The Sun. — London, England, 1864-04-15 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAX ENT HOUSE OF LORDS—Last Everiing, The LORD CIIANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at the usual hour. PETITIONS. Lord DARNLEY presented a petition preying for an amendment of the Highway Act. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following bills were read a second time :—Lea Bridge District Gas—Northfieet District Gas--Tunbridge Wells Gas—Huntingdon Gas—Ashton•under-Lyne—and Stalybridge Water. The following bills were read a third time and passed : Shrewsbury Bridges—Llanelly Railway and Dock Com pany—Newry and Gremore Railway—Southwark Park— Folkestone Water—Matlock Bath Water—Marple New Mills and Hayfield Junction Railway. SETTLED ESTATES ACT AMENDMENT BILL (HAMPSTEAD -HEATH ENCLOSURE.) This bill passed through committee with amendments, VESTRY CESS ABOLITION (IRELAND) BILL. This bill passed through committee and was reported. PUNISHMENT OF RAPE BILL. Oa the motion of the Marquis of WESTMEATH the house went into committee on this bill. On clause 1, Lord WENSLEYDALE moved that instead of the word " may," the word "shall' be inserted, in order to make the punishment of whipping compulsory, instead of optional. Lord RAVENSWORTH did not object to the punish. went of whipping in reference to other crimes, but as the crime of rape was seldom or ever committed with premedi tation, he did not think it would be advisable to resort to whipping as a part of the punishment. Lord CRANWVTII thought that whipping was a most undesirable punishment; but if it was to be resorted to, they ought to pass a general measure applying it at once in all the cases in which it appeared to he desirable, and not proceed to apply it to one case after another by piecemeal legislation. The Marquis of 'WESTMEATH supported the bill. The Earl of CARNARVON admitted the objections of piecemeal legislation, but said that, although this was not a satisfactory way of proceeding, it had became so much the habit of Parliament, that he did not think its adoption in the present instance was a valid objection to this bill. Prac tice had proved that the infliction of whipping had a power ful effect in deters ing from crime. He Lought this punish ment should also be inflicted in the case of an attempt to ummit rape. After a conversation, in which the Lord Chancellor, Lord Cranworth, the Earl of Derby, and other peers took part, the amendment was adopted, and the clause as amended was agreed to. The remaining clauses were agreed to. The bill passed through committee, and the house resumed. _ _ The report on the Charitable Assurances Enrolments Bill was received. The Improvement of Land Act, 1864, Bill was read a second time. THE HIGHWAY ACT. Lord RED ESDA.LE presented a petition from the way wardens and ratepayers of the Morpeth highway district, in the county of Northumberland, complaining of the size of the district, and the refusal of the justices to alter the same, and praying the house to adopt such measures for their re lief as might seem expedient. The noble lord also asked whether Government intended to propose any amendment of the Highways Act in the present session ? Lord 6RAXVILLE WAS understood to reply in the negative. - - E4rl GREY said that the Act was extremely defective, and required amendment. MICHAEL DONEGAN, PATRICK DONEGAN, AND PATRICK EGAN. The Marquis of WESTMEATII moved for copies of certain correspondence relative to the pardon of three Irish convicts, named as above. Earl GRANNILLE consented that a portion of the cor respondence should be produced. ,THE CHALMERS TAR►GET. The Earl of HARDWICKE presented a petition from Mr. James Chalmers, the inventor of a new mode of con struction of ships of war. The petitioner camplained that the Board of Admiralty had long refused to try his inven tion—that his target was afterwards subjected ;to a trial mach more severe than had been applied to any other target —that it successfully stood this test ; that, nevertheless, the Board of Admiralty had declined to adopt his invention; that the Chief Constructor of the Navy had pirated its most important features, and had adopted them in the con struction of the Bellerophon; and that all compensation or reward had been refused him by the Board of Admiralty. The Duke of SOIIERSET said that, although Mr. Chalmers' plan produced an excellent target, it was not applicable to the construction of a ship. It was heavier than the Warrior target, it was more complicated, and it was more costly. Then it was very desirable that as much of the target as possible should contribute to the structural strength of the ship. Now, oat of five parts of which the Warrior target consisted, only two did not so contribute; but of the seven parts which composed Mr. Chalmers's target, four did not so contribute. He admitted that the Chalmers target hal a greater power of resistance than the Warrior target; and on that ground the Admiralty had consented to pay the cost of its construction. But, as he had already said, it was not suited to the construction of ships of war. He denied that Mr. Chalmers's invention had been pirated in the Bellerophon. The two targets were entirely different; and the latter contributed much more than the former to the structural strength of the ship. the test to which the Bellerophon target had been subjected at Shoeburyness was in many respects more severe than that to which Mr. Chalmers's hld been exposed. Al!hun...:ll Mr.;Chahners's target was in some degree an improvement upon those which had precsded it, it• was not much better than the Warrior target. He did nut desire to to injustice to any inventor, but the truth was that Mr. Chalmers's so called invention was not new, and was not suitable for application in the construction of a ship. Their lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS--Last Evening. The SPEAKER took the chair et four o'clock. PRIVATE BIT ..4INESS. The following bills were read a third time and passed : Andover and Chilton Pond—Downs (the) Docks—Oke. hampton Railway—South Yorkshire Railway and River Dun Company—Stirling Water—Stockport District Water —and Thornset Road. THE MALT DUTY. A very large number of petitions was presented in favour of the repeal of the malt duty. CANDIDATES FOR THE MEDICAL DEPART MENT OF INDIA. Mr. BAZLEY asked the Secretary for India, how many candidates for employment in the medical depart ment for India were presented, and how many were the vacancies at the time of the competitive examination in January last, and again how many at the recent examina tion ? Sir CHAS. WOOD said there had been no competitive exanaination for the department in question for the last three or four years. STREET DEALERS IN THE CITY OF LONDON. Mr. Alderman SA.LONIONS asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he had yet approved the pro posed bye-laws for the City of London, and especially if he intended to sanction bye-law No. 12, which virtually pro • posed to withhold the common law right of way through the principal streets of the City from dealers in fruit, fish, and vegetables, Sir G GREY said that these bye-laws had not yet been sanctioned, and he considered the question of such import ance that he had referred it to the law officers of the Crown. MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL HIGHWAY BOARD. /And, by whose directfi us, d whether up n the recom• mendation of any local magistrate, and whether upon any representations of breaches of the peace co al,ttted or apprehended, 160 additional police were recenty dered to proceed to the town of Lisburn, and there to remain ? Sir R. PEEL said that in consequence of the report of a magistrate of the neighbourhood it was apprehended that political feeling was so strong in Lisburn that disturb ances would take place. This magistrate stated that there were placards posted in the town bearing the inscrip tion of "Verney for ever, and down with the petitioner," and that the town was paraded by persons with guns and sticks, and 107 policemen were sent to preserve order, a course which was approved by another magistrate in the neighbourhood. THE INCOME-TAX. Mr. HUBBARD asked the Chancellor of the Exche quer, whether he proposed to re-enact the income-tax as it stood at the close of 1863, or whether he proposed any, and if any, what, change in its provisions. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER answered the first part of the question in the affirmative, and the latter in the negative. THE DANISH QUESTION. In reply to Mr. B. OSBORNE, Mr. LAYARD said the French despatch on this subject was not officially communicated to the Government. THE MALT DUTY. On the mo'..ion for going into committee of ways and means, Colonel. BARTTELOT moved that the consideration of the dut:tes upon sugar be postponed until the house had the 'opportunity of considering the expediency of the reduction of the duty on malt. He contended that beer was an indispensable beverage to the agri• cultural labourer in this country, and that it was de sirable that a portion of the surplus revenue at the disposal of the Chancellor of the Exchequer should be applied to the remission of the malt duty. Mr. COBBETT seconded the motion, and argued that the duty on malt operated most injuriously on the agricul tural class, and in many cases led them into the consump tion of ardent spirits from being unable to obtain in many rural districts good bear. Mr. SURTEES also supported the motion, and as the representative of an agricultural district said that ho had hoped the Chancellor of the Exchequer would have an nounced, in conformity with the wishes of the house, that he intended, at all events, to make sot:n.l reduction in the malt duty, and that any future surplus of the revenue should be applied to its total abolition. (Hear, hear.) Mr. J. PEEL likewise supported the motion, pointing out the injurirus effect of the Malt Tax upon the agricul ture or 'h. county. Mr. STAN HOPE undertook to show that, balancing the c aims of malt and sugar to the proportion of the surplus of £2,570,000 proposed to be applied to the reduction of the sugar duties—namely. £l,33o,ooo—malt had a prior clam, which ho proceeded to demonstrate by deductions from a long array of figures. He shswed that the consumption of sugar tad largely increased, proving that the duties were not burdensome, and he neutralised the argument that a reduction of the Malt Tax would be a great.r boon to Eng land than to Scoilana and Ireland by connecting that tax with the spirit duties, which operated in a contrary direc tion. Sir E. DERING said it was much to be regretted that a question of so much importance as the Malt Tax should be presented in a shape whfch rendered it impossible to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion—namely, as a question of malt versus sugar, which brought into the field the great sugar interest. He supported the motion, but should have been batter pleased if the issue had been raised simply upon the tax itself. Mr. BEACH, in supporting the motion, argued that the reduction of the malt tax would benefit both producer and consumer, and that its history showed that the increase of consumption had been checked by the oppressive character of the tax. Mr. ALCOCK advocated the entire repeal of the malt tax. Lord R.IONTAGU, in reply to Mr. Cobbett, observed that the reduction of the malt tax would not make the differ ence of a farthing in the price of a pot of beer, and that, in considering the labourer, his wife and family should not be forgotten, who had an interest in the cheapening of tea and sugar. He opposed the motion not only upon economical but upon moral grounds. He was no advocate of the malt tax, and if he saw his way to its repeal, he would vote for it ; but when it was known that it could not be taken off, such a motion was not a fair one. Mr. P. - URQU EIAR T defended the reduction of the Sugar Duties as a relief to a suffering interest. Colonel NORTH complained of some remarks of Lord R. Montagu. Mr. PUGH, tho - igh he looked forward to a repeal of the malt tax, could not support the present motion. Mr. WESTERN opposed the motion, believing that a reduction of one-fourth of the Malt Tax would be of no ad vantage to the agricultural interest. Lord INGESTRE cordially supported the motion. He thought the reduction of the malt tax would tend to im prove the quality of beer, and lessen the temptation to in dulge in ardent spirits, the incentive to vice and crime. Sir B. BRIDGES likewise supported the motion. Sir F. CROSSLEY disputed the assertion of Mr. Cob bett, that beer was a necessary of life to a labouring man. Mr. P ACKE spoke hhortly in favour of the motion. Mr. DU CANE did not quarrel with the principles of the Budget ; but the rule which should guide the house in tha reduction of taxation was justice and fair play, and, if that principle were fairly carried out, the malt tax had a priority of claim for a reduction of duty over sugar. It was originally a war tax, and its reduction had been regarded as a complement of the repeal of the Corn Laws, and an essen tial part of the Free-trade movement. He disputed the in terence drawn by the Chancellor of the Exchequer from the price of barley, which he had assumed from that of the best barley ; but those who asked for a twine, ion of the malt tax were the growers of interior barley. The benefit to the farmer by the reduction of the tax would be great ; but it would be as nothing to that conferred upon the consumer. He enumerated the ingredients infused into the " villanous decor.:tion" sold to labouring men in country beershops under the name of beer. H. pointed out a fallacy in the argument of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, that the malt tax was only an English grievance, observing that all that was asked was that the malt tax might be put on the same footing as other branches of the revenue. Mr. ( OBDEN observed that there was no rule more deserving of attention by those who took charge , iquestions in that house than that one question should not be brought into collision with another with which it has no connexion. Colonel Barttelct had not observed this rule, having blended together the two questions of the malt tax and the sugar duties, He should prefer abolishing the sugar duties. Sugar appealed to the sympathies of all—of working men, their wives, ‘nd children. He acknowledged his objections to the malt tax, which appealed to the Legislature in the interest of producer and consumer, and he thought there was good ground for asking a repeal of the tax as a com pliment of the free. trade policy. If the tax was repealed, it .id not follow that the consumption of malt would largely it crease ; but other sources of revenue would become more productive without any greater consumption of intoxicating liquors. The expenditure might also be greatly reduced. Ile recommended Colonel Barttelot not to take the sense of the house on his motion, which would oblige him (Mr. Cobden) and others, favourable to a reduction of the malt tax, to vote against it. After a few remarks by Mr. BARROW in support of the motion, Mr. M. GIBSON complained that the resolution was vague and indefinite. He was no friend of the malt, tax ; but when the house was asked to assent to the proposal to reduce the tax by one•quarter it should seriously consider whether the malt tax could be so dealt with advantageously. The loss of revenue by the proposed reduction of the sugar duties would be £1,330,000 ; but a reduction of one quarter of the malt tax would cause a loss of revenue in the present year of L 1,880,000. Such a reduction in the tax would not cheapen beer, nor would it benefit the farmer. Sugar was more extensively used than beer; it entered into the consumption of every family, and no article in our tariff was of greater commercial importance. He had no doubt that the house would support the proposal of the Government. Mr. R. LONG asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Magistrates, resident in places which are exempted from th , ! operation of the Highway Act, are or are not ex-officio members of the General Highway Board of the district in which they reside. Sir G. GREY rep!ied in the negative. THE IRISH CONSTABULARY, Mr. BASS believed that the proposal to take off the war duties on sugar was generally approved. He suggested cer tain practical objeotions to a reduction instead of a repeal of the malt tax. Mr. BENTINCK suggested the difficulties with which Uapr. r.rticuD.LLr aehodt ho Ohi f c y for Ire. land if the Irish Government had directed the Inspector- Gmolal of Constabulary to recall the instructions issued to the police on the 27th of October, 1862, with reference to the Act 25 and 26 Vic., c. 114, and to issue fresh instruc tions in conformity with the provisions of the said act. Sir R. PEEL said the subject had been referred to the Irish Crown law officers. this question was complicated. He considered the repea of the malt tax was impossible without an entire revision the whole system of our taxation, and especially of the un fair and onerous portion borne by the rural districts. The CHANCELLOR of the EICIIEQUER, after a few preliminary observations, adverted to the bearing of the taxation of beer and ardent spirits upon the three kingdoms. It the malt tax was to be approached, it ought not to be approached, he said, in the manner proposed, by fractions, or without considering its relations to the whole system of 'axution upon beverages. The question then before the house was a comparison between malt and sugar, and be believed that, had the Government giv , -nn priority to malt, an outcry would have been raised upon the opposite benches. The prorosat they had made was dictated by sound policy, and he believed the house would support that proposal, which reduced the duties upon an article so intimately con nected with the welfare and comfort of the people. Mr, DISRAELI observed that the question had branched out into three distinct subjects—the expediency of a total ►epeal of the malt tax, the remission of a part of the tax, and the engagement which Parliament had entered into with the country as to the remission of taxation generally. After briefly discussing the first two subj-cts, he addressed himself to the last, which, he said, was the most important point that ought to govern the con-ideration of the house in this matter. He reviewed the circumstances under which the engagement had been entered into, and though he had not changed his opinion on the malt tax, insisted upon the duty of fulfiling that engagement with the country entered into at the period of the Crimean struggle, that the war duties should be remitted. Mr. MORRITT said, though he deprecated the manner in which the motion had been brought forward, he would never'heless back it. Upon a division, Colonel BARTTELOT'S resolution was negatived by 347 to 9 9 . The house then went into a Committee of Ways and LIGHTS FOR VESSEL 9. Mr . I3 ENTINCK asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any penalty attached to vessels not carry ing the proper lights prescribed by the Merchant Seamen's Act ; and if vessels infringing those regulations wore sub ject to penalties, what those penalties were, and what was the proper cours e to take for recovering them Mr. M. GIBSON said that, by the Merchant Seamen's Act, any infring ement of the regulations relating to the pl a cing of tnese lights in vessels subjected parties so offend ing to indictment. HARBhUR OF HOLYHEAD. Mr. STANLEY asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps were bein g t a k en to mark more distiuctl) the Platter Rocks in the Refuge H a rb our o f H o l y h ea d ? Mr. M GIB SON said that buoys wou ld b e p l ace d so as to mark distinc tl y the situation of these rocks, but there Was no decision as to any plan respecting the placing of lights in the harbour. VOLUNTEER DRILL INSTRUCTORS. General BUCKLEY asked the Under. Secretary of State fer Wur whether it wa s in contemplation to provide the drill instructors of volunteer corps clothing and accoutre ments in the same manner as if they were in a regiment of the ling ? The Marquis of HARTINGTON explained that if, in addition to the pay which these inspe ctors received, th ey w ere also to ge t c l o thi ng , it would place them in a better position than sergeants of the regiments of the line, which was not intended. ELECTION DISTURBANCES AT LISBURN. WEIITESIUE asked the Chief Secretary for Ire- Me us, when the several resolutions for giving effect to the propositions contained in the Budget were a_ reed to, after diamssion, except that on the Fira Insurano, Ditty. The Report of the Committee of Ways ind Means was brought up and agreed to. The remaining orders and motions having been disposed of, the house adjourned at a quarter past 1 o'clock. Government th© poi'cy of wnich I had strenuously opposed, I felt that there was but one course for me to adopt in so peculiar and delicate a position, and that was to cOnfine thyself to the most strictly im partial narrative of that which I myself saw or fully astettained ; to exclude politics from my correspon dence ; and, while avoiding that partisanship into which it is net difficult to be led by good will towards those with whom one daily associates, to render full justice to the army with which I lived. And this is what I have done, or at least striven to do; and I think those would be mistaken who should imagine they detected a bias in my correspondence. I could cite the names of other foreigners, now at tached in one capacity or other to the Prussian army, who, like myself, have heard with regret and disapproval of the slur attempted to be cast on the courage and discipline of its soldiers. The same hos• tile and unscrupulous tongues which announced that hundreds of executions had taken place by order of General Gableez—an officer whose gentle ness and kindness of heart are as well known as his brilliant gallantry in the field—have endeavoured to make the Pr ,. .mian soldier appear as a coward, deaf to his officer's voice, and on whom blows are well bestowed, but have little effect in the way of making him advance against an enemy. I can assure you that these young soldiers need no such stimu lus. They are obedient, well disposed, and coura geous, and an excellent spirit pervades them. They are cheerful—a quiet gaiety, not noisy and obstrepe rous—and I have never heard them repine under any fatigue, hardship, or privation. I should be surprised if proof could be given of an instance in which they did not readily follow their officers but needed driv ing on, As to the story of their being beaten to induce them to advance, none acquainted with the usages and system of the Prussian army of the pre sent day will think it worth refuting. The great fault of the Prussian soldier is his youth, which dis qualifies him for the fatigues of a long and severe campaign. In this army there is a leaven of older men. taken from the reserve ; but they are only a small minority, or rather a fraction. Most of the others are mere boys. The Guards are, perhaps, the least adapted of any to bear toil and hardship. You are aware that the Prussian conscripts are ed in their respective provinces, where those who pass hrough remain in the line regiments, white the big residue found in the sieve ate sent up to Berlin for the Guards, in whose ranks are thus assembled all the tallest men in the country. But as such men rt quire ni)re time to become formed and set and strong than smaller men do, I take the Guards to be the regiments which have the least stamina and which would soonest break down. 'They are fuil of big beardless youths. Some of the light infantry battalions, the Jagers, composed of small men, although of much the same age, are more compact in build, manly-looking, and capable of resisting hardship, The Guards are very good for a" spurt." I am told that, coming down from Jutland, some of their battalions m arched 15 German miles in 2 days. A vary good trait in the character of the Prussian soldiers is their kind treatment of their prisoners, which I have had repeated opportunities of observ ing; and even after death they show them the re spect which brave men owe to each other. In West Duppel churchyard is a cross bearing the inscription " Here lie 25 brave D,nes, who died the hero's death on the 17th of February, 1864." The cross and inscription were placed there by the soldiers of Gen. von Roeder's brigade, who buried the Danes after the sharp flea on the above date. They needed no prompting to pay this homage to the memory of a gallant foe. 1 P. M . The bombardment began at half past 10 o'clock this morning, and I have just returned from observing it, from a height near the Yenning Bund, wt etas, in clear weather, every shot fired at the first saven forts can be noted, as well as its effect. But, althlugh the deuce mist which lay over the country this morning has partly cleared away, the air is damp and heavy and no breath of wind is felt, so that the smoke, instead of rising and drifiing away, spreads over the earth and there lingers, masking much of the view. The fire is general and heavy. lam told that 96 guns ere at work to-day, and judging from what I saw and heard I should not think the estimate exaggerated. There are the mor tar batteries, erected lust nisht without opposition from the Danes, the riflA guns in both parallels, the Gammeisrnark batteries, three others on tueslme line (part of the fl ink fire) but within theVenoing Bund, a twelve-pounder battery to the right of the Roheoberg, and a 24-pounder battery on the high tank at the intican.st corner of the Band. This last. is icr the Mate Krake, should she come, which t - 3 -day she d ,es not seem ii:clined to do, but lies ow at a considerable distance from the entrance cat that inlet. It is reported that she went towards Eckerosund early !Ili, morning and was fired at b 3 tte Ainoer batteries; but I know nothing of th, truth of this. Besides the batteries enumerates and which were known, and some of them near to me, I could discern the smoke of others away towards the left, which the inequalitiesof the ground concealed from me. The fire was very steady, and at times, when the smoke fitted a little, one conic plainly see the shells and bombs plun, 4 ang into Forts 1,2, and 3, which, if anything can dilapidate hem, must be pretty well knocked about by this time. The Danes fired very little from those forts, if at all. I sometimes thought I discerned the smoke of a gun rising from one of them, but the view was so indistinct, owing to the clouds of smoke and dust, that I could not be sure it was not the i3urstiog of a Prussian shell. I certainly did not see any Danish shells burst on this side, and as they are apt to do so in a conspicuous manner, high in the air, I almost doubt whether any were fired, at least against the Prussian right. So, perhaps, the Danes continue their old tactics of shutting themselves up in their bombproofs and leaving the Prussians to blaze away to their heart's content. Later in the day we may hear something of the effects of the cannonade, but as I have to send my letter into Gravenstein, whence the post departs at half-past three, I must conclude. REUTER'S EXPRESS. COPENHAGEN, April 11. The latest reports published by the Ministry o War were as follow : " April 9. " Advices from headquarters state that the vehe mence of the enemy's fire yesterday (Friday) was very great. From the Broager batteries alone, which had remounted new guns, 1,150 shots were fired in the course of the day, while the far more vehement fire in the front could not be kept under. The enemy's parallels and batteries were advanced yes terday to within 600 paces of our left wing, and occupied by a strength of 1,000 men, notwithstand ing our energetic fire. Part of Ragebol (Rackebull) was set on fire by our projectiles. Nearly 70 wounded were brought in. The bombardment of Sonderbrirg was continued last night, but the fire was weak. "April 10. "The bombardment of the Duppel position and of the tow❑ of So:lderborg was weaker than usual yesterday, but shells were ►hrown upo❑ the ground in rear of the position. Twenty-two wounded were brought into hospital, the majority, however, only slightly hurt. " Aprit 10, Noon. " AdvicPs from headquarters ennoun,2e that yes terday and to day (Saturday and Sunday) thick fog hqs covered thu ground in front of the pobition. The. enemy has prob,bly availed hignsilf of it to extend his works. After a weak bombardment during the night fire reop , ned at 10 this morning with 2reet veht 'Bence, being specially directed to the ground in rear of the works. Occasional shells still fal into Sonderborg, but the flames they kindle are im mediately extinguished. " April 11. "The heavy fire of the enemy was kept up al yesterday unt it 7 p.m. Our loss in wounded is, how. ever, only 20 men. Duppel windmill was burn; down. THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL 15, 1864. since you, the noble people of Italy, made a gigantic step in advance towards the sacred end of unity and civil freedom. 'the sighs Which resonnded from your beautiful country over the entire universe and deeply moved all free nations were replaced by indescrib able exultation at the dawn of your regeneration, the most splendid achievement of the century. You now stand equipped, strong through concord, free dom, and dominion over a great country, caltnly and courageously awaiting 'the future, which may per haps soon lead you to new battles and victories. " When you recently fought heroically for your selves by the side of the French, you fought at the same time the battle of freedom, of civilisation, and of humanity for every people that, like yourselves, has suffered under the national arrogance and detes tation of liberty manifested by German powers. Bur, Italians, many of your countrymen stand now in the Austrian ranks, side by side with Poles, Magyars, and Czechs, fighting for a cause alike hateful to you and to us. This fact hasfilled our hearts with sorrow. Hundreds of Venetians have fallen in battle or have succumbed to the hardships of a winter campaign in our rigorous climate, and yet we have no quarrel with you. The nation situated between us—a nation greedy of conquest and hostile to liberty—is your enemy and ours. Recently it was you who waged war against this people to free a portion of your country from its domination. Its arrogance then was humbled; it wag pressed back within narrower fron tiers, and compelled to accede to a degrading peace. It is now our turn—a small nation hardly a tenth part as numerous as yours—to maintain a life and death struggle against this same enemy. He sends out his hordes upon a foray against us, and relying upon the circumstance that a number of Germans have immi , grated into Schleswig and have been hospitably re ceived, supports Germany in her attempt to gain possession of this ancient Danish freedom. He desires to rob us of our nationality and our civil freedom, which are our strength and our pride. He endeavours to gain eVisfaction from little Denmark for the humiliation 3o r hive inflicted upon 1 i at.d to re o or ft0, ,1 us the a. re s Hoy, from han by ) eroism. "I ss a t i ter exrerience 'hat the peop es of E ope dv de t ei fo ces %* he t (F , endeavour ang ea h nation o, , o resist opp ess n d wro g. It is a b tter exper enco Powers wt o a or fre .cout et,nn ng,y know how to over throwthe'r opp rrenta singly, aveilir g them. teves of oe c nye, ed oatio t enclave t‘ e-. " ItalibnA I 3 oar cause :a s are I d will 8( m day prevail. You command resources which mea sure themEelve s with those of the eoemy. Our cause too is holy ; we fight fir our lives and our hopes, and, although in spite of the enormous superiority of the enemy we are not by al,' means vanquished, a heavy bu• de 3 sets upon our th)uld,ls. The por tion of our country adjoining Germany is overrun by the enemy, and we stud alone—alone agLi9st two of the first military powers of Eurcp. We are unable to expel them from the peninsula. It is true that we are still more than a match for the enemy at sea, and can inflict on them sensible losseB n that element; but even these will be lessened .t Austria should find herself able to despach a large division of her fleet from your waters, manned by Sour seamen, to watch our coasts. " If wa are still compelled to stand 01( ne in futlL e, we mutt ultimately succumb. Victory shall east the enemy cl ar, if he attain it; and many more will follow those who have already met their death upon the t allefields of Schleswig and Jutland. But, Italian brothers! if Germany is now permitted to vanquish us, you will have lost an ally who labours for the same object as your selves, who fights for freedom, for right, for coun try, and for honour. "We send you our greeting in fraternal affection." Progress of the Thames Embankment. SPIRIT OP THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. A sub-committee of the Board of Works, from the grand committee, under whose supervision and control the exten sive works intended to form the northern embankment of the Thames is confided,with their engineer, Mr. Bazalgetto, a few days since inspected the wc.rks at Westminster-bridge, and the several points on the line eastward, where large bodies of men, under the direction of the contractors, Messrs. Furness and Ritson, are employed in the prelimi nary arrangements for the construction of the new em bankment and street from Westminster to Blackfriars bridge, and thence to the Mansion-house. Subjoined we furnish an account of the prescnt state of the works, and also an outline of those connected with this great project TIMES.—Those who have followed the operations of the Schleswig campaign are aware that the siege of Dybbel is being pressed with increasing vigour by the Prussians, and that in a few days it is likely that a general assault will be thadei The telegraph informs us that firing has begun frane the third parallel. Our correspondent, writing nearly a week ago, speaks of the terrific fire which the Prussians were pouring in. The shot and shell thrown by them averaged ten in the minute, thus re calling the hottest days of the siege of Sebas topol. It is not matter for wonder that the Prussians should thus bring all their strength to bear on the Danish positions. Tne war has been throughout one for reputation and influence, and the Prussian Government thinks its honour and its position in Germany involved in success against these obstinate Northmen. Unhappily the former actions did not give its soldiers the opportunity of distinguishing themselves; the Austrians carried off the chief credit of these encounters, and the fiercer rivalry which subsists between Prti.°Biarla and Danes forbids the former to refrain from the con flict without having inflicted on their enemies a signal defeat. On the other hand, the Danes are as obstinate as ever. Tney have suffered and are suffering mueh. The enemy vastly outnumbers them. They have fewer in their camp. They are exposed to the inclemencies of the weather far more than their enemy, because the smallness of their numbers makes their work more incessant. " The Danish army," says 'our correspondent, "begins to suffer from over-exertion nearly as much as it did when it was deemed expedient to remove it from the Dennewerk." And yet there is not the smallest inclination to yield. The Copenhagen Government would probably not allow another re Treat. In spite of the 14 bet.eriee from which the Germans are pouring in their shells continually, in spite of a numerous enemy ever threatening an attack, the Danes are apparently determined to hold out to the last. The enthusiasm of the nation, the pride of the soldiers, the conviction that in fighting for Schleswig they are fighting for a province essen tial to the very existence of the monarchy, inspire them to bear up under all the ills which exhaustion, sickness, and the sword of the enemy are bringing upon them. If there were no Conference in prospect ; if there were no public opinion in Europe; if there were no rival Austrians looking upon the Prussian soldier; if there were no France with its immense armaments and its uncertain policy ; if there were no rear et continuing too long the anxieties raised by this struggle, the Prussians might br content to i.ro long the siege and wear out the Danes by the slow process which is now going on at Dybbol. But there is reason to believe that a bolder and more adventurous style of warfare will be attempted. L is desired to raster the Danish positions before the Representatives in the cowing Conference can meet and give utterance to the opinions on the war which are held by all neutral nations. Bed as the matter is now, gratuitous as is the slaughter, it would be worse if the Prussians were to be pouring shells among the army of a Power with which their Go vernment was engaged in negotiations. We cannot but think, therefore, that the vigour with which the siege has been pressed during the last fortnight betokens that an assault will be made on the whole Danish position within a few days. If this be so, we may expect the most bloody battle of the war to ensue. fhe D Ines are inferior in number to their adversaries, but in case of an assault they would be fighting behind their own works, in a position they have been strengthening for weeks, and they would be roused to the greatest effaets by the belief that a signal repulse of the enemy would restore their own reputation, stained by their retreat from the Dannewerk—and that it might possibly lead to the intervention of other Powers. It is a painful thought that at any bour we may beer of a sengui nary conflict, entirely useless, only enge,;ed . in to satisfy the miserable point of honour, and certain not only to cause untold human suffering, but to el:- gender hatreds which wili survive for years, and perhaps nullify all the labours of the coming Confer ence. Is it impossible, then, even at this hour, to prevail on these belligerents to consent to an armis tice ? Surely enough has been done for honour and military reputationand the demands of the German people ? Toe Danes have proved the sturdy valour of tt eir race; every one who has seen their army agrees that it is composed of men whom any nation might be proud to match in the field. It they sheathe the sword to-day, they are certain of the respect of Europe for the gallant manner in which they have made their stand against the great :armies of Germany. We say this because the objec tions to the armistice were at first very strong on the part of Denmark, from the belief that its army had a certain part of its renown to recover by a Tart her resistance. But it is, of course, with the Germans that the decision must really rest. The Danes are on the defensive, and will not stir out of D 3 bbol. lf, then, the Prussians will simply withhold their fire for a few days, until the Con ference meets and the Representatives agree, if possible, on some preliminary principles, an armis tice will be actually eetebliehed, and all that the friends of humanity can desire wilt be accom plished. We cannot but hope that the Prussian and Austrian Governments will refrain from press ing on these bootless operations. Can Prussia suppose that any real reputation, any permanent credit its history, will be gained by driving the Danes across the Sound into Aisen? The neighbours of Prussia know what her military resources are ; she has shown that her regiments are brave, well com manded, excellently armed, and that she possesses an artillery highly creditable to the military edmini— teation of Berlin. What more can the Prussians desire ? If ever a time comes for them to measure themselves with any great Power of Europe, their enemy will juei4e their strength by his own observe ion of the efficiency t et their armies, and not by any ' remembrance of their hav:ogi after grievous losses, stormed the works of Dybbol. Lord Clarendon is now in Paris, communicating with the French Go vernment on these Danish questions. As a member of the Cabinet, he is able to speak with ai:thortle and the object of his mission is to unite the twee Go vernments by a &ear understanding of each othet''S views before the conference meets. The postpone went from the 12th to the 20th wes at the request of Prussia and Austria, in order that the Federal Diet might be able to choose its representative. Aithougn this delay mar possibly be the cause of bloodshed at the seat of war, it has bad the good ffect of enabling the two Governments to commu nic4e orally by means of a member of t he Cabinet accustomed to diplomacy and to foreign Courts. Every friend of peace will hope that Lord Claren don will be able to induce the Emperor to join this country in placing before the German Powers a se tied scheme for the reconstitution of the D inish monarchy, and urging it upon their acceptance. But a scarcely less desirable result of the mission would be the establishment of an armistice, either formally by agreement between the belligerents, or practically by the cessation of the Prussian fire. If Lord Clarendon can prevail on the Emperor to urge this humane proceeding on the Prussian Govern ment, the Conference will meet with better chances of success, and the questions may be debated with more deliberation, than if Germans and Danes were destroying each other in a useless siege. _ _ . The contract numbered " 1" in the working drawings is being carried out under the superintendence of Mr, Lovick, one of the engineers of the board, the contractor being Mr. George Furness, and the amount of the contract £5 !0,000. This portion of the embankment extends from Westmin ster to Waterloo-bridges, and about 250 ft eastward thereof. It is 3,740 ft in 1-ngth, and will consist of a m Diu l ri< k embankment or retaining wall, faced with granite and backed with concrete, At the b ick of this wall one of the main drainage sewers, called the " low level sewer," is to be con structed of a circular form varying from 7tt 9in to Bft 3in in diameter. With this sewer the following will be connected, and consequently intercepted from discharging sewage into ►he Thames, namely, the Northumberland-street sewer, the Victoria-street sewer, that of Regent-street, and the Savoy -street sewer, weirs, or safety channels in large cham bers will be attached to the main sewer for the purpose of letting uff Into the Thames the flood waters in periods of storm. On the top of the low level sewer, a subway (for gas and water pipes, itc.) 7ft 3in high, by 9ft wide, will be built. Steamboat piers will also be constructed. That at Westminster-bridge will be about 300 ft in length; that at Ilungerford 509, and that at Waterloo 480 ft. The cele brated" watergate" erected by Inigo Jones, and at the pre sent time standing at the bottom of Buckingham-street, will be carefully removed and re-erected opposite to Whitehall gardens. It will be thoroughly renovate° and restored, and sustained upon an arch and wall of rusticated work, and forming landing stairs ; the improvements and alterations being from the designs of the chief engineer of the Board of Works, Mr. Bazalgette, Tha whole work of the line of embankment will be formed with wrought iron caissons, the main caissons immediately facing the river being about 12ft long and 7ft wide, their form being elliptical. These main caissons will be sunk through all the superficial strata into the London clay. One of these caissons has been sunken already to a depth of aboat 363 below Trinity high-water mark, and they will continue to be lowered along the line as rapidly as possible. The pre liminary works of pile-driving for guides for the cais sons, for jetties, landing places, travelling cranes, steam pumping, and engineer's work in general, have at the western end of the embankment been some time in hand, and are in several instances completed. Of course these are but temporary works, intended to endure only until the completion of each section of the intended structure, but they are the essentially necessary extension parts of a work of this vast and complex character, whilst they necessarily consume much of the time permitted for the completion of the work itself as a whole, The pile driving in the No. contract commenced in December last, and has been actively proceeded with since; and the "filling in" of the wharves, &c., has been going on with rapidity, and along a considerable extent of frontage for some time. The formal order to Mr. Furness, the con tractor, was delayed in consequence of the difficulty expe rienced in obtaining possession of the wharves, and even up to the present time only a few of those required have been obtained, The order alluded to was given on the 16th Feb. last. Mr. Furness is the same contractor who has so sue cesefully carried out the northern outfall main drainage sewer and the northern reservoirs for the Metropolitan Board. The time allowed for the completion of this branch of the work i 6 three years only. PosT.—The House of Commons, by a majority of three hundred and forty-seven against ninety-nine, have decided on the expediency of remitting the duty on sugar in preference to that upon malt. The rival claims advanced on the part of these com modities to a remission of taxation in many re spects resembled those put forward three years ago on behalf of paper and tea respectively. Al that time it was urged that, in the interests of the labouring classes, the surplus at the disposal of the Chancellor of the Exchequer should be made available for the reduction of the impost on a corn-' rnodity which had 11 come a necessary of life; and n )w, curiously enough, those who are opposed to Mr. Gladstone's present scheme adopt. d a similar line of argument when they demanded a re mission of the tax upon malt in preference to a re duction of that upon sugar. It was comparatively easy to demonstrate, three years sine , -, that the labouring classes needed cheap focd more than they did cheap literature; but, last evening, those who -upported Col. Barttelot's resolution found them selves obliged to contend that beer was to the work ing man even more necessary than sugar. In an other particular the 'opponents of the Government laboured under a greater disadvantage than they did on the occasion ot the memorable contest of paper versus tea. The available surplus at that time it, the lo.,nds of the Chancellor of the Exchequer would have been equally esti itisted had 'he counter pro position of the Opposition been accepted ; whereas, in the present instance, the advocates of a repeal in the malt tax would scarcely have been contented unless such a reduction were effected as would have absoi bed a much larger portion of the existing sur. plus than could have been fairly appropriated to it, regard being had to other cieirns the sufficiency ot which is universally acknowledged. It is manifest that in all questions of remission of taxation there are two poi.lts essentially distinct from each other which must be taken into consideration. The one is the extent of benefit conferred upon the commu nity, and the other the (-Tot produced upon the Exchequer. Now, it is not too much to say that the latter of these was entirely ignored by those speakers last night who advocated the remission o' the duty upon malt. It was asserted, indeed, bS Colonel Barttelot, and those who supported his re solution, that in the case of malt, as in that of other commodities upon which taxation has been remitted, increased consumption would in time replenish tb. Exchequer to the extent of its immediate loss. Bu that assertion was supported solely by empty sur mins; which the eip ti ritnce of the put niubt cow. The contract No. 2 is under the engineering superintend ence of Mr. Cooper, the contractor being Mr. Ititson. It was let on the 18th Oecember last, the amount being £229,000. This portion of the great whole extends from and eanward of No. 1, already described, to the eastern end of the gardens of the Inner Temple. It is in length about 1,970 Wet, of similar construction, and will have a steamboat pier and landing stairs at Essex-street. Both Contracts have int,r- cepting sewers formed in and under the foreshore of the river for the purpose of taking the collateral sewers and drains which at present discharge their contents along the shore, much to the annoyance of the nearer residents and the thousands who are conveyed by steamboats, &c., along the river, The preliminary arrangements in the case of No. 2 contract are not so far advanced as in that of No. 1, but the pile driving and filling in has commenced, and is being vigorously proceeded with. The contract No. 3is not yet settled. This portion join that of No. 2 at Temple-gardens, and pass along east ward to Chatham-plate, Blacklriars, and join the new street leading to the Mansion house, but its exact line has not yet been agreed upon, nor has it yet been determined whether the under surface of the embankment and new street is to be used for railway purposes, these propositions still waiting the final decision of Parliament Persons who have been in the .habit of paying weekly as borrowers of Sewing Machines will L'o well to apply at once and become members of Messrs. Watts and Co.'s Sewing Machine Clubs. By so doing they will not only save the money they now foolishly th row away, but , qt the same time secure to themselves the p ossess i on of one of the best and most celebrated sewing mac hi nes in the world. Every in formation given on application; or by letter address, 'd, with a stamped envelope, to Messrs. Watts .ind Co., 12, ileaLfort buildings, Strand, London, W.C., where men , re are t,7 11 ;oiled daily between 10 and 4; Saturdays, 10 MICA pal us to distrust. It is easy to show that, consiS. tently with that commercial policy which has now for several years been successfully prosecuted by this country, the malt tax should, if possible, be repealed, and that argument would possess great weight if malt was the sole commodity which was similarly circumstanced. But however invidious may be the task, we are now compelled to decide between two imposts, both of them heavy, end. both of them affecting seriously the price of articles of daily consumption in the homes of the labouring classes. The malt tax, Colonel Barttelot urges, has been condemned for many years past, and the autoority of Sir Robert Peel was c ited by the gallant member to show that on th e re p eal of the corn laws that tax should have been re" spitted. But on the opposite side the Ch ancellor of the Exchequer, as guardian of the publ ic p arse, I when twitting his financial statement, poin ted out that altnough in the year 1829 the beer du t y was repealed, and the malt tax practically l essened by half, still, during the time which has since ela p sed, that fopost had never realised within one q uarter of the tt;," l proceeds of the combined taxes Pr e ' ... viously. If, nerefore, within a period of five -aod• thirty years the 9xchequer has not recovered the lossflflicted by the ."emission of the beer duty , 013° is justifieJ in doubting the soundness of the con elusions of those who . confidentl y declare thex although a remission ot one 11, 111 would diminish the revenue to the extent :El £3,000,000, yet the greater pot; ion of that i.on. would speedily be compensated by ti: e of the existing tao,. g eatlyi creased consumption of a commodity would by this means be considerably eh: a P en tlen Mr. Cobden placed the matter in its true light w he said that it was a short-sighted policy to ra . an antagonism between malt and sugar. s o lock as taxation exists there must be certain classes o: ,Chose price the community, whether producers, traders, or con" sumers, who will conceive themselves more bercl i r dealt with than others by the imposition of certain,. burdens. But this arises from the necessity things, and under any financial system, howeve r impartially conducted, is inevitable. When an opportunity presents itself for the remission of toss tion, each particulcr class will conceive that its, claims to obtain a 'von which cannot be granted to all are paramount; and hence discussion such So that in which the House of Commons was engage d last evening can occasion no surprise. But tea Government is compelled to act upon broad g eneral principles, and, when enabled to release the taxpaye r from a portion of his burden, must not look to the interests of isolated sectiors of the community' hut to the common good of all. Nur can • Min'ster of Finance lose sight of the demands 01 the State, and the necessity of maintaining at s fitting standard the revenues of the country. Speyk" iog generally, it may be said that in the remission ot taxation the Boum:lest policy is to diminish the imposts upon those articles which are most largely' consumed, and which there is the greatest reason to believe will, through increased consumption, ulti' mately compensate the State for a present abandon' ment of revenue. Viewed thus, there can exist no doubt in the mind of a dispassionate inquirer tha t the Government exercised a sound discretion i° proposing a remission of the duty on sugar in pre: ference to that upon malt. The statistics of the Po" few years have shown that whilst the c o nsumpue i ti of the latter commodity has been comparati ve i stationa'y, that of the former has progressively en vastly increased. The reduction of the duty e ll sugar must, however, have the effect of still furthe r increasing the consumption of that article, and t hili recouping the revenue a large portion of its inane: diate ices. That the same result would have folloview on the remission of the malt tax is extremely pre' biematicel. The immense majority by which the House of Commons decided in favour of the Govern" went proposal proves, if proof were necessary, be y/ thorougnl satisfied the country is with that systesl of finance which has produced the astonishing results that, a week since, the Chancellor of 0° Exchequer was en,,hled to publish to the world. THE WAR IN DENMARK. From the limes Special arresponclent with the Anted _Armies.) BROACKER, April 10. At four o'clock this morning I was roused by the alarm bugle, and hurried out in Lull expectation that the Danes had tardily resolved to attack their enemy in the trenches —an attack which, were a little more audacity and dash combined with the numerous heroic qualities their friends attribute to them, tb,53, would long ago have made. It seemed unlikely, however, that, having neglected former opportunities, they would now attempt to carry out such a design. Batteries of rifled:guns and mortars were last night to be established behind the second parallel ; the work was doubtless done before the alarm was given, and the Dines would have met a warm reception. I hurried up to the church, how. ever, to see in what direction the fighting was, but found such a dense fog—the continuation of one which lasted all yesterday—that I could not see a hundred yards ahead. No sounds of cannon or musketry were audible, and soon I learnt that a counter order had been given and saw the troops returning to their quarters. The order to turn out was said to have come by telegraph from Graven stein, but what occasioned it to be given I have not yet heard. The bombardment is expected to begin at nine o'clock this morning; and I am informed that 100 pieces of artillery, mortars, heavy siege guns, and rifled guns of various calibres up to 2d• pounders, carrying steel-pointed shells upwards of 501 b. in weight, will then be in a position and playing upon the enemy in front and flank. I yesterday got a packet of English papers up to the 6th inst., this being the fit s t time that a paper has reached me here in due course of post, I per ceive that, as I expected, the bombardment of Sonderborg causes a strong sensation in Eoglar d. watch, if ail its circumstances ure t.r; related by the Danes, is not at ail urpri:ng. I wrote to you some time ago, just after the Prussians had thrown a few shells into the town to ascertain if they could reach it at will, that, when the assault on Dapper forts took place Sonderborg would be burnt down ; and I still believe that it tnen was the intention to leave the place unmolested until that supreme act of the siege. What has induced departure from that decision lam unable to say. Bearing in mind that, after the Duppel position is taken the Dines have another strong one on the shores of Alsen Sund, it is quite conceivable that the attacking party should desire to produce confusion and dismay, and, if necessary, convert retreat into rout by a conflag ration in the enemy's rear. But the object at the present time of so prolonged a bombardment as the telegrams from Uikebol and Copenhagen announce to have taken place is to me a mystery. That the Prussians should have bombarded on Saturday after noon and Sunday merning (the 2d and 3d inst.) is intelligible, Their object was to occupy the atten tion of the Danes on this side while they effected their crossing at Ballegaard. That they should have prolonged their fire against Sonderborg for 48 hours is inexplicable ; still more so that they should have done it (if this be true) without giving to the civil authorities of the place the notice customary in such oases. On this latter point I have no official infor mation, and I of course cannot venture to contradict the positive assertion from the other side on hearsay evidence. I believe nobody here was aware to what an extent the town had been bombarded, and at Flensburg the other day I heard the damage done estimated at some 20 houses burnt down. The firing is said to have beau from more than one battery,and it is scarcely possible exactly to ascertain thenumber of shell used, but unless the Danes keep a regular register of the projectiles as they fall I cannot believe that 1,500 were thrown. The estimate here is about ens-sixth of that number. On Sunday morning the fire was seen from this side to break out in Sonderborg. The burning was in rear of the Schloss, generally knoevu as the barracks. The vio lent gale Which blew o❑ that day prohtbly pre vented the conflagration from extending itself to the upper and principal portion of the town. lie fire seemed to corsanence with t wo or three houses visible at the west of the barracks, behind which large building it then spread, and its progresscouia be traced only by the flames end smoke which the wind drifted away far to the south-east. A southerly wind would probably have seduced the greater part of the town to -ashes. As it is, from the o..)servatory beyond toe Genanesinerk batteries, whence the best view of Sonderborg is obtains, no traces or the late disaster are to be ch.tected, bur the town appears just as usual. I am at present unable to explain or justify the bombardments of Fredericia and Sonderborg, neither of which appears to have been a miliiary necessity or to have yielded any advantage to the allies. After throwing shell for two days into F:•e dericia, they suddenly left the vicinity of the place, drew back their outposts, headquarters came down to Flensburg, and the idea of taking the place seems entirely laid aside. As regards the bombardment of Sonderborg, the Prussians had a perfect right to proceed to itif they thought that thereby they show d favour their attack on Dappel, deprive the enemy of resources, reduce him to shifts for shelter, and in other ways incommode and distress him. The objectionable part of the proceeding is the not having given notice of the intention, so as to en able the inhabitants to withdraw themselves and their property. The onus is of course upon the Prussian commanders to prove, if they can, that they did what is customary and right in such cases. If the shelling of Sonderborg, or at least its com mencement, was brought about by the desire to favour the projected crossing at Ballegaard, it is a strong additional reason fur regretting that the pro- ject in question should ever have been cenceived and attempted to be carried out. There seem now to be scarcely two opinions as to its rashness and impracticability. The unlucky egg had been, I sus pect, for some time hatching, bat the most profound secrecy had been observed respecting it. On the afternoon of the 2d I was going down to Flensburg, and met, near Eckernsund, a staff officer of rank. He spoke about the bridges hard by, of which one had been taken up for repairs, and the other was to have been removed, but perhaps would be allowed to remain, as it seemed pretty strong. More heavy artillery was expected up, and it was necessary to see to the strength of the bridges. This struck me as rather strange, as artillery usually comes up by the high road from Gravenstein, which, although longer, is far better adapted to the easy passage of guns than the narrow and often heavy country road from Treppe, by Eckernsund, to Broacker. A few hours later the second bridge was broken up and the pontoons were on their way to Ballegaard. But, secret though the plan was kept, the Danes were warned in time. I see in a telegram of the sth from Copenhagen the following piece of intelligence, " A pontoon train has been seen near B illegaard ;" nothing more. They are sly dogs, those Danes. They would hare the Prussians believe this is all they know, and by feigning ignorance lure them to a second attempt, more disastrous perhaps than the first. I know, trom sure authority, that, little more than 24 hours after the time the crossing was to have been tried, there were abundant indications on the Alsen shore,—indications plainly to be de tected through the g less from B tllegaard, that Dines were completely on their guard, as I have little doubt that They equally were at the time the 20,000 men were there assembled. There were look outs, chains of posts, and at the door of one house sentries were posted, apparently indicating the presenoe of an officer of high rank. My belief is —and it is that of not a few others—that the Danes would desire 130 better than to see the Prussians attempt the crossing in question. I remark some natural disgust among the Prus sian officers at the falsehoods propagated by the Danes with regard to the conduct of their men in the field, of their refusing to go on, and of entreaties and blows being employed, but in vain, to induce them to advance against the enemy. When I first joined the headquarters of the Prussian army, somewhat against the wishes, as I believe, of its principal commanders, and by the Authotiiation of a DANISH ADDRESS TO ITALY. A very large public meeting, under the manage ment of respectable persons of every class, was held here on Saturday evening, at which the following address to the Italian people was proposed ana unanimously adopted : " Italian Brothml—A fevue7rs only have olapscd COUNTRY MARKETS. BIRMINGHAM—THURSDAY. There was a large supply of wheat to-day, and Engli 6b sorts met a dull sale, at is per qr decline on previous cito" rations. Foreign wheat is 6d cheaper. Barley unaltered. Oats rather adc anced in price. Beans and peas ruled firol: —English wheat was sold at 40s to 45a for white, and 3°' to 438 per 36 stone for red. Barley, new malting, 30s t° 38s per qr; grinding. 24s to 28s Oats, old, 22s to 30 0 per 80 stone ; Irish, 18s to 245. Beans, 34s to 40s per qr. Peas, 32s to 42s per 36 stone. BURTON. ON- TR ENT—THURSDAY. A fair show of grain at our market, and prices were till' changed Old white wheat..4sB to 47s I Old red wheat 4os to 49 New do. 44s to 47s I New do. 3Bs to 4.1 g Malting barley....33s to 378 I Oats 19s to Os Grinding d0.....V8 to 30s I Beans 36 s to 42$ MANCHESTER—THURSDAY. nd A very limited attendance at our market to-day , English wheat met with a dull sale, at 6d to Is per qunrde' cline without leading to business. Flour a very slow sale , and 6d per sack lower in prices. Oats and oatmeal seer° gull, at about former rates. English beans 6d per quartet higher in value, but Egyptian were unaltered. Indian cola was the turn in favour of buyers. BRISTOL—THURSDAY. „a at English wheat iu moderate supply this morning , 0 - -- : h about the currency of this day week. Foreign met Wit,' an exceedingly stow demand. Fine molting barley a s teaof sole ; grinding sorts in limited sale, and declining in Plt e ; Oats scarce, and late prices were maintained. For tag" very little inquiry. EDINBURGH GRAIN—APRIL 13. To. day there was a Lair supply of wheat, which ine t slow sale at about last week's prices. Wheat on the top 2s 6d down ..average is 10d dovgl. Barley on the top 26 Od down average Oats on the top is Od down.... age Beans on the top 2s Cd dc w n average Os 2a Aveiage Prices. Wheat 37s 3d I Oats 2os average Os a s 6 1 d d a d p. wa o • 33$ Barley .. 30s lld Beans Total Supply and Sales. Wheat .. 920 qrs Sold 519 qrs 8ar1ey........ 1112 qrs Sold 529 qrs Oats Beans 391 qrs Sold 437 qrP A d. Flour sells as follows :—Whites, 39s Od ; extras, 370 v ' superfine, 35s Od ; fine, 33s Od. Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS . .0 L E. .ctstralia and Mauritius, via Southampton April It via Marseilles MO 1 irazil and Cape Verds, by British packet. MaY, A.". '4g. ape of Good Hope, Ascension, and Si. Helena. ApriL is. ~ lhina, Penang, and Singapore, via Southampton.. April 0 via Marseilles April Falkland Islands l- Gibraltar, via Southampton ..... April 's. India ‘Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton Ar il' ig via Marseilles April ~A India (Bombay), via Southampton April S via Marseilles April! Portugal..., NO ' 'I I S ' ytalta, Egypt, and Adel, via Southampton A p ril 21• via Marseilles April "': Newfoundland .. April l' r Oporto and Vigo U. S. and British N. America, by Brit. packet.... April by U.S. packet.... ~ 15 by Cam; dian packet.APri: ..„ W.C. of Africa, Madeira, and Teneritfe April A Bahamas, via New York Viexico .... April .: 11 parts of West Indies, including Chili, Peru, 1 Apr il 2 0 California. and British Columbia.. [ADVERNSEMENT.j—HoIIoway's Oinlment is a wota! ie r' ful remedy tor bad legs, whether caused by external I;i* lenca or reulting from cold, erysipelas , varicose ie; gout, or rheumatism. The deepest ulcerations of the yield to the powers of this unguent with the same ret , ness and the same certainty as the simplest scratch.og slightest inflammation ot the skin. The heat and siDar t ? of scalds and burns are checked at once by this rootbll3go applic ttion, and the progress of the cure, to the suffaeoe, astonishmeut and delight, proceeds in its paintul Na t o This important fact should induce every one having,. 0 . charge of children always to keep this pPin-saving aPPLithe tion within reach. Holloway's Ointment will spar e child torture and the mother anxiety. Births. ELrunrsTortE.—On the 13th inst., at 45. Cadogan'll s i the wire of Howard Warburton Elphinstone, Egg,' - daughter. HAzELDINE. —On the 13th inst , at Oaklands, God °3llBP • the wile of G. J. Hazeldine, of e; daughter. AAP* MARSHALL.—On the 13th inst , at 19, Leinster - P r- d Hyde-park, the wife of W. J. Marshall, Eo c i l - daughter. Marriages. FRYER—SKEET.—On the 14th inst., at St. Saviour's, h er dington, Christopher, eldest son of the late Christog;ol Fryer, EA., of Chancery-lane, t3JaneCatheral e 4, 6 „ e dea' daughter of the late Robert Skeet, Esq., of Nv."' terrace, Maida-hill. f l es* TURNER—GAExErE.—On the 14th inst. , St. 06— to Piccadilly, Witham Turner, of Cheltenhophsv. Louisa Carteretta, youngest daughter of the late Re/' T. Garnett, M,A. Deaths. f oot, BEvAN.—On the 12th inst., at Lower CslthsrPe-5,164. E iward Bevan, late of Milford-wharf, St r and, ag e ' k ,l:l s ELLicE —On the 13th inst., at Edinburgh, listberifas f'r". Gordon Ellice, the wife of Edward Ellice, E , GI. , L ' LL „; ; d i e HoLmEs.—On the 13th inst., at 17 Lanark villas , 't at ., o l vale, Edward Holmes, Esq., fate of Rotterdam, 9. 83. PERFECT —On the 13th inst., at Hammersmith, Tholliag W, C. Perfect, Esq., M.R.C.S., aged 88. 1 . g0 160, STAPLES.—On the 12th inst. , suddenly , M. `"— Esq., of Knight's-hill, Norwood, aged 77. SToRT —On the 12th inst., at 31, blildmay - pa rk, Story, &cf., aged 35. WTATT.—On the 12th inst., Hugh Wy att, Esq., of Ciol' bury, and Court Wick, Suusex, ANp, „, s, London : Printed and rrbilsnect by WILLIA.g. of No. 112. Strand, Printer, at TuE SUN °Mee Strand, the Precinct of file 11170 y, A the CoU.IIP- Aliddlesex.--Friday, Arril 15, 1851. -I