The Sun. — London, England, 1834-01-02 00:00:00

CITY OP LONDON CORPORATION COM MISSION.--(THIS DAY.) The Commissioners resumed their adjourned investiga i i ons this morning at ten o'clock , Sir F. PALGRAVE in the Mr. Wondthorpe, the Town Clerk, continued his evi knee :—The harbour masters are appointed . by the Lord llayor, under the 39th Geo, 111. chap. 69, commonly called the 1 Port of London Act." The candidates are persons who can produce letters of qualification from the >lder brethren of the Trinity House. When a vacancy occurs the first application is to the Lord Mayor, and the individual who receives his promised patronage afterwards undergoes an examination at the Trinity House. Th e Lord Mayor has nothing to guide his discretion in hi s choice; the certific ate which the Act requires being only a formal document. No Harbour Master existed before the Act of 39 Geo. 111. ; the duties were performed by the Conservators of the River Thames ; they are admitted and sworn before the Lord Mayor. The Lord Mayor had power to suspend, remove, or dismiss, but if so dismissed, on re-examination the individual might be re appointed. When a complaint is made, the elder lAthren are very particular in their inquiries as to fitness ; and in the case of Sir Henry Thomson, they did certify unfitness, and he was discharged. The officers were always sautical. Before a recent statute, 10 Geo. IV. sec. 11. which limited their number to four, the harbour Masters considered that they rose by seniority, but now the City Corporation, or Common Council, or Committee appointed by them, with the con s ent of three elder brethren of the Trinity House, have the power of determining who shall be the principal. The appointment of the clerks to the harbour masters is by the Corpora• tion. The surveyor of the port of London is also appointed by the Corporation. The office is open to competition— there is no individual nomination. The present officers had no former connection with the city of London. They are required to be qualified engineers. The Common Council have it in their discretionary power either to ap point or not to appoint such offices and clerks to them as the exigencies of the case might demand. This was also applicable to the superintendent of the River moorings. The collectors of Leatlenhall, Newgate, and Smithfield Markets are annual appointments in the Common Council. The committee of the city lands, for superintending the different markets of the city, having a general control over them, can appoint additional collectors to those appointed by the Common Council. The collectors are required to give security. There have been instances of removals for misconduct. The collectors of rents of tenants, as well as the receivers of old materials, the collectors of brokers' rents, and the corn shifters below bridge and Queenhitbe, are all appointments in the Common Council annually. The latter class must pro duce large security. The salt and fruit shifters are also annually elected by the same body. The keeper of the monument is in the appointment of the City Lands, and the (Ace is annual. The city labourers are nominated by the Chamberlain; the tradesmen under them are ap pointed by the Common Council : they must be freemen of the City. Formerly a painter and upholsterer were appointed for the Mansion-House, which, with a number of other appointments of tradesmen, were vested in the emrt of Common Council. On any trade man becoming Common Councilman, his appointment as tradesman ceased. The Regis!rar of the Mayor's Court is supposed to be in the appointment of the town-clerk ; but it is disputed whether the duties of the t wo o ffi ces cou ld b e separate d. i The matter s now under the investigation of the council. The present appointment was mad e b y th e town clerk, with t h e sanction, however, of the council. if i t wa s a separate appointment, the council could have no power to appoint, because they had no con nexion whatever wit h the court of mayor and alder men. The only mot ive they could be supposed to have arose from the circumstance that they appoi n t e d th e town clerk who, by his o ffi ce, was obliged to see that the re gistrar's duties were properly executed. The present appointment was by deputy , but he was obli g ed to use the name of the town clerk in all precepts. The registrar was an attorney. The sheriff of Middlesex is a corporation officer. The two sheriffs of t he cit y a pp oint one under sher iff, w ho is admitted before t he Lord Ma y or and aldermen, but if the sheriffs do not agree in the appointment, the Lord Mayor and aldermen exercise it. Nominally there are two under sheriffs of the county, but one only is admitted and sworn. The under sheriffs are not generally continued in office. The City Solicitor fills the office of clerk of the estreats. There are six sergeants who execute all the Mayor's processes. The sergeant-carvers, the yeomen of the chamber, of the waterside, the bailiff, the trumpeters, the city chum, the yeothan of the channell, all belong to the sword bearer's table, or the Lord Mayor's household. The offices used to be sold by the Lord Mayor, but the Corporation hang purchased his right to a li enat i on , t h ey w e re now getting , into disuse; and as they fell in, the du ties w ere distri.iuted among the survivor s , an d wou ld b e entirely superseded by a general establi,hment, to be ar ranged by the Common Council. 'the city waits, which formerly was a very important o ffi ce , wh i c h di sperse d li cense s to all musicians to attend balls, &c., in the city, are appointed by the Common Council. The Clerk of the Works of the Bridgehouse estates is filled by the Clerk of the Works for the City. The Lord Mayor nominates the Clerk of the Coquet Office, who collects the Lord Mayor's money. The Ward Constables are elected in Wardmoat ;so are the Ward Clerks. B-!• fore the present police establishment the old policemen were appointed by the Lord Mayor, on the recommenda tion of the Lord Mayor, and their duties were confined to the justices' rooms, issuing summonses, warrants, 8“.. ; but the 100 men, as they were now called " the City new police," were appointed by the Court of Aldermen ;—they are not necessarily freemen of the City. They are not appointed under statute, but by the Magistrates, as they considered then necessary for the preservation of the peace ; they might be reduced, and probably will be re duced; but, if necessary, the Court of Aldermen would resort to the Sorions and raise a county rate, if they could not otherwise support the establishment. The 12 Sergeants of the Mace are appointed by the Lord Mayor and the Sheriffs. OLD BAILEY SESSIONS.-(THIS DAY. OLD COURT. The Janug Sessions of Oyer and Terminer and Ge neral Gaol Delivery, commenced this morning before the Right Hon. CHARLES FARERROTHER, Lorl Mayor, Al derman M. P. Lucas, the RECORDER, COMMON SER GEANT, and Mr. Sergeant ARABIN. The presiding judges were Mr. Justice GASELEE, and Mr. Justice ALDERSON. Joseph Pearce, John Pearce, Walter Scott, and James Farrell, were jointly and severally indicted for feloniously assaulting James Griffiths, and stealing from his person the sum of 16s. 3(1 his moneys. James Griffith s , an elderly labouring man, deposed that he lived in Milton -street, Cripplegate, and was a porter by trade; and that on Sund ay , D ec. 2 2 , h e went , b e t ween three and four o'clock in the morning, into the White Horse public-house, in White Horse Alley, to get a pint of beer, when he met the four p r i soners at the bar. The prisoner Joseph Pearce asked witness to join in another pot of beer, but witness declined, and left the house, and was followed b y all the prisoners, one of whom (Joseph Pearce) laid hold of the witness' s arms an d k ept them fast behind his hack, and Farrell rifl e d hi s p oc k e ts and took the money mentioned in the indictment from his left hand breeches pocket. The prisoner Joseph Pearce threatened if the witness made th e least noise, " moved a leg after them," he would have his lifer They all then ran aw a y , and, in a few sec on d s, a policeman came up, to whom witness complained that he had been robbed. The prisoners, Scott and John Pearce, took no part in the robbery beyond standing b y during its perpetration. The robbery took place withi n a very few yards of the public-houae door. oho Putnam, a police constable of the G Division, deposed that he met the prisoners, Joseph Pearce and Walter Scott running along very fast, in a direction from the spot where the robbery was committed. One of them ran against the witness, who asked what was the matter, but received no reply from them. They continued their run, and passed on. Witness soon after met John Pearce also ranning very fast in the same direction. Presently witness fell in with the pro secutor, who told him he had been robbed, and gave witness a description of the prisoners, l i and on the same day the witness and another police constable apprehended the two Pearces and Scott in the One Tun public-house. On being taken to the station house, Joseph Pearce said—" I suppose it will be seven years for us. I da not care a —; we are out of employ at present." William Parton, a sergeant of police, deposed that be apprehended Farrell on the 23d December, at the back of Hatton_garden Police-office, where the other three prisoners were confined. Farrell had a white hat on, and though witness had known hi m f or two years, he never saw him wear such a hat before. When he joined the other pri soners, Farrell exchanged hats with Joseph Pearce. The prisoner Joseph Pearce said that the robbery was committed by Scott and Farrell, while he and his brother remained at the bar o the public-house. He protested his The prisoner, John Pearce, repeated the same story, and added that the prosecutor was very drunk. The prisoner, Scott, attributed the robbery to Joseph Pearce and Farrell. The prisoner, Farrell, declined saying anything in his defence. Several witnesses were called and examined by slr. C. PHILLIPS, who defended the pris trier Scott, and gave him an excellent character for honesty and industry. The prisoner, Scott, received a good character irom oae witness who bad employed him. Mr. Justice GASELEE, on summing up the case to the Jury, observed in strong terms of animadversion upon the evils arising from the great number of public-houses and beer shops with which every neighbourhood abounds, and said that dur:ng his late Circuit in the neighbouring counties, he had noticed that almost every bad offence which had been tried before him had been planned in either public houses or beer shops. The Jury, after a short deliberation, returned a ver dict of Guilty against Joseph Pearce and James Farrell ; and of Acquiteci with respect to Saott and John Pearce. George Allam, Joseph Preston, and John Slough were indicted for breaking and entering the liou.e of Sant. Howard, and stealing therefrom two table cloths, and a variety of other articles, his property ; and Nary Anne Jones alias Prestos, was indicted for receiv;ng the said property, well knowing it to have been stolen. The prisoner Allam pleaded Guilty. Mary Ann Howard deposed that she lived in Dorset mews, West, and that she was the wife of the prose. cutor. On Sunday, the Bth December last, witness left her house at half-past five o'clock in the afternoon, leaving no person at home, but the house was secured. It com municates with a coach-house, the door of which was fastened by an iron bar inside. Witness returned home at about half_past nine in the evening, and f mod the coach-house door open, though she had left it locked. The staple of the lock had been forced, and on going tip stairs witness missed two gilt watches, four plated decanter stands, a gold ring, two silver thimbles, a gold pin, two pepper castor tops, two pairs of gold ear rings, a silk gown, and a variety of other articles enumerated in the indict ment, all of which had been removed during her ab sence. The prisoner Allem had lived four months in the service of the prosecutor, aed of course bad a knowledge of the premises. William Horsford, a sergeant of police, deposed, that he searched the house of the prisoner Preston on the night of Tuesday the 10th of December last. The prisoner Jones lived there with Preston at the house, No. 34, Little North_street, Lisson Grove. Preston was not at home, but the prisoner Jones was in the house, and witness found between the bed and mattress twenty-seven skeleton keys, and a plated decanter stand. Witness also found a gold ring in a card box, a silver thimble, and a small file. In a closet witness also found a chisel, and then took the prisoner Jones into custody. She cried, and said sbe had not brought the property there. Witness subsequently found Preston and Slough at the Hercules public house, in Devonshire-street, Lisson Grove, and took them into custody. On searching Preston, a duplicate of a handkerchief was found, pawned for two shillings at Mr. Traill's. John Fursey, a police constable, proved that he secured Slough, and found upon him 45. VA., a silver thimble, and the tops of two pepper castors. David Trail!, a pawnbroker, produced the handker chief, pawned by Preston at his shop on the 10th of December last. Mrs. Howard identified the whole of the articles pro duced, as being the property of her husband. The prisoner Preston, in his defence, said the property found in his house had been left there by the prisoner Allam, without his knowledge or consent. The prisoner Jones made a similar statement. The prisoner Slough said that the things found upon him were given to him by the prisoner Allam. . • Several witnesses gave , tbe prisoner Slough a good cha- racter for honesty. Mr. Justice ALDERSON recapitulated the circumstances of the case to the Jury, who returned a verdict of Guilty, but recommended the prisoner Jones to mercy. NEW COURT. The Court was occupied for upwards of two hours this morning arraigning prisoners ; several pleaded guilty. Among that number was a person n•+med Philip Camp bell, who was indicted for stealing a quantity of wearing apparel and other articles from a vessel lying in the Lon don Docks. Upon the plea being recorded the Common Sergeant desired the witnesses to stand up. Among the rest was Mr. Foy, the superintendent of the Police at the London Docks, and in reply to several ques tions of the Learned Judge he stated to the Court that the prisoner bad fur some time past been getting his living by purloining articles from vessels. He had formerly been very respectably connected, his father at one period being an eminent merchant in the City, and subsequently Consul at Copenhagen. His father was now dead and his family had turned their backs on him in consequence of the course of life by was pursuing. The COMMON-SERGEANT said he was sorry to find that a person who was so respectably connected should have adopted such a course. The charge was an extremely serious cne, and the punishment must be proportionably severe. If, however, the prisoner had any thing to say in mitigation, the Court would attend to it. The prisoner made no reply, and was removed. Robert Jones, a young man, described in the calendar as clerk, was indicted for stealing, in the month of November, five trunks containing a large quantity of wearing apparel, the property of Clew Adam Marcus, Count de Wuits. Mr. DOANE conducted the pru,s,2cution, and Mr. PHILLIPS the derence. Count de Wuits, on his examination by Mr. DOANE, stated that he had occasion to remove from his lodgings in Oxford -street, and employed the prisoner to convey five trunks, containing wearing apparel, to the house of Mr. Gito.s, his solicitor, in Jertnyn street. Upon going to Mr. Gibbs in the morning, he found that the trunks had not arrived. In a day or two witness met the prisoner, and asked him what he had done with his trunks. The prisoner said he had taken them to various places, and afterwards stated that they had been detained by a sheriff's officer in the city Witness walked about nearly the whole day with the prisoner who, on coming near the Park, ran off. Wit ness called out " Stop thief!" The prisoner was stopped by a countryman, to whom he stated that he had stolen nothing, and he let him go. He was however stopped by another person, who delivered him over to a constable connected with Queen-squire. The prisoner told the officer it was all a joke. He, however, did not satisfy the constable, who was determined to keep him in custody. Cros--examined by Mr. PHILLIPS—The witness stated that he had known the prisoner on the continent, who had made a false claim upon Lim. The reason of the witness leaving his lodging, was the statements of the prisoner, that there were writs out against him. Witness was ultimately arrested through the in strumentality of the prisoner, upon a bill given to his tailor for 321. Witness had no animosity. The prisoner examined the Count himself, but elicited nothing particular from him. The prisoner however ob served that he believed the Count di I not attach any value to an oath ; and in his defence said that he took the trunks away in order to secure them for the debt which the Count owed him, believing himself justified in doing so. In answer to a question from the Jury the prisoner stated that he was in no employment, but lived upon an annuity of his wife's of sixty guineas. The CoMaroN SERGEANT summed up ; and the Jury, after retiring for upwards of two hours, returned a verdict of Guilty, but unanimously recommending him to mercy, this being his first offence. Great excitement was occasioned in the pa rish of Croyland, on Thursday, the 19th instant, from the eircumstance o f Mrs. Mary Webster's family in Postland being suddenly seized with the symptoms consequent on Poison.i being received into the stomach, immediately after d nes nt: er, which consisted of broth and boiled pork ; the sick an _ continued Mrs. Webster, her son, and a female servant, wh d e _ _tinned Ivith great violence for about four hours n airs. Webster (seventy years old) died ; and her son and the servant, havi n g d ran k war m water freely, s ived their lives. A quest was held on the body by Mr. Edwards, coroner, in 23d inst. Many ro the 21st, an d was adjourned to the w itnesses were examined each day, and the contents of the deceased's stomach put to various chy wal recorded to the effect that Diary Webster died of poison; that n o conc l us i ve ev id ence had been obtained whereby to judge wh e th er s u c h p o ison t ‘a9 intentionally. On the or desig n ; an d th a t de ceasedhd been d dial not administered take theby accident poisonmineral i thathf:u wit was n t d h e i n p o l‘ i l s r o s n . Webster's stomach, and it is concl u d e d must have been of the vegetable kind, b ut in fused into the broth is still a mystety.—Lincol n or e ur ll ACCIDENT AND SUPERSTITION.--O n T liu day last, a poor child was dreadfully scalded in rs- Grove street, in consequence of having seized the handle of saucepan of boiling water, and the contents lolling over her. Instead of applying at the Dispensary, the mother bathed the child with vinegar, and went to a conjuror, to have the pain and injury " charmed away l" The child now lingers in a dreadful state of suffering.—Chel tenharn Journal. fi nr TREMENDOUS HURRICANE AT LIVER- POOL. LIVERPOOL, DEC. 31.—We have had for some weeks past a succession of gates which have scarcely ever abated. They have been slightly intermittent, but have never ceased except to return with re doubled fury. Several hundred vessels were in con sequence, wind-bound for a considerable time, very greatly to the distress of the poor sailors, who re ceive no pay except when on actual duty. The suffering which has in consequence been produced among this class of men, whose habits of improvi dence are proverbial, would scarcely be believed. They have been turned out in shoals from the boarding houses, for as soon as their money was ex Fended, their credit also expired. On Christmas day the barometer appeared •o ris a little, and on the strength of this uncertain secu. rity, an immense number of vessels went out. Oi that and the following two or three days, from 300 to 400 sail took their departure, including five of the Are.erican packet-ships. It will be well for those which had got clear of the Channel, and obtained the advantage of plenty of sea-room when the gales resumed their sway. This morning about ten o'clock a singular phe nomenon was observed. Two ridges of foam and spray were observed to be proceeding rapidly up the river, the one about the centre of the stream, and the other nearer to the shore. With the suddenness of a tropical hurricane, the storm came on, carrying everything before it. The waves literally had their crests torn off by the wind, somewhat in the manner so graphically described by Tom Cringle in his Log. The vessels in the river,—we can as yet say nothing of those outside,—were all, without exception, driven from their moorings, and their fates were various. The Robert Isaac, which had put back, and had not got into dock, dragged her anchors until she was within half her own length of the pier, and a crowd of at least a thousand or fifteen hundred spectators were looking on, expecting momentarily to see her dashed to pieces against the solid granite of which the docks are constructed. At this crisis she hoisted her fore staysail, but this increased her danger, and it was speedily hauled down. They then hoisted her fore trysail, and were enabled to wear the vessel round, so as, with the aid of her anchors, to prevent her from losing further ground. The brig Liverpool, from Limerick, was driven into the slip at the Prince's Dock, carrying away her figure-head and part of her bowsprit, and crush ing to pieces a considerable number of boats which were sheltering there. The Vale of Clwyd steamer, which plies from this port to Rhyl, in North %Vales, and belongs to Mr. John Richardson, the agent for the Post-office packets to Dublin, was driven from her anchorage against St. George's pier-head, and was so severely injured by the con cussion, that in a few minutes she went head fore most as if diving. Fortunately the crew got upon the pier and were saved. It was high water about two o'clock, and it being a high tide, the water rolled in unbroken masses over the pier -heads, the breeze carrying the spray over the tops of the highest warehouses. As the tide receded the wind gradually abated, and it has now subsided to what the sailors call a stiff breeze. _ The Jamaica, for Jamaica, which sailed a few days ago, and got upon the bankir has been dashed to pieces, and her wreck is floating in all directions upon the surface of the water. Descriptions. Stock in 18:i•3. PORT OF LIVERPOOL. (From the Liverpool Albion.) Number of vessels and tonnage entered inwards for the month ending 24th December, 1832 and 1833, namely, 1832—At Liverpool ... 842 Vessels,* ... 110,511 Tons. Runcorn ... 106 ... 6,527 948 117,038 1833—At Liverpool 616 Vessels, 97,541 Tons. Runcorn ... 96 ... 5,889 712 103,470 Decrease ... 236 Vessels, 13,563 Tons. * Out of this number 169 arc from foreign ports, namely, Brit. For. Brit. For. Africa America. British 25 0 Naples Brazil Buenos Ayres 4 0 Portugal Canada 25 0 Prussia 0 1 Cape of Good Hope ... 1 0 Russia 2 2 Chili 1 0 Sicily 4 1 Demerara Darien 0 1 Turkey 2 0 East India France 2 0 Venice 1 0 Genoa Germany 1 0 Holland 136 British Ves 33 Foreign ...., 136 33 %els, 36,034 Tons, 13,227 Total 169 Vessels, 53 vessels, 15,028 tons, belor The Customs' Bill of Entry names of 149 vessels loading for 49,311 Tons. ag to the port of Liverpool. of Saturday last contains the foreign ports. Vessels and tonnage entered the port of Liverpool for :he ye,rs ending 24th December, 1832 and 1833 :- 1832—At Liverpool ... 11,663 Vessels, 1,458,114 Tons. Runcorn ... 1,298 71,607 12,961 1,529,721 1833—At Liverpool ... 11,639 Vessels, 1,536,563 Tons. Runcorn ... 1,499 86,381 13,158 1,622,944 Increase... 197 Vessels, 93,293 Tons. Number and average value of Cade, &c., imported into Liverpool, from Ireland and Coastwise, from the 24th D,cernher, 1832, to 25th December, 1833, namely, Ireland 51,091 Cows at £l5 0 £776,365 0 51,91 Sheep ll5 ... 90,181 15 2,311 Calves 19,781 Lambs 225,891 Pigs 2 0 ... 451,782 0 1,400 Horses £1,377,330 0 Coastwise ... 2,664 Cows at £2O 0 ... £53,260 0 32,368 Sheep ll5 ... 56,664 0 530 Calves 3,476 Lambs 7,466 Pigs 60 Horses L 131,801 10 Total LIVERPOOL COTTON -MARKET, DEC. 31. —The stock of cotton being greater than had been anti cipated, the market has been dull to day. The following is a statement of the stock on hand : STOCK OF COTTON IN LIVERPOOL, 31 ST OF DECEM lIER, 1833. Sea Island Stained ditto Upland Alabama and Mobile New Orleans 3,670 450 60,060 24,700 21,700 Total American 110,580 Pernambuco, &c Bahia and Macaio Maranbam Rio and Para 21,330 13,400 12,250 30.1 Total Brazil 47,280 Demerara West India, &c. Egyptian Surat and Madras Bengal lOU 1,220 Stock in 1832. Total Stock 'lOO '20,840 180,770 4,620 700 64,350 28,510 30,060 129,170 21,250 7,37,1 7,240 35,9::0 850 1,790 6,600 23,240 320 197,960 Yesterday morning, about 11 o'clock, a vveir known vagrant fell down on the pavement in High-street. Islington, and pretended to be in strong convulsions, and kicked and tore himself in a violent manner. Several humane persons passing by stopped and sympathized with the " poor fellow," and it was expected that every moment would be his list, and he was placed on a table or bench, and halfpence and silver poured in upon him. At length Brown, the beadle of Islington parish, happened to pass by, and at the time a gentleman forced a glass of brandy down the man's throat. Brown, knowing the fellow to be an infamous imposter, said, "Oh ! a little salt and water would serve him to bring the brandy up again, I'll _go and get a glass." He brought a glass of salt and water, which had no sooner been placed to his lips than he started up and gave Brown a tremendous blow on the eye, which blackened and puffed it up dreadfully, and he made off with the greatest speed. He was pursued and taken into custody, when he gave his name Welch, and being brought to Hatton•gat den, he was committed to the House of Correction to hard labour for two months. NEAR THE HEART.—The New York Courier says, in answer to the question, on which side of a lady a gentleman should ride? "On the left, to be sure, for then he will always be nearest her heart." " Yes ; but if he rides on her right, then she Kill be nearest his heart. So you see it may be a matter of choice after all." BRIGHTON, JAN. 1. The Earl and Countess of Shrewsbury, Lady Maiy Talbot, Baron Gersdorff, Sir Charles Sanderson, C do' el Wynyard. and Captain Pechell, R.N., ha i the honour of visiting their Majesties yesterday. Their Majesties drove out for a carriage airing t ,getl er to Shoreham, and back to the Palace. The following personages bad the honour of dining with their Majesties yesterday :—The Duke of Gloucester, Prince and Princess Lieven, Earl and Countess of Claren don, Marchioness of Westmeath, Baron Gersdorff, Col. and Lady Mary Fox, Hon. Miss Eden, Sir Andrew Bar nard, Lord and Lady Falkland, Miss Bagot, and Lord and Lady Royle. In the evening a circle of the Nobility and Gentry were invited to celebrate the approaching new year. At twelve o'clock their Majesties and guests adjourned to the supper-room. The band of the King's Dragoon Guards being stationed in an adjoining room, played " God save the King," as the company passel. Amongst those present were the Dowager Duchess of Richmond, Earl and Countess of Moray, Marquis of Conyngham, Marquis and Marchioness of Cholmondeley, Earl and Countess of Shrewsbury, Lady Mary Talbot, the Lidies Stuart, Marquis and Ladies Cornwallis, Mr. and Lady Jane Pell, Lady Sophia Lennox, Mr. and Lady Augusta Seymour, Sir Peregrine and Lady Sarah Maitland, Dowager Marchioness of Cholmondeley, Mr., Lady, and Miss Bayley', Lady Mayhurst, and Mr. and Mrs. George Dawson. The festive scene was continued until after one o'clock. Prince and Princess Lieven and Baron Gersdorff c [nue at the Albion. The Duchess of St. Albans will give a grand ball thi% evening in celebration of new year's day ; most of the Nobility and Gentry here are invited. The Earl and Countess of Listowel and Lord Berebaven have taken their depariure for a few days. The E of Erroll and Lord A. Fiizclarence returned last evening Irom Portsmouth, where they have been for the last few days. COURT CIRCULAR. The Duchess of Kent and the Princess Victoria walked in Hyde Park yesterday forenoon for some time. Prince Talleyrand gave a grand dinner last evening, at his residence in Hanover-square, to Prince Esterhazy, the Austrian Ambassador, Baron Butow, the Prussian Minister, the Baron de Wessenburg, the Austrian Special Minister, the Dutch Special Minister, the Batoness d'Ompteda, the Lady of the Hanoverian Minister, and a select party. Mr. Colquhoun, the Agent for St. Vincent, transacted business yesterday at the Colonial Office. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council held a meeting yesterday morning in the Council Chamber, Whitehall. The Lords present were the Right Honourables Sir James Parke, Sir John Bosanquet, Sir Alexander Johnston, the Chief Judge of the Bankruptcy Court, and Sir L. Shadwell. The Honourable William Bathurst was the Clerk of the Council in waiting. The Attorney- General, De. Lushington, and Mr. Burge addressed their Lordships on a number of petitions. Duncan (Guernsey), was an application to stay the decree of the Royal Court, respecting a bond for 6,500/., with clause that there should be no appeal.—Refused. Austin (Demetara), was for leave to prosecute certain parties who had taken his private property in execution, it not being liable.— Granted. Lafolie (Demerara), was for time.--Granted. Kearney, Tupper, and others (Guernsey), was against an assessment for rates made on property by the parish.— Granted. Representative of Douglas (Demerara) and Fraser (St. Vincent). An appeal, Haimun Chili Sing v. Koomer Gunshearn Sing (Bengal), then occupied the attention of their Lordships. This appeal is respecting a disputed succession of property. and as to the existence of an ancient law by which a widow could adopt a son who could succeed to the property, to the exclusion of the hus band's relatives. Their Lordships adjourned about four o'clock. FASHIONABLE INTELLIGENCE. ARRIVALS. Mrs. Fitzherbert, in Tilney-street, Park-lane, from the Con. tinent ; the Hon. Lord James O'Brien, at Symmons's Hotel, St. James's-street, from the Pavilion, Brighton; Captain Douglas, at Fenton's Hotel, St. James's-street, from Woburn Abbey; John Bentley, Esq., at ditto, from Brighton ; Admiral Sir I'. Baker, K.C.8., and the Countess Augusta and Miss Baker, at Morley's Hotel, Trafalgar-square, from their seat, Walmer, Kent ; Captain Hickman, 15th Hussars, Hon. C. Howard, H. Todd, Esq., and J. Kynaston, Esq., at ditto, from a tour; Henry Reeves, Esq., at Raggett's Hotel, Dover-street, from Cheltenham ; the Earl of Stair, in Seymour place, Curzon. street, from Paris; Sir George Shee, Bart., at his new residence in Grosvenor.place, from Viscount Palmerston's seat, Broad. lands ; the Hon. George Sackville Germain, at the Duke of Dorset's, in Harley.street, from Drayton-park, Northampton. shire; Lord Auckland, in Grosvenor-street, from Bowood ; Viscount Melbourne, in South-street, from Brocket Hall, Herta; the Earl and Countess Listowell, at Kingston House, Knightsbridge, from Brighton; Captain Woolmore, R.N., in Bruton-street, from ditto; Mr. and Mrs. Charles Morris and family, in Portman-square. DEPARTURES. The Duke of Norfolk, for Little Hampton, Sussex ; Baron Stockmar, for Claremont; Colonel Long, for his seat, Bishops. thorpe, near Windsor; Colonel Peel, for his seat, Buckingham House, Norfolk ; Lord Lilford, from Great Stanhope-street, for his seat, Lilford, Oundle, Northampton ; Mr. and Mrs. Morton, from Park-lane, for Bath; the Rev. R. O. Tylden and family, from Morley's Hotel, Trafalgar-square, for Canter. bury ; J. H. Marsack, Esq., from ditto, on a tour ; Captain Jackson from ditto, for Dover; Captain Raymond, 7!:.1d High. landers, from ditto, on a tour; Mr. and Mrs. Mackenzie, from Raggett's Hotel, Dover.street, for Dublin ; Wm. Knowles, Esq., from ditto, for Cambridge. The Duke of Wellington and Lord Forester proceed to-morrow on a visit to the Duke of Rutland, at advoir Cistle, where a magnificent entertainment, in honour of the natal day of the Noble Duke, trill be given on Saturday next. The Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch have returned from a visit to their relatives, the Earl and Coun tess of Home, at Him!, near Coldstream, and are passing the holydays with a party of fashionable visiters, at their ancient palace at Dalkeith, where the accouchement of the Duchess is expected to take place in the course of the month of February. The fashionable party assembled at Apthorpe to partake of the Christmas festivities of the venerable Earl of Westmoreland, comprise the Duke of Wellington, and his Grace's almost constant companion, Lord Rosslyn, Mr. and Mrs. Arbuthnot, Lord Forester, and Sir Alex• ender Craig Grant, Bart. A fete was to be given yester day at Apthorpe in honour of the natal day of the Noble host, who then completed his 75th year. The Earl and Countess Cadogan and their daughters, one of whore was stated, sonic months back, to be under a matrimonial engagement to the Hon. Sydney Herbert, have been making a continental tour, and are now in Paris on their return to this country. We regret to state that the answer to the in quiries yesterday after the health of the Hon. George Lamb was very unfaveurab'e. The Hon. Gentleman continues alarmingly indisposed, at his residence in White hall-yard, formerly occupied by Mr. Secretary Stanley and his family. In consequence of Mr. Lamb's indivosi tion, his official duties as Under-Secretary for the Home Department devolve on his colleague, Mr. March Philipps. Viscount Melbourne remains in town in unremitting attendance on his suffering relative. Some further appropriation of the large ba lances in the hands of the East India C.rmpany is made known by an advertisement, which announces the repay ment in full of the 4 per cent. stock of the Carnatic loan, which amounts altogether to 1,604,544/. There will only remain then unliquidated tLe 3 per cent. stock of that tran. saction, amounting to 1,081,603/., but that, it is supposed, will be redeemed also within a very short period. The balances out of which these extensive payments are made appear to arise chiefly from the converting into money of the assets of the Company, and to the discontinuance of their commercial operations, which retains at hocre the capital heretofore employed in the trade to China and the Indian Presidencies.— Times. An ordinance respecting shipping and com merce in the Island of St. Croix, dated " Copenhagen, 6th June, 1833," has recently been promulgated at St. Croix, declaring that island a free port. With regard to shipping, it is wade known, that " all vessels, without ex ception, Danish or foreign, either from Danish or foreign ports, shall, in virtue of this ordinance, have free admi'- tance at St. Croix, and may discharge or load cargoes in the port of Christiansand or the road of Frederikst On the importation of goods, Danish or foreign, the fol lowing exemptions from duty are directed, Cor !meal, Indian corn, rum puncheons, staves, heading and hoops for sugar hogsheads, and rum puncheons, cop= per nails, hoes, bills, utensils for boiling sugar and distil ling rum, firebricks, mules, and asses. Provisions and fresh fruits, such as yams, cassava, bananas, oranges, &c., brought from foreign West India islands ; West India colonial produce, with the exception of coffee and to bacco, on which the duty will be paid." THE ARMY. MONTHLY MILITARY OBITUARY. General Edward Stack. L'eutenant.General Walter Ker. MAJOR-GENERALS—John B•ntinck ; Webber, East India Company's Service, England ; I3owness, ditto, Wiltshire. _ _ Colonel H. P. Thomas, late b. p. R. Wag. Tr. Soleure, .n Switzerland. Lieut.-Col. Hart, Insp. Fd. Off. R.c. Dst. Dublin. CAPTAINS—D. Campbell, 47 F. ; 111`Clintock, '74 F. Drumctr ; Peach, 38 F. ; Sm,th, A•lj. Smith Lincoln ; Appleton, R. Mar. Malta ; Dadd, ditto; Crawley, Pet. full pay 11. Art. Driv. Woolwich ; John Grant. Li e ti R. Vet. Bn., Edinburgh; Fenton, h. p. 55 F., Had lersfield ; Page, h. p. 60 F. ; Armstrong, h. p. 88 F. ; ['Vicar, h. p. 69 F. ; Tuck, h. p. Steele's Rec. Corps, Kenn;ngton ; Bla 7 r, h. p. Independents ; Edw. Fitz 4erald, h. p. Unatt. LIEUTENANTS—Carnish, 3 Dr. Gds. on passage from India on board the Hindus ; Lardy, 4 F. ; Flay, 22 F., Chatham ; Berridge, 30 F., Ctstlebar ; Boyd, 55 F. ; Rein!, 62 F., Poonatnallee, Madras ; Blencowe. '75 F., drowned in the Keiskamma River, near Fort Wiltshire, C.pe of Good Hope; Jolliffe, h. p. 3 F. ; Lynam, h. p. 52 F. ; 111'1.,?an, h. p. 52 F., Upper Canada; Jones, h. p. 8 W. I. R. ; Leeky, Unatt. ENSIGNS AND SECOND LIEUTENANTS--SCOtt, SG F. ; Locke, h. p. Ceylon Reg. ; Andros, h p. 37 F. ; Kirby, h. p. 97 F. ; M'Cartie, h. p. 4 Irish Briz., Glountaw. Paymaster Peter Cockburn, h. p. R. R. York Rangers. QUARTER-MASTERS—Donohoo, b. p. 8 Dr. ; Coined, h. p. 16 Dr. COMMISSARIAT DEPARTMENT.—Dep. Assist. Coln. Gen. Watson ; Dep. Assist. Com. Gen. Wyllie. MEDICAL DEPARTMENT—Assist. Insp. of Hosp. Wal ters, b. p. ; Surgeon Rutledge, 54 F., India; Assist. Surg. Heonen, 57 F., India; Assist. Surg. APlsaac, h.p. 30 F. (From the Limerick Chronicle) The first division of the 28th regiment, from this garrison, arrived in Dublin on Tuesday morning, and embarked same evening on board the William the Fourth, one of the St. George Steam Packet Company's steamers, for Liverpool. In consequence of a mistake in the order from the Quartermaster-General's office, in Dublin, requiring a wing of the 28th regiment, arrived at Naas, to he in Dublin, the detachment arrived at the Royal Barracks at two A. at. instead of two v. at. on Tuesday. No prepa ration was made for their reception at that unusual holm ; but the Scotch Fusileer Guards turned out of bed instantly, much to their credit, awl gave them every accommodation and comfort that circumstances would permit. It is satis factory to hear the mistake was productive of no incon venience to the gallant corps, as testified by Colonel Miles, the men having been so well provided for on their arrival in barracks by the Guards; and by their prema ture arrival, they had fourteen, instead of two, hours to prepare for embarkation for England. Sir Guy Campbell, Quartermaster-General, fearing that the women and children of the regiment might have suffered inconve nience by the night march, generously sent 201. to be divided amongst them, which was returned with due acknowledgments by the officers of the regiment as quite unnecessary. We have received letters from the 9th regiment at the Mauritius, to a recent date in September, from which we extract the following :—" This colony is quiet enough just now; there are five of the principal inhabitants in confinement, and to he tried. A change of quarters takes place the latter end of this month as follows :—The 9th (now at Port Louis) move to Mahebourg, to relieve the 29th, who came here, and at the expiration of six months the 9th return to Port Louis, to be relieved by the 99th, who are distributed all over the island on detach ment. On the removal of the 99th, the 87th move out and take ull the detachments. The troops are very healthy. The Voyager, with detachments for the 9th, 29th, and 99th regiments arrived here from Cork on the sth instant, all well." There will be no further reduction in the army esta blishment, save by the partial cessation of recruiting which was lately ordered. We have this upon the authority of Lord John Russell, Paymaster-General of the Forces. An active correspondence has been for some weeks going on respecting a contemplated reduction in the Irish Staff ; a consolidation of the Departments of the Deputy Adju tant-Gmeral and Deputy Quartermaster-General is in some of its branches very likely to be effected, and the Government will reduce every situation the duties of which can be performed by a transference to any other ' office. If the military branch of the Board of Ordnance he handed over to the Horse Guards, the Royal Artillery will, like all other soldiers, he under the immediate corn• mand of Lord Hill and the Generals of districts. As the Master-General of the Ordnance is not an Artillery officer, but reared in the line, this arrangement will have no other (fleet (except a large saving) than of placing the Royal Artillery under the same general command as the rest of the King's forces. The Lord Bishop of Exeter, with Mrs. Phillpotts, attended divine service on Christmss Day at Sr. Martin's. It is with deep regret we add that his Lordship's state of health prevented his assisting in any part of the service for the day, which was performed by the Rev. George P. Cosserat.— Western Luminary. The Earl of Jersey, previous to his departure to join his Count ss and family at Paris, deposited his proxy with his noble friend the Duke of Wellington, who is godfather to one of the Earl's daughters. The Marquis of Westminster, at the close of the Session, gave notice that, on the reassembling of Parliament, he should submit a motion on the subject of the Peers reviewing their privi leges of voting by proxy. DREADFUL AcciD EN T.— Yesterday morn ing a dreadful accident occurred at the house of Mr. Chalk, of No. 9, Queen-street, Storey's-gate, Westminster, which caused the greatest alarm in the neighbourhood. It ap peared that Ann Fagan, a fine young woman, about 20 years of age, servant to Mr. Chalk, was employed about eleven o'clock in the morning hanging some clothes to dry at the kitchen fire, when unfortunately, as her back was to the fire, her clothes caught the flames, which soon com municated to the clothes on the horse, and she was almost instantly in a blaze. The screams of the poor girl alarm..d the whole house, and the engines were sent tor. Fortu nately, however, the flames were subdued, but the unfortu nate young woman was moat dreadfully burnt, her face, breast, and arms presented the most dreadful spectacle we ever beheld ; but there being signs of life she was conveyed on a shutter to the W,stminster Hospital, without the slightest hopes of her recovery. THE POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES. —No precedent exists of so rapid an increase of population Hs what has taken place in the United States during the last 60 years. Beginnivir from the year 1770, when it was estimated at 1,500.000, we find it successively rising to 3 929,226 in 1794 ; to 5 319,782 in 1800 ; to 7,329,903 in 1810 ; and to 9,654,415 in 1820. Nor had it slackened during the Kubsequent ten years, for it appear• that in 1830 the number of inhabitants had risen to 12,856,154, consisting of the touierment oriel classes. Males. Females. Free Whites 5,358,789 5,167,299 Slaves 1,014,345 996,284 Free Persons of Colour 153,495 165,972 6,526,529 6,329,555 The number of individuals of the age of 100 )ears and up wards was proportionably far greater in the case of the free coloured and slave population than in that of the whites; inasmuch as in the instance of the former, in a population of 2,330,096 souls, they amounted to 986 males and 1,329 females, or, in all, 2,015 individuals; whilst in tint i f the latter (the whites), on a population of 10,526 058, they did not exceed 508 in all, or 274 males and 234 to males—a singular contrast in the pr.iportion—it being• 1 individual in 20,720 in the case of the whites, 1 in 1,450 in that of the blacks, and 1 in 510 in that of the free people of colour. THE OUTA SNAKE.—Before we quitted Chun mr, our dandies, who had kindled a fire on the bank of the river, were dressing their rice and curry, when a small snake approaching the place where they were sewed one of them arose and despatched it with a piece of barn boo. It was about 25 inches long, entirely white, except the top of the he<d, which was a deep shining black. This particular species is called by the natimes the Outs Snake. It is very rare, and of peculiar ha!iits. Those creatures always go in pairs, and it is remarkable, that if one is killed either by man or beast, the survivor will fol low, until it is either destroyed, or obtains i•ti revenge by biting the author of its bereavement. It has been known under such circumstances, to keep up time pursuit witii .the most patient perseverance, far upwards of three hun dred miles. The little creature, whose mate was killed by one of our boatmen, was seen alter we had pushed from the shore, gliding along the bank of the stream in a direct line with our boat, and when we reached Cawnpoor, tiers we found it ready to deal its vengeance upon the wanton destroyer of its conjugal felicity. It was despatched before it could put its evil intention into execution.— Oriental Annual. RAILROADS. Mr. Candy, the civil engineer, has just plkshed a very instructive pamphlet on Inland Transit. Me Utility of Railroads, and the compa-ative Speed of Steam-engines on a Railroad, in .Navigati /71, and ols a Turnpike-road. It gives a plan, section, :nd estimates, of the great - ".southern railroad to Brighton and Southampton, and of the great northern railroad to York, with branches to Nor wich, &c. In ilustration of some ingenious reason ing cn the general advantages of railroads, it also supplies a summary of minutes of evidence, and report of the select committee of the House of Commons on steam-carriages, from which we give the following interesting extracts:— " The Committee conclude their report by the follow ing summary of propositions, of the truth of which they state that they have received ample evidence : " I. That carriages can be propels , ' by steam on common roads at an average rate of ten miles per hour. ." 2. That, at this rate, they have conveyed upwards of fourteen passengers. " 3. That their weight, including engine, fuel, water, and attendants, may be under three tons. '" 4. That they can ascend and descend hills on con ,iderable inclination with facility and safety. " ' 5. That they are perfectly safe fir passengers. " 6. That they are not (or need not be), if properly constructed, nuisances to the public. " '7. That they Will hecome a speedier and the 'per mode of conveyance than carriages drawn by horses. " 8. That, as they admit of greater breadth of tire than other carriages, and as the roads are not acted on so injuriously as by the feet horses in common draught, Such carriages will cause less wear of roads than coaches drawn by horses.'" The following questions and answers are inte resting to the trading interest:— " Are you a cotton manufac;urer in the neighbourhood of Manchester? " I am! " Accitrding to the effects of the Manchester and Liver pool line, do you anticipate that great benefit will accrue to Manchester, from a saving of hours' communication between London and M inchesrer? " Yes; and also from the reduction of expense. Be- tween Liverpool and Manchester it has been 4 reduction to me of 1501. per annum on the conveyance of cotton alone. To the Manchester spinner there has been a e.,n siderable reduction on the article on coal ; as much as 2s. per ton, or 201. per cent . _ _ " You are aware of the rate at which locomotive en ginestravel ? " Yes. " Can they easily command twenty miles an hour? " Yes. " With certainty and precision ? yt " Do you go the same rate by night as by day ? " Exactly the same. " Cilculating on a railroad all the way, what time would the mail leaving London arrive in Liverpool ? " In about eleven hours. " Is it contemplated to have a railroad from Birming ham to Liverpool ? " It is quite arranged for it. " If the mail arrived at Liverpool at seven o'cloii in the morning, could they arrive the same evening at Dublin? " Perfectly well. " What is the market-day at Manchester? " The principal market-day is on a Tuesday. " At what time dots the mail arrive at Manches'er ? " At four in the afternoon. " Do the foreign letters arrive in time for the market ? "All the foreign letters arrive at a time when the market is over. " If the mail could be expedited six hours, would that be a great advantage? " It would be a great advantage." It may be worth while to remark that the neces sity for the above Report arose out of a demon strated determination on the part of the Trustees of the Turnpike Roads " to obstruct, as much as pos sible, the use of steam as a propelling power." It appears that the hackneyed objection, applied to every improvement, from the time the plough su perseded the spade, and printing the manuscript, of throwing people out of employment was used on t his occasion, although, in fact, an unlimited increase of manual labour, agricultural, commercial, and miniog, must be one of the first results of tlae universal establishment of railroads. The ra pidity of the results of these new triumphs of scientific discovery, compared with the slow process by which all other human acquisitions have been matured, is one of their most startling characteristics. " Effects are now wit nessed," it has been justly remarked, " which, had they been narrated a few years since, would only have been admitted into the pages of fiction or vo lumes of romance." Who could have credited the possibility of a ponderous engine of iron, loaded with several hundred passengers and goods, in a train of carriages of colossal magnitude, taking flight from Manchester and arriving at Liverpool, a dis tance of thirty miles, in little more than au hour. The speed and power of transport are stated actually to exceed the exigencies of the greatest marts in England, and one instance of this superabundance of power we may cite, viz., that recently a cargo of waggons, conveying 230 tons of merchandize, was transported from Manchester to Liverpool at the rate of twelve miles an hour. No per son of the least sagacity, who looks at these extraordinary results operating under our eyes, can doubt that these new powers, acquired of I.te years by human skill, and only yet in their infancy, are calculated to produce such change—physical, moral, and intellectual—in the whole frame of so ciety, that our globe, during the next century, will, probably, exhibit the features of a change greater than ever has occurred on it, in all that concerns the habits, opinions, laws, and inclinations of its in habitants, perhaps as great as if it were a totally different planet. Yet in the midst of this gigantic revolution, only yet in its cradle, and irresistible by any power whatever in its future growth, we hear minute fraction of little personages, but self-impor ' taut as the fly on the coach-wheel, deploring the modern desire of change, and concoc.ing plans for arresting the tendencies of revolution. They might as well attempt to imprison the winds, arrest the tides, or chain the deep.—Morning Advertiser. We regret to announce the death of Captain Hoppner, of the royal navy, after a severe illness of three months, which he bore with exemplary patience and Christian fortitude. This excellent officer and wo: thy man commenced his career on hoard his Majesty's ship Endymion, which he hail scarcely joined when she was ordered to Corunna, to assist in emfrarking ttte troops after Sir John Moore's disastrous retreat. During the rest of the war he was constantly on active service. either on the enemy's coast in the Channel or in North America, where his excellent conduct on all occasions acquired for him the love of his shipmates and the approbation of his superiors. Captain Hoppner's name has been frequently before the public. His intimacy with Madera, one of the principal personages at Lou Own, forms an agree dile and interesting episode in the account of those islands ; and the skill with which lie conveyed Lord Amherst and his suite to Batavia, in the boats of the Alceste, after the loss of that vessel, and his opportune return on board of the Lion, Indiaman, to the assistance of bis cotnratirs, must be remembered by every one acquainted with the particulars of their perilous situation. He was employed in all the recent expeditions fitted out by Government to explore the Polar Seas. in the last of which lie commanded his Majesty's ship Fury, which it unfortunately btcaote necessary suffered essaryt considerably oabantltmarno on thesengtheice. His health, which i occasions, was still further impaired by an excursion to the South of Europe immediately on his return from the last Polar expedition. After considerable and repeated stiff rings during the last have years, lie terminated his mortal cireer on the 221 instant, in the 39th ye it of his age, carrying with him to the grave the esteem and regret of all who were personally , acquainted with him, and had an opportunity of appre ciating his many amiable qualities. THE BLACK WATCH.—The historical tale under this mime is, on many accounts, very remarkable. The state of the Highlands of Scotland about the year 1743, pre.ents, above all other subjects connected with our recent annals, a tempting opportunity to the novel writer. Tim secret meetings of Jacobite cons;irators in the hills, the fierce colifiic , s with the English soloicry Intl the relentless punishments winc fllowed, ate fertt.e in the sources of human passion, adventure. and ..n:lu - ranee ; and the author of the present book has availed himself admirably of all thou..