DIED. On the 13th i ns t., a t C uc kfi e ld , S ussex, age d 86, Bl it ' s !r ~ 1 Elizabeth Baldwin, late of Brighton. On the 9th inst., at Forres, North Britain, the Ref- I :* Stark, aged 70. • On the 16th i ns t., a t C ra th es , age d 61, Sir Thomas no" '. nett, of Leys, Baronet, Lord-Lieutenant of the Count? of -- ' I Kincard in e. • •1 On the 16th inst., at Charing, Kent, J. J. Hough, E sq., Commander, R.N., aged 63. On the 21st inst., Edward Forster, Esq , Vice President of -: / 1 the Linnean Society , F.R. S., aged 84. 26 - - On the 20th inst. at St. John's house, Chester, aged t -1 ' , i Eliza Ellen, wife of ' J. Edwards, Esq., M.D. On the 22d inst., at Oxford-terrace, Edgware-road, Ig* ' , ' I Stone, Esq , late of Doctors'-comrnons, aged 74. On the 22d inst., at Riversfield, Little Paxton, Bertha, youngest daughter of the late M. Towgo&d, Eicl. ,° :, 1 I : St. Neot's, Huntingdonshire aged 16. On the 23d inn , ,ir. ' Richard Lucas, of Bache'S.ro" .::::,•1 .".. Hunts', City-road. aged 54. . .._,,, i —.- London: Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG , 4 1 „ .; No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The 6tot Office, 110. "lij Strand, in the Precinct et the Savoy, nn the cotUlti " ididdleies t Monday, February 2f, - 'mu - The to their Pren the ha Loar All Britain whilst one sin ESA! hta ram losi ng I T „ t r Poll tt , s .a . • Cam / 41chard William Jo hn Al A - *tin b Robert ° , Orge i witi ties 1 York, F, .*-----___ CUE lx;the Dtr4 4,Z,.,1"3 or 1 T e ` l l l Y of to b e ors lies ] 4RA E4 4 or a We ek b 13444a1e, We ek ti T 414, tl~he TP tusse E , e . ev rn nil;U: Il ry guar Pay 3 t 4, 1 . 4 Run ; 3 ' P e n'wj ek Wad "eng, NA' kt tk h tra _era g , are, .TIC h ag ' 4 lltai Ie vLO T is To 11 4 ' 1 ' Ast i] r 1 ' 11, 44' cur ' reef AZII*3:c " 14, RA "It To • 4 , l etur c e? re c th M Y f: et week: to - : Il d be of .ry IPlicajtiounr- MS S, Oliv ,rore "* of SPelle .t•nr: The braces Asat the Su End ( 1:14 cies, usr Rut raft) Iron Com beco clue rner be hi cowl ary, H► ; C 0;,,, COlOl