The Sun. — London, England, 1856-03-08 00:00:00

)t,. " - THE ACADIAN IRON COMPANY. — Registered provisionally, and to be brought within the Limited Liability Act now before Parliament. Capital 200,000'., in 40,000 Shares of 51. each. Deposit, 3/. per Share. With power to increase by the issue of new shares. TRUSTEES. John Scott, Esq., 4, Hyde Park street. Jonathan Hopkinson, Esq., Grosvenor-Place. PROVISIONAL COMMITTEE. CHAIRMAN —J. A. ROEBUCK, Esq., 34. P. for Sheffield. Colonel Bazalgette, late Administrator of the Government of Nova Scotia. Philip P. Blyth, Esq., Wimpole-street. Sir James R. Carmichael, Bart., Oakdene, Kent. James Crowdy, Esq., late Colonial Secretary, Newfoundland. Mark Hunter, Esq., Stonebridge House, Tottenham. Thos. Jackson, Esq., Commercial-road. Pimlico. Thos. Jessup, Esq. (Messrs. Jessop and Sons), Sheffield. W. A. Matthews, Esq. (Messrs. Thomas Turton and Sons), Sheffield. Wm. Owen, Esq. (Nfessrs. Sandford and Owen), Rotherham. Henry Paull, Esq., Temple. Wm. Scott, Esq. (Messrs. Scott, Bell, and Co.), 2, Alderman's- walk. Nassau Wm. Senior, Esq., 9, Hyde Park-gate. J. D. Morriss Stirling, Esq., Black Grange, Clackmannan- shire. E. M. Sweetland, Esq., 5, Alderman's-walk. (With power to add to their number.) AUDITORS. George H. Jay, Esq., Adelaide-place, London Bridge. Alexander Beattie, Esq., late H.E.l.C.S.,Porchester-terrace. BANKERS.—The Commercial Bank of London, Lothbury. SoLimos& —Messrs. Hill and Reeves, 23, Throgmorton-street. BROKER.R.—Messrs. Price and Brown, 4, Change-alley. SECRETARY (pro. tem.)—John V. N. Bazalgette, Esq. Temporary Offices, 5, Alderman's-walk, New Broad-street. The Provisional Committee, referring to the prospectus already published, have now the satisfaction to announce that the authorities of the War Department, after a long series of trials and experiments, have declared the Nova Scotia iron to be the very best they have been able to discover for their pm-- poses, and her Majesty's Government have, consequently, con tracted for a large supply for the use of the Royal arsenals. This fact, in addition to the greatly-increased demand on the part of the steel trade and the general public, renders it imperative upon the Company to adopt the speediest mea sures to enlarge their means of production ; and the Com mittee, therefore, give notice, the share lists will be closed at an early day. Alderman's-walk, London, March 1,185 g. FORM or • APPLICATION FOR SIIARE9. To the Provisional Committee of the Acadian Iron Com pany. - I request that you will allot me shares in the above Company ; and I agree to accept the same, or any smaller number, and pay the deposit and s a ils thereon, and execute the Deed when required. Name in full Occupation Address Referenc 2 ACADIAN IRON COMPANY. The PROVISIONAL COMMITTEE GIVE NOTICE, that fNO FURTHER APPLICATIONS for SHARES will be received after MONDAY NEXT, the 10th instant. JOHN V. BAZALGETTE, Secretary. 3, Alderman's-walk, New Broad-street, March 3, 1855. MESSRS. BAYLEY and RIDLEY will offer for Sale, by Public Auction (unless previously disposed of by Private Contract), at Lloyd's Captain Rooms, on THURSDAY next, the 13tk inst., at halt-past Two precisely, those unrivalle t Piddle-wheel Stearn-Packets the VENU s, MARS, JUPITER, and COMET, now the property of the Gravesend Star Steam-Packet Company. The Vessels are fitted complete for any station, and, with their Engines, are in first-rate condition. They are lying in the East India Dock, filackwall, and may be inspected by applica tion to Captain SMITH, on board of one of the Packets; or to Messrs. BAYLEY and RIDLEY, the Auctioneers, No. 2, Cowper's-court, Corn hill, London. SIXTH DIVISION OF PROFITS. CLERICAL, MEDICAL, and GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY, 99, Great Russell-street, Bloomsbury, London, SPECIAL NOTICE. All Persons who assure on the Participatinc , Scale before June 30th, 1836, will be entitled to a share of the SIXTH BONUS, which will be declared In the January following. Proposals should be forwar ed to the office before June Ist next. The Thirty-first Annual /*port Unit issued) can be obtained of the Society's Agents, or of GEO. 11. PINCKA.RD, Resident Secretary. THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE. :Lessee. Mr. E. T. Smith. THIS FrENDTG, Nor A 'IAD JUDGE. o conclude with HEY DIDDLE DIDDLTA ;.,r, harlequin King Nonsense and the Seven Agea of Man. THEATRE ROYAL, HA.TMARKET. Graler tho Management of Mr. Buckstone. THIS EVENING. THE EVIL GENIUS. Yellowed by ME LITTLE TREAURE. Atter which the New Comte Christmas Pantomime, entitled TEIE RUTTERFLrg FALL AND TfIE GRASiIIOPPEIt'S FE AST; or, Harlequin and the Genius of the Spring. RIF 11. PitIICEAWA NIKA.TRE.. OXFORD-STREIST. Under the Management of Mr. Camas* Haut. THIS EVENING. THE FIRST PRINTER. After which, HARLEQUIN AND Trig. MUD AN!) TII,r ISAIIPTE ; or, th , Fairy Paradlsa and llanky Pan!(y, the Enchanter. tlarlequln. (lor,rrmlc ; Clown, Kr. Hallae; Pantaloon, Mr P. 11310; Ana Colum'aine, Mk Caroline Adams. To conclurle wits A GAME OF ROSIPA, ROYAL LYCEUM TIIE.kTRE. FLEXIIORE'i BENEFIT. In consequence of the destruction of Covent Gard , n Theatre ivr. FLEX 4 01 F. hers to inform his pa ron —the Public—that his Benefit will take place at the above Theatre on WEDNES. DAY. March 12, and that cards of admission, price Is., 25., 3a., 45., and .is., may be had at Hercules-Buildings, Lambeth. =ZAYRE ROYAL ADEI:PHT. P:oprietor, Mr. R. Webster.—Directress, Madame Celeste. THIS EVENING. BETSY BAKER. To be Nlowea by THAT BLESSED B kBY. To conclude with JACK AYD THE BF. 4.Y STALK; or, Harlequin and Mother Gooie at Home Again. I n which /tieing. J. Blind. P. Bedford. Madam Celesta, Miss Wyndham. and Miss E. Arden will apJear. ROYAL St.rIREY THEATRE. Lemes, 3feeers. Shepherd and Creawtek. For th 3 BENEFIT of Mr. J. NEVILLE. THIS EVZSII•7O TOWN AND COUNTRY. To be followed by THE SAILOR OF FRANCE. To conclude w!th wAirEit AT CREZLIORNE. ROYAL AT n ITD TILE TR X. Ulder the dlrection of jr:l Payne. EVP.NTTINT4, THE MERMANT OF VENICE. After which. A Batlet D;vertissetnent. Followed by WHY DON'F SEIE MSRRY? After which, A Petite Divcrassement. To conclude with ?SLUE JACKETS. AnTLEY'S ROYAr. AMPITITiIto.ATRIC. Lee and Ntanl.:er, lfr. Wm. Csokt. Last Week of the Pantomime I Tidfft EVENING, THE ARAB OF TM:DESERT .t ND /ITS FAITHFUL STEED; In which the ratt 'minty of the hone, taught and trained by Mr Villiam Cooke, file the audience w th delight and wonder. After whlcl, the EQUESTFIAN EVOLUTION'S In the ARENA. The miraculous ascent of the huge Elephants fr3m the ring to the stage. Tel conclude with (the last week) HARLEQUIN AND ST. GEORGE. AND Tit% DRAUON ; or, the Seven Champions of Christendom. Ttoz-oftice open from F.leven till Four. Stage Manager, Mr. W. war.. Egneetrian Director. Mr. W. Cook,, hua. EMMA STANLEY'S SEVEN AGES OF vroxAN. Pronounced b the greatest of the press, and by inereasinr patronage, to be the gartistica' triumph of the d ay. - Evenings at 8, and on Saturdays at three precisely. Stalls Chairs, 3s. ; Centre Seats, 21. ; Back Seats, Is. SAINT MARTIN'S HALL, Long-acre. HIGII WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Turf; DAY—Morn. 55 min. aft. 2—Evening 15 min. aft. 3 Tn-Ifoßßow—Morn. 36 min. aft. 3—Evening 55 min. aft. 3 THE WEATHER-SuN OFFICE, MAECH 8. TFIRRNOMICTER, IN VTR SHAD& 4.5 •-highest since noon yesterday. SR -I-meat this morning and dur!..ng the night. 44 —title clay at noon. BAROMKTBII-30 . 43. WIND, S. W.—Light, with fine sunshiny weather. • - '. -F? , t„ v L" 41 yej,;;;' $lllO • f • 3 - LONDON, SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 1856. ----s The Members for Birmingham and Warwick shire displayed much virtuous indignation last night at the Government manufacture of iron cannon and small arms. Their constituents naturally desired that a trade so profitable should be allowed to remain in their own hands, and that they should be enabled to obtain the highest Fries for very inferior articles. We ar3 not, generally speaking, advocates for Government manufactures. The articles thus '~ `~ '~e •. - The Government articles cannot fail in this way. The temptation to use improper materials is wanting. Cheapness and economy are very good things in their way, but they may be car• ried too far, and there is nothing that should be so cautiously avoided as "a penny-wise-and pound-foolish policy."l The result of a single battle, or even a comparatively trifling conflict, would be far more important than all the savings that could be effected by the contract system, more especially as it is now carried on by the Government. We therefore commend Ministers for seeking to avoid this formidable danger. It is even important as a matter of £ s. d., and putting higher considerations altogether out of the ques tion, it is of the greatest possible consequence that there should be factories entirely under the oontrol of Government, to act as a check on those who might otherwise make extravagant demands when they thought their services indispensable. However costly, in the first instance, the cannon and small arms may be much cheaper in the long run, and there is almost a certainty, S 3 far as hu- man precautions can insure it, that there will be no failure in the hour of danger and trial. It was justly remarked, that " it will not do to take your sol diers into action with muskets that won't carry, with guns that burst, and with mortars that split." Let there be economy in other matters Let the jobs that so frequently disgrace the nation be carefully eschewed, but in the materiel of war let there be no shortcomings, more espe cially at a time when the nation is engaged in a eontest that may affect the welfare and proiperity of our children and their descendants for ages yet to come. In such matters there can be no judicious saving, and what may appear profuse and lavish extravagance in the first instance will prove to be true economy when the accounts are ulti mately settled, and the national balance•sheet fairly calculated. We are not disposed to receive any Government proposition without full and mature consideration ; but, in this instance, they have acted in the best manner for the nation, and are, therefore, deserving of the thanks and gratitude of the community. The frequenters of Kensington Gardens of a Sunday afternoon may enjoy their music tomor row without any misgivings on the score of pay ment. The threatened hat will not make its rounds—the treat is, after all, to bo purely gra tuitous. They can afford to lend Sir BBNIAMIN again their countenance, and, entranced by tho mellifluous strains of the band, forgot the direful suspicious that whilome disturbed their honest breasts, and found their most naive exposition in, the memorable nursery lines; commencing "Taffy was a Welshman, Taffy was —." St. James's-park is not to be bisected like an over-grown cabbage—its tranquil privacy is no.c to be invaded by the special licence of the licensed Jarvies with their facetious curiosity into matters with which they can have no possible business. The blush of young love is not to be desecrated by the dust of a highly-triturated highway.. No with er o Our " little p l ant of foreign extraction is doomed to her n its stem, es me o th n ev ” ictim of alien exclusive nwill not have to regret the dissipation through fright of the waterfowl they have been accustomed to feed with instinctive care and delight. The jaded and weary citizen will not hav© to mourn over the destruction of th at fairy retreat, which, of all others, he was accustomed to had forth to the special admiration of his country visitors, and was associated with his earliest and most pleasinc, recollections ; nor to seek elsewhere, in vain, a scene of recreation where, to the pleasures of quiet and a salubrious and invigorating atmo sphere, was added 'that sense of harmonious com pleteness which pervaded the Park, as with a spell. The Goths and Vandals of office have been sent to the rightabout by a Committee of the House of Commons, who, like practical English Gentlemen, have arrived at the conclusion that "a short cut " is not necessarily the best cut, and health, taste, and innocent enjoyment ara not considerations to be trampled under-foot by any thing short of an impericus necessity. The most charming feature of the metropolis— the beautiful ornamental gardens of the Park are sup plied are too often not only far more costly, but much inferior to what could be obtained from priv %to firms of high credit and reputation. But, unfortunately, it has been discovered, in many recent cases, that the heads of such establishments do not send in tenders in accordance with the stipulated terms, or that, if they do so, they have merely their labour for their pains, inas much as they are invariably under-bid by persons who endeavour to compensate for cheapness of price by worthlessness of material—who have no characters to lose, and are willing to act in the most fraudulent manner if they can only realise gain thereby. The startling announce-. ment by Mr. MONSELL that one house with which Government had dealings " was found to have made attempts at deception in the manu facture of five mortars, by inserting pieces of iren, in order that the flaws in the material they had used might escape observation," is alone sufficient to justify any departure from the ordinary system, although with additional ex pense. We cannot conceive a more atrocious crime than these parties had attempted. The safety, honour, and welfare of the nation might depend on the efficiency of these guns, which were prac tically useless. The lives of those by whom they were served—nay of the entire army—might be jeopardised by the infamous fraud, and yet tbe names of the delinquents were kept back. Although, to use a vulgar but expressive phrase, " hanging would be too good for such crinainals," they were not even exposed for the outrage, their names were sheltered from the national detesta tion, which their conduct so eminently merited. We trust that this undue reserve may no longer be maintained, but that suitable measures may be adopted to bring the criminals to justice. As Lord PALMERSTON justly re marked, " no thing could be more absurd than that Govern ment should make clothes, shoes, belts, and things of the kind, the common produce of the industry of the country." A stringent examination will detect any fraud, and even the inferiority of the article, if suffered to pass, although inconvenient, will not occasion any irreparable damage. But with fire-arms of any description, large or small, the matter is altogether different. There the inferiority can only be discovered at the moment of trial, and irreparable damage may be sustained from the failure. Had it not been for the de fective material of the mortars used at Sweaborg a much better account would have been ren dered of the Russian fortress. The honour of our " wooden walls " was imperilled, and the Russian prestige maintained by the dishonesty of contractors, whose wealth, multiplied a hundred fold, could not compensate for the injury in flicted on their country. Whatever, then, may be the proper rule in other cases, implements of war must form an exception thereto, particularly those that cannot be adequately tested at home before the time when everything may depend on their efficiency and soundness. , 4, A THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY tz:vr44.11.:,,c1 MARCH 8, 1856. 9 i - escued from pollution. Round and round them - ehicles may ply for hire their labouring wheels ; b ut within the sacred precincts of the Gardens t: hey may not enter. Through Storey's-gate and tl Trough Buckingham -gate there will be free ad- Is iission, alike to the cab, the brougham, and the chariot of the costermonger—not even the dray will be excluded. Before these exigent locomo ttfoes, and their imperious freights, the column of that immortal Prince, on whom, after his yet snore illustrious brother, the hardly less immortal FITZGERALD, was made to implore a celestial benison, with the united gusto of effervescent loyalty and bottled pop after this fashion— "GOD bless the Regent, and the Duke of YORK " is to bow its head, and be carted away, we trust, along with the rubbish at its base, to some chance spot where they may do " the State 'some service," if not meet with some worshippers. By Marlborough House—that splendid tribute of a - nation's gratitude—a second entrance is also to be. made, and a third, making in all five, is some- WI At obscurely adumbrated in the Report. "As r sgards an opening from the Park to Charing- cross," that gratifying document informs us-- "Your committee are not prepared to recom mend that such an opening should be made at present, but they are of opinion that an opening for carriages should be made from Trafalgar square to the Park." Is it meant that an open ing should be made in the vicinity of Pall Mall, and only for the elite in their carriages? We are quite at a loss. Why not, as has been suggested, enlarge the entrance at Spring-gardens? But let us not look tooclosely "a gift horse in the mouth." The recommendations of the Committee, such at least a* are intelligible, will, we are persuaded, meet with general approval, notwithstanding the ex pense, which is somewhat heavy. The taking down of the Duke of YORK'S Column involves a serious expenditure, but will at once remove an eyesore, contribute largely to public convenience, and throw open a pleasing vista to the eye of taste. Twenty-five thousand pounds, or five thousand less, is a large sum to secure an entrance alongside of Marlborough-house, but hardly too much when the advantages such an entrance would confer are taken into account. And to crown all, to add the beautiful to the useful, and the useful to the beautiful, a bridge of com munication for foot-passengers is to be thrown across the Serpentine a light, ornamental structure —we trust in perfect keeping with the beauties of the gardens. The Committee have done "their spiriting gently" and featly, and are entitled to the grati tude of the population. Would recommendations, equally potent, were thrown as a mantle of pro tection over the wilder. beauties of another place of recreation, which has long and perseveringly been besieged by the Vandalism of the capitalist —we mean Hampstead Heath ! Let not the lesson here inculcated fail of its effect in relation to the Heath. The people have but to bestir themselves in this country, when right is on their side, to beat back encroachments from whatever 1 quarter they may b e threatened. LATE`' yiEws• PARIS, MARCH )7. Two Aides-de-Camp of the Emperor of Russia, who ]eft St. Petersburg on Saturday, have just arrived hero with despatches for Count Orloff. KONIGSBERG, MARCH 6. General Luders has telegraphed to St. Peters burg, from the Crimea, that a meeting of pleni potentiaries from the belligerents took place at the Bridge of Traktir on the 29th. Hostilities were suspended in obedience to the decision of the Paris Conferences. HAMBURG, MARC G. Admiral Watson sailed ft mu Kiel. He has ordered the fleet to assemble off Moer Island, and announced the renewal of the blockade of the DESERUGTIi_iX COVENT-GARDE:LI? Tll 'SATRE. This morning a number of men, under the direction of the Messrs. Holland, the builders, commenced erect ing scaffolding in Ilart•strect, for the purpose of pulling down the walls of the theatre, in obedience to the orders of the Commissioners of Police. The manner in which the workmen have commenced operations will appear to the unitiated somewh•it extraordinary. Immense poles have been laid from the tops of the houses in Hart-street to the outer walls of the unfortunate building., and board , have been placed thereon, which has formed a kind of platform, and on this structure the work of de molition has commenced, Tile engines still continue to discharge large quantities of water on the smoking de bris, and even at this- time an immense body of fire exists under the heaps of ashes, molten glass, and other refuse. The sulphurous vapour still emitted from the ruins is in some parts stilt overpowering. Amongst the ruins early this morning we noticed Mr. Horton, the musical librarian of the theatre, anxiously seeking for some of his cherished treasures, but ❑ot a vestige could he found. In preparing the accounts we have daily published since the terrible calamity, we feel it our duty to acknowledge the assi-tance rendered to us by Mr. F. Perria, the chief engineer in charge, in the difficult duty. Every facility was readily rendered, and where explanation was necessary most readily and clearly given. The police arrangements of Superintendent Durkin and Inspector Dodd, from the first breaking out of the fire to the present moment, have been admirable. The day for the inquiry into the origin of the fire is not yet fixed, but it is generally understood that it will take place on Tuesday nest. The Duke of Camblidize visited the ruins of the theatre yesterday morning. His Royal Highne , s Prince Alfred also came, accompanied by Lord Alfred Paget and CA. Biddulph. The firemen (Perrier and Swanton) two officers of the brigade, and Mr. Connorton, of the West of Eng'and Office, conducte 1 his Royal High ness over the ruins. Shortly after Prince Alfred bad departed his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales ar rived, in company of Mr. Gibbs, his tutor, and was received by Sir Richard Mayne, Mr. Superintendent Durkin, and Mr. Superintendent Braidwood, who con ducted him over every part of the building considered to be safe. March 8. Mayers, the conductor of the Royal Society for the Protection of Life from Fire, was about the first to arrive with his machine from the Leicester-square sta tion, and, with the assistance of Messrs. Baddeley and Spencer, the inspectors, and other conductors, rescued a great deal of property belonging to Mr. Anderson. A. man named Lloyd, commonly called " C nnedy," assisted the conductors, and saved a great many other articles, and Mr. Charlton, a dresser in the wardrobe department, fetched Mr. Lawrence, the master, and hr.mght him out on his shoulders. A man named H. Forster brought down Jane Smith, the forewoman of the wardrobe, and the accounts belonging to Mr. An derson were rescued by Burgess, the bill-sticker of the , heatre. " C.nnedy,” as he is called, likewise saved three women at the stage entrance, The fire was not entirely extinguished at nine o'clock last night. SPORTING NOTES. WISEIES ABOUT WARWICK. So unimportant was the Nottingham Meeting in its result that space would be unnecessarily occupied by an el iborate reference to the sport. The fielders had a hard time of it, for the winners were "spotted" in nearly every instance with surprising accuracy. The " antici pations" which were published in The Sun of Monday last were verified almost to the letter. Attention is now directed to the Warwick gathering, which will com mence on Monday and terminate on Wednesday. Con sideralde curiosity is evinced respecting the appointed sport, but speculation on the events has not yet been actively pursued. Fuli.ieck; Little Davie, Veteran, and The Flatterer have been "talked about" for the Warwick Handicap, and the first-men tioned has been elevated to the premiership. He seems to be much improved since last year, and his run ning at Northampton fairly entitles him to the position which he occupies in the betting. My "guesmes at truth," however, shall be merely confined to the races appointed for decision on Monday, reserving the discus. sion of the list of sport for Tuesday and Wednesday for a future communication. I shall expect Stork to defeat the Fisherman for the Trial Stakes. Toe Willoughby Handicap may be car ried off by Rodo-meli, and the Handicap Rate I shall assign to Romeo. Mr. Field, late inspector of the detective police, has received some important information relative to the poisoning , of Aurifer. No doubts exist that the scoun drels concerned in this villanous affair will be speedily detected and punished. A FRESH MAN. ENGINEERS, MASOVIC, th UNIVERSAL MUTUAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY. The annual general meeting of this society was held on Tuesday at the Head office, No. 345, Strand, when the following report of business transacted during the year was read : " The directors of the Engineers, Masonic, and Univer sal Mutual Life Assurance Society have the pleasure to present to their members the report of proceedings for the past year. "The number of proposals for assurance received has been 245 ; of these 181, producing an additional annual income 0f1,8971. 3s. 10d., and assuring the sum of 43,550/., have been completed ;. 25, for the sum of 7,5501., have been declined ; and 35, for the sum of 12,0501., stand over for further consideration or completion. "The claims from death have been 6,100/., upon ten as sured members ; of this sum, however, the directors had re-assured 2.5001. " The directors have uniformly rejected the principle of taking large amounts proposed to be assured with the sole view of re-assurances. In one case, which will shortly be brought before the public, an assurance of 10,000/, was offered to the directors, who, however, declined to take more than 1,500/., the amount which they retain upon a single life. They might, by accepting the proposal for the whole sum, have swelled their amount of premiums, but they considered that, by, such means, a fictitious statement of business would be presented to their members. "The directors take credit to themselves for having re jected proposals which were offered to them upon the lives of Ann Palmer foie 1,000/. in January, 1851, and of Walter Palmer for 1,5001. in February, 1855. In the first case, they considered that sufficient interest was not disc'osed ; and, in the second, that the fact stated, of Walter Palmer having been attacked by delirium tremens, was sufficient to make the life toe hiz o-dous for acceptance at any amount of increased premium. "The bonus calculations, made by Mr. Seratchley, the consulting actuary, have fully realised the directors' antici pations as to the status of the society. The directors were gratified in being enabled to add to the policy of each member a reversionary sum, averaging about 401. per cent. of the whole amount of premiums paid. " By personal exertion among their friends, the mem bers have it in their power to assist the directors in ex tending the busines. of the society ; they will thus confer material benefit on themselves or their families by increas ing the amount of future bonuses, whether present or reversionary. " The directors have given their earnest attention to the best means of meeting the great competition among insur ance societies. They have coma to the conclusion that a limited share capital would enable theta to extend loan operations, to purchase rev !rsions, and to transact other legitimate business, based upon the law of averages, whereby the interests of all concerned with the society may be promoted, and its position and prospects materially improved. " The issue of shares would be limited, in the first instance, to the existing members of the society, who would be permitted to convert the bonus, already declared, into, paid up shares, and a!so, after a certain term, to con vert shares into a provision for old age, or into deferred annuities on the lives of themselves or their nominees, in creasing periodically out of profits. "This plan will have the effect of retaining to the pre sent members their interest in the income now derived from assurances; and, without interfering with their power of rendering that interest available as a reversion whenever they deem fit, it will increase the profits from income by the extension of the society's operations, and will enable all the members to participate in the advan tages derived from the alteration. "By order of the directors. " GERARD HAY ROUERTSON, Secretary. " London, 315, Strand, March 4, 1856." The CIIAIRMAN(W F. Dobson, Esq.) in moving the adop tion of the report of the directors and auditors, after re 'erring to the ordinary business of the day, stated the reasons which had induced the directors, after great con sideration and consultation with their actuary ( Mr. Scratch ley), to recommend the application of a limited share capital to the society. The great competition among life assurance societies rendered extraordinary exertion ne cessary to obtain new proposals, and to procure frequent fresh introductions, The limitation of the society's busi- ness had been a great impediment t , ) progress. Its agent, had at times been driven to other offices from the more extended character of their operations, and being attracted thither for purposes of business which this society dii not transact, had been in some in stan7es retained for those which it did, The want of capital had compelled the directors to reject some very availahid loan transactions, and offers for the purchase of reversionary property; and though the directors, from their own resources, and those of their friends, had created a' sort of loan capital, which bad greatly benefitted the society, yet such ad vances were but temporary, and might at any time be recalled, while the advance.; by the society were neces sarily spread over a fixed time. It could not be doubted that the facility of granting loans in crinnection with policies was a great means of introduction to the best aids of a Life Assurance Society, the solici tors, and was thereby productive, not only of immediate, but of prospective benefit. The purchase of reversionary interests of every descrip tion carefully conducted was most lucrative ; and though an isolated transaction of this character must be speculative, such a business carried to an extent so as to he based upon the law of averages could not be other wise than productive of great benefit to the society. The want of share capital had also compelled the direc tors to refuse a large accession of business which had be.-n offered by way of amalgamation. They might have purchased the life business ; but the parties would have been willing to take in exchange for their shares the scrip or shares of thiE. society, and thus the connection of shareholders as well as the policy holders would have been secured without any money payment. The existing members of the society could not be damnified by the issue of the•ie shares ; for it would he, of course, expressly provided that all profits derivable from policies now in force would remain exclusively to the present members, who would also participate in the profits to be derived from the ex tension of the society's business. The shares too would, in the first instance, be offered solely to the members of the society ; and various advantages held out to them, such as the conversion of the already declared bonuses into share capital, and the permission to leave a portion of it unpaid, as a lien upon their policies—anti as to other parties, the advantages offered would be, that whereas in the formation and establshment of companies generally is suing shares great preliminary expenses had to be incurred, in this case the company was firm'y and p?.rrnanently established, all the preliminary expenses had been dis charged, not a debt was outstanding, and an income of above 10,0001 a year was derived from premiums alone. The motion for the adoption of the report having been seconded by M. J. TATHAM, Esq., of Doctors'-commons, one of the auditors of the society, was carried unani- mously. The retiring directors (the Rev. J. Watso n , M . A ., Dr. Georg.. Jou n son, J. R. Christie, Esq., F.R.S., and T. L. Wil s on, Esq.) and the retiring audit or (J o h n Sur rage, E s q.) were then unanimously re-elected ; Mr. PIT MAN, one of the Birmingham local board, observing that he was requested to strongly recommend the re-election of the directors, as the board which he represented felt highly satisfied with the careful mode in which the af fairs of the society were administered by the directors. The draft proposition for the creation of share capital and extension of the scope of the society's opera tior.s was then read by the solicitor, and a resolution approving the plan, and authorising the directors to carry it into effect, was unanimously adopted upon the motion of F. BIGG, Esq., seconded by G. M. ARNOLD, E. 1., who observed that he was very pleased to find the directors disposed to progress with the times. That standing still in life assurance matters was, in fact, re trograding ; and that, when the directors considered a share capital advantageous to the society, it would have been as ridiculous for them obstinately to refuse to avail themselves of the means of extending their operations, becau4e the mutual principle was their original basis, as it would have been for any man who had entered into a particular branch of busi ness, and who had all the appliances ready for carrying on a still more lucrative branch to decline the opportu nity and rigidly to confine himself within the original limits of his undertaking. Votes of thanks were cordially offered to the chair man and directors, the various officers, and the actuary, A. SCRATOEILET, Esq., who, in a speech of great ability, recommended the adoption of the share capital proposi tiun, and stated that every book and paper in the office were laid freely before him for the purpose of examina tion as to his report upon the bonus. ATTEMPTED SUICIDE BY A PATIENT E.NT ST. THOMAS'S HOSPITAL —Yestez day morning, shortly after six o'clock, con9ider.ble 3ensation was created in St. Thomas's Hos pital, in consequence of a determined attempt at suicide by Emma Matthews, in Magdalene ward. She at tempted to strangle herself with her garters. Mr. Ord, the house surgeon, was in instant attendance, and after half an hour succeeded in restoring animation. THE CRIMEAN EXPEDITION. Under this general appellation Mr.ssrs. Paul and Dominic Coluaghi and Co., publisvAers to her Ma jesty, have opened with their accustomed enter prise an exceedingly iuteres!ang Gallery of Art, Levoted to the exhibition of authentic sketches, drawings, and pictures of the various scenes and incidents of hostilities in the Crimea, exe cuted on the spot. The collections include all the well-known sk:itches of Mr. William Simpson, Carlo Boss°lie drawings, and Mr. Armitage's grand pictures of the Battles of Balaklava and Inkerman i the whole aftbrding a treat to the con noisieur a n d th e gene;al public of no ordinary description. Every important event and circum stance of the war will be found vividly repro duced, with an accuracy nothing but actual inspection and execution on the spot could have insured. The eager landing, the wild confusion, so to speak, of the ordered battle, the picturesque groupings of the camp, the toil of the zigzag trench, the terrible of the rugged battery, the frowning aspects of the entrenchments of friend and foe, the smoke and the lurid glare of the dread artillery, are all presented with a skill that "leads the reason prisoner," and wafts the spectator away in imagination to the e ver - memora b le arena of con flict. In short, the attractions are so nume rous, and of such an order, that not only may the proprietors expect the exhibition to be visited by all who take an interest in art and in the events of the war, but that it will be revisited day by day until its multitudinous contents are duly stored in the recollections of the visitor. THE REPORTED VISIT OF THE POPE TO FRANCE.— We believe we may state with confidence, that his Holi ness Pius IX. will not visit France as reported, but a Roman cardinal may come to Paris about the mon4.'a of June, for important religious ceremonies. ILLNESS OF THE LORD MAYOR.—The ,ed Mayor has been so much indisposed during the i • . be unable to presid e i n th e j ust i ce- - at the Mansi on- ast few days a s t o ho will be able to attend use. His lor !ship i s, how - dyer, so far recove re d th at he Monday. to his magisterial d u ti es on THE Loss OF THE r. " March 4. —As v .. FRAMER GLEN ALRTN.—BRIELLE, steamer will b- 4 a . expected y es t er d ay, t h e Glen Albyn that total loss ; and f ears are entertained ,„ 'materials or cargo will be sav e d . Th e but fe crew w e :4 <a last night t o sea whether any good might be do r " but their efforts met with very little success. Thr., steamer is breaking up. CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.—Cape of Good Hope papers to the 4th of January have been received. They contain I;ttle of interest, hut Ptate that commercial affairs are gradually recovering from their late depression. The operations in mining have been brought within reason able bounds, and it is 1- 4elieeed that the wealth of Nama qualand will henceforth be steadily developed. LORD LUCAN AND THE CRIMEA. —We understand that Lord Lucan has a work of some balk in the press, which will be fortwith published, and in which he saes into various important matters with respect to affairs in the Crimea, when be and Lord Cardigan were there, which have never before be -n touched upon in any of the disclosures whioh have already been made.--Vorn, ing A dye, tise MINIvG INTELLIGENcE.-- The improved tone of the market which we noticed as having occurred in the lat ter P7-rt of last week, was not of long continuance, and lo s 4iness in mining shares this week has been particu larly dull, with a downward tendency in the price of shares, both in dividend and other stocks.—Front the Mining Journal of this day. SALARIES OP THE OFFICERS OF THE NEW LINNISLATIYE COUNCIL, SYDNEY.—Oa the Bth November the Colonial Secretary brought this subject under the notice of the house. The salaries agreed to, and recommended to the cmsideration of the Governor• General, were—For the president, 1,500/, per annum ; for the chairman of com mittees, 5001.; for the clerk, 6001.; assistant clerk, 4001.; two under clerks, 3001. and 2501. reepec`ively ; usher of the black rod, 3001. The sum of 5001. was laid down for messages and other contingencies. Total, 4,3501. — Civil Service Gazette. THE INLAND REVENUE BOARD.—There are but six commissioners of Inland Revenue at present, the third commiesionership not having been filled up. The Bala.. ries of the commissioners are as follow :—The chairman, 2,5001.; the deputy chairman, 1,8001.; four junior com missioners, 1,2001. each. The secretary has 1,6001.; the two assistant secretaries, 8001. each ; the assistant under secretary, 6001. ; the private secretary to the chairman, 1001.—Civil Service Gazette. THE MONEY-ORDER OFFICE, LONDON.—The present establishment of the money-order office attached to the General P6st-office, St. Martin's•le-Grand, consists of the following officers :—A controller, on a salary of 715/. ; a chief clerk, salary 400/. ; six first-class clerks, at average salaries of 3051. ; 47 second-class clerks, at average salaries of 2001.; 94 third-class clerks, at average salaries of 1111. An additional allowance of 201. a year each is granted to three clerks for brinring money from the receiver and accountant-general's office; and an al lowance is given to clerks for Issuing and paying money orders, at the rate of 11. for every 2,000 orders issued, and of 11. for every 2,500 orders paid. —Civil Service Gazette. LORD GRANVILLE AND LORD JOHN RUSSELL --There is an impression in certain well-informed quarters that Lord Palmerston has actually agreed to appoint Lord John Russell to the post of President of the Council, in the room of Lord Granville. The latter noble lord is in a very unsatisfactory state of health ; but even should he sufficiently recover, it is believed, in the sinarters to which we allude, that arrangements will be easily made, in terms of which both the noble lords may have seats in the Cabinet. We are unwilling to believe that the im pression to which we have referred rests on a good foun dation ; but if it does, Lord Palmerston is evidently bent on destroying' his own Alinistry with his own hands. Let Lord John only get once again into the Palmerston Administration, and he will ne7er rest until he has tripped up the heels of tae present Premier.—Morning Advertiser, Russian ports. BERLIN, MARCH 7. Count Schouvaloff and fount Levascheff passed through this city en route for Paris. They are the bearers of fresh instructions for the Russian Plenipotentiaries. FRANCE. The following is the letter of the Times' Paris correspondent, dated yesterday, 6 p.m.:— The prospect of a settlement of the various points under the consideration of the Plenipotentiaries was gloomy enough last week, and I suspect that more than one Plenipotentiary began to be seriously ap prehensive of the result. Had the members of the Congress been at liberty to speak their thoughts some six or seven days ago, I believe it would be found that war rather than peace was by them regarded as more likely to follow the expiration of the armis tice. Matters have now changed, and changed much for the better. The three sittings of the Congress last week were far from justifying the hopes of a pacific arran4ement. The two sittings of the present week are far more cheering so far as they have gone. I have already told you that Tues day's Conferences ended more satisfactorily than the previous ones ; and I think I can now inform you that those of yesterday are still more so. Indeed, so sanguine is the hope in certain quarters (as I am informed) that the chances in favour of peace are greatly augmented, that peace is looked upon as all•but certain. There wore two modes of arriving at peace ; one by large concessions on the part of the Allies ; the other, by large concessions on that of Russia. So far as can be ascertained in matters where everything is against obtaining ac curate information, no concessions of any moment have been made by us. The logical conclusion is that it is Russia that is gradually yielding, while England and France are stiil united and firm as ever. Rusaia calculates on the gradual loosening of the bonds which unite England and France, if she caauot cut the k no t h erse lf . She believes that two conutries with a form of Government so opposed, and with institutions so different, however they may unite fur common safety in days of difficulty and peril, must be dissevered when the danger is gone by, and that there are a hundred chances, any one of which may be advantageously made use of to that end. Were the small extremity of the wedge to be inserted, Russia would answer for the speedy introduction of the whole. The Moniteur contains an imperial decree call ing out for active service the 140,000 young sol diers of the class of 1855. BOURSE, March 7.—T1;0 following were the las' quotations : Cash. fr. e. End of Month. 4? per Cents 94 75 —f. —o. 3 per Cents 72 SO 72 80 New Loan 73 30 Bank Shares — Roman Credit Mobilier 1,585 Austrian Belgian Five. .... ... Spanish Threes.-- Piedmontese (5) ir 025 [Lome Debt RAILWAYS-NOB CASH. fr. C. Orleans .... ......... —1,272 5) Western -- 880 Northern Lyons ....... ... .... 1,250 New Ditto 875 Sfediterran9an ...... Grand Central 6SS 75 Lyons Geneva 770 -- Toste Cette PORTUGAL. LIVERPOOL, SATIIIID.AY The following has boon received by the Tagus : "LISBON . , MARCH 2. " The House of Pears approved the reply to the King's speech yesterday without a division, after having wasted 20 days in the premature dis cussion of the now measures which have not yet been laid before it." Russr4 TvEran-gp IN THE BALA.VCIE-- EXPEASES OF THE TVL Upon the principle of doing to Russia as she has done to others when she has hal the power, it may not be amiss at this moment to state what were the provisions for indemnification she made when the Sultan Mahmond submittea to receive peace at her hands in 1829, Her successes 'were certainly not then greater than those of the Allies have been in the present war, nor ihrleed so great, for with the exception of her 1 17..iumph at Kars, where the work was done for tier, Russia has failed in every encounter, whether opposed by English, French, Sardinians, or Turks. Her position, therefore, is not less helpless now than was that of the Porte in 1829. Judged, then, by her own measure of clemency, she ought clearly to be compelled to "pay the bill." The indemnities demanded by her from Turkey were, in the first place, 1,500,000 ducats of Holland, for the commer cial losses sustained by Russian subjects, in conse quence of certaii measures adcpted by the Porte re specting the navigation of the Bosphorus. This sum, it was stipulated, was to be paid by four different instalments, in the course of eighteen months ; and, to make assurance doubly sure, it was agreed that Russia should held a material guarantee, with which sbe was to part piece by piece, according as the instalments wore paid. Upon the payment of the first, and the fulfilment of certain other stipulations, she was to evacuate Adrianopl e' Kirk-Kilissa, Bu rgos , Arc. On the pay rent of the second, the Russian army was .to retreat over the Balkan ; and on the plyment of the third, Bulgaria, and all the towns between the Danube and the Euxine, were to be evacuated. But this was not enough. The military bill was to be settled. The indemnity for the expanse to which Russia had been put in carrying on the war was fixed at ten millions of ducats, to be paid in. such a manner as the Emperor of Russia should determine on an appeal of the Porte to his gene rosity and magnanimity. In proof of these virtues, the Emperor consented to take in part payment such an equivalent in goods as might be agreed upon. But until this penalty was paid, it was stipulated that the Russians should hold the for tress of Silistria and the principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia. When we consider the condition of Turkey at the time—bher fleet so recently destroyed at the battle of liavarino, and her treasury exhausted by her long struggle, not only against Russia, lsut previously, to maintain her authority in Greece—the indemnity demanded by the late Czar did not redound much to the credit of his generosity and magnanimity. But besides this, Russia, by the treaty of Adria nople, gained important commercial advantages, which in themselves amounted to a sufficient oom pensaticm for the cost to which she had been put, especially when it is remembered within how com parative ly brief a space she had deprived Turkey of the "'Ukraine, the Crimea, and Bessarabia.— rain; Advertiser. BLEACCING WORKS BILL.—A bill prepared by Mr. Isaac But t, Lord J. Manners, Lord Goderioh, and Mr. Crook ern eta that after the Ist of February next no child shall be e; nployed in any bleaching work in preparing, cleaning, t :couring, bleaching, dyeing, oalendering, finish ing, mang ling, dressing, embossing, or tambouring any woven faluric, or twist, or yarn, or in packing, carrying, or conveying, or in aiding in any other labour or process connected with 'bleaching, dyeing, or finishing. Children under 11 years a t age, however, may be SO employed in their parents' lin uses. Women and young persons must not be enaployel in any bleaching operation before six axe. or after six: p.m., and there must be an interval of one half-hour for breakfast and one hour for dinner. There must be nn work carried on after two o'clock p.m. on Saturdays. A penalty of 101. is denounced against the violators of the act. Full power is given to the factory inspectors to enforce the act. After -work ivill be lawful in cases of necessity, upon proof of that neces sity being given. With this exception, the hours of labour are limited to 101, hours per day, or 60 hours pct. week. CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY, March 7.—At a congreg l %- Con holden this day the degree of M.A. was content:. I on %V. S. P. Wolferstan, King's College; Edraur l i: I Thompson, St. Peter's College; A. R. D. Ash, J eg a College; that of LL.B. on Daniel Th omas Grin ,ton Triuiy ; and that of B.A. on Robert Drap' son, St. John's College ; James Clarke RoberiadrX`---, of Magdalen H a ll, Oxford, was admitted 4 4 t, Ri strOunt. etene m 114 Case - • 1 M THE NAPOLEON DYNASTY. The following programme of the ceremony to be observe I on the birth of Princes or Princem,•es, chil dren of the Emperor, has been published officially in Paris : As soon as the Empress shall feel the first pains of labour, the Grand Mistress of her household will wait upon her Majesty. As soon as the Grand Mistress shall have arrived, she will take the Emperor's orders, and she will send to inform the Princos and the Princesses of the Imperial f 'wily, the members of the family of the Emperor holding rank at Court, the mother of the Empress, the grand officers of the Crown, the Ministers and Pre4iont of the Council of State, the Marshals, Admirals, Grand Chancellor of the . Imperial Order o f th e L eg i on of Honour, the Governor of the Invalidos, the Commander-in-Chief of the National G lard of the Seine, the General in command of the Impe rial Guard, the Adjutant-General of the Palace, the offi cers and ladies of the households of their Majesties. All these persons must appear at the Tuileries in dress, as in going to high mass, the ladies in morning costume. The Prinoss, Princesses, and mother of the Empress will be duly informed by the officers of the Emperor's house hold designated by his Majesty. The Senate, the Legislative Corps, and the municipal authorities of Paris will also be informed by an of ieer of the Emperor's household, se that they may be assembled at the moment his Majesty sends to announce the birth of the child. In the Empress's chamber there will only be present the mother of the Empress, the Grand Mistress of her Ma iesty's Household, the Governess, and the Lady in Wait- ing on her Majesty. In the Green Saloon, contiguous to the Empress's cham ber, the Princes and Princesses of the Imperial and the members of the Emperor's family holding rank at Court will be assembled. In the s doon of the Empress will be assembled the high officers of the Crown, the Ministers, Mai-shale, Admirals, the Grand Chancellor of the Legion of Honour, the Go vernor of the Invalides, the Commander-in-Chief of the National Guards of the Seine, the General in Command of the Imperial Guard, the Adjutant-General of the Palace, the Ladies-in-Waiting of the Empress, the Under-Gover nesses and La lies-in-Waiting on the Princesses. Tho Grand Master of the Inusehold and the First Cham berlain of the Empress will do the honours of the apart ment in the absence of the Grand Mistress and Lady of Honour of her Majesty. The officer:. of their Majesties' household, the officers of the Prince and Prin cesses , w ill assem bl e in thel third saloon, which is the first after the guards'-hall, and in the guards% hall. When the last pains of labour shall ba felt, their Excel lencies the Minister of State and the Keeper of the Seals shall bo sent for and brought into the chamber. Such of the Princes and Princesses shall also bo admitted as his Majesty may deem advisable. The under-nurses will be sent for when their services are required. Wh: - in the child shall have boon presented to the Em peror and tho Empress by the head nurse, it wilt be pre sented to his Excellency the dinistor of State, and to his Excellency the Keeper of the Seals, who will at once pro czao.l to the saloon occupied by his Excellency the Pre sident of the Council of State, fulfilling the functions attributed to him by the 13th article of the Imperial statute of the 21. t of June, 1853. A formal statement of the birth of the child will be drawn up. The Imperial child will then be carried to its apart ment by the head nurse, accompaniel by her sub nurses, the General Commanding the Imperial Guard, and the Equerry on duty. This cortoge will leave he bed chambor, cross trio saloons, and enter the apartment pre pared for the child In this spar ment will be assembled the per.ons ap• pointed by the Emperor to wait upon the Imperia, The Emperor having returned to his State apartments, will receive the congratulati ns of the persons assembled in the Empress's apartments. On the day or ~n the morrow of the confinement the Imperial child will be privately b►ptised in the Pelece Chapel by the Emperor's First Almoner, in presence of the Princes and Princesses of the Imperial family, the Princes and Princesses of the family of the Emperor hold ing rank at Curt, the mother of the Empress, the grand officers of the L'rown, the Cardinals, Ministers, .Marshals, A imirals. President of the S nate, &c. Alter the ceremony of b tptison a Te Deunt will be chanted, and before the Te Datlib the Royal child will have be ,, n taken to his own apartment. The Grand Chancellor of the Legion of Honour will take to the Imperial Prtn , y.e the Grand Cordon of that order and the Military Medal, The Princes and Princesses, relations of the Emperor and Empress, will be informed of the birth of the Imperial Prince by letters wiitten by the Emperor himself, ana conveyed by offieors of his household. The Senate and Legislative Body will receive the infer maVon from an officer of the Emperor's household ; the birth will he announced in the same manner to the muni cipal authorities of Paris. The Grand Master of the Ceremonies will send a Master of the Ceremonies to the Ambassadors, and an Assistant of the Ceremonies t) the foreign Ministers, to announce the birth of the child. Each Minister, in his department, will take the suitable measures to inform. his agents of the birth, abroad as well as at home. AA soon al th 3 Imperial Prince is born a salvo of 101 guns will be fired ; the suns, salvo will be fired in countries occupied by French troops. t In the evening the publie buildings will be illuminated. CERENIONIES TO TAKE PLACE ON THE DAYS FOLLOWING THE BIRTH. On the morrow, or o❑ the day after the morrow, of the Empress's confinement the Emperor, having received the congratulations of the diplomatic body, will ascend the throne. His Majesty will be surrounded by the Princes of the Imperial family, and by the other members of the Em peror's family holding rank at Court ; as also the grand officers of the Crown, the °Milers of the household, Cardi nals, Marshals, Admirals, and all the other functionaries, kc. The Presidents of the Senate and of the Legislative Body will alone harangue the Emperor. All these different bodies will be presented as is usual on solemn presentations. On leaving the audience of the Emperor they will be ad mitted to the now-born Prince. They will meet in the Sai,on, de la PaEx, and will, suc cessively, be admitted to the apartment of the Imperial Prince. They will leave it by the door opposite to the one by which they entered. As soon as the health of the Empress will allow it, her Jfajesty will appoint the days upon which she will receive the congratulations of he Princes and Princesses, ladies of the Palace ; wives of the Ali isters, &c., and the congratula tions of the high officers of the Orown, Cardinals, Marshals, Admirals, 1::c. Her Majesty will also receive the congratulations of the members of the diplomatic body and of their ladies. The Empress will receive all these congratulations in her easy chat... When her health is completely restored the Empress will be lifted up by the Grand Almoner, according to the spe cial ceremony drawn up. The ceremony of the public baptism of the Imperial Prince will take place at Notre Dame after the churching of her Majesty. Immediately after that ceremony a solemn Te Ileum will be performed. A Te Ileum will be chanted in the Church of Notre Dame of Paris and in all the churches of France on the Sunday following the day of the birth. CAMBACERES, Grand Master of the Ceremonies. Pal ais Royal, March 3. * Tile official programme assumes that it is a Prince that ", be born, but n the margin certan alterations are made, should be a Princess. f it bap; a Princess only 21 guns will Do firocl. _ RAILWAY INiELLIGENCE. EAST ANGLIAN. The report of the directors of this company states that they were able to pay interest for the half-year on the B stock after the full rate of 6 per cent., and on the C stock after the rate of 21. 183. 4d. per cent. per an !MM. GLASGOW AND SOUTH-WESTERN. The half-yearly meeting of this company was held in Glasgow on Wednesday Mr. Andrew Orr (the Lord Provost of Glasgow), the chairman, in the chair. After some discussion, it was resolved that the corn pa.ny should declare a dividend of 5 per cent. upon the guaranteed and preference stock, and of 4 per cent. upon the cons"lidated stock, to he paid on the 24th inst. After the election of directors, the meeting separated. NORTH BRITISH. The report of the directors of this company states that the receipts for the half-year ending the 31,st of January last amounted to 136,510/., and for the cor responding period last year to 127,9121., showing an incrraee of 8,5981. The free revenue for the half year, aft- r payment of interest, is 25,1021. Tbis will liquidate the sum of 4,6301., forestalled on account of the deficiency to meet preference dividend at the alst of July last, and. after paying the preference divi dend now due (19,5951) in full, will leave a balance of 9671. With regard to the extra outlay on working stock, the directors state that, with the exception of one engine and tender sent out for repair at the end of 1854, the whole cost of the renovation of rolling stook is wound up in the balance•shret now presented. They state that. the c ntrast between the past and the present state of the railway is the best justification of tbe remedies adopted. Eiehteen months ago, of 71 engines, 33 were wholly disabled, a•rd 16 only in fair working condition ; now, out of 72 engines, 53 are in good working order, and 10 only undergoing heavy repairs. At the former period punctuality of trains was the exception, now it is the rule ; then the goods engines were incapable of keeping time or drawing the traffic, now the goods trains are nearly as regular as the passenger trains ; then collisions were frequent, now accidents are of rare °column, • ; fin) /y, fe the year ending 31st Janu ary, 1855, the revenue was 243.0001., and for the year ending 111 st January last it was 253,000/. The whole ex pense of restoring efficiency to the railway has been borne by revenue, includine the loss of 1,775?.. by depre ciation of three old r ngines sold. Capital has only been charged with the cost of additional stock on value imparted to old stock, rebuilt and improved, and of new works re quired for the traffic, the safely of the public, or economy in working. The directors re co mmend the shareholders to suppert them in their anolicarion to Parliament forraising further capital to pay off the ►iabilities of the company and to provide accommodation for the increasing traffic. They state that if capital were in a condition to repay the ad vance made to it frogs revenue, a dividend at the rate of 1 per cent. per annum might be paid to the ordinary shareholders now on the register. A provisional agree ment has been entered into for working the Selkirk and Galashiels Railway. 64 miles in length, on terms mutu ally advantageous to both companies. The capital ac count showed that 4,470,9931. had bean received, and 4.509,885/. exnender', leaving a balance against the com pany of 38,886/. The revenue account showed that 136,5101 had been received during tl • half-year, and 86,0621. expended in working expenses, and 25,3461. interest on loans, leaving a balance of 25,102/. CORK AND YOUGHAL. The bglf•yearly meeting of thii company was held at Cork on Fiiday ; IVTr. I. Butt, M.P., in the chair. The report state' that, with the exception of the por tion immediately - adjoining the city of Cork, the entire line would be comi„leted at an expense of about 5,000/. per mile. Considering th:s! the line will pass through a rich agricultural district, and cernzlanded the traffic between Queenstown and Cork, it is fully expected that it will yield an ample return for the capital invested. Under existing circumstances the directors have thought it more prudent to defer the construction of the branch to Qtteens'•own, and to devote all their energies to the com pletion of the first pit tion of the main line, terminating at Nrid , ll. tan, which they expect will be opened for traffic before the next half-yearly meeting. The direc tors have rec , ntly made a call of 30s. per share, which they hope will be speedily paid. The accounts showed that 26,6371. had been rec&ved to Ist January last, and 24,5701. expended, leaving' $ balance of 2,067/. The report of Mr. Brand, the ea • gineer, stated that of 7i miles upon which the contractor is at work five miles are ready for ballasting. The work already executed has shown that the line can be finished , within the cost contentplated, and there would seem to be no reason for any change of views as to the advan tages to be derived from an early opening of such per• tions as can be succe , sfully completed. After some discussion as to the expediency of removing the board from Londo❑ to Cork, the report was unani mously adopted, and the retiring directors were re-elected. The meeting was then made special, and the directors were authorised to accept the surrender of certain shares, and to issue new shares in lieu thereof. A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the pro ceedings. RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS. TRAFFIC RETURNS FOR THE WEEK. Miles Jponed. 1856. NAME OF RAILWAY. Receipts. 1856. BBITIBI3. 115 37X 17 26% 117 191 q 91% qi 20 Aberdeen ...• • • .... ••• • • • •• ••• • • Belfast and Ballymena • • •• •• •• •• • • •• Belfast and County Down"... • • • •• Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire Bolton, illackburn, and West York .... Bristol and Exeter ............ • • •• .. 673 1 93 417 Caledonian. ........... ..... ••••• Chester and Holyhead. •... •• • Cork, Illackrock, and Passage •• ••. Cork and Bandon ....• ............. Dublin and Belfast Junction • • .. •• . Dublin and Drogheda...—. ........ Dublin and Kinzstown.....• •• •• •• • Dundee and .trbroath ...• •..• • Dundee, Perth, and Aberdeen ainctioi Dundalk an 4 Enni5ki11en........,,, East Ang:ian.... •• •••••••• • • • • • • - East Lancashire.. .. 183% 253 203% 365 2514 90 286% Eastern Counties and Norfolk... • • .. Eastern iTni0u.......... 1 f.l4lnhargh and glavrors.—•• Edinhurgh, Perth. and Dundec , •• •.. Exeter and Cred1t0n........ . 161 553% 54i 1833 i 267 173% 2.4 498% 126% 37 784 149 233 87% 32 29% 575( 259 16234 27% 12 682 Farness Railway - - Glasgow, and qotith-Wes::ern... •.... Great Northern a 611 865 4,949 10,425 4,223 171 t. 63 917 1,311 1,142 513 930 Great Southern and Western rel and Great Western • • • ..... ••- • •• Irish South Eastern ............... 799 6,100 19,946 4,42 A 5,5,3 1,274 5,584 20,•20 6,184 22,933 Lancaster and Carlisle— ••••• • •• • Lancashire and Yorkshire..• • ••• • • Leeds Northern .. • • .. •• • • • • • • •• •• •• Liverpool, Crosby, and Southport... London and North Western ••• •... London and Blacks , : all.• •• •• •• •• • London, 13riditon, and South Coast.. London and South Western. ••• •• Londonderry and Enniskillen • • • • •• Manchester, Buxton. and Math ick, &c. Manchester, Shetilc!..l, and Line( olnslairr Manchester and South Junctiol t•..... Maryport and Carlisle • ....... !fidlanci ....• qidland Great Western (Irish) -•• •• - Monklands Newcastle and Carlisle.. - ....... • .. North British •• •• •• •• •• •• •—• •• • North Staffordshire .. •—• .- • North-Western •• •• .• •-. Scottish Central!. 4,999 20,729 60,9(.7 1,214 10,231 12,50 , 3 622 --------- cottish Midland •• • • Shrewsbury and Birmingham Shrewsbury and Cheater ...... Shropshire Union ............. 8,173 966 27,204 2,816 2,416 69S 686 4,599 18,333 4,062 4,983 4.357 6,588 767 626 4,922 19.917 5,633 21,730 . _ South Devon ......... South Eastern South Wales •• •• • • ..... ........ South York., Doncaster, and Goole Ulster . ........... Waterford And Limerick West Cornwall • • • • •• Whitehaven Junction ...• • •• •• •• York and Newcastle, a n d . Bern ick & York and North Midland & L eeds.. FOREIGN. Dutch Rhenish • • Lyons and Mediterranean .......... Montereau and Troyes •....... •• •... Namur and Liege .. • • .......... •• •• Northern of France .. •• •• •• Orleans and Central .. Paris and Lyons .....• •• •• Paris and Rouen. ............... Paris and Strasburgh •• .......... Rouen and ilsvre•• •• •• •• . Western of France •• •• •• •• ••• 4 643 17,928 48,767 1,104 8 209 10,942 492 7,152 807 24,165 2,7C9 4,4% 2.284 859 1,361 2,355 688 I,k5S 14,246 5,548 3,904 LITE RATURE. 1,336 1;144 1,883 692 1,207 12,011 4,562 3,488 The Creation. A. Sermon. By the Rev. Richard Chaffer, M.A. Greenwich :H. S. Richardson. One of the most successful attempts we have seen (and not the least calculated to be popular) to show that there is no real disagreement be tween the conclusions arrived at by geological science and the record of Scripture, rightly under stood. The discourse was pruached, it seems, by the author at the Church of St. Alphege, Green wich, of which he is curate, and is published by request. It is characterised by laudable candour, reverence, and research. Objections are fairly marshalled and considered, the author bringing to his task a clear and manly understanding, and due reverence for the truth of Revelation. We trust the discourse will meet with the extensive mile it deserves. VAN DIEMEN'S LAND COMPANY.—The Van Diemen'a Land Company have issued their report preparatory to their yearly meeting on Thursday next. The chief agent of the company, having been absent from the colony during the last 12 months, sales of laid have been sus pended in order that he might, on resuming his duties, carry out some fresh regulations. He returned to the colony by the Royal Charter, from Liverpool, in January last, and took with him new instructions. Meanwhile the evidence afforded of the rapid rise is the value of the Government lands adjoining those of the company, by. the prices obtained when sales have taken place, gives strong encouragement with regard to the prospects of the entire district. In a recent instance the company had to relet 300 acres of cleared land which had been previously occupied for four years at 11. per acre, and it was immediately taken for one year at an average of more than 3/. per acre. The facilities of steam commu nication along the ceaet continue to be maintained, and a prospect ex sts of its being established between Circu lar-head and Melbourne. With regard to the finances of the company, there are not at present sufficient funds to pay a dividend of 108. per share, but it is hoped such a distribution will be made before the end of the year. ho amount now in hand is 3,8491. 3,797 9,948 4,039 1 I s 211 801 1,194 800 451 894 IC The very q' kinds F e bales, of was a ~1f Tliv .1 week en chara etei creas , ), priva ;e t prods' wet . sar:y of 10f - pe lic e - aids ),t,i fell d tie Aecv tic: t E x ohm, rig the pre ci stock: of • 1 the 7 text still ;rem) by tl le Ja has L een Act dye C Bu Ilion Rest.. Publics I Other D Seven-P 4overnn Other Se( Notes ut Account ket as beii arrivals. to the sto bands at 81 middling, other de brisk, but The Gei fluctuate, 1 1 T ie ft l i rna the Con 1 1 aye part]: t)l the we at 3 firm at 2 1 lorins to )1( Austria 11g metal leVon of 10.4, an( ) 1); Cents. E. On ►e fluctua t three dt Ji ations. e prow 0 given 1 14 ti e recei ~tionclu 7. this cot osoent wi ;6 000 Ibk of Nova erior to t 'he Engli •, but tin .ht impro advice 3 x.egotiati ,• opened , while Scrip . 3 / al tut, biz Exchc nz urn. L Foy( inn S; 1 4 'r Ce n t s , ai n 5 pe I°2 ; 4tnd the ell a t 91, S Small : e h r e c f:::i t o: ;tucks:- —Me Ltk ' • " ; 'ltite j 9 2 9. 22. ~ssiv e od in. s,o : ie 1 hei:e has 4)l e. Easter ~gb_ ' , 4 kBhir o, 5; tat lines we; tank of I fed Le vv. 15/. Li Ft , :t7ant. Co iThr (;en t. rondo, I P N 7nr %cc 1 Ditto Scrii b:Theqner ' , lOOlO email Ditto Adve Ditto Bonds, 1559 • .. [ CE OF F Binds itto Small . iati Bonds, itto 44 per inian Elon 4 ,., 1 BOW'S, ilk 'Bonds. d =ran r)ividam Exehaug 41 .t0 4 per C Ditto Awls Ditto Acco TE GREAT :s pasta vv d in 01'3 CI !ratal 'Vats arad e and aloag WI tov I neat!) c•. of the ucted of Znse streni .ommande marriage w; ° f the work 114 thrown ( 1 the Seyss, standing ti of the ex , I necessary en broug re2rrt OP M ~tod gently t 1/4 ttt r i s il t. I 140 C f ' 4 14 I r t p se h th d de s i t . 111, ih . e f jee peo a e .ir pa r a fn : a s r it tß rt ri •gorous op t ' I Y in his Itet ict the peedto 1 1, (1 Birmi n p ia 'te; 4 , r)(l the di 1 1 . publ 4 1. 11 ) . f ri , 'lll an n4 nY year %,"., : e tim of a 1,, t%e miclr i'l ) 3f Mind an , ti Peri o d of I ‘ l''cial di e o g e e r egretter tt tv , ) l4 , llo had t al waci A 0" apt ePresente k k 13 Y man meted as tb .~