The Sun. — London, England, 1845-02-03 00:00:00

PAIRIARY OF. NEWS otrktt faottzto‘iii. " Who runs may read." rca lazal:r.,:ra'.. , Oil Thursday evening their 7,l .ajesties the King and k‘tuenetio iosfleth.ce(French .rec-!ived th.e Sardini.aniAbt,nybaausds,adtohre,. mite, Innistur ot France in princ e I. 4 nee oi Salm-Dyck Ei,rd Brougham, the Counts de 'ereY-d'Argentan d''l. neraont Rohan-Chabot, and de Saint kauriee. ' 4 u ' The Aloniteur publishes a royal ordonnance confirming e h e made se ith Messrs. Vau hier and Co , for e line of railroad between Monrereau and Troyes f The report 4 the Minister of Finance on the inan 4 u 3 - e ac ' tir e and sale of tobacco and snuff (luring Ili,' P'ar,lB eitelkdbtisrtribf9 don Thursday, t.• the Ms tat rs of the sarn„,:_ De.puties. It appears from it that the con Gv t 'ull had iecreased, and that the net profit to the ~,entnent in 1843 was 3,500,000 f. more than in 1842.. iiie a/ • ill 01 - eur contains the returns of the importations 1 - ...ttale • s, -I • s on which pro (,4, ... e iit ,Jecember last, the male . 1 , 1 c '' 13,399,399 f., showirg an increase of 2 tt urnpared with those of December, 861,3; 9 f. 1843. The Cu s• ;,41„41rtceipts • amounted, in 1844, to 152,117,300 r. ; they i t e a lp4p3e,aos4o3f. in 1 843, and 13 7,434 : 593f. in 1842. 4114, that rum an official return, which , ins . been just isfa h, d „tee consumption of gunpowder in France in The net p t , o6t t aiminislad by 114,754 kilogran:infl. le s , , I , ° the Government was 2,593,386 E, being 436,136 f. 11,..110)1 in 1842. elar,be.ilelgier de Ilauranne has brought into the P05iti0...,1.01, Deputies, Mid laid upon the table, the pro. 4 , t i 0.. at he introduced two years ago, for doing Mili th ' t •s public. Ilat Seisee ballot, and making the vo c Th = scale et ti.. e b continued rising on Thursday. i: ?ir e , b14)111 Royal marked 3f metres, at which point the 4 lett 4nes unnavigable. th e d tr from Wiesbaden, of the 28th ult., announces btl burti:l4ll of 4 the morning of that day, of El.za e 1 , '. ter kess Nassau, and Grand Duchess of Russia, after iukt. °tlcFbinent on the preceding day of a still born t e1,1411...?ha was born in 1 8 9 6, and married on the A 11:4..,Y, 1844. P41401:1111 letter, dated the 25th, in the Journal the krt,._ e, declares in the most positive manner that The Russia is the ill. ihlra e„4osrnel de thin,is seriously of the 29th ult., says '--- " The eoreretr2,t Pall of surrounding country . are entirely Geneva 4(11%.41(11 540 w. The mail from Paris to . N ry dit, (fillfienity in crossing the Pastille ; it loses , At ab‘,°tlr or five 110 (11 . 8 2, 0 ,‘ one o'clock o Thursday morning, a fire r 'tifi tt 4 ' 5 the t n of 11, biwon, at e. a tan and flour mills Mr. 0 - i e lt te l ne we,:ei_Sub-I..'refect of Corbeil and the Mayor of by their ju hoindilee„,_nraediately on the spot, and.,n 0,. Cor. tO , the fircit'uos and the activity of the firemen t 4zieat wa s got under but not until damage to dileAticeerdiirigitLla'a,,l(l, of 100.000 f. had beeniufl!cted. ft i r , k,':‘.l letter from Alexandria, of the . b ue rill ill i''''ned cattle, which was some timk, ago 6th,th s( e ) la cavaloPPt, has again broken cut, and caused l'ii I to. F,.„ t i t.l -et s lid I;=f4l Vienna, of the 20th, states that . the er'''invio ithe chs of Salerno the Prince and Princess otlitted th e ' 44 . 4 the Duke and Duchess d'Aumaie, are ,ajitr etel4 the spring, on a visit to the Emperor i ti al, , Ft the7llilre s ' 4 t,s 'Clog a tt l s : ---" We learn from a certain . source ae dr,,, taieh, ~.„,1t Queen of Prussia, and the Prince the h'` . t of th e , l ,',. la the month of June, proc . eec Ith, 4 t i tta tdsttoni me, the littos of Prussia to inhabit the te rai t h k• zearEls• near'eoblentz, and the Prince 0 1 111 g eila • . t teal' ot Johannisb,rg.' Oh h ,"304.7e .e. . - rat i , mix e = 444 .kz...1.k.)...., .4,,,, -..... , th a ie ) f, ota o,r, likkinghana has arrive d at Buckingham otate , 4 Ptl tik e of i s , .• Ills Grace is expected to attend at Thy il()tile Telangtor.'s grand dinner this evening iqk 1 / 1 1 1te . t4eitte still z°rNewtastle and the Ladies Pelham et , 1 4 4 4 th e ret 14ber Park, Notts. No period is 3 . , Thtt'fi, 411 of the family to Portman-square for 114 btd, e a .Clin (l4 ett" Atle l l l ' d 1)liel les1 of Norfolk and the ',idles ofittutlrday erel!l.lll.oward arrived in St. Jemes's-pi . .tre . Th e klel am ,l'ag, frum Arundel Castle. The Earl t°4l 1345 Qurrey has arrived in Che•ham-place. k„,41511, "h ose buche„ of Argyll and Lady Emma . ii_to leaveus.pet health is greatly improved, are i'x kat.' Graealsivrary Castle at the end of the week, Th Altk' bake seat, ill Dumbartonshire, en route to klees tetZe-a4OX, Lord Ge I,Ader her Richmond, the E rl of March, Lord ki,;; tad th e l. Lady Clinton Sir _Horace ' Seymour, gea Lennox, and the sedanki4s 4artir, k!'lles Seymour:Lady c'eyford, s_ tetit;, •Ar . I T -'e'lrY Leck -i- Lecke, and the kr y p I'. 4tior-Ge (.', Lady and the toi titittra„qtlrn, Sir neral Sir Hercules Pakenhaw i lott rie n, 4. _ ?tt, firm, „„en John Oipinaney, hy.), tttrlitigeari; fotirelial Dorien and Mrs. Cl 2,.. General andred of the principal ._ no s eddy ittedthte4 ball given by s,"'°n, on, ofa . Colonel Sir J. li t fe,_,,i, t ar, liredne(.-ers of the 55th Regiment a lie7i Ilad ttl , ° l* JertfuaY evening. 1 1 k o ~ , Into„ , iy has arrived in Berkley-squanr? ", t, l'k o 4 ti e T in hi 3 go.?rf,ler to be in readiness to a f t te t d e rt,tge Mar = day 4;7%41 capacity as Master o the thstltlied to (iths end At . , _ Kr have ispiero,,tlaa Char_ !Newness of -ormanbnry. ltfrt'n° huspjt I.ll.u'al note', from 1 skt ,It 11., A . 4ap h 4 n 'en of the Duke and Duchess of (4tat 't.lelter,.,.--Patori. participating in I. err i s .., , . . I,`'°,i'd std expected in town to-day from Buck 1041' lady 4 ark Y sobert r= f , , ,h , laj, 'street, f vrosrenor are expected to cllt'l4l.2 o44(idtar h F Q ° „ m ,itn Hell, the seat of the 1:11 the; "Nreel--(48 of 'Westminster. Earl and 'tntet'r aojok,lll. 4,nd Youthful family intend to wlth their noble relatives some . N 6 Addl. ,tttiovi.,, 't fr,,, e lls. in he relltrnexelicartax. t? ();10(1,4-' the Thi.- ' °llB o of Peers, in answer to the STltiirldt44 secor,°,l4_,' w ill be moved by the Marquis k,.oll,via_cri3o,llinegu, 11:13yt Lord Glenlyon. o'clock, i, trliklif. qeuilli.g rObberc'yw•waei:ceciginhmt rittntdedneinnethe pre. 'lta til:4lPstadins, tluirytt,n, residing in Heath : s (4 11 lit li r. 6 near the . police station-house, It pltlieittilt; thst tillltlbig outside his shop two large fine "'e1i,.'1.!., b'l bro r , e)' had not been exposed more than ateeleeedetlits-elne exPert thieves, unobserved by ~I k rt,,, 3' ive!, erlrrvin them eft Information was , th r th e ... to th r ; ... .. 'i t pi- t hiev es L Pol.leo who went in all three olt , a W,, re tc out yvithout effect. It is supposed ,10 h'cl?_,lise. "r°WII into a cart that was standing i c t S h e ' d i ' Co , i•s.. tp4 .tiodar 3810t.ers of her Majesty's Treasury :04 froqttett sseoolisi.deration a memorial from the 4'it,4'll.l:43'lllprit 0 7 1 2 1 1 of Liverpool, praying to be Al to ~.._outy on.therpuol, natural wastage of N ' ny tp .-, give efilaive nUthorised the Commissioners vfth %tie in eet to th sit • ,s d by lit.;Aillt4oetaef i!e:ettituitnurfe th erati.on prop( . e f.ollowing allowance in tlott,k orJ e4l ', for every viz owing any time not let p a y 100 3•(,tr and Y 100 gallons, one galbai ; 6 k e.rkber fpld,'ll_ not exceeding two years, 'po lo of , 31 two gallons, and so on for . 4 li kat, J eEtra the 1 1, 1 1, i 1i), it: pro,ide, ‘ Cita l may remain in Stltiit. :N. staoee exec' tne total allowance do k'4111; cl"4ler•ed the fo I ; Low.rig propor ,, e Q k plp, sk, thr• e gpllons; a hogshead, Woe itse altid,,',Bel'en all° ' 11^ betalaco - =or th, ~ rl - , and further, that n 4 f,to ~,143 t6.lo,.!ructional part of a gallon, 41: 14 , 1 , 1 ' of tr'okred. pit parts, in which case one l i •l tii 4 es , le t„,,d 4t' should be understood that I l k t 1 ‘ 'kit ' 3 4' the Treasury r( fers only to 101 k , 'keti.. ' out 0 , itille Patti e 4l ol 4er.. of the special seeurity—it does not N Nrlp.(l Iliati3, to y_c! at the Docks in this port, kt, 1 4 . , tiliihm Zlisnta.."cer; s the outports, where it k i ra tt e e(4l the Zw. Copies of this order have ltiiti,tt rata th i'etors 'la' departments in London, th. 4 11.,‘. and cotnptr li the •' us re,,t ait t d ii.. ;,, , o ers a- %arm) iti'ltti kle of''''(.om, for the future govern it ttip d., metre, end the infornaation of the 11 44 , li,No? ilikht,, s .11g t 11.4 'll,tiad B e " en alarm was f , lt in the • inity ItO)li'tiistiellltittag outr.ll: 0114(7, nwincg toaveryvitclisan iilpt:ine:/%.t,o°2lataple'r,le..?. extensive warehouses of tittined riNteewilpuars to'lltr.!aete_on the. south s . ide o , f t 4.,.4, the tsh ?re al fii.a., Greenwich. Railwar3e. Veql,ttlitt: tetilosr,o7 atety or q., (1 faint . hope s we kektakt ,eielt ;oldie__ essrs. Willshere s, the hrt3; destrg„„el,'ol7hose Works, a short time ibeing tillit to' t t i ; suY the• Engines were with k.'lilt4 Pre!eined, s. a nd an excellent supply •7 1 , IL r ett.. tsa s. ~, great body was thrown on be lo t.) , 0 vy, 4he damage, it is feared will 1(!‘t i kt h of f (l oath t 't titi t lilt Rev aratatear 4 th y lit4 Lit, d i . 11. p._l3,ridgearater, is vacant 'rn i c;ta . 4 1 786 . rt„ l'"ons, the late rector, it4kt,, I a7ii . The ..,,,...-,:an,e patron of the Jiving is ii • , tho ho 'll I, value, according to the , i 1(1 ~ r tLation 341. ili t44l il, lll op 4;11'4 60' b llk 'k kitel t c o _____ VII pe r ' l y e de t r . () 1 i'"usalo3;.---11re under lii 41;4 e,44 ltpected g le, the distinguished diplo titt'eop rtee !'3' pre a t the French Embus rom 'to 'tilitq:t, I,),titiolititi t.hellraer.a t ir i ohne Ih)avking be en made for el,4lti,tte„rliel,„ itapott. Q . ode Broglie comes itlttt 'it ,ve ~. =4. 1, cant special mission from the t'iltnqi the a rieie'bJect of the IX.ke's mission (iLi!thtl'4.,ileitli'c)Y:llZ.riadairteigti;st rtecrw4eareh,” and the slave hoped that a settle ocit,.l,l‘llollrt'Y tkketi,_ffeerences on that important 14citttl: /4 vi 1, 4 e ,to the mutual satisfaction 'ilkh'itq'ttelit?'; I:lOWAia ER ‘ 4 , It‘t 1, he ,r ~ ,e ~„s _ .OUIaESS Or ALD ikljtNts, t , t4llr eel eph Of ther.reeived on Saturday last ts4p4 eeellktieberlea its tlj ate‘eVager Countess of Ald ace Illryt1). t:°44 "elit took a Pital, at azi advanced tOti t t . at, std„, 1444.. ,_ place on Wednesday the Illit:)tk 4; 11 84 , ht p ar i7B- nad ior the last five years i hql)„,tokitilter of th. lier Ladyship, who was eitsti,,,4 iiikttise,,f, khi.bui:litetisn'lrederick Hamilton, 145 (1,\4a4,1111 kgri talltOn, marries . seventh son of in April, I"'7 4.l4iillip 3' j,,,t tklyseht•liddhorough, byh, '' ' ~.4 ~Itiii '.1.4, yanked ad ue tlireelvda4ll,4 ‘..11() /14.410,0ei4 , Li to s s „ on j. Noi crs, ty elttANt ?oile bh Wit • .1:t dney, p ktti k c t . ti: c)tttat, t tlach e . _,, OW Of VICO-d -) et bii Lady Emil) ', wit OIV ii,,1114(1t ,!tpiiitrt......l, (,7tuNtllor4: d ll /ton:, officers of the octroi on iv, .4, at , oil,), ,e, lately seized 900 kilo is , no Ns w he rt s ent t o lately i ost,tr ah ti ,i t i thi,, o i l h dealer -of the Marais. n it t , 4„ a s i , a 1,,,,„., Its undergone a, c, rtain li lt the the ca CV as agreeable tc, the taste 'll u 1.1144th' Ikt la 11 ° ' Pc at: "d at a mac lower • 'e .' n, 4klile orlC;Qt'arailts instea lof pric.e, i• •tt.l% •= th ' 9 nahe s 4, ( butter in thkt l it ta ‘kt e ,i ar . essenger, A tte t t eheqs_tlttig,d t::2,1,118 of _Bute With Lady 4tiltoarrik`qi p 4pe ue celebrated on Wednes- A pt . 4 at the ati"abee 11 .• h I=l I kat • Pon 'ant °- gins of Itute will not LONDON AND YORK RAILWAY TO 'TIE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Neither does " Investigator" tell us in what re >meets the metropolitan terminus of the London and York line can be compared, in national importance, or in its accommodation to the traffic from the manu facturing districts and from Lincolnshire, with the exisiog and projected termini of the Eastern Countie3. He observes the same politic silence also with re ference to the proposed communication between the main line of the London and York, and the Man chester and :heffield, and Manchester and Leeds Railways ; not venturing to challenge my assertion, that by the London and York scheme the connexion of Lincolnshire with the manufacturing and mineral districts involves 43 miles of new railway, whilst by the Midland scheme the same object is as well, or better attained, by the construction of 12 miles only. Again, as regards the communication between London and York, " Investigator" does not deny the following facts: that the direct line involves the con struction of 1851 miles of railway, whilst the exten sion of the existing line involves the construction of 132 miles only ; that there will be no saving in time, by the more direct route over the other; that the distance saved is chiefly, if not entirely, saved between London and Peterborough; that from York the line must be made to Lincoln and from the south to Pe terborough ; that to accommodate the heart of Lin colnshire, and the population collected in the nume rous towns and villages along the Car Dyke, the line must be continued from Lincoln direct to Peterbo borough ; that the chain of railway communica tion will then he complete from York to London via Lincoln and Cambridge ; that another new, expensive, and entirely competing line from Bawtry to London cannot be j ustified on any ground ofnational importance, and cannot hold out any reasonable prospect of return to the proprietors. " Investigator" has charged me with having stated " that for the first thirty miles from London the York line invades some of the finest garden ground to be found in England " I made no such statement; what I did state was, "the first thirty miles from London will require an enormous outlay of capital, then the line will pass through some of the finest garden land in England "—and this statement is substantially and literally correct, as at or near Biggleswade the line will pass through some of the finest garden land in England. I refer to this trivial charge against my accuracy as showing that the writer could not impugn or call in question the more important statements which my letter embodied, in asmuch as it is the only instance of misstatement or misrepresentation which he has ventured to attribute :o me. Mr. Herepath has published an excellent map of he London and York line and its loop, as a supple ment to his last Saturday's paper ; if your readers will refer to it, they will see how every statement in my former letter is borne out. I could have wished that Mr. Herepath had marked upon his map the various competing lines ; hut if your readers will extend the Northern and Eastern line from Cam bridge, by St. Ives, Ramsey, Peterborough, Market Det-ping, Bourn, &c., to Lincoln, and thence, as the Midland propose to carry it, by Gainsborough and Doncaster to the York and North Midland at Monk Frvstone, and will pencil out branches from Stamford to Spalding, Heck ington to Boston, Doncaster to Swinton, and from the North Midland to the Manchester and Leeds Railway, by Griggleston and Gomersall, they will perceive how completely the objects of the London and York line may be attained at one-third of the outlay which the construction of that line and its loop will require, and without injury to existing interests. If I understand the general reasoning of " Inves tigator" correctly, it comes to this—that if the Lin colnshire lines are made the distance between London and York will be reduced eleven miles only, and the through traffic be retained on the Midland lines. Now, by the Northern and Eastern and Cambridge and Lincoln lines, the distance to Lincoln will be 136 miles ; if the line be carried on direct to York by .the Lincoln, York, and Leeds direct and independent (through Snaith and Selby), the entire distance from London to York will be 194 miles, or only eight more than by the London and York ; if the line be carried •on from Lincoln, by either the London and York, or the Midland, the entire distance from London to York would be about 200 miles ; so that " Investigator" does not state the case fairly when he says that if the Lincolnshire lines are made, the journey from London to York would be 228 miles, or only 11 miles less than by the present circuitous route. With respect to the retention by the Midland of the through traffic on their present lines "Investi gator" is equally wide of the mark ; it is clear that the through traffic must be diverted from the Midlands. When that Company found that the public required, and would have a more direct communication between London and York, they proposed to make part of the chain, and, at the same time, to connect Lincolnshire in the most direct and cheapest way with the manufacturing and mineral districts. The Cambridge and Lincoln, and the Eastern Counties complete the chain, under such arrangements with the Midlands as will secure the quick and cheap transit of the traffic along the entire line; in fact, the Midlands are bound by the stongest of all" inducements to a public company— their pecuniary interest—to pass the through traffic along the new line; but, even if they were not so bound, the Board of Trade would take care that the public were neither retarded nor inconvenienced in the use of any railway communication by the Midland or any other company. " Investigator" assumes that it never was the dis position cf the Northern and Eastern Company to go northward beyond Peterborough; certainly they would not do so if other companies would do it for them, and so bring upon their line, already made, the traffic which they relied on when their first Act was obtained ; but if the London and ork is granted, the Northern and Eastern line will be robbed of its jet and legitimate traffic—all the district lying to the north of Cambridge, round St. Ives, Ramsey, Hunt ingdon, Peterborough, and the whole of Lincolnshire, as well as the through traffic, would be tlken from them. I hold a large number of shares in the Eastern Counties which I purchased, relying on their having the traffic to which I have referred; and I do not hesitate to say, that there is no existing line of railway in the kingdom which will be more deeply, unfairly, unnecessarily, and permanently injured by a com peting line, than the Northern and Eastern line will be by the London and York, if that Company is permitted to make a competing line from Peterborough to London. I am reminded by " Investigator" that Cam bridge is not on the direct route between Lon don and York, and " that the Cambridge and Lin coln line touches no great town on its route." In return ' I would remind " In ves ti ga t or " th a t t h e route from London to York, via Cambridge and Lincoln, has been sanctioned by the Legislature, has been selected and recommended by many eminent engineers, at various times, since 1826, as the proper trunk line for the country, and was, in fact, so se lected, in the the first instance, by the promoters of the London and York, and that Cambridge, Peter borough, and Lincoln, all of which are touched by the Cambridge and Lincoln line, and are directly and best accommodated by it, are the largest and most important towns on the route. I will now briefly allude to the continuation of Mr. Herepath's observations on the London and York Railway, published in his journal of Satur day last. Mr. Herepath, like "Investigator," has not attempted any reply to my letter, on the ground, that he will not be drawn into a dispute on the merits of the two lines. He has before frankly admitted that, perfect as he conceives the London and York scheme to be, be would rather the line had started from Cambridge and gone into the York and North Midland at Burton Salmon; for this opinion, which by his own statement, he has repeatedly expressed to the promoters of the London and York line privately, I have no doubt he could advance sound and conclu sive reasons, which it would be difficult to reconcile with the support he is now giving to the London and York, and I can only regret that the promoters of that line have not paid more attention to his opinion. Mr. Herepath has gone into an elaborate exposition of the character of the works OH the London and York line, from items supplied (as I gather f rom hi s article) by the engineer of the line, and they are matters for an enj.ineer to deal with. As to the cost of construction we are left to guess. Mr. Herepath averages 330 miles or railway a 13,3301. per mile !!! Now this is less per mile than the estimated cost of the Cambrid.:e and Lincoln, which has neither tunnels nor viaducts, nor an expensive city terminus, and over a large p( rtion of which the works are of as light and favourable a character as the hen and chicken part of the London and York. It is not upon such guesses as this that the decision of the Board of Trade and of Parliament will be made. I Strt,—My attention has been called to a letter in the Morning Herald of the Ist instant, signed "In vestigator," which purports to be a reply to my com munication to you of the 23d of January last. I have read "Investigator's" letter with attention ; and I am Lure, if your readers will do the same, they will agree with me, that though he sets out with the admission that my view of the case is one of minutiae and detail, he studiously abstains from any attempt to show either that the facts stated by me are incorrect, or that the conclusions which I deduced from them are erroneous. " Investigator" has not ventured to state that a new line of railway from London to Peterborough is called for, or can be justified, in a national point of view, or that if made, it will be other than a directly com peting line with an existing railway. More than this—he does nut deny that every town on its route may be amply provided for by other lines of railway now under tie consideration of the Board of Trade, not one of which will interfere with existing inte rests. TFIE SUN, LONDONtiVIONDAY EVENING,FEBRITARY 3 5 1815 am assured by engineers of great experience, who have examined the plans and sections of the London and York line and who are acquainted with the country it will traverse, that it cannot he completed under an average cost of '20,0001. a mile. Many of the railway projects which have been re ferred to the Board of Trade have originated in n spirit of aggression, or as defensive measures, on the part of existing railway companies. I have on a former occasion expressed my conviction of the ne cessity for a pr e li m i n ary i n q u iry by Governmentinto the merits of competing lines, with the view to the se lection of such one line, or to the amalgamation of such different lines, as may best provide for the ad • vantage and convenience of the public with the least detriment to existing interests. I cordially concur with Mr. Herepath in the opinion, that the decisions which the Board has already annouececlare just and proper, and I look forward to its report on the Northern and Eastern lines, not only without anxiety, but with perfect confidence that it will be in accordance with the principles which have hitherto guided its deci sions. The Board of Trade is well aware that the London and York is only another name for the Man chester and Leeds—and that the struggle for the dis trict north of Lincoln is, in fact*, a struggle between the Manchester and Leeds and the Midlands. The Manchester and Leeds want to have the command of the traffic between the manufacturing and mi neral districts and Lincolnshire. The Mid lands say, that is our district, and you have no right to invade it. The Manchester and Leeds reply, we will not only invade it, but we will divert from your line all the through traffic north of York. The London and York Company may assert that they are independent of the Manchester and Leeds, but it is notorious that they could not fill their subscription list till they were taken up by the Man chester and Leeds Shareholders, and afterwards amal gamated with the Wakefield. Lincoln, and Boston Company. The London and York scheme does not affect the Midlands only— if carried out in its inte grity, it will divert the traffic from another most im portant line of railway, one that for years yielded scarcely any return to its proprietary, and has never yet been able to pay more than 31 per cent., and whose proprietary have clung to it through adverse circumstances, in the reasonable expectation that sooner or later their property would be improved by the extension of the line north of Cambridge, either by themselves or by an independent company. Of all the schemes which the abundance of capital has called into being, the London and York with its loop, whether regarded as a means of shortening the distance between London and the north, or as con necting the rich and productive county of Lincoln with the ports of London, Ipswich, and Harwich ; or with the manufacturing and mineral districts, is the most uncalled-for and indefensible—uncalled-for, be cause it entirely disregards existing lines, by the aid of which the same objects may be better attained, at one third of the outlay, and consequently to the much greater advantage of the community—indefensible, because it can only be supported by the diversion of the traffi.s from important existing railways with which, moreover, it must always be a competing line, I am, Sir, your obedient servant, SPECTATOR. IRELAND. THE QUEEN'S VISIT TO IRELAND. DUBLIN, JAN. 31.—The Mercantile Advertiser of this evening contains the foilowing announcement, which is founded upon information derived from an unquestionable source We have learned from a source of the very best authority, that the Queen and her Illustrious Consort have determined upon visiting Ireland early next summer; and our informant adds, that great political changes are in contemplation for Ireland.' " We should state that this intelligence reached us before the resignation of Mr. Glad.tone could have been known ; but it is impossible not to connect that event with the important changes in Irish policy spoken of by our correspondent." ➢IURDER OF CAPTAIN APLEOD, STIPEN DIARY MAGISTRATE The Enniskillen Chronicle, of yesterday, gives the following appalling statement in a second edition : " We stop the press to announce the melancholy and distressing intelligence that Captain M'Leod, R.M., who was on temporary duty at Ballinamore, county Leitrim, from this town, was shot dead last night, at Garradice, near Ballinamore, the residence of Mr. Percy, with whom he was dining. Captain M‘Leod left about one o'clock, on an outside car, and, coming out of the gate, was fired at and shot dead on the spot. Few gentlemen have ever discharged the duties of an important situation with more credit than he has done. The melancholy news created a great sensation here this morning, and a universal regret pervades every grade of society among us. Imme diately on receipt of the letter, George Wood, Esq., and Wm. M‘Leod, Esq., the only one of Captain M'Leod's sons at present here, posted off for Ballina more." An account of this dreadful murder, similar in substance to the above, reached the constabulary office at Dublin Castle this day. Captain M'Leod was appointed by Lord Normanby, and bore the highest character as an impartial and judicious magistrate. He had been, until his removal to Fermanagh, stationed in Tipperary ; and his conduct in that county afforded the greatest satisfaction. The following details are given in the Mercantile Advertiser of this evening :—" Captain M'Leod at tended the petty sessions on Wednesday. Some tenants of Mr. Percy, of Garradice, near Ballinamore, a magistrate, were charged with Ribbonism. The other magistrates on the bench were disposed to allow the accused to give bail ; but Captain M'Leod opposed this course, and bail was refused. Captain M'Leod dined in the evening with Mr. Percy, and on leaving that gentleman's residence he was attacked at the gate lodge and shot dead." winter. _AGRICULTURAL REPuRT FOR JANUARY. (From the Farmer's 111agazii,e.) ra noticing the weathcr experienced during thie movith, wt.! may observe that, notwithstanding the fluc tua Lions (numerous in the extreme:) which have been ex? ,;erienced, it has proved extremely mild. Whether, ho wever, it has been seasonable is another matter to cc nsider. True it is, there has not been a long con ti nuance of cold easterly winds, yet we have had scarcely a sufficient number of sharp frosts, which are generally so much required at this period. However, our accounts respecting the young wheat plants are extremely favourable. Scarcely a single instance has come under our observation in which they have ap peared winter-proud, or displayed in other respects san unfavourable appearance. It cannot be denied that they have greatly stood in need of a heavy fall of snow to protect them, as well as to form a good tilth for the Lenten crops. Although thus early, every progress appears to have been completed for the sowing of barley and oats. As may he readily understood, complaints are more general of the scarcity of winter keep; indeed, in some parts of the country, nearly the whole of the hay is already consumed. Fortunately, the turnip crop turned out better that many persons were pre pared to expect, or the consequences might have been even more serious than they have occurred. The great demand for oil-cake, conseqw.nt upon the scarcity of dry fodder, has produced a further rise in the value of that article —as much as 131. ss. having been realised per 1,000. Comparatively speaking, the stock, both beasts and sheep, has fared tolerably well, yet an unusually large number has been re ceived up to our various markets in less than a half fat state. The epidemic amongst the beasts appears to have pretty well subsided in this country, though it has extended its ravages throughout nearly the whole of the continent of Europe, where very great losses have b..(n sustained h‘ the graziers. Strange as it may appear, in the facejof a dry spring year, we have to noti ce a great i ncrease in the rot in sheep, not only in the northern counties, but likewise in those lying south of the Humber. This we consider to have been principally caused by the heavy rains, and the rapid growth of rank vegetation in August and the beginning of September, which period, our readers will recollect, was a most fluctuating one. From the fact of most of the shipping ports in Ilolland being blocked up with ice, a ready in ference was drawn in the early part of the win ter, that the imports , of live stock into this coun try from the above quarter, under the new tariff, would have been very trifling. But in this par ticular persons have been disappointed, for we find the arrivals thence in the course of this month to have amounted to 142 beasts and 200 sheep. About a moiety of those supplies have reached us in fair saleable condition ; but the re mainder has proved extremely inferior. The prices realised for the former have varied from 14/. to 191., and for the latter 275. to 435. per head. At the out ports no arrivals have taken place, neither are any ex pected for some time hence. Speaking prospectively, we may intimate that great exertions are being made in Germany and Holland, especially in the latter coun try, to improve their stock, so as to render it a profit able venture in our markets. That they will succeed in their endeavours we entertain very little doubt; hence we are looking forward to very large imports during the present year. Hitherto the lambing season has gone on well, and very few losses have resulted from the severity of the weather. Mark-lane, as well as nearly the whole of the principal local markets, has been again well sup plied with wheat of home produce. Ow ing to the extreme caution manifested on the part of the dealers in effecting purchases, the dema n d f or t h at article has b een , on t h e whole, dull ; yet the value of the finest qualities has been steadily supported—that of most other kinds having had a downward tendency. Bar:ey, both of home and foreige growth, having come very freely to hand, has sold heavily, at a reduction of from 2s. to 3s. per quarter. Superfine malt may be con sidered as having supported previous currencies ; but the middling and inferior kinds have been almost unsale able. Oats and beans have ruled about stationary; but peas and flour have again declined. Our advices from Scotland are to the effect that the winter wheats are looking remarkably strong and healthy. The various markets have been rather more steady than with as, yet some diffi culty has been experienced in obtaining the quotations ruling in December. The shipments of oats from Ireland during this month have been by no means large, in conse quence of the extremely low prices at which that article has been selling here. Prime qualities of that description of grain, as well as those of wheat, have met a fair inquiry at full quotations. Other wise the trade has ruled dull. All agricultural la bours appear to be forward. BISHOP PHILLPOTTS AND THE TAX GATHERER. (From the Western Times.) Our right reverend and respected diocesan does not like the palace provided for him by the State, and the consequence is that he has been suffering that venerable pile to fall into decay. He has removed from it, and taken up his [occasional] abode in the Clarence Hotel, although the 75th canon provides that no ecclesiastical person shall board or lodge in any tavern or ale-house. But he does not mind a canon or two when he's in the vein. Our right reverend friend appears to be opposed to the window-tax, and having successfully resisted it be fore the Commissioners " belo w" —as will be seen by re ference to the following extract from the " Judges' cases"— the collector appealed to the Judges, who decided that he must pay. Bishop Phillpotts also tried to evade the poor-rate on similar grounds to those which he took for escaping the Queen's taxes. We do not retort upon him, as he did upon the people who kicked against the offer tory, by saying that he is sordid and selfish—but we do think it shows a determination to take care of Number 1, which will prove to his friends that he still enjoys the full use of his mental faculties. We wish that we could have seen the Bishop's name n the list of subscriptions for the poor of Exeter this At a meeting of the Commissioners of Assessed Taxes, held at the Guildhall, Exeter, on the 12th day of Sep tember, 1844, to hear appeals against th e fi rs t assess ments, 1844, the Bishop of Exeter appealed, by his agent, against an assessment made upon him for the duty upon 70 windows in the Palace at Exeter, upon the ground of its being unoccupied and unfurnished. It appeared from evidence taken before the Commis sioners, and also upon a view that the Bishop and his family left the Palace in September, 1842, without any intention of returning ; that the principal part of the furniture and effects have been removed to the Bishop's present residence, at Bishopstow, near Torquay ,• that since September, 1842, the Palace has been unfit for occupation by the Bishop, and when he has visited Exeter he has transacted business either at the house of his secretary or at the Clarence Hotel. That some furniture is still left in the Palace ; the drawing-room is entirely unfurnished. In the dining room are some portraits of former Bishops of the See suspended from the wa ll s, and in tLe library about 200 volumes of books remaining on the shelves, both the dining -room and library are furnished sufficiently for use, but not so com pletely as when the Bishop resided at the Palace. There are also some articles of furniture in the entrance-hall, a stair-carpet, and some matting in the passage. There is a bedstead and a bed and some articles of furniture in the Bishop's late bed-room, and other bedsteads in other bed rooms, but no beds or other convenience for sleep ing ; and when the porter slept in the Palace, which he did occasionally between September, 1842, and April, 1843, for the purpose of preventing depredation, he took sheets, blankets, acid pillows with hi m ; t h at no one of the family has slept in the Palace since 1842 ; and that the porter ceased to sleep there on the 29th April,lB43. Mr. Adshead, the surveyor, contended that the furni ture above-mentioned being still left in the Palace, it could not be said to be wholly unfurnished, as required by 6 Geo. IV., c. 7, s. 3, but the Commissioners being of opinion that the furniture now in the Palace is left there for safe custody, and not for use; and that the Palace in its present state is unfit for the occupation of the Bishop arid his family, relieved the appellant, with which the surveyor is dissatisfied, requested a case for the opinion of her Majesty's Judges, which we hereby state and sign accordingly. The Commissioners beg to refer to CasehNaior.mla,Bnl.3. JOHN D. OSBORN, c ROBERT TAYLOR, CHARLES BRUTTON, Commissioners. SAMUEL DAVIES, 4th December, 1844.—We are of opinion, that the de termination of the Commissioners is wrong. W. H. MAULE, R. M. ROLFE, C. CRESS WELL W. ERLE. ' Although, therefore, the Bishop bath made the P a l ace too cold to hold him, the Judges decide upon rating him soundly. MINISTERIAL ARRANGEMENTS.—It is now defini tively arranged, we believe, that the Right Hon. Sir Thomas Fremantle goes to Ireland as Lord Eli o t' s suc cessor in the import an t office of Chief secretary ; th a t the Hon. Sidney Herbert leaves the Admiralty, a n d takes Sir Thomas Fremantle's place as Secretary at War, with a seat in the Cabinet ; and that the Right lion. IL T. L. Corry succeeds to the First Secretary. ship of the Admiralty, vacated by Mr. Sidney Herbert. With regard to Mr. Cardwell, M.P., whose name has been mentioned in print, in connection with these neces sary chant es, we are enabled to say that, up to the pre sent moment, he has not accepted any appointment under Government, but it is hoped that, ere lo ng , t h e country will have the benefit of his services. It was stated in the City on Saturday evening, upon authority which admits of no doubt, that Mr. Thomas Baring, M.P., has been invited by Sir Robert Peel to take an office in all respects suited to his teents and commercial knowledge, and we fully expect that we shall, i n a d ay or two, have to an nounce hi s accession to the Ministry in a position in which he can be eminently useful. Lord Dalhousie, as our rea d ers a re aware, quits the Vice- Presidency of the Board of Trade, and will become the head of that department by reason of the retirement of t he Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone.--Morning paper. DEATH OF THE .DUCHESS OF NASSAU. FRANKFORT, JAN. 29.—The loath of the Duct..ess c,f • Nassau, daught,r of the En-i ror of Russia, is an norincA by the Wic . badt-n corresponden t of the Frunhfu. t?rJournal in the following tern: —“ It is our melanrholy duty to announce an event which has p!unged his Irghness the Duke and the entire country into the deepest sorrow. Yesterday afternoon, the 27th, her Imperial Highness the Duchess Elizabeth, Archduchess of Russia, was de livered of a female child, still-born, and eat ly the next morning her Imperial Highness expired under a severe attack of spasms at the heart." The Co!otine Gazette also announces the same melancholy event, and adds that her Highness was born on the 26th of May, 1826, and married on the 31,,t of January, 1844. Her death will be another heavy affliction for her Imperial father. The Council sat two hours. Immediately after the Council Sir Robert Peel left town for Windsor Castle. The Earl of Aberdeen also left town for Windsor Castle in the evening, on a visit to her Majesty. The Attorney-General for Ireland had an interview with Sir James Graham on Saturday, at the Home. office. The Hon. Francis Charteris, M.P., had an inter view with Sir R. Peel on Saturday. Dispatches for th e Governor of Van Diemen's Land were sent off from the Colonial-office on Saturday. The Duke of Wellington and Sir F. Trench at tended the early service yesterday in the Chapel Royal, St. James's. The Rev. Dr. Wesley officiated, and preached the sermon. The Duke and Duchess of Montrose, the Earl and Countess of Wilton, Lord Ernest Bruce, and Lord and Lady Sondes, attended the daily service. The Rev. Dr. Dakins read the prayers, the Rev. Mr. Hall the lessons, and the Rev. Dr. Sleath the communion service. The Rev. Mr. 13ouverie preached the sermon. The anthem was " Wherewithal shall a young man " (Boyce). Sir George Smart presi led at the organ. LITERATURE. THE MEDICAL ARGUS, AND ADVOCATE OF THE GENERAL PRACTITIONER OF MEDICINE, SURGERY, AND MIDWIFERY. No. I. This is the first Number of a new weekly medical periodical, which has been started for the purpose oF upholding the cause of the general practi tioner, and of promoting union among the whole me dical body, so as to procure for the profession gene rally a higher status than it has hitherto enjoyed in society. These are most praiseworthy ob jects, and we sincerely hope that the projectors of the " Medical Argus" may succeed in their efforts to obtain them. The present Number, in addition to a leading article and an address, contains copious ex tracts from the contemporaneous medical press, and also lectures, reports of cases f rom B r iti s h and fo reign hospitals, and a great quantity of information of a scientific character. It is printed in a clear type, on excellent paper, and its appearance is much in its favour. THE SCATTERGOOD FAMILY. 3 Vols. Bentley, London, 1845. As this tale, which is here republished in three volumes, has already appeared in successive numbers of Bentley's Miscellany, we need say nothing more on the present occasion, than that it is not undeserv ing the honour of republication. FINE ARTS. THE ATTACK OF THE LION. Brain and Payne, London, 1R45. We have here a plate engraved in the line manner from an original picture painted by his Royal Highness Prince Raden Saleh. The en graving represents a fierce attack made by a lion on a horse and his rider in the gorge of a mountain, close to the edge of a tremendous preci pice. There is infinite spirit in the drawing of the wounded animal, whom the savage lion is tearing to pieces with all the ferocity inspired by hunger. Tho countenance of the horseman, who has thrown him self back in his saddle, and is clinging with both arms to the projecting branches of a tree, expresses a world of horror. LATEST FROM AMERICA. We have received New York papers to the 15th January. The Bill for the annexation of Texas wrs still in Committee in Congress. The contents of the papers are unimportant. ASIIBURTON.--.A MODERN WONDER.—One of the most extraordinary prodigies of railroad and printing dispatch has taken place this week that has ever been recorded from this town, viz., the working men's ad dress to Mr. Matheson, relative to the silver snuff-box, together with Mr. M.'s answer, were sent off from the post-office here at half-past six o'clock on Sunday even ing last for insertion in the daily Sun, London news paper, and, wonderful to relate, on Tuesday morning, about seven e'ciock, both documents, and a highly inte resting loading and appropriate article appeared in that journal, and arrived here, thus having traversed upwards of 400 miles, in addition to the process of composing, printing, &c.— Western Times. TIIE WEATHER.--Since our last the weather has been extremely variable. On Saturday we had high winds and rain ' ..Sunday wa s a raw bl uster i ng d ay ; Monday somewhat calmer ; but on Tuesday there was a slight fall of snow, to which heavy additions have since been made, and with which a keen frost has set in. The wind which is from the east, is pinching, bitter, biting. Carlisle Journal, SUCCESS OF TUB OFFERTORY.--A churchwarden, who was requested by one of the new-light successors of the Apostles, to superintend that now important rite, says,le was one;Sunday surprised to see a young man in fustian, apparently a farm servant, very eagerly ap proach the plate, and deposit a shilling. As he did not retire, the farmer asked him what he wanted ? " Me, chaunge," r e pli e d t h e rust i c, " han d yore nine-pence.' , The ninepence was ac cor di ng l y h an d e d t o him (for the the money changers ha ve no t yet left the temple), amin n on, ati lad-depart e d i n th e o d our of sanctity. On h however, the shilling proved a mere brazen t ef:axecfeodre, clear decep tion, and the nine-pence change w pr, , tit to the pious donor.— Western Tunes. GRAVESEND AND ROCHESTER RAILWAY. Ro cnEsTEft, FEB. I.—The differences between the Thames and Medway Canal Company and the contractors having been amicably adjusted, the cylinders and plates hare been restored, and yesterday several trips were per formed between Rochester and Gravesend, many parties availing themselves of the opportunity thus afforded of a gratuitous journey by this conveyance. It has not been finally arranged to open this line to the public on Mon day, the 10th instant. NEw QUEEN'S COUNSEL.--Mr. Russell Gurney, one of the sons of Mr. Baren Gurney, we are informed, has received an intimat'on from the Lord Chancellor, in reply to his application, that he will be called within the bar as one of her Majesty's Counsel. The effect of this appointment will be to place him over the heads of Mr. Sergeant Channell and Mr. Sergeant Shee, who are many years his seniors both in rank and standing at the I.ar, and to lead those eminent and talented men on the Home Circuit, unless the Lord Chancellor grants them patents of precedence. In fact, owing to the elevation of Mr. Platt to the bench of the Court of Exchequer, and the appointment of Sir F. Thesiger as Solicitor- General, both of whom belonged - to the Home Circuit, Mr. H. Gurney will lead the entire bar on that circuit. Ciir-7RT CIRCULAR. WINDFOR, SUNDAY.—The Queen will hold a Privy Council to - morrow(Monday) afte rnoon at hold_ Palace, at half-pist three o'clock. Yesterday morning, at nine o'clock, the Prince Al fred, the Princess Royal, and Princess Alice, left tlp Castle, accompanied by the Dowager Lady Lyttelton, Colonel Bouverie, and their Royal Highnesses usual attendants, for the Great Western Railway station at Sh'ugh, and travelled to town by a special train, ar riving at Paddington at ten minutes before ten o'clock. The royal party proceeded in three carriages and four to the New Cross station, and left for Brighton by a special train, arriving at the Pavilion a few minutes past one o'clock. The Queen and Prince Albert, accompanied by the Prince of Wales, walked for some time yesterday morning in the royal grounds adjacent to the Castle. His Royal Highness Prince Albert went to shoot, in the forenoon in the royal preserves, being the last day of pheasant shooting. The Prince was attended by the Marquis of Ormonde, Colonel Wylde, and Captain Meynell. The Earl of Aberdeen left the Castle early yester day morning for town, and returned to dinner. The American Minister, and Mrs. and Miss Eve rett, the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch, the Earl and Countess of Lincoln, and Sir R. Peel, arrived at the Castle y'esterday, on a visit to the Queen. Count Pollon, the Sardinian Minister, and the Right Hon the Speaker of the House of Commons and Mrs. Shaw Lefevre, took their departure yesterday. The Countess of Gainsborough has arrived, and has succeeded the Marchioness of Douro as the Lady in Waiting on the Queen. Colonel Buckley has relieved .Major-General Wemyss in the duties of Equerry in Waiting on her Majesty, and Colonel Wylde has relieved Colonel Bouverie in the duties of Equerry in Waiting on Prince Albert. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, Lady Fanny Howard, and the Countess Wratislaw, joined the royal circle at dinner yesterday. The hand of the Royal Ilorse Guards was in attendance during dinner. Her Majesty's private band afterwards attended, and performed the remainder of the evening. This morning the Queen and Prince Albert took their usual early walk. Her Majesty and Prince Albert and the Duchess of Kent, also the Court and the Domestic Household, attended Divine service in the private chapel of the Castle this morning. The Hon. and Rev. C. Leslie Courtenay read the prayers, and the Rev. Lord IVriothesley Russell preached the sermon. Lady Fanny Howard was in waiting on the Duchess of Kent. The Royal Duchess remained to luncheon with the Queen and the Prince. The Duchess of Cambridge, accompanied by the Princess Mary, attended Divine service yesterday afternoon in St. James's Church. Baron Knesebeck was in waiting on her Royal Highness. Her Royal Highness the Duch ess o f Gl oucester visited th e Du:less of Cambridge and the Hereditary Grand Duchess of Mecklenburgh Strelitz yesterday. A Cabinet Council was held at two o'clock on Saturday afternoon, at the Foreign-office. The Mi nisters present were Sir Robert Peel, the Duke of Wellington, Lord Wharncliffe, the Duke of Buc cleuch, Earl of Aberdeen, Lord Stanley, Sir James Graham, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Earl of Haddingtor ' Earl of Ripon, Lord Gra nv ill e Somer set, and the Earl of Lincoln. The Lord Chancellor arrived shortly before three o'clock. THE NEIV HIGH SHERIFFS. The Dublin Gazette of this evening contains the Following : DUBLIN CASTLE, JAN. 31, 1845.—His Excellency the Lord Lieutenant has been pleased to appoint the undermentioned gentlemen to the office of high sheriff for the following counties and counties of cities and towns in Ireland, for the year 1845 : Antrim—John White, E3q., of I'Vhitehall. Armagh—T. M. Jones, Esq., Jonesborough. Carlow—R. S. Doyne, jun., Esq., Tullow Lodge. Carrickfergus—Stewart Dunn, Eiq , Carrickfergus. Cavan—Anthony O'Reilly, Es:i., Baltrasna. Clare—Hugh Palliser Hickman, Esq., Fenloe. Cork—Hon. H. St. Leger, Doneraile House. Cork City—James Morrogh, Esq., Glanmire, Cork Donegal —Lord G. A. Hill, Ballygar. Down—Hugh Montgomery, Esq., Rosemount. Drogheda Town—William Cairnes, Esq , Drogheda. Dublin—Hon. Edward Preston, Gormunstown Castle. Dublin City—Thomas Crosthwaite, Esq., 9, Eitz william-square, East. Fermanagh—William Archdall, Esq., Dromard. Galway—Denis Kirwan, Esq., Castlehacket. Galway Town—P. M. Lynch, Esq., Kenmore-park. Kerry—Christopher Galwey, Esq., Killarney. Kildare—Lord William Fitzgerald, Carton. Kilkenny—Charles Hely, Esq., Foulks Court. Kilkenny City—John M'Craith, Esq., Kilkenny. King's County—Richard Warburton, Esq., Garry hinch. Leitrim—Edward K. Tennisson, Esq., Kilronan Castle. Limerick—Edward C. Villiers, Esq., Kilpeacon. Limerick City—Henry Watson, Esq., Limerick. Londonderry City and County—Sir H. 11. Bruce, Bart., Downhill. Longford—George Lefroy, Esq., Carrickglass. Louth—Frederick J. Foster, Esq., Castle Ring. Mayo—Henry W. Knox, Esq., Netley. Meath—Lord Killeen, Killeen Castle. • Monaghan—Andie Allen Murray, Esq., Lough 0 vvna. Queen's County—Horace Rochfort, Esq , Clogrenan. Roscommon—Garrett O'Moore, Esq., Cloghan Castle. Sligo—Philip Perceval, Esq., Temple House. Tipperary—John Bayley, Esq., Debsboro'. Tyrone—Wm. D'Arcy, Esq., Necairn Castle. Waterford—John B. Gumbleton, Esq., Fortwilliam. Waterford City—Jacob Penrose, Esq., Waterford. Westmeath—Hon. L. 11. K. Harman, Newcastle. Wexford—Patrick W. Redmond, Esq., Newtown. Wicklow—Wm. W. Fitzwiliiam Hume, Esq., Hume wood. AstlßUßTON.—We'gave last week the address of the working clAsses to Mr. Matheson, M.P., on the occasion of their presenting the Hon. Member with a small, but by him highly prized, token of their sincere respect and esteem for him. The present was a snuff-box bought by a penny subscription from two thousand inhabitants. The intrinsic value of such a memento could not, of course, weigh much with a gentleman who ranks as one of the wealthiest Commoners of the day. But to a warm-hearted, sincere, and generous-minded man, no present could have proved more acceptable than did this humble token of the working-people of Ashburton to their Member. The Hon. Gentleman, in his answer to the address which accompanied it, shows how highly he prizes this inestimable testimonial ; and we refer to the answer, not only for proof of this, but for the enlight ened sentiments which it contains. Mr. Matheson bears important testimony to the value of free-trade princi ples, shows their inevitable progression, and looks to their ultimate triumph as the source of our national prosperity. We sincerely hope that the union which exists between the borough and its Hon. Represents tive may long continue—we believe that it will wholly depend upon the Hon. Gentleman himself to fix the term. The Peerage is chiefly recruited from the ranks of fortunate lawyers and successful warriors. We hope to see the day when the peaceful achievements of com merce will be considered one of the highest claims for the highest honours of the State. If ever the mer chant princes of our empire be selected for such dis tinctions, James Matheson will be of the foremost rank. Times. The newspaper reports respecting the state of Sir W. Follett's health are very flattering. We regret to say, however, that w e d ou b t very much whether Sir William's family here receive such flattering accounts as the newspapers are favoured with.— Western Times. BELGIUM. DEFEAT OF THE OPPOSITION-TRIUMPH OF THE MINISTRY. BRUSSELS, FEB. I.—Alinivers have triumphed. Last night it was decided, by a majority of 65 to 22, that no address should be presented to his Majesty, praying for tilt. dismissal of the members of the present Adminis tration. Yesterday a petition vas presented to the Chamber of Representatives on the part of Mr. Richards, in which he set forth the result of the inquiry institutvd by him and by Mr. Hunter, respecting the pecuniary resources of the Eutre Sambre and Meuse Railway, whose names were published by Mr. Ta)lor, and to whom reerence was made in your paper of last Thursday. M. Zoude stated that it had been ascertained by Messrs. Richards and Taylor that many of the shareholders were unknown to the comet rcial world, to the Post-otli_ie, to the letter. carriers, and even in the streets where they had taken up their residence. He asserted that they were in general coffeehoLie-keepers and writers. The Hon. Gentleman moved that the result of the inquiry made by order of Messrg. Richards and Taylor should be inserted in the Moniteur. M. Rodenbach remarked that the country would derive benefit from the competition of the two English companies. He supported Mr. Taylor, because that gentleman did not require the guarantee of a 3 per cent. minimum of interest. Moreover the Com pany formed by Mr. Taylor had announced their inten tion of depositing a security of a million or half a million of francs. The d wument alluded to was finally ordered to be inserted in thelliloniteur.—Morning Paper. STEEPLE CHASE MATCH AT THIRSK.—On Tues day afternoon, the :21st iust a a steeple chase match, for 100 soya, a side, was run between Mr. I)awson's, of Sowerby, br h Ilighthurne, arid Mr. Reynard's Hog•green, near Ripon, b h The Hawk. High theme was steered by Mr. W. Scott, the steeple chase rider of London, while The Hawk was rude by his gallant owner. The interest excited by this match, far exceeded that of any steeple chase hitherto run at Thirsk. The start took place in a large grass field. Betting was two to one in favour of the Hawk, whose condition was considered much - superior to that of his competitor. The " go" being given, the Hawk went oft' with the lead, over the first and second fences, but took the third a little too much to the left, which mistake gave him three additional fences to clear before he could get into the direct line. His superior speed, however, soon made up the loss, and he went on with the lead to the Mile-house, a few lengths only separating him from Scott, who was evidently acting on the waiting system, as his horse was not only deficient in condition, but overpaced. After a mile and a half had been run, Scott's horse showed strong symptoms of distress. A little beyond the Mile-house Scott again obtained an advantage for his tiring nag, by bearing more to the left than the Hawk into some large fields ; by this he avoided three or four fences which the Hawk had to take in choosing his line across some smaller field. The Hawk, followed close in the wake by Scott, again took up the running after turning round the flag. But again, as ill-luck would have it, by going too much to the left, he was thrown among the smaller fields, which Scott again avoided by shaping his course more to the right ; by this manoeuvre he saved his now blown horse the trouble of jumping nearly a dozen fences. Both were again nearly parallel, though going on apparently diffi rent routes, each taking his fences in excellent style, until they came into the starting field, when, to Mr. Reynard's surprise, he found Scott was a little ahead of him. A most animating race now commenced for the gap, which Scott gallantly led through and racing towards the last fence, which both took nearly at the same time ; in jumping this the Hawk lost a couple of lengths by taking it too much to the left. Scott, meantime, steering his horse, straight as an arrow, landed him safely; and now the final tug came, and at it both went as fast as their gal lant nags could carry them. The judge's fiat was a dead heat, but the general opinion was that Scott had won by a neck.— Tyne Mercury. INCENDIARY FIRE. —On Monday night, about ten o'clock, a fire broke out on the premises of Mr. Horne, of Marston, by which a barn, containing wool and clover seed, a rick of beans, a rick of hay, a quantity of wheat and other straw, and a variety of barn imple ments were destroyed. The amount of damage of Mr. Horne's property is about 300/., but we are happy to say he is insured. The damage to the buildings is to a great amount ; but here again, fortunately an insurance has been effected. Two men have confessed being the guilty parties, and have been fully committed to take th, it trial at the assizes. One of them is a car penter's apprentice, named Mark Compton, and about eighteen years of age ; the other is a farm labourer, named Christopher Nichols. Compton has also confessed that he is the person who fired the stacks of Mr. Rose, in the same parish.— Wiltshire Independent. THE 90TH " TRACT rote THE TIMES."—We are gratified to learn that signatures to the ri quisition for a formal condemnation of the Tract, No. 90, are rapidly pouring in. Yesterday one only of the Reverend Gentlemen who have consented to receive authorities to subscribe the requsition had by post no less than seventy-seven letters from members of Con vocation, requesting him to affix the names of the writers, and there can be no doubt that the names of a great majority of the members of Convocation will be subscribed before the 13th. No time, however, ought to be lost, because the more prompt and the more abundantly signed the requisition, the more confidence will the Hebdomadal Board have in its wise and manly course, iWe have already mentioned that Dr. Faussett, the Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity, and Dr. Ellerton, Professor of Theology, will receive sub scriptions at Oxford ; so that all the members of Con vocation have to do, is to write to one or other of the Reverend Gentlemen ; but this ought to be done at once.—Church and State Gazette. We learn from a late number of the Portafoglio Maltese, that a young countrywoman of ours, Miss Emma Bingley, has made the most brilliant debut at Malta, in the character of Amine, in the Sonnambula. Miss Bingley is a pupil of Pasta—a title which carries with it an awful degree of responsibility—but which, ac cording to our authority, she maintained with the utmost credit to herself. Her voice is rich, melodious, and ex tensive, and formed in the very best school. " Scarcely had she concluded her first cavatina," continues the above-mentioned journal, " when a unanimous burst of applause echoed through the house—not the mere en couraging plaudits that welcomed the youthful aspirant on her entry—hut the homage awarded to an artist of real merit. The same success attended all her efforts throughout the piece:'' Amen! say we, and proud do we feel that the fair vocalist should have succeeded amongst Italians without the addition of ini to her name —a problem, by the bye, far more difficult to resolve amongst her own countrymen.—The Pandora. BRIGHTON PAVILION.—Their Royal Highnesses the Princess Royal, Princess Alice, and the infant Prince Alfred arrived at the Pavilion on Sattuday, accompanied by the Dowager Lady Lyttelton an 1 Colonel Bouverie (Equerry in Waiting to Prince Albert). The royal chil dren travelled to Brighton by railway, arriving at the terminus of the London and Brighton Railway shortly before on e o ' c l oc k , having been exactly an hour and a quarter travelling from New-cross. The special train which conveyed the royal party was attended by two of the directors of the railway (Mr. Nash and Mr. Wigan), and the engine was driven by Mr. W. Cubitt. The mo ment of their arrival in Brighton was announced by a royal salute from the battery, and a merry peal struck up from the bells of St. Nicholas, on the toner of which, as well as from other public edifices, the royal standard was immediately heisted. In the evening some of the royal tradesmen illuminated their houses. Yes terday (Sunday) morning the Princess Royal and Prin cess Alice were taken out for an airing on the Cliff, in a close carriage. About 200 of the Scots Fusiliers ar rived by rail on Friday evening, to do palace duty. They will remain here during the stay of the royal children, and likewise of her Majesty and Prince Albert, who, according to present arrangements, will arrive at Brigh ton by railway next Saturday. ABOLITION OF THE SPY SYSTEM AT THE POST OFFICE.—On Thursday last much surprise was prevalent at the various departments of the General Post-office, in consequence of an order from the Postmaster-Gereral, in pursuance of a communication from the Secretary at the Home-office, for the abolition of the Board where the practice existed of opening the letters of persons sus pected of having treasonable intentions against this and foreign Governments. This Board (which was presided over by Mr. Beade, of the foreign letter department, who had under him a few confidential clerks), was established by a patent during the Pitt Administration. In the course of the last session of Parliament it will be recol lected that some motions were brought before the House by Mr. Duncombe, the Member for Finsbury, in conse quence of the discovery that a letter written by Mr. Mazzini had been opened. It is supposed that the Go vernment, not being desirous to have the subject again agitated, have resolved to abolish the office previous to Se meeting of Parliament.— Observer. His Excellency the French Ambassador and the Countess do St. Aulaire gave a splendid entertainment on Saturday evening, at Manchester House. His Ex cellency the Turkish Ambassador, his Excellency Prince Castelcicala, his Excellency the Spanish Minister and Duchess Sotomayor, his Excellency the Portuguese Minister and Baroness Moncorvo, his Excellency the Danish Minister and Countess Reventlow, his Excellency M. Van der Weyer, his Excellency Mr. Murphy, his Excellency Count Pollen, his Excellency the New Gra nada Minister and M a d ame M osquera, t h e C oun t es s of Tankerville, and Viscount and Viscountess Mahon, were among the guests of his Excellency and Countess; also Count and Countess d'Harcourt, Count le Grange, and M. Rubandy. The Countess received a small circle h after dinner, incleding his Excellency Count ne Countess Flahault, the Earl of Shelburne, Sec. His Excellency the French , Ambassador, Jeines the Duke Graham, his of Buccleuch, Sir Robert Peel Excellency the Turkish Ambas ' sa S d l eir, his Excellency the Duke of Sotomayor. his Excellency M. Van der Weyer, and Mr. Harcourt, were among the guests of his Ex cellency Mr. Everett (the American Minister), on Fri day evening. ----- THE EAST SUSSEX 'BURGLARS- Ail the Sussex and several of the Metropolitan papers have of late noticed the commission of various acts of burglary, during the last four or five months in the vicinity of Brighton ; and not only the Brighton police, but the East Sussex constabulary, have been exerting their energies fur the discovery of the cul prits, bat without effect till last Thursday. One fea ture was common to all the burglaries, that the en trances were effected by the use of a centre-bit, and in nearly every case eatables and drinkables formed a main portion of the plunder. On the night of Tues• day last, the house of Mr. Hampshire, a small farmer, living at Newick, about twenty miles from Brighton, was broken open, and a large quantity of provisions, comprising two legs of pork, hacked off the carcase of • a recently-killed pig, seven rabbits and two hares, and likewise a dozen of port wine, were carried off. In the course of the evening, a man named Patching, who had recently removed from a neighbouring villege to Brighton, was observed going towards the house ; and his footsteps being tracked for a long dis'ance towards Brighton, the East Sussex constabulary called in :the aid of the Brighton police, who soon discovered that Patching lived in Apollo terrace, a row of houses at the northern extre mity of the town, from which there is an easy access to the Downs; the constakilary, provided with a search-warrant, proceeded to search the house, where they pou nce d upon an immense quantity of stolen property, comprising tubs of pork, large quantities of bacon, and crocks of butter ; besides several other articles which have been since identified, among them being the surplice stolen from the Rev. Mr. Stavely's house, at Palmer, about two months since (cut into pieces), and the barrel of a gun stolen from the house of Mr. maker, of Perching. At the back of the house they found a rope-ladder, which being used only in the night gave easy means of ingress and egress to and from the Downs, without observation. Patching was not at home when the officers searched his house; but a woman with whom he cohabited was apprehended. On being told that she must go to the station, she asked why they did not go to Burgess's house too ? Upon this hint the officers proceeded to a small greengrocer's shop, at the top of Cumberland-place, where they found similar quantities of provisions to :those disco vered at Patching's, and likewise the stock of Mr. Blaker's gun, the barrel of which had been found at Patching's Both Patching and Burgess were in the neighbourhood while the officers were making the search; but, finding how the wind blew, made them ' selves scarce. A jealousy of the Brighton police ob taining any of the credit of the capture, induced the county constabulary to proceed alone, after ascer taining Patching's residence ; and to this it is pro bably owing that the two men are now at large, since, had the Brighton police, who knew them, been called on to assist, it can hardly be doubted that they would have been recognised and consequently appre hended. The stolen property and the woman who had cohabited with Patching were afterwards con veyed to Lewes. On the way thither she intimated that a house occupied by a man named LonglAurst ought to be searched, and this was consequently done, when several articles, supposed to be stolen property, were found. The magistrates at Lewes are investi gating the case and the county constabulary are, meanwhile, exerting themselves to discover the whereabouts of Patching and Burgess. Several large pensions have lately fallen in by the death of the recipients. These are the late Sir Gore Ouseley, 5,0001. a year ; the Earl of Limerick, 8461. ; and Lady Ann Culling Smith, " sister of the Duke," 6001 There is also from 7,0001. to 113,00 c/. per annum by the death of the Princess Sophia of Gloucester, partly arising from Parliamentary grant, and partly f rom the salary whi c h s h e rece i ve d as Ranger of Greenwich Park. COMMITTAL OF A SCHOOLMASTER TO MAIDSTONE GAOL—ROCHESTER, FEB. I.—Yesterday a full Beach of County Magistrates for the north division of the lathe of Aylesford, assembled at the offices of Messrs. Essell and Hayward, and were occupied nearly the whole of the day investigating several charges of a revolting description against Mr. John Williams, of 21, Gibraltar-terrace, New-road, Chatham, and who has hitherto enjoyed the reputation of conducting an extensive and respectable boarding -school for the education of young gentlemen. It appeared from the exa mination of several of the boys that their master had, up to this charge made against him, about twenty boarders and about fifty day scholars, and at night their master had occasionally different young gentlemen boarders to sleep with him, when he behaved to them in a most revolting manner. These abomi nable acts of the master were first discovered by Mr. and Mrs. Janes, of Rochester, who had a son a boarder at the establishment, and who had come home to them so exceedingly ill, that they called in Dr. Anam Martin, of Rochester, to attend the boy. The boy related that which implicated the master, and the pri soner was immediately apprehended. Several of the boys were examined, among whom were Twisten Janes, of Rochester, aged 10 years John Stroth e r, o f 35, J o h n - street, Rotherhithe, 10 years old, and Thomas Janes, aged 15 years. Each of their evidence went to prove such offences against the prisoner that the Magistrates, without the least hesita tion, fully committed the prisoner for trial at the next Maidstone assizes, on each separate case. The pri soner is about sixty years of age, and has moved for some years in respectable circles in the neighbourhood. EXTRAORDINARY CHALLENGE FOR FIVE HUN DRED GUINEAS. —Messrs. Byles and Pooke, of Windsor, Berkshire, have made a challenge to all England to show a deer, a pony, and a hog, collectively, against any three animals of a similar species, bona fide the pr perty of any two individuals in ono town. The improvidence of many of our great landowners is such, that every year they become less able to make a stand. Who would believe that any of the nobles who have had the honour to receive her Majesty as a guest, should find it necessary to raise a large sum—rumour says as much as 100,000/—on his estates, very recently. —Cheltenham Looker-on. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. —WooLwictr, FEB. 1.-^ HER MAJESTY'S STEAM YACHT THE BLACK EAGLE.— After a series of trials (completed this day), of Mr. Samuel Hall's smoke consuming apparatus, as applied to one of the boilers of 130-horse power of this vessel, it has been found so satisfactory (although Newcastle coal was used), that it is ordered to bo applied to the other boiler. Each boiler having a separate chimney caused the contrast between the consumption and non-consump tion of smoke to be very striking. INCENDIARY FIRE.-011 Monday evening, about seven o'clock, the farming premises contiguous to the mansion of John Maryon Wilson, Esq., were discovered to be on fire. It broke out in a cart shed, in which there had been no occasion to use a candle. A messenger be ing despatched to Dunmow, the powerful new engine quickly reached the spot, and subsequently that from the Roothings, by which means, aided by a plentiful supply of water from the canal, the extensive premises were saved, and also the dwelling-house, which, being nearly attached, must otherwise have come to the ground. The conflagration was entirely mastered by about half-past eleven. The property consumed consisted of the cart shed where the fire originated, a haulm stack, the roof of part of a long range of stabling, a waggon, several carts, and farming implements. The whole was insured. Damage supposed to be about 300/. The labourers be haved most praiseworthily, and so energetic wero all pre. sent to do their best, that those who worked the engines were often for some time standing knee deep in water. Not the slightest doubt is entertained that it was ma liciously set on fire.—Chelmsford Chronicle. TIIE ADDRESS.—Parliament will be 'opened by the Queen in person on Tuesday next; and, although the contents of the royal speech are a matter of strict official secresy until it is read to the Members present at the Parliamentary dinners given by the Ministerial leaders in the Lords and Commons, on the eve of its de livery from the throne, enou4h is known in the present instance of the policy of Government to enable us to say that no amendment to the Address will be moved in either House, unless, indeed, Mr. Williams, of Coventry, in the ingenuity of his hubitual discontent, should im provise one for the torment of his auditors. The an nouncements of Sir Robert Peel at the close of last session have led the public to excect that her Majesty's speech will contain some gratifying recom mendations on the expediency of affording increased means for the extension of education among all classes of her subjects in Ireland, and that it may not leave un• noticed the very inadequate provision now made for the maintenance of an establishment exclusively devoted to the education of persons destined to be the religious in structors of a most important section of her people in that country. The royal speech will, we have no doubt, in all respects breathe such a spirit of kindliness and conciliation towards our Irish fellow-citizens as must in sure a most cordial response from all sane politicians. The other portions of the Ministerial programme will be so shadowed forth as to give no tangible ground for ob jection, affording to all parties the pleasing duty of con curring in an unanimous address to their Sove re i gn f or her gracious speech, whilst at the same time each al f te 1. Nvli thos e r m d princip e and d e - ts b ap e i e r l se r.i e fi s c e T r mh v e ee s a so t u o pr h pe os i n s l i,N s t, e il i f one the h let fi d e Minister may uelw right i of canvas sing submit to Parliament, both as to t h e i r 11, the re f ore, offer no rs m a - r i Incnn, d i m r eln t. R'e und ers t and that our towns man, Napier,A°. E s .- 1." \ e has been commission e d b y G overnment a oA to build an iron frigate for the Navy, of 1,500 tons bur then, and that Mr. Napie r is about to do so at his new and extensive works at Govan, near Glasgow. This will be the first frigate built on the Clyde, and we have no doubt that Mr. Napier will make her one of the best that ever entered her Majesty's service.—Scotch Reformer's Gazette. ADULT BAPTISM.—On Wednesday evening a lady was publicly baptised at Christ Church, Liverpool, in the presence of a large congregation, by the Rev. Field ing Ould, who preached a sermon appropriate to the occasion. The baptism was by immersion in a large vessel of water, placed near the reading-desk. Sir R. Peel acknowledges the receipt of 161. 12s. 6d. on account of " Unclaimed income-tax for eighteen months." Viscount Malden, eldest son of the Earl and Coun tess of Essex, and nephew to the Duke of St. Alban's, has entered the army as Ensign in the 12th Regiment of Foot. A matrocnonial alliance is on. the lads between a gallant officer commanding one of her Majesty's ships of war in the Mediterranean, and son of a Noble Earl. and the lovely and accomplished daughter of the Gpvernor of one of our islands on that station.