The Sun. — London, England, 1854-12-07 00:00:00

MONEY MARKET A 11'D COMMEIWIA.L CITY, TWO o'CLOCK. The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday were estimated at 8,000 bales, including 1,000 American, and 1,000 Surat taken for export, and on speculation. The market closed tamely without change in prices. The sales comprised 6,000 Ameri can, 150 Pernam and Maranham at 5, 1 1 d. to 6ad., 170 Bahia at 6id. to CO., 200 Egyptian at 52d. to 90., and 700 Surat at 31-d. to 31d. per lb. Railway Shares were firm at higher prices. The following is a statement upon the dried fruit trade in • London by Messrs. Witherby and lianson " The London clearances of currents for consumption are proceeding on a very large scale. They reached in all November 1,070 tons. against 290 tons in November 1 853, and 1,190 tons in November 1852. The deliveries in bond in November were 180 tons, of which 50 tons Went to the colonies, 40 to the United States, and 90 tons to the continent, making the total deliveries 1,250 tons. About 50 tons were shipped to the United States in October. "The 1854 currant crop will not have produced above 5 ,000 tons of mercantile fruit, nearly one-half, and cer tainly the beat portion of which has already reached this country : part has gone to Holland and Germany, and the remaining good fruit has been bought at advanced rates. The London stock is estimated at about 4,000 tons, or about 1,000 tons less than on 30th September last. The London deliveries during the last twelve months wen 5,300 tons for consumption, and 3,750 tons In bond : in all 9,050 tons. "Several public sales have lately broughtto light much of every description of currants, from 1852 white worth 21s. at 225., up to 1851 fine, so re of which have been sold at 965. On the whole, and particularly at the latter sales, comparatively full prices were paid for all descrip tions, and there is every prospect of the clearances this month being larger than those of December, 1853, which wer e only 495 tons. This article seems to be coming again into very general use, .and the trade are thinly supplied. "Of raisins there is a short importation of 400 tons, as compared with last year, and of 1,600 tons as com pared with 1852. The market has been very unsettled of late, tender fruit selling from 40s. t• 425. ; so that the price of fine has barely maintained its ground. Another Government contract is advertised for 75 tons. Purchases of low blacks have continued to be made for export at various prices. Fine has been sold at 255. "The clearances of raisins here in Nov. have been larger than any Nov. clearances since 1849, in all 1470 tons against 1220 tons in N ov. 1853, and 1210 tons in Nov. 1852. The shipments were 380 tons, of which 82 tons to colonies, and 298 to continent, making the entire deli veries of November 1,850 tons. The consumption of the - United Kingdom for the first ten months of this year Was 7,053 tons, against 8,410 tons in 1853. "Of figs there are no arrivals, and the article is Scarcer than was ever known to be the case at this season." In the accounts received by the steamer Atlantic f r9rn. New York, a report upon the market for Eu ropean manufactures gives the following : " Foreign manufactures remain inactive, and are somewhat irregular in price. The demand is confined to Sonia very fine styles of British and Continental goods, 'which it is not easy to procure at any reduction in .7al ue ; but there is an abundance of undesirable fabrics on the market, which are freely offered, and which re putable buyers are able to purchase at, it• almost every instance, their own terms. This, however, does not render the trade in such goods any way active. Few dealers will operate, except there is no mistaking the P r ospects of gain. Such cases are now very rare. There 15, nevertheless, much 'ground for hope. No further ,ailu res in this line, of any importance, have occurred since our last. The imports are far less extensive, and of a generally better description than usual. Debts are 'toneing promptly cancelled, and on all sides there are evi t symptoms of revival, which it is gratifying to us C ontemplate. To nurture this tendency should now be the object of all interested in the business. ,They can O nly do it by well-considered and prudent move ments." The report made yesterday at the meeting of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Corn- PanY's proprietors bore out all that has been pre viously stated under this head respecting the aban donment of the Australian postal contract, upon Which, it appears, there has been a less of 40,0001. Now, therefore, if means can be devised, appears to be the right time to attempt the carrying out of ithe Panama route, unless we intend to abandon to American enterprise the maintenance of steam com „rnunication with our own colonies. That the maintenance of a steam route is costly we have abundant evidence, but the Legislatures of Aus tralia are willing to contribute liberally, and if a lar ger Portion of the postage were allowed by the 'Tome Government to the companies carrying the mails an arrangement could be speedily accom plished. What is required by the mercantile cora -InaitY is certainty, as well as expedition, and , 1 oth might be assured either by the Indian or the ' a usina route. 111 the English stock market this is settling day, and t he " contango" has continued as high as 16 ths to 4 per cent. This, however, will not be that excess i ve w h en t h e h eavy i ncome t ax • t , i s due in J anuar y, is taken into account. aStock has been taken up to some extent for tem porary i nvestment, the feeling that some arrange th7tns for peac e are p rogress i ng b e i ng s t rong er than °flew doubts thrown upon the scope of the Austr ian tre a ty m i g ht h ave l e d one t o expect. Consols,- have b een 92i t o 93t for transfer, and ' 3 l - to for account. Exchequer Bills have re alised, as. to 6s. and India Bonds Bs. to pre -1:41,1132. The New 3 per cents. have been 91k to 11 ` 1 the Reduced 91k to Bank Stock has been uull at 208. T he Poreiom Market has been dull. Turkish -eri P is 61 to 6i discount. Spanish New Deferred It ° h ( ls have been marked 19 to k. Mexican Stock i s " -.8 at 21.1, and Buenos Ayres at 5415. Dutch 21 per Cents. have realised 611. Belgian 4i per Cents. "A, and Dutch 4 per Cents. 901 to 91. The following are the nominal prices of. Foreign Stocks : -- -Grenada Deferred Bonds, 51 to 51. ; Mexi -731' 21 i to 21i ; Peruvian, 66 to 68 ; ditto 40 P t e o t 4 , Cell ts., 47 to 49 ; Portuguese 4 per Cents., 4 Pe 7 1 ; R ussian 5 per Cents., 95 to 97 ; ditto 19i to 8 6 to 88 ; Spanish New Deferred, ° 40 1 ; ditto 3 per Cents., 381 to 391 ; ditto Trtifietit!es, 5 t to 6 ; ditto Passive, 4ft to 4i. t last Week's railway receipts ascertained up ° this day are in round figures as under : Great West 1854. 1853. 11-°rtil-NVerli £20,466 £19,155 South -We esten' 48,297 46,030 )3righton 8 t era 10,153 9,871 M idland .. 10,527 10,518 5 0 ,,,, - 25,486 23,852 0 ;tut-Eastern. 1 3 ,652 12 , 306 ~aledon i a r, ' 11,340 10,177 .!_ r eat N or th ern 21,835 17,216 Sreashire and Yorkshire ° MI-Eastern g e nerally Railway Share Market has been firm, but no advance has occurred. The Caled cC, Lancashire, and Yorkshire, Midland, an . The fore; ;Lila Holyhead have been most dealt in. rat es . 'l li nes have been at about the previous In the J oint-Stock Bank Shares there have been Mv.eral bar g ai ns, but b u yers have an advantage. Ines area du ll. Crystal Palace have improved. BRITISE•t FUNDS THIS DAY.—CLOSING PRICES (Fromthe Oficial List.) rin.iness done 'Rank Stoc I_ ... ....... 2OB a I, ‘i. Cent 208 4 3 ‘ —ent,. iteduced Annuities 924 3i 2 i 3 dew Cetr ;. Corsols Annuities 91i ii i New 3,Pe r,Cent. Annuities 98 • iiiir. IN3r Cent. Annuities 11 la lior, de. £lOOO ......._ ....... , wi a i Consols kr A.ecount, 10th January tzehequor Bills, 2i d. 3 6 3 6 -1-ICO O ...... .. - 4 . te, Jv a: l p .. t,o, • •.. ....................... •,.; . "”). ecinc:r Bonds 1858 3i per '"". 99i ... bitt,, ' 1859, ~ ~ olio, l'lt A Tel;.: . OF FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY. .. 54i me,cie., 'LYr Bonds, 6 per Cent 21 p el l ii `;'} 4 per Cent. 68 S r' ' toads, 4i per Cent. 3Si 'l3 .'Blllloll dß, 3 per Cent 19 i 19 - 1 s pan l i t a to New Deferred, 3 per Cent TtirkistliliCetu mittee Cert. of Coup. not fun 5l P c Ditto Sfoel 'll6 o Per Account ceu t ael , bivi• lends on the above payable lan toz..„ 90i 25 fr Unteti.tzeti us 44 per Cont, ex. . In London. t) itto 4 tie4rnFe, 24 per . Cent. 12 Gull 9o 1 90 ‘-'en. Lerteates THREE O'CLO ( ' yz . ,r,i'lnsol m ..... 924 • ~tt d. ,. ~.2••••• ••• ...................... .. ~o , "413•11ary Aeaonnt .. _ .... •- • ''''l4 LO JRlo PALRICRSTO___ - new paper, of the lat i N.--The Novidades, a Spanish Which on hardly need Palmerston is ost., has a cock and bull story, his , Spain s refutation, that Lord . Way to t of 20,000 0 agree for the raising of a Spanis h men to serve in the East ! Legion SHARE MARKETS. (THIS DAY.) 13R lilaii AILWAYS. ICloslng Prices this day 19i - 203 44 - 4i 7i - 8 12 11 ii 16i - 17! 7 - 6 93 - 95 6in - 614 13i - 14 10 - 12 5 -4, 61 - 7j 14i - iii lit - 114 ... "-... ... 69 - 71 52 - 54 193 -- 2(4 O * i 64 873 -- 88 75 -- 761 123 -- 125 87 -8) 703 71 68 - 70 72 - 77 6 -8, 6 - 8 72i - 73 N• - 5i Si 104 —lO3 99i 100 d # cl d— id td 82 83 9 • 8 d i 9 8 J 21i - 22 6S - 69 39 - 41 lld 10 2 2. 48 NJ 3 a 34- 31 . 32 10 - 66 1 7 74 7 5 6 4_¢ 13 131 52 -- 53 52 54 1J id 1' 41 4id 64 29 - 31 91 - 93 60 - 62 7i - 8 i 43 - 95 11 - 13 69 - CO 29 - 30 ..• . i •. i d 31 - 36 3 4 17 18 4 41 20 fe2 6 7 i* - f 6 —6; 1 14 4 3d d-it P P 3 -31 d 31i - 31/ 3 p par—gyp pl 7 d SA 10 Scl 11 91 d iP - iP par zp 16; , • • '''' ••• id 1p lid id 2 d par par -- 2p ... dig 4 4} 2/ 3 d _ - id-s_p 6i - 7 34 -34 12} -- 12. Rh -- 19i -- 19,3,1) 4G -- 48 37 -- 39 pin 20i -- 21, Id -- par 2i -- lid 74 -- 8 ... - pm 3i - ii - 5,P ••• 161 - 164 "K BANKS. 78 -- $0 d (-1 34 2id 21 2211 lei ---- 39 37 - 39 Business done this day. 41 - 93 67 - 69 ON :77: 111.1/4 Ld.l Rin.WATIS. Sbx.lP St.lll 12 50 al 13 , / , al 31 12 )0 Aberdeen .......• Ambg. Nottng. Boat and Eastn. Junct Lll Belfast & Ballymena dl Binning. Wolverh. & Stour Valley Birktuhd. Lancah. & Cheshire Jmlct 27if LI! I Do. Chesh. dr Birk. £5O and £25 Cons 9 Do., £2O. .. ;0 Blyth & Tyne origina £25 (issd. at £45, 10 Bristol and Exeter /0 Caledonian s. Carmarthen and Car digan Il Chester dr Holyhead .11 Cork and Bandon 11 Cork, Black, dr Pass 6 Cornwall 3 Crieff Junction 5 üblin&BelfastJuuc 11 undeo Perth drAber deen Junction 22 l' 25 31 St. 10 St. 10 10 2L 50 a] 50 a] 20 a] 20 10 1 50 ,t Do. New...... St. 10 20 al St. 10 East Anglian .11 Eastern Counties 0 Eastern Union, A Stock .. 00 Do., B. Stock 8.3 Do., New A .00 East Lancashire St. 1 1 25 I _: St. 1.1 St. 11 B'2e St. It St. lii )0 Edinburgh& Glasgow 9 Edinb. and Peebles ' )0 Edin. Prth &Dundee 1 Forth & Clyde Junc. l 10 Glasgow &S. Western 10 Great Northern O Do., A. Stock O Do., B. Stock O t. Stb . &West.(lre ) _ _ reat Western.; )0 Do. Stour Val. Rail Gua. Stk al Irish South-Eastern 11 Lancaster & Carlisle 4? ; Do., Thirds. 4 Do. New Thirds 100 Lancash.andYorksh. 196 Do., Fifths 11 Di., Wst. Riding Un all Liv. Crsby.s;Sontlipt all London & Blackwal 100 Lond. Bright at S.Cst. 100 Lond. and N. Westn. 12 Do. Fifths 8 I a] St. 101 25 21 25 1: 50 a] St. tOi 50 a 1.0 Itt 20 I 1 20 a] St. Iv St. 10 St. 10 10 * 1 Do.lo/.5h.,M&8...( 26 Do. Eighths )0 rAondon and& Westn i 2) Do., £5O ;4' Do., £4O dl Lnniirry& Col eraine' al Gndndrry. & Ennisk. )0 'Sandi. Shef. & Lineln 44 Do., Man. & Lin. Un )0 Midland ,)o. Birning. & Derby Lll Miclld. G. West. (Ire. )' !2A Do. Half Shares 11 Newcastle & Carlisle 5} Newmk.t.BuryEzten Nwpt. Aberg. &Hrfd 8 Newry & Enniskillen 11 Newry Warrenpoint and itostrovor:.. )0 Norfolk 31 Northu.Connties )0 North ' Lll4 North Devon, No. 1 al Do., No. 2 al Do., ‘4, A Deferred all Do., ; B Guaranteed In N - . Eastern—Berwick !O Do. do. Extension 13 Dodo. G.N.E. Pureh, di Do. Leeds 10 Do. York Lll North London BJ. Do. New £lO 1s N.&S.Wstrn.,Hamp stead, and City Ju .7i North Staffordshire, al' North Western N. & S. Westrn. June Nuneaton, Hinckley and Leicester.. )0 Oxford, Worcester,& Wolverhampton 6 Portsmouth )0 Scottish Central )0 ScottishMidlaud '' shrewshy. & Berefd Shropshire Union Do. A, B, C,& D,full paid tip at per ow, • ___ 63 1 St. 'Ol 50 I il uuth nevou _ South Eastern .11 South Wales 5 5. Yrksh. & Riv. Duo 5 Do 8 staincs, Wok. &Wok 11 tockton & Stockton & Hartlepl. 10 . Taff Vale 9 Do. £lO shares. K) Do. Prof., No. 1 1 Thames Haven Dock and Railway 31 Vale of Neath 11 Waterfd. & Kilkenny 11 Waterford&Limerick West Cornwall 3 West End of London St. 1.0 25 2 20 al 20 al 50 al 20 1 and Crystal Palace. 20 1 al 10 11: 11 (West London le. Wimbledn &Croydon FOREIGN. 10 Antwerp&Rotterdam' 3 Belgian Eastn. June. 8 Beziers to Graissossac !s, Bombay, Baroda, and Central India,Serip 20 20 21 Central of Italy al Demerara (Dijon and Besancon... Dacl) Rhenish all Eastern of France Ifk Do. New all East Indian 2 Do. Extension all Do._4lp. c. Bds., pay 20 20 20 20 100 100 al 20 11 25 1 25 al 25 a] '57, convertible 11 Do. do. do., '59, do .0 Gd. :fund. of France 21 Gd. Tk of CanadaA is.' di Do. do 611 Do. St. Lawrence & Atlantic do. 100 I all Do. Cert. of Deben , 100 a, 20 1( 5 al con. into Stk. till 11 Do. Comp. 6p. c., do. 0 Gt. Centralof France 611 Gt. Indian Peninsula 1 Do. New 5 per cent. 611 Gt. Western of Canada Shares 11 Do. Bds., payable's7, ' with option till '55 all Do. do., '62, p. '56 all Do. do., '76, p. '6O all Do. do., '73, without 100 1 al option 11 Hamilton & Toronto 611 Do. 6 per crnt. Lake Coast. k Basle dl Lucca & Pistoj a 5 p. c.' ,00 - 20 1. pref .2 Great Luxembourg ] 20 1 Constituted Shares) Do. Obligations 10 Lyons and Geneva .2 Lyons & Mediterrax .6 :Madras Do. New Maria Antonia 20 i I , 20 1 1: 20 11 20 2 33i 31 10 all 20 Do. do. New 2 Melbourne Dk. &Ry 01 Namur & Liege (with interest) ai Do. (ex interest) al Northern of France. .11 D 0.20/. Shs.late Char leroi and Erqueliues guar. 3$ p. c. & red. at 2241. dur. 88 yrs. from 1 Jan. 1854 11 Do. 201. 3 p. s Bds. Only. . B. & Ams: Sh.s. ), 11 NorwegianTrunkPref _4 Paris and Lyons at Ditto Bonds 611 Paris and Orleans dl Paris and Rouen ParisCaen &Cherbrg.! di Rouen and Havre ) .0 Royal Danish 3 Royal Swedish di 3ilinbre and Meuse . 1 .11 Do. 5 p. cent. Pref. 0 Southern of France.. 4 St. Andrew's and Quebec (A) .11 West Flanders 6 : 11 Dosp o e 2 Western of Fiance West. of Switzerland 611 Wiesbaden .... . q) Zealand 20 al ]G al 20 a: 20 I al 10 al 20 1 40 a' 20 a 20 al 20 1' 20 a 20 2 20 a. lt) 20 1 , 20 10 - al 20 1! 20 1 20 I 2, JOINT-STOI all Australasia all British Colonial Bank and Loan Company all British N. American 5 Chart& Bank of Asia 2 Clutd. Bnk. of India, Australia, & China 25 Colonial 20 Commercial of Lond 16 English Scottish and Australian all Lond. Chart. Bk. of Australia 20 London and County 10 Loudon 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. 25 Provincial of Ireland all Do. New 1 Royal Australn. Bkg & Cold Imp Co ail tionth Australia aU Union of Australia 4:' Do. New 101 tllilon of LoLtd4tl..„,l 20 I 61i i i 131 14f lli i 88 8 76 5 71i 701 72j i i 7i 106 99/ 6 ISt 82 3 68tiiii 321 2 75i 5 i 52 i i i 121 59i i 23 2i 2 10i I 4k 2j I I 21i i i 38 i 71 38 i 50 f ,6B i 8 itit r „.t:* SUN O.E'FICE, Six o'Clock. TATTERSALL'S. (THIS EVENING.) DERBY. 9to 1 agst Grmculus Esuriens (taken) 13 to 1 agst St. Hubert (taken). 161 to 1 agst Oulston (taken) 20 to 1 agst Wild Dayrell 1000 to 15 agst Rambling Katie. GREECE. The following letter has been received from Athens, dated Nov. 22 : " Political and commercial relations have been defi nitively resumed between the Governments of Greece and Turkey. M. Andrew Condouriotis is named to the important post of Ambassador to Constantinople, and has been summoned from Naxos, his residence, to Athens, to receive his instructions and proceed forth with to the Turkish capital, where he is to replace M. Metaxa. As I already stated in my last letter, it is on the 16th of December the Chambers are to meet. There was some difficulty in finding a building for the purpose. The Government has at last decided that this year th• session should be held in the large hall of the University, one wing of which is not yet occupied. Persons usually well informed say that a difference of opinion has arisen between the King and M. Mavrocordato, with reference to the opening of the session. M. Mavrocordato was anxious for a speech from the throne ; but, in the pre sent delicate position of Greece, on which a complete neutrality has been imposed, it would be difficult to pre pare such a document, and I have been assured that the King insists on Parliament being opened by commission. Some political disturbances having taken place in the Island of Naxos, on receipt of intelligence from the Crimea, the Sub-Prefect and several public functionaries have been dismissed, and M. Bourdoury, who is entirely devoted to England, has been appointed Governor of , the island, where tranquility is now restored." RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN AND MIDLAND. It appears that these companies have at length con cluded an extension of the traffic arrangement, which for some years past has existed between them, but which was limited to the merchandise and mineral traffic. The extended agreement embraces also passenger and parcels traffic, the object being to secure the working of the traffic in both companies in the manner the most syste matic, economical, and mutually beneficial. The ar rangement is based upon the traffic of each undertaking for the year ending June 30, 1354. A provision is made that MR. JAMES R. HOPE SCOTT, Q.C., MR. ROBERT STEPHENSON, M.P., and MR. SAMUEL LAING, M.P., shall be referees to determine all questions which may arise. THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 7, 1854. THE REINFORCEMENTS. Detachments cif the 39th, 38th, 14th, and also about 80 of the Rifle Brigade, total about 264, embarked at Ports mouth dockyard in steam-tugs early yesterday morning, and were put on board the steam transport Charity, at Spithead, for passage to the Crimea. At noon other detachments, consisting of mon from the 41st, 49th, and 88th, total 227, with five officers, arrived at Portsmouth from Winchester, and were embarked in the same vessel, which also carries out a large supply of stores to the Black Sea. Oa the departure of the 90th Light Infantry from Dub lin for the Crimea, the depot companies only consisted of 183 rank and file, and in the short period of 14 days they have more than completed their establishment of 400 rank and file by volunteers irom the 3d (West York), 48th (Northamptonshire), and the 68th (Cambridgeshire) Regi ments of Militia, who cheerfully joined their ranks, toge ther with a great many recruits from this city and its vicinity. Large numbers are still offering themselves for admission into this gallant regiment ; but, having been made up to their full strength, they cannot accept of any more. It is expected that this depot will form a reserve battalion for active service in the Baltic in the spring of the ensuing year. Yesterday morning 114 young mon arrived at the Horse Guards from Guildford and the western part of the county of Surrey, having joined the battalion of Guards; 100 re cruits for the Guards and regiments of the line also arrived at the Staff-office, Delahay.street, Westminster, from Ips wich. Tie average of the Guards recruits was 5 feet 8 inches in height. A telegraphic i message was received at Devonport on Tuesday ordering the draft of the 34th regiment, under orders for the Crimea, to hold themselves in readiness for embarkation at a moment's notice. It is expected they will proceed to their destination in the St. Jean D'Acre, hourly expected at Devonport. Tke draft of the 17th Regiment from Kilkenny proceeds to the East under the command of Captain Colthurst, Major Cole having received leave to travel over land. The draft of the 17th, along with that of the 89th, will sail from Cork on the 11th inst., in th e Leopard, and not in the Clyde, as formerly stated. Th o skeleton depot of the 17th, remaining in Kilkenny, is under the command of Captain Armstrong. It is over 200 strong. On Monday the depot of the 59th Regiment, comprising 200 men, undtr the command of Captain Montmorency, left Cork Barracks for Ballincollig, in order to make room vas. for other troops who had. arrived, en Mee to the seat of The 82d Regiment in Edinburgh Castle, now under orders for the seat of war, has received about 70 recruits. It is understood that the 6th Carabineers and 7th Dra goon Guards will be sent to tke Crimea, On inquiry yesterday at the Adjutant-General's-office, Horse Guards, it was ascertained that it was not the in tention of Government to withdraw the 10th, Prince of Wales's Regiment of Hussars, from the Bombay Presi dency, in order to augment the cavalry brigade in the Crimea, as announced in a morning paper on Tuesday last. It has also been stated that the 87th Foot and the 60th Rifles were to be sent from Bombay to the Crimea. This has also been found to be erroneous. The whole of the men belonging tothe 15th Hussars absent on leave received orders on Thursday, the 30th November, to rejoin their respective troops at the Exeter and Tops ham-road barracks, without a moment's delay. During the last few days upwards of 200 horses passed through the metropolis, in charge of detachments of Light Dragoons, from the northern and eastern counties, en route for the cavalry depot at Maidstone, where they will be trained for the service. The animals are nearly all three-quarters bred, finely shaped, and are principally bays and browns, with a few greys for trumpeters ; they are ietended for the re -mounts of the additional troops to augment the several cavalry regiments in the Crimea. The average price of each is 281. Yesterday fatigue parties of the Royal Artillery and the several detachments forming the garrison of the Tower were actively engaged in shipping warlike stores, com prising Minie rifles, carbines, pistols, sabres, picket posts, nosebags, and bales of bedding and warm clothing, in lighters, for conveyance to Woolwich and Deptford, at which places they will be transhipped to steam-vessels about to proceed to the seat of war. The London and foreign contractors for Minie rifles are exerting themselves to the utmost to make up the deficiency caused by the apathy of the Birmingham gunmakers, who are now seve ral thousand stand of arms in arrear. Contracts have been entezed into for the supply of a number of rifle carbines, it being the intention of the Government to arm two light cavalry regiments (which will be termed Light Dragoon Riflemen) with this formidable weapon. Captain Joseph Clarke Child's company, 7th battalion (recently Major Crofton's company, who is now promoted to lieutenant-colonel), have receiveti orders to hold them selves in readiness to embark during the present week for Malta, and to roniain there until their services are required at the seat of war. The company is 140 strong, and eight women are to be allowed to proceed with the company to Malts. in consequence of the difficulty experienced in procuring proper forage for the cavalry and artillery horses in the Crimea, the Commissariat are about sending out large quantities of hay, and the Lady Jane transport is to sail from the Mersey this day with 400 teas. During the last few days nearly 800 recruits have been enlisted by the regiments in garrison, and the recruiting parties throughout Scotland. In tho Edinburgh district the number of recruits obtained was about 240, in tke Glas gow district nearly 300, in Aberdeen about 75, Dundee about 70, Perth 40, Fort George about 60, and Stirling about 50. This has been simultaneous in most of the dis tricts with the raising of the Scotch militia, which, with the exception of some counties where the enrolment has progressed but slowly, is now woll adranced. Tho Imporatrice steamer is ordered to proceed to Cork to embark 1,000 rank and file for the Crimea. The steam transport Cumberland, No. 151, left Spithead yesterday with the first load of huts for the Crimea, ship ped from Portsmouth. The Arabia put into Kingstown Harbour en Tuesday morning for ammunition, and at once proceeded to Mar teilles, where she will receive troops on board, and then make direct for the Crimea. The screw steamer Metropolitan left Southampton yes terday, with lint, linen, and a variety of other articles, for the hospital at Scutari. She also took wooden houses, stoves, galvanised felt, shot, camp equipage, boxes of sol diers' winter clothing, and edibles for Balaklava. DUBLIN AND WICKLOW. A special meeting of this company was held at Dublin on Monday, the Hon. F. Ponsonby in the chair. The CHAIRMAN stated that the object of the meeting was to authorise the directors to borrow 100,0001. from the Public Works Loan Commissioners, and also to con firm the forfeiture of certain shares for non-payment of calls. A long discussion ensued, in the course of which a re solution, authorising the directors to borrow 100,0001. on mortgage, was carried. A vote of thanks to the chairmaa concluded the pro ceedings. NEW RAILWAY BILLS. Among the 131 new railway bills proposed to be sub mitted to Parliament in the ensuing session there are only four for leasing and amalgamation,—namely, the Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire, to lease the un dertaking to the Great Western Railway Company ; the amalgamation of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Rail way Company and the Blackburn Railway Company ; the transfer of the North Staffordshire Railway under taking to the London and North-Western Railway Com pany by 31 eau s of amalgamation or purchase ; and to enable the Waterford and Limerick Railway Company to lease or purchase the undertaking of the Waterford and Kilkenny Railway Company, RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS. GREAT NORTHERN RAlLWAT.—Traffic return for the week ending NoY.-25, 1854 £21,835 13 0 Corresponding week last year 17,216 7 7 LANCASHIRIik AND YORKSHIRE RAILWAY.—Trade re turn for the week ending Dec. 3, 1854 £18,471 '8 2 Corresponding week last year 16,970 3 0 CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAlLWAY.—Traffic return for the week ending Dec. 3, 1854 £4,C6l E 0 Corresponding Week last year 3,480 0 A - • Increase in 1854 81,181 8 0 RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, DEC. 6. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The market has been good to-day, at higher prices. Caledonian, 30a ; East Lancashire, 17k; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 72a ; London and North- Western, 99$ 100; Man., Shef., and Lincoln, 22; ditto, Qrs., 11. 3.16; Midland, 68e ; North Eastern, York ca pital stock, 25i 6 ; South-Eastern, 17 13.16 ; N. Union, B, 43 ; Dutch Rhenish, 3g dis. MARKET NEWS-(THLS DAY.) CORN EXCHANGE. GENERAL AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN For the week ended Dcc. 7, 1854, made up from the Returns of the Ilr,peetors in the different Cities and Towns in England and Wales per Imperial Quarter. WHEAT. BARLEY. OATS. EYE. I BEAKS. PEAS. 74s 4d 35s 101 29s 01 , 441 31 50i 21 1 49s 4it THE SIX WEEKS' AVERAGE. WIIEAT. I PARLEY. OATS. EYE. BEANS. PEAL 709 31 34s 5d 28s 2d 418 5d 489 7d i 47s 41 . DUTIES ON FOREIGN CORN. - d WI: Od M (BI ILLE O Y. I Is OAT 08 S. I Is RTE 08 . I BE IsAOd NS. I Is PEAS. Is s Od QUANTITIES OF GRAIN SOLD LAST WEEK. Wheat, 109,071; Barley, 111,309; Oats, 16.733; Rye, 461 ; Beans, 4,557; Peas, 1,998 quarters. MEAT MARKETS. NEWGATE AND LEADENHALL.—The general demand ruled heavy, as follows :—Beef, from 3s 2d to 4s 6d. ; Mutton, 3s 6d, to 48 8d ; V ea l, 4 s Od t o 5 s Od ; P or k , 3s 4d to 98 Ed per 81bs, by the carcase. SOTJTHALL, Dec. 6.—To-day's market was fairly supplied with each kind of stock. The general demand was in a very sluggish state. Beef, from 3s 6d to 4s 10(1 ; Mutton, 3s fid to 5s Od ; Veal, 4s Od to 5s Od ; Pork, 3s 6d to 4s 8d per 81bs, to sink the offals. ROMFORD, Dec. 6.—We have to report a very inactive trade. Prices have been rather drooping :—Beef, from 3s 4d to 5s Od ; Mutton, 3s 6d to 5s Od ; Veal, 48 Od. to 5s Od ; Pork, 3s 6d to 4s ed per 81bs. Quarter old Store Pigs, 21s to 26s each. HAY MARKETS. SMITIIFIELD.—Meadow hay, 21 15s to 41 15s ; clover ditto, 41 Os to 61 Os ; and straw, 11 Gs to 1/ 12s per load. Trade steady. CIIMBERLAND.—Meadow hay, 31 Os to 51 03 ; clover ditto, 41 Os to 51 15s ; and straw, 1/ 6s to 1114 s per load. A fair average supply and a moderate demand. WHITECHAPEL.—Meadow hay, 2116 s to 4/ IGs; clover ditto, 41 Os to 61 Os ; and straw, 11 6s to 1/ 12s per load. Supply good, and trade rather dull. LLOYD'S SHIPPING-(THIS DAY.) LONDON, Dec. 7.—Wind this day at Noon, N.W. ; fresh breeze, and fine weather. PORTSMOUTH, Dec. 6.—Wind, W.N.W., blowing hard. Arrived—Marie Auguste, from Bremen, for Porto Rico. Sailed—Cumberland (steam-transport, 151), for the Crimea. Put back—H.M.S. Monarch, from Devonport, with main yard sprung. FALMOUTH, Dec. 6.—Wind, Arrived—H.M.S. Brisk, from Plymouth, for the Prcific. Sailed—Charles Richard, for Southampton. Put back—Jazo, for Liver pool. DARTMOUTH, Dec. 6.—Wind, N.W. Arrived—Siren, from Newfoundland. GLOUCESTER, Dec. 6.—Arrived—Louisa, from Quebec. SOUTHAMPTON, Dec. 6.—Sailed—Washington (s), for New York; Metropolitan (s), Constantinople. BRISTOL, Dec. 6.—Wind, N.W. Arrived St. Yres, from Honduras. OFF DUNGENESS, Dec. 6.—Truce, from Callao ; La Belle, Honduras ' • Mary Jane, Prince Edward's Island. HULL, Dec. 6.—Wind, W. Arrived—Unita, from Kertch ; Albatross (s), Antwory ! Amor Paterno, Constan tinople. QUEENSTOWN, ,Dec. s. —Wind, W.N.W. Arrived— Eucles, from Callao. LIVERPOOL, Dec. 6.—The Peltoma, of this port, was lost in the. Black Sea during the gale of the 14th Nov. ; crew saved. The Mary Ann, of Bristol, was lost during the same gale. The Gertrude, of this port, is also re ported lost. WATERFORD, Dec. 5. —Wind, W. to W.S.W. Arrived —Cruz 2d, from New Yolk. ST. HELENA, Oct. 19.—The Charlotte, from Queenstown to Calcutta, was totally wrecked in Algoa Bay on the 20th Sept. ; 62 soldiers, 11 women, and 26 women perished. FATAL ACCIDENT FROM MACHINERY.—An inquest was held by Mr. Edward Herford, the coroner for the city of Manchester, at the Coroner's Court, on Monday, touching the death of Thomas Wilkinson, aged 35, a cylinder-tender. The deceased was employed at the cotton mill of Mr. Henry Lees, at Droylsden. About three weeks ago, the morning being damp, he had occa sion to wipe the friction plate of a cylinder drying ma chine, which he did whilst it was going, and as he acci dentally slipped down on his knees his left arm was caught between the wheels which turn the warp cylin der. He gave a shout, and the machinery was instantly stopped, but his arm was so severely lacerated that he died from the effects of the accident, in the Manchester Infirmary, on Monday morning. John Braddoch, the manager of the weaving department of the mill, said the machinery was boxed off as well as it was thought it could be done, but since this accident further security had been added, which must render it impossible for any person to be drawn in again. The jury returned a verdict of " Accidental death." INCREASE OF THE ARMY. Tho augmentation of the army to be proposed on the meeting of Parliament includes 43 battalions of the line, each of 800 bayonets, a battalion of Rifles, and another of artillery--total, about 36,000 men. WAR VOLUNTEERING PROM WALES.—Captain Phillips, of the Relative, f e- ewquay, writes to us to say that he did not sign the letter which appealed in tie Shipping and _Mercantile Gazette of the 28th ult., offering to man a ship of war front Wales to proceed to the Crimea ; and that, in respect to his name', the signature was a forgery. Lord Hardinge has in the most kind and prompt manner presented to William L. Worthington, Esq., a commis sion, without, Purchase, for his second son, in c onsideration of the loss of his eldest son, Mr. W. S. Worthington, late lieutenant 38d Regiment, who fell while gallantly carry ing the colours of his regiment at the storming of the heights of Alma. DISPENSERS FOR THE EAST.—Among the gentlemen sent out to assist the medical staff in the Crimea, the Go vernment have selected Mr. J. Fitze, son of Mr. Fitze, stationer, Exeter, whs has just embarked. The pay of this class per diem, including allowances, is half-a-guinea. BOTAL MARINES FOR THE CRIMEA.—In addition to the officers already named as ordered from this division to join the Royal Marine corps in the Crimea, Capt. Kennelly and three subalterns of the Portsmouth division have been placed under orders to hold themselves in immediate readi ness for embarkation for the East. DUBLIN, Wednesday Morning.—Large quantities of powder and other munitions cf war were conveyed, on Monday last, from the magazine in the Phoenix-park to the Pigeon-house Fort, near this city, for the convenience of shipment. Sixteen tons of gunpowder were taken on board the steam-ship Arabia, at Kingstown, yesterday. This splendid steamer, which belongs to the Halifax line, arrived in the harbour yesterday morning, and after get ting the powder on board, sailed at 3 o'clock direct fer Marseilles, to embark French troops for the Crimea. THE SICK AND WOUNDED OF THE BATTLE OF INKER MAN AT PERA.—We find the following in a foreign jour nal :—"I yesterday visited the extensive hospital at Pera, and saw the wounded in the battle of Inkerman,who had ar rived on the previous day in the Chaptal. NOtwithstanding the gravity of their wounds,they support their sufforingS with the greatest firmness. Among them I remarked several Russian officers whose countenances were very intelligent, showing a strong contrast to those of the common soldiers, who are generally very stupid-looking. All of them ex perience the same treatment as the French. The number of the sick and wounded in the hospital yesterday was 1,065. Among them are about sixty officers, of whom eight or ten have undergone amputation ; but they are all going on very well. Up to this time it is the medical staff which has suffered the greatest losses. Out of six officers who have died at the hospital at Pera may be reckoned three surgeons ; and this is not astonishing, for a man need be made of iron to stand the fatigues which the medical corps undergo. The Sultan has on different occasions tes tified the interest he feels in the condition of the wounded. The other day he sent to the hospital at Pera 256 kilo grames of excellent pates and excellent preserves, articles for which the Turks are unrivalled, and this present to the great delight of the soldiers was accompanied by a similar weight of good tobacco." LITERATURE. lierbt3rt: LaL. By the author of " Anne Dysart." 3 vols. Hurst and Blackett. Without aiming at anything remarkable or out of tho way of every-day life in thought or action, this author contrives to render her works in no ordinary degree a pleasure and a profit to the reader. If, at the commencement of the narrative, the plot may seem tame and the characters ordi nary, it is because they are life-like and simple. We are shown human nature as it is in its every day garb, but as soon as we become acquainted thoroughly with the various characters, they are described with their cares and their follies as they suffer and commit them in their struggles with the world of sin and sorrow. Herbert Lake, the hero, is not what. heroes are ordinarily depicted, in the usual acceptation of the term. Richard Wyvil comes nearer to the standard in his romantic and refined notions, in his lofty contempt for toil and trouble, his wayward fancies, which scorn the trammels of wealth, and £yet which peculiarly re quire riches to indulge them. Herbert was fear less and self-reliant. The same dauntless courage and determined energy which raised him from a lowly origin into being the equal of a refined and instructed assembly, and even the superior of many of its votaries, enabled him to steer clear of the perils which proved so fatal to his friend, and to maintain his dignity and position when assailed by many desperate circumstances. As the story so soon developes itself, it will not interfere with the interest to revert to the unfortu nate and clandestine marriage of • Richard to Mary Harris. The miseries that resulted from that alliance are skilfully shown forth. It is not that Mr.Wyvill is screened from censure ; his pride and his revenge are denounced, and a terrible suf fering is seen to visit his sin; yet this faultiness of his conduct did not prevent his son's actions being unworthy and inconsiderate. His hesitation and yielding to fancied suggestions of wrong deterred him from enacting the bold, straightforward course becoming a man—above all, one preparing to enter a solemn engagement. This part of the story is eminently successful in delineating the evil that was effected from the indulgence of opposite views. Obduracy and weakness combined to blight the pro mise of a brilliant youth, and to render wretched the decline of an honourable life. It is true that Mr.Wyvill at last consented to receive his son into the home of his youth again, but he had to learn that man cannot take destiny into his own hands to fashion. The day of grace was gone by, the heir of his proud name and fair inheritance was never to enjoy or to inherit it. Before his father had schooled his haughty spirit to relent, Richard Wyvill was cited to receive the award of a higher tribunal than that of man, and the tardy restitution of earthly justice was as no thing to him whose hope and expectation were en shrined in the promise of the mercies of Heaven; still it was a sweet and soothing thought to die in peace with home and friends, and as Richard Wyvill was lying on the bed of death, looking out on the smiling prospect of his earthly home, he offered a solemn warning to all wayward and self sufficient spirits. In the pride of intellect and the flush of youth and health he scorned control, and did not brook counsel. He set out for himself without principle or plan. At last, worn out and withered in what should have been his prime of life, he confessed that he was an unprofitable worker, and his father, as he laid low in the dust him who should have been the prop of his age and the mourner at his tomb, to keep alive his memory by the practise of his precepts, and transmit to posterity the successors to his name, he might well havo exclaimed, " All is vanity." A more welcome truth, and a more pleasing knowledge is conveyed by the life of Herbert, although his career was greatly overshadowed. He, too, was alienated from his friends, but that was from unfortunate circumstances, and not from daring defiance or self-willed actions. The powers of his mind were more the sterling than the striking; his was more reason and reflection than fancy and imagination. He did ntit find it easy to come before the public although he wished to be practical, and for a time his wisdom was as much at a loss as Richard's more volatile disposition. They found friends who were ready to serve them after their own fashion, a kindness only too prevalent in the world. Mr. Fandshaw, who seemed the very man to refer to, -and the most useful assistant to unprovided talents, had his own views and wishes which he thought just .the thing to be observed, and the only course to be adopted. As may be supposed, such a sub• servience did not suit the high nature of Herbert Lake; it was not pride of his own opinion, or vanity of his own writings, but his self-respect and con sciousness of worth which resisted the slavery im posed. He heard with scorn that Richard had forced himself to conform—but ho declined. For tunately, he afterwards met with a more congenial spirit in Mr. Grant, whose acquaintance he made in performing an act of kindness. The many dark scenes through which Herbert and Richard passed are given with skill and vigour, and the crowning act of misery and destitution, when in mourning for their only daughter, Richard and May are sur prised by bailiffs, is touchingly depicted. The knowledge of the human heart is shown yet mdre by the workings out of the home life. As Herbert beheld his wretched friends in their misunderstandings and troubles, he realised that the sharpest still. , of poverty is the effect it pro duces on the minds of the sufferers. Harder than the scanty meal and the unfurnished hearth, more painful than the want of friends and fortune, was the harsh look and the unkind words from each other. The love that had sprung up amid roses and sunshine should havo bloomed in its native atmosphere and flourished in its kindred soil ; it had not been tested in the toils of city drudgery and the details of the poor man's fire-side. Her bert, although spared such suffering, had a secret trouble, which dimmed the lustre of his rising fame, and obscured for him the pleasure of making his way in the world. Kate Wyvill was a noble and generous girl, her education had tended to warp her judgment, and she was, besides, greatly in fluenced by her father in all her decisions and opinions. In the society of literary and intelligent men in London Herbert was conspicuous, but in his own village they remembered him as a farmer's son. The Wyvills of Wyvill's Court were the mag i Dates of the circle in which the Lakes were hardly ( re cognised. True to this early prejudice, Kate ' Wyvill, kind and gentle to others, became abrupt and repulsive to the unfortunate Herbert, who, always welcomed by her with respect and, consi deration, forgot the distance between them, fur ther than as regarded the interchange of civilities. Kate's spirit was roused to sustain her wavering firmness, and she for a time forgot her uniform grace and gentleness. Herbert's spirit was like wise excited, and he hastened away. In this dark ' hour of sorrow and wounded feeling he had to make another effort. He had been greatly indebted to the clergyman of the place, who wished him to succeed him in his sacred calling. But Herbert felt that his vocation was not that of the Church, and he gave up every prospect of fortune rather than be a hypocrite in so sublime a service. This act of sacrificing self at the outset of his career seemed to set a stamp of glory on his whole subse quent life. The approval of his own conscience was with him in the hardest of his labours, and the most dreary of his solitary hours. The only in stance in which blame can attach to him was in the engagement ho formed with Jessie Grant, but be had the excuse of being deceived by Kato Wyvill. She had shown indifference to him, and he could not imagine that indiffer ence was feigned to conceal the afiection that pride disdained. By a chance, Miss Grant discovered her rival and her real sentiments towards Herbert. Sh 9 suspected all, and acted according to her conviction. This was the only darkness in the retrospect of his life ; but Herbert had not acted unfeelingly, but un knowingly, and in the end Jessie Grant was satis fied of his truth and rectitude, although she in sisted on their engagement being dissolved. It was not until they had met at the death-bed of Richard, whom both so dearly loved, that Kate and Herbert overcame their angry feelings and softened their proud hearts. In the presence of that mighty Power, before which the petty jealou sies and vanities of the world are laid low, th e y were awed into the right understanding of truth and nature. The pride which seemed dignified was Richard's stumbling-block through life, and seemed about to bring Zr. Wyvill with sorrow to the grave. The love of place and power had been the misery of Alice ; in tho pride of her beauty and her youth she was wandering an alien in a foreign land, having given up her husband's home and hr father's house to seek a refuge amid strangers. Herbert and Kate did not rush to the altar, as Richard and Mary had done, in ignorance of life and its realities. They knew their way ; Herbert had fought iat the world of action, and Kate had suffered in the retirement of her existence. Their thoughts had been directed to the contemplation of their work ; they had learned from their rela tions and friends, and Alice and Richard had been monitors of an awful lesson. " They build too low who build beneath the skies," has been often cited as a moral, and declared as a precept to the ardent and aspiring, and the seq uel of this story would exemplify how pride has no place among us, in self-sufficiency, self-righteousness, or self-love, but that the spirit of Christian charity should be the crown of ail our efforts, and the guiding influ ence in life and. death. The Ballad of Babe Christabel, and Other Poems By Gerald Massey. Fourth Edition. Bogue. This is a volume of great promise, which has been written under peculiar circumstances. The fact of this being the fourth edition is not neces sarily a guarantee for the merit of the poetry, but most readers will be of opinion that the success it has obtained has not been undeserved. Gerald Massey has arisen from the people. At eight years of age he worked in a factory, and since then he has met with countless obstacles in his upward path of (self-instruction and improvement. His life, which is given in this volume, is full of inte rest. None would suspect, f rom the perusal of the work, the difficulties in the way of the writer's self education. His early circumstances can only be guessed at from the tone of some of the political lyrics. The writer, in thanking the critics who have given him a generous welcome, declines the title of poet. He says—" I knew what a poet is too well to fancy that lam one yet. It is a high standard that I set up myself, and I do not ask it to be lowered to reach my stature—nor would I have the poet's awful crown diminished to mete my lesser brow." It is true that the title of poet is much too readily bestowed, but " Poeta naacitur, non fit." Study, time, and cultivation may do much; they will remove defects, adorn and embellish the style, but if the inspiration of the muse be wanting no efforts can ever make a poet. It is not wanting here. Much remains to be done in minor points, but there are many passages which display talents of a very high order, especially if we take into ac count the author's history. One great merit of the style is its clearness. Here and there a too great redundancy of language and profuseness of imagery mar and encumber it ; but the prevailing defect of the present day is not there. The writer has a meaning in all he says, which is really surprising in these days, and, what is still more so, the reader sees it. If he mounts to the clouds, at least he carries his readers with him. As a sample of the most ambitious style, we subjoin the following pas sages from a very fine poem to the memory of Thomas Hood : He might have clutcht the palm of victory In the world's wrestling-ring of mightiest deeds ; But he went down like a rich Argosy At sea, just glimmering into sight of home, With its rare freightage from diviner climes. The world may never know the wealth it lost, When Hood went darkling to his tearful tomb, So mighty in his undevelopt force ! With all his crowding unaccomplished hopes I Th' unuttered wealth and glory of his soul ! And all the music ringing round his life, And poems stirring in his dying brain. 0 ! blessings on him for the songs he sang — Which yearn'd about the world till then for birth ! How like a bonny bird of God he came, And pour'd his heart in music for the poor ; Who sit in gloom while sunshine floods the land, And feel through darkness, for the hand of help ! And trampled manhood heard, and claimed his crown, And trampled womanhood sprang up ennobled ! The human soul lookt radiantly through rags ! And there was melting of cold hearts, as when The ripening sunlight fingers frozen flowers. • His Mausoleum is the people's heart ; There he lies crown'd and glorified, —our king In state, with singing robe wrapt richly round: But 't is not meet, my England, his dear dust Should lie where splendid flatteries flaunt on tombs, As treachery serves to brighten wanton tears— With not a line of letter'd love to tell What mighty heart lies quencht and broken there. So let us build our poet's monument ! With passionate hearts of love for corner-stones, And tears that temper for immortal fame. The " Love Lyrics" are full of tenderness, though the faults of too much profuseness of language and imagery are chiefly shown here. " The War" and " People's Songs" are full of fire and spirit, though some of the latter are decidedly democratic in their opinions. This, of course, is but natural, but one of the high aims which the author has set himself is, " to write some songs that may become dear to the hearts of the people, lighting them on the way up which they are groping after better things." Tho poem from which the following extract is taken is on this subject : Come from the den of darkness and the city's soil of sin, Put on your radiant manhood, and the Angel's blessing win ! Where wealthier sunlight comes from heaven, like welcome-smiles of God, And earth's blind yearnings leap to life in flowers, from out the sod : Come worship beauty in the forest-temple, dim andhusb, Where stands magnificence dreaming ! and God burneth in the bush : Or where the old hills worship with their silence for a psalm, Or oceaa's weary heart doth keep the sabbath of its calm. Come let us worship beauty with the knightly faith of old, O chivalry of labour toiling for the age of gold ! Come let us worship beauty : she bath subtle power to start Heroic word and deed out-flashing from the humblest heart ! Great feelings will gush unawares, and freshly as the first Rich rainbow that up startled heaven in tearful splendour burst. O blessed are her lineaments, and wondrous are her ways To re-picture God's worn likeness in the suffering human face ! Or bliss shall richly overbrim like sunset in the west, And we shall dream immortal dreams, and banquet w:tit the blest. Then let us worship beauty with the knightly faith ofold, O chivalry of labour toiling for the age of gold ! The author is peculiarly happy in his refrains; in this respect he has something of the gift of Beranger. Those who saw a spirited war-song of his, lately published, will remember the concluding lines of every verse came in with great effect— " Oh! victory, joyful victory, Like love, thou bringest sorrow ; But, oh ! for such an hour with thee Who would not die to-morrow l" The war lyrics in the present volume are full of fire and spirit. They express the feelings which animate the whole nation in a manner worthy of the subject. The subjoined verses are from a poem entitled " England Goes to War." Now, glory to our England, As she rises, calm and grand, With the ancient spirit in her eyes,— The good sword in her h and ! Our royal right on battle-ground Was aye to bear the brunt ; Ho ! brave heart ! for one passionate bound, And take thy place in front Now glory to our England, As she raises calm and grand, With the ancient spirit in her eyes— The good sword in her hand ! To battle goes our England, All as gallant and as gay As lover to the altar on A merry marriage-day. A weary night she stood to watch The battle-dawn up-roll'd ; And her spirit leaps within, to match The Roble deeds of old. To battle goes old England, And as gallant and as gay As lover to the altar on A merry marriage-day. Now, victory to our England I And where'er she lifts her hand In freedom's fight, to rescue right, God bless our dear old land ! And when the storm has pass'd away, In glory and in calm, May she sit down i' the green o' the day, And sing her peaceful psalm ! Now, victory to our England ! And where'er she lifts her hand In freedom's fight, to rescue right, God bless the dear old laud ----- Let not Gerald Massey despair of the "Poet's awful crown," though he does well in not being unduly elated by the praise of those who would assure him he is already perfect. Let him amend the defects o f hi s sty l e ; let h i m avo id , a b ove a ll things, the incomprehensible and exaggerated school ; let him be more careful in the regulation of the metre of his poems (which does not a lways run smoothly, th oug h occas i ona lly very musical); and let him have confidence in his own powers, which, without the aid of critics or predictions, will no doubt achieve for him an enduring fame. Tropical Sketches. By W. Knighton, M.A., author of " Forest Life in Ceylon." 2 vols. Hurst and Blackett. These Tropical Sketches or Reminiscences of an Indian journalist, as they are called, are not re stricted to descriptions of one place or country—they include sketches of Ceylon, Calcutta, Delhi, and the Tristan d'Acunha Islands. The first of these, the island of Ceylon, was the subject of the author's former work, and a large portion of the present volumes is devoted to it. At the conclusion of the second volume a brief outline of its history is appended, and the amusing narrative of the author's editorial perplexities relates also to his residence among the Cingalese. His accounts of "Men aild Manners in the City of Palaces," does not give a very tempting picture. The chapter entitled " Anglo-Indian Comforts," is sufficient to o terrify any intending emigrant. On the subject of Indian . education, the author writes strongly , drawing a . vivid picture of the ignorance of fi nb p y eople. Even in the Government colleges of India e the results of the instruction given do - not appear t o b e ver y beneficial, for it is asserted that the religion in which the students have been brought up, Brah- I minim, being uprooted by the study of astro nomy and geography, and no opportunity af forded them of learning a better, they combine groat intellectual acuteness and a total want of moral principles, utter infidelity in reli gion, combined with an enthusiastic worship of reason and money." One of the most in, teresting and instructive portions of the work is a brief summary, which is given at the commence ment of the second volume, of the rise and fall of the Soikhs. It is justly observed that, should the incidents of this history appear in a drama, they would be stigmatised as improbable. The horrible rites and ceremonies of the Brahmins are related, and the writer demands, with indignation, why they are tolerated. The customs of the Mu ssul mans are not of so barbarous a form,. though their great fast of the -Ramezan is sufficiently distres sing. It lasts twenty-eight days, during which time they must not eat or drink from sunrise to sunset, and this under a tropical sun, for men engaged in daily labour, sometimes in the hot test season of the year. It gives some idea of the character of the people that some of them, die under this self-imposed infliction. The ac count of the inhabitants of Tristan d'Acunha is singular and interesting. A variety of information respecting the different races and nations is con tained in these volumes, and much en*rtainment may be derived from their lively and amusing anecdotes of Life in the Tropics. The Last _Earl of Desmond. 2 vols. Hodges and Smith. This is an historical novel, and relates the for tunes of the last Earl of Desmond and his com panions. A good deal of romance is introduced by the affection of the earl for the fair Ellen, a poor and friendless orphan, who resides with an old priest with whom he takes refuge. She is subse quently discovered to be the daughter of Spenser the poet, whose infant, it is well known, was left behind him in his flight from the rebels, and was always supposed to have perished in the fire. This very improbable discovery does not render the heroine any more suited for a bride for the last Earl of Desmond in the opinion of one of his companions, who accordingly poisons the old priest, the only one willing to perform the ceremony, by slow degrees. The old man hastens on the marriage, and his murderer increases the poison. At the altar he faints, the other presses forward to give him a cordial ; he refuses it, and, with a great effort, completes the ceremony and falls dead. Political events and private history are mingled throughout. It is said to be the first work of the author, and, as such, certainly deserves commendation, for it displays none of the exaggera tion which usually marks the style of young writers. Indeed the error is on the other side, for, in his assumption of a free and easy manner, the author is sometimes careless in his style. This, however, is a trifling fault, and the work certainly possesses the attractions of originality and con ciseness, variety and interest. NEWSPAPER PRESS OF AUSTRALIA. (From the Sydney Empire of Sept. 20.) It has often been a matter of surprise to us to find how little even men of business knew of the costly operations of a Daily Newspaper Office. Our intercourse with the large body of the public who are the constant readers of our own journal, when occasions have arisen for explanation on points pewit taming to our business arrangements, have, in al most every instance, impressed the fact afresh upon our minds. When we use this word " costly," we desire to be understood in a more extended sense than the mere money idea of the word would im ply, and to indicate by it the constant and impera tive demands upon the time, the mental effort, and the physical endurance, as well as the capital, of those engaged in the business of a large diurnal publication. Many a time, after a sleepless night of labour and anxiety, when it has tasked the utmost strength of every man on our establishment to complete the publication, it has been our for tune to receive a polite note from some subscriber residing, perhaps, at a distance of two or three miles from our office, complaining that " the paper was not delivered in suificient time for the break fast table," and informing us that " though he admired our independence, and agreed with our politics, if he could not have our leading articles with his toast and coffee he must give us up alto gether." We have often thought, whilst we have striven to our utmost to meet his wishes, that our friend would have been a little more considerate in his reproof, if he could have known that, during his comfortable slumbers, nearly half a ton weight of type had been picked up in separate pieces, each smaller than the blade of his penknife, and accu rately arranged in ens mass, so as to give the im pression of the varied intelligence which he re ceived on our printed sheet in the morning—that this was not the performance of one night, but of every night throughout the year. Even then, this idea of a crowd of anxious•faced men, in a close room, the atmosphere of which is heated with burning gas, patiently and silently plying their high handicraft through the " lone watches of the night," would only supply a faint picture of the living reality. The toil of brain which the over-taxed reporter endures at the mid night lamp—the unsleeping vigilance of the all but übiquitous news-collector—the never-ending editorial superintendence—the whole organism and vast ramifications of the established system, and the magnitude of the daily expenditure necessary to sustain it, are things which, happily for them selves, our readers cannot realise. In announcing the alteration in price which the daily journals in Sydney and Melbourne have found it absolutely necessary to make, one of our southern contempo raries, the Argus, has just published some particu lars of its own current expenditure, which will serve to illustrate the truth we have ventured to assert—that the public at large have no adequate conception of the extensive machinery required to produce the daily newspaper. The expenses of the Argus are stated to amount to 3001. a-day, of which, 27,0001. per annum is set down for com positors' wages, 12,0001. per annum for engineers' wages and wear and tear of machinery, 5,0001. per annum for the delivery of newspapers, 2,5001. per annum for expenses of the shipping department. 10,0001. per annum for salaries of reporters and payment for political writers, and 30,0001. per annum for printing paper. To return to ourselves, we think we may feel justly proud of th e position which The Empire, in the brief period of three years and a half, has I secured for itself among the journals of Australia. By theesompletion of extensive alterations for the enlarged issue which have been going on during several months past, and the erection of steam machinery which is now in full operation, we shat henceforth have at our command every mech anica l facility, while no exertion will be spared to raise the character of The Empire still higher as a political and commercial journal. The irregulari ties in many departments of our establishment which hitherto have existed i n sp it e of all our efforts, and which, perhaps, are i nsepara b le from all now undertakings of similar magnitude, are, we trust, about to be brought to an end ; and as that steady support whi c h we h ave rece i ved from t h e first still extends, it shall still be our constant aim to increase our means of serving the public. It is, therefore, with fresh plans already forming for the extension of our future operations that we an nounce to our r ea d ers th a t The Empire is now printed by steam. BEDFORD ELECTION. ---- - BEDFORD, WEDNESDAY EVENING. The polling commenced this morning at eight o'clock, and at the end of the first hour a majority of 13 in favour of Mr. Trelawney appeared on the returns.• The Tory party put their force , : into action, and the next hour's return showed a majority of six for Capt. Stuart. At 11 o'clock this was increased to 29, and at 12 o'clock to 50. The sprit infused into the contest was most extraordinary, considering the absence of music or drink, and it was remarked that a greater number of votes were polled off by 12 o'clock than had ever been known before. Captain Stuart continued to head the poll, and at the final close the numbers were : Captain Stuart Mr. J. S. Trelawney 331 Majority . 91 TRIAL OF TRE FYX. The Lords of her Majesty's Most Tionourable Privy Council met yesterday morning at the office of the Comp troller of the Exchequer, for the trial of her Majesty's gold and silver coins set apart from every coinage be tween the Nth December, 1850, and the 30th June, 1854, in the Pyx of the Mint. Present the Lord Chan cellor, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer, the President of the Board of Trade, and Sir Edward Ryan. The jury (composed of goldsmiths) having been sworn, were charged by the Lord Chancellor, and the proceed , ings were t h en ad j ourned, the jury tak i ng t h e specimens deposited in the Pyx, in order to test them, for the pur pose of ascertaining that they were of the legal weight and standard. The total value of the gold coinage was 28,838,534/. 13s, 10d. of the standard of 22 carats of fine gold and 2 carats of alloy. The total value of the silver coinage was 1,030,0054 ls. 3d. of the standard of 11 oz. 2 dwts. of fine silver and 18 dwts. of alloy. RESCUE OF THE DARIEN EXPEDITION. --A letter of thanks has been forwarded to, and received by, Com• wander Marshall, of her Majesty's ship Virago, for effecting the rescue of the Darien exploring expedition. It is dated April 7, 1854.