The Sun. — London, England, 1853-03-22 00:00:00

DOY AL ITALIAN OPERA, COVENT-GARDEN. The Directors of the Royal I a:•aii Opera be; nt.st respectfully to inform the nobility, gentry, subscriber-, and the puoiic, that the SEASON of 1853 will COMMENCE on Tuesday, March 29. The ensaing Season will be the Seventh of the Royal Italian Opera; • and whatever pride and gratification the Directors may naturally feel in making this announcement, they are not unmindful that it is to the generous and encouraging patronage of the Subscribers and the public, and to the loyalty and esprit de corps of the artistes of • their establishment, as well as to their own individual exertions, they are indebted for the accomplishment of the object they have so nnweariedly laboured to attain, viz., the perm,nent establishment of a Dr .matla and Lyrical Institution worthy of this great metro polis. The Directors feel it is scarcely necessary for them to state that they intend still to pursue that path which has led to these success ful results ; and they t , ust that their arrangements for the forthcom ing season. which they now have the honour to submit, will be received as an evidence of that intention. It will be seen that the great artistes who have so long held the highest rank in public estimation still lend their valuable aid; that - I' those who last year appeared for the first time in Englano, the most promising have been retained, and that several ethers of great repu tation have been added t , the establishment. The Directors regret that they are not able to make a positive an nouncement as to the performan, e of Mademoiselle Wagner during the coming seasrm ; they still, however, entertain sanguine hopes that circumstances will permit 01 that lady's appearance, if it be only for a limited number of re7resentatii , ns. The Repertoire of the Royal Italian Opera now comprises THIRTY NINE OPERAS, each of which is complete in scenery, costumes, and appointments. SEMIRAMIDE .......... . LA DONNA DEL L AGO ..... • . L'ITALIANA IN ALGIERI Rossini. IL EARBIERE DI 5EV1G1L.A....... Rossini. LA GA ZZA LA DRA .• Rossini IL TA NCRE)I . . CENERENTOLA • • . t;UGLFEL3IO TELL • • • •• • • • ..... • • • • Rossini. MOSE IN EMIT() (ZORA) .......... Rossini. °TELL° • I DUE FOSCA RI • • • • .. Verdi. NABUCO (A_NATO) •• NORMA ... • • .. • • • • . ..... Bellini. LA - , ONNAMBULA .• • • .......... Bellini. I PURITA • • I CAPUT ETTI E 3IONTECCHI .... • • Bellini. LES HITGUENO tS .• • • Meyerbeer. ROBE if T LE DIABLE Meyerbeer. LE PRO PIIET E • • • • • • • • •• • • .... Meyerbeer. LUCI I DI L MMERNJ OeR •. .Donizetti. L'ELSIR D'AMORE • • Donizetti. LUCREZIA BORGIA ... . ANNA ROLENA MARIA DI ROHAN • . • Donizetti. LA FAVORITA • • • . • • • - • • D.nizetti. LINDA DI CHAMOUNI ........... •• Donizetti. I MAR rIRI. IL FLAUTO MAGICO . OZ4 , t. DON MoVANNI •• • - Mozart. LE NOZZE DI FIGARO • Mozart. MASAN IELLO.••• • • • • • .. ••• .. .. A über. IL MAT RIMONIO SEGitETO •• Cirnarosa. LA JUI VE ...... n a i ev y. DER FREtS 111112 • • Weber. 5AP.................. .......... Gosnod. FIDEL! 0 ..... • .. • . •• Beethoven. PIETRO IL GRANDE......... Jullien During the Season, out of the following Operas, three will posi tively be produced : Spolir's Opera of JESSOND A. The kind and flattering reception accorded last season to the cele brated :nr. Spohr, on the ncca-ion of the production of his opera of Faust, has enabled the dir.ctors to induce tha , great romp ser once more to vial this ..ountry. ills Opera f Jess,inda, arranged for the Italian Stage ..x ' ,retsly for the Royal I alian Opera, will therefore be produced Limier his ia.iineiat.e superintendence. Verde's St .w 'pera, RIGOLETTO. As pe , ferrned with ;he greatest slimes ,. at thJ , Teatro de Lt Feniee , aL V.-nice; and at the La: pe; is i Opera of St. Peter burg. RosVni's Opera, MATILDA DI :-.HABRAN. DoWzetti's Opera, DON - SEBASTIAN, As performed at the Ara.iemie Royale at Paris, A New Opera, by . :!grior T';onet:i, entitled JUANA SEIORJ. A grand Opera, by Hector Berlioz, entitled BENVENUTO CELLINI. The Engagements for the present Season are : SOPRANI. • Madam C , RISI, Mademoiselle ANGEi INA BOSIO, Madame CAS PELLAN, Mademoiselle ALBINI (Her first appearance in England). . Mademoiselle DONZELLI (Her first appearance in England). Madame JULLIENNE, and Madame ME DORI (From the Imperial Theatres of St. Petersburg and Vienna ; her first appearance in England). CONTRALTO. Mademoiselle N iNTIER DIDTEE (Prom the Theatre Italien at Paris; her first appearance In England °. SECONDE DONNE, Mademoiselle COT TI, and Mademoiselle BEL LINI. TENORI. Signor MARTO, Signor S'I'IGELLr, Signor LUIGI MEI, Signor SWM, Si;•nor LIICIIESI (From the Teatro della. Scala, at Milan; his first appearance 'Englaw); and Signor TAIIBERLIA. BASST BARITONT Signor RONCONT, Sign() 110 MT, an•t Signor BELE't TI (" , is e.-st al). • •tran•:e the Royal Itali.tn Opera) I sr Pltot - oxpi. leer FoRNE.f.:A.- :.fghor Ngncr POLONINI. .Signor GREGORIO, Signor RACHE, and Monsieur ZET.GER. (Ills first appearance these three years.) The Orchestra and Chorus will . exhibit the same high state of efficiency. DIRECTOR OF THE Airstc. COMPOSER, AND CONDUCTOR, Mr. COSTA, The Military Band will be under the superintendence of Mr. GODFREY. Maestro al Plano • (From the Teatro delta Scala at Milan.) Prompter • •• . • • • • . • • • • • • ,Signor MONTERASI Signor MAGGIONI. The department of the Ballet will, in accordance with the wish o: f many subscriber•, be rendered more attractive than heretofore ; ati Divertissements will be given on evenings when the duration of the • Operas will permit. The engagements are— Mademoiselle MELINA MARMET (From the Teatro de la Fenice, at Venice), Mademoiselle BARVILLE, Math moiselle KOLEMBERO, Mademoiselle 'rF.RESA, Mademoiselle LERTEUX, and Mademoiselle MATHILDE lIESSON (From the <tcademie Imperiale at Paris). Mal tre de Ballet, Monsieur Desplaces . (From the Acmiemie Imperiale at Paris). Leader of the Ballet. Mr. Alfred Milan. Dir-ctor of the Mise-en-Scene, Mr. A Harris. Scenic Artist, Mr. William Beverley (His First En , a4ement at the Royal Italian Opera.) o,tum'er, lionsieur Leblond (Porn the Imperial Theatre, tit. Petersburg.) Cost=fere, Madame Marizo, Decorator, Mr. Prescott. Machinist, Mr. Allen. Ticket', Stalls, and 13oxes, for the Night or Season, to be obtisln ed at the Box-office o the Theatre (corner of Bow-street and Ha rt street) ; and at the principal libraries and mnsicsellers. The perf =slices will commence at Eight o'Clock on each eve,nf ng. The Box-otlice is open from Eleven to Five o'Clock. Royal Italian Opera, Covent-garden, March, 1853. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKEI T. NEW MANAGEMENT Sole Lessee—Mr JOHN B. I%UCKSTONE, Brompton-square. The public is respectfully informed that this Theatre will If I.E. OPEN on EASTER MONDAY next, March 28, 1853, under an entirely new management, the constant endeavour of which Neil l be to sustain the 'ong established character of this house as the I irst heatre in the Metropolis, for the representation of English Cot a edy and Farce, with the occasional addition of such Entertainment a ; as m..y he considered attractive Noricz —The duration of the present recess being too brief tt ► ad mit of any alter,tl ,n in front of the Curtain. it is therefore . an nounced hat the 1 heatre will undergo a thorough re , air and re-neceration dur'ng the forthcoming summer vacation, from -July until (ktober n,xt, when a new stage will be laid down, and a! Itera tions made in the bnildinn founded on many suggestions forw. u.'ded h Y the lattrons of this popular and fashionable 'lace of amusem e it. ~, On EASTER MONDAY, Parch _^B, 1853, will be presents 91 a ‘,'"Eti`Y. for the purpose of introdacinr s e veral new midiY , d etes • t 2r Popular f avour. After which, an entirely New and Origins,. Ex writt.ni by J. R. Manche, Esq., entitled MR. BIJ OK ;by_hr. s ASCEN T ON' MOUNT PARNAS r: SUS, the scene r, of viii be Painted by Sir Charles Marshall, who is engage 4 at i twbusiEsnitbrlisphrnent, by .llr. 4;ecrge Morris and Mr. Coat for; erf mauees, which will he tiny announced. Orchestr a 4 ' ail s (whivl t i lo may retatied the whole otthe everd ng), 69. each. First Pn e „,_ gal lery, 6d. Second p T i e _ ii x " , 58 .; Pii• 3s ; amphitheatre, 25.; gal. Cd. Doers to b, oxes, ; pit. 2s; amphitheatre, Is.; gal continencedantegvultimed at half-past six, the performanc es to e co ,,,,a nd . p ci rl . .e at nine. Frixa to boxes,. two guineas a , able of hadintr 12 pers om % b i t l ii each. N.B.—A private box. , cap nay he tired at the box oie a furnished anteroom atta cihed, may also he on a ~l icaloc : :l " l , .s v f lv e guinea.; Season ti ckets public 111;rarie$ , if Messrs. c s , s ' eg ri ta ftte boxes to be hat a 6. the draws, Ebers, Alicroit, 8;,. na Hookham, An- HAYMARKET compiWill r 7., ited perilxl• avoirites consist of the followinz establish - at this Theatre. r. Miss Pelen Fatten, who eng;iged for ram, her :Ant Barry Miss Reynilds, who is engag e d ' Comptor., his first ap :eariiiice here hiss Lotus appearance :ct. this ; at re. Mr. Henry Corn, his in the drama at this Theatre. Mrs Buckingham, s tr rat i t s PPeal Ti me Poynter, from the Theatres Royal York ard Norwich.....ii o - 7,, e, A Ira. pearanrein London. 'Mr. hippendale, fr , m tile ark Theatre, t ap- York— his first appearance here. Miss Ellen Chaplin, her N eNV pearance in the Haymarket Theatre. Mr. William p ar ig ap. first appearance at this Theatre. Mrs. Stanley, who is rc !' bls Raged. Mr. Tilbury, who is also re-engaged. Miss Augusta Vll non, her first mppex - ance in London. Mr. Rogers, Miss E. Roarer,'r her first appear , nee at this Theatre. Mr Arthur Payne, his d rat appearance in London. Miss Amelia Vining, Mr. Clark, Mrs. ( field, Mr. Caulfield, Miss Eleanor Bromley, from the Theatre R 03 'al, Drury-lane. Mr. Coe, Miss Grace Leslie, her first appearan ep in London. Mr. Braid, Miss Laidlaw, from the Lyceum Theatre. Ma's. Fltzvci'liam, err . Buckstone. Miss It. Woulds, Mr. Ellis, MISS 'Har vey, Miss A Won! 's, Mr. Hilton, Mrs. Coe , M iss Archer, Mr. Wit ten, Miss Grantham, &c., and a numerous Corps de ; allet. from time to time such important additions will he made, as will strez gtcn the Cowpany, hut render every membo.r ot it excl'a livrly Uelonging to 'his 't peatre. Stage Manager—Mr. Chippendale. Musical Director—Mr. Edwar d ritzwilliam. The followinz Novrlt'os will be rroducld in due succession An Extravaganza. by J.l;. Manche. Esq. A Comedy by Robert' Sayan, Esq., author of The Beggar on Horseback," and "The Old Love and tho New." A Play, by RoMert Browning, Esq., author of " Parareisne," &c —ano in which Ries Helen Faucit tv.ll appear. A Comedy, by Tom Taylor, Esq , author ot "To Parents and Guardians," and one of the authors of •• Ma•ks Faces." A Farce, by Thomas Marton, Esq. A Comedy, by Palgrave Simpson, Esq., Author of Poor cousin Waiter." A Drama, by J R. Flanche, Esq. A Comedy, Uc3,o2.iorris Barnett, E , q , author of " The serious Family," Sze A ” ,, 1, b" Stir in,g , Coyme, Esq. tsq. Drama, by Douglas Jerrold, The Rea Office will be opene : on Thursday next, the 24th MArch. ander the direction of Mt. Turpiii, who will fr om 10111 r, personally attend daily.. The public is respectfully requested to observe that a new and com— plel e staff of box-keepers having bet n eraaged, it is requested that ahould any incivilities be offered by them, they may be reported to Mr. Tur;.iti, while to ineure a proper regu.ation in the business of the Boa titli , e, no Eveiatet" will be anneunc , d for the First 411 Production of any New Pl 4 e, unto the Management is convinced. there can b- no postponement, ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STREET. ITnder the Management of Mr. Charles Kean. en :,,TAtten Will be perft.rmal she 4 rag. , ,ly of MACBETH. After which will be !.roduced a new Drama, adapted from the the French of Mons. Scribe, by Mr. Pa:grave Simpson, called MARCO SPADA. Principal characters by Messrs. W. Lacy, J. Vining, Ryder, Graham, and Everett; Miss Heath and Miss C. Leclercq. G ENERAL SCREW STEAM SHIPPING COMPANY. NOTICE IS HEEEBY GIVEN, That this Company's Auxiliary Iron Screw .iteam-chip ARGO, 1,850 tons, George Hyde, Commander, will leave Southampton for poßr PHILIP and SYDNEY on tt EDNES DAY, the 4th of May next. he accommodation is of a superior description, and the cabins are fully furni,hed. Ihe rates of passage immey—After abin, first class, 80 .; Fore Cabin, second class, 501. These rates are exclusive or wines, beer, and spirit , . us liquors, which, howeve-, may be ha tun board at moderate prices. The ship will carry an experienced surgeon. Applications for passage to be trade at the Company's Offices, 2, Royal Exchange- ; and for f eight and parcels, to Messrs. Balfour, Laminz, and Owen, 16, St. Mary-axe. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tres DAY —Morning 0 min. after 0 I Evening 6 min.aft. 12 To-Moanow—Morning 34 min. after 12 Evening 57 min.aft. 12 DAILY WEATHER TABLE. TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 1853. State of the wind and weather at each of the following ces at nine o'clock yesterday morning. The stations are arranged in order of latitude. HASTlNGS—Calm—partially cloudy. SOUTHAMPTON—W., gentle breeze—overcast. T U N BRIDGE —.N.E. ' calm—overcast. BA SINGSTOKE— N.W., gentle breeze—overcast. GREENWICH—W., gentl breeze—overcast. STROOD—W. calm—snow. SWINDON—W.. light airs—cloudy. CAMBRIDGE—W., gentle breeze—partially cloudy. HOLYHEAD—N., strong breeze—showery. LANCASTER—N., strong breeze— snow. The returns from the following places indicate the state of , he weather on Saturday morning at nine o'clock HOLYHEAD—E., gentle breeze—hard frost. LANCASTER—N., gentle breeze—cloudless. DARLINGTON—N.W., strong breeze,—cloudy, strong frost. SR-AP—N., strong breeze—principally clear—hard frost. THE WEATITER.—Stn; °einem, MAttcri 22. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 35—highest since noon yesterday. 25 —lowest this morning and during the night. 36 this day at noon. BAROMETER, 29'91. WIND, N.E.—Sharp breeze and cloudy—sunshine. THE PUBLICATION OF " THE SUN" COMMENCES EVERY AFTERNOON AT THREE O'CLOCK, AND THB LATE OR THIRD EDITION, CONTAINING THE 'MUTES IN PARLIAMENT THE SAME EVENING, frith all other Sews arriving up to the hour of Post, AT SEVEN O'CLOCK. EXPRESS EDITIONS will be forwarded after the Post is closed by the Latest Trains. -A " b 441 S e" 414 G§ NU Fk OW* MONEY AND COMMERCIAL NEWS. CITY, TWO O'CLOCK. The sales of Cotton at Liverpool yesterday were estimated at 7,000 bales, of which 1,500 American were taken for export, and 500 on speculation. The market was tame without alteration in prices. The sales comprised 6,000 American, 200 Pernam and Maranham at 6f d. to 6id., 100 Bahia at 60. to 61d., 300 Egyptian at 7d. to 10d., 400 S ura t a t afd. to 4&d., and 30 Sea Island at ls. Bd. to 2s. 6d. per lb. In Railway Shares only a limited business was done at lower prices. The letters by the steamer Parana, from the West Indies have been delivered, and their general contents evince more plainly than before the deter mination to accomplish that great desideratum, a reduction of expenditure. At a meeting held in the parish of Hanover, Jamaica, one of the speakers made the following curious statement : " The Hon. Hugh A. Whitelock was called to the chair, who accordingly addressed the meeting on the subject of the miserable state of the island and the pre sent financial difficulty, and concluded his speech by stating, that if the House of Assembly could not succeed in carrying any measures of retrenchment into effect, that he would positively recommend that the revenues of the island be handed over to the British Government for two or three years, who might succeed in conducting the duties of the Government of the colony commensu rate to its prostrate, ruinous, and fallen condition." It was fully expected that tonnage dues would be abolished in Jamaica, and the Chairman of the Committee on the Estimates of Ways and Means had proposed to do away with the following im posts All tonnage dues, with the exception of lighthouse dues, a relief of Hereditament tax, at 6d. in the pound Income-tax The additional imports And tax on stock and wheels .E 62,500 The mercantile advices from the Continent are not of special interest. At the meeting of the Maria Antonia Railway this day, a dividend of three shillings on the old shares, and one shilling on the new shares was de clared. The accounts showed a balance of 7,0261. 4s. 4d. The chairman regretted the smallness of the passenger traffic in spite of the line being further opened, but hoped it would improve as the other lines were completed. The Committee of Spanish Bondholders have receiTed the following : " Guayaquil, Jan. 26, 1853. " I avail myself of an opportunity, via Panama, to inform you that the Government have received a dispatch from the Government of the province of Manahi, an nouncing that a gold mine had been discovered at a place called Jama, and that a commission had been dispatched to ascertain the extent of the same, the results of which I expect I shall be able to report to you by the steamer of Ist proximo. " Private letters differ as to its importance, some stating it to be inexhaustible, others admitting it is ex tensive ; beyond a doubt, the people from that district are flo wing thith er , i n spite of bad ro a d s an d h eavy rains. Either by land or sea, it requires about seven days to reach Jama from this. "I have commenced my conferences with the commis sioners for regulating the debt, on which I hope to report by the steamers." _ _ " Guayaquil, Ist February, 1853. "I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your favour of Ist Dec., and beg to enclose duplicates of my last respects. "As yet, nothing further is known about the gold mine. The public opinion is; now not so sanguine as at first, but we must await the result of the commission sent out by the Government of Manalie. " As yet I have not been able to come to any settle ment with the commissioners--they made me a proposal so entirely inadmissible that I considered it my duty to reject it at once, since which we have not met. His Excellency General Urbinia assures me that he will urge on a settlement on an equitable basis. The commis sioners insist on even more favourable terms than those of New Grenada, and also what they will propose as an ultimatum, must have the sanction of the ensuing Con gress, which is to meet in Quito next September." The English Stock Market has taken an upward course again, and the much more tranquillising character of the news from Constantinople has an excellent effect. The speculators for a fall are not likely, however, to buy back yet, anticipating many contingencies before settling day, and asserting that the French Government is endeavouring to put a better face on matters than circumstances warrant. On the other hand, and among disinterested parties, there is no apprehension of hostilities. Consols have been quoted 99 3 / 4 and are now about 99i for transfer. For account the transac tions have been at 99i to /, and at one period there were buyers at nearly the highest of these rates. Exchequer Bills have been marked 14s. premium for those of June, and Bs. for those dated March. East India Bonds are 40s. premium. South Sea Stock has been done at 110. Foreign Stocks have rallied partially, but are yet unsteady. Spanish Deferred Bonds have been 244 1, and the Three per Cents. 49. Portuguese Four per Cents. are 38/ to 4. Mexican Stock is worth 254 to 1,. The Peruvian New 44 per Cents., paid up, have been done at 884. Brazilian Five per Cents. are 1031. Sardinian Bonds have been up to 951 to 96. Austrian Stock is at 99, and Russian Five per Cents. have been 1184 to 1194 ex div., a rise of 1 to 2 per cent. The Railway Share Market has recovered the fall of yesterday, and, although the dealings are limited, holders refrain from pressing sales. The principal transactions have been in Great Western, North-Western, Midland, and Lancashire, and Yorkshire. French Shares are up full 11., upon Northern, Strasburg, and Lyons ; Sambre and Meuse, are 4 higher. The Gold Mine Shares are rather looking up, and the favourable advices received by the Colonial Gold Company, inspire more confidence in Aus tralian undertakings. The Land Companies Shares are rather higher, most being done in British American Land, and South Australian and Van Diemen's Land. The Australian Bank Shares have advanced, and also the Oriental. BRITISH FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK THIS DAY. (Prom the Official List.) _ Buonesß done. 3 per Cent. Consols Annuities Long Annuities, Expire sth Jan., 1860 — Ditto 30 Years, Expire sth Jan., 1860 6 3-16 India Bonds, £lOOO _ Ditto, under £lOOO 4O South Sea Stock Consols for Account 13th April Exchequer Bills, lid. June. March. £lOOO £5OO Small l4 PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK. Austrian Bonds, 5 per Cent. Brazilian Bonds, 5 per Cent. lO3l Grenada Bonds, Deferred, Mexican 3 per Cent................ ............ Peruvian 4A per Cent BB Portuguese 4 per Cent. 3B I Peruvian Scrip .. .... 3i 3 P . Russian Bonds, 5 per Cent. Ditto, 4i per cent lO3l 3 Sardinian Bonds, 5 per Cent. Sp tnish Bonds, 3 per Cent ... —.. .. 49 Spanish New Deferred, 3 per Cen'i 245 i Consols . ................ Ditto April Account ... HALF-PAST TWO. 99a A 99i i We are requested to state that, on the recommenda tion of Lord Palme rs t on , her Majesty has granted a free pardon to P ax t on and Wynn, who were convicted at the January se ss i ons of the Central Criminal Court. SCARCITY OF SERVANTS IN LONDON.—N O l es s th an forty appli ca ti ons for female servants, have recently been made to th e master of the Marylebone Workhouse, who cannot recommend one from the house, although its in mates number 1,820. The master states, that so viciously inclined are the young females in the workhouse, that they are no sooner supplied with situations, than they leave their service and return again to the workhouse. And that within last week three girls, after enduring imprisonment for misconduct while in service, claimed and obtained admission to the house. Upon examining the books, he found that the continuance of workhouse girls in service, did not.average more than a week. To meet this evil the guardians have resolved to erect a re fractory ward for such girls. THE CHURCH ESTATES COMMISSIONERS.---The COlN mission er s , appointed under the " Episcopal and Capi tular•Estates Act," have just made their second report. They state th at s i nce the f ac iliti es f or en f ranc hi sement afforded by t h e act have b ecome more genera ll y understood, they have received numerous applica tions for th e i r sanction to agreemen t s con di t i ona ll y entered into by ecclesiastical corporations with their lessees. During the present year, they have ap proved the terms agreed on in ninety-seven cases for the sale of reversions, and in eight cases for the pur chase of leasehold interests. The value in fee of the leasehold estates, enfranchised by these sales and pur chases, exceeds the sum of 650,001., and they add, that they hrve reason to expect that the enfranchisement of their estates will be shortly proceeded with by several other ecclesiastical corporations, to a considerable extent, thus confirming them in the opinion expressed in their first report, that the operation of the act would be to promote a satisfactory settlement of the Church lease hold question. In conclusion they recommend that Church copyholds be put on a similar footing. PROFESSORSHIPS IN SCOTLAND. —Yesterday, a bill which is before the House of Commons was printed, to regulate the admission of professors to the lay chairs in the universities of Scotland. Professors are not to be required to'subscribe to the Confession of Faith, but to sign a declaration that they will not exercise the funs. tion of their office to the prejudice or the subversion Of the Church of Scotland, as by law established. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 22, 1853. LONDON, TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 1853. The trial which has just taken place at King ston, of the parties concerned in the Egham duel (a full report whereof will be found in another part of this day's impression), affords additional and very powerful corroboration to the assertion, that too stringent enactments are calculated to defeat their own objects, and that juries will fre quently—nay, habitually—interpose between the undue severity of the law and the prisoners on trial, so as to protect the latter from the penal consequences of comparatively venial violations of the criminal code. It was in cases of duelling especially, that the sympathies were so strongly excited, and that juiiea invariably disregarded the charge of the presiding Judge, refusing to find that parties, engaged in a fair encounter, where the life of one was set against the other, were guilty of wilful and deliberate murder if there should have been a fatal result to the meeting. The so-called laws of honour and the law of the land were diametrically opposed to each other, and the wisest, the best of our statesmen, of our naval and military celebrities, yielded to the fashion of the day, and engaged in transac tions which might have led to their igno minious execution upon the gallows. It is suf ficient to say that the late Duke of WELLINGTON— the Iron Duke—the hero of a hundred fights—a man of whose personal courage there could have been no possible doubt, was not satisfied to rest on his well-established reputation ; but, although a sexagenarian, deemed it essential to demand " satisfaction," for what he conceived to be an imputation on his honour ; and that his distin guished successor at the Horse Guards—Viscount HARDINGE—aided and abetted him in his offence, by consenting to act as his second on the occasion. Sir ROBERT PEEL called out Mr. O'CONNELL, and the invitation was only refused because the chal lenged had, but a few years previously, stained his hands with the blood of his opponent—Mr. DESTERRE—a catastrophe which, we have reason to believe, excited the deepest contrition in the mind of the Liberator to the last hour of his existence. And yet, when these occurrences took place, the law was precisely the same as it is at present, and as it was when Lieutenant MUNRO was convicted of wilful and deliberate murder at the Old Bailey. What would the people of England think if the names of WELLING TON and HARDINGV.-Of PEEL, and O'CONNELL-OT, going a little farther back, of CANNING and CASTLEREAGH, CURRAN and GRATTAN, had been inscribed in the Newgate Calendar as murderers— wilful and deliberate murderers—who had expi ated their offences on the scaffold, or, through the interposition of the Royal prerogative of mercy, in perpetual exile from their native land. There must have been something rotten in the state of affairs that placed such men in opposition to the law on one point, of which they were in all other respects the most strenuous supporters. There must have been something radically wrong in the enactments, which juries repeatedly, almost invariably, refused to lend their aid in carrying into execution—violating their oaths rather than become participators in what they conceived to be the infliction of a still greater wrong on the parties on trial. A healthier and a better state of feeling, how ever, arose. Public opinion became opposed to the " monamachia," or single combat. Juries were found to execute their painful duties faith fully and truly ; and the case of Lieutenant MUNRO, on which we have repeatedly commented, proved that there might be a capital conviction - -although there had been no foul play—nothing unfair in the management of the duel, and the survivor had done all in his power to avoid the painful alternative. This conviction gave a heavy blow and a great discouragement to the practice of duelling—none could be found willing to brave the fearful results of a conviction ; and even if men allowed their passions so far to pre vail over their reason, they could not find friends, real or nominal, to act as seconds. The conse quences were too formidable to be lightly encoun tered, duelling became obselete, and the efforts that were made to revive the objectionable prac tice only entailed ridicule and contempt on those trying the experiment. This salutary state of affairs has, however, been completely altered. A duel, in which foreigners Only were engagedmen ignorant alike of English law and English feeling on the matter—had a fatal t erm i nation. N have been fairer thant o li t e hi e u n g tir7t u r l a d ia , sa w ct e io b n e . lie w. ve e , fully and completely exonerate the parties con cerned from anything that could create the slightest suspicion of foul pl ay; and, so far a s th e y ar e person ally concerned, we re j oice that they have been practically exempted from the were implicated. Th e L earned Judge who presided more stringent consequences o f the offence in which th s id ey ed laid clown the la w c l early and wun equivocally.r Ile declared that, " if two or more p erso ns went ther armed with d ea dl y an unlaw ful act, which fighting weapons, fi then' p out u r p o s e of committinga duel undoubtedly was, and , the death of one of the parties enst ed , it was i n the eye of the law murder, in every one of the ran saeticui, and that parties connected with the t it applied equally to the seconds of the deceased as well as those of the survivor—that all should be held responsible for that which might be re garded as the natural result of the act they were about to commit." The only real questions for their consideration then were—Did a duel take place? Was the deceased wounded in that duel ? Was that wound the cause of his death? Aid were the defendants engaged therein ? There should then have been either a conviction on the entire charge or an absolute acquittal. There was no intermediate course, no compromise, that could properly be adopted. They might as well have returned a verdict of petty larceny, or libel, as of manslaughter. We fear that the effect of the verdict and the sentence (two months' imprison ment) will be to bring duelling again into fashion. We would, therefore, once more urge the neces sity of special legislation on the subject—of an enactment rendering duelling a grave misde meanour, punishable with fine and imprison ment, no matter what might be the reiult, and making all parties in any degree concerned, either at the meeting or as accessarias before the fact, liable. The power of adding " hard labour " at the discretion of the presiding Judge would be exceedingly beneficial, so as to prevent single com bats on trivial, or insufficient, or indeed on any grounds, and to restore matters to the same state that they had been before these refugees engaged in the transaction which led to the investigation at Kingston, to which we have considered it our imperative duty to direct the public attention. A NATIONAL GALLERY—Worthy of the name— has, at length, we rejoice to think, come to be re garded as a necessity. By the word " gallery" we mean both the casket and its contents—we imply under the phrase " national gallery" both the splendour of the edifice and the completeness of the collection. As matters stand at present it is really painful and humiliating to reflect how England is situated in regard to Art. Although the wealthiest country in the world, she has—the fact is notorious—the poorest collection of paint ings of all the great Powers of Christendom. Not merely the poorest collection of paintings, but the most miserable edifice that could possibly (with such a purpose in view) have been con structed for their conservation. Look at it. Look at that architectural masterpiece (!) on " the finest site in Europe," (! !) and then examine its pictorial treasures. (! !!) The disgrace reflected upon the nation by all this is known to every intelligent man to be of the most flagrant character imaginable. Externally there are two or three stone pepper-castors on the top of a tasteless structure, devoid even of the merit of a moderately good elevation. Internally there are half-a-dozen apartments, in differently furnished with pictures, some of them of very questionable authenticity, selected obvi ously without much regard to intrinsic excellence, and disposed round the walls apparently without any eye to symmetry of arrangement. And this is the National Gallery of the United Kingdom I Compare it with almost any one of the large Galleries on the Continent. Compare it with the Louvre at Paris—with the Royal Museum at Berlin—or with that of Munich, the famous Pinacothek ! Why, the shame of the contrast is something ignominious. Here scantiness, and there profusion ; here parsimony, and there munificence ; here confusion and meanness, there order and magnificence. Those are the results of even the most cursory and superficial comparison. Never let us brag again of our fine taste as a people, so long as that fine taste continues to be mainly ex emplified by those abominations of Trafalgar square, by that execrable building, and that me lancholy collection. Until we have turned over a new leaf in this particular, we ought to be a trifle more circumspect in putting in our claims to the merits of artistic fastidiousness. England, too, ought surely by right to assume a nobler position among the national patrons of Art—Art having found some of its most illus trious cultivators among the ranks of her more gifted children. Yes : for in the revelation of original genius in Art, the Anglo-Saxon race has approved itself scarcely inferior to the most elevated of its distinguished contemporaries. Yielding, of course, to Italy, to Spain, and to Flanders, the glory of their pre-eminent reputa tion ! Setting aside, as altogether out of the category of comparison, the works of some among the loftier masters, the products of an age more classic and more ambitious— " Whate'er Lorraine light touched with softening hue, Or savage Rosa dashed, or learned Poussin drew 1" Putting altogether aside the pioneers of the golden revival of the art of APELLEs—setting apart the whole of that glorious catalogue of ori ginators from CIMABUB to GIOTTO, and from MA sAmo to PF,RuoiNo—above all, avoiding any more direct reference to the designing of DA VINCI, the colouring of GIORGIONE, the grace of CORREGIO, the grandeur of MICHAEL ANGELO, and the divine and matchless excellences combined in the incomparable RAFFAELLE—We may still ven ture to regard some among the higher departments of modern art as not having been wholly mono polised by foreign competitors to the exclusion of every Englishman. The time has arrived when we may speak thus without treason to the purer schools of the Roman Peninsula. The day has come when we may presume to express opinions such as these without necessarily being charged with a sort of poetic leze-maje,ste to the Gods of the Brush at Bologna or at Florence. Happily, we may dare to speak thus nowadays, without being accused of depreciating the supreme merit of such men as SARTO or PIOMBO, as TINTO RETTO Or DOMENICHINO, as TITIAN Or the CARAC cis, men like PARMEGIANO, and PAUL - VERONESE, and RUBENS, and VANDYCK, and REMBRANDT, and SALVATOR, and CLAUDE, and GUIDO, and VELASQUEZ. Reverencing their fame according to the respective value of their productions, we may yet be permitted to claim a certain degree of consideration for our fellow-countrymen. If England has no TENlERs—she has a HOGARTH. If she has no OSATADE—She has a WILKIE. If she never possessed a CINALETTO-- she has produced a TURNER. Descending to the lowlier departments, to the delineation of fruit and of animals—we have a LANCE if we are with out an UNDINA, and a LANDSEER if we are with out a SNYDERS. Ascending again to the loftier schools of art—if France had her DAVID, had not England her ETTY ? Throughout the whole list we might advance, name by name, without shrink ing in any one instance from the comparison— alluding to the artistic history of a race illus trated by the labours of a CONSTABLE, a REY NOLDS, a WEST, a COLLINS, and a GAINSBOROUGH. Allusion to the chiefs among our living masters might be invidious ; yet among their names, too, we might find abundant corroboration. So has it been in Art with England—England disgraced by her National Gallery, while so much might have been expected from a country numbering a HOGARTH and a TURNER among her painters, a FLAXMAN and a GissoN among her sculptors, a WREN and a PUGIN among her architects ! Thank Heaven, however, there now appears some probability of a change for the better in this particular. Already we have gained the rot, gra) for a noble enterprise between Brompton and Ken sington. Already, moreover, we have witnessed the index finger of a living master pointed steadily in the right—meaning, of course, the onward—di rection, one of our gifted Royal Academicians having in this important matter, and at this criti cal juncture, ventured upon the somewhat umn viting labours of a censorious pamphleteer.* * " The National Gallery : its Formation and Manage ment. Considered in a Letter, addressed, by permission, to H. R. H. The Prince Albert, K.G., &c., &c. By Wil liam Dyne, R.A." Bvo. pp. 84. Chapman and Hall. London, 1853. EMIGRATION TO AUSTRALIA.—The departures from the port of London for the Australian colonies during the past week have again been more numerous than ever. They consisted of nine - vessels to Port Philip, with an aggregafe burden of 3,740 tons ; three to Sydney, with an aggregate burden of 1,160 tons ; two to Hobart-town with an aggregate burden of 829 tons ' • one to Adelaide, of 680 t ons ; an d one to L aunces t on , of 213 tons. Their total capacity was, consequently, 6,622 tons. ,Consider able shipments are still made of manufactured goods and general merchandise, but no essential change has occurred in the rates of freight. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR CASTLE, MARCH 21. The Hon. Col. Liddell, Equerry to the Duchess of Gloucester, arrived at the Castle last evening to inquire after her Majesty on behalf of her Royal Highness. The Duke of Cambridge, the Duke of Norfolk, and the Earl of Aberdeen, arrived soon after nine o'clock this morning, and returned to London about two o'clock. The Marquis of Breadalbane, the Lord Chamberlain, and Mr. N. Macdonald, also arrived at the Castle to day, to inquire into the circumstances attending the fire on Saturday night. The Austrian Minister had an interview with the Ear' of Clarendon yesterday. The Earl of Aberdeen left town at eight o'clock yes. terday morning for 'Windsor Castle. His lordship re turned to town in the afternoon. A deputation, consisting of Mr. Jas. Macgregor, M.P., Chairman, Mr. Coles Child, and Mr. H. Rich, M.P., from the South-Eastern Railway Company ; Mr. Leo Schuster, deputy-chairman ; and Mr. C. S. Crowley, from the Brighton and South Coast Railway Company ; Mr. Alderman Humphery, from St. Saviour's parish ; Messrs. Martin, Maylard, William Baugh, J. G. Beard, Francis Rider, and Thomas J. Russell, churchwardens of St. Saviour's ; Messrs. J. Thwaites, and Thomas Bailey, inhabitants of St. Saviour's ; and Mr. Herbert Sturney, vestry clerk, had an interview with Sir William Molesworth yesterday, at the Office of Works and Pub lic Buildings in Whitehall-place. The deputation was accompanied by Apsley Pellatt, M.P., and Mr. Eli Richards. The Sicilian Minister transacted business yesterday at the Foreign-office, Downing-street. Mr. Ross and Mr. Jackson had an interview with the Duke of Newcastle yesterday at the Colonial-office. BOW-STREET-(THIS DAY.) THE NEWSVENDERS AND THE POLlCE.—Charles Robin son, a newsman, was placed at the bar before Mr. Jar dine, charged with obstructing police-constable 129 while in the execution of his duty. The constable stated that between four and five o'clock yesterday afternoon he was on duty in Catherine street, opposite Mr. Moseley's newspaper office, for the purpose of keeping the pavement clear from the news boys, who assembled there in great numbers, when the defendant came out of Mr. Moseley's shop, and obstructed him in his duty. Witness remonstrated with him on the impropriety of such proceedings, and was walking away, when defendant came behind him, and trod on his heels, and when witness told him to leave off the annoyance, he (defendant) jeered him, and then ran into Mr. Moseley's shop. Complainant then proceeded on his beat, and in about a minute defendant came again behind him, and putting his head over his (witness') shoulder, called out in his ear as loud as he could, " The London news, the London news," and, as a great crowd had assembled, and defendant persisted in his annoyance, witness took him to the station. After he was bailed out he came back to Catherine-street again, and pur sued the same system of annoyance. Police-constable, 158 F, corroborated the above evi dence. Mr. Geo. Atkins, of the firm of Thurston and Co., 14, Catherine-street, said their house of business is situated between two news-shops, and every afternoon a large crowd of boys assembled opposite to their house, so as to render it an intolerable nuisance, and their lan guage was exceedingly coarse and obscene. He was an eye-witness to the conduct of the defendant, as described by the constable. The defendant was exciting the boys to resist the police, and his proceedings were decidedly calculated to lead to a breach of the peace. Mr. Jardine said he was an eye-witness to the nui sance, he himself having frequently to cross over to the other side of the way to avoid the crowd of news-boys. In reply to the charge, the accused said he was not in Catherine-street five minutes. He had been to Mr. Moseley's to buy some Evening Mails, and when he left there, he having some papers on hand to dispose of in the " market," certainly did call out, "London News — who wants a London News ?" He then went into Mr. Moseley's shop again, and when he came out the con stable took him into custody on the charge of obstruct ing him in his duty. As to treading on the heels of the constable, that he denied ; he was in too great a hurry to do that, for the Racing Times had just come out, and every one was anxious to get their supply as soon as they could, in order to deliver them to their custotners. Mr. Jardine said, neither defendant nor any one else had a right to take up a portion of any public thorough fare for the purpose of a market. If they must deal in newspapers, they ought to have a place solely for that purpose, and not cause a nuisance and an obstruction to the public. He considered the charge against defendant had been proved, and therefore fined him 20s. The fine was paid immediately. NEW PRUSSIAN LOAN.—The advices from Berlin mention that the new 4 per cent. Prussian loan of 750,0001. had been issued at par with an allowance of li t per cent. commission to large subscribers. Nearly a third of the amount was reserved by the Government. SPANISH BONDS.—We hear numerous inquiries as to the amount of certificates issued by th© several com mittees of Spanish bondholders in London, Amsterdam, and Madrid, as vouchers for the half of the overdue coupons left unfunded at the last conversion. The total amount issued in London was 3,529,3701. ; and in Amsterdam, 3,164,1671. ; in all, 6,693,537/. The amount issued by the committee in Madrid is not known, as no home Spanish securities are recognised or negotiable in this market. The entire amount issued by all the committees, however, is believed to be about 7,800,0001. Supposing these vouchers to be admitted as cash in the subscription for any new Spanish loan at the rate of 101 per cent., they would thus represent in the aggregate a sum of about 820,000/, sterling in cash. Tau PASSPORT SYSTEM.—The Journal cle Geneve cir culates the following story :—Mazzini is said, on leaving London, to have gone direct to Paris, where he st o p pe d at the Hotel Meurice, as an English gentleman, with light hair and rather weak eyes, and provided, of course, with a correct English passport. From thence he went to Strasburg by railway • the police, however, had got on the scent, and followed, but could not meet with any such gentleman there. The only individual they found was a respectable English gentleman, with brown hair, very lively eyes, and quite a different passport. While the French police were therefore directing their atten tion to Lyons with a view to the apprehension of the light-haired man, the brown-haired Mazzini was playing off the same counterfeit again on the German police, and passed through Germany to Milan, where he is reported to have stayed a few days. ADULTERATION OF AUSTRALIAN GOLD.—The adul teration of the Australian gold which has lately been practised is likely to check the export of coin from this country for its purchase. A large amount consigned to one house, by the Francis Henty, has been found to be about 4s. per ounce below standard value, instead of about 3s. above it, as heretofore. AMSTERDAM AND ROTTERDAM PRODUCE MARKETS. — The weekly reviews from the Amsterdam and Rotter dam produce markets mention that business had slightly increased, and that general quotations were well sup ported. The operations in coffee since the termination of the Dutch East India sales had been more active, and prices showed a tendency to advance. Raw and refined sugars continued to command attention, but the con tracts in the latter were limited in consequence of the prices maintained. The late unfavourable advices from Batavia had caused considerable purchases of spices at improved quotations. The accounts from Antwerp and Hamburgh represent a similar state of trade. NEW BANK OP CONSTANTINOPLE.-It appears that an effort is to be forthwith made to establish a new Bank of Constantinople, and to bring about a re-adjustment of the circulation that shall correct the ruinous rates of ex change at which all the foreign payments of the country are now made. As this can only be effected, however, by an importation of the precious metals, either through a loan to the State or the opening of credits in London or Paris, the measures to be proposed will be regarded with curiosity. The recent repudiation puts the idea of a loan out of the question, and the fact of the solemn contracts of the late bank having been disavowed by the Government which created it, and which professed to make the maintenance of its honour a primary considera tion, seems equally fatal to all prospect of credit being given to any future institution of the kind. AUSTRALIAN PARCEL MAIL.— A Stockton-upon-Tees correspondent begs to call attention to a scheme which, he thinks, if carried into effect, would prove profitable to the shareholders. It is, to establish a company for the conveyance of parcels to Australia or to any other foreign ports, but especially to the former. The com pany could take as much room as they require on board of a sailing vessel or steamer, and dispatch the g oods every month—freight, &c., paid here—and have agents in the country and also in Australia, &c., to consign the goods to. The parcels could either be stowed loose in the vessel, or in boxes or bales, &c. A NEW LINE OF COMMUNICATION TO OFORTo.—Mess rs . Vienna, Jones, and Chappel, with that spirit of p r i va t e , enterprise for which Liverpool has recently become fa mous, have established a line of steam-packet communi cation to Oporto. The first vessel despatched to the new station was the screw-steamer Rattler, Benson com mander, which took her depafzure hence on Saturday evening, with a fair cargo on freight.—Liverpool Albion. ROBERT HOUDIN.—Mons. Robert Houdin, the most celebrated of modern prestidigitateur, had the honour of giving a "Seance Magique et Fantastique," by express command, at Buckingham Palace, on Friday afternoon, on the occasion of the birthday of her Royal Highness the Princess Louisa, in the presence of her Majesty, his Royal Highness Prince Albert, her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, his Royal Highness the Prince of W a l es , Prince Alfred, Prince Arthur, the Princess Royal, the Princess Alice, the Princess Helena, and the Princess Louisa ; their Royal Highnesses the Duke and. Duchess of Nemours and three children, their Royal High nesses the Prince and Princess A ugus t a of Saxe Coburg with four children, the Duchess of S u th er l and and four children, Madame Van de Weyer and two children, the Countess of Shaftesbury a n d f our d aughters, the doun tess of Desart and two children, Lady Alfred Paget and one daughter, and fou r c hild ren of the family of Mr. Farquharson of Invercauld, were also present. Mr. Coleman accompanied the performance on the pianoforte. M. Houdin, who cam e , f or th e occasion express from Lille, where he was giving a series of performances, had the honour of receiving the expression of her Majesty's approbation. This popular artiste is announced to give his extraordinary entertainment at the St. James's Theatre every evening during Easter week. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. TATTERSALL' S--MONDAY. METROPOLITAN HANDICAP. Bto 1 agst Contentment (taken). 9to 1 agst Snowdon Dunhill (taken). 9to 1 agst Lampedo. 13 to 1 agst Richmond. 15 to 1 agst Peggy. 20 to 1 agst Terpsichore (taken). Lampedo, after 8 to 1 had been taken to a small amount, receded 9 to 1 ; Contentment, against whom 10 to 1 was laid early in the afternoon, closing at 8 to 1, takers. The outlay on Snowdon Dunhill and Richmond was in small sums. NORTHAMPTONSHIRE STAKES. 9to 2 agst Defiance (5 to 2 taken freely). 6to 1 agst Hobby Horse. 12 to 1 agst Llanforda (taken). 15 to 1 agst The Confessor (taken). CHESTER CUP. 10 to 1 agst Trifle. 20 to 1 agst Lady Evelyn (taken). 1000 to 30 agst St. Michael (taken). 2000 to 50 agst Friday (taken). 2000 to 40 agst Ann Page (taken). The only bet of any magnitude was 5,000 to 300 ags Lady Evelyn. 20 to 1 was afterwards laid in ponies. DERBY. 9to 1 agst West Australian (taken to 1001., and afterwards offered. 13 to 1 agst Cineas (taken to 1001.) 16 to 1 agst Honeywood (take 17 to 1). 18 to 1 agst Umbriel (taken to se/.) 18 to 1 agst Ninnyhammer (taken and aft off). 25 to 1 agst Ethelbert. 2000 to 60 agst Vanderdecken (taken and aft off). 1000 to 30 agst Queen Colt (taken). Mr. H Stebbing, the celebrated trainer, died on Sun day last. Tavistock is declared not to start for the Somerset shire Stakes. SPORTING NOTES.—No. CCCXCIV. ANALYSIS OF THE GREAT NORTHAMPTON SHIRE HANDICAP. - - In continuation of my analysis of this handicap, Osborne's lot next claims my attention. To commit an Hibernicism, however, it only consists of one, who, I be lieve, will run ; but the antiquated Alp, though lightly weighted, can scarcely be deemed to have a chance. Rogers has the Harrier, at 6st 121 b, and the King of Troy, at Est 21b—the latter, in my opinion, being the best. Tremble will probably represent Godding's stable, although the five-years-old May-day is, I think, the best of the twain. Hambletonian, from Bradley's, at 6st 51b, ought to have a little chance over this course ; but I fancy all the light-weighted four and five-years-old are completely disposed of by Lumley's Maria, who, at 6st 41b, I have no doubt will be one of the first four. Madeline gave symptoms last year of being able to carry a light weight successfully among moderate animals, but I believe she is not quite forward enough in her work to do anything this time. Happy Joe and Lady Blanche, both four years old, at the same weight (sst 121 b), are very indifferent animals, and let loose occasionally. Charley comes from Newmarket, but whether for this Stake sr the Whittlebury I am not able to say ; his chance, however, cannot be first-rate for this Stake, when there is only a pound between him and Defiance — the latter being by half-a-stone the best horse. The Duke of Bedford has a couple of nominations who have been doing good work lately ; but Gossip having done more than his stable companion, Dabchick, will probably represent the stable ; and as Defiance is sup posed to possess a fair chance, in the same strain of argument, Gossip, at 51bs. less, cannot quite be on the hopeless list. Charles Marson has Polly at work, a mare with no pretension, at the weight, to compete successfully with either Gossip or Defiance. The Bell Tinker is not forward enough in preparation to have the shadow of a chance of winning. Jacqueline, from Tom Taylor's stable, will carry Lord Chesterfield's colour s , an d, a t 4st. 121 b., will no dohbt run very well. The Intentions of the Llanforda party I have not been able to ascertain ; but should their horse run, and be meant, at sst. 21b., including 51b. for winning the Liver pool Spring Cup, I should even then entertain doubts of her being able to win. Lampedo, I believe, does not run. Molasses, I should say, will be the representative of Young Stephenson's stables, and will, as usual, be " no where" at the finish. Tobolski, with 4st 51b up, the winning weight of lasi year—is totally incapable of repeating the performance, Chaffwax, with the feather of 4st 31b, requires no con. sideration. Gholab Singh has paid forfeit for this, and all his other engagements, and is not likely to appear again in public. To sum up, I think the race will lie with Confessor, Maria, Defiance, Gossip, and Hobby Horse ; and as I entertain a slight doubt of the power of Defiance to carry the'weight allotted to successfully, I must look for the winner in HOBBY HORSE or CONFESSOR, if he should represent the stable. The other three, I expect, will be in very close attendance. _ _ My final opinion on this stake will appear next Tues day. THE SPIRIT OF THE TURF. HOTEL AND TAVERN -KEEPERS' PROVIDENT INSTITU TION.—The fifteenth annual meeting of subicribers to the above institution was held yesterday at the Craven Hotel, Strand, the object being to receive the annual report of the committee, the auditors' report, and to elect officers for the ensuing year. Mr. S. Lovegrove presided. From the report which was read at the meeting the income from all sources for the past ;ear appear e d t o b e 4461. 3s. '2d , and the disbursements fo 20 memb ers and 12 widows of members, 2291. 25.; and after d e d uct i ng the current expenses of the year there remained a balance of 1101. 10s. sd. The number of recipients and amongst in creased from Bin 1847 to 32 in 1852, and a the whole number relieved during that period the large sum of 1,2641. 9s. had been distributed. The report further mentioned two remarkable instances of the usefulness of the institution. In one instance, where a subscriber had paid in 81. Bs., .he had, on subsequently coming to dis tress, received up to the present time 1021. is.; and anothek, who had paid in 91. 95., had received from the funds 951. The report concluded with a grateful enu meration of the benefactors of the institution, and the sP had co nsen t e d ii ' val.—Th e Chair taonnporuesnicdeemaetntthethnaetxtManr.nivßeasrsas,ryMfe. man, in opening the proceedings, briefly called at tention to the above facts contained in the report, and moved its adoption. One or two questions were asked respecting the mode of distribution, and were satisfac torily answered, after which the report was unanimously adopted. Thanks were voted to Mr. Alderman Salo mons for his kindness in becoming a vice patron of the association ; to Mr. Masterman, M.P., for his donation of 51. 55., being the ninth sum of that amount he had given to the institution ; and also to the honorary con tributors, whom the chairman informed the meeting were principally ladies. OffiCers for the ensuing year were then elected, and the proceedings terminated with the usual vote of thanks to the chairman. COMMISSION OF LUNACY ON A COMEDlAN.—Yester day, Mr. Commissioner Winslow held a court at the Bridge House Hotel, London-bridge, to inquire into the state of mind of Benjamin Crowther, formerly a comedian, engaged at Astley's, arid more recently of the Surrey Theatre. It resulted from the evidence of seve ral of the witnesses that Mr. Crowther was married to Miss Vincent, lessee of the Victoria Theatre, on the 14 of February, 1852, when he was in full health.' After the ceremony he proceeded to Brighton with Mrs. Crowther, and was attacked with fever, followed by what now appears to be a settled mental derangement. He was at first sent to a lunatic asylum in Camberwell, and subsequently to another, at Bethnal-green ; but at teeth time of this inquiry, which was instituted by his brer, • he was residing with his father, as before his marriage. Before his removal to an asylum his behaviour had been marked by great excitement, alternately with depression, fear being the predominant emotion. In the course of the inquiry the alleged lunatic was introduced. Having rushed about the room, threatening to write challenges and to shoot several people, using at the same time very blasphemous and foul language, he was tur n ed a some verdictdifficulty led o u t of the room. The jury re , " That Benjamin Crowther is now of aunffaoisundan mind, incapable of managing himself and his rs, ds been so since the 18th Feb., 1852." THE LAW OF DIVORCE. —The first report of the Com missioners appointed by her Majesty to inquire into the law of divorce, and more particularly into the mode of obtaining divorces a vinculo matrimonii, has just been laid before Parliament. After an elaborate summary of the history of the law from the earliest times, and a statement of the inconveniences occasioned by its present state, the Commissioners proceed to make various sug gestions as to the alterations and improvements which they think may be made in the law with prudence and safety. The principal of these suggestions are, that the distinction between divorce ei meusd et tho'.-o and divorce vinculo matrimonii shall still be maintained, but that the latter shall be allowed for adultery only, and that a verdict at law and an ecclesiastical sentence shall not be considered as preliminary conditions which must be complied with before it can be obtained. They recom mend that the existing mode of oDNining a divorce a vinculo shall no longer be continued, but that a new tribunal shall be constituted to try all questions of divorce, and also all matrimonial questions now deter mined in the ecclesiastical courts, and that this tribunal shall consist of a Vice-Chancellor, a common law Judge, and a Judge of the Ecclesiastical Courts. Listly, they recommend that there shall be only one appeal from the decree of the court, and that the appeal shall be carried to the House of Lords. SUICIDE OF A LIVERPOOL GENTLEMAN.- —A very pain ful affair has occurred at West Derby, near Liverpool. Mr. Richard Benson Blundell Hollingshead Blundell, a county magistrate, has been for some days missing from his home, Deysbrook, West Derby, and, though diligent search and inquiry were made for him, no clue was ob tained until Sunday morning, when his body was found in a pond 'tot far from his own residence. It was at first supposed that he had been murdered, but a further examination of the remains tended to show that the in juries upon the person were self-inflicted, and "not such as to lead to the supposition that a murder had been perpetrated. The deceased gentleman, though very wealthy, was labouring under the singular impression that he should come to poverty, and this so weighed upon his mind as to lead to the commissi on o f the me lancholy act described. rf r ,Al 4( 4 4 , 9 i rbf 4„: 4 41,0 1 ,, t . wit+ 4,* LINCOLN RACES. (THIS DAY.) (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) THE HURDLE RACE. The Hero Fazeley .., Caurire Harp THE HANDICAP. 1 Nine ran. MARKET NEWS-(THIS DAY.) COLONIAL. HAT MARKETS. SMITHFIELD.—Meadow hay, 3/ Os to 4/ 10s; clover ditto, 4/ Os to 5/ Os ; and straw, 1/ 5s to 1/ 13s per load. A full average supply, and a sluggish demand. CIIMBERLAND.—Meadow hay, 3/ 3s to 41 13s ; clove/ ditto, 4/ Os to 5/ Os ; an d s t raw , 1/ 6 s t o 11 14s per l o ad* Supply moderate, and trade rather dull. WHITECLIAPEL.—Meadow hay, 3/ Os to 4/ 108 ; clover ditto, 4/ Os to 5/ 5s ; and straw, 11 6s to 11 13s per load* Trade dull. SUGAR.—There have been large sales at about the pro• vious rates for Madras, &c. ; foreign sorts are held for veil full prices, with a limited supply; refined has been firm' The quantity of British plantation landed last week via. 728 hogsheads, 2 tierces, 175 barrels : there were taken for home consumption 981 hogsheads, 60 tierces, 257 barrel& The stock in the same pl aces i s 4,330 hogsheads, 759 tierce., 659 barrels. COFFEE.—This article is very firm. Native, 10,000 bag privately sold yesterday at 47s 9d to 48s 6d ; and about 3,000 bags are expected to be sold to-day. There is but one public sale to-day. Plantation is in request privatelif and rather dearer. Rum.—The quantity landed last week at the East and. , West India Docks was 372 punc h eons 16 hogs h ea d' there were taken for home consumption 205 puncheons 10 hogsheads, and exported 123 puncheons 59 hogsheads. Th e stock in the same same places is 10,724 puncheons 78 911 h' RICE.—At auction 2,267 bags Bengal were m ostly bought in at 11s to Ils 6d for good. Part sold at lOs 6d to 11s, being 6d cheaper. TALLOW.—P.Y.C. is 44s 6d to 44s 9d per cwt. on the spot, and town 45s 9d, with a fair demand. COTTON.—This article is firm, and in more request. TEA.—Congou is wanted, especially the better kinds. green there is a small advance. LLOYD'S SHIPPING-(THIS DAY.) LONDON, March 22.—Wind this day at Noon, N., fi n° and dry. _ _ _ DEAL, March 21. - Wind, E.S.E., calm and foggy. A l " rived—Eleanora, Demerara ; Sorciere, St. Michael's ; MaT garet Evans, New York. Sailed—Danneblig, Town ; Earl of Shaftesbury, Madras. The Colombo (1 Tian brig), bound to Newcastle with sulphur, is on W . Goodwin, and discharging; expected off at high water. • LIVERPOOL, March 21.--Wind, N.E. Arrived- I .__ E bel, St. Mi c h ae l' s ; A ra bi an ( s ) , C onstant i nople. Off 1"0"; —Wave, St. Übes. Sailed—General Wiltshire, Coquimb o ; Kortenaer, Melbourne ; Lamartine, Pernambuco ; Maid 0 Orleans, New Orleans. SOUTHAMPTON, - March 21.—Wind, N.W. Arrived: Bengal (s), Kello c h, Al exan d r i a. S a il e d — Ri pon ( a ) , Ales' andria. PLYMOUTH, March 21.- Wind, N.N.E. Arrived"' Elise, Lindberg, New York. FALMOUTH, March 20.—Wind, variable. Arrive 3. Bazaar, Alexandria. (IS YARMOUTH, March 22.—(Pe r El ec t r i c T e l egra ph, ; a.m.)—The Roscoe, of and for L on d on , f rom S un derlan , is in the roads, after having been assisted off the Cort on Sands. SHORERAM, March 20.—A piece of board, about nil! e feet long, with a gilt scroll along the outside, eviden part of the quarter galleys of a large vessel, with " Chisholm and Co., shipbrokers, Arbroath," on the inn''. was picked up last week on the o y s t er groun d s, an d brow glo in here. CROMER, March 21.—A b oa t, p a i n t e d bl ac k, 18 foot long, and marked in carved letters Towaso Conatta (7) 7 """ thrown on the beach at Salthouse, March 19. DOMINICA, Feb. 26.—The Regalia, from Demerara ° London, called off this port Feb. 19, and reported th e master dead, and yellow fever amongst the crew ; she 1 " e supplied with water and tw o seamen , an d procee ded. a NEW YOBS, March 7.—A ship; with painted ports an coppered, apparently about 800 tons, and nearly new' with F. H. the last letters on her stern, was seen on 51 , Feb. 22, in lat. 30, long. 73, by the Empire, Cro arrived at Philadelphia ; she was ab a nd one d, h a d lost fru" and mainmasts, and her mizenmast fell a few minute •$ b e. fore the Empire came up. PANAMA, Feb. 21.—The John Hutchinson, from Liver i pool to this port, which was on shore t o th e so uthwt ird °, Buena Ventura, Ist Jan., is reported to be a total w reek? cargo saved, but in a damaged state. JAMAICA, Feb. 26.—The William Inglis, from Bant a Martha, put in here Feb. 23, leaky, and is discharging. LIMA, Feb. 26.—The British ship Brant was destr oyaL• by fire, on her passage from Rico to this port with gul ,no. THE COST-BOOK SYSTEM. pain ln ph o l u j etr entitledournal of the h Gn s l t dc in nm st p ., an w ie e s an all d ud t e h d e Cost book System." We pointed out its fallacies, al d de monstrated fully th a t it was a work without a sin point to recommend it, either in respect of facts, argu ment, or good diction. It was not our intention therefore, to have reverted to the subj ec t, b u t b e i ng O verwhelmed w i t h l e tte rs, . consequence of the City Editor of the Times having; cool' mented on it in such a peculiar manner as to c,onvei g the idea that our contemporary admitted the somndne,_ of Mr. Higgins's statements, as respects the Cost-book System, it is incumbent, on us, as the class jouro al) T i t " remove this impression. W e b e li eve , i n d ee d, th.at „ City Editor of the Times has been inadvertently lo d in t !: a misconception of th e s y s t em b y th e comp il er a tu pamphlet. ' On inquiry as to the p os iti on o f M r . J ose ph .Nap ier Higgins, we are obliged to confess that reference to "" d Law List is the only way we can obtain informaticKe) a n then even to the extent, si m ply, th a t h e i s a barr3s3ter of May, 1851. Mr. Higgins is a bold man, but we do not qua,rre i t . with him for his teme r ity, or f or ma ki ng up a panc;Pweto It is the order of the day, we know, for the jun i ors write about somethi ng , no ma t ter w h at, to s h ow thew perfect indepeneence of briefs ; and the more stiatlil3 the position assume d, w h et h er r i g h t or moron t more is the effect produced. The present is a case '— point. A very young barrister, with scissors and .r 11 : 3 puts together 31 pages, i nc l u di ng th e titl e - page , of 1;osa type, to pervert facts—t o co p e w ith th e talent , Ol e matured judgment of th e b enc h an d b ar, an d ! . '', A cautious City editor of th e Ti mes i s th rown o ff hi s gt by the dash of this barrister of 22 months' standing. e Mr. Higgins asserts boldly and unequivocally that br cost-book system is applicable only to Cornwall—thav to the jurisdiction of the Stannaries' Court, whic.l l 1 " placing himself i n di rect opposition to all the best law-fe..4 of the day, parti cu l ar l y of the Western Circuit, Pct gistrar under the Joint Stock Companies' Act, 9 ' n even to the Court of Chancery itself. The exempti on under the Joint Stock Companies' Act in favour of partnerships for mines, minerals; and Q'ua'r ries, is ge nera l an d not local. tis only a few we e since Vice -Chancellor Stuart de cree d i n favour of t he 7., rights o f a s h areholdersto determine and put an ens -° his liability, by relinquishing—that is writing off— %,,) share s (h av i ng prev i ously d i sbursed all calls and char, el in the Pennant and Craigwen Mine, which is situate of the foot of Arran Nowddwy, in the mountains Merionethshire. This power of the limitation of liability is the essence, the very life and spirit, of the Cost-book Sys t , a boon which is inadmissible in companies under Joint Stock Act ; and if it can be applied to assn' "",„' tions in North Wales, it may surely be carried out favour of undertakings in other parts of this count 2 1 , 1 ; for we confine ou r remar k s t o thi s country, and w i t( without reference to California and other places far re' moved, where it is proposed companies should be work on this system. The only sound work yet extant on the laws of nii rib 4 is by Mr. R. P. Collier, M.P., Recorder of Penzrint In his treatise, published two years prior to that will' C introduced Mr. Joseph Napier Higgins to wig and ge'W he does not raise the question of the non-application the cost-book system to parts out of Cornwall ; b o ' merely alludes to it incidentally, as a settled point in tl Je reverse sense ; for, in expressing himself as to the pr 0 : priety of extending the jurisdiction of the Stannarii Court to Devonshire, he says, " the whole district wori ld be comprised in which the cost-book is prevalent ; fo r P though not confined to Cornwall and Devonshire, it believed to be rare i n other counties." The Registrar under the Joint Stock Companies' A, ct admits, moreover, his inability to compel cost-book col .0 . 7 panies to register ; and we know of no in s t ance o f till functionary having tried to enforce registration, as 1 ",.. a r spects associations in this country. The only point t guarded is a strict adherence to the acknowledged pr int 01 pies and the received rules and regulations. It is the e d parture from these points, and not the adoption of the 0)0 t book system, which renders many companies liable to li penalties, and open to just censure. It is, however, sine er e to be hoped that a legislative enactment will deter Xlin' unmistakably and finally, as to the limits, condi tiotelP and requirements of the Cost -book System ; and it indeed with pleasure we le arn that Mr. Collier h: termined to introduce a bill this session. Such a t 4B " could not be in more able hands or entrusted to a fi e, en ei n whose whole mining i j n u i judgment m communityen t and k n o w w o l dg d e h o a f v the e g r lu e c ai t e e ; s c tt li o °e n nm fi a d t hn e nc e . ining Journal. INSTALLATION OF LORD DERBY A; OICFORD.- 4 L il° authorities o f th e Universit of Oxford have appoLa t- the Bth of J une for the installation of the Earl of D „ who wa s some time since elected Chancellor in the O 0 of the l a t e D uke of Wellington. It is expected that Wu: , , of the é c l at which would have attached I 0) proceedings will be wanting, in consequence of t' 7 2 1 rim onions proceedings in opposition to the re-elect / 011 Mr. ~,.. Gladst one, as member' for the university, on tb" 00 , casion of the right hon. gentleman's appointor ent Chancellor of the Exchequer, and that the appro s& c hi ; installati on will partake very much of a political db ter, a circumstance which it has always been one m great objects of the university to avoid. em A plo C y o e r a l t CT th S e lp ri . s — on O s n o T n hu D r a s r d t a m y, oo o r ne en o d f e t a h v e o c ur on e : effect an escape. He ran off, but was pursued, and o attempts to catch him failing, a sentry fired and hit in the l eg a t 250 yar d s — a goo d s h ot , and which :" doubtless serve as a warning.