The Sun. — London, England, 1844-12-28 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR. Wirinsoa, PAIDAY.—The Earl of Aberdeen and t he Hon. J. D. Bl oo mfield took their departure from the Castle this morning. His Excellency the Mexican Minister trans act e d busine ss yesterday at the Foreign-office. ri Lord an d L a dy Francis Gordon left Farrance's () as tel,. g Bel r ive-street, yesterday morning, for Dublin Ctle The Queen: and Prince Albert, attended by the Countes s o f Ch ar lemont, Lady in Waiting; Lady Caroline Cocks, Maid of Honour in Waiting; Viscount %warden, Lord in Waiting; Lord Charles Wellesley (Clerk Marshal), Equerry in Waiting; and Major- Cle neral. Sir Edward Bowater, Equerry in Waiting t 0 Prince Albert, left Windsor Castle at a quarter be 'ore three o'clock yterday afternoon, for town. The royal party pioceeded from the Castle in their tarriages and four, escorted by a party of Royal Horse 9nard s , commanded by Lieutenant Grant, to the Slou g h station, and were conveyed by a special train °I) the Great Western Railway to the Paddington terminus. The royal party arrived at Buckingham Palace at ten minutes before four o'clock, escorted by a party ,of Lancers. Her Majesty and Prince Albert were in th e first carriage, Lord Charles Wellesley and Sir Edward Bowater were in the next carriage, and the viscount Charlemont, Lady Caroline Cocks, and Hawarden, were in the next carriage and '• Lou r . . The Queen and Prince Albert honoured Drury 4ne Theatre with their presence last evening. The .1 ° 3%1 suite included the Countess of Charlemont, ' • adY Caroline Cocks, Viscount Hawarden, Lord Charles Wellesley, and Sir Edward Bowater. FASHIONABLE INTELLIGENCE ARRIVALS. _ , The Duke of Devonshire, at Devonshire House, from Vibit to the Earl and Countess Granville, at Kemp ,own, en route to Chatsworth ; the Rev. Lord and Lady Beauclerk, in Lower Grosvenor-street ; Mr. Cecil C. arlart)n, in Whitehall-gardens, from Brighton ; Kin „..near, Esq., and Mrs. Kinnear, at the Brunswick House tlotel, Hanover-square, from Yorkshire ; Campbell, 2 3 q, and Mrs. Campbell, at the Cavendish Hotel, Jer "ln-street ; F. Hodgson, Esq., M.P., and Mrs. Hodg "), in Charlton-gardens, from Brussels ; Charles Coch f.ane, Esq., is Devonshire place, from Madri d ; Sir Wil kra and Lady Chatterton, in Berkeley-square, from the Continent. DEPARTURES. Major-General Hodgson and family, for Cheltenham ; Mrs. George Wombwell, from George-street, Hanover !Pare, for the Steyne Hotel, at Brighten ; the Hon. Greville, from Lower Belgrave-street, for Brighton; Alt Brinley Sheridan, for the Victoria Hotel, St. Leo 71„ard's- on-Sea ;F. W. Hastings, Esq. , from the Waterlo o eiotel, jernayn-street, St. James's. on a tour. CHANGES. The Rev. Lord and Lady John Beresford, from a visit to the Archdeacon of Arciugh, and Mrs. Beresford, for the Palace, Armagh ; the Hon. G, S, S. Smythe, M.P., 4 ,,,t Brighton, from a tour ; Lady Mary Leine, at Shrub ttall, Dorking, from Brighton ; Mr. J. Young, M.P., and Mrs. Young, at Bally borough, County Cavan, from the Archdeacon of Ardagh's ; the Dowager Countess of Buckinghamshire, at her villa, Blackheath, from Lord Chichester's, Stanmore Park, Sussex. .• COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE. ;, Mr. La4felft Seems determin ed to mana g e this theatre with spirit during his short season. His Patrons cannot, at all events, complain of lac] of novelty. On the opening night he produced a new Pantomime, last evening we had two first appear ances at this theatre, and to-night young Henry betty makes his debut in 1/Piro/4. The play last evening was the Hunchback, with Mr. Rao as Master ~!Iter, and Mr. Hield as Sir Thomas Clifford. Both these gent!emen are from the Liverpool Thaat r o , dr. Rae possesses a good voice, and is in person not Unlik e Vandenlidif, _ _lie is evidently an experienced actor, and in second-rate parts will be an acquisition to the theatre. There was nothing very 4triking 'bout his delineation of Master Walter, but on the Whole it was a creditable, even performance. Mr. held seemed somewhat nervous. His conception of the character of Sir Thomas Clifford was good, but the hardly gave himself fair play. His acting would have been all the better had it been snore energetic, " The scene with Julia in the fourth act, for instance, Was sadly wanting in intensity. There is, however, great promise about Mr. Ilield, and he may, it he Pleases, become an accomplished actor. Our old 4 vourite, Mrs. Brougham, appeared as Julia. This Was her first appearance since her return from Ame- I l ea, and we are happy to say she appeared in excel lent health and spirits, and all the better for her I ‘4l)catlantic trip. The pantomime concluded the !,v,eningle entertainment, and went off gloriously. was a very good attendance in the boxes, while ` ll e pit and galleries were crowden to excess. THE PAN TOIVITMES, ETC. CITY OF LONDON THEATRE. A crowded audience assembled here on Thursday to assist, as the French would say, at the production of the new Christmas pantomime, which is entitled The Fairy Gnomes of the Golden Caves, or Harlequin 444 the Imp of the Giant Mountain, and in the intro ductory scenes which we were glad to regognise our old friend Number Nip, who is to the full as " spry and active," as Jonathan would say, as b e Wi44 some fifteen years ago, at Govent-garden. phis is a pantomime of the old school, full of prac tical fun, such as can be understood by children, and the youngsters seemed thoroughly to enjoy it. Har lequin, Columbine, Pantaloon, and Clown, are hard at Work from the rising to the falling of the curtain, and knock-down blows and astonishing leaps are the order Df th , , day. The piece, however, is not deficient in Witty Allusions to passing events, almost every " notability," from Peel and O'Connell down to Gibbs and the Polka, comes in for a hit. The scenery is very pretty, and the pantomime was completely Iniccessful. It was pret eded by the play of Pizarro, during the representation of which an unfortunate incident occurred, which at first, it was anticipated, 'night prove serious. Rolla (Mr. F. Phillips), with tl'e child, were passing the bridge in the last act, When the structure gave way, and they were both Tiolently precipitated to the ground. Rolla, however, 4 PPesred before the curtain with the child, and matured the AUdience that not the slightest injury had been received by either. QUEEN'S THEATRE. Wat Tyler, or Harlequin and the Lord Mayor of Lond on , is the title of the pantomime at this theatre, the scenery of which is very magnificent. The great rloYalty of this pantomime is the introduction of two harlequins, two columbines, two pantaloons, and two elovvns. It is, in fact, a double pantomime, but whe ther on that account it will meet with a double por tion of success, time alone can decide. MARYLEBONE THEATRE. After the play of The Stranger, which was per formed in a manner certainly de-erving a more atten tive audience than was assembled in this theatre on Thursday, the appropriate and eagerly expected Christ toaa fare was served up in the shape of a new grand Pantomime, under the title of General Tom Thumb, or harlequin Punch and the Spirits of the Elements. The author of this production, disdaining the narrow limits af any one ancient story of nursery reputation, con ceived the happy idea of blending into one the elements of all; and accordingly his audience were favoured with the company not only of gods and goddesses, of s pirits of fire and spirits of water, but of the genius of Christmas himself, of " the mighty Thomas Thumb," With all the family of the Thumbs and the still Mightier Punch. Here was a rare medley of fun, and rarely was it enjoyed. The harlequinade was rich in dancing, jumps, tricks, and tumbles ; and Mr. Leman as Harlequin, Miss Maile as Columbine, Mr' Buck as Clown, and Mr. Johnstone as Pantaloon, ex erted themselves most zealously and efficiently in sup- Port of their respective characters. Neither was there wanting hits, palpable hits, at passing events, in Which it will be supposed the parish affairs of St. Stephen's, Walbrook, were net altogether unnoticed, and a rapid transformation of scene from the Mansion-house to the Margate Sea Bathing Infirmary B "lned t o afford very great delight. The Polka mania was also made the subject of much merriment, and was excellently burlesqued in a grotesque dance by r. Buck and Mr. Johnstone. The mysterious rob "ry at Rogers' bank did not escape the jest of this licensed satirist, who deals his blows with vigour and } impartiality on the vices and follies of all. Altoge . tiler the entertainment went off with great spirit, and IA likely to have a highly successful career. To this ' result the excellence of the scenery, dresses, and de corations, will not a little contribute ; one scene, in Particular, representing the new Houses of Parlia ment, as seen from the opposite side of the river, de - Serves t ... 0 be singled out for especial commendation. A grand p aneram i of the scenes rendered famous by the l ate fatal war in Affghinistan was exhibited in the • cours e of the evening, and was loudly and most justly applauded. a E xTRAORDINARY LONGEVITY.—There 12, at present w ! f ran at wo r k on the Hungerford-bridge who, as a boy , ,of —.4 1 t .,, 11e 5 84 1 the laying of its first stone. lie is in possaisi-94 his faculties.—Punch's dilmanack. brak e into t he r A ge. , etio l3 h. rater 1 , eloa" is c r i regiea THE StTN, 14010iON, SAT U RDAY MOiiiiiiATG, NO TEST IN THE UNIVERSITIES. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SHIN , . SIR,—If the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge were schools merely for the education of young men to serve as ministers in the Established Church, it would be fit and proper that such parties should be required to subscribe to the articles of the Reformed Liturgy in the fullest intent and meaning of the Pro testant compilers ; but when we find that members of the Universities can take degrees in law, physic, and music, I can see no reason why in this age such parties should be called upon to subscribe to a par ticular religious creed. Let the candidate for ordination be put to as severe a test as possible in order to prove his allegiance to the Protestant faith, but there is no necessity that this should be required until he desires to hold office in the Ecclesiastical Establishment; and I would go even further, and require that every minister should be required once or oftener every year to renew his protestation in his parish church in the face of the whole congregation. We find that times and circum stances in the political world often alter the opinions of Ministers of State—why, then, may we not expect that times and circumstances may alter the opinions as to doctrine of ministers of religion ? These parties having most conscientiously subscribed to the Protes tant Articles of Religion at ordination, too often remain outwardly members of a Church that inwardly they repudiate, merely for the sake of its temporal emoluments—hence the true necessity for an oc casional renewal of the test of adherence to the articles of religion of the Church in which they are ministers. This would sufficiently protect the Church of England from all but the perjured. From what I have read of "The Ideal of a Church," I feel bound to say, that I think the acknowledged author, the Rev. IV. G. Ward, a jesuitical intruder into our boasted Protestant Church ; but is that any reason why he should be deprived of being a member of the University of Oxford, or of enjoying any honour therein that his ability or talents have won, provided such honour might be held by a layman ? I think not. Test, or no test, has long been an agitated question. " Now's the time, and now's the hour !"—let the struggle be bold and undaunted, and victory will soon be proclaimed. The I ath of February will not take place until the Thursday week after the first meeting of Parliament. There will be plenty of time to debate the subject, in order to make it a popular one, but not long enough to settle the question ; still it will be preparing matters so as to get the support intimately of those whom the proposed test will shut out if adopted—and if not adopted, on what ground is Mr. Ward to be allowed to remain a member of the University of Ox ford, and to retain his honours and fellowship, and professedly Roman Catholics and Protestant Non- conformists excluded ? I declare myself to be a staunch member of the Protestant Church of England, and would strongly oppose the introduction of anything Popish into our churches which our Protestant forefathers have dis carded ; at the same time, I would give to Roman Catholics equal civil privileges, and protect them in the observance of all the rites and ceremonies of their Church, so long as thq confine the performance of them within the walls of their own fabrics. Make the Universities schools for the education of those intended as ministers of the Church of England only, then put what Protestant test you please ; but when it is a school for general pnrposes, I say, abolish all tests, This letter, of itself, will have no weight at all. I merely address you in hopes to call your attention to the subject, so that you may throw your best ener gies to aid a subject which you have on many pre vious occasions so ably advocated, am, Sir, yours, &c., I Ilfracombe, Dec. 26, 1844. R. W. D. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. COURSING. T3TtouGH AND HORNBY MEETING.—The Eight. dog Stakes were won tly Mr, Ma4well's Seymour. The Brough Cup (8 dogs) was won by Mr. Mangle's Bellona; and the Ilornby Cup by Mr. Mangle's Major. BELb4Y CLoi MEgTm.—The Sweepstakes (16 dogs) were won by Mr, Thompson's Cerberus ; Mr. Kirkly's Co►herstone ran up. MonPwrit CLun MITFORD MEETING, DEC. 23 AND 24.—The Borough Stakes of 3 guineas each (16 subs.) were won by Mr. Jobling's Miner ; Mr. Braithwaite's Miss Jane ran up. HUNTING APPOINTMENTS. Brighton burrs., Men., Patcham ; Wed., Race-course ; Fri., Dyke. Brookside harrs,, Mon., Newmarket-hill i Thurs., Tels combe Tye. Mr. Roe's hds., Wed., Babland Gate ; Sat., Creycombe Village, Glynebourne harrs., Mon., Berwick Common ; Fri., Broyle. South Wold hds., Mon., Haltham Wood ; Thurs., Hain. ton ; Sat., Kennel. Whitecross harrs., Tues., Marsworth; Sat., Little Kim ble-10. Devon hds.,Mon.,Lindridge House; Thurs., Park House, near Hovey; Sat., Culver House-11. Athestone hds., Mon., Glascote ; Wed., Seale Wood ; Thurs., Cadeby Toll-gate ; Sat., Lutterworth-104. Warwickshire lids., Mon., Wellesbourne ; Tues., Mitford Bridge ; Thurs., Shuckburgh Park ; Fri., Harwood's House-10i. Shropshire lads., Mon., Mountford Bridge; Wed., Acton Reynald; Fri., Sundorne-10i. Albrighton hds., Mon., Whiston Cross ; Thurs., Seigh ford; Fri., Atcham Bridge. United Pack, Tues., Longville Hill; Sat., Chatwall-9. Sir W. W. Wynn's hds., Mon., Bryn-y-pys; Wed., Plas Teg; Fri., Churton; Sat., Whittington-10i. Cheshire hds., Mon., Tabley; Wed., Tarporley; Thurs., Stamford Bridge; Sat., Darawall-101. Mr. Candler's hds., Mon., Shrawley Wood; Wed., Boar's Head ; Fri., Broad Heath-10i. Mr. Meynell Ingram's hds., Mon., Catton; Thurs., Rad bourn; Sat., Rangendor-10f. Donnington hds., Mon., Coleorton Hall ; Wed., Bunney Park ; Sat., Hathern Turn-10.t. Sherwood harrs., Tues., White Post ; Fri., Sherwood Hall-11. Monmouthshire hds., Mon., Tregear Church ; Fri., Hendre-104. Herefordshire hds., Tues., Venn Wood ; Fri., Hare wood's End—lob. Ross harrs., Mon., Lea-10i. Tiverton hds., Mon., Sampford Peverell ; Thurs., Dul ♦erton--10}. Holderness hds.. Mon., Bessingby ; Tues., Everingham Park; Thurs., Bainton New Inn; Fri., Meaux Abbey; Sat., Kennels-104. Lord Yarborough's hds., Mon., Swinhop House ; Wed., Croxton Village; Fri., Moorton House-11. Eddlethorpe hds., Mon., Settrington Beacon; Wed., Stain ford Bridge; Fri., Mr. Hudson's Lodge, Oeton-10i. Mr. Drax's hds., Mon., Aims hills ; Fri., Holnest Kennel. Essex Union hds., Wed., Tiptree Windmills ; Sat., Moor Gardens. Badsworth hds., Tues., Wentbridge ; Thurs., Robin Hood's Well ; Sat., Ackworth Moor Top-10i. Mr. Foljambe's hds., Mon., Blythe Law Hill ; Tues., North Carlton ; Thurs., Rossington Bridge ; Fri., Headon Clump-101. Rufford hds., Mon., Kennels ; Wed., Ossington ; Sat., Langwith Bridge. Quorn hds., Mon., Shearsby Inn ; Tues., Steward Hay ; Thurs., Rolleston Hall ; Fri., Widmerpool Inn--104. Pytchley hds., Mon., Buttock's Booth ; Wed., Kilworth 11311 ; Fri., Spratton Bridge ; Sat., Sulby Ilall-104. H e ytbrop lids., Mon., Chapel House ; Wed., Blenheim ; Aadlestrop Gate ; Sat., Ditchley—lol. 'rhanet harrs., Mon., Hale; Wed., Manston Wood-10i. East Kent lids., Mon., bellinge Lees; Wed., Black Mile; Fri., Sweech Gate-101. Somerset Subscription hds., Tues., Aisholt Wood; Sat., Stowly Wood-10f. Bedale hds., Tues., llopswell Village; Thurs., Scorton ; Sat., Busby Stoop-10i, Hurwith hds., Tues., Enter Common ; Sat., Middleton One Row-101. Lieut.-Colonel Hildyard's harrs., Mon., Acklam Blue Bell; Wed., Kennels; Fri., Trenholm Bar- 10 1. Durham County hds., Mon., Sunderland Bridge; Wed., Chester Lane; Fri., Thornley-101. Whitehaven .harrs., Mon., Leys (Lamplugb) ; Wed., Distington—lo. INDIGENT BLIND VISITING SOCIETY.—On Christ mas-day 1 00 of the most necessitous blind on the books of this charity, together with their families, had tickets for meat and bread, varying from 21b, to 41b. each, pro vided them at their own dwellings by the Society. We are glad to learn this, as it shows the Committee oars fur the bodies as well as the souls of their poor blind. LAMBETH EXTENSION RAILWAY.—Several of the inhabitants of Lambeth are about to call a public meet ing, to consider of the best meats of successfully op posing the proposed extension of the London Apd South- Western Railway, at Nine Elms, to the bridges. The dissentients to the proposed extension are, however, few in number, the general feeling being in favour of the scheme. INHUMATION OF THE REMAINd WEDER.—The final inhumation of the remains of Weber, the composer ; took place at Dresden on the night of the 14th inst., with great solemnity, The body was brought from Magde burgh by the railroad, anti deposited in one of the great rooms of the station. Them?, At eight o'clock, it was carried across the Elbe in a bargo bwo& with black, and ornamented with musical trophies. On landing, it was received by a guard of honour, composed of 1500 infantry, forming a semi-circle, within which it was planed, and attended by all the musicians of the Royal Chapel and the two theatres of Dresden, with about 300 other artists and diJettatti, each carrying a long wax taper and a crown of laurels. Many came from Berlin, Leipsic, and Munich. About 400 instruments and voices executed a hymn written for the occasion by Dr. Reissiger, and composed by M. Wagener. This being finished, the procession moved to the Catholic chapel attached to the grand cemetery, in which the im posing funeral service was performed, At the termination of the service the remains w ere taken from the eatafalque, and deposited in a gra ve prepared by the or of the deceased's sun, When the grave was filled up, all the mourners threw their wreaths of laurel upon it. The whole of the procession and other pereinopies were per formed by the light of innumerable torches, and *e windows of the houses in the streets through which the cortege passed were illuminated. In the evening of the 15th, Freyschutz and the funeral hymn were performed a 4 gnatre. LORD 'ELLENBORO UGH. (From the Morning Herald.) In our remarks upon the disgraceful pail phlet brought out to prejudice the defence of the late Go vernor-General of India, and upon the equally dis graceful use made of that pamphlet by the Times, we said that it was neither our duty nor our wish to in culpate the Court of Directors. We have to-day the gratifying opportunity to acquit these gentlemen of all suspicion of any connexion with the author of that pamphlet, or with his usher and auxiliary in the Times. One and all the Directors disclaim a knowledge of the author of the pamphlet or of the Times' writer. The suspicion on the subject that in the minds of some thoughtless persons for a moment attached to the Honourable Court, has upon their indignant dis claimer, devolved upon Lord Auckland, we believe unjustly. Lord Auckland, whatever his other quali fications for the high office that he lately held, is a man of honour; and no man of honour could involve himself in this dirty affair, 'a ere there not other insur mountable barriers between Lord Auckland and the Times. There is no reason, indeed, to suppose that the pamphleteer and his usher (if they are not the same person) rank in station, as he or they certainly do not rank in ability or honesty, above the common class of mean and spiteful persons who constitute the order of writers of "letters to the Times," and ".own correspondents" of the Times. It is as easy to mag nify a dismissed and discontented footman into an Indian Director or an ex•Governor-General, as to multiply a raw chaplain into " three naval officers" of experience. As in the case of the Indian Directors, so in the case of Lord Auckland, we are unwilling to identify the vindication of Lord Ellenborough with the condemnation of another. The conduct of the Noble Earl has substant.ve merits of its own quite sufficient to support his claim to the honours which his Sovereign has conferred upon him, and to the gratitude which his country will render in full mea sure when the whole truth shall be known, without borrowing aid from the errors of his predecessor in office. Of those errors we should not say one word on the present occasion were not a reference to their effect rendered necessary by the impudent falsehood asserted by the Times, that the Earl of Ellenhorough iund a triumphant campaign prepared for him upon his arrival in India. A few words, indeed, will suffice to confirm the expectation of victory ! and triumph ! ! which we have already given in the glow ing language of General Napier. A few words will prove that if Lord Auckland was preparing for his successor a triumphant campaign, he was preparing it by an arrangement for an ignominious and a final re treat. On the 3d of December, 1841, Lord Auck land, anticipating the fall of Cabul, addressed a dis patch to Sir Jasper Nicolls, stating that, as after Cabul had fallen, there would be no inducementt o retain the remainder of the country, I': W ou ld b ecome the duty of the military an , l political officers so to shape their measure!, as would best promote the end of retiring with the least possible discredit." What a preparation for a triumphant campaign ! The fall of Cabul followed; and on the 10th of February, 1842, Lord Auckland directed General Pollock to confine himself to measures for withdrawing with safety from Jellalabad (the walls of which, accord ing to the Times, were "impregnable") the garrison in that place, to Peishwar, not very obscurely tender ing Jellalabad to the Sikh's Durbar as the price of their co-operation, or, at least, neutrality. Again, on the 15th of the same month, Lord Auckland ordered General Pollock to direct all his efforts and measures to the withdrawal of Sir Robert Sale's force from Jellalabad with the least possible delay ; and, on the 24th, Lord Auckland distinctly suggested the neces sity of ransoming, by the payment of money, the prisoners in the hands of Akbar Khan—a degrading proposition, which it is now audaciously asserted was first conceived by Lord Auckland's successor. Lord Auckland, indeed, recommended economy in the bar gain, but still he proposed to ransom them with gold, not, as the old Roman said, " with steel :" that was left for Lord Ellenborough. The fate of the armies insulated in western Aff ghanistan was manifestly regarded as desperate by Lord Auckland, for not a single dispatch was in the awful crisis addressed to Ghuznee, to Kelat-i-Ghilzie, or Candahar—not one measure adopted for the relief of the thousands of gallant men dispersed in these in sulated and remote positions—they were abandoned. Compared with this the' oblivion of the treaty of Lahore, of which Lord Auckland then gave proof, was a slight testimony to his Lordship's utter despair. This was the state of preparation for a triumphant campaign, in which Lord Auckland left the British arms in India, Our readers will not be displeased with another extract from General Napier's work, depicting the state in which Lord Ellenborough found his new Government, military as well as civil:— " Lord Ellenborough arrived too late to prevent, but in time to remedy, the most dangerous evils menacing India from is predecessor's impolicy, which he denounced in a vigorous proclamation, designed as a warning to future Governors. The beacon burned bright, but the flame spread too wide, and scorched many, whoa cries have never ceased, though few ' men, not personally interested, regard them. Previous to his coming the ship was rocking in the shallows ; but when his strong hand was felt she ceased to strike the sands, and, answering to the helm, was steered into deep water. Nevertheless, the very men whose political iniquity had then brought India to the verge of ruin, are now, with incredible effrontery, imputing all their own crimes and absurdities to him, and most especially in what relates to Sinde ; wherefore it is fitting to state exactly his share of the subsequent transactions in that country, and leave judgment to ;he common sense of mankind. " He found the public mind confused with terror by the Cabul catastrophe, the surrender of Ghuznee, the blockade of Kandahar, and the seeming inability of General , Pollock to relieve Jellalabad. Colonel England was soon afterwards defeated by an inferior force at Hykultzie, and fell back to Quettah, leaving General Nott, as it was supposed, to certain destruction. He found the finances embarrassed, the civil and poli tical services infested with men greedy of gain, gorged with insolence, disdaining work, and intimately con nected with the infamous press of India, which they supplied with official secrets, receiving in return shameful and shameless support; for, thus combining, they thought to control the Governor-General, and turn the resources of the State to their sordid profit." We will now give from the pamphlet of his Lord ship's accuser an account of Lord Ellenborough's proceedings upon his arrival : The earliest impressions and earliest declarations of Lord Ellenborough were such as became a British Governor-General. Soon after his arrival at Calcutta he addressed the Commander-in-Chief, Sir Jasper Nicolls, in language well suited to the circumstances which surrounded him. Whatever course,' it is observed, we may hereafter take, must rest solely upon military considerations, and have in the first instance regard to the safety of the detached bodies of our troops in Jellalabad, at Ghuznee, at Khelat-i- Ghilzie, and Candahar ; and, finally, to the re-esta blishment of our military reputation, by the infliction of some signal and decisive blow upon the Affghans, which may make it appear to them, to our subjects, and to our allies, that we have the power of inflicting punishment upon those who commit atrocities and violate their faith, and that we withdraw ultimately from Affghanistan, not from any deficiency of means to maintain our position, but because we are satisfied that the king we have set up has not, as we were er roneously led to imagine, the support of the nation over which he has been pfaced: In a subsequent part of the same letter his Lordship adds, We should con sider that the object of striking a decisive blow at the Affghans—a blow which might establish our military character beyond the Indus, and leave a deep impres sion of our power, and of the vigour with which it would be applied to punish an atrocious enemy, would be one for which risk might be justifiably incurred, all due and possible precaution being taken to insure de cisive success.' " We believe," adds the Times, " there is no Eng lishman who would not fully approve these sentiments pf the new Governor-General ; although we must confess that we should have liked them better had they been accompanied with less general theory and more of sound practical direction," A State manifesto is, however,:not "an order of the day," and " practical directions" would be as much out of piaci) in the one as mere theory would be in the other ; and if we are to regard the address to the com mander-in-chief as an instruction, it is just such an instruction as a wise man always issues to a subordi , nate in whom he has the proper confidence : I tell yen what you are to do as your end; it is for you to arrange and direct the means. But waiving any pro test against the military criticism of the Mnes, the question is, did the Earl of Ellenborough aceeniplish all that he proposed to accomplish, and what it be came a British Governor to propose ? Did he accom pliab this Tcwl rfth . acle of recovery and restoration honourably, effectually, aiui 4pz unnecessary expenditure of blood, of money, or or time ? We know that he effected it all in one —no, it were in ) stiee to call it one—in several simultaneous cam paigns ; ail cippod the compass of a few months, and all closed with unitoi:OF YFFP; 7 I: we repeat, is the only question—was the lio•sernpre success complete and prompt, and obtained with out any treachery to ally or enemy—without an unnecessary eywosure of his soldiers—or a pro digal outVay of money ? If this rippliou be an swered, Ets it must be answered, Ip the alfirrea tive, we are not concerned to inquire 114 W hi§ 1,0rd 7 ship achieved such glorious results. The infamous press of India," as General Napier most truly calls it, followed by an almost equally infamous part of ilf & e§. of London, dogged all the Governor , enerars meapres, 'lbur 0 . tt a ° co , qs. in . every measure which heir i magined Pulriesi knowledge and self-suppoSed profoundness of saga city c 0414 pot comprehend, in all its motives and its purposes, and where they could nor, with all thO help of ignorance and self - conceit , Arid a fiurt, tliry invented one; but their blundering migapprebengoija nd falsehoods make up the whole of the articles of impeachment against Lord Ellen borough—the misapprehensions and the lies of " the infamous press" of 1842 are treated as indis putable history by the infamous press of 1844. If a general in one place was, from want of carriages, disabled from advarcing—the Earl of Ellen borough vacillated. If the heat of an Indian summer incapacited the army of another general for active operations, again the Earl of Ellenborough " vacil lated." If a derangement of one branch of a com • bined movement, which must be combined in order to ensure success, caused a general pause, it was all the vacillation of the Governor-General. Our readers would be incompetent to comprehend a detail of all the difficulties and chances of a complicated cam paign, if we were capible of offering such a detail ; but this we certainly are not; but we can point to a few of the incidents that are carefully suppressed by those who ascribe every delay and every variation in the military movements of 1842 to Lord Ellen. hlrough's vacillation. Hear General Pollock on the 20th of April, after being some time delayed by the want of carriages : " I have maturely considered the question of our advance by the road to Ca.bul, and I confess that I see too many difficulties to warrant our ri-king such a course. The forces I have the honour to command, if well supplied, is ready to march anywhere, and if I could have advanced by the route of Candahar, our success would be certain." Experience of the difficulties and risk of a rigid plan of operations led the Governor-General on the I*,t of June to address the following letter to General Pollock : " MB. MADDOCK TO MAJOR-GENERAL POLLOCK. " Allahabad, June 1, 1842. " I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 20th ultimo, and to express the extreme regret of the Governor-General that your army should he so deficient in carriage as you represent, and thus unable to move. " 2. The retirement of your army immediately after the victory gained by Sir Robert Sale, the forcing of the Khyber Pass, and the relief of Jellala had, would have had the appearance of a military ope ration successfully accomplished, and even trium phantly achieved. " 3. Its retirement, after six months of inaction, before a following army of Affghans, will have an appearance of a different and less advantageous cha racter. "4. It would be desirable, undoubtedly, that be fore quitting Affghanistan, you should have an oppor tuni:y of striking a blow at the enemy; and since circumstances seem to compel you to remain there til l October, the Governor-General earnestly hopes that you may be enabled to draw the enemy into a position in which you may strike such a blow effec tually. You have already full powers to do every thing you may deem necessary for the comfort of your troops, and for their efficiency. " 8. It will be for your consideration whether your large army, one-half of which would beat, in open field, everything that could be brought against it in Affghanistan, should remain entirely inactive during the period which must now apparently elapse before it can finally retire. Although you may not have, or soon be able to procure, the means of moving your whole army, you may possibly be able to move a part of it rapidly against some portion of the enemy's force incautiously exposed, and of giving it a severe blow." In the same way the Governor-General writes to General Nott . • . " If you should be enabled by a coup-dc-main to get possession of Ghuznee and Cabul, you will act as you see fit, and leave decisive proofs of the power of the British army, without impeaching its humanity. You will bring away from the tomb of Mahmood of Ghuz nee his club, which hangs over it; and you will bring away the gates of his tomb, which are the gates of the Temple of Somnauth. These will be the just trophies of your successful march." But we will not suffer ourselves to be misled, or mislead our readers into an investigation for which we are both incompetent ; though as our inquiries would be honest and modest, not quite so incompetent as the " infamous press" by which Lord Ellenborough has been assailed. We have already laid before the readers of the Herald the opinion of General Napier as to the military policy or Lord Ellenborough. We will now refer them to a still higher authority—the highest military authority in the world, or probably that ever was in the world—the Duke of Wellington. On the first night of the session of 1843 the Duke of Wellington offered the following spontaneous testi mony to the services of Lord Ellenborough in India:— " I have seen something of Governors-General, and I know a little of military affairs, and I say I stand here prepared, and shall be ready any day to justify, every order or movement one way or other which the Governor-General gave, from the moment he took upon him the administration of the Government of India up to the present moment. My Lords, lam ready to do that, and let the Noble Lord come and make any charges he please against my Noble Friend the Governor-General—let him make them when he pleases, and I shall be ready to reply to them. My Lords, I say that the Governor-General, as soon as he took the Government, did as much as he was able to do according to the state of preparation which he found there at the moment. He could do no more than he did. Every order he gave, wheth9r to halt or to march, was an order absolutely necessary for the safety of the troops at the moment, and that not occasioned by any act or omission of his, but by acts done, or omitted to be done, previously to his ar rival. My Lords, lam at least obliged to say thus much in defence of an absent servant of the Crown, , 41'ho I firmly believe has done his duty to the public." With this testimonial in his hand, the Earl of El lenborough can well afford to smile at his anony mous pamphleteer accusers and at the military critics of the Times. DEATH FROM THE INCLEMENCY OF THE WEATHER. A sad instance of the vicissitudes to which the poor are exposed, and of their many trials, happened last week. A man named John Matthews, belonging to the parish of Brinkworth, and who had been com mitted to the New Prison here, for two months, for having left his wife and children chargeable to the parish, was discharged on Wednesday, the l lth his term of imprisonment having expired. The weather was then, as our readers no doubt recollect, bitterly cold, and he was most miserably clad, having exchanged his warm woollen prison dress for his own clothes— mere rags; the upper garments consisting of an old waistcoat and a thin slop. He was also suffering from a diseased heart, a complaint of long standing. On leaving the prison he had a loaf of bread and four pence given him for his sustenance on the road home —a distance of nearly twenty miles. He had pro ceeded only about three miles when he was driven by the cold into a public- house—the Bell at St. Edith's Marsh—where, in order to have the benefit of the fire, he purchased a little beer and ate part of his loaf. Soon after leaving this house he found himself unable to proceed, and took shelter in a skilling near the road, in which there h a pp ene d to be some straw ; here, according to his own account, he remained from the Wednesday evening till the Monday morn 7 ing, during a most intense frost, and having nothing to eat excepting the remaining portion of the loaf which was given him on leaving the prison ! On the Monday morning he left his shelter and crawled to the Shoulder of Mutton public-house at Bromham, where he was taken care of by the landlord, who is overseer of the parish, and who, on the lednesday afternoon, conveyed him in a comfortable covered cart to the union-house at Alalmesbury, where he was im mediately taken in, placed in the sick ward, and where every attention was paid him. On reaching Malmesbury he appeared in pretty good spirits, but was unable to walk, his feet bein4 so badly frost bitten that Mr. Jeston, the medical attendant, de clared he must lose them. On Saturday night he expired. An inquest was held on Tuesday, when a verdict was returned of " Died f rom the i nc lem e n c y of the weather." —Wills independent. NEW AluactimiT SEAatEN's ACT. —On Wednesday Merchant ixt) . fiveSeamen's Act will come into o e r at e t e. the There New s sections and several sche dules in the Statute. During the present month sea nf men in the merchant service havo obtained tickets of registration from the office; near the Tower. From the ipt proximo no seaman can be taken to sea without the requisite ticket, under a penalty of 101. The Act is "to amend and consolidate the laws relating to merchant sea men, ar.d for keeping a register of seamen." By the preamble it is declared that the prosperity, strength, and Fafoty o f the United Kingdom and her Majesty's domi nions depend greatly on a large, constant, and ready supply of seamen, and that it is expedient to promote the increase of the number of seamen, and to afford them encouragement and protection ; and it is fur ther declared to be expedient to keep a register of Akeeernoii.s 'cite 0 bp ; , p 4 ,4e in v,?riting between master and seamen, stating the situations, wages, and length of service of the men. Parish boys may be sent to sea, with their consent, or boys soliciting alms. No seaman is to be discharged F t brQa.i4, por to be abandoned or l e f t b e hi n d, w ith ou t th e sanction Of the cons@ cif the P 4 -1 4 ., as great'ini4lef bas bezn caused by such proceedings, the poor men having been reduced to great distress, and have, according to the language of the Act, been tens to becon,le pirates. BZ the frith section it is e 4 that it any'person being a 4falay, Lascar, or native of the territories under -the government of the East India Company, or if any 4Siafic op 4.fripT l seaman; Ilrvi,ng been brought to the 'United Kingdom on board any shfi), shall be found to be in the United Kingdom in distress for want of food, clothing, or other necessaries, the Commissioners of the Admiralty may supply such assistance to every 'porsop o r seppan, toad to • I . XlOntain himuntil he shall he sent licfardsotne ship to be taken back to the place from iiihe'nee'he Was shipped: The assistance r'ende'red is to beconae a debt; and may be reco v ered nit'cr master Of the abip'on board NA-16reor such person or etinaliP'N 4 va boght`to the EraiterKingdOin from Asia . brought PT Erica, 1844. PROGRESS OF THE IMPROVE MENTS AT BIRKENHEAD. (From the Liverpool Times.) On Saturday last we took a ramble through the town and township of Birkenhead, in order to ascer tain, by personal inspection, whether the public works commenced with so much spirit a couple of months since were proce( d ng with equal vigour. On landing at the Woodside slip, we found that the first thing that engages the attention is a long double row of solid piles, one row driven into the bed of the river, and the other into the pier, forming a stage for the laying of the blocks of stone for the addition to the pier. The work is proceeding very expeditiously ; it is now nearly half finished, and when completed will add greatly to the comfort and safety of pas sengers, by furnishing a shelter from the wind and waves in all kinds of weather, and from whatever point the wind may blow. To the north of the landing slip there are similar evidences of activity. A great number of workmen are employed in excavating the 16-acre basin and beaching ground, in cutting the foundation of the walls, and in excavating the new cut into Wallasey Pool, so that vessels may have a temporary pas sage up and down until the low-water basin is completed. To facilitate these operations, an enor mous embankment of clay and rubble-stone has been thrown up. This keeps out the tide, and enables the men to proceed with their work uninterruptedly, The wharf walls en the west side of the 16-acre basin are also building. Further north, and at the termination of the embankment above alluded to, a still larger, though only temporary work is in pro gress. This is the construction of an enormous cof fer-dam, which will inclose a space of about 7.5 acres, within which the main body of the works will be erected. This coffer-dam will run from the termi nation of the embankment down to low-water mark in about an easterly direction, and in a northerly line up to Wallasey Pool. The huge piles are driven into the soft bed of the river by a steam engine ; the opposite piles are connected by an iron rod ; on the piles are nailed strong planks, and within the space thus formed, which is several yards in breadth, clay from the adjoining land is thrown. This clay, saturated every day by the inrushing waters, as it is deposited, settles down into a solid mass, which will, when sufficiently lofty, be impervious to the waters of the Mersey, and enable the men to carry on their operations undisturbed by the flow of the river. Commencing at the south-west corner, two lines of the coffer-dam, one running towards the river and the other towards the pool, have already been carried to a very great length, and the work is conducted with all possible vigour and expedition. Altogether, we believe, there are about 2,000 men employed on the docks ; but it will be seen, from what we have stated, that a large portion of the work now going on is only temporary, and intended to enable the contractor to finish the docks in the least possible space of time. Mr. Tarner, son-in-law of Mr. Tomkinson, the contractor, superintends the works. Admission here is, of course, denied to those who are not on business ; but even though this were not the case, we would not advise any one who has not the habits and costume of a " navigator" to plunge into this strange, but slip pery, sloppy, 'sad comfortless-looking place. It is, no doubt, very interesting to watch the progress of such vast works, and observe the means by which they are accomplished ; but it is not very pleasant to walk on sodden clay, or in the slimy bed of the river, where nothing but a pair of navigator's boot will keep out the water. To the west of this scene of activity there is another of a somewhat different character. Along the fields lying between Corpration-road and Wall .sey P. 01. and forming the site of the range ( f warehouses pro posed to be built by the Birkenhead Dock Warehous ing Company, about 200 men are employed in Egging and preparing clay, wherewith to make the bricks for the contemplated warehouses. Clay is found here in great abundance, and close to the surface. In some places the men have already cut to the de; th of about seven feet, and still meet with solid clay. Huge hills .f it, already excavated, lie scattered about, for an immense distance up the road. In other parts of the township, also, great preparationc for brick-making are going on, and in some places large kilns are burning. In passing along Bridge-street, the visitor will see on his right hand, nearly opposite the end of Lord street, what he will no doubt regard as a rather singular structure. It is a large building, constructed altogether of iron, and the men are now engaged in fixing up the iron roof. The length of the building is about 180 feet, and its breadth about forty feet. In the west front there are two rows sf windows, thirty six in number, and part of the lower row are filled in with iron strips, so as to form an imitation of Venetian blinds. This structure, we believe, is building by Messrs. Fox, Henderson, and Co., of Birmingham, for the Messrs. Sandbach, of this town, and is intended as a sugar refinery and rum manufactory. Passing a little farther on, in the direction of the Pool, the ears are saluted with the clang of a hundred hammers. This noise proceeds from the iron ship building and boiler-making establishment of Mr. John Laird—a most interesting place to visit even on ordinary occasions, but at the present time particularly so, as there is now in course of erection in the yard a first-class iron steam-frigate, the frame-work of which is fast approaching completion. The length of this vessel is 210 feet, its breadth 37 feet 6 inches, and its depth 23 feet. Viewed externally, its size is very great, but on mounting the scaffolding that surrounds it, and looking from its bow down into it (there being nothing to intercept the view from stem to stern), its magnitude seems surprisingly great. The view, too, from this point is most interesting. In the midst of this huge iron valley (for such it seems) a num ber of fires are blazing up, the blast being communicated to them by an air tube carried through the vessel, and worked by a stearnsengine in the yard; whilst ever and anon white hot rivets are snatched from the fire by the Cyclopean workmen, and inserted in the rivet * holes of the plates, and then there is a ceaseless clang of a hundred hammers, beating them in, making altogether a din which, reverberated from the sides of the iron vessel, is for a time nearly deafening. What would our forefathers have thought at such an enormous mass of iron floating on the seas ? and how would they have marvelled had they been told that such a vessel was lighteri than one constructed of wood ? The frigate, above her water line, is built flush, which, of course, adds to the elegance of her appearance, and it does not deteriorate from her strength, although it adds considerably to the amount of the labour. Her engines, which will be the com mon beam engines, will be of 550-horse power. They are being constructed by Mr. George For rester and Co., of this town, She is intended to carry two enormous guns, 220-pounders, one forward and ono aft. In the interior of this establishment other processes are going on, such as the preparation of plates for the frigate by sinking and counter-sinking, &c., which is done with astonishing facility by the means of power ful machinery—the construction of boilers, and of iron boats for the shallow rivers of India, similar to those which were built by Mr. Laird a short time ago. An iron steamer for the South-Eastern Rail. way Company intended to ply, in connexion with that line, between Folkstone and Boulogne, is also about to be built here. Her model shows that she will be an extremely swift and beautiful boat. Her length will be 150 feet, her breadth 22 feet, and her depth 11 feet. Her engines will be of 140-horse power. Turning off from this establishment, where every facility and information was cheerfully afforded to us by the manager, we passed through several newly laid-out streets, well designed as to direction, of ample . . _ width, macadamised in the centre, and having good A correspondence between Mr. IL L. Morgan, the footways, and saw at nearly every step workmen importer of a cask of cherry-juice, and the Government, occupied in the finishing or erection of houses—all, has been printed and circulated at the request of several apparently, quite as neatly and substantially built merchants. The article about which the question has as those of Liverpool—and, getting into Conway arisen is of small value, but the principle is held to be of street, entered the new park at the road leading great importance. It appears that Mr, Morgan in Sep- from the corner of Park-street East. This is a work tember last entered a cask, containing 46 gallons of which, as much as any other undertaken by th e cherry-juice, paying thereon 20 per cent. on its value, _a commissioners of Birkenhead, indicates a wi s e considering it to come under the bead of " manufactured forethought and attention to the health an d goods not otherwise rated." It was stopped at the Cas- tom-house on the plea that it must pay wine duty, which recreation of the inhabitants, a n d it i s one would be 12/. Os. Gd., instead of 8 l/. ss. Mr. Morgan whi will increase in utility and be more highly accordingly addressed himself to the Board of Trade, appreciated as building extends and population in ,tating that in August, 1842, a cask of cherry-juice had creases. In the park, notwithstanding the frost, a large been delivered on payment of 20 per cent., and meeting number of men still find abundance of occupation, the objection tha Ole article contained spirit by offering chiefly in the formation of the ground, so as to give to pay the duty as on spirits, the strength being ascer- to it a diversified and picturesque appearance, in the tamed, The Board of Trade answer, that they have directed the Commissioners of Ctistc.ma not '::: admit the ma k i ng of carria g e and cross roads , and in the lay article in question, unless upon payment of wine Out,y, i n g of drains. T he site was origi nally a gently rising but to allow the article to be warehoused for exports- fiat, having scarcely a single undu l ation of any hold tion, provided Mr, Morgan declines to pay the wine ness in its whole extent 1 and the visitor who, remem duty, and to return the duty which he paid ily special bering this fact, plunges across the park, so as to certificate. Upon this Mr. Morgan applies to the Tree- inclade in his course the two lakes, will have good sury, and quoting the communication of the Board of reason to admire the skill which has been displayed in Trade, observes that it makes the tariff w " dead letter," the laying out of the ground. When standing in the as it implies that any duty may he levied contrary to Act bed or on the frozen water of the site of the great of Pariiltment, and also that there is no security for the lake, the earth works in its neighbourhood appear to importation of goods which are not specifically rated. be of Yatit; dimensions, and even when rambling , The Treasury, however, decline complying with Mr, among what appear to be chains of hills, the height Morgan's request, and in the mean time the cherry-juice of some of them ears to be very considerable. The has been deteriorated b the delly opeasinned by the object sought has P been obtained—that of making a correspondenee considerable undulation of surface, so as, when EAtTB AESPACTING Ma. Pout.—During a journey in the Western and Southern States, last summer, WO trii, planted, to make a pleasant landscape—to afford plc yelled several days with a very 04041 and intelligent turesque views, and provide that churning variety of c gentleman f\ - ofn which will entice even the most the Hon. J. K. Polk, P rea ideal elect of th e United indolent to elert themselves, and the most listless to States. He informed us, that in the walks of private asinaire the combination of artificial skill and natural life Mr. Polk is highly respected ; that hn ia a slave- beauty. We could see, even in the depth of winter, holder indeed, but net t as has been often stated in the and having within view nothing but heaps of bare papers, nue of the richest and most extensive slave earth, spots that will be most lovely And attractive owners in the State ; that he may be worth ,oc . )0 cents, a part only of which prorrty is invested in slaves, His accomplished lady is a when grass has grown, when Mowers, and plants, trees are springing up, and a glorious summer Mr.. Vcak has oo children. and . . consistent member of the Presbyterian Church. The sun i shining above. Returning from the second or gentleman also stated, that though different opinions are smaller lake to the central roe 4,_ whit* leads in a h ones tly entertained A: to his fi l mes' for'the Presidency slightly cnyvini 11" " t . ,* M o unt Claughton, ou ak;coi‘pt of his, political creed, yet so far as his private yoA 4Q,UAO 'f' another range of hills, which 1 lifeis concerned, he will do heeions to the eAII4 - 44 asa.... l'i tiO- - . n to Illikeh 4 heyaiagc itaasa oidipa_ "' — tigrikilth . _ ...,e the road for a c onsiderable distance ....lind I up, on the left - ha --,. ew .erg left-hand side. Some of these are of considerable elevation ; others sink so as to give glimpses of those in the vicinity of the larger lake. About half-way up this fine broad road, it. is croiised by paths winding to the right and left. To the right there is an extended champaign view, and to the left a view of the whole of the artificial hills, which now assume an amphitheatrical form, and which, when planted, will no duubt look extremely beautiful. At the head of this road, and seated on the height of the rising ground, is Claughton Hall—a mansion now in course of erection by Mr. William Jackson. It is large, built of fine white free-stone, and is alto gether a beautiful structure. Even at this distance from the town of Birken head, there is a good deal of building going on, the houses erected consisting chiefly of large and handsome ones in rows or of detached villas. In Grosvenor-road, two blocks of fifteen neat, stone fronted, and substantial dwellings, are just on the eve of completion. In the front, they have a good-sized garden-plot, and they command an extensive and varied prospect, in the foreground of which is the new park. The aspect of the latter from this point is no', as might be anticipated, as yet very prepossessing ; but when the black mounds are planted, and the work of the gardener has been finished, it will be wonder fully improved. Skirting the township along the road, you come to a point where there are ways leading to Clif ton-park, Holt-hill, and Oxton-hill ; but we kept to the left, and entered Grange-lane. Here two good-sized hotels and a considerable number of dwelling-houses and shops have been erected. One of the hotels has as its landlord Mr. Smith, who for many years kept a himse just above the Woodside Ferry. An old-fashioned farm-house just below, which was a short time ago isolated and rural looking, now looks completely out of place, and presents a curious contrast to the new and modern-built erection in its vicinity. On approaching the town, the evidences of pro gression multiply amazingly ; and it is not a litt'e startling to see on every hand houses which, but a brief time ago, were supposed to be country residences, with their garden plots and green-houses, now form - ing a portion of a long and unbroken line of street, and perhaps having in proximity to them a handsome shop, with plate-glass windows, and so brilliantly lighted that the plants in the adjoining green-house may at least have artificial light, if they have been in some measure deprived of that of the sun. In the principal streets of Birkenhead the shops are extremely good ; many of them would now be con sidered very handsome here, and the occupiers seem determined, in fitting up and stocking thew, not to be surpassed even on this side of the Mersey. The new market is fast approaching completion. With the exception of the cornice, the outer walls are complete; the interior, which is fitted up with iron, will shortly be finished, and men are now engaged in laying the iron roof. Notwithstand ing the doubt recently expressed, the walls seemed to us abundantly strong. The total cost of con structing this handsome building will be from 17,000 P. to 20,0001., and the Commissioners have already let a sufficient quantity of stalls to produce a rental of 1,6001. a year. EXTRAORDINARY CASE, IF TRITE.—On Wednes day night, about ten, Mr. Barry, a gentleman residing at 67, Lower Gardiner-street, discovered an interesting looking young woman on the steps of his 'hall-door, nearly naked, and almost dead with cold. lie, in the. most humane manner, procured her clothes, and had her taken to Sackville-place station-house, where every at tention was paid to her, and, after some time, she reco vered, and told the following story :—She said her name was Anne Reilly, and that she came from a place called Thornville, near Dundalk, in the county of Louth, and that she was on her way to see her brother, who is a cabinet-maker at Kingstown ; that about four o'clock in the evening she arrived by one of the Swords' cars, eras. set down near a bridge, adjoining the city, and met a respectable-looking young woman, from whom she in quired could she recommend her to a decent lodging. The young woman, in reply, said she could, and 'nought her to a house where there were three young girls, and a middle-aged woman, with a dark mark on her face. About six o'clock she partook of tea. She then became quite stupid, as she alleges, from the effect of some drug, and went to bed, where She immediately fell asleep. About nine o'clock, when she awoke, she found herself standing in a lane, with her back against a wall, almost naked. She afterwards made her way to the steps of Mr. Barry's hall-door, where she was found by that gen tleman. When she went into the house, she had in her possession a thirty-shilling note, a sovereign, and three half-crowns, beside a blue cloth cloak, large cape, a white straw bonnet, a blue cashmere new frock, two petticoats, a pair of black cloth boots, a pair of shoes (single tie), a pair of gray worsted stockings, a pair of white ditto, & pair of stays, a yard of white muslin, tied round tha bonnet ; all of which were taken from her. She gate sl very minute description of the parties alluded to, but could hot tell the locality of the house. The police were in search of the parties all day on Thursday ; but up to a late hour they were not successful in diseeivering any of them.—Freeman. Between eight and nine o'clock on Monday night, a stack of wood, of very large dimensions, containing several thousand faggots, situate by the road-side near Sawbridgeworth, in Hens, was discovered to be on fire ; and after a short time it was completely destroyed. The stack was the property of Mr. Barnard, maltster, and there is little doubt it was wilfully set on fire. Tho conflagration was distinctly observed here.— Chelmsford Chronicle. EXTRAORDINARY SUIPWRECX.—The Esk trader, Captain Stokes, left Newcastle on Saturday afternoon, shortly before high-water, on her ♦oyage to London, with a valuable general cargo. She was towed by two powerful steamers from the usual berth at Newcastle quay down the river, and on rounding the Whitehill point, near Shields, she grounded, in consequence of taking the point too closely, on a rocky bank, which ex• tends some distance into the river. She heeled round and was towed off, as was supposed, with little damige. The steamers towed her slowly down the river and across the bar, without any leak being discovered. She being supposed all light, went to sea. The wind blowing from the east, it was desirable to give her what is called " a good offing," and she was towed out about seven miles. The steamers then left her, and in about an hour afterwards it was discovered that she was making water rapidly. The pumps were entirely useless against the rapid progress of water, and the long-boat was launched, into which the crew had just time to get when the Esk went down. The crew were unable to save anything, and had they not been prompt in launch ing and getting into the boat, all - hands would have suffered. It was broad daylight, and several other ves sels were near, into one of which the crew was taken. It is supposed the vessel was strained by getting on the bank, sad the heaving of the sea caused her to spring a " bulk-head." It is somewhat remarkable that a vessel belonging to the same company, also called the Esk, likewise foundered at sea, when all hands perished, in. her voyage from Newcastle to London, some years ago, and the vessel which foundered on Saturday was built to supply her placo.—Doncaster Gazette. CHANNEL ISLAND SPIRITS.—The Commissioners of the Customs have received a letter from Mr. Trevelyan, one of the Secretaries to the Lords of the Treasury, signifying that, having laid before their Lordships the Board's report on a memorial praying that the duty on certain Channel Island spirits may be paid according to the quantity ascertained after vatting, instead of that ascertained at the time of importation, he (Mr. Trevelyan) was commanded to communicate to the Board their Lordship's concurrence in the course recommended by them, and to desire that they would cause information to that effect to be given to the parties interested. And the Commissioners, adverting to the course recommended by them, alluded to by their Lordships— viz., that duty should be charged upon all deficiencies of Guernsey and Jersey spirits ascertained to have arisen between the period of importation and that of the re gauge, prior to their reduction in strength, under the Excise regulations, for home use, but that no duty shall be charged on any deficiency arising from such process, orders have been issued that the memorialist, and others by whom applications have been addressed to their Lordships, be apprised accordingly, and copies of this order have been furnished to the revenue officers at the several docks and other stations, for their information and future government. A PUBLIC THANKSGIVING DAT IN AMERICA.— A Boston paper makes the following estimate of the good things consumed by the people of Massachusetts on Thanksgiving Day, viz. :—" 5,000 ducks, 130,000 chick ens, 20,000 geese, 35,000 turkeys, 50,0001b5. of beef, pork, and other meats, 25,000 bushels of potatoes, 28,000 bush els of turnips, 8,000 beets, 10,000 bushels of onions, 20,0001b5. of cheese, 25,000 galloas of apple sauce, 2,000 gallons of cranberry sauce, 737,699 pumpkin pies. 100,000 apple pies, mince pies 25,000, other pies, 75,000, and eggs 1,000,000. In the preparation of the above there would be used, at a rough estimate, 80 hhds. of mo lasses, 100 boxes of Havannah sugar, 100,0001bs of all spice, ginger, cloves, nutmegs, and other spices, 900 bar rels of tlour, 90,0001b5. of butter and lard, and 600 hhds. of milk." A New York paper says—" It' the 'carnal Yan kees gormandise at this rate, it is worthy of considera tion whether New York ought not, in self-defence, to hold her Thanksgiving earlier. As the case now stands, we are a fortnight later than Massachusetts, Connec ticut, &e., and have to take our chance out of what they have left." HORRIELE OCCURRENCE.—On Saturday week the wife of a person named David Monteath, one of the cot tars on the farm of Ingleston, in the parish of Irongray, went to the farm mansion, nearly a quarter of a mile distant, without the proper precaution of shutting the door, leaving within a child from three to four years of age, and an infant, two months old, in the cradle. During her absence a brood sow, the property of one of the adjoining cotters, entered the dwelling, when the child left with the infant ran out from a sense of danger. as we presume. Its cries soon attracted the notice of the person to whom the sow belonged, who immediately made towards the scene ; but, shocking to mention, upon reaching the door of the cottage she found the sow shaking and tearing the little innocent. No time was lost in rescuing the infant from the savage beast, butt before this could be done its cheeks, neck, and arms w e re sadly lacerated. A medical gentleman was pro cured assoon as possible, and ' T o r fi rs t i nspect i on he thought the little one would not tong survive. We under stand, however, that it l 3 still living, though in a very procarioss state. Even should the accident not prove fatal, the disfigurement that must follow the severe in juries it has received will prove very distressing. Such an occurrence should serve as a caution to mothers not to. leave their little ones unprotected. The poor child is still alive, but suffers•very much.—Dumfries Couricr. DECEMBER 28, THE MANCHESTER ATHEN/EUM. (From the Manchester Guardian.) After the very great interest manifested on behalf of this institution amongst all classes of our fellow townsmen, we believe that a brief sketch of its actual condition and future prospects at the close .of an eventful year in its annals, will not be unacceptable to our readers. Without at all wishing to forestall the gratifying budget, which it will doubtless be the privilege of the directory to submit to the members at their forthcoming annual meeting, we may men tion, that of a debt of 3,400/. under which the insti tution was rapidly sinking towards the middle of last year, not one shilling now remains unpaid ; that the number of members which at one time had dwindled down to 372, at this moment has reached to 2,210! exclusive of life members. These are "great facts," honourable alike to the individuals who have been instrumental, by their exertions, in bringing about this happy result, and to those who have smiled upon their labours with a generous and substantial approval. A glance at the splendid bill of fare for the next quarter, which will be found in our advertising columns, affords very gratifying proofs that the Di rectors appear to be fully impressed with the neces sity to pursue "the even tenor of their way," in that judicious course of management under which the in stitution has attained to such an unparalleled state of prosperity. Well might Mr. Dickens remark, at last year's soiree, " At all times, now in its most thriving, and in its least flourishing condition—here, with its cheerful rooms, its pleasant and instructive lectures; its im proving library of 6,000 volumes its classes for the study of the foreign languages, elocution, music; its opportunities of discussion and debate, of healthful bodily exercise, and though last not least—for by this I set great store—as a very novel and excellent pro vision—its opportunities of blameless, rational en joyment ; here it is open to every youth and man in this great town ; accessible to every bee in this vast hive, who, for all these benefits, and the inestimable ends to which they lead, can set aside one sixpence weekly." A. large sum of money has been expended during the present year upon the library ; and more books, we understand, have been added than during any three preceding years after the establishment of the institution. Whilst all the best current literature of the day is being regularly purchased, works of esta blished repute, and those likely to prove permanently interesting, form a preponderance of the large addi tions lately made to this important branch of the in stitution. A library of standard French, German, and Italian literature is also gradually forming. With a continuance of the present flourishing state of affairs, we may hope to see the books, ere long, again re moved to their former elegant quarters. A large in crease has been made in the number of newspapers, of which the selection appears judicious, and without the slightest regard to political or party bias. The leading French, German, and American journals are also taken in, as also the principal commercial and shipping lists. There are various tables loaded with periodical literature of every description, including almost every quarterly, monthly, and weekly publication issued. Brilliant as has been the succession of lectures delivered this year at the Athenaeum, the list of lecturers already engaged for the next quarter leads us to expect even greater at tractions in this department for the ensuing year. It will be seen that the campaign is to be opened with a course of musical lectures by Mr. Frederick Horncastle, of her Majesty's Chapel Royal, to be il lustrated by himself and three young ladies from London, as may easily be imagined, at a very consi derable expense. We hare heard Mr. Horncastle very highly spoken of, and have no doubt his lectures will afford a rich musical treat to the members : the programme is very striking, and full of promise. These are succeeded by Dr. Lyon Playfair's anxiously expected course on Liebig's discoveries in agricultural and horticultural che mistry; after which the inimitable Mr. Charles Kemble is to delight the members again with a third series of readings of Shakspeare. Mr. Kemble is suc ceeded by Mr. Hodgson, the talented principal of the Liverpool Mechanics' Institution, with a course of four lectures on Germany and its literature ; and, though last, by no means least, to complete this galaxy, comes Mr. Marston, the accomplished author of " he Patrician's daughter," with a course of four lectures "On the nature and value of imaginative literature." We understand, that to all these lec tures, with the exception of Mr. Kemble's readings, the members will have free admission. It is impos sible to conceive a more rational mode of spending an evening than in a theatres, where, as Mr. D'lsraeli observed, " Lectures were given; where the experi ments of philosophy, the investigations of literature, and the profusions of art, were rendered agreeable to the audience by the charms of the human voice." The concerts, we understand, are to be continued on the same scale which has ensured to them their present popularity ; and we hear that occasionally talent from a distance is to be en gaged. The directors would consult the tastes of the members by confining themselves to mixed vocal and instrumental concerts, rather than to glee and choral ones, of which there are already enough in this town. The various classes established are, we are glad to learn, generally flourishing ; and the well known talent of the gentlemen by whom they are conducted is a sufficient guarantee of their efficiency. The essay and discussion society, ever since the establishment of the Athenaeum, one of its most important branches, continues its interesting meet ings and debates with undiminished success. The wholesome rule of abstaining from party political or controversial subjects remains in force, and the best harmony continues to prevail amongst its members. Ladies are admissible to all the meetings of the society. The gymnasium has been considerably enlarged and improved of late, and is a favourite resort of " Young Manchester." We verily believe it would delight the heart of Lord John Man ners to see them indulge in their healthful exercises. The gymnastic and fencing club, who have the ex clusive use of the gymnasium on two evenings in the week, are, thanks to an active secretary, in a very flourishing state. The coffee-rooms, though uncon nected with the institution, are a- source of great convenience to the members; they appear to be well patronised. The letting of the lecture theatre for various concerts and entertainments affords the directors opportunities to make arrange ment to have the members admitted at reduced prices. This is no little privilege to those in the habit of attending there. It will be seen that another of those delightful reunions—the annual soiree of the Essay and Discussion Society—is announced to take place on the 15th January, when Mr. Atherton, the highly esteemed president of the institution, will take the chair. The meeting will, doubtless, pass off with the same eclat that has invariably attended these de lightful assemblies. As the number of tickets is to be strictly limited, all wishing to be present will do well at once to provide themselves with tickets, as we understand the Committee have very judiciously re solved not to have the rooms over-crowded. Having thus brought our imperfect notice of the numerous attractions which this noble institution oilers to a close, we cannot take our leave of it with out warmly recommending it to the support of our readers. That it has been productive of immense benefit to youth is universally admitted ; though its capabilities for doing good are, as yet, scarcely deve loped. Its importance is only beginning to be appre ciated ; and, with a continuance of the same hearty support which has been rendered to it of late, and a judicious management, we feel assured that the Man chester Athenaeum is destined to achieve great things. "MIMI Honer . 1;3 4 15% fol a sog IF I ..~