The Sun. — London, England, 1847-12-25 00:00:00

7 IT ning LONDON. SATURDAY. DECEMBER 25, 1847. A better opportunity than the present could scarely have occurred for taking a dispassionate view of the state of the nation, and of the posture of the political interests of Great Britain. The inaugura tion of a Liberal Cabinet under the premiership of Lord JOHN RUSSELL, took place in the midst of such unexampled confusion among parties, and was so immediately anterior to the dissolution of a prolonged Parliament, as to present but little room for deliberate reflection. An observer must necessarily have been baffled in his conjectures as to the future course of the Legislature, at a time when the House of Com mons was the arena of the most turbulent discussions ever recorded in the pages of Hansard. While the disappointed minority of the Conservatives—the resi • due or dross of Toryism, called, from the principle in defending which they had been vanquished, Pro teetionists—were gratifying their spleen by their vituperations, and their hatred by their calumnies, there was little chance of obtaining anything like an accurate idea of the actual position of the different grades and classes of politicians. The downfal of the structure of agricultural monopoly was too extraordi nary a catastrophe to transpire without some equally extraordinary commotion. The citadel of Protec tion was not only stormed by the Anti-Corn law League, and captured by the irresistible force of Public Opinion—it was overthrown ; not a stone was left upon a stone ; it was destroyed and uprooted. On the 22d of November, 1845, the structure was undermined by the memorable letter addressed to hii constituents by Lord JOHN RUSSELL, then the Leader of the Opposition. On the 22d of January, 1846, it was as though the fane of Monopoly had been blown into the air, and Conservatism scattered to the winds of heaven, by the celebrated speech delivered before Parliament by Sir ROBERT PEEL, then the Prime Minister:of England. That speech was the signal for uproar and distraction. The announcement of the conversion of the Administration to the Free Trade doctrines was like the explosion of a bomb-shell. It carried dismay and ruin into the hitherto impregnable stronghold of C mservatism. It aroused a hubbub among the refractory Members such as had not re sounded within the walls of St. Stephen's Chapel since the agitation of Parliamentary Reform and Catholic Emancipation. Animosities were suddenly enkindled ; a yearning for retaliation grew into a thirst for vengeance ; the sarcastic taunts of the rhetorician were cast aside as insufficient weapons of attack ; the First Lord of the Treasury was boldly impeached as somethin g little short of a murderer— as the coldblooded destroyer of Mr. CANNING. The Lower House became a Bab e l o f politician s ;the very topography, so to speak, of its ben c h es was a thing unknown and incomprehensibl e . Since these circumstances occurred a very consider able interval has elapse d. 'flee smok e and dust of the f legislative conflict have subsided. Passions have, in a great measure, been allayed by reflection, andthe confused bands of the belligerent senators have again ranged thee.selves into something like the order of their ancient .discipline. The Russell Cabinet has already entered upon a second session, and a new Parliament has been elected. A time of compara tive tranquillity has arrived, therefore, such as is best calculated to afford an opportunity for estimating the condition and prospects, the present and the future of the empire. This opportunity has not been over looked by the Edinburgh Review. As the quarterly organ of the Liberals, it adventures upon a pathway of cautious indication—the juste milieu, we may call it, between conjecture and prophecy. It does this, moreover, while it acknowledges that "political par ties, broken up, thrown into confusion, and almost pulverized by the events of 1846, have not hardened again into a new and compact adhesion." Before, however, he commences his labour of guess- StYN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING,_ DECEMBER $l5l land. The duties, however, of all without exception, as they are contained in the code of Christian mo rality, come within the legitimate sphere of the priest's instructions. With regard to the observation of some not being amenable to the discipline of the Catholic Church, I have only to remark that justice and humanity do not exclusively belong, or at least should not, to any peculiar body of Christians, and that the inculcation of those duties should form the theme of every pastor's instructions. True, the Catholic pastor cannot subject the violators of justice or humanity not belonging to the Catholic Church to its rigorous penances and satisfactions, but that does not preclude his right of denouncing aggressions on the rights of justice and humanity belonging to his flock from any quarter. Such was the feeling, such too the practice of the ancient fathers who de nounced the cruelties and persecutions of pagans and heretics against their flocks without thinking they were guilty of any inroad on the rights of others. "I fear I have tired your Lordship; if so, I re • spectfully crave your kind indulgence. My very pro lixity will impress your Lordship with the conviction that I am anxious that our conduct should not stand in an unfavourable light with a nobleman whose here ditary zeal for the glory of the Catholic Church, and the good name of its priesthood, is well worthy of the many accumulated titles to respect which he has in herited from his ancient house. " I have the honour to be, my Lord, your Lord ship's most respectful and obedient servant, "JOHN ARCHBISHOP OF TUAM. " To the Right Honourable the Earl of Arundel and Surrey." THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Uhler the Management of Mr. R. Webster, sole Lessee. MONDAY EVENING, Will be rerfbrmed Sheridan's Comedy of THE RIVALS. Sir An thony Absolute, Mr. Farren ; Captain Absolute, Mr. H Farren ; Faulkland, Mr. Creswick ; Acres, z. Webster; Sir Lucius O'Trig ger, Mr. Hudson ; Fag, Mr. Rrindal ; David, Mr. Keeley ; 4.tiaprop, Mrs. Glover: Lydia Languish, Mrs. Nisbett ; Julia, Miss Fortescue ; Lucy, Mrs. Humby. To conclude with a New and Original Burlesque Spectacle entitled THE WORLD UNDERGROUND; or, the. Golden Flute and the Brazen Waters. Stage Manager, Mr. Farren ; Acting Manager, Mr. F. Web:ter. J. T. Archer, Box-book keeper. Boxes, ss. ; 3s. ; Gallery, 2s. ; Upper Gallery, Is. Doors open at Half-past Six, Performance to commence at Seven, THEATRE ROYAL, ADELPJII. Under the direction o: Madame Celeste. ON MONDAY EVENING. Will be presented an entirely new Piece, entitled the PEARL OF THE OCEAN ; or, the Prince and the Mermaiden. Principal cha racters by Messrs. Waye, P. Bedford, Wright, Munyard, Glennaire, Cullenford, and Worrell ; Miss Woolgar, Miss Emma Harding, Miss Ellen Chaplin, Mrs. Laws, and Madame Celeste. To conclude with an Italian Pantomime, entitled PIERROT, the Married Man; and POLICIIINELLO, the Gay Single Fellow. Boxes, 45.; Pit, 2s. ; Gallery, Is. Doors open at Halt-past Sir, Performance to commence at Seven. ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE. Under the Management of Madame Vestris. Sole Lessee, Mr. Charles Mathews. MONDAY EEENING, Will be presented new Comic Drama, entitled THE TRA GEDY QUEEN. After which, a New Fairy Extravaganza., entitled THE GOLDEN BRANCH. To conclude with a Comic Drama, called A ROUGH DIAMOND. Dress Boxes, ss. ; Upper B•xes, 4s. ; Pit, 2s. ; Gallery, Is. N• half-price to any part of the house. The Icew Box-office, No. 2, Wellington-street, is open t• the rablic evt.ry day, from Ten till Six. The Interior of the House has been entirely re-designed by Mr. W. Bradwell of the Colosseum. PRINCESS'S THEATRE. MONDAY EVENING, Will be presented the Tragedy of THE GAMESTER. Mr. Be verley, Mr. Cooper ; Stukely, Mr. Ryder ; Lewson. Mr. Conway ; Bates, Mr. C. Fisher; Jarvis, Mr. Gilbert; Dawson, Mr. Norton; Mrs. Beverley, Miss Emmeline Montague ; Charlotte, Miss Susan Cushman ; Betty, Miss Somers. To conclude with a new Christmas Pantomime. entitled OLD FATHEit TIME; or, Harlequin and the Four Seasons. Dress Circle, 55.: Boxes, 45.; Pit, 2s. ; Gallery, Is. ROYAL SURREY THEATRE. Lessee, Mrs. F. Davidge, So. 1, Davidge-terrace, Kensington-road, Surrey. MONDAY EVENING, Will be performed the Tragedy of THE EARL OF WARWICK. King Edward, Mr. F. Vining ; Earl of Warwick, Mr. H. Hughes ; Duke of Clarence, Mr. Constantine ; Earl of Pembroke, Mr. H. Horn castle ; Margaret of Anjou, Mrs. W. West. To conclude With a new Pantomime, entitled BATTLEDOOR and I3HHTTLECOCK ; or, Harlequin Trap, Bat, and Ball. A distinct entrance to the private boxes has been made (which have been re-fitted). Private boxes may be had nightly •f all the srincipal Librarians ; and at the Box-. Size of the Theatre, which is open daily from Ten until Four. Boxes, 2s. ; Pit, Is. ; Gallery, 6d. ASTLEY'B ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE, Proprietor and Manager, 1l r. William Batty. Mr. Batty's performing Elephants. MONDAY EVENING, The Grand Spectacle of THE CAMP OF 3tLESIA. Entirely new Scenes in the Arena, by the talented Artistes of the t.statillahment. in the various modes of equestration. To conblude with a Grand Equestrian Comic Pantomime entitled HARLEQUIN DOCTOR SYNTAX AND HIS DAPPER GREY MARE, In which those popular artistes Herr Dentin, Mdlle. Theo dore, Mr. Anderson, and Mr. Bradbury, as Harlequin. Columbine, Clown, ann Pantaloon, which will exceed in splendour and effect all former productions at the Amphitheatre, Box-office open from 11 till 5 Acting and Stage Manager, Mr. W West. 111 E WEATHER.—SuN OFFICE, DEC. 25 THERMOMETER, Lowest, 35:; Highest, 37 ; Noon, 36. BAROMETER, 30 2.—WIND N.N.E.; cloudy. 'I. ;II WATER AT LONDON-BRIDGE THIS DAY. Morning.. 53 minutes after 3 f Evening .. 19 minutes after 4, THE work and vaticination, the reviewer gives a rapid enumeration of the occurrences which have led to the present position of our more prominent statesmen. He calls to recollection the facts that, from the period of the dispersion of Lord MELBOURNE'S Government, in 1841, Sir ROBERT PEEL steadily and gradually introduced a comprehensive system of reform; that with these liberal intentions he gave us the revised corn-law of 1842, even at the cost of losing the adhe sion of the Duke of BUCKINGHAM ; that be, in like manner, and with a similar object, granted the boon of the Canada corn-law in 1843, and remitted the duties on foreign cattle and meat in 1844; that, upon the same generous principles of administration, he proposed the permanent endowment of Maynooth, and prepared the way, indeed, for the most salutary and enormous innovations. After recapitulating those particulars which will render the Parliamentary and Ministerial history of the winter of 1845-6 for ever interesting, the Edinburgh Review enters upon a consideration of the relations at this moment existing between public men and political principles. It regards the separation between Sir R. PEEL and his former supporters, the Protectionists, as perma nent, and their ideas as henceforth irreconcileable, " The breach betwqen him and the main section of his followers was complete," says the writer; " they would not be led by him ; he did not wish to lead them. Neither of the two parties to the quarrel was willing to be reconciled. He could not apologise for a deliberate act; and they were too angry to accept any apology, or even to wish for one." This is the only natural and obvious conclusion which can be arrived at in reviewing the dispersion of the Conservatives. The Protectionists were men of such obsolete and antiquated prejudices, that it became essential for the national good that they should be compelled to stand aloof from the body of the popular representatives, that they should be so placed, in fact, that they might squabble and revile to their heart's content, but, at the same time, not stand in any manner in the way of the popular movement. Sir ROBERT PEEL, on the contrary, and his immediate colleagues, became merged in the cause of liberality. He himself became at once and for ever the Man of the People. The very term Peelites was merely em ployed as a convenient and temporary distinction in the list of Parliamentary returns. Virtually and actually, Peelites were already synonymous with Liberals. And all this was the result, not of any sudden tergiversation on the part of the late Prime Minister, bat of the policy of which his whole career has been the development—the policy of gradual reform and progressive improvement. It appears to us as absurd to call Sir ROBERT PEEL a renegade from Toryism, as it would have been to call CHRIS TOPHER COLUMBUS a renegade from Europe, when he was conducting his followers to a New World across the billows of the Atlantic. Liberality has been the America of Sir ROBERT PEEL, and the doctrines of Free Trade have been his Bahamas. From the very outset of his political career he has struggled to reach the hemisphere of these constitutional reforms. He has pushed onwards towards the land which he has dis covered for his partizans, after traversing the broad and fruitless wastes of Conservatism. And we are scarcely carrying out the parallel to too extravagant a nicety when we say that the revised Corn-law of 1842, and the Canada Corn-law of 1843, and the amended tariff of 1844, were to Sir ROBERT PEEL what the bamboos, and the green branches, and the scarlet berries were to COLUMBUS—tokens of his ap proach b the region of his aspirations. Now that this distinguished. statesman has realised bis original intentions; now that the new Ministry has reached the second session of its existence; and now that a new Parliament has stabilitated the Cabinet by af fording it a certain and powerful majority, we have little doubt as to the future success of the Liberal party, and coincide in the opinion expressed by the Edinburgh Review, that that party has " gained an advantage, which, if properly improved, must,- for some time to come, ensure its preponderance in the State." On Thursday the minimum rate of interest at the Bank of England was reduced to five per cent. This change will be productive of the greatest benefit to the commercial classes, although the rate is still much higher than that which could be maintained for any lengthened period without the most serious injury to the trading and manufacturing interests. As, how ever, the improved position of the Bank with respect to the amount of bullion in its coffers, which cannot now be far short of 12,000,0001. sterling, and also its very large reserve on hand, warrants the ex pectation that a further reduction will speedily be made, we trust that there is at least the prospect of a better state of affairs, and that employment may again be afforded to the industrious operatives who have hitherto been com pelled to submit to so many privations, in consequence of the baneful operation of our monetary code. Those who are striving to divert the public attention from the real causes of the financial difficulties we have so lately experienced, and which still exist to a very great extent, will blame the directors for this step. The Chancellor of the Ex chequer, who would readily consent to any sacrifice that would tend to the maintenance of the much-loved Act of 1844, would gladly have it believed that much of the national distress has been occasioned by overtrading and undue speculation This was the chief cause which he assigned to the Newcastle deputation, on the memorable occasion when he assured them that " the worst was then past,'' and, subsequently, it was alluded to in a similar manner when the Right Hon. Baronet was moving for a Special Committee to inquire into the causes of the commercial distress. The resolution now adopted will, therefore, be in direct opposition to his views, and will probably increase his anxiety, to cast an additional censure upon the directors, and still fur ther to abridge the discretion and power that yet remain in their hands. The public will, however, regard the matter in a very different light, and will receive the tardy but welcome boon with plea sure and thanks ; and should it be followed up by a liberal policy, the directors will be relieved from much of the odium to which they have been subjected by their former conduct, which, however, was not altogether optional, a.s it was rendered ne cessary to their own safety by the provisions of the latest Bank Charter Act. Although, however, we may have a transient re turn of prosperity, and our factories and mills may be restored to activity for a brief period, there can be no permanent or lasting improvement until the fatal Act of 1819 is erased from our statute-book, and we are provided with a circulation adequate to our wants. An experience of many years has proved to us that a contracted currency is incompatible with the safety and happiness of the people ; that its effects are such as were so forcibly de picted in the celebrated petition of the mer chants, bankers, and traders of the city of London against the Act of 1819, when they stated " that it would tend to a forced, precipitate, and highly injurious contraction of the circulating medium of the country," and " that the consequences of such contraction would be to add to the burthen of the public debt, greatly to increase the pressure of the taxes, to lower the value of all landed and commercial property—seriously to affect both public and private credit—to embarrass and reduce all the operations of agriculture, manufacture, and commerce, and to throw out of employment (as in the calamitous year 1816) a great proportion of the industrious and labouring classes of the community." It would be impossible for the historian to narrate with greater accuracy the results of that fatal measure than was foreseen by those experienced and sagacious men. Since that period, when their remonstrances were slighted, and their prudent councils treated with con tempt, we hail periodical r e t u r ns o f di s t ress an d visitatio n . Y increasing in i n t ens ity w i t h eac h succee li n g We hav e seen t h e impending dangers only averted by a b o l d and liberal policy, by an extensive issue of bank notes ; and when prosperity was thereby the country py restored, and a ll t h e great interests o nce more began to flourish, th e sam o insane was again pursued. The notes whicwhhdry ad n p srn o dr ohe from such happy results were gradually ith circulation, the value of mon ey was enhaneedNVhirnle N e everyNv difficulties other arose, r o s e merchantso f property and manufacturers were compelled to sacrifice their property for far less than its real value, in order to be enabled to meet the engagements into which they had entered under very different circumstances—production ceased—the great body of the people could no longer obtain profitable employment—and a general stagna tion took place, which was again remedied by another expansion of the currency, as if the Legislature had determined that the coun try should no longer be cheered by those transient gleams of prosperity; that there should be no possi bility of relief in the dark hour of distress ; that low prices should be stereotyped, and all those dependent on their daily labour for their daily bread, kept on the verge of starvation. The powers which had been exercised with such magical effect were abrogated. In 1825, a circulation of one-pound notes preserved the national credit. Such notes were rendered illegal, and could no longer be issued. A considerable increase of the active circulation of the Bank had repeatedly restored confidence, and brought about a better state of things. Such an increase was prohibited unless based upon bullion, and the Bank Directors were compelled to keep a large quantity of specie lying idle in their vaults, the prudent use of which would have produced the most beneficial re sults. There must, then, be a total change in our monetary code. The Act of 1819 has led to re peated fluctuations that have been attended with the most disastrous consequences, but there were inter vals during which some relief was obtained. The Act of 1844 has rendered such relief impossible, and, if not totally repealed, must ultimately lead to a na tional bankruptcy, and render the State unable to discharge the interest of the debt owing to the public creditor. Letters from Berne state that Sir STRATFORD CANNING is still in that city, and that he has in some measure succeeded in soothing down the bad feelings which have hitherto subsisted between the different parties. His recommendations to the Diet, to treat the Sonderbund cantons with moderation, has been listened to with attention ; and it is evident that the Diet will be more willingly guided by the friendly advice of England, than by the threatenings of the other Powers. The conferences which were to have been held in Paris on the affairs of Switzerland have been suspended, in order to leave Sir STRATFORD CANNING free to act as he may see proper. It would appear as if the Jesuits, during their reign in the Sonderbund cantons, had revived the Inquisition with all its ;horrors of secret denun ciations and secret murders. At the fall of Friburg, Colonel COURANT was found languishing in the prison of the town. This brave and honourable veteran bad drawn upon him self the anger of the Jesuits by the frank manner in which he expressed Liberal opinions. Nothing more was necessary to occasion his arrest. " I was confined," writes the Colonel, "in a damp, dark, and most unwholesome dungeon, and so low that I could not possibly stand in it upright. The most - necessary articles of food were wanting, and I was repeatedly near dying of starvation. My iron constitution upheld me, but I not the less have left the prison with pains in my chest, the end of which must prove fatal to me. " Almost all my companions in misfortune at the same time as myself fell a victim to the confinement. "I never underwent any interrogatory, and no ex press accusation was brought against me. My old comrade, Colonel Rilliet, who opened my prison doors for me, has had a minute examination made in the papers of the Government to find something against me, but he found nothing but a ' , Ater which denounced me as having some influence over my friends in the locality which I inhabit." Such is the regime for the restoration of which M GUIZOT would involve Europe in war. The Madrid papers of Thursday had not arrived in Paris when the post left. Barcelona papers of the 18th had, however, been received. They stated that on the 14th the united bands of MARSAL, EsraaTAs, and Box were surprised and routed by the column of Santa Coloma in the district of Oson, and that seve ral of the factious were drowned in the Ter in endea vouring to escape across that river. A number of insurgents had made their submission in the province of Barcelona, and ten men of the band of BoQuics had presented themselves at Bourg Madame, in France, and surrendered their arms to the French authorities. Among them were Colonel ALMENA and another officer. We have received the Paris papers of Thursday. The KING has completely recovered from the slight attack of cold under which he was labouring, and on Thursday transacted business with his Ministers as usual. The Union Monarchique says—" The salons of Count MOLE were opened last night to a numerous company. Count Molds is to receive twice a weak —on Tuesdays and Saturdays. On Monday be had an audience of Louis PHILIPPE, which lasted an hour. The health of Count MOLE is perfectly re stored,and would not be an impediment to his resump tion of office. But, notwithstanding his assiduity at Court, M. GUIZOT manifests but little uneasiness at the favour enjoyed by his rival, not to say his adversary !" The Presse and the Constitutionnel announce the death, at Parma, on the 17th instant, of the Empress MARIA Louisa., the widow of NAPOLEON. She had the Sovereignty of the duchies of Parma and Pia cenza conferred on her for life by the Treaty of Vienna. She was the sister of the reigning Emperor of AUSTRIA. There have been Reform banquets at Chalons-sur- Soane, Grenoble, Roanare, and Vienne. They were all numerously attended. At Chalons nearly 1,000 persons sat down to dinner, and at Grenoble more than 1,000. The Minister of Public Works is anxious, accord ing to the Presse, to delay as long as possible the completion of those lines of railway which have been undertaken by the Government. The works neces sary for that portion of the road between Paris and Rennes, comprised between Pontgoin and La Loupe, were adjudicated on the 27th instant to MM. LE.• BARBIER and Lassos, of Mans, at the price of 1,150,000 f. But M. JAYR, the Minister of Public Works, has announced to the contractors, that he is ready to cancel the security for the completion of the works, the budget not being sufficient to defray the expenses at this moment. The Minister has approved, by a decision of the 16th of December, the definitive plan for the works of the Western Railroad between Connere and Auvours. The cost of those works will be 640,000 f,, but he has exuunged the clause in the conditions which axed the period for their comple tion ; and he has recommended the Prefect :of the Sarthe not to adjudicate the contract until he shall have received fresh instructions. The French Government received on Thursday from London news of the ratification of the postal treaty recently concluded between the two countries. The exchange took place at the Foreign -office on the 20th instant. The treaty comes in force on the Ist of January:next, from which day letters will be transmitted twice every day between the two capitals. The Three per Cents. closed on the Paris Bourse on Thursday at 75f. sc. ; New Loan, 76f. 30c. ; the Five per Cents., 116 f. 60c. ; the Orleans Rail- road Shares, 1,198 f. 75c.; Rouen, 900 f.; Havre, 467 f. 50c.; Great Northern, 646 f. 25c.; Avignon, 571 f. 25c.; Vierzon, 545 f.; Bordeaux, 485 f.; Basle, 165 f.; Paris and Strasburg, 4121. 50c.; Tours and Nantes, 393 f. 75c. Paris and Lyons, 3981. 75c.; Spanish Three per Cents., 30 ; ditto Domestic Debt, 26i. MARSEILLES, DEC. 18.—Marseilles and Avignon, 556 f. 25c. ; Northern, 551 f. 25c. BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, DEC. 24. Dutch Rhenish, 2 1 4—Luxembourg, 1 4—Namur and Liege, 4i—Northern of France, 11%—Orleans and Bordeaux. I ,i—Paris and Lyons. 5 3 4—Paris and Strasbourg, 4% Rouen and Havre, 18) —Tours and Nantes, 3 1 ,4 2 —West Flanders, 15A. DEATH OF THE ARCHDUCHESS MARIA LOUISA. The Paris papers of Thursday bring us accounts of the death of the Archduchess Maria Louisa, widow of the late Emperor Napoleon, and Duchess of Parma and Placentia. This event occurred at Parma on the 17th. The illness of her Imperial Highness, which commenced on the Bth, was a violent rheumatic fever, complicated with an acute affection of the chest. She was 56 years of age. 'he Archbishop of York is to toe enthroned on Thursday, the 13th of the ensuing month, at the cathedral church at York. His Grace has appointed the following Sunday for an ordination at the Minster, and nut at the archiepiscopal palace at Bishopthorpe, where they were usually held by the late archbishop. PENSION TO CAPTAIN MARRYATT.—The good ser vice-pension at the disposal of the Admiralty has been given to Captain Marryatt, C.B. MONEY and COMMERCIAL NEWS CITY, QUARTER TO TIIREE. The Cotton Market at Liverpool this week has been moderately active. • Railway Shares have been flat. Christmas day is a strict holiday in the City. The following is an analysis of the Bank of England return for the week to the 18th inst.:— Notes issued Increase Rest Increase Public Deposits Increase Othei Deposits .., 8,606,976 Increase 169,600 Seven Day and other Bills 856,784 Decrease 4,487 Government Securities 10,998,214 Increase Other Securities Decrease 472,593 Notes 7,551,140 Increase Bullion Increase Active circulation Decrease .• 562,650 MARKET NEWS.—(THIS DAY.) This being Christmas Day, no markets were held in the metropolis. and the proprietors of ]ands, routes, dykes, &c., &c , &c., the direction of th ese telegraphic lines, and the establishment of stations necessary for the service, and to submit them to the regulations given by the Government relative to the direction of these lines. " Art. 111. Contraventions of the present decree, will bc furnished according to the dispositions of the law of the 6th of March, 1818. " Given at the Hague, Dee. Bth, 1847. " WILLIAM." HAMBURGH, KIEL, AND BERLIN.—ELECTRIC TE LEGRAPH.—Letters from Harnburgh state that the railway directors of Kiel (Holstein) to Harnburgh, and from that city to Berlin, have just concluded a convention, the object of which is to establish an uninterrupted electric telegraph line between Kiel and Berlin. The Governments of the countries, through whose territories these two railways pass have already authorised the establishment of this telegraphic line, the working of which is to com mence on the beginning of April, or perhaps even before. BELGIAN FUNDS.—Bacsszli, Dal. 22. Actual Debt, 2% per Cent .......... Rothschild's Loan, Fire per Cent — Loan of Thirty Millions, Four porCent •• • • Ditto Three per Cent — Ditto Thirty-seven Millions,ditto ••• • • • Ditto,ditto,lB4o. . Ditto,ditto,lB42 ••••• • • • . • 97% Ditto, 1844.--........ ••••.• • • • 91% Ditto, 1838 ..................... Ditto of the City, 1832 ........... . Ditto, 1843 • • Bank ofltelgiurn Brussels Papers, Doe. 23. THE LATE MURDER IN LINCOLN SHIRE.—APPRERENSION OF THE SUP POSED MURDERER. KIRTON IN LINDSEY, THURSDAY.—The Coroner's investigation into the circumstances attending the horrible murder of Mr. Charles Copeman, residing at Blyborough, in the public road leading from this town to that village, was proceeded with yesterday afternoon, before Mr. H. C. Holgate, the county coroner. A young man named Joseph Travis, the son of a widow who occupies a respectable farm in the neighbourhood, has been apprehended on suspicion of being concerned in the murder. The subjoined are the brief facts adduced by the several witnesses, all of which are purely circumstantial. On the evening of Saturday the deceased was at the Greyhound Inn, Kir ton, with Travis and three or four other persons. De ceased and Travis had some words, and were about to fight, when friends interfered and the dispute ended. He left about half-past eleven, and was noticed going towards the Red Lion, Travis remaining at the Grey hound. Between twelve and one he was noticed standing by the Red Lion. Before this, Travis had left the Greyhound, and was afterwards noticed con versing with the unfortunate man. Their road home was the same, the deceased having the longest dis tance to travel. On the following morning, shortly after nine o'clock, a labouring man of the name of .Whelpton,. in proceeding to Kirton along a road leading from Grayingham, had his attention drawn to a dog sitting upon the body of a human being in a ditch by the side of the road, by the poor beast growling as he approached. The face of the corpse was downwards, and the dog was seated on the back. Whelpton endeavoured to examine the body, but the snarling and barking of the faithful creature pre vented him, he being fearful that it would bite. To return to the conduct of Travers, it would appear that before he was suspected, he made a state ment respecting the deceased of a very contradictory nature. It was stated that on the Sunday morning he changed a sovereign to pay a Mr. Hotchkiss three shillings which he had borrowed of him on the previous night. He is said to have worn a pair of drab trou sers, but none of that description could be found at his residence. A striped shirt which he had on could rn t he seen, and it further appeared that a pair of his boots was missing. A bruise was disco vered on his right collar bone, his throat scratched, both hands similarly injured, and a cut on his right hand. He was described to have arrived home on the Sunday morning about one o'clock, and seemed to be tipsy. The state of his dress at that period could not be ascertained. On being searched, two sovereigns were found in his packet, and in the course of the Sunday morning a third sovereign was picked up in the vicinity of the Red Lion. It may be observed that during the day he was perceived walking about near where the sovereign was found. Further inquiries and search brought to light a buck horn-hafted and two-bladed penknife, which was dis covered near where the murdered man was lying. In the blood under the head of deceased was detected part of the end of a penknife, and which corresponded in size and make with a broken blade of the knife in question. It was besmeared with blood, and it was shown that on the 10th ultimo Travis purchased it in Kirton. The police found at his residence a pair of drab trowsers answering the description of those worn by the accused on the night of the murder. They were in a drawer in the prisoner's bed room, and they appeared to have been spunged in many places. A pair of garters worn by the prisoner were produced, one was stained apparently with blood in kneeling. The proceedings, after lasting several hours, were adjourned. The relatives have offered a reward of 1001. for detection and conviction of the murderer, and no doubt her Majesty's Government will also offer a similar amount. tices and others, that such consent was duly g;ven. The concluding clause (the 11. th) is the formal one to amend or repeal the Act. In the schedule is the form to be filled up by a shareholder assenting or dissenting to contracts for now works. SCOTTISH PATRIOTIC SOCIETY. FOR IMPROVING THE CONDITION OF THE LABOURING CLASSES. SECOND YEARLY ADDRESS ON CROFT AND GARDEN CULTIVATION. The principles of cultivation and rural industry recommended in the first address of the Patriotic So ciety, have proved of great practical benefit, during the past season, to all who have adopted them. Such crofters and labourers, who ,vere accustomed pre viously to grow only one green crop, potatoes have, in 1846-7, raised a variety and succession of green crops of great value for animal and human food. They have shown that they can raise in the West Highlands as flourishing crops of turnips, beet-root, mangel-wurzel, carrots, parsnips, cabbage, &c., as are grown in any parts of Britain. In some instances, where the principles of spade husbandry, liquid ma nuring, green cropping, and stall feeding, as recom mended by the society, have been closely followed out, splendid crops of Italian rye grass, potatoes, and drumhead cabbage, have been grown in one year on the same land, which, by ordinary cultivation, would only have produced one such crop; and in one in stance that can be relied upon, the produce thus raised from a quart er o f an acre o f land could not be valued at less than 50/. Abundant encouragement having been given the friends of the humbler classes to promote, and the latter to adopt, such unques tionable rural improvements, the Patriotic Society make the following general suggestions to crofters and labourers : Drainage—Whether you hold several acres of land, or merely the 16th part of an acre, let it be your ob ject to work it upon the principles of high and pro ductive gardening. To effect this, your land must be well drained ; without this, the rain that should fertilize will stagnate, and thereby chill, canker, and rot the seeds and r oo t s o f y our p l an t s . Th ese draw their nourishment from chemical substances in the air and earth, and you must therefore supply the land with these elements, if you would take frequent and abundant crops off the ground. In other words, you must enable the earth to nourish your crops, by giving it the food which they require—this is done by manuring, which may be divided generally into two kinds, solid and liquid. Solid Manure should be carefully collected from animal and vegetable substances, decayed leaves, burnt clay, weeds, ashes, peat charcoal, road scrap ings, woollen rags, sea weed, and other refuse. These substances should be worked and mingled together, and protected from waste by covering lap as much as possible from wind, sun, and rain—a coating of coal ashes or peat rubbish will be useful for this purpose. Liquid Manure should be saved, by conducting all the slops of the cottage, and the drainage of the byre, privy, and midden, into a tank, which may merely consist of a water-tight cask or barrel, sunk in the ground ; or it may be more permanently formed in the shape of an inverted bee-hive, built of asphalte, of stone and lime, or of stones puddled with clay. Liquid manure applied to crops in their various stages of growth acts more rapidly upon them than solid manure, which requires more digestion, as it were, by the earth, before it can feed the fibres and roots of plants. Trenching with the spade is of far more benefit to the land than ploughing, and wherever the plough only has been used, or the spade superficially, you must proceed to trench as deep as the soil is good— say two or three spits down. Trenching two spits or spades deep may be performed in - this manner :—Lift the earth one spit along the top of the ground to be trenched, and wheel it away in a barrow, to fill up the hollow, which would otherwise be formed at the lower end. When you have done this, dig another length along the top, one spit wide and deep, and wheel away the earth as before directed. The top part of the land you are working will now have been uncovered one spit down and two spits broad. Standing in the trench, with the top part of the ground you are working on your right hand, dig and turn over number three from end to end in the usual manner. Then begin number four by digging it out, spit by spit, and laying it upon the place of number three. This will bring number three to the level. Beginning at the top of the ground again, number five, a top soil spit, is turned over into the trench from which number four was taken, and when the whole of th a t li ne i s fi n i s h e d, number six, a sub-soil spit, is turned over on the top of number five, and fills the place first occupied by number two. This trenching may be performed by one person, or by two individuals. The o n e, AB, a little in advance of the other, turns over number three, and is followed by his companion C D down the trench, who turns number four over upon number three. AB, still in advance, then turns over number five into the place of number four. C follows, and throws number six spit upon number five. Trenching three: spits deep is done after the same manner, but requires, the removal, in the first instance, of three spits in breadth from the top of the ground to be trenched, and two spits deep. The spades used by the market gardeners in the neigh bourhood of London are very broad and deep, and trenching as performed by them is the most perfect method of working the soil which is anywhere adopted, and accounts to a considerable extent for the superior vegetable productions of those gardens. As rain has a tendency to wash the fertilizing parts of the top soil and of manure through the ground, and below the reach of the roots of plants, deep digging is necessary to bring the sub-soil to the top. A fork or grape is frequently a very useful instrument in turning up the sub-soil. A man having with a spade turned over the top soil spit, may be followed by his son, who may turn over the sub-soil with a fork, which is found usefully to break the pan-soil below. If the crofter or field-gardener is not able to trench all his land two or three spits deep in one season, let him be sure to sow such long-rooted crops as carrots, beet root, mangel wurzel, parsnips, and Belgian carrots, in the ground that has been deepest dug. Your land being, it is supposed, well drained, manured, and trenched, the next point of importance is to see that you put down your crops at the right times, and endeavour to raise successive crops during the year from the same land. This may easily be done, by adopting the principles we have laid down, especially with reference to time of cropping and keeping up the fertility of the soil by solid and par ticularly liquid manuring. IVe shall now give some directions for— SUCCESSION CROPPING. —You may raise two or three crops off one plot of land, by adopting the following plan :—Take advantage of the first favour able state of the weather and soil to plant come early kind of potatoes. The sets should be smallish whole potatoes, and should be planted so as to be below the reach of winter frosts, being covered with ashes, fern leaves, or something that will answer the same pur pose. Plant them in drills two feet apart, and one foot between each set. Sow two rows of rye between each drill, and water the rye well with liquid ma nure twice or thrice before February. In March dibble beans on each potato drill three from each other; or else, in April, sow one pea of Bishop's dwarf kind between each potato set. If you have no cow or pig to feed, and radishes can be profitably disposed of, they may be sowed instead of rye be tween the potato rows. 'We must suppose that early York cabbages in Sep tember were planted six inches apart on a well-dunged plot, whence they will he ready to transplant in March between the potato drills, as the radishes will be pulled, or the rye all used for the cow or pig by the second week in May. Early York cabbages will therefore be planted in its place about three feet apart. Drumhead cabbages having also been sown in Sep tember, must be transplanted in May to another bed or out-corner. They must be carefully re-transplanted again in June, so as to have the roots formed into a bushy mass of fibres, that when finally planted out in August, they may grow as well as if they lad been planted out in May. Suppose, then, the potatoes and rye planted in October, or as early thereafter as may be practicable, beans in March, or peas in May, the early York cab bages also planted in March, the latter will be ready for use in June, and if used early, they will not interfere with the growth of the potatoes. As soon as a yard of the potatoes is lifted, take one of the drumhead cabbages carefully from its bed, make a hole on the potato drill, and holding the cabbage plant upright, rake the earth lightly over its roots, and without pressing it upon the roots, pour liquid manure to settle the earth about the fibres of the plant. Add more earth and liquid if necessary. If this method be adopted before August, you may ex pect, after your p o t a t o crop, drumhead cabbages weighing 10 to 201bs. each, and you may thus grow, at one yard between each cabbage, 450 on the six teenth part of an acre. At Inverness such cabbages fetch hi. and lid. each ; so that, taking the price at hi. per head, the market value of this supplementary crop will be 11. 17s. 6d. By the system of cropping above described, you may grow on the sixteenth of an acre, or on the same space that is usually occupied by the potato crop alone— lst. A heavy crop of rye, or of ra lishc s. 2d. A fair crop of early cabbages. 3d. A full crop of early potatoes. 4th. A tolerable crop of dwarf peas, or beans. sth. A good crop of drumhead cabbages ; and if Jerusalem artichokes are planted in February, in the centre of each drill between the rye, at one yard apart, you may have 6thly. A fair crop of Jerusalem artichokes ; and the land at the end of the season in as good or better order by a high system of manuring and cultivation than it would have been had only the ordinary po- tato crop been taken from it. Wi?bout . liquid manuring, however, such productiveness cannot be expected, as it is the key to successful gardening and farming. Another point of great iinp.)rtance is the frequent transplanting of cabbages with care, so as to preserve the roots entire, and never planting them in ;the ground except with liquid manure, as above described. We have thus shown how the holder of a small piece of ground may tura it to the most profitable account. We shall not confuse his mind by giving monthly directions for cultivation, as these are supplied in the Industrial Magazine of the society, &c., our object, on the present occasion, being to show generally what has been raised on even a small plot of ground, and what therefore may assuredly, with the ..11mighty's blessing, be raised by others by adopting the same method of cultivation. The crofter should prepare a piece of ground for lucerne (see Industrial Magazine for March 1847), and if he can produce some seeds or plants of tussack grass to put out in a peat soil, he will find the crop a treasure to him in due time. Crofters and labourers, who adopted our advice last season, of growing garden crops instead of potatoes only, have found the advantage resulting from so doing ; we shall therefore here merely remind them, in addition to crops already enumerated, that the rearing of carrots, parsnips, beetroot, onions, leeks, turnips, kidney beans, and lettu ce , s h ou ld b e kept in view by them. If unable to sell lettuce, it grows so rapidly, that it may be raised in the beds of beetroot, onions, carrots, &c., and consumed before it could injure those crops, by being given to the pigs and rabbits, which thrive well upon it. Every cottager, if he does not keep a pig, should endea vour to keep rabbits. A buck and two does will supply him with a rabbit for his souo every third day throughout the year, an object of great importance to multitudes, who scarcely ever can procure a morsel of animal food, and who, for want of it, frequently fell into bad health. The manr re and the skins of rabbits have been found to pay the expenses of their keep, even where this has not been done in the limited and economical manner within reach of the cottager. In conclusion, we ask the influential to co-operate with us in our practical efforts to aid the humbler classes, and we urge upon these industry and ex• ertion. Enough has already been accomplished to convince the most sceptical that, in the words of the editor of the Gardener's Chronicle, this " soeietz takes the right course to work out its great ends. The exigency however is vast—may rich and poor, therefore, aid—the one by their countenance and pecuniary assistance, and the other by their labour and economy. Empfoyment upon public works may be given, and tens of thousands may emigrate, but if the prin ciples of industrial development and of obvious and economic rural improvements which we advocate be neglected, the real cause of destitution will continue unaffected, and masses of the population remain s source of anxiety and expense to the country—them selves the wretched victims of ignorance and neglect. SIR JOHN DAVIS AND THE COCHIN CHINESE. (From the China Mail Extra.) HONG-KONG, OCT. 30.—His Excellency Sir John Davis returned from Cochin China, in her Majesty's steamer Vulture, this forenoon, at ten o'clock. We have obtained the following memoranda of what oc curred : " On approaching the harbour of Turon on the 9th of October, the effects of the French proceedings in April were visible in signals made from the tops of the hills. Four new batteries had been commenced along the N.E. side of the anchorage, and the small island, called by French L'lsle de l'Observatoire, w as also being fortified, but nothi ng was fi n i s h e d. " Very little communication cou ld b e o bt a i ne d with the shore for about si x d a y s , th e a l arm at fi rs t b e ing evidently great ; in addition to which it rained inces santly, and so continued during our whole stay ; there was besides a severe typhoon on the 23d. " Two Commissioners arrived on the 15th, and on the following day came on board. They invited the Plenipotentiary to an entertainment and conference on shore the next day (17th of October), when a very handsome reception was prepared—the Commis• sioners appearing in their dresses of ceremony, the ancient costume of the Chinese. The first Commis• sioner was assistant-member of the Board of Re venue, the second Treasurer of Kwangnan province, in which Turon lies. " The rains continued incessantly, impeding com• munication, and the country was reported to be inun. dated and nearly impassable. A large present to the crews of the two ships of bullocks, fowls, hogs, fruit, &c., was offered on the 22d, and accepted on condition of a return being made, which was done ac cordingly. A party went on shore at Turon on the 23d to view some very singular marble rocks about five miles distant. In passing the residence of the Commissioners a guide was sent on board, and orders transmitted to at*• ford every facility. These rocks rise at once out of the sandy flat between the river and the sea, and are covered in most parts with trees and luxuriant vegetation, peopled by numerous monkeys. The principal masses are five in number, of which the one nearest the sea contains some splendid caverns and galleries, which have been improved by art, and the caverns converted into temples of Buddha. The finest of these is quite a natural Pantheon, being A dome of 80 feei high, lit from the top by—not one, but—three openings. The floor is about 70 feet in every direction, and has been paved. Several idols and shrines of Buddha and his disciples adorn the inside, and the whole is approached by an arched gal lery with descending steps at intervals. The entire rock is laid out in a corresponding manner, with small dwellings and gardens in the open and level spaces. It unfortunately bl ew an d ra i ned during the whole visit; and the party were sometimes glad of the shelter af forded by the caverns. On returning to the boats , the wind had i ncrease d t o a v i o l ent storm, and it was not es'Y to proceed down th e r i ver. H alf way down, tfue party met two co v e re d ga ll eys , w hi c h h ad b een chi . patched for them by the Commissioners, and gladlY availed themselves of one of these for shelter. O n reaching the r es id ence o f th e C omm i ss i oners th e gale had become a perfect hurricane from the north-east. They not only requested the party (including twenty four seamen) to remain the night, but provided dinner and every accommod a ti on i n th e i r power. No ami d , anxiety was felt for the ships during the night, as the typhoon continued with increased fury, and towards :our o'clock blew away the whole front of the build ing where the party was lodged, and of which the bads portion only was solid, a considerable addition having been made in front of bamboos and matting for the occasion. " On the 24th their hosts prepared another repast for the party, but it became just possible to reach the ships after the lull of the tempest, they were glad to row on board, though with some difficulty. On the morning of the 25th a boat came from the Commis sioners, bringing a few articles left behind in their care. Early on the 26th the Ringdove was dispatched to Singapore to meet the October mail from Hong- Kong, and after taking supplies on board, the Vulture left Turon harbour at daylight on the 27th. " A strong impression has been made on this timid and cautious people by the treatment they received from the French in April last. They declare that 900 of their number were killed without provocation, but the statement, being ex parte, may be received with some allowance." The three sections of floating breakwater, con anbdro Son,ugh t by to the virtue hammerof an yester- strutted by Captain Taylor, and which h ave b een s o long laya,iyngbyon Messrs. ourlaeach, were Ridleyeven. tion from the sheriff, an d rea li se d t h e sum of 1481.--* Briglton Gazett e . THE JENNY LIND MA N I A IN SWEDEN.—it ar pears from our Swedish lett ers o f t h e 10t h i nstant , that there there is as great a d eman d f or p l aces at the box- d oor s of the Royal Opera a t St oc kh o l m, as dur i ng t h e last season" at her M a j es ty' s Th eatre i n the Haymar ket. The managers of the th ea t re not on l y sell the i r ti c kets of admission f or th e " J enny Li nd " nights at cons ider , able premiums, b u t th ey h ave the effrontery to i m pose a tax upon the gr an ti ng o f t h ese t i c k ets, at t h e ave rage rate of 3 rixdollars (7f. 50c.) per head. The crowd at the public sale of the tickets for the second performance of Mademoiselle Lind was so great that it was found necessary to adjourn the proceedings from the vestibule of the theatre to the interior of the house itself. The spacious floor of the theatre was, for the time, trans formed into a regular auction mart. The tickets fetched from 9 rixdollars (451., or nearly 405.) to 45 rixdollars (2251., or 91. !) and the total receipts amounted to 11,095 rixdollars, or 55,475 f. (2,2190 We have received a letter this week from Francis Coghlan, Esq., of London, conveying his intention of immediately issuing his address to the electors of Stock port, as a candidate for their suffrages in the event of Mr. Heald being unseated.—Stockport Mercury. A BRAZILIAN STEAM-FRIGATE. -- LIVERPOO L, THURSDAY.—A fine steam-frigate, built of wood, with engines by Rigby, and built for the Brazilian Govern ment, was launched this day from the building-yard of Mr. Royden, She is named the Affonso, after the late son of the Emperor of the Brazils. Her burden is 884 tons; the model being somewhat similar to that of her Majesty's ship Fury. her armament will consist of two 61 and four 32-pounders, with engines, &c., complete. She is expected to draw twelve feet only. We ander. stand that the Affonso is to be commanded by the Mar gills of Lisboa, the brother of the Brazilian Minister to London. " CAN SIZE MAKE A. PUDDING ?"—Women are sup posed to be very calm generally ; but women feel just as men feel—they need exercise for their faculties, and a field for their efforts, as much as their brothers do—they suffer from too rigid a restraint, too absolute s stagna tion, precisely as men would suffer, and it is narrow minded in their more privileged fellow-creatures to say that they ought to confine themselves to making pud dings and knitting stockings, to playing on the piano and embroidering bags. It is thoughtless to condemn them or laugh at them, if they seek to do more or learn m )re than custom has pronounced necmary fgt . Oar BC X.—Jane .E.Yre. , 41-41Pe '4O ' " 7:: . >l 4 • QV;I ,4?-q h's 411100 ,- • - 711 - . r*O k OVltitl.l. l2 . 1 .. ,:411A 0 ' , • COAL MARKE' 7.+YESTERDAT. 14 &Sting's Hartley 2ls Od Hatton ... 23s 6d Holywell Main ....... 21s Od Russell's Raton ...... 23s 6d Stewart's Hartley ' Wall's End, &c. Tees Hilda 22s 6d Whitworth 21, Od NOrthumberland Eden Main 23s 6d' Ships at mark :et, 11—sold, 9. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, FRIDAY.—The Queen and Prince Albert tarok their usual morning walk. The Royal Family took walking and pony exercise. 'His Royal Highness Prince Albert enjoyed the sport of shooting this morning, attended by Lord Waterpark, Mr. G. E. Anson, General Bowles, Lieut.- Colonel the Hon. A. N. Hood, Col. the Hon. Charles Grey, and Colonel Bouverie. Viscount Canning is expected to arrive at the Castle this evening, on a visit to the Queen. The royal dinner party at the Castle this evening will include her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, the Lady in Waiting of the Duchess of Kent, Viscount Canning, Baroness de Speth, and Lady Au gusta Bruce. The band of the Grenadier Guards will attend during dinner. Her Majesty's private band will after wards attend in the Castle. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge visited Chelsea College yesterday. His Royal Highness paid a visit to her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester, at Gloucester House. The Chancellor of the Exchequer and Lady Mary Wood left town yesterday for the seat of Earl Spencer, Al thorp Park, Northamptonshire. Dispatches for Viscount Torrington, Governor of Ceylon, and also for the Go v er nors o f Hong-Kong and Malta, were sent off yesterday evening from the Co lonial-office. DUTCH AND BELGIAN PAPERS AMSTERDAM, DEC. 20.—The city of Amsterdam has just published the budget of receipts and expen diture for the year 1848. The total receipts of the revenues of the city are stated at 2,603,465f1. 99i, in which is comprised 1,917,5001 for excise and duties of import into the city. The expenses are given at 2,572,500f1. 55 ; among which are, for works and repairs of the city, 860,3791 74 ; for benevolent institutions, 337,694f1. 50 ; for the municipal schools and public instruction, 71,300f1.; for rewards accorded to science and the fine arts, 24,425f1. ; and for the interest of the debt of the city, 807,646f1. 70. Thus the expenses will exceed the receipts by 30,8851 44i. According to an indi cation placed at the head of the report the population of Amsterdam amounts to 211,349 souls. BRUSSELS, DEc. 22.—The average price of wheat ending Dec. 18, was 22.73, rye 14.68, being a fall on wheat 0.14, and on rye 0.08. From the 15th to the 20th of Dec. four vessels entered the port of Antwerp, laden wholly or in part with corn. The importations were :--: Wheat ' 142,800 kil. Rye 26,200 „ Barley Beans Rice 560,864 ~ The Senate yesterday adopted the project of law relative to the contingencies of the army, and voted a credit of 500,000 francs for Flanders. A general discussion of the budget of foreign affairs, and of the project of law relative to the modifications to be introduced into the postal regime, was opened and contended in the same sitting. - Yesterday the Chamber of Representatives closed the general debate on the budget of ways and means for 1848, and adopted the articles relative to ground rents, the revenue of which amounts to 18,459,730 f. This article was adopted without discussion, which, however, was not the case with Article 11. on the poll-tax, and amounts to 9,200,400 f. The frost has been so intense that, although it commenced only three days ago, all the ditches of the fortifications around the city are frozen over, and this morning a good many persons were skating ; the thermometer is 5 deg. It. below zero. i RUSSIA AND POLAND. ST. PETERSBURGII, DEC. 1 2.— FINLAND NAVY.— In 1826 the number of merchantmen in Finland was 2.50, of 17,066 tons, with a complement of 2,306 men. In 1844, it had 458 ships, of 49,294 tons, with 5,204 men. After that the number of ships decreased, and then again rose, so that at the close of 1846 the number of vessels again amounted to 458, viz., 151 ships, 69 brigs, and 131 schooners of 45,847 tons, and 4,590 men. Besides these, a large number of coasting vessels were employed ; at the conclusion of 1846 these amounted to 965, of 21,292 tons, with 2,883 men. _ 'THE CARNIVAL.—Letters from Aix-la-Chapelle say that the Prussian Government has serious inten tions of putting down the carnival society of this city. under the pretext that it has a political tendency. What gives the more probability to this report is, that a similar measure has been adopted in regard to the Carnival Society of Dusseldorf. The Society of Aix-la-Chapelle amounts to between 600 and 700 members, which includes all the burghers of the city. —Flanders Papers, Dec. 23. THE HAGUE, DEC. 21..--THE ELECTRIC TEL. GRAPH.—The royal decree respecting the electric telegraph was published yesterday, bearing the date of December 8, 1847. The Algemeine Handelsblad says that it is just two years since the publication of the untoward resolution respecting the iron railway which has proved such a great stumbling-block to communications of Holland with Germany, and it re gards the present decree in reference to the electric telegraph as equally detrimental, and as an infringe ment of private rights. The decree states—" Considering that while the introduction of electric telegraphs, as a rapid means of communication, deserves every encouragement, it is no less important that the service of these telegraphs should be submitted to such conditions, as to prevent, in the general interest, the abuse which may result from the employment of this mode of communication. " We have therefore decreed, and do decree— " Art. I. No electric telegraph, may be established, or put in use, either on the railway, or along ordinary roads, or in any other manner whatever without having first attained our approbation on a request to be laid before us. " Art. 11. The following conditions are attached to the concession of the electric telegraph, viz. :—The tariff of prices for the transmission of news shall be sent to the Departments of the Interior and Finance, and be submitted to these departments for our appro bation. " News and communications relative to the general administration and to provincial and commercial ad ministration, as well as intelligence and communica tions addressed to them, shall have preference to those from or to private individuals. " For times of war the electric telegraphs shall be placed under the immediate direction of the de partments of Marine and War. " Further, whenever particular circumstances may call for it, the use of these telegraphs for private ser vice shall by order or under the surveillance of the Government, or the heads of commercial administra tion, provisionally interdicted, and even entirely sup ported, with the exception of these communications, which have direct reference to the railway service. " On every railway station registers shall be kept for these telegraphs, which shall be labelled and marked by the head of the commercial administration, to be kept according to the model of this decree. All the intelligence dispatched or received shall, without any exception whatever, be inserted in these registers. If it should happen that the extensive use made by the public of the electric telegraph should prejudice the postal revenue, the retri bution of a just indemnity for the benefit of this administration, and regulated conjointly by the Departments of the Interior and Finance, shall be re quired of the electric telegraph finally. Whenever it is desirable to establish an electric telegraph, not on a railway line, the parties after having first ob tained the requisite permission must come to an understanding, with the communal admini strations, THE NEW RAILWAY ACT. The Aet to give further time for making certain railways (11th of Victoria, cap. 3) has just been printed. It came into operation on Monday when it received the Royal Assent. Various alterations have been made in the measure since it was noticed in The Sun on its introduction. The preamble states that divers Acts of Parliament have been passed for making rail ways, and in such Acts respectively certain periods of time are limited, within which only the powers thereby granted, whether for making the railway or for the compulsory purchase of the lands therein re ferred to, could be lawfully exercised, and that it is expedient in certain cases to grant further time for the purposes mentioned. It is now enacted, that if any railway company desire that the period limited by the Act or Acts passed should be extended, they may within two months after the passing of the Act (on the 20th of December instant) make application in writing to the Commis sioners of Railways, setting forth what extension of time is desired, and to what part of the railway or the works or lands connected therewith the same is intended to apply, and the grounds on which such application is made. The Commissioners may re quire a company so applying to give notice of the application by advertisement in the London Gazette, in a newspaper, and on the dour of the parish church in which the railway works or land are situated, and objectors may make their com plaints before the Commissioners. On proof that notice has been given, and after hear • ing any objections, the Commissioners may extend the time for a period not exceeding two years from the expiration of the period allowed by the Acts already passed. Existing contracts and notices to take lands are to be construed as if the Act had not passed. Within a month after the warrant to extend the time is granted, the same is to be advertised, and parties aggrieved by such extension may have awarded to them compensation for additional damage (if any) sustained by such extension of time being granted. The principal alterations in the measure have been made in the eighth and two following provisions. It is now declared that no railway company authorised to construct a railway or any works connected with a railway who had not before the 27th of November last executed any part of the works, or entered into any contract or agreement for the execution of any part of the works which they were for the first time authorised by such Act to construct, shall within 2 months after the passing of the Act enter into any contract or agreement for the execution of any works so for the first time authorised by such Act, and also contracts and agreements for the construction of such other works as the company shall be authorised to proceed in constructing by the consent of the holders of three-fifths of the shares or stock held by such of the shareholders of such company as shall signify their assent thereto or dissent therefrom within the time and in the manner mentioned in the Act, or as they shall be authorised to proceed in constructing by an order of the Commissioners, Only advertised, and all contracts and agreements entered into in contravention of the enactment " shall be ut terly void and of no effect." In order to ascertain the opinion of the shareholders to the making of con tracts for new works, it is provided that a general meet ing shall be held within six weeks after the passing of the Act, of which public notice shall be given by advertisement, and a circular letter sent to the share holders, stating that a general meeting will be held for the purpose of determining whether a contract for executing such works shall be entered into or not within the twelvemonths next after the passing of , the Act, and requesting such shareholder to signify his assent or dissent in the form prescribed byli therman schedule of the Act. At the meeting, the chairman shall cast up the number or amount therefrom, res or o stock held by shareholders dissenting whe ther sent or expressed at the meeting, a nd such chair man the numl i er ,shall thereupon publi cl y a nnounce or amount of shares or stock o f the shareholders as senting to the making of such contract, and the num ber or amount those of the shares or stock of dis senting therefrom, and shall state whether or not the holders of three-fifths of the whole of such shares or stock consent to the making of such contract. In order to assent or dissent, a shareholder must have paid the " calls" on the shares. The chairman is to sie:n a certificate respecting the meeting, which is to be deposited, countersigned by the secretary of a e company, in the office of the Commissioners of Rail ways, within one week after holding the meeting; and such certificate, or a copy certified, shall be received as evidence in all courts, and before all • jll3-