The Sun. — London, England, 1851-06-13 00:00:00

) head of sn m seniority difficulty in it s hould ,taina' active no longer. bear.) TO number of number of )t so e asily er, and t he Gentlemss owever, be iirements.ef Lad likewise ,o b e cow vas b 7 if any sub lists larger y tO r eChle e that thef ;e . —([Tear, • So nj uriou ncy of s ! ile list, rible' r Id Pr ifeA first „,, 14°r : for ,o°—. tat a Pe h r : )e fora e of c °l/ : ensur e ease OW ) of less th 6" draw t he gg t° JO °f t ; 13 : t Pr 6C A ' S ,, - due° '- lig vO6 We the o O leo ot ad ° P o f ;owh lc pla tt .i, i tl°• Gcn to' 33 : 0 P 0 Of Lat, from iraP°6 0 W° oittoe views wish I into On the vote of 842,1931. Cur naval storei, for the building and repair of ships, Sec., Mr. HUME proposed to reduce the amount of the vote one-third. The number of ships in ordinary already were more than would be required under any state of circumstances in Europe which the ingenuity of man could divine, even supposing the time of Bonaparte Could come over again. Why not, as recommended by the Committee, return to the system of former times, and limit the number of ships to the wants of the ser vice? In the United States as soon as war ended shipbuilding was stopped. The increase of expenditure in this service had been so great of late years that re trenchment was absolutely necessary, and he knew no branch in which it could bo made with so much pro• priety as in this. Mr. W. WILLIAMS supported the amendment. Mr. TRELAWNEY said that an enormous sum of Money had been wasted in Plymouth, because the wrong site had been selected for the docks there, when a ne tural dock might have been made with great ease, and at little expense, in Plymouth Sound. He thought a great Saving might be effected by building the smaller ships by contract. A further saving might be effected by hav ing the sails of their ships tanned, when they would lest considerably longer than they did under the present system. He could see no reason why their men-of-war stiould not have their sails tanned as well as other ships. lie complained also of superseding their harbour-masters after only a six years' service. The consequence was that Young and inexperienced hands were frequently called upon to fill those offices in the place of men who had ac quired a thorough knowledge of their business by their Six :rears' servitude. Admiral BERKELEY said that these attacks upon the number of their ships had been so frequently answered that he could have very little to add to what he had already said. It was clear that if they were to be Unfortunately involved in war they could not have less than 25 sail of the line in the Mediterranean, and 35 sail of the line in the Channel. This force it was absolutely necessary to keep up if they wished to warn the enemy from their shores. If that be the case the Committee would agree with him that the present number was not more than that which was wanted to meet such an emergency. The total number of battle-ships in their navy was 70 sail of the line. Of these 70 there were so many as twelve or fourteen of the small seventy-fours left since the last war. These ships could not be any longer considered as fit to cope with the ships of other nations, which were built of a superior class and of greater tonnage. It was not their fault that this should be the case, as they had contrived to keep them through a long-protracted war, while those of other powers were destroyed, and now ones built in their stead. They had twenty sail of the line on the stocks building, bat these were not to be launched immediately, except some that were building with screw propellers. That being a new invention it was quite necessary that one or two should be launched for the sake of trying how the screw would act in case of a war. So far far from their expending so large a sum of money as was alleged in the builing of ship, out of that sum one-fourth only went for build ing, while the remainder of the sum was swallowed up in repairs. When they talked of the great increase in their expenditure at the present period compared with a former one, they should recollect that at the former period referred to they had no such thing as a steam navy, and that it was much more expensive to keep those steamers in repair than the other description of ships. He concurred in the opinion expressed by an Honour able Member, that it would be a much more economical plan to place their ships upon slips in order to preserve their copper, and so save their wear and tear; but the expense of getting up those slips would be enormous. The Hon. Member who spoke last suggested the pro priety of tanning the sails of their ships. That Hon. Gentleman, however, had never been up the topsail yard reefing the sails, as he (the Gallant Admiral) had been. He should like to see him gathering up a tanned sail iu a gale of wind.-( Laughter.) Mr. MACGREGOR said that the speech made by the Hon. and Gallant Admiral was as superannuated a speech as he had ever heard uttered.-(Oh, oh, and laughter.) He (Mr. Macgregor) contended that they were now in a position to defy the attacks of the whole world. What was the condition of the British navy? There were 12 ships of the line, 11 of 120 guns, one of 110 guns, 50 of 104 guns, four of 92, two of 90, 11 of 84, nine of 80, seven of 78, 18 of 72, two of 70, being 70 of the line, and 13 on the stocks and nearly finished, which gives a total of 83 sailing ships of the line. Frigates Afloat-25 of 50, 10 of 44, 22 of 42, four of 40, one of 33, one of 36; total, 63 frigates. Afloat and on the Stocks-Two doublebanked 60 gun frigates, equal to clips of the line, and six of 50, making alto gether 71 frigates, 65 of which would be found far more than sufficent to destroy the whole Russian fleet. Besides the foregoing, we have 21 corvettes of 24 to 28 guns, eight of 18 to 22, 18 sloops of war from 14 to 18, 59 brigs of 6 to 16, 11 sailing packets, besides surveying ships, troop-ships, yachts, and tenders. In all 78,407 tons in commission, 25,630 tons in or dinary, or in all 329,020 tons, exclusive of ships on the stocks and steam-ships. Now he would get Sir W. Symonds and others to plant these against the best ships of the line belonging to Russia. They were fully equal to any ships of the lino of any other power but France. There were only two Ameri can ships superior to them. Their steam-fleet was nu merous. They were building their steamers with such rapidity as to render many of them obsolete, when com pared with the other ships that were building with im provements made every day in their machinery. They had also a number of ships belonging to private com panies which were equal to the ships of any country in Europe. They had 147 steam-ships (including 3 in Canada), and 32 iron steamers, 11 ranging from 1,547 to 1,980. Of these 4 were formerly 76-gun ships, and have now engines of 450 horse-power. The largest, the Simoom, of 1,930, has only 350-horse power. The Terrible, however, of 1,850 tons, has engines of 800 horse-power; the Termagant, cf 1,547, has 620 horse power; while the Arrogant, 1,872, has only 360 horse power. The Retributioa, of 1,641 tons, has 400 horse power. One of the above 11, the Penelope, was a 46-gun frigate ; 15 steamers from above 1,200 and 1,500 tons, 27 above 1,000 and under 1,200 tone, 23 above 700 end under 1,000 tons, 9 above 500 and under 700 tons, 27 from 250 and under 500 tons, 22 from 150 and under 250 tons, 4 from 42 to 149, 3 on the Lakes of Canada, 1 of 406 and of 90 horse-power, and 2 of 750 and 200 horse-power; 12 packets, 237,720, some of which are very fine vessels; 58,643 in commission, to 58,501 in ordinary. Of the steam-ships, there are built of iron the Simoom, 1,984, and the Vulture, 1,764, both 350-horse power; the Gree nock, 1,418, and 550-horse power; the Birkenhead, 1,405, and 556-horse power; the Niagara, 1,395, and 35 horse power; the Trident, 850, and 350-horse power; the Antelope, 650, and 264-horse power; the Jackal and Lizard, 350, and 150. horse power; the Bloodhound, 378 and 150-horse power; the Grappler, 557 tons, and 220- horse power; the Sharpshooter, 503, and 202-horse power; the Harpey, 344, and 200. horse power; the Myrmidon, about 350, and 180-horse power; the Sphinx and Fairy, about 300, and about 110-horse power; and 4 small vessels of 20 to 90-horse power. Six of the packets are iron vessels. Screw-steamers on the stocks,viz e 1 80-gun screw at Devonport, 1 80-gun screw at Wool wich, and 1 80-gun at Pembroke. In all 150 steam- ships. Of flag officers in commission, there were 2 admirals, whose pay was 5,3401.; 3 vice-admirals, 7,6651.; 4 rear admirals, 8,760/.; 1 rear-admiral, 1,8251.; 5 commodores, 3,2851.; 11 flag-lieutenants, 2,2071. 10s.; in dockyards, 2 roar-admirals, 2,1901.; 2 commodores, 1.2771. 105.; 3 flag-lieutenants, 563/. 155.; 58 captains, 30,124/. 13s. 4d.• 82 commanders, 24, 6921 . 5 5.; 376 lieutenants, 13,249 i. 10s. Total, 540, and 101,4821. 3s. 4d. There were on the active list 140 admirals, whose pay was 7,604/. 7s. 6c1.; 399 captains, 82,37 11 . 75 . 6d .; 669 commanders, 107,830/. 2s. 61; 1,390 lieutenants, 13,462/. 155.; 231 masters, 23,889/. 55.; 5 mates, 228/. 2s. 6d.; 47 chap lains, 5,5291. 155.; 4 inspectors of hospitals, 1,332/. 55.; 237 surgeons, 31,262/. 55.; 43 assistant surgeons, 2,655/. 7s. 6d.; 317 paymasters and pursers, 34,60 2 / 4 6 secre taries, 1,058/. 10s.; 15 naval instructors, 855/. 2s. 6d. Total, 3,504, and 506,711/. ss. Retired List-50 cap tains, 9,5811. 45.; 314 commanders, 42,763/. 55.; 47 com manders (late masters), 7,747/. 2s. 6d.; 7 lieutenants in holy orders, 6661. 2s. 6d.; 2 masters in holy orders, 237/. 55.; 4 inspectors of hospitals, 9351. 63. 3d.; 7 de puty inspectors of hospitals, 1,843/. 55.; 2 physicians, 5471. 10s.; 48 surgeons, 5,675/. 155.; 116 surgeons unfit for further service, 12,464/. 155.; 33 assistant surgeons, 1,8251.; 4 dispensers, 365/.; 29 paymasters and pur sers, 4,4981. 12s. 6d. Total, 653, 89,183/. 33.9 d. Marine officers -7 major -generals, 4,734/. 7s. 61; 4 colonels, 2,472/. 17s. 6d.; 6 lieutenant-colonels, 1,878/. 4s. 6d.; 2 majors, 4651. 7s. sd.; 12 captains (brevet -majors), 2,743/. 115. Sd.; 108 captains, 17,2881. 16s. Bd.; 135 first lieutenants, 11,509/. 13s. 4d.; 102 second lieutenants, 5,627/. 2s. 6d. Tetal, 1,029, 135,903/. ss. Retirement under Admiralty circular of August, 1846-44 rear-ad mirdls, 20,0751.; 95 captains (36 with ran k o f a d m i r al with increase of pay), 3,465/.; 45 captains, 1,478/. B s . 10d. Total, 184, 69,5321. 105. Abstract-Active list, 8,504, at a cost of 506,7111. 55.; r etired list, 1,024, 135,903/. 55.; ditto under circular, 184, 69,532/. 10s. 9d. Total cost, 712,147/. Now, let them compare their strength with that of other countries:-With respect to the Rus sian navy, the present Emperor seems endeavouring t o realize the favourite object of Peter I. But however powerful the man may be he has, Bones or later, to ac knowledge that nature is more powerful still. As long as Russia keeps within her natural limits the Russian navy will continue the hobby of the Emperor; and in his (Mr. Macgregor's) mind the view of the naval power of Russia, gathered together at the cutde sac of the Gulf for the amusement of the Czar-the gate of his capital -has caused only a painful impression. The vessels, which will inevitably be lost in a few winters, without having rendered any service, suggested to his mind images-not of the power of a great country, but of the useless toils of the poor unfortunate people condemned. The ieo is a more terrible enemy to this navy than a foreign power; for a time the pupil returns to his prison, the plaything to its owner, and the first begins to wage its more serious war upon the Imperial finances. Lord Durham once remarked that the Russian ships of war were but the playthings of the Russian Sovereign. During three mouths' naval exercise the young pupils remain performing evolutions in the neighbourhood of Cronstaat, the more advanced extend their voyage of discovery to Riga, and some few ships go so far as Co penhagen, and a solitary ship now and then strays into the Atlantic. To admire Russia in approaching it by water it is necessary to forget the approach to England by the Thames-the first the image of death, the last of life. The thoughts of a navy being destined to perish without ever having been in action appeared to him like a dream. If the sight of such an armament im• pressed him with any sentiment it was not the fear of war, but the curse of tyranny. The maxim of Peter the Great was, " The sea at any cost," and he founded the maritime capital of the Sciavonians , in a marsh, among the Fins and in the vicinity of the Swedes. But the outlet to the sea is closed during eight months in the year. The navy of Sweden was as follows :-10 ships, 8 frigates, 8 brigs and corvettes, 6 schooners, 8 mortar boats, 22 transports, 256 gunboats, &c., 12 steatuere. Total, 330. The navy of Nor way was 2 frigates, 3 corvettes, 1 brig. 5 schooners, 4 steamers, 4 steam-packets. 132 gun beats; seamen, 5,000, :rota sixteen to thirty years of age. The Danish navy was 5 ships of the hue of 84, 1 of 66, 2 frigates of 48, 3 of 46, 2 of 40, 1 corvette of 26, 4 of 20, 2 brigs of 16, 2 of 12, 1 schooner of 8, and 2 of 6, 1 cotter of 6, loi 4,2 of 2. Total, 29 ships, and 996 guns; IS mertar-boats, 15 mortar-barques, 41 gun-boats, 4 gan-shipe, 4 steamers. The navy of Holland wee 2 first-class of the line of 84 guns, 5 second-class of 74 (3 in building), 3 first-class frigates of 60 and 51, 12 second-class (6 in building) of 44 and 33 guns, 2 frigates of 28 guns, 12 corvettes (3 in building) of 23 and 26 guns, 3 corvettes of 22 and 20 guns, 17 brigs and packet-ships of 18, 14, and 12 guns, 24 galleys of 14 and 3 guns, 1 corvette for naval instruction, 7 fleet-class steam-boats (in building), 7 second-class, and 4 third class; 1 admiral, 3 vice-admirals, 20 captains of the line, 31 captains of frigates, 292 lieutenants, 139 midshipmen, 85 medical officers, 50 administrative officers, 5,692 men and boys, 1,524 marines, 400 seamen, is Java, East Indies. The navy of France amounts to 226 ships of the line, consisting of 40 ships of the line (10 of the first, 10 of the second, 15 of the third, and 5 of the fourth class), 50 frigates (15 of the first, 20 of the second, and 15 of the third), 43 corvettes (20 of the first class and 20 of the second), 50 brigs (30 of the first, and 20 of the second), 16 trans ports, 600 tons, and 30 tenders; 102 steam-ships, 10 frigates, of from 600 to 540-horse power; 20 corvettes, from 300 to 220-horse power; 30 cutters, 200 to 160- horse power; 20 cutters, 120-horse power and upwards. Total, 226 ships of the line and 102 steam-ships-328. The preceding was the number of ships of war, includ ing steamships, which was decreed to constitute the French navy, by the ordinance of the 221 November, 1846, but the whole number were not yet completed. By the announcement of the marine department, it ap pears that in the year ISSO the French Government were prepared for putting into commission 23 ships of the line, 31 frigates, 35 corvettes, 47 brigs, &c ; and that others were partially ready in the dockyards and ports. Tho following is the number of officers and sea men:-2 admirals, 10 vice-admirais, 20 rear-admirals, 100 captains of ships of the line, 230 captains of frigates, 650 lieutenants, 550 midshipmen, 300 cadets-total, 1,862 officers, and 20,000 seamen of all kinds in the sea service and in the ports. The five naval ports are Cherbourg, Brest, Lorient, Rochefort, and Toulon. By the orders of the 16th of June, 1849, the following number of ships were directed to be in commission:-10 ships of the line, 8 frigates, 18 corvettes, 24 brigs, 12 transports, 24 ten ders-total, 96 sailing-vessels. The steam-ships ordered to be in commission wore 14 frigates, 13 corvettes, 84 packet-boats-total, 1 11 steam-ships. The naval expen diture of France, which includes that of the colonies, amounted in 1851 to the following sums:-Central ad ministration, or Admiralty, 868,500f.=34,340/.; scien tific expenses to 404,100f. - --- - 16,164/.; colonial expendi ture (not including Algiers) to 17,902,000f.=716,08 01 .; for extraordinary constructions and other works, 3,955,000f.=-158,2001. The total expenditure amounted to 106,449,413f.=4,257,9761. 135.; which sum includes the whole of the ordnance of the naval department of France. The interest of the debt of France is 391,154,760f.=-15,646,1901. 103., and the total expendi ture of France for 1851 amounted to 1,434,634,047a= 57,385,361/. 18s. 4d. This includes the expenses of col lection and 80,000,000 f. of drawbacks, reimbursements, and premiums, allowed for various exemptions, which reduces the amount by 3,200,0001., leaving a net expen diture of 54,185,361/. 18s. 4cl. for 35,500,000 of a popu lation. The whole of the expenditure of England for the year 1850 amounted to 55,480,7851., and the interest of the public debt to 28,323,961/., the same being derived from the produce of the industry of not more than 21,000,000 of the people; for, in fact, as Ireland pays neither an income-tax nor any as sessed taxes, the revenue of that country does not amount to its expenditure. They therefore find that while the public debt of France is a tax of 9s. Si. per head upon the inhabitants, that of England amounts to 265. 51, being nearly three times the burden of the former country, or about 20s. per head, if Ireland paid the same proportion as Great Britain. The navy of Spain was-2 ships of the line of 74, 5 frigates (1 of 52, 1 of 45, 2 of 42, and 1 of 32 guns), 6 corvettes (2 of 30, 1 of 24, and 3 of 16 guns), 8 brigs (1 of 20, 1 of 18, 3 of 16, and 3 of 12 guns), 15 steamers from 40 to 350- horse power, calla ing 6 to 12 guns; 3 galleys, from 1 to 3 guns; 2 packet-boats of a gun each; 1 lougre, 1 fe lucca, 1 balanceale, transport ships, 1 frigate, 4 brigs, 3 guard-ships, 7 steam-ships, 140-horse power; 3 trans port ships; and 3 brigs to carry 16 guns were ordered to be built in April, 1850. The navy of Portugal was -2 ships of 80 guns, 5 frigates of 50, 1 of 54, 8 cor vettes, from 20 to 24; 11 brigs of 10 to 20, 7 schooners and 2 steam-ships. The navy of Sardinia was-4 frigates, 4 corvettes, 3 brigantines, 1 brig, 6 steamers, &c.-in all 60 ships and 900 guns; 1 commander-in chief, 2 admirals, 7 captains of ships, 6 captains of frigates, and 2,860 seamen. The navy of the Two Si cities was-1 ship of 80 guns, 5 frigates of GO and 44, 1 corvette of 22, 2 bombehips, 5 brigantines of 20, 2 gal leys of 14-total, 484 guns ; 6 steam-ships of 300-horse power, 2 carrying mortars and 4 cannon ; 1 steamer of 6 guns, 1 of 180-horse power, 1 of 120, 2 of 50-horse power, 1 of 40-horse power, 2 of 300-horse power (in building), 113 officers, 76 surgeons, 100 pilots, 12 ship builders-total, 301 ; 3,468 marine constables, 1,650 marines, 70 labourers, 24 mechanics, and 150 telegra phists. The navy of Greece was-2 corvettes of 26 guns, 2 steamers of from 1 to 6 guns, 1 packet-boat, 3 brigs of 12 guns, 10 of 2 guns, 7 schooners of from 2 to 10 guns, 2 of 6 guns, 1 of 2 guns, 5 cutters of from 2 to 4 guns, 1 yacht, 12 sloops, with a total of 22 guns, and 2 barques of 2 guns each. The Turkish navy was-2 ships of the line of 120 guns, 2 of 100 guns, 3 of 90 guns. 1 of 84 guns, 1 of 80 guns, 1 frigate of 56 guns, 1 of 44 guns, 3or 4 sloops, and 4or 5 steamers. The navy of Brazil was-2 frigates of 54 and 30 guns, 5 corvettes in all 98 guns, 2 brigs, of 18 guns, 10 brig schooners of 68 guns, 3 ketches of 13 guns, 2 schooners of 4 guns, 5 gunboats, and 6 steamers. Disarmed-1 frigate, 2 nutters, 1 barque, 2 steamers, and 6 transports. He had made these statements-(Laughter)-for no other purpose than to show that they were in a powerful condition, and fully able to compete as a naval power with the other countries of the world. Ile believed that they would do wisely if they did not lay down any new keels in their dockyards for two or three years, in order to be enabled to take advantage of the great improvements that were making every day in the machinery of ves sels, The time had arrived when they should look narrowly into the management of their docks. They ought not to keep up their establishment at Dept ford, but dispose of it for the commercial purposes of the Thames. Woolwich could be altogether dispensed with. Next year they would be compelled to take the finances of the country into their most serious consider ation, and to show that they were determined not to waste the money that was taken from the industry of the people. In regard to the construction of ships, ho be lieved that they could rely upon the private dockyards for building their ships more rapidly and at less expense than in their own dockyards. There never was a greater premise of a long continuance of peace than they had at that moment, and he believed that the Grand Exhibition in Hyde Park would do more to cement the nations of the earth together, aided by that intercourse which steam would secure, than any thing that had ever before happened. There was nothing whatever to dread in the shape of hostilities, for, with the exception of Prussia, all the continental countries were in a state of financial embarrassment. There was, therefore, no excuse for continuing this enormous ex penditure. Admiral BOWLES was afraid that they could not place as much confidence in the continuance of peace as the Hon. Member for Glasgow appeared to possess. They had on a former occasion seen almost all these foreign powers coalesce against them, and it was pos sible that such a thing might occur again. The ques tion, then, was, whether they were to be prepared to act upon the defensive in case of the contingency of war? He begged to ask those Honourable Members who argued in favour of a reduction of these establishments, whether they had read the history of the war of 1792? The same thing was then stated of France as was now stated that it was impossible that she could go to war, and yet the very next year. England found herself engaged in hostilities with an enemy much better prepared for war than they were. After a great loss of their merchant men, they were ultimately able to protect with effect their coast, their colonies, and their commerce.-(Hear.) This fact should be considered now when such proposi tions as those of Hon. Members opposite were made. What happened to them in the Cape last year ? They brought home half of the garrison that was there. What was the result? By the reduction they tempted the Kafirs to attack their forces, and this country was now put to nearly double the expense to repel their encroach ments than what it would have cost them if they did not diminish their garrison there so much. In respect to the stores, it was given in evidence before the Com mittee that for three or four years there was no work going on in the dockyards. But it should be recollected that it was absolutely necessary to keep up their stores for several years before they could be used. The con tractors in the Baltic had at one time failed to supply them with 1,000 tons of hemp contracted for, and when they were compelled to fall back upon the London market they could only procure 200 tons out of the 1,000 they were deficient in. There was Keyham Har bour, which was commented upon as being of little ad vantage. He, however, considered that that harbour, with its dockyard adjacent, was ono of the most im portant and valuable to keep up. In respect to many newspaper articles that had lately appeared, and which B he rit a t i were calculated to disparage the state of their navy in the eyes of the People, who were formerly so proud of it, so far as his opinion went, and he could speak from hisfew own exceptions,experience, thesome bettervery tshtaeteneowr more ships etffihecyienwtetrhe n h sbh o ui u intl g daw h iv thought, that was never with in a n a g s at w e ch o s temv every moment; and de cidedly superior to those which they had formerly built. He also thought that we should have committed a very grave error if some of the proposals he had seen had been carried into execution; and if, instead of endea vouring to rival the ships of foreign nations, which had iecrea-ed amazingly in size and armament, we had con tinued to construct our slaipss after the old models, with out an attempt to introduce improvements thereon. Sir G. PECHELL insisted on the necessity of „ 0 ., onmy. The impression of the country was that greater economy might be carried out in the dockyards, and if it could be shown that that impression was erroneous let it be done, and the impression at once dispelled. He himself was decidedly of opinion that the masting of vessels, for instance, might bo much more economically conducted; for ho understood that sixteen out of twenty ships masted at Sheerness and Chatham had been found useless. Those which were made of Baltic timber were perfect, whilst sixteen of the twenty made of Ameri can timber were very bad indeed. Mr. HUME said that the First Lord of the. Admiralty seemed to thick that he (Ur. litune) had forgotten that THE SU N, TO MISS VANDENHOFF, ON WITNESSING HER EXQUISITE IMPERSONATION OF THE GREEK " PARTIIENIA," AT THE THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE. Who would not heed the teaching Of a voice like thine? The savage spirit reaching, As a tone divine! Who would not linger near thee, Cherish thee and guide— O'er mountains guard and cheer thee, Tenderly, with pride? Who would not bow before thee Prostrate in the dust— Like "logomar" adore thee, Heal thy broken trust? How many hearts are weeping For a smile from thee, Their painful vigils keeping, Fraught with misery! But like a bright star, beaming In the heavens above, Thou shinest, ever seeming Heedless, cold to love! On, on, thy path the fairest, Happiest, may it be— Thy fame the first, the rarest Queeu of Tragedy! ZETIIS. THE BOILER. EXPLOSION AT KINGSWOOD.—The inquest at the Rose and Crown, Kingswood, upon the bodies of the persons killed by this fatal accident, which now amount to eight, viz., William Burchell, James Ricketts, Joseph Long, Samuel Bryant, Francis Bryant, John Burchell, Daniel Mountain, and William I3urchell, jun., was resumed on Wednesday before Joyner Ellis, Esq., one of the coroners for the county of Gloucester. At the commencement of the proceedings, the coroner stated that he bad written to Sir George Grey requesting the attendance of a Government inspector, and Sir George Grey had promised to send a gen tleman down, but as he had not arrived the inquiry must proceed in his absence. After hearing additional evidence, the jury returned the following veidiot :--‘, That the de ceased died from injuries caused by an explosion of steam from the bursting of the boiler of a certain st eam-en g ine ; and that the said explosion was caused by the want of care and attention on the part of John Burchell, the engineer, who had charge of the said engine." The Chancellor of the Exchequer returned to town on Wednesday night from Ilicklotou-441 1 , uc r Doncager, - 41k ----- 1 t 4.- LONDON, there was a steam navy; het the Right Hen. Gentleman was quite mistaken; end what he complained of was, that svtilat the number of steam-vessels had gone on in creasing there had been no decrease in the number of sailing vessels, but, on the contrary, an increase. He found that in 1835 we had 155 sailing vessels and 12 steamers; whereas in 1848 we had 160 sailing vessels and no less than 96 eteamees. Sir F. BARING assured the Hon. Gentleman that not a single sailing ship had been ordered to be laid down since 1849, and that all the orders had been for screw-steamers. Ha was glad to hear the admission from so many quarters that the navy was in an efficient condition, and he thought it would be very unwise indeed to put an end to such a state of things. Mr. HENLEY opposed the amendment, though he agreed that the expenditure for the dockyards required close looking after. Ho had voted for Mr. Hume's mo tion to redaco wages, because he was of opinion that they had been kept up too high. The stores had not, however, been maintained in the same proportion. It might be possible to exercise further economy in the emisureption of stores, but there was no evidence to prove that they ought to be reduced to the extent of one third. Mr. COBDEN said the belief was general that great waste prevailed in the dockyards; that ships were being built only to rot, and that the fleet already in existence was sufficient for our protection, or at all events that we might go on diminishing the number of ships built with out danger to the security of the country. If we could not do this we could not make any reductions in other parts of the expenditure, and it would he better in that case at once to tell the public honestly that no reduction was to be made. During the last three years the Chan cellor of the Exchequer had taken credit for stores sold within that period amounting to a million and a quarter sterling. A large portion of these were naval and ord nance stores, and he (Mr. Cobden) ventured to say that upon that amount of stores a loss had been incurred of at least two millions. lie would assume that it was pos sible for this country to be involved in a war; but even in such a contingency as that might we not trust more to private enterprise than wo had hitherto done; and did not the Right Hon. Gentleman think that by paying an extra premium for a quick supply, say 20 or 30 per cent. on the marketable value of the commodities, we might not get in any emergency all the supplies we re quired? Ho thought, therefore, that by accumulating this vast amount of stores in our dockyards, we were incurring needless waste and expenditure. He did not believe there was any danger of our going to war in any given month or week; and surely every country had something to dread from a war with England. We had seventy line-of-battle ships and twenty more building, and the Hon. Member for Glasgow (Mr. MacGregor) said that there were 140 Government steam-ships of all kinds, to say nothing of frigates and smaller vessels, and the steam-ships belonging to private companies; and he (Mr. Cobden) had had it upon the authority of profes sional men that the steam-vessels of the companies en gaged in the service of the Post-office were more than a match for the whole of the armed steamers of all the continental powers. Being of opinion that it was op posed to the good sense of the country to go on voting this 800,0001. annually for stores, ho trusted his Hon. Friend would divide the Committee upon his amend ment. After a few words from Mr. HUME, The Committee divided, when there appeared— For the amendment 38 Against it ... a. ..• ... 106 Majority ..• ..• —6B The vote was then agreed to. On the vote, 298,3891. charge of new works, repairs, and improvements in naval establishments, Sir F. BARING stated, in reply to Mr. HUME, that in the construction of the works of Keyham docks they were following out the recommendations of the Com mittee on naval expenditure. The sum set down for the powder magazine—viz., 57,0001., was the cost of the works, and did not include the price paid for the land, the amount for which had been voted on a former oc casion. Mr. COBDEN inquired if it was intended to proceed further with the Keyham dock without making a state ment of the plan to be pursued in reference to the com pletion of it? Sir F. T. BARING said they were following out the recommendations of the Committee on naval expendi ture, and they did not contemplate the formation of a factory. Sir W. MOLESWORTH—Why, then, was the amount in the votes—viz., 210,0001.? Mr. COBDEN said that Sir H. Ward had declared, when Secretary to the Admiralty, that the whole ex pense for Keyham would be wasted if they did not com plete the factory. Sir F. T. BARING could only repeat that they did not mean to create a factory. Mr. VETO asked whether the two workshops had any connexion with the factory or necessitated an establish ment? Sir F. T. BARING replied in the negative. Mr. HENLEY said the difficulty arose from the mode in which the estimates were framed, the cost of the fac tory being bracketted together with the other items, in stead of being stated in separate sums. Mr. GEACH saw 4,000/. voted for a church; he there fore asked was there to be e.n establishment? Sir F. T. BARING said the vote was proposed in con templation of certain arrangements. Mr. GEACH thought the Government were going on upon a wrong system, and the sooner it was amended the better. There was an expenditure of 690,0001. already to no purpose. Would the House recognise the further expenditure of 80,0001. now proposed? Mr. HUME, referring to the expenses of Gibraltar, wished to know what had become of the revenue of Gib raltar—vie., 20,0001. per annum. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said there had been no remittance to the Treasury for many years past. The revenue was spent on the spot. Mr. HUME, referring to the works at Bermuda, said they were going on in a most unsatisfactory manner ; 400,0001. had been already spent, and now more was proposed. Sir F. BARING said the works were in accordance with the estimates framed by direction of the Committee, and they were necessitated by the number of convicts constantly kept at Bermuda. The vote was agreed to. So likewise were 26,000/. for medicine and medical stores. 62,5491. for divers miscellaneous services. Mr. HUME complained of the charges made by her Majesty's ships of war for rendering assistance to mer chant vessels. They could not afford them the slightest assistance but the ships put in a claim for conpensation. It was a reproach to England, that ships paid by the public should not render assistance to the merchant service without claiming payment. He had written to the Minister of Marine in France, to know what was the practice ; and the reply was, that every assistance necessary was rendered gratuitously. He had also written to the Secretary of Marine in America, and the reply was to the same effect. In this country they saw from the reports there were vexatious trials almost daily on the subject. Sir F. BARING said a few words, which were in audible. On the vote for the Post-office packets, Mr. HUME said, as this was a vote which would lead to some discussion, it ought to be postponed. Sir F. BARING having consented, The CHAIRMAN reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again this day. into s a a g C r e o e m d m to i t t o e n e o w f h t i h e e h we h o o r l o e u I n d o u a se n On the motion of Mr. J. BELL, the House resolved w l h forl en a regulating n the qualification of pharmaceutical chemists, and for other purposes connected with the practice of pharmacy. wore inoti o n n o i of n a L t o e r d d a S i E a IC S M e l e ° c tUCtmtmheittfeuMemelleonwitnhge Sa bers New Forest Deer Removal Bill:—Lord Seymour, Sir Wm. Gibson Craig, Viscount Duncan, Mr. H. Drum mond, Mr. Compton, Lord Charles Wellesley, and five to be added by the Committee of Selection. On the motion of Mr. FITZROY, the following Mem bers were nominated a Select Committee on the Coro ners' Bill:—Mr. Fitzroy, Mr. Freshfield, Mr. John Evans, Mr. Sothoron, Mr. Child, Mr. Beckett Denison, Mr. Bremridge, Mr. Nicholl, Mr. Bouverie, Mr. Legh, Mr. Geach, Mr. Wakley, Mr. Napier, Mr. Corbally, and Lord Dudley Stuart. The orders of the day having been disposed of, the House adjourned at One o'clock. FRIDAY 1_ . ~~. EVENING, JUNE 13, 1851. PA RLIAMENT AR Y DIVISION S (From tle Votes nypi Proceel;„: - 1s of the Einsse of Commons ) THUPSDAY, JUNE 12. SUPPLY. (IN THE COMMITTEE.) Mo , ion made, and Question proposed, " That a sum not exceeding 842,1931. be granted to her Majesty, to defray the Expense of Naval Stores for the Building, Repair, and Outfit of the Fleet, the Purchase of Steam Machinery, and for other purposes connected therewith, which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1852 :"—Afterwards Motion made, and Question put, " That a sum not exceeding 561,462/. be granted to her Majesty, to defray the Expense of Naval Stores for the Building, Repair, and Outfit of the Fleet, the Purchase of Steam Machinery, and for other purposes connected there with, which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1852." The Committee divided : MINORITY-AYES, 38. Barrow, W. 11. Greene, John Peto, Samuel M. Alcock, Thomas Gwyn, Vowel Pigot, Francis Ball, Jacob Hardcastle, J. A. Suiwey, (7olonel Bennet, Philip Hustle, Archibald Scholefleld, William Bright, John lleyworth, Lawrence Smith, John B. Brocklehurst, Joh❑ Hutchins, E. ,1. gmythe, O. Child, Smith Jackson, William Stanford. J. F. Clay, James King, P. J. Trelawny, J. S. Clifford, H. M. Lushingtom Charles Wawn, J. T. Duncan, ueorge Meagher, Thomas Williams, W. Dundas, George Mangles, K. D. Ellis, John Milner, W. M. Fox, W. J. Molesworth, Sir W. (leach, Charles Pechell, Sir G TELLERS. Hume, Joseph Cobden, Richard MAJORITY—NOES, 106. Anson, Colonel Ellice, Edward, jun. Palmerston, VII Arhwright, G. Elliot, John E. Parker, John Armstrong, R. B. Evans, John; Patten, J. W. Bagshaw, John Fergus, John Power, Dr. Baines, M. T. Ferguson, Sir R. Price, Sir R Baring, Sir F. T. Freestun, Colonel Reid. Colonel Bateson, Thomas Gallwey, S. W. Repton, G. W. Bellew, R. M. Gordon, Admiral , Ricardo, Osman Beresford, William Grey, Sir G. Rich, Henry Berkeley, Admiral Grosvenor, Lord R. Romilly, Sir J. Berkeley, Ilenry F. Hamilton, G. A. Seymour, Lord Berkeley, C. L. Hatchell, John Shinto, It. D. Bouverie, E. P. Hawes, Benjamin Shelburne, Earl of Bowles, Admiral Henley, J. W. Somers, J. P. Boyle, Colone, llerbert, H. A. Somerset, Captain Brisco, M. Hollond, Robert Somerville, Sir W. Brooke, Sir A.B. Hope, Sir J. Stanton, W. H. Banbury, E. H. Jollitre, Sir W. H. Thompson, Colonel Cabbell, B. B. Knox, W. S. Thompson, Alderman Carter, J. B. Labouchere, Henry Towneley, John Cavendish, C. C. Lewis, G. C. Townshend, Capt. Chaplin, W. J. Locke, Joseph Trevor, Thomas Clements, C. S. M'Taggart, Sir J. Tyler, Sir G. Cockburn, Sir A. Matheson, Colonel Wall, C. B. Coles, 11. B. Melgund, Viscount Wellesley, Lord C. Corry, H. Morgan, H. K. Williamson, Sir 14. Cowan, Charles Mostyn, E. M. L. Wilson, James Cowper, W. F. Mulgrave, Earl of Wilson, Matthew Craig, Sir W.G. Mundy, William Wood, Sir Charles Crowder, It. B. Naas, Lord. Wood, Sir W. P. Dawes, Edward Murphy, F. S. Wrightson, W. B. Deedes, W. Norreys, Sir D. Wynn, 11. W. Dod, J. W. O'Connell, M. J. Douglas, Sir C. Ogle, S. C. Dundas, Admiral Ord, William Dundas, Sir David Paget, Lord A. Edwards, Henry Palmer, Bounden TELLERS. Hayter, W. G. Hill, Lerd Marcus AMERICAN NEWS. SOUTHAMPTON, THURSDAY. The Franklin steam-ship, Captain Pijoetton, arrived in Cowes Roads early this forenoon, from New York, which port she left on the 31st of May, bringing two days' later intelligence. The Franklin brings one hun dred passengers, eight hundred thousand dollars in specie, and a valuable cargo. The stock market con tinued active, and the disposition to purchase daily get ting stronger. The dry goods trade was less active, with heavy stocks on hand. Cotton was selling at steady, but rather irregular prices. There was more ac tivity in the Flour market, and greater firmness and uni formity in prices. Freights to Liverpool steady, but not active. In the Canadian Parliament the Governor- General has refused to produce the correspondence with the American Government in relation to the reciprocity of trade, and it was recommended as the future policy of the Government to close the canal against American vessels as an act of retaliation. There is further news from Mexico, which confirms the statement that the Mexican authorities have detained an American vessel, containing supplies for the fisiundary Surveying Com mission. The ex-President Pordrazia, died on the 15th of May. The New York Herald asserts that the Cuban expedition was not abandoned, but that a new system of tactics was being formed in New Orleans to put it into immediate force. Letters had been received from Port-au•Prince to the 17th of May, which represent the probable settlement of the long-pending difficulties between Ilayti and St. Do mingo. The Emperor had issued a proclamation to the inhabitants of the west, in which he states he is anxious for a reconciliation with the Spanish part of the island. The rainy season had set in with such severity that the roads were almost impassable, which prevented logwood and coffee being brought from the interior. Coffee was selling at from 96 to 100 dolls. per 100 lb., and logwood at 60 dolls. per 1,000 lbs. Tranquillity'prevailed. The steam-ship Isabel had arrived at Charleston, with advices to the 23c1 ultimo. The political news of the island is not very important, and tranquillity continued to be undisturbed. The inhabitants were very busily engaged in their ordinary occupations, without fearing a new invrsion. TRADE REPORT, NEW YORK, gAY 30. Breadstuffs—We noticed more activity in the flour market to-day, with more firmness and uniformity in prices. The receipts were not so large, whilst the de mand was more animated. The transactions in domestic embraced about 8,000 obis. superfine No. 2 at dolls. 3 62c. to dolls. 3 75c. Wheat was without marked change; 7,000 bushels Canadian were reported sold at some thing under 95,1, and small lots Michigan at 1 doll. 02c. to 1 doll. 06c. Cotton—The sales to-day were about 1,000 bales at st-ady but rather irregular prices, generally on the basis of 94c. for middling Uplands. Provisions—Pork, with an augmenting stock, and only a limited inquiry, was dull, and the sales were confined to about 500 barrels; new mess at dolls. 15 12 to dolls. 15 25; old at dolls. 14 37 to dolls. 14 48:i • new prime at dolls. 13 37k, and old at dolls. 12 3 7. i. neef was nomi nally quoted at 9 to 11 dolls. for tnes s , and 5 to 6 dolls. for prune, showing a reduction. About 130 barrels sold buoyant. Some 600 at these rates. Lard was more a barrels and tierces changed hands at 9i. to 91c., in cluding 400 barrels for shipment, on terms not ascer tained. Freights—Bates to Liverpool were steady to-day, but not active. A lot of Sea Island cotton was taken at 5-16 d., and some compressed square bales at 3-16 d. For corn, 4id., and for flour, Is. 3d. Ware about the rates offering. To London, 450 bbls. rosin, and 600 ditto tur pentine were taken at 2s. per 2 60 1 b. To Gl asgow , 4,000 bushels of corn were en g a g ed at s d. For direct ports to Ireland 6 d. wa s demanded for corn. NEW ORLEANS, Max 28. 4 The sales of cotton to -da y were,ooo bales,.at an ad vance of one quarter to three-eightba of a cent since the receipt of the Canada's news. The receipts at all the southern ports are now 284,000 bales ahead of last year at same time. On June 1, at 3 P.1%1., lat. 40 58, long. 68 4ii, the Franklin passed the steamer Waskington, from South ampton, for New York. June 4, %bout lat. 45, passed several large icebergs. June 5, lit. 45 26, long. 7 13, saw packet -ship Margaret, Evans, 'rom Liverpool for New York. Juno 10, at 3 30 A.ir., saw sh i p E. Bulkley. COURT CIRCULAR. Her Majesty and his Royal Highness Prince Albert, accompanied by their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Saxo Coburg Gotha tnd Duke Ernest of Wurtemberg, attended by the -- tn . Mary Seymour, General Wemyss, and Colonel Bou ier i o, arrived at the Exhibition of the Works of Industsy of all Nations at half-past nine o'clock yesterday moiling, to resume their inspection of the Exhibition. The Baroness de Wan genbeim and M. B. de Treskow wore in attendance on the Duko and Duchess of Saxe Coburg Gotha. Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and Prince Alfred, attended by Mr. Birch, also visited the Exhibi tion yesterday forenoon. The Quees and Prince Albert, with their Royal visitors, left the Eehibition at twenty minutes before eleven o'olock, and returned to Bucking ham Palace. The Duke and Duchess of Saxe Coburg Gotha and Duke Ernest of Wurtemberg, visited and took leave of her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent yesterday morning, at Clarence House, St. James's. The Duchess of Saxe Coburg Gotha also visited the Marchioness of Douglas at her residence in St. James's-place. The Duke of Cambridge paid a visit yesterday to the Duke of Saxe Coburg Gotha, at Buckingham Palace, and took leave of his Royal Highness. The Queen, with the Prince of Wales and Prince Alfred, accompanied by the Pullets of Saxe Coburg Gotha, took a drive in an open carriage and four, on Wednesday afternoon. General Weingss and Lord Chas. Fitzroy attending on horseback. Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Saxo Coburg Gotha and Duke Ernest of Wurtemberg, took leave of the Queen and Prinee Albert yesterday afternoon, on their departu re for the Continent. The Baroness do Wangenheim and M. B. de Treskow were in attendance on their Royal Highnesse s . Her Majesty and Prince Albert, attended by the Ladies and Gentlemen in Waiting and the Master of the Household, accompanied their illustri ous gues t s to th e ir carriage. His Serene Highness the Prince Leiningen also took leave of their Royal High nesses. The Duke and Duche ss of Sax e Coburg Gotha and Duke Ernest of Wurtemberg quitted Buckingham Palace at half-past th ree o'clock, attended by Lieut.- Colonel F. Seymour, for the London-bridge Station of Ithe South-Eastern Railway, and immediately._ left for Dover. The Queen and his Royal Highness Prince Albert honoured her hfajesty's Theatre with their presence last evening. The Royal suite consisted of the Countess of Charlemont, the Hon. Mary Seymour, the Hon. Matilda Paget, Lord Camoys, Lord Charles Fitzroy, and Col. Bouverie. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, attended by the Baroness de Speth, went to Esher yesterday incrning, and visited the Countess do Neuilly, and the French Royal Family. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, accompa nied by his Serene Highness the Prince of Leinin„een, and attended by Lady Fanny Howard, L or d J ames M urra y, and Baron Roppert, honoured the Lyceum Theatre with her presence last evening. The Westminster Bridge Commission met yesterday at the office of her Majestys' Commissioners of Woods and Forests, Whitehall-place. Present—Lord Seymour, the Esrl of Lonsdale, Sir Robert H. Inglis, Lord Sude ley, and Alderman Humphrey. The Earl of Shaftesbury has returned to town, and yesterday presided at the meeting of the General Board of Health, Whitehall. Sir Hedworth Williamson had an interview yester day with Sir George Grey at the Home-office. Mr. Tremenhere had also an.interview with the Hight lion. Baronet. - LITERATURE 'OEMS. By Georze Meredith. 1 T 7 'ol. John Par per trzd Sort. According to ft n ingenious writer in Fraser's Ma gazine, the " prevailing epidemic" is—not the cholera, or the influenzl, but—poetry. Every one has heard reiterated during the last lustre the assertion that the present is a very prose and matter-of-fact generation. And yet in this year of grace 1851, with more steam engines than ever clattering over the railroads of the three kingdoms, with electric telegraphs almost mo- Luentarily flashing from London to Manchester and from Manchester to Glasgow, in the age of the !Din ning jenny and the printing press, when most of us are thirsting more eagerly after a glass of sherry cobbler than after the lymph of the Hippocrene, when the Graces of the Popular Temple are very sedate and homely graces indeed—X. S. D. being our Aglaia, Thalia, and Euphrosyne—a critic is found bold enough to aver that poetry, of all things in the world, is the prevailing epidemic ! Experience tells us, moreover, that the assertion, strange though it may appear to the uninitiated, is, to some extent, at least, not altogether incorrect. As reviewers, we have long become conscious of an ambition for the bay garland having manifested itself among a great variety of aspirants. There have come tumbling in upon our table of late, to speak truth, a multiplicity of volumes in verse, for the most part sufficiently diminutive to tempt even the surliest curmudgeon of a critic to a glance, and in the majority of instances, too, sufficiently innocent in their tendencies to smooth he wrinkles out of the brow even of a literary Ina - dam inthus. Volumes as pink as the carnation, as ellow as their gilding, as blue as the skies apostro phized in their pages, and as brown as the studies in which they had very likely originated, books in short of all colours, and sizes, and subjects, and aspira tions—the fruits, no doubt, rather of hopes for fame than of dreams of profit. Now, for our own part, we never could understand that because a man pub- lished a book, especially a book of verses, he was, therefore, to be arraigned as a felon and vilified as a malefactor. Many there are, of course—their exis tence has long been a matter of notoriety—who ap pear to look upon any indulgence in rhythm as nothing less criminal than larceny. Day-dreaming, to them, is an atrocity in every unfortunate wight now-a-days, no matter what it may have been here tofore to their predecessors. Not thus is it with ourselves. Instead of being predisposed to tomahawk, we are rather inclined to cherish and welcome every new adventurer in the realms of imagination. It has consequently been with delight rather than dis• satisfaction that we have observed the variety of re cent noviciates in versification. Their effusions, though, it is true, most frequently yielding dis appointment, have seldom failed to give us some few glimpses at least of the beautiful. Several indeed have extorted from us a more than moderate weed of approbation ; for at any rate there has been displayed a veritable boldness of enterprise in several of their more conspicuous productions, from the " Go6the" of Mr. Kenealey to the " Abd-el- Kader" of Lord Maidstone. Occasionally also we have rejoiced to hear voices of real melody singing to us through the din and dust of that common high way the Age, when we have lingered over the " Roman" of Sydney Yendys, or the miscellaneous " Poems" of Mr. Allingham. Simply and unostenta tiously calling his book by the same suggestive dis syllable, the author of the productions here sub mitted to our consideration has contented himself at the outset of his career in poetry with a collection of detached and what are termed fugitive compositions. In these he has displayed, however, facility and sweetness as a versifier, touching the strings of his lyre to almost every measure, and cbaunting of love and of nature to the pulse of the spondee and the dactyl, sometimes in a joyous and sometimes in a dolorous rhythm. What appears to us the most charming piece i n th e vo l ume i s the subjoined " Requiem, an exquisite and touching lament, which we quote thus early and entire as, perhaps, the most favourable specimen we could give of the powers of Mr. Meredith : " Where faces are hueless, where eyelids are dewless, Where passion is silent and hearts never crave; Where thought hath no theme, and where sleep hath no dream, In patience and peace thou art gone—to thy grave! Gone where no warning can wake thee to morning. Dead tho' a thousand hands atretch'd out to save. " Thou cam'st to us sighing, and singing and dying. How could it be otherwise fair as thou wert? Placidly fading, and sinking and shading, At last to that shadow, the latest desert; Wasting and waning, but still, still remaining. Alas for the hand that could deal the death hurt! " The summer that brightens, the winter that whitens, The world and its voices, the sea and the sky, The bloom of creation, the tie of relation, All—all is blank to thine ear and thine eye; The ear may not listen, the eye may not glisten, Nevermore waked by a smile or a sigh. " The tree that is rootless must ever be fruitless; And thou art alone in thy death and thy birth; No last loving token of wedded love, broken, No sign of thy singleness, sweetness and worth; Lost as the flower that is drown'd in the shower, Fall'n like a snowflake to melt in the earth." Whether regarded as to the harmony of the stanza or as to the gentleness of the sentiment, we take these verses to be in every way beautiful. They reveal a tender nature and a fine ear, with all a poet's sensi bility. Not so " The Rape of Aurora," which is as artificial in manner as it is to our thinking gross and even licentious in character. The writer in it appears to have mistaken the sensual for the sensuous, and for once to have overstepped that modesty of bearing which best becomes the bard even when rapt in Saphic fury or Pindaric enthusiasm. Deliberate reflection must convince Mr. Meredith himself, we are satisfied, that the efusio❑ specified had better have been expunged than published. Our opinion that such must be the case ultimately is confirmed by the circumstance that elsewhere in these pages we discern the tokens of a chastened taste and a delicate susceptibility. " Daphne," it is true, is marred by a somewhat similar indecorum of style, but, than the following, what can be more charmingly pure and graceful?— " Under yonder beech-tree standing on the greea sward, Couch'd with her arms behind her little head, Her knees folded up, and her tresses on her bosom, Lies my young love sleeping in the shade. had I the heart to slide one arm beneath her! Press her dreaming lips as her waist I folded slow, Waking o❑ the instant she could not but embrace me — Ali! would she hold me, and never let me go?" In that single stanza we have a perfect picture, and one not undeserving of illustration. Sometimes we cannot but think our author over-venturous, as where he addresses the " Nightingale," already apostrophised by Keats, and the " Skylark," already hymned by Shelley. Gladly, however, can the most fastidious forgive the daring of the attempts in con sideration of such vigorous effusions as " The Ship wreck of Idomeneus." In the " Will o' the Wisp " we cannot but detect a certain resemblance to those quaint nursery rhymes of Mr. Allingham— " Up the rushy mountain, Down the reedy glen, We daren't go a hunting For fear of little men. Wee folk, good folk, Trooping altogether; Green jacket, red cap, And grey cock's feather." It is but seldom that we find Mr. Meredith tripping in his rhymes, yet at moments we come upon such words as " lamps " and " swamps " (p. 46.), or as " thrush " and " bush " (p. 77.). Our author has mastered much of our noble language, compacting poetry into the very sound of some of his lines, ex. gr.— " With pictures of a warmth, and frozen glow Spread over endless fields of sheeted snow; And white untrodden mountains shining cold, And rnifffled footpaths winding thro' the wold, O'er which those wintry gusts cease not to howl and blow.' There is a strange force to us in the effect of the close vowels, in that line which we have marked in italics. On occasion, our author is apt to repeat himself un awares ; one phrase, especially, is of somewhat fre quent recurrence, thus— " Their prophet harmony of leaves."—p. 41. Again— " One prophetic water rolls Its gas•lit surface for their souls."—p. 76. Again— 41 The blossom sheds its loveliness divine; Its mission is to prophecy the fruit."—p. 118. While we are enumerating the few and scattered ex ceptions which force themselves on our consideration , we may observe that the phraseology seems now and then affected, as where at page 44 we hear of " bosky tanglery," and that the expressions introduced are sometimes even intensely unpoetic, as where in page 45 we come upon—" All a muddle," and at page 146, find mention of the robin's "fadel ess waistcoat. With such minute blemishes, nevertheless, there are blended graces of real, and at time s bewitching beauty. How much loveliness of imagery there isin those two brief, but suggesti ve, lines in "Daphne"— "And in vain the listening Dryad Shells her hand against her ear 1" What power of painting, too, in that delicious frag ment from the " Pastorals"— " I rise and drink the fresh sweet air! Each draught a future bud of spring; Each glance of blue a birth of green; I will not mimic yonder oak That dallies with dead leaves e'en while the primrose pc eps l" From these scanty examples alone it will be per ceived that we are not without finding reason to wel come Mr. George Meredith among the number of our young poetic aspirants. With one lamentable ex mayancommend ex ception, already particularised, we volume of poems to those his evidences of a love for nature, and who have affection for e moreover, with a really who sympathise, impassioned and emotional temperament. Major Bisset, Major Rogge, and Mr. Owen, had an interview yesterday with Earl Grey at the Colonial office. e IP Ar 1 111°°9.- ~_.. i~7 THE GREAT EXHIBITION Another day of inecesant storm and rain has added to the misfortunes of the sight-seeing public, yet, undaunted by the state of the weather, 48,318 persons visit e d th e building yesterday, and 2,2331. 7s. was tho amount taken at the doors. Th Queen and Prince Albert were there in the morning shortly after nine o'clock, and remained till half-past ten. They examined during their stay those objects in the Rusaia,a department which they had not previously looked at, aed especially the brocades and rays produce, which, as we have already said, are extremely interesting. They also greatly admired the imperial fur cloak, valued at 3,400/., which is exhibited in the north gallery of the nave, and is made of small pieces taken from the neck of a species of fox, the quality of the pile being peculiarly limp and delicate. Here, also, a very remarkable silk shawl was examined by them, the pattern of which is the same on both tide,. Mr. Kemensky, the Russian Commissioner, M. Shone., and Dr. Hamel!, accompanied the Royal party, who afterwards proceeded to the apartment furnished with the French national manufactures, for the purpose of in specting a nee , uud very splendid specimen of tapestry illustrative of the massacre of the Meru Jukes by Mehemet Ali. This is a magnificent ex ample of what the (lobelias eau effect and as a work of arc and of manufacturing skill is .equally admire - bite Yesterday the Executive Committee were actively engaged in making arrangements for the reception ef very ti ne co ll ec ti on o f obj e cts forwarded to the Exhibi tion from Buckingham Palace, and which consists , of pre senta made to li t r M a j es ty by the Newab letrzun, of Bengal. Th e pr i nc i pa l contributions are elephaut tetwe trappings, a State palkee, a State throne with canopy, ti pair of moorelials, er emblems of rank, said to be very valuable, tandpullcce, or evening conveyance, ialentled to be carried by bearers. This collection is to be placed in the north-east gallery, at the corner neatest the tran sept. There are several other changes in the interior, completed or contempl ate d , which deserve notice. The first of these is that the gigantic American eagle which overshadowed with its wings the east entrance of the building has been entirely eclipsed by Messrs. Gray and Davidson's organ, which has been recently removed there. The king . of birds, after a vain effort to cover the emptiness of the Yankee compartment, angers to be shrinking abashed behind the melodious' er afforded to it, and our cousins really have reason to congratulate themselves that their eagle at last shows'some traces of modesty and diffidence. Another point of public interest relates to the Koh-i-Noor. After all the work which has been made about that celebrated diamond our readers will be rather surprised to hear that many people find a difficulty in bringing themselves to believe, from its external appearance, that it is anything but a piece of common glass. Amid all the adventures that have befallen it, there is, perhaps, none more odd than that its genuineness should now be doubted. Yet so it is. The fact is, that the " Mountain of Light" has been shockingly ill-used in the cutting, and that when placed in the open light of day, without any arrangements to draw forth its brilliancy, it does not sparkle and gleam like other jewels of the kind. To obviate this disadvantage, and demonstrate to the world that the Koh-i-Noor is a veritable diamond, it is to be surrounded with a canopy or tent, the interior of which is to be lighted with gas, and the idea is that this will develope its beauties as a gem of the purest water, with a certainty and splendour which undoubtedly are not attained at present. A remarkable feature of yesterday's experience in the interior of the Exhibition was the appearance there, at an early hour, of nearly 800 agricultural labourers and country folk, from the neighbourhood of Godstone, in Surrey, headed by the clergymen of the parishes to which they respectively belonged, and organized for the occasion into companies like a regiment of militia. They paid Is. 6d. each towards the expenses of the trip, the rest being defrayed by the gentry of the neighbourhood; and, notwithstanding the state of the weather, they were conveyed to the Exhibition and back again to their own homes in a very expeditious manner, and with the utmost care for their comfort. The railway station was reached by waggons, and from London-bridge terminus to West minster they were brought up by steamer. Thence, after seeing Westminster-hall, they proceeded on foot and in marching order to the Crystal Palace, and, having spent several hours there in exploring the wonders of art and industry, at four o'clock they took their departure, returning as they came. The men wore their smartest smockfrocks, the women their best Sunday dresses, and more perfect specimens of rustic attire, rustic faces, and rustic man ners could hardly be produced from any part of Eng land. The town portion of the assemblage gathered round them as they mustered before departing in the transept, with looks full of curiosity, not unmingled with a species of half pitying interest; and many were the questions put to them as to what they thought of the Exhibition? What they were most struck by? Whe ther they understood what they had seen? And if they would like to come again? After some little marshalling they left the Exhibition in close order, moving three abreast—an affecting array of young and old, male and female, in which each observer might read with his own eyes the evidences of a laborious life, little relieved by intelligence or education, but simple, unpretending, and not usaccompanied by domestic virtue and happiness. They were chiefly, we understand, from the parish of Lingfield, and their rector, the Rev. Mr. Hutton, who attended them, deserves great praise for this truly bene volent and pastoral act, which ought to be extensively imitated. COWES, ISLE OF WIGHT. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) COWES. JUNE 12. ROYAL YACHT SQUADRON INTELLIGENCE. ARRIVALS. Juno 6. Gondola yawl, W. 11. Woodhouse, Esq., from the Mediterranean. 7. Osprey cutter, John Petro, Esq., from Portsmouth. 8. Erminia schooner, Earl of Ellesmere, from the Me diterranean, and proceeded for Portsmouth. 10. Seagull cutter, William Moore, Esq., from Ly miugton. 11. Lailia cutter, Tweston Hodges, Big., from South ampton; Brilliant schooner, G. H. Aikus, Esq., from ditto. 12. Freak cutter, William Curling, Esq., from Ply mouth and other ports. YACHTS AT AND ABOUT THE STATION. Resolution, Merlin, Leda, Titania, Coquette, Brilliant, Drift, Elizabeth, Stella, Osprey, Lavrock, Turquoise, Seagull, Spider, Meritania, Nautilus, Freak, bail* Gondola. The American steam-ship Franklin arrived hero this morning, at nine o'clock, from New York. She brought 157 passengers, 59 of whom landed, with 14 mail bags and 142 packages. At eleven o'clock she proceeded on for Havre. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. VICE-ADMIRAL SIR CHARLES MILCOLM.—WO re gret to learn that Vico-Admiral Sir Charles Malcolm has been struck with paralysis, and is said to be beyond the hope of recovery. He went down to Brighton last Thursday, to endeavour, by ehango of air, to get rid of a cough which had been clinging to him. Poor Sir Charles was attacked by paralysis some years ago, but it was thought that he had entirely recovered the shock. Caledonia, 120, Captain Carter, arrived in Plymouth Sound from Malta on Wcdcesday afternoon, at five o'clock. Cambrian, 40, is ordered to be repaired at Devon , port, at a cost which would go far to build a new screw sloop. . Devastation, 6, steam-sloop, Commander C. Y. Camp bell, arrived in the Sound on Wednesday morning from Portsmouth, and was to sail yesterday fur the West Indies. Megsara, iron screw troop-frigate, Master-Commander lloffnaeister, has met with a sad mishap, the h conse quences of which are serious at this moment. On h e r way to Queenstown to embark troops for the Cap e ► broke her engine -crank, and has been obliged tore stui to Sheerness. We believe her engines were constru cted by the Rennies. Triton iron steam-packet, Lieutenant-Commander Charles J. P. Glin, arrived at Devonport o!' evening, from the Mediterranean; I l in coals, T u esday and she was ordered for Portsmouth. are --Por t Mahon, May 29th; Gibraltar, June uneer took dates st; Lisbon, r sailed the 6th. The Triton has brought the following following passengers:—Dr. H eckett,ins p ector of h Gi braltar, and three daughters; Miss Colin Smith, Lady Georgina and Lady Olivia ik Regiment, on leave; Stratford,t the Rev. Mr. Ma lolly, Lieutenant G. Cooper, 4 . and thirteen seamen and mA g arinesreat invalid mbs. nuer of the men P EMBROK E, JUNE 10.— A at this doc kyard purpose availing themselves Of the Admiralty order to visit the Exhibition. This liberality is cons idered a great indulgence, particularly as no pay is mulcte d, nor an y extra work expected to be performed. R oyal P Dockyard Battal ion—lt has been arr anged that forthefuture every Saturday afternoon shall be devoted to the purpose of training and drilling the dockyard bat talion, in order to secure a duo efficiency in tho summer drills. In order to meet this arrangement, and to insure that no loss shall occur to the service, the workmen have been directed to work an extra half-hour every day. By this means one half of the battalion will receive an after noon's training and exercise every week. The fortified barracks are in full possession of the 82d Regiment, the left wing of which, consisting of four companies, now garrisons the dockyard. Tho martello towers at the dockyard are furnished with detachments of the Royal Artillery, hitherto sta tioned in the barracks; they have been removed to make room for the full complement of the 82d. This arsenal bas been garrisoned by the Royal Marine Corps ever since 1833. The 82d is commanded by the following . officers :—Major Slater; Captains J. L. Phillip°, 1 - 111 j day, and Graves; L rd and Lieutenants Tighe, Jarvis, and Smith; and Ensigns Barron, Haywood, Warren, us Maule. [AnyguTisnatEsm] -- Holloway's P ills, a most tr exaordins ry Cure of Dropsy effected by their use.—Mr. George Rowley, of Tobago, had suffered from this disease for ' upwards of five years, during which period he underwent the \ operation of tapping five times. His malady was most skilfully treated by several practitioners, notwithstanding which he got graduall y worse, his strength and health failing so fast as to render any hope of recovery almost vain. As a last resour he tried Holloway's Pills, and by persevering in their use ac- I cording to the directions affixed to each box he er as completely cured ins. few months, and he is now restored to a good state of health .---Sold by all Druggists, and at Professo r H o ll oway ' s Establishment, 2.44, Strand, London. According to the census returns the pop u l a ti on c f the county of Ar gy ll is now 88,5G7, which is a falling Off, as compare d with the enumeration of 1841, of 8,809. There is a decree. se in 41 out of the 52 parishes, of 10,18 8 ; and an increase in 11 districts to burghs, or district'. the extent of ],479. The decrease in this shire is easily accounted for from the tid4'b of emigration which has g,a l li on . g set in from the mate' land an d iBlO3 Of the West iii ial Qty, RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. SAMBRE AND MEUSE. The twelfth half-yearly general meeting of the proprie tors of this company was held on Wednekday, at their offices, 61, Moorgate-Areet. Mr. W. P. Richards in the chair. The report having been real, The CHAIRMAN congratulated the proprietors upon the prospect of prosperity which they at length enjoyed. There had been a diminution in the expenditure ot the half-year, and an increase of income. When the iron trade revived in Belgium there would be a pro portionate increase in their receipts ; but as that revival could in no way depend upon the directors, they were not prepared to base any immediate cal culations npon it. When the line was carried out to Vireux, they might, however, safely rely upon a large traffic in coals for the supply of the whole district; in deed, were it only for the traffic in coals they had every reason to desire the completion of the line. The supply of coals to the district of Ardennes and the north ot France had been estimated at 140,000 tons. But if they calculated the supply at only 100,000 tons, they would have a return of 24,0001., whien, added to their present profits, would yield about 34,0001. to the company. They managed their present traffic at a cost of about 8,300/. ; and if 3,8001. were added for the increased expen se , which was tbe estimate made, they might calculate upon a profit of 22,0001. This profit would arise from the traffic in coals alone; and they had, in addition, to calculate all the items, which swelled the estimated profits to 96,000, or, at the lowest estimate, to 70,000/. The branch lines which it was proposed to make would cost at the most 200,0001., and for this amount they had a Government guarantee of tour per cent. Compared with last year the situation of the company was decidedly good. They were then embarrassed with a contract from which they had sustained great loss, and with other runious expenses. There was no friendly understand iug with the Belgian Government, and they did not know how to raise the necessary funds to carry on the works. All this was now changed. They had got rid of the contract which embarrassed them, and were pre pared to make what new new engagements they chose. They expected to save from twenty to thirty per cent. in their contracts alone. The Belgian Government was now most friendly, and had given facilities for raising the required capital on very reasonable terms, so that they would be able to complete the line to Vireux for about 200,0001. In conclusion he begged to move that the report and statement of accounts should be approved, adopted, and circulated. In answer to a question, The CHAIRMAN stated that the interest on debentures already issued bad not been paid, in consequence of the accident which had occurred in the autumn of last year. It amounted only to about 1,8001., and would be paid as soon as they had money. They had the power of paying off the debenture debt after three years, and he hoped that T h t e h i r s e p w o o r u t I vr d a b s e u d n o a n n e i . mously adopted. Mr. Sheward was unanimously re-elected as a directot of the company. meeting then became special, for the considery tion of the terms of the agr eement with the Be l g i an Go vernment, and a series of resolutions were passed, by which the meeting approved of the p ro p os iti ons provi sionally accepted by the Minister of Public Works in Belgium, and signed by Mr. lieward on beh a lf o f the company, and authorised the directors to carry them into execution, and empowered them to raise a sum not ex ceeding 400,000 k, by debentures on the line, or by the creation of preference shares, or otherwise, for the p ut . pose of completing the line. A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the pro ceedings. SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE. A special meeting of the proprietors in the above com pany was held at Lichfield on Wednesday, for the pur pose of obtaining their sanction, according to the stand ing orders of the House of Lords, to a Bill now before Parliament for constructing a branch to connect the South Staffordshire with the Stour Valley and London and North-Western Railways, in the parish of Tipton, in the county of Stafford. Mr. R. C. Chawner presided. Mr. W AGSTAFF, the solicitor, having read the provi sions of the Bill, The CH AIRMAN explained that the proposed branch would not be more than half a mile in length, and the cost about 6,0001. Mr. Ati'Clean, the lessee, had made a traffic arrangement with the London and North-Western Company, and it would be to the interest of that gentle man and to that of the shareholders generally that t h e proposed branch should be constructed. If it was not done by them it would be done by somebody else. They would secure a good division of traffic, and it was desir able that the arrangement should be at once completed. He moved that the Bill be sanctioned, and the motion being seconded was carried unanimously. The meeting then broke up. RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS. THH GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY.—(MiIes in work, 236.) •Return of Traffic for the Week ending. June 1, 1851 : Passengers, parcels, carriages, horses, dogs, and mails ... £7,206 18 5 Dierchandise and minerals ... 3,5•,9 14 2 Cattle ... ... 205 7 9 Total .. £10,942 0 4 Corresponding week, June 2, 1850 (143 miles) : Passengers, parcels, &c. ... £1,72 18 7 Cattle ... ... 1,502 13 0 Total £3,075 11 7 EASTXRN COUNTIES AND NORFOLK RAILWAY.—TrauIO return for the week ending June 8 : Passengers, parcels, &c. ...X 10,037 11 10 Merchandise, cattle, and cartage 5,894 19 3 Total ... £15,932 11 1 Corresponding week of lf 50 ... 15,758 8 8 BRISTOL AND EXETER. RAILWAY. —Traffic for the week ending June 1 : Passengers ... Goods ... Parcels ... Mails ... ... £2,957 0 7 .. 1,077 8 6 191 9 11 ... 223 4 2 Total ... ... ... £4,449 3 2 LONDON AND BLACKWALL RAILWAY.—Amount of revenue for the week ending June 8 : Passengers ... Goods ••• •• ... £1,245 1 1 ... 24 5 0 Total ... ...£1,269 6 1 Corresponding week last year ... 1,027 1 3 SHREWSBURY AND BIRMINGHAM RAILWAY...mar/01C flle ceipts for the week ending June 8 : Passengers £303 5 2 Carriages, horses, and parcels ... 9 4 5 Live stock 38 10 3 Merchandise and minerals ... 320 17 8 Total £671 17 6 Corresponding period last year.. 731 2 6 SHROPSHIRE UNION RAILWAY.--( Open 29 miles.)—Tridno for the week ending June 8: Passengers, parcels, &c. ... ... X 395 15 n 193 0 lOi Goods and live stock ----- Total .„ £5BB 16 6} C orrespon ding week last year ... 545 6 oi AINCIIESTER, _ Return n ot ANMIDLANDS JUNO. TION A RAILWAY.—Return of traffic fo r the week ending June 8: — passengers, &c. Merchandise ... ... £167 8 10 60 16 0 Total ... ... £228 410 Corresponding week last year ... 154 9 4 SCOTTISH CENTRAL RAlLWAY.—Traffic for the Wm* ending June 8, 1851 : Passengers (11,106), parcels, horses, a nd carriages..... ... £973 7 3 G o ods, cattle, &c. ... ... ..• 827 410 Total .- 1,800 12 1 Corresponding week in last year... 1,398 16 1 - RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. BRISTOL, JUNE 12. STOCK E XCHANGE. —The market to-day was extr•u l.l7 fiat, and but trifling business transacted. Taff Vale NOW Shares were done at 2 1 4 p. LIVERPOOL, JUNE 12. very fiat STK E KORA 14 a E.--Tho share market was to day, with prices tending downwards. The transactions wer e follow : —East L ancas hi re, 147,i—Lancashire and Yorkshire, . _. 54 1 4 c. —London an d North-Western, —Midland, Hal ves , 17% c . di s .— S ou th-Eastern an d 23%—York and N or th Midl an d, 2 l 3 / • j" MANCHESTER, New Quarter', „.5, Bo n ve p r. E 1 closed again this STOCK EXCHANGE. —The Exchange wa' v e ry few members afternoon for the IVhitsantide holiday'.. came in the morning, and the business done was limited ; but the increase in London tr c transactions were as follow : 440 nd on and North-Western, h e ightened prices. Th e 124 3 4—North Staffordshire , 5 dis.......South - Eastern sad Dover, 233 / 4 . market this mo • The share tributable the ExcliArwir-- improved traffic returns of the prin. Jtniz 12. firm, with an inclination to a fir thercipal lines of railway, was s but, owing to a reluctance on the part tributable mainlyl3 t i o ß ra w l N a s (4 13A ill' advance of p e ri k c to sell, the sales effected were not nu of holders of stock closo of 'Change a reaction occurred, the and there was a tendency downwards. The reported were—Midland (for next The o nl y - .)lA—Blidland (Bristol and Birmingham), 132%. m m e a r r o k l e is t . boAcatinntseh flat, account), 5- Birmingham Stock was steady and iii Shrewsbury and request. MARRIAGE IN HIGH L John Floyd, Esq. (Captain in 3 dß egimentth i e rE.—Th eldest son of Colonel Sir Henry Floy d , De vonshire, with Thomasine Ha rriett of Powys, Bart., eldest daughter of the e mar r i age u :if Right Hon. Frederick Shaw, 0f11"56' county Dublin, was solemnized on WednesdayKimmagethe parish chuck bridesmaids at of Crumlin, Te brid bY father. The - was given awa bridesmaids were Miss Shaw, Hon. Elizyibethher Monck, the Misses Steele, and t wo youthful Misses Shaw. Amon g those present were the E ar l o f Mayo, Viscount and Viscountess Shirdale, Mrs. and the Misses Steele, Miss Finucane, Lade Harriett and Miss Osborne, Hon. A u gustus Jocelyn, Sir Ro bert Shaw, Bart., Mr. Ponsonby Shaw, Mrs. Charles Shaw, Mr., Mrs. and Miss Lees, ace . The entire com p an y drove from the Church to Rim:sage House, where an elegant de. joiner was prepared, after which Captain and Mrs. Floyd left in a travelling chariot and four for Palmerstown, the seat o f the Earl of Mayo, near Naas. TIE IfETIOTOLIS WATER BILL.--Last evening a crowded and important meeting of the delegates from the various metropolitan parishes took place at the Court-house, lebone for the purpose of taking the necessary MUM. Mary , for organising a determined opposition to the Government Metropolitan Water Bill. Mr. John Whitmore, of Oxford street, was in the chair, and nearly all the metropolit a parishes were represented by delegates. Mr. Mowatt, M.P and Sir B. Hall, Bart, m.p., were present. A series of re solutions condemnatory of the measure was unanimously ed ; and on the motion of Mr. Horne , of St. Luke's, tt pass w as resolved that a deputation be appointed to wait on Sir George Grey, to point out to him the strong and inauperabla objections entertained by the ratepayers of the dietropolis egeluot the principle 3 itrict prefigionq et the MIL J __