The Sun. — London, England, 1854-02-06 00:00:00

%Tlittb ilatttoit+ SUN OFFICE, Seven o'clock. TATTERSALL'S. (THIS EVENING.) DERBY STEEPLECHASE. 7to 2 agst Diana. 6to 1 agst Victress. 6to 1 agst Daphne. Bto 1 agst Spring. LIVERPOOL STEEPLECHASE. 7to 1 agst Miss Mowbray. 9to 1 agst Half-and-Half. 15 to 1 agst Bourton (taken). 100 to 6 agst La Gazza Ladra (offered). CHESTER CUP. 20 to 1 agst Star of Surrey (taken freely). 25 to 1 agst Newminster (taken). 25 to 1 agst Peggy (taken). 28 to 1 agst Nabob (taken). DERBY. 9to 2 agst Autocrat (to some money). Bto 1 agst King Tom (to some money). 13 to 1 agst Dervish (taken). 25 to 1 agst Ruby (taken). 25 to 1 agst Wild Huntsman (taken). 25 to 1 agst Acrobat (taken). 33 to 1 agst Andover (taken). IMPERIAL PARLIAM•ENT. HOUSE OF LORDS-(THIS EVENING.) The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at 5 o'clock. CRIMINAL CODE OF MALTA. In reply to a question of th e E ar l of SHAFTESBURY, The Duke of NEWCASTLE was understood to say as the new criminal co d e of Malta had received a pproval- of the a u th or i t i es of the island, the t th h a e t Government did not think it right to send it back for reconsideration, and they proposed that the whole, with the exception of the chapter relat ing to religious offences, should be put in force by an Order of Council. This chapter would be deferred for further consideration. IRREGITLA.RITY OF THE MAILS. In answer to a NOBLE LORD, Lord CANNING said no one was more sensible than himself of the inconvenience arising from the irregularity in the working of mails on the different railways. By means of afriendly communication an understanding had been come to for the adoption of a system of mutual fines between the General Post-office on the one hand and railway companies on the other, for the purpose of checking any irregularities on either side. This, he believed, would have the desired effect ; but if not, he should feel it his duty to apply to Parliament for further pavers to remedy the evils com plained of. DISTRICT SCHOOLS. Lord LYTTLETON inquired whether it was the in tention of the Government to propose any measure upon the subject of district pauper schools. The Earl GRANVILLE replied that the subject was now under the consideration of Lord Palmerston, and it was hoped that a measure with reference to it would be intrcduced into Parliament this session. WAR WITH RUSSIA. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE said as it appeared that all negotiations with Russia were not yet quite at an end, he would not, as he had intended, enter to-night into a discussion on the question of " peace or war," lest doing so might interfere with those negotiations ; yet so critical had become the position of affairs that Parliament must be correctly informed upon it before many days elapsed. (Hear, hear.) He proposed, _ . however, to ask the noble lord some questions with reference to points of some interest to the country First, whether any answer had been received from the Czar to the proposals recently made by the Vienna Conference ? Next, what was the present state of our diplomatic arrangements with the court of St. Peters burg ? The Earl of CLARENDON said he was . much obliged to the noble marquis for the consideration he had shown in postponing any discussion prejudicial to the slight chance which still remained of terminating the differ ences between Russia and the Porte. (Hear, hear.) Though the Government had reason to believe that the answer of the Emperor of Russia to the Vienna proposals would be of a negative character, it was not till Friday that they had any positive intimation of the fact. This afternoon they received an official statement of the facts from Vienna. It was only on the 2d instant that the conference was again called together. He had not yet had time to communicate the despatch to his colleagues. He had only shown it to the noble lord at the head of the Government, and he did not think it proper, there. fore, to enter into details at present. Still it was right to inform the house that the proposal was inadmissable, and could not be sent to Constantinople. With respect to the second question, Baron Brunow called on him (Lord Clarendon) at the Foreign office and placed in his hands'a note, in which he said that the answer he had received from the English Government was not of a kind to permit him to continue diplomatic relations with this country; and that diploma tic relations between England and Russia must be suspended. Baron Brunow also informed him that it was his intention to leave London early this morning. It was his (Lord Clarendon's) desire, in the course of the week, to lay without fail before the house the .note of Bann Brunow, together with the despatch of Count Nesselrode, and his answer to that despatch. (Hear.) The Earl of ELLENBOROUH said he had always expressed the opinion that all the negotiations would terminate in nothing but war, and he trusted th e Govern ment would not be deluded by recent circumstances into 'not making every possible preparation for suchan event. He had no doubt we were at the commencement of the most formidable war in which the country had ever been engaged. (Hear, hear.) ) 6 , After a brief discussion, The Marquis of CLANRICARDE gave notice that he would bring forward the discussion on this day week (as we understood). Lord CLARENDON said the same instructions had been sent to our ambassador at St. Petersburgh, which bad been transmitted by Russia to Baron Brunow with regard to his relations with this country. Their Lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS—(THIS EVENING.) The SPEAKER took the chair shorty before 4 o'clock. NEW MENIBEEZ. Mr. BEA3IISH took the oaths and his seat for Cork, in the room of Sergeant Murphy, appointed a Commis sioner of the Insolvent Court. NEW WRIT. On the motion of Sir WILLIAM JOLLIFFE, a new writ was ordered for the election of a knight of the shire for the southern division of Devonshire, in the room of Sir Ralph Lopes, Bart., deceased. PRIVATE BILLS. On the motion of Mr. BROTHERTON, leave was given to bring in a large number of private bills, in re spect of which the standing orders had been complied with. The hon. member afterwards brought in the bills, which were severally read a first time. PETITIONS. Col. PHIPPS presented a petition from Bridgwater, praying that active operations might be taken against Russia in favour of Turkey. Mr. EDWARD BALL presented a petition from the Corporation of Cambridge, praying for the adoption of decimal coinage. Sir F. THESIGEIt presented a petition from Stam ford, in favour of the establishment of reformatory schools. Mr. R. CURRIE presented a petition from the fire insura ncecompanies of Great Britain, praying for a re auct'on• of the duty on fire insurance. Mr. RAXIFIELD presented a petition from the members of the Good Shepherd Temperance Society praying the hour to pass a law to prevent the sale of intoxicating Minors between the hours of eleven o'clock on Saturday night and six o'clock on Monday morning. TREATIES BETWEEN RUSSIA AND TURKEY. Sir H. WILLOUGRBY said t h at on Thursday next . he would ask the noble lord the member for the c o y es London whether he had aT!7 objection to produce copies of the treaties of Kianardji, .Athi anorae, and the other treaties affecting the relations between Russia and Turkey STEAM TO AUSTRALIA. Mr. HAMILTON (r da " rave notice that on an early v the noble lord the member for Coleraine, would s u b m a motion to the hous e f or es t a bli s hing a more elEcienit an d regular steam comm un i cat i on w ith Australia. t PARLIAMENTARY REFORM. Lord JOCELYN gave notice that on Friday he should ask the noble lord the member for the city of London, whether it was the intention of the Govern ment to press upon the consideration of the house the measure which the noble earl intended to propose on the 13th inst., with regard to Parliamentary Reform, at a period when our foreign relations were in so unsatisfac tory a state. Lord J. RUSSELL —I will answer that question next Monday—(A laugh.) IRISH MEMBERS. Mr. L BUTT gave notice that on an early day h e should put a question to the Government relative to an allegation in the Tinzes of to-day, charging certain Irish members with trafficking in Government patronag e . EI.sTCUMBERED ESTATES COURT. Mr. I. BUTT wished to:ask the Attorney-General for Ireland whether any steps had been taken to make ar rangements that the sittings of the Encumbered Estates ..,_Court shall be in the neighbourhood of the courts of iJavi.l,„,. Wr,t . oi'ik.FE: H said the Treasury was now communi- A . :;.. 4- ..iiiiil e Board the subject. ? 4-.., . ..._ of Works on V ; -' 71 ".. -- :: ''' , CAB FARES. '‘o .. .:‘, F , , ..., , e.ti,,,,; i ) , :,: t Y wished to ask the Under-Secretary f ; q-: '-- • .•'''; • ••.e. I epartmeut, whether it was the intention f , -F? ,-.a , ;i - - to rectify the error in the Ifackney Car. 11Na iage Act of last session, as to the central point from which the four-mile circle was to be drawn. Mr. FITZROY replied in the negative, as it was more convenient for the public that the centre of the radiith should be fixed at Charing-cross instead of Temple-bar. There • were 121 cab-stands west of the centre, while to the east there were only 97, and of these 39 were in the City. RELIGIOUS LIBERTY. Mr. KINNAIRD wished to ask Lord John Russell what course had been adopted by her Majesty's Govern ment with reference to the criminal code passed last year by the Legislative Council of Malta, and sent home to be laid before her Majesty in Council, which contained sundry new enactments adverse to religious liberty ; whether the provisions of the said code (as far as relates to offences against religion), of which a translation was furnished to the house in a return delivered on the 15th day of August last, have been adopted, altered, or can celled ; whether her Majesty's Government are prepared to furnish any further information of their intention in this matter. Lord J. RUSSELL said the objectionable code had been annulled by the Goverment, and a new code had been substituted for it, which it was hoped would be found more consonant with the promotion of religious liberty, Mr. S. WALPOLE—WiII there be any objection to lay the new code on the table ? Lord JOHN RUSSELL—None thatever, if the right honourable gentleman will move for it. 1 ENGLISH CHURCH IN PARIS. Mr. WISE wished to ask the Commissioner of Works whether an application for a site, or for pecuniary as sistance, had been made to him .by the committee proposing to erect a church in Paris ; and, if such application has been made, whether her Majesty's Ministers intend to recommend a grant of the public money towards the erection of this church, or to give a site for the same ; also , whether the Commissioner of Works has sanctioned the de struction of the embassy stables at Paris, and contem plates granting the land on which they are erected, valu ed at 8001., for the purpose proposed by the abovemen tioned committee; also, whether there is a Treasury mi nute, made during the administration of the late Sir R. Peel, recommending that the British Government should neither build nor purchase churches in foreign countries. Sir W. MOLESWORTH, in answer to the first ques tion, said no application had been made to him by the committee, but a request had been made to him from the Treasury office to ascertain if the plot of land adjoining the embassy would be a suitable site for the new Church. He desired that a report should be supplied to him on the subject, but the report had not yet reached him. With regard to the second question, he begged to say that he had not sanctioned the destruction of the stables attached to the embassy. With regard to thel third question, he had caused an inquiry to be made at the Treasury, and he found that no such minute existed. CUSTOMS PROMOTIONS. Mr. PELLATI begged to ask the Secretary of the Treasury whether the promotion of two-fifths of the lockers and weighers in the Customs service, instead of one-fifth as originally ,intended, had worked satisfac torily to the Government and the employes. Mr. WILSON said the commissioners of Customs were not to blame for the few promotions which took place, for they had caused a return to be made to them of officers who were worthy of promotion, and that return con tained the names of 66 superintending officers and 33 surveyors. Of the 66, however, 60 declined to submit to the examination which the law required, from a con viction that they were incapable of passing it, while 29 of 33 surveyors declined the examination from a simi lar feeling. The others who passed the examination were promoted, and they were now fulfilling their su perior duties to the satisfaction of the Commissioners of her Majesty's Customs. ELECTORS OF ENGLAND. Sir F. KELLY wished to know if the Government were in possession of an amended return of the electors of England aaad Wales ; and if so, had they any objec tion to produce it before the new measure, of reform was brought forward ? LOrd J. RIISELL said the Government were in pos session of such a return, and there would be no objection to produce it before the second reading of the new mea sure of reform. ASSAULTS ON WOMEN. Mr. PHINN wished to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department Whether it was the intention of her Majesty's Government to introduce any measure this session for the better protection of women and chil dren front assaults. Lord PALMERSTON said he had no intention at present to propose any measure in addition to that passed last session, as lie did not think sufficient time had yet elapsed to enable the Government to judge of the effect of the law as it now stood. LAW OF STORMS. Mr. HEYWOOD wished to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty, if an office will probably be established to co operate with Captain Maury and the American Govern ment, in oceanic and other scientific observations ; and, whether the important collections of observations on cur rents, winds, and temperature, already in possession of the Admiralty, may be rendered accessible to the head of the proposed office. Sir J. GRAHAM said Captain Beechey had been re quested to report on the subject, and in accordance with the gallant Captain's report, her Majesty's ships in all parts of the world, as well as many merchantmen sailing from London, world be required to make periodical returns of their meteorological observations. MILITIA. FOR SCOTLAND AND IRELAND. Lord JOCELYN wished to know if Government had any intention to introduce a measure for enrolling a militia force in Scotland Lord PALMERSTON said it would be his duty to bring in a bill to consolidate all the laws respecting the militia, and it certainly was his intention to propose in that bill an arrangement by which a militia force might be organise,a in Scotlond. Col. D - UNNE—May I ask the same question with regard to Ireland ? (A. laugh.) Lard PALMERSTON—I see no reason for placing the three countries on a different footing with respect to the militia. RECALL OF THE RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR. Lord JOCELYN—Sir, I wish to ask the noble lord the member for the City of London, if there is any truth in the report that the Russian Ambassador has been re called ? (Hear, hear.) Lord J. RUSSELL—In answer to the question of the noble lord I have to state that Baron Brunow, the Rus4 sian Ambassador, has given notice of his intention to cease to have any further diplomatic intercourse with the Court of St. James's, and he was to leave London to-clay. PARLIAMENTARY OATHS. Lord J. RUSSELL said he rose for the purpose of asking the house to go into committee on the subject of the oaths taken by numbers of this house. If the house would go with him into consideration of the oaths now taken, he thought they would agree with him it was almost a profanation for persons to bind themselves be fore Almighty God to certain things which had no rela tion to the existing state of things. The oath of alle giance no man could reasonably object to ; but the second was framed to meet certain dangers, whether real or imaginary it was hardly necessary to inquire. It arose out of the well-known contest between Henry the Eighth and the See of Rome on the subject of the supremacy of the Crown of the country. The whole matter, in this respect, was stated by one of the greatest orators who ever adorned this house, Lord Plunkett. The first proposition which that able man said existed at the time of the Reformation was the establishment of the Protestant Church ; and the second to discountenance all other religions but that of the State religion. He (Lord J. Russell) held it wrong to expect any one at this day to take that part of the oath of abjura tion which stated that princes excommunicated ought to be deposed, because no one at the present day believed any such doctrine. (Hear.) With re gard to the next part of the oath, which declared that no foreign prince had any authority whatever in this kingdom, the Roman Catholic refused to take that oath, declaring that the Pope had spiritual authority in this realm. What was the consequence ? They had relieved the Roman Catholics from that oath, and it was left still incumbent upon Protestants to take it. With regard to the part of the oath of abjuration, which related to the descendants of James the Second, was it not a mockery to keep up such form of oath nowwhen it-was well known that there was no such descendant existing anywhere ? What he meant to propose to this house was, to get rid of those superfluous oaths. In the days when the roads were unsafe, gentlemen rode out in armour to defend themselves from the dangers of the roads --at the end of the last century, when a gentleman went out in his post chaise over Blackheath, he went armed with a brace of pistols, to defend him from highwaymen. Now, by our police and other improvements, this was totally unneces sary, and he asked the house to act with respect to those oaths as they did in the matters of every-day life. The noble lord then read the form of oath which he wished to substitute for the oaths now in use. He only further wished to consider whether this oath was to be applied to Roman Catholics. He thought that part of the oath which said that Princes excommunicated may be deposed was an insult to Roman Catholics, and need not be continued —(Hear, hear.) He thought the part of the oaths which related to the settlement of property might also be done away with as uncalled for. With respect to the part of the oath which related to the Church Establishment in Ireland, he was of opinion that no member of this house should be debarred from giving his vote upon any matter which was brought forward in the house in any manner in which his conscience might dictate. (Loud cried of hear, hear.) With red spect to th at part of the oath, "On the true faith of a Christian," it was well known those words were intro duced, not against the Roman Catholics--more especi ally that portion of them who came under the denomi nation of Jesuits. The noble lord quoted Mr. Baron Alderson's opinion on the subject, who declared that it would be much more worthy of this country to exclude the Jews from Parliament dy some direct enactment, than by a part of an oath which the Legislature never contemplated as applying to them. (Hear.) He did not wish to come to any hasty decision on the subject, but he thought it might yet be well worth considering, whether the house should not consider the course taken by the house, with regard to the case of Mr. Pease, or whether they should not adopt the alterations he had pointed out. On those grounds he moved that Mr. Speaker do leave the chair. Sir F. THESIGER said he did not intend at present to offer any objection to the introduction of the bill of the noble lord, but he thought that at this early stage of the measure it ivas but right to make some a observations, very grave pointbecause of heprinciple. thought He the measure invol ve d (Sir F. Thesiger) was quite willing to abolish a part at least of the oath I THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 6, 1854. of abjuration ; but when the Roman Catholic Relief Bill was passed, 'Sir R. Peersiidrif was aliogili to which MI Roman Catholic could offer any valid objection ; but lie (Sir F. Thesiger) said it was rather startling for the noble lord to come forward now, within 24 years since that bill pased, and, with recent experience, to ask the house to abrogate entirely the safeguard in the Catholic oath against invasion of the Protestant religion.— (Hear, hear, hear.) He said the noble lord's measure invaded one of the securities of the Protestant religion, because it went to weaken the Queen's supre macy, which was one of the keystones, of the Protestant religion. (Hear.) The house then Went into committee. The resolution was agreed to, and the house resumed. The other orders were then disposed of, and the house adjourned at half-past six o'clock. LAW INTELLIGENCE. Feb. 4. COURT OF EXCHEQUER. JAMES V. COCHRANE.-JI7DGMENT. Mr. Baron Parke delivered the judgment of the court in this case, in which a rule had been granted to set aside the execution which had been issued by the defen dant, on the ground that the plaintiff in error, who was also the plaintiff below, had not perfected bail in error, and the question was whether the 151st section of the Common Law Procedure Act had altered the old law in this respect, it having formerly been usual to exact bail in error only from defendants when appealing from judgment recovered by plaintiffs against them. The court was now of opinion that although the former part of the section referred to was general, and applied both to plaintiffs and defendants, the latter part, where the form of recognisance was given, was strictly confined to the case of defendants. It was the opinion of the court that the law had not been in any respect altered by the recent statute. The judgment of the court would ac cordingly be that the rule must be made absolute. COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEAL. THE QUEEN V. BEAUMONT. The prisoner, Edward Beaumont, had been indicted at the Central Criminal Court, that be, being the ser vant of one Wiggins, had embezzled 51. 108., which he had received for and on account of his master. It ap peared that Wiggins had entered into a contract with the Great Northern Railway to supply them with car men and horses for their coal waggons. By the terms of the contract Wiggins was bound to supply honest car men, and he or they were to acconnt for the moneys re ceived by them from the various customers to whom the coals were delivered. The practice was this. The car ' men went in the morning to the railway office, and there received the invoices of the coals, to which the receipts were attached. The carmen on receiving the money did not hand it over to Wiggins, but went direct to the railway office, and there paid it in. The prisoner, who was one of the carmen, received 51. 108., for which he did not account. He was convicted of the offence with which he was charged, but his counsel at the trial took an objection that he should have been indicted for embezzling the moneys of the Great Northern Railway Company, and not of Wiggins. The point was reserved, and the question now for the con sideration of the court was, whether the prisoner had received the money for or on account of his master or of the railway company. Mr. Dearsley, on behalf of the prisoner, submitted that the conviction► could not be sustained, for the pri soner had received the money not on account of his master, but on account of the railway company. Ac cording to the terms of the contract they were bound to account to the company, and the authority to receive the money sprung from the company. Their lordships were of opinion that the money had been received on account of the company, and not on account of Wiggins, and therefore the conviction could not be sustained. The conviction was accordingly *quashed. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. tered 650 men, which includes 40 returned from the Thetis, Paid down yesteraay niornitig: r The Nile, 90, screw, was commissioned yesterday afternoon at this port by Corn. A. S. Booth. She is to have a complement of 850 officers and men. The Nile is one of the three splendid gun-ships designed by Sir Robt. Seppings before he left the office of Surveyor of the Navy. The captain has not yet been appointed to her. The Thetis, 36, frigate, Captain Kuper, was brought alongside the sheer hulk on Friday, and had her masts taken out to be examined. Her crew were paid down at the dockyard yesterday morning, and were granted six weeks' leave of absence. Many of her crew have volunteered for the Bulldog, 6, Commander Hall. The Vulture, 6, steam-frigate, Captain H. H. H. Glasse, arrived here yesterday at noon from Creenock and the Isle of Man, with 91 volunteers for the navy, nearly all of wham are landsmen. She left Greenock on Wednesday, Avhere she succeeded in entering 79 men, and from Ore Isle of,Man on Thursday evening, where she entergd 12 men. She has lost no men by desertion. She is ordered to fill up with coals, so as to be in readi ness for sea. The Nautilus, apprentices' brig, Lieut.-Commander Dolling, arrived last evening from Falmouth with 11 merchant seamen who have volunteered for her Majesty's service. The Saracen, 6, surveying vessel, Master•commander Richards, was paid wages in advance on Friday, and had her compasses adjusted. She sailed yesterday morning at ten o'clock for China, but she returned again in the evening through adverse weather. The Alelanipus, 42, arrived from Greenhithe yesterday morning with machinery for the Algiers, recently launched. She was towed into harbour by the Confiance and Pike steam-tugs. The Camel sailed yesterday morning for Pembroke, with stores, but she returned again in the evening through adverse weather. The Magicienne, 16, steam troop-ship, Capt. Fisher, was paid wages in advance on Friday, and will leave, probably, to-day for Spithead. The Hogue, 60, screw, Captain Ramsay and Edinburgh, 58, Captain Hewlett, are ordered to prepare for sea immediately, and proceed to Spithead. ' It is understood these ships are to form part of the Baltic fleet. The Racehorse, 140 sloop, will go into the Sound to morrow. The detachment of Royal Marines for the James Watt, 90, screw, were furnished from this division, and embarked yesterday morning. The detachment con sisted of 113 privates, 2 serjeants, 2 corporals, 2 drum mers, under the command of Captain Hamley. First- Lieutenant Little and Second-Lieutenant Short also joined her. The remainder of the detachment was fur nished by the artillery companies of this corps, consist ing of 1 subaltern, Second-Lieutenant Durnford, 2 ser geants, 2 bombarditrq, and 30 gunners. One lieuten ant, 1 serjeant,l corporal, and 18 gunners of the artil lery companies, are under orders to proceed to this port to embark in the Bulldog, and one fifer and seven privates from this division will complete the detach ment for that ship. 11.30 A. m. —The Valorous, 16, steam-frigate, Captain C. H. M. Buckle, has made her number. It is ex pected she is the forerunner of the Lisbon squadron. The weather at present Is so thick and hazy that the squadron cannot be made out. WOOLWICH, FEB. 4. It is stated at Chatham that the Meannee, 80, and the Wellesley, 72, sailing vessels, are to be immediately brought forward for commission at that port. Both of these ships were built at Bombay, of the best teak. The Meannee was navigated from the East Indies to Chatham about three years ago, and has never been in commis sion. The Wellesley was launched in 1815, and is 1,746 tons, after the plan of the Cornwallis, 72, also built at Bombay, in 1813, from a design by the surveyors of the navy at that period. The last service of the Wellesley was as flag-ship of Vice-Admiral the Earl of Dundonald, when commander-in-chief on the North America and West Indies station, and returned to Chatham, where she has been laid up in ordinary since she was relieved by the Cumberland, 70, in 1851. These ships are repre sented by naval officers to be admirably adapted, should their services be required, for navigating the Baltic, as they are so strongly built, and of comparatively mode rate draught of water. The Majestic; 80, screw steam-ship, built at Chatham, from a design by Sir William Symonds, and launched in June last, is ordered to be made ready for commission immediately at Sheerness, to which port she was taken to be fitted with her' engines of 400 horse power, by Mandalay, Sons, and Field. The engines to be put on board the Hannibal are those that were made for the Greenock iron steam-frigate of 1,413 tons. They were taken out of the Greenock previous to that vessel being sold out of the service, and smaller engines substituted in their place. They were made of 565 nominal horse power, but are now desig nated 450 horse power, and they have never been out of the factory at Woolwich Dockyard since they were deli vered there on being taken out of the Greenock, and consequently the statement that they were put on board the Hannibal, but again taken out owing to Mr. Henry Chatfield; master shipwright, at Deptford dock, being afraid to launch that ship with them on board, was most unfounded. Captain Inglefield with Mr. Rice, master shipwright, Mr. Peake and Mr. Large, assistants to the master ship wright, and Mr. Atherton, chief engineer at the factory of Woolwich Dockyard, held a survey of the Phconix, screw steam-sloop, yesterday, when they found it would be requisite to renew about 40 feet of the first false keel and about 60 feet of the second. Both bows had been stove, and the quarter had a severe nip, which showed that the solid nature of the stowage in the hold had saved her. One rudder is destroyed, and both screws will have to be replaced by new ones. She is to be materially strengthened, and doubling are to be added. A party of artificers and engineers are now employed upon her, in order to expedite the necessary repairs, as it is desi rable that she should leaveWoolwich about a month earlier than has hitherto been the case with expeditions to the Arctic regions. A weekly contemporary, professing to know everything connected with naval affairs, asks the Admiralty what service is marked out for those hard bargains, the Lady Franklin and Sophia, now lying, as he believes, in the Medway, doing nothing. Surely they might be used on such an occasion, instead of ex pending a large sum of money in fitting the Talbot, 22, at Portsmouth. The Admiralty have the best of reasons for not employing the Lady Franklin and Sophia, as these vessels are not " lying in the Medway doing nothing," having been sold about this time last year to Captain Penny, and as was recorded at the time, were taken round to Woolwich, to have their stores deposited at this yard put on board, and then handed over to him. Capt. Penny, and the company with which he is connected, fitted them at Aberdeen, and they are now in the Arctic regions with Captain Penny, who went out to form a colony of Esquitnaux, to work the rich plumbago and copper mines in the vicinity of Lancaster Sound. TI! E Iti? 11 Y. The office of lieutenant-governor of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, is not, we believe, to be filled up. There are 46 candidates for the office, but we are in formed that the commissioners meditate abolishing it, and converting the superintendent of studies into a mili tary commandant. Major General Mildmay Fane is appointed to the staff of the Bengal Army, and Captain Fane, of the 54th, goes out as his aide-de-camp. Lieutenant Colonel Wil liam Cane is appointed Lieutenant Governor of Hong- Kong. Major General Jervoise is ordered home. Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Carey, of the Cape Rifles, has been appointed militaiy secretary to Lieutenant General Jackson, on his way to command the forces at the Cape of good Hope. Major Ansell, unattached, has succeeded to the office of town major of Prince Edwards' Island. Captain Maude, 3d Foot, has succeeded Captain Denison as an aide-de-camp to Lieutenant-Colonel Sir W. Reid, Governor of Malta.—United Service Gazette. We have the pleasure to state that Major General M'Donald is so far recovered from his recent severe ac cident as to be able to take carriage airings, On Friday the gallant veteran transacted business at the office of adjutant general, Colonel Williams . , at Kilkenny. THE LATE FLOODS AT CO RK .— The Mayor of Cork has received the following note : "Buttevant, Jan. 25. " §ir,—ln the absence of Captain Mackenzie, I have taken the liberty of opening your note. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of a chain and medal for Corporal Chamney, and beg to thank you on his part for your kind consideration.—l have the honour to be, &c., "P. W. ROWE, Captain 60th Rifles." MARRIAGES, BIRTHS, AND DEATHS IN ENGLAND. Last week the quarterly report of the Registrar Ge neral on Marriages, Births, and Deaths, was issued. This return comprises the births and deaths registered by 2,191 registrars in all the districts of England during the autumn quarter, ending December 31st, 1853 ; and the marriages in 12,039 churches or chapels, about 3,454 registered places of worship unconnected with the esta blished church; and 625 superintendent registrars' offices, in the quarter that ended Sept. 30, 1853. The marriages in the quarter that ended on September 30 are not only above the average, but the proportion to the population exceeds any of th proportions previously recorded. The births in the quarter that ended on Dec. 31 are also above the average: The mortality, particu larly in towns and cities, is high, and exceeds, the mor tality in every autumn quarter since 1843, except in 1846-47, when the potato disease commenced, and diarrhoea and influenza became epidemic. The returns, therefore, present a mixed result : the marriages indicate that the circumstances of the great body of the people were considered by them prosperous. But the public health has suffered, and is still over the coming year threatened by Asiatic cholera. All the mea sures of improvement should therefore be accelerated. slt will be a happy circumstance if the germs of dis eases which first affected the potato and the vine, and other plants, in the year of high temperature, 1846, and have led to the loss of so much food, should be partially destroyed by the severe cold that set in at the close of the year. MARRIAGES. 79,572 persons were married during the quarter end ing September 30, 1853, a number considerably exceed ing that of any corresponding quarter since the Regis tration Act came into operation in 1837, and 2,990 more than were married. in the same period of 1852, when the large number of 76,582 persons were married. The increase was spread over each of the eleven divi sions of England and Wales, and the only causes in which a decrease is observable are Hampshire, Berk shire, Northamptonshire,Huntingdonshire, Bedfordshire, Dorsetshire, Devonshire, Somersetshire, Leicester shire, Rutlandshire, Derbyshire, Cheshire, and West moreland. Marriages increased in mos t o f the important seats of manufactures and commerce, but an augmented number is more particularly apparent in the mining dis tricts of Cornwall and South Wales, of Staffordshire and Durham. In the September quarter of the last five years the number of marriages - was, in Truro, 76, 90, 80, 91, and 134 •, in Redruth, 101, 95, 127, 112, and 153 ; in Wolverhampton, 188, 256, 287, 289, and 313 ; Walsall, 57, 87, 97, 98, and 107 ; West Bromwich, 157, 191, 158, 179, and 425 ; Dudley, 265, 313, 294, 326, and 430 ' • Stockton, 104, 115, 107, 126, and 132 ; Sun derland, 161, 193, 191, 197, and 240 ; South Shields, 72, 74, 104, 90, and 109 ; and in the districts of Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Bridgend, and Neath, 360, 437, 424, 501, and 580 marriages were celebrated in the September quarter of the past five years, In Preston, the number of marriages (252) is 'slightly in excess of the num ber (244) recorded in the third quarter of the previous year, although fewer than in the corresponding periods of 1850 and 1851, when the numbers reached 281 and 277 respectively. On -an average of the corresponding quarters of 10 years (1843-1852), the number of mar riages was at the annual rate of 788 to every 100,000 persons living ; the proportion for the same period of 1853 was 867 to 100,000 persons living. THE INDIA, CHINA, AND AUSTRALIAN MA. ES. The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Com pany's ship Ripon, Captain R. Moresby, R.N., arrived at Southampton on Saturday night, and landed the heavy portion of the East India, China, and Mediter ranean mails, in charge of Lieutenant John Parsons, R.N., Admiralty agent. The Ripon left Alexandria on the 21st, Malta the 25th, and Gibraltar the 29th ult. She brings on freight 2 packages specie, 101 boxes oranges, 933 bales and 36 boxes of silk, 170 bales flax, 20 packages elephants' teeth, and 95 packages sundries. Among the passengers are Sir Herbert Maddock, Lieutenant-Colonel Arm strong, Captain and Mrs. Evans, Captains Rankin and Jauncey, Lieutenants Davison, St. John, and Garden, Stc. The mails brought by this steamer were detained five or six days at Alexandria, waiting the outward arrival of the Ripon, which bad been delayed by bad weather. We understand the directors of the Peninsular and Oriental Company intend, as soon as possible, to ob viate these mischances, by placing an extra steamer on the Southampton and Alexandria line, so as at all times to have a vessel in reserve at the latter port for the Indian mail via Suez, ready to start at an hour's notice for Southampton. In the meantime, it is only justice to the company to say that the mails have even now been delivered at Southampton within the official contract time, and although the mails were detained so many days in Egypt, yet that occurrence, instead of being visited upon the company as a _fault (as there has been a disposition in some quarte r s to consider it), should be ascribed to its real cause—viz., that the mails were brought up to Suez several days before due, owing to the rapidity and efficiency of the , packets belonging to the company now employed on the other side of the isthmus. The alternate monthly mail due on Saturday by the Ripon from Australia had not arrived, and the greatest inconvenience is experienced by its non-receipt. It appears that the steamer appointed to convey these mails had not reached Point de Galle, Ceylon, When the homeward packet left. It is considered certain; however, that the next steamer, the Himalaya, due at Southampton on the 20th instant, will be the bearer of the missing advices, the Marseilles por tion of which may be expected to reach London on or before the 13th inst., and the telegraphic despatch in anticipation of which may be looked for via Trieste on the 10th inst. The dates expected on this occasion will probably be from Sydriey, Nov. 20 -; Port Philip, Nov. 24 ; Adelaide, Nov. 27 ; St. George's Sound, Dec. 2. The company's fine screw steam-ship Madras, of 1,200 tons, and 270-horse power, has been ordered to be at Singapore, to be in readiness to meet the outward Australian mail, despatched from Southampton in Janu ary, and ,the Noma, of 1,100 tons and 250-horse power, 'will be at Singapore in time for the outward mail of the 4th of March ; and these two vessels will thereafter take the places of the steamers Chusan and Shanghai; which have hitherto performed the branch mail service to and from Australia. The superior speed and power of the Madras and Norna will, it is confidently hoped, for the future provide for the regularity and punctuality of the eastern route to Australia. THE GREAT SCREW SHIP HIMALAYA We have been favoured with the following account of the Himalaya's voyage as far as Gibraltar by a gentle. man on board. Another letter has been sent home which confirms all that is here stated, and adds that for seven successive hours the ship ran " off the reel" 15 knots an hour. Her performances were such as to inspire the utmost confidence in her immense strength and capabilities. "Himalaya, Gibraltar, Jan. 26. "Dear Sir,—According to your wish I send you a short account of the passage thus far of this splendid speci men of naval architecture, and when I tell you th at we have encountered most tempestuous weather from the time we left Southampton till we got to Cape Finisterre, 600 miles ; that we were stopped for twenty-four hours, at 'different times, by a heated bear ing, and have still made the passage in 6 days (1,150 miles), you will agree with me, and many others, in thinking that the principle of long ships and large ones is fully established as being far superior to smaller-sized vessels. I can only assure you that this ship is without any ex ception the easiest and the fastest on any point of sailing or steaming I ever was on board of. We left the Needles right in the teeth of a hard south gale, which increased and continued down the Channel and across the Bay. Away she went tearing through it at 11 and 12 knots an hour, and when the fore and aft canvas was got on her for a short time, with the sheets hauled flat aft, she rushed along as steady and upright as though it were only blowing a moderate breeze. Sailing ships were running before it under close-reefed topsails and fore course, so that you may guess it was blowing "a few." " After rounding Cape Finisterre, we got a favourable breeze down the coast to Cape St. Vincent, and under her three topsails ' (single reefed), fore course, and fore and aft sails, she banged along 14 or 15 knots an hour, and so steadily you could scarcely tell there was a screw at work. "In fact, the absence almost entirely of the usual vibrating motion from the screw in this ship appears to me to be among the greatest of her many numerousgood qualities, and confirms a previous account you received on this point. " We arrived here at 6 p.m. this day, and shall leave for Malta In the course of the night, from which place you will doubtless hear of our further progress. In one respect, itmay be considered unfortunate our having met with such weather and stoppages as would prevent any ship from making a rapid passage ; but in other respects I think it may be considered fortunate that this her first voyage should have afforded the opportunity of testing and proving so satisfactorily her splendid quali ties as a sea-going ship, and the extraordinary speed which she can attain under disadvantageous circum stances, as well as what she may be reasonably expected to do under more auspicious ones. Whether very large ships will be, commercially, profitable remains to be proved;. but all who have been in them must; I think, agree that for speed and comfort, size and length are indispensable." SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. pIISTOM HOUSE, FEB. 4. ENTERED INWARDS.—The Emma and Mary, from Lowestoft, ex Dorothea, the Gothland disabled ; Kan garoo, Bordeaux ; Ann, Terceira. ; Hendrika Margareta, Lisbon ; Five Komelpen, Oran. ENTERED OUTWARDS FOR LOADING.—The Egbert, for Algoa Bay; Old Hickory, Boston ; Cambalee, Adelaide ; John Knox, Cape of Good Hope ; Thomas Henry, Bar badoes ; Abergeldie, Hong Kong; Rajah of Sarawak, do. and Whampoa ; Apollo, Grenada ; Spirit of the Age, Sydney ; Charlotte of Derby, Alexandria; John Bunyan, Hong Kong and Canton. CLEARED OUTWARDS WITH CARGO.--The Gloucester, for Hobart Town ' • Victoria, do. ; Constance, Launceston ; Quito, Sydney ; Primera de Sugria, Havannah ; Lady Franklin, Algoa Bay; Morning Star, Ceylon; Lotus, Bar ba,does ; Marchioness of Bute, Gibraltar, &c. ; Monte Video; Nonsuch, Malta. APPOINTMENTS. Commander—George H. Gardner (1848), from the Blenheim, 60, screw steam guard-ship, at Portsmouth, to the Neptune, 120, guard-ship, of ordinary, at Ports mouth. Lieutenants—J. A. Price (1842), recently serving as first lieutenant of the Cleopatra, 26, on the East Indies station, to the Nile, 91, screw steam-ship at Devonport; George H. H. Greathead (1846), formerly serving as second lieutenant of the Britannia, 120, flag-ship of Vice-Admiral J. W. D. Duudas, of the English fleet in the Black Sea, is re-appointed as first lieutenant to that ship ; Thomas Stackhouse (1853), recently pro moted from the first mate of the Britomart, 8, brig on the west coast of Africa station to the Dragon paddle wheel steam-frigate at Portsmouth. Master—Perceval B. Roberts (1841), to the Illus. triouP, 72, at Portsmouth. Midshipmen—Nowell Salmon, Herbert Hilton, R. A. Cumberlege, Win. IW%. Power, and Henry R. Wrotisland, to the James Watt, 91, screw steam-ship at Devonport. PORTSMOUTH, FEB. 5. The Blenheim, 60, screw, Captain the Hon. F. T. Pelham, was taken out of doc yesterday unexpectedly. Every exertion is being made to complete the repairs and improvements of this ship to get her ready , for active service. She was placed under the shears to ship her foremast, and will go to her hulk to take in her crew and complete in a day or two. Her bottom has received a double coating of limewash, which is found a most excellent substitute for the many nostrums in use for keeping the coppsr clean. The Simoom, 18, iron (screw) troop ship, Captain Smith, hauled out of dock into the factory basin last evening, upon sudden orders. Every available hand was put upon her, and we believe they worked up to a very late hour last night upon her to get her ready for immediate service. The Basilisk, 8, paddle-wheel steam-sloop, Commander the Hon. F. Egerton, was taken out of the steam basin yesterday afternoon, and went alongside the hulk Maid stone to complete her supply of coal ; an order having emanated from the Admiralty for all the steamers in the port to complete their coaling, ready for orders. The Hecla, 6, paddle-wheel sloop, was commissioned yesterday morning by Mr. Tucker (who has been for some time in charge of her), for Mr. Peter Wellington, Master, R.N., who is appointed to command her for the special service in the North Seas which we reported on Saturday. She was taken into the steam-basin dock last night to have her bottom examined. The officers who have volunteered for the Hecla as staff compliment, are Mr. Covey, chief engineer, Mr. Evans, assistant surgeon, Mr. Swift, first-class assistant engineer, Mr. Lambert, Mr. Murray, and Mr. Neil, third-class assist ant engineers, Mr. Barlow, clerk in charge, and four warrant officers. Master-Commander Wellington went to the Admi ralty yesterday morning, and returned last night. The Fox, 42, Commodore (now Rear-Admiral) Sir George Lambert, K.C.8., was at Bombay on the 28th of December, about to be docked, having by some means or other rubbed some of her copper off,' and the worm had eaten through. She was on her way from Point de Galle to Bombay when the damage was discovered, and she made 24 inches of water per hour. The Sprightly steam-vessel, Mr. George Allen, Act ing-Master commanding, returned from Plymouth this afternoon with men. The Malabar Indiaman sailed from Spithead this morning for Madras. , - A letter from Admiral Corry's squadron, at tea, states :—" On the 20th we had a trial of sailing by the wind under all plain sail; wind unsteady from the N.E. —force between 3 and 4, with a high swell. The trial was between the Duke of Wellington, Imperieuse, and Tribune. After a run by the wind of 15 miles the Tri bune gained on the Imperieuse 825 fathoms. The wind fell light towards the end of the trial. The Duke and Imperieuse closed each other in opposite tacks, and it was doubtful whether the latter would weather her noble competitor. She, however, bore away, and ran to lee ward." The Duke is considered by all a most wonder ful ship. PLYMOUTH, FEB. 5. OFFICIAL VISIT OF ADMIRAL DUNDAS, ONE OF THE LORDS OF THE ADMIRALTY, TO THIS PORT.—Rcar- Admiral the Hon. R. S. Duudas, accompanied by Lieu tenant-Colonel Wesley, assistant adjutant-general of the Royal Marines, arrived here on Thursday evening last by express train. Admiral Dundas was received at the station by the Commander-in-Chief Sir John Ommanney, with whom he proceeded to the Admiralty-house, where he dined with a party of officials appointed to meet him. Among the company present were Major-General Sir Harry Smith, commander-in-chief of the forces in the Western district ; Colonel Coryton, Royal Marines ; Captains the Honourable G. Elliot, of the James Watt ; Ramsay, Hogue ; Kingcome, St. George ; Sir F. Nicholson, Pique ; Codrington, Royal George ; Lowe, Impregnable ; Hall, Bulldog ; Hewlett, Edinburgh ; Fisher, Magicienne. At eleven o'clock on Friday ' morning, the division of Royal Marines under the command of Colonel Coryton was inspected by Admiral Dundas, attended by Lieut.-Colonel Wesley. The divi sion was drawn up i n one con ti nuous co l umn , cons i s ti ng of eight compani es , an d un d erwent a very m i nute inspec tion by the gallant officer, who was most particular as to the number of men fit for immediate service. After in specting the battalion, he insp ec t e d th e un di sc iplined recruits, which . at present muster strong. H e saw t h e men at the ship-battery, under Captain Ayles, instructor of gunnery ; from whence h e procee d e d to t h e diff erent offices, beginning at the adjutants', thence to the pay masters' office, the barrack and quartermasters' office, and next to the divisional pay-office and infirmary. He also visited the barrack-rooms. In each and all of the departments the gallant admiral was most minute in his inquiries, particularly as to the barrack accommodation, clothing, and equipments of the men. Having finished the inspection of the division, he saw the detachments under orders for embarkation in her Majesty's shipJarnes Watt and Bulldog. Admiral Dundas and Lieut.-Colonel Wesley afterwards lunched with Colonel Coryton. They left the barracks about 4 o'clock, and proceeded to the dockyard, where they were received by Commodore Seymour, who took them to his office, where the hooks, &c., were in sp. ected Admiral Bundas visited, yesterday, the dock yard, the new poWder-works at Bull Point ; the Edin burgh, 58, Captain Hewlett (where he remained one hour); Royal George, 120, Captain Codrington; James Watt, 90, Captain the Hon. G. Elliot ; and Thetis, 36, Captain Kuper. The latter ship was paid down about an hour after he left. He lunched with Commodore Seymour in the afternoon, and dined with the Port Admiral in the evening. He will leave either by this evening's mail train, or to-morrow morning by the ex press train. His visit is understood principally to have reference to the efficiency of the division of Royal Ma rines at this port. In this division there can be taus. THE PRESTON STRIKE. PRESTON, FEB. 4.—lt was currently rumoured yes terday that the Associated Masters purposed simulta neously ringing the bells, and opening their mills on Monday morning week. To-day, however,, on inquiry, I was assured by a member of the association that the report was destitute of foundation. Last week it was considered probable that Mr. Gratrix, worsted manu facturer, would shortly resume work, but unfortunately the negotiations then pending between that gentleman and his hands were suddenly broken off. After the operatives had agreed to accept the average prices of similar mills throughout Lancashire, they insisted upon the average being taken from all the mills paying the ten per cent. advance. To this proposition Mr. Gratrix declinedlo accede. Both master and men are now en gaged in obtaining lists of prices. Mr. Hollins con tinues to increase the number of his hands. Last night he had 180 looms at work, and upwards of 130 opera tives employed. The returns for this, the 19th, week of the lock-out, and the 23d of the strike, show that the number of un employed hands relieved from the Trades' Union funds was 16,174; last week, 16,335 ; decrease, 161. The amount disbursed in relief this week was 3,0491. ss. 6d.; last week 3,0731. 10s.; decrease, 24/. 4s. 6d. Annexed is a summary of the week's expenditure by each of the six committees : No. relieved. Amount. Power-loom weavers' committee 10,251 £1,924 14 6 Spinners and self -actors' do 2,964 592 0 0 Card-room hands' d o 2 ,208 349 14 0 Th ros tle spinners do 503 83 0 0 Power-loom overlookers' do 194 67 0 0 Tape machine sizere do 54 32 8 0 16,174 £3,049 5 6 It will be observed that there is again a considerable decrease in the number of hands receiving relief, the weavers alone showing a diminution of 124 as compared with last week. This arises from the active measures taken to assist the hands in removing from the town. The amount of contributions was larger this week than last. The following will show in what manner the funds are expended :-- Weavers' committee—Relief as above, 1,9241. 14s. 6(1.; additional relief, 831. 14s. 6d. ; salaries, travelling ex penses, &c.. 811. lie. 2d. ; rent of rooms and sundries, 2/. 4s. 4d. ; reports and other printing, 1071. 11s. lid. Spinners and se lf- ac t ors ' committee—Relief as abo ve , 592/. 9s. ; additi ona l re li e f, 161. ss. 61d. ; salaries, tra velling expenses, &c., 181. ss, ; rent of rooms and sundries, 31. 12s. 104. ; reports and other printing, 11/. 55. Card-room hands' committee -Relief as above, 3497. 14s. ; additional relief, 14. 9s. ; salaries, travelling expenses, eLe., 101. 12s. 10d. ; rent of rooms and sun-. dries, 1/. lls. ld. ; reports and other printing, 91. Throstle spinners' committee -Relief as above, 831. ; additional relief, 13s. ; salaries, travelling expenses, &c., 5/. is. Bd. ; rent of rooms and sundries, 15s. lid. ; re ports and other printing, 2/. Power-loom overlookers' Committee-Relief as above, 671. ; additi ona l re li e f , 2 s . 6d. ; salaries, travelling ex . penses, &c., 31. 6s. 41d. ; rent of rooms and sundries, 12s. Ord. ; reports and other printing, 2/. 10s. 6d. Tape Machine Sizers' Committee.-Relief as above, 321. Bs. ; salaries, travelling expenses, &c., 10s. 2d. ; rent of rooms and sundries, Bs. id. ; reports and other printing, 12s. 6d. Amalgamated Committee. -Appropriated to relief, 4501. 7s. lid. - salaries, travelling expenses, &c., 131 . 10s. 7d. ; r en t o f rooms an d sundries, 111. 3s. 8(. ; re ports and other printing, 171. Bd. Bd. This committee merely apportions the money it collects among the first four committees. A large meeting of operatives took place in the Orchard this afternoon. Most of the delegates were present; Mr. Kinder Smith, of Oldham, presiding. Addresses were delivered by Mr. Cowell, Mr. Wad dington, and Mr. Eccles, of Preston ; Mr. Worsick, of Padiham ; and Mr. Grimshaw, of Great Harwood. The assembly manifested a strong determination to persevere ' in the otruggie. BIRTHS. 144,444 births were registered in the last three months of the year. This number, though slightly above the average, shows a considerable diminution on the num bers registered in the same period of the two preceding years (148,912 and 152,066 respectively.) This decrease is observable in nearly the whole of the country ; the only counties which exhibit an increase in the number of births being the metropolitan and extra-metropolitan parts of Surrey, Huntingdon, Staffordshire, and South Wales. INCREASE OF POPULATION. The number of births registered during the last quar ter being 144,444, and the number of deaths 103,341, there remains a balance of 41,103 as the natural increase of the population during that period. Large numbers of persons are still attracted to the Australian Colonies, as well as to America and other places, although a small decrease in the emigration is perceptible on the numbers of the corresponding quarter of 1852. From the four English ports which make returns, 50,457 persons emi grated during the last three months ; namely, from London, 6,810 ; Plymouth, 2,861 ; Liverpool, 37,732 ; and Southampton, 3,064. In addition, 1,795 persons sailed from the ports of Glasgow and Greenock, and 2,431 from Irish ports, giving a total of 54,683 for the United Kingdom, against 55,315 during the last quarter of 1852. It must be borne in mind, in any estimate of the increase of population, that the births and d ea th s refer only to England and Wales, and that of the emigrants leaving English ports a large though an un ascertained number are of Irish birth. PRIORS OF PROVISIONS. The chief articles of food have greatly risen in price since the three months ending December, 1852 ; wheat, which was then 40s. sd. per quarter, has risen to 695. 10d., being an increase of 73 per cent. ; and at this higher price an• average weekly sale of 79,002 quarters took place in the towns of ' England and Wales which make returns, against 111,224 quarters weekly when the price was 40s. sd. Beef and mutton rose in price ; and potatoes, which were 105 s. per ton at the waterside market, Southwark, in December, 1852, rose to 150 s. in the December quarter, 1853, being an augmentation in price equivalent to 43 per cent. The continued activity of trade and the increased rate of wages has enabled the labouring classes for the most part to cope with the dearness of provisions ; but, in conjunction with the severity of the weather and the ex orbitant price of fuel, it has been a season of trial ; which has, however, been borne with exemplary patience and fortitude by those who were most exposed to its rigours. STATE 'OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH. There died last quarter in England and Wales 103,341 persons. The period was unhealthy, and a greater number of lives was lost to the population than in any other autumnal quarter of the last 13 years, with only two exceptions : the fourth quarter of 1846, when the deaths rose to 108,937 ; and that of 1847, when they were 103,479. The annual mortality has been at the rate of 2.252 per cent. in the 10 years 1843-52 ; it was 2.186 in the last quarters of those years ; and last quarter it was 2.272. Cold weather towards the close of the year thinned the ranks both of old and young, and the latter class have also suffered much from fever, especially scarlatina, in many parts of the country. London makes a large contribution to this excess of mortality; for in the metropolitan division the deaths in October, November, and December rose to 16,390, which is more by 2,709 than took place in the same quarter of the previous year. In the last fourteen weeks of 1853, 17,390 persons died. in London, and more than the usual proportion of these were carried off by zymotic diseases (those of epidemic character), principally cholera, typhus, scarlatina, hooping-cough, and diarrhcea. Cho lera and typhus killed almost equal numbers, viz., 728 and 724; scarlatina and hooping-cough were rival powers of destruction, for 688 and 667 are claimed as their re spective shares ; 565 deaths were caused by diarrhcea, besides 41 by dysentery. It is to be observed that these diseases, severally, not only produced more than the average number of deaths in this quarter, but showed a disposition to increase as the year drew to a close. In the summer months cholera was fatal in 137 cases, it rose to 728 in autumn ; typhus (including con tinued fever, &c.) rose in the same periods from 585 to 724 ; scarlatina from 397 to 668 ; and hooping-cough from 426 to 667. Diarrhoea forms an exception, having declined from 1,232 in the summer to 565 in the autum nal quarter. Croup nearly doubled its comparatively small rate of mortality, and measles also became more fatal towards the end of 1853. Whilst the young suffered from their peculiar diseases, the old had their own maladies to contend with. The number of deaths at all ages from diseases of the respiratory organs (exclusive of phthisis and hooping cough) were, in the 14 weeks 3,291. There died between 600 and 700 more than is usual in the same season. Bronchitis was fatal in 1,460 cases, pneumonia in 1,389, phthisis in 1,914; 15 per sons in London suffered death from cold, and the priva tion from some cause, of necessaries of life ; were the victims of their own intemperate habits. It is probable that want in some cases and vicious indulgence in spirits in many others produced disease or carried it to a fatal issue, where the register does not reveal their operation. In the last quarter large town populations were un healthy, but, judging from the mortality, smaller towns and the inhabitants of the open country appear to have enjoyed as much health as usual. In 117 districts, com prising the chief towns, the rate of mortality per annum was 2,778 to 100 inhabitants, the annual mortality in 10 autumn quarters (1843-52) was 2'634. In 507 districts, consisting chiefly of small towns and country parishes, the mortality was 1 . 911 ; the average was 1 . 965. Country registrars refer in their reports to measles and other complaints prevailing among children ; in some instances these appeared in a mild form, andi n others not mentioned they were pro b a bl y much less de structive than in towns, LIVERPOOL, FEB. 4. The David Crockett, for New York, in getting under weigh this morning in the river, drifted foul of the Owego, for New Orleans, and Ontario, for Charleston. The Owego received only trifling damage. The Ontario lost mainyard, maintopgallant-mast, &c., and the David Crocker chafed her bows about jibboom. The Salonica, Liverpool for Demerara, hauled into the Holyhead graving-dock for repairs yesterday. A lump has arrived with goods from the wreck of the Olinda (s s). The Nyverheid, hence for Hobart Town, was spoken with, Feb. 1 (ten days out), off the Skerries. The Hornet, from Glasgow, was spoken with, Dec. 28, lat. 7 N., long. 22 W. • Tha Lisbon, hence to Lisbon, put into Holyhead new harbour at 1.1. a.m. VESSELS SPOKEN WITH. The Cordelia, homeward bound, Dec. 18, lat. 13 S. long. 9W. The Cypress, from Liverpool to Melbourne, with lois of three topmasts and foremast bead, in company with the Symmetry, of Liverpool, which ship has lost her top masts, in let. about 7 N. The Zarah, Jan. 1, lat. 4 N. long. 23 W. The Arcadia, from New Orleans to Liverpool, Jan. 14, lat. 37 N. long. 74 W. The Hornet, from Glasgow, Dec. 28, lat. 7 N., long. 22 W. The Kirkland, from New York to the Cape of Good Hope, Dec. 27, lat. 6N. long. 26 W. The Josephine (barque), of Liverpool, for the River La Plata, same day. The Esther and Ann, of Milford, from Wilmington, N.C., to Liverpool, Jan. 7, in the Gulf Stream. The Virginia, from Callao to Queenstown, Nov. 26, lat. 56 S. 69 W. . The Countess of Durham, steering S.W. Nov. 28, lit. 55 S. long. 61 W. 0 • The Bonanza, from Islay to Liverpool, Dec. 21, lat. 32 S. long. 12 W. The Lady of Shelburne, from Callao, Jan. 14, lat. 25 N. long. 41 W. The Fanny, of Liverpool, bound to Africa, Jan. 18, lat 47 N. long 16 W. The John Murray, from Laguna to Liverpool master sick, Jan. 10, lat. 32 N. The Consent, from Melbourne to Aberdeen, Sept. 13, lat. 39 S. long. 9 E. The Stad - Dordrecht, from Singapore to Hartlepool, Nov. 29, lat. , 19 S. long. 98 E. The Amanda. (brigantine), bound W. Jan. 23, lat. 27 N. long. 24 W. COMMITTAL FOR MURDER. —A man, named Joseph Kemp, of Illogan, in Cornwall, has just been committed to take his trial at the ensuing Bodmin Assizes, for the wilful murder of Joshua Merlenlot. It appears that about a fortnight ago, the deceased, in company with two other men, named Henry Martin and James Rogers, was proceeding home about midnight, when they were overtaken by the prisoner near a place called Trewirgie. An altercation took place respecting a sum of 55., which Rogers had lent to the prisoner Kemp, and which the latter, it is said, refused to pay. The dispute lasted for some time, and high words ensued. At last, Kemp drew a knife from his pocket, and struck at all three. He slightly wounded Martin and Rogers, and stabbed the deceased so severely on the right side of his body, just below the navel, that his bowels protruded in a very shocking manner. The poor fellow lingered in great agony for several days, and then died. At a coroner's inquest just held at Redruth the prisoner Kemp was committed to trial for wilful murder. REPRESENTATION OF THE BOROUGH OF CAMBRIDGE.-- A meeting was held in Cambridge, ou Saturday evening, at which Mr. Campbell declared himself a candidate fo r the next borough election. SPORTING INTELLIGEATCE. MALTON MEETINI The MALTON HANDICAP. 1 before Feb. 8. 2 'G.—Arm, 27 and 28. orfe i t s to be declared on or miles. 5 , 1 subs. Age st. lb. ' Daniel O'Rourke . 5 8 5 Songstress 5 8 3 Vindex 4 7 12 Lerrywheut 5 7 9 Grapeshot 4 7 9 Little Fawn Lough Bawn 6 7 8 St. Michael 5 7 7 Brocket 4 7 6 Windsucker 5 7 6 Catherine Parr., 4 7 4 Lord Fauconberg 4 7 4' Colsterdale 6 7 4 Tonic 6 7 3 Cleveland 5 7 2 Dove 4 7 2 Honey-dew 4 7 0 Janey 4 7 0 Billy Richardson 5 7 0 Ammonia 5 6 12 Hobby-Horse 4 6 12 Heapy 4 6 12 Braxy 5 6 11 Captain Cornish 4 6 1 10 Provost Marshal, 4 6 9 Miss Agnes 4 6 9 Age st. St. Andrew 4 6 7 Cabin Boy • 4 6 5 Miss Peddie 4 6 5 The Collier 5 6 4 Bracken 3 6 2 The Event 5 6 2 Bird trap 4 6 2 Merry Monk 3 6 0 Twinkle 3 5 12 The President 3 5 12 Queen's Own 3 5 10 Skinningrove 3 5 10 El Dorado..., 3 5 10 King Alfred 3 5 9 Streatlam Fairy 3 5 7 The Jewess ...... 3 5 7 Miss Sellon 3 5 6 Diligent 3 5 6 Phoenix 3 5 3 Bright Phcebus 3 5 2 Jetty Treffz 3 5 0 Andromache 3 4 12 Monimia 3 , 4 10 Antonia 3 4 10 Penitent 3 4 7 Should the highest weight accepting be under Bst 51b, it will be raised to that weight, and the rest in propor tion. The CONVIVIAL HANDICAP. Forfeits to be declared on or before February 8 ; one mile ; 37 subs. Age st - lb ' . Age st lb Daniel O'Rourke 5 8 5 Hobbyhorse 4 6 13 Songstress 5 8 3 Captain Cornish... 4 6 12 Tinder Snowdon Dunhill 4 7 11 The Tempest 5 6 9 Lerrywheu t Catherine Parr ... 4 7 8 Axwell Brocket 4 7 8 Patience Tonio 6 7 7 Wings of a Dove 4 6 2 Billy Richardson 5 7 4' Light of the Harem 4 6 2 The Surveyor `Jack the Giant i Middlesborough 3 510 Killer 4 7 2 Streatlam Fairy 3 510 The Puritan The General , 4 7 0 Miss Sellon Heapy Honey-dew Ann Ellis. 4 7 0 Monirnia Ammonia Braxey Should the highest weight accepting be under Bst 51b, it will be raised to that weight, and the rest in propor tion. COUNTRY MARKETS. HADDINGTON-FEB. 3. The following are the prices of grain at our market to-day : WHEAT. BARLEY. OATS. BEANS 1 86s Od 42s 6d 36s 60. 53s Od Second MS 9d 1 395. Od 33s 741 '_4Bs 3d Third 63s Od 1 29s Od 21s tit 42s Od Total quantity of wheat in market, 506 qrs., 444 sold Pf PP barley -„ 584 qrs., 539 sold PP PP oats „ 523 qrs., 450 sold , PP PP beans „ 137 qrs.., 129 soliL , • Average of wheat :3 16 9 0-12ths Ditto of Barley Ditto of Oats Ditto of Beans -12 the First DALKEITH GRAIN MARKET-FEB- 2. Qrs. Best. Current. ,314 Wheat 79s - 0(1. 1810 Oats 3:ss Od .25s , 4d. '951 Barley - 42s Od 34s 6d 36 Peas & beans 50s 6d 43s Od Average of wheat, 3/. 8s 23d. ABERDEEN-FEB. 3. Inferior.' 50e Od 185 8(1 29s 0(1 41s Oct The prices of grain, are—Old oats, 23s Od. to 28s 63; 401bs per bushel; new oats, 28s 3d to 29s Od , 401bs per bushel ; bere, 37s 6d to 38s 6d, 531bs per bilk] iel ; barley, 37s Od to 37s 6d, 531bs per bushel ; wheat, res 1,63 s Od to 70s Od, 621bs per bushel ; wheat, white, 76s Od i to 79s 03, 621bs per bushel ' • oatmeal,. 21s Od to 25s (3 1 per boll; flour, 61s 0(1 to 63s Od per sack. Provisions—: Beef, per lb, 6d to 8d ; mutton, ditto, 6d to Sd ; veal, ditty ), 6d to 8(1; pork, per lb, Os Mto Os 7.1 ; salmon, per lb, Os Od to Os Od.; rabbits, each, Od to 0(1 ;. tallow, per stone, 5s 9 d to Os Od ; potatoes, per peck; 8(1. to 9(1; butter, per 14 ,9d to 10d ; eg g s, per doz, is 01 to is 2(1; hens, per pa; ir, 3s 6d to 4s 0d ; chickens, ditto, 2s Ocl to 2s 6d ; ducks, ditto, 2s Od to 3s 01 ; ducklings, ditto, 2s 6d to Os 01 1; turkeA each, 53 03 to Os Od ; geese, ditto, 3s Od to Os Od ; butter for exuortation (present cure), per cwt, 82s to 84s Od ; ditto (summer cured), 00s to 00s Od ; eggs, whq desale price, per dozen, 9d to Od ; 41b loaf, 8d ; 21b kat', , 4d ; pork, fine small, Os 0(1 to Os Od ; pork, large, Os Od to Os Od ; lamb, per lb., 53 9(1 to Od ; cheese, per im.lperial stone, 5s 6d to 7s. DUBLIN—Frs. 3. A very sluggish market, and a general indisposition for business to-day. The tendency of such a fe c ;ling was to lower'rates for everything. White wheat, 44s 01 to 47s Od ; red ditto, 431. s to 45s Od ; barley, 17s Od to 22s Jd ; oats, 136 Od to 17s 3k 1 ; rapeseed, 006 Od to 00s Od per brl ; oatmeal, 16s Od to 1133 Od ; bakers' flour, 24s Od to 28a Od per cwt; luctiau coru, 48f ; Od to 553 Od per 4801bs. CORK—FEB. 3. In our market the dulness existing last we it3k still con tinues, the state of the Eastern question preve eating buyers from operating. Native wheat is to is Gd 1< ) war ; secon dary and inferior sell at irregular prices. F oreign wheat in limited request at is to 2s decline. Barley 6d cheaper. In prepared and stored corn nothing passi) ig. Oats Gd down, without leading to business. Flour a :heavy trade, and without alteration. Indian meal and t 'atmeal both 5s per ton cheaper. RAILWAY SIIARE MARKET 4L LIVERPOOL, FEB. 4. SToorc EXCHANGE.—The market has been :brisk to-day, at a material advance upon yesterday's rates. Caledonian, 26fi ; Chester and Holyhead, 15* ; Eastern CO unties, 131.; East Lancashire, 16i g ; Lancashire and York e hire, 66i ; London and North-Western, 103 • Manche& sr, Sheffield, and Lincoln, 22k; Midland, 63; ; North :British, 81 ; South-Eastern and Dover, 18i Manchest 6r, Sheffield, and Lincoln (6/. new shares), p, LEEDS, FEB. 4. STOCK EXCHANGE.—There has been a ver7 active busi ness on 'Change to-day, especially in Midla s ids and Lan cashire and Yorkshires, both of which were i nflueneed by the favourable news from Austria and Pm. ssia, and the proposed dividends have made an import ant advance. Lancashire and Yorkshires opened at 644, tht n went up to 65, and finally closed at 654 ; Midlands were done at 634 ; South-Easterns, at 184 ; Caledonians, at :26k ; North- Westerns, at 84 ; and London and South-WQ sterns, at 82. MANCHESTER, FEB. 4. STOCK EXCHANGE.—Prices wero rather higher soon after the opening, but closed at previous, quotations. Leeds, 65 ; London and North-Westerns, 103 c. ; Sbeffields, 22i ; Midlands, 63s ; North Staffords, 5l dis. ; Dovers, 18746. • BIRMINGHAM, FEB. 4. STOCK EXCHANGE.—This market was mu re active to day, and all shares advanced. Birminghaw and Stour Valleys were done at 9 ; and. London and Nor th-Westerns closed at 102, 3. . , Sinn&EcK.—At four o'clock, a.m., on Cole 30th nit., in a fog, and a fresh gale from S.W., the bi:ig Lady Oc tavio, of Greenock, George Robertson, in aster, from Pernambuco, bound to Greenock, with a cargo of sugar, ran on shore on the rocks at Malin Head.. The crew were all saved, with the exception of one 'boy. There will be a total loss of hull and cargo, as the' sugar is in bags, and the vessel is rapidly going to pieces. The ves sel and cargo are insured.—Derry Standard. (ADVERTISEMENT.]—HoIIoway's Pills a safe and cer tain cure for Coughs, Colds, and Asthmatical Corn plaints.—The autumnal quarter is the season when coughs, colds, and wheezings on the chest are most pre valent; such are the properties of Holloway's Pills, that if taken at the commencement of the attack, the viru lence of the disease is very much abated, and :the patient thereby suffers little or no inconvenience, but if neg lected, it frequently occurs that the foundation of in curable disorders is laid; therefore let those w h o are liable to attacks o f thi s na ture try these invaluable pills, and they are also particularly recommended t o t h ose who are afflicted with asthmas and diseases of the chest. —Sold by all druggists, and at Professor ifolloway's establishment, 224, Strand, London. BIRTHS. OF A SON. On the 31st ult., at the Vicarage, Turville, Henley-on- Thames, the wife of the Rev. P. Henry Boissier. On the 3d inst., at 81, Eaton-square, the Countess de Morella. OF A DAII4IrITU. On the 2d inst., at 16, Lansdown-crescent, Cheltenham, the wife of Captain W. C. Armstrong, 15th Regiment. On the 3d inst., in Tavist oc k- square, t h e wife of Edward Solly, Esq., F.R.S. MARRIED. On tho 2d inst., at St. George's, Hanover-square, Mr. Joseph Dennis Cheeseman , of Islingt on , t o A ugus t a , e ld es t daughter of Mr. Samuel Osmond, of Davies-street, Berke ley-square. On the Ist inst., at St. Mary's, Aldermanbnry, James, only son of the late Lieutenant Sunders, R.N., to Fanny Jane, only child of, the late William Sorrell, Esq. DIED. On the 2d inst., at No. 17, Park-road, St. John's-wood, Miss Sarah Anderson, sister of the late Deputy-Commis sary-General Anderson, aged 76. On the 3d inst., at We s t on - su p er -M are , age d 74, M a j or Skeffington Lutwidge, of Holmrook•hall, in the county of Cumberland, E.I.C.S. Madras. On the 4th inst., in Cadogan - placo, Henry Charles Bromley Wilson, aged eight months, the infant son of Frederick John Wilson, Esq. Archib a ld D yer, Esq. aged 67, of Hanover-crescent, Brighton, son of the late ' Thomas Dyer, Esq., of the Trea sury, and brother of Sir Thoma 4 Swinnerton Dyer, Bart. LONDON : Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at he Sun Office, N 0.112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the county of Middlegex, Atonday,..February 6, 1834. .B.nd insti Na Certi: will, tered tures 2, ] Wow With Land resid, llayE A U Solici SOW and the such ing i and will any auth and ands such deli' of N mon or a and Jalus sign the the Mid IN; COIT atta and ant