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

roned. Ivived, )rt the 1r to lk idate. I Paris •. 22. siege. firm at- Madrid min t rival mats in f sev e on tilde . The rid are id will The Al nao- Le from It 18 18 0011- nd hall 3d tl hat tractor aga to .opof wid league. 99,900 21st at 3sented he was fortift- -~ EN. —" The several by the lotern subj ect rria and :Russia, umark, weden, Diplo qrder to ; but it °anent. Le King cbt for a, decla ',ussia is not be . under id Den- known Swedish tsure be rich the o-vern sending doming t of the ;crested 3 14th : 3 spring ision of %, dated place in m sinia is ES. heodine, gadocia, t, Royal Mice. Sienna, ie, and Dane (3 •I Court li Hon. Alder -11, Mr. ames of der said in the ,ny diffi not de making ip then >ersonal ily class that of than 35 calen- MY.) fie, wart ed with ,osed to Sunday )ner in on-hill. k, wit ne eon ieeting words, e theta Vitness house, ucreted i!.d that ore he t, and priso re him of the field at The Lord Lord i.rgyll, Duke r, Sir Hon. The )orted Ldron, ed off —We menu to the ), the Welsh 95th ewise MARKET NEWS-(THIS DAY.) CORN EXCHANGE. The leading country markets held on Saturday were rather scantily supplied with wheat. Most kinds sold steadily, and prices had an upward tendency. There was more inquiry for barley and oats, at full quotations ' • but beans and peas were offering on lower terms. The flour trade was tolerably firm. On the Continent the demand for wheat and flour has been rather inactive of late ; in prices, however, no mate xisl change has taken place. Advices from New York to the 15th inst. state that flour was very dull, and 12 cents per barrel lower. The arrivals of English grain up to our market last week Was very moderate. From abroad we received 18,616 Nuarters of wheat, 7,705 barley, 8,698 oats, 2,062 beans, 12 peas, 276 tares, 1,306 linseed, 4,760 rapeseed, 967 sundry seeds, 5,545 sacks and 21,249 barrels of flour. Very moderate supplies of English wheat were received fresh up to our market to-day, coastwise and by land carriage, whilst the condition of most of the samples was by no means good. The market opened firmly for all kinds of wheat of home produce, and, as the attendance of country buyers increased, the trade" became healthy, at, in some instances, an advance in the quotations of Monday last of is per qr. At that improvement, a fair amount of business was transacted. For forward delivery there was an improved inquiry, quid the currencies were fully supported. Notwithstanding that we were well supplied with foreign wheat, especially with American qualities, the trade was firm, and transactions in good Baltic parcels were reported at is per quarter above last Monday's currency. About 60 vessels laden with wheat, barley, and beans, have coached Falmouth since the beginning of last week. Nearly the whole have changcd hands, at very full prices. With barley, both English and foreign, we were well supplied ; yet the inquiry for all kinds ruled steady, and the quotations had an upward tendency. The show of malt was good, yet there was rather more inquiry for that article, at full currencies. There was an improved sale for both English and Irish oats. Good sound corn was the turn in favour of sellers. The supply of beans was moderate. The transactions were on the increase, at full prices. The sale for peas was steady, at previous rates. There was more business doing in flour, at extreme .4ttotations. CURRENCY PER IMPERIAL MEASURE. Wheat—Essex a Kent, Red .... new 755 to 873 Ditt0............ old Ids 873 Ditto. White new 76s 90s Ditt0........ old 80s 91s, Norfolk and Lin. coin, Red, old 75s 86s Ditto new •• •• 74s 863 Are—Old 51s 52s New •• • • • • • • •• • • 50s 51s 8111137--Grinding..... 35s 39a Malting 408 44s Chevalier.... . 45$ 4781 Walt—SuffolkandNor folk...• •• •... 668 71s Shown. • ............. 60. 62s KingatonandWare 73s 753 Malt--Chevalier •... 75s to 76s Oats Yorkshire and Lino°lush., Feed 28s 32. Potato ...... 31s 34s Yonghal and Cork 81ack....... 28s 30s Cork, White ..... 275 33s Scotch, Feed. .. .. 32s 355 Beans—Tick . .... 435 515 Pigeons ...... 47s 61s Peas—Gaey ........ •• 44s 48s Maple. •• •• .• 47s 52s 58s 64s Boilers ...• ...... 60s 655 Flour—Tomu-made..• 705 758 Suffolk •• •• • —60 a Btoaktn &Norfolk 62a 725 :LD. The imports of foreign stock into London last week were tolerably good—viz., 2,775 head. During the corresponding period of 1853, we received 3,590 ; in 1852, 1,824 ; 1851, 1,994 ; in 1850, 1,228 ; in 1849, 2,616 ; and in 1848, 1,020 head. IMPORTS INTO LOITDON LAST WEER. Sheep. Lambs. Calves. Pigs. 41 ... ... 11 ... 12 161 ... ... 4 ... 3 149 ... ... From Beasts. Harlingen 491 ... New Diep 47 ... liamburgh 34 ... Antwerp4B 'll4itteiclam 297 ... 1,270 ... ... 187 ... ... - T0ta1.... 889 .. 1,621 ... ... 250 ... 15 The yearly comparison of weekly imports is as under : . Beasts. Sheep. Lambs. Calves. Pigs. 1853 5Ol ... 2,824 ... 259 15 1852 566 994 ... ... 257 3 1851 447 1,438 ... 206 ... 3 1850 439 ... t 635 154 ... 1849 644 1,869 103 To-day's market was rather scantily supplied with each Xnd of foreign stock ; nevertheless, the demand for it ruled heavy, and the prices of beasts and sheep had a downward tendency. For the time of year the receipts of home-fed beasts fresh up this morning were rather extensive, and we ob • 'served a decided improvement in their general weight and condition. Although the attendance of buyers was tole rably numerous, the demand for all kinds of beasts was in a depressed state, at a decline in the prices of Monday last of fully 2d per 81bs. In some instances the quota tons gave way 4d per 81bs without effecting a clearance. The top figure for the best Scots was 4s 6d per 81bs. From Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and Cambridgeshire, we eceived 2,300 Scots and shorthorns • from other parts of England, 600 of various breeds ; and from Scotland, 500 Scots, chiefly per railway. We were seasonably well supplied with sheep. All breeds met a very dull inquiry, at prices barely equal to those obtained on this day se'nnight. The extreme figure • for the best old Downs was 5s per 81bs. The condition of most breeds was by no means first-rate. The few calves on offer changed hands freely, at a rise of 4d per 81bs. The best calves were worth 5s 8d per 81bs. Pigs—the supply of which was very moderate—moved oft slowly, at barely stationary prices. Per Blbs to sink the offals. s. d. s. d.' Inferior Beasts.... 3 2to 3 4 Second quality.... 3 6 3 8 ?rime large oxen 310 4 2 , Prime Scots, dm. 4 4 4 6, Inferior Sheep ...3 0 3 4 Second quality ...3 6 4 21 Prime crse.-wlled.4 4 4 6 , s. d. 5. d. 'ri *me Southdown 4 8 5 0 Large crse. calves 4 6 5 2 Prime small d 0... 5 4 5 8 Large hogs 3 0 4 2 Small porkers 4 4 410 Sucklingcalves ..22 0 29 0 t Quarter old pigs 21 0 27 0 1 FOREIGN SUPPLY. TOW. SUPPLY. Beasts ..... .........• 4,463 Sheep ....... .•• ....21,870 Calves .••• •• •••• •••• 102 A 55..... ...... •••• •• 410 Beasts ..... ..• . 686 Sheep ......1,400 Calves..•••• •••••• Pigs•••••••••••••••••••••• A. statement and comparison of the supplies and prices of fat stock exhibited and sold in Smithfield Cattle Market, ou Monday, Feb. 28, 1853, and this day, Monday,Feb. 27, 1854. Per Sibs, to sink the off a ls. Feb. 28, 1853. Feb. 27,1854 s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d Coarse and inferior beasts ... 3 oto 3 2 3 2to 3 4 Second quality ditto ... 3 4 3 6 3 6 3 8 Prime large oxen ... .•• ... 3 8 3 10,3 10 4 2 Prime Scots, &c ... 4 0 4 2';4 4 4 6 Coarse and inferior sheep ... 310 4 0 3 0 3 4 Second quality ditto ... ••• 4 2 4 6 3 6 4 2 Prime coarse woolled ditto ... 4 8 4 10,4 4 4 6 Prime Southdown ditto 5 0 5 214 8 5 0 Large coarse calves 3 2 4 214 6 5 2 Prime Lar small ditto 4 10 3 2 1 3 0 4 2 4 4 Bis 4 5 8 ge h ogs , „ , 2 seat small porkers 3 6 4 0 4 4 410 Beasts... 3,704 4,463 Sheep 16,760 21,870 Calves._ „, „, „, 64 102 410 Ihrrniss ox Sens, March 1, 1852.—Beasts, 4,144 ; sheep, 20,870; calves, 141; pigs, 350. March 3, 1851.—Beasts, 3,347 ; sheep, 16,780; calves, 156; pigs, 350. NEWGATE AND LEADENHALL. The arrivals of country-killed meat continue extensive. With meat slaughtered in the metropolis we are fairly supplied. Generally speaking the demand is steady, a 3 ThLtows : Per Blbs by the carcase. s. d. s. d. Beef, inferior 3 0 3 4 Do., middling 3 6 3 8 Do., prime large 3 10 4 0 Do., do. small 4 2 4 4 Pork, large 3 4 4 2 s. d. s. d. Mutton, Inferior 3 2 3 8 Do., middling 310 4 2 Do., prime 4 4 4 8 Veal 310 5 0 Pork, small 4 4 5 0 BOROUGH HOP. Owing to the large supplies of foreign hops pressing for Bale, the demand is inactive, at our quotations. Last week's imports are 225 bales from Antwerp, and 413 from ()stand. si Mid and East Kent pockets, 9/. Os to 141. Os ; Weald of Kent ditto, 61. Os to 81. 8s ; Sussex ditto, 61. Os sl to 71. 12s ; and foreign, Si. Os to 71. OS per cwt. Si BOROUGH AND SPITALFIELDS. The arrivals of potatoes by land carriage have been less extensive since our last report ; yet the supplies on offer are good. About an average business is doing. Last week's imports were 420 tons from Rotterdom, 4 from Dublin, 1 from Sligo, 40 from Belfast, 1 from Tralee, and 2 from Waterford. The quotations to-day are as fol lows : —Kent and Essex Regents, 120 s to 150 s ; Scotch ditto, 120 s to 1358; ditto cups, 100 s to 120 s ; Irish 1003 to 120 s ; foreign, 100 s to 120 s per ton. WOOL. The public sales have been well attended by buyers in the past week, whilst the biddings have ruled steady, at fully the opening price s : —Port Phili p —Clean sheep's has realised is 2d to is lOid ; pieces, lld to is 5d ; scoured, is 6d to is lid ; broken, is ld to is 5d ; hoggetts, Gd to is 10id. Hobart Town—Clean sheep's, is 3d to is 8d • lambs', is 4d to is lOid damaged sheep's, ls 4d to' is 7d ;grease, 8d to lld ; pieces, 10d to ls 3id ; fleece, la 4d to is 8d ; skin, 10d to is 2d. New Zealand— Hoggetts, is 4d to is ; clean sheep's, is 4d to is Bd. Algoa Bay—Scoured sheep's, is ld to is 7d ; grease, &c., 7d to is 3d. Sydney—Clean sheep's, is 4d to is Bid ; damaged, is Od to is Gd ; combing, is Gd to is 10d ; grease, 7d to is 3d. Adelaide —Clean sheep's, is 2d to is 6d ; lambs, is 4d to is Bid per lb. Several parcels of foreign wool have been withdrawn ; those sold realised lid to is 2d per lb. Privately very little is doing, and low English wools are rather cheaper. Last week's imports were 111 bags from Hamburgb, 148 bales from the Cape, 14 from Ostend, 1,540 from Algoa Bay , 980 from S y dney, 56 from Leghorn, 23 from Mogadore 130 from Bombay, and 44 from Alexandria. SEEDS. Tho demand for clover seed is steady, at full quotations. Spring tares are very firm, and about an average business in linseed. Other seeds aro dull ; but cakes command extreme quotations. Tarnip,White, per bash. 224 to 243 Swede • • .• • • 22s 25s Mustard, Brown. • •• •• 128 14s White, new • • • . 14s IGs Thres,Winter, new .. • • 88 Od 930 d Spring • • • • • • • • •• Os Od Cs Od c a nary, per quarter • . 54a 60 s Eye arm .. .... • • • • • • 28s 844 clover, Red Eng. (cwt.) 568 gas NiTh it e • • • • •• • • • • 54s 80a rereign Red . • • • • • 56s 72a White•• •• 64s 96s Trefoil, new.. •• •• •• •• 28s 358 Carraway 425 485 Coriander •• • • .... •• .. 173 18s Hempseed, per quarter 42s 445 Linseed, Eng. Sowing • • 59s 63a Crashing .. • •. . • 55s 58s Baltic .. • • ...... 50s 55s Odessa ..... 51s 57s Linseed Cake, pr. ton — English .. . 91 10s 111 Os Foieign,per ton 910S111 10; Rape Cakes, pr ton 6110 s 71 Os Rapeseed,lgew, prlst 3010 s 321 Cs TALLOW. --, The demand for tallow is by no means active ; never theless, prices are well supported. To-day P.Y.C. on t h e spot is 63s Rer c wt. There is very little doing for forward delivery. Town tallow, 61s 6d per cwt. net cash. Rough fat, 3s 4Ad per 81bs. 1850. 1851. 41,115 378 9d to 38s Od 1,576 75,695 1852. I 1853. 1854. Stock this day .• • • Price of Y. C.: • • • • I Delivery last week • • Dttto from June 1 .• • • Arrivals last week.. Dittofrom June 1.... rate g Wra '33,513 36s 6d t0396(d 1 1,915 74,754 51.226 36,956 36s Od 10, 44s 3d 368 3d to 448 6d 2,681 2,059 85,594 78,799 1,122 680 100,286 75,127 9d. 454 9d 36,979 124 Od to 004 Od 1,644 78,782 1,671 92,446 634 6d 281 67,756 131116 d 91,692 390 64 - I 2 SHARE MARKETS. (THIS DAY.) BRITISH RAILWAYS. Closing Prices this day. Buiness done St. so this day. St. IPaid.l 30100 ;1;) I 8 i 0 I all ,3 'l all C 1 1 28 rTal all i i 0 I I 45 5 all 5 all .8 all ►o all It. all it. 100 15 82 ;t. 100 it. 100 it. 100 l 0 1 it. 100 it. 100 it. 100 it. 100 it. 100 it. 100 i 0 all .6i 11 .61 2 ;t. 100 .93 17 .4 114 i 0 all :0 all .1.4 all st. 100 ;0 12 .0 1 4) 34' ;5 all ;5 all it. 100 :2B 4i ;t. 100 ;t. 100 i 0 47 )0 all ;t. 100 6i 5 ! 15 17; ;t. lioo ;t. 10° - 1.6 16 l 6 11i 8 all 8 8 so all LO 4 LO 11l his !O all LO 10 1.0 1 ;t. 1100 0 21 2s it. 100 it. 100 it. 100 it. 100 0110 64€ au ;0 all ;t. 100 '0 all ;0 15 O 5 'A) 212 s 5 all 163 ;t. 100 [0 8 it. 100 15 20 ;CI 17 !CI all i 0 all n 14 n all .0 51s. it. 100 15 20 :5 14 it. 100 it. 100 it. 100 ,t - ,. ROO .5 I all 64 64 64 all 3 all 5 all 7i 2 6i all 6il all LO all !,0 all 5 all LO all ;t. 100 5 all 5 I all t. itoo t. 100 t. 100 .0 lO [6 6 64 all >t,. 100 ;t. 100 ;t. 100 L 6 6 M. 100 ;Clio° 1 )t. 1100 50 1 all '4. 100 ;t. 100 .2i all 2} all 5 all A) all 6 4i all 2? all .2 I , N it. 100 100 .6's 5 LO 6 ;t. 100 it. 100 it. 100 it. 100 'it. 100 i 0 all It. 100 l 5 15 8 all 8 all LO all [0 10 15 all LO 1i 0.6 all M. 1100 !O 1 all 5 I all 5I 3 It. 100 .7 5 ',5 10 RAILWAYS. Aberdeen . Ambg. Nottng. Bost and. Eastn. Junct Belfast & Ballymena Birming. Wolverh. & Stour Valley Birkenhd. Lancsh. & Cheshire Junct Do. Chcsh. & Birk., £5O and £25 Cons. Do., £2O Blyth & Tyne original £25 (issd. at £45) Bristol and Exeter Caledonian .... . .. Chester & Holyhead. Cork and Bandon Cork, Black, & Pass Cornwall Crieff Junction Dublin&BelfastJune Dundee Perth &Aber deen Junction Do. New...... East Anglian Do., (£lB E & H) Eastern Counties Eastern Union, A Stock Do., B. Stock Do., New A East Lancashire Edinburgh&Glasgow Edinb. and Peebles Edin. Prth . & Dundee Forth & Clyde June. Masgow — &g. Western Great Northern Stk. Do., A. Stock Do., B. Stock Gt. Sth. &West. (Ire ) Great Western Irish South-Eastern Lancaster & Carlisle Do., Thirds Do. New Thirds Lancash. andYorksh Do., Fifths D a. , Wst. Riding Un Leeds Northern Liv. Crsby. &Southpt London & Blackwall Lond. Mb. &Sthend. Lond. Bright & S. est. Lond. and N. Westn. Do. Fifths Do.lo/. 5h.,M&8...0 Do. Eighths London and S. Westn. Do., £5O Do., £4O Lndndrry& Coleraine Lndndrry. & Ennisk. Manch.Shef.&Lincln Do., Man. &Lin. Un Midland Do. Birmn g. & Derby Midid. G. West. (Ira.) Do. Half Shares Newcastle & Carlisle. Newmarket Do. , Bury Extension , Nwpt.Abirg. &Hrfd Newry & Enniskillen' Newry Warrenpoint . 13 and hostrevor. . Norfolk .. Northn.Counties Un North British North Devon, No. 1 Do., No. 2 Do., i A Deferred 0., B Guaranteed North London IDo. New £lO .IN.&S.Wstrn.,Hamp-1 _ stead, and City Jn North Staffordshire North Western N. & S. Westrn. June Nuneaton, Hinckley, and Leicester Oxford, Worcester, & Wolverhampton Portsmouth Scottish Central Scottish Midland Shrewsbury &Biimg Do. L. & N. Western Guaranteed Si Gek Shrewsby. & Herefd Shrewsby. & Chester (N. VV. Min ; Do. Halves,a e 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 96 551 156 13 95, 84 131 Ai - par - U6i - 10t4 Do Staines, Wok &Wok Stockton & Darling. Stockton & Hartlepl. Taff Vale . Do. £lO shares Do. Pref., No. 1 Thames Haven Dock and Railway Vale of Neath Waterfd. & Kilkenny Waterford&Limerick West Cornwall. West End of London 92 - 12A - 12 - - 6 - and Crystal Palace West London Wimbledn & Croydon York NewctL&Berw. Do. Extensions , Do. G.N.E. Purchase York & N. Midland !Aberdeen.. Do. No. 2, 7 p. c. Blyth and Tyne 10 per c. pref. (issd. at 501) Bris. Ex. 4p. c. St. Do. 4 p. c. Shares Caledonian £lO Chester & Holyhead Guar. 5i per cent Cork &Bandonsip.c Dundee Perth &Aber- deco Junction „, EastAnglian (i3los; 6 per cent Do. („t5) 7 per cent Do. (X 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 ... 55 id 5 21 9 dial 98 56.1 166 134 96 86 133 101 83 95 130 13 p 68 6d, i 8 P 97 4 105 rl 83 57 Par 4d 3 11 - 53 6 7#i - - 55 1 8 - 84 34 - 35 89 91 54 - 56 55 - 60 55 60 3 2d 16 18 8 9 12 13 n - 32 d 14 16 63 64 35i 36! 2 d par 4 5 30 - 32 ... " • •, 21 - 2j 15 11 5 - 5' 24 - 2 6 - 7 • . •• - .• 6 - 7 7 71 4t 50 - Do. 51., lo per cent. Do. 101. Debentr.Sh- East Lancash. 6 p. cts. East and West York shire June. Pref... EdinbPrth.&Dundee 5 per cent. Glasgow &S.Western Guar. 5 por cent Great Northn. 5 p. c Do. 5 p. c. Redeem., at 10 p. c. prom Do. 4i p.c. Scrip Gt.N. of Scot. Ist Prof Gt,Southn.&Westm. (Ireland) Eighths) Do. 4 per c. Pref. Sh. Gt. Westn. (Berks Hants Ex. 5 p. c) Do. coy. red. 46 p.c. Do. con. red. 4 p. c. Do. irred. 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. Prof., 5 p:c. St.l Do. Convertiblo, 5 p. c., 1852 Do. New Guar.6 p. c Lon. &N. W., Coy. & Nuneaton London & S. Western Con. Thirds Londonderry& Coler Shares - 2. Jen 6} - 6i ..• -- •,. 3i - 3i Lundy. & Ennis. 4 Sh. Man., Shef., & in., Shares, No. 1. Do. New, £lO . Do. £6 Niarypt.& Carl. 4 p.c Do. 4i per cent Do Consol.6 p.c.St Do. Consol. Bristol Sz, Birm. 6 per cent Do. Pref. , q per cent Norfolk Debenture, Do. Pref. 4 p. c. Stock Do. 5 p. c. Eat Do. 5? per ct pref._ Do. Way. Val. 5 p. c North British North Staffordshire Oxford, Worcester, & Wolverh.£ls, 6 p.c. Do Scot. Cent. , New Pref. Shrews. &Birm.N.G. Shrewsby. & Chester (Nor.W.ltlin), 8 p.c. Do. 5 per cent South Devon De. fixed, 4i per cent S. Eastern (Reading Ann.) of £1 Os. 6d. Do. 4 Aper cont S.Yorksh.4p.c.Guar Stockton and Dar lington, 4 per cent. Do. do. do. Stockton and Hartle pool, guar. 5 p. c. till Ist July, 1856 Waterfd.&Kilk.6p.c., York, Newcastle,and Berwick,4 p.c. Pre; Do York&N. Midland H, , rad N Purchfi ~,,, , .• "'-' ... , • '''''' IN o• ....... glee 714 -- 7j A d 51 3 1 PREFERENCE Si:TARES. 3 -- 31 4 -- 4 t i -- i P 1 -- lip 1 -- liP 13i -- 14 do --- il 109 - 111 i - il 8 - 8i 64 7 98 100 90 95 94 96 id — pA 137 -- 1 9 2i - 3 ii = 13 66 76 9 10 par i p 1•0 .... 0•1 1.36 - 138 104 - 106 i - 11 9i -- 10 16i -- 10 - 10 i 13 -- 15 id -- i 23 -- 24 17 = i o ••• ''' ... 94 97 - 4 a" id 13j i 96 7 ri 82i 3 641 4 36 7i 11/ i 63 i 35 701 9} 50i 1 137 20 50 20 25 141 I 25 25 t THE. SUN, LONIDON, MONDAY - EVENING, FEBRUARY 27, -1854, KHIVA.-BUSSIAN AGGRESSION. THE CRYSTAL PALACE COMPANY. ,§... --. A recent traveller in the East gives the following par ticulars respecting the territorial acquisitions of Russ:a in her Eastern frontier. They derive additional interest from the announcement lately made by telegraph of tte alleged taking of Khiva by the Russians :—The policy of territorial aggrandisement which has ever characterised the Russian cabinet has not been confined to Eurone alone. A powerful motive has never been wanting to stimulate aggression in the east. The Russian frontier has been advanced for a thousand miles along the western shores of the Caspian from the Don to the Araxes, while upon its eastern coast, and upon Khivan territory, two forts have been erected, with the ostensible object of protecting Russian fishermen from Khivan slavery. It is difficult to define the precise limit of the progress of Russia in this direction, but an irregular line drawn from the south-western angle of the Sea of Aral, west by south to the Caspian, may be laid down as the boundary beyond which the influence of Russia over the wandering tribes who inhabit thesteppeis no longerpredominant. The river Emba is, however, professedly the southern frontier of the recently-acquired Tartar province, which extends in an easterly direction to the borders of China, comprising an area equal to the whole of the south of Europe. This vast territory contains a wandering population of about four millions, composed for the most part of Kirgheez Cossacks, Calmucks, and TurComans. Nothing can be more cheerless than the aspect of the steppes upon which these nomadic tribes pasture their camels— throughout its entire extent not a tree is to be met with or a single fixed habitation to be seen, with the exception of a few recently established Cossack posts. Camel thorn and wormwood scrub afford but a scanty herbage ; water is extremely scarce ; a distance of 200 miles often intervenes between the brackish wells, while extensive saline deposits are to be met with in every direction. In winter the cold is intense, and the snow covers the ground to such a depth that cattle are sometimes starved to death before the return of spring. Then for a short time all is verdant and fresh, and caravans leave Khiva and Boukhara, with merchandise for the Russian fairs. During summer the burning heat parches up every green thing, and the arid desert is almost impassable. In autumn the caravans return. There are two principal routes from the east of Russia into the countries of Cen tral Asia. It is not long since I myself witnessed upon the borders of Orenburg the division of a large party of Khiva and Boukhara merchants returning laden with the spoils of the west. The greater portion took the route by Astrakhan and Mangishlak, as involving a shorter land journey. Miserable native craft ply be tween Astrakhan and the landing place on the eastern shores of the Caspian, near which is the small Russian fort of Alexandrofski. It is about 480 miles from this fort to Khiva, one of the most trying deserts for camels in Central Asia. In some places the road attains a considerable elevation, water and pasture are both unusually scarce, and for eight or nine days not even the black 'tent of a Kirgheez is visible. The accounts which Mouravieff and Abbott give of this desert are such as might fairly strike dismay into the heart of the most intrepid traveller, and much more of a Russian general at the head of an invading army. Indeed, although this route was preferred on account of its short ness by my Asiatic travelling companions, the difficulties which it opposes to the transport of an army are so great as to render the invasion of Khiva from this direction a matter of utter impossibility. This has been long re cognised by the Russian Government, who have concen trated all their " materiel" at Orenburg, and who, ever since the celebrated expedition of Peroffski, have been bent upon again attempting under happier auspices the enterprise which then so signally failed. Fortunately for Khiva nature has interposed such stupendous ob stacles in the way of the scheme of invasion that even Muscovite perseverance and hardihood can scarcely be supposed already to have overcome them. Although Orenburg is the most fruitful province in Russia, and is therefore the best adapted as a starting point for an in vading army, the desert which intervenes between it and the Sea of Aral is almost precisely similar in character to 1 that between Khiva and the Caspian. The pasturage is in parts finer, and the banks of the river Emba form a sort of oasis in the desert, and nearly divide the distance. The time occupied by caravans in making the transit of this desert from Khiva varies considerably, but it is never less than five weeks. The Kirgheez supply the camels, and are the cause of innumerable delays to the unfortunate merchants, who are not unfrequently robbed by them into the bargain. This miserable race, how ever, though too restless and independent in their habits to do more than own a nominal allegiance to Russia, however ill-disposed they might feel towards an invad ing army, could never be formidable to it in a warlike point of view. Weak and cowardly, they are treacher ous and vindictive, and would no doubt content them selves with removing their flocks and herds from the line of march. The inclemency of the weather and the dif ficulty of feeding his men compelled Peroffski to retreat after he had reached a point half-way between the Emba and the Sea of Aral. At whatever time of year the expedition might be undertaken, the latter difficulty must always exist to a very great extent, for even the Cossacks at many of the posts which must necessarily be well garrisoned to keep at bay the Kirgheez and Turco mans, have occasionally run short of supplies. Unless, therefore, the inhabitants themselves can be induced to sacrifice all their worldly wealth to a power which can exercise no real authority over them, and voluntarily deprive themselves of their only means cf subsistence to satisfy the wants of a host of invaders, I cannot see how the march can be accomplished; for to suppose that the entire commissariat of an army sufficiently strong to capture Khiva can be conveyed from Orenburg across the most terrible country in the - world to that city seems to me, in any case, and more especially from what I know already of Russian commissariat arrangements, absurd. The Khivan army consists of upwards of a hundred thousand men, and though, from what little we have heard of their prowess, they do not seem the bravest troops in the world ; yet if the condition of the Russian army, after some months of intolerable hardship, be con sidered, even the cowardly but savage Shivans might prove their equals. Under any circumstances, an expe dition such as that against Khiva would be heard of long before it could reach that distant city, and after the ex perience of Peroffski would certainly not again take place in the depth of winter. Of 10,(00 men that ac companied the Russian general on that ill-fated enter prise 8,000 are said to have perished in the snow-drifts. I am, therefore, inclined to look with considerable suspi cion upon these floating rumours, and to regard them as having been originated in the usual way by Russian agents. But that there is an expedition contemplated on the part of Russia, I have no doubt, and, probably, in a few months, we shall hear more authentic accounts of its progress. Of its political importance there is no occasion to speak. The tendency of Russia has been to encompass the Caspian, and by uniting the provinces of Ghilan Mazenderan and Astrabad with Turcomania, to consolidate her influence upon the northern frontier of Persia, and gradually to absorb that kingdom in pursu ance of her systematic policy until, pressing upon the northern slope of the Hindoo Khoosh, and after having crossed impassable deserts, she may deem her armies all the more competent to climb impassable mountains, and find their reward and repose in the sunny plains of India. The report of the directors states : " That they have the pleas tire of announcing that the various works are so far advi vnced as to leave no doubt that the opening will take palace at the latter end of May next. Of course an undertaking of such magnitude and novelty cannot be expect ed to be complete in all ts details at its first opening • ; but it will be so in ts general effect and in all th e leading features which have been announced to the public, with one excep tion only, viz., that, owing to an unforeseen engi neering difficulty in the proposed construction of the tank towers, those towers' will have to be re-built, and until this is done the jobs of water in the lower basins cannot be played. This will not affect the beautiful series of fountair Ls in the building and ter race-gardens, and therefore, al though the full effect of the unrivalled system of water-wo.:•ks designed by Sir Joseph Paxton cannot be at once displayed, in all other respects the entire scheme of the palace, gardens, and park will be substantially completed, producing, as the directors confidently believe, a result surpassing, in grandeur, beauty, and interest, all the most sanguine anticipations that have been formed during its progress. In order to attain this result, a considerably larger expenditure of capital will be required than was foreseen last year. Sir Joseph Paxton's report, annexed, explains in full detail the causes of this increased ecependiture, which may be stated generally as follows :--1. The great delay and difficulties caused by the unseasonable weather and ac cidents have occasioned large extra expense not only in themselves, but also in the exertions necessary to make up for lost time, so as to insure the opening in May. 2. The extrawdinary rise in wages and in the price of materials has affected large portions of the work, which did not ad,riait of being let by definite con tracts. 3. The progress of the scheme has shown the necessity for embracing o bjects not contemplated in the original estimates, such a s the widening of roads and construction of new app. °aches, carriage stands, &c., beyond the precincts of th e company's original grounds. These indispensable improvements, without which carriage access from London would have been almost impossible, would have been attended with a much larger expense, owing to the greatly enharched value of all property adjoining the palace, had not the directors fortunately secured for the company a lease for eighty-four years, of the Dulwich Wood, immedi ately opposite to the building, at a rental of 3,0001. a year. This lease gives them the .control of property which is invaluable as a security against the creation of nuisances near the palace, and as a site for hotels and other enter prises in connection with it, and at the same time saves heavy expense in the construction of approaches, and leaves the company in possession of land which is already worth considerabAy more than the stipulated rental. 4. The elaborate manner in which many of the courts and other denartm eats connected with the fine arts and industrial exhibiti on have been carried out has considerably increased their • cost. For instance, the idea of the Pompeian Court has been expanded from that of a refreshment room, with s ome decorations in the Pom peian style, to that of the c omplete and accurate repre sentation of a Pompeian h o use, under the direction of Signor Abbate—a work whi.th may be fairly stated to be of the greatest possible value to English art, as well as to all those branches of manufacture which are allied to art, and in which beauty of design and colour is an es sential element of success. On the whole, considering the magnitude of the operations, and the very substan tial and perfect manner in which they have been con ducted, the directors believe that their completion for a sum not exceeding one million sterling, will be a result in which this may well bear comparison with other great public undertakings- The present amount of share capital is 750,0001., of which 700,1501. has been received. The amount expended up to the present time is 679,7201., the details of which are given in the following statement :--Land, deducting 55,4881. received for re-sales, 50,2401 . . ; purchase and removal of the original building, 95,000 e. ; construction of the main building, 135,050/. ; tunnel, heating apparatus, &c., 24,5361. ; wings of the Crystal Palace, water towers, &c., 34,090/. ; hydraulic works, fountains, lakes, Arte sian well, &c., 93,6701. ; park, terraces, gardens, &c., 98,214/. ; new roads and approaches, &c., 4,350/. ; interior of building, plants, garden works, fountains inside the palace, & 6,450/. ; natural history illustrations, 11,1761. ;; Fine Arts Courts—Porn peian, Alhambra, Assyrian, Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Medireval, Renaissance, Ktalian, and Byzantine, 52,5001.; collection of sculpture, 32,060/.; sundry fittings, 7,0001.; general expenses, 35,3141. ; total, 679,720. The direc tors, having carefully considered the best mode of rais ing the additional capital: required, have come to the conclusion that the most advisable course is to issue among the proprietors, rateably, 50,000 new shares of 51. each, giving one such new share to each registered holder of three of the present shares, with a deposit of 11. 10s. per share on allotment. REPORT OF SIR JOSEPH PAXITON TO THE DIRECTORS ON THE CAUSES OF THE INCREASED EXPENDITURE. Crystal Palace-office, Rock-hills, Sydenham, Feb. 6, 1854. Gentlemen—ln accordance with the minute of the board of the 25th January, referring to me the question of the total expenditure of the company, I beg to report to you that I have gone very carefully and minutely into all the details requisite to arrive at the amount of the company's capital expenditure, which I find to bo 997,3721.: and I now beg to subjoin the best evplanation I am enabled to give you with regard to the larga`increase in the proposed cost of the undertaking which appears, on comparing the present aggregate with the estimate of June, 1853, when it was considered that the share capital of 750,0001. would be sufficient for the completion of the works. Amouut of increase on the estimate of June 1853. A. Reconstruction of the main Building.— The increase arises from the necessity of putting in new staircases from the basement storeys, of further strengthening portions of the building, and sundry other additions, in all amounting to B. Wings of the Crystal Palace.—The increase is entirely in order to provide a larger exhibit ing area, and the outlay will certainly be amply repaid : it amounts to C. Water Towers.—Doubts having arisen as to the strength and capacity of these towers, it has been thought the safest course to take them down and rebuild them on a larger scale, It is difficult to estimate the total increased expense thus occasioned, but from engineering and other opinions I have taken, I cannot state it at less £6,500 than D. Heating Apparatus.—The increase is for heating the wings, not previously contemplated, but now found to be necessary partly for the reason stated in B E. HydraulicWorks.—There is a very considerable increase in this item. It is caused, in the first place, in conse quence of our taking the supply of water from an Artesian well instead of from the Lambeth Water-works as at first proposed, thus saving the company a large annual payment for water rent This addition I estimate at £20,000 Some additions have been found ne cessary to the plan for the cascades, computed at For the iron pipes, valves, and fit tings connected therewith Sundry as tistic decorations, such as dolphins' heads, mercuries, &c., and my design for temples at the source of the cascades will an occasion an in crease of Sculptured figures and ornamental vases required to be distributed over the cascades Arrangements to provide against risk from fire F. Ground and Terrace Gardens.—The increase here is attributable to an enlargement of the original design to an extent of 58 acres G. Roads and Approaches H. Interior of the Palace.—The increase here will be entirely caused by the construction of seven Industrial Courts of a character not contemplated in June last, and by other ac commodation rendered necessary for exhibi tors, and amounts to I. Geological Illustrations.—There will be an increase here in consequence of the construction of a second island, and the extension of the plan for the preparation of extinct animals and geo logical works K. Sundry small items 24,000 11,000 Total increase in departments under my charge 2183,372 L. Fine Arts.—Messrs. Jones and Wyatt, un der whose superintendence the courts and gallery of sculpture have been prepared, have reported to me that the amount of increase under this head willbe ...................................................... M. General Charges.—There will be a consi derable increase in the amount of these charges in consequence of the postponement of the open ing and the expenses of application to Parliament for the diversion of parish roads, and compulsory powers to enable us to construct new roads and approaches, undoubtedly necessary to the success of the undertaking. The amount of this is 50,000 14,000 217,372 750,000 LINES LEASED AT FIXED RENTALS. Leasing Compans. Closing Prices this day. London & N. West. L.&N.W. Caledon... Gt.Nrthn. Caldonian. Do Gt. Weetn Yk. New. & Berm Md Do Do S. Eastern , Do INorfolk.. L.& N. W. ' & Midld. 3tckton Darlingt. Aidland E. Count Do Do L. &N.W &Ln&YX Do Gt Northn Do Lawash& Yorksh. K.ltiClean Stockt. & Darlingt. IGtWestn, e - j - 101 48 - 50 L4O - 142 30 - 32 104 —lo6xci 52 —53 „ 1 13 134 244 —2s4zd 2i - 3 98 = fot 59 - 61 ... ^ - • • • ''''." .--".. 08 - 142 "t - ad. I 29§ —30 i„, 95 -- 97 FOREIGN. 3i —21 d 1 1 4i 30 k -P 4 ---- 2id 2i Zip - i p 1 52 —46 d it .1 - 2} -d i - 1 p ••: - , ••• 0 - L p dis 61 - 7 4,t - 41 1 - 1 - 1. 1 - 1 .•. ... i d par 71 - 7i iii ioi •• ••• 74 - - 8i 123 - 12tp 42 44 34 —36 ad 284 —28 i ... --pm 3 1 d ld par . ---d 8 8i ... - pm si 1 2i -:- 3 ... -- .. -- •• 5 --4 . i f -1 fd i - 11' d 7 9xd Li 5i ti 2i —3O —ld 42 44xd Il d 60 70 4 - 6pl it - 21 - Xll - it I cll 11 - 12 6 d -- 1 id- ; p 17 - 19 - - P 28 - 30 8 10 —4 d 4 5 3 id 34 —dl g al 6 — i di 76 - 78 -..: d 2 lid 3 -- 2id i id 43 :-_• 44 - 46 io 42 67 69 7 7i I Paid., RAILWATO. all Bedford and Bletchley 100 Buckghanash all Clydesdale Jc. 1.00 E. Lincoln gr. 6 per cent. all Glas. Barr. & Neils. Direct all Do. New all Glstr.& Dn. Fr all Elrtlpl. Dk. & Railway all Hull & Selby all Do. Shares. all Do. 4 Shares. all Lon.&Greenw all Do. Preference 100 Lowestoft gr. 4 per cent. LOO Do. 6 per ct. all stanch. Bxtn and Matlock, all Middlesbro' & Redcar all Aidld.Bradfd all Northern and Easterusp.c. Do. 6 per ct. all Do. Fixeds p s all Prest. & Wyre 50 25 124 131 20 20 12i St. St. 25 12 Do. shares. 100 Roystn.kliit. 100 Do.Shepth.St 18 Shef.Roth.and Gooleg.s p.c. 9i S. Staffordsh. all WearValleygr 6 per cent... all IDo 100 I Wilts&Somrst 7 rntwerp&Rotterdare 3 Belgian Eastn. June. 8 Beziers to Graissessae 2e. Bombay, Baroda, and Central India ,Scrip ... Central of Italy - all Charleroi& Erqueliu all Demerara 14 Dijon and Besancon 8 Dutch Rhenish . all East Indian 2 Do. Extension all Gt. Indian Peninsula 10 Gd. Junct. of France ?A Grd . Trunk of Canada 30 Do. Debentures all Do. do 8 Gt. Central of France all Gt. Western of Canada Shares Do. Bonds (Ist is.)'s7 15i Hamilton & Toronto all Do. 6 per cent. 5 Lake Cond. & Basle 5 all Lucca d Pistoj a 5 p.c pref 15 Luxembourg 10 Do. (Railway) 2 Do. Pref 3 Do. (Canal) 5 Do. 6p. ct. pref 8 Lyons and Geneva 12 Lyons & Mediterran. 10 Hadras 33A Maria Antonia all Do. do. New 2 Melbourne Dk. &Ry all Namur & Liege (with interest). - - all Do. (ex interest) all Northern of France Do. 201. 3 p. c Bds all (fmy. .B. & Ams. Shs. ) all NorwegianTrunkPref 10 Paris and Lyons all Ditto Bonds all Paris and Orleans.... all Paris and R0uen...... all Paris and Strasbourg 4 ParisCaen & Cherbrg 10i Quebec & Richmond all Rouen andHavre 9 Royal Danish 2 Royal Swedish all Sambre and Meuse 6 Do. 5i p. cent. Pref 6 Southern of France 6 St. Andrew's and Quebec (A) all West Flanders all Do. 5i per c. Pref 10 Western of France 5 West. of Switzerland 2 Wiesbaden 15 Zealand all Agua Fria all Anglo Austrin. Gold 11 Anglo Californian 2 Australasian 6 Australian all Australian Cordillera all Australian Freehold all Ave Maria all Baden (Gd. Duchy of) all Blaenarvon Ir. & Coal all initish Austria. Gold 13.5 British Iron Brazilianlmp.(issued at L 5 pm all Do. Cocaes & Cuiada 15 Do. St. John Del Rey Carson's Creek 4 Clarendon Con. Min. Co. of Jamaica all Cobre Copper 1 Colonial Gold 15 Copiapo all Copper Min. of Eng. all Do. Pref. 7. p. cent. all English and Austrin. Copper Smeltg.Co. all General all Great Nugget Vein... all Do. Registered all Great Polgooth all Liberty all Linares all Lond.&Californ.Gold Quartz Crush. Co all Mariquita 9 Mexican&S.Amerien all Now Granada all New Linares Mining and Smelting Co all Noui-eau Monde all Pontgibaud Silver Lead Min. & Smelt 1 Port Philip all Quartz Rock all Rhymney Iron 15 Do. New 10i Santiago de Cuba all south Australian 7 Tin Croft all United Mexican all Waller all West Granada all West Mariposa 12s. Worthing Mining 01 Australia ....... : all Yuba JOINT-S' all ittustralaaia all !British Colonial Bank _ and Loan Company all British N. American 5 Chartd. Bank of Asia 2 Chrtd. Bnk. of India, Australia, & Chins 25 Colonial 20 Commercial of Loud 10 English Scottish and -- 1 Australian ... . .... , 15 Lond. Chart. lii. o: Australia 20 London and County 10 London Joint Stock 20 .Lond. & Westminster 35 National Provincial of England 10 Do. New 22, , , National of Ireland all New South Wales all Oriental Bank of Corporation. 5 Do. New 25 Provincial of Ireland all Do. New 1 Royal Australn.Bkg & Gold Imp Co all South Australia all Union of Australia 2 Do. New 10 Union of L0nd0n..... MISCELLANEOUS 25 20 10 10 50 all Aubin Coal and Iron 176 Australian Agricult. 14 Austral6n.Pcific.Mal l 8 Australn. Royal Mail 26 Berlin Water Works 386 Brit. American Land 1 Brit. & Coln. Smeltg. and Reduction Co.. ii - ii 321 Canada 5 Crystal Palace 4 Do. N0w...... 2 Crystal Pal. of France 3 Eastern Steam 20 Electrit Telograph(A) all Do. (B) 1 Electric Teleg. of Ir. 14 Gen. Steam Navigat. 18 General Screw Steam 7} Irish Beetroot Sugar 10 Magdalena St. Navig. all Nat. Pat. Steam Fuel 3 Netherlands Land.... 1 N. S. W. Coal & Inter. Steam Navigat. Co. all N. B. Australasian... Do. New 10 Nrth. ofEuropeSteam all reel Rr. Ld. & Minrl. all Peninsular & Oriental 30 Do. Do. all Portland Iron Co 60 Royal Mail Steam . . all Scot. Austral. Invest. 25 South Austral. Land all Submar. Telegraph.. all Do. Registered 281 Van Diemen's Lana ii 7- 75 - 7 5 - 8 0 la li p 1i - 11 p 15 20 20 20 18 . x . d 1 r• - •N •• • - ID - pa r— i I ..i— ... d Pa iP i 1 7n 4i 6i I 38 4 0 1 r i r - i ,c 13 14 His worship, the Mayor of Liverpool, J. B. Lloyd, Esq., entertained to dinner, on Thursday evening, the Town-hall, about 50 gentlemen, amongst whom were three or four magistrates, and several members of the own COunoil. Business this day. LLOYD'S SHIPPING.-(THIS DAY.) LONDON, Feb. 27.—Wind this day at Noon, W. ; light breeze, and fine, clear weather. The Clarence (schr.), of Caen, was fallen in with 9th inst., in 44 let. and long. 11, with lower masts gone below the rigging, and a flag flying hail-way up the stump, but apparently perfect in her hull. RAMSGATE, Feb. 2 6 . — Arrived—Abina, from Amster dam, for Surinam, to stop a leak in the bow. Sailed— Chevalier, for Melbourne. PLYMOUTH, Feb. 26.—Wind, S. Arrived—Queen of the South (a s), from India. Sailed—Nimrond, for Sydney, N.S.W. ; Parsee, Adelaide. COWES, Feb. 26.—Wind, N. Sailed—Helen, for Roi Janeiro ; Kingfisher, Savannah. PORTSMOUTH, Feb. 26 W; -nd, N.N.W. Arrived— H.M.'s st. Rhadamanthus, from the eastward ; H.M.S. Diligence, Queenstown ; H.M.S. M ag i c i enne, DOVER, Feb. 26.—Wind, N.N.W. to N.B. Arrived— Exchange, from Falmouth, for Newcastle, with damage, having been in collision. Sailed—Viola, for Matanza, after repairing. The Harbinger, Montrose to Barcelona, has put in here leaky, having been on shore. FALMOUTH, Feb. 26.—Wind, N. Arrived—Jenny, from Rio Janeiro ; Maria Jose, Pernambuco, with jibboon carried away; Heinrich Wergeland, Alexandria ; Un daunted, Berdianski, and sailed for London; Ann Stainton, Taganrog ; Cornelia Wilhelmina, Thrall, for Limerick. Off Port—Norden, from Honduras. GLOUCESTER, Feb. 2 5 . Arrived—Geo. Douthwaite, Kertch. Sailed—William, for Sydney. DARTMOUTH, Feb. 26.—Wind, E. Sailed—Regina dos Beiges, for Genoa. BRIDLINGTON, Feb. 23.—Wind, B. b y N. • Arrived— Bertha, from Dordt, for Newcastle, i n t ow , w ith l oss o f sails, spars, and leaky ; Lofthouse, London, for Sunder land, towed in with loss of sails and bulwarks, having been in collision with the Bertha ; Ligo, London, for Whitby, with loss of anchor and chain. SUNDERLAND, Feb. 25.—A steamer's life-boat, marked " Blanche" on both sides, and painted blue outside and yellow inside, with a blue bottom, was picked up off Scar borough 23d Feb., and landed here, by the Duchess of Northumberland, arrived at this port. HALIFAX, N.S., Feb . 16. The wreck of a derelict barque, under dose-reefed main topsail, other sails furled or blown away, with a round stern, topgallant bulwarks painted white, and b o a ts all g one, was passed 29th Jan., about 20 miles south of Cape Saddle, by the Commodore, arrived here from Boston. The Canada Cs.) arrived here this day from Liverp ool ; reports having passed through considerable quantities of ice and lost several of her paddie floats. CAPE OF GOOD Hon, Jam 13.—The Lady Charlotte Guest, from Mauritius to Falmouth, foundered 23d Dec., in lat. 30 S., long. 40 E.; crew saved by th e M aranon , ar rived here from the Mauritius. CAGLIARI, Feb.l6.—The Allison, from Odessa to Queens town or Falmouth, which put back to this port 2d Feb., will have to discharge the whole of her cargo, part of which filamaged. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) LIVERPOOL, Monday, 10.30 a.m. Wind, W.S.W. ; fresh breeze, and fine. Arrived—Pyreole (s), from Nantes. There was no arrivals yesterday. Sailed—Corrido, for Pernambuco; Orleans, New Orleans. Dryad, Lima; Middleton , S t. John ' s, N.B. ; A rcti c , New York ; Almelo, San Francisco; Kate Hunter, New Or leans ;'United, Honduras ; Maria M'lntyre, Hobart Town. (BY SUBMARINE AND EUROPEAN TELEGRAPH.) GRAVESEND, Monday, 9.54 a.m. Wind, W.N.W ; fine ; tide, two hours' flood. Arrived.—Lion, steamer, from Harlingen ; Ravens bourne, from Antwerp ; Diana, steamer, from Rotterdam QUEENSTOWN, Feb. 25. Wind, W. ; fresh. Arrived—Cressida, from Mattritius ; Bazie, from Ma. °6ll4ll—"TenlS, fix Lob% 6,000 104 1 i i i 12 i i 10 . 20 10 d 20 20 xa 11 50 1 10 1 1 50 15 30 1 m 10 P 28 Pm 1 50 1191 25 . 1 20 50 50 100 100 20 17 20 20 20 20 20 25 100 100 20 20i 20i 100 20 ad 30 id 6 7 7 8 31 4 I I I 7i 141 25 45i 5 Estimate of June, 1853,. £997,372 Having now given you, as nearly as I can, the causes of the increase in the cost of the Crystal Palace and park, the following general observations occur to me : First.—The estimate of 750,0001. was framed with the beat knowledge we then possessed of what would be the requirements of the undertaking, but more careful and attentive consideration, and the development of the scheme, brought out many absolutely necessary features which were not foreseen, but which are decidedly requisite for the completion of this great object. Secondly.—l assure you most confidently that every thing has been done with the strictest regard to economy, combined with stability and efficiency, and that none of the additions causing the increase could be dispensed with without serious detriment to the ultimate success of the company, both in a pecuniary and national point of view. Thirdly.—From the intimate knowledge I have now al quired of all the details, I have no doubt that the comple tion of the works within the amounts now proposed may be confidently relied on. Fourthly.—The undertaking will have cost, in round num b e rs, a sum of 1,000,000/. ; and I think the se holders, as well as the directors, on reflection and observa tion, will not fail to perceive that so grand a plan, com prising the erection of certainly the largest building in Europe, the formation of an extensive collection of objects of art and science, and the preparation of ornamental gar dens to the extent of upwards of 200 acres, will not suffer, as regards cost, by comparison with any other scheme ' w hether of a public or private nature. — l am , gentlemen, your obedient servant, Total JOSEPH PAXTON, To the,Directors of the,,Crystal Palace Company. AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS. CITY MEMORIAL TO LORD ABERDEEN. Lord Aberdeen received a deputation from the city on Saturday, at Downing-street, to present a memorial on agricultural statistics, which' is believed to be one of the most influential, in regard to signatures, which has ever emanated from the city of London. The following gentlemen composed the deputation :—Messrs. John Masterman, M.P., Alexander Matheson, M.P., T. A. Mitchell, M.P., S. Gregson, M.P., F. W. Russell, M.P., John Ingrain Travers, R. W. Crawford, W. S. Lindsay, John Dillon, James Caird, John Gladstone, Louis Huth, A. Ralli, J. D. Powles, &c. Mr. MASTERMAN presented the memorial, and stated the great importance of its object to the commercial in terests of the country, which was manifested, in so far as the city was concerned, by the numerous and very influential signatures appended to it. He trusted that his lordship and the Government would be enabled to effect such arrangements as would secure the object sought by the memorialists—the collection of accurate returns of the agricultural produce of the country. Mr. GREGSON, in following Mr. Masterman, said that he had mentioned the subject in the house last session, and received a satisfactory reply from the President of the Board of Trade. Since then some inquiries had been instituted, and returns had been delivered from three counties in Scotland. Similar experiments had been made in two counties in England, and every 'disposition had been shown on the part of the President of the Board of Trade to make piogress in obtaining this information. He might state that the return should be obtained and published with as little delay as possible after harvest, in order to their being of any practical value, for in regard to the Irish returns the value they possessed was much impaired by the fact that they were not delivered till 15 months after the harvest to which they referred, thus telling us the quantity of corn at our disposal three months after it had been consumed. He might offer as a striking illustration of the value of such returns, in comparison with the cost of obtaining them, the fact that the quantity of corn annually sold in this country was estimated at 40,000,000 qrs., upon which a fluctuation of only ls. a qr. amounted to 2,000,0001. sterling. Correct returns would, in great measure, check excessive fluctua tion. An objection had been made, that the returns might be viewed as inquisitorial in their nature ; but it had been satisfactorily shown to the farmers, by Mr. Pusey and Lord Ashburton, that they were the parties who would be chiefly benefitted. He could not presume to enter into the detail of the mode of carrying the project into effect. The Tithe and Enclosure Commission-office had been suggested as an already organised body, with com pletely qualified officers in every part of the country, whose services might be made available in this inquiry. At present there was an uncertainty to the extent, as stated in the memorial, of 1,000,000 of tonnage as neces sary to carry the supplies needed from abroad before next harvest. The expense nationally would be nothing, compared to the magnitude of the object and the impor tant interests at stake. Lord ABE BDEEN said—Hitherto experiments have been made with a view to test the practicability of collecting accurate returns. Those made in Scotland have been very successful. In England the same system has been tried in two countries, Norfolk and Hampshire. At first it was not attended with the same success, as much opposition was offered, and more would have been if the returns had been made compulsory. It is therefore desirable to avoid mea sures which might appear compulsory. lam happy to say that now there is every prospect of the experiment being attended with perfect success. I have therefore no hesitation in saying, that enough has been done to prove that a system may be extended generally through. out the country, though I am not prepared to say by what machinery. The importance of the object is fully admitted, and its practicability proved. The time and the mode of inquiry are, therefore, now the only points to be determined. The question of expense would have to be submitted to the Chancellor of the Exchequer; but on that point I do not anticipate much objection. Mr. LINDSAY, after what had fallen from Lord Aber deen, felt it unnecessary to urge this matter at much length, his lordship having signified his concurrence with the views of the memorialists. He would therefore only add that the signatures to the memorial were those of men representing the most important interests in the city of London, and who did not put their names to any document the object of which they had not fully consi dered. As an extensive shipowner he was personally cognisant of the evils attending the want of reliable in formation on this important subject. To illustrate this he might refer to the great fluctuation occasioned in freights by this uncertainty—those from Odessa having varied from 60s. to 170 s. since last harvest. This was an instance of the manner in which the want of statistics of the year's produce operated in shipping, but he was aware that it acted no less injuriously on most of the other great commercial interests of the country. Mr. CAIRD, in reference to what had been said by Lord Aberdeen on the objectionable character of compulsory measures, expressed his belief that a system could be adopted, which he had indeed already prepared, but at that time felt it unsuitable to present to his lordship, by which this objection might be obviated. The main ob ject was to get trustworthy returns at an early period after harvest, and in such a mode as should admit of an easy check on their accuracy. From his personal acquaintance with inquiries of this nature, he had no hesitation in saying that a system might be introduced by which all these important objects would be secured. The great fluctuations already mentioned sufficiently proved that, in comparison with their value, the cost of collecting these returns was a trivial consideration. As a further instance of this he might add that the corn crop of the British Islands of 1853 is, when valued by , the average prices of this week, worth 40 millions ster ling more than it was in the first week of harvest, so entirely are we without reliable information as to the real value of our crops. Accurate information would certainly not remedy the injurious effects of bad seasons, but it would equalise prices, permit of timely arrange ments for adequate supplies, and prevent those sudden fluctuations which all admit to be so injurious to com merce and trade. Such statistics were already obtained in the continental States and in America, as also in our own dominions in Ireland and in Canada. He could confirm what had been stated of the great importance to the agricultural interest, with which he was more imme diately concerned, of trust worthy agricultural statistics. Mr. RUSSELL shortly urged the importance of the sub ject, which was fully acquiesced in by Lord Aberdeen, and the deputation then withdrew. THE CRYSTAL PALACE. According to the announcements issued, Saturday was the day fixed for closing the works to all visitors—the press, of course, excepted. As might have been anticipated from the extreme fineness of the weather, and the intense interest taken in the progress of this gigantic structure, a large number of visitors availed themselves of this last chance of seeing the progress of the works. The various avenues leading to the palace were quite thronged with vehicles and equestrians, and among the latter were an unusual proportion of the gentler sex. Stabling accommodation for the horses and carriages was hardly to be obtained in the neighbourhood. indeed the inhabitants of Norwood seemed quite over whelmed, and to calculate with something like fear what the rush of visitors would be when once the palace was fairly thrown open to the public. About 14,000 or 15,000 visitors paid at the doors during the course cf the day. The Greek, Roman, and Pompeian courts, as being the most advanced, were the greatest objects of attraction, while the Alhambra, which will far surpass them all when finished, received on Saturday only a cursory glance from some of the more adventurous explorers. The gardens, though in a very backward state, and at present damp and inconvenient to walk about in, were much patronised, as were also the extraordinary geological productions of Mr. Water house Hawkings. It is intended to open the building to the public on the 24th of May next ; though, of course, at that early time very considerable portions of the inte rior adornments must be unfinished. Indeed, if the company can manage to get the building any way pre sentable by the 24th they will have accomplished a very miracle of labour, quite in keeping with the whole scheme. The men work at the interior until nine o'clock each evening, and the heads of departments speak confi dently of all being tolerably ready by the time mentioned. It is said that her Majesty and his Royal Highness the Prince Consort will be present at the public opening, which will be of the most imposing nature, and on a scale of grandeur hitherto unattempted. FALL OF PART OF THE OLD CITY WALL OF EDIN BURGH.—LOSS OP LIFE.—On Wednesday afternoon last, about 3 o'clock, a large portion of the wall of Edinburgh, supposed to be from 300 to 400 years old, gave way, and overwhelmed several persons in an immense mound of earth and stones. The wall here bounded the ancient city on the side of Canongate, and faced Leith Wyn e t e a very steep and narrow street, inhabited by d population. It was from 2 5 t 0 ,27 fe et in he ight on high n hi the side of the street, but on the other side there was bank, reaching to within five feet of the cope. The weight of the embankment , to which a considerable ad dition had been made some years ago, bad evidently had the effect of pressing the wall outwar nd ds, to as, be about on being it fou . plumbed a few weeks ago, top, IA eight inches o ff the line near the w e the seemedpres sure to be incre asin g from the accumulation of moisturewithin. Operations had been g oin g on for the drainage of Leith Wynd for some time, for the safety of which beams of wood were placed against the wall as buttresses. The drain having been carried past, a new stone pillar was inserted in the wall, with the expectation o f giving it solidity ; and the supports were removed on Wednesday forenoon, just three hours before the acci dent. The fall took place without warning of any kind, so that those who were on the spot had no time' to escape. The wall fell across the entire street, the cope stones breaking into the windows of the shops oppo site. In falling, the wall carried with it a great part of the embankment, so that the debris formed a huge mound, which, from its weight and solidity, and from the position of the street, appeared to be the work of days to remove. The width of the gap at the top was fully 20 yards. The sufferers were chiefly children. Two were extricated alive, but one of them is awfully muti lated, and is not expected to survive ; and two were, in the course of the night, taken out dead. Two workmen were injured by falling stones, but not seriously. It was feared that several other persons seen to be in the im mediate neighbourhood a few moments before the acci dent had been crushed in the ruins, but up to Thursday afternoon no more bodies had been found, and no in quiry had been made at the police-office for persons missing. The work of excavation, however, was not completed, so that the exact extent of the calamity could not be ascertained. The event has occasioned great ex citement in the neighbourhood, and considerable reflec tion that the wall had been suffered to remain so long in the dangerous position it has for some time done. 6,000 20,000 5,000 --67,500 29,500 15,000 26,000 4,000 3,872 NEWSP.APER c ~~.~ AFFAIRS ~~~' ~~z, —I - • - - , irieliv r ‘,. ow /- The Emperor of Russia : ei , :, • .:•`; bold face upon the difficult . ...! •-:-:- ..- • is about to play aga i ns t th e u .• ed a ces he most powerful St a t es i n E urope , against th cause of peace and order which he once professed to de fend, and against the interests of his neighbours, his allies, and his own subjects. According to the last information we have received, the Imperial Guards, which form a corps d'armee of upwards of 30,000 men, have been ordered to the frontier of the Baltic Provinces ; and the Prussian GI - lards are likewise ordered to advance to the northern ex tremity of the, kingdom, and to occupy Konigsberg and Memel. Upon the arrival at St. Petersburg of the answer from the English and French Govern ments to the last Russian communication, notice was at once given to our Minister at the Imperial Court that diploinatic relations would be suspended, and on the following day Sir Hamilton Seymour received from home orders to withdraw from Rus sia with the least• possible delay. But it may be worthy of observation that the rupture came from the side of the Imperial Government. The St. Peters burg Gazette—an organ not usually very commu nicative on matters of foreign policy—has pub lished a complaint of the form in which the intended operations of the combined fleets in the Black , Sea were made known to the Russian Cabi net, and great surprise is expressed that such a communication should have been made verbally, and not in writing. We do not know why the verbal form was preferred, though probably the French and English Ministers had their reasons for adopting that mode of communication ; but, at any rate, it is not alleged by the Russian Govern ment that the tenour of this verbal declaration was such e.s to admit of the smallest doubt or miscon ception. The terms of it were clear, and the object of it so undisguised that Count Nesselrode at once asked Sir Hamilton Seymour whether he was cer tain that his instructions went to the full extent of his words. It is not easy to form any certain estimate of the effect produced on the Russian nation by such pas sages in these transactions as are made known to them, although this is unquestionably one of the most important parts of the whole subject ; but, whatever may be the irritation or infatuation of the Czar, these passions will ultimately be curbed, not so much perhaps by the direct opposi tion of foreign armies, as by the reaction produced among his own subjects by the extraordinary measure: to which he has already had re course. His financial difficulties began almost as soon as the operations of war ; funds were drawn in from abroad, an appeal was made to the Holy Synod for a loan, voluntary contributions were required from all classes of the population in *one which left very little option to the contri butors, and a large issue of paper money was de creed, which must before long have the effect of reducing the present standard value of the entire paper currency. Of course these pecuniary ember- . rassmen:s are greatly increased by the de facto stoppage of the British trade; for as no remittances have been made from this country to Russia this winter for the purchase of raw produce in that country, the ordinary course of trade is as effectually stopped as if the blockade of the Russian ports had already commenced. The landowners who are the growers of this produce find their market cut off ; the agents who conduct the business are without their usual remittances, and all the innumerable transactions of private life which depend on this periodical arrival of foreign capital are suspended. The Russian Government, however, not taking into account the enormous inconvenience and dis satisfaction caused to the class of landed proprietors by this state of affairs, has proceeded to inflict on them two measures of a still more serious character. By a ukase of the 10th of February, the Emperor has ordered a levy of no less than 9 men on every 1,000 souls throughout the western governments of the empire, to commence on the Ist of March and to finish on the 15th of April, and by a special provision the Jews subject to the con scription are to furnish 10 per 1,000, instead of 9. This is one of the most oppressive and un usual measures which, even in Russia, has ever been resorted to by the Imperial Government. For the ordinary purposes of the military con scription the governments, or provinces of the empire, are separated into two eastern and western divisions, which are alternately called upon to furnish every other year the number of recruits required for the army. The proportion ordered has seldom exceeded 5 or 6 men per 1,000, except in 1849, when it was raised to 8 in the western, and 4in the eastern' division. It must be observed that this draught of men is not made, as in France and other countries, subject to military conscrip tion, on the male population of a certain age, but on the whole population of the district, or, as it is expressed in the ukase, " 9 men on 1,000 souls." The manner in which it is carried into effect is, that the whole number of serfs or peasants on a given estate or township (Volosti) are taken into account, and recruits must be furnished by the landowner in the proportion fixed by the Emperor. As about two-thirds of every 1,000 " souls" are women or children, or men past the age of labour ' the levy does in rea lity fall on the adult male population, and must therefor e amoun t to the proportion of aheast 3 per cent. The popula tion of Russia in the western governments on which this levy falls, omitting the parts of the empire ex cepted from it, cannot be less than 30 millions, and the number of men to be raised by this extraordinary call must therefore be from 270,000 to 300,000. It is impossible to conceive greater individual misery or greater public loss than must be occa sioned by this wholesale seizure of such a propor tion of the adult male population of the empire. The unhappy serfs, indeed, have no voice in the matter, and will be dragged from their homes by the inexorable will of the Czar, to lose their very names and their existence 'in the ranks of his army, like so many brute beasts marked out for in discriminate slaughter. But the labour of these men is the chief source of wealth in the country ; the property of the landowner consists in the mim ber of his peasants ; his income depends upon their industry; the ukases of conscription are at all times obeyed with reluctance tnd difficulty by the embarrassed nobles of Russia ; and this extraordi nary levy triples the burden thrown upon them at the time when they are least able to bear it, and must inflict incalculable hardships ou every class of society. The Government has, however, gone still further. To render this levy less intolerable to the peasantry, the Emperor has caused it to be accom panied by a second ukase, reducing the days of forced labour from three days in the week to two, which is, in other words, to reduce the rent and value of land by one-third wherever this law is applied. The tenure of land in Russia is by forced labour, and that is the only rent the lord of the soil obtains. However desirable it may be to alteT such a tenure, it is clear that the mere abolition, without indemnity, of one-third of that labour by which rent is alone paid, is as direct and violent an act of spoliation and robbery on the part of the Government as ever was devised by the wildest revolutionists of Western Europe. It is unnecessary for us to dilate on these facts. They prove more forcibly than anything we can say to what extraordinary and desperate measures the Russian Government has already been driven, and, if this state of things can be supposed to last for several months, or for one or two years, the most memorable consequences e t n h e the w authorityar of 85 4 of will the probably be those produced Czar himself, and the inter nal c o nd ition of his own dominions.—Times. THE PRESTON STRIKE. PRESTON, Feb. 25.—Few additions have been made during the present week to the number of operatives who have resumed work on the terms fixed by the Masters' Association, and some of the people employed at those terms have left the mills without notice, and have been su mmone d b efore the magistrates for breabh of contract. Under these circumstances the assotiated masters are preparing to advertise throughout the country tor "A large number of factory operatives, and young persons, of both sexes, desirous of obtaining employment in factories, with whom permanent engage ments will be made on liberal terms." It appears from the returns that the number of unem ployed hands relieved this week from the Trades' Unions funds was 14,551 ; last week, 15,567 ; decrease, 1,016. The amount distributed in relief this week was 3,2671. 16s. sd. ; last week, 3,454/. 55. 10d. • decrease, 1861. 98. sd. The decrease in the number of ? hands receiving re. lief from the highest point is about 2,000. Part of these have been absorbed by the 21 mills which are running at terms satisfactory to the operatives ; another portion by the 32 mills working at the associated masters' prices ; and the remainder consist of those who have left the town. SUSPECTED INCENDIARISi! IN ST. JAMES'S PARK.— Last evening some alarm was occasioned amongst the various promenaders in the enclosure of St. James's Park, in consequence of the sudden cry of " fire" being raised. It was then found that a small building in the enclosure, used as a provender store, was on fire ; and from the inquiries subsequently made the prevailing opinion is that some evil-disposed person had maliciot4ly set fire to the place. Information of the outbreak having been despatched to the eng ine station s with as little delay as possible, the B ri g ade en g ines fro m Chan dos-street, King-street, and other statio ns attended, when the firemen went to work.from the o rnamental river, and eventually g ot the flames subdu ed, but n o t until the building and it s contents were d estroyed. The loss, fortunately, is n ot ver y considerable ; but owing to the many rumours in circulation that the barracks in Bird cage-walk had taken fire, much alarm prevailed in the 4 neighbourhood of the Royal Park, 5 A 9ants F the part true- atest • 100 100 all all all 12 all all 1051 .168 8131