The Sun. — London, England, 1856-02-26 00:00:00

WO the FREE and INDEPENDE3gT .11_ ELECTORS of the Borough of BOSTON. GENTLEMEN, The result of my personal visit to your town is com,idered by m y friends and myself to be so satisfactory, that, lid von the i ssu ing of a now writ for your borough , I will again )resent myself before you, and more thoroughly e x p lain m y p olitical sen timents, which ' have already been partially indicatord in my address to you of the 23d ineta?at I have the honour to be, Gentlawn, Your faithful servant, B. W. A. SLEIGito Army and Navy Club, Feb. 26, 1856, THEATRE ROYAL • DRURY.IANE. L 811303, Mr. E. T. Smith. THIS EVENING, THE GREAT GUN TRICE.. After which. TARE4K4 BY STORM. To eon:lade with NET DIDDLE DTDDLE ; or, Harlequin King Nonsense and the Seven Ages of Ilan. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYSIARRET. War the Management, vf Mr. Blackstone. THIS TIIE EDGY BODY. Followed by THE LITTLE TREAURE. After which the New Comic Christmas Pantomime, entitled TILE BUTTERFLY'S BALL AND THE GRASSHOPPER'S FEAST ; or, Harlequin and the Genius of the Spring. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STREET. Under the Management of Mr. Cuanza KEAN. THIS EVENTING, KING HENRY THE EIGHTH. Queen Katharine. Mrs. C. Kean; Cardinal Wolsey, Mr. C. Kean. After which, HARLEQUIN AND THE MAID AND THE MAGPIE ; or, the Fairy Paradisa and Hanky Panky, the Enchanter. Harlequin, Mr. Cormack ; Clown, Mr. Haflne ; Pantaloon, Mr. rattle; and Colamhine, Miss Caroline Adams. THRATRE ROYAL ADELPITT. Proprietor, Mr. A. Websten—Directress, Madame Celeste. TUTS EVENING. BETSY BAKER. To be foilowed by TEILT BLESSED BABY. To conc,lnde with JACK AND THE BEA.; STALE ; at Home or, Harlequin and Mother Goose Again. In whkh Messrs. .1. Bland. P. Bedford, Madam Celeste, Bliss Wyndham, and Miss E. Arden will ap)ear. ROYAL OLUPIO THEATRE. Lane and Ifanyter, Mr. Alfred Wigan. THIS EVENING. STAY AT HOME. Alter which will be prainced a New and doubly-moral. though etcessively old, Melodramatic Fairy Extravaganza, entitled THE DISCREET PRINCESS; or, the Three Glans Distaffs. in which Messrs. Emery, F. Robson, IL Cooper, Miss Marston, and Miss Maskell will appear. ROYAL St7tREY THEATRE. Lessees, Messri. Shepherd and Creavrlek. THIS EVENING JASPER LANGTON ; or, A Duel to the Death. To conclude with A PRINCE OF PLARIA ; or, harlequin and Jane Shore. ROYAL STRAND TUEATRR. trader the direction of Mr: Payne. V!'9 EVENING, PEACE AT. ANY PRICE. Followed by THE ROMANTIC WIDOW. After which. LE CHALET. To conclude with BLUE JACKETS. Awn. Er g ROYAL AMPHITHEATICS. Lame and Manager, Mr. Win. Cooke. TIIIS EVENINO, Exemplification of the perfect docility of the horse, in actions closely allied to reason. In a new Grand Oriental Equestrian Spectacle, called THE ARAB OF THE DESERT '.ND HIS FAITHFUL STEED. The horse trainel by Mr. W. Cooke. Atter which, the DELINEATIONS of EQUESTRIAN ART in the ARENA. To coneltsde with ITARGrOITP.: AND ST. GEORGE AND THE DRAGON; or, the Seven Champions of Christendom. 'rhe Performance of the Majestic Elephants will tate place during the livening, and the ascent from the ring to the stage. Boa-office open from Eleven till Four. litage Manager, Mr. W. West. Equestrian Director. Kr. W. Cooke, Jun. lENIMA ST A.ITLEY'A AGFA OF WOX %X, Emery Evening at 3, and on Saturdays at 3. Pronounced by the una.nlmons voice of the press. and by nightly increasing audiences, to be the Greatest Artistical Triumph of the day. Stalls, 3s. ;Reserved Seats, 'is. ; Back Seats, is. SAINT MARTIN'S HALL, Long-acre. HIGII WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tars DAY—Morn. 3 min., aft. s—Evening 17 min. aft. 5 To=liforalow—Morn. 32 min. aft. 5 —Evening 48 min. aft. 5 THE WEATHER—SUN OFFICE, FEB. 26. • • THERMOUETEB, IN TUN &lAD& 0 —highest since noon yesterday. —lowest this morning and during the night. -this day at noon. BAuotirrigu—SO . 33—falling. WIND, light and variable N.W. to W.N.W. Slight rain in the morning ; now fine, with sunshine and cloudy, mild weather. 454,),, , Ar. r(ri LONDON, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1856. The Conferences were duly opened yesterday, at the official residence of the Count WALEW SKI, Minister of France for Foreign Affairs. The first step would of course be to elect a President ; the next, the production and verification ofethe powers which authorised the several plenipoten tiaries to participate in the all-important proceed ings. A responsible party should. also be selected for the purpose of preparing the protocols. These are indispensable preliminaries in every similar transaction, and we may therefore assume that they were completed at the first meeting. It is also positively announced that an armistice was signed. This is probably the case. It is the only point in which there could be an immediate pub- lication of any decision arrived at. We only hope that Lord CLARENDON has not forgotten his de claration that " it cannot be too brief ;'" and that be has taken care that it shall not be extended beyond the period when the advent of spring, and the breaking of the ice, would enable the allied armies to commence active measures in the Crimea, in Asia, and also in the Sea of Azoff, the Rivers Bong and Dnieper, the Euxine, and the Baltic, and the Gulfs of Bothnia and Finland. Within a few weeks at the outside, probably within a few days, unequivocal indications will be afforded respecting the real intentions of R us sia. It will be seen whether she be truly desirous of obtaining a. permanent peace, or it be merely a fraudulent attempt to obtain time, at any. sacrifice of character and veracity. We confess that we should greatly have preferred allowing matters to remain in their previous condition until these indications had been manifested. As we save already repeatedly pointed out, a formal armistice will be exceed ingly advantageous to Russia, affording her the means of recruitin g her almost exhausted resources. From Austria, Prussia, and America she can obtain the stipples of which she stands greatly in need. She can dispose of her redundant stores practically for English gold, and r e plenish her exchequer at the expense of her chief op ponents, and perhaps negotiate a loan i n B er li n or Amsterdam ! These are matters which we have already dwelt on usqus ad nauseam. But Lord CLARENDON may have been committed by an im provident arrangement in the first instance. If so, all he could effect would be to curtail the time required, and see that the positive disadvantage to the Allies may be reduced to the minimum. amount. We shall not, therefore, distrust Lord CLARENDON until we ascertain that, in direct opposition to his ow n voluntary declarations, he has assented to matters injurious to England which he could have e ff ec tually resisted. On all other points we must remain in the dark for some time. The glegest precautions have , been taken to prevent any " leakage " from the salon, of Count WALEWSKI, and it is even hinted that strict pledges of secrecy have been exacted from the several Plenipotentiaries. There will, therefore, be sundry guesses, and some of them probably very near the truth. But nothing au thentic can be known until some point be attained at which publicity to a certain extent may be sanctioned. It is, then, a duty incumbent.on public jour nalists to endeavour to the utmost extent of their power to impress on the representatives of their country the matters that should „be resolutely pressed on the other side. The doubtful ques tions are those which may be submitted under the fifth head; and foremost amongst these is the question of full and.complete indemnity for the ex penses of the War to Turkey, to France, to England, and to Sardinia. In every private litigation when a party puts forward an unrighteous claim, or an untenable defence, he is held responsible to the other side for the costs of the suit. War is the litigation of nations. There is no civil tribunal to which they can appeal. They are, therefore, compelled to resort to the arbitrament of the gun, the sword, and the bayonet. Those who fail are at the mercy of their opponents, and payment of the pecuniary expenses at least ought to be an in dispensable condition of the final arrange ment. All the predecessors of the present CZAR acted in accordance with that principle, and it was a standing rule of the first NAPOLEON that "every war should pay its own expenses." The doctrine is based on justice and equity, and its universal recognition would prove the best possible guarantee for peace. The late CZAR would probably have paused before order ing his troops to cross the Pruth if assured that he must inevitably pay all the ex penses of his aggressive movement. Had he then succeeded against Turkey, he would unquestion ably have insisted on full costs out of pocket ; having failed, his successor must be prepared to yield to a . similar claim. Besides, as we have already very recently explained, the amount of the repayment would furnish one of the best pos sible securities for the future good conduct of Russia. When liquidating several millions per coinunt, she could not make provi sions of men, money, or materials for future aggressions, she could not speedily construct new " standing menaces" to Constantinople or to Europe. We cannot claim compensation for the valuable lives sacrificed, for those permanently maimed or invalided—we cannot enforce from Russia suitable provisions for the widows and orphans created by her reckless ambition—or for the manly frames rendered incapable of earning their own livelihood through wounds or disease. They must remain the care of their grateful country. But in order that the obligation may be liberally discharged, every legitimate claim should be stringently enforced. Ten millions from the Russian indemnity would constitute a glorious contribution by the British Parliament to the Patriotic Fund. Since the earlier portion of the foregoing was written the Moniteur has come to hand, in which it is officially announced that the armistice " is to terminate of right on the 31st March, and that it is to have no effect on the blockades now esta blished or that may be established." Although the term is longer than we could have wished, we may congratulate ourselves that it is no worse, while the latter part of the stipula tion is eminently satisfactory. It proves that Lord CLAREIWON is fully alive to his duties, and that the interests of England are confided to safe hands. We have to invite -the attention of the repre sentatives of the agricultural interest, and more especially the .representatives of that interest in Dorsetshire and Somersetshire, to the condition of the class of agricultural labourers in those counties and throughout the kingdom. Glancing over a letter to the Editor of the Sherborne Journal, by the medical officer for the Sherborue district, we find the following melancholy pic ture :—" There cannot be the shadow of a doubt," says that gentleman, who has . had the manage ment of two of the largest districts in the above counties, and has, consequently, had abundant opportunities to ascertain the truth of what he advances, "but that vast numbers of the la bourers—indeed, the majority of them—resort to the beer-houses to seek for that which their own homes afford them not—comfort—after their daily toil, returning home, as they do, fatigued, oftentimes drenched with rain, having not a se cond garment for a change, no hearth, scarcely any fire to dry their saturated clothes, which, for tLe most part, are suffered to remain on, for the wet to exude and evaporate—no comfortable meal— a scanty cupboard; chiefly containing a little bread and some cold swedes, with little else, save, per haps, a little lard to give it palate—surrounded by a numerous offspring of young children, look ing up to him with their pallid cheeks lighted up by the hectic flush. Beneath his feet are damp floors, and around him rough unmortared walls— old rotten window-casements, readily admitting the cold wind and wet—a tattered roof, which not unfrequently acts as a shower-bath ; in deed there is every misery to drive the la bourer from, and nothing to reconcile him to spend his evenings at, his home with his family. Thus the labouring man, although naturally vigorous, is worn away under the malign influence of the evils I have but faintly portrayed. Hence he resorts to the beer-house, those sinks of ini quity, where, for the most part, the deepest crimes are concocted ; there he mixes with the vilest characters ; in those dens he learns that which leads to crime and to the ruin of his family. Such is the melancholy fact—such is the condition of many of the poor labouring men dwelling in the parishes around us." Such the condition 1--nay, only part of it. Listen further—" My own observations," he goes on to say, " have led me to believe that a vast deal of crime originates from the too early and indiscriminate admixture of the sexes : frequently are to be found some ten or twelve human beings, male and female, sleeping in one room; here they are huddled together, most likely for the sake of warmth, and as a substitute for proper bed-cover ing, and to compensate for short sheets and thin blankets. Hence arises so much concupiscence. Here is the hot-bed where the seeds of vice are sown and nurtured—where depravity is grafted upon the rising stock, and fostered ; i n a word, a catalogue of miserable items might be mentioned that would be not only too numerous, but too revolting to be particularised." Gentlemen of the Agricultural interest, what have y ou to say to this ? Good phil an th rop i sts, with So much sympathy for the so ns o f to i l on your lips, can you realise the picture ? Tender hearted Christians, parish parsons, ministers, and what not, whose charity is so comprehensive that it can take in the torrid and frigid zones, how comes it that no indignant protest rises to your lips against such a state of things as this ? These poor creatures are of your own country, almost of your own household. Are ye " worse than in fidels Stern cliscigmarians, who would whip vice out of the offending Alum and oppose crime with a decalogue of scorpions, how comes it to pass that you do not lay the axe to the foundations of such hot-beds of iniquity as these ? Magnanimous statesmen, with education bills cut and dry in your pockets, waiting session after session for submission to the Legislature, is it too much to ask why your efforts are not in the first place devoted to teaching the landocracy what hovels their labourers have " to knot and gender in ?" Dread majority, by whose omnipotent fiat the doors of our national institu- tions frown "no admittance" of a Sunday to the sodden gaze of the working population ; you, more especially, who moved heaven and earth— no, that is not the conjunction : drop the heaven—lest the Sabbath should be profaned— how comes it that you tacitly suffer every day and hour of the week, Sunday and all, to be pro faned after a fashion so revolting as this ? The remedy is within your reach, within the reach of all of you. Shame the landlords into doing, or compel them to do, their duty!—and that is, first of all, to build substantial weather-proof cot tages for the agricultural labourer, and give him, as the writer recommends, a plot of garden ground in which to cultivate a sufficiency of vegetables for his own consumption. Until this bo done, or attempted, your pretences to consideration for the poor and for the welfare of society cannot be suf fered to pass muster, for they are incompatible with a flagrant fact. So long as the labouring population are suffered to live in styes, and we are assured this is the case in other counties as well as in Dorset and Somerset, so long will they be tempted beyond their strength to voce and crime, and besubjected to a needless mortality; so long will our prisons and workhouses be filled to overflowing, and a heavy business be transacted at our assizes and sessions, at an enormous cost to the rate-payers. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 26, 1856. The suspension was announced yesterday of the mer cantile fir.n of Me4srs. Schafer and Brown, of Feneburch street. The amount of their liabilities was not stated. It is said that in the salle in which the sittings of the Conferences are being held, there are only three paint ings, and those are portraits of the Emperors Napoleon I. and Napoleon 111., and of the Empress Eugenie. The departures from the port of London for the Aus tralian colonies during the past week have comprised five vessels—two to Adelaideone to Sydney, one to Mel bourne, and one to New Zealand—with an aggregate capacity of 3,364 tons, The rates of freight continue to exhi`Jit heaviness. THE HYDE-PARK RlOTS.—Yesterday the conviction by Mr. Bingham, in the case of Mr. John Bradley, who was fined 603, for icciting the mob to resist the police in Hyde-park in November last, was quashed by the Assistant Judge at the Middlesex Sessions. In about wqortnight or three weeks' time about 250 gun and mortar-boats will be completed. They will be ranged near the northern shores of the Isle of Wight, in front of her Majesty's marine palace, Osborne, from which they will extend up in front of Ryde. Arrange ments are making for steam-boat and other excursions, for the purpose of visiting this remarkable fleet. The Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress have issued cards of invitation for a dinner at the Mansion-house, on Wednesday next, to meet the American Minister previ ous to his departure for the United States, and to which many of the merchants engaged in the American and Canadian trades, members of the House of Commons, and of the Corporation have been invited. The town council of Southampton have resolved to petition the Lords of the Treasury to make Southamp ton a first-class port. It appears that the stat of land ing waiters at Hull and other first-class ports is inferior in numbers to that of Southampton, which is only a second-class port. THE AMERICAN MAILS.—LIVERPOOL, Feb. 25. Messrs. Brown, Shipley, and Co., the agents for the United States' mail steamers, have notified that the steamship Quaker City would be despatched from New York on the 16th inst., with the usual mails, in the place of the Pacific. She may be expected to arrive here on Wednesday next. A meeting of the theatrical profession, and of the friends of the drama, is to be held at the Adelphi The atre, on the 13th of March, Mr. Charles Dickens pre siding, to take into consideration the most advantageous means of promoting the claim to a small share of the additional distribution of the funds and benefits of the charity of " God's Gift," founded, built, and endowed at the sole cost of Edward Alleyne, the actor. RIISSIA.N FEMALE DIPLOMACY.—Russia employs a completely organised female diplomacy. Europe is not sufficiently attentive to so singular a means of influence. This important hint was given more than 20 years ago, in the "Marquis de Custine's Travels in Russia," (page 288), and ought to be borne in mind by the British Plenipotentiaries during the approaching negotiations in Paris. Two valuable metropolitan livings in the gift of the Lord Chancellor have become vacant—the rectory of St. Margaret's, Lothbury, by the death of the Venerable Archdeacon Hollingwortb, worth 1,5001. a year ; and the rectory of St. George's, Bloomsbury, worth 1,0001. a year, by th e e l eva ti on o f the Hon. and Rev. H. M. Villiers, M.A., to the bishopric of Carlisle. BIRMINGHAM.-All reports received from South Staf fordshire represent the iron _trade to be languid in com parison with its state a few weeks ago. Whatever may be the cause—the stringency of the money market at home, or an anticipated rupture with the United States —there has been a falling off in the North American demand, and orders from the Liverpool houses are not so freely given as immediately subsequent to our last quarter-day. FUNERAL OF THE DUCHESS DE CATJMONT-LAFORCE. —The funeral obsequies of the Duchess de-Cautnont- Laren° took place on Saturday morning. Immediately after the service, the coffin was placed in a travelling hearse, as the body is to be conveyed to Belgium for in terment. The deceased lady was by birth Countess de Celles, a family which resides on the estate of Seine placken, near Vilcorde, in Belgium. It may be remem bered that Madame Schieplacken, former proprietor of that property, and related! to the family of C3lles, was killed last year by a carriage accident.—Galignani. ROYAL SEA-BATHING INFIRMARY.—This institution, established in 1796, which also bears the appellation of the National Hospital for the Serofulous Pcor of all Eng land, and is situate near Margate, was prominently brought before the congregation of St. John's Church, Clapham-rise, on Sunday morning, by the Rev. J. Hodg son, M.A., vicar of St. Peter's, Thanet, who preached an able and impressive sermon in aid of the funds. The text was taken from Psalm xli., verse 4. The rev. gentleman pointed eut with much force the _great benefits derived by the poor from the institution • and his efforts resulted in a collection amounting to 411. Bs. 11d. RECENT WILLS.--The will of Sir Henry Every, Bart., was proved in London under 8.0001. personalty • WM. Hilton ' Esq,, Danbury, 80,0001. ; Robt. Hale ilagden Hale, Esq., of Cottes-house, Wilts, 25,0001. ; Charles Lam'., Esq., of Warwick, 40,0001.; Dame Frances Anne Wilder, 30,0001' ; Mrs. Jane Graham, of Barnstaple, 40,000/. ; T. J. Wiltshire, of Cornhill, gold and silver smith, 14,0001. ; Thos. Collier, of Brackley, surgeon, 12,000/. ; Jen. Runt, of Monument-yard, fruit-broker, 25,0001.; Joseph Dowson, of Camberwell, and Price's, Wharf, Lambeth, timber-merchant, 160,0001. The Hon. Lord Henry Beauchamp died intestate, leaving 9,0001. pereonalty. ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS. —The following gen tlemen, having undergone the necessary examinations for the diploma, were admitted members of the College at the meeting of the Court of Examiners on the 22d instant :--Messr. William Scott, Marcbmont-street, Brunswiek•square - ; William Henry Stone, Canterbury Michael Allen, Bridgend, Glamerganehire ; Jumes Shaw, Teignmoutb, Devon ; James Sedgwiek, Boroughbridge, , Yorkshire ; Henry Mandsley, Settle, Yorkshire ; Geo. Holden, Sydney, New . South Wales ; John Rowell, Hexham, Northumberland; and Henry Rowland Palmer, Spanish Town, Jamaica. At the same meeting of the court, Mr. Alfred William Finch Noyes passed his exa mination for naval assistant-surgeon. The new Lord Aveland is eldest son of the late Sir Gilbert-Herithcote • who was well known in the sporting world as the model of an old English country gentle. man, and was one of the wealthiest landed proprie- Vire ' -and representative of Rutland from 1812 to the dissolution in 1841, when he retired from public life ; he died in 1851. The present baronet, now Lord Aveland (his son _by a daughter of the late Countess of Dysart), was member for Boston from 1821 to 1832, and sat for S iuth Linoolnshite from 1832 to 1841, when he succeeded his father in the re presentation of Rutland. Though a liberal on other points it is remarkable that he always opposed the re peal of the Corn Laws. He was born in 1795, and in 1827 he married the Hon. Clementine. Elizabeth Wil loughby, eldest daughter of the present Lord Willoughby d'Eresby, hereditary Joint-Great Chamberlain of Eng land. Big lordship has issue, a family of two daughters and an only son, now the Hon. Gilbert Henry Heath cote, M.P. for Boston since 1852, who was born in 1828, and was educated at Harrow and Trinity College, Cam bridge. The founder of this branch of the Heathcote family was Lord Mayor of London, M.P. for that city early in the 18th century, and one of the first proprie tors of the Bank of England. CIVIL SERVICE SUPERANNUATION COMMlTTEE.—Yes terday ,the Chancellor of the Exchequer was chosen chairman of this committee, appointed to consider the provisions of a bill to amend the law for regulating al lowances granted in - respect of persons having held civil offices in her Majesty's service. The members of it are Sir F. Baring, Lord S'anley, Mr. Gladstone, Sir H. Willoughby, Mr. Roebuck, Mr. Henley, Sir S. Northcote, Viscount Monk, Mr. M‘Cartney, Mr. Rich, Mr. Palmer, Mr. V. Scully, Mr. Seymour, Mr. Fitz gerald, and Mr. 0. Ricardo. A petition has been pre sented to the committee from the chairman and 'general committee of civil servants of the crown for exemption from deduction from their salaries and superannuation allowance, and other matters connected with the service, which will come under the consideration of the com mittee. _ _ A FEARFUL MANTRAP.—Within the last few weeks many private residences in the upper part of the city, particularly in the Sixteerah Ward, have been forcibly entered and robbed, and the occupants' lives placed in jeopardy from the bold and reckless villains perpetrating these crimes, who do not hesitate to shoot, run through, orknock oa the head anyone havingthe temerity to inter fere with them while inpursuit of plunder. An occurrence, however, recently took place which came costing a rascal his worthless life, and one which should strike ter ror to all evildoers. It appears that a wealthy and scien tifio gentleman, whose name we will not now mention, residing in Twenty-first-street, between the Eighth and Ninth avenues, has a fence about the rear yard of his pre mi4es, over which it is now impossible for rogues to clam ber, and by this means they might in the night time gain access to his dwelling. Wishing to prevent anything of the kind, he a few evenings ago set a springboard in the garden at that point of the fence where a thief would be most likely to get over. In the end of this board (nearly 20 feet in length), was firmly attached a sharp and immense tobacco cutter, weighing 16ib., and so pre pared with springs that upon any one getting from the outside and stepping upon a small platform on his way over the fence, the trap would spring and propel with great force the end of the plank containing the cutter against the person treading upon the dangerous and for bidden ground. This fearful mantrap was baited, and set several nights in succession, but wi:,hout catching any game, and the inventor began to think that he had all his trouble and expense for nothing. About two o'clock, however, a few mornings since, this rogue-catcher Was beard to spring against the fence with so much force that several inmates of the house were awakened by it. As soon as possible the owner of the premises and a man in his employ hurried to the garden, expect ing to capture a crippled thief, but they were disap pointed ; the work obJeffeatually maiming had been accomplished, but the ovictim had jumped into the street and hobbled o 1 He was traced some dis tanco by the copious flowing of blood, but the fugi tive could not be discovered, he probably baying been taken up and conveyed away by some accomplices. On entering it was discovered that the power of the spring-board had. forced the iron cutter through a two-inch plank of tho fence, by the side of which was found part of a brogan shoe or boot, containing three toes and other parts of a man's foot, which had been severed by the victim springing the trap. The blood at the time was flowing from the lost limb. Judging from the remnant of the shoe found, it was of English manufacture, and hence the wearer is supposed to have been an English burglar. Nothing more has been heard of this unknown victim, nor any more rascals caught, notwithstanding this infernal machine (if so it may be termed) has since been nightly set. This part of a man, although he has sustained a great loss, may consider himself fortunate that he succeeded in escaping with his life. The "cutter," had it struck him in the abdomen would have instantly divided hia body. —NOW York Tribune, W. H. RUSSELL, LL.D. This gentleman, the popular " Special Corre spondent" of the Times, who bas recently received his diploma from Trinity College, Dublin, and who came to England at Christmas, again took his departure for the Crimea on Saturday. By a singular coincidence, for the circumstance was quite accidental, on that day two years, February 23d, 1854, Dr. Russell first left London for the seat of war. The numerous admirers of the bril liant historian of the Crimean campaign will be interested to learn that on Saturday morning Dr. Russell sat for his portrait to Mr. John Watkins, of Parliament-street, who has obtained an admi rable photograph of large dimensions—copies of which will, doubtless, be in great demand. THE FLYING SQUADRON FOR THE BALTIC. News having arrived at the Admiralty yesterday morning that the Great Belt was free from ice, a tele graphic despatch was immediately forwarded to Captain Watson, C. 8., of the Imperieuse,'who has the command of the flying squadron, to proceed immediately to the execution of his orders ; and we may therefore soon hear that the ports of the enemy in the Baltic are closely blockaded. DRURY-LANE THEATRE. The capital piece by Planch4, " Not a Bad Judge," one of the most successful of the Lyceum productions, was brought out at Drury-lane Theatre last night—cast nearly as it was in the former instance. There are few characters that Charles Mathews embodies with greater nc , atne* and effect than that of the physiognomist Lavater, whose discerning intelligence enables him to detect the presence of a scoundrel, and discomfit his schemes in the midst of much seeming security. He played it last night with his accustomed finish ; and the confidence with which he challenged the idenity of the pseudo marquis, and the coolness with which he per sisted in his opinion in the face of adverse evidence, afforded the audience no inconsiderable degree of amuse ment. Mr. Roxby resumed his old part of the Italian sharper; ar.cl MivA M. Olivar, always piquant nod agreeable, re-appeared as Louise. There was a large attendance. The bill, containing as it does, a succession of the Mathews' pieces, is now a strong one, and the patronage that is nightly bestowed upon the house can excite no wonder. The attraction of the pantomime is almost RS active as when first produced —which may reasonably be attributed to the unparalleled splendour of the opening, and the more than average comicality of the barliquinade. ASTLEY'S THEATRE. The drama of " Rookwood" has been succeeded by another piece of large dimensions, entitled " The Arab of the Desert_ and his Faithful Steed," in which the equestrian talent of the establishment is, as usual, con spicuously shown. The Arab has a wife whose charms have inflamed the fancy of a Pacha, who is not in the habit of saying nay to himself. To see the fair Orah is but to desire to possess her; and he concerts measures accm.dingly, The lady, however, is not to be tempted ; but villence is resorted to, and she is kidnapped. The bad odour in which the Pacha lives influences the events which follow. He is betrayed by a Mauaelake whom he has taken into his service, and who has an old score to settle with him, and the upshot is that an attack of the eliemy demolishes both him and his power, and gliTiously succours distressed virtue. The piece is a good one of its class, and exhibits the ingenuity of Mr. Cooke in the preparation of such spectacles, and employing advan tageously his troop of Well-trained steeds. One of the quadrupeds, named Reindeer, comes out with uncom mon force. Belonging t ) the insulted and afflicted Arab, he assists him at several serious junctures—feeds him when he is starving, and finds him a sword when he is in sore straits for one. Reindeer, in fact, is equal to all emergencies, and his sagacity is . 4o less edifying than Ids ,:ocility. The piece is Put gaily upon '.:re stage, and the various tableaux uphold Mr. Cooke's credit in the arts of produc• ing striking inelodranv:,, lc e ff ec t s —a showy Oriental ballet being also a,mo.,g the incideut9. ROYAL SW BDISII RAILWAY COMPANY. The ijommittee of the Stack Exchange yesterday took into consideration the peculiar circumstances connected with the is - sue of shares and obligations of the Royal Swedish Railway Company by the late Mr. John Sadleir, and adopted the following reso lution, postponing the settlement of outstanding transactions, and discountenancing for the present any further operations in them : " Under the peculiar circumstances that have been brought to the notice of the committee re g arding the po sition of the shares and obligations of the Royal Swedish Railway Company, the committee is of opinion that it would be detrimental to the general interest of the public and the Stock Exchange if any settlement in outstand ing bargains in those shares and obligations took place at present ; and the settling in the same is postponed ac cordingly. "Alp resolved—That no new trausaetions in the shares or obligations of the Royal Swedish Railway C pony will be recognised by the committee until further notice." The mortal remains of the late Duke of Norfolk were consigned to the family vault, at Arundel, this morning, with heraldic honours. Tiscount Combermere has been suffering from a severe attack of the prevailing influenza, at Combermere Abbey. His lordship has now quite recovered, and en joys his usual riding exercise several hours daily. Mr. Glyn, the member for Kendal, has no less than four sons serving their country in the Crimea. The Speaker will hold his first levee on Saturday next, the Ist of March, at balf-past 10 o'clock p.m. - Orders have been sent to Southampton to prepare the Candia, one of the seven large war transports now fit ting out at Southampton, for embarkingtroops on board of her. DEATH OF GENERAL GREY, K.C.B.—General Sir J. Gray, who for some time was Commander-in-Chief at Bombay, and whose grandfather was a brother of the first Earl Grey, died at his seat at Morwick, in the county of Northumberland, last week. THE SUNDAY QUESTION.—We are requested to state that Lord Chelsea was accidentally excluded from the division on Sir J. Walmsley's motion, it having been his lordship's intention to vote against it. DEPARTURE OF MR. BUCHANAN.—The Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress have issued cards of invitation for a dinner at the Mansion-house on Wednesday next, to meet the American Minister, previous to his departure for the United States, and to which many of the mer chants engaged in the American and Canadian trades, members of the House of Commons and of the corpora tion, have been invited. The Sacred Harmonii Society will perform Mr. Costa's oratorio "Eli," for the third and last time this season on Friday night. PANOPTICON. Handel's "Avis and Galatea " was given at this institution last night, by way of commemo rating the birth of the great composer, which took place on the 24th of Feb., 1684. The performance was:respect able, the solos being sung by Miss Lyon, Mrs. Henry Drayton, Mr. Henry Drayton, and Mr. George Perren, the Orpheus Glee Union lending their assistance in the chornases. Mr. Chipp presided at the organ. The at tendance of visitors was large; and the music Was lstened to with Ciidant pleaguri and attention. LATEST NEWS. AN ARMISTICE AGREED UPON. At the Congress held in Paris, yesterday, an Armistice, to be in effect until March 31, was de termined upon. The Armistice is not to affect the blockade at present established or projected. It is to apply only to the land forces. The Congress will meet to-day to consider the question of preliminaries. PARIS, TUDSDAY, 10 AM. The Moniteur confirms the above despatch. It says : " The first meeting of the Congress took place yesterday at one o'clock, and lasted till half-past four. It was agreed that an armistice should be concluded between the armies of the belligerents, to cease on the 31st of March. This armistice not to have any effect on any blockade established or to be established." BERLIN, FEB. 25. A Cabinet courier has arrived here with de spatches for Count Orloff at Paris. Another Russian courier is expected. An Imperial ukase permits the importation of salt into Russia by the Auatro-Moldavian fron tier and Odessa, on payment of a duty of 19 kopecks per pood. PREPARATIONS FOR DESTROYING THE SUNKEN RUSSIAN SHIPS . A letter from Inkerman of the 7th, in the Presse d'Orient, says :—Preparations are now being made for the total destruction of the Russian vessels sunt . ' in the harbour of Sebastopol. This operation, some persons say, will be performed by throwing very heavy shells, so that they shall drop perpendicularly on the vessels, and by bursting knock the vessels in pieces. These vessels, however, must be by this time half destroyed by the sea-worm, the tereclo lt«valis, which is peculiar to the Black sea. Ix order to give an idea of the ravages committed by this little insect, I may mention the case of the English steamer Gertrude, which has never quitted the Black Sea since the commencement of the war. She has been employed in the service of the port for the daily wants of the army. The captain lately received orders to return to England, but he replied that in consequence of the ravages made by this worm on his vessel, she was not in a fit state to undertake the voyage. This insect finds its way between the copper and the bottoms of the vessels, and then eats into the wood. The English have sought a remedy for the evil, and have made ex periments on the Caradoc, the Banshee, and the Telegraph. One side of their bottoms have been covered with a kind of gum, and the other left in its usual state. After a certain time the latter part was covered with a layer of what resembled moss, and the vessels answered the helm better on one side than on the other. These experiments, how ever, were not complete, as the above vessels haTe not remained constantly in the Black Sea." EXPEDITION TO HERAT. The following appears in the Gazette Officielle de Teheran, of Deo. 9 :—" It appears, from authentic intelligence received by the Government (Persian) from khorassan that the Emir Dost Mahomed Khaa, sirdar of Kaboul, having, at the instigation and with the aid of his neighbours, taken up arms against Kandahar, has become master of that pro vince, and intends to advance upon Herat, for the conquest of that country. The Persian Govern ment, in order to maintain tranquillity in the in terior, and especially in the province of Khorassan, believes it to be its duty to protect the independence of Herat from all attempts on the part of the sove reigns or masters of Kaboul, Kandahar, and other countries. According to the accounts received by our Government, the projects and acts of the Emir Dost. Mahomed Khan do not at all correspond with his resources, especially when such an enterprise is known to be against the wish of our Government. Agreeably to the submission which Dost Mahomed Khan has up to this moment as sumed to us, he continues to feign that he only desires the conquest of Herat ; but his true pro jects tend- only to foment a strong agitation and various troubles in the province of Khorassan, and perhaps, even in Beleochimtan, Kerman, and the neighbouring countries. Our Government, there fore, cannot rest an indifferent spectator of such an agitation upon its own territory, and it is indis pensable, in order to defend our provinces and frontiers, to send troops to Herat to protect it from the attempts of the Emir Dost Mahomed Khan, and to maintain in that province the rights and authority of its sovereign until new political arrangements are made. This act of the Persian Government doei not, however, modify in any way its neutral position as to the Allied Powers, and it will continue to maintain this neutrality invio late." FRANC Z. PARIS, MONDAY EVENING. The Emperor yesterday gave audience to Gene ral Count de Lcevenhielm, the Swedish minister, who delivered letters from his Sovereign recalling him from his mission ; and to Baron do Mander strom, who presented his credentials as the count's successor. His Majesty also received M. Firmin Rogier, the Belgian minister, who presented to his Majesty Count Leopold de Beauffort, secretary .7 the Belgian legation ; B trnu do Waechter, the Wurtemberg minister, who presented Baron d'Abele, secretary, and Baron d'Egloffstein, chamberlain and councillor, of the legation ; and M. Lightela• velt, the Dutch minister, who presented M. Guillaume Van Eisen, the captain of a Dutch merchant vessel, who, at the risk of his own life, had saved the French brig Harmonic and her crew, and brought her safely into Marseilles. His Ma jesty presented him with the Cross of Knight of the Le g ion of Honour for his conduct. TheMoniteur publishes a decree awarding 4 se cond class gold medals, 22 first class, and 175 second class silver ones, for different acts of courage and devotedness performed during the last three months of 1855. _ _ BOURSE, Feb. 25.—The following were the closing quotations : _ Cash. fr. m. End of Month. 4 per Cents q7 50 —f. —c. 3 por Cents 73 50 73 80 New Loan 73 45 — Bank Shares — Roman Credit Mobilier 1,570 Austrian Belgian Fives — Spanish Threes • Piedmontese (5) , B9 Home Debt RAILWAYS-NOR CASII. fr. c. fr. e. Or!gang ... ...1,270 Western 873 75 Northern Lyons Mediterranean 1,435 Grand Central. 650 Lyons Geneva — T,ste . Catte TURKEY. A letter from Vienna, in the Post Ampt Gazette of Frankfort, says :—" According to news received from Constantinople of the 11th, via Trieste, the Turkish ministers on the 9th made new proposi tions to the ambassadors of France, England, and Austria, regarding the interpretation of the fifth point by Turkey. In this document, the Porte not only persists in demanding - the destruction of the fortifications of Nicolaieff, but also demands that the Russians should give up the fortress of Anapa to the mountaineers, and likewise evacuate the whole of the territory of Kars." RUSSIA. ----- A letter from St. Petersburg of the 14th inst., in :the _National Zeitung, states that up to that date no orders had been g i ve n to the workmen employed in building the 131-gun steam line-of battle ship Witiaz, at Nicolaieff, to suspend their work, and that nothing had transpired to lead to the belief that counter-orders would be issued to stop the concentration of the naval militia at Revel, Cronstadt, St. Petersburg, and Sweaborg. Letters from Genitchi state that the fortifica tions being erected by Prince Labanow-Rostowsky for the defence of that place and of the bridge con necting the continent with the Spit of Arabat, were so far finished as to be able to withstand successfully any attack that might be attempted on the part of the French and English ships of war. The Rus,ian journal Le Caucase contains intel ligence of a late date from Kars. The greater number of the Imperial troops with drew to the Russian territory when the hills and valleys of the conquered country became covered with snow.. A brigade of the 18th division of in fantry remains in garrison at Kars, and a detach ment continues to occupy Ardaghau. The dis tricts recently submitted to Russia are now tran quil, but an insurrection of a rather serious cha racterbroke out recently at Oboe], situated .to the north of Kars. It seems that Asian l'ac..,ha and his brother Iser-bok, assisted by a party of 400 men, incited the inhabitants to rise, and occupied the villages of Seinot, Khorovanha and Tehoul- Penek. They were, however, unexpectedly-attacked by three sotnias of Cossacks with four rocket batteries, and defeated. The insurgents (says Le Caitcase) left sixty dead in the square of one of the villages, and four were taken prisoners. The Cos sacks had (of course) but one man killed and four wounded. This affair occurred on the Ist of January. PRUSSIA. The committee of the Prussian Chamber of De puties, in their report on the bill for authorising the use of the extraordinary war-credit, express themselves as follows :—" The members of the committee convince of the truth of the argu ments brought forward by, the Miliister-President, are of opinion that, under present circumstances, the reasons which require Prussia to hold her military force in readiness, so as to be in a state to repel every kind of aggression, and also in the menacing strife of the great European Powers to take that part which corresponds with her interests and duties as a member of the con federation have not yet ceased to exist. The members of the committee recognise that the country ought to feel grateful to his Majesty's Government for having secured to Prussia, during a critical period, both peace and the right of un biassed decision. The members unanimously pro pose the adoption of the project of law presented by the Government. The Empress of the French has received the order of the Star Cross (Stern-Krevz Orden) from the Emperor of Austria. Advices from the Baltic shores announce, that the Russians intend to drive a triple row of piles across the Gulf of Finland, about six miles from Cronstadt. It is fancied that an impassable barrier may be thus erected against any hostile fleet. THE PEACE CONGRESS. The following is the letter of the Times Paris correspondent, dated yesterday, six p.m.:— The important moment has arrivedat last. The Congress has commenced its sjttings. For weeks to come this city, in which that international jury is assembled to decide the great political question of the day, will have the attention of Europe directed to it. Many a wistful eye has turned for the last six hours to that stately edifice, the Hotel of Foreign Affairs, where the deliberation of that momentous subject has already opened, as if it would fain pene trate its massive walls for one glimpse of what is going on within. The services of those singularly gifted persons, the force of whose visual organ penetrates the thickest millstone, would be invalu able just now. With what sort of aspect did the Plenipotentiaries first meet ? Were their laces beaming over with diplomatic smiles, or did their eyes glance sternly as they stood before each other in that well carpeted, well tapestried, well furnished, and, alas ! too well closed apartment ? Did the Russian, fresh from the ice of the Neva, maintain the cold hauteur of the vanquished but still haughty enemy ? Or did his frigid heart melt and expand before the warm courtesy of his southern confreres? Did the Plenipotentiaries, ou crossing the threshold of the hall of the conferences, lay aside the habits of social amenities, and assume all the rigidity of diplo macy ? Did they fold their arms as they thought of the Redan and the Malakhoff, of Sinope and Se bastopol, and of all that happened since last they gathered together? Or did they, like courteous combatants, who respect each other's prowess, shake hands, to show they had no personal spite before "setting 'to " at this fresh encounter of wits ? All this, and more than this, is asked ; but there is no one to answer. All is silent about that building. Not a man issues from it. without wear ing au expression of mystery on his features. The sable-clad ushers who wait in the ante-room are more impressive, solemn, and taciturn than usual ; and the plated chains which, Lord Mayor-like, they wear as insignia of office ' clank with a more su bdued sound. The gareonsdu bureau, usually so good-natured, so alert, and so bustling, now steal stealthily along. The very sentinels at the external doors stand motionless like armed statues ; and , even the barges on the river which flows before the I walls of that fair palace glide noiselessly up and down, for fear a ripple should disturb the silence. The Russians were at their work early this morn ing. Baron Brunow was stirring betimes, and M. Seebach was seen to issue from his house some time after 8 o'clock, and accompany his friend to the residence of the chief' Plenipotentiary, Count Orloff. The three were for hours closeted together, and no doubt " got up" their lesson well before starting for the rendezvous. The spirits of people in general seem to be elated, and confidence in the pacific result of the Conferences is gaining strength, on what particular ground I cannot find out, except that at the Tuileries last night the Emperor was very gracious. He chatted in an ani mated manner with his guests, smiled gracefully with Count Buol and Baron Brunow, and the sterner Orloff was heard to declare that nothing could be more satisfactory than the Emperor's reception of him ; and his • Majesty is said to have looked te very picture of peace. If you can believe what you hear in public, almost every difficulty is already removed, the task left to the diplomatists is of the lightest possible kind, and the wonder is how they will manage to occupy even the first week of their meeting. This is the very exuberance of optimism. Ido not mean to say that peace will not be the result of the Conferences, but I should hesitate before pronouncing it as certain. There are, so far as I can understand, serious mat ters yet to be discussed, but which will be sue_iess fully g ot over if France, England, and Austria re main firm and united to the last moment. If they do so Russia has no alternative but to yield, for the simple reason that she cannot help herself. She is desirous of peace because she is anxious to at' end to her internal concerns, to the improvement of her means of communication from the centre to the extremities of her empire, that if she be engaged hereafter in such a war as the present her armies may not perish on their way to encounter their enemy. I will not trouble you with the various rumours that have been flying about during the day, as none of them rest on any authenticated fact. I persist in what I have already said with respect to the issue of the conferences, that no safe opinion can be formed till after the lapse of eight or ten days. I may say, however, that probably not much time will elapse before the preliminaries are signed, and that pro bably an armistice, will be proclaimed immediately. DARING GAROTTE ROBBERY.—Late on Friday night, as Mr. Shalders, the comedian, of Covent-garcits Theatre, was crossing Paddington-churchyard, he was attacked by three men, one of whom grasped him from behind, and squeezn i his throat until he producedinsen sibility. On recovering he found that he had been must shockingly ill-treated, his face was cut and disfigured, and his body severely contused ; all his cash, his gold watch, and appendages, and several valuable rings that he had on his fingers, were abstracted. LAUNCH OF ANOTHER GUN•BOAT.—LIVERPOOL, Feb. 26.—The gun-tioat Bullfinch, the fifth of the fourteen contracted for by Mr. Laird, was launched from that gentleman's building-yard at Birkenhead this afternoon. It is expected that a sixth, and one of the iron mortar boats ordered Emus this gentleman, will be launched in the cour,e of this week. Four of the gun-boats.are all but ready for despatch, and they will, it is understood, be towed round to Portsmouth in a day or two. WELLINGTON COLLIERY ON TYNE.—SHIELDS, Feb. 22. —The celebrated old Tyne Colliery, in cousequence of a sudden rush of a great quantity of water on Friday last, has been entirely closed. The horses and men were got out with difficulty. For some time back the lower seam i n it s working hal been interrupted with water. It is still hoped the water may be withdrawn, and the valu able unworked beds of coal connected with the collitry may not be entirely lost. W e lli ngton G i ll iery was one of the pits the late Emperor cf Russia, when visiting England in 1815, ventured to descend to witness the workings. THE " MURDER AND lIIGIIWAY ROBBERY ON TovrE3 HlLL."—Yesterday (Monday) afternoon an inquest was held by Mr. Baker, coroner, and a respectable jury, at the London Hospital, Mile-end-road, on the body of a man named George Brown, who it was reported had been knocked down in the Minories and robbed by two men and a woman, from the effects of which blow he died shortly after he was conveyed to the above hospital. At the inquest there was no evidence whatever produced to show that the deceased had been unfairly treated by any one; but, on the contrary, that he was greatly intoxicated at the time and fall and struck himself. The post ntorton, examination of the body showed that the deceased was suffering from a diseased brain and other infirmities, and there was no doubt but that his death had been accele rated by his drinking. The jury returned a verdict accordingly. THE TIPPERARY BANK.--DUBLIN, Monday, Feb. 25. —The Carlow branch of the Tipperary Bank has sus pended its payments, the manager having paid off all the cash on band up to three o'clock on Monday last. The event has, of course, cursed great consternation, espy. cially among the aaiicultural classes, many of the better rank of farmers being depositors to a considerable amount. Mr. Sadleir, it may be recollected, sat for the borough of Carlow from 1347 to 1352, and it is a singu lar fact that his predecessor in the representation, Major Layard, also died by his own hand. The immediate result of the winding-up petition to Chancery will be a call on the shareholders who are able to pay, and who will, on payment of it, be protected from any hr stile proceedings by creditors until another call be made. As to the prospect of ultimate liquidation, the commercial accounts of this morning say it is impossible to hazard even a conjecture. In aLy case, however, much delay must occur in winding up the affitirs of the bank in the mode resorted to. RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE. The half-yearly meeting of this company was held at Lichfield yesterday; Mr. R. C. Chawner in the chair. The report stated that the sum of 64,9291. had been charged to capital account during the last half-year, about one-half of which had been for land and works on the Cannock and Norton branches, and the remainder chiefly for waggons required for the traffic and for stations. It was necessary to proceed vigorously with the above named branches, inasmuch as the Parliamentary period for their completion was fixed for the 2d of Janu ary, 1857. At the request of Mr. M'Clean, the les see, a committee bad been appointed to examine the accounts of expenditure since the commencement of the lease, and to prepare the required schedules to be attached to the lease of the Stour Valley Junction or Tipton branch, and the recommendations of that corn mitteee were under the consideration of the board. The receipts on capital account had been 1,184,6221., and the expenditure 1,117,9031., leaving a balance of 16,718/. The CHAIRMAN, having referred to the chief points of the report, said that the ctaggons had been paid for by shares, Mr. Wright, the builder, having taken out the cost in shares. The committee, to whom allusion was made,:confirmed the statement previously made by their engineer, Mr. Baker. The line and works were in a good state, and the accounts of the lessee highly satisfactory. It was not neces,ary to fill up the vacancy which had occurred in the board of directors, as the existing body was amply sufficient to discharge the business of the company. It was right to state that they must raise 100,0001. on account of the Cannock and Norton branches before the June of next year or their dividends would be stopped. They had power to borrow 19,0001., and had surplus lands to the value of 10,0001., and the uncalled capital amounted to 21. 10s. per share. The directors had careful!) , considered the subject with the view of rendering the call as easy as possible, and had determined to make a call of 30s. per share pay able on the Ist of May next. They had no other al ternative. He concluded by moving the adoption of the report, which, being seconded, was carried unani• mously. Mr. Payne of Birmingham, and Mr. Smith, of Dud• ley, were re-elected directors. dividend of 4 per cent., payable on the let of March (less income tax), was then declared. The interest at 5 per cent. to the 31st ult. on calls paid in advance upon the old and new shares will be paid at the same time. The meeting then broke up. SOUTH WALES. The half-yearly statement of the accounts of this com pany shows that 4,045,7741. had been received on capital account to the 31st of December last, including 2,449,7461. on ordinary sharer, 167,4211. on 4 per cent. preference shares, 296.592/. on 4i per cent. preference shares, 108,4631. on redeemable 5 per cent. preference shares, and 1,023,1841. on loans. The expenditure amounts to 4,149,0591., including 169,4771. subscrip tions to other railways, leaving a balance against the company of 103,2851. The receipts on capital account during the half-year amounted to 138,7591., and the expenditure to 98,2251. The revenue account for the half-year ending the 31st Dec. last shows that 163,0161. had been received, include ing 76,3721. for goods and minerals, and 87,8551., or 53 89 per cent., expended in working expenses, and 1,5781. balance of interest in respect of supply of rolling stock, leaving a barance of 73,5821. To this sum is added . 5,142/. brought from the last account, 2131. re venue from Forest of Dean tramway, 1,6971. dividend received on Vale of Neath shares, 291. registration fees, 2551. rent of cottages, 4,000/. on account of the South Wales waggon stock, and 19,2501. for half-year's fixed rent of the line from the Great Western Company at 38,500/. per annum, making together 104,1701. From this sum is deducted 801. for rent of offices, 27,84 41 . interest on debentures and land purchases, and 19,1851. assumed amount due to the Great Western Company under the agreement of the 20th of March, 1851, in respect of profits on the line between Grange Court and Carmarthen, together 47,109/ , leaving a dis posable balance of b 7,061/., out of which is deducted 9,2641. for dividend on the guaranteed 201. shares, and 36,7551. for a dividend at the rate of 8 per cent. pet annum on the ordinary share capital of the company ea' titled to dividend, leaving a balance over of 11,041 1 . Under all the circumstances this must be considered as a favourable result for the South Wales Company A 8 well as for the Great Western Company, the rent gua ranteed by the latter company being covered within 1001. by their proportion of the profits of the line to which they are entitled under the agreement. VALE OF NEATH. The statement of accounts of this company to the 31st December has been made up preparatory to the half. yearly meeting to be held at Neath to-morrow (Wednes day). The total receipts on capital account amounted to 763,2721., and the payments to 835,6711. 3s. Bd. The receipts on revenue account for the half-year amounted to 30,9171. ls. 7d., and the payments to 15,591 1 . 3s. 11d., showing a balance (carried to general revenue account) of 15,3251. 17s. Bd. To this has to be added a balance of 8341. 13s. left over the previous half-year's dividend, which made up a disposable balance of 16,160/. 10s. Bd. The disposable balance for dividend at the last half-yearly meeting in August was 14,3351. 15s. id. BLYTH AND TYNE. The directors of this company have issued their report, which states that the revenue shows a satisfactory in crease upon the corresponding period of 1854, though the working expenses continue high (49.9 per cent.) Toe doubling of about six miles of the way is about com pleted, and the erection of numerous workshops, &c., progressing satisfactorily. Two new engines and seve ral waggons have been ordered. The net revenue is 8,218/ , which admits a dividend of 10 per cent. on the preference shares, and 9 per cent. on the ordinary and extension shares, leaving a bala.nce of 1,1991. to be car ried to next year's account. The report for the half-year ending the 31st of Dee* last shows an increase in the receipts, compared with the corresponding period in 1854, of 4,8671. The net profit of the half-year, after paying interest on loans and dividends on preference shares, is 15,8421. • out of this amount the directors recanimend a dividend of 335. 9d• per share on each of the 751. shares, and lle. 3d. on each of the 251. shares, being at the rate of 4i per cent. per annum. This dividend will amount to 12,8331., and will leave a balance of 3,0091. RAILWAY BILLS IN PARLIAMENT. The Committee on Standing Orders have decided the fallowing caes KINROSSHIRE.— That the standing orders have not bees complied with, and that the parties bo not permitted to proceed with the measure. MOORE AND WARRINGTON AND STOCKPORT AND WAR RINGTON. —The committee decide that the standing or ders have been complied with, and that the parties be permitted to proceed with their bill. WEST OF FIFE MINERAL —The standing orders are to be dispensed with in this case on condition that amended cross-sections be deposited. 111ID•KENT DIRECT (BROMLEY TO ST. MARY'S CRAY). —The standing orders are to be dispensed with in this Case. EAST SOMERSET. —The engineering estimate for the construction of this line is 75,0001. MID•KENT DIRECT.—The estimated expense for con structing this line from Bromley to Foot's Cray is esti mated at 70.0001. SITTINGBOURNE AND SHEERNESS.—The commissioners declare the cost of the construction of this proposed rail way to be 93,106/4 and powers are to be given to the ferry wardens of the Isle of Sheppy to transfer their powers, property, and revenue. LLOYD'S SHIPPING.—(This Day.) LONDON, Feb. 26—Wind this day at noon, W.Y.W. ; light breeze and fine. PLYMOUTH, Feb. 25.—Wind W.—Sailed—Niger (a.) , for Africa. NEWPORT, Feb. 25.—Wind W.—Sailed—Baldur, for Singapore ; Stephen Larabes, New Orleans ; Ulysses, St. Thomas ; Gustav, Baltimore. CARDIFF, Feb. 23.—Sailed—Denis, for Ceylon ; Felix, Palma ; Hector, Constantinople. SHIELDS, Feb. 25.—Wind S.S.W.—Sailed—Samne 1 Cunard, for Antigua ; Heavieston, Calcutta ; James Bales, Alicante. HuLL, Feb. 25.—Wind W.N.W.—Sailed—Everthorpe, for Carthagena. GUERNSEY, Feb. 23.—Wind N.—Sailed—Gipsy Queen, St. Michael's. liY,ScILLY, Feb. 23.—Wind N.E.—Arrived—Norma, from Belize ; Belmont, Syra, with pumps choked. GLOUCESTER, Feb. 24.—Arrived—Spica, from Trieste. CLYDE, Feb. 25.—Arrived—Circassian, from Berbice ; Kirkland, Newfoundland. Sailed—Cordelia, Halifax and Windsor, N.S. PILL, Feb. 25.—Wind W.—Arrived--Thetis, from Longsound. Sailed.—Madeira Pet, for St. Michael's. (PER ELECTRIC TELEQRAPH.) SOUTHAMPTON, Tuesday Moi ning. Arrived—Atalanta, steamer, from Havre; Duke of Cornwall, steamer, Dublin ; Hero, Gertrude, Rase. Marl, Pope. Vesta, Albion, Tiber, Jessie, Newport ; Georges and La Poule, Cherbourg ; Paragon, Llanelly; Mellicent, Swansea ; New Dove, Portwadoc; Wonder, steamer , Jersey ; Phantom, Swanage ; Queen, steamer, Oporto. Sailed—Empress, steamer, for Havre; Despatch, Jersey ; Effort, Sunderland. LIVERPOOL, Tuesday Morning. . Wind N.W. Arrived—Elizabeth Bentley, from New Orleans; Law' rence Frost, New York ; Ochtertyre, Alexandria. Sailed—Delta, for Havre. KINGSTOWN, Feb. 25. Wind S.S.W. Arrived.— Mary Sweet, from Oporto. BY SUBMARINE AND BRITISH TELEGRAPH.) GRAVESEND, Tuesday, 10.15 a.m. Wind W., tide six hours' ebb, fine. Arrived, Feb. 25.—George Kidd, from Mauritius. Arrived, Feb. 26.—Avoca, from Alexandria; Diana, Lagos. ailed, Feb. 25.—Thalia, for Constantinople. DEAL, Tuesday, 9.51 sox!. Wind W., moderate. . _ •• .• • Passed, Feb. 25,—John, from Mauritius ; Ethiope (screw-steamer), Plymouth ; Lancashire Witch, Pangoon —all for London; Queen of the Chase, and Nelson (schooner), from London, for Falmouth. Anchored.—Kingfisher, from London, for Hongkong ; Russell Alice, from Sunderland, for Sr. Jago de Cabs' Her Majesty's steamer, Harier, from Portsmouth; M Bll Ann, from Shields, for Teignmouth. The fine screw-steamer Edinburgh sailed from the Clyde on Saturday on her second voyage to. 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