The Sun. — London, England, 1854-02-07 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMEIAT. HOUSE OF LORDS--(YESTERDAY-.) The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at 5 o'clock. CRIMINAL CODE OF MALTA. In reply to a question of the Earl of SHAFTESBURY, The Duke of NEWCASTLE was understood to say that as the new criminal code of Malta had received the approval of the authorities of the island, the Government did not think it right to send it back for recon sideration, and they proposed that the whole, with the exception of the chapter relat ing to religious offences, should be put in force by an Order of Council. This chapter would be deferred for further consideration. IRREGULARITY OF THE MAILS: In answer to a NOBLE LORD, Lord CANNING said no one was more sensible than himself of the inconvenience arising from the irregularity in the working of mails on the different railways. By means of afriendly communication an understanding had been come to for the adoption of a system of mutual fines between the General Post-office on the one hand and railway companies on the . other, for the purpose of checking any irregularities .on either side. This, he believed, would have the desired effect ; but if not, he should feel it his duty to apply to Parliament for further powers to remedy the evils com plained of. DISTRICT SCHOOLS. Lord LYTTLETON inquired whether iatewyasmtehaesurine tention of the Government top ro p o upon the subject of district pauper schools. The Earl GRANVILLE replied th at the subject was now under the consideration of Lord Pal m e rs t on, and it re f e rence to it would be was hoped that a measure wit h introduced into Parliament this session. THE EASTERN QUESTION. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE (who had given notice of the following motion,— " To call the attention of the house to the state of this country with relation to the question of peace or war ") said,-111y lords, when I gave notice of the motion which appears in my name upon the orders , I certainly thought, from the language which was held in this house upon Tuesday last by the noble lords the representatives of the Government here, that the proposal which had been made to the Emperor of Russia had been virtually, if not formally, rejected by him , an d . .that his formal refusal to accede to that pro posal would have arrived, I may say, immediately. And, further, I certainly considered that all negotiations for peace were virtually at an end. It appears, how ever, from the reports in the public papers, that up to this morning no formal reply to that proposal has been received from the Emperor of Russia. So far as I can understand it, there appears to be something of the semblance of negotiations still going on at Vienna. Under these circumstances, while there is even so faint a prospect of peace as I fear there is, I for one should be extremely sorry to occasion any discussion which might prevent a peaceful termination to those negotiations. (Hear, hear.) I do not, therefore, wish to-night to go into the question, and to discuss some very ne cessary points with reference to our present position, the consideration of which, however, I think Par liament cannot delay many days. Our position, whatever it is, is becoming so critical that I think Parliament must be accurately informed thereupon be fore many days elapse. At the same time, not desiring to interfere with the faintest prospect of peace until all negotiations are formally closed, I do not wish to enter upon a discussion which must necessarily arise many points. (Hear.) I shall, therefore, not draw attention to certain despatches which have been communicated to Parliament, but shall content myself with asking my noble fried at the head of the Foreign-office the simple yet important question, whether any answer has yet been received from the Emperor of Russia to those pro posals which have been laid before him, and what is the present state of our diplomatic relations with that Power ? I learn from the public prints that the Rus sian Ministers, both in Paris and London, have actually retired from their functions, and I should wish to know what instructions, if any, have been given to our Minis ter at St. Petersburg ? If my noble friend will be kind enough to answer these questions, I shall reserve for a short time any observations which I may have to make upon the position in which this country appears to be. The Earl of CLARENDON—I feel under much ob ligation to my noble friend for the consideration he has shown in postponing any discussion which he thinks might operate prejudicially to the slight chances which still remain of maintaining peace. My noble friend is perfectly right in supposing that, although there was some reason to believe that the answer of the Emperor of Russia, or, rather the terms on which he stated that he would be prepared to negotiate for peace, had been received at Vienna and were known there on Fri day last, it was only this afternoon that I received from Vienna an official statement of the facts. It was only on the 2d of this month that the Conference was called together and these proposals, or rather counter project, of the Emperor of Russia were communicated to the representatives of England, France, and Prussia by Count Buol, and, as I have already stated, having received the official despatch on the subject only this afternoon, it is not yet in the hands of my colleagues ; indeed, I have only had time to show it to my noble friend at the head of the Government, and therefore I would prefer not being compelled to enter into any de tails at the present moment. (Hear, hear.) Neverthe less, I think it my duty to inform your lordships that the terms of the Emperor's proposal were quite unac ceptable, and not of a character to allow of their being sent to Constantinople. (Hear, hear.) Upon this point no doubt existed for a moment in the minds of the mem bers of the Conference. With respect to the second question which my noble friend addressed to me, I have to state that on Saturday evening Baron Brunow called on me at the Foreign-office and placed in my hands a Note, in which he announced that the answer he had re ceived from me to the inquiry he was instructed to make by his Government was not of a kind that permitted him to continue diplomatic relations in this country, and that therefore diplomatic relations between Russia and England were suspended. Baron Brunow took leave of me on Saturday evening, but it was then too late to depart from London, and I understood that he was to leave early this morning. I can assure my noble friend that I desire as earnestly as he can that the fullest information should be given on this and all other points connected with this important question, respect ing which there naturally exists so much anxiety in the country ; and in the course of the week I will lay before your lordships the note addressed to me by Baron Brunow on Saturday, together with the despatch from his Government and my answer, on which Baron Brunow's note is founded. (Hear, hear.) The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH.—I have always thought that the state of things which has arisen out of the conduct pursued by the Emperor of Russia could terminate in nothing but war. I expressed that opinion to one of the Ministers of the Crown as far back as Easter, and I declared it in this house in August last. I do not regret that the noble marquis has thought proper to postpone his motion, because I am of opinion that any retrospect of the conduct of her Majesty's Government in these negotiations would not be in the slightest degree profitable to the country ; but I should deeply regret if the noble marquis, and those who think with him, or if Her Majesty's Ministers could be deluded by anything which has recently taken place into relaxing in any degree, or, indeed, into not increasing to the utmost possible extent, their prepara tions for war. (Hear, hear.) I have no doubt we are at the commencement of one of the most formidable wars in which this country has ever been engaged. I deeply regret that the people of this country do not appear at all aware of the magnitude and probable duration, or the dismal consequence of that war. It is undoubtedly true that it is a war for which this country is not responsible, nor are her Majesty's Ministers re sponsible for it. I acquit them altogether. I think that, whatever they have said on the subject has been said with ability, and that they have been ably seconded by the various gentlemen holding diplomatic appoint ments at the different European courts ; but I do con jure Ministers to increase to the utmost possible extent the preparation for immediate war. (Hear, hear.) War is inevitable, and what is absolutely essential to the preservation of the best interests of this country is, that on the breaking up of the ice we shall show a superior fleet In the Baltic. (Hear, hear.) Are we able to do that ? (Hear, hear.) If we be not, Ministers are most deeply responsible to the country, for they have had their eyes opened, and could not have been in ignorance of the dang er pressing upon us. (Hear, hear.) I will lay no more now. I desire that your lordships should have the oppottunity of considering the whole subject ; but what I now earnestly press Ministers to do is to in crease to the utmost extent the preparations for imme diate ear, and for a vrar which will be one of the greatest in which this country ' , Jae ever engaged. T he marquis of CLAARICARDE--I cannot refrain from BoYiog that in a matef.al part of what has fallen from the noble earl who spoke last I fully concur. I agree with him in thinking that the war in which it ap pears we are about to engage will probably turn out to b e one of the most disastrous on which we have entered. , (Murmurs, and cr i es of " No !") I do not mean to this country, but to h umanity—(" hear," from the Earl of Aberdeen) —on account of the grave and extensive con sequences which must result from it. On that account I have postponed my motion, for I regard the approach ing war with apprehension. on. I cannot, however, en tirely concur i n the opinion whi c h t h e no bl e ear l ex pressed as to the i nu t ility of entering into any retrospect of what has happened. I think that a better of the past wou ld enable us to comprehe nd annot agree with position in which we are placed. I the noble earl in thinking that her Majesty's Ministers are entirely irresponsib le for t h e p resent state of affairs. I certainly think, w ith the noble earl, th a t what has been said, both by her Majesty's Ministers and their diplomatic agents abroad, has been said with a b ility ; but I think that very often the right thing has not been said, and that much ought to have been said which has been left unsaid. (Hear, hear.) I therefore think we must have a discussion on the subject, partaking some what of a retrospective character, and, as the noble earl at the head of foreign affairs seems anxious that there should be no delay on the subject, probably to-morrow week, if it should suit your lordships' convenience, would not be too early a day to fix for the discussion. It appears to me impossible that Parliament should not then be in a position to form a proper opinion on the Violation. It is evident that the present state of things cannot wi nn i o l t gv on e t n in o u ti e c l e o a n t g. Wi once otfhmyyouirnitoerndstihonips'topebilmsrin. gsifoonr,. ward a motion on the subject to-morrow week.. the Earl FIT ZWIL o L i I th A i M e present state —The noble marquis says that gs cannot last long. In that I a and I am thethe presen more de t s s ir t o te us o o f entirely agree with him, f saying so, becau se, in my opinion, l a on s g i . ogl ( e Ch sy ee n rs ah .) le l o f f I were disposed things has alread the statemen t which has been made by the noble earl, Ito lasted find fault muchtoo with the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, it would be because he still seems to indicate that there lurks in his mind even the shadow of a shade of hope that there could be any other termination to this state of things than war, as has been announced by the noble earl (Ellenborough) on the upper bench. With all that that noble earl addressed to your lordships I do not entirely a gree, because I cannot believe that it was quite im possible to avert, at an early stage of the negotiations, she state of things at which we have now arrived. a question which lsar, hear). That, however, is . s hoym ,:n it may be determined in any man's mind, can ma k e /0 i :lteration whatever in the t sourse which Par liament and tl'e country Must now take. Whether Ministes deserve credit for the vc negotiations in whicl /1 they whether it be the opinion 4:,'S par ticular part of the ne (Hear, hear.) le of the have been engaged; or any man that in some go ti a ti on s they may have failed, of this I am sure, that it is the cin',„! of every man to afford them the strongest support . when they shall be engaged in that war with which the noble earl on the upper bench has threat ened us. (ti?leers-) There is one point on which I am desirous of makinggan observation, arising out of what fell frogs the noble earl on the upper beach. The noble earl said, it appeared to him that the country was not fully aware of the tremendous c haracter of the conflict lin which we are about to engage. Whether the country is aware of it or not, I will not now stop to discuss ; but of this I am sure—and I am sure of it from the commu nications I have had, and have the means of having, from some of the most important communities in this country—that there never was a war in which the (o vernment was more cordially supported than it will be in that in which we are about to engage. (Cheers.) When the noble earl said that the people of this country were not fully aware of the character of the war in which we are about to engage, I am confident heal not mean to impute to them any unwillingness to support the Government. (Hear, hear.) I am sure the noble purl did not mean to impute such a feeling to the people of this country, and I have adverted to the language he used only because it might possibly be misconstrued. Lord BEATTMONT.—I cannot help observing, that the answer given by my noble friend the Secretary for Fo reign Affairs is, even under the circumstances of the case, more meagre than seems desirable. We are still left without any knowledge as to whether we are in a state of war or peace. I think we are entitled to diin;jnct information on this head, and I think so for this reason ; it was stated that, if what is now called the Turkish Note—l mean the one last agreed to by the Conference of Vienna—should be rejected by the Emperor of Rus sia, all further attempts to submit proposals to that Government would be abandoned. Now, if I under stand my noble friend rightly, the Emperor of Russia has refused to consent to the Vienna Note, and not only refused that, but stated terms on which he was willing to enter into fresh negotiations, which were of such a nature that it was utterly impossible for any other Power to ad mit them. If things are arrived at this point, further nego tiation with the Emperor of Russia must be altogether out of the question. (Hear, hear.) When the Emperor of Russia has withdrawn his Minister at our Court—when he has refused to accept the proposition we tendered as our ultimatum—and when he insults Europe by offering proposals at the eleventh hour which he knows must be refused—l say that when we have arrived at a point like this, there can be no other alternative than war or dis grace. At this state of things—if I understand my noble friend's answer—we have now arrived—(hear) — and therefore I think we are entitled to know whether instructions have gone out from this country for the re call of ow- Minister from St. Petersburg, and whether all negotiations will be ended at St. Petersburg in the same manner as they are ended here ? lam as reluctant as the noble marquis near me to enter prematurely into discussion on this subject, nor am I now referring to the past. Since I have had time to read a large portion of the despatches on the table, I am willing to give Mi nisters more credit for what has passed than I was pre viously inclined to do ; but I think we have now arrived at a point when hesitation or holding out false hopes or trying to make us believe that we are at peace, when we are actually at war, would be highly culpable. (Hear.) Let us meet the state of things as it stands, and not hesitate to acknowledge that we are in a state of war, if such be the case. I think I cannot be doing wrong in asking my noble friend the Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether instructions have been sent for the withdrawal of our ambassador from St. Petersburg, and for stopping further negotiations there ! The Earl of CLARENDON—I am sorry my noble friend thinks the answer I gave to the noble marquis was meagre. I thought I answered distinctly to the questions put to me. My noble friend seems to think —and so, also, did the noble earl (Fitzwilliam)— that I am holding out hopes and expectations that fresh negotiations may be entered into, and that peace may still be preserved. I can assure them both that I held out no such expectations at all. These negotiations have—as I informed the noble marquis—now been brought to a close at Vienna. I also stated, in my answer to the noble marquis, that I had received the official information of this fact only this afternoon, and at a period too late to enable me to com municate it to my colleagues, and therefore I thought it better not to enter into details ; but, anxious, as far as possible, to satisfy your lordships' natural desire for in formation on this subject, I added that the new propo sals put forward by Russia were wholly unacceptable— that they could not be transmitted to Constantinople, and that therefore there was an end of them. I have no reason to think that fresh negotiations on the sub ject will be renewed. It is true that Count Orloff, who arrived at Vienna some days ago, and was about to de part after having executed that particular part of his mission which referred to the relations subsisting be tween Austria and Russia, has now prolonged his stay ; but what object he has in this I really am unable to state. With respect to the other question asked by my noble friend relative to instructions to her Majesty's Minister at St. Petersburg, I can only tell him that, as it was half-past 6 o'clock on Saturday when Baron Brunow called upon me, and as it was necessary in this, as in all other measures we have adopted, or shall adopt, to have previous communication with the French Government —(hear)---it was not possible, at the moment, to send instructions to our Minister at St. Petersburg, but we have already held communication with the French Am bassador on the subject, and instructions will be sent to Sir George Seymour and General Castlebajac to-morrow, which will place them on exactly the same footing as the Russian Ambassador here, and diplomatic relations be tween the two countries and Russia will be suspended. (The statement of the noble earl evidently made a strong impression on the house.) Their lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS—(YESTERDAY.) The SPEAKER took the chair shortly before 4 o'clock. NEW MEMBER. Mr. BEAMISH took the oaths and his seat for Cork, in the room of Sergeant Murphy, appointed a Commis sioner of the Insolvent Court. NEW WRIT. On the motion of Sir WILLIAM JOLLIFFE, a new writ was ordered for the election of a knight of the shire for the southern division of Devonshire, in the room of Sir Ralph Lopes, Bart., deceased. y "'~~-- ~.. i T z • more convenient for the public that the centre of the radius should be fixed at Charing-cross instead of Temple-bar. There were 121 cab-stands west of the • centre, while to the east there were only 97, and of these 39 were in the City. ENCUMBERED ESTATES COURT. Mr. I. BUTT wished togas k th e ttorney-G - eneral for Ireland whether any steps had been taken to make ar- . ranements that the sittings of the Encumbered E Court shall be in the neighbowhood of the courts states of law. Mr. KEOGH said the Treasury was now corm:uln , 1 eating with the Board of Works on the subject. RELIGIOUS LIBERTY. Mr. KINNAIRD wished to ask Lord John Russell what course had been adopted by her Majesty's Govern ment with reference to the criminal code passed last year by the Legislative Council of Malta, and sent home to be laid before her Majesty in Council, which contained sundry new enactments adverse to religious liberty ; whether the provisions of the said code (as far as relates to offences against religion), of which a translation was furnished to the house in a return delivered on the 15th day of August last, have been adopted, altered, or can celled ; whether her Majesty's Government are prer64 to furnish any kit* information of their intention in this matter. Lord J. RUSSELL said the objectionable code been annulled by the Government, and a new code had been substituted. for it, which it was hoped would be ppnd more consonant with the promotion of religious liberty, M r . S. WALPOLE—WiII there be any objection to lay the new code on the table ! Lord JOHAI RIMSELL—None whatever , if the right honourable gentleman will move for it. ENGLISH CHURCH IN PARIS. application for a site, or for pecuniary m gr.. WISE wished to ask the Commissioner of Works whether a been made to him by the committee a:2 application had proposing to erect a church in Paris ; and, if such application has been made, whether her Majesty's Ministers intend to recommend a grant of the public money towards the erection of this church, or to give a site for the same ; also whether the Commissioner of Works has sanctioned the de struetion of the embassy stables at Paris, and contem plates granting the land on which they are erected, valu ed at 800/., for the purpose proposed by the abovemen tioned committee; Aso, whether there is a Treasury mi nute, made during the administration of the late Sir R. Peel, recommending that the Eritisli government should neither build nor purchase churches in foreign countries. §ir W. MOLESWORTH, in answer to the first cines tion, said no application had been made to him by the c ommittee, but a repest had been made to him from the TreaOry office to ascertain if the plot of land adieining the embaZIIV would be a suitable site for the new Church. He dcsired that a report should be supplied to him on the subjeYte but the report 44. pot yet reached him. With regard to the second question, he begged to say that he had not sanctioned the destruction of the stables attached to the eipbassy. ;'Pith ;regard gto the] third questioi; he had , caused an fh:luiry to be made at the Treasury, ' and he found that no glich minute existed. - CUSTOMS PROMOTIONS. Mr. PELLAI7I begged to ask the Secretary of the Treasury whether the promotion of two-fifths of the lockers and weighers in the Customs service, instead of one-fifth as originally !intended, had worked satisfac torily to the Government and the employes. Mr. WILSON said the commissioners of Customs were not to blame for the few promotions which took place, for they had caused a return to be made to them of officers who were worthy of promotion, and that return con tained the names of 66 superintending officers and 33 surveyors. Of the 66, however, 60 declined to submit to the examination which the law required, from a con viction that they were incapable of passing it, while 29 of 33 surveyors declined the examination from a simi lar feeling. The others who passed the examination were promoted, and they were now fulfilling their su perior duties to the satisfaction of the Commissioners of her Majesty's Customs. ELECTORS OF BNGLAND. Sir F. KELLY wished to know if the Government were in possession of an amended return of the electors of England and Wales ; and if so, had they any objec tion to produce it before the new measure of reform was brought forward ? Lord J. RUSSELL said the Government were in pos session of such a return, and there would be no objection to produce it before the second reading of the new mea sure of reform. ASSAULTS ON WOMEN. Mr. PHINN wished to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it was the intention of her Majesty's Government to introduce any measure this session for the better protection of women and chil dren from assaults. Lord PALMERSTON said he had no intention at present to propose any measure in addition to that passed last session, as he did not think sufficient time had yet elapsed to enable the Government to judge of the effect of the law as it now stood. • LAW OF STORMS. Mr. HEYWOOD wished to ask the First Lord of did Admiralty, if an office will probably be established to co operate with Captain Maury and the American Govern ment, in oceanic and other scientific observations ; and whether the important collections of observations on cur rents, winds, and temperature, already in possession of the Admiralty, may be rendered accessible to the head of the proposed office. Sir J. GRAHAM said Captain Beechey had been re quested to report on the subject, and in accordance with the gallant Captain's report, her Majesty's ships in all parts of the world, as well as many merchantmen sailing from London, would be required to make periodical returns of their meteorological observations. MILITIA FOR SCOTLAND AND IRELAND. Lord JOCELYN wished to know if Government had any intention to introduce a measure for enrolling a militia force in Scotland ? Lord PALMERSTON said it would be his duty to bring in a bill to consolidate all the laws respecting the militia, and it certainly was his intention to propose in that bill an arrangement by which a militia force might be organised in Scotland. Col. DUNNE—May I ask the same question with regard to Ireland ? (A. laugh.) Lord PALMERSTON—I see no reason for placing the three countries on a different footing with respect to the militia. PRIVATE BILLS. On the motion of Mr. BROTHERTON, leave was given to bring in a large number of private bills, in re spect of which the standing orders had been complied with. The hon. member afterwards brought in the bills, which were severally read a first time. PETITIONS. Col. PHIPPS presented a petition from Bridgwater, praying that active operations might be taken against Russia in favour of Turkey. Mr. EDWARD BALL presented a petition from the Corporation of Cambridge, praying for the adoption of decimal coinage. Sir F. THESIGER presented a petition from Stam ford, in favour of the establishment of reformatory schools. Mr. R. CURRIE presented a petition from the fire insurance companies of Great Britain, praying for a re duction of the duty on fire insurance. Mr. HADFIELD presented a petition from the members of the Good Shepherd Temperance Society praying the house to pass a law to prevent the sale of intoxicating liquors between the hours of eleven o'clock on Saturday night and six o'clock on Monday morning. TREATIES BETWEEN RUSSIA:AND TURKEY. Sir H. WILLOUGHBY said that on Thursday next he would ask the noble lord the member for the City of London whether he had any objection to produce copies of the treaties of Kianardji, Adrianople, and the other treaties affecting the relations betw een Russia and Turkey ? STEAM TO AUSTRALIA. Mr. HAMILTON gave notice that on an early day the noble lord the member for Coleraine, would submit a motion to the house for establishing a more efficient and regular steam communication with Australia. PARLIAMENTARY REFORM. Lord JOCELYN gave notice that on Friday he should ask the noble lord the member for the city of London, whether it was the intention of the Govern ment to press upon the consideration of the house the measure which the noble earl intended to propose on the I:3th inst., with regard to Parliamentary Reform, at a period when our foreign relations were in so unsatisfac• tory a state. LorcaJ. RUSSELL—I w il l answer that quest i on nextonday—(A laugh.) IRISH MEI BERS. gave noti ce t h at on to-morrow he Mr. I. BUTT should put a question to the Government relative to an allegation in the Times of to-day, charging certain Irish members with trafficking in Government patronage, and move the appointment of a committee on the subject. CAB FARES. Sir W. CLAY wished to ask the Under -Secretary for the Home Department, whether it was the intention of Government to rectify the error in the Hackney Car riage Act of last session, as to the central point from which the four -mile circle was to be drawn. Mr. FITZROY replied in the negative, as it was POSTAL ARRANGEMENTS. Mr. J. BALL asked the Secretary of the Treasury the following questions :—Whether, according to the regulations of the Post-office department, inquiry is in stituted into each case of the non-arrival of mail trains within a reasonable interval from the hour fixed by the contracts made with the several railway companies ; and whether sufficient means exist for instituting strict in quiry in such cases, and verifying the facts by sworn testimony ? Whether any and what means have been taken by the authorities of the Post-office to render the London and North-Western Railway Company liable for the frequent and great irregularity in the arrival of the mail trains passing over that line ? Whether the contracts for the conveyance of mails by railway com panies are so framed as to make the latter liable to a pecuniary penalty, in cases where the non-arrival of the mail train is caused by the act of servants of the railway company— as, for instance, the despatch of a slow goods train from a station immediately before the hour fixed for the arrival of the mail train ! Mr. WILSON replied, that the course pursued by the Post-office authorities, on any irregularity taking place in the arrival of a mail, was to write a letter to the secretary of the railway company, desiring an ex planation of the delay. On the chief railways a guard accompanied the mail, whose duty it was to make a note of any irregularity that took place on the journey. There were at present no means of verifying facts by oath. In answer to the second question, the right hon. gentleman stated that the Postmaster-General had pro posed that there should be a mutual system of fines be tween the railways and the Post-office. It was due to the railways to state that the irregularities were not al ways caused by them. With regard to the third question, there was no doubt but that the contract did provide a pecuniary penalty in cases where the non-arrival of trains was caused by the act of the railway company's ser vants ; but the Post-office authorities 'were averse to entering into litigation with persons with whom they they were in daily communication. The Postmaster- General thought it wiser to make arrangements on a fair and friendly understanding; but, if he were unable to secure by these means that punctuality the public were entitled to, he would: be induced to apply to Par liament for other measures to obtain the desired effect. Mr. SPOONER asked whether the fines spoken of would be paid by the Postmaster-General or the public ? Mr. WILSON replied, that hon. gentlemen would see that it was no part of the duty of the Postmaster- General to pay fines caused by the neglect of the officers of the public while in the discharge of public duty. He would remind the hon. gentleman that in the town to which he belonged the letters had increased by thou sands. There was an increase of 70,000 letters as com pared with some few months since, so that all arrange ments could not be expected to be perfect. The fines wonld be paid out of Post-office revenue. IRISH INFIRMARIES AND HOSPITALS. Mr. DAVISON asked his right hon. friend the Chief Secretary for Ireland if it was the intention of the Go vernment to introduce any measure in the present ses sion to amend the law in relation to county asylums in Ireland ? Sir J. YOUNG replied that it was their intention to do so. Mr. DAVISON also asked his right hon. friend if it was the intention of the Government to introduce any measure in the present session to enable large commer cial manufacturing or other corporate towns in Ireland to maintain general surgical and medical hospitals by the imposition of a limited rate on the inhabitants of the borough ? Sir J. YOUNG replied, that such a measure was under consideration, and, if one could be framed that would meet the wishes of the large towns, it would be introduced. RECALL OF THE RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR. Lord JOCELYN—Sir, I wish to ask the noble lord the member for the City of London, if there is any truth in the report that the Russian Ambassador has been re called ? (Hear, hear.) Lord J. RUSSELL—In answer to the question of the noble lord I have to state that Baron Brunow, the Rus sian Ambassador, has given notice of his intention to cease to have any further diplomatic intercourse with the Court of St. James's, and he was to leave London to-day. PARLIAMENTARY OATHS. Lord J. RUSSELL said he rose for the purpose of asking the house to go into committee on the subject of the oaths taken by numbers of this house. If the house _ A N . - .LA' 1 'AL ilv Ur, rzBitITAR-Y 7, 185 4. would go with him into consideration of the oaths now taken, he thought they would agree with him it was almost a profanation for persons to bind themselves be fore Almighty God to certain matters which had no rela tion to the existing state of things. The oath of alle giance no man could reasonably object to ; but the second was framed to meet certain dangers, which it was. hardly necessary to gap did not how exiit: C arose est of the well-known contest between Henry the Eighth and the See of Rome on the subject of the supremacy of the Crown of the country. The whole was well stated by one o f th e patter, in this respect, greatest orators who ever adorned this house, Lord Plunliett, whO' said in a speech which he delivered in Parliament in 1823 :—" At the period of the Reforrea tien three nrinciples were operative- The was the unalienable establishment or the Protestant religion in these realms, as far as human regulation could affix per- Fitanepcs. The second was to put down and pro7en‘ the, exercise of all religious professions asl cohtunaacious which were at variance with the religion en established. . 14e third was to give the State the power of digtir,oislk ing the well-affected from th disoriented, and to disable and disqualify the latter from being admitted into its 4iab, offices. Qf those princielea the first 7;s OA() most important and was Inalienable ; the second, after having been contended against for three hundred years, was at length abandoned by the repeal of the law against recusancy 1 the third was intended as a test to separate the well-affected from the disaffected, and for that purpose the oath of supremacy was framed." Flc (Lord J. Russell) held it wrong to expect any one at this day to take that part of the oath of abjura tion which stated that princes excomn - ouleated ought to be deposed, because no one at the present day believed any such doctrine. (Hear.) With re gard to the next part of the oath, whiob, declared that no foreign prince had any authority whatever in this kingdom, the Roman Catholic refused to take that oath, declaring that the Pope had spiritual authority in this realm. What was the consequence 1 They had relieved the Roman Catholics from that oath, and it was left still incumbent upon Protestants to take it. With regard to the part of the oath of abjuration, which related to the desceedants of James the Second, was it not a mockery to keep up such form of oath nowwhen it was wellknown that there was no such descendant existing anywhere ? What he meant to propose to this house was, to get rid of those superfluous oaths. In the days when the roads were unsafe, gentlemen rode out in armour to defend themselves from the dangers of the roads—at the end of the last century, when a gentleman went out in his post chaise over Blackheath, he went armed with a brave of pistols, to defend him from highwaymen. Now, by our police and other improvements, this was totally unneces sary, and he asked the house to act with respect to those oaths as they did in the matters of every-day life. Tko noble lord thee read the form of oath which he wished to substitute for the oaths now in use. He only fiirther wished to consider whether this oath was to be applied to Roman Catholics. He thought that part of the oath which said tit Princes excommunicated may be deposed was an insult to Roman Catholics, and need not be coetinned —(Hear, hear.) He thought the part of the oaths which related to the settlement of property might also be done away with as eeeailed for. With respect to the part of the oath which related to the Church Establishment in Trelanu 3, he was of opinion that no member of this house should be debarrets from giving his vote unon any matter which was brought y forviard in the house in any manner in which his conscience might dictate. (Loud cried of hear, hear.) With respect to the words, "On the true faith of a Christian," it was well known they were introduced, not against the Ro man Catholics, but for the purpose of excluding persons of the Jewish religion. They were intended for the purpose of binding Roman Catholics, and more especially those of the Jesuit persuasion, more securely to that which was the substance of the oath—namely, due allegiance and submission to the authority of the Crown. The noble lord quoted Mr. Baron Alderson's opinion on the subject, who declared that it would be much more worthy of this country to exclude the Jews from Parliament by some direct enactment, than by a part of an oath which the Legislature never contemplated as applying to them. (Hear.) On those grounds he moved that Mr. Speaker do leave the chair. Sir F. THESIGER said he did not intend at present to offer any objection to the introduction of the bill of the noble lord, but he thought that at this early stage of the measure it was but right to make some observations, because he thought the measure involved a very grave point of principle. He (Sir F. Thesiger) was quite willing to abolish a part at least of the oath of abjuration • but when the Roman Catholic Relief Bill was passed, Sir R. Peel said it was an oath to which no Roman Catholic could offer any valid objection ; but he (Sir F. Thesiger) said it was rather startling for the noble lord to come forward now, 24 years after that bill pased, and, with recent experience, to ask the house to abrogate entirely the safeguard in the Catholic oath against invasion of the Protestant religion.— (Hear.) He said the noble lord's measure invaded one of the securities of the Protestant religion, because it went to weaken the Queen's supremacy, which was one of the keystones of the Protestant religion. (Hear.) The house then went into committee, and a resolution was agreed to on which to found a bill for the alteration of those oaths. The house haying resumed, the bill was brought in, read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time thai; day three weeks. On the !notion of Mr. I. EtrrT, seconded by Mr. SAD LEIR, a committee was appointed to inquire into the allegations contained in the petition of John Patrick Somers, Esq., in reference to the Sligo borough election. The house soon after adjourned. RAILWAY INThLLIGENCE. SHREWSBURY AND HEREFORD. The ordinary half-yearly meeting of this company was held at the Lion Hotel, Shrewsbury, on Saturday; Mr. Ormsby Gore, M.P., in the chair. •The report, of which the following is an abstract, was read by the Secretary. It stated that the directors have received from Mr. Brassey the rent for the six months ending the 31st December last, after the rate of three per cent. per annum on the share capital then called up, interest on the borrowed money having been also de frayed by Mr. Brassey. The directors recommend that a dividend for the past half-year at the rate of 3 per cent per annum be declared, free of income-tax, and to be payable on the 15th inst. Up to the time of opening the line to Hereford, on the sth of December last, the re. eeipts from the traffic on the line continued to increase satisfactorily. Since that time the average receipt per mile over the whole line has decreased, but the directors believe that when the communication has been perfected with the South Wales district, and the mineral and other traffic been more fully developed, the expecta tions entertained respecting the line will not be disappointed. A bill has been introduced into Parliament to sanction the lease to Mr. Brassey, on the terms already approved by the shareholders. Powers will also be sought from Parliament for the construction and management of joint station at Hereford, with the Hereford, Ross, and Gloucester Railway Company, and also for the purchase of land required for additional sta tion accommodation at Shrewsbury and at Hereford, and to authorise the conversion, at such time as may be beneficial, of the borrowed money into share capital. Subject to the settlement of details respecting rates and tolls, the directors see no reason to object to the bills for an alteration of Severn Valley Railway, and for the construction of a railway from Leominster to Kington. From the statements on capital account, it appeared that the total receipts up to the 31st of December, 1853, were 488,0671. Is. 4d., and the expenditure 452,8921. 16 s. 7 d. ; there is a balance in cash at banker's of 9,2891. 18s. 2d. The CHAIRMAN then reviewed and explained the prin cipal points of the report, and concluded by moving its adoption. In answer to the questions of a SHAREHOLDER, Mr. ROBERTSON, the engineer, said the arrangement was that all bridges over the line should be made for a double line, and they were so ; as were also most of the bridges over which the railway ran. He, however, asked that the tunnel at Dinmore-hill might be made for a single line, because he knew that at any time when re quired the tunnel could be made for a double line, at an expense of 201. per y ar d . A SHAREHOLDER —At the expense of the contractors? The CHAIRM AN —Certainly not. Mr. ROBERTSON explained that the contract was for a single tunnel, and that it was paid for as a single tunnel, and that shareholders were under a wrong im pression. The subject here dropped, and reference was again made to a want of supply of coals, owing to inadequate accommodation at the Leominster and other stations on the line. This was attributed to certain privileges en joyed by Mr. Brassey. Mr. PEELE, solicitor to the company, read a clause from the act, which gave every person the right to con vey coals along the line ; and Mr. Grounds, of the Littleshall coalpits, said they were prepared to supply any quantity to any person who might require them. The CEAIRMAN expressed the determination of the directors as far as possible to prevent any description of monopoly. The report was then adopted, and a vote of thanks having been carried to the chairman, the meeting sepa rated. LAW INTELLIGENCE.—Feb. 6 COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH. The court disposed of some cases in the new trial pa per, none of which presented any materials for a report. PAYMENT OF SPECIAL JURIES. --MR. C. DICKENS. The record having been withdrawn in the first case on the list, Lord Campbell said he thought the gentle men who had been summoned on the jury ought to be paid the fees allowed by law, as it was not fair to send them away at the last moment without payment, Amongst the names of the gentlemen who had been summoned was that of Mr. Chas. Dickens, who did not answer. Lord Campbell said that if Mr. Dickens' great Chan cery'suit had been still going on, he certainly should have ewnsod Win, but as it was he thought Mr. Dickens might have done them the honour of attending, to see how they got on at common law. MORSE AND WIFE v. HAIG. This was an action brought by a gentleman of proper. ty, living at Drayton, in the neighbourhood of Ealing, to recover damages for slander alleged to have been ut tered by the defendant, who had married the, widow of the Iztte Mr. Ducrow, and who live 4 'lca; the plaintiff, respecting Mrs. Morse. The slanderonq wow la irnprited to the plaintiff were of a very ind,ecaut character, and the details of the case were altogether unfit for publication. It resulted in a verdict for the plaintiff—damages, 5001. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS. HOPKINS V. TANQUERAL—A HORSE GASH. This was an action to recover damages from the de fendant upon the ground that he had sold a horse to the plaintiff upon a warranty of so un d ness , w hi ch had sub sequently turßed out to be unsou n d, Mr. Serjeant Byles and Mr. Hawk; :ns appeared for . the plaintiff, and Mr. Edwin Ja):: Les, Q. , c . avic i Lush for the defendant. The facts of the case are shortly these, The plaintiff is a stock broker, residing at Balhe,rn-hill, and the de fendant is a merchant is Lime-street, and both gentle men are in the habit of following the hounds. In the early part c 4 last year the defendant was about to sell some of his, horses by auction, and whilst he and the , plaintiff were dining together at the Parthenon Club, the intended sale was spoken of, and one of the horses in particular, California, was mentioned. The plaintiff's account was, that if he had not already bought so many horses he should like to buy California, and he asked if he was sound. The defendant said he was perfectly sound. The sale was to take place on Monday, the 30th of May, and en the Sunday afternoon preceding, the plaAnt e i4 went to Tattersall's to look at the horses, and he remarked that California was the only one that would carry hitu over the vale of Aylesbury. The plaintiff was then going to look at him, when the defendant said You have nothing to leak fox_; assure you he is per fectly sound i,; every part," and the plaintiff replied, "If yor, hay. so, I am satie&cel." The defendant, in his evidence, denied, that any allusion had been made at the Parthenon to laie soundness of the horse, and as to what took place at Tattersall's his version of it was this. The plaintiff came up to hieea and said, "I have been looking at your horsee, and I have not seen a nicer lot together for wee time," and he, also said he sbenlcl like to, buy California, and asked if ho was sound. The defendant replied, " Yes ; to the best of my knowledge ha is perfectly sound ; he has not shown symptom of unsoundness since I have had him." Afterwards he went bate the stable and saw the plaintiff upon his knees examining the horse, and he said, "Halloo, you are trying to find out the screws ; you will find it all right." The plaintiff bought the horse for 2941., and subsequently there was a conversation between the par ties at dinner, and the defendant offered to back Califor nia against any horse in the plaintiff's stables, and the plaintiff backed the Farmer's Friend against for him for 501. half forfeit. As part of the arrangement, California was sent to Mr. Baker to train, and he found that the horse was unsound in the near fetlock joint, through a disease of the suspensory ligament. The plaintiff and defendant agreed to refer the matter to Mr. Al! putt, and he gave his opinion in favour of the plaintiff; but his award was by consent withdrawn, and 'another reference was made to Messrs. Mortimer, Hall, and the Hon. Mr. Grimstone ; but they differed upon a point of law, and made no award. California was sold afterwards for 144 guineas, and the present action was brought to recover the difference between that sum and the 2941. which the plaintiff had given for him. It was not imputed to the defendant that he had made any wilful misrepresentation as to the soundness of the horse, and as to what took place as to the soundness, it was admitted that each gen tleman was desirous of giving the correct version of it, the only question being which was the most accurate in his recollection. As to the unsoundness, evidence was given for the plaintiff that California was unsound at the time of the sale ; whilst on the other side the evi dence was that he was sound then aril was sound now. In this conflict of evidence it was proposed by counsel that the horse should be fetch e d u p f rom N orthampton. shire, and th a t the foreman of the jury should ride him ; but the jury intimated that they were not desirous of seeing the animal, and so the trial went on. His lordship left it to the jury to say—ast, Whether a contract of warranty was embodied in the contract of sale of the horse ; and, secondly, whether at the time of the sale the horse was afflicted with unsoundness, In the course of the case a question was raised whether, in any view of the case, what was said amounted to a warranty, the sale having been by auction, and nothing having been said by the auctioneer about a warranty, and this point was reserved - for the consideration of the court, The jury found for the plaintiff upon both questions-- damages, 1.421.165, COURT OF EXCHEQUER. The court sat in banco to-day and disposed of some cases in the new trial paper, neither of which, however, were of a nature to call for a report. (Sittings at Nisi Prius—Before the Chief Baron.) GRAY V. WILLIAMS.-TRESPASS. This was an action of trespass for the removal of a hothouse by the defendant belonging to the plaintiff at Tunbridge Wells. It appeared that a market gardener called Sweet having got into difficulties, an execution was put into his premises, when the defendant, a creditor agreed to pay the amount upon Sweet executing a deed to insure its re-payment out of some money which he was about to borrow. The plaintiff had at the time partly erected a hothouse for Sweet, but as soon as he found him to be in difficulties, he commenced pulling it down again. The defendant, however, interfered to prevent plaintiff from removing his materials, and employed a policeman to insist on their being kept on the premises. These facts having been proved, the learned judge told the jury that, until the plaintiff had completed the hothouse, and thereby fulfilled his contract, and delivered over the building to his employer, the property in it did not pass to Sweet, and the defendant had no right to have interfered to prevent the plaintiff from removing the materials. Mr. Sergeant Wilkins and Mr. Bovill appeared for the plaintiff ; and Mr. Bramwell and Mr. Rose for the defendant. The jury found a verdict for the plaintiff, damages 121. ARCHES COURT. (Before Sir John Dodson.) CHESTNUTT V. CHESTNUTT (CLERK). In this case the Rev. Gilbert Chestnutt, who had been divorced in the Consistory Court on the ground of cruelty, applied to be admitted a pauper, in order to prosecute his a pp ea l aga i nst the sentence of the inferior court. The court admitted the application, but said that if the wife chose to object, and was able to show sufficient cause, he should dispauper him again. INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT. (Before the Chief Commissioner.) IN RE JAMES HAYNES HAYNES. This case was further heard and again adjourn e d. It occupied the cour t un til past s i x o clock, and was not sufficiently advanced to give a report. Mr. Sargood, Mr. Lucas, Mr. Sleigh and Mr. Prentice appeared as counsel in the case. The case was adjourned for further evidence. (Before Mr. Commissioner Phillips.) IN RE H. ROBINSON. This insolvent only had one creditor of 221. for rent. He had 1/. a week, and the creditor wanted a small sum set aside. It was a hard case for him, and he would take ls. a week. Mr. Commissioner Phillips doubted whether the Pro tection Act was intended for such a case. The insolvent must pay U. a quarter into court. The case was adjourned with protection. SPORTING NOTES. MANY MATTERS. The programme of the meeting which is appointed to take place at Derby to-morrow scarcely requires discussion. It p resen t s no attractive or important "feature," although its fair promise of sport is likely to be fulfilled. Of the six events appointed for decision, the Midland Steeplechase only has occasioned specula tion. For that race Diana has been somewhat spiritedly supported, but the betting has not been exclusively con fined to her, several investments having been also made on Victress, Daphne, The Trout, Spring, and Needwood. Whether the movements in the turf-market afford any trustworthy criterion as to the comparative chances of the above-mentioned animals, I will not undertake to determine, for at present it is impossible to tell how far speculation is, or may be, regulated by the " squaring system." At Derby Ben Land will doubtless be "among them." In addition to her engagement for the Midland Steeplechase, Victress has two others, and it is therefore uncertain for which race she will be intended. Metro politan turfites will, with few exceptions, leave London by the quarter-past nine o'clock train on Wednesday morning, and will arrive at Derby in ample time to " assist" at the celebration of the meeting. MI suit their convenience im this respect, the committee will, per haps delay the time of starting half-an-hour, but ever . this arrangement may be deemed scarcely necessary. f or the first eve n t w ill b e an uninteresting match for 2, 1. 0 go y s . Attempts to take the "shine out" of the S f '.ar of Sur rey appear to be inerdhetual. In the dim ar- do , of specula tion on the Ches ;ter Cup he still rises e'Aeadily and with inc:-eased at t ;.action. At Tattersar:il, to-day (Monday) D LO to 1 7 . . as freely booked about him. A reaction, too, be7:ll in favour of Newmirsier ; the opinion, therefore, which I stated on Fi:id!..y, to the effect that he would again occupy a prop? Anent place in the list of quotations, is likely to be borne out sooner, perhaps, than I expected. If well and intended, Newminster will be a most formi dable competitor, At present lam inclined to believe that he will 'de the sole and trusted representative of his Powerful "stable." Nabob, too, is advancing steadily in popularity, and his running last October renders his title to support incontestible. Should my information 1 he correct, however, the outside division contains the "coming" horse. Royalist is still the leading favourite for the Metro ' pelitan Stakes, on which the netting is too limited in its range to require more than a brief remark. Muscovite, who has at times been in some demand for the Chester Cup, lsy, it is hinted, now likely to make his grand and lain* expected coup in S urre y. H e is handicapped for the " etrop " at 7st. 71b.—only 11b. lighter than for the Chester Cup, Miss Mowbray again figures with seeming steadiness in the betting on the Liverpool Grand National Steeple chase, Still many persons display a lack of confidence in, ihe ultimate "intentions" of her party that is not a ' little perplexing and discouraging. That the mare is in sound health and good condition is not denied, but still the whispers to " hedge" are not silenced. The rumoured retirement of the Duke of Richmond from all active participation in the sport of horse-racing was founded in truth. Messrs. Tattersall have received instructions to sell, by auction, the remaining portion of his grace's thorough-bred stock. The sale was, I believe, appointed to take place on the 14th instant, but circumstances have rendered its postponement necessary. In the Duke of Richmond the turf will lose a staunch and true supporter, and sporting men of all grades and conditions will regret the retirement of a nobleman whose name has been so long and honourably associated with all that belongs to the purer part of our national pastime. A FRESH MANS February 7. RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS. LONDON AND SOUTH-EASTERN RAlLWAY.—Traffic re turn for the we e k ending year Feb. 4, 1854 £13,559 17 6 Corresponding we e k l as t 11,768 911 Increase in 1854 £1,791 7 7 LONDON, BRIGHTON, AND SOUTH COAST RAILWAY.— Traffic return for the week ending Feb. 4, 1854 .................. . £9,840 3 9 Corresponding we e k l as t . year 9,091 8 4 Total of the half-year to this date, 1854 44,770 14 7 Total of the half-year to this date, 1853 44,113 14 1 Dn. Er.taursort's CHARITABLE CASE.-Mr. George Nottage, who has taken such an active interest in the distressing case of the two daughters of a member of an old and eminent firm in the , city, recently brought to light through the benevolence of Dr. Elliotson, has r written a letter to the Times acknowledging the receipt of donations amounting to more than 301., as well as the I purchase of more than 200 copies of the poems published by the unfortunnte ladies. Mr. Nottage says— ,, Th e idea Dr. Elli o t son an d myse lf originally conceived was to secure, if possible, a merely temporary relief for these distressed and afflicted ladies, but that the munificent liberality of the subscribers has all but made it perms. neut. RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, FEB. 6. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The market has been brisk, with an improved feeling and higher prices. Aberdeen, 10i ; Caledonian, 26i ; East Lancashi re , 16a ; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 65 6 ; London and North-Western, 103 i ; Manchester, She ffi eld, and Lincoln, 23 ; Midland, 63t; North British, 8d ; South-Eastern and Dover, 18g. LEEDS, FEB. 6. STOCK EXCHANGE. —There has been another buoyant share market this morning. Lancashires and Yorkshires have again made a marked advance, having been done at 66 ; Midlands also opened at an improvement on the prices of Saturday, advanoed a little, then fell back to the open ing quotation, closing at 64. York, Newcastle, and Ber wicks were transacted at 16k. MANCHESTER, FEB. 6. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The share market has been active, and a good many sales were made at fluctuating prices, but on the whole a slight improvement. Leeds, 66 ; Mid lands' ' 631 • Dovers, 18 9-16 ; Sh e ffi e ld s, 231 ; Caledonian, 26i ; East Lancashire, 16a ; London and North-Westerns, 1031 ; North British, 8a c. ; Blackburn, 5. BIRMINGHAM, FEB. 6. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The tone of this market was much improved to-day, although the business done was limited. London and North-Westerns closed (buyers) at 103 ; and Midlands left off at 63, M. [ADVERTISEMENT. ]—ALIEUTENANT OF DRAGOONS CURED OF RHEUMATISM BY HOLLOWAY'S OINTMENT AND PILLS.—This officer, who is in the Dutch army, states that Holloway's Pills and Ointment have cured him of rheumatism, which appeared to be incurable, as neither sea-bathing, vapour-baths, nor preparations vaunted as sure remedies, did him any good, and the treatment of the doctor, after several months trial, was without suc cess. At this juncture he commenced taking these Pills. and rubbing the Ointment into the complaining parts twice a day, which effectually cured him in the course of six weeks. The truth of this statement can be vouched for by Mr. J. B. Stzrattasnor _ ,ofTois-le-Due.—Sold by a ll drag and, udon, and t o f 11 Wa establiolaruen 244 OirLo TATTERSALL'S-MONDA.Y. There was clearly a much better tone in the market in regard to Newminster for the Chester Cup ; 25 to 1 was taken to upwards of 1501. 'lle Star of surrey is mani festly, in the estimation of several persons, a star of the first magnitude ; 20 to 1 was taken freely about him. We understand that in consequerace of a change of owner ship he is gone into the Findr n stable. 2,000 to 80 was taken about Peggy, 2,000 'to 70 about Nabob, 1,500 to 50 about Tom. and I , l no to 25 Talfourd. . . . The betting on the steeplechases was, for the most part, to small sr,ms. From 16 Bourton advanced to 14 to 1, taken. The favourite was nominally at 7to 1. THE DYMBY.—Since the Flying Dutchman bore sway there was not been any favourite so strong in the market as Autocrat ; 9 to 2 was taken this afternoon to nearly 700/, Four fifties were booked once, but our quotation - in the subjoined list tallies with the odds laid at the close. His rival, King Tom, also received considerable support from influential quarters ; 8 to 1 was taken in the aggre gate to 5001. At the commencement of business 12 to 1 was taken to a pony about Dervish, but 13 to 1 was repeatedly offered afterwards ; 1,000 to 45 once, and 1,000 to 40 taken twice, about Ruby ; 2,500 to 100 about Wild Huntsman, who is likely to be again "in full cry," whatever may be the result. 1,250 to 50 taken about Acrobat, 1,000 to 30 Andover, and 500 to 10 each Me teora and Honeysuckle ; the last two were also backed for the Oaks at the odds quoted below. The room was well attended. CLOSING PRICES. MIDLAND STEEPLECHASE (DERBY). 7to 2 agst Diana (taken). 6to 1 each agst Victress, Daphne, and Trout (taken). Bto 1 each agst Spring and Needwood (taken). LIVERPOOL STEEPLECHABE. 7to 1 agst Miss Mowbray. 9to 1 agst Half-and-Half (taken). 14 to 1 agst Bourton. (taken). 16 to 1 agat La Gazza Ladra (taken). 25 to 1 agst Lady Arthur (taken). 30 to 1 agst Burnt Sienna (taken). GREAT METROPOLITAN STAKES. 14 to 1 agst Royalist (taken). CHESTER CUP. 20 to 1 agst Star of Surrey (taken freely). 25 to 1 agst Peggy (taken). 25 to 1 agst Newminster (taken). 28 to 1 agst Nabob (taken). 30 to 1 agst Tom (taken). 40 to 1 agst Talfourd (taken). DERBY. 9to 2 agst Autocrat (taken freely). 15 to 2 agst King Tom. 13 to 1 agst Dervish (taken). 25 to 1 agst Ruby (taken). 25 to 1 agst Acrobat (taken). 25 to 1 agst Wild Huntsman (taken). 33 to 1 agst Andover (taken). 50 to 1 agst Meteora, (taken.) 50 to 1 agst Honeysuckle (taken). OAKS. 4to 1 agst Meteora (taken to 251.) 10 to 1 agst Honeysuckle (taken to 751.) DERBY, 1855. 50 to 1 agat Vandal, by Van Tromp out of Garland (taken to 1001.) DERBY RACES.—WEDNESDAY. ORDER Oil' RUNNING. 1.30. Match. 2.0. Union Hunt Stakes. 2.45. Midland Steeplechase. 3.30. Selling Steeplechase. 4.0. Handicap Hurdle Race. 4.30. Selling Hurdle Race. The 9.30 a.m. train from Euston Station arrives at Derby at 1.15 p.m. RACING FIXTURES FOR 1854. FEBRUARY. Derby Spring Lincoln Spring 14 Nottingham Spring 21 MA: Liverpool Spring 1 Doncaster Spring 7 Salisbury Coventry Spring l4 CH. AP Croxton Park 4 Epsom Spring 6 Cheltenham Spring 12 Newmarket Craven 17 Warwick Spring 21 Catterick 27 Northampton 29 Aberga•enny 30 M. Newmarket F S Chester Spring 9 Lothians & Edinburgh 11 Newmarket S S l6 Shrewsbury lB JT Manchester Ascot Heath 13 Newcastle-on-Tyne 20 Hampton 2l Carlisle 26 Newmarket Worcester 4 Lancaster 6 Mansfield ll Liverpool l2 Ipswich 13 'RIL. Catterick Bridge 19 Abergavenny .......,20 York Spring 25 Melton 27 A.Y. Lothians and EdinburghlB Lewes l9 Bath 23 Liverpool Hunt Spring 24 Epsom 30 WE. Bibury 2B Stockbridge 29 Ludlow 30 Winchester 3O AU( Brighton Brighton Club 4 Wolverhampton Yarmouth 8 Reading Odiham North Staffordshire 9 Wolverhampton l4 Warwick SE PTE 5 Lichfield Western Meeting 7 Rochester and Chatham 7 Doncaster 12 Pontefract 18 OCTO: Chester Autumn — 3 Yorkshire Union Bunt 5 Wrexham 5 Newmarket S 0 9 NOVE Epsom Autumn Stourbridge l7 Stamford Nottingham 20 Goodwood 25 Ripon 31 ,lIST. Egham York Hereford 24 Eccles 2B Chelmsford 29 Derby 29 Plymouth 30 Lincoln 31 MBER. Bedford l9 Leicester 2O Manchester Autumn 2l Lanark. . .... . ... ......•••" 25 Newmarket F 0 20 N or thallerton 2B IBER. Warwick Autumn 17 Caledonian Hunt 17 Newmarket H 23 Worcester Autumn 31 ABER. Cowbridge Hunt 8 STEEPLECHASES TO COME. FEBRUARY. Derby (2) .................. 8I Carmarthenshire 2l Torquay ................ 16 . SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. NOTICE TO MARINERS. LIGHTHOUSES IN THE - UNITED STATES.—A copy of sevoral notices relating to lighthouses in the United States ..4s been received at Lloyd's. They are too long for inser tion, but can be seen on application to the Secretary. NOTICE OF A SHOAL NEAR LABUAN. With reference to a shoal on which the Winchester struck soon after leaving Labuan, the following is a report of its exact position by Commander Bate, H.M. surveying sloop Royalist, who was directed to examine it :—lt is a narrow ridge, of sa n d s t one f ormat i on, about 40 feet in length, with 17 feet at low water spring tides on it, and is surrounded by a bank of sand a-ad coal from two to three cables in extent, having an average depth of five fathoms, with ten to twelve fathoms immediately off it. The following true bearings place you on it : N.W. highest part of Prilo Tiga, N. 84 deg. E. Noseng Point, S. 86 d eg. 30 min. E., distant 15 miles. Mount Nosong, S. 6 5 ; deg. 30 min. E. Highest part of Labuan, S. 18 deg. 40 mi n . W . The above bear'ings, when laid down on the Admiralty chart by Lieutenant D. M. Gordon, place the rock in lat. 5 deg. 41 mill. 50 sec. N., 10ng.115 deg. 1.7 sec. E. CUSTOM HOUSE, FEB. 6. ENTERED INWARDS.—The Leon, from Gravelines ; Furet, do. ; Jean Bart, do. ; Renard, do. ; Jeune Anyse, do. ; Janes, Dunkirk ; Mignon, St. Michael's ; Helen A. Miller, Philadelphia ; Dania, Kjerteminde ; Marietta, Seville ; Active, Copenhagen ; T2srisk, Accra ; Tre Broder, Antwerp ; Fredrick Wilhelm, Memel ; Esperance, New York ; Martha, Lowestoft ; Dorothea, Gotthaud, disabled ; Princess Helene, Islay and Iquique ; Mohawk, Sydney; Mercurius, Middleburgh ; Janet, Nassau. ENTERED OUTWARDS FOR LOADING.—The Tartar, for Belize ; Euphresyne, Mauritius ; James, Bermuda ; Har binger, Melbourne ; Ellen, Jamaica ; Herder, Sydney ; Coquette, Ancona and Trieste ; Enchantress, Barbadoes ; Olive, Ghent ; Josip, Trieste and Venico. _ . CLEARED OUTWARDS WITH CARGO.—The Daniel, for Lubeck; Sophie, Bremen ; Maria Augusta, Bahia. TEIGNMOUTH, Feb. s.—The Harlequin, from Newcastle to this port, was aground on a sand bank inside the bar yesterday, but is now off, and safe in the harbour, after discharging some of her coals. REDOAR, Feb. s.—The Eliza and Jane, of and from Exeter to Middlesborough, ran on the rocks off this place last night, bnt was assisted off and proceeded. NEWCASTLE, Feb. 6.—The Ann, Dundee to France, with a cargo of flax, has been towed into the Tyne by a steamer, in a sinking state. PARIS, Feb. s.—The Beranger, Bahia to Marseilles, which arrived at Gibraltar, Dec. 17, after being ashare, has been condemned there, and will be sold. Feb. 6.—The Neree, of Caen, which sailed for Havre, Nov. 15, touched upon a sand bank, at Guadeloupe, became leaky, and was abandoned. GALATZ, Jan. 23.—The General Carnot (French brig), arrived here yesterday, reports that when fast to tlac Russian side of the river, a little below Tulcha, she was boarded by seven Russians, and plundered of various articles. ALDBOROUGII, Feb. s.—The Rencontre (schooner), of Dunkirk, was hoarded off here this morning, derelict taken into Orford harbour, and brought up to Lime Kiln quay here this afternoon. The vessel appears to be new, has no marks of having been in collision, and makes no water. She is in ballast, and a certificate of stores, dated Cust,ome Harbour, Jan. 30, 1854, has been found, from whiyah it appears she was from Bordeaux. (Mem. The Rencontre arrived in the river Jan. 20, from Bordeaux.) COUNTRY MARKETS. CHELMSFORD-FEB. 3. Business extremely heavy to-day. Inferior samples of wheat were the turn cheaper, and the better qualities barely maintained last week's rates. Of barley a large quantity, much of which was in bad condition, and prices is to 2s per qr. lower. Peas and beans difficult to quit at last week's quotations. Oats firm. Prices to-day were as follow ;—Wheat, white, old 72s Od to 86s Od, new 72s to 86s ; red, old 58s to 80s, new 61s to 81:k ; barley, 28s to 36s ; chevalier, 35s to 42s ; grinding, 21s to 30s ; malt, 61s to 65s ; chevalier, 34s to 70s ; oats, 22s to 29s ; peas, partridge, 41s to 46s ; white, 48s to 508 boiling 56s to 62s ; dun, new, 42s to 45s ; beans, tick, Qs to 42s ; Harrow ticks, 38s to 44s ; Mazagan, 38s to 41s. COLCHESTER -FEB • Prices to-day were as follow :—Wheat, red, 76s to 81s ; barley, 40s to 46s ; oats, Mazagan, 40s to 44s ; middle and small, white, 60s to 61s ; grey, 46s to 50s. white, 80s to 92s ; 28s to 32s ; beans, 41s to 58s ; peas, Official Statement of the Quantities of Corn, &c., received in the port of London, from the following ports, from the 29th January to the sth February, both inclusive. lof 71 5 74 'lt 0 4 ,1-4 0 p Colchester Harwich Leigh Malden lB5 126; 250 7 132, 10 , 400 KIRKCALDY--FEB. Here to-day we had moderate supplies of wheat and barley. sales slow. Finest parcels brought last week's rates, while inferior were 6d to is Od per qr lower. Oats in large supply, and sold quickly at an advance of is per qr. on last week's rates. Wheat. ] Barley. ] Oats. Beans. First Second Third I I 55s Od 28s Od 2ss Od I Os 0 , 1 , 43s Od to 45s Od. Oatmeal, per bag of COAL MARE Prices of Coal per ton at t' ET.—Fics. 6. ►e close of the market : s. d. Abby Hartley 29 0 Middle W. Hartley 22 0 eves Hartley 22 0 Cookson's Hartley 2l 6 Cragwood's Hartley 2l 0 Holywell ...............26 0 Howard's West Hartley Netherton 22 0 Old Adairs 2l 0 Raveusworth Hartley 22 6 Redheugh Main 21 0 Shafto Hartley 19 6 Walker Primrose 0 West Hartley 22 6 Wylam 24 6 Wallsend., &c. Eden Main 26 0 Gosforth 28 01 Ships at market... 537 Wallsend, &c. 1 s. d. I IKillingsworth E. 22 6 Memodsley 22 6 Northumberland E. 22 6 I Braddyll 29 6 Hetton 3O 0 Haswell 30 0 Lambton 20 6 Plummer 29 0 Richmuud , f.lB 6 Russell's Hetton 29 6 Heugh Hall 28 9 Kelloe 30 0 Cleveland Tees 25 0 Hetton Tees 23 6 Derwentwater Hartley 22 0 i Grey's West Hartley 2l 6 I Sold 124. SEABORNE MAILS. (N signifies that the mails are sent from the General Post-offic by the night—and M by the morning —dispatch.] Daywhenmaae up From what COUNTRIES. in General Post- Port due in Office, London.* Dispatched. Entflan i. America(byThit.pack)N Every Friday .... Liverpool ... Each 3i nn America (by United Sts. packet) .... Liverpool. Feb. 15 America (by U. States' packet) •. • • .... Southant pt. , 'Feb. 8 Australia (via South- , ampton) —.At March 4 .......... Southan Lott ,Feb. 20 Ditto (via Marseilles) N3darch S.. .. Dover .... Feb. 16 Ditto (via Cape of Good! Hope) 4 .. Liverpool ... lUncertain Africa (West Coast) ..N?3d of the month .. Plymouth .. Feb. 14 Alexandria N'B, 9, 24, & 30 of in. Dover , Feb. 16 A1exandria..........3114th & 20th of mon. Southampton Feb. 20 Bahamas 31117th of the month Southamp ton 'Feb. 6 Belgium Dover Daily Brazil ..Ml9th of the month.. Southampton 'Feb 16 Buenos Ayres i9th of the month.. Southampton Feb. 16 Cape of Good Hope ..N'l4th of tile month Plymouth .. , Feb. 26 Cape of Good Hope ..N 14th of the month. Southampton Cape de Verds 14th of the month Plymouth .• 'Feb. 26 Ceylon (see India) Ceylon 14th of the month Plymouth ..IFeb. 26 Channel Isles ........N Southampton ITu.Th.Sat. ..... ........M 2d &17th of mo n th Southampton Feb. 1.6 ' China (see India) Constantinople 7,8,17,24,&27 0 f m . D over IFeb. 10 Constantinople ........ 4th & 20th of mon. Southampton!l'eb. 20 Cont. of Europe It & N Twice daily Dover ...... Twicedaily Egypt (see India) France ....... & N Twice daily. — .. Dover ...... Twicedally Gibraltar .........M 4,7, 17, 20, 27 of m. Southamp ton,Feb. 16 Greece (see India) Greytown .......... M 2nd & 17th of mon. S outhamptoniFeb. 16 Hamburgh ..........N Tuesday & Friday,London ..• Havannah .......... hi 2nd of the month I Southampt 0 11 IMarch 1 Holland Dover ..... Daily Honduras of the month. Southampton Feb. I n India (viaSouthampt.)M 4th & 20th of mon. Southampton i Feb. 20 India (via Marseilles)M Bth&24th of month Dover Feb. 16 lonian Isles (see India)iL 1 7, & 27 of mon D0ver...... Feb. 10 Ireland & NlTwice daily Holyhead Twiceatti y Lisbon 9, 17, & 27 of m. Southampton Feb. 16 Madeira ............M ,9 th of the month SoutharoptoniFeb. 16 Madeira .......... N 23d of month •• .. Plymouth 'Feb. 14 Malta (see India) Malta 7,17,19,27, 30 ofm. Dover ...... eb. 10 Mauritius (see India) Mauritius „N 14th of the month Plymouth ~ Feb. 26 Mexico .. ... . . ...M; 2 nd of the month.. S o uthampton March 1 Naples .. ....Nlbthilsth2sthofmon. Dover Feb. 12 Pton Feb. 16 N N e e lv w M .. B 2d y & pri l7 v th ate of sk rn ip ont . h .l S ir o a u ri t o h u a s tn p Uncerta n orts , Papal States ...• ..N sthlsth2sthoftnon.Dover ...... Feb. 12 Peninsula ....... Mlthl7th2BthofMon. Southampton Feb. 16 Peru Id & 27th of mon + Sout hamptonlFeb. 16 over ...... Feb. 12 Port Natal ..........Nll4th of= ;_tolnth 'Plymouth Dover ...... Feb. 12 Sicily . Venezuela 5 5 11 11 1:1 5 5 . 1 . h15 D D m ad& w month Southampton eb. 16 d.(•se—e ad& 17th of month Southampton Feb. 16 Van Diemen'aLan . Australia) ...... West Indies ...... •• 31 * When any of these dates lall on a Sunday, the malls will be dispatched on the following day, with the exception of the India via Southampton), and the Malta, both of which will be dispatched the day preceding. BIRTHS. OF A SON. On the 2d inst., at New West End, Hampstead, the wife of W. M. Wilkinson, Esq. Dowl on in the 4th inst., at Chester-square, Mrs. D. W. g. OP A DAUGHTER. On the 3d inst., at Tavistock-square, the wife of E. Say, Esq., F.R.S. On the 2d inst., MARRIED. St. Paul's Alnwiek. obson Esq., of High Harroga at te to Ann, daughter , of G the H late F . Charleton, E sq . , of Aludyke House, Northumberland. On the 2d inst., at the Old Swan Catholic Chapel, Liver pool, H. Jump, Esq., to Mary, eldest daughter of J. Browne, Esq., of Mill bank, West Derby. On the 2d i nst. DIED. Plater, at Sydenham, the Rev. Ch ar l es E a t on Mater, rector of' Newchurch, Kent, the or i g i na t or o f Marlborough College, aged 55. On the Ist inst., at his residence, 3, Ri c h mon d-t errace, Daiston, George Pulkinhorn, third son of Mr. Coles, Great Colna ore-street, Birmingham., LONDON : Printed and Published. by 31171i,D0 YOUNG of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at Tie Sun Office, N 0.112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the county of Middlesex, Tuesday, February 7,154 !801bs impe GP NOT: eel - Mice will, on tered CE tures of L°? YEARL Wester]; London, Twelve business submitti and Bin C 101. a Februar W dioui H with st Laud ac resident Hayes. App l ) solicitor sollcitot TE and Ire the 218 such pe ing int( TW and int lOU] The and Sp( will be any be author! Ever: and bea and mu 1 E and Irt instant, such I deliver of van menthe or at a 3 Tend quantil - Patti of the one o'c the pai this Of Ever and be must a signed the pei the due IN Richar J. Cau The Settlet Certaii This Middle INSUI combit attaini and gig althou: 2, Lea Eusto E PIIRC AL introd of CC Impor and G Ilse mittec On from ING" may 3 vente draw drawl Polio: Al it wil dimir