The Sun. — London, England, 1850-01-10 00:00:00

women in Buckinghamshire, and I am delighted to End that the pillow-lace-makers' wages have advanced since 1847, and they are getting bread at two-thirds of its former price. Why, even the poor chair manu facturers in this and the neighbouring localities—a trade which hardly knows what it is to have a revival —are becoming more busy, and their wages are im proving. In fact, I repeat, that without exception, there is not a trade which has not gained advantage by the moderate price at which food is now obtained. --(Not to lace-makers.) —Yes I say that the lace makers are getting more employment. But now I want to' come to a question, which interests you deeply in this immediate neighbour hood , and it is this— if every great interest in the State is reviving, and nobody denies that it is, how is it that agri culture is depressed ? Now that is a question which you will do well to consider with attention. How is it that the interests of agriculture are thus found in antagonism with the interests of the rest of the community ? Why, they have been under a false system.—(Loud cheers.) They have pro ceeded upon an unsaund basis. Landlords have b een greedy to have legislative prices, when they ought to have been contented with natural ones. Why else should not agriculturists get on as well as other trades ?—(Loud cheers.) We find meetings called, purporting to be those of farmers complaining of dis tress. What is their remedy for that distress ? Is it not to go and talk like men of business to the land lords, and ask them for fresh arrangements, in order that they may have the raw material—the land—at the natural price, and free from this restriction ? (Cheers.) The landlords talk at these meetings as farmers, and for farmers, and they say, " we must go to Parliament, and ge t protection on corn to pay our rents with." That is what it amounts to. The landlord, as Mr. Disraeli observed at Great Marlow yesterday, is an individual who deals in the raw ma terial, and the farmer is a capitalist who offers to take this raw material. In fact, the landlord and the tenant stand in the same relative situation as do the cotton-spinners and the cotton-merchant. Now, I never heard of the cotton-spinner and the cotton merchant joining together in common cause, and asking for something which would tend to keep up the price of cotton.—(Cheers.) I declare, when I hear of these landlords and farmers thus joining together, I cannot help feeling humiliated, and think that there is a want of common sense, if not of common honesty, on the part of their leaders. Suppose you were to ;meet with a combination of the grocers of Aylesbury with their customers, to keep up prices, would you not at once denounce it as absurd ? (Cheers and laughter.) Now, the plan which I re commend to tenant-farmers to be pursued towards their landlords is precisely the same as that which has been pursued by myself towards my own tenants, and I will explain to you how I have acted. I happen to stand here in the quality of a landlord, filling, I admit, a most insignificant character in that capacity. —(How much do you farm ?) I farm a small estate of about 140 acres in West Sussex, which is situated in a purely farming district, in the immediate vicinity of the largest Protectionist proprietors in Sussex. The land is inferior in quality, it is not within ten miles of any railway, it has no chimneys nor growing ma nufacturing towns near it to give it value, and this is precisely the kind of land which we are told by Lord John Manners cannot be cultivated when wheat is at 40s. a quarter. This property came into my posses sion in 1847. lam indebted for it—and lam proud to acknowledge the fact in a public assembly—to the bounty of my countrymen ; and I rejoice that I am enabled, by possessing it again, to light up the hearth of my fathers in the place where I spent my infancy. And I say that no Duke or Lord, with a Parliamen • Lary grant, or one proceeding from the Sovereign, holds his property by a more honourable title than I possess.—(Great cheering) My first visit to this property after it came into my possession was in 1848, and I then foresaw the competition to which we should soon be exposed. I gave orders im mediately that every hedge row in it should be cut down. I authorised the two occupying tenants to remove every fence on the estate. If they pre ferred to grub up portions of it only, they were to be at liberty to do so; but I said I would rather not see a hedge upon my property, as it was surrounded wish hedges. It required draining, and that I have done at my own cost. This small estate being near those of great game preservers was particularly in fested with hares and rabbits. I authorised the tenants on the land to kill the rabbits and the hares. So troublesome had they become in one place that they entered the gardens sad allotments of the labourers, one of whom appeared and gave evidence before the Committee of the House of Commons on the game laws, in 1845 ; and stated that those rabbits not only devoured the vegetables and destroyed the cabbages and peas, but actually dug up his potatoes. —(Great laughter.) At that time, in 1845, the pro perty did not belong to me ; but I made inquiries in 1848, and explained to the man that if the rabbits injured him and others on my property, the state of tha law permitted every man to destroy hares so spoiling his proluce,without taking out a licence. I ad. vied him, in short, to set snares, and when they had caught them, to be sure to put them in their own pots, and eat them.—(Tremendous laughter, end cheers.) That is the way in which I deal with my game.— (Cheers.) I must con ress I have no taste v, hate\ er for the preservation of that kind of vermin, which I believe to be gee inconsistent with good farming (Hear.) I consider this point to present one of the greatest obstacles to the improvement of the agricul tural labourers, and for my own part had rather see a good fat hog than the best preserve.— (Cheers.) That was the course I pursued in 1848, in anticipation of the competition we are now engaged in. Prices then ranged high. Nothing was settled about rent, but in the course of lest year I received a letter from one of my tenants, stating that when he took a piece of land from my predecessor, it was on the calculation of wheat averaging about 565. a quarter, and it was now little more than 405., and under those circumstances he desired a ;new arrangement as to terms. I wrote him in reply, that the proposition he made was a reasonable one, that he should have the new arrangement he desired, but that as I was willing to submit to the dis advantage of low prices, I must have the benefit of good cultivation, and therefore that I would estimate the produce of the land to be such as could be grown by good farmers on that quality of land.—(Hear.) Now, I say, that from that very moment of my con ceding a point so reasonable there was not the slightest anxiety of mind, not the least difficulty as to whether our relations came under free trade or protection.—(Cheers.) Why could not that be done in all cases? Farmers and labourers would then be content. That is the question now. Now, with regard to leases, I say let there be a tenant-right, or a lease amounting together to a tenant right, let us submit to an arbitration as to unexhausted improve ments when the land is left, and I will not bind you with covenants on the land while you possess it. All the answer I would make to Noble Lords and Dukes going about the country, gathering here and there expressions of agricultural discontent, all I can say to them is, let there be new terms of' agreement between you, the landlords, and your tenants, and 1 will undertake to assur you that your lands may be cultivated better by far, that farming shall still be as profitable to farmers, and that labourers shall still be employed at as good wages—if you will only let me state your new terms.—(Hear.) Agitation—it ought to be called " moonshine"—(Cheers)---is not without a definite object. If I had been a Protectionist, I should have made money by it, and in this way—when my tenants came to me complaining of prices, and demanding new terms, I would say to them, "That is true, and we will have a meeting at Great Marlow, or at High Wycombe—(Great laughter)— and we will then get up a petition to Parliament to pass a law to protect you: Well, we should have had a meeting, and after three hours and a half of talk, it would have ended in three groans for Cobden. —(Here the Hon. Gentleman was saluted with re peated bursts of applause and the most vociferous cheering.) If I had wanted an excuse for urging grievous complaints of the calamitous state of affairs, I would say to them, go to 17, New Bond street, and then we will take steps to lay our case, not before Parliament, but at the foot of the Throne. And then my tenants would go away to get ready their next half-year's rent, and then some fresh excuse would be found, and instead of memorialising the Queen, they would perhaps agitate for a dissolution of Parliament—(Hear) —and then we might have been safe with our rent for the next three years.—(Cheers.) This is an agitation that will last, and in the meantime what will be the consequence to the tenant-farmers ? Why, what with the heart sickening of delay—what with the hopelessness inspired into the soul by these dreary Protectionist speeches, in which they are told that they cannot cultivate their lands rent free—what with the constant drain on their means to pay the old rents with new wheat prices, o ne -h a lf of the tenants ould very likely be ruined, and lam not sure whether one - half of them will not be ruined by these Protectionist tactics. — (Hear, hear.) But is there ese any pretence whatever for saying that the tenants will be ruined if the landlords pursue the same straightforward course which I have done P— (ateers.) Then it is a mere question of rent, and if the farmers cannot get on with their business, they pay too high a money rent in proportion t o th e a mount of their produce. We want, therefore, to bring landlords and tenants together, t o confront them in their proper capacities of buyers and sellers, to make them deal with each other as all men of busi ness do, and not to play any longer the comedy in which tenants and landlords are heard crying out " We sail in the same boat," when the fact is that they sail in different boats, and in different directions. —(Cheers and roars of laughter.) Now there is a new red herring drawn across the scent of the far mers—that protection cannot be had just now, but that in the meanwhile they must have half the local rates removed, and transferred to the Consolidated Fund. Now, I am really astonished that any one should have the assurance to have got up in the face of the farmers to make such a proposal to them, for their benefit, such as this is.—(Cheers.) But only think of this wise proposal of t he farmers' friend—" in order to remove some of the tenant-farmers' burdens, I will take off one-half of these twelve millions of taxation, and put it on the Consolidated Fund ;" that is, upon tea and sugar, coffee, tobacco, spirits, and beer, and the rest of the things that you, the tenant-farmers and labourers, are in the habit of using. Well, now, there is a pretty project for benefiting the tenant-farmers.—(Cheers and a laugh.) Ah, but there is another way of doing that. The other way is, that of assessing the rates upon the fluctuating capital of the country. The argument is this ; Why should not the shopkeeper and the manufacturer, and the banker and wholesale dealer, be assessed on their personal property. Why, if you bring in the stock in trade of shopkeepers and manu facturers to be assessed, you must bring in the stock in trade of the farmers.—(Hear, hear.) Now, I will just ask the farmers in this borough of Aylesbury how much they will gain by that ? The farming stock of the country has been stated to be 25,000,000/ 'Why, if so, it is only five times as much as is invested in the cotton trade, and yet these agricul• turists say, " we will assess the stock so much, and then we will assess the cotton upon the cotton lords."—(Cheers and laughter.) What, now, ought to be the course pursued by farmers at the present time ? If they have leaders in every district like Mr. Lattimore, let them assemble together as tenant farmers, but as tenant-farmers only.—(Hear, hear.) What was it that procured the repeal of the corn laws but that Lancashire and Yorkshire and other places united for the purpose, and had not made the exhibition of themselves or paraded, which the rabble of the Protectionists have.—(Hear, .hear.) Now, I will tell them what they should do. Tenant-farmers must meet together exclusively. When they talk of free trade and protection, tenant-farmers ought only to be present. Let them only act towards each other with fairness and justice. Let them act honestly together, and they will find it in the end, not only their own, but the general interest of the community. —(Hear, hear.) We have come here today to speak chiefly of financial and Parliamentary reform. I leave others who are here to deal with that subject generally, and I have preferred to address myself to that which most deeply interests you—the question of the tenant-farmers and the landowners. The Hon. Gentleman here concluded his speech, and resumed his seat amidst deafening applause. Mr. HAUGHTON said, inasmuch as his entire pro perty consisted in land, it had naturally been an object of importance to him to examine closely the particular questions which had reference to it. For merly he had been a zealous Protecti onist in principle, and had clung to it as long as he thought he would be justified in doing so, when at length he found that it was an unseaworthy ship, and he abandoned it. They were their own sheet anchors, and he exhorted them not to be led away by protectionist delusions. He himself never employed more labourers, nor was engaged in more improvements, than at the present time. Mr. Haughton concluded by moving the only resolution submitted to the meeting, which was as follows :—"That this meeting denounces the attempt to re-impose a tax upon the bread of the people ; that the proper remedy fur the distress of which the farmers complain is to be found in the re-adjustment of terms between landlords and tenants, and in the re duction of taxation; and that, to secure the latter object, it is desirable that the people should possess a coin plete control over the choice of the Members o' Parliament." Mr. J. Gums, of Aylesbury, seconded the resolu tion in a brief appropriate spe e ch. Mr. F. O'CoNNoa, M.P., said that perhaps he might be considered an intruder, but he understood that Mr. Disraeli, the great Protectionist Mentor, was to be there that night, and as Parliament was now soon to meet he determined on being present, for the purpose of taking a lesson from him. The Hon. Gentleman expressed, at considerable length, his entire concurrence in the objects of the meeting, and his satisfaction at his being able to do so without sacrificing his own political principles. In giving his assent to them, however, and heartily feeling a desire to side with Mr. Cobden in this movement in a Pro tectionist county, he would at the same time retain tc the last every point of the Charter, which he had still hopes of one day seeing become the law of the land. He concluded by giving a few humorous :electioneer ing anecdotes, having a political application to the circumstances discussed in the meeting, which were productive of considerable amusement. Mr. GASKILL said that although a landowner he had come to that meeting to support the views they had that evening heard propounded from the platform The tenant-farmers were not as yet in the same boat, but there was a boat in which both might row if they chose, viz., the repeal of the malt-tax. The re-ad justment of the relation between landlord and tenants was a matter which would not be finally disposed of until much time had elapsed, and it had received considerable discussion, though it was undoubtedly one which would tend materially to benefit the con dition of the tenant-farmers. If noblemen and titled landlords found out that their sons could not have tilt splendid establishments they had hitherto bad, it was likely that they would apply their attention to teaci them something o farming, and they would then turn out a race of men approximating in their general characteristics to the old class of farmers. With a surplus of two and a half millions, arising from the increased consumption of the country, which it was said would be the case at the end of the financial yeas on the sth of April, and which would induce the Chancellor of the Exchequer to propose certain great changes in the fiscal system of the country, if they (the farmers) were to be desirous of any change in the application of the public revenue, they should unite to procure a remission of the malt and hop duty.—(Hear, hear.) .L sto the Protectionist plans of Mr. Disraeli, he had denounced them as de luding, humbugging, and unstatesmanlike, to Mr. Disraeli's own face but yesterday, at the Marlon meeting; and, himself, a landowner in that county, he firmly and conscientiously believed so. He most cordially supported the resolution.—(Hear.) Mr. JAMES TAYLOR, of Birmingham, next ad dressed the meeting, and explained at some length, and very energetically, the political advantages that would result to the Buckinghamshire farmers by adopting the freehold land system of becoming holders of land themselves, and _voters at Parliamentary elections. Mr. 'WILLIS, of Luton, a manufacturer of straw bonnets, also supported the resolution, which was then put from the chair and carried by acclamation, amidst a tremendous uproar of cheers and shouting. Mr. SAMUEL GIBBS then moved a vote of thanks to the Chairman, also to the gentlemen who had attended the meeting to address it, and to the sheriff of the county, for his kindness in allowing the use of the County-hall for the purpose of the meeting. The resolution having been passed, The CHAIRMAN returned thanks, and the proceed. ings terminated with three times three for Cobden. lre RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. BRISTOL, JAN. 9. STOCK EXC'TIANGE.—The market was firm to-day . The transactions were as follow :—Great Western, Quarters, 11 11-16 dis.—Ditto, 171. Shares, 7 dis.—Caledonian, Pre ference, 7%. • LIVERPOOL, JAN. 9. STOCK EXCHANGIL—The share market was very firm to-day. The transactions were as follow :—Lancashire and Yorkshire, Consol., 57—Ditto, unpaid up, 43 dis.—Ditto, 321. Shares, 10 3 4 dis.—Ditto, llalves (Huddersfield and Sheffield), 28% London and North-Western, 110% — Ditto, New Quarters, 13s. 9d. p. Ditto, Fifths, % Matlock and Midland, 41 dis. Midland, 43 1 /. Ditto, Halves, 2236 dis.—North Union (A), 231%—South-Eastern and Dover, 19—York, Newcastle, and Berwick (G. N. E. Purchase), 6 per cent. till 1850, 4 3 / 4 dis. MANCHESTER, JAN. 9. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The market to-day has fluctuated slightly. The following are the transactions :—East Lan cashire, 1174—Lancashire and Yorkshire, Fifths, VA dis.— Ditto, 321. (late Extension), 10 1 ,4—Uitto, Preston and Wyre Sixths, 6% 4 —London and North-Western, Manchester and Birmingham, Quarters (C), 1 1 4 p.—Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln, Preference, 8— South-Eastern and Dover (No. 3), 18%—Ditto, (No. 4), Scrip, 6 1 / e . BIRMINGHAM, JAN'. 9. STOCK Each —The only transaction to-day was Birmingham, Pi olverhampton, and Dudley, 4 p. YORK, JAN. 8. _ _ STOCK EXCHANGE. —The ' transactions to-day were as follow : York, Newcastle, and Berwick, 16 5 4 Ditto (Newcastle Extension), 10%—North British, Halves 4%—. York and North Midland, Preference, 6%. GLASGOW, JAN. 8. Srocx CTIANG E.— The transactions to-day were as follow, : Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ayr, 49—Ditto, Halves, (No. 2), 5'4 —Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee, 6 —Ditto (Newport), 75—Great North of Scotland (Scrip), 3—North British, 11. BUCKLE, DEC. 29.—We have had three days of very stormy weather, with a heavy sea; fortunately non of the boats on the coast were at sea. Our harbours have both sustained considerable damage, particu larly the East Harbour—this is a wooden structure, built chiefly by funds collected by the fi shermen and fouars. The East Head h a s entirely given way, and only a few fragments are to be seen. The West Head has also given way; about thirty feet of it ha ve fallen in, the beach with which it was fille d up ha vin g been washed out by the tide. The Old Harbour has likewise got some damage. A good many houses were lashed with the waves, and it was feared they would come down, but they have a ll s t oo d i : ou t. The tide was very high, and the lame fi s hi ng the v er y boats were drawn up into every open space—into midst of the town. We have seen no shipping in the firth, nor heard of any damage, except In Port Gordon, where it is reported some of the vessels in the harbour have got considerable injury.—lnverness Courier. MURDER Or A CDILD.—WARWICS, TUESDAY.— This afternoon Mr. G. Moore, the deputy coroner for the borough, brought an inquiry to a close, at the Union Workhouse, respecting the death of an illegitimate male child of Bridget Taweney, a pauper inmate, and which had died from the effects cf blue vitriol wilfully given it. After evidence had been gone through the jury returned verdict of " Wilful Mutter tipinst Bridget Taweney THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 10, 1850. tri4 litittiott SAMBRE AND MEUSE RAILWAY. (THIS DAY.) The half-yearly meeting of this company was held to-day, at one o'clock, at the offices, 61, Moorgate street, Mr. W. P. Richards in the chair. About twenty proprietors were present at the appointed hour. The CHAIRMAN read the report, which wa3 very voluminous. Its most important and interesting fea- tures will be found below : " The report presented to the general meeting, held in July, informed the proprietors of the insufficiency and the unremunerating character of the traffic as carried on the line at that time; it also stated some of the causes to which the former was to be attributed, and showed how injuriously the new tariff, reluctantly accepted by the company, operated upon the other; at the same time the directors stated that they had given notice of their inten tion to require a modification of the tariff at the proper time, and expressed their confidence in the justice of the Belgian Government making such fresh ar rangements as would approach nearer the girit ~f the original compact. They have much pleasure in stating that they have not been deceived in their ex rectation made by the Preside:lt to the committee of proprietors on his return from Belgium, on a mission umiertaken with the intention of discussing the subject :rich the Minister of Public Works. From that state- relent it will appear that Mr. Sheward, the resident director of this cempany in Belgium, is fully persuaded that the tariff, as at present modified, will enable him to work the line with a small amount of profit, after meet ing every outgoing, it' the strictest economy is practised a k the present dimit is',ed traffic is maintained. " The measure of economy in removing the Siege of he-Company from a hired office in Brusiels to their own premises at Jardinet, as authorised at the last general meeting, has been carried out, the directors are much indebted to the Minister of Public Works for his valuable assistance in promoting this new arrangement. " The directors, in their last report, expressed !heir regret that they had not succeeded in making my arrangement with the contractors, with whom they had several matters in dispute, and lamented that the conciliatory spirit with which they were then disposed to terminate those disagreements end not been met by a corresponding feeling; they have low to state, that a proposition has been under discus -don for some time and agreed to by the contractors, ehilst the directors have declined to accede to it, with out the authority of the proprietors at a general meet rg, as the present - position of the company, and of the directors more especially, makes it desirable that the epinion of the shareholders should sanction an action of so much importance. "The contractors claim the right, under their contract, to ccmplete the whole line from Marchiennes to Vi -eux, at prices and with advantages which, under altered circumstances, are considerably more beneficiai to them than would be granted if a new contract were i e be formed. The contractors undertook this large work without adequate means, and increased their iiebilities by purchasing the works at Thy le Cha tau end acme mines, intending to make them subsidiary ei their operations on the railway. At a critical perioe :he pecuniary accommodation which had supported rhem was suddenly withdrawn; as a consequence the works of the railway must have stopped at a time hen every one was most anxious to have them com pleted. To obviate this serious evil, it was then con ,idered, the directors consented to advance a con idcre.ble SUM of money, to be repaid as the works proceeded, on security which was carefully inquired into ,nd its value duly vouched for by the Belgian solicitor ,t the company and their agent at Brussels. It turns cut that the security is such, that it is impossible to -valise it i❑ the present depressed state of affairs in Belgium. The regular continuation of the railway would have given the contractors advantages and pos .ibly enabled them to fulfil their engagements; that, owev r, is problematical, whilst it is most undesirable to continue any connexion with embarrassed contractors, t high r , rites than present circumstances would justify in a new engagement. " It is unnec, ssary to enumerate the various securities which were given to the company by the contractors, or he circumstances which have rendered them of little or no value; excepting as regards 2,240 shares of this corn -oany, on which has been paid about 161. each as calls, but which at present are of no value, the subsequent ealls being in arrear. The legality of the contractors' claims is contestable, but to litigate it would involve the company in much inconvenience, and interfere with any plan for forwarding the works on the second section ot lie line; on the other hand, it is obviously the interest of the contractors to free their securities from the claims of the company, in order to a more speedy settlement of their affairs with others. It has, there 'ore, been proposed that the contractors should abandon dl claims they may possess under the contract, and all eller claims of every description, and also to abandon 1,000 of their shares to the come any. Tho company, on he other hand, is to give up all pecuniary claims on the ,ontractors, to surrender all the securities they hold, .nd the remainder of the shares, to:the extent of 1,240, if paid in full. The directors, on behalf of the corn ,any, claim from 20,0001. to 24,000/. as due from the ,cntractors. A substantive resolution will be offered to your consideration on this subject. "Referring once more to the report of July, the con sideration of the means of completing the line to Vireux Anna be much longer deferred, the Belgian Govern drent is anxious about a e ork so inapertant in its imeno gate effect on the labouring population of the districe aid the ultimate benefit it will confi r on the mining in erects, and many circurastatces not peculiar to this, ;mpany help to complicate the difficulties of raising ad • hrionul capital, and the directors cannot disguise the 'act, that wi:hout the assistance of the Belgian Govern went much time will elapse before this can be effected. "Already, nighty thousand pounds have been ex pended on the second section of the line. It is confi lastly asserted by the engineer that a further sum of one nuedred and sixty thousand pounds will suffice to open he main lino to Vireux, if certain alteratic ns in the original plan are allowed to be made; but it will be pru lent to assume this sum at two hundred thousand pounds. In order to give some approximate estimate of the receipts on the line ,when open to Vireux, there is ap ended to this report a reprint of the summary ot , raffic, as stated in Mr. Sopwith's original report made .n 1844. The amount of the figures is 56,0001. If the present traffic is estimated at 10,0001., the gross receipts will amount to 66,0001. The working expenses, at a slow rate of speed, need not exceed 18,0001. to 20,0001. per annum, when compared with the outgoings of the first section, leaving an ample margin to secure the pay ment of interest on two hundred thousand pounds, sup posing any dependence can be placed on the inquiries end estimated traffic of Mr. Sopwith. " The benefit to a❑ important portion of Belgium, to be derived from this railway, will be very great, and the income sufficient to destroy all risk; it is, therefore, that [he directors are not without hope that the shareholder: .and other capitalists of this country may be induced to provide the necessary funds, and that the Belgian Go vernment will guarantee a minimum rate of interest to protect them from all uncertainty of fair remuneration. with the chance of great profits." A lengthy report from Mr. Sheward, the resident director of the line, dated from Jardinet, Jan. 2, 1850, which dealt with the matters alluded to and explained in the official report of the directors, was then read. The following is an abstract of the accounts : " Share Capital Account —Sept. 30,1849—T0 amount of calls made at 201. per share on 31,000 shares, 620,0001.; by amount of calla received, 613,5201.; by ditto, on shares reserved for the contractors, 6,4801. " Construction and Traffic Account Receipts, 654,428/. Iss. 9d.; expenditure, 619,8361. 3s. 5d.; by balance, viz., amount deposited with the French Govern. moat, 2,000/., ditto, advanced to the contractors, 30,142/. Bs. 10d., ditto, of cash, 2,450/. 35. 6d.-34,592/. 12s. 41; total, 654,4281. 15s. 9d. " Approximate Statement—To the 31st Dec., 1849 Receipts, 38,2301. Os. 5d.; Expenditure, 4,485/. 2s. Id,; by balance, viz., amount with the French Government, 2,0001., ditto, contractors, 30,142/. Bs. 10d., ditto, by cash, 1,602/. 9s. 6d.; total, 38,2301. Os. sd. "Debts, 4,2241. 16s. 1061.; available—cash, 1,6021. 9s. ed., sums due, 1,612/.. 9s. 10d, " The passenger and goods traffic during the year had amounted to 7,6301. ss. 7d. from Jan. to Dec., 1849. The CHAIRMAN addressed the proprietors, and said he liked their present position better than when he left Brussels, whence he had gone to assist Mr. Sheward in promoting a suitable arrangement with the Belgian Government ; and they were much indebted to the Belgian Minister of Public Works, who bad given up his favourite plan of an universal railway tariff, in order that he might not break faith with the company. Two important questions were submitted to their consideration in the report, viz , the settlement of the claims of the contractors, and the creation of new capital in order to carry on the line to Vireux. These were matters which the directors left entirely to the decision of the proprietors. Unless they carried the line to Vireux, they could not expect any remuneration for the capital they had invested in the undertaking. His own opinion was that they should unquestionably do so.—(Hear.) They would thus complete their original line, and carry coals and other minerals into France. There were difficul ties in the way of raising additional capital, because their present position was by no means favourable to that view, though by no means unpromising. The Belgian Government had done much to disgust and damp English speculation. Belgium acted rather on the principle of compulsion than of conciliation or kindness.—(llear, hear.) Now, he considered that it was to the interest cf the Belgian Government to lend a helping hand to the completion of the line, by guaranteeing 5 per cent. on the capital, provided they were enabled to raise it. After some further remarks, the CHAIRMAN moved the adoption of the report and accounts. A SHAREHOLDER blamed the directors for taking the useless security they had from the contractors, and was altogether opposed to giving them a number of shares, which, even at their depreciated price, would realise a considerable sum, and moved that the report be adopted, with the exception of the paragraph relating to the giving of 1,240 shares to the contrac tors, and the proposed arrangement with them. After considerable discussion the report was adopted with the exception of the paragraph re ferred to. A motion was then passed empoweiiug the aitec tors to come to terms with the contractors in accord- once with the rules of their original contract, with the view to its determination. It appeared that until this was done they could not enter into a new con tract. _ _ A SHAREHOLDER moved that the contractors be not allowed to have the 1,240 shares. Mr. SHEWARD said the question he had to consider in the negotiations he had been engaged in was the best terms he could get ; that was the question to which he was reduced. Could he have got better he would have done so. Unless, they entered into the pro posed arrangement they would lose 30,0001., which was an important consideration.—(Hear, hear.) Besides, unless they proceeded with their line, their property was liable to confiscation, and if time were lost they would not be able to come to terms with the Government of Belgium during the present session of the representatives. Unless they adopted the proposed arrangement they might get out of the frying pan into the fire. At any rate, let the whole responsibility of accepting or negativing the proposi tion rest with the proprietors and not with him. If rejected he would as their servant endeavour to obtain better terms.—(Heat) The contractor, though in solvent, could sell his contract to others. Mr. BURKE opposed the proposed arrangement, on the ground that they would lose 25,0001, and that it would be better f,r Mr. Sheward to proceed with his negotiations, as he believed he might obtain better terms than hose he had obtained. N. GUEDALLA supported the proposed arrange ment, and considered that the proprietors were per fectly safe in the hands of the directors. At length the amendment was agreed to, power was given to raise 200,0001. to complete the line, and a vote of thanks having been awarded to the directors, the meeting adjourned. ROYAL FREEMASONS' SCHOOL FOR FEMALE CHILDREN.—(TIIIS DAY.) A quarterly general Court of this institution was held to-day at the School house, Westminster-road, to place approved candidates on the list for the elec tion in April, and for other business. W. F. Beadon, Esq., presided. This is one of those excellent educational institu tions abounding in the metropolis, in which the original intentions of the founder have not been diverted from, but have been carried out in a manner the most praiseworthy. The charity was established in 1788, by Chevalier Ruspini, whose portrait graces one of the rooms, for the purpose of maintaining, clothing, and educating female children, daughters of brethren belonging to the ancient and honourable society of Free and Accepted Masons, who, from affluent or prosperous circumstances, have become so reduced as to require its aid, and for protecting and preserving them from the dangers and misfortunes to which distressed young females are peculiarly exposed. Although it is supported entirely by voluntary contributions, no less thin 616 children have been admitted into the school since its foundation, the report stating "most cf these have been returned to their friends, some have been apprenticed or pro vided with situations, and all have become good and useful members of society"—a most satisfactory an nouncement, which redounds greatly to the honour and usefulness of the ancient and distinguished fraternity of Freemasons. The minutes of the previous meeting having been confirmed, and the accounts, which showed that the funds were in a flourishing and satisfactory state, having been passed, the Secretary intimated the de cease of Louis Hayes Petit, Esq., one of the vice presidents, a th. the school, There and a most active memb e r of the charity. Mr. Beadon was unanimously elected to fill up the vac vacancies ancy for occasioned were four and only six candidates, who were all approved of his by the meetingi and allowed to stand for the next election. children by in d B. fore breaking up several of the subscribers visited the children, who were arranged in the school room, and presented a picture of health and neatness such as any institution might be proud of. Although none were above sixteen, the penmanship would have startled the most experienced caligraphist, and the needlework of others excelled the best efforts of clever matrons, whilst their general education seemed :o be of a kind most useful to them in the sphere of fe in which they are most likely to move. SHERIFFS' COURT.-(THIS DAY (Before Mr. Under-Sheriff BURCHELL.) PHELPS V, CAMPBELL—GETTING UP A COMPANY. This was an action to recover the sum of 51. for money lent under the following circumstances. Defendant pleaded that he was not indebted. Mr. HAWKINS stated the case. The facts were these —in 18•t7 defendant, who held a cheque drawn by a Mr. Ford, applied to plaintiff, through a Mr. Tapson, to cash it, but on the understanding that it was not to be presented for week, as Mr Ford would not be pre pared. The cheque was sent down to plaintiff, who is a solicitor at Newport, and the cash returned in due course; but some time afterwards plaintiff received a com munication that the cheque had been irregularly drawn, as Ford had no assets in the hands of the bankers who were the batlkers of a company to which he was secre tary, and requesting th:tt the cheque might be changed for one on Ford's bankers; this was complied with, but the cheque was dilioneured. He (Mr. Hawkins) con ceived that the defeuce would be, that there were cash :rans9etions between plaintiff and Tapson, and that this eh, clue formed part of the account; but it was difficult to see how that could affect the present case. Mr. Tapson was called and proved the facts as stated. In cross-examination witness was asked whether Mr. Phelps had not been promised to be appointed solicitor to the company ? Mr. HAWKINS objected to the question, but The Learned UNDER- SHERIFF said it could not be known what the result might be in cross-examination. - D NN e l fe n n e d s a s ns denieds Solicitor i a c l i l t o knowledge j any e ocft edthat p r omise. s the money had been advanced solely on the security of the cheque, therefore the presentation of the cheque must be pruved the same as on a bill of exchange. The Learned UNDER•SHERIFF said this was a mere question of money lent, if the cheque had been declared on then the prEsentation must be proved. He should therefore allow the case to go to the jury. The defendant's solicitor then addressed the jury to show that all the parties had been engaged in getting up a company for the navigation of the River Abbersley, North America, and that the money had been advanced to Tapson and not to defendant. The jury, however, gave a verdict for the plaintiff for tho amount claimed. our Afterno on Edi tion .) CRIMINAL f e i rom OU RT.—(THIS DAY.) THE TRIAL C.F SARAH DRA KE FOR 3I ORDER. Thomas Kinder—l am superintendent of the Notting ham,hire police. In consequence of information received from constable Smith, I went to North Leverton. and saw the box opened. I afterwards came to London, and went with one of the metropolitan police to No. 33, Harloy-street, where we saw the prisoner in the housekeeper's room. I asked her if sha was Sarah Drake. She said yes. I said " From Notting hamshire?" She said yes. I then said I had to h e of murdering her child, aLewisppreDnd ra ke on a . her sh She said, a c i h d a , T rio w do you know that?" I said a dead body had been found in a box, which had been sent to North Leverton, and round the en sat t o h body was found an apron marked '• Sar a h D ra k e ." She then ak t t e down m a r a y n i d e b blg o a. roo n to ii c e. ry o . She was afterwards ffi ce. Witcher, the policeman who accompanied the preceding witness to 33, Harley-street, proved that he found there some aprons belonging to the prisoner, marked " S. Drake," and that he received a bunch of keys from the prisoner, one of which fitted the box in which the child was found. Mrs. Johnson was called, and identified the clothes found in the box with the body to be the clothes of the child, Lewis Drake. Mary Ann Briggs, the searcher at the Marylebone Police-office, proved that she searched the prisoser, and whilst she was doing so she asked the prisoner what she was charged with. The prisoner did not answer, and wit ness asked her a second time. She then asked if witness was a married woman. Witness replied she, was and had a family. Prisoner then said, "You can feel fur me," and added, "it is all about a child." Witness asked if it was a new-born baby. She said it was not, it was two years old and she had hung it. She also said that she owed a woman who had kept it some money and she (the prisoner) had done it in a moment. She said she had sent the child to her sister to be buried, and that her sister had made all the noise about it, and that she (the prisoner) would be hung for it. Cross•cxamined—l only asked her what she was charged with. She said the woman had been with her about the money, and she had done it in a moment. The letters written by the prisoner were then put in and read. Those letters have already appeared in our columns. This was the case for the prosecution. Mr. COLLIER, for the prisoner, submitted that one part of the case for the prosecution had not been made out. It had not been shown that the child alleged to have been murdered bore the name stated in the in dictment. The first two sets of counts in the indict ment described the name of the child respectively to be Lewis Drake:and Lewis Taverner; and the evidence of his name having been either the one or the other was, that he was, when addressed, uniformly addressed as " Lead," but that on one or two occasions, which Mrs. Johnson men tioned to persons, although she did not remember to whom, the child in her custody was called Lewis Drake. That, standing alone would not be sufficient evidence to show that the child's name was Lewis Drake by repu - ation. There was , another count in the indictment in which it was alleged that the child's name was Lewis only, and that it was an illegitimate child. Now there was no proof of the child being illegitimate. Tin re was only the evidence of the brother, who said he thought his sister was not a married woman ; but he proved that his sister had IN en from home for a period of thirteen years. For anything the brother knew she m'ght have been married. Mr. PARRY f o ll owe d on the same side, contending that there was no proof that the prisoner was either a single or a married woman, and that, assuming that:she was a married woman, and that the child was, therefore, it! 1,11,; 4.1if1 ovn 1w Lord Coke, a bastard couid not have a surname. It there were two perfectly fair but contrary inferences to be drawn from the evidence, he submitted that their Lordships ought to adopt the inference most favourable to the prisoner. Mr. Justice PATTESON was of opinion that there was some evidence of reputation, and that there was some evidence of the child being born a bastardl; and he thought, moreover, this was a matter to go the jury. Mr. COLLIER then proceeded to address the jury en behalf of the prisoner. He said the duty of an ad vocate in cases of this kind was at all times a painful and distressing one. While, on the one hand, he could not but feel deeply the responsibility he owed to his client, whose lite was entrusted to his hands, he could not, or ought not to, forget that his duties to his client did not absolve him from those paramount duties which all men owed to society. This case was a peculiarly painful one to them all. They were called u - pon to contemplate a crime, the very first con • ,ideration of which raised the most acute fe, lings in the human breast. That crime was not merely a violation of the laws of God and man, but it was a vioktion of one of the strongest instincts which had been implanted in the human breast, and which had not even been denied to the brute creation. That was the instinct of maternal love, of which the most abandoned of women could not entirely divest themselves, for it was well knots n that in their deepest degradation they were yet tenderly compassionate to their offspring. In de picting the blackest of female characters, the greatest of poets had added one touch of humanity, of which she could not denude herself. He made Lady Macbeth say — "I have given suck, And I know how tender it is To love the babe that milks me." They were called on to believe that the Almighty had deprived the wretched creature in the dock of that in stinct which be had given to the inferior animals; they were called on to behove that she committed this act iu her sober senses and with deliberation. He submitted that the counsel for the prosecution were bound to prove not only that the prisoner committed the murder, but that while she did it she was iu possession of her whole mind. Whether or not mental alienation might be admitted as a defence before this world's tribunals, they had the greatest reason to believe that that greatest of all evils, aberration of mind, would be a plea admitted before a higher tribunal, before which they would all have to stand. Was it shown that the prisoner possessed any ferocity of cha racter? So far as the evidence went she appeared to have been a gentle and inoffensive being, injuring none, although suffering the deepest injury which a woman could receive at the hands of man when he made her the victim of seduction. Was she without a mother's feelings ? The evidence for the prosecution bad shown she possessed strongly that maternal instinct common to alt mothers. It had been proved - that so far from being indifferent to this child, she had exerted herself to the utmost to maintain it, and that she took every care with respect to the pro vision to be made both for its health and its spiritual welfare. She might have di stroyed it, if she had been so disposed, before she took it to Mrs. Johnson. She agreed to pay six shillings a week for its maintenance, when she might have had it kept for half that sum. The Learned Counsel then adverted to certain rumours prejudicial to the prisoner, which had been circulated by the newspapers. He was far from undervaluing the services which the press rendered to the state, or a certain censorship which the press as sumed, and rightly assumed, to some extent over the consciences of juries. But all advantages had their corresponding evils, and one of the evils incident to the press was, that in every case of peculiar interest re marks and reports found their way into the newspapers to the great prejudice of persons who were brought before the public tribunals to answer for the commission of crime. There had been reports circu lated by the press against the prisoner, net one of which had been given in evidence to-day. He implored the jury to dismiss all such rumours from their minds and apply themselves selely to what had been made matter of evidence. Was it true that the prisoner up to the time when this deed was committed had the ordinary feelings of a mother ? Was she attached to the child or was she not ? According to the evidence on the part of the prosecution, this child was the off , pring of shame, the memorial of her own frailty and the wickedness of another. She had, nevertheless endeavoured to conceal her shame; though she had not escaped the gulph which awaited every woman who left the paths of virtue, she had not wholly fallen, and she had contrived to keep herself comparatively uncontaminated by endeavouring to sup port herself and her child, and to re-establish her repute Sion. The Learned Counsel submitted that this act was contrary to all female instinct, and the only reasonable and just construction to be put upon it was, that it was committed by the prisoner in a moment of frenzy, dis traction, and despair. It was not his intention to call medical trl jai ' n eui t : Ttni n eeghde t rpe o etwycoai s ats p seowsa e :t a teyehl k rieis t ndk o heenal eitheedbswebe result deliberation eft i hni f a t oaoeantmne this eqoprau acquitted prisoner's dait tterihyde state efdwoe rrtwhooeofhesp testimony permanent doe d anr c . nyotennihnlo the crimes with which they had been charged av'mn insanity.awcttsdhtcieofedoma contended that there was nothing to show any delibera tion or previous intention to take away the life of this un happy child, but that the deed was committed in a moment of temporary frenzy, and in a state of horror and despair, through which loomed the prospect of want and privation. Need he mention to the jury how many good and pious men had committed suicide, or taken away the lives of their children in a moment of frenzy ? He might, however, cite the case of a man who was one of the greatest ornaments of his (Mr. Collier's) own profession, the late Sir Samuel Romilly, who, iu an hour of deep domestic bereavement, laid violent hands upon himself. If the reason of a man I like Sir Samuel Romilly bad been shaken from its balance under misfortune, what might they expect of a frail tottering woman, like the prisoner, under kindred circumstances? He repeated that the only solution which could be put upon the prisoner's conduct was that she did the deed in a moment of tem porary frenzy. In conclusion, he reminded the jury that the fate of this woman, now borne down with phy sical and mental suffering greater than earthly tribunals could inflict, was in their hands, and might Ged lead them to a just and merciful conclusion. Mr. Justice PATTESON summed up the case to the jury, telling them that with respect to the suggestion of A few minutes before five o'cloc k the jury retired to s temporaryinter i i n n s s a a n n i t y y a f i r t o m c o t u h l e d a n t r e o v c e i r t y b a just o e f a crime. onclu consider their verdict, and after being absent abuut a insanity. T d q i u c a t rt o e f r of x O a T n h G ou u r iL re T t y ur , ne o d n i t n h t e o g c o r o u h r t e d a n e d f g t a e v m e p a o rvaerry the Mr. Justice PATTESCN the n directed the p risoner to v h e ar o p ie r t i . soner fainted away on the announcement o f be confined during her Majesty's pleasure. EGYPT AND TURKEY - _ Letters from Alexandria of the 18th ult. state that the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Artin Bey, had gone to Comtantinople to offer to the e sultan the Egyptian fleet, either as a set-off against the annual tribute or for money. GREECE. The Augsburg Gazette publishes a letter from Athens, of the 25th ult., which states that Metaxa having been unable to form a Ministry, the King had sent fur Admiral Kriezis, who had formed a Ministry as follows :—President of the Council and Minister of Marine, Kriezis ; War, Staicos ; Interior, Notaras ; Foreign, Londos ; AVorsinp, Chrysophelos; Justice (and provisionally Finance), Balbis. The Chambers re-assembled on the 22d. TATTERSALL'S-THIS EVENING Six O'CLOCK LIVERPOOL STEEPLECHASE. 15 to 1 agst Sir John 20 to 1 agst Vain Hope 33 to 1 agst Farnham CHESTER CUP. 50 to 1 agst Dough 6G to 1 agst Ellerdalo 66 to 1 agst Horn of Chase DERBY. 8 to 1 agst Bolingbroke 13 to 1 *gat Knight of Avenel 17 to 1 agst Voltigeur 30 to 1 agst Mayors ATTEMITED MURDER NEAR DRURF-LANE.—On Tuesday night a case of the use of the knife in passion took place in the neighbourhood of Drury-lane. Two tailors, one of them deaf and dumb, had been engaged at work, and from some unknown cause Keeling, the dumb man, exhibited feelings of anger towards the other, whose name is Levy. A scuffl3 ensued between them, when Keeling took fa m one of his pockets a painter's putty-knife, and aimed at Levy's throat. The knife entered the right side of the jugu lar vein, and caused a frightful gash. An alarm was raised, and after some s ...;... , , drowne d Accidental fromdifficulty Keeling was secure d, and taken to Bow -stree t office, when Mr. Henry rema nded him. The p rosecu tor was conveyed to King's Colleg e L lo3 p ital in a ver y pre carious state. THE RECENT Loss OF LIFE AT T H E SERTENTINE. —Yesterday Mr. Bedford held a n in q ues t r el ative to the death on of s Tuhnodmayas last. Drayton, The v v e ho rd verdict was Via breaking through the ice , while s k at in g on the Serpen tine, death." NECESSITY or LIFE ASSURANCE.—An instance very recently occurred (and which was r e l a t e d to us by themedicalattendant of the family of the party) show ing the great uncertainty of life and the necessity of as far as possible securing, by assurance, against the pe cuniary difficulties attendant on sudden death. A gen tleman residing in the City, and who, during a long series of years, enjoyed uninterruptedly good health, at the suggestion of his friend, to whom we have already adverted, assured his life with a London office for 5,0001. Upon the Sunday next following the completion of the policy, and whilst taking his usual walking exercise, he ruptured a blood-vessel, which resulted in death within torty.six hours.— The Reporter. A GENTLEMAN DROWNED NEAR BRFCHIN.— learn from a private letter that Peter Bell, Esq., of Ba, conuel and Birkhill, was drowned in the South Esk, on last Thursday evening, while crossing that river in his gig, by the Careston Ford. The empty gig, with the horse atta c h e d, was acc i denta l ly seen i n th e river next day, a sho r t way d own; and led to t h e di scove ry of the melancholy c a t as t rop h e . His body had not been found up y if " ,he first cattie:dettiers in the district.—Ura.sgolv Daily Mail. CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT. OLD COURT. (Before Mr. Justice PATTESON and Mr. Justice TALFOURD.) THE CASE OF EDWARD NAIRNE. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) The note written by Beeton, the clerk to the pri soner, was then put in and read. and from this docu ment it appeared that the 1,0001, Exchequer•bill formed part of the consideration for the cheque fir 2,2001. that was placed to the prisoner's account by Messrs. Brown and Co. Mr. BODKIN having called two other witnesses, intimated that this was the case for the prosecution. Mr. CLARKSON said, that there was a witness of the name of 'Kigali on the back of the bill, and as he considered his evidence was material on the part of the prisoner, he hoped his Learned Friend would put him in the box. Mr. BODKIN intimated that he should not call that person. 2,1 r. Justice PATTESON observed, that it was cus tomary where a witness's name appeared on the back of an indictment, for the Counsel for the prosecution, although he did not think it advisable to examine him himself, to put him in the box, that he might be examined by the prisoner's Counsel if he thought proper Mr. BODKIN said it was, he believed, always con sidered a matter of discretion, and it appeared to him in this case not advisable to call the person referred to, and he should therefore decline to do so. Mr. Justice PATTESON said, as this was the case the Court would call the witness. Charles Henry Ingall was accordingly called, and upon Mr: Bodkin declining to put any question to him, he was examined by Mr. Clarkson. He deposed that in May and June of last year he was engaged as clerk to the prisoner, and Beeton was a fellow clerk, and he used to draw cheques for the prisoner by procuration. He remembered seeing the cheque for 2,2001. in the beginning of June, but he could not say whether it was shown to him by Beeton or not. He said he knew that Breton sold some Exchequer bills that were in the strong box, and that Mr. Nairne was not in London when the sale took place. lie wrote Mr. Nairne's name upon the back of the cheque, and either gave it to Beeton or paid it into the bankers. Beeton went away the day before the fiat of bankruptcy was issued against the prisoner on the 15th August. By Mr. BODKIN—Mr. Nairne's residence was at Richmond. Mr. CLARKSON then addressed the jury, and he commenced by observing that it was a very painful duty for him to do so on behalf of a gentleman who bad for a great number of years borne the highest character for integrity in the commercial world, and who now stood before them to answer a charge of the most serious character; and he could not help ex pressing an opinion that the case had been conducted against him in a most scandalous and infamous manner. They were not on the present occasion squabbling in a County Court about a paltry debt of forty shillings, but the question was, whether or not a gentleman, who had hitherto borne an unsullied character, had been guilty of an offence which would subject him to the punishment of transportation; and yet his Learned Friend, who he was sure had acted from the instructions that were forced upon him, and not from his own judgment, had refused to call a witness who had been examined on behalf of the prosecution before the magistrate, and whose name now appeared on the back of the bill, because, as it appeared, that his evidence might be favour able to the prisoner. He considered that the pri soner had been most unfairly dealt with through. out the transaction. When he became a bankrupt all his papers were seized, and he was denied acceses to them, and he was thus prevented from showing what number of cheques had actually been drawn by Beeton, although the prosecutors were well aware that the prisoner's defence had always been that Becton was the guilty party. Had the jury any doubt that this person had at all events a guilty share in the matter, when they saw what his conduct had been ? With regard to the prisoner it was not enough to say that his conduct was suspicious, or that it was very probable he had had some share in the transac tion ; but the prosecutors were bound to establish his guilt by the clearest testimony, and if they left any doubt of the fact, the prisoner was entitled to the be nefit of it. Beeton was authorised to draw cheques— he had assess to the strong box, and it was for them to say whether it was not extremely probable that he had disposed of the property without the knowledge or sanction of the prisoner ? They had heard that one cheque had been drawn for 10,0001., and for all they knew to the contrary this very cheque might have been drawn by Beeton, but the prosecutors prevented them from showing 'that fact by retaining all the cheques in their possession. Mr. Justice PATTESON here interfered, and said that before the Learned Counsel proceeded any further with his address, he should wish to ask the witness Ingall another question or two. Ingall was accordingly recalled, and, in answer to questions put by his Lordship, he said that the prisoner was at Boulogne when the fiat of bank - ruptcy issued against him, but he said he only knew this from what Beeton told him. The prisoner did not come to the office for a month before the bank ruotcy, but he was seen a week before at his house at Richmond. By Mr. BODKlN—Witness saw the prisoner at Boulogne. Mr. 13werem then wished the witness to be asked where he had last seen Beeton, but The Learned JTJDGE said that as the question did not arise out of any of those which he had himself put, he did not think it ought to be asked. Mr. CLARKSON, in continuing his address, com plained of the conduct of Mr. Bodkin, in endeavour. ing to screw out a verdict by getting evidence from a witness whom he had before rejected as unworthy of belief. Mr. BODKIN said he was surprised that his Learned Friend should apply such observations to him. They were both ungentlemanly and uncalled for. Mr. Justice PATTESON said he certainly considered they were uncalled for, and it would have been better if they had not been made. Mr. CLARKSON said he could not help expressing his opinion that the prosecution had been most scan dalously and unfairly conducted. Mr. BODKIN said he was in the hands of the Court, and he would put it to them whether this was proper language to be made use of? He could only say in reply to what was stated by Mr. Clarkson, that he considered the case had been conducted ;in a most proper manner, and if' he had to prosecute in a similar case the next day he should do it in precisely the same way. Mr. CLARKSON then concluded his address, by repeating some of the former assertions, tending to show that Beeton was actually the guilty party, and that he was alone responsible; and he argued that, as there was no clear evidence that the prisoner was cognizant of his proceedings, or had sanctioned them in any manner, that he was entitled to an acquittal upon the present charge. Mr. Justice PATTESON then summed up, and having referred to the statute and explained to the jury the precise nature of the charge against the pri soner, he said that in order to support the indictment the jury must be satisfied that the prisoner was a broker or agent, and that the property in question had been placed on his premises for a specific purpose, and that he had without authority afterwards converted the instrument to his own use. The Learned Judge then went through the evidence and said that the material question for the jury to decide was, whether the Exchequer-bill in question had been disposed of by the prisoner, or with his sanction. If they believed it had, the case was made out against him, but if they entertained any doubt upon the subject, it would be their duy to acquit him. The jury, after deliberating for a short time in the box, retired, and after being absent a quarter of an hour, they returned into court and gave a verdict of Guilty. Mr. CLARKSON requested the Court to inquire whether the jury were of opinion that the prisoner had authorised the act of disposing of the property in the first instance, or whether he merely concurred in it afterwards, as in one view it might afford a point for consideration to the Court of Appeal. Mr. Justice PATTESON having put the question to the jury, they replied, that they were of opinion that the prisoner both sanctioned the act in the first in stance, and concurred in it afterwards. Mr. HUDDLESTONE said there were two other in dictments against the prisoner of a similar character, one of them having reference to the other Exchequer bills that had been mentioned, and the second was the case of a clergyman, who had placed 1,9001. in the prisoner's hands, to invest in Russian bonds, the whole of which sum hee had appropriated to his own use. He wished to know whether the Court considered it necessary to proceed with these indictments ? The Learned Judges having conferred together, said they considered it would be more satisfactory that another indictment should be tried before judg ment was pronounced. Charles Franklin, 18, was convicted upon the clearest testimony , of an atrocious assault upon his half sister, a child• nine years old. It was stated that he was of weak intellect; and the jury recommended him to mercy on account of his youth and previous good character. Mr. Justice TALFOURD sent• need hire -0 be keot to hard labour for two years. We PAUPERISM IS ON THE DECLINE IN THE HENLEY UNIoN.—At the close of the 3 ear 1848, there were in tho union 380 persons; at the present time there are only 210, shooing a decrease of 170, who are classified as tollowsi—able-bodied men, 14 ; women, 30 ; boys under 16 years of age, 47; girls do., 61; old men, 36; (.1d wornkr, 22. Reading Kerenry, ALP. ;0r Ai 7, l!A j. "SurrP:,•, ims made a deduction of 10 per cent. on the last year's rent of his estates in Kent. SAVINGS' BANKS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sin,—By direction of the Board of Managers of this institution, I forward to you copies of a latter, written by command of his Royal Highness the Prince Albert, President of the Institution, and of the resolution unanimously adopted thereon by this Board. As the subject referred to is one of considerable importance, as regards savings' banks and provident in4itutions gen erally, you may deem it of sufficient public interest and concer❑ to give insertion to these documents in your journal. I ain, Sir, your obedient servant, EDWARD BOODLE, Comptroller and Secretary of the Provident Institution, St. Marti►n's-place. Jan. 8. " Windsor Castle, Dec. 27, 1849. "My dear Sir,—l have laid before the Prince Albert your letter of the 24th instant, together with the p-aper,, which accompanied it. " His Royal Highness is much pleased to see so large an increase of the number of depositors, and of the balances, which speaks so strongly of the in creased prosperity and feeling of security of the middle and lower classes. " llis Royal highness wishes very much that, after late occurrences, an institution at the head of which stands his Royal Highness's name as President, should take the lead in subjecting itself to some inde pendent audit, of the strictest and most searching kind. " I need not say that this wish is not founded upon the slightest doubt or want of confidence upon the part of his Royal Highness, but he thinks that such an example from such an institution would be of very great value, and would serve not only to raise it very much in the estimation of the public, but would tend to rest“re the public confidence in savings' banks, which mast have been shaken by the disgraceful expose which has taken place in an establishment bearing, up to the day of the discovery, a very high character. " Such a voluntary submission of their mounts, upon the part of an institution standing so high as the St. Martin's place Provident.lnstitution, would be a precedent of immense importance. " I am commanded to request that you will submit this letter to the Committee of Managers. " Sincerely yours, (Signed) " C. B. Puirrs. " To Edward Boodle, Esq." "At the special meeting of the Committee of Ma nage rs of the Provident Institution, held at their board room, St. Martin's-place, on Tuesday, the Ist of January, the following resolution was unani mously agreed to : " That this Committee of Managers cordially con cur in the suggestion of his Royal Highness', con veyed to them by Colonel Phipps's letter read at this meeting ; and that it is quite ready to submit the account of this institution to the examination of any person or persons who may be appointed for that purpose." THE CouNTRY MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, JAN. B.—Small attendance, the weather he'll , very severe; great firmness prevails in the trade. The usiness doing is on a moderate scale. In prices no alteration since Friday can be quoted. LEEDS, JAN. B.—The vessels which had been detained have not made their passage, and the show of samples to day is consequently nut large. Since Friday we have , hnd a return pit frost,; still millers continue to buy very cautiously, and prices of wheat have receded Is per qaartcr from last week's rates. Barley gives way in price; oats, Leans., and other articles without variatioa. Arrivals —W heat, 2,579; oats, 1,054; barley, 967; beans, 200; shellings, 90; pease, 306; rapeseed, 330. NEWCASTLE, JAN. B.—At this morning's market we have a fair supply of farmers' wheat. The trade for all articles ruled exceedingly dull, and finest samples of wheat and barley must be written la per quarter lower, while for inferior sorts a still further redaction had to be submitted to. Flour very difficult to quit, though off'-red at 14 per sack less money. No change in other • articles. NEWCASTLE CATTLE MARKET, JAN. B.—A fair supply of beasts of good quality. Trade dull at former rates, and part remain on hand. r - lieep trade more active, and a shade higher, with a good appearance. Number of beasts and sheep at market same as last week. Beasts, 600; sheep, 4,000. Beef, 4s 6d to 65 Od per stone. Mutton, 4d to sid per lb. EDINBURGH MEAL MARKET, JAN. B.—There were in the market to-day 48 sacks oatmeal, each aeighirig 2801bs imperial, which sold thus:-0 at 11 6s Od. 0 at 115 s 6d, 13 at 1/ ss, 10 at 114 s 6d, 20 at 114 s, and 5 at 1/3s 6d; average price of the whole 114 a 3d 10-12tih 4 sacks flour, whereof 2 sold at 295, and 2 lit 26s 6d. 5 sacks pot-barley, which sold thus:-1 at 11 6s Od, lat 114 s 6d, 2atl/ 3s Od, and lat 11 2 s Od. EDINBURGH HAY AND STRAW MARKET, JAN. 8. -- Supplies of all kinds still large. Oat straw, from 78 6d t O lOs Od per kemple of 'l6 stones tron; wheat ditto, 63 6 0 to 8s Od; barley ditt o , 5 s Od t o 6 s 6d. H a y, from Si to tOd per stone. DALKEITH MEAL M ARKET , J AN . 7.—There pre 166 bags of oatmeal, and 19 of barleymeal at this CIO 6 market_. Sales ready. O atmea l 3d on the top doves , ' also 3d down on the current pace; baileytneal same on the top, 3d down on the current price. Oatmeal, per sack, of 280 lbs. First Second Third imperial .. ..• ... 23s 6d 22s 6d 22 s Od Barleyrneal, per ditto ... 17s Od 16s 9d 16s Gd Peasetneal _s Od —s Od —s Flour --8 Od —e Od —s Od Pot barley ••• —s Od —s Od —s Od COAL MARK E . Elolywell Ord's Rcdheugh Vanfield Moor Wylzin ___ l6s Od :T.—YESTERDAY. Jonassohns l6s 13 Keepier Lambton IN. Hetton Lyons .. Russell's Hetton 1 Whitwell ..... 1 Caradoe ..... ...... Kelloe Thornley West Belmont 175 6 . ; West Hetton 175 37, Whitworth 145 6 r, Cownden Tees ... T ees Ships at market, 148• Wall's End, &c Acorn Close Gosforth . Hutton Heaton Riddell's l6s 9d Lambton Primrose Bell Braddyll Belmont l7s 9d Hetton PROTECTION MEETING —A meeting of farnlel and others was held yesterday at Shrewsbury, conven ed by the High Sheriff of the county of Shropshire/ i s consequence of a requisition presented to him for tb purpose of considering the depressed state of the ago cultural interest. Upwards of 2,000 persons were pr e ' sent, and on the platform, with the Hi g h Sh e riff, we r observed Viscount Newport, M.P., R. A. Slaney, k st i: M.P., Sir A. Cordell, the Hon. It. 11. Clive, M.P., The first resolution, which declared that the agric il " tural and other great interests were in a state of distress in consequence of the adoption of free trade, and whi e , would continue to increase if protection was not subste, toted, was proposed by Mr. Benson, and seconded by :qr. Davis. Mr. Shirley, M.P., denied that distress A + 1 " general, but no doubt the agricultural interest was a r pressed in consequence of the large free importation c foreign corn. He declared himself in favour of a fi%_ A duty, which he regretted the Whigs had not p r oposg`" as an amendment to Sir R. Peel's plan.—(The aft Memb- r was heard with the great es t impatience, wilt% at length obliged him to con c l u d e. ) Th e reso l ut i on 11 , 4- carried, as were oth e rs i n con d emnat i on o f free trauer and the meeting broke up. TRING, READING, AND BASINGSTOKE RAILIVAIr•" ... On Tuesday, the Master in Chancery, Richards, Pr cr ceeded with the winding up of this company's affair!' and decided that all transferees of the company's scrip were entitled to be placed on the list of contributori es ' and to share in the surplus assets in respect of the s hare: transferred to them, in lieu of the original holders, but without affecting in any degree the liability of the 41, this to be held contributories in the discharge of, if any, °I I . O standing claims. The lists were proceeded with on . principle and settled; and the holders of scrip in th l position will be entitled to a dividend of 10s. per share' to be declared out of the surplus assets in hand. [A DVERTISEMENT.]—A Lieutenant of DragO n i g + cured of Rheumatism by Holloway's Ointment and Pills. — 11 4 1 „ officer, who is in the Dutch army, states, in a letter to a John Straatman, of Bois-le-Dac, wholesale agent for Helh e dr ~ that Holloway's Pills and Ointment have cured him of Rhe a matism, which appeared to him incurable, a s neither sea bs__,., 6 " ing, vapour baths, nor preparations vaunted as sure reM, dies, did him any good, and the treatment of the doeters, +. d e several months' trial, was without success. At this junct7, 4 he commenced taking these Pills, and rubbing the OistrO c ' e d into the affected parts twice a day, which effectually Cared him. Sold by all Druggists and at Professor Holloway's Es's'b, lishrnent, 244, Strand, London. BIRTHS, On the sth inst., at Harwood.hall, the lady of Capes Hamilton, of a dauhter. n the 6th inst., at the Rectory, Kirkby Overblow, '°- shire, the wife of the Rev. H. Blunt, of a daughter. On the 6th inst., the wife of W. T. Clarke, Esq., of Ue e James-street, Bedord-row. of a daughter. On the 7th inst. in Gordon-square, the wife of J. Crin- 1 Pickersgill, Esq., o ' f a daughter. On the 7th inst., of a daughter, the wife of Dr. S. ges erir of York-place, Islington, and Gloucester-lodge, Croydon. On the eth inst., in Ebury-street, Pimlico, the wife ° G. Lynde, jun., Esq , of a daughter. es' On the Bth inst , in G ower - s t ree t, the wife of W. CO S Esq., of a daughter. MARRIED. On the Bth inst., at St. George-the-Martyr, Southiforti" Alfred, third s on o f th e l a t e M a tth ew W ar t on , Esq., of !:13 - ; cliff, to Ann, eldest daughter of Mr. Henry Hart, Bog" So On utwark. the Bth inst., at St. Lawrence ' , Thanet, William, seco nd ~f, son of Thomas Groves, Esq. of Manor.house, Bermonel s 'd" to Susan, second daughter of T. Hooper, Esq., Chilton. DIED. On the 4th inst., at Halton Castle, Cheshire, aged 83 ' II Smith, Esq , of Longsight, Manchester. On the sth inst., aged 57, at Burton-on-Trent, the Ile' Peg f,anerly General Baptist issionary in India 0 . , i','; ;Le %Ni:e u; Mr. Stuart, of Fr rick O-street, Gray's Inn-road. erli n the 6th inst., at Hackney, Mr. James Jeffery, for tn of Gracechurch• street, aged "i 8. 31. On the 7th ine., ar, Kensington, Mr. J. W. Yeatee, ag7 t he On the 7th inst.. at Walworth, J. G r eeastreet, Esq.. °' Inland Revenue-office, Old Broad-street, aged 57. On the Bth inst., at Woodford, Mrs. Collins, aged 81, reliot of the late Mr. W. Collins, of Leytonstone. 1 , :blistioct by liiCit_o42 l Ili; Printer, st i'iir , tun Office, " e " t y 4; in ilk, i'iticinct of the Ssvuv. in the volmi - i 81:ddlefaex, Thuraday, January 10, 1850.