The Sun. — London, England, 1851-04-17 00:00:00

Mr. Hucu.Es said he would nut conaent to an adjourn °fent fur a siegie moment. p laintifF—'j :; n, perhaps, you will admit defendant's and•writing to the retainer? t Olr , Lim:lEs said he was instructed not to admit any atia,,i.• It was a rucs.:, unjust and palsy action to bsiug especially in one of the supericr Pla intiff then said that he should go on with the me and call defendant's attorney. t 1 ,4 Mr . Ric?, who had been sitting in the attorney's sic> was called, but said he was no attorney, but a c ad turtle, although he acted as a law agent, and au attended Mr. JustCce Talfourd at chambers in this ea 'ef !lobed known defendant for thirty years, but had t u e hr seen hi m wr i te, and could not spea k to th e signa -11 re * ins dealings with defendant were friendly, but e had never ordered any clothes of him or had a bill. The u s t, NDER.,HERIFF—Did your friendly relation induce him to buy of you, or you to give him any ttutl e ? a t W itness—Oh, no , cer t a inly not; I don't suppose such thi ng occurred to e ith e r of us.—(Laughter.) Plaintiff commenced a statement as to the nature of lee case, but IitTGRES objected, as plaintiff could not be a wit -48 in his own cause in this court. and said th e r e tainer had been left with his wife, ti he , could not call her. mr L t HuGEIES said that was very true, but if' plaintiff e ure'Jght the action in the County Court all parties co ol have been examined. cauother witess was caled, ut did not carry the 11° Say further n , and plaiati l fT elec b ted to be non-suited. 130 W-STREET.-(THIS DAY.) 34) -4 lotrs ACCIDENT.—This morning William Kew, coachman to Lord Guernsey, was charged before 04r. wi th nry with being drunk, furious driving, and also killing a valuable horse, the property of his master. th e " aPPeared f rom th e ev id ence o f a police-constable of e divisi on , t h at a b out twe l ve o ' c l oc k l as t n i g ht the 14 0 13 h ca lar was driving a spirited horse and brougham e Pall-mall at a furious rate, and on turning into 14 4 „ rit ft-garden s , the prisoner drove the horse into the Of the Earl of Ripon's mansion. The stone-work 4. ra iling were forced in by the collision, and the poor i et u alal fell in. The constable found the prisoner much d ied aXrioated, and when the horse was extricated it had from suffocation. The constable said the animal worth 100 when he informed his 11:3;(1,.sall), nothe Cal7 arke ...;., of the aoeident, h!) said °uould att. -uiclto prefer any charge against the P r i xT actier, 114 ' 4 ' UENItY having ascertained that Lord Guernsey mane a Lot present, or an y p erson from the E a rl of Ripon's 0 of fined the prisoner the full penalty of 41., or Rai!, onth's imprisonment, for the furious driving, and h i a if his master had attended he should hve punished wore severely. The fine was ultimate hove puniohed o ore severely. The fine was ultimately paid. u RSIIIP-STREET—(THIS DAY.) W • Maynard, a carpenter, was charged with as to D i ng several young girls, and using filthy language I%,r,,ither Bradman, 16, servant, at the Sir Christopher ceon_Pu.hlic-house, Wilscn-street, Finsbury. to juplainant said, that last evening, while walking n "," the square with an infant in her arms, the defen kaa-ciertiliet her, and placing his hand on her shoulder, *ft, use of the most disgusting language to her. She 1 , 0 Nerds saw him raise the clothes of three young 4 :n, nursery maids, who were in charge of children, te , followed him until he chanced to turn into her mas serei'h°use, where he called for beer, bat ran out on „.ng her enter. knt i 44 hella King, 15, was in company with last witness, il uet gave the same account of defendant's disgusting con to her se lf. t , 3 , 11 e M AGISTRATE sa id it was a mos t fl agran t o ff ence , LiaTzitted under aggravated circumstances, and fined n sl ti or two m o n ths' imprisonment for the first, and Lo month for the second case. Locked up in default. ,e f POST-OFFICE NOTICE. o% c °flowing are the regulations of the General Post i4et i , o i t. St. M art i n ' s-le-Grand, respect i ng letters addressed ° €fice, London," " Poste-Restante, London," or t e 'lmply addressed " London: '— _ 44etters addressed Post-office, London,' or Poste slats, London,' are delivered at the window of the e i aeral p ost -office, St. Martin's-le-Grand. sN f T r h e hours of delivery from the Post-office window 'l, lll , 1 0 A.M. to 4 P.M. bey nen the person applying for letters is a foreigner, I Vt produce his passport. r ib , hen a foreigner does not apply in person, but by k ast sl leager dispatched for that purpose, the messenger le tte P r oduce the passport of the person to whom the and rs are addressed, as well as a written order signed dated b y such person. In the case of a messenger being sent for the letters ortrre persons th an one , h e m us t prod u ce passports and tiers from each person. t . 1 f the app li cant f or th e l e tt e r s is a subject of the bi,, Elit el Kingdom, ho must be able to state from what iCee or di str i c t h e ex pects letters before he can receive 4: 1:13 . Subjects of States not issuing passports are `!ttql as subjects of the United Kingdom. If letters are directed to individuals simply ad e9s2ed London' (and not Post-office,' or Poste- "ante, London') they will not be delivered from the de°daw pct all, but will be sent out by letter-carrier for livery at the address furnished by the applicant. 1 1 4 Foreign letters addressed Post-office,' or Poste a"taate, London,' ar.i retained for two months at the ost-office window. Inland letters similarly addressed r etained one month at the window; after the expi ti;l°,ll of these p e riod s both cl a sses of letters are respec t e 'Y sent to the Dead Letter-office, to be disposed of in a Usual manner. ir::;,1Al1 persons applying for letters at the Post-office t Ati 4 " must be prepared to give the necessary expla rats °lts to the clerk at the window, ord to revent pq_ t , .. ak es, and to insure the delivery in of the er letters to the rit to whom they properly belong. ,0t will muc h f ac ili ta t e th e b us iness of the Post- I.,rf the words to be called for' are added to the I ' 4 a of letters which are directed Post-office, °M on. , 4 G eneral Post-office, February, 1551." - - - Z'4 liniEß FLOWERS AND PLANTS, t ckr , g the Luny curious productions of native art, Cr v :,lt and taste ' intended for exhibition in the great tritVesun.- st. Palace, lye have recently had an opportunity of Nate 6 some with which we have been deeply inte tiot:',ll,l4 which a re eminently deserving public atten - N titt we refer t o a beautiful collection of artificial 1 104 14 1 d flowers, exesluted in feathers, by Mrs. Ran te4, '; Marsham-sweet, Westminster, consisting of titt ia ,„V,haluding the sanguine China rose, carnations, tq It `,„,'ss, chrysanthemums, myrtles, pinks, wallflowers, The ",g 111 ) " flowers of all hues, ' and many in their kind." stilesulterest attaching to these productions of art d tXel w „ f r, ol3 l the fact of their being compose DISC sI 3', flowers as well as foliage, of feathers pti rte .e" from the gorgeous plumage of foreign birds, 40 e ct i P al lY of tropical regions; and the feathers have been , t. kag e refu llY and admirably selected, and artistically ar ,l4El i n to exhibit the various minute stages which :ud tt - „ w a e g of a plant undergoes between the earliest "Illy ,7" fully developed blossom, and all the beauti at th, a tiegated tints of foliage seen in the same plant °,f S ame time. The art of making artificial flowers others is not a new thing. It is well known that di ns Of the expedients to which the Brazilian nuns *dila long had recourse, to vary or . beguile the t t a 1 , •••• a recluse and ascetic life; but they o t seem to have carried it to anything violph th eperfection achieved by Mrs. Ran ts th Et i .The great merit of that lady's specimens ,v4ti 4to lu sY are botanically accurate in the minutest '1, 1 1 1 ;1"; so much so that the point of completeness c heat .e° she bas carried the illusion is so great as to it were some of the most eminent of our d0.40b1 .40 b1 -."‘L botanists,who have inspected them, into the 11, -entar Y belief that they were ",sto t :, The untiring application with which she has 4 ,4 e herself to this beautiful art, and the difficulties : 11 ,ttt IV; had to encounter in bringing it to the perfection ; 4 •tedt been indicated, may be imagined when it is i lt t4t,, i aat she has dedicated a period of very nearly * l, tr. ,Years to its study. Almost everybody is fami -14144,w`th beautiful imitations of flowers in wax and *hell substances, but in these a certain stiffness, ` St l) . 7 . In variance with the grace and simplicity of he is obvious, and indeed unavoidable from AIN quality of the material used. In Mrs. feet(3.l3hs flowers. however, no such disagreeable Poa lk i I s Produced, the feathers of which they are corn- Rts,„",sing so extremely well adapted to 'embody the `tca;C L l and innate peculiarities of leaf and flower, whilst e °1( 41 ,," Le circumstance of there not being the slightest matter used in the blossoms or foliage, the tititeimater ght it ties in whi c h b e i n g produced by the variegated list _et the magnificent p l uma ge from whi c h s h e se l ects l ials, her specimens in point of texture and co- Ds tia,CY with o r di nar y care be almost said to be im able. Mrs. Randolph 'a own sex will doubtless Zsinate her elegant invention, since t he y may now be ii. ( t . a L° Procure a bouquet or a wreath for theat re or season of the year, which will not perish with che g• I•ll),AaPecitxtens of her art which we have briefl y de. be fou n d oc cupying a positio n amon g th e s tleh " d e ° ll 3 articles in the Great Exhibition, and seen 144 41. 4 0-vantage will doubtless excite both surprise and A. N, H. 'NhiQholf:e.rlA.LL STORE-STREET.—Last night . I t t- ;_' 1 ~,gwve the second of a series of dramatis readinwghsiel tc m l P: r " of Shakspere at the Music-hall, Store-street, h ' t 143' k ilY and fashionably attended. The subj f ec iv t c acb o e s t e h n d 'ili elcw eve tiin's entertainment was the tragedo ,listened o wi 41 48 t "th marked attention. Mr.. Nicholls, I, ls de , ,,'1` 44 reading exhibited powers of a very high order; . v4atio—n4eniation throughout was admirable. The more lin ‘la4e o n ' s cenes were given with great energy, but without to-selstePPing the modesty of nature. From the ti d 1441 1 - .me conclue f the reading he displayed a power, a v„Ne s ' s n'a an intensity imo that fairly took the audience by sur rtdedttiaLci the talented reader, on closing his book, was re tilttd 1.)3? the most enthusiastic applause of a highly de r auditory. tl f qqa lt s t o k ,:° o . L, APRIL 16.—The screw steamer City Aki sailed from the Mersey this morning, for Phila. ,She takes out 120 passengers, amongst whom is the Iviri, kl *.elemson, late United States Minister at Brus t `..;,lais lady and family, and a heavy freight. 1,7 4 :ti", an ish Government has considerably increased 44 , i 8 01 / coffee, sugar, tea, tobacco, coals, timber, and tePorted into Schleswig. 4 i l/ „ I e t ic of seventy acres in extent, with a consider of C k 'llge to the river Dee, is about to be opened in the T 4 uester by a privat e i n dividual. " Prornoted to station above our abilities can . a t , T 4 ll i e ra b: l ! only to vanity.—Eliza Cook's Journal. 1,V 4 % of ,( 1 ) - fkl ee of Vice-Chancellor of the county Pala- Oki blacaster, vacant by the promotion of Mr. Page - qki in ,," 4l , we have reason to believe, be conferred on Mr. -"" of the Chancery bar. AY.) breeze 1' SI ~- water' 41 li,f )m the ) n, Cal =. ~ Wig' 2 u ebec• Alpha, sauna; g wag ) ; larclel► ditto; Marl, Zuebee" Cor. d. Vic' Noel , Ma - It 33 0. VW s Ms" , Janes lueboci I. Aba° Intent , v, Bi° legal , 'llomP' 11.) . tionarf 6d to pork. d vo' d ten• 4s 6d; kit a s to 95 NO, °' from ob, 56 3d Pet heal I to 41 1 81be. lover , r loa d . 10/1 1oad• 1 105; rloAd. tlf is of the LclNVelo pEAN 253 id rElke. Is Oi ER. Best% 1 • . 1 .. 3 s 3 only Ono 1 ••• ••• eating, to. before ON TO THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, APRIL 17, 1851. THE QUARTERLIES. Tl] E WESTMINSTER AND FOR QUARTERLY REVIEW. .Nos. Crlll. w.d XCIII. Without any extraordinary diversity in the articles contained in the current number of this double quar terly, its contents are sufficiently varied to offer at tractions to the majority of its subscribers. As an opening paper we have a delightful, gossipping cri ticism anent " Modern Ballad Writers"—suggested principally by the verse of Aytoun and Tennyson. We can nowhere discover from the writer's extract the beauty he himself perceives in the " Song of the Pilgrim Fathers." Better for us are the racy snatches of Ingoldsby, and the delicious " Farewell" of the Laureate, the " Debora" of Horne, and the " Oriana" of Tennyson. " Edward Gray," we can say little for in praise, but Richard Alonckton Milnes's " I Wandered by the Brookside" has long been one of our dear favourites. We cannot think that the selections from the " Lady Geraldine" and the " Duchess May" of Mrs. Barrett Brown ing are at all happy as specimens of her style in this department of literature. Having spoken of the publication of the famous " Reliques," the reviewer says— " A few years before their appearance was born in a clay-built, cottage, on the banks of D3OO, one who, whatever his obligations to that collection, or to thw:e ballads of his country. which he so inde flstigably sought, that, as Professor Wilson in his review of Cromek's ballads of Nithsdale and Gal loway,' he had left not a bush unbeaten,' was equal single-handed to the exposure of the false song of the eighteenth century. Robert Burns found an audience prepared for him by the growth of truer taste and the sweet natural charm of Goldsmith's verse, hut we doubt if the greater genius and originality of the Scottish poet have not suffered from his later apparance on the scene. The revolution i❑ letters, hailed him rather as a convert cr a soldier formed in its camp than as a chief self. trained; but his true place is nevertheless at its head, the representative of what is truest and most national in mo dern English song and ballad. His genius taught him, what many illustrious names which have succeeded him have, as we shall more fully show, failed to appreciate, that a natural poetry cannot be established by an imi tation of the manners and modes of thought of earlier times. He did no such injustice to the past as is implied in the use of topics for song now admitted to possess no truth for us. lie proved in Tam O'Shantcr,' how tho roughly he could identify himself with a superstition not indeed extinct in his time; but in 'My Highland Mary,' the Rigs o'Barley,' My Lady's Gown, there's gairs upon't,' he showed how infinitely diversified were still the resources of the ballad, how real in all time the sim plicity in which it can express itself, how profound the interest it can excite." With these few but suggestive remarks, the critic contents himself in reference to any allusion to Burns. Strange, nay " wondrous strange," he makes no allu sion whatsoever to Thomas Chatterton, who was sounding his oaten pipe at Bristol, while the London rhy lusters were still puling over the phantoms of Phyllis and Corydon. A capital narrative of " Recent Campaigns in India " has been suggested by the late published memorials of Edwardes and of Thackwell. In the course of this paper Lord Gough gets somewhat severely handled, and this principally by means of very pithy and emphatic ex cerpts from the work of Thackwell. Honourable mention is made of Colonel Havelock and Colonel Cureton, and of two other heroic soldiers who died thus gallantly at Chillianwallah : " Peonycuick and his son, both officere, in the 24th, fell just as they reached the guns. A stalwart Seikh was leaning over the hapless father, prostrated by a shot, and inflicting gashes on the body, when the boy of seven teen, the noble son of such a worthy father, stept for ward and dealt an avenging blow. The heroic boy strided across his father's corpse, and bade defiance to the savage multitude." Immediately after this review comes an admirably digested chapter on " English Mathematical Litera ture." In the next contribution, a criticism on " Martineau and Atkinson on Man's Nature and De velopement," we cordially sympathise with the writer's scornful abhorrence of their deductions. " Strange and wonderful," says he "is the power of self-delusion ! " Here we have two clever, well-informed people, per suading themselves that they experience extraordinary raptures mingled with the most exquisite philosophic calm, from believing that unconscious matter is the cause of conscious thought, that the truest human , affection is nothing worthier than the love of a spoonful of nitric acid for a copper halfpenny, and that annihilation is the most satisfactory end of human life. From such views both the intellect and the heart of man will recoil w ith well-founded disgust—his logical powers will perceive the absurdity of the argument and his taste and affec tions will lead him to exclaim with Wordsworth— ' Great God! I'd rather be A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn; So might I standing on this pleasant lea Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn • Have sight of Proteus, rising from the sea, Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn.' " On the whole, the reviewer comes to the conclusion that " the new lights promised by our authors turn out to be chiefly composed of very old-fashioned rays of darkness." A succinct account of the progress recently made respectively throughout continental Europe, by democracy and absolutism, is given di rectly afterwards, in the paper headed " Revolution and Counter •Revolution." We commend it to the notice of those who may erroneously have begun to doubt the strength and vitality of liberal principles. Referring to Hungary, the writer says— " To this day Kossuth stands as high in the estimation of his peoplo as he did in the noontide of his glory. Very different was the character of GUrgey, who was cola and calculating, and without a spark of enthusiasm; and not even the wonders accomplished by the devoted and chivalrous Elonveds could excite any warm feelings in his icy breast. He hated the Poles, of whom there were nearly 5,000, with the two generals Beal and Dembinski, and made it a crime in Kossuth that he had a leaning towards the brave sons of a sister people. With such a disposition, increasing danger and rancorous feelings against the Government, who could not but re pudiate his inconsistency, that evil spirit got possession of him that subsequently led to the treasonable surren der at Vilagos. When after the battle of tSzOny (Juno 2) the suspicions against him gained confirmation, it was too late, for his skilful manoeuvring had, no doubt, purposely placed the Russian army between himself and the seat of government. Two months later he was at Arad with his corps, that he might, so to speak, show the Russians the way. The fatal sequel is wall known —he saw his most intimate friends and bravest comrades, his near relatives and companions delivered by his treason to imprisonment or ignominious death. G OrgcY, now half a prisoner in a wretched provincial Austrian town, suffering from the reproaches of his own heart and the curse of the whole civilized world, offers a sad contrast to Kossuth, attended by the unalterable love of his own people, universally admired, respected even by his foes, while the usurper of his country's crown is obliged to surround himself with bayonets, and is hated by the people over whom he exercises an uneasy and precarious rule." According to the Westminster, "Kossuth's chief point of weakness was his indulgence towards Gorgey"— a reflection that will call to mind the fatal indulgence shown, in like manner, towards Ledru Rollin by La martine. We shall take an early opportunity to re fer more particularly to the argument considered within the compass of the next paper, an argument relating to the important subject of " Marriage with a Deceased Wife's Sister," a subject upon which we have of late so repeatedly written ourselves. Two political articles of some ability follow, one referring to the necessity for "Diplomatic Reform," the other re counting the rise and the results of the "Ministerial Crisis." Upon the unsettled state of things the re viewer observes, — "The times are curious enough :—with the Continent unsettled, and presenting the possibility of fresh disturb ances; with a war at the Cape, and discontent in all our colonies; with the Indian revenue steadily exceeded by the Indian expenditure; with, in tact, necessity for strong and rational Administration, we have a mere caput mar town, from which every particle of vigour has long since fled." After the article' on the "Ministerial Crisis" comes a " Postscript on 'Education," and this winds up the present number of the Westminster. Added to all which we have as usual a variety of miscellaneous notices, and a comprehensive review of the progress recently made in " Foreign Literature." and very excellent history and explanation of the re cently investigated relics of aleient times. Those un acqulinted with Layard's celebrated work will find i❑ Mr. Vaux's volume an interesting stiminury of the researches and discoveries of that persevering anti quarian, while others, already familiar with some oi the wonders of old Nineveh will, we doubt not, gladly listen to further information and explanation thereon from one so qualified for the task. The numerous excellent illustrations of this volume, and the beau tiful appearance, confers credit upon its publishers. MADAME DORREVGTON OF THE DELVE. By William llowitt. 3 Vols. Colburn. The appearance of William Howitt in the charac ter of a novelist naturally attracts to his work con siderable curiosity, and no inconsiderable amount of criticism. The first work in any peculiar line of a writer already celebrated in some other character is liable to be affected with all the imperfections of a first, production, without meeting with the lenity and good-nature which are generally considered due to such compositions. Such, at least, was our own feeling on first perusing these volumes. Considering them as the productions of a writer of established reputation, we subjected them to a severe criti cism, and were well nigh disposed to award to them a greater amount of censure than we should have done :had " Madame Dorrington of the Dene" been a first work from some unknown hand. Remembering, however, th:t although the work of William Howitt, it is his first novel, we feel compelled to make due allowance for that fact; for the faults of " Madame Dorrington" seem almost wholly attributable to a want of experience in the mechanism of an elaborate tale. In parts it is ad mirable, but as a whole it is certainly very defective. Mr. Howitt brings together excellent materials, but instead of forming them into one harmonious struc ture, he sets :them before us without the slightest re gard to the beauty of order or the effect of combination. We shall mot attempt to give an analysis of the com plicated and heterogeneous incidents of the story— as a story it is, as we have said, sadly defective—but as commendation is, by far, the critic's most agree able task, let us award Mr. Howitt the praise due to the many beautiful portions of his work. In his de scriptions of country scenes, and his illustrations of rural life, we recognise at once the same excellences al:eady displayed in his "Year Book of the Country," and his many delighful sketches. In some of his char acters, also, Mr. Howitt is peculiarly felicitous. The heroine herself, whether as the gentle and unhappy Grace Delmey, or as the excellent and beloved Madame Dorrington, is a quiet but beautiful delineation of a virtuous and unobtrusive woman. As a vivid contrast to her gentle daughter, Mrs. Delmey is depicted as almost a perfect fiend, but lier vindictive and miserable character, if perhaps a little exaggerated, is naturally accounted for by the pecu liar circumstances which had wrought upon her peculiar temperament. Some of the scenes in her history give evidence of the power of Mr. Howitt's pen , the chapter, for instance, where the unhappy husband and wife become reconciled by the bed of their dying child is full of feeling, and true to nature. Without dwelling further upon the peculiarities of this work, we may say again, it is full of beauty in parts, but very inharmonious as a whole. The next time Mr. Howitt brings forward a story in three volumes we shall look for the same incidental at tractions, combined with some uniformity of system in the construction of the tale. RA IL WAY INTELLIGENCE. GREAT WESTEII N. A special general mocha g of the Ehgreholders acts held on Tuesday, at the offices, Paddington Station, for the purpose of approving or otherwise, of an agreement entered into by this company with the South Wales Railway Company for a lease, on certain terms and conditions, or the undertaking and works of the latter. Mr. Charles Russell occupied the chair. The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, said the proprietors had been called together once again— for the last time, he hoped—in order that the directors might obtain their sanction to a modified agreement with the South Wales Railway Company, of which the terms had been already made known to them. The leading principles of this new arrangement were substantially the same as those which the proprietors had approved in November last. Instead of guaran teeing the entire profits of the South Wales Com pany, and becoming practically the owners of that line, as was the case in November, 1848, they were to purchase only a portion of these profits, and thus, instead of becoming sole owners, they were to be partners, joint owners with the original proprietors. There were also several modifications and changes, more especially in reference to the scope and details of thin agreement. There were to be successive extensions—first to Carmarthen, thence to Haverford west, and afterwards to Milford Haven. They were at that time to purchase half the entire profits of the line as far as Swansea; they were now to purchase only one-third the net profits for the entire line, as far as Milford Haven. For working and managing the traffic, and otherwise arranging for the line to Milford Haven, five directors were to be appointed by each board, to form a joint committee, and thus would be secured to them (the Great Western) much local influence and experience. The chairman next favourably contrasted the present agreement with that which it superseded, illustrating his argument with figures from an epitome of the proposal. He urged that the new scheme was more comprehensive, and embraced the completion of the entire line through out all South Wales; that by it the Great Western would be placed in direct communication with two of the finest harbours in the world—Plymouth by the Great Western, Milford Haven by the South Wales ; that finally, it limited their responsibilities, so that at no time, and under no circumstances, could their lia bilities exceed 46,0001. per annum. They never, he admitted, had looked to obtain any direct profit from the lease of the South Wales line ; the profits of that line were legitimately the profits of its proprietors. The gain which the Great Western anticipated was to be the consequence of the increased traffic on their own line. After some further remarks from the CHAIRMAN, The solicitor read the agreement proposed for the approval of the proprietors, and The CHAIRMAN himself moved that it should be approved, ratified, sanctioned, and confirmed. The resolution having been seconded, a slight dis cussion ensued, in which the geographical position of Milford Haven, and its prospects as a harbour, with other subjects directly or indirectly affecting the question at issue, were introduced. Birkenhead, Great Grimsby, &c., were cited as instances of disap pointed hopes analogous to those entertained with re gard to Milford Haven. The motion was, however, carried. The second special general meeting then com menced, and the CHAIRMAN explained that, in com pliance with "the W harncliffe standing order," he had to submit to the proprietors a Bill now pending in Parliament "for enabling arrangements with refer ence to the purchase, lease, or other use, by the Great Western Railway Company, of the Wilts, Somerset, and Weymouth Railway ; the Gloucester and Dean Forest Railway ; and the South Wales Railway, re spectively to be effected, and for other purposes," the principle of which they had already approved. The proprietors having signified their assent, Mr. Nottnis introduced the subject of railway audit, and drew from the Chairman an expression of disap proval of the Bills of Mr. Locke and of Mr. Stanford on the subject, but the meeting being special the question was not gone into. Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, and the meeting dispersed. diculties in the way of their successfully prosecut ing, the line themselves. They could net issue pre ference shares without the consent of three-fifths of the shareholders, and the Great Western had 6,000 shares in their hands. Another difficulty was that the Great Western Company were in posse'i•sion of the railway from Grange Court to Gloucester. There was also the possible contingency of the Great Western not being able to pay 200,0001. a year to them.—(Cries of " Oh, oh.") He was not, however, afraid of braving the Great Western Company, if it was the unanimous wish of the shareholders, but ho gave them his strong advice not to do so. After some further discussion, the amendment was put to the meeting, and the show of hands was al most unanimous in favour of the adjournment. A poll was called for, and after a short adjournment the result was made known. The votes for the amend ment, according to the number of shares represented, were :—Present, 753 ; proxies, 260—total, 1,013. Against it—Present, 768 ; proxies, 935—tote], 1,703. Majority against the amendment, 690. In answer to a question, the CHAIRMAN stated that the Great Western Company did not vote upon the question. The draft of the agreement was then read, and, after a very protracted discussion, the motion for its adoption was put to the meeting. The show of hands was decidedly against its adoption, and a poll was again called for, when it was carried by 2,34 G votes against 513. The meeting then became special, in order that the approval of the proprietors should be obtained to the drafts of three Bills, as proposed to be introduced into the House of Lords. By this time the number of shareholders present had diminished to somewhat less than'the number of directors present. so that, al though every endeavour was made by Mr. Duncan and Mr. Nash to oppose the Bills, or to adjourn the meeting, they were successively approved of by a ma jority of those present. Tho meeting dispersed towards eight o'clock Fast., having sat for nearly seven hours. presenting this address, and for the very kind manner:in which you have expressed yourseh es towards me, which has confirmed the gratifying impressio❑ upon my mind that the frequent professional intercourse I h^.ve had with you has not failed to produce mutual feclirgs of esteem and regard." THE GREAT EXHIBITION. (From the Times.) ller Majesty's intention of opening the Great Exhi bition in person on the Ist of May has already been made known to the public. It may not, however, be as generally known that all visitors —even the exhibitors, as we understand the matter—are to be excluded from the building while the Queen, attended by a score or so of Lords and Ladies-in-Waiting, shall have celebrated the opening mysteries, The resolution of the Commis sioners, which embodies their determination of exclud ing the public, is now lying before us, and we hereby copy it verbatim, lest we should be suspected of an attr.nupt to practise upon the credulity of our readers. It run as fol lows :—" Iler Majesty havin g been pleased to signify her intention of v i s i t i ng th e Exhibition On the occasion of its opening, on the Ist of May, the doors of the build ing will not be opened to the public on that day till one o'clock, at which hour the holders of season tickets will be admitted." Now what does this mean? The only possible sug gestion which can occur to the mind is that some doubt may exist in the mind of her Majesty's advisers as to her safety, in case she should enter a building in which so many thousands of persons are to be collected to gether, But wh ere d oes t h e rea l d anger li e? I s i t within, or without 'the building, even admitting the preposterous idea that there is a ny d a n ge r at all ? Is it rot just as comp l ete an a ff a i r of police regulati on to ta k e proper steps for her Majesty's security within as without the Crystal Palace? It is, of course, not w i t h out great repugnance that we bring ourselves even to menti on a question of this kind, but it is impossible to offer a satisfactory comment upon the resolution of the Commissioners, without adverting to the probable motive upon whi c h t h at resolut i on has been founded. If it be as we supp ose , h er M a j esty ' s advisers are leading their Royal Mistress to a course which will be profoundly unpopular, and without an adequate motive. Queen Victoria receives every day sufficient evidence of the loyalty and affection of her subjects without attempting to banish them from her presence upon so interesting and solemn an occa s i on as the opening of the Great Exhibition. As far as regards any isolated attempt at violence which might occur to the febrile imagination of a French or German Socialist, surely it is not necessary that a person with such in tention should gain access to the body of the building in order to carry out his purpose. Her Majesty would not be otherwise in danger in the Crystal Palace on the Ist of May than she was yesterday, or will be to-morrow, whilst she drives out for an airing in the public streets. What an unworthy part would these nervous advisers cause the Queen of England to play! Surely Queen Victoria is not Tiberius or Louis XI., that she should be smuggled out of a great glass carriage into a great glass building under cover of the truncheons of the police and the broadswords of the Life Guards. Where most Englishmen are gathered together there the Queen of England is most secure! Let all reasonable and proper precautions be taken for her Majesty's safety, just as when she opens Parliament in person. That is as it should be. But have the Com missioners reflected upon the manner in which they are depriving the Queen cf all enjoyment in the spectacle by banishing her subjects from the building? What sa tisfaction can it afford her Majesty to be introduced into a monster upholstery warehouse, or engine room, at tended only by a few gold sticks and silver sticks? One thinks involuntarily of Wordsworth's famous descrip tion of " A party in a parlour All silent, and all damned!" But what is the silence of a parlour to the silence of the Great Exhibition, when not a sound, save perhaps a faint murmur of discontent, shall be heard from the thousands of excluded ticket-holders who are flattening their noses against the outside wainscotting or panes? No reasonable person would ask more than that the 6,000 or 7,000 holders of season-tickets should be admitted to the building whilst her Majesty is opening the Exhibition in person. The price of the ticket affords something like a guarantee that the mob would be of a select cha racter—sufficiently so for the purpose in view. Besides, there is no reason to doubt that, in numerous instances, the season-tickets were purchased on the faith that their holders would be admitted to a sight of the opening pa geant. What does the number of 6,000 or 7,000 persons signify within the area of this vast building? They would scarcely be sufficient to give her Majesty a hearty cheer worthy of the Crystal Palace and the occasion. We trust most sincerely, on all accounts, that her Ma jesty's advisers will reconsider this resolution. Better, far better would it be, to forego any public ceremonial whatsoever, than to carry it out in a form so offensive to the feelings of every Englishman. This is to turn Queen Victoria into another Lady Godiva, and doubtless the modern will be attended with as much success as the legendary experiment. FINE ARTS. Mr. Minasi, the celebrated professor of the art of pen-and-ink drawing, has just completed an elaborate and exquisitely beautiful portrait of the late Sir Ro bert Peel, which for the elaborate delicacy of its exe cution in the most minute details, and the fidelity of its likeness, we are inclined to consider as the chef d'a , uvre of this unique style of art. It is more perfect than the most perfect line engraving can by possi bility be, and it has the appearance of animation and expression which the art of the engraver can never give. It is, we repeat, the chef d'oeuvre of Mr. Minasi. IMPORTANT TO STRANGERS. — Messrs. Welch and ➢largetson, of Cheapside, have just published, upon a sheet of silk, in the form of a pocket-handkerchief, a simplified map of London, containing only the leading thoroughfares. By this the foreign or English visitor to the metropolis may find his way from place to place without being bothered by the vast jumble of smaller streets which turn out of the main thoroughfares. It will likewise prove very useful to resi dents, as it has all the principal buildings, places of amuse ment, &c., marked thereon. It is likewise a beautiful speci men of printing on fabric. We understand it is to be placed in one or more prominent places in the Exposition. GOOD FRIDAY.—To-morrow, being Good Friday, it will be observed as a close holiday at the Bank of Eng land,.South-sea House, East India-house, the Stock and Royal Exchanges. Lloyd's, the Excise and Custom-house (an officer, will, however, be in attendance at the latter for the convenience of passengers arriving by the foreign steam packets), the St. Katherine's, London, West and East India Docks, and all the different banking and insurance offices both in fhe City and west-end, the Stamp and Taxes, Somer set-house, and all the Government departments, with the exception of the Post-office, where letters and newspapers will be received and obtained as usual throughout the me tropolis, and also at the receiving -houses, with the exception of the chief money-order-office in Alderegate-street and the various branch offices, which will be closed either for the paying or granting of money-orders. The courts of law and the different police-courts will also be closed, as well as every place of pablic amusement. OMNIBUS IMPROVEMENTS.—.—A large meeting of omnibus proprietors and builders attended on Tuesday at Guildhall, by appointment, to meet the magistrates and to produce an omnibus constructed upon the new principle, and upon which they proposed to alter all the old ones. Alder man Wilson, Alderman Sidney, Alderman Lawrence, Sir Chapman Marshall, and Alderman Hunter were present to examine the alterations, which were contrived so as to make three seats at the upper end of the omnibuses separated from the side seats, to allow room for the knees. After a very lengthened inquiry, and practical experience on the part of the magistrates and some of the proprietors themselves, it was decided that the new plan was more inconvenient than the old one, and that it was impossible for a passenger to ride any distance with his knees pressing against the end of the seat in frost of him. It was resolved by the deputation to bring other omnibuses on Saturday next, at eleven o'clock, attended by Mr. Lewis, the solicitor to the Metropolitan Omnibus Association, in hopes that he may be able to con vince the magistrates that the end seat is in conformity with the Act of Parliament. The deputation, it appeared, had previously attended the commissioner of metropolitan police, whose inspector had viewed the alterations, but declined giving any opinion, leaving the matter quite in the hands of the magistrates. REPRESENTATION OF BOSTON.—The death of Capt. Dudley Pelham, M.P., has again created a vacancy in the representation of this borough. At the general election i❑ 1847 three candidates were in the field, namely, Sir James Duke, Mr. Benjamin Bond Cabbell, and Mr. David Williams Wire, when the numbers stood as follow : —Sir Jame Duke (Liberal), 590 ; Mr. Cabbell (Protectionist), 466 ; and Mr. D. W. Wire (Liberal), 339. Some time afterwards, on the death of Mr. Pattison, Sir James Duke was invited by the electors of the city of London to become their representa tive, an honour which he accepted, and another election for Boston was the result. The contest was between Captain Dudley Pelham (now deceased) and Mr. Wire. The Gallant Captain, who was a younger brother of the Earl of Yar borough, had on his side the tremendous influence of the noble house to which he belonged, while Mr. Wire's support was derived mainly from the tradesmen of Boston, and from those amongst the agricultural party who do not hold Pro tectionist views. ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS.—The following gentlemen, having undergone the necessary examinations for the diploma, were admitted members of the College at the meeting of the Court of Examiners on the 11th inst.:— Messrs. William Johnson Rowland, Wargrave, Berkshire; Edmund Umphelby, Belstead, Suffolk ; Frederick Hezeklah Hartshorne, Broseley, Salop ; Thomas Spencer, East Shilton, Leicestershire; John Hall Bywater, Knottingley, Yorkshire; Edward Abraham. Hancock Head, Stoke, Plymouth ; Benja min Baker, Broadway, Worcestershire; James Rouse, Wal ham-green ; John liender Tickell, East Love Cornwall; and John James Bird, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire. At the same meeting of the Court, Mr. Wm. Ross passed his exa mination as naval surgeon. This gentleman had previously been admitted a member of the College, his diploma bearing date December 23, 1844. The President and Council have awarded to Mr. Charles Toogood Downing, M.D., Great Russell-street, Bloomsbury, their Jacksonian Prize, for his Essay on Neuralgia. PARISH OF ST. LURE, CHELSEA.—ELECTION OF GUARDIANS.—For a considerable time past there has been great dissatisfaction expressed in this very important and populous: parish respecting the management of its affairs, in consequence of which several gentlemen, of high standing in society, consented to allow themselves to be put in nomina tion for guardians of the poor, and were elected by a great majority. Under their able management great and most desirable parochial reforms have taken place, and a reduction of no less than one-third been effected since the same period last year, in the poor-rates. A very strong opposition sprung up in the parish on the occasion of the present election for guardians amongst that class of persons known by the appellation of " compounders," id est, those com pounding for property at one-third or one-fourth of its proper amount, thus escaping their fair contribution to the relief of the parish burdens. The propriety of returning such persons to office has been now fairly tested in the election which terminated on Tuesday evening, which has resulted in the exclusion of almost all the compounders, and the appointment of gentlemen of the first position. The following were returned as duly elected by a large majo rity :—Lord Chelsea, Lieut.-Colonel the Hon. Augustus Liddell, Colonel Gascoigne, Colonel Wells, M. James Higgins, U. W. Cripps, E. C. Egerton, W. H. Whitbread, J. Fielding, and J. B. Ryder, Esqs., and Messrs. Simmons, Birch, T. A. Young, F. Gaskell, G. Todd, J. H. Tuck, C. IL Collier, D. Murray, W. B. Crabb, and H. Aldin. The board met yesterday, when Mr. Ryder was re-elected chairman, Lord Chelsea as first Vice, and Mr. Fielder, second. THE STEAMER SINGAPORE.—The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer Singapore, bound to the Cape of Good Hope with troops, left the Needles on the 18th of March at noon, wind strong, from W.S.W. at midnight, blowing a strong gale, and increasing in violence and heavy head sea by eight A.m. 19th. From this time until midnight of the k2d the gale continued without intermission, with a terrific sea running and violent passing squalls, during which time the engines were eased and the ship brought up to the wind to prevent the high topping seas from breaking on board ; wind from S. W. to W. Notwithstanding, the. Singapore, although deeply laden with coals and 800 troops on board, which prevented keeping the vessel in proper trim, could at any time be driven, head to wind and sea, six knots per hour. On the 26th, at four r M., she arrived safe at Te neriffe, having steamed the 24 hours previous to arrival, in light airs and heavy southerly swell, 276 miles. She has proved herself a fine sea boat, and it is expected, with assiSt= once of canvas, the Singapore will run to Sierra Leone in five days WWI legging Wig port. .441 are well on board. LITERATURE. LIVES OF THE PRINCESSES OF ENGLAND. By Mrs. Everett Green. V 01.11.1. Colburn. The same commendations which we pronounced upon the first volumes of Mrs. Green's valuable and interesting work may be justly applied to the third volume, now before us. In the biographies here re corded we meet with the same pleasant combination of historical reminiscences and romantic records which imparts such a charm to the biographical histories of Miss Strickland. Like that intelligent and indefati gable investigator, Mrs. Green has hunted through old libraries, and pondered over old manuscripts in numerable, until at length she has succeeded in un ravelling the threads of her fair heroines' histories from the mass of contemporary chronicles, obscure traditions, and in some cases conflicting accounts, among which they have been interwoven and well nigh annihilated. As it is, however, the forms and faces of the four Royal Princesses of England in 1851 are not more clearly and beautifully individualised in the recent picture of Winter halter than are the mental and of Mrs. their Eve roya l ret predecessors by Everett Green. H av i ng moraltthe e lociuent characteristics pe n of said so much, further comment is obviously uncalled for. The subjects of this third volume are th e t wo nd younger daughters of Edward the daughters of Edward 11., Henry IV., a IV . NINEVEH AIVD PERSEPOLIS: an Histori cal Sketch of Ancient Assyria and Persia, with an Account of the Recent Researches in those Countries. By W. S. W. Vaux, M A., Assistant in the Department of Antiquities, British Museum. Third . edition revised and enlarged. Hall and Virtue. We have already noticed Mr. Vaux's very elaborate SHREWSBURY AND BIRMINGHAM. The directors issued yesterday an address to the shareholders, mainly upon the subject of the resolu tion of the late meeting, pledging those who support it to the London and North-Western agreement—a resolution which they unequivocally condemn. They say it has been agreed to on the faith that it is a sub stance while it may turn out to be a shadow, whilst it goes the further length of placing the company powerless in the hands of the London and North- Western. After giving their views, the directors— " Disclaim every desire to be otherwise than upon friendly terms, under any circumstances, with the London and North-Western Company, and only insist that before they surrender your line and working stock to that company, the proposed agreement shall be (what the shareholders have been led to suppose it is really) a binding agreement. The directori believe, that if they acted otherwise, it would be a betrayal of their trust ; they cannot suppose that any body of share holders—men of business—rightly understanding the matter, would make such a eurrender, without the cor responding security. The directors have notice that legal steps are now being taken to bring the validity of this agreement before the courts of law, and if so, every facility on their part shall be given to the most prompt adjudication of the question. It' such an agreement can be made valid, the directors will as promptly act in ac cordance with that result ; and if it shall appear to be void, they believe that they shall not be without the ap proval of the shareholders at large, for having saved their property from great confusion and loss. It is solely with these views that they are induced to remain in your service, and in the meantime they deprecate the continuance of useless agitation and expense." EDINBURGH, PERTH, AND DUNDEE RAILWAY. — The Committee on this Bill report the preamble proved, that no new work is sought to be executed, and that it is not intended to raise any further ca• pital, but to consolidate provisions in existing Acts, and to make further provision touching the existing share capital and loan. DUNDEE AND ARBROATH RAI L WAY.—The Com mittee on this Bill for enlargement of their sta tion at Dundee and other objects, report the pre amble proved. BRITTON FERRY, DOCKS, AND RAILWAY.—The Committee, in reporting the preamble proved, state that the proposed capital is 60,0001. ; loan, 20,0001. ; amount of shares subscribed, 45,000/. ; deposits paid, 6,750/. ; capital subscribed by shareholders having a local interest, 45,0001. The Vale of Neath Railway Company are to be permitted to subscribe to the un dertaking. WATERFORD AND LIMERICK RAILWAY. The Lords of the Admiralty have given their assent to this company's Bill for a deviation at a saving of expense, provided certain conditions are complied with in crossing the River Suir. THE SOLICITORS OF LONDON AND THE LORD CHANCELLOR. The following address has been presented to the Lord Chancellor, at his residence in Eaton-square, by Mr. Clarke, the Solicitor of the Ordnance, lat.. Pre sident of the Incorporated Law Society, and Mr. Lavie, of the firm of Messrs. Oliverson, Lavie, and Co. ; and the deputation at the same time requested his Lordship to sit for his portrait, to be placed in the hall of the Incorporated Law Society : " TO THE RIGHT HON. THOMAS, LORD TRURO, LORD HIGH CHANCELLOR OF GREAT BRITAIN, &C. _ . " We, the undersigned attorneys and solicitors of the superior courts, practising in the cities of London and Westminster, beg leave to offer to your Lordship our rcspectful congratulations on your Lordship's elevation to the office of Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain. "We remember with feelings of no ordinary pride and gratification that the distinguished career which has thus been crowned by the highest dignity in the power of the Sovereign to bestow was commenced by your Lordship in the same branch of the profession to which we ourselves belong. " Having, by the exercise of great talent and in dustry, established an extensive practice as an attorney and solicitor, your Lordship passed from our grade of the profession to the bar, in the ranks of which your Lordship rapidly attained the foremost position. As an advocate a course of most unexampled dis tinction and success, during which your Lordship suc cessively filled the great offices of Solicitor and At torney-General, was terminated by your Lordship's ad vancement to the distinguished post of Lord Chief Jus tice of the Common Pleas. " Your Lordship has now reached a still loftier ele vation, and for the second time only, as we believe, in the history of the profession, its very highest dignity has been attained by one who was, for many years, a prac tising attorney and solicitor. " Some of us can personally remember the earlier stages of this brilliant and remarkable career; many of us have been enabled by personal experience to appre ciate the value to our clients of your Lordship's zealous and indefatigable services as an advocate; and all have witnessed the powerful ability, the unwearied industry, and the energy, rarely equalled and never surpassed, which were devoted by your Lordship to every cause intrusted to your Lordship's advocacy—to the cause of the poorest and humblest equally with that of the most wealthy and powerful. " Nor can we forget the unvarying courtesy and consideration in every stage of your progress which the members of our branch of the profession have expe rienced at your Lordship's hands, while engaged in the discharge of our anxious and responsible duties. " We cannot but feel that honours thus earned reflect a portion of their lustre on every momber of our body, and we see in your Lordship a conspicuous example of greatness achieved by persevering energy and unre mitting diligence, directed by a vigorous understanding to the pursuit of a noble object, and at the same time a signal proof that under our happy constitution the exorcise of such qualifications, united with an un deviating adherence to the pricciples of honour and integrity, may bring the highest dignities of the State within the reach of the humblest member of our pro fession, " With these sentiments, we beg leave again respect fully to tender to yo u r L o rdship our cordial and hearty congratulations, and to express our earnest hope that Providence will be pleased long to continue to your Lordship the possession of the health and strength re quisite for the discharge of the duties of your Lordship's exalted station." The address was signed by upwards of 400 soli citors, members of the most respectable firms in the metropolis. Lord Tann° returned the following answer to the deputation : " The presentation of this address I shall ever regard as one of the most gratifying incidents of my life. " Such an address from several hundred gentlemen who constitute a largo portion of the most respectable and estimable members of that branch of the profession in which I commenced my career, and to which I de voted several of the earlier years of my personal observation that life has been life, under whose passed, and that success attained which has called forth this expression of their congratulation and esteem, is a testimony in my behalf the value of which I cannot estimate too highly. " Your request that I will sit for my portrait to be placed in the lecture-room of your incorporated society is also very gratifying to me, and I accede to it with great pleasure. It is indeed a pleasing reflection, which you have kindly suggested, that the retrospect of my life, as recorded in this address, may be followed by advan tages beyond the gratification which it affords to myself individually. " Our profession in all its departments is laborious and arduous; but in ou r ha ppy country promotion is denied i n my example, your students may see a ccomplished by personal industry and exer tion,to what n o can a l ens bes ; an d, though unaided by patronage, and from it may learn that the humblest subscriber upon the roll of attor neys is not excluded from the highest honours of the State. " Respectable solicitors are among the most valuable members of society, and I am very sensible how deeply the public is interested in the station in which they are maintained, and the estimation in which they are held; and, in returning my cordial thanks to the gentlemen who have concurred in this address, I beg to assure them of my sincere wishes for their prosperity, and that nothing will be more congenial to my feelings than to have it in my power to contribute to it. "To you, Mr. Clarke and Mr. Lavie, I also return my warm thanks for the trouble which you have taken in SOUTH WALES. A special general meeting of the proprietors of this company was held on Tuesday at the London Tavern, Bishopsgate-street, for the purpose of taking into consideration the proposed arrangement with the Great Western Company ; and to signify the wishes of the shareholders with regard to the Bills proposed to be introduced into the House of Lords. Mr. TALBOT, M.P., occupied the chair. The CHAIRMAN, in introducing the subject to the meeting, said that, before discussing the merits of the agreement, be ought to state to them that it had been under the consideration of the directors for some time, and, with one one exception, had been agreed to by them. He had stated at the last meet ing that he saw no particular difficulty in carrying on the line to Fishguard, and he had not changed that opinion ; but he was convinced that it was far pre ferable for the interests of the shareholders that they should take advantage of the present proposal than that they should go on to Fishguard. He anticipated, in the first place, an enormous advantage from the co-operatlon of the Great Western Company, instead of leaving to that company the power of abstracting their traffic from the line. This was in itself so great an advantage that he was inclined to give up any pri vate predilection he might have had for any other course.—(Hear, hear.) His opinion was that by the proposal now made the shareholders would sooner obtain the dividend of five per cent. than by any other course. It was, in fact, merely a question of time, There was a Bill now before Parliament by which they hoped to be enabled to connect themselves with two other lines of railway intersecting their line, and it would be of the greatest importance to the share holders to secure the co - operation of the Great Western Company to have that Bill passed. They would, otherwise, in fact, be obliged to abandon the Bill. In the west, there would be greater difficulties with regard to the development of the traffic, if they went on to Fishguard ; instead of which, if they went on to Haverfordvrest, with the co-operation of the Great Western, they would open a larger traffic than could be got by going to Fishguard, and not only a larger traffic, but also a new class of traffic. They would open a communication for the American trade from Milford Haven, and establish a communication with South Ireland. As to the anticipated reeeipts on the line, it was known that the receipts upon the Bristol and Exeter line were 401. per mile per week; and if the South Wales line only took 35/. per mile per week between Gloucester and Haver fordwest, it would be equal to 6,0001. a week, which, under the proposed agreement, would pay 5 per cent. dividend. There was another great advantage to which he would direct their attention. Under the old agreement the prospect of a dividend was remote ; whilst under the agreement now proposed a dividend would immediately accrue to them, even if there should be no profits on the working of the line; and if profits should arise on the working the dividend would proportionably increase. If they did not rea lise 3 per cent. in the first year, be could only say that the Great Western bad made a very unfortunate bar gain. These considerations induced him to recom mend to the meeting to sanction and adopt the agree ment which the directors proposed. lie should not consider that he was doing his duty if he did not re commend them to do this. But if they determined to reject the agreement the directors•would do their best to carry out their wishes. He warned them, however, that if they rejected it they would make a very wrong, unwise, and prejudicial arrangement, He concluded by moving a resolution to the effect that the agreement should be adopted and sanctioned. Mr. MATHEWS, a director, seconded the motion. Mr. W. WILLIAMS, M.P., thought that the whole agreement should have been printed and circulated amongst the proprietors before they were called upon to come to any conclusion upon the question. He disapproved of the proposed arrangement, and had not in fact, heard a single argument in its favour. He contended that it was no question whether the new agreement was better than the old one, for all that they had to do was to see that the line should be car ried out to Fishguard, when they should rece i ve a dividend of five per cent, from the Great Western Company. The question was, whether they would take one per cent., with all contingencies, and the possibility of receiving more at some future time, or take five per cent. as soon as their line was finished, in terms of the old agreement.—(Hear.) Mr. GARROW disapproved of the proposed arrange ment, and Mr. TURNER moved, as an amendment upon the motion, that the agreement should be printed in ex tenso, and circulated amongst the shareholders, with a view to consideration on a future day. Mr. FRANKLIN seconded the a mendment. Mr. WALTER delivered protests against the pro posed agreement, holding the directors personally liable for a breach of trust. Mr. DuNcAN approved of the amendment. lie had no wish to " take in" the Great West.e.rn Company, which he would be sorry to do if he could— (Laughter)—but he wished to take from them what was right and just, and as in two months the line would be open to Gloucester, the real value of the property would soon be known. At present the Great Western had the right to use 6,000 votes in the company's affairs, and this agreement would give them a clear mijority, as well as prevent them from getting through their financial difficulties as well as they could. A PROPRIETOR handed in a protest from the in habitants of Fishguard against the proposed agree ment. Mr. DARER and another Proprietor briefly sup ported the views of the directors. The CLIAIRMAN said that there were very great EXHIBITION OF 1851. Her Majesty's Commissioners for the Exhibition of 1851 have taken into their consideration the question as to the hours during which the Exhibition should remain open, and have determined to adopt the following re gulations on the subject:— Her Majesty having been pleased to signify her inten tion of visiting tho exhibition on the occasion of its open ing on the Ist of May, the doors of the building will not be opened to the public on that day till one o'clock, at which hour the holders of season tickets will be ad mitted; and on that day the doors will not be closed until seven o'clock in the evening. On the two following days, Friday and Saturday, the doors will be opened at ten, and closed at six o'clock. On Monday, the sth of May, and each subsequent day, until further notice, the doors will be opened at ten o'clock, and closed at six o'clock, excepting on Satur days, on which day the doors will not be opened until twelve o'clock. At six o'clock in the evening, when the doors are shut, the stalls will be covered up, and the police will immediately proceed to close the barriers in the avenue and to clear the building. In case the Commissioners should find by experience that it is necessary to modify these regulations, either by the further limitation of the hours of admission, or by giving the public a longer time for visiting the Exhi bition, notice of such modification will be given. By order of her Majesty's Commissioners, J. SCOTT RUSSELL. STAFFORD 11. NORTHCOTE. Exhibition Building, Hyde-park, April 15, 1851. The rates of admission have been fixed by her Majes ty's Commissioners as follows: — Season tickets, 31. 3s. for gentleman's ticket, and 21. 2s. for lady's ticket, such tickets not being transferable, but entitling the owner to admission on all occasions on which the Exhibition is open to the public. That on the first day of the Exhibition season tickets only should be available. . _ _ hat on the second and third days the prices of ad mission should be 11. each. That on the fourth day the Exhibition should open at 55., and that the charge should be reduced to Is. on the twenty-second day of opening. That from the twenty second day the prices of admission should be as follows: On Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, Is.; on Friday, 2s. 6d.; and on Saturday, after one o'clock, till which hour the public should be excluded, ss. COURT CIRCULAR. The Queen and Prince Albert left town yesterday afternoon for Windsor Castle. Her Majesty and his Royal Highness quitted Buckingham Palace at twenty minutes before four o'clock, accompanied by their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, and the Princess Alice. Their Royal Highnesses Prince Alfred, Prince Ar thur, and the Princesses Helena and Louisa followed in another carriage. The Royal suite occupied three carriages,_F l id m c o a o c : li sisted of the Marchioness of Douro, on. M donald, Hon. Miss Seymour, Lord Byron, Lieut.-ss Captain the Hon. C. B. Phipps , Major - General Bowles, Hop. Joseph Denman, RN., Colonel Buckley, and Mr. Birch. Her Majesty and Prince Albert were conducted to their carriages by the Lord Chamberlain, Lord George Lennox, and Colonel Wylde. A detachment of the 16th Lancers formed the escort from Buckingham Palace to the Paddington terminus of the Great Western Railway, where a special train was in readiness. Her Majesty and the Prince, and the Royal party, took their departure by the train for Windsor. Lord and Lady John Russell left town yesterday morn ing for Pembroke Lodge, Richmond-park. Mr. Herbert , M.P. , had an i n t erv i ew w i th the Com missioners of Railways yesterday, at the office of the Board of Trade. Sir George Grey left town for his seat, Falloden, Northumberland, yesterday. Mr. H. A. Herbert, M.l'., bad an interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday, at his official ro sidence, Downing -street. The Earl and Countess Grey left town for Howick Hall, Northumberland, yesterday morning. The Right Hon. H enr y Labouohere left town yester day for Chiselhurst, Kent. Dispatches were received yesterday at the Colonial office, from tho Governors of the Mauritius and Labuan. Dispatches were also received from the Governor of Gibraltar. Dispatches wore sent off yesterday from the Colonial office to the Governors of the West India Islands. WINDSOR, WEDNESDAT ) APRIL 16. Her Majesty and Prince Albert, accompanied by their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred, the Princess R o y a l, t h e P r i ncesses Ali ce , H e lena, and Louisa, and Prince Arthur, aud attended by the AY! , r; chioness of d Douro, Lady in Waiting; the HonourHonourahln Misses Macdonald and Seymour, Maids of Waiting; Lord Byron, Capt. Hon. J. Denman Lieut.- Colonel Hon. C. B. Phipps, the Master of the byesH hold, Colonel Buckley, and Mr. Birch, arrived, special train, at the station of the Great Western Rail way this afternoon, from town. A guard of honour of the Foot Guards_ was , on duty in the railway station, and recei ved her nojebty with the usual honours. The Queen and Prince Albert, and the allg u s t t party, proceeded, in several of th e Ro y al carriages, to he Cas tle, where they arrive d at half-pastthisev Kent, the o'clock. The The Royal dinner circle, Royal Highness the Duchess_ of the L a dy in Waiting on the Duchess of Kent, and the Baroness do Speth. ALLEIET REMOVALS.—Smithfield market is to be removed, we know not where. But had Ferrand been re turned for Aylesbury, there is no doubt that Billingsgate would Iwo Bono to iVwtuainzter.—Punch. FRENCH PLAYS.—ST. JAMES'S THEATRE. Every lover of intellectual dramatic amusement, every one who can enjoy wit and poetfy and acti ng , will rejoice to hear that Mr. Mitchell has wain be come the impresario of the St. James's Theatre, and that he proposes to give a series of fifteen representa tions of French plays, commencing on Monday, April 28th, with Scribe's last new comedy, La Bataille des Dames, which was - produced at the Thelam Francais on the 17th of last month, and the success of which was triumphant: M. Regnier is engaged by Mr. Mitchell, and will perform his original character in the new comedy. Mdlle. Judith, of the Francais, is engaged, and will appear with M. Regnier in the same piece. The comedy will be followed by L'Amour et L' Areuglette ' in which Mdlle. Scrivarreck and M. Hy ac i n th e will appear. We are promised several of the Palais Royal drolleries, to embody which, in addition to Mdlle. Scrivarreck and M. Hyacinthe, Mdlle. Figeac, M. Levassor, Mdlle. Octave, Mdlle. Aline, and Rave), Ravel the incom parable, are engaged. Vt'e are also to have some of the light and pleasing vaudevilles of the Varietes, supported by Lafout and Mdlle. St. Marc, whilst for the legitimate drama, in addition to the artistes from the Theatre Francais. M. Reger and Mdlle.Bilhaut from the Odeon are engaged. The first few nights are to be devoted to comedy and vaudeville, and then we are to have a series from the repertoire of the Theatre du Palais Royal, or Theatre Montansier, as it is now termed. An engagement has been effected with Rachel, who makes her debut on the 2d of June, and hopes are held out that at the conclusioa of her en gagement, Bouffe or Frederic Lemaitre, or, as we hope, bath may appear. We are delighted to find Mr. Mitchell again in the field, and w e have no doubt but that the public will duly appreciate the exertions of one of the most enterprising, unOtaried, and judi cious caterers for their amusement. THE WARRINGTON MUIIIDER. LIVERPOOL, WEDNESDAY.—During the last four or five days a reprieve, as far as the female prisoner, Mar garet Lyons, is concerned, has been expected, in conse quence of the confession of her husband, thy` she had nothing to do with the murder of the deceased. On the female prisoner being made acquainted with the endea vours which were being made to commute the sentence in her case, she, for the first day or two, exhibited a restless anxiety to learn what her fate was to be; but DO communication having b een ma d e to h er up to the be ginning of the present week, she has, since Monday, been resigned to what she has considered the probability of the extreme sentence of the law being carried out against her. This morning, however, brought a respite from the Home-office, which was, of course, immediately communicated to the wretched woman, who, up to the time of its arrival, seemed to have given up all hopes of mercy. The document does not come in the ac tual form of a reprieve—it is b are l y a respite directed to the governor, and it is to the effect that the fe male prisoner is not to be executed until the go• vernor hears further from the Secretary of State. The respite was of course marked " by order of the Queen," and is consequent upon the representation for warded from the Rev. Mr. Marshall, the Roman Catholio priest to whom the male prisoner made his confession. It might reasonably have been expected that, on the intelligence being conveyed to the female prisoner that in her case the carrying out of the extreme sentence of the law was to be delayed, she would at once have ex hibited a prompt appreciation of the royal clemency; but this does not seem to be the fact, for, on the commu nication being made to her by Captain Caibbes, the go vernor of the gaol, she at first received it with a vacant indifference, as if she had given up all hopes of a re prieve, and become resigned to the fate which awaited her. It may, however, be said, as tending in some de gree to explain why the communication had so little effect upon her, that she, like her unhappy husband, la ex ceedingly ignorant, and it was some time before the governor was able to make her undersletaanrndindgishtionrc.ately. her altered position. Her first impulse, on tual situation, was to express, in rambling terms, her gra titude to the governor for what he had done for her, and e n , the governor telling her that he had no more to do with *he matter than communicating to her the Queen's command that she was not to be executed until further orders were received, and that she ought to be thankful to Al mighty God for it, she fell down on her knees, appa rently absorbed in deep feelings of gratitude. With re gard to her husband, the male prisoner, until within the last few days he has exhibited a kind of careless indiffirence to the awful situation in which ho is placed. Although he has often repeated his confession, inculpating himself, and, entirely exculpating his wife, he seemed to have been almost inaccessible to religious im pressions or spiritual consolation. Yesterday and to• day, however, a marked change for the better has taken place, and from his religious instructors we learn that ha is now keenly alive to the position in which he is placed, and the dreadful fate that awaits him. He fre quently dwells upon the enormity of his crime, fully ac knowledges the justice of his sentence, and says that he is quite ready to die. The execution is fixed for the 26th inst. THE LAWSHALL MURDER.—The execution of George Carnt, for the wilful murder of Elisabeth Bainbridge, at Lawshall, is fixed to take place on Tuesday next, the 223, it having been considered advisable to depart from the usual course of fixing these dreadful exhibitions for the market day, but the circumstance of its being the Easter holidays being probably overlooked. The culprit is in a most humble and submissive state of mind, his sorrow fbr the end of his victim and remorse for his crime appearing to out weigh his feelings on his own approaching end; and he evinces the greatest desire to learn the wav of repentance and forgiveness of sin. lie has made a full confession of his guilt, but the statement in the London papers is very incorrect. He did not state that the unfortunate woman refused to yield to his desires, and that the murder was (he consequence of her resistance. On the contrary, we_,believe, his statement to have been that they had been in company for several hours, and had exchanged the love-token y gund upon their persons; but, whilst walking' together, the deceased, snatched a knife out of the prisoner's waistcoat pocket, and, declaring that she could bear such a life no longer, made a motion as if to cut her throat. This the pri soner prevented, upon which she declared that she would drown herself, and rushed to the pond ; the prisoner followed, and in a phrenzy—for which he can no way account, except by saying that he was" full of beer" from the two days' club revelling—he admits that, in spite of her struggles and screams, he forced and held her down in the water till life was extinct, intending afterwards to destroy himself. Of what followed, in the state of madness to which he was ex cited, he had no recollection until he found himself again at the public-house, where he answered to the inquiries as to his condition, " The halter is fur my neck—the gallows is ray doom." We understand that an application is likely to be made to the Secretary of State for a remission of the capital punishment, on the three grounds of the absence af preine ditation of violence, which was distinctly negatived by the medical evidence, and of concealment of his crime, taking. the case out of the ordinary and most revolting feature of deliberate murder.—Bury Herald. EveryonedgntentE._congu Cook's ip complains of his memory, but nobody of his ju e being Company was held on Tuesday, Mr. describeddeclar declared, The annual meeting of the AmbroseGrandSßuoryrseoynn Canalthe as chair, when a dividend of V. 10* the same as that of last year. The reportnumber of pro gress of the company as satisfactory, the s T o h c e l C E.T om y 7± . t T tee he we ß re ev u . n G un . ini A o . u p sly: i e : r sharew the preceding year. eetumugnudaleemplyeetrineggreotf thatthe N h e a r t i THE NATIONAL Deni son has given notice of his intention to move the following ona Society : to jesty's Government continue disallow the equitable claim resolution . ,i!t thatth e this ensuingm of the me mbers of the Church of England, as set forth in the resolution of the annual meeting of this society, June 6, 1 849 ; that those founders of Ch urch schools who see fit to place the management of their schools solely the clergy man of the parish and the bishop ofthe • diocese' should not on that account, be excluded from State assistance towards the building of their schools." CONCENTRATION OF TROOPS IN AND AROUND LON DON. — NOtWithStand ing the pietended authoritative contra diction that was given in some quarters to the statement made about five weeks ago, that an additional regiment of cavalry would be added to the garrison at Woolwich during the time the Exhibition in Hyde-park was opes, that fact is now established beyond doubt, as the 17th Lancers will ar rive at Woolwich on the 29th and 30th of April and the let of May from Dublin. The regiment is about 360 strong, and is composed of six troops, ant i w ill marc h f rom Liverpool 4 th: Woolwich in detachment s o f t wo t roops , arr i v i ng here„or,'„ .lo three successive days above-mentioned. The troop ordered to Horse Artillery at present in the, West-square sergeants of the is s occupy the move to the East-square, and three troops t h b eo e ts's originallyvesiru " fr m ie p ie a n n st y t roost Marine space previously used for two troops. snw T o Loyal Marines in the Woolwich division, n co mmodation out ser geants, have been directed to look out for sc i will be required for of barracks, as their present quarters was part of the Roy l stationed at the Tower other troops. It is still expected, as that the Rifle Brigade will occuPY ci Marine Barracks ; and as there wet 0 ations are making de the P re n -P i a a r dditional troo Ei h for the whole, 400 of the Rifles will . of London. At all events Tower for the accommodation to be detached ' een Arsenal at Woolwich, which r on al sentries have bee h n w or il d l e r r e e q d u t i o re d ti o f d t ;_t t y o ? 4 the g ßo o t t ormed that it willbeda protection of the Ar 1 C sena • emmanding barracks for the prote . e f gunners of the Royal Artillery been in n il ecessary th : officers have also ally granted to the men of the Royal Artillery two men for each company, and that to absence usually ted te the restrict the leave of leave be only g ran t 1 ' m on Saturday or Sunday even ings,, n on ly o e even o clock at night. and then ASSAULT or Anus.—O n Mond a y C o l one l H a ll an d the o i n eer s of the Ist Life G uar d s i nvited a large and very hed party to • distinguished witness an assault of arms, in which rthe best fencers of the two regiments of Guards took part. , be di s play took pl ace at the Riding-house in the Regent's park Barracks, and the dexterity and grace of the different exercises gone through were the subject of general admira tion. Corporal-Major Limbert had the direction on the occasion, and not only distinguished himself in that respo.s; but also by the superior style in which he handled the hetell and single-stick. The performance combined sword excited exer cise, sabre fe a t s , an d a general melee, all of whichthe band of great interest. Added to the other attractions , the regiment was present. There are more victims to errors committed by' —Eliza Cook's Journal. society itself, than society supposes. NEWSPAPERS.—The number of newspaper stamps according to the issued in 1850 for England and Wales , t ea tot ,741,721 of Id., an nual return now published, 0 ,„ am:no:Aland e numbers are and 11,684,423 of 1 4 . d. For 0 , „ ... a and for Ireland, 7,643,045 of ld., and 241,26 4 f i t d. i The number of Lon -6,309,728 of ld., and 43,35 8 159, and the number of adver. don newspapers in 1850 was at the rate of Is. 6d., an amount tisements 891,650, yielding , The English p The Enrovincial news of duty equal to 66, 87 81 • f be number of advertisements being papers numbered 222, t of duty 6 5, 6 7 21 . 6 s. 6 d. In Scot land the number o f n 875,€31, and the amount of duty 65,6721. Ge. Gd. In Scot land the number of newspap ne wspapers was 110, the number of ea2ad vertisements - d the amount of duty 18,685/.lls. 6d. ' l4l, an p rs were 102 in number, and the adver tisements published The Irish newa Pa id e b them 236,128, giving an amount of duty, at the ra te of Is., equal to 11,5061. Bs. 1 ••• __. 2 Y•) eaY the let ay. II