The Sun. — London, England, 1842-12-31 00:00:00

to join the circle at Eaton Hall this season ; they are still at Melton Mowbray. The Earl and Countess of Beverley have returned to the Palace at Richmond, from Portman-square. They intend to remain there until the meeting of Parliament. Lord Lovaine has joined the party assembled at Teddesley Park. The Countess of Kerry is staying at Bowood, the seat of the Marquis of Lansdowne. Lady and Miss Trotter left Grosvenor-square last Week for Paris. They are expected to return to Eng. land early in February. Sir Charles and Lady Cecilia Des Vceux (daughter of the Marquis of Winchester), have arrived at their residence in Belgrave-square, from passing the honey moon at the Baronet's seat, near Tunbridge. The Marquis of Winchester received a few friends to dinner on Christmas•day, at his house in Caven dish-square. The Noble Marquis's eldest son, the Earl of Wiltshire, is at the family seat in Hampshire. Mrs. L. Fox passed through London last week, from Hainpshire. .Lord Frederick Paulet has alilved at 'the Marquis of Winchester's in Cavendish-square, from Quebec. Mr. Courtnay has left town for Grimsthorpe Castle. Lord and Lady Prudhoe still remain at Stanwick Park. Early in the next month they go to Alnwick Castle. Lady Louisa Percy had returned to Welbeck Priory, the seat of the Duke and Duchess of Portland. Lady Charlotte Dennison Is entertaining a select party at Ossington, Nottinghamshire. MIS CELI. ANEOUS. At the meeting of the Birmingham Suffrage Con ference, held in that town on Thursday, a series of resolutions was proposed, in which a gill, prepared under the auspices of the National Complete Suffrage Council, was set forth as the basis of discussion. An amendment was proposed by Mr. William Lovett, that "the Charter" should be substituted, which was seconded by Mr.' Feargus O'Connor, and carried by a majority (4'99. The consequence is a division of the party. '`l'• The weeping willow on the grass plot of the garden at Walmer Castle has been grown from a slip pre sented to the Duke of Wellington by a gentleman, Who cut it from that overhanging Napoleon's grave at St: Helena. COURT CIRCULAR. s., DSOit, FRID AY.—The Queen and Prince Al -41, bort enjoyed their accustomed early walk in the Morning for some time, and her Majesty and her , august Consort again promenaded in the afternoon. Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the Princess Royal have been taken an airing to-day. His Royal Highness Prince Albert rode out on horseback about twelve o'clock into the Green Park, attended by Major-General Sir Edward Bowater. His Royal Highness Prince Albert honoured Mr. Newenham by sitting to him for a full-length I. Portrait in the uniform of the Scots Fusilier Guards. ,„ Covers were laid this evening for twelve. The Royal dinner party at the Castle is expected to in chide the Lady in 'Waiting, the Hon. Misses Lister and Liddell, Marquis of Ormonde, Hon. C. A. Mur ray, Captain Meynell, Captain Francis Seymour, Ron. Colonel Grey, and Sir Edward BoWater. Royal Highness' the Duke of Sussex is staying on a visit to the Earl of Carlisle, at his seat, Castle coward, Yorkshire. His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge has left town to rejoin his regiment at Leeds. The Chancellor of the Exchequer arrived at his official residence in Downing-street, yesterday, from Cambridge. The Earl of Haddington has left town on a visit to Lord Montague, at his seat, Ditton• park, near Windsor. Dispatches from Sir Charles Bagot, Governor of Canada, were received yesterday at the Colonial-office. Dispatches were also received from the Governors of J, the other North American Colonies. PRICE OF SUGAR. . EFFECTS OF MONOPOLY. ?/;,, ' LONDON, DEC. 31, 1842. The following average prices of Brown or Musco .v4tloes British Sugars, exclusive of duty, were pub lished in the Gazette of last night t . West India 345. • 9d. per cwt East India 37 24 Mauritius. - ` -'1 7 1 ,1 4, 9. The average price of the threez - jointly corn iuted, exclusive of day, is 355. per cwt. The actual weights of sugar sold-on account of the ttr importers, in the week ending the 27th inst., accord )s; ing to the returns made upon oath by the sugar bro .-O, kers, in compliance with the Act of Parliament, and Id: on which weights the above! priceS are computed, con tested of 9,950 cwt. West India, 8,568 cwt. East India. 2 .nd 534 cwt. Mauritius. From the. 26th of October to the 20th of December :.;we have. from week to week published the weight oil .•, sugar sold, and the price, • exclusive of duty, paid for it—stating at the same time what the amount would ' lutve been "tad the consumers bought in, the' cheapest . ' • market—carryipg forward from date to date the ex tess of price, in order that the consumers may be exactly acquainted. with the pecuniary effect the sugar . monopoly has upon their pockets. With a view to render this account complete for the current quarter, we have referred, and find that the sales of British sugars in the London Market were—from the 10th to. the 25th of October, 48,566 cwt.—esti ! mating the sales. at the outports during the same period to be 30,000 cwt., the consumers bought in .• those fourteen days, 78,566 cwt. of the monopoly sugar at 345.. 6d, per cwt , 'paying consequently 141,4181. .They,might have obtained at that time 78,566 cwt. of foreign sugar, equally good, at 16s. 6d. per cwt., amounting to 64,8161, and kept in their purses 76,6021. The weights of British Sugars sold from the 25th October to the 20th inst., already published weekly in The Sun, are together 499,974 cwt. These added to 78,566 Cwt. shown abovd as sold from the 10th to the 25th October, give 578,540 cwt., being the total weight for the current quarter. The excess of price paid over and above the value of foreign sugar of equal quality, and brought forward in The Sun each Saturday from the sth November to the 24th Decem ber, amounts to 420,742/., which, being added to the excess of price paid from the 10th to the 25th Octo ber, namely, 76,602/., gives a total excess of price of 4D7,344/. In ten weeks, therefore—from the 9th October to the 20th December—the consumers bought 578,540 cwt. of British sugars, and paid for them a Trice beyond their value in any European market the • enormous sum of 497,344/. We now proceed, as heretofore, to publish the weights of British sugars sold by the importers in the week ending the 27th instant. The sales in Mincing-lane were 19,052 cwt.; assuming that the weight of British sugars sold out of London was to the same extent as that sold in it, the consumers • bought in that period 38,104 cwt. of sugar, at •355. lop. per cwt., amounting, in round numbers, to /8,332/. ; they might have bought, but for the mono . ;poly law, 38,104 cwt. of foreign sugar, of a like equality, at 18s. per cwt., amounting to 34,291/., ex iiiloiting a difference of 34,041/.—that is to say, the .nation, by buying foreign instead of the monopoly 51...13.1r, would have saved that amount in the week un.ler consideration, which, being added to 497,3441., the amount before stated, eves 531,3851., the precise value of the sugar monorg ly on the sale of 616,644 cwt. of British sugars to the monopolists, and the needl€ ss cost thereof to the country, in eleven con ' secuth e Whe,iever the consumers have .complained of this excessivti extortion, and sought as a fitting remedy ti;,, against it a relaxation of the sugar monopoly, the .Government of the day has ,invariably pleaded its in `hi: ability . to . make any alterations, in 'consequence of some particular conditions contained in the Brazil i , treaty.... Did the conditions in this Brazilian treaty require that, when the duty on sugar from the East Indies was lowered to the rate imposed on that from the West Indies, limits should be drawn around the three Presidencies with such a niggard hand, that ugar gre wn in India beyond them should be excluded th e British markets? Did they require that these Presidencies should cease to import sugar for their *own -consumption (a privilege they had enjoyed from the -.moment of their belonging to the British Crown that on which the reduction of duty was deter /nir e d upon) as a condition that the sugar raised in the at might be shipped for the mother country, and be received on the same terms as sugar from Ja na ? Not a bit of it, there is absolutely nothing in the Brazilian treaty, which can be twisted by the ut most ingenuity, to such a meaning. Why, then, - w., -ire these restrictions on the East India sugar trade jur i iosed ? The answer to the question is plain grid, 'igh. They were knowingly imposed, in order to malt 'taro, in all its costly vigour, the vicious sugar Ilion ( poly, coderred, time out of mind, upon those - vet-,, "West 'lndians who had just before received tw kni ty millions sterling from. the country. Let ths r es trictions on East India commerce be with dr awn. fot thwith, and we shall import from Bengal, it , 1843, 5C . .000 additional tons of sugar, and thereby acify the watery about slave-raised sugar, for we .hould then net:(l none ofit. In the quarter ending 9th October, 1842, the duty on sugar fell off, as compared against the correspond ing quarter in 1841, 200,0001. When the current quarter's account is made up on the sth of January next, it will be seen that the loss on sugar duties is • -considerably greater. , From many quarters the cheering intelligence ' )ches us that Sir Robert Peel's Government has 4 tit le to a resolution to take a decided step with refe rme,, to,Church extension during the ensuing session , r ,i, o f p a rliament. It would have been next to impossible further to have postponed coming to some decision on a matte, - of such importance ; but how the aid will be supplied,, or to what. extept,„ yet unknown.— Church and Stale Gazette. CHELMSFORD UNION. We have much pleasure in noticing that the dis position which lately prevailed on the part of the cul tivators of the soil, to reduce the number of labourers in their employ, is fast subsiding, and that many of those who, for want of work, necessarily entered the Union houses, have been relieved from a state of comparative idleness. The numbers out of employ will, no doubt, be very fluctuating during the ensuing winter, and in the agricul tural districts in particular ; indeed, such we know has already been the case here, at Braintree, and at Great Dunmo , ,y, but the decrease has lately been eonsideiable. Thirty and upwards, chiefly able bodied, left Braintree Union-house within the last fortnight; the present number being 287. The aged and the children there, on the 26th inst., received their treat of beef and plum-pudding. Since this day week the inumber in Chelmsford Union workhouse has been reduced to 297, all of whom on Christmas.; day received a plentiful supply of plum pudding. The following is a statement of the present number of the different classes in this house, compared with the number in the corresponding week in 1841 :- 1841 1842 Able-bodied men Disabled by sickness or accident 30 . . . . 44 Old and infirm Youths (7 to 15) Boys (2 to 7) Women (able-bodied) Temporarily disabled 2B .... 5 Old and infirm Girls (7 to 15) (2 to 7) 2l 21 Infants Born 277 297 The disabled by sickness or accident have been greatly increased by railroad labourers; but of these, few now are obliged to keep their beds, one of the worst cases having received a perfect cure.— Chelmsford Chronicle. THE BRAZILIAN TREATY AND THE SUGAR DUTIES. A paragraph recently appeared in the newspapers, apparently from authority, to the effect that the ter mination of the treaty was finally postponed until the end of the year 1844—that is to say, the construction contended for by the British Government has pre vailed over the Brazilian interpretation, which fixed the termination two years sooner. We understand that this is the fact. The treaty will be continued until the end 0f1844 ; but upon what terms or agree ment as to the future, or through what menaces, are the important points to know. Without pretending to pierce entirely through the diplomatic veil which shrouds the mission of Mr. Ellis, we may, notwithstanding, hazard the fol lowing guesses, which will, perhaps be found to be approximations to the facts :—Our Envoy, on his arrival, is reported to have found the Brazilian Government averse to any negotiations on the basis proposed by him, whatever that basis was. They adhered firmly to their construction of the treaty, aid were prepared to declare its immediate termi nation, although ; there ean,.be little doubt that in this view they are, entirely Wrong, 'anti that the con struction applied • to it by . Lord Palmerston and ad hered to by Sir Robert Peel's Government, is the correct one. They further evinced extreme re luctance to negotiate on the footing of a duty of 30s. per cwt. on their sugar and of 16s. on British Plan tation. A differential duty of that amount did not appear to meet their expectations in any degree, and Mr. Ellis was at last obliged to declare the ultimatum of his Cabinet, which was, that if -they did not consent to continue the present treaty until the year 1844, England would consider it a casus belli, and go to war with them ! By this threat, it is surmised, and this alone, was the extension of the treaty extorted ; and from this fact we may see what feelings and what policy will guide the Brazilians in any new treaty which they may conclude with us after the expiration of the present one.-Liverpool Mercury. MRS. TROLLOPE'N NEW WORK, IN MONTHLY SHILLING PARTS.—We are requested to state that the First Part, price one shilling, of " Jessie Phillips, a Tale of the New Poor-law," by Mrs. Trollope, authoress of "Michael Armstrong, the Factory Boy," &c., embellished with a fine portrait of the authoress, and an illustration by Leech (to be completed in Twelve Monthly Shilling Parts), is published this day by Mr. Colburn, of Great Marlborough-street, and may now be had of all booksellers and newsvenders throughout the kingdom. Agents for Scotland — Messrs. Bell and Bradfute, Edinburgh ; for Ireland, Mr. John Cumming, Dublin Mr. Dawson had some property in Dublin on which a fish market had from time immemorial been held. He caused it to be all fitted up with convenient and showy stalls. But the nereids of Dublin being Catholic, none of them would support the specula tions of one they considered an Orangeman, and not one of the fine stalls were let. In one week, how ever after the speech at Derry, (which was-declara tory of his sentiments in favour of emancipation, and was generally considered as a precursor of the same views being held by the Duke of Wellington and the rest of the Administration, which after wards proved to be the case,) not one stall remained unlet. Upon this being told to Lord Norbury, he answered—" Aye, I thought that speech was all from sel-fish motives."—lrish paper. BRUTAL ATTACK AND HIGHWAY ROBBERY.— About half-past six o'clock on Tuesday evening last, as Thomas Smith, carter to Mr. Wright, of the Mill-bridge, was returning from Mr. Win. Ogden's, near the Carr House, with a horse and cart, he was stopped near the back gates of the residence to Miss Chivers, near the race-ground, by three men, dressed as navigators, who knocked him down, kicked him severely when on the ground, mid broke three of his ribs. They then robbed him of three sove reigns, nine shillings, and a memorandum-book ; after which, he being then in a senseless state, they threw him into the adjoining pond. Soon afterwards, a person named Lillyman, came up, and assisted him out of the pond. Chappel, the principal carter connected with the same mill, came up about the same time with his cart from Branton and the neighbouring villages ; and conveyed Smith to his home. Surgical assistance was immediately obtained; the man, however, got worse, did not know his own wife, and raved all night. Three men were appre hended on suspicion the next day, and lodged in the gaol. On examination, one was liberated, and the other two were remanded for further examination. Yesterday morning Smith was still in a dangerous state.—Doncaster Gazette. FATAL CAB ACCIDENT.—Mr Higgs held an in quest last night, atlCharing-cross Hospital, on the body of Edward Martin, an elderly gentleman, a watch maker, of Paradise-street, Lambeth. It appeared that, on Saturday last, while the deceased was passing along the Strand, and while crossing at the top of Hungerford-street, a cab, which was coming at a furious rate from Duncannon-street, driven by George Hannan, turned short round, to go down to Hunger ford-market, knocked him down, one of the shafts having struck him on the forehead, and one of the wheels going over his leg. There were two persons upon the box, and no person inside. No attempt was made to pull up before the accident happened, and the vehicle was not stopped till a very considerable crowd had followed and surrounded it. The wounded gen tleman was removed immediately to Charing-cross hospital, where it was discovered that the left ancle was severely wounded, with a slight contusion of the forehead. Every attention was paid, but mortification taking place in the wounded limb, he died on Wed nesday last. The Jury, after some deliberation, re turned a verdict of "Ma ns l aug hter" aga i ns t George Hannan. The Coroner then made out his commit ment to Newgate for trial. MU RDEROti ATTACK.—The neighbourhood of Sher borne-street was a state of considerable excitement on Monday evening, in consequence of a most ferocious assault committed by an Irishman, named M'Sweeny, who lodged at the house of a Mr. Collins, in Colum bia-street, on the person of John Skey, a stonemason, residing in Sherborne-street. The attack was made with a sharp knife, used by M'Sweeny, in his trade of a shoemaker. It appears that Collins and M'Sweeny were sitting together, when some words arose between them. M'Sweeny's conduct became so outrageous and violent that Collins seized an op portunity of leaving the house with the intention of claiming the protection of the police. He had not proceeded far when he met with the unfortunate man Skey, whom he induced to return with him to his house. On their arrival they found M'Sweeny in an excessive state of irritation, and on their approaching to secure him, he flourished a shoemakers' knife in his band and threatened their destruction if they ad vanced. Skey struck him and he fell heavily, inflict ing a wound on the back of his head which bled pro fusely ; he shortly, however, recovered himself and closed with Skey, whilst Collins hastened away in search of assistance. During the scuffle which en sued we regret to say that Skey received three wounds, one at the bottom of the stomach on the left side, which penetrated to the intestines; another on the ribs, immediately above the heart, which it fortu nately did not injure ; and a third on the lower part of hip, which extended upwards of four inches. After the infuriated man had inflicted these dreadful wounds, he escaped over a low wall at the back, and y,ought concealment in an out-house, where he was discovered and secured by the police. From the dan gerous nature of the wounds it was deemed 'necessary to take Skey's deposition, which was done before W. Gyde, Esq., on Tuesday morning. M'Sweeny is secured at the station-house, and we are informed, in answer to our inquiries yesterday evening, that Skey, although not out of danger, is going on as well as from the nature of the injuries could be expected. — Cheltenham Examiner. TIIE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY MORNING, DECEM RKR, 31, 1842. THE NATIONAL MERCANTILE LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY. The Directors, members, and friends of the Na tional Mercantile Lire Assurance. Society, dined to gether on Thursday, at Lovegrove's London Coffee house, Ludgate-hill. Upwards of one hundred gen tlemen sat down to table, that number including gen tlemen connected with the most influential mer cantile houses of the metropolis and the provinces. The statements made at the meeting prove that the Society is in a sound and prosperous condition, and rapidly taking a high rank among institutions of a similar kind. From the feeling that pervaded the gentlemen present, there is a.so no doubt that the be nevolent design entertained of establishifig a school for the education of the orphan children of commercial travellers will be carried into execution. ROBERT CURRIE, Esq., the Chairman of the So ciety, presided; _Mr. Stokes, Mr. M'Culloch, and Mr. Goodall acted as Vice-Presidents. The dinner was an excellent one, and the supply of wines both good and abundant. The evening was enlivened by songs and glees from the professional singers engaged for the occasion ; the musical arrangements were un der the superintendence of Mr. Field. On the re moval of the cloth .21 7 Cm Nobis Domine was sung, and.. The CHAIRMAN gave the -first toast, " The Queen," one requiring, he said, no comment, when he was addressing himself to an assembly of Englishmen. Drank with four times four. Air—" God save the Queen." The CHAIRMAN then gave " His Royal Highness Prince Albert, and his illustrious son the Prince of 'Wales." Air—" Long life to the Queen and the Prince." " The Queen Dowager and the rest of the Royal Family" was the next toast; and having been duly honoured, _ _ _ The CHAIRMAN said the next toast he had to pro pose was one of the greatest importance to all of them, it was " The National and Mercantile Life Assu rance Association, and success to it."—(Loud cheers, which continued for several minutes.) . He was de lighted with the unanimity and warmth of feeling which had been displayed by the meeting on the toast he had proposed. It might naturally be expected that he should state something of the general views enter tained by the Society on this occasion, though there could hardly be any gentleman present who would wish him to enter into .any. long array of figures. In the first place, they might accept his sincere assurance that their office was both safe anti prosperous.—(Loud cheers.) The business done during the past year had very greatly increased—(Cheers)—and at the present moment they had arrived at a point at which thL•y could look forward with great hopes, nay, with the almost certainty, of success for the future.— (Cheers.) The• number of policies now actually opened at the office exceeded one thousand—(Cheers) —and so cautiously had the business of the office been conducted by those gentlemen, who had brought their friends around them, and by their worthy me dical officers—(. - Tear, hear)—to whom they were greatly indebted, as they were also to the degree of caution exercised by the body of the Di rectors, that their losses during the past year had hardly been worth mentioning.—(Loud cheers.) There had only been three small claims on them during the last year—(Hear)--and indeed he might safely assure them that if the business of the office was as well done—if as much caution and circumspection was exercised in the present year as in the last —their probablb losses curing the same time would be very small indeed. All this, however, de pended on an all-wise Providence ; but under that Providence if such caution continued to be ex ercised he believed their losses would amount to a very small sum. The Proprietary of the off►ce, too, had very considerably increased during the past year ; the amount of money laid by, and invested in public annuities and other most valid and excellent securities, had placed a considerable sum to the credit of the office ; in short, he might say that the office was now out of every possible risk.—(Cheers.) They only wanted a continuance of the same exertions in behalf of the Society, and in another twelvemonth they should be able to render such a Report as would gratify them beyond measure. It would ill become him todeliver them a lecture on the necessity of men looking in time to the advantage of life assurance. The truth was so generally known, so generally acted on, and so uni versally recognised. throughout the great economic society of England, that he need not enforce on them a truth of which they were so well convinced. He was sure they would all go forth among their friends, and convince them also of a truth that had entered so deeply into their own minds.—(Cheers.) He should now request them to do justice to the toast he had given—" The National and Mercantile Life Assurance Association, and success to it." The toast was drank with loud cheers. The CHAIRMAN next gave the Shareholders and Policy-holders of the Society. He trusted all who were not now Shareholders would soon become so; and as to the Policy-holders, it was their interest to wish them all a life reaching to the antediluvian age. They could not live for ever, but they might wish . them the age of Methusaleh.—(Laughter and cheers.) Mr. GILES REDMAYNE acknowledged the toast. — As a Proprietor of shares in the Society, he felt gra tified at the results which had just been stated to them by the Chairman ; he rejoiced at the prospects of success which now hung round the Society, which were most cheering to them all. He felt even more interested in the Policy-holders than in the Share holders.—(Hear, hear.) He felt more for those who, as widows and orphans, might live to enjoy the benefits of the Society ; and though it might be painful to contemplate the fact that they might require such aid, yet it was also a pleasing thing to reflect that by the means of the Society, they might be able to soothe the sorrows, calm thefears, and check the sobs of many a heart.—(Cheers.) He mentioned a case in which a widow had received 2,0001. from an insurance made by the husband only two years before. He rejoiced to see around him men of such standing, wealth, and worth of character, united in the same object, and he amongst the rest should rejoice that he had contri buted to the same good end, in promoting the objects of the Society.—(Cheers.) Mr. J. R. CUEFLEY rose to propose the next toast, regretting that it had not fallen into abler hands. Last year he had proposed the same toast, and they then had to thank their friend, the Chairman, for the kind manner in which he had presided over them ; this year they had a double duty to perform in drink ing his health, as their Chairman, and as the Chair man of the Association also.—(Loud cheers.) Some Societies boasted of having an Alderman, or some titled person at their head, but they boasted of having at their head a sterling citizen.—(Cheers.) A gen tleman who had conducted his own affairs so well that he had realised a large fortune, gave no bad omen, now he was made Chairman of the Society, that he would conduct their affairs in a similar able manner. When he (Mr. Cuffiey) first joined the Society, he called on Mr. Currie, who immediately came forward saying that if he could assist the views of the commer cial travellers, he would do so. With great liberality he guaranteed the first portion of the guarantee: fund. —(Hear, hear.) He could bear witness to the Chairman's careful discharge of his duty. He at tended the meetings of the Society throughout several years; and, when difficulties made it doubtful whether they should be able to go on or not, he was the first to propose to double what he held on the guarantee fund.—(Hear, hear.) When he looked at his inte grity and his moral worth, he thought they might well feel proud of such a Chairman.—(Cheers.) It was a pleasing thing to him to see assembled here this even ing gentlemen who, on the first outset of the Society, were their opponents. Many doubted whether it would succeed, saying the Travellers would never be able to get up a Society, they were not united. He asked them, what did they say now ?—(Cheers.) He could tell them them that they had got up a Society, and that a sound one. The Chairman had told them they had issued a thousand policies ; there were more; they had issued. 1,008, and they had re ceived 13 extra this day, and as there were 16 before the Board before, he was secure in saying the. policies were 1,030 in all.—(Hear, hear.) Since the present Secretary was appointed, they had never has a blank day. It was evident from the quarters from which they came, that the Society was rapidly gaining con nection. He was now going to make a little appeal to his brother travellers. In the first days of the Society very few came forward to asslst it. Himself and Mr. G. Redmayne were opposed in every com mercial-room where they mentioned it. They were frequently two against ten, yet they persevered, and fifteen of them procured policies to be taken to the amount of 100,0001. If this could he done by so few, what could not the friends he saw around hi'.m do now ? They ought to double their income duri ag the next year. He mentioned that the gentleman who was now their Actuary had left a permanent, Government situation to come to them, and as that gentleman's name was attached to different mathe matical publications, and knowing that his advice was asked professionally by the Poor-law Commissioners at the present time, he would ask if such a man as Mr. Jones would have come to them if he had not thought them safe ? He could assure them that the Scotch offices thought highly of that gentleman, and if anything would induce in him a good opinion of the Society, it was that appointment. On behalf of him self and his brother travellers, he thanked Mr. Currie for having on all occasions advocated their . ests ; and he trusted he would live to see the ; links that bound the traveller to the present - .Society fully carried out. He concluded by expressing his determination, in conjunction with his fellow travel lers, and with the assistance of the wealth and influ.. ence of the Directors and Chairman, to establish school for the education of the orphan children of commercial travellers. The health of the Chairman was then drank with nine times nine. The CHAIRMAN, in a feeling manner, thanked the . meeting for the kindness they had displayed towards him. Whenever they should think it better for the interests of the Society, that an individual of a higher station than himself should be placed over it, he woald • readily resign the office into his hands.—(No, no.) The best exertions of his life, and' his most ardent en deavours upon all occasions, should be devoted to their service. —(Cheers.) • Mr. F. STARR proposed the health of the Direc- tors of the National Mercantile Association, which was received with loud cheers. He was obliged to them for the manner in which they had received the toast, as it took away from him a little of the difficulty under which he laboured. He read a list of the Di rectors, and stated that none of them would be found with long handles to their names". There was nothing about the Society being under the protection of his Royal Highness, or of Dukes, or of Mar quises, the dignities coming down fine by degrees, and beautifully less, till they became plain Esquires.—(Hear.) Igo, their names presented a phalanx of sterling industrious mercantile men, -against whom the finger of scorn or doubt had never been pointed—(Cheers)—against whom the voice of . calumny had never been raised. These were -men whose successful management of their own con • terns furnished a fair inference that they would attend to those of the Society. In propos ing the health of a body like the present Directors it would be invidious to make anything like distinctions, hut one or two. facts had come to his knowledge, of which he had not been previously aware. In addition- to policies on their own lives, some of the Directors had taken out policies on the lives of their servants, paying the premiums them selves, as the reward of honesty.—(Cheers.) This was an example worthy of imitation, as doing honour, not only • to their heads, but showing the kindly character of their hearts.—(Cheers.) After eulogising the conduct of the Directors in the caution they had shown in the management of their affairs, he concluded by proposing the toast. Mr. J. SPICER returned thanks on behalf of his colleagues. The duty they had to discharge was a very onerous one, especially when they had to.decide on the lives that were to be received or rejected in the applications for insurances. Many intricate cases were brought before them which required nice discri mination, entailing no small amount-of mental labour; indeed he did not know but that the affairs of the Society gave him more anxiety than his own. There was an impression which lie wished: tacorrect,,which was that the Society was managed expensively ; he begged to say that there was no office of its size in London conducted at less coat. He took this oppor tunity of stating this, because a contrary impression •had gone abroad among commercial gentlemen; Their exertions had hitherto been attended with great suc cess, and they only required union on the part of commercial men to render their success complete.— (Cheers.) He begged to impress on the assembly the great importance of the principles of Life Assur ance.—(Cheers.)• Mr. R. GOODALL proposed the Auditors.--(Cheers.) Mr. STOKES returned thanks. Nothing could be more gratifying than to have their healths di anis in the manner in which the toast hacl.heen received. In performing their duty the Auditors were uninfluenced or biassed; they had looked neither to the right nor the left, but had endeavoured to give satisfaction to • all, at the same time per forming their trust faithfully.--(Loud cheers.) Many objected to support a Society of this sort, be cause they should not themselves receive the benefit of it ; but were thOy not going to establish a school ? and they would then'-have the satisfactiOn of benefiting others. • There were few but who possessed some friend to . '- whom they would have the power of doing gool. " Were man but as friendly to mail as his Maker, The whole earth would ring with the songS of the free." - (Cheers.) Let them only consider the sentiment con tained in those two lines, and there was not a man but would endeavour to do an act of justice to his family, or himself, or others, by supporting the ob jects of the Society.—(Cheers.) The CHAIRMAN gave, "The Secretary." Mr. J. JONES returned thanks. • Whatever difficul ties the position of Secretary to the Society presented, he could assure them that he had• found no duty so arduous or so onerous as that of replying, to the toast that had just been proposed. He believed he spoke the truth when he said, he was not accustomed to flattery at any time, but he endeavoured to speak openly what he thOught. In a s fe w wor d s as possible, then, he begged to thank them cordially and sincerely for the •thatmer in • which they had proposed his health. Having said thus much with respect to the toast, they would perhaps expect him to say something on the subject of Life Assur ance ; and on this subject, too, he should • endeavour to make his observations as short as possible. The principle of Life Assurance was based on col '= tion ; that principle was not at all a neW one, although the principle of life assurance was so. . They were all aware that the principle of combination was found ne cessary even in the earliest ages. In the infancy ofsociety they, found mankind obliged to unite _together for common protection against the beasts of the forest,. and to defend merchants from robbers, of tribes border ing on civilization. The principles of • com bination were then advanced to the protection from shipwreck at sea and fires on shore, and last to the grand and noble subject of life assurance. At the outset of these undertakings, as might be expected, a great number of visionary schemes were set on foot, which were productive of great evils and sufferings. Of 200 of those undertakings, he believed, only four existed at the present day; of the life offices at present existing, he was bound to say they were founded on sound principles, and, generally speaking, conducted by honourable men. The only question existing between the offices engaged in such active competition was as to the extent of benefit they could give the assured, charging a sufficient premium to cover every risk. The question was, whether it was better to have a proprietary company, giving the Shareholders a large dividend, or to have capital suffi ciently large to cover all responsibility, and give the Shareholders a share of the pro fits, or whether they should endeavour to walk alone without protection and depend on the mutual contributions of each other. The plan they had adopted was formed of the two principles. On proper principles life offices were the most safe of modern institutions, and they were a living instance of the advantages of them.—(Cheers.) He should endeavour to summarize his obServations on this subject as much as possible. Life Assurance was available to every class of society, the affluent and the needy, the high and the low, the and person navy,n trade short, and every engag ed class in of society t , h t a h t e c a o r u m l y d r be mentioned. He felt it to be a great and gl orious thing to be engaged in such an undertaking; he s p oke most sincerely, when he stated that he felt proud of the situation he held. He had been appointed with out favour or affection on the part of the Directors, for until he appeared before them he was personally unacquainted with one of them. After quoting a stron g instance of the benefits of life assurance from Chambers' Journal, he proceeded to notice some of the objections brought against insuring.- Some parties objected on the ground of impiety; with those who held those opinions it was ofcourse uselessto attempt to argue. Other persons object on the grounds that they have always been in good health, and they say why should they invest capital in an insurance office, giving the benefit to the Company ? But they should recollect that to amass 1,0001. it would be necessary to lay by 301. annually for 22 years ; but by insuring, the same sum became available to the family On the paYinent.of the same amount of premiinn—not in 22 years, but within five minutes after the execution of the policy, if' it should so happen. There were rather more than 100 persons present in the room at that mo. ment, and, according to the calculations of the Carlisle tables, of that 100, thirty-three individuals could not calculate on being in existence at the cud of twenty-two years. Many of themselves must have met with some of the difficulties that were urged in defence of not insuring, such as the pressure of taxa ! , tion. There could be no doubt, that at the present moment many persons felt that difficulty from the pressure of the Incomestax.---(Hear, hear.) The policy, or impolicy, of the tax itself Was not at all involved in the question ; still many persons of large means declined to avail themselves of the advantages of life •assurance;; but every man, immediately he embarked in business, ought to lay by a turn to provide against every pos sible emergency. With respect to the advantages of the National Mercantile Assurance in Particular, they were very great, in having men of business fbr its agents and directors, men who devoted themselves sedulously to its concerns. In addition to this was an advantage that no other office possessed—that of their own united and individual exertions in its be half; and those exertions had been mainly instru mental in placing the Society in the position it at present occupied. So safe were they, that if not one more policy should be brought in, they were in a condition to go on for years without becoming bankrupt. Since he had been appointed Secretary, as had been truly observed, he had not had one blank day ; every day had brought - in proposals for assurance to the Board. This very day there had been laid before the Board fourteen proposals, amounting to 6,000/. He recommended the Society to go On as• it had begun, and after stating his convic tion, that the high character of the Chairman was a sufficient guarantee against anything improper in the management, he concluded an able speech by saying that in this, as in all other cases, honesty would be found to be the best policy. Mr. Wir.coxosr gave "The Medical Officers of the Society," pronouncing a high eulogium on their skill and attention to their duties. Mr. G. Cuusuesi, M.D., acknowledged the honour. in what they had done they had merely acted strictly up to . • their duty. With respect to what had been said about no life which hai been admitted by him having dropped, he believed the result of his observation would tend to dispel an im preasion that the lives of commercial men wire more uncertain than those of other classes.—(Cheers.) Tke CHAIRMAN then proposed " The healths of the Legal Officers of the Institution." J. S. NEWBON, Esq., returned thanks. He was particularly gratified at receiving such a tribute of respect at the hands of such an intelligent company. It was particularly gratifying to a professional man, who was exposed to all manner of calumnies and pre judices in the minds of the vulgar. The amalgama tion that had taken place in the two Societies had given the National Mercantile Association a solidity which otherwise it would have taken years to accum plish.—(Cheers) 11r. YOUNG felt proud of being able to say that he was as old a traveller as many of themselves, and as such he had a toast to propose for their consideration and approval. That toast was one which was con nected with much that redounded to the credit of the chariwter of this country—" The Mercantile Travel lers of Great Britain."—(Cheers) He was sorry that he - had not been informed at an earlier period of the day that such a toast was to be allotted to him ; he had been told on the previous day that his name was to be associated on the present occasion with the toast of the Press, and for that he should be happy if called on to return thanks ; but he had not been told that he was this evening to propose such a toast as that of the "Mercantile Travellers of Great Britain." He might well hesitate in under taking such a toast, including, as it did,, all that was associated with the character of England for com mercial .enterprise. But still he did not despair of doing justice to it, in a straightforward and unam bitious manner.—(Cheers.) Enterprise had.ever been the motto of The Sun—(Cheers)—and "go a-head" was the motto of the .English commercial traveller.— (Cheers and laughter.) Animated by such a common principle, then, they met on equal terms, and as such he hailed them as fellow-brethren.—(Loud cheers;) They did the best they could for themselves, and in so doing, did their best to benefit those friends who derived advantage from their exertions. That had always been his motto ; for he would scorn to de rive the :benefit of a single farthing, if he hurt his neighbour to the extent of half that amount.—(Hear, hear.) The enterprise of English commercial tra vellers was proverbial ; it might be expressed in the words of the poet : "Far as the breeze can bear the billows' foam; Survey our empire, and behold our home." English enterprise winged its way into all corners and regions of the earth, and the resul* was the prosperity and glory of the nation.—,(Cheett) That was their especial honour ; they were there the representatives of the ingenuity and the enterprise of the calculating, hardworking, and determined perseverance which en abled England to surpass all:other :nations. But tlse immediate purpose of their assembling was not for the benefit merely of themselves, but of their posterity. They represented the intelligence, the working spirit, the indomitable perseverance and the knowledge of business—in short, the enterprise, of the kingdom. The toast he had been asked to propose was one of immeasurable.interest, as it comprehended the mercantile interest of England, and that was the mercantile greatness of the world.-L(Hear, hear, and cheers.) Within the last few years the Character of the whole body of travellers was improved. A more provident feeling had sprung up. They now felt that they did not live only for themselves, but for their families and posterity. They now also felt the neces•• sity of a connecting bond, and they had, therefore, founded a Society based upon genuine principles— that of mutual assistance.—(Cheers.) Like all pro vident meni they looked forward to a rainy day, and, AO make assurance doubly sure, they provided for the day to come. It was said by idle people that Providence took all mankind under its wing; but the true providence was to take care of themselves, and Providence would be sure to help them.—(Cheers.) In fact, Providence left lazy people to take care of themselves—(Laughter) —but to the man who exerted himself and did his best, Providence was always at hand. — (Cheers.) Acting on this principle, they had founded a Society which was a comfort fur the present, and - a sure reliance for the future.—(Hear, hear.) Each of them had gone many a long journey, and re turned home to the happy bosom of their fiunilies— but there was a journey yet to come— " That undiscovered bourne From whence no traveller returns— for which this very praiseworthy Society was es tablished.—(Cheers.) This feeling was, in his humble opinion, enough to insure its complete success. — (Hear, hear.) In fact, their success was placed beyond doubt from the number of policies which they had issued up to the present time—one thousand and thirty—a number, as their very intelligent Secretary stated quite sufficient to work with a good profit; but he had no doubt that in a few years their poli cies, instead of one thousand and thirty, would amount to thirty thousand.—(Cheers.) And the reason was obvious—men who looked to their own business were sure to see it well done. Self-interest was the salt of the world, as self-preservation was the , first law of nature.—(Cheers.) And they had gone to the fountain -head--Nature—who taught us that what is good for one is good for another ; and so they had made a stock-purse for future demands. (Hear, hear.) There was another Society similar to theirs—a very respectable Society indeed—but there was this remarkable difference between them that the object of the one waz charity—the other in dependence.—(Cheers.) It was said that charity covered a multitude of sins—but the proud bearing of independence was to avoid their commission. —(Cheers.) That was the grand principle of their Association— thity united to do good, and to encourage each other it doing all the good in their power. That was truly a mutual association, founded in virtue—for vice is not mutual, its very elements are discordant, for no two vicious people ever agree in the long run.— (Cheers and laughter.) As to the other Society, their object )vas good, and he did not see why there should be any or jealousy between them—the world was wide enough for them both—and he thought they would best serve the cause of charity by shaking hands on the altar of benevolence.—(Cheers.) One word more, and he would conclude. They were all men of business, and in their travels kept a sharp look out for orders. Taking a leaf out of their book, he, too, would take advan tage of a good opportunity, and do a mutual benefit.--(Hear, hear.) He would not, like many of their customers, confine himself to one description a goods, but he would embrace the whole circle of com merce—he would give a general commission to them all, and so prevent jealousy—he would ask every traveller to become a reporter for The Sun.—(Laughter.) By that additional duty they would benefit him, and serve to enlighten the world—by making " Quick observation, with extensive view, " Report all news from China to Peru." —(Cheers and laughter.) He thanked them for their courtesy, and would conclude by wishing success to the Mercantile Travellers of the United Kingdom.— (Cheers.) _ _ _ The healths of the Stewards and Vice-Presidents were then given, and acknowledged, and the Chair man left the chair, to which Mr. Stokes was unani mously called. Several toasts and healths followed, among which were, the " Liberty of the Press and Mr. Murdo Young," the healths of Mr. Cuffley, Mr. Stockdale, Mr. Bailey, and other gentlemen, .and the hilarity of the evening was kept up till a late hour. The whole of the proceedings passed off with the greatest conviviality. ArPALLING ACCIDENT IN OXFORD-STREET.---ThUrS: day the - following melancholy accident occurred:— James *Banfield, a waggoner (who resides at No. 12, King-street, Golden-square, and has a wife and seven children), arrived at Mr. Ward's timber-yard, Ox ford-street, with a timber-carriage laden with deal planks. In removing the iron chain by which they were secured on the carriage it suddenly gave way, and the deals slipped off, knocking the u nfortunate man down, and falling on him. Assistance was im mediately rendered, and the poor sufferer as quickly as possible extricated—presenting a shocking spec tacle, the bones of the left leg and right thigh being dreadfully fractured. He was imn ediately removed on a police stretcher to Middlesex Hospital, where, on his admission, he was instantly attended to; and it was found necessary immediately to amputate the leg ; the fractures of the thigh were afterwards reduced. From the injuries on the head and body, however, but slight hopes of his recovery are entertained. The Hon. Thomas Kenyon made his usual gift of a fine ox to the poor families of the parish of Oswestry. CARAIARTHENSIIIRE ELECTION. CARMARTHEN, TUESDAY NIGHT.—The election of a Member for the county of Carmarthen, in the room of the late John Jones, Esq., of Ystrad, took place at the Shire Hall, Llano, this morning."- At eleven o'clock, W. Phil lipps, Esq., High Sheriff, look the chair, and after the customary preliminaries had been gone through, W. 0. Brigstocke, Esq., of Blaenpant, proposed, and E. P. Lloyd, of Glansevin, seconded D. A S. Davies, Esq., of Pentre, as a fit and proper person to represent the county of Carmarthen in Parliament. Mr. Davies was then 'elected without opposition. He afterwards addressed the electors at some length. Mr. Davies is, we believe, a Liberal Conservative ; and,' entering Parliament unfettered by public pledges. (and private ones too we understand), he will take his seat as a perfectly independent Member of the country party. —The 'Welshman:. FIRE AT 'WEST BROMWICH.—An alarming fire broke out last week in the works of Bothell and Co., gas distillers, West Bromwich, by which the whole of the cisterns and offices were destroyed. The fire at' one period presented an awful appearance ; about 7,000 gallons of creosote and 2,000 gallons of Nr w ere consumed. The property is said to be wholly uninsured.—Worcestershire Chronicle. THOUGH TS on POSTAGE REFORM • • --(From the• Morning Advertiser.) • EVENING DU FY.-INLAND-OFFICE. Precisely at half-past four in the afternoon the "duty" in the "Inland-office" begins. Before this hour several mail-carts have taken up letter-bffgs from the various " receiving-houses," situ a t e i n every part of the metropolis. These collections are consecutively continued until the closing of the " boxes" in the hall of the General Post-office. The bags which have been received prior-to the commencement of business are "ticked off," as stated by us in our notice of the "morning duty." They are then emptied of their contents, and the letters and newspapers are conveyed in baskets to the inner office, where they are thrown, en masse, upon a large table, and "faced." This ope ration consists in placing the directions so as to face the person so employed, for the purpose of facilitating the whole of the subsequent part of the process. As they are being faced, those which are pre-paid are laid before the stamper, who impresses each letter with the evening stamp. While this operation is being performed upon the - letters collected by the medium of carts, other arrivals are continually pouring in. From the " ring-begs" of the letter-carriers, and the boxes of the office in St. Martin's-le-Grand, a constant supply is regularly maintained, so that the different parts of the duty are thus rendered capable of simultaneou4 performance. After stamping with the outward date stamp, the label is defaced by what is called the obliterating stamp. Certainly a misnomer in this case, as it frequently happens from the rapidity and carelessness of the stamper:* that the postage frank is scarcely touched—hardly defaced, not obliterated, and therefore likely to be used again, to the injury of the revenue. This being done, the letters are con veyed to the " sorters," who separate them into as many parts as there are mail-coaches or railroads for their transmission ; they are then' subdivided into towns, put into pigeon-holes representing those towns, tied.up.into bundles, and returned into the boxes until the latest moment preceding the ".making-up" of th e mail. This notice gives only a general outline of the duty. Besides this regular course, there are circumstances which necessarily cause a variation in it. Let it be' supposed that a letter is posted, subject to the following • official irregularities or distinctions : without an address superscribed, but im perfectly directed unpaid intended for any of the Ministers of State or her Majesty, Prince Albert, or any part of the Royal Family a specific mode is adopted in these cases, suited to the peculiarities of the case. A l e tt er fi n d s its way intc the Post-office without a direction, a circumstanceof daily occurrence. It is quite clear that the wishes of the writer, in having it forwarded to his correspond ent cannot be complied with; it is therefore treated as a "blind letter," and forwarded to the Dead Letter office to be returned to the writer if he has given his address; if not, it is treated as waste paper. Imperfectly directed leaers are very numerous, and it is no wonder that they are so, as it is impossible for the public to understand upon what principle they ought to be addressed so as to prevent the trouble they occasion. Frequently, in endeavouring to be explicit, the sender causes difficulty to the Post-office. As a rule, it is best to direct as simply as possible, without attempting to instruct the Post-office in their own. business, for the proper performance of which they are, or ought to be, held responsible. It is but justice to state, that in all cases of this kind there is, on the part of the " blind" clerks of the office, the utmost diligence and anxiety evinced, in order to fbrward the unintelligible correspondence to its in tended destination. Unpaid letters impede the evening duty upon the same principle as they do the duty of the morning, from the fact of their being unpaid. Taxing, account ing for, and debiting, form an amount of surplus labour, the expense of which is not covered by the additional rate of charge, while the process itself de stroys the power of the Post-office, which power con sists in its capability to perform the greatest possible amount of duty in the most effective manner, and with the greatest possible dispatch. Dispatches sent in pouches or cases, intended for the Queen, Prince Albert, or any other branch of the Royal Family, or to the Ministers of State, are specially confided to the charge of the "Inspectors of Official Correspondence," who personally witness their being safely deposited in the bag of the post town to which they are sent. Any neglect on the part of such officers would subject them to the loss of their situations. In such cases it is not possible for the Post-office authorities to do more. From half-past four to half-past seven the above process proceeds. As the letters are received, so they are sent forward through the various stages of official practice above enumerated. By this time the supplies of the carts are exhausted, the letter-carriers have poured out the contents of their bags into the general stream, and now they are actively engaged in forwarding the duty. The last drawer from the win dows of the hall under the portico of . the office has been emptied, and nothing now remains but to ply every energy to assort the few thousand letters still untouched. Every man is at his post. The thousand& are divided into hundreds, and subdivided into much smaller quantities. A few minutes elapse—the letters, are distributed, and by fif.een minutes to eight only a few stragglers are left, which have been accidentally taken to a wrong di vision of the office. Another minute, and the last letter appears, the centre of the office and the assorting tables are deserted, and completely around the vast parallelogram of the Inland-office may be seen about three hundred men, all employed, but no one inter fering with the business of the other. The bags are now filled, then tied and sealed. There stands the mail-guard, witnessing their being deposited in his road-sack in such order that he may draw them out as he reaches the several towns on his route ; another moment, and the duty is completed. Simultaneously the sacks are shouldered by the men, and by the time St. Paul's tolls out eight of the clock, the "mes sengers of weal or woe " are on the way to their destination, to distribute hope, and joy, and fear, and love, to tens of thousands of the anxious souls who form the family man. EVENING DUTY.-NEWSPAPER OFFICE. Adjoining the Inland-office is situated the News paper-office, which extends the whole length of the front, from the portico to the right wing of the build ing. The duty commences at half-past five o'clock In the evening, except Monday and Saturday, upon which days it begins three-quarters of an hour ear lier, to meet the vastly additional number of newspa pers that are posted on those days. The papers, after being taken from the collected bags in the Tick room, are carried through the Inland Sorters'-room into •the Letter-Carriers'-office. Here they are " faced" in a similar manner to the letters, with this difference, that from their bulk they are placed in trays for the purpose of sorting. The same prin ciple is followed up respecting the division of them as we have previously detailed ; the object being in both instances the same. Generally the pressure of the duty in this office is overcome by seven o'clock ; the great 'glut occurring immediately before six, after which hour a half- penny is charged for forwarding each paper., From seven until twenty minutes past that hour there are not more, upon an average, than three hundred papers posted ; but during the next ten minutes, the latest period allowed for posting for that night's dispatches, there are upwards of two thousand more. Of these the second editions of the are received at th esien ing papers form the principal part — The San a one sending daily not less than one-half o f the entire number. The pipes are win dow by an officer appointed for the purpose. He throws them into a basket, whence they are taken by one of the Assista nt.lns p ectors of Letter-Carriers in niv n pe d otnif e‘n; evening the receiver, told." •ir: ceis er, The amount of the tale is then charged and handed at the close of the the Inspector to the President on duty d-cffice, who transfers it with his other receipts to the Receiver-General. By twenty minutes to eight the mass of papers are in the boxes, and in five minutes more the bags are " made up" and taken to the Inland-office to receive the letters. Upon no evening in the week are there less than thirty thousand papers passing through this office, and on Saturday evening the ayerage num ber is not less than one hundred thousand ! Not less than seventy pounds per month are averaged by the halfpence taken at the " too late" window; and what is still more surprising and satisfactory to notice is the fact, that notwithstanding the enormous. number constantly passing"through this department, the ' complaints of failure do not average more than thirty weekly, many of which are made pre maturely by parties, who too often act before they give themselves the trouble to think. That failures do occur is true, andkbat cause for complaint respecting them exists is true also ; but it should be remembered, that if a newspaper does not arrive when expected, it may be accidentally " mis-sent," and if so it will reach with the stamp of the town to which it has been so forwarded, by enclosing which cover due caution would be exacted in.future from the care • less author of the mistake. Judging from these facts, we opine that much credit is due from the public to the functionaries who have the control and superin tendence of this important branch of the service, the whole business of which is transacted by the inspector of letter-carriers, his assistants, the sub-sorters, and letter-carriers of the General Post-office. VERAX. There are at present 300 candidates for Church preferment on the Government books in Ireland.— Devizes Gazette. DRAYTON MANOR. —Sir Robert Peel and Lady Peel and flunily are expected to leave early in the ensuing month for Whitehall-gardens for the season. Shortly after their arrival, a series of grand dinners and official soirees will be given at the Right Hon. Baronet's mansion ; and on Wednesday, the Ist of February, the customary grand parliamentary dinner will take place. S N THE INCOME-TAX. A numerous and highly respectable m the inhabitants of Gravesend was held on %V evening last, at the Puncheon Tavern, in ord ceive the Report of a Committee appointed to draw up a petition against the Income-tax. The chair was taken by Mr. H. Eversfiel4, and the meeting Wai ad dressed by several gentlemen, all of whom, though in many instances differing in general politic, concurred in denouncing the impost as the most hateful and op pressive of modern days. The following petition was then read, and unani mously agreed to : _ _ " the Honourable the Commons of Great Britain and Ireland in Parliament assembled, the humble petition of the undersigned inhabitants of, and owners of property in, the borough of Gravesend, " Showeth—That your petitioners, calling to mind that the grounds ou which the First Lord of her Ma jesty's Treasury proposed a duty on property and in come were, the necessity of ineeting the expenses of the wars with China and Affghanistan, are of opinion that such wars being terminated successfully, the ne • cessity for the tax has terminated also, and more par ticularly as the amount to be received from China will no doubt meet the expenses already incurred for such wars. " That the above tax is inquisitorial, oppressive, unequal, and therefore unjust. That it is provided by the said Act, that the sur veyor of any district shall be remunerated for his in dustry in assessing her Majesty's subjects to the highest amount, which renders the above tax in its ope ration, as well as in its principle, highly objectionable. " That the regulations and ceremonies to be ob served in appealing, and in cases of persons of small incomes in obtaining re-payment of their duties, are so numerous and unintelligible that large sums are by these means alone extracted from the pockets of her Majesty's subjects, contrary, as your petitioners be lieve, to the intention of the Legislature. " Your petitioners, therefore, caruestlT pray that the Act of the sth and 6th Victoria be forthwith re• pealed. " And your petitioners," &c. It was then resolved that the petition should be en trusted for presentation to Lord John Russell instead of to the county Members. Thanks having been voted to the Chairman, the meeting separated—the members of the Association present having pledged themselves to move a similar petition in the Town Council. THE WIND-UP SALE OF WIGNEY s PROPERTY.— The property being fully mortgaged, realised but little beyond the sums lent upon it, although the amount came up to the most sanguine expectations of the assignees. The competition was spirited. We subjoin the particulars :—For Lot 1, the banking house and residence adjoining, purchased by Mr. Isaac Bass, there were twenty biddings, the last being 4,670/. The residence of Mr. Fitzroy, 15, Oriental. place, fetched 1,2.501., and there were seventeen bid dings. ,The house at the corner of Old Steine and Castle-square realised 5251., the last bidder being the fifteenth. For the contingent and. reversionary in terest of Mr. I. N. Wignev, in 63, Regency-square, their were twenty competitors, and the selling price was 2001. One-fifth of a fee-farm milt of 101. per annum, giving a vote for West Suss ex , f e t c h e d 46/. ; and there were eight competitors. Seven persons competed for the " twenty 201. Brighton and Hove Gas Shares," which were bought for 135/. A Wok share in the Hurstperpoint and Cuckfield Turnpike Road produced 4- I J., after eight biddings. The next lot, " fifty shares in the Palladium Life Office," pro duced 7 21. , the last of nineteen biddings. A Policy for 5001. in the London Assurance Office, on the life of Richard Inman, realised 130/. after seven biddings. There were some other lots, among which was one of "Four certificates of Shares in the Missouri and Ar kansas Clamorgan Land Association, United States, for 3601. each ;" for this lot there were six competitors, and the selling price was 61.—Brighton Gazrtte. EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDE.-011 ThUrSiltly evening, Mr. I - Eggs held an inquest at the . Star and Falcon, Down-street, Piccadilly, on the body of Emily Frances Chardonnell, aged 43. Mr. Ifenry Fuller, of No. 112, Piccadilly, stated, that he was called in to attend deceased, in Down-street, Piccadilly, on Mon day evening last. Witness found deceased lying in bed, quite dead. She had evidently been so about six hours. Witness found a bottle of laudanum concealed between the bed and the mattress. Upon a post nwrtern examination of the corpse, witness found a quantity of laudanum. The bottle th a t w it ness h a d prev i ous l y u fond between the bed and mattress was partly empty, there being about 480 drops deficient, which quantity was quite sufficient to cause death. From the internal appearance of the body, witness believed that de ceased's death was caused by taking laudanum. Ellen M‘Mahon, servant to Madame Comte, of Down-street, Piccadilly, stated that deceased was a lodger in the house. She was a governess. On Monday evening last, between. eight and nine o'clock, witness happened to go into deceased's bed-room, and found ler ,dead in bed. Witness never remarked that she was suffer ing from depression of spirits. A number of letters and parcels were found in deceased's room, sealed with black, and addressed, in deceased's hand-writing, to various friends. Madame Comte stated that de ceased had lodged with her about a fortnight. She sometimes spoke of having suffered a great (Teal of trouble. In addition to the P arcels and letters above;• mentioned found in dezeaseds room, there was a let ter addressed to witness, which, on opening, witness found to contain instructions as to the delivery of the other letters and parcels. One of the parcels was for witness, and on being opened was found to contain 31., balance due to witness for rent. In a letter that con tained the money deceased stated she was very un happy in her mind, and had disposed of all her pro perty, according to the directions on the parcels. De ceased also added that, on her body being found, she wished witness to call in a surgeon, to prevent the possibility of her being buried alive. Verdict—" Died from taking ,laudanum while in a state of mental ex citement." The annual bounty of the Hon. R. 11. Clive, M.P., of four oxen, with bread,.&c., was distributed to the poor of Stewell Redditch and Bentley Pauneefort, on Wednesday. E. T. Foley, Esq., and Lady Emily, of Stoke Edith, have distributed, in their usual bounty to the poor of Stoke Edith, upwards of 1,2001b5. of beef, and nearly 40 bushels of wheat; and in the parishes of Weston, Yorkhill, &c., 401. in money. We learn from Vienna, Dec. 19, that Prince Met ternich has so fully recovered from his late indisposi tion as to be able to resume his evening parties. His first granule soiree of the season was on the 18th. Amongst the guests was Prince Alilosch of Servia. The Rev. Lord Berwick gave two fat beeves, which were distributed to his neighbouring cottatgers, in the parishes of Berrington and Atcham for their Christmas. Ma. 0. H. TOULMIN.—This gentleman's 13th an nual concert drew a numerous and highly respectable audience to the Horns, Kennington, on Wednesday night, though not quite sufficient to fill the large assembly-room. All the musical members of the fa mily appeared on the occasion ; Mr. E. Toulmin, the pianist, who officiated as conductor; Mr. A.. Toulmin, w lo displayed his powers of execution in a fantasia on tli ' e ) harp ; Mrs. A. Toulmin, well known as a very pleasing singer; and Mr. 0. H. Toulmin, the giver o f the concert, who was the leader. Besides Mr. H. Phillips, Mr. J. Parry, Miss Birch, and Miss Dolby, the services of Mrs. Alfred Shaw were secured, and that delightful vocalist sang, among other things, " Giorno d'orrore" with Miss Birch, the duet in which she made such a sensation in Semiramidc. Calcott's song of the " Soul's errand," the words of which are by Sir Walter Raleigh, is well suited to Mr. H. Phil lips, who makes of it a good specimen of musical de clamation. " Estelle," by Mr. Henry Smart, is a very superior composition, with a meaning and a mournful sentiment about it which reminds us of the songs of Schubert. It was delightfully sung by Miss Dolby. Mr. J. Parry has introduced an additional song into his comical collection. His " Anticipations of Switzerland" is not only humorously sung, but it is striking from the skill and taste with which the va rious Swiss airs are introduced. At all concerts Mr. J. Parry is a prime favourite, and, of course, his song was encored on this occasion, and, of course, he re sponded to the encore by singing another. Altogether we have never seen a more highly satisfied audience. THE MAILS TO EGYP T AND INDlA.—Notice has been issued by the Post-office authorities that the next mails to * Gibraltar, Malta, the lonian Islands, Egypt, and India, via Falmouth. will be made up at the General Post-office, St. Martin's-le-Grand, to morrow evening, the 31st instant, and be forwarded by the Oriental stea:ner ; and that the next overland mail to India, via Marseilles, will be made up on Wednesday next, the 4th of January, 1843 ; West Indies, Mexico, &c., on Monday next, the 2d of January, by the Trident steamer; Madeira, Brazils, and Buenos Ayres, on Tuesday, the 3d, by her Ma jesty's brig Penguin; and North America, the • United States, &c., on the 3d by the Caledonia steamer, via Liverpool. Lord and Lady Dungannon have relieved the dis tresses of the poor families in the parishes surrounding Brynknault House, Denbighshire. VERY COOE.—The inhabitants of Barcelona, dur ing the bombardment, were determined to take mat ters very coolly. The Impartial and Canaitutional journals of that town apologise to their readers for appearing only in half sheets, "as the bombardment had prevented the compositors frontlifting up the type." In the former paper, however, the theatrical bill ap pears as usual. The pieces were " Angela, the Tyrant without a Mistress r 'There the ballet of " The Lover h ere of ar l e 'i s n o lu m a e ;" young Chinese at Rome, who are educating as missionaries. One nobleman is seld'to have lost 120,0001. by the New Zealand Cotripany. A Parisian physician announces a pound of vinegar in the mor n i ng , a nother at noon, and a third at sun !! set ' to be a perfect cure for hydrophobia (t i t *.f. l i n v i . 2 .:e1 i ItV-1: ;';'" "' • ' s 0!.." 4 , _7 , .. , ... - .D.:. VA,\- '..-.l,_r_-__,- ~...: aLt. dS.At3 ik:.