The Sun. — London, England, 1844-12-20 00:00:00

LtMBURGH AND DUTCH MAILS. (RECEIVED THIS DAY.) 11,OTTERDAM, DEC. 13.—This morning two boats from .seltuonde, laden with flax, crossed the Meuse to this . ei tY, without the ice at all giving way. It has been ob thereved that the river, from this city to Fyenoord on th _ ?PPosite banks, has been passed by horses, so that, if tee e Trost continue some days longer, we may expect to tl , z i t fair on the river. The ice is from 14i to 16 inches 1 .2 . ? c• (Similar accounts of the severity of the frost are "7,ived from Dordrecht, Gorinchem, Deventer, &c. The thermometer at Amsterdam on the 16th, at noon, w !ls at 34 d egrees Fahrenheit, and a thaw had set in, but 5 I thout havi ng yet a ff ecte d t h e ice, w hi c h was f rom 14 ').6 inches in thickness. hav e P ETERSBUROII, Nov. 30.—The Imperial Family teat, resol ve d to return to the winter palace on Tuesday Which is some days sooner than was intended. The r e ,n palace of the Duke of Leuchtenburg is quite Will It is thought that the Grand Duchess Maria ttrit emov e to it next week, and the Duke of Leuch- Trg is expected from Munich before the holidays. k t ee, campaign in the Caucasus for this year is ended, bow the troop s are gone i nto w i nter quar t ers , w h ere , b ev er, they will not enjoy much repose, as they must wh constantl o y on their guard aainst the mountaineers, pmchoose the winter for their boldest enterprises, and t s th e most difficult marches with extraordinary ra the Y, surprise the forts in the garrison, and plunder in tett, 111 0 st daring manner the peaceable tribes. This ez it i a ign has by no means answered the expectations Sp gtained from the groat force assembled in the g• General Nedhardt, the commander-in-chief k°vernor, has repeatedly solicited his recal, which Dee.De probably g ra nt e d] hi m . -- Hamburgh Papers, 13. 1 4111 Debt Cent., ••••••••• 0000000 .•••••••• " .t hschild's Loan, Five per Cent.. ...... ..elun of Thirty Millions Four per Cent............. 99si Three per --- -Thirty-seven Millie's, ditto . 77% ..... I P 334 ••••••••t •••••••••••••••••••••••••• 103 I.4a n of City, 1843, Four pe r Cent. 1133 102 &clay of Commerce, Four and a Half per Cent — tank of Belgium, Five per Cent ... .....»....««..» 5. ...sue of ....... --Brussels Papers, Dec. 18. 4"STAL RECULATIONS. , -- Receiving-houses bare live°Pened at Lenton and Beeston, and the free de kehrldias been extended to Chilwell : these houses are are'led by messenger. A receiving-house has been o r i lle ,t l at Ratcliffe, which receives letters by the seven ho e 't Stamford mail. On Friday last, receiving ') 4 a were opened at Carrington and Arnold : these ees es . te 4 , B will also be supplied by messenger. Prepare- Ep be a re being made for opening a receiving-house at toC rs tone, and to extend the free delivery to Calver ll'd 4 aother receiving-house will be opened at East th e e pgford, t o b e sent f rom t h e post -office at Bingham : .ices ' r ee deli very w ill exten d to N ewton. Th ese regula 'otte7eihil be a great advantage to our country friends.— e c Z ant Revlro. tow., 7, 34 °N COUNCIL.—At a meeting of the Common es ep :eu, yesterday, the report of the Finance Coeamitee ~ P etee l aing baths and washhouses for the poor was pre e* It recommended that 5001. be granted out of the iteei., 'lnnis to aid the establishment of baths. On the tt ' 011 " That the Court agree with the Committee," N I% Lawrence mos ed that the report lie on the table. In division, after discussion, the original motion was k iln ed by 49 to 41. A motion to reduce the proposed k) ar to 200/. was, however, subsequently agreed to by Iv es ge majority. On the motion of Mr. R. Taylor, it c ote ref erred to the City Lands Committee to open a 10,, tn anicatio n with the Commissioners of Woods and A t i e es ts, in order to ascertain on what terms the Fleet en could be purchased. The Court then adjourned. S cot tlr cl Jeffrey has contradicted, in a letter to the Wits t r 4 aa, the statement that he subscribed 1,000/. to the erect i on of a free college. He has not sub- A ez etl . ri anything, he s ays, t o th a t un d er t a king. nag e Nona TEFUL THlEF.—Thursday information 44'ven that Mr.Lovett, of 2, Newman-place, Newman (skit', was robb e d, on Monday evening, of a silver watch, 1 %4 "'s name, Walker, London, No. 120), three gold Ps r , (one w i t h motto, " F orget - me - not ") , an d a s ilk te tt e ' Containing 71. 10s. in gold. The thief is described ag o being man whom Mr. Lovett first saw six weeks etepr e gging in a public-house, and received into his tte 4 °Y out of compassion, but who absconded on Monday tise et tg, after robbing him of the property above-men- D tA , mti s FROII THE INCAUTIOUS HANDLING OP A tt,.,; .- un Tuesday a young man named Joseph Moses, l' ott lmener in the service of Mr. Borgin, market-gardener, til, e -n T il aro, lost his life by the accidental discharge of a t ate. appears that the deceased was about to dis eel) ge the piece at some birds on a hedge, but upon his i ngt ab ion calling out that his mistress was approach tae tZ en detwouring to conceal it, drew the barrel of the m w ards him, an d th e l oc k h av i ng come in contact 'tor e " t u is e hedge, the discharge lodged in his left side, c v e effects of which he died on Wednesday. 4 adtte OMAN KILLED BY A POLICEMAN.—On Wed:- tlitee' af ternoon the following fatal occurrence took e• 55 4 the lodgings of James Clark, police-constable, I,teter,efr the C division. It appears that Clark having ::°roligC home after attending as a witness at Ma:rl - -eh Police-court, had a violent altercation 'B l, \ Afe respecting some family disagreements, a ' e ',Lo W e e e the wife's mother interfered, takine part ei. e -ftu ghter when Clark took her by the shoulders fee reel he r a violent lent push, from the effects of which nee t e ed backwards and fell headlong down the stairs t hat Le first floor landing, and sustained such injury ,fle shortly after expired. In the course of the even e d . !ark surrendered himself at the station-house . of the tle lv lsion in Vine-street, Piccadilly. He was mune 6''Y taken into custody. 1 1 91 ZABONABLE LIBERALITY.--The Duke of Norfolk t given 100/. to be distributed in coals, bread, and te i l l eY amongst the deserving inhabitants of St. Mar 'l'in-the-Fields, and on Thursday morn i ng th e names o f te e n ose desirous of participating were taken down, that ties might be made into their cases. In this parish le; (I_,istributions of one cwt. of coals and potatoes and have be en ma d e t hi s w i n t er . le!kil OF TEE HOSIERY AND LACE TRADES.— , c ondition of the cotton stocking manufacture, ero-toer wrou g ht or w id e cu t- u p s , i s by no means im leetted; consequently, the workmen in the southern tei t tlf the county, and in the eastern part of Derby 'se ll are Buffeling severely from the united causes of tlie ta w Nes. and scarcity of employment. The drawer, 'ate e ;; t oo ,, and shirt branch continues in a most kee l ' t ole condition. The cotton glove branch is in a mad e tolerable condition ; most of the plain gloves are hell w ith wi th India rubber welts, which have become Ne 3 ' generally use d. S ome o f th e war p g l oves h ave til e „ 4 .libber th rea d s t h rown i n th e exact manner th a t g ull et . re ds lace, ds were thrown into warp when large lil B. ‘ hole stripe patterns were in fashion, from 1814 to eli ki The silk h ose tra d e i s i n a lingering, though de the 'tate; this equally applies to the knotted as to otl th e n `tin hos e b ranc h. Th ere i s no v i s ibl e i mprovemen t ° :silk glove branch, and many good hands have 1 4)..8 weeks out of e mploym e nt. The bobbin net trade ' es eat ° ',g l oomy, especially in the' fancy line. Improve 'evertheless,ess, progress, and, amongst the rest, eitne atte ntion is paid to the ground of the net; ape have been partially traversed—that is, for a tettehim ts tance and back again. The speculation in new net' il ea has been so extensive, that, we are assured, Il, r ss than 150 wide frames are now upon the stocks. Nodke7„iB n o visible alteration in the warp lace trade.— Review. tkri t tnn tract has just been confirmed, between C. G. al' tj q • , clerk of the peace, Chelmsford, and Mr. kkk, - ,3 7 ,e the managing director of the Irish Steam aed 67„%sorapanies, to convey Irish paupers to Dublin t he et 7rit for 255. 6d. each, the same contract as with e ll PO 4 ;lnty of Middlesex, being a saving of 4s. 6d. each ree ed m'e old contract. Heretofore all have been con he 0° Cork, thereby entailing an injustice upon those Ltee i l v ed in or near to Dublin, and in a thousand of in -7444;8, 'lastly had to travel upwards of 100 miles, there ndy° Conveyance. Instead of being fed upon bread stles t- l e 'ese solely, the rations are hereafter to be on a li beral scale.—Chelmsford Chronicle. '1...,:: 241 tR0L1S DEATHS IN THE LONDON HOSPITAL. 1 14 i t evening Mr. Baker held no fewer than four in '4l°t,! at th e L on d on H osp i ta l, on t h e b o di es o f persons tlle t :ad died i n th a t es t a bli s h men t. The fi rs t t wo were rili t - h q Jane Harvey, aged six years, and Mary Ann o e :' aged six years and a half, who, as too frequently t ar e k a of this nature, had been left during the tempo 441.„"3ence of their parent, in a room where there was cloth' and commenced playing with it, and igniting their ee th e ; were so severely burnt all over their bodies, that W e , follo w i ng d ay t h ey b ot h exp i re d. 'I he third case hel l ! the body of Emma Hanson, aged three years, nve ett ",,as so d rea df u ll y sca ld e d by h e r f a ther ac c id en t a lly tree:thing a saucepan of boiling broth which had been st`e-Ared for hi s su pp er , th a t she also died shortly after i tia - h malisSio li to the hospital. The last case was that of o'tabled Henry Smith, aged thirty years, a coal _ef 4 a, who, w hil s t exerc ising his laborious occupation s Thili": l PPing" coals from the ship's hold, received in %eV injuri es which terminated fatally. The jury, in te e 4 e, ret urne d a ver di c t o f " Accidental de a th." 44 eto - e ita ,?w Scnom..—The Rev. C. T. Vaughan, 44 's' - St. Martin's, Leicester, was elected on Wed- Thi s Y to the office of Head Master of Harrow School. see i gentleman was a distinguished and favourite titl ee lt ,r of th e l ate D r . A rno ld. H e o bt a in e d, w hil s t re isai— at Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1836, 1837, X 11; and 1840, the Craven University Scholarship, a l 'erie ° 4 ar ship of Trinity College, and two Porson Greek ,; al so the U n i v ersity prizes for the best Greek emb e r best Greek and Latin epigrams, an. - 1 the first g e " e l . 's prize for a Latin prose essay ; also the Col elttelltizes for Latin and English declamations ; also the e o u'eaa medal ; and finally a Fellowship of his own tea t Lg e • From the universal testimony borne to this m ad e .111 ,1n, it is coefidently to be expected that the old Na t i l'inguished institution, over which he is called to e, will flourish under his auspices. e o ati, MAILS.—In accordance with the recommen- N tv `Z and through the exertions of Mr. Churchill, qee e - e j ° , l ' to the General Post-office, the Postmaster tley a ' has given instructions for the establishment of a Weietlail between London and Shrewsbury, by means of and tQ „ i n addition t o th e ex i s ti n g a rrangemen t s , letters ase,;:e ws papers from London, Birmingham, Wolver erpen°, Shiffnal, and Wellington, will be received at 4 isp -w3u arY at seven o'clock in the evening, and will be f er 4,4llelisd f rom thence at seven o ' clock in the morning Ce e , wns in the line, except London.— Wolverhampton Night-TioN TO JURORS.—At an inquest held last th an to befor e M r. Payne, the City Coroner, no fewer ° a th e n3f the parti es w h o h a d b een summoned to s e r ve t ime J ur y were absent, and after waiting for 'some lv tli i d t ; :t " te zi e said that it was too bad that gentleman who should be kept waiting, together with the tue e : s e a, becaus e o f ot h ers w h o re f use d t o a tt en d t o th e Pee, q ,uti 9 , and h e should fine the whole of them in the too e - ur l n .0f 20s. opini Several of the jury present appeared to this o THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 20, 1 44. represent the case of the paper makers, and to urge their claims for a total repeal of the duty. THE LATE FATAL STEAM-BOAT COLLISION. COTTON AND PAPER. (Frona the Times.) As there is a general impression, whether well or ill founded, that the income-tax, although it may perhaps be modified, will not be repealed next session, and as upon this ground a general reduction of taxation is anticipated, it becomes a question of moment in what quarter and in what articles the relief is likely to be afforded. There are, of course, nsany conflicting inte rests involved in this prospect of amelioration, and every branch of commerce will necessarily be on the alert to supplicate and argue for the boon. One impost, how ever, the arguments for the repeal of which were dis cussed at Manchester on Tuesday, claims attention as one of the heaviest in its pressure upon all classes, the poor as well as the affluent. We mean the import duties upon raw cotton, which affect both the manufacturer and the consumer to an extent that few perhaps can imagine. Looking to the competition which we are obliged to encounter with America, where they have the raw material on the spot, and pay no daty—a com petition increasing, be it observed, on all sides, and which has already begun to affect our trade with China—the consequences of which unequal rivalry must inevitably be that the manufacturer, unable to realise a fair sale for his goods, will be driven to curtail the wages of the operative, and thereby render it a tax upon labour ; taking into account at the same time the connexion it has with the conforts of necessary clothing for the poor ; we trust that our readers will agree with us that this is one of tke fairest and fittest objects for a suppression of taxation. A remission of duty upon an other article also, which we think claims consideration, with a view to lightening, if not entirely removing, the burden that at present acts injuriously upon all ranks and orders among us, was suggesten at a meeting which took place yesterd a y a t the London Coffee-house. We allude to the enormous duty upon paper, which every one must perceive to be a serious check upon the pro gress of education, the advancement of literature, and the convenience and intercourse of society at large. We shall hope to see something done in both these instances; and we refer our readers to the reports of the two meet ings, which will be found in another part of our impression, for arguments which we hope will prove as convincing to the Chancellor of the Exchequer as they will to the majority of the public. (From the Post.) It would seem that for the surplus revenue which has accrued under the financial system of the present Go vernment there will be no lack of candidates. Among the various claimants for a reduction or remission of the duties that affect their particular trade, the paper manufacturers have now come forward. At a meeting held in London yesterday, Mr. Dickenson, the Chair man, Sir William Magnay, Mr. Crompton, and other gentlemen, detailed the various grievances under which the paper trade has become so seriously depressed. These seem to be—apart from the amount of duty, though that varies from 80 to 150 per cent.—the strin gent Excise regulations which are necessary to prevent fraud, but far from successful in doing so—the exten sive damage occasioned by opening and repacking goods entered at the Custom-house for exportation—the per mission to introduce fancy paper from France at the duty chargeable only on " manufactured articles," and the superior facilities afforded to foreign, over native makers, in the export of paper even to our own colonies. Reckless competition was also insisted upon very strongly as a main cause of the depression that exists, in consequence of the inducement it affords to dishonest manufacturers, by collusion with the officer of Excise, to undersell those who faithfully obey the law. This, and the other matters we have mentioned, are to Lem the subjects for the deliberations of a committee which the meeting of yesterday agreed to appoint ; and communi cations with Government will then be opened, pre viously to the commencement of the ensuing session of Parliament. CORONER'S INQUEST ON THE SUFFERERS. Yesterday Mr. C. J. Carttar, coroner for West Kent, and a jury of 14 inhabitants of the parish of St. Mary Alphage, Greenwich, assembled at the Eight Bells Ta vern, near the church, to investigate the circumstances attending the deaths of Jeremiah Sullivan, aged 50 years, and James Shepherd, aged 45 years, who were killed by the collision between the Orwell, Ipswich steamer, and the Sylph, Woolwich boat, on the after noon of Tuesday last. The proceedings evidently exc'ted great interest, the room in which the inquiry took place being much r crowded, even before the inquiry commenced, by persons ' anxious to hear the evidence. Mr. Wilkinson (of the firm of Wilkinson and Cobbold, of Lincoln's Inn-fields), appeared on behalf of the Or well Steam-packet Company ; and Mr. Cattains (of the firm of Cattains and Fry) attended to watch the case on behalf of the Old Woolwich Company. The CORONER observed that he proposed in the first place to take evidence as to the identification of the two deceased parties, in order that he might issue the usual warrant for their interment. This dose, he would pro ceed with the evidence upon each case separately. The identity of Sullivan having been proved by a fe male named Ann M'Carthy, Mr. 11. R. Chappell, of the Salutation Inn, Greenwich, recognised Shepherd, and the inquiry commenced with the case of the first-named deceased. Prior to the examination of witnesses, The CORONER remarked that he thought it would be advisable to call the parties on board the Sylph in the first instance. The Sylph was the smaller of the two vessels, and had been run down by the Orwell ; it was, therefore, desirable to hear what the parties on board that vessel had to say en the subject, in order to know whether a charge might rest against any individual. Thi2 course was at once assented to by the jury; and, all the witnesses having been ordered to withdraw, the case was opened by the examination of Richard Halcock, who described himself as a water man, resident at Woolwich, and said—l am at present a foremast-man, in the service of the Old Woolwich Steam packet Company, and was on board the Sylph in that capacity on Tuesday afternoon. We arrived at Green wich about two o'clock ; and, having put out our pas sengers at the pier, shaped our course over towards the north shore. I was on the look-out at the time. The weather was very hazy - but, on reaching about mid channel, I could just distinguish the shore on either side. When we got abreast of Norfolk College I saw something ahead, and called out to Captain Swais land, who was upon the bridge to that effect. From the direction in which I observed it, I thought it was a vessel riding at anchor. I was led to this sup position because, at this period of the year, we know when to expect the arrivals of all the large boats, and none were expected at this time. When I observed something ahead, it may have been at a distance of 150 yards. f could not see a nyth i ng in motion at that time, but immediately afterwards I observed a large steamer bearing down upon us. The moment after I had called out to the captain he ordered the helm to be put a star board, which was done. The helmsman is generally directed by a motion of the hand, but on this occasion I distinctly heard the captain call out " starboard." At this period we were going at our regular speed. When the captain called out " starboard," he said in the same breadth, " Ease her—stop her—turn her astern." The orders were obeyed instantly, but the large steamer had by this time come into close quarters, and I ran aft to get out of the way of the blow. I had got as far as the companion when the collision took place. I heard the shrieks and cries of the passengers, and immediately afterwards I got over the bows of the Orwell. The stem of that vessel struck the Sylph about three or four feet before the starboard paddle-box, and broke right through the deck, the cutwater of the Orwell going through the larboard side of the Sylph, while the figurehead of the former hung over the larboard bulwarks of the latter. From the deck of the Orwell I observed the extent of the injury the Sylph had received, and seeing several persons struggling in the water, which b a d alre ady made its way into the fore-cabin, I made a rope fast to the Or well, and calling out to Higgins who was in command of that vessel, "For God's sake don't move until the people are got out," I threw myself over, and assisted to rescue them. I had drawn three out of the water, when I came to an elderly woman, who was firmly fixed in her posi tion by a piece of timber. A saw was thrown to me from on board the Orwell, by the aid of which I suc ceeded in removing her also. I saw no more until the vessels parted. They were locked together for ten minutes or a quarter of an hour. After the vessels had parted I got a boat-hook for the purpose of discovering whether there were any other persons under the water in the fore-cabin.—[The witness here, in reply to the Coroner, explained that the Sylph was constructed with water-tight bulkheads, the effect of which was to pre vent a leak in the fore part communicating with either of the other compartments of the vessel.] In continua tion the witness said, in a very short time I found the body of a man whom I knew to be Sullivan. He ap peared insensible, but I think " life was in him" at that time. He was put on board a boat and conveyed to the Dreadnought hospital-ship. I got assistance, and at length discovered another body—that of Shepherd. He was quite dead. The witness here drew a sketch of the position of both vessels, and said that from the position in which the Orwell struck the Sylph, the helm of the former must have been a-port, while the latter had already made an angle of forty-fire degrees after her helm had been put a-starboard. The witness added, he was quite confident on this point, as had the Orwell put her helm a-starboard, the two vessels would either have met on the paddle boxes, or the Sylph would have struck the Orwell upon her bows, in which event the effects of the collision would r.ot have been so disastrous. MADAME MICHAU'S JUVENILE BALL. BRIGHTON CHIT-CHAT.—The following very pretty lines we find in the Brighton Guardian of Wednesday:— A SONNET. Oa seeing Elise, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Rubins, a little girl between five and six years of age, dance the Cracovienne at Madame Michau's Juvenile Bull on the 10th inst. " I gaze upon the beautiful, "And my mind responds to the inspiration." Sweet infant ! Dancing is thy soul's delight, Like an embodied joy just sprung to earth, All hearts cling to thee for thy sportive mirth. Thy laughing eyes with happiness are bright, In innocence so pure, it charms the sight Of old and young alike, who smiling gaze With looks of love that speak the fondest praise, While admiration fain would claim the right To clasp thee like a parent to her breast. Thou elfin sprite, thus bounding in the air, Some witchcraft has thy little feet impress'd. Kind Nature, too, with inure than usual care Bestows on thee a treasure and a grace That paints true feeling is thy cherub face. F. L. Mr. Wilkinson here attempted to show that the proper course for the Sylph [would have been down the south shore, bu• this was shown to be impracticable, owing to the brigs and other craft which brought up in that direc tion. After a long discussion on this subject, Samuel John Livett was called and sworn.—l am col lector on board the Sylph, and in summer captain of the Flora. Shortly after leaving Greenwich-pier, whilst be low collecting the money, I heard the order giv n to " ease," " stop," and " turn the vessel astern," and after wards, " stern with her," when I ran up. James Swaisland, the son of the captain of the Sylph, was then called. He deposed that he was call-boy on board the vessel, and that he gave the orders to " ease," " stop," " turn astern," and afterwards "stern with her." The orders were obeyed. Two gentlemen, named Gillett Beach and James Row land, gave evidence that they were on the deck of the Sylph, and that it was clearly apparent to them that the collision was purely accidental. Mr. Wilkinson, on behalf of the owners of the Orwell, apologised for the absence of several of the witnesses he intended to call, who were employed on board the Orwell, which vessel sailed yesterday morning for Ipswich, and would not be back until to-morrow, as the vessel was freighted to bring to London a cargo of perishable goods. These were the witnesses who would speak as to the speed of the vessel. He would, however, call Capt. Rackham of the Orwell, who had not charge of the boat at the time of the accident, and would be a competent witness. Samuel Richardson Rackham deposed he was master of the Orwell, and was not in actual command when the accident occurred. I always have a licensed free waterman on board, who takes charge of the vessel at Gravesend, in coming up. His name is Wig gins. We left Ipswich on Monday, but were compelled, on account of the weather, to bring to on Monday afternoon in Sea Reach, and remained there until nine A. 1. on Tuesday morning. We came up very easy, and when at Woolwich the weather was very hazy, and we proceeded very slowly. The Witch, one of the Woolwieh Company's boats, passed at full speed off Blackwall. I was on the look out, with four or five others of the crew, in the fore part of the Orwell. I first saw the Sylph about 65 yards distant. We had stopped our vessel. I cannot say what the speed of the Sylph was. An order had been given on board the Orwell, of " quite easy," and I repeated it. The collision was inevitable. Wiggins was on the paddle-box all the way from Gravesend. He never left it. I hailed the Sylph, but it was useless. Had we been coming at full speed we must have run right over her. The Orwell did not receive any injury. Benjamin Kemble, steward of the Orwell, deposed that he was in the after-cabin at the moment the vessels struck. There was no shock. I am sure the engines had been stepped. I could tell by the oscillation of the vessel. A long conversation then took place as to what day was most convenient for an adjournment, which was ne cessary, in order to have post mortem examinations, and it was at length agreed on that the inquiry should be ' adjourned until Monday, the 23d inst., at one raw. SINGULAR DISCOVERY OF STOLEN PROPERTY.—In our number of the 12th of October will be found an article stating that George Hayward, servant to Mr. Knight, Manager of the County of Berks Union Banking Company, had absconded from Newbury with a box containing 195 L in gold and notes. On Tuesday morn. ing last a letter was addressed to Mr. Milsem, chief police-officer of Newbury, from Mr. Strattan, police officer of Great Malvern, Worcester, stating that on the 12th of October a stranger took up his lodging at the Union Inn, Great Malvern, and on the 18th left, with out taking his carpet bag, or paying his bill. The landlady, Mrs. Roe, took charge of the bag, and not seeing or hearing from the person who left it, had the curiosity, some weeks after, to open it, and found to her astonishment gold and notes to the amount of 1661. 10s. On reference to the Hue and Cry of the 11th of October, no doubt remained that it was the property therein stated, confirmed by a letter being addressed to Mr. Hayward while there. On the receipt of this informa tion, Mr. Knight started for Malvern on Tuesday last, and on Wednesday had the gratification to return home with the amount, honestly handed to him by Mrs. Roe in the presence of several most respectable inhabitants of Malvern, who had taken some interest in the discovery and subsequent restoration of the property. BANK OF EN G LAND.—Yesterday the quarterly General Court of the Proprietors of Bank Stock was held in the court room of the corporation. The Go vernor took the chair at twelve o'clock. The minutes of the last court were read, and,no further business offering, the Court adjourned. DEATII OF TUE ECCENTRIC BILLY BARLOW.--Yes terday, Mr. Baker held an inquest at the Queen's I-lead, Flshion-streer, Spite Melds, on view of the body of Ben jamin Serjeant, alias "Billy Barlow," aged 30, the w ell known street representative of the American " Jim Crow," who died in a miserable attic, at No. 53, Flower and-Dean-street, in the same parish. Mr. Benjamin Hart, surgeon, who attended upon the deceased, said that he was suffering from congestion of the lungs,which was the effect of long exposure to c o ld, an d w hi c h was the cause of death. Verdict—Natural Death, accelerated by exposure to the cold. MONEY MARKET and CITY NEWS. FROM THE MORNING PAPERS OF THIS DAY. CITY, THURSDAY EVENING. TIMES.—We have heard to-day of a plan adopted in some of the iron districts for evading the new banking law, antirpky different from any of the various schemes i that have been from time to time noticed under this head. At certain periods the proprietors of iron-works require advances to pay wages, or for some purpose of the kind, and they address themselves, in the first instance, to the neighbouring bankers. In some cases the bankers have already issued all the paper that the new law allows, and, at the same time, are anxious to afford the desired accommodation. To do this they give a credit to some party—probably a tradesman—in the vicinity, and in ' form their applicants that, although they (the bankers) cannot assist them, this party can aecom:nodate them with small cheques. Of course there is nothing in the law that can hinder a person keeping a drawing account with a banker from drawing cheques fur any small amount he pleases, and as the signature is perfectly well known in the district, such cheques perform all the func tions of a local issue. This scheme seems of all that we have heard the most difficult to be dealt with by the Legislature, should some supplementary Act be considered necessary to prevent the different evasions. The difficulty would be to esta blish a legal distinction between these cheques, drawn by a party who is a mere creature of the bankers to enable them to' extend their accommodation, and the cheques drawn by a bona fide depositor in the regular way of business, so as to prevent the former without in terfering with the latter. There is this, however, against the scheme, that it is not likely to be very widely .spread. Indeed, it seems only possible in small localities, where the parties are perfectly well known to each other. There is also the risk that the party appointed by the banker may abuse the confidence placed in him, and commence drawing on his own account. That the scheme has obtained a firm footing in some districts, there seems no doubt ; indeed, we understand that the bankers have been known to supply the draw ing party with cheques ready printed for the purpose required. To avoid that jobbing and speculation in railway shares which must be the consequence of any partial in formation come to by the Board of Trade, a correspon dent throws out the following hint:— " I beg leave to suggest that the Bo: rd of Trade, in making their report on railways, should sire notice to the public a week before they publish it, and that the Chairman of each Board of Directors ..hould have a copy transmitted to him, but all by the same post." It was to be anticipated that the remarks quoted yes terday respecting the dealing in shares at the Stock Exchange would provoke much observation from the members of that is stitution. The annexed letter has been first selected, as it appears to enter the most deeply into the discussion, which has been invited solely from the belief that the public, in their dealings in that de scription of securities, are not at present so fully pro tected as they ought to be : " Your correspondent whose letter you quote in this day's Times, does not, with all his boasted experience of thirty years, seem clearly to understand the difference between middlemen' and brokers' and ' jobbers.' What have brokers always been but middlemen,' and jobbers but 'bona fide' fundholders like himself ? He would fain persuade us that a new class 'of operators has sprung up, combining both share brokers' and share dealers in one and the same person, and thus brokers constitute themselves middlemen' to the prejudice, and dishonestly too, of the public.' No doubt it does sometimes happen that a broker may hare two clients, one of whom is willing to buy what the other wishes to sell, and if in such a ca e the transfer is effected at the market price of the day, of what has your correspondent to complain ? If he thinks a new and very extensive branch of business can be carried on in the old-fashioned way,' he is very much mis taken. Shares are not like Consols,' which can be bought and transferred the same day, and there's an end of it.' There are such things as stamps, transfer fees, local offices,' &c. ; and if the jobbers' were the bona fide holders, they would have to travel far and wide, and in their turn pay these stamps and transfer fees and travelling expenses, all out of the ' turn of the market' that your correspondent speaks about. Now, I cannot but imagine, if such were the principles of busi ness, these etceteras would not only be destructive' of the great facilities' which a general currency in the open market would afford, but, under the present system of transfer by deed, would turn out a loss both to the jobber and the public. I dare say if your correspondent can suggest any better plan than that which is the pre sent practice—namely, the 14-day settlings, when the names of bona fide buyers are passed from hand to hand until each finds a corresponding seller, in all which there is a vast deal of difficulty, the jobbers and the brokers, of whom he speaks so disparagingly, will feel greatly indebted to him. " I do not doubt that the sweeping accusation he brings against all share-brokers, charging them with oftentimes taking a little more than their commission from the one or other party, and sometimes from both, arises out of the circumstance of these travelling tickets alluded to, and from which the transfers are made out, differing in price, perhaps, both of buyer and seller ; in the latter case it may be a lower price ; this is passed over by such men as your correspondent, but it may sometimes happen to bear a higher price, and when it does so the broker, who is bound to follow the price upon the ticket, of course has robbed such an one of the difference. Perhaps when your Correspondent has had some thirty more years' experience he will under. stand these matters more fully. Nothing can facilitate the interchange of railway property but central offices for transfer without a Government stamp, or Registered Scrip Shares to pass from hand to hand like Exchequer bills." Another Correspondent, a broker, writes as follows: " With reference to the observations in your 'City Article' of this day, respecting the mode of dealing be tween brokers and jobbers in shares, .1 bog to observe that the imputation is much too general. The public, I believe, are frequently injured by certain brokers, who transact business under the general agreed rate of com mission, and then compensate themselves for the differ ence of the charge in the price rendered to their prin cipals, at their own discretion." SUN.—There was no change in English Stocks from the morning. Consols were 100 k 4 ; Exchequer Bills, 575. to 595. premium ; and New Three-and-a-Quarter per Cents., 103 k I. Bank Stock closed at 2084. The Foreign Market was not active. Spanish Five per Cents. realised 24 I, and the Three per Cents. 37t Chilian were 99 to 100, and Colombian 144 k. French Scrip was lk, and Belgian j- premium. Dutch Five per Cents. were 99k. The additional transactions in Railway Shares have been these : —Bristol and Gloucester were 6k ; Dublin and Belfast, 1 ; Dublin and Galway, it 4 ; Great Southern and Western (Ireland), 41 to 5 ; Hull and Selby, 19 ; Birmingham, 127 ; Brighton, 1 ; South Western, ex New, 34i ; Midland, 12 to 13 ; Newcastle and Darlington, 371 ; Ditto and Berwick, 6to6} ; North Kent, ; Richmond and West-end Junction, lk ; South Devon, 1 ; Trent Valley, 61 ; York and North Midland, Selby Scrip, 46 ; Ditto, Extension, 12 ; and Orleans and Bordeaux, 5i 1 premium. Eastern Counties have been 101 ; Midland and Birmingham and Derby, 64; and Strasbourg and Bale, 1k discount. DUTY ON PAPER i with all the precautio ns now t a k en many f rau d s were committed. It was useless, therefore, to look for re- MEETING OF MANUFACTURERS. : lief by any relaxation of their regulations, for they An important meeting of paper-manufacturers was were not more strict than necessary to prevent fraud, held at the London Coffee-house, Ludgate-hill, yes- ' and nothing less than total repeal would be effective. terday, for the purpose of taking steps to procure On the occasion of their former meeting some opposi the total abolition of the duty on paper in the ap • ; tion had been offered to the resolutions by the sta proaching session of Parliament. Similar meetings ' tioners, who then objected to th e repeal of the duty. were recently held at Manchester and Edinburgh, I He did not know whether they contined to be opposed and a deputation from the Manchester meeting, con- I to such a measure, but there were several causes, sieting of Mr. Crompton, Mr. Potter, and another perhaps, to which much opposition -might be attri gentleman, attended at the present meeting to offer buted. The stationer derived some advantage from their co-operation. Sir William Magnay, Mr. the discount which he obtained from the manufacturer, Dickenson, Mr. Gaussen, Mr. Pewtress, Mr. Law- who was obliged to give discount on the amount rence, and a number of other gentlemen interested of duty as well as on the material, though he had in the subject of the meeting, were present. Ito pay the Government in ready money. Some J. DICKENSON, Esq., having been called to the stationers also took advantage, which the present chair, said he had great satisfaction in explaining to state of the law afforded, of making bargains so numerous and respectable a meeting the injurious by buying from those fraudulent makers who had effects of the Excise-laws on the manufacture of not paid the duty; and the prices at which the goods paper, and in calling on them to use their most stre- were thus bought were used as the means of screwing nuous exertions to obtain a repeal of the duty that down the honest maker to the same scale.—(Hear.) pressed so heavily on their manufacture. In 1836 But the stationers themselves suffered from the effects the paper manufacturers obtained a partial reduction of the regulations for obtaining the drawback, and of the tax, and they obtained an equilisation of the were also becoming aware of the injurious tendency Excise duties on different kinds of paper; from which of the duty on the consumption of paper; therefore measures, however, the manufacturers had not de- it was to be hoped they would no longer offer opposis rived the expected advantages, and he trusted they tion to the endeavours to obtain a repeal of the tax. would be enabled to obtain redress for the intolerable The repeal of the duty would certainly lead to the grievances which now oppressed the trade, by the employment of an additional number of hands; he total removal of the duty; for he felt convinced that confidently believed double the present number would by no other means could the remedy they sought be be employed, and that consideration alone rendered procured. The reduction of duty before granted by the question a:most important one in the present eon the Government had, indeed, been of service, and the dition of the country.—(Cheers.) public had derived great benefit from the consequent Sir WILLIAM MAGNAY said he was glad to find, not reduction of the price of paper. The reduction of price only by the presence of so large a body of paper ma had, of course, greatly increased the consumption ; and nufacturers, but by letters from different parts of the thus it might have been expected to have benefited country, that they all concurred in the object they the paper manufacturer; but the increase of consump- were assembled to promote. The stationers also, he tion had not been adequate to the expected demand, understood, are not so much opposed to the repeal of and reduction of price had exceeded the proportion the tax as they were, the only real difficulty with due to the diminished duty ; consequently, the menu- them being the uncertainty in the trade which. the facturer had suffered, though the public had reaped agitation for the repeal of the duty occasioned considerable advantage. The duty at present pressed whilst it lasted, as they did not like to very heavily on some branches of the paper manu- purchase, and were afraid of loss on the facturer, to the amount, in some cases, of 150 per stocks they held. 'With respect to the new mode cent.; and on the larger portion of the produce of of making paper which had been adverted to by the mills, it amounted to 80 per cent. The depres- their Chairman, he could net conceive why it should sion in the price of paper had been occasioned partly be exempted from duty; for if so, other paper made by the reduction of the duty, and partly by the eva- by a different process than usual might also be sion of the payment of any duty by fraudulent exempted; and as it was, all the commoner descrip makers. The Excite had, for the purpose of pre- tions might be manufactured on the same plan that venting frauds, adopted many stringent regulations, was now practised in making mill-boards and roofing which were greatly annoying, and tended to injure paper. With respect to the damages done to pack the trade in many ways; but, nevertheless, the frauds ages at the Custom-house, to which the Chairman continued. In one instance that had come within his had alluded, he could bear ample testimony, having knowledge, it was the practice of a manufacturer, himself suffered severely from it. He had frequently whose name he would not mention, to pay the Excise sent out numbers of packages to the colonies, and as duty on half the paper he manufactured, and to re- frequently he was informed by the parties to whom tain the duty on the other half. He (Mr. Dickenson) they were sent that one, two, or more of these pack had paid much attention to the subject of collecting ages on each shipment were damaged and obliged to duties and preventing fraudulent practices; but he be sold as waste. This was a serious loss, and for a felt convinced that it was impossible for any law or time he could not account for alleged damages, as he regulation, however stringent, to prevent fraud in the had himself seen all the packages carefully secured. paper maker, if so disposed, and it was a known fact He afterwards found that the damaged parcels were that frauds to a great extent were still continued. those that had been opened at the Custom-house and The Excise regulations greatly impeded trading ope- then repacked. This had been the case under the tions, and the interference with the manufacture was former regulations, but now thet every package was carried as far as it could be endured; but notwith- opened, the damage would become ruinously extene standing their vigilance, the Excise could not prevent sive, and all the foreign trade would be of necessity fraud. The uncertainty of the law also afforded an- confined to the foreign manufacturer who was not other strong ground for the repeal of the tax altogether ; subjected to the annoyance. Sir William mentioned for in some cases articles that came in direct compe- also instances of the frauds of foreign paper manu tition with the paper maker were at one time declared facturers, who stamp the names of English makers on to be chargeable with duty, and at another time to their goods, and send them to England, where they be exempt. Mr. Dickenson then alluded at some are reshipped for the colonies. In one instance length to the process of manufacturing sheeting and he had caused a number of packages from roofing paper, for which a patent had been obtained in Holland to be examined, on every one of which he 1833. In that manufacture the fibrous material, found his own name stamped. If the restrictions on after being torn to pieces by passing it between spiked the paper trade were removed, he believed that at rollers, was mixed with pitch and tar, and then rolled least double the number of people would be employed out into sheets. The patentees got an officer of Excise in the making of paper, and the manufactures con to examine their mode of manufacture, and he was of nected with it. It would be the means more espee opinion that it did not come within the meaning of cially of giving employment to women, of whose dis the Act imposing a duty on paper. The paper makers tresses they had lately heard so much, and for whom complained of this, and in passing the Act of 1836 it it was extremely difficult to find suitable work. In was intended that such manufacture should be ren- proof of this he produced a French ornamental paper dered liable to the duty. According to the strict box, of which an immense quantity are now imported letter of the law that species of manufacture was pre- into this country. Those boxes were allowed to be viously chargeable ; but, when it was found that it imported as manufactured articles at the ad valorem was about to be especially included in the Act of duty of ten per cent., though made altogether of 1836, the parties got Mr. Duncombe and others to paper, for which the English maker has to pay the wait on Mr. Spring Rice, then Chancellor of the full duty. It was the practice of the merchant to Exchequer, and in consequence of their representa- enter them at a very low price, knowing that they tions a clause was introduced in the Bill to exempt would fetch little at a Custom-house sale, and the that manufacture from the payment of duty. The duty consequently does not amount to the fraction of parties afterwards undertook to manufacture mill- a farthing ; whilst the duty on English paper would boards and scale-boards, as well as roofing and be three halfpence per pound. The number of women sheathing by their patent process, but after a lapse of employed in France in making those boxes was not two years the Excise again claimed the payment of less than twenty thousand, and but for the duty charged duty on such articles. The parties pleaded their ex- on the paper, they might be made in England cheaper emption, and as another Act for regulating the duties and better. Another instance of the encouragement on paper was about to be passed, the matter was not given by the paper duty to foreign manufacturers pressed. In the subsequent Act of Parliament a was afforded by the glazed coloured paper in which clause was specially introduced for rendering such pieces of linen are usually done up. The parties manufacture liable to duty. The words were very ex- have the paper cut into slips, with the names engraved plicit ; they expressly stated that mill-boards, with on each, and in that state they came to this country from whatever material made, or by whatever process menu- France as manufactured articles, at ten per cent ad factured, should be chargeable with the same duty as valorem, the value being set at the very lowest rate, paper-14s. per cwt. Notwithstanding this Act, for the paper would be of no use to any but the per the parties set to work in defiance of it, and though sons whose names are engraved thereon. In this the case had been represented to the Board of Excise manner the English paper. maker is driven from the again and again, they refused to interfere. He (Mr. market in that kind of or namen t a l p a p er , f or w hi c h Dickenson) went to Mr. Wood on the subject, and he there is now a great demand. Embossed gold paper, obtained a promise that the matter should be examined cut into slips, comes from France in the same man and reported. The Surveyor-General of Excise did, ner, at an ad valorem duty as a manufactured in fact, report that the process was altogether dif- article, to the encouragement of the foreign manu ferent from that of making paper, the material being facturer, and to the injury of our labouring popula in one case mixed, when dry, with pitch and tar, and tion, thousands of whom are thus deprived of em in the other case the material was reduced to a pulp ployment. The system of making up goods in orna- ' with water. It was, indeed, well worth making an mental ceverings to invite purchasers had been in alteration in the mode of manufacture, if by that creasing for some time, and would probably be much means an article serving the same purpose as many more extended, and if the labels and ornamental kinds of paper would be brought into the market paper for the purpose could be obtained from France duty free. He had no doubt, from the first, that the without duty the English maker would be quite article was chargeable with duty, and he adduced unable to compete under such disadvantage. It had these variations in the opinion of the Excise officers, only been within the last three months that it and on the interpretation of the Act a Parliament, had been decided that these ornamental papers might to show the great grievances to which paper manu- be imported at an ad valorem duty, and the result facturers were subject, from the uncertainty of the would be that all these things would henceforth come law as well as from the duty itself. It was impossible from France. The repeal was the only remedy. for the fair trader to compete with those who manu- dt Mr. GAUSSEN rose to move a series of resolutions, among the paper:makers, which is attributable to the factured a similar article without payinfglatnydeuhayd to the effect that great depression at present exists wdheomahnadd alotnlgeacsatrfraiiredpolany aanuds_etu_ no favour.— ra _ t Excise laws ; that the manufacture of paper ought to a a n ri d g t h h t ey to (Cheers.) In asking for a repeal :of h_e du yon be encouraged ; that the duties are at present ex paper, they would have the satisfaction e oefathinkingo tremely unequal, being as much as 80 per cent. on that such a measure would be greatly . be n fi i lt many some branches of the manufacture, whilst on the other other trades besides their own. Millwrights, smiths, descriptions it is but 20 per cent ; that the Excise mould-makers, printers, booksellers, bookbinders, pub-. regulations are insufficient to prevent fraud; that great many other_ trades, t would derive fishers, and asome articles of British manufacture are superseded advantage from the repeal of h he tax ; and paper by foreign articles not chargeable with the duty ; would become an article of muc more general use that the tax is greatly prejudicial to the publication for several purposes to which other s substances ti were of books ; that the duty is the last Excise duty that now applied. The tax on paper,amongoier, impor- presses on any considerable body of men ; and that a tent prejudicial effects, 'produced_ great __ injury the the memorial be presented to the Chancellor of the Ex publicationbooks. The late Mr. Rees, of the firm chequer, of and a petition be presented to Parliament, and tated in evidence, be- of Messrs. Longman s C o.,., embodying the resolutions, and praying for the repeal of Commons, that on fore a Committee of the House out of three of the duty on paper. In moving: these resolutions an average not more that onebook suc- ]!Sr. Gaussen dwelt at some length , on the injurious it therefore ceeded and paid its expenses ; re became tendency which the duty had had on the consump necessary for the publishers to remunerate hookfor themselvesthe' tion of paper, and argued, from the great increase of by the profits of the one successful cotton manufacture, consequent on the reduction of of Mr. M'Culloe t h r losses on the others. The authority th addition that not duty on the raw material, that a similar increase confirmed this opinion, with twenty would have taken place in the manufacture of paper pays its ex- more than one pamphlet out of E .. had the Excise duty been taken off. The 'revenue According to the present Excise regulations, derived from penses. to the dealer in cotton, having been the present duty was 620,0007., there he privilege that was granted g an increase of 60 per cent. in the menu was refused to a t nd to other dealers in taxed articles, to keep facture of paper since the reduction of duty in 1836 ; the publisher; for whilst they were permitted els _ but the increase ought to have been much greater, their goods in bond without paying duty t u o n i a d sale and were the Excise restrictions taken away the paper was effected, the publisher was compelled pay duty manufacture would make most rapid progress, and all the sheets that were printed, thoughthe greater _ afford the means of employment to a large portion of on became afterwards useless. If the the population. perhaps, portion, thus injuriously on publication, it The resolutions were • tax operated must also operate prejudicially on education; and in Mr. NORRIS urged upon the meeting the absolute the right these times, when education was considered the rich necessity, if they took any steps at all, of acting of the poor, and that it was the duty of vigorously, and bringing the question to a speedy issue. essential r was more than ever dh No d one could doubt that the 5 per cent. duty, which provide the means, it f know that so great an hindrance to the spre a o a been imposed, had, from the very first, been paid delays ledge should be removed. The dfficulties and the duty out H of the pocket of the manufacturer.—(Hear, hear.) h attended obtaining the drawback of . . .e thought that if, by any means, they could indem whic constituted another source of injury nify parties who had on paper exported, a large stock on hand against andgave the foreign loss, they would • to the English paper maker,. obviate any great difficulty and manufacturer great and unfair advantages. Formerly secure more combined efforts. m th s e difficulties of obtaining the drawback of duty were_ Mr. CROMPTON, of Manchester, who attended as without seriously affecting the fo- one of the deputation from a meeting only annoyances, . held yesterday the recent Custom-house in that town, spoke most reign trade - but, since . despondingly of the present ff Is ofstate of frads, the Government, smarting under the e ec and the losses they had sustained, had made new he represented there were assembled the manufacturers more stringent regulations on the shipment of goods, o f one-fourth the whole amount of paper made in and now all packages of paper and books were taken England, and they were of opinion that nothing but out of their cases, looked over, and then bundled ruin awaited them unless the tax was repealed. without care into the cases again and shipped. l The Mr. P RWTRESS inquired whether there had been mischief did not end there, for it had . been the the . any int i mation . received from the Government of their custom to packandpaper going to West intention to repeal the duty, or books . . cases, and in 'cat' had taken place whether any comn:u long sea voyages, in tin i Indies, or on lderieg of these cases and examining pack-t . ie_ . Mr. icieerssom said there had been no cornmuni the reso .. books and paper were fre quently soiled, and cation made vet, as it was deemed requisite to have by the r esoldering the whole contents the support a a general meeting by the carelessness in before application These vexatious regulations was made. Now th a t th ey w ere often damaged. were backed by the reso for subse- lutions of thi s meeting did not apply to Fre nch p a p er im p orted g t h ey should go to the Chan t- tion therefore our co lonies could now cellor of the Exchequer with greaterconfidence, quent expor.a and with foreign ' paper more readily, and in endeavour to make out their • case in the same manner be supplied condition, flanp paper of English manufacture, as the soapmakers and glassmakers had done. betterf 1 maker received greater facilities for A PAPERMARER from the country, who p rincipally r the foreign colonies than the English manu- manufactures the lower class of papers, to cur said he had sending hostile tariff could have a worse severely felt the effects of the facturer. Nointroduction of the effect on the trade than these Custom-house F renc h b ox e s . H e h a d f ormerly received extensive and if these obstacles were conti- or d ers for an article called " button board,"used regulations, in • r trade must. making boxes, butaery the orders had been dis- Mr. Dickenson sa id he had endeavoured to point continued by his customers, and he w as at a loss to out some of the most promin ent disadvanta g es attend- account for it. The m y ster y w as now solved ; f or h e and some of the benefits that had no doubt that it was the importation of ing the duty on paper, French boxes that hadcausedthe ' derived from its repeal; but no one could would be of the good that would re- the manufacture for which the article conceive the whole extent . was employed. of paper from the After some discussion, in ,the course of which it suit from the total emancipation than total excise. He felt assured that nothingless. a l was stated that the . London paper makers intended to repeal would do. The Board of Excisehad end ea- act in concert with those in the country, and would voured to make their arrangements so as to be as little be glad to have their co-operation, a committee was vexatious as possible to the fair trader, but nothing appointed for drawing up the memorial and petition, short of very strict supervision could detect fraud, and and for waiting on the members of the Government to COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, THURSDAY. —The Queen and Prince Albert walked for some time this morning in the pleasure-grounds adjacent to the Castle. On the re turn of her Majesty, his Royal Highness went out to shoot in the royal preserves, attended by Mr. Anson and Sir Edward Bowater. The royal party left the Castle on horseback. Viscount Hawarden left the Castle for town this morning, but is expected to return to the Castle to dinner. Lady Caroline Somers Cocks and the Hon. Frances Devereux have arrived at the Castle, and have suc ceeded the Hon. Misses Liddell and Hamilton as this Maids of Honour in Waiting on the Queen. The royal dinner party at the Castle this evening included her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, Lady Fanny Howard, the Countess Wratislaw, Mr. George Edward and the Hon. Mrs. Anson, and Captain Francis Seymour. the band of the Royal Horse Guards was in attendance during dinner. Her Majesty's private band afterwards attended, and performed the remainder of the evening. The Countess of Gainsborough is expected to arrive this evening. The Duchess of Kent has been pleased to appoint Dr. M‘Carogher, R.N., to be one of her Royal Highness's Physicians extraordinary. Their Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge, and the Hereditary Grand Duke and Duchess of Mecklenburg- Strelitz, visited her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester yesterday, at Gloucester House. Baron de Brunnow, the Russian Minister; le Com mandeur Lisboa, Brazilian Minister ; and M. Stra tenus, the Netherland Charge d'Affaires, transacted business yesterday at the Foreign-office. Dispatches from the Governor of the Cape of Good Hope, the Mauritius, and Sierra Leone, were received yesterday at the Colonial-office. Lord Wharncliffe, Lord President of the Council, left town on Wednesday, on a visit to Lord Francis Egerton, at Ratchford. OPENING OF THE ENGLISH THEATRE at PARIS. The first performance of the English dramatic com pany, for whose representation this play-going capital is indebted to the enterprising spirit of Mr. Mitchell, took place on Monday night, at the Theatre Ventadour, or Les Italiens, as it is called, since the harmonious troupe, which boasts Grisi, Persiani, Lablache, Mario, Fornasari, &c., has again migrated to that elegant house. For the debut of our countrymen Othello was judiciously selected, it being, probably, of all Shakspeare's trage dies, that which our neighbours are best acquainted with. The first of the twelve nights which Mr. Mitchell has announced has proved quite successful. When the curtain rose at about eight o'clock, the aspect of the house was already promising, and the play had made but little progress when almost all the boxes were occupied by most distingue company, who would, no doubt have been more numerous still, had it not been for the receptions pro ceeding, at the Palace of the Tuileries, on the occasion of the marriage of his Royal Highness the Duke D'Aumale. The audience comprised a large proportion of English and other foreign spectators, and the toilettes exhibited all the elegance observable at the Ventadour Theatre, when its stage is devoted to the execution of the lyrical productions of Italy. The reception given to Mr. • Macready and Miss Faucit at once dispelled the appre hensions of such few as fancied that the rancour against their country, which party feeling has for some years past so zealously and perseveringly striven to kindle in France, might attempt to mar the exertions of those eminent artists. Both were received with general and cordial plaudits, and their countrymen in the pit and boxes had not a single hostile manifestation to resent or to despise ; in short, cur iniquities in the Medi terranean, in the Pacific, and, indeed, where ever, salt water exists, seemed to be generously and hospitably forgotten, together with the ascendancy we have not in Spain, and care not to have at Otaheite. Even the " right of visit" made room :forthat admira tion which Shakespeare's language has to command when uttered by Mr. Macready to a people that appre ciate the sublime and beautiful so readily as the French. It is unnecessary to dwell here on the merits of the per formances, suffice it to say that the whole went off ad mirably. Mr. Mitchell, with his wonted good taste, has issued to his visitors an elegantly printed pia) book, with a French translation corresponding to the text, and when Othello and Desdemuna's miseries were over, there was as numerous a display of carriages at his doors as the municipal guard can have to govern at the premieres re presentations of the most fashionable theatres of this drama-loving capital. COVENT•OARDEN THEATRE.—This national esta blishment opens at Christmas under a new management, M. Laurent has engaged a talented company, and will produce an entertainment quite new to the British public, being a translation of The Antigone of Sophocles, with choruses by Mendelssohn. It is hoped that so praise worthy an effort will be seconded by those whose patron age and influence can alone assist the lessee in attaining so desirable an object, The services of Mr. Edward Sterling have been secured—a sufficient warranty for the excellence of the stage arrangements. THE CHURCH. The following is a list of dignities which have fallen to the gift of Sir Robert Peel's Government : Preferment. Cathedral. To whom presented. Canonry 'Worcester Deanery.. Bishopric _... . • Ditto Canonry Bishopric ...... ... Meath ... ..... Deanery Ferns Rev. Dr. Newland Ditto Ditto Bishopric .... . Deanery Ditto ... ..... Pakenham Ditto Bishopric Canonry St. Paul's Deanery ...... .... . Llandaff Rev. K. Bruce Bishopric Ditto Archdeaconry Canonry Westminster Rev.Dr.Wordsworth Deanery Killala .. ...... ... Rev. Dr. Collins Ditto Carlisle Ditto Ditto Canonry Windsor Ditto N.B. The vacancies occurred in the above order. INGENIOUS SMUGGLING AT PLYMOUTH.—The con traband dealers in tobacco have just been detected in an attempt to introduce this commodity by a mode which for ingenuity will bear comparison with any of those re cently discovered. The sailing packet Zebra, Captain Lauraines, from Jersey, commenced discharging her cargo on Saturday, the 14th inst., at the legal quay Sut ton Wharf, Plymouth. Among other goods in her mani fest were thirteen casks, said to contain pitch. This article is not frequently brought from the islands, and as the casks weighed only 31 cwt., instead of the usual average, 4 cwt. to 41 cwt., the suspicions of the officers of customs were naturally excited. They, however, very prudently deferred seizing the suspected goods until an owner presented himself at the Cu.stoin-lioase. In due course Mr. Christopher John Arrowsin'th, the only pas senger by the Zebra, came to clear the casks, they were each found to contain a small quantity of pitch, sur rounding what appeared to be a number of bricks, but these on inspection proved to be tin cases, covered with coarse red paint, mixed with fine gravel or sand. Each case bad from 311 b. to 3}lb. of unmanufactured tobacco, closely wedged within it; indeed, so closely, that it took six or seven men all one day to examine the contents of eleven casks. The thirteen casks, each having about forty-one cases, containing 1341 b., will probably produce 14 or 15 cwt. of tobaccD in all. One of the cases has been sent to the Board of Customs. It is supposed that the tobacco was made to assume the form of bricks, to facilitate the transport unsuspiciously from the first place 'of deposit after landing. The officers concerned in the capture are Mr. Rich, landing-survey or; Mr. Potb u ry, tide-surveyor; and Mr. Ramsey, land ing-waiter. A CANDIDATE FOR TRANSPORTATION.—A curious incident occurred in the Central Crimi na l C ourt yester day. The Recorder was trying three youths for theft. Several witnesses were called, and the case was distinctly proved against all three. The eldest prisoner, aged 18, was sentenced to ten years' tran s po r t a ti on , as it was shown that on a previous occasion he had been convicted at Maidstone assizes. The two younger prisoners were sentenced to three months, with hard labour, in the House of Correction. One of the lads then proceeded to the front of the dock, and having attracted the atten tion of the Recorder, said, in a clear and decided tone, " My Lord, I have been convicted before, and I should like to be transported with my friend." The Court was convulsed with laughter, but the wish of the candidate r transportation was n9t complied with. IRELAND. THE COAMISSIONERS - UNDER THE BE- QUESTS BILL. DUBLIN, DEC. 18.—A supplement t o the Dublin Gt , zette, published this evening, contains the " astounding" fact of three Roman Catholic Bishops, who, to their ever lasting credit, stood firm against th e assaults of their traducers and intimidators, both lay and clerical, accept ing the Queen's Commission to carry into operation the almost solitary hen:.ficial Act of Irish legislation which has emanated from the Government of Sir Robert Peel. This is, undoubtedly, a " heavy blow" at the assumed despotism of the lion of the fold of Judah, and a " great discouragement" to his lay auxiliary, Mr. Daniel O'Con nell, who %sill be thus relieved from the further turmoil of that impotent parochial agitation, by means of which he has contrived to divert the attention of hi. 3 dupes from V:e consumptive state of the repeal question with the glaring " d:ficiencies" week after week of the repeal xchequz r. Here is the official announcement of the " blow" which has prostra'ed all the hopes of the " protesters." The name of Dr. Denvir, Roman Catholic Bishop of Down and Connor, Las, it will he seen, been substituted for that of the Right Rev. Dr. Kennedy, who, by a littl e less pliancy, would have appeared to more advantage, had he preserved his consistency by retaining his seat at the board, according to his original intention : " Dub:in Caste, December 18, 1844.—The Queen in Council has becii pleased by warrant, under the sign manual, bearing date at her Majesty': Court of St. James's, the 14th day of Dtcember, 1844, to appoint the following persons to be Commissioners of Charitable Donations and Bequests for Ireland, agreeably to the provision of the Act 7th and Bth of her Majesty, cap. 97, viz.:— " The Most Rev. John George, Lord Archbishop of krinagh, and Primate of all Ireland. " The Most Boy. Richard, Lord Archbishop of Dublin. " The Most Rev. Archbishop William Crol!y. The Most Rev. Archbishop Daniel Murray. " The Right Hon. John Hely, Earl of Donoughmore, K.S. P. `• The Right Rev. Bishop Cornelius Denvir. " The Very Rev. henry Pakenham, Dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin. " The Right lion. Sir Patrick Bellew, Bert. " The Right lion. Anthony Richard Blake. " The Rev. Pooley Shouldham Henry, D.D." The Eveneng Mail contains the following remarks in reference to this document. : "Thanks to the firmness of Lord Ileytesbury, the measure has tint:, been carried into effect without the slightest concession to clamour, or any yielding to a sup posed expediency. We are happy to observe also, that the Roman Catholic prelates and laymen on the Coin mission have risen with the emergency above the weak ness of a pusillanimous surrender to the pressure from without, or with the perverseness of embarrassing the Government from within. Doctor Murray, in particu lar, has displayed a moral courage which entitles him to the respect of the wise and good of all persuasions, and to the confidence especially of the laity of his own. It was no easy task to resist the talons of the lion of the fold of Judah, and the fangs of the serpent of the tribe of Dan ; it was no holiday work to withstand the shock of the demagogue's tongue, and despise the threats of an ignorant and fanatical multitude. But Doctor Murray, upon whom the chief as sault was brought to bear, has triumphed over the arts and the violence of his opponents, aad the va cillation of his own temper ; and has thus, we believe, brought to a most important crisis the temporal concerns . of the Roman Catholic Church as it exists in Ireland. The position which he has at last assumed determines, we think, the growing controversy between what may be called the democratic spirit creeping into his Church, and the theocracy which she has invariably asserted for herself ; and so far it is well for the peace of the world that the anarchy resulting from mob dictation should be seasonably cut short. Having done justice to Dr. Murray, we ought not, and we will not, withhold the tribute of our respect from Drs. Crolly and Denvir. Though more in the shade, they sustained, by their counsel and con currence, the energies of their ;more exposed colleague, and doubtless to their co-operation much of his firm ness, as well as the success of the measure, is to be ascribed." VICEREGAL COURT. The first levee for the season is officially announced to take place on the 29th of January, and the first drawing room on the evening following. MORTALITY in the METROPOLIS The following are the results of "A Table of Mortality in the Metropolis, showing the .Number of Deaths from all Causes registered in tae 'Week ending Saturday, the 14th of December, 1844." The Table is issued from the Office of the Registrar-General:— Weekly CAUSES OF DEATH. Total. Average of Five Y ears Epidemic, Endemic, and Contagious Diseases 226 178 Diseases of variable or uncertain seat lOB 111 Diseases of the Brain, Nerves, and Senses l5B 157 Diseases of the Lungs, and other Organs of Respiration Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels 42 21 Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs of Digestion Diseases of the Kidneys, &c 5 5 Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus, &c. Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles ll 6 Diseases of the Skin, &c Old Age, or Natural Decay 7B 71 By Violence, Privation, or Intemperance Causes specified... 1196 942 Deaths from all Causes ... 1201 946 •,. DEATIIS FROM THE PRINCIPAL DISEASES INCLUDED WM/A TILE ABOVE HEADS. Total. Weekly Average of Five Years. Consumption Scarlatina 47 34 Pneumonia . Dropsy .. ... .. .. ........... Hooping Cough .. 26 33 Typhus 2B 31 Small Pox 5l 15 Disease of the Heart Measles 33 28 Apoplexy .......... ... .... ... 29 18 Diseases of the Brain ...... Diarrhea.. ......... lO 12 Sudden Deaths 2O 15 DISTRICTS. West T 176 138 North 209 171 Central East 268 207 South Total ............1201 EXTRAORDINARY LAND SLIP. A most extraordinary land slip happened a week from Thursday last, the 15th, near Lebanon, New Hampshire. About three miles to the eastward of the village is a high conical hill, rising perpendicu larly on its southern side, but on the north sloping gradually from the summit to the rich table land be low. This hill forms part of the property of Benja min Wurtle, Esq., and the land around it is divided into three farms, each of which runs in a rectangular shape into the hill, meeting together in a point at its apex. The following is the relation of a person on the spot at the time : " "With one of the tenants, Robert Gourley, I had occasion to transact some business on Thursday last, and having called on him at his farm-house about two o'clock of the day, I was detained till late in the evening. About half-past ten ',o'clock, as we were in the act of reading over some papers, preparatory to their being signed by us, we were startled by a sudden explosion. Our first impression was, that a piece of artillery had been discharged in the rear of the farm buildings, but after reflecting on the extreme impro• bability of such an event, we referred the detonation to an earthquake, or some subterranean convulsion. For the next few minutes we sat in a state of con siderable alarm, which was augmented on hearing unusual sounds from the barns and stables, as if the cattle were struggling to get loose. Just as we started from our seat, by a sort of instinctive resolve, to ascertain the cause of this singular occurrence, we suddenly felt the house in motion. " At first there was a violent jerk, then a movement onward, not unlike the first starting of a ponderous railway train. Gradually the motion increased, until we found ourselves moving along at a rapidly accele rating rate. It was a clear starry night, and I could see the boughs of trees in the distance passing the windows, just as we perceive the transit of simi lar objects from the window of a travelling ve hicle. This continued for two or three mi nutes, and then there was a sudden stop, producing another violent jerk, which threw my friend and me to the opposite side of the room. We ran imme diately to the door, and our astonishment may be more easily conceived than described on discovering ourselves in an entirely new locality. I saw at once that a land slip had taken place ; but although I had read of similar occurrences in the districts around the Alps, I was not prepared for so remark able an instance as had just taken place. " We found ourselves at least a quarter of a mile from the original spot. The farm-house and out buildings were all entire. A range of poplars, which grew near the 'earn, still occupied the same relative position to the. building. The only change observable was that a stream which flowed a little below the farm-houses had entirely disappeared. " The most singular result of this movement is that the farm offices of my friend, Mr. Gourley are no longer upon his own farm. They have been pro jected upon the lands of a totally different proprietor, and it is supposed that unless he manage to rent, in addition to his old farm, the portion of land on which his stealing is now located, a good deal of nice liti gation will be the consequence of this sudden and un expected freak of nature. '—Boston (U. S.) Chronicle of Nov. 30. SUlClDE.—Yesterday afternoon, shortly after four o'clock, Mr. Wood, jun., ,:on of the proprietor of Wood's, Hotel, Lincoln's lnn-fields, entered the shop of Itrr. Husk, bootmaker, of High Holborn, and requested per. mission to go the water-closet, and, being a customer, it was immediately granted. Having remained fur a con siderable time, Mr. Husk became surprised, and upon going up stairs, to his horror discovered the unfortunate young man quite dead, having cut his throat with a razor which was lying on the ground. No cause for the rash act has been assigned. THE PRINCE CONSORT'S PRIZE Ox.--This splendid animal, which arrived at Windsor from the Smithfield . Club Cattle Show, on Monday last, was immediately taken to the royal dairy in the Home-park, where it will be domiciled during the winter,