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

LATEST FOREIGN NEWS. THE WAR IN THE EAST. The following, dated Constantinople, February 20, has been received by telegraph from Vienna : " Negotiations relative to the future position of the Christians in Turkey have been opened between the representatives of the four Powers and the Porte. " On the 7th of February the port of Odessa was almost free from ice. "Three fruitless attempts have been made to take Arta by storm." A telegraphic message from Berlin says Sir Hamilton Seymour and his family arrived there yesterday (Wednesday) from St. Petersburg. Letters from St. Petersburg state that the Em peror of Russia is recovered, and that he was en abled to leave his bed on the 10th ult. The Grand Duke Constantine is represented as about to set out for Bucharest in order to take the command of the army. A letter from Odessa mentions that the Austrian Consul has obtained the liberty of the four Aus trian sailors and a Tuscan subject, who were on board the Medjari Tidjaret, when that vessel was captured by the Russians. The two English en gineers are represented as not having been set at liberty yet ; they are stated to be at Kaloga near Moscow. A telegraphic despatch dated Bucharest, Feb. 19, says, " the snow still renders the roads im passable. The two armies are yet in their old positions." A letter of the 15th ult., from the same place, mays--" Since it has been positively known here that the mission of Count Orloff to Vienna has failed people begin to breathe freely. Those who hope to be delivered from the protecting yoke of Russia, and the number is great, abandon themselves to joy. The Emperor of Russia had promised the Pnncipalities to render them independent— though it is true that it was only a verbal promise. God grant that the influence' of the western powers may be propitious to ns and counter balance that of the Colossus of the North. The certainty now felt that France - and England will energetically support Turkey, has damped the ar dour and defeated the hopes of the enemies of Tur key. Since the check given to Count Orloff all their anger is vented against Austria. A singular illusion has existed with regard to the policy of that cabinet. Russia has fora long time - used all her efforts to deprive Austria of any influence in these countries. In order to weaken in public opinion the sad impression which might be raised against the proceedings of Russia, exaggerated re ports are circulated about the Greek revolt at .Arta ; they even go so far as to say that King Otho has fled. What is strange is, that the revolt was talked of here as a fait accompli before it broke out, which proves that the origin of the movement came from this place, and that the discovery of the conspiracy at Widdin and at Constantinople has tened the explosion of it. No great importance is here attached to the affair." The correspondent of the Times writes as follows, from Constantinople, Feb. 15 :—The well-known fact of a great concentration of Russian troops near Kalafat, coupled with daily and almost hourly re ports of hard fighting there, keeps us in a perpetual fever of anxiety. Owing to the miserable postal arrangements, and the vague nature of the Turkish military despatches which occasionally reach us, we have to await the arrival of London or Paris newspapers, with what patience we may, for true accounts of what is really taking place. An Eng lish letter from Kalafat only 10 days old becomes, therefore, a perfect prize. A military friend, who has seen some hard fighting elsewhere, has kindly favoured me with the following short account of what was passing at Kalafat up to Feb. 4 : " You will have heard of the advance of the Russians on the 28th ult. to the villages of Muglavit, Golenza, and Pojana, and the consequent retirement of the Turkish outposts from those villages. Since that date we have been kept in daily, nay hourly, expectation of an attack, *which, however, has not ,yet comp off, and unless the Russians are much stronger than they are reported to be, I do not believe they have the slightest notion of attacking Kalafat, but are waiting in hopes that the Turks (getting weary of being shut up there) will take •the initiative. I was out to-day with a reconnoitering party of four squadrons of cavalry. We got about half way to Golenza, and about one mile and a half from camp, when we saw the Russians advancing from the village. Their force consisted of two regiments of ca valry, three battalions of infantry, and six guns. I imagine that they have about the same at Pojana, which looks as if they meant to keep possession of those posts bail a sufficient force is available to attack Kalafat, but the Quartermaster-General's department at the Turkish bead-quarters is so defective that it is impossible to conjecture with any degree of certainty the Russian movements. However, the Turks have employed their leisure time well in fortifying Kalafat, and when the attack does take place it will be no child's play. The Turkish infantry is , admirable. The men strong, hearty, cheerful and brave to a fault (so says every man who has seen them in action). They are not well drilled or set up, but be hind walls the latter is not of much importance. Achmet Pasha, who commands, does not give one the idea of a man of capacity, but I believe he is untried. From all that I have seen I have every hope for the Turks if the Russians attack, but I should dread the event if they leave their stronghold, for Ido not believe they have a General here capable of moving a large body of men, nor do I think that the soldiers are capable of - being moved with any steadiness or regularity under fire. The affair at Cetate seems to have taken the Russians by surprise, and does not in my opinion prove that the Turks will always cope successfully in the Open field with an army disciplined and organised as the Russian. We have been here since the 27th, and (finding at excessively inconvenient to cross the Danube every day from Widdin) have now taken up our quarters in tha Only cafe at Kalafat. There are nine of us altogether. As you may imagine, we are suffering a good many priva tions and hardships, and unless the attack, so long ex pected, comes off in a few days, I shall not wait for it." The following statement of the probable num bers and positions of the Russian forces in the Prin cipalities at the present moment has been most carefully compiled and collated from various sources - by a most intelligent foreign officer now here :—The 10th division extends from Kalafat to opposite Rust chuk ; the 11th division, the Valley of Argish to opposite Silistria and Hirsova ; the 15th division oc cupies Ibralia and Galatz, extending up the Danube to opposite Hirsova—the above may be termed the first line. The second line is probably as follows : —l3th division moved westward towards Krajova (one regiment of it was, we believe, at Cetate,) 'Which, together with the Bth and 9th division, must now form the attacking force at Kalafat. Say, then, that two-and-a-half divisions of infantry and One of cavalry form the attacking force ; it should consist of about 30,000 infantry and 6,000 cavalry. THE GREEK INSURRECTION. A communication from Albania, dated Feb. 16, says the Pacha of Janina has attacked and defeated the Greek insurgents concentrated at Arta. The rebels kept their ground but a short time, and then fled. The Pacha could not pursue them effectually, on account of the limited number of his troops, which was only just sufficient to check the spread of the insurrection towards Janina. A letter from Athens, of Feb. 16, says the Greek Government is very embarrassed, and it is feared that the desertion of Greek soldiers to the insur gents will greatly increase. Those regiments, whose fidelity can be depended on, have been ordered to the frontiers, in order to prevent de serters crossing the boundary. Advices from Orsova of the 18th ult., state that Balim Pasha, commanding the Turkish troops in the Dobrudscha, has been named commander-in- Chief of the corps destined to operate against the Greek insurgents. Halim Pasha is one of the most distinguished officers in the Turkish service. He commanded in Albania in 1851. The Turks ►ere concentrating a considerable force 11 1 the Sandjak of Elbessen to succour the Pasha of Janina. FRANCE. The senators and members of the Legislative Body have received letters convoking them for to day at half-past twelve at the Tuileries. The interment of the Abbo Lamennais took place yest er d a y morn i ng w ith ou t th e l eas t disorder. In accordance with the wishes of the deceased, his body was carried straight to the cemetery, without being taken to any church. The funeral of Admiral Roussin was celebrated yesterday with great pomp ; 12 battalions of in fantry, two squadrons of Gardes de Paris, one of Chasseurs, and a battery of Artillery, escorted the remains of the Admiral from the Madeleine to Pere la Chaise. The message of the Emperor is looked forward to with great interest. This message will speak of war as inevitable ; but in order in some degree to relieve the public mind, it will announ ce th good understanding existing between the four Powers, and declare that their alliance will render the suc cess of the Powers certain, and the war short. The message, it is believed, will congratulate the coun try on the patience and tranquillity with which it has supported the distress caused by the high price of corn ; and express a hope that the crisis is now over, as there is every prospect of a good harvest next season. The departure of Prince Napoleon will be announced ; and the Emperor will close his by stAtinc , that Frqnce nit triumph when she draws the sword in the defence of religion and civilisation. Marshal Vaillant is to be the new Minister of s t War, in place of Marshal de St. Arnaud, who has been appointed commander-in-chief of the expedi tionary army to Turkey. The appointment is in every respect a good one, Marshal Vaillant being one of the best officers and administrators in the French service. The news that the English and French Govern ments have formally summoned Russia to evacuate the Danubian principalities created a great sensa tion yesterday, and produced a considerable fall at the Bourse. It appears that the Prussian and Austrian Governments, though adhering to the ultimatum of the other Powers, will not declare war on the rejection of the summons. Yesterday being settling day at the Bourse there was not much business transacted, except in liqui dating the differences for last month. The Three per Cents. opened at 68f. 5c., and fell to 67f. 15c., at which they closed for the end of the month. The only cause assigned for this serious fall is that the speculators for a rise have purchased more stock than they are prepared to receive. The Four and-a-Half per Cents. closed at 96f. 50c. ; Orleans Railway Shares, 1,090 f. ; Rouen, 875 f. ; Havre, 445 f. ; Great Northern, 737 f. 50c. ; Paris and Strasburg, 720 f. ; Ditto, New Shares, 750 f.; Paris and Lyons, 812 f. 50c. ; Lyons to the Mediter ranean, 670 f. ; Western of France, 585 f. ; Bor deaux and Cette, 535 f. ; Great Central, 435 f. ; Lyons and Geneva, 450 f. ; Shares of the Bank of Credit Mobilier, 587 f. 7itish In bification, rtanees, of gallery Youthful aehadow ---before stache. he ep and T. Earl, 226, a ri th No. Piper." tion now If ohnes T. Jones Soottisk e once 7ality are No. 542, king the No. 314, ncidents rid illus ;Wars on ) British ny a Joe g knave 2k. W. pencilled )d power ca turist. ? Take it ' n ye. for the lons and -reeking nassacre pon. the Yzar, the arrayed chaunt the Te ;orgeous he same vfajesty, rch, the kground lat fired ing high poured ins, and There is pentacle I. ;en orally on of th• ► by the to merit of recess )iti on of Th. ameo prof i table 3 tea id of apo, we tad,. and on this sday, as [al man toovic the giving a [a tic ,n of h e ex eavi y 60 Ida, ding moe ney. ',hare an ti c wor th solos adilence, iou is and wable of the count. ere the rg 1 Lave opt! •ary ed cam ex por mcotred. Cpl ?e3173 b egin- Pra a Al ice, will G nate- P.F tate ne: rican debt. )f per 5. per c, 'The ttec of rpel fly ( now rd: I by 43 (erring 11 also who is 11 rea parish c cum- gu ar -11 0;180 eves a nine and if be ob• xceed- ntain ssued. ser tional forces ,000/. there hargo ►eriod tuber THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, - MARCH 2. 1854. SHARE MARKETS. (THIS DAY.) BRITISH RAILWAYS. Closing Prices yesterday. 201 -21 i 5 - 51 8 - 9 12 —lO dial 16 18 6 sid 94 - 96 55i - 564 15j - 16} 13 - 134 ii 1. - 4fi a - 84 ... -- -. 12i -- 138, 64 - 66 60 - 61 23 - 241 100 100 100 100 100 100 924 93i 80 82 127 -- 129 96 -- 98 80i -- 81 92 -- 95 12i -- 130 12 -- 13 p 67} -- 68 6i -- 6id, iii, 7- ii Ba sa par 4 P 96i 3 / 4 974 024 -102 i par p 4 - r - d 80 81 10 9 d 9 7d 2i 100 42i 34 all 22i - 23 81 281 100 s 100 47i 176 all 100 62 - 626 35 - 37 6 25 50 20 i d par 5 4id 2i— 3 6 - 8 48 - 50 3# nu 34 ... 35 100 3i 100 14 - 1i 64 - 74 52 - 55 4 -ip 20 20 10 10 all 4 11/ la) 51 5a 76 8 32 - 34 2/ 2s 100 100 100 100 89 91 54 - 56 58 - 62 55 60 3 2d 26i 13A 20 20 16 -- 18 8 -- 9 12 -- 13 3i -- 3id 14 16 63 61 35i 36 2 d par 4 5 212 s all 16 100 8 100 20 20 20 50 20 5 10 St. 5 St. 20 12. St. 10 St. St. St. 10 25 10 ..0.6 all 518. 100 20 100 5 100 all 100 100 100 6 100 all 4i all all 10 1 q 100 100, 30 - 32 2i - 2i 15 15) 51 - 5i 24 - 26 6 - 7 • • •• -- •• 6 - 7 69 70i 4i 3 i 49 -- 50 PREFERENCE SHARES. Business done this day. 55i 6 100 100 100 100 100 all 100 12j13 ad 92 i id 80 128 7 67f I 1024 i 80 i 224 624 d 11f i 63} i i 33i 69 / 121 491 I !Aberdeen.. Do. No. 2, 7 p. c Blyth and Tyne 10 per c. pref. (issd. at 500 Brio. & Ex. 4 p. c. St. Do. 4 p. c. Shares Caledonian £lO Chester & Holyhead Guar. 54 per cent Cork &Bandons4p.c Dundee Perth &Aber ' deen Junction EastAnglian CO 10s) 6 per cent Do. (X 5) 7 per cont Do. (E 7 17s) 7 p. c Eastern Counties Ex tension, 5 p. c. No. 1 Do. No. 2 Do. New 6 p. c. St. Eastern Union, Scrip Guar. 6 per cent Do. 51., 10 per cent Do. 10i. Debentr.Sh- East Lai - leash. 6 p. cts. East and West York shire June. Pref... Ediub Prth. &Dundee 5. per cent. Glasgow & S.Western Guar. 5 per cent..., Great Northn. 5 p. c. Do. 5 p. c. Redeem., at 10 p. c. prem. .. Do. 4. p. c. Scrip Gt.N. of Scot. Ist Pref. Gt, Southn.&Westm. (Ireland) Eighths) Do. 4 per c. Pref. Sh Gt. Westn. (Berks & Ilants Ex. 5 p. c) Do. cov. red. 4i p.c Do. con, red. 4 p. c Do. in-ed. 4 p. c Lan. & York. F. £2O Do. 6 p. C. Stock Leeds N. 6 p. c. No.l Do. Quarters, 1848 London and Brighton Guaranteed 5 p, c Do. Pref., 5 p. c. St. Do. Convertible, 5 p. c., 1852 Do. New Guar.6 P.C Lon. &N. W., Coy. & Nuneaton London & S. Western Con. Thirds 99 :. 101 15 all all all 6} -- 6i 3-31 4 -- 4 - p lip 13a —l3ixd ad 3i 3a 10 all all 10 5 20 20 20 10 20 40 50 1 20 35 1 10 1 1 Londonderry& Coler, Shar©s Londy. & Ennis. Sh Han., Shef., & Lin. Shares, No. 1. Do. New, £lO Do. .£6 Aarypt.&,Carl.4 p.c Do. 4i per cent Do Consol.6 p. c. St. Do. Consol. Bristol & Birm. 6 per cent Do. Pref. 4, 1 , per cent Norfolk Debenture Do. Pref. 4 p. c. Stock Do. 5 p. c. Ext Do. 54 per ct. pref._ Do. Way. Val. 5 p. c North British North Staffordshire , Oxford, Worcester, & Wolverh.,Els, 6 p.c Do Scot. Cent., New Pref Shrews. & Birm.N.G. Shrewsby. & Chester (Nor.W.Min), 8 p.c. Do. 5 per cent South Devon De. fixed, 4.i per cent S. Eastern (Reading Ann.) of £1 Os. 6d. Do. 4 per cent. -3 .Yorksli.4p.c.Guar. Stockton and Dar lington, 4 per cent., Do. do. d o Stockton and Hartle pool, guar. 5 p. c till Ist July, 1856 Waterfd.,SzKilk.6p.e York, Neweastle,and Do York&N. Midland. 11, and S. Purch,. ~,,, , 1116 = 118 116 x d 107 - 109 i- i P xd 10 id a - 8 .. ad 6i 7 98 100 90 95 94 96 pal 137 139 50 50 100 100 ... ... 2} 2 li = 'l3 66 7 9 10 i par ipxd 136 138 1i —id xd 102 - 104 i - 1p 9i -- 10 16i -- 17 10 -- 10 1 13 -- 15 id 23i -- 24 17 -: 19 ••• ...... • li i d 93 05xdl 34 4 =dl ._• 1 2! 20 50 20 25 xd die xd 1031 a d all all all all all 100 100 100 18$ 7 3 8 2s. London & N. West. L.&N.W. ' Calotion... 98 - 100 48 - 50 Gt.Nrthn. Calclonian. L4O - 142 Gt. Westn Yk. New. & Berw. Y. &NMd Do Do 29 - 31 104 —lo6xdl l 52 —53 „ 26 —27 „ 13 1 24 —2spul S. Eastern Do 1 N orfolk .. L.& N. W. & Midld. Stckton Darlingt. Aidland.. 2i - 3 98 -- I0(0 E. Count. IDo 58 - 60 L. & NAT &Ln&Yk Do Gt Northu D 0.. . 136 -- 140 Lancash& Yorksh. 51.MClean Stockt. Si Darlingt. - 11' 95 - 97 1 rltWestli FOREIGN. Antwerp&Rotterdam Belgian Eastu. June Beziers to Graissessac Bombay, Baroda, and Central India,Serip Central of Italy Charleroi & Erquelin Demerara Dijon and Besancon Dutch Rhenish East Indian Do. Extension Gt. Indian Peninsula Gd. Junct. of France Grd. Trunk of Canada. Do. Debentures Do. do Gt. Central of France Gt. Western of Canada Shares Do. Bonds (Ist is.)'s7 Hamilton & Toronto Do. 6 per cent. Lake Const. & Basle Lucca & Pistoj a, 5 p.c. 20i 100 20 prof Luxembourg Do. (Railway) Do. Pref Do. (Canal). Do. 6 p. et. pref Lyons and Geneva , Lyons & Mediterran, Madras 10 20 20 20 33A 3i 3 I 1 14 4i icl. p 4 = 2 f - Maria Antonia Do. do. New . Melbourne Dk. & Ry Namur & Liege (with interest) Do. (ex interest) Northern of France Do. 201. 3 p. c Bds (fmy. . B. & Ams. Shs.) No rwegianTrunkPref Paris and Lyons Ditto Bonds i - 5i - 24 - i - ' p 2 d - 1 p dis fi 7 4I 1 14 1 1 2,4 1 dl id - P. 71 - 7i 294 - 30 74 - 8i 124 - 13 p Paris and Orleans Paris and Rouen Paris and Strasbourg ParisCaen & Cherbrg. Quebec & Richmond Rouen and Havre Royal Danish Royal Swedish Sambre and Meuse_ Do. 5i p. cent. Pref. Southern of France St. Andrew's and 42 —44 34 —36 xd 284 —28 i pm 3 1 d Id par . d 8i 8 10 20 10 20 20 - - Pm Quebec (A) al West Flanders ►ll Do. 5i per c. Pref LO Western of France 7 West. of Switzerland 2 Wiesbaden .5 Zealand 5 25 all 3t ` 41 21 1 3 i n i'a MINES. A.gua Fria Anglo Austrin. Gold Anglo Californian Australasian Australian Australian Cordillera Australian Freehold. Ave Maria Baden (Gd. Duchy of) Blaenarvon Ir. & Coal British Austrin. Gold British Iron Brazilian Imp. (issue d at £5 pm Do. Coutes cat Cula Do. St. John Del Rey Carson's Creek Clirendon Con. Min Co. of Jamaica Cobra Copper Colonial Gold 1 1 d d P 1 d 2i id id id 9 11 Copiapo Copper Min. of Eng Do. Pref. 74 p. cent English and Austrin : Copper Smel tg. Co General " aul Great Nugget Vein, Do. Registered , Great Polgooth , Liberty Linares Lond. &Calif° rn. Gold Quartz Crush. Co. Mariquita Mexican&S.Amerien, New Granada 60 all 25 all all 28i1 New Linares Mining and Smelting C 0.... (Nouveau Monde ...... , Pontgiband Silye] Lead Min. & Smelt Port Philip 'Quartz Rock Rhymney Iron ~ Do. Now., Santiago de Cuba z=outh Australian Tin Croft United Mexican Business tb is day. 1 Waller West Granada West Mariposa Worthing Mining o Australia....... Yuba JOINT-STOI Australasia British Colonial Bank and Loan Company British N. American Chartd. Bank of Asia Chrtd. Bnk. of India, Australia, & China Colonial Commercial of Lond English Scottish and Australian Lond. Chart. Bk. of 4 5 2i 28 30 }d 42 —44 ad id— ip 11 —l3 60 —7O 4 6p li - 21 id :- ..p .la fg it li #— # d 11 12 6 t i d I-- 4d Australia London and County London Joint Stock Lond. & Westminster National Provincial of England Do. New National of Ireland New South Wales Oriental Bank of Corporation. Do. New Provincial of Ireland Do. New Etoyal-Australn.Bkg & Gold Imp Co South Australia Union of Australia Do. Now Union of London IEESCELLA: id- $P 17 - 19 Rubin Coal and Iron Australian Agricult. I Australsn.Pcific. Mail Australn. Royal Mail Berlin Water Works Brit. American Land Brit. & Coln. Smeltg. and Reduction Co.. Canada Crystal Palace Crystal Pal. of France Eastern Steam Electrit Telegraph(A) Do. (B) Electric Teleg. of Ir Gen. Steam Navigat General Screw Steam Irish Beetroot Sugar Magdalena St. Navig. Nat. Pat. Steam Fuel Netherlands Lasd N. S. W. Coal & Inter Steam Navigat. Co. N. B. Australasian Do. New Nrth. ofEuropeSteam Peel Rr. Ld. & Minrl. Peninsular & Oriental a d 21 —i— -5011 8 10 3A 4A $ a 34 4 3 i 3 i id d d ..i l'al BANKS. 76 - 78 2 lid 3 2id id - 43 44 - 46 ••• - 40 - :ii 67 - 69 7 - 7i oUB a 1 - ii ii -: ii 1 11 p 11 - 1 p ... - li -- 21a i 6 i i Do. Do. Portland Iron Co Royal Mail Steam Scot. Austral. Invest South Austral. Land Submar. Telegraph Do. Registered Van Diemen's Land ••• -- •• 3 2• cl BROOKES'EI.—The members of this club, following the example of White's, will give a. grand banquet on Satur day evening next to his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge. It is hoped that Lord Raglan will also be present at the entertainment. MAGAZINES FOR THE MONTH. Blackwood.--If March fails to do so for once, Maga comes in this month like a lion—seasonably. The number just issued is glorious—glorious both in vigour and variety. Blackwood has not for a long while shown such energy of criticism as that which its reviewers have here squandered upon the nameless biographei:,of Mr. Disraeli—upon the two Arnolds, Edwin and Matthew—and upon the last of the literary Smiths, this time neither Adam, nor Albert, nor Sydney, nor William, but Alexander. A fourth instalment of the " Quiet Heart" de velopes yet more delightfully the charm of that graceful narrative, while it reveals still more plainly in every additional chapter the fair writer's gentle ness of heart and facile play of imagination. About matters of internal interest to the people of Eng land, Ebony saith much anent " Die New Reform Bill"—the Bill massacred betimes at the very out set of the session, instead of being reserved to have its weazen snipped in the autumnal days with the rest of the interesting throng of the Innocents. About matters of external interest Maga is equally garrulous respecting the Russian Church and the Protectorate in Turkey. There are, moreover, in the number of Blackwood for the present month— an agreeable specimen of dramatic criticism in re ference to " Count Sigismund's Will"—a metrical contribution in the form of a new version of " The Song of Metrodorus"—an article on " The Epide mics or the Middle Ages"—and " News from the Farm," such as will be found interesting enough to the crowd of intelligent agriculturists. But among all these ten papers in the current March number of Blackwood, commend us to the three vigorous and brilliant criticisms already specified. They are criticisms in every respect worthy of having emanated from Blackwood Reviewers ! In the first of these—the one relating to that most scurrilous publication entitled "Disraeli : a Bio graphy"—the anonymous slanderer, the literary assassin, the stabber in the dark of another man's reputation, is dubbed Mr. Randel Leslie! The de signation is admirably appropriate. It will stick like a burr —as long, at least, as this con temptible volume of abuse is borne in the public remembrance. From first to last the criti cism is flaying. Yet from first to last the reviewer can scarcely find words adequately scornful in which to give utterance to his contemptuous indig nation. At one time he asks, " What does the blockhead mean ?" At another he protests that the subject of his criticism has no more notion of lite rature than a Hottentot. At another he confesses candidly that the impudence of this young whipper snapper has somewhat roused his (the reviewer's) bile. Somewhat ! Nevertheless, though the writer in Maga cannot for the life of him keep his temper —he does not for an instant lose his capacity for dealing swinging cuts with his literary knout— varied every now and then with griding blows from his political tomahawk. Notwithstanding much that is genial in the commendations discriminat ingly accorded by Maga, further on, to what is ob viously meritorious in the poetic effusions of Alexander Smith and of the two Arnolds, namely Edwin and Matthew—there is abundant evidence that the faults of the three young writers are as clearly recognised, and that the reviewers in Blackwood are not by any means prepared to tole rate the vagaries of those critical Guffaws and lite rary Choctaws who have for same time past been outraging so very monstrously the common sense of our generation. Mark this, gentle public ! Blackwood talks of tying up a Guffaw to the stake and inflicting on him condign punishment. Nay, the reviewer goes so far as to shape his promise into a formal engagement, by declaring it to be " a resolution which we intend to carry into effect some fine morning." With that assurance before us we close the March number of Maga—exulting sardonically in the anticipation. Fraser.—Fraser's Magazine for this month opens with a criticism on an " Essay on the Plurality of Worlds." The writer of the essay argues that their existence is proved by astronomy, by geology, by zoology, and lastly from the nature of maii, and his relation to the Deity. In the criticism it is observed that it is curious and not unimportant in viewing this subject, to remark that in all ages the belief in the plurality of worlds has been general, not only among the credulous or ignorant, but among poets and philosophers. The paper gives a succinct account of the author's arguments, and copious extracts. "Villecaain's Memoirs" give us some interesting sketches of the fortunes and mis fortunes of Talleyrand, Narbonne, and several of their contemporaries. The readers of Fraser will remember the series of articles on Icthyology, which were recently completed. A. new series of the same kind, on the feathered tribes, com mences in this number, entitled " Gallinaceana." The first instalment treats of peacocks and guinea fowls. These papers afford much information on natural history. " General Bounce" is continued at some length without any remarkable incident. An article on the British Jews, which is written with much justice and tolerance, is worthy of attention. " The Decline and Fall of the Corporation of London," of course, occupies a place. The reports, remarks, evidence, accusations, and criticisms on this subject will soon be sufficient to fill a volume equal in size to Gibbon's. A very agreeable and entertaining sketch of the life of Beaumarchais will well repay perusal. There are also remarks on " Dutch Literature and Oxford Reform." A short paper concludes the number, entitled " England at War." It is to he hoped, for the credit of Fraser's consistency, that the me mory of all its readers will prove as conve niently defective as the writer's—for it is as serted with the greatest effrontery that they are glad to testify their good opinion of Napoleon 111. since he became Emperor ; while it is certainly within the last three months that he has been the subject of some of the bitterest remarks of Fraser. The same judicious writer congratulates the coun try on possessing " a firm and united Ministry," and " the best administrative talent the country affords." Truly, we ought to be grateful for this writer's information, for we were not aware of our Ministers' unanimity and satisfactory administra tion any more than we were acquainted with the full extent of Fraser's consistency. Dublin University.—The article most deserving of notice in this number is " Our Portrait Gal lery," which contains an account of Captain M'Clure, R.N. The details of his memorable career are ably described, and a very good idea is obtained of the difficulties and dangers which the intrepid discoverers of the North-West Passage have had to surmount. An excellent chart of the Arctic Regions is affixed to the memoir, which is a great advantage to the reader. The following extract is from the commencement of the article : "It is with no ordinary feeling of pride and pleasure that we claim the Discoverer of tho North-west Passage as a countryman, and place him in " Our Portrait Gallery." " His father, Captain M'Clure, of the 89th Regiment, served with great distinction under Abercrombie in Egypt, and was beside that brave general when he fell mortally wounded at the battle of Aboukir. In 1806 he married Jane, only daughter of the Venerable Archdeacon Elgee, rector of Wexford, but survived the marriage only four months. The posthumous child of this union was Robert John Le Mesurier M'Clure, the subject of our memoir; born in Wexford, at the residence of his granfather, Arch deacon Elgee, January 28th, 1807, where he remained for the first four years of his life, under the care of his young mother, who had the singular destiny of being wife, widow, and mother in one year, and before she had attained the age of nineteen. The sponsor for the fatherless child was General Mesurier, hereditary governor of Alderney, a man of immense wealth and noble character. A peculiar friendship had existed between him and the elder M'Clure; they were brother-officers, and Captain M'Clure had once saved the general's life in Egypt. From this a promise arose, the general having then no children, that should his friend ever marry and have a son, he would adopt him as his own. Accordingly, when young Robert was four years old, General Le Mesurier wrote to claim him, in fulfil ment of this promise, and he was taken to Alderney by his uncle, the present rector of Wexford, who describes him as being then singularly attractive, and remembers well the fearless pleasure manifested by the child, even at that age, at being on the water for the first time. From that period till he was twelve years old, young M'Clure resided in the princely residence of the governor, as the adopted child and son of the house. But then, an unlooked for change took place in General Mesurier's family. After twenty-three years of childless marriage, his lady presented him, in three successive years, with three sons, the youngest of whom is now the inheritor of his father's vast wealth and munificent spirit. " Young M'Clure was sent to Eton, and from thence to Sandhurst, but the military profession was distasteful to him, and in a short time, with the love of adventure in stinctive to his nature, and the rashness of sixteen, he left the college with three young noblemen, fellow-students there, and proceeded to France, determined never to enter the college walls again. " With undiminished kindness, General Le Mesurier now allowed him to select his own profession, and shortly after he was appointed midshipman on board Lord Nelson's old ship, the Victory. " With such associations he began his naval career. " During the next ten years he served in various parts of the globe • his animated, elastic nature, full of l ife, ener gy , and mental ' force, along with the extreme fascination of and h the his manner, man good - will o r , d - g w a gaining anda him ffe t c h ti e o n alovete interest e h r i e s s t b r o o f t h e e v r e ry com mander he served under. " In 1836, he had already served six years as mate, and passed his examination as lieutenant, when, not being on s a e C e t k iv e e m s p er lo v y ie m e e , n h t i d . s oesatinenyteld entering g hi t m he t a o ud t i he ence Admiralty chambe t r,a o high official, then present, exclaimed, M'Clure, you are just the man we want. There is an expedition fitting out for the North Pole ; will you join ?' " The young officer was unable to pronounce at once. He retired to the ante-room, and sat down on a chair to meditate. The old porter, who was by, asked him ' What he had on his mind ?' M'Clure told him. Well,' said he, `I saw Nelson sitting on this very chair, thinking just like you what he would do, and he took what they offered him. Do you do the same." M'Clure accepted the omen, went back, and volunteered to join the expedition, then setting out under command of Sir George Back." " British Spinsterhood Abroad" presents an amusing sketch of the eccentricities performed by AUSTRIA. The Vienna Gazette of the 24th inst. publishes a decree from the Minister of Finance which is con sidered highly important for the financial affairs of Austria, since, in virtue of a convention concluded by order of the Emperor with the National Bank, it enacts that the issue of paper-money with forced curreacy shall no longer take place. This principle had been departed from in 1848-9 to the great in convenience of the Bank. But its diminished paper circulation, its general improvement, and the limi tation of the government paper• money have now rendered it possible to return to the original prin ciple, that there shall be no other paper-money throughout the empire than bank-notes. Ten mil lions of florins, to be taken from the produce of the customs, are to be annually applied to the with drawal from circulation of the paper-money of the State. The effect of this measure at the Vienna Bourse was most favourable ; and what contributed further to inspire confidence was the certainty that Austria would side with the Western Powers in the Eastern question. SPAIN. The Gazette of the 24th ult. contains a despatch from the Captain-General of Aragon, in which he says : Since my last despatch of this morning, at one o'clock, nothing new has occurred at Sarragossa, which enjoys the most perfect tranquillity ; never theless, in order to be prepared for any extremity, I have ordered that the troops shall remain in their quarters with their officers. News of the insur gents have been received from the alcade of Juslibal, a small place at about five miles' distance from Sarragossa, and from the alcade of Castejan de Valdejara, at about eight miles' distance. The first informs me that yesterday, between midnight and one o'clock, the insurgents had passed by Jus libal ' • and the second announces that they had ar rived at Castejan de Valdejara in the morning of this day, and that they had taken the direction of Erla or Luna. The colonel in command, Don Juan Bautista Posas, confirms this news by a verbal communication, in which he announces that he was taking the direction of Castejan de Valdejara, and was only at sixteen miles' distance from Souleves ; consequently he must have overtaken them by this time. Their number appears to be reduced ; they are accompanied by some armed citizens, who had stopped in their route an officer and a soldier of the civil guard, whom they carried off with them. The Espana states that complete tranquillity prevailed at Barcelona and in the other towns of the principalities. Madrid was calm, but the Government had or dered the Athenaeum to be closed, as angry poli tical discussions took place in it. The Espana denies that General O'Donnel had, as stated by some of the journals, arrived at Bayonne. A Madrid letter of the 24th says—" Several journalists have been arrested, and placed in soli tary confinement by order of the civil governor. At midnight, four of the editors of the Diario Espanol, Las Novedades, and Tribnno, left under charge of a police agent in a post carriage for Cadiz. It is said that they will be exiled to the Philippines. Colonel Gayetano Cardero, who is well known for the part which he took in the scenes at the Post office in 1836, has also been arrested. The Government is in hourly expectation of re ceiving news that the troops sent in pursuit of the fugitives from Saragossa have come up with them. The accounts from Catalonia are satisfactory. The rumour circulated yesterday by the enemies of the government that a movement had taken place in Barcelona is unfounded. Yesterday, one of the horses in the carriage of the King having fallen near the Puerta del Sol, the King alighted, and proceeded to the Palace on foot. As he passed he was loudly Cheered. AMERICA. ARRIVAL OF THE PACIFIC. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPIL) LIVERPOOL, THURSDAY, 5 A.M. By the steamer Pacific we have advices from New York to the 18th ult. She has brought 80 passengers, but no specie. On the 21st, in lat. 43, long. 57, she passed a Cunard steamer, b oun d wes t . The steamer Africa, ashore on Jersey flats, had not been got afloat at last accounts. There is very little news by this arrival. The Nebraska question continued the leadi ng topic of discussion and excitement in the political circles at Washington and elsewhere. The New York stock-market exhibited a steady improvement. Money was becoming somewhat easier. Exchange on London, 1081 , to 109 ; sf. 171,c. to sf. 20c. ; Amsterdam, 41 to 41-g. Cotton in moderate demand without alteration in price. With lower English advices per Canada and America, the markets for breadstuffs had been dull and heavy. Flour had declined 25c. per barrel, and wheat 3c. to sc. per bushel. Provisions without alteration. Scotch pig iron selling at 39 dols. to 40 dols., six months. Freights to London.—Flour, 4s. 6d. per barrel ; turpentine, &c., ss. per 2801 b. ; measurement goods, 355. to 405., and heavy goods, 455. to 50s. per ton. LLOYD'S SHIPPING.-(THIS DAY.) LONDON, March 2.—Wind this day at Noon, S. ; light breeze, and fine, clear, dry weather. PORTSMOUTH, March I.—Wind, E. to S.E. Acrived— Admiral Corry's squadron, consisting of H.M.S. Prince Rupert, St. Jean D'Acre, Imperieuse, Tribune, Arrogant, Aden, Magicienne, Barracouta, and Amphion, from Lis bon. Sailed—Odessa, for Demerara. FALMOUTH, March I.—Wind, S.E. Arrived—Frances, from Mauritius ; Gondola, London, for Boston. leaky. SOUTHAMPTON, March 1.--Sailed—Washington (s), for New York. YARMOUTH, March I.—Wind, S. Arrived—Friends, from London, for Newburgh, with loss of bowsprit, sails, &c., from contact with a barque off Cromer. LOWESTOFT, March 2.—(Per Elec. Tel.)—Arrived--The Wave Seaton Sluece, for London, leaky, and with damage. LIVERPOOL, March 2.—(Per Elec. Tel.)—Arrived—The Pacific (s), from New York—left 18th February. GIBRALTAR, Feb. 21.—The Brilliant, from Alicante, to London, sprung a leak, and foundered on the 17th inst., near Cape St. Vincent ; crew saved. (BY SUBMARINE AND EUROPEAN TELEGRAPH.) GRAVESEND, d, 10 Wind, S.S.E. ; tid e, five hours' flood ; Thurs Tery ayfine. a.m. Arrived, I st.—Batavier, steamer, from Rotterdam; Flecha, steamer, from Ghent ; Royal Victoria, steamer, from Hamburg. 2d.—Baron Osy, steamer, from Rotterdam ; Antwerpen, steamer, from Antwerp ; Holland, steamer, from Rotter dam ; Moselle, steamer, from Antwerp ; Fame, steamer, from Calais. Sailed.— Egmont, for New Zealand ; Kangaroo, steamer, for Amsterdam. D Wind, S.S.E. ; light, and fineEAL, Thu rs d ay , 9.26 a.m. Passed—Louisa from London, for Glaegow. APPOINTMENT.—WHITEHALL, Feb. 8 . The Right Hon. Sir John Jervis, Knight, L or d C h i ef Justice of her Majesty's Court of Common Pl eas, at Westmin ster, has appointed Frederick Thomas Elgie, of th e city of Worcester, gentleman , to be one of the Perpe tual Commissioners for taking . the acknowledgments of deeds to be executed by married women, under the act passed for the abolition of fines and recoveries, and for the substitution of more simple modes of assurance, in and for the city of Worcester, also in and for the county of Worcester. A MUNIFICENT OFFER TO BUILD A CHURCH.-At the weekly meeting of the Board of Guardians of the Holborn Union it was stated that a gentleman, a mer chant in the City, had offered to build and endow a church and schools in the parish of St. Andrew Holborn, at his own private cost, if a suitable site could be ob tained without the requirement of a large outlay for the purchase of existing rights to the ground, and several of the guardians are now making active inquiries for the ground required for this purpose. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, with the permission of the General Commanding-in-Chief, has ap pointed the following officers to his Staff proceeding to , i.ud tll,;:ce to ;l:c 7;e at F war :----M . jor James Bosville Macdonald, Captain Clifton, of the 7th Dragoon Guards ; Lord William Paulet ; and Colonel TYrwhitt, of the Scots Fusilier Guards: RAILWAYS. Aberdeen Ambg Nottng. Bost and Basta. Janet Belfast & Ballymena firming. Wolverh. Stour Valley Birkenhd. Lancsh. da l Cheshire Janet Do. Chesh. & Birk., £5O and £25 Cons. Do., £20.. . Blyth &Tyne original £25 (issd. at £45) Bristol and Exeter... Caledonian Chester & Holyhead. Cork and Bandon Cork, Black, & Pass. Cornwall Crieff Junction Dublin&BelfastJunc i Dundee Perth &Aber deen Junction Do. New East Anglian.... Do., (£lB E & H) Eastern Counties Eastern Union, A Stock Do., B. Stock 100 83, 00 .00 Do., New A East Lancashire Edinburgh & Glasgow Edinb. and Peebles Edin. Prth. &Dundee Forth & Clyde June. Glasgow & S. Western Great Northern Stk. Do., A. Stock Do., B. Stock. Gt. Sth. &West. (Ire. ) 3reat Western Irish South-Eastern Lancaster & Carlisle Do., Thirds Do. New Thirds Lancash.andYorksh Do., Fifths Da ~ Wst. Riding Un Leeds Northern Liv. Crsby.&Southpt London & Blackwall Lond. Tilb. & Sthend. Loud. Bright & S.Cst. Lond. and N. Westn. Do. Fifths Do.lo/.5h.,M&8...0 Do. Eighths London and S. Westn Do., £5O Do., £4O Lndndrry& Coleraine Ludndrry. & Ennisk. Manch.Shef.& Lincln Do., Man. & Lin. Un Midland Do. Birmng. &Derby Midld. G. West. (Ire.) Do. Half Shares Newcastle & Carlisle Newmarket Do. , Bury Extension Nwpt.Aberg. & Hrfd Newry & Enniskillen Newry Warrenpoint and Rostrevor . Norfolk Northn.Counties Un North British North Devon, No. 1. Do., No. 2 Do., i A Deferred Do., i B Guaranteed North London iDo. New £lO N. &S. Wstrn. , 'lamp. stead, and City Jn., North Staffordshire , North Western N. & S. Westrn. June. Nuneaton, Hinekley,l and Leicester.. Oxford, Worcester, & I Wolverhampton Portsmouth Scottish Central, Scottish Midland Shrewsbury & Bi 'mg Do. L. di N. Western Guaranteed Si Shrowsby. & Berefd Shrewsby. & Chester (N. W. MM ; Do. lialveso. Do. Oswestry Shropshire Union Do. A, B, C,& D,fully paid up at per cent South Devon South Eastern South Wales S. Yrksh. & Riv. Dun Do Staines, Wok. &Wok Stockton & Darling. Stockton & Hartlepl. Taff Vale . Do. £lO shares. Do. Pref., No. Thames Haven Dock and Railway Vale of Neath Waterfd. & Kilkenny Waterford&Limerick West Cornwall West End of London and Crystal Palace West London Wimbledn& Croydon York Newctl.&Berw. Do. Extensions Do. G.N.E. Purchase York & N. Midland LINES LEASED AT FIXED RENTALS. 1Pa1(1.1 Leasing Compans Closing Prices yesterday. RAILWAYS. Bedford and BuelEghamsh. Clydesdale Jo.', E. Lincoln gr. 6 per cent. Glas. Barr. & Neils. Direct Do. New C4lstr.&Dn.Fr Hrtlpl. Dk. Railway Hull & Selby Do. Shares. Do. Shares. Lon. & Greenw Do. Preference Lowestoft gr. 4 per cent. Do. 6 per et. Manch. Batn and Matlock 6liddlesbro' & Redear Hidld.Bradfd Northern and Eastern sp.e. Do. 6 per et. Do. Fixeds p e. Prost. & Wyre Do. Shares. 11.4ystn.&Hit. Do.Shepth.St Shef.Roth.an(i Gooleg.s p.c. S. Staffordsh. Wear Valleygr 6 per cent Do Wilts&Somrs , --- ••• Par— i p ..• - . ,•• ..."." .11•• id par iP 18 - 40 par al pi 13 1 4 ~~/ THE REPEAL OF THE PAPER DUTY. ' some ladies in Italy. " Sir Jasper Carew" is con tinued in three chapters, entitled " The Price of Fame," "Dark Passages of Life," " Ussafich." The story becomes very melancholy, indeed. In the first chapter the unfortunate actress goes mad. She had been. a great favourite, but suddenly the tide of popuhlr favour turned against her, and she could not bear up against it. The hero of the nar rative was driven to despair by her untimely end, and for some time he lived in a state of apathy. At last he joined the French army, and met with his usual ill luck, for he offended the officers of his regiment, and, losing all his self-command, struck one to the ground. He was condemned to death, but saved by the intervention of a friend, Count Ussafich, the Pole, who was before mentioned in the story. He left the army, and lived with him for a while, but the count engaged in a duel, which proved fatal to his adversary. The consequence was, he and Jasper Carew took to a hasty flight, and we leave them hurrying to Namur in hopes of being concealed from their pursuers. Colburn's United Service.—" Military Schools and Colleges in France" is concluded in this month's number. At the end, the author of the various articles that have appeared on this topic observes that there still remains much to be said on the subject, and that he has been advised by some friends to reproduce what has already appeared on an enlarged plan, in a volume or two. If such should eventually be done, there is no doubt that a very useful work might be made of the materials before us. " The Internal Condition of Austria" is discussed at great length, and great stress is laid upon the necessity of abolishing absolutism. It is thus urged :—" Will ye, oh Austrians ! throw all the crimes, follies, and mistakes, which are inse parable from even the best of governments, upon the head of one man. The question between a constitutional government and an absolutism is simply whether all are wiser than one—if it is pos sible that the possessor of absolute power can al ways abstract himself from human prejudices and passions, and the influences of those interested in the continuance of abuses 1" " The Siege of Syra cuse" is an interesting subject, which is treated of with ability. " The ancient city of Syracuse covers an elevated plateau, resembling in its shape the form of an isosceles triangle." " Greeks, Cartha ginians, Romans, and Saracens successively pitched their tents upon the Olympeium." This account will be continued. Colburnis New Monthly. " The War with Russia," of course, is one of the chief articles in this number. It contains extracts, from two volumes recently published, which give circum stantial accounts of the peculiarities of both Turks and Russians. A paper on Yucatan and Lake Itza is curious and entertaining. No. VI. of Tales of my Dragoman is a romantic story, entitled "A Padischal Rowland for an Islam Oliver." " German Singers and English Audiences" is a narrative of the "Milner Wanner Gesang Verein", who visited England last year, partly from the desire of aiding the cathedral building fund. Their deScriptions of England and the English manners are entertaining, and their criticisms, in many in stances, just ; but it is somewhat ungenerous, after the cordial reception they met with, and the encouragement they everywhere received, to laugh at the English taste for music, and assert that " no nation in Europe has been treated in such step motherly fashion as regards musical talents and ear as the English." This remark does not pay a very high compliment to themselves, as they appear to have so well suited the English taste. There is alongand interesting criticism on "Ruskin's Stones of Venice," and a pleasing series of " Vignettes" from a poet's portfolio. There is the commence ment of an agreeable domestic story, entitled " A Visit to Worcester", by the author of "The Unholy Wish," and a paper " About Lord Brougham " is interesting. The story of an old Manor-house is a ballad in Mrs. Acton Tindal's pleasing and melo dious style. " The Orphan of the Wreck" is another metrical contribution, relating an incident in the late wreck of the Tayleur, in which was found a young child about a year old, whose parents were supposed to have perished. Bentley's Miscellany. —The readers of " Aspen Court" will regret to miss it this month from the pages of Bentley, owing to the illness of the author. The first article in the present number is a paper on " The Emperor Nicholas, and the War in the East," which is accompanied by a map of the lower Danube and its adjacent provinces. " Arthur Arden, the Medical Student," is continued, and relates the mistakes of a country visitor to London. " Haps and Mishaps of a Tour in Europe in 1853," by Grace Greenwood, describes her acquaintance with several literary celebrities of the day, but there is something too personal in the introduction of living characters into such an account. It might be tolerated in another country, but to pub lish it in the very town in which these individuals reside, is something like a breach of confidence. It is too much the fashion nowadays to intrude upon private life, and to make the most open attacks upon the domestic affairs of any one of literary or political note. There is an interesting paper on the opening of the Houses of Parliament, in which it is remarked that in the present Ministry, who have shown so little diplomatic talent, there are no less than five members who have filled the post of Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, namely, Lord Aberdeen, Lord Palmerston, Lord Granville, Lord Clarendon, and Lord John Russell. Truly, experience is not always instructive. " Constantinople : its Supply and Defence," is an article on a subject of much present interest. " Confessions of a Middle-aged Gentleman" is a humorous tale. Ainsworth.—" Nicholas Flamer proceeds as usual, chiefly narrating the adventures of the Templars. It is followed by an interesting com parison of the progress of the inventive art in France and in England. A variety of tales and sketches are, as usual, to be found. Among them may be mentioned a village tale, " Winter Stories," which relate to ghosts, as winter stories should, and " Here ward of Brunne," a tale of the Conquest. The only poetical contribution is a simple song by J. E. Carpenter, called " The Floweret of a Day." Tait.—The first paper in Tait is a continuation of the essay which appeared last month, on the " Mythology of the Work: to Come." It gives in this number a sketch of the superstitious of the earlier centuries. It is not yet completed. It is followed by an eastern tale, entitled " Na.rgisi," from which it appears that human sacrifices have not been altogether suppressed among the religious sects in India. There is an interesting article on the " Reporter's Gallery in the House of Commons," which gives some amusing details of their first entry. "My first Whale," is an account of an adventure in the arctic seas. " Ilted Smith," a story of the middle classes, not remarkable for ele gance, is continued. There is an article on the "New Poets," which shows much good sense in its remarks. There is also an entertaining account of the "French Charcoal Burners," and several other papers of interest. The Gentleman's Magazine and Historical Re view.—Some remarks are made on the life of Charles James Fox, recently published. It is said that the memory of the distinguished statesman is done ample justice to in these volumes. " They give us vivid glimpses of his genius as an orator, of his greatness as a statesman, of the many attractive qualities in his personal character. Perhaps no human being, wrote Gibbon, was ever more per fectly free from the taint of malevolence, vanity, or falsehood." " Grotius on the Rights of War and Peace" may very likely contain some useful hints at the present momentous epoch. " Rhine Land and its Romance" is an interesting sketch of some legends of a romantic nature. It is observed that the spot sacred to mystery and supernatural agency is between Cologne and Mayence. "Every stream re-echoes a story of an elf or an imp, and every meadow on its shore is danced upon by gossamer fairies, or galloped over at the witching hour of night by ghastly ratters and skeleton steeds." Se veral instances are given of the tales referred to, which are of an extraordinary nature to be credited in the present day. " Early Female Asceticism" contains notices of Paula and Eustochium. Paula was a Roman lady, remarkable for a holy life. Eustochium, her daughter, followed in her steps. Jerome composed her epitaph. "To this record it is that we are indebted for the detail of the life of the ascetic Paula, in which, if there is much we may blame or cavil at, there is assuredly no less that commands our respect and admiration. LAUNCH OF A PORTUGUESE MAIL STEAM-PACKET. Messrs. Humphry s , T ennant, and Dyke, of Deptford, having contracted to suppl y t wo ma il steam - pac k e t s f or conveying the mails on the Brazils station, and the first, built of wood by Mr. Thompson on the diagonal prin ciple, as introduced by Mr. Lang, now master•ship wright at Pembroke-yard, in his design for the Banshee, being ready for launching, on Tuesday last a considerable number of spectators assembled, and Miss Humphrys, having christened the vessel, naming her the Santa Cruz (or Holy Cross), and breaking a bottle of wine on her bows, she immediately glided off the slip into her future element. The Santa Cruz is 166 feet in length, 21 feet in breadth, 11 feet deep, and has accommodation for 60 first-class passengers. Her engines are of 90-horse power, with feathering paddle-wheels. She is the first vessel built on the diagonal principle entered at Lloyd's as 13 Al. She was towed to Messrs. Humphreys, Tennant, and Dyke's establishment at Deptford imme diately after, to have her engines put on board. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has his budget now in hand, and no time should be lost by those who desire the repeal of the paper duty. The educational and moral aspect of this question, however interesting and however serious, has its own proper time for being brought forward, and may be injured by being thrust upon either ministers or the public at an inappropriate moment. But the commercial view of the paper duty is one which belongs peculiarly to this season, and one which, to say the plain truth, will bear no delay. If we were at war with half-a-dozen nations, and had been at war half•a-dozen years, it would still be good policy to repeal the paper duty immediately. The injury now arising from that duty is so extensive, that the national saving by repeal would constitute a rich fund out of which to pay better taxes. Omitting all considerations of the spread of literature and political information among the people, and regarding paper merely as we would any other commodity, the truth is that the state of the manufacture is becoming very serious. Paper is so scarce, and not only so dear but so indifferent, that something must be done. Many things must be devised to bring round the manufacture and trade to a sound state ; but nothing can be done till the duty is repealed. It must be remembered that paper is used for many things besides books and newspapers. If Mr. Gladstone is not completely aware of this, he should see some Shef field and Birmingham manufacturers, and hear from them the details of the singular fact, that certain branches of our manufactures are excluded from foreign markets by the cost of the one item of wrapping paper. Various articles, which the Americans have no natural facilities for making cheaper . than we can, are sold by them, without competition from us, because the profits of the sales would be precisely absorbed by the cost of the wrapping paper at home. Very large markets are closed against us in India and throughout the east, and in Africa and elsewhere, by this one superiority on the part of the Americans. Again, there are large branches of manufacture, of which paper is the raw material, which we are in danger of losine• altogether, or of being unable to introduce, f rom the dearness and badness of the article. The whole range of the papier-machd manu facture, from hand-screens to colonial dwelling-houses and churches, is the first that occurs ; but it is far from being the only one. When the census supplement on oc cupations comes out, we shall be able to form some idea of the amount of subsistence which depends on the pro sperity of the paper manufacture. Meantime, we know that the number of people employed directly in the fabrication of paper, s )me years since. was reckoned at 30,000, and that the annual value of the manufacture was not less than 2,000,0001. If we reckon the trades employed in the apparatus and appliances of the menu • facture its importance is obviously very great ; and if we add the inventions of recent years, the development of foreign commerce, and the rapid improvement of American manufactures of every kind, it appears that the case is urgent enough to demand the immediate at tention of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The mischief is of two kinds—that which arises from the excise duty, and that which is occasioned by the scarcity of the material. We need not settle which is the greater of these two evils as long as we know that there is no remedy for either but the removal of the duty. While every other branch of manufacture is un dertaken and improved by fresh hands, there are no new paper mills, or they are very rare. It is only men of large capital who can enter into a business of which they have not the free management and the complete command; and it is only those who have long been familiarised with the interference of the Excise who will engage in a busi ness where such liabilities are concerned. All the need less and wasteful trouble introduced in such a case—the wetting, anil drying, and rewetting, the visiting, and peeping, and spying, and marking, and weighing, the restrictions as to locality and methods- -the whole plague, in short, of Government meddling—is quite enough to determine any man's choice in favour of some other ma nufacture, wherever a choice exists. The fewer and more habituated are our paper makers, the less chance there is of improvement, and of inventions and discoveries that may increase the supply. As to this necessary increase of supply, we have some experience of what the effect of taking off taxes really is. In 10 years florin the reduction of the paper duty in 1836, the production was declared to have about doubled ; and the increase was, in fact, much greater than this, for the increase was estimated by weight, at a time when the introduction of the new postage caused a prodigious resort to thin paper. Eight years more have now passed; and we are almost aground for a supply. If the manu facture were thrown wholly open, made entirely free, the taxpaying resources of whole classes would improve out of all proportion to the amount of the tax. A most striking fact in the history of the manufacture is very suggestive as to the results, in regard to supply, which would follow the removal of the duty. There have been alarms before about the failure of the raw material. We have been accustomed to go far for our rags—even as far as Trieste, for the collective rag-bags of the Austrian empire. While we were doubting about the continued sufficiency of the supply from abroad, people at home were improving their processes and ap paratus. This made paper cheaper ; and the cheapness caused such a demand that we found out a new store of raw material at home, in the sweepings of our flax and cotton mills, which were before used as manure. The remarkable fact is that, while paper was growing cheaper and coming more into demand, our importation of rags declined. If the manufacture were now set free, there would be more improvements, more discovery of new material, at home and abroad, and a quickening and expansion of commerce, in not only paper but a hundred articles besides, that would be of more consequence to our national finances than any Excise duty ever was to any Government. As to the time for urging this matter—it seems that no time can be amiss for extinguishing a loss, and se curing an honest profit. We are urging, not a sacrifice, but a gain. If the Chancellor of the Exchequer would allow us to tax ourselves, to the amount of the existing paper duty, we could engage to propose a variety of modes of taxation innocent in comparison. The most blundering of us could hardly hit upon another so ob jectionable, and we earnestly pope that the agitators for the paper duty repeal will adopt resolutions for vigorous action upon this subject, and that they will zealously carry out what they resolve upon.—Daily News. THE FIRE AT APSLEY PELLATT'S GLASS-WORKS.— It was found out yesterday that the damage done by the fire at Apsley Pellat's Glass-works was considerably greater than was at first expected. The stock in trade in the show-rooms was of great value, and comprised probably as fine a collection of crystal articles as can be found in any house in the same line of business in the metropolis. Amongst the number were several costly chandeliers, including the one that attracted so much admiration in the Great Exhibition of 1851. It is re ported that that article alone was worth 3,000/. Unfor tunately all that remains entire of it is the frame, all the beautiful glass drops having been melted. Nearly all the other goods in that compartment are likewise re duced to mis-shapen masses of broken glass. The total loss must amount to several thousand pounds sterling-. A COMMON ON FlRE.—Yesterday afternoon, between one and two o'clock, some evil-disposed persons set fire to the furze plantation between Feitham and Twicken ham. Before any assistance could he obtained the flames had travelled with lightning speed over some acres of ground, destroying in their progress many hundred valuable furze trees. At oue time the flames were rising many feet into the air, and presented a singu larly grand spectacle, which was witnessed by hundreds of persons travelling by the London and South-Western Railway. A great many farm labourers having been obtained, they went to work, and with the aid of shovels and hand-poles, they managed, after some hours' labour, to cut off further extension of the de structive element, but not until some acres of land had been swept clean of what was growing an hour or two before. ANCIENT ROMAN PAVEMENT IN THE CITY.—A re markably fine specimen of ancient teeselated pavement, of very beautiful design, and in excellent preservation, di scover ed a few weeks since on the site of the old Excise-office in Broad-street, was yesterday submitted to the inspection of a large number of the cognoscenti, on the invitation of Mr. Tite,. the well-known architect, under whose direction . a pile of magnificent buildings,' for the accommodation . of the merchants and bankers of t i 3s s ffi n c : now 0 r b m e ienrgl formerly stood.raised, upon Gresham the s College, t once the residence of Sir Thomas Gresham, formed a principal part of the site of the old E ' ffi having been sold to the Cr own by Excise-office, ce, .the corporation . about 1730. The relic of • • antiquity just discovered was not found under any portion of this house, but under an adjoining property, which the CroWn subse quently p urc h ased, and upon which stood the once celebrated Sun Tavern. When the Excise-office was built, the vaults under the Sun Tavern were allowed to remain undisturbed, and for many years past they have been used as stores for contraband spirits forfeited to the Crown. These vaults bear evidence of having been. built about the period of Henry V. or Henry VI., but it is a remarkable fact that in no case 'does the foundation of the arches or walls reach the surface of the Roman pavement. The hypothesis, therefore, is, that the ancient building of which the hidden pavement must have formed one of the floors may have been burnt down or fallen into ruins, and that the superincum bent rubbish, becoming a solid mass, the arches were pitched thereupon. In consequence of the discovery' of some fragments of Roman pottery at an early stage of the excavations, Mr. Edward Claytomi, the resident architect, gave instructions that the works should proceed with great caution ; and it is owing to this circumstance that the pavement has been so well preserved. It was first discovered by two men while sinking a hole for a scaffold-pole, and information having been conveyed to Mr. Tito and Mr. Clayton, they directed that every care should be taken in uncovering the remaining por tion. The result has been the laying bare a surface, 28 feet square, with comparatively few imperfection. the colours being admirably preserved, and the design perfect throughout. From the centre square, representing "Ariadne on the Leopard," it seems probable that th e pavement belonged to a triclinium , or dining room, though several connoisseurs, yesterday, pronoun ce d i t to be the floor of a bath-room. However this may b e, it is in a remarkable state of preservation ; and though, perhaps, inferior to the best-preserved specimens at Rome, is f u lly equal to those found at Pompeii, and . other provincial cities of Italy. Mr. Hawkins, of the IBritish -Museum, was among Alr. Tite's visitors yester day, and it is understood that the b eaut if u l relic will probably be deposited among other antiquities of Ikiznilar character in that national collection, -- ---. Mlill -4-4 ~; ~~