The Sun. — London, England, 1854-02-15 00:00:00

THEATRE ROYAL DRURY-LANE Lessee, Mr. E. T. Snrth. THIS EVENING, FEB. 15, performed the Tragedy of HAMLET. Characters by Mr. G. V. Brooke, T. Mead, G. Mead, and Belton; Mrs Vickery, and Miss Featherstone. To conclude with KING HUMMINGTOP ; or, Harlequin and the Land of Toys. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Undo the management of Mr. Mnokstone, THIS EVENING, Fits. 15, Will be pertormed GUY MANNERING. Characters by Messrs. Elliott Geier, W. Farren, Compton, Rogers, Howe, Clark, Corti, and Cullenford ; Mks o:simian, Miss Jana Harland, and Mrs. L. S. Buckingham. Atter which, the Glrand CHRISTMAS PANTOMIME, called HARLEQUIN AND e e lIREE BEAR: ; or, Little Sllverhair and the Fairies. Colunite a, Miss Brown ; Harlequin, Mr. J. Marshall; Pantaloon, Mr. W. A. Barnes; Clown, Mr. H. Marshall. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STREET. Uhler the Management of Mr. CHAHLI3 Klux. THIS EVENING, Fes. 15. Will be performed the Tragedy of HAMLET Principal charac tar by Mr. C. Kean. After which will be presented the new Grand CHRISTMAS PAN TOMIME, entitled HARLEQUIN AN > THE MILLER AND HIS MEN; or, King Salamandar and the Fairy of the Azure Lake. Harlequin, Mr. Cormack ; Clown, Mr. flulLue; Pa ntaloon, Mr. Paulo; and Columbine, Miss Deiburongh. LYCEUM THEATRE. Under the Management of Madame Vestris. THIS EVENING. Fl 3. 15, Will be performed A BACHELOR OF ARTS. Characters by Messrs. C. Mathews, F. Matthews, and Balser, Miss F. Hughes. After which, th e original Fairy Extravaganza, called ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WERE TWO KINGS. Principal cha racters by Mr. Rozby and Madame Vestris. To conclude with PATTER VERSUS CLATTER. THEATRE ROYAL ADELPHI. Proprietor, Mr. R. Webster. —Directress, Madame Celeste. THIS EVENING, FEB. 15, Will be presented the highly' Popular New Nautic a l M elo-drama in five tableaux w ith new scenery, the Sea of Ice, & c., new , dresses and appo i n tments, called TIIE THIRST'THIRST'OF GOLD; or, THE LOST SHIP TliE WILD FLOWER OF MEXICO. Keeley, Paul Bedford, Principal characters by Messrs. B. Webster, Madame Celeste, &c. To be followed by the popular and entirely New Grand Specta cular legendary Christmas piece, in two acts, with new scenery, dresses, machinery, and appointments, called NUMBER NIP, or THE SPIRIT BRIDE. Principal character! by Mr. Paid Bodford, Madame Celeste, Mrs. Keeley, Miss Woo!gar, aic. ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE. Lessee and Manager, Mr. A. Wigan. THIS EVENING, Fits. 15, win be performed THE FIRST NIGHT. Characters by Messrs. Alfred Wigan. Leslie, Franks, Harwood Cooper, and Vincent ; Miss P. Horton, and Miss Wyndham. After which, THE BENGAL TIGER. Principal characters by Messrs. Alfred Wigan, Leslie, and F. Robson ; and Mrs. A. Wigan. Followed by THE WANDERING MINSTREL. STRAND THEATRE. So'e Lessee, Mr. F. W. Allcroft.—Directress, IVILss Rebecca Isaacs. THIS EVENING, FEB. 15, Will be performed THE ROBBER'S WIFE. To be followed by STATE SECRETS ; or, The Irish Ambassador. After which, the new grand Comic Christmas Pantomime entitled HARLEQUIN AND KING NUTCRACKER; or, The World of Toys. Clown, by the inimitable Flexmore ; Harlequin, Mr. Bologna ; Pantaloon, Mr. Griffiths ; Columbine, Miss Goward. Stalls, Ss.- ' Boxes, 35.; Pit, le. 6d ; Gall ery , Gd . ; Private Boxes, I/. Ils. 6d., to be had of Mr. Allcroft, IS, New Bond-street. ASTLEY'S EUROPE'S NATIONAL AMPHITHEATRE. Lessee and Manager, Mr. William Cooke. Extraordinary combination of attraction—The Performing Ele phants, whose wondrous feats and hitherto unheard of incredible performances now share their nightly triumphs with their petite rival LE SINGE SAVANT; or, Nimble Marmozet. lie is indeep another wonder, for his tricks and exercises are achieved with such human-like action, that the beholder can readily imagine he Is watching In a mirror the reflective actions of a man. In addition to these " Zoological Stars," the Grated Chinese Spectacle (which has reached its 56th night). The inimitable Scenes of the Arena, and the successful and gorgeous Pantomime, forming the most novel and unparalleled entertainment ever offered to the public. TEAS EVENING, Fes. 15, and during the week, THE WISE ELEPHANTS OF TAE EAST, or THE eI.kGIC GONG, in which Mr. William Cooke's Matchless Pcenes of the CIRCLE, and the Grand Comic, Pantomime o! BILLY BUT I 0 N's .iOURNLY TO BRE INTFORD ; or, Harlequin and tho Ladies' Favourite. Box-office opeu front Eleven till Four. Stage Manner, Mr. W. VText. IGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. TMA DAY —Morning 33 min.a.fter 3 I Evening 48 min.aft. 3 To-Moanow— Morning 5 min.after 4 Evening 21 miu.aft. 4 fHP WFATHER.—Ses OFFICE, F. 15. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 46 —highest since noon yesterday. 40—lowest this morning and during the night. 43—this day at noon. BAROMETER, 30 . 03—a fall of more than half an inch since yesterday. WIND. N.N.E.—Light breeze, with dull weather. Heavy fall of rain in the night. X 7 5-' s , c-V 4444156 LONDON, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1854. An elaborate explanation was last evening ex torted from her MAJESTY'S Ministers, in the House of Peers, in reference to their foreign policy during the last twelve months—the Prime Minister, the Lord Privy Seal, and the Foreign Secretary speak ing at considerable length in vindication of the course pursued in regard to this Russo-Turkish difficulty by the Coalition Government. It is par ticularly worthy of remark, that the gravamen of the charges directed against the Cabinet in this important matter was so directed by a nobleman in no way allied by political interests or political sympathies with the DERBY-DISRAELI Opposition. The discussion was originated by the motion of an ex-Member of the last Whig Administration. Naturally enough, of course, the accusations brought forward in this manner by the Mar quis of CLANRICARDE, in au harangue remark able for its tone of serious and dignified reprehension, were enforced in severity by the yet bolder disapproval avowed by the Earl of MALMES BURY, and by the searching and statesmanlike analysis of out late foreign policy, upon which the ex-Prime Minister of England yesterday adven tured—his materials for analysis, the Blue Book, his audience, an attentive gathering in the Upper House of the Legislature. Although, as might have been expected, the motion which elicited the debate was a mere formality, and was with._ drawn, as a matter of course, at the close of the discussion, it was, nevettlieless, productive of all the advantage that could have been rea sonably looked for under existing circumstances. It drew forth, as we have said, the Min isterial explanation. For this we are in debted in the first instance to the Marquis of CLANRICARDE, and subsequently, as already inti mated, to the outspoken opinions of the Earl of DERBY and of the Noble Lord his Foreign Secre tary. Against these were opposed the Duke of ARGYLL, the Earl of ABERDEEN and his Foreign Secretary, the Earl of CLARENDON. Others par ticipated in the contest, as, for example, Lord GLENELa, who appears to have regarded the con duct of the Coalition throughout with au all believing generosity and a complacent satisfaction —the Earl of ELLESMERE, whose mingled chivalry and sagacity lead him to deprecate the notion of any perver, in terferenee with our military and maritime forces by diplomatic agency—and Lord GREY, %du), in regard to this Eastern Ques tion as in regard to almost everything else, is as erotchetty in his views as he is dogmatical in the manner of their enunciation. Setting these three, however, aside, the onus of the debate lay, as we have remarked, on the one side upon the Earl of DERBY, and the Earl of MALMESBURY, and the Marquis of C LANRICARDE—and on the other upon the Duke of ARGYLL, and the Earl of ABERDEEN, and the Earl of CLARENDON. Between them as many of the arguments both " for" and "against" Ministers were adduced as could possibly have been desired as the result of one night's discussion for the guidance of the councils of the Upper Chamber of the Legislature. A companion debate, it will be observed, is threatened for Friday evening next in. the House of Commons when immediately on the Committee of Supply, Mr. LAYARD is to call at tention to the present state of our relations with Russia and Turkey , ther eby, of course, compelling Lord JOHN RUSSELL, as the chief organ of the Cabinet in that division of Parliament, to enter new vindication of the forei gn upon some policy of the Coalition —possibly, moreover, interrupt_ ing the prolonged and tranquil reveries indulg e d in by Lord PALMERsTON ever since the Tee _ Legislature and breaking, it sembling of the silence hitherto main may be, the cautious taiued upon the sa me subject of our fo reign relations by Lord DERBY ' S Chancellor of the Exchequer. So that, after all, a month will not have elapsed before Miuisters will have been driven to the unwelcome necessity of explaining their foreign policy in both the Upper and the Lower House of the Imperial Parliament. Quite a marvel of promptitude and rapidity under the eireunut. - n_e&S—after the last ten or eleven months deplorable experience. Elsewhere, besides the important debate in the House of Lords last evening, will be found a do-' THE SUN, LONDON, WED)WESDAYI EVENING, FEBRUARY 15, 1854. cument of extraordinary interest at the present ' juncture —now, when, according to the notable expressions of the Noble Earl the Foreign Secre tary, although we are not actually at war, although, at the same time we are not strictly speaking at peace, "we are in that intermediate state when the endeavours to preserve peace might be as sincer e as ever , b u t when our hopes were gradually dwindling away, and we are drifting towards war ! " At a junc ture of such imminence, the remarkable docu ment here referred to cannot fail to be perused with peculiar interest—that admirable letter ad dressed by the French EMPEROR to the Russian AUTOCRAT, a letter, the calmness and resolution of which are eminently befitting one who wields the sceptre of NAPOLEON, and wears the diadem of CHARLEMAGNE. Again, let us remember—with yesterday's discussion in the House of Lards be fore us, and that masterly document from the hand of NAPOLEON 111.—that everything still de depends upon the will of the Czait—that the signal for peace or war must become audible from St. Petersburgh. Only the faintest possibilities (not probabilities, but possibilities) of a pacification survive at this moment, the reiterated failure of our diplomatic negotiations, according even to the showing of the Prime Minister, and of the Foreign Secretary of the Coalition Govern ment. Supposing, however, that through the in sensate pride and arrogant ambition of the Emperor r NICHOLAS, even this faint and feebly recognised possibility should be dissipated—it is gratifying at last to know that France and England are resolved upon no half-measures in defence of Tur key, and to remember that, according to the patriotic intimation of Lord DERBY last evening, the Cabinet will be supported in this energetic course by her MAJESTY'S Opposition. At length Parliament is about to take the Law of Settlement into its serious consideration. Not merely as in bygone years, by the appointment of a Select Committeee, or the publication of a bulky addition to that peculiar class of literature denominated " Blue Books," but by a very de cided alteration, and an equally decided improve ment in the existing law. Henceforward the entire system of "shuttlecock pauperism" will at once, and for ever, be extinguished. The " BUMBLES" of the various parishes will no longer have opportunities afforded for making pleasure excursions to the modern Babylon. Nor will these " inflexible" functionaries be enabled to gratify their amour propre by making the " Clerkenwell Sessions find themselves in the wrong box," or even to exhibit their calculating powers, by showing that it would " come to two pound cheaper to move 'em (i.e. the casuals) than to bury 'em ! " These felicitous operations will be numbered with the past, nor (for every plea sure has its drawback—and there is said to be " a skeleton in every Mansion") will the " poro char " beadles be aggravated by the perverse be haviour of the badly-fed and scantily-clothed paupers, in shivering and complaining of cold during the journey." No, "from and after the passing of the bill, it shall not be lawful to re move by force any poor person upon the ground of settlement from any parish in England or Wales." This is unquestionably a vast; amelioration, but when we look to the arguments of Mr. BAINES, and the evidences adduced by the Right Hon. Gentleman in support of his proposition, we only wonder that the power that was so grievously abused, and which had been so long and so unequi vocally condemned by the highest authorities, should not have been abrogated many years ago. It was, indeed, a law of which it was difficult to say whether it was most unjust, most oppressive, or most impolitic. One which made the expense of relief fall not upon the parish where the pauper had applied his labour while he lad strength, and could be regarded as a valuable element in the po pulation—a creator and producer of national wealth, but upon that where he happened to be born, or to have acquired a settlement by any recognised means, which reduced him to the condition of a " villein"--a serf--chained to the spot where he first breathed, and which entitled the authorities, on the first approach of poverty, to banish him from the place where he had been accustomed to gain his own livelihood, where all his associations and connexions existed, and where lie had the best prospect of earning an independent subsistence —when some temporary difficulties were encoun tered, and the impediments overcome, to another and a distant locality, where he was utterly un known, and where his onlyprospect was that of per petual pauperism. But the political economist may say, What have the sufferings or the feelings of the pauper to say to the question ? They must be totally disre garded ; or, if it all thought of, it must be only to the extent of applying them as a new and more stringent " test of destitution." Industri ous, well-disposed " paupers" (if there be such beings) cannot bear the removal. Tbey dread the notion of being " passed" back to their origi nal parish, and therefore it may be almost as valuable an instrument for preventing applica tions for relief as the separation of parents and children, and the summary form of divorces sanctioned by the Poor4aw Magnates. We cannot deny the truth of this argument, which would be unanswerable so far as the stony-hearted officials are concerned. But though we cannot directly " traverse" the assertion, we may " confess and avoid." We may tssert without fear of contra diction, that it is us unwise as it is unjust ! as impolitic as it is cruel ! It is certain that not only the general expenditure for the relief of the poor throughout the entire kingdom, is greatly in creased thereby, by all the costs of litigation and of travelling, but that even the individual parishes suffer, and each ratepayer has to contribute more. What would be thought of the intellect of the merchants of England and America if payment for each transaction were to be made by bullion transmitted across the Atlantic, with all the outlay for freight and insurance ? How could business be carried on among merchants of different king doms without the aid of bills of exchange, or among the metropolitan bankers without the aid aft)rded by the Clearing House, and yet the " porochal " authorities did something even more stupid. In place of balancing paupers, or liquidating the actual cost of their support where they were, they sent different batches crossing each other at a heavy outlay, and they expended far more in litigation than would have supported l i every pauper, whose chargeability was disputed, not merely in comfort, but in luxury. So far as to the mere £ s. d. view of the matter, but it was also in the highest degree impolitic—for, as Mr. BAINES declared, it frequently made a farmer give employment to "an idle, drunken, worthless labourer, and reject a hard-working, temperate, and skilful man." It compelled the workman to walk eight or ten miles in addition to his daily toil, and thus deteriorated his energies by so much, because, forsooth ! the squire who required his services would not allow him to take up his residence within the parish where he worked, lest, when used up, he might become chargeable—thus unfairly and dishonestly shifting the responsibility to others less capable of bearing it. It surely, then, requires no argument to show the folly and wickedness of such a system—a system that will be regarded by our children, and children's -children, throughout all generations, as the most astounding instance of national weakness and turpitude ever recorded. Let us be thankful that, after nearly two centuries' continuance, it is at length about to be swept away, root and branch—to be totally and finally abrogated. We enter not into the other details of the measure at present —we are satisfied with the great fact, that "from the pass ing of the Act it shall not be lawful to remove by force any poor person upon the ground of settle ment from any parish in England or Wales 1" NAVAL RECEIPT AND EXPENDITURE FOR THE YEAR. —From a Parliamentary paper just issued, it appears that the sums voted for the naval service for the year ending the 31st March, 1853, were 6,705,7461. The sum expended on the effective and non-effective services was 6,527,8101. ss. 10d., leaving a balance on the votes uurppropriated of—including 38,6001. for the naval re serve, which scheme was not carried-177,9351. 14s. 2d. MONEY MARKET AND COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. CITY, TWO O'CLOCK. The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday were estimated at 8,000 bales, of which 1,000 American and 1,500 Surat were taken for export and on speculation. The market closed without animation, especially for Surat. American and Surat were a point against the buyer. All other kinds firm. The sales comprised 4,000 American ; 100 Bahia, at 6id. ; 300 Egyptian, at 6id. to 10Id. ; and 3,000 Surat, at 2id. to 4d. per lb. Railway Shares were firm. The progress of the indigo auction up to last evening is described by Messrs. H. W. Jewesbury and Co., as follows : "The sale went with rather more spirit to-day for middling to good quality Bengal ; but there is no alteration to notice in ordinary sorts. Madras and Kur pah also remain without change. 1,415 lots have passed to-day, of which 761 have been withdrawn, 214 bought in, and 440 sold. Last lot, 6464." The letters and papers by the steamer Great Britain have been in course of delivery throughout the morning, the mail being exceedingly hea►y. The following is an extract from the account of the Melbourne markets, as furnished by Messrs. Rucker and Co. : "We have now enjoyed five to six weeks of fine wea ther and the roads into the interior having become practic abl eagain, in consequence large quantities of goods of every description are leaving Melbourne daily for the gold fields and other parts of the country—an indication of considerable business ; and the effect upon our accumu lated stocks being a corresponding reduction. There are still numerous complaints of dulness to be met with, but. they must be ascribed rather to the vast number of persons engaged in and dividing the trade of this city, and to the fact that a large proportion of our stocks are goods of inferior quality, or otherwise unsuitable to the market, than to any want of buyers of goods judi ciously assorted. We have ourselves placed goods to a heavy amount, during the last month or two, at from 35 to 50 per cent, advance on invoice prices, according to the bulk of the articles, which our friends will agree with us in regarding as tolerably satisfactory rates ; and we have hitherto felt assured of a brisk sum mer trade on yet better terms. With a feeling of pro portionate disappointment, therefore, we gather from our last advices the possibility of a fresh inundation of goods on the strength of the May accounts, which ap pear to have reached England from this colony in August. It is much to be regretted that the majority of shippers to this colony, when receiving advice& of a scarcity here, appears so completely to neglect a reference to their shipping lists for the preceding three to six months, as it would in all probability show them, that a more than sufficient supply was at that moment already on its way to us. We now only hope, that the June and July advices from this colony will have had the effect of allay ing the excitement reported to us by the Overland mail in time to prevent any great excess of shipments." We may add to the above instructive particulars, what has come to our own knowledge, viz., that there is a great loss upon a large quantity of goods which even reached Melbourne and were sold there as early as June last, when prices were much higher than they have been since, owing to the enormous rates of freight and charges, and the dearness of the articles at first cost in England. The following from a Sydney journal throws a fresh light upon the motives of the French govern ment in taking possession of New Caledonia : " New Caledonia is about 900 miles east of Australia. It was discovered by Cook, in 1774. It is' 260 miles long and 70 miles wide. Its chief productions are yams and tanas. The natives are mild, and very skilful in the cultivation of the soil. " We have reason to believe that the immediate ob ject of the French Government is to establish a penal settlement on the island ; but coupled with the sys tematic extension of French influence over the So ciety Islands, the Pomotou Group, and the Mar quesas, this occurrence assumes a great importance in a political point of view, and is indicative of well considered designs on the part of the French Empe ror. We shall return to the subject more at length to-morrow, but we cannot refrain from expressing our deep regret that, by the laxity of the British Govern ment, notwithstanding the repeated and earnest repre sentations which have been made to it, both from the Government of tae colony and from commanders of her Majesty's vessels who have visited and explored the islands of the Western PaciSc during the last few years, as to the immense importance of New Caledonia in re ference to the Australasian dependencies, the opportu nity of colonising that fine group has been lost. That regret is enhanced by the consideration that after all our struggles to get rid of the withering curse of con victism, after the bitter differences which had arisen between the colonies and the mother country have been happily reconciled by the total abandonment of transpor tation to these shores, a convict settlement should be formed by a powerful foreign nation in our immediate neighbourhood, and on the high road of communication between Australia and the important marts of commerce to our northward and eastward, China, California, and the west coast of America. "In a commercial point of view, the colonisation of New Caledonia, even by the French, may appear at first sight advantageous to the interests of this city ; but such a consideration is entirely secondary in importance, and sinks into insignificance by the side of the moral, social, and political consequences attached to the occupation of one of the most splendid islands in the Pacific by a rival nation, whose aims and objects are so dissimilar, not to say opposite, to those which have for many years been earnestly contemplated by the most intelligent colonists of Australia and of New Zealand." The advices from the West Indies are of no par ticular interest. The parties appointed by Mr. John Taylor and Mr. G. S. Airey, to inquire into the Metcalfe Mine affair, had reported, at con siderable length, but it is impossible to say pre cisely whether it justifies former expectations, or the reverse. There is mention of numerous copper deposits, but the value of them seems scarcely to be estimated, and the reporter chiefly describes what he saw, rather than forms an opinion thereon. There was a slight decline yesterday afternoon in the rate of exchange on Trieste, but an advance on Hamburgh. _ _ _ _ The rest a the gold per Ballarat has been pur chased for shipment to the Continent. At the meeting this day of the British Colonial Bank and Loan Company, there was a dividend declared at the rate of 2i per cent, on the whole of the shares. A very unsatisfactory change has come over the English Stock Market, and the Speculators for a fall having been enabled to carry over or close, there is a want of support to prices. It would now appear that the answer to the letter of the Emperor of the French has been received, and that it is unfavourable ; at least, report so states, and Consols have felt the decline in the French Funds, and are one per cent. under the highest prices of yesterday, having been 91i and since 91 to 91k for the 16th M arc h. Th e New 31 per Cents. have been 93i, and since 92k. The 3 per Cents. have been marked 92k, and are now 921. East India Stock is worth 232. Exchequer Bills are 17s. to 205., and India Bonds 7s. premium. Foreign Securities have been inanimate. Mexi can Boads have been dull at 25k, and Sardinian at 85k to Z. French 41 per Cents. have been quoted 97 50, with the Ex?hange 25. Dutch 4 per Cents. have been at 92a. BRITISH MINES.—A fair amount of business has been done this day in the following mines :---Polti mores, 1}; Alfred Consols, 24i. 25; Great Alfred, 32 33 ; Molland, 9s. 6d., 10s. 6d. (all buyers) ; Tremollett, 7s. 6d., Bs. 6d. ; North Pool, 195 200 ; Arundell, 14 ; Great Crinnes, 30s. to 355.; East Basoons, ; South Devon Great Cons., 20s. to 225. 6d. ; Kilbricken, 325. 6d. to 355. ; East Rus sell, 5 /. The current prices for the Jamaica Mines not officially quoted are as follows :—Metcalfe, 3 to premium ; Sue River, 4 discount to par ; Port Royal, g- to premium. Agua Fria Shares are a little firmer. In the other Gold Mines there is nothing doing. The Joint Stock Bank Shares have been sup ported at the previous rates, and Land Companies' Shares rather tend upwards. In the English Railways the decline is about per cent. in some lines, but the market is buoyant upon the whole, and in Great Northern A stock there is a further rise of 1/. North Westotn also are good, but Midland lower, and Great Western are cheaper. French Shares have been all flatter. BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. (From the Official List. ) _ , Buslnesq done. per Cent. Reduced Annuities 3 per Cent Consols Annuities 9 2;1 91t Now 31 per Cent. Annuities 931 A tf India Stock India Bonds, £lOOO 7 p South Sea Old Annuities .. Consols for Account 16th March Exchequer Bills, I.d. 21000 £5OO l7 20 p Small , PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK. Mexican 3 per Cent. Sardinian Bonds, 5 per Cent ......... Dividends on the above payable in London. French Routes, 44 per Cent. Dutch Exchange, 2 . 4 per Cent. 12 Gull Ditto 4 per Cent. Certifieatea .... HALF•PAST TWO. Consols 9l Ditto March Account 9l Mn. FLRXMORE'S BENEFIT.—This celebrated panto mimic artist takes his benefit at the Strand Theatre to morrow (Thursday) evening, when his patrons are cer tain to muster in formidable array. As this is the final week of the pantomime at that house, it will be all but the last opportunity for some time to come of witnessing the admirable performance of " the Clown of Clowns." IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF COMMONS—(THIS DAY .) The SPEAKER took the chair at 12 o'clock. PRIVATE BM LS. A number of private bills were brought in by Mr BROTHERTON, and read a first time. The following bills were read a second time, and or dered to be committed :—Barry Port ; Cardiff Gas ; Congleton and Biddulph Railway ; Dublin and Wicklow Railway ; Eastern Union Railway ; Hereford Improve ment ; Kingston-upon-Thames Improvement ; Lanca shire and Yorkshire Railway (Middleton branch) ; Lon don, Brighton, and South Coastßailway; Manchester Im provement ; Newport, Abergavenny, and Hereford Rail way ; Nene Valley Drainage and Navigation ; Paisley Waterworks ; Patent Solid Sewage Manure Company ; Royal Exchange Assurance Consolidation ; Ryde Im provement ; Shropshire Union Railways and Canal ; South Devon and Tavistock Railway ; South Sea Com pany ; Swansea Harbour ; Tyne Keelmen ; York, New castle, and Berwick Railway (Construction of Docks, &c.) PETITIONS. Mr. FOLEY presented a petition from Worcester shire, in favour of the establishment of reformatory schools. Sir J. Y. BULLER presented a petition from the medical profession of Torquay, praying that medical men in the navy might be placed on the same footing as their brethren in the army. Mr. COWAN presented a petition from the Free Church of Scotland, praying for a reform of the parish school system ; also, a petition from the newspaper pro prietors of Edinburgh, praying for the repeal of the paper duty. _ _ POOR'LAW. Mr. H. A. BRUCE wished To ask the President of the Poor-law Board, whether, in the event of the bill before Parliament becoming law, whereby the charges of main taining the destitute poor will be cast upon unions in stead of parishes, it was intended that the practice of the board with respect to the re-division of existing unions shall be relaxed, so as to render such re-divisions more easy of attainment than they hitherto have been. Mr. BA INES begged to remind the hon. gentleman that, by the 7th and Bth Vic., chap. 101, sec. 66, power was already given the Poor-law Board to separate or unite parishes to unions, but the power had been seldom exercised, because it was always inconvenient to disturb an existing system. Should Parliament, however, sanction the measure which he had just introduced, the Poor-law Board would probably think it their duty to avail themselves more frequently of this power for the purpose of meeting any case of hardship that might arise. Having pointed out what the state of the existing law was, it only remained for him to assure the hon. member that should he think its provisions insuffi cient, he should be glad, when his bill went into com mittee, to give every consideration to any proposition the hon. member might think it necessary to make with the view of rendering the operation of the law as just and equitable as possible. EMIGRATION. Mr. R. KEATING moved for a return of the names, stations, dates of appointment, and salaries of the emigration officers in the United Kingdom ; with a copy of the generallinstructions issued for their guidance ; and of the names, dates of appointment, and emoluments of the medical inspectors at the several ports at which emigration officers are stationed.—Agreed to. REFORM BILL: On the motion of Mr. HAYTER, returns were ordered of the population, houses, and number of electors in the different towns, cities, and counties, throughout the United Kingdom. The other orders were then disposed of, and the house adjourned at half-past 12 o'clock. ENFRANCHISEMENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON. The University contains in all 838 graduates, beside! above 1,000 undergraduates, the former being thus distri buted : Doctors of Laws Doctors of Medicine .. Masters of Arts Bachelors of Laws Bachelors of Medicine Bachelors of Arts .. 126 .. 52 .. 47 . 118 ~ 489 Total B3B It will thus be seen that the total number of medical graduates is 244, while those in the faculty of arts number 551. It is worth noticing also that the proportion borne by the graduates in arts to those in medicine is annually increasing. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. LINCOLN SPRING MEETING.-TUESDAY. The TRIAL STAKES of 5 sovs. each, with 40 added ; weight for age. One mile. Mr. Bell's Lord-Lieutenant, 4 yre, Bst 21b...(Basham) 1 Mr. J. Sheppard's Card Sharper, 3yrs, 6st 71b (Ashman) 2 Mr. J. Anson's Jack the Giant Killer, 4 yrs, Bst 71b (Charlton) 3 The following also ran :—The Jewess, Windsucker, and Lioness. Betting-7 to 4 agst Jack the Giant Killer, 3 to 1 agst Lord-Lieutenant, 4 to 1 each agst the Jewess and Card Sharper. A fine race with the first and second, Lord-Lieutenant winning by a neck. Bad third ; Jewess was fourth. Lioness got badly off. TWO-YEAR-OLD STAKES of 5 sovs. each, with 30 added ; colts, Bst 71b ; fillies and geldings, Bst 41b. Straight run in. About half a mile. Mr. Saxon's Mary, Bst 41b (Abrahams) 1 Mr. Lister's f by Rochester, out of the Doe, Bst 41b (Kendall) 2 Mr. Morris's The Broom, Bst 41b (Basham) 3 Betting-6 to 4 agst Mary and The Broom. Won easily by a length. A head between the second and third. The winner got badly off. SELLING STAKES of 5 sovs. each, with 30 added, for three-year-olds and upwards. One mile. Mr. Reeves's Sam, 4 yrs (301.), 7st (Ashnall) 1 Mr. Harrison's Julius Caesar, 3 yrs (401.), 7st 21b (T. Cliff) 2 Mr. Tuplin's Lawsuit, 4 yrs (301.), 7st 101 b. (Midgeley) 8 The following also ran : Hamlet, Magic, and Rich mond. Betting— 7to 4 agst Magic, sto 2 agst Sam. Won by a length ; four lengths between the second and third. Itiehmond and Magic, fourth and fifth, finished nearly abreast. Hamlet was last throughout, and walked in. The winner was bought in for 57 guineas. GRAND STEEPLE CHASE of 15 soya each,ilo ft, and only 5 if declared, &c., with 100 added ; certain winners extra. About 4 miles. Mr. Moseley's Trout, aged, 10st slb ...(Tasker) 1 Mr. B. Land's Melon, list slb (Green) 2 Mr. Choyce's Spring, lOst 51b. (W Green) 3 The following also ran :—Carrig, 'Tomboy, Bruce, Maid of the West, Topsy, Little Charley, Strip-me- Naked, and White Mouse. Betting-3 to 1 agst Trout, 4to 1 agst Melon, sto 1 agst Maid of the West, 7 to 1 agst Topsy, 10 to 1 agst Carrig. Won by half a length. A fine race from the last flight of hurdles, which Trout and Melon charged nearly abreast. Very bad third. The others walked in. The INNKEEPERS' SELLING STAKES were won easily by Sam, beating Lawsuit, Springy Jack, Friendless Boy, Polly Burns, and Old Maid. LOSS OF THREE EMIGRANT VESSELS. Yesterday accounts were received, by the overland mail, of the loss of the Hannah Maria, Drew master, and the Osmanli (Ls.), on the southern coast of Australia ; and information bas been received at Lloyd's of the total loss of the Agnes, of and from Dundee, for Melbourne. The Hannah Maria, under the command of Captain Drew, sailed from Plymouth on Wednesday, the 11th of May, with a valuable general cargo, and 100 passengers, for Adelaide and Melbourne ; she made the passage to Adelaide in 112 days, arriving the Ist September, and landed about 50 of her passengers at that port; on Friday, the 9th September, she sailed for Melbourne. Soon after leaving the land, a fearful gale from S S.W. sprung up, and increased so furiously that Captain Drew closely reefed the topsails and made all snug, but the gale continued with a heavy head sea, and on the night of the 10th of September she struck with great violence on a bank of shingle, Cape Jaffa bearing S.W. by W., distant about 13 miles. Every possible effort was made by the captain to get her afloat, but their endeavours proved unsuccessful. In the morning the boats were ordered out, and Captain Drew had the women and children landed first, next the adult passengers, and, lastly, the officers and crew, taking with them a few stores, some spare sails and spars, with which tents were immediately constructed, of suf ficient capacity to accommodate the hapless crew and passengers, numbering nearly ninety persons. On Sun day, the 11th, Captain Drew despatched the chief officer with a boat's crew to Portland Bay for assist ance, but a fresh gale coming on the boat was beached at Cape Northumberland, and the party proceeded over land to Portland, where a vessel was engaged, and the passengers were landed at Melbourne. A great part of the cargo has been saved, and it was expected that the vessel would be got off. The Osmanli (s.s.) arrived at Melbourne, from Liverpool, Oct. 28, and was on her voyage from that port for Adelaide, when she went on shore near Cape Linois during a heavy gale of wind, and has bedeme a total wreck; the captain, officers, and crew are saved. The details of this melancholy occur rence have not been received. The Osmanli was filly insured.—The Agnes, a fine new brig, sailed from Dun dee, for Melbourne, on the 25th ult., and encountered a terrific gale off the Orkney Islands. On , the 29th she struck heavily on the rocks of Sealskeary. The crew and passengers were in a most pitiable state, the sea washing over them during the night, until rescued by some fishermen the next day. They were landed in a very exhausted condition, but recovered through the attention of the hospitable islanders. The vessel, which was fully insured, has become a total wreck. SPAGNOLETTI'S VIOLIN.—We are informed that this celebrated instrument has recently been purchased, for the large sum of 400 guineas, by Senor Francisco Noronbo, a first-rate violinist, and lately leader of the opera band at Rio Janeiro, who is at present in London for the season. KENMARE MINING COMPANY.—A meeting of this company took place yesterday, when the reports and accounts were adopted. The prospects of the undertak ing were regarded as satisfactory ; and when the new machinery shall have been completed, it is estimated that the produce will increase from 40 to 60 tons of ore per month. The balance of 6651. is to be carried to the next half-year's account. LATEST FOREIGN NEWS. RUSSIA AND TURKEY. LETTER OF THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON TO THE EMPEROR OF RUSSIA. The II foniteur says :—" The journals having given inexactly some passages of the letter which the Em peror of the French addressed on the 29th ult. to the Emperor Nicholas, it is necessary to re-establish the exactitude of the alleged facts in publishing the original text :" " Palace of the Tuileries, Jan. 29, 1854 xi a j " s S t i rye and — T he the d o t i f f t e o r m e nacne Portew h i c h h a h s a s a n a i r i v s e e d n t b e s t u t h e between point of gravity, that I consider it my duty to myself to explain directly to your Majesty the part which France has taken in this question, and the means which I conceive to be calcu lated to avert the dangers which menace the repose of Europe. " The note which your Majesty has just had presented to my Government and that of Queen Victoria, endeavours to establish that the system of pressure adopted, from the out set, by the maritime powers, has alone envenomed the ques tion.' But the matter would, on the contrary, it appears to me, have still continued a Cabinet question, had not the oc cupation of the principalities transported it all at once from the domain of discussion into that of facts. However, once that the troops of your Majesty had entered Wallachia, we not the less recommended the Porte not to consider that occupation as a cants belli, thereby giving proof of our extreme desire for conciliatory measures. After having concerted with England, Austria, and Prussia, I proposed to your Majesty a note cal culated to give a common satisfaction ; your Majesty accepted it ; but scarcely were we informed of that good intelligence, when your minister, by explanatory commentaries, destroyed all its conciliatory effect, and prevented us thereby from in sisting at Constantinople on its adoption without any altera tion. On its side, the Porte had proposed in the note certain modifications, which the Four Powers, represented at Vienna, considered of a nature to be accepted; but the changes in question did not meet with the approbation of your Majesty. Then, the Porte, wounded in its dignity, menaced in its inde pendence, and straitened by the efforts already made to raise an army in opposition to that of your Majesty, preferred de claring war to remaining in that state of uncertainty and abasement. The Porte has applied for support ; its cause appeared to us just ; and the English and French squadrons received orders to anchor in the Bosphorus, " Our attitude with respect to Turkey was protecting, but passive. We did not encourage it to make war ; but, on the ' contrary, incessantly gave to the Sultan counsels of peace and moderation, persuaded that that was the only means of arriv ing at an arrangement, and the four powers again came to an understanding` to submit to your Majesty other propositions. Your Majesty, on your side, displaying the calm which origi nates in the consciousness f force, had confined yourself to repelling, on the left bank of the Danube as in Asia, the at tacks of the Turks; aud, with a moderation worthy of the head of a great empire, had declared that you would remain on the defensive. Up to that point we were, therefore, I must declare, interested spectators, but still nothing but spectators of the contest ; when all at once the affair of Sinope occurred, and forced us to assume a more decided attitude. France and England had not considered it advisable to send troops to be landed for the assistance of Turkey, and their flag consequently was not engaged in the conflicts which had taken place on land. But by sea the case was different. There were at the mouth of the Bosphorus three thousaud pieces of cannon, the pre sence of which declared plainly enough to Turkey, that the two first naval Powers would not allow any attack to be made on her by sea. The affair of Sinope was for us as of fensive as it was unexpected ; for it is a matter of little im portance whether the Turks intended or not to land stores and ammunition on the Russian territory. In fact, the Rus sian ships of the line came and attacked Turkish vessels of smaller force in the waters of Turkey, and while tranquilly anchored in a Turkish port, and they destroyed them, not withstanding the assurance given not to wage an aggressive war, and notwithstanding the vicinity of our squadrons. It was no longer our policy lwhich there received a check ; it was our military honour. The cannon shots of Sinop° produced a deep feeling of affliction in the hearts of all who in England and in France have a lively sentiment of the national dignity. With a common accord the cry arose every where that wherever our cannon can reach our allies must be respected.' Thence emanated the order given to our squadrons to enter the Black Sea, and to prevent by force, if necessary, the recurrence of such an event ; and thence, too, the collective notification sent to the Cabinet of St. Peters burg, to the effect that if we prevented the Turks from car rying on aggressive war on the coasts belonging to Russia, we would protect the sending of stores and ammunition to their troops on their own territory. As to the Russian fleet, in interdicting it from navigating the Black mea, we placed it in different conditions, because it was important during the continuance of the war to preserve a pledge which might be an equivalent for the parts of the Turkish territory which were occupied, and might facilitate the conclusion of peace by becoming an object in an exchange which was so much to be desired. "Such, Sire, is the manner in which events have followed each other and been connected together; and it is clear, that having arrived at this point, they must promptly lead either to a definite understanding, or to a decisive rupture. " Your Majesty has given so many proofs of your solici tude for the repose of Europe, has contributed so powerfully by your beneficent influence to put down the spirit of dis order, that I cannot entertain any doubt of the resolution which you will come to in the alternative presented to your choice. If your Majesty desires as earnestly as Ido a pacific conclusion, what more simple than at once to declare that an armistice shall be signed forthwith, that matters shall resume their diplomatic course, that all hostility shall cease, and that all the belligerent forces shall be withdrawn from the places where motives of war have called them ? " In that case, the Russian troops would quit the Princi palities and our squadrons the Black Sea. As your Majesty prefers to treat directly with Turkey, you would name an ambassador to negotiate with a plenipotentiary of the Sultan, respecting a convention which should be submitted to the Conference of the four powers. Let your Majesty adopt that plan, on which the Queen of England and myself are perfectly in accord, and tranquillity will be re-established and the world satisfied. There is, in fact, nothing in this plan that is not worthy of your Majesty, nothing that can wound your honour. But if, from a motive difficult to be comprehended, your Majesty should refuse, in that case, France, as well as Eng land, would be obliged to leave to the fate of arms and to the hazards of war what might be decided at present by reason and justice. " Let not your Majesty suppose that the slightest animosity can enter my heart; it experiences no other sentiments than those expressed by your Majesty in the letter which you wrote to me on January 17,1853. Our relations,' you said, ought to be sincerely amicable, and ought to be based on the same intentions—namely, maintenance of order, respect for treaties, love of peace, and reciprocal kind feeling.' That programme is worthy of the sovereign who traced it out, and Ido not hesitate to declare that I have remained faithful to it. "I request your Majesty to believe in the sincerity of mi sentiments ; and it is in such sentiments that I am, Sire your Majesty's good friend, 4 ' NAPOLEON.' REFUSAL OF THE CZAR. It was rumoured yesterday in Paris that the intel ligence bad been received of the absolute refusal of the Emperor of Russia to accept, receive, or listen to any further propositions or offer of negotiations made by France or England ; but it is stated that a telegraphic despatch was received on Monday from General Castel bajac, with these words only, " I return with a refusal." So that now there remains no other alternative for France but to leave " to the fate of arms, and to the hazards of war, what might be decided at present by reason and justice." We understand that it is perfectly true (as, indeed, may be gathered from the letter itself) that the letter was communicated to the English Government before being transmitted to St. Petersburg ; but that it is not true that the English Government expressed its appro bation of the document. It is stated,,from sources which are entitled to all confidence, that the answer of the English Government on the subject was that the letter might be sent, if its being sent would give any satisfac tion to the Emperor Napoleon ; but that, so far from their expecting any good result from such a communica tion, they considered it useless, inefficacious, and in- opportune. It appears that among other less important documents already in type on Monday night at the office of the Moniteur were circulars addressed to the Ambassador and the consular agents in the Russian dominions, in tended for publication in the morning's impression, but that an order was received at rather an advanced hour to set them aside and print the letter of the Emperor. A rumour prevails that a communication has been made to the English and French Governments, by the Vienna Cabinet, praying for a further delay, even under the present , unfavourable circumstances, before an ap peal be made to arms. The reason alleged for the delay demanded is, that the Cabinet of Vienna does not yet despair of inducing the Emperor to accept reason able conditions. In Paris all hope seems now at last abandoned, and " war, war," is what is heard on all sides. All the machinery of the Foreign-office is put in motion, and many hands are employed in translating into the various dialects of the East, circulars, manifestoes, and procla mations. Dragomans or interp.eters are abuut to be engaged for the expeditionary army, and one will be attached to each battalion. In the circular addressed by M. de Kisseleff to the Russian residents in Paris, previous to his departure, there is nothing relative to confiscation of property in case of their neglecting to return to Russia. It is in substance as follows :—I hare to announce to you my departure from Paris and the cessation of my functions as Minister Plenipotentiary, in consequence of the rup ture of diplomatic relations between the two Govern ments of Russia and France. I recommend you to quit the territory of this Empire within as short a term as possible. - The semi-official evening journal, the Patrie, publishes the following, under the head latest news : "We hasten to announce the prodigious impression produced in Paris by the letter of his Majesty the Em peror Napoleon 111. to the Emperor of Russia. France is described in language which reaches the highest eleva tion of national dignity and of the sentiments of justice. "We wait the reply of the Czar. If our information be exact, it has already reached the Government. We are even assured that it has disappointed the hopes of the friends of peace. In that case France will be com pelled to leave to the fate of arms that which might have been decided by reason." Private letters from Bucharest, of the sth, mention that the Russians had not yet ventured to undertake anything important against Kalafat ; and it is said to be the opinion of the General commanding that an attack on it would be attended with many serious difficulties. The Journal de Oonstantinople publishes another report from Omer Pacha on the affair of Citale, in which he corrects his first statement respecting the loss of the Russians. He has ascertained that he had much under estimated it, and now states that the Russians had 4,000 killed and 4,000 wounded. General Aurep, who commanded at Citale, has been sent in disgrace to the rearguard of the Russian army in the Caucasus. This fact proves to demonstration that the Russians admit their defeat in that battle. The Sultan's departure from Constantinopl e to Adrian opl• is fixed for the middle of March. The Porte has contracted a loan with two bankers for twenty millions of piastres, on account of the Servian tribute, Lord de Redcliffe assisted in negotiating the same. On the 31st ult., the advanced guard of the 6th corps , ' d'arrn4e from Moscow passed the Southern frontier of I3essarabia on its way to the Danube. The reserve, under the orders of the General Geodaschell was ex pected from thence in a few weeks. It is certain that the idea prevails among the Russian soldiers th:,t they are on their way to the Holy Land, to rescue it from the hands of infidels, in which flattering term are comprised not only the Mus sulmans, but the English and French. A Wallachian has assured me that on the march of one of the early corps into the Principalities, a party of soldiers halted at a house to beg for a draught pf water. After their thirst was satisfied, they asked with great simplicity, but with all sincerity, whether they were far from Jeru salem, for which they were on their march ; and that they were told they would reach it in one or two days more. Letters from Constantinople, of the 30th, speak again of the great dissatisfaction manifested by the Ambassa dors at the return of the combined squadron to Beicos Bay, and one letter states that so angry was Lord Strat ford, that he declined seeing tne officers who went to ♦isit him. No political importance whatever is attached to the slight change which has taken place in the Turkish Cabina. A letter from Toulon, of the 10th inst., states that the ship of the line, Duperre, is about to be fitted out for sea forthwith. The ship of the line Marengo is to receive a supply of stores for the squadron at Constantinople ; and the steam-frigate Albatros, now in the roads, has received orders to take in provisions and stores for three months. A letter from the frontiers of Poland announces that a pressing order had arrived at Warsaw from St. Petersburg to suspend the order to send forward troops. This measure is attributed to the fermen tation which is manifested in that part of the Russian empire. Travellers from Kiew report that the roads are covered with troops in full - march. Russian officers told them that the army on the Danube would soon exceed 200,000 men. Considerable reinforcements were en route from Moscow. A letter from Vienna, dated the Bth, asserts that Count Orloff did apply to the Austrian Government for its consent to the passage of a Russian army through Servia, the generals in Wallachia having declared to the Emperor that an attack upon Kalafat, without the aid of reinforcement, would be a work of great difficulty and danger. This letter states that the Austrian Govern ment refused, at the earnest request of the Prince of Servia, to comply with the wish of the Emperor of Russia. Private letters from Sebastopol state that an English steamer had been wrecked at Janikole, near Sebastopol, on the 30th January. She was declared a good prize, having Turkish troops on board. According to advices from the theatre of war in Asia up to the 20th of January, Prince Woronzoff was still ill. Schamyl had received from Turkey a large store of arms and money. He had also been joined by some of ficers to drill his men. He was pushing forward his ar maments with great energy, and almost all Albasia had pronounced in his favour. RECALL OF SIR H. SEYMOUR. On the evening of the 9th Lord Napier left Berlin for St. Petersburg, accompanied by Capt. Wright, Queen's messenger, for the purpose of taking Sir H. Seymour his orders of recall. The visit of this Napier (Lord) to St. Petersburg will probably be unwelcome enough to the Czar, but we may confidently reckon that the visit of the next Napier (Sir Charles,) accompanied by Admiral Chads, for the purpose of exercising his " Excellent " gunnery on Cronstadt, will probably be much more so. FRANCE. At two o'clock on Monday afternoon the Emperor, accompanied by the Minister of State and the Prefects of the Seine and Police, went to the Port St. Nicolas to visit the screw steamer Le Laromiguiere, which arrived three days since from Bordeaux. His Majesty, who was received on board by the owners, M. Montane, of Paris, and MM. Festugiere, of Bordeaux, and by the builder of the vessel, M. Arman, examined the vessel in detail, which is constructed on an entirely new system, join, ly of wood and iron, and questioned M. Arman as to the possibility of applying the same system to vessels of war. The slight draught of water, only six feet, for a vessel of her tonnage, particularly excited the attention of the Em peror, and he had explained to him by the builder the means which had been employed to obtain so desirable a result. The moveable keels, which enable the vessel to encounter the roughest weather at sea, were worked before his Majesty, and it was shown how their remo val allowed her to enter rivers hitherto closed against vessels of her tonnage. The Emperor expressed himself highly satisfied with what he had seen, and retired a,inidA the warmest acclamations from the crew and the people assembled on the quays. His Majesty after wards visited the works of the Louvre, and then re turned to the Tuileries. The approaching arrival in Paris of the Prince of Saxe- Coburg, the Regent of Portugal, is announced He will proceed to Brussels, in company of his son, the King of Portugal. The marriage of the young King with the Princess Charlotte, daughter of King Leopold, is spoken of. Troops are already embarking at Marseilles and Toulon. The letter of the Emperor Napoleon to the Emperor Nicholas, published in the Di oniteur of yesterday morn ing, produced a most unfavourable impression amongst the speculators at the Bourse yesterday, and a conse quent serious fall in the price of public securities. The Three per Cents. opened at 69f. 55c., fell to 68f. 40c., and closed at 68f. 70c. for the end of the month. The Four-and-a-Half per Cents, closed at 97f. 75c. ; Orleans Railway shares, 1,070 f. ; Rouen, 895 f. ; Havre, 140 f. ; Great Northern, 740 f. ; Paris and Strasburg, 720 f. ; ditto, new, 580 f. ; Paris and Lyons, 822 f. 50c. ; Lyons to the Mediterranean, 660 f. ; Western of France, 590 f. ; Bordeaux and Cette, 550 f. ; Great Central, 440 f. Lyons to Geneva, 460 f. ; Shares of the Bank of Credit Mobilier, 625 f. AUSTRALIA. ARRIVAL OF THE GREAT BRITAIN. The inhabitants of Liverpool were surprised this morn ing by the arrival of their old favourite vessel, the Great Britain, on her second trip from the Antipodes. She arrived at 10.15 a.m, after a passage of 72 days, from Melbourne, having sailed from that port on the 4th of December, having on board 199 passengers, and 164,465 ounces of gold. After leaving Melbourne she had no wind until she rounded the Horn, when she en countered strong and favourable breezes for three days, logging 340 miles daily, which was succeeded by south east trade and light winds. During the latter part of the voyage she was completely under steam, having no sails set. She brings the first shipment of cotton to this port ever made from Sydney. She also has a large quantity of wool and tin on board, and her mails weigh 15 tons. No deaths occurred during the voyage—the passen gers enjoying the most perfect health, and at the close of the voyage presented the captain (Mathews) and the first officer (Mr. Grey) with an address, accompanied by a piece of plate to the former and a purse of 50 sove reigns to the latter. She reports the arrival at Melbourne of the Gauntlet and Anglesea from London, and of the Ann Dashwood, Wassenaar, Lavaan, Marie, Escape, Echo, and Australia from hence, and of the Gebroeders, hence at Adelaide. The Sovereign of the Seas was to sail from Melbourne for this port direct on the 28th of December. A writer in the Sydney Herald says, between the nor thern boundary of New South Wales and Cape York there is but little doubt that extensive and rich gold fields are to be found. The price of gold was 3/. las. 9d. per ounce, but very little business was doing, and the market had a down- ward tendency. Th. arrivals of gold from the Melbourne diggings from September 24th to November 26th were 403,000 oz., and the shipments to England 556,913 oz. A bill, which was giving dissatisfaction to the diggers, was before the Council, fixing the license fees at 11. per mouth ; 21. for three months ; 41. for six months; and 81._ per annum. Melbourne was rapidly improving, and an electric telegraph between that town and Williamstown was in full operation. It was proposed to make a ship canal from Hobson's-bay to Melbourne, and the connectitz railroad was in a fair way of completion. Business in Melbourne was improving, although imports were on a large scale. Money was still light in commercial circles, and nearly a►ll business was transacted by bills at three months' date. The market was abundantly supplied with flour, and Ame rican was saleable at 60s. per barrel ; timber was lower, but still commanded high rates. Many of the portable houses received from England, not being adapted to the climate, had not realised more than the cost of freight. Dry goods are dull of sale. Some linens had been sold at an advance of invoice prices. The market was overstocked with wearing apparel as well as with boots and shoes ; hardware commanded an ad vance of 50 per cent. on invoice prices ; and Collinge's axles an d pulls are much wanted. Corrugated sheet iron and zinc are much wanted, and high prices given. Sheet lead is scarce and dear. The fol lowing articles were much inquired for :—Liverpool curing and stored salts, English glue, roofing slates, potash, whitening, salad oil, and wool-lashing. We give the following quoted prices :—Beer (Burton), 71. 10s. to 81. 10s. per hhd. ; cheese, ls. per lb. ; salt, coarse Liverpool, 81. to 101. per ton ; sheet lead, 451. to 501. per ton ; slates, 251. to 481. per 1,000; bricks, 101. to 11/. Freights to England :—Wool, id. to ld. per lb. and five per cent. ; tallow, 50s, per ton and 5 per cent. ; gold, 4d. per ounce. SOUTH AMERICA. By the Royal mail steam-ship Thames, Captain William Strutt, which arrived at Southampton yester day, we have dates from Buenos Ayres, January 2 ; Montevideo, January 5 ; Rio de Janeiro, January 14 ; Bahia, January 18 ; Pernambuco, January 21 ; St. Vincent's (Cape Yards), January 31 ; Teneriffe, Feb• ruary 5 ; Maderia, February 6 ' • Lisbon, February 10 . The Thames has experienced strong north-east winds from the period of leaving the Brazil coast till her ar rival at Southampton. She sailed from Rio de Janeiro four days after the departure of the South American and General Steam Navigation Company's steamer Lusi tana, which reached Liverpool on Friday last. The Thames called, however, at two ports in addition to those touched at by the Lusitania, and hence the advan tage of the voyage is in her favour. The Royal mad steamer Camilla left Rio de Janeiro for the River Plate on the 12th ult. The Great Western, with the outward mails of the 9th of January, sailed from St. Vincent's for the Brazils on the 211 u. The General Screw Steam Shipping Company's steam( Mauritius, bound to the Cape, was at St. Vincent's co the 31st, as also the screw steamship Cleopatra, fro? Australia, bound to Liverpool. The steamer Brasileii had arrived out at Bahia in 20i days from Liverpool. From Buenos Ayres we have accounts to the 2d January. The news is, on the whole favourable. The money-mark - et continued quiet, with a slight downward tendency, The Minister of Finance had presented the budget for the current year ; the estimated expenditure was about 50,000,000 currency, leaving an estimated deficit of nearly 5,000,000. Her Majesty's ship Locust and United States' steamer Savannah were at Montevideo ; her Majesty's ship Vixen, at Buenos Ayres ; at Rio de Janeiro, her Ma jesty's steamer Centaur (Rear-Admiral Henderson), her Majesty's steamer Sharpshooter, the Madagascar, and brig Express. The Russian frigate Diana, of 50 . guns, was also lying there. The United States' brig Bain bridge sailed ou the 14th of January for the River Plate. Her Majesty's steamer Trident was at Bahia. At St. Vincent's, the United States' frigate Constitution, from the African Coast. WEST INDIA MAILS. The Plata arrived at Southampton yesterday with the West India mails. Her dates are—Chagres, Jan. 23 ; Demerara, 25 ; Trinidad, 25; Jamaica, 27 ; Barbadoes, 28; St. Thomas's; 31. She has on freight 500 ounces of silver, 36381. in specie, 20,1791 b. gold dust, and a usual cargo. The cholera at Nevis had abated; also at St.Thomas's. At Tortola it was still raging. At Antigua yellow fever of a mild type had presented itself. Nothing of great importance had occurred at Jamaica in political matters. The Assembly had re-assembled. Mining operations were still progressing satisfactorily. The weather was very breezy, but no epidemic disease prevailed. Rear-Admiral Sir G. Seymour had sailed from Port- Royal for Bermuda, to wait the arrival of his successor, Sir Wm. Fanshawe, C.B. The supplies in the market were ample, but produce was quiet. Exchange was quoted for bills on London at 90 days, at per cent. prem.; 60 days, 1 do.; 30 days, do. A strike of the field labourers had taken place at St. Vincent's for an advance of wages. At Grenada all was quiet. A disturbance had arisen at Dominica, and troops had been sent for from Antigua. The militia corps re• fused to turn out. St. Kitt's and the other islands are reported as healthy TTTI PENINSULAR MAILS. ADMIRAL CORRY'S FLEET. The Iberia arrived at Southampton yesterday. Her Majesty's ships Prince Regent, Duke of Welling- ton, Sauit Jean d'Acre, Imperieuse, Arrogant, Am phion, Tribune, Valorous, and Odin, were at Lisbon on the 9th. Her Majesty's ship Desperate sailed for England on the 6th with invalids and promoted - officers. Admiral Corry has officially notified to the captains and gunnery officers of the squadron that we are on the eve of a war with Russia, and he will expest4O find that the ships are perfect in gunnery. Every attention has been paid to this important point of the service throughout the fleet. It is rumoured at Lisbon that the British Government has asked the Portuguese Government whether it will furnish a contingent of twelve thousand men for this occasion ; but it is believed that no effective aid can be expected from Portugal, as the Government there is completely Russian ised. Her Majesty's ship Prince Regent is to come to Eng land to be paid off, that her crew may be transferred to one of the screw line-of-battle ships. Exchange on London at Lisbon 54. Discount of notes two and one-third per cent. MARKET NE WS-(T.1118 DAY..; CORN EXCHANGE. Although the supply of English wheat on sale in to-day's market was very limited, the demand for all kinds was in a very inactive state, at Monday's currency. Upwards of 10,000 quarters of foreign wheat have come to hand since Saturday. The trade was dull in the ex treme, at barely stationary prices. Floatiug cargoes were dull. We had a heavy sale for barley and malt, both of which articles were lower to purchase. The oat trade was heavy. In beans, peas, and flour so little was doing that the quotations were almost nominal. ARRIVALS THIS WEIR. Barley. Malt. 4,430 3,360 1 550 10,320 1,250 Wheat. 1,420 English .. Irish Foreign .. Oats. Flour. 1,990 860 9,640 2,640 5 ,630 brl 100 aka WHITECHAPEL. Eeach kind of meat moved off slowly, as follows : Beef from 38 Od to 4s Os ; mutton, 3s 4d to 4s 8d ; veal, 3s 8d to 4s 10d ; pork, 3s 4d to 4s 10d per 81bs by the . Carcase. BOROUGH HOP. We have a moderate inquiry for most kinds of hops, at last week's currency. LLOYD'S SHIPPING. -(THIS DAY.) - - LONDON, Feb. 15.—Wind this day at Noon, N. li4kt breeze, and dull, hazy weather. The barometer has fallen considerably since yesterday. RAMSGATE, Feb. 14.—Wind, W. by N. Arrived— Alexander Hall, from Callao, for Aberdeen. FALMOUTH, Feb. 14.—Wind, N. Sailed—Volante, for Terceira. PLYMOUTH, Feb. 14.—Wind, N.E. Sailed--Lady Sale, for Rio Janeiro. GLOUCESTER, Feb. 14.—Sailed—Pride, for Melbourne. SOUTHAMPTON, Feb. 14.—Wind, W. Arrived—La Plata (a), from West Indies. Sailed—Argo (s), for Cape of Good Hope. NEWCASTLE, N.S.W., Nov. 15.—The Fanny (brig), in going out of the harbour at high water, Nov. 12, struck on the Oyster Bank, and became a total wreck ; crew saved, but two men drowned in attempting to save them. BOSTON, Jan. 26.—The Elizabeth Bruce, from Liver pool, to Mobile, went ashore at Bey West, near Carysfort lighthouse, Jan. 14; part of cargo saved. A wreck, supposed to be that of a British ship, timber laden, painted black, with a white streak, and a large statue as her cutwater, with masts cut away, decks gone, and the deck beams leaking, as if they had been burnt, was seen on the 24th Jan. by the Gaston, which arrived at New York on the 26th. SIR FITZROY KELLY'S BILL.--We are informed that the committee of the Ballot Society have considered this bill, and have passed a resolution that its tendency will be to increase, and not to diminish bribery, corruption, and intimidation at elections. PRICE OF GOLD.—The quotation of gold at Paris is about 3 per mine discount (according to the last tariff), which, at the English Mint price of 3/. 17s. 100; per ounce for standard gold, gives an exchange of 25•094 ; and, the exchange at Paris on London at short being 24 . 971, it follows that gold is about o'4B per cent dearer in Paris than in London. By advices from Hamburg the price of gold is 423 per mark, which, at the English Mint price of 3/. 17s. 10d. per ounce for standard gold, gives an exchange of 13 . 31 ; and the exchange at Hamburg on London at short being 13•31, it follows that gold is 0.18 per cent. dearer in Hamburg the in London. The course of exchange at New York on London for bills at 60 days' sight is 1091 per cent., and, the par of exchange between England and America being 109 23-40 per cent., it follows that the exchange is nominally 0.33 per cent. against England ; but, after making allowance for charges of transport and difference of interest, the pre sent rate leaves no profit on the transmission of gold either way between the two countries. • s TRANSPORT CONTRACT.—The tenders for vessels to transport cavalry horses to Malta were opened at lhe Admiralty this afternoon, but no selection could be im mediately made, owing to the large number sent in. RAILWAY BILLS IN P ARLIAMENT.—Yesterday the examiners passed the following bills in conformity with the standing orders :—Festiniog Railway, Londonderry arivvadkCefioleeld, and.aine Londonderry ; derry and Enniskillen, Bradford, Hull on a ) n , d De l ! ld b ° ys e b r s Derbyshire, Border Counties (North Pyne Section), Derbyshire, Stafford- Stafford shire and Worcestershire Junction, and Universal Electric Telegraph Company. CHEAP EDITION OF MADAME TYABBLAY'S IV° observe, with pleasure, that a Cheap Edition is an nounced of th e ce l e b ra t e d " Diary and Letters of Madam e D'Arblay." The work is to published in seven monthly volumes, price only 3s. each, elegantly boird,compiencing on the let o f M arc h, i n which cheap an at tractive form it will doubtless find thousands of purchasers.—" M adame ( sa y s M aca ulay in the E di nbu r gh v i ew) which is seldom se Time setonherf t am ex e, b itcepetfoorne thea `l'velnivtehdetnoceb,etabactlassesicsl. ic fame of the departed. All those whom we have b een ac customed to revere as intellectual patriarchs seemed chit. dr e when compared with hei ; for Burke had set up all night to read her writings, and Johnson had pronounced her superior to Fielding, when Rogers was still a school boy, and Southey still in petticoats. Her Diary is writt en in her earliest and best manner ; in true woman's English, clear, natural, and lively. It ought to be consulted by every person who wishes to be well acquained with the history of our literature and our manners." BIRTHS. OF A BON. On the 13th inst., the lady of J. Dizon, Esq., of Astle Hall. On the 14th inst., Mrs. Joseph Allen, of 6, Middleton• terrace, Merton-road, Wandsworth. OF A DAUGHTER. On the 13th inst., at 24, John-street, Bedford-row, the wife of W. Grimwood Taylor, Esq. On the 13th inst., at Tongswood, near Hawkhurst, the wife of Major Stevenson. On the 13th inst., at S. John's, South Hackney, Mr. E. 8. Garrard, of Hackne, to Elizabeth, daughter of Mr. James, York-street, Southwark DIED. On the 13th inst., Edward John, second son of Mr. C. E. Tomalin, of Richtnoni-terrace, Banal:mu, aged 27. On the 14th inst., at Cambridge-terrace, Arundel -square, the wife of E. Veneer Sidebottom, Esq., aged 67. LONDON: Printed and Published by HURD° YOUNG,. of No. 112, Str.ud, Printer, at The Sun Odice, N 0.112, strand, in VI, Precinct of the Savoy, in the county of , Middlesex, Wednesday, February 15, 1854. , -,--- • ....: - A -- KILLARNI _ :.; NOTICE IN Lit. OEN ERAL MEETI ?ANY will be held ter gate-street, London, on at One o'Clock in the And notice is here MI Ira Company for the Reg on and from Monday Of Monday, the said of J. 'he 47 A. Moorgate-Bti t.IAPANESE DIRECT IM EXHIBITION, at t Colours, sa, Pall-Mt (Mires the Gallery (0 MR. ALE including t' EVERY EVENIN I Tuesday, Thursday which can be taker Is.; gallery, Is.-11 EGYPTIAb is open TO-N o'clock. Tha Lectu haw been written 1 BROOKS- stdmind I.4"" Nr. (Lessee, CH The above Roc and will contintr CELEBRATE!) B Dancing to commc ROYAL I PATI FIRST EXHIBIT] TUBES, prepare( PHOTO(iItAPF.I I thousand snoettl DISiOLVING V LECTURE by J. M vN UFACTU! COLOURS, inch and WARREN LECTURE by Dr. U.NIVERAAL E DESCRIPTION TUBULAR PLI Open Mumble's Chnatal under Te: ITUNGAF Adelaide-street. NS renowned RUN , IA such Intense inten programme is vari ancient and model ttonal Melodies. 1 lozdy, conductor• Augarde; piano, Brougham. Mon Three. Overture (Quill Cauld Blast), Me farbaden), Straus Warman . Origin Bong (Fend Mem Roy al Sussex Mil Miss Elizabeth B Selection (La E Glover, the Mi. Solo, pianoforte (Dream of the 14 Kalozdy ; Song I drills (Malta), K MINING safe an to the shares of their estates are of these are ecln while others n , prospects of soon alone from antic on account of th , tendant thereon. correspondents i position early to ceive all requisi either dividend wishing to emba doing. 32, Poultry, I Departu THE COI Lord liiF and Ireland, d instant, at Ot such Persons delivering into tindermentiona HAY (P OATS • Half of each one week after A sample of by the parties The conditio tender obtains one o'clock on Every tenth, and bear in ti must also be GLEN her b made COST (watch game 4 Wholesale of Cheapside, ME LO/ Emporium si They wilt be Noche prods potation for tables, Desk for the Tot Nil.— The Useful Pan T E R RERY,: 1 LADIES' / lishment o SHAWL li MEN. London: 69, 70, 71, TR" Fa rhannaci The lot ti to embitti appointor of a most space of 1 these Dis thg at th( of taste o toilet tab Sold in se9arate Soc. Thi protracts 9.5, Fan Ozford•s ON Tll Ci Illustra New E CON' T excess mercy lowed prove , PERE street, Tow, $ don, I Bow I PA] organ dhlge went incap PA the T theft tut ton