The Sun. — London, England, 1842-12-26 00:00:00

joyment, leaving everything in the hands of his Vu zeer, whose talent and exertions soon brought affairs into a More promising state of order. One. of his earliest and. principal objects was the reduction of Cashmere, wlich, still remain unsub dued under the Government of Atta Mahummud Khan, who not only resisted himself, but incited and assisted Shah Soojah to undertake two other attempts to recover the throne, in both of which, however, he signally failed. Runjeet Sing, the ruler in the Punjaub, had already commenced, on a small scale, his system of encroach ments on the Doorahie possessions lying eastward of the Indus, and a series of petty hostilities were carried on between the two nations ; but Futteh Khan, who was anxious to enlist the services of the Seiks, and secure a passage for his troops by the most accessible route through the Punjaub, proposed a truce. Accordingly, in the close of the year 1812, an interview took place at Je lum between the Vuzeer and the Seik monarch, during which the former was attended by eighteen of his brothers. Some of them strongly advised the assassination of the Seik; and one of them, it is said, tendered his services by a sign, during the meeting. This, however, did not suit the policy of Futteh Khan, and the interview terminated amicably, in an agreement, on the part of Futteh Khan, to make over nine lacks of rupees from the revenue of Cashmere to Runjeet Sing, in conside ration for which, the latter accorded a free passage to the Affghan troops by the route of Bheemour and the Peer Punjal range, and agreed to co-operate in another direction, with a force of 10,000 men under the command of his Dewan, Mokum Chund. Opera tions were immediately commenced, and in the begin mg of the following year Futteh Khan made himself master of the whole valley, before the arrival of his Seik Allies, and appointed the eldest of his brothers, Azeem Khan, to be Governor of the Province. On the capture of the citadel he found Shah Seoojah a prisoner there, whom he generously released and enabled him to retire to Lahore. Having now ob tained his object he exhibited no readiness to fulfil his engagements with the Seiks, who retired from the valley in high dudgeon. In the mean time Jaundad Khan, a brother of Atta Mahommed Khan, the vanquished Governor of Cashmere, made an overture to cede the important fortress of Attock, which he commanded, to the Seiks, for a consideration ; Runjeet Sing, who well knew the value of this position, immediately closed with the offer and thus obtained possession of the command of the Indus. Futteh Khan on hearing of this loss, hastened with a force to endeavour to remedy the evil; Runjeet was equally prompt to defend his new acqui• sition, and the two forces encountered each other on the plains of Chuch, about two miles from the Fort. The Seiks had the advantage of position and a com mand of water, and the Vuzeer entertained too great a contempt for his opponents. The action commenced by the advance of Dost Mahomed Khan, with about 2,000 Affghans, who though warmly received by a battalion of Regulars, carried everything before them by a gallant charge, captured the enemy's guns and were proceeding to dismount them, when Mokum Chund came up with reinforcements of men and artillery, and checked the advance with a heavy lire of grape ; Dost Mahomed now found himself unsupported,—the heat was intense, a strong hot wind blew the dust in the faces of his men, and he found himself unable to cope, unaided, with the discipline of the Seiks ; he, however, effected his retreat with credit, and crossed the Indus, leaving the greater portion of the camp in the possession of the enemy. Treachery had caused the desertion of the main body, word having been brought to Futteh Khan that his brother was taken prisoner with his whole division, at the same time that intelligence was conveyed to Dost Mahomed that the Vuzeer had been slain. Since this defeat, the power of the Affghans east of the Indus has been at an end. Futteh Khan now assembled a force at Pesha wur, with a view of checking the further en croachrnents of the Seiks, hut his attention was ere long called for in another direction. Hussan Allee Mirza, the Governor of Persian Khorassan, wrote to llajee Feroz, who had been left Governor of Herat, in the name of his father, the King of Persia, demanding tribute, and an acknowledgment of Persian supremacy, and raised a considerable force, determining to enforce the claim. Futteh Khan im mediately repaired thither with about 15,000 men, having authority from Mahmood to exercise such measures of severity towards Ifajee Feroz (whose conduct had .long been questionable and suspicious), as circumstances should be found to warrant; his former injurious treatment of his brother, Mahmood, when - in flight and adversity, being also to be borne in recollection, an injury that rankled in Mahmood's mind. *Putteh Khan accordingly advanced to Herat, and I : , a;ing previously alloyed Feroz's suspicions, and Se thi ced the principal Khans in that prince's court, he made' himself master of his person, and took pos session of the city in Mahmood's name. He then sent a refusal of tribute, and a bold defiance to the . Persians, and made his prepara tions for meeting them in the field. In his con duct towards Hajee Feroz, however, he appears not only to have exceeded his instructions, but to have been guilty of unpardonable outrage towards the bro ther of his' sovereign ; be not only seized all his -wealth, but- allowed his zenana to be violated, his brother Dost Mahomed having entered the women's apartments, plundered all their valuables, and it is said, personally insulted Feroz's daughter-in-law, in attempting to cut a bunch of pearls off a p a rt o f her dress. Hussan Allee Mirza, on receiving the reply of Futteh Khan, marched towards Herat with 14,000 men, and the Vu.7.eer proceeded also to encounter him. The two armies came in sight of each other at Kah reeze on the 25th May, 1818, and the skirmishers were soon engaged. Hussan Allee doffed his Royal apparel for that of a common trooper, but Futteh Khan, dressed all in black, and mounted on his famous charger, was conspicuous in front of hls troops. The Per sians had eight guns and two - hundred camel swivels, the Affghans four guns and one hundred swivels. Previous to commencing the action, overtures were made for an adjustment, but failed The battle be gan with a distant fire of artillery, when the Affghan cavalry, headed by Shere Dil, Kohun Dil, and Poor Dil Khans, brothers of the Vuzeer, charged furiously on the Persian line, which threw them into confu sion, the greater part of the troops gave way and fled, the Prince himself being amongst the number. A portion of the Persian infantry, however, held their ground under a ga ll ant o ld Sirdar, Zulfacur Khan, and the fire of their musketry checked the Affghan cavalry. At this moment Futteh Khan was struck by a spent ball, and fell on his horse's neck ; the report spread that he was killed, and a panic seizing the troops, they fled from the field. ' Futteh Khan, however, quickly recovered him self, and -maddened at the idea of having victory thus snatched from his grasp, essayed his ut most to rally his men and lead them on again, but in vain, and he had no alternative left but to retreat with them to Herat. Both sides claimed the victory, and Meshed and Ilerat were severally illuminated in con sequence; the field certainly remained with the Per sians, but the real advantages were with the Affghans, as the Vuzeer gained his objects, refused the tribute, an 4 having encountered the Persians, compelled them tonretire without it. He further strengthened the wesitern frontier, and brought the whole of this part orthe country into subjection, and a much more or derly-state, and rendered Herat more decidedly an integral part of the kingdom. The reign of Mahmood notwithstanding his own incompetency, had so far been prosperous owing to the energy and talent of the Vuzeer who had the entire management of affairs, a power which he ap pears to have used with great moderation under the circumstances; the chief advantage he ob tained was that of providing for his brothers, amongst whom he distributed the governments of the different provinces, as the surest mode of securing his own power and family influence. He appears throughout to have evinced no want of respect or allegiance to his Sovereign, who seemed satisfied with the title, pa geantry, and luxuries of royalty. Mahmood was, however, much annoyed with Futteh Khan's conduct towards Hajee Feroz, the more so as he received no share of the spoil except a few horses, the Vuzeer re taining the greater part himself, or distributing it amongst his followers. Dost Mahommed, however, secured a large share, with which he fled to Peshawur rather than account to his brother for it. Whilst Mahmood was in this frame of mind, Kam. ran, who hated and feared Futteh Khan, and had long objected to his influence, worked upon his father's fears, insinuating alarm at the growing power of the Vuzeer, and got himself deputed to Herat to watch his conduct; from this he wrote to Mahmood that Futteh Khan was in reality King, and proposed put ting hi m ou t o f th e way, to w hi ch the King replied, leaving it to his discretion. Kamran resided in a summer palace near the town, and Futteh Khan went daily, as a matter of duty and 'respect, to make his salaam to his master's son and heir. He was frequently warned by his friends of Kamran's enmity and evil designs, but he could not bring himself to believe that either he or his father co . iild to prove s o ungrateful or so insane as to injure him whom they owed everything, and who alone was capable of keeping them on the throne. Before when long, however, Kam ran ' s plans were concerted, and Futteh Khan came one morning as usual, he found the Prince surrounded by all the chiefs in his interest, at the head of whom was Atta Mohummud Khan NoGrzye, a kinsma n of Meer Allum Khan, whose death he pante . d to avenge. As previously con certed, the conversation turned on the re4nt action with the Persians, and the Vuzeer was taunted with . were bandied._ having. and Kam ran himself assailed disgraced the Affgh'an name. Futteh Khan repli e d indignantly that h:amran hardly require d to be reminded of h at the sword Futteh Khan had done both f or and against him. The Prince, enraged, gave the word, the Tuzeer was seized, and on a sign from Kamran, Att a Mohummud Khan thrust the point of his dagger into the eyes of iris enemy. He was then thrown into confinement, and fearing that the dagger had not completed its work, his eyes were inhumanly torn from their sockets. His brother Koor Dil Khan, and his nephew Ameen-ooi-Moolk, were also seized and imprisoned. Shere Dil and Ko hun Dil Khans, with the friends of the Vuzeer, escaped to Grishk. Kamran then repaired to Candahar carrying his victim with him and there tortured him to extort money. Futteh Khan's mother offered a lac of rupees to save her son's life but the Vuzeer desired her to give nothing, as money and life would both be taken and he set no store upon existence. The result of Kamran's conduct was to drive the whole of the Barukzye brothers into open rebellion, and Mahmood then discovered how helpless he was alone. Instead of exerting himself, he lingered at Candahar, whilst Dost Mahommud Khan, availing himself of this in activity, and being joined by two other brothers, raised a force and threatened Caubul. Mahmood now sent a force under Jehanguire (Kamran's son) to relieve the garrison in that city, accompanied by Atta Ma homud Khan Baumeezye. Dost Mahommud made overtures to the latter, stating that revenge on the Suddozyes was their only object, and that if he would side with them, they would instal him as Governor of Caubul. Atta Mahommud allowed himself to he gulled, and his defection dishearted the royalists. Caubul fell into Dost Mahommud's hands, but Je hanguire escaped ; Atta Mahommud reaped the re ward of his treachery, being seized and blinded by Dost Mahommud, who then appointed Sooltaun Ma hommud Khan (a son of Prince Eyoob) as Governor of Caubul, which appointment he had held before. Mahmood and Kamran now moved out from Canda har to oppose Dost Mahommud, leaving Gool Ma hommud Khan, in charge of Candahar. As soon as they had marched Rehim Dil and Kohun Dil moved from Grishk with two or three thousand men and put themselves between the army and the city, and Gool Mahommud Khan, beings ummoned to do so, agreed to surrender to which ev e r p ar ty ga i ne d th e day. In the meantime Mahmood's and Dost Mahommud's forces approached each other; the latter was vastly inferior in numbers, but he trusted to intrigue and the regard borne by thei royal troops to Futteh Khan ; the two armies remained opposite to each other for ten days, the royal troops being daily weakened by desertions to the more popular side. Mahmood fearful of further disaffection, assembled his Sirdars to coun cil in the open plain, and ordered Futteh Khan to be brought before him, when the last scene of this tra gedy was enacted. Blind and bound he was led before that Cowl where he had so lately been absolute; Mahmood taunted him with his crimes, but express. ing his desire to save further effusion of blood, de sired him to use his influence with his rebel brothers, promising to restore them to power and their respective governments if they would return to their allegiance. " You offer what is gone from you," replied Futteh Khan, " and what has a blind man to do with power ? Before you deprived Futteh Khan of sight, you should have secured the authority in the hands of his kinsmen. Do you act as you deem best to quell the storm you have raised. I wash my hands of all consequences, and will abide my fate." Mahmood enraged at his obstinacy gave the last order for his death, and this gallant chief was then literally cut to pieces by the nobles of the Court, for many had blood feuds or personal injuries to revenge ; limb from limb and joint from joint were deliberately lopped away, his nose and ears were cut off; nor had the vital spark fled until the head was separated from the mangled trunk. Futteh Khan endured these cruel tortures without a sigh, he stretched out his different limbs to those who thirsted for his blood, and exhi bited the same careless indifference, the same reckless contempt for his own life that he had so often shown fur that of others. The bloody remnants of this un fortunate man were gathered in a cloth and sent to Ghuznee where they were interred. Notwithstanding the part taken by these Sirdars in this cruel murder, Mahmood distrusted their alle giance, and haunted by his fears of their treachery and the vengeance of his foes, he and Kamran stealthily fled from the camp on the second night after this fatal tragedy, accompanied by only a few fol lowers, and deserting an army far more numerous than that of the enemy, opposed to them, they gave up all chance of the throne for ever, and fled to Herat. When this event was made known in the astonished camp, they broke up, some followed the fugitive monarch to Herat, others joined Post Mahommud Khan and his brothers, who returned to Caubul. Candahar was ceded to the Grishk brothers by Gool Mahommud according to his agreement. Mahomed Azeem Khan, full brother to Futteh Khan, and next in seniority, had, as already stated, been left in charge of the Government of Cashmere. As soon as he heard of the cruel treatment of Kam ran towards his brother, he marched with a strong force to revenge this injury, leaving his half-brother Jubbar Khan, Governor of the province. Before his arrival at Caubul, however, he heard of the flight of Mahmood, which rendered any further measures un necessary. Azeem Khan objected to the nomination of Sooltaun Mahomed Sudozye to the government, and counselled Dost Mahomed to destroy him ; the latter considered his honour engaged, and would not undertake the office, but he fled or feigned to fly from Caubul allowing his brother to take possession of the city and work out his own plans. Azeem Khan did not find it necessary to resort to force; he persuaded a brother of Sooltaun Mahommud, by a promise of the succession, to assassinate him, and this fratricide in turn by the operation of the same system fell a victim to an uncle of his own ; the latter, Azeem Khan contrived to frighten into flight, and thus he remained master of Caubul. His brothers, Shere Dil, Poor Dil, Rehem Dil, Koltun Dil, Meer Dil, and Noor Dil Khan, established a sort of fraternal union, and assumed the government of Candahar. Another brother, Sultan Mahommud Khan, was ap pointed to the. government of Peshawur, Summud Khan to that of Jellalabad, and Dost Mahomed was nominated to that of Ghuznee but returned to Cauhul, and resided chiefly w ith his eldest brother. Azeem Khan now took the extraordinary step of recalling Shah Soojah, who was in exile, a pensioner on the British Government at Loodiana ; the Shah accord ingly hastened to Peshawur as invited, but contrived immediately to give offence to all the Barukzyes by a premature display of authority and pride. Azeem Khan then determined to place the younger brother, Eyoob, on the throne, who solicited the favour in the humblest terms, asking only for the title and emblems of royalty, and offering to resign all power to Azeem Khan as his Vuzeer. His conditions were accepted, nor did he ever after exhibit any wish to infringe the terms. He was accordingly installed on the musnud, and the unfortunate Soojah again driven to seek refuge in llindostan. Runjeet Sing had during these dis turbances availed himself of the circumstances to the full extent. When Futteh Khan had proceeded to Herat in 1818, he seized the opportunity of attacking Mooltan with an overpowierng force ; and after a long and most desperate defence, in which the Go vernor, Nawab Mozuffur Khan, with his two sons was slain, that city fell into his hands on the 31st of May. Leis Debra Ismael Khan and Debra Gazee Khan followed in succession, and at last, when Azeem Khan , Runjeet seized the opportunity of marched from Cashmere taking the flower of his being so much weakened, assembled - his made a forced march upon the ffg_hans, and notwithstanding t t h ro e o g p a s a N i tti n l Jubbar Khan made himself master v b a e l s i t ey a , n and n tr r u p s r t i i s e e s d t corps, 1819, and thus added of f e th e ex ecapital o o n f Ins dominions, this valuable province to to which it has ever since remained annexed. • the sth J . uly, Not contented with this, he followed up the blow, as if determined to afford the Affghans the fullest conviction of his power and superiority, by fording the Attock, driving the Affghans opposed to him back upon Peshawur, to which city he advanced, and re ceived the submission of the inhabitants. So weakened and divided at the time was the Affghan Government, if such it could be called, that they were compelled to submit to this humiliation without the means of redressing it; but in 1823, when the power of the Barukzyes had become some what more consolidated, Runjeet again crossed the Indus. Azeem Khan advanced with his force from Caubul to meet him. Contrary to the advice of Dost Mahomed, he made a forced and fatiguing march from Peshawur, expecting to be joined by his brother, Summud Khan, who had been sent on with a small force to raise the Kuttuck and Euzufzye tribes, but on arriving at the ground, he found both his allies and the Seiks on the opposite side of the Caubul river, at a place called Nowshero. An obsti nate action ensued between these two, whilst be was compelled to be merely a witness, being unable to cross the stream. The Seiks had the advantage of numbers and discipline, but the Affghans appeared as " Gliazee" or champions of their faith, and fought with the most desperate fury, at one time the Seiks began to waver, but the personal conduct of Runjeet decided the day, he seized the standard of his body guard and led them to the point of contest, a height from which they had been three times driven back ; this measure decided the day, the Affghans rushed madly on, but the discipline of the Seiks, encouraged by the presence of their Monarch, prevailed, and the day was gained, after a fearful slaughter of the Aff ghans. Had Azeem Khan been able to cross the river there can be little doubt but that the result would have been widely different. As soon as the day was decided, he retreated to cover his treasure and bag gage which was in the rear. Post Mahomed, how ever, covered the retreat, and brought off the guns and camp equipage. This action decided the fate of Peshawur, which has ever since paid an annual tribute to the Seik Durbar, and is now one of the provinces of that kingdom. Azeem Khan never recovered this disgrace ; he re tired to Caubul, and died very shortly after : his THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY MORNING, DEC 1 - 41M1314111 26 1 1842, Runjeet, in 1838, he was compelled to attend at the Lahore Durbar to swell that monarch's train. The Scindians threw off the yoke during the absence of any power to compel their tribute. The King of Bokhara possessed himself of Balk, and several wilder and more distant districts maintained entire inde pendence. Shere Dil and his brothers maintained a separate government at Candahar ; and Herat, though deprived of its most valuable adjacent provinces, re mained in the hands of Mahmood, and consequently of his son Kamran. During this convulsion, the puppet king, Eyoob, fled from Caubul to Lahore, where he remained a pensioner until his death. The only one of the Barukzye brothers who has exhibited any talent for governing, since the death of Azeem Khan, is Dost Mahomed ; his rule was tolerably equitable, and his provinces in the best order of any in the country; and although, on assuming the autho rity of the Sirdarship, his position was a difficult and precarious one, he managed by degrees to consolidate his power and add to the extent of his possessions. ' Re made himself securely master of Ghuznee and Jellalabad, to the governments of which he appointed his brothers, Atneen Khan and Jubbar Khan. On the death of the former, be bestowed the situation on his own son, Ryder Khan. His eldest son, Meer Ufzal Khan held the government of the adjoint dis tricts of Zoormut ; Azeem Khan had charge of I3amean and the Hezarah country ; and a son of Ameer Khan had that of the Kohiatan. Jubbar Khan subsequently returned to Caubul, and Dost Mahomed appointed his favourite son, Mahomed Xkbar Khan, who has since become so fatally known to the European community, to the government of Jellalabad, and constituted him chief of the Ghilzies. Attached to Sultan Mahomed's Government at Pesha wur, were two others of his family, his own uterine i)rothers, Peer Mohamed Khan and Saeed Mahomed Khan, who were entrusted with the petty govern ments of Hushtnuggur and Kohat, dependent on Peshawur. At Candahar the tyranny and exactions of the dif ferent brothers had reduced the country to the lowest possible ebb of poverty and misery. The chief pos iessions attached to the province were the Barukzye patrimony of Grishk, and the province of Zeminde . war. They were engaged in constant hostilities with Mahmood and Kamran at Herat, and frequently ander apprehensions of Persian invasion. It was only on such occasions that anything like family re gard or relations was exhibited between them and cheir brother at Caubul, who, although separated by counter interests and jealousies, always declared his readiness to assist them against any foreign invasion; md in 1834, when Candahar was invaded by Shah Soojah, and they were besieged in the city, Dost Mahomed, although threatened on his own frontier by the Seiks, hastened with a force to their assistance, and saved Candahar by defeating Shah Soojah. The number of the Candahar Sirdars was finally reduced to Rehim Dil, Kohun Dil, and Meer Dil, who, on the capture of Candahar by the British troops in 1839, sought refuge at the Court of Persia, where they have since remained. Having brought this memoir up to the date of our invasion, and described the state of affairs at that pe riod, it is unnecessary to follow out the detail of events that followed that occurrence; suffice it to al lude to the capture of Ghuznee, the flight of Dost Afahomed from Argundah, the occupation of Caubul, Ale victory over the Ameer at Bameean, supported by the Wullee of Kooloom, and his surrend er a ft er th e affair at Purwundarrah% since which period he has been in honourable captivity in llindostan, rendered lately more constrained owinc , to the state of affairs at Caubul. Mahomed Akbar Khan, his favourite son, has lately e arne d a name o f inf amy by his assassina tion of the British Envoy, and the share he bore in the treacherous destruction of our force last winter, that bids fair to be handed down with execration to posterity. He is now a wretched fugitive in the Kohistan, with every probability of being brought to the felon's death he so richly merits. GREAT FAILURES AT YORK AND WAKEFIELD. (From the York .Herald of Saturday.) STOPPAGE OF THE YORKSHIRE AGRI CULTURAL BANK. We regret to state that this Banking Company sus. ,pended payment yesterday (Friday). There is not any possibility of stating at present the cause of this lamentable event ; nor can we form any opinion as to the probability of the Bank ever again resuming payment. As this establishment has had branch banks at Brid lington, Driffield, Hull, Leeds, Malton, Market- Weighton, Pickering, Pocklington, Tadcaster, Whitby, &c., we fear that its suspension will be seriously felt throughout the country. . GREAT FAILURE AT WAKEFIELD. We lament to state that Mr. Dunn, the great c orn 'dealer, at Wakefi e ld, h as f a il e d. The liabilities are said to be about 300,0001. This will be seriously felt by thousands. EFFECTS of the SLIDING-SCALE. (From the Leeds Mercury of Saturday.) The sliding-scale is slaying its hecatombs, and piling them upon the altars of monopoly. Tempted beyond the power of most men to resist by the pros pect of large gains to be suddenly realised on the opening of the ports, the corn merchants of England imported two millions and a-half quarters of wheat this 3 , ear. If the harvest had been like those of the previous four years the supply would have been abso lutely necessary to avert scarcity, and the importers would, perhaps, have made fortunes by their specu lations. The sliding scale induced them to col lect the greater part of this grain against one Particular week, namely, the week of the open taoh t thteheygrain wouldas i t not open ing o f t h e ports ; but for that scale, they would have llbu events a n ted, was hav w e eagerly brought every bushel they could lay their hands on, to be ready for introduction at ujition at the lowest duty : the sliding-scale offered tune, if they were in tim m e, a w p it re t t, he perhap prospects' for eof ere penalty f they were too late. Thearticular Week arrived ; the flood -gates were opened ; but the corn came to a declining market, and the large im port greatly accelerated the fall of price. n the week ending the 16th July the average p r i ce of wheat was published at 655. Bd. By the week end. ing the sth of November an average price is pub lished of 48s. 7d. After having paid Bs. per quarter duty, and perhaps as much for expenses, that is, 16s. per quarter in the whole, the importer has to bring his commodity to a market which has fallen 17s. ld. per quarter, or about 26 per cent. in three months and a half! What can be expected but wholesale de struction ? And this is just what has happened. Failures to a very large amount took place in the corn trade in London within two months after the opening of the ports. In various parts of England, and also in the principal corn-exporting places of the Baltic, similar disasters have occurred. And within the last fortnight two great houses in the trade at Wakefield, Messrs. Fernandes and Messrs. R. Dunn and Son, whose liabilities are exceedingly heavy, have failed, drawing down several other houses with them. One house is likely to stop (if it have not already stopped), which a short time s i nce en t ere d t h e busi ness with an unfetterred capital of 20,0001. Of course the losses must be exceedingly great to the corn mer chants generally, though happily in the majority of cases they are not ruinous. It is the less prudent houses which get ensnared; but the law presents so great a temptation, and so suddenly entraps its vic tims, that the sliding-scale ought to be symbolised by an enormous Trap. And we say it is an infamous shame, that these Man Traps should be laid by Par liament in the very highway of lawful and necessary commerce. Among the merchants of London, and throughout the country, the opinion against the Sliding Trap has become almost, if not quite, uni versal ; and we apprehend the ranks of the Corn-law repealers will have been materially swelled by the ex perience of the last three months. brother, Summud Khan, expiring a few days before lhim. On his deathbed, he bequeathed all his trea sures to his son, Hubeeb Oolah Khan, amounting to about three crores of rupees, and charged him to wipe off the stain on his parent's memory, and to carry fire and sword into the Punjaub. His death was the signal for a scene of family contention: Wheu Hubeeb Oolah would have assumed his po sition as heir to his father, Dost Mahomed resisted him, declaring that he himself won the Sirdarship of Caubul, and that though he had been induced to re sign it to his elder brother, it now reverted to him by right ; and he raised a strong party to support his claim. For some days Caubul was an arena of strife between the uncle and nephew, but the talent of the former preponderated over the wealth of the latter. Shere Dil Khan, anxious to try his own chance of ultimately gaining the ascendant, accepted an invita tion from Hubeeb Oolah to come to his assistance, but seeing how affairs stood, he privately made party with his brother, Dost Mohomed, treacherously per suaded the nephew to have an interview with the latter, with the view to a compromise, during which he was seized and imprisoned. Shere Dil and Dosc Mohamed now came to issue regarding their prize, and fought in the streets of Caubul for several days running. At last several others of the brothers having arrived, they were in duced to come to terms. Shere Dil returned to Can dahar with the greater part of the treasure left by Azeem Khan, and Dost Mahomed retained the go vernment of Caubul and the adjoining provinces, which he continued to hold until dispossessed by the British Government in 1839. This state of anarchy and confusion led to the entire dismemberment of the Dooranie empire, founded by Ahmed Shah. Pesha wur, as already stated, was reduced to complete vas salage to the Seik Durbar, although Sooltan Ma homed Khan was allowed to retain the government as a tributary; such, however, was his degradation, that at the interview between the Govern or -G enera l and With the Magazines, on the gist of December, MRS. TROLLOPE'S " JESSIE PIIILLIPS." A TALE OF THE NEW POOR-LAW. PART 1., PRICE ONE SHILLING. To be completed in Twelve Monthly Parts, illustrated by Leech. Henry Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough-street. . I.* Orders received by all Booksellers. EDITED BY THOMAS CAMPBELL, ESQ. Now ready, FREDERICK THE GRE AT, His COURT AND TIMES. The Third and Fourth Volumes, completing the Work. Henry Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough-street. Orders received by all Booksellers. THE NEXT DISTRIBUT J ON o f MONEY DIVIDENDS, AUTHORISED and GUARANTEED by HIS MAJESTY the EMPEROR of AUSTRIA, contains MONEY DIVIDENDS of £5O, £6O, £7O, £BO, £9O, £lOO, £llO, £l2O, £l5O, £2OO, £4OO, £6OO, £BOO, £l,OOO, ,500, £5,000, and £25,000 Sterling. Amounting together to x:72,170 sterling. Direct for PROSPECTUS with full particulars, WITH OUT DELAY, to HEINE BROTHERS, at HAMBURG H, Or, to HEINE BROTHERS, at LUBECK. HEINE BROTHERS having remitted during a very short time very large amounts of Money Divi dends to their Correspondents in Great Britain and Ireland. Dividends of 25,0001., 18,004., 9,0001., 5,0001., and 3,6001. to London; 3,600/., 800/., amt 700/. to Edinburgh; 3,600/. to Dublin ; 3,600/. to Beverley ; 3,600/. to Halifax ; 1,200/. to Perthleaven Harbour; 9001., 700/., and 6001 . to Liver pool ; 900/. t o H u ll; 900/. to Newcastle-upon-Tyne ; 900/. and 600/. to Manchester ; 700/. to East Retford, Nottingham shire • 700/. to Colne, La ncas hi re; 700 /. to Ryde, Isle of Wight; 600/. to Cork ; 600/. to Bideford ; and 600/. to Bradford, &c.. &c., they beg to call the attention of those desirous to obtain large Money Dividends to the approaching EIGHTEENTH DISTRIBUTION of LUBECK, gua ranteed by the Government. This Distribution offers the possibility of obtaining more than '25,000/. upon One Share. 2,400 of the Shares obtain Money Dividends of U. and upwards. Price of One Share, 14 ; two Shares, 2/. ; three Shares, 3/.; four Shares, 4/. ; five Shares, Si. ; six Shares, 6/. ; seven Shares, 71. ; eight Shares, Si. ; nine Shares, 9/. ; ten Shares, 104 Direct for Shares, without delay, to HEINE BROTHERS at Lubeck. The full Prospectus, with all particulars, may be had gratis, upon addressing a line to Heine Brothers. THEATRE ROYAL. COVENT -GARDEN. THIS EVENING, DEC. 26, Will be presented Shakspeare's Comedy of THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR. Sir John Falstaff, Mr. Bartley; Master Slender, Mr. Harley ; Mr. Ford, Mr. Cooper ; Mrs. Ford, Mrs. Walter Lacy ; Mrs. Page, Miss Rainforth ; Anne Page, Miss Poole; Mrs. Quickly, Mrs. Orger. After which, a New Historical Comicality, called PUNCH'S PANTOMIME; or, HARLEQUIN KING JOHN, and MAGNA CHARTA. By the Writers of " Punch." King John, Mr. W. H. Payne; Harlequin, Mr. J. Ridgway; Pan. saloon, Mr. Garden ; Columbine, Mrs. J. Ridgway ; Clown, Mr. T. Ridgway. Doors open at Half-past Six, and the Performances com mence at Seven.—Dress Boxes 75., Second Price 3s. .1(1. ; First and Second Circles 55., Second Price 2s. 6d. ; Pit 3s; Second Price 2s. ; Gallery ls. Tickets and Places for the Boxes to be taken of Mr. Whit low, at the Box.office, from Ten till Four, where Season Tickets may be had. Private Boxes to be had at the Box-office ; of Messrs. An drews, 167, New Bond-street; Mr. Mitchell, Old Bond-street; and of Mr. Sams, Pall Mall. THEATRE ROYAL, HAY-MARKET. THIS EVENING, DEC. 26, Will be repeated the New Drama, called GRAND FATHER WHITEHEAD. Grandfather Whitehead, Mr. W. Farren; Drayton, (a Builder), Mr. Tilbury ' • Langley, ( a Retired Trader), M r . S tuart ; D r i ver, (a Lawyer), Mr. Strickland; Bob Lincoln, (his Clerk), Mr. Webster; Snap, Mr. Clark; Edward Drayton (Drayton's Son ), Master George Webster; Louisa Drayton, Mrs. Edwin Yarnold ; Susan, (Servant to Langley), Mrs. Stanley. After which Mr. C. Mathews' Burletta of PATTER versus CLATTER. Captain Patter, Mr. Charles Mathews. To be followed by the Drama of THE BASTILE. Louis Quatorze, Mr. H. 101 l ; Fricandeau, Mr. Webster ; the Duchess de Montbazon, Miss Charles; Ninon Labatte, Ma dame Celeste. After which will be produced a Grand Comical Bu r l esque Barletta, called RIQUET, WITH THE TUFT. Prince Riquet, with the Tuft, Mr. Charles Mathews ; Green-horn the Great, Mr. James Bland; Prince Finikin, Miss Charles; The Princess Emeralda, Madame Vestris. PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STREET. This New and Elegant Theatre, fitted up in a style of splendour hitherto unequalled in this country, Will OPEN THIS EVENING, DEC. 26, With an ADDRESS, to be delivered by Mr. J. H. Wall ark. After which, LA SONNAMBULA. Count Rodolph, Mr. W. H. Weiss ; Alessio, Mr. Walton ; Liza, Mrs. T. H. Se vern; Amina, Madame Eugenia Garcia (her first appearance on the English stage); Elvino, Mr. Tetnpleton. To conclude with a New Fairy burlesque burletta, entitled THE YELLOW DWARF. Principal characters by Mr. Oxberry, Mrs. Anderson, Miss Noel, Madle. Melanie Duval, and M. Deneze, who will make their first appearance in this country in the incidental ballet. Places and Private Boxes to be had at the Theatre, and at al! the principal Libraries, THEATRE ROYAL, ADELPHI. THIS EVENING, DEC. 26, Will be repeated the new Burletta, entitled THE MER CHANT AND HIS CLERKS. The principal characters by Messrs. Lyon, 0. Smith, Paul Bedford, Wright, Maynard, Wieland, Miss Chaplin, Miss Brooks, and Mrs. P. Grattan. After which,* New Faree,called YANKEE NOTES FOR ENGLISH CIRCULATION. Principal Characters by Mr. Rice (the celebrated representative of Negro Character), Messrs. Wright, Wilkinson, Maynard, Mesdames H. P. Grat tan, H. Beverley, and Chaplin. To conclude with a New Christmas Pantomime, called THE CHILDREN IN THE WOOD ; or, HARLEQUIN AND B oors Pantal oon , NOBODY. Harlequin, Mr. Frampton • Anti .Clown ( No oors open at half-p as t b il o l d ßr . y os ) xa , ens 3 d, l e4 r rs . s. ,; V Cp i e oi l tl a ,u n m2 d sb: i;n C eG l , o aA w li n ies , rsy F iu r si .. l n il . D . six, commence at seven o'clock. DAVIDGE'S ROYAL SURREY THEATRE. The Grandest Christmas Entertainments ever offered to the Public—A lavishing outlay—All the First-rate Artistes— Everything of the most costly description. THIS EVENING, DEC. 26, Will be produced a New Drama, entitled RICHARD SAVAGE, in which Messrs. Hughes, Hicks, R. Hornier, J. Webster, Neville, Smith, Mrs. R. H onner, Mrs. H. Vining, Miss Terrey, &c. After which, a ' &c., will perform. New Grand Fairy P antom i me, with splendid Scenery, Dre sses , Tricks, Mecha nica l Changes, and Appoint ments, to be called HARLEQUIN PUCK; or, THE EN . . CHANTED STATUE OF THE CHRYSTAL FOUN TAIN. Harlequin, Mr. Harvey; Clown, Mr. C. Montgo mery; Pantaloon, Mr. T. Blanchard; Columbine, Miss M. R. Fairbrother. The effects will exceed everything hitherto attempted. Places and private Boxes to be had of Mr. J. Kerschner, at the Box-office, from eleven to four. THE WEATHER.---SU N OFFICE, DEC. 24. THERMOMETER, Lowest, 33 ; Highest, 49 • Noon, 40. BAROMETER, 29.75. —W1ND, W. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE THIS DAY. lorning 4 minutes after 8 l Evening 3i minutes after mons admirably. To make the nation prosperous, contented, and happy, he has no power and no skill ; but he has hitherto ruled and guided the country gentlemen to their_heart's content. He has been the idolised of the squires —those gentle men who commit men to gaol for doing a little of what they do a great deal of. All the boobies who must have something to worship, have worshipped PEEL. Amongst the blinded mono. polists he has been the one-eyed king. We are not quite sure that his late measures have not couched his blind adorers, and that when he meets them again, they will not pretend to see as far as he can. It is clear that they begin to waver in their faith. The gaffers throughout the land are quite at a loss to understand their oracle. They would have cared nothing about his pro mulgating free trade doctrines; but their rents are fulling, and the Income-tax must be paid. In almost every part of the country we hear of gentlemen being compelled to remit ten, twenty, or even thirty per cent., to their impoverished tenants. This they cannot, and they hesitate and doubt, till a suspicion arises that they may ultimately break their idol in pieces. When such is the case, Sir ROIERT PEEL will retire from office, with the reputation of the most plausible talker that ever spoke in Parliament, and one of the worst statesmen that ever attained to great eminence. Atthisseason of the year, when, in general, the hoarded pleasures of some weeks or months are expected to be enjoyed when the country should resound with the sounds of gladness; when fes tivity should sit around every board in the em pire, there is little more heard than the moans of bankruptcy, the curses of discon- tented tax-payers, and the wailiugs of famine. There is no relief for distress. If mankind are to " read the history" of our present statesmen in the " nation's eyes," if it is their chief duty to " scatter plenty o'er a smiling land," which we do not say, but which they have most rashly undertaken, the sufferings of our industrious, enterprising people, throughout the year 1842, and at this Christmas, will tell a tale to after times that will be read with feelings of the liveliest indignation. The season is beautiful. Nature smiles on man. All seems divine around us save the grasping spirit of monopoly that meets us in every quarter and at every turn, and dooms the nation to bankruptcy, plunder, and famine. The source of hope lies in the people themselves. The spring beams from their looks on the winter of our despair. Deeply touched in their pockets, pinched in their bodies, and pained in their minds, they seem generally to eye the dark and brooding spirit with grow ing dislike, and ere the summer's sun shall ripen the next harvest, we trust that they will for ever have rescued dear old England from its loath some and ruinous presence. We see with much regret that two extensive failures, one of a bank, with numerous branches, have taken place in Yorkshire, which will neces sarily involve other failures, and add to the want of confidence, and to the distress in the commer cial world, which already prevail. The particu lars of these occurrences, as tar as they are known, will be found in another part of The Sun. In the absence of all information concerning the cause of the bank failure, it would be folly to wake any remarks on the lamentable event; but there can be no doubt that the unexpected and large fall in the price of corn is the cause of the failure of the Messrs. DUNN. The mischief of such a fall, for which no person was or could be prepared, as the law which is supposed to regulate price and is passed to keep it high re mains in existence almost unaltered, is much greater, we believe, than any mischief which could be produced by abolishing the law, which would at once put persons on their guard, and prevent any great fall, by the stimulus it would give to enterprise. Another lesson is taughtby the several important failures of the corn importers. If the fall of 20s. a quarter has- ruinektlmi out and out, it is quite clear that all apprehension of prices being beaten down here by a vast foreign importation must be wholly unfounded. Such a fitll ruins the importers, and would stop im portation. It remains now with the public to decide how long the fortunes of the middle 4asses—the lives of the lower classes are, unfor tunately, considered by our lawmakers to be of uo importance whatever —are to be the sport of laws, which, being most ignorantly designed to secure stability of price, cause in reality the most dreadful fluctuations. The monuments about to be erected to the memory of the Scottish Reformers of 1793, and the very general tribute paid to them for the principles they advocated, form a noble contrast to the bigotry and persecution which distin guished the age in which they lived. They were charged with exciting, by means of seditious speeches and harangues, a spirit of disloyalty and disaffection to the KING and the established Go vernment, and also of publishing seditious and inflammatory writings for the same purpose. That was the sum of their offences, even according to their accusers; and for this they - were reviled in Government prints, tried for sedition, brow-beaten by the Judges, and finally condemned to exile, ,from which only one returned to his native country. But the real offence was for attempting to de stroy the overgrown power of the aristocracy, and to obtain a more equal representation of the people in Parliament. The Tories of that day, and especially thelTories of Scotland, which was one great rotten borough, saw that such a result would be the downfal of their party, that the right of returning Members of Parliament, and the privilege of granting and obtaining places and pensions would be taken away, and, like men fighting for their existence, they stopped at no thing to crush the darintr intruders. The same attempt was made in England, but, thanks to the independent and upright spirit of English Juries, to the sympathy of the English public, and to the skill of the Counsel employed, the English Bench escaped that disgrace which now, almost by general consent, attaches to the High Court of Justiciary. Theirpersecutors, not con tent with reviling their political opinions, stirred up religious prejudices by describing them as Deists or Atheists, whose object was not only to overturn the Constitution, but to deprive mankind of the consolations of reli gion and the hopes of immortality. The bea u .. tiful and affecting letter of MUIR, which we published on Friday showed how cruelly he and his party had been maligned. No man perhaps was ever more thoroughly imbued with the purest feelings of Christianity than the unfortu nate writer ; and he was not the man, therefore. who, for a temporary blessing, however great, would associate himself with infidels and rebels. The truths of Christianity formed at last his only ROBERT PEEL for a model, without simplification or . esseuoal improvement." Other taxes are al ready bitterly impugned, and Sir ROBERT PEEL has now made ; : us great financial resource of the Government its, only means of raising an in creased revenue .in war, by his injudicious and unjust mode of col lecti ug• it, ex tre mely n popular. Such a consequence of his conduct seems to have torn from him almost the last rag of reputation th - ,t till now hung around him. This consistency has long been whistled down the wind. He never had credit for being a states man. He was always supposed, however, to be a clever, careful administrator—a man who never would unnecessarily, and for the attainment of any trifling object, rouse the discontent, and even the. wrath, of the bulk of the middle classes. That he has done. The hostility of the lower classes towards the Government was previously fierce and unmiligable, and he has kindled almost as fierce an hostility in the middle classes by his routine and injudicious mode of levying an In come-tax. In common with many others, we re garded him, till lately, as a skilful hand to work the machine of our government; but by his tariff—unsettling many things, and taking on himself the blame of falling prices caused by a reduction of the means of consumption—and by his Income-tax, he has proved that he is really one of the least skilful Ministers that has of late un dertaken the management of the national affairs. The only thing that can now be said in his favour is, that he manages the House of Com- • • • ArYt.N,=.4 _AO nt sun, LONDON : MONDAY MOANING. DECEMBER 26, 1842. The Christmas feast, prepared for the people by Sir ROBERT PEEL, is the Income-tax. They do not seem, however, much to relish it, and make sundry wry faces as they endeavour against their will to bolt it. They believe, perhaps, like good children, that it is very nice, but to swallow it goes very much against them. What can the Government do, it is asked, without an addition to its revenue. Simple-minded men—but they are not worthy of consideration—say, reduce its expenditure, draw in some of the many arms which it spreads out to every part of the world, each of which carries off some of the national s h t o r i e n n e g , t 1 u ; cdhryausp some of the numerous issues at wasteful pensions, unne c essar y commissions, unneeded soldiery, from which flow away our vital Power, and restrain many of those Vitus'-dance like meddling exertions, which pro duce nothing but the exhaustion of the body politic. Counsellors of this policy are regarded nature of governm ent; they l ook on i t as some thingas persons wholly unacquainted with the true intended for the public:benefit, whereas it is as actually co n d ucted for the enrichment of certain classes, and to restrict its revenue would be to fail as to that end. Therefore, as the ex no longer be in creased pense must be cont i nued, as indirect taxation can the Income-tax, and with some lamentation and they some grumbling,, people reluctantly receive seem to take, on the whole, with thankful ness , Sir ROBERT PEEL'S Christmas feast. Having on principl e no strong objection to an Income-tax, properly and judiciously levied, it was our opinion fro m the first that if Sir ROBERT a PEEL fbund such tax indispensable, it was his business to adapt the law to our present circum stances, and levy suc h a tax i n a reasona bl e manner. We cond emne d , at t h e ver y m oment of the appearance of the new law, the plan of merely adopting, with t r ifling alterations, the hated Income-tax that was abolished at the close of the war. He and Mr. GOULBURN pursue the routine course, and the consequence ig, that the tax is more disliked, even before it has come into operation, than was the old tax. " Explicit objections," says Sir ROBERT'S most useful advo cate, the Spectator, " are taken to the mode of levying the tax rather than to its principle.° " There was an equal outcry against the former income•tax, yet that very law was taken by Sir relief in the midst of such unmerited sufferi •_ Let his revilers of the present day, few as:they are, read this sentence, and blush for persecuting this excellent Christian even beyond the ;;rave, " 11l solitary exile,' said he, " there a dignity, there is a conscious which, even independent of philosophy, may support the miad but I question much if . any of the illustri ous o f anc i ent ages could h s leave ap. ported an exile equal to mine, surrounded by tile very outcasts of society, without the aid of reli gion and the example of .T.esus." Yet a in , la entertaining such sentiments, and striving, like every good patriot, for the freedom of his country, wascondenthed asa malefactor. Time, however, bot ; done justice to his memory. The Town Council of that city in which the tragic scene occurred, have voted a public site for a monument to these Refbrrners, and one of the largest parishes in London has performed the same sacred duty. This tribute has come too late for the unfortunate victims, but it marks the spirit of the age, and may serve as a warning to persecutors of the present day. pride, Accounts have been received from Madrid to the 15th, and from Barcelona to the 16th inst. The Patriota of Madrid states that the nego tiation relative to the quicksilver contract had been broken off; and adds—" We are sure that they will be disposed of to the greatest possible advantage, and we are happy to have it in our power to assure that the Minister of Finance, as well as the Cabinet, has resolved to adjudicate them by public auction, and to demand for that purpose the approbation of the Cortes, without which no decision shall be come to." The same journal announces that the Spanish Consul at Perpignan has been dismissed by the. Govern ment fbr having granted passports which he ought to have refused. It is stated in another Madrid journal, that M. OLIVERAS has been arrested for having given to Colonel Pnur, one of the deputies of Catalonia, a passport, which he obtained by saying that he was going abroad. The Constitucional of Barcelona complains in strong terms of the decrees of the forced con tributions of twelve millions of reals and for the rebuilding of the citadel, and mentions a report that the Ayuntamiento had presented to the Captain-General a protest against the forced contribution, as being contrary to the Constitution. VAN HALEN is said to have replied, that Bar celona being in a state of siege, the order could not be set aside by any representation of this description. According to advices from Girona of the 12th, a band of fifty or sixty armed men arrived on the previous night at Osor, and marched, off in the morning towards the mountains. It was not known by whom they were commanded. Gene ral ZURBANO entered Girona on the 12th, with four battalions of the regiments of Africa and America. The Three per Cents. were done at 21 15-16, at GO days; the Five per Cents, at 26, for cash, and 261 5-16 e, at 60 days ; and the titles of the Foreign Converted Debt, at 181, on the 14th and 15th of January next, with four coupons. The accounts from Paris respecting the mis understanding between France and Spain are more favourable, and lead to the belief that affairs will be settled without any serious quarrel. The Funds, however, still continued depressed. Rumours prevailed both at Madrid and Paris that M. GUTTIEREZ, the political chief at Bar celona, was to be dismissed; a result, says a Ministerial paper, which will put an end to all differences. This is gratifying, coming from such a quarter. The tone of the Constitutionnel is equally pacific. "We do not wish (says that journal) to dissemble from our readers the real character of late events, but notwithstanding what is said in The . Sun, we do not consider war to be inevitable, or even probable. For there are in Europe so many interests which are in volved in the preservation of peace, there is so little inclination on the part of the Governments for having recourse to war, that a hostile colli sion can be desired by no one, and would be equally fatal to all. The difficulties which have arisen between France and Spain are doubtless grave,,but when reason resumes its sovereignty, when the passions become calmer, when the truth shall be clearly developed, it will be easy to discover that there exist not any reasonable , grounds for rupture between the two countries, and that in coming to a quarrel we should only be serving the interests of England." The Presse, in reference to the misunderstand ing between the Court of Russia and the Porte, respecting the affairs of Servia, makes the fol lowing remarks : The question of the principalities of the Danube takes every day new importance. 'We mentioned that an autograph letter from the Emperor Nicholas had been addressed to the Sultan, protesting against the revolution in Servia and against the deposition of Prince Michael, sanctioned by the Porte. To-day the Gazette d'Augsburg confirms this news, and adds some curious details. According to this journal the Czar's protest has thrown the Divan into consterna- tion. Nevertheless, after a stormy discussion, the Divan decided that the order of things newly esta blished in Servia shall be maintained in spite of the demands of Russia. Thereupon M. de Boutenieff, Envoy Extraordinary of the Emperor, declared that if the Porte persisted, he had received orders to ' demand his passport, and quit Constantinople. This time it is decided that an appeal shall be made to all the Powers against the exactions of the Russian Cabinet. But the Ambassadors of France and England seem to have been taken by surprise by this incident. They replied to the Turkish Ministers that they would write for instructions from their re spective Governments. Meanwhile, M. de Boutenieff proudly maintains his ultimatum. Such are the facts. They indicate, apparently, a tendency of the Turkish Government to shake off the Russian yoke, and a wish to associate the European powers in a resistance which it seems to aim at. In this respect the facts would be important; they would show the symptoms of a new line of policy in the East. But we cannot easily accept this signification. We suspect that, under these noisy demonstrations, there lies a-. snare in which the diplomatists of France, England, and Austria will be again caught, if they do not keep a sharp look out. In spite of ourselves, we cannot be lieve that the events which have taken place in' Servia can have seriously caused a quarrel between the cabi nets of Constantinople and St. Petersburgh. It appears certain in our eyes that Russia was in the confidence of Turkey, when the latter sent emissa ries to Belgrade to provoke the movement. Nego tiations were going on at the same time for the dis missal of Prince Ghika. Both were movements of the same policy. Russia affects anger at Constan tinople, in order to deceive the Powers, while a secret arrangement is made with T ur k ey t o sanct i on the sacrifice of Prince Michael. And Turkey, requests the envoys of the other Powers for support against Russian anger, and for the protection of an arrange ment which Russia, though she openly attacks all the time, covertly desires. The comedy is well aged, " Private letters have been received," says the Moniteur Parisien, "from the Marquesas; of a later date than the dispatches of Admiral DUPETIT THOUARS. The occupation was pro ceeding rapidly, and to the entire satisfaction of the natives. The establishments mentioned in the Admiral's Report are actively developing themselves; 3,000 bricks were made daily,.and a kiln was constructed for baking 5,000 at once, and lime also was made. The live stock brought by the Admiral had been considerably aug mented by imports from Chili." The Commerce in reference to the orders of ESPARTERO to repair the citadel of Barcelona, takes an opportunity of attacking the KING and M. TIIIERS for planning the fortifications of Paris :—" We recommend," says that journal, " to the attention of our readers the order given by the REGENT of Spain for the immediate re- construction of the citadel of Barcelona. If the .... bombarding of the city was not a sufficient notice to the Parisians and those men fatally credulous who have voted for the fortifications of Paris, the language of ESPARTERO ought to deprive them of their last illusion. At Barcelona and at Paris the two Governments proceed in the same man- ner, as if one copied the example of the other, If M. TILLERS' dictatorial ordinance wets EseAwrEno's decree is still more so. What right had the Executive Power in Spain to raise taxes without the sanction of the Cham bers ? Does the REGENT comprise in his own person all powers, legislative, executive, and judicial ? This is dictatorship substituted for the Constitution. The idea is monstrous. In fine, the evil is great, but it would not be without a remedy Wall theivell.lutentioned men who were led, away by :51. Tunas wonid acknowledo their errors and unite with public opinion in arla resting the progress of the most formidable enter prise ever undertaken against ,the liberty and power of a nation." BO U RSE —PA RIS. TII lIRSDA I', DECEMBER 22. First Highest owest Last Price. Price Price. Price. French Five per Cents. 118 65... 118 00.., 118 65... 118 90 414 per Cents. 106 50... 106 50.. 106 50... /thi 50 Threes ... 78 40... 75 60... 78 40.. 78 10 Bank of France 3302 50...3302 50_33(12 50...33 0 5° Latiitte Bank I,ooof 1050 ..1050 ...1050 ...10 50 5.000 f 5080 —.5080 ...5080 „.5080 Belgian Bank BlO ... 810 ... 810 810 Belgian Fives 1840 lO4 ... 104 ... 104 104 Threes ‘75... 72 7 5... 72 75... 72 75 Spanish Active. . 2.3. ; ... 234 ... 234 231 Passive ...... 4 ... 4 ... 4 ... 4 , Dutch 2i per Cents... 54 ... b 4 ... 54 ... Portuguese Fires 321 ... ... 32.4 Neapolitan Roman .... 104 k ... 104 i ... 104 k ... 104} RAILWAY SHARES. Versailles, L.B lO7 50... 115 ... 107 i 0... " 3 75 R.B 275 ... 275 ... 275 ... 275 Rouen Orleans.... Strasburg - to Bale 203 75... 203 75... 202 50;:. 202 50 We have received information from a quarter on which we can entirely rely, that it is not the Intention of her Majesty's Government to propose any alteration in the Corn-laws. The anxiety of the public during, the last week to learn the policy of the Governme nt renders this informati on o f peculiar interest and im portance. We may be permitted to add, that no such intention has at any time existed on the part of Minis ters since the close of the last session of Parliament. -- • British Queen. We understand that Sir John Pine, though soliciteas refused to act upon the Committee of Inquiry into th• management of the British American Association. ~i MONEY and COMMERCIAL NEW' (From The Sun of Saturday,) The Cotton Market at Liverpool was brisk yester day, and prices were steady. Sales, 6,000 he. 1 05414. , but others were in poor request. Paris and Rouen Railway Shares were rather, bette . ! 1 %. 7 heavy. 'Edinburgh and Glasgow, Quarters, brougli" 41. 18s. 6d.; Grand Junction, Half, 94 321. Shares, 33i ; and Paris and Rouen, , Monday will be a close holiday at Liverpool. There are no arrivals to-day, and the produce kets are closed till the 3d of next month. n e- • The return of the Promissory Notes payable On mand, in circulation in the United Kingdoms du';',l the four weeks, ending the 10th instant, as eemP a • the with the previous statement to Nov. 12. gives The market bey following results : Circulation.—Bank of E n , Nov. 2 .£20,104, g 0 ° land Dec. 10 18,841,000 Joint-Stock of E ng l an d .Nov. 12 3,1906 Decrease ...... 1,2°3 '1 3,001, 59° Dec. 10 195,374 I.: Mt Decrease... Chartered Private, and Joint-stock of England 199 3 63 Increase.. -- ' OO O 8,162,,, An Nov. 12 Nov. 112°L:8°9911:11 Dec. 10 3, 138, ' 2 , 1,0 0 ° Decrease ...... Private and Joint- s t oc k o f I re l an d, Nov.lo 2,126,82? 88a Dec. 12 2,104, 21,94 4 Decrease ...... Bullion in Bank of England... N 0w .... 10,51 1, 1 0 Before ... 604,0 0 Ie . The Stock Market s as till wears rather a firmer ap -0001 pearance, o n accoun t o f th e l arge p urc hases, 7-A , a - altogether, ma d e i n C onso l s b y the Bear after changing t he the accounts, a little aithee the recent decline u p on th e s t re ngth of Barcelona affair, and which had led them rather to oversell th emse l ves . O n the other hand' the heavy sale of 80,000/. to 100,000/. Reduced Three per Cents., made by the' Government broker , in °Li mexion probably with the finance accounts, or for th&t: 4 Bank of England, has been quite recaverect This. morning an investment has been • znada:-3 in them t o th e ex t en t of . 6,7001. suppos ed ' B5ll usual to be for the Savings' Banks. The increasingf amount of bullion in the Bank: serves to buoy 1 1 1 3t1 1; j i Bull party. C onso l s : for , the opening have reitlio4l 93/ to 94., Exchequer Bills -have .been. ivorari, 4. to 525. premium ; and I n di a Bonds, 465. pre '''-• ReducedThree-and-a-lialf per Cents.. are 10.1, • . Ban Stock has been firm at 171. The Canada Debenturo"- are 11 to Li premium.' Being the day before Christmas, and such," g iorion', weather,'" few of the speculators in foreign stooks Ar ai present in the market., Spanish Actives , are Isll t(P 181 ; and the Three per Cents. 24 to 24 ; Dutch Fix-e • per Cents. of the .New Loan, ace-981. - ,1 The Railway Shares continue dull, but Price s a n n o d m E in l t i t s l t ly e;n st . i 9 pir d rt i e se d o . u ß n r t ig . h 134, Northern and Eastern Scrip 51 and Palls an d Rouen 5 premium. Edinburgh and Glasgow New are at par. There has been no notice from the Mansion -house, recommending a holiday on Monday, and the public offices will remain open as usual. Brighton n es a r i-IV3etteardi Nierwt.hearri; PRICES OF IRISH STOCKS, DUBLIN, DEC. 2 2 . Three per Cent. Consols.. Ditto, New, 1830 CLOSING BRITISH Bank Stock .171 3 per Cent. Red. ...... 3 per Cent. Cons.... 3 i per Cent. Red 101 k New 3i per Cent — New 5 per Cen' Long Annuities to expire Jan. 1860 ...... 121 Oct. 1859 . Jan. 1860 . Bank of Ireland .........................• 100,} PRICES. FUNDS. India Stock ............ pip Ditto Bonds ....... ..... 4 5 P Ditto Old Annuities ... •-•• Ditto New Annuities... Ex. Bills, 1,000/....2d. 59 1 /,„,"" Ditto 5001..... . 52 tt "" Ditto Small ...... 5 9 Pi g Bank Stock for Acct. "-- India Stock for Opg..• „,,, Consols for Opg. . ..... "' .4 f FUNDS. ,Portuguese, 5 per cent. --- Ditto, New Ditt0......... Prussian, 5 per cent. ~• ---. Russian, 5 pei cent.•••• -- Ditto, Metallic .. ...• -- , Spanish, 5 per cent... , • • --- Ditto, Deferred - ---:. French, 5 per cent --, . -- !Exchange ---f —c French, 3 per cent —f• --e- Dutch, 21 per cent.... . 2 Ditto, 5 per z.ent. .. - 1t434 FOREIG Austrian, 5 per cent. — Belgian, h per cent Brazilian Bonds.. Buenos Ayres 6 per cent Chilian, 6 per cent. Colombian, 6 per cent — Ditto, 1824 Cuba Bonds, 6 per cent 80k Danish, 3 per zent Greek, 1825, 5 per cent Mexican, 5 per cent — Ditto, 6 per cent. 1837 Peruvian, 1825, 6 per et. 77_ SHARES. Edinburgh and Glasgow (50 paid) ... 5 Ditto New Share.; ( 5 paid) Great North of England Railway (100 pd) Great Western, (65 paid) ... 63i Ditto New Shares (50 paid) 9 Ditto Fifths ( 4 paid) ...... London ar.d Brighton (50 paid) Northern and Eastern (45 p a id) Ditto Scrip ( 5 paid) ...... 10 Paris and Rouen (20 p a id) ..... 25 South Eastern and Dover (50 paid)... ..... . a Ditto Scrip (PO naid) We hear that it is in contemplation by the presen t Admiralty Board, in the ensu i ng spr i ng , to ..11111- some considerable alterati on i n th e presen t establish ment of the different ordinary Guard Ships, bY enr deavouring, if pos g ibl e , t o d o away w ith the expell. s . e f / of one of the s hip s a t eac h por t— a ll ow i ng the &VI I .: the Rear-Ad m i ra l-S up e r i n t en d en t to b e hoisted the Sheers in the Dockyard, as is the case with al.:. nations. If this arrangemen t i s acte d on , we. s , • begin to think th e T or ie s h ave some id eas o f ecen9„,,/13.'17, 7.'' —Hampshire Independent. e that the long talked of " new arrangement" re There is not the slightest reason to suPP, ° ! - 0 . the `'.3ratjenbta-k_ Come Pursers of the Navy, which was announced place on the sth of January next, is likely adopted at all ; the report from the Admiral's Corg; mittee on that subject having been put asideat the Admiralty sine die.—llampshire Independent. file WAGES.—We are sorry to hear that Lord Lons,--, 2 ; . has ordered a reduction to be made in the wages 01. " labourers—of two shilling per week on those receiv• ing 13s.—Carlisle Journal. THE GREAT ANTI-CORN-LAW PAVILION. -- T he walls of this great building are now up, and readY 110 t to b to receive the roof. A little accident occurred the other day, which we should not have deemed w orthy of notice, but we see by th e L on d on Standard of Thursday, that it is to be mad e t o conve y the impres . sion, that, " from the slight m anner i n w hich it is bui lt, the remaining part is far f rom sa f e ." It seems that a piece of stone, forming th e corn i ce , h a d b e en left pro jecting too far over th e wa ll, an d some b r i c k work upon this overweight e d it, an d cause d i t to f a ll, w ith a little of the brickw or k ; w hi c h , f a lli ng upon th e pu tlocks of the scaff o ldi ng , w hi c h were i nserte d i n t h e wa ll below , . forced th em ou t, i n d o i ng w hi c h t h ey sp lit a portion of the wall. This was the extent of the accident ; which will doubtless be magnified by the Tory paper s of this day. It is one which might have occurred to the stro nges t wa ll ever erec t e d. The wall is of good bricks, very substantially built, and 18 inches in thick ness; and there is no upper floor to support, but merely the roof, which will also be supported by two ranges of iron columns, 16 in number, cast by Air' Fairburn, there need be no apprehension on this score. We learn, however, that as some industrious attempts have been made to misrepresent the nature of the ac'.. eident, and to cast dott - ht 1:11(•. , stability of the-build' ing, competent partics are copged to superintend the s2;f( - qy of the stru c ture; and that, when.completed.o Will be surveyed by a practical engineer, with a view to have his report to its stability. —Manchester dian. Three men were lately residing at Coate, near De' vCzeF, who. amongst them. had been roanied to le ss (hail eleven tunes.—Deoizes Gazette.