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

LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF EXCHEQUER, Jan. 15. (Sittings in Middlesex, at Prins, in Hilary Term, before Mr. Baron RoLPE and Commen Juries.) LEVY V. BULKELEY. Mr. Hawkins conducted the case fir the plaintiff, one of the sheriffs' officers of the Sheriff of Middlesex; and Mr. Bovill, with Mr. Gisburne, appeared for the defendant. This was an action on a bill of exchange at four months' date for 1351, drawn by the plaintiff and ac cepted by the defendant. The defendant pleaded never "indebted," and he had also put a plea cf infancy upon record at the time of the acceptance. Mr. flawiuNs said that the plaintiff was well known, not only as a wine merchant, but as being one of the officers of the Sheriff of Middlesex, whilst the defendant had been a lieutenant in the army, and was the son of Mr. John Jesse Bulkeley, of Lyndon hill, near Maidenhead, a gentleman of considerable property. It appeared that in the month of February in the last year, the defendant had made an application to the plaintiff for pecuniary assistance, when he having represented himself to be 25 or 26 years of age, the plaintiff consented to make the advance of the sum he was in want of, for which the defendant accepted the bill in question —namely, for 135/., at four months' date. Now, it must be distinctly understood by the jury that the li plaintiff would not only not have made the required advance, but he would not have taken the bill had he known that the statement of the defendant as to his age had not been correct. However, upon the faith of that assurance the money was advanced and the bill taken. Nothing more was heard of the matter until the:arrival of the bill at maturity. It was dis honoured, and shortly after the plaintiff, having heard that the defendant was about to quit the country, adopted the necessary steps to prevent that intention from being carried out. This action was then com menced upon the bill, and then, and not until then, had he had the slightest reason to suppose that the defendant had not come of age at the time he had borrowed the money; for when the professional ad viser of that gentleman had pleaded, he found that one plea was that of infancy. Now, if his Learned Friend, who appeared on behalf of the defendant, should succeed in establishing that plea of infancy, he ,could by so doing convict his client of about as gross a fraud as had ever been committed. IF, therefore, that plea should be made out to the satisfaction of the jury, and they should thereon return a verdict for the defendant, the plaintiff would in that case be compelled to adopt another course for the , reco very of his money. The Learned Counsel then called— David Lawrence Levy, who said that he was con versant with the handwriting of the defendant, and that the acceptance on this bill of exchange was writ ten by that gentleman. Cross-examined—l am an articled clerk to an attorney, a son of the plaintiff, Mr. E. Levy, in Adam-street, A lelphi. I saw the defendant accept this bill at my father's house. lam also a son of the plaintiff, and I was present when the acceptance was made. I took notice of the writing at the time as the defendant signed it. My father's house is in Norfolk street, in the Strand, and he is one of the officers of the Sheriff of Middlesex. The bill has never been in the hands of a person named Gadderer, a bill dis counter ; it has never been in his possession that I know of, nor do I know that the bill was ever passed to or from him. I never heard my father say that Gadderer was a friend of his in particular. Ido not know that my father and Gadderer have been con cerned in bill transactions. Ido not know any such thing from my father. Ido not know that the father of the defendant has offered to pay every sixpence that was due, nor have I heard Mr. Bloxam, the at torney for the defendant, make an offer to pay every sixpence that could be proved to have been lent to the defendant. By the CouaT—My father asked the defendant whether he was of age at the time of the acceptance, and his reply was that he was 25 or 26. By Me. BoveLe—My father, myself, one of my brothers, and Gedderer were present on the occasion. This is my first appearance as a witness in a bill matter. This having concluded the case for the plaintiff, Mr. BOvILL addressed the jury on behalf of the de fendant. The only question they would have to decide was whether at the time of the acceptance of this bill the defendant, Lieutenant Bulkeley, was of age. It would not be necessary that he should enter into any detail or proof of the efforts and the offers which had been made by the father of this young gentleman with a view to settle this matter, but as in sinuations had been thrown out by his Learned Friend as to the dishonesty of the defendant, he should feel it necessary, in maintenance of the character and high reputation of the defendant, his father, and the soli citors to the family, to give some proof of the offers which Air. Bloxatn had made, on their behalf, to 1 ,, y every sixpence which had been advanced upon the bill by the plaintiff, as well as all expenses which had been incurred upon it. Mr. Byron ROLFE said that that question could not arise upon their pleadings. Upon the pleas there were two questions only—Did the defendant accept the bill ? And then, if 3 was he, when the accep tance was mane, under the age of 21 ? Whether the father had offered to pay, and what amount, cool! not now be inquired into. He would here ask the witness if he knew whether or not this was a renewal bill ? D. L. Levy was not aware that it was. Mr. BOYILL must of course bow to the decision of his Lordship, but he had been anxious to show that offers had been made to pay all the money that had been advanced to this young man, as well as any ex peryse3 which had been incurred Every one in court, however, knew what happened when a young officer, Jae the defendant, once got into the bands of the bill discounters, especially, too, when he unfortu nately fell into the hands of a sheriff's officer bill discounter, as had been the case in the present instance. Here this young man had gone into the office of the plaintiff; where he was to put his name to a bill of exchange, and therefore there had been a gathering of the family, together with the addition of Mr. Gadderer—an individual who had earned for himself no small celebrity in the annals of bill discounting. All these parties were present to watch this young man affix his name to this bill. Now, it was a well ascertained fact, that no man who raised money in this manner had ever received anything like the full value of the bill which he night be led on by parties of this description to accept. But whatever sum he might receive they always contrived to have some one or two persons present on the occasion, who, in the event of the matter ultimately finding its way into a court of law, were ready to come forward and swear as to the full value having been given. Sc, in this instance, in addition to the plaintiff, there had been two of his sons and Usdderer in attendance. It had been proved in all former cases of this description, that persons like the plaintiff al ways took the gre,test care, that they never transacted these sort of dealings without having some one or more present at the time, who might, if the necessity arose on a future day, he made available as proofs that all the money to the full amount of the bill had been advanced. The state ment of the witness for the plaintiff was that the de endant had stated his age to be 25 or 26. Now, he would prove that at that time he was not of age—he was not 21. But he altogether denied that ;the de fendant had ever made the assertion which was im puted to him in respect of his age. Tne two wit nesses whom he should call would at once satisfy the jury that the defendant was under age at the period of the acceptance of this bill, and having done that he should with confidence look for their verdict. Sarah Matthews, who said that she had been in the service of the defendant's family ever since some time prior to his birth, proved that he was born on the sth of May, 1828. Crosi-examined—Sh e well knew the day of the birth of all the children, for it had been the custom of the family to give her a present on each of their birthdays. Re-examined—She knew the ages of all the chil dren just as well as though they had been her own. Mr. Baron ROLFE—Don't you hear, Mr. Bovill, that it is powerfully marked upon her mind by the presents on each occasion of the birthdays? John Jesse Bulkeley, the father of the defendant, also proved that by the day of his birth he was under age when the bill was accepted. Tne defendant had originally gone into the Ist Royals, but afterwards he had exchanged into the 65th. Cross-examitied —The defendant was now on his voyage to New Zealand. The dt Pendant had told him that he had fallen into diffieultks when in Ire land. Mr. TlALwxtris replied. Mr. Baron RoLra told the jury that if they were satisfied that the defendant was under age when he had accepted this bill they must return a verdict in his favour. The jury, having consulted for a few minutes, found for the defendant. ADMIRALTY COURT, Jun. 15. (Before Dr. LIJSIIINOTON.) JUDGMENT. —THE OSMANLI. Dr. LusniNGroN gave judgment in this case, which had on a form , r occasion been argw-A heron the Court. The Learned Judge explained that the ac non- was brotight by parties who hell a bottomry bond upon the Osmanli, which vessel ran between Liverpool and the Levant, in conjunction with two other vessel., under the name of the Levant Com pany. The bond was disputed by a party who held a mortgage for 9991. 10s. at 7 per cent., given by the captain of the Osmanli, when the vessel arrived, and - was arrested at. , Malta by Messrs. Robinson, Duck orth, land the agents of the company, wh o craimid - as creditors on this and the two other vessels for advances and supplies made on this and Firmer voyages. He (the Learned Judge) considered this W 33 a case peculiar in all its circumstances, and the first of the kind that had appeared before this Court. The ship the Osmanli was the property of Messrs. M'Gregor and Co., and the larger portion had been mortgaged by Messrs. M'Gregor and Co., to whom Messrs. Robinson, Duckworth, and Co., of Malta acted as agents, and who had made advances on account of Messrs. M'Gregor and C o.'s vessels tradin g to the Levant. Messrs. Robinson, Duckworth, and Co. having been informed of the bankruptcy of M'Gregor and Co., arrested the vessel, when a Mr. Messina agreed to advance the sum for which the vessel was arrested, to release her from detention, and to suffer her to proceed on her voyage, and the master of the Osmanli then gave a bottomry bond for the claim made upon her, on account of advances to this and the other two vessels belonging to the same firm, on this and former voyages. It bad been stated that the arrest, according to the law of Malta, was legal ; but this Court was now called upon to disallow cer tain charges in the accounts, before deciding on the validity of the bond. This was a novel request, as if the bond had been declared by the Court to be in vali,l, the other questions would be at once decided ; in fact the only question the Court had now to entertain was the validity of the bond. If the Court decided in favour of the validity of the bond, then the other question would be referred to the Registry cf Mer chants. The first fact was admitted that the amount was due on account of these vessels . for previous ad vances, with the exception of 1501. to Messrs. Robin son, Duckworth, and Company. The second ques tion was whether the ship was arrested by a competent court. Of this fact he (the Learned Judge) had not sufficient evidence before him to satisfy his mind that the case had been properly brought before the court at Malta, but the Court had been told that the arrest was legal. Thirdly, it had been admitted that the money had been advanced by a Mr. Messina, a mer chant and banker at Malta, for the purpose of releas ing the ship, which had been arrested at the instance of a third party, and not Messrs. Robinson, Duck worth, and Co., though there had been some previous communication between them on the question. In re ferring to the facts deposed to in the affidavits, they did not differ very much from the evidence before the Court, which drew the following conclusion, that the Osmanli was arrested by Messrs. Robinson, Duck wortb, and Co., on account of debts due from the owners of this and other vessels, 1501. of which had been incurred by her on this voyage, but by the law of Malta it was stated the agents could arrest.the vessels for sums due for previous voyages, and for other vessels belonging to the same owners. All the circumstances could not be known by the Court, though they were known by Mr. Messina, who was aware that the ship was arrested by Messrs. Robin son, Duckworth, and Co., but it was said he was ignorant of the vessel being mortgaged, though he could not be released from ir, as it might have been indorsed, and he might have informed himself of it. The fourth question, whether Messrs. Robinson, Duckworth, and Co., applied to Mr. Messina directly, or through an agency, to take up the bottomry bond, was of no great importance. Fifthly, could moral fault be imputable to any party in this case? If the law of Malta gave this privilege to the parties, he (the Learned Judge) saw no reason why a merchant should not avail himself of it. He had paid full attention to the case, and would now proceed to the legal point. He (the Learned Judge) would look at it as if no mortgage, or bankruptcy, and no arrest had taken place, but at once go to the validity of the bottomry bond. It was against law for a master to give such a bond for things supplied to other ships ; the next and a most important question was, whether the master was justified in executing such a bond on ac count of former debts, to release the vessel ? What would be the consequence if it were negatived ? Suppose a vessel to have a valuable cargo which became injured by being detained, the owner of the vessel would be liable for the loss, for not having pro vided the means for the payment of all claims upon the vessel. It is said,that by the law of Malta the shipowner is liable for all debts due previously, as well as those immediately incurred, and the vessel may be arrested for then , . If such a doctrine held good here, it would lead to much inconvenience and frequent arrests in foreign parts, and not to the benefit of the merchants in this large trading country If a valid bond could be given for the ship and freight it could also be given a the cargo, and thus the vessel and cargo might be detained, and the merchant would be held responsible for the debts of the shipower, whatever the amount and whatever the time. Indeed, the owner of the cargo would have no remedy unless the owner of the ship was solvent. If he (the Learned Judge) decided in favour of the validity of the bond, he would be doing a great injury to the merchants, beyond any that might arise by the detaining of the ship and cargo. A bottomry bond may be granted for the costs incurred for repairing a vessel on its voyage, but it can never be arrested for old debts. The Learned Judge then referred to the case of the p r ince (rooms, which had been decided by the Privy Council, in favour of a bond given for debts in curred on a ship's voyage, but never on former debts. In the case of the, Augusta, Lord Stowel had given a similar decision. Every book of authority, said the Learned Judge, is opposed to this doctrine, and he accorded with their views. I therefore think this bond cannot be supported. There were supplies on this occasion for the Osmanli to the amount of 1501., but these were furnished after the bond was given, and also with the knowledge of the bankruptcy of the owner. When the captain applied to be supplied with coals, Messrs. Robinson, Duckworth, and Co. said they should be sent in two hours ; in the interim they had the ship arrested, and the master after this consented to give a bottomry bond, before the supplies were put on board. He (the Learned Judge) thought these supplies were subject to bottomry, and would pronounce for the validity of the bond to that extent, but he did not approve of a bond being granted for a large amount—say 2,000/., when only 2001. could be recovered upon it. lie should not decide in favour of such a bond, where so small a sum was due, as it would open a field for much litigation. He would not touch upon the question of the bankruptcy, but leave it to another court, which had better means to form a judgment on the question. With regard to the costs, it would have been better for the parties to have admitted the validity of the bond for 150/., being the legal sum that could be claimed. lie would grant the validi'y of the bond to that extent, and as to the question of costs, all incurred after the 7th of March. COURT OF BANKRUPTCY; Jan. 15. (Thfore M. Commissioner HOLROYD.) THE MERCHANT TRADERS' 8111 P, LOAN, AND IN. SURANCE COMPANY. Tc-day was fixed for the meeting for proof of debts in the matter of this bankruptcy. A proof being tendered for 1171., Mr. PEARCE, the solicitor to the assignees, ob jected to its being admitted, upon the ground that the policy was without either seal or date, but it appear ing that it had been signed by two directors, the ob jection was overruled. Another proof was objected to upon the ground that the policy had not been signed by two directors, but by a clerk named Carter. His " HONOUR held that it was for the party tender ing the proof, to show that Carter was authorised to sign policies. In the absence of that evidence the proof must be rejected. In another case a question arose as to whether a policy for 8001. should be subjected to a deduction of one-third, according to a custom at Lloyd'f, the ship having gone only one voyage. The custom was not established, and the proof was admitted for the full amount. Debts to the amount of 11,790/. were proved during the day. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. GUILDHALL. Mr. William Consett Wright, — Of Ratcliffe-wharf, Ratcliffe-cross, was summoned at the instance of lir. George Alexander Knott, one of the City in spectors of weights and measures, for delivering four tons of coals on the 3d instant, without having a perfect weighing-machine, required by Act of Par liament. A Mr. Fearnley attended for the defence. William Turner, assistant-inspector of weights and measures, said that about one o'clock on Thursday, January 3d, he was passing along Milton-street, in company with Mr. Knott, when they observed some men delivering coals at Messrs. Gibbs and Co.'s, pro prietors cf the City soap-factory, but could see no apparatus for weighing. Mr. Knott said to the men, " Where is your weighing -machine ?" To which they replied, "We weigh them inside." Ile and the in spector then went over the premises, but saw no ma chine, and on observing to the men that they had not one with the waggon, one of them confessed they had not brought one, for if the firm wanted them weighed it was always done by their own beam, at the same time pointing to a pair of scales in the soap-factory. The inspector then asked the clerk in the counting house for the ticket, which was given to him, and was the one now produced. By Mr. Fe saw none cf the coals nle ar weighed, although I went into the factory as far as they were shooting them. Nathaniel Ward said he was carman to Mr. Wrigh', and drove a load of coals to the scap-factory on the day in question, from ltatcliffc-cross, and that he had no weighing-machine, nor any weights. Alderman CARDEN—Is that often the case ? 'Wit ness—Not often. They are always weighed at the soap-factory. Alderman CARDEN__Did you weigh all the sacks ? Witness — They were not all weighed. There were four tons of coals in 40 sacks altogether. Mr. F..arnley—lt was purely accidental that the machine was not under the waggor. Alderman CARDEN—The law only looks at the fact. Mr. Fearnley contended that the summons was informal, 118 it did not atate, as required, by 1 and 2 Wm. 4, cap. 76, sec. 52, the name of the barge, lighter, or vessel it bad been taken from. Besides, there were other objections. The Chief Clerk reminded Mr. Fearnley that the Attorney-General's Act, which came into operation last year, had altered the laws in many respects, and prescribed certain forms to be followed, which had been done in the present instance, and therefore there was an end to the objections. Besides, Ward proved that the coals came from Ratcliffe-wharf. Alderman CARDEN said there evidently had been an infringement of the law, for the proof was clear that the waggon went *tit without any machine. Mr. Fearnley would not deny but such was the case, still there was no intention on the part of his client to defraud or give light weight to any one. It had been the practice for a long time for the coals to be weighed in the soap-house, and Mr. Wright had often sent the waggons full without a machine, not thinking there was anything wrong. Under those cir cumstances he hoped the Alderman would think the smallest fine sufficient to meet a slight indiscretion of this nature. Alderman CARDEN said he did not intend to im pute, for a moment, that Mr. Wright intended to cheat any one, but still, supposing that they were going elsewhere, an opportunity might be taken of lightening the sack?, and if it was asked that they should be weighed, the excuse would be that there was no machine. The Act of Parliament was a most important one for the protection of the public, and as the fact had been clearly proved, he should inflict the mitigated penalty of 40s. and costs. Mr. Green, the seller, was also summoned for send ing the coals in a cart or waggon that had not the weighing-machine, according to the Act of Parlia ment. Mr. Fearnley said, the evidence being the same in this as the last case, he should plead guilty, but hoped that the penalty would be mitigated still further, as although Mr. Green had been summoned, what ever penalty was inflicted would fall upon Mr. Wright's shoulders. Alderman CARDEN thought the infliction of ss. and costs would meet the further justice of the case. Both fines were paid. James Neal and Nathaniel Rolles, of Old Jamaica wharf, Upper Ground-street, were summoned at the instance of Mr. John Harvard, another inspector of weights and measures for the City, for a similar offence. A Mr. Cramp, one of the firm, pleaded guilty, but in extenuation said that when the purchaser bought the coals he said that he wanted them directly, and as they had no waggon at home with a machine, he borrowed a cart in which coke was sent out. Had it not been for the urgency of the case the cart would not have gone out without a machine, although it was seldom coke-carts carried them. Mr. Knott observed that there were four half-cwts. under the cart, although no machine. There were now at this period of the year so many violating the law, that he was obliged to watch them very closely, and in every instance he would summon the parties. Alderman CARDEN said he was perfectly right in doing so. In this instance he should only inflict a fine of 20s. and costs, but coal-merchants and carmen must recollect they were liable to a penalty of 101., which would assuredly be inflicted. The fine was paid. THE SON, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JANUARY IG, MO, Mittion LONDON AND WESTMINSTER BANK.—(THIS DAY.) The usual half-yearly meeting of the proprietors of the above bank was held this day on the bank premises, in Lothbury ; Joshua Walker, Esq., Chair man of the board of directors, in the chair. The advertisement, convening the meeting, having been read, the report (which will be found in our City article), was submitted to the proprietors. The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report, observed that it would be in the recollection of the proprietors, that at the last meeting a pro prietor gave notice of his intention to move, that the directors be requested to take into consideration the propriety of adopting cash credits upon the Scotch principle, and perhaps it would save time if he stated that the directors had already considered the subject, and come to a decision upon it. Now, if the directors adopted that system, they would have to lock up and keep their capital idle, but a neighbouring bank was testing the principle under the most favourable circumstances, and if it suc ceeded it would then be time enough for them to adopt it. With regard to the report itself, the proprietors would perceive that it was as favourable as the state of commerce would admit of. No doubt many pro prietors had attended in the hope of hearing a dividend declared, in the shape of a bonus; but although he was not in the pleasurable position of being able to gratify that expectation, he bad this gratifying intelli gence for the proprietorp,that the losses of the disastrous year had been wiped off. In that year there were no ' less than 480 failures, amounting in the whole to 8,400,0001., and this bank being large bill holders, came in for more than its fair share of the loss, amounting to 60,0001, which had operated as a mill stone round their necks ever since. Those losses, however, had now been cleared off, and in future the directors would have to deal with the entire profits as the proprietors thought fit. There was another inci dent which occurred in 1847, that he thought it right to mention. In the worst week of that period, which was now known as the reign of terror, the bank had to dispose of 300,0001. of Con sols. On the following day the Government letter came out, and the result was they had ulti mately to buy in again at a loss of 20,0001. Still it was a source of pleasure for him to know that all these losses had been written off, and when he men tioned that within the last four years their accounts had increased by 11,000 in number, and 1,000,000 in amount, he thought the old proprietors would agree with the directors, that this bank was likely to prove one of the moil flourishing in the metropolis. Mr. TITE did not come there with the expectation suggested by the chairman, nor did he wish to blame the directors for their system of management. Still there were rumours out of doors that he thought it right to mention. In the first place, it was thought that the Bank did not do the amount of business which it ought, and which the magnitude of the establishment entitled it to. This arose from the cir cumstance of their not allowing interest on cash deposits, and he would therefore take the liberty to suggest that this principle should in future be adopted. Another rumour out of doors was that the price of their shares was not what it would be if the published accounts were more extensive, more clear, and given with more detail ; and, while he doubted the propriety of acting upon the Scotch system, thinking it impracticable in the metropolis, he would earnestly urge upon the directors the necessity of al lowing interest upon deposits. The CHAIRMAN wished to know if the Hon. Pro prietor meant interest on deposits, or interest on cur rent balances ? Mr. TITE said on both. The CHAIRMAN did not think it right to adopt the suggestion ; but with regard to the accounts, in fu ture they should be given with more elaboration. Mr. CROUCH now claimed the privilege of moving the motion of which he had given notice—namely, ' that the directors be requested to adopt the Scotch system of banking ; but in doing so, he wished it to be distinctly understood that he had full confidence in the integrity and ability of the directors. This bank was started on the understanding that it would be conducted on the principle he now hoped to see adopted. It was high time that the monopoly in banking, which the London houses enjoyed, was done away with; and since the system he recom mended had raised Scotland from an insignificant po sition to a nation of vast importance and unquestion able prosperity, he thought it would confer an advantage on the middle and industrious classes of the metropolis, and add materially to their own profits if it were adopted by this bank That they were in a position to adopt it no one could dispute. At present they had a large laid-up and accumulated capital lying idle in the funds, which might be lent out at an excellent per -cent age to tradesmen and manufacturers wh o were now crippled in their operations for the want of such accommodation. Let it not be said that the system was not based on a sound, safe, and solid . foundation, because it was founded on truth, and served not only to increase the profits of the bank, but to enhance the comfort and wealth of the great mass of the people. To prove the stability and safety of the system, he need only men tion the fact that in Scotland the losses of bankers during a period of 120 years had amounted to scarcely 40,0001, while in this country the losses by banking within the last 20 years had reached no less than 20,000,0001. It was preposterous then to tell him that the system was not applicable to this country ; the fact was, under the existing system, the bankers of London were the origin of more than half the insolvency of the country, and as he saw nothing in the character and ability of the people of this country which was averse to the carrying out of the principle, he hoped the time was not far distant when it would be adopted by this bank. lie should not, therefore, press his resolution. Mr. MAUDSLEY did not agree with Mr. Tite that any published accounts could have the effect of enhancing the value of their shares, but it certainly would be more satisfactory to him if the accounts were given more in detail. lie had but one complaint to make against the management. It was said out of doors that parties banking with this concern did not meet with the courtesy and accommodation that they had a right to expect. Now, at the London Joint- Stock Bank a committee 0f management sat daily, to whom all parties anxious to do business with the bank were introduced, and he thought it would do no bym if the baize practice wee adopted in this bunk. The CHAIRMAN reminded Mr. Crouch that the Scotch system was so far profitable, that the Royal Bank of Scotland only paid 5 per cent., but as the directors proposed to take the question into their further consideration, he would not answer the argu ment cf the Hon. Proprietor. With regard to the suggestion of Mr. Maudesley, he begged to inform him that a portion of the directors were constantly in attendance at the bank. Mr. KEMBLETON had had some experience in the Scottish system, and he gave it as his decided opinion that it was not applicable to this country. In Scot land bankers were allowed to circulate notes without providing for them in specie, a privilege which did not exist here, while, with regard to the profits of the system, the lion. Gentleman, Mr. Crouch, was labouring under a ,delusion. One bank alone with which he was connected—the old Aber deen Bank—had merged with a loss of 200,0001., and he had no doubt there were many establishments in as bad a condition. The system, he allowed, had worked well in Scotland, but they did not know one another sufficiently in this huge metropolis to make it safe to adopt in in this country. Mr. MAUDSLEY wished to know if it was not a fiet that the branches had made 22,0001. of the profits ? The CHAIRMAN said that was so. A PROPRIETOR inquired if the value of the banking houses and branches were included in the surplus profits. The CHAIRMAN—O . ', nP, it is a clear cash balance. Mr. MAYIIEW—Is the surplus fund a guarantee fund ? The CIIAIRMAX—It certainly is. Mr. MAYHEW - I have been told that the surplus fund is a mixed fund, and strictly there is no gua rantee fund. The CumamlN—Oh, yes, there is. We have a reserved fund to meet losses and contingencies, and keep the dividend steady. Mr. MAYHEW was of opinion that it was highly desirable that the accounts should be enlarged. The CHAIRMAN was not aware that the mode of stating the accounts had been complained of till to day, but if it was any satisfaction to the meeting he would renew his promise that in future the ac counts should be given more in detail. Mr. SMITH wished to have the opinion of the direc tors upon the system of allowing interest in current balances. The CHAIRMAN replied that the London Joint- Stock Bank and the Union Bank had tested the plan, and found that it would not succeed. The directors, therefore, did not think it prudent to adopt the practice. The resolution for the adoption of the report was then put and carried, after which the dividend was declared and the retiring directors re-appointed. Captain PORTER then mored—" That the remune- ration of the directors be reduced from 4,500/. to 3,0001., and that as vacancies occur at the board the number of directors be reduced from 15 to 13, with the same remuneration." _ The motion having been seconded, The CHAIRMAN said it was hopeless to expect first class men to join the direction if their remuneration were reduced. The directors had heavy duties to perform, and if the proprietors had their own interest at heart they would allow things to remain as they are. Thanks were then voted to the chairman and di rectors, and the Chairman having acknowledged the compliment, the meeting was about to terminate, when A vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Malcolm, the manager, and the clerks of the bank. A PROPRIETOR svggested that the income-tax, which was generally deducted from the salaries of their managers and clerks, should be refunded to them. The CHAIRMAN said the matter should be considered before the next meeting. Tne meeting then broke up. AUDIT OF RAIL WAY ACCOUNTS (THIS DAY.) The adjourned meeting of the representatives of railway companies was held at the King's Arms Hotel, Bridge-street, Westminster, at one o'clock this day. Amongst the gentlemen 'present we noticed the Earl of Lonsdale, Mr. E. B. Denison, M.P., Mr. Glyn, M.P., Mr. C. Russell, M.P., Mr. Laing, ➢lr. Stewart, the Secretary of the London and North- Western Railway Company, and many other influen tial gentlemen connected with railways. • The Earl of LONSDALN was called to the chair, in taking which he said—At the end of last session of Parliament the opinion seemed to be very general against Government interference in the auditing of railway accounts. They had a meeting in the be ginning of November, which came to certain reso • lutions as to the ground-work of a Bill to be introduced into Parliament on this question, and they were to meet again in December to take the opinions of the shareholders and directors of all the different companies. In December, how ever, they had received very few returns to the cir culars which had been sent to the shareholders with a view of eliciting their opinions as to the proposed Bill for the audit of railway accounts, and they thought it expedient to defer the meeting until this day. Ile was sorry to say that those returns had not very much increased at this time. The representa tives of railway companies, therefore, considered that they could only be Justified in introducing a Bill into Parliament by having an overpowering majority of shareholders to support them. They had not got such a measure of support from the shareholders to warrant them in bringing forward such a Bill, and he considered that they had no business to introduce it into Parliament, supported as it was by compara tively few shareholders. Few of the share holders whose opinions had been taken had expressed themselves in favour of a Government audit ; but a great proportion had not expressed any opinion at all, and before the proposed Bill could be brought before Parliament, he and the gentlemen with whom he acted thought they should be backed by the zealous and cordial co-operation of a large number of shareholders. That not being the case, he feared they must, in a certain degree, withdraw, and leave the matter in the hands of the shareholders, who would meet next month, when, perhaps, a clearer and more decided opinion on the question might be given. Under ordinary cir cumstances he should not have thought it necessary to call a meeting on the present occasioe ; but he considered it necessary, from the circumstance of his motives and views on this subject having been misrepresented. He had heard it said that he had changed his opinion on this question, and that he now thought a Government railway audit was necessary. He had now to say that the mor e h e cons id ere d this subject the more was he convinced that it was unne cessary f.sr the Government to have the superintend ence and auditing of railway accou n t s .—(H ea r.) He was glad to take this opportunity o f s t a ti ng that his opinion on this subject remained unchanged. The complaint against railroads two years ago was, that the shareholders were incapable of mana g i n g their own affairs. Recent investigations of diff e rent companies which it was unnecessary to mention, showed, he thought, that there was intelligence, vigour, and perseverance enough among shareholders to unravel and probe even the most intricate accounts to the bottom; and thertfore he considered the supervision of railway accounts ought to be more properly left to the shareholders than any other party. The Noble Earl concluded by submitting the following resolu tions to the meeting :-- " The Secretary having laid on the table the draft of a Bill proposed by him, in accordance with his view of the resolutions adopted at the last meeting— " Resolved—That ti'though there still appears to be the strew t feeling amongst railway proprietors gene rally against the principle of any Government audit, y. t as th. re kas not been found to he the needful una nimity of opinion, even amongst the hoards of directors, as to the provisions of this Bill or the propriety of tie resolutions form er ly a d o pted, it is not expedient to in troduce the Bill into P ar liament. " T becoming in, d o hat i i n tnolon ire gertrs t appears t rst ike any obet p the duty ro of, or t o be bw hien t part upon the question cf audit, since it would seem to be now viewed, though most erroneously, by a portion of the shareholders in some of the companies, rather as a question between the board and their c.nstituents than between the) body of shareholders and tt e Government. " That it therefore be left to the shareholders them stives to take her( after such course with regard to the question as they think fit, each board communicating to its constituents this resolutior, prior to the ensuing ge neral meeting, in such way as may be deemed right." Mr. GLYN, in seconding the resolution, said, the result of the inquiry which had been made since the last meeting is November, had brought him to the conviction, that the resolution passed at that meeting had not met with such a general assent from the main body of railway proprietors as to warrant their proceeding further ,with the Bill. So far as concerned the London and North Mestern Company, he could state that the returns made to the circulars submitted to the shareholders on this question, showed that:a large body of the:proprietors were against any Go vernmental interference in the audit ef railway accounts. lie might make the same remark with respect to the shareholders dof other co mpanies, with whom he had had comt nuri i cat i on, althougl; the majority was not so decid e dly overp o wering. He hoped it would not go forth to the world that there had been the least alteration of feeling with respect to this question among those who had had the administration of the affairs of railways. Ile entirely acquiesced in the views ex pressed by Lord Lonsdale, because he thought the public in general had taken an erroneous view as to the proceedings of the directors on this ques tion. He had always said this was a pro prietors' and not a directors' question ; and he would leave the question in the shareholders' hands, confident that it would be much better dealt with by I them in - Parliament than by any further action on the part of directors. Mr. E. B. DENISON, M.P., thought it was now uni versally admitted that thore ought to be an audit of railway accounts of a perfectly honest and indepen dent character. Every body was of that opinion, and his opinion was that it was not the more necessary for directors than for the shareholders and proprietors themselves.—(llear, hear.) Speaking for himself, he said advisedly that he would not remain a director of a railroad unless some means were adopted for investigating the accounts, which would at once settle the question. He was sorry to say that railway directors, generally, were rather more suspected than respected.—(A laugh.) What system of railway audit was to be adopted he was not prepared to say, but he quite agreed with his friend and neighbour Mr. Glyn, that the audit ought not to be a Government appointment ; and he (Mr. Denison) was at liberty to say that the members of the Government did not wish to have the onus of the appointment put upon them. What the Govern ment said, he believed, was that it was a commercial affair, and the directors and shareholders were to manage it among themselves, but as it was a great public affair also, it must be managed for the benefit of the publin. Mr. LAING still approved of the Bill, although itihad not met with a sufficiently hearty approval by the share holders to justify its being proceeded with. He left the matter to be dealt with entirely by the share holders at the approaching general meeting. On the question of a Government audit, he thought it might be very well left in the hands of the shareholders. Mr. ELLis thought this was entirely a shareholders' question, and that the course now proposed was the only sound and proper one. It was a mercantile businesF, and a mercantile business ought to be ma naged without the supervision of the Government. Mr. C. RUSSELL feared that in adopting these reso lutions it would be considered they were departing from the pledge given by them at the close of the last session of Parliament, when they pledged themselves to do all in their power to intro duce an efficient system of audit. Since that time they ,had ascertained the opinions of their share holders, and what had been the result? In the Great 'Western line, with which he was connected, they had 5,600 shareholders, and out of that number they had got only 600 answers to the circulars sent to them to elicit their feelings on this question ; and out of that 5,600 shareholders 267 had said that they objected to a Government audit. He admitted that this was entirely a shareholders question, and if it were possible to act with the shareholders and proprietors he should most heartily concur in that . mode of action ; but be did not believe it was possible. They could not even come at the opinions of the shareholders upon this question. How then was it possible to hope that persons so numer - ous and so scattered as they were could be brought to concur in any scheme on such a question as that of an audit of accounts. He should heartily concur in it if it were possible. He would not oppose the resolutions which had been proposed, but he feared they would be a direliction of the pledge given by them last year. The resolutions were then put, and carried unani mouely. Mr GLTN moved a vote of thanks to the Chairman, and the meeting separated. QUEEN'S BENCH.-(THIS DAY.) THE QUEEN V. THE INHABITANTS OF CAMBERWELL.-- THE NUNHEAD CEMETERY. This was an appeal against an order of the justices of Surrey, with respect to the assessment made upon the Nuohead Cemetery Company. It appeared that the justices had assessed the rates upon the whole receipts of the company. _ _ Mr. CrURATEIr now appeared in support of the appeal, and argued that the assessment was manifestly unjust and illegal, inasmuch as no deduction was made for the heavy expenses of carrying on the concern, such as the making of the vaults, the salaries f the directors, the chaplain, and the London offices expenses, which amounted to a considerable sum. He prayed the Court, on these grounds, to quash the order at sessions. Mr. BovILL appeared in support of the rating, and contended that the order was peifectly fair, and is ac cordance with the rules which governed ,the rating of public companies. The Court took time to consider the points raised. PORTUGAL. THE QUEEN'S SPEECII. The following is the speech of the Queen of Portu gal, on the opening of the Cortes, on the 2d inst.:— " Worthy Peers of the Kingdom, Gentlemen Depu ties of the Nation,—The public tranquillity, for the consolidation cf which your loyal co-operation has efficaciously contributed, has not been disturbed since the last legislative session. It behoves us to thank Divine Providence for having saved these kingdoms trom the scourges which have so much afflicted other countries. " My relations of friendship with foreign potentates continue to become closer. " An agreement has been concluded between my Government and that of his Majesty the King of Den mark, by which the Portuguese flag is considered in the pas4age of the Sound as that of the most favoured nation ; in the same respect the Danish flag is ad mitted into the ports of Portugal. "In conformity with the principles of a just recipro city, my Government has arranged that our merchan dise, imported into the ports of Russia under the Portuguese flag, be exempt from the payment of 50 per cent. beyond what is marked in the general custom- house duties, and Portuguese ships relieved from the differential dues which are paid in that king dom upon tonnage. "By virtue of the authority conceded by the law of the 25th June, 1849, and taking into consideration the claims of some foreign Governments, that law has been extended to the Swedish, Dutch, and Belgian flags. " Tranquillity has been preserved iu the colonies, and in that of Angola, a new colony of Portuguese emigrants from Brazil, is already established, which gives the most flattering hopes of pros perity ; but I am sorry to have to acquaint you that the establishment of Macao was the theatre of two attempts against the sovereignty of my crown, and against the rights of the people. My Govern ment has already taken the necessary measures to secure the integrity of the establishment, the sove reignty of the crown, and the national dignity and decorum ; and has also made the necessary claims, which, I trust, will be considered, that due reparation be obtained. " My Government will render you an account of the use it has made of the different powers entrusted to it, and will as well acquaint you of the means it had adopted to improve public credit, and meet the public expenses. " The estimates of the receipts and expenses of the state must be laid before you, and several proposals tending to improve some branches of the public ser vice, and some laws which experience has shown to have been deficient. " Worthy Peers of the Kingdom, Gentlemen De puties of the Nation,—At this solemn moment, in which I feel the most lively pleasure in being sur rounded by the representatives of the nation, it is my duty especially to recommond to you, in accord with my Government, to consider the true situation of the country, and adopt efficacious remedies, in crier to establish the organization of the public re venue upon a solid and definitive basis." IRELAND. DUBLIN, TUESDAY MORNING.—THE PROTECTION IST MOVEMENT. —Among not the least significant indications of the hollowness of the movement having for its ultimate object a return to the old scale of priccs for all articles of human food, is the abandon ment, under "false pretences" of the. Protectionist meeting of Clare. This county was one of the first to declare against free trade, and the requisition headed by Sir Lucius O'Brien bore the signatures of men of all creeds, whether in politics or religion ; the unusual circumstance of four Roman Catholic clergy. men having affixed their names to the document being of itself regarded as proof positive of the universal desire for a return to the old system. Even with these unlooked-for auxiliaries, the Clare Protectionists had, to say the least, too much discretion to continue the warfare in the face of the recent disastrous de feat at Down, the Austerlitz, as it were, of the boot. less campaign of 1850. REPRESENTATION OF MAYO. — The number of can. didates for the seat about to be vacated by Mr. Dillon Browne has already swelled to five, each of whom seeks the suffrages of the electors on claims tinde pendent of one another. For instance, Colonel Knox Gore starts as the champion of the anti - free-traders, and his canvass among the dwindled constituency is said to be progressing satisfactorily for his party. Mr. Higgins hoists the ragged flag of rep ea l, an d everything ge e t gentleman aeh anythingesh else ee h that induced may suit of Dr. M‘Hale, under whose patronage, it is s a id, this to th e take palateh the field. Mr. John Browne, a It' re awe of the Sligo family, and a Roman Catholic, though not any particular favourite with the clergy of that persuasion, also comes forward, badly sheltered under the faded banner of " Protec tion," upon which question he grounds his pretensions for support. Sir William O'Malley rests his hopes of success on the fact of his being a general supporter of Whiggery ; and though last, most certainly not least, " big" Mr. Joseph Myles M'Connell, of Doo Castle, and who sat for the county in the former Par liament, means to try his luck in the forthcoming scramble, on the score probably of old acquaintance sake. THE WEATHER.—DubIin is just now a Western Siberia. The cold, which for the last four days, Las been almost intolerable, last night reached its climex, and after long threatening there was a fall, though a slight one, of hard dry snow between two and three o'clock this morning. From the stlte of the tem perature there i 3 every proipect of a season of un usual severity in there latitude.;. Pm wind is at E.S.E and is blowing a fierce and bitter gale. REPEAL ASSOCIATiON.—Thy rent for — the week ending yesterday amounted to 127. 4s. 61. Mr. iohn O'Connell announced that he had no intention of resigning his seat until the electors of Limerick were prepared with a staunch Repealer to occupy his place. THE FUNDS.—Three per Cent. Consols, 964 ; Three-and-a-Quarter per Cent. Stock, 97i, 98, 97i; City of Dublin Steam-packet shares, 73i j ; Dublin and Drogheda Railway (thirds), 82 ; Midland, 23i STATE OF TRADE. (From the Manchester Guardian of this day.) MAN CH ESTEE , TUESDAY.—Some kinds of water mule and mule yarns have again shown an upward tendency ; and in all the rest the utmost firmness has been maintained. Spinnings suitable for India are, in fact, so completely bought up, that their value can hardly be tested ; and the contracts in hand for home snanuf;cture are so ample, as to render the producers exceedingly independent; so that, under these circumstances, the hesitation which many of the buyers feel about yielding to the present advance iA little noticed. Doubled yarns are in fair request. Single yarns, for the continet, con tinue in a most unsatisfactory state, from the diffi culty of selling, and the disproportion betwixt the rise in them and cotton. Although the transactions in light and medium cloths are not of large abso lute amount, yet they are in full propor tion to the unengaged supply. The different widths of printing cloths, and also 46-inch shirtinge, com mand ready sale at the quotations; but 40-inch shirt ings are not equally buoyant. Some little business is doing in domestics : it is, however, most difficult to effect any improvement upon previous rates ; and the makers of these articles find themselves falling from week to week into an increasingly discouraging position. ROCHDALE, MONDAY.—We have had a rather quieter market to-day, as might be expected at this time of the year. In the wool market, there is also little change, and prices may be quoted the same as those on the preceding Monday. MACCLESFIELD, TUESDAY.—We have no change of importance to note since our last weekly report. We hear of fair business being transacted in manufac tured goods at advancing rates. There has been some inquiry for goods for the French markets, which is an unusual occurrence in this neighbourhood. Most houses being now fully occupied for the spring trade, there is a scarcity of weavers felt. In torown silks the sales are to a moderate extent ; the stocks being reduced very low, higher prices are expected for what is coming round for the market. The position of the raw silk market remains unaltered. Public sales are announced to take place at Liverpool on the 17th instant; the quantity to be brought forward Is but small. HUDDERSFIELD, TUESDAY.—There has been a vary brisk market tc-day. Every description of woollens, either superfines or low goods adapted for the season, have been bought up with the grestest avidity. These who have ♦isited us to-day in the expectation of buy ing remnants of stock at a low price have been dis appointed, for many sales have been effected at an advance upon the offers made a few weeks since. HALIFAX, SATURDAY.—An average amount of business has ben done in our Piece Hall to-day, chiefly with mixtures, and with no material variation in prices. The yam market is rather stiller than it was, the weather having checked the purchases of the ship ping houses ; but there is a large demand fur home uonsumption, and the quotations have undergone no change. The spinners being, in general, fully sup plied, there is nut much activity in long wools, and prices have experienced no alteration. Tnere is a brisker inquiry for short wools, at a slight im provement. LEEDS, TUESDAY.—Both on Saturday and to-day there has been more animation in the markets. tA fair amount of business has been done. Stocks are low, and prices are a shade better. In the ware houses, business is pretty good, both for the home and foreign trade. COTTON 1N THE WEST INDIES. The subject of growing cotton in Jamaica is occu pying the attention of the colonists and the press of that island. In speaking of this matter the Colonial Standard, of the 13th December, says as follows: Where are we to look fur cotton ? Tnis is be ginning to be a question easier asked than answered among the men of Manchester, who are now almost entirely dependent on the United States for that commodity; and they begin to think that it is time to consider what they should do it; from any cause, that country should cease to furnish a sufficient supply, which is not unlikely to he the case in a very few years. Hitherto they have turned their eyes to India only, as lik!y to furnish what may be short in the future supply from the States. India seems to have as yet been considered the only country in which cetton is indigenous to the soil, from whence an unlimited supply could be procured it the cost of carriage were not so enormous for the want of roads, principally, over which so bulky an article as cotton can be carried. The East India Company have been fostering its cultiva tion for some time, but are about to abandon it par tially after the present year; therefore, unless the manufacturers set about cultivation on their own account, no cotton fit for the finer sorts of fabrics can be procured from India. We, therefore, hail with great pleasure the manifestation of a desire to cultivate cotton in this country, which we are quite certain can be done to a much greater profit than in any part of the States. We have been told that there is cotton now growing within five miles of this city, which was only planted in August last, the lateral branches of which are said to be larger and stronger than the main stem ever becomes in the most favoured of the southern states. Add to this that it is perennial here, but requires replanting every year there. We have seen in the hands of Mr. McGeachy some stems and pods of cot ton picked in the neighbourhood of Mobile, and along with it a sample, picked at random, from an old tree in St. Andrew';. We have narrowly inspected both, and to the best of our judgment the St. Andrew's sample is very much the best, being a much purer white, as well as finer in texture and longer in staple, than the Ame rican, though, perhaps, not quite so strong. Strange to say, too, the American cotton which Mr. M`Geachy brought over seems exactly the same variety as the indigenous cotton which grows wild about the road sides here, and lives for eight or ten years at least without any cultivation whatever; in fact, we believe the tree from which the sample of native cotton to which we allude was pulled is fully that age, and has now a circumference of fifteen and three-q uar t er i nc h es i n the main stem ; it is growing close to a fence near a gate, and has never had the s li g ht es t care b estowed . upon Such being the case, then, there is surely great inducement for p ar ti es w h o h ave t h e means to cultivate this great article of commerce ; it is far from an expensive cultivation, and requires no costly build ings for its collection or preservation. The principal thing, we believe, is to pick it clean, and pack it dry, which would be a matter of easy accomplish ment, on the south side of this island, at all events, where there are some 150,000 acres of land well adapted for cotton cultivation. With all these favouring cir cumstances, however, we much fear that there are but very few of our planters who have means suffi cient to enter into that or any other new system of cultivation. We are led to expect the advent of cer tain American capitalists, who, it is said, will enter largely into mining and cotton growing speculations. Let them come, in God's name ; there is ample room and verge er.ough ' for hundreds, aye thousands, and locations will not be wanting, either to buy or hire, in any part of the country. " It is, we fear, needless for us to call the attention of the Manchester manufacturers to Jamaica as a field for the support of cotton equally convenient and inexhaustible. They say it is of no use to send agents to purchase cotton at Bombay, because there are no roads by which it can he carried to that port ; and for that reason the cost of carriage from the interior is much greater than the original cost of production ; but they say if the company will make roads, and thus render the cost of cotton at the shipping port as cheap as at New . Orleans, the western manufacturers of Manchester will soon have agents there, just as the wool merchants of Wakefield and Leeds have in every district of Reigland. Now, here all the objections are already obviated. As far as the south side of the island is concerned, we have sufficiently convenient roads to carry any quantity of produce of any kind that can be grown upon it, to commodious and secure shipping places, without any heavy expense. The Manches ter men have heretofore done us great injury, and owe us in consequence some reparation, which they will perhaps give if they find that their own - interest will be promoted thereby. But we do not put much faith in the idea of ob taming aid from that quarter. We rather look with hope to the advent of the American gentlemen who are said to be about commencing both mining and cotton growing on a large scale, with capital entirely their own. From them we look for an example of that ge-ahead energy of which misfortune and grinding poverty have for the time deprived ourselves, and if they mill, as we think likely, bring with them a number of intelligent free black and coloured people from the States, the example of these may be of as muc h serv i ce to the indolent and idle among our own population as the capital and enterprise of their employers will un doubtedly become to the community in general." THE MACKEREL FlSHERY.—Upwards of 100 boats are now in actual work, but the fishing during the past week has nct been successful. The fish sent from here to the metropolis on the 4th inst., and which cost here between 235. and 265. per 100, were sold at a loss of 7s. per 100, there being no demand for them in Own. P1'10190(li THE COUNTRY MARKETS. IPSWICH, JAN. 15. With a m.7lerate supply of both wheat and barley at this day's market, th©y were sold at a slighht reduction upon last wee k's prices. Beans and peas also rather cheaper. FEB QUARTER. I PER QUARTER. Wheat, red 4os to 41s Beans, old Do., wbife Barley, malting 26s to 276 Oats.. OO, to 00s Da., select Do., grinding 23s to 24- Malt - 00s to 0 01 Beans 26, to 27s Flour, per sack.. 00s to 0 01 AVERAGES FOR THE WEEK ENDING JAN. 12. Wheat 1,242 quarters at 44s 2d. Barley Oats 12 Os Od. Beans ... 50 „ 28s 7d. Peas.... . ....... 89 „ 28s 3d. Rye . HULL, JAN. 15. Messrs. Taylor and Bright's circular states: —The, wt tither has been exceedingly severe since this day week , and the ground is now well covered with snow. Imports are light, and business operations much contracted. To day's market was well attended by farmers, who brought a good supply of wheat, which met slow sale at Is under the currency of last market day. Nothing doing is foreign. The transactions in sprin ,, corn are limited , there being few s ampl es f rom ship-board, and granarie4 parcels are held 'or more money than buyers are disposed, to give. Grindin g b ar l ey meets a fa i r retail sale, 8 0 good qualities are not plentiful: For fine malting there is also a little better feeling. With a good demand lie seed fetches is more money, but cakes continue slur gish ; their present low price seems tempting for the speculator. Nothing new as regards rapeseed. W e cakes maintain their last•noted lin proyetnent, and there are now none afloat. Bones fetch s7s 6cl to 92s 6d as 4 1 quality. _ - The following are the present prices of grain : a. 1. Wheat, English, red 38 to 40 Do. white 4O 42 Dantzic and Ko- s. 0 Peas, white and yel. 25 ! :"g . o Do. grey ; ILinseed, Black Sea. 44 -- nigsberg 46 48 t Do. Petersburgh ... 38 43 , Pomeranian and Do. Riga &Archngl. 38 Hamburgh . 3B —4O Do. Konigsberg .... 36 —39 Danish, Holstein, & per too. Friesland 3l 36 Linseed cakes, Hull —6/1/5 6 d Russian and Odessa 32 —36 D o . fi ne f ore ig n ... 6l , 59 Oats, English Do. Danish.— ...... . 10 12 R apesee d Do. Friesland l5 16 Rape cakes.. 80s Od to 82s 61 Do. Russ. & Odessa 12 —l4 Tares, English .oos Barley,malting 22 —24 Do. foreign 305 Do. grinding........ 19 —21. Guano 6/ to 91 1 " Beans 26 —3 0 i do 00s Od to 90s Od Do. foreign ...... 26 31 i Rye meal Coat, JAN. 14.—Flour-1 • •st I2s 6d to 13s 6d ; extra 1 6 t; seconds, 1 is to 12s 6d ; households 9 s t o lO s 6d ; t hi r d s, 6 s to r' per cwt. Oatmeal lOs to lOs 6d; Indian meal 7s to 7s 6d ; wheat' meal, 10s to lOs 6d per cwt. Indian corn 135 s to 137 s 6d per to e. Bran 317 s 6d to 3/10sper ton. Hay—Farmers 25s to 355; averse, 30s; dealers 34s to 38 s Od; a verage 36 s per t on . Straw—Farme r 18s Od to 30 s Od ; average 24 s ; d ea l ers 32 s Od to 00 s average 00s Od per ton. Bread—Wheaten loaf 6d is Nu' household l oa f 5d t o Sid per 41b. - Fresh butter, 84 m , 10d per lb E ggs -5 s 8d to 5 s lO d per hundred. CoYeth Newport 15s; Lyd ney 17 s ; L an d ore 15s ; Best Peelft Culm 14s per ton. Tallow 39s Od to 00e per C,.. t Whisky, 25 o. p., 5s 9d per imperial gallon. l'u% —Beef 310 to 5d ; mutton 3d to 5d ; veal 4d L Od ; pork 3id to 4d ; b acon 6d t o 7id ; sausages bd Ij o lb. Hops 131 Os per cwt. Bangor slates 3/ 2s 6d to 31 5 .5 ton. Bark—B ar b ary 7 15 s to 8 1 5 s ; Valonia 141 to 01; F r eo 7/ 5s ; English 0/ per ton. Fl eece W ool 105 to 12s per e tc/ Hemp 321 to 001 per ton. Fi s h — Scotch herrings 18s to 19s ; re g ditto 24s to 26s per barrel ; Newfoundland 9' Os to 11l L e ton. Timber—M eme l , 85 / per ton ; deals, first qual i ty , I°l second quality, 16s per 100. Hides—Market 13s to 2 1 g b : salted 13s to .20 s per cwt ; ca lf sk i ns 2d to' 3el per Potatoes, white 8d t o 9d ; Mi n i ons ll d to 1 2 d ; Goan Peruvian, 111 10 s; I c h a b oe, 9/ per :ton ; Tar—Arebang e 19s per barrel. RAILWAY SHAicis MARKETS* BRISTOL, JAL 15. STOCK EXCHANGE. —Th e market was firm to- d ay llll transactions were as follow :—Great Western, Qua r " . : r e, 10 1 / 8 dis.—Midland, 501., 21 1 / 2 dis.—North Etafrords lo 9v2 dis. LIVERPOOL, JAN. 15. i• ed , STOCK EXCHANGE . — Business to-day was very Ara-it 0 and prices are somewhat lower. The transactions we r e ~ follow :—last Lancashire, Preferenc e , Q uarters, 71. 6s. Fifty Lancashire and Yorkshire, Fif t h s , 7% dig. c.—'.ittn, (W. R. U.), dis.—London and North-Western, 115 New Quarters, 1% p.—Ditt o , Fifths, 1 3 4 p.—Midland , —Ditto, Halves, 223 —Ditto (Erewash Valley), 6°7 ' Newcastle and Carlisle, 8. MANCHESTER, JAN. 15. and STOCK EXCIIANGE.--The market has been very firn i steady, at fair prices. The transactions were as Caledonian, 8 7-16 c. Edinburgh and Glasgovi,,,, n et F , eetwood, Preston, and West Riding Junction, ls. o r& share—Lancashire and Yorkshire (Manchester and Le to 1000, 42 dis.—Ditto, Fifths, 7% dis.—Ditto, 3 21 . k p i6 Extension), 9 3 / 4 dis. —Ditto, (West Riding• Union), 6,l„,,th dis. Ditto, Preston and Wyre, 41 ' A i—London and e-w 9,16 Western, Manchester and Birmingham, Quarters (C), p.—Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln, Preference, %ire, Ditto (Shetield and Lincoln s hi re ), 4—N ort h St a fford 9% dis.—South-Eastern and Dover (No. 4), Scrip, 6%. • BIRMINGHAM, JAN. 15. STOCK EXCHANGE.—Our share ma r k e t was better to-duatc' The transactions were— Shropshir e U n i on , 3A Staffordshire, 31. lls. 3d. dis. ex in. YORK, JAN - . 14. Srocx EXCHANGE.—The transactions to-day were 14.0 follow : Caledonian, 11 , 4—North British, Halves, 'xis York and North Midland, 18 VI. GRAND TRUNK AND STAFFORD AND PEO lg „ . BOROUGH RAILWAY.—Yo iterday th e w i n di ng - up f "'- affairs of this company was proceeded with by the ilif o ler in Chancery Brougham. From the report of I ": official manage-, Mr. Turquald, and M r . Gedye, solet; for to the estate, it appeared that the su bscript i k l is agreement was signed for 16,535 sharer, and ° A 37,457/. was received by the provisional committee• o f return of one guinea per sha-r, a,ad a further r eturn . d 2s. 6d. per share out of the 21. 2s. deposit had beenfoo, back to the shareholders, but during the payment T o d second instalment it was discovered that a &e l l of been commit:ed on the company by th e p res entati°7„ e d 1,5001. f scrip, which had b een i mproper ly obta b l' oo s by some party from one o f th e scr i p b oo k s wit, 00 0 payment of any depo s it, an d t h at the retur n c` g guinea per share had b een ma d e thereon, als° 11 . 1) : to of to 1,564/. It was also discovered thtit the rtto'-alle one guinea, and of 2s. 6d. per share, had been Ire on 200 sharer, which h a d b een purchase] b y the dilicho tors with the funds of the company, and L 11 ,.. 5t c ao' amount had been received by the secretary, wu ° , lo - 1 re! not be fund. Abo u t 1, 500 shares were 11'-ibei among the provi s i ona l committee on which paid deposits to the extent only of 8691. The b - ders rat expenses o f p rocee di ng as far as stand i ng or, to was 15,302/. Th e li a bili t i es are found to arnoutl" be 1,6914, and the assets, including 1,5641. sought t o ° „ r ipr recovered from the di rec t ors on t h e s p u riouS and from the rec rs t ary , to 2,492 / . ; the balance 51t 491. bankers received by the official manager bellig mo de Two calls of ss. per s h are respectively have beta A - tbe on the contributories, t o p ay o ff the liabilities, eTi" o f eta expenses connected with the process of winding'eP affairs. et i " TRADE OF SHEF FIELD .--It a ff or d s us much pl the sure to be able to st a t e th at t h e general revival e"Ocea' staple trades of Sheffield, to which we have of le .te d 030 sionally referred, continues :t-adily to progress, and it as men of extensive o b serva ti on an d exper i ence regerwer the commencement cf a period of unequivocal OO P s af' cial prosperity. The spring-knife trade, which he: s oo ted fered from th e l a t e d e p ress i on w i t h a l mos t unini t P o oti' severity, has at l e n gt h rega i ne d a f a i r me asure c' a live vity. The op e r a ti ves i n th a t b ranc h o f i n dustrYr . oc at• to this fact, ha ve i ssue d a p l acar d ca lli ng a public,: - „ o ing ing ef their body, w ith a v i ew t o a n origanizatiol 3, 1) ,, - f the fur its object an a d vance o f Pr i ces . " Th e o bject "side meeting (says the placard) will be to take into CO D D ration the best means cf improving our condition• ra 4e. a wee: -kno wn f act , t h at f rom great d epress i on of to Dot and for want o f p ro p er th oug ht an d act i on, w e hey" , bet n able to maintain a prop r position in societli eol oa We also f u lly b e li eve t h a t f rom t h e increasing ur part for our goods, an eff o rt only need b e m a de on 431 !:, b Ore to obtain th a t remunera ti on f or our l a b ou r wh'' so justly deserve."—Sheffield Times. fel FRENCH GRAIN.—A large proportion of t he , m eos vessels which have, in consequence of the inc' e- per‘ weather and aiverse winds, be .n able to reach thedb of London from foreign ports, have been laden is of grain and flour, the produce of France. The arrivuo this kind hays included several from Dunkirk se a re of from the principal shipping pt..rti of France, an d some if.t -Test and importance. BIRTHS. •re ' tile On the 10th inst., a t H az l ewoo d C as tl e , Yorksbi H M onOn t . rs. Vavasour, of a son. the Wit° he 10th inst., at Tettenhall, Wolverhampton , of J. Leigh, Esq., of twin daughters. ;cote' On the 12th in s t., i n Ch ape l- stree t, th e w ife of ,-" nant-Colonel Vansittart, of a daughter. the WO On the 13th inst., at New W est-end, Hampstead , -- of W. M. Wilkinson, Esq., of a son. ti' nlotle On the 13th inst., at the Manor-house, Lechlade , ht et• tershire, the lady of George Milward, Esq., of a _da. ll ,, g i rdea /jt On the 13th inst., in Thurlce-square, Mrs. T. Rich ale ~ of a daughter. On the 13th' inst., the wife of Mr. T. C. Savill, of tfi'" - i , ' street, Strand, of a daughter. filfe a On the 14th inst., in Cla rges - s t ree t, Piccadilly, the _,. W. A. Loch, Esq., of a d aug ht er . ___.------ .1 MARRIED. , T , 0 elV i c On the llth inst., at Terling, Essex , the Rev. - '1. 0 0 ) 1 b i te Ilighwood Vicarage, Writtle, youngest son of th e to 1. 0 8 Ovens, Esq., of Artig arvan -l o d ge, county o f Tyrone! — Ge org - Pamela Sophia Lyon, only child of the late Captai n Francis Lyon, R.N. t' 'd ' On the 12th inst., at Trinity Church, Gray's Inn - - r on' 11. Harris, Esq., of her Majesty's Customs, to Fsllnso . a';e• daughter of W. H orwe 'l, Esq., of Mecklenburgh-sq— „ DlEDventOe' On the 10th i ns t., a t Chobham, Surrey, C. E q., of Doctors', commons , cge d . ► rectc't On the 11th ing., at Brighton, the Rev. E. Bulroc of Ilambledon, Surrey, aged 76. 1,0 13 °' On the 11th inst., at Torquay, aged 41, S o p lua wife of the Rev. T. P. Bridges, of Danbury, Esse x ' m ig' On the Ilth inst., in London, William Alexande.,.l.,7,tborP son of Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Fothergill, of 1, -I n b r Yorkshire, aged 21. 10' ,te Oa the 12th inst., Mr. Daniel Fielding, of C lot-00 race, Islington, aged 74. p e v otert' J. . _ Cu the 12th inst,, at Cawsand-house, near Bellamy, Esq , aged 78. ea 49 ' . s g ie , On the 12th inst., at Weston-lodge, Delbysh'r, e ' c ,osac the Hon. and Rev. Alfred Curzon, brothel of Loru. n .,.'" t eo- 1) . 1 ' rector of Kedleston, in the above county, and .0." Twyeross, Leicestershire. f t l3° o On the 12th inst., at the Rector), Mary Aline' wife Rev. A. Murray, rector of North -Waltham, Hants. iviloo On the 13th inst., at Bognor, Sussex, Alexander 1 Schomberg, Admiral of the Blue, aged 76. Lcndon: Printed and Published by MURD N al A No. 112 Strand, Printer, at The t,un 04Xce, as Strand, in the Pre:Anct of the Savoy 'n t he rditidlena ) Wedneaday ; January 16, 1850. 1 ti* the saU 'ver Wei Iled I fakir Pfiu Der ° , kith ,kbs, N 1.1 fan attic vi 1 tipe ~, ~