The Sun. — London, England, 1854-12-23 00:00:00

Tril4l-714 NOVAL 11,4 1 /3“iiitlCT. thaw t6d iniaapeiltiaut of Mt. Buekatoda. THIS EVENING, DEc. 23, Will be performed the Comely , of PitEsElr - TED AT COURT. Principal characters by Messrs. Backstone, W. Farrell, and Howe ; Misses Reynolds, E. Chaplin, Grantham, and Lavine. - • • After which. the Ba let of THE STIR OF ANDALUSIA, in Which Senora Perea sera will appear. To which will be added THE BALANCE OF COMFORT. Followed by THE IRISH LION. To =elude with POPPING THE QUESTION. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE Under the Management of Mr. CHAIM= REAM On TUESDAY NEXT, DEC. 26, Will be presented THE COURIER OF LYONS. Principal charac. ter oy Mr. C. Kean. After which will be produced a New Grand Christmas Pantemillle entitled, HARLEQUIN BLUE-BEARD; or, The Grand Bashaw. 11a:lequirk, Mr. Cormack ; Clown, M r.Huline; Pantaloon, Mr. Paulo and Columbine, Miss De,borough. TUEATIM /LOYAL A.DELYIII, Prcprietor, Mr. U. Webster.—Directress. Madame Celeste. THIS F.:Irk:NINO, DEC. 23. perf: rmed an entire nw Ttastie Drama called PIERCE Suppcwrteet Me l .3r3. B. Webster aai ley, and Mrs. Keeley and Slisi W..ol;ar. Followed by BONA FIDE TRAVELLERS. After which. a new 'Farce called TIIE SLOW 311'N'. To which will be added a inw Farce, rattled THE lIIILWAY BFA.L.Y. ItO YAL OLYMPIC THE TkE, Lessee and Manager, Mr. A. Wigan. Tills EVENING, DEC. 21, Will be presentees new Comedietta, c tiled A WIFE'S JOTJR N" AL. Characters by Messrs Brown, Emery, llarcolut, and Leslie; aid Mrs. Brown, and Miss Masked. To be followed by THE BEULAH SPA. Principal characters by Messrs. A. Wigan, Emery, F. Robson, and H. Cooper; Miss Marston, Mrs. A. Wigan, Mrs. Fitzallan, and Miss Julia St. George. To Conclude with THE FIRS r NIGIIT. Characters by Messrs. A tred Wigan, Leslie, Harwood Cooper, and Gladstone; Miss Julia St. George, and Miss Emily Ormond°. ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE. 'Hader the management of Madame Vestris. Sole Lessee Mr. C. Mathews. -• On Tuesday, Dec. 26th,1631, will be producei a new and priginal Fairy Extravaganza, entitled PRINCE PRET rYPET and THE BU rr ERFLY. To be followed by TWO HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE. Box-office open from 10 uutll 6. Sole agent for Private Boxes, Mr. Alleroft, 15, New Bond-street . ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE. Lessee and Manager, Mr. William Cooke. The Wonderful PERFORMING ELEPHANTS for this week only I THIS EVENING, THE BATTLE of THE ALMA! After which, the varied SCENES in the CIRCLE. Alto, th 3 Wonderful PERFOIZMENG ELEPLIANTS, whose asto niihtng sagacity and indesc ibable development of the reasoning faculty have been the theme of universal admiration, To conclude with the MARRIED BACIELOR. N.B —A MORNING PERFORMANCE consisting of the New Comic Pantomime and Scenes in the Arena, will take place on TUE' i.DAY, 26th (Rosin; Day) at Two o'clock. lIIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tin s DAY —Morning 8 :nin.after 4 Evening 32 min.aft. 4 To- 40a.a011--Morning 58 min.after 4 , Evening 24 min.aft. 5 THE WEATIIER.--BUN 017101, Dec. 23. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHAD& 55 highest since noon yesterday. 45 —lowest this morning and during the night. 48—this day, at noon. BABOMETEB, 30. WIND, W.V.W.—Light breeze, with fine weather. & & 11 .) ,- I) ;e- LONDON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1854. Well, the objects of the Christmas Session have been accomplishtd. The Militia Bill and the Foreigners Enlistment Bill have received the Legislative sanction, and are now part and parcel of the statnte law of the land. These measures, which the Goverament declared to be essential to the vigorous and energetic carrying on at the j ust and necessary war in which the country - is en gaged, are of very different characters, and were brought forward under widely different circum- stances. The nature and object of the former were clearly stated and canvassed in the public journals long before the commencement of the session. It was referred to in the Royal Speech ; and when the anticipated bill was introduced it found every member fully prepared for its discussion, and well ac quainted with the views and wishes of his con- stituent s. There was no mystery maintained—no surprise con templ•ated. And why ? R2cause the plan proposed could bear the most stringent in vestigation. There was nothing to excite the disgust or indignation of the country—nothing unconstitutional or impolitic. The more freely was ventilated, the more general would be the assent to its salutary provisions. Differences of opinion might exist as to the details, but none as to the principle. Nor could there be any coercion practised. Although an overwhelming majority of any particular regiment were not only willing but most anxious to serve their country in the delightful quarters indicated by Minis ters, not a single individual, even the most humble private soldier, could be required to leave the United Kingdom, or to under take any duty which he was not previously bound to discharge. All that was required was that he should be enabled to volunteer for certain valuable but by no means onerous services, and that his own request might be conceded if it seemed expedient to the military authorities that it should be so. How different was it with the obnoxious pro position for the employment of foreign mer cenaries. As the one was all open and above board, the other was all mystery and conceal ment. The very candour displayed respecting the Militia Bill proved that its authors had con fidence in its justice and efficacy; they invited full discussion, because they knew that discussion would promote their object and disarm any factious opposi tion that might be offered, if any member of either House of Parliament could, under the peculiar circumstances of the case, suffer his party feelings to betray him into such a course. But this laudable behaviour only places the impropriety of their conduct in reference to the other question in a still stronger light. Wliat they courted in the one case they shrunk from in the other. They knew that it would not bear publicity ; that if time were afforded for consideration, it would be condemned by every free and independent con stituency throughout the length and breadth of the land, and that in terms so decided and unequivocal, that the most fawning veader Oil PROVIDENCE," the most sup- Ministerialist, could not venture to support it 'Without forfeiting every hope of re election. It could only be carried, if at all, by a COUp d e main. Great reliance was placed on the servility of many Ronourable Gentlemen, and the , efficiency of the rod which has so long been kept in pickle for refractory supporters. A resigna tion, by which they sho uld forfeit a ll p ros p ec t o f obtaining the rewards which they had earned by their convenient versatility, or s still worse, a di:- w)lution, by which they would be brought face to face with their constituents; and even if they suece,:tled in obtaining, a renewal of confidence would most probably have to bear the expenses of a contest,. A surprise is generally effectual, if tried against sentinels prepared to abandon their posts at a moment's notiv, and only desirous of a plamible excuse to enable them to do so. Go 'lmminent reckoned largely on this disposition, the wed it appears that the result fully justified 'calculation. Not the slightest hint was suffered to ooze out respecting their intentions. There Wcs not even any allusion thereto in the Royal Speech, although it would only have given two days' notice before the introduction of the THE irtlN, LONDON, SATURDAYEVEN'ING, DECEMBER 21, 1664. bill. Everything Everything was risked to render the surprise complete. Could there be stronger or more unequivocal evidence of their own opinions respecting the measure, and their conviction that it would, on due c onsideration, be decisively re rejected by the Parliament ? By their own acts are they condemned. It requires nothing more to convince any unprejudiced and dispassionate \ man that they knew that they were acting wrong , an d forcing an obnoxious measure on the country which could not be carried if fair means only were • resorted to. The good "CmcQuoT" has completely jockeyed the English Government. " The Angel of Peace" has contrived to lay the foundation of " a war navy," at the expense of those against whom it may chiefly be required. He has, indeed, ex hibited that peculiar species of taloa, or rather canviay, in the tri,nsaction that would strongly excite the admiration of a gang of horse chaunters, or " tarnatiou cute Yankees." He has managed to exchange two gun-boats, now comparatively worthless, for a frigate, not an " old one," as in timated by the First Lord of the Admiralty, but one in excellent order and condition, ready for service at a very short notice. It appeared that the good KING saw the weak ness of the English fleet in a branch urgently required for service in the Baltic. He knew that we were without gun-boats, and conceived the notion of obtaining an ex- orbitant price for those which he had on baud, paid, too, in a manner that would ren- der it far more beneficial to himself. He wanted frigates, and he thought that ho could obtain them from England en peculiarly easy terms. But how was he to do so without exciting the wrath of his Autocratic} brother-ie-law ? " Hie labor, hoc opus est." He could not relinquish the pleasure of doing the Britons, but he could not injure NICHOLAS. Under such circumstances the plan required a high degree of diplomacy, and truly it was required. The only point was that it was a pity to waste so much address with the rather obtuse personages whom they were bent on. humbugging. The mode adopted was as follows. In May last, just at the time that the painful deficiency of the Baltic Fleet in vessels of light draught became but too perceptible, the Prussian Government proposed to exchange two gun-boats, built in this country, the Nix and Salamander, for two old corvettes, or "donkey frigates," as they have sometimes been termed. The representatives of England greedily nibbed at the bait. They were quite willing to make the Exchange, but, as Prussia well knew, had not the peculiar class of vessels which she required. The builder of the Prussian gun-boats was specially sent to report on their value. Without imputing the slightest impropriety to Mr. SCOTT RUSSELL, for whom we entertain an un feigned respect, it must be admitted that he would naturally take rather a prejudiced view of the subject. Propositions were then made to vary the terms by giving the Thetis frigate in ex change for the gun-boats, at which the Prussians eagerly grasped, as she was at least four times the value, and was just " the thing" for the new port of Jande. Time was, however, wasted, and it was not until September that the Prussian Go vernment signified its acceptance of the offer long previously made. But by that time the gun-boats -.were no longer wanting for the Baltic at •least during the then season. The British authorities had no longer any aaaire to complete the transaction, and, in turn, procras tinated. But, as they got coy, Prussia became more pressing—as they sought to slip out, so did Prussia determine to hold them fast. They urged that the bargain was not concluded. Prussia responded that the English Government was pledged to the exchange, and they submitted ! They allowed themselves to be shorn by those who would only laugh at them for their exceeding rerdantcy in return ; and thus the Thetis, worth 50,000/., will be handed over to Prussia, while we receive the Nix and Salamander, worth 12,000/., in exchange. But the pecuniary loss is the most trivial and least objectionable part of the transaction. It is not the X. s. d. out of which we have been "chiselled" that we regret : it is that au Eng lish vessel of war, one that for some time sailed under the British flag, should be handed over to a power with whom we may, ere many months have elapsed, be at war ; and that her chief use should be to harass and annoy British commerce. This is indeed de plorable—this indeed may well excite the disgust and indignation of the people of Great Btitain ! Last year, when on the verge of war with Russia, we allowed two of her frigates to refit in our dockyards. This year we give a frigate, nearly new, recently refitted at a heavy expense, and in excellent condition and fit for immediate work, to another Power, with whom our relations are, to say the least of it, in a very unsettled and un satisfactory condition. LATEST NEWS. THE SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL. PARIS, SATURDAY, HALF-PAST 8 A.M. The Moniteur states that the Austrian Am bassador had had a private audience with the Emperor, and delivered an autograph letter from his Sovereign, with the insignia of the Grand Co , rdon of the Imperial Order of St. Etienne. The Austrian Ambassador also introduced the Prince of Schcenburg, who was the bearer of the etter. PARIS, FRIDAY. Advices from Marseilles of the 21st announce ;he arrival at that pipit of the Indus, with nuns Constantinople to the 10th, and from the Crimea to the Bth. When the assault takes place, 410 guns, of which 130 are English, will open fire. The scaling ladders were ready on the 6th. The Russians had made a vigorous sortie against the English. A smart engagement ensued, in which 1,100 Russians were made prisoners, and a small fort taken. It is said that 30,000 Turks, and a division of the Allies, will commence operations against Perekop. The Vladimir and a second Russian steamer arrived on the 6th on the French flank outside the Quarantine Point, and opened file. The Valorous, the Terrible, and a French steamer compelled them to put back under the batteries. The French repel the continual sallies of the Russians. The 9th and 90th Regiments and a part of the 34th had arrived since the 4th. General Pennefather was ill at Balaklava. Lord Cardigan had left for England. The 4th light infantry embarked to-day at Marseilles, and four regiments are waiting for embarkation at Toulon. FRANCE. PARIS, FRIDAY MORNING. The Moniteur publishes the following do• spatches THE CHARGE D'AFFAIRES OF FRANCE AT CON. STANTINOPLE TO THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS IN PARIS. " Pera, Dec. 10. " We yesterday learnt that the treaty had been signed at Vienna on the 2d. " Prince Napoleon is making his preparations to return to the Crimea, although his health still re quires care. " The English steamers Candia, Riao, Emeu, and Thames, arrived yesterday and to-day, with 4,266 men of the 7th division." " THE CHARGE D'AFFAIRES OF FRANCE AT CON• STANTINOPLE TO THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AF. FAIRS IN PARIS. " Pera, Dec. 15. "General de Montebello has just arrived from the Crimea. Ile leaves for Franco on the 22d. The position before Sebastopol was very good on the 13th." " ADMIRAL HAMELIN TO THE MINISTER OF THE li A.RINE. "Montezuma, Kamiesh, Dec. 7. "Yesterday a Russian frigate and corvette came out of Sebastopol, and took the direction with all speed towards the Bay of Strelestka. The Megere, anchored as an advanced guard, exchanged shots with tho two vessels, which were received at the entrance by our two avisos anchored in that bay. At the approach of an English frigate, which was followed by three other French and English frigates, the enemy retreated, and re-entered Sebastopol in all haste. None of the Russian balls struck our ships, nor did they reach the left of our troops en camped at Streletska. The Moiii!eur publishes the following notice : " On Tuesday, the 26th, the Emperor will open in person, at the Palace of the Tuileries, in the Salle des Manichaux, the legislative session of 1855, and will re ceive the oath GI those members of the Senate and Le gislative Col ps who have not yet fulfilled that forma lity. All the persons called upon to take part in the corti , ge of their Majesties, as well as the corps diplo matique, the cardinals, ministers, marshals, and admi rals, the grand crosses of the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour, and the ladies invited, will enter by the stairs of the Pavillon de Fiore. The persons in vited must he at the Palace of the Tuileries at latest at half-past twelve." General Sir De Lacy Evans arrived here on Thursday evening, on his return from the East. The gallant officer passed yesterday and last night at Dijon ; his aide-de-camp, the Hon. Major Boyle, arrived in Paris this morning. The General in tends spending a few days in Paris, to repose after his long journey, and then to set out for England, where there is little doubt he will be welcomed as his gallant and chivalrous conduct deserves. Subscriptions in favour of the soldiers of the army of the East are being opened all over France. Crimea. The Arabia, Captain Jenkins, has made an extraordinary quick passage of seven days from Dublin. She will sail on Thursday for Balaklava, with troops and several tons of gunpowder, which she has on board. If we had such vessels on the Constantinople line, the Government would receive the despatches within half the time at pre sent occupied in the transit to Marseilles. The Andes, with General Sir De Lacy Evans on board, had a slow passage from Malta, in consequence of a slight derangement in her machinery. She was three days off the harbour, detained by a head wind and heavy sea. The Hydaspes, one of the three steamers the Emperor has permitted the company of the Messagenes Imperiales to purchase, in Eng land, will sail for the Black Sea on Thursday with the mails, troops, and stores. The Orinoco has arrived, and will proceed to Toulon to embark troops. The Avenir has returned from the Black Sea. She landed her cargo at Balaklava, and is about to proceed there again, with troops. She does not appear to have suffered any damage during the late gales. Captain Charrie, of the Constance, of Bayonne, has arrived here from the Black Sea. Ho took troops from this to - Varna, and was despatched from that port for Cape Chersonesus on the Bth of November, with a detachment of troops, I some stores, and 20 mules. He arrived at his des tination on the 12th, and anchored near the French svadron. He was driven from his anchorage dur ing the awful hurricane of the 14th, and carried under the forts of Sebastopol, and, although lie passed close to the Napoleon, the crew of that ship could render him no assistance. The Russians com menced hung at the unfortunate Constance, and the captain at first feared that there was no resource for him but to run his ship ashore, and submit to be captured. Having, however, consulted the t ro ops and his crew, he determined to make a des perate effort, and, notwithstanding the Russian balls, which fell around his ship without causing her any damage, he succeeded in beating off the coast, and at 11 o'clock that night ran his ship aground five miles north of Eupatoria. The following morning he perceived some Cossacks ap prc aching, when he hoisted a signal of distress, which was perceived by the British Commander of the Bellerophon, Who ordered a steamer to send a boat to his assistance. The heavy sea rendered this operation impossible. In the meantime the Rus sians had nearly reached the ship. Captain, Charrie hastily launched his boats, and with great difficulty reached the Bellerophon. In ten minutes after wards the Cossacks set fire to the Constance. The Trieste Gazette says the Russians were re• arming the ships with the cannon which had been landed to serve in the fortifications on shore. It is stated in letters from Warsaw that the arrival of the Guards has raised the effective of the Russian army in the Kingdom of Poland to 200,000 _men, with 400 gun,. A letter from Brunswick, 18th, in a Frankfort journal, says : " The insolent note of Count de Nesselrode of the 6th ult. is the last link in the disgraceful chain which bound Germany to Russia ; it demanded once more, in insult ing terms, what Count Orloff and Count de Nesselrode had twice before demanded from Germany, and always in an insulting form. The cup is at length filled, and has run ever, and it is precisely the contrary of what Russia had demanded in all her previous notes that has been done by the treaty of the 2d." It is stated in Paris that the loan which is about to be proposed, is to be raised by public subscrip tion, according to the method which succeeded so admirably upon the last occasion. The amount will, it is said, be fixed at between 250,000,000 f. and 500,000,000 f. ; the positive sum is not yet fixed. By a decree in the Moniteur, the following com mission has been appointed to examine the ac counts of the different French Ministers for the year 1854 :—The Marquis d'Audiffret, president ; MM. A. Leroux, de Richmont, Godelle, Crignon de Monsigny, Rihouet, Dupin, Arnaud, and Dausse. The Kreutz Zeitung has another article this even ing (20th), the object of which is to persuade its readers that Prussia may safely commit what va garies she pleases, as she can have nothing to fear from England, and not more from France, who is reduced to such narrow straits that she cannot bring more than 100,000 men into the field. It is absurd, says the journal, to suppose that any one would "dare attempt to compulse the monarchy of the great Frederick." The monarchy, truly ; but where are the men of the great Frederick's time ? Surely the most vainglorious of the domi nant party do not go so far as to compare themselves with those men MONEY MARKET AND COL'IMEECTAL INTELLIG EN011.7. CITY, TWO o'CLOCK. The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday wero estimated at 7,000 bales, including 1,000 Ameri can taken for export and on speculation. The market closed tamely at former rates. Railway shares were firm. The intimation by the Chancellor of the Exche quer last evening, that the duties upon tea will not be further reduced at present, is acquiesced in as a proper course, considering the peculiar circum stances of the country, and the necessity of raising money ; nor is the objection to this measure so forcible as it otherwise might have been, seeing that the further reduction has not yet come into operation. It is rumoured in commercial circles also, thA a highar duty upon timber is to be im- posed. The most intense dissatisfaction wo have wit nessed for a long time prevails with respect to the declarations of Government last night concerning the blockade of the Black Sea ports. It is per fectly notorious that cargoes are constantly shipped from Odessa to Constantinople, as well as from the &a of Azoff, and that there is, in fact, no blockade whatever, and if it be true, as stated in a letter to one of our merchants, that the British Ambassador in Turkey actually assured th© captaias of trading vessels that they might proceed unmolested to Odessa and other places, it is impossible to recon cile the declaration last night made that there is a blockade. Unless some definite policy is adopted, we may expect Ministers to be much more severely handled than they have yet been. No one would complain if the intentions of Government were understood one way or the other, but to assert that there is a blockade is contrary to truth. There is no important alteration shown in the weekly account of the Bank of England, made up to the 16th inst. ; but the close of the year makes money temporarily in more request, and this is shown by the increase of other securities. The bullion account remains about the same ; but there is a decided increase of assets arising from the ad dition made to the deposit accounts, both of the Government and private parties. Compared with the previous week, the changes are as follows : Active circulation. Decrease Bullion Increase 3,132,039 7,828 6,035,675 Rest Increase Public Deposits Increase Other Deposits Increase Seven-Day and other Bills Decrease Government Securities Decrease Other Securities Increase Notes unemployed 490,267 9,710,512 19,139 923,112 28,995 11,565,237 39,030 13,869,287 136,814 8,330,780 Increase 401,950 Bills of exchange were negotiated yesterday upon most of the Continental cities at about the former rates, viz. :—Paris, 25 32& to 35 ; Amster dam, 11 17i to 17:1 ; Hamburgh, 13 51- to 5/ ; Frankfort, 1172. to 118 ; and Trieste, 12 39 to 45. The shipments of specie direct from London during the week to last Thursday comprised 243,383 ounces of silver and 6,335 ounces of gold, principally to Hamburg, Belgium, and Boulogne. The English Securities have been very inactive, and prices have remained almost entirely as they closed yesterday. Consols have been 91g 1. Bank stock is firm at 209. Exchequer Bonds are 99? - The New 3 per Cents. have been 91i to a. Foreign Securities have been heavy. Turkish Bonds are marked 751 to g. The Spanish Com mittee's Certificate is at 52. Russian Five per Cents. have been dealt in at 98, and Danish at The following are the nominal prices of Foreign Stocks:—Grenada, Deferred Bonds, 5 to 6; Mexi can, 21 to 211 ; Peruvian, 69 to 71 ; ditto 3 per Cents., 48 to 50 ; Portuguese 4 per Cents., 41. to 43 ; Russian 5 per Cents., 97 to 99 ; ditto 41, per Cents., 87 to 89 ; Spanish New Deferred, 182 to 19,1 ; ditto 3 per Cents., 382 to 391; ditto Certificates, 5.1- to 52 ; ditto Passive, 42. to 4i. The Railway Share Market has been inanimate, but the quotations are not generally lower. The foreign lines are at full rates. Foreitm Nines have been at about the previous rates. 'T he Banks are a shado higher, and Peel River are in demand. BRITISH FUNDS THIN DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. ( From the Oficial List. ) Bu.,iness done 3 Ink Stock 3 per Ci3ll t Reduced ......... 914 3 pur Cent Cor sots Annuities New 3 per Cent. Annuities Long Annuities, Expire sth Jan., 1860 4 5-16 India Stock ... India Bonds, 1:1000 Consols for Account, 10th January Exchequer Bonds 1858, 34. per Cent. — Ditto 1859, ~ .. 991 a PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK. Danish Bonds, 1825, 3 per Cent — Ditto 5 per Cent Russian Bonds, 1822, 5 per Cent. £St 9B Spanish Bonds, 3 per Cent 39 Ditto New Deferred, 3 per Cent IB- Z Committee Cort. of Coup. not fun 53 Vurkish Scrip, paid up in full Ditto for the Account . 7si i Dividends on the above payable in London. TWO O'CLOCK. Consols IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS.—(THIS DAY.) Their lordships met at the unusual hour of a quarter to nine this morning. The only peers present were the Lord Chancellor, Earl Granville, and the Bishop of St. Asaph's: FOREIGN ENLISTMENT BILL. On the motion of Earl GRANVILLE, the Commons' Amendments to this bill were agreed to. The house then adjourned during pleasure. AFTERNOON BITTING. Their lordships re-assembled at a quarter past two o'clock, to hear the Royal Assent, given by commission, to the Foreigners Enlistment Bill, the Militia Bill, &c. The Lords Commissioners were the Lord Chancellor, the Duke of Argyll, and Viscount Canning. The Commission was read by the Clerk at the table giving the Royal assent to the bill for the Enlistment of Foreigners, and the Militia Bill. Their lordships then adjourncd to the 23d of January next. AUSTRALIA VIA PANAMA-SHORTEST ROUTE TO AUSTRALIA. A deputation of the directors of the Australian Direct Steam Navigation Company, via Panama, was yesterday received by Viscount Canning, Postmaster-General, the object being to bring under his Lordship's notice, with other matter, the important fact, that a committee of the Sydney Chamber of Commerce—nominated on the 13th of July last, to report on the comparative advantages of the various routes for postal communication between England and Australia—have declared a decided prefer• ence of that vid Panama, as being the line most likely to secure punctuality and speed, together with other pre ponderating advantages. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, DEC. 22. The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Earl and Coun tess of Ellesmere, and Lady Blanche Egerton, arrived yesterday on a visit to her Majesty. The band of the Royal Bucks Militia played during dinner, and the Queen's private band in the e•vening. The Queen and Prince walked in the grounds this morning. A. deputation from the St. Pancras -road icommittee had an interview with the President of the General Board of Health at his office, Whitehall, is, reference to the repair of the New-road lying in the pa rish of St. Pancras. The deputation consisted of Messars. Farrer, R. Howlett, Champ, Timpson, Nelson, Cotter, and Waller, attended by Mr. G. W. F. Cook, Ves try Clerk. Mr. John Wood, Chairman of the Board of Inland Revenue, had an interview with the Chanceillor of the Exchequer yesterday, in his official residence, Downin g . street. Despatches for the Governors of the North Ameri can Colonies were sent last evening from tit's Colonial Office. A messenger arrived in London this mornirre with de spatches from Field-Marshal Lord Raglan. Herr Von Usedom arrived in town last Thursday, on a special mission from the Court of Prussia, and has, with his suite, taken up his residence at No. ti, lialkin stn.et, Grosvenor place. Immediately after Lis arrival he waited on Count Von Berusterff, the Prussian Mi nister, at his diplomatic residence, Carlton-turf ace. FUNERAL OF LORD RUTIIERFURD.—The funeral of this late distinguished judge took place on IV ednesday from his lordship's town reyi , lence, St. Colme-gltreet, the place of interment being hii own tonal) in. the Dean Cemetery. —Edinburgh, Courant. the circulati,,n . department in tiftu..rrtglitii tcpsvaiecrin,anasitriEvicE.—The appointment of controller the Post-o ffice, Edin burgh, .Tompli . Monle, retired . on superan nuation, after 42 years' service. Apporntmlnts.—Mr. miner's office, has been appointed app as oin b te e d u en ext ra clerk th e in the Customs,ex a Custom-house, London. Mr. G. Renni soneetaebldlissmAennt matddaosnowarst been made to the Customs appointed. In li l n n d :c l o a n n a d , additional clerks having of t the great increa.Ee e , cir th eon e ee Cus ems establishment l Of ee b n u business has been revised and considerably angmented.—Civil kervice Gazette. . THE EM - PEROR NAPOLEON AND FREE TRADE In our news from France yesterday mentioned the publication of an Imperial decree in the Monitcue making some important alterations in the duties on sugar, molasses, oil, and other matters imported into France. The changes made by this measure are as follows :—lt reduces the import duties en foreign sugars by 'iabout 41. per 100 kilogramme , . It takes the duty entirely elf molasses which are the produce of the French colonies, and admits foreign molasses, which have heretofore been pro hibited, at a duty of 13f. It reduces the duty on dried raisins from 17f. to 2f. The duties on oil, grease, and oleaginous seeds, are reduced one•half ; those on candles are reduced from 27f. to 10f. The duties on the articles used in the manufacture of composition candles, according to their quality, are reduced from 65f. to 25f., peed from !elf. to 35f. The object of the first of these decrees is to reduce :he price of the raw material used in the distill?, ton of alcohol, the price of which has for some Vine past been exorbitant. For this purpose, large quantities of sugar as well as of dried grapes are used in France. The object of the second decree is to relieve the soap manufacturers, who have suffered much from the high prices of the articles used in their trade. The measure is another step towards the intro duction of free trade. It is the honour of Louis Napo leon that he has done more to place the commerce of the empire upon sound principles during the last four years than was done by Louis Philippe during the whole course of his reign. ANOTHER PRUSSIAN NOTE. The Augsburg Gazette publishes the following note from Baron do M . anteuffcl, Minister of Foreign Affairs in Prussia, dated the 7th inst., to the Prussian Ministers at Paris and London : "Your excellency had communicated to you some time ago the despatch which on the 21st of October I addressed to the envoy of the King at St. Petersburg, to recommend once more the Imperial Cabinet of Russia po i n ts proposed to it for that purpose by ourselves to accept with out reserve, as a basis of ne g otiation, the four and by Austria, and to declare it se lf rea d y t o d o so n ot only to us, but directly at Vienna. You know also that the result of this proceeding was that Count de Nesselrode addressed to Baron do Budberg a despatch authorising him to declare to us that the Emperor Nicholas was disposed to take part in negotiations of which the four points should serve as a starting point. In this declarati on the four points were not set forth in their primitive form. The Russian despatch contained, besides, such erron eous appreciations on the situation of Germany and its relations w ith R uss i a , th a t we d co id ntr n ar o y t , etxhpinreksseitd right to act on it. We, on the to the Cabinet of St. Petersburg our regret that it had not followed our counse l s , by de claring to that of Vienna its adhesions to the four points, and we renewed our recommendations that it should do so, and should modify in that -respect the overtures it had made to us. Our efforts on this subject were not unsuccessful, and the envoy of the King at St. Peters burg The Russian repre informed us by telegraph that Prince Gortschakoff had been authorised by telegraph to declare to Count Boul the a dh es ion of Russia to the four points re• commended to her by Austria. imitative at Vienna acquitted himself of this order by the note of the 28th of November, of which a copy is annexed ; and Count Buol replied on the 30th , as your excellency will see by the despatch als o an nexed her e t o . By the King ' s orders I hasten to invite you to make known these pacific overtures of Ru,sia to the Cabinet of Paris (London). Your colleague of Austria will be charged with a similar communication. You will therefore employ the same language as he does, in recommending earnestly the Russian declara tion to a favourable reception on the part of the French (British) Government. Let that Government reflect well on the ensemble of .the general situation, and convince itself that there is no reason to give way to distrust, nor to suppose underhand designs, where the desire of arriving at a good understanding is general and sincere. We perfectly understand the exigencies which the state of war in which the West ern Powers are with Russia imposes on them ; but we have difficulty in believing that since Russia admits, without reserve or evasion , a basis for nego tiations which the Cabinets of Paris and London (Lon don and Paris) drew up themselves not long ago, they can now refuse to enter into a path which, without pre judging the chances of military success, is of a nature to offer the possibility of abridging a murderous war, by opposing t' .e barrier of a moderate but serious and united will. In aciing on the instructions of the present cor.: muuication, you may dwell on the high price which the King, our august toaster, attaches to remaining in accord with the European Powers ; to express to M. Drouyn de Lhuys (Lord Clarendeon) the lively interest with which we await your reports on the reception given to your language by the Cabinet of Paris (London.) Re ceive, &e." RETURN OF THE MALACCA.---PLYMOUTH, Saturday, 10 a.m.—The steam-sloop Malacca, 17, Captain H yan, which sailed on Wednesday with a heavy road for the Black Sea, put back under canvass to Plymouth Sound this morning, at 1 1 , her machinery damaged. THE NEW BEER ACT ON CHRISTMAS•DAY.—The New Beer Act will take effect on Christmas for the first time. Falling as Christmas -day does on a Monday, public houses will be closed for two days at ten o'clock at night —they will not be open on either day between half-past two and six o'clock. TURKEY. The Independance Beige quotes the following letter, dated Constantinople, 7th inst. : " Yesterday the Porte sent orders to Omer Pasha to embark for the Crimea with the greatest part of his troops. Several steamers and transports were at the same time ordered to Yarna and Baltchik, to take on board those reinforcements and to convey them to their destination. Ismail Pasha, appointed some time ago General-in-Chief of the army is Asia, will return to Roumelia, to assume the command of the remainder of the army of the Danube, with the title of Caimacan, or substitute of the Generalissimo. The successor of Ismail Pasha in Asia is not yet known, but everybody wonders that so important a post should be allowed to con tinue so long vacant, particularly at the present me reent, when an able and energetic chief is re ' quired to arrest the entire disorganisation of the Asiatic army. The departure of Omer Paella for the Crimea has produced a great sensation here. It is doubly significant. It proves, first, that the war is to be continued during the winter on an extensive scale, and, next, that the Allies reckon at last on the co-operation of Austria. Otherwise it would be highly imprudent to weaken to that degree the army of the Danube and leave Constan tinople open to an invasion. At the moment Prince Na poleon was preparing to embark for the Crimea he ex perienced a relapse, which has confined him to his bed for the last two days. His physician, Dr. Levy, Inspec tor-General of the medical service of the army, opposed his departure, which was fixed for yesterday. The Prince feels the greatest anxiety to return to his division, from an exaggerated idea of the bad effect produced by his absence from the seat of war. General Lannes des Montebello, aide-de-camp of the Emperor Napoleon, arrived here the day before yesterday with despatches for the Prince and General Canroberr, and left the next morning for the Crimea. The Duke of Cambridge is to repair one of these days to the English Embassy to re ceive the visit of the Sultan, who has manifested a desire to pay him the same honour he had shown to Prince Napoleon. Immediately afterwards his Royal Highness will return to his hotel, having declined to accept the apartment offered to him by Lord Radcliffe in the Em bassy." THE MEDITERRANEAN. MARSEILLES, DEC. 20.—The weather is extremely severe. We have constant gales from the N.W., with occasional torrents of rain. The sun is rarely visible ; still the embarkation of troops and stores for the Crimea proceeds without inter mission. There is one fact, however, which must strike everybody who carefully attends to those operations, which is the manifest superiority of the captains and officers of British steamers in affording facilities for the quick embarkation of troops over our French Allies, even in their own ports. The frigate Constitution, for example, and the large transport Chanderrw„cror, which have lain for several days iu the port of the Joliette, have not yet embarked their cargoes, while several Bri tish steamers have arrived, received troops, and sailed within the same period. General Rostolan, the Commander-in-Chief, is nevertheless inelefati ,.iable. The Packet Company of the Messageries leoperiales, likewise, have aided the good work by despatching various steamer§ extraordinary for Constantinople. The mail steamer Thabor, which should have sailed for Constantinople on Monday, with 200 of the 4th Regimeat of Light Infantry, detachments from various other regimen ts, and six horses, was detained by bad weather until Tuesday. The Tap sailed last night for Constanti nople with troops and 20 English surgeons. The steamer France, just launched at Toulon, has arrived. She is chartered by the Government, and will take troops and 1,000 tons of stores to the MINING INTELLIGENCE. (From the Mining Journal of this day.) Mining shares are dull, even for this dull season of the year. For good dividend shares there are inquiries, and occasionally large purchases made ; but among small and speculative shares the business transacted is next to nothing. Buller shares have been done at 5701. to 5901. ; Basset, 5401. to 5601. ; Alfred Consols, 171. 7s. 6d. to 171. 12s. 6d. ; Clijah and Went worth, 141. to 141. 10s. ; West Stray Park, 11/. to 12/. ; South Caradon, 3101. to 3151. ; Bedford United, 91. ss. to 9/. 16s. ; East Tamar, 12s. 6d. to 158. ; Great Alfred advanced to 351., but left off flat at 311. 108. to 32/. ; West Alfred Consols, 181. to 201.; Sortridge Consols flat, at 1/. 17s. 6d. to 2/. 2s. 6d. LLOYD'S SHIPPING-(THIS DI Y. ) LONDON, Dec. 23.—Wind this day at Noon, W. ; light breeze, with fine weather. PORTSMOUTH, Dec. 22.—Wind, W. Arrived—Louisa, from London,: for Callao, with much damage; Excelsior, London, for Geelong, with loss of an anchor and part of a chain ; Rose Ellis, London, for Sydney, N.S.W., with loss of jibboom, and other damage; Eagle, London, for Port Philip, with loss of two anchors and chains ; Venilia, Leith, for Port Philip, with loss of bowsprit; Margaretha, London, for Trieste ; Commerce, Newcastle, for Oporto ; Fritz, Hartlepool, for Constantinople. PLYMOUTH, Dec. 22.—Wind, W.N.W. Arrived — Pomona, from Memel, for Cardiff, with loss of timber rudder. DOVER, Dec. 22.—Wind, W. Arrived—Louisa Mar garetha, from London, for Portsmouth, with considerable damage, having been in contact with an American ship off Eastbourne. COWES, Dec. 22.—Wind, S.W. Arrived—Resolution, from London, for Launceston ; Cicerone, Sunderland, for Malta, ; Frederick Louisa, do., for Naples. OFF BONCHURCH (Isle of Wight), Dec. 22.—Sylphide (barque), of New York ; Panope (schooner), both bound inside the island. MILFORD, Dec. 21.—Wind, W. Arrived—Maria, from Quebec. HULL, Dee. 22.—Wind, W.N.W. Arrived—Defiance, from St. John's, N.B. ; Irwell (s), Rotterdam. Sailed — Dorcas C. Yeaton, for New York; Amelia Maria, Gibral tar. Put back—Brandenburg, Oporto, with damage, hav ing been in contact w,ith a vessel in Grimsby Roads. STOCKTON, Dec. 22.—Wind, W.S.W. Arrived—High bury, from Quebec ; Eperlan, Gravelinee. PORTLAND ROADS, Dec. 21.—Arrived-:—Brazil Packet, from Hamburg, for Rio Janeiro. Sailed.—Mercator, New castle, fur Constantinople. (PER ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) LIVERPOOL, Saturday, 10.15 a.m. "Wind, N.W. ; moderate. Arrived—Eleanor, from St. John's, N.B. Sailed- Asia is), for Boston. COUNTERFEIT HALF-SOYIRRIGNS.—It appears that amongst the base coin in circulation are some Victoria half-sovereivis of 1852, struck out of brass with a die, and electro-plated, and so hard that they will not bend in the detector. in point of weight they are very uc . h lighter, and the ring is very brassy and dull. I'hom ling round the edge is very perfect, but the die from which they have been struck is far from pe . rfect,. and, on inspection, shows that the letters n in Britanniarum are inverted. Some Victoria sovereigns of the same date are also in circulation. They are made in the same way as the half-sovereigns, but the die from which they have been struck is coarser and more fault y th an that from which the half - sover ei g ns have been str uck , The wreath which is round th e coat of arms contains fewer leaves than in a real one, whilst the letters are larger and coarser, and the figures in the date are not all of one size, and the dots or pellets between the in. scriptions are wanting. HOUSE OF COMMONS.---(THIS DAY.) The SPEAKER took the chair shortly after 2 o'clock. Mr. PELLATT presented a petition from two metro politan omnibus proprietors, complaining of the stage carriage duty, and praying for its reduction. NEW WRIT. On the motion of Mr. G RANVILLE BERKLEY a new writ was ordered for the borough of Sunderland in the room of William Digby Seymour, Esq., who since his election had accepted the office of Recorder of Newcastle•upo - Tyne. ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE. On the motion of Lord J. RUSSELL, it was agreed that the house, at its rising, should adjourn until Tuesday, the 231 of January next. NOTICES OF MOTION. Mr. IDEATING gave notice that after the recess he should ask leave to bring in a bill to facilitate the re covery of Bills of Exchange and Promissory Notes. Sir J. PAKINGTON gave notice that after the recess he should move for leave to bring in a bill for the better encouragement aad promotion of education in England and Wales. Mr. HEYWOOD gave notice that after the recess he should ask for leave to bring in bill to amend the Marriage Act. Sir B. HALL gave notice that on Monday, the 23rd of January next, he should move for leave to bring in a bill to alter and amend the Public Health Aot ; also on the same day he should move for leave to bring in a bill to alter and amend the Nuisances Removal Act ; and on Friday the 2d of February, he should move for leave to bi ing in a bill for the better local management of the metropolis. ROYAL COMMISSION. Mr. Pulman, the Yeoman Usher of the Black Rod, appeared at the table, and summoned the house to at tend at the bar of the House of Peers, to hear the Royal Assent, given by commission, to several public acts agreed to by both houses, for which see Lords' report. The Speaker on his return announced the names of the bills. The house then adjourned at half-past two o'clock. NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE The St. Jean d'Acre was taken out of dock at Keyham yesterday, and was completed to-day. The Princess Royal comes out of Plymouth dock to day, when she will be complete. The Monarch, 84, Captain Erskine, will be complete on the 28th instant. The Cressy was taken into No. 3 dry-dock at Sheer ness on Thursday, and as she was leaving the dock•gates the gate-chain on the starboard side broke ; she was in consequence hove out again and berthed alongside the victualling stores. The crew are stripping her for a thorough overhaul of her running and standing rigging, and all her stores of every description are being deposited in the respective store departments. No. 1 dry-dock has been prepared for her, and she was taken into dock yesterday. The stateraent as to 48 hours' leave being granted to the officers was an error, her gallant com mander being only authorised to grant 24 hours, which was done as far as the convenience of the service would permit. It is ordered that the crews of this ship, the Majestic, and Royal George are to be paid wages due to them today, if possible. The Wildfire and Lizard steam vessels are ordered to hold themselves in readiness to-day to convey 300 liberty men from these ships to the North Kent Railway station at Strood, for conveyance to Lon don. It is reported that long leave will be granted the men. The Blenheim, 60, in temporary command of Captain Cochrane, steamed into Portsmouth harbour yesterday afternoon to refit. Euryalus, 51, screw, Captain Ramsay, Portsmouth, left last night for Devonport. The Amphion is now moored on the west shore, at Sheerness, at the moorings formerly occupied by the Horatio. The Cr ,rgon 6, paddle, commander Crawford , sailed this morning from Portsmouth for the Crimea, touching at Plymouth. The Scout revenue cutter, at Sheerness, Isaac Saxby, commander, arrived on Thursday from Harwich, and left again yesterday f.jr the same port. The Scout on her upward passage passed the Horatio, in the East Swin, under steam power. ARRIVAL OF THE EDINBURGH. We learn by electric telegraph from Edinburgh that hea Majesty's steam-ship Edinburgh, flag-ship of Ad miral Chads, arrived in Leith Roads, from the Baltic, yesterday afternoon. ARRIVAL OF THE OTHER PRUSSIAN GUN-BOAT. - On Thursday the Prussian gun-boat Salamander was handed over to the Admiralty authorities, go that the Prussian crew may go on board the frigate Thetis to work her to Prussia. CUTTING DOWN OF THE ROYAL GEORGE. The Royal George is ordered to be cut down to a two-decker, in consequence of her rolling propensities at sea. During the time she has been out she has had to send her lower deck guns into the hold to stiffen her, and even when the crew have all been at general quar ters, on their shifting over from side to side, she has taken from six to seven degrees' carsen over. For greater convenience, it is expected that all her guns will be put on board some of the ships now lying at Sheer ness in ordinary, to facilitate their being taken on board again, when she has been made ready to receive them. She will hereafter carry all her guns of the heaviest calibre, with the large swivel traversing pivot-guns of 95 cwt., on her upper deck. THE BALAKLAVA RAILWAY. The Alexander ♦on Humboldt and the Earl of Durham are now taking on board railway sleepers and rails, in the Tyne, for the railway to be made at Balaklava, by Messrs. Brassey and Peto. The Hesperus, another iron screw vessel, has taken in a cargo of sleepers and rails at Sunderland, and is ready for sea. Messrs. Brassey and Peto are also in treaty with Messrs. T. Marshall, of South Shields, for the Propeller, a handsome iron screw steamer, of 750 tons burden, launched on Thurs day, and for another new vessel, built on the same model, which is on the stocks and nearly ready for launching. The labourers engaged by Messrs. Brassey and Peto will not be taken from the north by the Alex ander von Humboldt and the Earl of Durham, but will embark in the Thames, whence the steamers will pro ceed, after taking in their cargoes on the Tyne and Wear. MAIL FOR THE BRAZILS. Yesterday notice was issued that there would be no despatch of mails fur Madei► : a, Brazil, and Buenos Ayres on the 24th inst., the vessel being required to carry troops t• the Crimea. The next mail for those places will be forwarded by the Great Western steamer, on the 9th of January. From a like cause there will be no mails this evening for the south coast of Africa ; the next will be made up, via Liverpool, on the Ist of January. Yesterday the Admiralty issued contracts for the sup ply of 920,000 yards of cloth, flannel, serge, &c., to the stores at Gosport, and 990,000 yards to the stores at Deptford ; also 60,000 blankets, 95,000 Flushing jackets, 134,000 pairs of woollen hose, 50,000 shirts, and 20,000 pairs of shoes, for her Majesty's forces. MILITARY. During the last two or three weeks considerable num bers of recruits for the army have been conveyed via the Great Northern Railway to the metropolis. A large proportion of these were volunteers from militia regi ments in the north, and the rest almost entirely opera tives from the manufacturing towns of Yorkshire and Lancashire. The men are all strong, healthy-looking young fellows, well adapted for war. They appeared in high spirits at the prospects before them, and on stop. ping at the various stations on the line cheered vocife rously, mingling with their shouts hearty denunciations of the Emperor of Russia. Mr. William Leslie, of Warthil l, has, in a pat r i o ti c spirit, with a view to encourag e enlist ment, offered a gratuity of 31. each to such yo un g men resident upon the estates of W a rthill, Drutnrossie, and as may w ithi n the next four months volunteer and be accepted as recruits for the Scots Fusilier Guards or the Highland Brigade. This gratuity, added to the bounty, will amount to 101. p eff ta e i e n ts H o u f titliosn,woofutnhdes,4 is iLightnoor rest. Letters have been received for each recruit. s n t s a , t e d m ie e d n f t ro th n a i t ti C le a Dr T ag h o e from him dated Scu tari, Dec. 5, from which it appears that he is progres sing favourably, though severely wounded in both thighs n the gallant cavalry charge at Balaklava. The Corriere Italian° of the 18th states from the Crimea that the English army occupied the heights between Sebastopol and Simpheropol, and that they had established a battery with Lancaster guns by which the ships in the harbour of Sebas topol may be destoyed. NEW STANDARD OF GOLD PLATE.—The Gazette con• tains an Order in Council declaring that from this date any gold vessel, plate, or manufacture of gold may be wrought of any of the several standards hereinafter men tioned, that is to say-1. The standard of fifteen carate of fine gold in every pound weight troy. 2. The stan dard of twelve carats of fine gold in every pound weight troy. 3. The standard of nine carats of fine gold in every pound weight troy. THE .REPRE, NTAT.MY NO (From the Norwich Mercury.) The inhabitants of this city were probably never m're Sur. prised, and certainly never less anticipated, the information which reached them on Wednesday morning, that Mr. Peto was no longer their representative—not through his own choice but because he had undertaken, in conjunction with his partners, Messrs. Brassey and Betts, to be the Goiern ment agent in carrying out certain operations, on a very large scale, in the Crimea. That he had undertaken to fulfil these very arduous and important works for the country, gratui tously, did not at all alter his position, and he was therefore compelled, after consulting the highest legal authorities, to resign his seat for Norwich, rather than forfeit his pledge to the Government and the country. That the necessity imposed by the law. demanded a most painful sacrifice, we can well imagine. But great as is the sacrifice Mr. Pete has been re quired to make, the honourable member will have the far greater recompense in the recollection that he has made it for the good of his country—for the maintenance of its fame and honour—for the greater safety, security, comfort, and ease of her brave heroes—for the preservation of Constitutional free dom, and to curb the encroachment of a monarch whose am bitious desires admit no limit 'but that which his own will or superior power imposes, and above all to procure for European nations the blessings of a Permanent Peace, unalloyed by barbarian violences, a 'peace leading to a more wide-spread civilisation. Whatever the pain this madden separation of a close connection may create, Mr. Peto, both now and hereafter, will be the more honoured for his patriotic. act by the Sovereign and the nation, neither of whom will forget a sacrifice, the more noble because it is unspotted and untarnished by an impure motive. We were among the first to uphold the fitness of Mr. Peto when he became a candidate for the representation. We maintained that, if elected, hid course would be an honour to the city. That course, as far as Norwich is concerned, is run, and the close of Mr. Peto's Parliamentary career, as representative for Norwich, while shedding a halo of patriotism around the representative, in cludes in its bright circle, by its connection, the city and the electors who bad made him the object of their choice. But although that tie is loosened, we are assured by Mr. Peto, in his address, it is. not broken ; and that although uo longer member for Norwich, its interests, and the interests of the citizens, will still find a friend in Samuel Morton Pete. W. wish that gentleman the most perfect success in his bold nn• dertaking, and that he may live to see that success accom plished, and to feel that his patriotism is acknowledged 14 his Sovereign and the nation. Since writing the above, we learn that when the necessity for Mr. Peto's retirement became known to the leader of the Conservative party, Mr. Disraeli addressed a letter couched in the handsomest possible terms to Mr. Peto, regretting the cause, and paying him the highest compliments. The mew' bers on both sides of the house have also, we hear, expressed their regret in the strongest terms, as well as their sense of ;he high and honourable course Mr. Peto has adopted. Almost as soon, if not before, Mr. Peto's ineligibility wal known in Norwich, Sir E. N. Buxton. accompanied by Mr. Samuel Gurney, had arrived in the city, And immediately called on Sir Samuel Bignold, by whom they were politely received, and whom, we believe, undertook, without pledging his support, to acquaint the Conservative party with the gentlemen's objects. The two gentlemen also paid visits to the Mayor, Sir W. Foster, and Mr. Springfield. A meeting was called of about 20 of Mr. Peto's principal friends, by Mr. I. 0. Taylor, at which a letter was read from that gentleman. announcing his resignation, and the cause; upon which the following resolutions were passed : " That this meeting has learned with the most profound regret that the noble and disinterested conduct of their hon. member, Mr. Peto, in volunteering to make, without profit to himself, a railway in the Crimea in aid of her Majesty e forces, has involved him in the loss of his seat as member for this city. " That this meeting cannot relinquish the hope that it mar be possible for Mr. Peto to resume the representation cone,. tently with his duty to his queen and country, and they there. fore request the Mayor and Mr. Willett to proceed imme' diately to Town to have a conference with him on the sub' ject." The Mayor (R. Chamberlin, Esq.) with Mr. Willett, were appointed to go to town and wait upon Mr. Peto, to confer with him upon the latter part of the resolution. The Mayor, on being detained by urgent busineas, Mr. Sultzer acorn. panied Mr. Willett. On theirreturn, nearly the Same gentle men met, and after an explanation, which showed that it Wag impossible Mr. Peto could preserve his seat, from various dif ficulties connected with the affair, it was determined to call a meeting of electors, by circular, for this (Friday) evening, A eight o'clock, at the Royal Hotel, in order to hear the view's of Si E. N. Buxton, or any other candidate whom any elector might, desire should he heard, and then for the electors to de termine which gentleman they considered most entitled to their support. On Wednesday evening a very large meeting of the Cousin,. vative party was held at the Large Room, Norfolk Hotel. which was ermined. Sir Samuel Bignold in the chair, who an" nounced that he had been called upon by Sir E. N. Buxton and Mr. S. Gurney, who informed him of the intention of the for mer gentleman, and soliciting his support. Thrt he had ex pressed his opinion of the character of the Hon. Baronet, but that all he could say was, he would lay the name of Sir E. N. Buxton before his party for their opinion. Sir Samuel also pointed out to his friends that they bad near their walls a gentleman of ancient family and high character, ' whose opinions were known, who was well fitted for their re presentative, and who might probably be willing to accept their invitation. He meant Captain Stracey. There might be other gentlemen equally eligible, whom his friends might wish to support. Mr. Henry Stracey's name was received with great cheering. It was then, we understand, suggested by Mr. J. B. Morgan that Sir Samuel Bignold himself was the most eligible candidate, and deserved the warmest support from his fellow citizens. Sir Samuel's name was received with the most deafening cheers. Sir Samuel, however, declined the honour, but expressed bow highly ho felt flattered by their proposal. If he had been some years yOunger it would have been a just object of ambition; but, looking to his years, to his strong family ties, and to the great transactions in which he was so engaged, he felt that it was impossible for him to accede to their very flattering wishes. After some discussio.i, it was determined to semd a deputation to Captain Stracei, requesting him to become a candidate. Tho deputation started immediately to Raeltheath, and we understand that Mr. Stracey requested that he might have tim *for considers' tion. This morning has, however, put a new phase upon the pro' bible contest. Sir Samuel Bignold has issued an addre, stating that he will serve as Mr, Peto's locundenens, if _, 1 " 1 proposal should be responded to on any sufficient scale. " have no time to do more than to refer the electors to the ad dress itself, and to remark, politically speaking, it will bear as wide and as narrow a guage as any elector may choose to ran ever, while reading it. The writ is arrived. We apprehend the Nomination be on Wednesday—the election on Thursday next. L A RGE MERCANTILE FAILU RE IN YORKsHing...--o.llc Leeds correspondent rep orts with re g ret the dilliculyeisi 4 an extensive Huddersfield mercantile house, wh i . c . has done a great business with Australia. The liabilv ies are stated to be 135,000/., and th e appare nt as ibout 155,000 1 .; bu t it is difficult to say tO what e% ter ! ;he latter can be rea l ised. The c ause of the c risis in 00.. _ ,{fairs is the non-arrival of some large remittances mer e expected at the be ginning of the month. The hol: ,as done a larg e busin ess in Leeds, and severa l Le,e o aouse s are consequently involved in its diffi c ulties, ". a , n ot to the extent that might have been expected, COOI ering the business done, „: (From the Morning Post.) The retirement of Mr. Pete from Parliament le an event to which wo should sca rce ly thi n k it necessary t o r efer hadi occurred under any of those circumstances which are usually considered to justify or requ i re th e re li nqu i s h me nt of a s ea t in the House of C ommons. W i th the polit i ca l op inions, any peculiar views, which the honourable gentleman may cutertain, we have nothing to do on the present occasion- It is sufficient for us to know that he has been the first to step forward to apply th e marve ll ous appliances of mechan ical skill to the purposes o f war —th a t he has undertaken t o or• ganiso that brigade o f s t ou t h an d s and stout h ear t s which, W ° doubt not, will be of i nva l ua bl e ass i stance to our military en<4- ueers in the Crimea, w h e th er di gg i ng trenches, mining under ground, or making ra il ways. T he reward wh i ch the hon. gentle' man receives for his p a t r i o ti sm i s — compulsory retirement froth honourable position of member f or th e c ity o f Norwich in t he Commons House of Parliament. If Mr. Peto could make one shilling of profit from th e con t rac t w hi c h h e h as entered in t° with the Government — or , p er h aps, we s h ou ld rather ter n ! ' it, the arrangement w hi c h h o h as ma d e w i t h t h e G o vernmen t to assist then in th e o p era ti ons o f th e present calliPaign—.... then the general rule as t o th e inability of pu bli c c outractel to • sit in Parliament w ou ld very legitimately and PreP er i i apply. But this is not the case, and as the honourab: gentleman has very cl ear ly l a id d own th e reaso ns whi e i , have induced him to retire from P ar li amen t , it is fair that they should be stated iu his own words :—" '— Government recently desired my advice and assistance in promoting the facility o f t rans i t in the Crimea, Aud„a had no hesitation, with m y par t ners, Mr. B ras sey fir. Betts, in devoting to it our best energies, acting simply as agents on behalf o f th e Government, and wit uc T s the slightest pecuniary profit or benefit to ourselves. I carrying out this arrangement, and during its continuance, find that, by a strict interpretation of the act, which in c t . pacitates Members of Parliament from being concerned in $ 4 % contract or commission on b e h a lf o f th e G overnm ent, I m ay have brought myself w ithi n th ese c l auses, anhough not in any way infringed upon the true spirit or meaning of the law." Here, then, a gentleman, w h o un d er t a k e s a contr a ct as a merelagent of th e G overnmen t , an d w i t h ou t th e slight est claim for pecuniary profit, i s compe ll e d b y a statute which was never intended to apply t o suc h a t ransac ti on , to ret" . . temporarily from public life. The Athenians with rare .T gratitude, sometimes banished the most worthy of their ell' wens ; but we permit the c l auses o f an A c t o f P ar li amen t totaPP a species of practical ostracism to one whose offer of assistant should entitle him to the public thanks. That contraetel who derive a profit f rom th e i r d ea li ngs w ith th e G o vernme nt should bo excluded from serving in Parliament, is only wise and necessary precaution to preserve the purity 1 1„, independence of the Legi s lat ure . Th e ac t i n question (t'" 22d Geo. 3, c. 45), d ec l ares, " Th a t any person who s h a ll, di rectly or indirectly, himself, or by any one in trust for into! undertake any contract with a G overnment depar tmen l ' shall be incapable of being elected o r o f s itti ng or vot i n g dn ing the tim3 he shall hold such contract." The penalties in'. h s e am s e h , a a ll na si a t ny oi• posed by the act are of a nature fully to justify the step sittingw hich tehre votinghon our a,l, ise l gentleman iable to forfeitha s taken. . forA ceovnetii.;ecitao ry s o u n e ' f v e h r ie t h h e person vote againstt anyo shall be recovered is incapable of holding any contract.' admit a of 500/. is also imposed upon any person who adini",.: a member of the House of Commons to a share of a contract' The letter of this absolutely v, wpheermsonthiws hpoenfti excludes the hon. gentleiTl if and he w ou ld obviously have encountered too great a peril a 1 he had for a day postponed the resignation of his seat in liament. In modern acts imposing a provision is usll''l, inserted that the penalties shall only be sued for by the A: 6 torney-General; but under this act any person might 0.3110 harassed the honourable gentleman with actions to whic h could have had no legal defence. It is the first time in t he tort' of any country that a contract so disinterested, and for object so patriotic, has ever been made between a o t .u t vernment and a private individual. Hard, indeed, wr,,,`", r , it be, if the banishment of that individual from 1-I ` re liament should be longer than the time necessary to P"P i a ll 'on 0 , and pass a short measure to exempt from the operation le' otherwise salutary rule, au engagement which, thonen.,,, ile gaily a contract, is for the eminent advantage of the Public service. ho 1 15° A word, too, roust be said of those gallant men w ntle so cheerfully enlisted in the brigade of the honourable fought man. They are the brothers of the soldiers who t and won at Alma and Inkerman. They. are the s l o l u t s he f e t t l i 'r er ;•allant English peasantry whom Lord John Russell can 1). - 3 eight so justly and so eloquently eulogised ; an v aries' said that England requires the aid of foreign merc. strength and sine" when these men, emphatically the very fntri of the working classes, are ready at t he call of their coa to face the dangers and participate i n tho glories of a cam' paigu in the Crimea'{