The Sun. — London, England, 1854-02-14 00:00:00

THEATRE ROYAL DRURY-LANE. Lessee, Mr. E. T. Stn tb. THIS EVENING, Frs. 14, Will be performed THE STRANGER. Characters by Mr. G. V. Brooke, A. Younge, and Belton ; Miss Featherst , ne, Mrs. Vickery. To conclude with RING HUAIMINGrOp ; or, Elaleguin and the Land of Toys. THEATRE ROYAL, HA YMA .{R}:T Uncle/. the mansge , rent of Mr. Rackstone THIS EVENIN(4,.. FEB. 14, Will be performed a new comic drama, ctiled R ►NELAGH. Characters by Messrs. Van ienhoff, W. Farren, and Buckstone ; Miss Reynolds, Mrs. Fitzwilham, &c. After which, the Grand Cif ItIiTMAS PANTOMIME, call. d HARLEQUIN AND THE THREE BEAR:; or, Little Silverhalr and the Fairies. Columbine, Miss M Brown; Hirlequln, Mr. J. Marshall; Pantaloon, Mr. W. A. Barnes; Clown, Mr. H. Marshall. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD.sTREET. Under the Mansgemmt of Mr. CHARLES KER N. THIS EVENING, Fzs. 14, Will be performed . "THE LANCERS; or, The-Gentleman's Son. Principal characters by Messrs. Meadows, Ryder, Everett, H. Mellon, nd D. Fisher; Mrs. Winstanley, Miss Daly, and Miss C. Le lercq. After which will be presented the new Grand CHRIST A AS PAN TOMIME, entitled HARLEQUIN AN THE AILLER AND HIS MEN; or, King Salamandar and the Fairy of the Azure Lake. Harlequin, Mr. Cormack ; Clown, Mr. Huline; Pantaloon, Kr. Paulo; and Columbine, Miss Desborough. LYCEUM THEATRE. Under the Management of Madame Vestris. THIS EVENING. Fan. 14. Will be performed A BACHELOR ON AurS. Characters by Messrs. C. Mathews, F. M a tth ews , and Baker; Miss F. Hughes. After which, the original Fairy Extravaganza, called ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WF.RE TWO KING-4. Principal cha racters by Mr. Roxby and Madame Vestris. To conclude with PATTER VERSUS CLATTER. THEATRE ROYAL A.DELPIII. Proprietor, Mr. B. Webster.-13tractress, Madame Celeste. TIII3 EVENING, FEB. 11, Will be presented the aux. with new pepulAr New Nktutical 3felo-drams in Ave ----- highly s cenery, the Set, of Ic , ?, &c., new Azip TAE WILD FL.nirt,:a OF _ II , O.XICI. dresses and appointments, called VIE r.mt,r OF TKK LOST SHIP Principal characters by assess.assess. l3 . Webster, K ee l ey, Paul Belton', Madame Celeste. &c. New OTo be followed by th e p o p ular and entirely "Ir'E'); or, rand Sp.cta enlar legendary Christmas piece, in two act , , with new scenery, - dresses. mac.hinerv. and aPirintornti, c a ll e d vi r 1(3 E': NIP, or THE SPIRIT BRUM , Principal characters b y Mr. Paul Bedford, Madame Celeste. Mrs. Keeley, Else wow gar, &c. ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE. Lessee and Manager, 31r. A. Wigan. THIS EVENING, Faa. 14, win be performed THE FIRS r NIGHT. Characters by Messrs. Alfred Maws, Leslie, Franks, Harwood Cooper, and Vincent ; 'Miss p. Horton, ant Miss IVynlham. After which, ran BENTGIL TiGPIR. Principal chiraetera by Messrs. Alfred Wigan, Leslit., and F. Robson ; and Mrs, A. Wigan. Followed by THE WiNrogn[Ni; MINSTIigL. STRAND THEATRE. So's Lessee, Mr. F. W. Allcroft.—Directress, Miss Rebecca Isaacs . TRIS EVENING, FEB 14, WM be pertbrmel THE ROBBER'i IFE. .• To be followed by STATE SECRE pr, The Irish Ambassador Atte , which, the new grand Comic Christmas PAotomim entitled HARLEQUIN AND KING NUTCR tCICK t ; or, The World of Toys. Clown, by he ',imitable Flextnore ; H trlequin, Mr. Bologna ; Pantaloon, Mr. Griflittur ; Columbine, Govrard, Stalls, 55.; Boxes, 35.; Pit, 14. fg 1 ; lallery , lid.; Private Boxes, 11. 1 Is. 6c1., to be had of Mr. Allcroft, IS, Sew Bond-street. ASTLErS EUROPE'S NATIONAL AMPHITFIEATRE. Lessee and Manager, Mr. William Cooke. Extraordinary co nbina-lon of attraction—Che Performing Ele phants, whose wondrous feats ant hitlerto unlea - d of incredible performances nqw snare their nuts :y trinmp wth their Petite rival LE AI 4G 5 C; or, Nimble ILarinJz .t. le is incleep another wonder, for hit trit"its a id exerzises are achieved with such human-like action, that the beholder can reality imagine he is watching In a mirror the refi,ctive action.' of a man. In addition to these" Zoolozical Stars," the Grand Chines' Spectacle (which has reached its 56th nizht). The inimitable Scenes of the Arena, and the successful arid gorgeous Pantomime, for fling the most novel and unparalleled entertainment ever offered to the public. THIS EVENING, Faa. 14, and during the week, THE WISE ELEPHANTS OF THE EAST, or THE MAGIC GONG, in which Ar. William Cooke's Matchless scenes of the CIRCLE, and the Grand C o mi c .ntomitne or BILLY Bt/T ros's JOURNEY TO BRENTFORD;,r, Harlequin and the Lad! es' Favourite. lios-offlee open from Eleven till Four. Stags Manager, Mr. W. West. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tuts DAY —Morning 1 min.e.fter 3 I Evening 16 n3in.aft. 3 To-Moßßow—Morning 33 inin.after 3 Evening. 48 niin.aft 3 THE WEATHEIL.—SUN OPPICII, FEB 14. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 44 —highest since noon yesterday. 30 —lowest this morning and during the night. 41 —this day at noon. BABOSIETEE, 30 . 58. WIND, N.W.—Fine, sunshiny weather. ~~~^~~ whereby it is calculated that the right of voting will be extended to a considerable number of the labouring population. .It is the principle of this we look to—the principle which has now been formally asserted that the working class '3 have a right to a somewhat larger share in the system of national representation. Wherefore, we repeat, it is already apparent to us that the prominent merit of the New Re form Bill of the Coalition is its declaration of this great principle—its chief demerit the total omission of the Ballot in its scheme of innova tions. A measure so considerable as this requires, however, let us add once more, time for its due and deliberate consideration. The reasonableness of which assertions must be at once manifest when it is remembered that the New Reform Bill involves the disfranchise ment of 29 boroughs which have fallen below 300 electors and have less than 5,000 for a popula tion, and the substitution of one for two Members in the instance of 33 boroughs having less than 500 electors and under 10,000 for a population ! A project consequently placing 62 seats at the disposal of the Legislature, or rather 66, includ ing the forfeited seats of St. Alban's and Sud bury. Remember that these 66 seats the " large measure" of the Coalition proposes to distribute thus—by giving another member to those coun ties which have (exclusive of the population of represented towns) more than 100,000 as their population, by dividing the West Riding of York shire, which has a population of 800,000, and the Southern Division of Lancashire, which has 500,000 inhabitants, and allotting to each of the four divisions three representatives, by awarding an additional member to all towns having more than 100,000 inhabitants—and by other additions giving representatives to the Inns of Court, to the University of London, to two of the larger towns of Scotland, and to the Scottish Universities, to Birkenhead, and Staley-bridge, and Burnley, and Chelsea, and Kensington. Remember all these, and the remaining points of the scheme proposed to the House of Commons yesterday evening, by Lord JOHN RUSSELL, and it must then, we conceive, be obvious enough to any man's capacity—that soap .m,derate lap,se, of time is requisite in order to enable the country ade quately to appreciate the " large measure" sug gested by her MAJESTY'S Government. The first three Government measures have been favourably received by the House of Commons. No one, at the present price of coals, was reluc tant to throw open the coasting trade; none could with decency object to the most stringent propo sitions on which a Government would venture for suppressing bribery and " undue influence ;" and it would require no small hardihood to defend our present law of settlement and of compulsory re moval.; of the poor. As Mr. BAINES shows, on the authority of a Parliamentary committee of the highest character, and by appeals to every one's knowledge who has paid attention to the subject, the present law is not only an intolerable cruelty to the poor, but in numerous instances a real injury to their employers. The detestable system of " close parishes," as it is termed, where one or two proprietors combine to keep the poor from acquiring settlements on the property they cul tivate, thereby forcing the burden of their pauperism on the neighbouring parishes, and compelling their labourers to walk many weary miles backward and forward to their work, has long and justly been marked for de struction at the earliest opportunity. Even slave proprietors do not waste the strength of their "niggers" in this way, nor farmers that of their horses. For the following, fact we can vouch, though we suppress,nafuesi A large ,farmer living about four miles from a city was met by an acquaintance wh ) lived there, and informed that. it was reported he was going to keep his farm horses at the White Horse—an inn within the city gates. The rustic potentate indignantly inquired whether "he thought him a fool, or whether the cit was a fool himself." The wag assured him that it was generally believed. Why, rejoined he of the top-boots and riding-whip, " do you think I should let my horses tire themselves out before they got to their work, and have to walk all that way back after they had done it ; you must be a fool to take that in !" " Well then," was the reply, " how is it that four of your labourers lodge at the White Horse, and that you won't let them have a house in your parish ; or do you care more about tiring your horses than your men ? Which is the fool now, sir ?" A faint defence of the close parishes was, indeed, ventured by Mr. KNIGHT on Monday, Sir J. TROLLOP; however, whose aid he seemed anxious to purchase by commendations, would not take the bribe, but declared decidedly for the principle of the Government measure. Notwith standing his plaints no one seemed to recognise the injustice of making parishes which had escaped rates by refusing homes to their labourers, share the burdens as well as the privileges of property. Mr. BAINES'S propositions are two. " That from the passing of this bill it shall not be lawful to remove any poor person by force upon the ground of settlement froth any parish in England or Wales ;" and' that.. - " the hrea of - chargeabi lity shall no longer be the parish, but the union." He aims ultimately at equal rating as be tween the parishes of each union, and the hard ship of this upon some parishes he proposes to lighten by removing inequalities at the rate of one-tenth per annum, so as to extend the process over ten years. As to the first proposition, it is a sheer necessity. The cruelty to the poor, and the cost to the ratepayers of nearly 14,000-re movals, of at least 40,000 persons per annum, have settled that point. It is, moreover, the ne cessary complement of free trade. If commerce in every shape is liberated from restrictions, so must be the labour by which commerce is created. The operative must be made free of his country ; and lie can never be so if a week's distress, or au unforeseen, accident subjects him to a compulsory removal to the place where he or his grind father, it in ty be, was b )rn ; a place which may have become to him almost a foreign land. We are not quite clear, from Mr. BUNES . S speech, as to lii.s mode of recmciling union, instead of parish settlement, with the abolition of forcible ' removal. Sir JOHN PAKINGTON wished him to wake his bill c!etr on the poor man's " right of settlement." It seems to be taken for granted that settlement as well as rating will go with the union ; of course, in ten years time, *no parish would have any interest in removing a pauper within its own union. But if Mr. -BAINES'S doc trine be accepted, that relief can be claimed where the destitution occurs (and it ought to be so), and if the destitute man.c.,asnot•beo-compelled to re move to the union of his settlement, it would seem that h s support must fall upon the union in which he is resident at the time. If so, of what use is a right of settlement to him ? It can be of avail only in the case in which, after short residence in a distant union, which has not, therefore, become a home to him ; he may desire to be removed to his real home when circumstances have disabled him from earning his livelihood among strangers. The re servathar of such a right would be certainly humane and desirable. Mr. PASHLEY has reminded us, in his admi rable work, " Pauperism and the Poor Laws," that " district relief" was tried under the statute of 14 Elizabeth, c. 5, till it was superseded by the 39 Elizabeth c. 3, the fundamental act of our present system of parochial relief ; and he seems disposed to lay great stress on its failure and supercession by a return to the parish system in a reign of ex traordinary administrative ability. He also points out the important fact, that the rating varies almost as much between different unions as it does between parishes in the same union. In Glou cestershire the average of the Tewkesbury Union is 1O 1. in the pound, that of the Dursley one 3 % s id. In the North Riding of Yorkshire, the Darlington Union pays on the average Bd., the Reeth Union 2s. 614., in the pound, and the list may he enlarged indefinitely. Mr. BAINES retains the Union as the area of rating and the basis of management, chiwiy on the ground that local 01 •T a M" 4 4 (114 4i Wtereat are eneut44 to pre. gt LONDON, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1851. Yesterday, the 13th of February, 1854, will be memorable in the annals of the progress made in the great system of Parliamentary representation. It will be memorable, whatever the result of the speech then delivered by Lord JOHN RUSSELL— supposing that speech lead (which is improbable) to nothing more than a fruitless agitation, or sup posing, on the contrary, that it prove actually (as was intended), inaugurative of the " large measure" of Reform, upon which the Coalition is known to have staked, at once, its existence and its reputation. Whatever, we say, be the con sequence of the elaborate statement laid before the House of Commons last evening by its Leader, the principles then asserted by the Noble Lord, in his position as one of the most eminent statesmen within the popular branch of the Legis lature, are of a nature such as cannot fail to se cure to the date of their enunciation an elevated and permanent place in the national remembrance. As yet, indeed, it would be simply premature to deal with more than the broad principles upon whichhas been based the scheme of Parliamentary innovation proposed to the country by its present Government. It were manifestly premature to enter at this moment, on the morrow of the day upon which thewhole of thiscomprehensive, and in many respects most • complicated, project was first ex plained by its principal originator—it were mani festly prematurelo adventure fotthwith upon the examination of those broad and fundamental principles upon which the details have been built up—it remains yet to be considered (later on) whether as an incongruous or as an harmonious superstructure. Changes so considerable as those proposed last evening by Lord JOHN RUSSELL require ample leisure for their close and impartial consideration. Fairplay, indeed, demands some pause before opinions are pronounced upon the numerous, and many of them minute, and most of them un precedented, innovations suggested by the Admi nistration. It would be altogether unjust to attempt a premature analysis of a measure so eminently requiring for its proper estimate the calmness of unimpassioned deliberation. Therefore as Lord JOHN himself prefaced his remarks yester day by endeavouring to propitiate the most pre judiced of his hearers by depreciating the import ance of the Bill, for leave to introduce which he was about to ask the House of Commons—so would we here hiutat the pr Jpriety of ace )riling the Noble Lord's statement a careful and (as far as possible) an impartial scrutiny prior to our ad 'venturing upon its detailed an I piecemeal exami nation. If, in this way, we regard the proposed mea sure of Parliamentary Reform in its entirety, we gu i reco • se, at the first glance, an enormous omis sion. but An omi ss i on suc h as , i n our v i ew, cannot militate against its efficacy, if it be ever brought in its present shape. into actual operation. It must t: great obvious on. the daste.nt that• we all u de here to th e Ballot we at omission of the Ballot. With ou t Purify belie veou that ev er y effort will be vainly made to Without the . 83a r yite01 of popular representati on . we majority of th e believe that the ve ri t a bl e peo'olcan never be really repre e R sented in th e Lower 0 use of Parli amen t. A n d the New Reform Bill the Coalition, th e sheet' the " large measure" of che last anchor of th e Administra tion, as explained to the Hous e o f nis T Commons by Lord J o R en ,, f '" SSELL, had no sort of reference whatever to the Ballot —passed the popu lar cry for the Ballot over 3,3 dumblyb and indiffer ently as it might have 1)% 3e l of some little Ciartist facti on for the dean an d th e the suffrage to the entire male adiat extension of population. This t This omission ofhe Ballot we re' as the main flay, in the new Reform Bill as sketched t ched out yesterday by Lird Jord JOHN' RUSSELL Conspicuous, however , if not pre-e mi nent among the chief merits of the "large measure" of the Coalition is that introduced to the notice of the House of Commons last evening b y Lord JOHN'S significant avowal, that the Bill of 1831 did not musks sufficient provi ;lion for the admission of the Working Classes, t heir admission, that is to say, to the enjoyment of the privileges and prerogatives of representation. Re cognisiug the necessity of compensating for this electoral niggardliness of the Bill of 1331, by the ,political munifi;:anee of the Bill of 1331, Miuji- Lers prap3s3 tl :.:p;a th 3 I»: Wil k, Ii) V, by ex tending the auff - rage to all, thasa irlo are ratel at r'44%.= of t, , ,vu yoz.7 3:7.4 4 1 4414 THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 14, 1854. vent the boundless jobbery and extravagance ine vitably consequent upon a national rate. Mr. PA SHLEY proposes to retain the local management, and to secure local interest concomitantly with a national rate, by an ingenious management. He would pay two-thirds of the total sum required for poor -rates by a national rate ; the other third by each parish paying, in addition to its two-thirds of the national rate, one-third of its own ex penses. Thus assuming that ls. inthe pound would raise a sum of 6,000,0001. as a national rate, every parish without exception would pay its two thirds, that is Bd. in the pound ; and would pay, in additon, one-third of its actual outlay for the poor, whether it were more or lest than Bd. Thus, supposing the parish rates amounted to Is. 6d. per annum, it would pay Bd. + 6d., that is, Is. 2d. Suppose they only amounted to 6d., it would still pay its Bd. and one-third of 6d-10d. in all, as its actual rate. He considers that thus no very much heavier burden would fall upon any parish, while yet the effects of good management would be sufficiently felt to stimulate watchfulness and care. He objects to equal Union rating that, as it would be managed by guardians, and as the average of number of parishes are twenty three to each Union, each guardian would have an interest of but a twenty-third part in keeping the expenses down. It appears, indeed, that Union expenses are even now much less watched than parish expenses. Here, however, we are met by the ever-recurring difficulty in this great national problem. In proportion as you make ratepayers feel the weight of their own expenditure they will endeavour to lighten it— issuing, in this case, in hardship for the dis tressed. In proportion, on the other hand, as you approved a national rate, the inappreciable consequences to each locality of its own good or bad management insure, at the least, neglect and waste, if nothing else. We shall have, however, abundant opportunity to return to this great subject. DEPARTURE OF TROOPS FOR THE EAST. This morning a battalion of the Coldstream Guards passed through the Strand, on their way to the station of the South-Western Railway, by which they will pro ceed to Southampton, where they will remain a day or two, previous to taking their departure, along with other portions of the British army, for Constantinople. As they marched up the Strand, preceded by the band playing the " British Grenadier," and other favourite tunes, they were followed by a great crowd of persons, who cheered them most lustily, evidently proud that we could turn out a body of such fine fellows to do duty in the East. No inconsiderable portion of the crowd con sisted of the female relatives and acquaintances of the soldiers, and it was not difficult to perceive among them many sad faces. MONEY MARKET AND COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. CITY, TWO O'CLOCK. The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday were estimated at 9,000 bales, of which 1,000 American and 2,000 Surat were taken for export and on speculation. There was a good demand, especially for Surat, and, compared with Friday's rates, prices of all kinds were extreme. The sales comprised 4,500 American ; 550 Pernam and Ma ranham, at 6d. to 60. ; 200 Bahia, at 61d. to 64d. ; 600 Egyptian, at 6d. to 11d. ; 3,000 Surat, at 20. to 41-1, and 60 Sea Island at is. to ls. Bd. per lb. Railway Shares were firm. The steamer Great Britain is telegraphed as having arrived at Liverpool, and she brings 164,465 ounces of gold, say 650,000/. Probably there may be in the hands of the passengers, 199 in number, 100,0001. more, making the total about three quarters of a million sterling. The dates from Melbourne are December 4, and from Sydney not later than those received yesterday, namely Nov. 19. The first shipment of cotton from Sydney to Liverpool is on board this steamer. The price of gold at Melbourne was 775. per ounce. The letters will not be delivered until to-morrow. The steamer Niagara, from New York, brings 62,000 dollars. The letters are not yet delivered. At the meeting of the Victoria London Dock Company, to be held to-morrow, a very favourable report will be presented by the directors. The en gineers state that nearly all the land required has been purchased, and almost the whole of the 200 acres to be provided by the contractors, and most of ,the additional land, have been paid for and conveyed to the company. The board of directors propose that 704,000/. should represent the total amount of the com pany's expenditure, with the exception of any subsidiary works that may hereafter be found to be desirable, as the enlargement of the company's capital is authorised by Act of Parliament any time within 7 years. There will be a half-tide basin of 16 acres, an inner dock of 74 acres, more than 11 acres of warehouse floor, jetties affording 6,000 feet of quay frontage, in addition to the sides of the dock, and 110 acres of land. As the in crease of business must be gradual, it may be anticipated, that additional .dock accommo dation bey on d t h at already contracted for will not be required d ur i ng th e fi rs t two or three yea rs a f ter the opening of the dock. The large extent of land, (upwards of 400 acres) owned by the Company, in addition to the 200 acres which form the site of the Dock and other works now in progress, will give the Company the means of providing all the accommodation of the kind usually supplied by docks, which the trade of London may eventually be found to require, and will enable it to afford to the different trades, who may be expected to resort to the Victoria Docks, such other accommodation as may be suited to the requirements of each. The company, will have the means of supplying warehouses, yards, dry docks, timber ponds, or any other premises and conveniences, which may be adapted to particular branches of trade. Looking to the extent and variety of the business, the accommodation of which falls within the company's province, and the comprehensive, and in some respects novel, character of its plan, it appears to the board that great eventual advantage is likely to arise to the company from such delay in the further extension of the works as will enable them to take advantage of the overtures, which may be made to them by parties seeking spe cial accommodation, or of the suggestions which experience may furnish. It will be seen from the annexed account; that the amount paid by shareholders in anticipation of calls amounts to 53,896/. upon the old shares, and 23,706/. upon the new. The option of paying up in advance either the whole or any part of the sum remaining uncalled upon the shares, and receiving 5 per cent. upon the amount so paid, remains open to such holders of either the old or new shares as may bc disposed to avail themselves of it. A resolution will be proposed to th e meeting au thorising the board of directors to brow 133,0001. either on. _debentures, or on mortgage, on such terms as they may think advisable, in conformity with the act of Parliament. Tlie grant of this au thority is necessary for facilitating the Company's financial arrangements. The anxiety attending the present settlement of the Consol account, owing to th e large differences of a party highly connected in the City, has been allayed in some measure by the arrangements made through relations for meeting, ye believe, the en tire amount. Upon this point ye cannot yet speak positively, and the matter is one to be exceedingly regretted, because it gives rise to various rumours which probably have no valid foundation. Every one acquainted with City affairs knows that the party in question has been di rector in an unusually large number of com panies, good, and indifferent. Nothing is brought forward against his good faith or integrity, but it has long been a matter of comment as to the pro priety, seeing his connection with "parties who might be affected by any in vo l vemen t o f hi s w holly engaging in such undertaki ng s. M an y are o f opi nion that Stock ,Exchange losses are by no means the cause of the present em b arrassmen t, b u t the indisposition of his very wea lthy connec tions to continue further aid. Large contracts are stated to be in existence, and although we presume they may be successfully carried out, they represent a sum which, iu the aggregate, is too much for the means of any but a powerful capitalist not depen dent upon others. W e shall say no more upon this point, and trust that the steps taken will be ultimately the best for all parties. Although the Stock market is very quiet, there is considerable firmn ess , and. the settlement of the account, which takes place to-morrow, is likely to show a scarcity of Consols. The prices have been 91i and 921 f or transfer, but not l ower th an 92 to # for account. E xc h equer Bill s h ave continued at 17s. to 20s. premium. Bank Stock is firm at 216 to 217. The Foreign Securities have been firmer gene rally. Spanish Three per Cents. have been 404 to 41, being per cent. better. Mexican Bonds have been supported at 251 to The Grenada De ferred Stock is at 7. Russian Bonds have been at 90 for the Four-and-a-Half per Cents. Dutch four per Cents, are at 93. The Railway Share market has been very buoy ant, and there is more doing. Caledonian have risen 11., Great Northern (A's), 21. to 31.,North- Western about 11., Midl an d 10 s . t o 1/., ork and Berwick 10s., and the smaller lines in proportion. French Shares are nominal. Luxembourg have improved. BRITISH MINES.—A moderate inquiry exists at firmer prices, with one or two exceptions. Those most in favour are Arundells, 255. to 30s. ; Alfred Consols, 25 ; North Pool, 191 195 ; Sortridge Con sols, 1 1 ; Great Crinnes, 325. 6d. to 355.; Great Tregunes, 2 ; Tassau Lead, f ; Poltimores, par ; Mollands, The current prices for the Jamaica Mines not officially quoted are as follows :—Metcalfe, to prem. ; Sue River, dis. to par ; Port Royal, to R- prem. The Gold Mines are nominal. Australian have been as low as li to 2. The Land Companies' shares are rather higher, and more is doing in the Banks. BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. (Prom the Official List.) Business Inns Sank Stock I per Cent. Reduced Annuities 3 per Cent, Consols Annuities New 3} per Cent. Annuities Console for Account 15th Feb. 92 Exchequer Bills, ld. 21000 1:500 Small l7 20 PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK. Grenada Bonds, Deferred Mexican 3 per Cent. Russian Bonds, 1822, 5 per Cent. £St — Ditto 44 per Cent. .......................... 90 Sardinian Bonds, 5 per Cent.. ...... . Spanish Bonds, 3 per Cent 4l 4(4 Venezuela Bonds, 34 per Cent. ••••••••••• ••• 28 Dividends on the above payable in London. Dutch Exchange, 24 per Cont. 12 Ditto 4 per Cent. Certificates HALF-PAST TWO. Consols Ditto Fobruary Account LATEST FOREIGN NEWS. RUSSIA AND TURKEY. LETTER OF THE FRENCH EMPEROR TO THE CZAR. The following are the salient points of the letter of the Emperor Louis Napoleon to the Czar. After a resume of the Eastern question, Louis Napoleon says : " If your Majesty desires as much as I do a pacific conclusion, what more simple than to de clare that an armistice shall be signed to-day ; that things shall take their diplomatic course ; that all hostility shall cease ; that all the belligerent f9rces shall withdraw from the places where motives of war have called them ? Thus the Russian troops shall abandon the princiiilities, and our squadrons the Black Sea. As your Majesty prefers to negotiate directly with Turkey, you can nominate an am bassador who could negotiate with a plenipoten tiary of the Sultan, a convention to be submitted to the Conference of the four Powers. If your Majesty adopts this plan, upon which the Queen of England and myself are perfectly agreed, tran quillity will be re-established, and the world sa tisfied. There is nothing in this plan unworthy of your Majesty—nothing that can hurt your honourable feelings. But if, from a mc tive diffi cult to understand, your Majesty should refuse, then France and England will be obliged to leave to the chances of arms and the hazards of war that which might be decided at once by reason and justice." It will he at least six days yet before the answer of the Emperor Nicholas to the letter of the Em peror of the French can be received ; but already the speculators on the Paris Bourse seem to have made up their minds that he must yield, and the rise in the funds has consequently made further progress. There are many, however, who s till th in k that we are as far from the settlement of the Eastern ques tion as ever. All in Paris who ought to be best acquainted with the character and position of the Czar declare that there is not the slightest proba bility of his conceding anything, and that, even if he were willing, his doing so would be useless, as the religious fanaticism which he has roused among his subjects would force him into a war. But, notwithstanding the known obstinacy of the Czar, and the awkwardness of the position in which he has placed himself, some diplomatists continue to hope that war is not inevitable. Despatches have been received from M. de Bourqueney and General de Castelbajac, both of whom state that the chances of peace have, upon the whole, improved. M. de Castelbajac has written that the entourage of the Czar shows a better disposition, and speaks of con cessions as not impossible. M. de Bourqueney has also written to say that Count Orloff, when taking leave of M. de Buol, took him by the hand, and said, " I hope that three days after my arrival in St. Petersburg I shall be able to send you good news." It was announced at Vienna, on Sunday, on au thority that the Vienna Conference is not dissolved, although the Russian ambassadors have left Lon don and Paris. A letter from Vienna of the Bth of February says :—General Count Orloff left this morning for St. Petersburg direct by a separate train to Oder berg. M. de Fonton and the attaches of the Russian embassy here accompanied the distin guished General to the railway station. Yesterday Count Orloff had an interview of his Majesty, Fran cis Joseph, to take leave. The General also paid a parting visit to Count Buol, the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Baron Budberg, the Russian Minister at Berlin, returns to his post in the Prussian capital to-night. The Austrian Correspondence has a somewhat complimentary, but short, article on the occasion of the departure of Count Orloff. The only passage of importance in it is as follows :—" Though the propositions of Russia have not been accepted by Austria ; nevertheless, hopes may be entertained that other means for the satisfactory solution of the Oriental question will yet be found." The Copirte Zeitung's Correspondenz says : •' With respect to the success of the mission of the Russian Adjutant-General Count Orloff, the following indications have reached us :—' Austria, remains true to her primitively declared neu trality, but is disposed, conjointly with Prussia, to undertake a mediation for the promotion of peace and the re-establishment of a good under standing between Russia, France, and England. Russia abandons her demand to treat direct with the Porte.'" A well-informed correspondent writes hereon as follows :—" The departure of Count Orloff will not be followed by any modification of the policy which the Austrian Cabinet has adopted with respect to the Oriental question. Without entering into po sitive engagements for the future, the Austrian Cabinet will maintain its present attitude of ob servation. It will, certainly, not interfere, except with the view of maintaining the balance of power in Europe, and in the event of the most urgent necessity ; meanwhile, it will continue to act within the limits of its present neutrality as long as pos sible." _ _ The recent article of the Lloyd against Russia sold off two editions of the paper, and is now sepa rately printed. On the 10th the Lloyd published another, the sum of which is, that Central Europe must unite to resist Russia, whether on the Oder or the Danube, if it would not experience the fate of Poland. Formerly, it is said, unity came from the hand of some powerful ruler, now it is the people who feel its necessity, which, aware of its danger, will tolerate nothing less than common opposition to Russia. partand toof Prussiath A telegraphic despatch of the Bth, from Frank fort, says it is reported that at the next sitting of °ales:hone, e attitude the Diet, communications of the very highest un- E h as ° ra ter a n de q Austria. These communications, it is said, will rpeolrattaentcoe the e ll which these two powers have assumed in reference to the existing difference. The following telegraphic despatch was received in Paris yesterday. It is dated Constantinople, January 28 : "The Seraskier has received the following report from Selim Pasha : "`The Russian fleet having been apprised that the British and French squadrons had quitted Sinope to re turn to Constantinople, immediately sailed. Five frigates have attacked the fort of Chefketil (Fort St. Nicholas), which compelled them to retreat without suc cess." A letter from the Constantinople correspondent of the I ndependance Beige gives some further par ticulars :—A very important piece of news has bean current at Constantinople for the last two days among the public and even the ministers of the Porte ; I had it myself from these latter, but not as a positive fact within their certain know ledge it is true, because the government had not yet received it in an official manner. The news is concerning a fresh attack by sea on the fort of Chefketil. As soon as the Russians heard that the combined squadrons had returned to the Bosphorus, they sent, it seems, some war steamers to bombard the fort in question, and the attack would have succeeded but for the skill and vigour of the defence. This time the Russian flotilla, severely handled by the Turkish batteries, was obliged to retire, being not a little the worse for the action. Now, this attempt, if really true, would prove that the notification made at Sebastopol itself to the commandant of the Russian naval forces in the name of the English and French admirals, has not produced much effect, and that the Russians are resolved to con tinue hostilitiei in the Black Sea whenever a favour able opportunity presents itself. This demonstration of theirs would be significant in the extreme, a re gular defiance in short hurled at the allied squad rons. But, I again repeat to you, this news, although it has acquired a certain consistency, has nothing official about it, and the Porte awaits with the greatest impatience despatches from the general in command of the corps at Batoum, in order that it may itself know how to act, or what to believe. Until the Turkish convoy sets sail, which it will do as soon as possible, under the escort of a division composed of ships of the line and steam frigates from the two fleets, a few E n glish and French men of war h ave gone on a cruise in the Black Sea. As for the sailing ships, it appears to be sett e l o ed that they are to keep to their anchorage at Bey until further orders. Selim Pasha, who commands tlieChoro a o n k d so in o Division, now within the Russian territory, possession of Chefketil and Ozurltegahelty. The ,pla latteryedthe Russian General a knowing trick offered him a bribe to retire before the Russians, abandoning all his advantages. The Pasha ac cepted it, pocketed . the money, and then l a id th e matter before a military council, when i t was una nimously resolved that the money should be dis tributed amoug the soldiers, which was forthwith done. The Russian General, believing that Selim had turned traitor, most anxiously looked for the retreat of the Turks, but much to his surprise they made a brisk attack, so that he found himself duped, and had to retreat with all haste, leaving 4 guns in their possession. Another telegraphic despatch. dated Vienna the Bth, states that the Russian Councillor Stupin had arrived there from Cettinie, and gives the most tranquillising assurances relative to the attitude of th e Houtemegrun. Tlao Elmira Colonel liwas lewski had in vain endeavoured to induce Prince Daniel to grant an amnesty to the proscribed Mon tenegrins. The Prince went recently to Trieste to see his betrothed. He is expected at Vienna. The ex-President Pietro Petrovich is dangerously ill at Cattaro. General Lipraudi has assumed the com mand of the Russian army in Lower Wallachia, in the room of General Aurep, who was dismissed in consequence of the affair of Citate. The English merchants at Trebizond have ad dressed a note to the English Ambassador at Con stantinople. This document stated that the English colony of Trebizond was numerous and. flourishing ; that its commercial transactions sur passed the yearly amount of 30 millions, and that in consequence of the return of the squadrons to the Bosphorus the city might be attacked by the Russian ships, thereby exposing them and the in habitants to a disaster like that of Sinope. It further stated that if such a calamity occurred all the English families would bj raind, as well as exposed to the greatest dangers. Filially, the address begged tor the energetic protection. of the royal navy. THE COMBINED FLEETS. A letter from Malta, of Fehruary 7, Says : The Triton, despatch steamer, whieii left 13..1yc0s Bay at three p.m., ou the 21 February, and tae Golden H ern at nine. oil the haine night; re fiche 1 Valletta harbour yesterday afternoon, bringing despatches for from L ird Stratford de Redelitre and from Vice-Aim ral Duiplas, which are forwarded this afternoon to Marseilles by the Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam-ship Vectis. At the above-mentioned date the combined fleets were still at anchor at Beycos, barring the Firebrand and S tinpson (English), which left on the 27th January to await, at the entrance of the Euxine, the Descartes and Seine, which left on the 28th. These four powerful steam-frigates have orders to proceed to the offing of Sebastopol, there cruise for twenty-four hours (very much like defying or rousing the bear in his den), and then return to Beycos and report proceedings. Rear-Admiral Sir Edmund Lyons was under orders to proceed on the 3d or 4th of February, with the steam force of both squadrons, for the purpose of convoying a number of Turkish steamers and transports con veying 10,000 troops, gunpowder, and other warlike stores to Batoum. The Fury, which had been sent to Odessa to deliver a despatch to the authorities thereat, returned to Beycos on the 25th without execu.ing her mission, having found the approach for some distance seaward so frozen as to render all communication by sea impracticable. Cap tain Tatham, unwilling to return with the despatch, tried to push his boat through the blocks of ice, but without a successful result. The Vauban, from Toulon and Malta, joined the French Admiral on the 26th January, and would be immediately fol lowed by the Cacyque, another steam-frigate. The Spitfire left for the Dardanelles on the 2d February, conveying thither three British engineer officers, who arrived from England on the 30th in the Banshee (which likewise brought Captain Brock of the naval surveying service), for the purpose of in specting the Turkish batteries and defences, and putting them into fighting order. The Caradoc ar rived at Malta from Marseilles with despatches for Constantinople from London and Paris at 9 a.m. on the sth of February, and having on board General Sir John Burgoyne, inspector-general of fortifications and rniiitary defences, with an aide-de-camp, Captain Coote, of the 11th Hussars, Captain Fuller, of the 12th Lancers, and Colonel Ardent, of the French Engineers ; besides several other distinguished officers of the French army, who all went on in the same vessel at two p.m. Several sappers and miners, volunteers from the detachment at Malta, took passage by the same vessel for service in the Levant. The Perdrix French transport, coal laden, left M dta this morn ing for Constantinople, and will be followed this evening by the Provençal, another coal transport. A third, the Chandernagos, has just arrived from Constantinople for a like cargo, so that it would seem that there is every prospect of " going ahead." FRANCE. The French ocean squadron, under the orders of Admiral Bruat, has arrived at Algiers. Tile discovery of a Greek conspiracy in the do minions of the Sultan has induced the F..encli Go vernment to address a Note, couched in strong and energetic terms, to the G iverninent of King Otho. The Independ tat de la - it (wile states that a number of cannon balls an 1 shells aro every day arriving at the arsenal of Metz from the founderies of Douai and Toulouse ; and ailtls that if the same activity prevails iu the other fortified places, pre parations of war will have been made on a most extensive scale by the approaching spring. The Courrier du Nord publishes the following curious anagram, lately discovered by a magistrate at Valenciennes :—" By combining the seventy letters of the following phrase—' A sa Majeste riale, le Czar Nicolas, souveraiu, et autocrate de toutes les Russies,' will he found letter for letter, except the vowel ' o,' which is doubled—' Ta vanite sera to perte, elle isole la Russie ; tes successeurs to maudirout it jamais.' " An Imperial decree, dated the 4th, promulgates the convention for the protection of literary pro perty recently concluded between France and Spain. We read in the Siecle:— "For several days past the autograph letter of the Emperor of the French to the Emperor of Russia has been spoken of. The reserve which we have employed in entering on so delicate a question may be compre hended. But since the English journals and the A ssentblee Nationale have broken the ice, we think we can mention what we have collected on the subject of this letter, con sidered as a last attempt at conciliation before coming to extremities. It was on the 29th of January that the autograph letter of the Emperor of the French was sent to St. Petersburg. It was previously, it is said, communicated to the British Government. The propo sitions which it contains would, consequently, engage France and England. These propositions, it is said, may he thus summed up : A treaty of peace should be negotiated between Russia and Turkey on the bases of the Vienna note as modified by the Porte. The nego tiation is to take place directly between a Turkish plenipotentiary arid a Russian plenipotentiary. The seat of the negotiations would not be either at Constantinople or at Bucharest, but in a neutral town, at which the representatives of the Four Powers would be asse-nbled, to whom the convention would be naturally deferred. We shall be sober of reflections. It will suffice for us to remark that the concessions made to the Cz tr bear on the question of self-love and on that of time. In what touches the amount of consideration shown to a prince who coin mantis 70 millions of men, we have nothing to say, ex cept that we should sincerely like, at that price, to see an honourable and solid peoce re•established. As to the question of time, it is different, awl we confess that we are not with Out distrust. Ros.iia li 64 40 visibly need of some months to c ,inplete the concentrition of her troops. toat we fear she will profit by tie overture made to her to obtaiu the delay which she may re quire. But what every one knows the gwernments of France and Eliglamil cannot be ignoeant of. The autigraph letter depatehel on January 29, ought to have been presented tile 7th of February. In giving three or four days for reflection, in supp-sing even that before deciding. Vie Czar has wished to await Giant Orloif's return, the aims war to the letter of the Emperor of the French ought to arrive in Paris by the 20th or 221 instant. If the Autocrat consents to nego tiate on the bAsis decided by the Powers and accepted by the Ottoman Porte, peace will not then have been wade ; there will always be danger that Russia will profit by the delay accorded to her to prepare better for the great struggle which she will have provoked. How ever, a significant engagement will have been entered into by the Muscovite Government, and the re-establish ment of peace will have chances which it has not at pre sent. Besides, the let . ter mentioned above has not slack ened the preparations." The Eiourse was remarkably firm yesterday, and there was a considerable amount of business trans acted. The speculators in general appear to believe that the new negotiations opened between the Porte and the Emperor of Russia will lead to an arrangement of the differouees existing between them. The Three per Cents. opened at 70f. 25c., rose to 70f. 40c., fell again to 70f. 10c., and closed at 70f. 20c. for the end of the month. The Four and-a-Half per Cents. closed at 99f. 10c. ; Orleans Railway shares, 1,105 f. ; R ouen, 925 f. ; Havre, 450 f. ; Great Northern, 760 f. ; Paris and Stras burg, 740 f. ; ditto, New, 587 f. 50c. ; Paris and Lyons, 842 f. 50c. ; Lyons to the Mediterranean, 680 f. ; Western of France, 590 f. ; Bordeaux and Cette, 560 f. ; Great Central, 447 f. 500. ; Lyons and Geneva, 460 f. ; Shares of the Bank of Credit Mobilier, 648 f. 75c. ITALY. The Pte . thnontese Gazette of the 10th announces that the 2d Company of the National Guard of Villanova has been dissolved by a royal decree for acts of insubordination. The Genoa papers announce considerable arrivals of grain in that port during the last month, and attribute it to the late suppression of the duty on corn. The Corriere Mercantile states from Florence. sth, that the Minister of the Interior has suppressed the Genio, a theatrical paper. The Cattolico of Genoa, a clerical organ, was seized on the Bth instant, for au unconstitutional article. SPAIN. The Madrid journals of the Bth contain no news of political intere4t. The Clamor Publico had been again seized. The Infante Don Henry had arrived at Geront, ou his waor to Yale cis, where, as already stated, lie has been allowed to reside. The works of the railway from Seville to Cordova were about to commence. The Espana says that though the adjudication of the Northern railway was to take place in about three weeks, no company had effected the deposits required to be allowed to make an offer. A de mand had been made by some capitalists for the concession of a railway from Toledo to Trembleque, and the Minister of Public Works had received a deputation from Valladolid and other places, who requested that the Northern railway might pass by Arevalo and Avila. The Ministry was occupied with projects for various railways. AMERICA. ARRIVAL OF THE NIAGARA. LIVERPOOL, FEB. 13. About eleven o'clock the Royal Mail steam-ship Niagara, Captain Leitch, arrived in the Mersey, with the usaal mails from the United States and British North America. The NiaiifaTailed from Boston on the Ist inst., and Halifax on the 3(1, and has brought. besides the mails, 97 oa , sen;. - fer4. an.l $132,000 in specie on freight. The 11 tit steim—hip Asia, after a very stormy pigs:Age, arrived at New York from hence on the 31,t ult. Die Liverpool and Philadelphia Steam-ship Company's screw steamer City of Glasgow arrived at Philadelphia on the 30th, from this port. The Cunard steam-ship C tiubria had cleared at New York for this port on the 30th ult. The United States Mail steam ship Ohio had arrived at New York, from Aspinwall, with one million of dol lars' worth of gold-dust. The health of the Isthmus was good. By the news from California we learn that intelligence had reached San Francisco that Walker and his fillibusteros had been relieved by the reinforcements that had sailed from California to aid him and his band. After a speech from Senator Douglas, in the Senate, on the 30th, the Nebraska Bill was adjourned. Another destructive fire had occurred at New York on the 30th ult. The scene of the catastrophe was in Pearl-street, and property to the amount of $200,000 destroyed. In the New York Stock Market a better feeling pre vailed, and stocks had improved in prices. The Cotton Market had been irregular, and, at the latest date, closed dull and declining. Breadstuffs were without material variation from last ad vices. The prices of wheat were nominal, but flour was firm. An active business was being transacted in provisions, and prices were advancing. Freights were inactive, awaiting English advices. Exchange was heavy at 108 to 1091 ; on Paris, 6 171 to 5 20. THE BALTIC FLEET. It appears, says the correspondent of a contemporary, that several masters in the navy have been sent to sur vey the Cattegat and Baltic, to endeavour to make themselves acquainted with the pilotage of those waters, which is all very proper ; but, in the few weeks that will elapse before the fleet must sail for the Baltic, much cannot be done. • Our ships will in all probability visit the Gulf of Finland, the navigation of which is not to be trifled with. Rocks, with from one to three fathoms water on them, whose vicinity is not to be ascertained by the lead ; currents uncertain, and to wards the Finland shore magnetic attractions, rendering the compasses useless • whilst near some of the isl an d s thick hazy weather oft en prevails, even in the best part of the summer season ; the navigation, therefore, of those seas ought not to be trifled with. I have no doubt that every precaution has, or will be taken by the Ad. miralty, by procuring the most efficient pilots that can be obtained. I was at Cronstadt in the summer of 1852 with a friend in a yacht. On the voyage up the Baltic and Gulf of Finland the weather was fine, though gene rally too hazy to get an observation. We were several times puzzled to" account for the finding ourselves much out in our reckoning. At Cronstadt, meeting with seve ral English masters of merchant vessels, some of whom had been running between that port and Hull many years, I had a good deal of conversation with them about the navigation, and found that even those who had been constantly in the trade admitted they were often thrown much out in their reckoning. They were clever, intelli gent men, and would do no discredit to a warrant as extra acting master and pilot. The Admiralty should engage their services in such capacity, if they can, and each of our ships should have one on board. The small flag beacons will no doubt be removed from the rocks and shoals in the gulf, and every thing done to deceive our ships if they try those waters. The entrance to Cronstadt -- which is rendered intricate by sunken vessels laden with stone, upon which are placed small flag beacons remove able in a few minutes—is strongly fortified, and other forts were then building. The principal difficulty would be the getting at them. In the gulf we fell in with a fleet then exercising. It consisted of eight ships of the line (two of them three-deckers), and one frigate. I could hear of but one more ship in commission, and that was a two-decker as guard-ship at Revel, besides a few brigs and corvettes. In the Mole at Cronstadt were lying 17 sail of the line, two or three of them three deckers ; nearly all of them had their lower masts in, rigging up, and topmasts pointed. There were also two frigates, one of them fitting out ; three or four steamers of the Magicienne class, and half-a-dozen smaller ones in the roads, in commission. I could not see or hear of their having a single screw ship in those waters. The Russian sailor may coldly face dangers and death, with the dogged indifference of an ill-fed serf, but not with the energy of a British tar, whose heart and soul is in the cause for which he fights. BANKRUPTCY COURT-(THIS DAY). (Before Mr. Commissioner Evans.) IN RS CREED° AND HAY. These bankrupts were described as of Mount-street, Lambeth, tailors, and to-day was appointed for consi deration of their - certificates: ' The amount of the debts is only 417/., and the assets are estimated at about 3001., 2001. of which has already been realised. Mr. Beard, from the office of Mr. Buchanan, ap peared for the bankrupts, and applied for high class certificates, and there was no opposition ; but one of the assignees concurred in the application as the bankruptcy had chiefly arisen through the long continued illness of one of the bankrupts, and every item in the balance-sheet was vouched. His Honour granted immediate certificates of the second class. Mr. Beard then applied, with the approbation of the assignees, an increase of the usual allowance to the bankrupts, and a return of the court fees for the meeting. His Honour granted the application. DON PEDRO'S MOVEMENTS.—The National Gazette of Berlin, of the 10th, says :--" We understand that Don Pedro of Portugal will visit in the spring several of the Courts of Europe, commencing by Loudon, and then proceeding to Brussels, here, Dresden, and Vienna. His Majesty will return home by Munich, Brussels, and Paris." THE DIRECTION OF THE EAST INDIA COMPANY.—On Wednesday last, the Bth inst., Mr. Loch announced to the Court of Directors of the East India Company that it was not his intention to offer himself as a candidate for a seat in the direction, at the election of 15 directors, which, pursuant to the act of last session, will take place on the Bth of March next. Mr. Loch's address, which intimates this intent;on to the proprietors of East India Stock, will he found in another part of this paper. I'HE LONDON DOCKS.—A portion of the large tobacco warehouse at this vast commercial establishment has been set apart and added to the cigar warehouse, ex pressly for the show of cigars to the trade. The entire building is covered with glass and otherwise rendered light, and e-pecially well, aaptecl to, the show of this article of merchandi se when exposed for the inspection of the trade. The formation of such a place has long been felt to be desirable ; and the new show-room is nearly completed, and will shortly be ready for its in tended purpose. VALENTINE'S DAY IN THE LONDON DISTRICT POST OFFICE.—This morning orders were issued by Mr. W. Bokenham, Superintending President of the Inland De partment of the General Post-office, and of the London District Post, that the letter carriers employed in the last mentioned establishment shall be provided with a sub stantial dinner, consisting of roast beef, plum pudding, vegetables, and a moderate supply of beer, at a respect able tavern in their respective walks, the dinner to take place in each district at one o'clock. The sorters, sub sorters, messengers, porters, constables, and supernume raries employed in the department will be regaled in a similar manner in the Great Hall, on the basement of the building ; or at their option they may each re ceive a shilling in lieu of the entertainment. The drivers of mail carts, express riders, (post boys), and others whose services cannot be well dispensed with during official hours, will be provided with an excellent supper, and each person employed in the establishment is to be supplied with a limited quan tity of ale. The business transacted in the department this morning exceeded by far that of former years. By the first delivery at 8 o'clock the number of letters sent out was 42,000, which at the 10 o'clock delivery in creased to 78,000, and it is fully expected that the total number that will pass through the office during the day will not fall much short of a quarter of a million. This is exclusive of those letters transmitted by the General Post. AMSTERDAM AND ROTTERDAM PRODUCE MARKETS.— The weekly reviews of the Amsterdam and Rotterdam produce markets state that business continued inactive. Some descriptions of coffee were in greater demand, but nu material alteration had occurred in prices. Sugar had been supported with steadiness, although the operations were limited. Sales of rice had produced a tendency to lower race- The late othauce iu dried Lruita waa wain tLized. LITERATUR E. Six Months at Marta ban. By an Officer. Partridge, Oakey, and Co. A lively and intelligent volume, upon a subject just now of enthralling fascination, is here pre sented to us by an anonymous writer, who reveals, through a style of youthful animation, the riper merits of observation and experience. His theme we learn at once, as we ought to do in all instances, from the title •page. He does not indulge in any vagaries of designation. He refrains from bewilder ing his reader, like Mr. St. John, by telling' him that the book is descriptive of " There and Back Again." Neither does he allow his work to emu late the monster in "Frankenstein," or the literary puzzle of Sir Charles and Lady Morgan, by allow ing it to come forth from his hands as a cu riosity altogether nameless. Least of all does he stamp his production with a preposterous hiero glyphic like—" &c"--that which was impressed upon the latest volume from the pen of the Lady Emmeline Stuart Wortley —a notion suggested, one might conjecture, by that inscrutable symbol prefixed to the first of the many jumbled chapters of Southey's " Doctor"—Dr. Dove, the immortal! No—here the theme selected is plain enough —as it should be, coming from the hand of a soldier—as plain as a pike-staff. "Six Months at Martaban, during the Burmese War--by an Officer in active service on the spot." During the Burmese War t By an officer "in active service on the spot 1" The bias of the argument may be conjectured on the instant from those few syllables. Everybody knows the force, the verve, the enthusiasm, arising from the esprit de corps : we have no precisely cor resp >lading phrase in our own language. Here is, of this remarkable fact, iu the volume before us, a brilliant and by no means unacceptable illustration. It constitutes literally nothing more nor less than a vindication, in regard to the Burmese war, of the course pursued by the Indian Go vernment. A vindication in which the author has done Yeoman's service to the Company. Now, from the first, from deliberate convic tion, from a careful study of the Rarticulars officially given to th e wor ld upon the su bject in the blue book laid several months ago upon the table of the British Parliament—we regard that war upon the Burmese as one of the most atrocious wars recorded in the annals of our power in Hin dostan. We consider it as one of the many blots upon the Earl of Dalhousie's Governments We look upon it as another and a very heinous evi dence of the criminality with which in those re gions we have, time and again, been developing our pet system of territorial aggrandisement. ' The story of the rise and progress of this war upon Pegu and Burmah is altogether too long and com plicated to be adventured upon in the notice of a bound pamphlet of 131 pages octavo. Besides, our opinions upon this question have been already de tailed in our leading columns repeatedly. They have been laid before the public too often and too explicitly to remain matter of uncertainty to anyone familiar with our views in regard to the general policy of our Indian Government. It only re mains to us, therefore, in speaking of the work here offered to our consideration, to remind our readers what our real sentiments are in reference to the Burmese war ; while, at the same time, in doing so, we give our cordial welcome to this agre able journal of " Six Months at Martaban." Wel coined by us the book would be, if only from that old English tone of fairplay which was foresha dowed in the classid days of that little scrap of homely latinity, audi alteram partem, well-worn, but worth remembering. In addition, however, to this inducement to accord the book a hearing, theme is another if possible yet more persuasive. Au inducement which may be recognised at once after turning over the first few pages of the volume —that arising from the fact evidenced in every sentence, that the book is dictated by a manly spirit, its views, no less than our own , b e i ng th ose born of candid scrutiny and of impartial deduc tions. Any one might have seen, on glancing through Mr. Cobd en ' s c l ever pamphlet about the Burmese war, that its statements might reasonably, some of them, be swallowed cum gran salis. Well, lire is the grain of salt to flavour them somewhat more to the palate of the general community. Ap pended to tliewriter'samusingaccountof"SixMonths at Martaban," is a graver e-say upon "the political causes which led to the establishment of British Power in India"—according to the view, that is to saw, taken of those same causes by one among the military admirers of the British Indian Govern moat. In the course of his argument upon this ample topic, the writer, beginning with a reference tc the decay of the M ogu l E mpire, passes under review the successive administrations of Clive, Warren Hastings, and Lord Cornwallis, embracing time defeat of Suraj-a-DJwlah and the downfall of Tippoo Saib, recounting some of our more remark able triumphs in Asia from Plassy to Seringapatam. Altogether—setting aside some of those views We cannot but regard as most erroneous—the volume before us must, in justice, be pronounced emi nently worthy of perusal, inasmuch as it affords a picture of the seat of war in Burmah, sketched by the hand of an eye-witness, one whose manner throughout betokens him to be a generous, clear eyed, light-hearted English gentleman. AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURAL COMPANY.-.The sub joined memorandum is from the Australian Agricultural "The Australian Agricultural C ompany Company :-- y twochkichatwSastronuudm, eronoutshlye The chief superintendent had held an experi meital sale have received satisfactory advises to the 25th of /sTovem-- ber, 1853. company'se l s i t v a e t e s , p b o y auction rt of Stephen • attended, some of the largest breeders of st oc k in the fetched at whol esa l e retail prices. It was intended in colony being present. The sum rea li zed was 3,1141., the stock having to hold quarterly sales. The colliery return shows 4 , 1 36 tons of coa l raised in Sep -3,472 tons sold, r ea li zing 3,2111. Arrange te:rib:had been made for the immediate supply of ocean steamers from the company's coal wharf at Sydney." The quotations from the various continental cities are generally favourable. On the Paris Bourse there has been a further recovery of about a half per cent. At the same time the exchange on London has become decidedly firmer, although the dealers will still be able to send gold from London at a fractional profit. From Vienna the report shows a further reaction from the late panic, the rate on London being 12 26, while the funds have experienced an advance. This movement, how ever, is probably owing to nothing but the eager credo. lity with which in the present state of the money-mar ket any assertions of pacific intentions on the part of the Emperor of Russia are received. At Hamburgh money remains abund an t at 1 to 2, and a t A mster d am the rate is 3 per cent., the exchanges at both places tending in favour of this country. In Belgium the ex changes continue low, and money is 2i to 3 per cent. From St. Petersburg it is stated that a limited business was taking place in produce f or f uture shipment, some contracts being unconditional, and others with a pro a vino that th e buy e rs may pay forf e it i nstea d of receiv ing the goods. The depreciation of the currency had now sent the rate of exchange to a point at which it would pay to export gold, but any attempt to do rm would dot4ligeld be protai*l. _,..- PR] All Malta The GI line ii ports ( be det embar detern or bat and sc volunt sion o Whetl nearly ber, o enthu the ac sent c wante what are vi turner doubt make Takin nean, next f Turk( rably munit =nor wand for tl we c the char will