The Sun. — London, England, 1844-03-25 00:00:00

RER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. v i C ta daraoiselle Favanti, an English young lady, ihe 'lle real name is Edwards, and who was a pupil of 46..,/toyal Acad em y o f M us i c , made a most successful AZ, na Saturday evening. Since she left the Royal ZenlY she has been studying in Italy, and created ra t e L at sensatio n a t Naples last season. The judg aZi:of the N eapo lit an public was ratified by the n of the frequenters of her Majesty's Theatre so 8 7,1 4 the most fastidious audience in the world) es ts i n iurdaY• Never was debut more completely suc h,* • The opera was La Cenerentola,: and long t„tirethe ri s i ng of the curtain the house was crowded l e i tfocation in every part. The pit was crammed t th r ..re minutes—the sittings were so crowded that ro-7.7,wh0 were there could not get room even to turn 41 72% The circle, from many parts of which it is 0 47 5 81131 e to ge t a v i ew o f the stage without standing le3'tne, was thronged, and the entrances were corn '''. blocked up. The crush was terrific. The 4 0 ne appears in the first scene of the opera, and ithing could exceed the enthusiasm with which Ma kin iseile Favanti was greeted. She immediately kni lnenced th e b eau tif u l romanza " Una volta c'era a"c," and it was a t once ev ident that her powers were e ° eoramon order. During the whole of this scene k r w :s much and deservedly applauded. Her man pen°t',.[Civing this scene had prepared us to expect te e d l wings ; our expectations were more than real • 4r her duet "Parler voglio e taccio intanti," with It it r i r ° (Signor Corelli). Never since the days of era/I has such a voice been heard within the walls am Sher Majesty's Theatre. It is, in fact, three complete % V . !' rfect voices—a soprano, a mezzo soprano, and a ,‘2 1 .. t0• Equal to Malibran's voice in power and tl lO -38, and in flexibility, there is not that break in b ra ,_ l ;licidle notes which was the great defect in Mali - Zs voice. In Favanti's voice there is not a weak th ree In this duet she ran with ease through k complete octaves, and yet appeared by %irate; to have reached the utmost compass of her nh . (it is said that her compass is three octaves and thrt), and its flexibility is equal to its power, and •l e ase and rapidity with which she ran from the to t i',l notes to the upper, and then descended again Ne lower, was perfectly astonishing. The audience ti 'n perfect raptures, and applause loud and long thie tined, ogresh as is seldom heard within the walls of sin_ theatre eted the fair debutante at the conclu 4of the duet. The audience were fairly carried more 12 .37 their enthusiasm, and the scene resembled 4r e the rapturous greeting with which a favourite p rine er Pived in the theatres of Italy than the cold ex n. of approbation which is in general the utmost Ine.. habitual retenue of the Opera House fre- Vters in this country permits them to exhibit. .duet was encored and repeated in the same Cn i lshing manner. It was one of the most i lt ;erful specimens of bravura that we ever kit e " Then came the scene with Don Mag- N il ° and Dandini, in which she entreats the Isa for permit her to go to the ball if it were ) ,,lor one hour only. Here again the audience i n "re w kept in perfect astonishment at the wonderful th n er and flexibility of her voice. She ran through mast rapid passages with the greatest apparent eokbellishin g them with the most tasteful graces. , t ki floriture was the most intricate, the most difficult, .t th e same ti me th e mos t graceful, that could be "'fined, and yet executed with a facility and an yr o rent absence of effort that was perfectly mar- N e ts.; and at the conclusion of the quintette, with th g.. the scene closes, the audience again testified k i ; admiration of her extraordinary powers by the a n '' rapturous applause. The next scene in which t ie i z rars is the ball scene, and here again she '% ned the audience by her manner of giving the tiar:zzo quei don che versa." This scena was alto ion J One of the most extraordinary exhibi of 'vocal power ever heard and was , of ir e L e, rapturously encored. Equally wonderful ls it "er manner of giving the concluding scena of t he 114 . It is a concerted piece, including all the kh, s 7eters, and sustained by a powerful chorus ; bu t Z all the voices, above the chorus, above the hi tt i t ents, was heard the voice of Favanti , rev ellin g , , Were, in its extraordinary powers. S he was 14 for at the conclusion of the first act, and led rd by Corelli, who by his exquisite singing and tug in the character of Don Ramiro has added ' la i r' s 4 , 1 Y to his already well-earned fame, and who . k t i,, ai t r to become a permanent favourite with the te,.„'ln public. In the second act we find her again R ,_`derlarentola, the Cinderella, in her old and mean 'IQ and engaged in the servile offices of the N r ,". Exquisitely . did she give the beautiful kii,","_Y, " Quanto sei taro —there was a quiet aiT:' 3 , an expressive tenderness about her manner of kjf„7,ES this delicious morceau that contrasted beau tq with the dazzling brilliancy of her execution in ik, t bravura passages. The Prince arrives, and offers 4 hlna hand, and then comes the far-famed passage, `*eare sou? che incanto e questo ' " in her execution 14dch she surpasses even her former efforts. The 14 4 1/ eel:la MS h ow ever, the great triumph of the lifi''; When falling at the feet of the Prince, and . 7, she "st e itr the pardon of her father an d her sisters, she tlie , 1 , "Ah I Prence. Io cu da ai vostu p ie," a udience, notwithstanding the astonish in g p owers ty had already exhibited, were taken perfectly li on ,lurprise. Never have we heard such , ta z aerful execution—the rapidity with which • she Ast e rn the lowest chest notes up to the v er y hi g hest 1;\ 41 of the scale—the lavishness of her f io riture, the l aie Ilse range of her voice, its wonderful flexibility to !,ta delicious purity were such as have never be . - ben equalled. The far-famed finale "Non pm efa,4" followed, and, unexhausted by . her previous at i r a ,, MiAemoiselle Favanti exhibited in this trying : aa te :"Meult sziena the same extraordinary powers of th lia L t ino, and the curtain fell amidst the most en aadf;°tin applause from all parts of the house.. The ca n called loudly.for its repetition ; again the tie.ln rose, and again did Mademoiselle Favanti "sfr o rt her auditors by repeating with even greater k i ll' than at first this splendid and most difficult Z She was called for at the conclusion of the spe ;11c , and bouquets innumerable w ere showered pl q er• The stage looked l i ke a p arterre. The qei t c u se, • was most enthusiastic, and the debut of Ma °l!elle Pavanti may be considered as the most sOo7fal that has taken place for years. Her per ,tta— tall and commanding, her action v er y g race f ul, ranet' features handsome a nd ex p ressive. i or regard to her voice, we consider that Power, sweetness, flexibility, and compa ss, it 414,:everbeen equalled. It is a more perfect voice klii e :Tn Malibran's. She has no t yet, however, ki tNishr i a tithe part of what she will hereafter be qt.'. , -- „t of achieving, when a better acquaintance with to -- "L'ence shall enable her to do full justice to her 1 4 extraordinery powers. It was evident last l e at • 1 that she was suffering from the nervousness tad . , 4,:jilust necessarily accompany.a fi rst a pp earance, Iler i Oleh prevented her from doi n g full justice to lats in the cantabile passages. In the bravura tielt r e'i l va this nervousness, however, entirely disap- Ills 4 0 1 and, carried away by the spirit of the scene, , ,atkl e ; jail justice to herself and to the composer, 4 ,•e i` e 4l ,cited those extraordinary powers to which we at' 'I, 'cre alluded, and which kindled the enthusiasm ili le t t" audience to a perfect f ever of deli g ht. ta tni rs atudied her art in a good scho o l , a n d is an 'it rri g h ent ninsician, and with her u n p arallelled p owers N u ,' be entirely her own fault if she does not be- A lb s' kid th a t at no very distant period , the first l 'lPan - I.l° the world. The other characters were well A s — :tted. We have already spoken of the Don ai filo h l f ,r o of Corelli. Dandini was ably represented by ka R" r Talton;, who made his grst appearance before n i• ,oic e R•lgh audience. Paltoni possezzea a good sound ttly: a nd , went through the part more than respect , ‘tit!, ,:tbe duet "Un segretto" was admirably sung • 41 1 4 - 1 ;:ed by Paltoni and F. Lablache, who, as Don I tlot i ''Qco, was exceedingly unctious and amusing. ,q, Rentieman is ripening into an admirable b u ff o. ' W e mantle of his father has descended upon him. ' l ast t,„ ° w of no one who has so improved w ithin the 4 74 1.4)2 Years as F. Lablache. The ballet of La Es- Concluded the evening's amusement. The Flit • w as not only c rowded, but crowded by the e of toth,,: . rar: and f as hion. Among the distinguished If 0 4 ;7 We observed her Royal Highness the Duchess die, ~- Aur idge and party ; Lord and Lad y Wharneliffe, ft 'i.filjned the Queen Dowager's box; the Marquises ,A,Yle - " rn k v, earde and Aylesbury ; the Marchioness of the ~- - ury, the Baron Nieumanntßaron Rothschild, Ne ke l ti n i t i Kielmansegge ;the Earls of Pembroke, nes o r r a, Kenmare, Cardigan, Belfast ; the Colin i'utless Chesterfield and Cardigan ; Baron and Ida 'ulsto ''''' e Lam Baroness Calabrella; Lords Os- A i ' , Adolphus ' • Ar ,ruee IN Fitzclarence, Auckland, Ernest ;Itah it i "tilleannon, Castlereagh, Elphiustone ; Ladies Loat i;ei , lo ß w i e d r l , ey ne C n o r liorne Shelley, Jodrell, Os e, F. Trench, C. Shaker- Cv "s• Mrs. L. tanhope, Mrs. Murray, Charles u sh. • ~~ S TABIISHED CHURCH IN WALES. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) titAristeti,tion listalately been sent from the inhabitants of the tha,.. a gi n g, in t diocese of Llandaff, to the Bishop 40 praying fora redress of their grievances, and " fronithe appointment of an unqualified Eng -"( 11 1 1 1. ' 41441 4 they have been deprived of . the .service wasof % kin tirch in their native tongue, and that, if this evil fron t : l e l , they had no alternative but to absent themselve s - " e ir Parish ch rch, d seek some other place of wor lk-Lviliere they would he a a n r the word of God in their own th 1 4 14 and b y praying that his Lordship will redress t _AllZ e n v . a uee." better • may appear singular that such a case should . i 7 ttei lll i n e s e times, when the people are becoming daily lor ruled of their rights, and the protection provided tein tn `"t blr law, yet it is nevertheless a fact that they are f on : 11 ,all over the Principality ; and that, in three cases out fo rt ,:. t n,e natives are either only allowed Divine service once Itogeti; e l,Cut in their own language or have it taken away al vial:M• The only remarkable feature in this case is, that ee still care enough for the Established Church to " ah Nast k nress, whereas, generally speaking, the Welsh have i n earied and disgusted by the unchristian policy pur er 0 . 1 ., the l a g century, by the Anglo-Cambrian Prelates, ' 1 , 44 8 it their buainell g I? try and extirpate the language of Wales, instead of using it as the best means of promoting and increasing religious feelings, that they have generally abandoned their churches for Welsh Dissenting chapels, where the services of religion are performed in Welsh, by na tive ministers. The parishioners of Mamhilad have deter mined, if their prayer is not attended to, to appeal to the Archbishop of Canterbury, have the matter brought before Parliament, and show that the Welsh are not excluded from the benefit of the laws, civil or ecclesiastical, which provides for the administration of religious services, far all her Ma. jesty's Christian subjects attached to the Establish Church, in their native language. DAY' ) ~r om le. to t - „u o cit , low 8 0 10 fres ta d os rices iy e r lower at. hoylour )agy. Cell' Vit t : w.*••• 41 1 VI ....••••• 350 4 1,, 0 1V il .ow." 4600 2 1 , de .0 9 4 1 to ri .;f:;11; ' A 00 0 14 00 0 "..... '''''' ... .... 4 2 I ...... ;0, ...." ' O Ol the - boy er 811 ; 0 0 herdsM pluttev l f n ed ado 4 1 ,70 the tb. )s e o ut Bibs ) 6s Pew lue. OM/ «• 3 $ .. 3 $ 11 4 S 4 Lto.• 3 e" I Qil . 1 ;c1; 16 •6 0 # prl ng St,'" F 6 Bal o e " 3 6 5 5 6 ...... 9 6 EEL 00. IveL 0 03 0 30 NO 90 0 79 0 00 f eo Da r•st.' 0 41 ..4 the 1.-- s o oi9wA 1 .001 0 1 '' inaB J , I Of 111` doja A sin e° i tfr if° to° Q 4 b52. 0 , d0 ,be ed. - .get 0344 0 T here uP tir rofi/ :43 th e or - a f ; 116 1 Oar Y VI aL esf r Lg e Or - ir f 1C1094.401111 -- S BANK OF ENGLAND NOTES. A Sessional Paper (No. 95) ordered by the House of Commons to be printed on the 11th instant, and entitled " Bank of England—Bank of England Notes," has just been issued from the Vote-office. Of the first of the returns which it comprises (moved for by Mr. William Williams), it is not possible, on account of its exceed ingly voluminous details, to present the reader with any but a very general abstract. It is —(L) "An Account of the Notes of the Bank of England in Circulation, distinguishing that of the Branch Banks from that in London; of the Amount of all Deposits, distinguishing Public from Private; of the Amount of all Securities held by the Bank, distinguishing Public from Private, and distinguishing Private into the heads of Bills and Notes discounted, and others; and of the Amount of Bullion in the Bank at the close of the business in every week, from the 7th day of July, 1841, to the present time." The return is made out form each week in this form, viz. : WEEK ENDING JULY 7, 1840. Bank-notes in circulation. London . Branches 12,356,000 4,089,000 £16,445,000 Deposits—Public Private 3,680,000 Balance 14,291,000 2,851,000 £33,587,000 Securities— Public . Private, viz.:— Discounted Bills £3,992,000 Other Credits 6,437,000 18,485,000 10,429,000 28,914,000 4,673,000 Bullion £33,587,000 The lowest and highest weekly average on all these items, collectively, appears to have been : In the For the week Highest. For the week Lowest. year ending ending E. £ 1840 July 7 1841 July 6 1842 July 9 1843 July 8' 1844 January 6. 41,112,000 March 2 36,771,000 * In the week preceding, ending July 1, this amount was only 31,848,000/. The amount of bullion in the cellars of the Bank did not vary exactly in the proportion of the aggregate in crease or diminution of circulation and deposits, at the above periods. The highest and lowest stocks of bullion returned in ea of the same years were, respectively, as under, viz. : - , BULLION IN THE BANK OF ENGLAND. In the For the week Highest. For the week Lowest. year ending ending £ £ 1840 July 7 4,673,000 October 27... 3,004,000 1841 December 28 5,696,000 January 19... 3,904,000 1842 December 24 11,129,000* January 18... 5,468,000 1843 December 31 14,982,000-f January 14... 10,832,000* 1844 March 2 16,162,0001 January 6 ... 15,271,000 f * The advance on the amount of weekly bullion in store at the Bank of England was almost uninterruptedly continuous throughout this year, from upwards of five to upwards of eleven millions. _ -f The same remark applies, to an almost equal extent, throughout these two years (up to March 2, 1844), the Bank gradually increasing their bullion store from between tel and eleven to upwards of sixteen millions, No. 11. " The Number of Country Bankers who act with Bank of England Notes exclusively, having fixed Amounts assigned ; the Total Amount of the Credit ; and the Rate at which they Discount."—(Moved fur by Mr. Charles Wood.)—ln continuation ,of Appendix No. 2 of the Report from the Committee of Banks of Issue, June 15, 1841: NO. Gloucester Manchester Swansea.. Birmingham Liverpool Bristol Leeds 1 Newcastle Hull Norwich Plymouth Portsmouth London £2,429,000 "Rate of Discount charged to the Country Bankers having fixed Amounts, 31. per cent. per annum." THE BANK OF ENGLAND CHARTER. We lately had occasion to notice the regrets which existed amongst the banking interests, in consequence of the studied reserve of Ministers, and the refusal of Sir Robert Peel to make known his views respecting, the Bank of England charter and the currency until after the Easter holidays. In doing so, we alluded to the various con jectures which were afloat as to what the plan of the Minister would prove to be ; some imagining that he would propose a huge national bank of sole issue—others that he would engraft something of the Bank of France upon the Bank of England, while a third party held that he would merely call upon country banks of issue to publish their assets and liabilities, and to find security for their issues. We added, at the same time, that the reasons upon which these different schemes were supposed to be in contemplation by Government had no sure foundation, being formed chiefly upon a belief that the silence of the Minister was ominous of change, and that he would be less reserved if he had nothing important to communicate. Such being the state of feeling on this subject, it is unnecessary almost to say that a letter, under the signature of "John Gladstone," published this morning under the title of " Considerations connected with the renewal of the Charter of the Bank of England," has attracted very general attention ; and, considering the near relationship in which the author of that communication stands to an influential member of the Cabi net, the President of the Board of Trade, it is not surprising that it is looked upon as bearing a demi-official character. We can scarely suppose, however, that Sir Robert Peel would send out a feeler, through the pen of Mr. Gladstone, the elder, to try the pulse of the country on the subjects dis cussed in the letter in question ; and it is more likely that the old gentleman has acted without consulting his son, and even committed the act of publicity without his approbation. But, be that as it may, it will be difficult to make the world believe that he had not consulted with his son in the first place, and whether the views of Mr. Gladstone, the elder, be coincident with those of the Cabinet or not, they will be looked upon as such, and as shadowing forth the coming of events already determined on in Downing-street, until they are officially contradicted. If the opinions of the Govern ment be net formed yet, or if they be at variance with the suggestions pointed out by Mr. Gladstone, it is surely incum bent on the Minister to let the truth be known, and no lon ger to maintain the mask of secrecy.—Chronicle. A letter published in a Morning Paper by Mr. John Gladstone, recommending the establishment of a na tional bank of issue, has given rise to some discussion in the banking circles to-day. There is, however, nothing unique in the plan of a bank recommended by Mr. Gladstone, and the letter has exclusively derived its importance from the propinquity of the writer to the President of the Board of Trade, and the sensitive feeling on the subject that some change in the present arrangement of the currency is probable. There is, however, not the slightest ground to believe that the letter of Mr. John Gladstone has any relation to or con nection whatever with the views entertained by her Ma jesty's Ministers; and it may, therefore, with the scores of other analogous propositions, be laid upon the shelf for fur ther consideration, without inflicting any serious injury on the public. We shall only notice one part of Mr. Gladstone's D i e n. which we consider would be fatal to its practical work ing, by whatever machinery it may be:attempted to carry it out. Mr. Gladstone proposes that the quantity of paper to be kept in circulation shall, in all cases, be governed by the influx and reflux of bullion. This is the pet crotchet of the abstract theorists, but the Directors of the Bank of England can best answer whether, for the last half century, they have ever succeeded In reduci n g it to p ractice in an y case of emer gency, when it can alone be put to the test. We need de scant no further on Mr. Gladstone's proposition for a national bank. The report from the Committee upon joint-stock companies is attracting the attention of the joint-stock bankers in the City. For although joint-stock banks were excluded from the field of inquiry, yet it is supposed that some of the mea sures recommended for the government of other large com• panics may, as far as applicable, be extended to large bank ing companies. The principal points in the report are—l. A complete registration of shareholders. 2. Suing and being sued In the name and title of the company. 3. Publicity of accounts ; and 4. Subjecting the company to the laws of bankruptcy. To the first of these the joint-stock banks would not object ; indeed, at present all joint-stock banks beyond sixty-five miles from London register the names of their shareholders at the Sand those in London, we b e li eve , vo l un tarily di t :t in rgu o t ffie ; e to all their customers, and to such other persons as may ask for them, printed lists of the names and residences of their shareholders. Secondly, suing and being sued in the name and title of the company is considered much Superior to the mode of su ing and being sued through a public registered officer, as prac ti s ed by the joint - stoc k banks beyond sixty miles from London; while to those located in London it w ou ld supersede the present plea of requiring the customers of the b an k s t o s i gn a " spec ial contract and suing through the medium of How public registered companies to hold real death r the removal tbreutsoteaes. It is thought that a se fur of th th e e r improvement would property and not by means of trustees, which is n f d o e u r n t d h l e , i e r ry p u i b n l c l o P a g v e e a u l of a trustee. or a Railway Company, well for an Insurance Company very a bank, where so much de- Thirdl, publicity of accounts, It is contended, may do but it is not so well adapted for lent in ea all banking companies be enforced, then, say the objectors, • and companies having de pends upon confidence and credit.. lf, however, this should should be put upon the same level , , only t s s i x as w el partners, l as tohrofseewtehratthhaanvsei osrhootubl adupublish their ac coun The fourth suggest ion, that j oint • stock banks when they stop e rni or o t o i l f d t b h a e v Court e their o f affairs ßa uk w r u o p u t n e d y up under s o t u l e e public officer appointed fo r t he purp ose, is not, as far as we can learn, objected to by th e L ondon j oint-stock bankers. payment tenden c s h e The suggest the approbation of commercial men , and the President of the ions generally of the Committee have received Board of Trade is rendering a most useful service to the THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, MARCH 25, 1844. community, by protecting them against the frauds of bubble companies. —Herald. _ _ _ :Mi. J. Gladstone's letter, which appeared in the Times of Friday, has been the subject of very general comment among the City capitalists, and appears, on the whole, to be that plan, compared with many others lately current for a reform in the currency, which will obtain the majority of suffrages in its favour. That the exclusive privileges of the Bank of England are about to cease, and her whole consti tution to undergo important modifications, is a conclusion to which most people have come who have bestowed any con sideration on the subject, and for these reasons—that the evil is manifest ; the period for a legal remedy at hand to be applied now, or to stand over of necessity for ten years longer ; and, lastly, that a state of the money market exists which can oppose no obstacles to the Minister's plans, so far as they may depend upon a new creation, or a new disposition of capital. Capitalists are only waiting, therefore, as they have been for a considerable time past, for some indication of the course intended to be pursued by the Ministry, respecting which nothing has yet been suffered to transpire. This feeling will very naturally account for the notice which has been bestowed upon Mr. Gladstone's letter; for though no sort of official character can be ascribed to it, it is de finite and clear in its view of the subject, novel and plau sible. The circumstance which especially recommends it to their approval is the very slight alteration which it proposes in the existing system ; for all men of property dread and abhor great and sudden changes, and in this there is nothing absolutely new, except that another bank, and that a Go vernment one, is created ; and the Bank of England is called upon to part with those of her exclusive privileges which have for so haig a period been an annoyance to the public and dangerous to herself. There arc circumstances in this plan which would leave the Bank of England in a better po sition than before, as the amount represented by her stock of bullion might then be at once rendered productive, instead of lying wholly useless, as it is at present. The Government business or agency would naturally find its way to her, in the character of the Bank possessing the largest capital of any in the metropolis; and by being left free to assist commerce at the periods when it was most required, instead of desert ing the merchants at the moment of danger, which she was compelled heretofore to do by a regard for her own safety, she would become a point d'appui, instead of a rock a-head, to the trading community. The only thing noticed as a defect in that part of Mr. Gladstone's plan which refers to the Bank of England is his reserving the character of a legal tender to the notes issued by her in the same manner as those notes to be issued by the proposed " National Bank." These last should alone, as is considered in many quarters where the subject has been discussed, possess that character, though there is this to be remarked in its favour—that any sudden alteration in the character of that which forms so large a proportion of the existing circulation might lead to much public inconvenience. This may, therefore, as a matter of Prudence and caution, which this subject above all others requires, in whatever manner it is approached, justify for a time the reservation of this privilege ; but a limit might be fii,ed for its duration, to a time when the notes of the " Na tional Bank" had found their way into general circulation, and when these latter alone should possess the distinction of being a legal tender in all payments. Mr. Gladstone's suggestions for placing a more effective check upon the issues of notes by joint-stock com panies and private partnerships in banking are well enough adapted for the purpose. They are not, however, new, and might be found in practice to be attended with so much inconvenience, not to mention the facility with which eva sions could be practised, that they would probably become a dead letter, and that in a very short time. Nearly all the delicacy and the difficulty of his scheme may be said to lie in the mariner in which his proposed National Bank is to be constructed, so as to be freed from the control of any future corrupt Ministry, who may pervert it to im proper uses, and yet quietly proceed with its functions in the support of the banking and trading in periods of danger. There seems no impossibility, however, in giving to the new institution that independent character which can alone sus tain its utility, and the general features of the plan, as has been already stated, obtain much approbation among those who ought to be looked to by the Ministry for advice and assistance at this important juncture.—Times. The following letter has been addressed to the editor of the Times " Sir,-1 am informed it has been stated by the editors of the Morning Chronicle and the Standard that they are dis • posed to think it probable my ' Considerations connected with the renewal of the Bank Charter,' which yesterday ap peared in the columns of the Times, had been written after communication with my son, the President of the Board of Trade. In consequence, I think it my duty thus to declare that I had no communication on the subject of them with my son or with any other member of the Government, directly or directly, or indeed with any other person previous to doing so ; they are the fruits of the experience of a long commercial life, and under impressions of the importance of their object, I ventured to submit them to the public under my sole responsibility, however undeserving of confidence they probably shay appear to many. I ought also to add, that I am wholly unacquainted with the views and intentions of the Government in connexion with this subject. " I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant, " JOHN GLADSTONE. " Carlton-gardens, March 23." shall run." So saying he retreated, suiting the action to the word, and was saved. The President himself had taken his position but a few minutes previous, precisely were Governor Gilmer was killed ; but for some reason or other went aft, and was thus provi dentially saved. The most heart-rending scene, however, was that which followed. The two daughters of Mr. Gardiner, of New York, were on board, and lamented the death of their father ; while Mrs. Gilmer, from whom they in vain attempted to keep the dreadful news of the death of her husband, presented truly a spoctacle fit to be depicted by a tragedian. There she sat on deck, with her hair disheveled, pale as death, struggling with her feelings, and with the dignity of a woman—her lips quivering, her eyes fixed and upturned, without a tear, only the corners a little moist, soliloquising—" Oh, certainly not ! Mr. Gilmer cannot be dead ! Who would dare to injure him ? Yes, oh Lord, have mercy on him ! Oh Lord, have mercy on him !" And then, still more apparently calm and seeming too collected, with the furies tearing her heart within, " I beseech ye, gentlemen, to tell use where my husband is ? Oh, impossible—impossible Can he, can he, can he be dead ? Im possible !" Here Mr. Senator Rives, of Virginia, drew near. " Come near, Mr. Rives," she said, in a soft whisper, which resembled Ophelia's madness, " tell me where my hus band is—tell me whether he is dead. Now, certainly, Mr. Rives, this is impossible—is it not so ?" Mr. Rives stood speechless, the tears trickling down his cheeks. "I tell you, Mr. Rives, it is impossible," she almost screeched ; and then again, moderating her voice, "Now do, Mr. Rives, tell his wife whether her husband lives." Here several ladies ex claimed, "Oh God, grant that she may be able to cry. It would certainly relieve her some. If not, she must dig of a broken heart." _ _ But my account has already grown much too lengthy, and I must close for the present by informing you that the President, Mr. Robert Tyler, Mr. John Tyler, jun., and many other officers remained on board the Princeton when we left. There were but two surgeons on board at the time of the disaster, Dr. Thomas and Dr. Hunt, the regular physicians of the ship. Every attention was shown to the wounded. I will give you further particulars to-morrow. FRANKLIN. P.S.—The President's mulatto servant, who was also badly wounded, has died since. SPANISH TREASURY BOND HOLDERS. The Chairman of the Committee of Spanish Treasury. Bondholders has received from the Finance Minister of Spain, Senor Carrasco, a letter, of which the following is a trans lation : " Madrid, March 14, 1844. "EXCELLENT Stu,—By your obliging communication of the Ist of the current month of March, and the copy ac companying the same, of the resolutions agreed to by the holders of Bonds of the Spanish Treasury, at the meeting held on the 27th of February last, I have been apprised that the proposal which, by my order, Don Salvador Bermudez de Castro presented to them relative to the adjustment and liquidation of their claims has been accepted and approved of. This proof of confidence given by creditors, whose rights deserve so much consideration, was highly gratifying to the Government of her Majesty, my Sovereign the Queen, as, by acting hereafter in concert, an end will be put to the unpleasant disputes which formerly existed on this im portant matter. The creditors, on their part, ought also to be gratified in having acceded to my proposal, since by this means their rights are recognised with exactness and precision, and, in contributing to support the credit of the Spanish Government, they acquire greater security for the payment of what is due to them. The present Administra tion of this country possesses indisputable claims that all its creditors, laying aside the suspicions which hitherto may have contributed to lower in the market the values of the secu rities of the State, should fully confide in the guarantees which the new economical position of Spain offers to them. In fact, the deplorable period having now terminated in which a precarious and transitory Government could have neither the power nor the will to undertake the suitable re forms in our finance department, the Queen, from the mo ment when she entered upon the exercise of the supreme power, recognised this department as the most necessary and important one of the public administration ; and her Majesty , does not cease to occupy herself in measures for its im provement by the preparation, with due reflection and de • liberation, of those measures which will - doubtless re gulate our economical system, by bringing down the ex penses of the State to a level with its revenues ; so that the condition of the contributors may be improved with the nature of the imposts and the simple and mild method of collecting the same. Above all, the legitimate Government of her Majesty the Queen has established probity, legality, firmness, and good faith, as the unalterable principle of its operations ; and if to this system of perfect morality there be added those elements of public wealth which Spain possesses, no creditor can doubt of the success which will attend his claims. I flatter myself that the holders of the Spanish bonds in London will continue to manifest their conviction of this important truth, in consequence whereof, and by reason of the interest which they have in the improvement of our credit, they will concur in the maintenance thereof by those means which are at their disposal, under the positive security that all the acts of the Administration of the Spanish Government will correspond to the principles which I have laid down. " At the same time that I improve the opportunity pre sented to me by your letter of making this communication to them. I request you to express to them the particular appreciation with which I have noticed the honourable terms in which they have alluded to me in their resolution afore said.—l remain, Sir, your obedient servant, " JIJAN JOSE GARCIA CARRASCO. "To Joseph Tasker, Esq., Chairman of the Committee of the Holders of Spanish Treasury Bonds, London." PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. THE " MISCELLANEOUS ESTIMATES ;" I. 11. and Hr., No. 108.—(Ordered by the Commons to be printed 13th March, 1844.)—These estimates are always among the most remarkable of the sessional papers. The various services to which they relate are intimately connected with the march of social improvement, of domestic civi lisation, and all the external indications of public great ness. They are the immediate evidence of the growth or decrease of the national expenditure in its civil departments. They bring under the notice of the Legislature—once, at least, in each year—the aggregate expenditure incurred by the legal, financial, and diplo matic appointments of the Crown. They demonstrate the large appropriations annually made out of the re venues of the United Kingdom, to similar services, in Ireland; and they show, in sufficient detail, the progress of public works and municipal improvements, iu the metropolis and throughout the empire, in all cases where these are chargeable on the same revenues. No. 1 of these "Estimates, &c., Miscellaneous Ser • vices," for the year ending March 31, 1845, comprises " Public works and buildings." There are eight principal items of charge under this head. No. I. is for " Re -84c., of public buildin g s ; f u rniture, &c., for pairs, various public departments ; certain charges for light ing, watching, rates and taxes ; also for maintenance and repairs of Royal Palaces, and works in the Royal gardens (formerly charged on the civil list), for the one year from April 1, 1844, to March 31, 1845). The ge neral heading embraces Windsor Castle (with the Poor Knights' Houses, Tomb house, Lower Lodge, Sta bles, Adelaide Cottage, Frogrnore House, detached buildings, &c., exclusive of internal repairs, alterations, and additions of the state apartments, and those apart ments occupied by her Majesty and the Royal house hold) ; Hampton Court Palace—gardens, buildings, forcing-houses ; Hampton Court—Stud-house, Long ford River, Combe Conduit, &c. ; Kew Palace— stables, and buildings, belonging to her Majesty, on Kew-green ; Kew—observatory, pagoda, pleasure, bo tanic, and kitchen gardens, forcing houses, &c.; Kensing ton Palace—buildings in pleasure-gardens, Szc.; Bucking ham Palace—for repairs of exterior of the building ; St. James's Palace ; Royal Mews and Riding House, Pimlico; Carlton House Stables external repairs ; Marlborough House external repairs ; Royal Pa vilion, Brighton Palace—stables and outbuildings ; Temporary Houses of Parliament ; Westminster Hall ; Courts of Law and Record-room ; Privy Seal and Signet-office ; Chapter House Record-room, State Paper-office; and India Board, all at Westminster. White hall, including Treasury Chambers, houses of First Lord and Chancellor of the Exchequer ; offices of the three Secretaries of State ; Council-office and Board of Trade ; Whitehall Chapel ; Exchequer-offices ; Office of Woods, &c. ; ditto of Ecclesiastical Commission, of Receiver of Fines, &c. (Spring-gardens) ; Land Re venue Enrolment ; Almonry, Exchequer Seal, and Polish Refu g ees Offices ; Marshalsea Court and house ; Gwydyr-house ; Whitehall-stairs and causeway, to river there ; Horse-Guards buildings, together with Paymaster-General's office, Army Pay, Judge- Advocate- General's offices ; Guard, Orderly, and State rooms ; Recruit-houses of the three Regiments of Foot Guards ; Offices of Recruiting Department and Medical Army Inspector (Duke-street) ; of Department of Ac counts and Board of General Officers ; Army Medical Board, &c.; Stationery-office; National Gallery; Somerset House, with official houses and apartments allotted to the Senate of the University of London and School of De sign. British Museum, except the new buildings, which are under Sir Robert Smirke. We note this fact, having surmised, and deplored it, in an article which appeared in The Sun of the 6th instant, on the objectionable course adopted by her Majesty's Government in not opening the designs for these " new buildings" to public competition. Not to have done so, we must still contend, has been a gross neglect of duty on their part ; and we trust when this part of the estimates comes to be voted, the attention of the House will be specifically directed to it.) Other offices included in this class are Deposi • tory for Records in—the Riding-house (!), Carlton Stables (probably for those written in runn i ng h an d) ; Insolvent Debtor's Court, &c.; Rolls Court, Chapel, &c. ; Quen's Prison ; the Tower of London and its various departments ; the Royal Mint; National Debt-office; Metropolitan Carriage. office ; Royal Military Asylum ; lrish-office, (Great Queen-street, Westminster); Tower-hill-office for payment of Greenwich Pensioners ; Chelsea Hospital and grounds ; expenses of oil and gas lighting at Houses of Parlia ment, and public buildings and offices •, rents, &c., of houses taken for the accommodation of public depart ments ; furniture for public offices' and buildings ; and " additional services executed in 1843-44, but not pro vided for in the estimates of that year." Under this last head we find the Queen's Prison: for furniture and fittings for the offices of the Keeper, Deputy Keeper and Record De partment; and—for furniture and bedding for the poor prisoners. We should like to have it ascer tained how much was expended on the latter objects, and how much on the former, of this heavy charge of charge, observe, in excess of fear the " poor l l a ,s st oo/. 3 — ,ea ( r a , n s additional estiinate). ive pri soners' " share " for bedding" will bear about the same proportion to that of the " furniture and fittings " for the Keeper and his Deputy, as Falstaff's one halfpenny-worth of bread did to his certain gallons of sack. The " total probable expense for these ordinary works and repairs," (together with the charge for the " additional services," to which we have just recurred, 1,8961., and for repairs of buildings and pri sons in the Isle of Man, 3001.), is 101,549/. To this sum is to be added " probable expense of repairs to public buildings and palaces in Scotland, law courts, &c." (in chiding a charge of 1,2981 for " furniture and fittings for the hall for the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, 1,298/.—a rather severe account) :—these estimated at 10,641/. The general aggregate of these amounts, 112,190/., show an increase an the similar estimate for the year 1843 and 1844, of 6,5541, No. 2. Estimated expense of Temporary Houses of Pqr, liameut, including 125/., expense of works, &c., that will probably attend the warming and ventilation, under Dr. Reid's directions (House of Peers) ; and 1,1501. for ventilation and warming, under direction of Dr. Reid (House of Commons) ; and for rent of rooms and addi tional chambers, &c., 5,420 L One is tempted to observe, here, that Dr. Reid, without any disparagement to his high character, appears "to have blown hot and cold" for some years past, with no inconsiderable emolument to himself. No. 3. New Houses of Parliament (Iterii m Barry)? -Probable expense of the works for year ending , March 31, 1845, beyond sums already voted by Parlia ment, viz., " a further account of superstructure of Houses of Lords and Commons, central hall and eon necting corridors, the Victoria tower, the Royal gal lery, portion of the south front, the clock tower, and the west front towards New Palace-yard, 60,0001." No. 4. Trafalgar-square.-For supply of water for playing the fountains in this square, including also the supply of water to the several public offices and official residences in the neighbourhood of 'Whitehall ani Downing-street, the New Houses of Parliament, and for watering the streets in the above loca lity, 7,000/. (We cannot understand why all these liabilities are to be visited on these improvements. The water-works, in the language of the corporate companies, are to " supply high and low service," it is evident. This estimate is truly a " mis cellaneous" one.) The charge on account of the new Houses, however, as compared with 1843, shows a de crease of 80,0001.; and for Trafalgar-square, on a similar comparison, a decrease of 5,0001. No. 5. Estimated expenses for Holyhead Harbour and Holyhead and Shrewsbury Roads, &c., 4,164 L No. 6. Caledonian Canal-Estimate for the year, 50,000/. ; showing an increase of 45,000/. of charge over 1843. Last year the whole sum voted for this magnificent and truly valuable work was but 5,000/. We are glad to find that it is to be properly maintained. No. 7. Probable charge for maintaining and repairing Public Buildings in department of the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland, 26,1161 ; of Inland Navigation, 230/. ; and of Donaghadee Harbour, 3251.:-together, 26,871/. Excess over same charge for 1843, 1,4951. No. 8. Works and repairs for Kingstown Harbour, 8,0001. ; showing a decrease for this estimate as com pared with last year, of 2,000/. Total of this set of Mis cellaneous Estimates for the current year, 273,6451. No. 11. of these Estimates comprises the "Salaries and Expenses of Public Departments," under the following three-and-twenty heads, viz.:- 1. Two Houses of Parliament £59,350 2. Treasury 3. Secretary of State, Home Department 26,567 4. Ditto, Foreign Department 54,500 5. Ditto, Colonial Department 6. Privy Council- office, and Office for Trade 32,641 7. Lord Privy Seal 8. Paymaster-General 9. Comptroller of the Exchequer, Paymaster of Exchequer-bills, and Paymaster of Civil Services 10. State Paper-office 2,600 11. Ecclesiastical Commissioners (England) 12. Commissioners, Poor-laws 13. Mint, including coinage 53,236 14. Public Records 15. Inspectors and Superintendents of Factories 9,700 16. Offices in Scotland 17. Household of the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland 6,464 18. Chief Secretary's-offices and Privy Council office, Ireland 19. Paymaster of Civil Services, Ireland 4,979 20. Commissioners of Public 'Works, Ireland 10,784 21. Secret Service 22. Printing and stationery 23. Printing proclamations, &c., Ireland .. 4,950 £743,441 Total of increase, as compared with estimate of 1843, 34,9951. The items on which this increase is noted, are the following votes :—For the t►vo Houses of Parlia ment, increase 8,000/. ; Foreign-office, ditto 11,773/. ; Colonial-office, ditto, 932/.; Privy Council-office, ditto, 359/. ; Comptroller of the Exchequer, and his subor dinate departments, ditto, 3451.; Poor-law Commis sioners, ditto, 1,518 ; printing and stationery, ditto, 20,209/. _ _ No. 111. of these Estimates comprises " Law and Jus ice, under the following classification :- 1. Law charges (England) including arrears... £30,000 2. Mintprosecutions, relating to gold and silver coin v 13,360 3. Expense of prosecutions, and removal of con victs, formerly paid from county-rates... 150,000 4. Sheriffs' expenses, England ; Queen's 11e- membrancer's-office ; officers of the Court of Exchequer, &c. 5. Insolvent Debtors' Court 13,368 6. Prison at Parkhurst ; building and fittings 5,750 Establishment and expenses 7. Prison at Pentonville ; building and fittings 3,999 Establishment and expenses 8. Penitentiary-, Milibank, building and fittings 5,000 Establishment and expenses 9. Criminal lunatics, Bethlem Hospital 3,972 0. Inspectors of Prisons, Great Britain ; and Prison Board, Scotland 1. Criminal prosecutions, and other law charges, Scotland Sheriffs' expenses, Scotland [2. Criminal prosecutions, and other law charges, Ireland 13. Police of Dublin 14. Convict Depot, and Constabulary Barracks, Dublin .5. Convicts at home, at Bermuda, and at Gib- 6,337 raltar 6. Convict Expenditure, New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land £873,194 The total increase on this class of estimator, as com pared with 1843, is 32,8591. THE NEW LAW OF LIBEL. (From the Sunday Times.) It was generally admitted that the law of libel was in a very imperfect state when Lord Campbell under took to introduce a new Bill upon the subject during the last session. There are few men who were better qualified for the task than the Noble and Learned Lord. During his own forensic experience he had acquired a personal knowledge of the defects and im perfections of the system which he undertook to re vise and correct. The Bill which he succeeded in carrying introduced, in many respects, some salutary changes and improvements. There are, however, some few of its enactments so totally at variance with our notions of common justice as well as with the more universally operating influences of common hu manity, that we are sure when public attention has been properly directed towards them the proper re medy will not remain long unapplied. Strenuous supporters as, of course, we are of the liberty of the press, we should be amongst the foremost in regret ting that that liberty should ever degenerate into li centiousness. Society ought to be protected against those who bring odium and disgrace upon the press by their infamous attacks upon private character. In order to effect this, a more stringent law of libel was undoubtedly wanted. There are few errors, however, into which so many are prone to fall as that of jump ing from one extreme to another. " Incidit in Scyllam qui vult vitare Charybdim." A drunkard imagines that no remedy for his unfor tunate propensity can be found elsewhere than in the regions of teetotalism, and so on ; in the great majority of cases, extremes have a sort of natural tendency to beget extremes. The law of Lord Campbell came into operation in November last; and since then Mr. Gregory, of the Satirist, has been found guilty of a libel on a criminal information, and is at this moment undergoing his sentence in the goal of Newgate. We do not attempt for a moment to justify the conduct of Mr. Gregory ; but, at the same time, we cannot help thinking that the punishment which he is at present suffering, and all the circumstances connected with it, which we shall presently more particularly enume rate, are not only by many degrees too severe, but that they are completely opposed as well to the plain principles of justice as to the spirit and tenor of the British constitution itself. And we are the more anxious to make this plainly appear, inasmuch as in the case of Mr. Gregory a principle is acknowledged, and a precedent established, which, if not timeously crushed, may be erected into a guide and authority for the future. We have received a letter from a correspondent on the subject. We take the following extract, inasmuch as it gives a graphic and circum stantial account of the sufferings of those who under the present law may unfortunately be convicted of libel : " On arriving within the prison, the party is imme diately placed upon a level with the most heinous felon, both with respect to lodging and diet. His bed consists of a narrow iron bench, a rope mat, and two horse-cloths; sheets, linen, pillows are refused, though his family may strive to supply him with those cleanly and necessary comforts. His food consists of the regulation gruel and the coarse clods and stickings contracted for by the prison butchers. He is compelled to eat his scanty dinner by the aid of his fingers alone, for the prison rules forbid such utensils as knives and forks to its inmates. During the depth of winter his fire—(candle he never sees)---is extinguished at four o'clock PM, leaving him for fifteen hours out of the twenty-four in all the . misery of total darkness and solitude to brood over his situation. He is placed under the most rigorous restraint in every parti cular ; books, papers, writing materials of every kind, even to a black-lead pencil, are denied to him. The oc casional society of his flintily and friends, except und er restrictions rendering such visits painful both to him and them, is also prohibited." It will hardly, we think, be denied that the above punishment is too severe for a man who has been convicted of a libel, even Supposing it to be one of an aggravated nature. Men found guilty of libel are generally of a class superior to that of common felons. Consequently, to them the punishment of imprison ment, with all the aforenamed restrictions, is much more severe than it can be to those found guilty of other criminal offences. They are placed in associa tion with men with whom they can have no rote- e .. change of thought, no conversational intercour s e, an d the punishment, in fact, becomes one of scaary con finement in its very worst form. In order to show the way in which this 'sort of imprisonment has operated upon Mr. 14 - :regory already, we again quote from our Corresr""ondent "The eff l " l3 t ° , of this unprecedentedly severe treatment soon ,bo9v.ne apparent, and symptoms of disease dis played ther4selves. The family physician is consulted, W" 0 , aftefi much difficulty, procures admission to visit 5 THE FACTORIES BILL. The five gentlemen whose strange votes, against both pro- positions, reduced Friday night's whole proceedings to a nullity, Were : NV. Aldam (Leeds) William Ewart (Dumfries) Captain Archdall (County John Martin (Tewkesbury) Fermanagh) George Palmer (Essex) The following Conservative 'embers, who had been absent from the Factory divisions on Monday night, voted with the Government, and against Lord Ashley, on Friday Peter lJolliffe, Sir W. G. Hylton S. Arbuthnot, Hon. Hugh Bailey, Joseph (Worcester) Bell, Matthew Buller, Sir J. Y. (Devonshire) Cartwright, William Ralph Charteris, Hon. Francis Follett, Sir William Lascelles, Hon. W. 0. I Maunsell, Thomas Philip Powell, Col. (Cardiganshire) Rous, Hon. Captain Russell, Charles (Reading) Seymour, Sir H. Beauchamp !Sheppard, Thomas Hale, Robert Blagden Heathcute, Sir W. (Hants) Irving, John Stuart, Henry (Bedford) Waddington, Harry S. Yorke, lion. E. (Cambridge) The following Whig and Radical Members, absent from the divisions on Monday night, voted with the Government, and against Lord Ashley, on Friday : Currie, Raikes Ord, William Hayter, William C. Ward, Henry George Marjoribanks, Stewart Wrightson, William Battie Morrison, James (Inverness) (Northallerton) Mr. O'Connell and Mr. Morgan O'Connell, absent on Mon day night, voted with Lord Ashley ou Friday. Captain Gladstone, M.P. for Ipswich, and Mr. Sturt, M.P. for Dorset, who had voted with Lord Ashley on Mon day night, absented themselves from the division on Friday. Lord J. Russell paired with Sir J. C. HobhouSe for Lord Ashley's amendments ; as did Mr. John S. Wortley with Mr. C. Wood. Mr. Wortley was absent solely through illness. Mr. Aaron Chapman, who had voted with Lord Ashley on Monday, was kept away en Friday by domestic affliction ; and Lord Alfred Paget, who had also voted with Lord Ashley in the previous debates, was absent on Friday in consequence of the death of Lady Uxbridge. Dr. Bowring, the Radical Member for Bolton, who voted with the Government on Monday, was absent from the divi sion on Friday, in consequence of the great dissatisfaction his votes of Monday had occasioned in that borough. We hear that Mr. William H. Stanton, the Whig Member for Stroud, who had not voted on the former night, went down into the country on purpose to consult his constituents, and came back again, saying that they had no objection to the ten hours' amendment. He consequently voted with Lord Ashley.— Tory paper. FURTHER PARTICULARS OF THE DREADFUL EXPLOSION ON THE POTOMAC. (From the Public Ledger.) Captain Stockton's great gun was again loaded with shot, and another trial made of its strength and efficiency. The gun was pointed to leeward, and behind it stood Captain Stockton, a little to the left of him Mr. J. Washington Tyson, assistant postmaster-general of your city. By the side of the latter, a little behind him, stood Mr. Strickland, also of your city; and a little to the right of, but behind him, Colonel Benton, of Missouri, who had a lady on his arm, and Judge Phelps, senator from Vermont. To the leeward of the gun stood Judge Upshur, late Secretary of State ; Go vernor Gilmer, late Secretary of the Navy, who had but a few days ago entered on the duties of his office ; and a little behind them our late Chargé de Affaires to Belgians, Mr. Maxey, of Maryland. By the side of him stood Mr. Gar diner (I believe this is the way he spells his name), of New York, and Commodore Kennon, of the Navy, who at the same time was chief of one of the bureaus of the Navy de partment. When the gun was fired, the whole ship shook, a dense cloud of smoke enveloped the whole group on the forecastle, but when this blew away, an awful scene presented itself to the view of the spectator. The lower part of the gun from the trunnions to the breech was blown off, and one half section of it lay on Mr. Upshur's breast. It took two sailors to remove it. He was badly cut over the eye, and in his legs ; his clothes were literally torn from his body ; he expired in about three minutes. Gover nor Gilmer, of Virginia, was found equally badly injured. He had evidently been struck by the section of the gun before it had reached Mr. Upshur. Mr. Sykes, the Member from New Jersey, endeavoured to raise him from the ground, but was unable. A mattrass was procured and he was placed on it ; before any medical assistance could be procured, he was no longer among the living. Mr. Maxey had his arms and one of his legs cut off, the pieces of flesh hanging to the mutilated limbs, cold and blood less, in a manner truly frightful. He died instantly. Mr. Gardiner, of New York, and Commodore Kennon, lingered about half an hour ; but they did not seem for a single moment to be conscious of their fate, and expired almost without a groan. The flags of the Union were placed over their dead bodies as their winding-sheets. Behind the gun, the scene, though at first equally distres sing, was less alarming. Captain Stockton, who was knocked down, almost instantly rose to his feet, and jumped on the wooden carriage to survey the whole effect of the calamity. All the hair of his head and face was burnt of; and lie stood calm and undismayed, but silent, over the wreck. In addi tion to the •deatlis already mentioned, about a dozen sailors were badly wounded ; one was dead, and behind him, Colonel Benton, Judge Phelps, and Mr. Strickland, as if dead, extended on the deck. On that side, by a singular concate nation of circumstances, Mr. Tyson, of Philadelphia, was the only person who stood his ground, though a piece of the gun, weighing about two pounds, had passed through his hat, about two inches from his skull, and fallen down by the side of him. The lady who had Colonel Benton's arm was actually blown into the rigging, but not hurt. Colonel Benton ex claimed, immediately after he fell, " Lord, I am hurt I" but he was only stunned. He was carried aft and placed on a mattress, where Mrs. Benton and his friends administered to him what aid they could, which, however, he repeatedly declined, saying there was nothing the matter with him. He tasted a little brandy and water (no Cologne being at hand), and was soon after able to walk, with some slight assistance, over the railing of the ship on board the steam boat that took the company off to Washington. Judge Phelps, of Vermont, had his hat blown or knocked off, and the buttons of his coat torn; but he was not other wise injured. Mr. Strickland, of Philadelphia, was not at all injured, and instantly recovered his position. Miss Woodbury and Miss Csoper, who, in company of Captain Reed, of the army, and Mr. Welles, of Philadelphia, had been standing on a leeward gun, were not hurt; but Miss Woodbury (the beautiful and accomplished daughter of the senator from New Hampshire) had her whole face sprinkled with blood, which, however, I am glad to say, was not her own. was ul th a e rlc fo s r l c i e ,er o e f t l h it e e e ra x l p ly los s i h on ait t e h r a e t d, th au e d st t a h r ia b t oa p r a d rt an u d f larboard b bulwarks the gun I described was blown into twenty or thirty pieces besides the two principal sections. Judge Wilkins was only saved by a witticism of his. He had taken his stand by the side of Gover nor Gil mer, but some remarks falling from the lips of the latter, and in ;creaking that the gun was about to be fired, exclaimed, " Though Secretary of War I don't like this firing, and believe that I the patient. He at once gave a certificate of his danger, which, together with a memorial from the family, was laid before the Secretary of State for the Home De partment. A. reply, in the form of a printed notice, has been sent, to the effect that no sufficient ground exists for Sir James Graham to interfere." Deeply affected by the disregard here evinced for human life, his family awaited with patient but har rowing anxiety the result of a few weeks, apprehen sive of the consequences which had been predicted by his physician. The symptons displayed themselves in a still stronger form, and a consultation was held, at which it was determined that several of the most emi nent physicians in London should separately visit him and, with his own medical attendant, deliver their own individual opinions. This step was ta ken, certificates were written by nine medical gentlemen, all giving it as their decided opinion that the patient's lungs were affected ; that since his in carceration disease had gradually been stealing on him ; and that, if he be not removed from prison to a more healthy situation, where he will have pure air and exercise, good diet, and a tranquil mind, the disease he is labouring under must advance, and ulti mately destroy him. Another states, after a length ened description of his case, " that every day of his confinement in prison must greatly add to the danger of his situation ; and if it be much prolonged, that he must inevitably fall a victim to his disease." Nine certificates, agreeing as to the precarious state of his health, together with another memorial, were laid before the Home Secretary. After waiting for twenty-one days in a state of the most ha rassing anxiety, another printed form was returned again, stating that " no sufficient grounds existed to justify the interference of Sir James Graham." It - is certainly difficult for uninitiated persons to dis cover the grounds on which Sir James Graham has come to so very extraordinary a conclusion. When the man is actually dying by slow degrees, it would appear, according to the common dictates of humanity and justice, that there was but one course for him to pursue. It is quite clear that the law never intensled that the sentence passed upon him should be the means either of engendering a fatal disease or of accelerating the progress of it. And when such appears, upon the most incontrovertible evidence, to be the effect of it, surely it is the bounden duty of the Home Secretary to interpose his authority, in order to prevent such an event taking place. To permit the sentence of the law now to go on in its regular course is absolutely to sanction the greatest possible amount of cruelty and injustice. No matter how great or how ag gravated Mr. Gregory's offence may have been, still the punishment which he is now suffering, and the fatal re sults to which that punishment, if it be allowed to go on, must necessarily lead, is manifestly not that which is in accordance either with the letter or the spirit of the law. Even supposing it to be just (which we altogether deny) that convicted libellers should be subjected to the same severe and rigorous mode of imprisonment as that which those convicted of other crimes are necessitated to endure, yet, in the present case, there are qualifying circumstances which call for the prompt interference of the proper authorities ; an interference, indeed, which, under similar circumstances in the case of other criminals, has never been withheld. Let the case be supposed of a man sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment for sheep-stealing, if it were found that the severe prison discipline was operating upon his constitution in such a manner as seriously to injure his health, surely in such a case the Home Secretary would feel imperatively called on to interfere. Indeed, such cases of interference are not by any means of rare or unfrequent occurrence. How, then—with what plea of justice, or on what ground of polity—setting hu man'ty aside—can Sir James Graham refuse to inter fere in this instance ? We do trust that this matter will he taken up by the press generally and warmly. It is a case in which they all ought to feel almost personally concerned. The fate of Mr. Gregory to day may be theirs to-morrow. If a man on a cri minal information be found guilty of a libel at the Old Bailey, he must be sent to Newgute, ani there, if the sentence of imprisonment be for any lengthened period, that sort of rigorous and cruel discipline awaits him to which transportation at once would be far preferable. As the Home Secretary has already resisted the force of two appeals to him, we trust that some Liberal Member of Parliament will take the matter up. The law should not, and we trust will not, be allowed to continue in its present state. Let those convicted of aggravated libels be punished, and punished severely, but not let their punishment be of so inhuman and cruel a nature as to change their position materially, by enlisting upon their side the feelings and sympathies of the public. This would have the effect of bringing the law into contempt, and of causing the framers of it to be looked on not as public benefactors, but as tyrants and oppressors. We hope we have said enough to show that some modi fication of the present rigorous, cruel, and inhuman system is now imperatively called for. [The writer of this article imputes blame to the new libel law which it does not deserve. The crime of which Mr. Gregory was convicted was committed before Lord Campbell's Bill came into operation and he could not be tried on an ex post facto law. If the statements regarding the treatment of convicted felons is correct, no language can be found too strong to denounce such horrible punishments. Better to recur to the old system of hanging men by scores, than mur der them by slow torture. Persons convicted of serious crimes deserve condign punishment; but there is a wide difference between condign punish ment and ahorrible infliction like this.—ED. Sun.] GLASGOW, DUMFRIES, AND CAR LISLE RAILWAY. A meeting of shareholders in the Edinburgh, and Glasgow Railway Company, and of parties friendly to the proposed line from Glasgow to Carlisle, by Dumfries, was convened by circular, and held at one o'clock yesterday in the ex-committee room, in order to meet the Chairman and a deputation from Glasgow of the promoters of the proposed line. Amongst the gentlemen present were Messrs. J. B. Smith, Joseph Crewdson, M'Connel, Samuel Walker, G. Grundy, Peet, Higgin, Cardwell, Standring, John Ogden, John Duncuft, &c. The deputation consisted of John Lead better Esq., Chairman of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway Board,!and also Chairman of the Provisional Committee of the proposed line, and Mr. William Logie of Glasgow, interim Secretary. Mr. G. Grundy being called to the chair, Mr. Leadbetter entered into a statement, with a view to show that the pro posed line by Dumfries was the one most for the interest of English shareholders in the Glasgow and Ayr line, and in the Edinburgh and Glasgow line, to support. He noticed the survey four years ago by the Government engineers, with Sir Frederick Smith at their head, and their instructions being, in con formity with a resolution of the House of Commons, to report as to which was the best line of communi cation from England with Edinburgh and Glasgow (which instructions did not leave them at liberty to decide between the merits of an east and west coast line) ; they reported in favour of the centre line (the Caledonian). But since then circumstances had changed; the East Coast Company had got up their capital and went into Committee yesterday, for a line as far south as Berwick, and it was understood that capital was made up fer carrying it on as far as Newcastle, Mr. Hudson giving the latter por tion his powerful influenoe. The Caledonian, or centre line, was backed by the Grand Junc tion, North Union, Preston and Lancaster, and. Lancaster and Carlisle Companies, which he . be lieved subscribed a portion of the capital for it, and which supported it, hoping thereby to get a portion of the east coast traffic ; but they would have that ad vantage if the east coast line were carried, and the Bill for it was not impeded by the efforts of the Caledo nian Company. This reduced the question to this : Shall Glasgow have its intercourse with Lancashire and other parts of England, carried round by Edin burgh ? Ile thought every one would see the neces sity of a west coast line, and then the question arose, what ought that line to be ? There could not be a doubt that a line coming upon the Ayrshire line at Ayr, or Kilmarnock, must be beneficial to the interests of the Ayrshire shareholders. Then, would it pay ? The proposed line would pass through a very rich part of Scotland, with i a considerable town population, besides abounding n agricul tural and mineral wealth. One part of it would pass through a large bed of coal and of the most valuable iron-stone (the black-band). It was therefore more likely to pay than the other lines. The Caledonian line had much less favourable gradients ; its recent alterations gave it a gradient for some distance of one in 75, besides 18 miles more at an average of one in 128. The 7 would have t o p a ss o v er the Beattock summit. raking the statement of the Caledonian Company, that line would be 24 miles shorter than that by Dumfries ; but the Ayrshire line would have much more favourable gradients, be less expensive in forming, and the engineer said, would be wixaced in, the same time as the Caledonian. Up to W e d nes , , , ay last, nearly 5,000 shares, or 120,0 Company, at 001., had been subscribed in Glasgow ; the Ayrshi a meeting, on Wednesday, ar:eed to sub sc rib e 200,0001. to the undertaking. fn London they had had applications for 2 , 000 she - xes (50,0000, and there was the fairest prospect cd the subscription being taken up. He was aware of the great array of names on the. Committee of 'clit Caledonian line, and that they were backed by the chairmen of the English lapels ; but for this line it was preferred to have a 1 'provisional committee of merchants, who would work like men of business. Lord Eglintoun (a large pro prietor in Ayrshire) was to be the Governor or Chairman, and Lord James Stuart (representing the Bute family), the Deputy-Chairman. They hoped also to have the assistance and interference of the Portland family. He hoped, therefore, the Ayr shire Railway shareholders in Manchester would give the proposed line their substantial sup port. Then the Edinburgh and Glasgow Rail way Company, whose capital was almost en tirely in England, would have their interests vi tally affected by the decision between the Cale- do nian and th e Ay rs hi re li ne . Th e f ormer , b y its diverging east and west from Lanark to Edinburgh and Glasgow, would b e rea ll y a compet i ng li ne with the Edinburgh and Glas gow ,—b es id es ma ki ng th e distance between the two cities more than 60 miles, instead of 46 or 47 as at present. It was clearly the interest of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Company to oppose the Caledonian Company, which also pro posed to carry a line across the Edinburgh and Glas gow line, direct north to Stirling and Perth. In answer to questions from various gentlemen, !Ir. Leadbetter added that the Caledonian Company w ou ld have 112 miles of new line to make, after taking ad vantage of 20 miles of mineral railways in the neigh bourhood of Glasgow; their capital was to be 1,800,000/., or 16,0001. a mile. The Glasgow, Dumfries, and Car lisle Company had only 92 miles to execute, which their engineer assured them could be done (paying four per cent. during execution to the shareholders) at 1,300,0001., or 13,0001. a:mile. Some further state ments and conversation ensued, in the course of which Mr. Leadbetter stated that the total amount sub scribed was about 400,0001., or nearly one-third of the whole amount required, though the scheme had been before the public only for a few days. It was ultimately resolved, that that the best thanks of the meeting be given to Mr. Leadbetter and Mr. Logic, for the valuable information, and that they be requested to take an an early opportunity of convening another meeting of proprietors of the Edinburgh and Glasgow, and the Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ayr Railways, and of such other parties as are favourable to the the western line from England to Glasgow, by Dumfries and Ayr.—Manchester Guardian of Sa turday. ARRIVAL OF THE WEST INDIA MAILS. SOUTHAMPTON, SUNDAY MORNING.—The Severn, Royal Mail Company's steam-ship, Captain Vincent, arrived this morning soon after seven ,o'clock, from the West Indies, bringing all the mails, and the following passengers : From Jamaica—Mr. Henriques, Mr. Ma'holland, Mr. (1 Rhodes (60th Rifles), Mr. C. Thompson, Mr. F. Steel. Trinidad—Mrs. Lake, two children, and female servant. Fayal—Mr. Solomon Benskabeth, Mr. Solomon Seabury. Also, Mr. Stewart, chief officer of the Company's ship Tweed, invalided. The Severn brings home but 2,000 dollars, 17i ounces of gold dust, 296 ounces silver bullion, and 310 ounces of gold ditto. No cochineal. Independent of the dollars above-. mentioned, one of the passengers brought home about 30,000 on private account. Tho Severn left La Guayra on the sth of February ; Deme rara, 19th ; Trinidad, 20th ; Barbadoes, 20th ; Jamaica, 23d ;, Grenada, 25th ; St. Thomas's, 29th ; and Fayal on the 16t1i of March. JAMAICA. We have received a file of the Jamaica Thnes down to the date of the sailing of the Severn, but they contain little news of interest. The drought continued at Jamaica, and fears are enter tained that there will be a considerable deficiency in the sugar crop this season. In the House of Assembly a Bill to amend the import duties had been read a third time and passed. A Bill had been also introduced, and read a second time, to incorporate the Royal Agricultural Society of the island. Capt. Duling moved for a grant of 500/. for the use of the Society. After considerable discussion the sum was ultimately reduced to 2001., and carried. Another Bill had been presented to make tenders in silver coin legal to a certain amount. It was read a second time and committed The amount fixed upon was 40s. Great efforts have been made to establish on a fair footing the General Agricultural Society, which is henceforth to have the title of " Royal" affixed to it, her Majesty the Queen having signified through his Excellency the Governor her most gracious wish to honour it with her patronage. Lord Stanley and others of the English nobility have also joined the Society and put down their names as life• subscribers. Lord Elgin has also followed the example. In consequence of the patron age of her Majesty many ladies of the island have contributed to the funds of the Society. The Jamaica Times speaks in the highest terms of the exertions of Lord Elgin in the matter, and says the island owes a lasting debt of gratitude to his Lord ship, to whom exclusively belongs the honour of having directed the attention of the planters to what alone can save them—agricultural improvement. His Excellency the Governor had given a donation of 2004 to be bestowed in prizes of 100/. each, for the best essays on " The Manufacture of Sugar." and " On the best mode of establishing and conducting Industrial Schools adapted to the wants and circumstances of our agricultural population." Sir Charles Adam was still at Port Royal with the squadron. The brig Helena arrived at Port Royal on Feb. 16, with Mr. Bankhead, the Mexican Plenipotentiary from England on board, who proceeded on to Mexico in the Inconstant frigate on the 21st. As the Severn was leaving Port Royal on the 23d, she discovered the ship Abel Gower making for that port totally dismasted, and in a very disabled state. Her Majesty's ship Apollo, Commander M'Lean, arrived at Port Royal on the day previous to the Severn leaving, from Gibraltar in 30 days, with the 48th Regiment on board. The barque Conservative, Cousens, from Portsmouth in 39 days, also arrived on the 22d with a general cargo. her Majesty's brig Ringdove, Commander Sir W. Daniel, sailed on the 22d for Nassau, N. P. ST. TnomAs's.—The small-pox had ceased at St. Thomas's, and clean bills of health were issued. The Severn was, how ever, placed in quarantine, notwithstanding she had not been to any infected port, and all were well on board. This is certainly the best method of preventing contagion, although it is somewhat inconvenient. TRINIDAD.—At Trinidad the Council was engaged in re modelling the old Spanish laws of the island, and adapting them to the exigencies of the country, according to the spirit of the British Constitution. COURT CIRCULAR. The Queen and Prince Albert, the Duchess._ of Kent, the Ladies and Gentlemen of the Royal suite, and the Household, attended Divine Service yesterday morning in the Chapel Royal, Buckingham Palace. The sermon was preached by the Bishop of London. Prayers were read by the Hon. and Rev. C. Leslie Courtenay. On Saturday her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent visited her Majesty at Buckingham Palace. His Royal Highness Prince Albert rode out on hors& back on Saturday morning, attended by Sir E. Bowater. The Royal dinner party at Buckingham Palace on Sa turday evening included her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, Lady Anna Maria Dawson, the: : Earl of Liver pool, the Earl of Aberdeen, Mr. George Edward and the Hon. Mrs. Anson. The American Dwarf, " General Tom Thumb," ac companied by his guardian, Mr. P. T. Barnum of New- York, had the honour of attending at the Palace in the evining, when the General exhibited his clever imitations of Napoleon, which elicited the approbation of her Ma jesty and the Royal circle. A Cabinet Council was held at five o'clock on Satur day afternoon, at the Foreign-office. It was attended by Sir Robert Peel, the Duke of Wellington, the Lord Chancellor, Lord Wharncliffe, Earl of Aberdeen, Lord Stanley, Sir James Graham, the Chancellor of the Ex chequer, Earl of Haddington, Earl of Ripon, Mr. Glad stone, and Sir Henry Hardinge. The Council sat two hours. A deputation on the wool duties, from Liverpool, Leeds, Bradford, Halifax, Dewsbury, and the West Riding of Yorkshire, had an interview with Sir Robert Peel on Saturday, at his official residence in Downing street. The deputation was accompanied by Lord San don, Sir Howard Douglas, the Hon. J. S. Wortley, Mr. Charles Wood, Mr. Beckett Denison, Mr. Beckett, Mr. Stansfield, Mr. Protheroe, and Mr. Aldam. Captain Polhill, M.P., had an interview with Lord Stanley, cm Saturday, at the Colonial-office. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England had a meeting on Saturday afternoon, at the office in White hall-place. The Commissioners present were the Bishop of Winchester, the Bishop of Chester, f:he Bishop. of Hereford, the Bishop of Lichfield, and the Dean or Westminster. Mr. Sheppard, M. P., transacted bushless at the Home office on Friday. Captain Brooke had an interview Nvi 4 :h Lord Stanley on Saturday at the Colonial-office. The Duke of Buccleuch left town► on Saturday for Thames Ditton. Mr. Sheppard, M.P., had. an interview with Sir R. Peel on Friday. Lord Stanley had ae dinner ptcrty on Saturday, at his residence in St. James's-square. The Duke of Wellington attended the early service in the Chapel Royal, St. James's, yesterday. The Rev. Dr. Wesley preached the sermon. The Marquises of Salisbury, Normanby, and Winchester, Lords Delaware and Ebrington, attended the daily service in the Chapel Royal. The sermon was preached by the Bishop of Peterborough, prayers were read by the Rev. Dr. Wes ley, the lessens were read by the Rev. Mr. Barham. The Rev. Dr.Sleath officiated at the Communion service. Ma. C. H. ADAMS'S ORRERY ,--Mr, Adams con tinues to deliver his popular astronomical lecture at the English Opera House, to attentive and intelligent audiences_ His clear and succinct explanations of the earth, its attendant planet, the moon, her influence on the tides, and the theory of those eclipses common to herself and the, sun, are syste matically given, and the illustrations afforded by means of a tellurian, mechanical transparent apparatus; and a magnifi cent vertical Orrery, impart additional attraction, and fine ef fect to the whole. A more appropriate intellectual amusement for the Thursdays and Fridays of Lent and Passion-week could not be conceived, and the patronag% he obtains evinces the popularity of his sterling entertai;iment. Tan SEES or Sr. AS.P.ril AND BANGOR.—Rather than take away a Bishop from Wales, give her another. We do not want a temporal 3P_ eer for the purpose of a chief pastor amongst the mountal:ns of Wales; we want a laborious, hard-working mar.,, like the Bishop of Toronto, who is not afraid of storms, oc rain, and wind, and snow. We do not ' , Ye furnished with a burning chariot and five thousand a tA2 fear. This way is proper for the Bishop whom twi i ia tle ollu State 'and Constitution of England have been pleased to number . Faith the Princes of the land; but for a Bishop to re side the midst of his rural diocese, and to be engaged in da'Ay works of necessary performance, we want a plain, 'Autrible, able, and indefatigable man, with an income suited to his situation.—Church and State Gazette.—[We seldom concur with this High-Church Periodical, but the remarks in this paragraph deserve great praise. To this system must the English Church come at last.—En. Sun.] The Society of British Artists opened to private view, on Saturday, their twenty-first annual exhibition, pre paratory to throwing it open to the public at, large to-day. There was a considerable number of persons of rank and consequence present; and the day being fine, the several works on view were seen to the greatest advantage. The number of pictures exhibited this season in the rooms of the Society of British Artists is seven brAndred and forty-six ; the number of marble figures, model s, and other works in the department of sculpture, is twanc,y-eight, which make in ' all seven hundred and seventy-fotm - productions of the pencil, the chisel, and the modelling stick„ as the amount of the en tire collection. Mnxico.—We learn that, .by warrant from the Right Hon. the Lords Commissions rs of her Majesty's Trea sury, it is ordered, that all articles, the produce of, and from,. Vera Cruz, when sold for the first tin ie, and by and for the ac-. count of the original importer, wi thin twelve months frons the time of importation, be exempt from payment of auction duty ; and also that any sums whit h may have been levied as auction-duty on goods importo, 1 from Vera Cruz, and sold by auction as aforesaid, sines the ratification of the treaty of friendship and commerce between this kingdom and the republic of Mexico, be rettt rued to the parties who may claim the same on their -giving satisfactory proof of ' their title thereto.—Liverpool itlbiov -- 9•71