The Sun. — London, England, 1845-12-29 00:00:00

THE CLUBS OF LONDON. (From the Patrician.) The aristocratic combination of our days is a club in name only, if the word is to be interpreted by what it was used to signify in its origin, and through a long course of years up to a very recent period. Formerly it meant a social meeting of a select few, held at stated intervals, and at some public tavern, whereas now it has lost every one of these attributes. Some of these mo dern assemblages are exclusively confined to members of the army and navy, others to university men, others again to travellers, this to conservatives, and that to reformers; but in all a certain degree of wealth, and a certain status in society, seem to be the indispensable conditions of admission. Then, too, each club has its own proper mansion built at its own cost, with every accommodation that luxury can demand, and invention, bribed to the utmost, can supply. Without, they pre sent some of the best specimens of modern architecture; within, they are palaces for velvet-shod Sybarites. It would be too great a tax upon the time and patience of our readers to examine each of these club-houses in de tail, and this is the less necessary, as a description of the features common to all will suffice to give a toler ably correct notion of any one of them. Upon entering the hall or lobby of the club-house, you find it tenanted by the hall-porter, who is seated at a desk, and an assistant servant, their business being to receive messages, answer inquiries, and take care that no unauthorised persons gain admission. It is their duty also to take in letters, and keep an account of the postage; and, for the farther dispatch of this part of the business, there is a letter-box, into which the various missives are dropped, and which is only opened upon the arrival of the carrier from the regular receiving -houses. In many of the clubs two or three liveried lads are kept in waiting, chiefly for the purpose of conveying messages from visitors to any of the members. Should the stranger wish to see his friend, there is a reception-room close to the hall, where he may wait, provided his appearance should seem in the eyes of the attendants to justify so muds respect; but the old Roman proverb holds good here as well as elsewhere,—" Non cuivis contingit adire Corinthum," or, according to the fashion of your gar ments are the chances of your gaining admission into the reception-room of a club house. Stulz, Nugee, and Buckmaster, with their satellites, are the chief granters of passports into English society; their certificate being as indispensable in London as the ministerial passport is to the traveller upon the Continent. Various doors, opening from the vestibule, lead to the several apartments upon the ground-floor, each of which has its pecular object and designation. The first to be noticed is the morning room, where the members meet to write letters and read the journals, which in most of the clubs are taken in with very little choice or restric tion, except where a strong party feeling may operate to the exclusion of any journal. The Dispatch, for instance, would hardly find its way into the morning room of the Conservative ; but such exceptions are very rare, and, in general, this matter is conducted with the utmost liberality. Even stationery is supplied to the members without stint or limit; and we remember to have heard of a certain popular author, now deceased, that he was iu the habit of writing his novels at his club. The coffee-room differs in nothing but its superior elegance, from the same apartment in any fashionable tavern. Rows of' small tables project from each side, leaving a wide open space up the middle, for the con venience of passing to and fro. These are laid for break fasts and luncheons, from a rather late hour in the morn ing till four o'clock, when, in stage phrase, the scene is struck, and the usual arrangements are made for dinner. Here the member, who may wish to dine, is duly sup plied with a carte de four, or, in plain English, with the daily bill of fare, from which he has the same privilege of selection that he would have at any tavern, and with the certainty that whatever he orders will be the best of its kind, and cooked in the first style of cookery. The attendants upon him are numerous and well chosen. First, there is the butler, whose duty it is to provide him with wine ; next there is the head waiter, whose principal business is to take care that his assistants promptly attend to the wants of the feasters, anti duly supply the required dishes, which are wound up from below by a sort of side-board called " a lift," very much after the fashion of that described by Sir Walter Scott in his " Pevcril of the Peak," where Chiffinch gives the exqui site supper to Julian and his companion. Whether the romance suggested the contrivance to the clubbists, or the clubbists taught it to the romancer, verily this de ponent :aith not, nor is it of much consequence. Lastly, there is a clerk to make out the bills and keep the various accounts, who up ,n some occasions had need to be quick, both of hand and eye. Such being the appliances, the member, who intends dining there, fills up a form of dinner-bill with the dishes that ho has selected from the carte de jour. This is imme diately forwarded by the head-waiter in attendance to the clerk of the kitchen, when the latter marks the established price to each dish, adding a charge of sixpence, or in some clubs, of a shilling, for table-money, the object of which is to defray the expenses contingent upon bread, butter, cheese, potatoes, table-ale, and other minor ne cessaries of the table. When the bill has been thus filled up, it is sent back to the coffee-room, and the butler adds to it his charge for whatever wine may have been drunk, after which it is htlided over to the coffee room clerk, who sums it up, and receives the amount from the member. In this way an excellent dinner, ex clusive of the wine, may be had for little more than half-a-crown, a very moderate outlay, if we consider that the meal is not or.ly of the first kind in itself, but is served up with luxurious accompaniment. In addition to this, the member dining at his club is infinitely more independent than he could be at any tavern ; he has not to buy the civility of greedy waiters, nor has he to drink more than is agreeable to himself for the benefit of the house, as is for the most part expected by superior tavern -keepers. Then, too, he may have company, or be atone, at his option, an advantage beyond all price, and which he cannot command in any public coffee room. To carry out this arrangement, a dining-room is provided on the ground-floor, wherein from six to a dozen members may dine together, precisely as they would do at the private house of any one of them, and with every chance of having a much better dinner with out the trouble or expense. The affair is thus managed —printed forms are left in the coffee-room, to which those who choose to join the house-dinner, as it is called, subscribe their names, but in this case no allow ance is made for the Aberdeen man's privilege of " taking his word again ;" whoever once puts his name to this prandatory requisition, may indeed choose whe ther he will, after all, dine there or not, but in any case he must pay his share of the reckoning, which in general amounts to about seven and sixpence a head. These dinners, however, do not take place unless at least six, and in some clubs eight, members have announced their purpose of joining in them. We now ascend the stairs, and come into the drawing room. This is for the most part elegantly, nay, superbly furnished, but it is thinly tenanted, for what is a drawing room without ladies? It is their peculiar domain, and the few congregated in their lonely palace seem like so many mourning widowers. Things look much better in the library that is next to it. There coat and waistcoat seem to be in their proper element again, and the expen diture, which is so lavish, is no more than what is right and proper. A resident librarian is in attendance, every accommodation being afforded to the reader, and we may form a pretty correct average of the resources at his command, when we hear that in 1844 the books in the Athenaeum amounted to twenty thousand three hun dred, the accumulated result of donations, and of a fund set apart for that purpose. In the club just named this sum is said to be five hundred pounds annually, exclu sive of the money devoted to periodicals. A card-room stands in some houses next to the library, but games of pure chance are forbidden under pain of expulsion, and even at whist no stake is allowed beyond half-guinea points. We must now ascend to the third story, where we shall find one billiard-room, if not more, attended by a marker. For this, as well as for cards, a separate charge is made, upon the very obvious and rational ground that it would be unfair to make the non-player pay for the extra expenses entailed by this part of the establish ment. Twelve of the clubs allow smoking-rooms, which are, as they ought to be, the worst-looking part of the whole building. So complicated a machine as a club of this kind, it will be easily supposed, must require some management to keep it in order and motion. For this purpose it is usual to confide the direction of affairs to a com mittee of thirty or forty, as the case may be, selected from the general body. Of these from three to eight form a quorum, which meets once a week to regulate matters of finance, to appoint tradespeople,to engage or dismiss servants, to inquire into and redress any com plaints that may be made by members, and to superintend all new elections. The general committee has duties scarcely less onerous ; it has to prepare the annual re ports and statements of accoupt, which are afterwards printed for the satisfaction of Otiose belonging to the elab, who may like to look into affairs. But these duties have been found too numerous and too heavy for any one set of men, acting in a body, to discharge them. The general committee therefore divides itself into various sub-committees, each having its .own especial business to attend to. Thus the " house- committee takes upon itself the charge of household affairs ; th e " book committee " manages the library, all works being approved by it before they can be admitted, and from the same source must emana te the orders for their purchase ; the " wine committee" choose the wines, superintends the cellarage, and directs the distribution at table ; it is composed of sage and experienced bibbers, men well versed in all vinous mysteries, and as little liable to be imposed upon in these grave matters, as any one of the tasters at the London Docks. In those clubs which have billiard. rooms—and this is universally the case—there is also a billiard committee, consisting of those who are most skilful in the mysteries of the game. A secretary is appointed to assist these various boards, one of his duties being to conduct the official correspondence of the club. The minor details are carried on by servants, the chief of whom is the " house steward, ' and he regulates the rest of the domestics ; in some clubs he i; helped by a " superintendent," who in that case lels the care of the drawing room floor, it being his business to see that the writing and reading-rooms are properly supplied 'with stationery. The chief cook is generally a foreigner, of eminence in the culinary art, and he has for helps one male assistant and a troop of kitchen-maids. Next to him must be ranked the house keeper, who has under her superintendence all the in ♦isible females of the establishment, respectively oftici siting as housemaids, a needle-woman, and a still• room =aid, whose duty it is to make the tea and coffee. Taking the Reform Club and the Garrick, with the Naval Club, two extremes, we shall find that the number of domestics varies from fifty-six to eleven, but most of these establishments subscribe to some hospital, either in money or in kind—such as old linen, &c.—that their perfants may by received into them in cases of chronic o r prolonged diseases. Where the ailment is of a tem porary nature, a medical ma n , i n th e p a y of the c l u b, :attendg, and also supplies medicines. The broken victuals Are distributed to the poor, under the direction of the parish authorities, and this may be reckoned amongst the greatest of the benefits conferred by such institutions on society at large. Such is the modern club, a sort of private restaura teur's, with the advantages of good wine, good food, respectful attendance, and moderate prices. Much has been said of the disadvantages attendant upon them ; but as all of them, being twenty-two in number, are quite full, and in some instances with thousands of ex pectant candidates on the list, it seems quite plain that their utility or their agreeableness must fully counter balance anything that can be said against them. Their names are as follows: White's. These are the oldest of the modern clubs Brook's. of London. White's is referred to by Boodle's. Addison. The Union. IRISH LINES. (From the Irish Railway Telegraph.) We submit pArticulars of the several railway projects for which deposits have been made with the clerks of the peace:— LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF BANKRUPTCY, Dec. 27. (Before Mr. Commissioner GOULDLJRN.) 3IARSTIALL V. CULLEN. The (If,ndant, Edward Beaufort Cullen, who ad mitted himself to be the projector of a company called " The Great British Advertiser, and United Kingdom Broad Sheet," was summoned, under the Small Debts Act, for 151. Armagh, Coleraine, and Portrush, and its Branches ; length, 72 miles, 1 furl , mg, 7 chains.-Engineers, Messrs. Rendel and APKenaie. Do. - Extension from Monaghan to Randlestown ; length, 17m. SE-Messrs. Bendel and M'Kenzie. Belleek and Ballyshannon ; length, 5m.-Robert Ste phenson. Baltinglass Junction ; length, 23m.-G. and A. Taylor. Clonmel, Kilkenny, Carlow, and Wicklow; length, 53m. 7f. sth. 40 links.-Messrs. Leahy and I. K. Brunel. Cork and Waterford; length, 78m. 8301k.-I.K. Brunel. 1. Branch to Tramore ; length, lm, 1,6501k.-Do. 2. Branch to Fermoy ; length, 18m. 2ch.-Do. 3. Branch to Cove ; length, sm. 73ch.-Do. Cork, Ballincollig, and Macroom ; length, 22m. sf. 52y. -R. W. Townsend. Cork, Passage, and Kinsale ; length, 23m. 7f. 176 y . W. Townsend. Cork and Passage ; length, 6m. 112y.-Messrs. Leahy. Cork, Macroom, and Killarney ; length, 56m. 132 y . Leahy. Cork, Midleton, and Youghal, with Branches to Fermoy and Cove ; length, 27in. lf. Bcll.-Sir John Macneil. Cork and Fermoy Direct ; length, 19w. 3ch.-Edgar Clements. Dublin and Enniskillen ; length, 77m. 3f.-Robert Ste phenson. Branch to Trim and Athboy ; length, 13m.-Do. Branch to Belturbet ; length, 3m. 6f.-Do. Dublin and Armagh Inland ; length, 85im.-Henry L. Lyndsay. Dublin, Belfast, and Coleraine Junction (Portadown to Portrush), with Branch to Armagh ; length, 70m.- Messrs. Armstrong and Barnes. Do.-Branch to Ballymoney and Randlestown ; length, 14m.-Messrs. Armstrong and Barnes. Dublin, Wicklow, Wexford, and Waterford, with Branches to Kingstown and Carlow ; length, 171 m . K. Brunel. Dublin, Tullamore, and Parsonstown Junction to Por tumna ; length, 33m. 2f.-Sir J. Macneil. Dublin, Dundrum, and Enniskerry. Drogheda and Kells Branch of Belfast Junction; length, 26m. 7if.-Sir J. Macneil. Dublin and Sandymount Atmospheric Railway ; length, 3m. lch.-Sir J. Macneil. Dublin, Belfast, and Coleraine (2) ; length, 84m. If.- Messrs. Armstrong and Co. Enniskillen and Sligo; length, 40ns. SE-Sir J. Macneil. Do.-Branch to Pool ; length, 3m. 2E 100y.-Sir John Macneil. Erne Railway and Steam-boat Company Improvement in Lough Erne ; length, 3m. 6E-Thomas Rhodes and William Vanderkiste. Do. -Belleek and Ballyshannon Railway ; length, sm. -Thomas Rhodes and William Vanderkiste. Great North Western Junction, Letterkenny Division ; length, 21 miles.-Stewart Gordon. Do.-Buncrana Division ; length, Bm. 15th. Great Southern and Western, from Carlow to Kilkenny; length, 25m. 2f.-Sir J. Macneil. Great Munster and Leinster, from Kilkenny to Clon mel ; length, 31w. 5f.-Sir J. Macneil. Galway and Kilkenny ; length, 70m.-Messrs. Hitchins and Carter. Great Munster ; length, 120 w. 2f. sich.-Messrs. Leahy. Do.-Branch to Killaloe ; 3m. 2f. 84ch.-Do. Do.-Branch to Rathkeale and Newcastle, 13m. 3f. ich. -Messrs. Leahy. Do.-Branch to Tarbert ; length, Im. If. 74ch.-Do. Grand Canal Atmospheric,Dublin to Ballinasloe; length, 93m. 6E-No returns. Great Hibernian Central Junction Railway ; Messrs. Rhodes and Nicholson. Do.-Branch to Templemore; 18m.-Messrs. Rhodes and Nicholson. Great North Junction ; length, 34m. sf. 115y.-Sir J. Macneil. Great County Down (Newry and Belfast); 80m.-J. Rastrick.. Great Southern and Western, Limerick and Waterford Junction, Clonmel to Tharles ; length, 15m. 21.-Sir J. Macneil. Kilkenny to Clonmel, Branch to Callan ; 31m. 61.- Sampson Carter, Esq. Irish North Midland, from Kilcock to Belturbet; length, 65 m. 4r. 4kch.-Sir J. Macneil. Do.-Branch to Newtownbutler ; length, 7m.-Sir J. bt acneil. Irish Great Western, Extension to Castlebar and West port, Ballinasloe to Castlebar; length, 61w.-Sir J. Macneil. Castlebar to Westport ; length, 12w. 51. Irish Great Western, Portarlington to Galway ; length, 91m. 3E-Sir J. Macneil. Do.-Athlone to Roscommon ; length, 18m.-Sir J. Macneil. Londonderry and Enniskillen, Branch to Stranorlar ; length, 14w. 2ch.-Messrs. Stephenson and Ross. Do.-To Lough Swilly ; length, 7m. 7f. Lich.-Messrs. Stephenson and Ross. Do.-Altered Line; length, 23m. 4y.-Messrs. Stephen son and Ross. Larne, Belfast, and Ballymena; length, 3Sm.-No re turn. Do.-Larne and Carrickfergus Branch ; length, 14w. 4f. 9ch.--No return. Do.-Junction with Belfast and Ballymena Railway ; length, 3m. 4ft. 4ch.-No return. Midland Great Western Railway, Extension from Mul- Jingar to Galway ; length, 72m.-John Stawell. Midland Great Western Extension, Longford to Sligo; length, 56m. 6E-Richard V. Boyle. Do.-Longford Deviation.-George W. Hemans. Do.-Liffey Branch Extension ; length, 2m. lf.-George W. Hemans. Newry and Carlingford; length, 14m. 4E-Messrs 13ush and Sons. It appeared that the defendant was discharged by this Court under the Act about twelve months back, at which time he owed a debt for lodging, and had renewed the debt, paying 101, and giving his acceptance for 151., which had been paid away to Mr. Marshall, who had sued the defendant thereon. Thedefendant was examined on the present occasion on his oath. He said he had formerly been in the army, and now received assistance from his friends, who resided in Ireland. In answer to a question whether he was or was not at the present time connected with a company, he said he was secretary to a newspaper company, on which he had spent a large sum of money. It was " The Great British Advertising Company." It was an undertaking on his own account. He was the originator and proprietor of the concern. Tho person to whom the defendant had given the bill said he showed him about 1001. when he paid him the 10/., and the reason he did not pay him all was because he wanted to open a banking account, showing him a prospectus of a company. Mr. Commissioner GOULBURN decided the case by saying that the defendant must pay 1/. a month or go to prison. The defendant made no objection to the order. IN RE GRAHAM AND CO. Alfred. Arthur's. Senior United Service. Junior United Service. The Army and Navy. Travellers'. Oriental. Carlton. ('These two club-houses, in magnificence Reform, of architecture, splendour of decora- Conservative. I tions, and sumptuous style of furni- I Lure, surpass all the public buildings l of London. • - Athenaeum. Senior University. Oxford and Cambridge. Wyndham. Parthenon. Ereothmum. Garrick. To-day was appointed for the proof of debts and choice of assignees, under the bankruptcy of George Graham and Co., warehousemen, in Cheapside. Graham, the senior partner, bad committed suicide a few days back, on account of his railway speculations. AlTarlane, another partner, had absconded ; and Adams, the other partner, had surrendered to the fiat. The debts and liabilities of the concern are calculated at about 40,0001., the stock in trade about 9,0001., and the good debts about 10,0001. There is a large quantity of " scrip," in which deposits to about 700/. have been paid. Mr. Lawrence, as solicitor for Adams, who was pre sent, made an application to the Court to allow him the expenses of an accountant, in order to make out the re quirt d account. Adams, who had not mixed himself with the speculations of the other two, had surrendered, but he was totally unable to prepare the accounts of the house. Adams had no knowledge of the speculations until they had attained a fearful height ; but on ascer taining the position of the other members of the firm, he consulted an attorney, and made an assignment for his creditors, on which the fiat had issued. Mr. Adams was the buyer of the house, and unacquainted with the rail way speculations of the other parties Mr. Commissioner Gourmuarr thought the application was one that might be made at a future occasion. lle asked whether any similar cases with regard to costs had occurred. The Law. Of those that have had their day of fashion and popu la) ity, but exist no longer, we may mention the Cocoa Tree, Graham's, Wateirs' (the favourite resort of the Prince of Wales), the Albion (dissolved in 1841), and the Clarence. The mode of admission is by ballot. In some, one negative in ten excludes the candidate; in others, a single black ball is sufficient—the most absurd of all regulations. The admission fee varies from its highest point of 321. I ls. to five meetings, while the annual sub scription is in most clubs six guineas, in the lowest five; and in none does it go beyond ten. IRELAND. COUNTY TIPPERARY. ATTACK ON MR. PRENDERGAST'S GATE-KEEPER.— On the night of the 16th inst., about the hour of seven o'clock, a party of armed men, six in number, went to the gate-house of Johnstown Park, the residence of Thomas Guy Prendergast, Esq., and having entered the gate-house, they attacked his sportsman, Thomas Con sedine, and his wife, demanding arms. Consedine immediately rushed towards the room where the gun was, upon which, one of the party made a blow at him; on putting up his hand to defend himself, the fellow smashed his arm in two. The wife took up a chair and struck the fellow who knocked her husband down. Consedine, notwithstanding his being disabled, made for the roomwhere the gun was, when the fellows decamped, and, with it resting on the shattered arm, he contrived to fire after them in the direction they took. CAPTURE OF A ROCKITE PATAOLE.-011 Sunday night last, about the hour of eleven o'clock, as constable Raymond and a party of five police were on patrol in the neighbourhood of Lisbunny, they lay concealed in am bush in the fields ; they heard a trampling on the road, as if by a military or police force, and, having stealthily come upon the party, which consisted of five men, they captured the fellows, and brou g ht them i n t o enagh gaol. On the person of one of them was found a loaded butt, on another a bayonet. One of the fellows had the mark of a recent bayonet wound in his breast, which was still bleeding. CAPTURE OF THE THREATENING NOTICE SERVER.— A fellow of the name of Mackey has been arrested and committed to gaol, charged with having twice gone to the house of a farmer named Bryan Touhy, in Carriga toher, near:Nenagh, and cautioned . him not to plough his land, which he was in the act of sending horses into for the purpose,on pain of death.Touhy has been in possession of the land for many years, and had actuallyr urchased the interest of Mackey's in the land before he entered into possession. On the 17th instant head-constable Charles Browne received information that some bad characters were at ork at Toomavara; he went into a public-house and found a fellow named Kennelly in the act of writing a threatening notice, and on searching him found in his pocket a quantity of gun caps. During the past week several shots were fired on the lands of Carrigatoher, near this town.—.Nenagh Guar dian. Mr. Lawrence remarked that this was not a case with out assets. The debts were about 40,000/. The stock in trade on the premises had cost 9,0001., and the debts owing to the firm were about 12,0004 so that there would be from Bs. to 10s. in the pound for the creditors. His HoNouit asked whether there was any opposition on the part of the creditors? _ . . Air. Brace, as solicitor to the fiat, thought the applica tion was premature, and that if granted it would prevent M•Farlane from coming forward. The attorney fur M.Farlane was in Court, and it was necessary that he (M‘Farlane) who had kept the books should make out the accounts. The COURT said the application by Mr. Lawrence could be considered on a future occasion. Some debts were proved. Messrs. Thompson, of Man chester, were creditors for more than 20,000!. On the present occasion they proved for 11,000/. Mr. Thomson and Mr. Schwale were chosen assignees. By th© next examination the accounts must be rendered. POLICE INTELLIGEN CE. MANSION-DOUSE. On Saturday a young man, named Dennis Shine, for aierly belonging to the police force, was charged with having assaulted most desperately several policemen and others. The first witness was a jobbing porter, who appeared with a frightful cut in the head. He stated that the pri soner, who was drinking and quarrelling at the bar of the Bell public-house, little Friday-street, suddenly, without provocation, seized a large poker, and com menced an attack upon every one in the room, in the most ferocious manner, and amongst others struck the w tness on the head, and stretched him senseless on the floor, where he lay for some time bleeding copiously. The waiter of the public-house stated that the pri soner was making a great row, and had commenced strangling a man, when he interfered, but was prostrated by the prisoner, who leaped upon his face, and injured him greatly. Another witness, who was present when the police came, and went to assist in taking him, also was knocked down. GORGED LEECHEB.—Considerable excitement has of late prevailed amongst the professional and unpro fessional public, by the discovery of the fact, that for the last seven or eight years, the immense majority of leeches employed in France have been previously gorged with the blood of animals, in order to increase their _ weight and their price. M. 'Chevalier, Professor of the School of Pharmacy, and member of the Academy of Medicine, has published on this subject an interesting pamphlet, from which we extract the following passages: —" The ponds which formerly furnished, in France, an abundant supply of leeches, have now been for some time completely exhausted by the avidity of the persons engaged in the traffic, who sold the youngest leeches and thus left no chance of reproduction. France has been, for the last eighteen years, obliged to obtain from fOreign countries what her own fens might have given her ; and it is from Egypt, Turkey, Wallachia, and more particularly Hungary and Russia, that she imports leeches. The extent of the trade may be judged of by the statement of the fact, that from the year 1827 to 1844, no less than 500,000,000 leeches have been imported into France ; and, at the same time the price of leeches has increased from 15c. to 40c. a-piece. Wholesale dealers purchase them by the weight, and in order to increase their own profits, gorge the leeches with the blood of mammiferous animals—the sheep, the calf, the ox—for increase, so that a thousand middle sized leeches, weight two pounds and a half, value 75f., are changed, by the addition of two pounds of blood, into large leeches, weighing four pounds and a half, and sold at 180 f. or 2001." M. Magendie, Professor Royer Collard, Dr. Louis Barth, and many other distinguished members of the French faculty, have also investigated the subject, and fully concur with M. Chevalier in de precating the fraud, in stating that the origin of the blood contained in the bodies of gorged leeches being unknown, may become the source of contagious diseases transmitted from animals to man, and in warning the public against imposition alike injurious to commerce and to health.—Medical Times. Four different policemen gave evidence that they were called in, and used their utmost endeavours to capture the prisoner, but were unable to do so for three- quarters of an hour. He had gone up stairs and locked himself into a room, where he defied .any one to enter. He had placed the furniture against the door, so that the police could not open it. At length an entry was effected by a policenian named Monaghan, who was knocked down and seriou,ly injured by the prisoner, who had armed himself with a pair of tongs and a poker, and inflicted the most desperate blows on all sides. The body of police who were present at last managed to capture the prisoner and take him to the station house. The prisoner only said that he was mad drunk, and was determined not to be taken. The LORD MAYOR, having heard that Monaghan would probably be able to attend on Tuesday next, re manded the prisoner till that day, but told him that he should certainly be committed for trial at the Central Criminal Court. On Saturday, Mr. Stacey, the secretary of the City of London Literary and Scientific Institution, Aldersgate street, was summoned by the churchwardens of St. Botolph, Aldersgate, to show cause why he refused to pay 38/. 10s., the amount of nine quarters' poor-rate due to that parish by the institution. Mr. Clarkson appeared fur the parish. The question at issue was, whether the institution was exclusively devoted to the advancement of literature, science, and the fine arts, by voluntary contribution, whereby it would be exempt from the payment of the rate by the 6th and 7th of Victoria. Mr. Stacey contended that it came fully under the meaning of the act. He, however, tenanted a portion of it by virtue of his office as secretary, and which portion was assessed as a beneficial occupation. On being cross-examined by Mr. Clarkson, Mr. Stacey stated that the institution consisted of a lecture-room, reading, and other rooms, and library ; and that the lecture-room was sometimes let for concerts, &c., and he received money for it. Mr. Clarkson then put it to the Bench, whether by the latter admission, the defendant had not made him self liable to th 2 claim. It could not be said that the letting of the lecture-room for concerts, or for a dissent ing congregation, could be termed the voluntary ad vancing literature and the fine arts. After some further discussion the magistrates on the Benel: , r et Alderman ired for about Sir C . fis,e m Marshall, inu t and then decided Sydney, and Mus grovethat they were of opinion that so much of the institu tion as was voluntarily devoted to the advancement of literature, &c., ought to be exempt ; but the lecture and other rooms, which were let out on hire, were clearly liable to pay the rates. It was at length arranged to let the summons stand over for a week, in order that both parties might 'come to a determination how much of the institution was legally intitled to be assessed. Newry, Belfast, and Banbridge Junction ; length, 27m. 3f.—Johu Godwin. Newry, Warrenpoint and Rosstrevor ; length, Bm. 21ch, —John Godwin. Newry and Castleblaney ; length, 20w. 4f.—H. Lindsay. Newry, Armagh, and Londonderry Junction ; length, 37m. bit.—Sir John Rennie. New Ross, Carlow, and Kilkenny Junction ; length 25m. 11.—Sir J. Macneil. Omagh, Dungannon, Armagh, and Belfast ; length, 41m. —Messrs. Armstrong and Co. Roscrea to Parsonstown ; length, 22m. 4f. 121y.—Sir J. Macneil. Waterford and Kilkenny Extension to Carlow ; length, 20w. 2ch.—John Valentine. Do.—Ex tension to Ross; length, 151m.—JohnValentine. Wexford, Waterford, and Valenti& ; length, 178 w. 21. —William Gravatt and W. B. Hays. Do.—Branch to Fermoy ; length, 9m.—William Gra vatt and W. Hays. Do.—Branch to Tralee ; length, 19w. 31.—William Gravatt and W. Hays. Waterford and Tramore ; length lm. 50y.—R. W. Townsend. Wexford, Carlow, and Dublin.—Sir J. Macneil. Strabane Ship Canal ; length, 9m. sf.—Messrs. Cubitt and Bazalgette. The infirmary at Salisbury was threatened with destruction by fire, on Thursday. The flames were 'first ob , served in the laundry, but by prompt attention they were extinguished before much injury was done. At Marylebone Police- court, on Saturday, Mr. John Watson, a retired tradesman, possessing large property, and who for some time past has resided in New Church street, Portman-market, was committed for trial, charged with having committed an assault of a grossly indecent nature upon Lydia Crickmore, only twelve and a half years old, in Paddington churchyard. The accused is upwards of sixty years of age. ARRIVAL OF THE OVERLAND MAIL.—We are en abled to-day, by means of an extraordinary express, of un exampled rapidity, to lay before our readers the information brought by the Overland Mail, from Bombay, to the Ist De cember, which reached us at an early hour lest evening, and which but for the extremely boisterous state of the weather would have arrived in London on the evening of the 24th. Great efforts having lately been made to prove that the route through Germany via Trieste, or Venice, was more expeditious than the route through France via Marseilles, and the expe rience we had gained in expressing our Indian dispatches having fully convinced U 3 that if the same exertions were made to expedite our courier through France as Mr. Waghorn made in his late attempt, the result would incontestibly prove that the route via Marseilles was much the shortest, not to speak of the great advantages it possesses over the Trieste route in other respects (the latter route being impracticable when snow is on the ground), we determined, notwithstand ing the unfavourable period f the year for its performance, upon undertaking the present experiment; and, in despite of the very severe weather that has lately prevailed, we have succeeded in our endeavours to lay before the British public information from India, conveyed overland, in a shorter time than was ever before accomplished. For the success we have achieved we are in a great measure indebted to the assistance we have received from the French Government, who, upon learning our intentions, at once sent instructions to the proper French authorities to expedite our couriers as much as possible, and offered to help us in any way we could suggest. ?or the assistance we have thus derived, we beg publicly to thank the French authorities ; and we cannot help adding, that the French Government, so far from wishing to place obstructions in the way of expediting the English mails through France have evinced the greatest possible anxiety to assist us in this important undertaking. Having said thus much in acknowledgment of the great aid we have received from the French authorities, we are bound to add, that we are much indebted to the Egyptian Government, who assisted our agents in every possible manner, and to whom we also tender our unfeigned thanks. The dates brought by this conveyance are :—Bombay, Dec. 1; Cal cutta, Nov. 21; Madras, Nov. 22. There is nothing from China later than reached us by the last mail. The news from India is highly important. The prospect of a collision between the British and Sikh troops was becoming every day more imminent. The latter had already commenced their march towards the Sutlej, with the view of repelling the anticipated aggression. Meantime, strong measures of defence had been adopted at Ferozepore, and as Sir Henry Hardinge has upwards of 50,000 troops at his disposal, any attempt on the part of the enemy to pre cipitate hostilities can hardly fail to be attended by their overwhelming defeat. The Sikh army had been arranged in three divisions; one commanded by Sirdar Tej Singh (the late Governor of Peshawur), another by Raja Lall Singh, and a third by Sirdar Jewun Singh. The affairs of the Government continued to be administered by the Ranee. Ghe,elab Singh wasstili at Jamoo. Sinde was perfectly:quiet, and the troops generally healthy. For the rest we must be content to refer our readers to the copious extracts from the Indiaif papers which will be found elsewhere.—Herald. THE POTATQ DISEASE.—We have received a Copy of the lecture delivered by Dr. Buckland, at Oxford, which we have already kiGticad, Whilst on this subject, we Owe it to Mr. Reed, veterinary surgeon of Crediton, to state that we have had by us for some time past, some numbers of the _Farmers' Journal, published in Septem ber last, in whi c h he describes the disease, predicates the cause, states the necessary consequences of contact be tween sound and unsound potatoes, and, in short, points out the remedies, which received but little attention till they a fterwards ca me f ort h under the " aut h or i ty " o f Government Potato Commissioners.— Western Times. THE LATE ELOPEMENT. —The parties who lately eloped from Stow Mark et , Suffolk_ Charles Robert Bree, Esq., surg eon, and the daughter of th e Rev. Sir Augustus Henniker, of Plashwoods, Haughley, as stated in our paper of last week, made the best of their way, it seems, to Tintagel, the vicar of that place being a relative; and having remained there the necessary time to procure a license, they were mar ried on Frida y last, and immediately left in a carr i age and four to meet the day mail at Launceston, homeward bound.— West Briton Cork and - Bandon.—On Tuesday, Robert Carr, Esq., vice-chairman of the board (attended by the directors, en gineers, and secretary), laid the first stone of the viaduct near Castlewhite. Nothing could exceed the enthusiasm of all present. It gives us much satisfaction to observe the steady business-like manner in which this undertaking is being worked out. We understand that the directors will not find it necessary to call in more than one• half the amount of each share. Should they be able to carry out the entire undertaking with one-half their capital, shareholders will owe them a deep debt of gratitude.— Co, k Repo? ter. Earl Delawarr, who has been slightly indisposed during the last few days in - Upper Grosvenor-street, is con valescent, and yesterday left town, accompanied by the Countess and family, for Buckhurst-park, Sussex, for the holidays. LAMBETH. On Saturday, Benjamin Brown, who had described himself as a railway projector, was placed at the bar before Mr. Henry, on a charge of defrauding Mr. Charles Jacobs out of 481. in cash, and a promissory note for 50/ , under the following n ove l circumstances. Mr. Jacobs,. who it appeared had been a draper in the Isle of Wight, deposed that about the 25th or 26th of November last he caused an advertisement to be inserted in The Times, of which the following is a copy:— " Douceur of 50Z will be given to any lady or gentle.. man who can procure for the advertiser a permanent situation, mercantile or railway (legally saleable). Ad dress, post-paid, to A. 8., Post-office, East Cowes, Isle of Wight." Three or four days after this advertisement appeared he received the following note, bearing the Cowes post mark of the 29th of Nov.:— " 43, Moorgate-street, City of London. " Sir,—lf you will give 1001., I am at liberty of giving you a situation of 751. per annum, on a rising salary. I do not ask the money down, but the 1001. must be paid into a London banker's to meet two bills of 501. each, four and eight months' date ; it is in a railway office, and forward your answer by pest. I hold a situation in the line above mentioned. I have enclosed my card —direct to the office. Direct to either of our offices. "Sir, I am your obedient servant, "To A. 8., Nov. 27, 1845." "B. BROWN. Upon this a correspondence took place, and the pri soner mentioned the 13th of the present month as the day upon which he should be required,to take his office. An interview was appointed in town precious to that day, and at that interview the prisoner informed him that he was the projector of the Prince of Wales, Ox ford, and London, and also tho London and Windsor Railways, and that he could have a situation as clerk on either. He (witness) at the time asked him if these railways were registered, and he replied, "Yes, it's all right ;" and, upon the faith of that, he (witness) paid him 501. down. Mr. lIENRY—You are prepared to swear that it was upon the faith of the prisoner's representations, that both r these railways m en ti one d were reg i s t er ed that, you parted with your m oney ? Wi tness —l am , s i r . M .HENRY--have you ascertained whether such rail ways have bee n reg i stere d ? Wi tness —They have not, sir. I have b een to t h e Stamp-office, and ascertained the fact ; and was told by the people there that they had never heard of such lines as those mentioned. The witness first saw the prisoner at 43, Moorgate-street, at which there was a railway office, the Jamaica Southern, Eastern, and Northern; and where he had a room ; and it was there he subsequently saw him. After some nego tiation between them, the prisoner wrote out an agree ment, of which the following is a literal copy : " December Eleventh, 1845. " To Mr. Charles Jacob of East Coues, Isle of NA, hite. You are engaged at a salary of 754 per ann. from the 13 decb. 1845, of a rasing salary annuly 101. till it becomes 1801. per annum. Ordered by me, Benjamin Brown, of London, being the pro jector of the Prince of Wales, Oxford, and London, also London and Windsor, which I do hereby Otharise the Secretary of the same to be paid into your hands monthly, and also I hold myself responsible to see the FATAL TIT r ATM: n RECK AT BIDEFORD.—During the storm on Saturday night last, the yacht " Fanny," the pro perty of Charles Montgomery, Esq., of Swansea, was lost on Bideford bar, and all hands perished. The shore is strewed for some distance with the fragments of the vessel.— West Briton. LOWESTOFT, DEC. 25.—0 n Monday, Lieutenant Roberts, R.N., commander of the Victoria revenue cutter, picked up at s , a a Southwold pilot boat, dis masted, with nine men in her. The sea was running so high at the time, that the pilot-boat foundered immedi ately after the men were taken out of her. The poor" fellows thus saved from being wrecked were landed at Lowestoft.—Norfolk Chronicle. DEATH FROM DELIRIUM TREMENS.—MF. Wakley, M.P., held an inquest at the Windsor Castle, Abbey-street, Regent's Park, on the body of Joseph Hardy, aged thirty five, a butler, lately in the service of J. Romer, Esq., of 10, Cambridge-terrace, Regent's Park. Mrs. Ann M'Stay, of No. 1, Ernest-street, said deceased had lodged but for a short time in that house, the landlady of which (Mrs. Nichols) asked her to sit up with him on Tuesday night last. Wit ness did so, and at first found him stupified and delirious. At times he was sensible, and told her he had taken nearly a wine glass full of laudanum. She asked him why ? and he replied, " I was out of my mind, and I hope the Lord will for give me for it." He freely took the medicines prescribed for him, and said," I wish to live, in order to repent." He died on Christmas-day, between two and three o'clock. Mr. John Wilson, surgeon, of Albany-street, said he hail attended him from the Tuesday evening till his death. He had ejected from his stomach the laudanum, and he laboured under de lirium tremens, produced by excessive drinking. He con fessed to have taken the laudanum, but said he was not aware of what he was doing at the time. He died of the disease of the brain called delirium tremens, combined with the effects of laudanum. The Coroner said, that since he had been in office the large number of gentlemen's butlers whose deaths resulted from suicidal acts was astonishing. Verdict, " That deceased died of delirium tremens, after an attempt at suicide." On the day before Christmas-day Mr. Kirby, one of the principal clerks in the banking-house of Messrs. Jones, Loyd, and Co., received a note signed S. J. Loyd, the principal of the firm, inclesing a draft for 1,0001., to be placed to the credit of the " Clerks' Christmas Fund," as an acknowledgment of their services, and of the rea diness with which they met the trouble and additional labour of the past year. Yoni, SATURDAY, DECEMBER, 27.—Considerable business has been transacted again to-day, notwithstanding oar Exchange remains closed. There were more buyers than sellers in the market, and the business done was at a further advance in prices. The principal transactions were in York Extensions, at 30 1 / 1 ; Berwicks, 15; North British, Carlisle Branch, to 3 ; Grand Union, 1 3 4 ; Manchester, Buxton and Matlock 3 474 • Welsh Midland, 2. Newcastle and Darli , ngtone were in demand, bpt no sellers. Brandlings were offered at 55%, but afterwards withdrawn, It is said that the Midland Railway Company in tend keeping London time after the Ist of January. The rails on the Nottingham and Lincoln Railway are about being laid at Collingham, and at various other portions of the line. THE SUN, LONDON,' MONDAY EVENING. DECEMBER, , 1845. same discharged upon your paying me the bonos of 501 down, and to give me a bill of 50/. at 18 months date from this day, the 11th of Peer., 1845, and the said Benjamin Brown is to give me, said Charles Jacobs, a bill of 951. 10s. to hold as his security. " BENJANIIN BROWN. " Received 50/. in gold." Witness, upon this agr,ement and understanding, paid over to the prisoner 501. in cash, and his acceptance for 50/. more at three months. The prisoner, on receiving the money, remarked that he might require an advance of salary, and on his replying he did, he handed him back 5/., and placed in his hands with the agreement a bill of exchange, of which the following is a copy :- 951. 10s. London, Oct. 24, 1845. Four months after date pay to my order the sum of ninety-five pounds ten shillings for value received. BENJAMIN BROWN. To Mr. William Moad, 17, Northampton-street, Mile-end. Accepted, payable 43, Moorgate- street, City of London. WILLIAM MEAD. He subsequently pressed the prisoner to induct him into his office, but he put him off with one pretext or another. On Thursday week witness met the prisoner at 43, Cranbourne-street, where he said he was about to get up some offices. He also said he had paid for some goods to fit them out, and borrowed three pounds, as he said, to pay for the goods. This, he said, he would re turn to him in the morning, but from that time to the present he had not got it back. This and other circum stances induced him (witness) to make inquiries about Mr. Mead, the acceptor of the bill placed in his hands, and discovered he was not worth one farthing. He next made application to an attorney, who recommended him to give the prisoner into custody on a charge of fraud. lie, in consequence, went to the residence of the pri soner, Hope Cottage, Mill-street, Lambeth, and on see ing him, he asked if he was going to return his money and his bill? He replied that he could not do so then, but should in a fortnight, and he then gave him into custody. In reply to the questions of Mr. Henry, the witness said he had made inquiries at 43, Moorgate street, about the prisoner, and was told there that he had merely occupied an apartment there, and had nothing whatever to do with the railway company there, though he wrote his letters upon the paper belonging to the com pany, and having this description in copperplate at the top. Mr. HENRY remarked, that it was realip astonishing that any person should have been so soft as to part with his money under such circumstances. The prisoner, in reply to the charge, said his name was Benjamin Brown, and that he was in the service of Mr. Agula, who had formerly been a Spanish merchant, but was now a civil engineer and projector of railway's. His offices were at 94, Cheapside, 4, Charlotte -street, Mansion House -street, and 43, Moorgate-street, the latter peing the principal office ; and witness was em ployed to carry messages to and from the directors. He concluded by declaring he had not told the prosecutor nor his witness that the railways projected by him were registered, but merely said he was about to register them. The prisoner was remanded until Monday, when it is believed other charges of a similar description will be brought against him. DESTRUCTION OF ABBERLE HALL BY FIRE. This noble mansion, occupied by Mrs. Moilliett, relict of the late James Moilliett, Esq., of Birmingham, was yesterday almost entirely destroyed by fire. Mrs. Moilliett , with her son, Mr. Theodore Moilliett, and son-in-law, was spending the Christmas-day in the usual festive manner, when their peace was interrupted by an alarm that the building above their heads was on fire. It was first discovered by some of the servants, and they endeavoured to extinguish it by their own un assisted efforts, but finding that it had extended to the roof, they desisted from so useless an attempt, and sent to Witley Court for the engine stationed there, which, with all the servants that could be spared, was immedi ately upon the spot, and in about an hour afterwards another very powerful engine arrived from Stourport. The supply of water was unfortunately scanty, and the most strenuous endeavours were ineffectual to check the flames, which, hiving by this time spread through the whole upper tier of rooms, burst out at every window, and presented a grand but awful spectacle. All efforts were now directed to the preservation of the tower, and in this they were happily successful, though the fire once or twice threatened to extend to this point. The greater part of the furniture, which was of the most massive and splendid description, with the books and paintings, were saved, but greatly damaged in their removal. The fire continued to rage till after twelve o'clock at night, by which time the main part of the building was completely gutted, the whole of its splendid decorations destroyed; the painting, cornices, &c., of the drawing-room alone, were esti tmated at 2001., but the marble chimney-piece in that room of the value of 100 guineas, was snatched from the devouring element. The building was, a e are informed, happily insured in the Birmingham District Fire-office for 4,000 L, including the furniture, but this will by no means cover the losses incurred. The fire is supposed to have originated in a store-room underneath the roof, where one of the servant girls, named Jane White, went about two o'clock to fetch some cheeses and apples; and it is thought she dropped a spark amongst some loose papers and shavings, from which it extended with frightful rapidity to the road. Mrs. Moilliett was removed, as soon as the fire was discovered, to the Hundred-house Inn, though her Ma jesty the Queen Dowager had with her wonted benevo lence, immediately upon hearing of the calamity, sent word that apartments at the Court should be placed at the disposal of the family, if they chose to accept of them.—Abridged from the Worcester Herald. STATE OF TRADE. ENGLISH WOOL MARKET, LEEDS, DEC. 26.---The transactions in wool this week have been without any material alteration from our last report. FOREIGN WOOL TRADE, LEEDS, DEC. 26.—There has been very little business done in foreign wools this week, as is usual at this season of the year, and prices are nominally the same as for the last two or three weeks. WAKEFIELD WOOL MARKET, DEC. 26.—Christmas week is usually a dull one for sales of wool ; this week has been more than ordinarily so, and transactions have been on a most limited scale. Indeed, the seller and buyer seem both disposed to hold off till the new year sets in, and the market may be said to be in abeyance. LEEDS.-At no time do we recollect seeing less busi ness done at the Cloth-halls than was the case on Satur day ; but on Tuesday there was rather more animation. This, however, is always a dull period, and rendered still more so at this time by the uncertainty as to what may be done respecting the opening of the ports or re pealing the corn-laws. Stocks of goods in the hands of the manufacturers are lower than usual at the same period in former years, and prices continue steady. As usual so near the close of the year, there is very little business doing in the warehouses. LEICESTEIC—The hosiers are busy stock taking, and no business will be done until the commencement of the new year. Stocks on hand are light, and the wool market has resumed a ♦ery firm appearance. We are happy to understand that the operatives are more gene rally employed at this season than they have been for several years past. BRADFORD MARKET, WEDNESDAY. --WOOL. The demand for wool still continues very limited, and during the week a greater disposition to effect sales has been evinced, and in some instances a shade lower prices has been submitted to. The supply in the market is a full average, but not excessive fur the season of the year. In noels and brukes there is no observable difference since our last report. YARNS.—We regret we cannot alter the painful description of this branch. The spin ners continue working short time; and we learn on good authority that even the small quantity now produced cannot be sold to cover the cost of production. We are glad to hear, with few exceptions, that the stocks of yarns are not considerable, and that job lots are ex hausted. PIECES.—The closing market for the year has not been animated. The recent intelligence from America has caused considerable discussion here as to the course hereafter to be adopted; and till something definite is known, it will tend to retard the progress of production for that market. TRADE OF MANCHESTER, THURSDAY EVENING.—We have more confidence among buyers of cloth since this day week, though no quotable change in value. Never were the dyers and printer.; so slack, nor the fustian cutters less employed. Spinners are enabled to effect sales on fully as good terms as on this day se'nnight; perhaps twist is the turn higher. The novel of " The Queen of Denmark" has already made a permanent stand in public estimation, partly from the artless naivete of style of an author who appears before the public for the first time in these pages, and partly f rom the important revelations con cernipg the conduct and character of our unfortunate Englida Princess Caroline Matilda, sister of George 111., which are placed in a new light by one who appears to have been an eye-witness of her brief but brilliant ap pearance at the Court of Copenhagen. The work abounds in female portraits of the highest order. [ADVERTISEMENT.] —DEFECTIVE SIGHT AND HEARING RELIEVED, Instruments and Spectacles sent into the country by post, 39, Albemarle-street, Piccadilly, Newly-In vented Spectacles, Powerful Telescopes, Opera Glasses, Micro scopes, &c.—Patronized by his Majesty the King of Hanover, her Grace the Dowager Duchess of Bedford, their Graces the Archbishops of Canterbury, York, and Dublin, the Dukes of Devonshire, Norfolk, Argyle, Marlborough, and Manchester, Bishops of Exeter, Lincoln, Cork, Elphin and Kildare. Messrs. S. and B. Soloraons, Oculists and Opticians, have invented Spectacle Lenses upon a new construc tion. Immediately they are placed before imper fect vision, either by day or candlelight, that mist and dullness which appear before the eyes is at once removed, and every object becomes clear and distinct, so that the most aged defective sight becomes bright and brilliant, and is brought to its youthful, natural, and original state. Also the most Powerful Achromatic Telescopes, Opera Glasses, Microscopes, Invisible and all kinds of Acoustic Instruments for relief of extreme deafness. Caution—Messrs. S. and B. Solomon:, Opticians, are not in any way connected with a person of the same name in their immediate neighbourhood, nor in any part of the country. To prevent mistakes be cautious, and observe—Only to he had at 39, Albemarle-street, Piccadilly, opposite the York Hotel, and 25, South Castle street, Edinburgh. ADVERTISEMENT.] FIFTY RUNNING ULCERS CURED IN SIX WEEKS BY HOLLOWAY'S PILLS AND OINT• 11ENT !—Extract of a letter dated Tobago ( West Indies), February 4, 1845 :—To Professor Holloway—Sir, I have the pleasure to inform you, that your astonishing medicines have cured a gentleman in this island who had, I believe, about fifty running ulcers about his legs, arms, and body, who had tried all other medicines before the arrival of yours, but all of which did him no good, but yours cared him in about six weeks, and he is now quite restored to health and vigour. Signed, John Martin, Chronicle Office, Tobago. Sold at Professor Holloway's Establishment, 244, Strand (where advice may be had gratis), and by almost all respectable venders of medicine throughout the civilised world. JUSTICE TO SCOTLAND. Scotland is deeply interested in the issue of the present attempt to alter our commercial system. It must affect the means of our population for better or worse. They have pretty generally decided in favour of one mode of concluding the crisis; but they have not the means of enforcing their decision. A general election must occur by-and-bye, and the old farce of sending up fifty-two gentlemen to represent Scotland in a House of Commons. to which England furnishes five hundred members, will be re enacted. Glasgow, says Sir James Graham, is the second city in the empire; but Glasgow, he also says, practically, shall have no greater influence in the Legislature than Harwich. At the same time Sir James and his friends, like other parties and the it friends, talk of appealing to the people, as if the distribution of the representative districts was not the greatest practicable satire of representation. Mr. O'Connell demands for Ireland 150 members, in stead of the present number, 105; and this request is characterised by greater modesty than usually mark» his objects. Ireland, even by the test of revenue, is fairly entitled to 150 members; but in Sc tland we pay taxation on the English scale, and we should be-repre sented on the English basis. There is a very common oversight in estimating the proportions of revenue paid by the three divi visioes of the empire. England from the manner in which the customs duties are collected, has credit for large payments to the revenue that are really contributed by Scotland or Ireland. There can be no fact much more evident than that the duty on two-thirds of the tea, and one-half of the sugar consumed in Scotland or Ireland is credited to London, Liverpool, or Bristol. The tame remark applies to wines, to foreign spirits, and many minor articles, on which, nevertheless, a considerable duty is paid. We may therefore assume, that the customs returns furnish no very obvious means of ascertaining the amount of duty paid by each of the three kingdoms. " The property and income-tax" does not supply any better means of arriving at an accurate conclusion on the subject ; for a considerable part of that tax paid in Eng land is in reality supplied by Scotland and Ireland. Many Scottish and Irish landowners pay the sums levied from their incomes in London, although the cause of the tax, and the means of meeting it, are alike supplied by Scotland or Ireland. We mention these circum stances to meet the possible statement, that as England furnishes the largest proportion of revenue, it should have a correspondingly large number of repre sentatives—a statement for which there is no ground in reference to Scotland. We pay the same taxes that are levied in England ; and if the wealth of a nation is centred in any locality, as in London, it does not seem very logical to charge the distant portions of the country with !poverty, occasioned, if it exists, by that act of centralization. Scotland kept its liberty against steel to fall before gold. The corrupt nobility at the period of the Union sold their country to supply their wants. We do not say that the Union was an impolitic measure ; bat we might have had the bar gain on better terms. The time that has elapsed since the date of that measure has greatly changed the posi tion of the two countries. Notwithstanding many and great disadvantages, Scotland has struggled forward in agriculture, in manufactures, and commerce, to an equality with the wealthier partner. The tonnage of Scotland bears to that of England the proportion of their respective populations. The number of persons engaged in manufactures north of the Tweed is equal at least to the proportion employed in that manner south of the border waters. When the empire was engaged in its fiercest struggles for existence, the blood of the children of the mountain land was fret ly shed on many fields where life was beaten out in anguish, to vindicate the interests and the objects of the commonwealth or its rulers. The day of danger —the hour of difficulty—the moment of defeat—never found her sons unwilling to bear their share of the trial. In science they have achieved more than their nume • rival share • and in literature far more than th e i r proportion of the empire's works since the union was closed. In all respects we have a right to its revisal. It is no inviolable document. Already it has been broken and altered in several particulars. It must stand or fall as men find it advantageous or other wise. For the interests and the good of all the con tracting parties, it should be preserved, but then it should be amended. We have nut vowed fealty to its frailties. We have not given our troth to its fail ings. We are not bound to abide by its faults. In the councils of the State we have a right to insist that the voice of Scotland shall be fully heard, and its influences be fully felt. No argument suffices to persuade us that a composition of fifty per cent. should be accepted when full payment can be made. England returns five hundred members to the House of Commons, and Scotland fifty-two. Now, either we should rise to one hundred, or England should fall to two hundred and fifty. The justice of the de mand is palpable. A statesman's wits are not requisite to sift it. A schoolboy with the multiplication table on his tongue could solve the whole matter. And even if the alteration merely conferred escape from in dignity it should be made; but a great reform is involved in the change—a reform equally advantageous to Eng land as to Scotland, and which would directly tend to terminate Government by a class for its interests.— Glas gow National. MARY LEBONE VESTRY. THE CORN LAWS, &c.—Yesterday, at the meeting of he Marylebone Vestry, the Rev. Dr. Spry, the Rector, n the chair, Mr. FLooD, the Vestry-clerk, stated that the petition to the Queen, calling upon her Majesty to convene Parliament for the purpose of carrying out a total and immediate repeal of the corn-laws, recently adopted by the Vestry, and laid for sic e' mature at the Courthouse and Workhouse, and that it had already received the signatures of 7,000 out of the 12,000 ratepayers in the parish.—(Cheer..) The following gentlemen were then nominated as a deputation to present the address to the Queen, viz., the Rector, Dr. Spry ; Mr. Hume, M.P. ; Mr. Williams, M.P. ; and the borough Members, Sir B. Hall and Sir C. Napier. SIR JAMES GRAHAM AND THE POOR-LAW COMMIS SIONERB,—The letter of Sir James Graham, together with the whole of the correspondecce which has taken place between the Home Secretary and Mr. Hume, on the subject of the formation of Marylebone into union with other parishes, as the North Western Metropolitan Asylum District, were brought before the vestry. Communications were also read from the parishes of St. Luke, Chelsea, St. James's, and St. Margaret's, and St. John's, Westminster, repudiating the power 9f the Poor-law Commissioners, and expressive of a determina tion to co •operate in resistance to the Commissioners' order. The reading of these documents were received with general cheering by the vestry. Mr. HumE congratulated the vestry on the general tenor of the communication, and expressed a most de cided opinion that the Commissioners were acting ille gally. The Act which provides for the entire manage ment of the poor of that parish not having been repealed, they were exempt from the late amended Poor-law Act. Sir JAMES HAMILTON and the rector addressed thy• vestry, and a resolution for the reappointment of a joint committee to wait again upon the Commissioners was unanimously carried. THE LATE r,TORIVI. The city of Cork has not for many years been visited with so violent a storm as that which raged here on the evening, and throughout the night of Monday last.— The gale set in early in the evening, and increased as the night advanced ; and so tremendous were the gusts that swept the streets, that long before the hour of nine o'clock the highways and public thoroughfares were completely deserted, the lamps were extinguished, the shops closed, not a being was to be seen, and even the watchmen were forced to seek shelter as best they might. However, thanks to Providence, we have to announce but one accident, the result of which is not of a melancholy nature. Between the hours of one and two on the morning of Tuesday a huge stack of chimneys, on the house of Mr. Jennings, jeweller, Patrick street, was hurled down with a tremendous crash on the roof of a Mr. Murphy, spirit dealer, Market-lane, breaking and destroying all before it, and smashing in several win dows in the rear of the house of Mr. Atkins, apothecary, Patrick-street. In the houses of both Jennings and Murphy the utmost confusion and dismay were created, as it happened that the children of Mr. Jennings were sleeping in a room immediately under where the chim neys stood, but who escaped most providentially, though the pile of bricks and rubbish fell by the bed side in which they lay. In the house of Mr. Murphy matters stood differently; for the servant (rather an aged woman) who slept in an upper apartment and within the range of the chimneys, was completely buried beneath a stack of bricks, slates, and rubbish, and was with the greatest difficulty extricated by constable Burchill, assisted by others of the constabulary patrol. On being released all appearances of life were suspended; and but for the timely aid rendered the unfortunate sufferer by Mr. Atkins, who was instantly on the spot, the result must have been fatal. However, under the judicious treat ment of that experienced gentleman, who remained with her for more than an hour, using every means which his medical skill and knowledge suggested, she rallied, and had so far recovered as to be able to attend to her ordinary duties on the following day. The chimneys in question had long been the terror of the inhabitants of the locality; and though represented as a dangerous nui saoce several times, they were still suffered to stand by the public authorities.—Cork Examiner. NEWQUAY.—During the storm of Saturday last, the schooner Young Eagle, of Milford, Jenkins, master, was driven into the breakers in this bay, about eight o'clock in the evening, and had her broadside to the sea. She hauled down to the western cliffs, where she immediately upset, and sunk, and all on board perished. It is sup posed that she had lost her rudder before she came into the bay, as she appeared unmanageable, and neither the rudder nor tiller has come on shore with her. Her coat was washed in on Monday morning, very near Where the vessel came ashore on Sunday morning,. Every endea vour was made by the people of Newquay to give assist ance, but without effect, althongh they spoke to and were answered by the crew on board. BUDE.—On Saturday last, during a severe gale of wind from the N.N.W., a brig made her appear ance i n the bay, appare n tly heavily laen, and came to anchor just off Widenaouth, where she remained until near dark. The wind continuing to increase, as was feared, she broke from her moorings, with all her crew in the rig ging, and came ashore near Mellook. Seven of the men, including the captain, were drowned, and two saved themselves by swimming to the rocks, and getting up over a very high cliff, which enabled them to reach Mellook. The name of the vessel is the " William and Ann," of Sunderland, R. Matthews master ; and it ap pears she had just before discharged a cargo of timber from Quebec at Swansea, whence she sailed on Friday last, laden with stone coals, for London. She went to pieces just after getting on the rocks, near Mellook, and the fragments of her wreok were sold by auction on the beach, on Monday, under the direction of T. R: Avery, Esq. The mate, in getting up over the cliff to save himself, broke one of his fingers, and one of his toes. Five of the bodies have been washed ashore, and an inquest was held on them by Gilbert Hawley, Esq , on Tuesday IC.St. ST. IVES.—On Monday morning last, as a small boat was returning from fishing, it upset in a squall, and a young man, named Barnaby Thomas, was drowned. The boat sunk immediately she filled, and the body has not yet been found. HAYLE.—During the gale on Tuesday morning last, soon after daylight, the brig Dorothea, Honing, of Sun derland, from Newport, for Goole, with railway iron, was driven on shore two miles to the eastward of Hayle bar, and is likely to become a wreck. The crew, nine in number, were all rescued from their perilous situation by the hazardous exertions of a boat's crew from Hayle, and the cargo is expected to be saved.— West Briton. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, SUNDAY.—Yesterday morning the Queen, attended by the Countess of Desert, walked to Adelaide Cottage, and.aftcrwards promenaded in the pleasure grounds around the t lastle for some time. In the after noon her Majesty and her Royal Consort rode out for an airing in a pony landau and four. The Countess of Desert was in attendance, and Major-General Wemyss attended on horseback. Prince Albert, accompanied by the Duke of Cam' bridge, and also by Sir Robert Gordon, took the diversion of shooting in the neighbourhood of Bagshot yesterday forenoon. Major-General Sir Edward Bowater and Colonel Bowles were in attendance on his Royal High ness. The Duke of Cambridge took leave of the Prince, when the royal party left off shooting. The Royal Farn;ly were taken their usual morning airings yesterday. In the afternoon the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, and the Princess Alice were taken in a carriage to Frogmore Gardens, where their Royal Highnesses walked for some time. There was no addition to the royal dinner circle yesterday evening. The rainy state of the weather this morning has pre vented the Queen, the Prince, and the Royal Family from leaving the Castle. Divine service was performed in the private chapel of the Castle this morning by the Hon. and Rev. C. Id- Courtenay. The Queen and Prince Albert attended the afternoon service with the Ladies and Gentlemen of the Court and the Domestic Household. Her Majesty and her Royal Consort walked out for short time this afternoon. • The Duke of Cambridge returned to town on Seta• day from a visit to her Majesty at Windsor Castle. His Royal Highness attended Divine Service yesterday morning at Grosvenor Chapel, South Audley-street. The Earl of Dalhousie is staying at Strathfieldsayo• Lord Adolphus Fitzcl.rence has left town on a visit to the Marquis of Anglesea at Beaudesert. Despatches were received yesterday at the Colonial Office, from the Governor of St. Helena. At the Chapel Royal, St. James's, yesterday morning, the prayers were read by the Rev. Dr. Dakins, the /ell' sons by the Rev. Dr. Knapp, and the Communion service by the Sub-Dean. The sermon was preached by th! Rev. John Vane. Ihe anthem was " Sing, 0 Heavens (Kent). Sir George Smart presided at the organ. Lords Ingestre, Norreys, and Rivers, were among the nobiliti present. HAMBURGH MAIL. --- STUTTGARD, DEC. 16. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has set out to-day for Vienna, there 0 receive the Emperor of Russia. BERLIN, DEC. 17.—According to the latest account° that have been received here from Palermo, his Molest,' the Emperor of Russia, by the advice of his physician, will remain in that city o: ly till the month of Earwig' and there take up his residence in a more northen city is Italy. HANOVER, DEC. 16.—1 f the reports respecting the health of the Crown Prince are exaggerated, or are 0 t ; correct, it is only to b e a tt r ib u t e d to th e myster y wil l % is observed respecting his illness. It is, however , 11 ; longer affirmed, half o ffi cially, that the Fri n .,.;" has got a slight cold; but authentic accounts still withheld. `As we hear, the operation has not any hope of success, but also that the PI; sicians undertook it w ith ou t any h ope, t he ° °s ,. that could be expected i n th e i r op i n i on , was a of light. The operation is said to have very serioo.J affected the prince, and it was feared that the bolo might suffer, which, however, has happily been pre vented by the constant application of ice. The prill e is now getting better ; but who knows whether operation could be attempted a third time without clang" to his life MUNICH, DEC. 14.—We are able to announce, on " jl questionable authority, that a r o y a l d ecree ex empts s , persons, not Roman C a th o li cs , b e l ong i ng to the sem i , from kneeling. Henceforward there shall be no 14 r,pb, ing, except in the proc ess i on o f C orpus Ch r i s ti, at www., l as well as Divine servi ce i n th e c h urc h, on l y the 1 0 ° 3 " - Catholic soldiers are called on to attend. BERLIN, DEC. 20.—The subject which diverts ribs attention from all i n t erna l a ff a i rs, an d f orms a l m os t exclusive theme of conversation, is the annoilll t i change in the E ng li s h Mi n i stry. In the diploillsl° circles the hope is not given up that Sir Robert Peel V; the whole of the Conservative Ministry will, in the el" triumph over all its opponents. Here, as well a, on the spot, great reliance is placed on the support and ir fluence of the veteran hero of 'Waterloo. In the cot' inercial world very diff eren t w i s h es are enteriainer,; they fear that neither the a b o liti on nor th e modifice ° ,. - , of the corn-laws will e ver t a k e place so long as a 1°" Administration exist s ; an d the moment is therefo r, longed for when th e Whi gs , the Liberal or popular party, shall come forw ar d with their liberal views of the intercourse with foreign coun t ri es in re gard to their national productions. Under these circumstances, every unpr e j u di ce d person considersthese changes as extremely i m p or t an t, on a ccount of the 0 con cord, and we may say th e fi r i en dly re lations, which have t s t hitherto prevailed between the late Ministry and fo reig countries. The news of the pr ese nt state of things ha,"_ made an extraordinary i m p ress i on in the hotels of t he English and French A m b assa d ors . Several Caabinerti messengers have lately arrived at the hotel of the Et, of Westmoreland, among them is Colonel Townley , has come back, and whose arrival is snpposed to have some connexion with these i m p ortan t ch t inges.- -11a7 " burgh Papers, Dec. 23. REPRESENTATION OF SELKIRKSHIRE.-111T.J.;ngle of Yair, having been appointed Keeper of the Seisins, a vacancy has occurred in the representation of _fa_ 4 : above county. Mr. Pringle it will be remembered, o ; signed office as a Lord of the Treasury last session, il lf a yr sequence of his opposition to the Government grant to `l e st nooth. For his conduct on that occasion we have the , iOO reason for stating he received the most cordial approbt,, , of his constituents ; and it is not perhaps too much to that one who could act thus honourably under such circulnr. stances, felt himself not at ease in a Parliament where te n t giversation seems to have taken the place of truth. ~. consequence of Mr. Pringle's resignation, Mr. Ellott Loet. hart, of Borthwickbrae, has announced himself a condition Registert.o f •or the vacant county. The f o llo w i ng ex t rac t a. 0 ciently show the uncertainty in whi c h thi s gen tlemen as to his own opinions :—" I am fully sensible of the ard u ous nature of the duties of a Member of the House of Cor n .; mons. My principles are Conservati ve; an d if you do !D r the honour of electing me as your representative, InY fir % duty will be to preserve the Constit u ti on un d er which Ft have the happiness to live ; while I shall study to suPP°, r ,, and promote every measure that app ears to b e conducive.'"_ the mutual benefit of the ag r i cu lt ura l an d commercial In terests of the empire. The ties o f bi r th, o f l oca l interest, and of personal friendships, w ill, I t rust , b e deeme d auk' dent guarantee of my attachment to the interests and liononr of the county of Selkirk." DISAPPEARANCE OF THE CAISSON ON THE GOODWI! . —The following is a co py o f a l etter sent to Mr. /3115":, C.E., Deptford : —D ear Si r ,—Si nce I last wrote to Y.°- reporting your lighthouse on the Goodwin Sands bong all right, I am sorry to say that (this morning) I 11 5 " had a good opport un ity of v i ew i ng t h e sands, t h e Downs being clear of shipping, but your lighthouse has disar peared. From the circumstances of there being a larg e fleet of vessels in the Downs, together with a thick at mosphere, I have not been able to see it since FridaY last, and therefore cannot exactly say when it am, Sir, &c., W. B.—Deal.--Dover Chronicle. SERIOUS FIRE NEAR KENNINGTON- C OMMON.---° ll Sunday evening between ten an d e l even o ' c l oc k , a fi re , whic h was distinctly seen from the me t ropo li tan b r id ges, was w 5; covered by the policeman o n th e b eat, burning in the low e r part of t•• stabling and store-ho uses b e l on ging to gr: Carter, cat - 7i:sandier, of Clayton-pl ace , K enn i ng t o n-lair_ The premises, which, happily, were detached, wer e situate_n: South- place, Kennington Co mmon , not many yards from th e extensive vitrol manufacto r y o f Messrs. Farmer and Co. Immediately upon the discovery of the outbreak inforrnati o l of the occurrence was forwarded by the police to the save r $l . stations of the tire brigade, and in a very s h ort t i me e ngines from Southwark-bridge-road, Tooley-street, Watling-stre et, and other stations of the London Fire Engine Establismen t arrived, under the sup er i n t en d ence o f M r. Braidwoo d and the immediate direction o f M r. Henderson, the foreman of the Borough branch of the brigade. The West of Englan d engine, with Mr. Connorton and the Company's firemen, wa s also promptly at the sce n e. W ater b e i ng readily obtained' the engines were set to work; but from the quantity of haT t straw, &c., in the building, the fire became so intense that tt was not possible to save either the stabling or the contents 0 the lofts above it. Two valuable horses were also burnt; f°l notwithstanding every d ev i ce w hi c h humanity co , :ild sugge s t was put into requisiti on , t o d rag t h e unfortr am t e animal from their perilous position, they clung to their stalls, an thus perished in the flames. Fortunat!ly , , from the pr on,, P Arrival of the engines, a n d tn e read"./ flow of water from tit' Lambeth and Vauxhall mains-, the fire was prevented frol n extending beyond the bt-til'nng in which it originated. BIRTHS. At AL 37 .:tstone, the lady of Captain Tongue, of the 140' Ligb.l Dragoons, of a son, still-born. On Christmas morning, at Chester-street, Grosveno r " place, the lady of W. Vesslius Pettigrew, Esq., of a daughter, On the 25th inst., in Berner -street, Oxford -street, Mrs. Mosely, of a daughter. On the 2t3th inst., at the Rectory, Barnes, Surrey, th e wife of the Rev. R. E. Copleston, of a son. DIED. On the 22d inst., at Guernsey, James William, eldest son of Christopher Daniel Hayes, Esq. On the 25d inst., at Tottenham, Anne, relict cf the Res'' William Willan, of Walter Belchamp, Essex, aged 93. On the 23d inst., at Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, Willism Hallett, Esq., aged 65. On the 24th inst., Mr. Stanley John Trage, of High.streett Clapham, aged 25. Ou the 25th inst., in Brudenell-place, Miss Mary War wick, aged 83. On the 26th inst., in Queen-square, Catherine, relict of 0 1 ° late Rev. John Quarinton, aged 58. On the 26th inst., at Harleyford-place, Kennington, gi gs Barker. London: Printed and Published by ktUltDO YQUNG, • No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sloe Office, No, 111 Striped, in the Preci nc t e t t h e S avoy, in the Comity° Monday, December 29, 1846.