The Sun. — London, England, 1855-12-15 00:00:00

4a at ing. MONEY VIARKET COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. CITY, Two o'CLocK. In the Liverpool Cotton Market yesterday there was a quiet but steady demand at previous prices. The sales were estimated at 7,000 bales, of which 1,000 were for export. Fair Uplands were quoted 50., fair Mobile 6d., and fair (Means 6id. per lb. The Railway Share Market closed flatly, at a decline on Thursday's prices. The Bank of England return, completed to the 9th inst., presents some important changes, but it is not considered unsatisfactory. As regards the bullion, there is rather a large diminution, but this was to an extent expected. In the private de posits there is a diminution, owing to the active demand for money which has prevailed, and the preparations made for loan instalments and East Indian Railway Company's extension capital. The other securities were lessened considerably ; and this is a favourable feature, as it proves the prompt liquidation of outstanding bills, and a di minution in the advances required. Active Circulation. £18,680,340 Decrease Bullion Decrease 394,745 11,079,578 117,529 3,193,028 7,440 4, 416,231 Rest Increase Public Deposits Decrease 23,358 Other Deposits Decrease Seven-Day and other Bills Increase Government Securities Decrease Other Securities 11,719,180 515,608 923,444 40,150 10,264,376 11,104 18,141,269 Decrease Notes unemployed - Increase 727,488 5,759,185 253,700 Intelligence from the Foreign Bourses reports an improved tendency at Vienna and Madrid, while that of Paris is dull and heavy. The Aus trian Funds at Vienna have been in demand at a rise of in the 4i per Cents., and Railway Scrip has risen 31 florins. Bank Shares are a shade lower, and the exchanges on London and Paris rising.' At Madrid the: Spanish Stocks are buoyant, at 34 95 for the Internal Debt, and 20 95 for New Deferred. It was stated, on the Bourse, that the Government had refused the offer of a loan of 500 million reals at 6 per cent., which had been made by the petitioners for the concession to form a new bank on the plan of the Credit Mobilier of France. On the Paris Bourse the fluctuating state of business continues. The 3 per cent. Renter yes terday fell 15c. for money, and 35c. for the ac count ; and the 4 Stock 45c. for money, with no quotation for the account. In the face of the fa vourable bank returns, all kinds of shares are heavy, at the previous quotations ; and some of the Railway Stocks have fallen. The terms on which the proposed new Russian Loan of 50 million roubles will be contracted are announced as follows :—The interest of 5 per cent to be paid at Berlin, Amsterdam, and Hamburg on two coupons in April and October of each year, and the principal to be repaid by instalments at stated periods, commencing in 1858 and ending in 1875. The Russian Government to have the pri vilege of redeeming all the scrip in circulation at any time. Accounts from Madrid state that the floating debt of Spain has been reduced 124,798,038 reals during the six months ending the Ist December, by the wise measures of the Minister of Finance ; a sum equal to about 20 per cent. ou the gross amount of the debt on the Ist June. English Securities have ruled rather firmer to day, as there is a more confident feeling in respect to the condition of monetary affairs. This has been produced by the facility with which the Turkish instalment was provided yesterday, and the expec tation that the payment on the Consols Loan uex Tuesday will be easily effected. Consols have been about 88b to all day, although at one period they were nearly buyers at the latter quo tation. Rather an unfavourable impression was created by the statement that the Russians had demanded an unconditional surrender of Kars, but its influence on prices was immaterial. Ex chequer Bills were 7s; discount, and India Bonds 2s. discount. The New 3 per Cents. ruled at 88 to 89, and the Reduced 88 Consols for special transfer have been 89k. In Foreign Stocks Ahern has been no activity, but they have generally supported firm quotations. Turkish 6 per Cents. have ruled quiet at 831, and the New Scrip has remained at 3 discount. Spanish 3 per Cents. have been 391, and ditto Passive 7i, Portuguese 4 per Cents. are 46k, and Mexican 191 r. Russian Five per Cents. have shown increased weakness, the price being 95i to 96/. Nothing has been done in Dutch Bonds ; but Brazilian Small Bonds have been marked 99±, the Four-and a-Half per Cents. 91i, and the Five per Cents. (11r.29) 981. The following are the nominal prices of foreign stoc ks Grenada Deferred Bonds, 61 to 7 ; Mexican, 19i to 191 ; Peruvian, 74 to 76 ; ditto Titxue per Cents., 52 to 54; Portuguese Four per Cants., 44 to 46 ; Spanish New Deferred, 202- to ; ditto Three per Cents., 39/ to ; ditto Certifi eat 4i to ; ditto Passive, 7to k. R'atilway Shares have ruled steady, but quiet. The Great Northern aro higher. In the other lines the variation has been unimportant. Foreign and Coloitial lines have mostly been at nominal rates. In Mining Shares no change has occurred. The Dank:usg Shares have brought full rates, and the Miscel Igneous generally have ruled steady. Barrma FUNDS THIS DAY AT ONLY () CLOCK. ( Prom the Ofsciat Iln.ino4. done. 3 por Cent. Reduced Annuiti©s BBi i 3 per Cent.. Consols Annuities Shut 893 New 3 per 'Cont. Annuities India Bone le , £l9OO ........ Ditto, n Icier £lOOO 2 d Console ;or Account . B Bi i Escheqr or Bills, lid. 21000 . w £5OO Small . , Ditto 80, We, 1858, 31 per Cent 9B / 7i 98 1 71 PI MD - PP PRICE OF FOREI6NIUNDS AT ONE O'CLOt K. Brazilian Bondi', 5 per Cent. — Ditto Wruall Ditto New, 1852, 4i per Cent. Ditto New, 5 por Cent., 1829 and 1839 984 Reclean 3 per Cent.. .• . . Portuguese _Bonds, 5 per Cont., Coe. 1841 Ditto 4 pe r Cent 46i Russian. Bout is, 5 per Cent., 1822, £ St 9st, 61 ipanio Roo( 'a., 3 per Coot Ditto Passive 7/ Tnrkit.n Ikuds., (i par cent — Ditto for tll,l Account B3l Ditto Nes', " , erip, 4 per Cent. Ditto Account. WTI dm's on the above payable in bnnclon TWO O'CLOCK. Consolst BB LLOYD'S SHIPPING.—(This Day.) LONDON', Dec. 15.—Wind this day at neon, ; light breeze and mild weather. RAMSGATE, Dee. 14.—Wind W. to W.S.W.—Arrived —Jenny, from Hartlepool, for Bombay. PORT'AMOUTH, Dec. 14.—Wind N. W. —Arrived—Win. Jackson, (tpt.), from Gibraltar. Cow Es, Dec. I+.—Wind 'W.—Arrived, Raleigh, from Callao . PI; rmouru. Dec. 14.—Wind N.W.—Arrived—Lady PeoL, from Dalhousie; Magicienne, Elsinore. St. St. St. St. 25 412 a 10 5 5 20 10 20 5 20 18 20i 20i 100 9,0 16 20 (PEE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) SOUTHAMPTON, Saturday Morning. Ar r i ve d.—Purveyor and Hopewell, from Swanage James and John, Newport ; Despatch, steamer, Jersey; Charlotte, Guernsey ; Comet, Caen. Smiled.—Pet, for Newport.; Wonder, steamer, Jersey; Themis, Shields; Atalanta, steamer, Havre; Devonshire, g wanaes. LIVERPOOL, Saturday Moruing. Wind W.N.W. Arrived.—Fox, from Malaga ; Tiiniatoria, Buenos Ayres ; Elinsa, Gallipoli; Folita, Bilboa. Sailed.—Cintra, for Lisbon. DUBLIN, Dec. 14. - Wind W.N.W. _ Arrived.—Lubec, from Trieste; ilarmonia, Amsterdam; Minerva, Bordeaux. (BY SUBMARINE AND BRITISH TELEGRAPH.) DEAL, Saturday, 9.18 a.m. Wind N.W., ligbt. Passed.—Palmyra, from London, for the Cape of Good Hope. Anchored.—Lydia, from London, for Bombay. sailed.—Piquot, for London ; Caroline, screw steamer, for the Crimea. PI tl i A=M,, WV Ml 4 14 1 ,'ICLI RArLwArs. Compaii qnamene et Le thia day. Bedford and Buckgbanisb. Clydesdale le. Col. Stour Vy. Sud. and Hal. E. Lin. g. 5 pc E. Un. H. Sh. Glam. Barr. & Neils. Direct Do. N0w...... Glstr.dt Dn. Fr Hrtlpl. Die. & Railway Hull & Selby Do. Shares. Do. Shares. Lon. & Groenw Do. Preference Lon., Tll., & S. Lowestoft gr. 4 per cont. Do. 6 per ct. Manch. Bxtn and Matlock Middlesbro' & Redcar London S. N. W:1•t, L. &N.W. E. tin. & E. C...„. at.Nrttu.. E. Count. Caldonimu.. Do Gt. Went Yk. New. & Borw. Y. &NM Do Do 103 -- 166 all all 10J 100 S. Easter, Do 12 = li* Peto k Co 'llO - 115 Norfolk Do L.Sc N. NV & Midid. Stekton Darlingt. Slidland ,» ''"'" • • • 21 - 2i Midld. Bradfd Newmarket Bury Exten.. N.& Est.s p c. Do. 6 vw'r et. Do. Fixeds p Prest. k Do. Shrm. A Roystn.& Hit. Shef.Roth.and Gooleg.s p.c. Shrews. &Her S. Staffordsh Wear Valleygr 6 per cent Do ~rpt 91 par ip 55 57 I En. Conn. E. Coant, DO Do. 'L. St N.W. (fit North': , Lancash York sh. T. Brassoy M. MCI k , an itockt. T>s.rlingt ')o 128 - 1132 3i 30 -- 31 80 - 85 Pm 141 li i 241 1 55 a 63 i 301 1 li 2k . 34 1; 'lOO 4.00 a:w~xf n. PREFERENCE SHAILE3. Aberdeen Do. N 0.2, 7 p. c. Ftlyth and Tyne lOpe, C. pref. t5Ol Brie. & Ex. 4 p. c. St. Do. 4 p. c. Shares i:'aledonian £lO :`beater Guar. 5. per cent Do. do. Pref. No. 2. Do. do. Pref. No. 2.. Cork &Bandonslp e. Dun.Prth .dr. Aber J. Z. Anglian Cls. Ash. Do. do. Cls. B 6 p. c. Do. do Cls. C 7 p. c. Eastorn Counties Es tension 5 p. c. No. Do. No. 2 Do. New 6 r . C. St Mast Un., G. 6 p. e 00. 5/., 10 per cent Do. 16/. Debentr. Sh. Do. do. 4 per cent Fact Lanca.4l. 6 p. et, P.I.&W. York. J. sths Prth.&Dun.4p.c Furness &5.W.G.5 p.c. Great Northn. 5 p. c Do. 5 p. c. Redeem. at 10 p. c. prom. Do. 41 p. a. Do. 5 p.c. Scrip, Red. at 5 p. c. pm... (It. N. of Scot. Ist Pre Gt. S. & W. (Ireland. Do. 4 per c. Pr:f. S It. Westn. (Rorke lauts Ex . 5 p. c) Do. con. red. 4. p.c con. red. 4 p. c Do. irred. 4p. c. Do. Birm. Pref. Sh... DJ. Choster 8 p. c.P.S. Do. do. 5 p. c. d 0... Do. Birm. Gua. Stk Do. Ches. Gua. Sh..i Do. do. ...... D do. do Lan. &York. F. £2 , Do. 6 p. c. St ick Lon.&Brigh. G. 5 p.c. Do. Pref., 5 p. c. St. Do. New Guar.6 p. c. Do. do. 5 per cont Lon.StN. W., Coy. Nuneaton 5 p. ct Lon.& S.W. 7 per et fondy. Sh. f,ondy.& Ennid.. . \fan., She., & New, £lO Do. 6 Vfarypt.&Carl.4p )o. 4i per cent 10 St. 20 all !00 10 6 lo 4itl. Consol.6 p.e.`:l Do. Consol. Bristol Rim. 6 per cent, Do. 4i p. c. Pref. S. Do. Pref. 4 per oe ,, iDo. 5/. Pr. f. 4 p. c. Ditto L. & 11. Prof. SI Norfolk Doteature Do. Prof. 4 p. o. St, Do. 5 p.o. Eat (1)Q. 54 per et.prof Do. Wm , . Val. 5 p. North British IN. E. Berw, 4 p .e. P Do, do. do Do Leeds 6 p.c Do, do. Quarters 4 Do.Yorkii.& " 4 . Par North Staffordshire. Oxford, Worcester, • W6lverh.Xls. 6 p.c Do R. Pref. 101. Sh. Scot. Cent. ,New Pro, South Devon iDo. fixed, 4t percent S. Eastern (Roadie' Ann.) of £1 Os. 6d. Do. 4} per cent .Do. Fixed 4t p o IS. Wales Gua. 4 p. c. ID°. do. 4i p. a.... I S.Yorksh.4p.c.Guar. Stock.& Dar., 5 p. c.' Do. do. do. Stock. & Hartl. g. 5 p. o. till July 1,'56 Watered. & Kilk. 6 p c 107 -- 109 104 - 106 80 8i :)2 9,3 95 15 - 16 - 6 1 I ; - - 1 P 1 Ili - 12; i - 59 - 115 1 105 - 107 99 - 101 par 4.. 9i 6 - 6A - 87 73 - 82 78 - 82 91 - 9i 151 - 16} 9i - 10 -6; 17 - 18 el - 9 11 124 -- 134 - 132 ••• .... ... LAN ts 4,11f,1) • :Yr 'O'lX El) KitNTAL.s. login y stc:rlay. 90 - 93 91 - 08 1..3i. -- iii Amin:tele this day, 93 2 Pm at li dig POLICIA' INTELLIVAINCIP,—(This nay. THAMES. FIRST AND SECOND COUSINS MAY LEGALLY MARRY. —A popular delusion has long prevailed in England that first cousins may marry, and that second cousins cannot marry, and an equally absurd idea seems to prevail amongst the ignorant racantly, that second cousins can marry and that first cousin 9 cannot do co. The fallacy of both opinions wera decided by Mr. Ingham this morning. A re;Pectable woman, the wife of Mr. Slowman, an outfitter, in Upper East Smithfield, to whom she has been long married and lived on terms of happiness, en• tens(' the witness-box, and was about to address the magis'rate when her agitation and sobs prevented her doing so. She remained for some time crying, until Mr. Ingham requested her to compose herself, and not being able to do so begged of her to wait upon him again when she was less agitated. After a pause Mrs. Slowman said, " pray sir, can first cousins marry ?" Mr. Ingham—That is an odd question. I have a no tion they can. Mrs. Slowman said she was married to her first cousin and her husband's brother:bad stepped between them and happiness, and said the marriage was not legal. Mr. Ingham—lt is perfectly right and legal, be as sured of that. Mrs. Slowman—My brother-in-law says my husband is not bound to support me. Mr. Ingham—He will find his mistake out if your husband repudiates you or turns you out of doors. You are tho lawful wife of your husband, and he is bound to maintain you. Mrs. Slowman thanked the magistrate, and left the court much happier than when she entered it. A smart and interesting young woman next entered the witness box, and, holding down her head and blush ing, said, "If you please, sir, my young man," and then stopped. Mr. Ingham—Well, what of your young man ? He has not bum false to you, I hope ? Applicant—No, sir; but if you please, sir, we want to be married. (Titters from the men, and sly glances from the women.) Mr. Ingham—What impediment is there to the mar riage ? Applicant—Please, sir, we are second cousins; and people say it is not right for second cousins to marry, and that it I marry bier it will be unlawful. Mr. Inghatn—A marriage between second cousins of the opposite sexes perfectly lawful. You can go and marry your second cousin as soon as you like. Applicant—Thank you, sir. lam so glad. (Laughter.) The anxious fair one then hurriedly left the court, concealing a very pretty face as she best could with her handkerchief. THE t Ey:A tin. ANO aI? Lnim. The relative positions of the Guards and t`, Line are thus described by a professional corres pondent, whose letter appeared in the Daily News yesterday "For many years past the Foot Guards have had the greatest possiblQ privileges in the way of promotion. A young lad who, fresh from Eton, Harrow, or any other school, obtains a nonirnisAion as ensign in the Guards, becomes ipso facto a lieutenant in the army, and can, and often dues, exchange with an officer of the Line of the latter rank. Now, when we consider that until the war broke out there were in many Line regiments en signs and cornets of four, five, and six years' standim,Y., —I remember a cornet in the 7th Hussars who, although he had plenty of money, and was always ready to pur chase, remained in that rank eight years,—when we re member that even now, in wros serving in the colonies and in India, there are ensigns and cornets of two, three, and fuur years' service, this start in the race for promotion which the Guards obtain-ought to satisfy those most greedy of patronage. But this is only the commencement of their advantages. At every step as they advance a like double promotion is granted them. Thus a lieutenant in the Guards becomes by that very rank a captain in the army ; while their captains have the rank of lieutena• - d-culoi:els, and can exchange with that rank into the Line. Before the commencement of the war—l copy from a table made out and given me ten years ago in India by a very gallant Guardsman and brave soldier, who lost his life in battle, the late Major Fitzroy Somerset—the average time which an officer of the Foot Guards took to obtain the rank of lieutenant- colonel was 13 years ; while in the Line—taking cavalry and infantry together, and considering only those who had money to purchase—the same rank upon an average required 25 years to arrive at. Thus the Guardsman got the start by no less than 12 years in the race for the ma jor-general's epaulets, Take up the Army List, and see in the names of general officers the result of this system. Although there are but seven battalions of Foot Guards, whi:e there are 23 regiments of cavalry and about 110 battalions of infantry, the general officers who have risen from the household brigade are as numerous as those who hare gone through the various grades in the Line taken altogether. Of these the great majority are all mon who, as regimental officers in the Guards, were never above the rank of mere captains; but, having the double army rank, they jumped from the command of companies to he general officers. Take one instance out of many :—On' of these favoured persons, the Hon. Ger. Anson, was 29 years ago a captain in the Guards and a lieutenant-colonel in the army. The only regimental duty he ever did was as a lieutenant in the Guards and a captain in the army. From the very day of his promo tion he retired upon half-pay, and continued a gentleman at large for 27 years, when he was given the command of the whols of the Madras army, and is now made Commander.in•Chief of all India ! " For many years the officers of the Line grumbled at the enormous advantages Guardsmen had oser them. Veterans who hail fought their way from ensign to lieu tenant-colonel in every part of the globe— who had done duty in Canada, the West Indies, India, and the Cape— who had always been ready and willing to purchase their various steps—found themselves superseded as major , generals by men who bad entered' the service a dozen years later, and had never done a day's duty out of Lon don. Iu plain English, to enter and rise through the Guards was a premium upon idleness and want of mili tary experience. I do not say that there bare not been good solders and brave men in these corps, but they have risen in spite of, not by, the system pursued. " Last October a year a new warrant respecting pro motion in the Line was promulgated to the army. Among other reforms was one which allowed all officers who had served three years on full pay as regimental lieute nant-colonels to have ipso facto the rank of full colonels in the army. The object of this order was plain enough. It was to do away with a small portion of that measure ot injustice which the Guards had for years inflicted on the Line, and also to - eve - the latter some slight chance in the race for promotion. The privilege was not ex• tended to all the captains and lieutenant-colonels of the Guards, although it was granted to the seniors of that rank in each battalion who act as field officers. " Af.ot-,t people would have thought that the household troops might have been content with the many other ad vantages they enjoy in double rank at every step, and that from mere prudence they would not have commenced an agitation which would call public opinion to the enor mons 'pull' they have over their comrades in the Line. But not co. To do them justice they have tried hard to work the oracle' secretly, and are very angry that the affair had got wind before the affair was made pleasant I at the War-office and at Court for the brigade.' Within the last few days they had got up petitions, praying that they insy be—mark the cool impudence of the sentence --‘ put upon the Fame footing as their more fortunate brethren of the Line.' In other words, they request her Majesty so to alter the warrant of October, 1854, that every captain in the Guards—who, remember, is also a lieutenant-colonel in the army —may, after serving three years with that rank, and doing the duty of a regimental captain, obtain the rank of full colonel? The result of this would simply be that Guardsmen would in nine or ten years obtain that which in the Line no officer can hope for under at least 20 years' service, and that only by sticking to his own corps wherever it may be sent. And to whom would this boon be granted ? To men brought up in a system calculated less than any other in the whole English army to make officers real soldiers. I have watched both at drill often within the last few months, and I have no -hesitation in saying that the officers of thei Guards know far less of their parade duties than do those of the Militia. At the guard-mounting at St. James's it is impossible for any man who has served not to observe that only by means of their sergeants prompting them, and not of their own knowledge, the officers of the Guards manage to get through even the every-day well-known routine of giving certain simple words of command, The officers of these corps never live in barracks with their men, the adjutant alone excepted. I have resided a long time in the neighbourhood of a Foot Guards' bar racks, and, except on days of drill or parade, never even saw an officer in the barrack-yard, Officers of the regi ment have themselves acknowledged to me that, owing to the very little duty they did with their companies, it was almost impissible for the captain to know even the faces of the men he commands ; and as to a knowledge of their tempers, disp)sitions, habits, &c.—such as is in sisted upon in all infantry and cavalry re4iments by colonels who do their duty—that is out of the question. The work which in the line is performed by captains and subalterns in the Foot Guards devolves upon the pay sergeants, while what in cavalry and infantry is the conmutuding, officer's duty is in the Guards done by the adjutant of each battalion. This is a plain and simple truth which no one with any knowledge whatever of the subject can deny. The Guards are gentlemanly fellows and brave men, but as a general—l may say univers.al— rule they are certainly not soldiers. " If these gentlemen think they have been badly used, and want to be put on the same footing as their more fortunate brethren of the Line,' let them not do the thing by halves. Let them netition to be placed ex actly, and in all respects, on the standing they envy SO much. Let their ensigns be ensigns, their lieutenants hold no higher rank than that, their captains command companies, and their lieutenant-colonels battalions. If this is done— if they consent to commence and con tinue their military career upon an equality with the rest of the army—then, but not until then, a ill public opinion be in favour of granting them the privilege they now seek." An officer who has served six years in the cavalry, and the same time in the infantry, in a letter to a contemporary, says :—I proceed to make known a few interesting particulars respecting the modus operandi by which the " royal road" to promotion in the English army is entered, and how they fare who travel thereon. Let not Guardsmen complain that the rude hand of "a mere Line officer" has torn aside the veil which hid the sanctuary of their holy spot. They themselves have by their preposterous claims invited, nay almost challenged, an exposure of what certainly will not stand the light of day. How is an entrance into " the brigade" effected, and by what means do a certain exclusive class of officers obtain, from the very outside of their mili tary career, two steps in promotion for every one that is gained by 'a comrade in the Line ? Or—to put the case more clearly to civilians-110w comes it that if two young men enter the service the same day, the one going into the Line and the other into the Guards, the latter finds himself a lieutenant colonel about the same time that the former obtains the rank of captain ? The reply is, partly by interest and partly by money. These two form the double hedge by which " the brigade" is kept alike free from the taints of plebeianism and of poverty. First as to interest. In order to enter the Guards, a young man must make application to the colonel of the particular regiment in which he wants a commission. Tho three colonels of these corps are at present—Prince Albert, Lord Strafford, and. the Duke of Cambridge. The Great Duke held for a long time one of these proitable commands, which seem always conferred upon distinguished soldiers. Much interest is re quired before a candidate can even hope to have his name favourably considered for a cominissiox in the Guards, and unless ho is the son of a nobleman, or of a rich 'commoner with parliamen tary or other good influence, his presuming e ven to ask for such a favour w ou ld b e cons id ere d little short of insanity. To judge of the great quantity of what Americans call " the upper crust" that exists in " the brigade," any one has but to take up an Army List, and if be is of the "Joames" o r "plush " sch oo l, let him reverently uncover his head whilst reading the sounding list .of handled names. Thus, in the Grenadier Guards, we have no less than one Prince Consort, one German prince of royal blood (son-in-law of a British duke), one younger son of a duke, one ditto of a marquis, one earl, four viscounts, fifteen honourables, one baronet, and fourteen nephews or other near con nexions of peers. In the Coldstreams there are six lords (sons of dukes, marquises, or earls), twelve honourables, two baronets, and eleven near connexions of noblemen. The Scots Fusilier Owirds have the Duke of Cambridge for their colonel, two lords, one viscount, ten honourables, and twelve near connexions of peers amongst their officers. Add these together, and it will be found that in the three regiments there are no less than I 86 officers out of about 160—I do not include sur geons or quartermasters— , -who are most decidedly - - of "the upper cruet" of na g lieh aristocracy. :When to these we add the very large number of Guardsmen who are sons and nephews of large landed proprietors—scarcely, if all, less exclusive in their ideas than the oldest families of the no bility—it may be fairly allowed that the officers of these corps, with hardly a single exception, belong to what are termed the "higher classes" of this country. Throughout the Line—cavalry as well as infantry—there was even before the war (and much more so now) in almost every regiment one or two officers who had risen from the ranks. But not so in the Guards. Tbey only allow their meritorious non-commissioned officers to become quartermasters in " the brigade," or have them promoted into Line regiments as rewerds for good conduct : the Guards must ever be kept as exclusive as possible. It is not generally known out of military circles that the Commander-in-Chief of the English army has no more to do with the nominations to or the promotions in the Guards than I have. Although the responsible head of service, and answerable to Parliament for every appointment made through out the army, Lord Hardinge has nothing what ever to say to the appointments in " the brigade." These are exclusively in the hands of those three distinguished soldiers, the Prince Consort, the Earl of Strafford, and the Duke of Cambridge —the three colonels of the three regiments, and they alone, order the promotions in these regiments. In short, the Guards are at St. James's consid ere d th e cream of the army, therefore not to be mixed up with vulgar milk in any way whatever. As for the interest re quired to obtain an entrance into these corps, it is of the usual description. Noblemen and gentle men who want to get their sons into the Guards, if they do not happen to have interest with any of the three colonels, manage by some means or other to get at some one who knows a party who is ac quainted with another person who can get an intro duction to the great man. County influence does much, parliamentary interest more, Court patron age most ; and by some means or other—provided the candidate is well connected, of a good family, wealthy, and not smelling too strong of the City— themeans attain the wished for end. But money —money is required, and that in plenty. The first commission in the Guards, that of ensign in the Guards and lieutenant in the army, costs 1,2001., instead of 4501., as does an e us i gney in the Line; the next htep, that of lieutenant in the Guards and captain in the army, costs 2,050/.; for the rank ofcaptain in the Guards and lieutenant colonel in the army, 4,8001. has to be paid ; whilst major in the regiment iu the Guards, with the rank of colonel in the army, cost 8,300/. ; and to command one of the regiments the price is 9,0001. These, remember, are only " the regulation" prices —the actual money given for each step is very sel dom less than one-third more than the sum stated. Thus " the brigade" is most fully protected against the possibility of any save men who can command money obtaining rank or command amongst the officers of its respective corps. By interest and capital combined, young men may enter this fa voured corps, and once in it, the staircase of pro motion is mounted by two steps at a time. It will be said that, granting the officers of the Guards are both of " (rood" families and are wealthy men, these facts do not prevent their being brave soldiers. I allow that. The Guards fought well at the Alma, and at Inkerman ; so they did at Waterloo, and iu the Peninsula ; but not one iota better than other regiments of the English army. If the Guards were officered exclusively by men who had distinguished themselves in other corps—if, for instance, a lieutenant of a regiment serving in India, the Cape, or Australia, distin guished himself greatly, and was for this promoted to be a lieutenant in the Guards, with the rank of captain in the army, and so on throughout the other grades —no one could object to the favoured brigade being thus marked out with the approval of royalty. But when we find that, with the double promotions at every step, the Guards are the only regiments who do not take, any share whatever in colonial duty, it becomes really too much of a good joke that these privileges should be continued— least of all that the boon, which they now have the coolness to ask for, should be granted them. Al ready are the majority of our general officers Guards men, but should the rank of full colonel be granted to each one of that corps who servo for three years iu the command of a company, the officers of the Line may bid farewell to the hope of ever rising beyond the command of regiments. The Guards will become to our service what the Staff Corps is to the French army, a certain and almost exclusive stepping stone to the highest commands. There will, however, be this slight difference, that whereas the French corps d'etat major is composed of per haps the best military educated officers in the world, the English Guardsmen have less profes sional knowledge, and less means of attaining sol dierlike experience than any regiment in Christen dom. To seek for actual service in India or else where or to enter any regiment exc e pt th e f avoure d Guard , will in future be considered an act of mad ness on the part of those who have money and in terest, for it will be throwing away all hopes of advancement, and running the chance of losing health, and perhaps life. The Guardsmen are, however, wise iu their generation, for should the boon they ask be granted them—not very likely, I should think—their com missions will be worth nearly twice as much 53 at present. The purchase of a company in the Guards will be buying that.which, after holding for three years, an officer can, sell, retire upon half-pay, roam about at his ease for a time, and then be certain of his promotion to major-general. Napoleon 111. is filling up his Imperial Guard with officers who have undergone "the baptism of fire" in Algiers or the Crimea ; it would be a good deal more to the purpose if we were to do the same. Our Guards have privileges enough in all con science ; any attempt to increase them will end in a result which "the brigade " little desire. IN hen the English army is—as it Boon must be—reorgan ised throughout, I doubt much whether the house hold troops will be allowed to retain their present double promotion. SHARE MARKETS. (THIS DAY.) RAILWAYS. nosing Free' yesterday. 33 - 31 ... ...... ..... 7i - 8 16 - 15 13 - 14 9 - 8 79 - 81 544 - 64 ii 7 i' . •• ... ... goo ...... ••• 5A 6 i 7d 27 1 8 29 17 - 19 - 50i - 51 9# - 17t 77 - 79 6i - 7 88 - 89 73 75 120 1?2 [O2 44 50. 51 70 75 6 --- 7 6 7 • 76i 77} • .... .•. - 61 94 96 93/ -94 i - i - ii 85 - 61 6 5 ; 22i 23 • 404 •• • id 61 38 ... • . •^ ... ..i 7 ii 2 - §; „ 29, ... - 674 - 8f - 5 - 44 114 - 12 444 45i 92 - 97 81 - Si 4i - 51 22 - 24 100 - 102 72 74 i 42 11 1 2 56i 31t 31i 5 ;3d 2d - pa, ••• - 4 - 6 RArLwArt• t berrleez . Ambg. Noting. Bost and Eastn. Janet._ Belfast & Ballymena. Birming. Wolverh Stour Valley Birk e ihd. Lanesh. Cheshire Janet Do. Chosh. & Birk £5O and £25 Cons Do., £2O ftiytit & Tyns origins' £25 (isisd. at £4r, Bristol and Exeter ( laledonian. ....... Casco. and digat Chester & Holyhead. Cork and Bandon.. Cork, Black, & Pass Cnrnws:ll Do. A Do. B Clieff Junction Onolin&BelfastJunc. Dun. P. Es Al.k.r. Joe. Do. N , w ...... East Avglian Eastern Counties.. Rut. n'ulon, A. Sti. Dc., B. Stout Do., New A...... (East Kent Faet Laneamltire w.dinbnrgb et C4laago , Edinb. and Peebles Edin. Prtb 6c Dund, F'orth & Clyde Jrn Furnese l/o. Extension.. Glaszow S Ar.co .. Great N. of Scothid ( :rest Northern Do., A. Stock Do., B. 5t0ck....... (It. Sth. SzWest.ar., Great Western Do. Stour Val Rai Gua. Stk.. I South-Eab ton: LancasteT & Carlis;, .Do., Thirds Do. New Thirds Lsnaftsh. an dYork.s , Do., Wst. Riding ti ) .. Liv. Crsby .1k Sou thi:t London & Elm:kw*/ Gond. Bright & S.Cs Loud. and N. Wean. Do. Fifths 'Do. Eighths.. London andS. Westn Do., £5O Do., .£4O Lnducirry& Colersin Laidndrrr. & qs.neli.S)ier.k Linel, Do. Shares, No. )0., Man. & Lin. 1.7 n Metropolitan Nildland all all LOO .00 )0. Rirmng. &Dort): ;fidl(l.o. W+,st.(lre, Do. half Shares %ll Newcastle & Carllql;, all Nwpt.Aberg. &Hrtl Newry & Enniskill it all Newry Warrenpoin , altd Rostrevor .00 Norfolk orthn.Connties Un North British North Devon, No. 1 Do., No. 2 : 1 0., A Deferred Do., B Guarantee. Eastern—Borvrie!. I)0. do. Extension Do.do. C.N.E. ?unlit Co. Leeds Do. York North London . 100 100 3i Is .kS.Watrn.,lTaml - stead, and City Jn N'ortli Staffordshire Vorth Western Y. & S. West rn. June Ninneaton, Hinckley and Leicester.. Wore.. & Wolv. :'(•rtp.nionth is o.;;isli Central . 4eottish Midland liropshiro TJu'on ontli Devon H . ' -loath Eastern .:truth Wales Yrksh. :'.mines, Wok. &Wok tookton 3C Darli zktQa .ffratlepl 'aff Vale - )o. Pref., No. 1. r , ..ines Hay. D.& R Ctiverstono & Lance Ve.le of Ncath... Watcrfl.k Kiikennyl ViLterfor l.4Limor Wcct Cornwall .. ;rept End of London and Crystal Palace.. Do. A .... Do. B Wost London..., Winiblcdn & Croydon kutwer fl,c)tt [rd , ,[na Do. 5 p.e. Oblgs. con. in Sl'. at par till '64 [Ardennes itolgian Ewan. June RezierBtoCrtise tea 11outbay, Baroda , an Central India,Seril Do. Demerara dutch Rhenish Eastern of France Do. New East Indian, g. 5 p. c Do. Eite - nßion.. Do. do. do., '59, do Tk of Caus.daA Do. St. Lawrence Atlantic do.. .....••• 00. Cert. of Deben. con. into Stk. till , o. Comp. 6 p. c., do Gt. Ceutralof Fran tit. Indian Peninsulr guar. 5 per cent. 90. New 5 per cent Po. Extensions.... Groat Luxembotm Constituted Shares Do. Obligations G t,Western of Cansd Do. Now Do. Bds., payablo's7, with option till '55.. Do. do., '62, p,'sB Do. do., '7O, p. '6O do., '73, without option Hamilton & Toronto Do. 6 per cent. Lake Const. & Bast Liorre and Turnhout Lyons and Genova Lyons ix Mediterran. in,dras Do. Now Maria Antonia Do. do. Now I Namur & Liege (4riti• interest) 'Do. (ex Interest) I Northero of France. D 0.201. She. Do. 20/. 3 p. c Bds. (fmy.B.&Arus.Shs. NorwegianTrunkPref Paris and Lyons Ditto Bonds Paris and Orleans Paris and Ronan... ParisCaen Lt Cherbrg. Do Rom() and Frascati Rouen and Havre Royal Danish Royal Swedish Do. Obligations iambrq and Meuse_ Do. 54 p. cent. Pref Scinde D 0... 'Southern of Francs ISt. Andrew's and Quebec (A). . , West Flanders Do 5 per c. Pref Western of France Do Zealand JOINT-S' .... it i.t'tb: ~: •. ~;~ . . Bank of London ciri, Col. C ' ritisih N. Amoricar Chartd. Bank of Asi, P.Lk. of India, Australia, & China City ''''''''''''''''''' Colon 4 al Commercial of Lond Eng..Scot•&A.uP.Cht Loud. Chart. Bk. ot Australis Ditto New London and County Lnd.&E. Bnkg. Corp London Joint Stock Loud. & Westroinstel National Pro. of Eng. Do. New National of Ireland.. New South Wales.... Oriental Bank of Corporztion erovincial of Ireland Do. New. Royal Austrain.Bkg. fa .gold Imp Co Royal British... -.nth Australia Uni of Australis— Don '• New •.....•......, Union 0: Loudon ... LGN 7i .- 8 3 • 21 2 par 1 - 3I- 35i 9 - 10 p: 203 21 I - 9 3 - 8i 153 - 16 60 6% 80 - 85 3 - 3ip 5 -5 la -- iP M - 31 21 - 3 23i - 244 11 -24 P 9f; - 100 115 - 11 1 116 - 120 104 107 22i - 23 j 112 - 117 - 6 - iii :14i k i 1' 7 5 2 - - 5 41 - 4 351 - PSI 12 - ••• . 45 - 451, 43 - 45 ..,, - pID 14i - iiii 21 - 2 i 1 - 24 8i - 8 i - IP •" ... ... -- pm ••• ---. ••• 3i - 4 ••• --- i 29i -• 30 18 - 19 RANKB. 91. • - r 3 54 - 156 a •• "`''. ••, ii = i-d 62 - 64 `."". ••• 16; 16 16 17 4 3 d par --2 P •• ~ N• -•- ••• 37 - 39 33 - 39 53 - 54 I. .." ••• ocl so* 40 - 42 73 - 75 8 9 30 ti 3l •so '"." or 01 all all •• • --- ...• •• • - •• • P all all 10' 100 100 12i -- 124 i -- i ••• .... 100 WO 100 100 100 100 - 132 - :• '3 • 25 10 i.o.€ 10 20 20 20 97 - 99 83 -144 2i - 3.1 •• i .• i d 93 - 96 13 14 Ps , 21i 223 . -- - ••• .- 2i 2id MINES. 1 ' all I kga& Pria ..... • ••• 1 inglo Auttrin. Gold iCts. all 'Anglo Californian 20 6 kustra lian 1 all tustralian Cordillera 1 all Ave Maria. AA, 1 all Baden (Gd.Duelay of; 50 all Ellionarvon Iron and Coal . ••• 20 14 British 1r0n..,,.,.. ,., 4. 6 35 26 lrazilianlmp.(issued at E,5 pm.) 30 all Do. Coca os & C u l a b —.3 20 15 Do. St. John Del Rey 3U —32 1 i 6 Clarendon Cons. Min. Co. of Jamaica.,.,,, id 41) 40 all Cobre Copper 64 68 5 1 colonial G01d....... St. all Copper Mtn. of Eng 30 35 15 all Do. Pref. 76 p. cent. 2d t.ar ... 1C Copiapo l9 10 2 16 Fortuna ......... ...... — 20 I all General 1416 1 p all 3t.Nuggatlreiußeg. k 44 all Great Polgooth It 24 5 all Gt Wheal Vor United 1 id 1 all Liberty • it - 3 all Linares 74 7i 5 14 Lusitania n — P 1 all Mariquita ........ 1 all Now Granada 1 all Nouveau Monde 20 all Pontgiband Silver Lead Min. & Smelt 5 1 Port Philip 1 all 4nartz Rock • •• 50 all ahymney Iron 2J 12 224 15 all Do. New 6 8 30 13i iantiago de Cuba 44 4 4 1 all -Muth Australian t 1 all Do. Scrip § 1 1 Do. 10 per cent Pre 10 9 Pin Cr0ft............ 4 4. 286 all United Mexican 4 4i 44 1 all Valler I all West Mariposa..,, I 1 12s. Worthing Mining .) Australia. 1 al ..• MISCELLANEOUS. 1 9 Australian Ag.,e , ..at. 28 30 lr all Aitessaln. Roy IM A tu 84 Berlin Water vt'ork.7* 50 to Brit. American L an , 50 100 ;2!, Canada l4O 145 St 100 Canada Goy. sp. et Jan. ana jaly lO9 110 110 5 all Crystal I &Acct...., 24 —• 24 5 5 Do. Prof r _ince 44 • 5 44 4 ill Crystal Ps 1. of Franc , 1 Duston Iron 0re.... 20 11 F.astern Steam 11 25 5 2 a 4 1l En. ec & ti A ie us Cop Sur Telegisp Co 1 Telegraph... 20 t 1 all Electric Teleg. of Ir. ••• 5 all Gen. Iron So Collier „.. lb 14 Don. Stella Navigat. 11' all Geueral Screw &eau ~„ 154 - zs.o 10 Iriih Beetroot Ek.ga ... 20 10 Magd dena St. Naviv, 10 all Mediteran. Elec. To: 8 -•• 10 9 Mexican&S.Amerin 51 1 all Nat. Pat. Steata Fue 10 5 Netherlands Land._ 1 14 10 all Do. Do. 5 1 Do. 8p c P iss at 1d 4 die-- par 2 1 N. S. W. Coal ei Inter Steam Navigat. Co. 100 80 New B. &N. S. Land -- 1 all N. B. Australasian 20 15 Nrth.ofEuropeSteart, ..„ 1 all Oriental Gas — 1 2s. Do. " New Shares" a ll Peel Rr. Ld. & Miurl. 23 23 2i 50 all Peninsulas& Orient a 654 50 10 Do. New.. . .. 2 all Portland Iron Co 100 60 Royal Mail Steam 1 all Scot. Austral. Invet. 1 11 A Ditto New I 2' all South Austral•Lan 6 :58 1 sr. Submar. Tel. Scrip_ 1 all Do. Registered fi 20 5 Trust& L.Co.U.Can. 199) 286. Via Dietuett's_LAnd 154 10 A3IERICAN MAIL PACKETS. GENERAL POST OFFICE, Dec. 1855.---The Weekly Mail Service to and from North America by the British contract packets will be resumed on the Ist Jan. next. Commencing with the packet to be dispAched from Liverpool to Boston on Saturday, the sth Jan., these packets will sail from Liverpool, as formerly, every Saturday throughout the year, proceeding alternately to New York and Boston, and calling on her voyage to the latt-r place at the port of Halifax, Nova Scotia. The United States' mail packets will sail every Wed nesday, alternately from Liverpool and from Southamp ton, proceeding on each occasion to New York. In exception to the above rule, and to enable the con tractors to re-arrange the service, the mails of Wednes day, the 9th January, will be conveyed from Liverpool by a British packet, and the mails of Saturday, the 12th January, will be conveyed from Liverpool by a United States' packet. ROWLAND HILL, Secretary. WELLS ELECTION: THE CORRUPT PRACTICES PREVENTION ACT. This act, one of Lord John Russell's last attempts to stave off the ballot, was recently tried at the election for Wells, with what success will be seen from what follows. The committee of the Society for promoting the Adoption of the Ballot made inquiry into the working of the act, and have obtained information from a trust worthy source, which we here publish. The answers to the questions throw considerable light on the " com bination of secret influences" to which Mr. Serjeant Kinglake ' in hin farewell address to `the electors, attri butes his defeat. BRIBERY AND INTIMIDATION ACT, 1854. Q. 1. Is there any reason to believe that money bribery, treating. or any other corrupt means were used at the late election for Wells, and if so, to what extent ? A. To a considerable extent. Q. 2. Have any tenants, tradesmen, or other parties whose votes at former elections have been controlled by their landlords, customers, &e., voted against them at the late election for Wells ? A. None that I b in aware of; Q 3. If do you think the new Bribery and Inti midation Act enabled them to vote more independently? A. I believe not. Q. 4. Was the election screw used as usual in the canvass ? A. Yes. A fatal accident took place on the Eastern Counties Railway yesterday, by which a man, named Fisher, lost his life. The poor fellow Ras crushed between the buffers of two carriages. Mr. John Cowling, the eminent barrister, died last Wednesday at his residence at Albemarle-street. Him death was quite unexpected. SOCIETY FOR EATING HORSEFLESH.—There is being formed at Paris a society of ec o nomists, naturalists, and hardy gourmands, havin g for aim the introduction of of horse flesh into the category of butchers' meat. THE ACCIDENT ON THE NOI:TH-KENT R AILWAY.— The adjourned examination of the switchman, Lawrence Beattie, took place at Greenwich. The prisoner was fully committed for trial. THE BILLETING SYSTEM. --Yesterday a deputation from the licensed victuallers of Bristol had an interview with Lord Panmure to urge upon his lordship the neces sity of adopting some means to abate the hardship the present system entailed upon‘them. His lordship told the deputation he would do all he could to comply with their request. The Australian man-of-war screw steam-sloop Vic toria has gone into dock at Soatliampton, in conse quence of Horne damage done to her rudder and crews. Two steaimpacket companies love sent in tenders to the Government for the conveyance of the Cape of Good Hope mails. One of the companies who have sent in a tendrr is the General Screw Steam Packet Company. The Chowringhee, an emigrant ship, which left Eag land with Australian emigrants in July last, was spoken with on the 4.th of September, about , 900 miles from the Cape of Good Hope. MlNER.—Mining shares have been in the ascendant arzain this week, and a very large business transacted. The demand for dividend stocks ccrtinues, and to ob tain them high prices are given. —Mining Journal of this day. RISE OF RENTS IN SCOTLAND.—Most of the farms on the estate of Lord Panmure having just run out of lease farmers have come forward and taken new leases at greatly increased rentals. All the other farms of Scot land the leases of which are running out are being re takes at rents in some cases near ly double the figures formerly paid. Th e wages of farm labourers have also advanced. LONDON AND MIDDLESEX ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. —The inaugural meeting of this society was held yester day, at Crosby-hall, the Rev. Thos. lingo in the chair. Lord Londesborough, who was to have presided, was prevented from doi ng so, in consequence of his lordship labouring under an attack of bronchitis. The Marquis of Sa!isbury and the Lord Mayor were also unavoidably absent. The business of the meeting consisted almost exclusively in passing the rules for the future govern ment of the soei4 ty._ WRECK OF TUE DEITCH BRIG ELlSA.—Axlvices re ceived at Lloyd's, from Ramsgat e , c ontain intelligence of the total loss on the Lon g Saud, Of the Dutch brig Captain Viersma, of Amsterdam, while on her voyage from Newcastle to Charleston. The captain and crew, 11 in number, escaped in the jolly-boat, and were die covered at 8.45 a.m., on the 13th, by the schooner Har riet, Captain Stone, of Sandwich, which immediately bore down and received the unfortunate men on board, and landed them at Ramsgate. THE ACCIDENT ON THE Ice IN ST. JAIIES'EI PARK.— Between two and three o'clock yesterday the icemen succeeded in dragging out of the water a third body, which bits since been identified as a son of Mr. Crane, a carpenter, 50, King.street, Long-a cre . O w i ng to t h e numerous inquiries made at the Royal Humane Society's tent in the same part:, it is the opinion of Mr. Deputy Superintendent Parsons that three or foar other persons must have perished by the breaking of the ice on Thurs day afteraoon. [ADvitrisomNr.i_S:our AND ll HAllNG.—Drisrass AND Messrs. S. an d B . S olomon , , DEFKanvit VisioN Itatisyso.— opticians, 39, Allicmarle-street, es Observe—ePPo- site the York Hotel. Deafns—N ow Discovery. —The ' ()manic Vibrator, an extraordinary Powerful, small, newly invented instrument forhi deafness, entirely different from all others, to auranything of the kind that has been, or probably everpass an 03 , b e , produced. Being of the same colour as the skin, is not perceptible ; it enables deaf persons to hear distinctly. at church and at public assemblies ; the un pleasant sensation of singing no i ses in the ears is entirely re moved; and it affords all the assistance that possibly could be d e sire&—Newly - coustr ueted Spectacle Lenses or the great est transparent power. The valuable advantage derives from this invention is, that vision becoming impaired is p re served and s trengthened, and very aged persons aro enabled to em ploy their sight at th e most minute occu patios-- can see with these lenses of a much less magnify ing power—and they do not require the frequent changes to the dangerous effects of further powerful assistance. B y kee Majesty's Ro3 al Letters Patent for valuable and extraordinary improvements in the most powerful and brilliant Telescopes, Camp, Racecourse, Opera, and Per spective Glasses, to know the distances of objects viewed through them—of great importance to the army, navy, and others. These telescopes possess such extraordinary powers that some three and a-half inches, with an extra eye piece, Ain show distinctly Jupiter's moons, Saturn's ring, and the double stars ; with the same telescope can be seen a person's countenance throe miles and a half distant, and au object from 16 to 20 miles. They are of larger and all sizes, with increasing powers accordingly ; while their vary ing from 4 to 6 inches enable us to discover morn than the Above, and the Georgian, with his 6 eatellites, &c.—The Royal Exhibition, 1851.—Valuable, newly-invented, very small, powerful waistcoat-pocket giass,the size of a walnut, by which a person can be seen and known 1 j miles distant ; they answer every purpose on the race-course, and at the opera houses, country scenery, and ships aro clearly seen at 8 to 10 miles, They arc invaluable for shooting, deer-stalking, yachting, to sportsmen, gentlemen, gamekeepers, and tourists. Opera, race-course, camp, and perspective glasses, with wonderful power.-39, Albemarle-street, Piccadilly. Observe—opposite the York Hotel. ii GUARDS AND LINE. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SlR,—There can be no doubt, from all that has as yet transpired, that the Guards' petition has been got up in secrecy, and I regret to find that the Royal Consort, "still more so" his Royal Highness the Duke of Cain bridge, should have condescended to be parties to any such invidious petition to her Majesty. Just at the period when the officer, of the Line, with their men, have borne the exposure of the trenches—have twice assaulted the Redan when the Guardu have been in corn parative safety—is not the moment t i select for confer ring advantages on the officers of the Guards over their harder worked, but less favoured, brethren in arms. It is to be hoped, therefore, that Lord Hardinge, as Com mander-in-Chief (although I' fear only so in name), will not give his sanction to a measure which, if his more re solute predecessor had been alive, would never even have been mooted. As the press has at length freely given its opinion on the interference of his Royal Highness Prince Albert in army matters, it is to be hoped that, for the future, he will abstain from such, and, beyond the cloth ing, the cut of the coats and shape of the head-dresses, leave the management of the army in the bands of the executive appointed by the Government to administer its affairs.—l am, Sir, Your obedient servant, A RETIRED OFFICER. London, Dec. 14, 1855, CROSSED CHECKS. The following letter expresses the general feeling of business men in connexion with the recent deci sion in the Court of Queen's Bench in relation to crossed checks. The question of a remedy m a y present many points for c areful c onsideration, but no time should be lost in removing the uncertainty which has now been created, and which must hence forth add to the daily anxieties of the entire com mercial community:— " Sir,—Lord Campbell's decision in the case 'Carlon v. Ireland,' reported in your paper of this day, will give rise to much inconvenience, and probably lose, to men of business. IV My bankers are a mile and a half off, and I there fore find it far more convenient to send checks to them by a cierk than to ineur the daily trouble of calling upon them myself. Cash I always pay in personally, a lways supposed that crossed checks were perfectly safe so long as the banker's name was written upon th e m, whereas it now appears that what is called a bona fide holder of such a check, although he may have dig. played want of caution in receiving it, may hold it against all the world, and pay it through the hands of a banker other than the one with whose name it is crossed. " Where, too, is the security of sending crossed checks per post ! "Surely Lord Campbell's dictum, if right, sho u ld b e forthwith quashed, even by an a c t of Parliament, if ne cesitary.—Yours, " CAVENDO TUTUS." SERIOUS ACCIDENT.—We regret to announce that an accident, which it is feared may have a fatal termina tion, happened on Wednesday last to Mrs. Buller, wife of M r. James We n t wor th B uller, chairman of the boar d of directors of the Bristol and Exeter Railway Com pany. Mrs. Buller had driven into Exeter to meet her husband, and was alighting from her carriage at.tbf• Exeter station wh en s h e f ell and susta i ne d ve ry !emus injuries. On medical assistance being procured it was found that Mrs. Buller had ruptured a blood-vessel, and so dangerous were its possible consequences apprehended to be that it was held impossible to remove the sufferer to her home. Such accommodation as co uld be a ff orded in the first-cl ass wa iti ng -room was provided, and there Mrs. Buller still lies in a very precarious state. The last reports which reached Bristol yesterday evening were that Mre. Buller was somewhat bettor, but still . ; was considered to be in imminent peril. 75 4 120 93i i 9 i i 9 57 6 31f LITERATURi: The Wanderer in Arabia. By G. 'V. Lowtb, Esq., with Illustrations.—Burst and Elackett. That wonderful East—Egypt, Arabia, the H o ly Land—who has not longed to set foot on its glow ing shores, pluck out the heart of its mys teries, dr eam over it s m ighty ruins, andinhale its balmy air, fragrant as with the . virtue of a newly-ascFn led god That representative East, within whose confines the most important events in the world's history have transpired, where the arts and sciences took their birth, where the work of redemption was achieved, where history is illu minated by miracles, where ruin preaches a resur rection, and desolation a hereafter, where the voice of the Eternal has been heard in thunder, and the gates of Heaven have opened to receive its king. That laud which to the pr esen t h our i s so steepe d in the hues of imagination, that simply to describe its appearance, with the life that is of it, is to rival the picturings of the poet.• Who,. we repeat, does not long to see that land, and who is there but delights to learn all he can about it ? If there be such a person he never read the Bible as he ought, or the Arabian Nights; at all events he is of no kin to the author of this book, to whom from his youth the East has been a passion, and whose whole being seems to have luxuriated in the entrancement of its atmosphere. Wisely, as we believe, eschewing rivalry with the authors of "Either" and "The Crescent and the Cross," those masters of Eastern travel he appears to have set out with the simple determi nation to gratify his longing and faith fully transcribe what he saw, heard, and expe rienced for the benefit of others, without incurring the charge of pedantry, or aping the inventive wisdom of the philosopher. The result is an ex cellent book, pervaded by a healthy enthusiasm, novel and varied in its incidents, picturesque in its descriptions, and running over with human in terest. A book for the comprehension of the pre sent. as well as the past. Beaten as the track is, he has contrived to avoid the imprint of others, and to leave behind him distinct, if less marked, traces of his own. The hearty earnest ness and vividity of the work is its great charm, had he been more ambitious he would have been less successful. The journey, it appears, was made in 1850-51, the author being •accompanied by his wife, to whom, under the uxorial appellative of "Sift," or spouse, lie refers with a frequency and a consideration winch entitle him to the gratitude of the sex. Having engaged a suitable clahabeeh, or Nile boat, together with a dragoman and cook his class, our wan d erer s t ar t e d each, the pink of from Alexandria, towards the close of the year, and for three mouths enjoyed the luxury of beat ing up and down the Nile. During this period, the pyramids, the ruins, among others, of Sais iu the Delta, of Thebes, of Phiko the beautiful, and of the temple of Epsambul, unique iu its way, and otherplaces of interest, passed in review bef ore hi m , and ample opportunity was offered him for be coming familiar with the romantic natural scenery on either bank of the Nile, and the manners, habits, customs, and condition of the much diver sified population in its vicinity. Of this opportu nity it is clear he duly availed himself, and we are presented as the result with a useful and pic turesque guide-book into the interior of Nubia. It is not until we arrive at the second volume that " the Wanderer" leads us forth towards the arena of those all-important events to whiCh we have more particularly alluded. From Cairo we fol low him to the shores of the Rod Sea, and woke with him in ima,ginatiou the Heaven-led people and the horses and chariots of Pharaoh. We pass the rock of Horeb, we pursue hs steps to the wilderness of fin, and gaze around within quiring awe for the mount of thunderings from whence issued the tables of the Onward we follow him step by step in hi; journey ings and meditations in the desert and plains of Arabia, questioning many an Arab Sheikh, and contrasting the calm, the content, and the beauty of pastoral life, with the bustle and laborious toil of European cities, until at last we arrive on the hill tops of Judea, eager and expectant and hardly able to separate the present from the past. Descending from these heights, we trace with a quickened interest the various mementoes of the greas events of which it has been the scene, and iz due time contemplate with loving reverence the birth-placo of our Lord, the various scenes of his ministrations and, of his sufferings, and the site of that Jerusalem he so beautifully apostrophised while predicting its ever-memorable fall. As we gaze crowds of trea sured memories throng upon us, and the hum, if hum it be, of the city wafted to the Mount of Olives seems but a preliminary to the cry of Hosannah or the yell of execration. Here, rather than at Alexandria, we leave him commending the reader to a perusal of the book, assured that the picture it presents of the present condition of the country and its inhabitants, its graphic sketches of character and scenery, its multifarious incident and amusing anecdote, superadded to the recollection it so suc cessfully evokes of the wonderful past, will carry him along with laardly a moment's weariness from the beginning of the first volume to the conclusion of the second and last. MARKET NEWS.—( this Day). COVENT GARDEN. We were well supplild wi.h both fruit and vegetables to-day. Generally speaking, the trade ruled steady, at full prices. Fiuir.—Pine apples, English, 4s to 7s per lb; colonial do., Os to Os each ; hot-house grnpei, 3s Od to 63 Od per lb ; foreign ditto, Od to Os ; na&ons, 2s 0,1 to 4s Od each; peaches, 2s Od to 6s ' • nectarines, is Gd to 4s per dozen ; ' apples 1s 0,1 to 33 Od per half sieve ; pears, 2s Od to 5s per half sieve; plums, Os to Os per sieve ; green gages, Os per punnet; apricots, ls 64 to 5s Od per doz.; common plums, Os 0.1 to Os 01 per sieve ; cherries, Od to Od per pound ; lemons, 4s to 8s 01 per 100 ; oranges 5s to 10s per 100; fil berts, tis to Os per doz. Ibs ; cobnuts, 10s to Os ; almonds, Os to Os per lb. ; walnuts, Sd to 101 per 100; Sgs, Os 9d to is Gd per doz ; strawberries, 01 to Od per pottle ; goose berries, Os 0,1 to Os Od per half sieve ; currants, Os Od to Os Od per half sieve ; raspberries, Od to Od per pottle. VEGETABLES.—Greens, Is Gd to 3s Od per doz. bunches; Savoy cabbages, 9d to is Gd per dozen ; red ditto, 38 to 5s 0(1 per ditto ; brocoli, Gd to is 6,1 per doz. ; potatoes, 85s to 115 s per ton ; vegetable marrow, Od to Os per doz. ; peas, 3s to 5s Od per bushel ' • broad beans, is Od t o is 9(1 per half sieve ; turnips, 2d to 41 per bunch ; carrots, 3(1 to 5d per bunch; cucumbers, Os 24 to Os 6d each ; garlic, &I to 0 3 8d per pcund ; spinach, is ad to 2s Od per sieve; old onions, 4s to 5s per bushel ; new ditto, Os Od to Os per doz. bunches; leeks, Id t o 2d per bunch ; shallots, 4d to 6(1 . horse-raddisti, 2s 01 to Is 0.1 per bundle ; parsley, 2d to 3d per bunch ; celery, Os Od to 18 .3d per bunch ; endive, is 3d to 2s 3d per score ; beet, is Od to 2s per doz.; parsnips, Oa 6,1 to Is Od per dozen; small salad, 2d to 3d per punnet ; mushrooms, is 3d to 18 91 per pottle ; artichokes, 3s to 4s per half sieve • cabbage lettuces, 9d to is Od per score ; sorrel, Gd to is per half sieve; radishes, is to is 3d per dozen hands ' • tomatoes, 3s to 4s per half sieve ; chillies, Is to is 6(1 per 100; Brussels sprouts, Os Od to Os per hale sieve; eePei,FlTics/ls cauliflowers, xi to 2s 'm per ; walnuts pickling, Gd to Is per 10u au s to 66 Od per doz. NEWGATE AND LEADENHALL. wild ditto, is 3d to is 9d ; Ducks, 2s 3d to 2s Pd ; e h;Pigeons, 8,1 to 10d each ; Turkeys, 4s Gd to Si 6,1; Geese, 5s Od to 6s 6d each ; Os Od to 080 d; middling, 2s Od to l r a a i h g b e its gur l i l y to 1s Gd Gd to 2s ad ; Capons, 3s ad 2s Gd to 3s • ;Grouse,is Ito 2s I each ; Gi 3s Od to 3s 6d ; partridges, is 3d to is Pd each ; Pheasants, to 3s 4 ( 8 )11 6d ; Fowls, 2s fxl to 3s Oil each. Ostend fresh butter, 12s Guinea Od to 13s Od, and English. 12s 01 to 15s Od per dozer lbs. English Eggs , lOs Od to lls Od ; French ditto, is ad to os ad per 120.; HchiareasFenosw,lsiso NEWPORT. Beef from 3s G 1 to 4s 8d ; mutton, 3s 4d to 48 6d: veal 3s 10d to 5s Od ;, pork, :3516d to 5s Jd per 81bs. WHITECHA.PEL. Beef, from 3s 6d to 4s 8,1 ; mutton, 3s 4d to 43 Gd ; veal, 3s 10d to 5s Od ; pork, 3s 6d to 5s 2d per Blbs by the carcase. _ _ BILLINGSGATE. Turbots, 2s 6d to 16s ; Brills, is 03 to 7s each; Salmon, 2s Od to 3s 6d per lb ; Cod Fish, 2s Od to 9s each ; Soles, 3d to 2s Od per pair; Eels, 8d to is per lb; Lobsters, Is Od to 2s 6d ; Crabs, Gd to 2s Od ; Whitings, 3s Od to 7s per doz. ; Common Oysters, 16s to 20s ' • Natives, 58 s t o 64 s pee bsh; Mackerel, 60s to O s p e r 100 ; Smelts, is Od to 2s 03 per doz.; Skate, Od to Od per lb; Shrimps, is Gd to 2s 6d per gallon; Bloaters, is Oct to is Gd pe r d oz. ; F resh Herrings, 5s Oct to Os per 100. ; Scotch do., 6d; Sprats, 39 6d to Os Od per bushel ; Doreys, is Od to 7s each ; Haddocks, 4s to 15s per doz. ; Pike 6d ' • Sturgeon, 6d per lb ; P rawns, 4s Od to Os; Mullets, 6d.to is 63 ; Plaice, 4d to is each ; Halibut, ed per ib ; Flounders, is bd to Os per dozen. BREAD The prices of wheaten bread in the metropolis are from id to 11.1; of household ditto, 9d to 100 per 41b loaf. HIDES AND SKINS. Market hides, 561 b to 641 b aid to Oa ; G 4 lb to 721 b, 3id 721 b to 801 b, 4d to 4id ;• 8016 to 8816, 4,{d to 'lid ; 881 b to 961 b, 4id t o 5d ; to 10116, 5a to sid ; 104 la 1121 b s:ld to 6d ; u p w ards Od to Od ; Horse hid es , $d to Os Od; calf skins, !ight; 2s Gd to 3s 6d ; ditto, full, 6s Gd to 7s, Od ; Polled Sheep , 69 3d to 7s 6d ; Kents, 9d to 6s Od ; Half-breds, 4s Od to Cs Od ; Downs, 3s Gd to 48 6d ; Lambs, Os 0,1 to Os Od ; Shearlings, Os Ot to 04 od. HAY MARKETS. 8 _Meadow hay, 41 53 to GI 63 ; cl over ditt o, 4l 153 and straw, It 4s Od to 1/ Os Od por load. A moderate supply, an la steady demand, CustionLaoadow hay, 41 83 to 61 Cs clover do , y, at late rates. 4 / 12s to 6 1 18s ; and straw. 11 53 to 1/ 103 per load. r sgr . t_w m so e l a( d i s o l w owl hay, 41 5s to 6/ 63; clover ,1 0 ., 4t 15s to 71 7s ; and straw, 11 5s to 11 9s per load. Bo th iv Trado tolerably firm, at full quotations. Il h lT a Lt i ------- We learn from Trieste, on the authority of letters from Erzeromn, that th 3 Rugsian Government has r de clared a'l En g li s h an d F rench good , passing from ze roum to Persia, th roug h Russian "cordons,' to be good aud lawful prizes. METROPOLIS LOCAL M ANAGEMEN T ACT.---•The joint meeting of the Plumstead and Lewishat . n election of a member of the Metro Atkins, place at Charlton on Wedne • ,2 8 s 0 u O th n , a South, sbow and of h a J n o d h s n tsho numbers were nominated w eBrdAatskcandidates.n s politignro.clasrdfortotohke Atkins, e of Lewisham, 21 ; Johnson, 3. Mr. Charles s electe. WAR therefore declared to be duly the y in now 55 -- 0 - 50 - II 26 E 6 25 jatib [tiler a do• ern- [Ave d to r the leers ge of .able treat I to sha, ways leoca ) ap• )aido the the ities it to L try, hers ing- 7 are • the d to here rain Et ii por t or plies OU.S. seat ei 10 20 20 20 10 4A 10 4i all al 1 all all ss. sll all 16 All 50 ell all