The Sun. — London, England, 1853-02-17 00:00:00

NEW WORK BY SIR B. BULWER. LYTTON BART. This day is published, in 4 vols., price 425., UY N 0 V E L. LY By PISISTRATUS CAXTON ; OR, VARIETIES IN ENGLISH N. William Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh and London. LOANS GRANTED. LONDON EXCHANGE ADVANCE FUND, 2, Adelphi-terrace, Strand, fac in g the river ; City Branch, 3, Old Broad-street, City. The Right lion. Lord ERSKINE, Chairman. Loans advanced, in sums of 101 . and upwards, granted on a joint the deposit promissory note, repayable by easy instalments, or on of deeds or other available securities. Bills of exchange cashed at moderate rates of Interest. Forms of application may be obtained at the Offices, or on forward ing 12 postage stamps. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Farewell Season of Mr. Benjamin Webster as Lessee and Manager. THIS EVENING, FEB. 17, Will he performed the new and original Comedy, in five acts, called NOT SO BAD AS WE SEEM ; or, Many Skies to a Charac ter. Supported by Messrs. B. Webster, Barry Sullivan, Keeley, Buckstone, Leigh Murray, Stuart, Rogers, Miss Rosa Bennett, Jliiss k. Vining, Mrs. Leigh Murray, &c. After which, the n ew and original Farce, called TO PARIS AND BACK FOR FIVE POUNDS. To conclude with the Farce of A CAPITAL MATCH. ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE. Under the Management of Madame Vestris. THIS EVENING, FEB. 17. Will be perfbrmed the Comic Drama called A PHENOMENON IT 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 Fxtravagann entitled Tli E GOOD WOMAN IN THE WOOD, in which Meese 4. F. Matthews,' Suter, Horncastle, and Templeton ; Madame Vestri: ;, Miss Julia St. George, Miss Robertson, Miss Martindale, Miss Ellb Miss Wyndham, Miss Eglinton, and Miss Rosina Wright will appeal To conclude with LITTLE TODDLEKINS. Sole Agent for the Private Boxes, Mr. W. Allcroft, 15, Nev 13)nd-street. THEATRE ROYAL ADELPHI. Proprietor, Mr. B. Webster.—Directress, Madame Celeste. THIS EVENING, FEB. 17, -- • Will be presented the powerful new Drama of SLATE LIFE • or Uncle Tom's Cabin—by Messrs. Alfred Wigan, S. Emery, 0. Se;ith, and Cullenford ; Madame Celeste. Miss Woolgar, Miss Collins, Miss Harding, Miss Keeley, and Mrs. Keeley. To conclude with the successful new Comic Pantomime, called NELL GWYNNE ; or, Harlequin Merrie Monarch. • Principal Danseuse, Mdlle. Auriol Clown, Mr. Flexmore. ROYAL PRINCESS'S TIIE-t.TRE, OXFORD-STREET. -Under the Management of Mr. C. Kean. THIS EVF2IINO, FEB. 17. Will be performed the new and original Comedy, in three acts, by Douglas Jerrold, entitled ST. CUPID ; or, Dorothy's Fortune (as pyed t Windsor Castle, by Royal Command). Principal charac ter played at Windsor Castle, by Royal Command). Principal charac ters by a Messrs. Wright, W. Lacy, Harley, J. Vining, Ryder, F. Cooke, Ev erett, and ChesterLaey and Mrs. C. Kean. After a. hich, THE SPITALFIELDS WEAVER, in which Mr. Wright will appear. To conclude with the new and original Grand Comic Christ mas Pantomime, entitled HARLEQUIN CHERRY AND FAIR STAR; or, Thp Green Bird, the Dancing Waters, and the Singing Tree. ROYAL OLYMPIC; THEATRE. Lessee and Manager, Mr. Farren. THIS EVENING, FEE. 17, Will be presented THE HUNCHBACK. Supported by Messrs. Compton, W. Farrell, jun , Hoskins, Cooke, Kinloch, Edgar, and Bender; Misses Anderton and H. Gordon. After which, the new and successful Farce of A DEED WITH OUT A NAME, in which Mr. Compton will appear. To conclude with THE WATERMAN. Box-utllce open from Eleven till Five, under the superintendence of Mr. E.Chetterton. ASTLET'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE. Proprietor nd Manager, Mr. W. Batty. LAST WEEK BUT THREE of Mr. BATTY'S MANAGEMENT. Extraordinary Attraction. The Two most powerful Equestrian Dramas ever produced—Mazeppa, and Uncle Tom's Cabin. THIS EVENING, FEB. 17, And during the Week, the Entertainments will commence with the superb Spectacle of M I.7.EPPA AND THE WILD HORSE, reproduced with all its original splendid and magnificent effects After which, Ratty's brilliant Scenes in the Arena, supported by the first Equestrian talent in Europe. To conclude with UNCLE TOM'S CABIN. Doors open at Halt-past Six ✓cloca. To commence at Seven. Volt-nines open daily from Eleven to Four. Stage Manager, Mr. vp . West. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tuts VAT --Morning 40 min. after 7 1 Evening 10 min.aft. 8 To-Mormon — horning 47 min. after 8 1 Evening 27 min.aft. 9 .DAILY TVEA7HER TABLE. THURSDAY, FEB : 17, 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., gentle breeze—overcast. SOUTHAMETON—N : ,. strong breeze—snow. FOLKESTONE—N., light air—overcast. TIINBRIDGE—N.., gentle breeze—partially cloudy. GREENWICH—Cahn—MOW. Suwon—N., calm—overcast. SWINDON—N.E., gentle breeze—partially cloudy. CAMBRIDGE—N., gentle breeze—partially cloudy. WHITBY—N., strong breeze—partially cloudy, frost. DARLINGTON—N., strong breeze—overcast, showers, snow. The returns from the following places indicate the state of the weather on Tuesday morning at nine o'clock LEIGHTON—N.E., calm—overcast. HOLYHEAD—Calm—frost, snow. Wnrrmr—N.E., gentle breeze—foggy, frost, snow. SaAr—N.N.W., gentle breeze—snow. THE WEATHER.-SUN OFFICE, FEB. 17. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 34—highest since noon yesterday. l4—lowest this morning and daring the night. 30—this day at noon. BAROMETER, 29'72. WIND, N.W.—Light breeze, and snow. The Publication of " THE SUN" Commences every afternoon at THREE O'CLOCK, and the Late or Third Edition, containing the DEBATES IN PARLIAMENT ON THE SAME EVENING, with all other news ariving in London up to the hour of Post, at SEVEN O'CLOCK. EXPRESS EDITIONS will be forwarded after the Post is closed by the Latest Trains. ~~, y J ~ ~: {~ ' .~',s-~ :~.~. c4~'~'~l~'o LONDON, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1853 KossuTn's reputed Proclamation, addressed to the Italian soldiers in the name of the Hungarians, has at length, as we anticipated, been pronounced a forgery, or at least a fabrication. It was on Saturday evening last, namely, on the 12th of this present February, that we said distinctly, in allu sion to this extraordinary document, that we doubted its authenticity. Our precise words were—" of the proclamation ascribed to KOSSUTH we must acknowledge ourselves dubious in regard to its authorship." Recollect this was said by us on Saturday last, the 12th of February. It will now be perceived that we were very far indeed from being mistaken in our conjecture, that the effusion would before long be proved to have emanated from some other source than the eminent one to which it was so hastily attributed. Else where will be found, in the impression of our journal of this evening, a communication dis : tinetly pronouncing the so-called KOSSUTH Procla mation to be—a " Forgery." The communica tion, it will be perceived, has been addressed first to one and then to another of our morning con temporaries. It comes before the world from the hand of a gentleman already well known to the public by his many delightful contributions to our po pular literat ure .* Nothing, it must be ad mitted, could be more plain-spoken than his ear nest and manly disavowal, on the part of Louis KOSSUTE, of any share whatsoever in the concoc tion of the wa rlike a pp e al attributed to him, or in the encouragement of the ill-timed and blun dering efforts recently made at 'Milan to rouse the •patriots of Lombardy to insurrection. Our anti cipations have therefore been to the uttermost extent fulfilled. For we have it now upon re cord that KOSSUTH never penned one word of the Proclamation—that he never aided f or one moment the late abortive attempt at a Revo lution. Throughout the whole of his memorable career we believe that we have ever done justice to that great man, whether he stood before the age under the most propitious or under the most disastrous circumstances. Everywhere we have seen him true to himself and to his compatriots. Nowhere have we witnessed in his conduct the evidence of a solitary mistake or the loss of a single opportunity. It is not now that KOSSUTH is likely to fall into either of those errors—to betray weakness of judgment either by an act of omission or of commission. During the whole of that majestic war of Hungarian Independence, * Captain MAYNE REID is popularly known as the author of some of the most successful and entertaininc , of recently published wor k s i n i mag i native literature. We i ourselves nave, in the columns of this journal devoted to literary criticism, frequently had reason to refer to the merits of his earliest romance, that of the " Rifle Rangers," and to the still greater ability displayed by hi m i n hi s enthralling narrative of the " Scalp Hunters." We have taken occa sion in like manner to commend his ingenious story of "The Desert Home , " and shall have occas i on to speak of his latest effusion, " The Boy Hunters," at an early oppor tunity.--[ED. SUN'] THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 17, 1853. "chid . L remains yet to be adequately recounted -that war of which Louis KOSSUTH was at once the 31er )ic Chief and the Avenging Genius, the right trm and the inspiration—the Leader of the Ik la! ;Tars never once erred in his grand and com prehensive calculations. He counted upon his ct 113 ipatriots, and they approved themselves worthy or his confidence. He promised them victory— al ad they had it surely again and again to their nil's satisfaction. When everything frowned u pen the interests of their nationality—when the ►nstrian. troopers were advancing almost at a re view pace, with flying colours, and with their di:urns and trumpets sounding the triumphal march, KOSSUTH retreated, with the rest of the Ilungarian Government, slowly upon Debreczin, :still assuring his companions of success, if they - relied upon him, and followed implicitly the bent of his instructions. And they did. With what result History has since told in that succession of astounding battles which beat down the pride of the German Emperor, and routed the troops of even his most formidable veterans, and broke the sword of his most redoubtable mar shals, and drove his armies back almost at a single rush from the heart of the invaded country to the very walls of Vienna. It was through no error on the part of KOSSUTH that the independence of the Magyars was not then com pletely and permanently established. It was, after all, those triumphs insured by the genius, and the valour, and the patriotism of the Magyar CARNOT, the Hungarian Organiser of Victory, that the glorious cause to which his whole life was devoted was sold by the treason of ARTHUR GoRGEY, and crushed under the feet of the multitude of Cossacks brought into the field by the order of the Russian Autocrat. Hun gary fell only because of the crime of an arch traitor, aided by the interposition of a foreign army, under the command of Prince PASKEWITCH. It was then that KOSSUTH, almost broken-hearted at this appalling reverse, but still confident that the day of vengeance must ultimately arrive, worn out by the effects of his astonishing, almost preternatural, exertions, and horror-stricken at the cold-blooded murder of so many of his compa nions by civil and military execution, withdrew from the reach of that army of assassins, by retiring across the frontiers of Turkey, and plac ing himself under the sheltering power of the young Sultan-Caliph ABD-UD.MEDJID. It was then that occurred that memorable incident, re ferred to by Captain MAY NE REID in his recent communication that incident which we can never contemplate without emotion, and which will for ever redound to the glory of the Liberator of the Hungarians. Offered life on the condition that he would renounce the religion of his fathers, KOSSUTH repelled the craven temptation with a noble and affecting outburst of indignation, ex claiming, " Death, death upon the scaffold, is preferable to such terms for life ! Ac cursed be the tongue that could make to me such an infamous proposal !" Yes—and this is the man who, in the gloom and anguish of his exile, sorrowing, as his lofty nature must so profoundly over the sufferings, and, worse than that, the temporary degradation of his fatherland—this is the man who, in the hour of his misfortune, some of his more heartless calumniators would brand with the meanest of all guilt—the guilt of cowardice. To this end it has been advisable, it would appear, to trump up against him this charge, stirring up an abortive revolt at Milan by means of a " bombastic " Proclamation. Re viewing the course we have adopted in regard to LOUIS KOSSUTH and his brave Hungarians, we have reason, we conceive, to rejoice from our heart that in this particular, also, we were the earliest in doing full justice to both by not hesitating in avowing our doubt as to the authenticity of that strange and blun dering document. As we have already reminded our readers, that doubt was expresss.d by our selves on Saturday the 12th of this present February—and not until Tuesday the 15th, namely, three days afterwards, was the first authentic disavowal of the reputed authorship on the part of KossuTu, transmitted to the chief of our morning contemporaries. All misappre hension upon the matter is, therefore, cleared up at length satisfactorily. KOSSUTH, through a per fectly reliable authority, has clearly disavowed the document ! He has not contented himself with a sim ple disavowal—he has, through the medium of a most credible witness, boldly pronounced it to be a forgery ! He stands clear, therefore, of whatever blame might have attached to him through the influence of this criminal imputation. Aware of these facts, it assuredly behoves the people of England to regard with some degree of suspicion the attacks directed by the apologists of Northern Despotism against an illustrious Patriot like the Leader of the Hungarians. In another part of this day's impression will be found a narrative of a fearful and heart-rending catastrophe, in which many lives have been sacri ficed through the gross and culpable negligence of one who had ever maintained the character of an experienced and meritorious officer, and who, after the deplorable accident had taken place, exerted himself to the very utmost to mitigate the evils arising from his own indiscretion, and sacrificed even life itself at the call of duty. From the moment of the accident no man could have acted better than Captain CHURCH, and we deeply la ment the imperative necessity that compels us to allow any reproach to rest on his memory; and which we would gladly remove, if any circum stance should arise to alter the views we have most reluctantly adopted. There is, however, this damning fact that he was absent from deck at a time when his presence would have been of vital importance—that he was resting in his cabin when all was doubt and uncertainty on deck—when the murkiness of the storm rendered it incumbent to preserve the utmost vigilance. To that negligence may be ascribed the fatal calamity which produced the loss of so many lives and property to a large amount. The Queen Victoria was a vessel of a very superior description. She had been for many years engaged in the Mail-packet Service. It may, therefore, be easily credited that no ob jection could be preferred against the ship. Her officers, and even the seamen employed, were, we I believe, truly stated to have been "men of experi ence, prudence, and intelligence." No possible imputation, therefore, can rest upon the Directors of the City of Dublin Steam-packet Company. They took every precaution befitting prudent and sensible men as to the quality of the vessel, and the experience and competence of the crew, and cannot, therefore, be held in any degree morally responsible for the serious consequences that have occurred. There was no omission on their part —nothing to be complained of, and, therefore, the Board of Directors as a body must be completely exonerated from all blame in respect to the melancholy transaction. We cannot, however, pronounce a similar verdict of unqualified acquittal as to the conduct of the late commanding officer. From the graphic description of the melancholy transaction which we have transferred into our columns, from a talented Irish contemporary, it will be seen that the Queeu Victoria left Liver pool for Kingstown about half-past three on Mon day last, with a valuable cargo, and a far more valuable freight of human beings, comprising about 120 men, women, and children. At first, -all went well. There was nothing to excite the slightest feeling of alarm until nearly half-past one o'clock on Tuesday morning. Then, when the voy age had been nearly accomplished, and the place of destination arrived at, a heavy fall of snow set i n . This, one of the most formidable occurrences in coasting navigation, although it created a s light sensation on deck, was not considered of sufficient moment to warrant the disturbing of the Captain from his slumbers, or taking the instructions of the Commander on the emer gency. The transient view that was obtained of the Kish-light would obviously have demanded caution. But Captain CHURCH was not awakened, nor was the speed of the ill-fated vessel in any degree retarded. She proceeded on her course rapidly, and nothing excited the slightest alarm in the minds of the inexperienced passengers until a hasty exclamation from the first mato announced stanta the a pp roa ching calamity which almost in neously followed. At the moment of the fright ful discovery, " the dark and rugged cliffs of Howth" were seen but a few yards ahead, while the doomed vessel, with unabated speed, was rush ing on her fate. A hurried and agitated order to stop the engines was given ; but, unfor tunately, it was of no avail. She rushed on against the fearful barrier, and her de struction was accomplished. The Captain was all this time in his cabin, perfectly unconscious of the danger. The awful crash against the rock that stove in the bow was the first warning he re ceived, and thenceforward his conduct was beyond reproach or censure. He exhibited a total disre gard of self, looking only to the safety of those who were placed under his charge. The only subsequent mistake, on the part of the Captain, occurred through the hurry of the moment, and his ignorance of the true state of affairs. At the moment of collision, several persons sprung on to the cliff, a large proportion of whom were saved. Unfortunately, in place of remaining in that po sition, and thus making the best of the un toward transaction, the order was given to back into deep water. The injury was greater than Captain CHURCH had imagined, and he sunk with the vessel of which he had for nearly a quarter of a century been the effi cient Commander, but to which his temporary apathy at length proved so fatal. The boats were got out, but according to the usual rule—the description of which might be stereotyped—one boat " slipped from the davits into the sea," occasioning a loss of seventeen or eighteen lives—and " another was found without the plugs," which, but for the presence of mind and heroism of a mere boy, who put his finger into the plug-hole, and kept it there, even during a second voyage to rescue his ill fated companions, must have occasioned the loss of those who staked their lives therein. Such events demand inquiry. - Every means to prevent a repetition of similar calamities must be adopted. The evil is brought to our own threshold, and a Legislative remedy is imperatively demanded. Just as our great National Council enters on Is work Convocation makes its bow and retires. Good. Sham vanishes before reality. Arch deacons, proctors, and doctors withdraw to ob- livion. We shall hear no more of them except when they now and then kick up their heels at a National School Society meeting, or at a Uni- versity election. We may pretty confidently hope that we shall have no more defiance of the Arch bishop, and no more attempts to debate business which they have no power to transmute into real business. We assured them last November, that both Whigs and Tories would be equally firm in refusing them licence to do anything whatever ; and they now understand that it will be more prudent in future to refrain from over much talk. They find no sympathy even from that third class of Cabinets which we had forgotten ; not only do Whigs and Tories eschew them, but even a Coalition Government frowns on Convocations. The game, then, is quite up. One little consolation allowed i s s tillthem. An Address to will, however, be something. The voluntary the QUEEN whose legislative religious bodies, powers the State envies, enjoy Church no such Volunta • privilege. If Voluntaries can pay the and clergy can take legislate , the State national the fountain of national pay, and approach honour. commences with " res The Address "respectful assurance ," alto gether needless , not ess, after sayings Exeter and d • and elsewhere , cc doings at MAJESTY'S of loyal affection to her throne and person ~, and towards the reason, close with equal good r it , "not only reco • states that they recognise but highly • undoubted prize her MAJESTY' S undoubted in all causes • 8 and • • ~ecclesiastical civil. We are happy to eccle siastics. If, however, they commend the authority of the august headso prize the supreme did they of the laity, why so unanimously proposi tion that the laity shouldyvote down the wished-for legislative Co form part of their Convocation? Why kick the laity out of the assembly, and then bow down meekly before the impersonation y o f and powers of the 1 ' all the rights ally ? surely there is a screw loose here. Perhaps supremacy is due to the this zeal Archbishop for of WESTMINSTER, for immediately they after re press their indignation at " the _ Bishop arrogating to himself th e p of ROME'S spiritual charge • nation," and ignoring of this Britain the legendary ;which Church, they it Church of affirm, PROVIDENChas pleased E to preserve to this d in ay ! We must, passing, always seriously style of pleading DIVINE PR protest against this PROVIDENCE in behalf of our party fancies. In our ears it • is the worst species of profanity. It was all very well for ec clesiastics, especially the dignitaries of the Church, to express their gratitude that the supremacy of the CROWN had nullified the titular pretensions of a rival hierarchy ; but to thank PROVIDENCE for what even their dear old legend-loving obliged to throw overboard, is only another mode of saying, " The. temple of the LORD are we." It was at once irreverent, indelicate, and undignified to foist such old Church stories into an Address to the QUEEN. very proper are the gratitude for the prospe rity and loyal obedience of the people, and the sorrow for the loss of the Duke of WELLINGTON ; and equally so the pleasure with which they re cord the great exertions of the last 30 years for the spiritual instruction of an increasing popula tion, more churches being now consecrated an nually than were built during the whole of the last century. In connection with this, however, her MAJESTY is reminded of the paucity of Bishops. They are hardly more than they were three centuries ago ! This must press heavily, no doubt, on Episcopal conscience, since we know that the property of Bishops has increased, per haps, twentyfold since that time. Of course they wish it to be distributed amongst twenty times as many bishops. It cannot be the spiritual toil which embarrasses them, since the amount thereof is known to be peculiarly favourable to longevity. No, it is leasehold estates, mines, and the -er like which weigh so heavily on their shouldersto Mr. . H M AJESTY Wi ll , doubtless, refer them HORSMAN and Sir BENJAMI eN Lord HALL JOHN. Probwith aably, also, they wished to pleas little more bishop-making. With a beautiful and touching glance at the piety of PRINCE ALBERT and others, due to their own faithful ministrations, and efflorescing in model lodging-ho use s, baths, and wash-houses, they eat theme of their' Address, and approach the gr deliberative and le the restoration of their own gislative functi ons. They do not think it advis - thing but able just now to a sk leave to do any, they respectfully apprise her M AJEST Y that "legis lative assemblies are an essential and m ost impor tant part of the constitution of the Reformed Church ;" that present circumstances demand and improve ment, and that it their preservation may be advantage ous to renew them at no di stant wh o f course, they date. If they are essential, y, are important. The on ly ma rvel is, how anything in the world ever existed 150 years without one of its essential parts !----especially h o w it should sho w greater life and energy annually n ow than it dis ad play during the whole of the last century. This is strange enough to our lay ears. Very odd to us, moreover, is the delaying to ask the immediate restoration of what is " essential and most important." We more m perverse l a y liberals do not let off our rulers inthis We wear y the t ea sy style. o the death for "essential and important" reforms every year. et ray that we may take D evou tly will the Cabin p a lesson from Convocation. We n eed not recal ents to the recollec tion of our readers the argum others broug ht forward last No which we andhere so modestly and ve mber against the demand illogically m ade. the res tl e ss ones Evidently h ave got their qu ietus for the pres ent. They find the Q U EEN, the laity, and ever y variety of ainst them, and they Cabinet ag mus t keep the It is, however, amusing to notice their peace. consciousne ss of thei r besetting sin, and the gua rantee which they give that they will resist tempta say they to the Head a tion. It is apprehended, of the Churc h, that if your MAJESTY do permit u s to meet, and debate, and, legislate, we shall over contr o v erted points as to strive so bitterly e xisting institutions, i m peril Christian charity, and our visible unity. Why) yes ; j ust so. YOU have done it already. Nobody pretends that the Church of England is one, or that Evangelicals and Puseyites are models of controversial meek ness, while everybody knows that Churchmen do ten times more to endanger the Church than the Anti-State-Church Association. Well, but the guarantee for good behaviour. It is their "solemn declaration of their hearty acceptance of the doc trinal formularies and liturgical offices of their Church." Why have they not all accepted them most solemnly before, and on oath, and have they not, notwithstanding, made those very Articles and services their endless battle-field ? Why has not their former pledge kept them from de nouncing each other as leading the people to per dition ? When, however, we may ask, has any creed been able to hinder clerical disputatious ness ? None that we know of since the times of POLYOARP and AMICETIIS. Even the Assembly of Scotland, comprising an equal proportion of lay men, could not save itself from a never-to-be cured disruption. The Methodist Synod has several times issued in the fiercest separations ; and if anything could hasten the downfall of the Church of England, we are persuaded it would be to saddle it again with a Clerical Convocation. COURT CIRCULAR. The Queen held a court at one o'clock yesterday after noon, for the reception of an address to the Throne from the Convocation of the Clergy of the province of Canterbury. The members of the Convocation arrived at Bucking ham Palace at a quarter before one o'clock, and were conducted to the Green Drawing-room, the clergy ap pearing in their convocation robes. Her Majesty being seated on her throne, Prince Al bert standing by her side, the Convocation was ushered to the Throne-room by Sir William Martins and Mr. Henry Greville, the Gentlemen Ushers in Waiting. Her Majesty was attended by the Duchess of Suther land, Mistress of the Robes ; the Marchioness of Ely, Lady in Waiting ; the Earl of Aberdeen, K.T., First Lord of the Treasury ; Viscount Palmerston, G.C.8., Secretary of State for the Home Department ' • the Marquis of Lansdowne, K.G . • Earl Granville, Lord President ; the Duke of Argyll;, Lord Privy Seal ; the Duke of Newcastle, Secretary of State for the Colonies ; the Right Hon. William E. Gladstone, Chancellor of the Exchequer; Sir William Molesworth, Chief-Commissioner of Works and Public Buildings ; the Duke of Norfolk, K.G., Lord Steward the Marquis of Breadalbane, K.T., Lord Chamberlain ; the Duke of Wellington, Master of the Horse ; Viscount Combermere, G.C.8., Gold Stick in Waiting ; Lord Foley, Captain of the Hon. Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms ; Viscount Sydney, Captain of the Yeoman of the Guard ; the Earl of Mul grave, Treasurer of the Household ; Lord Ernest Bruce, Vice-Chamberlain ; Lord Drumlanrig, Comptroller of the Household ; Lord Rivers, Lord in Waiting ; Sir Edward Bowater, Groom in Waiting ; Col. F. H. Sey mour, Groom of the Robes ; Col. Bouverie, Silver Stick in Waiting ; Lord Alfred Paget (Clerk-Marshal), Equerry in Waiting ; Col. Colville, Field Officer in Bri gade Waiting ; and Messrs George Gordon Macpherson and Henry Farquharson, Pages of Honour in Waiting. Prince Albert was attended by Lord George Lennox, Lord in Waiting ; Col. Wylde, Groom in Waiting ; and Lieut.-Colonel Hon. Alexander Gordon, Equerry in Waiting. The members of the Convocation entered in fol- lowing order : —The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Rev. John Thomas, Chaplain to his Grace ; Dr. Travers Twiss, the Vicar-General of the province of Canterbury ; Francis Hart Dyke, Esq.. Registrar ; Felix Knyvett, Esq., Apparritor-General ; the Bishops of London, Winchester, Salisbury, Oxford, Chichester, Llandaff, Peterborongh, and Worcester ; the Rev. Dr. Peacock, Dean of Ely, Prolocutor ; and a numerous body of mem bers of the Convocation, including the Rev. Dr. Wilson, Archdeacon Harrison, Archdeacon Hale, Rev. John Jackson, Rev. Dr. Russell, Lord Saye and Sele, Rev. Dr. Wordsworth, the Dean of Worcester, the Dean of Norwich, the Dean of Bristol, Rev. Mr. Majendie, Rev. Dr. Spry, the Dean of Winchester, Archdeacon Deni son, the Archdeacon of Bath, the Rev. John Yardley, Rev. J. Hutchinson, Rev. Henry Arthur Woodgata, &c. The Archbishop of Canterbury having advanced near the Queen, read the address, and kneeling presented it to her Majesty. The Queen returned the following most gracious answer • " I receive with cordial satisfaction the assurances of your loyal and affectionate attachment to my throne and person. " It is my earnest desire to promote the welfare and happiness of all classes of my subjects, by continuing to them the blessings of peace abroad, and by assisting to extend at home the holy influence of religion, which is the only sure foundation on which national prosperity can pei:manently rest. " I thank you for the sympathy which you have ex pressed in my sorrow for the recent loss of the most dis tinguished of my subjects, and I appreciate the value which you attach to that _high sense of duty which he was invariably inspired. " I rely with confidence on your assurances of your desire to preserve harmony in the Church, and to increase its efficiency, while maintaining its doctrines and my supremacy unimpaired ; and I pray that the blessing of God may attend your endeavours to extend widely, throughout all classes of my people, the inestimable benefit of pure and deeply-felt religion." The Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Rev. Dr. Pea cock, Dean of Ely, the Prolocutor, had the honour of kissing hands, and the clergy then retired from the pre sence of the Sovereign. The Hon. Corps of Gentleman at Arms were on duty under the command of the Right Hon. the Captain, the Lieutenant, Sir James Tyler, the Standard Bearer, Major Harmer, and Joseph Skip Lloyd, Esq., Clerk of the Cheque, and Adjutant. The Sub - Offi cers Lieut.-Colonel Nevill and Major Cooke were also present. Her Majesty's Body Guard of Yeomen of the Guard was also on duty in the Palace, under the command of Captain Phibbs , t he Exon in aiting, Sir George Lee, the*Lieutenant, was also present. A Guard of Honour of the Scots Fusileer Guards, with the band of the regiment, was on duty on the Palace Lawn. Her Majesty gave audience to the Earl of Aberdeen and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Her Majesty and Prince Albert honoured the Hay market Theatre with their presence last' evening. The royal suite consisted of the Marchioness of Ely, the Hon. Caroline Cavendish, Lord Rivers, Lord Alfred Paget, and Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. A. Gordon. A Deputation from the Borough of Finsbury, on the subject of Albert Park, had an interview with the Earl of Aberdeen yesterday at his official residence in Downing-street. The deputation consisted of the Right Hon. Lord Robert Grosvenor, M.P., the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, M.P., Sir James Duke, Bart, M.P., Mr. T. S. Duncombe, m.p., Mr. John Masterman, M.P., Mr. Vim. Tyler, Mr. J. J. Downes, Mr. John Barnet, and Mr. James Lloyd. A deputation on the subject of the Darlington and Barnard Castle Railway Bill had an interview with the Right Hon. E. Cardwell and Lord Stanley of Alderley, yesterday, at the Board of Trade. The deputation con sisted of Mr. Joseph Pease ; Mr. Richardson, solicitor ; Mr. Durnford, parliamentary agent ;. and Mr. Bench, engineer. Sir Charles Fox had an interview with Viscount Pal merston yesterday at the Home-office. Mr. Alston had also an interview with the noble viscount. A deputation, consisting of the Earl of Burlington, Lord Monteagle, Mr. Warburton, and Mr. Lefevre, had an interview with the Earl of Aberdeen yesterday at his official residence in Downing-street. Mr. Wodehouse, M.P., had an interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday at his official residence in Downing-street. Dispatches were sent from the Colonial-office yester day to the Governors of the West India Islands. LORD ST. LEONARDS ON THE LAW OP BANKRUPTCY. — Lord St. Leonard's bill on the law of bankruptcy has just been printed by order of the House of Lords. There are 41 clauses in the bill. A bankrupt is to have allowed him 201. of excepted articles, as now allowed by the Insolvent Debtors' Court. Certificates are not to be classified, but a commissioner may express his approba tion on the certificate of the bankrupt's conduct. DIP EMIGRATION COMMISSION.—The Emigration Commissioners dispatched the Harriet, of 1,000 tons, Captain Shaddick, from Southampton for Sydney, yes terday. She took out upwards of 400 emigrants, most of whom were adults, and amongst them were 90 single young women. The accommodations of the Harriet are first-rate, and her fittings up and general arrange , ments excellent. Most of the poor emigrants, who have thus turned their backs upon their native land, probably for ever, are decent farm labourers, great proportion of whom were from Buckinghamshire and some of the south-eastern counties. The Harriet is to be followed by the Ramilies, Captain Hodder ' of 700 tons, on Satur day next. The Ramifies' destination is Adelaide. She will convey about 300 emigrants, most of whom are at present located in the depot at Southampton ; the re mainder are to go by special train from Nine Elms to morrow. The Beta will also leave with emigrants on the 26th instant, and the Coromandel shortly after wards. BARRICADES AT CHRIST CHURCH, OXPORD.—COn siderable excitement prevailed on Tuesday morning at Christ Church, in consequence of the discovery that, during the night, some parties within the walls had raised a formidable barricade in what is called the Dean's Arch, leading from the Great Quadrangle to Peckwater. The barricade consisted of snow and ice, to which addi tional strength was given by coal-bins, slop-pails, coal boxes, water-closet doors, tables, chairs, &c., from various parts of the college. It is supposed, from the size and strength the barricade, that some 40 or 50 persons must have been engaged in its construction, and the effective manner in which it was put together afforded a convincing proof of the skill which even ama teurs can bring to bear in such operations. The disco very was made about six o'clock in the morning, and although several workmen were employed, they only succeeded in making a smalrgangway through the barri cade, to enable the members of the college to pass through to attend the morning service at the cathedral, at eight o'clock. Tho affair has furnished, as might be expected, abundance of amusement, and it is cited as a proof of good generalship that, notwithstanding the Quadrangle was surrounded by canons, the insurrec tionists were enabled to form such a barricade as would have gladdened the heart of any revolutionist. MONEY AND COMIIIB.RCIAL NEWS. CITY, TWO O'CLOCK. The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday were esti mated at 6,000 bales, of which 1,500 American were taken for export and on speculation. The market closed steadily. The sales comprised 4,500 Ameri can 150 Pernam and Maranham at 61d. to 60., 140 Bahia at 6/4:1. to 6d., 200 Egyptian at 7-id. to is. ()id., 800 Surat 4d. to 44d., and 60 Sea Island at Is. 81d. to is. Hid per lb. Railway Shares were dull. To-day there are numerous public sales of sugar and coffee. The six weeks' average price of wheat is 455. 9d., and the last week's sales were 79,428 quarters. The indigo sale yesterday went off with spirit, the larger proportion being Madras and Kurpah, which sold well. Madras, from last sale prices, to 2d. per lb. advance ; Kurpah, last sale prices, to 3d. per lb. advance for ordinary, and 6d. to Bd. for good to fine. For Bengal indigo there is no alteration to notice. 1,678 chests have passed to day, of which 603 were withdrawn, 250 bought in, and 900 sold. Total quantity passed 8,074 chests up to last evening. The annual returns to the sth of January of the export trade of the United Kingdom aro very en couraging, the increase compared with 1851 being about 3,000,0001. The mail with the Brazilian and Buenos Ayrea mails is just telegraphed. At the half-yearly meeting this morning of the Northern and Eastern Railway proprietors, the following report was adopted : " The directors have to report to the proprietors that the dividend on the respective shares of this company, for the half-year ending the 31st of December last, will become payable on and after Friday, the 25th inst., and will be as follows, viz. :—On shares guaranteed 5 per cent. per annum, 1/. ss. each ; on shares guaranteed 6 per cent. per annum, 1/. 10s. each, less property tax." Strange as it may appear, there has been a rumour in some quarters this morning that the Bank of England Directors, at their weekly meet ing, would advance the minimum rate of discount. The circumstance of a further large decrease in the bullion is the cause assigned, but the amount of specie is evidently not the sole regulator of the value of discounts, otherwise they would be lower I now than last year. The great point is to regulate the foreign exchanges, and to check excessive specu lation. This has been partially accomplished, and there is fair ground for awaiting the arrival of the next Australian steamers due. At Liverpool yes terday there was a very general belief that the Bank would this morning advance its rate of dis count, and that the Exchequer Bill reduction would not be successfully carried out, consequently a funding must be resorted to. We went so fully into this matter yesterday, that it is superfluous to dwell upon such an improbable contingency, although it may suit the purpose of speculators to entertain the idea. In our observations yesterday the omission of a stop rather altered the sense of one passage, which was in substance that the Bank of England, if necessary, would as usual assist the Chancellor of the Exchequer in carrying out his measure. The Funds have been a little weaker, on account of the realisation of profits by some parties after the recent advance, and a rumour of the intended enhancement of the rate of discount. The rise in the quotation of the Bentee at Paris, where a very favourable impression has been excited by the con versation in our Parliament, should be in fav our of Consols which have fluctuated from 99i for transfer, and 99g- to At Paris the idea prevails that the Bank here will reduce the rate of discount, but this we deem premature. The premium on Exche quer Bills is 355. to 455. for those yielding lid.. and 255. to 355. for those advertised to be paid off, and to pay upon renewal only id. The New Three-and a-Quarter per Cents. are 1038 to 1 3-, and the Three per Cents. 100# to Nothing has been done in Bank Stock. India Stock also is nominally the same. India Bonds are 50s. to 60s. premium. Foreign Securities have been firm, though quiet. The Swedish Loan is lg to 1 discount. Venezuela Deferred Bonds are at 144. Mexican Stock has a t h b leTy. The improved to 23i. Brazilian New per Cents. are 97i. Dutch 4 per Cents. are at 98. Sardi nian stock is rather higher. aelisaShares r2e t s. gricultural are up 5/ are better. Great The Land Companies' Sh are s aro r i s i ng cons id er - e o u u T t h h e l e d A m u s Australianitnr . 2and Nugget Vein have touched 6 and 6i. Nouveau Monde are dearer. The Joint Stock Bank Shares are quieter. The last week's railway receipts, ascertained up to this day, are in round figures as under 1853. 1852. Great Western 15,828 14,031 North Western 42,325 40,683 South Western 9,127 8,366 Brighton Midland 21,821 20,328 South Eastern Caledonian Great Northern Lancashire and Yorkshire 17,038 16,056 York and North Midland Newcastle and Berwick 14,253 13,548 The Railway Share Market is good, with some few exceptions. Midland are lower, because the dividend is i per Cent. less than some expected. Aberdeen are buoyant, and Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee are up very decidedly, say 2/. to 3/. French Shares are firm, with very little doing. pRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY. (From, the Official List.) Business done. Bank Stock 3 per Cent. Reduced Annuities loog i i 3 per Cent. Consols Annuities New 3/ per Cent. Annuities l o3g g Long Annuities, Expire sth Jan., 1860 — Ditto 30 Years, Expire 10th Oct., 1859 India Bonds, £lOOO 6O Ditto, under £lOOO 5O Consols for Account 10th March 99 i i i i Exchequer Bills lid. Mach. June £1000................ ...................... 45 35 £5OO Small Ditto Advertised 45 25 35 20 30 PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY. Brazilian Bonds, 5 per Cent. — Ditto New, 1852, 41 per Cent 97i Ditto New Bonds, 1829 & 39, 5 per Cent lO3 Buenos Ayres Bonds, 6 per Cent 63 Mexican 3 per Cent Peruvian Deferred 3 per Cent 62g 3 Portuguese 4 per Cent. 39 Russian Bonds, 5 per Cent. Ditto, 4 per cent lO4 Sardinian Bonds, 5 per Cent............. impish Bonds, 3 per Cent 4 71 2 Spanish New Deferred, 3 per Cent 23 f Spanish Passive (Converted) si Spanish Committee Cert. of Coup. not fun 4B p a Swedish Loan Li i g d Venezuela Bonds 3i per Cent. — x d Ditto Deferred,lper Cent l4i Dutch Exchange 2a per Cent 6 51 2 Ditto 4 per Cent. Certificates......... . THREE O'CLOCK. Consols Ditto March Account 9 99 9 1 THE MUTUAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY.—The annual meeting of the Mutual Life Assurance Society was held in the London Tavern yesterday,' Mr. R. F. Davis in the chair. The directors peesented a very favourable report, from which it appeared that of 228 proposals made last year, 174 had been completed, and while the assurances in force rn Deeember 31, 1851, were 1,367 for 874,3471., the premiums amounting to 29,0581., the assurances in force in December 31, 1852, were 1,492 for 931,0281., the premiums amounting to 31,1721. Of 49 assurances written off in 1852, only eleven were for claims by death, 12 were purchased by the society, and the remainder were forfeited, or had expired. Advantage had been taken of the high. price of the public funds to realise a considerable pro portion of the society's stock, and invest it in mort gages of land and other securities. Nearly 25,0001. had been added in the year to the invested capital, making a total closely approaching to 200,000/. ; and the annual income had increased more than 3,0001., being now 39,3001. A vote of thanks to the directors was followed by a vote of thanks to Mr. Brown, the actuary, which was proposed by the Rev. T.J. Rowsell ; and the chairman having, in reply to Mr. Sharp, of Southampton, stated that since the discovery of gold and the positive insecurity for life at the " dig gings," the directors had restricted their policies to the Australian colonies, so that all persons might now go to the Australian colonies, and to all parts of them except the " diggings," without paying extra premium beyond that exigible for sea-risk, the proceedings terminated. MULTI( Or LONDON DURING THE WEEK.—The increase of mortality announced in the previous return appears to have been fully maintained last week. In the week that ended Saturday, sth February, the deaths registered daily reargao were 1,220 ; in the week ending 12th February, there were 1,235. The effect of the cold weather has been to shorten the lives of more than 450 persons in a fortnight ; the number who died in Januaay, weekly, having been less on the average than 1,000. Last week the births of 849 boys and 804 girls, in all 1,653 children, were regis tered in London. In the eight corresponding weeks of from thanThndewet daily h t l nphe point aenoanmtuv south h ga t . the years 1845-52 the average number was 1,427. At the Royal Observaiory, Greenwich, the mean height of the barometer in t ,s h tvrT e fhho w ueic e rhw ek idnisa w dyl:s a s. s ws 2 bhT 9 yi . ch 2 h3The l .6b s mled i e n emweali . gea. r o b s n l . e M w o ir n o d m a y t , h e fel l northto 800; temperature was below the average on every day of the week, except Monday, when it scarcely exceeded the average. On Friday and Saturday it was less than the average, by 6 deg. and 8 deg. The mean of the week r 7 i p o d r e tl:l t e otowu h a nf a s e rt t geh3 o w n 4 beginningSaturday..hBtsameihedeh deg., ea o es f k3 t hiB:B3wdBe deg. on • e was 29.2 deg, ELECTION COMMITTEES.- ( THIS DAY.) LANCASTER. The Committee appointed to inquire into the petition against the return of Mr. Armstrong, the siting mem ber for this borough, met for the first time this morning ; Mr. Divett in the chair. Mr. Mere wether and Mr. Sergeant Wrangbam at tended on behalf of the petitioners, and Mr. Monk and Mr. Wheeler appeared for the sitting member. Mr. Sergeant WRANGHAM, in opening the case, said that he very much questioned if what was generally asserted, viz., that bribery had diminished of late years, was true. He had little doubt of being able to show to the • Committee, that in Lancaster bribery had been carried on to a considerable extent during the late election. The large body of electors in that borough were men whose poverty would induce them to accept a bribe. The total number of electors was about 1,600, some of the freemen were scattered in more than 30 townships, and this gave great oppor tunity for treating. In the year 1837 two members were returned, one of whom, Mr. Green, has retained his seat till the last election ; and it was remarkable that at last election, Mr. Green should find his large majority converted into a minority, while his political opinions remained the same. This fact could only be accounted for in this manner at the last election. There were four candidates, Mr. Green, Mr. Armstrong, Mr. Gregson, and Mr. Ellice. At this election at the close of the poll the numbers were : Gregson 699 Armstrong 690 Green 609 Ellice 432 And so Mr. Green lost his seat. The cause that led to this result he had no doubt would be made manifest by the evidence he should bring forward. He would not contend that his learned friend was guilty of transactions which would not bear the light ; but if any of his agents had been so, he must bear the responsibility. The case was proceeding when our report left. CANTERBURY. The select committee to inquire into this petition met this morning. The counsel for the petitioners were Mr. Sergeant Kingslake, Mr. James, Q.C., and Mr. Elliott; and the sitting members were represented by Mr. Sergeant Wrangham and Mr. Merewether. When Colonel Seymour had taken the chair, Mr. MEREWETHER said that the sitting members would acknowledge great indiscretion on the part of their agents, and were willing, if the petition were with- drawn, to resign their seats. Mr. Sergeant KINGSLAKE said that the petitioners were in a position to prove the existence of bribery and treating, and this would be made manifest by the evi dence he should bring before the committee. Mr. MEREWETHER said—That although undoubtedly indiscretion had been committed, he should be able to vindicate the sitting members. Mr. Sergeant KINGSLAKE then proceeded to open the case. The petition alleged that a systematic course of bribery had been carried on. The learned counsel then proceeded to explain this system. It had been cus tomary to distribute what were called colourmen's tickets. These tickets simply meant that the holder was entitled to receive a certain sum of money. At the last election Mr. Romilly and Sir W. Somerville refused to coun tenance this system, and upon this many of the electors transferred their votes to the present sitting members. At the last election, any elec tor, willing to vote for Messrs. Johnston and Gibbs, would send intimation to the committee, upon which he would receive a document, to take to Mr. Smith, a coachmaker, and he would, on the document, write the names of two persons, and these tickets were made available for sums varying from ten shillings to a pound. A coloured ticket also entitled the holder to a shilling's worth of refreshment at a Conservative house. There were three persons—Taylor, Vincent, and Wilson—who also distributed messengers' tickets to those who would vote for the sitting members. Those messengers were, in reality useless, but it was a good pretext for paying for votes. The case was proceeding when the report left. TAVISTO CK. The select committee appointed to inquire into the allegation alleged in this petition, met to-day at half-past twelve o'clock; Lord Robert Grosvernor in the chair. The petitioners were represented by Mr. Alexander, Q.C., and Mr. Lopez ; and Mr. Jenkins, Mr. Lauder, and Mr. Thomas appeared on behalf of the sitting members. Mr. ALEXANDER, Q.C. in opening the case, said that this petition was n ot founded, as most election petitions were, on any charge of treating or bribery. The only fact that the petitioners alleged against the sitting mem ber was want of qualification, and that such want ex isted, he was in a position, he believed, to satisfy the committee. The case was proceeding when our reporter left. MARLBOROUGH-STREET.-(THIS DAY.) DARING ROBBERY.—.Tehn Perry, an ill-looking young fellow, was placed at the bar before Mr. Bingham, charged with stealing a tray containing three gold and four silver watches, value 301., the property of Mr. Roger Roberts, watchmaker, 116, Great Tichfield-street. Smith, 340 A, an active and intelligent officer, deposed that about nine o'clock last night he was proceeding down Great Portland-street, and when midway between Market-street and Portland-street he heard the cry of " Stop thief." He ran into Market-street, and then saw the prisoner running as fast as he could with a great mob behind him, calling' out, " Stop him—stop thief." Witness having drawn his staff, ran towards the pri soner and knocked him down, and took from his posses sion the tray containing the three gold and four silver watches now produced. The prosecutor at that moment came up and identified the watches as his property. Mr. Roberts said about nine o'clock last night he was in his shop, when he was much alarmed by hearing a square of glass in his shop window smashed in, and on looking round he saw some person's hand seize hold of a tray of watches, which quickly disappeared. He directly ran out into the street and saw the prisoner with the tray.of watches in his hand running down the street. Witness pursued him, and came up with him just as he had been " floored" by last witness. The watches were his pro perty, and worth 30/. Mr. Bingham thought much credit was due to the constable for the manner in which he had acted in the matter. He (Mr. Bingham) then committed the prisoner for trial. ERECTION OF A NEW TATTERSALL'S IN SOUTHWARK.— A very spacious and commodious building is now being erected on a large plot of ground opposite the Elephant and Castle, in the parish of St. George's, Southwark, on the site formerly occupied by the old Fishmongers' Alms Houses. It is to be called "Tattersall's Repository for the Sale of Horses and transacting the Racing business now carried on at Tattersall's at the West-end." The contractors are Messrs. Piper ; and the building and offices, when completed, will have a very handsome ap pearance on the Surrey side of the water. On the north and east sides, which front the St. George's -road and the Newington-road, handsome shops will shortly be erected, and among them a large and commodious hotel. The ground rents will yield a very large sum annually to the Fishmongers' Company, under whose architect the buildings will be erected. ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH CQMPANY.—The half-yearly meeting of this company was held yesterday, in Loth bury, Mr. J. L. Ricardo, M.P., in the chair. The Se cretary Mr. J. S. Fourdrinier, read the balance-sheet. The capital account to the 31st of December showed that the shares amounted to 330,0001., the debenture fund to 64,0001., liabilities to 44,9851., and reserve fund 73,4031., total 512,388 ; and that 470,993/. had been ex pended, leaving a balance of 32,395/. The revenue account gave the receipts for messages, &c., at 40,0871., leaving a balance over the expenditure of 13,855/. The balance, after the payment of the dividend of 64 per cent., would leave a sum of 3,1301. to be carried to the reserved fund. The balance-sheet having been passed, the chairman moved that a dividend of 64 per cent , free of income-tax, be now declared. Th e reso l ut i o n was unanimously agreed to. It was also agreed that the directors do make such arrangements as they see fit for carrying out a continental telegraphic communica tion. Thanks were then voted to the chairman and the directors ,and the meeting separated. SERIOUS ACCIDENT AT AN IRON FOUNDRY.—This morning, an accident which is likely to terminate with fatal consequences, occurred in the iron factory of Mr. Cutler, Great Queen-Street, Lincoln's Inn-fields, under the following circumstances :—lt appears that some men were engaged in bolting an immense iron boiler, two of whom were in the interior, and a man named Samuel Wills, who resides in Besbury-place, Vauxhall-road, was employed on the outside in driving the bolts (large rivets) one of which, having been found too large for the ori fice, in consequence of not " going home," although driven with a hammer of immense weight, he directed it to be knocked out again, in order to have its size re duced. After two or three blows from the sledges of the men inside, it flew out with most terrific violence, strik ing Wills in the ribs, directly beneath the region of the heart. Such was the impetus with which the bolt flew, that the unfortunate man was knocked down and rendered insensible. Surgical assistance was instantly procured, but the injuries sustained being so extensive, it was recommended to have him removed to King's College Hospital, which, having been done, it was as certained that he had sustained several fractures of the ribs, besides having been injured internally, and but faint hopes are entertained of his recovery. BOARD OP TRADE RETURNS.—The accounts relating to the trade and navigation of the United Kingdom, for the year ending the sth January, 1853, afford satis factory evidence of the prosperity of trade and commerce. Upon an analysis of these returns, when compared with those for six preceedmg years it appears that the value of the exp or t s o f B r i t i sh and Irish produce and manufac tures, durin g 1852, s h ows an i ncrease over 1851 of 2,897,9471. ; an increase over 1850 of 5,673,516/. ; an increase over 1849 of 12,518,6651. ; an increase over of 1848 of 22,483,2231. ; an increase over 1847 20,423,750/. ; an d an i ncr ease over 1846 of 20,202,48 81 . THE SOMERSETSHIRE MILITIA.—The 2d Regimentof Somersetshire Militia is about to be increased by theim mediate enrolment of 370 men, the compliment ferlBs3 i making it 1,000 strong. It has determinedbse fo n rtraihg till the that the regiment shall not be called out spring is further advanced, when it will assemble in full force for 28 days. We understand that a large number from of recruits are offering themselves, and, the returns from the overseers of parishes of men desirous of joining the force, not the slightest difficulty is anticipated in forming the full strength of the regiment with picked men. LOUIS KOSSUTH AND THE ITALIANS. The following note has been addressed to our selves by Captain Mayne Reid, enclosing, as Will be seen, a somewhat remarkable communication addressed to one of our morning contemporaries• In our leading columns of this evening we have referred more directly to the very curious docu ments here subjoined : TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. -1 30, Parkfield-street, Islington, Feb. 16, 1853. Sir,—l regret that lam a stranger to you, but I have 9 ' confidence that your sense of " fair play" will influence you to insert the accompanying letter in your journal of to morrow. I need hardly add that the facts which it states have been drawn from an authentic source.—With high respect, sir, I am, &c., MAYNE REID. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMER• Sir,—ln your journal of the 10th inst., appears a tele" graphic dispatch announcing an insurrection in Milan; and underneath, in the same column, a document which you state " purports to be from Kossuth," and to which is ap pended the name of that gentleman. Now, sir, M. Kossuth either did write that document, or he did not. If he did, and you have published it without his authorisation, you have committed, by all the laws of honour in this land, a dishonourable act. If he did not write it, you have committed, by the laws of justice in this land, a criminal act. I charge you with the commit tal of both. You are guilty of the latter, and the latter, like a parenthesis, embraces the former. You have published that document without any authori sation from the man whose name is subscribed to it ; and upon the day following, in an additional article, you have declared its authenticity, as a proclamation addressed by M. Kossuth from Bayswater, for the purpose of engaging the Lombard and Hungarian patriots in the late insurrec tion at Milan. As such, sir, in the name of M. Kossuth, I disavow the document. I pronounce it to be a forgery. It remains with M. Kossuth to bring you before tho bar of the law. It has become my duty to arraign you before the tribunal of public opinion. I charge you, then, with having given utterance to $ forged document, which was calculated to reflect with a damning influence upon the fame of its reputed author. Such conduct is in any case culpable. In yours it is inex cusable, since you daily tell us that " whatever is intended for insertion must be authenticated by the name and address of the writer." But this is not all, sir. In the editorial referred to you take occasion to speak of the man whose name has been thus abused in a tirade of vengeful invective, whose ept• thets I, as a gentleman, shall not condescend to reproduce. Calling the false proclamation " bombastic fustian," yob hate charged M. Kossuth with aiding to incite the late in surrection in Milan, and thereby causing the wanton shed- ' ding of blood—of " hallooing on the wretched victims to 1 certain destruction, while he himself enjoys the most per feet personal security under the guardianship of British law." This is a serious charge, and, if not true, a slander which, by the mildest construction must be termed both cruel and atrocious. It I'4 not true. It is a slander, and I feel con fident that all who read will pronounce it, as I have done, cruel and atrocious. ----- • With regard to its first clause, I here affirm that it. Kossuth had not only no part in exciting the Italians to 6 revolution at this time ; but, that, up to the latest moment, he opposed such an ill-judged and premature movement with all the might of his counsel. He had weighty reason* for so doing. Perhaps you, sir, may know what these " weighty reasons " are; but whether you do or not, I am not going to declare them for the benefit of Ate' trian ears. That is not the question now, but your charge is ; to which I oppose the affirmation that it is not true. With regard to the latter clause o f your quoted assertion, I have thus to answer : that the moment in which M. Kossuth received the news of the insurrection in Milan—and which came upon him as unexpectedly upon any man in England —upon that moment he hurried to make preparation for his departure to the scene of action. Although filled with a prophetic apprehension that the affair would turn out to be an entente, and not a national revolution, he, nevertheless, resolved to fling his body into the struggle. I, who was to have had the honour of sharing his dangers, can bear testimony to the zeal with which ,he was hurrying to face them, wh en hi s purpose was frustrated by the news that the insurrection was crushed. were I to detail, as I may one day be called upon to do , the sacrifices which he made to effect that abject, the slanders, sir, which you have uttered against him would recoil still more bitterly upon yourself. For the present I content myself with the assertion of the fact ; but s hould you render it necessary I am ready with the proofs. But no such explanation was needed to shield Low Kossuth from your unmanly accusation. Shall I recal circumstance in the life of that heroic man to refute you. You, sir, must know it well. It has been recorded in the columns, and engraven in the tablets, of history. In Ass(l. , , 1849, upon the banks of the Danube, stood Louis Kossutn• On one side was the avenging Austrian, thirsting for his blood, on the other his weak and wavering protector, who had declared that unless he—Kossuth—and his assn b te s would consent to abandon the religion of their fathers, thei must be yielded up, to what ? On the part of Kossuth'? death—certain death—upon the ignominious scaffold. In, this perilous crisis, others, less compromised, accepted 11 t 1 1 upon the terms proposed. What did Kossuth when came to his turn to speak ? He uttered these words of gleq i : "Death, death upon the scaffold, in preference to su ch terms for life ! Accursed be the tongue that could make '''' me such an infamous proposal." In such language, at such a time, there is no ~ borabss tic fustian." I could believe that there were men incap able of comprehending the sublime courage—the virtue of such an act ; but I did not b e li eve there cratedh a man in all En g land who would h ave th e off/via t° r ii r e hero t 7. positive and palpabl e meanness —t o stigmatise the -- that act with a charge of cowardi ce . Such, sir, are the facts connected with this affair. Ir Cla Y at some future time treat you to a few opinions, and re view more copiously the history of your conduct in relation to M. Kossuth. Meanwhile I leave you to purify rm . soiled escutcheon as you best may.—l am, sir, y ou rs obe diently, Feb. 15. MAYNE REID. P.S.—Feb. 16th.—Sir,—In your journal of this morn ing, instead of publishing the above letter, you have notice 4 it in a short paragraph, worthy of the pen that would malign a patriot. But do not imagine that you are to escape thus easily from the unpleasant position in whie, you have placed yourself. I n thi s coun t r y th e character of a gentleman, though he be a stranger, is not to be wantonly assailed with impunity ; and you, sir, shall be as amenehtf to the laws of honour and justice as the meanest citizen the land. at You say, in relation t o y our pseu d o proc l ama ti o n, that you "had good re ason f or b e li ev i ng it t o b e genu i ne , an d shall certainly not discredit it without better authorlti than that of Mayne Reid.'" If you had no better authority for publishing it t hil l what is implied by the tenor of the above paragraPuP. fancy you will have some diffi cu lt y i n exp l ain i ng to Y r , ' readers why you published it a t a ll, and to y o ur country; men why —so long as a doubt existed in your mind a its genuineness —you took advantage of the sentiments eta pressed by it to d e f ame the character of its reputed author. You take occasion to characterise my letter as " absurall bombastic language." It i s before the public as &bun Let them be th e j u d ges ; and the only favour I should. *I of them wo u ld . be, to read your editorial article upon the same subject. Having given yours a prior perusal, I satisfied that their ears will not be so delicately attuned to be jarred by the " absurdly bombastic" of mine. a Bombastic s eems t o b e a f avourite p h rase with you ; and for the styl e it se lf no wr i ter in England is more accustom f to its usage th an th a t myth i cal personage—the e ditor o the Times. alll Your sneer at the " au th or i ty of Mayne Reid" is eV ho characteristic. It is true lam but a plain gentleman, •a But I c li makp my living, like yourself, by literature. Bu , „,„ a not calculate upon the statement of a plain gent le 'Thi having any weight with you. In my letter I o ffered r to full proofs of m y assertions. You do not seem iuclineti call them forth. And now, sir, one word more. If you flatter 7ou llel t t i , that, by means of bold swagger and personal invectiveZ; y . can cover your misdeeds, you are sadly mistaken. Y° ll insult the understanding of Englishmen, as you repeal do, with your wordy sophistry, and mystify the 13 . the who " run as they read"—l sir' have a higher faith In ~s t , intelligence of my countrymen 'and a full confidence t c r a . the majority of them have heads clear enough to tin , 1 4 stand, and hearts pure enough to repudiate, an unPr °v°ll. and unproven slunder.—l am, Sir, &c., MAYNB PARLIAMENTARY DI VISION. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—FEB. 16. COUNTY ELECTIONS POLLS BILLS. I, Motion mad e , an d Q ues ti on propose d—" That the 131 , be now read th e thi r d ti me : "—A men d men t preP° 9e A , a to leave out th e wor d " now ," an d a t the end of °.; Question to a dd the wo r ds, "upon this (191 Si months :"—Question put—" That the word ` lll° ,` . stand part of the question :"—The house div ide" Ayes, 129, Noes 28. AYES. A'Court, C. H. W. Fitzgerald, J. D. 3!nre, Col. ~..13 1 Alcock, Thomas Fitzgerald, Sir J. F. Oliveira, BM: — Anderson, Sir James Fitzroy, Henry Osborne, Rai''' . Armstrong, R. h. Forster, C. Otway, A • J•...5.e. Vie Baring, Sir F. T. French, Fitzstephen Pollard- Tirnw— Barnes, Thomas Geach, Charles Price, W. r., k. Barrow, Wm. H. Goderich, Viscount Robartes , T..'. Beaumont, W. B. Goo:d. W. Russell, F. A. Bell, James Greene, John Sawle, C. IL,: Berkeley, Granville Gregson, Samuel Seholefleld. w • Blacken, J. F. Booker, T. W. GreyGr ev :1 s l e j„r Colonel G. s Sco eym be o ll ur , c , a j P ,o t r • :l Bouverie, E. P. nadtleld, George Seymour, IL. '','. Boyle, Colonel Barer, W. G. Seymour, W . •" Brotherton, Joseph Headlaro. T. E. Sheo, Willis ° •,r, Brown, W. Heatheote, Sir G. I. Shelley , sir ' 1 0 " e 'vj• Burke, Sir T. Heathcote, Gilbert H. Smith, Jolu_i . s, ~u tler, Charles S. Hamby, D. O'Connor Smith , Rt. _ l4 . ', 1 ,.. Byng, G. H. Charles Hervey, Lord Alfred Sotheron, T__,' Carter, Samuel Heywood, James Stanley. L Oi- iQ. 0* Chambers, Thomas Hindley, Charles Stanlni, l"• • Charteris, F. Hutt, William St a pleton,H on, E• Cheetham, John Ingham, R. Saar, Rt. , Child, Smith Jermyn, Earl Swift, Itichar.s. Clay, James Kennedy, Tristram Thicknesse,o Clay, Sir William Kershaw, James TbornelY ,l * Clifford, Henry M. King, P. J. L. Tuthell, 11. 0. Cobden, Richard Kinnaird, A. F. Vernon. (1 * 15. -41 Cowper, W. F. Kirk, Willi am Warner, E dWa' Craufurd, E. Langton, li. G. Welts, W. s Crook, Joseph Lay ar d, A. 11. Wk I tbre ad, _ . Iv • Cros•ley, F. Legh, G. C. Wilkinson, Cubitt, Alderman . Lewis, Sir Ti F. Currie, Raikes Liddell, H. G. Nv i s li o a n n , w ka fLew A. Divett, Edward Loveden, P. W i se , John J' S. Drummond, Henry Lowe, Robert WortleY , w• Duke, Sir James M ack i nnon, W . A. Wrigbt' lc 11, Duncan, George M'G regor, Jo h n Wyvlll , Jo hn D uncoil' be, T. Massey, W. N. young, S ir Eccles, W. Meagher, Thomas Ewart, William Miali, Edward 11. 1011. Fagan, W. Fergus,rguson J. Mills,illies g' Sir Robert , a T. W. Robert ' $ . M M Fe Ferguson, Joseph Morris, D. mot, j no o r o , Lo_____d Oleg $. NOES. ....hope, .1 J-. Arbuthnott, General Katchbull, W. F. P" -- e , Sir Trope' ) r O. Arkwright, G. Lovame, Lord Tyler , Si O. /1. • Butt, Geo. Medd Maddook, Sir T. H. . mart, 0, i.• I , au s . l. i Clinton, Lord Robert Miller, T. J. wmdillfig _i on 6ir - Deedea, 'W. Millq, A. Willougl"' Forester, Colonel Moody William Fra.er, Sir W. A . Palmer, R o b e rt 00. 05 ' Graham, Lord M. W. Parker, lt. T• colo o , el Gwyn, Howel Repton, G. W. J. •toorP• - oaPP SI „,. • ni Hawkins W. W. smijili, Sir W. 6 poonv., Hotham, ' Lord Smith, W. M.