The Sun. — London, England, 1842-12-21 00:00:00

LONDON : WEDNESDAY MOSNING, DECEMBER 21, 1842. We have not before found an opportunity of noticing the observations of Mr. HOPE, which the League thought worthy of a prize, on the effects which the Corn-law has had on the farmer. He being an occupying farmer, may be supposed to be intimately acquainted with them, and to be worthy of the confidence of his class. We have on two or three occasions called the attention of the tenantry to the influence of that law in making them promise higher rents than they could ever be enabled to . pay. We have adverted to their degradation at being compelled, whenever prices fell, to ask the forbearance of their landlords, and accept a reduction of their claims, as if the farmers were insolvent or pau pers. Here are some of Mr. HOPE'S remarks, which we consider as peculiarly appropriate : " But I need not remind at this period (1822) those poor farmers' who are obliged to sell their crop to pay a rent which they had agreed to give by calcu lating the price of grain at double what they could then obtain. Much persuasion surely cannot be re quired to satisfy them of both the danger and folly of attempting to obtain famine prices in ordinary seasons. Neither shall I attempt to convince the wealthy, who could afford to store up their own crop, or buy that of their poorer neighbours, because I acknowledge at once that, for them, this syst em of a h unger an d a burst' wrought admirably, whatever wretchedness it produced to other members of society." "I sometimes wonder that my brother farmers have never asked themselves this question—' Have we, as a class of capitalists, been more prosperous than other classes of traders ?' Take for instance the grocers, linen-drapers, or innkeepers, of your neighbouring market towns. Take the average of those engaged in any of these trades with a capital of say 2,000!. ; then take the average of farmers, similarly circum stanced, and I ask you, which party, at the end of a dozen years , upon an average, has realized the most money?fknow your answer will be in favour of the grocers,. drapers, and innkeepers. How is this to be reconciled with the notion we have been taught to entertain by the landowners, that the farmers are specially protected ? There have been no laws passed under the pretence of giving protection to drapers, grocers, or innkeepers ; there are not a large number of landlords owning the ment professing to grocers' shops in Parlia- Watch over their interests ;_ and yet the grocers are c re t a il more prosperous as a body than. you. Surely t his is enough to awaken your sus picions of the delusiveness use noh nd arsh r er t e rm) of all those promises whi ch po litical mike to you at the hustings, or at agricultural din ners.,. But let me further ask, did you ever know the entiie body of grocers) or any other trade, to be up in arms at the same time all over England comp lamaningd i Ai distress ? You may have known bankruptcies losses to fall upon particular individuals, but did you ever know the whole body of any particular trade throughout the kingdom calling exclusively to Parlia ment at the same time to relieve them? No ; such a thing never happened, and never can occur. Yet we have•known the farmers of England, in a body, five times complaining of unparalleled distress, since the passing of the famous law for their protection in 1815, and appealing to Parliament for the relief of their sufferings, and this generally happened when trade and manufactures were comparatively prosperous ! Will not such facts as these induce you to doubt whether the law which interferes with your trade, with no better results than these, had not better be totally and immediately repealed ?" How is that want of success and prosperity of the farmers to be accounted for, if the Corn-law does not cause it ? They are a hard-working, frugal, pains-taking race of men, than whom no persons in the community deserve to be more prosperous and wealthy. They feed the whole of us ; and it is a disgrace to society that they are not at least as easy in their circumstances as retail traders, to say nothing of the land owners, who contribute not at all to the national wealth. Mr. HOPE has not pointed out all the circumstances which make the Corn-law inju rious to the actual working Pgriculturists, though he has indicated, in the words "poor farmers," the chief source of the evil of such laws. To the poor farmers who are obliged to sell their crop t ) pay a rent doublQ what it ought to be, the Corn-laws have, it is plain, been an un mitigated mischief. Now Mr. HOPE has shown, n the second paragraph we have quoted, that the bulk of the farmers are poor. Then the Corn-laws have been an unmitigated mischief to the bulk of the farmers, conferring advan tages only on those who are the opulent excep tions to the rule. It has always appeared to us to be a benevo lent dispensation of Providenee that the cultivators of the soil are made, without any intervention of the Legislature, a .dependent and an indebted race. This arises from a natural circumstance, which has not been sufficiently noticed by writers on political economy, namely, the different pe riods required to complete and bring to market the production of different trades and occupa tions. A plough may be made in a few days, and a pair of shoes in forty-eight hours. The tailor completes a coat fbr the farmer in three or four days at most, and in a few hours the smith shoes his horses, or repairs his broken implements. But the farmer, as the rule, must work front six to eight months at least, between buying the seed for his spring corn and reaping it ; eleven months, or more, between sowing his wheat arid selling it ; and if he be a rearer of cattle, he may be obliged to wait two or three years before he can send his produce to market. It requires a much longer time to perfect his produce than that of other tradesmen. He becomes, in conse quence, indebted to all the tradesmen whose work for him is completed in a few hours, or days, or weeks. All those tradesmen make him pay, not only the wages of their workmen, but the interest of their capital. He also, in the majority of cases, advances the wages of his labourers a whole year, before be ob tains any profit on them ; while the profit of other tradesmen begins when they send their goods home. As a rule, the bulk of the farmers pay their tradesmen's accounts only once, or at most, twice a year ; and in the great majority of cases they must run in debt to those who work for them. They have, every Michaelmas, nume rous other obligations to acquit, as well as an ex orbitant rent. If they were not an indebted race, and were able to live from year to year without incurring obligations to those whose labours are perfected in shorter periods than the harvest ri pens, they would have the rest of mankind at their mercy ; that they have not, is the result of the great natural fact we have pointed out, which, in our judgment, is a dispensation of Providence, for which all gratitude is due. Now, the farmers being naturally, and, of necessity, an indebted race, loaded with obliga tions at and before the period of the harvest, what does the Corn-law for them ? It adds to all their obligations. It. makes them promise a higher rent. It makes them pay more for seed cern. It enhances the monied price ofthe wages of the journeymen smiths, tailors, and wheel wrights, which they have to pay; and they have also to pay profits on the larger sum requisite to pay those wages. The law cannot secure either a good harvest or the price of grain ; that remains a contingency. Thus the law increases, with unerring certainty, the farmer's obligations, and leaves him a contingency for remuneration. Experience has proved that the odds are as much against him as against those who deal with usurers; and. at the end of the game all the ad vantages, as Lord BACON says of usurers, are in the landlord's and the tradesman's till. That is, we believe, the explanation of the circumstance that the farmers have not thriven under a Corn law, which has promised them such great advan tages, equally with the grocers, butchers, and drapers. To the farmers the Corn-law is a great' aggravation of all the natural peculiarities of their condition; it increases their obligations, and increases their dependence. The only practical question now remaining, we believe, as to this law is, shall it be totally or partially repealed? Let the farmers listen to Mr. HOPE on this practical and important ques tion " 'Whatever modifications take place short of total repeal, the burden will be thrown, if possible, under all sorts of pretences, upon the farmers. The expe rience of the late changes in the Tariff and the Corn law has shown this pretty plainly. The landowners have laboured to convince you, at your recent agri cultural gatherings, that the alterations in the late ses sion have had little effect upon prices. They still try to assure you that the law will afford you ample prod tection. But, even if the law did protect you (which it never did and never will), what guarantee have you that the political landowners will not come to an agreement again in London next session, as they did in the last, with Sir Robert Peel, and consent to another alteration ? Depend upon it, there is no chance of your coming to a satisfactory adjustment of rents and leases, so long as you allow the intervention of politics in your bargains with the landowners. Politics may be a winning me w to h t t h h ose i‘ w r ho have their own arrangem en t s to make it the day; but I pity the case o f the farmer who any Corn-law for the value of a farthing, in making a bargain for his farm with his landl or d . So long the owners of your farms can point t o a law, asaas reason for obtaining a certain price for their produce, you will in no case be able to make a safe agreement for the use of their land. Get rid of all suc h interfe rences with your dealings at.once. Let the Corn-l aws be totally and immediately repealed,and then every tenant throughout the kingdom will at once be the c ase brought on fair terms to a settlement with his land lord. - Public opinion and. the necessities of will then force an equitable adjustment of rents and leases, and the dealings between landlord and tenant will thenceforth settle down into mere matters of bu siness, with which politics will no longer interfere." Mr. HOPE is right. Any modification of the laws whatever will only have for its effect to continue the system by which the landlords, undwr the pretext of protecting the farmers, have extorted from them all their substance, and. degraded them into political tools. They want to go on in the same career, and throw all the losses, if any, that accrue from altering their law on the tenants. But the system which lays on them unnecessary obligations, which prevents them getting rich, like grocers and drapers, should, for their sakes, be not only totally but immediately abolished. Modifications of it will only introduce additional uncertainty into all the operations of the agriculturists. The country gentlemen, it appears, begin to be alarmed at the increasing amount of county rates, and to be ashamed, as well they may, at the increase of crime. In Devonshire, the fol lowing expense was incurred in the year ending Michaelmas, 1842 :—The committal of 370 pri , goners cost 547/. 13s. Bd.; prosecuting them, 2,868/. 18s. 4d.; maintenance while in impri sonment, 20s. each, 3701. Total charge upon the county-rate, 3,786/. 12:3. The expense of other counties may be inferred from that of Devon, giving a sum, probably, of 150,000/. a-year for the county expenses of administering the cri minal law, independent of an immense number of other expenses. The facts which have lately been brought to light are stimulating Devonshire Magistrates to inquire into the matter. plan to save the county-rates, poor-rates, a speedy administration of the law, and check the practice of arbitrary commitments, of which the following is an outline, is proposed : The several Counties of England and Wales shall be divided into districts, in each of which shall be holden, at least once a fortnight, by Justices of the Peace for the County, a Sessions to be called, The District Sessions. That a Jury of six persons, taken, if practicable, from as many different parishes, shall be impanelledat such Sessions. That the power ofpunishing by the Court shall be limited to fine, solitary confinement, and, if the prisoner be a male, private whipping ; and that a clerk with a salary, to be paid out of the county-rate, in lieu of fees, shall be appointed by the majority of the Magistrates resident within the dis trict, but irremovable, except at a General Sessions of the Peace. We offer no opinion on the plan, but we can assure the country gentlemen generally, that their administration of the law is calling down reproaches from all quarters; that their ma nagement of gaols is a subject of continual cen sure in the most influential of the Tory and Whig journals ; and that their credit and honour require them no longer to alminister in routine supineness a system which at once creates and multiplies crimes and criminals, and entails pro digious expense on the country. The Tory journals appear to be in a sad state of embarassment and perplexity, as regards Sir R. PEEL'S intentions on the subject or the Corn laws. Is he going to make any material altera tion in them, or is he not? Is he going to repeal them altogether, or is lie not? The Ministerial organs seem specially uneasy and sensitive on these points, doubtful what opinions to entertain, and they vent their anxieties from time to time in a manner that pro vokes laughter, notwithstanding their pathetic earnestness. One day our perplexed Contem poraries are confident that the Corn-laws will be allowed to remain, for the next session at least, in precisely the same condition in which they now are ; and the next, they frankly confess that- they are quite at sea on the subject; even while they tell you that they hope for the best, their manner indicates that they are not without apprehensions of the worst; and the Post, in an agony of impatience, piteously supplicates Ministers to make at once a clean breast of it, and not keep all their friends and supporters in a state of torturing suspense. If you have anything to say, say it without any more fuss or ceremony, is our Contemporary's earnest advice to Ministers. " Her Majesty's Government," observes the Post, " would do much good, if they would take some mode of authoritatively informing the public, whether it is, or is not, their present contemplation to make any important alteration of the Corn-law of last session." Our Contemporary's amiable solicitude on this subject is wholly thrown away, fur Sir ROBERT PEEL, who is as wary a fox as ever sacked a hen-roost, will be hurried into no pre mature revelations of his policy ; lie will quietly bide his own time ; and when that time arrives, and the Right Hon. Baronet's intentions are made manifest t , ) an expectant world, we are not without a suspicion that they will be such as will by no means tend to throw our Contemporary into extacies of admiration. The present isolated state of France, and the unfortunate issue of every attempt to increase her power and influence at foreign Courts, form remarkable features in the government of a Sovereign who is allowed on all hands to be a man of great foresight, experience, and judg ment. Every scheme of aggrandisement, and every approach to a closer alliance with foreign Powers, have signally failed. In Spain, in Tur key, in Germany, and even in Belgium, French influence is at a very low ebb, and, as far as any judgment can be formed from present appear ances, cannot rise much higher for many years. The fault, we believe, lies entirely with the Sove reign. He commenced his reign as an ultra-Libe ral, nay, almost a Republican ; he courted LA FAYETTE and FOY, and . LAFITTE for a time, but as their political principles were not quite suited to Royalty, he cast them off in turns, and has finally assumed a character more resembling that of the Grand Monarque, than the Citizen King. The fact is, that he deserted the Liberal party in France, without inspiring either the Conserva tives or Legitimists with much confidence. He has deceived the same party in Spain. At the commencement of the civil war, he formally allied himself with England to support the friends of the Constitution, but it was soon observable that his heart was not with them ; and since the triumph of ESPAUTERO and the establishment of peace, that country has been twice convulsed by the intrigues and plots of his cousin. We will not say what countenance he has given to her schemes, but, at all events, he retains her in France, and thereby encourages the discontented to look out for some favourable opportunity to dethrone the RE GENT, and destroy a Liberal Government. No surprise, therefore, can exist that the family of Louis PHILIPPE is not admired in Spain. His policy, too, in espousing the cause of MEHE MET Am, and encouraging a subject to rebel against his master, has ruined him in the esti mation of the Courts of Russia and Austria. They have a natural horror of rebellion, they hate its abetters in any shape, and they cannot place confidence in one whom they have long regarded as an usurper, even though he now imitates them in checking liberal institu tions, and ruling his country by military force. His MAJESTY is in a thlse position, and is the less to to be pitied as it is entirely the work of his own hands. How different would have been the influence of France throughout the world had the policy with which he commenced his royal career been faithfully observed ! He would have been looked up to by all the liberal spirits of the age—he would have secured the affection and loyalty of his people, and made the name of France a watchword to the free, and a terror to oppressors. We have received the following intelligence from Cologne, dated Dec. 11 :—" On the day be fore yesterday, Captain BLOOMFIELD, of the English Artillery, passed through this city on his way to Trieste, in order to make arrangements for the conveyance of the mail between India and England through Germany, by way of Frankfort, Cologne, and Aix-la-Chapelle. It is not yet decided whether the English steam-boats shall land at Trieste or Venice." b th e e The P r alr,e hyoa a lv ri s revolt papers, htaßnga er Barc el ona both o n a in t heir t aonndes Conservative and L i - results. commenting T o n e Ministerial party know that Louis PHILIPPE set ESPARTERO the example by bombarding Lyons and are equ a ll y aware what (rave rise to the in surrection. They appear, therefore, anxious to d Predi c amentcourtiias broughti wthletimeh. their r udev o t io n the a t N o v k t w h a e r " We do not blame the S • 59 Spanish autitorities, says the Journal des Debats," fur having vigour ously repressed the insurrection at Barcelona. We never approved or justified an insurrection in any country ; we have ever condemned the violation of the laws, whatever be the pretext or cause; but we can never approve of the barba rous measures employed to reduce the unfortu nate city, and, after its reduction, the illegality, more cruel and, if possible, more culpable—the means taken to punish the inhabitants. We did not say to the Spanish authorities, when they were compelled to abandon Barcelona, ' Humble yourselves before the insurgents or treat with them.' We told them,' When you have secured the victory, lie humane and respect the laws. What we advised the Spanish Government to do is what the French Government has practised during twelve years, and has had no ' cause to repent of it.'" The turn in the Liberal papers is still more remarkable. From hatred to England the writers blindly took part with the Government in opposition to their professed principles, and to save their character they attack the French Go vernment, that is Louis PHILIPPE, for insulting Spain, by conferring with so much precipitancy a mark of honour on M. LESSEPS, the Consul at Barcelona, and also intimate in plain terms'that they have not the courage to carry out a plan so rashly and inadvisedly begun. The National in adverting to these facts, says:— The French Government being convinced that our Consul Was calumniated, replies by conferring a new distinction on M. Lesseps. This is nothing less than a challenge to the Spanish Government. This chal lenge is the first act of the d7ama which may produce the most unpleasant differences between the two countries. If Espartero, seeing that his representa tions have been despised, sends his passports to M. Lesseps, M. Guizot will send his passports to the Spanish Charge d'Affaires. All diplomatic relations will be then interrupted, and from this situation to open hostility is but a step. To cause the bayonets to advance there wants but a pretext, and pretexts have ever been found when wanted. No, we know the degree of valour belonging to the present system for now twelve years. We know all of which it is capa ble, and we know that, pretend as it may, it will never dare to go to war with England. The Commerce thus follows up the attack on the KING:— The different organs of the national opposition in France have expressed a very natural indignation against the bombardment of Barcelona; but if they have censured with severity the conduct of Espartero, they have censured with equal severity the conduct of their own Government under similar circumstances. The principle which has inspired their remarks has been at once political and moral, it does not change according to circumstances; injustice is always consi dired injustice, and inhumanity is always inhumanity. Can the Ministerial journals say as much? Is the indignation which they express against the Govern ment of Espartero as frank and natural ? Is it in spired by a feeling of humanity and by the interest of civilisation ? We doubt it much; and we cannot help thinking that they would have shown less horror for the excesses of which Barcelona is the theatre if the Government which commits them had not been that of the Regent. You inveigh with warmth (it adds) against the bombardment of a rich and commercial city like Bar celona. You enumerate the disasters that have ac crued from it ; but have we not cause to wonder at the feeling you affect for the fate of Barcelona ? Who was it that ordered the bombardment of that noble city, Lyons ? Were the batteries of Fourvieres terrible than those of fort Montjuich ? Did they not spread dehth and destruction like thelatter ? The ruins of Lyons deserved as many tears as those of Barcelona, and nevertheless your eye remained dry, and you opened the mouth only to demand fresh means of re pression, and other restrictions of our liberties. No more fabricated dispatches had been re ceived at Paris, on the departure of the mail - . The affair turns out a coup: manqué, and the guilty parties look at one another with shame and sorrow. The family of Dort Mahomed have been all re moved under an escort from 1 - A)odiana, where they were established and are marching down the country; it is supposed that Benares will be their final desti nation. THE INCOME-TAX IN MARYLEBONE.—ASSESSMENT OF WORKHOUSES.—Considerable excitement has this last two or three days pervaded the Borough of Mary lebone, in consequence of the rigid manner in which the assessment of tradesmen, and the poorer class of persons, is carried on. The course pursued, is to assess them indiscriminately at 1501. per annum, leaving the onus upon the parties who are assessed to prove that they have not so much ; and although it would ap pear from the notices served, that fifteen days are al lowed for the assessed to give notice of appeal, still the actual time allowed is but five days, and a large number of persons, from the vague manner in which the document served on them is worded, have already been thus shut out from an appeal against their assessments. At the weekly meeting of the Board of Directors and Guardians of the poor, held on Fri day, great astonishment was manifested when the Se cretary, Mr. Thorne, laid before the Board a notice he had received from the Income-tax Commissioners, as sessing the Marylebone workhouse, to the income and property-tax, at the annual value of 2,6391., the 7d. in the pound duty, on which he said was 761. 19s. sd. Mr. Gibson said this was the most monstrous demand he had ever heard. What in the world could the Commissioners be thinking about to assess a parish workhouse? Mr. Rathbone thought this assessment of a workhouse to the Income-tax involved a very im portant question, and that was whether workhouses did not come under the denomination of cha ritable institutions.—(Hear.) He believed there was a clause in the new Income and Property Tax Act, expressly exempting all charitable institutions from assessment, and as he conceived that workhouses for the reception and maintenance of the poor could not be looked upon in any other light than charitable establishments, he thought the Board ought to claim exemption. After some further discussion, the Board, on the motion of Mr. Gibson, unanimously resolved to appeal against the assessment. THE FLAG Off_ E ; sGLaisn. Not a po r t h ave I visited. since I l e ft America, that I did not se e th e fl ag theo fE,nvgatlearnsd. of Franceltivat; it was th e on l y one floating inhe first flag I sa w on enter i ng the ancient harbour of Rome, at Civita Vecchia, Again I saw it in the deserted harbour of the Piraeus,whereonce rode the fleets of Themi s t oc l es . I fi rs t saw the dome and minarets of C onstant i nop l e from beneath a cloud of cannon smoke that issued from British line -of-battle ships , saluting the Mahommedan ally of Britain. The first object that met my eye on the uofm cataracts, the h English n g s o h n Pyramids wa s th e cross o f traveller had planted the borders of the t s sh e t a e. l r i Ge n . ge trßeyond nct which t Desert of Nubia, the only sign of civilization that I saw was the English cross flying from the masts Of a traveller's boat. Here, on the extreme verge of civil ization, I stood before this emblem ,of the universal presence of that nation; and in the lawless regions it gave me a pleasing sense of security to find myself so near a representation of that Power beneath whose broad aegis there is protection abroad for the most humble fugitive from violence and oppression.— American Traveller's Journ a l. MR. RUSSELL ' S VOCAL ENTERTAINMENT.—Mr. Henry Russell, who has acquired great reputation in America by, his vocal talents, gave his first entertain-, ment this season, at the Hanover-square Rooins, on Monday. The programme cor.sisted of fourteen songs, which he accompanied very skilfully on an excellent pianoforte, manufactured by Kirkman. His most successful efforts were in a new song, called " The Founding of the Bell," " The Maniac," and " The Ship on Fire." A repetition Of the two latter was loudly called for. The large concert room was crowded to excess, by a most respectable audience. A DILEMMA. — Last week a lady with two chil dren, one an infant, travelling by the Great Western railway from Bristol to London, having occasion to get out of the train with a little boy while it stopped at Swindon, requested another lady, a fellow-pas senger, to hold her infant. In descending from the carriage the little boy stumbled and fell, and during the time his mother was occupied in brushing his clothes the unearthly shriek of the whistle of the en gine gave the signal for starting, leaving the lady and her child behind, to the no small consternation, not only of herself, but of her fellow-passenger, in whose care she had placed her infant, ani to whom it oc curred that it was a trick on the part of the mother to get rid of the child. Oa arriving at the Steventon station she related the circumstance and begged per mission to leave the child there, which being refused she determined on waiting the arrival of the next t:ain, in the hope, although as it seemed to her a for lorn one, that the mother of her charge might be amongst the passengers, which to her great joy hap pened to be the case, thereby relieving her from a most unpleasant dilemma.—Berkshire Chronicle. ABSOLUTION AT A TURKPIRE GATE.—On a Sun day evening, last autumn, a lady of the Roman Ca tholic religion, visiting Harrogate, hired a carriage to convey her to the priest's house, a few miles distant, and on her way had to pass through a toll-gate, at tended by a collector well known in the neighbour.. hood as "Joe," and who f in his blunt honesty, boasts of being a " Leed s joiner." On her arrival at the gate Joe demanded the toll, on which, supposing herself exempt, when on her way to a place of worship, she said, "I'm going absolution," which latter word sorely puzzled. poor Joe, who replied he did not "know sake a place hereabouts," and believing that the little demur in paying the to* arose from the lady having no char e , he civilly consented to allow her to pass, if she would pay on her return. This caused her to explain that she claimed exemption, and Joe having been partially enlightened that absolution was some ceremony at the priest's house which he did not understand, brought all his knowledge into play to contest the claim. In vain the lady asserted she was going for absolution to the nearest place of worship, for Joe smartly replied, " Absolushun ! Abso lushun ! ! it woant do for me,—absolushun woant pay rbar." She then attempted to rea son with Joe on the unreasonableness if not illegallity, of demanding toll under the circumstances, but Joe continued inflexible, and showed " absolution stuck in his gizzard," as he often repeated the word in a low grumbling tone. The lady, notwithstanding, persisted in her claim to exemption until poor Joe waxed warm, and delivered himself as follows : " `farm, I've been a bar tenter these foive-and-twenty years, and I ne'r heerd o' absolushun afore." The claimant became annoyed at Joe's pertinacity , and proceeded to lecture him pretty freely, but he i an swered, " I ca re nout a b owt the noise ye make 'th hoile—l must have't toll ; there's nout abawt abso lushun on my board, and I ne'r see'd it in't Genral or Loocal Act." Baffled by Joe's law and eloquence, the lady paid the toll, and threatened to summon him. —Leeds Intelligencer. THE GIANT FIGHT. --Yesterday morning this long pending fight was brought to a termi nation in favour of Freeman, after fighting thirty eight rounds. The Father Thames steamer was engaged for the occasion, and started from London bridge to North Point, on the Kentish coast, ju s t below Gravesend. Nearly 400 persons were present. It was fought in the short space of thirty-nine minutes. Neither men were at all injured. MONEY and COMNIERC.IAL NEWS. CITY, TUESDAY EVENING. The Stock Market did not leave off better than it opened, and there was a report that pigeon expresses brought the prices of the French funds rather lower this afternoon. Consols were 931 to 93 4, closing buyers at the latter price. The usual purchase was made in the Reduced Taree per Cent. Annuities at 94i by the Government broker. Exchequer Bills brought 49g. to 51s. premium ; and Reduced Three-and-a-Half per Cents., lOr to 1. Bank Stock was 171 k to 1721. In the Foreign Market there was no buoyancy, but Mexican Stock slightly improved, on account of a decree received, it is said, by the Acadia steamer, directing that one-fifth of the Customs' duties should be set apart for the completion of the dividend upon the foreign debt. The Bonds were 30k to 31 ; Spanish Actives closed at 184 ; and the Three per Cents. at 241. Brazil Stock was firmer at 69:1 ; Russian Bonds brought 1124 ; and Dutch Five per Cents., 1001 to Since the morning the only sales in the Share Market have been in Great "Western at 25, and in the New at 141 premium. Brighton were 131 to 14 discount. Australasia Bank Shares realised 14 prem. The demand for Bills of Exchange was about equil to that of last post-day, and the rates paid did not vary to any extent; being these :—Amsterdam, 12 54 ; Antwerp, 12 5i ' • Frankfort, 151 1 1 ; Paris, 971 c. to 921 c. ; Hamburgh, 13 14 4 ; and Ti e 9 59 to 10. The following are the official returns of the ex ports of Bullion from the port of London for the week ending Thursday last : oz. Silver Coin to Calais Silver Bars ditto (From The Sun of Last Night.) The Cotton market at Liverpool yesterday was quiet. Sales 3,soo•bales ; of which 700 bales Ame rican on speculation ; 250 Surat, at 3l d. to 4d.; 100 Maranharn, at 54d.; and 3,150 American, at 41d. to 7d. per lb. Prices were therefore much the same. In the Railways there was also but little activity. Edin burgh and Glasgow were 481 ; Grand Junction, 186 ; 'Birmingham, 188 ; Brighton, 36 ; Manchester "and Leeds, Half, 32 ; North Midland, Thirds, 20i ; and South Eastern, New, 171. A memorial has been drawn up by the provision trade, or the firms engaged in importing foreign cheese, butter, &c., addressed to Government, and praying for a reduction - of the duties upon those arti cles, which are now too. high for the consumption of the poorer classes, who have, in consequence of their reducel means, purchased less than last year, w hil e a large portio n o f the quantity imported has been re shipped, not being saleable here at the current rates. The dealers desire a reduction of one-half in the pre sent impost. The exchange comes over the same from Ifamburgb, 13s. 711 on London, and the price of gold 4311. The American tariff affects nearly all the Conti• nental States as well as ourselves, and appears to be very injurious to the Russian manufacturers of sail cloth, and other fabrics peculiar to that country. The English still manage, somehow, to get their cotton twist into France, and so far the advance in the duty has not quite excluded them yet. The Irish manufacturers at Belfast have even received some orders of magnitude lately, for shipment to France, and the Belgians complain on this score as though they had a perfect right to see us wholly excluded from the market of their neighbour. In the English Market there is rather more firm ness, though the affair of the French Consul being so strongly implicated in the Barcelona insuarection, excites both suspicion and mistrust. Consols for the opening., were quoted 931 to 93/ ; Reduced Three and-a-lialf per Cents., 101 to 101 f ; the Three per Cents., 94-a to 94/ ; and the Long Annuities 12 9-16 ; Bank Stock has been firm at 1711 to 172}; Exche quer Bills are 495. to 51s. premium. From 1 and 1 per cent. premium, which were the current rates yesterday, the Canada Debentures have this morning improved to 11 per cent. premium. They are now regularly introduced into the English Market, and will be sold as a Scrip until the 9th of January next, by which time the second instalment will become due, the first being required on Thurs day next. The name they bear is " Canada Guaran teed Four per Cent. Debentures." The Foreign Market has been rather more ani mated. Spanish Five per Cents have fluctuated from 184 to 181 ; and the Three per Cants. from 23/ to 24k ; the French Five per Cents. have been done at 118 f. 50c.; Mexican Bonds have been higher for Ac count, having touched 32 and 321, but they have since given way to 311 ; Russian Bonds are worth 1121 ; and Dutch Two-and-a-Half per Cents., 52k to 52k. The Railway Shares are quite neglected, but holders keep firm. Great Western are 251 ; Ditto, New, 14i ; and York and North Midland, 43k. prem. Brighton are 14k, and Birmingham and Derby, 591 discount. Provincial Bank of Ireland Shares are 18} premium. MANCHESTER STOCK. EXCHANGE, DEC. 19.—There is no material alteration in our market; prices con tinue tolerably firm. Midland Counties' Fifths, 2/. 6s; Manchester and Birmingham, 20; Bristol and Exeter, 47i ; Dublin and Drogheda, 24 to 22 ; Man chester and Salford Water Works, 52k. CLOSING PRICES. BRITISH FUNDS. Rank Stock 3 per Cent. Red. ........ 94g Ditto Bonds ....... —pm 3 per Cent. C0n5.... 3i per Cent. Red... 101 Ditto New Annuities... New 3i per Cent — Ex. Bills, 1,000/....2d. 49 pm Nqw 5 per Cen. - Ditto 5001...... 51 pm Long Annuities to expire Ditto Small Jan. 1860 ...... 12 9.16 Bank Stock for Acct. Oct. 1859 Jan. 1860 — Consols for Opg. f FUNDS. Portuguese, 5 per cent. Ditto, New Ditto Prussian, 5 per cent. ' ,Russian, 5 pei cent 1124 Ditto, Metallic ...... . Spanish, 5 per cent Ditto, Deferred.... • French, 5 per eent.llBf. 50 Exchange —f. —c French, 3 per cent —f. —c. Dutch, 2.4 per cent. 52a. Ditto, 5 per cent. .. 100 k Dubell4lnd-with a Portrait of General D'Arblay, VOL UME FIVE of MADAME D'ARBLAY'S DIARY and LETTERS, IS NOW READY. " This volume has all the merit of its predecessors."— Scotsman. "In this fifth volume we have a most life-like picture of the Court of George 111., and the best sketches we have ever . .en of the private life of that Monarch and his Consort."—Week!y Chronicle. Henry Coburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough-street. BETTS' PATENT BRANDY.—The unparal leled and still increasing sale of this favourite beverage, has been attended by its natural consequence—the excitement of envy in every branch of the Spirit trade. Hence, each sue weding year brings to notice competitors, whose announce ments, under fallacious pretences and high sounding titles, urge upon the public notice articles, whose only distiagrv.ishing fea ture is their vast inferiolity to the Patent Brandy. It is to guard purchasers against the consequences of such attempts, and for that reason only, that J. T. Betts and Co. are again induced to state, that the Patent Brandy is manufactured only at the Distillery, No. 7, Smithfield-bars, leading to St. John-street ; where it may be obtained, pale or coloured, at Eighteen Shillings per Gallon, of the highest legal strength. NEXTHE DISTRIBUTION of MONEY 1 DIVIDENDS, AUTHORISED and GUARANTEED by HIS MAJESTY the EMPEROR of AUSTRIA, contains MONEY DIVIDENDS of £5O, £6O, £7O, £BO, £9O, £lOO, £llO, £l2O, £l5O, £2OO, £4OO, £6OO, £BOO, £l,OOO, ,500, £5,000, and £25,000 Sterling. Amounting together to £72,170 sterling. Direct for PROSPECTUS with full particulars, WITH OUT DELAY, to HEINE BROTHERS, at HAMBURGH, Or, to HEINE BROTHERS, at LUBECK. E INE BROTHERS having remitted during a very short time very large amounts of Money Divi dends to their Correspondents in Great Britain and Ireland. Dividends of 25,0001., 18,0001., 9,0001., 5,0001., and 3,6001. to London ; 3,600/., 800/., and 7001. to Edinburgh ; 3,600/. to Dublin ; 3,6001. to Beverley ; 3.6001. to Halifax ; 1,2001. to Porthleaven Harbour ; 9001., 7001 ., and 6001. to Liver pool ; 900/. to Hull ; 900/. to Newcastle-upon-Tyne ; 900/. and 600/. to Manchester ; 7001. to East Retford, Nottingham shire; 700/. to Caine, Lancashire; 7001. to Ryde, Isle of Wight ; 600/. to Cork ; 600/. to Bideford ; and 6001. to Bradford, &c.. &c., they beg to call the attention of those desirous to obtain large Money Dividends to the approaching EIGHTEENTH DISTRIBUTION of LUBECK, pia. ranteed by the Government. This Distribution offers the possibility of obtaining mere than 96,000/. upon One Share. 2,400 of the Shares obtain Money Dividends of 1/. and upwards. Price of One:Share, D. ; two !tares, 2/. ; three Shares, 31.; four Share., 4/. ; five Snares, 5/. ; six Shares, 6/. ; seven Share", 71. ; eight Shares, SI. ; nine Shares, 91. ; ten Shares, 101. Direct for Shares, without delay, to HEINE BROTHERS at Lubeck. The full Prospectus, with all particulars, may be had gratis, up n addressing a line to Heine Brothers. I'HEATRE ROYAL. COVENT-GARDEN. THIS EVENING. DEC. 21. _____ Will be repeated Shakspeare's Play of THE TEMPEST. Aloes°, Mr. Cooper ; t- , ebastian, Mr. Diddear ; Prospero, Mr. Vandenhoff; Antonio, Mr. J. Vining ; Ferdinand, Mr. C. Pitt ; Caliban, Mr. J. Bland ; Trinculo, Mr. Harley ; Ste phan°, Mr. Bartley. Miranda, Miss Vandenhoff ; Ariel, Miss Rainfurth. TO- 4 conclude - vrith Auber's Opera of MASANIELLO ; or, THE DUMB GIRL OF PORTICI. Masaniello, Mr. W. Harrison ; Alphonso, Mr. Travers ; Elvira, Miss Poole ; Fenella, Miss Bailin. Doors open at Half-past Six, and the Performances com mence at Seven.—Dress Boxes 75., Second Price 3s. 3d. ; First and Second Circles 55., Second Price 2s. 6d. ; Pit 3s; Second Price 2s. ; Gallery ls. Tickets and Places for the Boxes to be taken of Mr. Whit low, at the Box-office, from Ten till Four, where Season Tickets may be had. Private Boxes to be had at the Box-office ' of Messrs. An drews; 167, New Bond-street; Mr. Mitchell, Old Bond-street; and of Mr. Sams, Pall Mall. • THEATRE ROYAL, HAY-MARKET. THIS EVENING, DEC. 21, • Will he performed Congreve's Comedy of THE WAY OF THE WORLD (Adapted for Representation). Period, 1699. Sir Wilful! Witwoud, Mr. W. Farren ; Fainall, Mr. Vining; Marwoud, Mr. Stuart; Witwoud, Mr. Charles Mathews; Petulant, Mr. Buckstone ; Waitwell, Mr. Strickland; Mil lamant, Madame Vestris ; Lady Wishfort, Mrs. Glover. After which, a new Drama, called THE BASTILE. Louis Quatorze, Mr. H. Holl ; Fricandeau, Mr. Webster ; the Duchess de Montbazon, Miss Charles; Ninon Labatte, Ma dame Celeste. To conclude with the Farce of MAKE YOUR WILLS ! Joseph Brag, Mr. Buckstone. THEATRE ROYAL, ADELPHI. - THIS EVENING, DEC. 21, Will be repeated the new Burletta, entitled THE MER CHANT AND HIS CLERKS. The principal characters by Messrs. Lyon, 0. Smith, Paul Bedford, Wright, Maynard , Wieland, Miss Chaplin, Miss Brooks, and Mrs. P. Grattan. . After which a New Drama, iu Two Acts, called YOU KNOW WHAT. The principal Characters by Mr. 0. Smith, Mr. Wright, Mr. Maynard, and Miss Faucit. To be followed by a Grand Barletta Spectacle, entitled ALMA. Principal Characters by Messrs. Paul Bedford, Wieland, Frampton, Mrs. H. P. Grattan, and Madame Proche To conclude with a Comic Burletta, called ANTONY and CLEOPATRA. Antony, Mr. Wright. To conclude with NORMA. Pollio, Mrs. H. P. Grattan ; Norma, Mr. Paul Bedford ; Adalgisa ' Mr. Wright. Boxes, 41. ;' Pit, 2s. ; Gallery, Is. Doors open at half-past six, commence at seven o'clock. MAP OF CHINA. THE NEW CHINA SUN IS NOW ON SALE, CONTAINING EVERYTHING INTERESTING WITH RESPECT TO CHINA, AND A DESCRIPTION OF THE FIVE FREE TRADE PORTS OF CANTON, AMOY, FOO-CHOW-1 , 00, NINGPO, AND SHANGHAE ; WITH A LL THE LATEST N EWS. Orders 7-ececrul at the SUN-OFFICE, 112, Strand and of all News-Agents. TILE WEATHER.—SUN OFFICE, DEC. 20. THERMOMETER, Lowest, 38 ; Highest, 52 : Noon, 50. BAROMETER, 30.50.—W1ND, W. H1(;11 WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE THIN DAY. venting 2 minutes aft& 41 Evening 2; minutes after 4. • st, y x 4 0 2 ..• m • • e o •', NDy.' v - nit .11,1 t, THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 21, 1842. SUMMARY OF HEWS AND Vitbite Oit.ltittO " Who runs may read.' FOREIGN. The Moniteur Parisien confirms a former announce ment in our columns, that the Sugar Bill would be one of the first questions submitted to the Chambers. It adds its belief that no decision had been come to as to the bases of the project of law by the Cabinet, but a belief prevailed that it would be unfavourable to the beet-root growers. A Cabinet Council was held on Saturday at Mar shal Souk's hotel. The Duke of Nemours visited Count Mole and Marshal Valee ; and on the same clay Count Montalivet had a long audience of the King of the French, and M. Guizot had conferences with several political personages. It is announced that the Duke Decazes, Grand Referendary of the Chamber of Peers, will bring an action against M. Cretineau Joly, for announcing the publication of eighty-three letters alleged to have been addressed by the Duke to an agent in Grenoble to provoke the conspiracy of 1816. The Angsburgh Gazette of the 14th inst. states that the British Admiral, Mason, had arrived at the Piraeus, with the intention to proceed to the coast of Syria, where it was believed Great Britain had deter mined to make a demonstration. The Franconian Mercury annouces that the Prus sian Government was seriously occupied with the ar rangement of a treaty of commerce with Belgium. The intelligence from Barcelona comes down to ten o'clock in the morning of the 13th inst. Most of the shops and warehouses had remained closed. The thirteen imilividuals shot on the preceding day were all either militiamen or civilians. The accounts from Madrid of the 11th inst. are without interest. PUBLIC OPINION. " The French Government," says the Times, " have thought fit to make their agent and representative in the late disturbances at Barcelona the object of a marked and immediate expression of the Royal fa vour. In conferring on M. Lesseps the rank of an officer in the Legion of Honour, they have given an open and unequivocal proof that they identify the policy of France with the conduct of that individual. At the very moment when the official organ of the Spanish Cabinet, the Gazette of Madrid, pointedly denounces the French Consul at Barcelona as the main instigator of the insurrection—when notorious and incontrovertible facts demonstrate that he took a most active part in recognising the Junta of the re bels, in fomenting their revolutionary designs, in dis couraging and deceiving the commanders of the Queen's troops, and, finally, in protecting the flight of the poltroons who had incited the populace of Bar celona to their own destruction—and before any expla nation whatever has been attempted of these unparal led violations of the law and courtesy of nations — the French Government declare that by these acts M. Lesseps has shown himself to be a fit object for a national recompense. To these facts no comment is required. We cannot doubt that the Regent of Spain will think himself bound to make the strongest representations on such an occasion. But, as if this state of things was not already sufficiently serious, the Journal des Debats thinks fit to taunt th e Sp an i s h Government with its intrigues and its ingratitude' (ingratitude !) which have well-nigh exhausted the patience of their neigh bour and creditor.' Is this the language of the Court of France ? Is this the temper which a Government, with M. Guizot at its head, can hold to an allied Power ? Or is it some outbreak of disappointed treason against the institutions of Spain ?—the pre cursor, possibly, of acts of violence which the whole of Europe would view with indignation ? Time will show. Time will probably mitigate the asperity which now follows the failure of M. Lesseps's virtuous exertions. Satisfied with having acknowledged the value of such services, the French Government will perhaps reflect that insurrections are double-edged weapons, even when they are directed against the cause of liberty and good government. But they may rest assured that upon no former occasion has the public mind in Europe required stronger evidence to remove the impression that a gross national out rage has been committed : and no event could have occurred more calculated to strengthen the interest of all the Powers in the stability and independence of the present Government of Spain.? The Chronicle gives the, following .advice to the members of the Anti-Corn-law League :—" Mean time, the Leaguers have but to complete -their work. Let them be prepared for treachery--let , them beware of false lights—and, above all, let them redouble their exertions, even in the very hour of victory. In spite of all the rapid conversions, there, are symptoms in certain quarters that a fight may be: made over the wounded and dying body of monopoly ; and though the triumph of free trade is as certain as that the sun shall rise to-morrow, let no false security lull them into repose. We have no very great reverence for the wit or the wisdom of the Past but we must con fess that it has maintained its anti-free-trade doctrines with a stupid consistency which entitle it to some consideration; and, therefore, when it lets out that the Tory ranks are divided, scattered, and confounded, we may draw from it tolerably sure indications of ultimate triumph—indications more certain, by a great deal, than are afforded by the twistings of the slippery Standard, or the smile and tear cf the Janus faced l'irnes. In the words of the Post, then, we conclude, by assenting to the fact, that the im pression is very general that the present Corn-law must go.' " We take the following from the Post:—" 'We are under no apprehensions that the misunderstanding between the French and Spanish Governments on the subject of the conduct of their respective agents at Barcelona will compromise the friendly relations which have hitherto existed between the French and British Cabinets. A quarrel of subalterns exists. An inquiry has been instituted by the Madrid and Paris Executives, and one or other of the functionaries must be dismissed. Senor Guttierez,. the Political Chief of Barcelona, and M. Lesseps, the French Consul in that town, have to justify accusations and afford explanations. The former, in a report from the Regent's head-quarters, dated Sarria, the 3d, accuses M. Lesseps of having fomented the insurrection, and of having aided the insurgents. This report assumes gravity, because it has appeared in the Madrid official organs, and because there is reason to believe it has been made, or will be made, the subject of a diplo matic communication from the Spanish Government to the French Cabinet. The French Ministry, on its side, has evinced no want of alacrity in supporting its subordinate agent at Barcelona. He has already re ceived the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour. Perhaps this approval waa as hasty and indiscreet as the conduct of the Spanish Government in publish ing prematurely serious charges against an agent of the French Cabinet, without first -resorting to diplo matic means to obtain redress and reparation. It is clear that Senor Guttierez and M. Lesseps cannot re main together in the same town. The latter must be recalled or the former dismissed." The Herald says :—" Complaints are made by the Opposition Press that the Queen's Government does not at once issue a programme of the measures it in tends to submit to Parliament, and by the Conserva tive alarmists that they do not know whether any important alterations of the Corn-law of last session are in contemplation. The grumbling of the former is part of that incessant warfare of faction for which Sir Robert Peel and his colleagues are perfectly pre pared, while the murmuring of the latter is but an escape of querulous disappointment. A greater act of folly than premature disclosure of measures to be introduced for legislative consideration cannot be committed by any Government in a country where party politics run so high as this ; that considerable commercial changes will be proposed in the forth coming session no one doubts who has attended to the diplomatic efforts now making by her Majesty's Government to improve our t ra di ng re l a ti ons w ith other countries; but that those cha nges are as y e t set tled in all their details by Ministers is quite impossi ble, because the results of pending negotiations are as vet unknown. Thus it is exceedingly probable that a preposition to alter the sugar duties will be brought forward ; but such alteration depends very much on the conclusion of treaties of commerce with Spain and Brazil, and for the Administration to announce a measure for the reduction of duties on foreign and colonial sugars before the return at least of Mr. Ellis from Rio de Janeiro would be an act of the most cul pable precipitation. People, too, seem strangely to forget that fiscal changes depend very much on the state of the revenue, and certainly the deficiency 'ex hibited by the last Quarter's return is of itself cause enough why Ministers should be most guarded in pledges or disclosures of this description." The following appears in the Morning Advertise?: —" The recurrence of the frightful murders of which Ireland has recently been the scene, has evoked an interest in a subject which might otherwise have continued in dangerous and deceitful slumber. As it is, the voice of the public Press is nearly unanimous in asserting that the true real panacea for the griev ances of Ireland must now be applied—and the re medy appears to be at hand when it is at length ad mitted, by the once most f formidable foes of Ireland, that the evil of her system is in the l it aw subsisting be te. een landlord and tenant. Nowis impressively obvious that this chord must be harped on till th e Legislature comes forward with a plan of certain redress. We say this cause of the tremendous cala mity which has befallen the sister co un t r y mus t b e removed, now that public thought is once more directed to it; and that to let it return into its previous oblivion after the awful o ccurrences w hi c h h ave roused it into its present notice, were as foul an act of supineness, or worse, as the very perpetration of the deeds which . havegiven to it new life , is atrocious and deperato cri me. ELECTICYNEERING; The election of the'metropolitan Chartist dele gates, to serve at the forthcoming Birmingham Con ference, to be held on the of December, , took place on Monday, at the subjoined localities, when four candidates were chosen for each of the.xlivisions of the City, Southwark, Marylebone, and Tower Hamlets. NAVAL AND MILITARY. An examination of the students of the Royal 31ili tary- Academy took place at Woolwich on Friday, when sixteen gentlemen cadets were examined for commissions, and considered pmficient ; 21 passed for admittance to the first class studying at the Royal Arsenal, and 28 were examined from private acade mies and adMitted to the school. Her Majesty has confirmed the sentence passed by the Court-martial at Chatham, in October last, on private Robust Onn, for an attempt to murder a non commissioned officer of the same corps. He is to be transported for life. LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC. A cave, containing a quantity of the bones of the hyaena, has lately been discovered in a q uarry on Durdham-down. Thalberg left London on Sunday for Brussels. Ile will proceed to Paris, and remain there during the winter. THEATRICAL. Miss Emma Murray, a favourite actress at the Aulelphi Theatre, died on Sunday afternoon at her residence in Upper Berkeley-street. Dr. Arne's celebrated opera of Artaxerxes is in rehearsal at Covent Garden. Miss Rainforth per sonates Mandane, and Mrs. Alfred Shaw Artaxerxes. COURT-F,ASIIIONA.23I.E. The Duke of Rutland's party, at Belvoir Castle, will begin to assemble on Monday ne xt. The Noble Duke's birthday will be kept on the 4th of January, with the usual festivities. The Duke and. Duchess of Somerse t will pas Gsraces the holidays at the Clarendon Hotel , wh ere their will remain until their mansion in Park-lane shall he .. • fit for their reception. The Duke ani Duchess of Sutherland return to Sta L ff o o r r d d a l n i d ou L se ad a y fter the holidays. I;'ra u n n c t e il s remain in Lancashi re tl E le g m er e t eTin The last letters received from Wynyard Park state meeting 0f l e her recent severe illness,whi ch that Lady Alexandrina Vane had nearly recovered from alarm to the family. The Noble and Gallant Mar xaprecjialtendi, quis had not entirely recovered from the accident by which his arm was broken. B. e T I h h a e g D h a u m k Duke roofpor tproperty adjoining Northumberland to has hi 5 P.sucrict'slaelsudend,gbatechrhe land property. Lady , The Dowager Duchess of Bedford all a r thumber - Ra chel Russell are still at Howick Nall, No land, on a visit to the Earl and Countess Grey. Woburn Abbey is now full of' visitor; —the dinner.e party on Saturday last mustered thirty-three. 1n.., young Lords Francis, Cosmo, and Lord WI a were daily expected from a tour. Russell had arrived from Vienna. • ling his Edward Ruisisienill The Earl of Belmore, who has been Iris' estates in the county of Tyrone, has returned to Castlecoole. The Earl and Countess of Guilford an d family Waldershare arrived at Old Aylresford, Hants, from Park, Kent. The Countess de Salisaarrivedin town on Saturday. last, from Paris, after Continent. have The Earl of Mansfield is still at Scone Palace, near Per lengthened absence on tile r rth, where the Noble Earl has been entertaining small party. The Earl and Countess of Linierick are assembling a large family circle at South Hill Park, in Berkshirke. Lord and Lady Ernest Bruce left town last wees: for Paris, on a visit to the Marquis and Marcion. ells of Aylesbury. The Noble Lord will return previa to the ng of arliaent. Sir George Murray P arrived at his ma nsion in Bel grave-square last week, from a.tour. lwa scELLarrzotis. Stowe observes, that during the plague the eel °. gion depended more on the disposition of the air th at ; on the effluvia of men's bodies, and considere,. the fact manifest by the sudden increase of it in 1 63 hp from 118 one week to 927 in the next, and from ti': sudden decrease from 990 in one w eek to 258 t I next, and then again to 852. ----- LLOYD'S SHIPPING. WeP LONDON, DEC. 20.—Wind this day it; noon, , terly, light winds and hazy. DEAL, DEC. 19.—Wind N.W. moderate.----A:113 Caiseir, Demerara ; Glasgow, America. ,: Sld. , N ed , e l, waard, Batavia; Romance, Brazil ; Stratheden, °) neY ; Sumatra, Ceylon ; ames, Trinidad; GIP„.. 111 :„ 7 , - ' St. 'Kitts; Bonne - Mere, St. Thomas ; Ativi'l o r t4 , ti Jamaica ; Philadelphia, New York ; Mary, B and Bombay, and the rest of outward bound. LIVERPOOL, DEC. 19.—Wind N.W., fresh.--rii ' h Homely, Gibaut, Alaceio, left Nov. 17; Severn , " r 1;,: ams, Pernambuco, sailed Nov. 11 ; Thomas Br o c e — , Habsay, Charleston; Lady Milton, Quebec. ii , r "" -- e d Governor, Jamaica ; Franconia and Don i fu Juan' '. h ger Orleans ; • Postboy, Azores ; Ar H ri ti . L o r ff ,, , , lndian Chief. Loo Choo, ' 11 " 3--. SA%a DEC.l.7.—Arrd. Reward, Frost, Que hec A .,; ol OFF DOVER, DEC. 18.--Eclipse, HaMburgh, '— Rio. Janeiro; Lucie, Rotterdam, for Batavia =PORTSMOUTH, DEC. 19.--Wind Ski. Pakenharn, Vera Cruz. BRISTOL, DEC. 19.—Arrd. Catherine, y,'"iiiteway, Monte Video. N.N.W. to W.- -- DuNnAit, DEC. 18.—The Anna Catherina, Maack, from Clackmannan to Altona, iS ash ore the eastward, full of water, and expected to become a wreck. four, miles to LIVERPOOL, DEC. 19.—The Renown, from Sydney to this port, which put into Rio Janeiro with dainag, had been repaired, and was to leave about Oct. l i The Oberon, hence to Callao, was spoken Aug 14 1, lat. 57 S., lon. 70 W., with juryforeinast and loss.°lr bowsprit, and was supplied with provisions and Warf_ by an American vessel arrived at St. Catharineeis, Brazil. The Christian, from Valparaiso to S wans re ' after repairing at Rio Janeiro, sailed thence, bu t c ; turned dismasted Oct. 19. The Sea, M`Quee n, o f to Messina, has put back with decks swept, l h oss v boats, bulwarks, and stanchions. Rio 1 to VESSELS SPOKEN WlTH..—.Asia LiVerpoo., ivea Grande, 3d inst., lat. 46, lon. 13,1;37 the liebe , ,, a , r h r u it,, at Cork. Hermann, of Bremen for 3.lessina, 2"" n o, lat. 38, lon. 7 ; Pallas, Odessa to Cork or Fah li c e ,3o;. 3d inst., by the Granville, .arrived a t - 501 Lady of the Lake, bound to St. Michael's, let, lon. 18 ; bark Eliza, bound to Granada, Idt• '1 . '06- 17, by the Elizabeth, arrived off Dover. B ar " Ter ra zen, standing to, 6th inst., lat. 49, ion- 1 ° ;,„, r all, Nova, Bth, lat 50, lon. 8 ; bark Pilot, of 11 01 '70 9th, lat. 49, lon. 8, by the Resource, arrived 0 ° o ff River. Water Nymph, of Newcastle, Sep t 5 ,6 0 0 d Cape Horn ; Precassus, Sws len to the Cape °` i v ed Hope, 15th ult., lat. 5, lon. 29, by the Secret, arr.nst., at Liverpool. Satisfaction, of Newcastle. 13thrjvde. lat. 51, lon. 14, by the Randolph, arrived in the ,`" 1 .1 9, Ocean Queen, of London, 13th inst., lat. ,J e ' by the Isabella, arrived in the Clyde. So' STATISTICAL SOCIETY.---At il meeting Of tril : ' ,,, - St ciety, held on Monday evening, at the the d l y ' : Martin's-place, Mr. Thomas Tooke , itt o the_ ; several new members were elected, am° l4t M M r. George Registrar-General of Somerset g0.,,,t1n. Carr Glynn, of Lombarel-street ; Drs' Al' . ison and Bushe, Benjamin Phillips, F.R.S.' art, Mr. W. D. Drummond, of the Statistical Dep,ls ment, Board of Trade. An interesting paper o `, offices ~. 1. then read by Mr. Porter, one of the honorary sect`' taries, relative to the recent census of the inh-abitatht: of Great Britain, from which it appeared tl:ttheir proportion of persons living w ith reference t en ded various ages in 1841, very considerably e ' l li v ing those of the year 1821. The number of under fifteen years of age was now rnuePehrssincl'asilefirj't;s; compared h with those above that age, as 1.31. ` - ,,,,d its tit the fluctuations of human life lore I ° s ' -7 n of duration on the increase. The the population was also greatly on the inereaseriti .5".. compared with the less profitable part of nity. During the last fort years, from 18 01, 0 00 number of the population had increased from B,°°°o' on to 15,000,000, being an increase of 2 per c ent ' on the census of 1801. Should the population g o at productive Pao° . the COW tiule increasing at its present ratio, it was calculated I,' the population of Great Britain in 1921, would he a p Il: wards of 52,000,000, or 15,000,000 beyond , A sent population of France. The paper conchinre with some curious statistical comparisons between, tellot population of the United States and that of Great Britain, from which it appeared that the irOrw v. 5 amongst the slaves and the coloured population ‘ ' far greater than it was amongst the whites. n a t Of ROYAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION. --A r.rffes - mans met the Directors and jr" te it the of this Institution on Saturday evening, t° to powers of the colossal electrical machine. A.ll-b'e-e, these e were the Earl of Enniskillen Sir. 31. .1 - 1.,• 1 , 1 ,6- t Professors Faraday and Brande, of ' the Royiu - , - ;0 0 u tion, Professor Groves, Messrs. Pepys (the ce i.: the Electrical electrician), Tite, Cubitt, and several members o . _ t , Society. In addition to the immense bon eery of the Institution, those of the Royal and 1-0110., Institutions were put in requisition, presenting' 3 ° t o face of 200 square feet, the jars in all amounting' r 135. The plate of the great machine, offering' t 1341101 face of 60 square feet, was mounted with tw°l )3 ,: i r jlet l rubbers, producing an electrical force of till ec l - : the intensity. The deflagration of the metals wa.',l; principal object of experiment, and presented resoe of the most curious and beautiful description. „ oo t series of experiments was conducted by Profess Bachoffner with much success. to ° CHRISTMAS Box.—Bell's Life in i° 4(1°11 . 9 40' 1 ! sheets for Fivepence, Sunday, Dee. 25, Grfil u ,' ot Supplement, important Chronologies for 1 8 ' 0 0 Racing, Aquatic; Pedestrian, Fistic, and other eye eel ; the Grand Aquatic Excursion ; fights in th e o w i e nt l / 4 1 the Giant and the Slasher; Bungaree and 3 1 ,` - „ pa. PriceofthewhoieFivepeneeonly.-office,l7o,P" FOREIG. Austrian, 5 per cent. 3elgian,b per cent — Brazilian Bonds... 691 Buenos Ayres 6 per cent. Chilian, 6 per cent. Colombian, 6 per cent — ' Ditto 1824 Cubaßondi, 6 per cent BOl Danish, 3 per :ent Greek, 1825, 5 per cent — Mexican, 5 per cent 3l Ditto, 6 per cent. 1837 Peruvian,lB2s,6 per et. _ SHARES. Birmingham and Derby (100 paid) Great Western, (65 paid) Ditto New Shares (50 paid) London and Brighton (50 paid) York and North Midland (50 paid) ..... 93i COURSE OF EXCHANGE—(YESTERDAY.) Amsterdam CF. 12 8i Gibraltar . ...... Ditto, at sight Rotterdam... 2 U l2 9 Genoa Antwerp Hamburgh M. B. 13 14i Venice 47 Altona Paris, 3 days' sight ... 26 0 Palermo, per oz 120 Ditto, 3 months 26 5 Lisbon b2 Marseilles Bourdeaux 26 5 Rio Janeiro 26 Frankfort on Maiue ...1521 Bahia Petersburgh, 3 Us. ... 37 Buenos Ayres Berlin 7 New York, 21days sight 461 Vienna, effec. fl. 3 M lO 1 Philadelphia Trieste, ditto lO 2 PRICES OF BULLION, PER GE. Madrid Cadiz .36 Portugal Gold C0m...3 17 5 Bilbao Barcelona Seville HAMBURGH BORSEN HALLE, Dec. 16. Bills. Money. 110 Austrian 5 per Cents. Bank Shares Angle-Russian Loan... ..... Russian 5 per Cent., Ist series, Inscription, Ist series Russian a per Cent. Hope and 1640 -:- 108% 108% , Certificate 102% 103 .Co., 3d and 4th Series — Ditto in Certificates - New 4 per Cent. (1840) So nn Dutch Actual Debt, :44 per Cent. ......... Ditto 5 per Cent. Polish Bonds — New Tickets — _ Anglo-Danish Loan, 3 per Cent. _ .B2 Spanish, New 5 pc.r Cents. — _ EXCHANGES ON LONDON. flsmattiton, Dec.,l6 —l3 9%, Two months 13 7%. PETERSBURG, Nov. 29.—Three months, 37% pence. RIGA, DEC. 10. .—Three Months, 37%. STOCKHOLM, 1 lEc. 9.—Seventy-five day s, 12 11. VIENNA., Nov. 29.—Three months, 9. 46. . PRUSSIAN FUNDS.—ThiItLIN, DEC. i 5. St. Schuld Sch., 4 per cent. ................. . Bills. mo ne y 104 MI Prussian English Bond , , 1830, 1 per cent- 1 1, 234 11 2 Exchange on London 6 24 Prussian State Gazette, Dec. 16. POST-OFFICE. TO THE EDl7'O7l? OF THE SUN. Sin,—lf I were to prefer the complaint of which I am about to inform you, directly to the Post-office authorities, I should most likely be called upon to point out the parties whom I should consider in fault; therefore, I hope the case will be remedied by your mention of it in your journal, without my adopting the more unpleasant alternative. Some time since the Post-office authorities supplied the different country postmasters with placards for public exhibition, stating that "stamps at id. each, and covers at lid. and 21d. each," might be had at the office. One of my complaints is that this placard is withdrawn from the public view; and another, that if you ask for a penny stamp, e you will be told " We are out of them ; ' and a further complaint is, if you ask for a cover or envelope, you are told " We do not sell less than a packet." I do not mean to say that if a party being aware of the postmaster's duty were to demand and insist upon having a single cover, it would be refused to him ; but parties in the country not being so aware of the postmaster's duty, would go away without that which he ought to have been supplied with. With regard to the penny stamps, which the country post masters try to be out of, I would suggest that an order should be given to them that whenever they had less than a single sheet of stamps (viz. 240), they should be' ordered to apply for more, and strict orders should be given to them to take care that they are not with out Dec, supply lB,lB f 4 o 2. v for the public.—l am, Sir, voar T s, o & B. c.,