The Sun. — London, England, 1844-05-30 00:00:00

Spj T-- of the PUBLIC JOURNALS. LO— TEE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY. k r. TBE.--As I re l an d seems resolved not to rebel, nor council to accept the crown of that country at p r esent, Sir James Graham, like Alexander, naturally ~eis some w h at at a loss for new worlds to conquer. r n"nt, and the g ran d M ogu l s o f L ea d en h a ll, not hii : l 7, as i t was once rumoured they intended, given opportunity of out-linine' in the East the glories E e and G wa li or — holey holey being depose d at fe t!em, san s coup ferir, by the whiff and wind of the snrd wherewith the Home Secretary menaced that dj nasty—to what field could the all rious Graham look for further fruition of That stern joy which warriors feel Sir a - foeen orthy of titir teel? a In G:alitnam has looked l —he s fondly deemed not l ain—to the Channel Islands. Our readers have Probabl b ata iou een not a little puzzled by the repeated ne ements of emb ar k a ti ons o f t r oops for Guern h:,'rho late precautionary armaments to Ireland scale, been repe a t e d to t h e sma ll er i s l an d on a sma ll er a ppeared First of all t h e G overnment s t eamer th e Dec are(' in its roads, and landed a Queen's messenger nn'lo missives i n h ot haste for the Governor—Major raelft o N t apier the historian. What these runs des ere spatches might contain, the harmless natives conjecture—but evidently something too remomentous to he trusted to come by the penny post. and it appears another war steamer, the Blazer te m p l i t row clear the affair is no joke. " Soon," says th e " a military chief is seen to disembark from (t/ e r`',.„ 111 er — a man of colossal stature, a la figure le,„„ and. girt with a sword full four feet long. 11 ablett Pas lair d'un plaisant, celui-la." This redoubt fro...l/41'1e,- and near four hundred troops, land in boats, tier the the Blazer. Further arrivals of troops follow. Xajesty's transport brio. Nautilus arrived from rae . e vel e °ll TUelfday, the 21st, having on board about 170 of o , ° ' the depOt s o f t h e 23 d an d 97th R eg i m ents, and texture 2d battalion of the Rifle Brigade ; and the taipt o ra°ll tht g the Atalanta steamer, from South of th o ught three officers and ninety men -D. that 'dies- It was understood at Southampton aed - t iZotPany of artillery had also been ordered ; had bj" three or four hundred more soldiers ho lder e ti ellibarked in the Lightning steamer. These inhtb,+._er not make their appearance. The peaceful li ke ' 1 ' 41 13 of Guernsey have been asking each other ever te t i ' wind these armaments mean—against what spec them Sir James Graham has launched them ? On ih e the Blazer in our roads, says Le Pilote, the anding officer of this protecting army, asked b o ttrv re : : :: as he ca me on board, with a more than - ordi to.7 tlelarr. v. of interest, " How are you ?" " Much obliged iir u, M. le Commandant," answered the brave pilot, r i fl e er, , ''e ll ,—Et vous ?"—" That is not it," said the 4 j I wanted to know if there are not troubles in ?" "I have not heard of any," said the .g pilot . "but it is possible there are, and if you like, I will '11 ° 4 1 „ 14 inquire for you." The broad farce of all this evid ent Bornhastes Furioso, or Major Sturgeon. It is its c i ll ,L, that some one has been a Great Alarmist, Al em ul at Sir James Graham has been a Great raie;: t s l ; One would think we were under the ad -r"n of some junta of Physical Force Chart- We - v -4341 e fire-and-sword Committee of Public tni t t '' who had heard from the Channel pro-con nt tu tree of liberty had been cut down get d ru uer nsey, or that patriotic warriors could ro lb . h , tat there for next to nothing. Lord Ellenbo . 6 kra s pvagcrerings have been compared by the Edin -04 . to Barere's Carmagnoles—but here is itlui e , i 'enherough, or Barere, in little — here are ef invasion—colonnes infernales—for the con - ek' or chaati-etnent, of—Guernsey ! This last Home- Bat e ! s e!tPade may seem too ridiculous for comment. thi s a small matter that the Government of I ar il ;r l Plre should make itself ridiculous? Is it p ert Matter that troops should be poured into taeloC eet lY tranquil islet, where there were no bar te, for them—and no possibility of force being ? Suppose drunken quarrels should take place ants`. these uncalled-fa protectors and the inhabi in Who will answer for the blood that may be shed dot eon` of crowding troops, where troops could lel t r„ 2 ibly be wanted ? The only approach to a probable liß ee ' ° of this extraordinary false alarm at the Home hig 0 : 84 , a fforded by some supposed grave motive for disarm kllyb: - *cal militia.. In what degree the Guernsey militia P,.tete ( 1 .1 !PI )0 ••ed formidable to theßritish empire,we cannot '410 ) 1 1 ; ' 0 say, as we cannot pretend to penetrate the of tii, e J,lnind, a n d p re t erna tural powers of apprehension, I fth - fs ,"•°lne Secretary. But sure we are of this : that ' ll qest -tte ni3ey militia gave all this umbrage to her ligai t ra Ministers, there was nothing required but to libi e o rders from the Queen in Council that this ter ?tee—should disband. the Quee n ' s na me I charge you all to drop Toe„ ' o ar swords and daggers!" the f e ,sent Go vernor , i t s eems, is at loggerheads with t hie ril authorities of the island, and had already ita ot a :ried milit ary f orce o n a small scale, to cut the C 4 31 1 1,1 , 4 ,14 effect the immediate release of a pardoned without the order of the local court. But it l edge "et G enera l Naier disclaims all previous know tritlit:rf, this military occupation of Guernsey. He has mac e ?° Gove rnme nt more than he meant for the 6T A ".„%this warlik e and turbulent dependency. 'etali-"-‘ljARD.—The South Lancashire election has nth iated by the return of the Conservative candidate ) .'ect or i naiority o f near ly 600 ; the whole number of "la k : Polled b e i ng 14,458. The result of the South t) uder e -r e contest is, on many accounts, deserving of - "Mep a , L en. An election tion at which between 14,000 and t lea nr ''eetors polled must be, of course, foee from suspi th : 11 Y external influence, whether of the Government 1, P' and an election ina district almost as tor n ,Y,Peopled as a great city, must be equally free The he suspicion of any local territorial influence. ttprr s :Pulati ou of the not very extensive district now oa e s e ; rlt ed by the Conservative Mr. Entwisle and the ' o las m. Vative Lord Francis Egerton, must amount . to 17t' i to trab lY more than half a million, and it includes eatler-Partant towns of Manchester and Liverpool (towns !iti e , A and immeasurably richer than many capital au-htoltor, Oldham, Rochdale, Bury, &c. Whatever 1 4 I tee, the - n, it is possible to imagine to be exercised ~,I tt h Lancashire election, must be a mercantile 'illea -tl lufacturin influence, and indeed of this in ta th e g h( party of the League have been very pro -,aeth 'asting for the last year or two. We know not loat tt er all our readers will recollect, some certainly must, 1304th'elournals of the League have recently set down it aio n L ancashire as a sure conquest, assigning, .values t he other grounds of their confidence, the vitti ve r, by no less than 2,800 votes, of the Conser eregi which they said had been ffected by a dili lv°llldltitentwn to the registry. These reduced votes • ttsak i i' ll , S e Air. Entwisle's majority to 3,400. As it is Wiv' t ,tnat the Conservatives manifested corresponding Now f):."1 the registration courts, it appears but fair to , t „ t4 ltiori t : s "rne considerable increase of Mr. Entwisle 's 'llO Yon.tthis head. Let us, however, be contented to yas it ac tu ally stands—at 590. Is not a di s Tlority in favour of a Conservative candidate— tioe (1 , net which is constituted, as it were, of a federa -1440: Mercantile and manufacturing towns—a district , • k i i, e ,trep o Tzl i a i Y in truth be called all one great manufacturing .. a;,° te st i ''sqs not such a victory in such a place I;:tittf u :° ll 3 , to the real feeling of the mercantile and t re .. uri - ho treated fa i rly interests in the country ? Let the decision 0 11 141.4 uirly as a test of opinion—as a test of the /,'jeer . • Nt free t ra d e on one s ide, or protection on the m o m4 l it 'will b e a dmitted, we think, that the • • • th 4 te f a , free trade could not in England expect to find 11 a g re : 4 ll roble judges ; and yet protection carries off f e ted ah ‘ majority of votes. We - have not as yet e rs. t th o "Y a re r. ason assigned by the free trade advocates da t o i e uTeat of their candidate, though defeat stb„ 4 l sa k i ra ° l Y certain even at noon on Mon oswe own we are at a loss to conjecture what sh', 4 eno6 utl Y will offer. As we have said, Government t7e, kre, aristocratic influence, local territorial influ- Nath L it l ‘' llol ly out of the question in a district like a s ! leas hire, all cut up into small possessions, ween wholly of more than half a million, and ai, rtitiii f ourteen and fifteen thousand electors NJ hro u h tale), th e g t to the pull. Neglect of the regis , Lti on, . ext common excuse to influence and iuti tri'ed, th„ i ltlegatived by the boast to which we have re _ v,„ e s, th fe °oast namely, that by diligence at the regis tn'oe v t ::ee traders had struck off nearly 3,000 Conser elel4,lk O a f : And as to corruption, if it were not absurd ti t : 'ors, be Possibl e in fl uence of corrupting any 15,000 t r i vs... too st -e free-traders are certainly the party /47 4 • T h ( Ten to the suspicion of administering li et Zt; bal3 Iris liberality wealth of their candidate, Mr. th 4 e it t ;" to nis liberality in bestowing , it,. were trum tan e jo urn i nausea, and without a days intermission, o , e 3' t o th 11 'a of the League, from the day of the va ap„t base e „ e d aY of the election. If there were any . elec ae'tisedb-°llgh to look for bribes, they were sufficiently tre not, hoY adverti sement w h ere to l oo k f or th em . We th e ° l , Bll or h , : e ,ver, desirous of imputing bribery to Nir. ,L4Ypoth f riends ; the election fully satisfies us upon i t Cmst i n , e ,'S that it h as b een a f a i r e l ect i on . A s suc h ti l t , and Pule sile nce upon the un f oun d e d, dishearten ' Teamedl l : 4i. Tst Mischievous predictions of those who, like tri a l derr n i an'o l ci e ltiorning P os t, have been bewailing the tio - the Conservative party ; and as a fair fr e th • Iley e ore wh ': it prostrates the League into a posi .• , rt on ,, e 2eli that vile and hateful conspiracy can 1-• _ ..";I,,,ItOYAL EXCHANGE. . 1.. Ille inter . "TPON-EMENT OF THE OPENING. my.... ' •-'hitllsting ceremony of the opening th, it ‘.,,,yiii.Y' originally fixed by be remembered, was . -- qa whatalfh,,ll üb nunitte to take place of the near . .tt . situ •----"lIgh •• e • - was made, still the I►° 4541:4 but decisive promise her Royal Consort in the course o r f e J m ul ,as y, ._. ..oiti ho nour hat her Majesty and .. . person. A lt tr the City of London by opening to theellt' 11°WeVer, 0f the deepest and most liv i e t ly la 131‘04,atio at i period, au - rge, likely to occur at the same earlya 4 1., 4, • sile„t,--.__-mbp•of her Poi_ ja'esty's presence at b so early interest -445i11, --we pt:ince Of which the ceremony will -e , unt il 8e,,1) ... I.ll) b tr bli bill.•,,, for as yet no day has been a n so an n i r e y u .„ - Ventid ~,,,_'' `• °ince the completion of the m made upon, and have vAns tb--`4vture the Committee have diverged from the ileVtrai't,„et_had remedy agreed ' of this IP+4l rend rirraktit improvements, which, when completed, tit re„' the building far more interesting ent►ais w the ~''z'elc, - LW' Amonpt those of the most moment is 'eatnra—"s, and- con Imes, the for►ner being " important the vout—z_bre Of Which being .•• , nizolio4b the consideration of tt►e Committee, • „,, rriir..7r4 0011ferred on Dlr. Dent, the eminent chronometer .and open to competition, ande fa •• "Vtatb7-,..,,:rs -uAtbrthiZ.Stra.nd. The works are nearly completed, - "'ens of -641 butY. skill, and correctness, will surpass any t.. oti, the kind in this country. The original intfintion h a , ZLltg the ran 'umber of bells e►ght) as' before the fire, . : . Ilii4";.en sa d ' aband and the number increased to fifteen. illg vir_l4llo4 sat the suggestion of Mr. Dent, who hav a - s to ok eq Brussels and other parts of the Continent,„r n _ ,: f tit wiii n the neViest improvement* respecting the carillons, serv ed (t, ligsP•artisans of Flanders have acquired a well-de bells6.3 %At - it " r.t Yi was induced to recommend that number, •..,... , ,iv.rimGre harmonious chime might be gained,fifteen ° ltly i l . a *tee octavo, and thereby increasing the melody n .„. tine keNnieit a►td differing the tunes, as they will not be in thet,k,,ue,before., They have been cast by Messrs. Mears, . , ‘• ~ k.._ .n iiiiticiers in Whitechapel, and are almost ready 2 0 2 r , . ~ iliv.rie,i_ ig,,k9 the cA ti, -- naPanile or tower. The largest weighs• . , ,"I --...tanallest 5 cwt., the whole set weighing seven , . tons. The largest is also the hour bell, and bears the follow ing incription :—" Cast for the Royal Exchange, in the year of Grace, 1844. Richard Lambert Jones, Chairman of the Gresham College Committee ; Daniel Watney, Master of the Mercers' Company ,• Ebenezer Trott man, Assistant ; William Tite, Architect ; Charles and George Mears, founders." The others only bear, Royal Exchange, 1844. As yet the whole of the tunes have not been agreed to, the only ones decided on being " God save the Queen," " Rule Britannia," and an ancient madrigal. The barrel of the chimes is complete, and appears to be an astonishing piece of mechanism. It contains upwards of 7,000 holes, and it is next to an impossibility for the Com mittee to name any hymn or air but what it can be readily accomplished. On account of the beauty and novelty of the clock and chime works, they will be securely preserved in a separate and well-fitted apartment in the tower, and not ex posed, as is generally the case in the metropolitan steeples, to the inclemency of the weather. The pendulum weighs four hundred weight, and is sixteen feet in length, each vibration being two seconds. The roof of the arcade, or mer chants' walks, will present a very beautiful appearance, workpeople being now busily engaged in painting it in the al fresco style. That at the southern entrance is already done, and may be seen from Cornhill. It is also understood that Lloyd's and other public rooms will be similarly decorated. The sculpture executed by Mr. Westmacott for the pedi ment of the grand facade will be erected in the course of a few days. The foundation for the Wellington statue has been laid, and awaits the masonry, and nothing has as yet transpired that will prevent the statue being raised on the 18th of next month. SOUTH LANCASHIRE ELECTION. (From the Manchester Guardian.) It will be seen, from the details which we give elsewhere, that the election for this division of the county has terminated, like those which have pre ceded it during the last nine years, in a Tory triumph, Mr. Entwisle having been returned, after an unusually severe struggle, by a majority of 578. So close was the contest at different periods of the first day of election, that some of Mr. Brown's friends, who had previously despaired of success, began to entertain some hope of a favourable termination; and when, at the close of the day's poll, it was found that, out of 11,500 votes polled, Mr. Entwistle had obtained a majority of only 341, or rather less than three per cent. of the whole number, the chance of final success appeared to demand a strenuous effort on the second day, to beat down the Tory majority. The attempt was consequently made ; and for a time, in Manchester, at least, it appeared not unlikely to have a favourable termination, as the returns from the booths in the town, coupled with those first received from the neighbouring districts, gave Mr. Brown a majority of 108 on the day's poll. Later accounts, however, and returns from more distant polling places, did not bear out this favourable prospect. It was found, as is usually the case under similar circumstances, that the electors who do not feel sufficient interest in the contest to record their votes the first day, are better inclined to swell the triumph of the winning, than to soften the defeat of the losing party. Before noon, the tide turned decidedly against the Liberals; the Tory ma jority was gradually increased, until, at the close, at four o'clock, it amounted, as we have already stated, to 578 votes. 'We imagine that few of our readers will need to be informed, that, however much we might desire to witness the return of a thorough free trader like Mr. Brown, our expectations of his success were by no means sanguine. From the very first occurrence of the vacancy in the representation, we considered an election at the present time, and under existing circumstances, a very untoward event for the Liberal party, as, in our judgment, they could neither avoid a contest, nor escape a defeat. It was quite clear, that the battle must be fought under the auspices of the Anti-Corn-law League ; and, whatever may be the merits or services of that body, we have never thought it likely to carry an election in such a con stituency as that of the Southern Division of Lan cashire. It appeared tolerably clear to us that, whatever advantages might be derived from the organisation of the League, or its influence in some quarters, they would be outweighed by the unanimous and determined hostility of the landowners, and the unfriendly feeling of very- many parties amongst the manufacturing and commercial classes, who, though in the main friendly to freedom of trade, are disposed to view such associations as the League with great jealousy and distrust. Under these circumstances, we could see nothing to counteract the effect of the votes of four thousand 501. tenants-at-will, which were pretty sure to be, and we believe were, recorded in favour of Mr. Entwistle. The wonder is, under all the circumstances, that the candidate of the League, fighting against the whole aristocratical and landed influence of the county, and contending with many adverse prejudices, should have been able to poll so many votes, and to run so close a race with his oppo nent. We imagine that, by sagacious and discerning men, this result will be considered another "fact," fraught with deep and important meaning. It will be seen from the returns of the polling that the total amount of votes recorded on the occasion was upwards of 14,500 ; exceeding by about six hundred those given at the election of 1837. This is a result which, we believe, has surprised almost every one concerned in the election, as few expected that the poll would reach that of the previous election, notwithstanding the increase in the number of voters on the register. Of the independent freeholders of th. division, a large majority voted for the free trade candidate; but this majority was swamped and overwhelmed by the tenant voters. Indeed it will be seen that the Tory majorities at Newton and Ormskirk, where these votes are most abundant, amounted to upwards of 900, exceeding by more than 300 the entire majority on the poll. GENERAL ASSEMBLY. (From the Edinburgh Advertiser, of Tuesday.) The General Assembly concluded the statutory term of their annual meeting last night. The pro ceedings of the last three days have embraced mat ters of great moment to the Church ; but the late, or rather the early hour this morning when the business closed, puts it beyond our power to do more than offer a brief retrospect of the principal topics submitted for consideration. One thing we may re mark, that, never within our remembrance has an Assembly, generally speaking, been conducted with greater decorum, with less of the asperity of party feeling, and on the whole, considering the difficulties which the novelty of their position in many of the cases placed them, with more harmony and unani mity of judgment than that which has just ter minated. It seems to have been the anxious desire to avoid extremes on either side, to judge can didly and impartially according to the evidence laid before them. It is also worthy of special observa tion, that the more the different cases were can vassed, the fuller the expositions made with regard to the meaning and purport of the Benefices Act —the nearer did the views and sentiments of all parties coalesce. For confirmation of this remark, we need only refer to the speeches of Dr. Cook and Dr. Muir, in the cases of the presentee to Port Glasgow, to the parish of Insch, and to the united parishes of Firth and Stennes. In each of these discussions there was a concurrence of judgment, an approximation of mind and opinion, which we gladly hail as an omen for good to the future peace and prosperity of the Church of Scotland. On Friday the Court was occupied with the reports of the Widows' Fund scheme, the Indian Mission, the question of University Tests, and Ministerial Commu nion, and, finally, the case of the presentee to Banff. On Saturday the Assembly heard reports on the state of the Presbyterian Churches in England—on the Home Mission—the Colonial Committee—the cases of the presentee to the High Church of Edin burgh, Portmoak, and Port Glasgow. Yesterday, the Report on Education, and other matters, occupied the attention of the Court ; but the most important subject before them was the new Directory, or Overture, as it is called, respecting the induction of ministers. We hare given a copy of this document, as drawn up by the Committee; but the Assembly, in the course of a long discussion on the different clauses, made various alterations, the nature of which time will not allow us at present to advert to. We must also postpone our remarks on the subsequent cases. The Assembly did not con clude until near three o'clock this morning. The meeting of next year is fixed for Thursday, the 22d . of May. THE LATE R. M'WILLIAaI, ESQ.—On Tuesday a sale was commenced at the Auction Mart, by Mr. Chin nock, of the second portion of the valuable estate of the late magistrate, Mr. R. M`Williatn. It was a very ex tensive freehold property, chiefly land-tax redeemed, coisisting of eight large wharfs, extensive blue and drug mills, a tavern, several private houses and shops, building ground, &c., extending from the New-road, on the south, to the canal, on the north. There were forty-one lots for the day's sale, including thirty four houses and the Maidenhead tavern. The for mer was disposed of for 29,3001., and the latter, after much competition, for 3,4601. A lot of freehold build ing-ground, having a frontage of about 592 feet. and a depth generally of about 64 feet, went for 3,6401. The whole, realised 32,9404 The auction-room was crowded, and much of the property was purchased by the tenants. The sale took place by order of the devisees in trust. CASES OF \VINES AND SPIRITS IN BOND.—In consequence of a representation having been made to the Commisioners of Customs that facilities are afforded for the Commission of fraud in the revenue, by permitting cases of wine to be deposited under bond in the same room with cases of spirits and cordials, the board have issued directions that the practice be discontinued, and that, in future, wine be deposited in a separate room from that in which spirits and cordials in cases are warehoused. This order is of considerable importance to the dock companies and other proprietors of bonded warehouses, as it will be incumbent on them to provide separate places for the deposit of these articles, whereas, hitherto, they have been permitted to house them indis criminately in one place. The regulation is to take effect at the expiration of three months. ERECTION OF AN INN AT ALDERLET.—The Man chester sad Birmingham Railway Company have deter mined upon building a splendid inn on their line at the Alderley station. The building is to be commenced forth with, ' at a cost of nearly 4,oool,—Macclesfield Chronicle. o f of hi T trade pro,loirs {Chee r " l e ut tbere entry in l o il f 1 11 repeal un ti hi t first co circuras_ntso; we r of 10'4 yet it was of 11 3 " 1 . ) 0 101 X the wa if t iinished , .., °° ,l i ne chuckLe Poi gem 4,0 w ained the 111 14 ke at t he _,!,,61 Ore the Pr° 6 l ; es , nest priii, e 'P lot thund ers nouns -too: lun i ca tion :urnstanees o te' I being 1 no w ening• t io sa meeting ie was W m ; b e the eveui P e' a iffusely 'Cries of iiich he 41 , m iu t possible — t..poi abstained unt of its s ki co unt hirn se ' leers.) .dst eutbuem:, the he,,s t Cjt is Ducie. to with ition of be of ie prej udi; l ej 1 to join st marksb rde he utmost that s l ' , o P o/ I ` , 3l; f t :Bs"' la d t } 1. ri t e l) hd r lv at !eta D e at LI Oil b i c h w Eli c 6 ,0 e ' f ate o jore.'o yo f , ro • 11 41 4 bl°,oe tls yeerv — ec°"4o sl ef , boat e t 1 13 '10 . ‘ oun o so ex ,/ ti bJo A 4 r e ro' f e pe ,l a ,l ‘; • tbe bo t," 'O Ol f the it* in g ° c l al t)" /0 '1111 1 r l t , ' osy- 4 1 v- to ,11 $ 1 or etir , tke s aw he°4/, w hei rovi° • b den ..4r 4r ' us, Pc r l l ' 13i1 : l e of e i el‘ ; Pr bo cli 'the fe te s • odo o . " De o k, 00 Pr Pol leC 3l9 j O g ise i fil tea' aft) for 0 fba ,- ) 1,0 8 te °S fre 15; - ep i13% ,iitroltop THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, MAY 80, 1844, time of the year as they do at present. In some of the northern towns farmers have been compellled to reap off the top of the wheat, for fear of its growing too rapidly. In Elba and Byron they have already begun to plant corn." FURTHER EXTRACTS FROM THE AMERICAN PAPERS. RESULTS OF THE RIOTS. After a fierce contest it is customary to view the field of battle, and after a great and disastrous riot the peo ple are left to deplore the consequences by reflecting how much misery might have been avoided by a little discretion and a little firmness. But it has always hap pened that sad consequences have resulted from trifling errors. The " good people" of Philadelphia having recovered from their alarm, now venture out to see the extent of the mischief that has resulted from the late riots. The immediate and deplorable consequences of this outbreak are, the unhappy condition of the bereaved families of the mur dered, and the sufferings of the wanderers in the country, afraid to return to the city—without means to advance—hungry—destitute, without shelter, sleeping on the bare earth, and without clothing. One Irish wo man gave birth to a child in the woods ! We are glad to learn that relief parties have gone out in search of them. Children wandering in search of parents, wives in search of husbands, old and infirm in search of shel ter, are parts only of existing misery. The ruined dis trict presents a most deplorable scene from the half burnt and blackened houses yet standing. Strips of the American flag are displayed in supplication for protec tion or truce. The amount of damage is exceedingly heavy. Mrs. Brady had a house riddled and furni ture destroyed. Alderman Clark's house and furni ture damaged to the amount of 1,000 dolls. He has lost papers and books valued at 2,000 or 3,000 dolls. Grocery store of Patrick Murray, and the destruction of property estimated at 4,000 dolls. John Laverty's house and furniture destroyed, valued at 2,000 dolls., all he had in the world. Bernard Sheny lost one frame and three brick houses valued at 3,000 dolls. ; he saved one bed only. Patrick M‘liee and Owen M'Cullough in house and furniture 1,000 dolls. Thomas Shenden in house and furniture 2.500 dolls. Six three-story buildings on Washington-street all destroyed with their furni ture, supposed to be worth 15,000 dolls. Pat rick Magee, who owned a house destroyed valued at 1,500 dolls., was sick in bed, and was rescued from the flames with great difficulty. Harmony court seven frame houses, all destroyed with their con tents, loss 300 dolls. Hibernia Hose Company, loss 1,000 dolls ; and the market destroyed was valued at 5,000 dolls. The two frame houses, corner of Master and Cadwallader-streets, belonged to John Carroll, and also two other frames adjoining; loss 1,500 dolls. The tenants lost all they had, say about 250 dolls. In one of these houses, 700 dolls. in silver, and but little of it having been recovered, may be added to the other loss. The loss in the burn ing of the Catholic Church of St. Michael, the parsonage house and furniture and ornaments, and the Sisters of Charity's seminary, is estimated at not less than 75,000 dolls. Of the five frame buildings on the right of the church, which were consumed, a three and two-story frame belonged to Benjamin Hut chinson, Esq., who estimates his loss at 2,500 dolls., and the other two belonged to Mr. Francis M'Creedy, and were valued at 1,800 dolls. The loss to Mr. Joseph Corr, whose house at the corner of Phoenix and Second• streets, opposite the seminary, was sacked, is about 1,500 dolls. The loss to Mr. M'Aleer, whose two large bricks, at the corner of Second and Master -streets, were burned, is about 3,000 dolls. The tenant of one of them, name Rice, lost about 600 dolls. A frame house at the back of this, owned by John Daley, which was burned, was valued at about '4OO dolls. In esti mating this destruction of property, we have not taken into account a vast amount of material in the houses occupied by workmen, nor of houses, the very sites of which have been obliterated, and we feel warranted in believing that the destruction of property amounts to much over what we have estimated. In addition to this we have to add the loss at St. Augustine's, and we find that damage has been done to the county of Phila delphia in a sum rising a quarter of a million of dollars, and this, besides the loss of life, and the deep moral stain which has been inflicted upon the commuaity.—New York Sun. SLAVE STEALING.—TIE CASE OF BROWN.—A letter is published from Judge O'Neal, of Columbia, S. C., relative to the case of John L. Brown, lately sentenced to death by Judge O'Neal, for stealing a female slave. The case attracted attention in England, and our readers are aware that Lord Brougham spoke of it in the House of Lords. Brown has been pardoned by the Governor of South Carolina. A contemporary remarks:—" It is particularly amusing to hear Lord Brougham denounce the law under which Brown was convicted, as being not only inhuman, but anything but English law, when it so happens that this identical law was passed in 1754, by a Government acting under the authority of and in part appointed by the British Crown. It is, indeed, actually English law, adopted, as most of our laws are, en masse, by the newly organised Republican Government, after our revolution. Like slavery itself, this law was one of the legacies left us by our very wise and humane fore fathers."—New York Sun. MExlco.—The next news from Mexico is looked for with much interest. We received very important ru mours and instructions through the medium of the Go vernment express, which arrived a few days since at Washington, and from which we are led to believe that a new crisis in the internal affairs of Mexico, in con nexion with Santa Anna's continuance in power, is ap proaching rapi(lly. It seems that the French fleet was expected at Vera Cruz then, for the purpose of enforc ing the settlement of some preliminaries in relation to the treatment of French subjects in that country, and also with regard to the payment of some indemnity. On the other kaad, it has been reported that the internal affairs of the country are much deranged— that a formidable party against Santa Anna was in process of organisation—and that everything betokened the approach of another revolution. It is certain however, that no arrangement has taken place between Mexico and Texas, and the probability is that in the present state of things our Government, who have al ready sent agents there in relation to the new annexa tioi treaty, will endeavour to make the best of the matter and make as good a bargain for annexation as possible. Such being the position of things in Mexico and Texas, it is probable that the annexation treaty will not be taken up in the Senate until at least some further ac counts are received from Mexico. But what the final disposition of it may be, it is utterly impossible to fore tell. Such confusion reigns at Washington—there is such a complete demoralisation of the democratic party —such a feud between - Mr. Van Buren and Mr. Calhoun that nothing can be predicated distinctly of the action of the Senate in regard to this matter. GREAT GUNS.—ANOTHER FOR THE PRINCETON. — The late disaster on board the Princeton 'has not de- stroyed Captain Stockton's confidence in the advantagek likely to result from the use of large guns. The greater caution will be observed hereafter in their construction. The Philadelphia Ledger says that Colonel Bird, of Trenton, New Jersey, has constructed a mode of making large wrought iron guns, which has received the appro bation of Captain Stockton, and a gun of the size of the " Peacemaker" is to be immediately constructed at the iron works of Messrs. Bird and Weld. A number of wrought iron staves, four or six inches thick, of the required length of the gun, will be placed in the form of a cylinder. Wrought iron hoops the whole length of these staves, and lying close together, will be welded upon. them. Another row of hoops, of larger dimensions, will be welded upon the former, and additional rows will be put on and welded to those previously on, until the desired thickness shall be obtained. The rim of the hoops will be about six inches wide, and they will be so laid that the middle of the rims in one row of hoops will cover the joints between these of the next smaller. The sides of the hoops will be carefully turned smooth before they are laid on. The rims of the hoops will be thicker at the ends than in the middle, so that when, after being put on in a heated state, the hoops cool and contract, they will bind'those under them, not only upon the staves, but to each other, and thus present a resistance in both directions to the explosive force of the powder. The proposed advantage of this mode of construction is that the weld ing of small pieces of iron, such as one row of hoops upon the surface of the others, can be done perfectly ; while it is scarcely possible to weld large masses per fectly, or without destroying the strength of the iron.— New York Sun. TROUBLE AT NAUVOO.—The St. Louis Republican contains the details of a row at Nauvoo, growing out of an attempt of J. Smith, as Mayor, to arrest several of fenders. One of them threatened and attempted to shoot the Prophet, denounced him as an impostor, and charged him with having committed murders on the island. There is said to be a good deal of enmity against Joe Smith in his community. TREASURE.—SeveraI hundred dollars in gold were found accidentally under a heap of coal ashes in the Reading, Penn. gaol yard, supposedito have been secreted by some convict executed for murder.--New York Sun. THEATRICAL.—Maeready is playing to crowded but not fashionable houses at the Park. His tour South and West has been more profitable than in the North and East. He goes to England at the close of his present engagement. QUEER ENOUGH.—Among the records of the good old town of Ipswich, Mass., we find the following under date of 1681 :—" Single persons who are under no go vernment, are ordered to put themselves under the care of some head of a family. Daniel Waldrom is required to return to his wife according to law." MORE CRIME.—A gang of rogues entered the new and elegant store of Mr. Regally, 4, School-street, Bos ton, on Monday evening, and believing that all the valuables were locked in the safe, they filled the lock with gunpowder, to which they attached a slow-match, but, from the over-charge, the explosion was loud and sweeping, carrying before it valuable clocks, pedestals, and various counter articles, and finally smashing the plate-glass window, which cost 240 dolls. The loss is estimated at 1,000 dolls. The explosion alarmed the thieves, and they made their escape , leaving everything in confusion, and without carrying off a single article. — New York Paper. THE WHEAT CROP OF THE UNITED STATES.—The Prairie Farmer, published at Chicago, 111., says :—" If there be not a larger wheat crop in the United States this year, or in the West at any rate, than ever before, we shall be disappointed. In our rambles through Illi nois, Wisconsin, and Indiana, we have seen and been informed that more wheat was sown last fall than usual; that almost without exception, so far as we have been able to learn, it has been uninjured by the water. The early opening of spring will hasten its growth, so that there will be little danger from rust, and this being the chief cause of fear for wheat in this region, we think the prospect is good for a large crop. Severe) , of our cor respondents, writing from Wisconsin, and southern and central Illinois, coincide with these views. From inquiry we do not think there was quite as much sown in central and southern Illinois as last year ; but probably more than any previous year when the crop has not been cut off. The season has been so favourable that an unusual amount of spring wheat has been et in." THE CROPS IN WESTERN NEW ORIL—The Rochester Daily Advertiser, of Saturday, says—" The crops in Genesee County have never appeared so fine at this DUTCH AND GERMAN MAIL. THE HAGUE, MAY 25.—Though the Belgian journals deny the fact, we know for certain that the Cabinet of London has sent an energetic note to that of Brussels respecting the system of differential duties contemplated at Brussels. The Government has presented to the Chamber a project of law for the repayment in the exchange of a part of the national debt. The principal object in the amelioration of the finance of the State is at the time to regulate the employment of the sums due to Hol land by Belgium. The capital of 80 millions of flo rins at 2} per cent., invested to the credit of Holland in the great book of the national debt of Belgium, will be exchanged, either wholly or in part, for a capi tal of the same amount in the public debt of Holland at 2i per cent., or this capital will be invested, either wholly or in part, at a price which cannot exceed 59f per cent. of the nominal capital. We learn that the ex-Regent of Spain, General Espartero, and General Van Helen arrived at Rot terdam yesterday, by a steamer from Cologne. We learn by a private letter from Paris that the Governments of France and Austria have resolved not to interfere in the affairs of Switzerland.—Dutch Papers, May 28. Tuaxisa FRONTIERS, MAY 13.—We have received to-dav letters from Constantinople of the Bth of May. The - Grand Duke of Mscklenburgh Schwerin and the Hereditary Prince Lippe arrived there on the 4th. The most dreadful persecution of the Christians was again going on at Konich. Letters from Alexandria of the 6th of May, state that the Viceroy had arrived there, but have no other news of importance.—Allgemeine Zeitung, May 23. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. (YESTERDAY.) CLERKENWELL. Messrs. Dossett and Pulley, the overseer and clerk to the guardians of St. John's parish, hackney, were yes terday summoned before Mr. Greenwood, to answer the complaint of Mr. Hicks, relieving officer of St. Mary's, Islington, for refusing to pay the sum of 6/. 4s. 2d., being the sum expended by the authorities of Islington, for clothing and maintaining eight paupers in Islington workhouse. whilst under order of removal to Hackney, their native place. Mr. Hicks deposed to the fact of the paupers having been in the Islington workhouse for three weeks, and to their having been clad and fed—two adult paupers named Cox and Weakly, and six children. Mr. Dossett urged as a reason for disputing the claim, that the Islington parochial authorities had been served with notice to transmit the paupers to Hackney at an earlier period, but the notice was informal, and the ob jection was overruled. _ _ Mr. Dossett then objected that the charges for the clothing and maintenance of the paupers were excessive. Mr. GREENWOOD—What are the charges ? Mr. Hicks—There is first 103. for a coat for Cog. --------- - - Mr. Dossett—What 1 10s. for a pauper's coat 2—Mr. Hicks—Yes. Mr. Dossett—Then how much did it cost you ? Mr. Hicks-10s. Mr. GREENWOOD—DO you intend making any profit out of these things ? Mr. Hicks—Certainly not. Mr. Dossett—Well really I can't see what a pauper wants with so fine a coat. _ _ Mr. GREENWOOD—WeII, I must say I do not think lOs. for a new coat for a full grown person a large sum. Mr. Dossett—But I don't think Cox wanted this coat at all. Mr. Hicks—lndeed he did : all the paupers were in a most disgraceful state of destitution, and the parish authorities of Hackney know it. The next item was 10s. 6d. for a coat for Weakly. Mr. Dossett-10s. 6d.! Why, this is 6d. more Mr. GREENWOOD—I suppose the coat was larger. Mr. Hicks—lt was. Mr. Dossett—l beg your pardon, Cox was the bigger man. Mr. Hicks—No, Weakly was the bigger.— Allowed. Mr. Dossett—l see there are four shillings a week charged for the maintenance of the adult paupers—how comes that ? Mr. Hicks—Why, it is the usual charge. Mr. Dossett—Four shillings a week for maintaining a pauper! Do you swear that? Mr. Hicks—l do. You must know there are other little exp enses i nc l u d e d. Mr. Dossett—lt certainly is a large sum. It was, however, allowed. A fresh discussion arose about a six and sixpenny pair of shoes, an expenditure which seemed to alarm Mr. Dossett very much. Mr. Hicks, however, perse vered, and that and all the other items were allowed, and the full sum claimed was reluctantly paid. MONEY MARKET and CITY NEWS. CITY, WEDNESDAY EVENING. SUN.—Consols close rather flatly at 991 f for Money, and 991 -1 for Time. Bank Stock has risen again to 199 and 1991, and India Stock has been marked 289. Spanish Bonds were as in the morning, the Three per Cents. being 341 to s . Colombian were heavy at 131 to 14,and Brazilian New firm at 771 to 78. Belgian were 1031. Portuguese Converted were steady at 46 to The a ditional :transactions in Railway shares have been these :—Birmingham and Gloucester were 9 ; Eastern Counties, 11 to i : Brighton, 31to ; Green wich, 51 to 5 ; North Midland, 11 ; and Thames and Medway, 9 discount. Bristol and Gloucester have been 15 ; Chester and Holyhead, -1 ; Edinburgh and Glasgow, 15fr to 16} ; Great Western, 42 ; Croydon, 51 ; Ditto Scrip, 81 ;,:Manchester and Birmingham, 16 ; Northern and Eastern, 121 ; North Midland, Thirds, 71 ; Nor wich and Brandon, 51 4 ; South-Eastern, 21 ; Trent Valley, 71 to 7 ; West London first class Preferred, 21 to 3 ; and Paris and Rouen, 181 premium. TIMES.—The premium on gold at Paris is 111 per mille, which, at the English Mint price of 3/. 17s. 101 d. per ounce for standard gold, gives an exchange of 25 44 ; and the exchange at Paris on London at short being 25 521, it follows that gold is 0.34 per cent. dearer in London than in Paris. By advices from Hamburgh the price of gold is 435} per mark, which, at the English Mint price of 31.175. lOid. per ounce for standard gold, gives an exchange of 13 101; and the exchange at Hamburgh on London at short being 13 10, it follows that gold is 0.12 per cent. dearer in Hamburgh than in London. • DETERMINED SUICIDE, BY AN AMERICAN.-At an early . hour on Tuesday morning, a most determined act of suicide was committed at the house of Mr. Huens, Prince's-street, Spitalfields, by a man of colour, a na tive of America, named John Moore, 28 years of age. It appears that he had lately arrived in this country, and having squandered away the whole of his money, he had made application to the American Consul to be sent back to his own country. He was accordingly placed by the Consul in the establishment of Mr. Huens, where persons in his situation are boarded and lodged at the expense of the American Government, until an opportunity offers to be sent out by the first ship. He had been in the house but three days. After being out the whole of the day, he returned home on the previous night, about ten o'clock, and went up to his sleeping apartment, which was on the third floor, at the back of the house. He had not been up stairs above three hours, when a heavy fall was heard in the back yard, and upon Mr. Huens going out to ascertain the cause, he found the deceased lying on the flag-stones, surrounded by a pool of blood, and quite insensible. He was immediately taken in doors, and Mr. Meeres, a surgeon sent for, who, upon examinition, prono unce d him to be quite dead. He bad pitched upon his he a d, and had dislocated the verte brae of the neck. D ea th must h av e been instantaneo us . The window of the bed-room was found wide open, and the unfortunate man had evidently precipitated himself therefrom. Not the slightest reason can be assigned for the committal of the rash act. DESERTION PROM THE FrIFTY-EIGHTH FOOT.—A great number of cases of desertion are reported to have lately occurred in this regiment, the heard-quarters of which embarked last week for New South Wales, whither the remainder is soon to follow. On Mon day morning, a young man, named George Duke was brought before the bench of magistrates at Roches ter, in the custody of a constable and a sergeant of the 58th, charged with being a deserter under the following circumstances:—The constable stated that on Friday afternoon, the 24th instant, he x'ent into a low public-house, on the Brook, at Chatham, and saw the prisoner there, dressed in sailor's clothes. Sus pected he was a soldier, and asked him the question, but he denied it. However, he took the prisoner into custody, and conveyed him to the barracks, where he was recognised. Although only nineteen, this is his third attempt at desertion. The prisoner denied he had any intention to desert, and asserted that he had at once told the constable what regiment he be longed to. The sergeant said that the prisoner had only been absent that morning, and w as un d e r punish ment at the time. The magistrates asked whether the colonel would not take the prisoner back, as a straggler, as he had only been absent a few hours, and was found within a mile of the barracks ; but the sergeant said, " No, he was found in plain. cot h es, and the colonel would try him as a deserter." The magistrates convicted the prisoner, and gave him up to his depot. EXTRAORDINARY INSTANCE or INCUBATION. A fine female swan, in the Surrey Zoological Gardens, has sat upon her nest during the whole time of the erec tion of the model of " London in the Olden Time," a part of the buildings of which constitute a portion of the picture, actually surrounding the nest of the bird, yet she did not seem at all disturbed by the noise and con• fusion attendant on such a place ; and to add to the sin gularity of the event, during the first exhibition of the Fire of London on Monday night, three young swans made their appearance, and the mother has anxiously tended them since, never quitting the nest during the fire, smoke, and fireworks of the scene, and seems per fectly contented• with the :ingular place she has chosen to rear her young brood. ROCHDALE FLANNEL MARKET, MAY 27.—Not SO many buyers attended to-day as usual, and the county election almost put a stop to business. Considering the bustle necessarily occasioned by such an event, there has been a good demand for goods at former prices.-- Manchester Guardian. STATE OF TRADE.—At Manchester, owing to the county election, and the holidays, there was little busi ness done yesterday, and there was no change in prices. —Manchester Guardian. HAYDIV'S " CREATION."—The Sacred Harmonic Society will perform this work at Exeter Hall en Friday next. The vocal performers are Madame Caradori Al lan, Braham, and Herr Staudigl, a combination of talent rarely presented on the same occasion. THE PENINSULAR and ORIENTAL STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY. This Company held their half-yearly meeting yes terday, at their offices, 51, St. Mary-Axe. The meeting was numerously attended, and the proceed ings were distinguished by perfect unanimity. The following report was presented by the Direc . :ors : " The period having arrived, when, in conformity with the terms of the deed of settlement, the half yearly general meeting of the Proprietors is appointed to be held, the Directors have much pleasure in meet ing you to submit their report on the state of the concern, and to declare a dividend out of the profits for the half-year ending 31st March, 1844. " The Proprietors are generally aware that the deed of the Company regulates that the statement of accouuts is to be made annually only, an arrange ment consequent upon part of the operations of the Company being carried on at such distant points as to create a considerable difficulty in procuring, with accuracy, sufficiently detailed information to enable the Directors to submit half-yearly statements to the Proprietors. The Directors are, however, enabled to state that the receipts for the past half-year have con tinued steadily to increase with the extended opera tions of the Company, and have been sufficient to enable them, not only to meet every arrangement of the Company affecting the trading profits, but also to provide, by anticipation, for the repairs of the Com pany's vessels ; and to recommend the usual dividend of 3i per cent. for the six months ending 31st March last. " The Company's vessels are insured for 292,0001., and one half-year's premium thereon has been appro priated out of the profits of the last half-year. " The undivided profits of the concern will amount to about 581., after providing 18,0001. for the divi• Bend now recommended, and also reserving 8,0001. for anticipated repairs. " The Directors are enabled to state that the Com pany's vessels are in a satisfactory condition, and effi cient for the respective services in which they are en gaged ;—by continuing to act upon the principle, when the vessels are under periodical repair of the hulls and machinery, of adopting every improvement which has stood the test of experience, which the Di rectors consider the wisest economy in the end, they expect that the establishment of the Company afloat will continue to give to the Government the same satisfaction in the performance of the Mail Service which has hitherto obtained for it the approval of this high authority. "In the last report made to the Proprietors, 29th Nov., 1843, the Directors communicated to them that they had tendered to her Majesty's Government, and the East India Company, for an improved plan of operation in the Indian Seas, in order to expedite the conveyance of the mails and public dispatches. A lengthened negotiation has since been carried on by the Managing Directors on this subject, and it is still under the consideration of her Majesty's Government land the Court of Directors of the Honourable East India Company. " It is understood that her Majesty's Government have it in contemplation, not only to increase the facilities of mail communication by the establshment under contract of a monthly line to and from Madras, Ceylon, and Calcutta, but also that other extensions will ultimately be adopted by the Government in the Eastern Hemisphere. " The arrangements alluded to are calculated to be beneficial to this establishment, and the Directors have reason to hope that the Company's vessels will be employed under contract by her Majesty's Go vernment for the contemplated service. " In order that the Directors should be in a posi tion to give an unquestionable pledge on behalf of this Company, of their ability to carry out the services referred to, or any portion of them, with satisfaction to her Majesty's Government and the East India Company, they recommended an issue to the Pro prietors in England and Ireland, of 3,000 Scrip Cer titficates, to represent 3,000 Shares, of 50/. each, being an additional subscription of 150,0001. The Pro prietors responded to this call by applying for 5,671 Shares, representing 283,550/. but it not having been considered necessary to extend the issue of Shares beyond the number proposed in their circular of the 20th February, 1844, namely 3,000, the Directors were obliged to decline receiving the additional sub scriptions thus tendered. " One thousand Scrip Certificates for the same ob ject were also appropriated for such of the Proprie tors in India as might desire to avail of the privi lege of subscribing at par for the proposed additional capital ; but the result cannot be known until the ar rival of the July mail. " With the view of providing the additional vessels which this contemplated extension of the Company's operations will call for, the Directors considered it de sirable to treat for the purchase of the "Precursor" steam-ship, of 1,800 tons, and 520 horse power, which vessel has been purchased, subject to the examination and approval of the Surveyors of the Admiralty, and other competent parties, as to her hull and machinery. " The well-known steam-ship the " Great Western," of 1,320 tons, N. M., and 400 horses' power, being also offered for sale, the Directors thought it advisable to purchase that vessel, as she was offered on moderate terms, completely refitted with new boilers, &c. &c. This vessel will undergo the same rigid examination of the hull and michinery, and when approved of as efficient for the mail contract service, will become the property of this Company. " It having been intimated to the agent of this Company in Egypt that, in the event of p ro p e r fa cilities being provided by the Directors for the con veyance of her Majesty's mails and dispatches on the Nile, this service would be transferred to the Com pany; no time was lost in contracting for a very superior iron steam-vessel for the purpose referred to, and it is expected she will be sent out in the course of next Autumn ; this measure was the more called for, as, in addition to the foregoing reason, the extension t of the passengers' intercourse between England and • India demanded an increase of facilities for the river Nile transit, the existing means being insufficient for the purpose. " Several complaints, some of them well founded, have reached the Directors, from Indian passengers, who have expressed themselves dissatisfied with the arrangement of the Egyptian Transit CoMpany; for travellers. The managers of that Company, who have the exclusive charge of the transit across the desert, have promised to remedy the evils complained of, and there is reason to believe they are proceeding to do so satisfactorily ; the Directors are, however, determined not to relax their exertions in endeavouring to obtain better arrangements for the convenience of the public on this portion of the route to India, than have hi therto been provided for them. "The Directors cannot conclude without stating an additional circumstance calculated to increase the confidence of the Proprietors in the undertaking, namely, that they have lately been enabled to reduce the rates of insurance on the Company's floating pro perty in Europe, from 6/. to five guineas per cent. " The points now submitted to the Proprietors embrace the principal objects of interest connected with the Company's operations for the last half-year, and the Directors hope that the feeling of gratifica tion which they experience in being enabled to make this satisfactory report will be participated in by the Proprietory at large. " By order of the Court of Directors, " JAMES ALLAN, Secretary." It was moved, seconded, and unanimously car- ried— " Ist. That the Report:now read be received, adopted, and circulated amongst the Proprietors. " 2d. That a dividend of 3i per cent. for the six months ending 3d March, 1844, recommended in the Report now read, he payable on and after the 20th June, 1844, between the hours of twelve and three o'clock on each day, to such Proprietors as are duly qualified to receive the same." A vote of thanks and confidence was then moved to the Chairman and Directors, which was carried unanimously, and the meeting adjourned. COURT CIRCULAR. A grand dinner was given yesterday evening at Buck- 4 ingham Palace to her Majesty the Queen Dowager and the Noble Directors of the Concert of Ancient Music. The company consisted of her Majesty the Queen Dowager, their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, his Serene Highness Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar, the Duchess of Buccleuch ; the Lady in Waiting on the Queen Dowager, the Countess of Shef field; the Lady in Waiting on the Duchess of Cambridge, Baroness Ahlefeldt; the Duke of Well'ngton, the Earl of Liverpool, the Earl of Jersey, the Earl of Cawdor, the Earl Howe, Lord George Lennox, Hon. William Ashley, Baron Knesebeck, and Captain Francis Seymour. At a quarter-past eight o'clock his Royal Highness Prince Albert (the Director for the evening, in the absence of the Earl of Westmorland) left Buckingham Palaco, accompanied by the .Noble Direc tors for the Hanover-square Rooms, The Royal party left in three carriages ; the first conveying Baron Knesebeck ; the Groom in Waiting to Prince Albert, Captain Francis Seymour ; and the Equerry to his Royal Highness, Col. Wylde ; the third carriage conveying Earl Howe, the Earl of Cawdor, and Lord George Lennoxthird carriage conveying his Royal Highness Prince Albert, his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, and the Duke of Wellington. The Queen, accompanied by the Queen Dowager, the Duchess of Cambridge, and the remainder of the Royal party, left the Palace soon afterwards, for the Hanover square Rooms, to honour the performance of the concert with her presence. The august party occupied five of the Royal carriages, the first conveying the Hon. William Ashley, the Groom in Waiting, Colonel Berkeley Drummond, and the Hon. and Rev. C. Leslie Courtenay • the second conveying the Lord in Waiting, Lord Byron ; the Equerry in Waiting, Colonel Arbuthnot ; and the Hon. Charles A. Murray. The third, conveying the Lord Steward, the Maids of Honour, Lady Caroline Cocks, and the Hon. Miss Frances Devereux ; and the Lady in Waiting on , th© Duchess of Cambridge, Baroness Ahlefeldt, The fourth, conveying the Duchess of Buccleuch ; the Lady in Waiting, the Viscountess Canning ; the Lady, in Waiting to the Queen Dowager, the Countess of Shef field ; and the Master of the Horse. The fifth, convey ing her Majesty the Queen, her Majesty the Queen Dowager, her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge, and his Serene Highness Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar. His Royal Highness Prince Albert rode out on horse back yesterday, attended by Colonel Wylde, Equerry in Waiting. The Royal Family were taken airings yesterday, in the Royal Gardens of Buckingham Palace. His Royal Highness Prince Albert, honoured Mr. Sheriff Moon with an interview, yesterday. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester, vi sited her Majesty the Queen Dowager, yesterday, at Marlborough House. The Bishop of Newfoundland had an interview with Lord Stanley yesterday, at the Colonial-office. Mr. Freshfield had an interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday, at his official residence in Downing-street. Dispatches from Sir Charles Metcalfe, Governor of Canada, and the Governors of the other North American provinces, were received yesterday, at the Colonial office. DISSENTERS' CHAPELS BILL. A meeting was held yesterday in the great room of Exeter Hall, of members of the Established Church, the Presby terian Church of Ireland, the Free Church of Scotland, and several denominations of Protestant Dissenters, for the pur pose of devising measures to prevent the passing of the Dis - senters' Chapels Bill, introduced into Parliament, in March last, by the Lord Chancellor, and now, having passed the House of Lords, awaiting its second reading in the House of Commons. There was a moderately full attendance in the body of the room, and upon the platform we observed the following gentlemen : Hon. Fox Maule, M.P., in the chair ; Colonel Verner, II.P. ' • J. Boyd, Esq., M.P. ; J. Rashleigh, Esq., M.P. ; Sir W. R. Farquhar, Bart. ; Sir G. IL Rose, Bart. ' • Admiral Hawker, Hon. Captain Maude, Captain Vernon Harcourt, - Henry Pownall, Esq. ; Henry Blanchard, Esq. ; John Wilks, Esq. ; T. Farmer, Esq. ; A. Gillespie, Esq. ; Rev. Dr. Dealtry, rector of Clapham ; Rev. D. Wilson, vicar of Islington ; Rev. Edw. Auriol, Rev. E. Bickersteth, Rev. E. Holland, Rev. Dr. Holloway, Rev. Alex. Irvine, Rev. R. Monne, Rev. H. Cole, Rev. P. Hall, Rev. R. Davies, Rev. R. W. Dibdin, Rev. D. Ruell, Rev. T. Redwar, Rev. J. C. Miller, Rev. M. Preston, Rev. A. Thelwall, Rev. H. Beamish, Rev. Jos. Pratt, Rev. R. Brandram, Rev. J. P. Smith, of the Estab lished Church : Rev. J. Blackburn, Rev. R. Ainslie, Rev. J. Sherman, Rev. J. Burnet, Rev. J. Robinson, Rev. J. T. Hunt, Rev. George Evans, Rev. J. Woodwark, Rev. Dr. Jenkyn, Independents : Rev. Dr. Bunting, Rev. C. Prest, Rev. Jacob Stanley, Rev. J. Crowther, Rev. W. M. Bunting, Wesleyan Methodists : Rev. Dr. Cooke, of Belfast ; Rev. Dr. Stewart, moderator of the General Assembly of Ulster. The Earl of Mountcashel was to have taken the chair on the occasion, but a few minutes after eleven o'clock, Mr. WILES read letters from Lord Ashley, M.P., Sir R. H. Inglis, M.P., the Rev. Hugh Stowell, of Manchester, the Rev. Mr. Burgess, of Chelsea, the Rev. Mr. Champneys, of White chapel, and others, apologising for -their unavoidable absence from the meeting, but expressing their entire concurrence in its objects. The Rev. Mr. BLACKBURN read the report of the Commit tee, detailing the origin of the Bill, the progress it had thus , far made, and the views of the Committee as to the necessity of opposing its passing into a law. Mr. Fox MAULE then proceeded to address the meeting. He trusted that in discussing the important question upon which they had assembled, it was unnecessary for him to ap peal to them to enter upon that discussion calmly, and in the order of business.—(Hear, hear.) It appeared to him that the Bill had been brought before the public, to say the least of it, in a surreptititius manner ; and he could not help admi ring, while he at the same time deprecated, the shrewdness and cleverness of its author, who, in so small a space as two little pages and three short sections, had contrived to embody so extensive a mischief.—(Hear, hear, and cheers.) The title of the Bill was, " An Act for the Regulation of Suits re lating to Meeting-houses and ether Property held for Religious Purposes by persons dissenting from the United Church of England and Ireland." Now, looking at that title, one would suppose that it was a Bill in which the great body of Dissenters of the empire were deeply concerned. But when he came to ask himself the question, what body of Dissenters asked for or petitioned for this Bill—whether the Wesleyans thought it necessary for their well-being; whether the Inde pendents, Presbyterians, or Baptists, thought it requisite for the well-being, or for the maintenance and security of their esta blishments, endowments, or foundations, he found that not one individual of these bodies had ever dreamt of petition ing for it ; but, on the contrary, the moment they had be come acquainted with its provisions, they one and all simultaneously and loudly exclaimed against it.—(Cheers.) Then he thought the Church of England might have thought it in some way necessary.—(A laugh.) But when he looked at the debate in the House of Lords, Ise saw the Bishops of London and Exeter leading the opposition raised against it, in a manner which did credit to their known character and abilities, and their zeal for the interests of that Church of which they were such distinguished members.—(Cheers.) Then, he asked, what body of Dissenters applied for this Bill. —(Hear, hear.) And he found one small section for whose benefit alone the whole equanimity, if he might so say, of the religious trusts of this country, were to be put in peril and subverted.—(Hear, hear, and cheers.) He was very glad to find, out of the Commission appointed to inquire into the charitable trusts of this country (and there was great ne cessity for such a Commission), that discoveries had been made of mal-appropriation of the funds and endowments of charitable trusts, and that the law had been enabled to set these mal-appropriations right. He was rejoiced to find this, because in all cases wherever the testator left funds to be applied to particular purposes, whether secular or religious (if in consonance with the principles of law and the consti tution), they ought to be strictly followed out.—(Cheers.) Now, it had been found that certain individuals, for a long time, had been in the enjoyment of property to which they had no right or title, and a spirited person had brought the matter to an issue by submitting the question to the tests of the Courts of law, and subsequently to the highest tribunal in the realm—he alluded to the case of Lady Hewley's charity. Upon the decision of that question im portant results bad depended; for it was proved thereby that those who held property illegally could, in the ordinary course of law, be compelled to give it up.—(Hear, hear.) What was the consequence of this decision ? One would naturally expect in this country, and in every country in which order existed, that to the equity of the law as well as to the majesty of the law, all were bound to submit.—(Hear, hear.) Here, however, they had the Lord Chancellor of England proposing the doctrine—not that the subject must bend to the law, but that the law is bound to submit to the subject.—(Cheers.) Now he (Mr. Fox Maule) must for one, protest against such doctrine as this.—(Hear, hear.) The other day, on a festive occasion, they might have observed the Prime Minister and the Lord Chancellor coquetting together, as to which had been the greater law reformer. But if this was a specimen of their law reform, he would say, " May we be delivered from such law reformers as the Lord Chancellor."— (Cheers and laughter.) But it was said that the object of the Bill was to prevent litigation. Now, his opinion was that this would not be the effect of the Bill, even if there were no other objection ; so far from preventing litigation, although it might solder up some inconvenient suits for the time being, it would eventually unsettle every Dissenting trust throughout the kingdom—(Cheers)—and in the course of a very few years occasion more litigation than any mea sure which had ever come within his knowledge.—(Hear, hear.) There was another point of objection to which he wished to direct attention—viz., that the Bill went to apply the principle of prescriptive tenure to property devised or left in the hands of trustees for religious purposes. That was, as he believed, a decided alteration of the existing law.— (Cheers.) But although, on consideration, he did not see why property devised for religious purposes might not have the same description of tenure applied to it, by right of prescription, as property devised for civil purposes, lie could not admit that any law, so interfering with religious pro perty, should be retrospective in its ope r a tion . — (C he e rs. ) In Scotland there was a prescriptive right for property held for forty years, without dispute or question; but it would be most unjust if, in the case of a party who had u ntil within a short period of the expiration of the forty years' limit, chosen, or been compelled by circumstances, to forego his right of questioning the title of the posses sor, should, whew-in a position to proceed to recover his property, be told, " You cannot recover, for a Bill has been passed, enacting that twenty-five years shall give A prescriptive right, and the parties who have wrongfully held the property during that time shall be confirmed in their title for the future." Would such an act of injustice be tole rated? And yet that was no more than this Bill proposed to do in respect to the property with which it would in terfere.—(Cheers.) The third clause of the measure foreclosed the rights of the parties at present claiming, and was there fore retrospective; and:although in the marginal note to the clause it appeared that pending suits were to be exempted in the clause itself, that exemption did not exist, it having been expunged (as he understood) at the third reading of the Bill in the House of Lords. If it were proposed to apply the principle of this measure to common and every day cases the people would generally condemn it.—(Cheers.) Take the case of a piece of ground left in trust for the purposes of public recreation and amusement, but that, in the course of time, the trustees inclosed the land as their own private property, and alienated it altogether from the objects for which it was devised. Would the people tolerate for a mo ment a Bill giving to those trustees a legal title to the pro perty they had thus become fraudulently possessed of?— (Cheers.) Yet the cases were exactly parallel. He would call, therefore, upon those who did not look upon the question in a religious point of view, to look at in the moral p oint of view, and they must necessarily join in opposing thepro position. Now, with regard to the retrospective operation of the Bill. There were perhaps no cases in England or in Scotland in which the retrospective operation would arise ; then he must look to Ireland for instances of its effects ; and in Ireland he found two cases, one of them a very special case, and in reference to which more particularly he was inclined to believe this third clause had been introduced. — (Hear, hear.) That case, which involved property to the amount of 24,000/. a-year, and was almost equal, therefore, in importance to the celebrated Lady Hewley's charity case, had been made the subject of litigation, had passed through all its hearings , the Lord Chancellor's opinion had been given upon it , and the p roperty now only awaited the final and formal judgment to be transferred to the possession of the parties to whom it justly and rightfully belonged, and appropriated once more to the purposes for whi c h it had been originally bequeathed, instead of to pu r p oses abhorrent to the feelings and intentions of the founders. .—.(Hear, hear.) He could not but feel surprised and alarmed at the unseemly haste with which the Bill had been forced through the House of Lords, and he knew that it was considered by the promoters of the measure that it was necessary to legislate with haste on the question.— (Hear, hear.) But there had been another decision which one would have thought demanded at least equal haste—he alluded to the decision in the case of the ueen against Mellis, by which mixed Presbyterian marriages in Ireland, a practice which had existed for 200 years, had been declared illegal. Surely, if ever a case called for legislation, and re trospective legislation, that was one, yet nothing had been done, so much haste had been shown there.—(Hear, hear.) He contended that it was absolutely unjust, at a time when the Irish Presbyterians were labouring under this grievance, that they should be attacked in this way upon the subject of their trust charities, and that by this Bill the property should be taken from their hands at the moment they are about to regain possession of it, and enjoy its fruits. The Bill was altogether founded in injustice, and they had a right to de mand that it should not receive the concurrence of the Legis lature.—(Hear, hear.) Resolutions were then proposed and carried condemnatory of the Bill, and pledging the meeting to merge all minor dif ferences, and to unite in protesting before the Parliament and the country against the passing of a measure so dishonour able to the Legislature, and so pregnant with danger to the cause of religious truth ; and that a petition, founded on the resolutions, be prepared, and being signed by the Chairman on behalf of the meeting, be presented to the House of Com mons by Sir Thomas Wilde. The meeting was addressed by several of the Reverend Gentlemen on the platform, in support of the,re3elution s •-. more than one of whom commented in stro ertiA the unnatural union of Roman Catholics a ociniiiaw in support of the Bill, which could only be lo up§n• es a: sinister attempt on the part of the Roman C trolicslovet-' • turn the Protestant Church, and create one c pcin scia*ble for Church property. A collection having been made to defray th ape safl in-; curred, and thanks having been voted to the Chairpanittiir meeting separated. \*. _ , LITERATURE. THE NEW CURRENCY BILL. A Letter to the Premier, in reply to his Speech on the Bank Charter Act (May 7, 1844). By "An Enquirer after Truth." London: Clarke, Pall-maR East, 1844. We really believe that this is the best of all the Currency pamphlets which have been published since the introduction into Parliament of the Bill of 1819. It is a temperate, plain-speaking, closely-reasoned investigation of_the premises assigned, this month, by= the Premier himself, as those upon which he founda his new propositions for "regulating" (God help us !) our existing monetary system—for reserving to the Bank of England its charter, on certain conditions— and for carrying out, in all their extent and to their fullest action, the hitherto but half-developed tyranny and mischief of that measure, which twenty-five years ago gave the first shock to our commercial supremacy. It does not seem possible to us that any honest man can arise from the perusal of this little tract withont being thoroughly convinced of the absolute mistakes,the portentous blundering, of Sir Robert Peel in the very rudiments of the scheme which he has concocted for maintaining a gold standard of value. But we will not bespeak opinions, still less do we desire—if our own impressions be errors or prejudices—to innocu late others with them. At the same time we will freely admit that if the reasoning arrayed against Sir Robert's " assumptions" by the Enquirer after Truth" do not amount to demonstrations of the utter fallacy of those assumptions, we are incapable of dis tinguishing between logical deduction and mere un proved hypothesis. The author, after admitting that Sir Robert Peel, in his speech of the 7th ;nstant, did not over-rate the vast importance of the question then submitted to Parliament, asks this pertinent ques tion : " Why should you restrict to a fortnight only the time you permit to be bestowed on a measure affecting inte rests of such extent and magnitude? What time is that for enabling the Members even of the House of COiniisons to form a competent judgment of so complex and difficult a question as the currency, with its beatings on the various classes and interests liable to be compromised-by their decision ? If every transaction of business, every domestic arrangement, every contract subsisting or here after to be made, every person in the kingdom from the Prince to the peasant—the most aged to the child unborn —will be affected by the decision to which the House may come on this great question—how happens it that you, Sir, should restrict to so brief a term the period allowed for studying your propositions, tracing their probable effects through their multitudinous ramifications, and consulting those numerous classes of persons, those almost innumer able individuals, whose weal or woe depends on the votes which will be given in Parliament ? Ample notice and the fullest information to the people should have been allowed to precede the discussion, and all who apprehend injury should have been invited to state their doubts and fears in petitions, memorials,_ or remonstrances. I thi n k I may say, with perfect truth, there never was a measure of such universal and intense interest, hitherto so little , understood, urged on with such indecent haste, and so little regard to the sentiments of those who may be the sufferers." He then reflects on the tyrannous inconsistency of allowing men no right of private judgment on a ques tion like this—of the management of their own mone tary affairs—on which every individual naturally deems himself the best judge, so far as it regards his own business. He adds— " Your motive may have been only the desire to avoid that avalanche of pamphlets which usually descends when any sudden or extraordinary announcement startles the public ear. You are justly afraid of those' who in our day write (as you say) interminable pamphlets on the currency, but never allow us to guess at their meaning.' In this view of the case I have no right to complain." In dealing with Sir Robert's preliminary definition of value, the " Enquirer" quotes the Premier's idea of " the meaning of a pound," on which we have re marked in another part of our paper. The expression of that idea the author correctly quotes from the re port of the debate on the 7th inst., in which Sir Robert concluded that— " The standard of silver up to 1716, was fixed about 1567 ; but in 1717, the value of the guinea was deter mined to be 21s. ; and for a certain period, both gold and silver constituted the standard of value. But in the year 1774 it was enacted that no legal contract should be discharged in silver for any sum of more than 251." Our author remarks that the phrase "subsequent debasements of the currency" conveys a false im pression, when these debasements are said by Sir Ro bert to have made a change in the value of the pound sterling. But this passage we have incorporated else where. Let us add to it this important pendant, re specting our gold coin : " With respect to our gold coin, which began to be minted in the 41 Henry 111. (1257), its proportions were 23 carats 3i grains fine geld to half a grain alloy, till 1 James I. (1604), when 22 carats was the standard with 2 carats alloy; at which standard it remains to this day. Thus, according to history and fact, the earlier Kings of England were, in the mintage of their coins, more remarkable for preserving the purity of the stand ard, than for debasing it." He infers that Sir Robert meant to speak of the diminution of weight, whereby great alteration had been made, not in the name, but in the intrinsic value, of the pound between the reign of the Conqueror and of Elizabeth. But he shows that the admitted fluc tuations of the coined pound of silver, in the same interval, from the number of 20s. to 625. (through other alterations of 20s. 3d., 225. 6d., 255., 305., 375., &c.), did not square with Sir Robert's " doctrine con cerning the pound"—that " quantity of the precious metals of certain weight and certain fineness ;" that " certain definite quantity of gold—of the precious metals." " Did you by these expressions mean us to understand that it should consist, at all times, of the same definite quantity of gold or silver—an invariable, as well as a definite, quantity ? If so, your histo rical examples contravene your assertion. . You must mean, only, that the measure of value should be, at that time when it Is the measure of value, whenever that may be, of a certain weight and certain fineness." " You next observe, in your brief sketch of our pound sterling, that it was not until a late period of the reign of Elizabeth that silver, being then the standard of va lue, received that determinate weight, which it retained without variation, with constant refusals to alter it, till 1716: By these words I understand that the pound sterling, from a late period of the reign of Elizabeth, re mained unchanged in value till the year 1716., But here I must again take leave to doubt the accuracy of your statement. Do you not omit to take into account, when you make this assertion, the difference in the value of silver which was occasioned by the discovery of Ame rica?" How that proportion came to vary from 10 to 1 to 15 to 1, we have shown in an article which appears in another column. Recurring to the year 1600, our author says, " At the period in question it was esteemed as 11 to 1, and was so represented in our coins : when, there fore, we desire to compare the value of silver coias for merly, with the value of silver coins now, we must take this relation into account. Or if we choose to disembar rass the question of all calculations of this kind, we may at once compare the weight of our gold pound now, with the weight of that which we had at any former period, and the difference between the two will, show us the value of the silver pound as well as of the gold pound. You will find in Harris (Essay upon Money and Coins, Part 11., p. 2), that the proportion of fine silver to fine gold in the coinage of 1601, to which you allude, was as .10'905 to 1, and in Ruding, that while the proportion was as above exhibited (or, as he expresses it, 1 to 10 56-59), the gold pound, called the sovereign, worth 205., was coined of the weight of 171 grains. Now, if otir present sovereign contains 123 grains,. and that of - Eiji: in 1601 - contained 171 grains, it follows that her pound sterling was worth 275. 9d. of our present coin. Admitting, therefore, that the silver coin of Eliz. was the measure of value, and the legal tender of that day, it is evident that as the value of 20s. was equal so the sove reign of 171 grains, the value of the silver pound of that period was also of the value of 275. 9d.of our present coin. For more than thirty-nine years before this change was made, that is, from the 4th of . Eliz. to her 43d year (1558 to 1601), the pound of silver was coined into 605., and the gold sovereign, worth 2 0 5., was of the weight of 174 grains; both pounds, therefore, were then worth 28s. 3d. of our present coin." So much for the "certain definite quantity of the precious metals"---of certain weight and 'fineness—of our " pound" sterling. This exposure of Sir Ro bert's grossly uninstructed brief—upon which he has ventured to move the Commons of England to adopt his mischievous, rash, and ill-considered experiments on the currency, ought surely "to put ban out of court," at the tribunal.-of public opinion, in any case where the interests of domestic industry and com merce are concerned. The " Enquirer" then gives Sir Robert that severe castigation touching his " erroneous assumptions about the antiquity and uniformity. of the measure of value," which we have quoted elsewhere. From the same point we shall take our second and con cluding notice of this remarkable pamphlet. • 111 MR. DI SR AELI'S " CONINGSBY. - We are re quested to state that a new edition of this work will be ready for publication with the Magazines to-morrow, May 31, and those who have been hitherto disappointed in procuring it, may obtain it of any bookseller. TILE AUTHOR OF " STORIES OF WATERLOO?' Besides the poet Barry Cornwall, Horace Smith, Laman Blanchard, Titmarsh, Peter Priggins, and Mrs. Trol. lope, we understand that Colburn's New Monthly Maga zine for June will number among its contributors the popular author of " Stories of Waterloo," W. IL Max well, Esq., whose paper is entitled "Memoirs of a Gen tleman on Half-pay," a subject which will doubtless re ceive effective illustration frora the pen of this %nuke writer. \,, ~.-A --_,.: 1 , . -4:/., : 1 . zs j .. ---.,