The Sun. — London, England, 1855-12-26 00:00:00

MONEY MARKET AND COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. CITY, Two O'CLOCK. Yesterday, being Christmas Day, was observed as a holiday in the Liverpool Cotton and Share Markets. On the Paris Bourse there was a very limited amount of business done on Monday, notwith standing a slight advance in the prices of several securities. The 3 per Cents. a for money, and the 4i per Cents. 1. In the Share Market, quotations were rising, but transactions insignificant. Credit Mobilier was dealt in at an advance of 15f., and Shares of the Bank of France 10f. Railway Stocks rose from sf. to 12f. 50c. per share. Intelligence of a ieeent date has come to hand from the principality of Montenegro, containing the important information that the Prince of that State has promulated a decree, instituting, for the first time in the annals of the country, duties upon articles for home consumption and exporta tion. The law fixing the tariff of duties was to come into effect from the Ist December, and the pains and penalties to be enforced against any per son infringing it aro very severe. Much discon tent prevailed amongst a large portion of the popu lation at the introduction of this measure, and they spoke openly of emigrating en masse from the ter ritory, rather than submit to the now imposts, and seek for employment in the Turkish dominions. According to commercial returns, showing the increasing commercial intercourse between France and the United States, it appears that during the month of November the quantity of flour imported was greater than that into England in the same mouth s viz. :—Franco, 32,792 barrels, and Eng land, 32,457 barrels. In the quantity of wheat, howevor, this countory imported mere than four times that of France. The items are as follows : England, 208,046 bushels ; and France, 50,470 bushels. Accounts from the Continental grain markets state that the rise in all kinds of cereals has ceased, and that the arrivals from foreign markets kept the supplies in advance of the demand. Busi ness, however, is generally dull, and sellers have a great difficulty in effecting sales, oven at the lowest quotations. The Cyclone has arrived from Sydney with 4,524 ow , . of gold and 1,745 sovereigns. The advices, which are to September the 14th, mention that the amount of gold brought down by escort the day previously was 1,284 ozs., and that fresh discove ries of a rich character bad been reported on the Turon. The quantity of into the Sydney branch of the Royal Mint during the week ending Sept. 13, was 2,005 ozs., and the issue of Sovereigns was 8,000. In the Legislative Assembly some new acts in reference to the tariff had been passed and the changes effected were of considera ble importance to the colony. The act to alter tho duty on colonial spirits assented to enacts that in lien of the impost hitherto payable on spirits dis tilled in the colony their should be paid upon them, when made from sugar on which custom dues had been levied, 6s. sd. for e very gallon. If distilled en tirely or in a proportion exceeding 10 per cent. of the whole from materials which were not subject to any charges of customs, 7s. per gallon should be paid. Trade does not appear to have undergone any ma terial improvement ; the wool market, however, was rather brisker than it had been for some timo previously. The gold market was very inactive, and buyers purchased with caution. A fall of about ± per cent. has taken place in Consols, and the Englislr-Sterck Market generally exhibits increased symptoms of weakness. Specu lation, however, continues inert, and the reaotion is occasioned more by the paucity of dealing than any other circumstance. Consols have been 883 to and then 881 at which they have remained. The New 3 per Cents. have been 89 1 1 to 89i, and the Reduced 881 to 88k. Exchequer Bonds are 97i. India Bonds are 3s. discount. The Thirty Years' Annuity is 161 5-16ths. Exchequer Bills are nominal. In the Foreign market also a heavy feeling is apparent. Turkish 6 per Cents. have declined to 831 and the charge for "carrying over" is I. to per cent. The New Scrip is 3i to 31 discount, being flatter owing to the approaching instalment. Mexican Bonds are steady at 19,i, and Peruvian 4i per Cents. at 75k. No transactions have been offi cially recorded in Dutch, Spanish, or Portuguese securities. The following are the nominal prices of Foreign Stocks :—Grenada Deferred Bonds, 64' ; Mexican, 191 20 ; Peruvian, 75 6 ; ditto 3 per Cents., 52 3 ; Portuguese 4 per Cents., 48 50 ; Russian 5 por Cents., 95 7 ; ditto 41 per Cents., 88 90 ; Spanish 3 por Cents., 401 ; ditto Deferred, 211 ; ditto Certificates, 4i g ; ditto Passive, 7i This is " making up" day in the railway market, and preparations aro in progress for the adjustment of the account. The " contangos" are generally light, and in some cases there is a "backwardation." Eastern Counties and Great Western aro firmer. The Foreign lines are neglected, and also the Colonial. Mining, Banking, and Miscellaneous Shares are exceedingly dull at previous rates. BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY.—CLOSING PRICES. ivrort EU Oficial List.) ltn,iines. done. 3 per Cent. Redxced Annnitior BBi A 3 New 3 per. Cont. Annuities Long Annuities, expire fith Jan. 1860 3i Ditto 30 Years, expire sth April, 1885 164 5.16 India Bonds, .£lOOO Ditto, under £lOOO Ooniole for Account BBj a Etehogner Bills, 20. El000 Ditto Bonds, 1858, 3i per Cent 97;3 1859 ...... 97ii PRICES OF FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY. Mexican 3 per Cont. Ditto Account . . 191 renivian Bonds, 4i per Cent. Russian Bonds, 5 per Cont., 1822, £ St — Ditto 44 per Cent Sardinian Bonds, 5 per Cont. Tnrkibil Bonds, fi par cent Ditto for the Account B 3ii4ik Ditto New Scrip, 4 per Cent, Ditto Account . . Dividends on the:above payable in London. THREE O'CLOCK. Consols ...IV • 1:1,71. Ditto Account Jan. 10 LLOYD'S SHIPPING.—(This Day.) Lox], aN, Dec. 26.—Wind this day at noon, S. ; fresh breeze and squally, with rain. PORTSMOUTH, Dec. 25.—Wind S.S.W.—Arrived—Wy nand, from Foochoefoo ; Frederick VII„ Calcutta, for Hamburg ; H.M.S. Rattlesnake, Valparaiso, and sailed for Chatham ; Lady Ann (tpt. 130), Constantinople and sailed for Deptford ; Earl of Aberdeen (e. tpt. 120), and St. Hilda (tpt. 11), Constantinople ; H.M.S. Wasp, Malta ; H.M.S. Neptune, Lisbon; Gauntlet, Antworp, for Constantinople, leaky, and with part of cargo thrown overboard; H.M.S. Gorgon, Elsinore. Sailed—H.M.S. Transit, for Malta; Hydaspes (s.s. tpt. 87), Southamp ton. ILFRACOMBE, Dec. 24.—Wind W., fresh breezes.—Ar rived—Liverpool, from Bristol, for Nevis and Antigua, with damage to cntwater, figure head, Ste. from collision off the Foreland with a black schooner, at 7 p.m. on the 2?d inst. WEiFonD, Dee. 25.—The large homeward-bound ship reported to have disappeared on the 20th inst., after an choring near the Saltees, was the Bon Accord, of London, from Penang ; sho has broken up ; part of material and cargo saved. Fr - ELECT RIO TELEGRAPH.) LIVERPOOL, Wednesday Morning. Wind S. Arsirod:—Black Eagle, from Mauritius: Queen and Radnagore, Calcutta.. North Esk, Demerara - Virginia Beyona, Havannah ; Kallamagos, Savannah ; Sunrise and Watoroe, Charleston ; Constantino and Champlin, New York ; Lncien Quebec ; Harold and Perthshire , Prince Edward's Island Stella, St. Michael's ; Landohester and Madra Numvelli, Alexand ria ; Creepwell, Leghorn ; Pwllgwolly, Dania; Lia, Santander. Wind. W.N.W. Q UEE NSTOWN, Dee. 24 . Arrived—Robert Ingham, from Syra ; Fairy, Alexan dria ; Christiana, Trieste ; Euclid, Honduras ; Mary Woods, Caldera ; Tempest and Danube, Nal, York; Mar- Trscpadon, Trega, Lively, and Urania, Alexandria ; HenryJonea, Callao ; Rebecca, Athens; Warbler, Callao ; Island Maid, Marseilles ; Royal Sheph er d, M aur iti us ; Lima, Lisbon ; San Spiridion, Syra. (BY SUBMARINE AND BRITISH TELEGRAPH.) GRAVESEND, Wednesday, 1.0.". - .8 a.m. Wiud S.W., strong, tide four hours' ebb, cloudy. Aftived, Dec. 25—Clio, from Demerara ; Thomas and Ann, Treport. sailed, Dec. 26 —Twe Gezusteis, for Constantinople. DEAL, Wednesday, 9.31 a.m. Wind S.S.W., very strong. Arichored—Chapinans, from Colombo, for London. Several vessels have arrived and anehord, but the wea• ther is too bt►d for boardiug thorn. ‘ 6.1.-stki ii2e o 5 20 10 20 5 30 18 20 100 25 25 100 100 20 THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVEN IN 0, DECEMBER 26, 40A 5, PREFERENCE SHARES. • k berdeon 10 Do. N 0.2, 7p. c... 1) lilyth andTyno °pe e. pref. (issd...kt 501 O Britt. & Ex. 4p.0. St 5 Do, 4 p. c. Shares „. .;alcclonian 11 'Moder & 110171tex , ' Guar. 5.; per cont.. 11 Do. do. feel. No. 2 11 no. do, Pref. No. 2 11 : - lorlt &Bandens3p.c 11 Dun,,Prth ? Anglian Cir. A Slt O Do, do. Cls. P. 6p. c. • , Do. do Cls. C 7 p. c. 11 reAstern Counties Ex tension, 5 p. c. No. 1 Il )o. No. 2 . 107 - 109 104 - 100 90 - 92 restwee doi e yelterlay. 32 : 34 15 - 16 - A - r P- 4 P 12t )o. Now 6 p. r,. SL fast lin. G. 6 p. c , o. 51., 10 per cent _ _ 1 )o. 101. Defmntr.Sh. ')o. (10. 4 per cent east Lan c ash. 6 p. cts &W. York. J. sthp qkl Prth.&Dun.4p.c Furness 57 - 53 Las. &5.W.G.5 p.c. 4reat Northn. 5 p. ►o. 5 p. c. Redeem. at 10 p. c. prom... )o. p. c Do. 5 p. c. scrip, Red. 5 p. c. pm... It.N. of Scot. lit Pre Ij3 - 115 1 105 - 107 99 --- 101 par I - 9 10 9i 8f It. S. as W. (Ireland ; Do. 4 per o. Prof. S ;It. Westn. (Berke A (ants Ex . 5 p. 0)... )0. eon. red. 4i p.o. )9. eon. red. 4 p.o. )o. irred. 4p. c. n o . I3irm. Pref. Sh... Do. Chester 8 p. O.P.S. De. d o. sp. 0. d0...1 100 100 100 all all 6 6A $5 87 77 7J 75 80 1 9 51 —l# 94 - 10 66 63 17 18 8i 9 13 —13 i 1 id 131 ]33 . - - Do. Bum. Gua. Stk Do. Ches. Qua. Sh Do, do. do Do. do. do VAn. &York. F. £2l Do. 6 p. o. Stock &Brigh. G. 5 p.c Do. Prof., 5 p. a. St Do. New Guar.6 p. c Do. do. 5 por cent.. Lon. &.N. W., Coy. di Xuneaton 5 p. ct.. Lon. & S.W. 7 por ct Lowly. & Color. Sh Goody . . & Ennis.. Sh. Kan., Shof., & Lin. New, £lO Jo. £6 51 2i i i 100 100 100 100 100 100 ... '.- ... 6 1 i pm 77 6i St. 12i 12t 10 100 all ill all lik 914 94 3i 6 123 12 12; St. St. .00 all all 100 64 31 ;larypt.k Carl. 4 p e )0.4 per cent I Aid. Cons 01.6 p.o.St Do. Cousol. Bristol t% I Bina. 6 per cont.. Do. 43 p. 0. Pref. St Do. Pref. 4 per con Do. 51. Prt f. 4 p. c Ditto L.& H. Prof. Si ( Norfolk Debenture . IDo.Prof. 4 p.c. Sto:: Do. 5 P.C. Eat 1 - )0..5 por ct. prof._ Do. Way. Val. 5 p. o North British N. E. Berw, 4 p.c. P Do. do. do Do Loods 6 p.c Do. do. Quarters 4- Do.YorkH.lit, L. Per Korth Staffordshire. Oxford, Worcester, Wolverh.Xls, 6 p.c Do R. Prof. 101. Sit. - Ocsot. C,ent.,New Pre (South Dovon 12i 13 i aP o. fixod,4 i per con . Eastern (Reading Ann.) of £1 O. 6d. Do. 4i per cent Do. Fixed 4i p e si S. Wales Gua. 4 p. C !Do. do. 41 p. 4 'S.Yorksll.4p.e.Cluar. Stock. & Dar., 5 p. a. ; Do. do. do Stock. & Hartl . g. 5 1 p. o. till July 1, '56 ;Wutertd. & Bilk. 6 pc 131 - 133 91 - !I3 4 -4; 97 - 99 87 - 8► 2i - 34 •• ...... •• i "' id 92 - 94 111 5717 104 i 24} i Ti i 105. 13 14 i 4 paT 21 -22 i 92 - 94 -- 94: . • . "- .v. p- 1 r .• ••• 2i - 21.1 MINES. 1 Jill tgua Fria - 1 all Anglo Austrin. Gold - 10e' all . A.nglo Californian g 20 6 kustralian 1 all kustraliau Cordillera - 1 all Ave Maria 1 all Baden (Gd. Duchy of k 60 all Blrenarvon Iron and Coal . , 5 20 14 British Iron 4 - 35 26 Irazilianlmp.(istmod at Er, pm.) - 24 30 all no. Cacaos Sr Cuiab? - 24 20 15 Do. St. John Del Roy 27 - 29xd x d 1 ' 'rlarendon Cons. Mu. Co. of Jamaica Ad - hp 40 all Cobra Copper 65 - 69 5 1 "iolonial Gold - St. all ::lopper Min. of Eng 32 - 37 25 all Do. Prof. 74 p. cent. 24 - 26 ... 1C Oopiapo. l9 - 20 • 2 14 reortana d 20 I all 'general l4 - 16 1 all rlt.NurgotYeinßeg 1 - 44 all Great Polcooth . 1 - 24 5 all +at Wheel Yor United 1 • id 1 all Liberty 3 j all Linares 7 - 73 5 ' 14 Lusitanian - 4 p 1 all Mariquita. . 1 all rNow Granada - 1 all '‘lollVeatl Monde all Pontgibaud Silver Lead Min.& Smelt 5 1 • ort Philip 1 i all ;ivartz Rock - 1 50 all llhymnoy Iron 2O - 22 x a 15 all De. Now 6 - 8 x d 30 13,4,4antiago de Cubs 4i - ii 1 all 7 4onth $ 1 all Do. Scrip - 1 j Do. 10 per cent Prof 10 9 Cin Croft 4 - 4i 28h I all United Mexican 4 - 1 all Arallor - 1 all Wont Mariposa - 1 12s. Worthing Mining o; Australia 1 all %Tuba - .1a.1.60.ELLAN160 1143 . 25 19 Australian Agric-dt. 28 - 30 le all Ausl.raln. Royal Mai' .. - ••• 1U 84 Berlin Water WarkE - 73 50 4O Brit. American Lane 47 - 50 100 324 Canada l3B - 143 1394 St. too Canada Gov. 6p. et Jan. and Jaly llO 110?, 1104 4 1 5 all C.!rystal Palace 2 - 2i 2h 2 5 5 Do. Preference.. ' 4 - 4i all Crystal Pal. of Franc. - Duston Iron Ore - 20 11 Eastern Steam 5 all En.dzAns Cop Sia Co 1k 1$ 25; 24 Electric Telegraph 2O - 2 all Electric Teleg. of Ir. 5, all Gen. Iron Se Collier 15 14 Gen. Steam Navigat. - 13 all General Screw Stean - 154 20 10 Irish Beetroot Sum, 20 10 Magdalena St. Navig - 10 all Mediteran. Elec. Tel. 8 .- 10 10' 9 141oxican&S.Americn 54 - 6 if all Nat. Pat. Steam Fuel d 10 5 Netherlands TAnd.... 1 - 1i 101 all Do. Do. - 3 5' 1 Do. 8p c P iss at 1d 4 din- par 2i 1 N. S. W. Coal ds Inter. Steam Navigat. Co. ... 100. 80 Now B. dt N.S. Land 18 - 22 1 all N. B. Australasian 4 - 20 15 Nrth.cfEuropoSteare - 1 all Oriental Gas 4 - 1A 1 2s. Do. " Now Shares" L all Peel Rr. Ld. & Miurl. 2$ - 50 all Peninsular & Orienta 6.3 - 65 624 50 10 Do. New ...pl •• 2 all Portland Iron Co . - 100 60 Royal Mail Steam 1 all Scot. Austral. Invest. 1 - 1 1 # Ditto Now l; ail South Austral. Land -3 p 1 an Submar. Tel. Scrip a 20 all Do. Registered 25 5 - Print& L. CO.U. Can. .-. 100 28 15i -- 164 NEWS.—(This Day). E l“ rb- WIWI 1; 414 zi to) SUN OFFICE, o'Clock. POLICE INTELLIGENCE--(This Day.) SOUTHWARK. GROSS MISCONDUCT OF A SOLDIER.— Win. Mgrinna, a private in the Royal Artillery, was brought before Mr. Combo, charged with misconduct at the South-Eastern Railway terminus, London-bridge, and assaulting the officers in the execution of their duty. William Field, a ticket collector in the employ of the South-Eastern Railway Company, said that last evening the prisoner ru,hed on the platform just as the Woolwich train was about to start, when witness went up to him and asked him to show his ticket. He turned in a rough manner, and, pushing him on one side, said, " D--- you and the ticket too." Tho prisoner was then about to climb into a first•class carriage as the train was in motion, and on witness going up to prevent him doing so he struck him a violent blow on the breast and another on the face. A constable connected with the railway then came up and removed him. The prisoner's conduct was so violent that it created a great deal of alarm among the passengers, and it was a miracle lie did not fall est the rais. _ In answer to the charge, the prisoner said he was very drunk, and wanted to got down to Woolwich last night. He had no recollection of acting with any vio lence, and he was extremely sorry for what had taken place. Mr. Combo told him he must not be allowed to assault the officers of a railway company i❑ such a manner when they were in the performance of their duty, and especially tha ticket collector, who, no doubt, had saved his life. However, as the company did not want to press heavily upon him, he should sentence him to pay a fine of 20s. or 14 days' imprisonment. LITERATURE. Rachel Gray. A Tale founded on Fact. By Julia Kavanagh, Author of " Nathalie," " Made leine," it c. Hurst and Blackett. The authoress avows in the introduction to her work that her purpose is "to show the intel lectual, the educated, the fortunate, that minds which they are apt to slight as narrow, that lives which they pity as moving in the straight and gloomy paths of mediocrity, are often blessed and graced beyond the usual lot with those lovely aspi rations towards better deeds and immortal things without which life is indeed a thing of little worth, cold and dull as a sunless day." This purpose is ably fulfilled, and this imparts a charm and an in terest to the story which might not be expected from its monotony and circumscribed limits. The atten tion is rivetted by the manner in which the events aro described and the sympathy awakened by the genuine characters brought forward. At first all seems mean about and around the heroine ; but by degrees, as the troubles environ and the darkne s overshadows her, the reader may question whether, in her steadfast endurance and noble courage, her patience, simplicity, and charity, there wore not the elements of the sublime and the germs of the beautiful. Rachel Gray was not happily situated ; and, besides, a succession of petty annoyances and minor troubles combined to render her path full of crosses and cares. It was not possible that one so sensitive to neglect or insult could not feel this, but she was sufficiently strong-minded to bear the burden calmly, and kind hearted enough not to resent or retaliate by anger for anger. Rachel's only pleasure was to retire within herself. She might with truth have exclaimed, " My mind to me a kingdom is." She did not indulge in idle visions, fabricating fairy palaces that could never be inhabited, and then return depressed and dis gusted to the every-day concerns of the working world. In her solitude she thought of what was great and good, of what gave her strength for the battle of life, and what gave her grace to contem plate the rest that should remain when the war fare was over. As time passed Rachel only appre ciated the more this privilege. She termed it "the pleasures of thinking ;" " and Oh, she thought sometimes, that people only knew the pleasures of thinking ; and morn, and noon, and night, and bending over her work, or sitting at peaceful twi light, Rachel thought, and thus she went on through life between those two fair sisters, Thought and Prayer." Various scenes are sketched in a natural manner, as, for instance, Madame Rose in her cellar, where she kindly received all those who were worse off than herself ; Mrs. Gray, with her cold sternness and harsh temper ; Mrs. Brown, who was vulgar, domineering, and passionate, ap pear in life-like guise before us. In her peculiar way each really cared for Rachel, and was willing to serve her ; but it was not in the power of those who were unwilling to curb their violence or control their selfishness to be of any use to one so refined and sensitive as she was. Richard Jones, with his sorrows and misfortunes, is calculated to attract sympathy, although obscure and humble in his life and habits. His story is told with feel ing that attracts for it interest, and commands for it respect. " Nor grandeur hear with a disdainful smile The short and simple annals of the poor," has been exclaimed by the poet ; and if all tales of lowly life wore as earnestly and touchingly written there would be less scorn and ridicule exhibited on their perusal. Melancholy is the prevailing influ ence and tho characteristic tendency of the work, but it is prevented from becoming morbid or ener vating by the resolute and vigorous influence that pervades it. In studying Milton, Rachel Gray found a sentiment to furnish her a text for her life : " They also serve who only stand and wait." This idea forms the ruling spirit of the story. It would set forth and demonstrate that all simple lives are not insignificant, and that the mean and lowly, to our eyes, may contain much intrinsic merit, and possess many sources of interest, if they aro re garded in the right light. HEALTH OF LONDON DURING THE WEEK. ( Front the Report of the Reyistrar-General.) It was shown in the last report that London had suf fered an increase of mortality, the effect of cold weather. In the week that ended last Saturday, though the rigour of the weather was not mitigated, but augmented, the number of deaths registered was not quite equal to that of the preceding week ; the numbers io the two perioda having been 1,271 and 1,257. It is agreeable to experi ence, as well as reasonable in itself, that some, time will elapse before the efTects of a change of temperature are fully nianifeAcd in' the registration. The rate of mortality which prevailed last Week ap proaches very nearly the average rate of London iu the third week of December. This return includes the deaths of 634 males and 623 females. •41 men and women died whose lives had been prolonged to 80 years or upwards. The deaths produced by bronchitis received a considerable accession .; for liv ing been 119 in each of the two previous weeks, they rose last week to 161, of which 45 occurred to persons under 20 years of age, aid almost exclusively infants ; between the ages of 20 and 40 ; 39 in the period 40.6 A ; 60 at the ages 60 to 80 ; and 8 were deaths of octogena rians. The deaths from pneumonia or inflammation of the lungs, amounting to 80, and falling principally among children, are not so numerous as in some previous weeks. Against GO from bronchitis in the period of life 60-80 years are to be set 60 from phthisis (or consumption), which occurred in that period of greater vigour, 20 or 40 years, bring about half of the total number from this dis ease. Fatal cases of typhus rose from 45 to 65, of which there were 10 in Shoreditch ; of these 10 four occurred in Haggerstone West. Typhus, measles, hoopinnr ' -comb, And scarlatina prevail now more in the east districts than in the other divisions of London. Four deaths from scarlatina occurred in Hoxton Old Town. Three deaths were registered as caused by intemperance, 4 by deli rium tremens, 3 by carbuncle, one by want of the neces saries of life. Last week the births of 759 boys and 763 girls, in all 1,522 children, were registered in London. In the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1845 54 the average number was 1,434. There was a full moon on Saturday. At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the highest reading of the ba rometer wee 30.19 in. in the morning of Wednesday. The mean reading of the week was 29.939 in. The mean temperature of the week was 28 . 2 deg., which is 10 . 8 deg. below the average of the same week in 38 years. The mean of the previous week was 321 deg. The air was coldest on Friday and Saturday, the mean tempe rature on those days having been respectively 18.5 deg., and 17 deg. below the average. On Saturday the ther mometer fell to 16 . 9 deg., the lowest point in the week. The highest temperature was 42 deg., and occurred on Sunday (the 16th). The mean daily temperature was below the average throughout the week ; and on every day after Tuesday the extent of depres sion was more than 13 deg. The mean dew point temperature was 19.2 deg., and the difference between this and the mean air temperature was 9 deg. The mean temperature of the water of the Thames was i)5 . 3 deg. The wind, which had been generally in the east, changed on Saturday to north-east, and in the evening to south-west. On several days the air is described by the observer ae "remarkably dry." On Saturday night snow fell ; the character of the weather suddenly changed, and at midnight the temperature was 6 dog. higher than it had been three hours before. MORTALITY IN THE METROPOLIS NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES REGISTERED IN THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, DEC. 22 Zymotic Diseases Diseasos of Uncertain Seat Tubercular Diseases .. 173 Diseases of the Brain, Nerves and Senses Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels 33 Diseases of the Lungs and other Organs of Respiration 2911 Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs of Digestion Diseases of the Kidneys, &c. Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus, &c. Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles Diseases of the Skin, &c. Malformations 8 Premature Birth and Debility 2B Atrophy Old Age Sudden 25 Violence, Privation, Cold, and Intemperance 73 Causes not specified DEATHS IRON ALL CAUSES Population Deaths in corre- Deaths Enumerated. aponding week in tho 1851. of 1854. Week. West Districts North Districts 490,396 Central Districts 393,256 East Districts 485,522 South Districts Totals Males 634 Females 623 BIRTHS IN THE WEEK. Males Females.. Total .................................... 1,522 THE AFRICAN MAIL.—The departure of t he African mail packet G am bi a , C o mmander .Rolt, is postp oned until to-day, at four o'clock p.m., when she will leave Plymouth for Madeira and the West Coast of Africa. CURIOUS POSITION OF A WREN'S NEST.—Two raw yers were cutting a log of Stettin oak, 26 inches square, at Sunderland. About the centre of the log a large hole was discovered, 10/ 1 inches in length by 7i inches in breadth, filled with moss, feathers, ha;r, &c., and con taining seven birds' eggs, which, from their diminutive size, are considered to be wren's eggs. The tree, from its immense size, is supposed to be of about 150 years growth. The moss forming the wren's nest was as fresh as if it had only been pulled yesterday.—Durhaia Cltroiticic. NEWS FROM - RUSSIA - BY' WAY OF :,L. (front ete New Fork Herald:) • ' 1 , Among the passengers who arrived on Friday last hy be steamer Atlantic Was, CJI. Tal. P. - Shaffner, who has }come direct from Russia, where he has been travelling for the last sor 6 months. As this was his second:visit o that country, he had. ample opportunities for obeeria ion and of becoming acquainted with its charadter and condition, its resources, and the popular feeling with re ! ard to the present war; Wherever he went he was re eived by all classes, from the Imperial family . to the ()West official, with the greatest hospitality, and every itention and court - sey' were paid to him -during his isit. Hi has been' charged by, the Englishpapers with eing in . the pay of the Czar, and that he is bound by ecuniary obligations to support the interests of !Russia ; Pout the real object of thole charges, which, it irdeserv log of particular notice, have:been made against - nearly ll Americans who haveCspeken favourably of Russia' is to throw discredit on theiritatements, and by aging, 80 i t() conceal the actual condition of thinga in .that cowl s it,ry from the world. Their object, however,;-hashecome ho apparent that their ac o n sa ti ons are en ti re ly aisre karded, and the public mind in this country has, from the frequent mis-statements, intentional or otherwise,. of ;the British press, at last come to regard their actoutit-of the war with distrust and suspicion. Soon after his arrival we paid a visit to Col. Shaffner,, and in the course of a few hours' conversation with him !obtained much interesting information in relatian to the war, and the means at the disposal of the Czar to carry It on. While in Russia be travelled over a distance of : 3,000 miles, visited Cronstadt, Nicholaieff, Sweaborg, land many others of the mostimportant fortresses through out the empire. He was all through the northern, cen it.ral, and southern portions, and during his travels was !infrequent intercourse with the nobility, as well as the ' lower classes of the population. Wherever he west it was only necessary to introduce himself as an American, Iwhen he was immediately greeted with the warmest wel come and compelled to partake of their hospitality. It was the same with all the members of the Imperial fami y. Before giving any of the facts which he related to us, we ;must state that there were some which he could not, as a man of honour, make known without compromising this character with the Russian Government, and destroy mg all confidence with our countrymen in their business and personal relations. These facts relate to the nume rical force of the army, the strength of the forts, and the Anancial resources of the country; in regard to which he did not consider himself justified to enter into specific details, although he has given sufficient to enable us to form a pretty accurate estimate of their means and re sources. The wisdom of this policy on the part of the Cz ir will st once be perceived when contrasted with that of the allies, whose movements are known to the Ru-sians fre quently before they take place. In many respects this secrecy is attended with the greatest advantage, and, particularly when nations are engaged in actual warfare, cannot be too strictly enjoined upon all having business Or official relations with them, and who are intrusted with matters of State importance. We have stated that Col. Shaffner was in constant intercourse with all classes :of the people ; and as a great deal had been said about their feeling in respect to the war, we shall begin by giving his experience and impressions on this subject. It has been reported that the nobility are becoming tired of the war en account of the levies which are made upon them for men ; and that they are begin ping to display their opposition to the Government already, though in what way we have not been in formed. Se far, however, from this being the case, they are among its most strenuous and ready sup porters, and have signified their willingness again and again to sacrifice all their wealth before they will consent to yield an inch. There is only one sentiment among them, and that is a determination to carry on the war so long as there is a rouble in the treasury or a man to shoulder a musket. On this matter they express their opinions pretty freely, and they appear to be based as much upon sound reason and policy as on a feeling of national pride or national enmity. They argue in this way :—" Suppose we are defeated, the loss will fall more heavily upon us than if we were to allow ourselves igno miniously to sue for peace. Our enemies, flushed with victory and renewed confidence in their own strength, would demand, as an indemnity, perhaps the fairest and most fertile portion of our country—a portion, too, that We fought so hard and so long to obtain. They will in lsist, too, on our defraying the expenses of the war with money, and upon the relinquishment of some of our best forts and the diminution of our navy, which they have already expressed their determination to confine within the narrowest limits." But there is a still stronger feel ing actuating them, and that is the feeling of religion,_ iivisich almost reaelleit the bounds of 'fanaticism. It is summed up in the two wordii, their "GOil " and their "Emperor," and exceeds, or, we should perhaps say, stands in the place of, patriotism with thews Nothing can exceed their zeal and devotedness in seconding the wishes of, the Czar, or their indignation at thcsoutrages irshieli have be e n committed upon their , church by, the allied troeps,.This desecration of the churches,atXerteh - aroused the melt intense hatred throughout Russia—a hatred iihichii_will take Yeara'tO remove froM the "Rusr Sian. rit fact, - so great was the excitement created there by that the Government did not consider it politic or prudent to Publish all 'the reported cases of outrage com mitted. The deeecration of their churches and the out- ieges which liavo'been perpetrated, it is 'feared, 'if fully known, might.iead to turbulence, and give to the war the character of a religious fend or riot. Speaking one day to a wealthy Russian noble about the feeling of the aris tocracy, he said to Colonel Shaffner that the moment• the Czar required it his whole property in money;, serfs, and estates, amounting to over ten millions, would be cheerfully given up, and he himself and every member of his family were ready to sacrifice themselves rather than allow the allies to dictatestrMitailrussia. The general feeling, in which the very serfs participate, is one of con fidence in the ultimate triumph of their country: They believe the Czar is invincible, and that Russia can never be defeated. Is it possible to overcome such a country, or ie it at all probable that the Czar, with almost un limited resources at his command, with a nobility ready to support him to the utmost extent of their means, and a people who regard the war as a crusade against a sacri legious foe—is it probable, we say, that he will yield one inch of his territory, or accede to a single demand which may lower the standing of his empire, either among his own subjects or the nations of the earth ? Upon the means of enlistment rand transportation of provisions various reports have been circulated, and all of them either entirely unreliable,.or such a commingling of fact and falsehood that it bas been almost impossible to ar rive at the truth. Correspondents writing from St. Petersburg to the French and English papers state that it is necessary to use force , in the draughting of men for the army, and that largo bodies of serfs who have escaped were infesting the csuntry in different parts with their brigandage. Colonel Shaffner says there is no reliance to be placed on these reports—that he never heard of ,a single case in which compulsion was employed, and that, the Russian serf enters the. ranks•chetrfully at the com mand of the Czar, whom he regards as God's vicegerent' on tarth. No difficulty is experienced in executing the orders of the Emperor, and such is the alacrity with which they are Carried out on the one hand and submitted to on the other that he believes, if it were left to the free will of the serfs themselves, hundreds of thousands of volunteers would flock to the standard of the Czar. New levies are raised with wonderful despatch, and in, two or three months, out of the raw material thus fur nished, a well-drilled, efficient, and powerful army is formed and ready for active service. Although it may appear somewhat unreasonable, when his state of serfs., Glom is considered, yet the Russian soldier has a great deal of personal pride, and . he - shows it particularly in perfecting himself in the use of his arms. As - to the acts of brigandage, and in some cases even of murder, there is no doubt that they have been committed, but not to a . greater extent than formerly ; and that they are.corn mated now is not to be regarded as a proof that the serfs are iiscontented or opposed to being sent to the Crimea. _ . _ The entire force of the Russian army, includin g th a t portion of it stationed at Perekop, numbered in the middle of Oct.last;about 250,000. These occupy different positions along the route from Perekop to Sebastopol, and this is so well defended by forts as to render all at tempts of the allies to cnt off their supplies utterly power less. Perekop itself is said to be so strongly protected that it would employ the whole of the allied forces in ro• (hieing it. The means of transportation, contrary to the statement of the allies, have not been cut off, nor have they.suffered any interruption from the capture of Kertch and' he de struction of the " immense" quantities of grain in the Sea of Azoff. The grain, it now appears, instead 'of be longing to Russia, was the property of Greek merchants, who had offered it for sale to the Russian Government at such an exorbitant price that they refused to purchase it. They never received provisions in this direction, as they have always been sent by way of Perekop. The Greek merchants, fearing the capture of their property, it seems, applied to the Russians for protection ; but long before their application was made they were informed that the Sea of Azoff would not be defended against the allied fleets, and they were accordingly advised to take their own counsel in time. The Russian Government, however, although it refused to protect them, made an appropriation of a large amount of money to sink vessels, filled with stone, in the channel of Kertch, to prevent the passage of the enemy's vessels. The contract for the performance of this work was given to the Greeks them selves, no doubt being entertained that, as it was for their benefit, the work would be promptly and faithfully executed. The prospect of present gain, however, being more powerful than the dread of approaching danger, the Greek merchants, instead of filling the vessels with stone, used sand, which was washed away by the cur rent, leaving the channel free for the passage of the allies. As this was known at St. Petersburg, very little sympathy, it may be supposed , was manifested for false the merchants, who, blinded by their avarice, and to their agreement, had reaped the reward of their own dishonesty. The transportation of provisions has been so effec tively carried on that the Russian army in Sebastopol has never suffered, and the commissariat has always been well supplied. There were several occasions upon which the soldiers were put upon reduced rations, but these were days of fast prescribed by the church, and which are pretty strictly observed. They are allowed 51b. of meat per week to each man, and there are two days of abstinence from meat out of the seven, leaving an average of 11b. per day. The provisions are ge nerally conveyed from the Smolensk and Saratoff coun tries to the Crimea in waggons, which are loaded on their return with salt. The same waggons, before the war, went to the Crimea empty, but now they are laden '13611 - waysond make do lie I,peirTorreer proof; notwith standin_g .thOanskitilen :of a St:. Piiterslinig,CoAtispon d en t of the Paris Pays that the waggoners, having no employ . ment, are conkpepedAnNtlqlv . the arniy,,,, While travelhng lifrohgTif the _ s iilleal-p`rdducing dis ticts, enColonelShaffnbi' si6v cro ps WltiOi;; he ,nall; ' Were as extensive as any that had been reaped-let'nrany years I before; and . do slight 'has been she &alight dir the agri cultural pOpulatibn by the raising of . new levies . that it will net in-the , lehst- , tiicninish the .nalt. year's :produce. When it is, retnerdbered, , besides, thatrtbiS will have to be kept in the country, in consequence of the allied fleet being in:p4sessipu 0f,,a1l the. outlets, from ,the,l3lack Sea and the .Daipi e , Uwe : weuld•seem to, Ale. very, little danger of the Russian army suffering from want of proyisiona. The gallant - nelprot t raeted defence of Sebastopol has proved that in her fokificatinns Russia is,inferior :to ni other country in .the' world. CoinParitively little was known of her system of defences' and'ap-td the laittew months such 'places as Nieholaie ff' and Sweaberg were never heard of. In the case of Sebastopol, it is a remark able faet:that Isome of the principal defences were earth works, and.still more remarkable that, they were. found to be more easily, defended oagainat an assault than any other kind of fortification. Sebastopol, however, has , not furnished the fi rst proof ,of this fact, for in. our war of independence they formed the „ chief bulwarks, against which the dogged 'courage of the Briti . sh troops broke in vain. Vrem the battle of Bunker nil on the heighti of which, the' patriots bad entrenched themselves behind •a' breastwork of earth, to the last itruggle with the retreating foe, fortifications of earth work were used, and trades of them may still be seen all over the country. • Whether Todtleben is indebted to us for this important fact, 'canna how be, determined, but the. value of earthworks-for defence wakeetablished here three-quarters of a century ago, . ; .: •. . , ..The whole line of fortifications around Sebastopol:was constructed of ,bundles of sticks, placed upright and overlaid with earth ; and the far-famed Malakhoff was nothingmore than a mound of earth, with a facing of stone. Ddring the s ummer, however ,this earth was so dry that it became quite friable, and when struck' by a ball it was thrown up in a cloud 'of dust: TTncler these circumstances it was found impoasible to repair the da mage done by the bombardment, and in many instances where an assault was made the allies were repulsed , in a hand-to-band encounter with the Russians. , This was one of the causes which rendered the evacuation of the southern side necessary, but it was . not the.only one. The Russian cannon were actually worn out, and were exploding daily, killing those who served them. Under these circumstances Gortschakoff wrote tothe t mperor several weeks before the evacuation, informing him 6f the particulars, and received commands that he 'should abandon the south aide whenever he should, in hie judg ment, think the time had arrived. So well was it known at St. Petersburg that the south side was to be evacuated that it was customary for the people to inquire every morning if the army had crossed over. The trophies which were found by the allied army after they had captured their dearly-earned prize, and about which they had made such a parade, were the used-up cannon, and the pikes of balls which they themselves fired into the city, and rfhich theßussians hail intended to recast to the size of their own,, guns. They also found powder, but it was some which had been placed in the mines, and which became so dau p that it would not explode. It is not true that they got large quantities of clothing and provisionti, for every- ' tiring of value had been removed several days before the evacuation. It is also worthy of notice that the Russians had constructed three bridges instead of one, and that, although their sick and wounded were left be hind, yet the Allies did not dare to prevent a portion of them from returning to carry them over to the north side. It has been asked how the Russianaburied their dead, and great concern manifested to know how t i i t happened , that a terrible plague did not break out with thousands of unburied corpses lying within the narrow confines of a walled city. In reply to this, we have been informed that they did not allow their dead to lie above ground ; that they were conveyed to the north side in boats, which were kept constantly running every day, and buried alongside the harbour. Consider;ble mortification, it is true, was felt through- . out Russia when the evacuation of the south side was known, for it was still hoped that they might be enabled to hold it. But if this was the feeling among the people and the nobility they ;felt proud of the achievements of the army, and on the Czar'n name day, Titbit:his the anni versary of his patron saint, and which in Russia is re• garded as a festival, they showed, by their demeanour and conversation, how highly they prized the faire which had been won by theirgallant countrymen in the Crithea. The streets were crowded with the populace, and even the windows were thronged with spectators, midi when the Emperor appeared in public every one seemed anxious to show by his manner his love and devotion for him, and his readiness to sacrifice everything for " his God and his Czar." In all the churches prayers were offered up for " the triumphant evacuation of the:south side." The Russian calculation of their entire lose,, frpqt the :. commend - en:lent of the. war up to Oct. 1, ! exclusve those who - ,have been killed in the campaigvon Danube, is 130,000 men. This is independent also of • the loss in prisoners taken by the allies. _ _ , . The fortifications or‘Crjnattidt have been largely in creased d nritig the -present year, in a nticipittion ref the threatened assault:of the English Baltic fleet. VorkMen were employed on them all la 4 summer, and no-expense - has been apa,reflito render thetn impregnable. New guns.; of greater .calihro and range have replaced the old °pea, and the 'foundries are kept in operation . dm,And night, forging ,rnorc... tines not look as if3l4l,9,9,vernuient was straityngt; for Ivant, of money. Lact spar the town . Was f irtided.onli.on one side, but /MO has been the eroevess uvula slue° that it is now surrounded by fotts constructed Of ire!' and. stone. The north side, which was formerlYrthe weSkeSt, n‘ill''presentliiektar five' new forts bristling with cannon, in addition to those that have been atrodrereeted. When all these are com pleted there will be a perfect line of fortifications across the Gulf and about-15 miles from St. Petersburg. Not satisfied with these defences, the Archduke Constan. tine has ordetfid the construction of a large number et small gun -boats. If Sit-C. Napier failed to take Cron- • stadt in its former state, what prospect would he have now, .when it has been, strengthened tosneli an, extent that it is cons7dered inipregoable Nicolaieff is the pet' fortress of the Russians, and is . regarded as. one of their' . best, if not supzrihr to' tho others. As in the case of Cronstaclt, they have takt.h all the o'd eannon-out, and haveiriminted new ones in their place. They speak Of Nicolaieff , as impregnable, and they laugh at-the threats. of•the allies to take it as a foolish, vainglorious boast. . . The bombardment of Sweaborg, of which , to. much has . been mid by the English press,-cost : the allies $25,000,000, while tbe loss to flu:slain; did net exceed $150,000. , In (set, limp Col.Shaffner tells us, we think it.has been - rathe'r more profitable than otherwise, so far as the Russians are concerned. After Making a terrible demou otratlon-before the place, and expending enough powder . and ball upon it to take the city twice over, they retire:'{ under the impression that they had • laid' it in ruins. ft now appears that they only succeeded in burning a number of old Swedish workshops which the Russians intended to remove, and for which they had a large nmn her of workmen already' employed. There was only one brick bu i ieg , of : , any consequence. destroyed. The appreliensionsrentertained. by the besieged were so slight that they walked about utterly regardless of th e horn. bacdinent. 'About SO persons were killed, and these may be looked upon as victims of their Own temerity. With the exception of the small loan which has been male since the commencement of the war, the whole ex penses have been defrayed 'from the revenues of the country. There is no lack of means ; and,' as a proof of this, it is only nbeessary to state that the public works which were commenced last year are carried on with un a`mted vigour, andani the same extensive scale on which they were begun. The charge has been made that the Government has taken the church money ; but, so far from this being the fact, it is actually increasing the wealth of the church by the expenditure of millions for the erection of edifices of still greater magnificence than any yet built. The very domes of some of these are of gold, and the ornaments in the interior are of the same valuable material; and many of them studded with dia monds and tither precious stones. The yield of the gold, silver, and plating mines this year, has exceeded that of any former year by t3,000,t00e exportation o.ln e addition f t t h o e t p hi re s, th e G ove rnment have forbid the cious metals ; the Mint is kept in constant operation night and day, and the paper - . rouble passes as current now as ever. When it is considered that all the money which is expended for the war is still kept in the coun try, and only passes Irons the possession of one Russian to that of another, there appears to be little reason to believe in the assertion of the allies that Russia is already in an impoverished condition. There is no disguising the fact that they have entirely miscalculated the strength of their enemy, or that they have intentionally misrepresented the actual con dition of things in Russia. The effects of the war are scarcely perceptible, and so little dread is entertained of the allies that the Government is making preparations for a ten years' war. The means of the Imperial family: alone would be sufficient to carry-it on at its present rate for several years, .without calling upon the nobles to make the sacrifice of half what they have promised. The manufactures have been increased, and those of iron par ticularly are at present in a more flourishing condition than before the breaking out of hostilies, Of the lighter branches of manufacture, such as laces and other articles of ladies' dresses, Colonel Shaffner showed us some very m be e it i u ie ti b fu y l e s e p r e f ci w tn e en m s e , e a . ll o s f were not inferior to any thi ng of the kind we h a ve seen they o w f h a i r ch a , s he we informed a t g i s e: were at some of our public exhibitions. We were also informed that the reports which have been circulat e d as to a feeling o f jea lousy and dislike existing between the members of the Imperial family are entirely without foundation, and that they are bound to each othe r b y t h e c l osest ties of affection. They are all of one mind with. regard to the war, and are resolved not to yield an inch of their territories, or agree to any terms thatut ab will v e compromise g the els e pride y o r prize dignity e o i f r t h p e e e c i o tro n n t r a y s . B ' a p b ro a t e e d c e t e or i s t. of Ttihmee imposedoCbhlirgisettiiaonnss upon them in this, and will never consent t o capacity ve a r r i e oris. co nsidered the most sacred of all. Noes STABBING IN LIvEBPOOL.—On Saturday evening about five o'clock three coloured seamen, named Parker Whitehead, Gilbert Sergeant, and Geoffrey Jackson were drinking in a low public•house in Gascoigne-streot, Vauxhall-road, Liverpool, when they quarrelled about some women, and blows were exchanged. Suddenly Whitehead drew a small dagger, and stabbed J ac kson in the chest and Sergeant in the back, the point of the weapon striking the shoulder-blade and becoming bent with the force of the blow. He was then seen to throw the dagger over a wall, where it was afterwards found. The injuries are not of a dangerous character. White- Lcad has been arrested and remains in custody. SHARE MARKETS. (THIS DAY.) RAILWAYS. BAIILWA TO. Nber , loon Ambg. Nottng. Post and &stn. Junct... Belfast & Ballymena. Binning. Wolvo rli Stour Valley 1 Birk °dol. Lanes},. Cheshire Jnnct Do. Chest+. dt Birk., £5O and £25 Cons Do., £2O Myth & Tyne ori gin a' £25 (issd. at £46, Bristol and Exeter Caledonian. Cairn. and 041digat, Chester 4 Holyhead. Cork and Bandon Cork, Black, Pass Corn wall Do. A Do. B iaff Jinction Duulin&l3elfastJune Dun. P. & Aber. Jnc Do. Nsw ......... East Av gam Eastern Counties East. Union, A St} De., B. Stout Do., New A East Kent East Lancashire Edinbnrgh&Glasgo , Edinb. and Peebles. Edin. Prth & Dunde , Forth & Clyde Juit.:. I Furnese . Do. Extension !Glasgow &S. West , - Great N. of Sootlnd. Great Northern Do., A. Stock Do., B. Stock Gt. Bth. &West. (Iro. ) Great Western 'Do. Stour Val. Rai Gua. Stk.. Irish South-Fasten (Lancaster & Carlisle Do., Thirds Do. New Thirds Lancash.andYorksh Do., Wet. Riding Un ILlTCrany.&Sonthpt London & Blackwal iLond. Bright & S.Cst Lend. and N. Wettn. Do. Fifths D0.101.5h.,M&8...0 Do. Eighths,— London and S. Wostn. Do., £50...., Do., £4O Ltndrry& Col erain Lndndrry. & Ennisk, Manch.Slief.&Linch Do. / Shares, No. I Do., Man. & Lin. Un Metropolitan Midland Do. Birmn g. & D orb-, Kidld. G. West. (Ire. Do. Half Shares...... Newcastle & Carlisle Nvrpt.Aborg.&lirtl Newry & Enniskillen Mowry Warronpoint and Rostrevor Norfolk Northn.Connties Un North British North Devon, No. I 'Do., No. 2 Do., A A Deforrod Do., B Guarantee , l N. Eastern—Berwia Do. do. Extension Do.do. G.N.E. Throb Do. Leeds Do. York North London . N.&S.Wstrn.,Halui•- stead, and City Jn.. North Staffordshire.. North Western N. &. S. Wes trn Juno Nuneaton, Hinckley and Leicester.. )x, Wore.. k Woly eortknouth o.ash Central..... 9cottishMialand... ihropshirc •on ionth Dovon iwath Eastern Aonth Wales Yrksh. d Riv. Dm, Do itnines, Wok. kWok tockton & Dar li ,tockton & Hnrtlepl Fair Vale Do. Pref., No. 1 Thames Hay. P.& 11 Ulverstone & Lance Vale of Noath Waterfd. S, Kilkenny WaterforddcLimerick West Cornwall. West End of London and Crystal Palace Do. A ....., Do. West London IWimbledu Ai; Croydon Antwerpecnott ,, rdsua Do. 5 I). e. Oblgs. eon. in Sh. at par till '64 Ardennes Belgian irAttn. Junc. Reziers to Graissessa• Bombay, Baroda, an Central India,Scrir Do. Demerara ....... Dutch Rhenish Eastern of France Do. New Bast Indian, g. 5 p.c Do. Eytenidon.... Do. do. do., '69, do.. ad. Tk of Canada Aim Do. St. Lawrence & Atlantic d 0.......... Do. Cort. of Debon., con. into Stk. till VI Do. Comp. 6p. c., do. at. Ceiitral of Fran Gt. Indian Peninsula guar. 5 per cent Do. Now 5 per cent Do. Extensions...—. Groat Luxembourg Constituted Sharer Do. Obligations.......' Gt. Western of Canad Shares .. Do. Now Do. Bda., payablo's7, l with option till '55 Do. do., '62, p. '56 Do. do., '76, p. '6O Do. do., '73, without, option Hamilton & Toront, , l Do. 6 por cent. Lake Const. & Baal, Liorre and Turnhout iLyons and Genova Lyons & Moditorran tdadras Do. New Maria Antonia . Do. do. Now Namur & Liege' ( with interest) 'Do. (ex intermit) Northern of France. D 0.201. Sits Do. 201. 3 p. c (fmy.B. di Ams.Shs. ) NorwegianTrmakPref Paris and Lyons Ditto Bonds Paris and Orleans.... Paris and Rouen ParisCaen do Chorhrg. Do Rome and Frascati Rouen and Havre Royal Danish RoyalEiwo(lish Do. Obligations Sambre and Meuse... Do. 54 p. cont. Pref. iScindj Do. Southern of France St. Andrew's and Quebec (A).. West Flanders Do 5 per c. Pref Western of France Do.. Zealand JOINT-8' 'ikustr&lasi&.. Bank of London 11 Bri. Col. Bk.&Ln. C. 11 British N. American 5 Chartd. Bank of Asia 4 Chrtd. Bnk. of India, Australis, & China iU City :5 Colonial !CI Commercial of Lond ,11 Eng. Scot. &Ans. Cht dl Lond. Chart. Bk. of Australia 5 Ditto New Lcndon and County Lnd. & E. Bult g. Corp. 0 London Joint Stock. 0 Loud. k Westminster 5 Natioßal Pro. of Eng 0 Do. New 26 National of Ireland 11 New South Wales._ 11 Oriental Bank of Corporation. :5 rrwrincial of Ireland 11 Do. New 1 Royal Australn.Bkg & Gold Imp Co 0 Royal British 11 South Australia 11 Union of Australia 24 Do. New Union o 14ctudou pp, i blosint Priam 1 this day. 22 - 23 3B - 34 • es •.. 7i - 8 16 - 15 13 - 14 9 - 8 79 - 81 55f - 55 ii 7 ii ••• ••• ..• --- .. bi 4i 6i 7;1 11 - 12 8- 9 27 - 29 17 - 19 69 - 70 504 - 514 91 9i 16 - 174 80 - 85 0 - 88 - BE4 74 - 75 120 122 102 104 52i •- 63 52 54 70 - T 5 6 - 7 6 - 71 761 - 77 6i - fi 94 - 96 94 - 96 14 - 101 ti = r 84,E - Fj 8 - 7 - ii - 24 " - 4d 63 i 64 35 3.8 9f - - It 42 - 44 2Yg ,„ 2~J~ - 68 - 4i 67 8 - 5 11i - 12 44i 46 92 - 97 . - 8 . 4 . . - 4i 22 - 24 101 103 72 74 42 44 it 12 156 i bii 311 3!,:4 5 3d 2d pa. - 35 ..• - .• 19 16 ... - ... 4 - 6 74 - S 3 2i41 31 - - 1k kd 34i —315 k 9 10 T , 21 —21 k 91 - 8i 16 - 17 62 67 82 87 3 3i p 5A 5$ par -- 2i 31 3 - 21 - 24 1 21 - 211) 98 - 10 0 115 - 119 116 120 104 106 23 - 24 112 - 117 7} - 801 18i - 2 - 3 - 5 4 - 4 -85" 12 - 126 6 - 7 1 45 - 454 44 - 46 ... -pm is - 19 - 21 211 - 2 - I - iP .... -- pm ..• - 4. - 294 - 30 iii - 16i1 BANK& 90 -- $.2 57 - 59 li = i-d 6 7 *iis(l; • ik '''"' •• • 16 —• l7 14 -- 164 3 2 d par 2p • •• "' •• • ON .... il. • 5 - ii. 38 - 39 53 - 54 ••• "."" woe • •• ... ••• 40 - 42 73 - 75 8 9 30 c 31 CORN EXCHANGE. The supply of English wheat on sale to-day was very moderato, and chiefly composed of Monday's untold sam ples. The trado ruled exceedingly heavy, and the quota tions were nominally unaltered. . . _ Foreign wheat met a dull inquiry —indeed scarcely a transaetion took place in it. Floating ()argues were quito neglected. Fine barley supported previous rates; other kinds were very dull. Malt sold heavily, at the late deeline. Oats changed hands slowly, at Monday's currency. Beans, peas, and flour were nominal in price. ARRIVALS THIS WREN. Wheat. Barley. Malt. Oats. roar. 7Aigliah .. 1,060 470 679 489 Irish •• •• 89 ake roreiga 3,690 ' - I 3,410 tri BOROUGH HOP. We have a moderate demand for most kinds of hops, at full prices. WHITECHAPEL. Each kind of meat met a very dull inquiry, as follows : —Beef, from 3s 2d to 4s 6d ; mutton, 3s 4d to 43 6d ; veal, 3s 8d to 4s 8d ; pork, 3s 6d to 5s Od per Blbh by tie CATCIISO. The steam corvette the Cameleon arrived at Rochefort on Saturday from Cayenne, bringing home Rear• Admiral Bonard, formerly governor of the colony. MR. E. T. SMITH'S CHRISTMAS DINNER TO THE POOR.—For some days past there have been announce ments affixed to the walls of Drury-lane Theatre, stating that, upon application to the hall-keeper, tickets to the extent of 200 would be given to poor persons upon ap plication, entitling the holders to one pound of beef and a loaf of bread on Christmas-day. In accordance with these, yesterday, about one o'clock, 200 needy people presented themselves at the entrance opposite Crown court, and were duly served with the promised fare. PRUSSIA. BERLIN, Dec. 23.—The preliminaries, as ap proved of by the Western Powers on the represen tations of Austria, have boon communicated to this Go sr imeut with an invitation at Ott Fame time 'o Prussia to advocate their acceptance at St. Peters burg. Looking at the two incidents together, Russia's reported acceptance of the main principle involved, and Austria's inviting Prussia to back her representations in St. Petersburg, we must say either the first comes too soon, or the second comes to) late. On Thursday last Count Esterhazy, the Austrian Minister hero, had a private audience of the King, to which he was introduced by Baron Manteuffel ; in all probability lie was the bearer of a letter from the Emperor of Austria to his uncle on tho subject of the preliminaries about to be communicated to the Court of St. Petersburg. The official despatch on the subject was handed to the King on Tuesday evening, within a very few hours of its arrival from Vienna. His Majesty, however, seems to have required twice 24 hours' time to reflect on the matter before he received the Austrian Minister. 0n .the same day that C oun t Esterhazy was received here by the King (last Thursday), Prince Labanoff, of the Russian Em bassy here, left with despatches for St. Petersburg. Two Finnish luggers were lately pursued by a French corvette in the neighbourhood of the Aland Isles ; one lay to, the other tried to escape ; the latter was soon sunk by the Frenchman's guns, and sunk so fast that there was hardly time to save the crew. To the other the French corvette sent off her jolly-boat, with an armed crew, to take pos session of her. The Finns, however, received them most hostilely, and killed four of the French crew with their axes. The lugger's crew was, however, soon mastered and taken on board the corvette, brought before a sort of council of war, and con demned to be strung up to the yardarm. THAMES. DARING HIGHWAY ROBBERY, WITH VIOLENCE.—Two determined-looking ruffians, named Williams and Brown, were brought before Mr. Ingham, charged with assault ing and robbing Mr. William Bartram, a tradesman, r!• siding in Rutland-street, Stepney. Tbis morning, about half-past one, the prosecutor was on his way home, when he was accosted by two women, who made some overtures to him. He repulsed them, and immediately the two prisoners made a furious attack upon him and -kicked him, knelt upon his stomach, and while one of the villains was compressing his throat and attempting to strangle him, the other extracted his watch from his fob. A police-constable named Burgess, No. 70 11, who was in a dark place close to the railway arch which crosses Leman-street, had his attention called to a gurgling sound on the pavement epposit.e under a lamp, and saw the prisoners standing over • the prosecutor, .Burgess rushed towards them, and the two prostitutes, confederates of the prisoners, who were covering their operations, ran away. The prisoners left the prosecutor and fled, and Brown directly afterwards threw the prosecutors watch over the fence among some ruins. Burgess soon caught the thieves and brought them back to where the prosecutor was lying on the ground welter ing in his blood. His head was cut open, there worn marks on his throat, and lie was in a frightful condition. It was seine time before be recovereihin senses. The pro secutor's watch was recovered, and another one was found upon him, which, it is strongly suspected, is the produce of another highway robbery. In answer to a question by Mr. Ingham, the prose cutor said he was first seized by the throat from behind by two or more persons and they beat me with their fists. Mr. Ingham committed the prisoners for trial. THE TVORKIIOUSEB. The inmates of the various workhouses in the metr )- politan districts were yesterday regaled with the usual Christmas fare, consisting of roast beef and potatoes, plum-pudding, porter, tobacco, &c. Below is a state ment of the present number of inmates of the several workhouses, as compared with last Christmas, and of those in receipt of out-door relief. _ CITY OF LONDON.—lnmates of workhouse, Bow-road, 872 ; last year, 873. Outdoor poor, 3,041 ; last year, 2,485. ST, MARTLEBONE.—In workhouse, 1,911 ; last year, 1,868. Outdoor poor, 5,615 ; last year, 4,757. ST. PANCRAS.—Indoor poor, 1,663 ; last year, 1,624. In parish lunatic asylums, 217. Total indoor poor, 1,880. No return of the number 3f outdoor. ST. MARY, ISLINGTON.—Indoor poor, 440 ; last year, 370. Turned out, 239. Outdoor, 1,872 ; last year, 1,496. ST. MARTIN'S-IN-TUE-FlRLDS.—lnmates of workhouse, 642 ; last Christmas, 556. At Mr. Aubin's District School, Norwood, 85 boys and 44 girls ; total, 129. Outdoor poor, 655 ; at corresponding period last year, 500. ST. JAMES'S, WESTMINSTER.—Inmates of workhouse, 614, last Christmas, 556. Children at the Establishment., Battersea-common, 157 ; last year, 125. Outdoor poor, 613 ; last Christmas, 621. ST. GEORGE'S, ILINOVER-EQUARE.—lnmates of the two workhouses, 573 ; last year, 531. No return of outdoor poor. ST. JOUN, HAMPSTEAD. —lnmates of workhouse, 177; last year, 160. Outdoor poor, 239 ; last year, 233. WHITECIIAPEL UNION. —lnmates of workhouse, 1,152 ; last Christmas-day, 935. Outdoor poor, 2,543 ; last year, 2,260. HACKNEY UNlON.—lnmatoe of workhouse, 664 ; last Christmas-day, 559. Ontdoor poor, 2,082 ; last year, 1,593. . ST. MARY, ROTHERHITHE.—Iumates, 203; last year, 243. Outdoor poor, 881 ; last year, 348. ST. SAVIOUR'S UNION, SOUTHWARK.—Inmates, 492 ; last Christmas-day, 455. Outdoor poor, 1,420 ; last year, 1,388. ST. LEONARD, SHOREDITCH.—Inmates, 1,035 ; last Christmas, 884. Outdoor poor, 3,112 ; last Christmas 2,609. ST. JAMES, CLERKENIVELL.—Inmates, 639; last Christ mas, 593. Outdoor poor, 1,504 ; last Christmas, 947. ST. GILES AND ST. GEORGE, BLOOMSBURY.—Inmate, 7/6 ; last year, 822. Receiving outdoor relief; 1,087 ; last year, 1,001. BRENTFORD UNlON.—lnmates of workhouse, 516 ; last year, 510. Outdoor poor, 1,071 ; last year, 1,532. EDMONTON UNlON.—lnmates of workhouse, 360 ; last year, 356. No return of outdoor poor. ST. MARY, LAMBETH.—Indoor poor, 1,505 ; last Christmas, 1,600. Outdoor poor, 6,858 last year, 5,796. ST. MARGARET AND ST. JOHN'S, WESTMINSTER.-- Number in the workhouse and Kensington school estab lishment, 722 ; last year, 707. Outdoor poor, 3,083 ; last year, 3,034. ST. LUKE, MIDDLESEX.—Inmates of workhouse, City road ; county house, Southgate ; and lunatic asylums ; 668 ; last year, 679. Outdoor poor, 1,041 ; last year, 1,163. ST. MARY ABBOTS, KENSINGTON.—Inmates ' 382 ; Christmas, 422. There are 103 children farmed out at St. George's Industrial Training School, Plasket, Eseez. Outdoor poor, 1,675; last year, 1,320. ST. GEORGE THE MARTYR, SOUTHWARK.—Inmates of workhouse, Mint-street, 444 ; last year, 526 ; establish ment at Lewisham, 129 ; last year, 134 ; at Mitcham, 130. Out-door, 1,117 ; last year, 1,797. ST. GILES'S, CAMBERWELL.—Indoor poor 486 ; last year, 426. Outdoor poor, 1,609 ; last year, 1,355. BERMONDSEY.—Inmates, 532 ; last year, 715. Since last year, at Industrial School, Sutton, 179 children, which, added to the 532, makes 711. Outdoor poor, 1,057 ; last Christmas, 1,082. WEST LONDON UNlON.—lnmates of workhouse, 510; last Christmas, 470. There are 250 children farmed out at tke Central District School, Norwood. Outdoor poor, 2,530 ; last year, 1,589. STEPNEY UNION.—In the four workhouses, 1,405 ; last year, 1 , 305 . Inmates in asylums, 182. Outdoor poor, 3,620 i last year, 3,261. POPLAR UNlON.—lnmates of workhouse, 475 ; last year, 520. At Whitecbapel School, 140 children ; last year, 109. Outdoor poor, 1,779 : last year, 1,679. WANDSWORTH AND CLAPHAM UNlON.—lnmates, 645; last year, 587. Boys at Penge School, 74 ; girls 66. No return of outdoor poor. BROMLEY UNlON.—lnmates of workhouse, 210 ; last Christmas, 202. Outdoor poor, 376 ; last year, 419. FULHAM UNlON.—lnmates of workhouse, 446 ; last Christmas, 449. No return of outdoor poor. CENTRAL LONDON DISTRICT SCHOOL, NORWOOD (Ausnes).—The present numbers are 1,073 ; last year, 1,021 —males 596, female 477. There are some few parishes omitted on account of the masters having declined to supply information, 100 51 100 2, 100 21 20 al 20 20 50 100 50 1 100 21 100 31 20 11 50 2! 100 2 10 a' ; 1 1 i •11 all 14 7' LOO all all 100 100 52g, 1 100 100 100 31 le On 8 tOO 201 100 100 100 100 20i too 20 20 20 20 20 31i 10 20 81 10 20 20 20 40 100 40 50 25 20 FOR . [ON. ~ i