The Sun. — London, England, 1842-01-03 00:00:00

EVENING SUN SPEECH OF THE REGENT OF SPAIN. E .Au express from Madrid has brought us the speech Eepartero on the opening of the Cortes on Sunday, the 26th of December. On the arrival of the procession at the Palace of the Senate her Majesty, the Regent, and her Royal Highness the Infanta were received by the deputations of the two Chambers. Her Majesty took her seat on the throne, with her august sister on her left and the Regent upon her right, but one step lower than the throne. • The Ministers and the officers of the Palace sur rounded the throne, The Minister for Foreign Affairs, President of the Council, delivered the following speech to her M a j esty who placed it in the hands of the Regent; and the l a t ter read it in a very audible manner : " SENATORS AND DEPUTIES—It is with a sentiment of lively satisfaction that I present myself for the second time in th e m i dst of you with an adored Queen, in the au gust name a n d d ur i ng the m i nor i ty of w hom I h ave the high honour of exercising the Royal authority, con fided to me by the nation Your patriotism and loyalty inspire 'Me with the confidence that the constitutional Throne will become strengthened and fixed on solid and indestructable bases, and that the prosperity and pros. pests of Our country will be the object of your meditation and wisdom. • " I Can acquaint you, with the utmost pleasure, that our relations with friendly Powers continue to gather strength by the bonds of strict harmony and good intelli gence, which are tightened by sincere friendship. The other nations that have recognised an exalted Queen, preserve those sentiments of justice which dictated that recognition. The Governments which have not taken that step contemplate us without hostility, make con trued inquiries respecting our political situation, and as 1 becomes more stable, the day is not distant, in my opi °inn, when reason shall triumph, and the national cause complete its victory. "It is satisfactory to me to announce to you that the n r i ." Lt Y of peace, amity, an d recogn i t i on w i t h th e repu bli c to - b e Eq iat or h as b een conc l u d e d on b ases h onoura bl e . °th G .tverinents . and useful to their interests, as you " 1 • 11 observ e by the paper that will be laid before you. nr a gents have p rocee d e d t o re p resent h er M a j es ty' s u Overnment at Quito, and to preserve our relations with that State. "Similar treaties have been else concluded with the r ePublies of Uruguay and Chili. When the ratifications are verified, you will be able to judge of the zeal and Patriotism which presided over the negotiations. With the ether republic, not yet recognised, the same conduct be•pursued, in order to produce the same happy re " al becomes n a ti ons w hi c h h ave a common or i g i n . renother t reaty is in course of negotiation with Portugal P e tting s , the n av i gat i on . o f t h e Tagus. "Negotiations are pend i ng w i th d iff erent States to ex pedite and render more free the correspondence so often ebstructed to the prejudice of our interests. " ' En gland has given satisfaction for the disagreeable - occurrence of Carthagena last May, and the French Go- - trnment has seen with pain the violation of the territoty, of the Ald udes. The Government of her Majesty, de siring to remove the causes which haVe always led to these deplorable conflicts, is negotiating a treaty with the King of the French, who has presented a project, met (111 cur part by another on a different basis. The defini tive settlement of this will be made known at the proper I time. ." The revolt w hi c h b ro k e out i n t h e month o f l ast O c - I?ober disturb e d t h e pu b lic tranquillity, and obliged the !Ji yernment to proceed with activity and energy to crush lives i ts origin. Th e const i tut i on , as we ll as th e p rec i ous of our innocent Queen and her august sister, were ruweedmlcoeyd by an armed conspiracy. But Providence ena li al Spaniards to save those dear objects of our ° Pes• All the means at our disposal were employed to repress this horrible attempt, and the hand of justice Chastised the principal delinquents ; their criminal at tempt failed against the firm attitude of the nation, and the energy of the Government. The public vengeance once satisfied, the Government deemed that it might exercise clemency,'and spare the lives of some of the rebels. The events of Barcelona, which sprang from an abuse of confidence, obliged the Government to declare that rich arid populous city in a state of siege. This mea sure, which had for its object to avoid the effusion of °°d, produc e d ne i t h er v i o l ence nor pun i shments, so that these punishments might be executed according to the ordinary laws, when the legal situation of these was re established. The tribunals are busy with the causes to be tried, as actively as the administration of justice re quires. "Since these events peace has been restored through out the whole monarchy by the triumph of the laws, and every cause of new disturbances has disappeared. " The valiant army and resolute national militia de fended the Constitution and the laws with loyalty, and the country is grateful for their services. " The roads under the care of Government were in a bad state, in consequence of their being necessarily neg lected (luring the civil war, which concluded with so much glory. But the persevering efforts of Government have produced satisfactory results. New roads have been constructed in great part, repairs have been effected, and materials have been collected for more than GOO leagues of road. Those from 'Valencia and Corunna may be begun next spring. Some bridges have also been commenced, and other works requisite for the in ternal traffic of the country. The remarkable develop inent.of mining industry claims especial attention. Ef forts on this point have produced new works and enter prises. The sad state of the 'public stores; in conse quence of calamiti e s w hi c h h ave a ffli cte d t h e country f or half a century, has induced the Government► to encou rage the e sta bli shment of agricultural banks, of which the result i s hi g h ly beneficial to the agricultural classes. The .s Gover nment persists in the intention of realising Lin measure, and it hopes by this means to augment the public wealth. A`ci_P_ushlic instruction has received great amelioration. werr...l4,erable number of parishes; or communes, which "'Tout the first elements of education, enjoy at p re sent s ,,... his i ndispensable element of civilisation. In 114."Ttetprnovoifnces normal schools have been opened, in te. at the villages of the Peninsula. By the aid of pro ether ob. neial ta municipal Corporations the Government has Pul se to leets in preparation, which will give a great im obstruct P l h,lic education, and remove the errors which class of ei'Lleto.order to improve; the secondary and hi g h er its ,i last h !e a s r s til i o att "' a law is necessary, that the Cortes, in T °A the most n, had not t i me to discuss or adopt. Y and provincial militia have been organised t b h e e rs pe , th ea or e i l itere. fr eetive term s ; the diminution of its num duced suPpression of the Royal Guard, have pro the which must lighten the burdens of tefoenretuna.tely, circumstances have not per wished the laetle this economy as far as could be regi ments to r t ellion having required the provincial defend the cou'uct in concert with the regular forces to The vialiant a r r Y rn . days to the natio y, which has given so many glorious last August. prrserves the organisation given to it It is re ul vernment best ows un g n i arly provisioned, and merits.lts morale and discipline_t the preference that it and patriotism t, ..uara are excellent, and its fidelity obstacles in the-uintal " The levy o q • tee obedience to the Government. in such operatic of 50,000 men took place without pr3vinces, although with the delay usual tered th e More than 30,000 have already en tered the regiments have begun to fill up their deficiencies. ameliorated ameliorated The l aw voted by the Cortes has ar th at Passive (non-fighting) portion of the my, and th e executors of thislaw willconsole those who have spent their best years in the service of their country. promptitude is administered with such regularity and 8 ptitud e as our present Legislation permits, but will soon be reformed by codes now in preparation, to be presented to the Cortes. hi `: . The la w permitting to cut off entails begins to .gaLen land e d property of its burdens, and these advan tages extend to all those interests in which nature and e .. 1 v 9, oblig a ti ons h ave conferred the right of claiming their legitimate dues. The chaplaincies in the gift of individuals avid lay benefices are given by the law to the owner of the property. " The advantages of this law may be appreciated by the considerable value which it puts in circulation. " The decree of the 29th of June, by which divers mea sures were adopted, and the manifesto published in reply to the impolitic allocation of the Pope, have put a stop , to the aggressions which menaced the nation and the I Government. • " Different means have been adopted for the accom plishment of the law of worship, and the management of the clergy, and Government will 'exert all its power to fulfil its religious obligations for the benefit of the nation and Church, and important data have been obtained to bring this new and necessary work to a conclusion. " The especial tribunals of the Royal Household and Patrimony have been aboli s h e d, as incompatible with the Constitution. Thc , shiatiou of coloni a l functionaries has been ameliorated by the establishment of rules wildh correct the clauses introduced by time. " The Gove rnmen t exerts i tself w i th zeal to introduce and is firmly resolved to puni s h f rau d s. Th e augmentation off. the Public f un d s , an d t h e decree of centralization, ave enabled us to fulfil our obligations with more punc tuality than in former years. The tariff law, voted No t7nnaber I s t, offers no certain basis to calculate its advan e 's but as it h as b een extended to all the provinces, without excepting the Basque, I hope for many results. a ev o e , g eneral direct or o f customs, tar i ffs, and public Qnse ues, has been created without augmentation and in place of the old Junta and Administration. 41 7 . taws centralising the bills of last year's contracts L a e ,„_ l n course of execution, and the salt and stamp duty oblie enabled us to procure funds to meet privileged op„ ga t t . i ° ll s• A strong impulse has been given to tho pz:steoinnts preliminary to the sale of ecclesiastical pro v,rilY_ by measures tending to obviate fraud, and the Go hopes that the law will soon become perfect. si a . stie a ,es of national property proceeding from eccle- T4seal establishments extinct, continue with activity. P1\441441" continue to augment th e mass o f p r i vate % I St eol - and to diminish our public debt. The wise I)r odne Pursued by the Government in all its acts has 1 1 4 ,ent o V i t ,he happiest results. I-hope that, after the pay r Luc transatlantic debt, we may henceforth meet tetvi egelarity the di ff erent expenses of the "kN, et '• Credi t • 441, merits a special attention, and the ne t„ y public f (1 ,.. pi tui L"s . have been prepared to pay the interests of f . • ation at home and abroad. The national and creditor'4lth;,,, will thus learn how religiously we keep "Ti l 'ttur for which Spain has ever been renowned. oGfetvhert :a4v.Y' which formerly was the glory and honour rtiehnisli nat i on, was reduced to the lowest ebb. he alth t o co nv i nce d t h at this force. gives life and aome s hi ps fates, had p a id i t regu l ar l y, an d h as put ve • ve ssels of P.s I ill repair to cruis e upon t h e coast . O t h er i.i' r lous classes- Wave been put in a state to ren t() p orte nt service. Others are pu in commission, core,: l ' er " ... .t? our eoloilie, should it be t e ecessary. The as th e L e as navy occupies the attention of - Government of a military navy, and as the surest means .•••........"" *P. e Albert , uite. and Divine le Castle. tted, and i verse 01 Luke; them ill Charles Ladies of 1 Royal , hems was holl, And ce Albert ids of the went to Viscount has suc' 'tilting 0 0 HI Major i Waiting tang aj est, Viscount lyss, Mr. Colonel al Dinner esse Phi' isited her erday at visited ign-offiee, vith Lord ernor of 'est Indio from the E. he publiC s to work, presence" :s detail' ;us cannot ;may. 11 in a state umber of " with• deuce 0? Le indiri' to 1,146 , - 1 are, of avour t° wont o ' , >cure the re no vi' weekly Pe r e shilling umber -13 than tw o • ow three dation m that Lye the o it got 1 1 1/ have no l p olio" t r t genera , oninlitte e in their. ;hureh Ind their, [lead an d 3 preseli, devise. a town acres be, is at th ls meaty o poeticalinalloy e sot/ .he poP,t r , xard, 01 7, modoret re of nguishi 31ific al? of peril 1; in liv j Wild an j , 'as nulc; ouch au' .rly been sociatiO l rbani nt, ti; any _ ing ' arra r 41, John fo r a 1?f to th eft d Lees orktneul !nt 00' u'l l° collision ,ur iver 43 Dlitchel Crouch Fl os 'ord, tb ° wtl - i n g es' ov er lly can wil" e fares • the Gad? eivcd Led. it unWev f memb er 3 use " v utiw randY' • off, f°t Hoge' yerpoo i r' g Poe le Pr, e l servi- - , e ighth he t to „., h h a p, ,quirebu the 1 " he )y I n dia in her d thsC 'eight!, es. A: led o°l' ice of ;eases' afire wilt 01 k.GIC' of promoting industrial and commercial prosperity. Since Vie t ,ration of peace the mercantile movement is reviving.:To it the confidence of tranquillity is necessary. "Thanks to these elements, thanks to the liberty in herent in 'our institutions, and to the protection of a just and strong Government, agriculture, industry, and commerce, will recal the highest degree of prosperity which our fertile territory' and geographical position are capable of. To attain this end Government is decided to protect the spirit of association that devejopes itself everywhere, and by which a vigorous impulse is given to every branch of public wealth. " The transmarine provinces, always faithful to the Government of the mother country, continue to give proofs of adherence and respect.. The peace which reigns there has not been disturbed under its auspices, and with the paternal protection of Government, have attained a remarkable degree of prosperity. " Actuated by the prudence required by the interests of these rich provinces, the Government has submitted to the Junta for the revision of special laws various plans capable of beirg applied in promoting the good of the inhabitants and prosperity of the islands. " The treaty of commerce concluded with the republic , of the Equador shall be laid before you. Its provisi,9ns are advantageous to both states, and I do not doubt that you will give it your approval. " The Government, sincerely attached to the repre sentative system, is anxious to augment the guarantees calculated to secure stability and permanency to the con stitution, under the sway of. which we have the happi ness to live. "With this view, there will be presented to you a pro ject of Ministerial responsibility, designed to act as a check on men invested with power, and to secure the po litical principles of the Spanish nation. The necessity for ameliorating the public administration, and for har monizing with the constitution of the State the organic law which is legitimately derived from it, induces the Government to submit to the Cortez projects of laws on the organization and functions of the municipalities, the ' provincial deputations, and the political chiefs. There will also be presented to you a project of law on the li berty of the press, tending to suppress the abuses and check the license under which defamation is pursued upon system, calumny promulgated on calculation, and conspiracy against the Constitution instigated by sordid interest. Desirous to establish uniformity to the admi-. nistration of all the provinces, in a manner equally con formable to the welfare of the nation and to the public faith, the Government has thought it a duty to present a project of law to modify the fueres of the Basque pro vinces. The good order of the administration requires a .new division of territory that shall remedy the defects pointed out by experience in the present one ; for this purpose a project of law will be submitted to you, for which the public advantage loudly calls. " There will likewise be laid -before you a project of law for the organisation of the tribunals and of the ma gistracy, and another on the permanency and responsi bility of the Magistrates and Judges. The spirit of the age and the progress of legislative science, the security of person and of property; will no longer permit that the judicial power should any longer remain in its pre sent state ; and it is time that laws should be established for its organisation, in conformity with those constitu tional principles which ought to be religiously observed. The Government will submit for your consideration other laws intended to regulate the registries and nota rial offices of the kingdom, the scale of judicial fees, the powers of (injusticia notoria) nullity in law, and finally, other projects of law for the organisation of the eccle siastical tribunals, as well as in reference to the aposto lical reserves. " The budget will also be submitted for your conside ration, in order that you may examine it with all the care called for by the peremptory necessities of the public service and by the general good. If the ordinary reve nues should not suffice to cover the national expenses, the Government will offer to you the means of meeting them. The vicissitudes that the country and the public Administration have had to undergo in past years, have given rise to a considerable number of retiring pensions. Necessity requires, and propriety su g gests , that the existing arrangements should b e modified. A project of law to this effect will be laid before you. " Other plans of reform will be presented to you, in conformity with economical science and the wants of the people. " To purify, as much as'possible the operations on the Bourse, the Government has adopted certain measures which have produced effects advantageous to credit and to.private property ; and in order to carry out this plan, there will be presented to you a project of law that shall go to prevent the Bourse from being the cause of ruin to numerous families, who there compromise their fortunes in imprudent speculations. _ " Messieurs les Senateurs and Deputes—The eyes of the nation are fixed upon you ; its hopes repose on your integrity and your patriotism ; to yon is eCiifideil a great regenerating duty ; and the book of immortality re serves for you a golden page. Rely npon - my exertions, and upon the honest heart of a soldier, who has always conglit for the liberty and glory of his country. Do not forget that factions, as powerless as they are criminal, aim in their madness at attacking. the Constitution and the Throne, in the hope of bringing discredit on the sacred cause which we defend, and of exciting Europe against us. Let us bind more closely the ties of sincere union, and consolidate the Constitutional Throne of a young Queen, whose magical name has always van quished the enemies of liberty. For myself I have no ambition ; my life belongs to my country ; and the glory of having served it in good faith will form my prtrimony. " May the existing Constitution, the Throne of the young Isabella, the national independence, and the Go vernment created by the will of the people, be the ob jects of our fidelity, and guide us in our legislative la bours for the conslidation of a strong and just Govern ment, which, avoiding the snares laid for it by ambitious factions, shall for ever assure the prosperity and the hap piness of the nation !" The Coriress, or the Chamber of Deputies, was in stalled cn the previous day. The Bureau was composed of M. Gill Muno, President, as senior Member ; of M. Fernandez de los Rios, as Vice-President ; MM. So moza, Prim, Sanchez, Silba, and Monedero, the youngest Deputies were nominated Secretaries. The returns of ninety-five Deputies were verified ; among those pre sent was remarked M. Olozaga. Lots were afterwards drawn for the deputation carged to accompany the Queen, and the sitting then broke up. PORTUGAL. FALMOUTH, JAN. 1.-By the Tagus steamer, arrived last evening, we received the accompanyinc , despatches. Her dates of leaving are from Gibraltar 23d, Cadiz 24th, Lisbon 27th, Oporto 28th, and Vigo 29th ult. Also arrived this morning two of the Royal Mail Steam-packet Company's vessels, viz., the Thames, from London, and Tay, from Southampton. The former pro ceeds on Monday, the 3d instant, with mails for Berbice, Demerara, Tobago, and Havannah ' • and the latter will also leave the same day with mails for Barbadoes and the other West India islands. The light winds, with thick and hazy weather, the past week, have prevented the arrival at several vessels expected:from the westward. LISBON, DEC. 27.—The grand event of the week which has just terminated is the result of the municipal elections, which is most decidedly, and contrary to general expectation, favourable to the present Ministers. Those elections commenced on Sanday, the 19th instant, and great were the preparations which had been made on both sides for the contest. The mode of taking the suffrages being by secret ballot, nothing like accurate knowledge could be obtained until the scrutiny and formal declaration both were over. The real state of things was speedily made manifest in the declaration of the return, by a most triumphant majority of the friends of tranquillity, order, and good government. It is im possible to overrate the importance of this event, in strengthening the hands of a soundly-reforming and wisely economic Ministry, in blasting the hopes of Re volutionary and Republican conspirators, in checking the hostile advances of Spain, and the insidious ma nceuvres of France, in withering the growing might of the Septembrista party, in facilitating the means of keep ing faith with the public creditor, in smoothing the way for the completion of unpopular, but indispensable, finan cial reforms, and in fortifying a weak and decayed dynasty against the masked batteries and mines of every description of secret confederation, club, and cabal. On the 24th instant the French frigate La Belle Pottle, commanded by Prince sle Joinville, arrived in the Tagus, from New York in 24 days, accompanied by the b r i g Cassard. After landing at the Arsenal his Royal High ness proceeded immediately :o the Palace, and it is said he will make a stay here of some days. He is escorted about by the King, and his appearance is anything but prepossessing. As a stranger. common courtesy, to say nothing of his high rank as a Prince, should compel him to repay with urbanity the civilities and greetings which everywhere await him; but his Royal Highness appears wholly indifferent to the attentions bestowed upon him by this polite people—a circumstance which is rendered more remarkable from his being a native of the country proverbial for its etiquette and bonhommie. The ships of war fn the Tagus are the Indus and Re venge (British line), La Belle Poule, mentioned above, brig Cassard, steamer Lavoisier (French). Yesterday Prince de Joinville dined with their Majes ties at the Palace of the Necessidades, and was knighted by the Queen with the Grand Cross of the Order of the Tower and Sword. The Baron Renduffe goes passenger in the Tagus steamer, which takes the mail of to-day. Re is appointed y Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of Berlin. FALSE ALARM IN A CHURCH —On Sunday, during the celebration of last mass in the church of St. Andrew, Westland-row, some person inside the sacred edifice, whether through a malicious motive, in order to cause mischief, or from fancied apprehension of danger, called out that the gallery was falling. This was natu rally enough followed by a rush on the part of the more timid of the congregation towards the principal doors. Two policemen on duty - outside, rightly judging the alarm to be unfounded, immediately closed the doors, and thus prevented the serious consequences that would, no doubt, have ensued from the indiscriminate-forcing of a body consisting of hundreds of individuals through comparatively narrow passages, and down a flight of some half a dozen steps. Confidence and order were in a very brief space restored, and the celebration of divine service was concluded without further' interruption.— Dublin Freeman. STATE OF TRADE.---WE regret to state that the trade in this town is as dull as ever. Go where we will we are assailed on all sides with complaints as to the slackness of business. The shopkeepers, in particular, suffer severely. Nor is the slate trade, the staple produce of the country, that which gives employment to so many thousands of our fellow countrymen, and on which so Many depend for their daily bread, in a more flourish ing condition. The freight, we understand, which owners of vessels now obtain for a cargo hence to Lon don, Is only 13s. per ton, and, at the commencement of the year just closed it was 20s. for the same weight. Does not this fact speak volumes ?—Carnarvon Herald. PUBLIC MEETING AT MAN- CHESTER A meeting of Deputies from operative Anti-Corn-law Associations was held yesterday (New Year's-day), at the rooms of the League, which had been lent for the purpose. Deputies from many of the principal towns in England and Scotland attended. A considerable number of communications were also received from Associations which are not able to bear the expense of sending repre sentatives to the meeting. ' Afterwards a public meeting of the inhabitants of Manchester was held at twelve o'clock, in the Town-hall, the large room of which was filled to overflowing. The meeting was held for the purpose of petitioning Parlia ment against the Corn laws. The Chartists were present in a considerable body, forming about one-fifth of the entire number; and on John Brooks, Esq., being pro posed as chairman, raised a great clamour, but were ul timately restored to tolerable artier on one of their leaders declaring that they were in a decided minority. After speeches from the Chairman, Mr. Rawson, Mr Falvey of Macclesfield, and two other gentlemen, the following petition was carried by a great majority amidst loud cheers:— " To the Honourable the Commons of Great Britain and Ireland in Parliament assembled. "The humble petition of the inhabitants of Manches ter in public meeting assembled : "Sheweth,—That your petitioners conceive that no class in the community ought to be protected by law in the perpetration of injustice ; that no individual or class has a right (under the protection of a Legislature which ought to be the representative of impartial justice to all), to live without labour, eat of the produce of the toil of any other individual or class; and, therefore, as it has often been declared by Parliament that the wages of the working men cannot be raised, maintained, or fixed by law, it is inconsistent and unjust by law to raise, main tain, or fix the price of the food of the working man; and as they know it has been proved before the Committees of your Honourable House that corn can be grown in Great Britain and sold by British farmers at 40s. a quarter, or 245. a quarter less than the price which it is the intention of the Corn-laws to fix it at ; and, also, that by the evidence of Mr. J. D. Hume, given also be fore the Committee of your Honourable House, it has been proved that the Corn and Provision-laws inflict an annual burthen upon the people of at least 58,000,000/, a sum three times as great as is the entire annual wages of all the persons engaged in the cotton manufac ture, and more than twice as great as the whole amount of the annual wages. paid to the millions of the best paid agricultural labourers ; they do most earnestly pray your Honourable House will immediately obey the voice of justice, by the total abolition of the unchristian and immoral Corn and Provision-laws, and thus show to those disposed otherwise to doubt it, that you are the supporters of right, even though it may be upheld by wealth and power, and not the upholders by the abuse of law of the tyranny and injustice of a small but rich and powerful fraction of the community.—(Applause.) " And your petitioners would further express to your Honourable House, that the Corn and Provison-laws,. in the present or a similar form, have taken at least 58,000,0001. per annum out of the pockets of the indus trious and suffering portion of the community for 26 years, and thus have inflicted a total burthen of 1,300,000,000/., which vast sum has enriched and overfed the landowners of the country at the expense of the misery and privation of the people and premature death by legal famine of vast numbers. Therefore your peti tioners would humbly suggest to your Honourable House the immediate appointment of a Committee, whose task it should be to ascertain in what manner the injured people of Great Britain and Ireland may be best compensated for the great loss and damage they have for so long a period sustained, whether by a bounty upon the importation of foreign corn, or by any other plan which shall, by the superior wisdom of Parliament, ap pear to be best adapted to answor the object in view. " And your petitioners, in conclusion, would direct the attention of your Honourable House to the present unjustifiable small amount of the burdens of the state de frayed by the land-tax; and would humbly pray that, as the rental of land has risen enormously since the im position of the present tax upon it, the tax may be in creased in proportion ; and that thus about 20,000,000/. per annum may be taken off the shoulders of labour and placed upon the rich proprietors of the soil. It was then moved and seconded, that the petition be presented to the Commons by the Members for the borough, and to the Lords by the Earl of Radnor, and the motion was carried without opposition. MEETING OF SPITALFIELDS SILK WEAVERS. On Saturday night a general meeting of the trade of the Spitalfields silk weavers was held at the Crown and Anchor, Waterloo-town, Bethnal-green, for the purpose of receiving the report of the acting Committee appointed to investigate the state and condition of the silk weavers in that district. Several femalei were present. Mr. BRITTEN having been appointed to the chair said, that he was sorry he was under the necessity of again having to address them on the subject of their present state of starvation. There was 500 or GOO men there that night, many of whom had not a dinner for their families to-morrow. This is a most distressing case, to have no food for your wives and familieS, and if you apply to the parish what do you get? Stone-breaking! And a man who has a wife and four children, what can he earn at that ? He must go again and again to the stone-yard before he can earn a shilling. A weaver knows nothing at all about stone-breaking ; he is not fit for it ; yet he is sent to the stone-yard if he applies fur relief, and there he is confined and locked up. Mr. Fox said, that at the last meeting they were in formed that three of the Committee would pay a visit to the district, and which bad been done. He (Mr. Fox), Mr. Claisse, the Secretary, and Mr. Hornhy, had visited nearly 800 families in three days, and they had found that their previous account as to the state of the distress was not at all exaggerated.—(Hear, hear.) They had seen many instances where children had been crying for bread. One-half the looms were unemployed, while those at work were not fully so ; there were many houses, also, which were unoccupied where there used to be weavers who had their looms. There were seve ral cases where a weaver had formerly his looms with decent furniture, but it was gone, and he was now left without bed or lothing for his large family. They had Mr. Millar, Secretary to the Committee in commu nication with the Lord Mayor, at Mr. Hanbury's brew ery, and he informed them that an early meeting of the Committee would take place to make arrangements for the distribution of the funds raised for their relief. He was glad that some. allusion had been made to the eruelties of the stone-yard. It was an act of cruelty to y put a man who had been brought up to the silk trade to the task of stone. breaking.--(Hear.) In the year 1837 there was a special order that no man who was engaged in the silk trade should be put to stone breaking, and the reason was, that if, on leaving the workhouse, they had work, they could not do it on ac count of the state of their hands.—(Hear.) That order was obtained in consequence of certain disclosures made at a meeting held at the Camden Head. Their cause was taken up by the press, and the consequence was, that there was a spicial meeting of the Board of Guar dians to inquire into the case, and that a special order was made that no silk-weaver should he put to the stone-yard. But time had gone on, and the old system had come round again. He knew that the parish was in difficulties, and that it was impossible for them to sup port the poor they had. But if the weavers were broken down by poverty, they might be treated with humanity. Afeer soma further discussion the report of the Com mittee was then unanimously received, and Mr. Honsrssr moved, and Mr. CLAISSE seconded, a resolution pledging the meeting to oppose the cruel prac tice of sending the silk-weavers to the stone-yard, which was una4imonsly agreed to. FRIGHTFUL MURDER of an IDIOT. We copy from the Monitor au account of one of the most diabolical outrageS that ever was perpetrated in any country, even amongst savage tribes. It is the murder of a poor idiot, under circumstances of the most shock ing barbarity. UnWilling to believe in the possibility of such a fiendish criine, tke perpetrators being described as military gentlemen, on a visit near Philipstown, we expressed our disbelief of the statement. But just before going to press, we learned, with horror, that the Outrage. actually occurred, and that the description given by our Contemporary is correct in all material particulars. It seems that a mock inquest was held—that some of the delinquents have fled, and that the Government, as far as we are yet apprised from official or other sources has taken no step for the arrest of the diabolical wretches concerned in this most dreadful murder.—Dublin Even ing Post. [The following is the statement referred to. Some of the particulars appeared in The Sun last week, but it appeared so incredible that an atrocity of the kind should be passed over or hushed up in a Christian country, that we attached little credit to it.--ED. Sun.] TilE SUN, LONDON MONDAY, JA: . /41/AliT 3, 1442. WOOLWICH-FRIDAY. ROYAL ARTILLERY. Further experiments with the percussion lock on a six-pounder gun have been very satisfactorily carried on in the Royal Arsenal during the week, and it is fully expected they will ultimately be adopted for heavy ord nance. The retirement of Lieutenant-Colonel Sinclair on full pay, which is daily looked for, will promote Major Re mer, the Deputy-Assistant Quartermaster-General, to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. Rumour gives the situ ation of Deputy-Assistant Quartermaster-General to Major Sandelands, Royal Horse Artillery ; and the troop which will consequently be vacated loy him to to Captain Bloomfield ; and it is also expected that Ma jor Romer, on his promotion, will proceed to Plymouth to take the command of the Royal Artillery at that station. Colonel Dyneley, C. 8., Commanding Officer of the Royal Artillery, gave a splendid dinner to the Staff- Sergeants of the brigade at the Queen's Arms Tavern, on the occasion of his promotion to Colonel and Aide-de- Camp to the Queen. There' were 18 present, and the chair was filled by Quartermaster-Sergeant Bowman, the oldest non-commissioned officer in the brigade, and per haps in the army, as he has been 47 years in the regi ment. The vice-chair was filled by Quartermaster-Ser geant Hunter, the next in seniority. The usual loyal toasts having been drank, the health of Colonel Dyne ley, their respected commanding officer, and long life to him to enjoy his new honourable appointment, was given from the chair, and drunk by the company with the greatest enthusiasm. The evening was spent in the most delightful harmony, and the party did not break up till a very late hour. It was rather remarkable that this dinner took place accidentally on the anniversary of the day on which the Gallant Colonel commenced his ca reer as an artillery officer 40 years ago. At the conclusion of the year it may not be considered inappropriate to make a few observations on the benefit the service has received by the publication, in a fair and impartial manner, of matters immediately connected with it. It is more than ordinary gratification to know that durfng the last six months there has not been a sin gle instance of corporal punishment being inflicted on any person belonging to the RoyaMtegitnent of Artil lery in the garrison at 'Woolwich, and there is reason to believe the same could not be said of any similar period of time since the formation of the corps. This most pleasing result has arisen, not so much from the fear of the infliction of the punishment itself, as from the know ledge that the names of those who should be so de graded would be made public, and their relations and the friends of their youth become acquainted with the crimes for which they were made to suffer. On former occasions it was too often the case that the infliction of corporal punishment, however justly the party merited it, obtained for him the sympathy of a portion of the press. and the consequence was he was held up as- a martyr, and many others, from bravado alone and the hope of being noticed, were induced to commit crimes which they were aware would render them liable to the same punishment, Fortunately for the men, a better system now exists, and its good effects have already been felt and appreciated both by officers and those under their command. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. The Driver, steam-vessel.—Commander S. Harmer, pro ceeded from Woolwich to Deptford dockyard on Thurs day, and was taken into dock there to examine her bot tom, and have her defects made good. The Vixen steam-vessel.--Com. Boyes, left Woolwich, on the 28th, under orders, to proceed to South America. The Growler steam-vessel.----Mr. W. F. Castor has been appointed Surgeon,and Dr. C. Forbes, Assistant-surgeon. The Lightning steam-vessel.—Hugh Berners has been appointed to the command of this vessel, vice Waugh, promoted. The mates of the Royal Navy are to take rank in the Navy List in future according to their first warrants as such, agreeable to the following regulation : " The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty are pleased to direct, that in cases of a midshipman having completed the required time to entitle him to pass for a Lieutenancy, when the ship to which he belongs shall happen to be detached so as to prevent his obtaining at the moment an examination according to the established regulations, the captain or commander of the said ship or vessel in which such midshipman may be serving, with the senior Lieutenant or second officer, and the master or second master (according to the class of the ship and the rank of the officers on board of her), as sisted by the naval instructor, if there be one on board, may proceed to examine such midshipman as to his qualification to perform the duties of a Lieutenant of her Majesty's navy, and if they find him to be in their opinions duly qualified, they are to give him a certificate to that effect, dated on the day of such examination, and the captain may forthwith give him an acting order as mate, and if on the first opportunity that shall afterwards offer for his being re examined according to the established regula tions he passes successfully, his rank as mate shall be enrolled according to the date of his first provisional certificate above ordered." Some degree of jealousy haring existed betwixt the gunners, boatswains, and carpenters, of her Majesty's service and the first class engineers, in consequence of the latter adopting the embossed button on their uniform instead of engraved buttons according to order, the fol lowing alterations have been made : " With reference to the memorazium of the 23d of November, 1837, directing that the first class engineers of her Majesty's steam-vessels shall wear the same uni formas the gunners, boatswains, and carpenters of her Majesty's fleet, the Lords Commissioners of the Ad miralty are pleased to direct 'that the uniform to be worn by the first class engineers, in order to distinguish theta from other classes of officers, shall in future be as follows : " Coat.—Blue cloth, double breasted; buttons having a steam-engine, with a crown above, embossed on them, to be placed four and four, a large button of the same kiad on the collar. "Waistcoat.—With buttons similar to those on the coat. " Trowers.—Plain blue cloth. " Cap.—With a narrow gold lace band." SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. LATEST BETTING AT MANCHESTER—FRIDAY. DERBY.-8 to 1 agst Attila (taken), 10 to 1 agst Chat ham (taken), 25 to 1 agst Robert De Gorham, 25 to 1 agst Ballinkeele, 33 to 1 agst Wiseacre (taken), 40 to 1 agst Meteor (taken), 37 to 1 agst William De Fortibus (taken), 40 to 1 agst Dirce colt. OAKS.-6 to 1 agst Passion, 11 to 1 agst sister to Yorkshire Lad, 14 to 1 agst Lass of Lon•ton, 18 to 1 agst Baleine filly. CHESTER TRADES CUP (enter or not).-20 to lon the field, 25 to 1 agst Prince Caradoc, 30 to 1 agst The Dean, 6 to 1 agst Scott's lot, 8 to 1 agst Dawson's lot, 0 to 1 agst the Irish lot, and 12 to 1 agst the Welsh lot. COURSING. LANARKSHIRE AND RENFREWSHIRE CLUB, DEC. 16 AND 24.—The Wine Slide and Stakes of 30/. were won by Mr. A. Graham's His Royal Highness, and his 0 yes 1 0 yes ! 0 yes ! The Champion Collar and States of 121. were won by Sir A. W. Maxwell's Mo narch, beating Mr. A. Graham's Molly Loo. The Pol lokshaw's Stakes of 141. were won by Mr. J. L. Ewing's Earl, beating Mr. A. Pollok's Phillip. The Darnley Stakes of 91. were won by Mr. Pollok's Gipsy. HUNTING APPOINTMENTS. Her Majesty's stag-hounds will meet on Friday at Brick-bridge, at 11. Mr. TudWiy's hds., Wed., Bertleigh Hill Cross ; Fri., Redlynch Gate. ___. . Warwickshire hds., Tues., Mitford-bridge ; Thurs:, Alveston House ; Sat., Farnborough-10f. Mr. Hellier's hds., Wed., Dunchurch ; Fri., Castle Bromwich. Brighton hars., Wed., Patcham; Fri., Dyke-road-101 Brookside hars., Thurs., Telscombe Tye-101. Mr. Mare's hds., Thum:, Woolpit Heath-10i. Mr. Candler's hds., Wed., Himbleton ; Fri., Grafton Mill—lq. Cheshire hds., Wed., Duddon Heath ; Thurs., ditto ; Sat., Tilstone-101. Shropshire hds., Wed., Pimhill ; Fri., 0 teley Park-10i East Kent hays., Tues., Winghara-street ; Thurs., Pineham ; Fri., Tele gr aph - 101. 0 Findon hds., Tues., Irolrabush ; Thurs., Dial Post ; Sat., Hurston. Tickham hds., Thurs., Key-street. Somerset Subscription hds., Tees., Bagborough Plan tation ; Sat., Cleeve-hill-14. Mr. Meynell's lids., Tues., Kedleston Inn ; Thurs., Radborne ; Sat., Swarkstone-bridge-10i. Herefordshire hds., Tues., Aeotnbury Turnpike-10. Mr. Atty's hds., Tu., 13ryni-y-pys ; Fr., Charlton Hall. United Pack., Wed., Broadway-9. Holderness lids., Tues., Kilnwick Percy • Thurs., Burton Constabl e ; Fri., Lmdesbro-gate-10i ilarewood hds., Wed., Hook Moor ; Fri., Bickerton bar-10i. Sirli. Sutton's hds., Tues., North Caulton; Wed., &op wick ; Thurs., Gate Burton ; Sat., Newhall Common-11. F. B. H., Fri., South Turnpike -gate, near Redruth-10. Wynyard hds., Thurs., Bradbury-bridge ---104. Lieut.-Col., Hild yar d' s hars., Wed., the Kennels ; Fri., Stainton-104. Atherstone hds., Tues., Newbold-gate ; Thurs., Bit teswell ; Sat., Bosworth-101. Shute House beagles, Fri., Shapwick. Major-Gen. Wyndham's hds., Wed.,ifold ; Fri., Pep per 'farrow ; Sat., Oakhurst. E. Kent lads., Wed., West Brabourn ; Fr., Reindeer-10. Oakley hds., Tues., Riseley ' • Thurs., the London entrance to Woburn Park ; Sat., Cranfield-11. Mr. A. Smith's hds., Tues., Netheravon ; Thurs., Daily Wood • Fri., Crowdo wn Cl ump -11. Pytchley lids., Wed., North Kilworth ; Fri., Sulby ; Sat., Pytehley-101. Mr. Russell's has., Wed., Butcher Race ; Fri., Don nington ; Sat., Farnborough -10. Ifeythrop hds., Wed., New Barn ; Fri., Addlestrop gate-10i. FROM TEE EVENING PAPERS OE SATURDAY. GLOBE.--The great importance of the subject affords us sufficient excuse for recurring again to the system at present pursued in the management of rail roads, particu:arly es at the inquest held yesterday, on the body of another victim to the late horrible catas trophe on the Great Western line, certain facts were adduced in evidence that are by no means calculated to restore public confidence in the security of railway tra velling. It appears from the testimony of the engineers, their assistants, and their foremen, that all had done their duty most rigidly before the accident occurred ; and that nothing any one of them was able to do could have possibly prevented its happening. The engineers had no idea of a slip being likely to take place, because their assistants had given them no intimation of any thing, of the kind ; and the latter were, of course, wholly blame less, because the foremen had made no report to them which could induce a supposition that there %as reason to apprehend, in or near the fatal spot, the calamity which so soon transpired. The foremen ere, of course, innocent, because they did net see anythiig which caused them to expect what afterwards occurred ; and therefore there is no one in fault ; and, however deplo rable the result, just such another event is likely to occur, any day in the week, on the best regulated railways. This would be true enough if the present system is allowed to continue ; but we would suggest that the process we have above described, of foremen reporting to assistant engineers, who report to the principals, should be entirely reversed, and that the engineers should report to the assistants, who should in their turn communicate with the foremen, who are mere work men, and as such are well qualified to repair a breach when it has taken place, but are not likely to be enabled to make those scientific observations by which its oc currence may be foreseen and prevented. The duty now imposed on the chief engineer is to take a cursory glance at the line—that of the assistants is to make a superficial observation—and it is left to the foremen to inspect minutely, with thc view of ascertain ing where there is danger to be apprehended ; and they, of course, being little better than labourers, are wholly unable to draw scientific deductions, from which ap pearances that are trifles in their eyes would be found to indicate the contingency of certain disastrous results, that might, by timely precaution, be altogether obviated. We cannot take upon ourselves to say, that if it had been Mr. Brunei's duty to inspect minutely instead of to view superficially the spot where the accident occurred, it would have been possible for him to have detected symptoms of the slip, and to have guarded successfully against it ; but he would undoubtedly have been more likely to have done so than the men to whom the duty of inspec tion is entrusted, and the public are assuredly entitled to demand that the greatest precaution possible shall be taken in a manner so much affecting their safety. If such things are liable to happen every day, we can only say that railroad travelling is a more hazardous matter than we have usually considered it ; since, if accidents that kill a dozen people at a time are incidents that no skill can prevent, or no caution guard against, the fashion of making wills before taking a journey of a few hundred miles will soon be revived, and insurance offices will begin to have new rates for persons accustomed to railway travelling. STANDARD.—We gave yesterday, in our Second Edition, the whole of the Correspondence between the British and United States Governments, as to " the right of search." It may be right to explain that the " right of search" claimed by Great Britain and the rest of the civilised nations of the earth is reciprocal, and that it does not extend beyond the ascertaining, by an in spection of a ship's papers, her right to the flag which she Clinks proper to display. From the acknowledg ment of such a right the United States indignantly re coils, upon what principle it is impossible to conceive without admitting suspicions which we are sure must be undeserved. Happily, the manifest necessity for the exercise of such a reciprocal right for the suppres sion of the slave trade has been so clear to the United States officers, employed in concert with the British and other officers on the African coast, that they have freely exercised it themselves, and agreed, by a written arrangement, to countenance its exercise by others. This closes all com plaint as to the past on the side .of the United States. If American vessels have been visited, they have been visited by the authority of the American officers on the spot, and volenti non injuria fit. The United States Government may disavow the acts of its officers, and there is too much appear ance in the correspondence of an intention to do so ; but this does not change the state of the case as be tween the two countries. After the President shall have disavowed the acts and engagements of the naval commander, Great Britain, of course, cannot plead them ; ' but all that gentlemen's acts before the dis avowal must be treated as the acts of the American Government. We think too well of our trans. Atlantic kinsmen to suppose that this officer can be seriously condemned. He was sent to aid in suppress ing the slave trade—be believed his mission a bona fide mission, and, acting in good faith, he agreed to an arrangement absolutely necessary for the execution of the service upon which he was (at least ostensibly) em ployed. Had he refused his consent to the arrange ment for a reciprocal search, it is plain that he would have acted, not for the suppression, but for the pro tection and promotion of the slave trade. We confess that we cannot at all understand the reasoning of the American Minister. We are unable to see how any nation compromises her rank and independence by con cessions perfectly reciprocal, except the recusant nation claim a superiority to all others. COURIER. It required no very intimate acquaintance with the precise nature of the instructions furnished to Lord Ashburton on the subject of his in tended mission to the United Stater, to hazard the statement so cautiously made yesterday by an evening contemporary, that " they specially regard three points, and three points only—the affair of the Caroline—the boundary question, and the right of search," these being the precise points of difference between the two Govern ments, and upon which so much acerbity and pro fitless controversy had been already expended. As assurance upon this point has been rendered doubly sure by the revelations of our Contemporary, and as it is now no longer doubtful but that Lord Ashburton's mission has reference to the objects, with a view to the accomplishment of which it had been specifically determined upon, we may be permitted to congratulate his Lordship, as well as the Government by whom he has been appointed, on the fact, that even the bitterest opponents of both are constrained to acknowledge the wisdom and appropriateness of the choice. " His appointment (says the Chronicle of this morning in its City article) has been favourably re ceived in commercial circles, and has given a tone of confidence to the holders of State Stocks. It will be acceptable to the Americans, as the Messrs. Baring have been for many years most extensively engaged in American affairs, and in fact the agents of the American Government in monetary operations. His Lordship is besides a citizen of the great Republic, and one of the largest landed proprietors, too, in the State of Pennsyl vania. His talents as a man of business are well known. He is one of the largest householders in the United States, and Lady Ashburton (late Miss Bingham) is an American by birth. As an executive officer, to carry out a prescribed line of instructions, few can equal him . ; and such, we presume, will be his position in the discharge of his special mission." It is rarely that appointments are so utterly unobjectionable as to extort from opponents such valuable attestation to their seasonableness and beneficial tendency as this extract conveys. ANNUAL BALL OF THE SOCIET Y OF TRUE HIGHLANDERS. - Baron Rothschild's stag-hds., Thurs., Denham, near Quainton-14 Earl Fitzwillifun's hds., Tues., Barnwell Castle; Thurs., Abbott's Ripon -10. (corn hds., Tues., Bardon Hall ; Thurs., Billesdon Kennels ; Fri., Six Hills-14 Cottesmore hds., Tues., Laund Abbey ; Thurs., Stocken-14 The an nual bail of Abe I, Society of True Highlanders took place on Friday at the Freemasons' Tavern. The small room had been originally engaged, but the attend ance was so much more numerous than had been ex pected, that at nine o'clock, the hour at which dancing commenced, it was found absolutely necessary to ad journ to the large dining hall. The ball opened with a Highland reel, and at this period .the appearance of the room was picturesque in the extreme. Each of the dancers appeared in full Highland costume, and when Mr. John M'Kay, the celebrated piper, who had kindly offered his services, and who appeared in the full costume of his clan, struck up " Tullochgorum," it required no great effort of the imagination to fancy ourselves in some chieftain's hall in the far north. The dancing, which consisted of reels, quad r ill e s, coun t ry dances, and waltzes, was kept up with great spirit, under the able su perintendance of Mr. Corrie, of Willis's Rooms, who officiated as Master of the Ceremonies. At one o'clock supper was announced, and after supper the dancing was again renewed and kept up with great spirit until an early hour in the morning. Among the company pre sent we observed some officers of the 72d Highlanders, now stationed at Windsor, in the uniform of their regi ment, and many gentlemen in the costumes of the clans Cameron, M'Kenzie, M'Gregor, M'Donald, Maclean, M'Kay, and MTherson. The ball was one of the plea santest we have attended for a long time, and the ar rangements reflect the highest credit on the Stewards, and all who had the management of it. THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.--A most diabolical attempt was made on Wednesday night to cause a further accident on the Great Western line. The mail train was on its way from London, and when within about three miles of Bath, the signal was given to the engine driver of something wrong, and the train was stopped with all possible dispatch. On investigation it appears that some villain had placed two large stones (one on each rail) with the view of sending the engine off the line, but which - did not take place. One of the stones was orushed into a thousand atoms, and flew over the driver and stoxer without doing them any serious injury ; the other stone was forced on one side by the sword, or guard, which is placed before the wheels, but both the guards were put out of their place, and much bent and twisted. Tuz NEW POOR-LAW.—(From a Corre spondent.)—We have heard that it is the intention of Ministers, on the meeting of Parliament, to propose some alterations in the existing Poor-law Bill : the pre cise nature of those alterations is of course at present unknown. Mr. Frankland Lewis, one of the Poor-law Commissioners, has lately had several long interviews with Sir James Graham at the Home-office. REVENUE COMMISSION;—(From a Corre spondent.)—The Commissioners appointed to inquire into the state of the revenue have commenced their im portant labours. They have already had several meet ings at Gwyder House, Whitehall (late the Reform Club), where a suite of three rooms have been fitted up for their accommodation. It is intended, we understand; when the necessary alterations have been completed, to remove the business of the 'Woods and Forests from its present inconvenient office in Whitehall-place to Gwyde House. RAILWAY THROUGH CORNWALL.—A county meeting is fixed for the sth of January, to consider the subject of a projected railway to communicate with the Bristol and Exeter line. THE PHILIPSTOWN AIUR-DER. The horrible murder of the poor idiot, by a party of gentlemen who were sojourning at a country seat in the immediate vicinity of Philipstown, and to which we adverted on Tuesday last, has been considered as wholly incredible. So horrible are the facts, that scarcely any person is willing to believe that such bar barous cruelty could be practised by ti, party of gentle men in a Christian country. It is our duty, however, to reiterate our statement. The horrible murder did take place; but we have received additional information, which states that the idiot murdered was not a boy but a man. He was besmeared over with oil and turpentine, and literally roasted to death. An inquest was held—a mock one, we are led to believe, from the fact that one of the parties en gaged in -the murder sat on the inquest I Money has been squandered in profusion to hush the matter up— almost all the parties have decamped to England or elsewhere. The majority of them were officers, and, we suppose, are now with their respective regiments. What will the Government do iu this matter ? We call upon Lord Eliot to send a stipendiary 'Magistrate to the spot to inquire into the matter—we ask Colonel M'Gregor whether the police in the district made any report to him on the subject ?—we call upon the Government to make the proceedings of the Coroner's inquest public. A most foul and barbarous murder has been committed, under circumstances of aggravated barbarity, u nequa ll e d b y the horrible atrocities of Indian cruelty, a n d no s t e p s have been taken to bring the savage perpetrators to jus tice.—Dublin Monitor. DEATH OF LORD POLWARTH.._It is with deep regret that we have just heard of the demise of another of our most highly esteemed country gentlemen --the venerable Lord Polwarth, which melancholy event took place o'clock. place Lord Aler p toun oi House, ba e,o d n Tuesday evening, at eight attained - the Advttuced age of 83, and is succeeded in his titles and estates by his eldest son, the Hon. Henry Francis Hepburn Scott, now Lord Polwarth.—.Kelso Mail Despatches were received yesterday at the Colonial office from Sir A. Woodford, Governor of Gibraltar, NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. (From the Hampshire Telegraph.) PORTSMOUTH, JAN. I.—The Thalia, 36, Capt. Charles Hope, is under orders for China, whither she will pro ceed on Wednesday next. When at Leith this frigate picked up an abundance of valuable men, with which she nearly completed ber crew; she wants about 15 hands only. A few days since she was supplied, at the request of her Captain, with three of Rodgers' Patent Anchors, a bower, a stream, and a kedge. Tho Queen, 110, Captain Rich, was towed out of har bour on Thursday. It is expected that Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Owen will re-hoist his flag on board this ship on the 20th instant. The Powerful, 84, captain M. Seymour, came into harbour on Tue3day to be paid off. She will be re-cora tnisioned by Captain Nicholas Lockyer, C.B. The Snake, 16, Commander the Hon. W. B. Devereux sailed on Wednesday for the Mediterranean. Extract of a letter from her Majesty's ship Dublin, Rio de Janeiro, Oct. 30th, 1841 :—" On the 20th October, as stated in my last letter, we left Rio, and we were parti cularly fortunate in malting a good offing. On the following, in the afternoon, it came on to blow hard, and for the first time since I have joined the Dublin, we were under close reefed 'topsails ; it continued to blow with more or less violence for the three ftilloWing days. On the 25th it was more moderate, so that we could open the ports, and dry and air the ship. A leak having shown itself in the Admiral's cabin, 'advantage was taken of the weather, to ascertain whence it came and to stop it. For this purpose it was necessary the carpenter should be lowered over the stern . on a grating, and whilst in the act of repairing a trivial defect, he providentially discovered a very important one. The head of the rudder was so much damaged by an extensive spring or rent, that it was imp'•acticable to proceed in that state to Val paraiso; the ship's head was immediately put to the northward, the wind favoured us, and although we were then 550 miles distant from the port we had left, in nine days we made the passage there and back again, 1,100 miles." The Pandora packet, arrived at Falmouth, left Barba does Nov. 1. and St, Thomas's the 27th. At Barbadoes were the Rover, Sappho, and Fair Rosamond ; at Ja maica, the Comas and Magnificent. The Electra, from Port Royal, had called off Jamaica, and after landing specie, proceeded to Honduras.—We regret to state, that the West Indies continued' es:weeding/3 , unhealthy ; we are informed of the following casualties in the United Service, by death :—Mr. Crosby, Master's As sistant of the Firefly steamer ; Me. John M'Lean, sistant-Surgeon of the Rover • Mr. Alexander Scott, Assistant-Surgeon of th e F a ir liosamond, and 11 of the crew. At the camp near Kingston, on Nov. 16, Captain Beresfoid, of the 60th Rifles ; and Mrs. Espent, the daughter of Col. Harrison. The Star (Mexican packet), arrived at Falmouth on Sunday, with a. freight of 5,000 dollars on merchant's account, and 150,000 on account of the diVidends of the Republic. Her Majesty's ship Pilot left Vera Cruz on the 18th November, for Carnpeaclu, to bring about a settlement of the adverse position of that province and Mexico, as to the attainment of which there existed little doubt. The Racehorse sailed on the 26th November from llavannah for Bermuda. The Star left the Tweed at Bahia. The Speedy, cutter, arrived on Monday, from the River, and returned on Thursday ; the Cracker sailed the same day for Jersey. The Emerald arrived on Wednesday from Plymouth. The Rose, arrived at Bahia from a cruise on the 11th of October, and sailed again for Rio Janeiro on the 17th October. The Electra arrived at Honduras from Jamaica, on the 9th November. The Vindictive, 50, Captain Toup Nicolas, C.B. is now fully manned, and will be ready for sea on Tuesday or Wednesday next, her complement having bean filled up by 40 volunteers from Liverpool, and 43 from Ply mouth: This fine frigate is exceedingly well manned, having more than 200 able seamen besides petter officers on board ; it is most most likely she will be appointed to attend on the King of Prussia, in the room of the Warspito, which takes Lord Ashburton to New York. On Tuesday, the Tyne, and on Wednesday, the Sa marang and Orestes, were taken into dock. The Carys fort was taken out of dock on Tuesday. The Vindic tive was taken out of the basin on the same day. The Ringdove, 16, is in the basin, and ready for com missioning. The Rirmidable, 84, Captain Sir Charles Sullivan, Bart., is nearly ready for sea, at Sheerness. She may be expected at Spithead about the middle of the ensuing month. The Nautilus, 10, was this week commissioned by Lieut. Sydney Thomas. The Carysfort, 26, was commissioned on Wednesday, by Captain Lord George Paulet. The Hazard, 16, Commander Bell, sailed to-day, for China. The Driver, steam-vessel, Commander S. Harmer, proceeded from Woolwich to Deptford dockyard on Thursday, and was taken into dock there to examine her bottom and have her defects made good. The Vixen steamer, Commodore Boyes, sailed this afternoon for Plymouth, and will proceed thence to the Brazils. The ship Joshua Carroll, detained by her Majesty's ship Lily, arrived at the Cape of Good Hope, on the 20th October. The Numa transport sailed on Thursday forßarba4loes; In llarbour.--St. Vincent, Victory, Powerful, ENeel 'pia, Vindictive, Warspite, li,oyal George, Carysfort, Rapid, Nautilus, Adventure, naval transport, and Echo, steam tug. At Spithead—Queen, Thalia, Hazard. By the List of the Navy made up to-day, which will be found in our third page, it will be seen that there are in commission, as sea-going ships, 25 sail of the line, 37 frigates, 40 sloops of war, 56 smaller vessels, 60 armed steamers, besides surveying ships - and troopers. The sailing craft mount 4,440 guns ; the force, therefore, is pretty much the same amount under the Tories as under the Whigs ; but during the autumn all the ships in com mission have been getting manned, and excepting the Queen, Formidable, Powerful, and earysfort, which re quire about 1,000 men to complete them, the whole may be reckoned on as ready for instant sea service. The King of Prussia has conferred the order of the Red Eagle of the 2d class on Capt. Walker, now em ployed as Admiral in the Turkish service. PROMOTIONS AND APPOINTMENTS. PROMOTIONS — Commander—William Ward Perceval Johnson (late of Winchester), to the rank of Captain. Lieutenant—John Halliburton Murray (Flag Lieute nant to Sir H. Dishy), to the rank of Commander. Mates—Edgar Slade (1827), Henry John Giles (1831), Arthur Lucas Mansell (1835), James Beautine Wil loughby (1837), to the rank of Lieutenant. APPOINTMENTS. — Captain—Lord G. I'aulet, to the Carysfort. Lieutenants—C. Dyke, to the Cambridge L. de T. Prevost, to Vernon -; H. Bacon, to Calcutta ; E. M. Ley cester, to Indus ; E. F. Roberts, to Inconstant ; W. Crawford (a), to Impregnable ; J. G. Bickford, ,to Rod nep ; C. J. F. Ewart, to Monarch; H. G. Austen, to Ma gicienne; M. Bouchier, to Ganges; J. M. R. Ince, to Im placable; J. C. Johnston, from Thalia to Warspite ; J. Russell and F. B. Sleeman, to Geyser ; J. M. Potbury, to be Flag Lieutenant to Sir Samuel Pym ' • Thomas Bailey and Edward Courtenay, t o I s i s ; J . P. Davey, to Illus trious ; Hugh Berners, to Lightning ; G. T. Paterson (from the Powerful), to Ferret ; J. Caldwell (from the Powerful), J. J. B. E. Frere, and W. R. Smith, to Carys fort ; A. P. Wilmot, to 'Wolverine ; Thomas A. B. Spratt, to Beacon ; Lord E. Clinton, to Harlequin ; 11. J. Nourse, Gabriel Johnston, and R. Hill Wharton (additional), to Southampton ; Brook Young, to the Vanguard ; and George Snape, to Snipe revenue cutter. Master—George Heather, to GI eyset. Surgeons—G. Munro, to Carysfort ; Robert M'Lean, to Geyser. Assistant Surgeons—F. W. R. Sadler, to Minden ; Dr. G. 5PKay, to Queen; Dr. J. B. Nicholson, to Thalia, vice White promoted ; R. Douglas, to Calcutta. Pursers—Charles Hillier, to Geyser ; Thomas Giles, to Carysfort. Mates—W. T. Turner, to Serpent; N. J. Sulivan, to Fly ; P. E. Forbes, to North Star; William Armytage, to Dido ; H. D. Blanckley, to Illustrious ; B. Hawkes (from the Excellent) to Thalia. Midshipman—G. Digby, to Thalia. Clerks—W. Bateman, to San Josef ; John Chapman, Clerk-in-Charge, to Pantaloon, vice Bateman. 'Puke, Ist Class—G. uke, E. Grose, 11. Lister, and W. Charlton, to Illustrious; J. Curtis, Dickens, and 11. Sheriff, to Queen ; D. Spain, to Hazard ; T. Sullivan, to Fly. Royal Marinrs.—Second Licut . F . W. - Davis (from the Royal Naval College), to the Marine Artillery Companies. ROYAL MARINEB.—The following appointments and promotions have taken place in the Royal Marines:— Captain Robert Henry, of the Chatham division, to be Captain in the Marine Artillery, vice R. C. Steele, de ceased; First Lieut. Samuel Hawkins, of the Woolwich division, to be Captain, a nd appointed to Chatham, vice Henry; Second Lieut. J. L. Brauner, of the Woolwich division, to be First Lieut , and appointed to the same division, vice Hawkins. the particulars of the THE LATE EXTRAORDINARY VOYAGE FROM the schooner Whim, Captain Kerridge, of Harwich, ofich vessel, it will be extraordinary r a D o r o d m i e iN a v o y o . voyageW e lately performed remembered,' owing to the death the chief officer and the illness of two of the crew, was safely nav i gated from St. Domingo to ~ ,the English coast by the Captain and one seaman, named Lilly. The appren tice lad, named Last, who had a very bad leg, was, y , after the Whim's arrival in the West India I m p ort D ock, put on board the Dreadnought hospital ship, a t Green wich, where he is recoveritg ; but the poor unfortunate will be unable to prosecute his profes s i on as a sea man. The other seaman, an Irishman, who was una bl e from a lingering disorder to perform his dot on board was unceremoniously sent about his business, Captain belief th a t part Kerridge entertaining a stron g of his illness was feigned. Lilly, y the o th er sea man, who with Captain Kerridge `gallantly brought home the Whim from St. Domingo, ha s procee d ed to Lilly, the only Harwich. In addition to the extraordinary and almost incredible duties performed by Captain Kerridge and been justly appreciated Lilly, the latter acted as cook, ,assissed occasionally by the master. Captain Kerridgo's unparalleled and meri j4,4'sysiegxaStiotann. other gentlemen and sever a l sea manto rio t o t s n exertions, heav tl able a st.ewell work,as t h h a o v s e e c. l t* interested e t e h e e s toed owners i r h s additional steam. ahn orselawer, on the The Bristol Stearn B S t al t ife e e at Whimit 1 .- --- Company intend, vls rl iel t i;:t of °4 s 43 oo en station between Bristol and Cork i thus giving a steam communie4tion three times a Week between the two te st.: g ve s g p i r a i t n e g r , aed placing 2 2 o ports, for the conveyance of passengers, goods, and let ters, as each vessel will convey a mail. bag. Should the intercourse hereafter increase so as to be sullieient for the support of four vessels, the Sine o.4.mpany will be prepared tq m place R fourth vessel on the station.__ 6 144E91 Mercuq, EVENING SUN UNIVERSIT Y INTELLIGENCE. CAMBRIDGE, JAN. I.—The Rev. Henry Howes, M.A. of Gonville and Caius College, has been presented by the Lord Chancellor to the Rectory of Barton St. An drew, Norfolk. The Rev. Thomas William SalmOn, M.A., formerly o Gonville and Caim; College, has been presented to Or Perpetual Curacy of Hoptun, Suffolk, by the Dean and Chapter of Norwich. The Rev. S. Vincent Beechy, M.A., of Gonville and Caius College, has been nominated to the Perpetual Curacy of St. Peter's Church, Fleetwood, by Sir Hesketh Fleetwood, Bart. The Rev. John Witherington Peers. M.A_ of Catha rine Hall, has been preferred to the Vicarage of Tets worth, in the county of Oxford. Patron, Richard Barry Slater, Esq., M.D. The Rev. T. S. Green, M.A., of Christ's College, has been appointed Chaplain to the A shby-ile-la• Zouch Union. The Rev. W. OldfiAl, formerly of St. John's College, haA been appointed to the Curacy of Buell-null and I3ag nall, Staffordshire. The Rev. Chark3 Richard Alford, M.A., of Trinity, has been licensed by the Bishop of Worcester to the Per petual Curacy of St. Matthew, in Rugby, Warwickshire. The Rev. Nicholson Burrows, 'B.A., formerly of Trinity College, late Principal of the Hull College, was on Tuesday, the 21st-ult., elected Head Master of the Yarmouth Proprietary School. The Bishop of Lichfield has licensed the Rev. George Lloyd, B.A , of Emmanuel College, to the Perpetual Curacy of Willesley, in the -county of Derby.--Patron, Sir Charles Abney Hastings, Bart. OXFORD, JAN. I.—Messrs. H. T. Glyn, G. R. 11. Somerset, 11. E. Cramer, T. 0. Blackall, W. E. Raw storne, and C. Lloyd have been elected actual students of Christ Church ; the three former are from 'West minster school. The following have been appointed chaplains of Christ Church :—The Rev. P. C. Kidd and the Rev. J. B. Fawkes. Sir J. C. Thorold, Bart, has presented the Rev. Edw. Trollope, of St, Mary Hall, to the Vicarage of Rauceby, Lincolnshire. Lord Rolle has presented the Rev. R. H. Chichester, of Exeter College, to the Vicarage of Chittleham, De vcnihire. The Dean and Chapter of Christ Church have pre sented the Rev. C. G. Hutchinson, student of Christ Church, to the Rect )ry of Batsft)rd, Gloucestershire. The President and Governors of Guy's Hospital have presented the Rev. John Nelson, of St. John's College, to the Rectory of Peterstow, near Ross, Herefordshire. The Trustees of Christ Church, Litherland, in the county of Lancaster, have nominated the Rev. J. E. Bates, of Christ Cnurch, to the Perpetual Curacy of the above-named church, to which he has been licensed. The Lord Chancellor has presented the Rev. R. Hodges to the Vicarage of Little Barrington, in the county of Gloucestershire. _ _ The contest for the Professorship of Poetry, which is carried on with such unprecedented activity, and which has occasioned such excitement throughout the country, will, it is understood, be decided this month, Wednes day, the 26th inst., being mentioned as the day of election. ALARMING FIRE AT THE LONDON GAS.. WORKS AT VAUXIIALL.—O u Saturday afternoon, be tween the hours of one and two, the inhabitants residing at Vauxhall and its vicinity were thrown into a state of great excitement by the sudden issuing of huge volumes of black smoke from the premises of the London Gas works, situated in the Vauxhall-walk, Vauxhall, and in a few minutes after its outbreak, so dense had the atmo sphere become iu the immediate neighbourhood, that it bore a close resemblance to a thick black fog. The alarm of the inhabitants residing near the premises at this mo ment, fearful that an immediate explosion would take place, was extremely painful to behold. It appears that the fire was occasioned by an overflow of tar on the hydraulic main in the No. 3 retort-house, which. imme diately, on its descending communicated to the mouth piece of the furnace, and thus caused a most terrific igni tion. Happily, however, - at the time a great number of workpeople were on the premises, and they were actively employed in throwing water on the flames, which in the short space of a quarter of. an hour were so for sub dued as to prevent them extending any further. Almost immediately upon its• being known in the neighbourhood that the premises were on fire, Messrs. Burnett and Co., the eminent distiller!,, of Vauxhall, dispatched two of their powerful engines, manned by 20 of their own work people, to the scene in ease of emergency; but upon their arrival there was no occasion to put them in operation. although the assistance of the men was eagerly accepted. This is not the first time that the Company are indebted to the valuable aid of MessrS. Burnett and Co.'s work people. The engines of the brigade belonging' to the Waterloo-road station, accompanied by that of.the West of England, were quickly on the spot after thetouthreak, but the fire being extinguished before they arrived; they were not-called into use. The damage done could not be ascertained, but principally the most destroyed is tar. Not the slightest inconvenience will be felt at the works from this accident,. It is a singular circumstance that yesterday five years ago nearly all the Company's .works on the banks of the river were destroyed by fire. DISTRESSING SUICIDE.: -Yesterday evenin g (Sunday), about half-pa s t six o ' c l oc k, a respectable young woman, about twenty-one years of age, of the name of Martha Whitney, a servant in the employ of Mr. Bruce"rickney, .fringemaker, of East-lane, Wal worth, committed self-destruction in the following man ner:—She had obtained leave of her mistress on the pre vious night to go out for the day to visit her mother, who resides at Fulham. It appears she had spent the day at her mother's, and was returning home ; her mother and brother were accompanying her part of the way back, when they accidentally met a young man, who some time back kept company with her, but who has since marr i e d an acquaintance of hers. lie asked her to drink with him ; she consented, and they all went to his house and had each some brandy ; when they left, and were walk ing along the water side, near Battersea-bridge, when the unfortunate young-woman darted from her mother and precipitated herself into the water, and before she could be extricated met with a watery grave. No rea son can be assigned for her committing so rash an act, unless it was the disappointment she had received from the young man. TRADE OF DUNDEE.—FIax continues in de mand at last week's quotations, with a good deal of bu siness doing. For the present there appears little pros pect cf any advance in the price. The various foreign advices received since our last are as follows :—From Archangel (12th November o. s.) they write—" The accounts from the flax districts in the interior of the country, about the quality of the new flax, continue, we are happy to say, more favourable ; but how, under these circumstances, taken along with the bad state of things on your side, there should be found buyers of Otborney flax in the usual proportions at Re s. 125, and 2d sort flax cedilla at Ro s. 5.50, we really do not understand." In St. Petersburgh nothing doing in either flax or hemp. Riga dates are up to the 10th December, when prices ofproduce remained stiff, chiefly in conse quence of the weather continuing open and mild, which prevents supplies being received by the sledgeway. At that date, so little appearance there was of winter setting in, that two ships had been chartered to load grain. Flax was there taken at—for Crown Marion, R.S. 31f or 37/. 10s. 3d. ; PTR, R.S. 29 or 34/. 18 s . sd. ; DC , H . S . 25 or 30/. 11s. ld. ; R.S, 21 or 26/. 6s. sd. Ex change was 39d. per P.S. There is a good deal doing here in yarns, chiefly for the French market, without which outlet we must have experienced great stagnation, seeing the home market is in such a d e pr esse d s t a t e .— Dundee Advertiser. On Tuesday last the large iron bridge, intended for the service of the Portsmouth Bridge Company, was launched from the Bedminster ship-yard ; and on the following morning a very beautiful steamer, built for the Austrian Government, and named the Archduke Fre derick, was also launched, in capital style, from the same place. On Thursday an attempt was made to launch the splendid steam-ship Avon, also built by Messrs. Acra man, Morgan, and Co., but unfortunately, after gliding about twenty yards she hung upon her ways, to the great who is a n d ad p poili attendedt in e Itlot witness a rge t h. concourse exp,cte o d s ig f h persons tv e understand that the failure was occasioned by the effect produced by the late incessant rain on the new ground at the lower end of the slip : the ways became slightly de pressed by the earth giving way, and approached too near to a level to continue the moderate velocity which the vessel had acquired in the first instance. The launch has consequently been postponed until a greater inclina tion can be given to the ways. It is confidently expected that towards the end of the present month (January), this splendid steam-ship, and also the Severn, building on the adjoining slip, intended to form a portion of the West India mail steam-fleet, will be afloat. The follow ing is the measurement of the Avon :—Length between perpendiculars, 218 feet ; depth of hold, 23 feet 3 in. - width of each paddle-box, 11 feet ; paddle-boxes to be surmounted by Captain Smith's life-boat, in lieu of the ordinary coverings.—Bristol Illercury. BRISTOL AND EXETER RAILWAY.---Al l in quisition was held on the 28th ult., at Cullompton, be fore Charles Brutton, Esq., Under-Sheriff, and a highly respectable special jury of the county of Devon, Arthur Chichester, Esq., foreman, to assess the compensation• money to be paid by this Company for the purchase of about seven acres and a half of land in the parish of Burliscombe, required of Richard Hurley, Esq., of Uffeultn, and for damages resulting to him for the taking of such land. The sum of 50(1 was awarded for the laud and timber, including 1401. for the timber, and the sum of 2301. for damages, including 301. for the te nant, making in the whole the sum of 7301. the Coin pany providing a bridge in lieu of a level crossing. Mr. Hurley's claim for the items comprised in the award of 730/., amounted to 1,7721.—0 n the follow. ing day another inquisition was held in the Town Hall at Wellington, before Edward Coles, Esq., under She riff, and an equally respectable jury of the county of Somerset, to assess the compensation moneys to be paid for about eleven acres of land in the parish of Stampford Arundel, required of T. W. Were, Esq., and for damages resulting to him, and the following sums were by con sent awarded to that gentleman, viz., 1,5001 for the land, the house and buildings, and the timber. The houso and buildings were,valued by the claimant's surveyor at 8001, and the timber at 260!., 8001. for severance and all consequent damages, making a total of 2,300/. Mr. Were 's claim amounted to between 4,0001. and 5,000/. In these two jury cases Sir William Follett, with Mr. Talbot, were the counsel for the Company, and Mr. Ser geant eantluv m dlolan d er t Mr. y. THE Bere for the land- - owners.—Brisfel THE LADIES' MEMORIAL TO THE QUEEN ON THE Coax -LAws.—We understand that this memo- rial has already received upwards of 50,000 of the signa tures of the women of Manchester,—Manchester chestguer,a—nritay facoheatsermTugingtelse.d. SMSMUGGLING.---Ala brandy, 170 casks, was brought to our Custom-house On Monday last. We are informed it was found buried in Blue Anchor bay. It is said that the teetotallers - here arc exceedingly rejoiced.—Sonterset County Gazette. ny 5 ar" Jai). I