The Sun. — London, England, 1842-01-17 00:00:00

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['hob 11Wff!!T EVENING SUN E NEW ROYAL EXCHANGE. LAYING_ THE FIRST STONE BY H. R. H. PRINCE ALBERT. (THIS DAY.) The interesting ceremony of laying the first stone of the neW'Royal Exchange took place to-day, and the ar rangements, which were on a scale of magnitude, cor ',responding with the magnificence of this great national undertaking, and the rank of the dis tinguished personages who took part in it, ap thyeared to give very general satisfaction. The entrance of those who were fortunate enough to obtain tickets was in Cornhill, the avenues leading to which were al cost bleeked up from an early h our , an d th e police "aa much difficulty in keeping open a passage. covered way, lined with alternate stripes of crimson and White cloth led from Cornhill to the entrance of the tent, which was placed as nearly as possible in the centre efthe b u ildi ng, and apt° .the time the doors were thrown . 'Pen, at twelve o'clock, the workmen were busily em . Ployed in laying dawn matting, and completing the other necessary arrangethents 7 The tent under which the ceremony took place is of = a circular. Torin, with an open space in the centre, in `Which the foundation-stone was suspended. We un derstand that it is of larger dimensions than any tat has hitherto been erected in this country, and is e aFable of affording accommodation to between 12,000 a nd 15,000 persons. It is upwards of 100 feet high, acid 300 feet in circumference ; on the top is a lanthorn with the City arms and the shield of Britannia, and above all the union jack floated proudly in the breeze. I,._Arnund th e amp hi t h eatre were 11 t i ers of seats rising g r adually to the height of 24 feet. The seats, as well as the 400 r of the tent, were covered with crimson - drapery, the reserved seats in front being festooned with the same, JtYkl at the back a tastefully designed festoon of crimson white, drapery confined at certain distances by rosettes, went round the entire walls of the tent. The :Apr or platforni on which the stone was placed was ilt4l4y- feet in diameter, and there were two chairs o stiite placed in front of the stone, fo r th e accommo d a - A 4. his Royal Highness Prince Albert and the Lord ` YO'. Over the entrance to the tent w as an orc h estra `''.the band, the front of which was decorated with lanils, on Which the Royal and City Arms, the Arms of al, Pe :various City Companies, and of Sir Thomas act;Shatia, were emblazoned. The band of the 2d Guards was in attendance, and beguiled the time 'in. the arrival of his Royal Highness, by performing t rl'4 l 4 . apOpular overtures. ,On a pedestal on either side a V.,.•the CAtranee, was placed a very beautif u l mo d e l o f t h e ed building, which attracted much attention. The tt.:Flot was lighted by a circular chandelier, containing la4LAo,ut fiftY_gas lights, and when the enti re am phi t h eatre 31 )!Ita 'fared the whole presented a spectacle of great ani , ;ilnition and brilliancy. The stone, which is of granite, and several tonaweight, 'las divided i n t o t wo compartments,. the one portion ' l 'eing fixed in its proper position, and the , other sus )(llded over it at a height of about two feet by strong i l).( ?Pes and pullies, and further supported by four upright l', l eeeS of timber. At the end nearest the entrance the .Lae plates were deposited, on whi c h was th e following "I -B eriptiOn AEDES . CVM - . PERISTYLIO - IN . EORVM COMMODA QVI. IN . HOC . CELEBERRIMO EMPORIO tt .GENTIVM • COMMERCIA EXERCERENT s ttrtIECTIS ETIAM . IN . PVPVERVM . SOLATIVM i• 'T • IN . BONARVM . ARTIVM . AC . LITTERARVM INCREM ENTA PTOCHOTROPHIO . ET . PRAELECTORVM SVA COLLEGIO PECVNIA . EXSTRVENDAS CVRAVIT THOMAS . GRESHAM . EQVES AVRATVS •- ADIVVANTE CIVITATE . LONDINENSI FAVENTE . REGINA . ELIZABETHA QVAE . ET . IPSA . OPVS . ABSOLVTVM •SOLENNI . POMPA PRAESENS . DEDICA VIT GRAY!. VASTOQUE . INCENDIO t. CVM . TOTA . FERE-. VRBE. IN . CINERES . RE -01, DA CTAS ;'„ CVLTV . SPLENDIDIORE INSTAVRAVERVNT CIVITAS LONDINENSIS ET .' ANTIQVA. MERCERORVM SODALITA S ILINCoIiANTE . STRVCTVRAM . REGE . CAROLO ' SECVNDO 1 4i DIE . OCTOBRIS . XXIII . A . S. M . DC . LXVII. ITERVM . VERO . IGNE . ABSVMTAS adz DIE . lANVARII .X.A. S.M. DCCC . XXXVTII. TIDEM. OPERIS CVRATORES is # N. AMPLIOREM ORNATIOREMQUE. FORMAN! °VA% IMPENSA RESTITVENDAS. DECREVERVNT „, REGNI . SENATVS MVNIFICENTIA SVFFRA GANTE VT . SPATIIS PROLATIS ACCESSVQVE OMNE. ET . ANFRACTV. VIARVM QVAQVAVERSVS. EXPLICATO 711. 1 Cr i a2M IA iT?+A ( N A idiVit O thC e NRIVE " ET . PRO . MERCATVRIAE • ORRIS . TERRARVM . AMBITVM . EXTENSAE AMPLITVDINE VICTORIAE REGINAE AVSPICIIS DENVO . EXSVRGERET • PINEPS . SERENISS A LBERTVS R . DE. O SAXE-COBVRG. IMVS ET. GOTHA AVGVSTISSIMAE. REGINAE . CONIVX LAPIDEM. AVSP. lANVARII . XVII . I A CA LEM . SS. M . D STATVI CCC . T XLII. GI FT „ PRAETORE . lOANNE . PIRIE. L i ~I , CALI4IO TITE . S . R. S . ARCHIETECTO. . .M . CONSERVATOR , 1 „ ' DENTSO . AB . HIS . AEDIBYS TOTAQVE VRI3E ARCETO. • g l icillov‘in g is a translation of the Latin inscrip lii )`-IWc SIR THOMAS GRESHAM, KNIGHT. ERECTED AT HIS OWN CHARGE "L i6„' . . 41 BUILDING. AND COLONNADE THE CONVENIENCE OF THOSE PERSONS ' ''Api r ,„,..YVHD,IN THIS RENOWNED MART CARRY ON THE COMMERCE OF THE • I ' WORLD, ▪ ADDING THERETO, FOR THE RELIEF OF NAND FORINDIGENCE, OR THE ADVANCEMENT OF LITERATURE ' AND SCIENCE, AN ALMSHOUSE AND A COLLEGE OF 'EN LURERS, E CITY OF LO NDON AIDING HIM, QUEEN ELIZABETH FAVOURING THE DESIGN, B', AND W IT. IN THE WORK WAS COMPLETE ENING PERSON WITH A SOLEMN PRO CESSION. ACA HAVING BEEN REDUCED TO ASHES Iti 'TER WITH ALMOST THE ENTIRE CITY CALAMITOUS AND WIDELY SPREADING CON FL A , WERE REBUILT IN GRATION MORE SPLENDID FORM OF 5 1 i ii c N i‘ , ll THE BY ANCI THE ENT CITY M COPANY LONDON OF MERCERS. ''`iG CHARLES THE SECOND COMMENCING '4 . THE BUILDING te, ON THE 23d OCTOBER, A.D. 1667 ; AND WHEN THEY HAD BEEN AGAIN DE - STROYED BY FIRE THE ON TUE 10th JANUARY. A.D. 1838, NAME BODIES UNDERTAKING THE WORK. - ' - ' I ERMINED TO RESTORE THEM AT THEIR ON OWN COST. AN ENLARGED AND MORE ORNAMENTAL PLAN, T HE MUNIFICENCE OF PARLIAMENT PRO VIDING THE MEANS OF EXTENDING AND THE SITE l‘ er OF WIDENING THE APPROACHES AND L. h i — LOOKED STREETS IN EVERY DIRECTION, - O RDER THAT THERE MIGHT AT LENGTH ARISE UN DERI, THE AUSPICES OF QUEEN VICTORIA, B UILT A THIRD TIME FROM THE GROUND, AN EXCHANGE WO RTHY OF THIS GREAT NATION AND CITY, D SUITED TO THE VASTNESS OF A COMMERCE EXTENDED TO THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE HABITABLE GLOBE. 1 11 w, HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS "`- , E ALBERT OF SAXE-COBURG AND GOTHA, CONSORT OF HER SACRED MAJESTY, LAID THE FIRST STONE ON THE 17th JANUARY, 1t442, 6T, ) ,. IN THE MAYORALTY-OF THE RT. HON. JOHN PIRIE. / ti ARCHITECT WILLIAM TITE. F.R.S. MAY GOD OUR PRESERVER WARD OFF DESTRUCTION FROM THIS BUILDING B~tore AND FROM THE WHOLE CITY. 12 o'clock most of the members of the Royal 44t0 e Pange Committee were in attendance. They were lguished by their handsomely decorated and gilt jaands. They also wore a broad blue ribbon, round rip, el ' e ck, from which was suspended a silver medal • °z/iterative of the occasion. •On the one side was a autiful medallion of her Majesty, and on the other an ~t t i,,P P, r uP riate inscription. When the doors were thrown there were not more than forty or fifty persons teeT, but the visitors shortly afterwards began to * 1 % 111 ' 6 in quick succession, and at one o'clock almost all • s eats; With the exception of those in the first row, glj"IQ for the more distinguished guests, were occupied. lie child ren of t h e c h ar i ty sc h oo l o f t h e war d o f 1-2_l_l-street, were ranged on either side of the passage • g • to the tent, but shortly after two o'clock they were ”g i atin and placed, immediately in front of the orchestra. Amongs those who were earliest in attendance we served Lord Dudley Stuart ; the Bishop of ; Sir Robert H. Inglis, M.P.; Sir John "I and Ltkly ; - Mr. Robinson, Chairman of rria 7Yds ; George Palmer, Esq., M.P. ; Alder % „ 11 . numphery, M.P.; Sir John Easthope, M.P.; Aldermen Sir Robert Peel; Sheriffs Magnay and Rogers; • r men Gibbs, Sir C. Marshall, Sir Geore Carroll ; A r , Joh._• 'tr. Law, M.P., Recorder of London ; Aldermen I.lston, Farncombe, &e. &c. • he Lord Mayor and Aldermen, with the Sheriffs, the ' zil iteF i r Zl e and members of the Joint Gresham Commit principal o ffi cers o f the Corporation of Lon re in attendance at the Guildhall at half-past 4,1e0 eclock precisely, to receive his Royal Highness, - Co un cil introduced to the Lord Mayor in the Common siire,ccd-chamber, where William Tite, Esq., F.R.S., the this.ii,tect, submitted the plans of the new building to 1 4k it,e-site Highness. A procession from thence to the ,741 to ot the New Royal Exchange was then formed in _order übjoined. qi u t 4 ll l their arrival at the site, the band played the na ..411d hittsr till the Lord Mayor took his seat on the area, st one Royal Highness his station by the side of the !coal where he was attended by four members of the tnittee, bearing the glass bottle for the coin, a glass 'b rick with taane‘, t henglish inscription incrusted thereon; the T he lidlevel. Chairm an o f the Joint Gresham Committee, bear ,t4g" th e trowel, th en took his station on the side of the 41,!et)Ppesite,his Royal Highness. sid arehitfet -after him took his station on another t x 7 eh or n .the stone, and exhibited the models of the new th Th ge ' e Qlerk of the Committee took his lace site 2e architect, with the. insc rip tion ° n'asplate on which the engraved. The member of the Committee, bearing the glass bottle, then held it to Prince Albert, who placed therein the coin which he received from Sir James Shaw, Bart., Chamberlain of London, Joseph Thomas Pooley, Esq., Master of the Mercers' Company. His Royal Highness having deposited the same in the well of the stone, the member of the Committee bearing the English inscription, incrusted on glass, then pre sented the same to his Royal Highness, which, being read by Mr. James Barnes, the clerk of the Committee, his Royal Highness also deposited in the well. The Latin inscription, together with the translation, was then read by the architect, who delivered the en graved plate to his Royal Highness, which his Royal Highness deposited. The Chairman then addressed his Royal Highness on presenting him with the trowel. His Royal Highness then proceeded with the ceremony, spreading the mortar with the trowel. The following is the order of procession, which left Guildhall about two o'clock : Police officers cleared the way. City Marshalmen. Water Bailiff's Watermen in state liveries. Banners of the Arms of England. Banner, Mercers' Company. Banner, City of London. Banner, Royal badges. The Union flag. The Lord Mayor's Beadle in state livery. The Lord Mayor's Bargemaster in state dress. Bargemen with Sheriffs' banner. City Watermen with colours. Captain of the Navigation Barge. The Principal Assistant Water Bailiff. City Waterman with colours. Junior City Marshal on horseback. Band. The Contractor, Mr. Thomas Jackson. The Architect, William Tite, Esq., F.R.S. Solicitor of the Mercers' Company—George Frederick Prince Sutton, Esq. The Clerk of the Mercers' Company and Joint Gresham Committee—James Barnes, Esq. Police Officers. The Under Sheriffs. Police Officers. The City Solicitor. The Remembrancer. The Comptroller. Police Officers. The Two Secondaries. Police Officers. The Four Common Pleaders. The Common-Sergeant. The Town Clerk. Police Officers. The Chamberlain. Police Officers. Members of the Joint Gresham Committee. Under Beadle, Masters of the Upper Beadle, Mercers'Company.M ercers' Company.Mercers'Company. Joseph Thomas Pooley, Esq., Accompanied by the Chaplain. Chairman of the Joint Gresham Committee. Richard Lambert Jones, Esq., With the Trowel. Mr. Sheriff Rogers'in his State Chariot. Mr. Sheriff Magnay in his State Chariot. Aldermen who have not passed the chair. The Recorder. Aldermen who have passed the chair. Banner of Prince Albert. The Royal Standard. Banner of the Lord Mayor. The Suite of his Royal Highness Prince Albert. Upper City Marshal on horseback. Gentlemen of the Lord Mayor's household. The Lord Mayor. The Right Hon. John Pirie, HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE ALBERT, In the State Carriage, Attended by The Chaplain, Swordbearer, Water-Bailiff, and Common Crier. Four City Watermen. Four Water-Bailiff's Watermen. Police Officers. The trowel which his Royal Highness used is of silver gilt. The handle is fluted, terminating at the end with the Royal Crown, connected with the blade by flowing ornaments of beautiful chasing, which is continued round the edges. On one side are the Royal arms and sup porters, with an inscription referring to the use to which the trowel was applied, and on the' other an elevation of the west front of the building, with the three shields of arms of the Mercers' Company, the City of London, and Sir Thomas Gresham. The mallet is formed of a block of beautiful oak, pre sented by the Chairman, and was part of one of the great - bourns of the old Exchange. It is the full size of a mason's mallet, turned and moulded into an elegant form, with a wreath of oak leaves and acorns carved round the - base of it, and the Royal crown terminating ,the hapaie., ;There is a silver plate inserted at the end, with art inscription similar to that on the trowel. • The block of oak from which the mallet was made had been actually burnt through in the fire; and - it is an in teresting fact that the stain has extended almost thcough its substance, although it appears to'be as hard- stS - 'the most solid metal. The level and the iilumb rule are of polished Spanish mahogany. All the coins of the realm were deposited in a glass bottle, which also contained a medal, with the head of her Majesty on the obverse, and an inscription on the reverse. Proofs of the medal have been struck in gold for the Lord Mayor, and in silver and copper for the Committee and distinguished visitors. Upon the bottle containing the medals and coins was placed a glass brick, on which an inscription has been imperishably encrusted. The brick was covered by a polished zinc plate, on which is engraved the inscription in Latin and English, composed by the Bishop of London. At half-past two o'clock the shouts of the assembled multitude without the tent announced the arrival of his Royal Highness and the other distinguished guests, and shortly afterwards the head of the procession entered the tent. Among the Cabinet Ministers we observed the Earl of Aberdeen, the Earl of Had dington, the Earl of Ripon, Lord Fitzgerald and Vesci, Sir Robert Peel, Lord Stanley, Sir James Graham, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Sir E.Knatchbull. Shortly afterwards, the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, accompanied by his Royal Highness Prince Albert and suite, entered the tent, and were received with loud and hearty cheers. His Royal Highness, who was in plain clothes, looked extremely well, and stood in front the Ministers, beside the Chair of State that was placed for him. His Royal Highness was attended by Mr. Anson, and Colonel Bouverie. Upon the entry of his Royal Highness all the asssmbly rose, and the band struck up the National Anthem. Mr. Lambert Jones, the Chairman of the Committee, then handed the coins to his Royal Highness, by whom they were deposited in the glass bottle. Mr. J. G. Cope, one of the Committee, then handed ,to his Royal Highness the glass pillars which were depo-, sited by his Royal Highness at the four corners of the cavity in the stone. The Architect, Mr. TITE, then read the inscription on the Plate in Latin and English, which was then placed on the stone. Mr. L. JoxEs then presented the trowel to his Royal Highness, and said, " May it please your Royal Highness, the Committee appointed by the Corporation of the City of London and the Mercers' Company, have deputed me, as their Chairman, to express to your Royal Highness their profound sense of the obligations you have conferred upon the Citizens of London, by attending on the present occasion, and we trust that this building may remain a monument of your Royal Highness's kindness and conde seeosion, that it may be conducive to the commercial interests of this great City, and not unworthy of the wealth and commerce of the metropolis of the world. lam also deputed to present your Royal Highness with the trowel to aid you in car rying your iLtentions into effect, and I trust that, when completed, it may stand as a monument of the libera lity and good taste of the citizens of London." His ROYAL HIGHNESS then took the trowel and spread the mortar over the face of the stone in a very neat and workmanlike manner, which elicited the most enthusiastic cheering. The stone was then lowered to its place, under the di rection of Mr. Thomas Jackson, the contractor ; when the members of the Committee, bearing the level and mallet, presented them to his Royal Highness, to adjust and set the stone. The City state sword and mace was then placed cross ways on the stone, after which the Rev. Henry Thomas, A.M., Chaplain to the Lord Mayor, offered up an appro priate prayer, and the children belonging to the charity school of the ward of Broad-street sang the national Anthem. _ . The Lord Mayor, with his Royal Highness and the invited guests, then proceeded in their carriages to the Mansion-house ; the Lord Mayor and his Royal High ness going first. During the day the crowd had increased to a frightful extent, and the streets fora considerable dis tance around Cornhill were literally impassable. The police arrangements, however, were such as to preserve comparative order among the dense multitude, and we heard of no accident of a serious nature. We cannot close mr hurried account without expres sing our acknowlegments to the gentleinen of the Com mittee for the admirable arrangements made by them for the accommodation of the press. GOSSIP on the ROYAL EXCHANGE. " The man who stood on the Acropolis, . . And looked down over Attica; or he Who has sailed where picturesque Constantinople is, Or seen Timbuctoo, or bath taken tea In small-eyed China's crockery-ware metropolis, Or sat amidst the bricks of Nineveh, May not think much of London's first appearance— BUT ASK HIM WHAT HE THINKS OF IT A YEAR HENCE! " BYRON. The occasion of so interesting a ceremony as that of the foundation of a new Bourse, or Royal Exchange, for the first commercial city in the world, cannot fail to be regarded with peculiar interest, and in order to gratify our readers, we shall give some particulars of the present site, a historical account of the late Exchange, with allusions to the Bourses on the Continent, and a brief description of the new building, which has been this day commenced under such happy auspices. THE PRESENT SITE, A PRISON.—Who would have believed that the site of the front on which the present stately building is to arise was, a few centuries since, a loathsome prison, called the Tun. An inscription on the pump, on the south side, expressed that in this dame spot a well was first made by Wallis, Mayor of London, in the year 1282. The well underneath, on which the pump was erected, was re-discovered in 1799. SPILLER, THE SCULPTOR.—Of the statues which adorned the late edifice, and of which no doubt that which is about to rise upon its ruins, will contain in time as many and as noble, every one will remember that which used to occupy the THE SUN._ LONDON, MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 1842. • centre of the old piazza, being Charles 11., in a Roman habit, by Spiller. A melancholy inci dent attached to this, not only illustrative of the' enthusiasm of genius, but recordatory of one who at a premature age, found the chisel that was to have been his glory, drop and fade from his fingers. Spiller, this young and classical sculptor, was proceeding in the midst of this work,when, owing to the inroads consumption was making on him, he was advised by his medical friends to desist from working at the marble. The energy of his labour, and the strong excite ment of his feelings bad already made him half a martyr. But no—be was willing, he said, to die at the foot of his statue. The statue was raised, and the young sculptor, with the shining eyes and hectic flush of consumption, beheld it there, returned home, and shortly was no more ! GRESH AM, THE KING'S MERCHANT.—Before this Knight's time, our merchants assembled in the open sir in Lombard-street, subject to all the inclemencies and inconveniencies of the weather. But in 1531, the year of his Sheriffdom, he pur- chased o the ground, cleared away the buildings, and at an expense of 4,0001. erected that which will stand in our chronicles as predecessor to the present. Swan-alley, New-alley, and Christo pher's-alley, with a host of other intolerable little purlieus, were swept into oblivion, and in the name of the whole citizens, Sir Thomas, on the 11th of June, in the year 1566, laid the foun dation stone of the new Bourse. QUEEN ELIZABETH'S PR OCL A NATION OF THE NEW EXCHANGE.—It was about six days later than that which is chosen for the present occa sion, namely, in the January of 1770, and on the 23d, that Queen Elizabeth, after dining with many of her nobility at Sir Thomas Gresham's house, in Broad-street, proceeded through Corn hill to the new Bourse, and " after she had viewed every part thereof above the ground, especially the Pawne, which was richly fur nished with the finest wares of the city, she caused the "same Burse, by an Herralde and a Trompette, to be proclaimed the ROYA LL Ex- CHANGE, and so to be called from thenceforth, and not otherwise." THE PEARL BANQUET.--OH this Royal occa sion, and at the banquet which took place, the following piece of courtliness occurred. It is - traditionally stated that, during the flow of the feast, her Majesty's loyal host Sir Thomas drank to her health in a glass of wine, into which a very costly pearl, reduced into powder, had pre viously been thrown. This circumstance is alluded to in an historical play, printed in quarto, 1623, consisting of two parts; the first representing the troubles of Elizabeth during the reign of her sister, Queen Mary; and the second the defeat of the Armada, and the build ing of the Exchange. Sir Thomas says : Here fifteen hundred pounds at one slap goes Instead of sugar, Gresham drinks this pearle Unto his queen and mistress : pledge it, Lords. This pearl had been refused on account of its price to many of the first nobility, and the act, if to be discredited, nevertheless is in union with .the romantic gallantry of the time. THE VAULTS OF GRESHAM'S EXCHANGE,----, Whatever was the stateliness of the structure above, yet it is certain, as appears from the Ward-book of London, now before us, that the vaults were appropriated to very inde corous . uses: an entry therein _ runs thus : " Presented. William - Grimbel for keping typ linge in the vaults under the Exchange, and fur broyling of herringes, sprotts, and bacon, and other thinges, in the same vaultes, noisome to the merchaur.ts and others resortinge to the Ex change." Master Grimbel we believe was here upon ejected, and " the offending Adam" as it were " whipped out." LAMENTATION POR THE EXCHA NOE.—A Reve rend of the name of Samuel Rolle, on the occa sion of the conflagration and destruction by fire of the Gresham fabric, bewails it in terms which precisely apply to the last occurrence. Among his " Meditations" he thus descants:— "What a princely foundation was that Royal Exchange? and of how great use? Was not that the centre in which those lines met that were drawn from all parts of Europe ? Rich merchants, I mean, and other eminent trades men, and great dealers, not only English, but Spanish, French, Dutch, Portuguese, and Swedes? Was not the place a little epitome, or rather representative of all Europe, if not of the greatest part of the trading world, renewed every day at such a time, and for so many hours? As London was the glory of England, so was the Royal Exchange one of the greatest glories and ornaments of London. " How full of riches was that Royal Exchange ! Rich men in the midst of it, rich goods both above and beneath ! There men walked upon the top of a wealthy mine : considering what Eastern treasures, costly monies, and such things were .laid up in its cellars. As for the upper part, it was the great store-house, whence the no bility and gentry of the land were furnished with their glory. Here, if any where, might a man have seen the glory of the world in a moment, as the Devil showed to Christ from a high moun tain. . . . . . " But what quick work can fire and destruc- tion make? }ow did the strong building vanish of a'sudden, as if it had been but an apparition ! How quickly was it taken down, as if it had been but a slight tent. So ti.ll that noble structure, overladen with pride and prodigality—and great was the fall thereof." The late Exchange was commenced to be built on the 27th October, 1666, and was completed July 12, 1676. The total expense of this hand some structure was 33,0001. GRESHAM'S GRASSHOPPER.,--TO this wonderful insect, which was once the sign of Sir Thomas Gresham's shop, and thence transferred to the top of the Royal Exchange, there was extant a prophecy, the lines of which were as follow : " The Grasshopper upon the Royal Exchange, and the Dragon upon Bow Church, shall meet together upon Stock's-market, and shake hands _like brethren." Strange to say the prophecy did take place, for during the repairs of the late building and Bow Church, both vanes were actually deposited together in one yard, though not at Stock's-market, which now forms the site of the Mansion House. LAYING THE STONE BY CHARLES IL—On the 23d of Oc . tober, 1667, King Charles 11. went to the Royal Exchange, and placed the base of the pillar on the west side of the north entrance. He was entertained on the occasion at the joint expense of the City and Company with a chine of beef, a grand dish of fowls, ham, dried tongues, anchovies, caviare, &c., and plenty of wines. The entertainment was provided under a temporary shed, built and adorned for the pur pose upon the Scotch walk. At this time his Majesty gave 201. in gold to the workmen. On the 314 - of the same month, James, Duke of York, laid the first stone of the same pillar, and was regaled in a similar manner; and on the 18th of November Prince Rupert laid that stone which is on the east side of the south entrance. The Exchanges abroad are, 'and have been, most of them, sumptuous and _fine buildings. The Romans had their places for the merchants to meet in most of the considerable cities' of "the empire. That called the Collegiiim Meretztorm f whereof it is said that even to this day pairie,f• mains, and called by the Romans of t 6.2 ne Loggia, or " Place of St. George," is said-' Ack.'''4 been built at Rome in the year of the C4i*O, being 493 years before our Saviour, undexpgii. Consulateship of Claudius and Servilius. ~, ' , That of,Antwerp was inferior to none ; the trade was transferred to Amsterdam, forming the present considerable Exchange at that place. It is a large building, 230 feet long and 130 broad, round which runs a peristyle or portico, 20 feet wide. The columns of the peristyle, amounting to 46, are numbered, for the •conve nience of finding persons. The Bourses at Flan derS; Holland, and France : the Places de Change at Paris and Lyons, the Colleges of Merchants in the Hanse Towns, and the Bolsa in Spain, are all capacious fabrics, and worthy their merehants. That the structure which is to adorn the me tropolis of greater cities than those recited, will be of dimension and make, worthy of its , purposes and poSition in our city, it is to be hoped neither labour, taste,_ nor execution will be spared. It is to become the .centre-point of attraction to the merchantS, traders, and interpreters of almost all the emporiums and marts of the world ; it is to be the palladium and safe-citadel of all the weighty commercial transactions between men and even kingdoms; dedicated, to use the expres sive words of the original founder's own inscrip tion— A CANTICLE FOR THE DAY; OR v.-A-ROYAt EXCHANGE CAROL. Ibimus ! Ibiinus ! Quocunque precedas Carpere iter, comites parati.—Holt. Jocundly broke the noon I ween, As Bow, from his peeling steeple, - Forth from the road, the hall, and green, Summoned the morning people ; Gaily arrayed in their holiday-gear, With looks and laughters beaming, Thronged merry thou Sands from far and near, Along the street-ways streaming. Sing up, heart ; sing up, heart ; Beat to a merry-made measure, Londoners all bear gladsome part, In this day's joyous pleasure. Gossips for many a distant day Will tell, in eventful story, How England's Prince came forth to lay This stone of the City's glory And maidens and boys will prattle long Of the glassy bright brick thereunder, . While minstrel-men, with harp and song, Shall chaunt of the hidden wonder. Sing up heart, &c. Other strange marvels these, too, shall join:— The trowel's silver brightness---• The glassy box of the buried coin— Shall charm old tongues to lightness ; While richly red in the Calendars The day shall down be set, And round its date a ring of stars In jubilee be lit. Sing up heart, &c. Wants there now but a few white moons Aloft in the clear sky shining, E'er one o' them, fraught with dulcet tunes, On a lovely cloud reclining, Shall pause awhile o'er the City-haunts, And pour her argent gilding, To grace, as it falls, the noble halls Of the new and Royal building. Sing up, heart; sing up, heart; Beat to a merry-made measure, Londoners all bear gladiome part • In this day's joyous pleasure. ANTI-CORN-LAW CONFERENCE AT EDINBURGH. THURSDAY, JAN. l3.—The Conference met at ten o'clock, when Provost Henderson, of Paisley, was . called to the Chair. The Rev. Mr. YOUNG, of Dunfermline, seconded the resolution which had been proposed the previous even ing by Mr. George Thompson, and, in the course of his remarks, adverted to the state of trade in the town with which he was connected. The Rev. Mr. STIRLING, of Coatbridge, supported the resolution, contending that the rate of wages was never dependent on the price of food, but on the amount of employment. The Rev. Mr. ELus, of Saltcoats entered into a variety of statistical statements with respect to Steventon, Ar drossan, Dairy, and Newmills. In Saltcoats the wages for working certain fabrics had fallen within fifty_years 800 per cent., and the average of wages now was ss. 6d. per week ; those who earned `so much as 10s. being en gaged in work of a superior description, and being be sides very few in number, not exceeding a dozen. In Newmills, where there were 900 weavers, these men had, within the last four years expended 3,000 k to furnish Jacquard machines, being at the rate of nearly 4/. each, while wages were, within the same period, reduced 42 per cent. The value of money was a great deal less to the poor man than to others, because he purchased in small quantities, and the shopkeepers in the locality which were referred to, said that while they were em ployed as much as before in the sale of articles of con sumption, the amount of money drawn was considerably diminished. After some farther observations the Rev. Gentleman concluded by expressing his cordial concur rence in the resolution, and by observing that the prin ciple of self-preservation should impel them to support Dissent, which was the cause of truth and liberty. Mr. J. THOMSON, from Dunse, described the condition of the rural population in the district with which he was connected. He had made a list of farms let in the neigh bourhood of. Dunse for the last three years ; one of which (the old rent was 1,3021.) had let for 2,006/., being an advance of 42 per cent. Lands of which the old rent was 149/., now let for 181/., being an advance of 21A per cent. Another, of which the old rent was 1201., now let for 1461. A farm in Buncle, of which the old rent was 800/., was now let for 1,050/., being an advance of 31 per cent. A farm in the same parish, which was formerly let for 350/., was now let at 650/, being an ad vance of 85 per cent. A farm in Pogo had risen from 1,0001. rent to 1,350/., being an advance of 35 per cent. The rural population was almost stationary, while that in the towns was decreasing ; and from the statements he had read, it would be manifest that to the farmers' in terests the Corn-laws were as injurious as to the general interests of the country. Mr. J. H. BVmsoN, from Aberdeen, said, unless a speedy change were effected the prosperity of the city of Aberdeen was gone for ever. Their shipping interest was fast decaying. For a period of seven years it ap peared from statistical tables (which Mr. Wilson read) that their imports by British vessels had remained stationary, while those by foreign vessels had increased to an immense extent. In all articles requisite for ship ping the foreign market had the advantage—an advantage which they owed to the Corn-laws, The CHAIRMAN having put the resolution, it was car ried unanimously. _ _ Dr. JOHN RITCHIE, of the Potterrow,_ proposed th e next resolution, which was t o th e e ff ec t that the general system of free trade was most consonant with the prin ciples of civil and religious liberty throughout the world. There was a yawning gulph between the higher and the lower classes : it was the business of those whom he ad dressed to step into that gulph—to mediate between the two classes. It was a terror to him to look on the pre sent state of the country ; everywhere it seemed as if the crater was soon to burst forth, and the lava be scattered far and wide. If they stood fast to their cause, if they held on their way undismayed, he ventured to predict that their triumph was certain, and that the country would escape those dangers which seemed impending. The Rev. Doctor concluded by moving the resolution. Rev. CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON, Edinburgh, seconded the resolution, and observed that he took up the question as a deeply religious one. It was a question of life and death. He felt it a humiliating task to stand up before such an audience, and in the nineteenth century second such a resolution as that now made. So long ago as the sixteenth century, when Henry AUL sent an embassy to Naples to form a commercial treaty, that monarch had urged the duty of free commerce among States; and here after successive monarchs had sat on the throne, and 350 years had passed away, still were men explaining, still resolving, on precisely the same subject. The Rev. Gentleman then proceeded to enter into some historical details with respect to the principle of free trade ; and concluded by urging the necessity of energy and union, which had before destroyed monopolies; and if Scotland were firm and unanimous in this instance as in others, these Cor -laws would by the combined efforts of their opponents soon be at an end. Mr. THOMAS MILLS, farmer, from Perthshire, in sup porting the resolution observed, that farmers were as much interested in the abolition of Corn-laws as others, because these laws failed in the very object which they professed to effect, namely, in keeping up the prices of grain. The Rev. Mr. LEECHMAN, of Irvine, moved the eighth resolution :—" That looking to the increased facilities which would thereby be afforded for the more extensive propagation of the gospel of salvation, and f avoura bl e reception of the word of life, free trade may be justly re garded as one of the means of the final triumph of Chris tianity ; and considering the great and many privileges which Britain has enjoyed above other nations, this meeting is of opinion that every Christian within its limits, is bound from a sense of duty, gratitude, and love to Almighty God, to use his strenuous efforts to accom plish such a desirable result." The resolution was seconded by the Rev. Mr. Kennedy, of Paisley, who made various statistical statements with respect to the 'depressed state of trade. , • ,;;., iy•The Rev. lIENny likwreN, of Kelso, propallattfrthe ninth resolution That this meeting toepresti thArlrigh satisfaction, that the Anti-Corn-law League have called 'a meeting of Delegates from all parts of thekiriedm to assemble at London on the Bth of Feb. next, to consider the best means of promoting the total and immediate re peal of the Corn and Provision-laws, and earnestly re commend to the friends a the cause throughout Scot land, to send deputations to the said meeting, and to urge upon it, irrespective of any measure whiCh may be announced by her Majesty's •Government, and in order to test the opinions of the professed Representatives of the people, the adoption of the most effectual means for securing an early division o f the House of Commons on the question of the total and immediate repeal of these unjust and oppressive laws. And, impressed with the vast importance and necessity of active and combined exertions on the part of the members of this Conference, and the other friends of the cause throughout Scotland, this meeting further recommend that in every locality immediate and ener getic measures be taken for informing the public mind on the various bearings of this question, especially those of a moral and religious nature, and organising Committees and Associations to secure continued co-operation, and the transmission of petitions to Parliament, numerously signed by members of dissenting congregations and others on or before the Bth day of February next." The Rev. Gentleman observed that all they had done and heard were only means to an end ; and if they trusted to their proceedings at that meeti n g , they w ou ld h ave effected little of what it was fitted and ought to produce. Provost HENDERSON, after a few observations, left the Chair, to which Mr. Wigham was called ; and after a vote of thanks to the late Chairman the Conference ad ourned to the evening. EVENING SEDERUNT. Mr. STURGE and Mr. MA.sstE in succession addressed the meeting, which was more crowded than in the early part of the day. The ninth resolution was unanimously adopted. Mr. ADAM BLACK, seconded by the Rev. PETER MAC DOWAL, Alloa, moved that an address to th e Q ueen b e adopted, as embodying the sentiments of the Conference, and that the Right Hon. Lord Dunfermline be requested to present it to her Majest y. Rev. A. SOMERVILLE, D umbarton, seconded by Mr. D. DEWAR, Dunfermline, moved that an address to the people of Scotland be adopted, published, and circulated. Rev. J. DOBIE, Langholm, seconded by the Rev. J. TAYLOR, Pt, Andrew's, moved that petitions to the Lords and Commons be adopted, and presented to the House Of Lords by the Right Honourable Lord Dunfermline ; and to the House of Commons by the Hon. Charles Pel ham Villiers, M.P. for Wolverhampton ; and that a copy of these resolutions be transmitted to all the Mem bers of Parliament for Scotland. A Committee rtir4S then„oppointed to see the resolu tions carried into effect, and thanks were voted to Mr. Duncan M‘Laren, Mr. Ewart, ALP., Mr. Wallace, M.P., and Mr. George Thompson, to the Session and Ma nagers of the Chapel in which the Conference met, to the families who had accommodated the strangers, and to the Chairmen, Committees, and Secretaries. The meeting then separated. -ANTI-CORN -LAW DEMONSTRA TION AT GLASGOW. ,This important Convention, , the assembling of which has been looked forward to with feelings of much inte rest and anxiety, commenced its sittings on Friday, at twelye : o'clock, at the Trades' Hall, where it had been arranged to receive the Reports of the Deputies from arious parts of the country, as to the state of trade, and the operation of the Corn and Provision-laws upon the state of the country. After a preliminary meeting of the Deputies had been held in the Saloon, they moved into the Hall at twelve o'clock, at one end of which a large platform had been erected. Mr. Walter Buchanan (in the absence of Mr. Alexander Johnstone, M.P., who was detained from in disposition), took the chair. Upon the platform we ob served a number of the gentlemen who_ have taken an interest in the Anti-Corn-law movement in Glasgow, in addition to a large body of deputies from the country. The body of the Hall was well filled, a considerable number being the members of the working classes, whose very existence may be said to be bound up in the early and equitable settlement of this momentous question. The reports of the deputies were such as amply to prove that the mass of the w o r ki n g-population of this kingdom have reached that point in depression—and that trade and credit are in that disorganised position which, must call for an immediate remedy, otherwise anarchy, ruin, and national bankruptcy, are the certain result. The banquet took place in the evening at six o'clock, when upwards of two thousand persons assembled, and a great number of applicants were disappointed, in not ob taining admission. Independent of the mere numbers, the meeting was by far the most influential of the kind ever held in Glasgow, both in point of wealth, talent, and general respectability. The chair was filled by James Oswald, Esq., M.P. for the city ; and John Tennant, Esq., of St. Rollox, Walter Buchanan, Esq., James Lums den, Esq., of Yoker Lodge, Alexander Graham, Esq., and Wm. Gray,- Esq., officiated as croupiers. At the Chair man's and croupiers' table there were, amongst others, A. G. Spiers, Esq., of Calcreuch; Charles Gray, Esq., Chief Magistrate of Gorbals ; Mr. Sproul, farmer; Mr. - Duncan, M.P. for Dundee ; Re v . D r . H eug h ; R. Wal lace, M.P. for Greenock; A. Rutherford, M.P. for Leith; Hon. F. Maule, M.P.; J. Oswald, M.P. ; Rev. Dr. Ward law; 'Wm. Ewart, M.P. for the Dumfries burghs; Pro vost Bain, Greenock; Provost Henderson, Paisley; John Wigham, jun., Edinburgh; Robert Bartholomew, Esq., Chief Magistrate of Calton; Rev. Mr. Love; P. M. Stewart, M.P. for Renfrewshire; , George Ord, Esq., Councillor; John Whitehead, Esq., do.; John Hamilton, Esq., do.; Wm. Bankier, Esq., do.; C. J. Tennant, Esq., St. Rollox; W. Gray, of Blairberth ; John Pattison, Esq., merchant; George Crawfurd, Esq., writer; George Anderson, Esq.; Alexander Graham, Esq., of Lancefield ; Mr. Per s t on , of Thornwood ; Pro fessor Gordon ; John Tennant, Esq., of Saint Rollo' ;. John. Wilson, of Auchindean; Robert Graham, Esq . ; James Lumsden, Esq., of Yoker Lodge ; A. Gal braith, Esq., Oakbank ; Edward Baxter, Esq., Dundee •, Mr. Graham, of Capilly ; the Pr ovos t f Ayr ; Samuel Higginbotham Esq. ; Mr. George Thomson ; Prof essor Buchanan ; air. Mitchell ; Rev. Patrick Brewster, of Paisley, ; D. Bell, Esq., Councillor ; John Small, Esq., do. ; John Ure, Esq., do. ; James Turner, Esq., do. ' • J. Anderson Esq., do. ; R. Brand, E sq ., d o . ; J. Graham, Esq., of Anderson,. ; Walter Crum, Esq. ; D. Murray, Esq., writer.; Alex. Tennant, Esq. • James Dunlop, Esq., of Clyde; Laurence Hill, Esq., of Barlanerk; James Acland, Esq. ; Mr. Howie, Manchester ; Archd. Harvey, Esq. ; A. Liddell, Esq. ; W. Brebner, Esq. ; Andrew Ruther glen, Esq. ; Robert Hutchinson, Esq., merchant. The whole proceedings were of a most striking and impressive character. UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE. OXFORD, JAN. 15. —Th e junior Proctor has given notice that he will receive the names of those Undergraduates who intend offering themselves for the responsions this term, on Wednesday next, from one till three, and the next day from twelve till two o'clock. On Thursday, Feb. 24, the examination of candidates for the Vaughan exhibition will commence; they are re quired to be natives of Merioneth, or natives of any other English or Welch county, one of whose parents shall be a native of the county of Merioneth. Candidates must not exceed 19 years of age, nor, if members of the University, must have passed the third term for matriculation. Declaration in writing of the nature of their qualifica tion, with certificate of baptism and testimonial from mas ter or tutor, is to be transmitted to P. Walsh, jun., on or before the 16th, of Feb. The appointment of Assistant Minister of St. Mary's Episcopal Chapel, Reading, has been made to the Rev. E. H. Haskins, of Queen's College. The Rev. H. Downing, of Trinity College, has been presented to the curacy of Wolverley, Worcestershire. The valuable appointment of Deputy Judge-Advocate- General has been conferred on F. N. Rogers, of Oriel College. The Prebend of St. Nicolas Penffoes, in. the Cathedral Church of St. David's, has been given to the Rev. Natha niel Davies, of Pembroke College. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. observed in your correspondence a short time since an account of the comparative strength of the Liberals and Tories in the Coun cil of the borough of Plymouth, but your Corre spondent omitted to inform you that, on the choosing of the nine Committees of'that body, the Liberals in the Council nobly did their duty, by not permitting a single member of the Tory party to be on any one of the Committees. A further check has been given on the recent elec tion of Committees of the Commissioners under the Paving, Lighting, and Improvement Act ; wh en,al though a much greater number ofCommis sioners were present than usual, and some Tories appeared who are never seen except on an occa sion of this sort, the result (as officially de clared this day) is that they are completely beaten, and Liberals were, with but one exception, chosen on all the five Committees. Tins has been accomplished by union on the part of the Liberals. There must shortly be an election in this town for three Life Commissioners to replace as many Tories who have been selected by that renegade Sir James Graham, to fill the office of Magis trates (with how much honour to themselves and the Board time alone will show), when the Libe rals expect and are determined to replace their worships by good men and true from the Liberal camp.—Your obedient servant, ONE OF THE TOWN COUNCIL. Plymouth, Jan. 15, 1842. SUNDAY MAIL-TRAINS.—At a Meeting of the Town Council of Linlithgow, held on Monday last, the Provost moved that the Council communicate to the Directors of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway Com paw,' their approval of running mail-tr a i ns on S un d a y morning and evening, care being taken in doing so to give as little hurt to public feeling as possible ; which motion being seconded, was carried by a majority of fourteen to four, two declining to vote—the minority of four being of opinion that the Council should not inter fere in the matter. MILITARY INTELLIGENCE. CHATHAM, JAN. 15.—0 n Friday evening the head-quarters of the 6th Regiment arrived at Rochester from India. The head-quarters comprise 123 rank and file, 10 sergeants, 5 drummers, and 6 corporals, 10 women, and 25 children, with the following officers :—Lieutenant-Colonel Eve rett, commander ; Captain Dennis, Lieutenant Ralph, Lieutenant Frazer, Ensign Loinsworth, Paymaster Blakeman, Quartermaster Sheehan, and Sergeant-Major Knox. The staff entered the city with its full band playing, and the whole of the men appeared greatly fa tigued. The head-quarters disembarked in the afternoon of the same day at Gravesend from the ship Candahar, of 640 tons burden,. Captain John Ridley. The regi ment left Hull, in Yorkshire, in the year 1821, and pro ceeded to the island of St. Helena ; but in consequence of the death of Napoleon the regiment was removed to the Bombarestablishment, where they underwent more duties than any other regiment during the last 16 years. The staff is considered to have reached England in a very healthy state, considering the privations the men had to undergo during their passage. The staff left Bombay on the 27th of August last, and embarked on the 28th, and during their five months' voyage they lost twelve men and one child. The disease of the men was dysentery and remitting fevers, arising from the Indian climate, and relapse upon the confinement on board ship. The last 42 days of the passage they had• not a death on board. The head-quarters left for Canterbury this morning. DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AND Loss Of LIFE.—• A fire broke out in the house No. 8, Bride's-alley, be longing to a man named James Boyle, a furniture broker and coffin-maker, at about four o'clock yesterday morning. The fire first commenced in the shop, but soon after raged through every part of the house. As yet the origin of the fire is unknown. Melancholy to relate, two females perished in the flames—one a poor old woman named Rebecca Snell, about 65, and the other a young girl named Judith Grace, aged 18. They were sleeping in a top back-room, and, before either they could save themselves or any assistance could be ren dered them, were almost totally consumed. The head of the old woman was literally burnt off. The head and body of the girl also were much burnt. An inquest was held on view of the remains of the bodies in the course of the day, by J. E. Hyndman, Esq., one of the City Coro ners, in a house near the scene of the melancholy catas trophe. The half-consumed remains of the unfortunate sufferers presented a horrifying spectacle. The Jury returned a verdict of " Accidental death by fire."— Dublin Evening Mail. The Friendly Society of Benevolent Porters held their annual festival at Mr. Harrison's, the Marquis of Granby, South Audley-street, on Thursday evening last, when fifty members and ten guests sat down to an excel lent supper. Almost every Court day in Sunderland some poor wretchis are brought before the Magistrates, charged with being found by the police sleeping in glass houses, a a nd o de t . ll *- 6 -- I. C P a I fiel s e Journal. of that description, having no place a f b The money-order office, Liverpool, issued and paid in three months, ended sth January last, upwards of 31,000 chectues ; the total amount being nearly 68,0001, THE LEVANT MAIL, TURKEY. CONSTANTINOPLE, DEC. 27.—The unremitting assi duity with which the Porte pushes its warlike prepara ' tions, marching, even in the depth of winter, battalion after battalion into Roumelia, and carrying its pugnacity to the ektent of bending the sails of six ships of the line, all ready for a start, in the arsenal form, together with the perplexity of the Corps Diplomatique, is a burlesque which, but for the inconvenience it is likely to entail, would rival any other Christmas pantomime in absurdity. When, however, as a consequence of these mo v em en t s , fleets are ordered into the Archipelago, and rush simul taneously to the arena of apprehended hostilities from Toulon and the British Channel, the question undoubtedly becomes more serious, and it seems really to be true that the Porte vouchsafes no explanation of all this superflu ous bravado and these gratuitous demonstrations. I have just been put in possession of a most important piece of intelligence, to the effect that the Porte has re ceived despatches from Reschid Pacha, at Paris, inform ing it that he had positive assurances from M. Guizot on the subject of the Turco-Hellenic differences ; and that the French Government had already intimated to King Otho its determination of enforcing a speedy and equita ble adjustment of the just demands of the Porte. An Imperial firman is about to appear, directing an in quiry into the salaries and remuneration now received by the functionaries and employes of the Sublime Porte, with a view to necessary retrenchment and the abolition of sinecure places. The Porte has communicated to Mr. Bankhead its in tention of immediately conferring on the officers and seamen of the British fleet the medals and decorations which had been promised to them for their services in the Syrian campaign. I have got some details about Circassia at last. A. great battle was in reality fought between the moun taineers and the Russians in the middle of October. It commenced in the pass of Hamish, only about six miles from the castle of Sotcha. The Russians had about 8,000 Georgian and Mingrelian cavalry, with 10,000 or 12,000 of their infantry; The former led the van, and were attacked in the pass so vigorously that they were put completely to the route. They fell back upon the infantry, to whom their own panic was communicated, and the whole fled en masse to the coast, hotly pursued by the victors. The slaughter was dreadful, no less than 3,500 of the Russian party being left dead upon the field. Some escaped to the ships which, 49 in number, were lying within gunshot of the shore ; others were drowned in an attempt to swim off, and the rest of the survivors made good their retreat in dreadful confusion to Solcha, where they collected and entrenched themselves. Few prisoners were made, for the Circassians, being less than 5,300 in number, could not embarrass themselves with such an incunibrance, and put to the sword nearly all such of the enemy as fell into their hands. All the horses, and an immense quantity of arms and baggage were the booty of the heroic mountaineers, whose loss did not, according to their own account, exceed 450 men hors de combat. After this defeat the Russians sued for peace, and got for answer that the Circas sians would make peace if the Russians would first evacuate the fortresses on the coast. But they would not treat without intervention. They proposed that after the evacuation, a delegate from the Russian-General, and another from the Circassians should be sent to Con stantinople, where a treaty should be made with the con currence and under the guarantee of the Porte and the Great European Powers. This proposal not meeting with the approbation of the Russians, they, after remain ing before Sotcha about 20 days, embarked in their ships, sailed away, leaving the accustomed garrison in that place. The Circassians intend to attack all the castles on the coast (Anafa excepted) during the winter. The harvest having been fine, they have abundance of food for man and beast, and expect to be very successful; since last winter, though suffering severely from the dearth of provisions, they managed to sack five castles. The Russians, therefore, in Circassia, do not recline on beds of roses. The European Powers ought by all means to interfere to stop the useless and demoralising effusion of blood. GENTIUM COMMERCIIS SACRUM." INCENDIARY FIRES IN DAREIELD..-- On Sunday last, about six o'clock in, the morning, a hay stack belonging to the Rev. B. Charlesworth, vicar of Darfield, was found to be on fire. Prompt assistance was immediately procured, and the fire was shortly af terwards put out, but not before, we are sorry to add, the whole of the hay left was so much damaged as to be unfit for use. On the fortnight previous a hay stack was fired belonging to Mr. W. Allerton, parish clerk at the same place. There can be no doubt but that both fires are the work of incendiaries, who have thus put this little peaceable village into the greatest excitement by heir malicious acts.—Doncaster Gazette. In the Times of Saturday last there appeared a p ar agraph calling on the public for benevolence towards the l am and children of the late Mr. Howard—the money to be paid to a certain individual. We are au thorised to state that the application is totally without the sanction of the widPvf Pr ker father, who feel it their duty to warn the public, EGYPT. ALEXANDRIA, DEC. 26.—There is no change to report in Egyptian politics. Government has not resumed sales of its produce, and of course there is something like a stagnation in business in general. Chartered ships be come a burden to the charterers, but that is not new in Egyptian commerce. The result of the Pacha's visit to Upper Egypt is not known here. The report is that he made extensive pur chases of grain, pulse, and seeds, and that a large portion of the grain was to supply the holy cities in Arabia. From Syria the accounts are of a more tranquil cha racter. The Druses appear to have had the it irest of it. Some bands of these tribes were sa id t o b e still levying " mail" in the Lebanon. Her Majesty's steam-frigate Gorgon sailed this Morn ing from Alexandria on a cruise along the coast o f Syria. Public health has improved of late ;. there is a dimi nution of fever, and no plague cases reported since the beginning of this month. Our latest dates are ; London, 6th inst. ; Malta and Constantinople, 17th inst. ; Beyrout, oth inst. MALTA. (From the Malta Chronicle.) MALTA, JAN. s.—The Prometheus steam-packet ar rived here early on Sunday morning, the 2d inst., from Gibraltar. The Indus, after a long passage of thirty three days from Malta, owing to an extraordinary preva lence of strong gales from the westward, reached Lisbon on the 18th inst., the Revenge having arrived there the day preceding. Both were still lying in the Tagus on the 25th, without knowing whether any other imme diate ulterior destination was contemplated, for so secret were the orders of Roar-Admiral Mason, that no one but the Captains were aware whither they were bound until passing Gibraltar, with which garrison the Indus did not even communicate. On the evening of the Bth ult. a collision took place at sea between the Indus and the ship Grace of Liverpool, burden about 350 tons, Hugh Jones, master, then out 26 days from Liverpool (the same time as the Indus from Malta), in ballast bound to Trieste for a grain cargo. The merchant ship had been previously observed from the liner running to the eastward with the wind from the N.W., the latter being close hauled on the starboard tack to keep her wind), but on the two vessels nearing, and seeing there was a chance of clearing each other, the ship of war's helm was put up, when the merchant vessel unfortu nately did the same, whereupon the two vessels came in contact bow and bow, but as the weather was fine and moderate, the only damage which ensued to the Indus consisted in her having had two of her boats stove in. The Grace had her bowsprit broke short off, one boat stove, and sundry other damages. Assistance was im mediately rendered by the Indus, from whose crew a party was sent to secure her foremast, which it was thought might have got sprung, a new jibboom was supplied for a bowsprit, cordage for rigging, &c., and, as the wind freshened at midnight, blowing fair for the Grace, they parted company (after giving Sir James Sterling the London newspapers touching the birth of the Prince of Wales), and it was generally supposed she would make the best of her way to Malta to refit, but as she has not appeared here wepresume she has passed on." (From the Malta Times.) The corvette Aigle arrived here from England on the 31st ult.; she is a new vessel on this station. The Strom boli also arrived the same day from Suda; she was sta tioned at the Piraeus, and the Medea takes her place. The Wasp will leave soon for Corfu. The Weazle will leave immediately for Jaffa, and also the Savage, which left Malta for Corfu on the 18th ult. The Hecate is under sailing orders--destination eastward. The Cyclops ar rived at 'Athens, from Trieste, on the 24th ult., where she took up Sir Stratford Canning. The Devastation leaves to-morrow for Beyrout and Jaffa. ARRIVALS . OF SHIPS OF WAR AND PACKETS.—Dee. 29.—The Oriental and Peninsular Company's steamer Montrose, W. Symons, from Alexandria. Dec. 30. Her Majesty's steamer Hecate, Com. J. H. Ward, from Tunis. Dec. 31.—Her Majesty's corvette Aigle, Lord Clarence Paget, from Plymouth and Gibraltar ; her Ma jesty's steamer Stromboli, Coin. Lewis, from Suds. Jan. 2.—Her Majesty's steam-packet Prometheus, Lieut. T. Spark, from Gibraltar. DEPARTURES OF SHIPS OF WAR AND PACKETS.—Dec. 28.—French steam-packet Tancrede, Lieut. De Brun, for the Levant. Dec. 29.—Her Majesty's steam-packet Alecto, Lieut. W. Hoseason, for Marseilles. Dec. 30. The Oriental and Peninsular Company's steamer Mon trose, W. Symons, for Gibraltar and England. IN PoßT.—The Howe, 120, (bearing the flag of Rear- Admiral Sir F. Mason, K.C.8.) ; Ceylon, 6, (bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Sir John Louis, Bart.) ; Impreg nable, 84, Ganges, 84, Vanguard, 84, Monarch, 84, Thun derer, 74, Wasp, 18, Weazle, 10, Magpie; steamers Lo cust, Polyphemus, Devastation, Hecate, Stromboli, Pro metheus, and the French steamers Seamandre and Sesos tris, and the Oriental and Peninsular Company's steamer Iberia. PORTUGAL: FALMOUTH, JAN. 14, NINE, P.M.—We li'ave had two packet arrivals this day ; viz., the Ranger, Lieutenant Turner, Commander, from the Brazils ; and the Nep tune steamer, with mails from the Peninsula, &c. The former sailed from Pernambuco on the 2d, Bahia on the 9th, and Rio de Janeiro on the 30th of November last. By this arrival we can gather no political intelli gence of the least moment. The exchange at Rio had fallen to 301 and 30i upon the receipt of the intelligence that the Brazilian Minister in this country had drawn on the home Treasury to pay the dividends ; it was antici pated, however, that the abundance of the coffee crop, and the unusual scarcity of money, would cause its rising again ere long. Government Stock ruled at 73. The only passenger by the Ranger is Sir George Jack son, late Head Commissioner of the mixed Brazilian and English Commission for adjudicating on slave prizes. The Linnet packet arrived out at Rio on the 30th of November, the day the Ranger sailed ; and the latter has brought home, on freight, treasure to the computed value of 25,000 L sterling. The dates of the Peninsular arrival at Gibraltar 6th, Cadiz 7th, Lisbon 10th, Oporto 11th, and Vigo 11th inst. The following is the substance of news from Portugal: — LISBON, JAN. 10.—The attention of the nation seems still to be drawn to the prevailing theme of interest and conversation, viz., the financial operations recently en tered into by the Government according to the decree of the 31st of December. _ _ This scheme of " capitalisation," so complex in its nature, continues to occupy whole columns of the diffe rent journals, but the subject has been so completely mystified, that it is alhiost impracticable to reduce it to a simplicity suited to the study of any one anxious to be come au fait of this arithmetical logogriphe. A vote of thanks to the Ministry has been going the round of the public departments, for the purpose of ob taining signatures, which having been refused by the majority of the different employes, of course fell into dis repute, and it is said that the Board of Public Credit has caused a representation to be made to the Government t'N fl A 4 3 ftw,/ EVENING SUN Ti .~•f C~ against the issue of the inscripcoes (scrip atitititi4eti by the d ecree o f the a b ove date). SMIN On the 6th instant the Queen and King, accompanied by the 'Court and Ministers, went in state to the Ca thedral of the Se to attend the religious rites annually offered up for the celebration of Twelfth-day; and in the evening a most sumptuous dinner was given by their Majesties at the Palace of the Necessidades to the Gene rals and Commanding Officers of the troops present at the Parade, given in honour of Prince de Joinville. Every effort appears to have been used to render the banquet as magnificent as possible, and the extreme urbanity of the Queen and her Consort diffused among the guests a gene ral feeling of esteem and satisfaction. Commerce is in a most depressed state ; and to add to this the merchants are left in a state of uncertainty -re specting the differential duties. The Custom-house Authorities say, that all goods left in bond after the 18th inst., although imported in Portuguese vessels, will not be allowed the 15 per cent., and Strange to say hat, not withstanding a petition has been made by the merchants to the Government, no notice appears to be taken of this important subject. The brig Triune° de Lima, from Rio Janeiro, b oun d to Vienna do Minho, with a cargo of hides, rice, and sugar, put in here in distress on the sth inst., and in con sequence of her hating on board a large quantity of tin manifested tobacco and soap, the vessel has been seized, and the captain thrown into prison. The only vessels of war in the Tagus are the Indust and Revenge (British). FRANCE. CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES.—JAN. 14. The President, M. Sauzet, took the Chair at a Quar ter past Two. The Order of the Day was the reading of the draft of the Address in answer to the Speech from the Throne. The President read it as follows : " SIRE,—The events in which the East has been the theatre have excited your just solicitude. The questions to which they had given rise have reached their term, and your Majesty has concluded with the Emperor of Austria, the Queen of Great Britain, the King of Prus sia the Emperor of Russia, and th e S u l tan, a convention which consecrates the common intention of the Powers to maintain the peace of Europe, and consolidate the re pose of the Ottoman Empire. " Armaments of precaution had imposed great bur thens upon the country ; your Government has already effected large reductions. As the faithful guardians of the payers of taxes, the Chamber of Deputies is rejoiced at this first diminution of the expenditure ; but it regrets to learn that the equilibrium between receipt • and expen diture cannot be at once re-established. When her hon6ur and interest require it, France does not hesitate to • en gage her credit and confide in the future; but this future can only be ensured by prudent reserve. Order in the finances is as important to the power as to the wealth of States. All our efforts will be employed to re-establish it without compromising the public service, and without weakening the defence of the country, and we doubt not that, in order to arrive at this result, a wise economy and the increase of national prosperity will suffice without the necessity of new taxation. Amongst the services for which the Chamber must provide, there is none more worthy of its interest than the execution of the different modes of communication. The expenditure which such works necessitate are ad vances which return to the treasury, and augment the sources of public revenue. The bill, which is to be pre sented to us for the establishment of the principal lines of a grand system of railways, will . be the object of our most attentive examination. "Whilst your INesty's Government is creating in the interior for our agriculture and manufactures rapid and easy means of exchange, it contemplates the extension of our commercial relations, and opening new markets to the productions of our soil and our arts ; the prudence with which it will conduct the negotiations that have been opened must be a guarantee that the national pro ductions will retain the protection that is due to them. " Such labours are honourable to peace, and cause its value to be felt. It is stable because it is fruitful, and its benefits guarantee its duration. You have reason to believe- that it will not be disturbed ; it is with satis faction that the Chamber receives this assurance. Faith ful to the promises which she has made, France de mands with perseverance the accomplishment of the pro mises which she has received. The Chamber reminds Europe of the rights of the Polish nation, so positively stipulated by treaty. " The vigilance of your Government applies itself to preserve from all external difficulty the security of our African "possessions. The hopes and wishes of the Chamber accompany our brave soldiers in the course of those noble labours, the glory and dangers of which your sons love to partake of. We desire that the per severance of a skilful and wise administration may achieve what our arms have commenced, and that our dominion in that laud, for the future and for ever French, may augment our power . as well as do honour to the courage of our army. " We will examine with care the bills of finance, and the various bills which have for object the introduction of useful amelioration into the public administration. " Why, when the voice of the country calls us to these peaceable labours, must the attempts of faction re vive in us grave and sad reflections?- Condemned by pub lic indignation, and punished by the laws, factions have not submitted ; we have witnessed their attempts; and their plots are revealed. „ Their insensate projects me nace not only our institutions; but attack society itself. We may disdain their impotency, but we must watch over their audacity, Your GoVernthent; Sire, will, we are sure, do its duty. It will in all th►ngs, and con stantly, maintain the authority of the laws, and cause them to be respected, alit will itself respect them. You may rely upon our lOyal co-operation. May the zeal of good citizens assist the public authorities of the State, and the whale country, enlightened as to its true in terests, lend its support. Thus strong in union, we shall preserve intact the trust which the Charter has con fided to us. " In the midst of public security, the powerful activity of France will develop itself without shackle, and the equal and pacific liberty which the nation has obtained, and of which it is your Majesty's glory to ensure the possession, will realise all its blessings. " To attain this object of our common efforts, you have, Sire, devoted your wh o l e life. You h ave not i n vain reckoned on the gratitude of the country. The Cham ber of Deputies offer you a soleMn testimonial of it." The President then announced that the Address would be printed and distributed among the Deputies, and stated that those who wished to set down their names to speak on the discussion - could do so to-morrow morning. M. Guizot said, that he now placed upon the Bureau of the Chamber a collection of diplomatic documents relative to the Convention of July 13. They would be placed in the archives of the Chamber to be consulted by the Members. M. Billault asked if these documents included every thing relative to the negotiations ? He also applied for the documents relative to the treaty for the suppression of the slave-trade,. which M. Guizot had refused to com municate to the Committee. M. Guizot said that as the treaty alluded to was not ratified, it was impossible for him to lay it before the Chamber. He (lid not say this to avoid a discussion— for, when the time should come, he would not shrink from it—but from a sense of official duty. As to the negotiations relative to the question of the East, he had brought to the Chamber all the documents that could be communicated. For the present there were some which he could not lay before the Chamber. M. Billault desired that the documents, which were to be placed in the archives of the Chamber, should be printed and distributed. M. Guizot said this was proposition to which he could not consent. Several Deputies at the left of the Chamber exclaimed, " This is done in England." M. Guizot said—l am told of the example of England. We know what is printed in England, but we do not know what is not printed. The English Ministry gives publicity to documents, the publication of which appears to be without danger, but I kiow of many documents in England, which have not been printed. The Chamber will see that there is a.great difference between placing , the documents.in.the archives of the Chamber and - having them printed for . the public. I willingly consent to com municate them•tb the Chamber, but, as the publication of them would be improper, I formally oppose it. M. llierbette-1 ask the Minister formally whether he will consent, to the publication or not. M. Guizot—l have just said that I would not. The PreSident consulted the Chamber as to fixing the day for discussing the Address. Monday was decided upon. £he Chamber adjourned at a quarter to five. --~>: ~.; ~:~ F _ THE KING OF PRUSSIA, On Saturday night two waggons, containing the bag- gage of his Majesty the King of Prussia and of the Noblemen and Gentlemen constituting his suite, arrived from Ostend, and this morning proceed to Windsor Castle. At an early hour, to-morrow morning, her Majesty's steamer Firebrand, Capt. Nott, R.N., commander, will leave Woolwich for Ostend, in order to convey his Majesty to this country. His Excellency Chevalier Bunsen, the Prussian Mi nister, will leave by the Firebrand for Ostend, to meet his Majesty, who is expected, to arrive there on Wednesday. His Excellency will return in company with his Royal master, who is expected to land at Woolwich on Satur day, and from thence will proceed direct to 'Windsor Castle on a visit to the Queen, and no t go to Bucking ham Palace for the night, as was originally intended. Baron Schlenitz, the late Prussian Charge d'Affaires and Baron Canitz, the Chief Secretary of the Legation, as also the Prussian Consul, will attend at Woolwich Dockyard to receive his Majesty. VISIT OF THE KING OF PRUSSIA AND KING - OF BEL• GRIM TO ENGLAND. WOOLWICH, JAN. 15.—1 t was at first anticipated, when the intention of the King of Prussia to visit Eng land to witness the important ceremony about to take place at Windsor Castle was made known, that his will be escortedandt Ma jesty would land at Woolwich owing to its vicinity to the metropolis and the great facilities her Majesty's steam-vessels have of reaching that great naval depot with ease and safety on all occasions. According to the arrangements, however, which are now in progress, the Royal personages will proceed further up the river than Woolwich, and land at Greenwich. An escort of Life Guards has been ordered to be in after they waiting at Greenwich on Saturday next, anti that gallant corps will have the honour of attending on the King of their Majesties to Prussia and the King of Belgium immediately have landed, and will accomPanY Castle: on their routs; Camberwell or Wandsworth, where they will be relieved 'whom by the 11th (or Prince Albert's own) Hussars, by the Royal visitors The Royal party u.ill Londonnsooutthentsidreof the should Wind t so he r weather but proceed along the . _ I nttropolis, ac a splendid retinue, prove favourable their progress companied by will be Witnessed by thousands of spectators to welcome them this to country. t he folci i dge o r at lea ;oY4