The Sun. — London, England, 1850-05-09 00:00:00

0.5 0 e, 4- , 2: SUN OFIIOE, Seven o' Clock. CRINIINAL,irOUI i T T.-(T . HIS DAY.) wypiEW COUR MALICIOUSLY CUTTING TREES. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition.) On the prisoner's house being searched a hatchet was discovered, with which it was supposed he mutilated the trees. Mr. CARTER addressed the jury for the prisoner, con tending that there was no evidence upon which the jury e'Juld convict him. A wituess gave tho prisoner an excel:ent character. The RECORDB. summed np at some length. The jury found the prisoner Guiby, atd The RECORDER, after consulting with the judges, sen tenced him to seven years' transportation as a caution to others not to commit such a grave offence. The trial lastd nearly four hours. DISCHARGE OF THE GRAND JURY. The grand jury terminated their labours this morning, and were discharged from further attendance by the Recorder, with the thanks of the country fur their exertions. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. CHESTER RACES-WEDNESDAY. THE CUP.—Betting-4 to 1 agst Roland-4 to 1 agst Petp-o'-day Boy-14 to 1 sgst Mounseer—and 16 to 1 agst Cossack. Osterley and the Whim colt made strong running, and tailed off a great many horses before they had gone once round. Mounseer, Woolwich, and Cock erreouth then went in front, and a fine raee from the top turn ended in favour cf the Frenchman by half a length, cleverly. Woolwich third, but not placed. The Roodee Produce Stakes of 15 sovs. each, 10 ft. One mile and a half. (13 Subs.) Lord Chesterfield nd b c by Lanercost out of Concer tina, 83t slbi (Bartholomew) 1 Mr: Howlin's Shamalier West, Bst 2tbs ...(Marlow) 2 Mr. Worthington's Boadicea, Bst 21bs ...(W. Oates) 0 Mr. J. Scott's Camelides, 84 21bs ... (Dun)) 0 The favourite won cleverly by half a length. Her Majesty's Plate of 100 Guineas. Thrice round. Sir C. Monck's Vanguard, 4 yrs, 94 21bs (Simpson) 1 Sir J. Hawley's Fernhill, 5 yrs, lOst ...(Teropleman) 2 Mr. Carrt,ll's Oscar, 5 yrs, 103 t , (W. Oates) 3 l!dr. J. Hargreavo's Irish Ambassador, 4 yrs, 9st 21bs 4 Won cleverly. CHESTER, THURSDAY. LATEST DERBY BETTING. (By Electric! Telegraph.) _ 5 to 1 agst Clincher 6 to 1 agst Bolirgbroke 10 to 1 apt Voitigeur 13 to 1 a6st Mildew 50 to 1 agst 13 to 1 agst The Nigger 15 to I agbt Msvora 17 to 1 agst Italian 28 to 1 agst Peaang captain Grant. TATTERSALL'S—THIS EVENING• Six o'CLocK No business doing. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. (THIS DAY.) HOUSE OF COMMONS. The EPEAICER took the Chair at Four o'Clcek. PRIVATE BUSINESS. • The following Bills were i eai a third time and passed : Cimbridge Jtegulaiion and Improvcmont, Markets and Fars. WRt'eriv.4l:B. East - td.'l6 NVOsp rdiit;:Dcells • and Birmingham Junction , IlarileS7'37lolovorce. Shror4hir',. Union Railways and Canal. The !allowing Bills, ai amended, were considered and agreed to:— Birmingham Dock TruqePs. Dabliu:Dondrum, and Rath!embalm Railway (Exten sion or Revival of Powers for the Purchase of Lands Coav:etion cf . Works, Amendment or Repeal of Ac s). Forth ant! Clyde Navigation. Loudon and Rackwall Railway. Waternrd and Limerick PETI TI ON ' S. Several petitions were presented ag,aimt Sunday labour in the Post-office. Mr. WILSON presented a petition from Clitherce againat any alteration in the Ten Hours Bill. Similar petitions were presented by Sir Henry Wil loughby from Bolton, by Mr. flornby from Lancashire, by Lord T. Minner., from 45 master manufactures, ic eiuding most of the principal master manufacturers of Lancashire and Yorkshire. Mr. ANDERSON presented a petition against any alteration in the parochial school system of Scotland. Mr. CDRISTOPIIER presented a petition from Alford against the incrrase of beer-houses. PROTECTION TO NATIVE INDUSTRY. Mr. DRUMMOND Mare notice that on early day he shou!d move a resolution tr, the effect that it was unjust and itupolitic to impe,e any duty on the produce of the labourers of this country while no duty wee imposed on foreign labour. WALTHAM FOREST. Lord DUNCAN moved fjr certain returns connected witn the enchrcachreents upon Waltham Forest, which were agreed to. - TRAFFIC OF TURNPIKE ROADS. Lord J. MANNERS moved for a return of the aggre gate number of miles on turnpike and parish roads, &c., travelle.l over by mails, stage coaches, &c., which was agreed to. SOAP. Clauses from 6 to 62 were then agreed to with some Verbal amendments. Clauses from 63 to 93 inclusive were agreed to with out any amendment. (LEFT SITTING.) METROPOLITAN COUNTIES AND GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY. Yesterday afternoon the second general annual meeting of the proprietary of the above company was held at their offices, No. 27, Regent- street. Amongst the directors present were Captain the Hon. G. F. Hotham, R.N., Sir T. N. Reeve, E. V. Neale, S. Driver, J. P. Griffin, W. Studley, W. A. S. •Westoby, H. P. Fuller, E. Lomax, E.qs , Sce. On the motion of Mr. Fuller the chair was taken by Captain the Hon. G. F. Hotham. Mr. CAMItOUI (manager) then proceeded to read the advertisement calling the meeting, and also the report, of which the following is a copy:— " At the conclusion of the Hemel year from the for mation of the Metropolitan Counties and General Life Assurance Society, the directors have the satis'action of again cong,ratulattng the shareholders and members upon its increasine. prosperity, The hopes which, on the last occasion when they had to give an account of their stewardship, they considered themselves justified by twelve months experience in entertaining—namely, that notwithstanding the formidable array of rival offices with which the society had to contend, its peculiar ad vantages were such as could not tail to secure for it a large share of public favour, have been fully realised. The progress of the society has continued to be as steady and as rapid as the directors felt justified in anti cipating that it would be. " To establish this pecposition, it is necessary only to compare the number of proposals made and policies is sued, the amount of revenue produced and cf sums as sured at the close of April, 1849, with the same items at ate close of April of this year. On the 30th April, 1849, the society bad issued 212 policies, assuring sums to the amount of 67,8011., and producing an annual income of 2,2361. 3s. 11d. " On the 30th April, 1850, the society had issued 532 I policies, assuring sums to the amount of 176,5571., and producing au annual income of 5,8081. 12s. sd. " Thus, it will be observed, that the total amount as sured has increased in a greater ratio than the number of policies, a satisfactory evidence cf the increasing con fidence felt by the wealthier classes cf the community in the stability of the society. " To guard against the possibility of heavy claims being made in the infancy of the society, your directors have re-assured with other societies all lives upon which policies exceeding 1,5001. have been effected with the so ciety, for the excess above that sum. In addition to the capital invested as loans, the directors have also taken measures for the formation of a reserved fund in the Go vernment Securities, in conformity with the provisions of the deed of settlement, as an immediate available in vestment to meet any claims which may be made upon the society. " The directors, in their last report, were enabled to congratulate the members on the exemption of the society from loss up to that period by reason of death. This congratulation they are happy to be able to reiterate, not one of the assured having died since the formation of the society. The directors feel justified, therefore, in referrirg with confidence, from past expe rience to the skill of the medical officers employed by tho society, and the care with which the life assurance business has been conducted, and in renewing their former anticipation of the advantages to be reaped by those who either as proprietors or assured invest their capital in the society. The directors have much gratification in being able to speak of the services of the officers of the society, especially those of the manager, Mr. Camroux, and Mr. Addison, the provincial superintendent, in terms of ap probation, similar to those employed in their farmer re port. The best proof of the zeal and efficiency of ad the officers employed by this society is, however, to be found in the result of its operations already noticed. The' balanceesheet of the accounts of the society up to the 25th of March last, and the report of the auditors, which are in the hands of the shareholders, contain am ple information of the present position of the finances of the society, and will, as the directors feel certain, bear out, on inspection, the favourable statement which they have made. " It is natural that, with so pleasing a retrospect of the past, the directors should look forward with confi slence to the future. Everything induces them to be lieve that the next year will exhibit an increase upon the present one, us great in proportion as that of the last year over its predecessor. "They have recently found favourable opportunities for introducing the business of the society into several im portentplaces, where hitherto its advantages had not been made known, and in which they have Teaser) to expect the formation of a valuable connexion. Experience shows them that life assurance oilers an inexhaustible field for well-directed efforts, so small is the proportion in every part of this couttry of assured lives to the number of healthy persons possessing the means of effecting assurances. In conclusion, they will only add shot the shareholders may rely on the directors leaving no in alas of extending the business of the office untried. "Four of the directors, John Palk Griffin, Esq., Captain the Hon. G. F. Hotliain, Edward Is, gh, Eiq., said Samuel Miller, Esq., go out of office by rotation., and John Palk Griffin, Esq., Captain the lion. G. F. efotham, and Samuel Miller, Ec,q., being eligible for re election, of er themselves accordingly. "Thomas Bates, Esq., and Henry Peach Buckler, Esq., the auditors of the society, also retire from office; and Henry Peach Buckler, Esq., being eligible for re election), offers himseif accordingly. `.l3y order of the Board of Directors, ''F. FERGUSON CAMROUX, Manager. "27, Regent-street, Waterloo-place, London, had just heard read tthhreoisre'exa April 30, 1850 " The CHAIRMAN then * c u e d ,. saident managert the report would o they ul d give the by shareholder s count which could be farneisbhest and most accurate ac the society for the last twel ed e of the proceedings of pleasure of telling them on avf months. He had the anticipated great success, and arhmer occasion that he the second year of their existence,the could now say, in the short time their office had beenat notwithstanding the number of institutions of ' established, and which they had to compete, his anaticsrail'ar kind with more than realised ; and he theconsidered d ations had been prospect whieh then business presented fully cheering justified him in the hopes he had expressed, and the improve ment in their affairs for the y ear just past w - - only an omen of their greater fut ure prosperity, Tney would observe, by the report, th a t t h ere . was an increase in the sum assured—from 67,8011. last year, to 176,5571,, an increase which had snore than doubled their income; and even since the time which that report had been prepared a still further increase to the amount of about 10,000/. had t a ken place ; so that their income then, instead of being only about 5,000/, was at present about 6,000/. rt in increasing these sums assured he year. 'Now, that a considerable degree of care could inform them tl and cautiousness had been used. they had not ac cepted all the assura n ces which had been offered, nor 'They consi dered th a t i n the begina.ni, had th e y taken all that carn e t o them. l ; of their existence they ought to be careful in avoiding an v large risks • and he w as happy to say that since their establishment riot a single life had fallen, and that was a matter on which he felt happy to be able to congratulate the so ciety. They had u to the present time not undertaken any assurance beyond 1 500/which was he thought the , safer coarse to adept The proprietors would als o see that da they h c ommenced a fund called the reserve fund, i The HON. ArENBER also moved for a return of the quantities or soap, or of the substitute for soap, made and used on the premises in the manufacturing districts, free of excise duty; and of the quantities of soap used by manufacturers on which the excise duty has been retuned, during each of tha last three years. Agri ed to. DRAINAGE ADVANCES FOR IRELAND. Major • BLACKALL asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it was the intention of the Govern ment to proceed with the Drainage Advances for Ire land Bill? Also, whether, in the meantime, orders had been issued to the Board of Works to proceed with the drakage works already commenced? Also, whether it was tho intention or the Government to propose any ex tension of the purposts to which money borrowed for the improvement of landed property in Ireland may be applied ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied, as to the first question, that the Bt!l was perfectly ready. and would Lave lien introduced • before now, if there had been any proxpuct of going on with it ; but it was his intcution to proceed with the Bill at the- earliest possible period. With reference to the other question, he 'stated he would not authorise any further loans of money until the Bill was passed, but that tha works would be proceeded with as far a 3 the present faiarice in hand would a ll ow . Th e su bj ect to the lgst question referred ho thought was on,-, rather fur consideration of the House than the Govern . Iten% TILE EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY. Mr. lIUME wished to put a question to the Right Hoe. Baronet the Secretary of State for the Home De partment relative to 0 recent case which had been tried in the -Court of Exchequer. After detailing the circitenseinces of the case, which have already beta published _Li The Sun, . the Honourable Gentleman proceeded to ask the Right Lion. Baronet whether the attention of the Government had been drawn to the charge of . Baran Alderson to the jury in the case; ann whether 'tyres the intention of the Government to intro duce-Any_.e measen , 4 tor the protection of the public against In EaLscoeduct e'f those acting in the employ of railway companies ? Sir GEORGE GREY said his attention had been esll:d t , il. &es hese scnouancitiioesn n ati p c 4 s n 't eared that Mr. Gray brought : n on d e it :t Pf th o servants of the Eastern Mr. 111 • JM E — IN:: i e . lv e ,, euin s t the company. Sir GEORGE the correction. 'the -.1." thanked his llon Friend for a serea n c aetiUll arose .of • imprisonne : n t b y out an alleged illegal believed be was ri g h t i n t 1 the company. Now, he his iez,.,l saying,friends, and he spoke under the correction of where was serneant commits a wilful of law that that it was a settled rule act then -employer was done with his evidenco:. was' adduced that th') liablQ unless some cesi e hiJG:s: informedt that not sanction: NOW, in the - , direct only wai . "such- evidence wanting, but evidence to show that the act eornelainedr" ; N" mitted contrary to the express orders of the o c 7: 7 1 '1; that the inatter resolved itself into this om ih . a n- 'th-A question, plaintiff had brought his action against the wrong party, With With re, arl: to the other part of the whether it wtl9 the incentiou of Government to alter the long settlrd rife tf* law relative to liability o f m At: 1-s in' such cases as this, he begged to tell his Hoe. Friend that Government entertained . no such int en ti on. MR. COlf BE, TILE MAGISTRATE. Mr. RICHARD FOX wished to ask a question of the Right Hon: Baronet the Secretary of State for the Home Del artmeut on, a subj , ct which had exeited a good deal of interest, within the lest few days. It related to an oceurreL c o which took p r ate at the Clerkenwell Police court on :Tuesday last. It appeared that a person named Reerdon was p!accd in the witness-box of that court, and the New Testament ,was handed " biro 1-1. the' purpose 'of his being sworn. Before swearing him, however the officer whose duty it was to administer the' Oath re u,s .t d him to make the sign of the °m, -having q e Doman -.Catholic., asoeitained that he w as a which the witness r& fused to do, stating that be considered it an i n s u lt to be told that his catn taken o n the Evangelists was not as binding wi.hout th a e. cross with it. Then, it would se !en that , the teagis n tr a ca , v .:, Mr. C om b o , too k i t u p, who stated that he had r known a Roman Catholic refine to make the sign • of the press before, whereupon d that 11' 2 the witness still preteit mode of proceeding could be ntended us nethihg else Al' than au insult Lohim self. This called' fox t i anotiiiiraleixklanation from the magistrate - in the shape of i witeess; that if a Roman Catholiclnt Priesten oath ttkiniation to the present,.' he, would tell him that an it wore R oman C a th o li c wou ld not • be binding, unless accompanie I by the sign of the cross. '!'he witness, how ev:r, persisted that he know not! t in g o f an y such sled uilintaiely he was allowed to be sworn to th e rule usual , w a y, when he gave some evidence contradicting that of a former witness, but 'the magistrate said be did not helieve him,. aanddeejgad 'the case tho other way, The witness Reard . then asked the magistra te ' if he, the magistrate, intended publicly tee charge him with committing perjury, to which the ma gistrate replied that he certainly did.—(Hear, hear.) lie wished, therefore, to ask the Chief Secretary of State, whether it was his intention to notice the conduct of Mr. Combe, presiding magistrate of the Clerkenwell Sessions Court, towards a Roman Catholic witness of to meet any contingency which might hereafter the name of Reardon, on Tuesday, 7th May? arise. Although it was rather early in the day to Sir GEORGE GREY said his attention had been expect that that fund could be very large, yet it had called to the case by reciving notico of a question yes- been considered advisable to commence it, and by adding a little to it every year, it would gradually ' terday on the subject from his Noble Friend the Earl of crease to such an extent as might enable them to meet Arundel and Surrey, and in consequence of that intim any contin . gencies that might arise m ithout calling on tion he had locked over the report of the case in the the proprietors. Their loan business was also increas newspapers. Upon readieg that report he directed a communication to be made to Mr. Combo, the magis trate, requesting that gentleman to furnish him with any ing day after day, and would increase more with the observations in explanation on the matter. The answer he increase of their capital. That loan system, he would had received to that communication found no observe, was a very valuable adjunct to the business fault with the newspaper report of the case, but of the society. He need not say much then with re i: stated that the witness being requested to spect to the advantages and assistance which the so make the sign of the cross was ma de in accordance ciety derived from its most efficient officers. On a with the usual practice of the Cl erkenwell Police former occasion he had the pleasure of beari ng testi court. The answer added that the magistrate did not mony to the efficiency of their medical officers, as discredit the evidence of the witness b e c ause he refused well as their manager and provincial auperinten to make the sign of the cross, but because the evidence dent. The report alluded in complimentary terms on the other side seemed to be the strongest, to those oflicers, and for his own part and the most to be relied on. — ( Hear, hear.) he should reiterate what he had s a id on Now he (Sir G. Grey) must confess that this practice was one which he bad never heard of before while ho had previous occasions, and again bear his testimony made inquiries of parties who were well informed on the to the value of their services. There was one sub aubject, and they seemed to think that the act of ject on which he wished to say a few words. It was =wing the sign of a cross was quite voluntary on the with respect to their auditors. One of their auditors part of the witness, and no magistrate had is right to in - had retired, and there was at present only one. They sist on a witness performing the ceremony before permit- had been obliged to accept the assistance of a gentle ting him to be sworn. It did not appear that the man who had very kindly offered his services. But practice prevailed in any other police-court, nor did it anian auditor was to be appointed, and his experience prevail in any of the common law courts either in Eng - in other com land or Ireland,--(Hear, hear.) He had, therefore, pes led him to believe that pro directed a communioation to be made to Mr. Combe, evictors did not generally look with favour on the directing that the practice should be forthwith aban- fact of directors nominating auditors. As a general doned in the Clerkenwell Court.—(Che err.) rule, he thought the election of auditors should be left Colonel FREESTUN presented a petition from the to the proprietors. Now, what they thought was, that resident magietrates, churchwardens, overseers, master if there was a gentleman—a public accountant—who mariners, and upwards of 500 other inhabitants of the would take the matter in his hands, it would be advis- Island of Portland, in the county of Dorset, praying able to appoint such a man ; for though their ac that the House will make no alteration in the postal ar- counts might be small at present, there was every rangements; and stating that a former petition presented to the House, was unauthorised by the in h a bitants gene- prospect that in the course of a few years they would give the auditors work enough. There were believedtwo ways by which the question might be met. He rally, add signed in the Churches after Divine Service : their deed required that a special meeting, thereby making them the the atres of political discussion a desecration which the petitioners conceived to be of a far more serious nature, than the travelling of the mails after 21 days notice, should be held to elect an and the delivery of letters on Sundays. auditor. This was an officer whose appointment MONDAY'S BUSINESS. ought to be left in the proprietors' hands. In con ale. Emig sesked the Secretary of State for the elusion, he begged to move the adoption of the report Home Department 'last was to be the business for which had been laid before the meeting. He then Monday ? read the number of attendances given by each Sir GEORGE GREY said the Australian Govern- director during the past year. went Bill stood first for Monday. Mr. FULLER, in seconding the motion for the POLICE IMPROVEMENT (SCOTLAND) BILL. ad option of the report, said he hardly thought that On the motion that the House should go into Com many people could be aware of the advantages con mittee on this Bill, Mr. HUME said, having been informed that all the nected with that office. There wag not only the amount material objections to this Bill coming from Scotland of the assurance, but the quality of it to be comi• had bean removed he did not intend to oppose any oh dered. There was another thing which was not atecle whatever to the Bill. known, be believed, and it was the value of In answer to a question from Mr. COWAN, the shares in that society, which was still in its The LORD ADVOCATE said it was not his inters- icfAncy. They did not want for applications, but tion to go on with the Publio Health Bill to-night. they wanted capital. Any person taking shares in The House then went into Committee. their society, not only got the interest upon it as Clauses 1, 2, 3,4, 5, were agreed to without dis- such, but got also the benefit of the money paid out cuaaion. on loan ; and if the capital was increased 5,0001. the whole of that could be expended in loans connected with life assurances. In addition to the interest on the loans, they had also the advantage of a life assur ance. But in giving loans they did not always take a life assurance. And then there was also the bonus to accrue to the families of the parties after a short time. Considering the progress which had been already made, he felt that be was justified in saying their ratio of im provement would not be arithmetical but geometrical, and must not be calculated by adding, but doubling. The resolution was then put and carried. The directors named in tha report were then bid lotted for and re=elected. The CHAIRMAN then said he did not think they could take any other step for the present with respect to the auditor. If the proprietors could get a gentle man, a good public accountant, to qualify for the ffiee, the directors would be happy to co-operate with them. Mr. limo then proposed, and Mr. LEuu seconded, a proposition that twenty guineas should be paid to the auditors of last year. Carried unanimously. After a few words from gr,Fpn x ,xu, on the subject of the appointment of an auditor, The CHAIRMAN said that Mr. Addison, the pros vincial superintendent of the society, was present, and would be happy to give the meeting any information it might require. Mr. ADDISON went into a detail of the werations of a tour of inspection which he had made, end gave it as the result of his observation that the business of the society would increase in the next year even to a still greater extent than in the past. Mr. FULLER then said, the feeling of the directors led them to propose a vote of thanks to the managing officers of their society, to whose zeal and assiduity it was so much indebted. Mr. V. NEALE, in seconding the resolution, also bore testimony to the efficiency of the society's officers. The resolution was carried unanimously. Mr. CAssaoux and Mr. ADDISON respectively re turned their acksowledgments to the directors and the meeting. Mr. V. NEALE also proposed a vote of thanks, in highly complimentary terms, to the medical officers. The CHAIRMAN said, if he thought that they had not been included in the former resolution, he would have moved the addition to it. Dr. FULLER acknowledged the compliment paid him, and said he and Mr. Smith (who stood beside him) would always give their best attention to the interests of the society. LEGH, in moving a vote of thanks to the Chair man and directors, took the opportunity of contrast ing the great advance, in proportion to its time of existence, which their society had made with the position of other similar societies. There was one successful society which, after six years of existence, had not more policies than theirs had at the present moment. He would venture to predict that their society, after the lapse of six years, would have .5,000 policies, instead of 3,000. The resolution, having been seconded by Mr. Blyth, was carried unanimously. The CHAIRMAN returned thanks on behalf of him self and brother directors. The usual vote of thanks to the Chairman of the meeting having been then passed and responded to, the meeting separated. SIR JOHN FRANKLIN. (From the Montreal Pilot.) We have received the following communication from Sir George Simpson : LONDON, TO THE EDITOR OF THE PILOT. Sir,—Having noticed in your paper yesterday a re port that information had been received by way of St. Paul, in Minnesota,, that a dog train had ar rived there from some distance above Lake Supe. ricr, with letters stating that Sir John Franklin was found and safe, I regret to say there is no founda tion whatever for the statement, which appears to hare originated in the arrival et St. Paul of an express sent thither by the Hudson's Bay Company's officer at Rei River, conveying the reports of Captain Pullen and Mr. ltae to the Loids of the Admiralty, which reports are to the effect that nothing had been discovered throw ing any light on the f'at• of the missing expedition. Captain Pullen, who fat her Majesty's ship Plover at Wainwright Inlet, reached the Hudson's Bay Com pany's post of Fort Good Hope, on the M•lienzie River, on the 14th September, and thence he came up that river to the post of Fort Simpson, where he is passing the present winter, with the intention of proceed ing to York Factory, on Hudson's Bay, at the opening of the navigation, in3order to take his passage to England in one of the Hudson's Bay Company's ships thence next autumn. It is possible, however, that in structions from the Admiralty, which were transmitted to me here about two months ago, and were immediately forwarded to Capt. Pullen by express, may detain him during the ensui►ig summer and winter in making a further examination of the Arctic ccast, in connexion with the Hudson's Bay Company's parties employed upon the same service. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, GEORGE SIMPSON. Hudson's Bay House, Lachine, April 12, 1850. GREAT CIRCLE-SAILING. e latttely maTl,,he w hyc o ; d p e ta r i f a ul ti ly ot a - d q ,.f u r i e c y k h v a o a y a a l g v e ak t e o ne A d d p e u la b i l d ie a ea Great Circle-sailing. Yester day numerous assembly of ladi es an d the ordinary me e ti ng o f th e gentlemen practice of Great Circle-sailing was read by Mr. a gentleman to whom, some Society of Arts, when a paper on th e hi s t ory an d evenin evening took a very place at Towson, of Davenport, ago, the honours of the same four-and-twenty yea d rs for his well-known exposition cf the general principle s certainly due the merit of dis and to whom isf involved in the present ques tion,omposite Great Circle-sailing. 'Towson with a few com plimentaryintroduced the name ofM Great Circle-sailing, though c se v i r t ing w t e h r e e t a r w u a tl r i d o e remarks. _ ess practised, was, the Mr Hope presided ov c er_t r h . e T meeting, and fittingly , little known, and even 1 means a novelty, since lec ur er o b serve d, by n o great as the fif teent h century, an d was familiar centuries. envigators of th e s i x t een th an d seventeenth d .lllthe way of in p r i nc i p l e i t was k nown and enunciat t e a d ti a l s e early The diffi cu l t i es, however, which stood its general a d opt i on were numerous ; and though by the pr ogress of science many of them had disappeared,yet th e use o f ordinary navigators' charts was a great stumbling-bl oc k, and distorted men's conceptions of the actual truth. For it was known to all scientific seamen that the rhomb line, or the apparent course upon the chart, drawn from one place to another, was not the shortest in reality, but that the shortest line that could be drawn between any two points on the Lsurfacepassed 0 throughoi n f e t i h d e e g ‘l l : be tthhet wa s a them the great arc both, The circleTc il eth unless rhombgreat ss b ol c it i ah r a c o l : fa t ut h hl a de t points through which it passed lay on the equator or on a common meridian. If we compared, he said, any number of arcs, segment of various radii, all having the same chord, it would be found that the segment of the greatest circle would be the shortest line. The three points in the elucidation of his subject, which Mr. Towson wished particularly to im press upon the meeting, were, first, that that arc which deviated the least from a straight line was the shortest route on the earth's surface ; second, that the larger the radius of a circle the shorter would be the route by any of it. arcs ; and third, that no circle could he drawn on a sphere whose radius exceeded that of the sphere, that sphere being denominated a great circle, and, therethre, that that ship only which sailed on the arc of a great circle could be said to sail directly to her port. These points, which at first appeared somewhat abstruse add unsuited to a popular i lecture, were, h owever , iilus trated and amplified n the most satisfactory manner. Diagrams were provided, and by lucid explanation no doubt or misapprehension seemed to be entertained by the audience of the mathematical truth of the prin ciple on which Great Circle-sailing is based. In the discussion which followed the lecture, several gentle men took a lively part, one or two of whom, from long experience in the practical part of navigation, said they could testify to the application of the prin ciple, and particularly of composite Great Circle. sail ing, to the every-day purposes of trade. Mr. Scott Russell gave, in conclusion, a very conc i se summary of the lecture, which relieved Mr. Towson, and was well received by the meeting. A vote of thanks to the lecturer, proposed by the chairman, was cordially re sponded to, and the meeting broke up about ten o'clock. LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH, May 8. (Sittings in Banco.) TUE QUEEN V. LATIMEB. Mr. COCKBURN stated that i n thi s case a ru l e h a d been obtained, calling on the defendant, the publisher of a paper at Devonport, t o s h ow cause why a crimi nal information should not be fil e d aga i nst hi m f or t h e publication of a libel on Miss Sellon and the Sisters of Mercy. The libel, aft er re f err i ng to some alien tions being made in S'. P e t er ' s Ch urc h , a l terat i ons which the writer thought were of too Puseyite a cha racter, and which he described as " monkeyfying” the churches, the paragraph went on thus :—" A very handsome service of silver-gilt communion plate has been presented to the church as a thanksoffering for delivery from cholera, -and rumour says that this will be found entered as an item of expenditure on the credit side of the 1 4,0001. which the Sisters of Mercy have received from the public." He desired to do perfect justice to these ladies, and to disclaim in the strongest terms any intention on the part of the de fendant to ascribe to there any misapplication what ever of the funds which they had received. The utmost intention of the writer of this article was to allude to the gift as a mere error in judgment in spending money on church ornaments, in which he thought there was now too much a taste for profusion. Nothing further entered his mind. It was impossible not to be aware that the new doctrines with respect to Church subjects had become, and perhaps properly become, the matter of observation for public jour nalists, who, in their observations, gave expression to what they believed to be public opinion. The de fendant had intended to comment on this subject, but not to do more. He never h a d the sli g ht es t i n t en ti on of charging misconduct against these ladies. He disclaimed it in the most positive manner ; and hav ing done so he sub m i tte d to any thi ng w hi c h th e C our t might think fit to order. It could not be imagined that these ladies had any wish to net vindictively towards the defendant; they could only wish to vin dicate themselves from an imputation which the de fendant most distinctly disclaimed any intention of casting upon them. Lord CAMPEELL—Whatever use may be made of this rule it is not for us at all to consider ; but I am clearly of opinion that the rule ought to be made ab solute. The article complained of does not confine its observations to ceremonies, as to which there may be a diversity of opinion, hut it imputes a piece of gross misconduct. (Ills Lordship real it.) Would nut that be a piece of gross misconduct on their part to affect to make their own offering, and really to take it from th e f un d w hich they had received for the purpose of charitable distribution ? Ido not see anything which should shield the defendant from the oonsettaences of this publication. He now says that be has reason to believe that the remarks made were sot trae—they might have been pure . invention. The affidavit on which the rule was obtained showed that he was applied to, and then he said, " Oh, do you deny e naCan the truth it o b fte laid h e down remarks, asanda I rule will that publish sucha the d course of conduct is sufficient ? Suppose this had been an imputation not on the honest discharge by these ladies of a public duty, but on the individual chastity of a particular lady, must she deny the truth of the imputation in order to have it contradicted ? There is no reason for refusing to make this rule ab solute. Sir F. THERIGER said that as the only object of these ladies was to vindicate their character, and as they did not indulge in any angry feeling towards the defendant, but merely sought to clear themselves from an imputation which might impair their usefulness in the walk of life they bad chosen, and as the de fendant had most distinctly disclaimed any intention of casting any imputation on them, he (Sir F. The siger) thought ho should best show their feelings by consenting, if the defendant would pay the costs which had been incurred, to allow the rule to be dis chargad._ Lord CAltrisLL said that that was most fair on their part. Mr. COCKBURN said that he had communicated with his Learned Friend Sir F. Thesiger, and had said what course he intended to pursue, and that his Learned Friend intended, had his Lordship given time to him to do so, to accept the apology which had been offered, and to take the course now adopted. Lord CAMPMRLL said it was very charitable of these ladies. The defendant appeared inadvertently to have published what he now disavowed. Rule discharged on the defendant's payment of costs. THE SUN, THURSD A'ir EVENING, COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, May S. Sittings in Banco, before Lord Chief Justice WILDE and Mr. Justice TALrouan.) SOMERS V. THE LONDON AND NORTII•WESTERN RAILWAY COMPANY. This was an action which had been brought by a ballet-dancer against the London and North-Western Railway Company, to recover compensation in da mages for the loss of a truck, containing a gold watch and chain, and some valuable theatrical and private dresses. The case was tried at the last assiz'2,s at Liverpool before Mr. Baron Rolfe, when a verdict was found for the plaintiff, damages 401. It appeared that the plaintiff left Manchester for Rugby on the 14th of January last by the half-past eleven o'clock train, and that on her arrival at the Manchester station she had with her two trunks, one a large one and the other a smaller one, which were directed " Miss Somers, passenger, London ;" and on both of which the word Rugby was written in chalk by one of the railway porters. On reach ing Rugby the plaintiff did not see the larger trunk. She made inquiry respecting it of a porter, who told her she would find it all safe on arriving in London. This, however, did not prove to be correct, the trunk was not amongst the luggage, and she went to the office where inquiry is made for missing parcels and made a statement of her loss, which was taken down. Inquiries were afterwards made by the company for the trunk, but without success. Some correspondence ensued be tween the plaintiff, her attorney, and the company, which resulted in the present action being brought. On the trial four witnesses were called for the plain tiff. The first was a cabman of the name of Hughes, who had conveyed the plaintiff to the station ; he stated that he took her u p f rom No 4, Dickenson street, Manchester, w h en s h e h a d with her two trunks, which h e h an d e d over to a porter at the railway station. The next witness was a Mrs. Barnes, the landlady of the house in Dickenson street, where the plaintiff had lodged during her stay at M anchester, to which place, we should stat e , s h e had gone w ith a view of obtaining a th eatr i ca l engagemen t. This witness also proved that the plaintiff had with her two trunks when she left her house. The larger one she under stood contained some valuable theatrical and private I dresses, also a gold watch and chain. A Miss Sin clair, who at that time was the lessee of a theatre at Warrington, and who lodged at Mrs. Barnes's at the same time the plaintiff did, corroborated the evidence of that lady. Th e principal witness, however, was a Mr. Samuel Sibley, who stated at the trial that he observed the plaintiff on the platform at Manchester with two boxes ; that there was an alarm given that the "swell mob" were on the platform; that observ ing a man lift up the plaintiff's shawl he went up to her and inquired if she had lost anything, but she said she had not ; he then advised her to get into a carriage, which she did, and they travelled together in the same carriage to Rugby. The witness stated that on reaching Rugby he went to get some refresh ment; when ho came out of the refreshment-room he saw the plaintiff standing on the platform with only one boa, and s h e was inquiring of a porter for the missing on e , who informed her that she would find it " all right" when she arrived in London. This witness was found out by means of an advertisement put in the Times newspaper, he being a stranger to the plaintiff. In the course of the present term, Mr. Martin, Q.C., on behalf of the defendants, moved for and ob tained a rule nisi for a new trial, or that the matter should be referred to the Master. The ground of the Learned Counsel's application WO, that the defendante had been taken by surprise by the evidence given by Mr. Sibley, and that they bad reason for believing that he had not given a correct address, as they could not find him at the place where he stated he was living—namely, Grove-cottage, Clapham-rise. Mr. Sergeant Weexleis now showed cause against the rule. The Learned Sergeant said he would call the attention of the Court to two affidavits which had been sworn on the part of the defendants—the one by a Mr. Barker, the superintendent of the pol!ce at the Euston-square stat:en ; and the other by Mr. Humphreys, the attorney of the defendants. He (the Learned Sergeant) understood that the defendants contended that the plaintiff had brought forward witnesses who had described themselves as residing at places where they could not be found. Mr. Barker, in his affidavit, stated that he had gone down to Manchester, and had found the house, No. 4, Dickenson street, where the witness Mrs. Barnes stated at the trial, that she lived. The affidavit then went on to state that the deponent found the house in Dickenson-street shut up, and that upon reviling incriiries the deponent was unable to find out where Mrs. Barnes was gone to. Mr. Barker, in his afil ' davit, also stated that he had gone to every house of the name of Grove, or Roee Cottage, at Clapham, and at Clapham-rise, and had been unable to find any person of the name of Samuel Sibley at such an ad dress. Mr. Charles Octavius Humphreys, the at torney for the defendants, stated in his affidavit that he was taken by surprise by the evidence given by Mr. Sibley at the trial, and that although every inquiry had been made at every house known by the name of Grose -cottage, Rose-cottage, or Rowe-cottage at Clapham and Clapham-rise, no person of the name of Sibley could be found living at any of those ad dresses. He (Mr. Sergeant Wilkins) would now read to the Court the affidavits which he had in reply to the affidavits sworn on behalf of the defendants. The first was the affidavit of Mrs. Barnes, who stated that she had lived at No. 4, Dickenson -street, tip to March last, when she let the premises, with the consent of the superior la n dl or d s , Messrs. Pearson, of Marsden-square, Manchester, to a Mr. Tebbutt, a warehouseman, who had occupied them ever since. This deponent stated that she now lived at No. 5, Atherton-street, Manchester, where, if proper in quiry had been made for her, she could have been found. There was also the affidavit of Mrs. Barnes's daughter, confirming the statements of her mother. The Learned Sergeant then referred to the affidavit of the gentleman who was lessee of the Queen's Theatre, at Manchester. le that affidavit it was stated that the deponent had in tended to engage the plaintiff at this theatre, but did not do so owing to an alteration in his ar rangements. The plaintiff informed the deponent that she had an extensive and elegant wardrobe with her. The next affidavit which he (Mr. Sergeant Wilkins) would call the attention of the Court to was. the affidavit of Mrs. Levinson, of No. 1, Grove terrace, Cottage-grove, Clapharn-rise. The deponent stated that she was a widow, and for the last five months bad resided at the above-mentioned address. Mr. Samuel Sibley had had his residence there for the last four months, during which period he might have been found there at any time, and Mr. Sibley was a person who followed no occupation of any kind. The next affidavit was that of Mrs. Anne Da niels, of No. 30, Jewin-crescent, Meorgate-street, who stated that the plaintiff took apartments in her house on the 14th of March last, and now resided there. This deponent went on to state that a man called for the purpose of seeing the plaintiff when she was out, and afterwards when she was at home, and was referred by the deponent to the plantiff's at torney. The affidavit went on to state that the man asked the deponent if the plaintiff was in the habit of seeing gentlemen, and insinuated that she was an improper character. The deponent replied that the plaintiff was not in the habit of seeing gentlemen at all. He (Mr. Sergeant Wilkins) wished to draw the attention of the Court to the fact, that Mr. Barker swore in his affidavit that when he went to Jr win crescent he was told the plaintiff had gone away from there. The Learned Sergeant in the course of his address referred to several other affidavits besides those we have mentioned, and amongst them was an affidavit made by Mr. Samuel Sibley, and one made Lay the plaintiff, in which she stated that the value of the contents of the lost box was 1001. The Learned Sergeant stated that the plaintiff had been unable to obtain another theatrical engagement owing to the loss of her wardrobe, Mr. HUGH HILL followed on the same side. Mr. CowmaG, in the absence of Mr. Martin, in support of the rule, submitted that, as Mr. Sibley was the chief witness in the case, and as it was clear he ' had given a wrong address, the defendants were jus tified in looking upon him with suspicion, and under the whole circumstances of the case it was right that the matter should be further investigated. The Curer JUSTICE said that the case was one of the most distressing that could he presented to the consideration of the Court ; because if the story of the plaintiff were a true one, she was in this situation that, from being kept out of her property, she was prevented from exercising her profession ; and it must be remembered that the plaintiff did not belong to a high order of actresses. The plaintiff's case was this--she had lost her wardrobe, the means by which she supported herself, It was distressing to the Court that she should be kept out of her property, as she must necessarily suffer greatly for the want of it ;_ but still, at the s a me ti me, i t was the duty of the Court to see that the defendants had all the fair means of defending themselves against any fraud. In dealing with justice to all parties, the Court was placed in a very painful situation. No doubt Mr. Sibley was the witness on whom the case chiefly depended, and the question was what account he gave of' himself. It appeared that he was a witness obtained by means of an advertisement. He (the Chief Justice) did not mean to say that he was not a respectable person on that account, but persons of a different description might be got as witnesses by means of an advertisement. What account did Mr. Sibley give of himself in his affidavit ? He might be a most respectable person, and he (the Chief Justice) did not mean for a moment to insinuate that he was not. He stated that he went to Man chester to search for the register of the baptism of a relation, so that his being at Manchester when the plaintiff was there was quite a matter of chance. Mr. Sibley stated that be was a gentleman ; but when asked at the trial where he lived, it appeared he said that he believed he resided at Grove Cottage. Now it was desirable for the de fendants to know where Mr. Sibley lived, and it did not appear in his affidavit that he was only a lodger in a house, and he did not state when he last slept at Grove-terrace. Looking at the whole description given of Mr. Sibley, the Court thought that a rule for a new trial should be granted upon payment of costs, and that the venue should be changed from Liverpool to London or Middlesex. The case might be tried in next term, and the plaintiff, if successful, could have speedy judgment. Mr. H. Hum said that perhaps the Court would give the plaintiff time to c ons id er whether she would change the venue. Tne CHIEF JUSTICE said certainly ; and if the case were tried at the assizes and the plaintiff succeeded, she was to have immediate judgment. The reason stated by his Lordship for proposing to change the venue was because it would be as exp.n sive for the plaintiff to take witnesses from Man chester to Liverpool, as from Manchester to London, and the Court thought it should not be tried again at Liverpool. POLICE INTELLIGENCE, TVORSUIP-STREET. Three sun-burnt country girls, of ages varying from eighteen to twenty-one, and whoe clothing was completely drenched with rain, presented them selves before Mr. Arnold under the following sin gular circumstances:— It appeared from the statement of the applicants, who were su&ring under great exhaustion from want and continued exposure to the inclement atmosphere, that the whole of them u ere natives of Wisbeach, in Cunbridgeshire, where they had been sheltered in the union workhouse for a considerable period, two of them being orphans of such long standing that they had lost all recollection of their parents, and the thin?, the daughter of a person who, after the death of his wife, when the applicant was only a fortnight old, went abroad, and had never since been heard of. Feeling dissatisfied with being in the union for such a length of time without being placed out at any em ployment, they mutually resolved to avail themselves of the fleet opportunity that presented itself to better their condition, and having been informed by a woman who had been admitted to the workhouse in the course of last week, that an emigration society had been recently established in London, which was anxious to forward young girls to the colonies, and that a benevolent institution was also in existence there, in which a temporary asylum was provided for destitute young women of honest character until situations in families could be pro vided fir them, they determined to make their way up to town in the best manner they could, in the hope of being allowed to participate in the benefits to which their attention had been directed. They accordingly discharged themselves simulta neously from the workhouse on Friday last, and sot out upon their expedition, to travel on foot a distance of miles, without a farthing in their pockets or the slightest knowledge of the line of road that would take them to their destination. On the first day they accomplished a journey of 19 miles, and were shel tered at night as casual 'paupers in the workhouse of a small market-town, from which they again started next morning, and on that and the two following days completed 45 miles more, when they were re ceived into another workhouse, from which they set firth early en Tuesday morning and traversed the remaining di3tanca of 31 miles in the course of that 'lay, at the close of which they entered the out skirts of London, and found themselves in the parish of Il.ckney, where they were lodged in the union for the. night. During the whole ef the last day's journey they had neither of them tasted a morsel of food, and on being turned out that morning from the Hackney Union h a d wan d e red on into Shereditch, w h ere t h ey applied to one of the parish officers, who, on hearing their story advised them to proceed at once to this court, and submit their case to the magistrates, who might be able to afford them some assistance in fur therance of the olject they had in view. Afer putting several questions to the applicants, which they answered with a degree of straightforward simplicity which strongly tended to confirm the ac count they had given of themselveF, Mr. Aallonn said that he had seldom heard of such an instance of perseverance and fortitude in young women of such ast ego, whose zeal, however, had grealy exceeded their discretion, as he was not aware of any institution in the metropolis which received girls of their description, and the Emigration Cora inissionrs were very cautious in forwarding young women to the colonies without receiving vouchers as to their previous good conduct and character. lie should, however, direct inquiries to be made into the subject, and in the meantime send them, under the care of one of the warrant officers, to Mr. Ross, the relieving officer of Shoreditch, with a request that they might be provided for, with separate accommo dation from the ordinary class of trarnpers, until mea sures could be adopted for their ultimate disposal. . LAMBETH. Mary Leonard. and Eliza Connor, two well-known thieves, were placed at the bar before Mr. Elliot for final examination, charged with being concerned with a man not in custody in assaulting Mr. John Bass, a superannuated inspector of the police, and of robbing him of his watch and 1/. I£o. Prosecutor deposed that a little after nine o'clock on the night of the 3d instant he was proceeding along Clapham Park, when he perceived the prisoners fol lowing lihn. He took no notice of them and they walked past, but Leonard turned round, when they got at a lonely part of the park, and accosted him. He told her that he wanted nothing to say to her, and re quested her to leave him, when all of a sudden a man came up with a bludgeon in his hand, with which he struck him a severe blow on the head, nearly stunning him. While on the ground, almost in a state of in sensibility, the prisoner Leonard threw herself upon him while the other prisoner made a grab at his watch chain, and snatched his watch from the waistcoat pocket. Both prisoners ill-treated him, and endea voured to prevent him from calling out police, and Leonard passed a handkerchief across his face which took away his senses, and he had reason to believe it contained chloroform, as the smell was very sickly. While on the ground he received a severe kick on the back and loins, which rendered him incapable of get ting up until the police arrived, and then he was so insensible as not to be able to give the requisite in formation. On returning to his senses he missed his money and his watch. Since the occurrence he had been laid up in bed, and had not been able to quit it until the previous day. He was now labouring under the effect of the chloroform, which he believed was in the handkerchief. Police -constable 229 P said that he was on duty in Clapham Park on the night in question, when he heard the cries of " Police' proceed from a road to wards the Common. He ran towards the spot, and when about 50 yards from where Mr. Bass was lying he heard Leonard exclaim to her companion, "The old -is hollosing. I would have have put a stop to his calling out, had I known the police was com ing !" Witness, with the assistance of another officer, secured the prisoners, and endeavoured to rouse the prosecutor ; but he was unconscious of the presence of the police for some minutes, and believed that they were companions of the prisoners. On the way to the police-station, Leonard said, had she known they would have been " copped," she would have stopped the old tongue. Witness, after locking them up at the police-station, went to the prisoners' lodgings in Compton-street . , Seho, with the hopes of finding theiman who,wassupposed to be connected with the.as sault and robbe r y, b u t not hi ng could be found rela tive to the robbery. Witness examined the spot where the robbery was committed, and found some silver, but not the other property. In defence, the prisoners said they were walking along Clapham Park at the time in question, when they heard cries of " Murder!" and " Police !" They ran to the spot to see what was the matter, but hearing the prosecutor, who was lying on the ground, call out that he was:robbed,:they walked away, think ing he might say it was they who had robbed him. Both prisoners said they hawked washleather about, and knew nothing of the robbery. The prosecutor was recalled, and swore positively that the prisoners were the persons who robbed him. He distinctly saw their fsces by the gaslamp. Mr. ELLIOT said he should commit them both to Nesvgate for trial. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. CAPTAIN AUSTIN'S ARCTIC EXPEDITION. Our private correspondence from the squadron is dated Tuesday, eight A.M., off Shields. One letter says "We have just hove-to off this place, and the steamers have cast off for the purpose of going into Shields for coal. So far we have come along glori ously ; the weather is beautiful, with a fair wind from the south-east. We shall proceed on towards Bucha ness, where the steamers are to meet us, and again tow, if necessary." Another correspondent writes—" We hare done pretty well, and anchored off Orfordness on Saturday night; and, starting next day, we have been sailing and steaming ever since. This will go by the Dasher steam-vessel, which is going in to coal at Shields The Resolute answers very well, and will prove a handy ship, much more so than the Enterprise. It is reported that we call into Stromness, if so you will perhaps hear of us thence." The Transport Emma Eugenia, with stores for the expedition, and being towed to the Cape Farewell by her Majesty's steam-tender Lightning, Master-Com mander Petley, was at Peterhead on Monday. SIR JOHN Ross's EXPEDITION.—The yacht Mary, in being towed round to Scotland by her Majesty's steam. vessel Widgeon, Captain Bullock, was so leaky that she was obliged to be caulked at an intermediate port. This vessel is utterly unfit to be employed as a tender. The Glasgow Daily Mail says :—" On Saturday we had the pleasure of inspecting a new ves set, the Felix, now building by Messrs. Sloan and Gammen, at Ayr, for Sir John Ross, to be sent out to the Arctic regions in search of Sir John Franklin. She is fast approaching completion, and is expected to be launched on Thursday next. She is only about 100 or 120 tons burden, and has more the ap pearance of a yacht than a vessel intended for the difficult and dangerous service for which she is destined. She appears, however, to be fitted with all the appliances science could suggest or money procure to enable her to combat the dangers of those inclement regions, being as strong as wood and iron can make her, having been stayed with beams going across the interior of the vessel wherever they can be applied with advantags The bow is a perfect mass of timber, and the planking is double. She is also surrounded with a sheathing of patent galvanised iron, extending two feet below her load watermark. In her fitting there is nothing superfluous, but everything necessary. Sir John Ross is daily expected down to superintend the arranging and taking on board the stores, &c." CAPTAIN FORSYTH'S BRANCH ARCTIC EXPEDITION. —lt is not correct, as stated a few days since, on the authority of Woolwich gossip, that the Admiralty have ordered Captain Forsyth's expedition to he vic tualled from the Government stores at Deptford.— _Herald. PLYMOUTH, MAY 7.—Tier Majesty's brig Cygnet is ordered to be commissioned. The Plymouth yacht is ordered to be repaired forthwith. KEYHAM IVoims.—Colonel Green, the Director of Works, arrived at Devonport on Thursday, and on Saturday inspected the operations necessary for drop ping into its place the caisson of the entrance lock to the south basin of the steam-yard. Besides the Colonel, there were present Port-Admiral Sir W. Hall Gage, his "lag-Captain and Secretary, Mr. Townsend, the engin eer o f th e wor k s an d superin tendent engineer, Mr. Atherton, machinery-engineer of the dockyard, Mr. IV. Walker, Queen's Harbour- Mister, &c. The water, for the first time, was let into the entrance lock on Saturday. The caisson, which is made of strong plate-iron, and is provided with a tidal valve and four sluices, measures 80ft, wide at top, 62ft. Bin. at the bottom, is 43ft. deep, and when immersed, gives a roadway across of 13ft. Gin. The weight is about 300 tons, and 150 tons of pig iron ballast had been placed at the bottom to throw her upright. This quantity proved, however, totally inadequate, and labourers from the dockyard have been since employed throwing in additional ballast. It has been calculated that, taking the length of the caisson as 70ft., breadth 14ft., depth 41ft., and weight 300 tons, her light draught, when upright, would be 10ft. 10in.; and that 300 tons of ballast would make her load draught 21ft., at which point the centre of gravity would be sufficiently re duced to place her under command for bringing her to the grooves. This mode of closing docks is quite new in England. There is a caisson at Malta which answers well the desired object. The highest tides at Plymouth take place on the 11th instant. The I'oonah, E Indianian, outward bound, was off Plymouth on the sth instant. The bark Devonport, belonging to this port, Cap tain Mackenzie, was outside yesterday, from Havre, with passengers for New York, all well. The Resymbrance, from Newcastle for Barcelona, was off the Eddystone on the 33 instant. The iron screw-steamer Rose, from Waterford for London,' waa',run into on Sunday night, at 10 o'clock when 15 miles south-west of the Rame Head. The stranger, which had every appearance of an Ameri can, burden 1 ; 000 tons, was first seen on the port bow, when tll', Rose put her helm a-port, and ex hibited a flare-up. The ship put her helm a-starboard, and ran into the screw amidAhips on the starboard side, carrying away her maintopmast, making a deep bulge in her side, breaking one or two beam!, and starting r deck. The piranger bore off without ascertaining the amount of damage. The Rose con tinuod on the same tack until there mi g h t , 1..) hole in h e r the morni , !g. ran up Gatwwervv whe;.e she will be repaired. .13ri the time of th o co lli s i on t h e h i d wg3 e asterly, 21/1 tidy fbim ycung d. Wind, .N.E. by E. ; s t rong breeze. f e nrirg t.h2L APPOINTMENTS. WonLwicr, IMAr 8. M ate Arthur B l g ief (1848), acti ng i n t h e S harpshooter steam -sloop , b t ° o the 4 . l:kx, 56, steam guard-ship for the flag of t, 5 Commandi ng - o ffi cer at Cork; Robert Rawlf oa t° Superb, 80. Clerk J,,hn D. B ow d en (1846) to the Ff9gard' flag ship at Woolwich: Naval Cadet Richard F. Onslow to th e ./rictc)rlt 101, filg-ship at Portsmouth. :s , ocl‘t CHATHAM, MAY B.—Thi s morn i ng, a t s , A the 20th company of the Royal Sappers and J -u-di- i consiAting of 48 m en , un d er comman d o f Captain A. A. White, R o y a l E ng i neers, marched f ro m Brorl : P; ton Barracks en route. for Woolwich, they " ii " completed their course o f i nstruction un der the perintendence of Colonel Sir Frederic Smith, This comnany will embark for service s hortly' I' ) liong-long.. Two privates of the Royal Ilarines'of this d ivision : attached to th e 45th company—viz., 'John Catharinr who was tried. by a divisional court-martial for bell absent from the ba rrac k s , f oun d gu i lty and sente nce , to receive 50 lashes ; and John Nicholas, of the al lin t : company, who wa s a l so t r i e d f or be i ng a b sen t with° ll leave and selling his kit, also found guilty, An d s : e b: tenced to receive a l so 50 lashes, received the pu n cent awarded by th e i r sentence on S atur d a y loc ia the presence of the whole of the battalion under arta The latter prisoner has been tried before, there helm; six or seven court-martials ag_ainst him. COURT OF COMMON COUN''' • Yesterday a court was held for the dispat b o public business. THE POOR RELIEF BILL. Mr. Low (the chairman of the Parlian3enteg Committee) rose to move, that the Court agree o p the report upon the Bill to provide for the more e' table distribution of the charge for the relief of poor in cert a i n c iti es and towns, " which prop . osen to enact that th e guar di ans of any union comprisingue city or town of more than one parish, baying a Ilh e lation of n o t l ess t h an 20,000 persons, may, With that consent of the Poor-law C omm i ss i oners, di re ct t of all costs and charges for the relief and maintenan ee o h the poor in the several parishes contained in 51/ c h union shall be borne by the common fund of en„ union to whi c h th e several parishes therein shall O tt ; tribute in proporti on t o the annual assessment , t f property in su c h p ar i s h es respectively to the re lie f b, the poor, and that they be considered as one pari sh and all expe n dit ure i n respect of the poor of üb( union be p a id ou t o f t h e general fund to be raicedeilt a common rate." It s t ate d t h at the Committee W, of opinion th a t th e operat i on of the Bill would be l 0 jurious to th e i n t erests o f the inhabitants of so ver i d of the pari s h es w i t hi n the City and the libe rnei of thereof, and r ecommen d e d a petition to the House °f Commons praying. that th e c ity o f L on d on be e empted from its operation. Some discussion took place upon the proposi t l ll t ; moved by Alderman WILSON, fur suspending I ; 3t standing order s as t o th e reception of petitions in ta, state of the que s ti on . Th e Alderman then b o n de in six petitions against the report of the Committ e r Mr. Alderma n S IDNEY t h en proposed the folinvvl ` e . amendment to the moti on f or agree i ng w i t h the • port : " That the Court d o not agree w i th the Comm ittee in their report, b ecause i t i s t h e opinion of this Court t',toj the present l aw of settlement and rating f or the relief the poor is unjust, partial, and oppressive in its 1 0 8 :. tion,; throughout the city of L on d on , i nasmuc h as ", - o f nually relieves those parishes where the p ro perty 0 .;,, the greatest rateable value and trade most exten s !,. from their share f providin g te r th e re li ef an d we! tenants of the poor, and a t t h e same time throv";,,, most unfair and opp ress i ve b ur d en on those parishes, 'j which the ho u s es are small an d where the poor can " a residence." He called upon the members of the court to suPP nt the public interests, and not to allow any efli„ t n district which did no t come i n for a fair share 0t,",;,; ation for the benefi t o f t h e poor to affect their dee' ei s; t in a matter in w hi c h t h e whole population of the C i ty was most importantly concerned. Mr. WHIT ESIDE a l as opposed the recommenue' 6o o of the Committ ee , anti showed that i ncrease d baii e-„ o 5 f had of late ye ars b een t h rown upon the shoulders :t those who were ill qua lifi e d to b ear any taxation id" all. He co n t en d e d th at i n fact the present srte tended to mak e th e poor more poor, and to exei nn 'i t o the rich almost comp l ete l y f rom the obligat i on render any assistance to those who were unfortune'll Alderman LAWRENCE thought it would be w ij j not to burden the poor parishes in the way propO Se in the measure before them. Many parishes might receive adva n t age f rom i t, while many more Wig; sustain injury by i ts operations. He believed, b i n"; ever, if sonic general pl an o f rat i ng were adoptou' - general good might be accomplished. Mr. PERKINS thought the system of centralissti ° ' proposed was not likely to work well.] Mr. R. LAMBERT JONES supported the new 1311' and the amendment of Alderman Sidney. Mr. Deputy LOTT said the Bill alluded was neith i er i more nor less th an a central i zing Bill, possessing al the bad features of the family. After a few observations from Mr. R. To and Mr. N ORRIS i n f avour of the amendment, Wel question was put, and the amendinent was carried by a majority of 12, the numbers upon the division being 33 to 21. Tele Court then adjourned. RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. BRISTOL, MAY 8. SrocK ExcHANcat.—The market again presents 0- 0 . activity, and a consid era bl e amount of business was done day at improved p r i ces Th e transactions, however, w"0-01 principally confin e d t o th e s h ares of the Groat We5te.....,.0 Company. Great Western, Quarters, closed at 13 3-16 Ditto, Shares, ..8 5 7 16 dis. LIVERPOOL, MAT 8. e STOCK Excamsous.—Business on our Stock ExcbanD,s wa3 firm to-day at the (potations. The transactions weV o follow :—London and No r th-W estern, 101!6 c.—Ditto, Quarters, 2 dis.—Ditto, Fi ft h s, 18s. 9d. dis.—Ditto, Quart!3, (C), p.—Manche s t er , St ockport, and Lincoln, 12 — 31 1 6 r0 land, Quarters 281. 11s. 3 d. — Shrewsbury and Birmingle o Preference, 9 1. 4 Shrewsbury and Chester (N. W. 7 0 . 0 1 Preference, guaranteed per cent., 11,V B and Dover, 13 1 4—Ditto, Con.ol. (No. 3), 13 1 4—Ditto (': 4), Registered, 41. Bs. Od.—York, Newcastle, and Benvic (Original N. and B.), 12. _ MANCHESTER, MAY 8. STOCK ExetriNGE.—Our share market was dull and the amount of business done has been very lin 3l " re ; prices having a downward tend.mcy. The transactions sve .. „, as follow :—Lancashire and Yo r k s hi re, Fifths, RN 4 is id, Ditto (West Riding Union, 9 , , s dis.-_Manch es t er , and Lincolnshire, Preference, 6 15-16—Ditto Oa. Shares ) ' 28i,i dis.—Londo n an d North-Western. 10114—South-En, ern and D o ver, Thi r d s ( N o. 4), 4 746—North Stai r ° shire, 10% n. d. BIRM INGHAM, MAY 8. Sirocx EXCHANGE.—The quotations to-day were B its s, mingham, Wolverh am p ton, and Stour Valley, 8 buYer4 sellers, 8 -_London and N orth . Western, 101 buyers. sellers—North Staffordshire, 10/. Bs. 9d dis. buyers, 10/. 65 . sellers—Shropshire Union,- 4 1 4 dis. buye rs , 4 di e . S , uth Staffordshire, 41. Ds. 3d. buyers, 41. 85. 9d. sel ler a s• London and North-Wes tern, New Quarters, were done 21,i dis.—Sh rops hi re Unions, 4 , 11 dis.—South Staffordshir e ? 41. ss. 9d. dis. YORK, MAT 7. STOCK EXCKANGE,-.The transactions t o -d ay were .4 fO l. g low: —York, Newcastle, and Berwick, 12—North-Weste r "' Preference, 10I—Shefli,Ad, Rotherham, and Goole (N. 9 " guaranteed 6 pr cent ), 1634. FADVERTISE,MENT. j —Persons afflicted with Scurvy' Scorbutic Humours, or Diseases of the Skin should use 11'n loway's Ointment and Pills. Scurvy, Ring ' worm, and oth er cutaneous disorders, are engendered by. the impurity of 111 .: blood, and the o n l y sure means to eradicate such complaints to undergo a course of Holloway's Pills, at the same time aP . , plying externally hi s i nva l ua b le Ointment. Cures perforilo.ur, by these wond er f u l! me di c i nes are daily attested, proving the astonishing efficacy i n pur if y i ng the blood, strengthening t " constitution, and re-establishing health. They are equa ll if certain in the cure of cancerous sores, ulcerated wounds, an glandular swelling., and persons so afflicted should have imrne" diate recourse to these excellent medicines.—Sold by all Drl gists, and at Prof essor H o l loway ' s Establishment, 244, Strati London. BIRTHS. OP A SOW. On the 6th inst., in Nlanstield-street, the Hon. Mrs. IDLY: On the 6th i ns t., a t C anon b ury-villas, Lower-road, ,• Robert F. Pries. OF A DAUMITItit. On tlie 9th inst., in Sussex-terrace, Hyde-park-garden g ' the wife of T. Lamle Murray, Esq. On the 6th inst., the wife of George Liddle, Esq, of Len a. holine-house, Hatfield, near Doncaster. On the sth l us t., at Mcrston, near Chi c h es t er, th e wife of the Rev. E. Stansfield. On the 6th inst., in W es t- s t reet, Finsbury-circus, the JAY of Dr. Freund. A D. On the 19th o f March, M at RRI the E Cathedral, Bombay, Walter Alexander Le s li e , E sq., H on. East India Companyl; . Service, Honore, Madras Presidency, to Elizabeth, eldask daughter of the late D. W , once, Esq. At Edinburgh, on the 30th ult., the Rev. A. C. Fr aser : Professor of L og i c and Metaphysics, New College, E,.:111,1 burgh, to Jeminni Gordon, d aug h ter of the late vY,"-"e, Esq., M. D., of Aberdeen. On the rth inst., at home in the Aird, Invorness - sh ire ' lir John Macgregor, brother of Thomas MacgrQgor, Cheapside, much and ibost deservedrespected deservedly as g ent i e man of kindly f ee li ngs, great worth, and high charac ter. His loss, in the ve r y pr i me of manhood, will long r-,, gretted by all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance a` enjoyed his friendship. Jn the Gth inst., at T orquay, Lord William Hervey, .e.eca` d .. surviving son of th e M arquis of Bristol, some time her ja iesty's Socretaty o f E m b a , sy at Paris. of On the 2d inst., at S t. Servan, France, Eliza, the sis ter George I:si ker, Lsq., the composer. On the sth inst. , i n Fenehurch•streef, William Arm'. oho? Esq., F. a S., aged 96. , On the sth i nst., i n Leonard-place, Kensin g t o n, Mary oi Ann s widow of th e l ate Robert Frost, Esq., of the lion. East I L Company's Service, aged 64. On the Ist inst., at Haverhill, Suffolk, H. Martin, Printod and Pnblialiod by klUltDl') YOI T IN `jI2, ;.4t.). 112, Strand, Printer, at 7';',4 Sun Office. D' l .;: o f ira Prosinof f t Ito tlavoy , I n tho I, 4l , ldletiez, Thursday, May 9. 1850. MAY 9, 1850. I C l *°ll kti y t ' Pr it 4 "" E tot,Z7 1 *•<. NM 1 Co: i nitt Of th t ti on. ;Let forth Pl UN