The Sun. — London, England, 1856-07-29 00:00:00

_ a ; ,~,. T;: ...•••••• ---.-.0. 1010 4 of tile of fr. ni t, Os Villiga I:ieerel i. r of J• s Ale l f . ,f PO . in,. iodinE' 0, Ladl ). Bliss, TIIO IOII Lill, big. worth , 1 Clegg' lingb ec -:011 14° ' 31% ~-~- THE CHANCELLORSV.. Y.FL. T A FRITHOLD GOLD MINING COMI A.NY.—The Direc old Mining tors of the Chancellorsville Freehold G Company at make a Statem t to length find themselves in a position to v'eed* en their Shareholders, on their own past , i)rc . 1 0 , nos and en the le . present position and future prospects of ti. After having encountered and overcome 1 great chificulties, they are happy in being able to announce t hat they have ar rived at complete success. terly agsmi , . The question of Quartz Reduction has lat 0 , Aoct a great importance. Of the vast importations (. f go4 l ttio this country, the portion which shows a progressi 're i'dcrcetse is that which comes from the Quartz ; but the red n'etion is still , effected with great difficulty and expense, and at a c•ou s id er . able waste of the precious metal. One cf the pr Ale ms of the time is to unlock the treasures which lie un, le - reloped in quartz formations in various parts of the world, and to make them available for the increase of the general s Lock of gold. The Directors of this Company believe that they 'do not arro• gate too much to themselves, when they express their convic tion that they have succeeded in removing mai ly of the ob. stacles that stood in the way of a solution of th. p problem. 1 ORIGIN AND OBJECTS OF THE COMPANI t—NATTyRE OF THE PROPERTY. This Company was formed about three years MP:tor the pur chase of the Grasty Estate, in Orange County, 'Vi rginia, and for the extraction of Gold from the valuable qnar i tzra ithwhicli that estate abounds. At the outset, the Diree.ors lespatchod to Virginia Mr. W. T. Henwood, F.R.S., F kc., author of " The Metalliferous Deposits of Cornwa.%'i and De mon:" a mining engineer of high character. Mr. Hero", ood was f( irmerly her Ma jesty's assay master and supervise). o f Tin in t 1 .e Royal Duchy of Cornwall, and Secretary of Ott Royal Geogra p hical Society of Cornwall. He was subsequently Chief Corm nissioner of the Imperial Brazilian Mining Association in Bra z 1, and more re cently ho was employe,. on a ape cial curve! mission by the Hon. East India Cowpony. Thew, credentials sufficiently esta blish the fitness of Mr. Henwood for the duty' ao was appointed to perform. MB. HENWOOD'S ILEPe i la ON THE i ESTATE AND 11 ' AIN E. After two visits and a careful survey' of the property, Mr. Henwood made a report, which was print( id at the time. He there stated the follovA ng particulars - " The Grasty Est ate is situate in Orat ige f:Jounty, Virginia, about 25 miles we' A of Fredericksburg, an t' h e Rappahannock. It is bounded on . the west by the Plank r oad, and for some distance on the , north by the old turnpike . road between Fre dericksburg = and Orange Courthouse, w 1 aich will be shortly connected by a line of railway in course of construction, and will pass within a mile of the western t imit of the property. Both threse places now communicate A the Potomac by rail, the fernier at .Aquia Creek, the latter at Alexandria, and Alexandria is to brsitortly wane 40 , 4 leittrtbirgreat lies of intercourse between Washington and the northern, eastern, and *western parts of the Union. rhe property can therefore .flea'ecely be exceeded in facility 0 f communication, as well - wi.th the east as the interior. " The greatest length of the es tate is about a mile and a Imlf from east to west, and its w' idth is perhaps half a mile from about north to south. The boundary, however, is irre gular, and much indented ; its at. ,rfacc is gently undulating, the difference between the elovatt .on of the highest and lowest grounds probably little, if at all, exceeding 100 feet. " The area is 439 acres, of which 100 acres or thereabouts are clearly and partially cultivated. About 200 acres are co vered with a heavy growth of m agnificent oak and other valu able trees, and the remainder sears stunted pine and brush wood, ' which serve for fuel. / tear the dwelling house there is a 5m7.11 marshy declivity, and in the western part of the estate several depressions have each a rill. These unite within the boundary of the property, an d their stream, although scarcely enough for cleaning ore by t he ordinary washing processes, is ample for the supply of ama Igamating apparatus. " There is a very good d welling house, a tolerable one of smaller size ' nine cottages, a smith's and carpenter's shop, a storehouse, barn, stable, a ad several small out-houses." Referring to the aurifer ous formation of the rocks on the estate, Mr. Henwood add ed : " The rock is a talcose slate, sometimes very closely resem bling clay slate. It is generally soft, of a pearl-white or very pale blue colour in some - places, and light buff in ethers ; but znany portions are deep red, occasionally passing into brown —an aspect not uncomn ion in other auriferous districts. The structure is, on the who le, thick lamellar. The strike of the cleavage planes is about . 35 deg. E. of N. and W. of S. (mag netic), and their dip (fr em the horizon) is 70 deg. to 85 deg. towards the N.W. " Masses of potstone appear at intervals, and seem to range parallel to the lamiaat , ion of the slate rock. They probably form the continuation of a similar formation, which is ob served in a like positic in beyond the limits of the property eastward. "Just within the belt el forest which covers the northern boundary of the estate, a. large range of quart: rock is traced for some distance, in. this same direction with the strike of the potstone and of the ec'aie tose rocks. No operations have ever been instituted on it, .t if other parts of the estate are wrought I think this oug ht not to be passed without trial. "At the north-western fence of the cleared land, enormous blocks of quartz are abuz idantly scattered over the surface, in a line co-incident with ti le range of the rock formations; and still farther within the 'enclosure, southward, two other pa rallel ranges of similar stones are still more plentifully traced. Although we nowhere b see the parent rock of these surface blocks, there is, I think :„ little or no doubt but they mark the vicinity of parallel qua] doze deposits, to which further atten tion should be directed. , " Still south, on this elevated ground, about 200 fathoms north-west of the houf Jo, an enormous quartz formation crops out, and may be trac , :d in the same direction with the others for perhaps 100 fathoms in length. Large masses of the same rock also appear in siltu at intervals, on the same line of bear ing through the length of the estate, but separated here and there by copse and crativated land. As its junction with the talc-slate is not visable, it is impossible to ascertain the exact breadth ; a width-- of from 20 to 30 feet is, however, exposed, and broken stones of it cover the surface for double that extent. It is from..tis formation that the •specimen of • gold in your possession 'vas obtained. At 150 fathoms from the western boundary gin forest of grea t beeq the estate, within a fine tract of vir xtity, there is a similar quartoze for mation, coutaininl earthy brown iron ore, and small pieces of talc slate, wb:icla has considerable resemblance to the for mation formerl-1 wrought, whence your samples of ore were taken. Of tb .6 propriety of giving this part of the property more examination -than it has yet been subjected to I think no doubt ec A n be entertained. " Abor A t 100 fathoms still southward near the marshy de clivity already mentioned, and immediately in front of the be st ( l awelhng, another large quartoze deposit crosses the ne s n 4 :a-eastern angle of the estate for perhaps 150 fathoms in 0 ngth. Its width cannot be accurately observed, but in Tposition it conforms to the lamination of the adjoining talc :elate. The silicious matter is more or less mixed with por tions of slate, and it encloses EOM iron pyrites and copper Pyrites, but these are not abundant ; earthy brown iron ore is, however, plentiful in many parts of it, " It has bees partially wrought for about 100 fathoms in length, but most of the shafts have been sunk only about six fathoms in depth, and the deepest of them is only about 15 fathoms. " The quantity of rock at the surface is about 500 or 600 tons. It was from the ferruginous portions of quartz remain ing that the samples you have had assayed were obtained, and during my last visit to the property I also made some examinations of the ore, which, defective as they necessarily were from the rudeness of the implements I found on the spot, afforded gold in amply remunerative proportion to the quantity of stone submitted to experiment. " This deposit is so little seen in situ that it is impossible to estimate the quantity of ore contained in any given extent •f ground, the samples, assayed, however, leave no doubt that it deserves more examination than it has yet received. " These extensive formations of quartz coincide in position with the laminae of the rocks, of which, in fact, they doubt less form members, and they differ from the schistose varie ties only in being more silicious, and in exhibiting fewer traces of slaty cleavage." As the foregoing Report was made more than two yoarsago, on information obtained some months before, it may be a sa tisfaction to the shareholders to have a confirmation of them in general terms, made ou the 22d of Juno of the present You-, by an eye-witness, the Company's own agent, a gentle luau of the highest character and respectability, who was de apatched to Virginia on a special mission to make arrange ments for the practical working of the mine, and the trans mission of the ore to this country. This gentleman says : " I have made an examination of the Property, and find that there is an endless supply of Quartz, with indications of great richness. The Master Vein, which runs for upwards Of a mile through the centre of the estate, remains untouched, and the surface indications (rich Gossau, and thrk, reddish, bro en quartz) lead me to suppose that it is muchricher than any which has yet been tried. The width of the vein averages about 4) yards. " There are several other veins, running almost parallel to the one alluded to, but not of the same width or length. There is an abundant supply of timber, principally oak. I believe about two hundred acres, richly covered. Also about one hundred of pine. The railroad to Fredericksburg will run within a few hundred yards of the estate ; which will of course greatly facilitate the communications and ren der expenses much lighter." Thus the original statements of the promoters of the Com pany and the engineer are fully borne out; and the value of the property remains unimpaired at the present hour. IMPORTATION OF ORE FOR REDUCTION. . _ Between the original formation of the Company and the early part of the last year there was a period of comparative inactivity. Nothing but the confidence inspired by the Re port of Mr. Henwood, the oral statements of other gentle men who had visited the property, and the results of the assays made by Messrs. Johnson and Matthey, Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Clandet, Dr. Ryan, Mr. Wright, Mr. Edwin Smith, Dr. Cellyer, and others, could have sustained the Directors against the disconragements. and disappointments they encountered. All undertakings of the kind gradually fell into disrepute. Changes also took place in the constitution of the Company Itself, which was at one time almost threatened with extinc tion ; bat the remaining Directors and some of the officers adhered to its fortunes under all vicissitudes,until they trust they will have earned the acknowledgments of the Share holders for their faith and perseverance. All the efforts of this and ether companies to effeet on their several mines the extraction of the gold from the ores having at that date proved unsatisfactory, the Directors of the Chan cellorvllle Company determined about a year and a half ago to bring over to this country a considerable quantity of the ore, so that they might have, under their own eyes and those of their shareholders, the benefit of the best scientific and Practical knowledge on the subject of quartz reduction. In evitable obstructions and delays retarded for a considerable time the accomplishment of this resolution ; so that it was not until the close of the last year that the Diredors received their first consignment. Shortly after they received another, a smaller consignment. Both wore advertised at the time. With confidence unimpaired in the value of the mine, the Directors now flattered themselves that their task would in future be comparatively easy. Those only who have had to encounter the difficulties surrounding the subject can com prehend why so much delay, nearly nine months, has never theless occurred. The ore of this mine contains very little visible gold ; and the precious metals which abound in it ex ist in particles so fine as to require the most elaborate treat ment. So much time having elapsed since the first assays already referred to the Directors considered it desirable at the outset to ascertain by the same means the value of the ore. They were well aware that their greatest difficulty would be to obtain machines capable of crushing and amalgamating or Otherwise extracting the gold, en such a scale as would con firm the tests of the assayers. RESULTS OE THE TESTS. The Directors invited the co-operation of scientific sad practical men who had studied the subject. The results of their experiments were very unequal ; some of them encou raging the meet extravagant ideas of profit, but few being be low such a yield as would giie a dividend. If the undertak ing were rationally regarded as a fair commercial enterprise. It would answer no purpose to embody in this report the Certificates in detail of the gentlemen who made the different experiments ; but some notion may be formed of the uncer tainty in which the Directors from time to time were placed, from the following examples. Far instance, on the 23d of November, 1855, Mr. Claudet, of the Assay-office, Cannon street (who had previously tested some o f th e ore w ith l ess favourable results), certified that the iron pyrites, with which the ore abounds, contains from 34 to 39 ounces of gold, to the ton of pyrites, and 65 ounces of silver. Attlie Immo date tttsrs.-joht Taylor and'S'Oni, of- U PPer - Ordn'ance 'wharf, ter ti4etl per Mr. Jordan, that one specimen of ore out of four $0,14 yielded 27i moos of gold and 01 mica of paw to the ton. Other specimens varied between half an ounce and au ounce and a quarter of gold to the ton, while• of Silver there was from half an ounce to three ounces. On the 4th of January last, Mr. Ansell forwarded to the Directors au elaborate report of a series of experiments made on this ore at the Panopti con, in Leicester-square, by the chlorine process, the general result of which yielded rather more than two ounces and a half of gold per ton. To test that process Mr. Ansell also tried the ore by assay and amalgamation, the result being nearly the same. A subsequent assay gave by amalgamation about three ouuces and three-quarters of gold, and by assay rather more gold and five ounces of silver to the ton. Mr. T. H. Henry, F.R.S., made on the 14th of February of this year a report on four specimens, one of which yielded nearly thir teen ounces of gold. These are a few amongst many results of experiments made by order of the Directors on the ere. They had the additional satisfaction of finding, from the reports of practical chemists, that the mundic with which the oro abounds is capable of yielding eighty ounces of silver to the tan. The Directors men tion these various results, partly because they confirm the ori ginal estimates of the value of the ore, and partly to account for the delay in their own operations. At a very early date they came to the conclusion that they could calculate upon a moderate average yield of gold and silver, and at a small cost of reduction sufficient to enable them to pay a high remunerative dividend, They also came to the conclusion, after hearing the opinions of various com petent persons, that the mode ofyeduction most to be relied on and most suited to the ore, was that of 'calcining, fine grinding, and amalgamation. - The real difficulty of the directors was to procure machines capable of performing this work. At length they found themt selves in a position to operate upon a sufficient bulk of ore to enable them to estimate an average. With the principle of the machine used they had long been acquainted, but until this . . . . time they had not been able to obtain the means of working the _large Machine cOustructed'mpetMatlwincipli. They availed themselves of an _ opportunityaffthilid them by Messrs. Symonds and Fell, Stiffeiluice-wharf Smelting Works, Mill wall, to calcine, crush, "gfind, and amalgamate a sufficient quantity of the ore to yield a fair average of that which was first consigned to this country, but which, as will be after wards explained, is by no means a good sample of the bulk of the ore on the estate. The result of that trial was such a yield of gold, of the finest quality, as to place the success of the undertaking beyond a doubt, provided that the expenses of raising, importing, and reduction were such as, from the various estimates the Directors had received, they were entitled to expect. This trial was made publicly, and was attended from time to time by gentlemen interested in the question from a scientific point of view, and the whole process, with the results, wag made the subject of certificates by Messrs. Symonds and Fell, the proprietors of the works, and of Mr. Harris, under whose immediate direction the re duction took place. The certificates are subjoined:— " Mill-wall Grinding and Crushing Mills, Smelting and Assay Works, Sufferance-wharf, Mill-wall, London, 3d May, 1856. " In answer to your inquiry, we beg to state the Chancel loravillo ore reduced at our works, as above, contained on an average above 1 oz. 18 d wt. of gold per ton " Tilos. W. FELL. " For Symonds, Fell, and Compy. " W. S. Trotter, Esq." " I hereby certify that I operated upon six tons of the Chancellorsville ore at the reduction works of Messrs. Sy monds, Fell, and Company, Mill-wall, and obtained thereupon 1 os. 18 dwts. of fine gold per ton of ore. A larger result would have been obtained had an amalgamator been used, to have caught the fine gold which passed off with the water. " Subsequent trials with improved machinery have proved that 95 per cent, of the gild in the ores is obtained. " July 24, 1856." (Signed) "JosiAu HARRIS. As the Directors desired to give every opportunity for the trial of other machines, they made arrangements with the proprietors of the machine invented and patented by S. T. Jones, Esq., for a test of its capabilities. This was made also in the presence of many persons, on the premises of Mr. Marshall, the engineer, in Bishopsgatestreet. The result was entirely satisfactory, both as regards the powers of the machine and the gold bearing quality of the quartz. The Directors considered that it would be more satisfactory to the shareholders if this process were carried on under the superin tendence of some gentlemen of high scientific reputation, but entirely unconnected with the Company. They accordingly made arrangements for this purpose with T. H. Henry, Esq., F.R.S., of No. 44, Lincoln's-inn -fields. The following is that gentleman's report, both on the merits of the machine and on the yield of the ore : " July 16, 1856. " Dear Sir, —I attended according to your desire to wit ness the operations of the auriferous quarts of the Chancel lorsville Mining Company with Jesses s machine, and will now briefly state the results. " Half a ton of the quartz previously calcined was passed through the machine, slowly, however, for want of sufficient power to work it more rapidly. I assisted in straining and passing the mercury from the pans and from the amalgama tor, and having brought the amalgams here, extracted the gold from them. They yielded a button weighing 226 grains. " Mr. Harris afterwards brought me• the residue of the dis tillation of the mercury, and I obtained from this 132 grains of gold (containing a little silver) total 348 grains, or at the rate of 1 oz. per ten. " I then carefully assayed the tailings, working on a large qaantity. They contained 1 dwt. 13 grains of gold per ton. This is rather more than 4 per cent. of the total quantity of gold. Upwards of 95 per cent. had, therefore, been extracted. " These results areall in favour of the value of the quartz ; the efficacy of the machine, which certainly ground the quartz to an z.zceedingly uniform fine powder ' • and also of the amal garant.3r, in the mercury of which the larger portion of the gold was found. I think, however, that the size of the ma chine should be considerablyreduced for the sake of economy. " The calcination of this quartz previous to submitting it to amalgamation appears to be necessary, as the geld seems chieflyassociated with the iron pyrites or mundic disseminated throughout the quartz ; a sample of the mundic separated from the quartz and assayed yielded upwards of 7 ozs. of gold per ton.— I remain, dear sir, yours very faithfully, (Signed) ".T. N. HENRY, F.R.S." As in all previous attempts made in this country to extract gold from quartz a considerable portion of the precious metal was lost in what is technically called the " tailings," the Directors availed themselves of the magnetic amalgamator alluded to by Mr. Henry (the patented invention of Messrs. Jones and Harris), the value of which was tested by the fact that only 4 per cent, of the whole amount of gold was found to have escaped. PREMISES FOR THE WORKS OF THE COMPANY. The Directors having satisfied themselves of the existence of the precious metals in the ors to an extent justifying them in calculating that the minimum yield would be sufficient to pay a very large profit, they determined on taking premises for the purpose of carrying out the future operations of the Company. After much consideration, and although offers had been made to coitract for the reduction of the future consignments at a moderate fixed price per ton, or for the purchase of the ore in bulk at a rate calculated on what the directors believe to be the minimum yield of gold, they de cided that their operations could be carried on far more regularly and successfully in works under their own control, at or near Liverpool, UN chief entrepot of the American trade. They were mainly influenced by a calculation of the lower price of coal in Lancashire and the certainty of a regular weekly supply of quartz. After examining many eligible sites, they finally chose some abandoned salt works at Fred sham-bridge, in Cheshire. These premises are remarkably well adapted for the purpose. They cover an area of fou r acres, with building and plants available for the purposes of the Company. There is excellent wharfage on the river, with facilities of cheap water carria;e from the vessel's side in the Liverpool docks, or for vessels of smaller tonnage chartered wholly by the Company, coining direct to Fordsham-bridge. They are bounded by the Lancashire and Cheshire Railway, to which the Company have a right to make a short tram road for the conveyance of coal, Sre., should that bo deemed desirable. Of these premises the directors have taken a long lease at a rental of 1501. per annum, with a right of purchase of the freehold for 2,000/. They have entered on possession since the 24th of June, and the necessary constructions have been planned by the mining engineer of the Company. The requisite alterations and additions aro being proceeded with, and they will be completed before the first of the regular consignments arrives from New York. The directors have purchased the stompers necessary for the crushing of the ere, which have been forwarded to the premises. They have also given orders for the immediate construction of the grinding machines, of Jones's invention, which are required for the reduction of about two hundred and fifty tons of quartz per week, which will be as much as can, for some mouths to come, be conveniently brought over from the mine. They have also ordered the steam engines and other requisite machinery, which will be executed in time for the arrival of the ore. ARRANGEMENTS FOR WORKING THE MINE AND SUPPLYING THE QUARTZ. When the directors had ascertained the possibility of ex tracting the gold at a remunerative cost, they deemed it desirable to confirm arrangements, already initiated, for the working of the mine and the regular transmission of the ore to this country. For this purpose they were fortunate enough to secure the services of a gentleman, Mr. R. B. Thomas, who had already had much experience in America. That gentleman they despatched about two months since to the mine, armed with full powers to make all the arrange ments necessary. He was instructed to report upon the actual condition of the estate, the cost of raising, of convey ance front the mine to Fredericsburg, from Fredericsburg to New York, and from New York to Liverpool. His expe rience and energy of character enabled him to effect all those objects in a musk shorter time, and oven with more success than the directors had anticipated. The result of his mis sion sets at rest the question of cost, and decides it in a man ner most favourable to the undertaking. Mr. Thomas left this country on the 17th of May last, and on the 22d of June he was enabled to transmit to the secretary of the Company the letter, from which an extract has already been given. Having fulfilled the other objects of his omission, Mr. Thomas deemed it expedient to return immediately to Eng land, that he might personally explain the details of arrange ments. The following is his report : " London, July 18, 1856. "To the Directors of the Chancellorsville Freehold Gold Mining Company. "Gentlemen—ln fulfilment of the mission with which you have entrusted me, I have visited your Mine, and have made myself acquainted with all the circumstances, a knowledge of which is necessary to enable you to work it. " Your instructions having left me a considerable discre tion, I thought it right to devote my attention to the two most important considerations connected with the subject, viz., the value and working capabilities of the Mine (or, as I should rather describe it, the Estate with minus upon it), and the means by which the ore can be transmitted to this country at the smallest expense. " The estate is 24 miles from Fredericsburg, which is a good shipping port. At present the access to that port is by au excellent plank road, on which the property abuts, A railway from Orange to Fredericsburg is in course of forma tiou, which passes within a quarter of a mild of the property, and which will be completed in a year. " The supplies of quartz are inexhaustible, there being se veral veins running through the estate, the principal of which is traceable for more than a mile and a half, with an average width of 25 yards. In some parts the width is fully 40 yards This vein shows throughout a richness which cannot be mis taken. The other veins run almost parallel, but do not give such decided surface indications of richness. Their course is not so clearly defined, as they do not crop out to the same ex tent as the main vein, but there is Sufficient quartz visible to make it a certainty that the supply will be more than suffi cient to meet the demands for many years; indeed,•as I sal before, inexhaustible. " Labour can easily be procured at 150 01s., or 301. a-year, isachding keep, Aay umber of 1413ounri can lie timulteas (N o . 20,002.) „....._... ~.. .. .-...- - 4. 4••• A”. _- -. . --.....- • - - , _ __-... ----- • _ e A _ - - - .--4- • ..,..... • .- , . .4 IP A • 4. , -- _ • _., _ . ER 1/ /4 ... e 1 V . elilto''t•-••40--. ) I, .:::,.. it . - t‘•ie • - . 3- ; - A rip, lS z., :i. 'A r 4cv.440 2k, 11 I.. '(" ; 'li k 41 . - - I , a11i1i 5 " , ... „, necessary for vesk els to stop for the purpose of paying th ...„, _ , •"`S , .1 -„, .. . ri - , e-• A l l ; ! 1 ‘ •...,- .. . ', M -' git. N.. . ...,...____,___ , . : , dues in future. The apparently arbitrary rates at whin 11 S ' , I; it,!, • , eIN . - -2-....* ti --', ee . , these duties are fixed is also the subject of complaint. p .. ,zh r . The duties leriab'e on the articles enumerated in the to r•.. 4 1 1( 6 " -- 4" . i. 016. :ek-8'" 1 ilitc,4 ~ - ‘ all' .--1 *".. - \;,,, 1 ? , * 1 Y `" ---= larlA, , :d 11,.., ' lt ~..."- ,44 • __mi.:: tariff do not appear to have been ajusted in 1841 to , -. .••l , tqf ....-; e ' I t / ..,3. ' ' \. •, 1 , "4. .. : ::. . •' • ' t-' -,.- • ..,, •E. I. • ‘ --'' ) 1 1 , O Q! '0 V t 11 •••';''', 1 , a, - . 0 . , 144 o w ,„ op• ' - 's, i. ty ~,,,-, - A i, , ; •,., A--... ....* ..I , , . 1 1 ~ r, + th e 'value of the , goods at that period, although . it is i e . ~ . - ..0. A 1,,,•,„: . •.., z ,..„_. alcls, // i , % OIL 0 -14 , bt,..-1, ' ' . ' * r ; "1- -41.- - ... 1 , • r "*. e g 1 ' 44 '4 1 . ' —4- 44, - r -fp 4, , -to ' 'N.--e- , - d 'k 4-- -',,...'. ~,,,,. - -.- ~, -- ~,, alleged that in 1645 the duties were regulated aecord. ‘.•-. , ..- ; ; , ,-,;?:i-• ' ~ . '-, ,- -"etri.`f---,, ', s' -• - ). 1. Ain) 1v5 ,,,, - ' , if;r„,, , ,,,%\ .-r re... + nom , - •,,,, • •— , ....z.- ' irg t their - ‘l7 • the r , ' ..x value ; the great difference which has taken plaoe of late years in the cost of their production must leave the rates now without any certain relation to the real value; It is indeed a questkn raised by Denmark, as to whether, by the treaty of Christianeple (1645) or any subsequent treaty, it was ever intended that the duty cn the enumerated articles should be charged ad valorem, and practically at present there is no guide but the tariff for determining the amount of duty. It appears, how ever, that all the urenumerated articles were intended to he rated upon that principle ; and open the general belief that the dues on these gaols ought to be one per cent. only, there is much complaint that, in fact, the duties are much higher, rated even according to their value in 1841. It is but just also to state tl a; it bat been shown that in the case of some go'f ds exported from the Baltic the rate is less than one per cent. There can be no doubt, however, that on many im portant articles, whether named in the tariff or not, the duty levied is actually much higher than one per cent. Mr. Bowring, registrar of the Board of Trade, says "I have a list of articles here upon which the duty la more than one per cent. They are sugar, coffee, sulphur, spices, salt, cotton, rice, saltpetre, wine, shun= ; all of which are chiefly imported into the Baltic." Mr. Riggen, of Liverpool, salt manufacturer, who ex ports largely of salt to the Baltic, says that the duty now levied upon that article, according to its present value, is 12 per cent., and the trade is more limited than it would he in consequence ; and he consid.rs that not less than 6,0001. a year is paid fur dues on English salt to tfie Danish Government. And Mr. Stephen West, an importer of wood, says r—" We are a this moment importing deals from Russia which will cost us 51., and probably in the same ship shall have others that will cost us 101., but the same charge is made upon us for Sound dues." And he further alleges that the does pay. able on deals from Russia are only Is. 9d. per hundred, whilst those from Prussia pay 2s. Si.- Mespearson, of •Rull, says that indigo pays at the rate of .10s: 1 to 12s. a chest, while the who'd fre_ight upon that to,St,Teters --bus4 . thAtilt:lirdtttAVltsaa_the actual opt freigbt, and that upon won e yarn, e Jamearly Id. a pout.d, the freight eing ab t 63. a foot, equivalent to 20s. a ton, while at ld. a pound the Sound dues a ill amount to 91. 10s. a boa. The Sound dues, therefore, as they aro levied at pre sent, combine in them what is must objectionable in taxes that fall upon trade; they are unequal in their operation, and they occasion great loss cf time and much needless expenditure in the collection of a comparatively small revenue, and, as far as the cargoes are concerned, without professing to be raised for any service rendered in return, tend to impede and burden an important branch of trade. Under these circumstances, your com mittee have no hesitation in declaring that these dues are the cause of annoyance and injury to British com merce, and they deem it therefore highly desirable that they should be abolished. Your committee are the more induced to form this opinion by the circumstance that Denmark, from her geographical position, appears to possess a territorial monopoly in all the practicable routes that could be sub stituted in passing from the German Ocean to the Baltic Sea, by which the payment of these dues could be avoided ; and while her continuance to,levy tolls on the passage of the Sound is allowed, she can always protect this source of her revenue by imposing countervailing duties on the transit by land through her territory. It appears to this committee that Denmark has already manifested her intention to act upon this policy, seeking to confine the trade to its ancient course by sea, for, shim!. tan?ously with any railway cnntinunication being opened through her territory, transit dues have been imposed, which, from their amount, practically operate as a pro tection of the Sound revenue. Mr. Buchanan, the British Minister at Copenhagen, has stated that it was notorious in that country, and. that he had no doubt of it him , elf, that this was the object of the duties which have been imposed on goods passing on the railway between Hamburg and Lubeck, and be feels equally confident that upon the abolition of the Sound dues they would at once be greatly reduced. Other witnesses have expressed their opinion that, but for the transit dues, a much snore extended use would be made of this railway, especially at seasons of the year when relief from the risks of sea would cumpe nsate the merchant for any loss or inconvenience occr =log from the transshipment of gond,. It has been given in evinenee that a rail way late ly has been completed between Tonningen and Flenabor g, and which passes through Danish territory ; and whic h pur ports to convey goods clear of the Sound dues, b ut the committee have not been informed of the extent to which they have already been made subject to transit dayee. Your committee would strongly recommend that in any negotiation that may take place for the abolition of the Sound dues, the fullest consideration should boo given to the means of securing a like freedom. for trade in the transit through any part of the Danish territory. By means of documents that have been directed to laid before this committee; as well as by statements wade by Mr. Buchanan on the subject, your committee have become informed of the proposal that has lately been submitted by the Government of _Denmark to the. Go vernment of her Majesty, as well AS to other fa:reign states, with a view to the abolition of the Sound dues, and they have bawd from some of the witnesses opinions as to the justice and practicability of The plan. Other measures have also been brought under the consideration of the committee, having likewise in view to remove or mitigate the evils connected with these duos of which the trade so earnestly complain. Your committee does not feel in a position to pronounce any confident opinion upon the respective merits of these propositions, but they deem it important to notice, that in all of the plans, whether the one which has been made by the Danish Government, or those which have 'either ori ginated in other countries, or been suggested by indivi duals in this country, there seems to be no difference of opinion as to the data on which the calculation for a just settlement of this question should proceed, namely, the payments annually ma.'e to the Crown of Denmark on account of Sound dues ; neither does it appear that the accuracy of the returns to his effect, which are exclu sively derived from Danish authority, is seriously called in question. kr. Buchanan says that theiraccuracy was vot doubted at the congress assembled at Copenhagen to consider the subject, and that ho is satisfied from the freedom and ab sence of reserve with which access to the entries at the Custom-house was offered to himself, as also from the coincidence with the financial accounts presented to the Danish legislature, that there is no reasonable ground for mistrust. Doubts have been expressed to this committee by some witnesses, whether, in ca,se of compliance with the propo sition of Denaiark, namely, to receive at once a suns re presenting the capital value cf the payments annually made on account of Sound dues, any guarantee would remain for the maintenance of lights and buoys so eesen• toil for the safety of navigation in that sea ; and whether on:this account it would be expedient that any pecuniary indemnity should consist of annual payments remitted by this Government to that of Denmark. It is difficult, hoes ever, to express any opinion upon this matter, without previously knowing what other arrangements Denmark might propose to make for this purpose. The question on. which there appears to be some real difference of Opinion is as to the mode of providing in this country for the payment of the sum required for the redemption of these dues, should that course be de termined upon ; whether the bin dee should to borne ex clusively by the merchants and shipowners engaged in the Baltic trade, or whether by the country at large. The view taken by some of the most intelligent wit nesses, that the chief exports from the Baltic being of general consumption in this country, the duties on them (though borne at first by an especial branch of trade) enter into the cost of the article, and fell ulti mately on the general consumer, appears to be well founded, and so far to warrant the opinion that compen sation in this case might properly be charged on the ge neral resources of the country. The committee, how• ever, have observed that among those whose interests would be affected by it, no strong objection has been ex• pressed to the charge being cast on the particular trade, and the reason assigned against this plan has been less on the ground of injustice than that of the difficulty and inconvenience that would be found in giving it effect. There can be little doubt that the trade would, in con sideration of being relieved from the burden and incon venience connected with the present payment of these dues, gladly agree to substitute ie their place a direct payment either to this Government or that of Denmark, equal in amount to that which can now be legally claimed of them ' • but it is manifest that great practical difficulties would arise in giving effect to a system of differential duties imposed upon produce imported into the United Kingdom from the Baltic, and which would be thus rendered necessary. On these points, however, the committee forbear to express any opinion. It will be for the house to decide on the means that may be proposed by the Government of this country for carrying into effect any arrangement with ' the Crown of Denmark for the abolition of the Sound dues. Your committee deem it, however, their duty to the b e receipts dem an d demanded Den mark that the longer the settlement of this question is . the course recently delaye d n t i b ! , r y i f . a o ehwie.thi larger r ic t i r co ta will le rneprobably w b i el thatl " k. „ by the Goverionen.t.oi.thL7in!,,ed St , otes has cre ated a state 41thine$1 wlach from tnis country a speedy and practical soluti t o . n : conimittee have learnt from Mr. Buchanan too, the Government of-the United State , have announced their intention of discon tinuing the payment of the Sound dues after the expire tio,, o f a year, dating from the month of June last, and that a specific offer of compensation has been made by that Government to the Crown of Denmark, calculated on the same proportion to their previous payments as the proposal which has been made Ly Denmark to this country, and which it is understood the Danish Government are ready to ace( pt. If an exemp tion from the Sound dues could be granted by Den mark to one nation, it vv,..uld g;ve to that rf•Ation an un due alvatitsge in the carriage of the trade with, the Bal;ic. Your committee therefore think that the pro posals made by the Danish Government to the Govern meats of the different States interested in the naviga tion and trade of the Baltic, amongst which Great Bri tain holds the first placo, should revive immediate Con sideration, and become the foundation of a final-and satisfactory settlement 0f the question. The accounts from Limburg state that tle demand' for money is again increasing, the rate of discount h:.v.- ing advanced to 51 per cent. The bld" arrAvats yesterday consisted of 157fiOCZ. from New York, and 240,0001. by the o!ivtr Lang fn m Australia, making a total of 397,0001., nearly the who of which is expected to be seat to the continua. LON DON, TUESDAY EVENING, JULY f 29, 1856 ously employed at various points, the ore being near t' he sur face, andthe great vein very long in proportion to its . width. Thera are also six shafts, already sunk in a parallel vein, which are from 60 to 100 feet deep.. AI•C 610 for :3 of ore arc at present lying on the surface, ready for immediate trans mission to England. " Thinking that the Company would desire to k now the value of a better class of ore than that alreadysent, I a ,Tanged for the immediate shipment of 54 tons of this ore, 7 ihieh is now on its way to this country. "As I have already stated, a railroad is in course of con struction, which passes within 'a quarter of a mile of tie estate, going direct to Fredericsburg. This railroad ; will be completed in a year. When it is opened the cost o i trans mitting the ore will be about 2s. or 2s. 6d. per ton. For the present it must be sent by the plank road at a larger c norm. " Hitherto the ore of the Company has been sent b coast ing vessels to New York from Fredericsburg, and fr Om New York to England. " The result of my inquiries was to satisfy rae the ot, at a future time, it might be an economy to the company , Io char ter vessels of about 150 or 200 tong, *which could se .ip the ore at Fredericsburg and land it at Ft‘odsham-bridge, ' on the wharf of the company, thus avoiding the expense ath aadant on transshipment. " At present the cost of freight from Fredericsb urg to New York istwo dollars per ton. The cost from Nen r York to England is 2 t dollars per ton, or with commission.: fees at Now York, three dollars. " present it is necessary to adopt the New Yorl i route. I arranged with Hr. Phillips, the shipping agent at Fr oderies burg, to receive all ore forwarded from the estate, and i to ship it to New York. At New York, in like manner, I e '-ranged with Mr. Lancing, of the European and Express ag bncy, to reship to Liverpool the ore so received front Frederic: iburg. "In conclusion, gentlemen, I have only to say tha the re sult of my mission has been to convince me of the v4lue and capabilities of the nines upaiLyonr property. " I am, gentlemen, your obedient dervant, (Signed) " R08, , ,RT R. THOM AS." "There is on the estate about 200 acres of fine 1 Amber, principally oak ; also, 100 acres of pine." PROSPECTS AND ESTIMATED FROFITS OF 3 'HE . UNDERTAKING. It will have been seen from the foregoing Statemele.t, that some weeks must necessarily elapse before the opera %ions of the Company will be in full working order. But th e Direc tors now know enough of the conditions under wh (oh they will be carried ou to be able to form a definite estimat ie of the future. The ore hitherto received in this country was sent ihnliscri minately by the parties on the spot. Nevertheless, from this ore, which is inferior to the average production of tho estate, the results already rendered have been obtained. The Direc tors prefer to base their calculations upon the smallest ascer tained yield in bulk, rather than upon that which tll4 :y sin cerely Lelieve will be ultimately produced. They tako , there fore, as their ground work a yield of lioz. of gold to !the ton (vide Mr. Henry's Report.) At present they do not add any estimate of profit from the silver abounding in the c)re, the arrangements for its separate extraction not being :1 et per fected. The machinery already in the Company's possessio a, or in course of construction, will reduce 246 tons per week, and the extent of the premises at Frodsham affords ample sesape for such increased operations as may be determined upon:. The Company propose to bring over the ore at convenient ;seasons and to store it up at Frodsham, so as to maintain a continu ous supply. _ _ The position and conformation of the veins of qua:rtz are such as to permit the employment of any number of m on dis tributed at different points. No heavy machinery is re quired for this purpose, as all the necessary work can be done by manual labour under the personal superintead.enee of Capt . Hoskins, the well-known mining captain, who has hal a large experience in mining operations, and with whom arrangements have been made to leave this country, with a staff of miners, before the close of next week. The Directors have now ascertained that the expense of raising, land and water carriage, and reduction at Frodshatn, will be under B'. per ton. The following, therefore, will be the results at the before mentioned rate of 246 tons per week. 246 tons per week amount to 12,792 tons per annum. 12,792 tons, yielding 5/. 10s. per tea (gross returns) £70,35'6 (Taking the price of gold as 3/. 15s. only. But this geld fetches a higher price (41. 45.) on account of its purity). Cost of reducing 12,792 tons, at 3/. per ton 39,370 Nett annual profit on the Ore Thus it is shown that the operation's of the Company will yield a nett annual profit of more than 50 per cent. on tho whole capital of 50,0001. after paying the royalty and the staff expenses in England and on the estate. This estimate, however, assumes that the yield shall be only 11 oz. to the ton, and that the operations shall be limited to 248 tons per week. But all ascertained results tend to show that the yield will be much greater. That the calcula tion of quantity is very moderato, is attested by the fact that the St. John pel Rey Company reduce upon the average more than 80,000 tons annually. The Directors have no desire to indulge in anticipations which might appear extravagant or delusive. They, would merely remind the Shareholders that they have not included the profit on the silver (die yield of which is calculated at 20 oz. to the ton of ore, attainable at a cost of 21. per ton, and leaving a surplus of 81. per ton), or on the sale of the finely ground refuse, which, in the opinion of practical men, will pay nearly all the expenses. All possible economy has been exercised in the expendi ture necessary to arrive at the foregoing results ; and the Di rectors feel assured that the operations at their Works will be sufficiently advanced, to enable them to make their first half yearly statement to the Shareholders before the close of the present year. The Directors are happy to be able to repoat to the Share holders that the original capital of 50,0001. is more than suf ficient for all the requirements of the undertaking. By order. W. S. TROTTER, Secy. 1, Groat Winchester-street, July 26, 1856. Copies of this statement may bo obtained at the office of the C ompany. LONDONand WESTofIRELAND FISHING and FISH MANURE COMPANY. (Limited.) To be carried on by means of welled vessels, attended by screw steamers as carriers. Provisionally registered under the Limited Liability Act, whereby the liability of shareholders will be limited to the amount of their shares. Capital, 50,0091., in 5,000 shares of 10/. each, with power to increase to 100,000/. DIRECTORS. General Sir JOHN BURGOYNE, Bart,, R.E., G.C.8., D.C.L., Inspector-General of Fortifications, War Depart. ment, Pall-mall, Chairman. The Hon. W. Napier, Managing Director of the Lands Im- Ch p a l ; o le v s em ß e St. aultfoCuorr, Esq.any, O o ld ie P ss a r l s a . ce ß -y a a lf r o d u , r W a e n s a tm e i o n .) st , Westminster. James's-street, and Edinburgh. Francis Edward Bigge, Esq., Wateringbury, Kent, and Union Club, Trafalgar-square. Edward Chapman, Eq. (Messrs. Chapman and Hall), 193, Piccadilly. Lieut.-Col. French, 8, Duke-street, St. James's, and Galway, Deputy Chairman of the Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railway Company. Henry S. Pitcher, Esq., Northfleet Dockyard, Kent. William Pultency Scott, Esq., 55, Lincola's-inn-fields. John Shorter, Esq. (Messrs, Shorter, Pownall, and Co.), 1, Laurence Pountney-place, Cannon-street. Thomas Osborne Stock, Esq. (Messrs Burgess and Stock), Lloyd's, and 18, Austinfriars. Thomas Edward Symonds, Commander, R.N., Managing Di rector, resident at Galway. Charles Whiting, Esq., Beaufort-house, Strand. BANKERS. London—The London Joint Stock Bank, 5, Princes-street, Mansion-house, and 69, Pall-mall. Dublin and Galway—The Provincial Bauk of Ireland. Solicitors—Messrs. Valiance and Valiance, 20, Essex-street, Strand, Loudon. Auditors—J. E. Coleman, Esq., 36, Coleman-street, City, one of the Official Auditors appointed by the Board of Trade ; George Cumming, Esq., Manager of the Kent Mutual Life and Fire Insurance Societies. Brokers—Messrs. Field, Son, and Wood, Warnford-court. Secretary (ad. int.)—E. Matthews, Esq. Offices—London, 32, Regent-circus, Piccadilly; Dublin, 24, Upper Saekville-street. Principal Fishing Station, Galway—Manager, Mr. Thomas Wade. Factor and Agent in London—Mr. George Stevenson, 10, Billingsgate. This Company comprises within its objects and operations two branches of business : (1.) A system of deep-sea fishing and the purchase and curing of fish on the west coast of Ireland, the principal fea tureplant fishing grounds to the railways. being the employment of steam-vessels as carriers e he he f t from m (2.) The manufacture of fish manure or fish guano from the inedible fish and offal, and the extract of fish oil. The Directors refer with gratification to the observa tions of tho press both in England and Ireland (set forth as an appendix to a pamphlet, which, with full detailed prospectus, may be had on application), expressing in the most forcible manner favourable opinions of the undertaking, not only as to its success in a commercial point of view, but as likely to be beneficial to Ireland. As to the first branch of operations of the Company namely, fishing and the purchase of fish, it may be stated that the waters of the west coast of Ireland abound with the choicest cod, turbot, soles, lobsters, and other fish, but hith er to, owing to a variety of causes wel l known, these vas t resources have not been turned t o pro fit a bl e account The Company on a large scale. proposes therefore to carry out a system of general fishing on the deep sea banks, and to purchase fish of every description throughout the west coast of Ireland. One of the principal features in this plan is the employment of steam-vessels as carriers, by which the fish will be collected .daily at the several fishing stations, and carried to the nearest railway. These vessels, iu combi nation with the Electric Telegraph and fast trains on the rail ways, added to a plentiful supply. of Ice, will insure a large and regular delivery of fresh and cured fish in good condition, within a few hours at the markets of London, Dublin, Liver pool, Bi rm i ng ham, Manchester, Brist o l , an d all important towns in the kingdom. The Company's arrangements aro in a sufficient state of forwardness to justify the expectation that fishing operations will be commenced in the month of October next. The fleet will, in the - first instance, consist of two screw steam carriers of about 150 tons, six welled vessels of about 90 tens, and six of about 50 tons. There will also be store vessels for keeping fish and lobsters alive, and several boats of from 30 to 35 feet long for seine and drift -net fishing. A most abundant supply of marketable fish may be calcu lated upon, and arrangements have been made which will insure a sale of Almost any quantity. In confirmation of this fact, the Directors refer to the document in the Appendix, bearing the signatures of the principal fishmongers in London. As to the nowt' branch, namely, the manufacture of fish Manure or fish guano, oil, and glue, from the coarse and inedible fish, and the ()fill of the curing stations. It is impossible to overrate the importance of this branch of the business. It is an established and incontrovertible fact, that fully one-half the fish taken either by trawl or line fishing, i s inedible or unsaleable, and heretofore the greater part h as been thrown overboard. In addition to this it is also known that by the use of proper appliances an unlimited quantity of every description of . coarse fish and emstaersa.._ may be readily procured on the western coast of Ireland. These , and the offal of the prime or marketable fish, the Directors inteud converting into pulverised fah manure or fish guano. to Capital—lt is at present proposed to call up only 4 4 40,030/. (of which one-half has already been secured by pri vate subscription),.namely, 81. per share, payable as follows -21. as a deposit, and the remainder in three Separate calls, at intervals of not less than three. months. The shares may, however, be paid up in full at once, and in that case interest at 5/. per cent. will be allowed ppon,all sums paid in antici pation of calls. - In estimating the amount of profit which may be realised by this undertaking, the directohs are anxious to avoid all statements which might give rise to extravagant expectations; but a most careful calculation of the annual expenses, and a moderate estimate of returns, nOon authentic data, show, upon the first branch o f the nnkrtaking—namely, fishing, purchase, and curing of fish--a ritturn of from 30 to 35 per cent. upon the capital. ' 4 . The plan of operations and other information are fully de tailed in the prospectus, applications for which, and for the explanatory patnphlet, and' for shares, are to be made to the Solicitors, Brokers, or to the Secretary, at the offices of the Company, either in London or Dublin. Form of Applicatian for Shares. To the Directors of the London and West of Ireland Fishing and Fish Manure Company (Limited) 32, Regent-circus, Piccadilly, London. Gentlemen,— I request that you will allot me shares at 101. each in the aboye•named Company, and I undertake to accept the same, or such less number as you may allot me, to pay for the same, and to sign the deed of settlement of the Company, as and ►hen required,. and I enclose (have paid into the bankers of the Company) a deposit of £ .—Dated this day of , 1856. Name in full Profesgon or business Residence in full • Refer,Onsee Each application must 14:;nocanap . anied by a deposit -14-,-erirbitaker's receipt fa', 22. per share . SifSilld the fall number of shares applied for not bo allotted, a proportionate part of the deposit will be immediately returned. * Alter as the case may be. 111 HE EUROPEAN and INDIAN JUNCTION TELEGRAPH COMPANY (Limited).—(From SELEUCIA to the PERSIAN GULF). — (Uniting the Lines of the English and Continental Telegraph Companies with the electric cable of the Honourable East India Company, from Kurraehec to the head of the Persian Gulf,) OFFlCES.—Gresham House, 01(1 Broad-street. To be Incorporated by Act of Parliament. Capital 200,0001., in 20,000 Shares of 10/. each. With Power to increase. One-half of the shares to be allotted to the Scripholders in the Euphrates Valley Railway Company, in the proportion of One Share in the Telegraph Company for every Five Shares in the Railway Company. The Directors feel assured of obtaining a concession from the Ottoman Government, with. the necessary powers and privileges. From the arrangements now in progress, a set tled income may be expected on the capital of the company. Deposit, 10s. per Share. CHAIRMAN. W. P. ANDREW, Esq. (Chairman of the Euphrates Valley and Sciude Railway Companies ) DIRECTORS. William Ainsworth, Esq., F.G.S. and F.R.G. S. (late Geolo, gist and Mineralogist to the Euphrates Expedition). Philip Anstruther, Esq. (late Secretary to Government. Cey lon, and Deputy Chairman Ceylon Railway Company). Harry Borradaile, Esq. (late Bombay Civil Service, and Di rector of the Euphrates Valley Railway Company). Sir James Carmichael, Bart. (Chairman of the Submarine, and Me , ,nber of Council of the Mediterranean Telegraph Com _ panics). George B, Carr, Esq., 5, Lawrence Pountney-place. Col. A. Cotton (late Chief Engineer, Madras), Capt. H. B Lynch, C. 8., I.N. (late Commanding on Euphrates and Tigris). Sir John Macneill, LL.D., F.R.S. (Engineer in Chief of the Euphrates Valley Railway). Sir T. Herbert Maddock, M.P. (late Deputy Governor of Ben gal and Director of the Scinde Railway Company). Major J. A. Moore, F.R.S. (ex-Director of the Hon. East India Company, and Director of the provincial Bank of England). Francis Horsley Robinson, Esq. (late Chairman, Board of Revenue, Upper India, and Director of the Sciude and Euphrates liatag, Esq. (Director lleyßailwayCom of thepanies). Thomas Scinde, Euphrates Valley, and other Railway Companies). AUDITORS, Lieut.-Col. H.,8. Henderson (late Officiating Auditor General, Bengal.) J. Edmund'Anderdon, Esq (Director of the Bank of London.) BANKERS.—Messrs. Glyn, Mills, and CO. SOLICITOR.—J. A. M. Piuniger, Esq. SECRETART.—L. W. Raeburn, Esq. The Honourable East India Company has determined to lay a telegraphic cable from Kurrachee to the head of the Per sian Gulf. The Austrian Government has established a company with the requisite capital, paid up and guaranteed by the State, for constructing and laying down a Submarine Electric Tele graph, in connection with its land lines, from Castara or Ragusa, on the coast of the Adriatic, touching at Corfu, Zante, and Candia to Alexandria, -and thence by Jaffa and Beyrout to Seleucia; and have just concluded a contract for the immediate execution of the work. The Austrian Company gives to the English Government and the East India Company a priority over the public in transmitting their messages. The European and Indian Juction Telegraph Company (Limited) is established with the view to continue the elec• tric communication from Seleucia, along the line of the pro posed railway, by Aleppo, Ja'ber Castle, and tho Valley of the Euphrates, to the head of the Persian Gulf, thus complet ing the only remaining link between India and England. The English Government will soon be able to communicate with Malta and Corfu by a line to those islands from Cag liari, iu the Island of Sardinia, to which point the Mediter ranean Electric Telegraph is advanced. From Cagliari, the French and Sardinian Governments will have direct telegraphic communication with Alexandria and the East. All parts of India are or are about to be brought in tele graphic communication with Kurrachee, and the cable from thence of the East India Company to the head of the Persian Gulf, with the wires to be laid down by this Company will bring India by nearly 2000 miles nearer Euglaud and the Continent. When the Submarine and Indian systems meet at Seleucia the connection between the East and the West will be com plete, and England, the Continent, and India will be in hourly communication. From the arrangements contemplated it is certain that the best, and safest telegraphic routes will be secured to this country. The Austrian Government has most strikingly evinced its interest in this great undertaking, and its desire to main tain the position as the medium of communication between other nations, by undertaking the completion of so large a portion of the line. The British Government and the Hon. East India Com pany duly appreciate the power of supervision and control put into their bands by the telegraph, binding together in one the isolated and distant dependencies of the empire, and are prepared to extend their countenance and support in a fair and liberal spirit. The merchant and the shipowner are well acquainted with the inestimable value to them of the power of imparting and receiving prompt information. It is well known that heavy loss has been suffered by the Indian mercantile community through the non-receipt of immediate news of the adoption •f the Austrian propositions for peace. The heavy contracts made in Calcutta and Bombay in January last, for oil seeds, jute, and saltpetre, would have boon prevented by a single. message. But the grand source of revenue will be derived from the constant desire to communicate which is felt by members of families when at a distance from each other; and when it is considered how many thousands of families in England have some near relative in India, the revenue, it is believed, from this source alone, will be very large. From the most reliable data that can be collected, the Directors feel confident that, besides the pecuniary assistance that may be expected from Government and the Honourable East India Company, a highly remunerative return may be expected on the capital embarked. The Directors have the satisfaction of stating that they have secured the valuable co-operation and assistance of Mr. John Watkins Brett, the inventor and projector of the Sub marine Telegraph. Mr. O'Shaughnessy, Superintendent of Telegraphs in India, having already laid down in that country 4,000 miles of elec tric wire with extraordinary economy and success, and as the cable in connection with the Indian system is about being carried from Kurrachee to Kurnah, at the head of the Persian Gulf, under his supervision, an application has been addressed to the Court of Directors of the Honourable East India Com pany with the view to secure the advice of this eminent and successful officer to this Company, so as to insure uniformity of design and management throughout, from Calcutta and Peshawur, Bombay, and Madras, to Soleucia. The Honour. able Court have already intimated that they " would have no objection to the experience which ho (Mr. O'Shaughnessy) has acquired in India being made available for the line through Asiatic Turkey." " The electric telegraph is the most beautiful and surprising invention of the age, and nothing. is more interesting than to learn its rapid progress and wonderful results. The tele graphs of America are surpassed in length, s o lidity o f con struction, and cheapness of working by those which within the last few years, while we at home have been debating and fighting on the Eastern question, have been carried over the length and breadth of India. From Calcutta to the Indus, to Bombay, to Madras, the messages of Government and indi viduals are speeded in a few hours, at a cost comparatively trifling. Ceylon is to be united to the mainland, and the time is already looked upon as near when the Telegraph will cross the Mediterranean, run along the Red Sea and the coasts of tie Indian Ocean (or rather by the Euphrates and the Per sian Gulf), and unite London and Calcutta in hourly commu nication. We cannot doubt that this work will be soon achieved, and that no very long period will elapse before the wires extend to Canton and. Shanghai, and perhaps, running from island to island, .will stretch on to Sydney and Mel bourne, and the great settlements of the antipodos."—Times, Juno 16,1856. One-half of the shares in this company are offered to the scripholders in the Euphrates Valley Railway Company, who may apply on or before the 2d of August, in the proportion of one share in the Telegraph Company for every five shares in the Railway Company. The letter of application must be accompanied by the scrip of the Euphrates Valley Railway Company, which latterwill be forthwith returned, after being certified. The shares not so apportioned will be allotted to the public who may have applied on or before the above date. No call will be made until .the concession has been secured by the finnan of the Sultan, and the other arrangements con templated by the Directors are completed. FORM OF AFFLICATION FOR SHARES. To the Directors of the " European and Indian Junction Te legraph Company (Limited)," I request you will allot to me shares in the capital of the above named Company, and I hereby engage to accept the :atue on the terms of the Prospectus, and to pay the deposit and future calls thereon, and sign the deed of incorporation as and when required by the Directors, andsubject to their rule and regulations. . Name (in fall) Occupation Address and date._ Number of Shares in Euphrates Valley Railway Company (Limited) PUBLICATIONS. THE NEW NOVEL, EV ELYN MA:RSTON, By the Author of "Emilia Wyndham," . Is now ready at all the libraries, in 3 vols. ' The author has made hi Evelyn Marston' a considerable advance over her later fictions. She has chosen a new field for the subject 01 her tale, and conceived her principal actors with her pristine skill, as well as executed them with her pristine finish."—Spectator. Hurst and Blackett, successors to Henry Colburn. pArtis.—STANFORD'S NEW GUIDE TO PARlS.—Containing Instructions before Starting. Routes, Hotels, Restsrateurs, Public Conveyances, Police Regulations, Ta bles of French Money and Measures, a short History of Paris, its Government, Public Buildings, Ecclesiastical Edifices, Curiosities, Places of Public Amusements, Environs of Paris, &c., &c., with Two Maps, and a view of the Exhibition Building and Champ Eiysees. RO Ei spe E ci . ally A tep present G A RDENS, sen t week at this delightful eil resort be marked RS Sse of the most extradrdinarp&sattefties and Attractions, each night being clesotO to some particular Fete or Gala. Monday and Tuesday, Great Terps , chorean ends' Freseo Displays. Wednes -I.alloon Ascent and Grand Equestrian_ Spectqcle. Thursday, Monstro Jubilee and Day - and NUM Fettival, for the Benefit of the Pr , prietor, Mr. T. B. Simpson. On this occasion the Entertainments and Attractions will be of so gigantic a nature as to exceed all for. mer attempts. Friday and Saturday. Prenarato y Galas and Bril liant Gathering for the Fete of all Nations. Open daily, One Shillinz; Thursday. T. tt. Simpson's Benefit Night, Admission, 28. Gd. The Free List is entirely suspended on that day. • CANTERBURY HALL, Westminstor-road. —OPEN EVERY EV NING.—The celebrated HUNGA RIAN BAND, under the direction of Herr KALOZDY, will per orm very E vening at 9 and l l o'clock, in addition to the usual Vocal nt ertainment The fo'lowing company of talented Vocalists are :ermanently engaged for the performance of Selections from all the Popular Ope , as, Ma irigals, Choruses, Duets, &c., viz. :—M rs. J. Caulfield, Miss farunel, Miss Sommers, and sllss Pearse ; Sam Cowell, Mr. .T. Caulfield, Herr F. Jonglunans S. Jones, T. Farrant, IT. Barker, Russell Grover, and P. Corrie ; Masters E. Con oell, Austin, and Bennett, and Mr. T. Hackney. Pianoforte, Mr. .T. Harr - may, B.A. , harmonium, J. Caulfield, jun. ; director, Mr. J. Caulfield. Commence at seven o'clock precisely. Suppers, &c , until twelve o'clock. R. W. S. WOODIN'S OLIO of ODDITIES. TO-NIGIST and every evening, at S. Box-office open from 11 till 5. The above entertainment has received novel additions, Vocal and Visual, Including a New Loco-Joko-Motive Lyric, entitled OFF BY THE TRAIN, illustrated by numerous changes, facial, lingual, and corJoreal. Mr. W. S. Woodin as Mrs. Florence, in the " Yankee Girl," with the songs of " Bobbing around," and " Pelly, won't you try me, oh !"—Poly;raphic-hall, King William-street, Charing-cross. OR. KAHN'S ANATOMICAL MUSEUM, 4, Coventry-street, Leiccster-square.—Open (for Gentlemen inly) from 10 till 10, containing upw trds of one thousand models end preparations, Illustrating every part of the human frame in , ealth and disease, the race of men, &c. Lectures delivered at 12, and half-past 7, by Dr. G. SErron, F.R.G.S. ; and a new and , ighly-interesting series of Lectures is now in course of delivery iy Dr. Kann, at 4 p.m. precisely. Admission, One Shilling. FLIGIBLE GROUND RENTS.—The CON SERVATIYE LAND SOCIETY.—NI I".ETEEN LEA-ED PLOrS, at 71. and 101. 10s. each per annum, for 99 years, wi'l be offered on the Brighton Estate, together with other eligible Building Plot*, for which first-rate ground rents may be obtained. on THURS DAY, August 7th, at the Offices. No. 33, Nerfolk-street, Ftrand. Some valuable plots, at the original prices, will also be allotted on St. Margaret's Estate, near Richmond; the Woodbury-park Estate, Tunbridge Wells; the Seven Sisters' Estate, Tetteidiarn ; the Oat lends Estate, Weybridge ; the Dewnqhfre-square Estate, Reading"; the West Malvern Estate, Malvern Hills ; the Erockley Hill Park Estate, Forest-hill ; the Hounslow and Hertford Estates ; the Wood green Estate, Honisey ; and the Enfield Fstate Plans will be sent on application, as also prospectuses of the Society, as an investment for capital and savings, without taking land. CHARLES LEWIS ORUNEISEN, Secretary. AWIDOW LADY, having a thorough know ledge of Domestic Management, is most desirous of an En gagement as Complnion to a Lady, or to superintend the tarnily arrangement 4 of a Widower or elderly Gentleman.—Addreis, C. G., Mrs. Pretty's, 5, Coldbath-place, Blackheath-road, Blackheath. METROPOLITAN COUNTIES and GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY, 27, Regent • ,treet, London, July, 1856.—NOTICE IS lIFAEBT GIVEN, That the HALF-TEARLY INTEREST on the capital stock of this Society and on the bonus declared on same is now Payable, and may be re ceived at this oiflce any day bet Ween 10 and 4 o'clock. r. E'R Rill !MA Af ROUX, Manager. Life Assurance in its various branches. Three•ruurths or the profits divided am^ng the assured. N.H. The bonus declared at the last division of profits averaged 3 per cent. ou the premiums paid. SUN LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY, LONDON. Policies effected with this Society now will PARTICIPATE IN FOUR-FIFTFIS, or 80 per cent., of the Net Profits of the Society, according to the conditions contained in the Society's Prospectus. The Premiums required by this Society for insuring Young Lives are lower than in many other old-established offices, and Insurers are fully protected from all risk by an ample guarantee fund, in addition to the accutunlated funds derived from the investments of I'remiums. Policy stamps paid by the Office. Prospectuses may be atained at the Office in Threadneedle-street, London, or of any of the Agents of the Society. CHARLES HENRY LIDDERDALE, Actuary. OND ON and NORTH-WESTERN ALA RAILWAY.—ALTERATIONS FOR AUGUS 1856. The Expre s Train, leasing Birmingham for Landon at 7.30 a.m. will call at Rugby. The 8.0 p.m. Train from London will cease calling at Boxmoor and Whitmore. ihe 9.15 p.m. Train from London will be continued on to Boa t:110W. The 8.0 a.m. Third Class Train from London to Birmingham, and the 8.3(1 a.m. Third Clas, Trate from Birmingham ti London will call at the Kilburn Station on Sundays. By order. MARK BLUSH. General Manager's Office, Euston Station, July, 1856. GREAT -WESTERN RAILWAY.- NO i'ICE IS HERMIT GWEN, That the next HALF YEARLY GENERAL MEETING of the Proprietors of this Corn rany will he held, pursuant to act or Parliament, in Bristol, at the Bristol Station, on FRIDAY, the 11th day of August next, for the general purposes of business. The chair will be taken at 1 o'clock precisely. BARRING tON, Chairman. JOlt N WA. MILES, Deputy-Chairman. The Trans'er Books will be closed on the let day of August, and will not be opened until nfter the said half •yearly general meeting on the 15th day of August. London Terminus, Paddington, 17th July, 1856. G REAT WESTERN and SHREWSBURY RAILWAYS. NORTH WILE ; TOURIST TICKETS available for Three Weeks from the day of Issue. these tickets will be issued until the 15th October, at Paddington, Oxford, Birmingham, and Wolverhampton, to Chester and back, with permission for the passengers to stop at Shrewsbury either going or returning, to proceed either from Llangollen-road to Cornwell, or from Oswestry to Weishrool by coach, the London passengers hav ing the option of calling at Leamington and Warwick, and returning to London either via shrewsiury, Hereford. Ross, and Gloucester, or via Shrewsbury, Birmingham, and Oxford. Fares. let Cass and 2d Class and Inside Coach. Outside Coach. Pram London and back.... £3 10s. 105. From Oxford and back • • '2 10s. ..•• 1 15 s. F;om Birmingham and back ...... 2 Os. • • • 1 103. From Wolverhampton and back .. 1 155. .• • • I 7 s. Thor: tickets are available by any train, but are not transferable, and they do not entitle the holder to travel twice in the same direc tion over any portion of the lines of railway. Passengers can proceed into the interior of Wales by coieh from Corwen or Welsh Pool, by arrangement with the coach proprietors from those places. jilf R. HOWARD, Surgeon-Dentmt, 52 2 Fleet- IY I_ street, has introduced an entirely new description of ARTI FICIAL TEETH, fixed without springs, wires, or ligatures. They so : erfectly resemble the natural teeth as not to he distinguished from he original by the closest observer; they will never change colour or lecay, and will be found very superior to any teeth ever before used. This method does not require the extraction of roots, or any painful z peration, and will support and preserve teeth that arc loose, and is s'uaranteed to restore articulation and mastication. Decayed teeth rendered sound and useful In mastication.---52, Fleet-street. At tome from ten till Ave. QCHWEPP'S MALVERN SELTZER WATER.—Having leased the Holy Well Spring at Malvern, enowned for its purity, J. S. and Co. can now produce a SELTZER WATER with all the Chemical and Medicinal Properties which have rendered the Nassau Spring so celebrated. They continue manufac turing SODA, MA.GNESIA, an 4 POTASS WATERS and LEMON ADE. at London, Liverpool, Bristol, and Derby. Every Bottle is protected by a Red Label bearing their signatures. ORNAMENTS for the Drawing-room, Library, ani Dining-roJna. consisting of a new and elegant assortment of VASES, Figures, Groups, Candlesticks, Obelisks, lukstands, beautiful inlaid Tables. Paperweights, &c, in Italian Alabaster. Marble, Bronze, Derbyshire Spar, &c. Imcertcd and manufactured by JAMES TENNANT, Mineralogist to her Majesty, 149, rtrand, London. Mr. Tamant arranges elementary collections of Shells, Minerals. and Fossils, which will greatly facilitate the interesting study of Mineralogy, Conchology, and Geolo4y, at 2, 5 , 10, 20, 50, to 100 guineas each. Practical Instruction to Geology and Mineralogy given by Mr. TENNANT, at 149, Strand. GREY HAIR RESTORED to its ORIGINAL COLOUR with ease, safety, and certainty, by the PATENT GALVANIC COMBS awl BRUSHE wLich are ala an unfailing remedy for nervous headache and all neuralgic affections. Illus trated pamphlets." Why Ilair became Greg, and its Re, gr atis, or by post for four stamps. Neuralgia, and all Rheumatic acetic :is are perfectly eradicated by the patent Galvanic Flesh Brushes, the most safe, simple, and efficient galvanic Instruments extant : patro nised by the faculty. °faces : —F. M. HERRING, 32. Basingliall street. Agents :—Child. South Gallery, Crystal Palace ; Savory and Moore ; Atkinson, 24, Old Bond-street; Godfrey and Co Are, Conduit street; Dendrie, 12, Tickborne•street ; Twinberrow, 2, Edwards street, Portman-square ; Saunders, 315 B, Winter, 205, and Kennedy, 166, Oxford-street ; Ross, 119, Bishopsgate-street ; Ritninell, Gar rard-street, Soho; Worn, 17, Dawson - stre et, and Birch, I, Moles worth-street, Dublin. Sold by all chemists and perfumers of repute. The Third Edition. Just Published, price as., by post, free, ss. 63. ON TRUE A; FALSE SPERMA.TORRIMA, - with the Viet', of distwguishing the Imaginary from the teal Sufferers under this disease, and Correcting of wide-spread ' errors in relation to their Treatment and Cure. Translated from the German of Dr. eiCKFORD. " Dr. Pickford is known to English readers by his iroqucut prised. .at contributions to German medical literature. This is the firo :hie, he informs as, that he has addressed himself to the ton-meal ;al reader. We trust this may not be the last, if he shall .iotect any . Mier equally flagrant evil which it may be in his power to cor oct."—London Medical Gazette. "The tribe of ' Quiet Sympathisers, old.' Medical Friends,' are mercilessly exposed ; end if this hook ould find its way into the hands of those who safNir from the com- Ana of which it treats, we are satisfied that mauy hundreds StOUie ' ?,.: saved much needless 'suffering of body and mind, and what is 01 - ' :as ingiirtarice,thongh it is that *Diet the quacks ,most pri ze __, Gaul monny......Thiivolunie is well. qualified to put an end to the ~ T ir 'Mal system of treating Spermatorrhosa, and to place the Crest , ;nem upon a inure rational and physiological Witt. It is, I ke'y to do much good." — Medical Circular. thinetbre, Linglial; IL Dolllere, 219, Begentratrost. . . Price, Half-a-Crown-. "Correct, consistent, and satisfactory, it contains abundance of information, well selected, well arrangel, and pleasantly conveyed, on all points of invariable inquiry."—Athenzenm. " Every neelfhl information. . . . ' A very good Map of Paris is appended to the volume, and also a map of the Routes."—Liter ,ry Gazette. London: Edward Stanford, 6, Charing-cross, whose Carculor Let ter relating to Passports, Guideßoots, and lisps of the Continent can be bad on application. • r It. a.LBERT SMITII'S MONT IR. TO-NIGHT, and EVERY EVENING (except Saturday), at 8 , a'clock, and Tuesday, Thursclay, and ,Aturday Mornings at B stalls, Is. ; area, 2s. ; gallery, Is.—Egyptian Hail, Piccadilly. [PRICLr 4D. STAMPED 5D- VICTORIA LONDON DOCKS.-SALE OF STORES. 4 Y order of the Prineipal Officers of her Majesty's %as War Department, to be sold, by public auction, in the Vic toria London Doitks, on TriURSDAY, 31st July, and FRI D let August, 1856, at Eleven o - cTock in the forenoon precisely, the follow ing STORES, viz.: - To, ls (various), accoutremeLts, fur cape, water proof coats, &c., bedding, sheepskin coals, great coats, gregos, but "alo robes, tin ware, heel ropes, coats, hued fur boots, forage cords and nets, iron bedsteads, and miscellaneous articles. Also, Medical Purveyor's Stores, consisting of lime or lemon juice, ;,reserved fruits, and fuel for candle stores. May be viewed from 10 to 4 o'clock on three days previous to the sale, an•i catalogues had tat the War Department. Pall-mall, the Tower, Royal Arsenal, Woolwich. and Victoria Docks. THOMAS HOWELL, Director-General of Contracts. THE SOUND DUES.-REPORT. The select committee appointed to inquire into the operation of the Sound Dues, and to consider in what degree they are detrimental to the commerce of the country, and who were empowered to report their obser vations, together with the minutes of evidence taken be fore them, have considered the matters to them referred, and have agreed to the following report : Your committee have considered the matters referred to them, and hare to report that they have examined witnesses from different parts of the country, including tnerchants, manufacturers, shipowners, and others in terested in the Baltic trade (as well as the British Mi nister at Copenhagen), and have found a very general concurrence of opinion among them as to the effect and operation of the Sound dues. Your committee did not oansider it within their pro. vince to inquire into the right ex. ised' by the crown of Denmark to levy tolls 'on abitis erollandfle passing between the German Ocean.** • b.Baltic Se& It is a 'Matter of history - ntry4wll-411.= qtziesced in the payment of thew duVi for tiOtnnenturies past, and at. this time they are paid and regulated under engagement by treaty made between the two countries for that purpose. In the ye...r 1840, and several previous years, com plaints having been urged by the trade upon the Go vernment, of the injurious operation of these dues, a revision of the tariff took place, and in 1841 the treaty (now in operation), purporting to give effect to the new regulation, was concluded in London. The dues which are novr imposed consist of a fixed uniform duty levied uniformly upon ail ships above 40 tons, and a smaller duty upon vessels of less tonnage, the proceeds of which are said to be applied to the main tenance of lights, buoys, and beacons ; and also of du ties on cargoes levied specifically on:certain goods which are enumerated, and on all goods unenumerated, at the rate of one per cont. ad valorem, the amount of which is avowedly for the purpose of Danish revenue. The mischief and inconvenience attending upon the payment of these dues appeared a matter of great com plaint among all persons engaged in this branch of our trade. This seems to arise partly from the rate at which they are levied, but mainly from the manner in which they are collected. The detention of vessels, rendered necessary by the collection of Sound dues at Elsinore, appears to be a fer tile source of mischief and needless expense, which is not adequately measured bylthe payments actually made to the Danish Government. Competent persons, such as shipowners, and those who have commanded vessels in the trade, have stated to your committee that the loss of time consequent upon this circumstance may be estimated on an average to amount to one day in a voyage ; for though it be possible to comply with all the requirements connected with this impost in a few hours, yet owing sometimes to the loss of a fa vourable wind, or to the circumstance of a number of ships arriving at the same time, or to the arrival at a time when the Custom-house authorities were not bound to at tend, or to the inducements which present themselves to the captains and crews when on shore to remain longer• than they need, vessels are said to be detained occasionally for periods varying in time from one day to three months ; instances having been mentioned where, owing to this delay, at an advanced period of the season, vessels have been unable to quit the Baltic, and have remained in that sea during the winter. Tile risks of such prolonged detention apply less to steamers than to sailing vessels ; but, on the other hand, the cost of detention is greater in the case of steamers. The system under which vessels are cleared at Elsinore, by the agency of persons who derive their profit entirely from that business, has beon shown to your committee to be attended with great expense and inconvenience. The captains and masters of vessels are bound to go on shore, which they do either in their own boats with the crew of the ship, or in boats which go out to them, and which are paid according to a tariff, the charge varying with the state of the weather, and amounting occasion. ally to 51. and upwards ; the latter mode, - however, being preferred in order to avoid the consequences of the crew going on shore. The captain is here met by agents, of whom there are about fifty at Elsinore, whose profits are stated by some of the witnesses to be very consider able. They undertake the clearance of the ves. , el, pay ing i:all the dues demanded at the custom-houses, on which they charge a commission of 3 per cent., and draw a bill on the merchant for the whole amount. It is a matter of mueh complaint that these charges, which are only incidental to the payment exacted by the Danish Government, amount to more than the dues themselves, in some cases being double the amount ; and an agent's account was submitted to the committee, showing that the dues properly so-called amounted to one-fourth only of the whole charges for which the owner of the cargo was made liable ; these are composed of various items, such as commission, exped►tion, transla tion,-stamped paper, &c. ; and 'though some of these charges are sanctioned by treaty, the account when de• livered is seldom examined, and if questioned, redress is difficult to obtain. Mr. Wilson, of Hull, says :—" We have to take the ac e :unt of our agents, and I do not see that we can check :hem; we should always be in a correspondence with them if we did ; we are completely in their hands ;" and witnesses admitting the correctness of the return that has been made by the Danish Government in the amount alleged to be paid by this country, namely, 70,000/. per annum, place the burden falling on British commerce at not less than between 200,000/. and 300,000/. The loss from these superfluous charges is aggravated by the risk incurred by the captains delaying in return to their ships ; many of them receive gratuities from the agents, either, as it is said, to disclose the full value of their cargoes, or as an inducement to employ the same agent again ; and they areinduced to layout their money in the port, and are exposed to the temptations afforded by cheap intoxicating liquors. Great complaints have also been made of the temptations held out by the agents at Elsinore to captains to purchase stores unnecessarily. Mr. Fleming, of Dundee, has given, in the follow ing passage, a summary of the mischiefs which follow from the stoppage at Elsinore : The delays ships meet with at Elsinore from having to remain for their necessary papers from the Custom-house is often the cause of many disasters. In fine weather the master may be on shore for two or three hours only, but if the weather is not fine he may be absent five hours and occasionally much longer. The roadstead in spring and autumn is very exposed and unsafe anchorage, and frequently serious accidents occur, such as collision, slipping chains, parting from anchors, driving on shore ; and some ships are lost, and the crews drowned. A ves sel arriving late in the afternoon must come to anchor, and by the time the captain gets his clearance lus . - ness finished and returns on board and gets under weigh again, it is scarcely possible to proceed through the Grounds (channel) a ith daylight that day, and the attempt to proceed through that dangerous chan nel during the night very often terminates in the vessel getting ashore ; and if assistance be required to get the ship off a heavy expense is incurred to the owners and merchants. It often happens that during the time occupied in attending to the clearance business a change of wind occurs ; and from the peculiar nature of the channel, the direction or course desired to be steered, change of currents, &c., vessels may be delayed for a number of days ; whereas if they could have proceeded without having to stop, the voyage might have been ac complished instead of being at anchor. When the cap tain goes on shore at Elsinore he gives his papers to the agent who does the Custom-house business. There are many agents, and the captain employs whom he thinks proper, unless otherwise ordered by the owner, or unless the charterer birds him to clear with a particular agent. Each voyage a gratuity of 20s. to 30s. is allowed by the Elsinore agent to the owner, charterer, or captain, according to arrangement; the captain is also a:- lowed half a dozen of wine, or equivalent in money or tea, and, if a new ship, a clrira punch bowl. The captain may go on shore with his own boat in flue weather, but in bad weather it is necessary to em ploy a shore boat, the charge for which varies according to the state of the weather tram one to three pintas, and even as high as 5 guinea. There is another circum stance which renders it almost iniiispen.iahle to employ shore boats, namely, the risk of the hip's boat's crew, in the absence of the master attending to the clearance business getting intoxicated. The Meil ha, e many op portunities while on snore of obtaining spirit 4, and it is l more prudent to keep the crew on board. There is also another class of boats, called hu:nboats, which come off from the shore for the purpose of buying old ropes, hones, or anything else on board the ship, and instances have occurred of part of the cargoes having been sold ; besides the same boats take off s pi r it s , t o b ocoo, & c ., whch are more readily sold when the captain is absent. Etch agent in Elsinore keeps a general store for supp:ying the ships clearing with him, but the prices are usually about ten per cent. higher than those current at tbe shops. In settling the amount of clearing dues and cost of supplies, the captain gives his draft or bill on the owner, at one to three months' date, which bill is trcinF l ; int.tted by th e El sinore agen t to his correspabcil n i de: in this c oun t ry , v .h o co ll ec t s th e money, and for a commission, varying from 2 to 5 per eeet-r is receive d by the latter. Should a ship clear on a Sunday, an addi tional charge of Sc. is made, and when a ship passes downwards without stopping for clearance, a fine is .paid as already mentioned. Perhaps I may be allowed to re fer to two letters which have been addressed to the sec retary of the Chamber of Commerce of Dun'dea, confirm ing tbe statement which I have just made." Upon reference to other evidence, it will be seen that , strong and unvarying . testimony is borne to the mischief arising out of the detention of vessels at Elsinore, and in ' deed some of the witnesses connected with the shipping in terest state that the evil of the detention is greater than ' the evil of the payment. It would be difficult to suggest any Wief to the tree for this evil, short of rendering it ult! • I