The Sun. — London, England, 1853-01-28 00:00:00

THEATRE ROYAL, HAYitABICET. Farewell Season of Mr. Benjamin Webster as Lessee and Manager. THIS EVENING, JAN. 28, Will be performed the admired Comedy of LONDON ASSUR ANCE, by Messrs. r eeley, Leigh Murray. Howe, Lambert, H. Bed ford, Mrs. Stirling, and Miss Rosa Bennett. After which, the gorgeous Extravaganza, entitled LEO THE TERRIBLE. ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE. Under the Management of Madame Vastria. THIS EVENING, JAN. 28, Will be performed the Comic Drama called A PHENOMENON 1N A SMOCK-FROCK. Characters by Messrs. C. Mathews, F. Matthews, and Horncastle ; Miss F. Baker and Miss C. Mitchell. After which, the new and popular original Fairy Extravaganza, entitled THE GOOD WOMAN IN THE WOOD, in which Messrs. F. Matthews, Suter, Horncastle, and Templeton ; Madame Vestris, Miss Julia St. George, Miss Robertson, Miss Martindale, Miss Ellis, Miss Wyndham, Miss Eglinton, and Miss Rosina Wright will appear. To conclude with LITTLE TODDLEKINS. Sole Agent for the Private Boxes, Mr. W. Alleroft, 15, New Bond-street. THEATRE ROYAL ADELPHI. Proprietor, Mr. B. Webster.—Directress, Madame Celeste. THIS EVENING, JAN. 28, The second act of THE GREEN BUSHES; or, a Hundred Years Ago. Supported by Messrs. Paul Bedford, Honey, Emery, &c., &c. ; Madame Celeste, and Miss Fanny Maskell. To conclude with the isuccessfld new Comic Pantomime, called NELL GWYNNE ; or, Harlequin Menlo Monarch. Principal Dauseuse, Mdlle. Anriol ; Clown, Mr. Fleamore. To eonclude with the Farce of MY PRECIOUS BETSY. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STREET. Under the Management of Mr. C. Kean. THIS EVENMG, JAN. 28, Will be performed Shakspere's Comedy of TWELFTH NIGHT. Principal characters by Messrs. W. Lacy, Harley, Addison, Saker, Graham, Ryder, Rolleston, and Cathcart ; Misses Heath, Murray, and Marshall, and Mrs. C. Kean. To conclude with the new and original Grand Comic Christ mas Pantomime, entitled HARLEQUIN CHERRY AND FAIR STAR; or, The Green Bird, the Dancing Waters, and the Singing Tree. Harlequin, Mr. Cormack ; Clown, Mr. Huline ; Pan taloon, Mr. Paulo ; Columbine, Miss Carlotta Leclercq. ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE. Lessee and Manager, Mr. Farren. THIS EVENING, JAN. 28, Will be presented LILIAN GERVAIS. Supported by Messrs. Compton, W. Farren, jun., Hoskins, Cooke, Edgar, Bender, and Clifton; Miss Anderton and Miss H. Gordon. To conclude with ROMEO AND JULIET; or, Harlequin Queen Mab and the World of Dreams. Clown, Mr. Edwin Edwardes, with nis highly-trained Dogs. Box-office open from Eleven till Five, under the superintendence of Mr. Edward Chatterton. ASTLET'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE. Proprietor and Manager, Mr. W. Batty. Crowded Nightly to witness the Extraordinary Holiday Attractions. THIS EVENING, Jew. 23, And during the Week, the Performances will commence with UNCLE TOM'S CABIN (60th time). After which, Batty's peerless Scenes in the Arena. To conclude with the successful Pantomime of FORTUNIO AND HIS HORSE COMRADE ; or, Harlequin and the Seven Gifted Men. Doors open at Half-past Six o'clock. To commence at Seven. Rox-o*rce open daily from Eleven to Fonr. Stage Manager, Mr, W. West. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tins DAY Morning 0 min. after 4 Evening 19 min.aft. 4 i To - Moaaow—Morning 40 min. after 4 Evening 57 min.aft. 4 DAILY WEATHER TABLE. FRIDAY, JAN. 28, 1853. State of the wind and weather at each of the following Maces at nine o'clock yesterday morning. The stations are arranged in order of latitude. HAsTrNas—N.E., gentle breeze—overcast. FOLKESTONE—N.B., fresh breeze—cloudy with rain. TUI , TBRIDGE—N.W., calm—overcast. GREENWlCH—Calm—partially cloudy. STRooD--N.E. L gentle breeze—overcast. LEIGHTON—N.E., calm—partially cloudy. CAMBRIDGE—N., gentle breeze—partially cloudy. YARMOUTH—E., gentle breeze—partially cloudy. The returns from the following places indicate the state of the weather on Wednesday morning at nine o'clock LIMERICK —S., calm—overcast. MIILLINGAR— E., calm—overcast. YABMOIITH—S.E., gentle breeze —overcast. LANCASTER—N., strong breeze—partially cloudy. WHlTBY—Calm—foggy. SHAP—S.E., calm—overcast. THE . WEATHER.—Sur °Firms, JAN. 28. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 36—highest since noon yesterday. 30—lowest this morning and during the night. 38—this day, at noon. BAROMETER, 29'82. WIN. D, N.E.—Clondy, with slight breeze. We had a eavy shower last evening. wit 0 1; CverjP-446 , ?it 21,1 A, LONDON, FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 1853. Quibbles are already heard in one or two quar ters, in answer (save the mark !) to that pamphle t of Mr. COBDEN'S, the argument of which is as clea r as a mathematical demonstration. Well, quibble s are the only things that can be brought to bear upon the question of the still obdurate, though long obsolete, apologists of the twenty-two years' wa r against the French revolution. It may be wort: h. while, therefore, considering some of them in de:- tail, as they appear, and treating them succinctly in the way of exposure. An illustration may at once be afforded of the shuffling insincerity evinced upon this subject 'by those who applaud as just, and as, indeed, inevitable, the last struggle against France arid England—the struggle beginning in 1793, and emd ing in 1815, a struggle which saddled England with a debt of 500,000,0001. sterling, and France with an old Bourbon Sovereign—France having shaken off the Sovereign since then, and not only the Sovereign, but both the elder and the younger branch of the worn-out dynasty, but England not having, by any means, yet shaken off the de'b t ! The illustration is one, it must be confessed, somewhat remarkable in its character. It lias taken some little time, it would seem, to pre pare it ; for already this is our third day's reference to the brochure of the Honourable Gentleman the Member for the West Riding of Yorkshire, and yet it was only this morning that the first allusion to the pampldet (an allusion containing the quibble about to be referred to) was made in the columns of our chief morning contemporary. Remember, therefore, that the quibble is not lightly advanced by the Times—it is only advanced, it would appear, after mature and lengthened deliberation. It is this. Mr. COBDEN is admitted, "for the sake of argu ment" (of course only "for the sake of argument"), to be correct in asserting that the rupture of 1793 was " our own doing exclusively," that England, in short, was the aggressor—Bur—the other war, the war w)iich ensued a little later, meaning, , of course, the war which followed the rupture of The Treaty of Amiens, was a war in which England stood simply on the defensive—a war in which the aggressor was France, or rather the chieftain of France—NAPOLEON. Now, this is the quibble. We have read Mr. COBDEN'S pamphlet very erro neously, if his argument does not go to show that the crime of the whole struggle, not the contest of the first eight or ten years, but of the whole twenty-two years, beginning with 1793 and ending with 1815, devolves solely and directly upon this British Government. We have read history very mistakingly, if it does not prove this as clearly as any one of the rudiments of arithmetic, or as any one Of the elementary truths of natural philosophy. It is the merest evasion to take Mr. COBDEN'S ar gument as applying simply to the contest prior to the Treaty of Amiens, instead of to the whole of the struggle from first to last, from Louis XVl.'s execution to NAPOLEON L's avowed and final abdi cation. The pamphlet asserts this plainly enough throughout. The pamphleteer speaks over and over again of the twenty-two years' war, not of the nine years' war, but of the war up to the night of the battle of Waterloo. England is shown by Mr. COBDEN, is proved by history, to have been guilty, before GOD and man, of the enormous crime of provoking that struggle against the French Revolution. Here, however, in that very p h rase —the "war against the F renc h Revolution"—is discoverable the germ of the prevarication. It is objected, that up to the was, you will, a war Treaty of Amiens, it against the French Revolution, but that after wards it was a war against—NAPOLEON. What miserable quibbling indeed is this ? Why, the struggle was renewed against NAPOLEON —Simply because he was the incarnation or representative of the Revolution, the child born of it, the hero who reduced it to order, and therefore Made it really formidable. It is merely begging the question, consequently, to maintain that the contest which followed the rupture of the Treaty of Amiens was a war against NAPOLEON, and not a war against the Revolution. The struggle both before and after was identical—and what history proves is this, that throughout, from 1793 to 1815, during the whole of those two-and-twenty years the crime of the war rested with England, because England was the Aggressor. It must be confessed that Mr. COBDEN has in a , measure l a id himself open in his pamphlet to this quibble or prevarication. He contents himself with demonstrating most elaborately and logically that the rupture of 1793 was attributable, not to the French, but to the English Government. He does it in a most masterly manner—setting facts in such a way as to render them altogether incontroverti ble. He sets out, as we remarked yesterday, by asserting most earnestly—" It is not enough to say that France did not provoke hostilities—she all but went down on her knees (if I may apply such a phrase to a nation) to avert a rupture with this country." In testimony of this, Mr. COBDEN describes the whole of the conduct and treatment--the conciliatory conduct, the harsh, repelling, and even ignominious treatment—of M. CHATTVELIN, the French Ambassador. He mentions the indefatigable endeavours made by that diplomatist, to guard against any rupture between his own and the British Government—together with the haughty, and, at last, insolent rebuffs given to him by the then Foreign Secretary, Lord GRENVILLE. He recounts the correspondence between Lord GRENVILLE and M. CHAIIVELIN, up to the 24th January, 17'93, when the latter received the peremptory order of the Privy Council, requiring him within eight days to quit the shores of England. So far Mr. COBDEN justifies to the full, his strong but not extravagant assertion, that France (to use his own phrase) " all but went down upon her knees to avert a rupture with this country." But he con tents himself withthis when he might have gone fur ther—little dreaming, possibly, of the wretched - little quibble by which the whole of his power ful argument might be evaded—the quibble that the war was not the same war during the whole of the twenty-two years from 1793 to 1815, for that after the Treaty of Amiens it was a war against NAPOLEON, and not against the French Revolution. We say that had Mr. Cos- DMI" anticipated this most frivolous objection to the continuity of his argument, he might have gone further, instead of contenting himself with des cribing the conduct and treatment of M. CH.A.UVELIN. He might have accepted, " for the sake of , argu ment," the distinction without a difference of a war against NAPOLEON in lieu of a war against the Revolution, And might have proved as clearly and as logically as in the install° of the original rupture of 1793, that England was systematically the aggressor, the fomenter, the sustainer of the quarrel throughout. What are those three facts glaring upon us so reproach fully from the scroll of the Past, the records of that age of blood and disaster ? They are visible to every eye—those who " run may read"—they are three documents, documents from no obscure hand, documents penned by NAPOLEON, the Con queror of almost all the great powers of Chris tendom. Those documents are letters addressed by that great man, upon three very momentous occasions, to the Royal personage at the head of the British Government. Two of them were ad dressed to the KING, the other to the PRINCE REGENT. The two first were appeals made by NAPOLEON to England, appeals in the name of humanity that the war might cease—the earliest of these appeals was forwarded to the Court of St. James's, when the great French chieftain was elected First Consul, the second, when his autho rity was rendered permanent. Observe ! so deeply was NAPOLEON interested in pressing his demand upon the attention of this country, that he broke through the rules of diplomatic etiquette, and personally addressed himself to the English SOVEREIGN. The third document we are all of us familiar with—that Letter to the PRINCE REGENT, in which the great EMPEROR likened himself to THEMISTOCLES, and in which he appealed not to our humanity but to our magnanimity. There is something de plorably "in keeping" in the result of all those communications. It is not sufficiently borne in mind in this country, and may here not unprofitably be recalled to the popular recollection. Not one of these three let ters was ever- even answered. Courtesy, to speak of no other consideration, might have dictated some response, no matter how evasive, from the hand of the KING or of the PRINCE REGENT. But no, there they remain, those three documents, flaming reproach from the scroll of history—unanswered ! Were we wrong, therefore, in saying that Mr. COBDEN might had he listed, have gone yet further in his argu ment ? But, Heaven knows, he went far enough in the melancholy record of those atrocious wars —demonstrating as plainly as any fact can by possibility be demonstrated, that from first to last, throughout the whole of those twenty-two years, from 1793 to 1815, England was systematically the aggressor—and the aggressor because France had declared for freedom of opinion, and the principle of equality, and the right of self-govern ment. We yesterday pointed out how it was that the retail trade in beer was practically vested in the Ale-kings by means of the licensing system, and that any person who, despite the numerous impe diments in his way, succeeded in opening a free public-house was either crushed or bought off, according to his circumstances. The "unlimited competition," the propriety and expediency whereof has been admitted by nine-tenths of the members of the popular branch of the Legislature, and by, even a larger proportion of the community in gene ral, was thus effectually prevented, and the " thirsty souls" of every district were thus com pelled to draw their supplies from the stores of the great monopolists, at any prices which they thought proper to demand. Hence it is, that no matter how the price of barley may vary, the charges for its liquid extracts remain un altered. A reduction in price of twenty or thirty per cent. does not in any degree affect the consumer—its only effect is to enhance the previously inordinate profits of the brewer. Another evil of the system is, that it leads, in too many instances, to the adulteration or dilution of the beverage. The moment a public-house falls into the hands of one of the great firms, the oc cupant for the time being must submit to a com plicated and stringent code of rules and regula tions. He is no longer his own master. Any disobedience may be severely punished. He must not only purchase all his supplies from is landlord's brewery, but the rate at which he is to retail it is also specified ; and between the two regulations, unable to gain a fair and remunerative profit if he distribute the beer in the same condi tion in which he receives it into his cellars, in self-defence he is obliged to tamper with his stock. To be enabled to live he must sell out of each cask many more gallons than it originally contained, and. thus the consumer again suffers from the virtual monopoly—the deterioration in quality being even a greater grievance than the increase in price. It may be said that the evil is more apparent than real—that there is nothing to prevent any capitalist from entering into the brewing trade, and that if he supply a superior article at a mo derate .charge, he may confidently rely on public support. Never was there a greater fallacy. No matter how sound and palatable may be his beer, or low its cost, he cannot find customers amongst those who, by the primary condition of their leases, are bound to draw all their supplies from an exclusive source ; and it would take much time and expense before he could establish a private connexion that would render his establishment remunerative. •It may be said that good ale, like " good wine, needs no bush" ; but if there be no place where it can be obtained, either with or without " a bush," the adage falls to the ground. The licensing system prevents it being sold under a bush, because the magistrates will not allow the new brewer to open a house for the sale of his beverages if the number previously licensed were in their opinion sufficient for all the wants of the district. It matters not how unex ceptionable the character of the occupant, or un equivocal his testimonials, the invariable rule is appealed to. No more than two or three houses will be tolerated, and nothing can shake the magisterial determination. On the other hand, the activity of the police effectually prevent the possibility of any considerable quantity being without " a bush," or, in other words, in an un licensed house. sold Again, it may be said that licences may be ob tamed without the sanction or intervention of ma gistrates for the sale of beer by retail, either for consumption on or off the premises. Such is unquestionably the case ; but, although the pri vileges originally conceded by Ist WILL. IV. c. 64, and subsequently regulated by 4 and 5 WILL. IV. c. 85, and 3 and 4 VICT. c. 61, have in some degree mitigated the evil, they have not by any means supplied an adequate remedy. There are many stringent regulations with which the applicant for a beer licence must comply ; many certificates to be obtained before his request can be granted. When these difficulties have been successfully en countered, when his object has been achieved, he finds himself restricted to a single source of profit. His opponent, who is living in a house of Ito greater value, and who is not obliged to maintain a larger or more expensive establishment, can sell wine or 'spirits. One of a party may prefer the more exciting stimulant, and carry with him some half dozen companions to the place where any demand can be at once responded to ; so that although the beershop keeper may have his beverages " drunk on the premises," he frequently sees his best customers adjourn-. ing to the tap of his rival. Besides, it may be well worth the while of the latter to get rid of the opposition, by selling, for a time, his malt liquors without profit ; and it is noto rious that, in the case of proprietary public houses, the owner will bear a considerable por tion of the sacrifice necessary to " put down the opposition," and restore the previous monopoly. We do not offer these observations in any hos tility to the great body of Licensed Victuallers. We believe, as " a class," they are as respect able as any other that could be named. They have many serious vexations to contend with, and many temptations to resist. There are, of course, many exceptions to the general rule. Black sheep will be found in every flock. But, under all the circumstances of the case, it is very surprising, and, at the same time, exceedingly cre ditable to the body that the great majority of esta blishments should be as well conducted as they are. But it is for their interest, as well as for that of the community, that the licensing system should be abolished, and that they should not hold their property on a tenure so precarious as the caprice of any persons whatsoever, Magistrates or other wise. We believe that there are many persons of capital and respectability in the trade who would willingly free themselves from the thraldom in which they are placed, and that many more per sons would enter into it relying solely on the goodness and cheapness of their beverages, if they could do without the influence of the " Brewo cracy" and the Licensing Magistrates. Men will not embark thousands of pounds sterling in a concern when subjected to the loss of their entire property whenever some extraordinary fancy may enter into the minds of the Justices. Every risk attending capital, must of course be coun terbalanced by extra profits, which can only be regarded as an insurance fund levied on consumers to guard against contingen cies. The throwing open of the trade would then be as beneficial to the retailers as to the public. The only class interested in maintaining the present system are the monopo lists,—those who are now levying a species of black mail on the people ; and who, if they thought proper to combine for the purpose, and they could easily do so, might materially enhance the prices of all beer, &c., although there had been no adequate reason for such a rise. The Proctors appear to have , forgotten Dame PARTINGTON and the Atlantic i . if b to e mopcor - r ect,they have actually met ana co c in r b ep in o e r d. a ni w not ay hs ta t an h nd e d twobaegvfeeotrootfhiet_L reform e w nf 00 Reform.matter,they y an t c h e i ry nk could Doo. as we noticed a few w has taken it f ay t s he ag j o u ' risdiction and tors' Commons can. administration of the Ecclesiastical Courts, in es- The dta Ara C endm s e . nt tSo ciety, tamentary matters, into working o form for Parlia ment ; and the Proctors, full well knowing that the Society's unobtrusive proposals have carried the day hitherto, may well quake for the reign of routine absurdity and exactions. The Society, which has done so much to reform Chancery ' Common administration, will not, with Ecclesiasti cal be easily deterred Law from meddling s. There is indeed something wefancy, and mystic to common ears when theyhea Courts; we step Court ro unhesi tatinglyf into a law court,__ and feel tolerably at mg appalling home, owNeA step n e p s ' since Lord ST. ' Archbishops' and Bishops' e so ; but when ij otvimerethceerttainhrelsy much more thres hold ecclesiastical our begin steps fal ter. Spiritual powers are somewhat to a great mystery, what they cannot do no man knows—what they can do too many have felt—.which . side they will lean to, each unlucky heretic can t Judge of the Court--there h il e sits e.And then the jury all in himself, deciding on the facts as judge and well as the law of the case, myrm idons out of the fees, li interested v very with his yten often indirectly, if not d i r ectl y , a g ai nst you. Oh ! there is something really awful, ) except to hardened old litigants, in the very thought of an Ecclesiastical Court and Ecclesiastical Judge. The Law Amendment gentlemen, however, have non our laymen's timidity ; they are as cool ande of col lected in the presence of the half-spectral form as in their own debating-room, and we stand by an d witness their attack with the greatest satisfaction and delight, confident that they will • gain a sub stantial victory for us at last. Mr. BETHELL has, in fact, summoned them to his aid. He declared at Aylesbury, in the strew"- est terms, the necessity of reforming these Courts Christian, denounced the complications and injus tice of dragging persons through two or three courts on one question, avowed himself in favour of concentrating all under the jurisdiction of the Westminster Coprts, and especially included in his list, Church-rate cases, —vowing himself favourable, we are most thankful to see,de stroying the present levy upon such as do not go to church, and appropriating funds in the posses sion of deans and chapters to the repairs of the churches." Surely the Ecclesiastical Courts can not be in better hands. All who would reform them' must make hay while the sun shines. They must furnish an amount of co-operation from without which will make Mr. BETIIELL irresistible, in council, with hi s own colleagues. Mr. COLLIER, we are happy to see, does not merely debate in the society, but he has also given notice of a mo tion on the subject of these Courts. This is good; ventilate the matter in every form—daylight is the most sure reformer ultimately of the hidden and half-unknown evils of Ecclesiastical Courts ; still we think it should be the object of the public to put their ow n men in he Minis try power on the people's questions. It is the perhaps necessary misfortune of the present Minis try that almost every kind of reformer in it is neutralised by some anti-reform.er on the same question. In the present case how will Mr. GLADSTONE, the Duke of NEWCASTLE, the Right Hon. SIDNEY HERBERT, and the other Puseyites, relish defrauding the successors of the Apostles of their testamentary and Church-rate jurisdiction, not to mention Admiralty cases and other things grasped by these courts ? We do not know their sentiments, but we cannot trust them. testamentary jurisdiction of these Courts Christian grevi up entirely out of the ignorance of the dark ages, out of laymen being unable even to write, and from priests' eagerness to grasp a very handsome " church's portion" out of the dying man's pro perty, ostensibly to purchase masses for his soul's salvation. Their testamentary knaveries became Flo glaring, that in EDWARD the Third's time an Act was passed expressly to prevent their taking the admi nistration of the property from the kindred of the d e ceased in cases of intestacy ; next, C HA RLES 11. and JAMES 11. fixed by statute the distribution of intestates' estates. The Ist EDWARD VI., cap. 2, put the whole thing into the civil form, and forbade the use of ecclesiastical names and p but owers at all. MARY, of course, repealed this Act, JAMES I. repealed again the Act of MARY ; ED WARD'S admirable law, however, did not revive, for accidentally, as it appears, it was forgotten to repeal another Act of PHILIP and MARY, which placed the ecclesiastical jurisdiction on the same footing as that on which it stood in the twentieth year of HE.NRY VIII. But for this oversight * We may refer all our non-professional readers to "The History of Church Laws in England," by Edward Muscutt, on the general subject ; and to his "History and Power of Ecclesiastical Courts"—for fuller informa tion on that branch. RAILWAY DEPITTATION.—A deputation from the com mittee of negotiation between the London and North- Western and Great Western Companies, appointed at an influential meeting held in Liverpool, had the honour of an interview with the Board of Trade on Wednesday last. The deputation (says a correspondent) were assured that the Government considered the subject of railway legislation as of imperial magnitude, the im portance of which could not be overstated. They were further given to understand that the labours of the com mittee of the House of Commons, appointed by the late and strengthened by the present Government, would be devoted to an earnest consideration of this momentous question, a satisfactory solution of which would be most gratifying to the Goverment, and that profiting by the experience of the past, it was thought a course might be devised which would, for the future, put at end to ruinous contests between rival companies, having regard to the interest of the shareholders and the public, which were in fact identical. FATAL DRINKING IN THE LONDON DOCKS. Last evening, Mr. W. Baker held an inquest at the Barley Mow Tavern, Cannon-street, St. George's-in-the-East, respecting the death of Robert Richard Vaughan, aged 45 years. The deceased was a labourer in the London Docks, and on Monday afternoon last was engaged with other men at the eastern quay. A large quantity of white brandy was on the wharf in casks, and the bungs were out to allow the gaugers to examine the extent and quality of the contents, when one of the dock officers saw the deceased in a stooping position drinking brandy through a hollow piece of cane, which is commonly called " Sucking the monkey." The officer ordered the deceased away from the warehouse, and told him to _leave the docks, which he did. About half-past three o'clock the deceased was discovered lying upon the pave ment in Chigwell-hill, Ratcliff-highway, quite insensible, in which condition he was taken home by four men to his lodgings; at No. 2, Russell-court, St. George's street, where he expired at an early hour on the follow ing morning. Mr. Richard Sharp, surgeon, of the New road, Cannon-street, said that he was called to the -de ceased after death, and had made a post mortem exami nation of the body, On opening th e s t omac h h e f oun d about five ounces of strong spirit, which seemed to be brandy. Witness bad no doubt that the deceased had died from congestion of the brain produced by what he had drank. The Coroner having remarked on the case, the jury returned a verdict of " Died from drinking a quantity of over-proof brandy." _ _ BANKRUPTCY OF AN M.P:—A curious case in bank ruptcy has arisen in the Courts at Liverpool, and is now undergoing investigation. A fiat it appears, has been issued against the Hon. Edward Lloyd Mostyn, the member for the county of Flint, having, we presume, been applied for and obtained during the parliamentary interregnum, and it is sought to supersede it on grounds which have not yet been made public. The case was argued by barristers especially brought down from London, on Tuesday and Wednesday, but reporters were not admitted. HANGING AT PESTII.-0n the last day of the old year an outlawed Hungarian was hanged at Pesth. Previous to the execution, he was taken about in a procession for two hours, during which he sang patriotic songs, and displayed a supreme contempt for death. At the foot of the gallows an officer read a prolix statement of his crime and sentence. The name of Kossuth occurred in this document, and had no sooner escaped the lips of the offi cer than the prisoner took off his hat and reverently in clined his head. As the fatal rope was slipped over his head, he gathered up his strength and cried—" Magyars, keep up your pluck; we'll give it them yet "and died. A POISONING WIPE.----A letter from Tain, in a Paris journal, says, an attempt at poisoning has lately taken place at Merges, a small village in the Drome, under rather singular circumstances. The wife of a carpenter, whose moral habits were not of the strictest kind, con ceived the idea of getting rid of her husband, in order that she might with less restraint carry on an illicit connection with another man, with whom she was known to be connected. For this purpose she went to an apothecary at Romans, and asked for some arsenic to kill the rats with which her house, she said, was swarming. The apothecary refused, saying that he could only deliver arsenic to her husband in presence of witnesses. A few days after the husband happened to come to the shop for some article, when he was asked whether the rats s till di s t ur b e d him. "I have never heard any," was the reply. He was told what his wife had done, when he said : "Ah ! the coquine, she wants to poison me." It was then agreed that if she came again the apothecary should give her some harmless substance, and that when the husband had eaten his dinner he should fall down, and pretend to be dead in order to give his wife a lesson. This farce was carried on as arranged. Then came the performance of the wife. In order to make the world believe that he had committed suicide she took a rope, and, making a run ning knot, passedit round the neck then went up into an upper room to the beam of which she had fastened the end of the rope in order to pull him ' up. The moment she left, the husband slipped off the rope from his neck, and tied it to the bench on which he was sitting. The woman began to pull, but finding the body heavier than she expected, she again came down to see what prevented her lifting him, when her husband gave her two or three hearty blows, and after wards had her carried to prison." LORD BYRON'S FAME.—It is not only because Byron " was grand in his descriptions, sublime in his musings, and lashing in his satires, that he eclipsed all the poets of his day. I attribute his world-wide fame to the fact that he was essentially the man of the age. Purity of diction is, of necessity, almost lost in translation ; why was it, then, that, among foreign nations, and especially in France, whose language least of any admits of a worthy rendering of Byron's glowing imagery, he occu pied attention almost to the exclusion of all his contem poraries ? because he breathed the restless, vacillating, superstitious, on-ward-tending spirit of the times ; be cause, in the midst of wars, and amidst rumours of wars, when Europe was convulsed, when no man 'could tell what was next to befal, when nations knew not what they would, nor whither they were tending, when opinions were shaken, when king doms changed h an d s , and crowns and thrones were tot tering—one man arose whose mind was convulsed as was the face of Europe, whose will was as powerful and ill directed as that of the raging nations ; whose opinions were as shaken, as vacillating, as uncertain as those of the fallen empires and trembling kings, one who breathed the pervading spirit of bitterness, of discontent, and helplessness ; in whom all these feelings, all these emo tions found a living voice, and whose magnificent strain echoed and resounded through all those lands whose in terpreter he was ; therefore was he the idol of his own age, as he will surely be the wonder of future genera tions I —The Earl of Belfast on the Poets and Poems o -1. the Nineteenth Century. A MERMAID.—An impostor at Barton, the other day, endeavoured to extract halfpence from the credulous by the exhibition of a mermaid, which he pretended had been caught "in the South Sea Islands." THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, JANUARY 28, 1853. there would now have been nothing, so far as wills are concerned, for Mr. BETHELL to attack, or for the lovers of Anglican Popery to wish to retain. All this, however—this Popish origin, Popish recovery from Protestantism, and the over sight by which the Popish enactment was left un repealed, can but endear these precious Legisla- , tive relics of Popery to all those in the Ministry infested with the Anglo-mania ; they will neither like to give up these out-of-place semi-religious Courts, nor to subtract aught from the powers enjoyed by their specially beloved Hierarchical Dignitaries. It all goes, they will argue (falsely, we think, in a religious point of view). to make the Church of consequence ; there fore, we will stickle for every antique ecclesias tical abuse. We will abolish Corn Laws—but catch us, if we can help it, abolishing a tittle of the secular jurisdiction of Bishops and Arch bishops. We hope Mr. BETHELL, the Law Amend ment Secretary, and the public will not let them help it." We see with pleasure also that Lord BROUGHAM intends to relieve them of another labour, the business of divorce. At present, to accomplish this, in many cases, necessary act, no less than three costly steps are necessary; an action must be brought in a Common Law Court, another in an Ecclesiastical Court : and, finally, the Act of Parliament must seal the divorce. Hence, it is never thought of but amongst the rich. Some imagine, indeed, that if the legal process were not costly, there would be divorces for trivial causes. It might just as well be argued that, because the process at law is cheap in the County Courts, therefore people would be made to pay their debts when they could not be satisfactorily proved. Justice, which costs no thing to the parties, may be as rigidly administered as what costs thousands, and no English Judge or Jury would ever grant a divorce but on the clearest grounds. We have often wondered that the Dissenters, the Society of Friends especially, have not been more forward in the warfare against these courts. They share with the rest of her MAJESTY'S sub jects the annoyance of their costliness and com plexity—.they, like all others, bequeath their real property under the jurisdiction of one set of Courts, their personal property under that of another. But the Quakers, as they profess to ignore all ecclesiastics and ecclesiastical authority whatever, must feel peculiar repugnance to Church Courts. Dissenters, too, of every sect, as they quit the Church and renounce her authority, must as naturally prefer the secular law courts, as they preferred liberty to celebrate a legal marriage without resorting to the parish church. So far as they are concerned, to relieve them from responsibility to Church Courts would be only carrying out the policy of the Test and Corporation and the Marriage Acts.* MONEY AND COMMERCIAL NEWS. CITY, Two o'CLocx. The sales of Cotton at Liverpool yesterday were estimated at from 8,000 to 9,000 bales, of which 1,000 American and 500 Bahia were taken on specu lation. The market closed with animation, and prices of all kinds were 1-16 against the buyer. The sales comprised 6,000 American, 1,000 Bahia at 6d., 600 Egyptiai at 6d. to 9id. ' 500 Surat at 31d. to 41d., and 40 Sea Island at is. Bd. to 2s. 2d. per lb. Railway Shares were dull. This week, more has been done in the Colonial markets, and there is an advance in some few in stances. Sugar has sold well, but coffee continues rather dull. In tea there have been moderate purchases for consumption. Of tallow the supply is larger, and this prevents the favourable accounts from St. Petersburgh having an influence on the article. Cotton has been in more request. Spices have had a fair sale. Scotch pig-iron, which had improved early in the week, has gone back since. The value of guano as a fertilising compound has raised its price, in the absence of any extended means of supply, to a point that renders compe tition of great importance to the farmer. It is ascer tained that 150,000 tons were used last year, and probably as much more of adulterated and imita tive compounds professing to be guano. If to these be added the articles sold under their proper de signation, as bone or lime manure, dTc., we shall arrive at an estimate of the vast opening for any new article of proved value. The Chemical Ma nure Company has been formed for the purpose of manufacturing special manures superior, as is stated, to any previously submitted to the notice of the farmer, adapted to every soil, and combining all the elements of fertility contained in farm-yard manure, the most important being potash, phos phoric acid, and compounds containing nitrogen. These and the other substances necessary for the growth of plants will be economically concentrated in the combinations and proportions required by different crops, and adapted to the variations of soils and climates. These manures will be ma nufactured in peculiar forms for the use of the sugar planter, combining powerful defecating and decolourising properties, which after being used for these purposes in clearing the crude juice of the cane, will, if applied annually to the cane stocks, cause them to rattoon each succeeding year with pristine luxuriance. The saving of labour so occa sioned, by preventing the necessity a recurring to frequent planting, will be well understood by all connectpd with the economy of cane plantations. The Company's special Manures will be sold at 7/. per ton, deliverable at any railway station or wharf in London. Three cwts., or 21.5. worth, will be sufficient to fertilise an acre, equal to the applica tion of 30s. worth of guano. All artificial Manures heretofore supplied to the public have been deficient in salts of potash, which all alkali forms the prin cipal mineral constituents of all crops. This defect will be removed in the Manures manufactured by this Company. The diiectors of the undertaking being mostly gentlemen connected intimately with agricultural pursuits, must be presumed to have entire confidence in the ability of their consulting engineer to perform what is promised, and this done, a good return upon the capital is assured. The Hamburgh mail of Tuesday last brinft the rate of exchange on London, 13 if being steady. Discounts were 2i to 3 per cent. koney was very abundant. We understand that very reluctantly the discount brokers are now generally allowing 2 per cent. for money on " call. This is not because of any real pressure, but simply in consequence of the banks allowing 2 up to that rate. The opinion with the brokers still is, that when the numerous vessels on their way from Australia begin to arrive, cash will be comporatively abundant. The very satisfactory report received from the Paris Bourse has caused a much improved feeling here, and the increasing popularity of Louis Na poleon's marriage is regarded as an encouraging circumstance. Consols have been 991 for Trans fer, and 99g rather buyers for Account. There is apparently a scarcity of money stock. The New 3i per Cents -have been 1031 to and the 3 per Cents. 100 k to Bank Stock is nominally at the high rate of 227. East India Stock has been quoted at 270. On Exchequer Bills the premium is 58s. to 605., and , on India Bonds 665. to 71s. premium. Foreign Stocks have been quiet, but rather tend upwards. The contract of a loan for 69,000,000 reals by the. Government of Spain, on the security ' of the clergy lands, is not exactly understood here ; but as the interest on a larger portion of the debt is gradually coming upon the re venue, there may be a difficulty in meeting the additional burden. At least, the security offered must be good, Messrs. Baring Brothers, in con junction with O'Shea, and other bankers at Madrid, being the lenders. The stock comes quoted as high as 22 1-16 from Madrid, and has advanced here to 22i for the Deferred. The certificate is at N- to 51, per cent., also an improvement, and it would have been highly desirable that some recognition of them should have been obtained ere this ne* loan was made. Peruvian Bonds have been at 1021 to 1031 for the Active, and at 61-i to 621 for the Deferred. Grenada Deferred Stock has been at 11i, and Equador at 4. Sar dinian Bonds are 941 to 95. Dutch 21 per Cents. have been 971 to 981. The Gold Mine Shares are generally i lower, including the Californian and Australian. Port Philip and Colonial, however, have not varied. United Mexican are better. The Land Companies are higher. Australian Agricultural have risen about 51., and Van Die men's Land V. The Australian Bank shares are rising. Austra lasia have advanced 11., and Union 10s. to 15s. Chartered are up to Railway shares have been lower to the extent of to 1 per cent., but they are at present quoted rather higher. French shares are improving, espe cially the Lyons and Northern, and both here and at Paris they are said to have been " over-sold." Hence, the anxiety of the speculators to borrow them. BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY. (Prom the Official List.) Business none. Bank Stock 3 per Cent. Reduced Annuities 1004 1 A 3 per Cent. Consols Annuities New 3 1 per Cent. Annuities 1033 1 5, A t Long Annuities, Expire sth Jan., 1860 6 7-16 India Stock India Bonds, £lOOO 66 70 Ditto, under £I.CDO 7l Consols for Account 10th February 991 i Exchequer Bills 13d. March. June. £lOO0.. £5OO 5B 61 Small 5B 61 PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY. Bralflian Bonds, 5 per Cent. Ditto New Bonds, 1829 & 39, 5 per Cent 1023 Equador Bonds 5l Gren .\ ada Bonds, Deferred, Mexican 3 per Cent — Ditto for the Account 23 Peruvian 6 per Cent. Peruvian Deferred 3 per Cent 621 13 3 Sardinian Bonds, 5 per Cent. Ditto for the Account . apinish Bonds, 3 per Cent Ditto New Deferred, 3 per Cent 22i i Spanish Committee Cert. of Coup. not fun sii p a Dutch Exchange 23 per Cent — Ditto 4 per Cent. Certificates......... ~ 983 7 1 3 873 83 TERRE O'CLOCK. Consols Ditto February Account LONDON AND WESTMINSTER BANK.—The London and Westminster Bank gave notice yesterday afternoon that the rate of allowance to their customers on deposit re ceipts will be increased from 1 to 2 per cent., and that the alteration is to date from Tuesday next, the Ist of February. Out of doors there was a slight increase in the rates asked for money, but it was still obtained at 2i. RATE OF DISCOUNT IN GLASGOW.—The Glasgow bank ing houses have followed up the measure of the Bank of England by raising their discounts A per cent. Scotch bills at four months and under are charged 4 per cent., 41 per cent. being charged for longer periods. London paper is discounted at A per cent. under these rates, viz., 31 per cent. up to four months, and 4 per cent. for longer dates. This increase in the rate of discounts has not been accompanied by any corresponding increase in the interest allowed on deposits and current accounts, which in the meantime remains as before.—• Edinburgh Witness. ASTLEY'S AMPHITHEATRE.—As we predicted the juvenile performance of last night was most successful. The house was crowded in every part, and had th ere have fa e e vt n i 3fihlal filled half Living iats all.ma muchroTnhosetpt panto sa c e no tf a o g rh a m n zr t ca h lne e df si otu g h n h e t d greats se performance-e r f w a v o o u u ld rs e in the eyes of the younger folks and were rapturously applauded. In consequence of this great succ ess another juvenile performance will shortly be given, which will be the last under the auspices of Mr. Batty, who is about to retire into private Ffe. LONDON SAORRO HARMONIC SOCIETY. -- Handers ora torio, Solomon, will be performed at Exeter-hall, under the direction of Mr. Surman, the founder of the Exeter hall Oratorios, by the above society, on Monday even ing next. This contains some of Handel's fines choruses. Principal vocalists, Miss Birch, Mrs. Temple, Miss C. Felton, Mr. Lockey, Mr. Lawler. SURGICAL OPERATIONS. —A sing u l ar pamphlet, we observe, has just been issued from the press in the form of " A . Letter, addressed t o James Sym.e, Professor of Clinical Surge r y i n E dinburgh, " Bvo., pp. 32, in whick a refutati on i s given of certain statements made in relati on t o a case of stricture of the urethra, in which the operation of perineal section was performed by the author, Francis Burdett Courtnay, Member of the Royal College of Surgeons. The letter is altogether very curious and striking in its character. I" htub + 2 . wif 5,4, v-v e.kf• OUNDLE STEEPLECHASES. (THIS DAY.) ' (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) The Handicap. Ploughboy Forest Lad Johnny Barrie . ... v LAW INTELLIGENCE. -(THIS DAY.) COURT OF CHANCERY. (I3efore the Lord Chancellor and the Lords Justices.) DERBYSHIRE V. HOLME. Their Lordships proceeded this morning with this part heard appeal, which would probably occupy them the entire day. (Before the Master of the Rolls.) SVirINICURN V. NELSON. His Honour this morning delivered judgment in this case, which came before him on exceptions to the Mas ter's report. Both parties are manufacturers of isinglass, and the plaintiff conceiving that the defendant had in fringed a patent of which he was the holder, filed a bill to compel him to discover his transactions with respect to it. The defendant contended that he had no right to answer the interrogatories contained in the bill, and denied the right of the plaintiff. The question was, whether this was a sufficient answer to the plaintiff's bill. The defendant relied upon the case of Adams v. Fisher, in which Lord Cottenham laid it down that the right of a plaintiff to inspect books and documents rested upon the validity of his title, and upon its being undisputed. Upon this his Honour said, a question arose whether this rule, if sound, applied in the same manner to the answering of interrogatories as to the production of books and documents. He was of opinion that it would apply, and both cases must be treated in exactly the same manner. With respect to the main question, he had consulted all the cases and books bearing upon the subject, and he was of opinion that the weight of authority before the case of Adam v. Fisher was to the effect that a defendant who answered a bill, must answer it fully, that he could not answer one part and then re fuse to answer the rest. He himself inclined to this opinion, and it was of great importance to the preserva tion of the rules of pleadings in equity that this rule should be maintained. In the present state of authori ties, however, the exceptions must be dismissed without costs. - Decree accordingly. QUEEN'S BENCH. (Sittings in Banco.) THE QUEER V. tHE ARCHIPELAGO COMPANT.--JUDGMENT. This was a proceeding under a scire facias, at the in stance of Sir J. Brook; for the purpose of rendering the royal charter incorporating the Archipelago Com pany void, on the ground that the conditions it contained had not been complied with. At the trial a verdict passed for the Crown, and a rule to arrest judgment was subsequently obtained, and argued at considerable length. The Court, having taken time to deliberate, now gave judgment ; but as there was a difference of opinion among the learned judges, each delivered his opinion separately. Mr. Justice Erle said it was contended on the part of the prosecutor that the letters patent granted to the defendants had become void, because, as had been proved by the verdict of the jury, they had failed to comply with the condition prescribed by the Crown—that_ 50,000/., being half of the capital of the company, should be paid up before it should begin business ; and if was also contended that the charter became void in consequence of such non - compliance, notwithstanding the Crown had failed to exercise the right which it had reserved to itself of annulling or revoking the charter by writing under the great seal, or sign manual, when any of the conditions were found to be unfulfilled. This construction seemed to him untenable, as it was unsup ported by authority, and against the principle generally recognised in such cases. The will of the Crown as to the revocation of the charter could not be sufficiently expressed, except in the manner specified in that instru ment, and as it had not been rendered void by any writ ing under the great seal, or royal sign manual, he thought the rule in arrest of judgment should be made absolute. Mr. Justice Wightman entertained a different opi nion, and was in fav our o f th e rule being discharged. r. Justice Coleridge agreed with Mr. Justice Erie— ' that the rule ought to be made absolute. Lord Campbell considered that proceedings under a scire facias could be properly instituted, although the Crown had not formally revoked the charter in the man ner prescribed, and that the writ was not, on the face of it, defective, because it did not contain an allegation of such revocation. After a very attentive consideration of the charter, he thought the provision as to revoking it under the great seal, or sign manual, in no respects limited the proceedings under scire facias, which other wise existed, and that such provision only gave an addi tional remedy to the Crown to revoke or modify the charter in a summary manner. For these reasons he was of opinion, with his brother Wightman, that judg ment should not be arrested ; but as the Court were equally divided, the rule would drop, and judgment would be for the Crown ; but he had the satisfaction to think that the case could be taken by writ of error be fore a superior court, who had power, if they thought fit, to arrest the judgment. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. TATTERSALL'S—THURSDAY. METROPOLITAN HANDICAP. 10 to 1 agst Contentment. 30 to 1 agst Wedlock filly. LIVERPOOL STEEPLECHASE. 10 to 1 agst Oscar (taken.) 12 to 1 agst Miss Mowbray (taken.) CHESTER CUP. 20 to 1 agst Lady Evelyn. 30 to 1 agst Constantine (taken). 33 to 1 agst Tremble. 40 to 1 agst Contentment. DERBY. 11 to 1 agst West Australian (taken). 18 to 1 agst Sittingbourne (taken). 1000 to 15 agst Contentment (taken). 1000 to 10 agst Mr. Sykes (taken). LIVERPOOL SPI WZDN: HANDICAP for RING MEETING. 'ESDAY. Yrs st lb Weathergage 4 8 7 Cariboo 6 8 0 Warhawk 4 7 12 Chaseaway 5 7 9 Warwick 6 7 6 Trosseau 4 7 2 Kiteflyer 4 6 13 The Bishop 4 6 13 Bellewstown 5 6 12 Timid Fawn 5 6 11 Doubt . a 6 10 Needle 4 6 10 Sister to Wanota 5 6 7 Earl of Warwick 6 6 6 Caliban. Prestige 5 6 6 St. Michael 4 6 6 Little Davie.. 4 6 6 Caurire a 6 5 Ringleader 5 6 5 Victress a 6 4 Le SPIIING HANDICAP for the • Yrs st lb Truth Weathergage 4 8 8 Duc-an-Durras Warwick 6 7 10 Koh-i-Noor 4 7 10 Lady Agnes 4 7 8 Mrs. Birch 5 7 4 Belle wsto wn 5 7 1 Needle 4 7 0 May Day a 6 11 Caurire Caliban 6 6 9 Worcester .. . ... 5 6 9 Cheroot HANDICAP for the GRAND 5 ft. if declared on Yrs st lb Worcester 5 6 4 Richmond 4 6 4 Harp 5 6 2 Cheroot 4 6 2 Lalag© 4 6 0 Happy Joe 4 6 0 Burndale 4 6 0 ch g by Harkaway, out of Puss 4 5 10 Corybantes Ploughboy Goorkah .. . Pastrycook Monsoon 3 5 0 Master Norton 3 4 10 Miss Emma 3 4 10 Moselle 3 4 10 Pride 'Charity ILlanforda Mickey Free 3 4 7 AINTREE PLATE. 1 Sir Pete r Laurie st lb 11 8 Warner " 11 4 Vainhope 11 4 Knight of Gwynn° ll 2 Bourton ll 2 British Yeoman 11 2 Miss Mowbray 10 12 Lucy Neale lO 10 Peter Simple lO 10 Tipperary Boy 10 10 Ab-del-Kader 10 10 Duc - an-Durras 10 10 WL elford 10 10 Montague 10 8 Fanny Eisler lO 8 Victress lO 6 Postilion lO 6 Maria Day lO 6 Augustine lO 6 Carrig lO 5 Great Western 10 51 Lamiame 10 Half-and-Half 10 5 Laperelle lO 5 Charlton lO 5 Forest Lad lO 4 The Drag 10 4 The General 10 4 Wexford Tom 10 4 Field Marshal 10 4 Calmar .10 4 Yrs st lb Burndale 4 6 5 Lalage 4 6 3 True Gir1........ 5 6' 2 May Blossom 4 6 0 eh g by Harkaway, out of Puss 4 5 12 Game Tommy 35 7 Gaffer Green Pride Llanforda Mickey Free 3 4 9 br f by Gameboy, out of Maid of Monton 3 4 7 NATIONAL STEEPLECHA SE. or before Feb. 8. st lb Reinark lO 2 Sliinrone 10 2 Rattrap 10 2 Oscar 10 2 Maurice Daley lO 2 Geraldus lO 2 Betsy Prig lO 0 Slattern lO 0 Dearest Mae 10 0 The Brewer 9 12 Simple Peter Benedict Little Charley 9 10 The Rearer Poll 9 10 Vengeance View Halloo . ... 9 10 Maley Kilquade Advance 9 10 Ringleader Clatterbox Odin 9 8 Friendless Ringdove Yorkshirema n Crabbs Tempest The Dwarf 9 0 Harmony 9 0 , Mary Machree : 4 7 OVERLAND MAIL. The following telegraphic dispatch from Trieste has been received : TRIESTE, JAN. 27, ONE A•M• The steamer "Germania has arrived. Genera; Godwin having imprudently stationed an advanced post of only 400 men at Pegu, sixty miles frog ßangoon, and within a s h or t distance of the maiu body of the Burmese array, the Burmese commander immediately attacked it, cut off its communicationo with Rangoon, seized an ammunition convoy, and invested the place, harassing the little garrison day and night. A naval force; 150 marines, 300 ELM' pears soldiers, and a steamer attempted to force the passage to relieve Pegu, and were driven back with loss. Two columns of 2 , 400 men left Rangoon, en countered the Burmese, defeated them with great loss, and succeeded in reaching Pegu. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, Jes. 27. The following bad the honour of dining with her Ma jesty yesterday :—The Duchess of Kent, the Princes Adelaide of Hohenlohe, the Duke and Duchess 0 Argyll, the Marquis of Breadalbane, the Lady in Wait ink;_ to the Duchess of Kent, the Baroness de Speth Viscount Canning, and Mr. Gibbs. The band of the Grenadier Guards attended and played in the Castle during dinner. Her Majesty's private band attended in the evening and played the following compositions Overture, " Marguerite d'Anjou" Meyerbeer. Chorus, "Nachtlager" Marche, Chceur, et Duo, "Le Songe d'une Nuit d'Etd" Thonaas.l Selection, " Le Cheval de Bronze" Auber. Prince Albert, accompanied by the Duke of Argyll , went out shooting this forenoon, attended by Col. the Hon. Charles Grey, Lord Charles Fitzßoy, Lieut.-Col. Hon. N. Hood, and Lieut.-Col. F. H. Seymour. The following have received invitations, and are ea" pected this afternoon :—The Earl and Countess Grai l ; ville, the Baron and Baroness Brunnow, the Count en', Countess Lavradi o , th e Ri g ht H on. t h e Speaker an d Mrs. Lefevre, and Sir Charles and Lady Mary Wood. A deputation from the borough of Finsbury had an interview yesterday with Sir William Molesworth, her Majesty's Chief Commissioner of Works and Public Buildings, at his office in Whitehall-place, on the subject of Albert-park. Th e d e p u t a ti on was i n t ro d uce d byl:oru. Robert Grosvenor, M.P., an d cons i s t e d o f th e RIP" „ Hon. the Lord Mayor, M.P. ; Sir James Duke, Bart., M.P. ; Mr. Apsley Pellatt, M.P. ; Mr. William Tyler, Mr. John Parson, Mr. Stafford Allen, Mr. John Bur' nett, and Mr. James Lloyd. The Earl and Countess Granville left town yesterday afternoon for Windsor Castle. Sir James Duke had an interview with the Right lion. E. Cardwell yesterday at the Board of Trade. Dispatches were received at the Colonial-office yester day from the Governor-General of Canada. We understand that at the meeting of ,her MajestP Commissioners for the Exhibition of 1851, held on To° . day, the l a t e Ch ance ll or of the Exchequer (Mr. Disraeli) , was elected a member of the Commission by virtue of the! powers contained in the charter incorporating them ,f° r the purpose of carrying out their surplus scheme. FRANCESCO AND ROSA MADIAI. The Buorta Novella, an Italian Protestant journal, publishes two letters, one from Francesco and the other from Rosa Madiai. The first is dated November 20, and is as follows : " Very honoured 21—, I would write more but al ; not, bein g i n b e d ver y ill. Id o no t think, however,that I shall di e , b u t i n a ll thi ngs l e t th e w i ll of God be done' What I can say to you, as a brother in Jesus our Saviouf,i is, th a t th e more my illness shall increase, the more increase in me the spirit of G o d. My respects to all. cannot write more.--Your faithful servant and brother 0 ' Christ Jesus. " FRANCESCO MADIAI• " P.S.—Do not tell my wife how ill I am." The letter of the wife, which is without date, is XI follows : 0 " Dear brother in Jesus Christ,—l reply at length. s t your precious letter, which I received whilst I was still the Bargello. It is superfluous for me to relate to you e' c i my vicissitudes, all that we have had to suffer both ree ' I F.A my husband ; but let God be praised, and let us P 1 1 5 : 0 0' . Him together for having made us victors by our Lord . I, r , Christ. They have struck and they strike, but Chrie t h o plies, none shall take from me those whom the Father given to me.' When we were accused of having said t 0 0 the Apostl es were d esp i ca b le men, I replied that its//190.0, false, and by th e words of the Gospel I was going t°ty whether it was possible for evangelical persons to be b . ; we ! of such a thi ng , b u t s i lence was instantly imposed ? I , — ,t, 1 I was told, we do not speak of religion. I replied 19 was accused of religion, that it was on that llr ai d to p o i and defend myself ; but the Sovereign Pontiff im „ e d silence on me for the second time. We were ac e tl i;v,l of having only eight commandments; and ilionp. said of annulling that which condemn s Was ornicati .ust t hat j that before such an accusation it should repeat the Commandments, in orderniTojshow ther there were eight or ten. Silence ! was the reply. then added that it was not justice to impose sil enc e on P er sonal defence. Out of modesty before such a nuraerono auditory, a little ,moderation was shown, and I was flit asked whether we observed the Ten Commandmell to Certainly,' I replied, such as God dictated then' v i Moses on Mount Sinai.' Silence, that is suffleiee ', was again heard. In short, dear b ro th er , if s uch .„ justice is for the glory of God, be it welcome; "be pray for us fervently, in order th a t we may 0. enabled to serve and honour Him in this heavy e :f tivity. My husband is very unwell, and that is b 4 greatest affliction ; for myself, I am very thin, better in health by the grace of the Lord Jesus. I 114 t that you and your wife are well ; I shall never forge r how much she has suffered for me; kiss y our c hildren it",,, me ; tell them that my husband and myself exhort thZ,l in their exile not to fear the great ones of this corruP tv o `i world, for in a short time they will be in the dust ; that, the cause of Christ alone they should have a holy jean, in their hearts and in th e i r actions, and that to him viL t the Father and the Holy Gh os t be honour and glory, n the Church pray for us ; w e h o p e th a t, w ith th e bl ess ing If God, who gives strength to weak mortals like us, that.„'; any ono should be call e d o n t o su ff er f or Hi s cause, that '2, will call to mind how much Jesus has suffered for lifi• Your sister in Christ, " ROSA 31A.DrAL o CAMBRIDGE MATHEMATICAL EXAMINATION. -- The CI9O lists were published this morning (Friday). We ha% received the names of the first 12 wrang l ers. S t. John i „ is again first. Trinity is unfortunate this year h av i n g 0 11, two men among the wr ang l ers an d th ose l ow down. names are as follows :-1, Sprague, St. John's Lunn' St. Emmanuel •3, Newbery, StJohn's ;4, Tionr'. St. John's ; 5, Cohen, Magd a l en; 6 , Beasley, St. John '' 7, Roberts, Corpus ; 8, Wilson, Trinity ; 9 Gibsoo e ; Trinity • 10, Thorpe, Ch r i s t' s ; 11, Stewart, St. Peter' 8' Wilkinson, Corpus. CLEW BAY COPPER MINES, MAYO, IRELAND.---' 6 l extra number of men have this week been put upon theSf mines to work th e newly discovered valuable lode ° copper, commencin g t wo feet in width. At the bendi°f, adit level, the workmen are actively pursuing their oPe rations under the directions of Captain Mates with 1.111 : diminished s uccess. The lode is widening, and yielclWe a large supply of copper of the very best quality. so HIGH TlDES.—Y esterday afternoon, the tide rose, such a height as to inundate the wharves and watersr ..it, „. premises, an d to b eat over the river banks and sea Walls' overflowin g th e marshes and those places situate bele it high water m ar k . So little was an extraordinary f l° er of water a n ti c i pated, that persons residing on the river banks ne g l ec t e d to take the usual precaution of cle it :,; ming up the d oors and cellars, and securing the trar o , of their si n k s . I t was extremely fortunate that the l e crease of wat er t oo k place in the day time, otherwise damage to property must hav e b een extensive, as, at had past three o'clock, nearly half an hour before high wat er ' the tide was more than a foot and a half deep at t_ a extremity of the wooden platform at Billingsgate, T i e , at high water the plinth of the ornamental columns, v a, tween the arches at Blackfriars-bridge, were submerg e d The wind being E.N.E. forced the immense body tv ere water with gr ea t ve l oc i ty up the river, and the rapg"ii,' of the current was such, that steam-vessels going a contrary direction, notwithstanding that they ' iv I c e obliged t o put on their full power, could scarcely 1,13 i0 any head way. V essels moored in the Lower geaeh,,d order to pr even t t h e i r drifting, had to let go a se6,,c'e anchor, an d even then v , in some instanc es , they ni - bi and occasioned muc h damage in spars and riggni.gde coming in co n t ac t w i th others. On the south tbe the ri ver , un d er Bermondsey and Rotherhithe basement fl oors and cellars of houses were inundaas, es and wood, furniture, casks, &c., were, in many c o l floated away from landing places. The market gr i ° o f in the localities suffered materially. The north siu e • o r the Thames did not go wholly unscathed, as in the vi g* nity of Lo wer Shadwell, Wapping, and the Isle of D ° d, houses an d other premises were partially overil °l/ te t Should the wind continue in the same quarter, a g r ey influx of water may be expected this morning, which the tide will begin to " take off." _- REPRESENT ATION OF 00 WEST WORCESTERSHIRA" Wednesd a y evening a meetingof Conservative & ctoo w t. was held at the Star Hotel, ii 7- orcester, on this sil b ,,J - 1 0 0 The object of the meeting was stated to be to deter'--Vis on the propriety of inviting Mr. Henry Lygon (ne w ; the count Elmley) t o b ecome a candidate to reP resen" r division, on th e same principles as those of his &the hY the present Earl Beauchamp. The chair was t a the hon. and Rev. W. W. C. Talbot. Mr• Ca-tier,the chairman of the provisional committee, reported t° ocl' meeting that that committee had decided on recore w e e s ted ing to the electors that Mr. Lygon should be VII . to stand in the place of his father. Whereupon .Vost H. Lechmere moved the following resolution : — " Liog , Mr. Henry Lygon is, in the opinion of this inelci s ion i fit and proper person to represent the western La s t a teti of the county in Parliament." Mr. M. Pierpoint, tot that he had heard from his lordship's own 'flout,' th eir his principles were entirely in accordance with w er s professed by his father. It is stated in some of thlevPogrPcos that General H. B. Lygon was M.P. for East cila pp tershire. This is a mistake, the present Earl Bel t o ota' having represented the western division for a grea t be,' of years. With the exception of a period of ovouni, months in 1831-2,, General Lygon has sat for t a he ivoo teo in the House of Commons, and has always. _ a . strong Conservative and Protectionist principlee„ AUTHOR OF THE " CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER , t heir Roy a l A stronom i cal S oc i ety of London! _, meeting on the 14th i n st., el ec t e d Thomas Dic I3roughty Ferry, a Fellow of that Society — honour richly deserved by the aged philogoPher'