The Sun. — London, England, 1849-12-26 00:00:00

_..., THE SUN, LONDON , W] ........_-- STEAM COMMUNICATION WITH with him from Lisbon letters of introduction to your, PRICES OF MARES BRAZIL. correspondent, and fully explained his view in refer- 1 lee B e eehes, A ssußA - Ncre, ANK OTHER. COM ence to these projects, which were designed, in point PA.NIES' STUCK. In December, 1848, the Lords Commissioners of ( of fact, to establish a steam communication between .From the Official List. the Admiralty issued advertisements inviting pro• posals from persons willing to tender f or the convey- England and Brazil via Lisbon, by means of the PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND Farreer EVENING. 1 ante of her Majesty's mails to and from Brazil, Mon. Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamers from LONDON. MONDAY, DECEMBER 24. tevideo, and Buenos Ayres. S outham p ton to Lisbon, and thence b y the Portu- In February 23d, 1849, we announced that the guese steamers from Pernambuco. ErOINT-STOGIC SE.LITTELI3. contract fur the performance of this service had been Owing to the general disfavour with which London Dividend Amount adjudicated to the directors of the Royal (West capitalists were disposed to view the investment of Name of Company. per of Share. Paid. Price. Annum. India) Mail Packet Company. mone y in an enterprise essentially Portuguese, we The basis of the scheme embodied in the tender of believe that M. d'Affonseca, after several months' £ s. d. A .. d. Australasia -..••• • • • 31. per cent. 40 0 0 40 0 0 24 % this company, as accepted by the Admiralty, was that ne g otiations, was unsuccessful, and could not raise BritshNorth American 51. per cent. 50 0 0 50 0 0 - the intercourse with the Brazilian empire, and with the necessary capital for carrying out his scheme, Ceylon ............ .. 71. per oent. 25 0 0 25 - the states on the Rio de la Plata, was to be kept up although previously to his visiting England he had Colonial.. me a r i cial of London 6 5 1 1 . per cent. ligg 0 0 2 2 0 „ 0 0 0 0 21 by a direct line of independent steamers from South- obtained subscriptions for stock to a considerable Gloucestershire ••• • • • 15ip p er cent. - - - ampton or Liverpool to Pernambuco, Bahia, and Rio amount both in Madeira and in Portugal. By re- lonian •.••-.. •• • • •• ..............Si. per cent. 25 0025 0 - de Janeiro. From the latter port the mails were to cent private advises from Lisbon we learn that the 4° • n n i d t n to an .. d . W . estrain . sr' 61. per cent. 100 0 0 2 1 0 3 0 0 - 0 - 0 - be conveyed to Montevideo and Buenos Ayres by concessions granted to M. d'Affonseca (which took London Joint-Stock .•. 6/. per cent. 30 0 lO branch steamers running in conjunction with the main leace during the latter period of the Duke de Pr D ov it in to cia N lof Ireland • • 8 8 1 1 . per cent. 10 1 : i ( ) ) 0 o 2 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 43% line. Saldanha's administration), are likely to be with- Kationtil ' o e f w ir . e . la - n . d . :: Si.. per e cent. cen. 50 0 0 22 10 0 - The communication outward and homeward was drawn by the present Government, at the head of Nat. Pro N viacial of Eng. 61. per cent. 100 0 0 35 10 0 0 0 36% to be monthly, and the course of post with Rio Janeiro which is the Count de Thomar, in consequence of the South Australia :: :: :: 5 5 1 1 ..1) , e e r r cent. cent. 20 0 0 22 10 0 0 about 70 or 74 days from the time of departure to the inability of M. d'Affonseca to arrange for the comple- Union of Australia.. •• 61. per cent. 25 0 0 25 0 0 - time of return to England, the proposal being to oc- lion of the proposed lines of steamers under the For uli)eistetoef ..............Si. London. 50 - 0 9 1 2 0 10 0 0 0 - 1234 copy about 30 days out and 30 days home, leaving tuguese flag. Union of Madrid .•• • • - (0 0040 II 0 - about a fortnight, or rather less, for preparing replies We are, however, informed that the Count de INSITIE,ANCIE 43011TPANIES. at the Brazilian capital, and a proportionately greater Thomar is especially desirous to promote steam com- time at the northern ports. naunication between Lisbon and the Brazilian ports Dividend Amount Name ef Company. per of Paid. Price. The Royal Mail Steam-packet Company had the by way of Madeira : and on a certain occasion, when Annum. Share. option of choosing either Southampton or Liverpool the British p lan for the Brazil mails was a subject of .. £ s. d. .£ s. 4. - as the port of departure and arrival of the ships to be discussion, the Count expressed himself free to grant Albion .. •••••• •• •• • • 31. 10s. 500 0 0 50 9 0 SO employed on this service. any concessions and privileges necessary to facilitate Alliance Brit. and Far. 7114 s id& be 100 0 0 11 • 0 Eso I.per cent. 100 0 0 5 0 0 ele Nearly a year has now elapsed since the carrying the touching of the steamers at Lisbon or any Portu- A Ditto Marine. ••• • :• 1 6 38.,d. prsh. 50 0 0 a 6 5 is% out of this important scheme of steam communication guese port. British Commercial •• 7s.per share 50 0 0 5 a 0 - was confided by the Government to the Royal Mail There is at present no steam communication be- Cloricl,Med.k Gen• Life Ipr I. l lc bs. 10010 0 0 0 0 10 0 • 19 County ••.•••• • .• • • • •10 0 0 50 Company, and the public will be very prone to in- tween Portugal and its dependency, Madeira. A fast- 149. 50 0 0 a• 0 14 quire if any really tangible steps to place the line sailing vessel, the Zarga, running regularly between Eagle ••• 6s. 50 0 0 50 0 1' En • • • 1 4 in operation have been taken by the contractors, and Lisbon and Funcha l, carries 40 to 50 passengers each F uropea reemas Life ens' .• •••• • • • 6/. per cent. 20 0 I All paid. 10 per cent. 20 0 0 3 0 0 - to ask when there is a probability of something being trip. The E n g l i sh steamers, therefore, if calling at GI ,oe • • • •• 4• 61. per cent. Stock. - 122 lone in the matter, and will further be glad to learn Lisbon, would secure a considerable number of pas- Giardlan ...... •• - -5/, 100 0036 10 0 51 un penal lire .... •• •• 121, per cent. 500 0 0 50 0 9 228 the exact position and prospects of the enterprise, sengers between Madeira and Portugal. Imperial Life ••.•• . • • 12s. 100 0010 0 0 1534 and why it has been, and is apparently held in With regard to the intercourse between Portugal Law Fi f, e •• •••••• •• •• - 100 0 0 210 0 2% Law Li.e........•• .. 11. 16s. 100 0 0 10 0 0 42 We regret very much to be unable to give any manners, customs, and relations, and the large mer- Lima and General Life - 59 0 0 20 0 4 very satisfactory solution to these inquiries, as there cantile business between the two countries, we are e idc. n e a r i r i e ctuallers • • - 50 0 10 0 % 10s. 25 0 0 12 10 0 16i, eertaiuly has been a lack of energy in bringing to of opinion t hat with moderate rates of forces a highly ~ London Ship 11 :.. .• .• .. : 10s. 25 I 0 l2 10 0 16% bear, or even commencing, the requisite measures for lucrative traffic would immediately be produced. Marine.. ........... 12s.per share 100 00ilb 0 0 9 ?f d.lnTlid&Gen Life 4141 per ct. 50 0 0 2 0 9 carrying out the contract, and we are fearful, even Our advises from Cadiz have recentl y p ut us in x:tional Lean Fui Fond.. 51. Per cent: 20 0 0 210 9 2% now that a considerable period of time will pass over possession of the fact that the merchants of that sratioaai Life. - ere the pioneer of the line will set sail from England city are about to establish a line of Spanish steamers re Pa , l . ladium Life Si. per cent. 50 0 0 2 0 9 21 Os. _ - _ _ for the various ports. between Cadiz, the Canaries, and Cape Verde; hut, in p t,:ii x .... ...... - - 141 We understand that a long time was occupied in the event of the Royal Mail steamers calling at Pr °teeter Life 5l. per cent. 20 0 01 1 0 - deciding whether steam-ships on the paddle-wheel or Lisbon, this scheme would in all probability be Provident Llfe• •••.. •• 11. 51. k bs. 100 10190 0 26 Rock Life...........• as. 5 0 0 010 0 5% screw principle should be employed on this line. It abandoned, and all the Spanish traffic to those islands Royal Exchange V. per cent. Stock. - 203 would be a pity to adopt upon speculative grounds flow into the English steamers at Lisbon. There are Sie Fire - - 205 I'•ittoo Life . 11. 6s. 47 any particular method of steam propulsion in carry- regular, raaid, and frequent commu n ica tions between ;kited Kintdont 1.... 41. per cent. 20 - 0 0 4 - 0 0 - ing out an enterprise of so important a character as Vigo and Cadiz with Lisbon by the Peninsular Corn- Universal Life........ 10% pr cut. 100 0 01 9 0 0 - Viatorla Life • 51. per cut. - 4 0 0 436 this, to the commerce of Great Britain. Paddle- pany's steamers. wheel steamers have been thoroughly tested for all We therefore incline to the opinion that if the DOCZ.EL the purposes of Transatlantic navigation, and they Admiralty were to sanction the call, out and home, Dividend Amount have been found to answer in every respect, both as at the Portuguese capital, the traffic from Spain and Name of Conapaiy. per of Paid. Price. regards sp - !ed, safety, efficiency, and precision. All Portugal with Madeira, Cape Verde, the Canaries, Annum. Share. sea-going steam ships are liable to accident, and and the Brazilian ports would exceed the extent of - - - s. d• X d. accordingly paddle-wheel steamers have sus- passenger traffic from England to South America East and West Ind'a ... 61. Dr cent. x Stock.. s. - - tamed at sea all kinds of damage and dislocation which would at first accrue to the steamers in the Ea t it , Country • 203. per sh. too 0 0 - 21 - 119 of their machinery, but never during an expe- infancy of the line. The latter traffic will no doubt 1 1 ) ( 1 - t o t n o Bonds•• •• •• •• 1 1 :p i/ e r r e: e t . Stook. - - perience of ten years has a paddle-wheel steamer been greatly increase when steamers shall have been .some se Katharine ........4 per cent. Stock. - 80 Ditto, Scrip ....... . - - - - completely and thoroughly disabled by an accident to thus in full operation. Ditto 80nd5........ 4341. pr cent. - - - her engines, or prevented from continuing her voyage An additional and direct com munication with the Southampton •• ...... 21. per cant. 50 0050 0 0 - by . reason of such derangement. A. vessel upon this Tagus would also be enjoyed by the British mer- EIRXI7IGES principle is not dependent upon one propeller, but can chants by the adoption of this plan, available both for ----- proceed by the help of either one paddle or two pad- passengere and mails. Dividend Amount Name of Company. per of Paid. Price. dies, or by one engine driving one paddle, or both Another peculiar feature in this line of steamers to Annum. Share. engines working a single paddle, in each case respec- Brazil is, that from Porto Praya, Cape Verde , nearly .s. d. s. d. tively at a speed of fully one half to three-fourths of half the distance from England to the Cape of Goal Charing-cross.. ••.• • • - XX. - 25 0 0 - the ordinary maximum rate of steaming. There is, Hope, the line can at any time be extended to our Southwrk, Nw Sub p. .A.v. - cent. 50 0 32 0 e 12 8 - - 2 therefore, a degree of certainty about the voyages of South African possessions. We hav e no doubt that W D at i e t r t l o oo Nw of 7% c. 355. per •••••• • • - • • 100 0 0 - 3 % a steam-ship worked with paddles which cannot be eventually this also will be accomplis h e d b y steamers Ditto Old Ann. of B l. re 47. Od. - 60 00 28 obtained by a steam-vessel trusting to a screw, w hi c h, in conjunction with the Brazilian line, so that the Ditto Nw ditto of 71. 11. Is. Od. - 40 00 24 Vauxhall ...• .• • Av. 11. 70 10 3 - - if broken or deranged, leaves the ship at the mercy Cape of Good Hope will be brought within 35 or 36 of the winds and waves in the midst of the ocean, days of England by steam, and at a moderate ex - W.9.'2'lllU-1.171) MILS and possibly in a dangerous position on a lee shore. pense. , Dividend Amount The screw-propeller of a vessel deranged at sea Southampton has been definitively fixed upon as Name of Company. i per of Paid. Price. , Annum. Share. cannot be repaired except in port, and the vessel is the port of departure for these steamers in pre fe r en c e . .....- - forced to rely upon her sails ; and as it unfortunately to Liverpool. The present establishment of the 1 e s. d. A s. d. 1 happens that accidents of this nature generally occur Royal Mail Company at this port render it more ( last London..• ••••• • • 1 111. 100 9 0 - 18134 and Junetien ••- •• 4/. per cut. 50 II 0 - 82 in bad weather, when the ship is being forced convenient for the management of the enterprise than 1 31. 10s. 100 II 0 - - 75 through the water against a wind, there is certainly Liverpool, where a separate staff would have to be Lambeth New Rivr Lndn Brdge 1 21.103. - 85 a poor chance for a screw-steamer being enabled to kept up. The repair o f the vessels and machiner y Yaueean............ iIL per cut. 150 - 11 0 _ 93 maintain anything like regularity in reaching her being effected in the company's o w n factor y is als o West Middlesex . . . ( cl. Os. pr cat. - - 121 destination after having been exposed to accident. an additional inducement. But even if these reasons GAS-MIGHT AND COKE COMPANIES. On the other hand, to take an extreme case (such an did not exist, there are more powerful ones for the one as we believe has never yet been experienced by choice of Southampton as a packet station-as being Dividend Amount Name of Company. per of Paid. Price an ocean steamer), that of both paddle- wheels being a maritime port on the south coast of England, within Annum. Share. deranged, it is possible at sea to repair and replace the nearest distance to the metropolis, midway be- ---- -- x. e. d. A. s. 4. temporarily any damage of the wheels, not of a serious tween Dover on the east and Exeter on the west- British •• •• ••.... •• - H. 40 I 0 18 111 14 nature or affecting the main or paddle shafts, and and in regard to the embarkation of passengers, pos- Duttonroviial.... 11. 85. 20 I • 20 I a Is thus to enable the vessel to proceed, at a reduced sensing exclusive advantages, its position with re- Brigh .. .. .. .. .. .. 51. per cent. 20 I 0 - - 0 0 II gie speed, to her destination. Again, all experience has ference to the interior of England being in a line gr lti o n r entai London cons 0 . i ;inv. 024 . pr share 1 7 0( 5 1 : : 1 3 0 1 5 9 30 proved that in sea-going steamers the screw has never nearly direct with Newcastle, that line dividing Equitable.... •• .. .. •• ses .pr share b o O o O o 1111 0 27 yet produced a speed equal to that of paddle steam- the kingdom into two nearly equal parts, and Imperial •. :: : : el P ee; c e s e n nt. 49 0 9 0 5 40 9 I I 9 9 : 9 2 ships. It may he urged that perhaps the principle of thus by means of railways giving the whole inhae so 0950 9 - propelling vessels by screws is yet in its infancy, and bitants of Great Britain, whether on the east or west, D p itto p ... i . r ... f ..... •• - SO 1050 0 I - that better things may be expected from this unfor- an equal but not an undue means of communication Phce o nlx a . r .: .. r .. e . r . e . m ..... 6 4 1 ;2 7 1. e p r e c r en ct t : 2 5 5 „ 1 0 0 425 10 : - 29 tunate class of steamers ;but who will say, on the con- with the packet port. Than, again, it is found Itatcliff •• -••••• •• • • 51. toe 0090 0 0 75 trary, that piddle wheel steamers have reached. th e that Southampton, either through London or by way United: ret General merco „r . wre . d . 7s. 04. 5 5 0 0 0 0 O • 30 0 0 14% 31. - 4534 ' maximum of speed, efficiency, or excellence ?of Havre, embraces more advantages for securing a Ditto, New •• •••• .. 12s. 50 0110 0 0 , ay, Is it impossible that by a perfect accord continental traffic to the foreign steamers than Liver existing between the builder of the vessel pool or any western port. The Brazilian steamers _ C.NA.I.S. and the engine -maker, by careful atten- sailing from Southampton will draw from Havre a i lion to the lines of the ship, by progressive improve- very large French trade, both of valuable merchan- c i Names of I g Dividend Companies. 1A , per Price. Names of Dividend Companies. 4 ,jt er . Price, m ents in the engines, but more especially in th e dine as well as passengers, for South America, Buenos 4 ' boilers, whereby steam in greater quantiti es s h a ll b e Ayres, and Montevideo, and which would be impos- generated with a lessened expenditur e o f f ue l, and sible at any other port. These advantages , with lehtit & Oltlh 97 71. 113 Macclesfield. 40' 21.105. 50 consequently at a reduced cost, and with greater others, have been found sufficient to counterbalance B 0 a ...k rn a s k lyz „ . ;• 1 1 :0 0 121. 180 Neath •-• • • 100 M. 34 0 economy of stowage, better steamers will hereafter be the advantages of dispatching the steamers from Li- Birmingham i 35' 41. 1. 8 8 S 3 resk rd .....;st " . I, °, o lBl 2o i l is. 15 7 3 0 produced than those now in existence ? To scout verpool in consequence of its contiguity to the ma- Coventry.. •. 100 95/. 210 Regent's.... 33 I 11. 2s. 18 36 MA ideas as these would be to sail directly in the nufacturing districts ; besides which the nature of the E D ll er s b nl y rei . C.h.; 1383 51111 4 1 Itsoomehdatle.... a 5 41. 30)4 teeth of the aims, intentions, and study of all practical mail service and the lengthened voyages of the Ere wash •.. 101 321. - Do Tk 2%1 1 1 1 2 's 6 1 7 6 f.. p l 9. ' O . . 131 and eminent engineers, who declare that improvements steamers will prevent them from carrying any large GrandJunetn,loo 51. 82% ,Stffrd &Were 1 40 4OB of an important character, are yet to be accomplished. amount of heavy goods on freight, only light and ( T r e a t si,;ilrroely;11100: ii. i elt os 30 Shrewsbury.. 125 151. - 1 . 24 Stottrbrldge.. 201. 300 ~ 145 With all these considerations, therefore, and while valuable merchandise in limited quantities being in- Grantham • • 1 150 - - Severn and Kennt & Av& 30 7s. 6d. 534 Wye nall. preserving the conviction that five minutes' discussion tended to be conveyed. 3 26 V. Os. - Leeds& Livrp,loo 301. 325 Warwick/1c would be amply sufficient to decide upon the corn- Such, then, is a brief outline of the advantages Le ic est er ••• • ju te 51 . 6334 'arming. j 100 41. it parative merits of the two principles, we are glad to proposed to be embraced in the contract granted by Leiestr &Nth 83 41. 45 Warwick& 1 100 EL 43 learn that the screw principle for the Brazilian ser• the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to the L o lf o u t t z m h o h u o r t aj gh h 1 10 42 0 7 , 0 1 1 : 1150 W N o r a c P s t t ° r n il vice has been rejected, and that only really efficient Royal Mail Steam Packet Company. lintgermrysh l loo - - Birming. 378 31. 42 paddle-wheel steam-ships will be employed. We have alluded to the improvements of which it Meltn3twbry; 100 - - Wilts k Brks -. 14s. a The route proposed to be adopted -is, we under- is susceptible in regard to the intercourse between LIST OF SCOTTISH COMPANIES' PRICES stand, as follows :- Spain, Portugal, and Brazil, and which can be sf - --- ..1_,...!.........., -1-,..4-,., 1, filo ....Ail_ . - 1 Dividevid i .B.mi . unt 1 ~ the port of departure for these steamers in preference to Liverpool. The present establishment of the 'loyal Mail Company at this port render it more convenient for the management of the enterprise than Liverpool, where a separate staff would have to be kept up. The repair of the vessels and machinery being effected in the company's own factory is also an additional inducement. But even if these reasons did not exist, there are more powerful ones for the choice of Southampton as a packet station—as being a maritime port on the south coast of England, within the nearest distance to the metropolis, midway be tween Dover on the east and Exeter on the west— and in regard to the embarkation of passengers, pos sessing exclusive advantages, its position with re ference to the interior of England being in a line nearly direct with Newcastle, that line dividing the kingdom into two nearly equal parts, and thus by means of railways giving the whole inhae hitante of Great Britain, whether on the east or west, an equal but not an undue means of communication with the packet port. Then, again, it is found that Southampton, either through London or by way of Havre, embraces more advantages for securing a continental traffic to the foreign steamers than Liver pool or any western port. The Brazilian steamers sailing from Southampton will draw from Havre a very large French trade, both of valuable merchan dise as well as passengers, for South America, Buenos Ayres, and Montevideo, and which would be impos sible at any other port. These advantages, with others, have been found sufficient to counterbalance the advantages of dispatching the steamers from Li verpool in consequence of its contiguity to the ma nufacturing districts; besides which the nature of the mail service and the lengthened voyages of the steamers will prevent them from carrying any large amount of heavy goods on freight, only light and valuable merchandise in limited quantities being in tended to be conveyed. Such, then, is a brief outline of the advantages proposed to be embraced in the contract granted by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company. We have alluded to the improvements of which it is susceptible in regard to the intercourse between Spain, Portugal, and Brazil, and which can be ef fected without any detriment whatever to the useful ness or integrity of the main line between Great Bri tain and South America. The possibility and prac ticability of an extension of the line to the Cape of Good Hope has also been glanced at. The public will, therefore, naturally feel an interest that this scheme, so important, whether viewed com tmreially or politically, should be at once placed in train for consummation ; and it is far from desirable that we should leave it to the Americans to carry out b..fore ill their contemplated line of steamers from New York to Rio Janeiro, intended to call at Barbaioes and the intervening ports of Bahia and Pernainbueo. Moreover, as the proposed steam communication can be carried out at a less cost to the public ser vice than that now incurred by the Exchequer in maintaining the communication from Falmouth to Brazil by the monthly lino of man-of-war brigs, so comparatively slow, irregular, and uncertain in their movements, considerations of economy should urge the necessity of an immediate commencement of the contract. At the expiration of nearly a year the Royal Mail Company are found without any ships available for commencing the service which they have contracted to perform, and we understand that to the present moment no vessels have been constructed for the purpose, but that it is intended to dispatch four of the original ships from the West India fleet. These size:limn are to be razeed and to be prepared for carrying the Brazilian mails, by improvements which will bring their average speed to ten knots, and would, no doubt, make them very efficient vessels for this particular route. It is plain, however, that these vessels cannot be spared till the new steam-ships to be employed under the new West India arrangement (as mentioned in the Times of the 10th last) are built and ready for sea, and, as the preparation of such new vessels will occupy at least a year, there is very small chance for any commencement of the Brazilian service till the middle of 1851. Considering the magnitude of the interests involved in this undertaking, the facilities that would be af forded by steam communication to a development of our commerce with Brazil and the Rio Plata, and, finally, bearing in remembrance how much sooner the political questions concerning the relations of England and France with Buenos Ayres may be brought to an amicable adjustment by means of a more regular and rapid intercourse with that part of the world, it would certainly appear to be desirable, if the directors of the Royal Mail Steam-packet Company cannot quickly make some arrangements for carrying out the intentions of their contract, that fresh tenders should be invited by the Government, in which case there would be doubtless plenty of applicants for the concession of so valuable, so pro mising, and so lucrative an enterprise.— Times. Miles. Southampton to Funchal, Madeira 1,306 Madeira to Santa Cruz, Teneriffe 260 Teneriffe to Porto Praya, Cape Verde Island (allowing 20 miles for winding Dividend ' Amount Name of Company. per of Paid. Price. Annum. Share. -- -.-. _ - £ s. . X s. d Bank of Scotland British Linen Company al. per cent. 100 0 100 0 0 220 Caledonian Bank City of Glasgow sank . 61. per cent. 10 0 10 0 0 12% Clydesdale Bank ••• • • 654 per cent. 20 0 10 0 0 1334 Commercial Bank •• • • 71. per cent. 500 0 100 0 0 166 Eastern Bank .. ••• • • • el. per cent. 25 w 10 9 0 814 E linb.k Glasgow Rank 61. per cent. 5 0 5 0 0 5/. as. Exehangel3nk of Scot.. 41. per cent. 100 0 50 0 0 21 [ele of Man. Company 71. per cent. 10 0 7 0 0 - National Bank 634 per cent. 50 0 10 0 0 143 N orth of Scotland Bank 41. per cent. 20 0 5 0 0 23g North British Bank : • • - - - - Royal Bank of Scotland U. per cent., 100 0 100 0 0 129 Union Bank of Scotland 61. per cent. 100 0 60 0 • 84 Western Bank ••.• •• • • 71. per cent. 60 0 00 0 0 '75 Aberdeen Eire and Life 7%1. pr cent. 12 10 2 0 0 2 B. Accord. Life and Fire - 20 0 010 0 - - dritish Guarantee Ins. 41. per rent. 10 0 1 0 0 13.1 Od Caledonian lire Insur. 101. per cent. 100 0 10 0 0 21 Church of England Ins. - SO 0 2 0 0 - City of Glasgow Life 6l. per cent. 25 0 2 0 0 21. 10, Edinburgh Life Insur 6l. per cent. 100 0 12 10 0 20 East of Scotland Life - 10 0 0 15 0 9a.od. Eng. & Scot, Law Life 51. per cent. 50 0 217 6 - ilerculos Insurance Cs. 71. per cent. 100 0 10 0 0 - Incur. Co. of Seetlnd • • 61. per cent. 100 0 10 0 I - Life Assoc. of Scotland 61. per cent. 10 0 1 0 0 11. Os Mercantile Life National Fire and Life 51. per cent. 10 0 1 0 0 205.6 d North British Incur. •• 5%1.pr cent. 200 0 20 0 0 24 North & West of Scot. 61. per cent. 10 0 1 0 0 - Scottish Life and Guar. - 20 0 0 11 0 - Scot. Mas. and Gan. Life - 0 015 0 - Scottish Union Inarnce. 6%1. pr cent. 20 0 1 0 0 235.6 d Standard Life . Si. per cent. 50 0 4A 0 9% United Dep. Assurance . per cent. 10 0 1 0 0 13s 6d IIXSCEILL/127210773. Dividend Amount Name of Company. per of Paid. Price. Annum. Share. - - L. a. d. L. a. d. Auction Mart .• •• •• • • 2/. ss. 00 0 0 - 25 Australian Agrienitetrl 1/. 100 0 0 30 0 0 16 Anglo-Mexican Mint.. 11. 45. 10 0 9 10 0 0 - Ditto, Half Shares.. - - 210 0 - Canada ......... •• .. 61. per cent. 100 0 0 32 10 0 26 Uppr Canada Bonds 51. percent. - - - V 4 ty Navigation .... - - - 91 Gen. Revers. & Invest. sp. c.ficbst,2/ 100 0 OE 100 0 0 - Equitable Reversienry 51. pr cent. 100 0 0 100 0 0 103 Gun.StearnNavigation 11.8 s. 15 0 0 14 0 0 25 London Institution ... - - 73 15 I - Russell Institution.... - - 26 5 0 - Penlnslrik Orient.Stm. 81. per cont. 50 0 0 50 0 0 79 Reversionary Int. Soc. 4%1. pr cent. 100 0 0 100 41 0 923( Royal Mail Steam •• - 61 18..4. p. c 100 0 0, 60 0 0 A* South Australian ..• • • 11. per share. 25 0 01 26 0 0 - Van Dieman's Land.. - 100 0 0 , 23 0 0 2 the islands) Cap© Verde to Pernambuco Pernambuco to Bahia 4lO Bahia to Rio Janeiro Total (Southampton to Rio Janeiro) 5,13 G Itio Janeiro to Monte Video 1,043 Monte Video to Buenos Ayres (allowing 20 tnilos for winding the shoals) l3O 6,306 Supposing the voyage to be performed by steamers running at an average speed of eight miles an hour, and allowing for stoppages, the time occupied to Pernambuco would be about 22 days, to Bahia 24, and to Rio Janeiro 27 days. At a speed of 10 miles the voyage to Pernambuco would occupy is days, Bahia, 20 days, and Rio Janeiro, 24 days. At a speed of 12 miles the distance to Pernambuco would be performed in 15 days, Bahia in 17 days, and Rio Janeiro in 19 to 20 days. We believe the medium, or 10-knot speed, is the one that will be adopted. The route thus marked i 5 undoubtedly the best one that can be laid from Southampton to Brazil. Tha stoppages are at judiciou3 and convenient dis tances, arid afford a regular communication to and from Madeira, the Canaries, and Cope Verde. distance from Southampton to Pernambuco direct is 3,953 miles, agaicst 4,046 with the proposed stop aze s, and from Southampton to Rio Janeiro direct 5,565 miles, against 5,136 as intend,.d, so that a very trifling increase of distance is required to be traversed on account of the detour to the various islands and ports. Sierra Leone is only 710 miles from Praya (Cape Verde), one of the ports of cell, and therefore, if needful, a branch steam vessel, or fast sailing schooner, could bring up the mails thence, and thus a direct line of steam communication he, established with the ccast of Africa at a small additional expense. „ While admitting that tliis course for the line of Brazilian snail steamers is the best that can be adopted, both outwards and homewards, we are of opinion that in the organiz.ition of the scheme a very impor tant traffic has been altogether excluded from theroute, and that a large accession to the business of the line might be produced by an arrangement which would effect an independent and rapid intercourse between Portugal and Brazil. Ma. DYCE SOMBEE.—It is rumoured in the Court of Chancery that this singular case is likely to be again made the subject of inquiry. It is stated upon good authority that the Lord Chancellor will propose that Dr. Seymour, Mr. Lawrence, and Dr. Fo r b es Winslow be appointed, in conjunction with one of his own physicians, either Dr. Bright or Dr. Southey, to consider this matter in all its details, and report accordingly. Our readers will recollect that prior to the former inquiry Mr. Dyce Sombre himself selected Dr. Winslow, Mr. Lawrence, and Dr. Seymour as his judges, and expressed himself willing to abide by their decision; but these gentlemen declined entertaining the question without the knowledge and consent of the Lord Chancellor (the legal guardian of Mr. Dyce Sombre), and having access to the important documents in pos session of the Court of Chancery. Mr. Dyce Sombre then appointed four other gentlemen, who saw Mr. Dyce Sombre and made a report in his favour. The matter came before the Court of Chancery, and the petition was dismissed. Mr. Dyce Sombre complains of his anoma lous position. He is found lunatic by inquisition, and is therefore suppos , d to bo incapable of taking care of himself and property. Notwithstanding this he is under no kind of surveillance, has at command nearly 12,000/. per auntrt, and is permitted to leave the country and reside on the continent. If he be a lunatic, it is said, why is this liberty allowed? Either his person ought to be under control, or he is fit to be at large and have the management of his own affair'. He is the only lunatic connected with the Court of Chancery placed in this peculiar and anomalous position. It is understood that Mr. Dyce Sombre has strongly expressed his readi re ss to abide by the medical opinions of Dr. Seymour, Mr. Lawrence, and Dr. Winslow. We'allude to the propriety of these vessels making a call both outwards and homewards at Lisbon. The extent of the traffic between Portugal and Bra zil that might b e compr i se d an d i nc l u d e d i n th e ope rations of this line cannot be underrated, particularly , as a favourable opportunity for effecting such commu nicition now exists, and without detriment to the service of the British mails, and with much benefit to the public as well as to the promoters of the enter prise. On the 4th of November, 1848, we mentioned the arrival in England of M. d'Affonseca (Deputy for the island of Madeira in the Portuguese Cortex), who visited London for the purpose of concluding arrangements for the establishment of two lines of steamers, for which he had received the concession of ample privileges from the Portuguese Government. One of those lines of steam-vessels was to proceed from Lisbon to the Algarves, Cadiz, Ma deira, and the Canaries. The other line was to pro vide a communication from Lisbon to the Algarve", thence to Cadiz, St. Michael's, Terceira, and Fayal, both lines returning to Lisbon by the same routes. With the first project was ano th er, t o connec t th e Madeira line with Brazil by means of steamers run • Ding between that island and Pernambuco, calling at Cape Verde; the latter porti on o f t h e route b e i ng, in fact, identical with the one now proposed to be followed by the English line. M. d'Affonseca brought MAN'S LAST FRIEND 13 TIIE TAX•GATIIEREIt. - His wife may leave him, his family disown him, his chil dren run away from him, his best friends r.nd worst ac vaintances avoid him, but the tax-gatherer follows him wherever he goes, even to the grave. It must he most flattering to an Englishman's pride, that, poor as he may be, he has always one friend that takes care of and who will call without the smallest ceremony and share his last penny loaf. Solitude and selfish ness cannot ex i st i n E ng l an d, f or no man can li ve independent of the t ax - gat h erer . Hi s ex i s t e nce i s a partnership drawn up for life, b e t ween the G o vernment and himself, in which the former takes what it likes, and the latter gives more than he likes. In short, every Englishman msy be said to possess two shadows—his own genuine, true-born shadow, and tho government presentation shadow; but there is this difference between the two, that, whereas his own shadow merely walks after him, the Government shadow walks into him if it is not paid the moment it runs after him.—Punch's Alrnanack. WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 26, 1849, The SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY. (Freya the Times ) The question or way-,-.117,-zy l it should be solved for ever in the mind of any rational man by the report of the meeting of the South- Western shareholders which took place at the Nine Elms station on Saturday last. It w ill be remem bered that certain direct charges of malversation in financial matters had been preferred, amongst others, against Mr. Chaplin, the chairman of the board. The gravamen of the Ain charge was this—that he hal allowed his calls upon shares, to a heavy =Quilt, to fall into arrear, and yet had received dividends upon those very shares. It was further stated, in aggra vation of the charge, that the rate of interest charged upon the shares during the time they were in arrear, and commencing from the period when the debt to the company was contracted, was infinitely below the market value of money at the time—for then " the panic" was in full operation. To make the care clear, according to the spirit of the accusa tion, let us suppose A, the chairman of a railway company, to allot to himself 1,000 shares of 601. each ; that upon each of these shares there is an immediate call of 101. ; and that, owing to a great commercial disturbance at the time of the allotment, money could not be got in the market at a lower rate than 101 par cent. per annum. The figures are arbitrary, and given only for the purpose of illustration. A—the chair man—does not pay up his arrears, but the shares stand in his name, carrying interest at the rate of 5 par cent.--half the market value,—and upon them he receives a dividend of, say, 2i per cent., which goes in reduction of his arrears : the times are hard, and railway property, like all eoinmercial property, at its lowest point of depreciation. But the conduct of A, far from being actuated by any self-seeking motives in the transaction, was (so he might tell us) inspired by the purest and most disinterested anxiety for the benefit of his shareholders. " Con sider," says A, " what would have taken place had I thrown 25,0001. of scrip upon the market at the time when the stock of the company was already , sufficiently discredited. Then, indeed, the share holders might have had colourable matter for an accusation against me ; but, as it was, can any other construction be pat upon my conduct than that I offered my own coat to the shearers, to induce them to spare the fleecy honours of my flock ?" Suppose, in addition to all we have stated, that the transac tion as we have put it was carefully kept from the knowledge of the shareholders, until one day au ditors were appointed to look into the affairs of the company. It became impossible that this fine instance of disinterestedness and public spirit should any longer be concealed, and then A, no doubt, lest he should be encumbered with the grateful acclamations of the proprietary body, instantly makes a great effort to reduce his arrears. It is easy to conceive the contempt with which a man on the lofty moral eminence we have described would listen to the despicable insinuations of the auditors, " that very censurable irregularities had taken place in the administration of the company's affairs." How can such mere men of routine be expected to appre ciate the heroism of a railway chairman, or the moral peculiarities of a board of directors? It might, in deed, be said, that had the speculations of the company prospered according to the ideas of the chairman and the board—had the dividends been kept up, or, still better, had they increased, it would have been no contemptible speculation to have secured a share in the ripening fruit upon such terms. If all went well all the gain would have gone into A's pocket; if things turned out badly, he saved himself from loss just in so far as the company might be damnified upon the general result of the transaction. From the illustraticn we have given, the true nature of the charge against Mr. Chaplin can be far better understood than from the wordy, unbusiness like report made to the meeting, in which, taking things at the best, two thirds of the facts must he taken upon credit. Substitute the name of Mr. Chaplin for that of our friend A, and the charge against him may be readily appreciated. Some time before the meeting on Saturday, on the 15th of the present month, Mr. Chaplin wrote and sent to the proprietors of his line a letter in "explanation" of his conduct. There is much of it that is hazy and unintelligible, but when we had got about two-thirds through the perusal of it, we were stopped by the following sen tence :—" I have already denied in Coto the charge that I have at any times received dividends upon calls in tureen" We were much struck with this asser tion, for in the previous part of Mr. Chaplin's letter we can find no such denial as the one to which he alludes. On the contrary, at the very commence ment of his explanation there occurs an actual admis sion that he had been credited with dividends on the shares in arrear, in reduction of the interest due upon such shares. For the sake of common honesty and common sense, we will not permit ourselves to think that Mr. Chaplin is quibbling upon the word " re ceived," as though to be credited with money in diminution of a balance were not tantamount to the receipt of it. Here, however, is the passage at the commencement of Mr. Chaplin's letter : " The complaint in my particular case is, that I have been, and continue to be, in arrear in respect of calls; and that, nevertheless, matters have been so contrived that I have received dividend on calls in arrear at a higher rate than the interest with which I have been charged. The latter charge is wholly without founds lion. I have never received or been credited with a dividend at a higher rate than the interest with which I have been charged. The former charge I admit, and although I do so in the confidence that the explanation lam about to give will excuse me with all fair and im partial men, I should do myself injustice if I failed to state that to have been in any arrear whilst acting as your chairman has occasioned me pain." We would not willingly be guilty of the slightest misconstruction, or do Mr. Chaplain the shadow of wrong, but it appears to us that he says here, "I did receive dividends, but the divid•nds were not so high as the interest I paid ; the dividends, in point of fact, went in reduction of my interest." The task, however, of reconciling Mr. Chap lin with himself is not an easy one, as will be seen by the following paragraph. We quote the passage, however, rather as a cur i ous s p ec i men o f the dealings of a chairman with his company than from the idea of reconciling anomalies. It will be observed that Mr. Chaplin treats the proprietary body just as an Irish gentleman, somewhat in difficulties, might deal with an opulent friend, who in an un. guarded moment had permitted him to have the run of his bankers. Mr. Chaplin procured a ledger—we presume it is the identical book to which Sergeant Gazelee alluded in the discussion on Saturday —and opened a little account between himself and the com pany, by which it appears that Mr. Chaplin and the chairman of the South-Western Company were on the most confidential and friendly footing in pecuniary matters, and that there were no lengths to which the chairman was net willing to go to oblige his friend Mr. Chaplin : " I have already denied in tote the charge that I have at any time received dividend on calls in 'incur; but, before passing to matter subsequent in point of date, I must, in order to displace that charge more completely, state that in 1845 I advanced the company 43,000/., without security, and at a low rate of interest. This loan was either absorbed in calls which fell due from me in the year 1846, or by cash payments by the company, and I only refer to it because it was the means of open ing a ledger account between myself and the c)mpany, on the credit side of which will be found my loans, and on the debtor side my calls, with the company's re payments in cash. When, therefore, in the latter part of 1846, and during the year 1847, further calls and de posits on new stock became payable by me, they were debited against my name in the abovementioned ledger account, and I no longer stood in the list of shareholders in arrear of call. It has been asserted that this was done for the purpose of enabling me to receive dividend (at the higher rate which the company were then pa)ing on the dividend bearing part of their stock) upon amounts I had really never paid, whilst I was only charged interest thereon; or that at least such a consequence resulted from it. This neither was nor could be the case. The shares on which I was then in arrear bore no dividend, and the rate of interest on those bearing interest was at 4 per cent. only, whilst I was on my arrear rightly charged with 5 per cent." We would wish that every shareholder in the three kingdoms would weigh this paragraph well, and consider what kind of control they exercise over an account of this sort ? Who is the judge of the propriety of borrowing ? Mr. Chaplin. Who is the jndge of the propriety of lending ? Mr. Chaplin. Who has to choose the time for either operation ? Mr. Chaplin. Who asks for time ? Mr. Chaplin. Who gives time ? Mr. Chaplin. In whose interest is the account opened at all ? Mr. Chaplin's. Who is the only person who knows anything about the matter ? Mr. Chaplin. Who suffers ? The South- Western Railway Company. There was some talk at the meeting on Saturday of the control exercised by the board over the acts of their chairman. Now, if there be one result more striking than another from the investigations that have taken place with regard to all the defaulting railways, it is this—that one man is the manager of the concern invariably, and that the names of the other directors are merely for show. A row of wig -blocks would have been as sufiLient a protection to the shareholders as the boards of the Northern or Eastern Lines in which Mr. Hudson was concerned ; nor, with regard to the South - Western Railway, have we any reason to see that the case is materially different. The public should bear this in mind, and not permit themselves to be duped by the , mere mention of a few names with ap• purtenances. If the directors of the South- Western line had done their duty, how could such transactions have taken place at all ? 'With regard I to one half of the charge, Mr. Chaplin frankly admits it, and deplores the impropriety of his act ; upon the remaining portion of the accusation, when we heve clearer explanations than those contained in Mr. Chaplin's letter we shell he enabled to speak with more certainty. At present all is mist and mystery, 1 but no doubt the Committee of Investigation will supply us with something more to the purpose than the ClYtirm:lii's letter. With tlii3 new ilot:iiiee , , possible that an independent audit can be any lon2;er resiQtvd? Short of this, there is no meaiiii•Q which will restore confidence in railway stock to the public mind. CHRISTMAS - DAY IN THE WORKIIOUSTS. For several years it has been the custom to give an account of the treatment of the parochial poor of this vast metropolis on Christmas-day, supplying therewith a variety of statistics showing the comparative increase or decrease of pauperism, as the case may be, in the various metropolitandistrics a course which it is pre sumed is calculated to afford the public a very fair criterion for judging as to the state of trade and the amount of distress actually existing. The following report will be found to contain not only a detail of the Christmas fare allowed by the guardians of the respective parishes to the paor in , mates of the workhouses, but it shows the number in each, distinguishing the adults from the children as well as the sexes of the inmates, and also the number in the various establishments last year; as also, where the returns could be obtained, the number of outdoor poor, and the gross number summed up at the end of each report, with other interesting particulars : ST. PANCRAS WORKHOLISE.—Number of inmates on Christmas-day, 1849, 1,360 (last Christmas-day, 1,462. Number of outdoor poor, 7,054 (last year 7,283). The inmates of the house are thus divided : —Adult males, 450 ; females, 540 ; boys, 170 ; girls, 200. The Christmas-day fare was six ounces of cooked beef, free from bone, 11b. of potatoes, lib. of plumpudding, and 1 pint of porter each adult, with an extra allowance of good tea, tobacco, snuff, &c.; the children fed at discretion, and allowed fruit and sweetmeats. It is worthy of remark that in the parish of St. Pancras there has been a great change in the management of its affairs, a new party having come into power, who have abolished as far as possible the workhouse test, and applied more extensively than formerly the principle of outdoor relief, which shows the following results :-1,462 indoor poor in 1848 cost, in the Christmas week of that year, 2041. 10s. 3d.; this year, 1,287 cost 1691. 14s. 2d., being 175 less in the house, and the cost of 341. 16s. ld., in the week less than the corresponding week last year. 7,283 outdoor poor in the Christmas week, 1848, cost 246/. 14s. 7d. ; and in 1849 the cost of 7,054 has been 259/. ; being an increase in relief to 229 less the corresponding week of last year of 12/. ss. 5d., saving on the week as compared with last year, 221. 10s. Bd. (saving of children in the house instead of Tooting, 201.) making a total saving on the week's account of 42/. 103. Bd. The diminution in the cost of inmates is the decrease and cheapness of provisions. The increase in amount given to outdoor poor, although much smaller in number than last year, is caused by a greater amount being given to the most deserving and necessitous. The affairs of this parish are now most flourishing, the directors of the poor having a rest of 8,000/. in their banker's hands, besides having paid a few days since, 1,2001. on account of the industrial training-schools be longing to the workhouse. It will thus be seen that there is a decrease on the indoor poor of 10 . 2, and on the outdoor poor of 229, SAINT RIARYLEBON.N.—The returns up to yester day show, the number of' inmates of the workhouse and infirmary to be 1,989. Last Christmas- day the numbers were 2,222 in the house. Number of out door poor about 6,500. Christmas fare Ilb. of roast beef free from bone, 11b. of potatoes and bread, one pint of porter, end 11b. of plumpudding, with 1 ounce of tea and a ;lb. of sugar extra to each adult. The children are fed at the discretion of the master, and in the evening are allowed to partake of various amusements at the expense of the guardians, who had fruit and sweetmeats provided for them. Decrease of inmates at the workhouse, 233 ; number of outdoor poor last year, 7,280 ; decrease of' outdoor poor, 780 ; total number receiving relief, 8,489 ; total decrease as compared with last year, 1,013. ST. MARTIN'S IN THE FlELDS.—lnmates of work house, 650 (last year 660), viz., 189 men, 376 women, 35 boys, 50 girls. Christmas fare—to adults, 11b. of roast beef; Vb. plumpudding; as many potatoes as they require; a pint of porter (many of them receiving 2 pints for little services rendered.) The majority of them have also tea and sugar, with leave of absence after dinner and another day's liberty in the course of the week. Number of outdoor poor about 600; outdoor poor (last year), 575 ; decrease of inmates, 10 ; increase of outdoor poor, 25 ; total increase, 15 ; and total receiving relief, 1,250. CITY OF LONDON UNlON.—Number of inmates in the new workhouse of the City of London Union, Bow-road, this Christmas, 900 adults; last year (including children at Peckham, Stepney, and Norwood) 1,132. The children of this union are in the Central London District School, Norwood, which comprises the following unions and parishes : City of London Union, boys, 126 ; girls, 11] ; total, 237. East London Union, boys, 117 ; girls, 108 ; total, 225. St. Saviour 4 s, Southwark, boys, 79 ; girls, 48 ; total, 127. St. Martin's. in-the. Fields, boys, S 3; girls, 71; total, 154 Total number of children in the Central London District School— boys, 405 , girls, 338 ; total, 743. Christmas fare — roast beef, roast pork, plumpudding, and one pint of beer each. The outdoor poor to have ls. extra given them. Number of outdoor poor about 3,000. The difference between this year and the last in the house :—Outdoor poor last year, 3,378 ; total receiving relief, 4,131 2 _. total decrease, 384. STRAND U NlON.—lnmates of workhouse, Cleve land-street, 644 (last year, 611); males, 280; females, 364 ; 90 children at the new establishment, at Mill field-house, Edmonton.—Christmas fare—boiled pork, potatees, peaspudding, with a pint of porter to each adult; children without porter in proportion to age. Number of outdoor poor, 1,529 (last year, 1,768) ; total receiving relief, 2,173 2 . total decrease, 355. Sr. MARY, ISLINGTON.—Number in the workhouse, 420 (last Christmas, 485). In addition to this, there are 120 boys and girls at the Islington Infant Poor Establishment at Hackney. Fare-6 oz of roast beef, free from bone, bread avid potatoes as required, 1 lb. boiled plumpudding, and 1 pint of London porter. Decrease in the number of poor, as compared with corresponding period of last year, 65. No return as to outdoor poor. ST. LUKE'S, CYRLSBA.—The number of inmates of the workhouse are 515 (last Christmas there were 541), viz.—able-bodied men, 43; able•bodied women, 43. Men temporarily disabled, 9 ; women temporarily disabled, 38. Old and infirm men, 99 ; old and infirm women, 185. Boys, from 7to 15 years old, 28 ; girls, from 7 to 15 years old, 18 ; children and infants, 52. Farmed out in the parish, 75 children (last year farmed out at Drouet's, Tooting, 127) ; outdoor poor, 2,723 (last year, 3,l9o—this being a decrease as compared with last year on the indoor poor, of 26, children farmed out 52, and on the outdoor poor of 473. Lunatics in the various asylums 46 (last year 40). Total, receiv ing relief, 3,359. The inmates of the workhouse of this parish are allowed by the guardians, for Christ mas-day, to adults, alb. of roast beef, free from hone, with a liberal supply of potitoes and bread ; 4lb. of plumpudding, and one pint of Barclay's porter. Children dieted at the discretion of the master, and for those farmed out 6 , 1. per head is allowed for extra Christmas fare. Total decrease of pauperism in this parish 551. STEPNEY UNlON.—Number of inmates in the four workhouses of this union, 1,209 (last year 1,314) — viz , men, 281 ; women, 492 ; children, 436. The Christmas fare for the indoor poor is the good old English fare of roast beef and plumpudding, with a pint of porter for each adult, and apples and oranges for the children. Number of outdoor poor, 3,860, being a decrease of 105 in the numbers in the work house, and an increase of 219 in the outdoor poor as compared with the corresponding period last year; total receiving relief in this union, 5,078 ; increase over last year, 114. ST. LEONARD, SIIOREDITCD.—Number of inmates, 787 (last year, 870)—viz., men, 231 ; women, 404 ; children, 152. The outdoor poor are about 1,600 families, averaging 33- to each family, amounting to about 5,000 persons on the aggregate. About 100 children at the establishment at Enfield ; Christmas fare to adults, 6oz. of roast beef; ilb. baked po tatees, ilb. plumpudding, and 1 pint of ale; to children, soz. roast beef, ilb. baked potatoes, ilb. plumpudding, and 1 pint of ale between three. Ilolydays are allowed on Christmas day as well as Boxing-day. Total receiving relief about 5,800. ST. JAMES'S CLERKENWELL.—TotaI number of inmates 450 (last year 537)—viz., aged and infirm men above 60 years old, 92; women above 60, 125 ; able-bodied men under 60 years, 75 ; able-bodied women under 60 years, 110; boys and girls under 16 years of age, 18 ; boys and girls (including in fants) under 9 years of age, 30; besides the children at the schools at Kentish-town. Christmas allow ances :—Each adult lib. of plumpudding, ilb. of baked beef, 11b. of baked potatoes, 1 pint of porter, loz. of tea, and f lb. of sugar ; childr"n above 6 years of age ilb. of plumpudding each, and half a pint of poi ter. Number of persons now in receipt of out door relief weekly 2,035, making a total of 2,485 ; increase on outdoor poor 670, decrease on indoor poor 87—making a total increase of 583. ST. °LAVE'S UNION, SOUTFIWATIN.—InmateR 354 (last year no return)—viz., men 89 ; women 143 ; boys 73; girls 49. The Christmas-dev fare to the inmates was roast beef, potatoes, plumpuddieg, and porter without any defined allowance. • ST. MARY, LAMB ran.--Number in the workhouse, 1,028 (last year, 1,095); adult males, 424 ; women, 526; boys, 89; girls, 39; children in the parochial establishment at Norwood (not farmed), 494, There are 5,742 persons on the out-relief list, receiving weekly money and bread, the latter being baked in the house. Christmas fare, 6oz. of bAked beef, free from bone ; Ilb, of baked potatoes, ilb, boiled plum 1 pudding, with one pint of porter, with tea morning azal evening, to each adult. T o t a l liurnl . . - Fr reopivinf:c ~ i.... w~ :.. _.~ with last year, 1,421. ST. MARY MAGDALEN, BERMOINDSEY.—In the workhouse, 63J (last year, 684), viz. :—Men, 174 ; women, 246; boys, 100 ; girls, 110. The inmates were regaled with roast pork, potatoes, plumpudding, and a pint of Barclay's porter for dinner. The children fed at discretion, and to receive two oranges each instead of beer. Ail the adults are allowed to go out on Christmas-day. About 1,600 receiving outdoor relief ; total, 2,230; decrease, 34. ST. MARY, ROTIIERHITLIE —lnmates of the work house, 255 (last year no return), viz., men 72, women 109, hildren 74. The adults had each fib. roast beef, : Vb. potatoes, with 1 pint of ale, and tobacco and snuff for the old people. The outdoor poor have nothing extra provided by the guardians. ' POPLAR UNlON.—Number in the workhouse, 574 (last Christmas 651), viz., men, 171 ; women, 198; boys, 109 ; girls, 96. Number of outdoor poor averages 2,300. Christmas fare—roast or baked beef, with potatoes and plumpulding. Decrease in indoor poor, 77. WMTECHAPEL UNlON.—lnmates of the work houses, 1,013 (last Christmas, 647), viz., men, 228 ; • women, 417 ; children, 368 ; outdoor poor, 2,253 (last year, 2,613). Christmas fare, by order of the directors, roast beef, plumpudding and beer. Increase in the indoor poor, 366 ; decrease is outdoor, 360 ; total increase, 6. EDMONTON UNlON.—lntnates 410 (last year, 426), viz , men, 228 ; women, 182 ; the children at an estab lishment at Enfield. Christmas fare, Goz of cooked beef with potatoes; lib. of pluinpuddiog, and 1 pint of porter each. No return of the number of outdoor poor ; decrease, as compared with last year, 16. ST. MARY, NEWINGTON.—Number of inmates, 364 (last Christmas, 348), and 180 children at Drouet's establishment, Grove-house, Brixton-hill. Christmas fare—roast beef, baked potatoes, plum pudding. In the afternoon each adult will receive 1 oz. of tea, Boz. of sugar, and 6uz. of butter. Such adults as smoke will have loz. of tobacco, and these who take snuff loz. each. Ilolydays are permitted to such inmates as may desire them. The children fed at discretion. Number of outdoor poor 1,428 (last year 1,576.) Total number receiving relief, 1,792 (last year, 2,052). Total decrease of pauperism, 260. ST.GEORGETHE MART YR,SOUTHWARK.—No return of figures given, and all the information obtained is that the usual Christmas fare will be provided for the inmates of the workhouse of this parish. HOLBORN UNlON.—lnmates of workhouse, 708 (last year 918), viz.-206 men, 288 women, and 214 children. The number of outdoor poor is 2,112 (last year, no return of out-door poor). The Christmas fare is beef, plumpudding, and 1 pint of porter each Liberty to go out is permitted to all who make appli cation. Decrease this year, as compared with last, 210. WANDswortilt AND CLAPHAM UNlON.—lnmates of workhouse, 487 (last Christmas, 551), viz.-85 men, under 60 years of age ; 124, above 60 ; boys, from 9to 16 years, 42 ; girls, from 2to 9 years, 31 ; women, under 60 y ears, 70 ; above 60 years, 82 ; girls, from 9 to 16 years, 23 ; from 2 to 9 years, 20 ; infants, 10. The Christmas fare was roast beef, 1 lb. potatoes, 11b. plumpudding, and 1 pint of porter; aged, 1 pint of tea, and tobacco, snuff, &c.; oranges, nuts, &c., to the children. Decrease, 64. KENSINGTON.—Inmates, 313 (last year, 267) — women, 115 ; men, 87 ; girls, 48. Outdoor poor, 1,481 persons, or about 500 families (last year, out door poor 900). Fare to adult males and females, roast beef of the best quality, 11b. of baked potatoes, ib. of plumpudding, and 1 pint of Barclay's porter. The whole of the children above nine years of age same as adults, with exception of porter. Younger children in proportion. Old women above 60, who take it, -,),-oz of snuff each, and old men ioz. of tobacco, with leave of absence to-morrow to all those whose conduct entitles them to it. After dinner the children were regaled with oranges, apples, &c. Increase in indoor poor, 46, and in outdoor, 581 ; total in crease, 627. WEST LONDON UNlON.—lnmates, 395 (last year, 450)—men, 163 ; women, 244; children, 88. Christmas fare, roast beef, plumpudding, potatoes, and porter for dinner. No return of outdoor poor. In crease of inmates over last year, 45. ST. MATTHEW, BETHNAL-GREEN.--No return of numbers given on account of " hurry of business and limit of time of the masters." Christmas fare to in mates, a liberal supply of roast beef, plumpudding, and ale. ST. JAMES'S, WESTMINSTEE.—Inmates 700 (last year 713)—men, 230; women, 390; children, 80; with about 100 children at the parochial establishment at Brentford. Christmas fare—ilb. of roast beef, with potatoes and plumpudding ad libitum. 1 pint of table ale, and 1 pint of porter ; the children, fruit, cakes, &c. Outdoor poor about 700 (last year 724), decrease 37. ST._ GSOBGB's•IN- TIIE-IdAST.—lnmates 900 (lasi year 947)—men, 220 ; woman, 467 ; children, 207. Christmas fare—roast beef and plumpudding, &c., ad libitum. Decrease in inmates 47. INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS, NORWOOD (Aubyn's).- 1,000 children belonging to various metropolitan parishes. The children—a plentiful supply of roast beef and plumpudding, with coffee and bread and butter in the evening. Sermons were preached and addresses made to the children by the chaplain to the establishment. INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS, BRITTON.—About 700 chil dren belonging to various parishes. Similar fare to those at Mr. Aubyn's Asylum. In consequence of the want of courtesy on the part of the officials some of the parishes have been omitted, hut the foregoing proves the satisfactory circumstance that there is a vast decrease in pauperism, with about two exceptions, in every parish in the metropolis, amounting in the aggregate to about 5,0001. It also appeared that there are from 80,000 to 100,000 in the metropolis who are dependent on parochial bounty for their Christmas day dinner. It must be remarked that the number of persons in the workhouses on Christmas-day must not be taken as a criterion of the number usually therein, the inclemency of the wea ther and the certainty of a Christmas dinner being a strong incentive to persons to claim parochial relief. CHRISTMAS CUSTOMS IN NORMANDY. A very singular spectacle presents itself to the stranger, who, unacquainted with the customs of the country, finds himself alone amongst the corn-fields and pastures of the department of the Eure-et- Loire. On every side he can discover nothing but fire and flames running over the fields, with every now and then a certain shrill and modulated noi3e. This phantasmagoria, which at first astonishes anti even alarms him, arises from the practice of a very ancient custom still in use in this country. Every farmer fixes upon some day in Advent for the purpose of exorcising such animals as prove injurious to his crops, and for this purpose he furnishes his youngsst children with prepared flambeaux well dried in the oven, and furnished with combustible materials. If he have no children his neighbours lend him theirs, for none but young and innocent children can command certain injurious animals to withdraw from his lands. After twelve years of age children are rendered unfit to perform the office of exorcists. These young children run over the coun try, like so many little spirits, set fire to bundles of hay placed for the purpose, go under the trees and flourish their torches among the branches, burn the straw placed underneath, and continuall cry out— " Taura,s, chenilles, et =lots, Sortez, sortez, demon clos, On je von brute la barbe et les os; Arbres, arbrisseaux Douni,s moi des pommea a miriot." Which may be thus translated—" Moles, caterpillars, and mice, get out of my field, or I will burn your beard and your hones; trees and shrubs give me abundance of apples." The simple people of the country put implicit faith in the remedy, which they believe infallible. Establishin g e s s t e o r u d p a y x t the ci e nfor C com mitteert of n theNtL Society the Poor in the North-West District of the Metr o p o li s, s of which Lord Southampton is the President, di s t r ib ute d ilENla o ° r plum pudding, bread, and soup to about 600 poor per sons, each or whom had a pound of bread, a pound of plum pudding, and a pint of excellent soup. '1 he tickets were given to the applicants by the Rev. T. Dale, vicar of St. Pancras; Rev. G. Elliott, rector of Trinity Church, and the other members of the committee. In the course of the previous year the society gave 36,335 quarts of beef and pea soup, 49,147 loaves: &c., to 89,515 parsons. At the Foundling Hospital the childron of both sexes, amounting to about 400, received the usual Christmas allowance of plum pudding, &c.; and at . the various unions and prrish workhouses the unfortunate inmates were provided with an extra allowance of meat, in addition to plum pudding, &c. At the Debtors' Prison, Whitecross street, in which there are 215 pri soners, the Sheriffs' allowance consisted to each prisoner of 21b. of meat, 21h. of potatoes, plum pudding, ai d a pint of porter. At Kensington the destitute inhabitants have been provided with the usual bounties given by the Duchess of Kent, in clothing, in ,- .)at, coals, eze.; and by the order of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the poor residing in Kew obtained a dinner of beef and plum pudding. The customary gifts granted by the late Queen Dowager to the poor in the vicinity of Bu'hy park were renewed this year. In St. Martin's-in-the- Fields, in Lambeth, in St. Pancras, an.l various other parishes, the poor received a sutstantial me,l from sources of private lienevf Lulu. [ADVERTISEMENT.]— A Lire Guardsman, one of the Heroes of Waterloo, cured of Rheumatism by Holloway's Ointment and Pills. —Mr. Thomas Brunton, landlord of this Waterloo Tavern, Coatham, York hire, was alicted for many months with rheumatism and rheumatic gout. His legs were dreadfully painful, and disfigured with colours of every hue, frightful to behold. For ten weeks he was wholly unable to walk, the treatment he receive , i from several medical men not only failing to do him any good, but leaving him, in fact, in a considerably worse condition. At this juncture Holloway's Pills and Ointment were resorted to, and by their sole means he has been restored to health and strength —Sold by all Druggists, and at Professor Holloway's establishment, 214, Strand, London. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. If N. 4p K. ham Jones, lintnth-4)er, of Newington causeway, was brought before Mr. A'Beckett, charged with robbing his employer to a considerable amount. William Boyce, shopman in the same employ, stated that suspicion was excited against thl prisoner in consequence of his having been observed to retain in his own possession a small sum of triont!v laid out by a customer, and which it was his duty to have paid over immediately to fie person authori s ed to rece i ve it. Upon thi s di , covry a pi.diceman was employed to search the prisoner's house, as it was strongly sus pected that this was not his first act of dishonesty. In the course of the examination a great variety of articles, consisting of silks, lace, velvet, ribbons, &c., were discovered, which were alleged to have been the prnperty of the complainant, and to have been pur i,.ineal at vacious tilies by ;he prisoner the stock. A solicitor, who ntteeded for the prosecution, stated that although the accused had not been long in T he complainant's employ, yet he had plundenid him at least to the extent of 100/.—The prisoner was re manded. Mr. William Collins was charged with furiously driving a chaise, and running over two elderly per sons, a man and woman, who sustained injuries of serious nature. The complainants stated that about half- past nine o'clock on the preceding night, they were about crossing the Waterloo-road, near the Victoria Theatre, and had scarcely stepped off the pavement into the road, when the defendant, in a chaise, came along at a furious rate, and they were both knocked down, and had a narrow escape of losing their lives. As it was they were much b. wised, and incapacitated from following their occupations. Mr. John Sinclair, a publican in the New-cut, stated that on the night in question he was near the spot when the accident occurred ; that he had just stepped out of an omnibus, and had a most narrow escape of being run over by the defendant, who was driving at the rate of at least twelve miles an hour. I - Ie (witness) saw from the reckless manner in which the defendant was driving that he would do some mischief and in a moment afterwards he saw the man and woman knocked down in the road and run over by the vehicle. He (witnes) called "police !" and afterwards assisted in stopping the defendant, who was evidently under the influence of liquor. There was another person in the chaise with him at the time. The defendant denied that he was driving furiously, and that the horse was going faster than six miles an hour, the whip being in the socket, and not used at all. He then called his friend, who confirmed his asser tion as to the rate at which they were going at the time, and said that the accident to the two old people was unavoidable, as they had. in fact, walked right off the pavement into the road when they saw the vehicle coming along. Mr. A'BLCKETT said that he believed the evidence given by Mr. Sinclair—namely, that the defendant was not only driving furiously, but that he was also i❑toxicated. He (the magistrate), however, instead of inflicting the full penealty on defendant, which would not be appropriated to the benefit of the parties injured, would give him an opportunity of retiring with them and compensating them for the injurie3 they had received. .• The Magistrate was subsequently apprised that the defendant had adopted his advice and satisfied the complainants, hesidei paying their doctor's bill; and he was therefore discharged on the payment of the mitigated penalty of 103. • FIBER 26 , 1849, rpose than 1 pudding, with one pint of porter, with tea morning POLICE INTELLIGENCE. ot:a - ice of ural eveniz,g, to each adult. Total liuml . ). - 2r reopivin f T 17 T/ P - , • it ‘4‘ .• any lonfzer with last year, 1,421. ham Jone4_ , it LA MBE7H. THE MUTES' RETURN FROM A FUNERAL PO' roRmANcE.—On Monday, amongst the prisoners brought before Mr. Elliott, were two men in the ea', ployment of Mr. Turner, furnishi ng un d er t a ker, 01 No. 1, Farringdon-street, and 22, Carey. stree t ' Lincoln's Inn-fields, who were charged with beivg, drunk, and committing various acts of v i o l en ce and misconduct. From the evidence of two persons, one of thetu 1 19 undertaker, it appeared that while proceeding along the Kent road on the preceding afternoon, they oh' served a mourning coaeh standing in front of a public' house, and, supposing they could get something to drink there, they approached the door. On reaching it, it was opened, and both the prisoners made their appearance, having been, as it appeared to then': ejected from the inside. On reaching them (witnesses) the prisoners, without the slightest provocation, mad e a desperate attack upon them, and struck theni several times. At length a policeman made his ar pearsnce, and after much difficulty both prisoners were taken to the station-house. When the e videnc e against the prisoners was gone through, AR' Turner got into the witness box, and, upon being sworn stated that both the prisoners had been in b l 5 employment for some years, and the present was the only offence, to his knowledge, of which they k ll l been guilty. The fact, he said was, they had a burn' on the day before, at Bermondsey hurch, and buying had to wait a whole hour for the clergyman, a n d tli° day being extremely cold, the prisoners, who were two of his men, went to a public-house, and Wit unfortunately, taken rather too much to drink. Mr. ELLIOTT —ls it your custom to let your wen go to a public-house and get drunk while a body ° in the church or in the churchyard waiting the attend' ante of a clergyman ? Mr. Turner—Certainly not, Sir; but the day, es., told your 'Worship, was very cold, and ha v i n g to 10 1 " so long for the clergyman, these m en w ent to was public-house. Tbey returned, however, and W " performed " the funeral very comf or t a bly, and go t all right. These young men being rather the wor s e for liquor, were very much annoyedby a parcel ° f people calling them " Death hunters," and othet a offensive names ; and, under this excitement, an probably getting more drunk, they bad forgott en themselves. Mr. EMIOTT, after remarking on the extregle impropi iety and violence of the prisoners' conduce' convicted them in penalties amounting, one to 3' ant the other to 21. 10s., or in default of payment, days' imprisonment. HOW TO KEEP SOLES ALIVE ON BOARD OP DO; BOTTOMED VESSELS.—Fishermen, in all coun t r i e s wher e solos are, have tried many plans to keep them alive fool the fishing-ground to market, but as yet uosuccessful l : From the habits of soles locatin g i n so f t , mu ddy be u ," t which they seldom quit, they a re natura ll y th e 03% tendkr species of ground fi4 l ca ug ht. Th e fi s bersee d have succeeded in bringing turbot, halibut, plaice, i i , 13 4 other description of flounder s t o th e s h ore living, 17,/ seldom soles. An idea that has occurred to me WWII, how they may Ise brought living to market in °n board bottomed-vessels is as follows:—Let th ere b e a tankf board of say twenty feet i n l engt h, f our f eet i n heigt „ ",,, and six feet broad, divided into say f our compartmelPa Let ono foot of mud be placed in the bottom of tank, 61i t t i ab )ve the mud 1.4 the compartments be perforated 0 ; 0 a number of holes. As th ere are no sa l t water fi s h 1 % 0 live any length of time in water that i s ent i re ly s till, : 0 keep the water constantly circulating in the tank let t“ to water be pumped from the cDmpart men t a t one en d in to the compartment at the other. Consid er i ng th e delici°o, quality of sole fish when entirely fresh, if it be capabl e h o carry this idea into practical operation, soles might brought alongside of Billingsgate-market in sea water. 11. DESII'STER. OFFICIAL .APPWECIATION OF GOOD SERvICIS': -.. b p We have much gratifi ca ti on i n announc i ng that '5O Lords of the Admiralty, appreciating the in 11013,0 li.bours of Mr. WilliamO'Byrne, in his efficient compilation of his Naval Biograpfi" ri Dictionary, comprising the lif e an d serv i ces f eYe x living officer in her Majesty's navy, from the 0 '" 0 , of Admiral of the Fleet to that of Lieutenant inclusl!, have, in the most handsome manner , presen ted h' s ' o with an acknowledgm e nt o f 1001. T o a gsntleolbe like Mr. O'Byrne, who has d evo t e d s i x years is t o compilation of this most valuable work of professi" n o , and family reference, a distinguisbmed mark of aPPrw bation from such high authority must b e most p ec ulierj, gratif .ing; and it is no less honourah!• to their 14 ',;( ships that they have thus estimated the good services one whose su:cessful aim was to bring before the countsthe distinguished s e r v i ces o f i ts most devoted publ i c s" , vants.— United Service Gazette. BIR7'IIB. I, 0 On the 21st inst., at Guildf or d, th e l a d y o f t h e Rev "" s! 0 Bel:n, head maste r of the Royal Grammar School, "" daughter. of On the 22d inst. - .t Berrleitc M F. ' Foster' —,e 22(.1 ~......,, a',. 4ighton, .rs. /rederick Fo) twin daughters. 1,09' On the 22d inst., the wife of George Ililaro Barlow, —. of a daughter. f P On the 23a inst., at Mansfield Woodhouse, the wife o Gill, Esq., of a daughter. , Op On the :?3d inst., at Sydenham, Kent, the wife of u" Gilbert, Esq., of a daughter. 0,4 On the 23d inst., the wife of Mr. H enr y R. F ors ter," daughter. olg e ' On the 24th inst., at Barnsbury-park, Mrs. C. Sawbri - . of a daughter. fre - On the 21th inst., at Lordship•l ane , D u l w i c h, Mrs. - derick Evitt, of a daughter. / MARRIED. 150 11 On the 22d inst., at St. G eorge ' s , H anover - squaro , Forster, Esq., of Cavendi s h-r oa d, St. J o h n ' s - woo d , t o r e etr youngest daughter of George Taylor, Esq., of George -9tr tm in-square. DIED. v;c1O a On the 20th inst., at Bath:square, Peckham, Mr. ib — Ditg" Scott, late of Lameth, irt his 53d year: an a ff ec tionate band and beloved parent. His end was peace. On the 13th inst., at Naples, Sir Thomas Gibson michael, Bart., aged 75. De ft On the 16th inst., a t L e i g ht on .h a ll , L ancas hi re , Gil low, Dv' . aged 77. vor fl ' On the 16th inst., at Toll e rt on , N or th amp t ons h're. - thee, the wite ef B Farnall, Esq. f t ijB On thL; 17th inst., at Brixton, Henry Walter Wileon ,° Inner Tem;le, aged 33. jib On the 18th inst., at A-la-Ronde, near Exmouth , Paeminter, aged 32. ► , e t On the 22d inst. at H , :ckmondwilte, near Lee 4.75, cyv Cater Esq., aged S - 2. stg e ' On 'he 231 in t., Montague- house, H nntner smit.' 32, the wife of I'. thillitl3, Esq. On the 23d inst., in Guildford-street, Russell-sq ll34 ' atvoi,ff, Esq., age .1 50. ,•roloo : erintA an4l ellhilYbed by tval Km) Y04 11. ' l y .0, a. 112, 1:t.r3.. , (1. Puuto, v ;b•-- die ciett C• 4 ". Zaidat3 2 Welnettax„ December 26, 1849. T hi tares thron Secux 65, 21. si .6 ig Imm terms, showin Age 50 The . Office, 4 M fore N' Notic the CA] per Ann day ofJ plicatior hours of Tr' The Righ The RIO The Righ Sir Henrj Sir Rich Carol Thomas 1 Thomas 1 James It The Ttlzhi Michael Chair Sir ?Mimi Comp Rev. Tho, Edmond E Ilenry Cla George Dr James Ma Proepeel •rwarded 1, New Co SEA, Capital 11)0 bearing a g of further d Applicati OfAces of tl es the nom Imntedia advantage° ri oy sc( SOCIETY - closing of the advanto by member: Agent December THE The First ett the Philo in the Eve] - Views of Lo a Deseriptiv logs at a (I Views of the leas, are sh brilliant expe aad Diving chinery, Me( KEAT A ce In Difficulty Consumption Are of unerrir never been ki tree from e taken at all tl Child; while find them In dental to ve the productiel Prerared at and 10s. 6d. Paul's Char( a[edici no Vet T" A Medal, co hated to every Autumn style . The Bele The rale Chested! The Albe of 0♦ Shooting Lounging Autumn Ditto Ditto Black Bil Dress Co, Frock Di Tonths front . linssar al Nays' _kat Ifei's A• The Ckes terial, 1 The Pellet The Eglir Over CI The Stre style. 11 Autumn Doeslar beat Ilan Autumn ti Best Bine Black Sill „ Dre „ Fre nnssar an Superfine ten's She Blegant I front .. Large Sloe Nay. Mom k i n) new b t o:11 w tt tt td orte pov fr Ilk o t. f re< ce The Fi o ' , B eason. ihf,:42erve—Any —4l lTe if t o a p. 1 1.0 4 4 ...MORES and it % ' B . Farriers, te m ls 6. 11 ; all coin vablishmn t n • 2,1 iniposith I:..00d f , hen being ta l i,. beg to state et a Oat of Lend. ‘44 , 4 0 ,0ete1d ; ; 4 0 , 08 0 who r( to the T a o ._ 4ol lEstab 4 .D4otte e ,— , - ' l 4*l Baum'