The Sun. — London, England, 1844-12-20 00:00:00

4AMBURGH AND DUTCH MAILS. (RECEIVED TIIIS DAY.) ROTTERDAM, DEC. 13.—This morning two boats from sSehnonde, laden with flax, crossed the Meuse to this e itY, without the ice at all giving way. It has been ob erved that the river, from this city to Fyenoord on the opp os i te b anks, has been ps.seed by horses, so that, if e frost continue some days longer, we may expect to see s fair on the river. The ice is from 14f to 16 inches thick. (Similar accounts of the severity of the frost are r eenited from Dordrecht, Gorinchem, Deventer, &c. The thermometer at Amsterdam on the 16th, at noon, Wan'at 34 degrees Fahrenheit, and a thaw had set in, but Without having vet affected the ice, which was from 14 to 16 inches in thickness. I ST. PETERSBURGJ, Nov. 30.—The Imperial F am ily "ve resolved to return to the winter palace on Tuesday ne xt_, which i s some d ays sooner than was i ntended. The re"' palace o f th e D u k e o f L euc h ten b urg i s qu i te ca dY. It is tho ug h t th a t th e G ran d D uc h ess M ar i a W ill'remove to it next week, and the Duke of Leuch tenburg is expected from Munich before the holidays. '!..he campaign i n th e C aucasus f or t hi s year i s en d e d , ”ct tho troops are gone into winter quarters, where, be ho ever, they will not enjoy much repose, as they mus t constantly on their guard against the mountaineers, w ho choose the winter for their boldest enterprises, and I)l ake , the most difficult marches with extraordinary ra pidity, surprise the f or t s i n th e garr i son , an d p l un d er i n c most daring manner the peaceable tribes. This c ampaig n has by no means ans w er e d th e ex p ec t at i ons entertained from the great force assembled in the 8136 Pg. General Nedhardt, the comm an d er -i n -:thief Dad governor, has repeatedly solicited his recal, which 11l ! . probably be se 13 BELGIAN FUNDS.—BnuasELs, DAC. IV. Actua Debt, 2}6 per Cent., ............. Rothschild's Loan, Fire per Cent Loan of Thirty Millions, Four per Three per Thirty-seven Milli ns, ditto ...... 77% (18411) lt,fl% Loan . of City, lEtl3, Four per Cent. lee 183-2 let S ociety of Commerce, Four and a Half per Cent —. Malik of Belgium, Five per Cent ..............» 59 'Ague of 1841...........» — --13flossels Papers. Doc. 18. POSTA L R NS Receiving-houses have ECULATIO. j ; " 4 OPened at Lenton and Beeston, and the free de terY has been extended to Chilvrell : these houses are ell PPlied by messenger. A receiving -house has been ,I ) ;hed at Ratcliffe, which receives letters by the seven (}4leLe,ck Stamford mail. On Friday last, receiving- Casts wereeopened at Carrington and Arnold : these t . °1 48 will also be supplied by messenger. Prepare -11:"13 are being made for opening a receiving-house at ttPnPerstone, and to extend the free delivery to Calver rAeother receiving-house will b e o p ene d a t E ast te l dgford, t o b e sent f rom t h e post -office at Bingham : fre e delivery will extend t o N ew to n . Th ese regula .o „ will be a great advant age t o ou r coun t r y f r i en d s .— ottinyhern I?evie'c -o(tizktatoN Corns - cue—At a meeting of the Common T til eilt yesterday, the report of the Finance Commitee eh - T e e -11 - ling baths and washhouses for the poor was pre city funds to aid the establishment of baths. On the t ac • tl °° " That the Court agree with the Committee," ta.vvrence moied that the report lie on the table. division, after discussion, the original motion was ear s i o e 49 to 41. A motion to reduce the proposed tt i Vt t m>o was, however, subsequently agreed to by -r gejority. On the motion of Mr. R. Taylor, it Y 8 • referred to the City Lands Committee to open a F orests, with the Commissioners of Woods and I),. ° ; re Ytat in order to ascertain on what terms the Fleet - j 3 ciLL could` be purchased. The Court then adjourned. leord Jeffreyh contradicted, in a letter to the e co , as • et„ `faun, the statement that he subscribed 1,0001. to- J l ; L as the erection of a free college. He has not sub l-t'°ed anything, he say H IE.a, to that undertaking. • T r —Thursday information , UNG RATEF U L glYen that MieLovett, of 2,Newman-place, (m ; g , 'was robbed, on Monday evening, of a silver watch, as e . rer's name, Walker, London, No. 120), three gold : (one with motto , "F orget - me - not " ), an d a s i lk ss is e , containing 71. 10s. in gold. The thief is described Bg o -.) '°, 'mg man whom M r . L ove tt fi rs t saw s i x wee k s se mt uegging i n a pu bl ic -h ouse, an d rece i ve d i nto h i s ss ee ‘. ° 7 out of compass i on , b ut w h o a b scon d e d on M onday in g after robbing him of the property above-men tioheti. be e , v ee -.n rnmit THE INCAUTIOUS HANDLING 07 A s e -- On Tuesday a young man named Joseph Moses, r o kr dener in the service of Mr. Borgin, market-gardener, coma tteoh__ ,41101 lost his life by the accidental discharge of a tha 4 t appears that the deceased was about to clis s,,el'ee the piece at some birds on a hedge, but upon his jei,n calling out that his mistress was approach te-n '44 en deavouring to conceal it, drew the barrel of the eeth'43,a'ards him, and the lock having come in contact h err , t ,°e hedge the discharge lodged in his left side, I`tae effects ' of which he died on Wednesday. n esda,KILLED liY A POLICEMAN.-0.11 Wed ]; Vit e ,J after noon t h e f o ll ow i ng fatal occurrence too t : k t the l o d g i ngs o f J ames Cl ark, police-constable, a cl the C di v i s i on . It appears t h a t Cl ar k having 2, l 'ei 0," home after a tt en di ng as a w itness at Marl eith le - street Police -court, had a violent altercation ting w os,•ife respecting some family disagrements, vri th e . " e `eh the wife's mother interfered, takine art 4 ,nd e s e ; ',Yaehter, when Clark took her by the shoulders she r her a violent push, from the effects of which from e , - ,: e u backwards and fell headlong down the stairs 1 4 4 . e ae first floor landing, and sustained such injury ,s,'"" shortly after expired. In the course of the even -0°,4.‘-'lark surrendered himself at the station-house of the diii'lVision in Vine-street, Piccadilly. He was inime ;"ely taken into custody. EASONABLE LIBERALITY.—Th e Duke of Norfolk ] 4 given 1001. to be distributed in coals, bread, am tj,, t ice ., amongst the deserving inhabit an t s o f St. Mar '.)B-in-the-Fields and on Thursday m orn i ng th e names ttt i t t hose desirous of -participating were taken down, that hv tleiries m i g h t b e ma d e i nto t h e i r cases. In this parish 4' l distributi ons o f one cwt. o f coa l s an d potatoes an d have been made this winter. TOO! Or THE HOSIERY AND LACE TRADES.— Wh e tc c ondition of the cotton stocking manufac .m tur p,,e, her wrought or wide cut-ups, is by no means 1e t ,,.." 1 ; con sequent l y, t h e wor k men in t h e southern 4 44: of the cou n ty, an d i n th e eas t ern p ar t o f D er b y Ite l e i re Buffeting severely from the united ca uses o f IhZ a ges. and scarc ity o f em pl o y men t. Th e d rawer , I sai" ic 'ont and s hi r t b ranc h cont i nues i n a most is,re tab le condition. The cotton glove branch is in a bade tole ra b le condition ; most of the plain gloves are pi ste With India rubber welts, which have become gener a l! y used. Some of the warp gloves have I%l k , t u bber threads thrown in the exact m an ner th a t riff til reads w e r e th rown i n t o warp l ace , w h en l arge lilla t ltole stripe patterns were in fashion, from 1814 to The silk h ose tra d e i s i n a li nger i ng, though de•• the 11 ; s tate; this equally appli es t o th e k notte d as t o kYth hose branch. There is no visible improvement glove branch, and many good hands have t ote,„ * . e tite out of em pl o y men t. Th e bobbin net trade ta mes g l oomy, gloomy, especially in the fancy line. Improve late, ' neverth e l ess , progress, an d, amongst t h e rest, ' tittle r i att ention is paid to the ground of the net ; spe hhert!.have been partially traversed—that is, for a ka s h."l a lance and back again. The speculation in new „ s ll at I c a 4a has b een so ex t ens i ve , th a t, we are assure d, 111. than 150 w id e f rames are now upon t h e stoc k s. k a t i e visible noalteration in the warp lace trade.— A Yearn. Review. I ' 1 1rl t: ° fltract has just been confirmed, between C. G. :Jar °t , clerk of the peace, Chelmsford, and Mr. the ' managing director of the Irish Steam ,ll,4 .; ,otiapanies, to convey Irish paupers to Dublin `as e - , l3 rit for 255. 6d. each, the same contract as with )41 ity of Middlesex, being a saving of 4s. 6d. each / ey e il d t be old contract. Heretofore all have been con l.t° Cork, t h ere b y enta ili ng an i njustice upon tinise k_kt k) 1k ( „: e d in or near to Dublin, a nd i n a th ousan d o f in hlahy had to travel upwards of 100 miles, there a id \ II ° convey a n c e. Instead of being fed upon bread Nar• :"leese solely, the rations are hereafter to be on a IN•tr'Meral scale.—Chelmtford Chronicle. i lit itOUS DEATHS IN THE LONDON HOSPITAL. 1 1 11 ,e3 13 t; "'ening Mr. Baker held no fewer than four in • h 4 ,t the London Hospital, on the bodies of persons ,"105,: 4 ,° died in that establishment. The first two were ; ) Itt• - I: 4 Jane arve aged six years, and Mary Ann „1 1 C u Iaged six 'ear 3 s ., end a half, who, as too frequently try nature, 3 had been left during the tempo ,,',4s.-"ence of their parent, in a room where there was a n d commenced playing with it, and igniting their • th:',Were so severely burnt all over their bodies, that "tt s day they both expired. 'I he third case ~..1 1( )( ): t he body of Emma Hanson, aged three years, -t tr ~4 1, 8 0 dreadfully scalded by her father accidentally NP:t ~,r 1, 1 11" ' a saucepan of boiling broth which had been r i for his suPper, that she also died shortly after tott;illiasion to the hospital. The last case was that of Of Ilaceed Henry Smith, aged thirty years, a coal tl4"Per ising his laborious occupati o n N wh.t who, whilst exercising re i • I Pping " co a l s f rom th e s hip's hold, r ece i ve d i n eseh in juries whi c h t erm i na t e d f a t a lly. Th e jury, in l-/Aset returned a verdict of " Accidental. death." 1 4 , 4 "t - ,, 4)1 e 0w Scnooe.—The Rev. C. T. Vaughan, Z ° ,' St. Marti n 's, L e i ce st e r, was elected o n Wed "aisit''''`o the office of Head Master of Harrow School. tell,l entlrnian was a distinguished and favourite aide°f the l ate D r . Arnold. lie obtained, whilst re ,'he." at Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1836, 1837, ~,'', 1 1,,64 11.1( 1 1 840, th e Craven University Scholarship, a 'ize -4.81 '4) of Trinity College, and two I'orson Greek N ▪ a ti ! his° th e U n i vers i ty pr i zes f or t h e b est c reek i le b est Greek and Latin epigrams, and the first 3 priz e for a Latin prose essay ; also the Col (-,''‘,Iske r e r ,lPb for Latin and English declamations ; also the 'all ( 1 1 medal ; and finally a Fellowship of his own R ee p -.4tl, zh rem the universal testimony borne to this -114 di - 4 , 4n, it 18 confidently to be expected that the old Presietaiguished institution, over which he is called to tit; will flourish under his auspices. 4 ,,ati, „It Mates —In accordance with the recommen- L'er e ' e - and throueh the exertions of Mr. Churchill, ti (l eti e l . .,", to the General Post-office, the Postmaster "wlljch ItY to "' has given instructions for the establishment of a ail between London and Shrewsbury, by means of 4 0ri in addition to the existing arrangements, letters ~''talt,tewsPapers from London, Birmingham, Wolver ')hr'`"", Shiffnal and Wellington, will be received at . f i sliak h u p at seven o'clock in the evening, and will he gt all t f rem the nce at seven o ' c l oc k i n t h e morn i ng ` 4 l , o „ lc 7ils in the line, except London.— Wolverhampton hg } .) :? I ' T TO JUR ORS .—At an i nques t h e ld l as t ( .7'41 w le Mr. Payne, the City Coroner, no fewer then of the partici: who had been summoned to serve t ittl e jury Wore , h e 8a absent, and after waiting for some let that it was too bud that gentleman who Wit - 11,41,1 d .Bhould be kept waiting, together with the Pe ter tons, becaur e of others who refused to attend to the i l enei te ns eaud he should fine the whole of them in the Nt etti r f o °. th ? B . ,Se . veral of the jury proent appeared to opinion. with all the precautions now taken many frauds were committed. It was useless, therefore, to look for re- MEETING OF MANUFACTURERS. lief by any relaxation of their regulations, for they An important meeting of paper-manufacturers was were not more strict than necessary to prevent fraud, held at the London Coffee-house, Ludgate-hill, yes- and nothing less than total repeal would be effective. terdav, for the purpose of taking steps to procure On the occasion of their former meeting some oppoii the total abolition of the duty on paper in the ap • tion had been offered to the resolutions by the sta proaching session of Parliament. Similar meetings tioners, who then obj e ct e d t o th e re p ea l o f th e d u t y . were recently held at Manchester and Edinburgh, He did not know whether they contined to be opposed and a deputation from the Manchester meeting, con- , to such a measure, but there were several causes, sisting of Mr. Crompton, Mr. Potter, and another ' perhaps, to which much opposition might be attri gentleman, attended at the present meeting to offer buted. The stationer derived some advantage from their co-operation. Sir William Magnay, Mr. the discount which he obtained from the manufacturer, Dickenson, Mr. Gaussen, Mr. Pewtress, Mr. Law- who was obliged to give discount on the amount rence, and a number of other gentlemen interested , of duty as well as on the material, though he had in the subject of the meeting, were present. :to pay the Government in ready money. Some J. Dicaetssoe, Esq., having been called to the stationers also took advantage, which the present chair, said he had great satisfaction in explaining to state of the law afforded, of making bargains so numerous and respectable a meeting the injurious by buying from those fraudulent makers who had effects of the Excise-laws on the manufacture of not paid the duty; and the prices at which the goods paper, and in calling on them to use their most stre- were thus bought were used as the means of screwing nuous exertions to obtain a repeal of th e d u t y th a t down the honest maker to the same scale.—(Hear.) pressed so heavily on their manufacture. In 1836 But the stationers themselves suffered from the effects the paper manufacturers obtained a partial reduction of the regulations for obtaining the drawback, and of the tax, and they obtained an equilisation of the were also becoming aware of the injurious tendency Excise duties on different kinds of paper; from which of the duty on the consumption of paper; therefore measures, however, the manufacturers had not de- it was to be hoped they would no longer offer opposi rived the expected advantages, and he trusted they tion to the endeavours to obtain a repeal of the tax. would be enabled to obtain redress for the intolerable The repeal of the duty would certainly lead to the grievances which now oppressed the trade, by the employment of an additional number of hands; he total removal of the duty; for he felt convinced that confidently believed double the present number would by no other means could the remedy they sought he be employed, and that consideration alone rendered procured. The reduction of duty before granted by the question apost important one in the present eon the Government had, indeed, been of service, and the dition of the country.—(Cheers.) public had derived great benefit from the consequent Sir WILLIAM MAGNAY said he was glad to find, not reduction of the price of paper. The reduction of price only by the presence of so large a body of paper ma had, of course, greatly increased the consumption ; and nufcturers, but by letters from different parts of the thus it might have been expected to have benefited country, that they all concurred in the object they the paper manufacturer; but the increase of consump- were assembled to promote. The stationers also, he tion had not been adequate to the expected demand, understood, are not so much opposed to the repeal of and reduction of price had exceeded the proportion the tax as they were, the only real difficulty with due to the diminished duty ; consequently, the manu- them being the uncertainty in the trade which the facturer had suffered, though the public had reaped agitation for the repeal of the duty occasioned considerable advantage. The duty at present pressed whilst it lasted, as they did not like to very heavily on some branches of the paper menu- purchase, and were afraid of loss on the facturer, to the amount, in some cases, of 150 per stocks they held. With respect to the new mode cent.; and on the larger portion of the produce of of making paper which had been adverted to by the mills, it amounted to 80 per cent. The depres- their Chairman, he could not conceive why it should sion in the price of paper had been occasioned partly be exempted from duty; for if so, other paper made by the reduction of the duty, and partly by the eva- by a different process than usual might also be sion of the payment of any duty by fraudulent exempted; and as it was, all the commoner descrip makers. The Excise had, for the purpose of pre- tions might be manufactured on the same plan that venting frauds, adopted many stringent regulations, was now practised in making mill-boards and roofing which were greatly annoying, and tended to injure paper. With respect to the damages done to pack the trade in many ways; hut, nevertheless, the frauds ages at the Custom-house, to which the Chairman continued. In one instance that had come within his had alluded, he could bear ample testimony, having knowledge, it was the practice of a manufacturer, himself suffered severely from it. He had frequently whose name he would not mention, to pay the Excise sent out numbers of packages to the colonies, and as i duty on half the paper he manufactured, and to re- frequently he was informed by the parties to whom tain the duty on the other half. He (Mr. Dickenson) they were sent that one, two, or more of these pack had paid much attention to the subject of collecting ages on each shipment were damaged and obliged to duties and preventing fraudulent practices; but he be sold as waste. This was a serious loss, and for a felt convinced that it was impossible for any law or time he could not account for alleged damages, as he regulation, however stringent, to prevent fraud in the had himself seen all the packages carefully secured. paper maker, if so disposed, and it was a known fact He afterwards found that the damaged parcels were that frauds to a great extent were still continued. those that had been opened at the Custom-house and The Excise regulations greatly impeded trading ope- then repacked. This had been the case under the tions, and the interference with the manufacture was former regulations, but now thet every package was carried as far as it could be endured ; but notwith- opened, the damage would become ruinously eaten standing their vigilance, the Excise could not prevent sive, and all the foreign trade would be of necessity fraud. The uncertainty of the law also afforded an- confined to the foreign manufacturer, who was not other strong ground for the repeal of the tax altogether ; subjected to the annoyance. Sir William mentioned for in some cases articles that came in direct compe- also instances of the frauds of foreign paper manu tition with the paper maker were at one time declared facturers, who stamp the names of English makers on to be chargeable with duty, and at another time to their goods, and send them to England, where they be exempt. Mr. Dickenson then alluded at some are reshipped for the colonies. In one instance length to the process of manufacturing sheeting and he had caused a number of packages from roofing paper, for which a patent had been obtained in Holland to be examined, on every one of which he 1833. In that manufacture the fibrous material, found his own name stamped. If the restrictions on after being torn to pieces by passing it between spiked the paper trade were removed, he believed that at rollers, was mixed with pitch and tar, and then rolled least double the number of people would be employed out into sheets. The patentees got an officer of Excise in the making of paper, and the manufactures eon to examine their mode of manufacture, and he was of nected with it. It would be the means more espe opinion that it did not come within the meaning of cially of giving employment to women, of whose &is the Act imposing a duty on paper. The paper makers tresses they had lately heard so much, and for whom complained of this, and in passing the Act of 1836 it it was extremely difficult to find suitable work. In was intended that such manufacture should be ren- proof of this he produced a French ornamental paper dered liable to the duty. According to the strict box, of which an immense quantity are now imported letter of the law that species of manufacture was pre- into this country. Those boxes were allowed to be viously chargeable ; but, when it was found that it imported as manufactured articles at the ad valorem was about to be especially included in the Act of duty of ten per cent., though made altogether of 1836, the parties got Mr. Duncombe and others to paper, for which the English maker has to pay the wait on Ir. Spring Rice, then Chancellor of the full duty. It was the practice of the merchant to Exchequer, and in consequence of their representa- enter them at a very low price, knowing that they tions a clause was introduced in the Bill to exempt would fetch little at a Custom-house sale, and the that manufacture from the payment of duty. The duty consequently does not amount to the fraction of parties afterwards undertook to manufacture mill- a farthing; whilst the duty on English paper would boards and scale- boards, as well as roofing and be three halfpence per pound. The number of women sheathing by their patent process, but after a lapse of employed in France in making those boxes was not two years the Excise again claimed the payment of less than twenty thousand, and but for the duty charged duty on such articles. The parties pleaded their ex- on the paper, they might be made in England cheaper emption, and as another Act for regulating the duties and better. Another instance of the encouragement on paper was about to be passed, the matter was not given by the paper duty to foreign manufacturers pressed. In the subsequent Act of Parliament a was afforded by the glazed coloured paper in which clause was specially introduced for rendering such pieces of linen are usually done up. The parties manufacture liable to duty. The words were very ex- have the paper cut into slips, with the names engraved plicit ; they expressly stated that mill-boards, with on each, and in that state they came to this country from whatever material made, or by whatever process manu- France as manufactured articles, at ten per cent ad factured, should be chargeable with the same duty as valorem, the value being set at the very lowest rate, paper-14s. per cwt. Notwithstanding this Act, for the paper would be of no use to any but the per the parties set to work in defiance of it, and though sons whose names are engraved thereon. In this the case had been represented to the Board of Excise manner the English paper. maker is driven from the again and again, they refused to interfere. He (Mr. market in that kind of ornamental paper, for which Dickenson) went to Mr. Wood on the subject, and he there is now a great demand. Embossed gold paper, obtained a promise that the matter should be examined cut into slips, comes from Prance in the same man and reported. The Surveyor-General of Excise did, ner, at an ad valorem duty as a manufactured in fact, report that the process was altogether dil- article, to the encouragement of the foreign manu ferent from that of making paper, the material being facturer, and to the injury of our labouring popula in one case mixed, when dry, with pitch and tar, and tion, thousands of whom are thus depriv e d of ern in the other case the material was reduced to a pulp ployment. The system of making up goods in orna with water. It was, indeed, well worth making an mental coverings to invite purchasers had been in alteration in the mode of manufacture, if by that creasing for some time, and would prob a bl y b e much means an article serving the same purpose as many more extended , and if the labels and ornamental kinds of paper would be brought into the market paper forthe ptubreposEencgoluisldb bmeaokbetrainweoduflrdombeFrqaunictee duty free. He had no doubt, from the first, that the withoutunable to duty article was chargeable with duty, and he adduced . compete_ . under . such disadvantage. It had these variations in the opinion of the Excise officers, only h been within the last three months that it and on the interpretation of the Act of Parliament, bead been decided that these ornamental papers might to show the great grievances to which paper manu-imported b at an ad valorem duty, and the result facturers were subject, from the uncertainty . of the would e that all , these things would henceforth come law as well as from the duty itself. It was impossible from France. he repeal was the only remedy. for the fair trader to compete with those who manu- dt Mr. GAUSSEN rose to move a series of resolutions, factured a similar article without payinganynhayd to the effect that great depression at present exists and they who had long carried on a useful trade r _ among the paperenakers, which is attributable to the t b r i s . i e m l eiy u encouraged uegua l ; , that bei u theg as muchduties a a s r e 80 a t present per eeut. e oxn ...excise laws ; that the manufacture of paper ought to t ) o el T u n a asking a i i t , g least for fi tt ii r r play epea l and f n t o h e fa d v u o t u . a (C r h ig ee n r t s ptbaapte suchr, t they eay measurewou hl havewould t the greatly satisfaction .be neri o c f iato thinking on many iths some branches of the manufacture, whilst on the other some articles regulations o f British insufficient other trades besides their own. b k Millwrights, iinder s s m pub- descriptions it is but 20 per cent.; that the Excise maau t f o aet p u r r e e ve a n r t e fraud; that mould-makers, printers, booksellers,t trades, would derive by foreign articles not chargeable with the duty ; fishers, and a great many other l the o r f t r b a e , tax and s . t g u e u n c e e r s a 1 paperre b , . advantage from the repeal would use that the tax is greatly prejudicial to the publication for several purposes to which of books , that the duty is the last Excise duty that become an article ofma o e th h er m s o u r b e now applied...presses on any considerable body of men ; and that a s hoal effects, produced great injury on the The tax on paper, among . other impor tant prejudicial memorial be p resente d to the Chancellor of the Ex publication of books. The late Mr. Rees, of the firm chequer, an d a pet i tion be presented to Parliament, C0.,0f Messrs. Longma n and stated in evidence, be- embodying the resolutions, and praying for the repeal fore a Committee of the House of Commons, that on of the d u t y on paper. In moving these resolutions an aterage not out more that one book of three sue- Mr. Gau ssen d welt at some length on the injurious ' themselves n ency which the duty had had on the consump tion of paper, and argued, from the great increase of cueeeedeessdar3a,nfdorptabied remuneratepiutbslisebxepresntsoes• it therefore became tendency d cotton manufacture, consequent on the reduction of the others. The authority of r• uoe by the profits of the one successful . i‘ b l ook m fo c r i tfie b r losses on duty on the raw material, that a similar increase dheardivetdhefroEuxictisbee dpuretyseubteenduttawkewnaos pamphletopinion, withoat the addition pays of twenty its ex- would have taken place in the manufacture of paper ee more nfir t m h e a d e t one iis • 'lege that was granted to the dealer in _ _ , having been an increase of 60 per cent. in the penses. According to the present Excise regulations, eottou the privilege ff.620T,0110e01. revenue tber there articles, was refused to facture manu and to other dealers in taxed of paper since the reduction of duty in 1836 ; to the publisher; their goods in bend without paying duty until a sale and were the Lam •'? • e restrictions taken away the paper was effected, the publis her was compelled to thpea yduty y manufacture would m a k e most rap i d progress, and on all the sheets that wer e printed, thoughl If g r eaterafford th e means of employment to a large portion o f portion, perhaps, became afterwards use ess.the the popul a ti on . thus injuriously on publication, it tax operated' . . The resolutions were unanimously agreed to. 11 on education ; and in Ai e ust also operate prejudicia y r. :NORRIS urged upon the meeting the absolute n 'de ed the • ht In these times, when education was dutythe of rich ti tol vigorously, and bringing the question to a speedy issue. provide the means, it was more than ever essen a No one could doubt that the 5 per cent. duty, which great an hindrance to the spread of know- had been imposed, had, from the very first, been paid that so d. The dfficulties and delays ou t of the ledge should be re mov F pocket of the manufacturer.—(Hear, hear.) drawback of the duty which attended obtaining the sof yHe thought that if, by any means, they could indem on paper exported, constituted another d source of injury nify parties who had a large stock on hand against to the English paper maker, an gave hforeign loss, they would obviate any great difficulty and manufacturer great and unfair advantages. Formerly secure more combined efforts. the difficulties of obtaining the drawback of duty werefo Mr. CROMPTON, of Manchester, who attended as , only annoyances, without seriously affecting t the one of the deputation from a meeting held yesterday ; heler , : reign trade ; but, since the recent Cu se.- effects of in that town, spoke most deSpondingly of the present frauds, the Government, smarting under the the losses they had sustained, had . made new and he represented there were assembled the manufacturers more stringent regulations on the s b h o ip o m ks ent of goo ds, k of one-fourth the whole amount of paper made in packages of paper an and now all d ' th vg n 'e b e ndlend England, and they were of opinion that nothing but out of their cases, looked over, an e u ruin awaited them unless the tax was repealed. without care into the cases again andhd shipped.been Thethe Mr. PEWTRES3 inquired whether there had been mischief did not end there, for it a een the West any intimation received from the Government of their custom to pack books and paper . going to intention . to repeal the duty, or whether any comn:u• in Indies, or on long sea voyages, in tin cases, b and _ - nication had taken place on the subject ? the resoldering of these cafes and examining_ the pack- Mr. DICKENSON said there had been no communi a es, the books and paper were frequently sodel, and cation made yet, as it was deemed requisite to have by g the carelessness in resoldering the whole contents the support of a general meeting before application damaged. These vexatious regulations was made. Now that they - were often paper imported for subse- lutions of this meeting did not apply to French they should go to the Chan colonies could now cell or exportation, therefore our ce or of the Exchequer with greater confidence, and readily, and be supplied with foreign paper more better co ndition,than paper of English manufacture, as the soap ma k ers and glaismakers had done. received greater facilities for A P ereeete for the foreign ma ker RE& from the country, who principally the English manu- sending to our colonies than manufactures the lower class of papers, said he had facturer. No hostile tariff could have a worse severely felt the effects of the introduction of the effect on the trade than these Custom-house French boxes. lie had formerly received extensive regulations, and if these obstacles were conti- orders for an article called " button board," used in . paper trade must be ruined, making boxes, but latterly the orders • need the foreign had been dis to point •id he had endeavoured continued by his customers, and he was at a loss to Mr. Dickenson said out some of the most prominent disadvantages attend- accoun t f or it. The myst er y was now solved ; for he ing the duty on paper, and some of the benefits that had no d ou bt th at i t ' was the i mportation of those would he derived from its rep eal ; but no one could Trench boxes th a t had caused the discontinuance of conceive the whole extent of the good that would re- the manufacture for which the article was employed. suit from the total emancipation of paper from the After some discussi on , i n t h e course of which it excise. H e felt assured that not hin g less than a total was stated that the London paper makers intended to The Board of Excise had endea- act in concert with those in the county repeal would do. be as littley, and would voured to snake their arrangements so as to be glad to have their co-operation a committi e was vexatious as possible to the fair trader, but nothing appointed for drawing up the memorial and petition, short of very strict supervision could detect fraud, and and for waiting on the members of the Government to IJUTY ON PAPER THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 20, THE LATE FATAL STEAM-BOAT COLLISION. CORONER'S INQUEST ON THE SUFFERERS. Yesterday Mr. C. J. Carttar, coroner for West Kent, and a jury of 14 inhabitants of the pariah of St. Mary Alphage, Greenwich, assembled at the Eight Bells Ta vern, near the church, to investigate the circumstances attending the deaths of Jeremiah Sullivan, aged 50 years, and James Shepherd, aged 45 years, who were killed by the collision between the Orwell, Ipswich steamer, and the Sylph, Woolwich boat, on the after noon of Tuesday last. The proceedings evidently exc'ted great interest, the room in which the inquiry took place being much crowded, even before the inquiry commenced, by persons anxious to hear the evidence. Mr. Wilkinson (of the firm of Wilkinson and Cobbold, of Lincoln's Inn-fields), appeared on behalf of the Or well Steam-packet Company ; and Mr. Cattains (of the firm of Cattains and Fry) attended to watch the case on behalf of the Old Woolwich Company. The CORONER observed that he proposed in the first place to take evidence as to the identification of the two deceased parties, i❑ order that he might issue the usual warrant for their interment. This done, he would pro ceed with the evidence upon each case separately. The identity of Sullivan baring been proved by a fe male named Ann M'Carthy, Mr. H. R. Chappell, of the Salutation Inn, Greenwich, recognised Shepherd, and the inquiry commenced with the case of the first-named deceased. Prior to the examination of witnesses, The CORONER remarked that he thought it would be advisable to call the parties on board the Sylph in the first instance. The Sylph was the smaller of the two vessels, and had been run down by the Orwell ; it was, therefore, desirable to hear what the parties on board that vessel had to say en the subject, in order to know whether a charge might rest against any individual. This course was at once assented to by the jury; and, all the witnesses having been ordered to withdraw, the case was opened by the examination of Richard Halcock, who described himself as a water man, resident at Woolwich, and said—l am at present a foremast•man, in the service of the Old Woolwich Steam packet Company, and was on board the Sylph in that capacity on Tuesday afternoon. We arrived at Green wich about two o'clock ; and, having put out our pas sengers at the pier, shaped our course over towards the north shore. I was on the look-out at the time. The weather was very hazy ; but, on reaching about mid channel, I could just distinguish the shore on either side. When we got abreast of Norfolk College I saw something ahead, and called out to Captain Swais land, who was upon the bridge to that effect From the direction in which I observed it, I thought it was a vessel riding at anchor. I was led to this sup position because, at this period of the year, we know when to expect the arrivals of all the large boats, and none were expected at this time. When I first observed something ahead, it may have been at a distance of 150 yards. I could not see anything in motion at that time, but immediately afterwards I observed a large steamer bearing down upon us. The moment after I had called out to the captain he ordered the helm to be put a star board, which was done. The helmsman is generally directed by a motion of the hand, but on this occasion I distinctly heard the captain call out " starboard." At this period we were going at our regular speed. When the captain called out " starboard," he said in the same breadth, " Ease her —stop her—turn her astern." The orders were obeyed instantly, but the large steamer had by this time come into close quarters, and I ran aft to get out of the way of the blow. I had got as far as the companion when the collision took place. I heard the shrieks and cries of the passengers, and immediately afterwards I got over the bows of the Orwell. The stem of that ♦essel struck the Sylph about three or four feet before the starboard paddle-box, and broke right through the deck, the cutwater of the Orwell going through the larboard side of the Sylph, while the figurehead of the former hung over the larboard bulwarks of the latter. From the deck of the Orwell I observed the extent of the injury the Sylph had received, and seeing several persons struggling in the water, which had already made its way into the fore-cabin, I made a rope fast to the Or well, and calling out to Higgins who was in command of that vessel, "For God's sake don't move until the people are got out," I threw myself over, and assisted to rescue them. I had drawn three out of the water, when I came to an elderly woman, who was firmly fixed in her posi tion by a piece of timber. A saw was thrown to me from on board the Orwell, by the aid of which I suc ceeded in removing her also. I saw no more until the vessels parted. They were locked together for ten minutes or a quarter of an hour. After the vessels had parted I got a boat-hook for the purpose of discovering whether there were any other persons under the water in the fore-cabin.—[The witness here, in reply to the Coroner, explained that the Sylph was constructed with water-tight bulkheads, the effect of which was to pre vent a leak in the foro part communicating with either of the other compartments of the vessel.] In continua tion the witness said, in a very short time I found the body of a man whom I knew to be Sullivan. He ap peared insensible, but I think " life was in him" at that time. He was put on board a boat and conveyed to the Dreadnought hospital-skip. I got assistance, and at length discovered another body—that of Shepherd. Ile was quite dead. The witness hero drew a sketch of the position of both vessels, and said that from the position in which the Orwell struck the Sylph, the helm of the farmer must have been a-port, while the latter had already made an angle of forty-five degrees after her helm had been put a-starboard. The witness added, he was quite confident on this point, as had the Orwell put her helm a-starboard, the two vessels would either have met on the paddle boxes, or the Sylph would have struck the Orwell upon her bows, in which event the effects of the collision would Lot have been so disastrous. Mr. Wilkinson here attempted to show that the proper course for the Sylph .would have been down the south shore, but this was shown to be impracticable, owing to the brigs and other craft which brought up in that direc tion. After a long discussion on this subject, Samuel John Livett was called and sworn.—l am col lector on board the Sylph, and in summer captain of the Flora. Shortly after leaving Greenwich-pier, whilst be low collecting the money, I heard the order giv. n to " ease," " stop," and " turn the vessel astern," and after wards, " ster❑ with her," when I ran up. James Swaisland, the son of the captain of the Sylph, was then called. Ile deposed that he was call-boy on board th• vessel, and that he gave the orders to " ease," " stop," " turn astern," and afterwards "stern with her." The orders were obeyed. Two gentlemen, named Gillett Beach and James Row land, gave evidence that they were on the deck of the Sylph, and that it was clearly apparent to them that the collision was purely accidental. Mr. Wilkinson, on behalf of the owners of the Orwell, apologised for the absence of several of the witnesses he intended to call, who were employed on board the Orwell, which vessel sailed yesterday morning for Ipswich, and would not be back until to-morrow, as the vessel was freighted to bring to London a cargo of perishable goods. These were the witnesses who would speak As to the speed of the vessel. He would, however, call Capt. Itackham, of the Orwell, who had not charge of the boat at the time of the accident, and would be a competent witness. Samuel Richardson Beckham deposed he was master of the Orwell, and was not in actual command when the accident occurred. I always have a licensed free waterman on board, who takes charge of the vessel at Gravesend, in coming up. His name is Wig gins. We left Ipswich on Monday, but were compelled, on account of the weather, to bring to on Monday afternoon in Sea Reach, and remained there until nine on Tuesday morning. We came up very easy, and when at Woolwich the weather was very hazy, and we proceeded very slowly. The Witch, one of the Woolwich Company's boats, passed at full speed off Blackwall. I was on the look out, with four or five others of the crew, in the fore part of the Orwell. I first saw the Sylph about 65 yards distant. We had stopped our vessel. I cannot say what the speed of the Sylph was. An order had been given on board the Orwell, of " quite easy," and I repeated it. The collision was inevitable. Wiggins was on the paddle-box all the way from Gravesend Ho never left it. I hailed the Sylph, but it was useless. Had we been coming at full speed we must have run right over her. The Orwell did not receive any injury. Benjamin Kemble, steward of the Orwell, deposed that he was in the after-cabin at the moment the vessels struck. There was no shock. I am sure the engines had been stepped. I could tell by the oscillation of the vessel. A long conversation then took place as to what day was most convenient for an adjournment, which was ne cessary, in order to have post modem examinations, and it was at length agreed on that the inquiry should be adjourned until Monday, the 23d inst., at one P.N. SINGULAR DISCOVERY OF STOLEN PROPERTY.—In our number of the 12th of October will be found an article stating that George Hayward, servant to Mr. Knight, Manager of the County of Berks Union Banking Company, had absconded from Newbury with a box containing 195/ in gold and notes. On Tuesday morn • ing last a letter was addressed to Mr. Milsem, chief police-officer of Newbury, from Mr. Strattan, police officer of Great Malvern, Worcester, stating that on the 12th of October a stranger took up his lodging at the Union Inn, Great Malvern, and on the 18th left, with out taking his carpet bag, or paying his bill. The landlady, Mrs. Roe, took charge of the bag, and not seeing or hearing from the person who left it, had the curiosity, some weeks after, to open it, and found to her astonishment gold and notes to the amount of 166!. 10s. On reference to the Hue and Cry of the 11th of October, no doubt remained that it was the property therein stated, confirmed by a letter being addressed to Mr. Hayward while there. On the receipt of this informa tion, Mr. Knight started for Malvern on Tuesday last, and on Wednesday had the gratification to return home with the amount, honestly handed to him by Mrs. Roe in the presence of several most respectable inhabitants of Malvern, who had taken some interest in the discovery and subsequent restoration of the property. BANK OF ENGLAND.—Yesterday the quarterly General Court of the Proprietors of Bunk Stock was held in the court room of the corporation. The Go vernor took the chair at twelve o'clock. The minutes of the last court were read, and, no further business offering, the Court adjourned. DEATH OF THE ECCENTRIC BILLY BARLOW.—Yes_ terday, Mr. Baker held an inquest at the Queens Head, Fashion-street, Spitalfields, on view of the body of Ben jamin Serjeant, alias " Billy Barlow," aged 30, the well known street representative of the American " Jim Crow," who died in a miserable attic, at No. 53, Flower and-Dean-street, in the same parish. Mr. Benjami❑ Hart, surgeon, who attended upon the deceased, said that he was suffering from congestion of the lungs, which was the effect of long exposure to cold, and which was the cause of death. Verdict—Natural Death, accelerated by exposure to the cold. represent the case of the paper makers, and to urge their claims for a total repeal of the duty. COTTON AND PAPER. (From the Times.) As there is a general impression, whether well or founded, that the income-tax, although it may perhaps be modified, will not be repealed next session, and as upon this ground a general reduction of taxation is anticipated, it becomes a question of moment in what quarter and in what articles the relief is likely to be afforded. There are, of course, many conflicting inte rests involved in this prospect of amelioration, and every branch of commerce will necessarily be on the alert to supplicate and argue for the boon. One impost, how ever, the arguments for the repeal of which were dine cussed at Manchester on Tuesday, claims attentio❑ as one of the heaviest in its pressure upon all classes, the poor as well as the affluent. We mean the import duties upon raw cotton, which affect both the manufacturer and the consumer to an extent that few perhaps can imagine. Looking to the competition which we are obliged to encounter with America, where they have the raw material on the spot, and pay no duty—a com petition increasing, be it observed, on all sides, and which has already begun to affect our trade with China—the consequences of which unequal rivalry must inevitably be that the manufacturer, unable to realise a fair sale for his goods, will be driven to curtail the wages of the operative, and thereby render it a tax upon labour ; taking into account at the same time the connexion it has with the conforts of necessary clothing for the poor ; we trust that our readers will agree with us that this is one of tke fairest and fittest objects for a suppression of taxation. A remission of duty upon an other article also, which we think claims consideration, with a view to lightening, if not entirely removing, the burden that at present acts injuriously upon all ranks and orders among us, was suggested at a meeting which took place yesterday at the London Coffee-house. We allude to the enormous duty upon paper, which every one must perceive to be a serious check upon the pro gress of education, the advancement of literature, and the convenience and intercourse of society at large. We shall hope to see something done in both these instances; and we refer our readers to the reports of the two meet ings, which will be found in another part ofour impression, for arguments which we hope will prove as convincing to the Chancellor of the Exchequer as they will to the majority of the public. (From the Post.) It would seem that for the surplus revenue which has accrued under the financial system of the present Go vernment there will be no lack of candidates. Among the various claimants for a reduction or remission of the duties that affect their particular trade, the paper manufacturers have now come forward. At a meeting held in London yesterday, Mr. Dickenson, the Chair man, Sir William Magnay, Mr. Crompton, and other gentlemen, detailed the various grievances under which the paper trade has become so seriously depressed. These seem to be—apart from the amount of duty, though that varies from 80 to 150 per cent.—the strin gent Excise regulations which are necessary to prevent fraud, but far from successful in doing so—the exten sive damage occasioned by opening and repacking goods entered at the Custom-house for exportation—the per mission t• introduce fancy paper from France at the duty chargeable only on " manufactured articles," and the superior facilities afforded to foreign, over native makers, in the export of paper even to our own colonies. Reckless competition was also insisted upon very strongly as a main cause of the depression that exists, in consequence of the inducement it affords to dishonest manufacturers, by collusion with the officer of Excise, to undersell those who faithfully obey the law. This, and the other matters we have mentioned, are to form the subjects for the deliberations of a committee which the meeting of yesterday agreed to appoint ; and communi cations with Government will then be opened, pre viously to the commencement of the ensuing session of Parliament. MADAME MICHAU'S JUVENILE BALL. BRIGHTON CHIT-CHAT. — The following Very pretty lines we find in the Brighton Guardian of Wednesday:— A SONNET. On seeing Elise, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Robins, a little girl between five and six years of age, dance the Cracovienne at Madame Michau'a Juvenile Ball on the 10th inst. " I gaze upon the beautiful, " And my mind responds to the inspiration." Sweet infant I Dancing is thy soul's delight, Like an embodied joy just sprung to earth, All hearts cling to thee for thy sportive mirth. Thy laughing ayes witk happiness are bright, In innocence so pure, it charms the sight Of old and young alike, who smiling gaze With looks of love that speak the fondest praise, While admiration fain would claim the right To clasp thee like a parent to her breast. Thou elfin sprite, thus bounding in the air, Some witchcraft has thy little feet impress'd. Kind Nature, too, with more than usual care Bestows on thee a treasure and a grace That paints true feeling ix thy cherub face. F. L. COURT CIRCULAR. VITINDSOR, THURSDAY. —The Queen and Prince Albert walked for some time this morning in the pleasure-grounds adjacent to the Castle. On the re turn of her Majesty, his Royal Highness went out to shoot in the royal preserves, attended by Mr. Anson and Sir Edward Bowater. The royal party left the Castle on horseback. Viscount Hawarden left the Castle for town this morning, but is expected to return to the Castle to dinner. Lady Caroline Somers Cocks and the Hon. Frances Devereux have arrived at the Castle, and have suc ceeded the Hon. Misses Liddell and Hamilton as tlis Maids of Honour in Waiting on the Queen. The royal dinner party at the Castle this evening included her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, Lady Fanny Howard, the Countess Wratislaw, Mr. George Edward and the Hon. Mrs. Anson, and Caytain Francis Seymour. £he band of the Royal Horse Guards was in attendance during dinner. Her Majesty's private band afterwards attended, and performed the remainder of the evening. The Countess of Gainsborough is expected to arrive this evening. The Duchess of Kent has been pleased to appoint Dr. 11PCarogher, R.N., to be one of her Royal Highness's Physicians extraordinary. Their Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge, and the Hereditary Grand Duke and Duchess of Mecklenburg Strelits, visited her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester yesterday, at Gloucester House. Baron de Brunnow, the Russian Minister; le Com mandeur Lisboa, Brazilian Minister ; and M. Stra tenus, the Netherland Charge d'Affaires, transacted business yesterday at the Foreign-office. Dispatches from the Governor of the Cape of Good Hope, the Mauritius, and Sierra Leone, were rooeived yesterday at the Colonial-office. Lord Wharncliffe, Lord President of the Council, left tows on Wednesday, on a visit to Lord Francis Egerton, at Hatchford. OPENING OF THE ENGLISH THEATRE at PARIS. The first performance of the English dramatic com pany, for whose representation this play-going capital is indebted to the enterprising spirit of Mr. Mitchell, took place on Monday night, at the Theatre Ventadour, or Les Italiens, as it is called, since the harmonious troupe, which boasts Grisi, Persiani, Lablache, Mario, Fornasari, &c., has again migrated to that elegant house. For the debut of our countrymen Othello was judiciously selected, it being, probably, of all Shakspeare's trage dies, that which our neighbours are best acquainted with. The first of the twelve nights which Mr. Mitchell has announced has pro►ed quite successful. When the curtain rose at about eight o'clock, the aspect of the house was already promising, and the play had made but little progress when almost all the boxes were occupied by most distingus company, who would, no doubt have been more numerous still, had it not been for the receptions pro ceeding, at the Palace of the Tuileries, on the occasion of the marriage of his Royal Highness the Duke D'Aumale. The audience comprised a large proportion of English and other foreign spectators, and the toilettes exhibited all the elegance observable at the Ventadour Theatre, when its stage is devoted to the execution of the lyrical productions of Italy. The reception given to Mr. Macready and Miss Faucit at once dispelled the appre hensions of such few as fancied that the rancour against their country, which party feeling has fur some years past so zealously and perseveringly striven to kindle in France, might attempt to mar the exertions of those eminent artists. Bath were received with general and cordial plaudits, and their countrymen in the pit and boxes had not a single hostile manifestation to resent or to despise ; in short, cur iniquities in the Medi terranean, in the Pacific, and, indeed, where ever, salt water exists, seemed to be generously and hospitably forgotten, together with the ascendancy we have not in Spain, and care not to have at Otaheito. Even the " right of visit" made room 'for that admira tion which Shakespeare's language has to command when uttered by Mr. Macready to a people that appre ciate the sublime and beautiful so readily as the French. It is unnecessary to dwell here on the merits of the per formances, suffice it to say that the whole went off ad mirably. Mr. Mitchell, with his wonted good taste, has issued to his visitors an elegantly printed playbook, with a French translation corresponding to the text, and whets Othello and Desdemona's miseries were over, there was as numerous a display of carriages at his doors as the municipal guard can have to govern at the premieres re presentations of the most fashionable theatres of this drama-loving capital. COVENT -GARDEN THEATRE.—This national esta blishment opens at Christmas under a new management, M. Laurent has engaged a talented company, and will produce an entertainment quite new to the British public, being a translation of The Antigone of Sophocles, with choruses by Mendelssohn. It is hoped that so praise worthy au effort will be seconded by those whose-patron age and influence can alone assist the lessee in attaining so desirable an object. The services of Mr. Edward Sterling have beon socured—a sufficient warranty fur the excellence o the stage arrangements. r fr r 4. 844. MONEY MARKET and CITY NEWS. FAO3I THE MORNING PAPERS OP THIS HAY. CIIFY, THURSDAY EVENING. TIMES.—We have heard to-day of a plan adopted in some of the iron districts for evading the new banking law, entirely different from any of the various schemes that have been from time to time noticed under this head. A t certain periods the proprietors of iron-works require advances to pay wages, or for some purpose of the kind, and they address theniselves, in the first instance, to the neighbouring bankers. In some cases the bankers have already issued all the paper that the new law allows, and, at the same time, are anxious to afford the desired accommodation. To do this they give a credit to some party—probably a tradesman—in the vicinity, and in form their applicants that, although they (the bankers) cannot assist them, this party can accommodate them with small cheques. Of course there is nothing in the law that can hinder a person keeping a drawing account with a banker from drawing cheques for any small amount he pleases, and as the signature is perfectly well known in the district, such cheques perform all the func tions of a local issue. This scheme seems of all that we have heard the most difficult to be dealt with by the Legislature, should some supplementary Act be considered necessary to prevent the different evasions. The difficulty would be to esta blish a legal distinction between these cheques, drawn by a party who is a .mere creature of the bankers to enable them to: extend their accommodation, and the cheques drawn by a bona fide depositor in the regular way of business, so as to prevent the former without in terfering with the latter. There is this, however, against the scheme, that it is not likely to be very widely -spread. Indeed, it seems only possible in small localities, where the parties are perfectly well known to each other. There is also the risk that the party appointed by the banker may abuse the confidence placed in him, and commence drawing on his own account. That the scheme has obtained a firm footing in some districts, there seems no doubt ; indeed, we understand that the bankers have been known to supply the draw ing party with cheques ready printed for the purpose required. To avoid that jobbing and speculation in railway shares which mast be the consequence of any partial in formation come to by the Board of Trade, a correspon dent throws out the following hint:— " I beg leave to suggest that the Board of Trade, in making their report on railways, should give notice to the public a week before they publish it, and that the Chairman of each Board of Directors should have a copy transmitted to him, but all by the same post." It was to be anticipated that the remarks quoted yes terday respecting the dealing in shares at the Stock Exchange would provoke much observation from the members of that i' stitution. The annexed letter has been first selected, as it appears to enter the most deeply into the discussion, which has been invited solely from the belief that the public, in their dealings in that de scription of securities, are not at present so fully pro. tected as they ought to be : " Your correspondent whose letter you quote in this day's Times, does not, with all his boasted experience of thirty years, seem clearly to understand the difference between middlemen' and ' brokers ' and 'jobbers.' What have brokers always been but 'middlemen,' and jobbers but bona fide' fundholders like himself ? Ile would fain persuade us that a 'new class 'of operators has sprung up, combining both 'share brokers' and share dealers in one and the same person, and thus brokers constitute themselves ' middlemen' to the prejudice, and dishonestly too, of the public.' No doubt it does sometimes happen that a broker may have two clients, one of whom is willing to buy what the other wishes to sell, and if in such a cive the transfer is effected at the market price of the day, of what has your correspondent to complain ? If he thinks a new and very extensive branch of business can be carried on in the old-fashioned way,' be is very much mis taken. Shares are not like Console,' which can be bought and transferred the same day, and there's an end of it.' There are such things as stamps, transfer fees, local offices,' &c. ; and if the jobbers' were the bona fide holders, they would have to travel far and wide, and in their turn pay these stamps and transfer fees and travelling expenses, all out of the 'turn of the market' that your correspondent speaks about. Now, I cannot but imagine, if such were the principles of busi ness, these etceteras would not only be destructive' of the great facilities' which a general currency in the open market would afford, but, under the present system of transfer by deed, would turn out a loss both to the jobber and the public. I dare say if your correspondent, can suggest any better plan than that which is the pre sent practice—namely, the 14-day settlings, when the names of bona fide buyers are passed from hand to hand until each finds a corresponding seller, in all which there is a vast deal of difficulty, the jobbers and the brokers, of whom he speaks so disparagingly, will feel greatly indebted to him. " I do not doubt that the sweeping accusation ho brings against all share-brokers, charging them with oftentimes taking a little more than their commission from the one or other party, and sometimes from both, arises out of the circumstance of these travelling tickets alluded to, and from which the transfers are made out, differing in price, perhaps, both of buyer and seller ; in the latter case it may be a lower price ; this is passed over by such men as your correspondent, but it may sometimes happen to bear a higher price, and when it dues so the broker, who is bound to follow the price upon the ticket, of course has robbed such an one of the difference. Perhaps when your Correspondent has had some thirty more years' experience ho will under stand these matters more fully. Nothing can facilitate the interchange of railway property but central offices for transfer without a Government stamp, or Registered Scrip Shares to p ass f rom h an d to hand like Exchequer bills." Another Correspondent, a broker, writes as follows: ‘• With reference to the observations in your City Article' of this day, respecting the mode of dealing be tween brokers and jobbers in shares, I beg to observe that the imputation is much too general. The public, I believe, are frequently injured by certain brokers, who transact business under the general agreed rate of com mission, and then compensate themselves for the differ ence of the charge in the price rendered to their prin cipals, at their own discretion." SUN.—There was no change in English Stocks from the morning. Consols were 1004 4 ; Exchequer Bills, 575. to 595. premium ; and New Three-and-a-Quarter per Cents., 103 - 4. Bank Stock closed at 2081. The Foreign Market was not active. Spanish Five per Cents. realised 25i 4, and the Three per Cents. 37i1 t. Chilian were 99 to 100, and Colombian 144 4. French Scrip was 14, and Belgian 4 premium. Dutch Five per Cents. were 994. The additional transactions in Railway Shares have been these : —Bristol and Gloucester were 6i ; Dublin and Belfast, 14 ; Dublin and Galway, ; Great Southern and Western (Ireland), 44 t o 5 ; Hull and Selby, 19 ; Birmingham, 127 ; Brighton, 14 ; South Western, ex New, 34i ; Midland, 12 to 13 ; Newcastle and Darlington, 374 4 ; Ditto and Berwick, 6 to 64 ; North Kent, 4 ; Richmond and West-end Junction, 14 i; South Devon, 1 ; Trent Valley, 61 ; York and North Midland, Selby Scrip, 46 ; Ditto, Extension, 12 ; and Orleans and Bordeaux, 54 1 premium. Eastern Counties have been 101 4 ; Midland and Birmingham and Derby, 64 ; and Strasbourg and Bale, 14 discount. THE CHURCH. The following is a list of dignities which have fallen to the gift of Sir Robert Peel's Government : Preferment. Cathedral. To whom presented. Canonry 'Worcester Deanery.. .. ..... Cork Bishopric Ditto - ..... Rev. Dr. Gilbert Canonry Bishopric ..... .... Meath ... ..... Deanery Ferns ... Rev. Dr. Newland Ditto Ditto Bishopric .... . Deanery Ditto ... ..... Pakenham Ditto Bishopric Canonry St. Paul's Deanery ...... .... . Llandaff.... Rev. K. Bruce Bishopric Ditto Archdeaconry Canonry Westminster...... Rev.Dr.Wordsworth Deanery Killala • . Rev. Dr. Collins Ditto Carlisle Ditto Ditto Canonry Windsor Ditto N.B. The vacancies occurred in the above order. INGENIOUS SMUGGLING AT PLYMOUTM—The con traband dealers in tobacco have just been detected in an attempt to introduce this commodity by a mode which for ingenuity will bear comparison with any of those re cently discovered. The sailing packet Zebra, Captain Lauraines, from Jersey, commenced discharging her cargo on Saturday, the 14th inst., at the legal quay Sut ton Wharf, Plymouth. Among other goods in her mani fest were thirteen casks, said to contain pitch. This article is not frequently brought from the islands, and as the casks weighed only 3-1. cwt., instead of the usual average, 4 cwt. to 41 cwt., the suspicions of the officers of customs were naturally excited. They, however, very prudently deferred seizing the suspected goods until an owner presented himself at the Custom-house. In due course Mr. Christopher John Arrowsmith, the only pas senger by the Zebra, came to clear the casks, they were each found to contain a small quantity of pitch, sur rounding what appeared to be a number of bricks, but these on inspection proved to be tin cases, covered with coarse red paint, mixed with fine gravel or sand. Each case had from 341 b. to 3}lb. of unmanufactured tobacco, closely wedged within it; indeed, so closely, that it toil six or seven men all one day to examine the contents of eleven casks. The thirteen casks, each having about forty-one cases, containing 1341 b., will probably produce 14 or 15 cwt. of tobacco in all. Ono of the eases has been sent to the Board of Customs. It is supposed that the tobacco was made to assume the form of bricks, to facilitate the transport unsuspiciously from the first place of deposit after landing. The officers concerned in the capture are Mr. Rich, landing-surveyor; Mr. P o tb ur y, tide-surveyor; and Mr. Ramsey, landing -waiter. A CANDIDATE roil TRANSPORTATION.—A curious incident occurred in the Central Criminal Court yester day. The Recorder was trying three youths for theft. Several witnesses were called, and the case was distinctly proved against all three. The eldest prisoner, aged 18, was sentenced to ten years' transportation, as it was shown that on a previous occasion he had been convicted at Maidstone assizes. The two younger prisoners were sentenced to three months, with hard labour, in the House of Correction. One of the lads then proceeded to the front of the dock, and having attracted the atten tion of the Recorder, said, in a clear and decided tone, " My Lord, I have been convicted before, and I should like to be transported with my friend." The Court was convulsed with laughter, but the wish of the candidate for tranepertstion was net complied with. R E i ngL supplement A contains N u D N DEttohneth,eT, astounding" fact THE COMMISSIONERS I QUESTS BILL. zet p te, tr p n u i l iN li ' sh D e E d c ihis B. e — re i n i fact of three Roman Catholic Bishops, who, to their ever lasting credit, stood firm against the assaults of their traducers and intimidators, both lay and clerical, accept ing the Queen's Commission t o carry i nto operation the almost solitary beneficial Act of Irish legislation which has emanated from the Government of Sir Robert Peel. This is, undoubtedly, a " heavy blow" at the assumed despotism of the lion of the fold of Judah, and a " great discouragement" to his lay auxiliary, Mr. Daniel O'Con neil, who will be thus relieved from the further turmoil of that impotent parochial agitation, by means of which he has contrived to divert the attention of his dupes Irons the consumptive state of the repeal question with the glaring " deficiencies" week after week of the repeal exchequer. Here is the official announcement of the " blow" which has prostrated all the hopes of the " protesters." The name of Dr. Denvir, Roman Catholic Bishop of Down and Connor, has, it will be seen, been sub s tit u t e d f or that of the Right Rev. Dr. Kennedy, who, by a little less pliancy, would have appeared to more advantage, had he preserved his consistency by retaining his seat at the board, according to his original intention : " Dublin Castle, 'December 18, 1844.—The Queen in Council has been pleased by warrant, under the sign manual, bearing date at her Majesty's Court of St. James's, the 14th day of December, 1844, to appoint the following persons to be Commissioners of Charitable Donations and Bequests for Ireland, agreeably to the provision of the Act 7th and Bth of her Majesty, car. 97, viz.:— " The Most Rev. John George, Lord Archbishop of Armagh, and Primate of all Ireland. " The Most Rey. Richard, Lord Archbishop of Dublin. " The Most Rev. Archbishop William Crolly. " The Most Rev. Archbishop Daniel Murray. e' The Right Hon. John Hely, Earl of Donoughmore, K.S. P. " The Right Rev. Bishop Cornelius Denvir. " The Very Rev. Henry Pakenham, Dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin. " The Right Hon. Sir Patrick Bellew, Bart. " The Right Hon. Anthony Richard Blake. " The Rev. Pooley Shouldham Henry, D.D." The Evcneng Mail contains the following remarks in reference to this document : " Thanks to the firmness of Lord Heytesbury, the measure has thus been carried into effect without the slightest concession to clamour, or any yielding to a sup posed expediency. We are happy to observe also,'•aat the Roman Catholic prelates and laymen on the Com mission have risen with the emergency above the weak ness of a pusillanimous surrender to the ,pressure front without, or with th e per verseness of embarrassing the Government from within. Doctor Murray, in particu lar, has displayed a moral courage ts hick entitles him to the respect of the wise and good of all persuasions, and to the confidence especially of the laity of his own. It was no easy task to resist the talons of the lion of the cold of Judah, and the fangs of the serpent of the tribe of Dan ; it was no holiday work to withstand the shock of the demagogue's tongue, and despise the threats of an ignorant and fanatical multitude. But Doctor Murray, upon whom the chief as sault was brought to bear, has triumphed over the arts and the violence of his opponents, and the va cillation of his own temper ; and has thus, we believe, brought to a most import an t cr i s i s th e temporal concerns of the Roman Catholic Church as it exists in Ireland. The position which he has at last assumed determines, we think, the growing controversy between what may be called the democratic spirit creeping into his Church, and the theocracy which she has invariably asserted for herself; and so far it is well for the peace of the world that the anarchy resulting from mob dictation should be seasonably cut short. Having done justice to Dr. Murray, we ought not, and we will not, withhold the tribute of our respect from Drs. Crolly and Denvir. Though more in the shade, they sustained, by their counsel and Con currence, the energies of their ;more exposed colleague, and doubtless to their co-operation much of his firm ness, as well as the success of the measure, is to be ascribed." VICEREGAL COURT. The first levee for the season is officially announced to take place on the 29th of January, and the first drawing room on the evening following. -- - MORTALITY in the METROPOLIS The following are the /TsCllts of "A Table of Mortality in the Metropolis, showing the Number of Deaths from all Causes registered in tae Week ending Saturday, the 14th of December, 1844." The Table is issued from the Office of the Registrar-General:— Weekly Total. Average of Flee Years Epidemic, Endemic, and Contagious Diseases 226 178 Diseases of variable or uncertain seat lOB 111 Diseases of the Brain, Nerves, and Senses l5B 157 Diseases of the Lungs, and other Organs of Respiration Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels 42 21 Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs of Digestion► CAUSES OF DEATH. Disci - sea of the idneys, &e 5 s Childbirth, DiselLes of the Uterus, &c. Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles ll 6 Diseases of the Skin, &c Old Age, or Natural Decay By Violence, Privation, or Intemperance Causes specified 1126 942 Deaths from all Causes 1201 946 DEATHS FROM THE, PRINCIPAL DISEASES INCLUDED UNDER THE ABOVE HEADS. Weekly Average Tota l' of Five Years. Consumption Scarlatina 47 34 Pneumonia . Dropsy ..... .. .. ............ Hooping Cough 26 33 Typhus.... Small Pox 5l 15 Disease of the Heart Measles 33 28 Apoplexy .......... ... .... ... 29 1 8 Diseases of the Brain ...... Diarrhca.. - lO 12 Sudden Deaths DISTRICTS. West 176 138 North 209 171 Central East 268 207 South 339 242 Total .... ..........1201 EXTRAORDINARY LAND SLIP. A most extraordinary land slip happened a week from Thursday last, the 15th, near Lebanon, New Hampshire. About three miles to the eastward of the village is a high conical hill, rising perpendicu larly on its southern side, but on the north sloping gradually from the summit to the rich table land be low. This bill forms part of the property of Benja min I'Vurtle, Esq., and the land around it is divided into three farms, each of which runs in a rectangular shape into the hill, meeting together in a point at its apex. The following is the relation of a person on the spot at the time:— " With one of the tenants, Robert Gourlay, I had occasion to transact some business on Thursday last, and having called on him at his farm-house about two o'clock of the day, I was detained till late in the evening. About half-past ten to'clock, as we were in= the act of reading over some papers, preparatory to their being signed by us, we were startled by a sudden explosion. Our first impression was, that a piece of artillery had been discharged in the roar of the farm buildings, but after reflecting on the extreme impro bability of such an event, we referred the detonation to an earthquake, or some subterranean convulsion. For the next few minutes we sat in a state of con siderable alarm, which was augmented on hearing unusual sounds from the barns and stables, as if the cattle were struggling to get loose. Just as we started from our seat, by a sort of instinctive resolve, to ascertain the cause of this singular occurrence; we suddenly felt the house in motion. " At first there was a violent jerk, then a movement onward, not unlike the first starting of a ponderous railway train. Gradually the motion increased, until we found ourselves moYing along at a rapidly accele rating rate. It was a clear starry night, and I could see the boughs of trees in the distance passing the windows, just as we perceive the transit of simi lar objects from the window of a travelling ve hicle. This continued for two or three mi nutes, and then there was a sudden stop, producing another violent jerk, which threw my friend and ine to the opposite side of the room. We ran imme diately to the door, and our astonishment may be more easily conceived than described on discovering ourselves in an entirely new locality. I saw at once that a land slip had taken place ; but although I had read of similar occurrences in the districts around the Alps, I was not prepared for so remark able an instance as had just taken place. " We found ourselves at least a quarter of a mile from the original spot. The farm-house and out buildings were all entire. A range of poplars, which grew near the barn, still occupied the same relative position to that building. The only change observable was that a stream which flowed a little below the I farm -houses had entirely disappeared. " The most singular result of this movement is that the farm offices of my friend, Mr. Gourlay are no longer upon his own farm. They have been pro jected upon the lands of a totally different proprietor, and it is supposed that unless 17e manage to rent, in addition to his old farm, the portion of land on which his steading is now located, a good deal of nice liti gation will be the consequence of this sudden and un expected freak of nature."—Boston (U . S.) Chronicle of Nov. 30. SUlClDE.—Yesterday afternoon, shortly after four o'clock, Mr. Wood, jun., :on of the proprietor of Wood's Hotel, Lincoln's Inn-fields, entered the shop of Mr. Rusk, bootmaker, of High Ho'bora, and requested per mission to go the water-closet, and, being a customer, it was immediately granted. Having remained for a con siderable time, Mr. Rusk became surprised, and upon going up stairs, to his horror discovered the unfortunate young man quite dead, having cut his throat with a razor hich was lying on the ground. No cause for the rash act has been assigned. THE PRINCE CONSORT'S PRIZE Ox.—This splendid animal, which arrived at Windsor from the Smithfield Club Cattle Show, on Monday last, was immedi a t e ly taken to the royal dairy in the Home-park, where it will be domiciled during the winter,