The Sun. — London, England, 1845-10-21 00:00:00

--'.._ ,~~`` ERDA Y.) cCALEDONIAN" (.7A 'k AL. iliitrtant national un d ert the first et' its after much i., sitet on 011 tire t ei., :ttis , is at leneili rvet ;ring :he rep and ;01 di will ! I) g, d es'Cl+ - 1 - .. It'd, Stil it! •.f in -ignited.- 4 4,1 ,e 0 fa- t o realise the des e etis c ik els °S the g reat i eiforil—an engineer Dm afries e p rei a just prid e i n c l a i m i ng as a native. The ay , 4 'd on public attention in the end of la,t b„ w a t a to avoid by inland navigation. tee round ' t its Pentland Frith, apart from the delays and . trl i iii ii i, r c a t e h rl e t il t . o a series of starmy headlands, Cape tf, fe t h , 2 number which either becalmed or drove c-mr%e during the storms of winter 04Z In the estinnetion of mariners deemed more for ftrlthe gnlph stretching between Europe and Itidlyn thi s Fr om the evidence collected by Mr. Walker, " e at ] , it appears that traders, in seeking yi ;s 4 inde, or among distant islands, frequently weeks or months ; and that more time, t itk 3', lyast, was consumed in completing a t).) ,, a g„e of 300 miles than in cro-sing the wide p - e " 1 4 ,,1 , by the Archimidean screw, or . paddle 4 8 ' e " Steam power. The first estimate of Il luier • %k ite , ' a million ; but the price of provi ' so rapidly during the war that much t t 's. were paid to the workmen, and for mate utelty contemplated; so that by the time , t „ was oPened, i n 1822, th e t o t a l ex p ense it Pl'etty nearly one million st e rling. Ori \fteitW, se intended that the width of the water - ,"ui be 120 feet, the bottom width 50 k , 1 7 20 , so as to admit the largest vessels 0, P v een Liv er p oo l an d t h e B a l t i c, W est 4 ,, h average size, and frigates of thirty-- trli: o fully equipped. But so much was e e tlt aeainst expense, estimates exceeded, ," .') forth', that the engineer was constrained Yhiee Canal in a hurried and insufficient his professional zeal and better judge / t et ' ' 3 aPprov e d. That jobbin insinuates itself den ied of to o many Government works, can ' ' eni ed ; and in Inverness-shire it is well eettein contractors, in the absence of a of cheeks, performed so superficially, that ' ll , by th e accumu l at i on o f more mone y ird left a t th e ti me o f hi s d ea th, a f ter , fth y of the noblest monuments of British Bridge included, one of the modern it the e world. Still the engineer was not to Patron age o f em pl oy i ng su b or di na t es 111 2 of his business. But so great a man ir e nvy, and the jealousy of rivals; and in PQathutnous w irks, published six years e following justification of his memory : readily conceive the mortification which ' h ave experienced when he found the nation ~t arrayed a ga i ns t him ; a n d Nv hen he felt that e, to . -eitin g the greatest work in Europe was to qiie sha nic• His powerful mind, however, bore wisely yielded to what he could not avert. work even, he has forborne to give expres .; and has never deigned to make any reply , " 01 1 his professional character which n0 "44 " 44 jealous rivals, founded on the excess of estimated expenditure. Veoreinery - magnitude, where I.mg practice has retical principles, and experience has id ,riled her knowledge, a great error in his •Ittqtiv weiken our confidence even in an e tit the case is quite different in works dis - e t - I , le novelty of their character and the gran 'lcenaions. The mind is bere thrown out of I lv iedee. It has no previous experience to ven if the records of engineering had pre strength in relation to works of progrs the aPPlication of that law to a higher point Yet be a conjecture; and still more so in )3 sed to th e N;ariable, and insidious, and in e' of water and the elements. But the defence i Ak .14t3t not b e res t e d on a s p ecu l a ti v e pl ea di ng . 'e t ll 'Alf ri l a , t " the estimates of more modern public 41'are„ at e magnitude, where the engineer has been Cir i eell' lni sealeulation, end where he hae been, by , Permitted to plead the same excuse." b to Mr. Walker and his admirable report, ' h ill e ee u Placed on so different a footing, that "t t . t ae tal ly disallowed, through . the exertions k excellent resident engineer, who, to 14 , 1 „, t1° ,, e 'dedge, adds matured experience, and R l Ti:" , that he supervises everything secuu iitutZeontractors, Messrs. Jackson and Bean, /elkti7„,lY-know n fur their skill and experience o t t lfe t le k at of engineering, have been allowed Completion of tasks implying a large money ; and, from the satisfactory made, there is reason to hope that the lied from sea to sea at the time ap be departures in the form of extras, .Is. The total length of the Canal ;ty-three of which are formed by art, by connecting, and rendering subser purposes, a great natural basin, , as well as beautified by the ample e ss, Loch Oich, and Loch Lochy. t he,. locality l a t e ly, we f oun d th e bu s tl e b ut curiously animated, beyond alike uescription. The contractors employ men, according to circumstances. 00 horses, to say nothing of the potent Machinery impressed into the service the promotion of peaceful engineering IY more sensible than the ridiculous fted in Paris, half-way through the ;3', at an expense of nearly fifteen mil 'lle way and another, the gentlemen 'hurse weekly in wages about 2,000/. receive from a pound to a guinea, and labourers from thirteen to all by the week. Another class of 'ealled " dredgers," are paid still more a crown a day, which enables them 4t.t, beef and mutton, in preference to ' , - " e '' Q es, and barley broth of Caledonia. appear, there is scarcely a single „, e squads of labourers employed ; of ..re a good many at first, remnants of ; but in a national point of view it is 4 1 , that the great bulk of the work is , T e ws and inews of Highlanders, from c:rieluding Skye, Mull, Lews, and some the case of quarrymen, excavators, 'timers, &c., portions of work are let by 'utractors. That much local good is kli ; o n of so large a sum in wages can nut the operators complain of the ' 5, and in the case of oatmeal they are This article is retailed at 2s. Bd. per 'hick is pretty nearly double the -09 south of Scotland. Butter is re 1, and eggs at fivepence per dozen, 4 1 ) cet of the latter rising in price, from 4 4 4 strangere into districts where sheep 11 ' kne 4131 e, while the few other products the 1,44;4,8? in cluded, scarcely Suffice for the wants )tilh4h ~,.Potatoes, however, are everywhere ;"I'ld situations grown in greater breadth i~ea 4 tttutNde ; and in p ro p or ti on as th e y ripen, 1 ,,N 3' h f or meal i n su p per i ng , if no t break -4,11" 4M- workiroe labourer. Fresh herrings 24 4. atif 44 I fe e , , that they are sometimes sold at V„titi; ra it "Pence ; and truth to say, there is no e e r ! t4 t, whether fresh or salt, which forms ' 4 11, 4t1 "1 - lieneent to a molly potato. ei -"iretiee 'L %lel oche we observed a fur the f t s to be used, we presume, 1 , 411 eir,. ll 'ng fresh water in a Highland lake. tt uel ew 41' nod at Loch Oich, there are ob tNes 11 ' 4 Lttle formidable, such as the ) si "ntaining several loads of timber. t i•sca.„ e _, r elies of primeval forests had re- Ottle' is impossible to tell ; but wh,t, ‘,Ote r f; ` )l lne e e j.„ — "Qa, some of the most gigantic 4,Abate ß ." excavated exhibited at once traces d t axe and the agency of fire coin i,lbtltN"thweat4arte.r, way s are . subject to leakage Eaf t precaution has been adopted, tr ~ankments with clay (pudding), so Ortd",r`ace waste may be confined to ex kOt°' Held is another great job, and as regards t 4 -)N ()st important of all ; anti few operations Itie ri atik niu . s ing than to see barrowmen t f t ', 4 o a r e iv alling in steepness the knees O tt 2Pg Power of horses above, so bar doublo tides, going and returning. diet °t by aP P e ar in: the canal, the streams have t tb, t4 api;:!c'unds of e ar th , to b e remove d w h en , q, 4 fe q i i i n required for purposes more im ti g fishes. Three steam-engines are ‘,11 , 1), 43 nin e hY i n Pumping, which discharge into dail y w ater as w ou ld g i ve a t we l ve gal 41erOckne ts i, every inhabit a nt of the great th e or moving the huge blocks of k`tl . ' l lll l a ,.. c l u "ins and new buildings, setting vearatus of cranes, fixed and move ke, were months ago plated in tli4st quarries, too, have been opened ti t i tte ci 4 Zest '3 s 4 t tl ees side railroads planted to ..;t,„ % 'st f t ls ; and ° '?es in wheeled trucks to the re tb, 'quid a , I n a word, all our great modern o, i s, 4 fi e j, et o nly beautifully blended, but bear -14; IVt. t i t . .et, 4 , x Y, u lloil one another in the renovation 4' 4 4 t h . 2, l tion of a great national under- N„)° e.,_"lnge stones at the different I...eks ;1,,ttl thee4K, larger ones have been . substituted; doors have suff , d so much from \ I 4s that th ey require to be renewed, the t h e vain for oak of the necessary aut e ex ception of park trees, which the N 4 4 1 'Y . Brit h„' snd wh erever the ill exists there i il le s :a t i ll ; used ire "'ere pleased to find that Indian 14te. as, whieLstead ; and eke goodly mahogany , 1 1)1,3 "' in our estimation, will subserve the4l' " (if ! tore thy, h i _, i mportant than gearing the V ii fiH° fl ti t est in the lend. _ y the r oduction of steam navigation, ', 1 4 14 4 w 1ncl canal was tedious for sail vess,-la orl 0,0 cr2ntrary. 13ut when four steam :rtiiill:tetc,dt; a n its waters, that objection will be , k 4 te,: ne e i„, 1) !I then , should suppose, adieu et a a t t e l° , 4 'Y the Pentland Frith. ' This 'eye % ur " ' "'timed a cogent argument for qt h‘)._ And add:tiontti 200 000/. on the pert of Q7 ll "ther a .1 sill stronger will erase, ,eb.4ll,e,a4Fe.tlaral to the shores of the Fri , li of in its whole length and breadth. voitote,t,t spc.eteutizitat to ; nis not far in the distance, is tr anie%, ' Q ua in posse and esse ; and when ' l l 4 ' co ntempleted are completed. kte e „ l ite a rid gralyn to a common centre, will :tq k ge areeher''Vliz beautifully and benefe L'ao:fhes Courier. (1 4. 11 ' s,'s s4l:4r4sla.,tlZel6rit----oi:o7.ts--.---the number of 'ti `Qi "le ~,•eci with was only 786, showing a decreree 4t)„ 1 previous week. Deaths from and other organ s of diev.stio . n. fq, 51 , Nuart;, I T._"M 9 0 to 68; measles still ie k4t i 4 re trit ep g , l e i v ,t e i r eage ftir fiile,etttutlmiensn3nlmbeit; 29 died k etkiitlee ttl e : i his • We T e , ' ,3. than one-third thne3averaige.. lo itti ° o 4 2, , ‘ , 0 % 2 : 14 . which 10 were caused by ;ea ze L , and 2 'i o is, 7 from drowning'. " 44 1114„. „ ra scalds. Tr a.ap GREAT SEA ER. PENT. "As o as the ins7de of the potato has ritortifikl, three days at the utmost -are sufficient for th,- botr3dis to make its wsy to the ex . erior. The white ( fflore,cenee bhows it $Ol in the eyes of the tubercules, a.,d then it spreeds its= If Ike bete white fleeecs upon the surface that is rouudi-h at firs, but a hich tini lies by invading tl,e of the tubercak' ; then tile pitatoc is alto gether destro ed. " The evil being traced to its source, the cultivator must direct his attention to tl.e &stria tion of the fungus ar ma,hroom, for it is unfortunately but to,, true that all the para,itra of this genus once introduced into a country, remain there and propagate. This year the epidemy has been general ; the germs that exist every where ; thousands and thousands of propagules, if their numbers are not diminished by times, will next year be at'acking the plants, and it will then be more difficult than ever to eradicate the scourge. "v auth 'w.iett,d, as will he een, kV. ft - OM CIO! !;1.4t um wr o; the 11 1 , , Onsocket ,IZ. I.) Put-h,t. .1.11 statement of lit.w, , rs we Lira re,?.ation. It was sen to the Woonsocket paper by Mr. C D. B) ran, who dates his ',Ater, Newport., S. pte:nber 8. The thy on which it Aus the ill , nrlay previius (S.'pternber 1), v:hile the ship (the Albatro. , s) was becalmed ,41 . Stow; gtun, Ct., about live miles oil land. We would not ridicule these researches into natural hi, tory ; but we must say that this story is long, tough, and hard to swallow. If true, however, it shows that antiquity cannot begin to compare with modern times. Hydr.,rgoi Sillimunii was not a circum stance to tie Genus Stoninbtonii. We copy from t`le Woonsvka Putrict. Any hats that may follow are due at that office. The t' for our market, !ale, but of very a'a,3ll part. of parcels Of new grain of home ed. The imports ; but only ..land. Fresh ur, ample, wry little rat large parcels rage quantity on flits from the the in-gathering ( notwi t hstand country buyers) Nevertheless, a the article, sad dondav last was sign Wheat was F both red and t to say brisk led in every In , however, corn : not considered an d Oat ~ under For shipment 7 English Barley reign was small. me prices were new. Superfide active &mad 'about difficuly: t ts came to han.d on oiler to•ds• improvement on per quarter. st,. The supp/ t Y sale was raite! nindance, moved Flour trade was r more business " The wind during the day had been light from the N.E., and at about half-past two p.m., while almost be calmed, one of the men who had gone aloft discovered him about one point off the lee bow, distant quarter of a mile. I immediately went aloft, taking with me an ex cellent sea-glass, and stationed myself on the maintop gallant crosstreee. As he neared the vessel, I was enabled, from my elevated position, to ob..eree the peculiarity of his shape, and to reconnoitre all his move ments. When first seen he was lying on the surface of the water, with his heed and nearly the entire length of his body in sight. In this position he remained for &mut fiftet n minutes, without any apparent motion, though from his gradual proximity to the vessel, it is evident he must have been under some headway. After this, he sloe ly changed his course, so as to bring his body athwart our bows, and again appeared to remain station ary, until by the current, and slight puffs of wind, we had drifted silently into his immediate neighLourhood. " The sea being unusually smooth and clear, the view which was now afforded could not well have been better, and the opportunity to enjoy it was caeerly embraced by all hands. I should think his length could not have fallen far short of 70 feet. The head appeared to be much the largest and most formidable part, and was of an oval shape. The end of the upper jaw appeared to be square, and very bluet; that of the under part was not much dissimilar in shape to that of the ordinary sneke. About ten feet from the extreme point of the head, and on either side, was located a thin apron or ea of fl -sh, of about four feet in length and one in width. Directly iu rear, and just below, appeared a large full. orbed eye, of a dark colour, with an elongate horizontal surrounded by a white outline. Under the throat and about on a line with the eye, appeared two enormous fins or flippers, which seemed to be his main dependence in giving headlong motion to the huge mass of living flesh which ley behind them. About eight or ten f•et still farther back, and near the surface of the water, two other tins became vhible ; these were about s'x feet long, rather narrow, and quite thin. They lay herizontaly on the water, and were occasionally moved to and from the side with a sculling motion. This circumstance led to the c mjerture that they might have been designed as mett-rial aids in turning the body to the right or I , ft. The ridge of the back was considerably notelod, arid at equi-dis antes of two or three legit, sharp transparent protuberances, of a vermillion colour, ap peared, to the number of fifteen ; after which the back became smooth as far as discoverable. These points or Horns were about eight inches long, starting with a dia meter of perhaps four inches, and gradually tapering to an extreme point. It is not impossible this singular ar rangeraent may have been wisely ordained to serve as weapons of self-defence. The termination of the body was quite small, ending with a callous or bony projec tion, about four feet in length, and nearly white. " The entire body appeared to be shielded in a com plete coat of of a dark brown hue, divided into regular joints, passing around the body, which were slightly opened and shut by the motion occesioned when lying he td to the sea.' This singular exterior cevyrMg would undoubtedly present an invulnerable harrier tr9inst the attack of any aquatic enemy who might chance to seek the citadel of his life. Its ex. trenie _inflexibility was thoroughly tested before we parted company, by several well-directed shots of a rifle, which left no visible impression whatever, and did not seem to disturb his equilibrium even the slightest de gree. " At about half past three we were so contigious to each other, that fears began to be entertained for the safety of the vessel. I came down from aloft, and or dered the sweeps to be put out, to get steer-way" on her, in order to avoid a collision, as he was then lying ' broadside to' just under the bow. At this critical juncture a scene of confusion and alarm occurred which. can only be imperfectly described. The oars were scarcely in the water when a terrible commotion was heard directly under the forefoot.' I jumped forward at once to the staysail nettings, and looking down, could see nothing but one complete caul dron of bubbling and boiling foam, as white as unstained snow. Whether the serpent had taken alarm at discovering his proximity to the vessel, or from the noise made by the oars as they were dropped into the water, I could not tell. In another instant the commotion ceased, and the monster breached from the water head foremost, coming up in nearly a perpendicu lar line, until his head struck the martingale with such force as to part the guys, and carry away the flying jib boom near the boom-iron. The concussion was so se vere that the whole ship trembled beneath it, and the countenance of every man on board. was blanched with fear. Had I not been holding on to the foretopmast stay at the time, I should doubtlessly have fallen over board. Immediately after this he slowly settled away, and entirely disappeared from sight. " It being now about four o'clock, and the wind be ginning to set in from the southward and eastward, we hauled our tacks' aboard, sheeted home' the topsails, and gathering headway on the ship, stood in for the land. Nothing more was seen of the leviathan, though every eye on board long and in tently searched for his whereabouts. Whether this strange inhabitant of the deep is the same which had been so often seen and described by others, or is some now visitor in our waters, I hare no means of knee kg. I can only say that its appearance was novel and interesting in the highest degree, and differed en tirely in its construction, size, and colour, from any tenant of the doep which ever came under my observa tion, during a nautical life of 25 years.—JAßEZ POWERS." —New York Tribune. rt is essential to adopt the iollowing precautions : " 1. Mien, then, the laves are decidedly spoilt, cut them down forthwiat and burn them on the spot, in stead of taking them away. The ashes may serve to be scattered on the soil. In collecting them, shake them as little as possible. I have seen with regret cultivators cut down the diseased leaves and keep them in heaps on the field, or throw them over the hedges. It is preserv- ing the scourge for the following year: " 2dly. ) When certain varieties or certain localities are free from the scourge, at the time of the harvest, it is always prudent to burn the leaves, for a field may appear secure from the botrydis when it is not so ; se veral leaves are attacked ; these leaves throw the pro pagules on to the tubercules which, being preserved for purposes of reproduction, vi ill spread the plant the following year. - " 3tlly. If the tubercules themselves are attacked, it is essential to take them out of the earth, and to speedily choose amongst them, which is an easy pro ceeiing, for habit soon enables one to distinguish be tween the tubercles that are tainted and those that are not. The tubercules that are still soubd must be turned to account as soon as possib'e, for they are not noxious so long as the rind does not become yellow. The smell alone is sufficient to indicate the development of the disease. The diseased tubercules must be burnt. ILTRE 63s to 645 ire and Feed. 22 8 8 2 . ...... .1 2 " tndCork, 214 203 • •• •- • 23 8 ite • • 21 ' 221 „ L .._ 20s 404 3 " 438 •••• • • • • 3" 401 36 3 42 , 368 528 42s 4311 408 ' ' e 4 0 8 :NTOA 3ss 508 "S lk 378 " " 4thly. In order to obviate the disastrous conse quences of a scanty harvt st, it would be important to adopt in our country the practice now prevalent in Scot land of cultivating potatoes during winter. " sthly. As it is infinitely probable that the tuber cules which will be preserved for putting in the ground will be infected with the spawn of the mushroom, it would be advisable, by means of the Government or in the course of commerce, or in some way or another, that our cultivators should have at their dispssal for re production tobercul-s perfectly pure and non-infected, 1n 1 in that r,-sps-et the potatoes of I'ennsylvanh or of Ireland woolwoull suit us extremely. The present scourge is unknown in these two countries. 1 7 (. u must be aware 288 to 32 : 40s i t , an . • • ...... 19 live stock in to d 400 an she°od Harlingen ; SouthamP i t nd at Hull, wv -day we had 0 ,! 'hes!), from WI., n. The g ei!e o ra wady the wit 1 1 ; up from °to easts came d us from ° ls m the We' te 'ecieved IGO , a n ie supply be 1, 1 1 5, the metroPT ai l vas better t" f 3 ast, the 1 , 3 e .,, :e of I)° , er a . in the T i o 281bs an d Embers of Su e ;', :utton trade re, led. In Ctiop v n: ine. , s was ive, at very s. d. to l l ditto 4 0 I 0 lditto 4 6 6 0 tilers 410 , wool 1 3 10 6 1 .. 2 .. 4 0 8 0 2 •.16 0 0 .... 0 of the German potat,cs, in which the hit4h gangrene, t,htt ciispicre, and .the.tacerartion a the tubercules are,bat_ too apparent. The occasion of the propw r d importation or) a large scale should be seized to introduce into our country the varietie the most useful to our soil. 6thly. Should the agriculturists persist in using fur re-production he tubercles harvested in the country this year, it will bt necessary to submit the tubercles to the agency of lime, as is practised with wheat, barley, oats, and all plants chat are liable to the invasion of paritsiti cil tocres. T: he process ought to be by the immersion of the tubercles, because a study of the botrydis shows that it is the eye of the pototo, a point that is most often sunken in, that is attacked. The lime-water should. therefore, bathe this lethiferous eye; 25 kilogrammes (5011.): , .) of lime, a quarter of a pound of sulphate of copper, and three kilogrammes (6 lbs.) of marine salt, tor twenty-five liters (quarts) of water, constitute a pre paration, the ut.lity of which in the destruction of para site plants has beep reccgniscd by a great number of well informed cultivators. 7thly. la the plantations, whether of the winter of 1845 or of :11 ,, spring of 1846, it is essential to plant with potatoes only such districts as are as far as pos sible removed from the districts annually infected; for it is clear that the chance of transmission by the pre servation in the soil of the spawn of the mushrooms is much greater in plantations that are close to each other than when the plantations are at a greater distance. " &Hy. When M. die Martins visited Belgium and investigated, in our different provinces, the state of our potatoes, he informed me, in one of his interest ing conversations, that the cultivators on the banks of the Rhine had observed that the dry gangrene attacked oftener the potatoes planted in the afternoon than those planted in the morning, and he explained the phenomenon by a very simple fact. When the sun has passed the meridian, the heat of the coatings of air is at its maximum; this heat accelerates the vitality of the plants;_ their propagales float about more easily in a dilated air; the insects, in their flight, disperse more easily a mass of little bodies of which the. atmosphere is the vehiculum, and the dissemination of these germs is then at its maximum too. The cultivator is then in the very midst of this atmosphere, and the potato which he is planting has to go thrOugh it too ; the potato gathers on to it the spawn, which is thus sown with it, and there then happens to the potato, what happens to the corn that has not been submitted to the action of lime•water—namely, that the poison grows with the plant, and at a later period attacks it and kills it. Cultivators, consequently, would do well to plant their potatoes in the morning. " 9thly. The use of lime and of marine salt with a slight mixture of sulphate of c-ppee, is, as I have already said, of acknowledged efficacy in the destruction of the germs of parasite plants. Consi.quently, to powder over with such a mixture a soil Vial has been planted with diseased potatoes, is a good (Taxation for destroying if, that land the germ of the scourge. The operation ought to be strongly recommended everywhere. "10thly. The preserving of the p itatoes that shall have escaped the scourge this year, in eaves, cellars, &e.. will certainly be to deposit the spawn of the mushroom in those very places. The cellars must be thorough]) cleaned, and scoured with lime, which will destroy the spawn, end theri scattering lime or gi mind coal on the soil where the tubercles ha's e be en spread, %till conclude the series of cperations, the most rational and the most certain for destroying, if it is possible, the evil at its root. Ns [AL?... of oderate time:ooo tnd, and v ar i ! a na of fair av e .sl te s we have uOO, Irimest l‘fut`c,, es of curi es. vet the (1a ( !7,, About Or heep have be I. d. t o ` g r .. 3 4 2 ng.. 3l° 4 A 6 ....4 4 ' a 0 .. 310 i 4 .... 4 10 EEK. Calves Fl' l ° 30 0 29 90- 440 120 140 -- 12e 70 130 300 430 1 0 ° 340 1,380 -- 90 - 29° CZDS. f o r e l ess than hence the °` - ‘4 , tes, whic h no rage t 0 as >asses ; 3 e ck, a veri:car -11 rates 0 s are well stir "CH. MORREN, Member of the Royal Academy of Sciences, &c., &c. " Leige, Aug. 18, 1845." DISEASE OF THE POTATO IN BELGIUM AND ENGLAND. At this moment, when the disease of the potato in various districts in England seems to he rapidly spread ieg, the following paper on the subject will be read with extreme interest : A general disease, as our readers are perhaps aware, has attacked the potatoes in Belgium, and it seems that the crop of that first rate necessary esculent is very seriously endangered, in that country. The disease is said to threaten also the potato crop in certain partS of France. We republish, therefore, the advice which M. Morren, professor of Agriculture in the University of Liege, has addressed to the public, in a letter in the Independence, a Brussels paper. M. Morren, after saying that the evil had prevailed in Belgium for several years, though to a less alarming degree, proceeds : " The real cause of the evil is a fungus, - or sort of mushroom, a mouldering which the learned will classify arei-e their g ant; .tr ydis, but which agriculturists, er without. forth - er specification, will call a spot, a blemish,, blotches, and which they will attribute, some to humidity, and some to dryness—some to a bad wind come from France, and some ta insects. It is not, however, matter of indiffTence to know the true cause of the pheno menon, for that knowledge will pit us in the way of diminshing or destroying the evil, if it is possible. " Fir some time I have been following, day by day, and step by step, the progress of the evil, by keeping my observation fixed on some potato fields. The disease decidedly begins with the leaves, and at the top of the leaves; I have even seen the flowers and fruit attacked first. A part of the green tissue, however, loses its hue And quickly turns- to yellow; the spot soon becomzs more grey at• the bottom, and it is always at the lower surface of the leaf, or on the fruit that a whitish down makes its appearance the next day or the day but one after the formation of the yellow spot. By applying the micro scope, you then see that th's down proceds from a fungus 'or mushroom, that is fructifying amids the numerous hairs that cover the inner side of the leaf of the potato. " This mushroom is of the same tenuity, but it breeds amazingly, and reproduces itself by thousands. Its stems are formed of little straight hollow threads, which bear on their summits one or more branches always di vided into two, and at the end of these branches repro ductive bodies are found, which have the form of eggs, but which have the form of a millimetre, in size, and even less. It will be said that this is a very small body to do so much mischief, but I answer that the itch is not a disease less to be feared, because the aware which pro duces it can be seen only by the aid of the microscope. " After the formation of the yellow spot, and the development of the botrydis on the leaf of the potato, the stalk receives the deleterious influence. Here and there its epidermis turns brown, and blackens, and following with the mieroseope the phase of the evil, you perceive that it is by the rind that the stalk is attacked. The morbid agent carries its action from the rind on to the epidermis, and though the epidermis does not always disclose mushrooms, it is not the less for that struck with death. Whoever has any notions of vege table physiology will easily uederstand these effects. The sap modified into living juices, into vegetable blood, is formed in the leaf, whence it descends by the rind into the stem and the root. Here this sap is diseased, it carries death ; it bears the poison of the leaf to the stem, and the latter perishes. Indeed, as soon as the black spots show themselves on the stems, the leaves dry up and die ; they fall to the ground propagating, unfortu nately, the source of the evil, or depositing its germs in the earth. I shall presently point out means of stopping this fatal cowmunier.tion. " The infection soon descends into the tuberCule it self. If '.lie disease follows its course, the tubercule mortifies forthwith. A potato is not a root but a real branch., whence it follows that a tubercule contains a martsow, which is the eatable part to be preferred, and a separate rind ; b'tween the marrow and the rind there is a zone of ves,.els, which represent wood. This construction is kppari , lit to any one who chooses to cut a thin slice of potatot., and place it between his eye and daylight. The infection attacks that part which receives the sap on its descent that part by which the morbid cgent has itself come dunn. When a potato is attacked, you perceive a series of' livid, brown, or yellow spots, sometimes grey wind and blackish, and the series extends over the whole of LEITIf. GREAT FLIGIIT OF BIRDS.—The the ligneous zone. By folt.ewing the progress of the evil upon a great riun,ber of tainted tubercules, I have been able to see how the ee f il e by one continuous progress, ! .Cssop,taeinneostmlattetr,efdreamseßveortteegra!alemo,frwtlitliechlanadrroivnedhehreir)eassaagefewhodniseys; and during its continuance an immense number, of small birds IA length leaches the h e the - rigging and uttering -wild, Art it of the potato, atid cur- boardCd - the. easel covering ru V" the vegetable t'n'Arely. T l, e skin of the diseased cries, as eateriiiy 'br- - te - e - shelter from the - great under t e knife soon were overtaken by another in the shape of a large hawk, the V °tatn " e 3 " tr ' 4 lv ; the fleilt no longer cracks ' which had driven them so far to sea. Safe from onedisaster, the' a ram 4.- pounced upon the timid songsters and killed severalof them before animal small, analogous to the drips from the potato, dead , sod • recently cut inanitetts itseir , acid and alive, consisting of nearly all the variety of our European • •A he could be secured. A number have been brought home, snlen of mushrooms u sphr;usum u Ists a i t y ul a : n - nt liquid uang-n stcrs The hawk is perfectly - tame, and a great favourite with be h tf 1 1 " g • considered a§ . 1 4 11 the Crew of thelliary.—Sivestrum. cgttull g i'ves 3 fide to eat of a food that maythemselves,' ocesisions consider'ble nausea. The very animals 'T- O deleterious lawihxooms THE CROPS IN THE UNITED STATES. ° lon hav e br io 50 ditto'i ; ill 1)lic sale s rc els e of the P 3 i „ts ntract 1T ,3 a pt 1 u t fureig' The season has so far advanced, that we are able to take a general survey of the crops throughout thy whole couutry. :6Ye can now- speak.-with some confi dence, because must of the cm,..* have been harvested. First, as to the great northern sti,ple f wheat. - The crop is undoUbtedly a large one,nore-- than an average, arid it'haStwen secured in excellent condition: This is the tenor of "advices from all quarters. - Even in Ohio, where the wheat crop is probably h ss' than an average, the wheat is very cl, an and the berry very white. We hear neither of rust nor smut. Though the farmers have lost in quantity they have undoubedly gained in quality. In Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and lowa, the wheat crop is magnificent. Everything has been favourable. So likewise, we understand, is the cheat 'crop in Pennsylvania. In Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, and Georgia, it has been effected by the drought, some say so seriously as to shrivel the berry. In Tennessee, Kentucky, and Missouri, the crop is a noble one. In New England and New York it is pro. allow since °llllcir , een good , .. e • ree weeks Po r manY P, e k 5 0 0 9 , 0 00 the re he pricee dose. 1 g to a iv we rate suPP; pIY e home st P,, e a i r fresh 113 e" f italP h me 0 the ‘viedg e on sv a Railway, bably less than an averrge. The hay crop is remarkably light in nearly every State in the Union. From all sections, the complaint is almost univenal that hay is very light. This is par ticularly- the case in New England, New York; and Ohio. Farther west, and in Michigan, we hear of a heavy crop of hay, bat it s not to be disguised that the hay crop is shorter now than it has been in many years. The protracted spring drought stunted it, and the in tense summer drought nearly killed it. The farmer will have to make up his deficiency of fodder by an in created sowing of lute root crops. Rye, oats, and barley, are a fair crop, but not a heavy one. Like grass, they have suffered from the drought. The corn crop is now ripening; it is therefore impos sible to speak conclusive; bac it seems to be the general impresiion that it will be less tha❑ an average crop, ex cept in the Western States, where the drought has not been so revere. Yet it is acknowledged that the quality is uncommonly fine. Potatoes are of an excellent quality, and though here and there there may be a failure, we shall have our u ual abundance of one of the finest and most whole some vegetables ever cultivated fur man. The rot has got into it in some sectiuus, but this is not so general as it was last year. Our survey would not he complete unless we said a few words about the great crop of the South—cotton, rice, tobacco, tvld sugar. The cotton crop w;ll be a heavy one—probably . reach 2.500,000 bales. In South Carolina and Georgia, the intense drought, has reduced it some, but this d ficiency will be more than supplied by Mis,ibsippi and Arkansas. The tobacco crop is light in Virginia, and in North ar.d S, , uth Carolina, but heavy in Kentucky and soon, and we think the whole supply will be a full average. Rice, which is mostly raised in South Carolina, will not be a full crop. If we are to believe the papers of that State, the drought has burned up everything almost like a blast of fire, but these effects are probably ex aggerated, as the sufferings of heat make it seem more intolerable than it really is. The sugar crop will be a splendid one. The culture in Louisiana is extending beyond all former example. It is so much more profitable than raising cotton, that the cotton planters are rushing into it. The last year's crop was 200,000,000 of pounds—by far the largest ever before raised in this country. The next may reach 250,000,000 pounds. There is yet a large roon, for in crease, as the consumption in the United States is about 500,000,000. In this connexion we can very properly speak of the crops of Texas, which are iii . ,eitmmonly good. Cotton, sugar, corn, .and wheat, are all line. There is a glorious abundance of everything for r,ustenanee ur comfort. As that country may now be- considered a part of our Union, its protperity will be chronicled with as much interest us that of -its sister States. —Albany Argus. tue of 5,r it few d,',) Excll4"- . _~ 1-- TLIE SUN LONDON TUESDAY MORNING. OCTOBER 21. 1845. FRENCH RAIL WAYS and ENGLISH CO N TRACTO VARIATIONS IN THE VALUE OF RAILWAY I ROPERTY. Some months since we stated the particulars of a dis puted c:aim which had been set ►gip by the authorities of the city of Row-ri for the levying or a sort of municipal toll or tux upon all material included in a certain tchedul,e the terms ( f the muMcipat regulation im posing the tax being as follows:—" That ( very person ho shall gather, prep are, or manufacture (qui re•cult piepu•c on _falpigne). within the limits over which the t city toll extends, is found, under pain of con fiscation of the articles gathered, - prepared, or manu factored (recottes, prepares on labriques), as a ell as of a penalty of from 100 to 200 francs, to mike a declaration of the same, and to pay the taxes thereupon." Now it appears that amongst the articles enumerated in the schedule affixed to the above regulation are included two kinds of stone, known by the distinctive appellations of moell ins and bizets. illoellon signifies a rough sort of boulder stone, and bizct a stone of rough blackish hue and of similar character, -and both are used in the em bankments of railways just a•; they are dug up with the earth, without the slightest employment of any labour in their fashion or shape ; so that they can scarcely be said to be prepares, or prepared. This was the question at issue between the city authorities and Messrs. Mackenzie and Brassey, the contractors of the earth works of the Rouen and Havre Railway. The minutes of the proceenings which originally were commenced before the local tribunal at Rouen, show the facts of the case to be as follows ;—That, on the 16th of May last, the officers of the city tolls saw a certain number of waggons containing moellons et bizcbs travel ling on the line of rail Way then in course of construction, and coming out of the tunnel which is under and within the city of Rouen, and so proceed from the interior to the commune or district, beyond and without the bounda ries of the said city. The fact is, that the line.of rail way runs by a tunnel under the city of Rouen, and, after leaving the tunnel, it is carried forward on an embank ment, and the moellons et bizets are nothing more than the interior stones of a certain siz', Which. being dug out with the earthwork, are heaped pell-mell i❑to the wag gons, and sent forivard to furnish material for the em bankment. The fiActuations which take place in the value of railway property are of,en the subject of remark. In no other description of joint-stock shares do equally sudden and • extensive changes occur. Most persons who haVe paid any attenti:. , n to whit i 3 passing in the railway world Are aware of the high prices of several of the leading lines, as compared with what they were in 1843. In that year the Great Western shares of 801. were as low as 11 premium; lately they were 140. In the same year the Great -North of England 1001. shares were scarcely saleable at 40 discount; a few months ago they were 150 premium. The Midland Counties 100/. shares were, little mere-than two years since, at 35 discount; they ware lately at 90 premium. But a greater increase bait in either of the instances we have — mentioned has taken place in the shares of the Dublin and Kingstown Railway. Little more than twenty months ago, the 1001. shares were selling at 75/, being 25 discount. Seven or eight weeks since they brought 250/., being 150 pre mium. But still greater than these have been the varia tions, considering the amount paid, which have taken place in the value of some of our new lines. The Goole, Pontefract, and Wakefield shares, on which a deposit of 21. 10s. has been paid, and which remained stationary for many weeks at a premium of from 14/. to 161., have recently mounted up to 401. Even this sudden and extensive rise, however, is surpassed by that which lately took place in a new line which is scarcely known in . this country— we allude to a Scotch line, called the Glasgow and Bsrrhead Railway. The shares in this line were selling, six or seven weeks age, at 61., in chiding the deposit of 2/. 10s. ; they rose in a very shott time to 24/, and then as suddenly fell back to 171.; but, strange to say, they again took a start, which has. we believe, no parallel it; any description of joint stoek property. They bounded up in a few days from 171. to 401. Those who were fortunate holders to any extent of the scrip of this line must hare realised large fortunes in the brief spice of a few weeks. A holder of 250 shares, at par, trust have realised little short of 10,0001. by the transaction.—Railway World. It was urged, on the part of the city, that the stones were, there could be no doubt, included in the tariff, and subject to a duty or toll to the city ot 70 centimes per stere. On the other hand, it was urged that these moellons st bizas found on the waggons could not be con templated by the tariff, since, in their actual condition, they were only rubbish,• misslotOn unhewn massee, and, in fact, were stone aed flint, dug out froth the excavation in the railway; and because in that state they were, in fact, only fit for making embankments on another part of the rail way, where they were being carried at the time, as we should say, laid in the declaration; an.l that this destination, the only one for which they were calculated, should protest them from the opera ion of the law in • questian. -The argument thaLtbete had been no.labour bestowed upon them was met by the single fact of labour being employ ed in their excavation, and that the stones in question might have been used for building purposes in their then condition. It was in vain that the defendants again urged that the terms of the article imposing the duty did not apply—that the stones in question were neither recolta pr(a•er ou fabrique, ; for the Court de sired it to be understee that the article was in tended to include, tout creation, without exception, every production from the interior of objects sus ceptible of being • subjected to the droit. d'entiee. In vain Messrs. Mackenzie and Brassey declare that they only intended to employ these stoney in the aforesaid embankment, and that they had no inten tion of employing them for building purposes—bad they so used them, they would confess the justice of the eaae, but the Court would hear no plea of the sort, and pronounced the contractors guilty. The decision (dis engaging the question from the mass of legal quibbling which surrouLds it) appears to us an absurdity. In nar rating the circum,ttinces of the case we have mentioned that the case first came on before the tribunal at Rouen on the 12th of June, 1845. Oa the 18th of July, again, an appeal was lodge d before the Court at Rotten, and the final decision was, thn , ugh another appeal to the Court of Cassation, on the third of this month. The costs fell upon the contractors —Railway Record. THE LATE MELANCHOLY OCCUR RENCE AT HOUNSLOW BA eCKS. FINAL EXAMINATION OF LIEUTENANT KERWAN. Saturday being the day appointed for the further examina tion of Lieutenant Martin Frencia Kerwan, of the 4th Regi ment of Light Dragoons, stationed at Hounslow Barracks, on the charge of having, on the 28th ef September last, stabbed with a sword Quartermaster Thomas Tarleton, of the same regiment, whereby his life was for some time in danger, the large room at the Three Pigeons Inn, New Brentford, in which the magistartes customarily held their sittings, was long before the hour appointed. (twelve o'clock) densely crowded by respectable persons, anxious to witness the proceedings. The magistrates who took their seats, were Mr. G. Millie, of Hartwell (Chairman), Rev. Dr. Walmesley (Hartwell), Mr. T. _Twining (Twickenhain), Mr. J. -B. Armstrong (Southall), Prera - (Chlswiek), and Mr.' Roe (Chiswick). Mr. Clarkson attended as counsel for Lieutenant Kerwan, as at the previous examination that day fortnight. Lieutenant Kerwan took his station at the bar, where a chair ha.l been pnvioutv placed for his accommodation. Qnattermaster Thomas Tarleton was then called forward, and took his station in the witness-1)0X. He was a much taller and more powerful man than Lieutenant Kerwan, and although he locked rather pale, he exhibited no weakness from the effects of the injury, but stood all the time he was giving his evidence. Having been sworn, he deposed as fl lows :—I am quartermaster of the 4th Regiment of Light Dragoons, now stationed at Hounslow-barracks. On the the evening of Sunday. the 28th of September last, about ten o'clock, some of the officers were showing feats of strength in the ante-room of the mess-room. Amongst others, Lieu tenant Kerwan, with Lieutenant Grevile, of the 2d Regi ment of Life Guards, were wrestling, and Lieutenant Kerwan was thrown twice, when Captain Fane came forward and put a stop to it. Lieutenant Kerwan immediately addressed Captain Fane, and asked him why he interfered, when he was not the senior officer of the regi ment then present. Captain Fane almost immediately left the roam, and directly afterwards Lieutenant Kerwan also left the room. I was standing with my back to the lire, when Major Parlby came to the door of the ante-room and called me out. When I went to him in the passage he told me that Lieutenant Kerwan wanted to go into Captain Fane's room. I went to the front of the barracks, and there saw Lieutenant Kerwan with two other officers. I saw that Lieutenant Kerwan was exceedingly excited, and endea voured to soothe him. After some little time Lieutenant Ker wan said he was ordered to the guard room, and would go there. I tried - to dissuade him. He then ascended the stairs to go to his room to put his cap on, and I accompa nied him. When we went into the room I shut the door, and when Lieutenant Kerwan had procured his cap, •he wanted to go out of the room. and I prevented him, by shutting the door, and standing with my back to it. Lieutenant Kerwan then seized a sword which was hanging near to where he had taken the cap from, and after flourish ing it, about, and threatening be would cut me down if I did not allow him to pass, he made a pass at me, which went under my left arm. Another sword was hanging close within my reach on the door in a scabbard. He said, "There is an other sword, defend yourself." I reached out towards it, and had got hold of the scabbard when I thought he wanted to pass between me and the door, and I threw myse'f back against the door, and then felt the blow which inflicted the wound. I immediately said, you have stabbed me, and went towards the fire, and by the light of it saw blood on my shirt. There was only a fire in the room. I then left the room, and meeting some person, toldthem to fetch the doctor, and then went to my own room. The doctor came almost immediately. By the Bench—My motive in preventing Lieut. Kerwan from quitting the room, was to prevent his going to the guard-room where the guard ' was at the time. I have omitted to state that at the moment that I saw the blood on my shirt the door was burst open by Lieut Wards, who rushed into the m om, and I told him I was stabbed. I rather think we all left the room together. From the exceeding kindness I have on all occasions experienced from Lieut. Kerwan since my promotion, I am perfectly confident that, had it not been for the excited state in which Lieut. Kerwan was at the moment, arising from the blows_be had received in the falls while wrestling, and the effects of the wine he had drunk, he would not have done me an injury; and, on my oath, I am also convinced that at the moment Lieut. Kerwan did so, he entertained no malice or ill-will against me. I sent a message to that effect to Lieut. Kerwan within half an hour after the occurrence took place. • By Mr. Clarkson—l have attended here to-day because I considered it my duty to do so ; but I shall not, of my own accord, take any measures with a view of prosecuting Lieutenant Kenyan, should the magistrates not require me to do so. Mr.-Clarkson then said that Colonel Daly had ordered that Captain \Verde, and all the other officers present on the evening in question, should attend the examination, and were then present, should the magistrates desire to put any ques tions to them. _ The Bench said they thought it would be better to take the examination of Captain Warde, as he was the only person who had entered the room a f ter th e occurrence had taken place. _ . Lieutenant Warde Wal then called, and deposed—l heard a noise on the occasion,, and went nee stairs and :•burst_the. door open, and then found Lieutenant.. Kerwan and Quarter master Tarleton inside. Tarleton, on.seeing me, exclaimed, "By God, We*, Kerwan has stabbed me !" and Lieu tenant Kerwan immediately said, " Good God ; I had no in tention of doing so I" I instantly left the room for the pur pose of fetching Mr. Mure, the assistant -surgeon of the regiment. Mr. Clarkson said he wished at that stage of the pro ceedings to ask a question of the medical gentlemen present. Either of the medical gentlemen would, he dared say, be able to give him an answer. The Learned Counsel then asked Mr. Frogley if he had probed the wound when he was first called in. Mr. Frogley replied that he had not ; Mr. Mure, the as sistant-surgeon, who was the first who saw Mr. Tarleton, had however done so, he believed. Mr. Edward Mure was then examined and deposed—l am assistant-surgeon in the 4th Regiment of Light Dragoons. When I was called to attend Quartermaster Tarleton I found him lying on a couch in his own room. He said he had been stabbed. I felt the wound and probed it, and found it had taken a course inclining upwards. It was situated about three-quarters of an inch beneath the naval on the left side. Mr. Tarleton is now quite recovered, and the wound is healed. The magistrate not calling any other witnesses forward, Mr. Clarkson proceeded to address the bench on behalf of his client, which he did at considerable length. He began by stating that he had nothing to complain of in the proceedings instituted on the part of the magistrates, and be was sure that he had still less to complain of that high-minded and noble • spirited man, Quartermaster Tarleton, who had so fully and fairly given his evidence, and expressed his feelings in the matter. He did not on the part of Lieut. Kerwan complain of anything that had transpired during the inquiry, having been • from the first fully convinced of his innocence of intention, for it would have been a fearful thing if it could be possible that an officer like Lieutenant Kerwan would commit an act that would endanger the life of another. He felt most deeply for the situation in which Lieutenant Kerwan was placed when he saw him at the bar on the pre \ions occasion ; but now, when it appeared in evidence what the real circumstances of the case amounted to, he felt no longer any fear as to the result. The Learned Counsel then proceeded to recapitulate the principal parts of the evi dence, commenting on them as he proceeded, and submitted that for the charge against his client to assume a statutable offence it was necessary that there should be proved that the accused entertained in his mind some malice or or some intention of • doing the act ; but the evidence proved nothing to that effect. The depositions gone into, on the face of them, proved quite the contrary. There was in fact no evidence to support a felonious charge. He felt convinced that the justice of the country would be fully satisfied by the enquiry which had been already gone into, and that the minds of all persons must be _convinced that no felony had been committed. Quartermaster Tarleton had expressly de dared he had no desire to prosecute, and he was sure that if the magistrates thought that Lieut. Kerwan ought to enter into recognizances to appear again before that bench, or any where else, so as to enable Quartermaster Tarleton fully to make up his mind as to his prefer' :ng any charge, hi 4 client would readily do so. He would now leavethe case in the hands of the bench, feeling confident that their de cision would be founded in justice, and that it would he favourable to his unfortunate client. The Magistrates then withdrew to another room. After an absence of • nearly an hour they returned into the Petty Sessions Room, and hating resumed their sears, The Chairman said the bench had given their anxious con sideration to .all the facts of the case, and also to the able areannents of the learned counsel, and although they did not It ori consider ntbsieindt(eli over rl eir t necessary Qittyltrotehtion t l o ,ats s Lt e e n ire d uT L tae i . e i a i ti t lo ei lK a t i eo i t riw34 l .3o l ls el ic A n l' i a tr n e 2 to o llge : nizarcea to appear at the next, or any other session, of the Central Criminal Court, to answer any indictment that may be pre ferred against him. The bail that would be required would be the 'same -as on the last occasion, viz., Lieutenant Ker wan in 50C1. and two sureties in 250/. each. Mr. Clarkson immediately tendered Charles Lionel Mait land Kerwan, of thlgin Park, in the county of Mayo, Ire land, brother to the accused, And Richard Raven, Esq.. of Kitnes Bench-walk, Inner Tcmple, both of whom entered iutn the required I..cognisan•vs. The Bench then declared Lieut. Kerwan to be discharged , upon which he rose from his seat in the bar, and, bowhig,;s to_ the magistrates, refired from the court, accompanied by bra ther officers and friends. _ The inquiry occupied several hours. THE ASIIIIY MAGISTRATES.—A\Ve are glad to Le able to inform our leaders that R. G. Croswell. Esq., one of the Ashby magistrates, whose names are so unenviably associatcd with the cruel commitments and imprisonments of Thomas Lakin, has resigned his s commiksion of the peace for this county. —Leicester. mire Merctili. THE BRITISH FISHERIES. I The Commissioners for the British fisheries have brought out their report at an earlier priced than vaunt, for the purpose of obviating the compl.int that the former time of issue was too late to be of use to fish curers and merchants in next year's fishing.' A few quotations from' the report ma y be interestieg to those who may not have seen the document itself: During the nine months reported on, the fishing' produced .526,C32; barrels herrings cured. 140,63 4 barrels branded, 266,3731 exported, and 117,606 as , sorted after the Dutch suede. The number of crens, or barrels of herrings, taken and promptly cured for immediate consumption, amounted to 295,664. In the cod and ling department 83,919 cwts, were cured dry, 1726 cured in pickle, 17,940-i officially punched, 28,815 exported, and 229 barrels of pickled fi Jr officially branded. The account of these fish taken and promptly disposed of for immediate consumption amounts to 359,250 cwts. These numbers are all considerably under those in last report, which is accounted for partly by the shorter period reported on, but chiefly by the frequent interruptions which the fishery received from the winds, which were unusually strong, especia'ly during August, the most important month of the year, when it often blew so hard as to prevent the boats get ting ont, and sometimes compelling them to return, after reaching the fishing ground, without making an attempt to get to work. On the whole, however, the nine months are considered to have produced an average fishing. The Commisioners say— " All fisheries being from their nature liable to alternate diminution and increase, it is from the gra dually augmented averages of the returns only that their growing prosperity is to be judged of ; and et r tainly nothing can he more cheering than the con sideration of those of the British fisheries. It is farther most gratifying to the Cominissioners to have to state that at no former period was the outfit more extensive, or the intrepidity and perseverance of the fishermen more remarkable, than during the nine months now re norted on. It may also be stated, that though the cure of herrings during these nine months was somewhat deficient, the effect has beeneto make the season's fishing rather more remunerative for the curers generally, and the whole trade may therefore now be considered as in a more healthy condition than it has been fur several years past." The account which the Commissioners gave of the in creased demand her Scotch cured herrings in the cond., nental markets is gratifying, and speaks highly for the integrity and skill of the marking officers : " The increasing demand thr grown and full branded herrings for the continent has rendered the drily of the officers at the branding stations much more laborious ; and :*.t is gratitying to learn, that the her rings sent to the continent have everywhere ishen perfect satisfaction, although the prices have been greatly reduced by the large supplies of N or w e gian herrings which have been sent into all stile ..coneinentel market:. The officers have been regalat in' visiting the curing premises, and examining the size of the barrels, so as to pre vent any of them being used, which, from accident, was - below the legal size. .In this department, it is satisfac tory to state, that a superior quality of birch and alder billets will be imported from Norway, on lower terms than formerly, but from the great demand for the ap proaching fishing, a considerable rise has taken place in the price of stave wood. The greatest 'attention has been paid to the preservation of the integrity of the offs &al brands, and their -value and importance continue to rise in the estimation of continental nations, and to be extended in foreign markets. " The increasing demand for British herrings of late years in Germany arises from their moderate price— their careful selection—their superior cure and quality— and, above all, from the security which dealers have in the official brands. The general stipulation bete er-n sellers and buyer.i is, to deliver and receivecrown and full branded herrings ; and Mr. Miller, the inspector of the east coast, states, in a report made to the board of the information by him during a short tour of inquiry, mace by order of the commissioners, that he has the authority of a firm at Stettin fur stating, that they sold about 40,000 barrels of crown and full branded herrings last year, which were everywhere received without objection. The Inspector found British herrings at Berlin, Wit temberg, Leipsic, Frankfort, Cologne, and Bruisels, and he saw several parcels in transit for more distant parts. The barrels were all brown and full branded, and the fish were in fine condition—all well meriting the official brand, and much approved of by every one. lie frequently inquired for Deitch herrings, and was uniformly shown British herrings as Dutch, and when he stated to the venders that they were Bridal), they always insisted that they were Dutch, and they sold them as Dutch. So general is the use of British herrings on the continent, that at Embden, wherC, a few years ago, fifty vessels were annually fitted out for the fishery, and a bounty of 501. paid to each, the number of vessels was reduced to twelve, not withstanding the continuation of that bounty. The in spector learned from Mr. Koch, the British Consul at Frankfort, that the navigation of the Rhine to Mayence or Frankfort, has not been attempted by vessels laden with British herrings, in consequence of the jealousy of the Dutch, who threw insuperable obitaeles in the way. Those herrings which have been sent thither were transhipped at Rotterdam, where the, charges levied in Holland proved to be almost prohibitory. But as the prospect has arisen of immediate transport by a canal, connecting May ne with the Danube, the Catholic countries of Batavia, Hungary, and Austria, may be expected to afford new markets for our herrings, when the naviga tion of the Rhine to Mayence may be attempted, or when the railway from Antwerp to Cologne may be employed. The Rhine is generally believed to be navi• gable until December. But whilst it is understood that flags of all nations rney navigate that river, British vesse's have not availed themselves of the privilege, although each of them might carry upwards of 300 tons. This is much to be regretted, for if no use can be made of the privilege by British vessels fur some time, the Dutch, who are especially jealous of salted herrings from a fereign country, may lay prohibitory duties on those from Great Britain intended for the Prus sian market, whereas, on the contrary, if this pas sage or British trade up die Rhine were once esta blished, vessels might be constructed for a small draft of water, so as to carry herrings direct from our ti-king stations up that river, through Holland to Emmerich in Prussia, free from any other charge than one dollar per barrel, so as ultimately to render that place as great a depot for British herrings for southern Germany, as Stettin now is for the northern part of that vast country. The inspector states, that he has already been applied to by an adventurer entertaining these views, to pro cure information as to the depth of water during the different months of the year in the Rhine above Rotter dam, .as far so to its entrance into the Prussian dozni .. morns. " The Secretary was much gratified to find a small Spanish vessel loading with dried cod andling at Storno way—this being the first appearance of any ship of that nation in this quarter. It is to be hoped that this will IP , the commencement of an extensive traffic with Spain where the mat ket is inexhaustible. The arrival of Spanish customers here will do incalculable good to the Long Island, by forcing the curers to pay greater atten tion to the cure of their cod and ling, as the Spaniards will take not! , ing that is not cured in the very best man ner, and officially ttampee by the officers of the Beard." THE BRITISq MU:RII3I.—OPENING OF TIM NE W WING.—The trustees of the British Museum have re !ently opened one of the large rooms in the new wing, erected at. the west end of this magnificent building. It is stated that this will be called the Chinese-room, from the circumstance of the Chinese bell, which has been presented by her Majesty, being deposited here. This is placed in the centre of the apartment, and attached to it is the following in scription :—" Chinese Bell, from a Buddhist Temple, near Ningpo, presented by her Majesty, 1844. There are several spacious glass cases, in which is a collection of various articles from China, Oteheite, the Friendly Islands, the Ar chipelago of the Great Pacific Ocean, Peru, Terra del Fuego, &c.. consisting of several of their heathen deities, the war implements and dresses of the natives of these different countries, musical instruments, &c. There are a silver and two richly gilt idols from China, which are well finished, and several other smaller idols from the same empire. This is the only room which is yet ready for the recep tion of the great quantity of antiquities, &c., for which there was no convenience in The old building. Arrangements are being made to provide a room for the Xenthian marbles, which were brought last, year, by Sir W. from Xanthns, in Lycia. Among this collection is a great portion of the cele brated temple which was erected by Harpagus, one of Cyrus's generals, to commemorate the conquest of that country, 546 years before Christ. Several of the entabla tures, descriptive of the battles of the armies of that period, and the mode of attack of the citadel, and many draped male and female figures, found among the ruins of the temple, are now exhibited in the gallery of antiquities, and a design of the temple is placed in the room. A man of the name of Birch, living near Old Rad ford church, and a boy, were seriously it jured by as' accident, in one of Lord Middletoe's coal pits at Radford, ot: Thursday morning.—Nottinghant Review. The Calcutta Christian Advocate, of July 22, states that an act has been passed by the government of Sir IL llardinge, abolishing the annual Meriah festival in the 'amid country, at which numbers of children used to Le sacrificed to propitiate the god of the fruits of the earth. ATHLONE AND SLIGO JUNCTION RAILWAY.—We publish to-day the prospectus of this new company, which we announced some weeks ago to be in course of formation. It proposes to complete the direct communication between Dublin and Sligo, and the line selected is cc rtainly wel adapted to develop the resources of the country and afford the greatest possible accommodation to the traffic of the district. Owing to the advanced period of the y: ar, and the difficulty of complying strictly with the standing orders o Parliament, the promoters propose—and we think wisely — to undertake, fit the present only, the first division of the line, namely, from Athlone to Roscommon, a dista o nc , l, 3 _ e miles. For this division only a capital of 200,000/f 10,000 shares, required, which it is proposed to raise by ti?e.isltrillee will bare shares, of 20!. each, deposit 2!. per share. the entire support of the Irish Great W T esl i e s rn and c,f the Sir ' John Macneill Great Southern and Western Cam a et is the engineer. He has completPed'."tll*.tlial surveys, and reports most favounibly on the engineering facilities et" the line. The Parliamentary survey is now in hand, and will en t - e From mation in be completed in a very short to n understandan intimation that the entire the prospectus suppat t of the (To.evearrientreli4 will be obtained for this ram [ADVERTISEMUNT.]—k CURE FOR ALL BILIOUS COMPLAINTS By HOLLOWAY'S Picts.— A destructive blue pill c 0 p i sed of calomel. taken at night, and followed by a drastic bla m c f:aaateht the next morning, seems to be the favourite re medy for bilious complaints, when poison in final quantities is scarcely less injurious. For all liver, stomach, and bilious core plaints, let the patient take Holloway's Admirable pills, a pure herbal preparation, and for a time drink no wine, beer, or spirits, nor eat of fruits or vegetables. By this course he will not only effectually cure himielf, but will also feel himself yeunger and better in health than for scars before. To be had at pro fess-on Holloway's estehliehment, 244, Strand, Lando 0., emel o all medicine venders throughout the civilized world. CONVERTS TO ROMANISM.—Wv hive authority fim adding to the list of recent converts to Romanism fife rame of Mr. Leicester S. F. Buckingham, the author of " Memoirs of Mary Queenof Scots,"'who was received into the Romish Church at Osc'ott about the end of last montli.—.rest. tlted. -"I so t63a h °' wfre ita! was 0 nall, ; to r !, it wa P e re i t ri tl (1 °4441 be t ral I t h 20, 1 4: o rween aver 'n 'ent t .k 1 ) 1( t: 8° forti +of- th . e C gl eh hi t di3a ele tu PPI 1) ti on C A denied e' rtain 111Dt,0f eh' “ch , kt-N444lford ti. Nil L i f 4 f ew c q eri th' i Sri' t ce woi pate Iflea of f , L.P e env )ikld Post 104ra e ill V.(.14 1 411 r, tj „ t i rir arra,l s t fl a n vc a i se del' 's tr° k;e 4 ; l 4tV s s; at t er !PCin tt i "ks of 01 ' estin ; ) rdifia 411 i neoret • ' r. Juqti t tL f , nl: th t hre no di °ll- !ech ele s n d e, th e a ri \ : *; 4 l4lt Yet 1 lieltt l)3se d 'f rtiwa t 4 lll 01( th e - `• e \4: , ~ 14 1110 , 1y made , tr., ', , th: e n 4 1 . 4i 7A,, re I N't k 14 . t' l lv tion; to 1:11 4i /k/ Nlty. er b y tr iti r ( q): ,"i 4 l -eri se ess : 'oi,ktbJ , t he 10 ‘1, 1 4(i 1 5 4 bUt 'IN to I des( 'S O O l ° o h, .ed Ina kr i ' 4 , l ' th e t i e t . 'tely It; e t4 'eeted it 4 N T ," l e 14 di sb ar;,,,,, ,s ~hilii s hillin g 1) 0 4, ‘4. : 1 4 Y i , it 4: etoe 11 s a3' VRt ro as t, b: aY a P Ne were c te tinb kno , o, , hp i the th w e ,: , 4 11 1 ,:tar i nch 1 1 t he * ri b -urn 110 ri p :tltr a \;41 1 °4 )t 41 atio ed vi ts b i (14 104 tr i) i ° 1 . b I ' . l a l ) I S o f 9 te r, INiy q. 1b Dr i , 4 41 'Peet L.kt.. 1 ~r- ,/ ~/` THE COAST OF TEXAS. The annexation of Texas extends our maritime frontier about three hundred and fifty miles south west from the mouth of the Sabine. The pass over the Sabine Bar is nine feet deep; but, about fifty five miles south-westerly from this bar is the entrance to Galveston bay, over the bar of which twelve feet can be carried. There is another entrance to this bay about thirty miles further, at the south-western end . of Galveston islaad, call e d the San Luis or west ern pass, over which ten feet of water can ba carried. These passes constitute the connexion with the gulf of several small rivers, the largest of vi hich is the Trinity, which enters int.- the upper end of Galveston hay, at a place called Anahuac. The next bar of consequence upon this coast is the pass of Caballo, over which eleven feet of water can be carried. This pass opens a communication between the gulf and Espiritu Santa and Matagorda bays. Into these bays many rivers enter from the interior of the country, -the principal of which are the Colorado, the Guada loupe, and the San Antonio. The Nueces enters the gulf at the south-western extremity of Espiritu Santa bay ; but its connexion with the gulf is obstructed by a bar, over which not more than. four feet of water can be carried. Should, however, future investigations exhibit a good connexion, inlang, between the Nueces and Espiritu Santa Bay, then the trade of that river can avail itself of the deeper water of the Caballo pass. From the mouth of.the-Nueees, called Corpus Christi pass, there is a long bay parallel to the coast, extending due south about one hundred miles, approaching, at its southern extremity, to within ten miles of the mouth of the Rio del Norte. The Rio del Norte is the great rirer of Texas, forming its western boundary, and extending •through 14 dog. of latitude. Its course is north-westerly from its mouth, making the longitude of its head waters about 12 degrees we, t of that of its connexion with he gulf of Mexico. Its total length is about 1,200 miles, and it has been air( ady navigated by veatn boats as high as Loredo. It connects itself with the gulf by a bold current, and without the intervention of a bay ; but the connexion is not deep. The bay, however, which we have just described as approaching within ten miles of the mouth of the Rio del Norte, is spoken of as having a deep bar at its southern extremity, called the Bravos Santiago. Should this be the case, there would probably be no great difficulty in turning the Rio del Nolte into this bay, and thus, by the aid of. its waters, ibrmieg one of the best entrances from the gull' upon that coast, through the pass of Brasos San Tlreo views.of the:ceast of Texas present three important points—the Galveston pass, the Caballo pas:.4, land the pass of Brasos Santiago, which will probably have to be fortified.— Washitipton f)nion:: NEGLECT of fiVAL . UABLE ENDOW- MENT. A correspondent of the Perthshire Adverti , er gives the following curious history re garding an endowaient left for the maintenance of a school and library at Inner paffay, near Crieff, and which has now been alienated from its original dt-stination :—" This ancient mortifica- lion was founded by David, Lord Madderiy, sometime prior to 1680. Ilis ° Lordship, who died in 1681, left a testament, whereby he morti fit d the sum of five thousand merks, owing to him on heritable bones by John Haldane, of Gleneagles, to maintain and support an institution for the benefit and encouragement of young students, and the education of youth, in all time to come. His Lordship was succeeded in the Barony of Inner paffray by his nephew, William, Viscount o: Strathal'an, who most generously fulfilled his intention of mortify ing the 5,000 inerks for the maintenance of the library and school for ever. The trustees then appointed for the mortification were-Ist, Lord Strathallan and his heirs ; 2d, Lord John Carmichael and his heirs ; and 3d, John Ha!dane and his heirs. Lord Strathallen died in 1748, and was succeeded in his lands and Barony of Inn erpatfray by his great- grandsen, Robert Henry Drummond, Arabishop of York. 111 1787 his son succeech d to the said lands and leareey, and to the tide and estates of the Earldom of Kin noul. He died in 1804, and was succeeded by his sen,_ t he present Earl, who is thus sole patron, and one of the trustees of the mortification. The other trustees are Sir Wyndham Carmichael Anstruther, Baronet, the descendant of John Lord Carmichael ; and the Earl of Camperdown, the representative of John Haldane, of Gleneagles. During the lifetime of the arch bishop, it is understood that the affairs of the in stitution were administered with much care ; he made largo donations of books in the library, and he and his co-trustees interpreted and re corded their meaning of the term country,' in the deed of mortification, to be the dis trict comprehended by the Presbytery of Auchterar der, and the library was accordingly thrown open to all persons, irrespective of rank, age, or sex, living within the bounds of that territory. It is from the period of his death, in 1789, that the decadence of the institution may be reckoned. About this time a subscription was set on foot for purposes connected with the library, with the precise object and result of which we are unacquainted. Shortly afterwards a sum Of 2221.45. sd. sterling appears at credit in the hands of the patron beyond the amount of the money secured by the heritable bond. But this sum, which arose in the course of the management, was not applied to the ordinary purposes of the mor tification. It was lent to Lord Kinnoul, who granted his bill for the amount, bearing interest from December, 1789. It is on the accumulations of this sum and that originally mortified that 8,000/, now at the credit of the institution, has arisen. At the present time, and for many years back, the institution has rot been in a state to answer any of the purposes Of its noble founder. The interest—nay,' the right—of the inhabitants, and the interest and honou r of the noble p atron, combine not m. rely to bring bac k th e institution to its anc ie nt give ietashed means will aff er d. How e at grettay . enlarged s c o pe o t uffiefilicey;s, whichitsincreased this is to be accomplished it is not for us to say. • That the noble patron is the debtor in the sum mortified, and the balder of the accumulated produce of the en dowment, can make no difference in his views on this important matter. Were we to advise, therefore, we should say to the inhabitants, wait on his lordship, raeall to his memory the insti tution, and respectfully solicit his cc-operation in reviving and improving it.' We have no doubt that the result will be everything that the people can wish. If his lordship may desire to divide the responsibility attend ant on his patronage and trusteeship, mixed up, as these certainly: ere with :he possession of the funds, Sir Wynd ham Carmichael Anstruther arid Lord Camperdown may -I. he, induceil that litapt?nsibility by sharing i t Y with him." 'at Brentwood fair, on Wednesday, was well supplied with cat:le, and a large number were sold at rather high prices. Scotch beasts were not s 9 numerous as usual, nor was the horse fair o largely supplied as in farmer years.—Ciebas ford Chronicle. FRAUDS ON THE PRESS. At Bow-street, en Saturday, a young lad name I Charles Pierce was brought before Mr. Twyfult, charged with having been concerned, with another person not in custody, in ob taining the sum .(4 . 11. 3s. from the proprietors t,f the 3lor3iity chronicle newspaper, tinder filie and frandulont pretensks. Mr. 'Thomas Hodgkin, the sub. editor of the Morning Chronicle, who attended in support of the charge arniin:t the prisoner, said lie feared tiler? would be some clinically in going into the whole case at pment, in consequence of the absence of some material and necessary witnesses, but he would put the nuigisttate at once in possession of all the facts, and in doing so he would commence by o b serv i ng that the conductors of newspapers were constantly liable to the grossest imposition being practised upon them by a class of persons who occasionally supplied them with information ; and, although every possible precaution was taken to guard against such impositions, they were sometimes successfully practised. One course taken was not to receive ally copy unless the name of some known reporter was attached to it, but even this caution was ineffectual, far on a recent occasion a report was forwarded to the ,'forcing Chronicle of a coroner's in quest, which purported to have been held on the bid) , of a Col. Metcalf, at Elstree, every line of which was a fabrication. On subsequently referring to the tile of the Chronicle, it was ascertained that another account of a coroner's inquest similar in substance and effect, had been published in that journal about three years ae.o. As, in consequence of the recent apprehension of the prisoner, there had not been suffi cient time to procure the necessary evidence from Elstree, to prove that such report was a fabrication, he had to request that the prisoner might be remanded for that purpose. Within the last week a report had been furnished to the chronicle, in the same handwriting as the former one, giving a detailed account of the examination of a lady of fortune bef .re the magistrates at Brentwood, on a charge of having stolen a quantity of lace and other articles from the shop of Mr. liudfo-c', a tradesman in that town. The ac count went on to state that 8,000/. was found in the pos session of the accused at the time of her apprehension, and that she was committed on the charge to Chelmsford Goal, the magistrate having refused to accept bail for her appear ance, &c. He (Mr. Hodgkin) bad every reason to bell ve that this account, like the other, was false from beginning. to end, but in that case also he was not at present prepared with the necessary prrof. In consequence of some sus picion that was entertained on the subject, directh ns were given to watch any person who might present a bill charging for the above reports. About noon that day the prisoner came to the Chronicle office, and presented a bill charging for both of the above fabricated reports at the usual rate of payment fir such information. '1 he amount was paid to him, V. by the clerk, in money which had been previously marked, and he having signed a receipt to 'the bill, a policeman was stint fur, and he was given into his custody. Mr. Hodgkin here handed to the magistrate the manifold copy of the fabricated reports which had been forwardel tj the office, both cf which were signed in tip, name of Stcpit c.;l Leigh Ilunt, and also *a note,: with a similar signature; pu thorising the pr:soner to receive the amount et' the hilt, which occompanied it, and which were presented by the pci soner to the clerk at the office Mr. TwrFonn inquired whether there wa3 cry proof that the prisoner had . represented hitmeT to he the servant of the person whose mine was attached to the document? Mr. Hodgkin said he was not now prepared with such proof, but witnesses were present, connected with the Morn • ing Chronicle office, who knew that a person bearing th a t name had been in lhe habit of sending reports thee. James Payne, a messenger at the Chronicle oftieP, ,steed that he was present when the prisoner came to the office, and saw him hand a bill to the publisher, who, thereupon. paid him the amount of it. The prisoner was immediately given into,the custody of a policeman. In answer to tit! charge, the pri,zoner sail that he was but.thirteee years of age, and that immediately on his ap prehensi-0 he told the sub-editor all he knew of the cir cumstance, vi;.., that lie was going down Chancery-lane, when he was accosttil by a tall gentleme who told him that if he would take a bill for him to Chronicle office, and bring him back the money, he , give him sixpence for his trouble, and would wait there fin until he re turned ; that he agreed to do as he was requested, and having received the bill and accompanying note from the stranger, he took them to the Chronicle office, where hi: pre sented them, and was paid the money ; but he had sooner done so than he was given into custody. He was in the service of a barrister, "I;ith whom he lad been for the Last six months—a fact which the laundress could prove, if flquiries were made of her.- The barrister was at present mt of town. Mr. TWYFORD ordered the prisoner to be put back for a short period, and in the meantime it was ascertained on in quiry that the prisoner's account of himself was correct ; but as the person by whom he was employed is at present nom est inventors, the prisoner was remanded till Thursday. LEICESTERSHIRE MICHAEL MAS SESSIONS. SINGULAR CASE.-A GIPSY APPELLANT VICTORIOUS. SMITH V. MORRIS AND SWANK. This was an appeal against a conviction of the appellant (one Nathaniel Smith) by C. C. Morris, Esq., and the Rev. Swami, at the East Norton Petty Sessions, as a rogue and vagabond, and sending him to prison for fourteen days—the said Nathaniel Smith havint, it was alleged, lodged under a tent in the parish of Knossington, without any visible means of subsistence, or being able to give any good accaunt of him self. Mr. Ifildyard appeared for the respondents, and Mr. Macaulay for appellant. Mr. IlthnvanD stated the respondent's case, and observed that the present action arose out of the fact of a young girl, about thirteen years of age, being seduced by another female, a gipsy. who had told her fortune, to leave her service and join a band of gipsies—Making this girl believe that. it was a very pleasant life to lead, wandering about from place to place, sleeping at night with the men, and living upon the offerings" which the men brought in. Mr. MACAULAY here said that if his Learned Friend would put the conviction in, he (Mr. M.) thought he could cave a good deal of trouVe by at once objecting to the conviction as had upon the face of it. The conviction was then put in, and read to the following effect: That, on the 26th of September, 1845, at the East Norton Petty Sessions, " Nathaniel Smith is convicted be fore us Charles Campbell Mon is, Esq., and the Reverend Charles Swann, two of her Majesty's Justices of the Peace in and for the said country (of Leicester), of being a ro'nre and vagabond within the intent and meaning'of the statute made in the fifth year of his late 'Majesty George IV., intituled An Act for the punishthent of idle and disorderly persons and rogues and vagabonds,' &c., that to say, for that the said Nathaniel Smith, on the. 27th day Vuly net, at Knossington, in the said county, did lode tfr a tent • in a certain lane in the said parish of Knossington, riot having any visible means of subsistence, ant: tot giving a good account of himself;" &c., &c. e • concluded by serviiig the said Nathaniel" to the house of correction for fouricca days' hard labour. Against this conviction notice of appeal was given at the time. • • Mr. Macaut,ay then objected to the conviction as being bad on the face of it. The offence alleged to have been committed by the appellant ought to have been fu!lv stated in the conviction, which had been made under the 'Vagrant • Act, 5 George IV., cap. 83, sec. 4, which said; " Every person wandering abroad and lodging i , t any barn or outhouse, or in any deserted or unoccupied building, or in the open air, or under a tent, not having any visible means of subsistence, and not giving a good account of himself or herself, shall be deemed a rogue and vagabond within time true intent and meaning t this Act," &c. Now, unless all these ingredients concurred, the elffence contemplated was not committed; that was, if a person could not give a good account of hinv.elf, and had no visible means of subSistence, yet, if he was not wandering abroad, he was not a• rogue and vagabond within the meaning of the Act: Appellant had been convicted as a rogue and vagabond, but the conviction did not state that he was wandering abroad, or in what the offence consisted, as it ought to have done, After a brief consultation, the COURT decided that, in point of form, the conviction was bad, not containing the words " wandering abroad," &c. They therefore quashed it. . . 1111'. HILDYARD said there could be no djubt the insertion of the words " wandering abroad " was essential in a con vie:ion under the 'Vagrant Act; otherwise parties of sub stance who chose to erect a tent in their own yard, and sleep in this tent, on a summer night, might stand a chance of being convicted as gigues and vagabonds.—(Laughter.) [The sudden termination of this case on a point of law pre vented many interesting facts from being brought out, and its being seen, also, whether gipsies—simply because they arc a wandering tribe, with " every man's hand against them," and theirs perhaps against every man (if all that is said of them be true). are therefore to be left without remedy when the law has been harshly or unjustly strained against them. These facts, as far as we have heard them, were as follows :—On the 26th of July last, the appellant, who is a widower, en camped, together with his relations, Plato Smith and I'mlet (Plato's wife), Dives Smith and his wife, and a younger fe male of the same name, at. Knossington, on the public road between Owston and Oakham. Between two and three o'clock the following morning, P. C. Morris, accompanied by five other men, went to this encampment, handcuffed the appellant and Dives Smith as they lay asleep, and, without any expla nation, took them and 'Violet Smith into custodv, besides taking appellant's two horses, a cart, a watch, three sove reigns, four shillings, and sixpence, which were found on the person of Nathaniel Smith, the appellant. The pri• on: Ts were then conveyed to East Norton, and when arrived there. were placed in the care of the constable of that place. The men, however, made their esrmpe—aF , stated by Hildvard _but, on the 26th of September, they surrendered them selves, and were convicted by the East Norton Bench as rogues and vagabonds, as above described; and this was the conviction now appealed against.. The woman Violet Snyth was apprehended on a charge of felony, and, on that, chasge, committed for trial at the Midsummer Assizes, by the float. mi. W. Wilson. The alleged fe:ony consisted in stealing the gown of the young girl stated by Mr. Ilildyard to have lice!: " seduced" by the gipsies; the gipsies. hoa ever, said that, so far from having ensnared the girl, they had met with her - while she was wandering about; had taken her iirtr their camp out of c ompassion ; that they were wn, sat fr.extion, to get rid of her again ; a nd that baeiiinlagrrsitetdilewn,mwn-aans ,e: y a l s is Islo ge s d m iN a l p Vi olet . tl er ' s e , Smith, ° t 4 n that the gown of this girl of thirteen fitted her exactly. The case, as we men• floated at the time, was scarcely "opened," when the inclge (Chief t i e t 74 b of r s v n i c il l g a a N n .ery i ' d t l! .° lie g in l ::. : torture d into a charge o f f elon y —and the p ris " rer was at oi.ce on tllO Baron ll)i.i3 to Pollock)use no stringersto T.pd acquitted under his Lordship's direCtion. Had the :Tyco: c ol gone iota, it wo uld have been ur g ed, we bel,eve, out behalf of the appellant, that the evidet ce of the p,-h e , man • before the East Norton beech proved no crime again-I ::p -' pillant and his companions, rather, that they had vis,.le means of subsistence "—for the horses and money bcl-ta,eil to Nathaniel, and there was ab;cr a cart. Furdier, Out. of the horses and otiir property seized by the policeioan, t horse was given up—the w her and the watch were sold by direction uf the magistrates, and the money resifting ficni such sale was re tamed,d, or not given up to the ahpe h Mercury. STATE or TILE HOSIERY AND LACE TRADES.— The wrought cotton hose trivet), though somewhat im • proved, is still, in a dull state, especi ily in some de-- partments of the manufacture, yet there •is a gradual improvement perceptible. The cut-up cotton hose branch is mill dull. The drawer, pantal on, and qti i I branch has not impro'. ed. The c tton glove trade has been much depressed, especially the ricer qualities, but I:: sme quarters it has amended a shade. Thrt lace-traele generally remains in the fame depres:cd state we have experienced it for several months past As there is not much 'prolsatility of any very gieat r vival Leas , ' the spring trade ceinnitnce.-s, it 1 t-luivi a the to whit. , -, holders to be very careful not to increase their sti:chi4 particularly at the pi esent high prices , 1 thread, whkh wilt remain without - nine!' alteratiun, so long as the Moodiest(' market for fine yarns maintains its present briskness. • Tt. silk hosiery .trade has improved, there I chug rorne good cod 9 for silk hose and gloves in the town.--Notthwhanilieciete. Lord Lyitletcn, the lion. Spencer and W. 1,1,4,i5j tlaton, since the interment of the late Earl Sileuqr, ,`t: :•- been residing at llayley HO, ITS rcestcrslrire, r.144iT.,:., Dowager Lady Lyttleton will pass some 1, mks in r trinief:; t e fore her Ladyship resumes her atteudance ca the t • 1ifree , , , ..4 Wales and v-utlifal royal family. ...:: f -- -.... _ 4 ~ -`~