The Sun. — London, England, 1844-02-06 00:00:00

Bi g ht tmcn‘ ;ensus at the on as ihould Select e Re ess. ,econd nciple lading of its ante imself a Bill rished )assed Some t, and those ormer ing of •y out d, the 3r the under 4' the as of on in Ice of xld to edress race. rnE S,U,N, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, FEBII - IJARY 6, 1844. i le tnaii. On one subject, however, ~ he differed from him. He. disagreed from th a t part of the Right Honourable Gentleman's speech, in . which he stated that he consi dered it might be 'advisable for the Government and the Right Honourable Gentleman to enter into some sort of ca m Pact with the existing railway companies, to pre vent the construction, of competing lines of railway.— (Re ar.) He thought that•in some cases competing lines of railway might be necessary, in order to secure to the public the benefits of competition-(Cheers.) At awool ll events, they co u ld •d o no h ar m. They secure the public against the monopoly Zr carriage possessed by some of the railway companies. bOr instance, the Great Western and Southampton were, a certain extent, competing lines, and the consequence re a c d en be d en a red uc ti on i n t h e pr i ces o f carr i age. H e h a d leen Y, at one of th e s t a ti ons on th e S ou th am pt on li ne , parcels di rec t e d to B at h. H e h a d i nquire d, an d . Grad b een informed, th a t th e y were com p e ti ng w ith th e % 1 1 ; e at West ern li ne, an d t h at w h en t h ey h a d ranch t o S a li s b ury, there would exist a still greater b:gree -.of •competition, which would undoubtedly neat the public.—(Hear, hear.) The Right Hon. ventietnitn had stated too positively that no advantage , c °4ld be derived from competing lines.—(Cheers.) He sure the public would feel much obliged ,to the ght to Hen. Gentleman for having directed his attention aft t bs high rate of fares charged _for third-class pas tii-gars.--(Cheers.) Any one _who had travelled on Ze Continent could not but be struck with the beneficial b e is produced by low third-class fares. There b ourers went to their work of a morning dye ra llwaY, While here the exorbitant fares Manded , for third-class passengers pressed e la h: s t beefily upon t h e h um bl er c l asses . —(L ou d I v er b s.)' Th e coun t r y generally was indebted to the the ':•`-t lion. Gentleman for the attention he had paid to jubject of railways:—(Cheers.) GLADSTONE was anxious that the attention of th e C ommittee should be directed in the first instance to te lle. railway -companies which were about to apply a h i n :i at House for additional powers. He hoped that he e x ; - . 11 , 1 u, shortly be enabled, with the consent of' all the j a , -- t "'' e ng railway- companies,"to submit the general sub eetilli ,railway legislation to the Committee, and nothing hmeee easier than to enlarge the powers from time to b ritistruetions.—(Hear, hear.) 1, • ROEBUCK was glad that the subject had been th o u ght under the consideration• of the House. He h t light they ought to have no half-anct-half measures °t re lation to this subject. A great revolution had °t ea : made in our several relations by the introduction The railvvay system. - Parliament had in fact created it i laM mono polies,- and he asked the Right Hon. Gen anio go into the whole subject and not con • 'Himself with legislating in those cases merely freshhich railway com p anies might - apply for e Bowers. A monopoly had` been created by the ~ttFaordinary advanceawe had made in physical science, lie could not have been dreamt of twenty years ago. Iv ° ' aysWanted the Right Hon. Gentleman to deal with rail in Which hid obtained powers from that House just .7, the same way as he would deal with those which were L'iluing to the 'House. These railways had obtained a fn 91301 y from Parliament, but Parliament had a per ks 'light to interf ere w i t h them .for the public benefit. th e Z"ld ask the Right Hon. Gentleman not to fetter whi c h of the Committee with any of those shackles tit a n seemed dispoSed to cast upon them. He would en. eudea o a subject with respect to wh ich . the Right c, Gentleman •had involved himself in a mystery— *nineting lines. The Righ4Flon. Gentleman's proposition tell t hat a competing line would not be beneficial to, but tr ftg a ai nst, the public. Now, let him suppose a case. The south 'extern went to Bath, . the South Western to teCpton. If by any chance or accident they could peti t ; line which should ma ke those two lines com ndil l ines, there would be a benefit to Southampton the re a ,th. In such a case, how was it possible that s uonld be any . disadvantage to the public ? He 41.'7 the Committee to examine how it would be pos.. by ",','"Y favouring competing lines, to benefit the public let v ;e„ Mere fact of competition, the effect being to • ~ .prices• in each competing railway. If there k tp ut one railway in the whole of England, command lti:LlParY possible communication, the company to whom h e - 'aged would be the ruling power in England. If Ipeenuld divide' them—if he could make the South 'Pt' ste rn Railway a competing power against the Great tel e e l a te rn be beneted the public ; and if he introduced of theticl regulationa which prevented the amalgamation the , s t wo companies, he conferred a great advantage on peac una inunity. When the Hon. Gentleman talked . of be W,aYs having peculiar powers orp.eculiar rights, ti g h ts ocia the whole- question. Post railways had no thes n except those which 'Parliament conferred upon ; •and • Par li ament, for the benefit of the commu tiv'e'nlailt revise and alter the rights which had been eider• .The Committee - should have the power of cip lais,Vg„wbat means.might be adopted for preventing e i to the community by monopoly. He had nn the • that on certain great lines of communication, „ I:41 414 111 . P t a L nY had made their arrangements in such a gest; that whereas th e. 61131). class train arrived at its tree l lnat iun in site hours, the poor man, who was obliged, trai n ! I I! want of means, to travel in the third-class for wa s exposed to all the inclemencies of the weather htpedourand-twenty ho'urs.—(Hear, hear.) 11,0-"be be thinthat on the Great Western Railway there was h e d L. , class train by day.—(Hestr, hear,) 'He would -to know whether the Right -Hon. Gentleman w r ra Pared to d ea l with past railways so far as this taiW as- noucerned i ? Were. they to seek to induce those e ot __Vsfwhich had obtained * powers from the House to n et i t e t Ue to their wishes? In his judgment Parliament UPon , ,,! ° :,„ u Say tothem " We have conferred certain ri g ht s We ex •r i L, but as we fi n d t h at. you do not* use them as Tak e wed, -we will compel you to do what we require." cool t he Ca se o f a p oor man go i ng d own to B at h. He to net go b y day ; he. was obliged to go by nig stand the whole time; there was no place for e o ",.,,,e9tnnu)dation ; he had no means of obtaining those t he which were accessible to those who travelled in ""e first class. He (Mr. Roebuck) travelling in the first class, was in a place which was very much like a draw kg-room, where he was comfortable and warm, and *hen he arrived at a station he could go to a fire. The. 4 8e: of the poor, who travelled by the third class was al t4teiher different, and some alteration was necessary. stbOped the Right Hon. Gentleman would do all in his Wer to adopt the. system of laying down new lines on vp„listang roads. - They had chosen in their extravagant 41 7 to lay out 60,0001, and the public-ought not to pay a ju an expenditure. He was prepared to s a y, th a t if Ih - ti elee showed that they could do the thing at 2,000/., l a_ NV a B all the public ought. to pay.—(Rear, hear.) i t w .elt , no doubt that the time was not far distant when ta n j t and be shown that railways might be laid down at he less than the .present proposed expense. He unfit House w o u l d deal with the subject with an , hand. h ug denied the statements of the Hon. and arn ed lik ssen ember for • Bath, with respect to third class. I ssest er s . . 'The Hon. and Learned Gentleman . had te stsnd tha t . the third-class passengers were compelled (/e i, verin da ring the journey, and also' that there was no Mere g,,to the carriage. He (Mr. Russell) wished, 44 eti nn tn - 800. and Learned Gentleman made such ttihi ett.. s, that be should inform himself better upon the kr•lv •• te h eiit . b li v', 4l 4, LACE said, he was glad that the Govern „ uetermined• to -enter upon this inquiry, and Pos e e-d that it would be carried out in the spirit pro , ktl tn .s• bY the al et e d w cm. Member for Bath, and some course hie po nt , uleb would render- equal accommodation to t ithw,,„ , as that which they - formerly had upon the h l 4te sof Great Britain and Ireland, for it was only od bt,t,e establishment of railways that this distinction a l )0 4 th ll Made. In the various Committees which sat t ren d e i_s subject in the years 1833, 1834, and 1835, th oald be 're was taken to inquire into the prices which • ti me ,ebarged as fares upon the railways ; and at h : it was asserted that the different companies vej_Perfectly satisfied with six or seven per cent. 11 %, k e rs railway companies were, like all other par -I,,Vic w i ng after their own interests, while the re il ch the a s never consulted at ill in the rate at ay h f e ares should be fixed. On the Grand Junction e s 4 Ni s could safely assert 'that the fares had been I l se 1,4 1 , ed, and he dared to say that the same was the - _ s e Co 4 Most of the railways throughout the kingdom. ci a ' s t shoul:1 ( It See why some protection from . cold and f N ett r , i "ot be afforded to the poor man in the . third spin theft a ge, and he thought that the profits derivable eiZing at class passengers ought to be applied to If'? greater accommodation to the humbler h e • - b 'ed ,7,,,eoped the Committee now about to be ap- Itieight ° 7 4 " inquire into-the whole question, and that t o - L ( m. Gentleman would not alone limit the ' 4l u eh r ailways about to be formed, but that it t o e t a t ter de ° extend to those existing at present, and a a.,kee of accommodation and comfort be afforded it, p t .; ll g classes. th t EEL said the question more properly before th e case so ivas the regulations that should be adopted in A ati lh•og res a n ew railways, and he thought it important that iitk ent °f legislation ' should not be interrupted. use Ple met tall a perfect right to attach what conditions fe et , on the They had a perfect 'right to place limi tvitk Jo lt to profit s of new companies—they had a per -11.4, ref eree e x act from the new cempanies regulations is,„‘Slr I ?,n to third -Class passengers.—(Hear, hear.) !1L4(51,)01 3 ,..... ti V) was not at all unaware of the evil of tie „ s 'ven monopoly which, he thought, Parliament ,-ge st to ra.lway cempaniee.—(Hear, hear.) Still r a tkri a r t ild for this, great principle, that there was tia lt t i lli aMen t seduction between companies approaching ha d the ConZ the first time aid asking for new powers, 'iite l avest e r n es which, upon the faith of Parliament, gig Capital and had established lines. gs, 4 7ect th e:light repent their indiscretion for having Pete l t , etl - - --(ll„P o Wers, but still the powers had been the/1-eY 'of p a Z i , hear.) He would not deny the cora the on a , to p arka hear.) to interfere, but he had advised Pshi PtQf its, (:a ntious before they did interfere with the,_es which , T ", with the management, of railway corn thijitY ( kg 'd been called, into existence by the an y sta. far arstar"...,.. „ via TtnhhceeeiriHnawornandCentlema.n had said )? ith,,„ a - his ex er : • • wir ieb th e w. ..sfeatatenndded to .e iwnateyreesotms.panvviehsywtehnaci called i nto a ler ee, B 2eated to be B°lll of all commerce. It was that a selfish interest—which vilified com };&lty".utrZhich action the industry of the t It was "•-"e seemin g h e th at „ selfishness was perfectly natural, b ilt 'lid not ultimately led to the public good. flurol did deny that Parliament had rig ht to e e atitift eUM P ll lieS• But he .a t e e .' saw - us regard to the advised the House to _ these coin . great public interest. If a nd th ey • Pan ics were dividing 15 and 20 per Rda ouly ex ere told some years ago that those com- Inth 4 Pon thn,P e eted to divide • 4▪ th e - ground th y six or seven per cent., iiag doZofits of thosee-ociinai" a right to interfere 9„ i _spe e w a n „, s a_ Prin c i p l e whici r , n n , l o e u s i riFy were thereby It'eprehens'iyue".:7(Hear, hear.) be destructive of They. must tak e -"Painy ,„ Ylew of the subject in legislating a -oust , upon .es not onsider that in these great theysal t ' expe nd , 'me farthing of th li ed, eu, great ' e c money had niuets(.l that fr om the a _public advantage had re- I' net f ume . Pplicatton of private capital. 6. 1 00, that in many cases the ap- plication of that capital had been unproductive of any profit whatever. While there were companies whose shares were selling at 250, yet there were others whose shares were offered at forty, or fifty, or sixty discount, but still a great public advantage was derived from those very companies. Look at our bridges, our roads, and our railways, from which the, public derived great advantages, without having given one farthing towards their construction. The Hon. Gentleman said the com panies ought to be compelled to adopt third class pas sengers. If the House interfered thus far they would have to take the whole management of railways under their control. They must become responsible for all accidents. To suppose the House of Commons and the Legislature could do this was impossible. He perfectly agreed with the Hon. Gentleman that the public ought to be allowed the advantage of new discoveries in science. He (Sir Robert Peel) would advise existing railways to consider well what would be the result of the applica tion of the atmospheric railway.—(Hear, hear.) Emi nent men, who had seen the practical. working of this railway in Ireland, had come back very altered in opinion as to the possibility of applying that principle generally. He believed that two brothers, men of the Jewish persuasion, were entitled to the credit of this invention. The experienee of its working, over a very few miles in Ireland, was such that very great doubt was entertained whether or not it was not capable of general application at a trifling comparative expense. Agreeing with his Right Hon. Friend (Mr. Gladstone), that it would be unwise in the Legislature to encourage two competing lines running very near each other; yet he was sure his Right Hon. Friend did not mean, to ex clude that competition which was greatly effectual — namely, such competition as would take place between London and Manchester, through different lines of coun try. He (Sir R. Peel) did not think that a sufficient ac commodation was given by railways to third-class pas sengers. But then it might be urged, on the part of the railway companies, that if they were to give additional accommodation to the third-class passengers, those who could afford to go in the first and second class carriages, would go in the third class. It was clearly the interest of the different railway companies to attract as many passengers as possible, by carrying passengers at the cheapest rates.. It-was perfectly right that the. House should retain to itself the power of holding out the threat of competition to these companies. But it should remind them that the advances which were being made in. science, must eventually diminish the profits ; but he trusted that the House would never consent to such a violation of the principle, or to attempt to reduce the rate of profits by legislative interference—(Cheers) --or by interfering with the management of these companies, for he was convinced that the affairs of these companies could never be so effectually conducted, as when they were conducted by the proprietors themselves.—(Cheers.) Mr. STUART WORTLEY agreed entirely in opi nion with the Right Hon. Baronet. When he considered the absence of competition, he was really surprised at the amount of accommodation which the railway com panies afforded the public.—(Hear, hear.) Persons in their station of life had no reason whatever to complain of the accommodation afforded them by the railway com panies. He hoped the President of the Board of Trade would consider the suggestions that had been made to him, and confer more extensive powers on the Committee. He thought some alteration should take _place in the composition of the tribunal appointed to assess the com pensation to be granted to persons whose property was taken by railway companies. Every 'one conversant with the subject must be aware how very imperfect a tribunal that was which at present .granted that com pensation ; it was assessed at present by a jury—twelve men taken by chance, without any power to challenge, who might or.not be interested in the question, and who frequently granted a sum very inadequate to compensate the parties for the loss of their property. He would suggest that the question of compensation should be referred to arbitration, and he hoped the attention of the Committee would be directed to the subject. Mr. E M. STEWART, finding that the Govern ment, although not adopting. the suggestions of the , Right Hon. Member for Taunton, were yet willing, virtually, to accede to them, would not oppose the, motion. His Right Hon. :Friend the President of the Board of Trade had laid the ground for the revision of the railway laws.—(Hear, hear.) He admitted that there were defects in those laws, and yet there was to be no inquiry on the subject. He thought the Com mittee ought to have the power to inquire into the working of all railways, and he believed, by doing so, great convenience would be given to third-class pas sengers by all railways. Another great reason for com pleting the revision, and having a thorough Report from the Committee was, that at this moment, owing to the great encouragement given to railroads on the Con tinent, and especially by the French Government, Bri tish capital was, to a great amount, seeking for invest ment there. Before the Committee dissolved, instruc- tions ought to be given to the Committee to embrace the suggestions of the Right Hon. Gentleman the Member for Taunton, without which their Report would be de fective, and their labour injurious, with regard to gene ral legislation. Colonel SIBTHORP said that he found railroad com panies always looking to their own advantage without any reference to the public. He was, therefore, op posed to all railroads—(Laughter)--and he saw no reason to alter his opinion. He called on the Chancel lor of the Exchequer to levy 'a tax on railroads. They were the cause of the ruin of a number of persons, such as inn-keepers and small shop : keepers . in provincial towns. Those persons were now in poor-houses, and he thought it but fair that those who caused their distress should be taxed. He had seen an Administration which had lost all credit turned out of power, and he hoped he should live to see all the existing railways become-bank rupts. Mr. PLUMPTRE said there was one point in connec tion with railways to which he wished to call the atten tion of the House, and that was the undue use which was made of them on the Lord's day. He was quite sure that the Right Hon. Gentleman who had proposed the appointment of this Committee would most calmly contemplate every desecration,of that day. Mr. F. FRENCH said he could not let this opportu nity pass without saying that a sum of 20,000,0001. of public money had been expended on railways in Eng land, and that he thought the fares were nearly treble what they ought to be. The motion-was then put from the Chair and carried SIERRA LEONE and the GAMBIA. Two important papers relative to these interesting settlements, ordered by the House of Commons, one, printed on the 24th of August last, have just reached our hands. The first (on the motion of Mr. Hume) is " a Return of the total, income of the two Settlements in each of the years 1839, 1840, and 1841, and how expended; stating the several and separate heads of income and expenditure, with the particulars . thereof, under each head." The second (moved by Sir Harry Inglis) purports to be " a Return of the Public Ex penditure in the Settlement of Sierra Leone from 1825 to 1842, both inclusive ; distinguishing that from Colonial Funds, and that from Parliamentary Grants ; and distinguishing the expenditure in each year from each source." The " income " of Sierra Leone is classified under the following heads, viz. (1) Customs dues, (2) Licenses' dues, issued under Colonial Acts or Ordi nances (for retailing spirituous liquors, for auc tioneers, hawkers, pilots, &c., for marriage licenses; also market dues, taxes on horses, carriages, and Dogs. (3) Fines, forfeitures and fees, from sessional and police courts, copies of public office documents, &c. (4) Rents and sales of lands. (5) Special and miscellaneous (chiefly proceeds, in 1839, of sales of goods abandoned for duty, 7211., (the minor items under this head ranging from 201. to 86/.) The " Customs" which yielded 11,0051. in the year 1839, and 12,6091. in 1840, in 1841 fell to 7,4801. The spirit selling licences in like manner produced in the same years, successively and respectively 1,116/. ; 1,0181., 871/., and market dues,, 8411., 8561., and 4711. " Fines, &c." declined, in like manner from 152/. and 2291., in 1839 and 1840 to 39/. only in 1841. Rent of factories brought in the two former years 31/. and 135/. ; in the last only . 11/. In short, the only heads on which we find an increase in 1841 are (characteristically enough) in passports (from Sierra Leone we presume), which in 1839 produced but 551., in 1841 212/. ; auctioneers' licences, which advanced in same interval from 91/. to 1031., and miscella neous, which rose from 42/. in the first to 861. in the third year of this term. The total income and ex penditure results as follows : Income. Expenditure. In 1839 £14,179 £12,086 1840 15,302 10,165 1841 The principal heads of increased expenditure, which went to make up the excess over income in 1841, were to salaries paid by agents in London, contin gencies of the colonies, revenue salaries, pensions in London, pay of militia, contingencies of ditto, rents and customs to native chiefs (91/. in 1839, and 1,370/. in 1841), presents for ditto, and missions to and from ditto. Thus . it will be seen that there was In 1839 a surplus of income of £2,093 1840 , ditto. £7,230 1841 as excess of expenditure... 4,864 £2,366 It appears that, allowing for the surplus income of 1839 and 1840, amounting in all to 7,2391., the ex cess of expenditure in 1841, 4,8641., there was still a balance of income on the three years of 2,366/. Un der the heads pensions in colony, expenses of tak ing .the colonial census, maintenance of distressed seamen, - and .ecclesiastical contingencies (co lony), the items are stationary, or very nearly so, throughout the whole period ; whilst, on the charges for contingencies (London) ; ecclesiastical sa laries (colony) ; contingencies (ditto), medical sala ries, and contingencies (ditto) ; clothing and contin gencies (London) ; and buildings and repairs (colony), there was a considerable aggregate decrease in 1841 from the aggregate of 1839. In the return for Gambia, the chief items of in creased expenditure in 1841 are civil salaries paid in the colony; judicial salaries and contingencies, ditto; pay of militia; repairs and buildings (colony) ; presents to, and missions to and from native chiefs. But the excess of all these together, as compared with their amount in 1839, is but 1,464/. ; whereas, in the other prominent heads of expenditure, the decrease in 1841, as compared with the two preceding years, is about 2,1001. There is, however, an additional item of ex pense, a 500/. repayment of a 500/. fine in 1841, by order of the Secretary of State. The truth is, the revenue of Gambia has lamentably declined in the same interval. The Customs yielded in 1839, 7,117/. ; in 1841, only 4,532/. The other items of revenue in 1839 and 1841, scarcely exceeded a total of 2001. ; in 1840, of 774/. The excess of expenditure, therefore, over income for three years is very considerable, as may be shown by this statement : GAMB Income. 1839 £7,381 1840 4,953 1841 4,840 Expenditure. £5,126 8,284 6,413 £17,174 £19,823 Excess of Expenditure in three years £2,649 The third return in this Parliamentary paper, ex hibits the public expenditure in the settlement of Sierra Leone, from 1825 to 1842, thus distinguished and arranged, namely : TOTAL OF EXPENDITURE, 1825 TO 1842, FROM PARLIAMENTARY GRANTS. Liberated Africans Civil Establishments 116,850 Public WOrks 12,434 Colonial Contingencies 3,878 £327,436 EXPENDITURE FROM CLERICAL REVENUES. Under same heads and in same interval £164,676 Grand total.. X 492,112 HARRIS'S LIGHTNING CON DUCTORS. " H.M.S. MINDEN.—We have been favoured with a copy of a letter from the Minden (hospital-ship at Hong-Kong, China), from which we extract the fol lowing :—' The lightning last night (July 30) was heavier than I ever saw it before ; two flashes struck the Minden, and played about Harris's conductors for some seconds, conveying a stream of fire through the ship awful to behold; a frizzing noise was distinctly heard, and I have no doubt but that we should have received serious injury had we not been furnished with these conductors. We are now lying with the fore-yards and top-masts struck, and have just had orders to receive on board fi ft y more of the worst cases out of the 55th Regiment: we have the sick on two decks at present. I have just been informed that the lightning last night also struck some merchant vessels, killed four men, and wounded some others, Dr. Morrison, the chief interpreter, is dead, after hav ing been nearly all his life in China. Lieutenant Ralph Milbanke, of the Childers, is also dead, and Mr. Forbes, mate of that ship, has been promoted to the vacancy. Dr. Rae, assistant-surgeon, is appointed to the Minden."' It appears from the above which we extract from the Devonport Independent of last week, that the most complete protection has been afforded by Harris's lightning conductors to one of her Majesty's ships employed in a service of great consequence to the country—and that, too, under very trying circum stances, and when other vessels near, and exposed to the same storm of lightning, evidently suffered con siderably. It has always been our object, as impartial jour nalists, to afford due and fair consideration to any question of practical science affecting the public. in terests, and we cannot, therefore, but admit that this result of the action of Mr. Harris's system of pro— tection from lightning is most important, and quite conclusive of the truth of the principles for which he has so long contended. Without any undue bias in favour of our towns man, or the least wish to treat lightly the opinions of those who have expressed themselves as adverse to the general employment of his conductors in our navy, we are at a loss to understand upon what ground they insist on their danger ; seeing that they have been now employed in her Majesty's navy for up wards of fourteen years, and that the ships fitted on his plan have been exposed to the effects of lightning under various circumstances in every climate,—yet not a single instance has ever been adduced in which they have failed to afford protection, or in which any injurious consequence has resulted. Had the views which have been lately pressed upon the public mind thrOugh the pages of a most respectable and valuable journal, the Hampshire Telegraph, been founded on truth, then we most unhesitatingly insist upon the fact, that such a case as that we have just quoted of her Majesty's ship Minden could not possibly have oc curred. Now, one fact is worth a thousand theories. • In the. Nautical Magazine, for December last, we find an equally important illustration of the operation of these conductors. It appears by the official jour nal *of the sloop Scylla, signed by Captain Sharpe, and transmitted to the Lords Commissioners of the Adjniralty, that on the 6th of Angust, 1843; .in lat. 24 3 N., long. 96 13 W., the ship having shortened sail to a squall from the N,W., was at this instant struck by a -terrible shock of lightning, which burst on the main• mast, and was instantly carried clear out of the ship, so that within half-an-hour the vessel had again made all sail, as if nothing had happened. The electrical discharge is said, in a private letter, to have passed down the masts and by the lower deck into the sea, attended by a rattling peal of thunder. The force of the shock was so great as to start some of the fixings of the copper plates in the royal pole yet not the least damage was done, or any inconve nience, felt in: the ship. With such facts before us, we cannot but hope that the Editor of the paper to which we have alluded will see the necessity of revising the disparaging statements which he has allowed to appear in his pages, relative to these conductors. It can never be for the interest of the press to deal narrowly, and through the - prejudiced opinions of others, with any quection in any way affecting the national interest. To rescue our shipping generally from the terrible consequences of so destructive an agency as light ning, must surely be regarded as a point of very great importance ; and when we consider the terrible loss of life and property which has occurred in our navy only in the course of the last half cen tury, we hold as a duty to our naval and commer cial interests generally to place such facts as those to which we have alluded fairly before the public. Between the years 1809 and 1815—viz., six years, no less than thirty sail of the line, and fifteen frigates, are known to have been disabled by lightning ; a great number of seamen either killed or crippled by the same agency. The Repulse lost the service of no less than twenty men by lightning, in the Bay of Roses, in August, 1813, ten of them were killed on the spot; and the squadron lost the efficient services of one of its fastest ships, from the crippled state of the masts. It has been calculated, from the cases detailed in the official log-books of her Majesty's ships, depo sited at the Admiralty, that the country, during the last war, did not expend at the least a sum short of 10,000/. annually, in consequence of the damage sus tained by our shipping, by lightning, in various parts of the world. —Plymouth Herald. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, MONDAY.—Her . Majesty and his Royal Highness Prince Albert have remained in privacy during the day. The Ladies and Gentlemen of the Royal suite have not quitted the Castle. The Archbishop of Canterbury had an interview with Lord Stanley yesterday, at the-Colonial-office. A deputation, consisting of Mr. Glyn, Chairman of the London and Birmingham Railway Company, Mr. Baxendale, and several ether gentlemen connected with Railways, had an interview with the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone yesterday, at the Office of the Board of Trade. Captain James Clark Ross,, Royal wavy, had an in terview yesterday with Lord'Stanley. - Sir Robert Peel had an interview with the Duke of Wellington yesterday, at the office of the Commander in -Chief, Horse Guards. Sir James Graham had an interview with Lord Wharncliffe yesterday, at the Council-office. 111 r. Ogden had an interview with Lord Stanley yes terday at the Colonial-office. Dispatches were received yesterday afternoon, at the Colonial-office, from the Lord High Commissioner of the lonian Islands,•and also for the Governors of Malta and Gibraltar. • The Judicial Committee of her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council sat yesterday, at the Council office. The Lords present were the Master of the Rolls, Lord Brougham, the. Judge of the Admiralty Court, and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Cornwall. Sir E. Ryan sat as a Privy Councillor. Xi% Charles Buller and Mr. - Jackson were heard for the appellant on an appeal from the Court of Sudder Dewanny Adawlut at Bombay, "Jusvnmt Singh Jee Übby v. Jet Singh Jee." Mr. Wigram, Queen's Counsel, Mr. Lloyd, and Mr. E. F. Moore, appeared for the respondent. The Master of the Rolls gave judgment on the part of their Lord§hips, dismissing the.appeal with costs. The Court then rose. leven," and the dirge, " Weep, weep ye streams." are of this class, and last night were listened to with great attention. " The last Lay of Chatelard"—the modi fication of an old French tune—was enthusiastically encored ; and the great Scottish welcoine, " Carle, noo the Queen's come," the Covenanters' song—sung with an irresistible nasal twang—and " Tammie and Nannie," with other characteristic effusions, we're applauded, baculis pedibusque, until the room rung again. Mr. Wilson sings the whole of these domes tic songs admirably. When the subjectS'are mournful and tender—as in the threnodies—no one could pos sibly render them more affecting than himself ; and when, on the contrary, they require broad humour, with a like felicity he still preserves their keepinF, and gives them with an archness indescribably pi quant and diverting. • LITERATURE. THE BROTHERS. 3 VA Co!burn, London, 1844. The civil wars of the Fronde, the most inconsistent, mismanaged, and puerile of any recorded in modern history, in which neither party seemed to be in ear nest, or to have the slightest c:nfidence in the wisdom and justice of their cause; the principal leaders, a n d among them that overrated character, the Prince of Conde, changing sides just as often as suited their convenience, as though the war was a mere holiday pastime—these childish civil dissensions form the subject of the tale before us, and having stated this, we need hardly add that the incidents are supposed to have taken place in France during the regency of Anne of Austria and her wily Minister, Cardinal Mazarin. The hero is a young Englishman, of good family, by name Henry Mornington, who, having lost all his possessions and many of his relations, during the great civil war in England, goes over to France as a military adventurer, and obtains an ap pointment as chef d' escadron in the army raised by the court party against the Frondeurs. While tra velling to join his division through a remote woodland district, he is suddenly alarmed by the cries of dis tress uttered in a female voice, and hurrying up to the spot whence the sound proceeds,: he finds a carriage overturned in the highway, close to which a beautiful young girl is standing, wringing her hands, and exhibit ing tokens of the deepest affliction ; while, at a few yards distance, two men, who happen to' be brothers, are fighting with all the fury of desperation, and be fore the English traveller can serrate them, they fall mortally wounded by each other s swords. The lady being thins left alone, and defenceless, is escorted by Mornington to a neighbouring convent, where hesoon learns, from her own lips, the sad story of her life— how she was an orphan, but heiress to large estates. and how, in consequence, she was courted by the two sons of her guardian, neither of whom she liked, and who, being distrustful of each other, one of them had resolved on carrying her off, and marrying her, in spite of herself, but being overtaken by the other on the road, a mortal battle had taken place between the two brothers. On hearing this painful narrative, Mornington, feeling for the wholly unprotected state of the Lady Isabel, makes an offer at once of his hand, which she unhesitatingly accepts, and they are privately married, at night, in. the chapel of the convent. Immediately afterwards, however, the bridegroom is compelled to set forward to join his regiment, and scarcely is he gone, with the promise of a speedy return, than Isabel her self is carred off by a party of ruffians, and, after un dergoing a world of romantic adventures, is restored to Mornington, with which auspicious event the story concludes. There is no want of exciting incident in the story, but its principal recommendations are its battle scenes, which are pourtrayed with all that vigour and picturesque skill which we admired in the Author's first work, " Oliver Cromwell." We know no novelist of the day—not even Mr. Lover—who imparts such life and spirit to his decriptions of battles, as Mr. Herbert; but when he attempts to bring forth the nicer points of character, he almost invariably fails, his various personages, with s c ar ce ly one exception, eing deficient in individuality. THE BUILDER. We have here the fourth part of a new weekly magazine which, as its title sufficiently indicates, is devoted almost exclusively to architectural subjects, and is illustrated by a variety of appropriate engrav imp, executed, for the most part, with very passable ability. CHRISTIAN'S MONTHLY MAGAZINE. There is a very lengthy and elaborate article in this Number, entitled " Theology and Philosophy," in which, among various other matters, the author speaks in terms of regret of the decline of classical scholarship among us. The article, though it contains several useful suggestions, is much too long-winded and too desultory in its character. In the monthly register we have a carefully digested account of all the religious ecclesiastical proceedings that have taken place during the past month. The magazine is an intelligent one, but it is too heavy in its tone, and too little distinguished by variety. MERCHANT SEAMEN'S FUND. Mr. W. GLADSTONE, in rising to move for a Se lect Committee to inquire into the Merchant Seamen's Fund, said that it was essential that some steps should be taken with regard to this body. It was a subject of eonsiderable difficulty, and one which called for the most serious attention. There were two reasons which • in duced her Majesty's Government to call for a Select Committee, the first of which was, that the subject had been before a Select Committee already, and they would, consequently, have the assistance and advice of many gentlemen who had previously turned their attention to the matter; and next, that the seamen were a class of men who had the strongest claims upon their sympathies, and were of all others the least likely, from their habits, to bring their grievances before Parliament Mr. LABOUCHERE said he could not agree with the Right Hon. Gentleman -as to the necessity of ap pointing this Committee,' inasmuch as one had sat before upon the same subject. When he (Mr. Labou chere) held the same office as that occupied by the Right Hon. Gentleman he thought it was right that the matter should undergo investigat ion before the Government proceeded to , legislate upon it ; but in the present in stance the matter had been already considered by a Committee of this House, who published a 'most vo luminous report, and ma de distinct proposals, recom mending an alteration in the law affecting this fund. Sir C. NAPIER was glad that the Right Hon. Gen tleman had taken up this matter, and if his suggestion or assistance could be of any use to that Right Hon. Gentleman be should be most happy to act as one of the Committee. Mr. GLADSTONE explained. After a few words from - Mr. RICE, Mr. HUME said that he had a number of petitions on the subject. The people of Montrose and other sea port towns were anxious to be allowed to lay their grievances before the Committee. That was their re quest. He had no objection to the Committee, but he hoped there would be legislation on the Subject next session. —The motion was then agreed to. EXPENSES OF PRINTING. Sir GEORGE CLERK moved that the following gentlemen be a Select Committee to assist Mr. Speaker in all matters - which relate to the printing executed by order of this House, and for the purpose of selecting and arranging for printing re turns and papers presented in pursuance of motions made by Members of this House, which may be referred to the said Committee : —Sir George Clerk, Sir Robert Efarry Inglis, Mr. Pusey, Mr. Vernon Smith, Mr. Strutt, Viscount Mahon, Mr. Tufnell, ' Mr. Patrick Stewart, and Mr. Hume :—Power to send for persons, papers, and records ; five to be the quorum. Mr. HUME said, he had last session moved for re turnsof the expense of printing each document, but they had not been laid on the table of the House. He con sidered there was great laxity and delay somewhere connected with this subject. The expense of every document ought to be printed with the document itself. He did not wonder, from the mode in which the business was managed, that the expense of printing now amounted to 170,0001. or 180,000/. Sir GEORGE CLERK could assure the Hon. Gentle man there was no wish to delay the returns he moved for,.but there was great trouble in .making them out. Mr. HUME thought it was as easy, to make out the cost of each book, and bring it with the book itself, as it was to bring penny rolls, and the price at which they were sold. The motion was then agreed to, and the House ad journed at Seven o'Clock. CHILDBIRTH IN THE SNow.—Shortly before five o'clock on Friday - morning, whilst the snow was fast falling, as a police-constable, of the 0 division was going his rounds, near Marylebone workhouile, New-road, he heard a moan proceed from one of the gardens attached to the houses op posite that establishment, and, on close inspection, found a poor woman lying in the snow, together with a living infant, of which she had just been. delivered. • The constable imme diately ran to , thn Marylebone Infirmary, and gave informa tion to Tebutt, the porter, who lost no time in conveying it to Mrs. Walsh, the matron. Blankets and an easy chair 'were - at once provided, and carried to the spot where the poor creature laid , and she and her offspring having been wrapped up, were at once conveyed to the work house, where, after receiving prompt medical attendance, they were placed in bed ; and yesterday both mother and child were found to be doing well. • At the time of the oc currence, the poor woman was on her wa y to Q ueen Char lotte's Lying-in Hospital, where, by the regulations, females are not admitted until the very last hour, when their ac couchement is likely to take place. DRY Humoua.—An Irish post-boy, having driven a gentleman a long stage during torrents of rain, the gen tleman drily said. to Paddy, " Are you not very weti - -1" " Arrah ! I don't care about being very wet, but place your honour I'm very dry.' NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PORTSMOUTH, FEB. 4.—The Java freight-ship, Lieut. J. Imrie, agent, arrived this morning from Trinidad, with the whole of the 92d Regiment on board, under command of Lieut.-Colonel Macdonald, having made the voyage home in 43 days : she will proceed to-morrow for Leith, when the regiment will disembark and proceed to Glasgow, where it will be for the present quartered. The Apollo troop-ship, Commander Wm. Maclean, arrived at Gibraltar on the 19th ult., after a short passage of six days and a half, from Cork ; the 45th Regiment landed the same afternoon. The Apollo will proceed from Gibraltar to Jamaica, with the 58th Regi ment ; from Jamaica she will go to Quebec, to bring home a regiment, probably the 68th Light Infantry, and may be expected at Spithead some time in June next. The Warspite, 50, Captain J. P. Wallis, left Lisbon the 19th of January for the Mediterranean, to relieve the Vernon, 50, Captain William Walpole. The Vernon, may therefore be expected home shortly to be paid off; having been the . full time in commission. The Nautilus, 10, tender to the Victoria and Albert, Lieut. Commander Tringham, arrived on Saturday, from Brighton. In consequence of the severe cold weather rendering an approach to the Texel dangerous at this season, on account of the ice, the Dortrecht, Dutch Government storeship, bound to that port from Surinam, put into this harbour to await the opening of the navigation. DEVONPORT, FEB. 4.—The Alban, 2, steam-vessel, Lieut. Commander J. Jeaye4, arrived at this port from t and nd sad e r, il s e ec t o h n i d s m m o a r t n e in s g . Portsmouth.Bfoarggsiii charge, CoTrkheyEe-smteerrdaalyd: arrived at this port from Portsmouth on Friday night. On her passage hither she encountered some.very severe wea ther; in which one of her crew was severely hurt by the main block giving way, and her gaff was sprung. She has several defects, which are being made good in the dockyard._. The Diligence transport, Martin master, arrived yes terday with stores from Portsmouth. The Caledonia, 120, Capt. Milne (flag-ship), is being towed inho harbour by the confiance tug. No man of war in the Sound. In Hamoaze.—The Caledonia, San Josef,-Resistance, Crane, Emerald; Sylph and Netley tenders; Penelope and Confiance steam-vessels; Lancier, Dutch schooner; Diligence transport ; Falmouth, Camel, Tortoise, and Hamoaze lighters. PuomoTioNs.—Mate—Spencer H. Pickard (1837) of the Spiteful, to the rank of lieutenant. A Prom TMENTS.—Lieute na nts—T. Gresham (1843), to the Formidable; Henry Eden (additional) to the Wil liam and Mary yacht, to study steam and engineering. Mates—F. W. Smith (1842), W. Amphlet (1842), and R. Patey (1838), from the Excellent, to study at the Naval College ; P. W. Coventry (1837), from the Queen to the Vernon, as acting lieutenant. Assistant-Surgeon—L. C.. Urquhart (1833), from the Camperdown to Sheerness Dockyard. Second Masters—Forbes Macbean, to the Excellent ; W. Lidstone, to the Pigmy, vice Main, to the Victoria and Albert. _ Midshipman—W..Pellew, to the Excellent. Masters' Assistants—W. It. Pascoe, to the Poicters ; W. Turton, to the Prometheus ; C. W. Cooper, to the Crane. _ : COAST GUARD.—AppoinOlent — Lieut. D. O'Brien to a. station. Removals—Commander D. Curry, from Newcastle to Ryde station, Isle of Wight, vice Commander Kerr, to Weymouth, vice Commander Dobson, promoted; Lieut- Samwell, from Gerran Haven, vice Lieutenant Kiddie, to command the Harpy, vice C. H. Baker, to command the Vulcan revenue steamer, vice Crispin, promoted ; Lieutenant C. Goldsmith, from the Dolphin ; to com mand the Shamrock, vice Lieutenant Crocker, to com mand the Prince Albert, vice Nind, promoted ; Lieut. S. E. James, from Happisburgh to Lyme Cobb, vice Lieutenant Johnson, resigned. ARMING OF BOATS. The numerous alterations and very great improve ments which have been lately made in arming vessels in her Majesty's navy, has rendered it advisable to make similar improvements in arming boats attached to ships and war steamers, and the following is the proportion of guns and carriages which have been resolved upon by the authorities to be used in the boats of each class of ship and vessel in her Majesty's service. The ammuni tion and stores for the same to be prepared at Wool wich similar to a plan submitted by Colonel Lacy, In spector of the Royal Carriage Department ; Lieut.- Colonel Dundas, C,13., inspector of Artillery ; and the Storekeeper and Deputy Storekeeper at the Royal Arsenal ; and approved by Captain Sir Thomas Hast lugs, Knt.. of the Excellent, gunnery ship, Portsmouth : BOATS OF FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD RATES. One 24-pounder brass howitzer, weighing 13 cwt., on field marine travelling carriage complete, with limber. Top to be used in boats, fitted also for mounting and dismounting on an inclined plane, and if it cannot be fitted for both purposes a second top will be required. One 6-pounder light brass gun, 6 cwt., on field marine travelling carriage complete, with limber. Top to be used in boat, with bottom to receive the top for firing into ships' tops. _ One24-pounder iron carronade, 13 cwt. Top to be used in boat for mounting and dismounting on an in clined plane. _ _ Two 12-pounder iron carronades, 6 cwt., each. Top to be used in boat for each, and one bottom in each boat to receive the top, for firing into ships' tops. BOATS OF FOURTH AND FIFTH RATES. One 6-pounder light brass gun, 6 cwt., on field marine travelling carrage, complete ,with limber. Top to be used in boat, with bottom to receive the top, for firing into ships' tops. Two 18-pounder iron carronades, 10 cwt. each. Top to be used in boat, fitted for mounting and dismounting on an inclined plane. Two 12-pounder iron carronades 6 cwt. each. Top to be used in boat, with bottom to receive the top, for firing into ships' tops, BOATS OF SIXTH RATES. One 6-pounder light brass gun, on field marine travel ling carriage, complete with limber. Top to be used in boat, with bottom to receive the top, for - firing into ships' tops. The brass 6-pounder field-pieces is not to be supplied to any sixth-rate of a class below that of the Vestal. Two 12-pounder carronades, 6 cwt. each. Top to be used for each in boat, with one bottom to receive top, for firing into ships' tops. BOATS OF FIRST AND SECOND CLASS WAR-STEADIERS. . One 6-pounder light brass gun, 6 cwt., on field marine travelling carriage complete, with limber. Top to be usedin boat, with bottom to receive the top for firing into ships' tops. Two 24-pounder iron carronades, 13 cwt. each, with transporting slides and top for ditto, to be used in paddle box boats. The carronades are to be mounted on transporting carriages, and attached to the side of the ship for alarm and signal guns, and for service in paddle-box boats. BOATS OF THIRD CLASS WAR-STEAMERS. One 12-pounder iron caPronade, 6 -evie. Top to be used in boat with bottom, to receive the top, for firing ntV'Aips' tops. The side. guns of the third class steamers being ighter, may be used for the above purposes, when the 2-pounder carronades is not sufficient. BOATS OF SLOOPS AND BRIGS OF WAR. One 12-pounder iron carronade, 6 cwt. Top to be used in boat with bottom, to receive the top, for firing into ships' tops. Any small vessel not carrying a pinnace may be sup plied with a 12 or 6-pounder carronade, according to the capacity of the boat. TRIAL OF SPEED BETWEEN HER MAJESTY'S STEAMERS PROMETHEUS AND RATTLER. On Saturday, the 3d instant, a trial of her Majesty's steamer Rattler took place at the measured distance in Long Reach, in order to determine, as correctly as possible, her rate of going, as compared with that of her sister ship, Prometheus, which had been ascertained by the Government authorities the day before, by a similar nearly they h ave both as possible up o n trial. The Rattler having been built for the purpose of test ing the merits of the screw propeller with those of the the p linesaddle-w paddlewheels, is i o s de constructed l as the Prometheus: the same amount of engine, power, viz. -2 - 00 horses ; both vessels were laden to the same draught of water, viz.—l Ift. Sin. ; the steam pressure in both cases was regulated exactly alike—in fact, everything that could be conveniently done to render the trial a fair one was duly attended to. Under these circumstances. more than ordinary inte rest was excited amongst the naval and engineering Officers connected with the. Woolwich Dockyard esta blishment, by whom the results of the various trials of both vessels were most minutely noted, and in the end summed up, contrary to the general expectation, in fa vour of the Rattler, to the extent of nearly half a knot per hour, their relative speed being as follows :—Pro metheus, 8,757 knots; Rattler, 9,240 knots, or within a fraction of 1.01 statute miles per hour. The Prometheus is one of the third class war-steamers, recently introduced into her Majesty's navy by the present surveyor, Sir William Symonds, and is, we are informed, under orders to sail almost immediately for the Mediterranean. Qn Tuesdaythe• 23d ult., at ireverley; aged 76, Ann Cass, wife of. Richard Cass, hatter, better known as " Molly Cass," the great election heroine in the good old days of John - Wharton. She was a tall athletic woman, used to bead the mobs, and would fight her way through a host of opponents of the opposite sex. In the prime of her days she was an out and-out Granger, but the defeat of her champion, Wharton, adverse circumstances, and the infirmities of age overcame her; she yielded to the temptations of Tory gold, and compelled her " little Dicky': the last time he could vote, to support the Crimsonites.—lt is a fact—a melancholy fact—that " Molly" never looked up again after this.—Hull 41.dvertiser. . , ADELP HI THEATRE. A dramatic version of Charles Dickens's Christmas Carol was produced at this theatre last evening, with the most complete success. All the incidents in the " Carol" are preserved, and are presented in a series of tableaux, which are most efficiently got up. Mr. Fizziwig's ball, which closed the first stave or act, was excellently managed, and vociferously encored. 0. Smith was Scrooge, the miser, and certainly his Scrooge is one of the most artistical things we have ever seen. He enters thoroughly into the spirit of his author throughout. In the earlier scenes, as the sordid, calculating, money-getting hunx —the hater of every innocent amusement—he was, indeed, the man of the frozen heart ; and then, at the close, when he discovers that even money may be bought too dearly, that all his avarice is but folly, or something worse, that there is a happiness beyond what money can purchase, and determines to make that happiness his, by making those about him happy —when his heart thaws, and the remembrances of the better feelings of his youth come crowding on his memory, there was a mellowness, a warmth, a hearti ness, a pathos about his acting which we never re member to have observed in him before, and for the possession of which we had never given him credit. His Scrooge is a first-rate piece of acting, and it is worth a visit to this theatre to see that alone. The other characters were all well supported. Wright's Bob Crutchit, the half-starved clerk, was admirable—his look, his manner, his dress, his atti tudes, all were in keeping. Nothing could be better than Bob's Christmas family dinner party. Mrs. Crutchit (excellently acted by Mrs. F. Mathews), Peter, Martha, and though last, not least,.poor little ' Tiny Tim, all were there , and all were happy. Tiny Tim was beautifully acted by little Miss Maynard. This child is exceedingly talented ; there is a truth to nature in her delineation of this most interesting charac ter, a quiet intensity of feeling which she could never have acquired from teaching. The mise en scene of the piece is beyond all praise, and it will doubtless have a long run. 0. Smith was called for at the fall of the curtain, and when he retired there were loud calls for Wright, who also made his appearance, lead ing on little Miss Maynard. They were both loudly applauded. The house was exceedingly well filled. ENGLISH OPERA-HOUSE. Romeo and Juliet was produced at this theatre last night. It would be unfair to pass a harsh opinion upon Mr. Harvey Tuckett's Mercutio, as the bills announced that Henry the Fourth was postponed for a short time in consequence of that gentleman having a severe cold, which announcement was confirmed by his performance. He evidently laboured under phy sical inconvenience ; but there were occasionally skil ful, and even brilliant, points in his performance, which lead us to infer that he will, by practice and attention to his art, become a superior actor. Mr. Wentworth looked Romeo, but his delivery of many of the love passages evoked contrasts, which the memory abundantly supplied. .The Juliet of Miss Angell was' a very creditable performance. She played the love-sick girl with feeling and taste, un divested of "rant," and that is saying much nowa days, when "mouthing" and " ranting" seem in the ascendant, and are the ready means to win the au- diences' applause. The house was well attended. SURREY THEATRE. Last night, after the interesting and effective drama of Stella Rittersdorf, the Captiee of Silesia, a new C of hr D ist i nza cke s n c s' arol,or pi ece much admired in r t e w c • e o u t ac w o t s r , k l c u a s l t l r e a d ti A ve the Miser's Warning, waa.:4)layed to a numerous audience. This attempt to blend' the gay with the serious was altogether a novelty, and the house was filled with curious and eager spectators. Although the construction of the drama is in some respects at variance with the usual business of the stage, in con lseesqsu c e o n n c t e a i o n f s the m introduction o u o s f s t c h e e n o e l s o , g w y h , h n e k v e e e r p t h ethe- audience in a roar of. laughter. The design is to eulogise Christmas hospitality, and expose the selfish ness of the niggardly persons vyhO, from mercenary , motives, would check, and even annihilate, the hap piness which Christmas festivities bring to all classes. The first act opens with the miser, Ebenezer Scrooge's, counting-house in the City, on Christmas Eve. He refuses the invitation of his nephew to dine on Christmas-day, and with difficulty pays his clerk Bob Cratchet (Vale) his week's salary of fifteen shil lings. Spurning all sorts ofseasonable happiness, which he calls humbug, he falls asleep by a miserable expiring fire. His dream then begins. The Ghost of Old Christmas (Lewis) rises clad in holly, and directs his attention to several splendid tableaux of Christmas enjoyments in years pist. The Miser is led by a second spirit to scenes of a more serious character : he is conducted to his own chamber of death. He sees his own wretched apparel sold after his decease ; his body laid out for interment, and the tomb where he is buried, with a stone bearing his name. This deplorable prospect of the fate which awaits him is productive of horror. He is terrified by a knowledge of the bad use he has made of his riches. He - promises the conducting spirit to reform, if permitted to live, and become a better man. In the agony occasioned by the dream he awakes, and to. compensate for past avarice, relieves his nephew, who has been ruined by misfortune, settles all his pro perty upon him, and is disposed to make every one happy. All this seems very heavy, and it is rendered more so by the appearance of a dead body, laid out upon the stage, something like the symbol of Chris tianity. To make up for this sombre cast, there is the excellent comic acting of Vale, who gives to per fection all the life fun, and spirit of a Christmas dinner, with family plum-pudding. The several characters were ably sustained, and the curtain dropped amidst applause. IVith some judicious cur tailment, this bagatelle will continue attractive. MR.WILSON'S ENTERTAINMENTS Mr. Wilson, having recovered from his hoarseness, repeated his new entertainment, entitled " Mary Queen of Scots," last night, at the Store-street Rooms. The interest manifested by the audience (not by any means a small one) was of the strongest kind; and no doubt this new undertaking will become, as in other cases, extremely popular. Mr. Wilson gives a pleasant historical sketch of the unfortunate Mary ; he runs rapidly through the principal events of her chequered existence from her birth at Linlithgow to her death on the scaffold. He tells of her education in France, of her domestic pursuits and marriage there—of her coronation as Queen of. Scotland—of her connexion with Darnley—of her imprisonment at Lochleven—of her abdication of the throne—of her fruitless appeal to Elizabeth—of her trial, condemna tion, and execution. The episodes of the insane passion of Chatelard, the murder of the in veterate opposition of John Knox, and other familiar topics ore alluded to in their proper place; so that the lecture is a complete historiette of the ill-starred Queen. The musical illustrations which are adopted have not been obtained under such favourable cir cumstances as in the case of Burns or Prince Charlie. The poetry and the tunes of the period exist only in name ; but there, is abundant proof on record that the time was prolific in warm-hearted effusions in tribute to the beauty and sorrows of the hapless monarch. Mr. Wilson states the difficulty in which he has been placed; but, beyond joining with him in the general regret that these interesting bursts of loyalty and gallantry are lost for ever, we have no reason to be dissatisfied with the alternative he has resorted to.. He has made a selection of popular Scottish melodies, and has adapted to them a series of verses written expressly, for the purpose by Mr. Ballantine, a young gentleman ,of Edinburgh, who displays in them much fancy, as' well as a nationality of style becoming a Scotchman. Some of these lyrics are eminently good, particularly those having a grave or sentimental cast. The music chosen generally is of that minor air pe culiar to the old Scottish taste, and which, when sung with neatness and expression, becomes exquisitely touching and beautiful. " The Veteran's Welcome," "Mary's Lament to France," "The Death-bed La ment of Kips. James," "Mary's Lament to Loch- CHAMBERS' EDINBURGH JOURNAL. In this first part of the new series of the Edinburgh Journal there is an interesting biographical account of the late John Parish Robertson, the author of the " Letters from Paraguay," whose whole life, from his earliest youth, seems to have been a constant succes sion of romantic adventures. The memoir is written in 'a friendly spirit, and is well worth reading. Mrs. Hall also contributes the first portion of a tale under the familiar title of " Wives and Husbands." So far as it has proceeded, it promises well. .PORTING MAGAZINE. The embellishments to this number are first, a full length portrait of " Jem Hastings," a tailor in Chel tenham who, it seems, is well known to the gentle men of the Berkeley Hunt for his enthusiasm as a sportsman ; and secondly, a map of the different places of meeting of Earl Fitzhardinge's fox hounds. Among the literary contents, we find an amusing paper, by Mr. Tolfrey, under the title of the " Sportsman in Canada." SPORTING REVIEW. The " Recollections of a Sportman's Life," by a writer who signs himself Hyde Marston, are here continued, and though there is nothing remarkable about them in the way of talent, yet they may serve well enough to amuse an idle hour. " Wild Sports in the West" furnishes us with some graphic parti culars respecting a day's buffalo-hunting among the ' prairies of Teias. Of the two engravings, the best is-a portrait of the famous race-horse Touchstone, the property of the Marquis of Westminster. HAND-BOOK FOR TRAVELLERS IN IRE• LAND. By James Fraser. This is a new edition of the " Guide through Ire land," which has already passed through several editions. Little, therefore, need be said in recom mendation of a work of established reputation. We need only state that the information it contains has been largely added to, more copious notices of the metropolis and its environs have been given, and the publication of the Ordnance maps and the census of Ireland, has enabled the author to append much valuable matter, of which the former editions were destitute. ADVERTISEME\T. SUPPLEMENTS G RATIS WITH THE " DISPATCH." Every Week during the GREAT NATIONAL TRIAL AT DUBLIN. A succession of SUPPLEMENTS GRATIS WILL BE PUBLISHED WITH THE DISPATCH. The First on SUNDAY, February 4, con- 1 16 taming Mr. Sheil's Speech, a gem of oratory... The Second (of the full size of the WEEKLY DISPATCH) on SUNDAY, February 11, con taining the Speeches of Mr. Whiteside, Mr. O'Connell, and other Leading Counsel who 48 may address the Court in the course of the Week, for which the services of several Short hand Writers of Eminence have been engaged. The dimensions of the succeeding Supplements will be re gulated by the importance of the matter; but the last Sup plement. will be also of the full size of the DISPATCH, and form the early portion of the trial, and embrace the proceed ings from the commencement to that stage at which the first begins, so that every subscriber to the WEEKLY DIS PATCH will be in possession of a complete and faithful re cord of this great national trial—a trial which must become a matter of history, and ever be regarded as an event of un usual importance. A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH of MR. O'CONNELL will precede the account of the Trial, which will be written by a Gentleman intimately acquainted with the " great Agitator," and consequently one who has treasured up many reminiscences that will render the Biography a paper of general and absorbing interest. The SUPPLEMENTS, forming a great number of columns, will be printed uniformly with the DISPATCH, and contain a quantity of information equal to at least an Octavo Volume of 1,000 pages. Order,4 . received by every Bookseller and News Agent in the United Kingdom, and at the. DISPATCH Office, 139, Fleet-street. SINGULAR CIRCUMSTANCE.—In the month of Sep tember last, a person residing at Matlock, Bath, had the mis fortune to lose a very handsome watch. It was cried, and a reward offered, but without effect. Strange to say, as a lady was walking yesterday morning week, in the Chapel-walk, Cromford, she observed something by the side of one of the seats, which attracted her attention, and on examination discovered the lost watch. The watch is now on its way to the owner, and no doubt he will be glad to see it again. All the damage which it had sustained was a broken glass. —Derby Reporter. COURT MARTIAL AT MALTA.—Lieut. C. B. Strong, of the Queen, has been sentenced to be dismissed his ship and to lose two years' service, for having absented himself on two different occasions, once for five days and once for seven days, without leave. Rear-Admiral Sir L. Curtis was presi dent, Captain Rich (Queen), Sir G. Sartorius (Malabar), and Captain Walpole (Vernon), with Commander Kitchen, of the Queen, members. The Court was sitting four days. On the 25th"of May, 1788, a five-guinea bill of tho firm of Sir Jr)lin Duntze, was sent, in a letter to Exeter by a tradesman of Holsworthy ; the letter was miscarried, and did not reach its proper destination, and the money' of of course was considered as lost, when, to the surprise the person that. sent it, thirty-eight years afterward s he ag ain ceived it -from • the dead letter office , inclosin g th e Plymouth Journal. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE . TATTERSALL'S—YESTERDAY. CHESTER CUP. 14 to 1 agst Mr. Collett's Cattonite—taken ' 15 to 1 agst Mr. W. Dawson's Merry Andrew • . • 18 to 1 agst Mr. Sharratt's The Prior—taken 20 to 1 agst Mr. Milbanke's Sir Robert—taken 20 Co 1 agst Mr. J. Tuting's Tacita 2.5 to 1 agst Mr. Bradford's Reciprocity 25 to 1 agst Lord Eglinton's Jamie Forest 25.t0 I agst Lord Westminster's Martyr 30 to 1 agst, Mr. Plummer's Alice Hawthorn—taken AO to I agst Col. Cradock's Pagan—taken 30 to 1 agst Mr. Parr's Young Lochinvar—taken 33 to 1 agst Mr. Gough's Greenfinch (h.b.) 40 to 1 agst Mr. Winter's Gander —taken 50 to 1 agst Mr. Minor's President (h.b.) The extraordinary number of acceptances for the above event offer the best compliment the handicapper can receive, and will, beyond doubt, make it a leading feature in the spe culations at the Corner. Already does our list contain several. names hitherto strange to the London market, at the same time that it exhibits some striking alterations amongst the esta blished favourites. Sir Robert, it will be seen, has succumbed to the opposition, and is no longer " premier,,, .Cattonite, backed by his owner, having taken his place, with Merry Andrew as second in command, and strongly fancied. The Prior receded to 18 to 1, but left. oft with backers. Of the other horses mentioned above, Jamie Forest, Martyr, and Tacita appeared to have the strongest parties. DERBY. 6to 1 agst Mr. John Day's The Ugly Buck—t & aft off 8 to 1 agst Mr. Crockford's Rattan 14 to 1 agst Mr. Lichtwald's Leander 18 to 1 agst Col. Peel's Orlando 20 to 1 agst Mr. Quin's Loadstone 25 to 1 agst Mr. A. Wood's Running Rein 25 to 1 agst Mr. Bowes's T'Auld 'Squire 30 to 1 agst Lord Maidstone's Cockamaroo—taken 33 to 1 agst Mr. Thomhill's Apprentice—taken 33 to 1 agst Mr. Watts's Voltri • 35 to 1 agst Mr. Payne's Vat colt—taken. 50 to 1 agst Mr. St. Paul's Telemachus 2000 to 30 agst Mr. J. Osborne's Mount Charles—taken 2000 to 30 agst Mr. Watt's Wexford (Helen colt)—taketi 1000 to 15 agst Lord Westminster's Lancet—taken ' 1000 to 15 agst Mr. G. Ongley's King of the Gipsies--t 1000 to 15 agst Lord W. Powlett's Nell Gwynne colt 2000 to 15 agst Mr. Williams' Red Rover—taken 1000 to 800 (twice) on Ugly Buck agst Rattan 1000 to 800 on Telemachus agst Nell Gwynne colt • 2000 even between Assay and Red Rover 1050 to 75 agst Voltri and CockamaroO—taken The betting from the first was indicative of a decided fall ing off in the Rattan party ; 1,000 to 800 was laid twice on the Ugly Buck against him ; and this was followed by 13 to 2 in' ponies, and 600 to 100 against the Buck, aid by repeated offers of 8 to 1 against his Newmarket rival; we are not aware that ony one would have taken less than 9to 1. We have some hesitation in quoting Leander's price : 14 to 1 was taken to a considerable amount, and a point less by two or three parties at the same time ; however, a speculator who had laid the larger odds,' was expressing his readiness to go on at the same figure. 18 to 1 was laid agst Orlando —3O to 1 to 3001. agst Cockamaroo-600 to 30 agst Voltri -33 to I (afterwards offered)-1,000 to 30 and 2,000 to 55 agst Apprentice, and several bets agst outsiders. OAKS. 12 to 1 agst Lord Chesterfield's The Princess 12 to 1 agst Lord Chesterfield's The Bee 20 to 1 agst Lord Chesterfield's The Marpessa filly 25 to 1 agst Mr. Lichtwald's Barbara filly LIVERPOOL GREAT NATIONAL STEEPLE CHASE ENTRY. Handicap Sweepstakes of 20 sovs. each, 10 ft., and 5 only if declared Carlow—The Romp--Preissnitz—Heslington—Wiverton King Cole—Spencer—Roulette—The Returned—Peter Sim ple—Lottery—Caleb Quotem—Brenda—Louis Philippe— Tom Tug—The Page—Little Peter—Tetotin—Vanguard— Saucepan—Culverthorpe—Ciesar—Nimrod—Robinson—Ma gic—Cheroot—Regalia—Gavlad—Discount—Robin Adair— Tinden Box—Peter Swift—Consul—Lather— Marengo— Fitzmonarch—Charity—Belshazzar—Little Tommy—Erin —Hazard. The Champion Hurdle Race Sweepstakes of 10 soya. each. Langolian (late Highflyer)—BaronetPeter Simple—Ro binson—Haroldstone—Regalia (late Forty-two)—Chance— Heslington—Factotum—Mudlark—Counsellor. MEETING IN RIRMINGHAM IN SUPPORT OF THE LEAGUE. BIRMINGHAM. MONDAY EVENING, SIX O'CLOCK..--One of the most important meetings held in this town during the last six years has just terminated; and, owing to the departure of the train, lI regret being unable to do more than give you an outline of the pro ceedings. In my last communication I informed you that a highly respectable Committee had been appointed for the purpose of making arrangements to receive a deputation from the League, and raise subscriptions for the support of that body. Since that time several efforts have been made to procure the attendance of these gentlemen, but owing to their various engagements they could not attend before the meeting of Parliament. Last week, however, it was communicated to the Committee, that Messrs. Cobden, Bright, Col. Thompson, and Mr. Moore, would attend a meeting to-day, if one could be conveniently held. The Committee lost no time in posting the town, and on Friday large bills an nouncing the meeting► were circulated, and great interest existed to hear those gentlemen, who have so eminently distinguished them. selves as the advocates of free trade, which we are so deeply ante. rested in in this borough. The Tories and their agents were not, however, idle. Somegentlemen, said to have arrived in Birming. ham from an adjoining town, issued large counter posters, de. nouncing the League, the factory tyrants, and calling upon the men of Birmingham to attend on Monday at the Town-hall and do their duty. This bill, however, although it had no printer's name attached, betrayed fully the source from whence it emanated, and the Committee accordingly made arrangements to meet the threatened opposition. This morning another bill, of which the following is a copy, appeared, and it was fully expected that the meeting would be finally upset by clamour and confusion : " MEN OF BIRMINGHAM. " It has ever been the policy of the agents of the League to im. pugn the motives of the Chartists and asssail their conduct, as sti. mulaled by the Tories for factious purposes. " We, the Chartist Committee, elected at a public meeting held at the Hall of Science, to watch over the interests of the people's cause, deem it our duty, therefore, to repudiate all sympathy with either Tory tyrants, or factory tyrants, believing that every class who deny us, the working men, a voice in the government of our country. are enemies, whatever they may pretend. Fellow. workmen, we are slaves, and neither the Tories nor the League will make us free men. Poverty and misfortune follow us Rom the cradle to the grave, though the inchistry is ours which pro duces the endless wealth possessed by our oppressors. Shall we allow our wives and children to sink in misery ? Shall we allow our judgment to be warped by loud pretensions from the holy struggle for substantial justice ? That justice which will give to every working man a power, through the laws of our country, to protect his industry, both from plundering nobility and the tyran nising, griping master. Go to the Town.hall, and demand for every speaker a fair hearing. No factious opposition, no disturb. ance; demand fair play, and listen patiently and judge for your. selves, We have appointed Mr. Mason/to represent our opinions. Truth and justice must triumph. The Charter and no surrender." At - eleven George White, one of Oat leading Chartists, entered the organ gallery, and was received olith loud cheers by about twenty or thirty of his friends in the body 'of the hall, and hissing by others. A scene of confusion ensued, and it was fully evident that a party had taken possession of a portion of the hall, deter. mined on Interrupting ithe proceedings. In a short time after, W. Smith, Esq., Charles Geech, Esq., Charles Cliflbrd, Esq., Mr. Cobden, M.P., Colonel Thompson, and Mr. Moore entered the gal lery, and were received with loud cheers and hissing. Mr. Smith saki he bad been appointed by the Committee to take the chair on that occasion, and he would put it to the meeting to say whether be should do so or not. An immense show of hands was-exhibited in favour of Mr. Smith taking the chair, upon which be did so. Mr. White moved that Mr. Saunders, a working man, should take the chair, but only a few hands were held up, and Mr. Smith proceeded to address the meeting in a very powerful speech, amidst the hissiags and hooting. of a few, and the counter cheersof the meeting. At the conclusion of his speech Colonel Thompson came forward, and was received with groans and hisses by the same party, lie, however, obtained - a hearing, and laid it on the party who had hired themselves for the occasion. At the conclusion of his speech it became evident that the opposing party were only a hand. Nl—that the thousands assembled were faimirible to the meeting —and that it only required perseverance to enable the promoters . of the meeting to carry their object. Mr. White, finding he could not be heard. left the hall, amidst great contusion, after which Mr. Cobden addressed the meeting at great length, and his usual ability. It was attempted to put him down by hissing and hooting, but the party from whom the interruption came, being clearly so small, Mr. Cobden demanded to know, would the assembled thousands be trampled upon by some dozen men sent in for the 'occasion P A general burst of indignation was raised at the interruption, and the people in the body of the hall at once proceeded to. eject by force s few who had disturbed the meeting. This done, Mr. Cobden re sumed, and fresh interruption arisii.g, the parties were put out of the hall, until the place became as perfectly silent as possible, and the proceedings were carried on without the shadow of interruption till the close, when a subscription of SSW. was raised in half an hour, after which the meeting broke up. The hall was densely crowded, and the town has given by this day's proceedings the most unqualified support to the League. LORD GRENVILLE v. SIR R. PEEL. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES. SlR,—The following admirably.drawn protest against the passing of the Corn 8111 in March, 1 6 15, may, at the present moment be worthy of insertion in your paper. It is known,. I believe, to have been written by Lord Grenville. I have omitted the tlfth and last divisions of the protest, because they refer solely to then existing circumstances and facts. I am, &c. Feb. 5. Dissentient— 1. Because we are adverse in principle to all new restraints on commerce. We think it certain that public prosperity is best pro moted by leaving uncontrolled the freecurrent of national industry; and we wish rather, by well-considered steps, to bring back our commercial legislation to the straight and simple line of wisdom, than to increase the duration, by subjecting additional and extensive branches of the public interest to fresh systems of artificial and in.. jurious restriction. 2. Because we think that the great practical rule of leaving all commerce unfettered applies more peculiarly, and on still stronger grounds of justice as well as of policy, to the corn trade than to any otker. Irresistible indeed must be that necessity which could. in our judgment, authorise the Legislature to tamper with the sus tenance of the people, and to impede the free purchase and sale of that article on which depends the existence of so large a portion of the community. . . _ 3. Because we think that the expectations of ultimate benefit from this measure are founded on a delusive theory. We cannot persuade ourselves that this law will ever contribute to produce plenty, cheapness, or steadiness of price. So long as it operates at all its effects must be the opposite of these. Monopoly is the parent of scarcity, of dearness, and of uncertainty. To cut off any of the sources of supply can only tend to lessen its abundance; to close against ourselves the cheapest market for any commodity must enhance the price at which we purchase it; and to confine the consumer of corn to the produee of his own country, is to refine to ourselves the benefit of that provision which Providence itself has made for equalising to man the variations of season and of climate. And on all these grounds we are anxious to record our dissent from a measure so precipitate in its course, and, as we fear, so in. jurious in its consequences. AUGUSTUS FREDERICK (Duke of Sussei). WILLIAM FREDERICK (Drake of Gloucester). GRENVILLE. WELLESLEY. ESSEX. TORRINGTON. DUTTON (Marquis of Douglas). CHANDOS BUCKINGHAM. , MONTFORT. KING. CARLISLE. has THE WEATHER. —Winter, now that Febniary p tofotioesddeaayrnnesigt.ht,Taircowmeiltnhieredlvla); high wind, but early on Wednesday morning we were fair a sudden storm of thunder and lightning, which caorriiil;ea(rl'a tliTeslysetn-ii in in wp,rai:esdnebreeded by snow. This was followed by tine clear f r osty weather, but in the night of 'l'hnrsda}• the wind shifted towards the east, and at the time we write (Friday morning), snow has been falling fast for several hours.— Leicester Afercum to they An there mtiott was. d for c the ,ding it to r re- ;hed tion (Aid ight ittee icult able' t of Of Lion. the yer- 110_ , i - u - ch 01' 3 ent! end• ices tion ,1 to i ere ions .