The Sun. — London, England, 1854-02-27 00:00:00

~r~~ RAIL WAY INTELLIGENCE GREAT NORTHEIIN. The half-yearly meeting of this company was held on Saturday at the London Tavern, Mr. E. Denison, M.P., in the chair. Mr. Mowatt, the secretary, read the notice convening the meeting. The report, an abstract of which bas appeared in The Sun, was taken as read. The CHAIRMAN commenced by stating that the expen diture on capital account during the past half-year amounted to 236,9841., making the total expenditure on capital account up to the 31st of December last 10,195,4621. A large portion of the 236.9841. was for works in course of construction and completed, and for working stock. The sum of • 16,0001. was expended at various stations to accommodate the traffic, 25,0001. at King's-cross, 15,0001. in sundry works on the line, and 12,0001. in certain alterations at the linottingley and Wakefield stations, to adapt them for the increased traffic. This outlay was for the completion of the works, and from the extraordinary manner in which the traffic on the line was increasing they would be obliged to call upon the proprietors to raise a further sum of money for roiling stock. They could readily nnderstand the necessity of further outlay on working stock when he told them that their locomotive superintendent had applied to the directors for 25 or 30 additional locomo tive engines, which would cost .3,000/ each, and when their traffic manager asked them for 1,000 more waggons, which would cost between 6.51. and 701. each. The ques tion was, whether they would grant the scppliestoaccom modate the increased traffic, or whether they would with hold the grant and stop the increase of traffic. He believed they weuld not do anything of the kind, but see at once the necessity of the additional outlay. In fact, the traf fic increased so rapidly that they had considerable diffi culty in providing working stock to accommodate it. The next matter to which he would call their attention was the receipts and expenditure on revenue account during the past half-year. The receipts amounted to g 487,0001. during the p ast half- y ear, bei„ . 4. an avers e of 661. 10s. per mile per week, which was an amount that hid astonished both shareholders and directors. Tee working ex penses amounted to 214,0341., th e i n t eres t on loans and other charges 152,0001,, leaving a balance of 118,1411. for dividend. This was equal to 21. 'N. 2d. per cent. upon the consolidated stock of the company, which amounted to 4,808,000/. He thought they must admit that this was a very satisfactory state of things ; 1853 was the first whole year in which the railway had been at work. including the "towns' line," and he would take the result of the whole of that year in preference to a comparison of the two half-years. The traffic re ceipts in that year amounted to 868,9001., which would average 591. per week. They were of course aware that the average recipts per mile of the year were less than the average receipts per mile of the past half-year. The working expenses amounted to 388,964/., being 44 per cent. upon the receipts. The interest on loans amounted to 194.8841. and dividends on preference stock to 127,3071., leaving a balance of 179,312/. for dividend on the ordinary capital, being at the rate of •31, 14s. 21 upon the whole year. This he would venture to say was a, most satisfactory result for the first year they had worked over the whole line. The traffic upon the line was very satisfactory at present, and he saw no rea son why the traffic of the current half-year should not be equal to the past half-year. The traffic during the first half of the year was always less in amount than that of the second half; and, if they could approach the same dividend in the present half-year that they were about to declare for the past, that would be quite as much as they could expect. It was stated in the report that a balance would remain over of 3,9411., after paying a dividend of 21 per cent. on the original stock, 34 per cent. on the B stock, and per cent. on the A stock. There seemed to be some doubt with regard to the rates of and dates at which the divi dends respectively became due upon the A or deferred stock, and the B stock as guaranteed up to 6 per cent. per annum by the A stock, under the provisions of the act creating those stock's. The question was of so much importance that 'the directors instructed their solicitors to obtain the opinion of counsel on the subject. Sir R. Bethell and Mr. G. R. Clarke were of opinion that they were bound in the first half-year to pay the B stock at the rate of 6 per cent., or as much of it as the disposable sum would allow ; and that the holders of A. or deferred shares would not be entitled to receive any dividend until the meeting for declaring the dividends for the second half of each year, except in the event of the amount to be divided in the first half of the year being sufficient to pay more than the. 6 per cent. in respect of the B shares, and that the whole amount available for dividend in each half-year must be so applied, without any reserve so far as it was capa ble of being divided. The directors had no alter native but to substitute, in lieu of the dividend re commended in the report, the following recommenda tions of the rates of dividend for the last half-year, ended the 31st of December, 1853—namely, at the rate of 41. 18s. 3d. per cent. per annum on the original undi vided stock, which would give for the half-year or the original stock-21. 9s. lid. per cent., being 12s. 31d. per undivided 25L share; on B stock 31/. per cent., being Bs. 9d. per 121/. B or half share ; a n d on A s t oc k 11.8 s. 3d. - per cent., being 3s. op. per 12A1. Aor half share, The dividends on the A and R stocks making together 12s. 33d., being the same as the dividend 'en the 251. share, leaving to be carried to the next account the small sum of 341. ' Notwithstanding that the B stock had the ad vantage of the A. stock at present, lie would not be sur prised if the A stock should eventually become better than the other. In the 12th p tragrapti or the report there was a word or two respecting. the South York shire. They had thought it right to inform the share holders that decisions in two law courts were given against the Great Northern Company, but they were told by counsel that the agreement was illeg and could not be maintained in a court of equity. Counsel were of opinion that these decisions of the law judges were so entirely at variance with those given by the courts of equity in similar cases that the directors had resolved to appeal to the House of Lords. He (the Chairman) beeeved, after those decisions, that the directors would he justified in adopting the ageeement as a good one ' • but, if they were to act upo n t wi t agree ment, it would be competent for a shareholder in the company to take the case into a court of equity, and thus upset it. They had a great respect fur parties connected with the South Yorkshire Railway Company, and all the directors wanted to do in the matter was that which was right, and their duty to the Great Northern Company. He hoped they did not suppose that the matter was contested on litigious grounds, or for any other purposes than that of being assured that they had power to enter into it ; but so long as Sir R. Betitell and other equity lawyers say that they have no doubt of those decisions being reversed, the directors would not be justified in acting iu accordance with those de cisions until the matter was set at rest by a higher tri bunal. He could venture to say that, so far as the di rectors were concerned, they would he happy to make a satisfactory settlement with the South Yorkshire Com pany if they could without any further litigation. They had no personal feeling in the matter, but to do their duty to the proprietors. .(Applause.) The directors bad entered into a conditional agreement with the Leeds, Bradford, and Halifax Junction Railway for working the traffic on the line, which would be opened in May or June next. With regard to the paragraphs in the report relating to his views respecting the proposal to build a place of divine worship for the population re cently assembled at Doncaster, in the itnmeliate service of the Great Northern Company, he was sorry to find that it would be opposed. Before he went ieto the question, he proceeded to show that he had no personal interest whatever, either in having the business of the locomotive department carried on at Doncaster, or in the construction of the church which it was proposed to build on the company's property. Although he reel., led at Doncaster in a very bad house, for which he pail a very high rent, he did not hold even a 40s. freehold in Doncaster. In making the proposition, lie had done nothing more than he believed to be his duty to the company and to society. With regard to the proposal for building a church, it would be necessary to obtain an act of Parliament to sanction it. They could riot endow a church without an act of Parliament, and they would have the - opportunity of again consi dering the question, as they could not obtain the bill without the sanction of the shareholders. They could withhold their assent when the bill was sub mitted. The population in connexion with their works at Doncaster was about 4,000. There were 1,000 men earning weekly wages at their works, and with their wives and children made the population 4,000 persons who resided near their railway, without a place of wor ship or a school to go to. He did not suppose that the proprietors would wish such a state of things to continue. He had received several letters from Dissenters on the Subject, for whom he had great respect, as he thought they had every right t o ex p ress th e i r op i n i ons. It was not intended to educate the children according to any l' e ctarian doctrine, but to give them religious and moral in struction. He proposed, in the first instance, to ask the 2eo. to t o vo t e 2001 . a year, includ i ng 5 01. for a house to the clergyman, and 1501. a year for a school master and schoolmistress, and 801. for books and junior asmistai lts• The cost of the church should not exceed 6,000/., and that of the school 2,0001., together 8,0001., which, ae 4 4 37: erit., would represent 3201. per annum, and would involve fele3P/ the clergyman, schoolmaster, &e., build the chug h5Ol. per annum. It was not intended to il 1855. When he brought the sub ject before his g t u h es, not one of them diesented. Ile hoped, thereforea pe e et pr t o o prietors would sanction the proposition. With res hospitals arid other similar charities, the directorre,ecoonynthe suggestion of Mr. Waters, t t h e last meetine, _emarended that they be autho raised to subscribe 100/. a is not enough. "1 He was Mr. HUGHES-'That p i t i o r n that they ought to establish an aonuity fund for servants, when dis abled from accidental or other eau „ the attempt among their servants to s' establish ' ey s such a ra ft a iu d d e but the men declined t() do it. The for themselves, d in e e el n in l , i e a d d agreed general manager had told him that the to subscribe to a sick fund, but the scribe to an annuity fund. He concluded by to sub-. 1 adoption of the report and statement of movingaccounts. the Mr. PA - CIZE seconded the motion. Mr. IfuGun said, with respect to the matt er pute with the South Yorkshire Company, that it was not a question of equity, but it was a quoition for a court of common law. He had no personal interest in the matter whatever, but he thought it wa,: not neces sary to refer the matter to the House of L'o di at great expense, when it ha I been decided by, a cold of l aw. With regard to the proposition of the chairman for a church and school, he would extend the principle to Boston and other places on the Great Northern line ; and as to subscriptions to hospitals; he would extend theLa to 5001. or 8001. a year, if requisite. He thought it was very objectionable to go on year after year re electing thelx auditors, as he thought the accounts now req .r. aired a pe r system of audit. voliabase vr fits wished to k now w h e th er th e directors any abjection to diride the original glom ;',~ into A and B stock, as they had power by the act of Parliament to do so from time to time ? Tie CRAIRYIAN'QaI(I,` the had not been under the consideration of the board, but if it was the wish of a majority of the proprietors then present, the board would take the matter into consideration. Mr. WATTERS said, he thought the profit they were now dividing was much larger than they would have at the end of the current half-year. The additional profit arose chiefly from the additional price charged for the carriage of coal, as compared with the cor responding period of 1852. The price then charged for all coal carried on the line amounted to ss. 4d. per ton, but in the la-t half-year they had charged at the rate of 7s. 2 , 1.• per ton, being an increase t,f Is. 10d. per ton, amounting to between 30,0001. and 31,0001. which was equal to 1 per cent. on the ordinary capital for the half-year ; and were it not for this, they would not have been able to divide more than 31 per cent, in stead of 4i per cent. lie feared they had charged more than they were authorized by the Act of Parliament. He believed they had done so at Peterborough, Hitchin, and other places ou the line. In 1852 .they charged at the rate of 6s. 4d. per ton for the carriage of coals to London, but, during the last half-year they c h arge d lls. 2d. per ton. Now, the act did not authorize them to charge that amount. (Cries of " Question ! question !") The Act of Parliament, which regulated the tolls to be charged on the line, was passed on the 15th of J u ly, 1850, and specifi e d hat the charze for coals should be at the rate of Id. per ton per mile, when the distance did not exceed 24 miles, but, if carried beyond that distance, id. per ton per mile for the whole distance. He would represent this matter to the Board of Trade, He had made his calculations, and he hoped to see the line pay ing 41 per cent. dividend. (Laughter.) With regard to churches and schools on the line, ho would not con fine the matter to Doncaster, but would extend the prin ciple to other places on the line, with this difference, that instead of voting money out of the funds of the company, he would propose that it b..s raise I by voluntary subscriptions ; and that a committee consisting of certain directors and shareholder's be appointed for the ourpose of obtaining subscriptions for a church in St. Pancras, as well as at Doncaster. He thought they had strong claims on their lawyers for charitable con tributions, as they had received 311,0001. for bills of costs, which were not taxed. Had they been taxed, it was probable 10 per cent. would have been off their bills, but if these gentlemen would only contribute 1 per cent. of that amount every difficulty would be removed. He would propose that 501. per annum be voted to the Royal Free Hospital. Mr. JESSELL said, he differed in Coto from Christianity, but he fully concurred in the proposition of the chair man with regard to the church and schools. He thought they ought to support hospitals in a more liberal spirit, and vote 5001. a:year for the purpo-e, Lsstead of 1001.— (hear, hear)—as they were . liable to be called upon in cases of accident. Mr. GLADDING strongly objected to the proposition with regard to building churches and schools with the funds of the company. If the principle were once ad mitted, it was impossible to say where it would end He concluded by moving a resolution to the effect that paragraphs 13, 14, and 15, relating to these matters, be omitted from the report. A PROPRIETOR seconded the amendment. The CHAIRMAN was gratified to find that the principle of his proposition was generally admitted ; and, if the board would follow him, he would grant a sum of money for a church at St. Pancras. As to Mr. Waters' state ment with respect to the coal trade, he would not adopt his figures ; and he was astonished to hear him say that he would go to the Board of Trade and make some com plaint. Mr. Waters was now a holder of B shares, and was therefore secure ; but in his observations he did not show much feeling for the A shareholders, who had guaranteed his dividend. He (the chairman) was pre pared to justify every step that had been taken in re spect to the coal trade on the line, and could assure them that the directors had kept within the four corners of the act of Parliament. With regard to the churches and schools, if the proprietors would only give him (the chairman) ld. in the pound on the capital of the co.ii nany, including the loans and navig,.tions, it would raise 50,000/., which would be sufficient f all the churches and schools that would be required on the line. After some further discussion it was agreed to receive the report. It was then proposed to adopt the report, uplin which, Mr. GLADDING moved an amendment to the effect that the paragraphs 13, 14, and 15 be omitted from the report. The amendment was put and negatived by a large majority, Mr. CLADDING demanded a poll. Mr. HUGHES moved an amendment (seconded by Mr. Waters) to the effect that 7501. be allowed for religious instruction on the line. This was also negatived. Mr. WATERS then moved a resolution to the effect that a fund be raised by voluntary subscription for build ing churches and schools at places on the line. The motion was negatived. Resolutions were then passed, declaring dividends on the 5 per cent. and 41 per cent. shares ; and at the rate of 41. Bs. 3d. per cent. per annum on the ordinary shares ; 31 per cent, on the B stock, and 1/. Bs. 3d. per cent. on the A stock ; voting 2001. to the clergyman at Don caster for the year ; 150/, for the schoolmaster and schoolmistress, and 80/. for books and junior assistants to instruct the children of the persons employed at Don caster, and 1,0001. to build a school. The retiring directors, Messrs. Burkill, G. Hutchison, and Walker, were re-elected ; and Mr. C. W. Faber was elected a director' in the room of the late Colonel Colquhonn. A discussion ensued on a proposition to divide the whole of the original shares into A and B stock, but on being put to the meeting it was negatived. Toe proceedings concluded with a cordial vote of thanks to the chairman and directors. NEWPORT, ABERGAVENNY, AND HEREFORD The half-yearly ordinary meeting was held on Thurs day, at the London Tavern ; the Hon. W. E. Fitzmau rice in the chair. The SECRETAUY read the report, which stated that-- "The railway from Pontypool to Hereford had been completed, and placed in the hands of the London and Nor.h-Western for working. The line had been opened on the 2d of January last. The directors, as the agents of the Worcester and Hereford company, had agreed to com plete the construction of a portion of that line which ex tended from the Above-Eign station at Hereford to the junction with the Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway, being in extent about one mile. By such means they had been enabled to open a single lino from their station at HerefOrd, through to the Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway, thereby completing the continuous and unbroken line from the Severn to the Mersey; and as the accounts for that portion of the work were from time to time certified by the engineer of the two companies, the Wor cester and Hereford Company were to recoup the cost to their company, the account in the interim bearing interest at 5 per cent. The Taff Vale extension, for the improve. ment of which an act was obtained last session, was no., being constructed as far as the Sirhowy Valley. Nearly the whole of the material for the viaduct was now on the ground ; its erection would, therefore, proceed rapidly in the spring of the year. The accounts showed that the total expenditure h.lii been 533,:393/. Si. lid., and the receipts 570,9391. Sc., leaving a b dance in hand of 3 7,595/.163.141." The CHAIRMAN, in in. , ving the adoption of the report, said that in foreier times, when adversity pressed upon them, he had been often compelled to make lengthened statealents. But when better days had arrived, there was little for him to discuss or explain: The line was now opened from one end to the other. After the many difficu.ties they had passed through, and the pecuniary einbarrassments they had had to contend with, so much so, that at one time it was seriously contemplated by many to wind up the affairs cf the company, it was most cheering to calculate with certainty upon the great increase of traffic. The gigantic difficulties of the slip had been overcome so as to ensure complete safety to passengers. The shareholders would remember how the directors had been assailed for taking the train ways. They had obtained their line through these. They had sold the old materials within 15s. per ton. of what they had given. There was a large portion of tramway still to be sold, the remaining part of which was valued at 20,0001. The engineer's report was satisfactory, and the more so as he was a gentleman in whom they could repose the greatest con fidence. His plans had been for some time delayed from want of workmen, materials for the fittings of the line, and in consequence of a slip which occurred in one of the cuttings during the wet weather last autumn. A good deal of trouble had been experienced! in making arrangements with some landed proprietors, who had offered land by no means desirable, and had shown great ignorance in estimating the value of some kinds of ground. Their Parliamentary expenses were put at 10,000/. It would be impossible to say at present what the exact cost of the line would be. Their line would still be completed with double rails under 16,000/. per mile. This was very cheap, considering the district through which the line had to pass. The Taff Vale line, after paying 23,0001. a mile, had given a dividend of 7/ per cent. In answer to a question put by Mr. DE WINTON, The CHAIRMAN stated that the balance as notified in the accounts was now laid out at interest at 1 per cent. The report was then adopted. The following gentlemen were re-elected directors : Messrs. W. Benson, T. Brown, H. W. Blake, Richard Moon, and Henry Tootal, in consequence of the unani mity existing between them and the Grewt North Western. Some discussion then ensued as to making the audi tors appointment a permanent one, which terminated in the re-election of Mr. Rogers. The following motion was then put and carried : "That the directors be authorised to exorcise the borrow ing powers of the company, under BthVict., c. 16, to the extent of 44,0001., in addition to the sum of 200,0001. authorised to be raised by a minute of a F•peciai general meeting of the comp my held on the 30th of June last." Thanks were voted to the chairman and directors, after which the meeting broke up. FU NESS. On Thursday the half-yearlY general meeti n g of th e share holders was held at their offices, 12, New-street, Spring gardens • the Earl of Burlington in the chair. After the usual preliminaries had been disposed of, Mr. J. IZut6DEN, the secretary, read the report, of which the fo'lowing is an abstract : " The state of the revenue accounts enabled the directors to recommend a dividend at the rate of five per cent. per a, num on the ordinary share capital, leaving a considerable balance. In consequence of the increase of traffic they had thought it necessary to give directions for laying down a second line of rails from the Salthouse Junction to Ba'"nw, and to order additional working stock, &o. This expen, dture had rendered it necessary that the sum of should beimmediately provided, 15,000 . authorised to be raised under the act of last session, amount of capital and they proposed that that should be offered to the shareholders in proporticn t) the shares now held by them. They had, be sufficient to disobey however, recently discovered that the 15,000 e. would not reps red, the liabilities and provide the tuds "" aids therefore, given directios for an application to Parliament to raise an additional sum of I 50,000/. Part of it only would be required, and if the traffic should continue to increase further expenditure of capital would be necessary." The CHAIR AN, in moving the adoption of the re port, said that lie believed that it contained every point which it was important that the meeting should be inf firmed of. They would perceive by it that the traffic had continued to advance in every branch, but the principal increase had been in the carriage of iron ore, mainly owing to the opening of new mines. The in creased traffic required additional outlay in engines and waggons. With regard to the 50,000/. for which they applied. although only part of it would be required im mediately, yet the directors thought it desirable to have the remainder to provide additional facilities as they might be required. When the Ulverston line should be opened, they would be able to judge of its capacities. It would, however, for some time continue to be an iso lated line, until the completion of the works of the Ulverston and Lancashire line, which were at present in progress„ Mr. WALKER seconded the motion, which, after a short conversation, was agreed to. The dividend, as recommended, was then declared, and the application to Parliament for the power to raise 50,0001. sanctioned. The proceedings then closed with a vote of thanks to the chairman. SPORTING NOTES ANTICIPATIONS ANENT AINTREE. The annual spring gathering at Aintree moults no feather of its popularity. It still maintains intact those powerful and varied attractions which have constituted it the most interesting and important of all early " fix tures." The Grand National Steeplechase alone is a tower of strength to the meeting, as, indeed, it is the principal and only engrossing "cross country" event of the season. Judging from the increased activity, which has within the last week been imparted to the betting and the still widening range of speculation, its celebra tion on the present occasion is likely to be marked by incidents of an unusually exciting description. The most important movements in the turf market relative to it I have already endeavoured to indicate and explain, and the opinions which I have expressed respecting them have been strengthened by the latest "operations." Notwithstanding the growing favour manifested for Oscar and the hardened confidence of Bourton's sup porters, my high estimate of Miss Mowbray's pretensions is not lessened. Still, in calculating her chance I am not unmindful of the many contingencies which, in a large field of horses, may, in any part of the encounter, effectually destroy the possibility of her success. Still, Miss Mowbray will not be more liable to accidents than her most formidable opponents, and with the assistance of her cool-headed, experienced jockey, the odds are cer tainly in favour of her clearing without mishap the most dangerous " obstacles " in the course. Some uncertainty exists as to the ultimate "intentions" relative to Miss Mowbray's stable companion Oscar, and, ,indeed, many persons affect to believe that his party build large expectations on the probability of his success. Although this opinion is not opposed to all "turf tactics," yet it certainly appears to be at total variance with the evidence supplied by the betting. Indeed, for months the entire tendency of speculation has been to try and prove, and, I think, successfully the earnestness and good faith of Miss Mowbray's supporters. Should, however, any accident happen to the mare, I shall not be surprised were Oscar to achieve the victory; but I believe that he will only be started to make the running and clear the way for Miss Mowbray, and to take care of Bourton, whom, be it remembered, he has once, and at a heavier weight, easily defeated. Bourton possesses pretensions certainly less sound than those of Miss Mowbray ; still I do not wish to deny or disparage his proved racing merit. Still, through Oscar, Miss Mowbray's party are enabled to form a pretty accurate estimate of his capabilities, and that estimate has doubtless been made, and the bettingshows that they are not discouraged by it. The recent successful running of Trout has doubtless materially contributed to extend the popularity of Sour ton, and to fill his partisans with confidence and boast ing. That I mistrust Bourton lam compelled to ad mit, his temper is uncertain, and if not th vein, he may destroy the hopes of his backers at the first formidable fence. Peter Simple and Half-and-Half will unquestionably be dangerous antagonists ; for the old 'un, however, notwithstanding his crushing weight, I entertain the strongest partiality. Relative to Half and Half, the betting has recently fluctuated in so perplexing and unaccountable a manner, that I am unable to determine whether it will be a winning or a losing game that will be played with him. Will a big knell be sounded for his defeat, or will Ms victory be celebrated by a little peal ? Maurice Daley is warmly fancied in certain well informed quarters, but I entertain no sanguine expecta tions of his chance ; notwithstanding, too, the inc reas i ng support received b y La Gazza Ladra, lam inclined t o believe that th e confidence of her backers also may be misplaced. These remarks also apply in a wider or less iignificance to Lady Arthur, and certain other probable st trters. Of the outside division, Abd-el-Kader, Spring, and Bedford may figure most prominently in the encounter, and were an unthought-of animal to achieve the victory, one of the three mentioned may pull through to the joy of the "fielders." Having carefully compared the relative merit of the intended competitors, and having duly considered every movement in the turf market, it would be contrary to common sense to select any other than Miss Mowbray as the probable winner of the Grand National Steeple. chase. I shall not extend my comments to the legitimate events ; should I, however, gather any information worth communicating respecting them, it shall be laid before the readers of The Sun on Tuesday. Before these hastily penned observations appear in type, I shall be located at Manchester en route to Liverpool determined to attend Stretford steeplechases, in order to hear the sayings and observe the doings of the Manchester men. Feb. 25. A FRESH MAN. LIVERPOOL SPRING MEETING. WEDNESDAY. Subjoined is a programme of the sport :- 1 The TRIAL STAKES of 5 seem each, with 30 soya, added ; three-yr-olds, 6st 41b four, Bst 4lb ; five, 9st ; six and aged, 9st 31b ; m ares an d geldings allowed 41b. Mile and a quarter. 5 subs. To name the night pre ceding, at seven o'clock. Mr. Moseley, Mr. Saxon, Mr. Worthington, Mr. W. Palmer, and Mr. T. Bell. The LIVERPOOL SPRING CuP (Handicap) of 100 soya, in specie, by subscription of 10 snvs. each, h ft, with 60 added ; one mile and three-quarters. 24 subs. Age at lb Age st lb Colsterdale 6 8 7 Charity Cariboo Lancashire Lass 4 8 2 Lurley Ulster 4 7 10IThe Speaker, by Dove Kilquade Missive Cleveland Cabin Buy 4 7 6 Pantaloon Angelo The Event 5 7 2 Antonia 3 5 6 Lightof the Harem 4 7 2 The Cripple _ 3 5 4 Escape The GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE of 20 soya, each, h ft, with 100 sovs. added ; the second to save his stake. Winners of any steeplechase from the time of declaring the weights, once, 6lb ; and twice or more, 10lb extra. About four miles. (62 subs., 17 of whom declared and pay 5 soya, each.) Age at lb Age st lb Peter Simple a 12 0 Pride of the North a 9 8 Bourton Oscar Miss Mowbray ... a 11 9 Labyrinth The Colonel Peter Half-and-Half ... a 10 8 The Dodger (h b) a 9 6 Abd-el-8ader...... alO 6 Calmar Bedford (h b) ...... a 10 4 Robin Hood Simple . Peter ...... alO 2 The Prince . Victress a 10 0 Squire o f Mahon a 9 4 La Gazza Ladra... a 10 0 Comeaway 6 9 4 Tom of Tuam ... 6 10 , 0 Royalty 5 9 4 Daphne Lady Arthur...... a 9 10 Little Charley Maurice Daley ... a 9 10 Old Rake Maley a 9 10 Trout a 9 0 Star of England... a 9 10 Luck's All a 9 0 Spring 6 9 10 Chester Napoleon 11....... 5 910 g by Faugh-a- Maria Day......... a 910 Ballagh (h b) 6 9 0 Geraldus .......... a 9 8 Burnt Sienna a 8 12 Mountain Maid... a 9 8 Pony (pd) The TIRO STAKES of 5 sous. eacb, with 30 added, for two-yr-olds ; colts Bst 71b, fillies and geldings Bst 31b, T.Y.C. Mr. Barber's Chaon Mr. Mr. T. Bell's Exmouth Croft's Yevitiek Mr. Fletcher's Proserpine Mr. Harrison's f by lago Belle Dame Mr. Morris's The Broom . . The AINTREE PLATE of 70 sovs. One mile. Age st lb' Age st lb Eulogist 4 8 7 Voucher 4 7 4 Lancashire Lass 4 8 2 Game Tommy. Sir Robert . Axweil . 4 7 12 Lord Lieutenant 4 7 0 Warwick ... ...... a 7 6 Rachetee 5 6 10 Worcester 6 7 6 The Speaker The Tempest ...... 5 . 7 6 Antonia 3 5 8 Songster. 5 7 6 Andromache 3 5 2 Escape The SCRAMBLE HANDICAP of 5 sovs. each, with 30 added; if 10 subs., the second to receive 10 soya. out of the stakes ; if 15, to receive 20 sovs. Half a mile. To close and name the night preceding. The OPTIONAL SELLING STAKES of 5 soya, each, with 30 sovs. added. One mile. To close and name at seven o'clock the night preceding. The ground is in excellent condition ; and, should the weather continue favourable, there will be an im mense attendance of company. COSI/MANORS FROM EUSTON STATION.—The 9.15 a.m. express train arrives at . Liverpool at• 3.40 p.m. ; 10.0 a.m. ditto, at 4.45 p.m. ; 12 at noon, Ist and 2d elass, at 9.0 p.m. ; 5.0 p.m., express, at 10.50 p.m. ; 8.45 p.m., mail train, at 4.0 a.m. RACING FIXT' MA' Liverpool Spring 1 Doncaster Spring 7 Salisbury Coventry Spring 14 RES FOR 1854. ,CH. Croxton Park 4 Epsom Spring 6 Cheltenham Spring 12 Newmarket Craven 17 Warwick Spring 2l Catterick 27 Northampton 29 Abergavenny 30 IL. Catterick Bridge 19 Abergavenny 2O York Spring 25 Malton 27 AY. Newmarket F S Chester Spring 9 I Lewes l9 Lothians& Edinburgh...ll ' Bath 23 Newmarket S S lB I Liverpool Hunt Spring ..24 Shrewsbury lB I Epsom 30 JUNE. Manchester Ascot Heath 13 Stockbridge. 29 Newcastle-on-Tyne Q 0 Ludlow 30 Hampton 2l Winchester 3O Carlisle 2G JULY. Newmarket ........ ... 4 Stourbridge l7 Worcester Lancaster 6 Nottingham 20 Mansfield ll I Goodwood 25 Liverpool l2 I Ripon Ipswich 13 SEPT] ,MBER. War wick Lichfield Western Meeting 7 Rochester and Chatham 7 Doncaster 12 Pontefract 18 Bedford 10 LeioeAer 2O Manchester Autumn 2l Lanark .25 Newmarket F 0 26 Northallutort 2B THE SUN, .LONDON, MONDAY EVENING,. FEBRUARY 27, 1854. POLICE INTRLLIGENCE. MARLBOROUGH -STREET. —A gentleman, ac companied by a young and attractive female, asked per mission for his companion to make a statement of her case. The young woman said she was the daughter of a farmer of respectability in the Isle of Wight. A per son assuming to be a gentleman, living in Warwick street, had lodged during the summer months at her father's farm, and had induced her, under a promise of marriage, to leave her home and accompany him to Lon don. She had been in London about five months. Her seducer, finding she was cnciente, deserted her and left her penniless. Had it not been for the kindness of the persons with whom she now lived she must have found her way into the streets. Her parents were incensed at her conduct, and refused to assist her. Mr. Hardwick said he had no means of interfering effectually in such a lamentable case. All he could do was to afford some temporary assistance from the poor box until confinement occurred, and then, if the parents still continued inexorable, to make interest to get the applicant into some reformatory institution. CLERKENWELL.— Villiers Pearce was put at the bar, before Mr. Corric, on a remand, charged that he, having been convicted and transported for felony, was at large, without license, before the expiration of his sen tence. Seven years ago the unfortunate accused was con victed of forging the signature of the Marchioness of Queensbury to a cheque, which he presented for pay ment at Messrs. Coutts's bank, where he was given in charge, the forgery being at once detected, and be was ordered to b© transported for 10 years. Five months ago he came to London, and was living in obscurity with his wife and children, when, through some family dispute, his hiding-place was made known to Sir Richard Mayne, the Commissioner of Police, and on Sunday he was apprehended by Sergeant Gunn, of the G division, and remanded to procure his former convic tion. That evidence was now given against him, and on being asked by Mr. Corrie if he had anything to say, as it was his duty to commit him for trial at the ensuing Old Bailey Sessions, the prisoner, who was extremely agitated, and seemed overwhelmed with remorse, thanked the worthy magistrate, saying his history was a sad one indeed, and he hoped the state ment he was about to make would be placed on the de positions, so that the judge and jury by whom he would be tried should become aware of the severe sufferings and privations he had endured. The learned magistrate kindly informed him that his wishes should be complied with. The prisoner then gave a melancholy account of his life, dating from 1822. It appeared that he was well connected, and had, before the commission of the for gery, which was his first offence, held some responsible situations in the colonies. After his conviction in 1846, he was sent to Van Dieman's Land, where he obtained a ticket of leave. He then went to the diggings, and though he was several times successful, he was robbed of his gold by bushrangers. He was'repeatedly wrecked, and underwent great sufferings on each occasion. He fervently implored the pove.ninent to have compassion on him for the sake of his numerous and respectable family, for his great mental and bodily sufferings, and for his present weakly, worn-out, debilitated state of health. The recital of the extraordinary sufferings of the un happy man excited much sympathy in every one present. Having signed the statement the prisoner was fully committed to Newgate, the worthy magistrate humanely observing that he hoped the punishment would be light. DESPERATE COMBAT WITH TWO CONVICT,I. The following account of the capture of two convicts, near Melbourne, is from a letter of Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Anderson, late of the 50th Regiment of Foot, addressed to his sister at Glasgow : " About two months ago two notorious and desperate convicts made their escape from Van Diemen's Land, and reached our coast. They at once commenced a fearful course of highway robberies, plundering, and otherwise cruelly maltreating men, women, and even the children of all who resisted their outrages, and, be fore they had been a week at lrrge, had committed no less than three murders. They were armed to the teeth, and from the beginning possessed themselves of the best horses they could find in their way, and in this manner, passing rapidly from place to place, they carried terror, death, and destruction wherever they went. Parties of our mounted police were sent out in all directions, and for a fortnight or more scoured the country in pursuit, by night and day, without avail. At last a party con sisting only of your son (Charles Hope Nicolson), a bro ther cadet of the name of Thompson, and a trooper, came suddenly about sunset on a hut in the distant bush, many miles away from any other habitation, and found the door fixed ; but on listening they heard voices within, and, on bursting open the door, found in an inner room no less than nine persons who had been robbed and tied up by the bushrangers. While the captives were being released one of them called out, 'There they are ;' and, on our heroes looking out, they saw the men galloping up with their revolvers levelled towards them. Although our party was on foot they instantly dashed at them and in quired who they were. The villains, as if to gain time to ascertain how many they had to contend with, an ' swered at first that they were neighbouring settlers, but our heroes were not to be done, and, seeing this, the bushrangers'commenced the attack by firing at them, which our people instantly returned; but unfortunately, poor Cadet Tuompson fell from the leading bushranger's second shot, and thus your boy and the trooper had to continue the fight, and this they did so effectually that the villainsgave wav and galloped off, taking the trooper's horse away with them. Poor Thompson was then car ried into the hut and found to be wounded through the lungs. The trooper was despatched for medical assist ance to Kilmore, nine miles off, and your son was left alone with poor Thompson, excepting the nine persons who had suffered themselves to be tied up, expecting every moment a second visit from the foe. Your son made the best arrangements he could by posting the men, on whom he could place little confidence, around the hut, and in this perilous situation he continued un til two o'clock in the morning, when the doctor, accom• panied by two troopers, came to their relief and assist ance. After this night of suffering from bodily fatigue and mental anxiety, at dawn of day your son, with his two troopers, accompanied by a native black from Kih more, again went in chase, the black following the trail of the bushrangers with the instinct of a bloodhound. One of the troopers was sent forward for the purpose of reporting, if possible, at the nearest police station, what had occurred. Holding on their course for two or three miles, they saw the trooper returning at full speed, wav ing his cap. They pushed on, and soon got sight of the two bushrangers of the previous night, in company with a third, coming up at a cool and determined pace towards them. The conflict soon commenced, both parties rushing furiously and fearlessly at each other, discharging their fire from one or more barrels as they met, and alter passi ng , eac h in their turn wheeling their horses roun, and again at it ; and in this way they continued to fire and hack with their swords at each other for some minutes. Your gallant boy was slightly grazed on the cheek by the leader's first shot, and the second passed, right through his horse's neck ; but, nothing daunted, he still continued the fight, charg ing his man again and again, until his amm un iti on was all gone. H e th en rode desperately at the fellow and threw himself from his horse on the bushranger, seizing him round the neck ; both were brought to the ground, the desperate villain retaining one of his revolvers. A fearful struggle ensued, but your son got over him, disarmed him, and kept him so tight by the throat that he called ont for mercy and quarter, and surrendered. Meanwhile the troopers had also succeeded in securing the other two villains, and all were now bound hand and foot and brought in triumph to Melbourne. On their way down the villains complimented your boy for his gallant and honourable conduct towards them in giving them a fair fight and a fair chance, and told him, as his reward, where he would find 1151. in gold " planted" near the hut, and to which he was welcome, as money was no object to them now. They also confessed to no less than 17 murders during their lifetime, committed in various parts of the world, and only regretted that they had not settled' a few more of the police. They have been tried and executed since, and your gallant son has been promoted and otherwise rewarded. Poor Thomp son, strange to say, is still living." BRISTOL AND EXETER. The half-yearly general meeting of this company was held on Thursday at Bristol ; Mr. J. IV. Buller in the chair. The SECRETARY read the report, which stated— " The gross traffic receipts upon the Bristol and Exeter Railway, from the Ist of July to the 31st of December, 1853 (including the sum of 2,1681. 3s. received on the Exeter and Crediton Railway, and due to the Bristol and Exeter Railway Company), amount to the sum of 145,6361. 14s. 9d., which is 15,8151.125. 4d. more than in the corresponding half of the year 1852, although the mail service was then estimated at 9371. 4s. 101 more than under the new award, is receivable for tho last half-year. Late in the year 1.549 notice was received from the Post- master-General that he required a new arbitration, and subsequently, after repeated endeavours to agree with the arbitrator, Lord James Stuart was appointed umpire. The decision falls considerably short of the amount which this company claimed, though it exceeis by some thousands the sum that was estimated by the representative of the Postmaster-General. The working expenses during the last half-year (including those of the Exeter and Crediton Railway, and part of those of the Yeovil branch from the let of October) amount to 61,9141. 13s. 11d., or 42 . 51 per cent. on the gross receipts, and 5521. 168. ld. per mile on 112 miles of railway. While, thJrefore, the gross receipts have increased upwards of 15,0001., the propor tion of working expenses has diminished. The disposable balance of the revenue account, including 1,1851. 17s. 2d. brought over from the former half-y ear , i s 52 , 1124 2s. ld., and the directors recommend a dividend of 4i per cent. per annum, or 21 per cent. for the half-year, on the 2,000,000/. of consolidated stock. This will I save a surplus of 7,1121. 2s. ld. to be carried forward in aid of the next half-year. In reliance upon shareholders sanctioning this course, the dividend warrants are printed, and will be issued very early in March. The preliminaries of an agree ment have been settled with Mr. Thomas Brassoy, the contractor for and lessee of the North Devon Railway (contingent upon the Exeter and Crediton line continuing to be worked by the Bristol and Exeter Company), to furnish him with locomotive power and rolling stock for one year, on fair anl reasonable conditions. A re solution to sanction this arrangement will be submit ted. Tenders for making the railway from Salt ash to Liskoard (a distance of 14 out of 64 miles, and the only portion of the line not yet contracted for) are under consideration, and it is very important that these and the other works should be prosecuted with vigour. The directors of the company, finding it necessary to adopt some strong financial measure for the purpose of accom plishing that object, have resolved to propose the re-issue of 18,030 of the forfeited and unallotted shares at a dis count of 50 per cent., and the proper proportions will be offered to the three railway companies that have subscribed towards the capital. The CHAIRMAN having explained the principal points in the report, moved that it be adopted. The 'notion having been seconded, Mr. MELVILLE rose to move an amendment, that the seventh paragraph, which stated that the dividend war rants had been preparad, should he struck out. He thought the amount of dividend to be declared was in the hands of the shareholders, the property being theirs ; and it was really impudent to insert such a paragraph. If he carried this amendment, he should move that the dividend be after the rate of 5 per cent. per annum. Mr. BEVAN having seconded the amendment, it was negatived, and the report adopted. The necessary resolutions declaring a dividend of 2k per cent. for the half-year, re-electing the retiring direc tors, &c., having been carried, Thanks were voted to the chairman, and the business terminated. FRANCE. PARIS, FRIDAY EVENING. The note published by the Journal des Debats this morning confirms the news as to the improved state of feeling between the Austrian Government and the English and French Cabinets. The intelli gence of the change of feeling manifested by Austria reached the Cabinet of the Tuileries by despatches from M. de Bourqueney, which arrived here on the 18th and 19th inst. It remains, however, to be seen whet her Austria will confine herdisapprobation of the Czar's proceedings merely to private remonstrances, or whether she will agree to take active measures against the aggressor in conjunction with the Allied. Powers. It appears certain that Austria has re ceived guarantees for the safety of her Hungarian and Italian possessions from France and England. The levy of 80,000 men announce 1 in the Aro niteur of to-day, together with the previous levies, makes in all an addition to the French army of upwards of 200,000 men within the last two months. All the efforts of the Government, and of the heads of the manufacturing establishments have not been able to prevent a very considerable num ber of working men from feting to-day (the 24th of February), the anniversary of the revolution of 1848, by abstaining from all kinds of work, and walking about in the Place de la Bastille. From ten in the morning a vast number of blouses con tinued to flock to the spot, some with crowns of everlasting in their hands, and others merely walking about. No military force was to be seen, but a large posse of police agents in plain clothes prevented any ono from ap proaching the column of July. Every person wh.) thought fit to come forward with a crown in his hand was arrested, and every one uttering a cry or making a gesture that appeared to the police liable to objection was sure to be taken into custody. The persons arrested were taken to the little guard-house on the Place between the column and the canal. When the small building was full, a picket of gendarmes took them off to some other large place of confinement. Hisses were generally uttered when any one was arrested. The troops, it is said, are held in readiness to act shou'd there be the slightest appearance of dis turbance. STATE 01? TRADE. (From the Manchester Guardian of Saturday.) MANCHESTER, Feb. 24.—The spirit of our market ap pears to be in some degree impaired by that actual ap proach of war which has become certain in the present week. Goods are more affected than yarns, and print ing cloths more than other descriptions ; fabrics specially adapted for home consumption more than such as are suitable for foreign markets. The lower qualities of shirtinas, madapollan3s, and jacconets, which have been bought up by the Eastern houses, remain quite stiff ; and, for the same reason, such is the case also with cer tain counts of twist. The American advices tend to di minish the firmness of prices, as they report a decline of g t, ie. per lb. in the value of cotton at New Orleans. In Liverpool there is scarcely a quotable change since Friday last ; but the buyer has the advantage of a greater choice. BRADFORD, Feb. 23.—Wool—The disposition to sell wool is increasing, but the condition of the spinning trade is so discouraging that no one will buy woo), ex cept on the narrowest possible scale. Confidence is felt that the small clip must tell on the stock at the ap proaching one. Yarns—The demand for spools is limited, and for shipping the business is very inactive. Pieces—. The manufacturers are all complaining of the dull state of trade ; the inquiries are almost entirely political, and sales are neglected. LEICESTER, Feb. 23.—Manufacturers are producing worsted goods with great caution, and the fancy hosiery demand is very quiet, the shipping orders not being yet given out. The cotton demand is employing a large number of workmen, and is every year becoming a more important branch of our trade. Worsted spinners are still working short time, and though yarns may be quoted a halfpenny per lb. lower, no amount of sales can be made without a further sacrifice. Skin wools are in demand, but fleece sorts and farmers' lots are pur chasing on easier terms. THE WOOLLEN TRADE. • (Troia the Leeds Mercury of Saturday.) LEEDS, Feb. 24.—80th.0n Saturday and on Tuesday the Cloth-halls presented a flat appearance. . There was an indifferent attendance of merchants, and very little animation ; hence the business transactions were few, and limited in extent Prices are without change. Stocks are within a moderate compass. The trade in the warehouses continues without any material altera tion. There is a moderate business doing by the ship ping houses, but the demand fur the home market con tinues languid and dull. HIIDDEiSFIELD, Feb. 21.—Our market continues very quiet, and 'there is even 'less doing in the warehouses than in the Cloth-hall. Stocks are not heavy, howeier, and wools, at the sales, are still very well maintained. ROCHDALE, Feb. 20.—The flannel market has been more than usually quiet. The prospect of war has begun to have an effect upon merchants, and they purchase more sparingly. Wool keeps up its price, and the,de mand continues steady, but the manufacturers purchase only for pie Sent use. HALIFAX, Feb. 18.—Business transactions in piece goods have been on only a very limited scale to-day, nor, can we report anything more favourable thin last week's record of the yarn trade. The long wool market•gene rally is dull, and staplers evince increasing disposition , to sell, which they can do only slowly at a decided re duction from the rates which were current some two or three weeks ago. The prices are about 15d. to 15&d. per lb. for ordinary middle hogs and wethers, and for common noils and broke about 1.314,—the latter have become Rave. BANKERS' HOURS. From the following letter, addressed on Friday by the Governor of the Bank of England to Mr. Masterman, the chairman of the Committee of Bankers, it will be seen that the proposal of the Bank to alter its hour of opening has been abandoned. The reasons given, both for the original announcement of the measure and the final withdrawal of it, show that the public conveni ence, and the satisfaction of effecting an arrangement that would, as it was hoped, without injury to any one, have lightened the position of many thousand persons, were the only considerations entertained. The obsta cles to its success are therefore to be regretted, and it may yet be hoped that at some future time the practica bility will arise of getting over them : "Bank of England, Feb. 23. " Dear Sir,—The Bank are about to advertise their withdrawal of the notice issued on the 19th of January That from the Ist of March the business of this establish ment would commence at 10 o'clock instead of 9,' and I feel bound to record in this communication to you the circumstances under which they rescind a measure ori ginating in your suggestion. When you first spoke to me of ' opening at 10 o'clock' as a change for which the private bankers had been, with few exceptions, long desirous, the subject was new to me, although it had been brought before my predecessor in. office two or three years since ; but I made immediate in quiry of the chief officers of the Bank, and found, by their reports, that the proposed change could be effected without inconvenience to the Bank or to its customers, and that the attendance of the clerks of the establishment might be con sequently deferred from nine to half-past nine. I learnt, Also, from all the inquiries I was able to make, that the mercantile community generally would cordially approve the postponement for an hour of the presentation of bills, now often most inconveniently left for acceptance as early as nine o'clock, when, owing to the altered habits of the times, and their distant residence, they have not reached their offices. "After interviews with members of the three banking firms you had meuticned to me as dissenting from the pro posed change, which tended to diminish still further the amount of objection, I brought the entire question before the Court of Directors, who unanimously adopted the pro position for a change of hour, in harmony, as they fully believed, with the wishes of the private bankers generally —unobjectionable upon its own merits to the joint-stock banks—acceptable, as they hoped, to the mercantile com munity—and conducive, as they knew, to the convenience and comfort of that most trustworthy, laborious, and de serving class, the clerks of bankers and merchants. " On the 7th of Feb. you placed in the hands of the chief cashier the following memorandum : " ' We, the undersigned bankers, having learnt from the public announcement of the Bank of England, that it is their intention to open their establishment at 10 o'clock instead of 9 after the Ist of March next, beg to express our strong opinion of the great inconvenience that would result from such a measure to the transaction of business, and our earnest hope that they will not carry the same in to effect. " BARCLAY, BEVAN, TRITTON, and CO. PRESCOTT, GROTE, and Co. GLYN, MILLS, and CO. JONES, LOYD, and CO. BARNETT, HOARE, and CO. DIMSDALE, DREWETT, and CO. HANKEY and Co. ROBARTS, CURTIS, and Co. " London, Feb. 7, 1854.' " Surprised as I naturally was at so unexpected a com munication, I felt bound not only to require an explana tion from yourself, but to investigate still further the na ture and extent of the great inconvenience which would result from such a measure.' "Your explanation has been brief and frank—viz., that your brother bankers have changed their minds, while our further investigation has only confirmed the Courtin their opinion that, as regarded the opinion of this establishment, the partial inconvenience which might result to a few in dividuals would be far outweighed by the general advantage in the economy of time that would result from the altera tion. As, however, the Bank have acted in this matter in compliance, as th.y supposed, with the requisition of those bankers of whom they considered you the representative, and you now withdraw that requisition, the Bank with draw their public notice ; for they are most anxious that neitLer the benefit which would ariso from the general adoption of this measure be defeated by its partial intro duction, nor that they appear to force its adoption on the private bankers in a manner at variance with the friendly relations which it is their anxious desire to maintain. " I have merely to acid, in conclusion, that, should the private bankers at any time see cause to modify their pre sent objections to the abridgment of the hours of business, the Bank will gladly entertain any proposition they may offer.—l remain, dear sir, your faithful servant, " J. G. HUBBARD, Governor. " John Masterman, Esq., M.P." THE SHIP WATAGA-CA SE OF THE IRISH LiIIIGRANTS-J UDGE KANE'S DACISION. The late important decree of the Court of Admiralty, n the case of the Irish emigrants recently landed in Philadelphia, and turned adrift here, in violation of the contract by which they were to have been taken to New York as the place of destination, for which latter place they took passage and plid their money at Cork, will corn mend itself to the approbation of the community the more its principles are examined and the facts of the case become known. These are sufficiently set forth in the decree, but the case should not he allowed to pas without the natural and proper comment fairly due from a free press. We observe, with pleasure, that the de cision of Judge Kane, as well a 4 the prompt and ener getic course of the British Consul in the matter, have elicited the warmest approbation of many of the most influential journals of New York, but it is right that the press of Philadelphia should speak out. Of the gross and monstrous frauds practised almost daily at some of our principal ports of entry upon the poor emigrant, whether English, Irish, or Scotch, Swiss, German, or Swede, we could write a vol ume. The subject has been so often brought before the public, that we could say nothing new, though we could enlarge upon former statements. An authentic exposition of some of these has very recently been made in the report of the dele gation appointed by the Emigrant Society of our city to inquire into the nature and operation of the emi grant laws of New York, published not two weeks ago, from which, if we were to recall some extracts, nothing that we could say would be too strong. But we forbear to enter upon this task. It is sufficient for our purpose that public attention has been roused, and we regard this decision of Judge Kane as doing more for the emi grant and for the character of Philadelphia, in affording protection to the stranger, than anything which has yet happened. All honour, then, to the city of Penn, which has led the way in this great awl important work ; to the en lightened magistrate who has thus publicly vindicated the claims of justice, and established on a secure basis the legal rights of the friendless stranger ; and last, not least, to the faithful public representative who did not stop to count the cost in estimating the rights and wrongs of his countrymen, upwards of 100 in number, but promptly came forward, at every sacrifice of personal convenience and personal feeling, and every pecuniary risk, to claim for them from an American tribunal the weed of justice to which he felt they were entitled, and in which honest purpose he persevered till he succeeded. We perform an agreeable duty in thus referring to the newly-arrived British consul at this port, Mr. George Mathew, who has already made the most favourable impression upon our citizens. The decree will be productive of great benefit to Phila delphia and Pennsylvania. It will promote emigration to the shores of our own city. It will bring more men and more money direct to Philadelphia from the old world ; and if we sometimes get bad men and men without money, we shall get a larger proportion of such as will soon become useful citizens, and help to swell our aggregate prosperity and increase our strength. The decree, we predict, will constitute an era, sooner or :ester, in the solid prospects of our city and state. —Philadelphia Inquirer. [ADVERTISENIENT.]—SIGHT AND HEARING. —39, Albemarle-street, Piccadilly. Observe—opposite the York Hotel. The Royal Exhibition. - A valuable, newly invented, very small powerful waistcoat-pocket glass, the size of a walnut, by which a person can be seen and known one mile and a half distant ; they answer every purpose on the race-course, at the opera houses, country scenery, and ships are clearly see r at 12 to 14 miles. They aro invaluable for shooting, door stalking, yachting, to sportsmen, gentlemen, gamekeeper s , - ____:__ , and tourists. Telescopes—A new and most important invention in telescopes, possessing such extraordinary A contemporary states, that some surprise has powers that some, 34 inches, with an extra eye-piece, will been created amongst the Officers about to quit for Russia, show distinctly Jupiter's moons, Saturn's ring, and the neon the conditions of the order issued by the Ordnance j double stars ; with the same telescope, weighing only a soe w ve an i r y t , with from increasing itrnoggal Organic o c w v e milesxi• .8 for their providing themselves with Adams' patent pi s t o l, • ounces, can bo seen a person's countenance three miles Although the reasons assigned that these pistols have, after ' and a half distant, and an object from 16 to 20 miles. repeated private and publie trials, proved most effective They supersede every other kind for the waistcoat-pocket. weapons, from the greater simplicity of their construction ( N i he e a w cle s a i D z r e l i y: e yet this, it is said, is but a poor excuse for the fact, that accordingly. Opera and race-course glasses, with wonderful ; . and Do larger bcjaefc nte sc sa a_ I n the Offi'cors are compelled to pay for them out of their orator, an an an extraordinary- powerful and newly-invented private purses.—Globe. e to n t , 8 ur fo p r as s D e a a n f y n t e hi s s n , g entirely of the EDUCATION IN IRELAND.—A Parliamentarypaper, just kind dffetrielnatt has f ro from been, al I issued, states that the number of national schools in Ireland in 1851 was 4,074, including 225 district model or probably over can be schools. The total number of schools, however, in same colour as the •t,' produced. Being of the which fees were received by the teachers in that year d ea f persons to hear skin,distinctly einthstemrsm, e l fi n n t ot perceptible ; it enables was 3,957, and the amount of the fees was 16,8951. 3 s. semblies ; the unpleasant sensationyachurla and at public as- In 2,841 scho o l s th e f ees rece i ve d were un d er 51., and th e ears is entirely removed ; andt o affo ai rr a n ll g tl7e ol a s ss es is i t n . in 522 the t eac h ers rece i ve d no i ncome f rom this ante that possibly could be desired. -39, Albemarle-street, source. In 950 esses the sum of 7,3111. 10s. was j Piccadilly. Observe, opposite the York Hotel. raised by loc a l cont r ib u ti ons for the salaries of the 4 [ADvE RTIsEUENT.I—Fifty thousand Cures have bee n teachers, a n d i n 3,529 instances no a id f rom local con- ; effected by Du Barry's delicious Revalenta Arabica Food, tribution was given. The teachers i n 375 schools re- I without medicine, inconvenience, or expense (as it saves ceived neither school fees nor aid from local contribu- , fifty times its costin otherremedies). "Twenty-fiveyears tions, and 3,682 schools were without a residence, rent- F nervousness, constipation, indigestion, and debility, from free, for th e t eac h ers , an d th e i nco me of 2,409 of the . which I had suffered great misery, and which no medi teachers was un d er 201. The total number of the ; tine could remove or relieve, have been effectually cured teachers trained in the training schools since they were ;by Du Barry's Food in a very short time. W. R. first opened was 3,122, being 2,397 males and 725 Reeves, Pool Anthony, Tiverton." " Eight years' dys females ; of these, 1,952, of whom 1,399 were males and ' pepsia, nervousness, debility, with cramps, spasms, and 553 families, were engage d i n the national schools in the ' nausea, for which my servant had consulted the advice year 1851, whilst 1,918 male teachers and 1,058 female of many, have been effectually removed by Du Barry's teachers had not been trained. The total amount of ' delicious food in a very short time. I shall be happy the school fees and local contributions in aid of the to answer any inquiries. Rev. John W. Flavel, Rid teachers salaries was 24,2061. 135., and the total amount ! lington Rectory, Norfolk." "Three years' excessive in teachers' salaries, premiums, and gratuities during nervousness, with pains in my neck and left arm, and the year was 75,4191. B s. 9 d. general debility, which rendered my life very miserable, [AnvEartsEatENT.] — The Earl of Aldboreugh and I has been radically removed by Du Barry's excellent Holloway's Pills.—An astounding cure by this niiracu- food. Alexs. Stuart, Archdeacon of Ross, Skibbereen." lous medicine after every other means h a d f a il ed. See —" Fifty years' indescribable agony from dyspepsia, extract from his lordships letter, d a t e d " V i lla Messina, nervous ness, asthma, cough, constipation, flatulency, Leghorn, Feb. 2 1 , 184 5. To Professor Holloway, spasms, sickness at the stomach, and vomitings, has Sir—l beg to acquaint you that your pills have effected been removed by Du Barry's excellent food. Maria Jolly, a cure of a disorder in my liver and etotna,ch, which all Wortham Ling, near Dies, Norfolk." Copies of testi the most eminent of the faculty at home and all over the menials of 50,000 cures (including those of Lord Stuart Continent had not been able to erect—nay, not even the ,de Decies, Major• General Thomas King, Drs. Ure, waters of Carlsbad or Marienbad. (Signed) Ald- Shorland, and Harvey (gratis). In canisters, with full borough." These wonderful pills will cure any disorders instructions, 11b., 2s. 9d. ; 21 b., 4 s. 6 d. ; 51b., lls. of the liver or stomach. —Sold ( a l so Holloway's oint- 12th., 225. ; super-refined, 51b., 225, ; 101 b., 338. The ment) at Professor Holloway's Establishment, 244, bib. and 1211 i. carriage free. Barry Du Barry and CO., Strand, London, and by all medicine•venders through- 77, Regent-street, London ; also, Fortnum, Mason, and the world. i Co., purveyorts to Der Majesty, Piccadilly! SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. QUARANTINE NOTICE. LISBON, Feb. 19.—Bahia is declared free from disease from 14th January last. CUSTOM HOUSE, FEB. 25. ENTERED INWARDS. —The Martha, from Antwerp ; Bar bara,, St. John's, N.B. ; Unity, St. Helena and Algoa Bay ; Prince Albert, Leghorn ; Jane, Antwerp ; Canter bury, Whitstable ; Bride, Madras ; Mohr, Cape of Good Hope ; Cashmere, Calcutta and St. Helena ; Torrent, Shanghai. ENTERED OUTWARDS FOR LOADING.—The Dolphin, for Konigsburg ; Basilla, Mho:), ; John Ritson, Hobart Town ; Brilliant, Lubeck ; Mary Winch, Port Adelaide ; Spirit of the Deep, Calcutta ; General Hewitt, Quebec ; Circassian, Portland Bay ; Eliza, Launceston ; Maggie, Hong Kong and Canton ; Twee Kornilessen, Konig,sburg ; Northum berland, Hobart Town ; Cordelia, Madras ; Southampton, New York. CLEARED OUTWARDS WITEf CARGO.--The Mary Winch, for Port Adelaide ; Emilia, Cadiz, &c. ; Enriquita, Ha vannah ; Frances, Portland Bay • Juanita, San Sebastian and Gijon ; Gem, Genoa ; Heath, Port Natal and Colombo ; Ontario, Port Philip ; Victoria, New York ; Orion, Mo gadore ; Indian Chief, Geelong ; Thomas Mitchel, Cal cutta ; Egremout, New Zealand. LIVERPOOL, FEB. 25. The Bride of the Sea has arrived from St. John's, N. 8., in nineteen clays. The Gauntlet, from Mobile, has arrived at this port, under jury masts, having lost fore and main masts, on the 23d inst., off Tuskar, by collision with the Lady Franklin, which put back yesterday. The Cherokee, ashore on Dove Point, got off to-dey, and was towed into the river. Arrived—Derwent, from Antigua ; Susan, Cuba ; Ocean Chief, New Orleans ; Colonial, Rio Janeiro ; Geordyna, Oporto. Off Port—British Queen (s s), from Constantinople. ailed—Asia (Royal Mail steamer), for New York. VESSELS SPOKEN WITH. The Prosperine, Bristol for Adelaide, S.A., Dec. 26, lat. 25 S long. 22 W. The Anne Milne, Leith to Port Philip, Jan. 3, lat. 6 N. long. 22 W. The Tornado and Mary Stoddart, both bound south. The Celina, Liver, 00l to the coast of Africa, Feb. 14, lat. 35 N., long. 11 W. The Countess of Bective, Feb. 18, lat. 47 N. long. 7W. The Dahom e y, B r i s t o l t o C ape Coast Castle, Dec. 11, lat. 4 N., long. 10 W. The Minerva, of Bristol, for AustrpiloPt,alia Dec. 26, lat. 8 N., long. 12 W., and took from her a whom she had been compelled to take out from stress of weather. The Salem, of Liverpool, for Australia; Dec. 30, lat. 7 N., long. 21 W. The Ghent, of Bristol, Dec. 31, lat. 7 N., long. 22 W. The Balnacuith, London to New Zealand, Jan. 28, lat. 9 N., long. 24 W. The Emily, Liverpool to Pera, Jan. 31, lat. 16 N., long. 29 W. The Earl of Bristol, for the coast of Africa, Feb. 7, let. 45 N., long. 9 W. The Devonshire, Feb. 16, lat. 49 N., long. 20 W. The Elise ' Copenhagen to Cap e o f G oo d H ope, Fe b . 1, lat. 42 N., long. 13 W. The Cicely, Bombay to London, Dec. 7, lat. 29 S., long. 45 E. The Flying Fish, Ichaboe to Table Bay, Dec. 26, lat. 32 S., long. 13 E. The Lady Mary, for Melbourne, Jan. 17, lat. 5 N., long, 23 W. French squadron, consisting of one first-rate, three ship. of the line (one with flag at wizen), and one large screw steam-frigate, bound easterly through the Straits, Feb. 17, seven miles S.W. of Tarifa. COUNTRY MARKETS. HADDINGTON—FEB- 24. The following are the prices of grain at our market to-day : 4711 SAT. BARLEY. OATS. MANS _ First B4s Od 42s Od 38s Od 53s Od Second 7ss 3d 1 39s 8d 32 8 6d 4 6s 9d Third s 6s Od I 34s Od 21s 6d 42s Od, Total quantity of wheat in market, 390 qrs., 367 sold If barley „ 342 qrs., 327 soli oats Of 653 qrs., 538 sold IP 71 PP beans 170 qrs., 160 so ld Average of wheat £3 15 3 7-12ths Ditto of Barley Ditto of Oats Ditto of Beans ....... .. ..... ... Pl JP DALKEITH GRAIN MARKET—FEB. 23. Wheat on the top is up, current price 2s up, and the lowest 6s up. Oats on the top 8d up, current price 8d down, and lowest 3s 4d up. Barley on the top sane as last market, current price 6d up, and lowest same as last market. Peas and beans on the top 2s up, current price the same as last market, and lowest 2s down. Qrs. Best. Current. Inferior 332 Wheat .........83s Od ..... ... 71s Od 1331 Oats -34s 8d ' 23s 4d ..... .... 18s 8d WO Barley 4ls 6d 33s 6d lus Peas & beans 523 Od 46s Od Average of wheat, 3/. 108 110. ABERDEEN—FEB. 24. The prices of grain are—Old oats, 27s 6d to 283 Od ; 401bs per Lushel; new oats, 00s Od to OOs Od, 401ba per bushel ; bere, 35s 6cl to 36s Od, 531bs per bushel ; barley, 35s od to 35s 6d, 531bs per bushel ; wheat, red, 68s Od to 7 ,, s Od, 6210 s per bushel; wheat, white, 74s Od to 78s Od, 621bs per bushtl ; oatmeal, 23s Od to 21s Od per boll; flour, 608 Ocl to 67s Ocl per sack. Provisions—Beef, per lb, 6d to 8d ; mutton, iitto, 6:1 to d ; veal, ditto, 6d to 8d ; pork, per lb, Os 5d to Os 7d ; salnion, per lb, Os Od to Os Od ; rabbits, each, Od to Od ; tallow, per stone, 5s 9d to Os Od ; potatoes, per peek, 12d to is 2kl ; butter, per lb, 10d to is ; eggs, per doz, Os 6.1 to Os 8(1 ; bens, per pair, 3e Od to 33 6cl; chickens, ditto, 2s 0 , 1 to 2s 6d. ; ducks, ditto, 2s 6d to 3s 0 i ; ducklings, ditto, 2s 6d to Os Od ; turkeys, each, 4s 01 to 5s Oct ; geese, ditto, 3s Od to 4s Od ; butter for exnortation (present cure), per cwt, 80s to 84s Od; ditto (summer cured), 00s to OOs Od ; eggs, wholesale price, per dozen, 6cl to Od ; 41b loaf, 8d ; 21b loaf, 4d ; pork, fine small, Os Od to OR 01.1 j pork, lar ge , O s Od t o O s Od ; lamb, per lb., r. 6d t o Od ; cheese, per imperial stone, 5s 6cl to 7s. DUBLIN-FEB. 24. White wheat, 44s Od to 46s Od rretl ditto, 41s to 44s Od ; barley, 17s 6d to 19s 6d ; oath, 148 Od to 16s 6d ; rapeseed, OOs Od to OOs Od per bri ; oatmeal, 16s Od to 17s 6d ; bakers' flour, 21, Od to 283 Od per ewt; hal= corn, 47s Od to 528 Od per 4801bs. SEABORNE MAILS. (N signifies that the mails are rent from the General Post•oMee ev the night—and M by the morning —dispatch.] Day when made til From what When COEN rims. in General Post- Port dun in 1 Office, London.. Dlspatcheo England. . --- Amerien(byltrit.pack)N Every Friday , ... Li verpoo l ... ;Each Mon. 1 America (by United Sts. 3 packet) ...... .. .. N •• • . ...... Liverpool ... America (by U States ' packet) ..........N .•• ...... Southai n p ! . A rr i ved Australia (via South- ' ••••• 3 ampton) ..........M March 1..:..... • Sonthampt, , Feb. 20 1 Ditto (via Marseilles) N March 8— .. Dover .... .. Feb. 16 Ditto (via Cape of Goodl s . Hope) ............NFeb. 4 Africa (West Coast), .N 9.3e1 of the month . Ply mout h .. M arch 6 Alexandria .......... NB, 9, 24, &30 of m Dover .... l6 Alexandria ..........Ml4th & 20th o f mon. Southampton .F eb. IFeh. an Bahamas ........... M :17th of the month Southampton i ,Feb 16 Belgium .... ...... —NI Daily ........ .. Dover ...... Daily 1 Brazil ..........., ..mj9th of th e month „ Southampton March 3 Buenos Ayres . .......Mj9th of the month.. Southampton Cape of Good hope ..N : l4th of the month Plymouth .. Artired Cape of Good Hope ..Nil4th of the month. Southampton Cape de Verde ......N 14th of the month Plymouth ..'Feb. 26 Ceylon (see India) Ceylon ..............N 14th of the mon th Pl ymouth .. !Feb. 26 Channel Isles ........N,Mon.,Wed.,&Frid. SouthamptonlTu.Th.SSl Chili— .............Ml2d & 17th of month Southamp ton iFeh. 16 China (see India) Constantinople ......Ni7,8,17,21,&27 of m . D over .. ...... Constantinople ........ ;4th & 20th of mon. Southampton :Feb. 20 Cont. of Europe M & NTsvice daily .. Dover ...... I ,Twicedany Egypt (see India) France Gibraltar ..........M I 4, 7,17, 20, 27 of m . el ou th ampton i Greece (see India) Greytown .. .. .... .. bfrand & 17th of mon. Southampton :Arrived Hamburgh ..........N:Tuesday & Friday ILondon .....1 Havannah .......... m 2ml of the month Southampton:March 1 Holland ............ m: Daily.. Honduras ........ .. 17th of the m ont h . Southampton Feb. India (viaSouthampt.)M 4th & 20th of ' nmn. Southampton March 4 India (via Marseilles)M . Bth& a tth of month! Dover ...... Feb. 16 lonian Isles (see India)'7, 1 7, & 27 of monlDover...... Ireland .... •.M & NlTwice daily ...... Holyhead Feb. Lisbon ....... • • .....M'7, 9, 17, & 27 of m. Southampton Feb. 36 Madeira ............319th of the month Southampton Feb. 16 Madeira ........ N 23d of month .... Plymouth .. Feb. 14 !Kano (see India) Malta ....N 7,17,19,27, 30 of m. Dover ...... Mauritius (see India) Mauritius ........N 14th of the month Plymouth .. , Feb. 26 Mexico" ... ........ .3Land of the month. Southampton March 1 Naples .... .......,Nsthlsth2stholmon. Dover ...... I New Granada ......Ml2d & 17th of month Southampton Feb. 16 New Zea1and........ .. :By private ship .. Various ports .Uncertain. Papal mates ........Nihthlsth2hthonnon. Dover ...... I Peninsula ..........mi7thl7th2Bthoffiton Southampton Feb. 16 Peru . . P,rt Natal ..........xl4th of the month Plymouth .. Feb. 26 Sicily .... ..........N s thl s th2sthoimon, Dover ...... Tuscany ............Nl s thisth2sthofinon. Dover ...... I Venezuela ..... . .... nil2d& l 7th of month Southampton F e b . 1 6 Van Diemen's Land Net I Australia) . .... :1 West Indies ........MiJak 17th of iSonth Southampton m ar m, . td ith of itionth March 1 * When any of these dates fall o' a Sunday, the mails will be dispatched on the following day, with the exception of the India vhll Southampton), and the Malta, both of which will be dispatched the day preceding. BIRTHS. OF A SON. On the 24th inst., at Brompton, Hyde -park, Mrs. Philip Curtis. At Faversham, Kent, on the 24th inst., Mrs. Ayerst Hooker. OF A DAUGIITER. At Gibraltar, ou the 9th inst., the lady of Ethelbert H. Fluke,Esq., M.D., 55th Regiment. the 24th inst., at Ri c h mond -hill, Surrey, the wife of On Captain T. Folhott Powell. On the 25th inst. ifARRIED. , at St. Mary Magdalene, Peckham, Mr. Henry Osmo n d C apel, only son of Henry Capel, Esq., of Little Tower-street, City, and Queen's-road, Peckham, to Margaret, you ngest daughter of the late Boyes Thorn ton, Esq. On the 25th inst. at St. Giles' s Ch urc h, C am b erwell, Ge.rg e lgate Foster, Esq., of Walthamstow, to Maria Isabella, widow of the late William Pitt, Esq., of Hudders field. On the 2 DIED. ford4th inst., at Swift's-house, near Bi ces t er, O x - Sire Henry Peyton, Bart., aged 74. On the 24th inst., H. A. Eliot, Esq., eldest son o f Cap tain Eliot, R.N.,ag aged 30. On the 24th inst., Eiehard Matthews, serjeant-at-law, of B elitha-villas, Islington, and Elston, Cambridgeshire. On the 24th inst. at Victoria-grove, St o k e N ew i ngton, Rarriet Sherrin, wife of Mr. Forest Rothney, aged 22. LONDON : Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sum Office, No. 112, Straild, in the Precinct of the Savai, in the county of Atiddleaex, AZondaYjcbruarl 3T 1664 a I at II T L HAPPY PREMIt ' 10 the RI Or 6 311382 On. t VI 'I may p widen draw 1 drawn Policy AB it will Sal Blear ix tit 1851 1851 1853 1854 1855 1854 1857 1858 1859 1860 3861 giro 11171 UM MI ~.- I at 4 7.15 6.1 b at F. COU A MI p] K T 1 mop offic entit of VI Gene East is pr, Ra with Fu Lend Bark Vanq LEG will 1 Ad Me kis R ceivii Josef 79, Colon Th 4 Lees for th Atten' but al spite' count Pro Pre HA] Unpail At t made se 1. 40 SO 60 iiis 1666 1674 1476 line 1566 as a •Id, 7MI •fta< as f 48.1