The Sun. — London, England, 1849-02-09 00:00:00

lIKPERI, AMEN T. HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 8. The L•RD Clusimizoa took his seat on the Wool sack at Five o'clock. TRANSPORTATION. Lord CAMPBELL introduced a Bill for the abolition of the punishment of transportation for the crime of simple larceny, which was read a first time. The Noble Lord also laid upon the table certain returns showing the recent convictions which had taken place of persons charged with the same crime. ENGROSSING BILLS. The LORD CHANCELLOR informed the House that the Committee appointed to consider the system of engrossing Bills with a view to its amendment had met end agreed to a report, which he begged to lay upon their Lordships' table. On the motion of the NOBLZ Lent) the report was ordered to be printed. REAL ESTATES. Lord BROUGHAM introduced a Bill to facilitate the sale and sonveyanes of real estates, whish was read a trst time. HIGHWAYS. Mall ST. GERMANS wished to know from the 114ifble President of the Council, whether it was the in t•attion of her Majesty's Government to introduce any Bill this session for improving or amending the law re lating to the management of highways? The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said th• subject, although a very complicated one, at present engaged the serious attention of the Home-office, and a Bill was in preparation, if it had not actually been introduced into the other House. EDUCATION. I In reply to a question from Lord STANLEY, The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said the correspond. encp which had been going on between the Governmen And the National Society on the subject of the educe. tional grants had not yet been brought to a close. IRI;11 POOR LAW. Lord FARNHASI presented a petition from the grand jury of Roscommon, praying for an amendment of the Irish Poor•law. The Earl of MOUNTCASHEL presented a petition to the same effect. RETURNS. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE laid upon the table returns connected with the Marshalsea and Palace Courts, and papers relating to the expenses of the Dublin police, and of the Ecclesiastical Commission. NAVIGATION. LAWS. In reply to a question from Earl WALDEGRAVE, The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said, in consequence of the Earl of Hardwick, who bad accepted a command, and other Noble Lords who were members of the Com mittee appointed last session on the navigation-laws, being absent, it was not his intention to move; for the renewal of that Committee, but if any other Noble Lord thought proper to move it he did not think he should feel it to be his duty to oppose the motion. Lord BROUGHAM wished to correct an erroneous impression which had gone abroad, that Lord Hard wick had obtained his command through his influence in the Government. It was no such thing. The Noble Earl had obtained his promoti - ,n entirely through merit, and not by the influence of the Government. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE bagged to confirm what had fallen from the Noble and Learned Lord. The c , rnuaard of his ship had been given to Lord Hard wick because his services and the rules of the profes sion entitled him to the promotion. Their Lurdships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Feb. 8. The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly before Four NEW -MEMBER. Mr. Li. WILLYAMS took thc oaths and hi 3 seat for Truro. THE ADDRESS. Mr. LAscELLEs, the Comptroller of the Royal House 11,1d, appeared at the bar, and stated that her Majesty had been pleased to return the following most gracions an,wer to the Address :—" I thank you for your loyal and dutiful address, and I rely with con fidence on your el-operation with me in advancing the welfare arid haipiness of my people, whose interest it is my constant care to pry mote." - • EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY. - BIZOTHERTON moved that in the ease of the Eastern Counties Railway Company and Newmarket Railway Company Amalgamation Bill, the standing Order, No. 150, be dispensed with; and that leave be girt' to present the peiiiion fbr the Bill, notwithstand ing the saincvin3 not presented within three clear days after the first sitting of the House, subsequent to the en dorsement of the said petition by the examiaer.— .Aieed to, COMMITTEE OF SELECTION. Mr. WILSON PATTEN nominated the Committee of - Selection as follows:—&r Robert Ferguson, Mr. Greene, Mr. Sotlieron, Mr. Evelyn Denison, and the Chairman of the Committee on Standing Orders. EDINBURGH AND NORTHERN - RAILWAY. Mr, FOX MAULE moved that the Edinburgh and Northern Rail Ways Bills (A, B, and C), and the petition of proprietors of theHalbeath and Tuwnhill Railways, against the s-me, be referred to the Select Committee on Stancliner Orders.—Agreed to. INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION. Mr. WARD presented two pt , titions from a Unitarian body at Shrfiseld in F.vrur of international arbitration. COMMI fTEE OF ELECTIONS. The following Meiiihers were sworn at the table to form the,Gimeral C. inmittee of Eleetioni:—Mr. F. Menlo ( imitnavi). Mr. Thernely, Sir G. Clerk, Sir J. Yarde Btiller, Sir IZub, , r; RTguiod, and Mr. Wilson Patten. The Committee will met at three o'clock to-morrow. PUBLIC LIBRARIES. Mr. EWART gave notice thlt he. rvoul I move, that day .fortnight, for_ the app;.:intatent of a Selca Com mittee to 'considcr the best means of establishing and promoting public libraries throughout the country. PUNISHMENT OF DEATH. The MEMBER also gave notice that he would take - the earliest opportunity to bring ina Bill for the total abolition of the punishment of death. NAPLES AND SICILY. Mr. URQUIIART postponed his motion, to the effect tbt\t the int ; rference of her Msjesty's servants in the recent affairs of Naples and Sicily was contrary to the law of nations, but intimated that he should take an early opportunity of putting a question with reference to the time when the dispatches would be laid on the table of the House, which hitherto had not been placed in'thc hands of Hon. Members. TOLERATION ACT. 'Mr. BOUVERIE gave notice that he would move that day fortnight that the House should resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House to. consider the Act commonly known as the Toleration Act, with a 'View to its awen3rnent. IRELAND. Mr. B. CRNWFORD gave notice that on Monday, the 26th day o: February, he should submit a formal resolution to the House, that the laws relating to landed prcperty in Ireland, as affecting landlord and tenant, required immediate consideration, with the view to such 1111 alteration of them as would remove the obstacles at preseEt existing to the improvement of the soil. IRISH DISTRESS. _ fir. P. SCROPE said, when the House went into Committee upon the Relief (Ireland) Bill, he should withdraw his amendment until the Committee had de terpained in favour of tha vote of 50,000/. He should then move that the money be advanced as a loan, the pay meat to. be secured by a lien upon the land, and that the money be expended, as far as practicable, towards the employment of the able-bodied poor. TESTATOR AND INTESTATE DEBTS. Mr. MULLINGS wished to ask the Solicitor-General if it is the intention of her Majesty's Government, or the law officers of the Crown, to bring in any 'Bill during the present session, for the protection of trustees against secret or unknown debts and liabilities of their testator or intestate, after having parted with the assets to be administered prior to notice of such debts and liabilities. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said there was no intention at present to introduce a measure of, the kind referred to. BUCKINGHAM ASSIZES. Mr. DU PRE said that, in consequence of an intima tion from her Majesty's Attorney-General, he begg e d co give notice, that he should p ost p one the motio n which he had intended to move to-night, for repealing the Act of 21 Geo. 11., cap. 12, for holding the assizes for the county of Buckingham in a more convenient place, till a future period. BANK' OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC PRE. LATES IN THE COLONIES. Sir R. H. INGLIS in the course of the last session of Parliament had given notice that curly in the present session hi should move for a copy of the correspondence which had passed between the Lord-Lieutenant of Ire land and Earl Grey, Secretary for the Colonies, respecting the rank of the Roman Catholic Prelates in the colonies of Great Britain. The motion to which he had to call the attention of the House was that a humble address be presented to her Xajesty, praying that copies of the correspondence which had passed between the Lord-Lieutenant of Ire land and Earl Grey, the Secretary for the Colonies should be laid on the table of that House. Whether the matter deserved regret or not, he wished to speak with the greatest possible respect of the Earl of Clarendon, but he could not help regretting that that nobleman had spoken in a way which he, at least, conceived to be most ucadvisable. He wished to speak of the Earl of Clarendon with the utmost re•pect—a respect which he had well earned by his conduct in Ireland, but yet not withstanding his great respect for that high functionary he could not but say that he was totally at a loss to understand on what principles ho ba.l acted in the 'natter which he had brought under the clnsideration of the House. It was well under stood that the Raman Catholic Prelates in Ireland were, according to the Act of Parliament, to take rank next after the prelates of tee same denomination in the Protestant Church. Thia ha could well understand, but on what grounds the Lord•Liemenant had in terfered on the subject of persons not at all under his jurisdiction he could not comprehend. So far froze that, the word bishop was never mentioned in the course o the whole Act. It wan most r emar k a b le that there should be such a stretch of imagination a s t o assunae that there was One s;nglo in that A c t o f Parliament in which such au allegation was found.— (desk, hear.) Thu fact was, that the Lord-Lieutenant and the N0i1!,3 Lord thu S. crwary for the C o l on i es had never read one word of this Act of Parliament, or had forgot if tiny bud. Tile;' assume that the Gazette had followed the Act of Parliament. The Gazette did announce that certain persons should be commissioners in a certain order, but it did not imply that the persons so naased should take rank accordiag to the oiler in whiclh.. tht ic. names appeared. These matters must be considered inamets winch a wise man would• not much eare about, via., questions of precedence. In point of fact, a man did not take rank in civil life according to his mere position in the rate-book. The real au thority which a man derived was the rank which he derived from his principles, hi s t a l ents , and his virtues. His (Sir R. Inglis's) objection was not even to the person recognised as an Archbishop or Bishop of the Church of Rome having such a rank as her own communion might be willing to concede to them ; his complaint was, that the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland had suggested, and the Secretary of the Colonial Department had adopted, the principle of transfer ring from the Queen what properly belonged to her Majesty as the fountain of honour, but which had no . existence whatever i n th e di s p a t c h o f th e S ecre tary of State. The Secretary of State did not invoke her Majesty's aid on the occasion. He (Sir Robert Inglis) felt in the presence of the Attorney and Solicitor- General, that even between herself, if her sign manual had been prefixed to any order of the kind, he doubted whether the Queen herself could have given the precedence which was now claimed by the Secretary of State. He believed no rank could be assigned by the Queen to the disparagement of the rank assigned to an individual by an Act of Parlia ment or by long usage. It was beyond the competence of the Crown to create an order, for example, between a Viscount and an Earl. If that was so, it was as much without the competence of the Crown to create an order which should take precedence between a Bishop of our Church and a Viscount. And that which induced him most especially to call the attention of the House to this subject was, that this recognition of authority at this time was a recognition of autho rity which this country had for three centuries invariably repudiated and disowned. It was the recog nition of authority in the see of Rome of placing in her Majesty's dominions, without her Majesty's authority, a class of individuals in matters of pre cedence above that of the Queen's own subjects. He contended that the Imperial Crown of England being held by a communicant of the Protestant Church, that wherever her Majesty exercised her dominion that Church must be considered] as established.—(hear, hear.) He contended also that the efforts of all ought to be directed not for emigration, but for colo nization, and he thought that all the English co lonies ought to be a miniature England.—(Hear, hear) —..and that those who went out to the colonies ought to enjoy the same privileges with respect to spiritual consolation which they would have done if they had been at home. It appeared to him to be an unwarrantable suggestion of the Lord- Lieutenant of Ireland to make the proposition he bad done to the Noble Earl the Colonial Secretary. ;He wished to know whether the Government adopted the letter or not; if they did adopt the letter and said it was not the act of Lord Grey, but that of the Cabinet, then he wished to know whether they had her Majesty's sanction for it. If, on the other hand, they told him that there was no such dispatch from the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland to Earl Grey, then he ventured to think whatever blame might be removed from the Lord• Lieutenant of Ireland was cast with double fcrce upon the Noble Earl the Secretary of State for the Colonies. From the communications he had received he believed great blame attached to the Noble Earl ; he had thrown new elements into the colonies, and especially at Sydney, for there he had carried out his object at the expense of one of the greatest bishops that had ever been sent out to the colonies. The Hon. Baronet concluded by moving an humble address to her Majesty, for a copy of the letter or memorial of the Lord-Liue tenant of Ireland to Earl Grey on the subject of the rank of persons mentioned as prelates of the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland, to which communication the Earl Grey adverted in his Circular Dispatch of the 20th day of November, 1847, Mr. BANKES seconded the motion. Lord J. RUSSELL was understood to say that there was nothing in the dispatch appertaining to the rank to be held by Roman Catholic Archbishops and Bishops, and that, therefore, ne good could result from agreeing to such a memorial, because no return could be made to it. The Bequest Act certainly did not give any title to Roman Catholic Prelates, but the Archbishops and Bishops, were generally designated by the titles of " Most Reverend." "Right Reverend," and "Your Grace." Lord Grey thought that what was done in Ireland, might very properly be followed in the colonic. The matter, however, did not appear to him to be a question of any great importance, and he could not conceive that there was any necessity for the House to take any proceedings with reference to it.—(Hear, hear.) The only reply he could give, therefore, to the Hon. Metn , ier for the University of Oxford was, that no such letter existed in the Colonial-office. Mr. GOULBURN said it was complained that the Roman Catholic Church had placed an Arch bishop where the Protestant Church had only a Bishop. —(Hear.) The consequence of the letter referred to was to give a pri,rity to the Roman Catholics, instead of the Protestant Church; and it was further complained that the Legislature had laid down a rule which sanc tioned sue:i a proceeding.. Mr. JOHN O'CONNELL said that it was surprising that the Hon. Baronet, who evidently recognised the position of the several sects in Scotland, and who had distinctly stated that the Bishops, should be addressed by the titles of the several sees which they held, should ft el any difficulty in giving to the Roman Catholic B shops of Ireland the dignity to which they were - especially entitled. lie would beg to assure the House that the Roman Catholic Prelates felt it to bo no compliment to be addressed after the name of the s-es over which they presided. Archbishop Murray, like many of his countrymen, looked very lightly, he could assure the House, upon the privilege of bring celled Archbishop Murray ot Dublin, and the claims of the Roman Catholic Bishops in the colonies rested on too strong grounds to he denied. Ile regretted that the Noble Lord at the head of the Treasury had thrown any slight upon them, fur according "to a bull of Pius IX. those pr. lates only asked for precedence according to their appointment, and it did seem strange to him that if the Primate of this country had power to appoint bishops in the colonies, the head of the Roman Church should be den:e.l the privilege of appointing his own suffragans in Ireland. The Roman Catholic was the ancient Church, and therefore they who d.ffered from her were the Dissenters. Lord J. RUSSELL said that the lion. Gentleman had quite misunderstood him, for he had said just the reverse. Ile had al ways acknowledged the claims of the ancient Roman Catholic Church, and was very far from speaking of its members as Dissenters. Mr. PLUMPTRE wished to ask the Noble Lord whether he was right in the apprehension that the Roman Catholic Bishop at Sydneyttook precedence of the Bishop who was appointed by the Anglican Church? A complaint had already been made respecting this in fraction of the rights of the Church, especially as it was understood to have taken place with his Lordship's sanction. Lord J. RUSSELL did not think that countenance to any such report had emanated from him. Me had in fact never said anything respecting precedence between the Protestant and Roman Catholic Bishops at Sydney. A complaint had been made through the proper officials certainly, and the dress which the Roman Catholic Archbishop wore had been shown him, but the only answer which he could make was that he did nut at all know he could interfere with the kind o dress which the Roman Catholic Archbishop chose to wear in his own church. Sir R. ING LIS wished, in the first instance, to sei himself right with the Hen. Member near him (Mr. J. o'c:winch). He had stated that there was no Word in the Act of Parliament which justified the applieation of the word " person" as an enfranchisement from its penalties ; but in speaking of the Roman Catholic hierarchy he never intended to use it in an offensive or degrading sense. He was only anxious, so far as the Bishop of . Sydney was concerned, that the term " Me • tropolitan" should be properly defined. If the answer to the address was " Nit" he should be satisfied. THE BRITISH MUSEUM. Mr. E WART rose to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there was any objection to lay before the House the evidence taken by the Com missioners appointed to inquire into the constitution and management of the British Museum. Sir GEORGE GREY said, in reply, that part of the evidence would be laid on the table of the House. IRISH POOR-LAW COMMITTEE. Sir WILLIAM SOMERVILLE moved that the Select Committee upon the Irish Poor-law do consist of twenty-nue members, and that the following Members be Members of the said Committee: —Lord John Russell, Sir James Graham, Sir John Young, Colonel Dunne, Mr. George A. Hamilton, Sir William Somerville, Mr. Scrope, Sir Robert Ferguson, M r. Clements, Mr. Shafto Adair, Mr. Cornewall Lewis, Mr. Moasell,.Sir Denham Norreys, Sir John Paking ton, Mr. Herbert, Mr. Reynold s Mr. Sharman Craw ford, Mr. F agan, Mr. O'FlahertY, Major Blackall, and Mr. Stafford. Mr. HENRY said, he, for his part, would have no ob jection to the Committee, if the Hon. Baronet (Sir W. Somerville) would withdraw the name of one Hon. Mem ber.—(Loud cries of " Name, name.") He would have no objection to the Committee if the Hon. Baronet would add the name of Mr. Bright, the Hon. Member for 111anchester.7(La9ghtt r.) Mr. GRACE said, as the elt representativehimself o c f a o ll n e e d o o f n th t e o wes tern counties of Ireland, he f ex press his strong objection to the Committee which had been proposed. Be thought it was but just and fair that that part of Ireland :which was universally acknowledged to be in the worst and most distressing situation in Ireland should be represented in that Committee; but they were not so represented. It was but fair that those who were oppressed and galled by the unfortunate working of that system in that coun try should have an opportunity of making it known to the Committee and have all its errors rectified. Mr. I'D ZSTEPHEN FRENCH also complained of the constitution of the Committee. How was it con stituted? There was a very strong preponderance, on the part of Miniiwts, of persons officially connected with the Goverrni.nt. Ile found, in addition to the Noble Lori at the head of the Government, the name of Mr. Cornewall Lewis, au ex- Secretary of Poor-laws, and others connected in some way with the Government. That was the sort of Ministerial staff that war to enter into an inquiry of this kind.—(Hear, hear.) But that Was not all. There were the names of Sir John Pakingten, Mr. Stafford, tend Mr. Sharman Crawford. On part of Ireland—namely, Ulster—where the aystem worked nearly as well as in this coun try; was carefully and well represtented.—(Hear.) Sir Robert Ferguson, Mr. Shafto Adair, and Mr. Sharman Crawford were chosen to represent that part of the country. He found, on the other hand, the county of Limerick almost totally unrepresented. lie found that two Members had been chosen on the Committee who were absent from the House that night--Sir D. - Norreys and Mr. Hamilton. In his opinion, in an inquiry -of this description it was not only necessary that the inquiry should THE SUN, LONDON, be impartial, but it should be so regarded by the people of Ireland. Several of the most im portant parts of Ireland were left unrepresented in the selection of this Committee. Cork was left unrepre sented, while Limerick had two Members on the Com mittee. Sir G. GREY said thatevery one who knew anything of appointing Committees knew the difficulty there was in forming them so as to please every one, and that difficulty had been greatly felt in the present instance ; he thought that some of the representations of the Hon. Member who had spoken last were not correct. Every attempt had been made to obtain gentlemen of experience on the Committee, and he thought it would be highly desirable that his Noble Friend at the head of the Government should be one of its members. He believed that the doubts of the Hon. Member as to the effec tive working of the Committee, and its giving satisfaction in Ireland, were totally without foundation. The Gen tlemen that had been chosen for the Committee had taken great interest in the subject, and were certainly, in his opinion, the best persons for the Committee. Colonel DUNNE admitted that Government must have had considerable difficulties in settling this Com mittee, but he could not help feeling that the landed in terest was not duly represented in it. Sir ROBERT PEEL suggested to the Noble Lord the propriety of re-considering the Committee, and con senting to an extension to the number of its members, rather than exclude any interest. Mr. SADLIER thought it worth while considering the question of adding to the Committee the representa tives of the two large counties of Mayo and Roscommon. He, however, agreed that it was of great importance that the Hon. Gentleman the Member for Northamptonshire should remain on the Committee, for to a knowledge of the defects of the Irish poor-law he superadded a knowledge of the working of a similar law in this country. Mr. J. O'CONNELL saw no reason to confine the Committee to 21 Members, and he, therefore, agreed with the Hon. Member who had just addressed them, that it was highly desirable that the counties of Mayo and Roscommon should be represented on the Committee. Sir W. SOMERVILLE said Government would con sent to an increase of the Committee if the House would agree to the names already on the list. Mr. MONSELL in that case would recommend that some Scotch Member should be placed on it. Mr. CHRISTOPHER protested that there was no necessity whatever for such a step. The name of Lord J. Russell was then added to the Committee. Mr. GROGAN proposed the substitution of the name of Sir Lucius O'Brien for that of Mr. P. Serope, and Lord Lincoln for Sir James Graham. Mr. HENRY gave notice that to-morrow he would move that Mr. Bright's name be added to the Com mittee. _ _ Mr. GROGAN then moved the omission of Mr. P. Scrope's name; and The gallery was cleared for a division, when the num bers were— 119 44 Majority —7 6 Mr. P. Scrope's name is therefore retained on the list. The names of Sir R. Ferguson, Mr. Clements, and Mr. S. Adair were proposed arid agreed to. On the motion that the name of Mr. C. Lewis be in serted, being put, Captain TAYLOR opposed it. He considered Mr. Lewis to be a gentleman who entertained a very strong bias on the subject of the ;poor -laws; besides, he was an Engiiah Member, and could not be supposed to be very conversant with Irish affsirs. Against the motion ... Fur it ... Sir J. WALSH considered Mr. Lewis to be peculiarly qualified to act on the Committee. He had written a very able work on the subject, and possessed a great know ledge of the internal affairs of Ireland. Mr. V. SMITH observed, that this was not entirely an Irish question. The presence of English Members on the Committee would enable them to furnish the other Members of it with much valuable information re.ipecting the working of the English Poor-law. 1, The motion was agreed to, and the name of Mr. Lewis was inserted. The names of Mr. Monscil, Sir D. Norreys, Sir J. Pa kington, Mr. Herbert, Mr. Reynolds, Mr. S. Crawford, Mr. Fagln, Mr. O'Flaherty, Major Blackall, and Mr. Stafford were then agreed to; five members to form a quorum. CALL OF THE HOUSE. Mr. GRATTAN did not know aheth&r her Majesty's Ministers would object to the motion which he was about to make.—(Laughter) He was convinced it would be a vt.ry salutary proceeding to call all the Members of the House to their plac.3s. If it were objected that the time vas too short to allow of members attending te-mdil ow, ;hen let the second reading of the Bill for suspending the Habeas Corpus Act bo postponed. He understood the Bill was not yet printed, and had been told that it was not the practice to print bills till after the second reading. He would suggest that the practice should be altered. It was said that this was a mitigated measure to the one passed last year. How;.were lion. Members to know that, unless they had an opportunity of com paring one Bill with the other? No less than 55 Irish Members were absent when the division took place on the Bill of last year. He therefore now begged to move that the House be called over en Friday next (this day) Mr. J. O'CON NEIL seconded the motion. Lord J. RUSSELL did not think it probable that those Irish Members who were absent in Ireland would obtain information sufficiently early to enable them to appear in their places tomorrow.—(A laugh.) He did not e3nceive that any cause existed for callinc , over the House. There was a sufficient attendance of Members for the consideration of the Bill, which stood fur a se cond reading; and if any Members now absent had been anxious to attend, ample notice was given of the intention of bringing in the measate for them to have been in their places. Mr. J. O'CONNELL asked when the Bill would be printed. • Lord J. RUSSELL—It will be in the hands of Members to-morrow. It is the same Bill as that of last year. The motion was then put, and negatived without a di►ision. In answer to a question from Mr. P. SCROPE, Lord J. RUSSELL said that the Bill for the suspen. sion of the Habeas Corpus Act being a measure of great importance, ought to be proceeded with without delay; he therefore proposed making the second reading of that Bill the first order of the day for tomorrow. If the debate should end at an early period of the evenin g , he would then proceed with the adjourned debate on the vote for Irish distress; but he would not bring on that: debate at a late hour. The report on the motion of supply was brought up. The House then adjourned. FRANCE. The Serviles have thrown off the mask, and Legi timatists, Orleanists, and Bonapartists, openly avow their coalition for producing a counter-revolution. They have resolved to form an Electoral Committee in Paris, to be composed of 30 members, to direct the ensuing elections. Count Mole has consented to act as President, and MM. Thiers and Berryer a 3 Vice- Presidents. Five Bonapartists are to be admitted into the Committee ; the remaining 25 are to be com posed of Legitimists and the friends of the Regency. It has been agreed on by the chiefs of these parties that any candidate approved of by the committee shall obtain all the votes the united parties can influ ence. PRUSSIA. The election of Members of the Second Chamber took place at Berlin on the sth. The result was fa vourable to the Opposition party, six of their caidi dates having been chosen ; three of them were each elected in two districts. The names of the Deputies nominated are—M. Waldeck, M. Behrend, M. Rod bertus, M. Jacoby, M. Temme, and M. Philips. The number of Deputies for Berlin is nine ; in conse quence of the double election of three of the above names, three new elections will have to be made. Several Prussian journals, of the 3d, state that the Ambassadors of Russia and Austria have received instructions to demand their passports in the event of the King of Prussia accepting the Imperial crown; and a Berlin letter, of the same date, says, on what it represents to be good authority, that the English Ambassador has received orders to protest formally if that eventuality should occur. The Qerman Reform of Berlin, of the 3d, says, that the state of siege will not be raised until after the adoption by the new Chamber of laws on the right of association and the liberty of the press. In consequence of protests made by different elec toral meetings against the expulsion from Berlin of M. Rodbertus, General Wrangel has consented to allow him to return to that city. BAVARIA. The Address just voted by the second Chamber of the States of Bavaria, in answer to the speech from the Throne, speaks with great energy in favour of the unity o f Germany , and against the separatist tendencies attributed to the Bavarian Government. The Chamber declares that the unity of Germany ought to be f oun d e d, no t on l y upon institu tions common to all the States, and which shall guarantee the freedom of all the people, but also on a C ons tit u ti o n , w hi ch shall combine in an indissoluble ma nner a ll t h e G erman tribes, without exception, in on e s t rong and resp e cted Confedera tion. It adds that it is only by conforming freely and unreservedly w ith t h e new spirit which ex ists in all c l asses o f society, and sub mitting impl icitly to the resolutions of the Ger man Assembly, anti the central Government, that lasting tranquillity and prosperity can b e secured to the German people. Finally, it recognises the vali dity of the law on fundamental rights adopted by the National Assembly. As regards Bavaria, the Chamber demands a really tesponsible Ministry, the out of the representative system i n a ll t h e c b a r r n 3 c, ' n e g 1 o f t m e I l e, and ,. a liber a l organiza tinn of the commune s . e irst Chamb er h as adopted an address to the same effect. . ITALY. The ATha of Florence announces that the Chamber of Deputies had an extraordinary sitting on the 31st ult., in consequence of a dispatch of the Minister of Finance. A panic had seized the holders of the Bank of Leghorn notes, who had repairel in' crowds to the Bank to get them cashed. The Bank had consequently been in - the-impossibility of meet-' ing all demands, and of discounting bills for the and FRIDAY of the month. The Chamber of Commerce of Leghorn, alarmed at this state of things, had applied to the Minister of Finance to present a Bank Restriction Bill to the Chambers. The Bill has been accordingly presented; it limits the restriction to bills exceeding 200 livres, and axes the time of the restriction to Marc'h 10. The Chamber retired to the bureaux to examine the Bill, but, on their resum ing the sitting, the Minister of Finance withdrew the the Bill for the election of T uscan represen t at i ves t o Bill. On the preceding day the Chamber had adopted the Constituent Assembly at Rome. r a T c r t a o n f . a c L it e e n t t a e b r : Dec.), THE WARS IN THE PUNJAUB. s El axht "The whole army remained at Ram nuggur. i n f ron t o f 15, 1848. the enemy till the Ist of December, w h en a detachment" H e ( e, under the command of General Thackwell was dis patched to Vizierabad ford, 23 miles up the river, to en deavour to effect the passage of the river Chenab. After a long and harassing march the troops arrived at Vizierabad late in the evening. Though the shades of evening had closed in, half the troops were transported across, the rest passed over in the morning. The guns were conveyed over in boats which had been collected at the ford owing to the great exertions of Captain Nicholson, the political agent. On the 2d this force marched down the river once more towards Ramnuggur, though on the enemy's side of the river. They made that day a march of 12 miles. On the 3d they resumed their march, and had scarcely progressed 10 miles when the flower of the Seikh army, under Shere Singh in person, was down upon them. They advanced with the greatest courage, and opened such a well-directed fire of artillery on us (I was an eye-witness of this en gagement) as to cause astonishment to old soldiers. Our distinguished General who, I believe, served throughout the Penin su l a an d at aterloo—deployed the infantry into line, and posted his guns at intervals of brigades. The brave foe was permitted to come close to us, when suddenly our guns opened. The cannonade was most fierce. The enemy obtained our range very soon, and had not the infantry been ordered to throw themselves on the ground our loss must have been very great. The enemy in the heat of the action endeavoured to turn our flanks ; but a demonstration of the 3d Dra goons, aided by a few guns on our right, kept them in check. We had communication with the river on our left; just behind our left was a ford, where some of our reinforcements were attempting to cross at the time. The enemy made • every endeavour to gain this point, but the brave 3d Irregulars, and some compa nies of foot, assisted by guns, drove them back. After a fire of two hours and a half the enemy ceased firing, and as we afterwards discovered, fled with precipita tion. Their front was covered with high, thick fields of sugar cane, which prevented our quickly ascertaining their movements. We knew so little about their strength and position, and it was getting so, late in the evening, that it would have been the height of imprudence for us to have attacked them with our small force when they ceased firing. Thus, in a few hours, with a loss of only 80 killed and wounded on our side, was the whole Seikh army repulsed. Our artillery fired with the greatest precision. Every credit is due to them. They committed fearful havoc amongst the enemy. The Seikhs have lost ten times as many men killed and wounded. A wounded Seikh soldier just picked up states that they lost nearly as many men as at Feroaeehah. This immense loss on their side, while our is comparatively trifling, is owing to the fact that our guns were permitted to silence theirs. There was no charging with bayonets of awkward look ing batteries. Where you have good artillery why not use it? This action, in which so .much military skill has been displayed, was fought near a villaged named Soodalapere. This success was attended with great re sults, via.:—driving the enemy away from the Ram nuggur ford, where they were opposite Lord Gough's camp, and a royal salute of ,twenty-one guns, with heavy guns, were fired by his Excellency in honour of the affair. Sir Joseph bad a narrow escape or two. An orderly close to him was killed. One orderly officer elose behind him had his horse killed. As all the line were lying down, the staff, being mounted, attracted the enemy's fire. Brig • adier General Campbell com manded the infantry, the brave old Brigadier White the cavalry, and Colonel Grant the artillery. Lord Gough is still , at Ramnuggur, with General Gilbert's division. Sir Joseph Thackwell commands the forces here. This -is fourteen miles from Lord Gough's position. The enemy are only twelve miles front this. They have a very strong position, co -1 vered with jungle. Tney have several regular regiments that have been drilled by us. Their guns are manned by experieaced men. In Edwardes' actions there was not one regular regiment opposed to him —nothing hut raw levies. Since that time the whole Punjaub has risen in insurrection, and several regular corps that were in our pay have gone orer to the enemy. They were disciplined by our officers. These, being na turally brave, are formidable enemies. Their cavalry •-are not to be feared. In a few days we may expect-a erand fight, but as yet nothing has bran determined on. It is said that Lord Gough is awaiting instructions from the Governor- General, who, according to some reports, was opposed to our crossing the Clientl. But here we, are ; therefore we cannot retire whilst the, enemy is so close to us. We must push him across the . Jhelum riv er; t h en i t w ill b e d ecent f or us to cease operations. We all wish the Seikhs would come down as boldly as they did on the memorable 3d of De cember, Thackw,ll's force, since he has been rein forced, consists of four brigades of infantry, the 3-1 and 14th Dragoons. the 9th Lancers, the sth and Bth Light Cavalry, and 31st Irregulars, with six troops of Horse As tillery, and throe light field batteries. EASTERN ARCHIPELAGO COM - PANY, A company has been recently incorporated under this title by Royal charts r, for acquiring, holding, settling, and cultivating the land and the produce of the island of Labuan, which has been formally taken possession of by the Crown of Great Britain and lands adjacent (Borneo), for working mines therein, and raising coals, stones, ores, minerals, and metals. Tne company is to be in every respect a trading com pany; and, by a treaty entered into by the British Government with the Sultan of Borneo, many highly important advantages are permanently secured to this country. Labuan, now subject to British dominion, forms an essential link, in the chain of our eastern set- Pitesnang, M a l acca. an d Si ngapore, to proximity to Manila, Siam, Cochin ftlieemhgen-Ktso,egfr;omand China, Hainan, Java, Suinittra, Celebes, &c., renders the discovery of an abundant supply of excellent coal at Labuan, and on the mainland of Borneo, in the immediate vicinity of Labuan, of great importance to steam navigati on i n t h e eastern seas. Th e expense iie h the tvery o prime the averag e cos t b e i ng 33 5 . per ton, while of Borneo coa l p u t on b oar d vesse l s i n ri cmoea heavy, c li o n i g steamers tr a din g t o th e eas t i s a t present the Borneo river is estimated atless than 3s. 6d. per ton. It if ground at Honfger Kong, anticipating is stated that the directors of th e P en i nsu l ar an d O r i enta l Company are now willing to r ece i ve at Si ngapore or H ong Kong supplies of Labuan coal ; if at Si ngapore, at 31s. 3d. at 365. 3d. ; and there is that the future contracts with the Peninsul ar an d Or i ental Company will be very extensive, the e r ton strongest ; and The annual consumption of Labuan coal, including supplies for steam-vessels sta tioned or touching there, and for the coal depots at Singapore, distant from Labuan, 707 miles ; Hong Kong, 1,009 ; Manilla, 650, is estimated to be, for the stt am vessels of her Majesty's navy, 5,000 tons; East India Company, 5,000 tons; Peninsu lar and Oriental Company, 19,000 tons; India and Australia Mail Steam Packet Company, 4,000 tons ; Canton Steam Navigation Company, 4,000 tons ; Philippine Spanish Government, 6,000 tors ; Dutch navy, 5,000 tons ; British and foreign merchant service, 6,000 tons :---total, 47,000 tons. Her Majesty's Government have contracted to pay 13s. 6d. per, ton (including royalty) for coals supplied at La busts for her Majesty's navy. The offer of the Penin sular and Oriental Company, however, shows that far more advantageous terms are obtainable from other consumers of Labuan coal ; so that, taking the average profit at only 7s. 6d. - per ton on the above esti mated supply (irrespective of any supply for the coal d epots at Malacca, Penang, Calcutta, Madras, Ceylon, and Bombay) the promoters of the company calculate that the clear annual gain on this portion of the coal operations alone would exceed 17,0001. The working of coal, however, though an essential part of the company's plans, as offering at once a secure and sure return for the capital to be invested, does not appear to be that which is likely ultimately to be the most remunerative ; as, from a work recently published by Mr. Low, formerly pri vate secretary to Sir James Brooke, K.C.8., and now colonial secretary of Labuan, it appears that Borneo pro duces antimony ore, iron, Lie, nickel, quicksilver, and gold, while " the diamonds of Borneo have long been celebrated as equal to any from India or Brazil in abund arm and beauty." As " run for gold " seems now to be the motto of a large portion of the commu • nity in consequence of the recent discoveries in California, we may lay 'before our readers the fol lowing extract -relative to the gold mines of Borneo (which will now be easily accessible to our countrymen) from the work of Sir Stamford Raffles on that coun try:—" From a calculation recently, made, it appears that the number of Chinese employed in the gold mines at Montrada and other places on the western side of Borneo amounts to not less than 32,000 working men. When a mine affords no more than four bengkals (weighing about two dollars each, or something less than a tahil) per man in the year, it is reckoned a losing concern, and abandoned accordingly. Valuing the bengkal at eighteen Spanish dollars, which is a low rate of estimation, and supposing only four bengkals pro duced in the year by the labour of each man, the total produce is 128,000 bengkals, worth 2,224,000 Spanish dollars, equal to 556,000 L, at the rate of five shillings the dollar. But it is asserted that upon the general run of the mines, seldom less than six bengkals per head has been obtained, and, in very rainy seasons, seven. Taking the medium at six and a-half bengkals, the 32,000 Chinese will procure 208,000 bengkals, which, at eighteen Spanish dollars the bengkal, is 3,744000 Spanish dollars, equal to 936,0001. Such is the result of a very moderate calcu lation of the produce of these mines. According to an esti:nate made in the year 1812, the annual produce of the mines oa the west coast of Borneo was esti mated at 4,744,000 Spani.li dollars, being an ex- CC3A of a million sterling. The quantity of gold pro cured in Sumatra, the supposed golden Chersonesus of the ancients, is, according to Mr. Mars , len, about 30,800 ounc-s, which, at 41. sterling the ounce, is worth 123,2001., equal to 492,800 Spanish dollars. It is calculated that, one year with another, at least 500 Chinese return in the junks to their native coon ' ry w ith a competency. Several have been known to take away 1,000 bengkals of gold, many from 100 to 500 ; but very nfew return - before they have cleared a competency of 2,000 dollars, or E.VtNIN6, FEIiRUARY 9, from 100 to 120 tahils of gold. This goes partly in gold, though they prefer investing a part of it in tin from Banks, opium, and other articles. Say, however, that they remit one half in gold: 5,000 men, at 1,000 dollars each, will give 500,000 dollars, which, added to small family remittances, accounts for an amount exceeding 1,000,000 dollars, or 250,0001. The cal culation, however, seems to be far within the mark, and gives less by one-half than what is usually stated to be remitted to China from the Bornean mines, which has been estimated, at a loose guess, at 2,000,000 dollars, or 500,0001. A further amount of not less than the value of 1,000,000 dollars, or 250,0001., is supposed to find its way annually to Western India, and principally to Bengal, via Batavia, Malacca, and Penang, for the purchase of opium and piece-goods. The surplus en riches Java, and some of the other islands, in exchange for salt, tobacco, coarse cloths, &c." Mr. Macgregor, M.P., late Secretary •f the Board of Trade, is the chairman, and as it is incorporated under royal charter, it is but fair to presume that every care has been taken for the protection of the shareholders. INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGI NEERS. THURSDAY, FEB. 6.—Joshua Field, Esq., President, in the Chair.—The paper read was a " Description of the Abattoirs of Paris," by Mr. R. B. Grantham, M. Inst. C. E. The subject was treated of chiefly in connexion with the sanitary question, at present occu pying so much attention; the author being of opinion that:much public benefit would be derived from the intro duction of similar establishments into the city of London. The paper commenced by pointing out the advantages resulting from the method in which the butcher's trade was carried on in Paris. It was stated that this trade was regulated by a number of restrictive enactments, and conducted under the control of a Syndicate or Guild, who advised with the Government upon all ques tions relating to the abattoirs and markets. It appeared from the account, that, previous to the opening of the Abattoirs, in 1818, slaughter-houses ex isted in the crowded and populous districts of the city; and that (as at present in London,) the passage of the cattle through the streets, and the conse quent nuisances, were found to be intolerable. The five abattoirs were designed with great care, to obviate these evils, and were generally a ll owe d t o have fully accomplished the purposes for which they had been constructed; they had been of great public service, in rendering Paris free from those nuisances, which were still permitted to exist as such blots on the general clean liness of the city of London. The Abattoirs were erected within the Barriers, op posite Montmartre, Menil-Montant, Grenelle, Du Roule, and Ville Juif, at an average distance of a mile, and three-quarters from the centre of the city. The paper, which was accompanied by detailed plans of each abattoir, and a general drawing of their arrange ment, described minutely their construction, as well as the mode of slaughtering the cattle, the melting the tallow, and other details connected with the trade car ried on therein. All the buildings were stated to bo abundantly supplied with water, well ventilated, and ' kept in the highest state of cleanliness. Tables were given of the number of cattle, sheep, and pigs killed, and the amount of tallow melted during the last four years; and a statement was appended, from which it appeared that the revenue (derived from tolls, charged upon all the meat killed, at per kilogramme), amounted during one year to 47,608/. 165., that the total expenses were 4,9581. 125., leaving a profit to the city a Paris of 42,6501. 45., or about 6i. per cent. upon 680,000/., the original cost of all these establishments. The paper argued that if this revenue was obtained front the tails, &c., for slaughtering treat for a population not exceeding one million souls, who did not consume anything like the amount of animal food that Englishmen habitually indulge in, how much greater would be the profit of such establishments for London, where there was a population nearly approaching three millions of souls, in whose behalf such strenuous exertions were now making for the increase of sanitary regulations and more ample supplies of water, and everything tending to wards a higher state of cleanliness and health. In the discussion which ensued, and in which Mr. E. Chadwick, Professor Owen, Messrs. Leslie, May, Alleu, Itansorne, Elliott, Armstrong, and others, took part, very interesting statistical facts were given, in connexion with the present state of the Smithfield Market, and , the evils attendant upon the animals being driven through the streets, and then killed in a state of fever, when the blood was in a condition to induce rapid decotnpositi,n of the meat, and render it unfit for food. In proof of this; it was stated that, in the summer, quantities'of fine meat were frequently obliged to be thrown by-the butchers•upon • the offal heap, within 30 hours from the time of the animals being slaughtered-'-- putrescence being so rapidly induced by the deleterious atmosphere of the slaughter-house pervading the place where the meat was kept. Among the numerous advantages of a new and spa cious establishment, like that of Islington Market, to which public slaughter-houses are to be attached, would be the direct contact of the cattle-sellers with the butchers, and, by thus avoiding the intermediate profit of the middle men, the latter would be enabled to sell their meat in better condition, and at a more reasonable rate, to the public., The present objectionable system of Smithfield ap peared to be upheld merely as a question of revenue to the City, for which the public not only paid heavily, bit suffered severely by common annoyance, and by the deleterious effect on public health. Modifications of the Paris system were shown to be perfectly adapted even to the actual state of the butcher's trade in London; that the internal arrangements of the slaughter-houses would not, in any way, interfere with the employment of the services of the butchers, nor could any inconvenience arise from their congregating together at such places—nor any loss from theft. All these pre ventive arrangements had been fully explained by Mr. Grantham, in his recent " Treatise on Public Slaughter houses." The opinion of the meeting appeared to be pointedly in favour of so desirable a measure as the establishment of Islington Market; and hopes were expressed strongly that, by showing to the trade that their interest was so intimately connected with the measure, their co-operation would be obtained, to their own ultimate profit, as well as for the public good. The Papers announced to be read at the meeting of Tuesday, February 13th, were :—No. 788, "On the Coal Field of South Wales;" and No. 7.99, " An Account of an Explosion of Fire-Damp, at the Eaglesbash Colliery, Neath ;" by Mr. J. Richardson, M. Inst. C.E. WATERFORD, WEXFORD, AND WICKLOW RAIL WAY —Some blasting operations of an extensive cha racter took place on Saturday last, at Bray Head, where the works for the formation of this railway are in active progress. It was necessary to remove a huge mass of rock,. to do which in detail would oc cupy considerable time. The resident engineer, Mr. Purdon, resolved upon effecting it by one great effort, and accordingly three large drifts were made, 25 feet in depth, 5 inches in diameter, and two supple mental ones of smaller dimensions. They were bored 15 feet from the s( a-face of the rock, and about 6 feet apart. About 4501b5. weight of gunpowder were used in charging them,' the principal part being of the quality known as Government powder, by many per cent. stronger than the ordinary blasting powder. They were connected with a 10-pair battery of Callan's, and after due precaution had been used to guard against accident, they were fired, and an immense displacement of rock was effected. The explosive noise was not loud but rumbling, and the spells were not driven any distance. It was found, on examination after wards that ten feet to the landside of the drifts were carried away, and fissures extended much further, which will enable the workmen to remove the rock with the crow-bar. The length of the rock displaced was 45 feet, the breadth -25 feet, and depth 21 feet, which gives an idea of the cubic contents. Mr. Copeland, the local en gineer, was the operator. Several minor blasts were made, showing the activity with which obstacles formerly consi dered impracticable to be overcome are disappearing. The long tunnel at the southern end of the head can be passed through walking upright. The scene of these most interesting engineering operations is now most worthy of a ♦isit under favourable circumstances of weather; the publio will the better be enabled to appre ciate the indomitable courage the engineer has had to face such a field of operations, and how the iron bound coast is falling into the track for civilization and enterprise. The original intention of crossing the deeply indented ravines made by the sea, by means of bridges, is abandoned, and all will now be filled up at an incredibly less amount of expense, and with equal stability, and safety for this great project. The road along the head over the works affords ready access for any pedestrian. On Saturday several ladies and gentleman enjoyed the excitement which a most glorious spring day presented, without reference to the operations 'in progress for the furtherance of the work of this gigantic undertaking. THE WILTS ♦ND DORSET BANKING COMPANY. —The thirteenth annual general meeting of the share holders of this company was held at Salisbury, on Monday last, Alex. Lucas, Esq., in the chair. The attendance was unusually large. From the report it appeared that the business and profits of the company had increased during the past year ; the latter amounted to 8,1651.85. Bd., out of which a dividend at the rate of 5} per cent. per annum had been paid to the proprietors. The report then alluded to losses at two of the branches of the company—at Christchurch, by the frauds of their late manager, and at Chip penham, by robbery —and proceeded to state that these losses had been met from the reserved fund. The directors had thought it prudent to reduce the dividend for the last half-year to 5 per cent. per annum, but they confidently hoped that this reduction would prove only temporary. The report concluded by informing the shareholders that the bank had taken the business of the old and respectable private banking-house of Tice and Company, of Christchurch. The usual routine business was then transacted, and confidence in the late directors testified by their re-election. A vote of thanks to the general manager and officers of the company, for their efficient services, was accorded unanimously; and thanks having been voted to the chair the meeting separated. SEVEN LIVES LOST.—lntelligence has been re ceived in this town this morning of an accident which has occurred at Palau oz' a most shocking nature, and by which several families in this town have been thrown into a state of the greatest distress. Letters i rem Palau of Jan. 24 state that Mr. 'Fucker, master of the Whitn, Mr. Ro berth Nothard, master of the Garnet, with two foreign gentlemen, and three of the crew of the Whim, werejout shooting in the boat belonging to the Whim. From some cause, unexpluice,l by any letters we have seen, the boat was upset in the surf, and all in her were pre cipitated into the water. We are sorry to have to add that not-oue escaped. This event bas thrown consider able doom over the town, and is of course felt most keenly' by all Ll4,.(3c.opne*(l with the dk.mased. The "vessels, we believe, were entering at Pillau.—Hutl Packet. 1849. MEMORANDA OF A MUSICIAN. BY GEORGE J. 0. ALLMANN. " Notes, notes, forsooth, and noting !" SHARSPERE No. VIII. HANDEL. Would any of our modern Musicians have taken as much trouble, or put themselves to as much incon venience as Handel did, who was too conscientious to compose music to words of which he did not fully com prehend the meaning, as is testified by the following anecdote respecting him? One fine morning in summer Dr. More who supplied Handel with the libretti of most of his oratorios, was awoke from " Soft slumber in the arms of Morpheus, Being, in sooth, well tired with Orpheus," by Handel, who at five o'clock arrived in his chariot from his residence, which was at that time a little dis tance from London. The coachman got off his seat and gave a thundering knock at the street-door—another— and another, but without arousing the inmates. Handel, in a passion, told his servant to continue knocking till EOM body came. At length the Doctor, who slept heavily and occupied a room in front of the house, poked his head, clad in a nightcap that, like " quills upon the fret ful porcupine," seemed to expand with horror at so un usual a disturbance, out from the window. "Ah Toc tor!" exclaimed Handel, looking comfortably out of the carriage, "come down, I want to spheag to you!" Will it not do as well now!" returned the vexed author. " Nein, nein! I tell yoc!" replied the irascible musician," it you vill not come—." He was interrupted by the Doctor, who hastily shut the window, and in a few moments appeared at the door of the chariot. " Now, Mr. Handel," began the Doctor, " what is it you want to speak to me about?" Handel pulled out a manuscript of the latter's, upon which he was at work, and answered, " Vaat de teufel is de meaning of de vord billow'? at the same time, pointing to the word alluded to in the MS. oratorio which the Doctor had written for him. " Bil low!" echoed the latter, at the same time laughing at so ludicrous a motive for disturbing him at such an un seasonable hour, " why it means a wave!" " A wave!" repeated Handel, as if still in doubt. " Yes, a wave —,- a wave of the sea!" " Ach! de wave of de sea; daat is it, is it?" c onc l u d e d H an d el, and, leaning back in the carriage, bade the coachman return, without addressing another word to the Doctor, who stood in mute surprise for some minutes, half amused, half angered by Handel's visit, and contented himself with returning to his bed partly smiling and partly grumbling. EPIT HALA MIUMS, Or nuptial songs, according to Horace, Macrobius, Ser. vius, &c. (the term epithalamium, EttOzAccpay afterwards becoming their generic name), were supposed to have been first in usage among the people of Fescenia, an Etruscan city, and by them were denominated, in honour of its name, Fescennina. The poem, which con sisted of three strophes, generally recited the pleasures and advantages derived from marriage, but though authorised by the laxity of the Ago and supported by custom, was gross and obscene. It was usually chanted by the assembled party at the door, or sometimes in the open air, in front of the apartment assigned to the newly wedded bride and groom so soon as they had retired. The nuptial songs of the ancient Russians and the Chansons des Noces of the north of France in times long past evince a wonderful similarity to those of the Greeks on minute examination and comparison. ROSSINI. During the gran maestro's sojourn at Milan on the production of his La Pietra di Paragone a youth of nineteen years, named Pettini, possessed' of neither fortune or connexions, but of considerable genius in painting, was gifted with even yet greater talents for music, and although he had as yet produced nothing before the Milanese public, he was held in high estima. tion by a circle of amateurs and friends who doubted not that by his powerful imaginhtion and earnest en thusiasm he would some day or another become a master. With ardour and in secrecy he pursued his studies, though he bad heard but little of modern music, and none of Rossini's, to which, however, his own style so very nearly approximated that it became, even to his friends, evident. When the opera I have mentioned was produced at the Scala, Pettini at the urgent request of an acquaintance accompanied him thither to witness its representation. Not a word did he utter during the performance, and upon quitting the theatre appeared abstracted, silent, and sad. A few days afterwards his friend called up )n him, and found him busily employed at his easel, with not a trace of music about the apart ment. " How is this?" questioned he with surprise. " Ah!" returned Pettini in a tone of indescribable me lancholy, "you see me thus because I have abandoned music!" "Abandoned music?" echoed his friend with astonishment. "Yes, my dear —," replied Pettini, sadly, " there can be only one composer in that style, and he (meaning Rossini) was born a few years before me"— Pettini—as all do upon whom the Gods look with eyes of love—died young. PAESIELLO Would frequently tell other composers who were, per haps, not so successful as himself, that hi s go ld en axiom was, " Man age your public. and humour their caprices." This reminds me of what Rabelais once said, Perform your appointed task but mediocrely well, never speak anything detrimental of your superiors, and let the lunatic world go as it will, for, depend on it, it will go its own way." PSALM TUNES. The first set of ps , dm:tunes, which were arranged in parts for different voices, was publish( d in Env,land in 1579 by William Damon, and bore the following title. page:—" The Psalms of David in English Meter, with Notes of Four Parts set unto them by Guglielmo Dam( n, to the use of the Godly Christians, for recreating them selves instede of fonde and unsemely ballades." LATILLA. When this master of counterpoint, who was chief of the Conservatorio della Musics di Napoli, was asked the question, " How is it that Jomelli, Sacchini, Guglielmi, Piccini, Cimarosa, and Paesiello, all pupils of one common master, Durante, have not each acquired his style, hut all of the m p resent diff rent features in their works?" he replied, and his reply is well worthy of note —" The master of counterpoint cannot form the school or style of a dramatic pupil—all the composers named possessed a natural taste, or form of imagination, which, despite the particular and similar form of study, would guide them to a style adapted to the different bents of their genius; and Durante, though the greatest Master of the Neapolitan School, could not possibly boast of having formed, but only of haring instructed them, and shown them the path which they should pursue!" GASPARINI. Francesco Gasparini was born in the Duchy of Lucca early in the seventeenth century, and after pursuing his studies for some years, went to Rome, where he soon became celebrated as a composer and harpsichord master. So high was the opinion which the elder Scar latti entertained of his abilities that he confided to his tuition his son Domenico, then quite a youth. This testimony of respect for, and confidence in, his worth and tatents gave rise to a singular species of correspondence between the two musicians. Gasparani, in the first in stance, wrote a cantata in a very learned and scientific style, worthy of the notice and attention of so great a master, and sent it as a present to Scarlatti in these words:" Cantata inviata dal Sir,nor Francesco Gasparini al Signor Alessandro Scarlatti." To this musical billet doux Scarlatti replied by another cantata of, if possible, still more learned and difficult character, reversing the dedication, however, thus: " Cantata in rispOsta. al Signor Gasparini dal Signor Ales. Scarlatti." This reply pro duced in a very little time a rejoinder by Gasparini, who sent to Scarlatti another cantata, in which he dis played the most abstruse modulation and harmony. Searlatti, determined not to be outdone in this novel kind of correspondence, exhausted every effort in order to produce a composition that should prove a climax to everything, and forwarded to Gasparini a cantata to the same words, in which the combinations are the most ex traneous it is possible to conceive, and the notation the most perplexing—and equivocal to say sooth--that was ever, perhaps, jotted down on paper. This was ad dressed, " Seconds cantata al Signor Gasparini dal Signor Ales. Scarlatti in idea umani, ma in regolo cromatico, ed a per ogni professore." Thus ended their correspondence, for " the force of composition could no further go." It has been related that Sacchini on beholding this last cantata appeared much struck with its intrinsic merit, and was able to discern its manifold beauties despite its affectation and pedantry. It was this same composition, too, that called forth hi s well remembered rem ar k, that it was sometimes necessary to look at such music "per non essere sorprJso." What a volume of hidden meaning does this quaint and sar castic observation display —it was well that the fiery old Scarlatti heard it not. SARTI. The glow of Inspiration, that subtle emotion whose sweetly-sad unrest fails o'er the heart and on the brain so strangely, never descended on this great musician unless he was in a dark room, to which the light of a dim lamp suspended from the ceiling gave a sepulchral and gloomy effect. There, while the dark hours of night travelled slowly on till they were banished by the grey finger of Morning as she prppared to unlock the gates of Day, would Sarti compose, while a solemn stillness reigned around, for then and then only could he collect and strengthen the energies of his mind, in order to produce those musical prodigies (for his Time) which were slumbering like an uncreated chaos in his prolific brain. SACCHINI Must have led a very domesticated existence, and we must suppose that he entertained an especial affection for his wife and certain friends of the feline race, for of them it is said he was so fond that he found it actually an impossibility to compose unless the " partner of his bosom" was in close proximity to him, and his favourite gattine frolicking about him. HELP ONE ANOTHER.—It was said that when the Emperor Augustus was passing through the baths at Rome on one occasion, he saw a veteran who had fought with him rubbing himself, after bathing, against one of the columns. The emperor inquired why he had not a boy to do this? And being told that he was too poor, ordered him the means of paying one. On his next visit he saw at every column an old man rubbing himself ; and on making the same inquiry he received the same reply. His rejoinder, however, was not what they ex pected; for he said, " Well, gentlemen, as there are so many of you, I should advise you to rub one another." Augustus here taught them sound wisdom ; he taught them not to depend on the caprice of a patron, but to help one another.—Builder. SUDDEN DEATH.—Wednesday evening about half past six o'clock, a middle-aged man, named Philip Hughes, suddenly dropped down dead at Castle Bank Gra-smarket. He had left his own house in the neigh bourhood about a quirter of - an hoiii previously, and apparently in good health.—caledonian Mercury.. THE COUNTRY MARKETS. BIRMINGIRAM, FEB. B.—At Gloucester market on the 3d, wheat firmly maintained the currency of the previous week. At Worcester, the same day, an advance of Is. per quarter was realised. Barley held with more firmness, but without any improvement in the demand or price. For oats there was a fair sale at :previous currency. Beans again cheaper, par ticularly Egyptian. We had scarcely an inquiry for peas. During the present week wheat has found buyers at some what above previous rates. Very little doing in any kind of barley. A few parcels of oats have changed hands, but their value has not varied. Egyptian beans are offering at a decline of is per quarter, without leading to much business. French and English held for quite as much money. Nothing worth notice in peas. At this day's market there was a large supply of wheat, which sold slowly at the currency of this day se n night. Barley dull, with the turn in favour of the buyer for all descriptions. Oats could only be sold in retail. The same remark applies to beans and peas ; the value nominally unaltered. SHIEFIBLD, 6.—The following is the inspector's return : Qrs. Bls. X s. d. £ e. d. Wheat Oats . ...... Best household bread, 6d; seconds ditto, 5d per 41b. BOSTON, FEB. 7.—Wheat, red 42s to 47, white 50s; oats, new 12s to 19s, old 22, ; beans, new 265 to 30s, old 36s per quarter. Sramartie, FZB 6. Wheat 898 quarters, 425; beans 31- quarters. 305; oats 560 quarters, 15s 10d. SLEATORD, FEL s. —Wheat, white 495 to 50s • rod 4 7 s to 485 ; barley 26s to 30 s ; oa t s 14 s to 18s; beans, old 39s to 38s new 28s to 30s per quarter. Garsrsiv.—Returns of Sales to Feb. s —Wheat 400 quarters, 857/ lOis (average 42s 10d); barley 350 quarters, 4421 10, (average 255 3#d); oats 400 quarters, 2951 Os (average 14s 9d). MARKET RASEN, FEB. 6.—Return of sales up to Satur day last—Wheat 313 quarters 6 bushels, 6311 185 6d (average 43s 61d) ; barley 40 quarters, 5110 s (average 25, 6d); oats 100 quarters, 72/ Os 6d (average 14s 444 LOUTH, FEB. 7.--Wheat +lf to 503; barley 23s to 28s; oqts 14s to 175; beans 33s to 38s per quarter. PET/B.BORO', Fun 3 . —Wheat, new 40s to 445, fine 46s to 501, old 415 to 465, fine 505; barley 26s to 28s, fine 31s; new 14s to 16s, fine 18s to 21,, old 20s, fine 265; beans, old 363 to 38s per quarter. LYNN, FRB. 6.—Wheat 40s, 44s to 465, fine 48s, 50s to 525; barley 26s to 28s, fine 30s to 32s per quarter. OALHAM, FEB. 5. —Wheat 45s to 50s; barley 26s to 30s; oats 14s to 19; beans 34s to 405 per quarter. Urns/G8...3u, FEB. 7.—Wheat 46s to 505; barley 26s to 30s ; oats 153 to 245. ; beans 30s to 44s per quarter. Butter 12d to 13d per lb ; eggs 18 to 20 for Is. MELTON MOWBRAY, FEL:G.—Wheat, old 50s to 535, new 48s to 52s ; barley 27, to 30s ; oats, old 245 to 265, new 18s to 21s; beans, old 40s to 445, new 30s to 34s per quarter. Butter 14d to 15d per lb ; eggs 20 to 22 for Is. GAlNsaoßo', FEB. 6.—Wheat 40s to 545—.581 quarters, 1,450/ Ils 6d (average 49s 11d) ; barley 381 quarters, 57114, (average 29s 11id). NEWARK, FEB. 7.—Wheat, white 49s to 535, extra 545, red 47s to 51s; barley, malting 30s to 335, grinding 25s to 28s; oats, old 22s to 245, new 15s to 185 ; beans, old 40s to 425, new 32s to 34s ; peas, blue 38, to 425; malt 54s to 56s per quarter. ROTHZILHAII CATTLE MARKET, Fxi. s.—Although this being the fortnight market, the supply of both beasts and sheep was about the same as last week, the attendance of buyers being numerous caused a brisk demand, at a further advance in prise.—Beef 6s to 6s 6d per stone; mutton sid to 6id per lb. EDINBURGH, FEB. 7.—The quantity of wheat brought forward to-day was 843 qrs, being 209 qrs less than last week. Top price up 4s, and the average 2d up. In addition to the prices quoted below, 4 qrs of Mummy wheat sold for seed at 84s per qr, the weight of which was 63ilbs.-37 qrs unsold. The quantity of Barley brought forward was 923 qrs, being 105 qrs more than last week. Price on the top is up, and the average 9d up-217 qrs unsold. Of oats we had 1,273 qrs brought forward, or 377 less than last week. Top price Is 2d, and the average Is up-96 qrs unsold. The quantity of beans to-day was 327 qrs or 154 qrs more than last week. Price on the top same as last week, and the average 10d down -205 qrs unsold. Top of Wheat ... •• 63ilb 56s Od ▪ Barley ... 57ilb 33s Od Oats •.. ••• ... 46 lb 24s 6d • Beans .. 6541 b 33, Od EDINBURGH CATTLE MARKET,. FIB. 7.—The supply of cattle this morning was 536, being 96 more than last week. Demand good, and sales brisk. Top price 7s 9d—current, 7s to 7s 3d—middling and inferior 5s to 6s 6d. A good clear ance was effected. The supply of sheep this morning was 2,2u7, being 228 less than last week. The attendance of buyers was numerous, consequently sales were readily effected, and a good clearance made, at prices from Is to Is 6d a head above last market. Top price of the best mutton 6d per lb-- current 5d to 5 0—middling and inferior, from 3id to 40. GLASGOW, FEB. 7. —About 667 quarters of wheat, 2,181 barrels of flour, and 1,686 quarters of Indian corn, reached from foreign parts ; coast wise we had a good supply of barley, and from Ireland a fair quantity of oats and oatmeal. A steady demand for wheat continued throughout the week, at advancing rates. Flour was likewise in good request, and the moderlite supply of French manufacture has nearly found its way into consumption at 38s to 404 per sack, being a rise of Is to 2s per 2801 b. Barley attracted more attention, and Indian corn ex perienced a. livelier demand, at an improvement of 6d per. boll . Oth.r articles were held with much firmness, without leading to large transactions. At this day's market there was a fair attendance. Wheat sold to a moderate extent, at an advance of 6d tc. is per 2401 b. beyond last Wednesday's rates. Barley 6d to ls dearer per 3201 b, Oats and oatmeal realised an im provement of 6d to Is per boll or load respectively. Beans am; peas unchanged. Indian corn 6d to Is higher per 2801 b. DVNZAR, FEB. 6.—Wheat, weighing 63ilbs brought 50s Od, and pric es t o 42 5; b arley, weighing 56ilb's, brought 30, Od, and prices to 22s Od ; oats, weighing 43ilbs, brought 22s 6d, and prices to lOs Od ; beans and peas, weighing 614110, brought 31s Od, and prices to 29s Od. Coax, FEL 7.—Flour —Firsts 14s 6d to 155 6d; extra .6,5; sceonds 13s 6d to 14s 6d ; households 11s to 13s; thirds 8s to 105 per cwt. Meal—Oatme a l 11s to 11s 6d; Indian me at 8s ; meal 115 per cwt. Indian corn 7i 10s to 8 pez• ‘:t. Bran 5: per ton. Hay - Farmers 18s Od to 43s Od; i tge 00s; dealers 36s to 48 s; average 00s Od per ton. Str a., Farmers 15s Od to 25s Od; average 21s; dealers 30, Od to 00s Od; average 00s Od per ton. Bread—Wheaten loaf 7d to 7}d; household loaf 6d to aid per 41b. Coals—Newport 17s; Lydney 185 ; Landore 17s ; best Neath Culm las per ton. Tallow 46s 6d per cwt. Whiskey, 25 o. p., 6s Od per impe rial gallon. Meat—Beef 4d to 7d; Mutton 5d to 6ici; veal sid to 7d ; pork 4d to sici ; bacon 7d to 8d • sausages ad per lb. Hops 61 10 s p er cwt. B angor slates 3 / 2 1 6d to 315 s ppr ton. Bark—Barbary 61 to 71; Valonia 11/ to 131; French 61; English 61 per ton. Fleece Wool- 10s to 12, per stone. Hemp 35/ per ton. Fish— Scotch herrings 185 to 001; red ditto 255 to 27s per barrel • Newfoundland 11/ t o 12/ 10 s per ton. Timber—N ew Memel 4110 s ; old scarce ; red pine 3/ 155; yellow pine 3/ per ton ; deals, first quality, 20' • second quality 17/ per 120. Hid es— M arket Ils to 16s; salted Its to 16s per cwt ; calf skins 2id to 2-Icl ; market 2id to lid per lb. Guano—Peruvian 10/ lOs ; Ichaboe 91 per ton. Patatoes--• White 10d to 12d; Minions 18d to 00d. Tar—Archangel 183 per brl. WONDERFUL, IF TRUK—We translate from the New Orleans Courier of the 3d of January the article that follows, giving an account of a subterranean canal that has been discovered, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. We believe little or nothing of the whole story ourselves, but publish it for the information of those who may believe, if any such there be, and for the amusement of those who do not. It hasprobably been got up as a hoair, Here it is :—"A French physician established at Vera Paz. who, besides practising medicine, has the charge of ex tensive farming estat's, upon making some excavations, undertaken with the view of forming a canal through which to carry his produce to the sea, discovered at the bottom of the Bay of Honduras, the open• ing of a monumental canal 75 metres wide (about 240 feet), and running in a straight line towards the southwest, its sides being constructed of enormous stones rudely cut. The two walls, which continued parallel, bad been followed to the distance of several leagues. Having reached the foot of the mountaip. where the volcano of Snag° is now in activity, and having cut away huge trees that obstructed the en trance, they passed under a vault of 100 metres in height (about 335 feet), and of the same width as the canal. Nothing among the ancient Cyclopean struc tures in Greece could give an adequate idea of the tre mendous masonry of the walls of this, vault. ria canal was filled with salt water 20 metres deep. Our intrepid countryman did not hesitate to embark with some In dians in a pirogue, which he caused to be brought to the spot, and 18 hours afterwards (if his story is to he believed) he entered the great ocean (the Pacific) be tween Guatemala and San Salvador, through an immense natural erotto, called by the fisherman of that coast the Devil's Meath, which superstition had deterred them from ever entering. The whole vaulted part of this superhumin structure was lighted by shafts, cut through to the sur face above, and through its whole extent it is navigable ler the largest ships. M. Alexander Humboldt had al ready mentioned American edifices whose architectute indicated a very high antiquity, and revealed a peculiar civilization; but his learned descriptions give us no id& of the existence of such a monument. What great people, then, has inhabited these regions? Should this news be confirmed, then a maritime com munication is at once established between the two hemispheres, through the centre o f t h e American conti nent, and Europe Rill have nothing to do but to cut through the Isthmus of Suez. Perhaps England will be equally fortunate in the discovery of a monumental canal' and a superhuman grotto' through the Isthmus of Suez which will connect the Mediterranean and the Arabian Gulf."— Washington Union. RIRTIL At Portman-squa re , on the 7th i S. nst., the Countess of Gal" loway,of aaon. On the 3d hist., at Kineton, Warwickshire, the wife if IL Barnard, Esq., of a daughter. On the 4th inst., at Bromfield Rectory, the wife of the ReY• Lewis Deedes, of a daughter. On the sth inst , the lady of Robert C. Tulway, Esq., of Wells, :Somersetshire, of a son. On the sth inst., at Leicester-square, Llrs. Edward Scott , of a daughter. On the 6th inst., the wife of W. C. MorlaarL Esq., of the Court-lodge, Lamberhurst, of a son and heir. On the fth inst.. the lady of W. Jackson Esq., Russell square, of a daughter. At Hilgay Rectory. near Downham, Norfolk, on the 7th inst., the wife of the Rev. W. J. Parkes, or r daughter. MARRIED. At St. Mark, Kennington, on the Bth inst., by the B Charlton La ne , Al exander Cumming, Esq., of West-street, Finsbury-circus, to Agnes, eldest daughter of illiam Waller, Esq . Brixton, Surrey. At Mortlake, on the 6th' inst., Charles, only con of Charle s King, El , of Mo r tl a k e , S urrey, to Mary, fourth daughter of the late W. Spong, Esq., of Cobtree-house. Kent. DIED. On the 27th ult., at New Ross, aged 70, the Rev. George Whitmore Carr. At Great King-street, Edinburgh, on the 2d inst., S ir Charles H. Hastings, K.C.H. On the 3d inst., at Blandford St. Mary, Dorset, aged 791 Kitty, widow of the l a t e J o h n Galpine, Esq , the loth (Roy a l I r i s h) R eg i ment of Foot. Oh the 4th inst., at G r i ns t ea d R ectory, near C o l c b e st eit the Rev. Ch ar l es H ew itt, rector of St. Andrew ' s, Gr i ns t e ad, and of Pitsea, Essex. On the 6th inst., at Cha r l es • square, Ci ty-road, S amu el Fuller, aged 61. P ayma ster 4;11 On the 6th inst, Samuel Hales, Esq., Streatham-pla ce, Brixton-h 11, Surrey, aged 84. At Montpelier-square, Brompton, on the 6th inst., Pil ra : Catherine Morison, the wife of Mr. Alexander W. - London: Printed and P u bli s h ed b y MURDO YOUISG , ,P 4 f - No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, No. 1 .. Strand, in the P rec i nct of the Savoy, in t h e soWlitY of Middlesex, Friday, February 9, 1849 Secu 65 V. 1,3 rk L. Ira'. term, show Age; Th, Office be fol ,:iu ....eerg ,ege„ Saran, Lei Charl ( Charlc Thi l O tt !ucces INcom In 11 SUT aarrie t hat dz a dded The Deem Sugi 44 001 600( 6 001 400( 5001 500 f 8 00( The °WY on 8 11ra nce No E Ev er , birect6 TH a rge Pow i_ re any ate, or arms fc Adela Fa 4oo F il or; We ek Sunda• We ek Th uds Th e tikes. 1, j Ne se. , knttea ti e l , °l4l llb ; t ry qu, Th r () AT . e e fi"kfl.; r ansvi c It:Pscn i: l !terag, Ze Par, 2 , 1 C ) IL A 110 2 -`? 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