The Sun. — London, England, 1854-03-02 00:00:00

)N. tritish In ttification, stances, of ;. Among iree apart matter of y deficient letestable, akness, or ;scattered few and iat Tery eminently ommenda lose which 3t pictures y respect 7 . , No. 64, "—one of seems to illity, and my ripple I the bull- Ei becomes a young the inter lay, every Several Ld there— by W. E. is," by F. 3 portion A huge No. 22, the vul- Another, -dramatic a Wolsey a may be -se verna influence )er of the are, from mrnous," ecimen of mpe, in a Linnell. Pickers alled, by Favoured ;ht. Ex -utsum in n Burn," are pen 3ant has gallery Youthful eshadow -s—before Du stache. iheep and T. Earl, D. 226, a rith No. Piper." :tion now Holmes T. Jones Scottish e at once mlity are No. 542, king the No. 314, mcidents ad illus :ulars on British ay a Joe knave ik. W. enerally m of the by the to merit :f recess ition of rh ames •ofitable Lead of 'pee, we ed, and )n this Iday, as a man ook the iving a ition of i he ex arly 60 eluding money. ian an ,c mor h solos dience, >us and xorable A the count. re the have ntrary i from expor aoved. ppearg begin. Its al a will ;uate. state. ericart debt. ! 1 per 5 per The tee of pendi many (now (Is by LATEST FOREIGN NEWS. THE WAR IN THE EAST. The following, dated Constantinople, February 20, has been received by telegraph from Vienna : " Negotiations relative to the future position of the Christians in Turkey have been opened between the representatives of the four Powers and the Porte. " On the 7th of February the port of Odessa was almost free from ice. "Three fruitless attempts have been made to take Arta by storm." _ __ A telegraphic message from Berlin says Sir Hamilton Seymour and his family arrived there yesterday (Wednesday) from St. Petersburg. Letters from St. Petersburg state that the Em peror of Russia is recovered, and that he was en abled to leave his bed on the 10th ult. The Grand Duke Constantine is represented as about to set out for Bucharest in order to take the command of the army. A letter from Odessa mentions that the Austrian Consul has obtained the liberty of the four Aus trian sailors and a Tuscan subject, who were on board the Medjari Tidjaret, when that vessel was eaptured by the Russians. The two English en gineers are represented as not having been set at liberty yet ; they are stated to be at Kaloga, near Moscow. _ _ A telegraphic despatch dated Bucharest, Feb. 19, says, " the snow still renders the roads im passable. The two armies are yet in their old positions." A letter of the 15th ult., from the same place, says—" Since it has been positively known here that the mission of Count Orloff to Vienna has failed people begin to breathe freely. Those who hope to be delivered from the protecting yoke of Russia, and the number is great, abandon themselves to py. The Emperor of Russia had promised the Principalities to render them independent— though it is true that it was only a verbal promise. God grant that the influence of the western powers may be propitious to us and counter balance that of the Colossus of the North. The certainty now felt that France and England will energetically support Turkey, has damped the ar dour and defeated the hopes of the enemies of Tur key. Since the check given to Count Orloff all their anger is vented against Austria. A singular illusion has existed with regard to the policy of that cabinet. Russia has for a long time used all her efforts to deprive Austria of any influence in these countries. In order to weaken in public opinion the sad impression which might be raised against the proceedings of Russia, exaggerated re ports are circulated about the Greek revolt at Arta ; they even go so far as to say that King Otho has fled. What is strange is, that the revolt Was talked of here as a fait accompli before it broke out, which proves that the origin of the movement Came from this place, and that the discovery of the conspiracy at Widdin and at Constantinople has tened the explosion of it. No great importance is here attached to the affair." The correspondent of the Times writes as follows, from Constantinople, Feb. 15 :—The well-known fact of a great concentration of Russian troops near Kalafat, coupled with daily and almost hourly re ports of hard fighting there, keeps us in a perpetual fever of anxiety. Owing to the miserable postal arrangements, and the vague nature of the Turkish military despatches which occasionally reach us, we have to await the arrival of London or Paris newspapers, with what patience we may, for true accounts of what is really taking place. An Eng lish letter from Kalafat only 10 days old becomes, therefore, a perfect prize. A military friend, who has seen some hard fighting elsewhere, has kindly favoured me with the following short account of What was passing at Kalafat up to Feb. 4 : " You will have heard of the advance of the Russians on the 28th ult. to the villages of Muglavit, Golenza, and Pojana, and the consequent retirement of the Turkish outposts from those villages. Since that date we have been kept in daily, nay hourly, expectation of an attack, which, however, has not iyet coma off, and unless the Russians are much stronger than they are reported to be, I do not believe they 'have the slightest notion of attacking Kalafat, but are waiting in hopes that the Turks (getting weary of being shut up there) will take the initiative. I was out to-day with a reconnoitering party of four squadrons of cavalry. We got about half way to Golenza, and about one mile and a half from camp, when we saw the Russians advancing from the village. Their forpe consisted of two regiments of ca valry, three battalions of infantry, and six guns. I imagine that they have about the same at Pojana, which looks as if they meant to keep possession of those posts until a sufficient force is available to attack Kalafat, but the Quartermaster-General's department at the Turkish head-quarters is so defective that it is impossible to conjecture with any degree of certainty the Russian movements. However, the Turks have employed their leisure time well in fortifying Kalafat, and w h en th e a tt ac k d oes t a k e pl ace it w ill be no child's play. The Turkish infantry is admirable. The men strong, hearty, cheerful and brave to a fault (so says every man who has seen them in action). They are not well drilled or set up, but be hind walls the latter is not of much importance. Achmet Pasha, who commands, does not give one the idea of a man of capacity, but I believe he is untried. From all that I have seen I have every hope for the Turks if the Russians attack, but I should dread the event if they leave their stronghold, for I do not believe they have a General here capable of moving a large body of men, nor do I think that the soldiers are capable of being moved with any steadiness or regularity under fire. The affair at Cetate seems to have taken the Russians by surprise, and does not in my opinion prove that the Turks will always cope successfully in the open field with an army disciplined and organised as the Russian. We have been here since the 27th, and (finding it excessively inconvenient to cross the Danube every day from Widdin) have now taken up our quarters in the only cafe at Kalafat. There are nine of us altogether. As you may imagine, we are suffering a good many priva tions and hardships, and unless the attack, so long ex pected, comes off in a few days, I shall not wait for it." The following statement of the probable num bers and positions of the Russian forces in the Prin cipalities at the present moment has been most carefully compiled and collated from various sources by a most intelligent foreign officer now here :—The 10th division extends fromKalafat to opposite Rust chuk ; the 11th division, the Valley of Argish to Opposite Silistriaand Hirsova ; the 15th division oc cupies Ibralia and Galatz, extending up the Danube to opposite Hirsova—the above may be termed the first line. The second line is probably as follows : -13th division moved westward towards Krajova (one regiment of it was, we believe, at Cetate,) Which, together with the Bth and 9th division, must now form the attacking force at Kalafat. Say, then, that two-and-a-half divisions of infantry and one of cavalry form the attacking force • it should consist of about 30,000 infantry and 6,000 cavalry. THE GREEK INSURRECTION. A communication from Albania, dated Feb. 16, says the Pacha of Janina has attacked and defeated the Greek insurgents concentrated at Arta. The rebels kept their ground but a short time, and then fled. The Pacha could not pursue them effectually, On account of the limited number of his troops, Which was only just sufficient to check the spread of the insurrection towards Janina. A letter from Athens, of Feb. 16, says the Greek Government is very embarrassed, and it is feared that the desertion of Greek soldiers to the insur gents will greatly increase. Those regiments, whose fidelity can be depended on, have been ordered to the frontiers, in order to prevent de serters crossing the boundary. Advices from Orsova of the 18th ult., state that Halim Pasha, co mmanding the Turkish troops i n the Dobrudscha, has been named commander-in chief of the corps destined to operate against the Greek insurgents. .Hhlim Pasha is one of the most distinguished officers ill the Turkish service. He commanded in Albania in 1851. The Turks were concentrating a considerable force in the Sandjak of Elbessen to succour the Pasha of Janina. FRANCE. - The senators and members of the Legislative Body have received letters convoking them for to day at half-past twelve at the Tuileries. The interment of the Abbe Lamennais took place yesterd a y morn i ng w ith ou t th e l eas t di so rder. n accordance with th e w i s h es o f th e d ecease d, his body was carried straight to the cemetery, without being taken to any church. The funeral of Admiral Roussin was celebrated yesterday with great pomp ; 12 battalions of in fantry, two squadrons of Gardes de Paris, one of Chasseurs, and a battery of Artillery, escorted the remains of the Admiral from the Madeleine to Pere la Chaise. The message of the Emperor is looked forward to with great interest. This message will speak of war as inevitable ; but in order in some deg ree to relieve the public mind, it will annource th good understanding existing between the four Powers, and declare that their alliance will render the suc cess of the Powers certain, and the war short. The message, it is believed, will congratulate the coun try on the patience and tranquillity with which it has supported the distress caused by the high pri ce of corn ; and express a hope that the crisis is now over, as there is every prospect of a good harvest next season. The departure of Prince Napoleon will be announced • and the Emperor will close his speech by s t a ti ng that France must triumph when she draws the sword in the defence of religion and %zeal Want its to be the new Minister . of War, in place of Marshal de St. Arnaud, who has been appointed commander-in-chief of the expedi tionary army to Turkey. The appointment is in every respect a good one, Marshal Vaillant being one of the best officers and administrators in the French service. The news that the English and French Govern ments have formally summoned Russia to evacuate the Danubian principalities created a great sensa tion yesterday, and produced a considerable fall at the Bourse. It appears that the Prussian and Austrian Governments, though adhering to the ultimatum of the other Powers, will not declare war on the rejection of the summons. Yesterday being settling day at the Bourse there was not much business transacted, except in liqui dating the differences for last month. The Three per Cents. opened at 68f. 5c., and fell to 67f. 15c., at which they closed for the end of the month. The only cause assigned for this serious fall is that the speculators for a rise have purchased more stock than they are prepared to receive. The Four and-a-Half per Cents. closed at 96f. 50c. ; Orleans Railway Shares, 1,090 f. Rouen, 875 f. ; Havre, 445 f. ; Great Northern, 737 f. 50c. ; Paris and Strasburg, 720 f. ; Ditto, New Shares, 750 f.; Paris and Lyons, 812 f. 50c. ; Lyons to the Mediter ranean, 670 f. ; Western of France, 585 f. ; Bor deaux and Cette, 535 f. ; Great Central, 435 f. ; Lyons and Geneva, 450 f. ; Shares of the Bank of Credit Mobilier, 587 f. 50,%. ~'~ __ \ THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, MARCH 2, 1854. SHARE MARKETS. (THIS DAY.) BRITISH RAILWAYS. RAILWAYS. Closing Prices this day. Business done this day. Aberdeen Arabg, Nottng. Bost and Eastn. Sunet... Belfast & Ballymena.' Binning, Wolverh. Bz Stour Valley Birkenlml. Lancsh. & Cheshire Junct Do. Chest). & £5O and £25 Cons. Do., £2O Blyth &Tyne original £25 (issd. at £45) Bristol and Exeter Ca1ed0nian............ Chester & Holyhead. Cork and Bandon Cork, Black, & Pass Cornwall Crieff Junction Dublin&BelfastJunc Dundee Perth &Aber dean Junction Do. New East Anglian Do., (£lB E & Eastern Counties Eastern Union, A Stock Do., B. Stock Do., New A East Lancashire Edinburgh& Glasgow Edinb. and Peebles , Edin. Prth. & Dundee I Forth & Clyde Junc. Glasgow & S. Western Great Northern Stk. Do., A. Stock Do., B. 5t0ck...... .. Gt. Sth. &West.(lre.) Great Western Irish South-Eastern Lancaster & Carlisle Do., Thirds Do. New Thirds Lane ash. andYorksh Do., Fifths D a., Wst. Riding Un Leeds Northern Liv. Crsby & South pt London & Blackwall Lond. Tilb. & Sthend. Loud. Bright & S.Ust. Lond. and N. Westn. Do. Fifths Do.lo/. Sh.,M&B 0 Do. Eighths London and S. Westn Do., £5O Do., £4O Lndndrry& Coleraine Lndndrry. & Ennisk. Manch. Shef.& Lincln Do., Man. & Lin. Un Midland 812s1 100 - 1 42i 34 all all 100 100 - 100 47 174 all 100 Do. Birmng. & Derby 4idld. G. West. (Ire.) Do. Half Shares Newcastle & Carlisle Newmarket Do., Bury Extension Nwpt.Aberg. & Hrfd Newry & Enniskillen Newry Warrenpoint and Rostrevor. Norfolk Northn.Connties Un North British North Devon, No. 1 0., No. 2 Do., A Deferred Do., B Guaranteed North London . IDo. New £lO 64 25 50 20 5i 17 7i all all is N.&S.Wstrn.,Hamp stead, and City Jn North Staffordshire North Western N. & S. Westrn. June Nuneaton, Hinckley, and Leicester 20 20 10 10 Oxford, Worcester, & Wolverhampton Portsmouth Scottish Central Scottish Midland Shrewsbury &Bi mg Do. L. & N. Western Guaranteed St salt._ Shrewsby. & Berefd Shrewsby. & Chester (N. W. Min ;., Do. Halveso. Do. Oswestry Shropshire Union Do. A, B, C,& D,fully paid up at per cent South Devon 10 261 13A 20 20 2/ 2s 100 100 100 100 South Eastern South Wales S. Yrksh. & Riv. Dun Do 2/ 2s all 16 100 8 100 20 Staines, Wok. &Wok Stockton & Darling. Stockton & Hartlepl Taff Vale Do. £lO shares Do. Prof., No. 1. Thames Haven Dock 20 20 50 20 and Railway Vale of Neath... Waterfd. & Kilkenny Waterford&Limerick West Cornwall West End of Londonl and Crystal Palace West Loudon all 51s. 100 20 13 100 Wimbledn & Croydon York Newetl.&Berw. Do. Extensions Do. G.N.E. Purchase York & N. Midland... 20/ -21 i 5 -- 54 ~ ...... ... 8 - 9 12 —lO dig l 6 18 6 bid 94 - 96 55i -56 i 15j - lq 124 - 13 44 :: ia - 84 121- •• • 13i .•. 64 - 66 63 - 65 in ii 914 92i 79 81 126 - 128 96 - 98 804 - 81 92 -- 95 12. -- 131) 12 -- 13 p 67i -- 68 6i -- 6i(l 13; —. 14 1 f par — B P u 64 Lo2# - .103 3 P d # d 80 81 10 9d 9 7 d ""'" • • e 221 -22 t — dl 62 35 37 - ..• d par 5 4id 2t 6 8 48 60 31 34d 34 ... 35 - 66 - 76 52 - 55 - 51 74 -- 8 32 - 34 88 90 54 - 56 58 - 62 55 60 $ 2dl 16 -- 18 8 -- 9 12 -- 13 3i -- aid 14 16 63 64 35 36 2 d par 4 5 30 = 32 2 3 / 4 - 2i 15 154 51 - 5t 24 - 26 6 - 7 6 - 7 695 74 7* - 75i1 3*(l 49 50 PREFERENCE SHARES. St. 20 St. 15 Aberdeen.. Do. No. 2, 7 p. c. Blyth and Tyne 10 per c. pref. (issd. at 500 Bris. & Ex. 4 p. c. St. Do. 4 p. c. Shares Caledonian £lO 'Chester & Holyhead Guar. 5i per cent ' Cork &Baudonsip.c Dundee Perth &Aber deen Junction 6 - _ iiii 6k 6 EastAnglian (X3los; 6 per cent Do: (£5) 7 per cent. Do. (47 17s) 7 p. c. Eastern Counties Ex. tension, 5 p. c. No. Do. No. 2 . Do. New 6 p. c. St. Eastern Union, Scrip Guar. 6 per cent Do. 51., 10 per cent Do. 101. Debentr.Sh- East Lancash. 6 p. cts. East and West York shire June. Prof... Edinb Pith. &Dundee 5. per cent. Glasgow & S. Western Guar. 5 per cent Great Northn. 5 p. c Do. 5 p. c. Redeem., at 10 p. c. prem. Do. 4A p. c. Scrip Gt.N. of Scot. Ist Pref Gt, Southn. &Westm. (Ireland) Eighths) Do. 4 per c. Pref. Sh Gt. Westn. (Berks & Hants Ex. 5 p. c) Do. cov. red. 4} p.c Do. con. red. 4 p. c Do. irred. 4 p. c Lan. & York. F. £2O Do. 6 p. c. Stock Leeds N. 6 p. c. No.l Do. Quarters, 1848 London and Brighton Guaranteed 5 p. c Do. Pref., 5 p. c. St. Do. Convertible, 5 p.' c., 1852 Do. New Guar.6 p. c Lon. &N. W., Coy. & Nuneaton , London & S. Western Con. Thirds - • , Londonderry& Color Shares Londy. & Ennis. Sh Kan., Shef., & Lin., Shares, No. 1. Do. New, £lO Do. £6 5 10 St. 5 3 -- 3 4 -- 4i P k -- lip 13i --13ixd ••• ••• xd 3b 3j St. St. St. 16 111 . 6 2: 118 107 109 par * ] 71 8 ..‘ ••-.• xd 4 - 98 - 100 90 - 95 94 - 96 I id 137 ... ""' all 4i all all 10 . 4 100 100 1001 100 100 100 100 all 100 Marypt . & Carl. 4 p.c. Do. 4i per cent Do Mid. Consol.6 p.c.St. Do. Consol. Bristol & Birm. 6 per cent Do. Pref. 4i per cent Norfolk Debenture Do. Pref. 4 p. c. Stock Do. 5 p. c. Eat Do. 5i per ct.pref Do. Way. Val. 5 p. c North British North Staffordshire Oxford, Worcester, & Wolverh.Xls, 6 p.c Do ... .'"' 55i 6 444 ,► 121 13 ad 1i 80i 22 i i 62}i :d 31 i 11i I 90 89 63 i 33g 69 i 121 49W 50 493 xd 10 25 10 1.0.6 15 all all all 10 all li all 2f - 2t 116 a d xd 10 xd ii --'l3 10 5 20 20 20i 100 20 8i 10 20 10 20 20 109. 10 20 50 1 20 35 1 10 1 1 50 50 100 100 20 50 20 25 i 7 04 6 -10 i par ipid 91 ad 136 138 11 —id ad ad die ad .. -- ... Scot. Cent. , New Prof Shrews. & Birm.N.G. Shrewsby. & Chester (Nor.W.Min), 8 p.c. Do. 5 por cent South Devon 102 - 104 i - 1l 1031 4 x d 9i - 10 De. fixed, 4 3 / 4 per cent S. Eastern (Reading Ann.) of £1 Os, 6d. Do. 4 Aper cent. B.Yorksh.4p.e.Gua r . Stockton and Dar lington, 4 per eent. Do. do. do. Stockton and Hartle. 16i -- 17 10 -10 i 13 -- 15 id -- i p 23i -- 21 17 -- 19 ••• '''. •, pool, guar. 5 p. c. till Ist July, 1856 Waterfd.&Kilk.6p.c, York, Nowcastle,and Berwick,4 p.c. Prof Do ycrrk&N. Midland wsd B . PUrChatiom, o.• '''' • 93 mut 4 xcil i 4 xd ad LINES LEASED AT FIXED RENTALS. 12i St. St. 25 all all all all all 100 100 100 18$ 9i all 7 3 8 2s. Leasing Compans, London & N. West. ,L. &N.W. 'Caledon... Gt.Nrthn. Caldonian. Do Westn lYk. Now. & Berw. Y. &Mild IDo Do.. S. Eastern Do Norfolk.. L.& N. W. & Stckton & Darlingt. r E. Count, D 0... Do.. L. & N.W StLn&Yk Do G t Nortlin Do Lancash Yorksh. MCloan Stockt. & Darlingt. D 0......... filtWestn . Antwerp&Rotterdam Belgian Eastn. June Beziers to Graissessac Bombay, Baroda, and Central India,Scrip Central of Italy Charleroi & Erquelin Demerara Dijon and Besancon Dutch Rhenish East Indian Do. Extension Gt. Indian Peninsula Gd. Junct. of France Grd. Trunk of Canad. Do. Debentures Do. do Closing Prices this day. 98 - 100 48 - 50 141 i - 143 ii :: ii 104 —lo6xd 52 —53 „ 26 —27 „ 13 —13 i 24h —2slxd 2i - &,i = f 4 57 - 59 'L.33 : 1- 140 21_ 111 xd 30 -31 „ 95 - 97 3i 3 d 1 14 4i Sad P ... ... ii -- l id 2f 2ip i- i P ••. ••• 5i 4d Gt. Central of France Gt. Westernof Canada Shares Do. Bonds (Ist is.)'s7 Hamilton & Toronto Do. 6 per cent. Lake Const. & Basle Lucca & Pistoja 5 p.c. prof Luxembourg Do. (Railway) Do. Pref Do. (Canal) Do. 6 p. et. prof Lyons and Geneva Lyons & Mediterran, IMadras Maria Antonia IDo. do. New Melbourne Dk. & Ry Namur & Liege (with interest) Do. (ex interest) Northern of France Do. 201. 3 p. c Bds (fmy. B. & Ams. Shs.) NorwegianTrunkPref Paris and Lyons Ditto Bonds Paris and Orleans Paris and Rouen Paris and Strasbourg ParisCaen & Cherbrg. Quebec do Richmond Rouen and Havre Royal Danish Royal Swedish Sambre and Meuse_ Do. 5i p. cent. Pref. Southern of France St. Andrew's and Quebec (A) West Flanders all Do. 5i per c. Pref 10 Western of France 7 West. of Switzerland 2 Wiesbaden 15 Zealand 2i -- 21 dl i - lip dis 64 7 4i 1-14 1 1 1 id 2i —14 d d ^ parl 71 - 7i Agua Fria Anglo Austrin. Gold Anglo Californian Australasian Australian Australian Cordillera Australian Freehold Ave Maria 29} -29 A U - 8 i 12f -121 p Business this day. 42 —44 34 —36 xcl 281 281 ••• .... P I 3 1 (11 Baden (Gcl. Duchy of) , Blaenarvou Ir. &Coal isritish Austrin. Gold British Iron Brazilian Imp. (issued at £5 pm Do. Coeaes & Cniada Do. St. John Del Rey Carson's Creek Clarendon Con. Min 21i i f 7 61 4i all all all all Co. of Jamaica__ Cobro Copper Colonial Gold Copiapo Copper Min. of Eng Do. Prof. 7:4 p. cent Snglish andAustrin Copper Sateltg . Co General Great Nugget Vein Do. Registered Great Polgooth Liberty Linares Loud. &Californ . Gold Quartz Crush. Co , Mariquita Hexican&S.Americn New Granada New Linares Mining and Smelting C 0.... Nouveau Monde 29i i Pontgibaud Silver Lead Min. & Smelt Port Philip Quartz Rock Ithymney Iron Do. New Santiago do Cuba .. south Australian .. ld per . d 8 14 •• . - pm 3i - 3 -a; **i ES. 11 d 1 —2, 8 - 1 i id 9 —U i - id 7 9 4 5 li 2 28 30 i— i d 42 44xd id -11. —l3 iT 60 70 4 6p li - 21 id par t d 12 6 -- 64 a-- *d all all all all 12s. Tin Croft United Mexican Waller West Granada West Mariposa Worthing Mining of Australia Yuba par 16 18 d 21 . gO p 8 10 3i $ 4 a 3i i 3 3.4 4 - d d 6 — i dI JOINT-STO BANKS. Australasia British Colonial Bank and Loan Company British N. American Chartd. Bank of Asia Chrtd. Buk. of India, Australia, & China Colonial Commercial of Loud English Scottish and Australian Loud. Chart. Bk. of Australia London and County London Joint Stock Lond. & Westminster National Provincial of England Do. New National of Ireland New South Wales Oriental Bank of Corporation Do. New Provincial of Ireland Do. New Royal Australn. Bkg. & Gold Imp Co South Australia Union of Australia • Do. New Union of L0nd0n..... 77 - 79 2 lid 3 —26 d i icl ••• .. 40 -- 42,d 451 -46 i 40 42 - 67 - 68 7 - 74 MAGAZINES FOR THE MONTH. Blackwood.—lf March fails to do so for once, Maga comes in this month like a lion—seasonably. The number just issued is glorious—glorious both in vigour and variety. Blackwood has not for a long - while shown such energy of criticism as that which its reviewers have here squandered upon the nameless biographer of Mr. Disraeli —upon the two Arnolds, Edwin and Matthew—and upon the last of the literary Smiths, this time neither Adam, nor Albert, nor Sydney, nor William, but Alexander. A fourth instalment of the " Quiet Heart" de velopes yet more delightfully the charm of that graceful narrative, while it reveals still more plainly in every additional chapter the fair writer's gentle ness of heart and facile play of imagination. About matters of internal interest to the people of Eng land, Ebony saith much anent " The New Reform. Bill"—the Bill massacred betimes at the very out set of the session, instead of being reserved to have its weazen snipped in the autumnal days with the rest of the interesting throng of the Innocents. About matters of external interest Maga is equally garrulous respecting the Russian Church and the Protectorate in Turkey. There are, moreover, in the number of Blackwood for the present month— an agreeable specimen of dramatic criticism in re ference to " Count Sigismund's Will"—a metrical contribution in the form of a new version of " The Song of Metrodorus"—an article on " The Epide mics of the Middle Ages"—and " News from the Farm," such as will be found interesting enough to the crowd of intelligent agriculturists. But among: , all these ten papers in the current March number of Blackwood, commend us to the three vigorous and brilliant criticisms already specified. They are criticisms in every respect worthy of having emanated from Blackwood Reviewers ! In the first of these—the one relating to that most scurrilous publication entitled " Disraeli : a Bio graphy"—the anonymous slanderer, the literary assassin, the stabber in the dark of another man's reputation, is dubbed Mr. Randel Leslie! The de signation is admirably appropriate. It will stick like a burr —as long, at least, as this con temptible volume of abuse is borne in the public remembrance. From first to last the criti cism is flaying. Yet from first to last the reviewer can scarcely find words adequately scornful in which to give utterance to his contemptuous indig nation. At one time he asks, " What does the blockhead mean ?" At another he protests that the subject of his criticism has no more notion of lite rature than a Hottentot. At another he confesses candidly that the impudence of this young whipper snapper has somewhat roused his (the reviewer's) bile. Somewhat ! Nevertheless, though the writer in Maga cannot for the life of him keep his temper —he does not for an instant lose his capacity for dealing swinging cuts with his literary knout— varied every now and then with griding blows from his political tomahawk. Notwithstanding much that is genial in the commendations discriminat ingly accorded by Maga, further on, to what is ob viously meritorious in the poetic effusions of Alexander Smith and of the two Arnolds, namely Edwin and Matthew—there is abundant evidence that the faults of the three young writers are as clearly recognised, and that the reviewers in Blackwood are not by any means prepared to tole rate the vagaries of those critical Guffaws and lite rary Choctaws who have for some time past been outraging so very monstrously the common sense of our generation. Mark this, gentle public Blackwood talks of tying up a Guffaw to the stake and inflicting on him condign punishment. Nay, the reviewer goes so far as to shape his promise into a formal engagement, by declaring it to be " a resolution which we intend to carry into effect some fine morning." With that assurance before us we close the March number of Maga—exulting sardonically in the anticipation. Fraser.-- , -Fraser's Magazine for this month opens with a criticism on an " Essay on the Plurality of Worlds." The writer of the essay argues that their existence is proved by astronomy, by geology, by zoology, and lastly from the nature of man, and his relation to the Deity. In the criticism it is observed that it is curious and not unimportant in viewing this subject, to remark that in all ages the belief in the plurality of worlds has been general, not only among the credulous or ignorant, but among poets and philosophers. The paper gives a succinct account of the author's arguments, and copious extracts. "Villemain's Memoirs " give us some interesting sketches of the fortunes and mis fortunes of Talleyrand, Narbonne, and several of their contemporaries. The readers of Fraser will remember the series of articles on Icthyology, which were recently completed. A new series of the same kind, on the feathered tribes, com mences in this number, entitled " Gallinaceana." The first instalment treats of peacocks and guinea fowls. These papers afford much information on natural history. " General Bounce" is continued at some length without any remarkable incident. An article on the British Jews, which is written with much justice and tolerance, is worthy of attention. " The Decline and Fall of the Corporation of London," of course, occupies a place. The reports, remarks, evidence, accusations, and criticisms on this subject will soon be sufficient to fill a volume equal in size to Gibbon's. A very agreeable and entertaining sketch of the life of Beaumarchais will well repay perusal. There are also remarks on " Dutch Literature and Oxford Reform." A short paper concludes the number, entitled " England at War." It is to ho hoped, for the credit of Eraser's consistency, that the me mory of all its readers will prove as conve niently defective as the writer's—for it is as serted with the greatest effrontery that they are glad to testify their good opinion of Napoleon 111. since he became Emperor ; while it is certainly within the last three months that he has been the subject of some of the bitterest remarks of Fraser. The same judicious writer congratulates the coun try on possessing " a firm and united Ministry," and " the best administrative talent the country affords." Truly, we ought to be grateful for this writer's information, for we were not aware of our Ministers' unanimity and satisfactory administra tion any more than we were acquainted with the full extent of Fraser's consistency. Dublin University.—The article most deserving of notice in this number is " Our Portrait Gal lery," which contains an account of Captain M'Clure, R.N. The details of his memorable career are ably described, and a very good idea is obtained of the difficulties and dangers which the intrepid discoverers of the North-West Passage have had to surmount. An eTzcellent chart of the Arctic Regions is affixed to the memoir, which is a great advantage to the reader. The following extract is from the commencement of the article : " It is with no ordinary feeling of pride and pleasure that we claim the Discoverer of the North-west Passage as a countryman, and place him in "Our Portrait Gallery." " His father, Captain M'Clure, of the 89th Regiment, served with great distinction under Abercrombie in Egypt, and was beside that brave general when he fell mortally wounded at the battle of Aboukir. In 1806 he married Jane, only (laughter of the Venerable Archdeacon Elgee, rector of Wexford, but survived the marriage only four months. The posthumous child of this union was Robert John Le Mesurier M'Clure, the subject of our memoir ; born in Wexford, at the residence of his granfather, Arch deacon Elgee, January 28th, 1807, where he remained for the first four years of his life, under the care of his young mother, who had the singular destiny of being wife, widow, and mother in one year, and before she had attained the age of nineteen. The sponsor for the fatherless child was General Mesurier, hereditary governor of Alderney, a man of immense wealth and noble character. A peculiar friendship had existed between him and the elder M'Clure; they were brother-officers, and Captain M'Clure had once saved the general's life in Egypt. From this a promise arose, the general having then no children, that should his friend ever marry and have a son, he would adopt him as his own. Accordingly, when young Robert was four years old, General Le Mesurier wrote to claim him, in fulfil ment of this promise, and he was taken to Alderney by his uncle, the present rector of- Wexford, who describes him as being then singularly attractive, and remembers well the fearless pleasure manifested by the child, even at that age, at being on the water for the first time. From that period till ho was twelve years old, young M'Clure resided in the princely residence of the governor, as the adopted child and son of the house. But then, an unlooked for change took place in General Mesurier's family. After twenty-three years of childless marriage, his lady presented him, in three successive years, with three sons, the youngest of whom is now the inheritor of his father's vast wealth and munificent spirit. " Young M'Clnre was sent to Eton, and from thence to Sandhurst, but the military profession was distasteful to him, and in a short time, with the love of adventure in stinctive to his nature, and the rashness of sixteen, he left the college with three young noblemen, fellow-students there, and proceeded to France, determined never to enter the college walls again. "'With undiminished kindness, General Le Mesurier now allowed him to select his own profession, and shortly after he waiappointed midshipman on board Lord Nelson's old ship, the Victory. " With such associations he began his naval career. " During the next ten years he served in various parts of the globe ; his animated, elastic nature, full of life, energy, and mental force, along with the extreme fascination of his manner, gaining him the love of his brother officers, and the good-will and affectionate interest of every com mander he served under. " In 1836, ho had already served six years as mate, and passed his examination as lieutenant, when, not being on active service, his destiny led him to the Admiralty to seek employment. On entering the audience chamber, a high official, then present, exclaimed, M'Clure, you are just the man we want. There is au expedition fitting out for the North Pole ; will you join? "The young officer was unable to pronounce at once. He retired to the ante-room, and sat down on a chair to meditate. The old porter, who was by, asked him What he had on his mind ?' M'Clure told him. Well,' said he, ' I saw Nelson sitting on this very chair, thinking just like you what he would do, and he took what they offered him. Da you do the same." 31`Clure accepted the omen, went back, and volunteered to join the expedition, then is atm' g out under command of Sir George Back." " Walsh Spinsterhood Abroad" presents an eau* g ;ketch of the coontricitieo performed DY AUSTRIA. The Vienna Gazette of the 24th inst. publishes a decree from the Minister of Finance which is con sidered highly important for the financial affairs of Austria, since, in virtue of a convention concluded by order of the Emperor with the National Bank, it enacts that the issue of paper-money with forced currency shall no longer take place. This principle had been departed from in 1848-9 to the great in convenience of the Bank. But its diminished paper circulation, its general improvement, and the limi tation of the government paper• money have now rendered it possible to return to the original prin ciple, that there shall be no other paper-money throughout the empire than bank-notes. Ten mil lions of florins, to be taken from the produce of the customs, are to be annually applied to the with drawal from circulation of the paper-money of the State. The effect of this measure at the Vienna Bourse was most favourable ; and what contributed further to inspire confidence was the certainty that Austria would side with 'the Western Powers in the Eastern question. SPAIN. The Gazette of the 24th ult. contains a despatch from the Captain-General of Aragon, in which he says Since my last despatch of this morning, at one o'clock, nothing new has occurred at Saragossa, which enjoys the most perfect tranquillity ; never theless, in order to be prepared for any extremity, I have ordered that the troops shall remain in their quarters with their officers. News of the insur gents have been received from the alcade of Juslibal, a small place at about five miles' distance from Sarragossa, and from the alcade of Castejan de Valdejara, at about eight miles' distance. The first informs me that yesterday, between midnight and one o'clock, the insurgents had passed by Jus libal ; and the second announces that they had ar rived at Castejan de Valdejara in the morning of this day, and that they had taken the direction of Erla or Luna. The colonel in command, Don Juan Bautista Posas, confirms this news by a verbal communication, in which he announces that he was taking the direction of Castejan de Valdejara, and was only at sixteen miles' distance from Souleves ; consequently he must have overtaken them by this time. Their number appears to be reduced ; they are accompanied by some armed citizens, who had stopped in their route an officer and a soldier of the civil guard, whom they carried off with them. The Espana states that complete tranquillity prevailed at Barcelona and in the other towns of the principalities. Madrid was calm, but the Government had or dered the Athenaeum to be closed, as angry poli tical discussions took place in it. The Espana denies that General O'Donnel had, as stated by some of the journals, arrived at Bayonne. A Madrid letter of the 24th says—" Several journalists have been arrested, and placed in soli tary confinement by order of the civil governor. At midnight, four of the editors of the Diario Espanol, Las Novedades, and Tribuno, left under charge of a police agent in a post carriage for Cadiz. It is said that they will be exiled to the Philippines. Colonel Gayetano Cardero, who is well known for the part which he took in the scenes at the Post office in 1836, has also been arrested. The Government is in hourly expectation of re ceiving news that the troops sent in pursuit of the fugitives from Saragossa have come up with them. The accounts from Catalonia are satisfactory. The rumour circulated yesterday by the enemies of the governinent that a movement had taken place in Barcelona is unfounded. Yesterday, one of the horses in the carriage of the King having fallen near the Puerta del Sol, the King alighted, and proceeded t? the Palace on foot. As he passed he was loudly cheered. AMERICA. ARRIVAL OF THE PACIFIC. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPIi.) LIVERPOOL, THURSDAY, 5 A.m. By the steamer Pacific we have advices from New York to the 18th ult. She has brought 80 passengers, but no specie. On the 21st, in lat. 43, long. 57, she passed a Cunard steamer, bound west. The steamer Africa, ashore on Jersey flats, had not been got afloat at last accounts. There is very little news by this arrival. The Nebraska question continued the leading topic of discussion and excitement in the political circles at Washington and elsewhere. The New York stock-market exhibited a steady improvement. Money was becoming somewhat easier. Exchange on London, 1082 to 109 ; Paris, sf. 171 c. to sf. 20c. ; Amsterdam, 41i to 41g. Cotton in moderate demand without alteration in price. With lower English advices per Canada and America, the markets for breadstuffs had been dull and heavy. Flour had declined 25c. per barrel, and wheat 3c. to sc. per bushel. Provisions without alteration. Scotch pig iron selling at 39 dols. to 40 dols., six months. Freights to London.—Flour, 4s. 6d. per barrel ; turpentine, &c., ss. per 2801 b. ; measurement goods; 355. to 45., and heavy goods, 455. to 50s. per ton. LLOYD'S SHIPPING.-(THIS DAY.) LONDON, March 2.—Wind this day at Noon, S. ; light breeze, and fine, clear, dry weather. PORTSMOUTH, March I.—Wind, E. to S.B. Arrived— Admiral Corry's squadron, consisting of H.M.S. Prince Regent, St. Jean D'Acre, Imperieuse, Tribune, Arrogant, Odin, Magicienne, Barracouta, and Amphion, from Lis bon. Sailed—Odessa, for Demerara. FALMOUTH, March I.—Wind, S.E. Arrived—Frances, from Mauritius ; Gondola, London, for Boston, leaky. SOUTHAMPTON, March I.—Sailed—Washington (s), for New York. YARMOUTH, March I.—Wind, S. Arrived—Friends, from London, for Newburgh, with loss of bowsprit, sails, &c., from contact with a barque off Cromer. LOWESTOFT, March 2.—(Per Elec. Tel.)—Arrived —The Wave Seaton Sluece, for London, leaky, and with damage. LIVERPOOL, March 2.—(Per Elec. Tel.)—Arrived—The Pacific (s), from New York—left 18th February. GIBRALTAR, Feb. 21.—The Brilliant, from Alicante, to London , sprung a leak, and foundered on the 17th inst., near Cape St. Vincent ; crew saved. .. • ' (BY SUBMARINE AND.' EUSOBEA/i TELEGRAPH.) GRAVESEND, Thursday, 10 S.M. Wind, S.S.E. ; tide, five hours' flood ; very fine. Arrived, 1 st.—Batavier, steamer, from Rotterdam; Flecha, steame r , f rom G hent ; Royal Victoria, steamer, from Hamburg. 2d.—Baron Osy, steamer, from Rotterdam •, Antwerpen, steamer, from Antwerp ; Holland, steamer, from Rotter dam ; Moselle, steamer, from Antwerp ; Fame, steamer, from Calais. Sailed.— Egmont, for New Zealand ; Kangaroo, steamer, for Amsterdam. Wind, S.S.E. ; light, and fin D e E . AL, Thursday, 9.26 a.m. Passed—Louisa from London, for Glasgow. APPOINTMENT.—WHITEHALL, Feb. 8. —The Rig ht lion. Sir John Jervis, Knight, Lord Chief Justice of her Majesty's Court of Common Pleas, at Westmin ster, has appointed Frederick Thomas Elgie, of the city of Worcester, gentleman, to be one of the Perpe tual Commissioners for taking the acknowledgments of deeds to be executed by married women, under the act passed for the abolition of fines and recoveries, and for the substitution of more simple modes of assurance, in and for the city of Worcester, also in and for the county of Worcester. A MUNIFICENT OFFER TO BUILD A CHURCH.-At the weekly meeting of the Board of Guardians of the Holborn Union it was stated that a gentleman, a mer chant in the City, had offered to build and endow a church and schools in the parish of St. A ndrew Holborn, at his own private cost, if a suitable site could be ob tained without the requirement of a large outlay for the purchase of existing rights to the ground, and several of the guardians are now making active inquiries for the ground required for this purpose. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, with the permission of the General Commandin g -in-Chief, has ap pointed the following officers to his Staff proceeding to Turkey, and thence to the seat of war :---Major the Hon, James Bosville Macdonald, Captain Clifton, of the 7th Dragoon Guards; Lord William Paulet ; and Colonel TYrtatitt, of the Scots Fusilier Guards. 2637 92 1 i i lj ad 80 „ 128 7 ~ 96 PP 80 i i ~ 93j 67E i 8 974 1021 I i 121 I RAILWAY& Bedford and Bletchley.... Bnckghamsh Clydesdale Jc. E. Lincoln gr. 6 per cent. Glas. Barr. & Neils. Direct Do. New Glstr. & Dn. Fr Dk. & .Railway Hull & Selby Do. i Shares. Do. Shares. Lon.&Greenw Do. Preference Lowestoft gr. 4 per cent. Do. 6 per ct. Nianch. Bstu. and Matlock Middlesbro' & Redear. . Aidld.Bradfd 1 Northern and Easternsp.c. Do. 6 per ct. Do. Fixeds p e Prest. & Wyre Do. i Shares. Etoystn.&Hit. Do. Shepth. St Shef.Roth.and Goole g. 5 p. c. S. Staffordsh. Wear Valleygr 6 per cent Do I Wilts&Somrst FOREIGN. MISCE ril Rubin Coal and Iro Australian Agricult. Australsn.Pcific.Mail Australn. Royal Mail Berlin Water Works Brit. American Land Brit. tlx Coln. Smeltg.l and Reduction C0..1 Canada Crystal Palace Do. New Crystal Pal. of France Eastern Steam Electrit Telegraph(A) Do. (B) Electric Teleg. of Ir Gen. Steam Navigat. General Screw Steam Irish Beet-oot Sugar Magdalena St. Navig. Nat. Pat. Steam Fuel Netherlands Land N. S. W. Coal & Inter. Steam Navigat. Co. N. B. Australasian... Do. New... grth.ofEuropeSteani l Peel Rr. Ld. & Minrl. Peninsular & Oriental Do. Do. Portland Iron Co Royal Mail Steam Scot. Austral. Invest South Austral. Land Submar. Telegraph Do. Registered Van Diemen's Land :ous 41 -: ii ii 1 ;76 75 - gp p 17 - - 18 - Par— iPI ..• ... id par ••• ..... ••• i --' 4p as 4,5 idha hpad par 13 14 lot i 6i B i 4i 351 5 i Baocaos's.—The members of this club, following the example of White's, will give a grand banquet on Satur day evening next to his Royal Highness the Dnke of Cambridge, It is hoped that Lord Raglan will also be present it the entertainment. ' THE REPEAL OF THE PAPER DUTY. some ladies in Italy. " Sir Jasper Carew" is con tinued in three chapters, entitled " The Price of Fame," "Dark Passages of Life," "Ussafich." The story becomes very melancholy, indeed. In the first chapter the unfortunate actress goes mad. She had been a great favourite, but suddenly the tide of popular favour turned against her, and she could not bear up against it. The hero of the nar rative was driven to despair by her untimely end, and for some time he lived in a state of apathy. At last he joined the French army, and met with his usual ill luck, for he offended the officers of his ' regiment, and, losing all his self-command, struck one to the ground. He was condemned to death, but saved by the intervention of a friend, Count Ussafich, the Pole, who was before mentioned in the story. He left the army, and lived with him for a while, but the count engaged in a duel, which proved fatal to his adversary. The consequence was, he and Jasper Carew took to a hasty flight, and we leave them hurrying to Namur in hopes of being concealed from their pursuers. Colburn's United Service.—" Military Schools and Colleges in France" is concluded in this month's number. At the end, the author of the various articles that have appeared on this topic observes that there still remains much to be said on the subject, and that he has been advised by some friends to reproduce what has already appeared on an enlarged plan, in a volume or two. If such should eventually be done, there is no doubt that a very useful work might be made of the materials before us. "The Internal Condition of Austria" is discussed at great length, and great stress is laid upon the necessity of abolishing absolutism. It is thus urged :—" Will ye, oh Austrians ! throw all the crimes, follies, and mistakes, which are inse parable from even the best of governments, upon the head of one man. The question between a constitutional government and an absolutism is simply whether all are wiser than one—if it is pos sible that the possessor of absolute power can al ways abstract himself from human prejudices and passions, and the influences of those interested in the continuance of abuses 1" " The Siege of Syra cuse" is an interesting subject, which is treated of with ability. " The ancient city of Syracuse covers an elevated plateau, resembling in its shape the form of an isosceles triangle." " Greeks, Cartha ginians, Romans, and Saracens successively pitched their tents upon the Olympeium." This account will be continued. Colburn's New Monthly. "The War with Russia," of course, is one of the chief articles in this number. It contains extracts, from two volumes recently published, which give circum stantial accounts of the peculiarities of both Turks and Russians. A paper on Yucatan and Lake Itza is curious and entertaining. No. VI. of Tales of my Dragoman is a romantic story, entitled " A Padischal Rowland for an Islam Oliver." " German Singers and English Audiences" is a narrative of the "Kolner Manner Gesang Verein", who visited England last year, partly from the desire of aiding the cathedral building fund. Their descriptions of England and the English manners are entertaining, and their criticisms, in many in stances, just ; but it is somewhat ungenerous, after the cordial reception they met with, and the encouragement they everywhere received, to laugh at the English taste for music, and assert that " no nation in Europe has been treated in such step motherly fashion as regards musical talents and ear as the English." This remark does not pay a very high compliment to themselves, as they appear to have so well suited the English taste. There is a longand interesting criticism on "Ruskin's Stones of Venice," and a pleasing series of " Vignettes" from a poet's portfolio. There is the commence ment of an agreeable domestic story, entitled " A Visit to Worcester", by the author of " The Unholy Wish," and a paper " About Lord Brougham " is interesting. The story of an old Manor-house is a ballad in Mrs. Acton Tindal's pleasing and melo dious style. " The Orphan of the Wreck" is another metrical contribution, relating an incident in the late wreck of the Tayleur, in which was found a young child about a year old, whose parents were supposed to have perished. Bentley's Miscellany. —The readers of " Aspen Court" will regret to miss it this month from the pages of Bentley, owing to the illness of the author. The first article in the present number is a paper on " The Emperor Nicholas, and the War in the East," which is accompanied by a map of the lower Danube and its adjacent provinces. " Arthur Arden, the Medical Student," is continued, and relates the mistakes of a country visitor to London. " Haps and Mishaps of a Tour in Europe in 1853," by Grace Greenwood, describes her acquaintance with several literary celebrities of the day, but there is something too personal in the introduction of living characters into such an account. It might be tolerated in another country, but to pub lish it in the very town in which these individuals reside, is something like a breach of confidence. It is too much the fashion nowadays to intrude upon private life, and to make the most open attacks upon the domestic affairs of any one of literary or political note. There is an interesting paper on the opening of the Houses of Parliament, in which it is remarked that in the present Ministry, who have shown so little diplomatic talent, there are no less than five members who have filled the post of Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, namely, Lord Aberdeen, Lord Palmerston, Lord Granville, Lord Clarendon, and Lord John Russell. Truly, experience is not always instructive. " Constantinople : its Supply and Defence," is an article on a subject of much present interest. " Confessions of a Middle-aged Gentleman" is a humorous tale. Ainsworth.—" Nicholas Flamer' proceeds as usual, chiefly narrating the adventures of the Templars. It is followed by an interesting com parison of the progress of the inventive art in France and in England. A variety of tales and sketches are, as usual, to be found. Among them may be mentioned a village tale, " Winter Stories," which relate to ghosts, as winter stories should, and " Hereward of Brunne," a tale of the Conquest. The only poetical contribution is a simple song by J. E. Carpenter, called " The Floweret of a Day." Tait.—The first paper in Tait is a continuation of the essay which appeared last month, on the " Mythology of the World to Come." It gives in this number a sketch of the superstitions of the earlier centuries. It is not yet completed. It is followed by an eastern tale, entitled " Nargisi," from which it appears that human sacrifices have not been altogether suppressed among the religious sects in India. There is an interesting article on the " Reporter's Gallery in the House of Commons," which gives some amusing details of their first entry. "My first Whale," is an account of an adventure in the arctic seas. " Med Smith," a story of the middle classes, not remarkable for ele gance, is continued. There is an article on the " New Poets," which shows much good sense in its remarks. There is also an entertaining account of the "French Charcoal Burners," and several other papers of interest. The Gentleman's Magazine and Historical Re view.—Some remarks are made on the life of Charles James Fox, recently published. It is said that the memory of the distinguished statesman is done ample justice to in these volumes. " They give us vivid glimpses of his genius as an orator of his greatness as a statesman, of the many attractive qualities in his personal character. Perhaps no human being, wrote Gibbon, was ever more per fectly free from the taint of malevolence, vanity, or falsehood." " Grotius on the Rights of War and Peace" may very likely contain some useful hints Land and the present momentous epoch. " Rhine and and its Romance" is an interesting sketch of some th legends of a romantic nature. It is observed at the spot sacred to mystery and supernatural agency is between Cologne and Mayence. Every stream re-echoes a story of an elf or an imp, and every meadow on its shore is danced upon by gossamer fairies, or galloped ov er at the witching hour of night by ghastly ratters and skeleton steeds." Se veral instances are given of the tales referred to, which are of an extraordinary nature to be credited in the present day. " Early Female Asceticism" contains notices of Paula and Eustochium. Paula was a Roman lady, remarkable for a holy life. Eustochium, her daughter, followed in her steps. Jerome composed her epitaph. "To this record it is that we are indebted for the detail of the life of the ascetic Paula, in which, if there is much we may blame or cavil at, there is assuredly no less that commands our respect and admiration. • LAUNCH OF A PORTUGUESE MAIL STEAM-PACKET. — Messrs. Rumplays, Tennant, and Dyke, of Deptford, having contracted to supply two mail steam-packets for conveying the mails on the Brazils station, and the first, built of wood by Mr. Thompson on the diagonal prin ciple, as introduced by Mr. Lang, now master•ship wright at Pembroke-yard, in his design for the Banshee, being ready for launching, on Tuesday last a considerable slumber of spectators assembled, and Miss Huinphrys, having christened the vessel, naming her the Santa Cruz (or holy Cross), and breaking a bottle of wine on her bows, she immediately glided off the slip into her future element. The Santa Cruz is 166 feet in length, 21 feet in breadth, 11 feet deep, and has accommodation for 60 first-class passengers. Her engines are of 90-horse power, with feathering paddlewheels. She is the first vessel built on the diagonal principle entered at Lloyd's as 13 Al. She was towed to Messrs. Humphreys, Tennant, and Dyke's establiab.m.ent at Deptford inunea distely after, to have her enginea Fit on board. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has his budget now in hand, and no time should be lost by those who desire the repeal of the paper duty. The educational and moral aspect of this question, however interesting and however serious, has its own proper time for being brought forward, and may be injured by being thrust upon either ministers or the public at an inappropriate moment. But the commercial view of the paper duty is one which belongs peculiarly to this season, and one which, to say the plain truth, will bear no delay. If we were at war with half-a-dozen nations, and had been at war half-a-dozen years, it would still be good policy to repeal the paper duty immediately. The injury now arising from that duty is so extensive, that the national saving by repeal would constitute a rich fund out of which to pay better taxes. Omitting all considerations of the spread of literature and political information among the people, and regarding paper merely as we would any other commodity, the truth is that the state of the manufacture is becoming very serious. Paper is so scarce, and not only so dear but so indifferent, that something must be done. Many things must be devised to bring round the manufacture and trade to a sound state ; but nothing can be done till the duty is repealed. It must be remembered that paper is used for many things besides books and newspapers. If Mr. Gladstone is not completely aware of this, he should see some Shef field and Birmingham manufacturers, and hear from them the details of the singular fact, that certain branches of our manufactures are excluded from foreign markets by the cost of the one item of wrapping paper. Various articles, which the Americans have no natural facilities for making cheaper than we can, are sold by them, without competition from us, because the profits of the sales would be precisely absorbed by the cost of the wrapping paper at home. Very large markets are closed against us in India and throughout the east, and in Africa and elsewhere, by this one superiority on the part of the Americans. Again, there are large branches of manufacture, of which paper is the raw material, which we are in danger of losing altogether, or of being unable to introduce, from the dearness and badness of the article. The whole range of the papier-mache manu facture, from hand-screens to colonial dwelling-houses and churches, is the first that occurs ; but it is far from being the only one. When the census supplement on oc cupations comes out, we shall be able to form some idea of the amount of subsistence which depends on the pro sperity of the paper manufacture. Meantime, we know that the number of people employed directly in the fabrication of paper, some years-since, was reckoned at 30,000, and that the annual value of the manufacture was not less than 2,000,0001. If we reckon the trades employed in the apparatus and appliances of the manu• facture its importance is obviously very great ; and if we add the inventions of recent years, the development of foreign commerce, and the rapid improvement of American manufactures of every kind, it appears that the case is urgent enough to demand the immediate at tention of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The mischief is of two kinds—that which arises from the excise duty, and that which is occasioned by the scarcity of the material. We need not settle which is the greater of these two evils as long as we know that there is no remedy for either but the removal of the duty. While every other branch of manufacture is un dertaken and improved by fresh hands, there are no new paper mills, or they are very rare. It is only men of large capital who can enter into a business of which they have not the free management and the complete command; and it is only those who have lon g been familiarised with the interference of the Excise who will engage in a busi ness where such liabilities are concerned. All the need less and wasteful trouble introduced in such a case—the wetting, and drying, and rewetting, the visiting, and peeping, and spying, and marking, and weighing, the restrictions as to locality and methods—the whole plague, in short, of Government meddling—is quite enough to determine any man's choice in favour of some other ma nufacture, wherever a choice exists. The fewer and more habituated are our paper makers, the less chance there is of improvement, and of inventions and discoveries that may increase the supply. As to this necessary increase of supply, we have some experience of what the effect of taking off taxes really is. In 10 years from the reduction of the paper duty in 1836, the production was declared to have about doubled ; and the increase was, in fact, much greater than this, for the increase was estimated by weight, at a time when the introduction of the new postage caused a prodigious resort to thin paper. Eight years more have now passed; and we are almost aground for a supply. If the manu facture were thrown wholly open, made entirely free, the taxpaying resources of whole classes would improve out of all proportion to the amount of the tax. A most striking fact in the history of the manufacture is very suggestive as to the results, in regard to supply, which would follow the removal of the duty. There have been alarms before about the failure of the raw material. We have been accustomed to go far for our rags—even as far as Trieste, for the collective rag-hags of the Austrian empire. While we were doubting about the continued sufficiency of the supply from abroad, people at home were improving their processes and ap paratus. This made paper cheaper ; and the cheapness caused such a demand that we found out a new store of raw material at home, in the sweepings of our flax and cotton mills, which were before used as manure. The remarkable fact is that, while paper was growing cheaper and coming more into demand, our importation of rags declined. If the manufacture were now set free, there would be more improvements, more discovery of new material, at home and abroad, and a quickening and expansion of commerce, in not only paper but a hundred articles besides, that would he of more consequence to our national finances than any Excie duty ever was to any Government. As to the time for urging this matter—it seems that no time can be amiss for extinguishing a loss, and se curing an honest profit. We are urging, not a sacrifice. but a gain. If the Chancellor of the Exchequer would allow us to tax ourselves, to the amount of the existing paper duty, we could engage to propose a variety of modes of taxation innocent in comparison. The most blundering of us could hardly hit upon another so ob jectionable, and we earnestly hope that the agitators for the paper duty repeal will adopt resolutions for vigorous action upon this subject, and that they will zealously carry out what they resolve upon.—Daily News. THE FIRE AT APSLEY PELLATT'S GLASS -WORKS.— It was found out yesterday that the damage done by the fire at Apsley Pellet's Glass-works was considerably greater than was at first expected. The stock in trade in the show-rooms was of great value, and comprised probably as fine a collection of crystal articles as can be found in any house in the same hue of business in the metropolis. Amongst the number were several costly chandeliers, including the one that attracted so much admiration in the Great Exhibition of 1851. It is re ported that that article alone was worth 3,0001. Unfor tunately all that remains entire of it is the frame, all the beautiful glass drops having been melted. Nearly all the other goods in that compartment are likewise re duced to mis•shapen masses of broken glass. The total loss must amount to several thousand pounds sterling. A COMMON ON FlRE.—Yesterday afternoon, between one and two o'clock, some evil-disposed persons set fire to the furze plantation between Feltham and Twicken ham. Before any assistance could be obtained the flames had travelled with lightning speed over some acres of ground, destroying in their progress many hundred valuable furze trees. At one time the flames were rising many feet into the air, and presented a singu larly grand spectacle, which was witnessed by hundreds of persons travelling by the London and South-Western Railway. A great many farm labourers having been obtained, they wont to work, and with the aid of shovels and hand-poles, they managed, after some hours' labour, to cut off further extension of the de structive element, but not until some acres of land had been swept clean of what was growing an hour or two before. ANCIENT ROMAN PAVEMENT IN THE CITT.—A re markably fine specimen of ancient tesselated pavement, of very beautiful design, and in excellent preservation, discovered a few weeks since on the site of the old Excise-office in Broad-street, was yesterday submitted to the inspection of a large number of the cognoscenti, on the invitation of Mr. Tite, the well-known architect, under whose direction a pile of magnificent buildings, for the accommodation of the merchants and bankers of London, is now being raised, upon the spot where the Excise-office formerly st oo d . Gresham College, once the residence of Sir Thomas Gresham, formed a having p i nc ip a been p a s r o t l dof to thesitee own h th h e y old the Excise-office, eerperati on the about 1730. The rel i c o fantiquitydiscovered just was not found under • • any portion of this house, but under an adjoining property, which the Crown subse quently purchased, and upon which stood the once celebrated Sun Tavern. When the Excise-office was built, the vaults under the Sun Tavern were allowed to remain undisturbed, and for many years past they have been used as stores for contraband spirits forfeited to the Crown. These vaults bear evidence of having been. built about the period of Henry V. or Henry VI., but it is a remarkable fact that in no case does the foundation of the arches or walls reach the surface of the Roman pavement. The hypothesis, therefore, is, that the ancient building of which the hidden pavement must have formed one of the floors may have been burnt down or fallen into ruins, and that the superincurn bent rubbish, becoming a solid mass, the arches wore pitched thereupon. In consequence of the discovery of some fragments of Roman pottery at an early stage of the excavations, Mr. Edward Clayton, the resident architect, gave iestru ctions that the works should proceed with great caution ' • and it is owing to this circumstance that the pavement has been so well preserved. It was first discovered by two men while sinking a hole for a scaffold-pole, and information having been conveyed to Mr. Tite and Mr. Clayton, they directed that every care should be taken in uncovering the remaining por tion. The result has been the laying bare a surface, 28 feet square, with comparatively few imperfections— the colours being admirably preserved, and the design perfect throughout. From the centre square, representing "Ariadne on the Leopard," it seems probable that the pavement belonged to a triclinium, or dining room, though several connoisseurs, yesterday, pronounced it to be the floor of a bath-room, However this m a y b e, it is in a remarkable state of preservation ; and though, perhaps, inferior to the best-preserved specimens at Rome, is fully equal to those found at Pompeii, and other provincial cities of Italy. Mr. H aw .ins of the British Museum , was amon g Mr . Tite's visitors yester day, and it is understood that the beautiful relic will probably be deposited anion other antiquities of ius aar clathcter m that colisotim nine rid if B ob. :eed- Lain. cued. i ser- Tonal )rces lore arge Hod tber i L