The Sun. — London, England, 1842-01-07 00:00:00

►ital of tiou c an the ion' e ilea' =Pm"' J.n3~ c 11(.1 :10 1 )in ,;111 ; 50° aot his ct la,; ina the , 2se 111 Int, theD d la• 1 Ia- L 1 Y di- tall 6or [lad to ier- 000 e rs, ken war MORNING- SUN the returns, which h a s oc cas i one d th e p urc h ase o fp ro d uc e at mach higiwr rates than woulC otherwise have been ren. The a l arm was c hi e fl y ow i ng to t h e Chi nese ving raised a strong barrier across the river a little forte Whami)on, to render impassable the only channel large ships to Canton ; which being considered a l iolation of the truce, induced Captain Nies, the senior °S eery. to proceed with his squadron to disperse the ' t o rt employed on it, and to destroy the deserted 'tart o tWantong at the Bogue ; after which he returned °4°H g - liong, and, contrary to expectation, no collision has since occurred. But such is the precarious state of af fairs that it is difficult to say whether the truce in this Province is to be considered as still in force or not. Mean wziliie a very few British subjects venture up to Canton, however, without considering it a service of some hazard, rather from apprehensions of popular resentment than of any danger from The authorities. Ther e is no appearance of molestation to British ships rlt h ampoa, and every facility of doing business is orded them with the same promptitude as to other u aga• But the uncertainty of this continuing induces roost vessels recently arrived to unload outside, where return cargoe s are now procurable to a moderate extent. ha The new con,,,,rous are beginning is arrive, and about Tlfa dozen chops have been shipped. The prices de anded are higher than last year—say for fine congou ato 35 thels, and for really curious 36 to 39. No new mkin silk h as come to market. Some parcels of old e held at 450 dolls. to 480 dolls. per pl. 9 The market for best new Bombay cotton opened at z I 4 tog 7, 27,r,and less for lower qualities ; and for - „ al n nivelly at 9I 3. Long cloths in no demand at id"`'e• to 9 dol. 90c. Cotton arn, No. 24 to 40, ol: to 32 d 1 Spanish stripes,Boc. to 1 dol. .0 . per p..; Bok Per yard ; l ong ells, 7 d o l . to 7 4 d o l .; lea d , 6 d o l . dol.; iron rods, 24 dol. per pl.; bar, 3fr dol, per pl. at 5L pats i to England from Hong-Kong and Macao are reeen . t° Cl. From Whampoa there have been no 6/. In t gagements. The rate offered is about 61. to eon which most ships are unwilling to accept, i . n abosequence of those ready for sea at intervals of a panic , t !t a Month ago having got 81. 'and 101. per ton. In thnition to The ships mentioned as loading in our last, Wit St ' Ai ling°, Greyhound, and Saghalien have sailed al tea s for England, and the Neptune is under despatch. h ate on E ng l and, with approved local indorsements, te advanced t o 4s. 84d. to 4s. 9d., and it is probable American credits could not be negotiated to any extent r 43 .10 d. er dollar. nOsin mc P PRICE CURRENT AND MERCANTILE REGISTER, Nov. 27. COUNTRY PRODUCE. tutCralcontinues to be taken up on arrival for the China d the following are the prices asked:— roil 1, Rupees. .Rupees. IA f", Jambooseer, and Surat 110 to 113 f per candy b . 0 era 104 to 105 per candy al cmaptal l 100 to 101 per candy th. ClPl um•—.A.bout 150 chests have been purchased since " ar riVal of the Mor on the 24th instant, and holders are... more firm Fine opium is not procurable under 718 17. 13e tt e s to 720 ' rupees per chest. Chests. . r _4 nee of former year's importation AmPotted from the 3d to the 23d of November 330 Xx p o rted from Oct. 27 Total 2,331 to the 16th instant Remain ing ßODUCE 1,546 . Mocha Coffee '"A llr 4 : to 12rs. English ba EUROPEAN GOODS. r iron shows no symptom of improvement, !NI Swedish h as declined to 52r5., at which sales can her be eff ected. The retail price is said to be 53irs. 2 5 tons of Swedish steel have been sold at 14rs. 10a. XXe an h THE MONEY MARKET. ge on L on d on - 2s . O ad. to 2 s . Old. a t s i x menthe s i exchan ge on Calcutta-98i rupees at 30 days. '4,xcliange on Madras—Par. FREIGHTS. reight to London-3/. 10s. per ton. Freight to Liverpool-31. 15s. per ton. Preight to China-16 rupees to 18 per candy for cot ton Macao. Opium, 4 to 5 dollars per chest. in garrison under the command of a Chinese General. In entering into the haven, you double a cape, or rock, and this divides itself in two, al most as the mingaut does in the port of Brest; the rock is visible, and rises several feet above water. Three leagues thence stands a little island, having a hole through which you . see from one side to the other, and on this account called the bored island. Between this port and the isle of FormoSa, the islands of Pong-hou form a small archipelago, which are occupied by a Chinese garrison, and the Mandarin who resides there has a constant eye upon vessels that trade from China to Formosa, and from Formosa to China ; and their continually passing and repassing, yield a considerable revenue to the State." Another traveller speaks of it also in the fol lowing words :—" The coast of Amoy is washed by the Chinese sea, which forms tself into a channel, making the passage of Amoy. This channel is at all times practicable, though at those periods when the monsoons have their changes, this, like all other parts of the China shores, is unsafe. Amoy is perhaps one of the best natural harbours to be found hlong the coast, and was the first station for the Europeans trading to China. - It is ample, costly, and made safe its depth of water renders it capable of re ceiving vessels of great burden, and the island of Formosa lies, like a great breakwater, as a defence for the coast." IDENTITY OF THE TEN HOURS' DEPUTATION, WITH THE CHARTISTS OF THE NORTHERN STAR. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sin,—lt may be something to know, that the plan proposed to Sir James Graham by the cele brated Ten Hours' Deputation, is intrinsically the same with that which has been so vigorously paraded by the section known by the name of the Northern Star Chartists, in opposition to the re moval of the Corn-laws. Here follows, first, the proposal of the Chart ists as taken from pages 21 and 22 of the pamphlet entitled "The Land; how to get it, and how to use it," sold by J. Cleave, Shoe-lane, and by all booksellers, price twopence. And afterwards, the proposal of Messrs. Fleming, Hobson, Leech, Crabtree, and Brooke, as ex tracted from the Times of Jan. 4. 1842. '—iny Lords and Gentlemen, —I am nothing daunted; and shall, therefore,—proceed at once to my purpose, which is to apply detail's to your principle of reclaiming waste land. Of that land you have in Great Britain and Ire land snore than fifteen -millions of acres capable of re clamation. It at all events can scarcely be called your own, and is therefore out of the Newcastle principle of doing what you please with it. By its proper appropria tion you not only do not suffer damage, but on the con trary, I propose to do for you what you cannot do for yourselves: to make it valuable. I estimate that land at a rent of one shilling and fourpence per acre. I cal culate that each acre in the out-set, taking the tenant's house and stock and means of subsistence till the land is brought to bear into account, would require somewhere about seven pounds per acre, or a capital of about one hundred pounds for every fifteen acres. The fifteen million acres allotted in farms of fifteen acres to one million heads of families, would thus require a capital of one hundred millions of pounds sterling to aid the working communities in their work of reclamation. The value of those fifteen millions of acres, at twenty years' purchase, at a rent of one shilling and fourpence per acre, would cost government 20,000,0001. Now what I propose is, that government shall purchase the lands from you, say at that rate, and then, under proper official management, at the head of which should be a Cabinet Minister to be called the Minister of Agriculture, lease those lands at one shilling and fourpence per acre, in lots of fifteen acres, with capital of one hundred pounds advanced to each tenant, subjecting the tenant to a rent of . five pounds per an num for the land, and the interest of one hundred pounds at four per cent, that is! one pound for land and four pounds for interest. This sum of 120,000,0001. I propose to consolidate into one national fund, which shall stand as a mortgage upon the fifteen millions of acres, and over which the Parlia ment alone shall have control ; and that it shall not be a transferable stock, or a stock allowed to be made the medium of exchange, barter, or traffic in the Jews' tem ple ; but that the government shall merely be agent for the fund-holder and fund• payer—receiving from the one and paying to the other. I propose that after the first eleven years the tenant shall yearly pay ten pounds in li qu id a ti on o f hi s debt, 'thereby liquidating the whole amount at the end of the -next ten years, or with the twenty-firstyear of his tenancy; at the close of which period —twenty-one years—l propose that the tenant shall pay no more than the original chief-rent, of one shilling and fourpence per' acre, and all local taxes; or a pound per annum for his holding for ever and ever, and Amen—until some future generation, in its wisdom, shall see the State necessity of making the then occupiers —(themselves being parties)—pay something more as their quota of any national require-' ment.'--The Land, 6 , c. By Feargus O'Connor, Esq. Here follows the Deputation's version; which, after the Roman general's simile, - is the same pork, with a little difference in the dressing.— ' Sir J. Graham.—What would you-recommend ? The Deputation.—The adoption of a comprehensive and efficient plan of home colonization ; for -which pur pose we would advise the passing, at the expense of the nation, of a general waste-land inclosure Lill, which should make provision for reasonable compensa tion to all those interested in these lands. We should then have a Parliamentary grant raised by loan, or by Exchequer-bills, to be applied under a board of control to the settling down upon these un cultivated but improvable wastes our now unemployed population ; and if the waste lands were insufficient we would recommend that the Government should have re course to the Crown lands for the same purpose and in the same way. This would increase real wealth at home, direct the energies of the people in the first place to provide food and shelter for themselves; and the surplus of their labour would form a fund for defraying the necessary expenses, and ultimately repaying the prin cipal advanced.' It is impossible to let the Deputation go, with out a point-blank denial of some of the principal positions, which they seem to think- their own declaration sufficient to impress on the undis puted belief of all human beings. -.‘ The Deputation proceeded to say, that according to the arguments presented in favour of the policy of causing the operatives to be dependent on a foreign mar ket for employment, it was admitted that our ascendancy in those foreign markets could only be kept up by a con tinuous cheapening of the cost of production. How was that to be effected ? It could not be done by reducing much lower the wages of the adult ope ratives. That class of labourers were as near the bare " subsistence level," when in full employ, as it was possible to place them. The only way, therefore, to do it was by still further displacing these adult and com paratively high-priced labourers by self-acting machi nery, or machinery so contrived that what little attend ance it might require would be that of women and chil dren, and as little even of that as possible ; and thus we shall come to the same result. The great bulk of the labouring classes would be thrown idle, whether we ex tended or restricted our foreign trade under the present direction of machinery.' It is not admitted, but on the contrary stre nuously denied, that " our ascendancy in foreign markets can only be kept up by a continuous cheapening of the cost of production." We want to have, as our fathers had, the power of enjoy ing-those branches of trade arid manufactures for which the country has natural advantages, without being checked by legislative restric tions. It is not admitted, but strenuously denied, that the only way to preserve our markets is by the substitution of women and children for other labourers. We want to have those markets front which we are hindered by the tax on food, and nothing else. It is not admitted that the bulk of the labouring classes will be thrown idle under the present direction of machinery whether we extend our foreign trade or restrict it for it is contended on the contrary, that the superior power of in venting and working machinery, is what God has given us as the means of holding our ground in the honourable competition of nations. When the landowner finds his efforts bounded, he does not bethink himself of contenting him self without them, nor of going to Prime Mini sters to represent that there would be no use in making him further openings because steam ploughs would swallow up the difference. But he goes straight to the pockets of his neighbonrs, and takes out of them what shall make both ends meet. And this it is, whether they know it or not, that the Deputation are working to con ceal. 011181ERCE AND ADVANTAGES OF AMOY. . . Amoy forms the grand key to the wh . ol h e pit?- , "vinc e of Fokien, and the advantages wh o i n c inie th commerce large tract - of territory holds Out to c cannot be too highly estima ted. On a n esti4 nutted surface of abo l ut . 57, 000 square - miles duff, Province' has apopu h ation of about 14,000,000. ,1, is much divers i f i ed hills and. valleys, and the, scenery is exceedingl y y beautiful, the temperatm4' warm, and the air healthy. It forrns the especial, though not the exclusive tea-district, which is cultivated on bo th th the northern.and the southern I slopes of the The mineral productions are 'son, copper, tin, mercury, _and various descrip tions of valuable stones. There are also mines of gold and silver, but, according to the g eneral Policy of t h e Chi nese, t h ese are not allowed to be W orked. Black teas are grown in abundance. Ogilvie says that it abounds in " brave forts a towns for trade,"- and recites at least twenty . and The toll-book, or resister of the people, estimates the number of fighting-men at 182,677. Its revenues consist of 1,883,115 sacks of salt, 1,, Pounds of fine linen, and 600 rolls of wrought Z,"K• But its chief reveeue arises from the Amoy vessels, which pay according to their burthen so — 'll a ton , he . on L f Olowing history of the various attempts enttnue.Part of the British, from early times, to exhibits mutual - commerce with the peo pl e, an, lults in a peculiar light the obstinate resist most of the local authorities to allow even the people distant commercial relations between the a of the town and foreigners. _ s 4 t earl y Company had in fluted ' as ' 167 0 the English a Very a time r fair trade at Amoy, which for so nic P oved tolerably successful, but through Proved s o " gradually declined, and at length Compan'v° I,l,,nProfitable and vexatious that the there - -4 ' 1681, ordered their establishments as also at F ormosa to be withdrawn, and a trad stead e; Cantonh I)nssible tpaikeehnaapOssessionand to be established in their Fokchow. Amoy was then of by the Tartars. These peo frneagtnhetrade, and forei ha ve alwa Ys shovvn a great disinclination to i e n q g u e p n l a c n e t was, e d from' tha t sinrte, th e °f t their consequence d in these . in e egllsh have been exclude gP ° and Am 7 b • traded at this last Plac e 1 O3, having the Man Y while it remained independent of tars b y hows, when they supplanted the Tar rest e f '' c°ll( P'esr, and also some time after the ~ _ Ch ina had submitted to them. flinig#Bs, the ship the Delight was sent out by tr g ish to attempt the re-establishment of the ade at Amoy, and, about the same time, active exertions were made by the Company towards securing a regular commerce at Canton. This trial, and others which succeeded, were attended. tWith various success, for the high duties and ex ortions which the rapacious Mandarins at this port endeavoured to put upon - the English, Of the drove them away in disgust. " The ignorance Amoy merchants," complain the English t rader s at this period (1734), " and the little en. ejcoragement they gave us, makes us almost u espair of doing any business at that place." Another instance of the obstinacy of the Amoy Mandarins to trade with the British occurred in 1744, when the Hardwicke proceeded into the Inn er harbour. The merchants. . then showed no „,disposition to t ra d e , wh i le, in fact, there seemed Jew to trade with ; and accordingly, l after fifteen days of in e ff ectua l tr i a l , t h e Hardwicke ft Proceeded to India during th e monsoon, without a a single article of cargo. En the attempts made in 1832 by the Lord Amherst, a small country ship, sent in charge 1 , of one of the Company's servants, acco mpanie d . by Mr. Gutzlaff, to establish, if possible, a sur. 'reptitious trade in opium at the prohibited ports, d ice or ~;.Arno was tried. On this occasion no ev , -3i b geouity, or enterprise, • was spared to dispose o f 32,1he.goods on board, and to establish a traffic ' 6 with i! , the natives. Th ese s h owe d a very hospit t able dispositio n t owar d s strangers, b ut all com- A . Inerce was effectually prevented by the Manda i ?ins, except in one or two instances. Vigilance Was everywhere exercised to prevent trade. The people of A mo y, an d t h ose a l ong t h e coast, retain an hereditary aptitude for the sea, and chiefly supply the Emperor's war-junks . with sail ors and commanders. Two circumstances z Probably tend to maintain the maritime propen sities of the inh a bi tants. First, the province in ,T 1,, ~ch . 1, In it is situated is so far removed from the ..: l ' a lld canal as to afford fewer inducements to Na of t i m e navigation ; sec on dl y , the proximity c opposite coast o f Formosa keeps up a .msta.nt intercourse b y sea. The language or di alect of Amoy also, in common with that of the t e r of Fokien, is so peculiar as to be hardly in te ligible elsewhere ; ch is always pronounced t ea an d hence the difference between cha and 1 ,, for the great staple production of China; the gu st. name for tea being adopted by the Portu -147 from Macao, and the second by the Eng of the to. Amby, when this port was first the seat English _ buil trade. reli ed alwa ys alde, whose authority may be vea r • ab' ()n ) visited A moy himself, and gives a fa a. c .i. e account o f i t.. He pronounces it to be b est ,lanlous sea-p ort ," and forming one of the ride arbo urs i n the world as a place for ships to Rt Rtehor. "It is h emme d i n ," h e sa y s , O tllen 0 t o ile side by th e i sland, and on the other by lams ntinent, and by a b un d ance of ' ot h er is wind' F il ich are hi g h, an d shelter it from every enotain.it is also so spacious withal, that it can ther e i s !batty thousands of vessels, and the sea by elo se -° deep, that the largest ships may come safety . .1° the shore, and ride there in perfect tiin es. a Oil see there," he continues, "at all ar e 0 ' great number o Chinese barques which .. ti their v "Pon Ch ic • oyage to the countries bordering • Enigh t noa, arid about t you went ears ago . ip. see there many els but "W th e , E uro p ean vess , trad e .3' come . hither but seldom, and all the ‘-= is keep s rernovetl-_ to Canton... The Emperor • -- six or 6 , . vVell t housand me n there Yours, very sincerely, T. PERRONET THOMPSON. Blackheath, Jan. 6, 1842. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SIIIIj. Sin—l shall be glad if some of your clerical readers can tell us how Bishop Monk can be allowed to hold the following : Bishopric of Gloucester and Bristol, 3,700/. per annum ; A Canonry in Westminster Abbey, 1,0001. per annum, and a house ; Peakirk Rectory, Diocese of Peterborough, 500/. per annum clear. Was it through the interest of the Bishop of London, that great reducer of clerical incomes— except where he or his friends were concerned? All the Bishops, except those of Canterbury, London, Winchester, and Ely, are obliged to hire houses in town at a great expense : the favoured Monk has one rent free. It is a shame that Bishop Monk should retain Peakirk, which he presented himself to as Dean of Peterborough ; he ought to have been made to resign this when he got Bristol to hold with Gloucester also. The Stall at Westminster may be worth more than I have put it at.—Yours, Jan. 5. A RATIONAL REFORMER. The last of the royal mail steamers, the Teviot, proceeds steadily in her equipment, and will complete the six furnished by the Clyde builders furtilat splendid undertaking, FRANCE. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) this port this afternoon, the Tay • having 60 sacks of letters and 30 of newspapers ; and the Tlames, whiel it appears now will be the first to come homi;Jialpro• portionate increase for Demerara, Mexico, &c. PARIS, JAN. 4.—The Parliamentary campaign appears to be opening favourably for Ministers, more on account of the want of union and ordinary tactics on the part of their opponents, than from any innate strength of their own. Thus Lamartine was decidedly a more popular candidate for the Presidency of the Chamber of De; puties than Sauzet ; and . yet, by the different frac tions of the Opposition agreeing to vote each for their own special candidate in the first instance, instead of combining all their strength in favour of Lamar tine at once, the Ministerial candidate obtained an absolute majority, and was elected. In the same way the Ministers have just carried all the elections in the Bureaux on the Address, and there is no doubt, from the Deputies appointed to draw up that document being all Ministerialists, that it. will be just what that Cabinet wishes. Debates on it will of course take place, but it is not expected that the Opposition will carry any essential amendments. The plain fact is, that neither the ultra Conservatives, Count . Mole and his party, nor the war party, Thiers and Co., are either of them strong enough to attack the holders of the power and the purse-strings of the State with success ; and they are so far from com bining that no immediate danger is apprehended by the Cabinet. It is impossible as yet to foresee on what points the debate on the address will mainly turn, but the reduction of the army, the expense of the occupa tion of Algiers, and the late proceedings before the Court of Peers, will afford ample topics to hang a discussion upon. It is stated that the reduction of the army has ac tually been carried into execution ; that is to say, that a company in each battalion has been broken up, and its offie.ers and men drafted into the other companies, so as to complete their effective force; but no official announce ment of this circumstance has yet been made public., The attention of Great Britain ought to be turned to the fact, that two French corvettes, with a large detachment of marine infantry on board, and consi derable quantities of warlike stores have actually sailed from Toulon for New Zealand with the intention of aid ing the French settlers there in making good their footing. These settlers arc at present located on British ground, and it is to the interest of Great Britain that her rights and privileges should not be attacked with impunity even in that remote quarter of the globe. It has been stated by several of the Paris papers, that the four sail of the line ordered for sea, at Toulon, have sailed for the Levant; but according to the last accounts from that port, this is incorrect. They are stilt there ready for sea at a moment's notice, and it is now evident from the King's speech' on the opening of the Chambers, that their destination is Tunis, in case of a Turkish ex pedition being sent to bring the Bey to order. The King declared his intention of hindering any foreign power from interfering with the French settlements in Africa. This is well known in the political circles of Paris to mean, that he will not allow the Porte to remove the Bey of Tunis, who is favourable to France, from his Beylick. The right of France to interfere in the quarrel, if there be a quarrel, between the Porte and the Bey is not very evident ; and as the Four Great Powers of Europe are bound by treaty to maintain the " integrality" of the Ottoman empire, this empty boast of Louis Philippe means that he would oppose any allied squa dron in an hostile demonstration against Tunis. We are not advocates for needless war, but if it should be judged fit to support the Sultan in maintaining his 'authority at Tunis, and if a French squadron should attempt to defend the entrance of the Goletta, we should like to see every ship of it sunk. Between the words, however, of Louis Philippe and his actions there is, as every body knows, an immense difference. Nothing is known for positive as to whether M. de Salvand'y, the French Ambassador to Madrid, is recalled or not ; but we should not be surprised if he has been ordered home. Espartero we believe to be perfectly in the right, on account of the etiquette observed by France since the death of Ferdinand VII. If the preceding diplomatic agents of France had not been accredited to the Regent for the time being, but to the young Queen herself, there would be just cause for complaint at Espar tero's refusal. But because he now wishes to deal ac cording to the same measures and.. standard as were adopted with regard to his predecessors, the French Go vernment pretends to take offence, and to talk big. There is_no danger, however, of any hostilities resulting from a breach with Spain. Louis Philippe dares not go to war, and this every body knows ; hence Espartero,' who has a better title to his Regency than Louis Philippe has to his crown, can afford to beard the wily old despot with impunity. Not that the Spaniards would fight any more than the French ; the Don of the present day has a most tender respect for the safety of his own per son. The most serious affront that has been offered to the Court of the Tuileries is certainly the studied ab sence of the Russian Charge d'Affaires and all the Russians, from the official receptions on New Year's day. Whether the Emperor Nicholas means it as a joke, or as a serious affront, it is impossible to tell ; but the mot d'ordre came from St. Petersburg, and it has pricked the Citizen's gentility of the Tuileries to the quick. Paris is more than dull this winter ; it is well nigh dead, as far as business or pleasure are concerned. There is little or no business in the retail line now doing, and in foreign commerce, the Americans, who are the principal customers, are unsually shy in their orders. All the fashionables are either in London or Rome, or Germany (Vienna, Berlin, Dresden, &c.) Nobody now thinks it worth while to come to Paris, when better entertainment, better company, and more real enjoyments are to be obtained elsewhere. The dif- ANTI-CORN-LAW CONFERENCE. THE MEMBERS OF THE WORKING MEN'S ANTI-CORN LAW CONFERENCE . TO THE RADICAL REFORMERS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND, ADOPTED Al' MAN CHESTER ON THE IST INST. " Fellow-countrymen—The appalling distress under which hundreds of thousands of our countryman are at present suffering, the alarming fact that that distress is daily increasing both in extent and severity, and the :de lancholy prospect that we, with millions more, shall ere long have to be numbered among the sufferers, if some means be not adopted to stay the progress of the evil, and relieve those at present suffering from its influence, call loudly and imperatively on every one who wishes well to his country_ to endeavour to apply a remedy. Guided in our deliberations by the evidence which was laid before us, and the state of public opinion, 'we have come to - the determination to support, and to endeavour to procure, the repeal of the Corn and Provision-laws ; because we are convinced, that the remedy sought wil more easily and speedily be obtained by such conduct, than by any other course of proceedings which, under present cir cumstances, we could adopt ; and our purpose in in truding upon your • notice: is to state to you the reasons which have induced us to come to this determination, and to endeavour to convince you of the propriety and the ne cessity of pursuing a similar course of conduct. " Deeply impressed with a sense of the iniquity of all prohibitory duties on the necessaries of life—fully aware of the unjust and partial principle upon which the pre sent Corn-laws arc founded—and sensibly feeling, in the high price of food, the effects of their opprksive ope ration—we have often expressed our abhorrence of the principle, our dissatisfaction with their operation, and our convictions that they ought to be repealed. We, therefore, make no sacrifice of principle in endeavouring to obtain their abrogation. " We do not pretend to assert that the corn monopoly is the greatest ; but it is one which is so glaringly un just., that almost every person who has the slightest per ception of right and wrong, except those who are bene fited by its existence, can see and must admit, the op pressive and selfish nature of its establishment. It was not designed and enacted for the purpose of increasing the national revenue, but for individual aggrandizement . for the protection of a nation, but of a clai* . s--not for the benefit of the people, bet for the aristocracy ; and' from the injustice of its provisions being more directly, prominently, and frequently presented to the perceptions of the people, the natural consequence may s , easily be inferred—that a very great portion of them, who have studied but little the principles of general poli tics, will seek to obtain the destruction of a monopoly, the influences of which are so obviously injurious, before they will attack any other. " Consistency of principle dictates that those who condemn an abuse should assist in, removing it ; and sound policy will point out the propriety of attacking that abuse against which the greatest numbers can . be arrayed. Convinced by our own observations, and the information of others, that, if all who condemn the pre sent Corn-laws would assist in destroying them, there would be found a greater number of opponents to their existence than could possibly be at present obtained against any other abuse, either in the Constittition or laws of the country: we, therefore, feel constrained to use our best exertions to obtain their repeal. " But let it not be imagined that we compromise, or wish you to compromise, the great and righteous prin ciple of equality of political rights, for which we have so long contended ; and without which we ven ture to assert, no permanent good can be effected for the people of this country. On the contrary, we believe we are doing more to further the success of that principle, by joining in the p resen t a gitation against the Corn-laws, than we could do either by opposing or standing aloof from it. For surely, by " seekine• to stifle the expression of other people's opinions when they do not exactly coincide with our own, we should only show our intolerance and bigotry, by en deavouring to deprive others of their liberty; we should only prove Our unfitness to be entrusted with our own, by standing aloof troll), or by endeavouring to thwart any agitation haying for its object the good of our country, because it may not be for objects which we think are of the greatest importance; we should only make known that we were the slaves of ambition and faction; whilst, by al lowing to others the same freedom of expressing their opi nions which we claim for ourselves—by being as careful of trenching on other people's liberty; us we should be firm in resisting their invasion of ours,--and by assisting in abrogating every abuse in the institutions of our coun try, whether those abuses be attacked singly or collec tively, we shall prove to all intelligent and candid men, that we are honest and consistent advocates of the great principles of commercial, religious, and political equality. The latter course of conduct will ensure the respect and co-operation of all liberal-minded and intelligent men in obtaining our rights ; while the former would only con vince them that there would be danger in .admitting us to any share of political power. " But, independently of principle* of consistency and duty, principles of policy would compel us to join the pre sent agitation. Every reflecting mind must be sensible that, as the number and extent of monopolies can be dimi nished, the number of those interested -in their existence will diminish in proportion; and those whp had an interest in their continuance, on finding that there is no hope of a renewal of those by which they benefited, will be amongst the most strenuous opponents.of those which maysremain, because they will have the best knowledge of their ope rations ; those who are seeking to destroy monopolies will increase in intelligence, in confidence, in .number, and strength; and those who are striving to uphold them will be diminishad in -numbers, dismayed in spirit, and weak in action, till at last every monopoly, save that of legislation, will be destroyed; and the people at large, on finding that they are not benefited so long as thistis suffered to remain, will attack it with an union, an energy, an intelligence, and a determination, which will be resistless. I3sit should the utmost efforts of the advocates ofcommercial freedom be of no avail in inducing the Legis lature to comply with their w isbes, then we shall have gained a host of allies in attacking and endeavouring to destroy the monster monopoly—the Monopoly of political power, which is the fruitful source from which all others spring. The Corn-law repealer will attack it as a means of removini , those laws which he believes are so inju rious to the commerce and prosperity . of the nation ; those who are desirous of removing religious distinctions in the State, and are striving to abolish c ompulsory pay ments for, religious purposes, will attack it as a means of enforcing their principles and redressing their grievances; whilst 'the - friends of - freedom in commerce; in religion, and politics, will seek its destruction as a means of cor recting every abuse, and r e moving every impediment which prevents the full development of the faculties .of man and the attainment of the greatest degree of happi nessat which ho can possibly arrive. • "Hoping that the reasons which we have adduced will be sufficient to .persuade you to imitate our conduct, is the fervent wish of the undersigned members of the Working Men's Anti-Corn law. Conference." ference between Paris of 1842, and , Paris of 1838, is astonishing ; as great, indeed, as that between- the capi tal in the latter year and in 1830. The carnival enter tainments of masked balls have begun ; but these affect only the riff-rail's and demireps of the metropolis ; even these are unusually dull. 'the King is said to be much cast down in spirits, and to be breaking rapidly. lie complains much of his own personal anxiety, and is more taciturn than usual. Every thing and every body in fact, are suffering from the results of what the French term " une fausse position." THE SUN. LONDON, FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 1842. LITERATURE. BLACKWOOD'S LADLES' MAGAZINE. A periodical well adapted to the tastes of fe male readers, and containing, inter alia, one or two agreeable prose tales. CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS . JOURNAL, The superiority of the new American pile driving engine over our machines in ordinary use, is proposed in a forthcoming Number to be scientifically inquired into; meanwhile diagrams elucidate its make and action. The constant use of gold-frames round pictures is shown fre quently to be hostile to the harmonies of colour ing, and vari-coloured frames suggested. " Has Atlantic Steam Navigation been successful ?'' is a question proposed, but, after some pages' dis s'ertation, leaves the reader, from the copious facts adduced, to draw his own inference. PORTUGAL. By her Majesty's brigantine Lynx, Lieutenant G. J. Barslem, we have received the intermediate date due from Lisbon prior to the sailing of the Tagus steamer of Dec. 19. LISBON, Dec. 18, 1841.—1 learn that M. Aguilar, the Spanish Minister, is about to proceed to Madrid on a short leave of absence, for the purpose of taking his scat in the Chamber of Senators. M. Soler, the Secretary of Legation, is to act for him meanwhil e. The new treaty about to be concluded (but happily not yet so), merely stipulates, if I am correctly informed, that our trade shall be ,placed on a footing with that of the most favoured nation. Now this is perfectly. absurd ; in. Portugal there should only be one most fa voured nation, and that one should be England. The fact is, that for the last eight years we have been treat ing this country with far too much defelenee, and in so doing have gone on weakening our ialuence by filling the heads of the Portuguese with the most extravagant notions of their own political importance. The system of diplomacy we ought to pursue, in our dealings with ,Portugal, is very simple, and requires none of those astute maneeuvrings employed by great nations to outwit etch other. In out ward show let us pay as much ceremonious respect to the independence of this mighty power as would satisfy the dignity of the Grand Lama of Thibet himself ; but when a point is to be gained, instead of striving for it by stratagems which here are needless, and arguments to which the Portuguese always turn a deaf ear, let the words " you must do it, or we double the import duties on your wines, fruit," &e., be boldly uttered, and the effect will be instant acquiescence. This was our former mode of treating with Portugal in the days of good old John the Sixth, and it ought to be adopted again. While on this subject I must not omit to men tion that the increased rates of duties on foreign woollen manufactures, English of course included, began to be levied on Saturday last. This measure will necessarily exclude a great many sorts of out coarser woollens. There has been some very severe weather on this coast. The Dutch brig Maria, and the Americanbrig Co lumbus, were both wrecked near Cape St. Vincent some day last week. The crews were fortunately saved. In touching upon the subject of our commercial relations with Portugal I omitted to notice one evil, which weighs sorely upon British traders resident at or frequenting this port, and the removal of which ought to be insisted upon by our Government in the new treaty about to be concluded. I allude to the Custom-house and port regulations, the grinding op pression of which has of late years become intolerable. Of course the Portuguese have a right to make what ever regulations they may deem proper for the preven tion of contraband ; and were this legitimate object the only one no foreign nation could have any right to complain. But when it becomes quite apparent, as it really is, that many of the regulations in question are framed for no other purpose than to be a source of emolument in the shape of fines and whole sale seizures, there certainly is ample ground for re monstrance ; and where there arc negotiations for a treaty actually pending it would indeed be folly not to make the removal of the evil the subject of au express stipulation. My attention has again been forcibly called to it by a couple of cases of great hardship which occurred here last week. The customs' regulation in this port is that ale, porter, and wines can only be im ported in cases or hampers containing three dozens of bottles each, on pain of seizure, which, in fact, is the penalty for every irregularity, however slight. Mr. G., a respectable merchant, ordered out from Liverpool a hamper with three dozens of ale for his own use. On the passage some person on board contrived to slip his hand into the hamper and abstract one bottle ; and for this deficiency in the number required by the regulation the other two dozen and eleven were seized. Mr. G. ventured to say that he thought it rather hard that be cause one bottle had been stolen on board he should be robbed of the rest on shore ; for which piece of insolence, as the Director-General termed it, he was turned out of the Custom-house. The other case was that of the seizure of a boat belonging to an English merchant schooner, the master of which, who had never been in this port, and could not consequently be expected to have the whole of its multitudinous and complicated regulations all at once at his fingers' ends, went on board without going through the useless for mality of calling at the guard-boat to ask leave to do so. Her Majesty's steam-vessel, Devastation, having on board the new Protestant Bishop of Jerusalem, ar rived here on Monday last, and sailed again on` 't" day in the prosecution of her voyage to came in merely to afford the JA; - : , of seeing Lisbon., FALMOUTH, JA THE SURVEYOR, ENGINEER, AND ARCHITECT. The members of the Committee appointed to promote the Fine Arts are here approved of both individually and collectively, but complaint made that no one Professor of Fine Art enters into its constitution. A number of localities where improvements might be effected on the borders -of the Thames, are suggested in an ar ticle on that ttpic. The necessity of a harbour of refuge on the south-east coast of England is pointed out, and the draw-backs and capabilities of the coast for that purpose examined into. HOPE'S BRITISH MONTHLY. The paper on " The Colonies" urges the advi sability of cutting asunder all the existing pre judices on the part of the Indian Government, and disallowing its immediate support to the idol ism of Juggernaut. A parallel is drawn between Puseyism and Dissent in a " Review of Profes sor Sewell's Christian Morals." Its nature is declamatory rather than argumentative ; and the controversialist, while eulogizing the unqua lified integrity of his own sect, brands his oppo nents as heretics, and fastens on them the worst stigmas of Papacy. The struggles of the two conflicting parties in the Scottish Church; and the opinions of the local press on the questions in agitation, form a concluding paper. SPORTING REVIEW. The Curragh Summer Races at Kildare at tract the Editor in the sporting season, but his disappointment betrays itself in the remark that though in no country on earth sporting forms so popular a conversation-subject as in Ireland, it is nowhere less carried artistically into effect. Two plates, a plain and coloured, represent " Midsummer and Mosquito," the Earl of Strad broke's celebrated greyhounds, and the royal paddock. In "Cambridge and Cambridge men," the various sporting characters and packs in that vicinity of late years are noticed : the hounds are accounted good, but the country is unfavourable both to them and horses, being in many places rotten, and abounding in awkward grips. A NEW SCHEME.—A case of French toys was landed at one of the " legal quays" a few days ago, and imported as such, and was, therefore, destined to pay the usual ad valorem duty of 20 per cent. The case appa rently contained those cheap toys, garden-pots, which are hawked about our streets by Italians and others, at the rate of one halfpenny each, but they are no sooner out of the jurisdiction, or at least out of the sight of her Majesty's revenue, than- these, by the removal of the fancy red ochre with which they were externally deco rated, were transmogrified into chocolate, and reduced into saleable packages, at an immense profit to the for tunate adventurers. TREASURE LOST.—A box, containing up wards of 170/. in gold, together with a quantity of silver, was lost from the Buckingham Shire outward-bound East Indiaman, on Monday evening last. The vessel, which is going out to Bombay, is lying off Gravesend, and the money in question, the property of Messrs. Mangles, Price, and Co., the ship-owners of Broad-street, was a portion of the sum remitted to pay the seamen their cus tomary advance of wages before proceeding to sea. A reward of 101. is promised to the finder. BRIEF RULES FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF ALL WHO WRITE FOR NEWSPAPERS.--Write legibly. Make as few erasures and interlineations as possible. In writing names of persons and places be : very particular to make every letter distinct and clear ; also in using words not English. Write only on one side of the paper. Employ no abbreviations whatever, but write out every word in full. Address communications not to any par ticular persons, but to " The Editors." Finally, when you sit down to write do not be in a hurry. Consider that hurried writing makes slow printing. THE ANCIENT MINERAL SPRINGS OF ST.' AGNES, HoxToN.—ln the course or the excavations which are now in progress at the end of Pittfield-street, Old-street, for the formation of a new sewer, when the workmen reached that part of the road which is opposite the St. Agnes mineral baths, they came against a Roman brick gutter, at the depth of about twelve feet,which was found to communicate with the site of the ancient baths known by the above name. The effect was, that upon the gutter being removed the baths were soon emptied, and the supply was lost, as the water ran dawn the course of the new sewer. At the time of the discovery a fall of earth had taken place in the sewer, when the water speedily rose to a height of ten feet. Previously it was not known where the source of the spring was ; but it is now ascertained to have run from the west. In the title-deeds of the property no mention is made to that effect. The bricks that formed the gutter are of the most solid and compact structure, each is twelve inches long, six inches wide, and the diameter of the bore three inches and a half ; each weighs from twelve to fourteen pounds. The baths were originally erected in the year 1242, by Agnes, daughter of Sir John de Finn, one of the knights who accompanied King John to the Holy Land. After the sewer is formed, Mr. Moore, the proprietor of the baths, is led to believe that the Com missioners of Sewers of the Holborn and Finsbury di vision will restore the communicatim between the springs and the baths. Some gentlemen connected with the Antiquarian Society have visited the spot. EXPENSIVE AMUSEMENT.—On Thursday night, some disciples of the Marquis of Waterford, played off some of their pranks in this town, by break ing a number of lamp glasses, wrenching off a few door knockers, and engaging in other innocent and aristocratic pastimes. Fortunately they were but young hands at the fun, for next morning one of them was so " jolly green" as to confess the whole affair, and criminate his accomplices, by which means they were all, four in number, by the aid of warrants, prevailed on to attend at the Ma gistrate's office, where, after a lengthened investigation, they were ordered to pay 26/. for damage done, and were further fined in the sum of 11. each, being at the low price of 41/. for the evbning's entertainment.—Cheltenhant Elerminer. Mr. Palmer, the Lord of the Manor where the fatal accident on the Great Western line of Railway took place, we have heard, will give 1001. to the 'rela. fives of each of the persons killed, out of the 1,0001. deodand to which he is entitled, and divide the re. mainder among the sufferers who survived this dreadful calamity. THE IRON TRADE.—The state of the iron trade as was expected, came under the consideration of the iron-masters' meeting at Dudley, on Thursday last, when, we are happy to state, it was determined to con tinue paying the men at theirpresent rate of wages. No reduction, consequently, will, in,the present state of af fairs, take place. Thus, as hands have not been dis charged (nor are any that we know of under warning) and the rate of wages remains the same, the discontinu ance of the working of the furnaces (for there will not be a fourth of those recently at Work blown out) will not prove so calamitous as apprehended. The surplus stock of iron is understood to be chiefly pig iron, and it would appear from the circumstances above stated, that em ployment had been found for the furnace men, and others immediately connected with that manufacture, in other departments of the business. The price of pig iron in London, we see by the quotations, receded five shillings per ton, last week ; other sorts remain the same. —Staffordshire Chronicle. Rather a serious disturbance took place a short time ago at the Ecole Polytechnique. Last year the con duct of many of the elder pupils was so turbulent, and the punishments inflicted were found so inadequate, that Marshal Soult, a month ago, issued anew set of regula tions for the government of the school, •in which it was stated, that in the event of any fresh acts of insubordina tion, the offenders of the last year, whether proved to have taken a part in them or not, should be expelled, or otherwise severely punished, as the old offenders were considered to be the soul of all rebellion ; it was hoped that, as they would not under these new regulations be able to incite the junior members to revolt with out bearing themselves the penalty, they would keep within boundS ; the result, howeter, was very different from what the Marshal expected. The school rose to nicts*e ; and some of the ringleaders having been takeninto custody, a plan was formed for their for cible liberation. In vain did the great officers of the establishment alternately menace and exhort ; the pupils would listen to no arguments, and loudly demanded the release of their comrades and the revocation of the regu lations. In this state of things the Marshal was waited upon by the heads of the school, and, after a long confe rence, it was resolved to withdraw the regulations and set the prisoners at liberty. Since then the pupils have been quiet, but it is not likely that their triumph over the old warrior will make them mono tractable.- Paris Letter. THE ANTI-CORN-LAW CONFERENCE. -- The feeling in Edinburgh is so strong in favour of the great Anti-Corn -law meeting which is to take place next week, that although several hundred .nainisters and mem bers of dissenting churches from distant places have been accommodated with free lodgings in the houses of private friends, and by the exertions of the different Committe es who have taken charge of the matter, we understand .daily_ offers of additional accommodation are being sent in ; so that after supplying all the demands up to yes terday, there was a considerable surplus applicable to to those who may.yet make applications.. NO stronger / proof than this could be given of the-meeting being on. tirely in unison.with the feelings of the great bulk bf DinSentin4body.—Scotonaw. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PORTSMOUTH, JAN. s.—Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Owen, K.C.B, with his Secretary, E. Vidal, Esq., will embark on board the Queen, 110, Captain Rich, in about three weeks, to assume the command in the Me diterranean, when Rear-Admiral Sir Francis Mason will proceed to the Tagus, and remain there with a small squadron. The Queen is now at Spithead, completing her foreign stores and fitments. That splendid 'steamer Vixen, Commander Boyes, has proceeded to Rio de Janeiro to touch at Plymouth. She takes despatches for Rear-Admiral Thomas, C. 8., commanding in the Brazils. This vessel can accommo date three hundred . soldiers with all their equipments, her engines are 140-horse power, stores fifteen days' full consumption of fuel, and is armed with two ten-inch guns for shot of 981b5., and four eight inch guns of 681bs. The Geyser steamer, just commissioned at Chat ham by coinmander E. Carpenter, is a sister vessel, and rumour sends her to the North American station. Those two powerful frigates, Vindictive, 50, Captain Nicholas, and Warspite, 50, Captain Lord John Hay, C. 13., will go out to Spithead during the week.. Both ships are destined for special services, but no positive orelers for.cither. Ateitort,,,Conveys Lord Ashburton in the Warspitc it is said the Vindictive will bring over the Kin.. of PruSSia to this country. The Nava/ Quarterly Obituary, just published, reports the demise of three Admirals ; five Captains ; eleven Commanders ; twenty-three Lieutenants ; three Masters; four Surgeons, four Surgeon's Assistants ; and five Pursers. In the Corps of Royal Marines are one Major- General ; one Lieutenant - Colonel ; two First-Lieute nants, and two Second Lieutenants. The corvette Hazard, 20, Commander Bell, has pro ceeded to Plymouth on her way to China, and will be followed in a few days, by the frigate Thalia, •42, Captain Charles Hope, now nearly ready for departure 26, has been commissioned here by from Spithead. The corvette Dido, 18, Capt. the Hon. Henry Koppel, g o e le raulet, - and the Ringdove, 18, and h nn e has left for the Mediterr n an e :a t n t , . o an i d ios n t o t t h f e or pe C n h d i a n n a t , as re ported. Captain Ty T n h 6 e 2 C 6L a , r o y wr s di f l o lG r b t e , eo r f a a t t r e s r h Rapid, 10, Lieut. Earle, is ordered to the West Coast of Africa. - The brig Wolverine, 16, is ordered for commission at Chatham, it is reported, by CommanredmeraiJn.sSi.nJpolliynmsoonu.th a s l h l i , p i . s to proceed Sound, waiting a i , va w it i i t n h g th th e At Spithead.—Queen, 110, and Thalia, 42. The Isis, 50, Captain ela,hrraiivi S aa i i r 4o t f t h a In Harbour.—St. Vincent, Victory, rowel ful txcel lent, Royal George yacht, Carysfort, Warspite, Vindic tive, Rapid, Echo, and flag tenders,— r) ...,riyitton Gazette. i t i a n s a b r3 e , e n coursep oe r h e a d s n d e e e p e a l t t i i ll e e s n o t f theind indicates THE INCREASE I r N eo T pl i e l btt the distress T d e it a si t it t er s e n sds o e oc l less expressive isiee i u tiie oExciseftlie ' l '.' A h The E o s y c l been this : the moiety of the yearly land-tax and as sessed taxes due on the 29th of September, was not paid until after the sth of January following t but in the year which has just closed, a new and much more rin- rous system has been introduced, and generally rttros et i for the purpose of obtainino. payment, 1 '. .. ~1 which it is said that no less tha n i.,„ - ,3 - circular, of from the Office of Stamps and Pa'x,,,'',:,°°(l were issued litan districts alone, threat.- . roe the metropo against 4efaulters on . t) - - - . " --ed Exchequer process of September. r^" - -.< nalt, year terminating the 29th to early ,-- . - --- ...nis.excited fears, which naturally - led th" ~- e aynient, and thus produced the -amount upon _v taxes to which the halencersheetAs indebted for the increase it exhibits. But this is a positiic anticipation of the, ordinary receipts, which will be ,felt at the close of the current quarter ; when a deficiency-Will neces sarily appear equal to the *mint obtained by . the appli cation of the screw in tae quarter which has lust closed. ~N . .. . 0,--The West India steamers left - 1 ,- -Eveniug paper. .por;- 037114. She , t onOp an ppportunity t CITY OF HEREFORD. THE NEW TORY MAGISTRATES. At a full meeting of the Town Council on Saturday last, it was Resolved— That the Mayor, having laid before this meeting the Letter of her Majesty's Secretary of State, that he (Sir James Graham) had recommended to the Lord Chancellor the appointment of four Magistrates of this Borough, the Council respectfully, but firmly protest against such procedure on the following grounds :- Ist. That as the present body of Magistrates has been found fully adequate to the discharge of the Magisterial duties of the city, the unsolicited addition of four Justices is a measure not in any degree required by the exigencies of the Municipality. 2d. That the recommendation of the Secretary of State was perfectly unknown to the Town Council, as well as the citizens at large, and that, consequently, it is not consistent with that course of respect tor the feel ings of the inhabitants, which the city has a constitu tional right to expect. 3d. That. the Town Councillors, being the municipal representatives of the inhabitants, are, in all respects, qualified to recommend to the Crown, for Magisterial appointment, those of their fellow-citizens who enjoy a full share of public esteem and public confidence. 4th. That the Town Council of this city unanimously regard this extraordinary and unprecedented procedure of her Majesty's Secretary of State as unconstitutional ; repugnant to the free and independent spirit of our mu nicipal institutions ; and eminently calculated to brinc , the seat of justice, which should always be venerated , * nts popular contempt. REVERSIONARY INTEREST SO CIETY. A meeting of the Proprietors of this Society was held yesterday, at their Office, King's Arms-yard, Coleman street, for the purpose of electing a new Director. One of our reporters attended, but he was not admitted to the meeting, as he was told it was entirely private. NORTHERN AND EASTERN RAIL WAY COMPANY. A general meeting of the Shareholders in this Com pany was held yesterday, at the London Tavern, for the purpose of confirming the forfeiture of certain shares on which calls had not been paid. W. CRAWSHAY, Esq., took the chair, and said he was happy to inform them that there were only fifty Shares to be forfeited, all the others previously declared for feited having been redeemed. lie then called upon some Proprietor . to move a resolution, confirming the forfeiture of the Shares. Mr. BULT moved, and Mr. SMALE seconded, the reso lution, declaring the said shares to be forfeited to the Company, and empowering the Directors to dispose of them. Mr. BELL inquired if the shares would be sold in the market? The CHAIRMAN said the Act of Parliament empow ered them to sell them in any way they thought best. The motion was put and carried. Mr. HARVEY said the London and Birmingham Rail way had set them an example worthy of their adoption, which was that of stating the probable amount of divi dend at the next distribution. The CHAIRMAN said he should be sorry to state any thing which he was not certain of. They had not made out the year's accounts, but they should be happy to allow any gentleman to go into the office and inspect the books. He knew nothing with respect to that railway which he would not communicate to any individual. Mr. WILLIAMS made an application to the meeting respecting the payment of shares, but it was decided that the subject could not be taken into consideration at that meeting. The Hon. Gentleman also wished that the forfeited shares should not be disposed of till June, upon which a short conversation arose but it was decided that the subject could not be enter tained except at a meeting called for the purpose. A PROPRIETOR inquired what portion of the 240,0001. granted at the last meeting had been raised ? The CHAIRMAN said that about;6B,ooo/. had been raised. Some conversation then arose as to the propriety of at once commencing the line to Hertford and Ware, which hill be fully discussed at the next general annual meeting of the Company, which is to be held in February next. A PROPRIETOR inquired when the railway would be opened throughout ? The CHAIRMAN said he had consulted Mr. Peto, and he had stated that it would be finished in April next. In answer to a question from a Shareholder, The CHAIRMAN said that the Company could not carry goods yet, as accommodation had not been providel. Mr. HARVEY said that with respect to the prevention of accidents on the railway, he wished to inquire if the plan of placing an empty carriage next the engine; and also one behind, had been adopted? He thought it might be desirable that some means should be adopted to pre vent, as far as possible, the recurrence of accidents, in order to give confidence to the public. The CHAIRMAN said he did not think empty carriages placed in the manner described would prevent accidents. Mr. IcricNman said that frequently stage coaches were placed between the passenger carriages and the engine. He was happy to say that this line of railway was less liable to accidents than any other, as there were no cuttings or embankments. They had never had an acci dent yet. The CHAIRMAN—Don ' t boast, Mr. Kinnaird.—(A augh.)—There being no further business before the eeting, thanks were voted to the Chairman and Direc tors, and the meeting adjourned. LIKELIHOODS: . - Is it likely—that the young Prince can lead any other than the life of a soldier, since he is already in arms ? Is it likely—that you can ride in an omnibus, without catching one pane, through the absence of another ? Is it likely—that you can ever get the work you particularly want, at a Subscription Library ? Is it likely—that you can be riding within half a mile of theatres in the evening, without having twenty play bills thrust in at your coach window ? Is it likely—when attending a meeting of creditors, where time is asked for, that you will ever hear of less than the probability of thirty shillings in the pound ? Is it likely—that anybody on the Free List (" the public press excepted") can gain admittance at a thea tre, when there is anything worth seeing or hearing Is it likely—that any account of a fire can be in serted in the newspapers, unaccompanied by " further particulars ?" Is it likely—that an unfavourable review of a work can appear, without the author's declaring that the writer has been actuated by private malice ? Is it likely—that you will find the National Gallery or British Museum, open at the day or hour a coun try cousin has selected for visiting it ? Is it likely—that you can receive a present of game from the country, without paying, in carriage, more than it is wortb, and being expected to send a basket of fish in return ? Is it likely—that your servant will find a coach or cab, on the nearest stand, when you are in a hurry ? Is it likely—that a friend will remember to return your umbrella till the dry weather sets in ? Is it likely—when you get into an omnibus at the Bank, that you will arrive in Bond-street in the time in which you could have pedestrianised the distance twice over ? Is it likely—that the " positively last night" of a dra matic star will be the end of his performances ? Is it likely—that the publisher will omit to announce a work as "just ready," when it is not even written by the author ? Is it likely—that you can remember the number of the coach in which you left your silk umbrella ?, , Is it likely—that the street musicians will pass on under double the usual time if you happen to be in a particularly ill humour, or are engaged in the miseries of authorship ? Is it likely—that you can listen to a traveller, with out hearing, " when I was abroal," twenty or thirty times repeated ? Is it likely—for a snuff-taker to offer his box, with out observing " that it is a bad habit, but he cannot do without it ?" Is it likely—that a friend will refuse to lend you a hundred pounds, without giving you plenty of advice ? Is it likely—that you can put on a new pair of boots, without wishing the maker of them at a pretty con siderabledistance ; and driving a hole in the floor with your stamp of—anything but approbation ? • Is it likely—that a young lady can be induced to sit down to the piano -forte, until after she has raised fifty objcetions?—Leamington Spa Chronicle. THE ITALIAN OPZRA.-I\ll% Lumley has succeeded in retaining the following singers :—Madame Molteni, and Signors Santi, Guasco, and George Ron coni. These will be new to this couniry, and Ronconi is_ now by far the anest baritone, as well As the best actor, Italy can boast of. Madame Molteni is young prima donna of much promise, as well as an actre.:,s of great talent. Her engagement is dated from the 20th of Fe bruary to the 15th of August. Santi is a bass of g'ood pretensions, and Guasco a tenor, with a melodious fres.: voice, and a singer of considerable acquirements. Grisi, Pereiani, Mario, and Lablache, will - return ; 'ramburini goes to Italy; Pauline Viardot's indifferent health ren ders her engagement doubtful. Rubini has promised to sing for a limited number of nights, for which he is to receive 1,000/. Cerito will certainly appear in the month ' of May • and Carlotta Grisi, and her husband, Perrot, are bot h retained, but not to lead the ballet before Easter, as erroneously stated. Guy Stephan is again engaged. "Worn-out operas are to be shelved, and seve ral new works are to be brought out, amongst which we may mention La Vestale, by Alercadante, which has been very popular in Italy, and has just been produced with great success at Paris ; and Maria Padilla, by Donizetti, written for Mdlle. Loewe and the company now performing in Milan. The theatre will be opened on Saturday, Feb. 26. . POLITICS ARE MORALS.—Politics are mo rals all the world over; that is politics niversally im plicate the duty and happiness of man. E u very branch of morals is, and ought to be considered, a universal concern. Under despotic Governments there is a pretension, more or less sincere, co the part of the rulers, to moral regards; but from these the bulk of the people are, by common con sent, out off, _ rho Dttllj. of the people paw the truth, MORNING SUN that the principles of politics affect them—are the mes sage of their Maker (as principles are) to them, as well as co their rulers, they would became moral agents in re gard to politics, and despotism ►would be at an end. As it is, they pay their taxes, and go out to war when they are bid, are thankful when they are left unmolested by their Government, and sorry or angry when they feel themselves oppressed ; and there they end. It is owing to their ignorance of politics being morals, i.e., matters of equal concern to all—that this truth is not made mani fest in the action in every country on the globe that has any government. The same is the case of the unrepre sented under Governments, which are not called despotic. ' —H. Martineau. TH EA TRICA L.—The Birmingham Theatre opened last week for the season with a, very talented, company. They have been playing a round of Shalts pear's plays to full houses, the principal character in each being supported by Mr. \Voolgar, a gentleman ►who has attained much celebrity in the provinces. The theatre is under the management of Messrs. Monro and • Simpson. It has reached us that their Serene Highnesses the reigning Duke of Saxe-Coburg, uncle of his Royal Highness Prince Albert, and the Dowager Duchess of Saxe Coburg Gotha, will unavoidably be absent from the christening of the Prince of Wales. It is said his Excellency Baron Gersdorff, the Saxon Minister, will have the honour to officiate as represent ative of his Serene Highness as one of the sponsors, and we believe her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent will act for the Dowager Duchess. LIVERPOOL, JAN. s.—(From a Correspon dent.)—The Jenny Jones arrived from London on the 2d. About twenty miles east of Tuskar fell in with her Majesty's steamer Avon, hence to Plymouth, on fire ; remained by her for about an hour, when the fire was got under by ripping up the decks. The Avon then bore away for Milford. It appears the candidate who was expected to come forward on the Tory side for Dublin was Lord Jo celyn, but he would nut meet the support of the mode rates of his party, and is besides engaged for Lynn. The deputation from the Dublin Orangemen has arrived in London, to " fish up," somewhere or other, a rich " squeezeable" candidate. Amongst others to whom, in the desperation of the Orangemen, it is said they are ilkely to apply, is Mr. Colquhoun ! Wednesday morning the nine o'clock railway train from Birmingham met with an obstruction about four miles from Spctchiey, by one of the wheels of the engine breaking. The passengers alighted while another engine was sent for, and amused themselves by walking about three miles into Spetchlcy. In consequence of the delay the train arrived at Cheltenham about an hour be hind its usual time, much to the annoyance of many gentlemen who had business at the Sessions, and to whom an hour was of great consequence.—Chatenliqm Examiner. THE LONDON NEWSVENDER.—The "second class" news-vender entered the ranks when a stripping, and has gone successfully through the initiatory ordeal without ever suffering a customer or a coadjutor to get the better of his wisdom ; he has never been fool enough to take cost price fur a newspaper some two or three days old without previously demanding double its original value, on the speculative ground that the article is scarce. Ile is not only acquainted with the penetralics of a newspaper manufactory, but is also on the most intimate terms with the daily emanations therefrom. He knows by sight all the editors and sub-editors, and is theoretically conversant with the nature of their duties. He fully understands the political principles of every newspaper in Europe—from the Star down to " the great Globe itself." He is neither a Whig, a Tory, nor a Radical, but an enigmatical compound of all three; and, strange to say, he can at any time mould his opinion so as to produce a corresponding har mony between his own sentiments and those of the three political parties. At one time, for the sake of peace and a " glass of grog," he will be the staunchest advocate of Sir Robert Peel; at another time—when he has had a glass too many—for the sake of " a good argument," he does not hesitate to swear that black is white, in order to prove that Lord Melbourne and Joseph Hume are Britain's truest friends. He can tell you when one paper is losing caste, and when an other is " getting up," with as much precision as an Alderman can point the way to the gallows, or a New gate chronicler the way to glory! In short, the news vender (we speak especially of the " old hand") is one of the most useful and impartial representatives of the public press. He is the arbiter of its destinies—the har binger of its fate—the propagator of its vicissitudes ; yet he is looked upon in the light of a common porter — a mere drudge, whose duty consists not in " diffusing useful knowledge, but in merely carrying it from place to place, and thus bearing on his back a burden which Atlas might have sunk under.— The New Monthly Bella Assemblee. . EVERY STATION HAS ITS DUTY.--The situation that has not its duty, its ideal, was never yet Occupied by man. Yes, here, in this poor, miserable, hampered, despicable actual, wherein thou even now, standest, here or nowhere, is the ideal ; work it out therefrom, and working, believe, live, be free.— Thomas Carlyle. There are from 700 to 800 poor Roman Catholic children at present receiving instruction in the Liverpool Corporation Schools, under the existing open system adopted by the Town Council while its majority were Liberals. However, since the last elections, when the balance was inclined to Toryism, a Committee was ap pointed with the view of getting up a Report recom mending the going back to the old exclusive system. vEnt Es.-The term livery, as applied to the dress of servants, is of French origin, being derived from the verb livrer, to deliver. At the plenary courts of France, under the first two races of monarchs, the King was accustomed to deliver to -the servants of the Royal Family particular clothes which were called Tierces, because given at the King's expense. The nubi lity and gentry in like manner presented to their de pendents liveries, which term sometimes denoted both food and clothes, but usually clothes alone, or even only a particular mark or badge for the clothes. WOMEN AS POLITICIANS.—We well know that the question of the political rights of women is more thoroughly understood, and more generally recognised among the working classes, than the rest of society. Still we must not disguise that even they take it up with lukewarmness and with fear. This should not be, and we shall do all in our power to impress upon the generous and unprejudiced the urgent necessity of making the rights of women as constant a theme of meditation and examination as the rights of man ; for, we may be as sured that the destinies of the two sexes are interwoven, and that the one cannot suffer wrong without periling the happiness of the other.—National Association Gazette. The minister of Markinch was lately deploring the sins and backsliding of this degenerate age, and, in particular, dwelt with much emphasis on the desecration of the Sabbath. When the congregation was dismissed, I stepped into a friend's house who kept a grocer's shop, and what was my surprise when the parish beadle came in and asked for a pound of candles for a Sabbath school.—Correspondent of the Scottish Pilot. THE TowNsHEND FAMILY.—The affairs of the Townshend family have been thoroughly discussed during the past week, and from the gossip that has transpired, it would seem that if the Marquis or Lord Charles really wished to have the matter decided in the life-time of the Peer, it is not so impossible as the latter seems to think. Lord Charles says in his letter or protest, " the laws of the country furnish no remedy against the assumption of a title of honour in the cir cumstances in which this gentleman assumes the title of Earl of Leicester—a title which would belong to an eldest son of my brother, thn Marquis Townshend, in case. the Marquis had male issue." Now, this may be very sound law as regards a mere title of honour, but it is altogether another affair When coupled with the as sumption of the heirship of broad lands. The present M.P. fur Bodmin sits in the House of Commons as Earl of Leicester, and people naturally ask, %vb.) , was there no petition against his return ; as there plenty of grounds for such a . p rocee d ing if Lord C harles i resllfi%;Wieil the matter to be dlscuse while ro- T q wpshend's as sertions are all fact, .. and L h o . ixt , b ship dieWarsi s ities testimony was available. Again, one would imagine that the present-styled Earl of Leicester could hardly occupy the station he does without • hav ing transacted business of various kinds with a great many people ; and it is fair to suppose it would not be difficult to find one who had dealt with his Lordship under the impresssion that he was dealing with the heir of the Marquis. Here then, at once ' is a circumstance on which an acute at torney would soon make a "case" sufficiently strong for the itscussion of the merits of the question, at any rate as far as public opinion is concerned. However, by let ting the matter stand over, until in the ordinary course of events it comes before the House of Peers, Lord C. Townshend will not be obliged to prove the present M.P. for Bodmin illegitimate, but will compel that individual to prove himself legitimate, which makes all the diffe rence.—The Cheltenham Looker-on. BREACH OF PROMISE OF MARRIAGE. — We understand that Mr. Binns, of Essex-street, Strand, the solicitor for the plaintiff in the recent cause of " Dar bon v. Rosser," has a cause in embryo of another breach of promise, a gentleman against a lady, the age just the opposite of Darbon and Rosser. The damages are laid at 20,0001.—C'eurier. Yesterday morning, between nine and ten o'clock Mr. William .Johnson, residing in Regent-street, acci dentally fell by stepping on a piece of orange peel, by which he received a fracture of the left thigh, near the hip. Ile was conveyed on a shutter to Middlesex Hospital. A PRACTICAL IRISH GRIEVANCE.—One of the most useful men in Ireland is Charles Bianconi. He is useful as indicating the results of continued in dustry—useful that his love of his adopted land chides_r the more sluggish affections of those born upeo!ie so il ; ,he is eminently useful as a carrier. Nothing_ ;them and nothing more convenient t. can be better than the appointment of t. his w an hich they cilities o f • intern communication the v far afford. taus. :pikane-roattempt e Trustees of the if successful, against Charles Bianconi. which,between those towns. tween Cork l'et Fcrmoy have made d will prevent him fro: 11 ~I )..}l n ,r g o m the hands of the The roads having pas..ed r t as, these latter propose late contractor to iles of their inot road. Of running his car over with aof 9f 245. per diem for total prohibition of his vehi tcoo u c s a t : charge I anon. Bi a n n t s e t o l 1 2t ° p e j o a MOO, and Mr. Bianconi has given cies upon those r orders to . his cars it shalt be levied. And this is the waY t he trustees of a public road accommodate .the; public, while they permit gentlemen's carriages to travel the same length of way fot one4ixth the owl 1— , Dublin paper. iolY The d to th ° , ;OP tall 0,1 g ; [WO aoa 4 ;061 'leo ° both tie rs I b e bog° e eo c ore' t he I '4