The Sun. — London, England, 1844-08-03 00:00:00

surIFIARY VWS AND Vutatt 0.4) MO it. " Who runs may read." VOZLEIGIC. -mate French Chamber of Peers on Wednesday some dis eltP_lt" took place relative to the department of Foreign irrk. and M. Guizot gave some explanations concerning th -b agotiations on the Right of Search. In the course of vi e Sitting, the conduct of the Marquis de Boissy was such t • t ° draw down on the Noble Peer the marked disapproba rof the Chamber. This very amusing Peer moved that ~..:Chamber should insert in its minutes that he had been e d, to order, which was readily granted by acclamation. course of the debate on the supplies of the War De - t 0 3i. the Prince de la Moskowa addressed some questions 4 ), 1 • Guiz o t re l a ti ve t o th e affairs of Morocco. M. Guizot r eplied, that in the present state of the relations with Mo ttle Government ir e co he could not enter into any explanation on the subject. „ would merel he said, repeat his former declaration, that that d c, entertained no desire of aggrandisement on E „ T heafoniteur publishes the laws authorising the construe -1;11 of various railroads voted during the session-1, that b e ,ween Paris, Belgium, and the British Channel; 2, that an % w eea Paris and Lyons ; 3, that between Paris and Rennes ; 4, that between Tours and Nantes. A report prevailed in Paris that the Emperor of Morocco A ci been deposed and Abd-el-Kader elevated to his throne. f National looks on this event as probable, and accounts .. er it by showing that the Emperor had roused the indigna tion of his fanatic subjects by the favourable reception given o • the French ultimatum delivered by Mr. Drummond Hay. A -accounts from Toulon of the 27thstate, that the sa l l elen steamer had been ordered to be held in readiness to for Marshal Oran, with dispatches, hourly expected from Paris , Bugeaud. The Nati ona l announces that the Dupetit Thouars testi , subscription now amounts to 68 01 . We suppose ano ther will be started for Capt. Brunt. Il k Barcelona letter states that the fete of Queen Christina :las celebrated on the 25th ult. with great pomp. At sun re an the forts fired salvos of 21 guns, which were repeated theall the French and English ships in the port, displaying `" e • Spanish colours. About ten o'clock Queen Isabella, ac :TPanied by her mother and sister, went to the cat hedral, ere a grand mass was performed. At Madrid the heat was excessive, the thermometer on the th having risen to 34 of Reaumur, or About 108 of F ahrenheit. T he King and Queen of Prussia arrived on the 26th ult. at P rankfort-ott-the-Oder, in perfect health. After a shott s tay their Majesties went on by Krossen to Christianstadt, b ere they slept, intending to proceed the next day to Erd -Ansdorf. LAW AND POLICE. The Newcastle assizes commenced on the Ist instant before the Chief Baron and Mr. Justice Cresswell. There are nine Causes entered in all—seven in the county and two in the tow . The town calendar contains the names of seven pri soners —one of these stands charged with child murder, and Bieth rape. There is one alleged misdemeanor under the „L r nPt Act in obtaining goods without any prospect of t 4 Tvg for them, the party being at the time on the eve of e f m _Lruptcy. In the county there are twenty prisoners, but s i x - lege,. twelve are comprised in two cases—six for theft, and °r wounding a constable in a riot. There is one case of f oe; and one of burglary. „.;qt the same day the Bodmin assizes commenced. The calms the contains the names of 24 prisoners. There are two fur t nem for murder ; two for perjury ; one for bigamy ; one Phhery ; four for refusing to obey orders for the support w maintenance of bastard childre &c. Robert Pascoe W i t t l indict e d for unlawfully and wilfully refusing to comply t aiZ an order for the maintenance and support of a bastard th ". After the Learned Judge had pointed out to the jury „ er e nature of the case, and the evidence, they returned a die t of guilty.—Sentence was deferred. Henry Vivian SPA convicted of forging an order upon Messrs. Coode, Sons, "md Shilso n , bankers in this county. w tt Union Hall James Ryder, alias Adams, alias Smith, a h; 'known character, being seldom out of trouble, was si e l, n ,g h t up before Mr. Traill, in the custody of police-con- Borden, P 150, charged with stealing 181. in gold and a v er, a silver watch, and a quantity of plate and wearing JParel, the property of William Edmonds, a beer-shop 'e per, of Smith -street, Lambeth. The prisoner, on being sa.led on for his defence by Mr. Train, said it was all a con- P l ae Y against him. He was fully committed for trial. th ames Taylor, chief mate of the Ranger, was charged, at a e , T hames police-court, with having several times assaulted . oe ung man named Charles Pendrill, with a cat made of sto ut cord, like jack-line, and having eight tails. The first enc e was committed in February, 1841, and was subse quentlyt, renewed on two or three occasions, up to August of same year. He was ordered to put in bail to answer the '."'_iarge at the sessions, and the complainant was bound over X 0 prosecute. t the same Court two Dutchmen were sentenced to pay a fine of 100/. each, for smuggling 101bs. of tobacco. COURT-2'115A110N11.331.Z. r , The Duke asnd Duchess of Cambridge and the Hereditary nrand Duke d Duchess of Mecklenburg Strelitz, ,were p l eased t o honour __Lady Brougham by their company, at a ee musicale and da ) ;.,eante last night, at the residence of ' 4 e Noble an d L earne d Lord, in Grafton-street. The Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, with Lord Alan r o d ad)" Louisa Churchill, have arrived at Arisaig, the ble Duke's shooting quarters in Perthshire, where the D uke *ill e n t erta i n a select party of friends. The Marchioness Cornwallis and Ladies Elizabeth and Louisa Cornwallis have left Regent-crescent for the family seat in Cornwall, where they intend to reside until the close of the autumn. Lord and Lady Bridp t h e Doh. and the Hon. Miss Hood, have re turned to Cricket St. Th om as, from visiting Mr. and Mrs. Hall, at Astrope House , War wickshire. The Earl and Countess of Eglinton have returned to town from enjoying the hospitality of the Duke and Duchess of ' Richmond, at Goodwood, during the races, and their stay in town will be very brief, as they go to Eglinton Castle direct, La order to be at the festival to the sons of the poet Burns at ~—y -- r Tuesday n e xt ; the Noble E ar l h av i ng engaged en to take the chair at the entertainment intended to be given near the monument to that bard on the banks of the Doon. The Earl and Countess of Cardigan will shortly return to Dublin. The Noble Ea r l h as generously given a donation of 100/. towards defraying the having, from the ravages Eardsley Church, near oftime,Wakefield fa fallen e expenses of the re-erection of decay as into s ancientch a structure stateof to render its demolishment necessary. We understand that the intended union of Viscount Grim ston and Miss We land is not to be solemnised before the ensuing month. The precise day is not fixed. The marriage 211 to take place in town. Sir John and Lady Mary Hamlyn Williams, and family, have gone to Cl shir e . ovelly Court, their beautiful seat in Devon. Lord and Lady William Powlett go to Downham Hall early next week. His Lordship is making consiilerable im provements and alterations in the mansion. An additional wing his been erected, which has contributed greatly to the imposing appearance of the mansion. Lord Francis Egerton will proceed with his noble rela tives, the D u k e an d D uc h ess o f S u th er l an d, to Dunrobin ',ustle, in the course of the ensuing week. Lady Francis 4 Lgerton and the family will go to Brighton, for the season, see ea rlY next month. Mr. Frank E erton, the Noble Lord's Wa]ison, is serving on board the Warspire frigate, Captain is, at Gibraltar. MISCELLANEOUS. 1 In compliance with a requisition, signed by upwards of Ac 'uu farmers, freeholders, and other inhabitants of the county, esr s. Cobden and Bright have ageeed to attend a public meeting on the corn-laws, to be held on Monday next (being a large, cattle fair), in the market-place, Northampton. On Friday Viscount Villiers, son-m-law of Sir R. Peel, was re turned for Cirencester, without opposition. Southern The provincial papers give very favourable accounts of the eather and crops. Harvest has commenced in most of the counties. Printed notice has been posted at the several foreign - 42 ;7 1 -wharfs, a n d a t th e pa c ket ports of the kingdom, by ‘‘ , l ;`."; of the P os t mas t er -G en eral, stating that the practice which exists of letters being forwarded to the Continent by packets ot h er than those which carry her Majesty's mails, oecut passing in the regular manner through the Post ()tee; is in direct opposition to the laws affecting the Post- Practicee regulations, and that after the issuing of this notice, the stance moat be immediately discontinued, as in every in p—ee in which it is detected, the provisions of the Acts of parliament forbidding the same, will be strictly enforced. Co rk Harbour Regatta commenced on Monday, the band 61st attending. The Volage frigate and Resistance tr - ship were decked with colours from stem to stern. 40 , victorious achts were the Mask, T. French, prize of ; Etelle Captain Parker, 10/. Cove was crowded with visitors. The sale of manuscripts belonging to the Sussex library brought during the three days 2,684/. 145.. RAILWAY RETURNS. , We extract from the Railway Record the sums 1 rece ived t on the principal Railways of Great Britain for e e h. W eek ending on the day of the month prefixed to The return includes the money received for th s n e d ng se ers, parcels, carriages, horses, mails , and Baer- W„k Total. Jul y Name of Railway. .E. s. d 27 Arbroath and Forfar 2OB 9 3 ‘, 26 3,372 8 7 4 Birmingham and Gloucester Brandling Junction 965 0 7 27 Bristol and Gloucester 26 Chester and Birkenhead 643 10 4 25 Dublin and Drogheda • 698 14 8 30 Dublin and Kingstown 1,220 17 5 28 Dundee and Arbroath 331 4 9 2 7 Durham and Sunderland 4BB 18 10 2 7 Edinburgh and Glasgow 2,458 16 4 29 Eastern Counties and North Eastern 5,044 19 1 2 7 Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ayr 1,620 17 4 2 7 Glasgow and Greenock 1,074 17 3 2 7 Grand Junction 9,165 0 4 2 7 Great North of England 1,955 13 0 2 8 Great Western 26 Liverpool and Manchester 2 7 London and Birmingham 28 London and Blackwall 1,701 3 0 27 London and Brighton A.. 3 0 London an d C ro yd on -pip 1 London and G reenw i c h 843 15 3 O 'Y 28 London and South Western ....... 25 Manchester, Bolton and Bury 920 3 3i 27 Manchester and Birmingham 3,511 5 10 2 7 Man c h es t er , L ee d s , an d Hull Assoc 8,313 12 2 -- Midland Counties 27 Newcastle and Darlington 863 14 8 27 Newcastle and Carlisle 1,960 7 1 28 Newcastle and North Shields 5BB 3 2 2 6 North Union and. Bolton and Preston 1,721 9 6 -- Paris, Corbeil, and Orleans — 29 Paris and Rouen 5,920 0 0 27 Preston and Wyre 562 6 6 2 7 Sheffield and Manchester 757 6 1 -.`:, tern li g. 1 South .E.,t5743 0 " 41 Y T 7 Taff V a l e 28 Ulster 546 7 11 28 Yarmouth and Norwich ....... ....... ... 834 011 27 York and North Midland —-- - - ?be --- We understand that Sir William Nott and Sir rt Sale are invited to dine with the Hon. the Court of ' r ectors of the East India Company on the 16th inst. DEATH OF SIR JOHN MAXWELL, BART., OF n r i3Ll4 ' eK.—We deeply regret to announce the sudden death the above venerable and highly esteemed gentleman, who expired yesterday morning at eight o'clock, when stepping li no his carriage for his usual morning drive. Sir J. Max well, vi 2 „ need' scarcely say was, during his long life, emi consistent in his political views, which were decidedly .r er al• As an agriculitmst he was well known to be one of we most enterprising in Sct:llaud; and, as a landlord, his E_ O nduct was uniformly kind and co.:.°lderate. The deceased ntronet is su ccee d e d i n hi s t i t l e and estate; ...hv his only son, r r ady (nz . Sir John) Maxwell, who, a few years' ago :...7 r4ed Journal. Matilda, daughter 0 the late Earl 0 in.--Glasgow ENT. 3e of Mr• fouse:a re" ant session with the i such Bi I, and the ember 13 10 Ls for Bills tern, num - DU rober !OLDMittee, alloWed to first time, fitted, an ;bird time : he In s°l. .ises were Having' ht up 00 time and Bill 105 ered to be r. 1 Beques t; d to, „ The ,londay Hope 11flt ! 3e, halo* ;ter. The sworn, . sary doer therefore, lay. , I st Two° AY•) , m e grO Wt • 11° ' Genet ; prices 'ions, is 44 4s 6d to is 9d t. to 3s 0 1' eans, is half si Pears, ine API II A to 5s ; C0105.? 4 , and N e 4. Der dozes to 8d 1 3 ,7, !-radish , hroorss , r , s hands; `1" ly suP ral des MX.. meat took eet, front 52 A e t x' , o 9 be Bibs by' ouly s, in Pt to 2s 9 0 ,3; ,3dtol bo l pricag , 4 ,i; d a t 4,1 o 35 " o s . sale , PS, ; Cod f t j e `o, I ; Lobs 23; 1 to 1 ° c r 8 6,1 t° r ef to 0 29 Wer e ig 6 e i u tton, ~4 and lis are f r°lll loaf. a nd beil ie=et* 'or dil Lamb s/‘ oe' to 41; t 51; s W 411 43; 11 • to 1 ,, rat e stIPP • u se 414 9 51; 1 0 04 0 ly to 4 1, 64; 41 1 I to S 5; 3 to " $O 3 hay. Kew Cloc e r tin Af' ijeo the ho 0 ere saler: 0 ' Th st i, 'other go , ,be- " t heof l f tv ,cte d o 11 0119ie. s a 'f r%s , 9 ° vied ha 3t l, B° o o9 f the Av tiq 1 th e " A rtt e : l g at 0 1 0 9. - 00 c o ett t oot b oy-, one w the friend ho the] eel steroi s IP° ('r ih e ed f d eath o ,e aws, b i , be!O - 0 pW ire 0 ° rofit, • 10r . eeP 5 1 1 $ Jo P- 4 01- Ogee° • fftl-, trti g ot ) t wrOte jp. e 0 14 0 0 3.• 011 he Atlto tic TII.h SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, AUGUST 3, 1844, COURT OF SEWERS. A Court of Sewers, for the city and liberty of West minster, and part of Middlesex, was held in the Sewers% office, Greek-str&t, Soho-square, yesterday, at twelve o'clock, Captain Bague, R.N., in the chair. The collector's and clerks' reports having been re ceived, The CHAIRMAN then said that the next business be fore the Court was to consider various payments, the largest amount being a sum of 1,0001, due to Messrs. J. and W. Bennett, the contractors, on account of bills to Midsummer, 1844. The remaining payments amounted to 3011. Bs. 4d. Mr. LESLIE cautioned Hon. Members against signing the Messrs. Bennett's cheque, without some previous in quiry into the mode by which they had got their contract. Mr. MARRYAT thought that the lion. Commissioner ought to give the Court some reason for his caution. Mr. LESLIE said he had discovered that a gross fraud had been committed upon the public, by means of which the Bennetts held a contract they had no right to do. He (Mr. Leslie) was in a position to prove all he alleged, and he would not hesitate to do so. After some desultory discussion, it was decided that the cheque be cancelled. Mr. Bennett having been called in Court, The CHAIRMAN said he was directed by the Court to withhold the cheque for 1,000/., as a Commissioner had made a charge against Mr. Bennett. Mr. LESLIE did not charge Mr. Bennett with fraud. He said a fraud.upon the public had been committed by some one. Mr. MARRYAT said that the impression on his mind was, that the Hon. Commissioner's remarks had been levelled at Mr. Bennett. The CHAIRMAN—.At all events the cheque was with held in consequence of those remarks. It had been stated that a gross fraud had been committed. After a few remarks from Mr. ALLASON, Mr. LESLIE said that the short of the matter was that Mr. Bennett had attained a contract which he was not entitled to. He did not say that Mr. Bennett was in fault, but he did say that a gross fraud had been com mitted on the public, and when he had discovered that, he questioned the propriety of their again signing cheques for one, three, or four thousand pounds, until they had further inquired about it. He did not say that Mr. Bennett then present, or that his late father did wrong. The charge he made against somebody was, that the public had been injured to an enormous amount —how much he could not say, and was afraid to hazard —by a gross fraud perpetrated somewhere, by which Bennett's tender had been made to appear smallest, when it was unquestionably not so. The CHAIRMAN said that Mr. Bennett would probably wishlte address the Court upon the subject. Mr. BENNETT would wish to ask the protection of the Court, because an imputation had been cast upon him by an Hon. Commissioner, inasmuch as it was said that he was connected with a fraud. Mr. LESLIE did not say so. He said a gross fraud had been committed somewhere. Mr. ALLASON thought that if the question of the subject under discussion were put in the usual way, it would greatly expedite matters. He thought that Mr. Leslie's statement ought to be substantiated. The question was then put by the Chairman, and it was unanimously agreed that the subject should be brought before the Court. Mr. LESLIE said that the three persons whom he would refer to in the remarks he should make, were Mr. Donaldson, Mr. Dowley, and Mr. Doull. He re gretted that the first was not in Court, but he would be corrected by the surveyors if he stated what was incor rect in reference to this transaction. Before they entered upon the last contract, a form of tender was sent out to all the competitors, and it was arranged out of Court that certain quantities of bricks, and other materials should be stated on these forms. Mr. Bennett, who sup plied this Court with bricks at that time at the rate of 425. the thousand, inserted in his tender at 305., being a reduction of 12s. upon the thousand, and why There were 350,000 bricks inserted upon the form, which the other competing parties put, at 385., 395., and 40s. a thousand. But were these 350,000 bricks supplied ? No. The amount of bricks for the last three years, both for the eastern and western division amounted only to 73,000. He (Mr. Leslie) had always been convinced there was something wrong in the man ner of getting up these contracts, but when he had brought evidence before that Court, it had not been al lowed to be put upon the minutes. He was now going to adopt a different course. From past experience he did not like this tribunal, and he meant to tender his evi dence to the Commission on the Health of Towns, then sitting at Whitehall, of which the Duke of Bucclench was chairman. But if they wanted him to go into the case now, he would not shrink from doing so. Mr. ALLASON thought it would be, perhaps, advis able to suspend altogether the inquiry, until the other parties were present. Mr. LESLIE said it was Mr. Allason who, in the first instance, wanted him to go on. Mr. ALLAsort—Because the lion. Commissioner ought to be prepared with his charge, or at once give it up. Mr. LESLIE did not shrink from the charge ; so far from it, he should go to another tribunal where it would be gone into. He had to complain of observations made by Hon. Members round the table. One Commissioner had affirmed—it was perhaps in undue time—that no charge he (Mr. Leslie) had ever made in that Court had been substantiated. He denied that assertion in Coto. Mr. BAYLIS would ask Mr. Bennett if any complaint had been made at any time by a Commissioner with re gard to his contract ? Mr. BENNETT—There might have been a few bad bricks delivered upon the ground, and removed in con sequence—but beyond that nothing. Mr. LESLIE resumed. He would call on Mr. Hertslett to produce the minutes of July, 1844. (The clerk read the minutes of the Court, determining upon advertising for contractors ; with the advertisement in serted in the newspapers in :consequence.) The first point of proof was, that the cont r a ct was given to the alleged lowest competitor, and on that ground only was he accepted. They would observe that Mr. Bennett's tender was 1,6641. 11s. lid., while that of Mr. Bird's was 1,7321. lls. 911; but let them examine closely the items forming that tender. Let them look at the digging. The tender of Mr. Bennett's was 25., Mr. Bird's was is. 9d.; and so on with the other it ems of the contract. But h would ask Mr. Doull a question. Were not the figures, for instance the 350,000 bricks supposed to be required were not these figures arranged between Mr. Dowley, the chairman, and him self, at a conference out of Court? He waited an answer. Mr. DouLL—They were done by the officers of the Court certainly. Mr. LESLIE—WeII, an indirect answer was better than no answer. Let him direct their attention to the eastern district, where the amount of stock-bricks was put down at 150,000. Bennett's tender was at 30s. per 1,000 ; he was s l upplying them at the same time at 425. is —(Hear, hear.) Bird's was 395., and, therefore, h amount for them was 2921. 108., while his competitor's was only 2251. For the western division there were 200,000 bricks put down, and here again the difference between 30s. and 395. told well in Bennett's favour. But let them not forget the simple fact that the contractor was not called on to supply those bricks. On that item alone Bennett obtained the advantage, although on almost all the other items Bird's tender was the lowest. He would tell them that the whole account of bricks supplied by Bennett since the Ist of October, 1841, did not amount to 73,000. But let him reflect himself a little, and take the items se parately. For digging in the eastern division Bennett con tracted for 950 yards at 2s. —951. Bird's was only 831., yet he lost the contract. In the western division there were 6,500 cubic yards of digging, which, at Bennett's rate, would be 6501. ; but at Bird's, 568/. 15s. ; yet Bird lost the contract. Now the result of all this was, that an enormous loss had been sustained by the public, and was he not justified then in characterising the thing as a gross fraud, and exposing it as he tried to do? Why the tender bore a suspicious look on the face of it—to contract for bricks at 303. when supplying them at the same time for 42s ; but that gave him his contract. Mr. MARRYAT—Don ' t be so sensitive. Mr. LESLIE—I think that every man who has taken his oath as a Commissioner in this Court, ought to feel sensitively, when public property is voted away so care lessly, so negligently, as it has been done in this case. The other items showed that Bennett received more than Bird had tendered for, in varying amounts from 1i to 100 per cent. (The Hon. Commissioner here entered into a minute investigation of the items of the respective tenders of Bennett and Bird, to prove his allegations.) Now, he had set out by saying that a gross fraud had been com mitted on the public. He did not say by whom ; but it evidently appeared from the figures he had presented to the Court that the tender of Mr. Bennett had been, by the instrumentality of the fraud, made to appear the lowest, when it was not really so. He had obtained his contract principally on the two items of bricks, and he had already shown what proportion they bore to the rest of the material and work in the contiact. He had shown to demonstration, throughout the whole of those items, the enormous wrong that had been committed on the public, and he asked the Court if he did more than his duty as a sworn Commissioner, in telling them not to sign the cheque that day ? He had been often taken to task in that Court for doing what he conceived tc be his duty. He did not mean to confine himself to that Court. He would go before the Commisson at Gwydyr House, and ask them to make a searching inquiry into this matter. He wished a former Court to let the contracts go out for the works in Wellington-street, to allow the excavations and the constructions to be sepa rately tendered for, and they had refused to do so; but he hoped they might, in time, get into a proper mode of saving the public fund as much as possible. That was his case. The CHAIRMAN thought they should hear the Sur veyors of the Court in explanation, because, perhaps, the facts so strongly advanced by Mr. Leslie could be very easily explained by them. He thought they should, therefore, call on Mr. Dowley to do so. Mr. HAwEEs thought that the officers should have time given them to prepare an answer. In fact, he thought the present business quite out of order.' He would therefore move that the matter be adjourned till Tuesday next. Mr. KENDALL seconded the motion. Mr. LESLIE was opposed to the adjournment. They had both their officers there. His statement was a mat ter of figures, given from' the books of the Court in a plain and straightforward manner ; and he did not see why they should not reply at once in the same spirit. He had given notice—in fact, he had written to the clerk requesting these extracts, and he would read the correspondence. (The Hon. Gentleman did so.) He thought that granting this adjournment would be the most effectual means of throwing the inquiry overboard. Mr. HAwKES—OII no I The CHAIRMAN put the motion for adjournment, when 10 supported it, and 11 were for continuing the inquiry. Mr. Dowley -was then requested to explain what he knew of the mode of supplying the numbers in the form gi tender, Mr. DowLEv—There was only one question that re quired answering, and he really could not give any ex planation about it. Mr. Douall being engaged in the accounts, probably could give a better explanation than he could. Mr. DOUALL had heard the charge which had been made of fraud and mancnnvre, and he wanted expres sions to convey the astonishment he felt at the extent fo the charge. For himself, he spurned all idea of being connected with fraud in any shape. But he regretted that his memory would not serve to give satisfaction to all parties. Had time been given, he might have been more enabled to have furnished all the information re quired by the lionourable Commissioner. The last contract had been entered into in 1841, a period of three years ago, and to that period he was called to speak from recollection. The preceding contract was in 1836, and of that one he himself knew nothing. The items adduced by Mr. Leslie were but a small propor tion indeed of the amount of labour that would be re quired in furnishing a complete and satisfactory return of the whole question. He believed the numbers in the form had been copied from those in the previous contracts, and he was the more confirmed in this opinion by the exact similitude of the figures. He would at once ac knowledge that there seemed a mistake in the number of the brilks required—(" Oh, oh," from some llon. Commissioner)—but as to fraud there could be enter tained for one moment not the least idea of it. The same forms were sent to all the competitors, and no communi cation whatever had passed between the officers of the Court and the contractors. He would be happy to answer any question put by the Court, or to give any other in formation which might be required of him. After several questions of lesser importance had been asked by various Commissioners, Mr. LESLIE said that having waited till all the Hon. Members had done, he would, in turn, ask a few questions of Mr. Donal]; and first he would ask if the contract had not been given to the competitor who was supposed to furnish the lowest tender?—Yes. Mr. LESLIE—Then as to the quantity of bricks. How many were inserted in the form, and how many fur nished in the three years by the contractor ?-350,000 were inserted, but I cannot say how many furnished. Mr. LESLIE—Iie says it for you-73,000. Now, as to York paving 21 inch thick, how-was that tendered for? Mr. Bennett's was 7d., Mr. Bird's 64d. Which got it ? —The 7d. Mr. LESLIE—Oh ! the highest got it. Now, as to the three-inch, what were the tenders there ?—Bennett 10d., Bird Bd. Mr. LESLIE—Who got it ? Bennett.—(Laughter.) Mr. LESLIE—The tenpenny man got it then. Then -as to the 4-inch landing, how do we find ourselves there? —Bennett 18d., Bird is. • • Mr. LESLIE—Who got that ? Bennett.—(Laug hter.) Mr. LESLIE—Now go to 5- inch landing. What of that ?—Bennett, is. 9d., Bird, Is. id. Mr. LESLIE—Who had that ?—Mr. Bennett.—(Con tinned laughter.) Mr. LESLIE—What ! the highest man still ! And now to another item. Bedding, landing, and oak plank ing, per foot ,• how were the tenders for those ?—Ben nett, id., Bird, id. Mr. LESLIE — And who got it ?—Bennett. Mr. LESLIE—NaiIs and other items showed a similar result. The really lowest competitor lost, and Bennett was the chosen contractor. And his bill under the contract so obtained amounted since Michaelmas 1841, to 41,649/. 17s. Nothing could be more unfair, and he thought he might end as he had begun, by stating that a fraud had been committed, and that he had proved it. After a very long and desultory conversation, in which Mr. Willoughby, Mr. Hawkes, and others took part, A resolution was moved by Mr. B. C. SALE, and se conded by Mr. ALLASON, that "it appearing that, aster a full examination of the surveyor that the charge of fraud brought by Mr. Leslie respecting Mr. Bennett's contract has not been proved, the sum of 1,0001. be paid forthwith to Messrs. I. and W. Bennett, contractors, on account of bills up to Midsummer, 1844." The remaining business was remitted till next meeting day, and the Court then adjourned. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, FRIDAY.—The Queen and Prince Albert walked this morning in the pleasure-gTounds of the Castle. Her Majesty and his Royal Highness also took a drive in a pony phaeton. Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the Princess Royal were taken airings in the morning, in the slopes and gardens of the Castle. His Royal Highness Prince Albert rode out on horse baek attended by Major - G ener a l Wemyss, Equerry in Waiting. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent visited her Majesty at the Castle. In the afternoon the Queen and Prince Albert took an :tiring in a pony_ phaeton and pair, the Prince driving. The Equerries, the Hon. Colonel Grey and Major-General Wemyss, attended her Majesty and his Royal Highness on horseback. The Countess of Dun more, Lady in Waiting, and the Hon. Misses Stanley and Hamilton, Maids of Honour in Waiting, followed in an open pony carriage and four. The Royal party returned to the Castle at six o'clock. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent took a drive from her residence, Frogmore Lodge, this afternoon, in an open carriage. The Royal Family were taken airings in the after noon. The royal dinner party at the Castle this evening in cluded her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, the Lady Charlotte Dundas, and the Countess Wratislaw. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had a small dinner party yesterday, at Cambridge House. The com pany included Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar, the Prussian Minister, the Netherlands Minister, Baron Brenner, Dr. Pertz, Mr. Fane, and Colonel Keate. The Royal Duke and Duchess afterwards honoured Lady Brougham with their company at her Ladyship's evening assembly in Grafton-street. Lord Eliot and the Attorney-General for Ireland had interviews with Lord Wharncliffe yesterday, at the Council- office. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council sat yes terday morning, at ten o'clock, at the Council-office. The Lords present were the Lord President, Sir Edward Hyde East, Sir Edward Ryan, Vice-Chancellor Knight Bruce, Dr. Lushington, and Mr. Pemberton Leigh. The case of " Shumsoonissa Khanum v. Raj Jan Khanum," was concluded. Their Lordships deli vered judgment—that the sentence of the Court below be confirmed, with costs. IMPORTANT COURT-MARTIAL. t SECOND DAY. DEVONPORT.—The Court re-assembled at ten o'clock on Thursday morning to hear the defence of Lieut. E. E. Gray, late commander of her Majesty's brigantine Bonetta. At the request of Lieut. Gray, Mr. Elworthy read the defence, as follows :—The first charge, and that in which, individually, I am the most interested (as I believe I may venture to say no evidence has or can be adduced to connect me with the second and third charges), is for disobedience of orders in causing the French vessel to be detained and searched, she having at the time displayed her proper colours, &c. Gen tlemen, I beg to state that it never was my intention to ground my defence on my not having received the orders, the breach of which is charged on me. I admit that I had them, and I shall, I trust, show this Court that I intended to be guided by them. As I understand the question for the deliberation of this Court upon this first charge, it is whether or not there was any sufficient cause for me to suspect that the vessel which I saw with the French colours was not bond fide a French vessel. Ido not understand that the hoisting a French flag was of itself to preclude me from satisfying my self of the nationality of the vessel ; because if the mere act of hoisting such colours would entitle the vessel so hoisting them to the benefits of the - convention between France and England, the effect would be to give protection to the slave trade, inasmuch, as in my case, there are ships looking out for slavers which are not supplied with French warrants. I therefore submit, that if I establish to the satisfaction of this Honourable Court reasonable cause of suspicion I shall be entitled to an acquittal of this charge for dis obedience of orders ii having boarded the Luiz d'Albu querque, and examined her papers. Beyond this, gentle men, I do not attempt to justify the search which was made. I never intended it should be made, and I am compelled to say I never intended she should be searched ; neither did I, as far as I have any knowledge of what I did, give an order for the vessel to be searched. It will be for the Court, when the evidence is produced, to judge whether the" officer who searched acted under a misapprehension of my order or not. As to the grounds for suspecting this vessel, I would first state that the exterior appearance answered entirely to the description of one I was in search of, stated to be a Brazilian from Bahia. Her build and rigging were precisely that of the Brazilian slavers. She was in the exact position I should have expected to meet the vessel I was in search of. We chased her for twenty-four hours before we came up to her. During that time she steered a course to avoid me, and, up to the moment of her hoisting the colours, I and all on board took her for a Brazilian slaver. Upon her hoisting French colours I remarked, " If she is French we cannot keep her." Gentlemen, what led me to this remark ? It was my know ledge of the orders, and that I had not a French warrant. But should I have performed my duty to my country, if, with these suspicions on my mind, I had instantly given up the chase ? My feeling is, that I should not, and I most' re spectfully beg to put this part of the case prominently to every individual member of this Hon. Court. If it was my duty to have instantly left the chase and resumed my station, without taking steps to identify her nationality, then I am guilty of a breach of my orders, but guilty under a gross mis conception of those orders, and of the service I was engaged in. But if you, gentlemen, should be of opinion that under these suspicions, I ought not to have been satisfied, by the mere exhibition of the flag, but, that I had a right to board the vessel to look at her papers and ascertain the truth, if I may so term it, of the colours, then I hope you will find, at the end of this case, that, as in the commencement I acted as became an officer, so I continued to act to the end of the matter ; and, it is well known that the hoisting of false co lours is a very common deception. The French flag is not very frequently desecrated by affording its sanction to slavers, and therefore I the more readily doubted its being the true flag of the vessel. With this impression I ordered, in the usual way, the second in command to go on board the French vessel, and examine her papers strictly. The fact of the men going armed, and of their being picked men, are, I humbly submit, quite unimportant, because, for whatever purpose they were sent, they would not go to a suspected slave ves sel unarmed ; besides, I intended they should go on this occa sion to a vessel which I suspected would prove a prize. These were the facts which preceded my sending the boat—these the grounds of my suspicions—and these, I think, are all the circumstances which are involved in the first question, my sending the boat to examine the papers. I look at the hands of this Hon. Court for that consideration which is always accorded to an officer in the zealous execution of his duty ; and, although I do not ask for myself anything but what the facts of the case fairly justify, .yet I do ven ture to beseech this Honourable Court to give to all the circumstances thus far alluded to the construction, which they would fairly bear if they were entirely separated from, and wholly unconnected with, any other part of the case. Now, gentlemen, it is for me to satisfy you as well as I am able, that it never was my intention to search this vessel, and, therefore, that I did not give the order. I beg to refer to that part of the evidence for the prosecution, which proves that I sent an order to stop the search. The witness said he received an order by a quartermaster to stop the search ; he was asked if that was done after my report from him that he was searching, and his answer being in the affirmative, the conclusion would be that I had altered my mind, or that I thought they had searched enough. But, gentlemen, the fact was, that having requested the clerk (Mr. Parminter) to assist in examining the papers, and not seeing our men, being on deck, I thought they were doing that which I had not ordered, and I sent the quarter-master with an order that they were not to search. From the time my attention was drawn to the transaction, by their Lord ships' first letter, to this present moment, I have asserted, both verbally and in my official correspondence, that Lieut. Bullock acted under a misconception of my order. I now declare, upon my honour, that I never (lid intend, nor, ac cording to my knowledge, did I, in fact, order Lieut. Bullock to search the vessel. That officer does not positively state, that I gave such an order. He says that he acted under the impression he had received such an order. As further proof of the improbability of my giving such an order, I would remark, that a search would not have proved of the least advantage, even if we had found slaves on board, because I had not the warrant ; but it was essential to be sure that she was truly French. I submit, that in the ab sence of positive proof, and seeing that in all the other points of this case my conduct was that of an officer carefully exe cuting a duty of great delicacy, this Court will give to my solemn assertion that weight which, in a doubtful case, it would reasonably be entitled to. I have been much employed in service of this nature, and have ever been particularly careful. Amongst my testimonials there will be found special reference to my conduct on similar occasions. I will now proceed to what subsequently occurred. On my arriving on board, I saw three or four Portuguese. The master (Bellet) stated that he had no chronometer ; that he was on a voyage from Bahia to IVydah, and produced his log, which consisted of loose sheets of paper recently written, the ink being wet. I had not the least doubt of the vessel being a slaver. I saw the recently prepared papers, yet I knew that if truly French, I could not detain her, and, therefore, most reiuctantly quitted the ship, first entering on the log a minute of my visit, and the cause of my not detaining the vessel. Although I apprehend that no part of the evidence already given sup ports the second and third charges, I shall feel it my bounden duty, with leave of this Hon. Court, to place the truth indis putably upon the minutes by producing all the officers I can find who were on board the French vessel, as well as to show what were my orders on board as to the return of the boat, and I trust there will not exist any ground for imputation of neglect or want of discipline. A statement of Lieutenant Gray's services was here handed into Court, together with a number of testimonials from various distinguished officers under whom he had served, who spoke of him in the highest terms as an officer and a gentleman. Captain Foote, of her Majesty's ship Madagascar, was the first witness called, and in answer to questions by the pri soner, said— As commanding officer on the African station, if I saw a vessel under the French flag, which I suspected to be a slaver, I should feel it my duty to board her; to ask the cap tain in the most polite and courteous manner to let me see her papers, and, having ascertained she was a bond fide French vessel, immediately to quit her, if the weather would permit me to do so 1 but, if I had any reasonable grounds of suspicion from incorrectness or falsity of the papers, then I would take upon myself the responsibility of detaining that vessel as a slaver, and search accordingly. By the CoußT—Does Captain Foote think the papers were false ? Captain Foote—l don't know anything about the circum stances. I was perfectly satisfied with Lieutenant Gray's official letter to Commander Hope transmitted to me in the usual course of service, and reporting his having boarded the Luiz d'Albuquerque on the 4th of July, 1842, because Lieutenant Gray stated in that letter, that although the Luiz d'Albuquerque was fully equipped for the slave trade, yet he could not detain her, having no warrant so to do ; but there was nothing in that letter relating to the searching. All officers employed on the west coast of Africa on boarding a French or American vessel report direct to the Admiralty, per order, without waiting to do so through the medium of the commanding officer. The following question was then put to the witness by the prisoner—Would you have been satisfied with my conduct if I had not examined the papers of the Luiz d'Albuquerque under the circumstances? Captain Foote—lf I had received information that Lieutenant Gray had seen a vessel which hoisted French colours, and had not ascertained her nationa should have been very highlydisplfased, because consider that the mere display of - a French flag may be done by the most arrant Brazilian and Portuguese slaver, to avoid capture; and it is very frequently done on the west coast of Africa, both with the French and American flags. What is your opinion of the state of discipline of the Bonetta whilst under your command? Captain Foote—l never saw the Bonetta but once, about March, 1843. I then, in the usual course of service, inspected her, and I was per fectly satisfied with her state of discipline. Mr. W. M'Dermott, assistant-surgeon, posed to having gone on board the Luiz d'Albuquerque w the other offi cers; the object of the Bonetta going to New Sestos was to look after a vessel of which they had received information, supposed to be a slaver. They saw the Luiz d'Albuquerque the day before she was boarded, and chased her until they came up with her. He thought, after he was on board of her, that she was a suspicious vessel, from seeing two or three persons on board dressed in Spanish or Portuguese costume, and from the captain not coining to receive the officers, and when he made his appearance being much agitated. There were several suspicious articles on board—farina and beef, which is generally used for feeding slaves, a slave deck, which was pointed out to him by Mr. Elliott, and some slave irons. Mr. W. Parminter, clerk on board' her Majesty's ship Col lingwood, and late clerk in charge of her Majesty's ship Bo netta, said, that about two a.m. on the 4th July the haze cleared off, and they saw apparently the same vessel. Chased, and fired a gun at a quarter-past three. She did not hoist her colours until several minutes after the gun was fired,nor did she bear up till a few minutes, after that. She got to leeward of the Bonetta about four o'clock, and he went on board in the cutter with Mr. Bullock, Mr. Elliott, and Dr. M‘Dermott, with eight men. The passengers were not all noted down in the papers, and his log was wiitten on sheets of paper apparently done that morning, from the colour of the ink being the same throughout. Samuel Dumpily, Greenwich pensioner, was in the Bo netta on the day alluded to, and that he was doing duty as master-at-arms, and that he searched the men one by one as they came up the ship's side from the boats, on their return from boarding the French vessel, and that he went down afterwards and searched the boats, and found nothing what ever except a case of wine and a box of cigars, belonging to one of the officers. Lieutenant George L. Norcock, of her Majesty's ship St. Vincent, had served several years on the coast of Africa, and had repeatedly during that period of service boarded vessels to ascertain their nationality. By the prisoner—lf a vessel hoisted French colours, and you suspected her of being a Brazilian slaver, what would have been your duty if commanding a cruiser? Lieutenant Norcock—Having commanded her Majesty's brig Forester on that coast 18 months, I always considered it my duty, on observing a vessel, to chase her, bring her to, and board her, and ascert ain h er nationality. Finding I was duly authorised to search, I did so. If I found she had not hoisted false colours. I did not search her. During three years I served on the coast of Africa, I lours found that vessels ls were in the habit of hoisting any co they pleased cruiser, therefore, could never ascertain what nation they belonged to, or what trade they were employed in, as they frequently had both false papers as well as false colours, and the true ones have been frequently found concealed in the mos t extraordinary places. The Court was then cleared for a tort time, and upon its being re-opened; The PREsmENT declared that the Court was of opinion that the charge had been proved ; that the second charge was not proved; and that the third charge was partly proved; and sentenced Lieutenant Gray to be severely re primanded, and cautioned him to be more particular in giving orders for the future. _ _ The finding of the Court appeared to astonish all those who had listened to the evidence. THE REGATTA AT HAVRE DE GRACE. The superiority of the English watennen has been again proved in the regatta at Havre. Encouraged by the success which has hitherto attended them in their competition with our continental neighbours, two six-oared cutter crews, composed of London watermen, made their appearance at Havre to contend for some valuable prizes, " open to all the world," but their reception was anything but consistent with the spirit of fair play. The boats they had taken over were objected to by the Frenchmen, and although they had new ones themselves the English watermen were compelled to row in two old ones of their selection or decline the contest. The latter was not at all congenial with their feelings, so they set to work scraping, dressing, repairing, and altering, the boats to which they were perfectly unaccustomed, to render them as fast as they could for the event, in which they were determined to take an activepart notwithstanding the difficulties that had been thrown in their way. The trial heat was rowed on Sunday, and eleven boats were afloat in it, The London crews consisted of IL Coombes, J. Phelps, 11. Newell, 'l'. Coombes, R. Doubledee, 11. Green, and D. Coombes, coxswain, in one boat; and W. Pocock, James Dodd, W. Shelton, F. Lett, W. Robins, C. Campbell, and J. Parish, coxswain, in the other. It was a runaway race, and won by Coombes' party being first, and Pocock's second. On Monday the French crews did not row, because it rained, and Lett's place was taken by Parish, T. Dewes steering. The grand heat was rowed with six boats on Tuesday, when the foreigners hemmed in the English boats directly after the start, and the French pilot-boat carried off the 1,500 francs, Pocock's party being second, and Coombes' third; thus receiving 300 francs as second, and 200 francs as third. In the whale-boat race for 1,000 francs, the Londoners hav ing borrowed an old boat and " operated" upon her as before, mixed their crews, and the following stepped into her to give their opponents some work :—Charles Campbell, Phelps, Newel, Dodd, and Pocock, D. Coombes steering. Five boats started, but the Londoners went away from them, and won in gallant style. Our men complain very severely of the treatment they altogether received as wagermen. GRAVESEND. The following is a return of the number of Passengers landed and embarked at the Terrace and Town Piers, Gravesend, in the month of July, 1844 : Terrace Pier. Town Pier 118,334 _ _ _ Star Company, with 5 boats ... Diamond Company, with 6 boats .... Blackwall Company, with 3 boats.... Sons of Thames Comp., with 2 boats Eagle Company, with 2 boats Commercial Company, with 2 boats 8,132 98,169 114,352 37,126 15,278 316 224,635 167,072 Terrace Pier, with 9 boats 224,635 Town Pier, with 11 boats .... 167,072 Balance in favour of the Terrace Pier during the month of July 57,563 Gross Number of Passengers Of which, To awl from Blackwall 253,474 To and from Hungerford Market ... 1 • Waterloo Bridge Old Swan Loudon Bridge and other places through the Pool 391,707 COWES, ISLE OF WIGHT. FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) COWES, AUGUST 1. ROYAL YACHT SQUADRON INTELLIGENCE. ARRIVALS. July 26th—Resolution schooner, Duke of Rutland, from Devonport and other ports ; Petrel cutter, Earl of Ilchester, Southampton ; Fairy schooner, William Peareth, Esq., Sandgate ; Stormfinch yawl, Colonel Bowers, Southampton; Amazon cutter, Sir John Walsh, Bart., Yarmouth. 27th—Galatea schooner, C. R. M. Talbot, Esq., M.P., Southampton ; Claude yawl, Thomas Gibson, Esq., M.P., London. 28th—Kestrel ketch, Commodore Earl of Yarborough, Guernsey. 30th—Adelaide cutter, Sir Robert Gore Booth, Bart., Kingstown, Ireland ; Ariel schooner, Almon Hill, Esq., Cher bourg; Georgian schooner, William Lyon, Esq., westward. SAILINGS. July 28th—Witch cutter, Henry Oglander, Esq., for Brest. 29th—Kestrel ketch, Commodore Earl of Yarborough, on a cruise to the westward; Corsair cutter, John Congreve, Esq., ditto ; Naiad cutter, John Quantock, Esq., ditto ; Flirt schooner, Sir B. R. Graham, Bart., ditto; Noran cutter, Sir Henry old Hoghton, Bart., for Dover. 31st—Intrepid cutter, Earl of Tyrconnel, for Portsmouth, left for the season. YACHTS AT AND ABOUT THE STATION. Schooners—Ariel, Georgian, Brilliant, Camilla, Galatea, Zephyretta. Cutters—Pearl, Sparrowhawk, Alarm, Hebe, Emerald, Petrel, Reindeer, Whim, Nymph, Amazon, Osprey, Ariadne, Ganymede, Maid of the Mist, Owen Glendwr, Spider, Medina. Yawls—Claude, Breeze, Stormfinch, Eagle. IN HARBOUR. Hawk schooner, Aurora cutter, Therese cutter, Will-o% the- Wisp cutter, Fairy schooner. FASHIONABLE ARRIVALS THIS WEEK. Lord Southampton, to South Parade ; Marquis and Mar chioness of Blandford, to ditto; Mrs. Armstrong, to ditto; Captain George St. John Mildmay, to ditto ; Mr. George Norbury, to did(); Marchioness Wellesley, to Rosemount; Lord Ernest Bruce, to Castle Terrace; Lady James Graham, to Belmore House ; Lord and Lady Clonbrock, to No. 2 in the West Cliff. The harvest has commenced generally through the Isle of Wight : the farmers are cutting and carrying. STEAM NAVY of GREAT BRITAIN. In September, 1841, there were 68 steam-vessels of all classes in commission. On July 1, 1844, there were 89. In September, 1841, there were 15 steam-vessels in ordinary ; in July last, there were 12. In 1841, we had 8 on the stocks; now, we have building 26. The amount of horse-power in 1841 and 1844 is as follows: Sept. 1841. In commission ...... 9,329 In ordinary Building The steam-vessels building al Horse-power. 1 Terrible ... 800 Avenger 650 Dragon Vulcan (iron) Centaur Sphynx July 1844. 13,941 3,167 9,526 SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. GOODWOOD RACES.—YESTERDAY. Five races for the gentlemen, and four for the profes sional jockeys, made up an ample bill of fare for the fourth and last day of a meeting, that to the fullest ex tent has realised all that we had expected from it in the way of sport, it attracted a better company than usual at the fag end of the week, and the weather being favour able, went off with uncommon eclat. Owing to the de lays of the gentleman riders, the first race, which was fixed for half-past twelve, was not run until nearly one. It came off as 'follows : The Bathyany Stakes of 5 sovs. each ; three yrs, 9st 12Th ; four yrs, 1 Ist 71b ; five yrs, 12st 21b ; 6 yrs and aged, 12st 51b. Maidgtone course. Lord G. Bentinck's Naworth, aged (Ld. Maidstone) 0 1 Lord Maidstone's Mechanic, 4 yrs Duke of Richmond's Elysium, 4 yrs The following also started, but were not placed:— Lord G. Bentinck's Black Gentleman, 4 yrs—Lord G. Bentinck's Vol au Vent, 3 yrs—Mr. 1-IJohnstone's Daft Watty, 4 yrs—Mr. H. Johnstone's Easingwold, aged. 5 to 2 agst Naworth, 3 to 1 agst Daft Watty, and 4 to 1 each agst Elysium and Mechanic. Mechanic made nearly all the running, Naworth fol lowing three or four lengths behind him, until they got into straight running, when he drew upon him, reached him at the distance, ran with him head and head to the Chair, and enabled the Judge to pronounce it a dead heat. Elysium was a bad third. Deciding heat.—Even betting. Naworth won by a length. The Nassau Stakes of 50 sovs. each; for three yrs old fillies, Bst 71b each; the second to receive 100 sovs. out of the stakes. New mile. (26 Subs.) Lord G. Bentinck's All-round-my-Hat (Rogers) . 1 Colonel Anson's The Princess (91b extra) Colonel Peel's Zenobia 3 Lord Exeter's Pergularia 4 Mr. Gregory's Barricade 5 Even on Princess, 2 to 1 agst Zenobia, 5 to 1 agst Barricade, and 6 to 1 a g st All-round-my-Hat. The running was made by Pergularia for three-quar ters of a mile, followed by Zenobia and All-round-my- Hat ; Zenobia then went in front, and, with All-round my-Hat and The Princess laid up, carried the running on to the distance, where All-round-my-Hat headed her, and The Princess taking the second place, a fine race between the three from the weighing stand in terminated in favour of All-round-my-Hat by half a length, Zenobia a capital third. Match, 50, Bst 71b each. T.Y.C. Lord G. Bentinck's Rose of Cashmere (Rogers) 1 Lord G. Bentinck's Olive Oil 2 to 1 on Rose of Cashmere. Won by ten lengths. The Olive Oil was lent by Lord G. Bentinck to Lord Glasgow to make this match, which arose out of a difference of opinion as to the relative merits of the two horses. The Chesterfield Cup, by subscriptions of 15 sovs. each. Craven Course. (42 Subs.) Lord Chesterfield's Knight-of-the-Whistle, 6 yrs, 9st (Nat) 1 Lord Eglinton's Pompey, 4 yrs, Bst 21b 2 The following started bnt were not placed :—Garry Owen, aged, Bst 81b—The Altered One, 5 yrs, Bst 51b — Poison, 4 yrs, 7st 131b—Our Nell, 5 yrs, 7st 121b—Nat. 4 yre, 7st 101b—Khorassan, 4 yrs, 7st 101b—What, 4 yrs, 7st 61b—Zeila, 4 yrs, Est 131b—Pride of Kildare, 3 yrs, Est 41b—Croton Oil, 3 yrs, Gst—Example, 3 yrs, sst 71b, and Moustache, 3 yrs, sst. Betting-5 to 2 agst Our Nell, Gto 1 agst Garry Owen, 6to 1 agst Pompey, 10 to 1 agst Croton Oil, Example, and Moustache, 12 to 1 agst Knight : of-the- Whistle. Croton Oil made play at a good pace, attended by Khorassan and Poison, to the turn, where the Knight-of the-Whistle lost the second place, which he held to the distance ; here, on Croton Oil's retirement, he took up the running, Pompey, who had hitherto laid off, follow ing him. At the stand the two singled themselves out, and ran a splendid race home, the Knight winning only by a head; Poison third, and the Pride of Kildare fourth. The Maidstone Stakes of 15 sovs. each, with 50 added; 3 yrs olds, 9st 91b ;• 4 yrs, llst 41b ; 5 yrs, Ilst 131 b ; 6 yrs and aged, 12st 41b; the winner to be sold for 500 sovs. The Maidstone Course. Gentlemen riders, members of the Goodwood Club. Lord Eglinton's Aristides, 4 yrs (Capt. Pettat) 1 Lord Chesterfield's Parthian, 4 yrs Mr. W. Sadler's Idleness, 3 yrs 3 Lord Exeter's fby Gladiator, out of Elegance, 4 yrs 4 Mr. Hook's Una, 6 yrs Mr. Bowes ns T'Auld Squire, 3 yrs Mr. Scott's Mosque, 6 yrs Lord G. Bentinck's Croton Oil, 3 yrs Betting-2 to 1 agst Parthian, 3to 1 agst Aristides, 7 to 1 agst Idleness, 8 to 1 agst Mosque (t), 8 to 1 agst Una, and Bto 1 agst T'Auld Squire. Aristides took-the lead at starting, and made running at a great pace to the turn at the end of the straight course, where it was taken up by T'Auld Squire and Idleness, Aristides, waiting on them. At the top of the hill, however, he resumed his lead, carried the running to the end, and won in a canter by three lengths, Parthian, who was in the rear until near the straight run in, second, and Idle ness a bad third. The March Stakes of 10 sops. each, h ft (handicap), for all horses. Gentlemen riders. Last three quarters of a mile of the D.R.S.C. (8 Subs. in each class, and 40 pay 5 sovs. each to the winner of the challenger.) (First Class.) Ld Eglinton's Quebec, 4 yrs, 1 Ist 61b (CaptainPettat) 1 Ld Bentinck's Vol au Vent, 3 yrs, 9st The following also started, but were not placed : Mr. Dawson's Our Nell, 5 yrs, 12st 41b—Duke of Rich mond's Cornopean, 4 yrs, list 71b—Lord G. Ben tinck's Coal Black Rose, 3 yrs, 9st 81b—and Lord G. Bentinck's Black Gentleman, 4 yrs, lOst 21b. BErrixo-6 to 4 agst Cornopean, 5 to 2 agst Quebec, and 4 to 1 agst Coal Black Rose.—Won easy by two lengths, Cornopean !, bad third,Black Gentleman fourth, (Second Class of the March Stakes.) ,apt. Harcourt's Sir Abstrupus, 4 yrs, list 81b (Mr. H. Johnstone) Duke of Richmond's, the Currier, aged, 10st 121 b Mr. Reeves's Tarquin, 4 yrs, lOst 61b Lord G. Bentinck's Best Bower, 3 yrs, 9st 121 b Lord G. Bentinck's the Great Mogul, 3 yrs, 9st 41b 0 Lord G. Bentinck's Alva, 3 yrs, Bst 131 b 0 6 to 4 agst Sir Abstrupus, 5 to 2 agst Tarquin, 7 to 2 agst Alva, and 4 to 1 agst Best Bower.—Won by a length, Tarquin a good third, Challenge for the March Stakes. Lord Eglinton's Quebec, 4yrs, list 121 b (Capt. Pettat) 1 Captain Harcourt's Sir Abstrupus , 12 st Duke of Richmond:s Cornopean, list 71b Lord G. Bentinck's Vol au Vent, 9st 0 Lord G. Bentinck's The Great Mogul, 9st 41b 0 Betting-5 to 4 agst Sir Abstrupus, 2to 1 agst Cor nopean, 3 to 1 agst Vol au Vent, 5 to 1 agst Quebec. Won by a length. I Match. (Nat) Mr. Payne's Walpole Lord Rosslyn's Elemi 6 to 4 on Walpole, who made all the running and won by a length. Some complaints were conveyed to us on the course, and alluded to in our report of Wednesday's pro ceedings, of the delay which had taken place, in conveying the passengers by the South-Western Railway via Farnham to the course. But, on inquiry, we find, that the Railway Company were not to blame, having invariably performed their distance within the time stipulated, namely, three hours. It was in the journey from Fareham to Goodwood time was lost. The distance is four and twenty miles, the latter part of the journey through the park, being up a long and precipitous hill ; and this, with stoppages, even with the best teams, could scarcely be performed in much less than three hours—a period which, from the early hour at which the races commenced, half-past twelve, necessarily led to one or two races being dis posed of before the travellers could by any possibility arrive. In future years it may be desirable to start a special train at six instead of seven o'clock. (RECEIVED THIS DAY.) LEOMINSTER RACES—THURSDAY. The Wolpling Stakes of 5 soya. each, with 25 added, 3 Subs., one mile s and a quarter, were won, in two heats, by Mr. Hob son's Charity, 4 yra, Bst llb (S. Darling, jun.), beating Mr. 1 Wildman's Coheiress, 4 yrs, Bst lib, and Mr. Fowler's Filby. 4 yrs, Bst lib, in a canter. The Volka Stakes of 5 sovs. each, and 25 added. Two miles. (5 Subscribers.) Mr. Davies's Princess of Wales, 5 yrs, Bst 61b Mr. E. Herbert's Tariff, 5 yrs , 9 st Mr. Saunders's Caitiff, 5 yrs, Bst 131 b 3 2 3 Mr. Fowler's Filby, 4 yrs, Bst llb The first heat was won easy, the second by a neck, and the third cleverly, by a length. The Hurdle Stakes of 5 sovs. each, with 30 added. Twice round and the long length, over four hurdles. (7 Subs.) Mr. J. Wadlow's Nora Creina, 6 yrs, llst 41b ... 2 4 1 1 Mr. Barker's Bonnet Rouge, aged, llst 41b..... 0 1 2 2 Mr. Raworth's Clinker, aged, 12st 41b 1 2 3 dr Mr. J. Smith's Go-forget-me, 4 yrs, lOst 81b Mr. James's Jack, aged, list 41 b Mr. Powell's Cracksman , aged list 81 b Mr. Bradley's Sweetheart, 6 yrs, llst 71b Three heats were well contested, but the last was won in a trot, Bonnet Rouge pulling up lame. SWANSEA RACES.—THURSDAY. The Prince of Wales's Stakes of 3 sovs. each, with 25 added, two miles, 4 subs., were won in two heat s b y Mr. Parr's Zanthus, 4 yrs, 7st 111 b, beating Mr. Gough's Fausta, 6 yrs, 9st 71b, and Mr. Wilks's Mimic, 6 yrs, 9st 21b. The County Stakes of 2 soya. each, with 20 added, two miles, were won in two heats by Mr. 11. Lucas's St. David, 5 yrs, 9st 111 b, beating Sergeant Botherem, aged, 10st'71b, and Mr. S. Padley's Acorn, 4 yrs, 9st 11b. The Swansea Stakes of 2 sovs. each, with 20 added, one mile, were won in two heats by Mr. Pearce's jack, 5 yrs, Bst 121 b, beating Mr. Gough's Aimwell, aged, Bst 21b, Mr. Bowers's Picton, 4 yrs, 7st 111 b, and two others. The Hurdle Stakes of 3 sovs. each, and 20 added, two miles, over three hurdles, were won in two heats by Mr. Southby'a Waterloo, 5 yrs, list 41b (Parr), beating Mr. Beresford's Magpie, 5 yrs, list 7114 and three others. ST. LEGER BETTING AT GOODWOOD. 3to 1 agst The 'Cure (t.) 12 to I agst The Princess (t.) 5 to 1 agst Ithuriel 12 to 1 agst Foig-a-ballagh -6 to 1 agst Bay Momus taken 10 to 1 agst Valerian ( t ) 20 to 1 agst Morpeth 11 to 1 agst Red Deer (t.) 25 to 1 agst The Ugly Buck. to then r.... EXECUTION AT LINCOLN. —This morning (Friday) at 12 o'clock, the unfortunate woman Eliza Joice, suffered the extreme penalty of the law on the new drop, for the wilful murder of her two children, Eliza and Ann Joice, at Boston, in this county, by administering to them laudanum. It being market-day she was launched into eternity amidst upwards of 5,000 spectators. TUB HOUSE or Commoxs.—lmmediately after the adjournment of Parliament, Bellamy's-rooms, the vote office, and a considerable portion of the lobby are to be pulled down to afford room for the improvements about to be commenced for the approach to St. Stephen's Hall. The an cient crypt of St. Stephen's Chapel is to be cleared and en tirely restored, that part of the former Houses of Parliament not having received any considerable injury when those Houses were destroyed by fire some years back. The clois ters, remarkable for what remains of their original architec tural beauty, as well as the crypt, are intended to lie restored 4010.4 LITERAT URE. THE VOYAGE OF LIFE, 3 Vols. Bentley, London, 1844. Those of our readers who care only for the excite ment of fiction, and are not very particular as to pro bability or sustained continuousness of incident, will derive much amusement from the perusal of this story, which abounds in the romantic and the adventurous, in the New World as well as in the Old , and is re commended by th e graces o f an ea sy, fluent, style. Many of the most gr a phi c scenes in the story are laid in Canada ; and on e o f t h e mos t e xtraordinary , inci dents, which takes place close beside the Falls of Niagara, is—so the authoress, Miss Muro, assures us in her preface--a literal fact, thereby affording an other illustration of L or d Byron's hacknied remark that " truth ,is str anger t h an fi c ti o n." The descrip tions in the second vo l ume o f th e t e rrible fire in New York is a powerful piece of painting ; but the account of the rescue of Colonel Vernon and Edith Courtenay, by the hero and his brother, draws much too largely on the reader's credulity. Improbability of incident, indeed, is throughout the great defect of the narrative, and deprives it of much of the interest that would otherwise belong to it. THE JILT. 3 Vols. Bentley, London. This is truly a story of the present day. Some of the most characteristic scenes are laid at. the West end of the metropolis ' and have reference to the fashionable academy o f Mrs. de Belton, where young ladies are so highly and diligently polished, pre vious to their entrance into the enchanted world of the ball-room, that not a particle of rude, healthy, natural feeling is left adhering to them. The cha racter of Mrs._ de Belton is drawn with great tact, ' yet without exaggeration ; and the advice which she gives to her pupils—especially as regards their matri tnonial views—is full of quiet sarcasm. The Jilt, Melicent Luttrell, who gives the title to the tale, is also a well-sustained portrait, though difficulties and trials are at times heaped upon her in a lavish profu sion, savouring not a little of the improbable. The Hon. James Erskine Murray, whose melan , choly death in Borneo will be found detailed in the extracts from the Overland Mail, was of the Elibank family, and married the only child of Mr. James Erskine, of Man, which name he assumed upon his marriage. He was uncle of the present Lord Elibank, and an advocate at the Scotch bar. He s i nc e, published, a f ew years a very interesting work, detailing a p e d estr i an tour he made across the summits of the Pyrennees. He was in his 35th year. DEATII OF Mg. RALPH LAMIITON.—We regret we have to announce the death of the above gentleman, who has been, since February, 1837, confined to his couch, from the effects of a fall while hunting. The Venerable Gentleman expired on Monday last, at his seat, Horton-house, Durham. Mr. Lambton was son of General and Lady Susan Lambton, daughter of the Earl of Strathmore, a nd uncle of the late Earl of Durham. Mr. Lambton was well known in th e sport i ng wor ld as having for manyyears been a mast er o f h oun d s i n t h e North, which be only gave up at the time of his accident although of a gr eat age, and sold hi s h oun d s to L or d Suffield for a higher price than was ever given before. THE SINKING FUND.—A return of the rate of in crease of the Sinking Fund, from the first establishment of it by Mr. Pitt, in the year 1786, to the close of the continen tal war in 1815, in periods of five years, has been obtained and printed, on th e motion o f Mr. W odeuouse, M.P. for Nor folk. It hence ap pears that the am oun t o f s i n ki ng f un d actually appropriated was, from August, 1786, to February, i n the year ending February 1, 1791, 1787, 500, 555 /. ; 1 0 20 211/ exh ibiting an increase of 719,656/, in five years; in the year ending " February 1, 1796, 2,143,5951., exhibiting an increase of 923,384/., in five years ; in the year ending February 1801, 4,91 1 , 135 /.2 exhibiting an increase of 2,767, 5391. in five years .; in the year ending February 1, 1806, 7,850,0331•, ex hibiting an inc rease o f 2 ,983,897 / . i n fi ve years; in the year ending February 1,1811, 12,050,5371., ex hibiting an increase of 4,200,503/. in five years ; and in the year ending February 1, 1816, 1 4,109,512/., exhibiting an in crease of 2,058,9751. in five years. Thus it appears that be tween the years 1786 and 1816, the amount of sinking fund actually appropriated was increased altogether by the sum of 13,608,957/., that is to say, frolll 5A5551. to 14,109,5121. 3,791 me these : 26,634 Horse-power. Niger . Odin 450 Gladiator 430 Bulldog .. ......... 420 Scourge Inflexible . ...... 420 Simpson Conflict . Dauntless Desperate The largest, the Terrible, is one-third built, and will be launched before the close f the present financial year; the Amphion, 36, is in a very forward state, as are the Dragon, Gladiator (will be launched in six weeks), Sampson, In flexible, Scourge, Trident, Vulcan, the six small dispatch boats, and the Spitfire. The Bulldog has her keel laid down, and will be launched at the end of the year. The Sphynx is laid down, the Centaur has her timbers prepared, and the frame of the Avenger is being cut out. The timbers of the Conflict, Dauntless, Desperate, Niger, and Odin are partly prepared and in course of preparation. NUMBER OF SEAMEN AND MA RINES IN THE NAVY. Some most gross and seemingly wilful misrepresentations of the number of seamen and marines of the navy having been made by parties whose positions might entitle them to some degree of credit, we have extracted from official sources the following statement of the number of seamen and marines voted during the last seven years :- 1837-38 Seamen Supplementary 465 Marines . 1838-39 Seamen . Marines ... 9,000 1839-40 Seamen Marines ... 9,000 1840-41 Seamen .... ..... Marines 1841-42 Seamen Marines 1842-43 Seamen Marines 1843-44 Seamen Marines • 10,500 1844-45 Seamen Marines .. The following is a statement of the actual number of sea men borne on the navy books :- Ist January, 1838 Ditto 1839 Ditto lB4O Ditto lB4l Ditto 1842 Ditto 1843 Ditto 1844 And from undoubted authority we find that the number borne on the books on the Ist ult. was above 28,000, so that with our decreased number of ships of the line, and, as some unhesitatingly assert, our " decreased number of smaller ves sels," we have actually a greater force of seamen and marines than in 1841, with the so-much-vaunted-of 26 sail of the line.—Morning Herald. ALARMING AFFAIR AT GIIIRALTAR._The lateaors-t ar rival of the Gibraltar mail brings informationvonity of that fur tress, of a most alarming occurrence happening in the tress, which has created the greatesthant, much respected in sensation amongst the residents. A Mr. Starkey, a merchant, btArvio the town, was riding on horseibieea:ckw,hienu ctowmop an m y ou w nt it e l d i other gentlemen, near San Rog up gands, armed to the teeth , rode and stopped them. They they directed Mr. Sarkeyoto f o ll o w them, and told his com panions to proceed on - t Gibraltar, saying that if within twenty-four hours the sum of 20,000 dollars was not sent to them at a certain place, it would go hard with their friend Mr. Starkey. They t c h e en rode off with their prisoner, and the gentlemen lost n o time in making for Gibraltar, and com municating the affair to the military authories. Scouring, par ties of the Carabiniers were promptly sent out in all di rections; but nothing was heard of the robbers or of their a ptive un til late in the evening, when a sheph er d state d that c he had seen three horsemen enter a thicket adjoining the Pine-wood. A strong body of military was quickly dis patched to the spot, and by the troops surrounding this part of the forest, the escape of the brigands was rendered im possible. They were at last discovered, and being called upon to surrender themselves as prisoners, made a most de termined resistance. One was shot; and the other, having an excellent horse under him, dashed his way through the Carabiniers, and eventually escaped. To the surprise of all Mr. Starkey was not in the least injured. It appears that one of his sisters had recently been married to a captain of the Carabiniers, who has much distinguished himself in appre hending several of these daring ruffians, which no doubt in duced them to attack Mr. Starkey. The Earl of Selkirk and suite were among the passengers by the General Steam Navigation Company's mail-packet Countess of Lonsdale, from Hamburgh, which vessel brought tho mail of Wednesday from that place. The General Steam Navigation Company's favou rite steamer Magician, was again employed, on Thursday last, to bring the Indian mail from Boulogne to . Dover. She landed the mail and about 50 passengers a little over two hours after her departure from Boulogne. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PORTSMOUTH, Am. 2.—The Victoria and Albert Royal steam-yacht, Captain Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence, was taken out of dock yesterday and alongside the shears and masted ; she had also her new funnel fitted and fixed. There now appears some probability of this fine vessel being again fit for the service of her Royal owners. Her Noble Captain so journed in Portsmouth several days to expedite her fittings, and now she has terminated her long residence in dock, it may be presumed she really is to convey her Majesty and Prince Albert upon their marine excursions. The Seafiower cutter, Commander N. Robilliard, and Lily. 16, were undocked on Thursday ; the former, after having I been overhauled and repaired ; the latter to be brought for ' ward to compete with the new experimental 12 gun brigs, which squadron, we are now told, will not be commissioned until the whole (brigs and competitors) are ready for the pendant. The Dwarf steam-vessel, Lieutenant Commander W.Cham - berlayne, arrived from Plymouth on Tuesday, which she left on the previous day. On her passage, however, her boilers were found to leak, and she was consequently compelled to hoist canvass, under which she came into this harbour. She appears very ill adapted as a sailing craft, being exceedingly narrow and lugger-rigged, fitted with the screw instead of paddles. She is undergoing repairs in dock here. The Comet steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Commander Pretty man, arrived on Monday from Woolwich, and will remain at this port under the orders of the Commander-in-Chief, Sir Charles Rowley. The Firebrand steam-sloop was towed out of the basin on Monday. It is expected that Captain A. L. Corry will hoist a broad pendant as Commodore of the second-class on board this splendid vessel, and take the command of the experi mental squadron. The Queen, 110, Captain Martin, was taken out of dock and entered the basin alongside the jetty on Tuesday. She is entering hands to endeavour to make up her complement, and otherwise completing preparations for sailing, to take the command-in• chief at the Nore. The Collingwood, 80, Captain H. Eden, tiag of Rear-Admi ral Sir G. Seymour, is still at Spithead waiting sailing orders. Her crew were mustered and inspected by Captain Eden (the Commander-in-chief, Sir Charles Rowley, being still in a very weak state of health) yesterday, and she will be paid two months' advance this day. The Spy brigantine, paid off at Chatham on Tuesday, will be overhauled and repaired, and be brought forward for re • commission, being found too useful a vessel to be idle. The America, 50, Captain the Hon. John Gordon, sailed from Madeira on the 28th ult. for the Brazils. Private letters speak of her sailing qualifications first-rate. The Amazon, 26, raz6e corvette, and Vulture, first-class steam-frigate, are both ready for the pendant at Sheerness. It is not expected that the 'Vernon, 50, will be recommis sioned at present. The Rose, 18, Commander H. R. Sturt, was at Vera. Cruz on the 14th ult., awaiting the arrival of the Electra, 18, Com mander A. Parley, from the Leeward Islands, to relieve her. Terrific gales have been blowing since Tuesday morning from the north-west upon this coast. Their violence has been unprecedented for this time of the year. Considerable damage has been done to the corn standing near the beach, and many boats and other craft have dragged their anchors and gone out to sea. The violence of the wind is unabated, although the tumult of the waters is somewhat decreased. Yesterday and Wednesday the water washed over the walls of the town as the tide rose with fearful rapidity, and heavy showers have continued to pour down at short intervals ever since Tuesday morning. The new steam-basin in course of construction in the Royal dockyard, for vessels of war, is rapidly being proceeded with, and when finished will form one of the most complete and spacious establishments of the kind in the world. Three new building-slips, for ships of any class, are also in rapid course of completion. These are in lieu of those demolished to enlarge the site of the new steam-basin. The Prince Regent is in speedy course of cutting down from a first-rate to a 90-gun ship. Her new elliptic stern, which is now being fitted, will add greatly to her beauty and appearance. The Vindictive, 50, Captain J. Toup Nicolas, is in liar bour, returning stores, preparatory to being paid off. It is not expected, however, she will remain long out of commis . sion, being such a crack ship. THE CUSTOM-ROUSE FRAUDS AGAlN.—Consider able excitement prevailed at the Custom-house yesterday, and among the numerous merchants and agents in the neigh bourhood, in consequence of a rumour which, it is to be feared, is but too true, that a firm in the City who have transacted business as Custom-house agents for many years, and who have hitherto been considered of irreproachable cha- racter and probity, have decamped. Of course, we cannot at present speak as to the probable cause of this rumoured sudden departure ; but it is to be feared that it is in consequence of the searching investigation, at present taking place into the official books at the Custom-house for several years past. HIBERNIAN MINING COMPANY.—Yesterday the half-yearly meeting of this Company took place at the office in Austin-friars, J. H. Bradshaw, Esq., in the chair. From the report it appeared that several new works had been undertaken, and the seam of coal continued good. The sales, in spite of the competition, had exceeded those of the pre vious six months by about 2,700 tons, the sales for the half year being 9,037 tons, which produced the sum of 2,6354 and a more extensive sale was only wanting to yield a divi dend. The trial for the vein of copper at Alfacore had been discontinued, after an outlay of 1501. After the reading and adoption of the report, a vote of thanks was passed to th Di rectors of the Company. CHATHAM DOCKYARD.—On the 30th ult. the Earl of Dundonald paid an official visit to this dockyard, when the steam-vessel Janus, of 4 guns, which was built in this yard on a peculiar construction, designed by the gallant officer, was put out of dock for the purpose of testing h er boilers in his presence. The Janus was taken into dock again on Thursday, the Ist inst. The Trafalgar, 120 guns, fitting as an advance ship, is nearly completed ; and the new stern, _ _ . . which has been pia on the plan of Mr. Finchani, master: builder, is now finished and painted, and has a very noble appearance. This vessel is reckoned to be the finest ship in the service. She goes out of dock on Saturday. Captain Brandreth, of the Rol Engineers, and director of works at this yard, arrived on Wednesday, the 31st ult., and inspected the erection of the new buildings now being raised in the dif ferent parts of the yard, and left here on the Ist inst. for the purpose of inspecting the works at Sheerness Dockyard. DETENTION OF DR. WOLFF.—Advices from Con- stantinople, July 17, say that " a letter had been received from Dr. Wolff, announcing his detention by the Ameer of Bokhara, under the following circumstances :—The Bokharee Envoy, who, it was said, was to have accompanied Dr.Wolfr to England, has been arrested on his road from Persia, at Meshed, by the Ameer of that place, as a hostage for the Doctor's safe delivery from the hands of the Ameer of Bolt hara ; and the latter, on hearing of this act, had declared that the Englishman should not depart until the Bokharee Envoy had been set at liberty,. Such, it is said, are the main state . . ments in Dr. Wolff's letters, dated Bokhara, May 12 ; ' that it is probable, since the Ameer of Bokhara did not ap pear to be personally hostile to Dr. Wolff, and the Ameer of Meshed was known to be actuated by friendly motives to wards him, we may soon hope to hear of his safe departure from Bokhara." A Durham journal says—" A diabolical outrage was committed yesterday morning, at Walridge . near Chester-le-Street, by some heartless villain tiring a gun heavily loaded through the window-shutters of a house occu pied by John Walker, a deputy, by which he and his wife were severely injured whilst asleep in bed. Some murderous scoundrels have perpetrated a similar outrage at Rainton, in the Marquis of Londonderry's collieries, by firing a shot' in the window sole of one of the black-legs'—which was so heavily charged as to shatter the walls, and to cause the ex plosion to be heard two miles off." Sir Watkin Williams Wynn, Bart., at his audit last week, caused a return of 10/. per cent. to be made on the rents of all his tenantry at Llangedwin, Llaurhaiad, and Llansilin. GREENLAND FISHERY.—The Vidocq, Captain James Graham, has come in with a quantity of seals on board. The number is not yet ascertained, but it is said that the seals are all more or less broken. The Vidocq will shortly be brought into dock, and her cargo thorougly overhauled by Inspector T. Dtmeombe.—Punch. THE CROPS IN FRANCE.—The Courrier de Lyon gives a flattering account of the 'state of the crops in that part of the country. The harvest is going on most satisfac torily, the grain in abundance, and very fine. The vines have recovered in consequence of the late favourable weather, and should it continue, the crop may be expected to be an average one and of good quality. A tolerable after crop of hay is also expected. In Champagne and in the Vosges, however, the prospects of the farmer are not so favourable. The wet weather, in many parts, has rendered the harvest backward, and it is feared that much of the corn will be spoiled. THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS.—The complaint of want of rain is no longer heard from the farmers ; the copious showers of the last ten days have filled the ground with moisture, and though it has been scarcely sufficient to open the springs freely, an apprehension began to prevail on Tuesday, when the barometer fell in twenty-four hours from "fair" to "change," and from " change" to "rain," that we were doomed to have a wet harvest. The rising of the mercury since that time has served to dissipate these alarms, and in the southern counties, where the harvest has com menced pretty generally, the prospects are said to be grati fying for the wheat crops, and that even the spring corn, such as oats and barley, turn out better than was expected. La our northern counties little corn has yet been cut, and the latter hay harvest has been retarded by the late rains. The second crops of clover and grass form a striking contrast to the meagre produce of the first, and the potatoes and turnips, without any very great prospect of abundance, have improved amazingly within the last three weeks.—Leeds Mereury. GALLANT DEFENCE.—On the morning of the 20th ult., at four o'clock, five men armed with pistols, entered the house of Pat Hogan, at Fenlough, as the door was opened. When Hogan's sister saw them come in, she ran into a room where her brothers slept, and alarmed them ; they got out of bed, and closed the door, and John Hogan put his shoulder to it to keep it closed, when a shot was fired through the door which wounded him in the arm. Hogan's brother Pat kept f i pa i nrgty i nfgrom sto g n e e t s tin oN g •e in r t o h v e er ro i o t m . T w w al o l, w a i ll n d do k w e s pt we so re m s e m o a t s h t h e c e i by them when they went out into the yard.—Neriagh 6'uardian A VETERAN.—There is now living in one of the i i gu n Stoney-street , reached d is town, tiieady hospitals obe rtß a pensioner, named Robert need age of ninety five years. He enlisted in 1771 into the 57th Regiment of Foot, and served during the whole of the American being wounded at the b a ttl e o f Brandywine. He also served w,r in Holland; and after being nearly twenty-four years a soldier, he received his discharge in 1794, since which time he has been in the receipt of a pension. Though infirm, the' old fellow still retains his memory unimpaired, and possesees an almost interminable fund of campaigning anecdotes, which he often recounts for the amusement of his friends, and he i* never better pleased than when he has this opportunity a " fighting all his battles o'er again."—Nottingham Journal_ SHETLAND.—On Friday, the 19th ult., Mr. Ed ward Standen, of Oxford, and of the Shetland warehouse, Jermyn-street, London, and Mr. Robert Turnbull, son of the respected minister of Tingwall parish, Shetland, left Scallo way for Raewick, a distance of ten miles, in a sailing boat belonging to the latter. They were accompanied by two Shetland boatmen. When within two or three miles of their destination, the boat, from press of canvass, and perhaps from some mismanagement, filled with water, and having a quantity of ballast on board she quickly sunk. Mr. Turnbull and the two men, unable to swim, remained, by the boat, and all three went down with ber.. Mr. Standen was left alone upon the water, swimming with difficulty, having on an extra coat and heavy boots- His situation appeared a hopeless one, but providentially a Spanish vessel, the Flora, of Bilboa, Capt. Ybinaga, w as within sight and to the windward. The captain saw the ac cident, bore down to the spot, and by promptitude and good management reached Mr. Standen in about a quarter of an. hour, only just in time to save him being exhausted. Every kindness and attention was shown on board to recover him, and he was landed at Scalloway. This accident shown Juni necessary it is that along our coasts isl and s ait e . neral attention should be naiA thenoble art of to Scarcely a Siletland-- and spent ...a can swim, and yet Ills whole life Is water 1 I. Nock. I