The Sun. — London, England, 1856-02-26 00:00:00

TO the FREE and INDEPE NDENT ELECTORS of the Borough of BOSTON. GENTLEMEN, The result of my personal visit to your town is considered by my friends and myself to be so satisfactory, that, upon the issning of a new writ for your borough, I will again present myself before you, and more thoroughly explain m y p olitical sen timents, which ' have already been partially indicated In my address to you of the 23d instant. I have the honour to be, Gentlemen, Your faithful servant, B. W. A. SLEIGH. Army and Navy Club, Feb. 26, 1856. THEATRE ROYAL, DEURY.LADiE. . Lessee, Mr. E. T. Smith. THIS EVENLY(, THE GREAT GUN TRICK. After which, TAKII BY STORM. To con 'lade with HEY DIDDLE DIDDLE; or, Harlequin King Nonsense and the Seven Ages of Man. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Valor the Management of Mr. Bnehstone. THIS EVENTS°, THE BUSY BODY. Followed by • THE LITTLE TEEAUEE. After which the New Comic Christmas Pantomime, entitled THE FE &ST ; - BUTTERFLY'S BALL AND THE GRASVIOPPEW3 or, Harlequin and the Genius of the Spring. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OEFORD-STREET. undo the Management of Mr. Cams' lux THIS EVENING, RING HENRY THE EIGHTH. Queen Katharine, Mrs. C. Kean; Cardinal Wolsey, Mr. C. Sean. After which, UARLEQUIN AND THE MAID AND THE MAGPIE ; or, the • Fairy Paradisa and Hanky Panky, the Enchanter. Harlequin, Mr. Cormack ; Clown. Mr. Hahne; Pantaloon, Mr. r a m° ; and Columbine, Miss Caroline Adams. THEATRE ROYAL ADELIIII. PM:Um, Ur. Bs Webster.—Dtrectrese, Madame WNW. THIS EVENING. BETSY BAKER. To be followed by THAT BLESSED BABY. To conclude with //CIE Agl) THE BEAN STALK; or, .11arloquin and Mother Goo3e at Home Again. la which Mews. J. Bland, P. Redford. Madam Celeste, Miss Wyndham. and Was E. Arden will appear. ROYAL OLYNIPIC THEATRE. Lessee and Manager. Mr. Alfred Wigan. THIS EVENING. STAY AT HOME. After which will ba prodncoil a ',Taw and dnubly-morab though eseesetively old, Melodramatic Fatry Extravaganza, entitled THE DI3CREF,T PitIN"CESS; o", the Three Glass in which Messrs. Emery. F. Robson, H. Cooper. Miss Marston, and Miss MaakeU will appear. ROYAL. SIIIREY TFIEATEE. Lessees, Messrs. Shepherd end Creawlek. TIIIS EVENING • JASPER LANGTON . ; or, A Due to the Death. To conclude with A PRINCE OF 2 ZAMA ; or, Harlequin and Yana Shore. r.oTAL arRANT) THEATRIL Under the dfreetton of Mr: Payne. TRIO E'VETTING, PEACE AT ANT PRICE. Fo:lnwect by THE IV3MANTIC Altar which, LE CHALET, To conclude with BLUE JACKETS. Awrurs ROYAL AM PlintilEATßE. Lame and Ilianaccr. Mr. Wm. Cooke. THIS EVENING, EaserpliflcatiOn of the perfect docility of the horse , in actions closely allied to reason. in anew brand Oriental Equestrian Spectacle, 'called THE ARAB OF THE DEAERT AND lII'S FAITHFUL STEM). The hone trained by Yr. 1. Cooke. Aftev which, the DELINEATIONS of EQUESTRIAN ART In the To conclude with RAP.L 61Q1JIN ANn ST. GEORGE AND THE `DRAGON; or, the Seven Champion.; of Christendom. 'the Performance of the Majestic Elephants will take place daring the Evening, and the ascent from the ring to the stage. Box-office open from Eleven till Four. Stage Manager, Mr. W. Welt.. Eviestrian-Direenr. Mr. W. Cooke, inn. EMMA STINTLEY'S SEVEN . AGES OF WOMAN. Bvery Evening at 8. and on Saturdays at a. Pronounced by the unanimous voice of the Dress. and by nightly increasing satdienoes, to be the • Greatest Artlstical Triumph of the Stalls. 3e.; Reserved Seats, 2e: ; Back Seats. Is. &INT MARTIN'S II ALL, Long-acre. HUSH WATER. AT LONDON BRIDGE. TlllB DAT—Morn. 3 min. aft. s—Evening 17 min. aft. 5 TO-Noßitow—Mors. 32 ruin. aft. 5 —Evening 48 min. aft. 5 THE WEATHER—Snt OFFICE, FEB. 26. ' THZ3I3fO3fETZEI, IN THE SHADE!. o—highest sines noon yesterday. .46 --lowest this ramming and duthlg the night. • 55--this day at noon. -* • ZARONZTIM-3033—falling. 'Wrivri. light and variable— N.W. to W.N.W. Slight 'rain in the morning ; now fine, with sunshine and cloudy, mild weather. ~~.. v•-.: • qteer;,---T--- k)rg 48. ~~-7:~. LONDON, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1856. The Conferences were duly opened yesterday, at the official residence of the Count Wer,zw sier, Minister of France for Foreign Affairs. The first step would of cmirse be to elect a President ; the next, the production and verification of the powers which authorised the several plenipoten tiaries to participate in the all-important proceed ings. A responsible party should also be selected for the purpose of preparing the protocols. These are indispensable preliminaries in every similar transaction, and we may therefore assume that they were completed at the first meeting. It is also positively announced that an armistice was signed. This is probably the case. It is the only point in which there could ho an immediate pub lication of any decision arrived at. We only hope that Lord CLARENDON has not forgotten his de claration that "it cannot he too brief ;" and that he has taken care that it shall not be extended beyond the period when the advent of spring, and the breaking of the ice, would enable the allied armies to commence active measures iu the Crimea, in Asia, and also in the Sea of Azoff,' the Rivers Boug and Dnieper, the Euxine, and the Baltic, and the Gulfs of Bothnia and Finland. Within a few weeks at the outside, probably within a few days, unequivocal indications will be afforded respecting the real intentions of Russia. It will be seen whether she be truly desirous of obtaining a permanent peace, or it be merely a fraudulent attempt to obtain time, at any sacrifice of character and veracity. We confess that we should greatly have preferred allowing matters to xemain in their previous condition until these indications had been manifested. As we have already repeatedly pointed out, a formal armistice will be exceed ingly advantageous to Russia, affording her the means of recruiting her almost exhausted resources. Fjone"Austria, Prussia, and America she can obtain the suj,plie, of which she stands greatly in need. She can dispose of her redundant for English go ld , an d rep l en i s h stores practically her exchequer at the expense of her chief op ponents, and perhaps negotiate a loan in Berlin or Amsterdam ! These are matters which we have already dwelt 04. tape ad nauseam. But Lord CLARENDON may have been committed by an provident arrangement in the first instance. If so, all he could effect would be to curtail the time required, and see that the positive disadvantage to the Allies may be reduced to the minimum amount. We shall not, therefore, distrust Lord CLARENDON until we ascertain that, in direct opposition to his own voluntary declarations, he has assented to matters injurious to England which he could have effectually resisted. On all other Dints we must remain in th© dark for porno time. The grelteot precautions have been taken to prevent any " leakage " from the salon. of Count WALEWSKI, and it is even hinted that strict pledges of secrecy have been exacted from the several Plenipotentiaries. There will, therefore, be sundry guesses, and some of them probably very near the truth. But nothing au thentic can be known until some point be attained at which publicity to a certain extent may be sanctioned. It is, then, a duty incumbent on public jour nalists to endeavour to the utmost extent of their power to impress on the representatives of their country the matters that should be resolutely pressed on the other side. The doubtful ques tions are those which may be submitted under the fifth head; and foremost amongst these is the question of full and complete indemnity for the ex penses of the War to Turkey, to France, to England, and to Sardinia. In every private litigation when a party puts forward an unrighteous claim, or an untenable defence, he is held responsible to the other side for the costs of the suit. War is the litigation of nations. There is no civil tribunal to which they can appeal. They are, the re f ore , compelled to resort to the arbitrament of the gun, the sword, and the bayonet. Those who fail are at the mercy of their opponents, and payment of the pecuniary expenses at least ought to be an in dispensable condition of the final arrange ment. All the predecessors of the present Cwt. acted in accordance with that principle, and it was a standing rule of the first NAPOLEON that "every war should pay its own expenses." The doctrine is based on justice and equity, and its universal recognition would prove the best possible guarantee for peace. The late CZAR would probably have paused before order ing his troops to cross the truth if assured that he must inevitably pay all the ex penses of his aggressive movement. Had he then succeeded against Turkey, Ige would unquestion ably have insisted on full costs out of pocket ; having failed, his successor must be prepared to yield to a similar claim. Besides, as we have already very recently explained, the amount of the repayment would furnish one of the best pos sible securities for the future good conduct of Russia. When liquidating several millions per annum, she could not make provi sions of men, money, or materials for future aggressions, she could not speedily construct new " standing menaces" to Constantinople or to Europe. We cannot claim compensation for the valuable lives sacrificed, for those permanently maimed or invalided—we cannot enforce from Russia suitable provisions for the widows and orphans created by he r reekless ambition—or for the manly frames rendered incapable of earning their own livelihood through wounds or disease. They must remain the care of their grateful country. But in order that the obligation may be liberally discharged, every legitimate claim should be stringently enforced. Ten millions from the Russian indemnity would constitute a glorious contribution by the British Parliament to the Patriotic Fund. Since the earlier portion of the foregoing was written the Moniteur has come to hand, in which it is officially announced that the armistice " is to terminate of right on the 31st March, and that it is to have no effect on the blockades now esta blished or that may be established." Although the term is longer than we could have wished, we may congratulate ourselves that it is n• worse, while the latter part of the stipula tion is eminently satisfactory. It proves that Lord CLARENDON is fully alive to his duties, and that the interests of England are confided to safe hands. We have to invite the attention of the repre sentatives of the agricultural interest, and more especially the representatives of that interest in Dorsetsbire and Somersetshire, to the condition of the class of agricultural labourers in those counties and throughout the kingdom. Glancing over a letter to the Editor . of the Sherborne Journal, by the medical officer for the Sherbo rue district, we find the following ' melancholy pic ture :—" There cannot be the shadow of a doubt," says that gentleman, who has had the manage. ment of two of the largest districts in the above c ninties, and has, consequently', had abundant opportunities to ascertain the truth of what he advances, but that vast numbers of the la bourers—indeed, the majority of them—resort to the beer-houses to seek for that which their own homes afford them not—comfort—after their daily toil, returning home, as they do, fatigued, oftentimes drenched with rain, having not a se cond garment for a,change, no hearth, scarcely any fire to dry their saturated clothes, which, for the most part, are suffered to remain on, for the wet to exude and evaporate—no comfortable meal— a scanty cupboard, chiefly containing a little bread and some cold swedes, with little else, save, per haps, a little lard to give it palate—surrounded by a numerous offspring of young children, look ing up to him with their pallid cheeks lighted up by the hectic flush. Beneath his feet are damp floors, and around him rough unrnortared walls— old rotten window-casements, readily admitting the cold wind and wet—a tattered roof, which not unfrequently acts as a shower-bath ; in deed there is, every misery to drive the la bourer from, and nothing to reconcile him to spend his evenings at, his home with his family. Thus the labouring man, although naturally vigorous, is worn away under the, malign influence of the evils I have but faintly portrayed. Hence he resorts to the beer-house, those sinks of ini quity, _where, for the most part, the deepest crimes are concocted; there he mixes with - the ♦ilest characters ; in those dens lie learns that which leads to crime and to , the ruin of his family. Such is the melancholy fact—such is the condition of many of the poor labouring man dwelling in the parishes around us." Such the condition !—nay, only part of it. Listen further—" My own observations," he goes on to say, " have led me to believe that a vast deal of crime originates from the too early and indiscriminate admixture of the sexes : frequently are to be found some ten or twelve human beings, male and female, sleeping in one room; here they are huddled together, most likely for the sake of warmth, and as a substitute for proper bed-covor ing, and to compensate for short sheets and thin blankets. Hence arises so much concupiscence. Here is the hot-bed where the seeds of vice are sown and nurtured—where depravity is grafted upon the rising stock, and fostered ; in a word, a catalogue of miserable items might be mentioned that would be not only too numerous, but too revolting to be particularised." Gentlenien of the Agricultural interest, what have you to say to this? Good philanthropists, with so much sympathy for the sons of toil on your lips, can you realise the picture ? Tender hearted Christians, parish parsons, ministers, and what not, whose charity is so comprehensive that 1 it can take in the torrid and frigid zones, how ' comes it that no indignant protest rises to your lips against such a state of things as this ? These poor creatures are of your own country, almost of your own household. Are ye "worse than in fidels V' Stern disciplinarians, who would whip Tice out of the offndi rl A wls and oppose crime with a decalogue of scorpions, how comes it to pass that you do not lay the axe to the foundations of such hot-beds of iniquity as these ? Magnanimous statesmen, with education bills cut and dry in your pockets, waiting session after session for submission to the Legislature, is it too much to ask why your efforts are not in the first place devoted to teaching the landocracy what hovels their labourers have "to knot and gender in ?" Dread majority, by whose omnipotent fiat the doors of our national institu tions frown " no admittance" of a Sunday to the sodden gaze of the working population ; you, more especially, who moved heaven and earth— no, that is not the conjunction : drop the heaven—lest the Sabbath should be proSaned— how comes it that you tacitly surer every day and hour of the week, Sunday and all, to be pro faned after a fashion so revolting as this ? The remedy is within your reach, within the reach of all of you. Shame the landlords into doing, or compel them to do, their duty !—and that is, first of all, to build substantial weather-proof cot tages for the agricultural labourer, and give him, as the writer recommends, a plot of garden ground in which to cultivate a sufficiency of vegetables for his own consumption. Until this be done, or attempted, your pretences to consideration for the poor and for the welfare of society cannot be suf fered to pass muster, for they are incompatible with a flagrant fact. So long as the labouring population are suffered to live in styes, and we are assured this is the case in other counties as well as in Dorset and Somerset, so long will they be tempted beyond their strength to vice and crime, and be subjected to a needless mortality; so long will our prisons and workhouses be filled to overflowing, and a heavy business be transacted at our assizes and sessions, at an enormous cost to the rate-payers. 1 THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EvENINtI. FEBRUARY 26 . 18t6 The suspension was announced yesterday of the mer cantile firm of Me'srs. Schafer and Brown, of Fenchurch street. The amount of their liabilities was not stated. It is said that in the salle in which the sittings of the Conferences are being held, - there are only three paint ings, and those are portraits of the Emperors Napoleon I. and Napoleon 111., and of the Empress Eugenie. The departures from the port of London for the Aus tralian colonies during the past week have comprised five vessels—two to Adelaide, one to Sydney, one to Mel bourne, and one to New Zealand—with an aggregate capacity of 3,364 tons, The rates of freight continue to exhibit heaviness, THE HYDE-PARK RlOTS.—Yesterday the conviction by Mr. Bingham, In the ewe of Mr. John Bradley, who was fined 60s, for inciting the mob to resist the police in Hyde-park in November last, was quashed by the Assistant Judge at the Middlesex Sessions. In about a fortnight or three weeks' time about 250 'gun and mortar-boats will be completed. They will be ranged near the northern shores of the Isle of Wight, in front of her Majesty's rnariiA palace, Osborne, from which they will extend up in front of Ryde. Arrange ments are making for steam-boat and other excursions, for the purpose of visiting this remarkable fleet. The Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress have issued cards of invitation for a dinner at the Mansion-house, on Wednesday next, to meet the American Minister previ ous to his departure for the United States, and to which many of the merchants engaged in the American and Canadian trades, members of the House of Commons, and of the Corporation have been invited. The town council of Southampton have resolved to petition the Lords •f the Treasury to make Southamp ton a first-class port. It appears that the staff of land ing waiters at Hull and other first-class ports is inferior in numbers to that of Southampton, which is only a second-class port. THE AMERICAN MAIM—LIVERPOOL, Feb. 25. Messrs. Brown, Shipley, and Co., the agents for the United States' mail steamers, have notified that the steam-ship Quaker City would be despatched from New York on the 16th inst., with the usual Mails, i• the place of the Facile. She may be expected to arrive here oa Wednesday next. A meeting of the theatrical profession, and of the friends of the drama, is to be held at the Adelphi The atre, on the 13th of March, Mr. Charles Dickens pre-_ siding, to take into consideration the most advantageous means of promoting the claim to a small share of the additional distribution of the funds and benefits of the charity of " God's Gift," founded, built, and endowed at the sole cost of Edward Alleyne, the actor. RUSSIAN FEMALE Du.Lomactr.—Russia employs a completely organised female diplomacy. Europe is not sufficiently attentive to so singular a means of influence. This important hint was given more than 20 years ago, in the "Marquis de Custine's Travels in Russia," (page 288), and ought to be borne in mind by the British Plenipotentiaries during the approaching negotiations in Paris. Two valuable metropolitan livings in the gift of the Lord Chancellor have become vacant—the rectory of St. Margaret's, Lothbury, by the death of the Venerable Archdeacon Hollingworth, worth 1,5001. a year ; and the rectory of St. George's, Bloomsbury, worth 1,0001. a year, by the elevation of the Hon. and Rev. H. M. Villiers, MA., to the bishopric of Carlisle. BIRMINGIIAM.—AII reports received from South Sta fordshire represent the iron trade to be languid in com parison with its state a few weeks ago. Whatever may be the cause—the stringency of the money market at home, or an anticipated rupture with' the United States —there has been a falling off in the North American demand, and orders from the Liverpool houses are not so freely given as immediately subsequent to our last quarter-day. FUNERAL OF THE DUCHESS DE CAIIMONT-LAFORCE. —The funeral obsequies of the Duchess de-Caurnont- Laforce took place on Saturday morning. Immediately after the service, the coffin w as placed in a travelling hearse, as the body is to be conveyed to Belgium for in terment. The deceased lady was by birth Countess de Celles, a family which resides on the estate of Schie placken, near Vileorde, in Belgium. It may be remem bered that Madame Schieplacken, former proprietor of that property, and related to the family of Celles, was killed last year by a carriage accident. —Galiunani. ROYAL SEA-BATHING INFIRMARY.—This institution, established in 1796, which also bears the appellation of the National Hospital for the Scrofulous Poor of all Eng land, and is situate near Maegata, was prominently brought before the congregation of St. John's Church, Clapham-rise, on Sunday morning, by the Rev. J. Hodg son, M.A., vicar of St. Peter's, Thanot, who preached an able and impressive sermon in aid of the funds. The text was taken from Psalm xli., verse 4. The rev. gentleman pointed out with much force the great benefits derived by the poor from the institution, and his efforts resulted in a collection amounting to 411. Bs. lid. RECENT WILL.--The will of Sir Henry Every, Bart., was proved in Loudon under 3,000/. personalty ; Wm. Hilton, Esq., Danbury, 80,0001. ; Rabt. Hale Blagd en Hale, E , q., of Cottes-house, Wilts, 25,0001. ; Charles Lamb, Esq., of Warwick, 40,0001 ; Dame Frances Anne Wilder, 30,000/ ; Mrs. Jane Graham, of Barnstaple, 40,0001. ; T. J. Wiltshire, of Cornbill, gold and silver smith, 14,0001. ; Thos. Hier, of Brackley, surgeon, 12,000/. ; Jno. Hunt, of Mlonument-yard, fruit-broker, 25,0001. ; Joseph Dowfon, of Camherwell, and Price's AVbarf, Lambeth, timber-merchant, 160,0001. The Hon. Lord Henry Beauchamp died intsstate, leaving 9,0001. personalty. ROYAL COLLEGE OP SURGEONS.—The following gen tlemen, having undergone the aecessary examinations for the diploma, were admitted members of the College at the meeting of the Court of Examiners on the 22d instant :—Messrs. William Scott, March mont-street, Brunswick-square ; William Henry Stone, Canterbury; Michael Allen, Bridgend, Gla-norganshire; James Shaw, Teignmouth, Devon ; James Sedgwick, Boroughbridge, Yorkshire ; Henry Maudsley, Settle, Yorkshire ; Geo. Holden, Sydney, New South Wales ; John Rowell, Hexham, Northumberland ; and Henry Rowland Palmer, Spanish Town, Jamaica. At the same meeting of the court, Mr. Alfred William Finck Noyes passed his exa mination for naval assistant-surgeon. The new Lord Aveland is eldest son of the late Sir Gilbert Hatithcote, who was well known in the sporting world as the model of an old English country gentle. man, and was one of the wealthiest landed proprie tors' and representative of Rutland from 1812 to the dissolution in 1341, when he retired from public life ; he died in 1851. The present baronet. now Lord Avalon(' (his son by a daughter of the late Countess of Dysart), was member for Boston from 1821 to 1832, and sat for S mth Lincolnshire from 1832 to 1841, when he , succeeded his father in the re presentation of Rutland. Though a liberal on other points it is remarkable that he always opposed the re peal of the Corn Laws. lie was born in 1795, and in 1827 he married the Hon. Clementina Elizabeth Wil loughby, eldest daughter of the present Lord Willoughby d'Eresby, hereditary Joint-Great Chamberlain of Eng land. His lordship has issue, a family of two daughters and an only son, now the Inn. Gilbert Henry Heath cote, M.P. for Boston since 1852, who was born io 1828, and was educated at Harrow and Trinity College, Cam bridge. The founder of tbis branch of the Heathcote family was Lord Mayor of London, M.P. for that city early in the 18th century, and one of the first proprie-, tors of the Bank of England. CIVIL SERVICE SUPERANNUATION COMMITTEE.—YeS• terday the Chancellor of the Exchequer was chosen chairman of this committee, appointed to consider the provisions of a bill to amend the law for regulating al lowances granted irr respect of persons having held civil "offices in. her Majesty's service. The members of it are Sir F. Baring, Lord Stanley, Mr. Gladstone, Sir H. Willoughby, Mr. Roebuck, Mr. Henley, Sir S. Northcote, Viscount Monk, Mr. 31'Cartney, Mr. Rich, Mr. Palmer, Mr. V. Scully, Mr. Seymour, Mr. Fitz gerald, and Mr. 0. Ricardo. A petition has been pre sented to the committee from the chairman and general committee of civil servants of the crown for exemption from deduction from their .salaries and superannuation allowance, and other matters connected with the service, which will come under the consideration of the com mittee. A FEARFUL MANTRAP.—Within the last few weeks many private residences in the upper part of the city, particularly in the Sixteenth Ward, have been forcibly entered and robbed, and the occupants' lives placed in jeopardy from the bold and reckless vilWns perpetrating these crimes, who do not hesitate to sk sot, run through, or knock on the bead any one having the temerity to inter fere with them while inpursuit of plunder. An occurrence, however; recently' took place which came costing a rascal his worthless life, and one which should strike ter ror to all evildoers. It appears that a wealthy and scien tific gentleman, whose name we will not now mention, residing in Twenty-first-street, between the Eighth and Ninth avenues, has a fence about the rear yard of his pre mises, over which it is now impossible for rogues to clam ber, and by this means they might in the night time gain access to his dwelling. Wishing to prevent anything of the kind, he a few evenings ago set a springboard in the garden at that point of the fence where a thief would be most likely to get over. In the end of this board (nearly 20 feet in length), was firmly attached a sharp and immense tobacco cutter, weighing lflib., and so pre pared with springs that upon any one getting from the outside and stepping upon a small platform on his way over the fence, the trap would spring and propel with great force the end of the plank containing the cutter against the person treading upon the dangerous and for bidden ground. This fearful mantrap was, baited, and set several nights in succession, but wi ;lout catching any game, and the inventor began to think that ho had all his trouble and expense for nothing. About two o'clock, however, a few mornings since, this rogue-catcher vas heard to spring against the fence with so much force that several inmates of the house were awakened by it. As soon as possible the owner of the premises and a man in his employ hurried to the garden, expect ing to capture a crippled thief, but they were disap pointed ; the work of effectually maiming had been accomplished, but the victim bad jumped into the street and bobbled off. He was traced some dis tance by the copious flowing of blood, but the fugi tive could not be discovered, he probably having been taken up and conveyed away by some accomplices. On entering it was discovered that the power of the spring-board had forced the iron cutter through a two-inch plank of the fence, by the side of which was found part of a brogan shoe or boot, containing three tees and other parts of a man's foot, which had been severed by the victim springing the trap. The blood at the time was flowing from the lost limb. Judging from the remnant of the shoe found, it was of English manufacture, and hence the wearer is supposed to have been an English burglar. Nothing more has been heard of this unknown victim, nor any more rascals caught, notwithstanding this infernal machine (if so it may be termed) has since been nightly set. This part of a man, although be has sustained a great loss, may consider himself fortunate that he succeeded in escaping with his life. The "cutter," had it struck him in the abdomen would have instantly divided his body. —New York Tribtme. W. H. RUSSELL, LL.D. This gentleman, the popular " Special Corre spondent" of the Times, who has recently received his diploma from Trinity College, Dublin, and who came to England at Christmas,. again took his departure for the Crimea on Saturday. By a singular coincidence, for the circumstance was quite accidental, on that day two years, February 23d, 1854, Dr. Russell first left London for the seat of war. The numerous admirers of the bril liant historian of the Crimean campaign will be interested to learn that on Saturday morning Dr. Russell sat for his portrait to Mr. John Watkins, of Parliament-street, who has obtained an admi rable photograph of large dimensions--copies of which will, doubtless, be in great demand. THE FLYING! SQUADRON FOR THE BALTIC. News having arrived at the Admiralty yesterday morning that the Great Belt was free from ice, a tele graphic despatch was immediately forwarded to Captain Watson, C. 8., of the Imperieuse, who has tht command of the flying squadron, to proceed immediately to the execution of his orders ; and we may therefore soon hear that the ports of the enemy in the Baltic are closely blockaded. DRUM-LANE THEATRE. The capital piece by Planell4, " Not a Bad Judge," one of the mott successful of the Lyceum productions, was brought out at Drury-lane Theatre last night—cabt nearly as it was in the former instance. There are few characters that Charles Mathews embodies with greater neatness and effect than that of the phyeiognomiet Lavater, whose discerning intelligence enables him, to detect the presence of a scoundrel, and discomfit his schemes in the midst of much seeming security, H e played it last night with hi s accustomed finish ; and the confidence with which be challenged , the idetrity of the pseudo marquis, and the coolness with wtrich he per sisted in his opinion in the face of adverse evidence, afforded the andienceno inconsiderable degree of amuse ment. Mr. Roicbg resumed his old p'&t of the Italian sharper ; and Miss M. Oliver, always piquant and agreeable, re-appeared as Louise. There was a large attendance. The bill, containing as it does, a succession of the Mathews' pieces, is now a strong one, and the patronage that is nightly bestowed upon the house can excite no wonder. The attraction of the pantomime is almost as active as when first produced —which may reasonably be attributed to the unparalleled splendour of the opening, and the more than average comicality of the harliquinade. .4.STLErs THEATRE. The drama of " Rookwood" has been succeeded by another piece of large dimensions, entitled " The Arab of the Desert and his Faithful Steed," in which the equestrian talent of the establishment is, as usual, con spicuously shown. The Arab has a wife whose charms have inflamed the fancy of a Pacha, who is not in the habit of saying nay to himself. Te see the fair ()rah is but to desire to possess her, and he concerts measures accordingly. The lady, however, is not to be t em pt e d ; but violence is resorted t o , an d s hel is kidnapped. The bad odour in which the Pacba lives influences the events which follow. - Ho is betrayed by a Masselake whom he has taken into his service, and who has an old score to settle with him, and the upshot is that au attack of the enemy demolishes both hint and his power, and gloriously succours distressed virtue. The piece is a good one of its class, and exhibits the ingenuity of Mr. Cooke in the preparation of such spectacles, and employing advan tageously his troop of well-trained steeds, One of the quadrupeds, named Reindeer, comes cora with uncem• mon force. Belonging t) the insulted and afflicted Arab, he assists him at several serious :junctures —feeds him when ha is starving, and finds 'elm a sword when he is in sore straits for one. Reindeer, in fact, is equal to all emergencies, and his sagacity is no less edifying than i! ocil ity. The piece is put gassy upon the stage, and the various tableaux uphold Mr. Cooke's credit iu the arts of produc ing striking melodramatic effects —a showy Oriental ballet being also among the incidents. ROYAL SWEDISH RAILWAY COMPANY. The Committee of the Stmk Exchange yesterday took into consideration the peculiar circumstances connected with the issue of shares and obligations of the Royal Swedish Railway Company by the late Mr. John Sadleir, and adopted the following reso lution, postponing the settlement of outstanding transactions, and discountenancing for the present any further operations in thorn : " Under the peculiar circumstances that have been brought to the notice of the committee regarding the po sition of the shares and obligations of the Royal Swedish Railway Company, the committee is of opinion that it would be detrimental to the general interest of the public and the Steck Exchange if any settlement in outstand ing bargains in those shares and obligations took place at present ; and the settling in therame is postponed ac cordingly. " Alii resolved—That no new transactions in the shares or obligations of the Royal Swedish Railway Com pany will be recogni3ed by the committee until further notice." The mortal remains of the late Duke of Norfolk were consigned to the family vault, at Amnia], this morning, with heraldic honours. Viscount Comberinere has been suffering from a severe attack of the prevailing influenza, at Combermere Abbey. His lordship has now quite recovered, anti en- joys his usual riding exercise several hours daily. Mr. Glyn, the member for Kendal, has no less than four sons serving their country i❑ the Crimea. The speaker will hold his first levee on Saturday next, the Ist of March, at half-past 10 o'clock p.m. Orders have been sent to Southampton to prepare the Candia, one of the seven large war transports now fit ting out at Southampton, for embarking troops on board of her. DEATLI or GENERAL GREY, K.C.B.—General Sir J. Grey, who for some time was Commander•in-Chief at Bombay, and who3o grandfather was a brother of the first Earl Grey, died at hie seat at Morwick, in the county of Northumberland, last week. THE SUNDAY QUESTION.—We are requested to state that Lord Chelsea was accidentally excluded from the division on Sir J. Waln3sley's motion, it having been his lordship's intention to vote against it. DEPARTURE OF MR. BUCHANAN.—The Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress have issued cards of invitation for a dinner at the Mansion-house on Wednesday next, to meet the American Minister, previous to his departure for the Wnited States, and to which many of the mer chants engaged in the American and Canadian trades, members of the House of Commons and of the corpora tion, have been invited. The Sacred Harmonlo Society will perform Mr. Costa's oratorio "Eli," for the third sad last time this season on Friday night. PANOPTICON. Handers "-Axis and Galatea " was given at this institution last night, by way of cornmern,i rating the birth of the great composer, which took place en the 24th of Feb., 1684. The performanca.was:respect able, the solos being sung by Miss Lyon, Mrs. Henry Drayton, Mr. Henry Drayton, and Mr. George Perren, the Orpheus Glee Union lending their assistance in the chorusses. Mr. Chipp presided at the organ. The at tendance of visitors was large, and the music was lstened to with syidlnt pleame and attention, LATEST NEWS. AN ARMISTICE AGREED UPON. At the Congress held in Paris, yesterday, an Armistice, to be in effact until March 31, was de termined upon. The Armistice is not to affect the blockade at present established or projected. It is to apply only to the land forces. The Congress will meet to-day to consider the question of preliminaries. PARIS, TUDSDAY, 10 AM. The Moniteur confirms the above despatch. It says : " The first meeting of the Congress took place yesterday at ona o'clock, and lasted till half-past four. It was agreed that an armistice should be concluded between the armies of the belligerents, to cease on the 31st of March. This armistice not to have any effect on any blockade established or to be established." BERLIN, FEE. 25. A Cabinet courier has arrived here with de spatches for Count Orloff at Paris. Another Russian courier is expected. An Imperial ukase permits the importation of salt into Russia by the Austro-Moldavian fron tier and Odessa, on payment of a duty of 19 kopecks per pood. PREPARATIONS FOR DESTROYING THE SUNKEN RUSSIAN SHIPS. A letter from Inkerman of the 7th, in the Presse d'Orient, says :—Preparations are now being made for the total destruction of the Russian vessels sunk' in the harbour of Sebastopol. This operation, some persons say, will be performed by throwing very heavy shells, so,that they shall drop perpendicularly on the vessels, and by bursting knock the vessels iu pieces. These vessels, however, must be by this time half destroyed by the sea-worm, the teredo navahs, which is peculiar to the Black Sea. In order to give an idea of the ravages committed by this little insect, I may mention the case of the English steamer Gertrude, which has never quitted the Black Sea since the commencement of the war. She has been employed in the service of the port for the daily wants of the army. The captain lately received orders to return to England, but be replied that in consequence of the ravages made by this worm on his vessel, she was not in a fit state to undertake the voyage.. This insect finds its way between the copper and the bottoms of the vessels, and then eats intc. the wood. The English have sought a remedy for the evil, and have made ex periments on the Caradoc, the Banshee, and the Telegraph. One side of their bottoms have been covered with a kind of gum, and the other loft in its usual state. After a certain _time the latter part was covered with a layer of what resembled moss, and the vessels answered the helm better on one side than on the other. These experiments, how ever, were not complete, as the above vessels have not remained constantly iu the Black Sea." EXPEDITION TO HERAT. The following appears in the Gazette Officielle de Teheran, of Dec. 9 :—" It appears, from authentic intelligence received by the Government (Persian) from Khorassan, that the Emir Dost Mahomed Khan, sirdar of Kaboul, having, at the instigation and with the aid of his neighbours, taken up arms against Kandahar, has become master of that pro- Ville; and intends to advance upon Herat, for the conquest of that country. The Persian Govern ment, in order to maintain tranquillity in the in terior, and especially in the province of Khorassan, believes it to be its duty to protect the independence of Herat from all attempts on the part of the sove reigns or masters of Kaboul, Kandahar, and other countries. According to the accounts received by our Government, the projects and acts of the Emir Dost Mahomed Khan do not at all correspond with his resources, especially when such an enterprise is known to be against the wish of our Government. Agreeably to the submission which Dost Mahomed Khan has up to this moment as sumed to us, he continues to feign that he only desires the conquest of Herat ; hut his true pro jects tend only to foment a strong agitation and various troubles in the province of Khorassan, and perhaps, even in Beloochistan, Kerman, and the neighbouring countries. Our Government, there fore, cannot rest au indifferent spectator of such an agitation uribn its own territory, and it is indis pensable, iu order to - defend our provinces and frontiers, to send troops to Herat to protect it from the attempts of the Emir Dost Mahomed Khan, and to maintain in that province the rights and authority of its sovereign until new political arrangements are made. This act of the Persian Government doss not, however, Modify in any way its neutral position as to the Allied Powers, and it will continue to maintain this neutrality invio late." FRANCE. PARIS, MONDAY EVENING. The Emperor yesterday gave audience to Gene ral Count de Loevenhielm, the Swedish minister, who delivered letters from his Sovereign recalling him from iis mission ; and to Baron de Mander strom, who presented his credentials as the count's successor. His Majesty also received M. Firmin Rogier, the Belgian minister, who presented to h s Majesty Count Leopold de Beauffort, secretary • the Belgian legation ; Baron de Waechter, the Wur, temberg m ister, who presented Baron d'A. bele, secretary, and Baron d'Egloffstein, chamberlain and councillor, of the legation ; and M. Lighten. volt, the Dutch minister, who presented M. Guillaume Van Essen, the captain of a Dutch merchant vessel, who, at the risk of his own life, had saved the French brig Harmonie and her crew, and brought her safely into Marseilles. His Ma jesty presented him with the cross of Knight of the Le g ion of Honour for his condu c t. The Moniteur publishes a decree awarding 4 se cond class gold medals, 22 first class, and 175 second class silver ones, for different acts of courage and devotedness performed during the last three months of 1855. BOURSE, Feb. Z.—The following were the closing quotations : Cash. fr. e. End of Month. 4. per Cents 97 50 —f. —c. 3 pecCents 73 50 73 80 New Loan 73 45 Bank Shares — Roman Credit Mobilier 1,570 Austrian Belgian Fives — Spanish Threoa — Piedmontese(s) B9 Home Debt ..,..... 38i RAILWAYS-POB CASH. fr. c. ft. o Orlgans ... 1,270 Western 873 75 Northern Lyons - ... 1,257 50 New Ditto 835 Mediterranean 1,435 Grand Central . 650 Lyons Geneva — Testa .. .. ..... Cette 765 Austrian C0ra....... 905 TURKEY. A letter . from Vienna, in the Post dmpt Gazette of Frankfort, says :—" According to news received from Constantinople of the 11th, via Trieste, the Turkish ministers on the 9th made new proposi tions to the ambassadors of France, England, and Austria regarding the interpretation of the fifth point by Turkey. In this document, the Porte not only persists in demanding tke destruction of the fortifications of Nicolaieff, but also demands that the Russians should give up the fortress of Anapa to the mountaineers, and likewise evacuate the whole of the territory of Kars." RUSSIA. A letter from St. Petersburg of the 14th inst., in :the National Zeitung, states that up to that date no orders had been given to the workmen employed in building the 131-gun steam line-of battle ship Witiaz, at Nicolaieff, to suspend their work, and that nothing had transpired to lead to the belief that counter-orders would be issued to stop the concentration of the naval militia at R,vel, Cronstadt, St. Petersburg, and Sweaborg. Letters from Genitchi state that the fortifica tions being erected by Prince Labanow-Rostowsky for the defence of that place and of the bridge con necting the continent with the Spit of Arabat, were so far finished as to be able to withstand successfully any attack that might be attempted on the part of the French and English ships of war. The Russian journal Le Caucase contains intel ligence of a late date from Kars. The greater numberof the Imperial troops with drew to the Russian territory when the hills and valleys of the conquered country became covered with snow. A brigade of the 18th division of in fantry remains in garrison at Kars, and a detach ment continues to occupy Ardaghan. The dis tricts recently submitted to Russia are now tran quil, but an insurrection of a rather serious cha racter broke out recently at Ghool, situated to tho north of Kars. It seems that Asian Paella and his brother Iser-bek, assisted by a party of 400 men, incited the inhabitants to rise, and occupied the villages . of Seinot, Khorovanlia, and Tchoul- Penek. They were, however, unexpectedly attacked by three sotnias of Cosaacks with four rocket batteries, and defeated. The insurgents (says Le Caucase) left sixty dead in the square of one of the villages, and four were taken prisoners. The Cos sacks had (of course) but one man killed and four wounded. This affair occurred on the Ist of January. PRUSSIA. The committee of the Prussian Chamber of De puties, in their report on the bill for authorising the use of thc; extraordinary war-credit, express themselves as follows : 7 --" The members of the committee convinced of the truth of the argu ments brought forward by the Minister-President, are of opinion that, under present circumstances, the reasons which require Prussia to hold her military force in readiness, so as to be in a state to repel every kind of aggression, and also in the menacing strife of the great European Powers to take that part which corresponds with her interests and duties as a member of the con federation have not yet ceased to exist. The members of the committee recognise that the country ought to feel grateful to his Majesty's Government for having secured to Prussia, during a critical period, both peace and the right of un biassed decision. The members unanimously pro pose the adoption of the project of law presented by the Government.' The Empress of the French has received the order of the Star Cross (Stern-Kreuz Orden) from the Emperor of Austria. Advices from the Baltic shores announce, that the Russians intend to drive a triple row of piles across the Gulf of Finland, about six miles from Cronstadt. It is fancied that an impassable barrier may be thus erected against any hostile fleet. THE PEACE CONGRESS. The following is the letter of the Times Paris correspondent, dated yesterday, six p.nl The important moment has arrivedat last. The Congress has commenced its sittings. For weeks to come this city, in which that international jury is assembled to decide the great political question of the day, will have the attention of Europe directed to it. Many a wistful eye has turned for the last six hours to,that stately edifice, the Hotel of Foreign Affairs, where the deliberation of that momentous subject has already opened, as if it would fain pene trate its massive walls for one glimpse of what is going on: within.. The services of those singularly gifted persons, the force of whose visual organ penetrates the thickest millstone, would be invalu able just now. With what sort of aspect did the Plenipotentiaries first meet? Were their faces beaming over with diplomatic smiles, or did their eyes glance sternly as they stood before each other in that well carpeted, well tapestried, well furnished, and, alas ! too well closed apartment ? Did the Russian, fresh from the ice of the Neva, maintain the cold hauteur of the vanquished but still haughty enemy ? Or did his frigid heart melt and expand before the warm courtesy of his southern confreres? Did the Plenipotentiaries, on crossing the threshold of the hall of the conferences, lay aside the habits of social amenities, and assume all the rigidity of diplo macy ? Did they fold their arms as they thought of the Redan and the Malakhoff, of Sinope and Se bastopol, and of all that happened since last they gathered together? Or did they, like courteous combatantS, who respect each other's prowess, shake hands, to show they had no personal spite before " setting to " at this fresh encounter of wits ? All this, and more than this, is asked ; but there is no one to answer. All is silent about that building. Not a man issues from it without wear ing an expression of mystery on his features. The sable-clad ushers who wait in the ante-room are more impressive, solemn, and taciturn than usual ; and the plated chains which, Lord Mayor-like, they wear as insignia of office, clank with a more subdued sound. The garcons du bureau, usually so good-natured, so alert, and so bustling, now steal stealthily. along.* The very sentinels at the external doors stand motionless like armed statues ; and even the barges on the river which flows before the walls of that fair palace glide noiselessly up and down, for fear a ripple should disturb the silence. The Russians were at their work early this morn ing. Baron Brunow was stirring betimes, and M. Seebach was seen to issue from his house some time after 8 o'clock, and accompany his friend to the residence of the chief Plenipotentiary, Count Orloff. The three were for hours closeted together, and no doubt " got up" their lesson well before starting for the rendezvous. The spirits of people in general seem to be elated, and confidence in the pacific result of the Conferences is gaining strength, on what particular ground I cannot find out, except that at the Tuileries last night the Empager was very gracious. He chatted in an ani mated manner with his guests, smiled gracefully with Countßuol and Baron Bruno w, and the sterner Orloff was heard to declare that nothing could be more satisfactory than the Emperor's reception of him • and , his Majesty is said to have looked tile very picture of peace. If you can believe what you hear in public, almost every difficulty is already removed, the task left to the diplomatists is of the lightest possible kind, and the wonder is how they will manage to occupy even the first week of their meeting. This is the vary exuberance of optimism. Ido not mean to say that peace will not be the result of the Conferences, but I should hesitate before pronouncing it as certain. There are, so far as I can understand, serious mat ters yet to be discussed, but which will be sucmss fully got over if France, England, and Austria re main firm and united to the last moment. If they do so Russia has no alternative but to yield, for the simple reason that she cannot help herself. She is desirous of peace because she is anxious to at. end to her internal concerns, to the improvement of her means of communication from the centre to the extremities of her empire, that if she be engaged hereafter in such a war as the present her armies may not perish on their way to encounter their enemy. _ _ I will not trouble you with the various rumours that have been flying about during the day, as none of theM rest on any authenticated fact. I persist in what I have already said with respect to the issue of the conferences, that no safe opinion can be formed till after the lapse cf eight or ten days. I may say, however, that probably not much time will elapse before the preliminaries are signed, and that pro bably an armistice will be proclaimed immediately. DARING GAROTTE ROBBERY.—Late on Friday night, as Mr. Slialders, the comedian, of Covent-garden Theatre, was crossing Paddington-churchyard, he was attacked by three men, one of whom grasped him from behind, and squeezed his throat until he produced insen sibility. On recovering he found that he had been most shockingly id-treated, his face was cut and disfigured, and his body severely contused ; all his cash, his gold watch, and appendages, and several valuable riegs that he had on his.fingers, were abstracted. LAITNCH OF ANOTHER GUN-BOAT.—LIVEAPOOL, Feb. 26.—The gun-boat Bullfinch, the fifth of the fourteen contracted fur by Mr. Laird, was launched from that gentleman's building-yard at Birkenhead this afternoon. it is expected that a sixth, and one of the iron mortar boats ordered from this gentleman, will be launched in the course of this week. Four of the gun-boats are all but ready for despatch, and they will, it is understood, be towed round to Portsmouth in a day or t WELLINGTON COLLIERY ON TYNE.—SHIELDS, Feb. 22. —The celebrated old Tyne Colliery, in consequence of a sudden rush of a great quantity of water on Friday last, has been entirely closed. The horses and mea were got out with difficulty. For some time back the lower seam in its working hal been interrupted with water. It is, stilt hoped the water may be withdrawn, and the valu able unworked beds of coal connected with the colliery may not be entirely lost. Wellington Colliery was one of the pits the late Emperor of Russia, when visiting England in 1815, ventured to descend to witness the workings. THE " Iv/BADER AND HIGHWAY ROBBERY ON TowEa HlLL."—Yesterday (Monday) afternoon an inquest was held by Mr. Baker, coroner, and a respectable jury, at the_ London Hospital, Mile-end-road, on the body of a man named George Brown, who it was reported had been knocked down in the Minories and robbed by two men and a woman, from the effects of which blow he died - Shortly after he was conveyed to the above hospital. At the inquest, there was no evidence whatever produced to show that the deceased had been unfairly treated by any one, but, on the contrary, that he was greatly intoxicated at the time and fed and struck himselt. The post mortm examination of the body showed that the deceased was suffering from a diseased brain and other infirmities, and there was no doubt but that his death bad been accele rated by his drinking. The jury returned a verdict accordingly. THE TIPPERARY BANK.—DUBLIN, Monday, Feb. 25. —The Carlow branch of the Tipperary Bank has sus pended itspayments, the manager having paid off all tie cash on hand up to three o'clock on Monday last. The event has, of course, caused great consternation, espr • cially among the a,ricultural classes, many of the better rank of farmers being depositors to a considerable amount. Mr. Sadleir, it may be recollected, sat for the borough of Carlow from 1847 to 1852, and it is a singu lar fact that his predecesSor in the representation, Major Layard, also died by his own hand. The immediate result of the winding-up petition to Chancery will be a call on the shareholders who are able to pay, and who will, on payment of it, be protected from any hostile proceedings by creditors until another call be made. As to the prospect of ultimate liquidation, the commercial accounts of this morning say it is impossible to hazard even a conjecture. In any case, however, much delay must occur in winding up the affairs of the bank in the mode resorted to. RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE. The half-yearly meeting of-this company was held at Lichfield yesterday ; Mr. R. C. Chawner in the chair. The report stated that the sum of 64,9291. bad been charged to capital account during the last half-year, about one-half of which had been for land and works on the Canncck and Norton branches, and the remainder chiefly for waggons required for the traffic and for stations. It was necessary to proceed vigorously with the above named branches, inasmuch as the Parliamentary period for their completion was fixed for the 2d of Janu ary, 1857. At the request of Mr. M'Clean, the les see, a committee had been appointed to examine the accounts of expenditure since the commencement of the lease, and to prepare the required schedules to be attached to the lease of the Stour Valley Junction or Tipton branch, and the recommendations of that com mitteee were under the consideration of the board. The receipts on capital account had been 1,184,622/.9 and the expenditure 1,117,9031., leaving a balance of 16,7181. The CHAIRMAN, having referred to the chief points of the report, said that the waggons had been paid for by shares, Mr. Wright, the builder, having taken out the cost in shares. The committee, to whom allusion was made,:confirmed the statement previously made by their engineer, Mr. Baker. The line and works were in a good state, and the accounts of the lessee highly satisfactory. It was not necessary to fill up the vacancy which had occurred in the board of directors, as the existing body was amply sufficient to discharge the business of the company. It was right to state that they must raise 100,000/. on account of the Cannock and Norton branches before the June of next year or their dividends would be stopped. They had power to borrow 19,0001., and had surplus lands to the value of 10,0001., and the uncalled capital amounted to 2/. 109. per share. The directors had carefully considered the subject with the view of rendering the call as easy as possible, end had determined to make a call of 30s. per share par able on the Ist of May next. They had no other al ternative. He concluded by moving the adoption,of the report, which, being seconded, was carried naafi' monsly. Mr. Payne of Birmingham, and Mr. Smith, of Dud ley, were re-elected directors. A dividend.of 4 per cent., payable on Lhe lit of March (less income tax), was then declared. The interest at S per cent. to the 31st ult. on calls paid in advance upon the old and new shares will be paid at the same time.. The meeting then broke up. SOUTH WALES. The half•yearly statement of the accounts of this cent. pang shows that 4,045,7741. had been received on capital account to the 31st of December last, including 2,449,7461. on ordinary shares, 167,4211. on 4 per cent. preference shares, 296 ; 592/. on 41 per cent. preference shares, 108,463/. on redeemable 5 per cent. preference shares, and 1,023,1841. on loans. The expendittire amounts to 4,149,0591., including 169,4771. subscrip tions to other railways, leaving a balance against the, company of 103,2851. The receipts on capital account during the half-year amounted to 138,7591., and the expenditure to 98,225/. The revenue account for the half-year ending the Net Dec. last shows that 163,0161. had been received, includ ing 76,3721. for goods and minerals, and 87,8 551 . , or 53.89 per cent., expended in working expenses, and 1,578/. balance of interest in respect of supply of rolling stock, leaving a balance of 73,582/, To this Wit is added 5,1421. brought from the last account, 2131. re venue from Forest of Dean tramway, 1,6971. dividend received on Vale of Neath shares, 291. registration fees, 2551. rent of cottages, 4,000/. on account of the South Wales waggon stock, and 19,2501. for half-year's fixed rent of the' line from the Great Western Company St 38,500/. per annum, making together 104,1701. From this sum is deducted 801. for rent of offices, 27,8 41 ; interest on debentures and land purchases, and 19,1851. assumed amount due to the Great Western Company under the agreement of the 20th of Illarc!),. 1851, in respect of profits on the line between Grange Court and Carmarthen, together 47,1091., leaving a die' posable balance of 57,0611., out of which is deducted 9,2641. for dividend on the guaranteed 201. shares, and 36,7551. for a dividend at the rate of 8 per cent. per annum on the ordinary share capital of the company en titled to dividend, leaving a balance over of 11,041/. Under all the circumstances this must be considered as a favourable result for the South Wales Company As well as for the Great Western Company, the rent gun' ranteed by the latter company being covered within 1001. by their proportion of the profits of the line to which they are entitled under the agreement. VALE OF NEA.TH. The statement of accounts of this company to the 31 4 * December has been made up preparatory to the ball . ' yearly meeting to be held at Neath to-morrow (Wednee dav). The total receipts on capital account amounted to 763,2721., and the payments to 835,671/. 3s. Bd. no receipts on revenue account for the half-year amounted to 30,9171. is. 7d., and the payments to 15,5911• 3s. 11d., showing a balance (carried to general revenue account) of 15.325/. 17s. BJ. To this has to be added a balance of 8341. 13s. left over the previous half-yeare dividend, which made up a disposable balance of 16,1601. 10s. Bd. The disposable bslauce for dividend at the last half-yearly meeting in AugOst was 14,3351. 15s. la. BLYTH AND TYNE. The directors of this company have issued their repoito which states that the revenue shows a satisfactory ill crease upon the corresponding period of 1854, though the working expenses continue high (49.9 per cent.) The doubling► of about six miles of the way is about COMP pleted, and the erection of numerous workshops, &C., is progressing satisfactorily. Two new engines aed seve ral waggons have been ordered. The net revenue'-is 8,2181, which admits a dividend of 10 per cent. on the preference shares, and 9 per cent. on the ordinary and extension shares, leaving a balance of 1,1991. to be car• tied to neat year's account. The 'report for the half-year ending the 31st of. Dee. last shows an increase in the receipts, as compared with the corresponding period in 1854, of 4,8671. The net profit of the half-year, after paying interest on loans and dividends on preference shares, is 15,8421. out of this amount the directors recommend a dividend of 335. 9d. per share on each of the 751. shares, and lls. 3d. on each of the 25/. shares, being at the rate of 41 per cent. per annum. This dividend will amount to 12,8331., an d will leave a balance of 3,0091. RAILWAY BILLS IN PARLIAMENT. The Committee on Standing Orders have decided this following eases KINROSSHIRE.— That the standing orders have not bee o complied with, and that the parties be not permitted to proceed with the measure. MOOR& AND WARRINGTON AND STOCKPORT AND Virill* RINGTON. —The committee decide that the standing Or" ders have been complied with, and that the parties be permitted to proceed with their bill. WEST OF FIFE MINERAL.—The standing orders er! to be dispensed with in this case on condition that amended cross-sections be deposited. ldsp-KENT DIRECT (BROMLEY TO ST. MARY'S CRAY• —The standing - orders 4re to be dispensed with in this case. EAST SOMERSET.—The engineering estimate forth• construction of this line is 75,0001. MID-KENT DIRECT.—The estimated expense for cos• strutting this line from Bromley to Foot's Cray is esti mated at 70,0001. SITTINGBOURNE AND SIIEERNESS.—The commissioners declare the cost of the ceustruction of this proposed rail way to be 93,106/., and powers are to be given to the ferry wardens of the Isle of Sheppy to transfer their powers, property, and revenue. LLOYD'S SHIPPING.—(This Day.) LONDON, Feb. 26—Wind this day at noon, W.N.W. ; light breeze and fine. PLYMOUTH, Feb . 2" W" d W S d Ni r (s• )► YMOUTH, _ o.— m . a e ge • for Africa. NEWPORT, Feb. 25.—Wind W.—Sailed—Baldur, for Singapore ; Stephen Lambes, Now Orleans ; Ulysses, St. Thomas ; Gustav, Baltimore. CARDIFF, Feb. 23.—Sailed—Denis, for Ceylon ; Palma ; Hector, Constantinople. SHIELDS, Feb. 25.—Wind S.S.W.—Sailed—Samue Cunard, for Antigua ; Heavieston, Calcutta ; James Bales, Alicante. HULL, Feb. 25:—Wind W.N - .W.—Sailed—Everthorpot for Carthagena. GUERNSEY, Feb. 23. , —Wind N.--Sailed—Gipsy Queen, St. Michael's. &SCILLY, Feb. 23.—Wind N.E.—Arrived—Norma, frolo Belize ; Belmont, Syra, with pumps choked. GLOUCESTER, Feb. 24.--Arrived—Spica, from Trieste. CLYDE, Feb. 25.—Arrived—Circassian, from Berbicei Kirkland, Newfoundland. Sailed—Cordelia, Halifax and Windsor, N.S. PILL, Feb. 25.--Wind W.—Arrived—Thetis, frail Longsound. Sailed—Madeira Pet, for St. Michael's. (PER ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) SOUTHAMPTON, Tuesday limning. Arrived—Atalanta, steamer, from Havre; Duke of Cornwall, steamer, Dublin ; Hero, Gertrude, Ram Marls Pope, Vesta, Albion, Tiber, Jessie, Newport ; Georges and La Poule, Cherbourg ; Paragon, Llanelly ; Mellicents Swansea ; New Dove, Portmadoo; Wender, steamer, Jersey ; Phantom, Swanage ; Queen, steamer, Oporto. Sailed—Empress, steamer, for Havre; Despatch, Jersey; Effort, Sunderland. LIVERPOOL, Tuesday Morning. Wind N.W. Arrived—Elizabeth Bentley, fiem New Orleans; LaW• rence Frost, New York ; Ochtertyre, Alexandria. Sailed—Delta, for Havre. KINGSTOWN, Feb. 25. Wind S.S.W. Arrived.—Mary Sweet, from Oporto. BY SUBMARINE AND BRITISH TELEGRAPH.) GRAVESEND, Tuesday, 10.15 a.m. Wind W., tide six hours' ebb, fine. Arrived, Feb. 25.—George Kidd, from Mauritius. Arrived, Feb. 26.—Avoca, from Alexandria; Diana , Lagos. sailed, Feb. 25.—Thalia, for Constantinople. DRAL, Tuesday, 9.51 A. 112. Wind W., moderate. Passed, Feb. 25.—John, from Mauritius ; Ethiope (screw-steamer), Plymouth ; Lancashire Witch, Pangoon —all for Landon ; Queen of the Chase, and Nelson (sch9ener), front London, for Falmouth. Anchered.—Ki ng fi s h er , from London, for Hongkong; Russell Alic e , f rom Sunderland, for St. Jago de Cuba; Her Majesty's steamer', Harier, from Portsmouth; Marl Ann, from Shields, for Teignmouth. The fine seraw•steamer Edinburgh sailed from the Clyde on Saturday on her second voyage to New Y° l4l ° °varying valuable cargo awl 20C Rama% .~::--~~ mo CO: The I %liar to to the Ported ( Nests t Conferee Cpartn Ia c c fra u d s 1 11 refers the Con to the f brought position tnedieh that it vi Pnblie at 'landin g Place ..t [ ! 4 coordin in the sti g ay Con t +nrther r 1 ! 3 1 ortui Cents. 3 Per eerti6 kltho u hka oc 10 s . , colon Th e Tian,' ink ;Pert I , er eir 3 74, 1 LOlig bitt bits India Ditt Dit ‘ 41 :1q41 kly Dit pßlt kazi ?ortt 4 ?Arl o Di 41 At, 41 ,] a.. Tr ,9 in g ktAl zai con Pot - Pec ( Pla tat • • F., 3Ji