The Sun. — London, England, 1834-10-24 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. The inquiry before the Privy Council into the cause of the late unhappy conflagration has not yet termi nated. Their Lordships are proceeding to examine all the witnesses they can find, who are likely to throw light on •the strange conversation that was reported to have taken place at Birmingham. We believe, how ever, the general impression to be, that the lovers of mystery will be disappointed. Enough has transpired of the proceedings to show that the fire can be im puted to no worse cause than negligence. The Ex chequer tallies appear originally to have been burnt at Tothill-fields, or to have been used as firewood. The room in which this collection of them was deposited being necessary for the accommodation of the Bank ruptcy Court, orders were given by the Board of Works for their removal, and for them to be burnt. The per sons employed to execute the order might have done so with perfect safety, had they burnt them in the open air, or put them into the fire handful by handful. Unfortunately they did neither ; but, to save time and trouble, endeavoured to make short work of their commission by burning all the tallies they could at once, which produced the catastrophe. No blame attaches to the officers of the Exchequer ; for they have long discontinued the use of tallies, and therefore have ceased to have any concern with them. The Board of Works,, too, are equally innocent, for the order they issued was one not out of the or dinary course ; and so far from there being any foun dation for the insinuation thrown out in a Sunday print, that they had been warned by the housekeeper of the Lords of the danger, it appears that this witness denied, in the most unqualified and unequivocal man ner, that she made any communication to the Board of Works on the subject. The origin of the fire has been altogether so clearly accounted for, that we are sure the Privy Council can continue the investigation for no other object than to give full and entire satisfac tion to the public ; which, perhaps, it would be vain to expect, unless all evidence that could be offered upon a question of such national interest had been received and taken into consideration.—Morning Chronicle. We perceive, at nearly all the meetings or political dinners which have lately taken place throughout the country, that, according to the feelings or interests of the respective districts, some tax or impost has been condemned as necessary to be taken off during the Session. At one place the cry is " Off with the malt tax ;" at another the window tax is the object of exe cration ; while at many we find the whole system of the assessed taxes declared to be insupportable. It is hardly, however, necessary to observe that were the wishes and demands of all these persons gratified, the Chancellor of the Exchequer would eut but a very sorry figure on the next sth of April, tiled the public creditor would be, we suspect, in nearly as happy a state as the unfortunate holders of the Cortes Bonds appear to be at the present time. But we do trust, that all that is passing will not be thrown away on the Government, and on Lord Althorp in particular, and that, during the recess (though some of the Ministers have been employing themselves somewhat busily in other occupations, the usefulness of which may be questio na bl e ), he will be able to mature a budget which may at once evince a determination to relieve the productive classes from the taxes winch are now pressing so heavily on the energies of the country. A desire to effect this has all along been Professed by the present Ministry, but hitherto there has been a most lamentable deficiency both of talent and firmness in the whole of our system of taxation— and the public has had more than once to lament the production of a most contemptible budget on the Friday, nearly every trumpery item of which was al tered or altogether struck out by the following Tues day. To go no further than the last Session, let us observe how little was done, and how little talent or consideration was necessary to effect even that. We find that the house tax, which must stand first and foremost, but which we can hardly say was at all con ceded by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, it being, in fact, wrung from him, was repealed; that the du ties on Almanacks, Directories, on starch, stone bot tles, and sweets, were taken off; that, in e'en) instan ces, some of the assessed taxes were done away with ; and, finally, that the tax on sheep-dogs ( I ! !) was wholly abolished. This last, we presume, is the long promised relief to the suffering agriculturists I ! ! That there may be sound reasons for taking off every one of the above taxes we do not deny ; but the Noble Chancellor of the Exchequer must go lower down in the scale, and commence with those taxes which are ee this moment pressing on the lowest of the productive classes, if he expect at all to relieve or satisfy the just wants of the country. It should be recollected that it is to a commutation of the present taxes rather than to a diminution in our expenditure that we must look for relief, and the burden of those imposts, which are now pressing so heavily and injuriously to the whole com munity, on labour, should be cast upon the property of the country. For, as has been aptly observed— " Labour is the ultimate source of all property. * a Leave labour untaxed, and it will soon relieve property from the original amount of pressure, by furnishing to taxation a perpetually extending surface." It is by the abolition of the tax on the various commodities necessary for the support and comfort of the productive classes, that the desired relief can be afforded. And we must confess, that on taking a review of all these burdensome imposts, we are of opinion that no one would be productive of such vast benefits to the com munity as the total abolition of the malt tax. We are aware that there are many reasons also which can he adduced for the taking off other taxes by the respec tive advocates for their abolition ; but there is none which, on every ground either of finance or morality, we think can compare with it. The subject, however, is one of sufficient importance to merit the fullest dis cussion, and we shall again return to it on the first opportunity.—Morning Herald. The Conservative Meetings which have recently taken place, in each of the three members of the United Kingdom, have produced the happiest effect. They have drawn together bodies of men who have the welfare of the country sincerely at heart, and who required only the consciousness of strength, which such re-unions are calculated to produce, to convince them that it is in their power to sway the policy of Govern ment, and thus to secure to the nation the utmost de einor e of welfare and safety which an honest and discreet exercise of the functions of Government can confer. These meetings have had the further effect of con vincing the people of England that, with few and in considerable exceptions, the Gentlemen of the United Kingdom are not satisfied with the materials of which the present Administration is composed ; that they do not repose confidence in its actual members ; that they are averse to many of the principles which govern its conduct, and to all the subterfuges and compromises to which, in the absence or feeble ness of principle, it habitually has recourse ; that they have a firm and well-considered faith of the possibility of constituting an Administration more honest, more wise, more patriotic, and more na tional than the present ; that they see, in fine, how little now remains for them to do, but the completion of an operation which has been advancing for some time with a rapidity constantly increasing—the transmission, namely to the lower ranks of society or opinions and feelings with respect to the merits, or rather the deme rits, of the Whig Ministers of the Crown, which have long been predominant among its more elevated classes. Such have been the salutary effects of the Tory Meet ings which have recently been held in' England, Ire land, and Scotland. Lancashire, Glasgow, and Dub lin, Wexford, Perth, and Kent`have contributed nobly to this guarantee of national security and of national renovation. Gloucester, Somerset, and Down are about to add their solemn denunciation of the base traffic which has enabled selfish and sordid statesmen to purchase power and pelf by pandering to revolu tionary passion. The gentlemen of every county w ill, no doubt, speedily follow the example of those we have named ; and thus the nation will he finally dis abused, the interested charlatans who have so long made profit of its misplaced confidence be fully ex posed, and the way to power be prepared for Statesmen who have enough of talent and of virtue to serve the people, and too much of both either to flatter or betray them. Such being the natural tendency as they are the legitimate objects of Conservative Meetings, it can excite no surprise that the latter should be assailed by the clumsy ridicule and the'virulent reproaches of the Journals whose present interests are associated with the dominion of Whiggery. It is quite natural that in the estimation of Journals of this description the Whig Dinner at Edinburgh in honour of Lord Grey should be a great manifestation of national senti ment, while the assemblies to which we have alluded are described as consisting of " fragments of the com munity," of " units against thousands." - We are glad that the Whig Journals thus continue to harp upon the Edinburgh Festival in honour of their political creed. That they thus glorify themselves upon a cele bration of which, in all its circumstances, the lowest class of Tories would feel heartily lashamed, is only a proof of the weakness and poverty of their cause, of their wretched penury in subjects of boast, of the deplorable abasement of their adherents in numbers and in power, in mind, and in estate. What Con servative assemblage, since we are presumptuously challenged to a comparison, has ever presented so degrading a scene as that of the Grey Dinner ? Where have Tories, assembled in honour of any of the leaders of their party, shown themselves incapable of the ordinary decencies of society ? At what Tory din ner have the hours dedicated to harmonious intercourse and convivial enjoyment been consumed in mutterings and bickerings between the leaders of that party ? Which of the numerous Tory celebrations we have had the happiness to record has been followed by a fierce paper war of sarcasm, invective, and recrimination, among the most distinguished of the guests ? What Tory has found it necessary to intrigue or canvass for a second banquet in order to heal the wounds inflicted upon his personal vanity at the first, or to promote in dividual objects of his own, in which the great majority of his party do not concur ? When has a meeting of Tories been indebted for the whole or any part of its interest to the general anticipation of the community that it would be embraced by any one member of the party as a fit occasion for the reproach and denuncia tion of another ? At which Tory assembly has a leader of the party been compelled to suppress the na tural feelings of resentment against those by whom he knew he had been betraved—at which has a Grey been confronted with a Brougham ? At what Tory dinner has a leader of the party sat in momentary dread of some attack of malignant though not un founded reproach—at which has a Brougham been confronted with a Durham ? We have been led to ask these questions, or rather to institute this compa rison, by the affectation of contempt exhibited by a Morning Paper for the Conservative Meetings which have produced and will produce the most salutary ef fects upon the public mind, in every part of the country where they have been or may yet be held. The Times is attempting in vain to stem the current of public feeling. It may perhaps continue this fruitless effort yet a little longer—yet a little longer indulge in the language of contempt towards the Conservative power of the country. But it will not long persevere in so hopeless an attempt, nor permit itself so unprofitable an indulgence. The moment is visibly approaching when the Times will perceive how very imprudent it is to resist the stream of public opinion, when it will suddenly transform itself, if not into one of the best at least into one of the most vehement of Tories, when it will become to all the rest of the Whigs what it has already become to Lord Brougham.—Morning Post. We resume our notice of the proceedings of the Superior Council of Commerce, now assembled at Paris. At the second sitting the first witness examined was M. Andre, manufacturer of porcelain. He was of opinion that goods made of pipe-clay might be ad mitted under a sufficient protecting duty. Without such a duty he thought the admission would injure the porcelain manufacture. " I cannot conceive," he said, " why we should not manufacture articles of earthenware like the English, if we really felt the want of them. We should be able to make them good if we were to sell them for ten or twelve sous more the dozen. For some• time past we have manufactured what is called opayrue porcelain ; it is made of pipe clay, and looks bet ter, but is not worth more than that which is sold at a cheaper rate. English goods of pipe-clay are almost as good for use as porcelain. If they were admitted with a duty, either a small quantity only would enter, and that would have no effect on our manufacture ; or a large quantity would enter and then we should betake ourselves to the manufacture of similar articles." He says that he thinks his own countrymen could produce all earthenware goods cheaper than the English if their manufactories were more conveniently situated. " In England' he observes, " they are all close to canals, while in France some are so placed that they must necessarily procure all their materials by land carriage." Being asked what pro gress had been made of late years in the manufacture of porcelain in France ? he answered that the pro gress had been " enormous." " Where we produced what may be represented by 4,000,000 in quantity, we now produce 4,soo,ooo—which would be equal to a quantitity of 8,000,000 at least, if the compari son were made in reference to the prices now charged, and the prices obtained for the same goods ten years ago. When I first began to manufacture porcelain, we sold plates for from 12 to 13 fr., which we can now offer wholesale for 5 fr. 10 sous." In another part of his evidence, he says—" As to the English white porcelains, I would willingly permit them to enter without any duty at all. To the English porce lain attaches this peculiarity--namely, that metallic substances enter into its composition, in consequence of which it will take all sorts of colours. The colour turquoise is a colour which they very often make use of in England for this purpose : it would not be pos sible to employ it on our porcelain. The English de corate porcelain in their very manufactories them selves, while the French manufacturers confine them selves to making it white and plain. This is an ad vance. If the porcelains which I deliver to others, who decorate them, could be decorated in my ma nufactory, I should be able to sell them for five per cent. less than I sell them for now." M. Andre is im mediately asked" Have you not recently increased the prices of your white porcelains ?" He answers, " We have not increased the prices : they have quite naturally increased themselves in consequence of the demand, which has considerably increased, and which has become greater than the supply." Our readers will recollect what M. Hautin said about probibition. "My yoke is still for prohibition—l do not conceal it ; I and uiy brother manufacturers have lived under the shade of that tree," said the candid monopolist of crockeryware. We described this tree as one that sucked nourishment from a nation, in order that a few individuals :might idle beneath its shade. Can there be anything more strongly illustrative of the accuracy of this description, than the last answer of M. Andre ? " We have not increased the prices of white porce lain," says: M. Andre ; " it is true that they have in creased, butt then they increased themselves quite natu rally, for the consumers want more of the article than we have inutlustry enough to produce, and therefore the price has risen.' Thus the earthenware manufacturers of France not only charge the community an exorbi tant price for the commodities they produce, but they actually refuse to furnish as large a quantity of those commodities as the uses of the public require, and which the public therefore would be forced to take at a monopoly price. The French consumer is to pay a scarcity as well as a monopoly price, because the manufacturers desire still to lounge under the shade of M. Hautin'g tree—prohibition. Does not this cir cumstance demonstrate that M. Desormes gave a most true character of the manufacturers of his own country when he described them as having neither energy nor perseverance, and as never thinking of taking the trou ble to work Eke the English ? One would hardly have expected to meet with the endurance of such a condi tion of things in a nation which boasts that it "is at the head of E uropean civilization." The evidence of M. Andre, however, will be read, as it deserves to be, with interest. He is evidently a very intelligent man, and well acquainted with his business ; he gives his evidence in ail open, straight-forward way, and puts one branch or the question under consideration in a new light. We mean that which relates to the intro duction of English white porcelains without duty. The decoration of these articles, in which the French are supposed to txcel us, while our style of decoration is certainly not so well suited to the taste of France as the French style is, would giveemployment to a vast num ber of addit'tonal hands in the latter country, while the manufactures of the articles themselves would have the same eject in England. For the rest, the French public would no longer have to pay even a monopoly price for white porcelain, much less a monopoly price and a scarcity price to boot. The next witness exa mined was M. Stephane Flachat, one •of the editors of the Courrier Francais, who it appears lins spent some time in the investigation of the subjects of this in quiry. He gave an account of conversations and com munications between himself and the principal menu facturers of earthenware in France. The result of these was a conviction on the part of M. Flachat that the repugnance of the manufacturers to the substitution of duties for prohibition would generally be found greater or less in proportion as their manufactories were further from, or nearer to, places whence fuel can be obtained at the cheapest rate. We think this very likely ; but to listen to objections which have only such foundation would be to admit something more than the propriety of prohibiting foreign goods from entering the French markets. It would establish this further principle,—namely, that the goods of French manufacturers whose places of business are disadvan tageously situated, ought to be protected against simi lar productions from the workshops of their fellow -!ounti ymen which arc more conveniently placed. For instance, the manufactories of Gien and Montereau, to which all materials are conveyed by land-carriage, and of which the productions are carried to the market by the same expensive mode of conveyance, should be protected against the productions of M. St. Criq- Caseaux, and against those of M. Hautin, whose ma nufactories are situated on the Oise and on the Seine. We have no doubt that if the site of the manufactories of these two gentlemen had been as ill-chosen as the sites of the manufactories of Gien and Montereau, they would have proposed some such measure. Being asked his opi nion respecting the amount of the duty that should be imposed in the event of a modification of the tariff, M. Flachat said that with regard to plates he thought that 30 per cent. on those of common earthen-ware, and 10 or 15 per cent. on those of fine earthen-ware and pipe clay, were the very highest duties that the Government ought to concede to the French manufacturers, and that these duties should be imposed only for a time. The examination of M. Honore, a manufacturer of porce lain, closed this sitting. He decirred that if the prohibi tion were removed without the substitution of a suffi ciently.high duty, the French manufacture of pipe-clay would be annihilated. He did not, however, state what amount of duty he considers sufficiently high. A part of his evidence is curious as further illustrating the noncha lance with which these gentlemen exhibit the monstrous deformities of a system which in the samebreath they de, clare to be perfectly symmetrical, and worth all the money the French people pay for keeping it as it is. After stating that the French manufacturers are fifty years in arrear (which is very different from the account given by M. Andre), that there has been great inert ness on their part, and that they require the stimulus of the removal of prohibition and the substitution of a sufficient duty in its stead, he is asked whether he thinks that if this notion of his were acted upon, the consumption of French porcelain would be at all en dangered ? He answers, " I should wish, in the first instance, that the duty on foreign earthenware was sufficiently high ; then what came in would serve as models for us, and our manufacturers would be stimu lated to produce the like. This is my case as to por celain. For some years past the English have en cumbered us with tea•services of gilt porcelain, coloured red and blue, which are sold here in our retail shops at a great profit, for from 72f. to 80f., and which are purchased in England for from 255. to 30s. Since then I have sold only very rich services. The sale of the common has ceased. Here, then, is an ar ticle which hasbeen lost to our trade by English compe tition." The interrogator at the Council says to him— " But, nevertheless, you are said to maintain competition with the English in forei g n markets ?" M. Honore re plies, " Yes, with regard to articles in which we watt to rival them ; but with regard to those articles in which we have not sought to contend with them, they have the advantage over us." Now, if this be not mere idle vapouring, it is another proof that the ques tion of lowering duties and removing prohibition on foreign earthenware is simply this question, namely— whether the French nation shall or shall not still be called upon to pay large sums of money for the sup port of idle or inexpert manufacturers. Their want of skill may he their misfortune, but their indolence is a vice which should be the more annoying to the French consumer in consequence of the unblushing impudence with which it is confessed, and protection and counte nance for it demanded. It is clear that what M. Ho nore states must, if true at all be quite as true with re gard to competition with foreign manufacture in the French market as in the markets abroad to which French produce is exported. The reason, therefore, according to M. Honore (we have seen that in this he concurs with M. Andre) that the French pay so much for articles of earthenware, is to be found in the indo lence of the manufacturers, who, nevertheless, are still modest enough to ask for prohibition, or for such pro tection as will enable them to continue to work as little and as ill as suits their convenience, while they charge for their productions just as much as they please.— Times. THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1834. HOP PLANTATIONS. In Scotland we sometimes see solitary hop plants growing in gardens or shubberies, by way of ornament, and clinging as vigorously to the poles that support them, as the ivy itself round the gnarled oak. Still our untravelled countrymen can form but a faint idea of a hop plantation, poled at the rate of 3,000 per acre, and extending to the size of an ordinary farm. The exact period when hops were introduced into England is not known ; but in the parish of Bourne, and neighbourhood of Canterbury, there is a plantation or garden, which is known to have been under the same culture since the reign of Queen Elizabeth. For long, however, the prejudice lingered that the perennial rooted plant in question spoiled the ground ; and Mr. M'Culloch, in his Commercial Dictionary, quotes from an old author, who says :—" Hops were then grown to be a national commodity ; but not many years since, the famous city of London petitioned the Parliament against two nuisances ; and these were Newcastle coals, in regard to their stench, &c., and hops, in regard they spoyl the taste of the drink, and endanger the people.' But the rulers were fortunately wiser than the ruled, and would at all times, we suspect, require to be somewhat in advance of the mass of the nation. Queen Elizabeth and her Maids of Honour breakfasted at seven o'clock, on beef steaks and horns of porter, and if hops had spoiled her drink, the evil would have been but of short continuance. A friend who was in England lately, was so much struck with the culture of hops, that he brought specimens of some of the tallest plants home with him, measuring more than twenty feet. Rochester, Sussex, and Canterbury, are the three great districts, anti the duty which is levied at the rate of 2d. per pound, produced in 1830 up wards of 153,0001. The cost of farming plantations is very great, and we are aware of three acres that were cultivated at an expense, apart from picking, of 451. The land thus occupied, amounts to about 50,000 acres, and the general calculation is, that one good year in three saves the cultivator. From the va riable nature of our climate, and the necessity of the article in brewing, hops not unfrequently form the subject of speculation, and in repeated instances for tunes have been lost and gained by the business. At the commencement of the present season the prospect was deemed so bad, that a lady in Kent sold her crop on the ground at 11/. per cwt. But matters rallied greatly, and the general return has been so good that prices have fallen to from 61. to 6/. 10s., for the same weight. Hop harvest or picking is an animated scene, and, together with the cleaning process, gives employ ment to great numbers of people. A hundred and fifty persons, including both young and old, may be seen in one field, with as many small baskets, the whole of which are emptied into large ones, placed in bags, and carried to the drying-house with the greatest care. The stalks or binds are preserved for binding the corn in harvest, and various other domestic purposes.—Dumfries Courier. A letter from Schwitz, dated Oct. 10, has the fol lowing :—" Among the phenomena of the present year we re mark two vine stems which have produced three times. On the 24th of July, the first ripe grapes were gathered. Others succeeded, which are now in full maturity. The third gather ing will take place at the end of this month, if the weather should continue fine. The vine was in full bloom ten days ago." MIDDLESEX MAGISTRATES, OCT. 2:3. The County Treasurer's and his S . ureties' bonds were pro. duced and laid before the Court. The Report of the Committee for Accounts and for Ge neral Purposes was read. The consideration of the Report of the Committee on the County Treasurer's accounts was, on the motion of Mr. HALL, postponed until the next Court-day ; and the county rate for the next quarter of a year was ordered to be one halfpenny in the pound. A list was read of the parishes and places in arrear to the county rates on the' first day of the late Session. Sir J. GIBBON moved that the Treasurer be instructed to compel payment of the arrears of the county rate. Mr. MILLS observed that instructions had lately been issued from the Home-office to obtain distress warrants, in order to compel payment of the arrears of the police rate. The motion of Sir J. GIBBON was carried. The Report of the Visiting Justices as to the Pauper Lunatic Asylum at Hanwell was read. It gave a very in teresting account of the Institution, and the manner in which its unfortunate inmates are employed. Several magistrates took an opportunity of bearing their testimony to the very excellent manner in which the Pauper Lunatic Asylum is conducted. The CHAIRMAN here requested leave of absence to attend the further prorogation of Parliament, which took place to day, a ceremony which, under existing circumstances, he was extremely anxious to witness. Sir J. GIBBON was then called to the chair. MISREPRESENTATIONS OF THE PRESS. Mr. HALSEWELL begged pardon for intruding On the Court a subject of a personal nature. He had to complain of an article that appeared in a morning paper with refe rence to his conduct son the last licensing day. The CHAIRMAN hoped that the magistrates would not take notice of anything they saw in the newspapers ; but continue to perform their duties conscientiously without re garding any misrepresentations like that of which the wor thy magistrate had complained. The next business before the Court was to receive the Attorney-General's and Sir J. Scarlett's opinions as to the right of the Middlesex Justices and Sessions to commit pri soners to Newgate, and give directions thereon. The Clerk read the case submitted to the Learned Coun sel, which was extremely long, setting forth various clauses in different Acts of Parliament on the subject ; but the question in dispute was shortly as above stated. The que ries at the end of the case were as follow : Your opinion is requested whether the commitment of a prisoner for want of sureties by 141 r. Harding, a Magis trate, and that of the Court of a man named Edwards to Newgate for a conspiracy were legal? Answer of the Attorney-General—l am of opinion that both of these commitments were legal, Newgate being the county gaol of Middlesex. 'The second query was—ls the form of their commit ment good, and, if you are of that opinion, what course would you advise the Magistrates to adopt to establish their rights ? Answer of the Attorney-General—l do not see any ob jection than can be urged to the form of the commitment. I recommend that an indictment be preferred against the Keeper of Newgate for refusing to receive into his custody the prisoners so committed. The Clerk then stated that the same case, with the same queries, were submitted to the - opinion of Sir James Scar lett, who, with reference to the first query, gave the follow ing opinion : I am of opinion, on the statement of facts and the Acts of Parliament to which my attention has been drawn, that both the commitments were legal,• and that the prison of Newgate has not changed its original character of a gaol for the county of Middlesex. The Shrievalty of the county of Middlesex being vested in the Corporation of London casts upon that Corporation the obligation of providing a gaol for the county. With reference to the second query, Sir J. Scarlett says, " I am of opinion that no objection can be made to the form of the commitments. I would recommend that an indictment be preferred against the keeper of Newgate for refusing to receive the two persons so committed, or an appli cation to the Court of King's Bench for a writ of mandamus to compel him to receive them. The latter mode would, per haps, be best, as it would more speedily bring the question to a decision, and enable the other party to state the real grounds for their refusal to obey the commitment. The above papers having been read, Sir P. LAURIE said that Mr. Cope, the Governor of Newgate, had acted under the direction of the city autho rities. He would suggest that a friendly conference should take place between the county and city magistrates, that being, in his opinion, much better than having recourse to legal proceedings.—(Hear.)—The city had lately been at the expense of 3,5001., in altering the criminal courts, Old Bailey. Mr. MILLS said the Corporation of London derived con siderable profit from having the Shrievalty of the county of Middlesex at their disposal, and the Middlesex magistrates were bound, after the opinions just read, to take immediate steps to set the question at rest. Sir P. LAURIE thought the question had better be post poned until the next court day. Mr. Sergeant ANDREWS said, as a lawyer he had no he sitation in stating that the Middlesex magistrates had the power of committing prisoners to Newgate. After some discussion the motion was carried, and the following gentlemen named as the committee :—Mr. Botch, Mr. Sergeant Andrews, Mr. Hall, Mr. Halsewell, and Mr. Mills. THE NEW POOR LAWS BILL. A letter from Mr. Chadwick, the Secretary to the Poor Law Commissioners, was read, requesting that they might receive the co-operation of the Magistrates in the better ad ministration of the Poor Laws ; enclosing also a variety of papers, with directions that they might be forwarded to the different Justices of the Peace for the county. It also stated that Overseers of various parishes in the county appeared to entertain erroneous 'notions relative to the pro visions of the Act, more particularly with reference to their power of granting out-door relief, and set forth the importance of such errors being corrected. Sir JOHN GIBBON had always disapproved of the Poor Law Amendment Act, and thought some parts of it most infamous. With that, however, the Magistrates had nothing tq do. It was their duty to administer the laws as they found them. The CHAIRMAN suggested that the clerk should be instructed to send an answer to the letter, to the effect proposed by Mr. Tubbs, and in the precise language of the letter itself, in fact a mere echo of the sentiments contained in it. This suggestion of the worthy Chairman was agreed to. Some other routine business was then disposed of, after which the Court, which was very numerously attended, adjourned. LONDON ADJOURNED SESSIONS. These Sessions were lea yesterday before Aldermen Venahles, Sir John Key, Cowan, Pirie, and Sir C. Mar shall, and the Recorder. APPEAL AGAINST THE PAYMENT OF POOR RATES. THE CITY OP LONDON GAS AND COKE COMPANY APPELLANTS TIIE PARISI! OF ST. BRIDE'S, FLEET-STREET, RESPONDENTS. Mr. Adolphus and Mr. Payne appeared for the Com pany; and, Mr. F. Pollock and Mr. Bodkin for the Re spondentsi The cafe excited much interest, inasmuch as the question raised has reference to a privilege claimed by persons hold ing premises contiguous to and abutting upon the City side of the River Thames. The notice'of appeal was read, and it set forth that the persons named were occupiers of shops, warehouses, and other premises in the Respondents' parish, and that, on the 11th of April last an excessive rate was made upon them by the parochial authorities. The RECORDER wished to be informed upon what parti cular point the Appellants rested. Mr. ADOLPHUS—We have no right, my Lord, to com plain that others are underrated ; our complaint is that we are overrated. He then referred to statutes passed in the reigns of Geo. 11. and Geo. 111., which enacted that the ground and soil on this side of the river to a certain extent should not be liable to any assessment whatever, parochial or Parliamentary ; and that being so, there was no neces sity for a specific notice. It was enough for the appellants that they were shielded by an Act of Parliament. The RECORDER inquired whether the statutes alluded to gave the Court the power of jurisdiction, so as to inquire into the ground, of any complaint which might be alleged. Mr. AnoLexus apprehended that the Court was em powered'to adjudicate, but it would be impossible for any one to lay his hand on this part of the embankment of the Thames, and say that it was rateable. Mr. PoLLocx—The argument of my learned friend raises a question of " boundary," and if that be adopted, the question will be what part of the soil, if any, is exempt from poor rates. Mr. POLLOCK, having consulted the litigants, intimated that perhaps they would settle the issue between themselves. The REcoanEa---What is the whole amount of the as sessment ? Mr. AnoLruns-1,250/. Mr. POLLOCK then proposed as the means of staying furthei proceedings that the rate should be reduced from 1,2501. to 1,000/„ viz., 960/. upon the general property, and 40/. for the ground in question, in which the pipes of the Company are inserted. Mr. ADOLPHUS, in assenting to the proposal, wished it to be understood that his clients agreed to it for the sake of peace, and in order that they might carry on their business without annoyance or interruption. The proposal having been reduced to writing, and agreed to, the matter was decided for the present without the fiat of the Court, the appellants reserving to themselves the power of litigatinc , the question of exemption in a superior Court, should it be deemed necessary. The question relates to the property of all persons having wharfs and premises on the banks of the river be tween the Temple and Tower Stairs. The Court adjourned. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. BO W- STREET. THE CHIMNEY SWEEPERS' NEW ACT.—Yesterday John Avery, sen., and John Avery, jun., together with a wretched-looking boy not more than eight years of age. were charged at the instance of the Chimney Sweepers' Society with having called out " Sweep" in the public streets contrary to the provisions of the new Act. Charles Miller, one of the inspectors appointed by the Society, proved that the defendants. were calling out in the old way in High-street, St-Giles's, on Monday morning last. The elder Avery admitted the fact, and pleaded that. they had no other means of obtaining custom than by call ing out, and that they must either do so- or starve, or go into a workhouse. One of the Society came forward and said there was no desire to press for severity of punishment in this case, the chief object being to repress a practice which was shocking to the feelings of humanity. If the Society had chosen to lay the informations against the two Averys under another section of the Act, they would have been liable to a penalty of 101. for employing a boy not being an apprentice, and moreover being under ten years of age. These unfortunate children were hired by the day, in some instances from their parents, and often by one master from another, and such was the fact in the present instance, the poor little boy having been worked by another master on Saturday, and a third one on Friday. The Magistrate said the objects of the Society were known to be excellent, and every assistance should be ren dered from the Bench in furtherance of those objects. He should on this occasion only fine the Averys is. each, and 4s. 6d. costs each, and in default of payment commit them to prison for three days ; but it might be taken as a warn ing for the future that in all complaints of the kind the ut most severity would be exercised. The defendants were committed. WORSHIP- STREET. MAGISTERIAL APPOINTMENTS.—Yesterday morning Mr. William Grove, formerly a county Magistrate, took his seat on the Bench at this office as presiding Magistrate for the day. Mr. Grove has been appointed at this office to fill the place of Mr. Benett, who has recently been appointed in the place of Mr. Serjeant Sellon, at Hatton-garden Office. On Wednesday Mr. Benet, who has been a Magistrate up wards of twenty years, presided at this office as usual, but for the lasttime previous to his taking his seat on the Bench at Hatton-garden, and on his departure in the evening, be took leave of the clerks, officers, and all persons connected with this establishment that were pre sent. The appointed Magistrates at this office now are Messrs. Twyford, Broughton, and Grove. A middle-aged man of very respectable appearance, who ,gave his name Charles Wilkinson, was placed at the bar before Mr. GROVE, charged under the following circum stances : For some months past some very extensive felonies and gross impositions have been practised upon licensed victual lers, eating-house-keepers, the keepers of tea and coffee shops, and various other shopkeepers in and about the me tropolis, by a person very fashionably attired, answering the prisoner's description. It was, it appears, his practice to go to the public-houses and taverns of the first respectability with a carpet bag of great bulk in his hand, as if he had just got from off a coach, and inquire with much indepen dence whether he could be accommodated with a bed for a night or so, and on being answered in the affirmative, he immediately requested the waiter to show him the way to his apartment, and to assist him in carrying his luggage.' It was also a general and an invariable rule with the gentle man to abscond as soon as it was daylight in the morning, and to take with him every portable article, and on the apartment being entered by some of the servants, a quantity of cabbage-leaves and other missiles was mostly found left behind. A case was proved against him, in which the prisoner declined making any defence. Mr. GROVE said he was a most daring thief, and fully committed him for trial. L AMBETH- STREET. CHARGE OF PASSING FORGED SWEDISH NOTES.—Yes terday Joseph Storsia, a Swede, but a Russian subject, who has been in custody for six weeks past on a charge of utter ing three notes of ten rixdollars each, purporting to be those of the Swedish Bank at Stockholm, but which were disco vered to be forgeries, was brought before Mr. HA.RDWICK for final examination. Mr. Hobler, who attended on behalf of the Swedish and Russian Consuls, stated that since the apprehension of the prisoner a communication had been made to the Court at Stockholm, stating the particulars of the charge, and re questing instructions as to how they were to proceed against the prisoner, but as yet no instructions had been received. It was known, however, that a gang of fellows had been taken up there for manufacturing and forging notes of a similar description to those passed by the pri soner, and there was no doubt the prisoner was employed by them to pass the notes in this country. He (Mr. H.) had, under the circumstances, to request that the prisoner might be committed to take his trial for obtaining goods by false and fraudulent means, and by the time the Old Bailey Sessions would commence he, no doubt, would have in structions as to whether he would proceed for the forgery. When the prisoner had purchased the goods from Mr. Ul lity, a draper in Ratcliffe, for which he gave the notes in payment, he said he was the mate of a Swedish vessel, whereas he was but a carpenter. Mr. HARDWICK observed that in framing a bill of indict ment for the lesser offence, it would be necessary to set forth that the notes were forgeries, and to prove by the best evi dence that they were so. To do this a witness from the. bank at Stockholm should be produced, as in bank prosecu tions here the evidence of none, no matter how competent in their judgments, but persons belonging to the bank itself was received. Mr. Hobler replied that in cases of prosecution by the Bank, there was never the difficulty as in the present case of producing a Bank inspector. He would, however, pro duce the next best witness, namely, an accredited agent of the Swedish Government, a gentleman through whose hands a number of notes of the Stockholm Bank passed, and who was therefore a competent judge whether the notes in ques tion were forgeries or not. Besides, there was on the face of the notes themselves, he thought, sufficient to show, in the absence of all other proof, that the notes were forgeries, as they were dated 1829, while by the water mark the paper on which they were on was not manufactured until 1833. Mr. HARDWICK said that the date appeared to be a par t of the plate by which the note had been struck off, and there was a possibility, therefore, of the old plate of 1829 being used in 1833, or 1834. He (Mr. Hardwick) doubted much whether a Jury would convict on second-best evi dence while there was a possibility of getting the first. If this was done, he would ask why the third, fourth, and fifth best evidence should not do as well ? One, or, he be lieved, two, instances occurred at this Office which strongly proved the necessity of having the best evidence. They were charges for uttering base coin, when persons who ap peared to be competent judges of the currency, swore that the pieces offered to be passed by the prisoners were base metal. On their testimony the parties were remanded, but on being brought up again, and the coin submitted to the inspection of the officers of the Mint, who were the best and most competent judges, they declared it to be per fectly genuine. Mr. Hobler observed that the representatives of the dif ferent Governments on whose behalf he appeared were anxious to protect the interests of the corporate body of the Bank of Stockholm, and should, therefore, wish for the prisoner's commitment. Mr. HARDWICK thought that in the first instance suffi cient legal proof should be given that the notes wore forge ries, and this not being done, he could not feel justified in detaining the prisoner any longer. ' The prisoner was then discharged. QUEEN- SQU ARE. LADY BARRYNIORE THE SECOND.—The well-known Ann Murray, whose constant visits to this office, when out of prison, have rendered her most notorious, and whose ex ploits amongst the police have proved her to be as dan gerous an opponent as the late Lady Barrymore, whose successor she most undoubtedly is, was brought up in cus tody of several police constables, charged with being drunk and disorderly at a late hour in the night, in the Almonry. Previous to her being brought before the Magistrate, she was searched, as she is generally in the habit of secreting a stone, or some missile, to salute the Magistrate with after her case has been heard, but nothing was found. She looked round for her friend, as she called Kane, the jailor, to whom she has a most extraordinary antipathy ; but Kane, who is almost bald from the tresses of beautiful hair that she has extracted from his pate in the scuffles he has frequently had with her in locking her up, kept at a most respectful dis tance out of sight. Ann Murray was then placed at the bar before Mr. BUR RELL, when it appeared that she was so drunk and violent in her conduct in the Almonry, that it required six police constables to carry her to the station-house. Ann Murray, in reply, said that she had been out with her landlady, who was a highly respectable woman as any in Westminster. They had a few drops of gin here and there on the road, which they paid for like honest women, and when people paid for what they ordered, she considered they had a right to drink it. She was not the woman, like many others, who went from gin-shop to gin-shop cadging for gin —she scorned such a low action—if she had done that, why then the pollee might have taken her; bat the, gaoler,iCv o u r t e slt e taal and a n dsn . had no right to take any person who aid for their g►n. Mr. BURRELL did not think this ingenious defence Ori elusive, and committed her for seven days to the House ° h t s — ehez t o l s l tp a r n ou k untg y si o du u ep . otnhehiomincleikeshea • That ie Ann Murray—What ! only seven days! swe t u h s a u t al s , h t e o( lou pi l . d ac l e l , aye another lock of his h a et i 41 B e Viet ' bellowed Kane, " pull her off, some of you A sc ulli _' r a e s leased, and Mrs. Ann Murray w-is at last safely secured• and Kane, with some difficulty , Iva' rc• rjtiubuiti: THAMES OFFICE. A liark Brady, a tall and ill-favoured seaman, belor4.ring DREADFUL AFFRAY ON THE RlYER.—Yester.aY '.,_.._ curt', a Newcastle collier, was brought befirre Mr. E nte, RIP, on a charge of wounding Robert Dixon, his shiP han o fi , in a drunken 'affray, by fractirring his skull, with a L 4ll spike, in so serious a mariner that the wound has pm)* by this time terminated his life. ' e pr ° ' Mrto the DE , . Evans, the principal surveyor of Thames Folic : .. c , duced the handspike, a most formidable weapon, w ith ,11 . ) .; the wound had been inflicted. He put in the follool i certificate : ts-' " This is t o cer tif y that Robert Dixon , admitted in '4O LimoHorital this morning, i s i n an extremely dangerous ce o f having met with a f rac t ure o f the skull, in consequel! of which it has bee n f oun d necessaryto . P erform the ° P er " °'' trepanning. ~ W.JAMES, ` ° OG e e t . 0 r 2 g 3 e , 1 D 8 1 3 x 4 0 . 11 " , u ital. " B. P. VIDIURMAN, London I.Clp bga • lhopes brother said that four piece s °- f been taken from his brother's head. prisoner, after a Caution from the rn The - fence said that Dixon called,him all the Scotch elii tt ' e could lay his tongue to the. Other night. atot i°P Mr. BR , . ODERIP was informed, in an answer to 99. 11, a ft which he put to the otEcers, that Dixon was t il°t 1 A stal,a to give, his deposition, and could not spea k ' {° 0 ha nd Mr. BRODERIP told the prisoner he was likely t accl bj fil at the bar on a charge affecting his life, and rem 0 , until o the . fate of the wounded. man was known.,,i 0 bearu ninquiry last night at the London Hoe: • e ll' aul that the man vas still alive but likely 111511 r not to hours. agistrate: i t n , to; ,NAPLES. 4 ••••:!. The following circular has been addressed by t to tb 3 dent of the C ounc il o f th e Ki ng o f t h e Two Sidi r ` eg agents of that Go'vernment itne o " CIRCULAR. " Foreign Journ a li s t s t a k e pleasure in atten (•l ; 6 3l o ' t policy of our Go vernmen t, an d to asser t at ones ti it is on the point of contracting a close alliane,s Wi' .tb sbo st t j ° great European P ower ; a t ano th er , th a t it 10 a s p rove" change its forms, t o a d op t th ose , w hi c h, as bas•be ea o tsr by a long and pai n f u l ex p er i ence , f ar f ro m beint; ads os itra t6 ous to public welf are , as many a tt e mpt t° de/D -always undermine its v er y -f oun d a ti ons . eye 3th " The King's Go v e rnmen t cons id er ing it : I' of i ;re dignity to pay any attenti on t o. th e observatlipsirolls , journalists (prezz o l e tti), h as cons t an tly beenbea t° ' allow them to state freely all that entered theoce the trusting to time and to th e ev id ence o f filets to re' . work of impudence and falsehood. P 6 ac. . 0 " What powerf u lly c o n fi rme d i t , an d what 5135. et n i efl: it in this idea, is the certainty that the genera tr ia % the magnanimous heart of a young King, an d , 7,is, o° lo gable efforts to insure the happiness of his suP.l e s , — P•tle ss , ; t u s fully gained their hearts as to render vain 11 0 d pe t utmost efforts of innovators, t o . injure by Ople' , 4 of manceuvres the fidelity and devotedness of tits re eri ° ' - 'li is also certain that the fatal consequences of tb e t the e s t ' 1 , 1 1820 are still fresh in every recollection, mild tit°vecit°ior which have af fl icted this fine kingdom, have P r° ,oisir b e; nation that the wisdom of his Majesty, by g ene- 10 0 c -be the into, t getting past faults, by introducing order into of the Administration, and the Strictest Itetl to io 3rt;3rot, Finance Department, by giving enconrageme n ' ture, industry, and trade, has been able to cur e V /P Will certainly, with time, completely cure, wit' t he 5 01 3 Providence, the deep Wounds inflicted by the foltie c o s`j individuals, and will restore to The nation til tit d law s ' l9 tranquillity which are ensured to them by tbe e' the most paternal Government. o bje " This truth, which is felt not only by faith 4 ' l t of' Sr but even by those who may be disposed to lean t ; d ie vertigo of past errors, is a certain rampart Altlig tr3 , c a duction employed by the above secretaries ; a ° , reee' s i ir quility - enjoyed by the kingdom since his lVf3iesitis't rev ° 11 , the paternal sceptre is the most evident pr oef, t is kill t he tionary fermentation is generally powerless irl,tA;. pith t t This is a reason why every one would c to d ig- r d greatest indignation any criminal attempt tolu`7, nes ' t public tranquility, and to' renew painful past - n -e ft °` ,h o t be this indignation would - still- greater * , vo '" e k c jc ' ia t° clemency of the Sovereign having brought (0:1111 good path those who had unfortunately wanci e3 :, - be de D er " 13esides,,there is no reason to dread tha t ' delusions of the propagandists will prerail i° 7'Procii„;je over the sad recollection of tlfe; misfortalle" rats by the revolution ; moreover, the ti t ' e t h i s b e r l y dr which must be excited in the 'hearts ve!' subjects by the generosity of MajestY, e . re A f i r to hasten to their relief, and which has e' re i a m his bi; ated so many wretched families. NevertheleAlo jesty, notwithstanding his confidence in the 6 " e 1) 1 to to 't ee r der subjects, has not ceased, and does. not cease, o r jer lint eye over the attempts of the revolutioni sts an t a ill ° of, defeat and prevent their secret machinations ►L e see.,,, to accomplish this, as he has in his. -wisdom ' if - bot the above remarks of the journalists. might be malicious seduction f or those of his beloved ' lOO.O by excess of credulity might lend. them an lure peri ti fjer and allow themselves to be enveloped in Ill fog, 0 40 1 Snares which the i nnova t ors are constan tly prePa rt l e d to disturb th e t ranqu ili ty of nations, aad- t e e d of s' 3 llii astray, so as to em plo y th em a f terwar d s like al' ;aiti• , a nd and make them the instruments of their l e bare Majesty, who especially wishes to see his peord'hiP . ,, - ble , flourishing, and who, to effect that'ardent des it e n - o r ts ° " - s per in the flower of his youth, spares neither psi re al t aa t oo has thought fit to advise his subjects in a pi I te " n bser: l ;:, not to pay the least attention to these fallaciou s ,;,br ts'" 2 . ble of the journals, and to consider them as Coin:PL e :dePi t °r :cir they really are ; thus sheltering them from c i by t' 'disasters into which they would inevitably be' le to - e O le ; ceitful oper a ti ons o f th e propagan di s t s . *tY hues' arl'he King, e ver d es i rous o f t h e pro We l. : tteY pendence of his subjects, will constantly .? oi PTi l vob le s iis o forts to maintain the preservation of those ,ii ie :',.rlib er sa tel! sures which they possess, in spite of the art' mice - n ortu and of the political tempests which are- 5 .°, 11 „ c e , b ,i r disturbing countries both near us and at A (115 ' a o' 4 th e ! " Majesty is irrevocably determined to pi !esc rvi r ',l o ol , a ' c toi 4 ' tegrity the monarchical institutions of Lis t have been handed down to him by is 44 a n d lfh.rs al l the only institutions which can be the Wire -sty a bh or JP; of real prosperity. In consequence, lois I ‘ l.° „ ii . ,llc ri ven" political change in his States, will energe fr c, to ,r,,, io ty, the means granted him by Divine Pracid e , a . c t r ta ace any taking place ; and it is in this vieW t r l ;a (..t a aris e who is placed at the extremity of Eure•Pe' il hapPe n from all the political collisions which rag '', A .iilreon% all; between the great powers, declares fi tat h e w ith t" e ",,,efo` tirely neuter in them, and will live in , P "ce lof s united with them all, as he is now, by the be a'hip. -cier harmony, good intelligence, and sincexe fr ie n g :of the re ti`s " These are the frank and loyal cent ime - r t ; tli ti e c s e e , 4 3 ,7l b re i , and paternal heart of the King, our h i s pos c i evenc e, blic firm and invariable principles ; th is is specting the march of his government. In c°.L i.tie° P f u neY• Majesty has ordered me to render this de elal by a circular addressed to all our Intendants:ak.., it ka e a s e r Generals, in or d er th at the authorities mg 3 final re° in their respecti ve provinces where circurn st°' it necessary. • ..,o Naples, Sept. "Countersigned 13, 8 b l yt 3 h 4.,, ePresident of tlis Coounc il . Ge IR THS. On the 22d i ns t., a t Elliot- B place, Blackheath, t' he l ad 3, of 0 Youn On g the hus 2lst band i of a daughter. nst at Surrey-place, Ai rs. Jose P.• hart, of a son. o; on y , the q . 23 , o d f iiphset Hyde, at EsMARRIAGEse,tyo' s n , S. D B r i s o n u n c kßer Len (1 e, te ittar iat V i f of the late ' William allrarla•s",3ty°onu-dglt uplic110" an s i s te rto .- ,aßoverßidrgouencDkoerrs,etEshle,. d , g h oe On the 23d inst., at St. Luke's Church, Chelsea, Iv- --* e late s G on eo , r E ge sq T . ,uHrnealthill, Esq.,S usrlroeayn,et_osqEl,lal:en: eldest daughter of th er rAtt' On the 22d inst., at Sarrett, Alfred Curtis, Esq-, f,he me Herts, to Henrietta, daughter of J. D. Stevens, Esq.,. °' - place. .itg" At Marylebone Church, William Afattherv, eldest on of ,- it ol, • Ire' Barclay . Glascock, Esq., late Commissioner of Stanur 1 ,1 ,0 1 ' to Annie, second (laughter of Captain Bradford, of Yori• - „"dig• Portman-square, one of the Elder Brethren of the Trinity il',.:.=--' DEA THS. fi e, On the 22d inst., in Upper Berkeley-street, Portrean-sclt Anne, wife of Colonel Alexander Caldwell, aged 60. f „OP , On the 23d inst., Ellen Stanton, infant daughter of gr. 14 of Gerrard-street. sews , Vie• In Duke-street, St. James's Sophia, the wife of Boo° ~..b sal dern, late of the 15th Hussars, and daughter of the late A..— Elton,Esq., of Stapleton House, near Bristol. Worc S e On the •~lst inst., at Hudgor House, near Droitwitch, _ s rt• ~.f pa tcrshire, Caroline, wife of Edward Nicholas Hunt, ESq.' of 35. square, and daughter of Joseph Strutt, Esq., of Derby, 1.. pi , pt+ l On the 23d irst., in Harley-street, Cavendish-square, It" — sister of Joseph Planta, Esq., of the British Museum. ,-_,,- London : Printed and Pnbliabed by MURDO a Tht Sus Office, Ne. 112, Strand- A 4d t, ''"••• '-.2 e° q .110!