The Sun. — London, England, 1855-12-22 00:00:00

A FEW FACTS AND A PARTING WORD ON THE GUARDS' PETITION. London, Dec. 19. "One who has served Six Years in the Cavalry and the same time in the Infantry," in writing t i oa 9t contem porary, says there are yet some few pont in h much-talked of Guards' Memorial w is h should be made plain to the public a t large. And as a simple illus. tration of the enormous advantages " the Brigade" has hitherto had over the rest of the army in the matter of promotion, I would refer yo ur r ea d ers to last night's War-Office elazette. In . it we find a Captain of th e 84th Regiment, by name William Radcliffe, who (after a ser vice of 24 years in various parts of the world—after having purchased all his commissions, and whose corps, after being, since 1842, in the:Madras Presidency, is now in Burtaah), last night, the 18th of December, 1955, re ceives the rank of Brevet Major. Not one day has this gentleman been upon half-pay since, in 1831, he re ceived his first commission, and yet Guardsmen in their Memorial talk of the great hardship of having to wait 24 years for the rank of full Colonel, after having passed the whole of their time in London, and on a service so absurdly easy as to be much more fitting for yeomanry, a national guard, or trainbands of military-inspired citi zens, than for regular soldiers. Another point I would like to explain to civilians is this : these " mounted officers or acting majors " (of whom the Guards' Memorial makes so much mention, and who are thought to be ill-used, because it is only after three years' service as such they can obtain the rank of full Colonel) have merely an arbitrary rank ; and moreover the practice of making the Senior Captains (remember these officers, although Lieutenant-Colonels in the army, are but Captains in the Guards) acting field officers in the absence of their superiors, exists in every regiment of Infantry in the service. I have seen regi ments of the Line in the colonies, where, owing to one Major being in England with the depot, and the other perhaps on leave, the two Senior Captains did for years the duties of mounted officers. But for this, the unfor tunates of the Line—the mere hard-working drudges of the army—receive not one particle of advantage in any way. A Line Captain who has to do Major's duty, has to find himself in a horse, and to keep that quadruped out of his pay without any extra allowance. As to any prospective advantages in regard to promotion, such exist not' in the line. On the other hand, in the Guards, after three years' duty as a mounted officer, a Cap tain in the corps receives the rank of full Colonel in the army, and starts fair in the race for the highest grades, with men who have worked their way to that point through the most deadly climates and the weapons of every savage land. Such, I say, are the existing rules of the service, and really when men " ask for more," as the Guards have done, the patience of the public will hardly endure the impudence of the request. Knowing as I do scores of veterans who have re spectively for more than a quarter of a century been working their way up the list, and who have sacrificed health, comfort, family ties, and fortune for promo tion, the cool impudence of the Guards' petition fills me with indignation. If any man thinks I speak too strongly, let him take up " Hart's Army List," and read over the list of officers in any of the following corps—the 9th and 12th Lancers, the 14th Dragoons, the Bth, 10th, 24th, 27th, 29th, 35th, 37th, 43d, 52d 53d, 60th, 61st, 64th, 70th, 74th, 75th, 78th, 81st, 83d, 84th, 86th, 87th, 98th, Ceylon Rifles, or either of the West India Regiments, and then compare the pe riod the senior officer of each rank in these battalions has served with the time those in the Guards have borne her Majesty's commission. I will take one single instance, that of Lieutenant-Colonel Williamson, of the 27th Regiment. This officer has been thirty years in the army ; was never on half-pay ; has served in Eu rope, Asia, Africa, and America ; has purchased all his commissions except the last (which he obtained when the regiment was augmented in May, 1854, to go to India), and yet he will not obtain the rank of full colonel until May, 1857. Compare this gentleman's claims with those of the ill-used Guardsmen. In the same corps the two Majors have been respectively 30 and 26 years on full pay, but neither of them are Brevet Lieutenant- Colonels, and the senior Captain has been 18 years on full pay, but is not yet a Brevet Major ; in fact, he would only rank with the subalterns of the Guards ; and now allow me to draw your attention to another cir cumstance respecting this much-talked-of petition. It is now certain that Prince Albert, the Duke of Cam bridge, and Lord Strafford—the three colonels of the three regiments—have signed the document. Of the latter nobleman I would speak with all the reverence due to a soldier who has served his country for 63 years, and who consequently cannot be a young man. Let his age, and the Peninsular as well as the Waterloo decora tions which he wears, be his excuse for what he has done, and our apology for silence respecting him. As regards the Prince Consort and the Royal Duke, is not their acting as they have done a lamentable in stance of their utter ignorance which (in high place) prevails respecting public opinion in this country ! If there are in all England two men who are eagerly catch ing at every occasion to make themselves popular with the public at large, those two are Prince Albert and the Duke of Cambridge. It must be obvious to all, that had they had the slightest idea that the knowledge of this petition being even prepared would have called forth the storm of popular indignation which it has aroused, neither one ner the other would ever have lent his name to the undertaking. And yet every person in the middle or higher classes would, if previously ques tioned, have been perfectly able to foretel the certain consequences of any such attempt to foist the private intereste of the " upper crust" above those of the army at large. How such men as Colonels Wood, Upton, and Moncrieffe, the three Lieutenant-Colonels of the Regiments of Guards, were road enough either to sign or sanction the petition is truly a marvel. I had written thus far, when a letter by the la,,t mail from India reached me. The writer is an old and valued friend, who after serving his country for twenty years in the East, and having paid for all his various commis sions, finds himself still a captain, and, although able and willing to purchase, without any hope or prospect of promotion. One prtion of his letter is so apropos to my subject that I am sure you will hold me excused f r quoting it entire. It would almost seem as if by some magical means the writer, though stationed in the Upper Provinces of India, had been niade acquainted with the pretensions now put forward by " the Brigade," and had determined to show how the working portion of the army look upon the privileges which this most favoured corps already enjoys. Hare is the extract from his letter : It is reported here that a number of Queen's regiments are to be Bent from India to the Crimea this cold weather. Of course we all look forward to the chance of meeting a Enropean enemy with no little pleasure and anxiety ; but still there are some considerations respecting such a move, which to old soldiers like myself are by no means consoling. What would the past services I, and many others belonging to the royal army in India can boast of, avail me in the Crimea? As you know, I was under Lord Keane, in the first Affghan campaign ; under Pollock, at the taking of Cabool ; under Gough, at Gwalior ; and in the Punjaub campaign of 1841-15, as well as 1848-49. Oat of 20 years' service I have spent but two at home, and of those two was obliged to do twelve months' duty at the depot. I have four medals on my breast, and two of these have claps. All my patrimony has been expended in pur chasing my commissions, and my brother is now ready to buy me a ma j or it y. Yet if I go to the Crimea I should run the chance, if detached, with a party of the Foot Guards, of being commanded by boys who entered the ser vice after I obtained my present rank. To say nothing of the double promotion these drawing-room soldiers enjoy at every step, nearly half their subalterns have the rank of Major (and many of them are Lieutenant-Colonels) in the army. The latest Army List I have by me is of July, e and in it I see that in th e G renadier Guards there ar less than seven Lieutena n t s w h o are Brevet Majors in 'o the army, whilst the other tw o reg i ments have together eleven officers, who, although mere subalterns in their corps, are Majors in the Array. So that, in all, the Guards have no less than eighteen Lieutenants, who, by virtue of their being Field Officers, can command in the trenches or elsewhere men who were Captains before these youngsters left school. Now, as there are in the Queen's troops in India very many officers who have been a long time in the junior ranks, a great deal of discontent would be caused were we to join the army in the Crimea. The officers of the Line who have gained brevet rank since the war broke out are quite of a different list. Their good fortune no one objects to, for it has been fairly achieved, but the Guards' system of promotion is an infamous mo l u o s ub irL. justice on the rest of the army, fur it is by their steps—by their Lieutenants being Captains nd ( their Captains Lieutenant-Colonels -that they gradually creep upwards and fill every high position throughout the ofser vice, although, good ne ss knows, their experience ish very smallest. Of the 10 C a ptains in the 9th Lancers S have had upwards of 18 years' service, and of these 8 but two are Brevet Majors, which they gained by being men tioned in general orders, and, with one exception, all the 10 have been in action over and over again. So of the 14th Dragoons, in which all the Captains save one have been repeatedly in the field against the enemy, but of which no one holds brevet rank, although they have to a man been each upwards'of 12, and some more than 20 years in the army. Compare this with the Guards, many of whom, although but Lieutenants in their corps (and who bat 7 years ago were at school), are now Brevet Majors, and would command men who have nearly a quarter of a century's experience. Surely this shows that great reforms are wanted in the service—tba.t the iniquito us p r ivile ges o f th e G uar d s s h ou ld be done away with—if we want an army in which every good officer can have the same chance of winning the prizes. In times of peace we heed not the advantages of the favoured regiments ; but in war, when every officerlooks forward t o r i s i ng in the service, the' injustice of being shoved aside by men who started years later in the race i , s too glaring, too insulti ng t o common sense. Such are the opinions of one of the best officers and most gallant soldiers n ow holding her Majesty' s C)111- rnis:on, and I as certain that the sentiments he ex preens are held by ninety-nine teen out of every hundred who are serving in the cavalry or i n f antry of the Line. If the hundredth officer does not think like the others, it is because he hopes by his interest to pass from the Line to the Guards. c, And now for your correspondent A C i v i l i an, " w h o in your paper of yesterday says that in my various letters on the subject of rectifying army abuFes I have " never yet touched on what, after all, lies at the root of the evil—the well-nigh ineradicable vice of aristocracy, not only in the Guards, but permeating every branch of the mile' force of this country." In a great measure this is correct, but not altogether 20. The officers of the English army may be divided into three classes, namely : 1. Th ose who have money, and by means of their wealth look forward to snaking their way in the service. 2. Those who, in addition to money, have good in terest. 3. Such as have neither one nor the other, and hope by their good con d uct and professional knowledge to get on in the army. To the first class nearly all the officers of our Cavalry regiments may he said to belong, as in that branch money carries the day against every other advantage. To the second belong the Guards, and a very nume rous class for whom unattached promotion, staff appoint ments, and brevet rank, make matters pleasant until THE SIIN, LONDON; SATURDAY EVENiII6, DECEMBER 22 1855. they obtain so good a start in the service that others less fortunate have no chance whatever in the race. The third comprises the working men of the army — those who do most and receive least—who are to be found either in Cavalry regiments in India or in Infan try corps all over the world—the Cape, the Mauritius, Barbadoes, or New Zealand. It is only in the second of these three classes that " the well-nigh ineradicable vice of aristocracy" exists to such an extent as to impede and I hinder every attempt at reform of our military system. I But your correspondent is so far right, that a certain leaven of this blight upon our army is to be met with in almost every corps; and there are many officers, although of plebeian origin themselves, are idiots enough to copy the stray members of that oligarchy which at the same time crushes and curses our service. I have met with many men holding commissions in the army, although well known to be the sons of wealthy, worthy trades men—who owed the ♦ery lace on their jackets to their fathers having succeeded in amassing honest and honour. able fortunes behind counters—turn up their noses and express their surprise at the bare notion of any one wish ing for any change in the system which promoted men on account of their long purses or aristocratic connexions. But there is a numerous body of officers who wish for an entire and thorough change throughout the army, and these men are the best soldiers we have. To this class belong all those that have risen from the ranks, as well as the ♦ery much larger number who are the sons of poor gentlemen, if clergymen, lawyers, doctors, re tired officers, aid such like. These men are seldom to be found upon the Staff, for having no relations holding high commands they are not deemed worthy of distinc tion. It is by them the men are led in forlorn hopes, and It is to their superior judgment we owe those occa sional victories over the system of routine, which show that an Englishman can, if he sets his mind to it, muter the difficulties of bis profession, and become as good a soldier as his French neighbour. They—the sons of poor gentlemen—form the class that officers almost ex clusively the East India Company's army ; and who in that, as well as in our own service, succeed, for the same reason as our barristers, merchants, doctors, and other professional men, make their way in the world. These officers—of whom we have a splendid sample in Sir Colin Campbell—speak not, as the Guards do in their petition, of their " vested rights" in the service. They know that amongst many of their aristocratic, monied, and influential comrades they are looked upon as the pariahs of the army. Bnt, like all the Anglo- Saxon race, the greater their difficulties the more the energy shown to overcome them ; and so, in spite of everything, we find—not many, but here a few and there a few—officers who, in length of time, rise in the service ; aed when they rise, they always shine as lights in the terrible darkness of our military world. The curse of the English army is the acknowledgment by the authorities that "vested rights" or "vested in teresta" are of paramount importance to the public ser vice. Commissions are regarded by the first and second classes into which I have divided our officers as much their own private property as are their horses, doge, or houses. What they have purchased they expect to sell, or what has been acquired by interest they hope, when they have no further use of the post, to transmit to some one of their own caste. Is not this Memorial of the Guards, which every one is speaking of, and which all men condemn, a case in point? Guardsmen object that their " vested interests" should be interfered with, and positively argue that a certain number of years' service in London—in each of which years four mouths are spent where these gentlemen like—should count equally for promotion to the higher grades with long years spent in climates most prejudicial to the European health, and where lives are lost by disease as well am by the hand of the enemy. Read it as we may, this Memorial is truly one of the most astounding documents that has ever emanated from the pen of any man. To discuss it more in detail would be useless, as it has already been pub lished to the world at large ; but as a parting word to those who are interested in the prayer of the document being granted, I may be allowed to make a few remarks. When the Guards can bring forward instances of " Lien tenants and Captains" in "the Brigade" being of 16, 18, and even 20 years' service (without having obtained any brevet rank whatever), and all that time upon full pay, as is the case amongst the Captains in the let• Royals, the 4th, 6th, Bth, 10th, 11th, 14th, 16th, 17th, 24th, 27th, and a host of other regiments far too nurse• revs to mention—and this amongst men who have fought in every quarter of the globe—then may the Prince, the Royal Duke, and other officers of these corps petition her Majesty for increased privileges with some show of justice and some chance of their prayer being granted. - Would that the publio at large—the people who pay the army—could be roused from their apathy regarding military matters and persuaded to inquire a ►ittle more respecting the system. Inquiry is all that is needed, in order to expose the thorough rottenness of the whole system from top to bottom. Take one of the facts which the discussions upon this petition have disclosed. The entire patronage of the Guards is in the hands of the three Colonels of " the Brigade," and Guardsmen them selves acknowledge that until the promulgation of the new warrant rather more than a fair share of their body obtained the rank of General Officer. It follows, then, that the greater number of our Generals are virtu• ally the nominees of this triumvirate. This may be pleasant enough for all parties in times of peace, but during a great war no wonder that we are sorely puzzled where to look for commanders. To your correspondent " Civilian," and to all others who are interested in the question of army reform, I would strongly recommend a not very expensive work called Hart's Army List. It is published by Murray, of Mbemarle-street, and costs only five shillings. In it the enormous advantages which the Guards as a corps, and individual officers who in other corps belong to the "upper crust," enjoy over their less fortunate brethren, will be directly and clearly seen. Out of evil good ofte❑ comes, and I believe that this attempt of the Guards t, regain those advantages which, by long endured abuse, they formerly possessed, will result in larger measures of army reform than twelve months ago any person would have hoped for. Where the service of the State is concerned, no advantages of either purse or social position should for a moment be considered. If we must have a Brigade of Guards with double rank at each step, let the officers consist entirely of such as have pre viously distinguished themselves in the Line, and who, in consequence of their gallantry, have obtained promo tion into the household troops. The present privileges these corps possess, and the way in which such are distributed, might have been thought very right and Proper in 1687 (the date when the Captains of the Guards were male Lieutenant-Colonels in the army) ; but at the present day they are about as much out of place as the arquebnse of a century and a half ago would be in the hands of a modern foot soldier wearing his scarlet tunic and "Albert hat." ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. HOME CIRCUIT.—MAIDSTONE, DEC. 20. (Before Mr. Justice Crompton.) THE CIIDHAX MURDER. At the sitting of the court this morning, Robert Thomas Palin, 22, described as a shoemaker, was placed at the bar to plead to an indictment which charged him with the wilful murder of Jane Beagley. The prisoner, wbo is a very young-looking man, pleaded not guilty. He was unprovided with counsel, but upon a request made to the Court at the commence ment of the assizes, his lordship requested Mr. Denman to defend the prisoner, aid that learned gentleman im mediately undertook the task. It will be remembered that the murder was of the most brutal description, and that at the same time the life of the deceased was taken, her mother, a very aged woman, who lived in the same cottage, also received very dreadful injuries, apparently inflicted while she was in bed asleep, and who has never since entirely recovered. The prisoner, who is what is called a ticket-of-leave convict, was at once suspected, and the police appeared to have exercised very great zeal and vigilance in getting up the case against him. Mr. Clark and Mr. Barrow conducted the prosecution; the prisoner, as above stated, was defended by Mr. Denman. The learned counsel for the prosecution opened the case in a very clear and temperate manner ; and after remarking upon the dreadful character of the offence im puted to the prisoner, he said that the case against him would not entirely rest upon what was termed circum stantial evidence, but he said that when the jury had heard all the facts he should lay before them, he was afraid that, as reasonable and conscientious men, they could only come to one conclusion, which was that the prisoner, and the prisoner only, could have committed the crime. George Beagley said—l live at Cudham, inthis county. The deceased was my wife. She was 44 years of age. Our cottage is on the road-side, between Bromley and Westerham. There is no other cottage less than 30 yards from ours, and a wood is directly opposite. There are three rooms in the cottage, and they all face the road. At the time of this occurrence I and my wife, my son, and my mother occupied the cottage. I and my wife slept in the middle room of the three, and my mother slept in the inner room. The door of the cottage opens into the kitchen. On Saturday, the 25th August, I went out of the cottage to my work about 20 minutes past five in the morning. I had to go three-quarters of a mile to Inv work. I lb not u stilly return home to my dinner. I called my son before I went out, but he was in the cot tage when I left. My wife was in bed, but I cannot say whether she was asleep or awake. I returned home about seven in the evening, and when I arrived at the house I found the kitchen shutters closed as I had left them in the morning, and the curtains of the bed-room were also in the state I had last seen them. I found the front door was locked. It was open when I went out in the morning, and the key inside in the lock. I looked through the keyhole, and saw that the key had been taken out. I sent my son, who was with me, to see it the key was laid up any where, and I walked as far as my mother's bed-room window, and I heard her groaning in the room. I thee went to my own bed-room window and fouud it was not fastened, and I pushed it up and went into my bed room. I did not see anything that attracted my atten tion at that time, and I went on to my mother's bed room, and I found her sitting on her bed " in a very dis habille state." She was all covered with blood. I asked her what was the matter, and she said she did not know. I then went back into my own room, and saw my wife's shoes and stockings lying where she had pulled them off the night before by the side of the bed, and her dress was hanging across the foot of the bed, and that the bed was not made. I put my hand on the bed and found some thing there, and I pulled the clothes down, and found my wife there sadly ill-used, and the blood was flowing from several wounds on her head, and she was dead and cold. I gave an alarm, and proceeded to the house of a neighbour, and when I returned I ascertained that the key of the front door bad been taken away. Upon ex amining the house I found that a box in my wife' s bed room had been broken open, and all the I things in it tumb'ed about. My wife always had some money, and I had given her 15e., and my son 75., on the Saturday night before. The pocket in which se usually kept her money was lying by the side of the bed quite empty. There was a small money-box in the box that had been broken open, and I found it with a piece cut out of it, and no money in it. I did not know that my wife had the small money. box. When I went out in the morn ing I left about a pound of cheese on the table, and this had been taken away. On the Monday after this I missed a pair of trousers and a coat and waistcoat. These clothes were generally kept on a horse by the side of our bed. Superintendent Handly afterwards showed me a box that had been taken from the house. I also was shown the key of the front door that had been taken away. The box I saw was one that my wife used as a work-box, and it was not kept in any particular place. I believe it was found in the privy. Cross-examined —My cottage is as near to Cudham as it is to Westerham. superintendent Handly 'produced a map of the road and a plan of the cottage, and he proved that the dis tances were all correctly marked. The witness Beagley was then further cross-examined by Mr. Denman, and he pointed out various places upon the plan. He then proceeded to state that, when he re turned home on the Saturday evening, he did not see the tongs lying in the kitchen. The first person he alarmed was a neighbour named Lee, but she did not come to his cottage. He had never seen the small money-box be fore. He at first thought that some of his wife's clothes had been taken, but he did not now believe that this was the case, and he did not think that any were missing. After the occurrence he mentioned the name of a person to some of the officers, whom he suspected to have com mitted the crime. He had suspicions of another man. That man was taken into custody, but he did not appear against him. Re-examined—This man was discharged from custody. By the Court—He knew nothing against this man but what be was told. William Beagley said—l am the son of the last wit ness, and I lived with him at his cottage at Cudham. On the morning of Saturday, the 25th of August, I saw my father leave the cottage. I went to my work about half past 5 or twenty minutes to 6 o'clock. At this time my mother was in her bed, and I believe she was asleep. My grandmother was also in bed when I went out. The key of the front door wns in the lock when I left, and I closed the door on the latch. I work with my father, at Mr. Christie's, Aberfield, and I was at work the whole day, and returned home shortly after my father. I saw him get into the window, and I followed him, and saw my mother dead on the bed. I did not miss anything that belonged to me that night, but on the Monday fol lowing I missed a jacket, trousers, and waistcoat. I have seen them since, and they are the same now pro duced. His trousers had been lent to a man named Gibson, a short time before, but he bad returned them. Robert Jackson said—l live at Cudham. I remember Saturday morning, ',the 25th August. I was mowing oats in a field at the back of Beagley's cottage on that morning, and about 20 minutes past six o'clock I raw a man run across a clover field close by us. The pri soner at the bar is the man I saw. By the Court—l was certain the prisoner was the man when I was examined before the magistrate. By Mr. Denman—When I was before the coroner, I said I thought the prisoner was like the outline and age of the man I saw in the field ; I am quite sure that it was I who " helloed" to the prisoner. The depositions made by the witness before the magis trates at Bromley, and before the coroner, were put in and read. In the former, the witness said that the pri soner was like the man he saw, and in the latter, he said he was sure the prisoner was the man. William Crane, another labouring man, spoke posi tively to the fact of the prisoner being the man who ran across the clover field. The witness was cross-examined at some length upon the subject of the identity of the prisoner, but nothing material was elicited tending to shake his testimony upon the point. Jesse Tremaine, another labouring man, gave evidence to the same effect. Upon cross-examination he did not appear to have been so positive as to the identity of the prisoner the first time he was examined as he was upon the second. James Handley said—l am superintending constable at West Kent, stationed at Sevenoake. From informa tion I received I went to Croydon and met the prisoner. He had:a bundle, which he carried under his arm. I asked him what was in the bundle, and told him to untie it, and I found it contained a jacket, waistcoat, and trousers, and as they were not the articles I then sus pected had been stolen from the cottage, I told him to tie the bundle up again, and allowed him to go on, and he said he was proceeding to London to look for work. I believe that the articles in the bundle were the same now produced. After that I went again to Beagley's house to make a search, and on the privy-seat I found the street-door key, and a small box, and a number of articles were strewed upon the floor. Near to the privy there was a hedge, and, upon examining it, I observed a trace as if some person had been over a clump of roots, and broke through the hedge into a meadow which joins the above field, spoken of by the former witnesses. Cross-examined—l went to Croydon in consequence of information I received from the husband of the de ceased woman ; but I did not go in search of the pri soner, but anoth er man . James J o h nson , a po li ce - cons t a bl e o f th e E di v i s i on, said--From i n f orma ti on I rece i ve d, I went i n th e be ginning of September to Whitfield, in Gloucestershire. I went to the house of a man named Mark Wheeler, e d about one o' c l oc k i n the morning. I found the prisoner in a bed upsta i rs, and I said to him, " Robert, I want H a a nd b l ec a a s m k e ed very bi in much excited. After at bedside Cudham." on ha arn stool, the pri s o ner h a d d resse d, I saw someyou for r lot t h ha es t by murd er tize be if they were his, an d h e replied that they were. I then said, " Then I belie believe they are the clothes that were lost from the cottage where the woman was murdered." The prisoner asked me if I could swear to them, and I said it was not my place to do so. He then said he bought them from a man. I asked what man, and he said, " I suppose the man they were looking for on the Sunday morning when they stopped me in Croydon." He afterwards said that he had these clothes when they stopped him. I then took the prisoner to Bromley, and I was examined before the magistrates. The prisoner did not ask me any questions in cross - examination, but when I had given my evidence, he said it was quite right what I had stated. Examination continued—The prisoner put on the clothes he now wears, and he had the hat that has been produced. Several other witnesses were examined with a view to contradict the statements of the prisoner as to the pur chase of the clothes, and the paces where be had repre sented he had been on the night preceding the murder and the morning afterwards. The case for the prosecution was closed between seven and eight o'clock, and the Court was adjourned, the High Sheriff (Sir Walter James) providing the necessary accommodation for the jury. DECEMBER 21. At 9 o'clock this morning the trial was proceeded with. Mr. Denman made a most able address to the jury on behalf of the prisoner. After observing upon the fact that the case against him rested entirely upon circum stantial evidence, he went through the testimony of each witness, and contended that the facts before the jury were not sufficient to justify them in returning a verdict —the effect of which must necessarily be the sacrifice of the life of the prisoner. _ . The learned Judge summed up the case with great care and minuteness ; and the jury, after a long delibe ration, returned a verdict of not guilty. From the London Gazette of Last Night. ST. JAMES'S PALACE, DEC. 18. The Queen has been pleased to appoint William Fer mon, Esq., F.R.S., to be Surgeon Extraordinary to her ajeety. FOREIGN OFFICE, DEC. 20. The Queen has been pleased to approve of Mr. Samuel Metcalfe Latham as Vice-Consul at Dover for the Grand Duke of Mecklenburgh•Schwerin. FOREIGN OFFICE, DEC. 21. The Queen has been graciously pleased to appoint Joseph Tucker Crawford, Esq., to be her Majesty's Judge, and Francis Lousada, Esq., to be her Majesty's Arbitrator, in the Mixed Court established at Havana, under the Treaty of the 28th of June, 1835, between Great Britain and Spain, for the abolition of the Slave Trade. CROWN OFFICE, DEC. 21. MEMBER RETURNED TO SERE IN THE PRESENT PARLIAMENT. County of Meath.—Edward MacEvoy, Esq. of Foberti nen, in the county of Meath, in the room of Frederick Lucas, Esq., deceased. WAR-OFFICE, DEO. 21. lst Regiment of Life Guards—Richard Myddleton Bid dulph, Gent., to be Cornet and sub-Lieutenant, by pur chase, vice rosvenor, promoted. Ist Dragoons—Cornet W. H. Cutler to be Lieutenant, by purobase, vice Basset, who retires. 7th Light Dragoons—Assistant-Surgeon William Edge worth Lynch, from the Staff, to be Assistant-Surgeon, vice A. F. H. Lynch, who exchanges. 11th Light Dragoons—Lieutenant C. R. Vansittart to be Captain, by purchase, vice Ennis, who retires ; Cornet and Adjutant John Yates to have the rank of Lieutenant ; Cornet Edward Cludde Cockburn to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Vansittart. Royal Artillery—Staff-Surgeon of the Second Class Hugh Crawford Walshe, M.D., to be Surgeon, vice Best, promoted on the Staff; Assistant-Stuff-Surgeon Thomas jerram Orton to be Assistant-Surgeon, vice Park, pro moted on the Staff. Coldstream Guards—Lieutenant and Captain and Bre vet-Major Charles Baring to be Captain and Lieutenant- Colonel, by purchase, vice Lieutenant-Colonel P. G. H. Somerset, C. 8., who retires ; Lieutenant and Captain and Brevet-Major George Lord Bingham to bo Adjutant, vice Honourable P. Fielding, promoted. Scots Fusilier Guards—Christopher Peach Pemberton, Gent., to be Ensign and Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Mitford, who retires. For George Perry, Gent., to be As sistant-Surgeon, dated Ist of June, 1855, which appeared in the Gazette of that date, Read Acting-Assistant-Surgeon George Perry to be Assistant-Surgeon, dated 29th of January, 1855. 4th Regiment of Foot—Lieutenant William Winniett to be Captain, without purchase, vice Brevet-Major C. J. Bartley, whose Brevet Rank has been converted into Sub stantive Rank, under the Royal Warrant of 6th Octo ber, 1851; Ensign Edward Bromhead to be Lieutenant, without purchase, vice Winniett ; Lieutenant A. C. Twentynaan, from the London Militia, to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Bromhead; Lieutenant Richard Alexander Law to be Adjutant, vice Maule, who resigns the Adjutantcy only. 6th Foot—Lieutenant Walter Tyler Bartley to be Ad jutant, vice Lee, promoted. 7th Foot—Lieutenant John Mac Henry to be Captain, without purchase, vice Brevet-Lieutenant-Colonel J. R. Heyland, who has been promoted to the Substantive Rank of Major, under the Royal Warrant of 6th October, 1851; Ensign M. Watson to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Carpeuter, promoted. Bth Foot—Lieutenant T. M. Vincent, from the 2d West India Regiment, to be Lieutenant, vice Herrick, who exchanges. 10th Foot—Ensign Home Purvis to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Beatty, who retires. 17th Foot—Thomas Rochfort Hunt, Gent., to be En sign, without purchase, vice Hartwell, promoted. 28th Foot—Ensign Thomas Pinniger, from the 58th Foot, to be Ensign, without purchase. 31st Foot—Major Robert John Eagar, from half-pay Unattached, to be Major, vice Lumley, who exchanges; Lieutenant Robert Place Gould to be Captain, without purchase, vice Brevet-Major R. J. Eager, whose Brevet Rank has been converted into Substantive Rank, under the Royal Warrant of 6th October, 1854 ; Ensign H. R. Cromartie to be Lieutenant, without purchase, vice Gould; Lieutenant John B. Phillipson, from the Shropshire Mi litia, to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Cromartie. 36th Foot—Rhinardt Gun, Gent., to be Ensign without purchase. 39th Foot—Richard Albert Vercoe Pope, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Nicholls, promoted. 45th Foot—Arthur G. Smith, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Douglas, promoted in the 96th Foot. 48th Foot —Lieutenant F. C. Trent to be Captain, by purchase, vice Herbert, who retires. 50th Foot—Brevet-Major Edward George !Ebbed to be Major, by purchase, vice Frampton, who retires. 55th Foot—Ensign Edwin Charles Hilton to be Lieute nant, by purchase, vice Morgan, whose promotion, by pur chase, on Aug. 31, has been cancelled. 58th Foot—Edward Thomas Pinniger,Gent.,to sign, by purchase, vice Hingeston, prom - oted ; Lieutenant Charles Henry S. Jones, from the 4th West York Militia, to be Ensign, without, purchase, vice Pinniger, appointed to the 28th Foot. 60th Foot—William Henry Napier, Gent., to be En sign, by purchase, in succession to Lieutenant Fox, pro moted. 62d Foot—Captain John Charlowood, from half-pay Unattached, to be Captain, vice Williams, who exchanges; Lieutenant Beville Ramsay to be Captain, by purchase, vice Charlewood, who retires. 77th Foot—Lieutenant M. A. Waters to be Adjutant, vice Morgan, promoted. 78th Foot—Ensign James Sinclair, from the 79th Foot, to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Walsh, promoted. 91st Foot—Nicholas Maurant Brock, Gent., to be En sign, by purchase, vice Burton, promoted. 92d Foot—Robert Alexander Emmet, Gent., to be En sign, by purchase, in succession to Lieutenant Shafto, who retires. 97th Foot—Lieutenant George H. Hibbert-Ware to be Captain, without purchase, vice Brevet-Major Henry George Woods, whose Brevet Rank has been converted into Substantive sank , under the Royal Warrant of 6th E ns ign C. M'Kay to b e Li eu t enan t , w i t h out The promotions of the undermentioned Officers were on Opucrtcohbaerse;, v ice Hibbert-Ware. the strength of the establishment , and have been ante-dated to 9th September :—Ensigns D. J. D. Safford, J. C. Minto, and T. W. Sheppard. To be Ensigns, without purchase—Serjeant - Major Robert Smith ; Henry Gran tham Fulford, Gent. To be Adjutant—Ensign Robert Smith, vice Whitehead, promoted. Rifle B r igade—Ensign Andrew Green to be Lieutenant, without purchase. The promotion, by purchase, of En sign Andrew Green , as stated in the Gazette of the 7th September, 1855, has been cancelled. The promotion of Lieutenant G. L. Austin, on the 31st August last, should have been gazetted as in succession to Lieutenant Flower, who has retired. let West India Regiment—Edward Smith, Gent., to be Ensign, without purchase. 2d West India Regiment—Lieutenant William Henry Herrick, from the Bth Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice Vin cent, who exchanges; Edward Thomas Oldfield, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice J. R. Thomson, promoted ; Thomas Purefoy, Gent., to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Harger, promoted. Cape Mounted Riflemen—Henry Rose Morin Hum phreys, Gent., to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Mac kenzie, promoted. LAND TRANSPORT CORPS.—Captain Robertson Larkins has been permitted to resign his commission. PROVISIONAL DEPOT BATTALlON.—Quartermaster John Nowlan, half-pay 62d Foot, to be Paymaster. UNATTACHED. —Captain and Brevet-Lieutenant-Colonel John Rowley Heyland, 7th Foot, to have the Substantive Rank of Major, under the Royal Warrant of 6th October, 1854. The undermentioned officers to have their Brevet Rank converted into Substantive Rank, under the Royal Warrant of 6th Oct., 1854 :—Brevet-Major Henry George Woods, 97th Foot ; ltrevet-Major George Cowel Bartley, 4th Foot ; Brevet-Major Robert John Eagar, 31st Foot. STAFF.—Major - General Sir Richard Airey, K.C.8., to be Quartermaster -General to the Forces, vice Major-Gene ral Freeth, who retires. Colonel the Hon. Percy E. Her bert, Unattached, to be Quartermaster-General to the Forces serving in Turkey and the Crimea, vice Major- General Sir Sichard Airey, K.C.8., resigned. HOSPITAL STAFF.—Staff-Surgeon of the First Class Thomas Galbraith Logan, M.D., to be Deputy Inspector- General of Hospitals, vice M'Grigor, deceased—Surgeon John Bent, from the Royal Artillery, to be Staff-Surgeon of the First Class, vice Logan, promoted. Assistant-Sur geon Thomas Parke, from the Royal Artillery, to be Staff- Surgeon of the Second Class, vice 'Walshe, appointed to the Royal Artillery. Assistant-Surgeon Arthur Henry Francis Lynch, from the 7th Light Dragoons, to be As sistant-Surgeon, vice Lynch, who exchanges. Acting As sistant-Surgeon Wm. Morris to be Assistant-Surgeon. Acting Assistant-Surgeon James Lyon has been permitted to resign his appointment. litia—Lieutenant Robert Hoene to be Captain, vice Ben gough, resigned ; Ensign George Fowler to be Lieutenant, vice Heane, promoted ; Ensign Henry Le Patourel to be Lieutenant, vice Costley, gazetted to the 23d Fusilierea Ist Rifle Regiment Royal Cornwall Rangers—Ensign William Court-may Vyvyan to be Lieutenant; Ensign George Glanville Fortescue to be Lieutenant. Hampshire Militia.—Augustus John Bourke Fellowes, Gent., to be Ensign. sth or Royal Erthorne Light Infantry Regiment of Mid dlesex Militia.—John Richard Blake, Gent., late 6th Foot, to be Ensign, rice Seaton, promoted. NOTICE OF INTENDED DISTRIBUTION OF NAVAL PRIZE MONEY. Department of the Accountant-General of the Navy, Admiralty, Somerset-house, Dec. 20. Notice is hereby given to the officers, seamen, and ma rines, and to all persons interested therein, that the distribution of proceeds arising from the Russian schooner Volga, captured on the 19th June, 1851, by her Majesty's ships Miranda and Eurydice, will commence on Monday, the 31st December, 1855, in the Prize Branch of the De partment of the " Accountant-General of the Navy, Admiralty, Somerset-House." Agents and other persons holding powers of attorney, prize orders, assignments, or other instruments, by virtue of which they may be legally entitled to claim the share of any captor, serving in the above-named ship, are re quested to present the same at this office. Any officer, seaman, marine, or other person, who may desire to receive his share from the collector of custoins or inland revenue within the United Kingdom, is required to intimate the same by letter, to be addressed, " On Prize Business, to the Secretary of the Admiralty, London," in which letter his own place of residence is to be precisely stated, as well as the place of the nearest collector of cus toms or of inland revenue, from whom it would be con venient to receive such share of prize money. The following are the shares due to an individual in the several classes : Captain. £92 0 7i Sixth class.. £5 9 4 Second class Third class. l7 0 0 Eighth class Fourth class Fifth class 6 1 6 Tenth class.. 0 12 1 Department of the Accountant-General of the Navy, Admiralty, Somerset-house, Dec. 20, 1855. Notice is hereby given to the officers, seamen ' and ma rines, and to all persons interested therein, that the distri bution of proceeds arising from the Danish schooner Magle, captured on the 4th June, 1854, by her Majesty's ship Archer, will commence on Thursday, the 10th January, 18)6, in the Prize Branch of the Department of the " Ac countant-General of the Navy, Admiralty, Somerset house." The following are the shares due to an individual in the several classes : Flag share £2l 0 5 Sixth class £3 8 1 Captain Second class Third class lO 11 6 Ninth class 0 15 1 Fourth class Fifth dais 3 15 7 Department of the Accountant -General of the Navy, Admiralty, Somerset house, Dee. 20, 1855. Notice is hereby given to the officers, seamen, and marines, and to all persons interested therein, that the distribution of proceeds arising from the Dutch sloop Minima, captured on the 3d September, 1854, by her Ma jesty's ship Archer, will commence on Thursday the 10th January, in the Prize Branch of the Department of the " Accountant-General of the Navy, Admiralty, Somer set-house." _ _ ~.... The following are the shares due to an individual in the several classes : _ _ . £ s. d. Flag share Captain lO 4 6 Seventh class Second class 2 8 9 Eighth class Third class Fourth class 1 5 0 Tenth class Fifth class 0 13 11 2 a. d. O 12 6 O 8 6 0 4 2 O 2 9 0 1 4 Department of tho Accountant-General of the Navy, Admiralty, Somerset-house, Dec. 20, 1855. Notice is hereby given to the Officers, Seamen, and Marines, and to all persons interested therein, that the distribution of proceeds arising from the Russian brig, name unknown, captured on the 27th April,lBs4, by her Majesty's ship Furious and the ship-of-war Caton, belonging to his Imperial Majesty the Emperor of the French, will com mence on Monday, the 14th January, 1856, in the Prize Branch of the Department of the " Accountant• General of tho Navy, Admiralty, Somerset-house." The following are the shares duo to an individual in the several classes : Flag share Captain Second class 3 18 11 Third class Fourth class 2 0 6 Fifth class Sixth class Seventh class Eighth class 0 6 9 Ninth class Tenth class Department of tho Accountant• General of the Navy, Admiralty, Somerset House, Dec. 23. Notice is hereby given to the officers, seamen, and marines, and to all persons interested therein, that the distribution of proceeds arising from the Netherland galliot De Vroux Alida, captured on the 25th May, 1854, by her Majesty's ship Archer, will commence on Thursday, the 10th Janpary, 1856, in the Prize Branch of the De partment •f the "Accountant-General of the Navy, Admiralty, Somerset-house." The following are the shares due to an individual in the several classes : £. s. d. Flag share 5 3 2 Captain l2 5 2 Second class 3 5 2 Third class Fourth class 1 13 5 Fifth class 2. s. d. Sixth class Seventh class Eighth class 0 5 7 Ninth class Tenth class BANKRUPTCY ANNULLED. Thomas Thompson, book3ellor, Sunderland. BANKRUPTS. William Beavan Martin, wine merchant, Mark-lane, to surrender Jan. 4, at twelve, and Feb. 1, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Whitmore, official assignee, Ba singhall-street ; Healey, Basinghall-street. Henry Kelly, builder, Arthur-street, New Oxford-street, Dec. 31 and Jan. 31, at two, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Johnson, official assignee, Basinghall-street; B.ushbury, Surrey-street, Strand. John Joyce, baker, Bromley, Kent, Jan. 2, at two, and 29, at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Graham, official assignee ; Matthews, Arthur-street West, London bridge. Samuel Henry Raeford, livery-stable keeper, Lewisham, Jan. 1, at two, and Jan. 29, at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Lee, official assignee, Aldernaaubury ; Chidley, Gresham-street. John Hughes, maltster, Shrewsbury, Jan. 5 and 25, at eleven, at Birmingham. Whitmore, official assignee, Bir mingham ; Turner, Wolverhampton; Motteram and Knight, Birmingham. Thomas Morris, straw hat manufacturer, Ffoxton Now Town, Feb. 2, at half-past two, and Feb. 30, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Stansfeld, official assignee ; J. and C. Robinson, Queen-street-place, City.. Daniel Gardner, pump maker, Banbury, Oxfordshire, Dec. 29, at half-past twelve, and Fab. 2, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Pennell, official assignee, Guild hall-chambers ; Brady and Son, Staple-inn, Richard Longford, hotel and lodging-house keeper, Bath, Jan. 7 and Feb. 5, at eleven, at the Bristol District Cuurt. Miller, official assignee, Bristol ; Bevan, Bristol. William Wiffin and Frederick William King, card makers, Long-acre, Dec. 31st, at eleven, and ejtan. 31, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Johnson, official assig nee, Basinghall-street ; Stopher, Cheapside. Th o s. Watson Nicholson, oil and flock merchant, Rook ery, H a lif a x, Jan. 11, and Feb. 1, at eleven, at the Leeds District Court. Young, official assignee, Leeds; Ambler, Halifax ; Bond and Barwick, Leeds. George Kay, boot and shoe maker, York, Jan. 11, and Feb. 1, at eleven, at the Leeds District Court. Young, official assignee, Leeds; Phillips, York; Bond and Bar wick, Leeds. Leopold George Frederick Mantis and Joseph Linley, joiners and wheelwrights, Horsforth, York, Jan. 7, at half-past eleven, and Feb. 4, at eleven, at the Leeds Dis trict Court. Hope, official assignee, Leeds ; Tempest, Leeds. Thomas Heywood and John Heywood, lace warehouse men, Wood-street, Cheapside, Dec. 29, at twelve, and Jan. 25, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Pennell, official assignee, Guildhall -chambers ; Mason and Shut, Gresham-street. Gilliam Thomas, painter, Bridgend, Glamorganshire, Jan. 2, and Feb. 5, at eleven, at the Bristol District Court. Acraman, official assignee, Bristol ; Henderson, Howard, and Wilcocks, Bristol. Samuel Andrew, jun., cotton spinner, Royton, Lanca shire, Jan. 9 and Feb. 4, at twelve, at the Manchester Dis trict Court. Pott, official assignee, Manchester; Rad cliffe and Murray, Oldham. Luke Horafall, tailor, Accrington, Lancashire, Jan. 4 and 25, at tw ,, lve, at the Manchester District Court. Herna man, official assignee, Manchester; Higuon and Robinson, Manchester. Joshua Maden, cotton spinner, Brandwood•mill, near Bacup, Lancashire, Jan. 8 and 30, at twelve, at the Man cheater District Court. Fraser, official assignee, Blanches ter; Higson and Robinson, Manchester. EXAMINATIONS. At the Court of Bankruptcy, Basinghall-street—Jan. 4. (not Dec. 20, as before stated), at 11. J. Skinner, 1, Ben ♦erie•street, Fleet-street, carpenter, auctioneer, and ap praiser —Jan. 8, at 1. R. Richardson, Catterham, Surrey, builder - Jan. 8, at half-past 12. ft. J. Ward, Croydon, Surrey, brewer—Jan. 8, at 2. P. Cohen, 7 and 15, Artil lery-passage, Spitalfields, dealer in ironmongery—Jan. 9, at 12. T. Purdy, Great Yarmouth, wine merchant. At the Birmingham District Court—Jan. 2, at 11. J. and T. Monk, Princes-end, Tipton, Stafford, boiler makers. DIVIDENDS. At the Court of Bankruptcy—Jan. 11, at half-past 11, G. Tidd, Codicote, Hertford, corn-dealer—at 12, J. Church yard, Lothian-terrace, Brixton —Jan. 15, at 12. W. Hearn, Stangate-wharf, Lambeth, dust contractor, and Rainham, Essex, brickrnaker —Jan. 11, at 1. C. H. Tug-man and J. E. Tugman, 33, Great Tower-street, City, provision merchants —Jan. 11, at half•past 11. S. Seal, Little Queen street, Holborn, china, glass, and earthenware dealer— Jan. 11, at 11. W. C. Coode, High-street, Southwark, warehouseman—Jan. 11, at half-past 11. T. Leigh, Wel lingborough wine and spirit merchant—Jan. 11, at 1. M. Jones, Oxford-street, grocer—Jan. 11, at half-past 1. G. E. Neal, Pembury, Kent, innkeeper—Jin. 11, at 1. T. W. Nichols, York-road, Battersea, candle manufacturer and steam-boat lessee. _ _ _ At the District Court of Bankruptcy, Bristol—Feb. 7, at 11. T. Lewis, Bath, builder—Jan. 17, at 11. G. Pyne, Bristol, cordwainer, At the District Court of Bankruptcy, Nottingh am —J an . 15, at half-past 10. J. Biddle, Leicester, glove manufac turer ; H. M. Hitchcock, Ilkeston, Derby, miller. At the District Court of Bankruptcy, Manchester—Jan. 24, at 12. J. Thornton, the elder, and J. R. Thornton, Godley and Hyde, Chester, cotton waste dealers. At the District Court of Bankruptcy, Newcastle-npon- Tyne—Jan. 17, at 12. J. Rushton, Carlisle, plasterer. At the District Court of Bankruptcy, Leeds—Jan. 22, at 11. J. Simpson, Leeds, painter. J an . 22 , a t 11. It. Dunn and R. D. Dunn, Wakefield, corn factors. At the District Court of Bankruptcy, Sheffield—Jan. 12, at 10. A. Platte, Sheffield, tailor and draper. CERTIFICATEri TO BE GRANTED. At the Court of Bankruptcy, Basinghall-street—Jan. 11, at 11. W. Long, 2141 and 215, Oxford-street, laceman. At the District Court of Bankruptcy, Birmingham—Jan. 14, at half-past 12. J. Robinson, Bull-street, Birmingham, boot maker - Jan. 14, at half-past 12. T. Walker, Kidder. minster, licensed victualler. At the Distriot Court of Behlguptoy, liottioghos7 Jan. 15, at half-past 10. Anne Stavely, Nottingham, prin ter and bookseller. PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED. A. Grundy and J. Hope, Bedford-mill, Belford, Lan- : caster, cotton spinners —Eliza Checkotts and S. Buffory, Warwick, lime burners—J. Atkins and W. Steel, lessees of the Zoological Gardens, Liverpool —C. W. Squarey and J. P. Bickersteth, Salisbury, solicitors—J, Whittingham and S. Wilkie, Long-acre, coach-makers' warehousemen and coach builders—S. Hills and J. Hills, Stone-street, Maidstone, Kent, bakers—H. Radley and J. Radley, Li verpool, grocers—M. Vickers and T. Harrison—W. Lewis and Mary A. Lewis, Nottingham, cork cutters—J, Craw ford, S. Pemberton, and J. Whitaker, Leeds, cloth dressers —C. Crabtree and S. Stell, Keighley, York, cotton band spinners and paper tube makers—R. Cook G. EL Spence r , and R. G. Cook, Hatheasage, Derby, wire and needle manufacturers—J. Rand, W. Rand, H. R. Ranarbotham, and J. S.;Wilson, Bradford, worsted spinners sad manufs,c turers, so far as !regards H. R. Ramsbotham—Barbara Cardwell and G. Barber, Sheffield, brickmakers—C. E. Boond, W. S. Gregson, and J. Moore, Manchester, and 20, Cannon-street West, fustian manufacturers and deal ers—W. Savage and W. Aston, Oldbury, Worcester, brickmakei s— W. Jackman mad C. Jackman, Tunbridge Wells—G. H. Turpin and H. W. Turpin, 62, Banner square, St. Luke's, watch manufacturers—G. Wareing and J. Wareing, Preston, iron and brass founders—S. Fisher and R. B. Gridley, Old Market-street, Bristol, cur • riers and leather merchants - G. Morgan and W. Young, 5 and 6, Chancery-lane, Middlesex, architects and sur veyors—Eliza Gosling and Ellen Crick, Loudoun-villla, Loudoun-nsad, St. John's-wood, schoolmistresses—G. Spencer and J. Henderson, Alfroton, Derby, surgeon and apothecaries. SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS. _ . John Macdonald, Buchanan-street, Glasgow, baker— John Watton, Chapel-street, Airdrie, ironstone contractor, grocer, and spirit dealer. BANK OF ENGLAND. An Account pursuant to the Act 7th and Bth Victoria, cap sit, for the Week ending on Saturday the 15th day of Dec.. 1855 IBSIIIC DEPAATKENT. Notes Issued ........ 25,137.985 £25,137.985 Dated the 20th day of Dec., 18. Proprietors' capital .. 14,553,000 Rest 3,205,482 Public deposit s (in cluding I:xchequer, Commissioners of National Debt, Say ing's Banks, and Dtvideini Accounts) 4,425,44' Other depoilts ...... 1 2,32 .!,4(32 4even Day and other . 840,731 iovernment debt .. I 1,018,14. Other securities... 3,459,9 0 Gold cola and bullion 10,662,985 Allver bullion ...... • • - Z 35,350,115 .£95,137,585 &lAESIIALL, Chief Cashier Dated the 20th day of Dec., 18. THE WEATHER AND THE PARKS. The various parks were yesterday visited by many thousand persons. Several persons met with serious accidents. The thermometer at the Royal Humane Society's re ceiving -house, in Hyde-park, during Thursday night, was as low as 19 degrees of Fahrenheit. At nine o'clock yesterday morning it stood at 20, and at noo❑ it pointed at 26. In the evening the mercury fell one degree. The wind remained in the east. In St. James's-park the principal portions of the or namental water were frozen over. The ice was still con sidered by the Royal Humane Society to be in an insecure condition and extra park-keepers, together with the ice men, were placed at the different gates, and each per son on entering was warned that the ice was dangerous. In spite, however, of the warning given, about 600 per sons ventured upon the ice. The park-keepers and the icemen went to them, and told them that if they refused to come off, they were deputed to send for a groat body of police to assist them, and the whole of the persons left, and no accident of any description took place in this park. REGIBINT'S PARK.—The thermometer in this park showed —maximum 24, minimum 20, yesterday. About 2,000 persons went on the ice before the icemen came on duty, when, amongst the number, was a young man named Win. Parker, 7, Albany-street, Regent's -park. He was skating on some newly-formed ice on the broad water, and broke through just at the moment the icemen were going on duty. The park-keepers immediately pushed the Royal Humane Society's sledge to the spot, and, after the lapse of a quarter of an hour, the nnfortuate young man was got out, but he was past recovery, as vitality had ceased to exist. A. great number of persons remained upon the ice for hours, and it is to be regretted that several fell or were tripped up by the skaters, and were so seriously injured that they were obliged to be removed to the society's tent. After the icemen went off duty on Thursday night, a number ofmen eventwit with ove lighted r th e t torches and amused themselves by skating in band, which had a very singular appearance. THE SERPENTINE, HYDE -PARK.-4,000 persons ven tured upon the river. During the morning Wm. Bol ton, of 7, Sussex-place, New Kensington, broke through the frozen surface, but was extricated in a very exhausted state. He was taken to the Royal Hum ane Society ' s receiving-house. After som e time he recovered sufficiently to be removed to his own home. The ice on this river is described as being very dangerous. sliding Thursday night a great number of parties kept onn ffell into skat ing hison ing until a very late hour, when int.o skates deep water. The man, swimming d af h te r r eakin about 15 yards, an A a s w l a a y te, ashe however, pro. ceeded, succeeded in saving h g m t s b e e a l f ice as nine o'clock last evening, persons w ere still skatin g on this river. THE LONG WATER IN KENSINGTON -GARDENS. —T he A number of mem ice here is 31- inches in thickness. g took the h e e r s day o f t by e s S i i k d a i t n i g n g and C skating,a m u e butthemselves place. THE OCTAGONAL POND IN KENSINGTON-GARDENS. — C t icl hr e o n t : The ice on the water was four inches thick, and the num ber of persons who ventured thereon was 1,000. A lady named Wilday, of 7, Uxbridge-gardens, Hyde-park place, fell, or was tripped up on the ice, and for some time was rendered insensible. THE BURNOPFIELD MURDER. The coroner's inquest, which has been protracted to give the rural police the amplest opportunity to discover the perpetrator of the cruel murder of Mr. Robert Stir ling, assistant to Mr. Watson, surgeon, of Burnopfield, in the northern district of the county of Durham, who was assassinated in Srnailes-lane, a country road leading from some hill farms, on the Ist of November last, was resumed at that village on Wednesday, but the evidence was the same as that given before the magistrates at Gateshead on the same day, and reported in Our columns, which, it will be seen, throws great suspicion upon Richard Rayne and John Cayne, now in custody, as having been the perpetrators of that diabolical deed. The inquiry was again adjourned until next Thursday. BREVET. Major-General Sir Richard Dacres, 5.C.8., Royal Ar tillery, to have the local rank of Lieutenant General in Turkey. Captain and Brevpt-Major C. E. Conyers, 68th Foot, about to be employed on a particular service in Turkey, to have the local rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in Turkey while so employed. Captain John Charlewood, 62d Foot, to be Major in the army. To have the local rank of Major in Turkey—Captain A. Cathcart, late of the 11th Light Dragoons, employed on a particular service ; Captain Alexander Murray, of the Royal Artillery and the Osmanli Horse Artillery ; Cap tain Robert Jones Garden, late of the 45th Foot, employed on a particular service in Turkey ; Captain A. W. Wil liams, half-pay unattached, serving with the Cavalry of the Turkish Contingent. The undermentioned Quartermasters, retired upon half pay, to have the honorary rank of Captain, from the date of their retirement, under the Royal Warrant of 12th October, 1855 : Quartermaster John Haviland, half-pay 2d Dragoon Guards; Quartermaster D. Bilham, half-pay 20th Foot ; Quartermaster R. Shean, half-pay 51st Foot ; Quartermaster Donald Sinclair, half-pay 93c1 Foot. ADMIRALTY, DEC. 18. Corps of Royal Marines—First Lieutenant Benjamin Bousfield Herrick to be Captain, vice Flockings, to retired full pay ; Second Lieutenant Ponsonby Ross Holmes to be First Lieutenant, vice Herrick, promoted. BREVET.—Captain Robert Hockings, on retired full pay, under the provisions of her Majesty's Order in Council, 13th Sept., 1854, to be Major, the rank being honorary only. COMMISSIONS SIGNED BY LORD-LIEUTENANT S. Royal Sherwood Foresters or Nottinghamshire Regiment of Militia—Ensign Eyre Evans to be Lieutenant, vice Dakeyn, resigned. 2d Regiment of the Royal Surrey Militia—James Elyard, Gent., to be Ensign. Royal Rifle Regiment of Denbighshire Militia —George Hawkins Bonner, Gent., to be Ensign, vice Wood, re• signed. Royal South Gloucester Light Infantry Regiment of Mi. :pARTMENT. Government securities (includg.DeAd Weight Annuity) .......... 9,789,376 Other securities...... 18,360.761 Notes 6,556,625 Gold and silver coin,. 643,353 £35,340,115 &. MARSHALL, Chief Cashier. ,5, AVERAGE PRICE OF SUGAR. The Average Price of Brown or Muscovado Sugar, com puted from the returns made in the week ending Dec. 18, 1855, exclusive of the Duties of Customs paid or payable thereon, on th© importation thereof into Great Britain : From the British Possessions in America 3ls. 104 d. Muscovado, the produce of the East Indies ... 36a. 114 d. Average of the two foregoing descriptions THE SUSPECTED POISONING CASE AT IRUGELEY. Mr. William Palmer, surgeon, of Rugeley, who was arrested on Saturday evening last, on the cwroner's war rant, for the wilful murder of Mr. John Parsons Cook, of Lutterwortb, Leicestershire, by poison, was removed to Stafford Gaol on Monday last i❑ a post-chaise. The accused, who has been suffering from illness for upwards of a week, was allowed to recline on pillows, and he was in the custody of the chief constable, John H. Hatton, Esq., and Superintendent Wollaston. A large crowd of persons asseinbled v round his house at Rugeley to see him leave, but in consequence of the chaise being driven through the back streets of the town, the majority of the crowd was disappointed, although numbers followed the vehicle to the outskirts of the town. On arriving at Stafford the same anxiety was manifested to get a sight of the prisoner, but the chaise was driven rapidly through the huge .folding gates into the yard, instead of stopping at the lodge entrance as usual. The prisoner took but little notice of the specta tors ; and since his confinement in goal he has preserved the same determination to abstain almost entirely from food as he did during the lengthened proceedings con nected with the inquest. The bodies of Ann Palmer, wife of the prisoner, and of Walter, his brother, were exhumed yesterday (Fri,i ay) and conveyed to the Talbot Arms, where a jury of 23 persons had assembled to inquire into the cause of their death. A post morterrt examination was made, and :he intestines were forwarded to Professor Taylor for ana• lysis. T. SLOW POISONING CASE AT BURDON. BARON MARTIN'S CHARGE. We understand a correspondence has passed between Baron Martin and Dr. Jackson with reference to the closing remarks of the learned baron in summing up the Burdon poisoning case. Dr. Jackson complains that, inasmuch as Mrs. Wooler was proved to have been scientifically poisoned, his lordship's" surmise" must first affect the medicalmen, and he therefore earnestly asks for an explanation in a matter affecting his character, welfare, and happiness. His lordship, writing on the 19th (Wednesday last). says—" I think that, under the circumstances, I ought to depart from the usual and almost universal rule among judges, not to notice such a communication. Your complaint is confined to the expression which you describe as the closing expression of my sum ming up, viz., that there was another person whom I would be inclined to find guilty rather than the prisoner.' I am certain I never made use of such an expression or anything tantamount to it. It is impossible for me to state with verbal accuracy what I then said ; I can be certain of my meaning only. The substance of what I meant to say, and believe did say, was this—•that in a case of presumptive evidence, imput ing the guilt of murder, the law required the presump tions to be the plain and natural consequences following from the facts proved, and that it was not to be made out by fancy, or surmise, or suspicion, but by facts that amounted to proof; that I bad endeavoured in my own mind to arrive at some conclusion on the subject, and th it it appeared to me there wa, no proof against any one, but that if I were to indulge in mere surmise and fancy, not the prisoner, but some other person, would first occur to mind. If the entire of what I said upon this subject had been reported, I can not but think it would have been obvious to any one that I did express what I intended to express, namely, no imputation of guilt upon auy one, but a strong illus tration of the extreme danger of convicting Mr. Wooler upon any fancy or surmise from the facts and circum stances proved, by suggesting that a fancy or surmise more plausible than could be entert►ined against Mr. Wooler, though equally insufficient to bring home guilt or the suspicion of it, might be directed again,t an other person.—Your obedient servant, " SAMUEL MARTIN. " Thomas Hayes Jackson, Esq," Dr. Jackson's letter specially requested leave to pub lish the correspondence, and it is now in the hands of a printer. RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS. TRAFFIC RETURNS FOR THE PAST WEEK. Mlles t4eceipts. opened, NAME OF RAILWAY. 1855, 1854. 1855. -- - - ---- BRITISH. . f Z 11 Aberdeen ~ .......... ...... •,- • • • 2,890 2,644 37 % Belfast and Ballymena •••••••• • • • • •• 675 631 17 Belfast and County Down•• •••••• • • • • _ - 33 Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire 1 4:9 91 8 0 3 5 1, 3 93 44 5 1 2 17 6 % Bolton, Bristol fiu ll et a ck Exeter b u n, * . n . d . . W . eBt . . . .Yo . .. r . k .... ... . . - 191 Caledonian.... ...... •• • •••••• •• • • • • 11,293 10,717 94 '4 Chester and ........... 4,391 H01yhead....... 4 ,391 4,762 6 Cork, Blackrock, and Passage • • .... 137 147 20 Cork and Bandon .. • • .............. 200 190 56 Dublin and Belfast Junction ••••.•.. 841 1,121 63 Dublin and Drogheda...... ........ 1,251 1,362 7 % Dublin and Kingstown -• • .... •• •• .. 552 564 16 % Dundee and Arbroath ...• .......... 416 456 31 Dundee, Perth, and Aberdeen Junctior. 869 1,002 33 Dundalk and Enniskillen.......• • • - - - i 4 67% East Anglian.... •• ••••••.• • • - • • • • 900 Br s 93 East Lancashire • • • • .. .. • . •• •• •• • • • 4, 5.19 417 Eastern Counties and Norfolk ...... 1 1_ 4 9 :7 1 .2 1 2 6 2 4 2 : 1 7 9 4 5 6 Eastern Union • • . • 3 142 Edinburgh and Glasgow ............. 78 Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee-- •. 2 ,02 2,788 6 Exeter and Crediton.. • • .. • . • • .• • • 22 Furness Railway •• • •• .. ••••• • • . • 18314 Glasgow, and South-Western.. ......• 5 , -11 4 6,629 - 283 Great Northern and F.. L......... „ 23,619 25,0 7 20334 Great Southern and Western (Ireland 5 ,773 6,801 35934 Great Western .................. • 23,273 26,954 25% Irish South Eastern ••• •••.. •. ,•. _ _ - 90 Lancaster and Carlisle ••.•.. • . 270% Lancashire and Yorkshire.... .. ~.... 18,393 19,595 - Leeds Northern .. • • ....... ....... ~ 16k Liverpool, Crosby, and Southport- - - 653% I London and North Western, 534 London and Blackwa 8."... 183% London, Brighton, and South Coast.. 1 0 ,746 10.636 267 London and South Western. - 60 Londonderry and Enniskillen ....... 590 783 - Manchester, Buxton, and Matlock, &c - - 173 4 Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshirt 3 . 662 9,020 934 Manchester and South Junction -- .. (27 648 28 3Ltryport and Carlisle .............. 820 956 498% Midland ...... ...........• •• .. • 36,714 28,010 126 y 4 Midland Great Western (Irish) ...... 3,071 3,300 37 Monklands - - .. 78 34 Newcastle and Carlisle.. •.• • • -.. • • - 149 North British --- .. .............. 4,527 4,836 North Staffordshire - •... - .. • • • • • - - 47 North-Western •• .••• •• •••••••••••. 883 760 82 341 SoOttish Central -................ •• 2,231 2,491 32 Scottish Midland •••••••• .. • . • - - 29344 Shrewsbury and Birmingham ...... 1,041 1,418 48 Shrewsbury and Chester ........... 1,910 2,479 SO Shropshire Union ---.. .. •• •• • , 797 818 . 57 N Mouth Dev0n...................... „ 1,837 2,191 2 39 South Eastern.• ...................• 13,470 15,058 16 234 South Wales .................... 4,408 5,700 97 South York., Doncaster, and Goole .• - - 39 Taff Vale •• •• •• •••••• • • - .......... 2,856 2, 962 - - 77 Waterford and Limerick • • ........ •• 785 1,126 27 34 West Cornwall ...... • .... .... - 350 310 4 4 1 463 12 Whitehaven Junction ......... •.• • • •• 652 York and Newcastle, and Berwick 14 York and North Midland & Leeds.. _ - FOREIGN. - - 89 Dutch Rhenish ••••••••• • •• •• " - • - "`- Lyons and Mediterranean •• •• ••• • • - ._... - Montereau and Troyes •• • • .• •• • • " •: - - ' Namur and Liege .. •••••••• •• • • - ' - - Northern of France ••••••" • "• '• ' _ - - Orleans and Central ~ •• ••• • • • • "• . - _ - Paris and Lyors .• •••••"••• • • •• • - _ - Paris and Rouen • • • • •• •• ° • " "• • - - Paris and Straiburgh •• ••"• • •• • • • - - - Rouen and nATre • • • • .. • ..... -- i = Vfootora of rano Country Markets. LIVERPOOL—De 21 There was only a slender atte■ sissae to-day. Millers were careless buyers of wheat, and also dealers of flour but where a holder of wheat would abate ld to 2d pa bushel from Tuesday's price, be found speculative pur chasers. Indian corn declined 6d to is per qr., and found a fair sal*. In ao other article was any change of pie* obser►able. WAXEFIRLD—Dso. 21. The wheat trade is slew to-day, the best qualities are hold firmly for last week's rates, bat other sorts are rather cheaper. Fine barl , y maintains its price, other sorts la limited demand. Old beans steady —new rather lower. In oats and shelling ao alteratioa. EXETER—Dim. 21. CORN.—In our market wheat may be quoted from 2t. 64 to 9s 9,1. Malting barley, 4s 9d to 5s 4d ; grinding do., Ot Od to Os Od. Oats, 3a 3d to 3a 6d. Beans, Os Od to 0, Od. Peas, ON Od to 00s Od. FLOUR. —Fine, 56s Od to 5816 Od ; secouds, 540 Od to 566 Od' per sack. CATTLE.—Prime beef, 108 0(1 per score ; cows and calves 121. to 151. —a ; butchers' calves, Ed to 63d pe r lb., rearing calves —s to s each. Sh eep , 5d to 66(1. Lambs, —d 0(1 per lb. Store hogs, large size, —s to each ; slips. 28s to 34s ; small, 00s to 008. Rough fat, 5i41 per lb. Pork carcases from 9s 3d to 1.04 3d per score. INVERNESS.-DEC. 18. CORN.—Wheat, white, per qr., 75s Od to 78s 04. Bat• ley, chevalier, 40s Od to 41s Od ; ditto, common, —s Od t 4: —s 04. Oats, ::Os 04 to 31s 04. MEAL.—Oatmeal, per imp. boll 25s Od to 26s 6d ; .liti second, 00s 04 to Oa Od ; barleymeal, 161 6d to 16s 8d ; peasemeal, 163 6d to 20s Od; bran, per stone, Os 9d to 104 ; Ist floor, per 2801 b, 609.0 d to 624 Od ; 24 ditto, 53. lki to 55s Od ; oatmeal, best, per wt. of 111 b imperial 21 6' to 2s 8d ; ditto second, On Od to Os Od ; barleymeal 1, 3' to 003 Od ; peasemeal, 1s 8d to 2s Od ; Ist flour, 354 , 1 casb, 3 8 IA credit ; 24 ditto, 3s 0(1 cash, 3s 3d credit. BRISTOL SUGAR—DEc. 21. --- --- The " holding off" which has for so long a time charac• terised the dealers in our market still continues, and it is now six weeks since we have had any transaction of the slightest consequence to report in raw suga? a. In refined goods some disposition to purchase is evinced, but only St greatly reduced prices. There can be no doubt that the retail consumption has very much fallen off, and that there is a disposition cut of doors to resist the recent consider able advance. , T.—Dsc. 21 he olose ;)f the market. Witlisend, Ise. If atop 22 0 Fietton Lyons Main 21 6 ALubton • 22 3 ,btussell's Hetton 22 0 Caeeop 21 t Hartlepool 22 u Hough Hall 2O 0 South Hartlepool 2l 9 Tees 22 6 Trimdon 21 6 Belmont 20 6 Whitworth 2O 0 li Evenwood 19 0 i!Carr's Merthyr .. 23 6 I lWayne's Merthyr 23 0 I Sold . 49 ,mas-day falling on Tueolay t held on Monday, 24th inst. COAL .3i ARK Prices of Coal pin toy at 8. d. Bate's West Hartley 18 0 Byass's West Hartley lB 6 Davison's West Hartley 19 0 Elolywoll ... lB coward's West Hartley Netherton lB Tanfield Moor l7 3 Canfield Moor Butes 17 3 West Riding Hartley _l7 6 Wallsend, &c. Heaton asdloy ...20 3 1 Riddell 2O 3 1 Wharncliffe 2O 6! Braddyll 2l 9 1 Haswell 22 6 Ships at market... 69 In conseqneice of Christi noxt, thole will be no market COURSE OF EXCHANGE.-YESTERDAY. 11 16% Gibraltar ......•• •• •• •• Ditto, three months .. 11 19 1 4 Leghorn . 3O 1. :t0tterdam............11 19% Genoa Antwerp 25 50 Milan • • •• -- ;srussels 25 50 Venice ••.•• • •• - 7 lamburgh ............13 9% i Naples .. • , ...... • • 44} ( t kltr,na .. • • Palermo .... Paris ........ . .. • ..... 25 32% Messina ••• 1333( Ditto, three months .. 25 72% , Lisbon . . 5O Atarseillb ......... 25 72% Oporto .........• •• • • 53% :sourdeaux ........ Rio Jsn3iro ..... ••• • • • -- Frankfort-on Maine .... 120 13uenos Ayres.. • •terliu • • • • -7 ................ New York, 60 days' sight Vienna................ 11 IS Philadelphia • • ........ •• •• 11 21 PRICES or IQLIICN , PEI of. retersburg 341,4 Foreign (bold in Bars £3 17 9 Jladrid .........., 49% Portugal Gold Coin 0 0 .........• .„., .. 49% Alexican Dollars ~ 0 ° 3rzceloun ............ New Dollars 0 0 ?,/ Silver in bars 0 5 - - - SEABORNE MAILS. Aignites that tat male s.re gent froi the General Post O y the night—And M by the morning—tlektpe.tch.) Day tn Gonoral Office, London.* from 'N!I, who SSW Ad• Oeo. 31 Port Disit tLr. vPry ifr1.1,4 I Live r pen ' DM 14 ID.o. “ ifkoutli.ro ' Sottthsaw ,DeTrr • 13(7.1 01 the roFir.:: 24, & 30 of 4th & 20th of !nth of the moi' • . 1 i9th of the month.. 19th u , the morttE „ .tab ran 6 lot) Jan lb Jan L' tracrtrin. Tito of ran. 18 ~ rI4. 7th of 'mint' Once A month oz;; 14th 2nth cf rnon, rwl co JAI!), ra.Tre 6oB Trri& 46nl IT•xte daily.... . [4,7,17, '?0,27 ten, 12nd h 17t1, of mon.l iTuetday & Fri !ly 2nd of tilt mor.ti. Daily.. 17ta Ithf, month. 14th IL 20th of mO7, 9thSc 26th of month 17, 17, & 27 of mon Twice daily 7,9, 17, k 27 of rn. 9th of the monti. 234 of month lan 1 ;,-p ,;aITY 6tborm ( Jan. 4 ['vetedON IJAII• & 28 of mon 14th of thb month 211(1 of the mont ,. ..' hthisth2hthemor. 21 & 17th of rnonti7 By private 811 p .. ` , thlstb2sthoftnoti. thl7th27thofmon. 11 & 27th of mon. ~1.1 private ship... i l sthiSth2f , thofrnon, 15!hif , t1,25thofmon. 12d* I7th otmont), ino;ro Plrri 00U N TR merlca(by i%rit.pact in crier, (by United tits packet) , nerica (by D Stare pocket) Qatralia (via South ampton) Att.° (via Niarsaillea) fitto (via Cape of (lo.d, Elope) .rica (crest Coast) 1%; , <ito a.m.! ".tlgiurn ....... . /4 1 irazil ............ 1 !uenos Ayres ...... ..111 Rpc ot flood Elope 'apo of Good Hope 'ape de Verde 7eyion (roe India) fr. - .noel !slog .7oustantinople enftantinop:o ........ Ant. of Europe NE A 2; Egypt (aee India) PraneJ ........ ;ltbraltar fireece (seela) 'Jreytown garriburgh ..........N Iftvannah fioncluras India (viaSonthampt.)l4 India (via Marseilles)M onian Imes (see India) trot:Lad •• •• ••11! & N qadetra •ladeira .... • • N qalta (see India) Nisurltins (see Indict) aurltius ..........N SIOXICO •• •• •• •• • • M •4'aples .......N Vow Granada ikrew Zealand Papal States Peninsula ........ , . Nra !I Port ........ Tuscany 7enezuels Van Diernen's Land (se. Australia) . • •... • . West Indies • • h' I , erpo4t Seuttinmr. Dover . .... -.• l ifitrious por ISouttmolp!c fl.r,uthkrap,o .154:ontltamp,o DT, er 1 ,13 *. !Dover ..... Doter 18..an0. , rrip*. J Loidon SOL1 , ;1111:,.1 , Myer S.utharnr•or Plrrn 'nth ;Dover ...... Dover Holy head iSouthainp tol Bouthamprok ILiverpool Dover Soithatript,r Dower ..., Southampto, Various port IDower ran. 4 !Southampict. !Southern ott , i Varlons ports Dover ...... Dovcr 3.outharnptr,, ran 4 rat 1 Jnc 'Untie ° &VW . tiouttiamp'.., I & SHARE MARK I? 'l' S. LIVERPOOL, Dzo. 21. u STOCK EXCHANSE.—The tone of the mark e t —el' 71 013 less steady to-day, at a decline on the prices of yesterdold: Lancashire mad Yorkshire, 77A--South Eastern, 171. 3 8 . Midland, 64k—London and North Westerns, 94}—Data Rhenish, j d. BIZMINGHAN, 2L STOCK EXCHANGE.—The tone of the market has b e. 1 1,,, dull to-day, anti the prices rather lo wer - I n l oca l stoo:; Birmingham Banking Co. shares were done at 33#--Bo mingham and Staffordshire Gan 251. shares, a t 48—Lor , "" and North Westerns, 90—Birmingham Canals, 90#. MANCHESTER, DEC. 21. , STOCK EXCHANGE.—The market t o -d a y h as oeev at last prices. Great Western of Canada, 24i —Di / 6 New, 2} pm.—Dovers, 17 3 . l6—G rea t N or th ern , 22 3 . . —Ditto A, 9i. BIRTHS. Or ♦ lON. On the 20th inst., at Victoria-square, Reading, the 1 011 of John Wright, Esq. On the 20tb inst., Mrs. Wm. Fullford, at 6, C„ rOl street, Lincoln's-inn. OP ♦ D•11111tTEL On the 20th inst., My% Charles Oriel, of Alfred-Pla ce Betiforl-square. On the 20th inst., at 34, Milner square, Mrs. Little. MARRIED. On the 20th inst., at St. Vincent de Pauly, by the 144C 1 Abbe Caron, and afterwards at the Protestant Church °. Pontemont, Paris, by the Rev. Athanase Coqueral, Jo Francis Alphonse Lavanchy, Esq., only son of Mr. Jo". - , Hobert Lavanchy, of New Burlington-street, to 3P' l., Col ine Guerin, only daughter of Mons. Jean Joseph Guerill' Merchant, of Paris. On the 20th inst., at St. Giles's, Camberwell, John ji g ; Rickon, Esq., C.E., War Department, to Letitia, elde r (laughter of Abraham Rickon, Esq., of H.M.'s Cnstog 36 London. On the 21st inst., at St. Marylebone Church, Charl ey Tophatn, Esq., of Oxford-terrace, Byte-park, to France.' fourth daughter of the late James Bourne, Esq. DIED. Nv O il n lia t m he W 2o i t l h ki O ns c e i n ob , eer flast,the ship at Calcutta, iputopia o cholera,Liverpool, Cape 45. On the 19th inst , at Hill, near Southampton, Be': Admiral Thomas , son of the la te Sir John Thomas, 8.,S , T On the 19 th ins t., at M y to u House, near Warwick, Anne Parker , si s t er of Admiral Sir Wm. Parker, t• aged agedB On the 20th inst., at Denbies, Dorking, Thomas Cl lbitt: E s q. aged 68. At: ?, Upper Hyde - park-street, the Lady Catharine B °ll ' aged 76. On the 20th inst., at Alderley, Glocestersbire, FL 13 ' Hale, Esq., aged 75. On the 20th in9t., John Vick, Esq., of Coldharbour' Dilworth, aged 81. On the 11th inst., at Castle Hospital, Balaklava, f Lrova ;, wounds rec e i ve d a t the explosion of the French siege iiP e t i „ Seba s t opo l , Lieut. J. W. J. Dawson, Royal Art ill er y, eldest son of J. W. J. Dawson, Esq . ., Bedford-square . _ t he On the 19th i ns t., a t R ea di ng , Harriet, widow of late Captain Forbes, aged 67. JLOTDON: Printed and Published by MIIRDO Y ()ITNI P of No. 112, strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, 11 of Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy is the Netts Middlenz i riaturdskj i DeOntlie Iso. rrtabll biro liabil 'crib Oapital Is 1 PO bert Conn Le Com Yaeosai bain• ?retell Pktwin 1 Angusti Puri'. Mansion TIA. 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N; MOP 06 118 ‘-'ll Pride Matthi in whit pear.c.. After. ri Indu Ems( phicn Paik Meeh nical rival 14141 Eihai and REY The intends Ames, WM< ten u si wliic ith