The Sun. — London, England, 1853-03-25 00:00:00

THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Under the Management of Mr. Buckatone, On MONDAY NEXT, Sheridan's Comeda of THE RIVALS. Supported by Messrs. Chippendale, Compton, William Farren, Henry Core, and Rogers ; Mesdames Reynolds, Buckingham, Poynter, and Ellen Chaplin. With Mr. BUCKSTONE'S ASCENT OF MOUNT PARNASSUS. Mr. Buckstone, by Mr. Buckstone ; Fortune, Mrs. Fitzwilliam ; !spirit of Mount Parnassus, Miss Louisa Howard. THE TWO QUEENS. Supported byMessrs. Compton and Howe, and Mrs. Buckingham and Miss Louisa Howard. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STREET. Under the Management of Mr. Charlea Kean. On EASTER MONDAY, MAson 28, Will be performed the Tragedy of MACBETH. After which will be produced a new Drama, adapted from th e the French of Mons. Scribe, by Mr. Pa:grave Simpson, ca ll e d MARCO SPADA. Principal characters by Messrs. W. Lacy, J. Vining, Ryder, Graham, and Everett; Miss Heath and Miss C. Leclercq. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tim DAY —Morning 1 min. after 2 I Evening 20 min.aft. 2 To.moanow_mccning 38 min. after 2 Eveningls6 min.aft. 2 DAILY WEATHER TABLE. FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 1853. State of the wind and weather at each of the following places at nine o'clock yesterday morning. The Stations are arranged in order of latitude. HASTINGS—N.E., fresh breeze— heavy snow. SOUTHAMPTON—N., gentle breeze—cloudless. FOLKESTONE--N.E., gentle breeze—overcast. TUNBRIDGE—N.W., calm—cloudless. BASINGSTOKE—E., gentle breeze—partially cloudy. GREENwiCH—N.i., gentle breeze—partially cloudy. CAMBRIDGE—N., gentle breeze—partially cloudy. YARMOUTH—N.E., hard wind—partially cloudy. The returns from the following places indicate the state of the weather on Wednesday morning at nine o'clock MULLINGAR—N., gentle breeze—partially cloudy. TUNBRIDGE—N., strong breeze. I,RiGarroN—N.E, gentle breeze—overcast. LANOASTER—N.E. gentle breeze—cloudless. SHAP—N., gentle breeze—snow. THE WEATHER.—Smi OFFICE, Macs 25. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 34—highest since noon yesterday. 22—lowest this morning and during the night. 32 this day at n•on. BAROMItTNII, 29'90. - WIND, N.N.E.—Light, cold breeze, and sunshiny weather, with occasional snow. There has been a heavy fall of snow on Tuesday, Wednesday, and yesterday in the night. THE PUBLICATION OF "'THE SUN" COMMENCES EVERY AFTERNOON AT THREE O'CLOCK, AND THE • LATE OR THIRD EDITION, CONTAINING THE DEBATES IN PARLIAMENT THE SAME _EVENING, With all other Yews arriving up to the hour of Post, AT SEVEN O'CLOCK. EXPRESS EDITIONS will be forwarded after the Post is closed by th Latest Trains. ell t ° t or 411Z.417 a4:\ :04 1 - *Alit ~• ~,,„0„,..- ,• o , LONDON, FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 1853. The " tug of war " will speedily arrive in good. earnest. Immediately after the reassembling of Parliament the Ministerial difficulty must be en countered. There is no possibility of evasion lor even procrastination on the point. The Pros arty and Income Tax will expire on the terminatiex a of the financial year, on the sth day of April m ext, and unless it be renewed in some form, the ;a nti cipated financial surplus will be converted inrto a deficiency exceedingly prejudicial to the nati.onal credit, and to all classes in the community. Too many delays have already taken place, and: no further time can be lost in placing this all-import ant question upon a sound foundation, so as to• re move the deep and bitter sense of inienet ice which must be entertained by all contribute ors under Schedule D, at finding the fluctuating s nd precarious earnings of their industry, the re n eu neration for their physical or intellectual labor ur, taxed as highly as the dividends of a snug sure in the Three per Cents., or the chief rents of vr ell circumstanced real estates. It appears to be almost a work of supereroga ti ion to adduce any arguments to prove that this so called equal taxation of every description of incon ie, without reference to the source from whence lit is derived, is inequitable and oppressive —that a g :e -neral Medical Practitioner, with an extensive p;ra ;e -tice in a country district, who earns an income of 3001., is not as favourably circumstanced in I is pecuniary concerns as the owner of 10,000/. Th re )e per Cent. Consols. The Medical Practitioner, in order to earn his income, will be compelled - to keep ons. or two horses, on which he must pay a • tax to Government ; a four-wheeled carriage ), liable to a further impost ; and a man-serve It to take care of the taxed horses and th taxed carriage, for whose services a furtrat 3r tax must be paid, as if giving employm et at to the labouring population were a hit crime and misdemeanour, that should be disco u _r aged to the utmost extent. The more fortun fundholder is liable to no such drawback. Ev ery shilling of his 3001. is available for his own in: a-- pose —not a single fraction more need find .its way into the National Exchequer—while the country surgeon is not only obliged to pay !far more than double the amount in direct taxati.c and a still larger proportion in indirect impo s ts, which he can scarcely shirk or avoid, but at 1, s Ist one-third of his entire receipts will be absorbe d in expenditure that must be considered strictly la ro fessional, and for which full allowance should be, but is not, made. Out of his remaining 216 01. fully one-third must be set aside to make pros vi sion for his old age, or for his family after deai If he accumulates by way of an insurance ir,r . ) on his life, there will be an additional tax to Clo vernment in the shape of the stamp on the polite y; so that the practical result will be that the ft a td-• holder, on his clear income of 3001. per anr ti un applicable to his own use, will only have to pay 7/. ss. per annum, with the privilege of exec n p tion from indirect taxation ; while the medn.cal practitioner will have to pay about 184 direct) y, and a still larger sum indirectly, out of an incc a ne of 1331. 6s. Bd. applicable to his own use. T 1 Lis alone will suffice to show the absurdity of 2e 1 .1 . r. CHA R T.Es BARRAGE'S argument respecting it] le income of the class Doctor being as pi e: r nianent as that of the class Fundholde al without relying on Dr. FARR'S point as to e annual expenditure necessary to keep up the clam 3 by providing new men, educated for the purpose , to supply the place of thoSe axinually removed 131 death or retiremement, or on the gross and pal - pable absurdity of supposing that a just -Conclu - sion can be arrived at from premises altogether r unjust--that's briefless Barrist. Mout bread I for his hungrY children, can be comforted by the 3 reflection, that the average earnings of his clan 3 would give a handsome average income to each ; • that is to say, if eocimunx and THESIGER, ant 1 B ETH EL and W ILIITs, and others of the first rank, would consent to throw their receipts int( ► a common fund to be divided between ev er y p en son entitled to wear the wig and gown. There is, in fact, but o ne principle thai will give anything like an approximation 'GC us j v tice that is, that every income sclidoui value, By in accordance with its ca pitalised b e, each man coin _ By such means only can pelled to contribute to the liquidation of the. national liabilities and the maintenance of the. national establishments, secundlon status, et faeni tates, according to his position and resource s . The details as to the manner in which that prin— ciple could be carried into practical operation could_ easily be arranged, so as to introduce a system sus tainable alike on justice and expediency, and as nearly free from imperfection as any human institu tion can be. We fear, however, from what has already fallen from Mr. GLADSTONE—aS well as from. the recorded opinions of Lord JOHN RUSSELL, Sir CHARLES WOOD, and other leading Members of the Ministry, that there is no prospect of so com prehensive a measure of reform being introduced. in the new Budget. Something, however, must be done, and it is scarcely possible that, after-jV • Postponements for two successive sessions, in order i'Applaki n such information as might enable the , ture to make more equitable assessments, i any a empt should be made to perpetuate the tax 1 • • . in : 19, resent objectionable form. This, at least, c 4, in, that, if such an effort should be made, r r, the eof the Ministry is sealed. Mr. Dana - via - ; hough he did not by any mean s go f ar / enough—at least recognised the distinction between permanent and temporary incomes. Those who enforced the resignation of the late Government must proceed in the same path, and make even greater progress if they hope to retain the support of the Fiscal and Financial Reformers, through whose votes they obtained possession of place and power. The country requires not men, but measures ; and unless beneficial measures be brought forward, the impression will be that the present men obtained office under false pretences, and that, there being a total failure of considera tion on their part, they must be restored to the Opposition Benches with all convenient speed. Let them take warning by the bungling of Sir CHARLES WOOD on the same subject, and the con sequences thereof to the RUSSELL Cabinet, and take care that such a financial scheme be intro duced as will avert such injurious results to the present Joint-Stock Administration. When we go to look at a happy family, we do not expect to find all the creatures equally viva cious at the same hour. Early in the morning, the lark and linnet, and the saucy sparrow, will be all animation ; at mid-day we are sure to find the owl and the fox rather dozzy, and the rat in a corner ; but at evening we shall see Rey nard and the bird of wisdom all alive. Some of the members seem, perhaps, to maintain a uni form medium, degree of vivacity, but most have their seasons. And so it seems to be with Happy Cabinets. The discussion of broad principles of Colo nial Policy—of bold and uncompromising measures of Religious Equality—furnish occasions for Lord JOHN RUSSELL and Sir W. Mor.v.swoßTH to rea son and illustrate, and declaim with vigour, while the higher Churchmen of the Family do little more than show they are alive. But their turn comes. The Archbishop of CANTERBURY,. and the Lords Spiritual, and the Lords Temporal, who use their spiritual Lordships in their earthly warfare, have to be propitiated, and then the GLADSTONES and the NEWCASTLES are as lively as the morning sparrow, while the RUSSELLS and MOLESWORTHS are silent, or but half open their eyes. Such was the case at least, according to the testimony of an unexceptionable eye-witness on Friday night, when the clause which was the pith and marrow of the Cana dian Clergy Reserves Bill was to be sacri ficed to Episcopal pride and greed. It was one-third of the clauses, for there were but three of them ; but it was more than one-half of the bill. The technicalities of the case are so per plexing that there is no small doubt how the bill will work without it, but of the intention of the GLADSTONE party there can be no manner of doubt. As Mr. BRIGHT clearly put it, in the Act of 1840 there were two guarantees for payments to the Episcopal clergy—one the proceeds of the Clergy Reserves ; the other, the Consolidated Fund of this country. In the event of the Reserves pro ceeds falling below 7,700/. for the Church of England, and 1,5801. for the Church of Scotland, Lord JOHN, much against his will in 1840, consented to guarantee that amount as a charge on our revenues at home. By the third clause of the Bill now before Parliament, this guarantee was to have been abolished ; the simple effect being, that, if Canadians in future years chose to withdraw State support from all sects, this country would be indisputably clear of all responsibility for the 9,2801. The Govern ment now proposes to withdraw this exonerating clause. It wishes to pay this pepper-corn rent to hierarchical assumptions. Instead of making a clean sweep of the whole business, its miserable remnants are to flutter about the English Exchequer, and in some time to come we are to have anti-Canadian-grant motions, to vary the monotony of anti-Maynooth-grant mo tions. We deeply deplore the pitiful course now taken. It had given us unqualified pleasure to be able to commend without qualification the Go vernment course on this question, and we propor tionably regret being compelled to censure severely this perverse cancelling of all that ren dered the measure a noble and thoroughgoing one. It now descends, like the Act of 1840, to the category of make-shifts. It was a cruel arrangement by which it fell to Lord JoHN's lot to lift up the knife to slay his son. Mr. MALL and many guardian angels immediately besought him to stay his hand, but in vain. He re peated the stroke, and gained, as might be expected, a considerable majority ; 68 in a house of 284. Mr. DISRAELI, in a short but telling speech, chastised the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER in his very best style of irony and scarcasm ; he had not forgotten the Budget speech of the latter. Mr. GLADSTONE, he observed, had informed them that the Bill had been prepared after due and mature deliberation. Well, it consisted of three clauses, and now the most important of the three was withdrawn. (Cheers and laughter from the Opposition.) The first clause also was to be altered ; the second consisted of a parenthesis, and the last was omitted ! Then Mr. GLADSTONE told thein that the guarantee matter should be settled at home, and in the next breath that they had written to the colony about it ! He much wished to hear Sir W. MOLESWORTH'S opinion, although it might seem a little discourteous to ap peal to the First Commissioner of the Board of Works on a Colonial question. Had he given his complete adhesion to the pres e nt policy of the Go vernment ? He could only account for the nume rous incompatible statements of the evening, by supposing that the Government had changed its policy. Mr. ADDERLEY appealed to those who, like himself, wished the Church of England to flourish in Canada, whether it was for the into-. rests of that Church that we should put it in such an odious position for '7,700/. a-year ; and also noticed the absurdity of givingup the Reserve Fund to the Canadian Parliament but not this guarantee of a minimum. Mr. MIALL consoled those who trem bled at Voluntaryism in Canada with its splendid re sults in the United States hard by, that it had pro vided church accommodation for 2,000,000 more than the actual population ; had created 17,283,327/. of church property, and raised an nually more than 3,000,0001. for religious pur poses. Mr. HUB told them that they were about to part with the property on which the original guarantee was given, and -yet retain the guarantee. Mr. BRIGHT characterised it as the most impuden.t t. ,.. thing ever proposed that the people of this country, who were Rot in half so good a condition as the people of Canada, should support the churches of that flourishing colony ; but all to no purpose. When Lord JonN means to throw overboard any thing good, arguments and sarcasms, money considerations and wit are alike thrown away upon him. Did his Lordship not understand the subject it might be less annoying, but no one gives 4terance to general views more fair, honest, and generous than he does. As was well observed in the debate, his original concep tions are often fair and honest enough, but some how he wants strength to grapple with them when he brings them before the House of Commons, and especially before the House of Lords. Were Lord JonN but true to himself, had he but faith in the certainty of being enabled iby the country to carry the measures he knows to be just, noble, and worthy of the people's acceptance, he need not have been now occupying a subordinate position in the Go vernment. Lord Join has discernment to see strongly the course that would immortalise him as th at St atesman, but he has not th e h ear t, ev e n in the cause a what he believes to be justice and 1"11 policy , But the and oato head the coun t r y aga i ns t th e aris tocracy s mischiefs now begin to peep out. Lord Jo nx is not accountable for all. Last Friday's work was task work to him. As Mr. BRIGHT observed, the tameness of his speech, compared with the life and animation of Mr. GLADSTONE's, showed which was at home. This mutilation of the Bill is one of the first, we fear, of a long series of coalition compromises ; they w ill probably manage better in + future than to let them come before the public ; but compro mises there must be. The consequence will f ollow that the legislation of the strong Government w , be the seeds of interminable disputes for the future. So it has always been. A compromise clause in a treaty desolated Germany with the 30 years' -war ; a compromise Liturgy and Articles have divided the I Church of England into two embittered parties. The comproMise Fugitive Slave Law in America is pregnant with the separation of the North from the South, and this compromise of guaranteeing some 10,0001. a year on nothing, to the clergy of two sects in Canada, will raise up a most unap peasable strife on this side the water, if ever one shilling should be demanded in consequence. The happiness of the family must be purchased by the'quarrels of futurity. MONEY AND COMMERCIAL NEWS. CITY, TWO O'CLOCK. This being a strict holiday here, there is no busi ness doing in the Stock Exchange and the Banks, &c., are closed. In the Colonial Produce Markets this week, there has been a moderate business transacted. Some descriptions of sugar have ruled a little in favour of buyers, but coffee has been in brisk de mand at high prices. Not much has been done in rice, and spices have had a fair sale ; tallow has been firmer, tea rather dearer, and cotton in more request. Saltpetre has been rather dull. The following review of the produce markets for transmission by the Overland Mail, is furnished by Messrs. H. W. Jewesbury and Co. " The chief feature in the foreign and colonial pro duce markets since the date of our last, on the 24th ult., has been one of considerable dullness, until within the last week, since when an increased inquiry has sprung up for several of the leading articles, and a large busi ness has been done at advanced rates. The arrivals have been large, but importers have only supplied the markets sparingly, with the exception of sugar, conse quently even at that period when dullness most pre vailed, prices continued firm, and since the favourable turn in our markets a very large amount of transactions have taken place, principally by private contract. The deliveries from the warehouses continue upon the same large and satisfactory scale as noticed for some time past, the abundance of employment in the manufactur ing districts, and indeed throughout the country gene rally, added to a good inquiry for export, affords every prospect that prices will be well supported for some time to come, should the political affairs of the Continent continue favourable. " Dyes and dyeing materials have been in increased demand, and prices are higher for indigo and cochineal, and also for dyewoods generally ; the Continental pro duce markets continue firm, and have an upward tend ency. The late accounts from India 'and China are not very encouraging for imports, consequently there has been less demand in our manufacturing districts for goods suitable for those markets, but for the home trade a good average business is doing, particularly in the woollen districts, where the stocks of manufactured goods continue very light. There has been an increased demand for money, and rates are rather higher; wenow quote first class paper of short date 3 to 31, other bills and securities 31 to 5, and money on call 21 per cent." Bills of exchange upon the principal cities of the Continent were negotiated yesterday at the follow ing rates :—Paris 25 27i to 30, Amsterdam 11 185 to 19, Hamburgh 13 81 to 5, and Trieste 11 3 to 6, being firm except on the last-named place. The Devon Great Consols Mining Company have declared a dividend of 121. per share, from the sale of ores sampled in November and December. HER MAJESY'S THEATRE.—The question about this establishment is now definitively settled. Mr. Frederick Gye, director in chief of the Royal Italian Opera, has become the lessee.—Times. THE EXCISE OFFICE. —An act of Parliament has just been printed (16 Vic., cap. 8), to enable the Commis sioners of Inland Revenue to dispose of the Excise-office in the city of Lordon. ACTS OF PAR . VA TIENT.—OnIy fifteen public acts of Parliament have been passed in the present session, which assembled in November, and after a short sitting adjourned to the beginning of last month. - The creditors of the late firms of Spence, Cockrane, and Co., and Spence and Co., which suspended in 1846, were convened at Liverpool yesterday to receive from Mr. James Spence payment in full of all the amounts due to them, although their claims had legally expired. The total amount was 18,4771., and resolutions were passed and a committee appointed to present Mr. Spence with a testimonial. ARRIVAL OF THE TAGUS.—The Oriental Company's steam-packet Tagus, Captain J. K. Joy, arrived at Southampton yesterday, and landed her mails under the charge of Lieutenant O'Reilly, R.N., Admiralty Agent. Her dates are—Gibraltar, March 14; Cadiz, 15 ; Lisbon, 19 ; Oporto and Vigo, 20. Her cargo consists of-7 packages of specie, 1,138 half-chests of oranges, 94 casks of dates, 24 packages of drugs, 36 packages of gum, 5 cases of saffron, 14 cases of wine, 32 boxes of eggs, and 22 packages of sundries. Her Majesty's ships Furious and Antelope were at Gibraltar, and Inflexible at Lisbon. EASTER EXCURSION TRAINS.-This morning an im mense number of persons availed themselves of the opportunity afforded by the directors of the various rail ways to proceed into the country and spend a few days, the double-journey tickets taken to-day, to-morrow, and Sunday, being available for their return on Monday. On the Great Western line the passengers were so nume rous that additional carriages had to be attached to the train, and many who were not aware that the conveyances were limited to the same number as run on Sundays (with the exception of the up and down mid-day mails) had to wait until the afternoon. NEW COAL COMPANY.— The prospectus has been issued of the Great Western and Forest of Dean Deep-Coal Company, with a capital of 120,0001. in 11. shares. The coal of the seams to be worked is in demand in the district, but extensive operations have hitherto been prevented by an absence of the railway facilities that now exist for its conveyance. The mines are to be worked at a royalty of Is. per ton, half of which is to be commuted by a certain amount of shares. ORIENTAL BANK.—At the meeting of the Oriental Bank, held yesterday, a dividend at the rate of 15 per cent. per annum was announced for the half-year ending December last, payable on the 31st of March, free of income tax. It was explained by the chairman (Mr. H. H. Gordon) that the affairs of the bank are in a satisfactory position. In consequence of the great increase of busi ness, especially in connection with exchange operations between India, China, and Australia, the directors have been compelled to open an agency in the colonies, and they have selected Melbourne, Victoria. A co m p e t en t staff has been dispatched, and it is expected in a short period the branch will be in full and successful operation. Under these circumstances it is proposed to increase the capital of the bank by the issue of 3,600 shares, bearing a premium of 20 per cent., the 251. share representing 301. With the view of giving the shareholders time to arrange the proportion of their shares, in order to parti cipate in the benefit of this arrangement, transfers will be available up to the 31st inst : It was stated in answer to questions that the directors possess the necessary authority to extend their business to Australia, and that they maintain as hitherto friendly relations with the Union Bank of Australia. SALE OF MR. LUMLEY'S EFFECTS AT THE " CHAN CELLOR'S," HAMMERSMITH.—The sale of the costly effects of Mr. Lumley, late lessee of her Majesty's. Theatre, at the "Chancellor's," Hammersmith, has just been com pleted by the auctioneers, Messrs. Chinnock. The pro perty possessed some interest, as it included articles of a recherche character, amongst which may be mentioned the original bust of Jenny Lind from the crush-room of her Majesty's Theatre, where, during the season of 1849 and 1850, it excited great notice, both as a work of art and faithful representation of the Nightingale. It was bought in at the sale. Some paintings and drawings, including works by George Cruikshank and Count D'Orsay, found ready purchasers, although at low bid dings. A water-colour drawing of the Pas de Quatre, with groupings of the most celebrated danseuses—Tag lioni Cerito, Lucille Grahn, Carlotta Gri s i, & c ., was Docked down at 401. 1,0001. might cover the total produced by all the principal articles in the sale, includ ing the wines and furniture. ROYAL SEA-BATHING INFlRMARY.—Yesterday the half yearly court of governors was held at the'London Tavern; Mr. Warre in the chair. The minutes of proceedings since the last half-yearly court were read and confirmed, including the new rules (with the exception of Rule 4), which were agreed upon at the extraordinary general court held last week. The only other business transacted consisted in the appointment of the president, vice-presi dents' directors, and officers for the ensui ng y ear . M r. Pugh, the Rev. Dr. Russell, Mr. Baker, Mr. F. W. Cobb, and Sir B. Brydges were added to the list of vice presidents. Of the old list of directors ten were unani mously re-elected, on the motion of the Mr. Hodgson. Mr. Waller then proposed that Mr. Alsager, Mr. Couch man, Mr. I. Curling, Mr. Paul, and Mr. Rowsell be the remaining five ; on which the Rev. Mr. Hodgson pro posed the following names instead : Mr. Tidd Pratt, Mr. W. R. White, Mr. Skeene, Mr. R. A. Heath, and Mr. T. L. Donaldson. The latter list was elected by a majority of 33 to 14. The old auditors were reappointed. Mr. White gave notice of motion, for confirmation by the next general court, to the effect that in future the gover nors be allowed to vote by proxy. The Rev. Mr. Cur ling and Mr. J. Curling protested against th• proposi tion as a dangerous innovation. Several of the gover nors having expressed a hope that the proceedings of the charity would in future be conducted with greater har mony than was heretofore the case, the meeting ad journed. PROSECUTION OP UNSTAMPED NEWSPAPERS. - Last night a public meeting was held in the National Holborn, Mr. J. Watson in the chair, to express an opinion on the recent prosecution of Mr. Truelove by the Stamp-office, for vending an unstamped newspaper called the Potteries Free Press, Mr. Collett addressed the meeting at considerable length, contending that the prosecution was unjust, because one-sided ; for whilst the poor man's penny paper was pounced upon, the high priced unstamped papers, such as the A thenceum, Builder, Legal Tines and Observer, Racing Times, Journal of the Society of Arts, Dickens's Household Words, and other unstamped publications as much within the description of a newspaper as the Potteries Free Press, were per mitted to go unscathed. He concluded by moving a resolution condemning the revival of the prosecutions of the vendors of cheap publications, as contrary to the expressed wish of Government for the spread of know ledge and education amongst the people. Mr. Wilks seconded the resolution, which was carried unanimously. On the motion of Mr. Finlon, a " Free Press Union " was formed, to agitate for the repeal of the newspaper stamp, and until that was accomplished to force the Government officials to prosecute the high as well as the low priced unstamped publications. The meeting having adopted a petition. to Parliament for the repeal of the duty o n paper, the newspaper stamps . and adver tisement duties passed a vote of thanks to the chairman , and separated. THE. SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 25, 1853. AMERICA. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) SOUTHAMPTON, FRIDAY MORNING. The Humboldt has arrived off Cowes on her way to Havre. She brings 75 passengers, 10 of whom are for England. She brings, also, 60,000 dols. in specie, 700 bales of cotton, and 500 bundles of whalebone. The Africa is reported as having arrived. Some small banks are said to have failed in New England. _ At New Orleans the English ship Belmont was burnt with 3,000 dols. on board. Two murders have been committed in New York, and two in Philadelphia, within two days. The Clayton and Bufwer treaty has been ably defended by Senator Clayton. Senator Douglas replied, and was very hostile to England. Other speakers were more moderate. - The quasi panic in New York has partly sub sided, but has left the Money Market tight. Banks are drawing in good paper from eight to twelve per cent., in some cases twelve to eighteen. Stocks are recovering. Fancies are down. Exchange 199 to Hai ; cotton firmer, with rather large sales. Flour firmer, and more active for export. Freights are improving. Cotton active, at New Orleans, middling 90. WEST INDIA MAIL ARRIVAL OP HER MAJESTY'S SHIP HIGHFLYER. Her Majesty's ship Highflyer anchored at Ports mouth yesterday evening from the West Indies with mails and troops. She has later news than brought by the late Southampton packets, having left Bermuda on the 3d instant, at which time her Majesty's ship Cum berland, 72, Vice-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief Sir George F. Seymour, was at anchor there, together with her Majesty's ship Persian, 16, Com mander Mitchell. She is healthy, and reports the West Indian Islands generally recovering from the late devastat ing visitation. Nearly all the Windward Islands had suffered severely from yellow fever. The yellow fever had subsided in the squadron and in the islands, and her Majesty's ship Daunt less, which has suffered so severely, is now on her way to England from Barbadoes, and may be ex pected daily. Her losses from the yellow fever in officers and men amount to nearly 100. The Highflyer has lost four officers and four men on the station, and her Majesty's ship Calypso has since lost two officers, who caught the fever by dining on board the Highflyer ; and it is a remark able fact that every stranger who went on board the Highflyer took the fever, even the black pilot who navigated her into Jamica. At the - above date her Majesty's ship Vestal and her Majesty's ship Buzzard were at Havannah ; her Majesty's ship Daring was cruising off Cuba ; her Majesty's ship Geyser was at Greytown ; her Ma jesty's ship Devastation was at Honduras. The Highflyer encountered a heavy gale of wind, on the 21st inst., in the Chops of tke Channel, and passed numerous homeward-bound vessels, all beat ing in. Her Majesty's ship Styx, Master-Commander Wellington, is appointed to sail from Spithead on Thursday, with stores and supernumeraries for the African Brazils squadron. THE STEAM-SHIP AUSTRALIAN. A Parliamentary paper which has just been issued contains the reports of the surveyors on the vessels of the General Screw Steam Company and Australian Royal Mail Steam Navigation Company. The report of Mr. T. Waterman to Sir Baldwin Walker, of this survey on the Australian, belonging to the latter com pany, states he surveyed the vessel on the 28th and 29th of May, 1852, in the river Thames, and that he " found this vessel built in a substantial manner, and fitted and equipped with stores and furniture complete, and in every respect fitting to convey the mails between this country and Australia, in accordance with the terms of the contract with this company, excepting tonnage, ar mament, and lightning conductors." From the form of questions filled up by the surveyor, it appears that the Australian was built at Dumbarton,' from the draught of Mr. W. Denny, for the company,. and was launched in February, last year. Her engines, which are of 300- horse power, were constructed by Messrs. Tullock and Denny, and she is fitted with a two-bladed screw. The rate of speed at four trials in the Lower Hope, with and against tide, was 9.91 knots. The number of revolutions per minute being when deep, 274 ; whilst the engines required 20 cwt. of coals per hour. The total comple ment of officers, according to this report, is 11 ; of men, 50 ; engineers, 4 ; stokers, 18 ; total, 83. The boats were six in number, including two life-boats, the whole being capable of carrying 180 persons. The mail room is reported as being fitted complete. The Australian is not fitted for guns, and consequently . would require con siderable alteration to be armed for war. On the 31st May, 1852, Mr. Robert Hughes also reported to the surveyor of the navy that he had surveyed the Austra lian, and that during the trial the working and general performance of the engines, boilers, &c., were very satis factory. He also adds that " the engines are of the nominal power of 300 horses, and fitted throughout in a strong and substantial manner ; and further, that the whole is, in his opinion, in accordance with the terms of the contract, and in every respect good and fit for the above service." BROMPTON HOSPITAL—A meeting of the friends and committee of this invaluable charity was held on Thurs day (yesterday) at the institution. It was stated that the committee had the gratification of announcing that the Marquis of Westminster would preside over the ensuing anniversary festival of the hospital, which is appointed to take place on the Ist of June next, at Willis's Roomi. It appears that the portion of the building already completed and occupied affords accom modation to ninety in-door patients, and includes the ne cessary offices, space, &c., requisite for the out-patient department, from whence about a hundred individuals suffering under diseases of the chest are daily prescribed for. The new wing, or second half of the building, is now in progress of completion. By this addition the number of beds will be increased to 230, the necessity of which is 'evinced by the fact of 176 patients waiting for' admission during the past month, the majority of whose cases grow difficult and dangerous by delay of treatment. Goon FRIDAT.—This being Good Friday, it was ob served as a strict holiday at all the Government and other public offices, and no business of any kind was transacted during the day at the Docks or other great commercial establishments in the metropolis. The only exception to this rule was the General Post-office, St. Martin's-le-Grand, where the ordinary public business was transacted as usual, the deliveries in the metropoli tan district and the morning delivery of the mails from the country and abroad, and the evening collection of letters and newspapers for transmission to their several destinations, being the same as on other week days. This day and Christmas-day are the only holidays ob served at the Custom-house, Docks, &c., throughout the year, with the exception of the day appointed for the celebration of her Majesty's birthday, in consequence of, the complete cessation of business which must' neces sarily take place in the import and shipping trade of the country. Arrangements are, however, made on this occasion for the attendance of a sufficient number of officers at the steam-packet wharfs to examine the bag gage and dispatch passsengers arriving from the conti nent, and also for the steam-ships carrying the mails to be enabled to discharge and take their departure for their foreign ports of destination at the appointed time. THE TURKISH LOAN. —lt is reported that the new Bank of Constantinople, now in course of formation, will provide for the settlement of the. claimants to the instalment paid up in the late Turkish Lean. Some time back, overtures were made to the Ottoman Govern ment, by parties of wealth and influence in the city of London, undertaking to release both the Bank and the Government from their pecuniary difficulties of every kind, and their negotiations on the subject are likely, it is said. to be successful, although some slight modifica tions have been found to be necessary in the plan origi nally submitted to the Sultan by Mr. Stanley, a gentle man Connected with a well-known London firm. The prospectus of the new bank will shortly be issued. Tax SALE OF COPENKAGEN-HOUSE TAVERN.—Yes terday the whole of the property connected with Copen hagen-House Tavern, which for many centuries has been the resort of the London apprentices, and latterly of all classes of the population of London, "was finally disposed ot, the site on which this celebrated establishment stood, with the race -ground attached, having been purchased by the Corporation of the City of London for the new cattle market. The lot comprises the furniture, fixtures, many thousand feet of hoarding, the drinking boxes, &c. LAMENTABLE SUICIDE AT OLDHAM.—A painful sensa tion was created at Oldham yesterday morning by the rumour, which afterwards proved but too true, that Mr. Alderman Alexander Taylor, of that borough, had de stroyed himself by cutting his throat with a razor. Mr. Taylor was almost universally known throughout the manufacturing districts, having been an active free-trader in the days of the League. He had become a violent political partisan at the last two elections, under circum stances which estranged him from many of his former friends, but the news of his death will be a source of deep regret amongst all parties. REMITTANCES FROM THE GOLD REGIONS TO IRELAND, —The Australian mail, which was delivered in Dublin a few days back, brought no less than 935 registered letters, each containing a remittance, more or less, from parties who h a d em i grated to the gold-fields. Of these but 25 were for persons residing in Dublin ; while 500, or over one-half of the whole, were' dispatched to the northern counties, the remainder being distributed through the southern and western provinces. The re cipients in Ulster were chiefly of the substantial class of farmers, men to whom a small sum of money could be no great object. In the other districts the letters were nearly all received by persons of the labouring class. It is probable that *the supplies thus come to hand will give a fresh impetus to emigration. But it is not to Australia alone that the peasantry,a,re indebted for these timely succours. The United States continue to add their contingent to the general fund for furthering the vast "clearance system" at present in progress. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, MARCH 24. The following had the honour of dining with her Ma jesty yesterday :—Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, her Serene Highness the Princess Adelaide of Ho henlohe, the Lady in Waiting to the Duchess of Kent, the Baroness de Speth, and Colonel the Hon. C. B. and Mrs. Phipps. On Friday and Saturday last, and on Monday and Tuesday in the current week (Passion week), the custo mary Royal minor bounties and gate alms were distri buted to the aged and necessitous poor at the Almonry, in Whitehall, under the direction of the Lord High Al moner and the Sub-Almoner. The recipients included numerous cases of blindness and other serious infir mities. Yesterday the ancient and Royal charities of Mann day Thursday were distributed to 34 aged men and 34 aged women (the number corresponding with her Ma jesty's age), with the usual formalities, at Whitehall Chapel. Al two o'clock in the afternoon a procession, consist ing of a detachment of the Yeomen of the Guard (com manded by an usher), one of them carrying the alms on a gold salver of the reign of King William and Queen Mary, the Rev. Dr. Jelf, sub-almoner, Joseph Hanby, Esq., secretary and yeoman of the almonry in ordinary, his assistant, accompanied by six children, three boys and three girls of the national school in Westminster, who Thad been selected for their good conduct to partici pate in this privilege, proceeded to the chapel. The procession was joined in the chapel by the Lord Bishop of Oxford, Lord High Almoner, the priests in waiting, gentlemen, and choristers. The procession advanced to the communion table, and having taken their respective stations, the Church service appointed for the afternoon commenced : Exhortation, Confession, Absolution, &c. 41st Psalm (the Grand Chant). First Lesson, St. Matthew, 25th chap., from verse 14 to verse 31. - First Anthem, 41st Psalm. £1 15s. distributed to each woman. To each man shoes and stockings. Second Anthem (a Prayer). Woollen and linen cloths distributed. Third Anthem (61st Psalm). Purses distributed. Second Lesson, St. Matthew, 25th chap., begin verse 3' to the end. Fourth Anthem. Then followed a Prayer composed for the occasion, viz., O Lord, the Sovereign of the world, we acknowledge that Thine is' the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty ; for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine. Thine is the kingdom, 0 Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all ; both riches and honour come of Thee, and Thou reignest over all. In Thy hand is power and might, and in thy hand it is to make great and to give strength unto all. Now, therefore, our God, we thank Thee, and praise Thy glorious name, that Thou hast not only bestowed greatness and majesty upon our Sovereign Lady Queen Victoria, but hast given her a heart also to take compassion on them that are below her, and show mercy unto the poor and needy. Accept, most gracious God, of this tribute, which she pays unto Thee, the giver of all good things, and make her still more fruitful and abundant in these and all other good works, that by mercy and truth she may be preserved, and her throne upholden by mercy. And stir up the hearts of all those who have now been partakers of her bounty, to be truly thankful unto Thee for it, and both to bless and praise Thee continually for setting such a pious Princess over us, and also pray most earnestly that Thou wouldst reward her charity with a long and prosperouA reign in this world, and with a heavenly kingdom in the world to come, through Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour. Amen. A second Prayer composed for the occasion. Then followed the prayer for the Queen, and so on to the -end. The clergy present were the Lord Bishop of Oxford, lord high almoner, the Rev. Dr. Jelf, sub-almoner (the Rev. Dr. Wesley, sub-dean, was unavoidably absent from sickness), Rev. Dr. Vivian, Rev. Messrs. Helmore, Clark, Haden, Hall, Povah, and Belfour. The gentlemen present were Messrs. Salmon, Francis, Barnby, Hobbs, Wilde, Machin, Bradbury, Buckland, and Benson. The prayers were read by the Rev. Dr. Vivian. Sir George Smart, who usually presides at the organ upon this occasion, was not in monthly waiting, and the duty was performed by Mr. Turle, the organist of West minster Abbey. The most aged man last year had reached his 102 d year, but he has since died. The most aged man who received the Royal alms in 1853 is 91 years, and the most aged woman 88 years. Viscount Gort had an interview with the Earl of Aberdeen yesterday at his official residence in Downing• street. Sir Thomas Fremantle, chairman of the Customs, had an interview with the Chancellor ok the Exchequer yesterday at his official residence in Downing-street. HEAD-MASTERSHIP OP (7111tIST'S 13OSPI2'AL TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SIR, —ln your paragraph respecting the head-master ship of Christ's hospital, you mention my name as one of those selected by the committee on March 15th. I trust you will, in justice, state farther, that it was immediately withdrawn, for reasons which I have com municated to the governors.—l am, Sir, your obedient servant, HUGO D. HARPER, Head Master of the King's SChool, Sherborne, March 24, 1853. NEW LIFE-BOATS. Yesterday some interesting experimental trials were made at Limehouse with two new life-boats, on the de sign of Mr. Peake, of her Majesty's dockyard, Wool wich, built by the Messrs. Forrests for the National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, which are to be placed at Whitehaven and Bude-haven. Mr. Peake, the designer, Captain M`liardy, RN., Captain Ward, R.N., the life-boat inspector to the society, and several other gentlemen, were p re s en t on the occasion. As the results of these trials, than which nothing could be more satisfactory, are grouped together in the following list of the principal dimensions of each boat, which we give in d e t a il, as lif e -b oa t s on thi s plan will probably gradually supersede all other life-boats on the coast, no preliminary remarks are required : Length, extreme, 27 feet ; length of keel, 22 feet ; breadth, extreme, 7 feet 6 inches ; breadth at one-sixth the length from extremes; 5 feet 8 inches ; proportion of breadth to length as 1 to 3.60 ; depth of waist to under side of keel, 3 feet 5 inches ; height of stem and stern, 5 feet 3 inches ; sheer of gunwale, 1 foot 10 inches ; rake of stem and sternpost, 2 feet 6 inches ; number of thwarts, 4 ; distance apart of thwarts, from centre to centre, 3 feet ; length of stern sheets, 4 feet 6 inches ; depth of midship thwart below gunwale, 8 inches ; depth of fore thwart below gunwale, 8 niches ; height of mid thwart above deck, 1 foot 31 niches ; height of deck above under side of keel, 1 foot 5 i nches ; number and length o f oars , eight of 14 feet ; width and depth of side air cases, in inches, 11/ by 13/ ; length of raised air cases at each end, 4 feet ; capacity for holding water to level of thwarts, 115 cubic feet ; number and diameter of delive r i ng t u b es , six of 6 inches ; pr o p or t ion of delivering area to capacity, 1 to 63 ; time required for freeing boat of water, 38 seconds ; weight of boat, or light displacement, 32 cwt.; displacement at load water line, with crew and stores. 56 cwt.; capacity for crew and stores, 24 cwt.; proportion of oars or power to light displacement, 1 t o 4.00 draft of water, ininches, light, with crew, extra load, 10-13-16; height of free board, light, with crew, extra load, 31-28-25; number of men will carry, and pull all oars, 35; stability, as shownby number of men standing on one gunwale to bring it level with the water, 15; nature and weight of ballast—iron cwt., cork 3 cwt., total 8 cwt. ; the boat self-rights instantly ; depth of keel, 5 inches ; and boat is built of elm, clench. The visitors having viewed some other life-boats on the same plan, but of various sizes, and of course of proportionate dimensions, building for the above society, to be placed at Aldborough (Suffolk) Lyme Regis, Barmouth, Cemlyn, Anglesey, and other places, seperated, much pleased with the trials that had been made with the before-mentioned boats. PAPAL MAILS.—GENERAL POST -OFFICE, MARCH, 1853. —Letters for the Papal States, when specially addressed to be forwarded in the Prussian closed mails via Belgium, may, in future, be sent either unpaid or paid to their destination, A the option of the sender. The combi ned British and foreign postage chargeable on such letters will be lid. when not exceeding half an ounce in weight, ls. 10d. when above half an ounce and not exceeding the scale one ounce • and so en in proportion, according t . sca mnd leifor that cl'La lettersr ging in as a rule, via France (and are liabl e to the rates of postage laid down in Instructions No. 13, i 18521 , unless la fe n r d the letters. Papal Postmastersstatea arefo will a r bear in r in route. DEATH OF LIEUTENANT - GENE RAL JAMES WEBBER telligence has b een they are specially addressed to b e sent b y an y o ther SMITH, C. 13., ROYAL ARTILLER Y . —In received in the garrison at Woolwich of the death of ' this gallant officer at Brighton, to which locality he re tired on resigning the office of director-general of Artil lery on being appointed colonel-commandant of the 4th battalion. Lieutenant -General James , Webber Smith had seen considerable service, having been present at the attack of Minorca in 1798 ; at the siege of Malta in 1800 ; defence of Porto Ferrajo in 1802 ; and in the ex ___ _ .. Sebastian,Tofhe taxes 1815, includingtoan dthe h e ex pedition to Walcheren and siege of Flushing. He ved the gold medal pro ceeded to the Peninsula, and was engaged in the t n e: . oy t r i h I thecampaign TeanAreceived Re ses ti, cam paigns in Spain and Portugal from January, 1813, to May, 1814, including the battle of Vittoria, passage of the Bidassoa and Nive, and the siege of St. Sebastian. silver war medal and two clasps for Nivelle and Nive. Altogether he had two medals and eight clasps. a il the n e lvd w b uo a a An s t Te t l also A e ela o Ta f e op n W ß g Nf a a oE g tryee ATTORNEYS P O: attorneys are subjected are, first, a stamp of 1 which 201. upon the articles of clerkship, which on an average produces annually 72,000/. ; secondly, a tax of 251. upon admis sion, producing annually 12,000/. ; and, thirdly, the tax of which they complain as an intolerable grievance, namely, 121. yearly for a certificate, if practising in Lon don, Edinburgh, or Dublin, and 81. yearly if practising in any other part of the United Kingdom—this pro ducing annually upwards of 118,0001. This treble taxa tion amounts in the whole to upwards of 200 ; 000/, per annum. - THE LATE FIRE AT WINDSOR CASTLE: Yesterday a meeting of the inhabitants of Windsor wag held at the Town-hall, "for the purpose of adopting congratulatory addresses to her Majesty and his Royal Highness Prince Albert, on the preservation of her Ma jesty, the Prince, and the royal family and household, under the perilous circumstances of the late fire at Wind sor Castle." The chair was taken by the Mayor (Mr. W. B. Holderness), and amongst those present were— Alderman Bedborough and Twinch, and most of the members of the corporation ; the Rev. R. J. Gould and the Rev. F. H. Morgan (curates of New Windsor), Cap tain Layard, Mr. Leslie Hore, Messrs. Oxley, Last, Long, Phillips, &c. The MAYOR having opened the proceedings by reading the requisition convening the meeting, The Rev. R. J. Goma) moved the following address to her Majesty : "TO HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY QUEEN VICTORIA. "May it please your Majesty—We, the undersigned in habitants of the borough of New Windsor, desire to ap proach your Majesty's throne with our most humble, hearty, and loyal congratulations, on the preservation of your Ma jesty, your Royal Consort, and all other members of the royal family and household, under the alarming circum stances of the late fire at Windsor Castle. " We feel that, as a Christian people, we are bound to return our most humble thanks to Almighty God for his gracious dealings towards us in thus preserving our be loved Sovereign, with her whole family and household, from all personal injury. " That the same good and gracious Providence who has so highly favoured us in this deliverance may long continue to bless and protect your Majesty, will ever be the prayer of your Majesty's loyal and devoted subjects." The reverend gentleman, after describing the origin of the fire in much the same terms as have been already used in this journal, proceeded to describe the present state of the rooms immediately over the dining romp, where the chief fire took place. He said the beds, the floors, and every morsel of wood about them were as black as a grate. This particular nest of rooms' formed the dormitory of the domestics, and had the fire occurred but two hours later, great would have been the loss of life, for the whole of the servants must have inevitably been smothered in their beds. The first intimation he had of the calamity was the beating of the tattoo at tl4 infantry barracks, immediately opposite his own house. It was then half-past ten o'clock, and it struck him as something very extraordinary. Immediately afterwards there was a loud calling by the officers of " all up ;" his family were dreadfully alarmed, and they unanimously agreed that the French were come at last. (Laughter.) It was only due to the Guards to say that in less than five minutes from the first call the men were all up and equipped, the barrack engine was drawn out of the yard, and the whole of the battalion rushed towards the Castle. Mr. MINTON seconded the resolution. Mr. Alderman BEDBOROUGH then proposed, and Mr. JOHN CLODH seconded, a similar address to his Royal Highness Prince Albert. • Both addresses were ordered to be e ngrosse d an d to lie for signature at the Town-hall until Saturday, when the one to her Majesty will be forwarded through the Home Secretary, and that to Prince Albert through the Hon. C. B. Phipps. GENERAL ORDER, HORSE GUARDS, MARCH 21, 1853. Her Majesty the Queen expressly desires to recognise the steadiness and zeal with which the detachment of the 2d Life Guards and Scots Fusilier Guards behaved on the occasion of the late fire which broke out at Windsor Castle. Her Majesty, in graciously expressing her Royal approbation, has been pleased to declare that nothing could exceed the good conduct of the officers and men.—By command of the Right Hon. General Viscount HARDINGE, Commanding-in-Chief. —G. BROWN, Adju tant-General. The workmen were engaged the whole of yesterday in ripping up the wainscotting, &c., near the flues which heated the Royal residence, but as yet the exact seat of the fire has not been found out. Bridges, the engineer of Watling-street, chief station of brigade, and the fire men under his command, have left the Castle, and it is generally understood, that as soon as the walls are laid bare, Mr. Superintendent Braidwood will be again sent for to make another inspection of the place, in order to find, out, if possible, the exact cause of the fire. BLACKBURN ELECTION. OFFICIAL DECLARATION Fielden (Liberal) 631 llornby (Conservative) . 574 THE MILITARY CALLED OUT. The fearful scenes of riot and confusion our corre spondent anticipated in giving an account of the nomi nation, have occurred, and bodies of the military have had to be called in for the protection of .the voters and of the peaceably disposed. On Wednesday after the nomination, the large bodies of people assembled in front of the hustings, paraded the town in sections, and frequent collisions occurred, resu lti ng i n b ru t a l and long contested fights. The same lawless system pre vailed almost throughout the night, and electors were forcibly carried off from their homes that they might not be able to record their votes on the following day. In formation was lodged at the police office yesterday morning, by the wife of Duncan Milner, a tinman, re siding in .Darwen-street, that during the night their house had been broken into, when her husband was dragged from his bed, beaten, and forced away from home. She said his head was severely lacerated by a blow from a bludgeon whilst endeavouring to resist the violence of his assailants, and produced, in much distress, a handkerchief dyed with his blood. Other voters are reported 'to have been similarly treated, and to be missing, and the name of one of them given was Christopher Duxbury. Milner was a voter pledged to support the liberal candidate. Great exasperation prevailed on both sides, and large numbers of ruffians were brought into the borough from other towns upon the plea of being necessary to protect the voters. A body of 190 men were reported to have been brought from Preston on Wednesday morning, who were to be paid ss. per day, and to be liberally supplied with stimulants, with some of the worst characters in that town as their leaders. These men were undoubtedly hired by the tories. There were also similar bodies of ruffians brought from Clitheroe, Darwen, Accrington, Church, and other towns ; whilst. Blackburn itself is re ported to-supply an extensive force of native ruffianism rioti ng , and the re " under the leadership of a chief rejoicing in the sangui nary with Dick. renewed appellationyesterday of" B—y opened turns of the polling booths soon showing that Mr. Fielden, the liberal candidate, was likely to be success ful, the exasperation of the other party became so great r bo l a e sn m dha t id s t that it was necessary to call in the military. Attte wer e made to prevent voters going to the o p , p being currently reported that a party of Hny i taken possession of the halley B an k s Bridge, at the bottom of King-street W , by which electors from the populous district of Whalley Banks would be kept from the polling booth, a large party of the friends of Mr. Fielden went to open the communication. A dreadful collision resulted, and great numbers of men had to be carried into the neighbouring houses with heads bruised, and in a bleeding and almost insensible state. The windows of the Bridge Inn, a conservative house, were completely smashed to atoms, and the glass and liquor casks in the bar were destroyed. Riots took place about the same time in front of the Hornby Arms, and of the . Pump-house. I n one of these cases a coach con veying voters to poll for Mr. Fielden was stopped in King-street, the horses heads turned round, and the driver ordered away. Hearing of these outrages soon after ten o'clock the magistrates determined to send for military aid ; and a little before eleven o'clock a corn , pany of the 4th Infantry, under Captain Willoughby, and a squadron of the Ist Dragoons under the command of Captain Hurst, entered the town. 'The mayor, Mr. James Pilkington, M.P., Mr. Dugdale, Mr. Hoole, and - Mr. D. Thwaites. the magistrates, put themselves at the head of the military, and the riot act was read in front of the Court-house ' in King-street. The military an d magistrates th en divided into two bodies, and went through the various districts of the borough to disperse the mobs. Mr. Hoole repeatedly addressed the people in a friendly and conciliatory style, warning them that the riot act had been read, and advising them to retire peaceably to their homes. All the shops were closed, and ,the town remained in a very excited state all day. The streets in every part of the town were exceedingly crowded all day, and more especially towards the centre. The following are the returns issued from Mr. Fielden's committee-rooms : Fielden. Hornby O'clock. Liberal. Conservative. 8.30 ................ 124 9.0 ................ 228 152 9.30 ................ 319 10.0 ................ 396 10.30 ................ 547 11.30 ................. 5 65 12.0 ............ 576 520 12.30 ................ 588 1 .0 ................ 593 1.30 2.0 Placards appeared on the walls soon after twelve o'clock in the folloging words :"--- "Borough of Blackburn.—The Riot Act has been read. All well-disposed persons are called upon to dis perse. Those who do not disperse will be apprehended and prosecuted. By order of the Mayor and Magistrates. —Sessions House, Thursday, March 24, 1853." Notwithstanding this notice several riots took place. Mr. Robert Rainsford Jackson, partner in business with Mr. Montague Fielden, was attacked in Penny-street soon after one o'clock by a mob, but escaped into a house. The military were sent for to several quarters about the same time, but their presence was enough to restore order. ASSAULT OF ARMS BY THE NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS OF THE SECOND LIFE GUARDS.—A grand combat took place yesterday afternoon, in the. Riding School of the Windsor Barracks, amongst the non-com missioned officers of the 2d Life Guards, with foils and sticks. Col. Williams, and all the officers, were present. Many of the assaults were splendidly and successfully isontested. After the combat which lasted nearly the whole of the afternoon, the officers gave a sumptuous dinner to all the non-commissioned officers of the regi ment, .which was served up in the mess-room. Corporal- Major Percey presided. The customary loyal and pa triotic toasts were drunk with the greates t enthusiasm, and the evening was spent in social harmony. THE COST OF THE SOUTHAMPTON PETITION.—It Cost Sir Alexander Cockburn and Mr. Willcox, the members for Southampton, above 1001. a day for nearly a fort night, to defend themselves from the petition that was presented to the House of Commons against th e i r re turn, and the only witnesses in favour of that petition that placed their seats in jeopardy, have been ordered by the House of Commons to be prosecuted for perjury. TERRIFIC COAL PIT EXPLOSION AT WIGAN. THIRTY TO FORTY PEOPLE KILLED. WIGAN, LANCASHIRE, THURSDAY. An explosion of fire-damp, attended with a most de plorable loss of human life, occurred here yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon, soon after one o'clock, at the Arley Mine of the Ince Hall Coal, and CannelCompany. The number of those actually known to be killed is twenty, but twelve others are known to be missing; and twenty-five are still in the mine, whose fate has not been ascertained. About twenty also have been more or less seriously hurt by the - explosion. The Arley Mine, in which the accident happened, is one of four mines, each havi ng an up - cas t an d d own - ca st shaft, all situated within a circuit of two miles, at the distance of about a mile from Wigan, all of which be long to the Ince Hall Coal and Cannel Company. The Arley mine was sunk about three years ago, and has been worked ever since ; it has no communication with the neighbouring mines, and, with the exception of one which took place at the sinking of the mine, this is the first accident of any description that has occurred in it. The depth is about 414 yards, and the mine is divided into four districts, there being a separate current of air for ventilating each. Their situation corresponds with the points of the compass, the No. 4 district, in which the up-cast shaft is situated, and in which the explosion took place, being to the north. The explosion, so far as we have been able to collect, is attributed to the indiscretion of the underlooker, Thomas Jones, who was not in the mine at the time the accident took place. During the morning some slight accident occurred to the guide-rods in the up-cast shaft, and the underlooker immediately reduced the ventilating power, to enable the joiners to repair the wood-work. The ventilatiori, it may be here observed, is effected by means of a furnace at the bottom of the up-cast shaft. The underlooker neglecting to consult Mr. James Dar lington, who is the resident manager, and acting on his own view of the matter, kept a portion of the men down in the mine during the inactivity of the furnace, which could not then be worked. Immediately the repairs had been completed, the furnace was raised to an immense heat, to restore the ventilation ; and it is supposed that the explosive gas, having accumulated in the meantime, was ignited in consequence. A man named Joseph Hunt, who was killed by the explosion, had the care of the arrangements for ventilating the mine that day. The explosion occurred at about twenty minutes past one o'clock, and appears to have been confined almost to the district in which the furnace is situated. Several of the men, who have been brought out alive from other parts of the mine, state that the noise was so faint that they thought it was no more than the shutting of a door, and continued at their work for some time afterwards. Had it not been that most of the men (about seventy five) who were in the mine at the time, were collected near the furnace, instead of being dispersed through the workings at their employment, the result would proba bly have been much less disastrous. On the other hand, the loss of life must have been much greater had the ac cident occurred a few minutes earlier, .as 64 men had just ascended the shaft. The number of men usually employed in this mine is from 140 to 150, but Wednes day being one of the pay-days, there are generally fewer men in the pit at that time of the day. Immediately after the explosion a number of men des cended the down-cast shaft, in order to explore the mine and recover the bodies, the up-cast shaft having been disabled by the explosion. A constant stream of water has been kept through the down-cast shaft, and the ven tilation of the mine was speedily restored in every part except that in which the accident occurred. The efforts to recover the men have been unremitting, both yester day, during the night, and this morning, and about 50 of the sufferers have been found, about half of them be ing dead. It is probable that a number of them are still in the No. 4 district, of whose life very little hope can be entertained ; and it is probable that the ventilation of this portion of the mine will be effected by this time (2 o'clock) to-morrow (this day). The bodies have been taken to the chemical works of Mr. Latham, close to the scene of the accident ; and those recovered alive have been conveyed to their homes, where the wounded are attended by six surgeons, provided by the Ince Hall Company. From their reports, the majority of the suf ferers under their care seem likely to recover. About three o'clock this morning some of the men were recovered from the most remote district of the mine, which is about three-quarters of a mile from the down-cast shaft. The men who have been brought up alive appear t° have sustained most injury from the after-damp, veal few of them being burnt. The following is the most accurate and complete list we have been able to obtain of the persons killed, who have been already found to the number of 20 : John Stanley, hooker-on, about 27, Chapel-lane, Wigan. Joseph Hunt, 37, Ince-lane, fireman, married, six children. Edward Hunt, 12 or 13 (son of Joseph Hunt),drawer, Ince. Wm. Connolly, jigger, about 23, Wigan, unmarried. John Marsden, 33, Wigan, married, with two or three children, hooker-on. Win. Taboner, 21, Ince-green, labourer, unmarried. Joseph Taboner (brother of Wm. Taboner), 18, Ince, unmarried, employed as a Jigger. George Hargreaves, 24, drawer, married, two children. Michael Cunliffe, jigger. Matthew Burns, 21, draWer, unmarried, Scholes. Thomas Baxendale, 30, labourer, married. Wm. Gent, 19, Wigan, drawer, unmarried. Eli Gelly, 33 or 34, Wigan, collier, unmarr ied. Thomas Ellison, 20, Wan collier, unmarried; Matthew Ri g by, 23, Wigan, drawe r , unmarrieu.. John Huyton, a b ou t 7 0, Wigan, labourer, 'name", ' James Harrison, 45, Wigan, horse tenter and furnace man, married, six children. Centas Morgan, 18, Wigan, collier, unmarried. John Meldin, 20, Wigan, drawer, unmarried. James Hardman, 13, Ince, door tenter. In addition to the above, the 12 following are known to be missing : Richard Bannister, 30, Chorley, collier, married, with five children. Joseph Blackledge, a boy, Chorley, drawer. Wm. Manight, 25, jigger, Wigan, married, with one or two children. Samuel Gent, brother of Wm. Gent, mentioned above, drawer, Wigan, unmarried. Robert Jones, 26, Wigan, married, with three chil dren, collier. Thomas Wright, 35, Wigan, collier, married, with a family. ... Rat. Lewis, 22, Wigan, collier, married, no children. Wm. Byrom, 28, Wigan, collier, unmarried. Ralph Valentine; 25, Wigan, laboUrer, married, with one child. Thomas Owen, 30, Wigan, collier, married, with two children. Joseph Gaskell, 20, Wigan, collier, unmarried. James Jones, Ince, 18, Ince, jigger, unmarried. This makes the total number 32, besides which abou 25 are still in the mine, whose. fate has yet to be weer taMed. So far as the inquiries have extended, we have not learnt anything indicating want of care or strictness on the part of the owners or managers of the colliery. The payments to the men in this mine are made fortnightly, when the rules are read aloud to the assembled body, besides which, a copy of the rules is posted up at the bottom of each of the shafts. All the men are provided with safety lamps, which are kept locked, and naked candles are never .allowed, under any pretence, to enter the mine. The damage sustained by the mine itself appears to be very inconsiderable, beyond the destruction of the doors, air - crossings, &c., in the up-cast shaft, and the appear ance of the workings themselves would not indicate that there had been any accident at all. FATES OF THE APOSTLES--The following brief history of the fates of the apostles may be new to those whose reading has not been evangelical to know, that :—St. Matthew is supposed to have suffered martyrdom, or was slain with a sword, at the city of Ethiopia. St. Mark was dragged through the streets of Alexandria, in Egypt, till -he expired. St. Luke was hanged upon an olive tree in Greece. St. John was put into 9 , cauldron of boiling oil in Rome, and escaped death ! He afterwards died a natural death at Ephesus, is St. James the Great was b e h ea d e d a t Jerusalem. St. James the Less was thrown from a pinnacle or wing of the temple, and then beaten to death with a fuller's club. St. Philip was hanged up against a pillar at Hierapolis, a city of Phrygia. St. Bartholomew was flayed alive by the command of a barbarous king. St. Andrew was bound to a cross, whence he preached to the people till he expired. St. Thomas was run through the body with a lance, at Coromandel, in the East Indies. St. Jude was shot to death with arrows. St. Simon Zelotes was crucified in Persia. St. Matthias was first stoned, and then beheaded. St. Barnabas was stoned to death by the Jews, at Salania. St. Paul was be headed at Rome, by the tyrant Nero. — Preston Ch ron i c le. STRENGTH or BAD HlTS. — Professor Mill er ad verting, at a meeting at . Edinburgh a few day s ago, to the strength which a bad habit sometimes acquires, nar rated the following story, for which the learned Professor must alone be considered responsible : A respectable clergyman had long failed in an attempt to give up snuff -taking, and a t last he preached it, man of an but was miserable all 'the week after. When Sunday cam e round, he f oun d he was g etting on very languidly, an d to make the t hi n g w elder, sitting immediately, u a n o d rs e se r er:n n th ao e h e ye oan o ge f asn t it he sint minister, t oo k out his "mull," tapPea it on the lid, and with the utmost gravity took a com fortable " sneeshin." The minister cou ld s t an d this no longer—he stopped abruptly in his sermon, and said, "John, for shame up on you, sir, how dare you do that? • The elder looked up in amazement. The preacher con tinued, " Don't you remember what I said to you last, Sabbath?" but the eld er could not yet fathom what he ha", done to cause offen ce. Th e minister ' s passion for snuff ha d in the interim grown to such an intensity that it was a' case of life or death, he could restrain no longer, and so, ad' dressing the elder, he said, "I will not pollute my lips by mentioning what you did, but I will show you w hat it was; hand me up that box. " Having got the box, he g ave it a certain number of taps on the lid, and went through th e ot h er form of snuff-taking in imitation or what he observed the elder do, saying as be went on , "That i s what you did, sir—and what is more, YO (taking a pinch) did that too.' NEW PIECE OF ORDNANCE.—A new piece of ordnance for batteries and ships has been invented by Robert Arm" strong, Ist Dragoon Guards, Royal Barracks, Dubli. o 13 : its superi or ity over th e o ld b a tt ery guns cons i s t s in.:, being ca p a bl e o f b e i ng b roug h t to b ear upon an y obj within an angle of 90 degrees, without the necessity Moving its carriage, therejcra fewer men will be requ ire to work it. A ship armed with guns of this descripti on could bring the whole of her broadsid e t o bear upo . l ? l 7 t small object within the a n gl e o f 90 d egr ees, wall' moving one single carriage. —Dublin Saunders.