The Sun. — London, England, 1845-10-20 00:00:00

THE CALEDONIAN CANAL. This important national undertaking, the first of its class in Europe, after much hesitation on the part of Government, is at length receiving the repairs and im provements so long desiderated, on a scale of magnitude which will go far to realise the designs originally con templated by the great Telford—an engineer Dumfries shire feels a just pride in claiming as a native. The object pressed on public attention in the end of last century, was to avoid, by inland navigation, the round about by the Pentland Frith, apart from the delays and dangers incident to a series of stormy headlands, Cape Wrath of the number, which either becalmed or drove vessels from their course during the storms of winter — hindrances in the estimation of mariners deemed more for midable than the gulph stretching between Europe and America. From the evidence collected by Mr. Walker, under this head, it appears that traders, in seeking shelter in sounds, or among distant islands, frequently lay idle for weeks or months ; and that more time, occas'onally at least, was consumed in completing a coasting voyage of 300 miles than in crossing the wide Atlantic, unaided by the Archimidean screw, or paddle wheels impelled by steam power. The first estimate of cost was under half a million ; but the price of provi sions mounted so rapidly during the war that much higher wages were paid to the workmen, and for mate rials, than originally contemplated; so that by the time the Canal was opened, in 1822, the total expense amounted to pretty nearly one million sterling. Ori ginally, it was intended that the width of the water surface should be 120 feet, the bottom width 50, and the depth 20, so as to admit the largest vessels that trade between Liverpool and the Baltic, West Indiamen of average size, and frigates of thirty two guns when fully equipped. But so much was said in Parliament against expense, estimates exceeded, jobbing, and so forth, that the engineer was constrained to complete the Canal in a hurried and insufficient manner, of which his professional zeal and better judg ment totally disapproved. That jobbing insinuates itself into the execution of too many Government works, can not well be denied ; and in Inverness-shire it is well known that certain contractors, in the absence of a proper system of checks, performed so superficially, that they became rich, by the accumulation of more money than Mr. Telford left at the time of his death, after planning not a few of the noblest monuments et British art, the Menai Bridge included, one of the modern wonders of the world. Still the engineer was not to blame, as the patronage of employing subordinates formed no part of his business. But so great a man could not escape envy, and the jealousy of rivals; and in a review of his posthumous works, published six years ago, we find the following justification of his memory:— " Our readers will readily conceive the mortification which Mr. Telford must have experienced when he found the nation and the Ministry arrayed against him ; and when he felt that the glory of executing the greateat work in Europe was to be turned into shame. His powerful mind, however, bore the affliction, and wisely yielded to what he could not avert. In his posthumous work even, he has forborne to give expres sion to his feelings; and has never deigned to make any reply to those attacks upon his professional character which igno rant legislators, and jealous rivals, founded on the excess of the real over the estimated expenditure. " In works of ordinary magnitude, where long practice has corrected our theoretical principles, and experience has gathered and recorded her knowledge, a great error in his estimates would justly weaken our confidence even in an able engineer; but the case is quite different in works dis tinguished for the novelty of their character and the gran deur of their dimensions. The mind is here thrown out of its sphere of knowledge. It has no previous experience to appeal to ; and, even if the records of engineering had pre sented some law of strength in relation to works of progres sive magnitude, the application of that law to a higher point •of the scale must yet be a conjecture; and still more so in combinations exposed to the variable, and insidious, and in calculable action of water and the elements. But the defence of Mr. Telford must not be rested on a speculative pleading. We must look into the estimates of more modern public works of inordinate magnitude, where the engineer has been led into the same miscalculation, and where he has been, by universal consent, permitted to plead the same excuse." But, thanks to Mr. Walker and his admirable report, matters have been placed on so different a footing, that jobbing will be totally disallowed, through the exertions of Mr. May, the excellent resident engineer, who, to professional knowledge, adds matured experience, and is so often abroad, that he supervises everything secun dem artern. The contractors, Messrs. Jackson an Bean, who are favourably known for their skill and experience in this department of engineering, have been allowed three years for the completion of tasks implying a large outlay of public money ; and, from the satisfactory progress already made, there is reason to hope that the Canal will be re-opened from sea to sea at the time ap pointed, unless there be departures in the form of extras, from the specifications. The total length of the Canal is sixty miles, twenty-three of which are formed by art, and the remainder by connecting, and rendering subser vient to commercial purposes, a great natural basin, enriched in one sense, as well as beautified by the ample waters of Lech Ness, Loch Oich, and Loch Lochy. On threading the locality lately, we found the bustle not only great, but curiously animated, beyond alike anticipation and description. The contractors employ from 1,500 to 1,800 men, according to circumstances, and pretty near 100 horses, to say nothing of the potent and complicated machinery impressed into the service they conduct, for the promotion of peaceful engineering purposes, infinitely more sensible than the ridiculous fortifications erected in Paris, half-way through the nineteenth century, at an expense of nearly fifteen mil lions sterling. One way and _another, the gentlemen named above disburse weekly in wages about 2,0001. sterling. Masons receive from a pound to a guinea, joiners fifteen shillings, and labourers from thirteen to fourteen shillings, all by the week. Another class of workers, who are called " dredgers," are paid still more handsomely—say a crown a day, which enables them to patronise roast beef and mutton, in preference to the porridge, potatoes, and barley broth of Caledonia. Strange as it may appear, there is scarcely a single Irishman in the squads of labourers employed ; of southrons there were a good many at first, remnants of whom still remain ; but in a national point of view it is satisfactory to know that the great hulk of the work is executed by the thews and sinews of Highlanders, from vari4 els quarters, including Skye, Mull, Lews, and some other islands. In the case of quarrymen, excavators, smiths, and lime-burners, &c ,portions of work are let by the job to subcontractors. That much local good is done by the circulation of so large a sum in wages can hardly be doubted, but the operators complain of the dearth of provisions, and in the case of oatmeal they are entitled to do so. This,article is retailed at 2s. Bd. per stone of 171 lbs. is pretty nearly double the prices current in "the south of Scotland. Butter is re tailed at Is. per lb., and eggs at fivepence per dozen, with every prospect of the latter rising in price, from the great influx of strangers into districts where sheep form the great staple, while the few other products the soil yields, grain included, scarcely suffice for the wants of the natives. Potatoes, however, are everywhere healthy, and in wild situations grown in greater breadth than anything else ; and in proportion as they ripen, will be substituted for meal in suppering, if not break fasting many a hard-working labourer. Fresh herrings have been so pl e ntif u l, t h at t h ey are somet i mes so ld a t from 20 to 24 f.ir sixpence ; and truth to say, there is no fish the wat‘ rs float, whether fresh or salt, which forms so admirable an aecompin)ncent to a meally potato. At the I ;anal entrance to Loch Lochy, we observed a diving; bell, which is to be used, we presume, for the first time, in deepening fresh water in a Highland lake. Judging from what pceurred at Loch Oich, there are ob structicns below not a little formidable, such as the trunks of trees containing several loads of timber. Bow long these relics of primeval forests had re mained submerged it is impossible to tell ; but what is not a little curious, some of the most gigantic specimens formerly excavated exhibited at once traces of the woodman's axe and the agency of fire com bined. As all water ways are subject to leakage during dry weather, the precaution has been adopted, of lining the embankments with clay (pudding), so that hereafter surface waste may be confined to ex halation. Dredging is another great job, and as regards deepening, the most important of all ; and few operations can be more amusing than to see barrowmen ascending .planks rivalling in steepness the knees of hills, aided by the power of horses above, so har nessed as to work double tides, going and returning. Wherever gaps appear in the canal, the streams have been shut out by mounds of earth, to be removed when the water is again required for purposes more im portant than feeding fishes. Three steam-engines are at work occasionally in pumping, which discharge into Loch Ness as much water as would give a twelve gal lon supply daily to every inhabitant of the great city of London. For moving the huge blocks of stone used in the quoins and new buildings, setting frames with an apparatus of cranes, fixed and move able, windlasses, &c., were months ago placed in orderly requisition ; quarries, too, have been opened at convenient distances ; side railroads planted to convey the hugest stones in wheeled trucks to the re quisite stations • and, in a word, all our great modern inventions found not only beautifully blended, but bear ing most beneficially upon one another iu the renovation and,more perfect execution of a great national under taking. Where the hinge stones at the different locks were found too weak, larger ones have been substituted; and as most of the doors have suffered so much from tear and wear that they require to be renewed, the country was searched in vain for oak of the necessary dimensions, with the exception of park trees, which the owners will not cut. But wherever the will exists there is also a way ; and we were pleased to find that Indian teak is to be used instead ; and eke goodly mahogany from Honduras, which, in our estimation, will subserve purposes every way more important than gearing the dining tables of the highest in the land. Before tho general introduction of steam navigation, the passage by the canal was tedious for sail vessels when the wind was contrary. But when four steam tugs are placed upon its waters, that objection will be entirely obviated ; and then, we should suppose, adieu to circuitous navigation by the Pentland Frith. This circumstance, of itself, formed a cogent argument for the expenditure of an additional 200,0001. on the part of Government. And another and still stronger will arise, when the no r th o f S cot l an d to the shores of the Frith of Forth, is railroaded in its . whole length and breadth. That such a consummation is not far in the distance, is proved by the speculations in posse and esse ; and when the whole arrangements contemplated are completed, canaling and railroadin g drawn a common cent re , w ill be found acting and re -acting to benefi cially upon one an o th er .— ,D umfries b eautifully and umfries Courier. ------=—_—_ ADVERITSEMENT.] —An Extraordinar Y Cure of a &teased Knee of Ten Years' St an di ng, by Holloway's Pills and Ointment !—Mr. Edward Perryns, residi ng at o Fargate-street, Worcester, is now cured of an ab scess on. .114, knee and a stiff joint, which had been bad for ten years, indeed, ever since he WAS fourteen, He had lost from 'the knee joint several pieces of bone, one being two inches in length. He bad been under the most eminent of the faculty in Worcester, and at last was told that his leg must be amputated, as a ixtre was quite impossible! A perfect cure has been effected in this hopeless case by these wonderful medicines. Sold by all Amiga and by the proprietor, 244, Stand, London, THE SUN, LONDON MONDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 20, 1845 GREAT SEA SERPENT. The following account, duly authenticated, as will be 1 , seen, we copy from the last number of the !Woonsocket (R. I.) Patriot. The statement of Captain Powers we give velbatim. It was sent to the Woonsocket paper by Mr. C. D. Byron, who dates his letter, Newport, September 8. The day on which it was seen was the Monday previuus (September 1), NI hile the ship (the Albatross) was becalmed off Stonington, Ct., about five miles off land. We would not ridicule these researches into natural history ; but we must say that this story is long, tough, and hard to swallow. If true, however, it shows that antiquity cannot begin to compare with modern times. Hydrargog Sillimanii was not a circum stance to the Genus Stoningtonii. We copy from the Woonsocket Patriot. Any hats that may follow are due at that office. " The wind during the day had been light from the N.E., and at about half-past two p.m., while almost be calmed, one of the men who had gone aloft discovered him about one point off the lee bow, distant quarter of a mile. I immediately went aloft, taking with me an ex cellent sea-glass, and stationed myself on the maintop gallant crosstrees. As he neared the vessel, I was enabled, from my elevated position, to observe the peculiarity of his shape, and to reconnoitre all his move ments. When first seen he was lying on the surface of the water, with his head and nearly the entire length of his body in sight. In this position he remained for about fifteen minutes, without any apparent motion, though from his gradual proximity to the vessel, it is evident he must have been under some headway. After this, he slowly changed his course, so as to bring his body athwart our bows, and again appeared to remain station ary, until by the ourrent, and slight puffs of wind, we had drifted silently into his immediate neighbourhood. " The sea being unusually smooth and clear, the view which was now afforded could not well have been better, and the opportunity to enjoy it was eagerly embraced by all hands. I should think his length could not have fallen far short of 70 feet. The head appeared to be such the largest and most formidable part, and was of an oval shape. The end of the upper jaw appeared to be square, and very blunt; that of the under part was not much dissimilar in shape to that of the ordinary snake. About ten feet from the extreme point of the head, and on either side, was located a thin apron or ear of flesh, of about four feet in length and one in width. Directly in rear, and just below, appeared a large full, orbed eye, of a dark colour, with an elongate horizontal pupil, surrounded by a white outline. Under the throat and about on a line with the eye, appeared two enormous fins or flippers, which seemed to be his main dependence in giving headlong motion to the huge mass of living flesh which lay behind them. About eight or ten feet still farther back, and near the surface of the water, two other fins became visible ; these were about six feet long, rather narrow, and quite thin. They lay horizontally on the water, and were occasionally moved to and from the side with a sculling motion. This circumstance led to the conjecture that they might have been designed as material aids in turning the body to the right or left. The ridge of the back was considerably notched, and at equi-distances of two or three feet, sharp transparent protuberances, of a vermillion colour, ap peared, to the number of fifteen ; after which the back became smooth as far as discoverable. These points or horns were about eight inches long, starting with a dia meter of perhaps four inches, and gradually tapering to an extreme point. It is not impossible this singular ar rangement may have been wisely ordained to serve as weapons of self-defence. The termination of the body was quite small, ending with a callous or bony projec tion, about four feet in length, and nearly white. " The entire body appeared to be shielded in a com plete ' coat of mail,' of a dark brown hue, divided into regular joints, passing around the body, which were slightly opened and shut by the motion occasioned when lying head to the sea.' This singular exterior covering would undoubtedly present an invulnerable barrier against the attack of any aquatic enemy who might chance to seek the citadel of his life. Its ex treme inflexibility was thoroughly tested before we parted company, by several well-directed shots of a rifle, which left no visible impression whatever, and did not seem to disturb his equilibrium even the slightest de gree. " At about half past three we were so contigious to each other, that fears began to be entertained for the safety of the vessel. I came don n from aloft, and or dered the sweeps to be put out, to get steer-way" on her, in order to avoid a collision, as he was then lying broadside to' just under the bow. At this critical juncture a scene of confusion and alarm occurred which can only be imperfectly described. The oars were scarcely in the water when a terrible commotion was heard directly under the forefoot.' I jumped forward at once to the staysail 'lettings, and looking down, could see nothing but one complete caul dron of bubbling and boiling foam, as white as unstained snow. Whether the serpent had taken alarm at discovering his proximity to the vessel, or from the noise made by the oars as they were dropped into the water, I could not tell. In another instant the commotion ceased, and the monster breached from the water head foremost, coming up in nearly a perpendicu lar line, until his head struck the martingale with such force as to part the guys, and carry away the flying jib boom near the boom-iron. The concussion was so se vere that the whole ship trembled beneath it, and the countenance of every man on board was blanched with fear. Had I not been holding on to the foretopmast stay at the time, I should doubtlessly have fallen over board. Immediately after this he slowly settled away, and entirely disappeared from sight. " It being now about four o'clock, and the wind be ginning to set in from the southward and eastward, we hauled our tacks ' aboard, sheeted home' the topsails, and gathering headway on the ship, stood in for the land. Nothing more was seen of the leviathan, though every eye on board long and in tently searched for his whereabouts. Whether this strange inhabitant of the deep is the same which had been so often seen and described by others, or is some new ♦isitor in our waters, I have no means of knowing. I can only say that its appearance was novel and interesting in the highest degree, and differed en tirely in its construction, size, and colour, from any tenant of the deep which ever came under my observa tion, during a nautical life of 25 years.—JAßEZ POWERS." —New York Tribune. DISEASE OF THE POTATO IN BELGIUM AND ENGLAND. At this moment, when the disease of the potato in various districts in England seems to be rapidly spread ing, the following paper on the subject will be read with extreme interest : A general disease, as our readers are perhaps aware, has attacked the potatoes in Belgium, and it seems that the crop of that first-rate necessary esculent is very seriously endangered in that country. The disease is said to threaten also the potato crop in certain parts of France. We republish, therefore, the advice which M. Morren, professor of Agriculture in the University of Liege, has addressed to the public, in a letter in the Independence, a Brussels paper. M. Morren, after saying that the evil had prevailed in Belgium for several years, though to a less alarming degree, proceeds The real cause of the evil is a fungus, or sort of mushroom, a mouldering which the learned will classify under their genus botrydis, but which agriculturists, or without further specification, will call a spot, a blemish, blotches, and which they will attribute, some to humidity, and some to dryness—some to a bad wind come from France, and some t.) insects. It is not, however, matter of indifference to know the true cause of the pheno menon, for that knowledge will put us in the way of diminshing or destroying the evil, if it is possible. "For some time I have been following, day by day, and step by step, the progress of the evil, by keeping my observation fi xe d on some po t a t o fi e ld s. T he disease decidedly begins with the leaves, and at the top of the leaves; I have even seen the flowers and fruit attacked first. A part of the green tissue, however, loses its hue and quickly turns to yellow; the spot soon becomes more grey at the bottom, and it is always at the lower surface of the leaf, or on the fruit that a whitish down makes its appearance the next day or the day but one after the formation of the yellow spot. By applying the micro scope, you then see that this down proceds f rom a fungus or mushroom, that is fructifying amids the numerous hairs that cover the inner side of the leaf of the potato. " This mushroom is of the same tenuity, but it breeds amazingly, and reproduces itself by thousands. Its stems are formed of little straight hollow threads, which bear on their summits one or more branches always di vided into two, and at the end of these branches repro ductive bodies are found, which have the form of eggs , but which have the form of a millimetre, in size, and even less. It will be said that this is a very small body to do so much mischief, but I answer that the itch is not a disease less to be feared, because the aware which pro duces it can be seen only by the aid of the microscope. " After the formation of the yellow spot, and the development of the botrydis on the leaf of the potato, the stalk receives the deleterious influence. Here and there its epidermis turns brown, and blackens, and following with the microscope the phase of the evil, you p erce i ve t h at i t i s b y t h e r i n d t h a t th e stalk is attacked. The mor bid agent carr i es i ts ac ti on f r om the rind on to the epidermis, and though the epidermis does not always disclose mushrooms, it is not the less for that struck with death. Who ever h as any not i ons o f vege table physiology will easily understand these effects. The sap modified int o li v i ng j u i ces, into vegetable blood, is formed in the leaf, whence it descends by the rind into the stem and the root. Here this sap is diseased, it carries death ; it bears the poison of the leaf to the stem, and the latter perishes. Indeed, as soon as the black spots show themselves on the stems, the leaves dry up and die ; they fall to the ground propagating, unfortu nately, the source of the evil, or depositing its germs in the earth. I shall presently point out means of stopping this fatal communication. "The infection soon descends into the tubercule it self. If the disease follows its course, the tubercule mortifies forthwith. A potato is not a root but a real branch, whence it follows that a tubercule contains a marrow, which is the eatable part to be preferred, and a separate rind i between the marrow and the rind there is a zone of vessels, which represent wood. This construction is apparent to any one who chooses to cut a thin slice of potatoe, and place it between his eye and daylight. The infection attacks that part which receives the sap on its descent that part by which the morbid agent has itself come down. When a potato is attacked, you perceive a series of livid, brown, or yellow spots, sometimes grey and blackish, and the series extends over the whole of the ligneous zone. By following the progress of the evil upon a great number of tainted tubercules, I have been able to see how the evil, by one continuous progress, at length reaches the heart itself of the potato, and under t e knife, a flatulent' liquid d cor rupts the vegetable entirely. The skin of the diseased potato ornnes off easily ; the flesh arandustrreosoernntsl. no longer cracks Yrea c n en an tl i y ma c l u s t rar l ls , analogous to the from the potato, s a m m e u ll st o y i occasions considerable nausea. The veryitself, and animals re fuse to eat of a food that may be considered as hurtful as deleterious mushrooms themselves. " As soon as the inside of the potato', has mortified, • three days at the utmost are sufficient for the botrydis to make its way to the exterior. The white efflorescence shows itself in the eyes of the tubercules, and then it spreads itself like little white fleeces upon the surface that is roundish at first, but which finishes by invading the whole of the tubercule ; then the potatoe is alto gether destroyed. " The evil being traced to its source, the cultivator must direct his attention to the destruction of the fungus or mushroom, for it is unfortunately but too true that all the parasites of this genus once introduced into a country, remain there and propagate. This year the epidemy has been general ; the germs that exist every where ; thousands and thousands of propagules, if their numbers are not diminished by times, will next year be attacking the plants, and it will then be more difficult than ever to eradicate the scourge. " It is essential to adopt the following precautions : " 1. When, then, the leaves are decidedly spoilt, cut them down forthwith and burn them on the spot, in stead of taking them away. The ashes may serve to be scattered on the soil. In collecting them, shake them as little as possible. I have seen with regret cultivators cut down the diseased leaves and keep them in heaps on the field, or throw them over the hedges. It is preserv ing the scourge for the following year. " 2dly. When certain varieties or certain localities are free from the scourge, at the time of the harvest, it is always prudent to burn the leaves, for a field may appear secure from the botrydis when it is not so ; se veral leaves are attacked ; these leaves throw the pro pagules on to the tubercules which, being preserved for purposes of reproduction, will spread the plant the follow ing year. " 3dly. If the tubercules themselves are attacked, it is essential to take them out of the earth, and to speedily choose amongst them, which is an easy pro ceeding, for habit soon enables one to distinguish be tween the tubercles that are tainted and those that are not. The tubercules that are still sound must be turned to account as soon as possible, for they are not noxious so long as the rind does not become yellow. The smell alone is sufficient to indicate the development of the disease. The diseased tubercules must be burnt. " 4thly. In order to obviate the disastrous conse quences of a scanty harvest, it would be important to adopt in our country the practice now prevalent in Scot land of cultivating potatoes during winter. " sthly. As it ►s infinitely probable that the tuber cules which will be preserved for putting in the ground will be infected with the spawn of the mushroom, it would be advisable, by means of the Government or in the course of commerce, or i❑ some way or another, that our cultivators should have at their dispssal for re cro3uction tubercules perfectly pure and non-infected, and in that respect the potatoes of Pennsylvania or of Ireland would suit us extremely. The present scourge is unknown in these two countries. You must be aware of the German potatoes, in which the high gangrene, the crispure, and the ulceration of the tubercules are but too apparent. The occasion of the proposed importation on a large scale should be seized to introduce into our country the varieties the most useful to our soil. 6thly. Should the agriculturists persist in using for re-production he tubercles harvested in the country this year, it will bt necessary to submit the tubercles to the agency of lime, as is practised with wheat, barley, oats, and all plants chat are liable to the invasion of parasiti cal bodies. Tale process ought to be by the immersion of the tubercles, because a study of the botrydis shows that it is the eye of the pototo, a point that is most often sunken in, that is attacked. The lime-water should, therefore, bathe this lethiferous eye; 25 kilogrammes (50 lbs.) of lime, a quarter of a pound of sulphate of copper, and three kilogrammes (6 lbs.) of marine salt, for twenty-five liters (quarts) of water, constitute a pre paration, the utility of which in the destruction of para site plants has been recognised by a great number of well nformed cultivators. " ithly. In the plantations, whether of the winter of 1845 or of the spring of 1846, it is essential to plant with potatoes only such districts as are as far as pos• sible removed from the districts annually infected; for it is clear that the chance of transmission by the pre servation in the soil of the spawn of the mushrooms is much greater in plantations that are close to each other than when the plantations are at a greater distance. " Bthly. When M. de Martins visited Belgium and investigated, in our different provi❑ces, the state of our potatoes, he informed me, in one of his interest• ing conversations, that the cultivators on the banks of the Rhine had observed that the dry gangrene attacked oftener the potatoes planted in the afternoon than those planted in the morning, and he explained the phenomenon by a very simple fact. When the sun has passed the meridian, the heat of the coatings of air is at its maximum; this heat accelerates the vitality of the plants; their propagales float about more easily in a dilated air; the insects, in their flight, disperse more easily a mass of little bodies of which the atmosphere is the vehiculum, and the dissemination of these germs is then at its maximum too. The cultivator is then in the very midst of this atmosphere, and the potato which he is planting has to go through it too ; the potato gathers on to it the spawn, which is thus sown with it, and there then happens to the potato, what happens to the corn that has not been submitted to the action of lime-water—namely, that the poison grows with the plant, and at a later period attacks it and kills it. Cultivators, consequently, would do well to plant their potatoes in the morning. " 9thly. The use of lime and of marine salt with a slight mixture of sulphate of copper, is, as I have already said, of acknowledged efficacy in the destruction of the germs of parasite plants. Consequently, to powder over with such a mixture a soil that has been planted with diseased potatoes, is a good operation for destroying in that land the germ of the scourge. The operation ought to be strongly recommended everywhere. " 10thly. The preserving of the potatoes that shall have escaped the scourge this year, in caves, cellars, &c., will certainly be to deposit the spawn of the mushroom in those very places. The cellars must be thoroughly cleaned, and scoured with lime, which will destroy the spawn, and then scattering lime or ground coal on the soil where the tubercles have been spread, will conclude the series of operations, the most rational and the most certain for destroying, if it is possible, the evil at its root. " CH. MORREN, " Member of the Royal Academy of Sciences, &c., &c. " Leige, Aug. 18, 1845." THE CROPS IN THE UNITED STATES. The season has so far advanced, that we are able to cropseak with tthe whole confi dence, because most of the crops have been h arves t e d. can . w country. s no First, as to the great northern staple, whe a t. Th e take a genera l vir u r e v e) of the speak crop is undoubtedly a large one, more than an average, and it has been secured in excellent condition. This is the tenor of advices from all quarters. Even in Ohio, where the wheat crop is probably less than an average, the wheat is very clean and the berry very white. We hear neither of rust nor smut. Though the farmers have lost in quantity they have undoubedly gained in quality. In Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and lowa, the wheat crop is magnificent. Everything has been favourable, So likewise, we understand, is the wheat crop in Pennsylvania. In Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, and Georgia, it has been effected by the drought, some say so seriously as to shrivel the berry. In Tennessee, Kentucky, and Missouri, the crop is a noble one. In New England and New York it is pro bably less than an average. The hay crop is remarkably light in nearly every State in the Union. From all sections, the complaint is almost universal that hay is very light. This is par ticularly the case in New England, New York, and Ohio. Further west, and in Michigan, we hear of a heavy crop of hay, but it is not to be disguised that the hay crop is shorter now than it has been in many years. The protracted spring drought stunted it, and the in tense summer drought nearly killed it. The farmer will have to make up his deficiency of fodder by an in creased sowing of late root crops. Rye, oats, and barley, are a fair crop, but not a heavy one. Like grass, they have suffered from the drought. The corn crop is now ripening; it is therefore impos sible to speak conclusive; but it seems to be the general impression that it will be less than an average crop, ex cept in the Western States, where the drought has not been so severe. Yet it is acknowledged that the quality is uncommonly fine. Potatoes are of an excellent quality, and though here and there there may be a failure, we shall have our usual abundance of one of the finest and most whole some vegetables ever cultivated for man. The rot has got into it in some sections, but this is not so general as it ss c a u s r s a il s r v t y e e y a r. would not be complete unless we said a few words about the great crop of the South—cotton, rice, tobacco, and sugar. The cotton crop will be a heavy one —probably reach 2,500,000 bales. In South C arolina and Georgia, the intense drought has.red uce d i t some, but this deficiency will Thebe more e cc t o crop litkanstiedby Mississippi and Arkansas. light in Virginia, and in North and South Carolina, but heavy in Kentucky and Mis souri, and we think the whole supply will be a full average. Rice, which is mostly raised in South Carolina, will not be a full crop. If we are to believ e the papers of that State, the drought has burned up everything almost like a blast of fire, but these effects are probably ex aggerated, as the sufferings of heat make it seem more intolerable than it really is. be a splendid one. Th e culture in extending beyond all former example The Lou It is so much more profitable than raising cotton, t h at . sugar siana crop iis will the cotton planters are rushing into it. The last year's crop was 200,000,000 of pounds—by far the largest ever before raised in this country. The next may reach 250,000,000 pounds. There is yet a large roo m f or in crease, as the consumption in the United States is allout 500,000,000. In this connexion we can very properly speak of the crops of Texas, which are uncommonly good. Cott on , sugar, corn, an d w h ea t, are a ll fi ne . There is a glorious abundance of everything for sustenance or comfort. As that country may now be considered a part of our Union, its prosperity will be chronicled with as much interest as that of its sister States.—Albany Argus. LEITH.-GREAT FLIGHT OF BIRDS.—The Mary, Captain Small, from Rotterdam, which arrived here a few days ago, encountered a severe gale off the land on her passage home and during its continuance an immense number of small birds boarded the vessel, covering the rigging and uttering wild.. cries, as evidently glad of the shelter from the great wind which had driven them so far to sca. Safe from one disaster, th ey soon were overtaken by another in the shape of a large hawk, t' sat pounced upon the timid songsters and killed several of them be fore he could be secured. A number have been brought home, dead and alive, consisting of nearly all the variety of our Eur. vean songsters. The hawk is perfectly tame, and a great favourite t t rrith the crew of the Mary.-Bcotsman. FRENCH RAILWAYS and ENGLISH CONTRACTORS. Some months since we stated the particulars of a dis puted claim which had been set up by the authorities of the city of Rouen for the levying of a sort of municipal toll or tax upon all material included in a certain schedul,e the terms of the municipal regulation im posing the tax being as follows:—" That every person who shall gather, prepare, or manufacture (qui recolte, prepare ou fizbrique), within the limits over which the (o. t •oi) city toll extends, is bound, under pain of con fiscation of the articles gathered, prepared, or manu factured (recoltes, prepares ou fabriques), as well as of a penalty of from 100 to 200 francs, to make a declaration of the same, and to pay the taxes thereupon." Now it appears that amongst the articles enumerated in the schedule affixed to the above regulation are included two kinds of stone, known by the distinctive appellations of moellons and bizets. Moellon signifies a rough sort of boulder stone, and Liza a stone of rough blackish hue and of similar character, and both are used in the em bankments of railways just to they are dug up with the earth, without the slightest employment of any labour in their fashion or shape ; so that they can scarcely be said to be prepares, or prepared. This was the question at issue between the city authorities and Messrs. Mackenzie and Brassey, the contractors of the earth works of the Rouen and Havre Railway. The minutes of the proceedings which originally were commenced before the local tribunal at Rouen, show the facts of the case to be as follows :—That, on the 16th of May last, the officers of the city tolls saw a certain number of waggons containing moellons et bizets travel ling on the line of railway then in course of construction, and coming out of the tunnel which is under and within the city of Rouen, and so proceed from the interior to the commune or district beyond and without the bounda ries of the said city. The fact is, that the line of rail way runs by a tunnel under the city of Rouen, and, after leaving the tunnel, it is carried forward on an embank ment, and the moellons et bizets are nothing more than the interior stones of a certain size, which, being dug out with the earthwork, are heaped pell-mell into the wag gons, and sent forward to furnish material for the em bankment. It was urged, on the part of the city, that the stones were, there could be no doubt, included in the tariff, and subject to a duty or toll to the city of 70 centimes per stere. On the other hand, it was urged that these moellons et bizets found on the waggons could not be con templated by the tariff, since, in their actual condition, they were only rubbish, misshapen unhewn masses, and, in fact, were stone and flint, dug out from the excavation in the railway, and because in that state they were, in fact, only fit for making embankments on another part of the rail way, where they were being carried at the time, as we should say, laid in the declaration; and that this destination, the only one for which they were calculated, should protect them from the opera:ion of the law in question. The argument that there bad been no labour bestowed upon them was met by the single fact of labour being employed in their excavation, and that the stones in question might have been used for building purposes in their then condition. It was in vain that the defendants again urged that the terms of the article imposing the duty did not apply—that the stones in question were neither recolles prepares ou fabriques ; for the Court de sired it to be understood that the article was in tended to include, tout creation, without exception, every production from the interior of objects sus ceptible of being subjected to the droit d'entree. In vain Messrs. Mackenzie and Brassey declare that they only intended to employ these stones in the aforesaid embankment, and that they had no inten tion of employing them for building purposes—had they so used them, they would confess the justice of the case, but the Court would hear no plea of the sort, and pronounced the contractors guilty. The decision (dis engaging the question from the mass of legal quibbling which surrounds it) appears to us an absurdity. In nar rating the circumstances of the case we have mentioned that the case first came on before the tribunal at Rouen on the 12th of June, 1845. On the 18th of July, again, an appeal was lodged before the Court at Rouen, and the final decision was, through another appeal to the Court of Cassation, on the third of this month. The costs fell ,on the contractors—Railway Record._ THE COAST OF TEXAS. The annexation of Texas extends our maritime frontier about three hundred and fifty miles south• west from the mouth of the Sabine. The pass over the Sabine Bar is nine feet deep ; but, about fifty five miles south-westerly from this bar is the entrance to Galveston bay, over the bar of which twelve feet can be carried. There is another entrance to this bay about thirty miles further, at the south-western end of Galveston island, called the San Luis or west ern pass, over which ten feet of water can be carried. These passes constitute the connexion with the gulf of several small rivers, the largest of vi hich is the Trinity, which enters into the upper end of Galveston bay, at a place called Anahuac. The next bar of consequence upon this coast is the pass of Caballo, over which eleven feet of water can be carried. This pass opens a communication between the gulf and Espiritu Santa and Matagorda bays. Into these bays many rivers enter from the interior of the country, the principal of which are the Colorado, the Guade loupe, and the Sas Antonio. The Nueces enters the gulf at the south-western extremity of Espiritu Santa bay ; but its connexion with the gulf is obstructed by a bar, over which not more than four feet of water can be carried. Should, however, future investigations exhibit a good connexion, inland, between the Nueces and Espiritu Santa Bay, then the trade of that river can avail itself of the deeper water of the Caballo pass. From the mouth of the Nueces, called Corpus Christi pass, there is a long bay parallel to the coast, extending due o uthsouthabout extremity, one hundred to miles, approaching, at its within ten mile s o f th e mou th of southern the Rio del Norte. The Rio del Norte is the great river of Texas, forming its western bound ar y, an d ex t en di ng through 14 deg. of latitude. Its course is north-westerly from its mouth, making the longitude of its head waters about 12 degrees west of that of its connexion with the gulf of Mexico. Its total length is about 1,200 alreadyconnectsnavigated by steam itself with the gulf b m o i a le ts s, as an h d igh it as h L a s o r been edo. It by a bold current, and without the i n t ervent i on o f a b ay ; but the connexion is not deep. Th e b ay , h owever , which we have just de scri bed as appro ac hi ng w ithi n t en miles of the mouth of the i Rio del N or t e , i s spo k en o f as having a deep bar at its southern. extremity, called the Brasos Santiago. Should this be the case, there would probably be no great difficulty in turning the Rio del Norte into this bay, and thus, by the aid of its waters, forming one of the best entrances from the gulf upon that coast, through the pass of Brasos San tiago. These views of the coast of Texas present three important points—the Galveston pass, the Caballo pass, and the pass of Brasos Santiago, which will probably have to be fortified. — Washznpion Union. NEGLECT of a VALUABLE ENDOW -• - - MENT. A correspondent of the Perthshire Adve?ti,,er gives the following curious history regarding an endowment left for the maintenance of a school and library at Inner paffay, near Crieff, and whichhas now been alienated from its original destination :—" This ancient mortifica tion was founded by David, Lord Madderty, sometime prior to 1680. His Lordship, who died in 1681, left a testament, whereby he mortified the sum of five thousand merks, owing to him on heritable bonds by John Haldane, of Gleneagles, to maintain and support an institution for the benefit and encouragement of young students, and the education of youth, in all time to come. His Lordship was succeeded in the Barony of Inner paffray by his nephew, William, Viscount 01 Strathallan, who most generously fulfilled his intention of n3ortif)ing the 5,000 merks for the maintenance of the library and school for ever. The trustees then appointed for the mortification were—lst, Lord Strathallan and his heirs ; - 2d, Lord John Carmichael and his heirs ; and 3d, John Haldane and his heirs. Lord Strathallan died in 1748, and was succeeded in his lands and Barony of Innerpaffray by his great-grandson, Robert Henry Drummond, Ara bishop of York. In 1787 his son succeeded to the said lands and barony, and to the title and estates of the Earldom of Kin noul. He died in 1804, and was succeeded by his son, the present Earl, who is thus sole patron, and one of the trustees of the mortification. The other trustees are Sir Wyndham Carmichael Anstruther, Baronet, the descendant of John Lord Carmichael ; and the Earl of Camperdown, the representative of John Haldane, of Gleneagles. During the lifetime of the arch bishop, it is understood that the affairs of the in stitution were administered with much care ; he made large donations of books in the library, and he and his co-trustees interpreted and re corded their meaning of the term country,' in the deed of mortification, to be the dis trict comprehended by the Presbytery of Auchterar der, and the library was accordingly thrown open to all persons, irrespective of rank, age, or sex, living within the bounds of that territory. It is from the period of his death, in 1789, that the decadence of the institution may be reckoned. About this time a subscription was set on foot for purposes connected with the library, with the precise object and result of which we are unacquainted. Shortly afterwards a sum Of 2221.45. sd. sterling appears at credit in the hands of the patron beyond the amount of the money secured by the heritable bond. But this sum, which arose in the course of the management, was not applied to the ordinary purposes of the mor tification. It was lent to Lord Kinnoul, who granted his bill for the amount, bearing interest from December, 1789. It is on the accumulations of this sum and that originally mortified that 8,000/., now at the credit of the institution, has arisen. At the present time, and for many years back, the institution has not been in a state to answer any of the purposes of its noble founder. The interest—nay, the right—of the inhabitants, and the interest and honour of the noble patron, combine not merely to bring back the institution to its ancient efficiency, but to give it that greatly enlarged scope of usefulness which its increased means will afford. How this is to be accomplished it is not for us to sa y . That the nobl e p a t ron i s the debtor in the sum mortified, and the holder of the accumulated produce of the en dowment, can make no difference in his views on this important matter. Were we to advise, therefore, we should say to the inhabitants, wait on his lordship, recall to his memory the insti tution, and respectfully solicit his co-operation in reviving may anripddsihmproving it.' We have no doubt that t he result will be e veryt hi ng that the peop l e c an wish. If his lo patronage desire andto divide trusteeship,the responsibility mixed u p, as t hesattend antthese on his certainly are with the possession of the funds, Sir Wynd ham Carmichael Anstruther and Lord Camperdown may be induced to diminish that responsibility by sharing it with him." Brentwood fair, on Wednesday, was well supplied with cattle, and a large number were sold at rather high prices. Scotch beasts were not so numerous as usual, nor was the horse fair so largely supplied as in frmer years.— Chelms ford Chronicle. VARIATIONS IN THE VALUE OF RAILWAY I ROPERTY. The fluctuations which take place in the value of railway property. are often the subject of remark. In no other description of joint-stock shares do equally sudden and extensive changes occur. Most persons who have paid any attention to what is passing in the railway world are aware of the high prices of several of the leading lines, as compared with what they were in 1843. In that year the Great Western shares of 801. were as low as 11 premium; lately they were 140. In the same year the Great North of England 100/. shares were scarcely saleable at 40 discount; a few months ago they were 150 premium. The Midland Counties 1001. shares were, little more than two years since, at 35 discount; they were lately at 90 premium. But a greater increase than in either of the instances we have mentioned has taken place in the shares of the Dublin and Kingstown Railway. Little more than twenty months ago, the 1001. shares were selling at 75/., being 25 discount. Seven or eight weeks since they brought 250/., being 150 pre mium. But still greater than these have been the varia tions, considering the amount paid, which have taken place in the value of some of our new lines. The Goole, Pontefract, and Wakefield share=, on which a deposit of 21. 10s. has been paid, and which remained stationary for many weeks at a premium of from 141. to 161., have recently mounted up to 40/. Even this sudden and extensive rise, however, is surpassed by that which lately took place in a new line which is scarcely known in this country—we allude to a Scotch line, called the Glasgow and Barrhead Railway. The shares in this line were selling, six or seven weeks ago, at 61., in cluding the deposit of 2/. 10s. ; they rose in a very short time to 24/., and then as suddenly fell back to 171.; but, strange to say, they again took a start, which has, we believe, no parallel in any description of joint stock property. They bounded up in a few days from 171. to 40/. Those who were fortunate holders to any extent of the scrip of this line must have realised large fortunes in the brief space of a few weeks. A holder of 250 shares, at par, must have realised little short of 10,000/. by the transaction.—Railway World. THE LATE MELANCHOLY OCCUR RENCE AT HOUNSLOW BARRACKS. FINAL EXAMINATION OF LIEUTENANT KERWAN. Saturday being the day appointed for the further examina tion of Lieutenant Martin Francis Kenyan, of the 4th Regi ment of Light Dragoons, stationed at Hounslow Barracks, on the charge of having, on the 28th of September last, stabbed with a sword Quartermaster Thomas Tarleton, of the same regiment, whereby his life was for some time in danger, the large room at the Three Pigeons Inn, New Brentford, in which the magistartes customarily , held their sittings, was long before the hour appointed (twelve o'clock) densely crowded by respectable persons, anxious to witness the proceedings. The magistrates who took their seats, were Mr. G. Baillie, of Hanwell (Chairman), Rev. Dr. Walmesley (Hanwell), Mr. T. Twining (Twickenham), Mr. J. B. Armstrong (Southall), Mr. J. Frere (Chiswick), and- Mr. Roe (Chiswick). Mr. Clarkson attended as counsel for Lieutenant Kerwan, as at the previous examination that day fortnight. Lieutenant Kerwan took his station at the bar, where a chair had been previously placed for his accommodation. Quartermaster Thomas Tarleton was then called forward, and took his station in the witness-box. He was a much taller and more powerful man than Lieutenant Kerwan, and although he looked rather pale, he exhibited no weakness from the effects of the injury, but stood all the time he was giving his evidence. Having been sworn, he deposed as fol lows am quartermaster of the 4th Regiment of Light Dragoons, now stationed at Hounslow-barracks. On the the evening of Sunday, the 28th of September last, about ten o'clock, some of the officers were showing feats of strength in the ante-room of the mess-room. Amongst others, Lieu tenant Kerwan, with Lieutenant Grevile, of the 2d Regi ment of Life Guards, were wrestling, and Lieutenant Kerwan was thrown twice, when Captain Fane came forward and put a stop to it. Lieutenant Kerwan immediately addressed Captain Fane, and asked him why he interfered, when he was not the senior officer of the regi ment then present. Captain Fane almost immediately left the room, and directly afterwards Lieutenant Kerwan also left the room. I was standing with my back to the fire, when Major Parlby came to the door of the ante-room and called me out. When I went to him in the passage he told me that Lieutenant Kerwan wanted to go into Captain Fane's room. I went to the front of the barracks, and there saw Lieutenant Kerwan with two other officers. I saw that Lieutenant Kerwan was exceedingly excited, and endea voured to soothe him. After some little time Lieutenant Ker wan said he was ordered to the guard-room, and would go there. I tried to dissuade him. He then ascended the stairs to go to his room to put his cap on, and I accompa nied him. When we went into the room I shut the door, and when Lieutenant Kerwan had procured his cap, he wanted to go out of the room, and I prevented him, by shutting the door, and standing with my back to it. Lieutenant Kerwan then seized a sword which was hanging near to where he had taken the cap from, and after flourish ing it about, and threatening he would cut me down if I did not allow him to pass, he made a pass at me, which went under my left arm. Another sword was hanging close within my reach on the door in a scabbard. He said, "There is an other sword, defend yourself." I reached out towards it, and had got hold of the scabbard when I thought he wanted to pass between me and the door, and I threw myself back against the door, and then felt the blow which inflicted the wound. I immediately said, you have stabbed me, and went towards the fire, and by the light of it saw blood on my shirt. There was only a fire in the room. I then left the room, and meeting some person, told them to fetch the doctor, and then went to my own room. The doctor came almost immediately. By the Bench—My motive in preventing Lieut. Kerwan from quitting the room, was to prevent his going to the guard-room where the guard was at the time. I have omitted to state that at the moment that I saw the blood on my shirt the door was burst open by Lieut. Warde, who rushed into the room, and I told him I was stabbed. I rather think we all left the room together. From the exceeding kindness I have on all occasions experienced from Lieut. Kerwan since my promotion, I am perfectly confident that, had it not been for the excited state in which Lieut. Kerwan was at the moment, arising from the blows he had received in the falls while wrestling, and the effects of the wine he had drunk, he would not have done me an injury; and, on my oath, I am also convinced that at the moment Lieut. Kerwan did so, he entertained no malice or against me. I sent a message to that effect to Lieut. Kerwan within half an hour after the occurrence took place. By Mr. Clarkson—l have attended here to-day because I considered it my duty to do so ; but I shall not, of my own accord, take any measures with a view of prosecuting Lieutenant Kerwan, should the magistrates not require me to do so. Mr. Clarkson then said that Colonel Daly had, ordered that Captain Warde, and all the other officers present on the evening in question, should attend the examination, and were then present, should the magistrates desire to put any ques tions to them. The Bench said they thought it would be better to take the examination of Captain Warde, as he was the only person who had entered the room after the occurrence had taken place. Lieutenant Warde was then called, and deposed—l heard a noise on the occasion, and went up stairs and burst the door open, and then found Lieutenant Kerwan and Quarter master Tarleton inside. Tarleton, on seeing me, exclaimed, "By God, Warde, Kerwan has stabbed me !" and Lieu tenant Kerwan immediately said, " Good God ; I had no in tention of doing so I" I instantly left the room for the pur pose of fetching Mr. Mure, the assistant-surgeon of the regiment. Mr. Clarkson said he wished at that stage of the pro ceedings to ask a question of the medical gentlemen present. Either of the medical gentlemen would, he dared say, be able to give him an answer. The Learned Counsel then asked Mr. Frogley if he had probed the wound when he was first called in. Mr. Frogley replied that he had not; Mr. Mure, the as sistant-surgeon, who was the first who saw Mr. Tarleton, had however done so, he believed. Mr. Edward Mure was then examined and deposed—l am assistant-surgeon in the 4th Regiment of Light Dragoons. When I was called to attend Quartermaster Tarleton I found him lying on a couch in his own room. He said he, had been stabbed. I felt the wound and probed it, and found it bad taken a course inclining upwards. It was situated about three-quarters of an inch beneath the naval on the left side. Mr. Tarleton is now quite recovered, and the wound is healed. The magistrate not calling any other witnesses forward, Mr. Clarkson proceeded to address the bench on behalf of his client, which he did at considerable length. He began by stating that he had nothing to complain of in the proceedings instituted on the part of the magistrates, and he was sure that he had still less to complain of that high-minded and noble-- spirited man, Quartermaster Tarleton, who had so fully and fairly given his evidence, and expressed his feelings in the matter. He did not on the part of Lieut. Kerwan complain of anything that bad transpired during the inquiry, having been from the first fully convinced of his innocence of intention, for it would have been a fearful thing if it could be possible that an officer like Lieutenant Kerwan would commit an act that would endanger the life of another. He felt most deeply for the situation in which Lieutenant Kerwan was placed when he saw him at the bar on the pre vious occasion ; but now, when it appeared in evidence what the real circumstances of the case amounted to, he felt no longer any fear as to the result. The Learned Counsel then proceeded to recapitulate the principal parts of the evi dence, commenting on them as he proceeded, and submitted that for the charge against his client to assume a statutable offence it was necessary that there should be proved that the accused entertained in his mind some malice or or some intention of doing the act ; but the evidence proved nothing to that effect. The depositions gone into, on the face of them, proved quite the contrary. There was in fact no evidence to support a felonious charge. He felt convinced that the justice of the country would be fully satisfied by the enquiry which had been already gone into, and that the minds, of all persons must be convinced that no felony had been committed. Quartermaster Tarleton had expressly de Glared he had no desire to prosecute, and he was sure that if the magistrates thought that Lieut. Kerwan ought to enter into recognizances to appear again before that bench, or any where else, so as to enable Quartermaster Tarleton fully to make up his mind as to his preferi ing any charge, his client would readily do so. He would now leave the case in the bands of the bench, feeling confident that their de cision would be founded in justice, and that it would be favourable to his unfortunate client. The Magistrates then withdrew to another room. After an absence of nearly an hour they returned into the Petty Sessions Room, and having resumed their seats, The Chairman said the bench had given their anxious con sideration to all the facts of the case, and also to the able arguments of the learned counsel, and although they did not consider it necessary to send Lieutenant Kerwan to trial, or to bind over Quartermaster Tarleton to prosecute, they . felt it to be their duty to hold Lieutenant Kerwan in recognizances to appear at the next, or any other session, of the Central Criminal Court, to answer any indictment that may be pre ferred against him. The bail that would be required would be the same as on the last occasion, viz., Lieutenant Ker wan in 500/. and two sureties in 2501. each. Mr. Clarkson immediately tendered Charles Lionel Mait land Kerwan, of Dalgin Park, in the county of Mayo, Ire land, brother to the accused, and Richard Raven, Esq., of King's Bench-walk, Inner Temple, both of whom entered into the required rzcognisances. The Bench then declared Lieut. Kerwan to be discharged, upon which he rose from his seat in the bar, and, bowing to the magistrates, retired from the court, accompanied by his brother officers and friends. The inquiry occupied several hours. THE ASHBY MAGISTRATES.---WE are glad to be able to inform our readers that B. G. Cresswell. Esq., one of the Ashby magistrates, whose 'names are so uaenviably associated with the cruel commitments and imprisonments of Thomas Lakin, has resigned his commission of the peace for 'this coulty.—Leicester. Mire Mercury. THE BRITISH FISHERIES. The Commissioners for the British fisheries have brought out their report at an earlier period than usual, for the purpose of obviating the eomphint that the former time of isue was too late to be of use to fish curers and merchants in next year's fishing. A few quotations from the report may be interesting to those who may not have seen the document itself: During the nine months reported on, the tithing produced 526,0321 barrels herrings cured. 140,632 barrels branded, 266,3731 exported, and 117,606 as sorted after the Dutch made. The number of crans, or barrels of herrings, taken and promptly cured for immediate consumption, amounted to 295,664. In the cod and ling department 83,919 cwts. were cured dry, 1726 cured in pickle, 17,9401 officially punched, 28,815 exported, and 229 barrels of pickled fi,,11 officially branded. The account of these fish taken and promptly disposed of for immediate consumption amounts to 359,250 cwts. These numbers are all considerably under those in last report, which is accounted for partly by the shorter period reported on, but chiefly by the frequent interruptions which the fishery received from the winds, which were unusually strong, especially during August, the most important month of the year, when it often blew so hard as to prevent the boats get ting out, and sometimes compelling them to return, after reaching the fishing ground, without making an attempt to get to work. On the whole, however, the nine months are considered to have produced an average fishing. The Commisioners say— " All. fisheries being from their nature liable to alternate diminution and increase, it is from the gra dually augmented averages of the returns only that their growing prosperity is to be judged of ; and cer tainly nothing can be more cheering than the con sideration of those of j„he British fisheries. It is farther most gratifying to the Commissioners to have to state that at no former period was the outfit more extensive, or the intrepidity and perseverance of the fishermen more remarkable, than during the nine months now re ported on. It may also be stated, that though the cure of herrings during these nine months was somewhat deficient, the effect has been to make the season's fishing rather more remunerative for the curers generally, and the whole trade may therefore now be considered as in a more healthy condition than it has been for several years past." The account which the Commissioners gave of the in creased demand for Scotch cured herrings in the conti nental markets is gratifying, and speaks highly for the integrity and skill of the marking officers : " The increasing demand for grown and full-branded herrings for the continent has rendered the duty of the officers at the branding stations much more . . laborious ; and it is gratifying to learn, that the her rings sent to the continent have everywhere given perfect satisfaction, although the prices have been greatly reduced by the large supplies of . Norwe gian herrings which have been sent into all the continental markets. The officers have been regular in visiting the curing premises, and examining the size of the barrels, so as to pre vent any of them being used, Which, from accident, was below the legal size. In this department, it is satisfac tory to state, that a superior quality of birch and alder billets will be imporz.ed from Norway, on lower terms than formerly, but from the great demand for the ap proaching fishing, a considerable rise has taken place in the price of stave wood. The greatest attention has been paid to the preservation of the integrity of the offi cial brands, and their value and importance continue to rise in the estimation of continental nations, and to be extended in foreign markets. " The increasing demand for British herrings of late years in Germany arises from their moderate price— their careful selection—their superior cure and quality— and, above all, from the security which dealers have in the official brands. The general stipulation between sellers and buyers is, to deliver and receive crown and full branded herrings ; and Mr. Miller, the inspector of the east coast, states, in a report made to the board of the information by him during a short tour of inquiry, made by order of the commissioners, that he has the authority of a firm at Stettin for stating, that they sold about 40,000 barrels of crown and full branded herrings last year, which were everywhere received without objection. The Inspector found British herrings at Berlin, Wit temberg, Leipsic, Frankfort, Cologne, and Brussels, and he saw several parcels in transit for more distant parts. The barrels were all brown and full branded, and the fish were in fine condition—all well meriting the official brand, and much approved of by every one. Ile frequently inquired for Dutch herrings, and was uniformly shown British herrings as Dutch, and 'when he stated to the venders that they were British, they always insisted that they were Dutch, and they sold them as Dutch. So general is the use of British herrings on the continent, that at Embden, where, a few years ago, fifty vessels were annually fitted out for the fiahery, and a bounty of 501. paid to each, the number of vessels was reduced to twelve, not- withstanding the continuation of that bounty. The in spector learned from Mr. Koch, the British Consul at Frankfort, that the navigation of the Rhine to Mayence or Frankfort, has not been attempted by vessels laden with British herrings, in consequence of the jealousy of the Dutch, who threw insuperable obstacles in the way. Those herrings which have been sent thither were transhipped at Rotterdam, where the charges levied in Holland proved to be almost prohibitory. But as the prospect has arisen of immediate transport by a canal, connecting Mayne with the Danube, the Catholic countries of Batavia, Hungary, and Austria, may be expected to afford new markets for our herrings, when the naviga tion of the Rhine to Mayence may be attempted, or when the railway from Antwerp to Cologne may be employed. The Rhine is generally believed to be navi gable until December. But whilst it is understood that flags of all nations may navigate that river, British vessels have not availed themselves of the privilege, although each of them might carry upwards of 300 tons. This is much to be regretted, for if no use can be made of the privil-ge by British vessels fur some time, the Dutch, who are especially jealous of salted herrings from a foreign country, may lay prohibitory duties on those from Great Britain intended for the Prus- sian market, whereas, on the contrary, if this pas sage or British trade up the Rhine were once esta blished, vessels might be constructed for a small draft of water, so as to carry herrings direct from our fishing stations up that river, through Holland to Emmerich in Prussia, free from any other charge than one dollar per barrel, so as ultimately to render that place as great a depot for British herrings for southern Germany, as Stettin now is for the northern part of that vast country. The inspector states, that he has already been applied to by an adventurer entertaining these views, to pro cure information as to the depth of water during the different months of the year in the Rhine above Rotter dam, as far so to its entrance into the Prussian domi * * nions. " The Secretary was much gratified to find a small Spanish vessel loading with dried cod and ling at Storno- way—this being the first appearance of any ship of that nation in this quarter. It is to be hoped that this will ba the commencement of an extensive traffic with Spain where the market is inexhaustible. The arrival of Spanish customers here will do incalculable good to the Long Island, by forcing the curers to pay greater atten tion to the cure of their cod and ling, as the Spaniards will take nothing that is not cured in the very best man ner, and officially t tampeo by the officers of the Board." [ADVERTISEMENT.] DEFECTIVE SIGHT AND HEARING RELIEVED.—SPECTACLES AND INSTRUMENTS SENT FREE, BY POST, INTO THE COUNTRY.—Testimonials—From the Hon. George Cavendish, to Messrs. S. and B. Solomons, 39, Albemarle-street, Piccadilly, opposite the York Hotel. Gentlemen—l approve very much of the spectacles I purchased from you ; I have made use of glasses for many years, and never met with any to enable me to see equal to yours, and with less inconvenience to my eyes; I have sent you a frame, and please to put in a pair of yours, exactly the same as the` former, and you will oblige, yours obediently, George Cavendish, Leixlip Castle, Ireland. Major-General Sir Howard Elphin stone begs to say, that the Spectacles he has now had some time in use, have fully redeemed the assurance of the Messrs. S. and B. Solomons as to their excellence, and having found so much comfort and advantage from their use, far preferable to every other kind of glasses which he has been in the con stant habit of making use of for a great number of years. 13, Norfolk-street, Park-lane. General Browne Clayton feels desirous to express the comfort and advantage he has derived at his advanced age of 70 years, and after two years' trial, from the use of Messrs. S. and B. Solomons' newly invented spectacles. Their valuable invention fully merit the patronage they base received. Address, Adlington Hall, Lancashire.— Improved Achromatic Telescopes, Opera Glasses, Micro scopes, &c.—Caution—Not in any way connected with a person of the same name in their immediate neighbourhood. To pre vent mistakes be cautious, and observe—Only to be had at 39, Albemarle-street, Piccadilly, opposite the York Hotel. ELEGANT LITERARY AND PICTORIAL PRESENT.— We are requested to state that Mr. Colburn, of Great Marl borough-street, has this day published, " Evenings at Haddon Hall," edited by the Baroness de Calabrella, and superbly embellished with twenty-four steel engravings, by the first artists, from designs by George Cattermole, Esq., in 1 vol., Bvo., richly bound, price 31s. 6d., which can now be had of all booksellers. "This work forms the most splendid and at tractive gift-book that has issued from the press for some years. The literary portion has been contributed by many of the most popular writers of the day, and the living cha racters who compose the dramatis persons include several of the most celebrated personages who figure in the fashionable, the literary, and the diplomatic circlee. The whole of the illustrations are from designs by George Cattermole, Esq., executed expressly for this work, and they have been en graved in the very finest line manner by the most distin guished artists."—Extract from the Prospectus. THE BRITISH MU3EUM.—OPENING OF THE NEW WING.—The trustees of the British Museum have recently opened one of the large rooms in the new wing, erected at the west end of this magnificent building. It is stated that this will be called the Chinese-room, from the circumstance of the Chinese bell, which has been presented by her Majesty, being deposited here. This is placed in the centre of the apartment, and attached to it is the following in scription :—" Chinese Bell, from a Buddhist Temple, near Ningpo, presented by her Majesty, 1844. There are several spacious glass cases, in which is a collection of various articles from China, Otaheite, the Friendly Islands, the Ar chipelago of the Great Pacific Ocean, Peru, Terra del Fuego, &c., consisting of several of their ieathen deities, the war implements and dresses of the natives of these different countries, musical instruments, &c. There are a silver and two richly gilt idols from China, which are well finished, and several other smaller idols from the same empire. This is the only room which is yet ready for the recep tion of the great quantity of antiquities, &c., for which there was no convenience in the old building. Arrangements are being made to provide a room for the Xanthian marbles, which were brought last year, by Sir W. Fellowes, from Xanthus, in Lycia. Among this collection is a great portion of the cele brated temple which was erected by Harpagus, one of Cyrus's generale, to commemorate the conquest of that country, 546 years before Christ. Several of the entabla tures, descriptive of the battles of the armies of that period, and the mode of attack of the citadel, and many draped male and female figures, found among the ruins of the temp'e, are .now exhibited in the gallery of antiquities, and a design of the temple is placed in the room. A man of the name of Birch, living near Old Rad ford church, and a boy, were seriously injured by an ac3ident, in one of Lord Middleton's coal pits at RadforJ, on Thursday morning.—Nottinsham Review. FRAUDS ON THE PRESS. At Bow-street, on Saturday, a young lad named Charles Pierce was brought before Mr. Twyford, charged with hal been concerned, with another person not is custody, in taming the sum of IL 3s. from the proprietors ot Morning Chronicle newspaper, under false and fraudulea pretenses.. Mr. Thomas Hodgkin, the sub- editor of the Morrithrig Chmnicle, who attended in support of the charge r-ain' t t .: prisoner, said he feared there would be some clifficaltYl going into the whole case at present, in consequence ef m 'D -e absence of snne material and necessary witnesses, b0t.,,, would put the magistrate at once in possessi on of all? 1 facts, and in doing so he would commence by observing t'l4e the conductors of newspapers were constantly liable to tu t i grossest imposition being practised upon them by a . persons who occasionally supplied them with informatros and, although every possible precaution was t aken to gAil against such impositions, they were sometimes succes' practised. One course taken was not to receive any cuff e n the name of some known reporter was attached to it, hut e rt , this caution was ineffectual, far on a recent occasion a l,e 1 1 ) ,. was forwarded to the Morning Chronicle of a coroner si quest, which purported to have been held on the bodY ,"; 00 . Col. Metcalf, at Elstree, every line of which Was a fabrieul: , it On subsequently referring to the tile of the Chronrel: 51 was ascertained that another account of a coro ner's ing:heat similar in substance and effect, had been published in the journal about three years As, in consequence e;.',#, recent apprehension of the prisoner, there had not been ec o",, cient time to procure the necessary evidence from Elstrest prove that such report was a fabrication, he had to 1. .., 0 e l s e . that the prisoner might be remanded for that ri t be Within. the last week a report had been furnished ene, Chronicle, in the same handwriting as the fornaerd., of giving a detailed account of the examination of a,_ l3 „ : e of fortune bef 're the magistrates at Brentwood, on a er o 7 l - t o li v e having stolen a quantity of lace and other articies shop of Mr. Rudford, a tradesman in that town. T he o p count went on to state that 8,0001. was found in th e I ?..id session of the accused at the time of her appreliension,%l, that she was committed on the char to Che l m sford l' e v o , the magistrate having refused to accept bail for her b e l l re ante, &c. He (Mr. Hodgkin) had every reas on t° wing that this account, like the other, was false from beg l ,„ol to end, but in that case also he was not at with the necessary proof. In consequence of sopect4s picion that was entertained on the subject , Sent present [Oro. pill were given to watch any person who might pr eSent d 3, bill prisoner for the above reports. About noon that bill prisoner came to the Chronicle office, and prese eteo the charging for both of the above fabricated report 4 8 010 ,0 usual rate of pa3lnent for such information. Th e boa was paid to him, 1/. 35., by the clerk, in money whir . . 0 to been previously marked, and he having signed ` Ito r l n ej tO the bill, a policeman was sent for, and he was give n - custody. aif°" Mr. Hodgkin here handed to the magistrate the r i de to copy of the fabricated reports which had been for';!.: te pbee the office, both of which were signed in the mimeo' ' re ar Leigh Hunt, and also a note, with a similar sig,nate,,„' thorising the prisoner to receive the amount of n e p rl' which occompanied it, and which were presented 1)3 soner to the clerk at the office. r oof t"C Mr. TWYFORD inquired whether there was all smut the prisoner had represented himself to be the se q the person whose name was attached to the docurue°!'th aro Mr. Hodgkin said he was not now prepared 00; proof, but witnesses were present, connected with t tbs' ing Chronicle office, who knew that a person be°ll name had been in the habit of sending reports theta stated James Payne, a messenger at the Chronicle on e o that he was present when the prisoner came to er eart and saw him hand a bill to the publisher, who, ",'„distel% paid him the amount of it. The prisoner was huh ioss given into the custody of a policeman In answer to the charge, theprisoner. t said tha pis 41~ but thirteen years of age, and that immediately on tope Oe, prehension he told the sub-editor all he knew °f cumstance, viz., that he was going down Cbailc,eti when he was accosted by a tall gentleman, who I :';" o firef' that if he would take a bill for him to the Ch r f nic ,•see . and bring him back the money, he would give hon.,, i o he for his trouble, and would wait there for lulu t° 3 ", t ed, turned ; that he agreed to do as he was requ e "f r oca having received the bill and accompanying n° t ,„ e re bed o stranger, he took them to the Chronicle office, w , lie bay i 0 sented them, and was paid the money ; but ale IrEtbe. sooner done so than he was given into custody.lot' it the service of a barrister, with whom he had be es tee, last six months—a fact which the laundress cou; i t P pr el4 inquiries were made of her. The barrister Was $ t fot out of town. b 3 c , r. TWYFORD ordered the prisoner to be P o ' ;„ dS . , t " short period, and in the meantime it was asdelte—ecov,ot quiry that the prisoner's account of himself w° s t pre` but as the person by whom he was employed , 3 „ r sctsi . non eat inv entus, the prisoner was remanded till " $ LEICESTERSHIRE MICI101)1° SESSIONS. t`o• SINGULAR CASE.—A GIPSY APPELLANT VD ,. 0 1 all SMITH V. MORRIS AND SWANN. Or Bpd This was an appeal against a conviction of died the vol (one Nathaniel Smith) by C. C. Morris, Esq., a s ro e C. Swann, at the East Norton Petty Sessions , as a de ier vagabond, and sending him to prison for four teen„ d said Nathaniel Smith having', it was alleged , lodr.bie inr tent in the parish of Knossington, without any ‘ 1 „.'1,0 1.11 of subsistence, or being able to give any good ace' )fr, sel M f. tol d Mr. llildyard appeared for the responde nts ' Macaulay for appellant. bse t `. I d Mr. HILDTARD stated the respondent's cas e, ° „ " vo ileg that the present action arose out of the fact of o t h e r feol o a about thirteen years of age, being seduced by an ‘ preic e a gipsy. who had told her fortune, to leave her ',jot it to join a band of gipsies—making this girl believe i n n toce,,,,, a very pleasant life to lead, wandering about fro , I" place, sleeping at night with the men, and l iviee 4 1J "offerings" which the men brought pc f. ,e Mr. MACAULAY here said that if his Learned Fri d e ld eg, t o put the conviction in, he (Mr. M.) thought he c s lo*"" good deal of trouble by at once objecting to the c ' as bad upon the face of it. - The conviction was then put in, and read to tli e , , : e o3 . or b ,. e N ff o e r c t t o : n That, peuy o s n ess t i h o e ns 2 , h Na o t f h S an ep ie t l em s b al e i r t , h l B is 4s oo - s ic e 7 er e, c6 4 fore us Charles Campbell Morris, Esq , and e re° e Charles Swann, two of her Maje;ty's justices of th e forite in and for the said country (of Leicester), of be e i v t f je and vagabond within the intent and meaning 0 ' Go rg ut il made in the fifth year of his late MajeslY d for intituled An Act for the punishment of idle a t to sk i d. persons and rogues and vagabonds,' Sze., that f July of that the said Nathaniel Smith, on the 27th day ° ,der aos at Knossington, in the said county, did lodge $ in a certain lane in the said parish of , no tKn ess having any visible means of subsistence, bv sea tee p good account of himself," &c., &c. ; concluded , b l r Pu r a; " the said Nathaniel" to the house of correctio u to : a : : 0_4 1)1 days' hard labour. Against this conviction notice b oos was given at the time. • fon I ' s bed Mr. MACAULAY then objected to the calv e I love let bad on the face of it. The offence alleged committed by the appellant ought to have been fall! committed in the conviction, which had been made u ndo:, o r Act, 5 George IV., cap. 83, sec. 4, which said, `.c ry fir, wandering abroad aud lodging in any barn 0, 1 : 8 ' - ' 0pe et e l oe , in any deserted or unoccupied building, or in the / 7e l under a tent, not having any visible means 0 ' el f, sli t l ioe and not giving a good account of himself or her ietgerletaott deemed a rogue and vagabond within the true :o t iot meaning of this Act," &c. Now, unless all thes c ji t ted,l,,el concurred, the offence contemplated was not ce n t o f let!'pot was, if a person could not give a good accon he l'a r ithil l and had no visible means of subsistence, yeti' b ad a cr . wandering abroad, he was not a rogue and vag „mw" OA the meaning of the Act. Appellant had been c ° „ - t 0 0 4 0 ,4 rogue and vagabond, but the conviction did he was wandering abroad, or in what the off „or as it ought to have done, t. it/ rod 'tied that' After a brief consultation, the COURT &CI . die of form the conviction was bad, not .contahured it. tt ioti "wandering abroad," &c. They therefore qua sl t i t i e in se cor Mr. Hum-Ann said there could be no ouh .ii io o h' of the words " wandering abroad " was essea th r ties " i 5 11 viction under the Vagrant Act; otherwise P,3rd, secs 0 stance who chose to erect a tent in their °aim 3: 3 clo,) in this tent, on a summer night, might sta,l- u . ti gbt el w" being convicted as rogues and vagabonds.-0-4rot of t [The sudden termination of this case on a PIA ore j vented many interesting facts from being brollg , the. 7 being seen, alio, whether gipsies--simply bec t , u t thea j itlie ll .; wandering tribe, with " every man's hand ags' i i ' s to id ° ~ b eateia theirs perhaps against every man (if all tha t 01 be true), are therefore to be left without rew st t hen> t% law has been harshlyor unjustly strained aga,'l lo ws: e r, ei t facts, as far as we have heard them, were as '€) w iclo, 26th of July last, the appellant, who is, a camped, together with hiS relations, Pla to re J i , (Plato's wife), Dives Smith and his wife, all 4, Pub male of the same name, at Knossington , ter., e between Owston and Oakham. Between two aP e dyti s ell';, the following morning, P. C. Morris, accomP, at ,', l t be a FoSf.t'o men, went to this encampment, handcutte;_, t and Dives Smith as they lay asleep, and, Witul o dy,_, so ' l ` l , nation, took them and Violet Smith into eIT, , tbry e e to taking appellant's two horses, a cart, a werewa tc " an , ,voli e rn reigns, four shillings, and sixpence, which T he P a tite lle person of Nathaniel Smith, the appellan.t- g rriv e f r o f were then conveyed to East Norton, and wn,e,,u tit ` p lec e il jp o , were placed in the care of the constable of,tf„ mr• the l l o men, however, made their escape—as stated r ul en dere fien cli tio —but, on the 26th of September, they s u ‘Tor ton P oi j et selves, and were convicted by the East d Ot t rogues and vagabonds, as above described ; 0 1 04 conviction now appealed against. The wer t Z n a tlia t he l i t he was apprehended on a charge of felony, an`.' 1 00 committed for trial at the Midsummer As in steg o e to t, H. W. Wilson. The alleged felony consisted ,3 1. 0 P i o t gown of the young girl stated by Mr. fill i dg e ver, ;it I !, { p " seduced" by the gipsies : the gin lies. lie r !(s o so far from having ensnared the girl, thieY, `were s o 4o her while she was wandering about ; w ere o r tit their camp out of compassion ,• that tne o 3 . ., n , _ es/I'v e ( to get rid of her again ; and that the_g_bovr,,,,,, being stolen, was exchanged with Violet tbseo,e !the olio ease , j a married woman, was so small in this girl of thirteen fitted her exaFtly. 1 1,, w hen or° io g tioned at the time, was scarcely ' openeu,. veri dn e e o ce (Chief Baron Pollock) stopped it--obsentlic"il no 0 1 , 1 0 res l on the folly, to use no stronger tea of s ris o a et tlF c tortured into a charge of felonyd the P gad 407 0 00 acquitted under his Lordship's direction. u °lice 0, been gone into, it would have been urg e o f 00E4011 0 behalf of the appellant, that the eviden7, before the East Norton bench proved n „Ao Fof pellant and his companions rather, that i lr i f inti e.. f yiljol: o o means of subsistence "—for the horses nt a fut il!er o sp:rbf to Nathaniel, and there was also a cart n olic c otge t h h o e rs h e o w rs as es g a iv n e d n o u th p e — r tphreopoethrteyr seized b} ` e bT va t t u e ,,,, wer i c t i o g e Api y re se ,ells ° s d u i t h s i a o l n e o w f as th r e e t a m i n a e gi d t o r r a t n es c:t a g n i d v e t a b e UPm to t Leicestershire Illercury. TgAp t s#' L A cS c ollo STATE OF THE HOSIERY ANP sera ,owe The wrought cotton hose branch, p pr a o rt v m a e b nt i s s s o t f ill th i e n maandunflalctsttunet,e y e e s t P _7 lere .4 1 ° co. 0 , 1, 0 ' Il e b lin ra p n rn ch veln is en st t ill branch has not improved. The W ; l f i • pedrucieLptibTleh.e drTahweer, b 1,10 been much depressed, especially the 1 0 The,. seine quarters it has amended a _T - L e d ste, the ~;pre , generally remains in the same dePre'24 . experienced it for several months I' i f_ At w oc_ c r, not much probability of any very, ,!!.,`,.`: sndi, the spring trade commences, it l 'e. nu e n,se t rl '. o 'tic.!;t e ! holders to be very careful not to /I"Ti lre ilJf ‘f ocnt ° particularly at the present hie prices 0 " ~s t be remain without much alteration, o lonc t br i E i , : oa a . o; market for fine yarns maintains its pl e a , s olve z rfler i silk hosiery trade has improved, tbereb,,,, l 7, fig httg. 0, h e for silk hose and gloves in the town.- -1 "" an d iv: ce r, f ro, Lord Lyttleton, the Hon. Spenc e e l - ,. 0 1 Spe P o .ber e o 6 tleton, since the interment of the eat re tire .c e been residing at Hayley Hall, Werew t , ne jo Dowager Lady Lyttleton will pass sonn_..." ce on tit before her Ladyship resumes her attendance Wales and youthful royal family. _ :01:::nctiEn- Easte rn ' South of 2.10 further And 110