The Sun. — London, England, 1844-03-09 00:00:00

HER MAJESTY'S TrIEAT::E. • The NobilAy, :itibscribers, and the Public, are respectfully in. formed that this Theatre WILL OPEN THIS EVENING, when will,be performed Donizetti's Opera A DELI A. Principal Characters by IC awe Persiani, Signor F. Lablache, and Signor Corelli, f the Italian Opera, Paris (his First Appear. ance in this Country). After which, will In produced an entirely New Ballet, by M. Perrot, entitled LA ESAERALDA. Applications for Boxes, Stalls, and Tickets, to be made at the Box-office, Opera Colonnade. THEATRE ROYAL,'DRURY-LANE. THIS EVENING:MARCH 9, Will be performed the Opera of GU ILLAUIIiIE TELL. Arno'd, M. Duprez; Gessler, Mr. Borrani ; William Tell, Mr. Lttler ; Lutern, Mdlle. Albertazzi ; Matilda, Miss Romer; Martha, Miss Betts To conclude with a New Farce, entitled MY WIFE'S COME. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. MR. BENJAMIN WEBSTER. LESSEE THIS EVENING, MARCH 9, Will be- repeated Goldsmith's Comedy of SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER. Hardcastle, Mr. Strickland ; Young Marlow, Mr. H. 101 l ; Hastings, Mr. Howe ; Tony bu m pkin, Mr. Buckstone ; Mrs. Hardcastle, Mrs. Glover; Miss Hardcastle, Mrs. Nisbett Alter the Comely, Mr. JOHN PARRY will sing "The Old Bachelor." _ _ To conclude with FOREIGN AFFAIRS; or. The Court of Queen Anne. Count St. Louis, Madame Celeste ; Baron Fitzstoutz, •Pdr. Strickland Sir James Courtall, Mr. Webster; Bareness Fitzstoutz, Mrs. humby. PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD.STKEET. LESSEE, Mr. J. M. MADDOX. THIS EVENING, MARCH 9, Will be repeated an English version of DON PASQUALE. Principal Characters by Madame Eugenia Garcia, Mr. Allen, Mr. Burdini, and Paul Bedford. To be followed by a New Farce, in Ore Act, entitled THE YOUNG SCAMP; or The Grandmother's Pet. J o seph, Mrs. Keeley; Mildew, Mr. Keeley. To conclude with a New Grand Ballet, entitled LEOLA; or, the Mayday Bride. Patrick , Mr. Chicheley; Phelira; Mr. Gilbert; •Rhona, Miss Charleton ; Leola, Miss Ballin. THEATRE ROYAL, ADELPHI. THIS EVENING, MARCH 9, Will be repeated, by permission of Charles Dicke n s, E sq. , THE CHRISTMAS CAROL. Principal Characters—Messrs. 0. Smith, Wright, Lyon, Maynard, Forman, Miss Woolgar. Mrs. F. Ma•hews, Miss Chaplin, and Ala Lee. To be followed by ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA MARRIED AND SETTLED. Antony, Mr. Wright; Cleopatra, Miss Woolgar. After which, lILRICA ; or, The Prisoner of State. Principal Characters—Messrs. Lyon, U. Smith, Maynard, Forman, Wieland, and Hamilton ; Mesdames 'Yates, 13. Lee. and Chaplin. To conclude with the Tragedy of RICHARD THE THIRD. Ri chard, Mr. Wright; Lady Anne, Miss E. Stanley. DAVIDGE'S. ROYAL SURREY THEATRE. . • THIS EVENING, MARCH I), Will be performed a New Drama, entitled THE LAST SHIL. 'LING, supported by all the Comnany. After which, MO NOM ANI A. To conclude with A TALE OF MYSTERY, in ',inch Messrs. Saville, Hicks, Neville, Johnson, Heslop, Mrs. Daly, and Mrs. .liughes will perform, THE 11 7 1'' NT - HEIL—Sus OFFICE, ALucti 8. • TnErtmomErm:, Lowest. 31 ' • Ilightst, 42; Noon, 41. BA nom E n, 30.4.— W1ND, S. E. NO:M.—The number 32 on the Thermometer denotes the ieezing point, and 55 temperate. h Barometers fair is c;sually placed opposite 30, and rain at 29. HIGH WATER AT LONDON-BRIDGE THIS DAY. Mon .. 44 minutes after 4 1 Evening .. 5 minutes after 5 at 40 d I , ' V. , 4—V s . . ). .); * Q 4- , •• 5 ,, , it u , ..,„, 4 ~. 4 6 1 ,, '' V , It, .., •,* -..,• , +iv; t. ',, I,) .• 7” ' , ,'''' o —/ , 4 .:: •-",-. -t • - - .4"...!,- , .., ,- -. • i , f-. 1 .;,...' ' 4 .. '...- • -..\ 1 - - 0 .., \ , • =`- "li ~, '. ' D'zi,,'ti' , . ~,, , ;°•,,, - . 1 : •1 ,0 • „, ~,•,,,, , tat 441211301", r. - ----,- • . ' "..! ---,....„ Not, Uørntn24lll. LONDON, SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 1844. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER has brought forward a most important financial measure, which has been anticipated for some time by the country, and which we are inclined to think will be received With general satisfaction. It may be considered hard by an annuitant to have his income reduced a quarter per cent., and, ten years after, a half per cent.; but this is only the natural result of circumstances. Money is so abundant that a high interest cannot be obtained ; private individuals who can furnish good security are yearly reducing the interest on their debts, and the consequence is a rise in the funds ; but it is not reasonable or just that the Government should continue to pay the same interest for all time to come while-reductions are taking place in every other quarter. The plan, proposed, therefore, cannot be objected to, it has taken no one by surprise, and, on the whole, may be' regarded as a measure creditable to the Government and the country. It will not increase the national debt; it will not throw burdens on future generations for the sins of their ancestors; and it will save the country from the tricks and juggles of loan contractors. The amount of stock to be reduced is 250,000,0001., about one third of the national debt, and nearly equal to the whole debt of France. This is certainly an enormous sum to meddle with. It comprises four - different kinds of stock, including the Three-and-a-Half per Cents. of 1818, amounting to 10,000,0001.; the Re duced Three-and-a-Halfs established in 1824, amount ing to 67,500,000/. ; the Five per Cents., established in 1784, afterwards, at various times, reduced to Three-and-a-Half (the amount is not stated) ; and the Old Three-and-a-Half per Cents., created in /787, amounting to 14,600,0001.—which makes a total of 249:600,0001. The plan or the Government is t:. place an these stocks on the same f .oting, itnd to bring in a Bill to allow every holier of Three and-a-Half per Cent. Stock. a like amount of Three and-a-Quarter per Cent. Stoa, the interest 0: 3/. 5, per cent. to be, paid till the 10th of October, 1854, and at the end of that period the interest to be only 3/. per cent., h i :11 shall be guaranteed at the same ra:e :Or twenty years, namely, till 1874. The saving to the Treasury will be 625,000/. yea,ly by the first reduction, and the same amount for the next twenty years annually, making a reduction in the interest of the debt, by October next, of 625,000/., and, ten ye Lrs after, a reduction of 1,250,000/. annually. A simpli fication also of the mode and times of payment is Proposed, fur which we refer to the speech of Mr. GOULBURN. Such a result is honourable to the United Kingdom, and shows a marked contrast to the financial conduct of many other nations, who have broken faith with their creditors, who are shunned by all honourable men, and who are driven to some desperate and disreputable scheme for supplying even the immediate wants of the Executive, We have pleasure, therefore, in quoting the conclud ing words of the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER : " This measure," said he, " shows the mighty advan tages which attend a sacred regard to the obliga tions of national honour and good faith. We have had many arduous contests, many bitter reverses, to contend against—difficulties which have made the strongest minds to quail—but we have overcome and triumphed over them all, and that by a simple, but Sacred, adherence to the principles of national honour and the obligations of public faith." In the House of Lords, after some remarks from the law Lords and the Bishop of EXETER, the Court of Privy Council Bill was read a second time and ordered to be committed, with an instruction to the Committee to make that part of it which related to the law of divorce a separate Bill. In the Commons the Sheffield, Ashton-under- Lyne, and Railway Bill, was read a second time. Mr. HINDLEY moved a resolution, in reference. to Railway Committees, that any Member whose con stituents are locally interested in competing lines, may sit on the Committee without voting. The mo tion was opposed by every Member who spoke ex cept Mr. PETER BORTDWICK, and Mr. HINDLEY withdrew his motion. The Newbury and Great Western Railway Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed In answer to a question from Mr. MA.CAIILAY, Sir ROBERT PEEL said the Government, in the course of the day, had received official dispatches relative to the events which had taken place at Gwalior, but therewere no less than seventy-five inclosures, and he had, not vet had ti me t o exa mine th em . Wi t h regard to the question put by the Rilt Honourable Gentleman about the priclainatio:), he could only Ly that 11., had no doubt it inclu led in the dis patehe:.. Mr. NIA . CAULAY said, uader thcse circum stances, he would wait till Sir ROBERT PEEL WO in a position to wive a distinct answer. Sir J. GRAHAM postponed the second reading of th , T; Factories Bill till Friday next. In answer to a qu , , , ,,tion from Mr. TURNER, Sir J. GRAHAM said he did not intend to make any al.era tion in the law relating to religious instruction in union Workhouses. : The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER then brought forward his motion for the reduction of the Three• and-a-Ralf per Cent. Stock, to which we have al , ready adverted. Mr. P. BARING, Sir JOHN RAE REID, Mr. D. bi STEWART, and several Members on the Opposition benches, expressed their hearty approbation of the measure, which was gratefully acknowledged by the Cii.AscELLos of the EXCHEQUER. On the motion of Mr. EWART a discussion took ggee on the disputes between Buenos Ayres and j&onte Video, and all parties seemed to agree in the -- - 37essity of putting a stop to such an unseemly tontest. On the motion for goinginto a Committee of Sup ply, Mr. S. CRAWFORD Btatect hi§ Infelition 'of giving no farther opposition to the granting of sppplies, on the ground of want of proper support both in and out of the House. The Army and Ordnance Estimates were then proceeded with, and a great many votes were agreed to, one of which gave rise to a discussion on the re fusal of a pension to the widow of Lieutenant-Colonel FAWCETT. No other question of interest came on in the course of the evening, and the House adjourned at a Quarter past Eleven o'Clock. The intended conversion of the Three-and-a-Half per Cents. is a topic of engrossing interest in the City, and forms the subject of many communications from our Correspondents in the country. We should be the last persons in the world to undervalue the im portance of the operation, or to detract from the'gene . ral impression in its favour, as a step towards the reduction of the National Debt. And let no man, say we, regard with indifference any financial mea sures in this important direction, merely on account of the immoderate disparity between the specific means under immediate consideration, and the mountain of difficulty which it is the object of these, and of all the other financial efforts to be hereafter made, in con formity therewith, ultimately to remove. A reduction of 1,000,0001: of capital, for example, would not represent, in reference to the aggregate of our Public Debt, a proportion of but 1 to 766. But there is encouragement, as well as wisdom, in Dr, JOHNSON'S admonition,—that the first b delve of the first mattock which breaks ground, and the first blow upon the first pile that is to be driven below the sur face, infinitesimally disproportionate though they be to the total of the same repeated operatious that must be performed before a bridge can be constructed, —are yetpreliminaries as essential to the production of the complete fabric as the insertion of the keystones, or the adjustment of the last block of masonry which is to terminate the structure. As a reduction of the Debt, then, we hail with great satisfaction the proposition for converting the Three-and-a-Half per Cents. ; but we cannot yet regard the operation, even considering it only in the extent to which it goes, as an unmixed good to the country, until we know a little more of the intentions of Government as to the mode and terms of the contemplated reduction. From what took place in 1830, it is evident that there must be a very great number of small dividends at present pay able on that portion of the public funds. The reduction of 10s. per cent. of this moderate interest to such poor annuitants must be severely felt in propor tion to the tenuity of their capitals. It now appears that to the prcprietors of lowest capitals in such stocks, in reference to this circumstance, and to the payment of income-tax by funded property, the Go vernment will postpone the conversion of three-and a-half per cent. interest to three per cent. only, for ten years ; reducing it, in the meantime, as to the parties in question, to three-and-a-quarter per cent. There is this additional—and it is also an inevitable—evil, attending such financial con versions on the part of the Government, they who are compelled to accept the offer of being paid " off," or " out," altogether, are too apt to be allured by the temptation of higher interest, to invest their thus retrieved capital in foreign funds or other inadequate securities, to their own ultimate loss, perhaps ruin, and to the propagation of that rage for improvident speculation which released heaps of capital, under such circumstances, are sure to excite. Our own great anxietyremains unrelieved by the an nouncement of the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER as to the Three-and-a-Half per Cents. What is to be done with the currency ? If it be not forthwith established on a sound and permanent basis, such as we have stre nuously advocated for example, in the issue of " Government" notes to the amount of 50,000,000/., payable in discharge of taxes, and circulating as a legal tender—in the meanwhile abrogating the gold " standard" by repeal of the Act of 1819, but leaving gold and silver to maintain them selves in the circulation,—to increase or to diminish, in coin or in bullion, according to the de mands or exigencies of the bullion market; a crisis must presently come upon us more terrible than any of the monetary convulsions which have been experienced since 1797. Now, we own that we are startled by the contents of the Letter of "An Observer ;" a gentleman, we have reason to believe, competent to write on those subjects with the highest authority. For " An Observer" gives us an insight into the " intentions of Government," which our experience of Sir ROBERT PEEL'S perversity throughout the whole series of his tampering, yet obstinate, legisla tion on the currency, compels us to believe will prove ,nlv too accurate. It, is msumid that her MAJESTY'S Nli nis t eri in ten d—ls t, to suppre , s country note, issued )3 , private and joint-stock banks; 2d, to substitute :n their place notes of the Bank of. England. This -zubstitutio7l of one paper for the other, be it observed, is not a mere equation of currency in which the public are not concerned; on the contrary, it will be seen that it involves an absolute paralysis of banking accommodation throughout the kingdom; a mortal stagnation of the energy of domestic trade which is the genuine fruit of that accommodation as at present conducted ; and a panic consequent on this new intervention, this additional blunder of the Premier, the effects of which it is impossible to calculate in all their intensity or their extent. For, under the existing system, the accommodation sup plied by any local bank must be drawn from -Ist, Its actual capital ; 2d, The amount of its deposits ; 3d, The aggregate of its own circulation in notes Suppose the Government plan, announced by an " Observer," in operation, and what ensues ? We entreat the earnest attention of our readers to the results : In the first place, the local circulation of the dis- trict, &c., heretofore supplied by the provincial bank, is withdrawn—substituted, it is true, by notes of the Bank of England, but these must be paid for by the local establishment in hard cash, whatever be the price of gold in the interim, whatever its ad vance upon the Mint price of 3/. 17s. 100. per oz. It is true, also, that the Bank of England, in con- formity with an arrangement which they have long been vainly pressing on the voluntary acceptance of the local banks, are to pay the latter 1/. per cent. on whatever amount, after the withdrawal of their own notes, they may be able to keep out of Bank of England paper. But it is clear " that the loss to the public and the power of accommodation thus with drawn, previous to such purchase of the new Bank of England note circulation are exactly commensurate " with the amount of local notes so suppressed." In other words, let it be granted that the aggregate of our circulation in notes may remain much the same after, as it shall have stood before, the circula tion of Bank of England notes, still, the extent of banking accommodation, displaced and reduced, will be exactly represented by that of the local notes pre viously circulated. Would the reader know what is the amount of this local circulation, and, therefore, of this monetary accommodation, at the present mo. ment ? Just 18,000,0001.! Truly the Premier's stumbles are costly ones to the empire. He deranged capital--he hampered industry—he lowered wages —he heaped additional burdens on the poor—he took taxation off the rich by his enormous error of 1819, to an extent almost defying calcula tion. lie is about, in 1844, to sacrifice 18,000,0001. more to the same unquiet and devouring phantom of ft gold standard -measured currency! Will he really .venture on this new and f6arful ex wriment ? But that we know he is made of very ►ipteezable inarials, - we migh.' despair of producing any salutary irap , :es4on on his vanity or his Obsti nacy. But we tittle doubt that that powerful interest in the empire, to whose importunities he has abandoned so many favourite crotchets—Rothan Ca tholic exclusion, Dissenters' Civil Disabilities, an un- rtformed borougl..niongering representation, &e.—wil yet scare him from this mad and ruinous purpose of crushing the local circulation! It would be a curious problem in a Premier's psychology to determine, amidst the frightful possi bilities which his schemes of monetary legislation seem likely to call into real existence, what can be the " ruling passion"—the instinct or the de lusion, the caprice or the hallucination—which can compensate, in his own mind, for the political guilt or wrong-headedness in which he so recklessly indulges ? Does he imagine that the people are ena moured of his transcendent talents for finance, through the fascinations of an income-tax, payable by them in the thirtieth year of peace ? Or that ;heir rural and agricultural tastes have been suffi- ciently bribed by his sudden transmutation into a ~~ .. G~F~` 'HE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY MORNING, MARCH 9, 1844, theoretical breeder of stock, an " intending purchaser" of Birmingham bulls, or a sexagenarian votary of Terpsichore in the festivities of his manor of Drayton? The well-known adage, that " naked truth is ex ceedingly unlovely," was never more fully or forcibly exemplified than in the reception which Mi. BRIGHT'S speech on the question of the sugar duties met with Thursday from the Monopolists in the House of Commons. Had the Hon. Member for Durham con tented himself with just delicately glancing at the truth, and wrapping it up in vague, comely, and redundant phraseology, so as to conceal all its harsher outlines, he would no doubt have been received with great favour by the Tories ; but not being a man to mince matters, or to express feebly and equivocally what he sees clearly and feels strongly, he stripped the facts, of which his mind was full, of all conventional disguise, and presented them to the House in stern and naked simplicity. For this homely, straightforward way of enunciating the truth, the sensitive ears of the Monopolists were by no means prepared, and accord ingly they gave vent to their disgust and surprise by resorting to all manner of articulate and inarticulate noises. When Mr. Hawn/ told them that their abhor rence of slavery was a mere pretext put forth for party purposes, he was interrupted by the sonorous bray of a jackass—an animal by no means uncommon in the House of Commons; and when he reminded them that it was less their duty to look after "the mo rality of Brazil " than the interests of their own p.orer fellow-countrymen, a cock began crowing, while loud and fierce cries of " Question " proceeded from the Treasury benches. In spite, however, of all these interruptions, Mr. BRIGHT boldly stood his ground, and the ►eight and value of his sterling, unornamented truths were shown by the very impatience with which they were listened to by the Monopolists, and the diligent efforts which these amiable dissentients made to render them inaudible by clamour. " Were they sent to Par liament," inquired the Hon. Member, " that they might take under their patronage every population of every portion of the earth, except the country in which they themselves lived ? He declared that he could not express the disgust and amaze ment with which he had listened to the speeches of the gentlemen opposite, in which they had spoken of the people of Africa, of Brazil, of every people of the world, except their own poor, except the famishing population of their own manufacturing districts. Who was it that entertained these scruples about the introduction of Brazilian sugar ? It was not the poor, it was the rich only, and they could have• enough at whatever price it came in !" This was hard hitting—an argument directly to the point; and accordingly the Premier, though he vouchsafed a reply—such as it was—to the other portions of Mr. BRIGHT'S speech, made no reference to this, but dis creetly passed it by without so much as a word of passing notice. The Member for Durham went on to observe, " They were returned to that House for the purpose of discussing and settling great national questions upon the broad principles of justice, with out any regard to self-interest. But their Monopolies all hung together." If the Monopolists themselves were to hang together—as well as their Monopolies and this not in a metaphorical but a literal sense we are far from imagining that the community at large would be the sufferers by such an operation, however inconvenient it might prove to the parties concerned. The plain truth is, they are a grasp ing, selfish, desperate faction who acknowledge no other rule of action than their own interests, and who will not legislate themselves, nor allow others to legislate, in an enlightened spirit. Just now they have got our feeble, Jesuitical Government in a " fix," and there to all intents and purposes they in tend to keep it. With Sir ROBERT PEEL at their back, they imagine that they have the power to carry everything their own way—to oppose the demands of justice and stifle the voice of humanity; but the circumstances of the times are against them ; and public opinion, however it may seem to recede for a while, yet, like the advancing tide, gains strength with every succeeding wave. And that public opinion has sternly and unequivocally decreed the doom of Monopoly, whose existence henceforth must be calculated, not by years but months. Whenever a topic arises of angry discussion be tween our Government and that of the United States, (and it is to be deeply lamented that of late years, such topics multiply both in number and in gravity), the American Press, we observe, is prone to become excessively didactic. Like the " Gineral FLADDOCK," so happily described by CHARLES DICKENS, it expa tiates on the " inconceivable conventionalities " of " those a-mazing Europeans," and gravely lectures on the follies and the crimes which they give rise to among us, but from which the social communities in which they Hs e are (if you will believe them) eminently free. Let an American journalist once be set a-going, by any pitch-note which will allow of his striking into his favourite and never-ending theme, the moral beauty and political perfection of all American institutions, domestic or civil ; the virtues and the morality of all American citizens, native or domicilated ; and, till he is weary, let no man hope for rest or change. Like the boy with the barrel organ, who is a fixture at the corner of your street throughout the live-long day—or so much of it as you wish to devote to uninterrupted study—he grinds " Happy land ! happy land I " till you wish him swamped and drowned, full fifty fathom deep, in the Bay of Fundy or the Gulf of Florida. On this side of the Channel, it has occurred to us to note, how ever, such periodical and regular announcements of excesses, crimes, and outrages committed in American communities in defiance of all laws, divine or human,—of all restraints, legislative or muni cipal,—that we have been sometimes tempted to suppose they could only hare happened from being tolerated by the " conventionalities " of American'" society," and the unrestricted freedom of self-will which the citizen of the United States is given to exercise as his undoubted birth-right. The unpunished crimes that stain, in a single year, some of the southern States for example—the scandalous and hideous vindictivenesss of " Lynch law ;" the flogging and torture of negro slaves, their punish ment, even to death, for the most trivial offences against property, under the eyes of the most bruta masters.; or the edifying assassination-duels and as saults which diversify the commercial monotony of New Orleans. These are matters, the frequency of which are perfectly appalling ; the impunity of which, so far as any visitation of the law is concerned, is perfectly notorious. The bowie-knife and the rifle have largely anticipated, it is true, the tar-and-feather process, but we do not cease to hear of slaves being hanged and burnt- , -or of native born subjects of the United States being doomed to die for the offence of conniving at the attempt of the slave to escape from a servitude in which he is liable to be the victim of such enormities. We lament to observe, from the private correspondence published a day or two ago by one of our Morning Contemporaries, that our own compatriots seem affected by the general dissolution of all religious and moral ties, and of tiro salutary decorum and observances which, among us, throw the protection of social respect, in addition to the sacredness of legal inviolability, around the powers of judges and magistrates. We abstract from one short letter the following catalogue of horrors :-- " Mr. Sheppard, late of' England, committed suicide at Saco, Maine, a few days ago. Mrs. Loring French also committed suicide at the same place, on the same day. Mr. Edward O'Connor, late of Ireland, counsellor at-law, destroyed himself at Boston, on Monday night. Monsieur Messemer, player on the cornet-à-piston, from France, was assassinated at Mobile on the Ist inst., but is expected to recover from his wounds. Judge Turley, of Nashville, has been caned by Major Turner, for offer ing an insult to *lady; and Mr. Maxsey, Mayor of Nash ville, has been caned by Mr. Payne. Mr. R. Polhemus was murdered near Freehold, New Jersey, on Friday, and a neighbour of the deceased, Mr. W. Reed, has been ar rested on suspicion. Mr. Leech, believed to be from England, was killed in a quarrel with Messrs. Lawson and M'Leod, at New Orleans, on the 23d ult." Texas, it would seem, is learning betime3 to emu late the " go-a-head " intensity of moral passion which pervades the model Republic she is so desirous of joining:--- " At Caddo, Texas, on the 10th ult., Judge Hansford was barbarously murdered by Mr. Mose ley and his son in•law, because his judicial view of a law suit was ad verse to their interests." The intelligence from Madrid is to the 29th ult. A report was current that a change of Ministry would, take place before the QUEWN DOWAGER ar rive 4 in the capital. This is not at all improbable, as her MAJESTY, no doubt, has some Ii vely recollections of the attacks made on her by BEAT o, whet editor of a news p a p e r. A Royal decree has been issued upon a representation from the Madrid merchants and tradesmen, ordering that no more domiciliary searches be made in that capital, with the view of discovering smuggled goods. On 29th the Five per Cents. were quoted at 22 for cash, and 221 for 60 days. We learn by the Paris papers, that the Otaheite affair is not yet settled, and that in all probability certain of the discontented Peers will take advantage of the event, to annoy the Ministry and attack England. On Tuesday the Prince of Moscowa, in the Chamber of Peers, complained that the Minister of Marine had not defended the cause of Admiral DUPETIT THOUARS, when attacked. The Marquis DN Boresx hoped the question would be brought for ward on a distinct motion, and Viscount DUBOUCHAGE declared, that if he had been in the Gallant Admiral's place, he would have pursued exactly the same course. The Minister of Marine said, only two letters had been received from Admiral Durgrrr THOUARS, and that nothing had come to hand since the arrival of the vessel which brought them. If the Chamber, however, wished to appoint a day for the discussion, Government was quite ready to join in it. One of the Government journals has at length broken silence on the symptoms of disaffection manifested in the 70th regiment of the line. "Several journals," says the Mes sager, " have spoken of a pretended conspiracy, said to have been discovered in the garrison of Paris, and in which were said to be implicated some non-commis sioned officers, subaltern officers, and even a superior officer. We affirm that all these assertions are wholly incorrect, and that no corps of the army has been wanting in the fidelity which it owes to the KING and our institutions. It is true, however, that some soldiers of one regiment have brought upon them selves the severity of their chiefs by their miscon duct, and that the. Minister of 'War, in the interest •f the service, has ordered rigorous measures to be adopted respecting them, and has desired that they should be sent to the companies of discipline stationed in Algeria." According to another paper, the Courrier Francais, "an attempt had been made to tamper with the soldiers of the 70th, which had lately been re-organised. 'An arrest effected a short time ago, at .Bourg, has led to the discovery of some lists wherein several soldiers of the 70th of the line figured ; searches having been made among their clothes, they have yielded the seizure of several printed papers issued from the secret societies. The soldiers have been arrested and conducted to the Abbaye prison, whence they will be sent to the dis cipline companies of Africa. It is affirmed that no officer or non-commissioned _officer has heel% ar rested." A general belief prevailed on the Paris Bourse that Government intended to reduce the interest on the Five per Cents. This had an unfavourable effect on the Funds, and depressed that stock more than one per cent. On Tuesday the Five per Cents. closed at 125 60c., and on the following day they fell to 124 f. 30c THE BOURSE--WEDNESDAY, MARca 6. First High Nit Lowest Price. Price. Price. Pr - fee. French Five per Cents. .... 124 50 • • 124 50 .. 124 .. 124 30 Four per Cents. .... 106 25 • • 106 25 .• 106 25 •• 106 25 Three per Ceuts..... 82 30 . • 82 35 .. 82 25 .. 82 35 Bank of France•.3 . 26 s • • 32G5 •.3265 .. 3265 Latlitte Bank, I,ooof. Sharesllo7 50 —llO7 50 ..1107 50 ..1107 50 Belgian Fives ..... . . . 1041 • • 1041 • • 1041 .. 1041 1840 ........ 1071 .• 107 j •• 1071 •• 107 f " 1842 ........ 109 .• 1091 .. 109 .. 109 Spanish Active: ........ • • 331 • • 33 1 • • 33-1 • • 331 Passive 5l 5 1 bi .. 5i Neapolitan .• :............. 101 50 101 75 .. 101 50 .. 101 75 Roman , 1051 • • 105 f • • 1051 .. 105 f RAILWAY SHARES. Versailles, R.B. . 365 367 50 .. 365 L. 8..• R0uen•...•... .. 3G5 .• 177 50 . • 840 Rouen to Ifsirre . ....... 670 Orleans • . 672 50 •670 • 672 50 •• 855 .. 852 50 .. 852 50 Strasburg to Bale. RAILWAY SHARES, FOR THE ACCOUNT. Versailles, 50 ..3G7 50 ..362 50 ..367 50 L:a li : 177 50 .. 177 50 .. 177 .50 ..177 50 Rouen i • ja . v . ;e .. Rouen R. 8.11 . 672 50 ..672 50 .. 672 50 .. 672 50 . 4 o " Orleans -.- -. . _ _ Strasburg to 8a1e.......... 242 50 • • 245 .. 242 50 .. 245 Avignon to Marseilles.. • • • • 760 •• 760 •• 757 50 .. 757 50 WATERLOO-BRIDGE.—We are surprised that the pro prietors of this magnificent bridge do not take steps to abate a nuisance which is a disgrace to the metro polis. The foot-path on the West-side, which used to be a favourite promenade for families in the neighbour hood, and a place of resort for children, is now almost deserted. No respectable woman, in fact, can approach it. Englishmen boast of their cleanly habits, and sneer at their neighbours, but we defy any person to point out a city, town, or village, in any part of the continent that exhibits such an utter want of decency on the part of men calling themselves respectable. There is no excuse either for such manifest injury to property, and the remedy is easy. Let a policeman be stationed on the bridge for a few weeks, with orders to take into custody some of the more egre g i ous o ff en d ers . Impri sonment for a night in a cell, or what would be more proportioned to the offence, a week at the treadmill, would soon put an end to the nuisance. PARIS and STRASBURG RAILWAY. We have already noticed this project with some de gree of favour, being much impressed with its import ance to the mutual interests of England and of the Con tinent. We are glad to learn that in France the sub. jest is met with a sort of national enthusiasm— all the shares allotted to that country, amounting to upwards of one million sterling, having been disposed of within twenty-four hours after the publica tion of the prospectus is the French papers. This striking re-action of enterprise in France—for three years ago it was found impossible to complete one great line, for want of the necessary capital—is, of course, to be attributed to the great stimulus given by the co-ope ration of the Government to such undertaking=. It is to to be understood that all the compensation for lands and buildings on the line is met by the State, conjointly with th• Departments and Communes, while the State of itself is at all the cost of termini, stations, and indeed all length;l line ee across total distancethe French Continent nt, the precarious portion of the invest men t. Th e li ne i s 286 miles in being 330 miles, u 3 rg,a a " railw a y h our " further than from London to Edinburgh. direct PENNY POSTAGE. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sin,—l have the pleasure of informing you, that the com plainers of the gross injustice of levying a penny extra for every letter and newspaper at Thorpe Hamlet, Norwich, have this morning received a letter, of which the following is a copy : "General Post-office, March 6, 1844. _ • Sir,—With reference to your correspondence with this office, respecting the extra charge made for delivering letters at Thorpe Hamlet, I beg to acquaint you that the Post master-General has bee* pleased t o consen t t o th a t pl ace being included within the limits of the free delivery of letters * Norwich, and the measure will shortly be carried into effect.—l am, Sir, your obedient servant, "THOMAS LAWRENCE, Assistant Secretary. Bi t J. W. Pigg, Grove-school, Thorpe Hamlet, Norwich." For this "measure," the inhabitants of Thorpe feel grate ful ; but they are well aware that their chief thanks are due to the intelligent conductors of the London and the local press, especially, Sir, to your own masterly remarks in their favour, and your generous insertion of their letters. In justice to the complainants at Thorpe, I ought to add, that as most of them have, an establishment in Norwich (where their own letters could always be delivered without additional ex pense), they also were mainly influenced by a desire to benefit their neighbours. an, Sir, your most obedient servant, • JOHN BULL. Grove cottage, Thorpe-road, Norwich, March 7, 1844. COWES-ISLE OF WIGHT. ROYAL RESIDENCE. Osborne House, the seat of Lady Isabella Blackford, has been taken for her Majesty, with an option to purchase, if approved of. The Royal Household are expected down in May, but considerable additions must be made to the build ing before it can accommodate a very large establisment. It is beautifully situated in a fine park, with abundance of noble timber. The views are extensive and of varied beauty, though certainly not equal to Norris Castle, which commands Southampton water and the roadstead of Cowes, while Osborne takes a more easterly view, taking in Portsmouth, Spithead, &c., but is shut out by the high grounds of Norris from the views westward. The mansion has, on the ground floor, drawing-room, dining-room, and library, with two ante-rooms and ball. First-floor—Five bed-rooms and two dressing-rooms. Second-floor—Nine rooms. Offices, housekeeper's room, ser vants' ball, laundry, kitchen, with beds for maidservants; three ditto for men over th• stables. There is plenty of extra accommodation to be had in the neighbourhood. When the Duchess of Kent had Norris, Osborne Villa and another house or two were taken for Sir John Conroy and other parts of the establishment. There are also ton new villas nearly finished in East Cowes Park. Osborne park and wood, with gardens, &c., contain 34G acres, the , whole of which is freehold. The farm adjoining is copyhold, and contains 424 acres. The park runs down to the water. The landing and bathing is good, and strictly private. It joins the grounds of Norris, being directly to the south-cast of that estate. LEOMINSTER.—A second lecture on free trade was delivered by lSir. Falvey, of the Anti-Corn-law League, on Wednesday evening, the 6th inst. The result was highly satisfactory to the friends of free trade. Two individuals, a Mr.. Cartwright and a Mr. Cooper, severally attempted to refute the lecturer, but after one of them had used words which were deemed disrespectful to the lecturer and the au dience, much interruption occurred. On the meeting having -been appealed to, however, whether they would hear these parties, and a show of hands being held up in their favour, they were called upon to come forward a second time, which each of them declined to do. The spacious room was well filled, and the feeling in favour of free trade, as may be ga thered from th e p rece di ng details, very enthusiastic. It is supposed from 400 t o 500 p e rsons were present. We cannot refrain fro m a ddi ng, t h at a f ter th e great weight of authority ' and evidence w hi c h i s a b roa d, evincing the safety and bene- • fits of unrestricted iridustry, and after the reluctantly-ex torted admission of Sir R. Peel, that the principles of tree trade are the principles of common sense, he must be a bold !" 11 who attempts te controvert those principles. MONEY AND COMMERCIAL NEWS CITY, FRIDAY EVENING. There was rather an important movement this afternoon in the:Consol Market, some parties thinking fit to operate for a material rise, but which others were disposed to counteract. The result, therefore was a sudden improvement to 981 to g, and a subsequent decline to 98h to the latest bargains being at about 98i buyers. Bank Stock for Account touched 197, and the New Three-and-a-Half per Cents. 1094 to I. There was a movement also towards an improvement in the Foreign Market. Spanish Actives touched 251 to a, and the Three per Cents. 351 1 to 36. Mexican, 35a to j. and the Dutch Two-and-a-Half per Cents. 56 to a. The additional transactions in Railway Shares have been these t—Birmingham and Gloucester were 22 ; Eastern Counties, ; Ditto, New, 14 ; Brighton, 5 ; Midland Counties, 7 ; North Midland, 7 ; and South Eastern, 134 discount. Chester and Holyhead, 14 ; Edinburgh and Glas gow, 12; Great Western. 38i ; Ditto, New, 21; Guildford Junction, 1; South Western, 48* ; Ditto, Eighths, 3i ; Croydon, 3}; Ditto, Scrip, 61; Manchester and Leeds, 46; North British, to a ; Newcastle and Darlington, 21 ; York and North Midland, 75 to 76; and Ditto, New, 36 premium. The rate of exchange was rather higher upon most of the Continental cities. The West India Mail advises us of the continuance of dry weather, both in Jamaica and Barbadoes. (From The Sun of Last Night.) There was a better market for Cotton at Liverpool yester day. Sales 5,000 bales, of which 2,000 American were on speculation. Prices were rather firmer.—Shares were steady, with a fair business doing. Birmingham and Gloucester, 77 ; Eastern Counties, 114 ; Edinburgh and Glasgow, New, 144 ; Grand Junction, 2264 to 227 ; Great North of England, 954 ; Birmingham, 234 ; Ditto, New, 40 ; South Western, 784 ; Manchesten,and Birmingham, 44; Manchester and Leeds, 1134 ; Paris and Lyons, 24 ; Ditto and Orleans, 34 ; Ditto and Rouen, 334; South Eastern, 354. The Forth steamer has reached Southampton from the the West Indies and Mexico. The letters and papers are momentarily exßected to reach the city. The dates are— Tampico, January 30th ; Vera Cruz, Ist February ; Bermuda, 21st February. She brings an immense amount of specie, gold dust, corn, &c.—said worth 1,116,000 dollars ; 41 serons of cochineal and other valuable imports. She has nine teen passengers. We trust to be able to add further particulars. It is said a good amount is on board the steamer for the Mexican bondholders, and for the Mexican Mining Companies. Vast interest is attached to the subject of the reduction of the interest upon the Three-and-a-Half per Cents. in City circles—and the feeling most assuredly is that liberal terms will be offered. The results of previous conversions are re ferred to with attention to guide those interested as holders of the stock in accepting or dissenting from the terms that will be offered this evening to them by the Chan cellor of the Exchequer. The result of former conversions was to add about 7,278,000/. to the debt, but to reduce the dividends annually by not less than 2,355,346/. By the pre sent proposed reduction, if carried into execution, a further yearly saving will be effected of about, it is estimated, at least 800,000/., making a decrease in the charge to the country of 3,150,0001. or 3,200,000/., a most important feature in the present state of taxation. The Funded, as well as the Unfunded Debt, and, in fact, all sorts of securities, are rising, foreign as well as domestic securities A firm demand has existed this morning for the public Securities. The Commissioners took Three per Cent. Consols at 983, which is the present price. It is somewhat remark able, that the New Three-and-a-Half per Cents. have ad vanced this morning from 102 to 1024. The secret, perhaps, is, that many persons imagine that these stocks will not be included in the scheme of reduction. Consols for the Account have been done also at an improvement to 983. Bank Stock is at 196 for the Account. India Stock has advanced from 279 to 282 ; and for Exchequer Bills the premium has ranged from 72s to 735. Much business has been done in the Foreign Stocks to-day. Spanish at one hour was worth 253 ; and the Three per Cents. 36 for the Account, but the rates are now a little lower. Portuguese Converted, after reaching 474, have gone back to 464; and Mexican from 354 to 354. We have not yet heard what amount of specie has been sent by the Forth steamer for the dividends. It is said that the sum is front 60,000 to 70,000 dollars. Dutch, Brazilian, Buenos Ayres, and Colombian Stocks are a shade higher than they left off yesterday afternoon. The Railway Share Market is again very brisk. The London and Birmingham Shares have advanced to 139, or 5/. higher than they opened yesterday; the New Shares t 027 prem. ; the South-Eastern and Dover Scrip to 12 prem. • and the Manchester and Leeds, to 444 prem. All the other Shares are firm :—Union Bank of • Australia Shares are at 4 prem. ; Anglo Mexican Mining Shares have been sold at 24; and United Mexican at 31r to CLOSING PRICES. BRITISH FUNDS. Bank Stock per Cent. Red 98% .Ditto Bonds BB pm. 3 per Cent. Cons. 3% per Cent. Rel New 3% per Cent. 102% !Ex. Bills, 1,0001. 1 lid... 70 pm. New 5 per Cent. — Ditto 5001. f.9 pm. Long Annuities to expire Ditto Small 7O pm. Jan. 1860 l Bank Stock for Acct.... 197 Oct. 18:,9 l:2 lcdia Stock for Acct.... 282 Jan. 1860 l2 9.11 Consols for Acct 960 FOREIGN FUNDS. Austrian.s per Cent — Portuguese,s per Cent 77% Belgian, 5 per Cent... ..... .... 104 M Ditto, New Ditto — Brazilian Bonds ..... .......... 815 Prussian, 5 per Cent ...... Buenos Ayres, 6 per Cei,t... 37% Russian, 5 per Cent ll6 , hilla t i, 6 per Cent 1035! Ditto, Metallic Colombian, 6 per Cent: la% Spanish, 5 per Cen - 25% Ditto, 1824 Ditto, 3 per Cent Cuba Bonds, 6 per Cent O3 Ditto, Deferre.• 14% Danish, 3 per Cent Greek, 16:5, 5 per Cent — Exchange —t. -c. Mexican, 5 per Cent Ditto, 6 per Cent., iS37 Dutch, 2% per Cent.... 56% Peruvian, 1825, 6 per Cent 30% Ditto, 5 per Cent lO2 SHARES. Birmingham and Derby (100 paid) 62 Ditto Thirds (25 paid) Chester and Holyhead ( 5 paid) 5% Eastern Counties (23 paid) Ditto New (25 pain) Edinburgh and Glasgow (50 paid) Great Western (75 paid) .., 113% Ditto Half Shares (50 paid) Lon ion and Brighton (50 paid) Ditto I.oan Notes (lii paid) London and Birmingham (Stock) London and Guildford Junction ( 5 pa.d) London and South Western (114 es. 10d. paid) B2 Ditto Eighths (15s. paid) London and Croydon (Trunk) „. ... 16% Ditto Scrip ( ;% pad) Lancaster and Carlisle ( 5 paid),... M..nchtster and Birmingham . , (41 Midland CountieS (100 paid) 93 Newcastle and Darlington Junction (15 paid) Northern and Eastern (4 , paid) North Midland (100 paid) Paris and Orleans (20 paid) Paris and Rouen (90 paid) '4% York and North Midland (50 paid) 126 • Ditto New Shares (20 paid) COURSE OF EXCHANGE.—(YESTERDAY.) Amsterdam CF. 12 6 Gibraltar — Ditto, at sight l2 4 Leghorn 3O 65 Rotterdam 2U. 12 6i Genoa 26 Antwerp flamburgh M.B. 13 15 Venice ........ .......... 47 Altona l4 0 Naples 3Bi Paris, 3 days' sight... 25 70 Palermo, per oz ll7l Ditto, 3 months 25 90 Lisbon 534 Marseilles Bourdeaux 25 95 Rio Janeiro 23 Frankfurt on Maine.. 122 Bahia 23 Petersburgh, 3 Us... 36i Buenos Ayres — Berlin _ _ __ 7 NewYork,2ldys sight ... .. . . . Vienna, effee fl. 3M. . 9 57 'I rieste, ditto Madrid 37 Cadiz Philadelphia PRICES OF BULLION, PER OZ. Foreign Gold, bars..X3 17 9 _ _ Portiikal Gold Coin 3 17 5 Bilbao 36 Barcelona 36 Sevilla — New Doubloons__ 0 0 0 New Dollars 0 4 _94 Silver in Bars 0 4 111 DUTCH and FLANDERS MAIL. THE HAGUE, MARC!! 3.—The Nimeguer Courant of the Ist says :—" The rapid rise of our rivers causes great alarm. On the 27th of February the water in the Waal had risen to 5 ft. 22 inches, yesterday it was 5 ft. 80 inches, and to-day it was 6 ft. 22 inches, and it is still rising, so that the lower idart of the town will soon be under water. At Arnheim, on the 27th ult., the Rhine was 3 ft. 50 inches, on the 28th 4 ft. 65 inches, yesterday at 5 ft. 40 inches, and this morning, our account tells us that it was at 5 ft. 40 inches, and still rising. The accountsfrom the Meuse are likewise unfavourable." THE HAGUE, MARCH 4.—Accounts from Cologne say that the Rhine at that place, which on the 29th of February had risen to the height of 29 feet 7 inches, had fallen, and on the 2d instant was at 27 feet 8 inches. The principal rivers of Geldersland are also falling. THE FIAGUE, Mincif s.—The first Chamber in its sitting, yesterday, heard the report of the Central Section, on the project of law for a property-tax, &c. ; the debate on which is to be opened on the fith. The Dutch papers, with many supplements, are almost wholly filled with very long reports of the speeches made on the debate on the law for imposing a property-tax, and for a voluntary loan, which occupied the Chambers for several days, and the result of which has already been given. 11Amnunoff, MARC!! 2. The Stockholm mails of the 20th and 23d of February, are still due, so that we have no news of the health of the King of Sweden. since the 16th.— Hamburgh Borsenhalle, March 2. BRUSSELS, MAncu, 6.—The average price of wheat last week was 17f. 42c., and that of rye, 10f. 39c. The import duty oa wheat therefore remains 37f. 50c. per 1,000 kilo grammes, and on rye, 21f. 50c. The export duty on both i s 25c. per 1,000 kilogranunes. The Brest= Gazette, says, there is a report of a projected marriage of the King of Hanover, to the Dowager Grand Duchess Alexandria of Mecklenburgh. The Liege j ournals are full of details of the inundation of the, Meuse, and of the damage caused by it. POLISH Fuoymus, FEB. 20.—Since it has become known in Poland what fate avails those that seek refuge in Prussia, desertions has almost entirely ceased, at which everybody is well pleased, as these strangers have for the most part only proved the cause of much trouble. The accounts from the Carpatheans are very unfavourable ; it continues to snow almost without interruption, and we may therefore expect destructive inundations which may affect tke beautiful valley of the Vistula in Poland, but more probably perhaps West Prussia; for if the river (which often happens) is covered with ice after it has broken up in Poland, the whole injury will fall on that province, as it did some years ago. In Poland itself, especially in the eastern part, the roads are so blocked up with snow that the communications are ex tremely difficult. This has caused a decline in the prices of corn in the markets of Warsaw. The carnival was not so animated at Warsaw as formerly, though the Governor gave several splendid fetes. By a decision of the Governor, the mode of applying for passports to foreign countries, which has hitherto been as tedious, has been shortened. REPORTERS NOT SPIES.--The Liverpool Times, in an article upon the subject of the employment of newspaper reporters in the late Government prosecutions in Ireland, has the following remarks, which, in justice to a gentleman whose great services have not always been so handsomely acknowledged by a portion of the press, we have much plea ' sure in extracting:—" All parties have joined in bearing witness to the skill, impartiality, and great public usefulness of the reporter of the London Times during the recent dis turbances in South Wales. He went everywhere, reported everything, and discharged his duties with so much fair ness, that nothing was concealed from him, so that the Go vernment obtained infinitely more useful inf orma ti on f rom his letters than from the inquiries of its own Commissioners. We should like to know how much information he would have been able to obtain, if it had been tken suspected that he had received a 50/. note from Sir James Graham before leaving London, or that he was co ll ec ti ng evidence with the intention of going into the witness -box to prove the guilt of those with whom he was living on the most open and friendly terms? Can there be a doubt:that, under such cir cumstances, he would have been shunned as if he had got the plague ?—that every door would have been closed against hini ?—that all grievances w ou ld h ave b een discussed in se cret conclave, instead of under the eve of the public ? (for the presence of one good reporter is, in fact, the presence of the whole people), and that the Government would have been kept in ignorance of nearly all that it ought to have known ? This is so evident, and vet so important, that no statesman worthy of the name would have overlooked it, or have at tempted to procure information- by means which are &len-. lated to destroy all confidence in the honesty of the reporter of the press."—Tinies. SUVARY OF NEWS AND Vubitt Optitton. " Who runs. may read." PORILIGN. On Monday the King and Queen of the French received Marshal Soult, the Baron and Baroness de Rothschild, M. Nathaniel Rothschild and lady, and Messrs. Newton and Price, officers of the American navy. All the accounts from Goritz received on Wednesday in Paris, indicated the approaching death of the Duke d'Angou lem e. The Marquis of Larochejacquelin has been elected Member for Ploermel, by a majority of 146. His opponent had only 44 votes. The fifth bureau of the Chamber of Deputies, before which the inquiry as to the validity of the election .of M. Charles Latfitte has been going on, decided on Tuesday in his favour by a large majority. The Gazette des Tribunaux states that four persons have been taken into custody on suspicion of having been con cerned in the..murder of Mr. Ward. The names are not given, but they are described as a dealer in second-hand articles, a house painter, a basket-maker, and a servant. A letter from Bordeaux of the 2d inst. mentions that the inundations were on the increase in that neighbourhood. The Drot, the liaise, and the Lot had all overflowed their banks, and done considerable damage. The melting of the snow in the Pyrenees was expected to add to the calamity. The communications between Bordeaux and the Landes and Libourne were interrupted, and the steam-boats had ceased to ply on the part of the river between Langon and Agen. The plain of Arveyre was entirely submerged. A veteran named Siehring died lately at Koningsberg, aged 108. He entered the army in 1760, under the great Frederick, and had taken part in the seven years' war, of which he was the last survivor. An inhabitant of Boulogne-sur-Mer, who is said to he in flourishing circumstances, was arrested in Paris some days ago, on a charge of having stolen articles in several. shops of the capital, where he had made purchases. We learn from Vienna that preparations are being made at the palace at Schoenbrun, for the reception of the Emperor of Russia in the month of May. It is said that the Kings of Bavaria and Prussia, and the Prince Royal of Wurtemberg, are also expected. It is stated by the Cologne Gazette that the Bavarian Go vernment has resolved to bear the whole cost of the railroad of Bomberg as far as Frankfort- on-the• Maine, reserving to itself the same privileges and advantages as would have been conceded to a company. According to a letter from Athens of the 13th ult. the British Ambassador ther e h as sen t i n a note to the ti.t4rn ment, recommending the strictest economy, the protecting powers being resolved to insist on the regular payment of the interest on the public debt. The Silesian Gazette ghttes that large reinforcements are being sent by the Russian Government to the army of the Caucasus, and that the e ff ec ti ve f orce o f Russia in that quarter will soon amount to 200,000 men. LAW AND POMICE. At the Northampton Assizes, a Frenchwoman, named Nathalie Miard, was indicted for endeavouring to extort the sum of 10,000 francs (4000 from the Rev. C. Marsh, by means of threatening letters. The prisoner was an interesting looking woman, of ladylike appearance, and a good deal of vivacity about her. It was stated she knew hardly a word of English. The Rev. Mr. Marsh, the prosecutor, is a gen tlemanly-looking man, about thirty-six_y'ears of age, and son to the late Bishop of Peterborough. He is an unmarried man, and a few years ago became acquainted with the prisoner at a house of ill repute in London. This led to her annoying him, and hence the present prosecution. The jury, after a long consultation, returned a verdict of " Not guilty," which was received with applause by a crowded court. This demon stration of feeling was instantly checked. At the Central Criminal Court William M‘Gregor, 28, and Charles Lambert, 25, seamen, were indicted for feloniously attempting to make a revolt on board a ship, called the Esther, npon the high seas, and within the jurisdiction of the Admiralty of England. They pleaded that they were ill treated, and denied that they inteaded to deprive the captain of his authority. The jury deliberated four hours, and then found M'Gregor guilty, but acquitted the other prisoner, coupling with their verdict the following statement :—" That the jury are of a decided opinion, and strongly recommend, that the slightest punishment that the Court can pass, ought to be inflicted, considering there was much real cause for dis content and complaint, which complaint was not only ma nifested by the prisoners, but by all the crew, excepting the officers. The jury consider the captain and owners of the vessel highly reprehensible for not having provided suffi ciently for the wants and comfort of the men." Edward Lampridge, a young man of stylish exterior, was remanded at Worship-street, on a charge of cutti ng a lady's pocket in one of the carriages of the Eastern Counties' Railway Company. C OtTlitT —1 ,1 .85/110 NAB LE. The Duke of Wellington, the Lord Chancellor, Duke of Buccleuch; Earl of Aberdeen, Earl of Haddingten, Lord Wharncliffe, Lord Stanley, Sir James Graham, the Chan cellor of the Exchequer, Sir Henry Hardinge, and Sir Edward Knatchbull, were the guests of Sir Robert Peel on Wednes day evening, in Whitehall-gardens. Baron Rolfe, and Mr. Justice C o lt man , th e J u d ges of the Northern Circuit, were entertained at Ravensworth Castle on Saturday last, by Lord and Lady Ravensworth. On Sunday they proceeded to Blagdon Hall, to . dine with Sir Matthew W. and Lady Ridley. The Hon. Henry Liddell, M.P.; arrived on Friday last to join the family circle from town. The Hon. Member repairs to the metropolis imme diately after Easter. The Earl and Countess of Kenmare have arrived at their mansion in Belgrave-square, from the Lakes of Killarney. Lord and Lady Feversham entertained at dinner on Thurs day the Marquis and Marchioness of Blandford and Lady Louisa Churchill, Lord Beaumont, Baron Koller, Sir Charles and Lady Cecilia Des Voeux, Sir Frederick Trench, Colonel Wood, M.P., Mr. Neville, M.P., Mr. and Mrs. Henry Boyce. The Hon. Colonel Anson left town on Wednesday, for Mel ton Mowbray. Sir Henry Mildmay left town on Thursday, on a visit to the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort at Badminton. MISCELL.A.NEOUS. The fifteenth anniversary- of the Infant Orphan Asylum was celebrated on Thursdigh at the London Tavern. The total sum subscribed on the occasion was 1,4781., which is the largest collection vet made at any anniversary dinner. Amongst the list of . subscribers were—the Marquis of West minster, 50/. ; Lord Robert Grosvenor, 20/. ; Charles Fiddey, Esq., 105/. ; B. B. Cabbell, Esq., 20/. ; Sir George Carroll, 101 ; Mr. Waghorn (for the Pacha of E g ypt), 25 gu i neas; Mr. Waghorn, 20 guineas; and others. It appears by a recent Parliamentary return, that the im portation of wheat has decreased full two-thirds between 1841 and 1843, and that the imports of flour have decreased nearly one-half during the same period. On Thursday large printed placards were forwarded to London, and circulated among the police, headed " The Fire at Peet Hall, West Mersea, Essex ; 2001. reward." The bill then stated that " a reward of 100/. will be paid from a fund subscribed for that purpose, and that the Secretary of State for the Home Department, has been pleased to signify that a further reward of 1001. will be paid on such conviction, by her Majesty's Government." COURT CIRCULAR. The Queen and Prince Albert walked yesterday forenoon in the Royal Gardens of Buckingham Palace. Their Royal Highnes se s th e P r i nce o f W a l es, the P rincess Royal, and the Princess Alice, were taken an airing yesterday in the Royal Gardens. Sir William C. Ross ;R. A.,had the honour of submittiog to the Queen yesterday, on his return from B russe l s , th e minia tures of the Queen of Belgians and the Princess Charlotte of Belgium, which he had painted by command of her Majesty. His:Royal Highness Prince Albert presided yesterday at a meeting of the Commission for Promoting and Encouraging the Fine Arts iu the rebuilding the Palace of Westminster. The meeting was held at half-past two o'clock at Gwydyr House, 'Whitehall. The Prince was attended by Sir Edward Bowater, Equerry in Waiting. The other Commissioners present were the Marquis of Lansdowne, Viscount Palmerston, Lord Colborne, Sir Robert Harry Inglis, Mr. Henry Gally Knight, Mr. Benjamin Hawes, Mr. Henry Hallam, Mr. Samuel Rogers, Mr. George Vivian, and Mr. Thomas Wyse. Shortly before five .o'clock his Royal Highness Prince Albert took his departure, returning to Buckingham Palace, attended by Sir Edward Bowater. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent left Witley Court, Worcestershire, the residence of her Majesty the Queen Dowager, at ten o'clock yesterday morning for Droitwich, from which station her Royal Highness travelled by the Gloucester and Birmingham Railway to Birmingham, and from thence proceeded to town by the London and Birming ham Railway. On arriving at the Euston-sqUare terminus, the Royal Duchess immediately left for her residence, Clarence House, St. James's, where her Royal Highness ar rived at half-past six o'clock last evening. Her Royal Highness was attended by Lady Fanny Howard and Colonel Sir G. Cowper. A deputation on the poor-laws, consisting of Lord Robert Grosvenor, Lord Ebrington, Mr. Williams, Mr. Scholefield. Mr. Muntz, Captain Pechell, Mr. Langston, Mr. Maclean. Lord Alfred Hervey, Sir C. Napier, Mr. H. Browett, and Mr. Dunconibe, had an interview with Sir James Graham yes terday at the Home-office. The Health of Towns Commission had a meeting yester day at Gwydyr House, Whitehall. The Commissioners present were the Duke of Buccleuch, Sir Henry Thomas de la Beebe, Dr. David Boswell Reid, Mr. Richard Owen, Hunterian Professor of the College of Surgeons, Mr. James Ranald Martin, and Mr. George Graham. Dispatches were received yesterday at the Colonial-office, from the Governor of the Mauritius, and from the Governor of Sierra Leone. Dispatches were received in the afternoon from the Governors of the West India colonies. Sir James Graham had an interview with Sir Robert Pee: yesterday. HAYMARKET THEATRE. A petite musical drama, entitled Der Nacht Teufel, was produced at this theatre on Thursday with complete success. The principal characters were supported by Miss P. Horton, Miss Julia Bennett, and Mrs. Glover. The two former ladies contributed greatly to the success of the piece, by their charming manner of executing some very delightful music; and Mrs. Glover seconded it, by her admirable acting as lady-superior over certain maids of honour. The character was exactly suited to her, and she did it full justice. This drama is altogether a very pleasant affair, and will no doubt have a run. The house was very well attended. THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE......The following members of the haut ton were at this theatre on Thursday evening, to witness the triumphant &tat of Monsieur Duprez :—The Duke of Brunswick, Duchess of Montrose, Marchioness of Aylesbury, Marchioness of Conyngham, Marquis and Marchioness of Normanby, Marquis of Douro, Earl and Countess of Chesterfield, Earl of Pembroke, Lord and Lady Ernest Bruce, Baitth, and Baroness Brunow, the Turkish Ambassador, Count Kielmansegge, Count de Talleyrand, Count de Noailles, Baron Hatzfeldt, Countess of Cardigan, Lord Castlereagh, Lord Elphinstone, Lord William Lennox, Lord Lowther, Sir T. B. Lennard, Bart. ; Mrs. Dennistoun, Sir Henry Webbe, Bart. ; Count de IVuitts, Hon. Mr. Bligh, Hon. E. Byng, Colonel Rawston, Major Gage, Charles Standish, Esq., M.P. ; R. Eden, Esq. ; G. Parnther, Esq. ; Hon. J. II Lowther, M.P. ;. Lord Henry Lennox, Sir William Curtis, Batt ; Henry Baring, Esq., SI. THE NEW HISTORICAL ROMAMCE, " —We are requested to state that Mr. Colburn, of Great Marl borough-street, has this day published a Third Edition of " Whitefriars; or, the Days Of Charles the Second," in three vols., which can now be had at all the Libraries. Mr. Col burn has alsO just published the following new works of fiction ;-1. Chatsworth ; or, the Romance of a Week. Edited by the auth or o f " Tremaine" and " De Vere," 3 vols. 2. The Secret Passion, by the Author of" Shakspeare and his Friends," &c. , 3 vols. 3. The Brothers , b y the Author of "Oliver Cromwell," &c., 3 vols. 4. Jessie Phillips, a Tale, by Mrs. Trollope, Second Edition, complete in 1 vol., with numerous illustrations by Leech, 12s. bound; and, 5, Windsor Castle, an Historical Romance, by the Author of " The Tower of London," &c., complete in 1 vol., with 110 Illustrations by George Critilishauk, 14s. bound. 1)1 TO ALL WHO AVAIL OF 13A 1 " ACCOMMODATION . TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUS b e; Sia,—The intention of GoTernment having 11o d 101 4 generally apparent, relative to the suppre-0 41 ' t iod notes, issued by private and joint -stock banks, 1 7, 41 0 i stitution of the notes of the Bank of Eggisildpal it may be well to consider the effect of this cve— measure on the public at large. For some time past, the Bank of England has .01 Touring to induce the present issuers of coantrY on e per press their circulation, on condition of receiving °e oo l on whatever amount of Bank of England not e the e ; able to keep out after the withdrawal of their O This arrangement may be taken as a criteria °f the coming Government measure. At. first sight, it would' appear, that the public vier : t I O way interested i n thi s exc h ange o f local note for 010314 Bank of England, but, on a m o r e careful extuni ll36° ' different result will become apparent. As things are at present, the amount of st ,- , v which any local bank i s a bl e t o affprd in itt P irtle 1 4, ) . trict of operation, i s d er i ve d f rom three eou rces .,H l lo' actual capital of such bank, the amount of its de the amount of its note circulation. end" ' Now, let us observe the position of such e a-- contemplated Government regulation. Its° The amount of its local eirculation is w itht ss l4 . another note circulation (of Bank of England O te c tr i tuted, which must be paid for by such bank in e (upon which it w ill a ft erwar d s rece ive an allowsne rcnese per cent.); therefor e , th e l oss t o th e public, and tb pac accommodation withdrawn, previous to the A- c os' er of the new Bank of England note circulation, is e l ol.„ mensurate with the amount o f l oca l notes so sup Hence, it is clearly demonstrated, that thoug h or gate note circulation of the country inaY r uis Site nearly the same amount after, as before the su Bank of England notes, y e t that the ang alt ,: s tof t ` accommodation will be lessened by the exact ata " . 2 notes previously in circulation. at 11" ) This, then, is that portion of the Governni e o s e e to which directly affects the public, and ought to „or of the- most serious remonstrance on their The amount of local notes (not Bank of-buk - b e el ' P' s ' ral circulation inGreat Britain and Ireland, InaY ,e" in round figures, at 18,000,000/. seti ssi s The withdrawal, then, of 18,000,000/. of bane - V dation fi sm the provinces will be the most s erious 0 , this country can possibly sustain. , be ° s i t' ) The vital importance of this measure lon s i s a, r s ,,Jl logy for trespassing upon your columns • question is neither a party question nor aeo ' ll t s ' o jell A , but purely one in which all who avail W o rn( banking accommodation are most intimately e ss ° . s el 4 trust you will excuse my bringing it thus PrT:, - eis, ward for the notice of your readers.—l rem aj "s'eg l very respectfully, s eas 01 3 e CHARGE OF Yesterday, at the Mansion.houie, Mr. 0 49 an extensive ship-builder of Ipswich, an u s i l beJ ° :si the Town Council for that plac e ; was brouge covt:" Lord Mayor and Sir Peter L a urie, in the thbeeeigfili Daniel Forrester, the officer, charged viit h , a sterf o r bined with Charles William Simpson, tbe " t he c 'f' Colina, brig, to cast away that vessel, W ith C o pt defrauding the Marine Alliance Assurano e . o o 4 ", the amount of property for which she was s sostV Mr. Clarkson attended, as counsel for t h , r if, to which Messrs. Pearce, Phillips, and 13° ,n e llirs citors, and Mr. Prendergast, of the bar , n i ; os tig ho o rence, clerk of the magistrates of the e s county of Ipswich, appeared for the prison, es! stated to be a person of high respectabili t y . 4 in i Mr. Clarkson stated that-he was not at ij e , prepared to go into.the case, which was one s s uv v importance. He should merely state as . M n r sone r justify the magistrates in remanding til iss e Pe l besb . ; the witnesses upon whose evidence - tw' r ,oo,, founded should be produced. The brig `'i s it had been the property of the prisoner, w as , e o t'sif d taro Simpson, after an arrangement bete -to prise' the coast of Holland. It w a s his intention AOOl the principal clerk in the Marine Allian ce , e t ", Company, who would prove that evid s ell i e .;l portant to the support of the serious cn s ":. r bo", forthcoming in a few days. The pr ison or ef e e# apprehended by Forrester, upon a warran t f bie llt i e ( i with the offence • and the captain of the Ono . P ee previously apprehended by the same offic e , r t :stil e 4 taken by that prisoner in the affair. P , t ) rity of his Learned Friend (Mr. Prendergn'oe,A, that the party now under accusation was „ l fic la "sear substance as a ship-builder at Ipswich , 7; 0 5 ,,,f,/ of the Common Council there, and that s ' o - s lir n er tention of the prisoner to apply that bail 0 10 4 0 )1 for his appearance on whatever day his '6lOO 0: appoint for the next hearing. He (Alr; pe r willing to adopt any course the Lora choose to suggest upon that point. tak c . Mr. Prendergast said the procees.... r es P o l ia his client, who was so well known and person, appeared to him to be extraord in so b , ; Learned Counsel) knew Mr. Read to h a e t eilt e 6 perfectly answering that description. an most anxious at once to meet the chaLg - "' e re e row might be. To suppose that a man of slan',:S a ge se . ;?; character would run away from such a e h we v: e absurd, and his Learned Friend ought t° 700 be pared with witnesses to subst an ti a t e S° : ,47 ration. had 1)6411 4 : 5 14 Sir PETER LAURIE said that he -- se o eight days in the room in which they t"et o ois eight days in the adjoining room, upouthe, ' tJ to the two brothers of the name of V l i r a i lh 7 e fits' charged for similar offences, and he bad ` s 4 5 0 ' bail fbr eiter of prisoners. The LORD h MAYOR these said hew ished to h,sejilerV or dente in support of the statement of Mr. V O 10 • t he decided as to the taking of bail. r s' 5 t Mr. Prendergast observed, that the P i l i s i e e tes" Sir Peter Laurie had alluded were very from the gentleman at present under see n / 1 Mr. Clarkson then called s oil" George Gardiner, who said, lam in tn e iee sli s l r o boY prisoner and Mr. Page, who are partnerLi; at Ipswich. They were owners of the. n o l° o ll `, k i , 11 e c , n , which I recollect the loss. Captain Si 1 75 0 / I 'o l ) 11 ' her. I remember seeing Captain dof e et now, I believe, in custody, in the shirYst be ta 1 1) ( 0 I many times overheard • conversations to Read and Captain Simpson about tha t 1 „„ e' c l t il ' „1 1 the captain say that the vessel was lost,' V wilfully done. 1)%1' -Mr. Clarkson—Didyou hear hiinSaY 9 presence ? -Witness—l did. sg ' don e Mr. Clarkson—Did he say how it if' e‘ rj , est j ness—No. - So Lb The LORD MAYOR—TeII us as near.l Das 0 0 • precise words. Witness— th e It was in - f a l ifsr when the captain told me in particular. feisoorce Sir PETER LAURIE—Are they in' The cifeo, enmity now? Witness—ln friendsh i p' still in Mr. Read's employment. Sir PETER LAURIE—That i a es stance. O e Mr. Clarkson—Do you recollect ,e ss f io 0 ; said between Mr. Read and Captain Si.M o l l ess .- o eli , ject of the loss of the vessel? Vi r li z t a a bee t) , e chis' 6 o Read told me that Captain Simpson ti f the:til e idds ing a strange report about the los' "used ' - fslit he had been telling a person whil eee t isrP ti s o named Simeon, that the Colina had ", iostiP 1 0 01) 41 the knowledge of Mr. Read, and at 1115 00 lia,' ls lti se o' s Read then asked me if Captain Sim.P d s he bO tte lly , P o anything upon the subject to me. I sal , 0 10 1°. cdr6l same thing. He then said, ~ why did ~ ,s i one e ll 4 when he mentionedit ?" I said, frora ci re . lT o oo tis e t) i t , appearance of the parties, he must ha v oes eroa ve tiv e. ) l) , it, and I rlid . not want to have anY t c i beli ° s /P', l t ot be subject. Ido not exactly know. hu 2 7th " 0 3 ' t ot conversation took place on the 26th is°lo.ge, and rt s Read said it was a very serious eh the / I/ e e `i would expel Captain Simpson from - e f ar o 0 would kick him out of the yard. „ t of th eoP t . Mr. Clarkson—Did he turn him e 'd st -th e cl ip ts ,o that? Witness—l believe he did ° r d ti) e 9 of the yard. WO ti thtb e e lh Mr, Clarkson—Did You see Mr. s e a in g " 1 , io together subsequently/. W'itness---,,_,theLg hu the yard after he bad been Read. After they had been conv e " oo se;: sr 01 4 tol 0 yard they came to the counting-11.0d I" t oe' s , lee,sl from their appearance, that they . r" for o ts'or r s I accordingly left the counting -1 ;1; tbe e j c ivit h i d solid minutes, and I returned to it vic 4 woos" expelle_sisg 50,004 Mr. Read then said that he 1 3 1)14 0 ',,ht it Simpson, and that the captain t ° 0 1 1 ) th° ° ' 01e( 1 ,0/ more about it, and he (Mr. Re biP ss sel e s , the best way to give him anothe: ge 'N u tisa" Mr. Clarkson—Had Mr. Ber n taill stett r e 110 Argo ? Witness—He had. v i 'r 0 commander of that vessel. o f ‘,OO , Cal' $W Mr Clarkson—What becam e t he Witness—He was removed frm n . u s ;AV o t Argo, and Captain Simpson wa s r t he Poo 00 0 oi Mr. Clarkson—Did Mr. Pag r 'i ts see" - s Read, agree to that change e gr. s co oi# whether he did or not. 1 believ.oos, with Captain Rutland upon h is - lette: A /', sorry for it. ember Itoritaiie° Mr. Clarkson—Do • you Yelnl k t CO j from the master of a Barking lon'"" - fter t h , soOn I/ lor e That was in the year . 1841, „ jo g, t o ce lost. he; B v- - ecelP to I' l rern er r a e i n ft v e-r r. th il e ea l l o ci ,rp i f i l 1:14; 1 Mr. Clarkson—Do you letter r C a ? p ta vv i t S n i e m s s p_s d t o o . geth I bea c! Aff, s a Simpson, "We have a letter hhoapviengtheroestisthneotl-eisnsgelaniwiisliifo:cl)4laio. W, erv _git d ober ?" v, about the affair ? Were Sorbet s es sal said he was. He also said .. bio on my, -were arround at the time, too k' t hief 1 ;0 t treated him kindly. Read 51117 sif;oCnlaigzi-Thtied Mvers.sei li t tu s ear: oo oo . Read said it was fortunate for yes' 4 slay , gooi vessel was so near. that be ean _ Mr. Clarkson here state.adstit justify , isi so at ar ttee tc - i b o os e , produced quite enough to cou 3 l f d r. not refuse r to ttahkeen ec c 'e 4 e o been most extensively engaged " itsi ;peat° et CY . deternie l' 3 , 1 , 11 ;o years. The LORD MAYOR- 4 hav e two sureties in 5001. each, and I,°" for the appearance of the prison: ein ter or e e fortes.d gentled or _,14 ~414.1 el i recognizances to the amount es _ lie ito 09 0 Mr. Lawrence (the prisone. di"e e should be forthcoming insinedia,.;,',4oo. A o 4 0 1 11 . At the suggestion of Mr. not u nolvr; e V given that Mr. Read should u , fl pson , communication with brought up to the Mansion' then ce e i n n s's:Ls - use f i e vo . 0 10 l l ' Daniel Forrester, _ and from s ., an ded Compter.—Tho ease, was then 06" . t ,- '; .j,~ Bi to' to F r , th . It ' c~ P , ti 9 .a P • •c •1 c r