The Sun. — London, England, 1824-01-29 00:00:00

PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE. PARIS, JAN. 26, 1823. The politicians of this capital have been greatly amused at the importance ascribed by many Enr, , - lish Jonrnals to that part of tha Message of the President of the United States, which relates to vhe Governments of Spanish America, the inde pendence of which has been already recognized by the United States. The following passage in rthitquoE's Speech is the part to which 1 . allude:—" We could not view any interposition "I•lor the purpose of oppressing them, or con " ttottlittg' in any other manner their destiny, by 44 any - Europran power, .in any other light than " tt.sthe manifesta,tion of an unfriendly disposi, 44 tion towatds the United States." This can- ticatify language is certainly ambiguous, and may .Ibe ., cousidered as an interdict even to Spain, pro -taking any attempt on her part to reduce her Colonies again to subjection. The Ministers of France, however, are by no means alarmed at its tenor.: they know the nature of the. Pre4ident's power and the influence of his Message upon . the people. Mr. Munroe may have spoken the lan guage of his immediate party, and the generous sentiments of his adherents, as far as tht.ir opi- Tlionh can be gathered, but ere he can fulminate the thunders of the Union he must consult the !Dice of Congress, and be governed by its will. The present is the first session of a . new:Con -gress ; its Members have never yet met as a deliberating body; and I ask you, how it has bfen possible to ascertain what measures they hill support in their legislatorial capacity, scat te►ed as they were at the time the Message was framed over their ,extensive Union. The na tional pulse must be felt, the popular sentiment must be expressed, and the people's interest in the question be clearly demonstrated in the affirmative, before a Member of Congress hazard his popularity and his re-election, by voting in favour of a war of doubtful issue and advantage. The people of the Southern and Western States, who are dependent upon agriculture, mut be opposed to a war with the Continental Powers of Europe, upon the solitary question of the independence of Spanish America, the success of which, by creating a powerful com petition in foreign markets, must eventual ly prove injurious to their welfare ; for how ever disposed the Americans may be to annoy the Legitimates of Europe, and curtail their pt;vrer, they are too wary and too wise to sacrifice ovru interest to the support of a rernote and speculative benefit to others. The Message was evidently intended for effect, and calcu lated to mislead the judgment of the South Americans ; and it may induce them to ascribe our interference in their cause to the bold ~,A m ple of the United States ; but it utterly powerless and inefficient, if intended to menace th. Continental Powers of Europe, and to divert them from tf:e policy they would otherwise pursue. feel confident that the English Ministers will not imitate the language of the President's Mes sage, at the opening of Parliament, and produce war, the bur then and expenca of which must - be borne by England alone; for unless the United States are at war with England, the only .maritime power existing, they will not be able to detach from commerce a suilicient force to man . their navy for the purpose of co-operation. The people of the Union have incurred no responsi bility by the Message of their President ; they will therefore profit by the neutrality their po siti9n will permit. England has undoubtedly alone the power of offering serious resistance to the re-subjtiption of Spanish America ; but her unqualified opposition to the attempt is one of questionable policy. Whatever may be the latent feelings of France upon this subject, it is gener all/ understood that she will not compromise her pacific relations with Great Britain by openly' espousing the cause of Spain : but there is a Jesuitry in politics, known and practised by the Cabinet of the Continent, which may baffle the scrutiny of the severest investigation. The Councils of Ferdinand are those of Alex ander; and Russia will, if possible, make Spain subservient to her latent policy. Turkey, that darling object of ambition to two powerful Sove reigns of Russia, has lost nothing of its attractive influence in the view of their successor, and no means will be left untried to annex that coveted portion of Europe to his extensive Empire.— Alexander, with this view, may aid the arms of Spain ; and, while the attention of Great Britain Shall be occupied with Spanish America, the Autocrat will remove the barriers to the destruc tion of the Crescent's dominion in Europe. Our hostility against Russia, while France, Austria, and the Powers of the l3aiic are at peace with both belligerents, will be little felt by her. The produce of Russia will find markets as well as ships for its conveyance, arid the indemnity of Turkey gill arn'ply reward the sacrifice. France liar uo adequate motive to quarrel with Russia, and the guaranteed quiet possession of Italy will to Austria be the purchase of her acquiescence. You will naturally ask me, , c Are we to be tame spectators of a combined operation against Spanish America ? Are we to stand aloof aban doning our avowed policy and our apparent i►►te rest, while the Continent seeks to profit by our apathy:" Policy:is the creature of circum, stances, and your interests are upon this question merely speculative. if you go to war in support of the independent - Governments of South Ame rica, which may dissolve before the invaders like the Constitution of the Cortes, your success is doubtful, but your expence certain and enormous. You cannot plead that your characteristic love of freedom impels you into the contest in favour of the weak and oppressed• for your wary con duct, and the coldness of your sympathy towards Spain in the late conflicts, refutes that preten sion ; and your own commercial advantage will stand naked and alone as the prevailing motive to your professed liberality. Let Great Britain, therefore, acquire from Spain the island of Cuba, and free trade with Spanish America, as the price of her forbear ance ; let Spain try her fortunes in her former Co lonies ;. and whether the result be favourable to her arms or otherwise, (I sincerely hope the latter) with- Cuba in the possession of England, free to the commerce of the world—an essential prelude •to-its aCquisition—nOt all the combined power of Spanish America can exclude British merchandise and British manufactures. Peace k necessary to England, with a due attention to the preservation of her maritime ascendancy ; and, her forbearance on the quesz tion of Spanish America may derange the plans of Russia respecting Turkey. Separated b - y• nature from the Continent, England has no-Corn mon sympathy in its policy, no participation in its interests. Those who divide the empire of the " master spirit," and now sway the destinies of continental Europe, are too insignificant in talent to awaken her suspicion and excite her appre hension. If the Spanish Americans cannot de fend their possessions with their present advan tages, they are unprepared . for freedom, un worthy of its enjoyments, and; our attempt to aid them would be a species of Quixotry. BA YONN E INTELLIGENCE. BAYONNE, JAN. 00.—We have news from Madrid of the 15th. There are still reports in that capital of the abdication of the King (but not voluntarily), an event which would necessarily produce great changes in our situation in the c,,untry ; and they even speak of our troops falling back upon ' the Ebro. On the 13th, an Extraordinary Gazette appeared on the organization and functions of the general Police of the Kingdom, of which the following is the substance : The Police will be under a superior Magistrate, called Su perintendant-General of the Police of the Kingdom ; in the Provinces there will be Intendants and Sub-delegates of Police ; their attributes shall be— _ _ To keep exact accounts of all the inhabitants . of the t.fi Com munes, to deliver end countersign passports, to protection, to grant permission to sell in the ie tre s * coffee-houses . ' to open inns, furnished hotels, registers orinar all p_ubli e &e., to carry arms ; to open . se . rNants out of place, car riages, to watch over the furnished . hotels,cotie.e-houses, public places of diversion, s ce ., or mechanics without employment, and all persons whose means of subsistence are not well known ; to take up beggars, ' and children who are lost, abandoned or exposed, and gipseys without a settlement ; to take care that there bs not introduced into the country by sea or land, any work, in any language whatever, unless the bearer presents an express order, signed by his Majesty, or an order of the Council, issued after the in spection of a copy which shall h ave b een previously delivered to SC:22 all books that shall have been introduced in contempt 1 of these regulations, whether they be in possession of a book seller, printer, a private person , or communities, however they may be privileged, and to deliver. the. copies into the hands of the Magistrates ; to prevent . thy ca l ntloPnolaLiotriar,i satirical le pamphlets, and and d the reading. of periodical . publi . other papers and prints in which the person or the prerogatives of his Majesty are attacked, or in which the measures of the government are rediculed or censured ; to arrest all individuals who shall utter obscene words and insults against the King, as well as all drunkards, professed gamblers, &c. ; to pursue robbers, both in the town and highways ; to prevent riotous groups and meetings . which th reaten t h e public tran quillity ; to prosecute with the ut most r i gour secret societies, wh e ther communeros, free masons, carbonari, or any other dark sect, which does or shall exist ; to take measures, in concert with the custom-house of f icers, to prevent smuggling ; also to provide for the security and salubrity of the prisons, hospitals, amphitheatres, manufactories, slaughter-houses, &c. To enable the Police to execute Articles 13 and 14, relative to secret societies a nd smugg li ng , until the law shall establish a military corps, charged with the protection of the town and roads, the general police may use its alguazils, and in case of need, call in the military commanders, and the armed force under them. The remainder of the Decree relates to the mode of meeting the expences which this new police will occasion. This Decree, which is certainly formed on the French model, cannot be executed in Spain. Messrs. Cambronero and Burgos (Afrancesados) are said to be authors of this Decree. At Valladolid (it is reported) persons are arrested every even ing without any reason, and released again with as little rea son the following day. It is said that the Marquess d'Almenara is going to set out on a secret mission. The armed bands increase daily. RUSSIA.—The following is a Copy of a Letter from a highly respectable Correspondent, dated St. Petersburgh, January 2 : " The Decree, imposing heavy additional duties on articles of Import, which has just been issued on the part of the Impe rial Government, is by no means a document calculated to give satisfaction to the Mercantile Body of Russia. And practical men are the more surprized at the promulgation of the erroneous principles it involves, as Count LADISERT, the Minister of Commerce, is generally held to be an enlightened Statesman. His voice, however, may have been rendered null by a majority of the Ministers. Be it as it may, all experience shews, that, if by fair means, articles of luxury cannot he had—where the people are rich—they are sure to get them by illegal traffic ; and then all the profit attaches to the smuggler and his adjuncts, by which means a system is engendered alike prejudicial to the fair dealer and the State. The present winter constitutes an anomaly in the seasons. The weather is remarkably mild : the consequence is that the roads are incredibly bad, and al! in. ternal traffic subject to impediments which amount almost to the impossibile. It is deserving •of mention, as an extraord.inary phenomenon, that at a grand entertainment given in the country, a few miles from the residence, in the last days of the month of October, the company vrere re galed with fresh green peas, kidney beans, &c.; and at the dessert there was a profusion of the finest ripe strawberries ! Our commerce with Persia, China, : &c. is manifestly on the increase. In the month of October a very richly laden caravan, requiring the aid of 890 camels, passed through the Kirgisian Steppe, destined for the interior of Asia.—On the .25th wit the Court lost by the hand of death a valuable servant, and a highly respected individual, in the person of Count PETER Vozr RASUIVIOWSEW, (the High Chamberlain), e brother of the late Minister of Public Instruction, Count ALEXIS R. The funeral rites were performed with becoming splendour and solemnity in the church of Saint Alexander Newsky the day before yesterday." PARLIAMENT. PREPARATIONS FOR THE OPENING OF FAR- L IA IVIEZ;;;P: It is understood on good authority that the recent attack of the gout, to which the KING iS unfortunately a martyr, has been of so slight a character that it is by no means likely to pre vent his Majesty from opening Parliament in person. Lord Gwyder and his active Secretary, Mr. - Fellows, have been busily employed for the last fortnight in directing the arrange ments necessary- to give order and splendour to that important Ceremony. The Duke of Wellington, as heretofore, is to bear the sword of state on the occasion. The Royal entrance to the House is now most conveniently arranged. The door at which his Majesty alights is in advance of that at which the Officers of State and of the household descend, so that the whole cavalcade can form immediately behind his Majesty without any crowding or hurried bustle. This entrance is to be lined by dis mounted guardsmen as far as the top of the flight of stairs which leads to what is called the Royal Ante room, which stairs, together with the Ante room, and the Gallery leading to the old Painted Chamber, form part - of the new improvements that have been constructed under the direc tion of Mr. Soane.— The flight of stairs leading to the Ante-room strikes upon the eye in the most imposing manner. It is, indeed, a rciyal staircase, lofty, and magnificently orna mented, both as to side walls and cieling. The Ante-room presents four pairs of Scagliola co !limns, each of which sustains a small gallery handsomely and uniformly decorated. This room leads into what is called, par excellence, the Ga llery, which is about SO feet in length. The roof is sustained by highly ornamented arches, which spring from Scagliola columns, and the view from either extremity is perfectly superb. Between the columns bronze tripods are arranged for lamps, which, from their massive and classic form, correct, in some measure, the ostentation of the stucco ornaments. Over the centre of the gallery is a large dome, supported by pillars, between which tripods are also placed.—lt is worth ob serving, as an instance of modern expedition in creating edifices, that not a brick of this exten sive building was laid till the 3d of October last. The Painted Chamber remains as yet in static quo, but it is to be pulled down, as is also the present House of Lords ; and new buildings are to be erected in their place, according as the in tervals between the Session will permit. The tower, in the vault of which Guy Fawkes was found, remains also untouched, but it will of course disappear in due time. Ever since his attempt to blow up the House with all its Members, it is the duty of the Lord Great Chamberlain to in spect personally the vaults and passages imme diately before the opening of Parliament, a duty which - Lord Gwvdyr regularly performs. Th e Ante-room arid Gallery leading to the Painted Chamber will be guarded by the Yeome n of the Guard and the Band of Gentlemen P en _ sinners. Before the Prince's Chamber and the old House of Lords were pull e d down, many hundreds of spectators were admitted into them by the Great Chamberlain's tickets. But on Tuesday no spectators will be allowed to enter the Gallery and Ante-room until after his Majesty shall have left the House, as it was wished that, in passing, to th e Robing-Room, his Majesty shall have an uninterrupted view of the new arrangements. This we presume to be the cause of the very limited numb e r of tick e t s which all th e have b ee n issued, as spectators will be con fined within the Painted Chamber, where seats rising row above row are now erect ing for their accommodation. His Majesty, P it is to be understood, passes from the Gallery through thePaintedChember to the Robing-Room, and returns by the same way. Th ose w h o h ave C tickets for th e Painted Chamber are to enter by B the door N o . 1, or the Bishop's door, as it 15 called. Those who have tickets for the Bar are to enter by the House of Commons' passage; and those ladies who have tickets for the body of the House are t o go in by the P eers ' entrance. Th ose ladies who h a ve tickets f or t h e b o d y o f the dressed; House must b e fullbut a morning dress is considered sufficient for the ladies who have' tickets for the Painted Chamber. The gentlemen who are t o b e a dmitted to the P a i n t e d Chamber, and below the Bar, may also go in morning dress. The doors will he thrown open at twelve o'clock. It may be useful to add that an Order will appear in the Gazette on Saturday, for all Peeresses, who intend to he present at the House of Lords, to give notice of their intention at the Great Chamberlain's Office on Monday. On for- 1 1 mer occasions, Peers were in the habit of issuing their own orders, both for the Bar and the House ; but latterly, since the standing order has been enforced, none but the Great Chamberlain's tickets are admitted in any part of the House. Before a prorogation, it is competent to a Peer to move in his place, that any lady should be admitted whom he chooses to name ; hut at the opening of Parliament he has no such right. Sensmoluzc Goirr.---In consequence of the notification of the cause of the death of BAMBER. 1 , 11 GASCOYNE, in uesdav's paper, we subjoin the follov.ing from the Morning Post of the 20th instant : INTERESTING OCCURRENCE.--A distinguished Per sonage, very subject to the gout, which there was every reason to fear would fly to the stomach, was lately coming to London, in anticipation of a fit, when it attacked him by the way. He still exerted himself to get home ; this, with the cold weather and his own anxiety, brought on such violent spasms, that on Netting Hill, he could proceed no further. The carriage stop ped at Mr. STocKDALE's ; but he w a s una bl e to a li g h t . M rs. STOCKDALE therefore carried him a wine-glass of a prepara tion of her own, which, strange to say, gave him instant relief, so that he was enabled to reach home, where the disorder ter minated most favourably in his feet_ He submitted the medi cine to an eminent Medical Friend, who analysed and pro nounced it a probably infallible remedy for gout in the stomach and spasms. This was communicated to Mrs. S. as an import ant discovery, when she informed hit: that she was perfectly aware of it, and had administered it as such for above twenty years MKT TO FEMALES WHOSE CLOTHES MAY TAKE FIRE.—Do not remove from the place where you may be stand ing, hut have recourse to any one of your under garments, and wrap it closely over the head or shoulders, according to where the fire has taken place : any garment, either muslin, silk, or calico, if even wrapped lightly round the flames, will not fail to extinguish them. 'V ,: 4- r t, 0. ") • jt,tV • • MASONIC NOTICES FOR NEXT WEEK. . ENGLAND. Monday, Feb. 2, LoNrION, Nos. 10, 27, 39, 89, 213, 249, 289. Committee Boy's School, at 7. CouNTRY. Nos. 20, 64, 72, 102, 148, 191,202,219,267, 311, 368, 369, 372, 398, 423, 493, 502, 503, 509, 632, 638, 644. Tuesday, -3, LONDON. Nos. 9, 122, 281, 237, 381, 399. COUNTRY. Nos. 21, 127, 167, 170, 180, - 184, 196, 204 385, 387, 476, 507, 512, 532, 544, 551, 557, 639. Wednesday, -4, LoNDON. Nos. 35, 75, 220. Grand Chapter. COUNTRY. Nos. 84, 95, 124, 139, 146, 207, 229, 339, 465, 487, 491, 505, 513, 526, 629, 581, 585, 656, 711, 713, 725. -5, LONDON. Nos. 61, 239, 277, 325, 409. COUNTRY. Nos. 113, 171, 182, 234, 416, 453, 466, 469, 535, 561, 599, 627. --6, LONDON. No. 210. COUNTRY. Nos. 13, 30, 55, 58, 470, 538. 7, LONDON. No. 173. COUNTRY. * * * IRELAND. - Monday, Feb. 2, Conn. No. 347. Tuesday, -3, CORK. Nos. 3, 95. Wednesday, -4, Coax. No. 1. Thursday, Friday, Saturday, GRAND MASONIC FESTIVAL. On Tuesday, being the Anniversary of the Birth-day of his Royal Highness the Duke of Suss;x, a moat numerous and respectable portion of the fraternity of the ancient body of free and accepted Masons assembled at the Free masons"favern, for the purpose of celebrating the Birth-day of the Grand Master of England. The company assembled at five o'clock were about three hundred. A very considerable curiosity was evinced to witness the entrance of expected strangers. General Mina, it was *aid, was expected, and that opinion gained ground when General Quiroga, accompanied by Lord Mountford, Count Zulenski, Don Moro and Same, entered the room. These gallant, but unfortunate strangers, attracted the sincere respect of every man, who felt at the same moment the glorious cause for which they struggled, and the temporary failure that has marked its issue ; but to the noble mind, in a struggle for freedom, though unsuccessful, " distress is virtue." Having surveyed the room these illustrious Strangers retired, and were, we understand, introduced to his Royal Highness in the Secretary's room. The galleries were crowded with an assemblage of beautiful women. This commemoration has been conspicuous for such display, but the number who complimented the Royal Duke by their presence on the present occasion was beyond all pre cedent. Amongst the fascinating group was the lady of Gen. Quiroga. the Chair. It was arranged, he said, that the Provincial About half-past five Mr. Sis tox M‘GietavnAy addressed he l‘i e ingf oromrand Mast er f or S omerset should take the that Right W ors hi p f u l B rother he arrived in t theii sudden indisp os i t i on o f a parent had deprived e t a sure. Under suc h c i rcumstances and placed himton, Chair, of butt a h n a d t p h so unexpectedly in such a dil emma, the Royal Duke and the the public officers had express e d t h e i r w i s h es supply the vacancy.—(Hear, h ear , h ear !) — H e greatthathie body y ioull was fully sensible of his own inadequacy, but he knew it was his duty to obey such an unanimo us ca ll. H e h a d t h erefore to s u pport of the Meetince, and to exact from th e circum stances the claim a napology for any deficiency in supporting the ho nour and the duties of the Chair.—(Cheers.) Hi s Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, attended by the officers of the Grand Lodge, and by the stewards, then entered the room, amidst the general greetings of the meeting. The procession moved from left to right throughout the interme diate spaces of the tables, which enabled every individual as sembled to pay his personal respects to the Grand Master. The dinner and wines were most excellent, and fully sup ported the character Brother Cuffe has established for meeting the expectation of convivial Denies. Sir beorge Smart • a preside at the Piano, and was most ably supported by th e vocal talents of MesSrs. Leete, Pyne, Broad hurst, Jolly, and Master suiith. We must not forget our old favourite and that of the public, Charles Taylor, who though last, was not least, and who en livened the meet i ng with some of those comic songs which are of his own school. The healths of the King, the Duke of York, and the rest of the Royal Family, were drank with three times three. Mr. SIMON APGILLIVRAY then rose to propose a health, which he knew he had only to mention in order to ensure the general approbation of the Meeting. That day they were as sembled to commemorate another anniversary of the birth-day of their Grand Master,- and he was persuaded, the more fre quently they enioyed that proud gratification, the more they appreciated the honour. In being called unexpectedly to the Chair he had told them how ill-qualified he was to the duties; but in an earnest and merited expression of the claims of their Illustrious Grand Master he was as anxious as any other Bro ther to express his feelings. Were the moment seasonable, he could dilate on the benefits lie had extended to the fraternity. He could sheer the difficulties that had been surmounted—dif ficulties which could have been alone surmounted by his com prehensive mind, his personal influence, and his kindly feelings. —(Cheers.)--That was a subject on which it would be ill-timed to say more. It therefore only remained to him to give the opportunity to the company to indulge their feelings. He should therefore propose—" Their Illustrious Grand Master, and health and long life."—(Continued cheers.)—The greetings that followed the toast lasted many minutes ; the Ladies from the Galleries waved their handkerchiefs. The Duke of SUSSEX then rose. Another year, said he, has now elapsed si nce me b ret h ren h ave d one me the honour of meeting me here on the Anniversary of my Birth-day. To a man who has passed his fiftieth year, such a contemplation must be accompanied with reflections of a grave character. —No year of human existence can terminate without bring ing to our memory the recollection of losses and afflic tions which, more or less, it is the lot of survivors to feel. We have all, perhaps, had them, and it is not an inopportune occasion to mix the pleasing and serious together. The shadows that the latter throw upon the back ground tend, by the contrast, to give a greater brilliancy to the perspective ; and his brethren might feel assured, that the solace of the great meeting was felt by him as a cheering gratification for the natural ills of humanity. What his ser vices were for the benefit of the craft, he did not feel the pre sent an occasion for discussing —as union was the good prin. ciple—and as that had happily been accomplished, he was anxi ous that upon all retrospective considerations an extinguisher should be put. The great object of the society had been considerably advanced—the natural objects of charity and kind affection, in place of losing ground, were making consi derable way. In that very room they saw assembled men of all colours, and all descriptions, collected from every region of the world—all meeting there, actuated by the ennobling prin ciple of extending peace and charity to all mankind.—(Cheers). I He should act trespass on their time longer, but limit himself to the expression of thanks ; assuring thei, that under every vicissitude of human circumstances, he should feel the value of their confidence. In the des cen t o f life, and as he before said, lie who had passed the 50th year, must prepare himself for that view, such confidence must give warmth and exhiliration to a man thus honoured. He felt it ; and at his latest hour, the honest expression of such men's approbation would afford the best consolation that humanity afforded. Again he thanked I them. A variety of toasts were then drank. The NOBLE DUKE then gave " The Duke of Argyle and the Grand Lodge of Scotland."—(Drank with applause.) The NOBLE DUKE next said that the toast he was about to propose required some consideration. As to Ireland, it was the opii:ion of the learned in law, that recent Acts of Parlia ment affected the meeting of Lodges in that country. The Lodges there had not since met, and to guard against miscon ception he should not drink the health of the Grand Master and Grand Lodge of Ireland, but satisfied himself with giving " The Duke of Leinster and the Masons of Ireland."—(Cheers.) The Illustrious ClTAntstAx next proposed the health of those who possessed the strongest intered in the affections of Masons [looking at the gallery where the Ladies were sta tioned]. Gentlemen, said he, what a debt of gratitude we owe them.--(Cheers.)--It is to the pericd when their influence be came active we owe the civilization of mankind. In this room ant obliged to say, that we must consider the bright and fas cinating group before us as a picture ; but when artificially we cell it a picture, we feel, at the same time, that as to our hearts, our afrcctions, and our interests, it is a most ennobling reality. (Cheers.)— It is from them that civilization has re ceived its powerful impulse—it was their beauty—their ac complishments—their virtue—for without that virtue beauty has no fascination, no ornament—(Cheers)—that men advanced in the great progression of improvement. Look • back to his tory, and you will identify with the influence of woman, vir tuous woman in society, the progress of man in all those arts and institutions which gave a character to our intellectual n at u re.—( C h eers. ) The health of the Ladies was then drank, with three times three ; and was followed by the appropriate glee of " Merrily fill your glasses." The healths of the various absent Offiters and the Stewards were then drank. Sir 'Wm. de CIIESPIGNY returned thanks fur the Stewards in a very animated speech. He concluded with observing, that there could be no exertion more gratifying than to serve is giving the public expression to that sense of respect and re g ard which was so universally felt for their Illustrious Chairman in the character of a Prince—a Mason—and an Englishman.— (Cheers.) The Noble Chairman left the room at half-past ten, .accom panied by the heartfelt regards of those who met with pleasure to commemorate his natal day. He :tatNl his intention to pre side for the Female Charity on the 30tti of March next, and six weeks after for the Boys' School.. KING GEORGE ACCESSION.—LIoIicIay at the Exchc quex, Batik, East India and South Sea Houses. PRICE OF FOREIGN STOCKS IN LONDON, JAN.2`2. AT ONE O'CLOCK. French J Five per Cents. 9C. I. Scrip, 7i. pm. i Six per Cents. 00. Russian -: Five per Cents. (Metallic) 00. ( Ditto New 90. Neapolitan Five per Cent. Bonds, 81i. Austrian Scrip, tog prem. Five per Cent. Bonds, 1820, 00. Spanish j Ditto 1821, 2V. Ditto 1823, 14. Prussian S _ Five per Cent. Bonds, 91,x,.- l Ditto New, 89i. Danish Fi ve per Cent. Bonds., 96i. Portucaese 87. Peruvian New Loan, 00. Chili 77. i. Colombian Six per Cent. Bonds, G. 5. Mexican Loan, 41. prem. Poyais 5 ( X ) . ( New, 38. f Bank Shares .£22 105.—X23. 1 Seven per Cent. 000. American -, Six per Cont. 00-000. LFive per Cent. 00-000. Three per Cent. 711. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TO-MORROW: norning, 43 minutes after 1. 1 Evening, 6 minutes after 2. , • THE SUN. SOLE.II CHI'S DIOERE FAISUM AuxE.ir LONDON, THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 1824. THE NIGER.—The course and termination of this mysterious river is on.the eve of being finally settled. Private letters have been received from the African travellers, Dr. OUDNEY, Lieutenant CLAPPERTON, and Major DENHAM, so late as the middle of July last, from Bornou, where they still remained under the protection of the Sheik, waiting their further proceeding to the Eastward until the rainy season shall have ceased. In the mean time they have not been idle, having, traced back the stream of the Niger from the great lake of Tsad, into which it falls, full 200 miles. to the Westward, and within one hundred miles of the lake Nyffe, into which IfottNetstAxx had traced its course. Its name, it seems, be tween the lake Nyffe and the great lake Tsad is lava, and on its banks are many pleas ing villages and several large cities in ruins, particularly that of Old Birnie, which is stated to be nine miles in circumference and the houses mostly of brick. It was pillaged and laid waste by the Fellatas, a most powerful tribe of blacks of Soudan, about fifteen years ago, when those large cities of Kouka, Engornou and Birnie, near the Great Lake, w e re fOonded by- the present Sheik of I3ortNov.—• We have seen a letter from Lieutenant CLAr- PERTON, in which he &scribes in raptures the beauties of the Tsad, and its numerous islands, clothed with verdure, and the tall and elegant Papyrus waving its plumy head high above the rest. The natives navigate ,the lake in large boats, fifty or sixty feet long, sewed together like those of Masuliratam, and they have others with square sterns on which sheers are erected for managing their fishing nets. How far this inland sea extends to the eastward had not been ascertained ; but in an interesting account, in the last number of the Quarterly Review, of the progress of these tra vellers, it is conjectured that its waters • may be discharged into the Nile of Egypt. CLAeree- TON mentions the height of the Lake to be feet above the level of the sea, which is about , that of the source of the Mississippi—the lengllr . of this River is 3,000 miles ; the distance ffor3 the Lake to the Mediterranean, is little more than 2,000 ; the fall, therefore, is more than ne cessary for the purpose. We have in a preceding column inserted an able letter from a well informed and valuable Correspondent at Paris. Though we differ from - him as to the policy which, under the'cirgum'' stances he has supposed, he recommends-for the adoption of this country, yet we are sensible that his opinions are entitled to much we ight, and we are satisfied that his expression 01 them is sincere. Cuba is doubtless the ke3 r of the Gulf of Mexico; and, as he justly ob' serves, commands the trade of South A me rica• Its possession, therefore, could not be otherwise, than highly advantageous to this country. 111' Sa g , Ser4 tle fun bat :M e rn o for not P a , Ho, th e agai cog vs n tine rftpl b ap resol ~~~ra V4 ie the • ~fl~ .~ ac Si of