The Sun. — London, England, 1854-01-31 00:00:00

THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. The General Mail screw steam-ship Propontis, Captain Maude, arrived at Plymouth yesterday afternoon, with mails from Calcutta, with which she left Nov. 15 ; Madras, 20th; Point de Galle, 24th ; and Mauritius, 29th. Arrived at the Cape on the 6th of December. She left again the following day. She left St. Helena Jan. 1; Ascen sion, sth ; St. Vincent, 16th. She brings 34 pas sengers, and a general cargo, but chiefly silk and indigo. THE MAURITIUS. From Mauritius we learn that the chief event of the past month had been the renewal of the trade with Madagascar. Intelligence has been received from Tamatave, bringing news of the reception of the $15,000 sent by the Chamber of Commerce, and the opening of the ports of Madagascar upon the following terms. There is to be no restriction between buyer and seller. The Customs duties are levied as formerly, viz., 10 per cent. on imports and exports. Any attempt to take possession of land and settle on the Hova territory is prohibited. All nations to enjoy equal privileges. Traffic in slaves is specially prohibited. A frightful accident had occurred at the United Sugar Estate, by the bursting of a steam-boiler, by which fifteen persons were dreadfully scalded, nine of whom had since died from the effects of the in juries. A draught of ordinance has been published, set ting apart and investing a sum of 20,0001. for all claims for the back passages of Indian emigrants. Two other draughts of ordinances had been pre sented in council for abolishing all port charges at Seychelles, and the other for changing the manne r of taxation. The disease among the cattle at Black River had not extended beyond the herd originally attacked. ' THE CAPE. Th e ne ws from the Cape continues satisfactory. The works of peace in which the governor is en gaged seems not to be of a character to excite at tention. A corr espondent of the Graham's Town Journal writes from King William's Town that it was confi dently asserted that Colonel .111‘Lean was to have the rank of Lieutenant Governor, and that British N a ffraria was to be made a penal settlement ; that, i n fact, 1,000 convicts might be expected very s hortly. __ The editor, however, throws a doubt on the truth of his correspondent's communication. The Indiana, General Screw Company's steamer, with outward bound mails, arrived in Table Bay the 22d of December. Some excitement had been created, owing to its being anticipated that she would kbring the Hon. Mr. H. Montague, and a deputation was in readiness to present him with an address. The intelligence of his death on the 4th of November consequently created much consternation. Commercial affairs appear to be narrowed from a scarcity of money, which had considerably affected the price of lands. Her Majesty's steam transport Dee, Master Com mander Belam, was in Table Bay. The Hydra, 6, steam-sloop, Commander Harris, and Meander, 42, Commodore Talbot, were in Simon's Bay. The Barracouta, 6, paddle sloop, Commander G. Parker, left East London, Dec. 5, with the 43d Light Infantry. AMERICA. By the Royal Mail steamship Canada we have advices from New York to the 17th, and Boston to the 18th instant. She has brought $232,539 in specie on freight. The steamer Europa arrived at New York on the 16th inst. The Senate had agreed to a resolution directing the Committee on Naval Affairs to inquire into the expediency of making some suitable acknowledg ment by the United States to the officers and crews of the British ship Three Bells and the American vessels Kilby and Antarctic.,After a spirited debate the Bulwer and Clayton treaty had been laid on the table. In the House of Representatives the Judiciary Committee, to whom had been referred a resolution proposing an amendment of the constitution as to the mode of electing the President and Vice-Presi dent of the United States, made a report stating that there were evils inseparably connected with the present mode of election, and offering a resolution for the appointment of a joint committee to con sider the matter and report a remedy. Mr. Ewing's amendment proposes to abolish the intervention of electors and distribute the general ticket into the same number of districts as each State has senators and representatives. A meeting had been held at New York and reso lutions unanimously adopted to present Captain Creighton, of the ship Three Bells, Captain Lowe, of the Kilby, and Capt. Stouffer, of the Antarctic, with some pieces of plate for their conduct in the case of the San Francisco. A suggestion was made in one of the journals to present the former with a ship. The packet-ship Continent had arrived at New York in 42 days from Liverpool, with the loss of 64 of her steerage passengers by cholera. The remaining persons, with the exception of 16 soldiers and two seamen, of the wrecked steam ship San Francisco, had arrived at New York in the ship Lucy Thompson, having been transferred from the Kilby. The Kilby, with the remainder, arrived at Boston on the 17th. Captain Ericsson, in a letter to the newspapers respecting the caloric ship, states that there is not the slightest cause for doubt in relation to this en terprise. The new engines are completed, and have been at work several days, their operation proving conclusively that the practical difficulti es which attended the - first arrangement have all been overcome. The new engines are much reduced in size, while their principle of action is the same as before, with the exception only, that condensed atmospheric air is employed in place of the ordi nary atmospheric for producing the motive power. This modification admits of an increase of power, limited only by the capability of retaining the pres sure in the machine. Some difficulty has been experienced in this respect, and it is this which has caused some delay recently. The obstacle is, ho .- ever, nearly removed, and the public will shortly have au opportunity of judging by practical evi dence of the merits of the caloric ship. John Mitchell's paper, the Citizen, contains the following instructive information respecting vitriol as an article of defence : " A Friend' asks us what the English papers mean by vitriol. We shall tell him. After the French Revo lution of 1848 the United Irishman, Mr. Mitchell's paper, contained an article giving a minute account of the bar ricades and street fighting as practised in Paris, and among other methods adopted by the citizens for check ing the advance of soldiery through the streets, throwing down furniture and paving stones, firing from behind windowshutters, &c., the writer mentioned that some ladies judiciously sprinkled the advancing troops with vitriol, which was simply a fact : and we may now add that the same thing was done in Berlin, and with whole some effect. Is our ' friend' shocked ? Foolish friend, read Froissart, and you will find that melted lead, red-hot sand, everything that could penetrate the joints of men's armour, and cause them all the varieties of intolerable agony, were the common means of defence for cities and towns—and to facilitate these operations defensive walls w ere usua ll y b u ilt w ith pro j ec ti ng mac hi co l at i ons. Did our friend ever see the Congreve rocket used in the British service, so cunningly devised for maiming, scorching, scattering blood and brains ? This is all hy pocritical trash. In war, everything that will either kill, hurt, burn, orbiast an P enemy is good. Bless your innocent heart vitriol as there ought to have been, an insurrection in Dublin, nllB4B, and if the women in the upper storeys could h ave the rained hell fire upon enemies of their country, they would have watered the revolutionary garden till it blos somed like the rose." Accounts had reached New York from the city of Mexico to the sth. An important treaty t had been concluded between Mr. Gadsden, Minister, and the Mexican Government.l American Mexican treaty agreed to give 39,000,0005rx i n Mesilla Valley for $20,000,000, of which were to be reserved for paying claims, including the Garay grant, &c. It was understood that Mr. Sloo pays the Tehuantepec Company $2,000,000 for the relinquishment of all their rights. The Trait d' Union notices the Gadsden treaty favourably, and says it. was received with joy by the public. General Lom bardini was dead, and General Almonte bad suc ceeded him in command of the army. General Alcosta, the Minister of War, had resigned on ac count of ill health. The details concerning the de struction of the Walker expedition to Sonora were received, but nothing later, except the reported capture of the Caroline. Galveston advices of the 6th state that Caravajal had been acquitted by the 'United States' Court. Colonel Sloo had effected a contract with the firm of Sykes and Co., of Eng land, for the construction of a plank road across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Havannah advices are to the Bth. Very little business was doing in sugars, owing to the small stocks. The stock on hand was about 35,000 boxes. No material alteration in other products. The New York money-market on the 17th was easier. Money was in good demand, at 9to 12 per cent. for short first-class paper, and 7 per cent. on call. Exchange on London, 109 to 1091. Be l i - fore the arrival of the Baltic's advices, cotton was dull; with a declining tendency. After the arrival of the Baltic more activity p low of buyers. LAW INTELLIGENCE.—Jan. 30. COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH. THE QUEEN (ON THE PROSECUTION OF THE HON F. SCOTT AND OTHERS) V. HARRISON.—CRIMINAL INFOR MATION AGAINST THE TIMES NEWSPAPER. This was a rule which bad been obtained at the in stance of the Hon. F. Scott, the chairman, and nine of the directors of the South Western Railway Company, calling on the defendant, the printer and publisher of the Times newspaper, to show cause why a criminal in formation should not be filed against him, for an article which had appeared in that journal in November last, reflecting seriously on the character of the prosecutors. Of the directors who had joined in the application, two were out of the country, and two had opposed the other directors in the matter to which the article adverted. Sir F. Thesiger now appeared to show cause against the rule. The learned counsel said that the article in question related to the proposed extension •of a line of the South Western Railway Company, between Dor chester and Exeter, with regard to the expediency of which some of the shareholders of the company had joined with the directors, while others took a differ ent view . The articl e was wr itt en , as was stated at its conclusion, to call the attention of the public and the shareholders throughout the kingdom to the conduct of the shareholders of the South Western Company, who had chosen to throw off the yoke of the directors, and had insisted upon having a voice in their own affairs. It was admitted by the Attorney-General in moving for the rule that railway directors were in the nature of public functionaries, and that their public conduct might be remarked upon in th e same way as t h e con d uct of ministers of state, and even of judges, and he thought their lordships would see that in this case the article had not transgressed any proper limits which could be assigned to the discussiod of questions of great public importance. The South-Western Company had extended its line from Southampton to Dorchester. This line was a single one with the exception of the first six miles out of Southampton. There had been great rivalry between the South Western and the Great Western Companies, and the battle of the gauges had been fought upon various fields. The South Western directors had had an intimation that the Great Western Company intended to apply to Parliament for an act to extend their line across a tract of country which would interfere with a proposed extension of the South Western line to Exeter. The South Western directors, therefore, considered that it would be desirable to exclude their rivals from this tract of country, and on the 10th of May, in last year, a report was circulated to the shareholders, and a meeting convened for the 19th of May. It ap peared from Mr. Scott's affidavits that the directors, in their report, proposed that the meeting should con sider the propriety of extending the line of the company from Dorchester, through Axminster, to Bridport and Exeter. This was said to be a fair candid, and full re port, but he had affidavits to show that a statement it contained, that a profit of 3i per cent. had been realised from the Southampton and Dorchester line, was not correct. In consequence of this report, a vast number of proxies were placed in the hands of the chairman. Some of these proxies were of a peculiar description, consisting of " preference shares." The nominal amount .of each of these shares was 161. 13s. 4d. ; the first pay ment upon them was to be 1/. 13s. 4d., and the parties who held them were entitled to 7 per cent. dividend. The amount of the nominal capital held by the preference shareholders was divided into as many 501, shares as it would extend to, and each 501. was entitled to a vote. Upwards of 280,000 of these shares voted at the meet ing, of which 171,000 were in favour of the direc tors. The resolution , proposed by the directors was passed almost unanimously by the meeting, only six or eight hands being held up against it, but this was because one of the shareholders explained that opposi tion would be useless on account of the number of proxies held by the chairman. It was resolved that the interests of the company were concerned in procuring a rejection of the Great Western bill, and in extending their own railway to Exeter, and that the directors should be authorised to pledge the company to apply to Parlia ment for powers to construct that line. This line was a single one, and nothing was said except as to extend ing the line as it then existed. Mr. Scott then appeared before a committee of the House of Commons, before which the Great Western Bill was pending. He (Sir F. Thesiger) begged distinctly to state that he was not imputing the slightest impropriety to Mr. Scott, or anything that in the slightest degree affected his personal honour and character ; but Mr. Scott, carried away by his zeal for the company, had constructed the pledge he was authorised to give too extensively, and had written a letter to the chairman of the committee, int which he distinctly pledged him self on the part of the company to apply to Parliament in the ensuing session for a bill for the extension of the South-Western line, and he also said he had no hesita tion in adding that the company would, immediately such extension line was granted them, proceed to double the line between Southampton and Dorchester. No authority had been given to Mrr Scott to make a pledge of this formidable character, which, if it had been car ried out, must have entailed an expense of at least 500,000/, on the company. He had affidavits from three shareholders, who swore that no such authority was intended to be given at the meeting in May. One of the objections to the article was that it contained the expression that if Mr. Scott had given this pledge against the wishes of his constituents, it wan a mere swindle." That was to say, it was a " swindle" upon the Parlia ment. This was certainly an odious word, but a gentle mon in the position of Mr. Scott ought to be perfectly free from blame before be could ask the interposition of the court in consequence of that word having been used. Nothing dishonourable was imputed to him, but only that he had failed in his duty as a director. It was said this pledge was subsequently sanctioned at a meet ing of the 10th August. A few days previously a report had been issued setting forth the resolution which had been passed in May, and proposing that the subject of the extension line should be again taken into delibera tion at another meeting. Many of the shareholders had no idea, therefore, that any important resolution would be brought forward at the meeting of the 10th Aug. A resolution was, however, proposed, sanctioning the pledge which had been given by the directors, when an amendment was moved, and carried by a majority of 3, that the proposed extension lino should not be carried out. It was afterwards announced by Mr. Scott him self that if it had not been for a mistake in the reckon ing of the votes, the majority would have been much larger. Thus, when the attention of the court was called to this pledge to make the double line the proceeding was not sanctioned by them, and therefore the pledge must have been against the wishes of the shareholders. Mr. Scott had acted at least entirely in error, and placed himself in a situation in which he could not ask for the interposition of the court. Lord Campbell asked in what words Mr. Scott said he had authority to give the pledge ? Sir F. Thesiger read the letter of Mr. Scott to the chairman of the committee. Lord Campbell said he did not pledge himself to the double line under the authority of the meeting. Sir F. Thesiger—Yes, my lord. Lord Campbell—He gives the pledge under the au thority of the meeting to introduce the bill, but he does not give the pledge to make the double line under the same authority. Sir F. Thesiger said it was not contended that he did, but that he had still given a pledge which was wholly unauthorised. Lord Campbell—lf he bona fide believed that the shareholders would sanction such a line, I do not see how he can be said to have exceeded his authority by the pledge he gave . Sir F. Thesiger said if he had not given the pledge the committee would not have reported against the Great Western scheme. He was not charged with de ceiving the shareholders, but with deceiving, or, to use a strong expression, with " swindling" the Parliament. Was this a private question or was it a matter con nected with the conduct and management of the com pany? The article was intended to point out to the pub lic the example of the South-Western Company for imitation. There could be no doubt the improvident extensions had been the bane and ruin of railway com panies, and as the article said, it was a matter of the greatest public importance that the railway interest should be kept in a solvent condition. It was a matter of public moment that directors should be kept in strict order in the exercise of the large powers with which they were invested ; and if, in the course of observations not upon their private and personal character, but directly affecting their discharge of their public duties, some strong expressions were used, they must not be too nice and critical in examining those expressions. Di rectors of railway companies were clearly amenable to the public for derelictions of their duty, by which im portant interests, which were confided to them, were materially prejudiced. Sir F. Kelly followed upon the same side. He con tended that Mr. Scott and the directors were not en titled to a criminal information, because they had clearly not shown that they were entirely blameless in the transactions upon which the article commented. These extension lines were well known to be profitable in very few instances, and, therefore, no directors had a right to pledge the shareholders to the construction of any extension line without having the clear unbiassed assent of a majority of the shareholders. Lord Campbell said that the complaint was that a specific charge had been made of tampering with votes, and making use of fictitious votes. Sir F. Kelly denied that any such charge had been made. It wag put hypothetically. But he did not hesitate to say, disclaiming an imputation against the e in o s f in the uat H e personal honour or character of the directors, that they had practised a d ecept i on or a " sw i n dl e " on th e com mittee House s ec charge Commons. ge uftara p e r i T u h g e articlewitb votes, did but no merely reasoned up on even upon the case, as stated on the one side by the directors, and on the other side by the shareholders. Lord Campbell said the learned counsel would find several precedents of libels by means of insinuations and inuendoes. Sir F. Kelly said no such insinuation was intended to be cast on the directors by this article. If their lord ships found that the complainants were far from blame less upon either of the points adverted to in the article, they could not now come forward and ask for the pro tection of this court by means of a criminal information. Mr. Cowling was on the same side. The Attorney-General, who, with Mr. Bovill, appeared to show cause against the rule, said he admitted that the conduct of railway directors was a fit and proper subject for discussion in the columns of a public journal. if the parties deserved censure, and had been censured in the manner they deserved, they had no right to complain ; and if this article had only questioned the policy of the course they had pursued, or imputed an error in judg. ment, it never would have occurred to them to make the application. But they complained that evil motives were ascribed tb them ; and they were charged, in lan• THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 31, 1854. guage which he regretted to see used in a journal conducted with so much ability as the Times, with "swindling," or, in other words, with wilful deception. This was what no public journalist had a right to ascribe to any public man, without being called on to prove his allegations in a court of justice. No more seri ous charge than that of having acted with bad faith could be brought against any man, either in a public or private capacity. What was to become of the honour of public men if it was said that such a charge as this amounted to nothing ? The public men of this country were distinguished for their sense of honour and truth ; and if such men as Mr. Scott, Mr. K. Seymer, and the other gentlemen on the board of directors, had acted in the manner imputed to them, they would stand brand marked for the rest of their lives. No such charge as that of tampering with or creating votes had ever been made against the directors by any of the shareholders. It originated in the malignity of the writer of this article. The preference shares to which his learned friend had referred had been issued as long ago as 1837 and 1849, for the purpose of raising some additional capital, and the privilege which those shareholders possessed of vot ing was given to them by act of Parliament. The directors bad nothing to do with it The learned Attor ney-General was proceeding with his argument, when he was interrupted by Lord Campbell, who said—We are of opinion that the rule must be made absolute. At this stage I shall stu diously abstain from saying anything which may preju dice the case at a future stage, but it think it right just to observe so far, that if this article bad confined itself to describing the conduct of railway directors, and cen suring their measures and the policy they bad pursued, this court never would have interfered. But there are in this article various expressions which bear the meaning of attacking the personal honour of the directors, im puting to them that a pledge had been given in bad faith —that votes had been tampered with—that a meeting had been packed—and that fictitious votes had been created. Now, it is for a jury to sayin what sense that lan guage was used. At present I give no positive opinion upon it. It is contended that Mr. Scott and the others had disentitled themselves to the interference of this court by their conduct. But with respect to these charges, I do not find that the affidavits disclose any matter on which a justification could be framed. With regard to the pledge given by Mr. S:,ott, as to making an addi tional line from Southampton to Dorchester, it appears that he did give that pledge without any previous autho rity, but the charge against him is that he made it in bad faith, and it is possible that he, without any previ ous authority, but trusting to a subsequent ratification, gave it without bad faith. That, again, may be a ques tion for a jury to determine. On the whole, we think the rule ought to be made absolute. The Attorney-General said he had not adverted to several of the matters involved in the case ; but, if he had done so, he thought their lordships would have taken a different view of them. Rule absolute for a criminal information. THE PRESTON STRIKE. PRESTON, MONDAY. Yesterday's income from the various district for the support of the power-loom weavers amounted to about 2,2501. This sum included the following items : Blackburn, 650/. ; Stockport, 240/. ; Glossop, 162/. ; Ashton-under-Lyne, 1501. ; Preston (821. from factories, and 601. from trades), 1421. ; Over Darwen, 130/. ; Oldham, 85/. ; Tintwistle, 601. ; Staleybridge, 601. , Accrington, 511. ; Church Parish, 50/. ; Harwood; 401. ; Compstall Bridge, 301. ; Droylsden, 30/. ' • Cli theme, 30/. ; Bolton, 28/. ; Heyw o od, 201. ; Chorley, 201. All the other sums received were under 201. _ _ Mr. Charles Dickens arrived at Preston on Saturday night, accompanied by Mr. Wills, editor of Household Words. Mr. Dickens attended the delegate meeting held in the Temperance Hall yesterday, and was pre sent this morning at an open air meeting in the Orchard. Mr. Kinder Smith presided at this morning's meet ing. He announced the intended formation of an emi gration fund in various districts of this county for the purpose of assisting families to remove to America. Mr. STEVENSON, of Burnley, introduced a novel fea ture, by giving out some verses, which were sung by the multitude. The last stanza was as follows : Awake, ye sons of toil ! nor sleep While millions starve, while millions weep, Demand your rights ; let tyrants see You are resolved that you'll be free. Mr. GRIMSHAW then brought forward the following resolution :—" The operatives of Preston, in public meeting assembled, seeing the general lowering of the price of the raw material and the advanced price of cloth, believe that the employers are in a position to pay the advance demanded ; and hereby declare their unalter able resolve never to resume labour until a fair, full, and unconditional 10 percent. be granted." The speaker said that political economists argued that because pro visions were dear, the operatives were precluded from getting that clothing which th e y wou ld d o if p rov i s i ons were ceap. Now, to prove that these political econo mists do not understand the position of the operative classes—that they do not understand their feelings and sentiments—l beg to state (said Mr. Grimshaw) that the operatives, as a class, are a proud class. As a class they always take a pride in clothing themselves well, and they invariably pinch their stomachs in order to appear respectable. Again, they double their working exertions when provisions are dear, and thus increase their earnings. Under these circumstances they consume the same amount of the raw material which they would do if provisions were cheap. Therefore the price of pro visions has no effect whatever upon our home consump tion. In conclusion, you may rest assured that if the manufacturers protract this struggle for six months to come we'll havemoney—we'll have pay for you." (Cheers.) Mr. HIGHAM, of Blackburn, seconded the resolution. He stated that the operatives of Blackburn were re solved that before the people of Preston should be de feated in this struggle thaour-loom weavers would each give up two looms to those who would remove from Preston to work them. (Cheers.) Mr. D. NUTTER, of Burnley, supported the resolu tion, and it was carried by acclamation. After the customary cheering the meeting broke up. WAREHOUSEMEN AND CLERKS' SCHOOLS FOR ORPHAN AND NECESSITOUS CHILDREN.—Last evening the friends and subscribers of this charity held a meeting at the George Hotel, Aldermanbury, Mr. Chirney in the chair. The secretary having read a list of donations received since the last meeting (amounting in all to 3,7001.), the chairman said their next business was to elect a trea surer, and called upon some gentleman to propose one or more names to fill the office. After some discussion as to whether the gentleman should be selected from the heads of any trade, or from the drapery trade only, Mr. Everest moved, and Mr. Pigott seconded, a resolution to the effect that the selection should not be confined to the drapery trade. Mr. Buckton thought it was quite unnecessary for them to seek the heads of other trades to fill an office they were capable of filling from their own body. The secretary explained that it was necessary the selection should be made from the head of a .large firm, because, by being himself a wealthy man, and coming daily into contact with others xi the same position, he would be enabled to do more for the interests of the charity than one of themselves, however popular he might be. Mr. Heath thought it most important that the selection should be made from their own body, and the drapers, moreover, were a more numerous class. After some observations from Mr. Emery, and others, Mr. Buckton moved as an amend ment, that the treasurer be selected from their own body of warehousemen and clerks, which upon a show of hands was lost. Mr. Dicks then moved, and Mr. Dal gell seconded a resolution, naming Messrs. Caldecotts, W. Leaf, sen., and Forster, from which to select a gen tleman to fill the office, which was carried unanimously. A deputation consisting of Messrs. Graham, Thirkell, Berrirnan, White, and Emery, were then empowered to wait upon the gentlemen named, and the result to be stated at the next meeting. Somo additional subscrip tions were then received, and a meeting announced for Monday next, after which the meeting separated. BURNING OY THE PETREL STEAMSHIP... On Saturday a serious loss was made known at Lloyd's, viz., the de struction by fire of the well-known Clyde-built screw steamship Petrel, while lying in Greenock harbour. She was a first-class ship, of upwards of 1,000 tons burthen, and, some months since, was employed on the New York and Bermuda station. She had recently passed into the hands of Messrs. Burns, of Glasgow, who had purchased her for 20,0001., and was moored in the east harbour of the above port. It appears that, between 7 and 8 o'clock on Thursday even ing fire was seen to be issuing from the round house near the funnel. The brigade were promptly in at tendance, and every means taken to suppress the confla gration. The flames, however, spread under the deck, and quickly burst up the fore-hatch skylight with terrible fury. A high wind which was raging at the time tended much to hasten the progress of the fire over the ship ; and as there appeared but very little chance of prevent ing her entire destruction, an attempt was made to scuttle her. This, however, did not succeed, for, being of iron construction, and fitted with watertight compart ments, she would not sink. With a view of saving the rigging and some of her spars, the masts were cut away, and hauled from off the blazing ship. While this was going on, the flames were making rapid work below the deck, and, in a short time, the noble vessel was burnt out from stern to stern, nothing remaining but the bare iron hull. An inquiry was instituted as to the origin of the fire, but nothing satisfactory could be arrived at. REGISTERED LETT ERS. — According to recent regula tions, the fee for registering letters at the Post-office to ensure their safe transmission through the post is six pence, if addressed to any part of the United Kingdom, the West Indies, Ceylon, Belgium, Holland, or to any country via Belgium or Holland. The registration fee on a letter addressed to France, or to any country via France, is sixpence, together with a sum equal to the amount of foreign postage chargeable on such letter. The registration fee on a letter addressed to Prussia, or to a country via Prussia, is 9d. The registration fee on a letter to Russia, via Prussia, is 9d., together with a sum equal to the amount of Russian postage chargeable on such letter. The registration fee on a letter to any other part of the world than those places mentioned above, is 6d., but this fee only registers it to the English port of departure. The Post-office is not answerable for the loss of a registered letter, but such means are adopted as renders its loss almost impossible. The postage on all registered letters must be prepaid, and the registration fee must be prepaid in money. FREE TRADE FREEHOLD LAND SOCIETY. Last evening the first public drawing amongst the un completed shareholders in this society took place at the Whittington Club, Strand. Among the gentlemen on the platform we noticed Lieut.- Colonel Dickson, Capt. J. Bishop-Culpeper, Major-General Sir W. Clayton, H. E. Canney. Esq., F. A. Daviss, Esq., W. Dickinson, Esq., John Gate, Esq., Joseph Gimson, Esq., T. Colley Grattan, Esq., Thomas A. Pott, Esq., W. Treherne, jun., Esq., T. C. Unwin, Esq., T. West, Esq., Vigers, Esq., J. L. Clayton, Esq., R.N., Tindall, Esq., &c. &c. Shortly after eight o'clock the chair was taken by Lieut. - Colonel Dickson. RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE ON RAILWAYS. The report of Captain Simmons, RE., to the Lords Commissioners of. the Privy Council for Trade and Foreign Plantations, on the proceedings of the depart ment relative to railways for the year 1852, has just been issued in the shape of a large blue book. The re port states, that the increase that has been made to the railway communication of the country is considerably more than in 1851, but is still less than'in any of the preceding year from 1846 to 1850 inclusive. The num ber of miles opened in 1852 amounted to 446, of which 346 are in England, 16 in Scotland, and 84 in Ireland. The whole extent of railway communication open for traffic in the United Kingdom at the end of 1852 was 7,336 miles—in England and Wales 5,650 miles, in Scotland, 978, and in Ireland 708. The principal com munications which have been opened during the year 1852 .have been by the Great Northern from Peter borough to Retford, thus completing the direct com munication by the Great Northern to the north ; the mixed gunge railway from Banbury to Birmingham, thus completing the route by the broad guage between Bir mingham and the metropolis, and the Stour Valley Railway from Birmingham to Wolverhampton, thus completing a second route from Birmingham, through Shrewsbury and Chester, to the Mersey ; and the North and South Western Junction, connecting the system of railways to the north with that on the south of the Thames. In 'Wales the South Wales Railway has been extended to Carmarthen. In Ireland a railway has been opened between Londonderry and Newton Limavady, and the previously existing system has been augmented by extensions of the Londonderry and Enniskillen line from Strabane to Omagh, of the Dublin and Belfast Junction to Portadown, thus completing the communi cation by railway between Dublin and Belfast, with the exception of the crossing of the river Boyne to Drogheda but which, however, has since been bridged in a tem porary manner sufficient for the passage of railway trains, pending the completion of a permanent structure. The Waterford and Limerick Railway has also been extended from Tipperary to Clonmel. The Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Stour Valley Railway, which ex tends from a junction with the London and North-West ern Railway at Navigation-street, Birmingham, to ano thtr junctien with the same railway near Wolverhampton, and which is under lease to the London and North-West ern Railway, was inspected in November, 1851, and re ported as being in a fit condition to be opened with safety to the public ; but, subsequently, the lessees of the line, having Advertised the opening, thought proper to post -pone it, in consequence of differences which had arisen between them and the Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway Company, who claimed their right to use the line of railway. The matters in dispute were referred to the Railway Department of the Board of Trade, a long correspondence ensued, the opening of the line was delayed from month to month, suitable bye-laws and regulations were at length framed for the safe working of the line, and it was opened for public traffic on the 30th of June, 1853. From a table given in the report it appears that the total length of railway opened previously to Dec., 1843, was 2,036 miles. During 1844, 204 miles were opened ; in 1845, 296 miles ; in 1846, 606 miles ; in 1847, 803 miles ; 1848, 1,182 miles ; in 1849, 869 miles ; in 1850, 625 miles ; in 1851, 269 miles ; and in 1852, 446 miles were opened—making the total length, to the end of 1852 7,336 miles of railway open for traffic. The length of railway authorised up to the end of 1852 was 12,561 miles, of which 676 miles were authorised by subse quent acts to be abandoned, leaving the total length authorised to be made at the end of 1852 11,885 miles, and the length remaining to be made 4,549 miles. The length of railway authorised up to the end of 1843 was 2,390 miles, which have been completed. Of the 805 miles authorised in 1844, 13 miles remain to be made ; ,of the 2,700 miles authorised in 1845, 33 were aban doned, and 565 miles remain to be made; of the 4,538 miles authorised in 1846, 478 miles were abandoned, and 2,283 remain to be made ; of the 1,354 miles autho rised in 1847, 160 were abandoned, and 984 remain to be made : of the 371 miles authorised in 1848 7 5 miles were abandoned, and 336 remain to be made ; of the 16 miles sanctioned in 1849, 13 miles remain to be made ; of the 8 miles sanctioned in 1850, 2 miles remain to be made ; of the 135 miles sanctioned in 1851 120 remain to be made ; and, of the 244 miles sanctioned ,in 1852, 233 miles remained to be made. It appears, how ever, that a very considerable portion of these lines will never be constructed in consequence of the lapse of the powers conferred upon the companies. Of the 4,549 miles authorised and remaining to be completed at the end of 1852, the powers for the compulsory purchase of land, and completion of works of 1,138 miles, expired without the railways being opened, so that the length of railways for the construction of which Parliamentary powers existed at the end of 1852, was 2,479 miles. It appears from returns to the end of June, 1852, that a further extent of 951 miles - , the powers of purchasing land for which had expired previous to Dec., 1852, bad not then been commenced, so that probably there were not full Parliamentary powers extant for making more than 1,530 miles of railway at the end of 1852. From the latest returns which have been presented to Parlia ment relative to the capital of railway companies, it appears at the end of 1851 the railway companies in the United Kingdom had raised, by shares and loans, the sum of 248,240,8971., and that powers for raising money to the extent of a further sum o f 113,382,0481. had not been exercised. The sums raised annually since the period at which the first returns were required from the companies show a continued and rapid diminution in the application of capital to railway enterprise in the United Kingdom. The following are the sums raised in the various gears :—ln 1848, 33,234,481/. ; in 1849, 29,574,7201. ; in 1850, 10,522,967/. ; and in 1851, 7,970,1511. The total sum raised at the end of 1851, which is the latest date to which the returns are com plete, was made as follows :—Share capital not entitled to any preferential rate of interest, 155,060,024/. ; share capital entitled to a preferential rate of interest, 34, 494,1551. ; money raised on debentures or mortgage, 58,686,7181. The average rate of interest to which the preferential stock was entitled was 5.2 per cent., and the average rate of interest upon which the debenture or mortgage interest was raised was 4 . 5 per cent. On the debenture account, therefore, there appeared to be a charge upon the revenue derived from the railways of 2,644,7901., and on account of the preferential stock 1,797,4001. making together a charge of 4,442,1901. in addition to the working expenses to be defrayed by the companies from the gross revenue receipts before the original shareholders can receive any return for the capi tal they have invested in their undertakings. There has been a diminution in the number of persons employed in the construction of railways corresponding to the dimi nished expenditure. On the 30th of June, 1851, the length of line open was 6,698 miles, the number of per sons employed on them was 63,563, being an average of 9.49 per mile, and the number of stations was 2,107; on the 30th of June, 1852, the length of line open was 7,076 miles, the number of stations 2,253, the number of persons employed 67,601 being an average of 9.55 persons per mile, showing an increase in the mileage of 378 miles, in the number of persons of 4,038, and in the number of stations of 146. On the 30th of June, 1851, 743 miles of railway were in course of construction upon which 42,938 persons were employed, being an average of 58.49 persons per mile, and on the 30th June, 1852, 738 miles were in course of construction, upon which 35,935 persons were employed, being an average of 48.69 persons per mile, showing an i ncrease o f f our miles and n de crease of 7,003 persons, or 9.80 per mile. The number of persons employed on railway in course of construction on the Ist May, 1847, was 256,509, being 220,574 more than on the 30th June, 1852 ; but the num ber of persons employed on railways open for traffic at the former period was 20,383 less than at the latter period. It would thus appear that since the Ist May, 1847, upward of 200,000 persons, who were at that time in the direct employment of railway companies, have ceased to be so occupied, and must be deriving their support from other occupations. It is probable, how ever, that in the same period there has been a very con siderable increase in the number of persons not directly employed by railway companies, but in manufactures, foundries, carriage and engine building, supplying the exigencies of the railway service. With regard to rail way accidents, the returns do not show any increase in the number of casualties among those passengers who suffered by causes beyond their own control, if the in creased number of passengers be taken into considera tion. The total number of sufferers by such causes, in 1851, was 374, while in 1852. the number was 381, the increase in the number of passengers conveyed in the same period being 3,644,634, or 4.26 per cent. From an examination of the traffic returns of 1852 it appears that the receipts upon the whole of the railways in the United Kingdom, which in 1851 amounted to 14,997, 4591., amounted, in 1852, to 15,710,5541., showing an increase of 713,0951., or 4.7 per cent., the mileage in the same period having increased 357 miles, or 5.3 per cent. The total receipts on railways in England and Wales, for the year 1852, amounted to 13,457,4931., of which 6,773,9801. were for goods, and 6,683,5131. for the con veyance of 73,235,119 i passengers on 5,477 miles of railway, showing an increase in the total receipts, over 1851, of 460,6981., or 3.55 per cent. The increase in the receipts for goods amounted to 720,7971., or to 12.07 per cent., while there was a decrease in the receipts from passengers of 269,0991., or of 3.87 per cent. ; but there was an increase in their number of 2,763,940, or 3.92 per cent. The increase in the length of railway open was 259.5 miles, or 4.91 per cent. The total receipts on 970 miles of railway in Scotland for the year 1852 amounted to 1,573,5421., of which the sum of 928,972/. was for goods, and 644,5701. for the conveyance of 9,734,482 passengers, showing an increase over 1851- of 136,9401. in the total receipts, or 9.53 per cent. ; in the goods of 114,9191., or 14.11 per cent. ; in the receipts for pas sengers of 22,0211., or 3.53 per cent. ; in the number of passengers of 448,169, or 4.82 per cent. ; and in the mileage of 12.5 miles, or 1.3 per cent. The total receipts on 666 miles of railway in Ireland for the year 1852 amounted to 679,519/., of which 243,6091. was for goods, and 435,9101. for the conveyance of 6,166,127 passengers, showing an increase in the total receipts over 1851 of 115,4571., or 20.46 per cent. ; in the goods of 45,1501., or 22.75 per cent. ; in the receipts for pas sengers of 70,3071., or 19.23 percent. ; and in the num ber of passengers of 532,524, or 9.45 per cent., the increase in the mileage being 85i miles, or 14.72 per cent. The total receipts on the whole amounted to 15,710,5541., of which 7,946,561/. was for goods, and 7,763,9931. or the conveyance of 89,135,729 passenger; over a mean length of 7,113 miles of railway. The total increase in the receipts over 1851 amounted to 713,0951., or 4.75 per cent., and in the goods traffic of 889,866/., or 12.61 per cent., but there was a decrease in the re ceipts for passenger traffic of 176,7711., or 2.22 per cent., although there was an increase in the number conveyed of 3,644,634, or 4.26 per cent. The increase in the length of railway over that in 1851 was 357.5 miles, or 5.32 per cent. It appears that in Eneand and Wales,-while the mileage of railways open for traffic The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings of the even ing, said they had assembled for a very interesting busi ness, namely, the drawing for a number of rights of choice on the estates of the society situate at Anerley and Camberwell. He had to call upon the gentlemen present to select two persons to act as scru tineers, and to take charge of the wheel. He thought that the shareholders would select gentlemen for that important occasion in whom they had every confidence. The duty would mainly consist in seeing that the numbers to be placed in the ballot box were correct, as the slightest mis- - take would be attended with the greatest difficulty. During the time that would be consumed in examining the members, which necessarily, on this their first public drawing, would occupy some time, the surveyor, Mr. Vigers would be ready to give explanations and answer any questions that any gentleman would wish to put to him. Mr. VIGERS then came forward and said that as it was important that they should all know the restrictions that were placed upon those members obtaining rights of choice whereby their property would be secure from detriment— that was, that one man should not erect a palace and an other a pigsty, we would communicate to them some of the principal connected with the Annerley estate, viz., the dimensions of the lots must be assumed to be correct, and as they are staked out any discrepancy shall not annul the sale, neither shall compensation be required on either side. Every purchaser, on completing his purchase shall execute a proper deed of covenant fo r regu l a ti ng th e buildings upon and fencing his land, and the repairs of roads and drains, and keeping all the conditionsand stipulations for prevent ing nuisances, and dangerous or offensive operations, and with powers for enforcing the performance of the cove nants in such form as the vendor's counsel shall advise ; and it is stipulated that the deeds and other muniments of title shall remain in the custody of the vendors. The ven dors will form the roads, footpaths, and surface drainage, according to a specification to be prepared by the sur veyor ; but each purchaser is to pay his proportion of the expense of repairing them until the public authorities shall take upon themselves the expense. He wished particularly to call the attention of the shareholders to the following condition, viously agreed up on ;i t was to t h e f o ll ow i ng e ff ec t. The as it was an important addition to those title had had been investigated on behalf of the vendors, and was considered good and marketable. Each purchaser shall take such title as the vendors have, and shall not be entitled to require any f ur th er or o th er title, or to take any objection to such title. The vendors shall not be re quired to produce or procure any original deed, or docu ment, or any attested or other copy thereof, not in their possession, either for the verification of the abstract or otherwise. That every recital, or statement, whether in fact, or conclusion of law, in any deed, will, or other docu ment abstracted, shall be sufficient evidence of the fact, conclusive on matter so recited or stated, and no purchaser shall be entitled to require other, or further evidence thereof. A SHAREHOLDER—IS the land tax redeemed ? Mr. VIGERS answered in the affirmative. The CHAIRMAN, in answer to a question from a shaie holder, said the number of the last issued share was 2800. Various other questions having been put, and -satisfac torily answered, The CHAIRMAN said the scrutineers had concluded their examination of the numbers, and declared them go be correct ; they would be placed in the box, and the drawing would commence. • A SHAREHOLDER-Before the drawing commenced, wished to know the number of rights to be drawn,, Mr. WEST-The number to be drawn was 50, to which would be added 26 for the seniority list, making in. All 76 rights. The following are the numbers : 2 -1671, 1861,,,E 1192, 1827, 1923, 772, 1768, 1403, 2137, 23761 2377, 2378, grouped; 2168, 164, 1142, 1049, grouped withlllB9, 533 1534, grouped with 1535; 1773, 1653, 88, grouped with 93 and 166 ; 124, 947, 2712, 2461, 347, 893, 2014, 1676, 1113, 2081, 1554, 2383, 2008, 1127, 672, 310, 918, 148, 238, 174, 2479, 2726, 808, 447,. 1116, grouped with 1118 and 1120. The SECRETARY announced that the next drav ing would take place in February. . • • • A vote of thaiiks having been awarded to the Chairman, Col. DICKSON said he begged to thank' theme for their kindness. He congratulated the holders of the fortunate numbers, and hoped soon to meet the shareholders again for a similar pleasing duty. The proceedings then terminated. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. MALTA JAN. 22. The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer Engine arrived on the morning of the 18th, after encountering very heavy gales for the whole voyage. So heavily was she laden with guns, shot, anchors, and cables, that she could not rise to the waves, and had she by any chance been pooped, the consequences might have been most fatal. The passengers speak in high terms of the steady cool- Bess and excellent seamanship of Captain Meehan. The Earl of Carlisle has delivered an address before the members of tlef Literary and Scientific Institute. Two French steam-frigates from Toulon, the Vauban and Cacique, have arrived and taken their departure for Constantinople. PORTSMOUTH, JAN. 30. The King of the Two Sicilies has conferred the cross of Chevalier of the Royal Order of Francisco I. on Mr. Vin cent Pappalardo, in acknowledgment of his consular ser vices at Portsmouth. Mr. James Ernest Brudenel Bruce, a student at the naval academy of Mr. Eastman, R.N., has received a nomination as naval cadet from the First Lord of the Admiralty. The Blenheim, GO, screw guard-ship, Captain the Hon. F. T. Pelham, will, when refitted, we believe, be paid off and recommissioned by the same officers. The floor timbers of the Shannon, 60, gun screw frigate, are laid, and the workmen of the contractor have com menced lengthening the slip and shed 40 feet. Convicts have been employed for some weeks past in pulling down and otherwise clearing away the old sheds, sawpits, and other buildings, beside the newly-constructed blacksmithery in this dockyard, and the ground, when cleared, will remain open, so as greatly to facilitate the work on the building slips, where at present workmen are much confined for room. A letter from the Sidon, 22, paddle-wheel steam frigate, Captain Goldsmith, dated Malta, the 11th inst., says— " We arrived here all wellyesterday morning, after a very pleasant passage of 12 days from Plymouth. We touched at Gibraltar on the sth, and got in 170 tons of coal during the night and started on the following morning. They are getting us packed off as quickly as p oss ibl e f rom thi s (Malta) ; and, by working all night, we have succeeded in getting on board 300 tons of coal and a shipf u ll o f s t ores and provisions for the fleet in the Black Sea. We have just taken on board a large quanaity of shells for the fleets. The Wasp, 14, Commander Lord John Hay, ar rived hero yesterday, from the eastward, and is to fill up with provisions for the fleet." Captain Fremantle, of the Juno, at Spith ea d, was tele graphed yesterday morning to proceed to the Admiralty, and he went up this morning. PLYMOUTH, JAN. 30. Since Saturday evening very severe gales from the north-west have been experienced in this vicinity. At half past five on Sunday morninc , the merchant ship Ellen Simpson, Captain Heckel, timber laden, from Moulmein, drove from her anchorage in the Sound, and would have become a total wreck but for the timely assistance of Lieut. Haswell, R.N., of the Turnchap;e Coast Guard sta tion, and his men ; Mr. Thompson, Queen's harbour-mas ter; Messrs. Hyde, Glynn, Trelwen, and Williams, pilots, and others. Mr. Thompson's yacht, the Tavy, dropped a largo anchor to windward, and sent stout hawsers on board the distressed ship, by which she was hove off and secured to the yacht. At 12 o'clock, through the application of Messrs. Luscombe, Driscole, and Co., her Majesty's steam tug Confiance was sent from the dockyard, and took the Ellen Simpson back to her anchorage. WOOLWICH, JAN. 30. APPOINTMENTS: Lieutenants--Hon. Augustus C. Hobart (184's), from the Coast Guard, to the Bulldog paddle-wheel steam sloop, at Portsmouth; William Thorp (1838), to the Tri bune, 30, screw steam-frigat e , ordered home from Lisbon ; William Graham ( 3g4 --- 9 ), from the Blenheim, 60, screw steam-ship, at Portsmouth, to the Leopard, 18. paddle wheel steam-frigate, at Portsmouth ; Reginald Bateman (1847), the Blenheim, vi ce G raham ; Thomas Stackhouso (1853), recently promoted while first mate of the Brito mart, on the West Coast of Africa station, to the Dragon paddle-wheel steam-frigate, at. Portsmouth ; Richard Peachey Gresham ( 1 854), promoted while serving as mate of the Tartarus steam-vessel, employed on particular ser vice, to the Dragon. Master.—George Brockman, promoted last week while serving as second master of the Wildfire paddle-wheel steam-vessel, is re -appointed to that vessel, in his rank of master, for services as tender to the Waterloo, 120, flag ship at Sheerness. Second Master. — Thomas H. Julian (1848), to the Euryalus, 50, screw steam-frigate, at Chatham. LAUNCH OF ANOTHER SCREW Two DECKER.—The 91- gun screw-ship Hannibal will be launched from Deptford Dockyard this day. It will be remembered that this ship has been built by Mr. Willcox, who has lately retired from the post of master shipw r i g ht a t Deptford, but the period for launching her was postponed until the present time. Like all Mr. Willcox's ships, the Terrible, Phaeton, 50, Termagant, screw, and other large frigates, the Hannibal has been carefully and faithfully con structed ; and the present master shipwright, Mr. Chatfield, will do well to study carefully the practical system of direction which characterised his predecessor. Mr. Willcox was one of the old school, and was proud of the designation of "master shipwright;" but he, neverthe less, appreciated the abilities of the new school ; and 'al though the latter prefer to be denominated "naval archi tects," we trust they will not despise that experience of the working officers of the dockyards, without which they are the merest cyphers in her Majesty's service. It was for merly the custom of the Admiralty to present to the master shipwright of the Royal dockyard from which a line-of-battle ship was launched a piece of plate on each occasion—but of late, we believe, the sum of fifty pounds has been awarded in lien of the souvenir, On the present occasion, we understand, the Admiralty as an act of justice to the officer who really built the ship, will present the late master shipwright, Mr. Willcox, with the gratuity of 501. ; and we feel assured that Mr. Chat field will most cheerfully assent to such an equitable arrangement. The Hannibal will be immediately taken to Sheerness after she is off the stocks, and will be fitted with her machinery and for commission with all despatsh pos sible, under the superintendence of the respected master shipwright Mr. J. Road. The Hannibal will be the sixth screw ship of the line of 91 guns launched from the Royal Dockyard—Herald. LECTURE AT WOLVERHAMPTON BY SIR ROBERT PEEL. —Last Friday evening Sir Robert Peel, Rart., M.P., delivered a lecture in the,Corn Exchange, in this town, in aid of the funds of the Midland Association of Mechanics' Institution. There was a numerous atten dance, including a large body of the working classes. John Neve, Esq., presided, and introduced the hon. baronet. The subject of the lecture, "The Intellectual and S oc i a l P rogress o f S oc i ety, " was treated i n an a b le manner by Sir Robert, and his observati ons were fro quently applauded.—Sta,forolgire 4 avertior. MAURITIUS.—The advices from Mauritius state that arrangements had been made for reopening the trade with Madagascar, the Government having accepted th e $15,000 subscribed by the members of the Mauritius Chamber of Commerce. Shipments of sugar were being freely made, and several vessels were in port loading. has increased nearly 5 per cent., and the num 1 'er of passengers 4 per cent., the receipts derived from ; pas sengers have decreased nearly 4 per cent., and th e re ceipts derived for the conveyance of goods have in• , sed 12 per cent. It appears, also, that the revenut ) fro.vn goods in England and Wales, which in 1846 w as only 373 per cent. of the gross revenue upon the rail ways of the country, now exceeds 50 per cent. of that g :ross re venue. In Scotland there has been an increas .41 in the sums received, both for the conveyance of go ads and passengers, as well as in the number of passenge n; in all cases ; but especially with reference to goods, I ;reatly exceeding the rate of increase in the railways them selves. The proportion of revenue derived from the convi vance of goods is nearly 60 per cent. of the whole. In I reland there has likewise been an increase in the receipts from both descriptions of traffic greater than in the propor tion due to the increased mileage, but the tzuntber of passengers has not increased in the same ratio. RAILWAY 'AND OTHER BILLS BEFORI3 PARLIAMENT. Yesterday the following bills, for new railways and new works, were passed by the examiners : Sydenham and Farnborough Railway.—For a line from the Sydenham station of the Brighton Railway to Farnborough, and a junction with the West-end and Crystal Palace Railway. East Lancashire, Lancashire and Yorkshire, and Manchester arid Southport Railway.—For vesting cer tain interests or portions of the two latter lines in the former ; for station accommodation at Southport, and connecting fines at Southport and Lathom. Diversion of road at Preston. North Metropolitian Railway. Oxford, 'Worcester, and Wolverhamptori' (Stratford on-Avon and Stourbridge Branches). Blyth and Tyne Railway (Extension to Tynemouth). Stockton and Cleveland Union Railway. Dowlais Railway.—The standing o:ders were de clared " not " complied with in this case, for an exten sion to join the Vale of Neath Railway. Among the miscellaneous compliances were :--South port Waterworks, Waveney Valley Drainage, Middle. ton Gas, Rosendale Union Gas, Kingston-on-Hull Docks, Nottingham Waterworks, Weymouth Pier and Markets, Brighton and Cuckfield Roads, Ramibottom Gas, and Radcliffe and Pilkington Gas Companies. The examiners will not sit to-day. , SPORTING NOTES. NEWS ANENT NEWTON. So far as the legitimate events to be decided at New_ ton are concerned, the meeting there will undoubtedly be a failure. Few horses have had sufficient preparation to enable them to compete satisfactorily for the various stakes, and all calculations as to their comparative chances, founded on their public running will have merely a misguiding tendency. The races on this occa sion will be neither to the swift nor the strong, but to the rough and the ready. The programme contains seven items, handicaps, both over the flat and across country being as usual its leading features. The meeting will commence to-marrow, and be brought to an ending post on Thursday. Seven two-years'-old are nominated for the Golburne Stakes, for which the field will doubtless be small in number and bad in quality. The competitors too will display a want of condition, and when mustered at the post present a ragged appearance, for perhaps scarcely one of them will have had more than two or three weeks of uninterrupted work. This recently esta blished custom of running young horses so early in the year is both pernicious and preposterous. Of those like ly to compete for the Golborne Stakes, I have little trust worthy information, I shall not, therefore, even attempt to select the probable winner. Twelity-six horses are weighted for the Handicap Plate of 70 Sovs., Sir Robert, Worcester, and Game Tommy being, in my opinion, entitled to the precedence of the " lot." Voucher and Tobolski certainly look " well " for the Handicap Plate of 60 Sovs., but whether either will start lam at present unable to determine. In theii ab sence Lancashire Lass and Jupiter will perhaps justify a slight consideration. On the Hurdle Race I shall not deliver judgment, and the Steeple chase I shall dismiss with the remark that both Crabbs and Labyrinth have been somewhat "sought after" for it in the turf market. The opinions expressed above, it must be understood, are regulated by no standard of merit generally adopted in these matters, for the backward condition of the pro bable starters would render it useless in this instance ; and indeed, to speak sooth, I entertain some doubts of their soundness. The betting yesterday was marked by several impor tant changes. It showed Miss Mowbray to be in re newed force for the Liverpool Steeplechase, and Half and-Half, after a temporary " depression," to be again buoyant. La Gazza Ladra and Lady Arthur, too, were both spiritedly supported ; the progress of the last men tioned animal in the betting was mainly assisted by a Tilbury. Peggy was in General force for the Chester Cup, the commissioner with much Charity " accommo dating" all liberal layers. The Star of Surrey was in the ascendant, and Nabob advanced more prominently into notice. Newminster was friendless, an offer to bet 2,500 to 100 being regarded with a significant silence. Autocrat was very steady for the Derby ; indeed, at the close of business, it is questionable whether 5 to 1 was obtainable about him. Strange rumours are circulated respecting Scott's lot, and a probability exists that after all Acrobat will be the trusted representative of his stable. By entering it for the Chester Cup his party have, it is said, played a cunning game. January 31. A FRESH MAN. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. TATTERSALL'S.-MONDAY. The room presented an improved attendance of mem bers, and business was for some time carried on with considerable spirit. LIVERPOOL STEEPLE CHASE.— 7 and 8 to 1 were taken about Miss Mowbray ; 11 to 1 to 751., and 10 to 1 to 251., about Half-and-Half ; 17 to 1 to a small sum about Peter, 20 to 1 about La Gazza Ladra, previously backed in the City for some money at the same price ; 1,000 to 40 taken about Lady Arthur, and 30 to 25 to 1 about Burnt Sienna. CHESTER CllP.—Nabob, Star of Surrey, and Peggy were in great force, 2,000 to 60. and afterwards 5,000 to 150 about the second. 50, 45, 43, and finally 40 to 1 freely about Peggy. Her principal backer, a gentleman of high note in sporting circles, invested fully 4501. This led to the introduction of her sister Nelly at 1,000 to 15 taken. 40 to 1 was taken to 50/. about Sandhurst, and the same odds to divers small sums about Llanforda • 50 to 1 to 501. about Jack Frost, and 1,000 to 15, four or five times, about Royalist. 2,500 to 100 was offered on the field. METROPOLtrAN STAKES.—Royalist was backed for a pony at 15 to 1, and numerous inquiries were being made about Ariosto, who had been brought somewhat prominently into notice in the City. DERBY.—The leading favourite was very firm at 5 to 1, taken in the aggregate to 1751. ; 8 to 1, taken to 1001., about King Tom, and 25 to 1, to 501., about Ruby. Acrobat re-appeared with increased effect ; after 30 to 1 had been taken to some money, by a tour dc force he reached 25 to 1, and had an upward ten dency at the close. 1,000 to 30 taken about Scythian, 1,000 to 10, five or six times, about Winkfield, OARS.-400 to 100 taken about Meteora. Closing prices : LIVERPOOL STEEPLECHASE. 7to 1 agst Miss Mowbray (taken.) 10 to 1 agst Half-and-Half (taken.) 17 to 1 agst Peter (taken). 20 to 1 agst La Gazza, Ladra (taken). 25 to 1 Lady Arthur (taken). 25 to 1 agst Burnt Sienna (taken.) METROPOLITAN STAKES. 15 to 1 agst Royalist (taken). CHESTER CUP. 25 to 1 art Newminster (offered). 33 to 1 agst Nabob (taken). 33 to 1 agst Star of Surrey (taken). 40 to 1 agst Peggy (taken freely.) 40 to 1 agst Llanforda (taken). 40 to 1 agst Sandhurst (taken). 50 to 1 agst Jack Frost (taken.) 1000 to 15 agst Royalist (taken). 1000 to 15 agst Nelly (taken.) DERBY. sto 1 agst Autocrat (taken). Bto 1 agst King Toni (taken). 25 to 1 agst Acrobat (taken). 25 to 1 agst Ruby (taken). 33 to 1 agst Scythian (taken). 1000 to 10 agst Winkfield (taken). • OAKS. 4to 1 agst Meteora (taken). DERBY, 1855. 5000 to 100 agst Russian (br. to Autocrat) (taken). HORSES SCRATCHED. FOR THE NORTHAMPTONSHIRE STAGES.—BIack Doc tor, Cleveland, and Domino. FOR THE METROPOLITAN HANDlCAP.—Cleveland and Domino. FOR THE NEWMARKET HANDICAP.—Haco, Domino, and Amos. FOR THE CHESTER CUP.—Virago, Little Harry, and Glenstrae. These three wer, struck out about 4 o'clock last Saturday afternoon. Hazlenut is struck out of his engagements at Lincoln and Nottingham, and is out of the City and Suburban Handicap at Epsom. LA MARCHE STEEPLECHASE. The letter of engagement for the following horses not having been received by us in time to complete the list of nominations published yesterday, we deem it expedient to add them : Age Victress The Alp Andante Age a a NoTTINGEAm SPRING HANDICAP.----We are requested to state that instead of " Meteora, 6st 101b,' as et down in the list sent to us, it should have been " Me. Nora, 55t 1.01 b." SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE CUSTOM HOUSE, JAN. 30. F NTERED INWARDS.—The Adelaide, from Seville ; Hur ries ne, Melbourne ; Victoria, New York ; Marquis of ON autos, Belize ; Frederike, Middlesfahrt ; Kerr, Grave lint is ; Orion, Fiume ; Leipsic, Glnckstadt ; Ashmore, Sh - 0 ighai ; Merced, Iquique; George Robinson, Dominica ; Bizi intium, Lisbon ; Lion, Gravelines ; Centurion, Can ion ; Th e ti s , D ron th e i m ; Queen of England, New York ; De Wakkero Zaman, Egnevrid. ENTERED OUTWARDS FOR LOADING.—The Cruiser, for I Ugoa Bay ; Daylesford, Port Philip and Sydney ; Con ti air, Marseilles ; British Tar, Madras Demeuse, Malaga, ( Jarthag e n a , an d B arce l ona; Egbert, Ceylon; Argo, Stet t in ; Brazilian Packet, Cadiz. CLEARED OUTWARDS WITH CauGo.--The Skidbladner, f or Lisbon ; Halkott, Hamburgh ; John Clemens, Ma d eira ; Othello, Rio Janeiro ; Lismoyne, Madras ; Heeko P rins, Hamburgh ; Lady Elizabeth, Port Philip ; Malabar, 111.adras. 11mA Jan. 2 9.—Arrived—Wasp, from Wilmington.-- Bailed, the Queen of the West, for St. Michael's. WA!CERFORD, Jan. 27.—The Appleton, from Mauritius, Iraggr4l during the night, and got in contact with the Vtaricai (barque) and the Vigilant (schooner), both of this sort ; all received seine damage. C(iNSTANTINOPL E , Jan. l2.—The Derby, Odessa to I big laud, has been lost near 31olialitch ; crow saved. N :ANILLA, Nov. 15.—The barque Mary Adams, of Bos t. 3n; from Pivots Sound to Singapore (cargo pi ne spars ), 'V ins totally d es t royed by fire, Oct, 19, in the Straits 1 idta een this island and Mindoro; all hands saved. De c. s.—The Consuelo (Spanish brig) has put into Mindoro dismasted, and will be brought to this port, under f jury-masts to undergo repairs. VESSELS SPOKEN WITH. The Albion, from Bahia, lat. 38, long. 36. The Orator, bound north, Oct. 31, lat. 13 S., long. 83 E. The Henry Ware, bound east, Nov. 20, lat. 31 S. long. 37 E. , Tho Chieftain, Liverpool to Rio Grande, Dec. 30, lat. 5 S., long. 24 W. The Niagara (s), for Boston, Jan. 21, lat. 46 N., long. 6W. The Arabia (a), for Boston, Jan. 27, lat. 51 N., long. 21 W. COUNTRY MARKET& CHELMSFORD —JAN. 27. The trade extremely dull, and inferior wheat could not be sold unless at a reduction upon last week, the best scarcely maintaining those rates. Barley is per qr. cheaper, and last week's prices not easily obtained for peas. Oats ls dearer. Prices to-day were as follow :—Wheat, white, old 72x Od to 86s Od, new 72s to 86s ; red, old 58s to 80s, new 61s to 808 ; barley, 30s to 37s ; chevalier, 37s to 43s ; grinding, 23s to 31s ; malt, 61s to 65s ; chevalier, 64s to 70s ; oats, 22s to 29s ; peas, partridge, 41s to 46s ; white, 48s to 50s ; boiling 56s to 62s ; dun, new, 42s to 45s ; beans, tick, 4Cs to 42s ; Harrow ticks, 38s to 41s ; Mazagan, 38s to 41s. COLCHESTER -JAN. 28. Prices to-day were as follow :—Wheat, white, 803 to 92s ; red, 76s to 81s ; barley, 40s to 46s ; oats, 28s to 32s ; beans, Mazagan, 40s to 44s ; middle and small, 442 to 58s ; pea?, white, 60s to 643 ; grey, 46s to 50s. Official Statement of the Quantities of Corn, &c., received in the port of London, from the following ports,• from the 22d to the 28th January, both inclusive. 3 A 8 A Pt ci 1.4 Colchester - Harwich Leigh - 8 279 50 Mahlon 518 k 6371 463 494 , 209 710 KIRKCALDY-JAN. 28. Here to-day we had fair supplies of all kinds of grain. Sales slow at first ; latterly at an advance of is to 2s per qr. on wheat, Gd to is Od per qr. on barley, and 6d to is Od on oats. Wheat. Barley. O a t s . B eans. First Second ''9B Od 29s Od Os Od I Third st;s Oct 28s sa 21s 6d Os Od Oatmeal, per bag of 2801bs imperial, 41s Od to 42s Od. NEWCASTLE-JAN. 27. There was a good supply of wheat, and a middling busi ness Bono at is to 2s per qr. lower than last Friday's rates. Grinding and malting barley rather lower. Beans and peas 6d higher. COAL MAT; ►ET.—J.::r. 30. he close of the market Prices of Coal por ton at ti s. d. Burnhopo 27 6' Carr's Bartley 26 0 Cragwood's Hartley 26 0 Davison's West Hartley 27 0 Eightou Main 29 0 Hasting's Hartley 27 6 Ravensworth Hartley 27 Tanfield Moor Butes 31 0 Walker Primrose 25 6 West Hartley 27 6 R. d . Wylam Wallsond, Ste. Leverson 26 6 i Memodsley 25 6 i Belmont 32 0 Hatton 35 0 I Haswell 35 0 Stewart's 35 0 Whitwell 32 0 ,Kelloo 35 0 South Durham 1 I Sold 96. Ships at market.. 202 RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, JAN. 30. - - - STOCK EXCHANGE.—The market has been steady, but very little doing to-day, except settling the account, which seems to wind up rather bearish." Birkenhead, Lanca shire, and Cheshire, 151; Caledonian, 25i ; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 62 ; London and North-Western, 1001 Midland, 61; North British, 7i. MANCHESTER, JAN. 30. STOCK EXCHANGE.—There has bean a quiet market, but prices have been steadily maintained. Dover, 17i; Mid land, 60i ; Leeds, 6li. LEEDS, JAN. 30. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The transactions of this morning have been for the new account, middle of February, and the paucity of the sales effected shows an absence of specu lation. and a general want of confidence in the future. The only bona fide sales on 'Change have been in South-Eastern and Dovers, at 17k. At the noon meeting there were no transactions. [ADVERTISEMENT. }—A LIE UTENANT OF DRAGOONS CURED OF RHEUMATISM BY HOLLOWAY'S OINTMENT AND PILLS.—This officer, who is in the Dutch army, states that Holloway's Pills and Ointment have cured him of rheumatism, which appeared to be incurable, as neither sea-b a thi ng, vapour- b aths, nor preparations vaunted as sure remedies, did him any good, and the treatment of the doctor, after several months' trial, was without suc cess. At this juncture he commenced taking these Pills. and rubbing the Ointment into the complaining part s twice a day, whi c h e ff ec t ual l y cured himin the course of six weeks. Tho truth of this statement can be vouched for by Mr. J. B. Stratman, of Bois-le-Duc.—Sold by all drug. gists ; and at Professor Holloway's establishment, 244, Strand, Loudon. [ ADVERTISEMENT.] -- Sight and Hearing The It ,yal Exhibition, 1851 Extraordinary Powerful Munich German Class Telescopes., 39, Albemarle street, Piccadilly. Observe opposite the Yotk Hotel. lye Royal Exhibition. - A valuable, newly invented, ry small powerful waistcoat-pocket glass, the size of a walnut, by which a person can be seen and known one mile and a half distant ; they answer every purpose on Up race-course, at the opera sc enery, and ships are clearly seen houses country at 12 to 14 miles. They are invaluable for shooting, deer stalking, yachting, to sportsmen, gentlemen, gamekeepers, and tourists. Telescopes —A new and most important invention in telescopes, possessing such extraordinary Jupiter's moons, Saturn's ring, anCl the powers that some, 3i inches, with an extra eye piece, will show distinctly Ju double stars ; with the same telescope, weighing only 3 ounces, can be seen a person's countenance three miles and a half distant, and an object from 16 to 20 miles. They supersede every other kind for tho waistcoat-pocket. and are of larger and all sizes, with increasing powers accordingly. Opera and race-course glasses, with wonderful power; an object can be clearly seen, from 14 to 16 miles distant. Deafness—New Discovery—The Organi c Vi brator, an extraordinary powerful and newly-invented instrument, for Deafness, entirely different from nil others, to surpass anything of ilk kind that has been, or probably ever can be, produced. Being of the same colour as the skin, it is not perceptible ; it enables deaf persons to hear distinctly at church and at public as semblies ; the unpleasant sensation of singing noises in the oars is entirely removed ; and it affords all th e ass i sts ance that p oss ibly cou ld b e desired.-39, Albemarle-street, Piccadilly. Observe, opposite the York Hotel. BIRTHS. OF A SON. On the 28th inst., at M, W estbourne-park Villas, the wife of James Orton, Esq., of the Hermitage, Saint Mar garet's Bay. On the 29th inst., at No. 2, Westbourne-crescent, the wife of Jolt Gardiner, Esq. On the 3rth inst., at 11, Albert-terrace, Richmond -road, Bayswater, the wife of Charles Octavius Humphreys, Esq. OF A DAUGHTER. On the 29th inst., at Dulwich, Mrs. L. F. Lingeman. On the 29th inst., in Charles-street, Westbourne-terrace, the wife of George Frederick, Esq. MARRIED. On the 26th inst., at Bakewell, Alfred, fourth son of Henry Allnutt, Esq , Maidstone, to Eliza Jane, eldest daughter of the late Dr. Murrey, of Broadstone, Wigton shire, and niece of Lady Lowthrop, of Alga-house, Scar borough. On the 30th inst., at St. Mary's, Islington, Mr. John K. Weedon, of 4, Furnival's-inn, solicitor, to Frances Maria Spark, eldest daughter of Mrs. Richard Foley, of Horton, Ilminster, Somerset, and of the late John Talbot, Esq., of the same place. DIED. On the 20th inst., at Cambridge-terrace, Colonel Henry Walpole, late of the Madras Army. A t the Wood, Sydenhain-hill on tho 30th inst., Theresa, wife of Alexander Beattie Esq., and youn ges t d aug ht er o f the late Vice-Admi ra l Sir Edward Griffith Colpoys, LONDON : Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, N 0.112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the county of Middlesex, Tuesday, January 31, 1861. PORT and ( Application fo NESDAY, thi London, 22, JAPAN DIRE( EXHIBITIO: Colours, SA, I quires the Gal M R" inch VSERY EV Tuesday, Tht which can be 25.; gallery, EGYP' s open o'clock. The hss been wi BROOKS. A , Introduet My Love), (Fantasia Lichtensteir Cavatina (I Miss Elizal Quadrille (1 Selection Glarer ; Pc Bearer), Mi Wallace, M Heart with (Radetzky) First app Tenor. M 1, study of th 10, 20, 50,1 her 3lajest struction it of Sopwith Si. each. 0 " LI variety of inlaid tabl bronze, &c strand, Lo pui public brea tract ; ala twenty gni sent to an: inonths.—. bill, only. DR - With, Oct. Wafers as efficacy. " Chemists. ALL ftettltii uced tore di Cases I in the t /lOC S existe , Debtli inge3, eridles _AIIR _RA (Less, The abov • an.: will o • CELEBRAT Dancing to ROYA FIRNT EXII .• GRAPIIIC tints of ne GRAPHIC Monsieur 1 sand squat SOLVING • ' ings at a LECTURES lINLVERF. • '' LECTURE 1 TION, wit Open MOT Children and Annual SI ' Members of Guinea per T.JNI A( • Adelaide.str renowned H such intense Programme 1 • ancient Mid tional Melo, lozdy, condt Augarde; Brougham. Three. "Thee oPportunil admirer a commend English pl general b May 6. We refe penter, in Clubs of The" Thi also satist Ha bib and upwt Address `_ MALL. Reg Sir John George I G. P. Po Peter Le Edward Ilen.y I Itromi EraSl3lllF. William Street •tiik litujami Sir J. 11 2.Ntessrs. John Dc Messrs. Pahert Thos One Crystal It. An The Col for com applical hill, or City. Jana ME] DR. Dur,tor CXc me' • • 101 , pre PL ‘, ntri , zoN Cot Bo 1 arc . 1134 Inc th th, ins T 1 su LII X . • qsit, Mx t Medi ihou