The Sun. — London, England, 1850-01-16 00:00:00

.•• •• •••••••• „, , Cobra Coppbr Gen.ral ... ......... ... ,-,.... 26) keal (lel I.:krite, Crtm .. zi , tered • - -- Dn. Black Debentures. — Do. Red Debentures ... Santiago de Cuba - United Mexican ....... 2B ',i — COURSE OF Arnsteniarn 12 2 Ditto, at sight 12 0 ktott€ rdatn ••.. • • 12 2 4 Antwerp 25 65 Harnburgli 13 11 kitona. . - Paris, 3 (lays' sight . 25 45 Ditto, 3 months ... 25 65 iraeilles .......... 25 65 Ben rdeaux 65 Frankfort on Maine...,. 121% Petersburgh, Sil. Rble 37 Vienna, effec. So • •. 11 21 Trieste, ditto 11 21 Madrid .• ............ 49% Bilbao.. ••• • •• •••• • ' Barcelona •• • • • • • • • firrille.. • . ..... •• • • ~ ... ;,r. ..~ •• • • to -- EXCHANGE. ellbraltar..•• Legh0rn........ •• ..•• 30 85 Genoa .............•.. 26 35 Milan ................ gaples .............. 400 ralermo, par0z........ (21% Mes , sina 12 I 1,4 Lisbon—. •• .......... 0p0rt0.... • • .... • • • • • • 5 b% tido Janeiro • • ...... • • 'aenos Ayres .. ••.. • • . . New York, 21 dayesight .... • • .... fILICIES Or BULLION, PER OZ. b'orelgn Gold in bars.. £3 17 9 Portmgal Gold Coin 0 0 Spanish Doubloons .. 0 0 0 New Dollars .• 0 4 10 1 4, Silver in bars 0 4 1148 - - - - --------- LLOYD'S G —( THIS DA Y.) LONDON, JAN. 16.—Wind N., light bretze and dull cloudy weather, with mist and frost. PLYMOUTH, JAN. 15.—Wind E.—ArrJ. Kate, Fol law-1, New York. LIVERPOOL, JAN. 15.—Wind E., fresh.—Sld. Eleanors, Batavia; Levant, New Orleans; Lancashire, Savannah; Yeoman, ditto; Et erhead, Baltimore; James Browr, Boston. The Guy Maunefing was floated to-da:., and • ha'r'ed within the dock; at one time she had 8 to 9 feet f . water in her hold, and appears very much strained. The fine goods have been landed in good order. PORTSMOUTH, JAN. 15.—The gale continues from E. to N.E. WEXFORD, JAN. 14.—The Gustaf Adolph, Stralsund to Live-pool, came on shore on some rucks inside Tw kar, last night; part of crew landed. It is doubtful if any part of the cargo will be saved, from the violence cif the weather. FALMOUTLT, JAN. 15.—The gate continued with uc abated violence until midnight, when it moderated, and backed to the N.E., and continues with a sharp frost. The shipping ride well. Arrd. Invincible, Baltimore. CLONAKILTY, JAN. 14.—The Emily and Louisa French brigartnne, Galatz to Cork, was wrecked on the Long Sand, Rap Bay; two of crew saved. WHITBY, JAN. 14 —lt is blowing a ga'e at E.S.E., yviih snow. The Vine, of Bristol, Maratrand to London, bas been wreck..d in the harbour; two of crew saved. OFF LUNDY ISLAND.—Sunbeam, Cubs, for Swansea. PILL, JAN. 15.—Wind E., strong and squally.—Sld. James Daly, Africa; Caroline, Tobago. MILFORD JAN. 14.—Wind E.S.6.—Arre. Roderick Dbu, Watk i ns, Cuba. SHIELDS, JAN. 15.—Wind E. to E.S.E.—Arrd. Robert M.William, Webster, Quebec. It is blowing very strong, with snow, and a heavy sea on the bar. BRIDLINGTON, JAN. 15.—1 t has blown a gale Sit tS• E. fur the last four days. The Pendenais schooner, of Brixham, is on the bar, but will probably be got off next tide. LOWESTOFT, JAN. 15.—A headboard, with " Nep tunus, 46," in gilt letters, with some small pieces of wreck, have been picked up. ILtawica, JAN. 15.—1 t has blown a very heavy gale , 11 , t &E.. with snowstorm last night and to-day, but is "Ow (seven ) much more moderate. The Ocean Queen, of Blyth, is on shore at Beach Point. MARKET NE WS.-(THIS DAY.) URN-EXCHANCiE-WEDNESDA A very limited supply of English Whe st has been re ceived up to cur market this week coastwise a$ well as by land carriage. Tc-!lay a large number of Monday's unsold qualities was on off , r, owing to which, the thin attendance of buyers, and the pressure of foreign Flour, !he demand for all kinds of Wheat of home produce was Una very'depres:ed state at barely stationary prices. I, IY 1,960 quar t ers o f •f ore • g n Wheat have come first banii, yet the supply of that grain considerably ex ceneel the wart of the buyers. Really fine parcels w ere mostly h e ld a t rates of currency, but all other kinds were lower to purchase. The sale for all descrip tions of Bath.). wai heavy a*. Monday's decline in value. !lialt was in full average supply, and heavy demand at late rates. Oats, Beans, Fele, and Flour were very dull and the tarn lower. A.RRITALS THIS WEEK IN't eat. Barley. i Oats. Malt. j k tear. xngusk Scotch.. „ • roreign Qrs. Qrs. Qrs. Qrs. Sacks 910 680 250 1,120 2,490 1,910 6,460 5,740 /301LOUGEt LOP iNTAIIMET, Pine llops wei e scarce and in moderate request, at full prices. In all ether kinds scarcely any business was transacted. HITE. Prim e B ee f and W Mutton CHAPEL were in %t.lidy demand, at last week's currencies, Otherwise tie trade was dull. Beef, from 2s 63 to 33 6d; Mutton, 2s 10d to 3s 10d; Veal, 38 4d to 4s Od; and Pork, 2s 10d to 4s 2d per 81bs. LAW Mrgf,LIGENCE. CHANCERY.—(THIS DAY.) The Lord Chancellor, after disposing of the lunatic Petitions on his paper, proceeded to hear the further arguments in the part-heard appeal of Padby v. The Lincoln Water Workr, which occupied the Court the 'hole morning.. His Lordship rose at an early hour, Tor the purpose cf attending the House of Lords to pro rogue Parliament. ROLLS' COURT.—(THIS DAY.) m The Master of the Rollr, after disposing of the re r"raing cause petitions, proceeded to hear the further ligutrents in the part-heard case of Valiance v. thpuugal, which occupied the Court the remainder of e morning. -V ICE-CHANCERY.—(THIS DAY.) (Before the VICE-CHANCELLOR Of ENGLAND.) SCARESBRECS V SHELMERSDALE. bie ' r,he furth er arguments i n nis part heard case occu ' " the Court the whole morning. rni p(S ) r e t h e Vi ce -C hance ll or K NIGHT B RUCE .) b„L e Court was occupied the whole day with hearing f;t7ur:Pof.petitionti, none of which posse s sed the slightest Interest. (Before the llor WiGnem. Hour sat in his Vice -private room to-day, i ) in conic (tetlot of the inclement state of the weather, and after s i a ,P,,"ing of the caseLoppington Parish," which 1 4 5'1 ou the paper f)r judgment on a question of costs, h cleeeded to hear the further arguments in the part tl n arti ea"i of M`Calment v. Rankin, which occup ied ~o urt the remaind e r of the morning. p 1-; ". 3 1M0N PLEAS.—(THIS DAY.) (Sittings in Banco.) DOOGOOD V ROSE. WT, 11 , 18 Was an action tried before Lord Chief Justice i• i re, at th e l ast s i t 'i ngs f or L on d on , i n w h ic h the D -4nt iCr Mr. Doogood, a reporter upon one of the daily o‘ropolitanjournais, sought t ) recover 601, the amount P r emium alleged to have been agreed by the defend t aP! to be p a id to the pla ; nt i ff on the d e f en d ant appren „eng son to the plaintiff, to learn the " art and (1 - 1 , 351° rY" of a short-Land writer. There was also a Pa me-ruit count f ,r work and labour done on the of the plaintiff in teaching the de 'eadaiit's son the • short-!iend writing. The verdict at the trial was i r . • f,r the clef ndant, and this morning pli e d t'ereallt BYLES, on the partg upon the dof the plaintiff, ap ::d to th e Court for a rule callinefendant to wh w eathie why there should not be a new trial, or ;Y there should not be judgment non obstante vere• let°, er why tl ere should not be a repleader. The i j i a l dings set out that there was an agreement in the p t , s 'ing words (inter a'ia) entered into between the on the deferidant's son entering the service of the --- utiff:-" It was agreed by and between the plaintiff f 4(l the defendant that they, the plaintiff and the de -7 Aunt and one John Rose, the son of the defendant, f Oici at the expiration of a reasonable time, then next make and execute as their act and deed, and sh; iv ee a usual and reasonable indenture of apprenticc tor the purpose of binding as an appreetice the tif f ' , Joh nßose to the plaintiff in the way of the plain- Rea, said pref , ssion or business." The Learned Ser -70,-teontended that it was the business of thudefendant kuut.ava tendered an indenture of apprenticeship, iLac - to a t as the plaintiff was always ready and willing tla o - h e Pt it, and quote I several this eedents in point from Justice had not been done to Mr. Doogood, who had Per: d ,P r ived, by the verdict of the jury, ef the corn- T a '° ll which in justice he ought to have received. we. .e Lon]) CLIIEF JUSTICE said—Looking at the the Which the declaration was framed, what right his bean Plaintiff t, bring this action on the ground of Ithi e h - ; 6 re ady, and willing to execute the indenture, of ~i- e4u iness and willingness he did not allege he elue o 'sj e ri the defendant notice? He (the Learned th oughtjuc there was no reason for arresting the resp ett c nt on this ground, or for granting a new trial in refßule e verdict being against evidence. used accordingly. " ca4 CHEQUER.—(THIS DAY.) (Sittings in Banco.) rre_ 01 . 1 APBTAN AND ANOTHER V. REEVES. %lira ac tion was tried before the Lord Chief Baron,. at fn dll4ll , during the last sittings, when a verdict was -aulfv.or the plaintiff for 211. en al MA RTIN now moved on a ffi davits for a rule, calling b e h.ao pla intiff to show cause why a new trial should not th e V l lllltiffs The action was in d e bt, an d was b roug h t b y W Or , who ar e p r i n t ers , t o recover 381. 25., for told labour done in printing some prospectuses for Ce e eL ar uica, Southern Eastern and Northern Railway dtr ee • - r",._ ll Yrof which the defendant was a provisional elwur• The particulars of demand contained two s, the first being on the Bth of September, 1845, and last on the 28th. Tho first meeting of the company pra se held 4,„„ 0 11 the 12th, at which the defendant was not '8e.1,5 out he attended the next meeting, on the 16th, han order was given for the prospectuses. On the the d i requested his name to be withdrawn, and 11 0 7; e : ell ee was that he was not liable for subsequent to that date. The present ,rn,oeation was founded upon a ffi davits, one of which 4: 44 that a, ,1', 1 1 ° ! of the company, witness named Collins, who was the pro pan'', and whose evidence tended to u1 72_ 1 1 the defendant's liability, was a person utterly worth We e Yof belief. This person said, at the trial, he ac, n „l'u,? agent of the Bollivian Government, and had lost . 4 ,: a 70: in railway speculatioav, but it appeared that he n;hlatirsuing his agency in Whitecross-street Pri oareelytt ewoLretharned Counsel stated that it might :earn while applyin a new trial, as the t' 4111 9 of it WOUld exceed theam ount 9f the verdict, but the fact was that the remelt of this caEe ratek4 - , the defendant liable lot eater el:thw, uncouth) g• to 3,000 i. The Couttr refwel to want a rulo, sing tt. It the affidavits were not strong enough, on the g. round of sti' - prize; but they wished it to be understood tb,:ir de ciion would not prejudice any sabeque! - it a pplication to the Court in respect of other actions of a si tniinr nature against the defendant. BAIL COURT.—(THIS DA Y.) (Before Mr. Justice ERLE.) Sir B. Marshall took the oath upon his aiplpoittment as Admiral cf the Flee , . Mr. Justice Erie, awr hearing two or three motions involving no point of interest, sat at nisi pri , is, and dis posed of several undericled causes. BOW-STREET.—(T IS DAY.) Two men, name,' Johnson and Williams, were charged before Mr. Jardine under the fallowing suspi.cious ear cumstances:— It appeared from the evidence of Police-constable Pritchard, 137 A, that about seven o'clock la. et evening, he was on duty in plain clothes, and while ia Cannon row, Parliament-street, he saw the two prison , :t s lurking about. He watched them, and soon allure areits the con stable on the beat passed, and the two priso n ers sepa rated. As soon as the constable was out of sight, the prisoners returned, and Johnson pulled out a key and was in the act of opening the street-door eef a house, when witness took him into custody. Willi ams made his escape, and Johnson was remol ed to V lei station house, where he was searched, and a quantity 4f Jucif -r -matches were found upon him, also some we 3 , and the key. About twelve o'clock, a female came to .t 1 te police station with some blaukets, and said they iv are for a person who was locked up. She did not know his name, and from her peculiar behaviour, Ittspecteli Otway directed the witness to watch her. The blanleets were refused to be taken in, and she hft with tin tm in her possession. The constable fillowed her ovitir West minster-bridge, and through a number ,of dark street?, until she reached a house in ItVebber row, Lambeth. She knocked at the door, whicth was immediately opened by the prisoner Williams, M ho re ceived her into the passage, and closed the dom.,. The constable approached the door, and was able to .site into the passage by means of two panes of glass cev3r the door, which acted as a fan-light. The ccitistab!e knocked at the door, and the prisoner Williams ins tautly ran down stair:, and concealed himself in a closet in the kitchen. The door was opened by the woman, an d the constable took the prisoner into custody. There were several men and women in the house, who were well known to the police as suspicious characters. Inspector Otway said, the house which the prisoners attempted to enter was an empty one, and it led to the backs of the houses in Parliament-strew. The prisoners denied all knowledge of each other, and Inspector Otway said, if they were remanded, he could prove that they had both been convicted, and had only recently been liberated from gaol. Mr. JARDINE then remanded the prisoners until Fri day next. MARLBRO'-STREET-(THIS DAY.) A COOL DEFENCE.—Thomas Webb was brought b' - fore Mr. Hardwick, charged with having stolen a pair of trousers; value 65., the property of Mr. W. Sealy, clothier, Tottenham-court-rood. George Baker, a shopman in the employ of the pro secutor, deposed that auout seven o'clock on the previ ous night he was in his master's shop, when a man came and told him that a boy had stolen a pair of trousers from the shop door. Witooss ran out, raid SAW the prisoner running towards Francis-street with the trowsets produce i under his arm. He pursued him, and after a rnarp chase succeeded in overtaking the prisoner who immediately threw the trousers away. A man picked them up, and afserwards gave them to witness. A constable at OA moment came up slid took the pri soner to the station. The prisoner, in deface, said the weather was cold, he was in ra i ls, and seeing a comfortable pair of trousers hanging at prosecutor's door, he thought he might as well take therm ➢lr. kiAnDwicK committed him f.r trial. SOUTHWARK.-(THIS DAY.) James Lansdowne was brought before Mr. A'Beckett charged will breaking into a dwelling-house in Harrow street, Southwark, and stealing a copper boiler. Delany Palm, constable 100 Al, said that about seven o'clock last evening he saw the prisoner and another man loitering about some empty houses in Harrow street. He watched and saw them try several doors, but perceiv . ing that witness was looking after them they ran away, About five minutes afterwards he passed one of the houses in Harrow-street, when he heard a cracking noise, which induced him to go to the rear. When he got there he fund that the door was open, and on entering he en countered the prisoner, and pulled Lim out of the house, when anoener constable came up and secured him. Witness sea rched him, and found a bunch of skeleton keys on hi x,, and close by where he first encountered him he to u.nd a copper boiler placed in a basket ready to be rem owed. The boiler had Lem taken from the back kitch en. After they had conveyed the prisoner to the police—station, witness and his brother constable searched the prisoner's lodgings, and discovered a splen did roulette table, balls, dice, and all the implements used in a gambling- house. James Thomson, a Fainter, said he was at work la t evening in the house, in Harrow-street, and left every thing safe a; five o'clock. The copper was then fixed in the back k itches. Mr. A'BEcKETT asked who the gambling apparatus belonged to ? The prisoner replied him: elf and a man named Hill, but they had not used them for some time. As for the housebreaking, he found the door open and went in. Mr. ATEC'KETT committed him fa. trial. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. ROUSE OF LORDS. (THIS DAY.) Parliament was again prorogued to-day to Thurs day, the 31st of the present month, when it will meet for the dispatch of business. Shortly after two o'clock the Lord Chancellor, the Marquis of Breadalbane, and Lord Campbell took their seats b elow the Throne, robed as Lords Commis sioners, for the purpose of proroguing Parliament. On their _Lordships taking their seats, Mr. Pul man, the Yeoman Usher of the Black Rod, was commanded by them to summon the Commons to the bar to hear the Commission for proroguing the Parliament read. Shortly afterwards Mr. Henry Ley, attended by several of the officers of the House of Commons, ap peared at the bar. The only Member present that we noticed was Sir B. Hall, who looked ex tremely ill. The commission for proroguing the Parliament having been read by Mr. Shaw Lefevere, the clerk at the table, The Loan CHANCELLOR, in her Majesty's name, and by her Majesty's command, prorogued the Parliament to Thursday, the 31st instant, to be then and there holden for the dispatch of public business. Several ladies were present. Since the last prorogation the two frescoes of "Jus tice," and " Henry V. subtnitting to Chief-Justice Gas coigoe," have been finished, and considerably increase the effective appearance of the House. Added to which, the new reporters' gallery, which projects considerably farther than the old one into the House, has been completed, and to our notion, instead of de teriorating, adds to the effect of the interior of the building. Besides the Commissioners there was not a Peer present. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, TUESDAY. The Queen and his Royal Highness Prince Albert drove to Frogmore this morning. The Hon. Miss Cavendish, Colonel Hon. R. Boyle, Lord Charles Fitzroy, Colonel F. 11. Seymour, and Mr. Birch, were in attendance upon her Majesty and his Royal Highness. Prince Albert, with the gentlemen in attendance, enjoyed the diversion of skating on the ornamental water in Frogmore grounds. Her Majesty and her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent were present. Their Royal Highnesses the Princess Royal and the Princess Alice took walking exercise in the Slopes and Windsor Park. The royal dinner party this evening included her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, Lady Fanny Howard, Baroness de Speth, the Marchioness of Normanby, and Colonel lion. C. B. and Mrs. Phipps. Mr. Maurice Cross (Dublin), Secretary to the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland, had an interview with the Right Hon. Henry Labouchere yesterday at the office of the Board of Trade. The Chancellor of the Exchequer and Lady Mary 'ood arrived in Downing-street yesterday evening from their residence, Hickleton Hall, near Doncaster. The Judicial C immittee of the Privy Council, be fore whom the appeal, " Gorham v. the Bishop o f Exeter," was argued, bad a private meeting yesterday at the Privy Council-office. There were present Lord Campbell, the Master of the Rolls, the Vice- Chancellor Knight Bruce, Mr. Baron Parke, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Cornwall, and the Judge of the Admiralty Court. The Archbishops of C anter bury and York and the Bishop of London we::e also present. ®THE GENERAL POLLUTION OF RIVERS.—It IS not twenty years since sea-going vessels sent only up to Vauxhall at ebb tide for sea store; and the Thames water was accounted the best in the world for the pur pose. Now the state of the river renders it barely eli gible at Twickenham. As the community has increased, so have habitations; and the smallest tributary of the Thames is, according to its volume, hardly less. vitiated than the great confluent torrent. From first to last no care hath up to this day been taken to preserve for the people the purity of that elemenr, which was er,dently intended by the Creator to be the healing nutrir.tent of his creatures. To preserve the quality of the m ain trunk, it is first necessary to guard the tributary cond,uii.s; and this cannot be done without diverting from tLte natural fall (the course of rivers) all pollutions of witat kind soever, nor without enacting municipal laws for ; 0.0 regu lation of all sewage au4 draivage.—ilailden HAYMARKET THEATRE On: the love of a high-born lady fee her serf, Mr, Sheridan Knowles founded one of the most beautiful ( of his dramas, Love, and the part of the high-horn lady was created by Mrs. Charles Kean. Who I that has ever seen the play can forget her Countess of Eppenstein ? On the love of a high-horn lady for her serving-man Mr. Buckstone has founded one of the most lively and bustling of comedies, Leap Year, and again is the heroine created by Mrs, Charles Kean, with equal taste, equal grace, equal feeling, equal propriety, and equal effect ; her Mrs. Flora Flowerdew is as perfect a specimen of the highest order of comedy as is her Countess of Eepenstein of tragedy. Having written Married Life, in which no lovers are introduced, Single Ltfe, in which none but lovers are introduced, and in which every male who figures in the piece, be he gentle man or serving-man, pops the question to some fair damsel, with whom he eventually pairs off, Mr. Buekstone in Leap Year reverses the plot of Single Life, for in his new conkdy the la.dits pop the question to the gentlemen, and all are at the end paired off, save an old bachelor, who is in every sense of the word the odd man of the piece. Mr. Buckstont's own account of his comedy is as fol lows :—" This comedy was suggested by an extract from an old volume dated 1601, and entitled ' An Act to amend the Laws of Courtship and Matri monie.' Albeit it is now become part of the com mon law in regard to the social relations of life, that as often as every Bissextile year doth return, the ladyes have the sole privilege of making love unto the men, which they doe either by wordes or lookes as unto them seenieth proper; and no man will be en titled to the benefit of clergy, who doth refuse to accept the offer of a lady, or who doth in any wise treat her proposal with neglect or contumely.' " We know no particulars relating to the " cld vo lume" alluded to by Mr. Buckstone, but we trust that if from its pages he can gather hints for the construc tion of another comedy as amusing as that which was produced here last evening, under the title of Leap Year, or the Ladies' Privilege, he will by no means suffer that said old volume to quit his possession. At the opening of the comedy we find a certain rich young widow, Mrs. Flora Flowerdew (Mrs. Charles Kern) who is obliged, ere three days expire, to take unto herself a husband on pain of forfeiting the whole of the wealth which she has inherited from her husband, for such are the terms of his will. A warm hearted Irish girl, Miss Sally O'Leary (Mrs. Fitz william), is residing with her, and is indefatigable in her endeavours to provide suitors to please her, but Mrs. Flowerdew frankly acknowledges that she has never been in love, that she will not marry unless she can love, and that she is determined to sacrifice her fortune rather than give her hand where she cannot give her heart. A variety of suitors are introduced, among others Captain Mouser (admirably acted by Selby) a foolish foppish officer in the army, whose father had been an attorney, and who on being rejected brings in a regular bill of costs and charges against the widow, the taxing of which by Miss O'Leary creates much farcical fun; Mr. Dimple (Mr. Buckstone) a vulgar " gent, " cousin to the widow, who being taken into the house on trial threatens to dismiss all the servants and ends by corning home at night very, very drunk, ;_indeed, and is in conse quence summarily ejected ; and a very ner vous old gentleman, Sir Soloman Solus (Mr. Keeley), who offers his services to save the property by marrying the widow, being perfectly willing to part from her at the church door, and never see her again, his only object being to contract some matrimonial alliance by which he may free him self from the advances of Miss Desperate (Mrs. W. Clifford), who having been told by an astrologer that unless she shall be married before she shall have com pleted her 49th year, she will not live to see her 50th birthday, has fixed upon poor Sir Solomon to save her from her doom, and persecuted him accordingly. These are in turn rejected. The widow, however, loves, loves without at first being aware of it, loves ardently, devotedly loves her own footman, William Walker (Mr. Charles Kean). Walker hes been taken into her service without a character, and it is evident that his mind and his education are both above the common order ; it would also appear, from divers poetical quotations i n whi c h h e indulges, which were always aptly introduced and exquisitely recited by Mr. Charles Kcan, that he cherishes a hopeless passion for his mistress, but he never abates one jot or tittle of that deep respect which is her due as his mistress, and only manifests his regard by a thousand little attentions to her comfort and pleasure ; neatly mended pens are always laid on her writing desk, choice flowers are carefully placed within her reach, and her favourite books are always placed ready for her perusal. It is therefore, natural that she should take an interest in this servant, natural, too, that when others find fault with him she should defend him ; and it is not until in a mere spirit of banter her Irish friend alludes to her pre ference for the shoulder knot that she becomes aware of the real state of her heart. She at first rejects the idea of the possibility of her being in love with Walker as an absurdity which she attempts to laugh off, but her passion is too strong to permit her to continue long in this state of self-deception, and she at length becomes fully aware of the true state cf her position. The acting of Mrs. Charles Kean in this - scene was perfection ; never has the conflict be tween pride and love been more exquisitely delineated. She determines to make Miss O'Leary her confidante, has commenced her confession, whicb, however, her pride will not permit her to finish, and, bursting into a fit of hysterical laughter, she declares she has been quizzing all the while, and abruptly quits the room. She then sends for Walker, and orders him to quit the house instantly ; not to reply, but to go. lle suspects the cause, but restrains his feelings ; yet throws such tenderness into his manner of bidding her adieu, that it is evident even to her, not withstanding his outward show of respect, that her passion is returned. In the meanwhile the next heir becomes clamorous for the pro perty, but one day is left for her in which to decide, and he refuses all compromise, declaring he will have all or none. She now avows to her friend her love for Walker, and Miss O'Leary asks why does she not marry him? At first she re volts at the idea of such a mesalliance, but her argu ments being overruled by the warm-hearted Irish girl, she says that the thing is impossible, because she cannot propose to Walker, and she is very sure Walker would never propose to her. Miss O'Leary provides a remedy ; she reminds her that it is leap year, and in order to show how matters ought to be managed, she herself proposes to Mr. Dimple, and is accepted. Walker, who has come for his box, is forthwith ordered up into the drawing-room by Miss O'Leary, who, taking Dimple with her, quits the room, and leaves the lovers (we may now call them so) alone. Here was a position full of danger and difficulty, the lady is to propose marriage to her own footman ; and in any other hands than those of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kean, these dangers and these difficulties would not have been overcome; but so admirably was the scene acted by both, so full of natural grace and modesty was the acting of Mrs. Charles Kean in making the avowal, and so true to nature was the manner in which, the avowal made, she at once rushes away, leaving her lover as though she were afraid both of him and of herself, that this the most dangerous was also the most triumphant scene of the piece. This serving man proves, however, to he no serving man at all; he is the heir, the person who re fused all compromise, and who has adopted this disguise in order to study the character of the young widow. All the others are paired off except Sir Solomon, who is surprised to find that by a stratagem concocted by Mrs. Crisp (Mrs. Keeley), the widow's lady's maid, Miss Desperate has been palmed off upon the fortune hunting Captain Mouser. The piece was very strongly cast, Mrs. Keeley taking a small soubrette part, and Clark making the most buttony, lisping, and laugh able of pages. At the conclusion there was a loud call for the principal performers, and the curtain again drew up on the final tableau, after which the comedy was announced by Buckstone for repetition every evening, amidst the enthusiastic applause of a house crowded to excess in every part. MANSION-HOUSE.—Last evening a splendid dinner was given by the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress to his civic brethren and their ladies. Covers were wore laid for 70. Amongst the guests we noticed—Lord John Russell, M.P. ; Mr. J. Masterman, M.P., and Miss Stone; Lord Mayor cf York and Miss Wilkinsor, Mayor of Stafford, Sir John and Lady Key, Sir W. and Miss Magnay, Sir George and Lady Carroll, Sir James Duke, M.P., and Mrs. Hill; Mr. Alderman Farebrother andfthe Misses Farebrother, Mr. Alderman Humphery, M.P., and Mrs. Humphery, Mr. Alderman Gibbs, Mr. Alderman Hooper and Mv. Hooper, Mr. Alderman Musgrove and Mrs. Musgrove, Mr. Alderman Moon end Miss Moon, Mr. Alderman Carden and Mrs. Carden, Mr. Sheriff La;wrence and Mrs. Lawrence, Mr. Sheriff Nicoll and (his sister) Mrs. Aller, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. C. Pearson, M.P.• Mr. Under-Sheriff Mil lard and Mrs. Millard, Mr. Under-Sheriff Wire and Mrs. Wire, the Rev. Charles Marshall (chaplain to the Lord Mayor) and Mrs. Marshall, Mr. %V. A StarLng, and Mr. D. IL Stone. After the dinner a magnificent ball was given in the Egyptian-hall to about 300 guests, who had been previously invited. Supper was served in the old ball-room at twelve o'clock, and the company sepa rated at a late hour of the morning. THE REPEALED NAVIGATION• LAWS.—IMPORTA TION OF EAST ,INDIA PR ODUCE. — A vesse l arr i ve d at S t . Katherine Docks, from R o tt er d am , b as b roug h t an ent i re cargo of rattan, comprising 18,237 bundles of the article. These rattails are doubtless of East India produce, and would, under the laws of navigatien recently in force, have been inadmissible to entry, but are now under the Repeal Act, which has just come into force, fully en titled to the privilege, although imported from Europe. Another vessel ha., we find, also Arrived in the same docks from Rotterdam, laden entirely with the same description of merchandis e, comprising 15,794 bundles of the article. The Havre letters speak of business being active in the markets, but cotton and coffee were the two ar :i -cleo chiefly attracting attention, LITERATURE. THE ALVGLO-SAXON. No. V. The Anglo-Saxon having completed the first year of his existence ra a quarterly, commences the year 1850 as a monthly. The present number, albeit occasionally disfigured by affectations (as are all the publications of the Young England school), is on the whole admirable, and eminently calculated to esta blish amity and good-will among all Anglo-Saxons, an object which the writers in this periodical have deeply at heart. We particularly admire the friendly feeling displayed towards our transatlantic Anglo- Sexcn brethren, with whom we would fain see an enduring entente cordiale established. An alliance between England and the United States is the meet natural, as well as the nv)st profitable, alliance that either country could enter into. We are delighted to find that the Anglo-Saxon takes up the defence of that honour to the Anglo-Saxon race, Sir James Brooke, against thosepsuedo-hmmanitarian calumiators who seem to imagine that " ev:l speaking, lying, and slandering," are al l fair, pr ov id e d th e person slandered has the miilertune Ito be a white, and that "picking and stealing" are positively virtuous, provided the pickers and stealers be blessed with a black skin, from which emanates a scent more strong than agreeable. We extract the following from thi3 admirab'c paper : Among the calumnies which have been spread, we must mention one, which is the most tcanduleus as it is the most false. It has been said that Sir James Brooke has attacked these pirates fir the Government reward, whereas it must be well known that the reward is only given ti the officers and men employed in her Majesty's service. The great expense if the expedition is at the itjte s private cost, and so far from his deriving any benefit from the slain or the captured, we know, on the best authority, that to save bloodshed, the Raja paid the full Slave market price of the captives who were rescued alive in the conflict. Moreover, his first act was to restore all the pris o n ers , w i t h out retaining hostages, to their homes and to their families, with the assurance that, in all peaceful and law ful - pursuits, they would ever find in him a friend and a protector. One little child was found among the cal fives, deserted in the boat; this, with some others, was car( fully provided fir, and placed under the care of Mr , . Wllougall, the wife of the excellent mis sionary. at Sarawak. Having p - Iforrned these gratifying deeds of mercy, Sir James, with all the officers of the fleet, the resident , , and many of the natives, proceeded to lay the foundation beam of the first Christian church in Borneo, the erection of which the Raja has promoted and encouraged with all his heart. The Rev. F. T. M'llougall, who bad been educated as a physician, was most diligent in his attendance upon the sick and the wounded, who had returned from the expedition, and we subjoin Mr. M'Dougall's account of the ceremony of laying the foundation of the church:— - - " Sarawak, Aug. 28, 1849. " This has been a happy day to me, as it has pleased God to allow us, altar many delays and difficulties, pub holy to lay the foundation of our church. At one o'clock the Raja and suite, and all the naval officers, in fall dress, together with all the English residents, assembled at the MissiJn; and we then went in precession to Church-hill, whore the workmen's shed was dressed with evergreens and the flags cf the Albatross ; and the foundation sleeper, an uncommonly heavy block of i ronwoo d, s l ung over the trench into which it was to be lowered by the Pak,. It was a deliglaul service to me: may God prosper our work! We put all the Victoria coins we could collect into the heart of the sle e p er, an d over that was nailed the inscription, to be replaced, if nee d be, by any mmro.rems,upio ;allta ri bleon a c is t o he ex c p o r m e m su lt s tec may sugg e st.' his ) trust that the day is not far distint when our wild people, like the New Zealanders, whom I fancy they much resemble, will be come a most interesting and powerfal Christian nation;' and he farther observes, this last expedition up the Rejang and Sarebas has, as I anticipated, gone far to open a most. extensive and interesting field to the Mis sion among the tribes of the interior, whose numbers and wealth seem to be, from what has now been heard and seen of them, far greater than was bcf 're imagined.' " We cannut close this notice without calling the attention of the pubic to the exquisite beauty of the type with which the Anglo-Saxon is printed. As a specimen of typography the present number is perfect. It is illustrated by a lithograph of the monument proposed to be erected to Alfred, at \Vantage, and by an engraving from Mr. Blaikley's large historical picture of Alfred the Great dividing his loaf with the beggar. BRADSTIAW'S GENERAL RAILWAY DI RECTORY, SHAREHOLDERS' GUIDE, MANUAL, and AL]IIANACK for 1850. This useful work, which may be considered as par excellence the Railway Annual, contains complete lists of the directors, engineers, secretaries, and prin cipal officers of all the railways in the kingdom, of the amalgamations and leases of lines, with the rent and tolls of the same, together with the guaranteed stocks, and dividend or interest payable by each line of rail way Under the head of " Shareholders' Manual" we find an elaborate account, carefully compiled by Mr. John Edwards, of the Manchester Stock Exchange, showing the rise, progress, and pre:ent position of railways of the United Kingdom, in cluding those established in British possessions and dependencies abroad, and also of such foreign railways as have been most known in this coun try. Every railway shareholder, and every one intending to invest money in railways, should study attentively Bradshaw's Railway Directory. It illustrated by a map of Great Britain, with all the lines of railway laid down. WEBSTER'S ROYAL RED BOOK for January, 1850. This is the most perfect Court and Fashionable Guide that has ever appeared. The " Street Guide" is very comprehensive, and the alphabetical list of names full and complete. The improvements in troduced into the lied Book of 1849 are continued in the edition for 1850. The work is printed in a clear type and is got up in an elegant manner. DIAMOND DUST. (From Eliza Cook's Journal.) Material objects become so eltwined with the affec tions and the memory ; the scenes that have witnessed our joys, and whose tranquil beautes have soothed our sorrows, assua e an aspect so like Oa' of old and valued of separation from them amounts to agony. friends, that the pang Remorse is the echo of a lost virtue. Those who cry the loudest have generally least to sell. Guests are ottan invitad to witness the ostentation of the host. The poet yearning after sympathy may at least enjoy one consolation—the thought that many kindred spirits, though unknown to him, k now an d l ove hi m, an d parti cipate in his sentiments. There is no malady raoro severe than habitual dis conttnt. ARG YLE ROOMS. Festivities and dancing go hand in hand at this period of the year, and there is no room for wonder, therefore, that this attractive and elegant resort is now considered in the zenith of its popularity. Not a right passes but i ts promenade and galleries are thronged with ga il y who rattle through attired votaries of Terpischore, quadrilles, waltzes, and polkas with a gusto and energy that warms and enlivens the coldest and dull es t o f mankind. La dance h i therto has been considered an amusement peculiar to our volatile Gallic neighbours, but nothing is so catching as dancing, and with the rapid intercommunication that now exists between the two nations, it is by no means surprising if that is one of the many habits we have recently imported from the continent. It is, however, only ri g ht t h at rat i ona l an d h ea lthy t as t es should be readily encouraged, and since " tripping it on the light fantastic toe," which certainly partakes of that character, has become so general amongst the middle and lower classes of society, it is the duty of all who have it in their p o wer to support those esta blishments where thi s pas time can be indulged in which are th e b est regulated an d th e mo st appro priately m anage d . Now any one who has ever paid a visit t o th e rooms must have been struck with the strict decorum that is always enforced, while the urbanity and polite feeling and attention of those whose task it is to conduct the ceremonies must have been no less worthy of his remark; nor is mere dancing the sole attraction, inasmuch as music of the highest order is plentifully provided for the entertainment of those who, like the Chinese, think dancing a labour to be performed by servants, and prefer looking o n to the labour it demands. M. Laurent, junior's, skill and ability as a.musical con ductor is well known and appreciated in the metro polis. He is second only to Jullien in his style, and to the lover of orchestrial music, or the devotee of la da nce , we s ay, go to the Argyle Rooms. The annual soiree of the Whittington Club and Metropolitan Athenaeum took place last evening, and was most numerously attended. The proceedings were opened by a brief and appropriate address from the President, Mr. C. Lushirgton,M.P. Aft er an exce ll ent selection of music, in which Miss Rainfortb , Mi ss A nne Romer, and other favourite 'performers displayed their skill, and an interval devoted to the inspection of tho pictures and various works of art with which the upper rooms were crowded, dancing commenced, at eleven o'clock ; and, although, from their numb er , somew h a t straitened for room even in that capacious salon, the votaries of Terpsichore were, at the peri o d o f our de parture, doing ample justice to the s t ra i ns o f P utnam ' s band. This exc 211ent and inereasing institution already numbers sixteen hundered members, and will, doubtless, from the admirable arrangements of the est a bli s h men t, and its happy and uniqu e c ombination of literary and scientific instruction with social en j oyment, o b ta i n t h at permanent and merited success which its friends received with extreme and supporters anticipa te . The announcement of the re-election of Mr. Lushington to th e p res id enc y tztslon none m ef ore whom for the ensuing y, ar was ceived approba tion. His devotion t . ) the intereesetsnospfiteheeeiunesttibtauntiothnewtaesf theon thevie vice-president, d t e n oe attended to support him, in consequence (we suppose) of th e i nc l emen t state of tie weather. The Whittingtonians deserve success in their career of social amelioration, and they hal%) our the arrangement, ee feed it may be mentioned resulting from the best wishes for its attainment. As a proof of th e ir g oo d thatand thriving at domestic s t 0 dining and refreshment department amounted on the lass quarter to 2006 ADDRESS PRESENTED TO MR. BC CKINGIIAINI AT ALLOA. At the close of Mr. Buckingham's course of lec tures at Alloa, on the evening of Thursday, the 20th December, 1849, and in the presence of a large number of his friends and admirers, the following Address was proposed, in the name of the cotninittee of management, by the Rev. P. M'Dowall, and una nimously and cordially adopted by the meeting, in the United Presbyterian Church at Alloa. "TO JAMES SILK BUCKINGHAM, ESQ. " Honoured Sir,—At the eonclusiou of thiP, your third course of lectures, delivered in Alloa duriug three successive seasons, to large and deeply inte rested audiences, we beg leave to express to you our gratitude for the valuable information which we have received, and for the high intellectual enjoyment which we have experienced during each of these three courses, from the commencement to the close. " It is interesting to sit at the feet of a traveller who has visited many foreign lands, it is peculiarly interesting to sit at the feet of of one who has perhaps seen more of the surface of the globe which we in habit than any man now living. " Some travellers, who have seen much, want powers of observation. But Providence has blessed you with the rare talent of collecting and treasuring up rich stores of information, regarding almost every object, and every event coming in your way, that could interest and instruct your fellow-men. " Some travellers can collect information, though they cannot communicate what they have collected. But all of us here present, and thousands elsewhere, can testify to the admirable talent for description, and that natural easy eloquence, which gives all your hearers almost as vivid an impression as if they had been fellow-travellers elong with yourself. " Some travellers, who can both observe and com municate, are tempted to confine their information to themselves. But you have felt it to be the en- joyment of your heart, as you have made it the - work of many laborious years, to spend your strength for the instruction and moral elevation of your fellow creatures. " In these courses of lectures, embracing, as they have done, so many momentous topics connected with political economy and the science of government, it was to be expected that your opinions would not, in every point, coincide with the opinions of some of your hearers. But even the few, who sometimes were conscious of diversity of sentiment, could not but admire the manly frankness with which your views were stated, and the gentlemanly good feeling which rendered it impossible for even the most sensitive to take offence, " We do not profess, Honoured Sir, to be ignorant of your eventful and useful history. As the friend of Eastern India and its countless population, we have observed your self-sacrificing exertions to promote good government in that vast and important depen dency of the, British empire —exertions which were praised by statesmen when they were in opposition, but which have been forgotten by the same statesmen now that they are in power. "As a liNhinber of the British Senate, in two seve ral Parliaments, we have admired your successful efforts in originating and promoting many impor tant measures of moral and economical reform. And as a philanthropist, in the important depart ments of education, and temperance, and peace, and enlightened human freedom, we have been de lighted with your laborious exertions—through the press in your ,voluminous writings, and by the platform in your admirable lectures—to enlighten the human mind, to improve the human heart, and to increase the aggregate amount of human happiness. "We are aware that, like many other philanthro pisti before you, who were in advance of the age, it her been your lot to labour long for the benefit of mankind, with very little patronage from the power ful, and with much pecuniary loss to yourself. But you enjoy the divine satisfaction of doing good; and as you have already witnessed many of the blessed fruits of your labours, so you may cherish the joyful assurance, that the precious seeds of wisdom and morality which you have sown so extensively over the surface of society, shall, in due time, through the blessing of a bounteous Heaven, produce an abundant and happy harvest. "Asy — ou have intimated that this is likely to be your last public ♦isit to Alloa, it is with much sin- aere regret that we have now to pronounce to you, Honoured Sir, the painful word—FAREWELL! To :he respect and venerati o n w hi c h we canno t b u t che- rish for you as an instructor, we feel that your fre quent visits, and your familiar intercourse, have war ranted us in adding the confidence and affection of friendship. Although we should not be honoured with another visit, we shall continue to take a deep and an increasing interest in your benevolent and self-denying labours ; and we can assure you, dear Sir, that if our warmest wishes are gratified, your life will be long, and useful, and happy. "It is our earnest and united prayer, that God may spare you, and strengthen you to labour for many years to come, for the illumination of this world's ignorance, and for the mitigation of this world's misery ; and after your earthly labours shall have come to a close, may you, with your dear part ner in life, and your beloved family, be admitted at last, through the grace of our Divine Redeemer, to that better country,' from which ignorance and mi sery—and sin, the cause of both—shall be for ever excluded. Signed, in the name and by the appointment of the meeting, "WILLIAM FRASER, Minister, Chairman." NEW REFORM BILL. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SIR,--I send you annexed a copy of a letter I have addressed to the editor of the Inquirer, occasioned by his remarks on a new Reform Bill in his paper of the 12th instant, and if you think it worth a place in your more extended publication I shall feel obliged by your inserting it when convenient. I am, Sir, yours respectfully, Thorne, Jan. 15, 1850. W. WRIGHTSON. " TO THE EDITOR OF THE INQUIRER. " Sir,-I have read the excellent remarks in your leading article of the 12th instant, on a New Reform Bill, but I do not think that a five-pounds occupation franchise would materially improve the constituency. If you refer to my letter which you were kind enough to insert in your paper of the 25th of August last, you will there see an intellectual quali fication pointed out, which would bring within the pale of the Constitution all the parties referred to by you, as soon as they had attained their majority, and could show, by going through a simple and welt-de fined educational test, the probability that they were capable of exercising a sound discretion in the elec tion of a Member of Parliament. A five-pounds occupation qualification would, I think, do nothing of the kind. We don't want the property qualification lowering, but the intellectual qualification raising, for the greatest dunce in the kingdom, if he be not quite insane, may now vote if he happens to possess 40s. a year in freehold property. But let every man (not being a pauper nor convicted of crime) who can work out correctly rule-of-three questions in arithme tic have a vote, and you may then safely do away with all other qualifications ; and by this simple means the constituency would be greatly improved not only in intellectual strength but moral worth, a vast impetus would be given to self-culture (the best of all culture), and no one could reasonably complain for want of universal suffrage, as ignorance and crime would be the only disqualifying causes. "Then, indeed, the absence of a vote would be regarded as a shame and a disgrace, not to the Legis lature, but to the individual who, by his own default, was excluded from the privileges belonging to his fellow-men. There would be but little difficulty in applying the test and bringing the system into opera tion. It would also possess this recommendation, that it would contain within itself the elements for the future extension of the suffrage as occasion should arise. It would be perfectly safe, for a higher qualification could scarcely be suggested, and it would be satisfactory to the great body of the work ing classes, whose discontent and dissatisfaction at their present condition is fraught with the utmost danger to the community in general:* " And to prevent the new franchise from being un satisfactory or troublesome to the voters at present on the register, I would suggest that they should all continue on the register during the remainder of their lives, whether they part from their present qualification or not ; but that all new candidates for the elective franchise should be examined by the rule-of-three test, and then that they also, when once on the register should remain there for life. " This plan has been submitted to one of the most eminent and influential reformers of the present day, who in reply said—' I know no better test for the franchise than that which you point out, but do not doubt, if proposed, we should find as many objections as there are to the plan proposed by Mr. Hume. For my own part, imperfect as our proposition is, I do not think it would be wise to abandon it, unless we could see our way to carry a better.' " I have long considered the test I propose the best adapted to improve the electoral body ; I have never heard a sound objection advanced against it, and as I think the adoption of it would benefit the nation, I shall be much obliged if you can find room for this letter in your paper. " I am, Sir, yours respectfully, " W. WRIGHTSON. " Thorne, Yorkshire, Jan. 14,1850." * The Sun Newspaper, July 11, 1849. THE METROPOLITAN COMMISSION OF SEWERS. — Yesterday a court was appointed to be held for tho pur pose of making a district sewers rate on the Banehigh district. After wieting f,r an hour, however, the num ber cf commissioners requii ed by the inAct f Parliament to attend could not be mustered , and consequence the court was adjourned till Friday next. STEEL BARREL CONTRO VERSY. TO THE 1.7111T0R OF THE SUN. - SIR,—As the subject cf steel barrels and excessive reduction after proof nas occasioned so much contra ' dictory discussion, I consider it but just and fair to all parties interested to give the public the oppor tunity of forming their own opinions by actual in spection of the burst barrels, which are, as nearly as possible, in the same state as immediately after the accident. They have been sent to Mr. IVitton, 82, Old Broad-street, City, with directions to show them, with the reports of Mr. Greener and the Guomakers' Company, and the defence of Messrs. Deane, to all persons who may wish to examine them. Messrs. Deane are in error in stating I said " the right barrel had been fired several times," and hence a vacuum was caused in the left ; the fact being the latter only had been last discharged, and reloaded carefully, five minutes before it burst with a double shot. With the evidence of the barrels themselves, and the different statements before them, the public will be able to decide on their merits, and do justice to all parties. _ _ I am, Sir, your obedient servant, Bruton-street, Jan. 15. C. E. SCOTT. TO TILE EDITOR OF THE MORNING CHRONICLE. Sir,—When Mr. Greener assures me that his pro lessional report on Sir Claude Scott's gun-barrel was published without his knowledge, it would be unbe coming in me to disbelieve his assertion, or to doubt his word, by requiring the proof he says he possesses. I, therefore, claim equal credence when I assure him that Messrs. Deane were not directly or indirectly cognizant of the contents of my letter, or of my inten tion to write in their defence when I first sent it for publication. You may suppose me then not a little pleased when a pamphlet subsequently reached ire, entitled " George and John Deane's defence of them selves and their guns, from charges brought against both by the Company of Gunmakers and others.'' In this they allege great towards them, thus jus tifying and disposing of the " bold imputation " lam charged with. It would seem that I have lessened Mr. Greener's consequence, having " transposed Evans and Clive into the position held by himself and Mr. Greenfield." Unknown to every party in Birmingham, where, to the best of my recollection, I never passed an hour in my life, I could but suppose them to be nulli se cundus." Colonel Hawker is really answerable for this slur; it was from his letter I gleaned the names of Clive and Evans for perfect workmanship ; with such a testimonial in their favour they can go on and prosper, for they want none other. I cannot so easily part with Mr. Greener's profes sional report denouncing this barrel as of " spurious composition," although published without his know ledge. It is not what is or what is not the best metal to be used, the real question being—Did Deane employ a cheap manufacturer, or the reverse? If the former, he is guilty ; if the latter, then, as stated in my first letter, Purday, Lancaster, and others are liable to a similar catastrophe. I pin him to his own words, "spurious composition," and proof of this must not be evaded by a treatise on " lami nated steel." Why Mr. Greener well knows, which I did not until recently, who the manufacturer of this barrel is. He denies the charge. The barrel itself (I am told) denies it. Has he not, and is he not, employing him at this very moment ? I can tell the sporting world that he stands unrivalled, and is employed by all the first gunmakers of this metro polis. Why, then, continue insinuations as to the in teriority of Deane's materials, unless it be to support high prices and to annihilate low ones ? I plead guilty to the charge of " bias ;" show me the man without one. I have a " bias " tor fair competition, I have a " bias" for the best article at the lowest p r i ce , fb r Adams, Deane's mana ge r, because he supplies it. The trade are well aware that he knows his business, and would perhaps gladly see him anywhere rather than where he is : discharge him and my " bias" for Deane ceases. I have no " bias" for hira on the score of intimacy or self-interest, for I never enter the shop more than three or four times in a year, and then just before the shooting season commences. This equally applies to Deane, whom I have rarely seen there. I cone now to the most extraordinary part of Mr. Greener's letter, Can he be serious when he says, "It does not necessarily follow that because a vacuum (I call it a space) exists between the cartridge and the charge of powder, that a barrel must burst ? Well-made barrels (here a bit at Deane) will admit of very great space, and yet not burst ; two charges of powder can be exploded in an ordinary sized bar rel, the bore effectually stopped with a steel plug leaving no vent for this enormous force but by bursting the barrel, or by escaping by the small orifice in the nipple, like steam from a safety valve." Will any gentleman like to try his gun, made of the " laminated steel" he boasts of, with a large space between the charges, or with a steel plunger at the bore, to see if the powder will come out harmless at the nipple ? If any one be bold enough, let me recommend him to be first supplied with a pump for the exhaustion of atmospheric air, or woe betide him. What Mr. Greener's object is in publishing such a statement, I cannot imagine. " Mr. Urquhart forgets that to injudicious reduction in the barrel the accident was attributed." Attributed by whom ? By Mr. Greener's unsupported testi mony, broadly contradicted by Messrs. Deane. It was not attributed to " reduction" so much as to " spurious composition." With their defence in my hand, I see no reason to retract my " panegyric," or one expression in my first letter, designated an " in congruous effusion," which with more propriety should be called a " disagreeable one." Henceforth I must refer objectors to Messrs. Deane, who must be their own spokesmen, for I will neither write nor answer any more letters. Having passed the meri dian of life, it is with myself only that I am disposed to enter into controversy; I therefore bid all those whose names I have brought forward farewell. If, in the pursuit of fair play I have damaged any, it has been unintentional ; if I have benefitted any, it is, Mr. Editor, through your instrumentality, an d you are entitled to share the pleasure. I remain, Sir, your obedient servant, W. A. URQUHART. Leyton, Essex, Jan. 14. TO THE EDITOR OF THE MORNING CHRONICLE. Sir,—Seeing in your journal, of the 12th instant, a letter signed by a person of the name of Greener, of Birmingham, alleging that no danger can accrue from a vacuum between the powder and shot being left in a gun-barrel—nay, that the muzzle may be stopped up with a steel plug, and the barrel loaded with a double charge of powder without a chance of bursting—l trust you will not permit so insane a statement to pass uncontradicted, lest a false security might thereby be engendered, and the sporting public find too late they had trusted to one of the most dangerous delusions ever put forth. What the writer's motive may be for such a state ment—whether from the most lamentable ignorance or a more questionable object, I cannot pretend to guess; the fatal issue would be the same. Allow me, then—with a view to give a flat con tradiction to so disastrous a theory—to lay before you the result of a series of experiments made some years ago by a friend who had the misfortune to very seriously injure his hand by the bursting of one of Joseph Manton's guns. The cause of the accident became at the time a subject of investigation, as my friend had neglected to pass his ramrod into the left barrel, after having re peatedly discharged the right, and concluded it to have arisen frem the formation of a vacuum. The experiments were as follow : Exp. 1. The sound barrel was loaded with an ordi nary charge of powder and shot with the usual wad ding, and a thick pasteboard wadding placed in the barrel three inches from the muzzle. On discharging, it burst open from the wadding two inches down wards, the pasteboard wad not having been displaced. Exp. 2. The fractured part was then sawn off, and the barrel loaded as before—the pasteboard wad again placed three inches from the muzzle. On discharging, it again burst, about three inches down from the wadding. Exp. 3. The broken part again sawn off, and loaded as before, the pasteboard wad placed as in the former trials. On discharging, the wad was blown out, and no fracture took place ; but on reloading, and placing two wads instead of one three inches from the muzzle, the barrel again burst about three inches down. Lip, 4. The broken part sawn off as before; but now it did not burst until the third shot, and three wads had been placed three inches from the muzzle ; when again about three inches more was fractured, but the wads not disturbed. Thus, Sir, you see that a gun of the best manu facturer known at that time was burst four times suc cessively, by only placing from one to three paste board wads within a few inches of the muzzle. What, then, becomes of the monstrous assertion of your Birmingham correspondent, of there being no danger in a vacuum, and equally unscientific and ridiculous addition, that the explosive force would pass through the hole of the nipple ? If the lives of sportsmen. are to be placed in the most imminent peril by the a ssertions of ignorant or interested individualp, it is high time that men of science should take the matter up, and show th e dangerous fallacy of giving the slightest credence to their assertions. I beg, in conclusion, to say that I am prepared, when required, to produce full proofs of the experi ments above detailed; and am, Sir, Your obedient servant, Gloucester-place, Jan. 14. T. GRIFFIN. [The article headed " Guns with Steel Barrels," which appeared in The Sun of Monday, was copied from the Times.—En. Sun.] Dispatches were received yesterday at the Colonial office from the Governor of the Falkland Islands. THE ENSUING SESSION. Before the strife of the ensuing session has actually commenced we are tempted to offer a fors, sugges tions upon the method of transacting business in the two s Houses, the adoption of which might exercise a favourable influence upon the character as well as the amount of business actually performed, when we come to review the history of the session some six months hence. We do not now make the slightest pretension to having discovered any patent system of law -making, by which six months can be made to do the work of a whole year. The recommendations we have to offer are but two in number, and we have never lost an o p por t un i ty for a long while past of pressing them very earnestly upon public attention, whenever opportunity offered. It must be evident at the most cursory g l ance t o a ll who take an in terestin public matters, and in the proceedings of the Houses, that there is en enormous dispro portion between the amount of business per formed at the commencement and at the close of a session. This di sproportion is so great that it has passed into a proverb—almost into a jest. It will be remembered that some t i me back the Lower House took this matter into its serious consideration, and endeavoured to find out if some remedy could not be devised for what was felt on all sides to be an un doubted evil. A CJimnittee was appoi n t e d, b e f ore which the most competent w it nesses to offer sugges tions were examined—the Speaker of the House of Commons, distinguished Members of the French and American Chambers, and others ; a n d finally a report was presented, in which certain change s i n th e present manner of conducting debates in England were fa vourably spoken of. But when the matter came to be considered in full House, there was found to be so great a disinclination to meddle with established usages and time-honoured forms, that the old license of debate was left undisturbed. It was stated at the time that a kind of public opinion was growing up i n the House which wou ld pr ov e sufficient to con trol the tendency of Honourable Gentlemen to indulge in flights of oratory, whether their prompt ing motive might b e a whiff of vanity or a spirit of faction. Certainly a change for the better was perceptible last session, and if it be only persevered in much irrelevant matter may be omitted from the laborious compilation of Hansard. As far as better economy of time in the House of Commons is concerned, the remedy must be left to the discre tion of the Members, acting as they do under a kind of mutual ccntrol. But there is a second change of a more directly practical kind which might prove of eminent benefit in easing one. half of the Legislature, who have more work on their hands than they can accomplish, by throwing the superabundant portion on the other half, the members of which are sitting with their hands before them during the first two thirds of . the Parliamentary session. The House of Commons has far too much, the House of Lords far too little, business brought before it until the session is just drawing to a close. As matters stand at present the English Legislature is in the position of a racing boat which should only pull the four oars of the stroke-side until the goal was in sight, and then ship these to paddle in as it best might with the bow oars. What is wanted is a steady and uniform stroke throughout. The Parliamentary usage for some time past appears to have become almost estab lished in favour of letting the great bulk of Bills take their initiative in the Common.. Now, fir many purposes, perhaps for all purposes asking patient and deliberate investigation, where the privileges of the Commons are not concerned, the Peers have great advantages over any body of popular representatives. They approach questions in a calm and judicial spirit, almost impossible of attainment in an assembly the members of which are exposed to the disturbing in fluence of the political questions of the day. The law officers of the Crown in the Lower House are so ab sorbed in the occupations arising out of their public functions, as well as in the necessary discharge of their duties to their clients, that they cannot is fair ness be charged with the additional responsibility of originating and carrying through sweeping changes in the statute-book, such as the bankrupt code of last session. Other working lawyers who may happen to be Members of the House are there rather with a view to their own professional advancement than from any loftier motives ; besides, they too have their own private practice to attend to. The lay Mem bers, again, are too much under the influence of poli tical feelings to give themselves up readily to investi gations rather of a scientific and abstract character than of immediate reference to the more exciting questions of the day. But we need not confine the questions which should take their initiative in the Lords solely to points of legal reform. Wherever there is occasion to grapple with a huge mass of dis connected facts, and to deduce from them practical conclusions and recommendations, the House of Lords may, with all propriety, be intrusted with the working of the questions. There are plenty of men to be found amongst the Peers who are to the full as shrewd as any of their fellow-subjects. The advan tages of official experience are, at least, all on their side. Not only would such a change as the one we recommend be for the public interest—the great end and object of all political machinery—and of great ease to the other branch of the Legislature, but it would also infuse stability into the House of Peers, and conciliate for it that kind of respect which is always given to an institution which is efficiently working for the public good. If it were the object of a Government studiously, but by covert means, to aim a blow at the political existence of the Peerage, we know of no more efficient method to accomplish the end than to leave them without further occupa tion than to give a formal assent to the Bills and measures sent up to them from the Commons. We are far from insinuating that such an idea has ever crossed the mind of a First Minister, but if such be the practical effect of his policy, it comes much to the same thing in the end. We trust that during the next session some better order may be taken in this matter, for it is one of great national importance, whether we consider the immediate dispatch of public business, or the ultimate preservation of the balance of a Constitution which, take it all in all, has worked well, whilst every other country in Europe has under gone the greatest vicissitudes of fortune.—Times. THE WEATHER AND THE PARKS. The frost continues with unabated severity, and there seems every prospect of its enduring for some considerable time longer. The theremometer at the Royal Humane Society's receiving -house, Hyde-park, which on Monday night stood at 25 5 F., fell towards the morning to 24, but as the day advanced the mer cury rose to 27, and continued at that point till after sunset, when it again receded to 25, which was the indication at half-past seven last evening. The wind, which on Monday night was chiefly eastward, with a southerly bearing, continued to blow, until a late hour in the morning, with great violence, and accompanied at intervals with drifts of sleet, or snow. Towards evening, the wind having veered more northerly, its violence somewhat abated. The baro meter yesterday afternoon, in Hyde-park stood at 29 30. The ice on the Serpentine was 5 inchesin thickness, but on the long water in Kesnington-gardens it was three-quarters of an inch thicker, whilst in the Regent'€•• park it had obtained a solidity of six inches—in fact, in St. James's-park , as well as the foregoing, the ice has acquired sufficient strength in all parts to admit of the full enjoyment of skating and sliding, and even promenading, without any apprehension of danger from immersion, the only exception being near the bridge over the Serpentine KATI. in Hyde-park. At that spot, during the night of Monday, a tempestuous gale produced an explosion beneath the ice close to the arches, which shivered the frozen surface into small pieces, opening a clear way forty feet in width, and extending the whole breadth of the river. The explosion was accompanied with a report similar to a salvo of artillery, and fortunately, not occurring in the day time, was not attended with disastrous re sults. With a view to prevent any person from ven turing to this spot, Mr. Superintendent Williams bad strong barriers placed across the river, on both sides of the bridge, with the usual boards , marked "Dan gerous," and consequently no acc ident from immer sion occurred. Icemen were also placed there to warn the skaters not to venture within the boundary. Diss PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY .—Tbe thirteenth anniversary of this society was celebrated at the Crown Commercial Inn, Diss, on Wednesday , the 9th instant, under the able presidency of Mr. Tho mas F arrel ) . se that a b t o m th o e s r t in charmedrapid suc cession, including several of the most influential gen tlemen of the Own. After the usual lo) at toasts, ov er _ be noticed the spirited overtures to Zam a iello, Cal i ph of Bagdad, Figaro, &e, which were P' s th ib e llo p lv ie . e c d e . tur a s , glees, and sad amongst song me c n e ras ssi sm o a n na , y performed in . a manner highly creditable to the amatears connected with the society, whose efforts were ably supported by the valuable and effi • cient serv ices . of Mr. Grey at the pianoforte. The elicited numerous instrumental and vocal performances unequivocal mails of approval from the company , amongs t . whom the greatest unanimity and good feel feeling prevailed throughout the evening. The dinner pro vided h, for the occasion reflects the greatest credit on the new landlord, Mr. Lane, whose ample providence of e very eve f ry delicacy and luxury of the season was the subjec t 9 table, and fully maintaine d o f egennhearraal character remark f a t the variety and profusion acquired for these annual d inners 'or b vbe worthy predecessor of the present host. - SEWERS RATF.—A public meeting was Feld on Monday evening, at the Priory Arms, Priory-read, for t':e purpose of deliberating as t ) the mode most advis able to be adopted towards attaining a principle of per fect equality of rsteage with regard to the sewers rate, the inhabitants of the parish of Lambeth believing suffi: &est reason exists as tl their being exorbitantly rated as compared with other districts under the'coLtrol of the Metroplitan Commissioners. A resolution was unani mously I asscd that a deputation he formed f or th e pur pose of making further i nquiries in th e ra id di str i cts where the alleged dispar ity is said to exist, and report thereon, for which purpose the meeting was adjourned, preparatory to waiting on the Commissioners. THFI N, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING,