The Sun. — London, England, 1845-12-11 00:00:00

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(Lefebvre's \ 2 PkA thda''' (O'Neill's) -,, tid _ ,t tb. . ................. 3 rieff-7„411d Ancona.... • - F seders ...... .• - 4 MINES. •-•• 3 3 4•11 ••11 000000 ••• 441 del Monte Unread. . 44L ot. z b'S SHIPPING—(THIS DAY.) ' 4 4;:c DEc. 11.—Wind W., light breeze and cloudy, 1 - I: ` , otic Qu e b ee , 9.—Arrd. Legonia, Blanchard, Port Rico; 08.4 T ED LIGHT ON BLACKWATER BANK.—A letter has t 4 ,;e 4 sed to Lloyds', the writer of which suggelled the of a light b e ng placed over the Blackwater Bank. le a LLOYD'S. gelleral meeting of the members of Lloyd's held yes- Robinson, Esq., in the chair, the . fo llowing . re aA proposed and unanimously carried . ktlienTlal vte of thanks to his Majeity the King of 4 , 0 1 14 or the yaluable set of charts presented to Lloyd's, l b v 13 ,_ f his Majesty." • 0 0 ° f "`,,,of 20'. in aid of the local subscription for the re `ue Parties who unhappily loss their lives in . the L.,2ffort to save one of the crew of the Red Rover fi sh - t, off Dunbar, during a violent gale, on the l igust.” 434 NEWS.—(THIS DAY.) 4 4 ` 4 4 SAY DT aIitIICETS. Itt4, 41 nit Lb....... Meadow Hay, 31 8s to 41 16s ; Clover Olt 8 43 to 5/ 14s ; Oat Straw, to 1/ lOs per load. tiKtrawl 1110 a to 1/12s per load. Supply moderate 2 dull. W tt, t/ t l it o l Ainx—Meadow Hay, 3/ lOs to 4/ 16s ; Clover, Peitt g . „`'s t• 5/ 14s 'toy Straw,to 1/ lOs heavy, / 4 1)o v " r aw, 1/ lOs l/ 13s per load. Trade at t i ktr e 4uotations. j,, ° * t 6 1L.—Meadow Hay, 3/ lOs to 4/15s ; Clover, ditto ; Oat straw, 1/ 6s to 1/ 108 ; Wheat Straw, • ' 42 per load. A moderate supply, and a sluggish kt t NCEAT 21.113tKETS. 11 "LL, DEC. 10.—Eachkind of prime stock sold freely, 1 4 ,„ 1n ,,e 3 . Otherwise, the demand ruled heavy. Beef, h 4O ll ; 3 'U to 4s 4d; Mutton, 3s 8d to ss; Veal, 4s to topkvarld Pork, 4s to 4s 8d per Blbs. It t1 011 0 ° , 41), 12 h:c. 10.—We had a steady general demand on thIN t o lag termsfro 2s 8d to 4s 4d; Mutton, 1_ s t r,;, Veal, 4s to 4s 10d ; n and Pork, 3s. 8d to ss. per ti a ,` 9 2o,, t 'ling Calves, 18s to 30s ; Quarter-old Store Pigs, "; And Mulch Cows, with their small Calf, 161 to 191 q ' t g a ttA 4 At , to 5 7 , 10.—Beef, from 2s 8d to 4s 6d ; Mutton, elbs, -8 ,' d; Veals, 4s to 4s 8d; and Pork, 3s 10d to 4s 8d U PPIy good and trade firm. DEc. 9.—We had a firm demand, at full.prices. 4,`", 2s 10d to 4s 4d ; Mutton, 3s 10d to 5s 2d ; ft to l llch k ` ° 4 5 10d ; and Pork, 3s 10d to 4s 8d per Blbs. tt tit o cea n ,-- DEC. 10.—All kinds of stock moved off 44 4 ;5 4 . , 111 ' quotations Beef, from 2s B.ti to 4s Gd ; Mutton, „ I' eal, 48 to 4; 8d ; and Pork, 4s to 4s 10d per 81135; ‘' a lves 18s to 30s Quarter Old Store Pigs, 16s •I ke s l l. llll d Uil:ch Cows, with their small calves, 16/ to - - , klelavam 9 4 Oki r oll AND LEADDNNAIM. to " 'oil average supply of Meat on sale, yet the trade i i p ; ':nd prices were well supported. Beef, from 2s 8d "cito 5 ; 1 4 11 ,,tt0n, 3s 2d to 4s 6d ; Veal, 4s to ss; and Pork, per 81bs, by the carcase. o t ,, CORN AVERAGES. i 4 tht AL AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN hp 4 e, te r : k , ended Dec. 6, 1845, made up from the Returns of the ) t i.7; different Cities and Towns in England and Wales - Quarter. btpt 5 , ir -eT.IBAII.LEY.I OATS. I RTE. I BEANS. PEAS. .%. ed. 32s 106 24s 7d 35s Od4ls 8d 43s 4d Od 4s Od 3s Cd 7s Gd Is Od Is Sd 10/ %. "LS I COURT.—(THIS DAY.) 1r LOur, G -- NELSON V. LORD BRIDPORT. resumed his arguments in this case, \ "`"k:upied th e w h o l e day. 'N's ENCH.— DAY. ere Mr. Justice WIGIITMA ( and a THIS Special Qis BRDSTOE V. PINNER. %., 0 11 b" 43 an action for an alleged illegal distress, iliTQepiii, t ne plaintiff against the defendant, who was f ho t officer, upon the allegation that the plaintiff 01 4 „ ? we any debt to the person named by the tl i Nek;: , and therefore resisted the distress. 1 41 111 - 14 .was given to show, on behalf of 4 t l tr, that the goods on the premises k r e wn property, and not the property of a person l'il i C' e nyard,against whom the execution had issued. k t °l l4entended by counsel for the defendant that Ot of k .had made a collusive and fraudulent assign - CP, "Is Property i n or d e r to evade the distress. ki te l l !enYard was examined as to the nature of the ‘ l ,7t. , s e l's upon which he made the assignment. In tp' ll 4,,l"aulination he said he owed a debt on a bill of 11 c1 1 4ey',' When he was making arrangements to procure ,ere , v 4 not to pay the bill, but to extend his business." ),tti% T e f e no witnesses examined for the defence. WZ I kl knsuiP, in addressing the jury, said they 014 1 1 k this case have two questions to try ; one, li t t ) !t c n ,, tll , l s was a good and valid assignment, and given deration ; and the second was, that if they Op t 141 e transaction was a bona fide one, what ni e d% injury the plaintiff had sustained. The e ar "udge then recapitulated the evidence with e. cas i t tope up whe th n nd ied e Court from its sittito ha 0/, d o'cloccock, the jury fou for the n plaintiff lf -- 4 4ag es. t t P the l ' . " ) E V. THE MARQUIS OF WESTMEATH. 4 1 t4CLICITOR-GENERAL said he was for the de ft o l t n this case, and it was likely to be one which t iZol l i a Possibly be brought to a close to-day, and that res t „ °ee nPy the whole of to-morrow. Under these ne k , - ‘ 4lc es, he hoped the case would not be called on, tur d ''ould be obliged to be absent to-morrow and P r n3'. te OA - AtI I , t 7.4 s,,i N ,,`W's COUNSEL said he was prepared to pro ktiem ' 4l the case, but he agreed with his Learned t the setae it could not possibly be concluded to-day ; 4 ,4, m a l rae time he did expect that this, though a long n(aild not be postponed for anyother long cause. k t ioi a rnier —what is the cause of action ? 1 ; 1° n - GENzaaL—The obstruction of light in an The p u ilding., my Lord. t‘ voe, i `' s c 'trzer---Wh at is the next cause ? ee f t i --The parties are Cullen v. Bushel, and the t kt e a • eti ,on is a malicious prosecution, which will Ol e time. o Literrolt-GENERAL said he had made an ar hssslleroent With the Court that the cause should not be at 43 n Friday or Saturday, and if that an arrange -lerth"Wt been made, he should have returned his Af ter r ee days ago. th a Short discussion it was agreed upon to post ha 1 4ft ause, which was a special jury one, till the er term. ~ ERI FFS' COURT.--(THIS DAY.) (Before Mr. Under-Sheriff BURCHELL.) C ti -e . BRYANT V. FILCHER. 411,, Intlff in this case is a surgeon and apothe ks. ( .. 1 1 the defendant pleaded her coverture. eeltltd. 11A RNocK, fur the defendant, said the case was ste r. I , no t, ) Eta, for the plaintiff, said that he was pre ' e° on, and had not received any instructions to crary. ett, l Pt " 4tto,. r"ls, however, not being in attendance, the 1„ struck out of the list. lqpole next case, IlhostvellartNoex begged it might stand over for a 4 Th uly e4'e, as his witnesses had to come from Reading. h linE n - SHERIFF said he could not grant any in- Zter'lleeek; ot. unless parties were p re p a r e d th e causes must b IV, lii`LEOD V. BRADY. " I ltier ' , k /V am an action to recover the sum of 171. 4s. it h Ie following circumstances:— IN t: Plaintiff resides in Quicker row, St. Pancras, and Il laic c i L lt nt or a house of which the defendant was lessee. h 84143-7, paid her rent, but defendan: not paying t e Plltili9r landlord, the latter put in a distraint, an tot .tiff ‘,.. had to pay the rent again, and 51. 17s. for t!..ia es MrT.,. M. -14."46 said tha broker was in poisession for THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER, 11, 1845. twelve days, to the great inconvenience of the plaintiff, who was no doubt entitled to some compensation. How ever, she would be content with a verdict for the rent and expenses.—Verdict for 171. 4s. is tottering, a touch will overbalance it. Be it that the corn-laws might be removed but temporarily, the) had received the authority of Sir Robert Peel, within the last two years, that once off they could never be put on again. These laws once destroyed, the monopolists who profited by them, having lost their source of gain would join for the destruction of all monopoly whatever. Mr. PAINTON just begged to state for their informa tion, that having been in the potato market this morning, he had seen a large cargo of York potatoes, and that the owner of them, after endeavouring to find a sound potatoe, could only get three. The price of them in the York market is at present V., and it would very soon rise to 164 per ton. Mr. WEST, in order to lay before the meeting a few of those data on which the resolution rested, quoted very largely from an article which appeared some time ago in the Liverpool Times. He then quoted from a printed circular a statement of the condition of the crops, in the various foreign countries. Russia has a sufficiency, but it is very doubtful if there be anything to spare. Poland, an insufficient crop. In Pomerania the crops were very moderate. The Duchy of Posen but middling. In Hungary very bad, and in Bohemia and Austria very defective. Comparing the prices paid at present with those paid last year, the country pays 400,0001. a week, and 20,000,0001. annually more for wheat than it paid last year. Those who opposed the repeal of the corn-laws, he said, were not the ancient aristocracy, but the modern aristocracy, who gamble away their income, and think the people should pay for their imprudence. He remembered the time well when these laws were imposed, when a mob crowded down the Strand, with the cry of " bread or blood," assailed the bakers' shops as they passed, brought out the loaves, and having fixed them on poles paraded them down to the Parliament House. But how were they received there? By the bayonets, through which the Members had to go, in order to pass these laws. Several gentlemen here pressed their amendments to the original resolution on the attention of the meeting ; but after not a little debate on order, the amendment proposed by Mr. Hatchard was put to the meeting, and carried against the original resolution almost unani mously. Mr. GOVER rose to move a resolution, deploring the state of the country, advising the abolition of taxes on food, but, on the consideration that the country would be left to the evils of machinery, deprecating the repeal of the corn-laws. This speaker on getting . up, told the meeting that he would not be put down but by violence. After his lucubrations on machinery, " a pair of hand-power," the corn-laws, and the injury which the working man would sustain from the extension of commerce, he sat down, and was fol lowed by Mr. Gover, jun., who was equally tenacious 01 his liberty and privilege to address the meeting, however unwilling they might be to hear him. After many in terruptions, and much confusion, the gentleman sat down, and the meeting, having appointed some of the requisitionists to draw up a memorial to her Majesty, separated. LIGHTHOUSES. There has been recently delivered, pursuant to an order of the House of Commons, dated August 1, a bulky " blue book," of upwards of eight hundred pages, con sisting of the report of the Select Committee on :light houses, and the minutes of evidence upon which that re• port was founded. This Committee was appointed by the House of Commons on the 20th of February, on the motion of Mr. Hume, for the purpose of inquiring into " the state and management of lighthouses, floating lights, buoys, and beacons, under the charge and manage ment of the Corporation of the Trinity House of Dept ford Strond, of the Commissioners of Northern Light houses, of the Corporation for Preserving and Improv ing the port of Dublin, and of all lights, buoys, and beacons in the bands of any other Corporation, public body, or private individuals ; also, in the amount of the gross and the net revenue of each, the expenses of managing the same, and the appropriation thereof ; also into the authorities under which the respective dues are collected and applied; also to inquire in to the circumstances attending the purchase of private lighthouses by the Trinity House, and the amounts paid for the same, and the state of the accounts of such lighthouses ; also to ascertain all the changes and improvements that have been made in lighthouses, &c., and the extent of relief which has been afforded to shipping by reduction or alteration of dues in the United Kingdom since the passing of the Act of 1834 ; and how far the recom mendations of the Select Committee on lighthouses, in 1834, have been carried out ; also to consider whether any and what alterations can be made in the light and other dues, and the management of the same, to re lieve the shipping of the country." This Committee met about thirty days, and during that period examined nearly forty witnesses, the mi nutes of whose evidence occupy nearly three hundred and fifty folio pages of this volume. The appendix oc cupies about the same quantity. The report extends to thirty-one pages; but the following is an abstract thereof, presenting its most material and interesting portions. It commences with a review of all that Parliament has done with respect to the lighthouses of the United King dom, since the investigations of the House of Commons' Select Committee on Foreign Trade is 1822 (when va rious inquiries were made into the revenue, management, and expenditure of the lights and lighthouses belonging to the Crown, Trinity House, and private individuals), and thus concludes this branch of the subject:—lt there fore appears that, by the sacrifice of more than a million sterling, the recommendation of the Select Committee of 1834, " to have all public lights placed under one board, and free from private claims," has finally been carried into effect as respects England; and Parliament will thereby be enabled to legislate freely respecting them, in such manner as shall be considered - best for the public interest. _ _ vr nil regard to the debt incurred for the purchase of these lights, the Committee states that it requires the serious consideration of Parliament, as the burden is almost entirely borne by the commercial shipping of the country. It may be divided into two separate portions, the first incurred on account of liabilities on the Con solidated Fund under Acts of Reciprocity; the second incurred for the purchase of leases granted by the Crown and by Parliament. The sum of 205,4521. was paid by the Trinity House to the lessees and proprietors of seven of those lights leased by the Crown, for the purchase (calculated at 221 years) of the sum of 9,1311. payable yearly to them trom the Consolidated Customs, under the Reciprocity Acts, in compensation for the reduction of light dues on foreign vessels, according to conventions of commerce with foreign powers. The Consolidated Customs having been relieved from the yearly payment of that sum of 9,1311., the Treasury should, in justice to the shipping interest, repay the debt incurred by the Trinity House on that account. The amount of the first portion of the purchase-money and interest thereon up to June, 1845, paid by the Tri nity House, was 256,9081. And your Committee submit that, under no circumstances should that sum be allowed to remain a charge on the commercial shipping of the country. This heavy charge was incurred on political grounds, for the benefit of the nation ; and the nation should therefore pay it. Your Committee further observe that the sum of 977,0931., the second portion paid for the purchase of the leases and possessions of lighthouses, ought not to be charged on the commercial shipping, because the grants of these lighthouses were originally made by the Crown, by the Trinity Board, or by Parliament ; and the Treasury, therefore, and not the commercial ship ping, ought to be obliged to pay that amount. Your Committee would further observe that, although, by the purchase of the private lights, the union of management contemplated by the Act of 1836 has been obtained, yet the reduction of the dues recommended by the Select Committee of 1834, and also kept in view by that Act, has not been obtained, and cannot be wholly effected until the debt so contracted be discharged. EFFICIENCY OF THE LIGHTS. Your Committee has the satisfaction of reporting that, " according to the evidence before them, the public general lights on the coasts of England, under the management of the Trinity House in London ; those on the coasts of Scotland, under the management of the Northern Commissioners in Edinburgh ; and the lights on the coast of Ireland, under the management of the Ballast Board in Dublin, are all maintained in an efficient state." _ The complaints made in petitions to the House of Commons, and by witnesses before your Committee, have not been in any case against the efficiency of the lights, but against the high charge for light dues, or the mode of levying them, or the irregularity of the rates. In 1834, there were in England 126 lights (of which 128 were fixed, and 18 floating); while, in 1844, they had increased to 175, containing 1,152 burners alto gether. The aggregate number of lights in the United King ,lom in 1833-4 was 219, cnnsisting of 105 public general coast lights, of 93 local or harbour, and 21 floating lights ; while the aggregate number of lights in the United Kingdom in 1844 was 309, consisting of 121 public general coast lights, of 29 floating lights, and of 159 local or harbour lights. There has consequently been an increase in the United Kingdom of 83 lights since 1833, viz.:— In England of 8 public general, of 8 public floating, and of 33 harbour lights In Scotland of 4 public general, and of 10 harbour lights .. In Ireland of 4 public general, and 16 harbour lights 20 Total The Isle of Man lights were not returned in 1833, but are now included in the total number, and will make 00 The total gross receipts for the public general lights in the year 1843, by the Trinity House, Commissioners of Northern Lights, private individuals, and the Ballast Board, were 240,3041. The total gross receipts of dues for the public general lights in 1843, were 356,905/. It must be evident that so large an amount levied on the commercial shipping for the public general lights, besides the amount levied for local or harbour lights, must form a considerable portion of their expenses. It appears by the return for 1843, that the eggregatP amount of light dues collected for the United Kingdom in that year was 356,905/., and that the charge for col lection was 15,8141., or nearly ss. per cent. ; and that, by other returns before this Committee, the stamp duties of the United Kingdom are collected at the rate of 21. 2s. 811 per cent., and the property and income tax at the rate of 21. 16s. 6id., whilst, in the parish of larylebone, the parish rates are collected at a charge of 11. 6s. Bd. per cent. ; and your Committee submit that, in case the collection of light dues shall be discon tinued, the above sum of 14,953/. would be wholly saved; and if continued, there is no reason why the charge for collection should not be greatly reduced. Your Committee further submit, if light duties shall continue, they ought to be collected by the officers of Customs in every port of the United Kingdom, free of all charge whatsoever, in like manner as was enacted in the case of Ireland by the Acts of the 51st and 52d Geo. 111. PRESSURE OF LIGHT DUES. Your Committee ~ are Convinced, on the clearest evi dence, that the light dues press heavily on the commer cial shipping of this kingdom, especially on the coasting trade. They are heavy on British shipping as compared with other countries. In Russia, France, the United States of America, and Prussia, no separate charge is made for lights. The British over-sea trader complains that .hips, from the continent of Europe bound to the East or West Indies, or any part of the soith of Europe, pass up and down Channel without paying any light dues, whilst British ships sailing with cargo from the United Kingdom to the same ports must pay heavy li g ht dues ; that vessels wait for a full cargo, or go in ballast up and down Channel to avoid the charge of light dues ; and that it consequently often happens that merchants cannot execute the small orders they receive at home or from abroad at the time wanted, and thereby often lose the market. COASTING TRADE SUPPLY OF SEAMEN. The rates for light dues are not only unequal in the amount charged by the boards in each of the three king doms, as shown in another part of this report, but they press also, in the opinion of the witnesses, more heavily on some branches of the shipping than on others. Thus, whilst every class of shipowners complain of the burden of light dues, the sailing coasting traders have the strongest ground for complaint, as they say their trade has been a losing on e for some years past. T he y d ll et s e h r i i p o p ra in titg, whilst they have and of the coasters i a n l e p g a e r t t i h e a u et a t r h , e hes value be o e n f a to meet the competitor of the steamers, now generally employed between the principal ports of the kingdom ; and the competition of steamers d aily increasing h as obliged them to lower th e frei g h ts so much that t he look to relief fro m th e light of sailing their dues, which form a large part of their e xpenses. indeed , i n owners are now compelled to seek every possible mean s of tn ey lessening consequently theexpense vesse l s , and some places, the sailing coasters have already much de creased in number, and in others have entirely ceased to sail, leaving the trade to the steamers. The steamers also complain loudly of the burden of the light due, which become very heavy, as they make more frequent voyages, and pay every time they pass the lights. Your Committee is most anxious to submit to the House the claims of the coasting-trade to immediate re lief, not only on economical, but on political grounds of the highest importance to the maritime interests of this country. The great support of the naval power of the United Kingdom has been the facility of obtaining a supply of hardy seamen from the mercantile shipping, whenever required for the service of the navy, Great Britain has had several branches of commerce, the nursery of that hardy race which have so ably maintained the honour and power of the country on that element where her force has been, a9d we trust is destined long to continue, paramount ; but the earliest attention of Parliament is requisite to obviate the results that may take place from the changes that are going on in the world by the intro duction of steam; and in our own country in particular, amongst the coasting shipping. Your Committee are the more anxious to direct the attention of Parliament to this important subject, be cause some other branches of our trade which have hitherto supplied the hardiest of our sailors have of late years considerably diminished, from various causes, which it is unnecessary to detail. From our colonial trade in the East and West Indies we have had, and shall continue to have, a supply of seamen ; but the Greenland and the South Sea fisheries, the Baltic trade, the Newfoundland, and, beyond all the others, the coasting trade, have supplied the hardiest of our sailors, and a decrease of the supply from those sources must undpubtedly affect the future manning of the navy ; and masequently lessen the naval power of the country. • - From the evidence before the Committee, the coasting trade, which has, beyond all other trades, afforded to the navy the largest supply of the hardiest of our seamen, is likely to decrease, unless Parliament shall adopt timely measures to protect it. The coal trade from the north of England must be considered the chief branch of the coasting trade ; and the evidence respecting the rising competition of rail roads, deserves the particular attention of Parliament, with reference to the burden arising from the light dues. The late increase of railroads from the coal districts in the north, and the expectation that they will soon be employed to supply London with coal, are so well known, and the consequences to the coasting coal trade so evi dent, that your Committee consider it unnecessary to do more than direct the attention of Parliament to the subject as one of vital interest to the kingdom. The coasters also on the south and west coast of Eng land complain of the light dues, stating that they have been losing of late years, and that the trade has been much depressed. Your committee are of opinion that the extent of injury to the shipping, to the trader, and to the con sumers generally, from the light dues, will be best un derstood by perusal of the evidence now submitted to the House ; and 3lr. Ogilby states that the merchant, the broker, the shipowner, and the consumer, are all in jured by these dikes ; and that a great spur would be given to the coasting trade it the light dues were taken off altogether ; and in that opinion your Committee en tirely concurs. AMOUNT OE OVER-SEA TRADE. In considering the policy of abolishing light dues, and of providing from other sources for the maintenance of the lights, buoys, beacons, and the establishments requisite to manage them, it was ne cessary to ascertain what proportion of the amount of light dues now received was paid by the coasting trade, by the over-sea British trade, anti by fo reign ships respectively, and what amount of relief con sequently would be given by such abolition to each of these separate branches. And your Committee having called for returns on this point, for the year 1843, it is shown that theamount paid by foreign vessels is in this case only about 13 per cent. of the whole. Your Committee, therefore, are of opinion that the small proportion of 13 per cent. of the gross amount of light dues thus paid by foreigners should not operate to prevent our own commercial shipping being relieved from the remaining 862 per cent. MAINTENANCE OF LIGHTHOUSES. It is alleged, and with great justice, that the commer cial shipping have hitherto borne the whole expense of the erection and maintenance of the lights, whilst the Royal Navy and revenue vessels have equally had the benefit of the lights, but without any contribution from the public Treasury towards their support. Your Committee request the attention of the House to the increased exptnses attending the outfit and sailing charges of British vessels, as compared with foreign vessels, their competitors ; and express their conviction that the British shipping require reduction of those ex penses to enable them to compete with foreign shipping, and with railroads. It may be, moreover, observed, that ships employed in foreign trade have had some relief by being allowed to take in their provisions from bond ; but the coasting trade have not had that indulgence. The higher wages of the British seamen, their more expensive and better food, the increased charge of many articles of outfit, of artisans' wages, of increased rate of insurance by taxation, and many other charges, which the shipowners submitted to whilst the trade was pro fitable, are now, become burdensome ; and in the pre sent depressed state of the commercial shipping, it ap• pears inexpedient to compel them to maintain an establishment kept up for purposes essentially stational. Your Committee, having duly considered all these and many other circumstances, are of opinion and recom mend to the House, " That all expenses for the erection and maintenance of lighthouses, floating lights, buoys, and beacons on the coasts of the United Kingdom, be henceforth defrayed out of the public revenue ; and that, as the Trinity - House has incurred a debt, under autho rity of the 6th and 7th Will. IV., c. 79, in purchasing the rights of private individuals for their leases and pos sessions of lighthouses, the Government ought to take upon it that debt:" PROPOSED TONNAGE RATE. It was originally suggested to the Committee of 1834, and has again in various ways been urged upon the at tention of this Committee, that, supposing it should be deemed advisable to continue any special tax to provide for the annual expense of the lighthouse, buoy, and beacon establishments, it would, nevertheless, be proper to abolish altogether the present light, buoy, beacon, and other dues, and to impose a tax in the shape of a small tonnage rate—it is considered that ls. per ton per annum would be amply sufficient—to be annually levied on all the registered tonnage of the United Kingdom, and on all colonial and foreign vessels entering its ports. And it.appears from the evidence, that a decided pre ference is given by almost all the witnesses to that mode of providing fur the maintenance of these establishments. It has also been. suggested to your Committee, that it is of great importance to have an adequate sum col lected towards a fund for the support of merchant sea men; and that if the light dues were taken off, a ton nage duty of one shilling per ton, once a year, would be willingly paid by shipowners to provide means for forming a merchant seameifs fund, which your Commit tee have stated in another part of this report to be a most desirable object. Your Committee, after mature consideration of all the circumstances relative to, and connected with the present state of the several establishments for managing the lights, Bcc., in the three kingdoms, are of opinion " that all public and general lighthouses, and floating lights, buoys, ii d beacons in the United Kingdom, should be placed under the management of one board, re sident in London; and that that central board in London should be the Trinity Board of Deptford Strond." And at the same time, with a view of carrying out the recommendations of the Committee of 1834, your Committee recommend " that in future one-third of the members of the Trinity House of Deptford Stroud be nominated by the Crown." Taking the total of British tonnage registered, and the foreign tonnage entering our ports, in the year 1844, at 4,781,128 tons, and charging ls. per ton, the sum of 239,0561. would be produced (at the least). If these plans were adopted, the tonnage rate could be modified according to the time of employment of the ships ; and your Committee would certainly recommend the plan of tonnage duty in preference to the existing system. If the mode of assessment by a tonnage duty on vessels be adopted, it may deserve to be considered whether the tonnage of the Royal Navy, of the vessels employed by the customs, preventive service, and excise, should not also be included, with the view of lessening, as much as possible, the charge on the commercial shipping. By a return, it appears that in the years 1813, 1814, and.lBLs, years of war, the average tonnage of ships of war was 304,583 ; and in the three years 1842, 1843, and 1844, the average was 165,655. CENTRAL BOARD OF NINAGEITIENT. Your Committee have had under their serious consi deration the system of managing the lighthouses, buoys, and beacons of 'this empire by separate boards in Eng land, Scotland, and Ireland, each constituted in a diffe rent manner, and charging different rates of dues, and acting under different rules, authorised, some by patents only, and others confirmed by Acts of the Legislature. The constitution of these boards is either by self-elec tion, or by ex-officio appointment ; and although there has been some degree of control given to the Trinity House over the Scotch and Irish boards, as to the placing of lights, buoys, and beacons, yet the admini stration of each may be said to be independent, and not subject to any superintendence or control in their gene ral management, except in so far as the Queen in Coun cil has power over all. The magnitude of the department of lights, and its importance to dais commercial and naval country, make it an object of great interest. PENSIONS AND CHARITABLE PURPOSES. As the Trinity Board has continued, contrary to the recommendations of previous Select Committees of this House, to apply, out of the light dues, large sums yearly to pensions and other charitable purposes, it is requisite that your Committee should notice, somewhat in detail, the state of that question, as it is one of importance, both in principle and in the amount of funds dealt with. Your Committee, after mature deliberation, are of opinion that all pensions and charitable allowances now paid by the Trinity Corporation out of the surplus light dues (except retiring pensions to servants belonging to the establishment) shall cease with the lives of the indi viduals now on the pension list ; and that the sums requisite to pay such pensions bo provided for by Par liament. At the same time, your Committee, whilst they ex press their decided opinion (that no more money ought to be distributed from the surplus dues in charity by the Trinity Board), de strongly recommend that a com prehensive measure bo brought forward by Government, to form a fund for the relief and support of all destitute and aged masters, mates, and seamen of the merchant service, their widows and children, upon a scale adequate to their wants, and your Committee have to state with much satisfaction, that the shipowners ekamined by the Committee, whilst objectinc , to any part of the light dues being distributed in charity, declared themselves willing to contribute to such charitable fund as would hold out to all British merchant st atnen liberal induce ment to remain in the service of their country, by en titling them to receive relief from that fund under sick ness and accident, and also support in old age for them selves and families. ECONOMY IN THE MAINTENANCE OF THE LIGHTS. Your Committee has already expressed an opinion that tho public general lights are inefficient in brilliancy, but it is difficult to ascertain correctly how far the seve ral expenses for the buildings, fittings, stores, attendants, wages, &c., are regulated with due economy or not. Several witnesses have complained of the lavish expense in maintaining the lighthouses, and of the large esta blishments kept.up to manage them ; b ut, whether an y change be made in the mode of supplying the funds to maintain the lighthouses, or whether the present mode shall continue, your Committee must expreu a otrolig, opinion that every possible reduction of the expenses ought to be made, consistent with the efficiency of the light, and the comforts of the attendants. In 1834, of all the public general coast lights, the sum of 5081. was the average charge for each light in the year. By the above statement for 1844, taking an aver age of all the publicgeneral coast lights, the sum of 4591. is the charge per light ; and thus for the whole of the 121 public general lights, the sum of 55,5391. would suffice, in future, to maintain them. If the 29 floating lights be taken at 1,2001. a year, the sum of 34,800/. would be required to maintain them ; and these two classes of lights (in number 150) would con sequently require 90,3391. to maintain them the whole year. The charge for the managing establishment, if the whole of the lights be united under one, would be small when compared with the gross amount of 35,9 05/. paid in 1843. And your Committee are of opinion that the relief to the shipping, the benefit to the coasting trade, and the advantage to the naval service, by taking off the light dues altogether from the commer cial sn i pp ing, and paying the expense and maintenance from the Treasury, would be great, and is most desir able to be effected. The attention of your Committee has been called to the erection of fixed lighthouses where floating lights are now maintained, and to the substitution of iron for stone and brick houses ; and there is reason to believe that a considerable reduction of expense in the light depart ment may be effected by the adoption, in part, of these improvenaents. COWES, ISLE OF WIGHT. (FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.) DEC. 10.—The Royal Family are expected to leave Osborne on Saturday. Prince Albert visited Northwood House, the seat of G. H. Ward, Esq., on Tuesday, with Sir Edward Bo water. The house has cost above 20,0001. lately for embellishments by foreign artists. The grounds are beautifully laid out, no expense being spared about them. Mr. W. is considered to have the finest collection of evergreens in England, and the grounds are the most beautifully situated. His Royal Highness spent nearly two hours in going over the house and grounds. The "Court Circular" tells us that the Queen and Prince Albert walked in the Plantations of Osborne House on Monday ; that on Tuesday the Queen and Prince took their usual early walk in the pleasure grounds of Os borne House. On Wednesday the Queen and Prince Albert promenaded in the plantations of, &c. If this account of the doings of her Majesty is to convey to her subjects whatlis really taking place at Osborne, it is non sense. Why, her Majesty and the Prince are out in all weathers. Let any one conceive to himself a country squire and his lady, after a London season, once MOT e back into the country, to their own pet place—their "turtle dovery," if you like—that they are having some alterations made in the shrubberies and grounds—that they are superintending them—that the squire, or the Prince, has a spade in his hand (not made for show but use, the same as the gardeners and labourers use), and is digging a hole in the pleasure grounds to plant a shrub in—that his lady, or the Queen, plants the shrub, and holds it while he treads it in. This may daily be seen at Osborne by all persons having business at the house, and no snore notice is taken of the parties or of the children, who are playing near them, than of a squire and his lady. A piece of ground is being laid out and planted, to screen the view of the stables from the house and grounds. One gentleman sent 100 curious ever greens, and quantities have been sent from Windsor, &c.; and we know instances that, where the land has not been dug deep enough, and a certain person cannot send the spade so far into the gravelly soil as it ought to go,; we know he can make the pickaxe turn it up. The work being completed, the lady takes his arm, and with one child on each side, away they trudge together across the park to admire the views, or observe the progress of some improvements, like an old English squire and his lady. POOR-LAW UNIONS.—The guardians of the poor of the Isle of Wight have advertised for tenders from per- sons willing to supply 1,4001 b. of good beef, 1201 b. of currants, 1201 b. of raisins, &e. &c., to furnish the in. mates of, the poor-house (569) a dinner on Christmas day. We hope . the inmates of all the poor-houses in England will be as well provided for. NEW LIGHT AT THE R.Y.S. HOUSE.—A splendid gas light, with four burners, has been exhibited during the last week in front of the R.Y.S. House. It is a fine ob ject for vessels making for Cowes harbour and road stead, and it is so powerful that the various yachts will have no difficulty in finding their buoys in the night time. It burns from sunset to sunrise, and can be dis tinctly seen from the mouth of Southampton waters, from which it bears S. by W. FREE TRADE MEETING AT DERBY. A numerous, respectable, and enthusiastic meeting of Tree traders was held on Tuesday, in the hall of the Mechanics' Institution, Derby, for the purpose of for warding the forty shilling qualification movement, and advancing the cause of free trade generally. Upward& of 2,000 persons were present. The chair having been taken by W. Evans, Esq., M.P. for North Derbyshire, the proceedings :commenced by reading two letters, one from Lord Duncannon, and the other from Mr. Cavendish, M.P. The writers expressed their regret at their inability to be present at the meet ing, but both expressed their good wishes for its success, and their adhesion to the principles in support of which it was held. Mr. COBDEN in an eloquent speech urged on the meet ing the paramount necessity of attending to the registration for the purpose of getting rid of the corn - laws , a g ainst which the feeling of the country was unanimous. No one bad courage to give them a character, although they were passed for what was called the protection of the English people. But not only did the people not dare to praise the corn-laws, bdt, making them a kiral of political Jack Shepherd—(Laughter)- - if any body lost money by the fail of scrip, or the decline in the value of shares, why the corn-laws were at once blamed. Mr. Moss, the late Mayor of Derby, proposed a reso lution, pledging the meeting to forward the qualification movement for South Derbyshire, which, being seconded by Mr. WEBB, a tenant farmer, was carried by accla- lation. Mr. STRUTT, M.P., in an eloquent speech, moved a vote of thanks to Messrs. Cobden and Bright, which was carried by acclagation ; and Mr. Cobden having acknowledged the coffiplitnent, thanks were voted to the the Chairman, and the meeting separated. GANEO V. HUGHES. This was an action to recover the sum of 101. on an lOU. The defendant denied the signature. The plaintiff's attorney gave evidence that the plaintiff was a diamond merchant, carrying on business under the firm of Day and Co., to whom the lOU was addressed. A witness was called, who said that he had seen the defendant write a great number of times, and did nut believe it to be his handwriting. The attorney said the witness was evidently adverse, and plaintiff would submit to a nonsuit. LEE V. DREW. This was an action on a bill of exchange, of which the defendant was indorsee. Defendant pleaded that he had not had due notice of dishonour. The facts were these :—The defendant, who is a pub lican, residing in Stationers-court, Ludgate-hill, had indorsed the bill. The drawer had notice of dishonour the day the bill was dishonoured, and went next day to defendant's house, and left word with the barmaid that the bill was dishonoured. . The UNDER•SHERIFF held that a verbal notice to a third party was insufficient. In another case, between the same parties, a boy was called to prove that a notice of dishonour bad been sent by post. He, however, could not read, but was told by his master after he (witness) had posted it. For the defendant it was contended that the contents of the letter must be proved. The UNDER-SHERIFF left it to the jury to say whether the notice was good, and whether it had reached de fendant ; leave, however, would be given to set aside the verdict, whichever way it was. In the first case, plaintiff was non•suited. In the second, a verdict for the plaintiff. BOW-STREET.--(THIS DAY.) A servant girl was charged with stealing two boxes, containing some shirt studs, three pieces of silver coin, and a glazier's diamond, the property of her master, a plumber and glazier, living in Princes-street, Red Lion square. The prosecutor said that the prisoner came into his service on Tuesday of last week, having an excellent character from her former employer. On Thursday evening she went out, and did not return. In the course of the week he missed the property in ques tion, and happening to meet her father ou Monday, he told him what had occurred. On Tuesday the father brought her to his house, when she said that she had not taken the things, but gave no reason for ab sconding. He then told her he would forgive her if she gave up the stolen property, but she persisted i❑ saying that she had not taken anything, and he sent for a policeman to give her in charge. As soon as she saw the policeman, she took from her breast the two boxes, which contained the studs and the diamonds. The policeman took possession of them, and took the prisoner in custody. In the course of the day a boy who was now in Court came to his house, and gave him a paper parcel cotaining three old coins, which witness had not missed. The boy now came forward, and said that the parcel was given to him by a man who met him in the street, and gave him a penny to take the parcel to the pro secutor's house. Mr. HALL commented severely on the impropriety of persons giving good characters with servants knowing them to be false. He would not recommend the prose cutor to press the charge, as his having held out hopes of forgi►eness to the prisoner would be a sufficient reason for a jury to acquit her. The prosecutor said he did not wish to press the charge; he only wanted to recover his property. The property was accordingly given up, and the pri soner discharged. Mr. HALL observed that if the prosecutor could prove that the persons who gave the girl the false character did so knowingly, he could bring an action against them, and would recover very heavy damages. The prosecutor said he would certainly do so if he found that they knew it to be false. OPENING OF THE PORTS. ST. MARTIN'S-IN-THE-FIELDS' VESTRY MEETING.—(THIS DAY.) A special meeting of the parishioners and ratepayers in this parish was held this morning, at ten o'clock, in the Vestry-room, in compliance with a numerously signed requisition, to take into consideration the pre sent state of the country, and to memorialise her Ma jesty to open the ports for the free importation of foreign corn forthwith. Mr. Puca, one of the churchwardens, having been called to the chair, said he had called the meeting in consequence of the requisition which had been sent him, numerously and respectably signed. He had done so with pleasure, as he was always glad to meet the wishes and to further the views of the parishioners, and in the chair would be happy to further the object of the meeting in every way he could. Mr. R. STANHOPE WILKES, who rose to move the first resolution, said he was glad that a meeting bad at length been called. Westminster, which used to lead on these great questions, had been anticipated every where by meetings having the same object in view as had brought them together. Yet, they had just come in at the nick of time, when their effiarts would most The Ministers, he had heard, had resigned, be cause of division in the Cabinet ; whether it were so or not was very immaterial to them as convened on that occasion ; the object of the meeting was that which must occupy their attention. The impoverished state of the country was the cause which brought them to gether'; their object must be to devise measures of alleviation. Such a crisis as the present compelled him to compare the state of his fellow countrymen with that of the West India slaves, which bad so largely occupied their thoughts in times bygone ; and he must say it was difficult to discover which was the preferable condition—that of the white slave or that of the black. Their endeavour must be to effect the abo lition of the corn-laws, and these, but temporarily with drawn, could not, in the nature of things, be reimposed. He quoted, from the times of Charles 11., a presentiment similar to that he had expressed—that a bad law, being once withdrawn, could not be put on again. He con cluded by moving the following resolution " We, the inhabitants of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, in vestry assembled, el, clare our deliberate conviction that nothing can justify the Legislature in tampering with the food of the people, or impeding the free pur chase of the articles on, which depend the existence of a large portion of the community. That the removal of all- restrictions on the article of food is expedient to the general prosperity and peace of the country, is a measure dictated by all sound principles, confirmed by a long and fatal experience of the effect of an opposite course ; that it is demanded by the wants and pressing necessities of the labouring classes ; that it is sanctioned bythe judgment of the edu cated part of the community ; that the present condition of the country renders it a measure of immediate neces sity, the delay of which must inflict much hardship on the working classes, and seriously interfere with all in dustrious pursuits by which the suffering attendant on a bad harvest might be obviated." This was seconded by Mr. MURRAY. Mr. STAUNTON said he thought that the mover of such a resolution, so worded, was bound to give them some data on which the assertions in it are grounded be- avail. fore they could be expected to pass it. The resolution he thought, was too strong. The Ministers were respon• sible for the condition of the people, that they do not s ant food—as much responsible for this as that there should be pounds, shillings, and pence in the Exchequer; and were the state of the country such as the resolution represents it they would have done something before this, He remembered a time when the use of food in any unnecessary way was prohibited; now at the present moment they were in the habit of using flour in many ways not necessary for their support, in puddings and pies for example, and would not the Government, did it consider that necessary, prohibit the use of it in that way? He thought the failure of the wheat crop had been unnecessarily overstated. He would take the Times Commissioner in Ireland for his authority, a gentleman whose ability and opportunity would weigh with them; and he begged to say that in his reports he could find no such :statement of failure borne out. As for the potatoes, he would just remind them that Mr. Cobbett, a great man on many points, had deprecated the introduction of that fruit into England. The reso lution, he said, might suit some who were moving with the Anti-Corn-law League. The abolition of these laws would work for the immense advantage of the chief sup porters of the League, who happened to be in the corn market, acid to have vast quantities on hand. These men had endeavoured to coerce the Ministers, but he did not think it was a subject on which Ministers ought to be forced. He could not, therefore, agree with the resolution just moved. Mr. HATCHARD said the condition of the country bad weighed with him in adopting the course he took. The failure in the potato crop could not be questioned, nor could that of the wheat crop. Both together must severely affect the poor, so that the country requires the measure by necessity. Mr. Hatchard then spoke of having heard of incendiary fires in Bedfordshire, and that a gentleman he had seen very lately was afraid to leave home on account of them, and said that till that time he had been always averse to a repeal of the corn-laws. The Anti-Corn law League appeared to him to be made up of persons, merchants and manufacturers, whose interests were to be served by the object which the League proposed to attain. There might be some who had the same opinions, who might therefore not be inclined to adopt the original resolution ; he therefore moved as an amendment : " That the removal of all restrictions on the articles of food is expedient to the general prosperity and peace of the country ; it is a measure dictated by all sound prin. cin'es, confirmed by a long and fatal experience of the eff,cts of an opposite course ; and that it is demanded by the wants and pressing necessities of the labourirg classes." Mr. R. lIAm, seconded the amendment. Mr. STAUNTON expressed his disapprobation of this also. Mr. POUNCEY said he did not think there was a per son there who was prepared to go so far.—(This was denied by several at once.) In continuation, he said they must not be misled by the state of the markets. In the potato market, for example, many were pressed to go in with their potatoes, and to sell at what price they could get, lest in a short time, out of all their stored potatoes, they might not have any fit to be brought. It had been said that the tone of the resolution had been some thing like coercion of the Ministers ; in a free country he did not expect to hear of that, much less that the free expression of opinion should be named coercion. But for that they would obtain nothing ; bat for that Minis ters would dare to continue the corn-laws to the mani fest injury of the country. At this time it behoved them not to stand back ; if they would use their power with mit effect, now was the opportunity. When the column LATE FIRE IN CRIPPLEGATE. ----- CORONER'S INQUIRY. Yesterday, at two o'clock, Wm. Payne, Esq., City coroner, and a jury of eighteen parishioners, assembled at the Fountain Tavern, Red Cross-street, " to inquire, on behalf of her Majesty, when, how, and by what means, certain houses in the parish of St. Giles, Crip plegate Without, were lately burnt~ The houses are situate in Brainaes-buildings, Beech - stree t, Barbican. The inquiry caused great interest, and the large room in which it was held was thoroughly crowded with the most respectable inhabitants of the ward, Mr. Ford, printer, on whose premises the fire was first seen, and Mr. Allen, who occupied premises adjoining, were in at tendance, and so was Mr. Braidwood, superintendent of the London Fire Brigade. The jury having viewed the premises, A very long investigation took place, the details of which are too cumbersome for insertion, the evidence having been completed, The CORONER summed up, and stated that if the jury found Mr. Ford guilty of wilfully setting his pre mises on fire, he should not immediately commit him, but send him for further examination before a justice of the peace. The jury deliberated for about 20 minutes, and re turned the following verdict :—We find George John Ford guilty of arson." WISE PRECAUTION.—The winter is advancing, and the French newspapers contain no accounts of the death or capture of Abd-el-Kader. Louis Phillipe has given orders to have the Marseilles telegraph immediately broken, and its offices are to be superseded by Monsieur Thiers, who will have an appointment at Algiers, so that there may be no delay for the future in the transmission of the French vie tories.—Punch. BQUEST OF UPWARDS OF 6,0001. TO HER MAJESTY. —Yesterday morning the funeral of an eccentric but wealthy individual took place. The deceased, Mr. William Akers, was aged 87, lately residing in lodgings at No. 17, Dean street, Fetter-lane. The deceased had begun business in early life as a ladies' fancy fan maker. He was a bachelor, and by assiduity and parsimony had accumulated a large fortune. For the last 20 years he had retired from business, and resided at the house of Mr. Sydenham, where he died. His habits whilst there were miserly, his only luxury being sometimes a little gin and water. His property was invested in the Funds, and at his death was found to amount to about 8,0001. For the last seven years he had been nearly blind, but otherwise in perfect possession of his faculties. A fort night since he was taken ill, and was attended by . Mr. Kelly, a surgeon, of Fetter-lane. On opening his will, it was found that to a poor woman who attended him in his illness, by a codicil made a day or two before his death, he bequeathed 2001. He had no relatives living, nor any acquaintances with whom he was on friendly terms, with the exception of Mrs. Sydenham, and to whom he has only left 100/., to her sou 1001., and to each of five grandchildren 1001. ; also 3001. to a young man residing at Wimbledon, whose father and mother had many years since lodged with deceased's sister, who being fond of the child had made her brother, whilst she was living, promise to do something for him. This he refused to do until a day or two before his decease, when he made the codicil. 'There are several other legacies to per sons of whom he had only a slight acquaintance. The resi due of his property, amounting to above 6,0001., he bequeaths to her Majesty, to be applied, he wishes, towards the liqui dation of the national debt. He has not left anything to any charity or the poor of the parish where he has so long resided. Amongst the numerous instances of parsimony, he engaged the first floor at twenty guineas a year, but he could not rest until he prevailed upon his landlord to take off the odd shillings. The only ambition he expressed in life was that lie should be buried with pomp, and yesterday morning he was interred at his own request, in Wimbledon church yard, where lie the remains of his sister and her husband. The funeral procession consisted of mutes, plume of feathers, javelin men, 'hearse, drawn by four horses, decorated with plumes and housings of rich velvet ; three mourning coaches, each drawn by four horses, similarly decorated. His execu tors are Mr. Kitchen, jeweller, of Dover-street, Piccadilly, and Mr. Jones, a retired jeweller, formerly of !Henrietta street, Covent-garden, to whom he has left 501. each. These gentlemen were only known to him by his doing business for them in the formnr part of his career in life. LORD STANLEY'S DEClSlON.—Yesterday's over land mail brings us the unwelcome intelligence that a dis patch from Lord Stanley, hostile to the interests of the squatters and of the community, and conveying full power to the governor to carry out his new squatting regulations, with such modifications as he may think proper, has reached the colony by the Fetruary Post-office packet.—/Ile/bourne Courier, July 2. THE BERRESWELL MURDER.—NATHANIEL SHARP, TUB SUPPOSED CULPRIT, IN CUSTODY.—In the course of the morning of yesterday (Wednesday), police constable Holmes, of the Coventry force, took a young-looking fellow, of about twenty years of age, before the Mayor of Coventry, and other magistrates, on suspicion of being concerned in the murder of Thomas Tranter, an old resident in the parish of Berkeswell, but who was killed by some person unknown on the 17th ultimo. The Hall of St. Mary's was much crowded. The prisoner gave his name as James Reed—same name as the person who is supposed to have committed the murder, and who has likewise absconded, and the particulars of his appre hension are these :—He is a labourer, out of employment, and came from Denham, in Buckinghamshire, twenty-three miles from Aylesbury. He was detained at the Aylesbury Police office, as applying there on Saturday night last for a bed, on his giving the name of James Reed. The attention of the officer in waiting was more particularly directed to him on giving this name, and examined him closer. It appears that, n his opinion, he corresponded with the description given in the Government Gazette of Young Reed, of Berkeswell, and he was accordingly detained. Holmes brought him to Co ventry on Tuesday night, he was examined yesterday, and will be further remanded until to-morrow (Friday), when he will be taken before the magistrates of the county. SOUTHAMPTON, WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. — The trial of speed between the Fairy and Wonder, so long sought for, came off to-day, on the occasion of her Majesty's steam tender Fairy taking the Ministers to and from the island. The Wonder went down to Cowes on purpose to meet the Fairy on her return. The two fast vessels, the best possibly of their respective plans, screw-propeller and paddle-wheels, made a fair start from the Brambles (off Cowes), and after a rapid run to the Southampton Docks, the Wonder beat her competitor by four minutes in time, or about one mile and a half in distance, showing a superior speed equal to nearly three miles per hour. The time occupied by the Wonder from the Brambles was 39 minutes; the distance is roughly estimated at 11 miles. Her Majesty's Ministers arrived at and embarked from the Southampton Docks at half-past 10, and were received by Mr. Forbes, Deputy-Chairman; Capt. Ward, R.N., superintendent; and Mr. Saintsbury, the secre tary, and returned at half-past three, and immediately pro ceeded by special train to town. Mr. Lobb, the mayor re ceived the distinguished party, and handed the Duke of Wellington to his carriage. BRISTOL AND LIVERPOOL JUNCTION RAILWAY.— The following letter has been addressed, by the authority of the Board of Admiralty, to Messrs. Johnston, Farquhar, and Leach, of London, the solicitors to the line of railway called the "Bristol and Liverpool Junction Railway :" " Admiralty, Ist December, 1845. " Gentlemen —Having laid before my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty your letter of the 28th ultimo, I am com manded to signify to you their Lordships' assent to the prin ciple of the proposed bridge across the Severn, in connexion with the Bristol and Liverpool Junction Railway, but before the parties proceed to carry it into execution, my Lords will require the working plans to be submitted to them for appro bation.,, I am, Gentlemen, your most obedient servant, " W. A. B. HAMILTON. "Messrs. Johnston, Farquhar, and Leach, 65, Isloorgate-street." THE SUPPLY OF WATER TO BUCKINGHAM PALACE. —Yesterday morning workmen commenced laying down the main pipes leading from the Horse Guards to Buckingham Palace, which will in future be supplied with water from the Trafalgar-square wells. The pipes will be carried from the Treasury across St. James's Park. CONSCIENCE VERSUS THE BOARD OF TRADE.— The Clerk of the Peace for the county of Lancaster, notwith sdhebhooklisn e o s f references w ere th o n ii notwith standing the order of the Board of Trade to the contrary, the refused3ot ht to n t r . e ; ce a i n l r t a h il e w driven to the last day, and they were many, made the yes quired deposits on Monday morning the Ist of December under protest. Amongst the number of . lines in this predica ay agents plans o a f n Ulverston and branch to Broughton.—Curnberland Parquet. predica ment is the Furness Railway, fer its intended extension to Their Highnesses Prince and Princess Nicholas Esterliazy and family, it is understood, will prolong their re • sidence in this country until the end of May, when they re turn to Hungary. The Prince and Princess are staying on a visit to the Hon. Captain Frederick and Lady Elizabeth Vil hew, at their boat agar Tomato, 1% 11/4 11% 1% t 2% ..... 9% 2% 2% LIABILITY OF APPLICANTS FOR SHARES IN RAILWAY COMPANIES. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SIR,—In your City article of yesterday you say " Pr omptly ought applicants for shares to perform their duty, so as to prevent law suits—escape from liability there is none." The Attorney-General and Mr. S. Pitt Taylor say " We advise quiescence, and if any legal proceeding be instituted, defend them." If I might be allowed to offer advice, it would be that the instant par ties receive letters of allotment they should, by adver tisement, call together all parties concerned in the com pany, and should demand of the Directors tho position in which they stand, as regards surveys, ex pense., &c., and they should then determine whether it be advisable or not to prosecute the scheme; and if it be determined to dissolve the company, let the affairs at once be placed under the charge of the Court of Chan cery, under the provisions of the Joint Stock Company Act, 7th and Bth, Vie., c. 112, for the settlement of the affairs of the Joint Stock Companies. From such mo ment all suits must be stayed, and no further expenses incurred—and each individual will have only to contri bute Lis fair and equitable proportion of expenses in curred. All bubble schemes will be exploded by allowing only legal expenses—by bubble companies I mean schemes which originated with attorneys, engineers, sur veyors, &c., solely for the purpose of getting an imagi nary lice surveyed, and plans deposited, and having enormous expenses paid out of deposits calculated on being obtained only: by means of extortion, by threaten ing law and equity suits those who have been silly enough as to write for shares in the scheme. If the whole body of applicants for shares go to the Court of Chan cery to dissolve the company, and engage attorneys of the first eminence, I feel assured it will be found to be the cheapest and best way of getting out of the clutche:- of designing men. I cannot conclude better th an in your own emphatic words, " ESCAPE FROBI LIABILITY THERE IS NONE." Ism, Sir, your obedient servant, ROBERT WILLIAM DICKEIsI6ON. Ilfracombe, Dec. 10th, 1845. HARBOURS OF REFUGE. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sin,—The Government, thanks to your noticing the subject, has at last turned its attention to the alarmingly defenceless state of the Humber, and it is currently re ported that something will be done at the mouth of the river to render it more difficult for the steamers, in case of war, to get up to this town unseen. A fort on one of the Sands is talked of. If this were done the Humber, perhaps, might be improved as a harbour of refuge. At present it is not a bad one, compared with many, but it might be made better.—l am, Sir, your obedient servant, A CONSTANT READER. Hull, Dec. 9, 1845. SUPPOSED DEATH PROM VlOLENCE.—Wednesday afternoon, Mr. William Payne, the City Coroner, held an inquest at Guy's Hospital, on the body of Mr. John Clarke, master mariner, who resided at Swansfleet, Yorkshire, and who entered the above institution on the 26th ult. with a compound dislocation of the right thumb, which was in a state of mortification, from the effects of which he died on Sunday last. The only account given of the accident was by the deceased to some of his friends, but at the time he was not aware that the injury was likely to terminate fa tally, it could not be received in evidence. The statement of the deceased was, that on Friday, the 21st of November, he was going along Park.street, Southwark, about nine o'clock, when he was knocked down by some men. He was found by two policemen, who thinking him drunk, threat ened to take him to the station-house, but, finding him se riously hurt, they took him to a house where he found that his thumb was broken, and that he had been robbed of his pocket-handkerchief. There being no evidence before the jury in reference to the accident, they returned a verdict, That the deceased died from exhaustion, arising from the injury to the thumb, but how the in jury was caused there was no evidence." GAME TE.ESPASS.—On Monday, Mr. Thomas Cheesman, solicitor, of Gravesend, who is joint occupier with his brother of a farm at Luddesdown, the property of Wm. Masters Smith, Esq., of earner, appeared before the county magistrates at Rochester, with two other parties (Mr. Walter Cheesman and Mr. H. Price) on a charge of trespassing on the farm in search of hares. It appeared that on the 24th of November the parties with others, two on horseback and two on foot, with four greyhounds, were observed by Mr. Smith's keeper beating a piece of their own turnips in search of hares. The offence was alleged to have been committed in violation of a clause in their lease, and the defence that they had always coursed with the knowledge of a former keeper without molestation, and that the whole cf the Earl of Darnley's tenantry in the neighbourhood were allowed to do so. The defendants were convicted in a penalty of Is. each, and 14s. 6d. each costs. AER MAJESTY'S STAG HOUNDS.—Yesterday was a by-day, the meet taking place at Gerrard's Cross-common; and notwithstanding the fixture had not been publicly announced, the field, including the Earl of Rosslyn and several officers from London, Windsor, and Hounslow, num bered nearly' two hundred. Upon an untried deer being turned out on the Common it took away to the Pied horse, doubling back by the French Horn towards Fulmer, leaving the village to the right, over the Common to College Woo d asif and Wexham Church, and thence over Mr. Henry farm to the Slough station, crossing the railway on rY to Salt hill.B The deer, a ft er doubling round by Cha . ll ey, and away for Chippenham and Dornev, and thence to Eaton Wick, was taken close to the Bath-road, about half-a-mile below Salt hill, after a very excellent run of an hour and three quarters. The country was in excellent hunting order. The meet to morrow will take place at the Black Dog, Bedfout. STATE OF TRADE.--There was a considerrble im provement in the state of the market yesterday , an d pur chases, both of yarn and goods, were made more freely than last week. In prices, there was no absolute change to be noticed, exce pt that they were steadier an d b etter defined than some weeks past. We are sorry to state that a rather extensive failure of a calico printing house was announced. The engagements are stated to be about 60,0001.—Rochdale Flannel Market, Monday, Dec. B.—The flannel market is decidedly worse, and very little business has been transacted at any price. Wool is a drug, and very difficult of sale. In fact there is no demand either for manufactured goods or the raw material. - Manchester Guardian. THE GRAND DUKE CONSTANTINE.—PLYMOUTH, DEC. 9.—Last night the Russian line-of-battle ship Inger manland, Captain Moffit, bearing the flag of Admiral Lutke, and having on board the Grand Duke Constantine of Russia, put back through contrary_ winds. She was aceonvanied by her consort, the corve tt e Vaarschafsky, Captain Cilassenap. The wind at this time (3 r.m.) is gone from S.W. to W.N.W., and continues veering towards the north. In all probability the Russian ships will leave the Sound again to morrow Maning. COURT CIRCULAR. The Queen held a Court and Privy Council yes terday at Osborne House, Isle of Wight. The Council was attended by his Royal Highness Prince Albert, the Duke of Buccleuch, Lord Privy Seal ; the Duke of Wellington, Commander-in-Chief ; Sir Robert Peel, First Lord of the Treasury; Sir J. Graham, Secretary of State for the Home Depart ment ; the Earl of Aberdeen, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; Lord Stanley, Secretary of State for the Colonies ; the Right Hon. 11. Goulburn, Chancellor of the Exchequer; the Earl of Lincoln, Chief Commissioner of the Woods and Forests ; and the Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, Secretary-at-War. At the Council, Parliament was ordered to be fur ther prorogued from Tuesday, the 16th December, unto Tuesday, the 30th December. Mr. C. Greville was the Clerk of the Council in Waiting. At the Court the Right Rev. Dr. Wilberforce, Bishop of Oxford, had an audience of her Majesty, and did homage upon his appointment to that see. Sir James Graham, her Majesty's principal Secre tary of State for the Home Department, and the Bishop of Norwich, Clerk of the Closet, assisted at the ceremony. The Earl of Warwick was the Lord in Waiting. Sir Robert Peel, the Duke of Buccleuch, Lords Aberdeen, Stanley, and Lincoln, Sir James Graham, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Mr. Sidney Herbert, travelled from town to attend the Council by a special train on the South-Western Railway. At Basingstoke the Duke of Wellington joined his colleagues. From Southampton the party was conveyed in the Fairy steam yacht to Cowes, arriving at Osborne House at five minutes past twelve o'clock. . After the Council the Cabinet Ministers left Os borne House, together with the Bishop of Norwich, the Bishop of Oxford, and Mr. C. Greville, and were conveyed in the Fairy steam-yacht to Southampton, where a special train was in readiness on the South- Western Railway. The party proceeded to Basing stoke, where the Duke of 'Wellington alighted from the train ; the other noblemen and gentlemen went.to town, accomplishing the distance in one hour and fifty-three minutes. The Queen and Prince Albert took a drive in a pony 'phaeton on Tuesday afternoon. The Royal Family were taken an airing in a car riage on Tuesday afternoon. Yesterday morning her Majesty and her Royal Consort took their usual early walk. The royal children were taken in the pleasure-grounds yes terday. The Ecclesiastical Commissionero for England had a general meeting yesterday. There were present the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishops of London, Ely, Llandaff, Rochester, and Salisbury ; the Judge of the Prerogative Court and the Judge of the Admiralty Court. Dispatches were received yesterday at the Colonial office from the Governors of New South Wales, New Zealand, and Ceylon, and also from the Lord High Commissioner of the lonian Islands. MR. BRAHAM'S CONCERTS. The announcement that Braham was to give a concert at the St. James's filled the theatre in every part last evening long before the commencement of the perform ances. Braham himself, who was in excellent voice and spirits, and sang as well as he ever did in his life, gave us the •: Deeper and deeper still." and " Waft her, ingels," from the orotorio of Jephtha, " The Death of Nelson," a new duet entitled the " Volunteer's departure," with his son, Mr. Hamilton Braltana. (admirably given by both artists), " Molly Bawn," for which, on a call for its repetition, he substituted " The Miniature" and " The Bay of Biscay, oh." But this was not all. The gem of the evening we have yet to mention. He sang Handel's song, " Gentle Airs," accom panied by Lindley on the violincello. On hearing this de lightful air our thoughts wandered back to days gone by, when in the musical world, at least, there were " giants." Braham uud•Lindley are the last of their race, let us make much of them while we yet have them, for, go when they may," We ne'er shall look upon their like again." Messrs. Ckarles and Hamilton Braham are both much improved since last season. The latter gave Balfe's song, " W hen time has bereft thee," admirably, and well deserved the applause with which he was rewarded. Miss Maria B. Hawes was deservedly encored in the song " Ere infancy's bud," from Alchul's oratorio of Joseph, which she sang with great taste and feeling. She also sang Moore's delightful melody "The harp that once through Tara's halls," with exquisite expres sion atid pathos, and gave Balfe's ballad, "Then you'll remember me," with more taste, power, and expres sion, than has ever yet been infused into it. She completely devulgarized it ; and Balfe is under great obligations to her for having raised this ballad to the dignity of the concert.room. In her hands it became quite a new and very beautiful song. Miss Hobbs was encored in Knight's song, "Pretty Dove," and Miss Cubitt was much applauded in " Homage to Charlie." The Misses Williams were also there, and of course sung as they have done at every concert, for, we will not venture to say how many seasons, Ilatton's duet, " Two merry gay laughing Fairies." DIRECTIONS FOR AFFIXING POSTAGE LABELS. The most effectual plan is to dip the label wholly into water, to shake off the water immediately, and to press the label upon the letter with a piece of clean blotting paper. When the gum is dull in appearance it will require rather more time and moisture to make it stick firmly than when it is glossy. N.B.—The purpose of wetting the label wholly is to counteract the tendency it has to curl up from the letter when only one side is wetted; a tendency caused by the expansion of that side as it imbibes the moisture. ROYAL SURREY ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.—This at tractive place of amusement was never so well worthy a visit at this season of the year as at the present time. The col-. lection is unusually extensive, including a giraffe, chimpan zee, herd of lions, sagacious elephant, and other wonders. We earnestly advise our country friends now in town by all means to pay it a visit. INCENDIARISM.—Tuesday's Government Police Ga zette contains the offer of a reward of 501. for the discovery and apprehension of the person or persons who on the night of the Ist instant maliciously set fire to an out-building. containing about six loads of unthreshed wheat, the pro perty of John Shand, Esti., of Reny-Birn Hall, near Rua bon, Denbighshire, by which the building and its contents were consumed. NEWCASTLE CORN TRADE.—TUESDAY, DEC. 9. The rumoured intentions of the Ministry with regard to the corn-laws have produced a very marked effect upon the trade of this port. On Saturday, and again to-day, although the supply of wheat was good, as well from the country as coastwise, scarcely a single transaction was effected, and where the few sales which did take place related to the in ferior descriptions of this year's growth, a reduction had to be submitted to. This dullness—which was particularly ob servable on 'Change to-day--contrasts strangely with the ready demand that prevailed a few weeks ago, though it seem ed to surprise none. The merchants most , up to a ppear to attach a good deal of credit to the report of Sir Robert Peel's designs. Some of the stron gest l t e h g e i ng Tory th aptartthyempaecnaifilesatr pe un vfe ce ct it r ai es n ig t ;ati of on th in e th 6e presentumP t e e s e a 8 aolof affords a legitimate excuse for the immediate adoption of repeal;; while they shake their heads when asked how their chief's reputation will survive the struggle. The agriculturists are rather more divided in their opinions. Not a few attend the market who have imbibed their knowledge of political economy from the teachings of the present Earl Grey, and these areolcuurse delighted with the prospect of the ttiumph of principles for'which they have mme than once vigorously fought; while those who have pinned their faith to thew landlords' sieeves, and participate in the undefined appre hensions of that class, are loud in their denunciations of Sir Robert Peel's treachery, and still more of the accommodat ing policy of thq monopolist Members of this district, one of whom— Alr. Baker Cresswell—ousted Lord Howick on this question alone. Amidst this Conflict of hopes and fears, it is admitted by all that. certainty is desirable above all things, and this feeling disposes the better half of the protectionists to submit to what appears the inevitable course of events. Returning to to-day's market, it may be said that the prices of wheat are little more than nominal. Northumberland new wheat is quoted at from 40s. to 645. per quarter, and o ld at from 60s. to 70s; Norfolk and Suffolk new, 625. to 68s, old 655. to 735; barley, oats, beans, and peas, are sold at reduced rates. Flour is equally dull, good households being obtain able at from 455. to 48s. per sack. LORD JOHN RUSSELL.--GLASHOW, TUESDAY.-- At a meeting of the town-council, held this day, it was unanimously resolved to present the freedom of the city to Lord John Russell. We believe, if it suits his Lorplship's convenience, that the presentation will take place on Friday, and most probably in the city hall. Our great meeting for the total and immediate abolition of the co., ea place on the day previous, and it would i sdcl. to the interest of the meeting if his Lortaii • would allow him to attend. / 54 0 . I.