The Sun. — London, England, 1856-01-04 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. LONDON AND SOUTH-WESTERN. The following report has been issued by the directors : " At the last half-yearly meeting of the proprietors it was announced that the obligation imposed on the company by the act of last session, to extend this railway to Exeter, was under the consideration of the directors, and that so soon as they had been enabled to come to a conclusion on this most important matter they would summon a special meeting of the shareholders, to whom they would pre viously report which of the two lines to Exeter they re commend for adoption, with their reasons for such recom oudation. " The directors accordingly now propose to explain their views on this important question. " The first conclusion at which they arrived was, that the company Being under direct obligation to act, the matter for decision is limited to the manner of action. " The important point of deciding on the route to he adopted being entirely dependent on the resolution of the proprietors, the directors have therefore caused all the ne cessary preliminaries for proceeding to Parliament in the next session to be fulfilled in such a manner as to enable the board to adopt and act upon the selection, as to route, on which the proprietors may decide. "In considering the manner in which the company can least disadvantageously fulfil the obligation thrown upon it by Parliament, the directors have been but little in fluenced by the previous discussions of the subject, on ac count of the dissimilarity in the circumstances in which both the company and the district are now placed. "In 1851 for instance, when the construction—in alliance with a separate company—of a line from Salisbury by Yeovil to Exeter was so much considered, and the pro longation of the coast line from Dorchester to Exeter was submitted by another company as a counter Oroject, the determination of the proprietors proceeded, not so much on the distinctive character of the lines proposed, as of the particular terms and circumstances then attending each. At that time, also, this company's works had been sus pended between Basingstoke and Salisbury, and it was considered by a large proportion of the shareholders that the part between Andover and Salisbury was in reality abandoned ; whilst in the coast district not only had the intended Great Western branch to Bridport been aban doned, but an opinion was stronglycurrent that their Wilts and Somerset line would never reach Dorchester and Wey mouth. It was also a main feature in the arguments of those who supported the coast line, that if that line were made the central scheme would be for ever given up. " In 1853 the meeting which gave an approval of a Dor chester and Exeter extension may be said to hive been ac tuated solely by the expediency of defeating the then pro posed Devon and Dorset line; and the meeting which, et a later period of the same year, stayed its progress, acted upon the desire of avoiding extensions altogether. At neither meeting was it the question whether a western ex tension would be better made by Yeovil or by Dorchester. " The question now to be entertained is not in the shape of a comparison between a voluntary extension westward from Salisbury, and one from Dorchester, but which will be least onerous to the company—a compulsory extension from 'Yeovil or from Dorchester; and this must be met on the existing circumstances, the features of which will be found to differ in many most essential points from those of 1851 and 1553. " The chief of these differences are— " 1. That this company has now completed and opened the line to Andover, and in a few months will have ex tended it to Salisbury. " 2. An act has been passed enabling a separate com pany, known as the Salisbury and. Yeovil Company, to O eitinue the narrow-gauge system to Yeovil. ".3. Bridport, the only important place between Dor chester and Axminster on the coal line, is found to be once more occupied by a broad-gauge railway, authorised in 1855, and 4. No doubt remains as to the early completion of the Wilts and Somerset line to Dorchester and Weymouth. " In order that this important questim might be con sidered and decided with the utmost deliberation, the board, in August last, appointed a committee for the special purpose of thoroughly investigating it, and they have every reason to believe, not only on the account of the time which the committee devoted to it, but of the information they obtained, that this duty has been carefully performed. " The committee advised (and the board discussed the matter and arrived at the same conclusion) that if the ex tension were to be made from Dorchester, it should be by a new line throughout ; that any saving of expense by adopting and running over a part of the sanctioned broad gauge lines, necessarily in adverse hands, would be far out weighed by the obstacles which might be expected in the conduct of the traffic ; that we should, in fact, bring traffic to these lines which would otherwise run over our own ; that the distance was greater, and that the necessary mix ture of gauge was on many accounts, irrespective of this district, inconsistent with the interests of this company. " They, therefore, proceeded to a comparison between a Yeovil and Exeter line, and a new line from Dorchester to Exeter throughout. " In looking at the subject in this light it was felt that the Yeovil and Exeter line could not be considered apart from the state of things between Salisbury and Yeovil, and could not bo adopted without adequate security that the latter railway would in fact be made, and would be worked under proper relations with the South-Western Company. Before, however, entering into any iegairy as to the prospects of the Salisbury and Yeovil line, it seemed necessary to decide whether, assuming that line to be made, an extension from thence or from Dorchester was entitled to the preference. " The first pOint in this part of the inquiry was to ae• certain and consider the relative distances by the two lines from the important towns on the South• Western system. The following table shows the result : Son th• Porte• Miles. London. arnpton. rn Exeter to Dorchester 58 198 k 119 i 146} Exeter to Yeovil 5O 171. 117 133,} Difference in favour of Central line . 8 27 2. 13 "The next point was as to the cost of completing each line as a single railway, with proper passing places, sta tions, Sze., and with tunnels, bridges, and land sufficient for a double railway. " This was ascertained, first, by reference to Mr. Erring ton, the company's consulting engineer, nail afterwards by submitting the plan and section of each line to 15compe‘,ent contractors, seven of whom sent in tenders for the work. It will be satisfactory to the proprietors to know that these measures have fully confirmed the estimate which the en gineer gave as to the cost of either of Puch extensions. The board could no,v, were the company in a position, and desirous to do so, contract for the execution of the Yeovil and Exeter line (as above) at somewhat under 000,0:;0i.; or of the Dorchester and Exeter line (as ebovia) at some what under 700,0001. The two lines are identical for 30 miles—that is to say, from a point somewhat east of Ax• minster to Exeter—and the difference of cost is due to the greater length and heavier works on the line between Dor chester and Axminster. On the last-named line, also, there are no less than eight miles of a gradient of 1 in SO, whilst on the Yeovil and Axminster line there are less than three miles of that gradient, and this must be mate rial consideration in the expense of the working. "The next point was as to the traffic of the t vo lines. As regards the merely local traffic on either line there would appear to be no difference in character between the districts which are not common to both lines, viz , those east of Axminster. But as regards your interests there is this material difference, that, whereas the Yeovil line will have the entire traffic of the district which it traverses, the Dorchester line has for more than half its distance a competing line, which, from the character of the Brelport trade, will draw the greater portion of the traffic from the only place of importance between Axminster and Dor chester, and will also compete for a share of the local traffic of the district. As regards the London traffic, it does not appear probable that a line by Dorchester could share in the London traffic of the Exeter district, but a line by Yeovil (each trip by which, between London and Exeter, would, in mere haulage, cost above 12 per cent. less than each such trip by Dorchester) may bo confidently expected to carry a fair proportion of such traffic. As regards the effects upon the traffic of your existing lines of railway of each of the projected extensions, the Dorchester (60 miles) would receive the benefit of all the traffic coming from the west of that place, and this would materially increase its reseipts. By the Yeovil route a very largo addition would be made to the traffic of your Salisbury and Basingstoke line (38 miles), and your Salisbury and Bishopstok; line (22 miles). But the most material consideration respect ing the traffic of the two lines is, which of them is least liable to invasion by other lines; for, if it is onerous to make either line, it would be doubly so, after making one of them, to find the expected traffic withdrawn by some more direct or preferable competitor. "At this point it became requisite to consider the con dition of the Salisbury and Yeovil Company, and it ap peared, after full inquiry, that the present state of the sub scription list, and other circumstances, rendered it highly probable that that line would be made, even if the com pany went from Dorchester to Exeter. The table of die- Sauces shows that the effect of this would be to divert the whole of the traffic from our line at Axminster, and to prevent any of it from being carried by our Dorchester line, whilst the abstraction of the Bridport district by the broad gauge branch would render the outlay on the sec tion from Axminister to Dorchester (nearly 303,0001.) an absolute loss. "On the other hand, if the Yeovil line were made, and if the Bridport branch should be pushed on to Axminster t4 ' j oin us (which does not seem probable, as there is no country to supp or t it by its local traffic), it could not be productive of any itekory to the Exeter and Yeovil line. " Upon these, 3114 the like considerations, neither the committee nor the board would have had difficulty in de termining that to construct the new line from Yeovil would be the wiser course, if the entire line east of Yeovil were the property, or to an adequate degree older the control, of this company, and if it were certain that the works would be completed, at le as t as zoo' as the company's Exeter extension. " In order to obtain satisfaction on these points,e n rnunications were opened with th e di rectors of the ca m• Salis bury and Yeovil Company, and th e comm i ttal, upon inves tigation,- became satisfied that the S a li s b ury and Yeovil Railway would, without assistance from this company, be sooner or later made ; that with such assistance as this company might prudently be advised to give, the line would be executed early ' • and that whilst the se l ec ti on of the company's line to Exeter was yet unsettled, an arrange ment might be made for securing to this company all need ful control over the Salisbury and Yeovil line, with other ad vantages. "The committee proceeded therefore to negotiate with the Salisbury and Yeovil Company, and arrived provision ally at the terms to be presently stated. They then re ported to the board that in their opinion the line from Yeovil was the best to be recommended to the proprietors. " 1 Because of the relative distances from important 'place s on your system. 2 . Because the traffic was now without competition, and W ould be hereafter less open to invasion. " 3 - V•eca eee it was also the less expensive, and the better i n an engineering point of view; and " 4. On acc ount of the great increase of traffic which would be secured ermanently to your Salisbury and Basingstoke and SalFsbury and Bishopsteke lines. " They also r ecommended to the board to approve of the terms they had (*Ane to with the Salisbury and Yeovil Company. " The board Laving fully considered their commitee's report adopted it, and now unanimously recommend to the proprietors to sanction their proceeding to Parliament to obtain an act for making theline Yeovil to Exeter, and to authorise them t o enter i Salisbury and Yeovil Compa an from agreement with the kg terms : on the basis of the follow " ABSTRACT of TERMS proposed 1 0 b Salisbury and Yeovil Co agreed on with the " 1. The Salisbury and Yeovil lin°mpany. the narrow gauge as a single line, e t th o be completed on passing places, &c., and all bridge,wel proper stations, ; the wuLnels, and land for a double line, by let July, LSD le to be done to the satisfaction of the principal engineer e lla company in the constructi on o f their Exeterpeleo3tred .by this of this company's ext: n us s i! o u n n. " 2. Upon the oponing line to Yeovil, this company's rebate of 25 per cent. on the Salisbury and Yeovil London traffic to cease. " 3. The Salisbury and Yeovil line to be maintained and worked exclusively in perpetuity by this company, with such trains, at such speeds, and such charges, as they think fit, the proceeds to be accounted for to the Salisbury and Yeovil Company " 4. The South-Western Company to be paid for main tenance and working cost prices (including interest on ca pital invested on rolling stock), such cost prices to bo set tled by arbitration. " 5. The South-Western Company to subscribe 104,000/. towards the Salisbury and Yeovil Company's share capital, with the yearly option of having a 4 par cent. preference dividend, or the same dividend rateably with the other proprietors in the Salisbury and Yeovil Company. The South-Western Company to pay nothing on these shares until 150,000 g. has been paid up to the other Salisbury and Yeovil shares, an spent on that line ; and the Salis bury and Yeovil Company having the option for twelve months of finding this share capital elsewhere. "6. The South-Western Company to nominate two di rectors to sit at the Salisbury and Yeovil board. "7. The South-Western Company to have the option of claiming a lease of the Salisbury and Yeovil line for 1,000 years, on terms analogous to the above working arrange ment. "8. The South-Western Company to have the option, for three years after the opening of the Salisbury and Yeovil Railway, of claiming an absolute transfer of it to them, on paying off that company's share capital with 4 per cent. interest and 10 per cent. bonus, and adopting or paying off that company's debenture debt. "9. The Salisbury and Yeovil Company being, under their act of incorporation, bound to double their entire line, on the traffic reaching 40,0001. for three consecutive years, are, at their own expense, to double any part which the South-Western Company may desire, not exceeding the proportion of four miles for every five miles which the South-Western Company may think fit to make doable on their Exeter extension line. " 10. The South-Western Company to make their Exe ter extension line by way of Yeovil. 11. The whole arrangement conditional on the accept ance of the shareholders in each company, and if accepted by both sets of shareholders to be submitted forthwith for the sanction of Parliament. "The directors believe that these terms will give this company every control over the Salisbury and Yeovil line necessary for working the traffic of their own lines, and will, to every needful and proper extent, enable them to use it as if it were their own, without the risk of embark ing a large capital in it, and that the amount to be subscribed may be so advanced with every security from loss or further involvment. " If, therefore, the extension from Yeovil be considered intrinsically the better, the board apprehend that the terms ospable of being made as to the line east of Yeo vil are sufficiently advantageous to remove any objection arising from the company not being the actual owners of that line. " There are other points for consideration, but the di rectors think they have su ffi ciently explained those of the first importance. They have taken a comprehensive view, having regard to the permanent interests of the company rather than any mere expedient for the moment ; and they trust that the proprietors will accord with them in opinion that the sound policy of the company is to adopt the Yeovil route, and to avail themselves of the arrangement witk the Salisbury and Yeovil Company now offered and recommended to their approval. The directors have not lost sight of the difficulties that may arise in working so great a length of single line, nor that, if the traffic should hereafter require it, some portions of the Basingstoke and Salisbury, and Yeovil and Exeter lines will require to be doubled. "A carefully-prepared plan is appended, showing the whole of the present South-Western system, and the ad jacent districts referred to in this report, with the distances marked upon it, which the proprietors will find useful in considering the subject. "The directors think it right to add that a memorial, most respectably signed, accompanied by a plan, was laid before them, advocating a line between Exeter and Axmin ster considerably to the south of that which they now recommend ; but the nature of the country involved—as was, indeed, shown by the plan of the parties proposing it —a much mere expensive line, and one involving far more severe gradients and works, without any corresponding advantages to make its adoption desirable. " By order. L. CROMBIE, Secretary. " Waterloo-bridge Station, Dec. 27, 1855," THE RUGBLEY POISONING CASE. Considerable uneasiness is experienced among the po lice anthorities at Rugeley in consequence of the purport of a private letter received from Professor Taylor by Mr. Gardner, the attorney for the prosecution, having in a manner unaccounted for by any one reached the kno .v -ledge of the prisoner William Palmer, who, immediately upon gaining the intelligence, wrote a letter to the coro ner. After the proceedings of the inquest of Wednesday, and when the jury had retired, Captain Hatton, the chief of the Staffordshire police, applied to the Coroner to have the letter given op to him. The following con versation then ensued : The Coroner—l must know the reason why you want it. I have not gob it here. Captain Hatton—lt is of great importance that we should have the letter. The counsel for the prosecution will be in Stafford to-morrow, and I am anxious to place it before them to have their opinio❑ upon it. I think it may be an important featura in the case. Will you give a copy to Mr. Gardner The Coroner—Yes, I can give Mr. Gardner a copy. A. discussion ensued as to when the coroner would furnish the copy asked for, at the end of which he re mnarked, " I do not know what to do about giving it. I am rather in the dark." Mr. Gardner—You admit you have received a letter. Ido not think you can suppress it. I want to know how the information contained in it was communicated to Palmer ! Captain Hatton—l am not safe in Ois matter. There is a great traitor somewhere. I will take my oath I never let the communication escape me. Mr. Gardner—The information in the letter you have was sent in a private letter to me. The Corouer—l do not wish to suppress the letter ; neither can I tell how Palmer obtained the information. That he did get it almost as soon as you (Mr. Gardner) evident, for it appears in the letter. Captain Hatton—l repeated that there is a fearful traitor somewhere, and that it is necessary I should have a copy of this letter. I know enough of the letter to say that, How can I place confidential communications in a rnan's hand until it is explained The Coroner—l think I will forward it to the Secre tary of State. Captain Hatton—Will you send it to the Secretary of State by this night's post ? The Coroner--I will, and ask him whether lam right or wrong. Captain Hatton—Perhaps it will be better to enter into a full explanation with Sir G. Grey, or I shall have to do so when I go up to London on Monday. The Coroner—l will send up an account as correct as I can recollect of what has taken place. The subject then dropped. The letter in question is understood to have been sent to the coroner by Palmer at the time the inquiry was pending concerning Cook's death, and before the result of Professor Taylor's analysis had transpired. It is said to intimate that Palmer had seen a letter from Professor Taylor, stating that he had not been able to detect in Cook's stomach any trace of mineral poison. A letter to that effect was received by Mr. Gariner, who is posi tive that be did not divulge the information. The police authorities cannot under-dand how Palmer became ac quainted with what was then a secret. _ _ Disclosures of a most startling character, and of a nature almost unsurpassed in the history of crime, are expected to be made before the termination of the in quiry in this extraordinary case. It is confidently as serted that, upon resuming the inquiry, evidence will be given to show that Mrs. Palmer, before her death, ex claimed to a female attendant in reference to her hus- Lind, "Is that wretch in the house ? He's murdered me." The symptoms exhibited during her illness and at her decease are alleged to be precisely similar to those detailed as manifested by the unfortunate Cook. A surgeon in Stafford, who attended Walter Palmer several times during the short illness which preceded his death, will depose that on the occasion of one visit Walter complained to him that the pills he had sent him to take the previous night had made him awfully ill. The surgeon,not having sent his patient any pills, told him so, and was answered that he must be mistaken, for his brother (William Palmer) had given him the pills, and declared that he (the Stafford surgeon) had sent them. Of the 23,000/. for which William had insured Walter's life, we are assured not a farthing was paid by any of the various offices, and therefore, if the crime ~f fratricide, as supposed, was committed with the view of gaining that sum, the intent was happily frustrated. Startling as it may appear, the names of no fewer than 1 1 3 persons are mentioned at Rugeley, respecting whose death by poison at the hands of the prisoner statements are made. The coffins containing the remains of the deceased Ann and Walter Palmer were, upon their exhumation, con veyed from the family vault to the Talbot Inn at Rugs ley, and opened, in the presence of the coroner and jury, The coffin liay i o n f g b Mrs. een the corpse w as able to escape through the porous in the Palmer, commercial adeof oak, r° ni w o a f was tPres tin opened. n . buried a long time, and the exhalationsga u s s eo w u o s od was bored in the comparatively dry, and the smell educed endurable. On the rem ova l o f the outer coffin a hole leaden recep t ac l e i n w hich Walter Palmer's body was confined, an d i nstant l y a most sickening a nd noxious effluvium escaped, which permeated the entire building, affected parti es at t h e ot h er en d o f the inn, and produced a sickening effect on all in the immediate vicinity of the coffin. Subsequently the leaden lid was removed, and the 'pentacle pres en t e d by the body was absolutely frightfu l . The cheeks were so terribly distended as to extend to either side of the coffin ; one eye was opened, and the mouth partially so, presenting the appearance of a hor- rible grin and grimace. Each limb was also swollen to prodigious proportions, and the sight was revolting in the extreme. Nearly all the jurors were afflicted with vomit ing and fainting. After the re-interment of the corpses considerable time elapsed before fumigations could make the house at all bearable ; even a week afterwards the close room in which the bodies were opened strongly smelt of the disgusting odour, and it was found necessary to have the walls scraped and repapered, the doors and woodwork repainted, and a portion of the floor on which foul matter had dropped from the coffin of the male de ceased re-laid, it being found impossible by planing to divest the boards of the noxious stain and stench. We are informed that the Attorney-General and Mr. Scotland are retained for the prosecution of Palmer. Mr. Huddlestone is mentioned as engaged to assist Sergeant Wilkins in defending Palmer.' The public clocks of Cork were on Tuesday changed to Dublin time, pursuant to a proclamation of the mayor. The city clocks were therefore set ten minutes in ad ♦ance of the sun. A similar change has been practically adopted in Limerick and in some other towns. Mr. Drummond's late speech at Guildford is reprinted conspicuously by the Journal de St. Petersbourg. Naval and Military Intelligence. The Austrian steamer Asia, which was said to have taken fire between Beyrout and Alexandria, reached Alexandria on the 23d of December. The steam-transport Indian, No. 197, Capt. M'Master, arrived at Portsmouth yesterday from the East, bring ing Lieut.. Col. Wm. Yorke Moore, ofthe 54th Regiment, 2 invalids, 1 servant, and 2 horses, and a few stores. She landed a quantity of shot and shell at Gibraltar, on her way home, and left the Golden Fleece there preparing to take in mules for the Crimea. On the 29th ult. the In dian exchanged signals, at 4 p.m., with the steam-ship New York, abreast of Burling Rocks, steering south ; on the 30th, 30 miles to the southward of Cape Finis terre, passed the sailing transport Bombay; on the Ist inst., at noon, passed the ship B r itain's Queen, to the southward of Ushant Rock, bound up Channel. The Indiana screw-transport left Portsmouth yester day for the Crimea, with draughts of troops and a body of the Land Transport Corps. The Calcutta steam-transport left Portsmouth yester day for Southampton. The paddle-wheel steam-sloop Polyphemus, 3, Com mander F. P. Warren, from Portsmouth, with 151 super numeraries for ships at Plymouth, arrived there on Wed nesday, and returned on the same day with supernume raries for Portsmouth. __ _ The paddle-wheel steam-frigate Valorous, 16, Captain Claude H. M. Buckle, is ordered from the Black Sea to Plymouth, to be fitted with all speed with new boilers, which are in readiness for her at that port. The crew of the screw steam-ship Conqueror, 100, Captain T. C. Symonds, got up main and foreyards at Plymouth on Wednesday. The crews of the screw steam-ship Archer, 14, Capt. E. Heathcote, and of the paddle-wheel steam-sloop Bull dog, 6, Commander Gordon, have been paid wages at Plymouth, and a month's leave of absence has been granted them. The crew of the paddle-wheel steam-sloop Inflexible were paid off at Plymouth on Wednesday. Letters received at Plymouth, dated Dec. 11, 1855, on board her Majesty's screw steam-ship St Jean d'Acre, 101, Captain King, state that she would go to Malta to wait oilers ' and probably reach Engla n d i n February, to refit for duty in the Baltic. The London, 90, Captain Augustus L. Kuper, on ar rival at Plymouth from Malta, is ordered to be fitted with jury gear with all despatch, preparatory to her embarking provisions and stores for the Baltic, where she will do duty next season as receiving ship. The gen-boat Plover, Lieut. Stewart commanding, has left Woolwich for Greenhithe with her full complement •f stores, ammunition, kc. The iron mortar-float No. 2 has returned to Wool wich from Shoeburyness ; 250 rounds were fired from the mortar successfully. The boat, unlike No. 1, has sustained no slatnage, with the exception of some very slight injury to the light ornamental woodwork. A detachment of Royal Sappers and Miners have reached head -quarters, Woolwich, from Heligoland, where they have been stationed for some time past, and occupied in erecting huts for the Foreign Legion there. The Lords of the Admiralty have sanctioned an ex change of divisions between First-Lieutenant Henry, Woolwich Division, and First-Lieutenant Blake, Ports mouth Division of Royal Marines. Twenty privates of the Royal Marine corps are to leave Woolwich to-day for service is the gun-boats at Portsmouth. The following appointments were made yesterday at the Admiralty :—Rickard Drury, assistant•clerk, to the Fisgard ; W. 0. Albin, assistant-clerk, to the Victory ; W. H. J. Aitken, assistant-clerk, to the Impregnable. During the interval of the late catastrophe, which re• suited in the destruction of the cartridge sheds in the arsenal at Woolwich, and the substitution of other bui'd ings for carrying on the work, the youths employed in that and the fuse and cartridge factories have received their working pay ; in addition to which, during the ordinary hours of labour, they have received scholastic education under about 3. competent masters, until ar rangements for some time past in contemplation could be completed, so as to admit of the work which eball have passed through their bands being immediately re moved out of the reach of any probable danger from the arsenal fires. All prepared combustible materials are in future , to be stored on board the several floating hulks moored in the river with that intention, one of which is to be entirely appropriated for prepared fuses, a second for loose powder, a third for small-arins' cart ridges, and a fourth for common cartridges. Two long-roomed magazines facing the river, having been selected for the cartridge and fuse factories, have been cleared of their stores, and sheds are in the course of erection in the adjoining marshes for the mewling and other processes which are attended with more danger. The use of the steel gimlet, formerly em ployed for opening the vents, has been abolished for that of a copper borer. The duties of these departments will re-commence on Monday next. Capt. Orr has take❑ great interest in the arrangctnents of the boys' in:truc twn. They number between 600 and 700, to the best conducted of whom he distributed rewards on Christmas day at his own cost. The usual generosity displayed by Government in such cases has been manifested towards the widows of the threb men who died from the effects of the explosion, by ordering the pay of their deceased hus bands to be continued to them, as well as in allowing tl,e customary wages to those who are under medical treat ment. The magnificent store-house contracted to be built by Messrs. Fez and Henderson two months back is now finished, and ready for the reception of general stores, for which space has been so long needed in the arsenal at Woolwich. It is constructed of corrugated iron sheet ing, ventilated with blades of iron, and lighted with raised skylights or roof lanterns. The building is sup ported by skeleton iron columns, to which the iron sheet ing walls are attached. The interior is approached by six pairs of sliding doors, sufficiently wide to admit the entrance of store-carts and goods waggons. The building is about 200 feet square. There are likewise numerous other buildings springing up, as it were, in various parts of the Royal Arsenal grounds. The proof department has added to that establishment a longrange of new workshops and smithies, which are supplied with a shaft of the ordinary height, 130 feet. The building of a standard foundry in the arsenal yard is likewise in e mtemplation, the plans for which have been submitted for the appieval of Government. Several branches of the carriage department have been detached therefrom, and now form separate establishments, such as the har ness and collar makers, &c., for which new and elegant looking buildings have been erected. An appropriate surgery is also in the conrse of construction. This build ing will be sufficiently spacious to accommodate a sur geon and his assistant, so that in the case of any night accident medical assistance m.ty be at hand. The esta blishment will be provided with the neoessary surgical, visiting, and open atitig rooms, as well as a waiting lobby, all connected and easily accessible. The whole of these improvements are under the supervision of Lieutenant- Colonel Beat/ton, R.E. On New Year's•day Colonel Henry Sandham, Royal Engineers, assembled the whole of the Royal and East India Company's Sappers and Miners (800) in the Bar rack-square, Brompton, in close column, and, calling Coleur-Serjeant Henry M'Donald to the front, addressed hint as follows :—" Serjeant M'Donald,—You have not yet received your Crimean medal, but I hold in my hand one of still greater importance —no less than that for dis tinguished conduct in the field. I have much pleasure i❑ presenting it to you, and I have the additional grati fication of informing you that you are recommended by your bfavery arid soldierlike deportment for a commis sion, which I hope you may obtain, and live many years to enjoy."_ Yesterday the invalids at St. Mary's Barracks, Chat- ham, were paraded, for the purpose of bearing the letter from the Horse Guards relative to the subscription for the Nightingale fund real to them. To-day the names of such 2.3 intend to c3ntribute will be enrolled. THE MILITIA. The North York Regiment of Rifles left Richmond, Yorkshire, for Bradford, on Tuesday. HARBOUR OF REFUGE ON THE EAST OF IRELAND. We are pleased to find public attention becoming fixed on the necessity of forming a harbour of refuge on the east part of the Irish coast. Every port that lies be tween Kingstown and Belfast is interested in it. At the last meeting of the Harbour Commissioners, Capt. Saunders, who appeared with a model for a sea wall of his own invention, was warmly received, and his expla nations of the advantages of his invention carefully at tended to. We understand he has since visited Skerries, and thinks it a most excellent site for the purpose ; and we believe this to be the result of most of the investiga tions which have been made. We have received a re tarn to an order of the House of Commons, dated May 24, 1855, which contains a copy of the memorial of the inhabitants of Drogheda, praying for a Government survey of the eastern coast of Ireland, for the purpose of constructing a harbour of refuge in the most eligible position ; and a list of the casualties which occurred be tween Belfast and Kingstown, from January, 1850, to March, 1854 —amounting, between total wrecks and par tial injuries, to 98. With this memorial in the hands of the Government, it would astonish none but the Irish, who are so long accustomed to neglect, that active measures were not long sinceadopted to carry out the prayer of the memorialists. The return, also, contains a document, signed Frannis Gowan, pointing out the national advan tages Skerries possesses for such a harbour. These, as pointed out by him, are—First, natural shelter, by a ledge of rocks, from easterly and southerly gales, which no other bay on the east coast of Ireland has. Secondly, good holding ground, a sandy bottom, a depth of water for the largest vessels, and an excellent quarry. Thirdly, an easy access to the harbour, with Rock-a-Bill as a natural landmark, and excellent site for a lighthouse. The advantages of Rock-a-Bill for this purpose as pointed out by Mr. Gowan seem to be unrivalled. Fourthly, the Fifthly,r.es g ulari t t y i n of a d t h v e a n soundingsfrom to fishermen herm sn seaward frn into from the English, l ba i sh y : f S ac c l t i c t h y , t h a e n dr railway tiv coasts.say stations afford ffo r afterwards d fn r passengers p oi points out wishing the to the s t l a r r n t u f n o g r E a n n y g F a a n r of Ireland, d t i ndia and man, and insists tn any t n h t a h t e r t he lo ss of disasters . there f which h a a d p h p s e e n n e a d h o a n r t h h n e n c r o n a f s r t e , f w n g o e u l a d t not h r r a i v e we o c cTuhr There r e e d e n n e m xt p a a d ra o t c i u v m em en er t from its Capt. Toker, ofcingherandsk o n f a t i h es is fo t r o s w un n on h , a the pur pose. It is written with much ability, and gives the decided preference to Skerries. A statement from Alderman Boylan, to the same effect, is also added. With these documents before the Government we can see no apo logy for not immediately commencing the undertaking, and we hope the commercial men and inhabitants gene rally of Dundalk and Newry—in fact, of the whole of the Eastern coast—will co-operate with the efforts now , making in Drogheda.—Droghcdo Argus. THE SIIN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, JANUARY 4, 1856 THE RUSSIAN MINISTER, COUNT NES- SELhODE. Seven cities contended for the honour of having given birth to Homer, and four nations, it is said, might lay claim to the veteran diplomatist of St. Peters. burg. Count Nesselrode was born in 1770, of German parents in the service of Russia, on board an Eng lish ship in sight of Lisbon, where for some time his father discharged the functions of an Ambassa dor. He was descended from an ancient Hanoverian family, a branch of which had settled in Livonia. His father, while at one time acting as the representative of the Empress Catherine IL at the Court of the Dukes of Wurtemberg, had the good fortune to negotiate the marriage of the Grand Duke Paul with a princess of the ducal family ; and it is to this circumstance espe cially that the Nesselrodes owe the Imperial favour enjoyed under successive reigns, and continued to them, at the instance of the Empress Mother, by the late Czar Nicholas, even when his policy, in regard to Western Europe, was opposed to that of his predecessor Alexander. Livonia is one of those provinces of the vast Russian empire, which, from their historical traditions, their cus toms and tendencies, have more of the German than Mus covite character. When, after the reign of Peter the Great, the spirit of foreign civilisation began its struggle with the barbarism of ancient Russia, the Livonian gentlemen played an important part at court. Not sufficiently Ger man to be completely estranged from Russian interests, nor sufficiently Russian to join in the discontent of the Muscovites against the successors of the great Czar, the Emperors song ht their support, and endeavoured to attach them to themselves either in the army or the administra tion The young Nesselrode has had his share of Imperial benefactions. He studied first at St. Petersburg, at the college of the Gardes.Nobles, and entered the service on the death of Catherine. He received an officer's commission in the Guards of the Emperor Paul, and was soon appointed one of his aides-de-camp by that prince ; but at the close of a few years he quitted the army to follow his father's career. Europe was now heaving with commotion ; the na tions were looking to France, and in the thunders of her revolutions expected the advent of some new law of liberty and brotherhood ; kings trembled for their scep tres ; and the dogs of war let loose were hounded on alike by fear, ambition, and frenzied enthu siasm. The Czar, alarmed by this successful promul gation of popular principles, arrayed himself in league against the new republic, and marched his troops to the sunny south across the glaciers of Switzerland, thus for the first time retreading the path of the Scythian hordes, and kindling the imagination of his soldiers with dreams of conquest, as they carried back to their cold and barren steppes remembrances of the rich cities and luxuriant plains of Italy. Tite divisions of the Cabinets of St. Petersburg and Vienna frustrated, however, the hopes of the coalition. Gradually the violent hatred which Paul had conceived against the revolution changed into profound admiration for the man whose genius directed the destinies of France. Peace was not only concluded, but intimate relations were established between the Russian and French Cabinets. Markoff was sent to Paris in the capacity of Ambassador, and Count Nesselrode, who had been previously employed by the Government, was attached to this embassy. His at tention was principally occupied by the negotiations that were set on foot to secure the armed neutrality of the north, and that ultimately provoked the naval battle of Copenhagen. At this period Nesselrodo was in the flower of his age, and with all the ardour of youth threw himself into the pleasures and amusements of the Court. Paris, under the vigorous administration of the First Consul, rejoicing in a new life, and gay as a spring morning after blustering storms, was the scene of inces sant and splendid festivities. Paul, true to the dreams of his imperial ancestors, plotted with Napoleon the in vasion of India ; the one was to pour his Cossacks and his Tartars down the Affghanistan defiles, the other to disembark in the Persian Gulf, and retrace the steps of the conquering Macedonian. These visions were sud denly dissipated by the death of the Czar, who, after the manner of Russian sovereigns, was strangled by his nobles. STATE OF TRADE. MANCHESTER, JAN. 3. We have had more activity than on any previous day this week, but the influence of the holidays on business is still felt ; and, in addition to this, less satisfactory news from India and China than has been expected has increased the general dulness. Inquiries for cloths suited both to the Calcutta market and to China have been made, but have not led to much business, because ac companied with the offer of lower prices, which sellers are not disposed to accept. In yarns the market has also been quiet, but without change of prices. There has been a fair inquiry from the Greeks for the extra-hard twist suited to the Mediterranean markets, which has led to business. For Ind .a, there have boon offers, but they have not led to operations worth naming. Messrs. John Slagg and Co. report : " Owing principally to the holydays the market has been exceedingly quiet during the last 10 or 14 days. The India and China accounts to hand yesterday are not of so satisfactory a nature as was generally expected; and this, coupled with the growing uneasiness as to the course of the money-market, causes buyers for those markets to show even less disposition to operate, and it is only by some concession in price that sales to any ex tent can be effected. In other descriptions of goods, though the business is on a small scale, there is no giving way in prices." NOTTINGHAM, JAN. 3. The lace trade is dull, and the expectations which were anticipated of a revival of business with the opening of the year are not yet realised. The operation of stock taking, however, and the continued high rates of pro visions may, in addition to the Christmas holidays, ac count for this state of things. This year the continental business will be resumed much earlier than usual, i ❑ consequence of Leipsic Fair (which is regulated by Easter) falling so much earlier this year. In the hosiery department there are some Canadian purchasers in the market. Manufacturers are tolerably busy its the execution of orders already on the books and with preparations for the ordinary spring trade. The home trade is, however, inactive, and hosiers aro acting cautiously. BRADFORD, JAN. 3. Thera has been a fair, seasonable market this morning, but the stiff prices asked for the raw material ratber check business. There is no positive advance in the prices of combing wools to-day, but the tendency is rather upwards. Yarns are firmly held at late prices, and there is a little improvement in the demand. As to piece goods the sales have not been extensive, yet, the season of the year considered, the sales and inquiries have been of an average character. A gradual improvement has taken place in the worsted trade of this town during the last few months, and the year opens with the staple manufacture of the district in a much more promising condition than in January, 1855. In the course of a review of the worsted trade for the past year the Bradford Observer of this day observes : "The commencement of 1855 was a period of remark able interest in the history of the worsted trade. To those actively engaged in the trade, and thoroughly cog nisant of its workicgs, we had just passed through a crisis of the most searching character in a manner to prove that the trade was sound to its inmost core. In 1854 leases were sustained, but they were borne with ease. The failures of that year were of comparatively little moment, and were only such as were to be expected, but in 1855 there have been s c arcely any ; and there is not a textile manufacture in the United Kingdom which can boast o f a healthier, a sounder, or more legitimate trade during the past year than the worsted trade of the Bradford district. "In confirmation of this statement let us refer to the course of prices. At the close of 1854 prices of goods had reached a point of great depression. During the earlier spring months of 1855 they were remarkably steady. They then became firm and buoyant, and gra dually advanced, until checked by adverse exchanges and the rspid rise in the rate of discount. During Oc tober prices partially receded, but have since recovered, and are at present very firm at nearly the highest rates of the current year, and for some classes of goods at higher rates than during any previous part of 1855. " Notwithstanding the high price of provisions, the consumption of the home trade, though bad in some districts, has, upon the whole, been large and steady. To the Continent the exports have been large, while to America the exports, instead of being large and losing, as in 1854, have been small and very profitable. " In fabrics but little novelty has appeared, either in plains or fancies, beyond, as we stated last year, a con tinued development of improving taste. One ortvvo new fabrics have been produced, but rather in the way of sowing seed than reaping har ves t f o r the present. The attention of the trade has bee n s t rong ly called to the ne cessity of producing warmer w i n ter cloths, and the Chamber of Commerce has presented a valuable report bearing strongly on this much-disputed question. We have little sympathy with the remarks of neighbouring outsiders, who, in considerin g the report on the French Exhibition, have dwelt but little on the many points in which Bradford is superior, but with evident delight and at inordinate le n gth on the mi nor po i n t s in which we are confessedly be a t en . These p art i es are no t aware of the continued experiments which have been made during the last 10 years, nor of what is doing now, and are no more in a position to teach the Bradford trade than they are to show Leeds how to prevent Huddersfield from ab sorbing the fancy trade in cloths. Of this much we are sure, that Bradford will not make French merinoes to a loss ; but if it can be done to profit we have not only skill but enterprise enough to do it. "As to the prospects of 1856, we see no reason to doubt that our goods will be in larger demand for Ame rica, and in as large for the Continent and the home trade as during 1855." THE MAGISTRACY IN IRELAND,_John Hitchcock, Vsq., of Antrim, has been appointed a magistrate of that town. Harcourt Lightburne, Esq., chairman of the Trim borough commissioners, has been appointed to the commission of the peace. THE MAIL :STEAM-SHIP ATLANTIC. -- LIVERPOOL, Wednesday. -.-..A telegraphic despatch was received from Queenstown to-day, announcing the sailing from that port, at nine o'clock this morning, after repairing the damage to her cylinder, of the United States mail steam ship Atlantic, Capt. West, for New York. She would have sailed yesterday, but was unable to leave, owing to the density of the fog. LOCK AT Tan DIGGINGS. —W e have been informed by the friends of Mr. Francis, who was formerly a printer in this town, that after labouring for some time with little success at the " digging," he took at last some gold, out of one hole, worth to him alone 8,0001. He is still residing in one of the canvas towns up the coun try, where ho has started a newspaper. Brighton L'xaminer. BANK RETURNS. An Account, pursuant to the Act seventh and eighth VictOria, cap. 32, of the Ayerage Amount of Bank Notes of the several Banks of Issue in England and Wales, in Circulation during the Week ending Satur day, the 22d day of December, 1855 :- Average PRIVATE BANKS. Amount. Andover Bank, Andover-Heath and Co. Ashford Bank, Ashford-Jemmitt and Pomfret 12,426 Aylsham Bank, Aylsham-G. and T. Copeman 3,163 Aylesbury Old Bank, Aylesbury-Z. D. Hunt 30,840 Baldock Bank and Baldock and Biggleswade Bank, Baldock-Wells, Hodge, and Co 34,337 Barnstaple Bank, Barnstaple-Marshall and Co 9,971 Basingstoke and Odiharn Bank, Basingstoke- , Seymour, Lamb, and Co. Bedford Bank. Bedford-T. Barnard and Sons 33,870 Bewdley Bank, Bewdley - Nichols, Baker, and Co 9,782 Bicester and Oxfordshire Bank and Oxford Bank, Bicester-H. M. and G. Tubb 14,313 Birmingham Bank, Birmingham --Attwoods, Spooner, and Co 23,650 Birmingham and Warwickshire Bank, Bir mingham-J. L. Moilliet and Sons 9,981 Blandford Bank, Blandford-Oak and Co. -- Boston Bank, Boston-Garfit and Co 73,336 Boston Bank, Boston-H. and T. Gee and Co 14,774 Bridgwater Bank, Bridgwater-J. and J. L Sealey Bristol Bank, Bristol-Milos, Miles, and Co 37,625 Broseley and Bridgnorth and Bridgnorth and Broseley Bank, Broseley--Pritchards, Boy cott, and Co. Buckingham Bank, Buckingham-Bartlett, Par rott, and Co. Bury and Suffolk Bank, Sudbury Bank, and Stowmarket Bank, Bury St. Edmunds- Oakes, Bevan, and Co. Banbury Bank, Banbury - Gillet, Tawney, and Co. Banbury Old Bank, Banbury-Cobb and Son 27,254 Bath City Bank, Bath- -G. Moger and Son Bedfordshire Leighton Buzzard Bank, Leighton Buzzard-Bassett, Grant, and Co 34,880 Birmingham Bank, Birmingham-Taylor and Lloyds Bradford Old Bank, Bradford, Yorkshire- H A. and W. M. Harris and Co. Brecon Old Bank, Brecon-Wilkins and Co 68,615 Brighton Union Bank, Brighton-Hall, West, and Borrer Burlington and Driffield Bank, Burlington- Harding, Smith, and Co 11,721 Bury St. Edmunds Bank, Bury St. Edmunds- J. Worlledge Cambridge Bank, Cambridge- Mortlock &Co 16,914 Cambridge and Cambridgeshire Bank, Cam bridge-Messrs. Fosters 49,366 Canterbury Bank, Canterbury-Hammond and Co 81,150 Carmarthen Bank, Carmarthen-David Morris and Sons 21,396 Chertsey Bank, Chertsey-La Coste and Son 2,950 Colchester Bank, Colchester-Round & Green 17,107 Colchester and Essex Bank, and Witham and Essex Bank, and Hadleigh, Suffolk, Bank, Colchester-Mills, Bawtree, and Co 34,031 Cornish Bank, Truro-Tweedy and Co 46,223 Coventry Bank, Coventry-Little & Woodcock 6,371 City Bank, Exeter-Milford and Co 18,859 Craven Bank, Settle-Alcocks, Birkbecks, and Co 66,555 Cardiff Bank, Cardiff-Towgood and Co Chepstow Old Bank, Chepstow Bank, Mon mouth Old Bank, Monmouth Bank, Brecon Bank, and Ross and Herefordshire Bank, Chepstow-Bromage, Snead, and Co 8,328 Derby Bank, Derby-W. and S. Evans &Co 9,893 Derby Bank, Derby-Samuel Smith and Co 37,768 Derby Old Bank and Scarsdale and High Peak Bank, Derby-Crompto n Newton, and Co Devizes and Wiltshire Bank, Devizes-Locke and Co 8,071 Diss Bank, Diss-Oakes, Fincham, and Co 10,202 Doncaster Bank and Retford Bank, Doncaster -Cooke and Co 72,523 Darlington Bank, Durham Bank, and Stockton on-Tees Bank, Darlington-Backhouse &Co 81,130 Devonport Bank, Devonport- Hodge and Co 8,433 Dorchester Old Bank and Dorsetshire Bank, Dorchester-R. and H. Williams.. East Cornwall Bank, Liskeard-Robins, Fos ter, and Co 83,648 East Riding Bank, Beverley-Bower and Co 48,879 Essex Bank and Bishop's Stortford Bank Chelmsford-Sparrow, Round, and Co 48,051 Exeter Bank, Exeter-Sanders and Co 23,890 Fakenham Bank, Fakenham-Gurneys, Birk beck, and Co - Farringdon Bank and Bank of Wantage, Far ringdon-Barnes, Medley, and Co 7,036 Farnham Bank, Farnham -- Messrs Knight Faversham Bank, Faversham-Hilton and Co 5,216 Godalming Bank, Godalming-Mellersh and Keen Guildford Bank, Guildford-Messrs. Haydon 14,215 Grantham Bank, Grantham-Hardy and Co 27,683 Hastings Old Bank, Hastings-Smith, Hilder, and Co. Hereford City and County Bank, Hereford- Matthews and Co. Hertford and Ware Bank, Hertford-S. Adams and Co. Hull Bank and Kingston-upon-Hull Bank, Hull, Smith, Brothers, and Co. Huntingdon Town and County Bank, Hunting don-Rust and Veaseys Harwich .Bank, Harwich-Cox, Cobbold, and Co. Hemel Hempstead Bank, Ilemel Hempstead ---Smith and Whittingstall Hertfordshire, Hitchin Bank, Hitchin - Sharpies, and Co. Hereford, Ross and Archenfield Bank, and Ross and Archenfield Bank, Hereford- Morgan and Co 21,770 Ipswich Bank, Ipswich-Bacon and Co. Ipswich and Needham Market Bank, Suffolk, Hadleigh Bank, Manningtree and Mistley Bank, and Woodbridge Bank, Ipswich- Alexanders and Co. Kentish Bank, Maidstone-Mercer, Randall, and Co. Kington and Radnorshire Bank, Kington- Davies and Co. Knighton Bank, Knighton-Davies and Co 9,146 Knaresborough Old Bank and Ripon Old Bank, Knaresborough-Harrison and Co 21,497 Kendal Bank, Kendal-Wakefield, Crewdson, and Co. Kettering Bank, Kettering-J. C. Gotch and Sons 9,449 Lane End Staffordshire Bank, Lane End-C Harvey and Son 5,241 Leeds Bank, Leeds-Beckett and Co. Leeds Union Bank, Leeds-W. Williams, Brown and Co. Leicester Bank, Leicester-Pagets and Kirby, 30,029 Lewes Old Bank, Lewes-Molineux and Co 29,684 Lichfield Bank, Lichfield-Palmer and Greene 7,510 Lincoln Bank, Lincoln-Smith, Ellison, and Co. 89,187 Llandovery Bank, Larnpeter Bank, and Llan dilo Bank, Llandovery-D. Jones and Co 21,883 Loughborough Bank, Loughborough -Middle ton and Cradock 7,371 Lymington Bank, Lymington-St. Barbe and Co. Lynn Regis and Lincolnshire Bank, Lynn Regis-Gurneys and Co Lynn Regis and Norfolk Bank, Lynn Regis- Jarvis and Co 11,775 Macclesfield Bank, Macclesfield-Brocklehurst and Co Manningtree Bank, Manningtree-Nunn and Co. Marlborough Bank, Marlborough and Wilts Old Bank, Marlborough Old Bank, Marl borough Old Bank and Hungerford Bank, and Hungerford Bank, Marlborough-Tan ner and Co --- Merionethshire Bank, Dolgelly-Williams and Son 9,174 Miners' Bank, Truro-Willyams and Co 17,845 Monmouthshire Agricultural and Commercial Bank, Abergavenny-Bailey and Co 27,692 Monmouth Cld Bank, Monmouth Bank, Bre con Bank, Chepstow Bank, Chepstow Old Bank, and Ross and Herefordshire Bank, Monmouth-Bromage, Snead, and Co 15,515 Newark Bank, Newark-Godfrey and Riddell 25,459 Newark and Sleaford Bank, and Sleaford and Newark Bank, Sleaford-Handley, Peacock, and Co 50,537 Newbury Bank, Newbury-Bunny & Slocock 18,600 Newmarkitt Bank, Newmarket-Eaton, Ham mond, and Co 19,231 Norwich Crown Bank and Norfolk and Suffolk Bank, Norwich-Harveys and Hudsons 47,032 Norwich and Norfolk Bank, Norwich-Gur neys and Birkbeck 92,035 Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Bank, Not tingham, Hart, Fellows, and Co 10,255 Nuneaton Bank, Nuneaton-Craddock and Co 3,310 Naval Bank, Plymouth, Plymouth-Harris and Co. . New Sarum Bank, Sarum-Everett and Co 10,038 Nottingham Bank, Nottingham-Samuel Smith and Co. Oswestry Bank and Oswestry Old Bank, Os westry-Croxon and Co Oxford O!d Bank, Oxford-Robinson, Parsons, , and Co. Old Bank, Tonbridge, Tonbridge and Ton bridge Wells Old Bank, Tonbridge and bridge-T. H. and S. Beechin g Ton bridge Wells and Sevenoaks l ank, w 11,464 Oxfordshire Witney B ank, Witne y -J. W. Clinch and C.. Pease's Old Bank, Hull, the Hull Old sank and Beverley Bank, Hull-Pease and Co 46,811 Penzance Bank, Penzance--Batten and Co 10,292 Peterborough Bank and Oundle Bank, Peter , , BYaonrkk,e and Co. and pe b in o b ro rn u k gh es - hi D re . W. Walters 12,597 Reading Bank, Reading-Simonds and Ce..... 31,888 Reading Bank, Reading-Stephens, Blandy, and Co. Richmond -Bank, Richmond-Roper and Co 6,042 Rochdale Bank, Rochdale-Clement, Royds, and Co. 4,276 Rochester, Chatham, and Strood Bank, Roches ter-Day and Nicholson 7,089 Royal,* Bank, Royston-Fordham and Sons 13,08 Rugby Balk, Rugby-A. Butlin anal Sot 8,242 Rye Bank, Byel t rit. C Pomfret apd C 0.,..,; 10,153 Ross Old Bank, Heredfordsbire, Roes - Allaway and Macdougal Saffron Walden'and North Essex Bank, Saf fron Walden-Gibsons and Co Salop Bank, Shrewsbury- Burton, Lloyd, and Co. Scarborough Old Bank, Scarborough-Wood all and Co Shrewsbury Old Bank and Shrewsbury and Ludlow Bank, Shrewsbury- Rocke, Ey tons, and Co 42,528 Sittingbourne and Milton Bank, Sittingbune. -Valiance and Co. Southampton Town and County Bank, South ampton-Maddison and Pearce Southwell Bank, Southwell-Wylde and Co 13,062 Southampton and Hampshire Bank, Southamp ton-Atherley, Fell, and Co. Stone Bank, Stone-W. Moore 345 Stafford Old Bank, Stadord-Stevenso n and Co Stamford and Rutland Bank, Stamford-Eaton, Cayley and Co. Shrewsbury and Welshpool Bank, Shrewsbury -Beck, Downward, and Co. Taunton Bank, Taunton-H. and R. Badcock 23,270 Tavistock Bank, Tavistock-Gill and Rundle 7,881 Thornbury Bank, Thornbury-Rolph and Co. 8,.460 Tiverton and Devonshire Bank, Tiverfon -- Dunsford and Co. Thrapston and Kettering Bank, Northampton shire-Thrapston, Yorke and Eland Tring Bank and Chesham Bank, Tring-But cher and Son Towcester Old Bank, Towcester-Percival and Co 6,789 Town and County of Poole Bank and Ring wood and Poole Bank, Poole-G. W. Led gard and Sons 10,481 Union Bank, Cornwall, Helston-Vivian and Co 14,542 - Uxbridge Old Bank, Uxbridge-Hull, Smith, and Co Wallingford 141 , , Wallingford-Hedges, Wells, and . Warwick and Warwickshire Bank, Warwick- K. Greenway and Co. Wellington Somerset Bank, Wellington-Fox, Brothers, and Co 3,607 West Riding Bank, Wakefield, and Pontefract Bank, Wakefield- Leatham, Tew, and Co 43,579 Whitby Old Bank, Whitby-Simpson, Chap man, and Co 14,040 Winchester, Alresford, and Alton Bank, Win chester-ulpett and Co 20,075 Winchester and Hampshire Bank, Winchester -Wickham and Co Weymouth Old Bank and Dorchester Bank, Weymouth-Eliott and Pearce 14,175 Wirksworth and Ashbourne Derbyshire Bank, Wirksworth-Arkwright and Co 34,208 Wisbech and Lincolnshire Bank, Wisbech- Gurneys and Co 55,405 Wiveliscombe Bank, Wiveliscombe- P. and W. Hancock 6,108 Wolverhampton Bank, Wolverhampton-Good ricke and Holyoake i11,369 Worcester Bank, Worcester-Farley, Laven der, and Co 6,441 Worcester Old Bank and Tewkesbury Old Bank, Worcester _Berwick, Lechmere, and Co 68,566 Worcestershire Bank, Kidderminster-Farley, Turner, and Co 8,472 Walsall Old Bank, Walsall-Charles Forster and Sons Wolverhampton Bank, Wolverhampton-R. and W. F. Fryer 10,830 Yarmouth and Suffolk Bank, and Halesworth and Suffolk Bank, Yarmouth-Gurneys, Birbeck, and Co 51,116 Yarmouth, Norfolk, and Suffolk Bank, Great Yarmouth-Sir E. H. K. Lacon, Bart., and Co York Bank, York- Swann, Clough, and Co 41,151 3,614 33,482 JOINT-STOCK BANKS. Bank of Westmorland, Kendal 8,340 Barnsley Banking Company, Barnsley 9,130 Bradford Banking Company, Bradford 49,205 Iston District Banking Company, Wolver hampton Bank of Whitehaven, Whitehaven 29,501 Bradford Commercial Banking Company, Bradford 19,202 Burton, Uttoxeter, and Staffordshire Union Banking Company, Burton-upon-Trent 54,987 Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Banking Company, Chesterfield 9,005 Cumberland Union Banking Company, Work ington 34,920 Cheltenham and Gloucestershire Banking Com pony, Cheltenham Coventry and Warwickshire Banking Company, Coventry Coventry Union Banking Company, Coventry 14,630 County of Gloucester Banking Company, Chel tenham Carlisle and Cumberland Banking Company, Carlisle Carlisle City and District Bank, Carlisle Dudley and West Bromwich Banking Company, Dudley 36,173 Derby and Derbyshire Banking Company, Derby Darlington District Joint Stock Banking Com pany, Darlington East of England Bank, Norwich 24,276 Gloucestershire Banking Company, Gloucester 147,753 Halifax Joint Stock Bank, Halifax 17,815 Huddersfield Banking Company, Huddersfield 33,894 Hull Banking Company, Hull 25,529 Halifax Commercial Banking Company, Halifax 13,020 Halifax and Huddersfield Union Banking Com pany, Halifax Helston Banking Company, Helston Herefordshire Banking Company, Hereford Knaresborough and Claro Banking Company, Knaresborough 27,227 Kingsbridge Joint-Stock Bank, Kingsbridge 3,576 Lancaster Banking Company, Lancaster 56,266 Leeds Banking Company, Leeds 23,345 Leicestershire Banking Company, Leicester 72, 788 Lincoln and Lindsey Banking Company 46,277 Leamington Priors and Warwickshire Banking Company, Leamington Priors 11595 Ludlow and Tenbury Bank, Ludlow 9,282 Moore and Robinson's Nottinghamshire Bank ing Company, Nottingham 31,753 Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Banking Company, Nottingham 27,569 Newcastle, Shields, and Sunderland Union Joint-Stock Banking Company, Newcastle up on -Tyne -- National Provincial Bank of England, Birming ham, Head-office, 112, Bishopsgate-street, London • 417,470 North Wilts Banking Company, Melksham 43,389 Northamptonshire Union Bank, Northampton 7 8,661 Northamptonshire Banking Company, North ampton North and South Wales Bank, Liverpool Pares's Leicestershire Banking Company, Leicester Saddleworth Banking Company, Saddleworth 2,107 Sheffield Banking Company, Sheffield 35,648 Stamford, Spalding, and Boston Banking Com pany, Stamford 48,690 Stuckey's Banking Company, Bristol Somerset shire Bank, and Somersetshire Bank, Lang port 350,805 Shropshire Banking Company, Shiffnall 44,012 Stourbridge and Kidderminster Banking Com pany, Stourbridge 56,590 Sheffield and Hallamshire Banking Company, Sheffield 23,249 Sheffield and Rotherham Joint Stock Banking Company, Sheffield Swaledale and Wensleydale Banking Company, Richmond 50,140 Storey and Thomas' B an king Company, Shaftes- bury......... _ _ ..... — Wolverhampton and Staffordshire Banki ng Company, Wolverhampton 34,360 Wakefield and Barnsley Union Bank, Wake _ _ fi e 1d............................................... 12,932 Whitehaven Joint-Stock Banking Company, . • Whitehaven 26,868 Warwick and Leamington Banking Company, Warwick West of England and South Wales District Bank, Bristol 78,815 Wilts and Dorset Banking Company, Salisbury 72,898 West Riding Union Banking Company, Hud dersfield 32,285 Whitchurch and Ellesmere Banking Company, Whitchurch 5,823 Worcester City and County Banking Com pany, Worcester 5,865 York Union Banking Company, York 66,671 York City and County Banking Company, 111,721 Yorkshire Banking Company, Leeds 118,324 J. MICHAEL, Acting Registrar of Bank Returns. Inland Revenue, Somerset House, Dec. 29, 1855. MELANCHOLY SUICIDE BY A YOUNG GlRL.—Yester day, Mr. Langbam, deputy coroner for Westminster, held an inquest at the Rising Sun, Charles -street, Gros venor-square, on Caroline Jane Redman, 17, who com mitted suicide under very distressing and determined cir cumstances. The deceased resided with her godmother at 23, Chepstow-place, Westbourne-grove, and for some time past she had been in a melancholy state of mind, as she feared that her godmother, a very aged person, would die and leave her, without any means of subsis tence, to the world. This so preyed on her spirits that she was heard to say that she would commit suicide if her godmother should die, as she herself had no means of obtaining her livelihood ; but these and other such observances were treated as idle threats. At length, on the morning of the melancholy occurrence, she left 23, Chepstow•place, at an early hour, but there appeared at that time nothing particularly disturbed in her manner. She must have at once proceeded to Hyde-park, and wandered about sone time ; for it was net until about half-past 11 o'clock she was found lying on the grass in the park in an insensible condition. Medical aid was immediately procured, but she died shortly afterwards. The medical evidence distinctly proved that the poor creature died from the effects of prussic acid, and a phial which had contained that poison was found by her side in the park, but it did not transpire where or when she procured the deadly poison. The coroner having briefly summed up, commenting upon the exceedingly distress ing nature of the case, the jury returned a verdict of "Suicide while in n unsound state of mind.". Country Markets. DERBY SMITHFIELD.—JAN. I. The market was well supplied with fat beasts to-day, an't the quality generally good ; there was a number of Irish heifers shown, purchased at Liverpool on Monday, so were much admired for neatness and superior quality, but the demand for beef was flat and a clearance could nab) obtained. The sheep pens wore well filled, without an/ alteration of price. Pigs, both English and Irish, were numerous. Fat calves scarce. The following wore the quotations :—Beef, 6d to 60; mutton, 6.),d. to 7d ; lamb, Oil to Od ; veal, 7d tc 70 1) 13t lb. ; pigs, lOs Od to lOs 6d per score ; rough fat, 6s 9. 1 to CI per 141 b.; hides, 4d to 44d per lb ; call-skins, 30 t. , per lb. EDINBURGH GRAIN.—JAN. The supply to-day was much less. Sales dull, ands cline on the price of all kinds of grain. Wheat, top, 2s down, and on the average 26 lld down. Barley, top, is down—average, ls 9d down. Oats on the top 4d down—average, 6d down. Beans on the top 11 up—the average, lld down. AVERAGES PER IMPERIAL QUARTER. Wheat £3 14 11 6-12ths. Do. now -12ths. Barley Oats 1 810 0-12ths. Blain -12ths. BOSTON-JAN. 2. An improved supply of wheat to-day, but as the farmers demanded rates which the millers and dealers would no give only a limited business resulted, and prices must noted is to 3s per qr. under those of last week. Ballet beans, and peas is to 2s per qr. cheaper than on this del so'nnight, and oats 6d to is. The supply of spring COro was limited. Prices :—Wheat, red, 60s Od to 76s Od; white, 76s Od t° 78s 0(1: extra, 80s Od. Barley, 32s Od to 38s Od. OA% 201 to 295. Beans, 42s Od to 48s Od. Peas, 41- to 474 a per qr. NEWARK-JAN. 2. We had a good attendance of farmers to-day, and 0 liberal supply of grain. Wheat la to 2s lower. Other grain unaltered. _ . Wheat, white 78s to 83s, red 749 to 78s; barley, malting 38s to 425, grinding 36s to 375; oats, 24st. 34s to 38s, 200 28s to 30s ; beans, 52s to 55s ; malt, 76s to 80s ; peas, 4$ to 50s ; taros, BJ9 to 84s per qr. SEABORNE MAILS. (N 81gmfflos that the mails are sent from the General Poet 00 43 , the night—and M by the morning—despatch.) -- 17 I.IIU tugui,--iiiiu ..6 .." Li. muinuis—ftwpaLuit.) ..... 4,175 Day when made al F rom ' ,li st WlOlll COUNTRIEZ. in General Post- Port due la, Office, London.. Dispatcheo. En, 1 , 208 ....._--.... imerlea(byßrit.pack)_ --• ....° ..lalatie, Every Friday .. • N kmericp. (by United Sts Liverpool ... Jan. 1 4 5,405 •packet) .. •.••• • • • N ** • • ••• ••• • • Liverpool ... Jan. 8 s.mertca (by U. State: 3,108 packet) ..........N "•• • • - SOnthamptm Jan. 26 tustralia (via South ampton) ..........111 ••••••• • • • • Southartiptot 1,369 amp (via Marseilles) N ..... •• • • • • Dover .... Imo (via Cape of Good 5,441 Hope) ............N ... Cincert al kfrica (West Coast) ..N 13,1 of the month .. Plymouth .. Jan. 6 klexandria..........N g, 9 . 24, & 30 of m. Dover ...... $ klexandria..........kt 4th & Onth of mon. Southampton 3 , 566 Bahamas ...........M 17th of the month Southampto t Belgium ~...........N WHY • • • • • • • • • • • • Dover ...... pldlY Brazil ..............hi 9th of the moidh.. South am pt °I, Jan. lb 8,472 Buenos Ayres .. ...... Al 9th of the month.. Sliithampten Jan. is .. Cape of Good hope .. N Various port. (Mania" Cape of Good Hope .. N Cape de Verde ..„ ...Is 9th of tb3 month southamptor Jan. lb Ceylon (soe India) D,830 Ceylon ...............N Channel 151e5.... ~..N Mon ~Vired.,&Frl4. Southampton Tu.Th.o 4t Chili.— .........„ ..m `ld flt 17th of month nouthamptoi China .... . Once a month.... Jan. 4 1,116 Constantinople .... _is, 8,13,18,23,&26 of if. Dover ...... Constantinople ........ 4th & 20th of mon. Bruithamptot Cont. of Europe M & 5 Twice daily ...• . • Dover ...... TWlottdag Egypt (see India) 3,192 France ........ M& N .Is wlce daily ••• • • • Dover ...... Twloooo 1,151 Gibraltar .. .... .. .. Id 4 ,7, 17, 20, 27 4 . rn Southamptot Greece (see India) Groytown ..........Dll 2 nd & 17th of mon. Southampton flamburgh ..........NlTuesday Re Frldny Landon ..... flavannah .......... Ml 2 nd of the month Southampton Jan. 1 6 . Holland ............ Daily..... • • ...... Dover ....... Daily (Honduras ..........Mll7 tn t i tit e month. Southampton 16thottar 4 8,340 India (viaSouthampt.)Ml4th iic 20th of mon. plymouth .. Jan. 4 11130 India (via Marseilles)M 9th& 215th of month Dover .... , lonian Is'es (see India)l 7 . 17, & 27 of mon 'Dover...." 9,205 Ireland ...... ..M & N !Twice daily ••• • .. Hol; head .. Twleetleli Li5b0n..............1141 7 . 9 , 17, & 27 of m• Southatnptor Jan. P 8,920 Niade!ra ............yl 9 th of the month At. outhampto Ai Madeira ............N 23(1 of month •• .• ; Liverpool ... 9 ) 5 u. Malta (see India) 1 1 Malta ............ ~,N i ft, 18, &28 of mon. Dover ....... Jan. 4 9,202 i xauritius (see India) lauritjua ..........N 14th of the month it eidco ............31 2nd of the month. ,' Soathampten Jan. I 4,987 gap1e5..............N ,sthlsth2bthotemon. Dover ...... New Granada ......141 2'l & 17th of month Southampton 9 , 005 New Zea1and.......... By private slip .. Various port Unoerta Papal States ........N r, Gilt, th2a thofmon. Dover ...... Peninsula ..........m Ithl7th27thormon.,Southampton 4920 Peru ..............M `ld & 27th of mon. l Ptonthampten Port Natal ..........N ; ay Private ship...' Various ports Uneertan i 8,9. r ilCily ~...... „.....N! s thlbth 2h t h ottnon,,Dever ...... o a Tuscany .... .... .... i i SPI 16th25 thofroon.lDover.••••.. fenezuelo ..........M 2d& 17th oltnonthlSouthamptor 1 & 16 rte 4,804 Van Diemen's Land (so, 4,630 Australia) ...,.. .... d ' 1 it Weft Indies .... . A 2d & 17th o i mon th 'Southampton il &16 00. '&00 0 When any of these dates fall on a Sunday. the malls will be d_r i matched on the following day, with the exception of the I n ifP (v, Southampton), and the Malta. both of which will be despatahvd tf preceding day. SHARK MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, JAN. 3. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The tone of the market has beet ) quiet to-day, and prices are about the same as yesterdsl' Caledonian, 26 t i 7—London and North Western, 93r Lancashire and Yorkshire, 764—Eastern Counties, 8i 9' Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln, 23—Great We st ert , of Canada, 2413—Ditto New Shares, 24 i—Luxemhouri Constituted, 10/ 10—Lancaster and Carlisle, 694' 70 Ditto one•thirds, 5 6—North British, 7.3.9.—50uth Eastern , 17.1.3.—Northern Union B, 157. MANCHESTER, JAN. 3. STOOK EXCHANGE.—The market to-day has been with' out any change in business, and prices a shade lows r. Eastern Counties, 8/ c.—Great Western, 520 1/---South Eastern, 17 1-16—Midland, 63a—Lancashire and York' shire, 76? /—Manchester, Sheffield, and Lineoln, 23i. BIRMINGHAM, JAL 3. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The market was dull to-day, and prices lower. London and North-Westerns were done at 93i 94—Midlands at 63i —Birmingham and Stour Valley , at 71. LEEDS, JAN. 3. STOOK EXCHANGE.—A very- inactive business to-day Lancashire and Yorkshire, 76.6.3.—Crystal Palace, N. sa , —Shoffields, 23/. DUBLIN, JAN. 2. STOCK EXCHANGE.—Three per Cent. Consols (shut) —Ditto for Account, Jan. 8, 871 a—New Three per Cent. Stock, 876 s—Ditto, for Account, Bth of Jan., 874 1 - ",' Midland Gro a t W es t ern an d R o y a l C ana l, (h a l ves ) , 241 —Great Southern and Western, 51i i—Ditto, 4 per cent: Pref., 84—National Bank (221. 10s. paid). 324—Roys.' Bank, 20A—Duhlin and Wicklow, si—Waterford and Limerick, 224 —Alining Co. of Ireland, 13j—Irish South Eastern, 56. ATTEMPTED MURDER BY AN ARAB.—An Arab name' Ramon ben Rehal, from near Biskra, in Algeria, has just been tried by the Court of Assizes of Constantin* for an attempt to murder his brother Ahmed. The pri soner was, it appeared from the evidence, both lazy and debauched, and he ran into debt ; his brother Ahmed, who was his partner in the cultivation of a small farm and who bad paid some of his debts, remonstrated with him and entreated him to reform. He, being Ahmed's elder, and as such having a sort of paternal authority' over him, was very indignant at his presumption in re buking him, and be vowed vengeance. Accordingly, one day, as his brother WU asleep, he tried to plunge a knife into his throat, but fortunately Ahmed turned round just at the moment, and only received a slight wound. The prisoner, in his defence, denied that be had intended to murder his brother, but admitted that he meant to wound bin.. When the president asked him his name, be stated it, but when called on to men tion his age, be answered, "As to my age, it is written in the memory of God ! " Being declared guilty, with extenuating circumstances, be was sentenced to 15 years' hard labour.—Galignani. BIRTHS. OP A BON. On the 2d inst., at 6, Cleveland-square, Hyde -park, the wife of Henry Hargreaves, Esq. On the 2d inst., at Torquay, the wife of the Rev. Samuel King. OE A DAUGHTER. On the 2d inst., at Hounslow, the wife of Charles Sewell, Esq., of the Carabineera. On the 3d inst., at the Paragon, Blackheath, Mrs. Wm. Walton. MARRIED. On the 2d inst., at St. Marylebone Church, Capt. john Lort Stokes, R.N., second son of H enry Stoke s , E sq ., of S co tchwell, Pembrokeshire, to Louisa French, relict of IL J. Carratt, Esq. On the 29th ult., at St. Pancras Church, Matthew Noble, sculptor, of Bruton-street, to Frances Mary, daughter of Richard Claxton, of Brudenel - placo, and granddaughter of John Francis, sculptor, of Albany-street, Regent's park. DIED. On the 3d inst., at 50, Upper Berkeley -street, John Be thune Roee, Esq., advocate, aged 37. On the 24 inst., at 24, Upper Berkeley-street, Portman square, Lieut.-Colonel Jackson. On the 2d inst., at Limerick, Margaret Leigh, the wife of Lient,•Colonel Dialler, and daughter of Edward Leigh Pemberton, Esq. On the 2d inst., at 24, Great Queen-street, Lincoln's inn-fields, Mr. Wm. Lister, aged 57. On the 2d inst., at Lewisham, Kent, Mr. Jeffrey Smith, formerly of Cotton's-wharf, Southwark, aged 71. On the 31st ult., at Ramsbury, Wilts, the Rev. Arthur Meyrick, aged 69. On the - 31st ult., at Knightsbridge, William Lewis, Esq , formerly Gentleman Usher to George 111., George IV., William IV., and to her present Majesty, aged 86. On the 31st ult., at Penzance, Mr. Augustus Flasher, late of Upper Clapton, an d 14, Great St. Helen's, .ity, aged 46. LONDON: Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNi of No. 112, strand, Printer, at The Men Office, IC n 112, Strand, In the Precinct of the Savoy, in tits 0011.105 of Middlesex, Friday, January 4,1866. Imme. TO, effeeti AND] given repro. person To Chivy tion, been i HAB Beini ME Gnu the ol Gentl adult' ahapo lief in Bal Riau Grego Stews Aso ton, blu el Mr. J Plami vomit Mr, i THE go', duciv the vi TEEB 12 8( THE Ledy Mr, 34r.`] Mr s • Mr. ] Vo/ THE GP