The Sun. — London, England, 1850-01-04 00:00:00

MARKET NEW.-(TIIIS DAY CORN-EXCHANGE.-FRIDAY - - - Up to our market, this week, coastwise, only 1,160 quarters of English Wheat have come to hand; hence, the show of samples of both red and white here to-day Was small in the extreme. The attendance of millers being limited, the demand for all kinds of wheat of hom e produce was in a very sluggish state, at Monday's quotations. The imports of Foreign Wheat have been confined to 2,520 Ttarters. All descriptions were very slow in sale, but we have nut the slightest change to notice in value. With Barley— both English and Foreign --we were scantily supplied. On the whole a moderate buthloss was transacted, at previous currencies. Malt was in good supply, and heavy demand, at barely stationery prices. Good sound Oats were scarce, and quite as dear. The inferior parcels ruled dull. Beans, Peas, and all other articles were very dull. English . Scotch... Irish Foreign . 4KIITALS THIS WEEK. Wheat. I Barley, Oats. r Malt. flour. Qrs. Qrs. Qrs. Qrs. Sacks 1,160 2,140 4,180 4,450 5,83) 2,520 3,370 I 5,030 SMITHFIELD. Our market to-day was but moderately supplied with Bouts, the general quality of which was interior, yet the Beef trade was in a sluggish state, at prices barely equal to those obtained on Mondry last. However, a fair clearance was efffcted prior to the conclusion o f business. The numbers of Sh,ep ware larger than those exhibited on this day se'nnight. All kinds, owing to the change in the weather, were a slow sale. In the ( Notations, however, we have no decline to notice; the best old Dawns realising 4s 2d to 4s 4d per 8!b. Calves --the supply of which was good—moved off heavily, at barely last week's currencies. The sale for Pigs 'was heavy. The show of foreign stock was ununtally small. bitilch Cows were quoted at from 141 to 181 each, includ jog their small calf. ink the offal. Per 81bs. to s s. d. to s. d, s. d. to s. e. Inferior Reests..... 3 0 3 4 Second qual. Sheep 3 4 3 8 Seeond quality —— 3 6 3 8 Coarse-woolleddittc 310 4 0 Prime largo Oxen— 310 4 0 Aouthdowu Wethe r 4 0 4 2 Prime Scots - •••• •• 4 0 4 2 Ditto eut of the wool 0 0 0 0 Large coarse Calves 3 2 3 6 Large Hogs •. • ... 3 4 3 8 Prirne mall ditto •• 3 8 310 Small Porkers ••.. 3 10 4 2 Buckling Calves ..18 0 26 0 Quartzr old Pigs .. 16 0 21 0 Inferior Sheep .. . 3 0 3 2 Lambs ..... • •—• 0 0 0 0 TOTAL SUPPLY AT MARKET. Beasts, I Sheep. 1 Calves. I I'i g s. 750 1 5,264 240 k 43 FOP.EIGN SUPPLY. Sheep. I Calves. I Pigs. 40 15 SCOTCH. I Sheep. I i Calves. 1 rigs 60 Eeast.. 27 Beasts. 10 • • IVIEVTGAITE A M ND ECA.DENIIII.I.L. These markets were very heavy, at barely late rates, although the suppli es were b ut mo d erate , at per stone by the Carcase, s. d. o a. d. s. d. to a. d. Beet'nferlor....• • 2 6 2 8 Mutton, inferior • 2 8 210 middling •• 210 3 0 middling.. 3 0 i 4 primelarge .. 3 2 3 4 prime •• 3 6 310 Y ---- Prime sznall.• 3 4 3 6 P or k, 1 arge ........ 2 8 3 4 41........•••••. 3 0 310 sma ll 3 6 • 4 2 71 01COUGE1 BOP ina.u.nr.T. Our market is very moderately supplied with all kinds °I Ti vPs, especially with fine new qualities. Generally BPeaking the demand is in a very sluggish state, at last we ek's quotations. New Mid and East Kent pockets, 61 103 to 121 ; New Weald of Kent ditto, 61 5s to 1 , 81 ; New Sussex ditto, 5/ 15s to 6/ 15s; New Farn .e."ams 12/ to 13/; Yearling Kents, 3/ to earling Sussex, 2/ 8s to 3/ 17s; Old Hops, 1/ to 41. COLONIAL. Siromt.—The market has re-opened with a steady appearance, and British Plantation is at rather fuller r ases. The sales have been moderate. Barbadoes by auction has realised 39s 6d to 41s 6d for good and fine, and 37s 6d to 39s for low and mid. Madras has realised 433 to 433 6d for fine. Bengal damp and washed has been sold at 39s 6d to 41s. Manilla has been taken in at 383 for good, and at 358 for ord dark brown. Foreign ta les firm. B rown B ah i a has been sold at 19s. Clayed Java is held for 83s. Porto Rico partly sold at 37a to 383 for mid to fine brown, and at 38s to 43s for low to fine bright yellow. COFFEE.—The market has a buoyant appearance, and P r ices have again risen. Native Ceylon has been in good demand at 563 for very good ord, and at 55s 6d for good ord. Pl antat i on h as a br i sk sale—good ord pale ~ low mid col our y a t 57 s to 645, m i d to good mid at Os to 725, triage at 41s to 55a, and pea berry at 65s 6d to 665; triage 508 to 545. Costa Rica has been 2s dearer, Mid 60: to 633 6d, fine and fine tine ord 53s 6d to 58,, and good ord 524 to 535. Madras has been sold at 53s 6cl to 60s for fine ord to low mid, at 483 for mid, and at 43s to 51s 61 for triage. Singapore Java went at 38s 6d to 45s 6d for damaged. COCOA.—The market is at fuller rates for West India. TES.—The demand has been good, and Green is at feller prices. Common Congou sells freely at 9411 to 10d Per lb. SP ICES. —Pimento has been rather easier, having been e chl at 50 to eld per lb. Cassia Lignea has realised 97a to 105 s for good fair to good. Cloves are held for 8d per lb. SAL TPETRE.—The market has been dull for rough. EXCE.—This article is quiet at abent previous rates. Corro m — Prices are firm. TALLow.—The import from Russia has been nearly fif ty per cent less than in 1848, while the arrivals from Australia and South America have exceeded the import fro m those Places its 1849, by nearly fifty per cent. 13 „aring th e l ast few mouths the price has varied but with tg h itY; the large supply of Euglish Tallow, combined the weekly sales by auction of ,eustralian and South American, have tended very much to check the regular demand for Russian. The conse quenceh• that the stock of Australian is now i only about 4,000 ca ,k B, and South American about ,500 casks. Th e prospect is now somewhat more cheering than f ur t h e last few months, as the stock of roe Tallow has been consumed, and the make is more moderate than it was in the autumn—and the arrivals bfor the next five or six months will probably be much utthan at th e same time last year. There have been sad few transactions in Y. C for the autumn of 1850, 39s to 398 6d is the quotation. The Russians affirm t hat the quantity of new will n o t excee d 110 or 120,000 casks. From Odessa, Taganrog, &c., there is no doubt that the quan titywill be small. From A us t ra li a ari d South America there is not at present much knowledge of the future, but as the high prices of 1847 and 1848 Produced large quantities, it may be supposed that the eye ow prices they are receiving will hav e th e con t rary To ßAcco.—Purchases have been made to a moderate extent by the trade, nevertheless a considerable amount has been transacted, and sales may be estimated at fully 1,600 hhds, exclusive of upwards of 2,000 hhds, all of export quality, which has been taken by an importer for re-sale. The market since our last, has remained very firm, and holders have shown no inclination to effect sales except at full rates, and strong opinions appear to be entertained in favour of prospective prices. Latest advices estimate the western crop at 60,000 hhds against 54,000 hhds in 1848, and Virginia at 42,000 hlit's against 45,000 in 1848 ; stock 26,548 hhds against 27,730 in 184 9. In Virginia sales have been 450 hhds, 350 of leaf, and 100 hhds of strips. Leaf at 4id to 6d, for home trade and Ireland; and low common for exportation, at 2 0 to 31d. St r ip s at 5d to 7d, and selected sorts cave Several p a r ce l s o f t h e new importation & lave been sampled, and have generally turned out of Doti and fine quality. In Kentucky leaf and strips eales each 640 hhds, con s i st i ng near l y o f equal quantities of ; leaf at 4id to sid for home trade, and a small export parcel at 3d an d aid , an d str i ps at sid to iirl; the latter quotations were of new import, but of which Purchases were very limited. Of the importation a large Portion will be found' extremely thin and se ry unprofit able 10r souther n manutectures. Maryland sales have t ee l' extensive, about 400 hhds of o rd and heated having een tak en on specul e ti on at 30; and by the trade 30 hds at Sid to 9id. By last advices the present crop is Piti t neted at twc - t hi rds that of 1848. For Havannah ref the demand has been more animated, and sales of a earls portion o f recent importations have been made at t!eprices. The utmost reliance may be placed on the c uata Which represent the crop as abundant; and if ge sea son continues favourable, will equal in e t l i ti :l 4 ue '1 alcontinuesthat of 1844. Havannah Ci gars con request, espec i a ll y those of prove d bntent I s, il:nd sales have been eff ec t e d t o some ex less at full rates. Manilla Chero o t s h ave b een t a k en •t, u 4 at previews rates. In Manilla leaf a good atemeas has beau done. Yera and Cuba have been in B r oc k k dY de.reaed, at fair prices. In Brazil nothing doing, Parp os belp g exhausted of all sorts suitable for home e e• flay h seed leaf, Florida, and Porto Rico, Very littl "" duc e e done, stock not possessing descriptions to in- Pure), attr act t ctses. German of good sorts hss continued to raid ie attention of buyers, at steady prices, but atop a.ucl ore have beets sold at a decline. The present A mbal abund ant , an d of fine quality. In Columbian, eserna, and Girun t h e demand has been steady, ;Pme eeially liar good and fine descriptions, and sales, in instances, have been made at a slight advance. esendere are firm at present rates. Amersfoort, very little - aone, stock being bare of qualities suitable for saanuff or cigar purposes. I n Negro Head and Cavendish les have been chiefly of a retail character. _ GR EEN FRUIT.—The mark et h as been quiet this week, ieh i 8 usually the case alter Christmas, arid owing to , t oe pre va l ence of easterly winds, the sack of all ki n d s T er beerce ing reduced. A cargo o f O ranges ex Puseoe from -uira' and a cargo ex Ellen fr om Seville, offered by too g Xeelinand Hunt at public sale, the former sold at 6d :o t Per b ox a d vance, the latter bought in, the price be in 32 g under i mpor t ers ' li m i ts. Ch esnuts have dyenced per barrel. Black Spanish sustain their ! p rice. Barcelona in request. Lemons dull of sale. jr " i l inquired for, the price b lug favourable tu the FINE ARTS. THE ART JOURNAL. With the commencement of - "tile 71ew half-century the Art Journal, with an eye to the maintenance of its already high reputation, resumes its splendid efforts to represent in first•rate engravings the various pictures comprised in the Vernon Collection. By the aid of such skilful engravers as Carter, Philli brown, and other gifted artists, their contemporaries, this task of love is being ably performed: the plate for January being a representation of Goodall's inimitable painting of the " Village Festival"—a production not unworthy of the bru4h of Webster, and almost worthy of that of Wilkie. Another beautiful engraving is taken from APDowell's charm ing group of " The Triumph of Love," and Hacker has admirably transferred to metal the "Scanty Meal" of our gifted artist Herring. Other embel lishments, such as passnges from the poets and por traits of distinguished painters, are scattered through the number before tri in delightful profusion. COURT CIRCULAR. WIND,SOR, TUURSDAY. The Queen and Prince Albert drove out this morn ing, attended by the Marchioness of Douro (Lady in Waiting), the Maids of Honour in Waiting, and Lord Charles Fitzroy and Colonel F. H. Seymour, Equerries in Waiting. The Royal Family took their usual airings. Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Princess Mary and Prince George of Cambridge, his Serene Highness Prince Frederick of Hesse Lady Augusta Cado gan , an d B aron Knesebeck, took their departure from the Castle this morning for London. The Duke and Duchess of Nemours and the Rev. James Cartmell, are expccted at the Castle this even ing, on a visit to the Queen and the Prince. The royal dinner party at the Castle this evening includes her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Nemours, the Ladies in Waiting to the Duchess of Kent, and the Rev. James Cartmell. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge and the Princess Mary and Prince Frederick of Hesse visited her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester yesterday, at Gloucester House, after their arrival in town from Windsor Castle. His Serene Highness Prince Edward of Saxe•Weimar visited his Royal highness Prince George. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Princess Mary, and Prince Frederick of Hesse left town for Kew in the afternoon. A deputation, headed by Lord Lyttelton and Mr. Hutt, had an interview with Earl Grey, yesterday, at the Colonial-office. Lord John Russeli left Pembroke Lodge, Richmond Park, on Wednesday, fur Woburn Abbey, Bedford shire. The Brazilian Minister arrived in town yesterday. I2AILZVAY INTELLIGENCE. ➢IANCHESTER, SHEFFIELD, AND LINCOLNSHIRE. A rather numerous and influential meeting of shareholders in this company Has held at Leeds yesterday, to consider the affairs of the company, and the propriety of calling upon the directors to appoint a meeting of the proprietors with a view to the appointment of a committee of inves tigation. Mr. Bradshaw Patricroft, of Barton, was called to the chair, and the principal speakers were the chairman and Mr. C. Morton, of Wakefield. Their explanations were to the effect that the business of the company had been sadly mis managed ; that notwithstanding the assurance of the directors and secretary in August and October last, that the six millions and a half of capital would complete the Grimsby Docks, the Sheffield station, and other works, there had been an advertisement issued by the board, giving notice of their intention to apply to Parliament fur power to create 500,0001. of preferential stock ; and that if this was carried out, and the present mode of the company's affairs allowed to go on, the original shareholders never could receive a farthing dividend. Mr. MORTON proposed the following resolution : "That in the opinion of this meeting the disastrous position of the coral any imperatively requires that a thorough and unrestricted investigation should be forth • ith made into the finances, affsirs, and past and present management thereof ; and that the proposition of the directors to create a new preferential stock to the amount of 500,0001. ought not to be prosecuted until the investi gation referred to shall have been made." Mr. 13ILLINGTox seconded the resolution, and it was carried netrt. eon. Another resolution, embodying a requisition to the directors to call a general meeting to consider the propriety of a committee of investigation being appointed, was also adopted ; and Messrs. Courtenay, Gill, Hare, and Grainger, were appointed a Leeds committee to carry out the resolutions. SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE. The deputation appointed at a meeting of share holders held at Birmingham on the 26th ult. to wait upon the directors of this railway, with the view of in ducing them to convene a meeting of proprietors to receive and consider certain amended terms of a lease of the railway to Mr. M'Clean and others, have so far succeeded in their object. They were received cordially by the direction, and a general meeting of shareholders is fixed to be held at Walsall on Mon day the 21st inst. It is supposed that the proprietors will not reject an offer which is considered to be very advantageous to the shareholders. THE PLAYS AT THE PALACE.—There are only two plays to be performed at the Palace at Windsor. The pieces selected are Shakspere's Julius Ciesar and the first part of Henry IV. The characters of Brutus, Cassius, and Mark Antony will be sustained by Mr. Macready, Mr. James Watlack, and Mr. Charles Ke.in. The part of Falstaff will be acted by Mr. George Bart ley. The first performance will take place on the Sth of February. The directors of the Scotch banks have just issued terlotice to their depositors that henceforth the interest allowed to them will be calculated on the minimum balance at their credit in each calendar month, instead of on the daily bllance, as heretofore. The Commercial Bank of Scotland has at the same time advertised a re duction on its rates of discount. THE BARNSLEY BRANCH OF THE LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE RAILWAY.—This branch of railway, so im portant to the inhabitants of Barnsley, being their first and only direct communication, was opened on New Year's-day. The Barnsley branch joins the Man- chester and Leeds at Horbury, near Wakefield, passing through the stations at Darien, the Hague, and Criggle stone. BURNING WATER INSTEAD OF LAMP OIL.---The New York Sun has a letter from Worchester, Massachu setts, in which the writer claims to have invented and put in use an apparatus which separates the oxygen of which water is composed, and produces gases for lights. This it does at no other expense than that of the ma chinery, as no material but. water is used. The water is decomposed by a current of electricity, evolved by the apparatus! The labour of five minutes, once iu two hours in the day, in winding up the machine, is all that is required to produce 250 cubic feet of gas. The expense of the machine is 300 dollars, and it can be carried by a man under his arm. Such is the description of it. Time will determine whether it is even so. INTOLERANCE.—A Jewish Rabbi in the city of London, who keeps an Irish servant, last week found out, to his great astonishment and grief, that whole leaves had been torn out of his Hebrew Bibles and other books, and even out of his manuscript works, among which there is one presented to him by the late Duke of Sussex. On examining the servant, she openly ad mitted that, having made confession to a Catholic priest in London, and having stated to him that she lived with a Jewish Rabbi who studied his Hebrew books day and night, ho advised her to destroy them; and she therefore V,•: , teat ftf m,ny i:ngt s enuld, Find lit the fire with the hbriuxioui paper.. Ihereciiule ab story ix.y appear in a civilised country and age, it is nevertheless true. The Rabbi has dismissed the servant.—Jewish , _. • LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN RATLWAY.— Considerable imnrovements and enlargements have been carried out at this company's principal stations at Stec ford and.Crewe. At the latter, owing to the accidents that At cccurred, a handsome closed-it' gallery has ;1, been thrown over the line, over which, instead. of es .itherto crossing% th.-1 numerous paisengers at this juoc " g' o, At St , fflA the cld oo,tion has been en!arged. NviLl i , - , The dividend declared yesterday at the meeting of roUth Sea Stock proprietors, was, as usual, I : ',f per cent. got the half-year, or At the rate of 31 per cent. per annum, fngs to Yarmeuili, h•ia been assisted in leaky, and with I MARLBIZO'-STREET—(THIS DAY.) pumps choked, Arrd. Kinfrnan's Wohlahrt, SOdi, ;ER EATENING TIIE LIFE OF TEE SECRETAaY OF Lmefon. Put back, Providence, Vietrus, for Woodbridge, THE ASSOCIATION or' rnE ItIENDs CF POLAND.— With darnzge, having been in contact with a schooner. John acislewski a Poiish refugee, was brought before ‘VIIITSTABLE, JAN. 2.—The Midge, from Sunder- I Sfr. Hertiwick, in custody of Sc,tt, 119 C, charged on a land, en shore on the Ulse Bank, was assisted off last magistrate's warrant with having threatened to do some night and will discharge. bodily injury to Mr. Charles Szalezewski, the secretary I'oaTINLLAEN, JAN. I.—The Colonel Smith, of Car- to tiieAssociation of the Friends of Poland, No. 10, narvon, which went on the beach 18th ult. has been gut Duke-street, Sr. James's. off with trifling damage. The complainant stated that yesterday, about eleven o'clock, the defendant came with another Pole, who was held to bail yesterday afternoon for an assault on cow • plAinant, to receive an answer to an application made to the association for relief the day before Witness told them to return in an hour, but fearing from the prisoner's previous conduct towards him that he should have an unpleasant meeting with them, he took the precaution of having a constable in attendance at the hour appointed. As soon as witness entered the chambers he was followed by the pris . oner and the other Pole, to whom he read in writing the answer to their application. The defendant, on hearing the decision read, began to abuse witness in the most violent and dis gusting terms, while the other Pole pushed him about with great force. The constable seeing this came to his aid, and took the latter into custody. The other Pole was no sooner taken to the station than the prisoner, using the most violent gestures, threatened to do for him (witness) as soon as a convenient oppor tunity presented itself. Witness having every reason to believe that he would curry this threat into effect, left the house and came to the court for protection. The prisoner followed him for some distance, calling out that he would get a cane and flog him with it, but on their arriving near the office he thought it advisable to runoff Complainant subsequently procured a warrant, and the prisoner was apprehended this morning. Complainant declared that the prisoner had been assisted by the association a number of times. Employ ment had been got for him, but in consequence of his idle and loose habits he never kept in a situation more then a day or so. The society, therefore, did not feel themselves bound to relieve him any further. The prisoner, who denied using the language imputed to him by the complainant, was held to bail, himself in 251. and two responsible housekeepers in 251,, to keep the peace for six months. OVERLAND MAIL "On the night of the 10th three ruffians came into the camp of the reserve companies of artillery, and two of them entered into the tent of the hospital sergeant, the other remaining outside with a loaded blunderbuss. A sentry near the tent approached quite unconscious that anything wrong was going on, and being seen by the rascally Affredi outside, he could not resist the tempta tion, and fired at the poor fellow, who was moat debpc ratcly wounded by the slugs with which the weapon was, loaded; unfortunately the villains escaped, taking some loot with them." The unfortunate sentry is, it appears, not expected to live. This occurrence will show the determined character of the ruffians with whom our troops have to deal in that distant quarter. The Marquis and Marchioness of Dalhousie are probably now at Lahore. They reached Jullundur on the 14th ult., and were received with due honour. His Lordship was well enough to visit the public offices and works ; and it is said that he " promised to sanction drain bridges for all the roads, and authorised furniture to be made up for the new church." It was not known how long Lord Dalhousie would remain at the Seikh capital ; but on taking his departure it was understood that he would proceed to Moulton, and from that place drop down the Indus to Kurrachee, where a Government steamer would be at his disposal, to take him, in accordance with his wishes, either to Suez or Bombay. \\Then Sir C. Napier joins his Lordship at Lahore Sir Walter Gilbert is to be invested with the Grand Cross of the Bath, and a good deal of revelry and merry-making is expected to take place on the occasion. What a change between the Lahore of 1840 and the Lahore of 1850 ! The Commander in• Chief was expected at Loodiana on the 17th ult., and immediately on his arrival he was to review the troops there. Lord and Lady Gough passed through Meerut on the 18th. On the 20th his Lordship reached Allyghur, and presented cilours to the 30th Bengal NJ., delivering a very eloquent speech. Letters from Moultan notice the somewhat exten sive prevalence of sickness at that station, owing to the subsidence of the inundation. The Moirussilite says : " Upwards of a thousand men of the different corps had been laid up with fever, but few deaths had happened. General Courtlandt was said to be alarm ingly ill at Dera Ismael Khan, whither Dr. Ritchie, of the Bombay Rifles, had been sent to attend on him." The proposed act of the Indian Legislature, for extending the criminal jurisdiction of the Company's courts to Europeans resident in the Mofussil, con tinues to provoke indignant comments on the part of most of the members of the Indian press ; but, curiously enough, no effort has yet been made to or ganize an "agitation " on the subject, either at Cal cutta or in any other part of India. There is nothing new from the Nizam's dominions, except that there has been some fighting in the neigh bourhood of Oomrawutta between some Arab mer cenaries and a party of the " Linewallas " of the Nizam's army. No particulars are given, but it is believed lives were lost on both sides. Our Bombay news is not very extensive or im portant. The cold weather has commenced, but cholera is yet prevalent, as well as dysentery, fever, colds, &c. The Governor and Commander-in-Chief are at the Presidency ; the Governor has been stay ing at Malabar Point for some time, but will re turn shortly to Parell, when the " public breakfasts will ba resumed. Sir E. Perry has started on a tour to .Agra, Simla, the I'unjaub, &c. He will return about April, and take up his residence in his apartments in the Court House, till he leaves India for good in the spring of next year. A model of a railway and electric telegraph (brought out for the Guicowar of Baroda) is about to be exhibited at cur town-hall ; and no doubt it will not a little " astonish the natives." Dr. Burnes, the Physician-General, and Colonel Shaw, the great champion of teetotalism, leaves for England by to-day's steamer. P.S. I have just received the following extract from a letter from Moultan, dated the 18th ult.:— " Three steamers, with flats attached, have been ordered to be in readiness for the use of the Governor- General and suite, who are expected here about the end of December or beginning of January. It is rumoured that Sir C. Napier will also come down, but when, it is uncertain. Sickness prevails to a great extent here, end lam much afraid it will continue for some time. The inundation being so great this year, and the country being a perfect level, it will take a good while ere all the moisture evaporates. The greater portion of the garri son has moved out of the fort for a change." COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. REPORT ON THE STATE OF THE BOMBAY MARKETS, FROM TUE 17TH NOV. TO THE IST DEC. INCLUSIVE. BOMBAY, Saturday Evening, Dec. 1. There has been rather more demand for money during the past fortnight than has been the case for some time. We have, however, no alteration to note in the rates of discount. Our Share market continues quiet, and prices remain without material change. Bombay Bank Stock has been very steady at 18 per cent. premium, and there is now very little of it left for sale. Six shares in the Colaba Land Company have been sold at Rs. 7,000 each, and we are glad to learn that some of the most wealthy and iefluential native gentlemen have joined the concern. One share in the Apollo Cotton Press Company has been sold for Rs. 13,000.—Government Securities are firm, but there is little doing in the Old Loans. The smallness of the stocks of goods received siace our last, and the intelligence received by last English mail of the advanced prices ruling for Manchester cot tons—which has had the effect of causing holders of these goods here to exhibit considerable firmness—have kept the import market in a very tranquil state, and but little business has been done, though the demand bad in no way diminished. In exports little has been done, owing to the small quantity of produce—cotton in par ticular—procurable; but that little has commanded and obtained extreme rates. Cotton Piece Goods.—Grey goods—Domestics have been sold only to extent of 1,310 pieces at prices varying from Es- 4 15.16 to Rs. 11 per piece. The demand for all descriptions is dull, the only inquiries being for coarse makes by the Arab dealers, but their offers are too low to be accepted. Longcloths—Sales, 6,020 pieces, at Rs. 4* to Rs. 11-16 per piece—a slight reduction on former rates, the market being overstocked; which is also the case with the coarser qualities of T cloths, of which 3,000 pieces have been sold at 3i Rs. to 3i. Shirtings— Of these, 12,010 pieces have been sold at from Rs. 4 9.16 to Rs. 71 per piece. The price of the better qualities of these goods has slightly improved, owing to limited stocks and a brisk demand. Jacconets—Sales, 4,300 pieces at Rs. 1: 8: 3 per piece. Good qualities continue to realise former rates, while the coarser have su&red a slight decline. Madapollams—Sales, 14,902 pieces, at Rs. 2 3 16 to Rs. 2 13-16. The price of this article exhibits a material decline on former rates. Dhoties are scarce and wanted. Sales, 750 pairs, at Rs. Mulls are scarce, and in demand. Bleached Goods—Shirtinga have sold to the extent of 6,150 pieces, at Rs. 6I to Rs. 13i per piece; 66 reed being in demand, those below that number being scarcely inquired for. Jacconets Sales, 700 pieces, at Rs. 31. Stocks are low, and the article in good de mand.—Madapollams in small request, and the price has diminished of late. Sales, 2,000 pieces, at Rs. 2i. — Twilled cloth has receded in value, from an over-abun dant supply. Sales, 300 pieces, at Rs. 7.—Lappets: 1,385 pi eces , a t R s . 2 7- 1 6 to R s . 5 1-16. S c ar ce as l a S a a nd l p e e s ia s. te sti d a ; n are also dhoties, mull-mulls, and Swiss p spots, checks, and stripes, as well as common check jacconets, are in fair demand.—Dyed goods: Orange-dyed Madapollams are very scarce, and in good request. Turkey red mulls, twills, prints, and plain cloths are in moderate inquiry, at low rates. Cotton Yarn—The sales during the fortnight amount to 245 bales and 1,500 lbs. water, and 115 bales mule, twist, and 53 bales orange yarn. Except for No. 20, the demand for all counts of mule has been steady : while for water the inquiry has been limited. Scotch Turkey red of superior quality commands Rs. 1 7-16 per lb.; but the price obtainable for orange yarn is still rather low. Metals.—Copper — Except for sheathing, which has F li z erly d ee liee,t, th.) price err,mgin as before. A .y e ell quantity from the Burrs Burra mines bas been sold at Rs. 51i per cwt. Iron—British and Swedish bar are fum, and in demand. lieop and eheet ace d u ll, while INDIA. (From the Chronicle.) We 'have received, by extraordinary express, our dispatches in anticipation of the Overland Mail; from Bombay to the 3d of December, and Calcutta to the 21st of November. The present mail brings no China news. (PROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) BOMBAY, DEC. 3,1849.—1 f anybody, at the con clusion of the Punjaub campaign, had prophesied that " not another shot would be fired " in the coun try of the Five Rivers, we should just now be in a position to afford pretty conclusive proof of the un soundness of his prediction. In pushing our frontier beyond the Indus, to the neighbourhood of the Khy ber Pass, we have attained a somewhat too close propinquity to disagreeable neighbours. Some turbulent and prejudicious tribes in the vicinity of Peshawur have, it appears, given a good deal of trouble of late; robberies have been unpleasantly frequent ; and chiefs of a restless turn have refused to pay their revenue, and evinced a rebellious disposition towards the powers that be. Under these circum stances Sir H. Lawrence, who is at present in the disturbed quarter, has resolved upon placing himself at the head of a force of " all arms," and endeavouring to bring them to reason. The particulars of this ex• pedition have not yet transpired, but it is known that amongst the troops which are to accompany it are a troop of nine-pounders under Lieutenant-Col. Fordyce, and a corps of the new Punj sub ,infantry, commanded by Captain D'Oyley. The result of this " little war " will, no doubt, be ascertained in time fur my next dispatch. The Delhi paper, quoting news from Peshawur, says,— . . . _ . The advices reeeiv(cl by Iast FREIGHT mai S l of the rise in prices of cotton at home, have induced large purchases of that article, and numerous contracts for tonnage have been entered into. Rates, however, have not experienced that advance which might have been expected, and we cannot quote higher than 31. ss. per ton to London and Liverpool for first class ships, and to China Rs. 11 to 11k per candy. A vessel has been taken up to load cotton for Hull at 31. 175. 6d. per ton. EXCHANGES. A fair amount of bills came on by the China steamer, the rate of which opened at Is. 10 15-16 d. six months' sight. It speedily declined, however, to Is. lOid. and Is. 10 13-I6d. for the usual description of first-class paper, and at the two latter prices considerable transac tions have taken place. Shortly before the arrival of the China mail, the Bank broker entered the market as a seller of the Batik drafts at ls. lop., but few parties availed themselves of the accommodation offered, and sales have since taken place at ls. Mid. six months' sight. It is currently reported that Government in tends to raise its rite for advances on produce to Is. 118. per rupee ou the Ist of January to credit the r e p or t. , but we are not inclined NIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE SEATONIAN PRIZE. CAMBRIDGE, JAN. 3.—A CLAUSE OF MR. SEATON'S WILL, DATED OCT. 8, 1738.—" I give my Kisling bury estate to the University of Cambridge for ever ; the rents of which shall be disposed of yearly by the Vice. Chancellor for the time being, as he the Vice- Chancellor, the Master of Clare Hall, an d t h e G reek Profess or for the time being, or any two of them, shall agree. Which three persons afore said shall give out a subject, which subject shall for the first year be one or other of the per fections or attributes of the Supreme Being, and so the succeeding years, till the subject i s ex h auste d ; and afterwards the subject shall be either Death, Judgment, Heaven, Hell, Purity of Heart, &c., or whatever e l se may b e j u d ge d by th e Vi ce Chancellor, Master of Clare Hall, and Greek Professor, to be most conducive to the honour of the Supreme Being and recommendation of virtue. And they shall yearly dispose of the rent of the above estate to that Master of Arts whose poem on the subject given shall be best approved by them. Which poem I ordain to be always in English, and to be printed; the expense of which shall be deducted out of the product of the estate, and the residue given as a reward for the com poser of the poem, or ode, or copy of verses." The subject of the poem for the present year is " Nineveh.' Each candidate for this prize is to send his per. forinance, without his name, to the Vice-Chancellor (fairly written, or it will not be attended to), on or before the 28th of September next, with some Latin verse upon it ; and he is at the same time to send a paper sealed up, with his name wr i tten w i th i n, and the same Latin verse on the outside. The papers containing the names of the unsuccessful candidates will be destroyed unopened ; by which regulation the delicacy of those who might otherwise fear a repulse, is, it is hoped, effectually consulted. If any poem shall appear to possess distinguished merit, a premium of 801. will be adjudged. HULSEAN PRIZE. The late Rev. John ilulse having bequeathed to the University of Cambridge certain estates for the advancement of religious learning ; and having directed in his will, that out of the rents and profits, so soon as annuities and other incumbrances would admit, an annual premium would be given " for the best dissertation in the English language on the evi dence in general or on the prophecies or miracles in particular or in any other particular argument, whe ther the same be direct or collateral prpors of the Christian religion, in order to evince its truth and excellence;" to be written by a member of this university, under the degree of standing of Master of Arts; the trustees have given notice, that a premium of about 1001. will thin year be given for the best dissertation on the following subject :—" The beneficial influence of the Christian clergy during the first thousand years of the Christian era." The dissertations are to be sent to one of the trus tees (the Vice-Chancellor, the master of St. John's College, or the Master of Trinity College) on or before the 19th of October, 1850, with the names of the respective authors sealed up. The author of the essay best approved is to print it at his own expense, and is not to be a second time a candidate for the premium. B.A. COMMENCEMENT., Supplicats for degrees to be conferred at the en suing B.A. commencement are to be sent to the re. gistry on or before Saturday the 19th inst., and the certificates, &c , on or before Monday, the 21st inst. TO THE EDITOR OF .T.NE SUN. SlR,—The several letters relative to the declining state of the deep.sea fisheries that appeared in your journal were officially submitted for the considera tion of the Right Honourable the Lords Commis sioners of the Admiralty. The following letter is their Lordships' reply " Admiralty, 19th Dec., 1849. reply to your letter of the 10th instant, respecting the. declining state of the deep sea fish eries, lam commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, to refer you to the Board of Fisheries. "I am, Sir, your obedient servant, " "J. PARKER. "Mr. H. Dem ps t er, 14, Cannon-row, " West m i nster. Having recei ve d the above answer, I naturally enough busied myself a little to find out where the Board of Fishery Offi ce was in London. On inquiring, however, I find there is none. The East India Company say, they have nothing to do with cod fisheries, fishing smacks, nor B i ll ings. gate ; and the C orporation of Trinity affirms, that the fishery business h as duties. nothing to do with their public The F ishery . B oard for the United Ki ng d om is situated in Edinburgh ; but the powers of that board are so ,limited, which the following letter will show, that they can do nothing to mend the matter. " Board of Fisheries, Edinburgh. " Jan. 2, 1850. " Sir,—ln r ep l y to your letter, o f t h e 25 t h u lt., j ust received, I am directed to inform you that the Acts of Parliament by which the Board of Fisheries is constituted do not empower it to interfere in- the matters referred to by you. " I am, Sir, your most obedient servant, " B. T. PRIMROSE, Secretary. " Mr. Henry Dempster, 14, Cannon-row, " Westminster. " The duties of the Fishery Board in Scotland, so far as I understand, is merely the inspection of cured fish, such as herring, cod, ling, and hake. The green (or fresh) fish are left for the public to judge of in the best way they can. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, Jan. 4, 1850. H. DEMPSTER. DIAMOND DUST. (From Eliza Cook's Journal.) Teach self-denial, and make its practice pleasurable, and you create for the world a destiny more sublime than Ever issued from the brain of the wildest dreamer. Patience is very good, but perseverance is much better; while the former stands as a stoic under difficul ties, the latter whips them out of the ring. Falsehoods, like distorted reflections from an uneven mirror, suffer death by contact with each other. He who wonders is ignorant in the same proportion. Covetousness, like a candle ill-made, smothers the splendour of a happy fortune in its own grease. No friends are more faithful, more inseparable, than hard-heartedness and pride, humility and love, lies and impudence. Of all the actions of a man's life his marriage does least concern other people, yet, of all actions of our life, it is most meddled with by other people. HASTINGS.—A rather singular case of accidental death occurred here last Thursday evening. A child named Tapp, nine years of age, ate two onions from a bottle of pickles and drank some of the vinegar, which shortly afterwards suffocated him. At the coroner's inquest the surgeon stated that ho had made a post mortem examination of the body, and found it to contain some undigested food, and about two ounces cf vinegar (q. wineglass full); and he had no doubt that deceased died from suffication, iii coutatitiei.co vi k shsg gut some of the vinegar in the windpipe. The verdict was " Ac cidental death.".-lirighto Qazate, nail-rod is in moderate demand. Speller and pig lead have receded in value. Swedish steel is little in quired for. Cochineal—We have only heard of a sale of 2,200 lbs., lat Es. 2i per lb., which is a decline of former rates. Saffron—A sale of 1,100 lbs., at Rs. 114 d. per lb., has had effect. Market steady. Beer—The sales during the past fortnight have been, to a larger extent than for some time before, viz , 80 hhds. Hodgson's, at Rs. 40, aid 65 hhcls. at Rs. 38 per hhd. ; 160 hhds. Hodgson's and Alhopp's, at Rs. 50, and 100 hhds. Hodgson's and Bass's, at Rs. 45 per hhd. Spirits—Scarcely anything doing ; the only sales reported during the fortnight being ten hhds Batavia rum and eight of brandy, at Rs. q and Rs. 2i per gal lon respectively. Woollens—Flannels continue in request, and are still very scarce. Stocks of cloths of all descriptions are also very limited. Marine Stores—Paints of all descriptions, except bllck, aro dull. Of canvass we have to report two sales, each at 140 bolts, unbleached at Rs. 15i to 16i per bolt. The stocks of both are large, and demand dull. For cordage a slight inquiry. exists. Spirits of turpentine and linseed oil are without alteration. EXPORTS. Opium—Nothing doing. The new drug is arriving slowly, but the prices asked are higher than purchasers are wilting to give. The quotation elsewhere given is therefore nominal. Pepper —A sale of 50 cadies Bhutcoll Pepper, at Rs. 54i per candy, is reported. Cotton Wool—During the past fortnight the pur chases have amounted to 5,550 bales and 1,305 candies, for which advanced prices have been paid—the cotton to be delivered in the present and ensuing month. Last accounts from England were considered very favourable, while those from China were looked on as the reverse. PROVIDENT CLERKS' MUTUAL LIFE ASSURANCE 'ASSOCIATION AND BENEVOLENT FUND. A special meeting of the Benefit Department was held on Wednesday evening at the London Tavern, R. H. Jones, Esq., in the chair, for the purpose of altering, amending, and adding to the rules of the asscciation. The CHAIRMAN said the first thing he had to do was to wish them a happy new year, which he did with great sincerity—(Cheers) —and the next was to introduce to them Mr. Philip Henry Byrne, their new secretary— a gentleman in every way qualified for the position he then held; and he might say he had already shown by his exertions, and successfully so, the great interest which he took in the institution. The SECRETARY then read the requisition calling the meeting, as well as the advertisement. The CHAIRMAN said it was in conformity with the re quisition th a t th ey h a d assem b led on that oc casion, and he was d es i rous th ey s h ou l d understand that ie alterations they proposed to adopt emanated entirely from the board. They would remember that at the special meeting, on the Bth of February last, he gave a pledge _ors behalf of the board, that the nomination of auditors should be placed in their hands. He readily did so, as also did every other member of the board, because they thought it was a judicious and proper proceeding. The new rules had been attentively considered by the board ; their/actuary, Mr. Ratray, had seen and approved of them, and Mr. Tidd Pratt was ready to certify them ; and it was for the members to say vs Nether they should be passed or not. Rules from 1 to 10 inclusive were then put and agreed to without any discussion. Upon rule 11, altering the qualification of the manager of the association to a life assurance for 5001. or upwards, instead of, as heretofore, fur 3001., The CHAIRMAN said the directors, in making this alteration, had regard to the extraordinary progress which the association had made during the past year, and which they would have an opportunity of showing at the meeting on the 21st instant. They thought as the society increased in importance so should those who conducted its affairs have a greater risk and stake in its welfare.--(Hear.) Mr. PHILLIPS said he doubted very much the expe diency of this alteration, for he had generally ob• served that the most efficient and able men on the management were those who had not the largest interest, and he thought if small shareholders were thus shut out the usefulness of the board of management would be very much impaired. He was the more surprised at the alteration, because there ran through all the other rules such a remark able spirit of liberality, and because it seemed opposed to the original intentions of the founders of the society. A SHAREHOLDER wished to know what proportion cf the members of the society were assured for up wards of 5001. The CHAIRMAN said there were thirty-five members, at 1,0001. each, twenty at sums averaging from 500/. to 1,000/, and two hundred at 5001. each. After some further discussion, Mr. GOSBELL thought the proposed alteration would have a tendency to increase the business of the association, for those who were desirous of getting on the directory would, if they were not sufficiently qualified, augment their policy of assurance to 5001. Mr. PHILLIPS observed that, in the remarks which he had made, he had no intention of opposing any general view on the subject of the new qualification, but he certainly did not exactly agree with the gen • tleman who had just spoken. it was not fair, he thought, to compel a person who wished to become one of the managers to increase his policy, because the additional premium might prove a serious clog to him, especially if he had a family and was in the re ceipt only of a small income. Mr. C. REED thought it would be scarcely credit. able not to pass this rule, after the board had maturely considered it. They wanted men on the board who had time to attend to the business of the association, a desideratum which could not be expected of men who had a limited income, and were unable to pay the premium on 500/. Their time was less at their disposal and consequently they could not render their services so often as other members. The resolution approving of the new rule was then put and carried by a large majority. Rules 12, 13, 14, and 15 were then agreed to without any opposition. With respect to the concession on the part of the board, that the three auditors should be chosen annually by the members, considerable satisfaction was manifested. On the suggestion of Mr. LLOYD and other gen tlemen the rule was amended in addition to the above, so that the auditors for the future must be proposed in writing by two members, in a notice addressed to the chairman of the society at least fourteen days before the annual general meeting, or at a special meeting convened for that purpose—a list of the candidates to be placed in the meeting-room before the commencement of the proceedings. If more candidates than the requisite number (namely, three), the election to be declared by a show of hands, or, if required, by ballot. The qualification to be an interest in the association of the value of 2001. The CHAIRMAN then submitted the following amended rule for the approval of the members:— " The assurances granted by this society shall be as follows: " A provision for the payment of a sum of money, of not less than 504, nor exceeding 2,0001., at the decease of a member. " A provision for a deferred annuity of not less than 101., nor exceeding 1001. per annum; said annuity to commence at not less than fifty-five years of age, and to continue for the remainder of life. " A provision for a similar annuity to the above, the whole of the premiums to be returned (without interest) in the event of a member's death before attaining the specified age. " A provision for an endowment for children, not ex ceeding 5001., on attaining the respective ages of four teen or twenty-one years. " A provision for a similar endowment, the whole of the premiums to be returned (without interest) in the event of the decease of the party before attaining the ege agreed on. " A provision for an immediate annuity not exceeding 1001. " A provision for the payment of. a sum of money of not less than 50/., nor exceeding 2,0007., at the decease of a party A, provided another party B be then living. " A provision for the payment of a sum of money of not less than 504 nor exceeding 2,0001., on the decease of either of two lives that may be named. " A provision for any other contingency whereof the occurrence is susceptible of calculation by way of average." He said that the members would perceive that the rule sought power to assure, with the exception of endowments for children, double the amount they had heretofore done.—(Cheers.) Under the amended rule the directors confidently expected to be enabled to transact a vast amount of additional business. Recently they bad suffered in consequence of not possessing the power which the amended rule would confer upon the society. A clerk who was about to be married wished to assure his life for 1,5001. In accordance with the rules they were obliged to decline the proposal, and the trustees of the young man refused to allow him to assure for 1,000/ alone. Thus they lost a policy for I,sool.—(Hear.) Looking at the enhanced position of the society, and believing, as he thought they would, that the directors would exercise the same careful revision over the nature and risk of the policies issued as they had done when invested, on a previous occasion, with the power of increasing the policies from 500/. to 1,0001., the members could not fail to be of opinion that the alteration would prove most beneficial to them.—(Cheers.) They would not, however, at the outset take the whole risk of a few heavy policies, as they would re-assure a portion of them, as was usual in other offices. They could assure half their risk upon large policies, and get a commission from the offices which they might favour with any business of this nature. Mr. REED said the time had arrived when the high position of the society rendered it necessary that the directors should have power to issue policies of a larger amount than heretofore, and cordially proposed the adoption of the amended rule. Mr. GOSBELL seconded the motion and expressed it as his opinion that ,the alteration would work most beneficially to the institution. The motion was carried unanimously. Verbal alterations in the rule with respect to the appointment of nominees were agreed to. The CHAIRMAN said the next rule as amended was a direct, and he believed, an advantageous, concession to the members. Some members had suffered from the infliction of fines for the non-payment of their premiums a month after they really became due. The fines were proposed to be reduced one-half.— (Cheers.) Mr. BELL objected to fines altogether, for it fre quently happened that they fell with undue severity upon the poor member, whose poverty alone com l i - pelled him to become a defaulter.—(Hear, hear.) In societies of this kind it appearekto him that there was a want of sympathy with unfortunate poverty.— (Vociferous cries of " No, no.") He had hoped that the directors would have swept away the obnoxious impost altogether. A stain was affixed to institutions which adopted this principle ; but more particularly did a stigma attach to institutions of a benevolent character like this, which did so.—(No, no.) A poor man assured his life to provide bread forehis family when he ceased to exist ; but, if from any of the many accidents which attended all human affairs, he could not continue his payment regularly, they punished his poverty. The CHAIRMAN was opposed to the alteration, and he believed when he said so he spoke the sentiments of the board and of the members.—(Hear, hear.) The concession proposed was a large and liberal one, and if the discretion of fining or not fining members who did not regularly pay their premiums was left to the board, they wculd, he was sure, abuse it, so much were they disposed to be lenient.—(Sear, heir.) But let them consider the inconvenience which the abolition of the rule would occasion, in not being in a position to depend upon the payment of premiums, if no penalty was attached to the observance of the rule. They would also lose the interest on their money, which was an important consideration in the present high price of the funds. Mr. TARRANT considered that there might be some cases in which it was desirable that the board should have the power to rescind the fines. He begged to move that the directors in any case have the power, if they see good reason, to rescind the fines payable under the rules for the non-payment of premiums, which was seconded by Mr. Bell. After some discussion, the motion was withdrawn, the opinion of the majority of the members present being opposed to it. Upon rule 28, which has reference to policy-holders going abroad, The CHAIRMAN said the board, after consulting the prospectuses of nearly all the assurance offices of London, proposed the rule as amended. A MEMBER said whilst he believed the alteration was a step in the right direction, and he gave his cordial approbation to it, yet, on the other hand, the additional premium might check the enterprise of young men, who believed they might better their for tunes in another land. He himself had had to pay an office 2.5/. over and above his ordinary premium, and he hoped the time was not far distant when the names of places in policies of assurance would be abolished altogether.—(Cheers.) Mr. RATRAY (the actuary) proposed the addition of " not being seafaring men, which was adopted. Mr. TOOLE inquired if, ist the event of his holding a policy on the life of a person who, without his knowledge or that of the board, went abroad and died beyond the prescribed limits, the policy would be paid. Some discussion ensued upon this point, but no definite determination was arrived at. It was un derstood that if a person assured in the office violated the • conditions prescribed in his policy that he forfeited his interest in it, and destroyed the interest held in it by any one else. It was under stood that the board was vested with a discretionary power in such cases. The rule, as amended, was unanimously adopted. The CHAIRMAN said the following rule was a very important one, and he believed it would operate most beneficially : " Policies will become void if the person whose life has been assured shall die, by suicide, by duelling, or by the hands of justice. But such policies shall not. however, be deemed void so far as regards any other person or persons having a bona fide interest therein, but upon due proof being given, the association will pay or allow the amount of such interest, to such person or persons as may be legally entitled to receive it ; any balance of such policy shall be forfeited, but the mana gers shall have power, after due consideration of the circumstances of the else, and having especial reference to the length of time the party has been assured, to pay the whole or any part of such balance to the family of the deceased In such manner, and in such propertion as they may deem fit; in like manner, should any person assured upon his own life die as aforesaid, at a time when his policy was in his own po•seasion, the managers shall have power in their discretion to pay the whole or any part of such p ,, licy to his widow, children, or other rela tives as above mentioned." Mr. RATRAY explained that this rule was of the greatest advantage, as it would have the effect, in the event of a person laying violent hands upon his life, of en abling the person interested in the policy (due notice thereof having been given) to receive the amount, as if the assured had not died by his own hand. If the policy were in the hands of the suicide no benefit would accrue ; but the managers were, he thought, properly vested with the power, if they saw good reason, of placing the family of the deceased in the same position as if he had died a natural death. Mr. REED inquired if the board were aware of the fact that persons had assured their lives, assigned the interest to other parties, and committed suicide— would the board entertain such a case ? A DIRECTOR said their great object should be to make their policies perfect instruments, so that the holders of them should not be damnified by any act of the assured, such as travelling abroad or commiting suicide.—(Hear, hear.) If such a case as that mentioned by Mr. Reed occured, of course the matter would be carefully looked into. Mr. LLOYD said persons in the case cited might have disposed of their policies for a fraudulent con sideration. Persons had obtained policies, and im mediately disposed of them to their solicitors for the benefit of their families. Such cases had happened— they might happen again ; and as a door might, under the rule, be opened to fraud it was their duty to guard against its commission. The payment of such policies should be left to the discretion of the board. Mr. RATRAY said all offices paid assigned policies ; when consideration was clearly shown they were invariably paid. The plan proposed by the rule had been some time in practical operation in other offices. Mr. SMEE (one of the medical officers) explained how it first came to pass that policies were void if the life of the person assured died either by the hand of justice, duelling, or suicide. One day a person in extreme difficulties assured his life, and immediately after invited the directors of the assur ance office to dine with some of his friends, at his house. After dinner he said to the directors, " Gen tlemen, it is right that I should introduce you to the parties to whom you will have to pay the amount of my policy when it becomes a claim." The next moment the unhappy man took out a pistol and shot himself. Assurance offices, with a view to their protection, subsequently rescinded the rule which made such policies payable ; but of late years they were rendered good and valid claims if held by another party.—(Hear, hear.) He need hardly re mind them that love of life and a desire for its suffi cient protection were implanted in our nature.— (Hear.) Assurance offices were as much open to fraud as any other mercantile bodies—(in illustration of which Mr. Smee cited the following story, which he said was an " Irish one")—" A person assured his life and placed the policy under the care of a friend for its protection. The friends quarrelled, and the holder of the policy prepared several fraudulent documents tending to show that the person mentioned in the policy was dead, and its amount was duly paid. Eight years after the man, whom the office supposed to be dead, walked into the office, where he was told that he had died some years before.--;-(Laughter.) The man exclaimed, " Why, you have not a better life in your books."— (Laughter ) The motion was carried unanimously. In reply to Mr. REED, The CHAIRMAN stated that the different classes of assurers were all placed upon a level as regarded the payment of the expenses of the office. The meeting was then dissolved. A meeting was then held to elect three auditors. Several candidates were proposed, and the following gentlemen were nominated :—Messrs. Lloyd, Wood, and Hooper. A cordial vote of thanks was passed to the Chair man and directors for their unabated zeal in promot ing the interests of the institution. `The CHAIRMAN returned thanks on his own behalf and on the part of his brother directors. All their meetings had hitherto happily terminated in the same way as those of that evening ; and be trusted they would ever retain the confidence reposed in them on that as on all former occasions. As regarded the nomination of auditors, the board of management had steadily avoided interfering in any way with the free choice of the members.—(Cheers.) The meeting then separated. ABSCONDING OF A CLER/E.—A person named Stratton, who held lie situation of clerk in the Aylesbury Savings-bank, has, we hear, absconded with a large sum of money with which he had been entrusted by an aged relative. It appears that he had absented himself from the office on false pretences, and that the suspicions of his principal, Mr. James, were first aroused against him by the production on Wednesday last by a person named Faulkner of a book containing items to the amount of 301. in the handwriting of Stratton, and bearing no folio num ber for the ledger, nor any manager's check. Mr. James immediately Milt instructions to town to have the Julindur, bound from London to Adelaide. searched, while he himself proceded by mail-train to Liverpool, in the hope of intercepting Stratton there. Stratton, however, had sailed under his own name, with his wife and two children for New York, by the steam-ship Canada, on Saturday. Application has since been made to the Secretary of State, in the hope that Go vernment would obtain the delinquent's arrest in Ame rica. Unfortunately, however, the treaty in force between the two countries would not authorize any interference, unless to his other crime he has added forgery. Hopes are entertained that Stratton's defalcations extend over a short period of time, and to an amount exceedingly small when compared with the property which ho has left available to cover them. SINGULAR FIRE IN THE ClTY.—Yesterday forenoo n r smoke issuing in dense bodies from the premises Bush -la ne, John Boswell, a wine cooper, in Little Cannon• street, clearly indicated that fire had o l; B r g E o_k . n e g n ia o n ul: The engines of the London Brigade, V m e n County,foun found and that parishesth the flameflames quickly were burningattended,slwee7iwah theen the cellar s,fire hous., but running, not merely under Mr. . B were_ got to . ' work, T of he w e a n te g r ine w s ere thrown into the and under spowerful everal others.streaai s basement, but it could not reach the flames. The patent smoke proof dress Was therefore sent for, and B r id ges, one ' of the officers, having put the same on, he entered the cellars, where he found a quantity of crates, straw, &c., on fire. By pumping cold air into the dress, Bridges was enabled to continue a considerable time amongst the smoke, and thereby direct the water in the proper quarter, but the fire was not extinguished for several hours. The damage done, however, is not con siderable, except by water. A spark from a lanthorn, it is presumed, was the cause of the outbreak. KOSSUTII'S SECRETARr.--M. M. Diosy, private secretary to Louis Kossuth, and formerly editcr of the Hungarian paper Magyar- Zsido, has recently arrived in London. M. Diosy accompanied Kossuth in hit flight sa far 01 Trausylnuise--Jewish Chronicle. CROYDON UNION WORKHOUSE. Yesterday, at eleven o'clock, an investigation took place before Mr. Richard Hall, Assistant Commis sioner for the district, into certain charges of mismanagement brought against the majority of the board of guardians of the Croydon Union and their officers, by certain members of the body. The meeting took place in the beard-room, and was well attended. Mr. Ball, who conducted the proceedings by order of the Poor-law Board, explained at the outset ,that he was th ere t o i nqu i re into and r e p or t upon the facts brought forward, and that he was ready to hear what either party bad to adduce in s up port o f their respective views.. The investigation then commenced, the Rev. John Ran dolph, the Rev. George Randolph, and Mr. Byron, taking the principal part in support of the charges brought forward, while Mr. Blake and Mr. Fairley were most conspicuous in defence of the mode in which the affairs of the union had been conducted. Witnesses were called on e i t h er s i de, and a long and rather violent discussion took place on the different points, with respect to which the parties were at issue. The inquiry lasted from eleven to five o'clock, during which time a great mass of statements were made on the different heads of charge, these statements being interspersed with observations and reflections from either side in such a manner as t o render any detailed report of the proceeding impossibl e , if it were desir able. It was evident throughout that a great deal of angry feeling existed in the board, and thou g h th e Assistant- Commi s sioner did everything be could to confine the inquiry to facts, and to avoid violent recriminations, he was not uniformly successful in doing so. The first charge gone into was, that the master and matron had shown an unwillingness to employ paupers in such work as they were competent to pertorm. O n this head, the com pl a i nan t s prove d th a t the white washing, painting, tarring, cleansing of cesspools, sweeping of chimneys, cooking, baking, and general domestic service in the workhouse, were performed by persons hired f or th e purpose, i nstea d of being done, as in other unions, by the paupers them selves. Mr. Blake, and those who sided with him, en deavoured to show, on the other hand, that whenever the inmates of the house had been found qualified to do or assist in the kinds of work indicated, they had been obliged to do so without remuneration,:and that where wages had been given to independent labourers it was when there was no pauper available for, or capable of being trusted with, what it was wished to carry out. It certainly appeared from the evidence that the master and matron had employed people out of the house to do what in other unions was done by the paupers ; but ithe board of guardians had given its full sanction to that course of management. In the second place, it was charged against the master that he did not keep the paupers in a due state of subordination. On this head no formal proof was adduced to support the charge, while Mr. Blake brought forward strong evidence to show that it was unfounded. As, however, that evidence was collected from the entries in the offence-book, which is kept by the master, Mr. Byron contended that it went for nothing, alleging, as a third charge against the master, inaccuracy in keeping his books, of which he established tw o instances. The fourth charge against the master was, that he had ordered bad meat to be dressed, the proof in support of which, however, only amounted to this—that on one occasion, during the warm weather, he had permitted a gof mutton which was rather tainted to be roasted and used. The fifth charge was against the master and matron, but only amounted on examination to this—that they had given two pints of beer to men who had brought coals to the workhouse, stinting themselves of their proper allowance in order to make up the difference to the union. The 6th and 7th charges set forth that the master, and the matron when her husband was master, had received, from butchers under contract to supply the house, extra allowances for their tables, and that false entries had been made in the meat accounts, in order to cover those allow ances. Neither of these charges were established, although hostile witnesses were examined in order to prove them. The eighth subject of investigation was the propriety of dismissing a carpenter, a bricklayer, two servants, three nurses, a messenger, an assistant baker, an assistant tailor, and a shoe maker, all at present receiving wages at the work house. With respect to a large proportion of these, the evidence and the practice of other unions appeared conclusive that their services might be dispensed with, and the paupers might be substi tuted for them. The utility of the miller's services having been discussed, and the propriety of a reduc tion of expenditure canvassed, the next question that was brought forward was whether a lower salary ought not to be paid to the two relieving officers, the master and matron, and the porter. The last and perhaps the most important point discussed was the consumption of beer, wine, and spirits. The beer consumed amounted to 2571. Bs. per annum, and the wine and spirits to 1221 Bs. 61 This expenditure was contrasted with that in other unions, and appeared to be considered excessive by Mr. Hall, who subjected Mr. Hubbert, the medical officer, to a close examina tion on the subject. Mr. Hubbert, however, insisted that he alone was the proper judge of what relief in this way was necessary, that he had only prescribed beer and wine where, as a professional man, he thought they were necessary. Mr. Hall will lay the result of the investigation before the Poor-law Board, who will decide upon the various questions raised during the day's proceedings. It is due to the master to mention that a certificate was produced, signed by a long list of medical gentle men, and bearing high testimony to his exertions and zeal while the cholera was raging in the workhouse. THE ALLEGED EMBEZZLEMENT AT DISS. _ NORWICH, THURSDAY.—The trial of Blofield John Rix, and Henry Senior, for an alleged extensive system of embezzlement, to the extent, it is said, of upwards of 10.0001., at the bank of Dyson and Tay lor, at Di.s, which wes arranged to take place at the General Quarter Sessions for the county now sitting, has rather unexpectedly been postponed. Rix, it may be remembered, had been the principal clerk, or rather manager of the bank, for many years. Senior was also a clerk in the establishment. After Mr. Dyson's death, Mr. Taylor was about transferring the business over to Harvey end Hudson, bankers of this city, and on the accounts being inspected, prior to the clrnge ' serious defalcati ons were d etected. Even tually Rix was committed for trial for stealing 3001. in bank-notes it ncl 2001. in gold, the property of Mr. T. L. Taylor, the surviving partner in the firm. Rix was further charged with emb(zzling 3001. the property of his employer, Senior was charged with stealing 5001. in bank-notes, and on another occasion 201. A few days ago an application was made to the judge at cham bers, and a writ of certiorari was obtained in order to try Rix at the assizes instead of at the General Quarter Sessions ; but, on a similar application being made on behalf of the prisoner Senior, before another judge, it was delayed. So stood the matter this day, when it came under the notice of the Court. Messrs. Evans and Palmer attended to prosecute ; and Mr. O'Malley, with Mr. Hodgson, appeared for Senior. Mr. O'Malley said he had to make an application on behalf of the prisoner Senior, who had been com mitted for trial on two charges of larceny. He had been informed that those charges had been aban doned, and that indictments for embezzlement an d conspiracy had been preferred in their plac e . H e therefore contended that the prisoner was entitled to his release, as he was not prosecuted or detained on the charge on which he was committed. Mr. Evans replied—According to the warrants which detained the prisoner Senior, he could not be liberated unless in the due course of law. If, there fore, other indictments were preferred which could not be tried in that c our t, th e l aw certainly had not takea its course. Mr. Palmer hoped the Court would not allow Senior to escape the ends of justice, as he was connected with the embezzlement, more or less, of a sum not far short of 10,0001. Seven indictments for embsasloment were preferred against him, one of which involved a sum of 5001. The Court declined to interfere, but it was under• stood that a writ would be moved for, and that the charges of embezzlement and conspiracy would be persevered in, and that both parties would be tried at the next assizes. Ma. S IDNEY HERBERT :a PLAN OF FEMALE EmaiwrioN.—Yesterday, at a meeting held in Mary t e purpose Mary lebone, a parochial a ssocia tion in aid of the central cora. promoting this object, subs criptions, headed by one Dudley Stuart, wire con tributed towards the f un d s. ,The second a ssem bl y of the Plantagenets took plaee, at the Hanover. square R ooms , on W e d nes d ay awSstuene es tablished, mblei to sah2eldl,. h and for fro m Lord evening, the 2d instant, and was attended by upwards of 300 persons. Adams's band was in attendance, and delighted the company with the excellence of his music. The refreshments were of the first order, and the whole went off with brilliant eclat. CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD Reavrev.--Traffic for the week ended Dec. 30, 1849:—C. and H. Main Line, 1,068/. 19s. 9d.; Mold, 801. 2s. 4d.; steam-boats, 474 7s. 6d.—Total, 1,195/. 18s. Bd. We have to announce the death of George Powney Thompson, Esq., of the Bengal Civil Service, of spas modic affection of the heart and liver, at Agra, on the 11th of November. He was ,judge of the Sudder Court, North-West Provinces, having served the East India Company thirty.five years in the Judicial D.- partment, without having visited England during that period. He was distinguished as an upright, honest, and valuable public servant and sincerely regretted by a large family and many friends. Nearly - all our mackerel boats have put to sea. Yesterday , one ,of the Hastings boat s caug h t 600 a mackerel, about score of which were sold in Brightyn at Bd. and Id, ea.:b.—Brigh ton Gazette. JANUARY 4, eso