The Sun. — London, England, 1853-01-13 00:00:00

OXFORD UNIVERSITY ELE C TIO N. .31R. PERCEVAL'S LONDON COMMITTEE. Sir BROOK W. BRIDGES, Bart., M.A., Oriel, Chairman. Henry Be sanquet, Esq., M.A.., Corpus, Deputy-Chairman. Viscount Cranley, M.A., Ch. Ch. Viscount Bernard, M.P., M.A., Oriel. Sir John Yarde Buller, el. Sir William Fraser, Bart., M.P., M.A., Ch. O Chri. Hon. George C. Agar, F.A.S., M.A., Ch. Ch. Hon. Lloyd Kenyon, M.A., Ch. Ch. Richard Richards, Esq., M.A., Ch. Ch., Master in Chancery. Hon. and Rev. C. B. Bernard, M.A., Baffle'. Rev. William gnatchbull, D.D., All Souls. Sir Paul Hunter, Bart., M.A., St. John's. Rey. Sir Henry Thompson, Bart., M.A.,0 Charles Gray Rund, .sq., M A., Ballot. Rev. Thomas Evans, D.D., Oriel. [towel Gwyn, Esq., M.P., 3.1. A., TrinM I.Aev. Henry Linton, M.A., Magdalen. -Re v. John Goring, M.A.., Ch. Ch. r ie derick Phillips° Morris, M.A.,Lin col Bev .. William Harrison, M.A., Brasenos, a m ", tae Snmner, Esq., M.A., Balilol. Be y. t vrederick Poynder, M.A., Wadham. Jo h n R'ebertson, Esq., D.C.L., Magdalen-hall. Rev . Brock. M.A., Queen's. ch e ri.° .Porcher, Esq., M.A., Oriel. George Salley Prentice, Esq., M.A., Trinity. Rey . Henry B. Newman, M.A., Wadham. John Latham. Esq., D.C.L., All Souls. Rev. Hugh Stowell, M.A., St. Edmund Hall. John C. Moore-Steens, M. A., C. Ch. m a wey Lopes, Esq v , M.A. Oriel. Roay. R. W. Huntley, M.A., All Souls. William 11. Cooke, Esq., M.A., Brasenose. Rev. J H. Harrison, M.A., Merton. John Early Cook, Esq., M.A., Brasenose. „John Round, Esq , M.A., Balliol. 7, : T. G. D. Wheeler, M.A., Wadham. lie v. R. W. Greaves, M.A., Waoham. I\lereJyth Richards, Esq., M.A., Merton. Rev. E. D. Wickham, M.A , w. jaughes Hughes, Esq , 11. A., Ch. Ch. C. LEMPRIERE, D.C.L., St. John's,/ Hon. secs. F. P. MORRIS, M.A. Lincoln, A/FR. PERCEVAL'S OXFORD COMMITTEF,. L 7 -1 - THOMAS SHORT, Fellow of Trinity , Chairman. .J. D. 3facbride, D.C.L., Principal of Magdalen Hall. j,ohn Fox, D.D., Provost of Queen's. Bullock-3farsham, D.C.L.. Warden of Merton. P. Yi'ynter, D.D., President of St John's. B. F. Symons, D.D., Warden of Wadham. James Thompson, D.D., Rector of Lincoln. John Wilson, D.D., President of Trinity. M. It., of Ch. Ch. Vlscoaut Dungannon. Viscount Levrisham, M.A., M.P., Ch. Ch. Godfrey Faussett, D.D., Canon of Ch. Ch. C. A. Ogilvie , D.D., Canon sf Ch. Ch. • J. Nelson, D.D.. late Fellow of Queen's. 7. P. H e dges, D.C.L., late Fellow of New College. ven. G. Denlson, M.A., Archdeacon of Taunton, late Fellow of Or zneephiel. BUIrOW3, 8.D., late Fellow of B.X.C. .ichard Michell, 8.D., Public Orator. William Dyke, 13. D., Fellow of Jesus. • Calcott, B D., Fellow of Lincoln. Isaac Williams, 8.D., late Fellow of Jests. A. B. Clough, 8.D., late Fellow of Jesus. John Tucker, 8.D., Fellow of Corpus. J. Percy Severne, M.A., Lincoln. E. A Litton, M.A., Vice-Principal of St. Edmond John Morrall, M.A., Fellow of B.N.C. Robert Walker, MA., Wadham, Reader in Experimental Phlloso - Edward J. Treffry, MA., Lincoln. Francis Litchfield, M A., Merton. Frederick Metcalf, M.A., sub-Rector of Lincoln. Henry Farwell Roe, M.A., Lincoln. William Morgan, M.A., Fellow of Magdalen. F. B. Prior, M.A., late Fellow of New College. • K. Brown, M.A., Student of Christ Church. H. Godfrey Faussett, M.A., Student of Christ Church. Simcca Bricknell, M.A., Worcester. J. Bailer Yarde Buller, M.A., St. Mary Hall. Edmund E. A. Lechmere, MA., St. Mary Hall. Thomas Williams, M.A., late Scholar of Jesus. C. G. Davies, M.A., St. Mary Hall. EDWARD WETHERELL ROWDEN, M.A., late Fellow of New College. GEORGE FETCH, MA., Fellow of Trinity. GRANVILE R. H. SOMERSET, 8.C.L., Fellow of All Souls. The London Committee congratulate their friends that the result of the eighth day's poll has added three only to the majority of Mr. Gladstone. Fully 1,500 members of Convocation are still unpolled, and nearly 200 of those who voted for Dr. Marsham at the last &cotton hare not, as yet, recorded their votes. If the unpolled hiembers of Convocation are but true to themselves, they may achieve a triumphant victory for Church of England and Constitu tional principles, by returning Mr. Perceval. The poll, which commences at 10 a.m., and closer at 5 p.m., will be kept open until every elector has had an opportunity of recording his vote. EIGHTH DAT'S POLL. Mr. Perseval Mr. Gladstone .. 798 .. 912 THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Faresvoll Season or Mr. Benjamin Webster as Lessee and Manager. THIS EVENING, JAN. 13, Will be performed the popular and highly successful Comedy of ,MASKS AgD FACES; or, Before and Behind the Cuitain—by Vows. Benjamin Webster, Leigh Murray, Stuart, Lambert, and pwrselle; Nrs. Stirling, Mrs. Leigh Murray, Miss Fanny Maskell, a cid Miss Rosa Bennett, After which, the gorgeous Extravaganza, entitled LEO THE TE BRIDLE. To conduct* with the Farce of BOX and COX MARRIED and SETTLED. ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE. Under the Management of Madame Yates. TIII3 EVENING, JAN. 13, Will be performed the Comic Drama called A PHENOMENON IN A SMOCK-FROCK, Characters by Messrs. C. Mathews, F. Matthews, and Horncastle ; Miss F. Baker and Miss C. Mitchell. After which (16th time). a new and original Fairy Extra'raganza, entitled THE GOOD WOMAN IN THE WOOD, in which Messrs. Y. Itattherre, Suter, Horncastle, and Templeton ; Madame Vestris, Mies Julia St. George, Miss Robertson (her 16th appearance at this Theatre), Kies Martindale, Miss Ellis, Mies Wyndham, Miss Eglin ten (her 16th appearance at this Theatre), and Miss Rosina Wright will appear. To cor.clude with LITTLE TODDLEKINS. Sole Agent for the Private Boxes, Mr. VP. Alleroft, 15, New Bond-street. THEATRE ROYAL ADELPIII. Proprietor, Mr. B. Webster. —Directress, Madame Celeste. THIS EVENING, JAN. 13, Will be presented the powerful new Drama of SLAVE LIFE ; or, Uncle TOM'i Cabin—by Messrs. Alfred Wigan, Cullentord, 0. Smith, and ,Itnery ; Madame Celeste, Miss Woolgar, Miss Collins, and Mrs. Keeley. After which, the gloriously successful Comic Pantomime, called BELL GWYNNE ; or, Ilarle,uin Merrie Monarch. Principal Danscuse, Mdlle. A ariol ; Clown, Ilexmore. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STREET. Under the Management of Mr. c. Kean. THIS EVENING, JAN. 13, Will be performed the Tragedy of HAMLET. Principal charac ters b* Messrs. c. Kean, W. Lacy, Harley, Addison, Ryder, J. Yin ing, Meadows, Graham, and Cathcart ; Misses Phillips, Heath, and Daly. To conclude with the new and criginal Grand Comic Christ was Pantomime, entitled HARLEQUIN CHERRY AND FAIR sTAR; or, The Green Bird, the Dancing Waters, and the 8 Ing n g Tree. Harlequin, Mr. Commack ; Clown, Mr. Milne (16th appearance here); Pantaloon, Mr. Paulo ; Columbine, Miss Car lotta Leciercq. ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE. Lessco and Manager, Mr. Farren. THIS EVENING, JAN. 13, Will be presented ISABE LLE ; or, Woman's Life. Supported by- Messrs. Compton, W. Farren, jun., Hoskins, and Shalders; Miss H. Gordon and Mrs. A. Phillips. Alter which, ROMEO AND JULIET; or, Harlequin Queen Mab and the World of Dreams. Harlequin. Mr. Forrest; Colum bine, Kiss Marie Charles ; Sprite, Mr. G. Thompson ; Pantaloon, Mr. G. Tanner ; Clown, Mr. Edwia Edwardes, who will introduce his highly-trained dogs, Amy, Tasso, and Snarleyou. Box-office open from Eleven till Four, under the superintendence of Mr. Edward Chatterton. ASTLET'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE. Proprietor and Manager, Mr. W. Batty. THIS EVENING—A. GRIND JUVENILE NIGHT. On this occasion there will be an Entire Change in the Amusements. The Performances will commence with the Grand Comic Panto mime of FORTUNIO AND HIS HORSE COMRADE; or, Har lequin and the Seven Gifted Men. After which, a Novel Arrangement of the Scenes in the Arena, supported by the Juvenile Artistes, entitled THE INFANT EQUES TRIAN MARIONETTES. Concluding with UNCLE TOM. Doors open at Half-past Six ,'clock. To commence at Seven. rvx-etnee open daily from Eleven to Four. Stage Manager. Mr. W. West. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tina DAY —Morning 20 min. after 4 1 Evening 41 min.aft. 4 o-Mov.now—Morning 2 min. after 5 1 Evening 21 min.aft. 5 DAILY WEATHER TABLE. THURSDAY, JAN. 13, 1853. Stole of the wind and weather at each of the following places at nine o'clock yesterday morning. The stations are arranged in order of latitude. HA STINGS—S.W. strong breeze—scud. FOL•SESTONE—S.ir., strong breeze—overcast. TUNBRIDGE—S.W., strong breeze—partially cloudy. BAs INGsToKE—S.E., gentle breeze—partially cloudy. GRB ENWICII—S.W., strong breeze—overcast. STROOD—W., gentle breeze—overcast. SWINDON—S.W., strong breeze—partially cloudy. .CA.MBRIDGE—S. gentle breeze—partially cloudy. ' HO.LTHEAD—S.*. hard wind—overcast, rain. SRA hard wind—rain. The. returns from the following places indicate the state cf the weather on Tuesday morning at nine o'clock MULLINGAB.— W., strong breeze—hail. FOLKESTONE—S.W., gentle breeze—partially cloudy. LNIGHTOX—N.W.N., strong breeze—stormy. YARMOUTH— W., strong breeze—cloudless. LANOASTIR—S.W., hard wind—scud—rain. - WHITBY—S.W., strong breeze—principally clear. saAp—s.W., strong breeze—hail and ram. THE WEATHER.—StL9Fricz, JAN. 13. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 45 —highest since noon yesterday. 37--lowest this morning and during the night. 43- —this day, at noon. BAROMETER, 29'47. Wpr. 1), M.W.—Moderate breeze, and fine . , sunshiny weather.. Yesterday was very boisterous, with rain, and heavy *quells. ~.-,.., ..par,,,,„,,a,,„,,,, ~.,..--, *ln 1 .4""l4tt•-"Na‘L-1-471-t'a'''.' -1-I°)44' 0 'LONDON, THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 1853. The Society for promoting the Amendment of the Law is proceeding steadily, energeti ca ll y, and efficiently in its useful labours. No associati on has, perhaps, at any time achieved more signal success in the objects for which it was established. It has seen one after the other of its valuable suggestions and recommendations carried into practical operation. Its ranks have from time to time been augmented by some of th e mos t learned andintelligent members of the legal profession, and there have been repeated instances of well merited preferment being conferred on those who have taken the most prominent part in its proceedings. Every report emanating from the Society comes with an authority that i nsures a respectful and attentive considera tion. It is well known that nothing will be sanctioned by, or even brought bef ore , the THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 13, 1853. general body hastily or inconsiderately, that is not the result of mature deliberation, by those who are thoroughly acquainted with the nature of the abuses and grievances for which they are endeavouring to provide adequate remedies—men who will not in shunning Scylla fall into Charybdis, but who have experience and judgment sufficient to prevent them from plunging into opposite ex tremes, and thus producing consequences no less injurious to the parties immediately concerned, and to society in general, than those that they were desirous of avoiding. The subject chiefly discussed at the last General Meeting of the Society, on Monday last, was one to which the public attention has been directed for some time past, viz., the testa mentary jurisdiction of the different Ecclesiastical Courts throughout the United Kingdom. The exposures that have recently taken place respect ing the enormous emoluments of the " Leviathan Sinecurist" and his brother registrars, who receive almost princely incomes, for duties at best care lessly—but in the majority of instances, not at all performed—has produced considerable excite ment, and led to the very natural inquiry "for whose benefit are these things maintained ?" It is not, surely, for the sake of the widow and orphan, whose funds, too frequently inadequate to their wants, are materially diminished by the extrava gant and almost ruinous expenses of proving, "in due form of law," the will of the deceased husband and father, and who are compelled to submit to stringent privations in order to make up the 11,000/. per annum of the Rev. Mr. MOORE. If there were any question to be discussed—if the validity of the testamentary document were in any wise disputed, then, indeed, a stringent investiga tion by a Court of Competent Jurisdiction would be essential, and certain moderate expenses should be submitted to by the parties interested. But there could be no possible reason adduced why the same tribunal should not adjudicate as well upon real as on personal estate, or why a person who had succeeded, as to the personal property, to the money and securities for money, should be compelled to enter upon a new scene of expensive and protracted litigation in order to establish his right to the broad acres, both questions depending on the authenticity of the same document (!), but frequently decided different ways. It was, in fact, neither more nor less than a trap for new litigation, to bring new grist to the mill in the shape of extra suits before the different tribunals. There appeared considerable difference of opinion as to the nature of the substitute that should be provided, although there was all but perfect unani mity as to the necessity of abating the nuisance, by the total abolition of the testamentary jurisdic tion of the Ecclesiastical Courts. The resolutions prepared by the Committee proposed a transfer of the jurisdiction to the Court of Chancery, at the same time giving that Court the additional power necessary to enable it to adjudicate upon wills both of real and personal estate, with or mahout the aid of a jury, it being clothed with all the power and jurisdiction which the Ecclesias tical and Peculiar Courts at present have, and a subsidiary jurisdiction being conferred on the County Courts. On the other hand, Mr. JAMES STEWART, the respected, intelligent, and learned Treasurer of the Society, to whose indefatigable and efficient exertions its present proud position is mainly, if not altogether, attributable, looking to the vast benefits that would follow a perfect amalgamation of the legal and equitable jurisdic tions, brought forward an amendment, which we published in, extenso in our impression of Tuesday last, to the effect that "no thorough or satisfactory settlement of the question can be come to, except by the establishment of a court of conjoined law and equity, having jurisdiction over wills of real or personal estate, and " that it is the bounden duty of the Government to provide such a Court for the proper adjudication of all testa mentary matters." The learned gentleman justly conceived that the country would not approve of the establishment of a new Court while there were old ones in existence capable of dealing with the subject ; so that it would be by the proposed fusion of the legal and equitable tribunals that his plan would be carried out. Mr. R. COLLIER, M.P., introduced another amendment, which appeared to strike at the root of the existing grievance, and to provide a simple but efficient remedy. He would avail himself of the local machinery afforded by the various County Courts, and transferring the jurisdiction of the Ecclesiastical Courts, on probates and letters of administration, to these tribunals, except in dis puted cases, where the property exceeded a cer tain specified amount, and where it should be removed to one of the Superior Courts, at the option of either party. This sound and excellent suggestion was followed by another from Dr. WADDILOYE, who wished that all the Ecclesiastical Courts should be amalgamated into a single tribunal, with jurisdiction over both real and personal estate, to be styled " Her MAJESTY'S Court of Probate and Succession for England and Wales." These propositions are all good in their way, and the worst would be a vast improvement on the existing system. We confess that we prefer Mr. COLLIER'S view of the subject, which would be most economically carried into effect. Much, however, may be said on the other propositions ; and we shall, therefore, await the further discus sion, which will be resumed at the next meeting, and from which we anticipate much information and instruction. One thing, at least is certain— the Ecclesiastical Courts are doomed. So much was announced by Lord DERBY'S Administration ; and we trust that the present Government will not hesitate about following in the footsteps of their predecessors on this important topic. Shortly after the late election we were all amused by the apparent inconsistency of Roman Catholics raising the cry of Religious Equality, and com mencing an organisation to obtain it. We were bound, however, to confess that the manly and Christian sentiments uttered by Sergeant Suss and Mr. KEOGH redeemed the movement from the disgrace which Mr. LUCAS'S savage reply to Sir CULLING EARDLEY, justifying the barbarities inflicted on the MA-DIA IS for Protestantism, had brought upon it. We were almost as much amused the other day by stumbling upon a pas sage in a journal of very high religious pretensions, and which is the chief organ of the CULLING EARDLEY school of Dissenters. The religious paper we refer to has always been most bitterly hostile to the New Crystal Palace—hostile, at least, to the people's visiting it,. if it suited them best to do so, on the Sunday. It has run many a tilt at the project, and at the Directors, too, in the most approved ANDREW AGNEW style, and has summoned all available memorialists—even Sun day School committees and teachers—to the battle against these uncircumcised Philistines. Just now, of course, it is rejoicing, though with many misgivings for the future, in the disinter ment of the clause in an old Act of Parliament which interferes with the liberty of recreation desired by the people and by the Directors of the Company. The question must now be agitated in Parliament. Lord DERBY could not legally authorise the Company to open the Palace for profit on the Sunday ; and neither the Company nor Lord DERBY wished to do the thing illegally. It is confessed, and was stated by his Lordship in his place in the House of Lords, that the Act in question was passed for quite another purpose. Still, there it is, and no Englishman would wish to break the clear letter of the law, but demand rather its immediate repeal. Not being aware of it till too late, the Company appears to have been unable to comply with the standing orders of the Houses sufficiently early to obtain the Act they desire this session. It is, we think, much to be regretted that when they have been hindered by the mere practical obsoleteness of the un known or unremembered Act, Parliament should not readily dispense with the orders, and allow the case to come before the House of Com mons on its merits, especially since there is nothing in the whole project of the reckless spirit of- ad venture which those standing orders were chiefly framed to discourage. The journal we allude to, however, foresees that come before Parliament ultimately the question must ; and what would our readers think is the language in which they wish Parliament to reply ? Why, then, in the noble words of HENRY lll.'s Barons, when the Pope, a foreign Prince and Bishop, wished them to alter the laws of the realm to his taste— " We are unwilling ho change the laws of Eng land." It will seem to the lover of our ancient history almost profanity so to pervert the spirit of these manly words, and to convert them from an expression of English resistance to pontifical as sumptions, to the purposes of pettifogging, secta rian zeal. But the amusing thing is, that it is a decided Anti-State-Church journal which thus perverts them,—a journal, some of whose clerical correspondents are continually demanding changes in the lawful public worship of the Church of England, and whose own leaders are continually teaching that all the laws which bind Church to State ought to be repealed ! It is a thorough going Dissenter, demanding that the laws of Eng land should not be changed ; therefore, that Church-rates and Ecclesiastical Courts are to re main in full vigour, and that the Church (which he wishes to see on a level with all other sects) should retain its honours and emoluments—nay, its MOORES and its CROFTS. How marvellous are the inconsistencies of a blind theological zeal ! To Dissenters, on the contrary, we naturally turn as religionists whose very existence depends on the recognition of entire religious liberty, and de mand of them, in the name of common sense and decency, to concede to others the full liberty they claim for themselves. Those who deny the right of the State to legislate in religious matters, are convicted of the most selfish inconsistency if they require the state to enforce their views of keeping the Sunday ; and even those who allow of State support of religious worship, if they advocate ze ligious liberty intelligently, cannot ask the State to prevent a man's acting on his own views of Sabbath obligations, however much laxer than their own. It appears that a petition is in circulation, and is obtaining numerous signatures, stating the dis approval with which the petitioners have heard of the attempts to close the Crystal Palace ,on Sun days, and the impossibility of great numbers of operatives going thither on any other day, alleg ing that visiting it would be highly conducive to their moral and intellectual improvement, and praying the House of Commons to take steps for its being opened on Sundays accordingly. The British Museum and National Gallery are also in cluded in the allegations and prayer of the peti tion. We rather regret this latter circumstance, because it mixes up together two very different questions, namely, whether Government itself should employ its own servants, and open its own institutions on the Sunday, and whether any re spectable and orderly subjects should be hindered in doing the same. The latter is simply the ques tion whether Government has any right to inter fere at all with its orderly and peaceful subjects in their avocations and amusements. The former many would think to be a direct slur by the Go vernment itself on the views of a very large sec tion indeed of the community. Certainly positive action on the part of Government is one thing, and non-interference with our reasonable liberties is another ; the latter is the case, and by far of course the stronger case, of the Palace at Syden ham. Mr. Humz has long had the other in hand. We wish him a hearty support, but we think even his object would have been better served by contending for the rights of the operatives and the Crystal Palace Company on their own merits. We can hardly imagine, however, after the manly declarations of the Earl of DERBY in the House of Lords, that any legislative difficulties will long be interposed. To allow the Act which has been so annoyingly raked up from obscurity to hinder the operations of so respectable a Company, can only be compared to the conduct of the Lanca shire Magistrates, who, unable to prove a case against some poachers, specially obnoxious to their game-preserving worships, actually sent the men to gaol, under an old, unrepealed Act of ELIZA BETH, for absence from the parish church. The Crystal Palace must not be sacrificed to the acci dental terms of an Act intended only to prevent offensive and disorderly assemblies. Another convict has fallen a victim to the stringency of the " separate system," as admi nistered at Milbank Prison. In the present in stance the unfortunate lad—only nineteen years of age—laid violent hands on himself during the temporary absence of a warder. It appeared that in consequence of his docile character and general good conduct, he was entrusted with the " shaving tackle" in order to shave himself. The moment, however, that the i warder left the room he turned the instrument against himself, and with too steady a hand inflicted the fatal blow. Several other fatal cases have recently occurred, varying in the manner of death, but all arising from the same predisposina cause—the stringency of the mind-destroying, separate system the newly-invented capital punishment, which, although slow, is very sure in its operation. On the present occasion, we find the chief authorities of the prison—the Governor, the Phy sician, the resident Surgeon, and the Religious 1 Instructor of the establishment—all statin g the 1 results of their experience, and concurring in the opinion that the long-protracted solitary confinement materially aggravated the diseases of prisoners, and produced mental infirmity. Man is naturally a gregarious animal—" It is not good that he should be alone." But we endeavour to destroy or alter nature—to produce a new state of affairs. Why should we rail at capital punishments when theorists are permitted to play their experi mental pranks upon their fellow-men—to destroy their intellectual powers, and degrade them below the brute creation. Far better the qui& and sudden death-blow than the lingering and pro tracted agony that permits the mind to brood over its sufferings till it bends and breaks under the trial. What is the object of secondary punishment ? Is it vengeance ? Or is the reformation of the criminal at all 'thought of ? The prison discipline quacks will all scout with horror the notion of vengeance. They will tell you that their sole object is the reformation of the culprit. But what will be the use of this reformation when the man is no longer an accountable being—when he has been reduced to helpless and disgusting idiotcy by the slow, soul-consuming torture. We have no morbid sympathies for criminals. We do not desire that prisons should be made places of ease, where the convicts are to enjoy every comfort. Let them be punished according to their deserts ; but let us not babble about the humanity of the British laws, and the abolition of capital punish ment, when we subject persons to such lingering agonies for mere acts of dishonesty, or trifling offences against property. Seven, fifteen, or twenty year may be but a slight term in the mouth of a Judge anxious to make a striking example ; but when we consider w hat a fearful inroad it makes on any, even the strongest, man's expectation of life—what a time it is to be secluded from his kind—we cannot help think ing that we are arrogating a little too much when we boast of the humanity (!) of our criminal code ; and this feeling of doubt will be changed into cer tainty as to the groundlessness of the assumption when we consider the regulations established . by Inspectors and Visiting Justices. tain In the present instance, Cap GRovEs, the Governor, declared, on his examination, that he had made two lengthy Reports on the injurious effects of the system, which " seriously affected the health of the prisoners." It was much better for him, relieving him from considerable responsi bility ; but he still 'deemed it right to state hi s objections to the practice. Dr. BALY, the Phy sician, was equally decided. He declared that, " from his representations to the authorities on the subject, the term of separate imprisonment in instead of twelve om_p o: o e n ig e h rs tee to n Millbank had been much mitigated,. and reduced to six months, the country.. tasry.a.t Even u t coonnavircetcepnrtisoocncass t i h on ro , u h g e ho r u e t . been Clone as Portsmouth,commended th an e d, re i m t removal h o a f ving quickly as he wished, he ordered them all into association, fearing for their minds." After this decisive testin;Lony, what doubt or difficulty can remain ? Something must be done, and that speedily. If further inquiry be neces sary, let it take place by all means ; but, in the interim, let there be some relaxation in the abo minable practice that drives men to insanity and suicide, and against the effects of which the me dical authorities are obliged to guard, " fearing for the minds of the prisoners." COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, JAN. 12. Those who dined with her Majesty yesterday were the Prince of Leiningen, Lady Emily Seymour, and Lady Caroline Barrington. Her. Majesty's private band attended in the Castle in the evening, and performed the following music : .._ Overture, " Les Chaperons Blanes" - Auber. Solo Violin, M. Sainton, " Le Tremolo" De Beriot. Finale, " Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor" Otto Nicolai. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge and their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess Augustus of Cobourg are expected to arrive at the Castle to-day, on a visit to the Queen. Chevalier and Madame Bunsen, Sir James and Lady Graham, the Right Hon. IV. and Mrs. Gladstone, and the Master of the Rolls, have been invited, and are also expected this afternoon. The Governor of the Bank of England and the Deputy Governor had an interview with the Earl of Aberdeen yesterday, at his official residence in Downing-street. The Finance Committee of the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 met yesterday afternoon at three o'clock, at Lord Granville's residence in Bruton-street. There were present Earl Granville, Sir Alexander Spear man; Bart., Sir William Cubitt, Mr. Coulson, Q.C., Mr. T. F. Gibson, and Mr. Edgar Bowring (secretary). Captain Owen, R.E., was in attendance. The Right Hon. Sidney Herbert arrived in town yes terday. The Hon. Charles A. Murray had an interview yes• terday with the Earl of Aberdeen. The Chancellor of the Exchequer and Mrs. Gladstone left town yesterday afternoon for Windsor Castle. Dispatches were received from the Governor of the Cape of Good Hope yesterday at the Colonial-office. Dispatches were also received from the Governors of Australia and New Zealaid. ANTICIPATED RESIGNATION OF THE FOREIGN SECRETARYSHIP BY LORD J. RUSSELL. In speaking of the resignation of M. Drouin de l'Huys, the French Foreign Minister, the Daily News says :—" It is still more certain that Lord John Russell, in receiving the diplomatic body the other day at the Foreign-office, frankly told them that he held the seals of that department ad interim only, and that in no great length of time the a dministration of our foreign affairs would be transferred to the Earl of Clarendon—a state ment the noble lord has since repeated to such of the re presentatives of foreign Governments as have transacted business with him. The importance of these circumstances is, as we have said, very different. Nevertheless, at a time when both in France and England strong Govern ments are said to be most indispensable, any provisional or precarious arrangements in their Foreign-offices can not be regarded as at all a satisfactory state of things. The reasons which have induced Lord John Russell to occupy the Foreign-office for so very short a period that in commencing his administration he avows its provisional character to the Foreign Ministers, — and plainly tells them that the other demands on his time precludes the possibility of his conducting that administration long after Parliament re-assembles —are not very difficult to penetrate. Though once a Prime Minister himself, Lord John's sense of public duty, perhap3 very properly, induced him to accept office under Lord Aberdeen ;—nevertheless, in such matters, there is a personal dignity to be preserved ; the mainte nance of which was satisfied by Lord John Russell again assuming the leadership of the House of Commons, with the responsible situation of a Secretary of the State hav ing a great department to manage. This manifestation of his importance to Parliament once over, the Earl of Clarendon will then (as Lord John has semi-officially stated to the foreign diplomacy) take the place originally appropriated to him in the Aberdeen Cabinet ; and as sume the direction of our foreign affairs, as stated in this journal some time ago. Viscount Mandeville, M.P. for Huntingdonshire, son of the high tory orange Duke of Manchester, has been offered a post in the household. ILLNESS OF LORD DENMAN.—The statement respect ing the health of the noble and learned lord was far more unfavourable than the latest accounts from Nice justify. His lordship is nearly recovered from the effects of his recent attack of paralysis, and is considered to be almost out of danger. THE STEAMER AUSTIZALIAINT.—The Australian mail landed at Plymouth from the steamer Australian, on Tuesday, is the largest packet mail ever brought to this country. Some idea of the value of its contents, and of the success of the gold diggers, may be formed when it is stated that the mail contained 3,000 registered letters. The Australian is under orders for London, and will leave on the weather moderating. The presentation nugget for the Queen has been taken on, per mail train, in charge Captain Barnard. GOLD FROM AUSTRALIA.—Amongst the shipments of gold received by the Australian steamer are six boxes containing 2,897 ounces, for the Australian Freehold Gold Mine Company. THE STEAM-sitoANDES.—By the advices from New York, it appears that the new Cunard screw-steamer Andes, which left Liverpool on the Bth of December, had not arrived up to the 29th. The City of Manchester screw-steamer, that left Liverpool at the same date, had reached the Delaware on the 27th, and Philadelphia on the 28th. It seems probable therefore that, this being her first trip, some accident has happened to the machinery of the Andes, which, in the bad state of the weather, may have caused a very lengthened passage. The Liverpool and Philadelphia Steam-ship Company have completed a contract with Messrs. Tod and M‘Gre gor of Glasgow, the builders of the steam-ships City of Glasgow and City of Manchester, for a new screw steam ship of 2,189 tons measurement, to run on the Philadel phia station, in addition to their present steamers. LIVERPOOL, WEDNESDAY.—To-day, about noon, the 'United States' Mail steam-ship Arctic, Luce commander, took her departure hence for New York, with 49 passen gers on board, besides a full cargo and the usual mails. ELECTION OF THE PROVOST OF ETON.—The consent of the Crown having been obtained to the appointment of the Rev. Edward Craven Hawtrey, D.D., head-master, to the Provostship of Eton College, in the room of the late Rev. Francis Hodgson, 8.D., the Rev. G. Bathell, vice-provost, the Revs. John F. Plumptre, Thomas Carter, George R. Green, George Dupuis, and John Wilder, assembled at the college chapel at twelve o'clock yesterday, and according to ancient custom went through the ceremony of confirming the appointment. The elec tion of the present Provost of Eton has been what is termed a "free election," the Crown on this occasion having declined to exercise its royal prerogative in the nomination. ETON COLLEGE.—In consequence of the melancholy event which has lately occurred in Eton College, the head master, with the assent of the college, has given notice that the King's scholars, the lower division of the fifth form, and the lower boys, will not be required to return to school until Thursday, January 20, with the middle and upper di v i s i ons of the fifth form. The sixth form will return on Saturday, the 22d. ROYAL LETTER ON EDUCATION. —A royal letter is now in course of being forwarded by the Archbishop of Canterbury (by command of her Majesty) to the clergy of the various parishes in England and Wales, ordering collections to b e ma d e by the clergy on b e h a lf o f th e National Society f or the Education o f t h e P oor i n th e Principles of th e Established Church. General Rosas, the ex-Dictator of Buenos Ayres, has taken Ro c k s t one - house, in Southamp t on , l a t e th e re sidence of Si r H enry Onslow, Bart. NEW POLICE REGULATION. —Yesterday the following order, emanating from the - new police commissioners, came, and is henceforward to be carried into operation : —All the constables connected with police offices, as summoning offi cers, &c., sergean t s acting as clerks at the different s t at i on houses and the nobility and gentry, and those attending the theatres, and pri va t e par ti es are to wea r an armlet as a d i st i ngu i s hi n g mark, and n o t doing so, they will in the first instance b e sub j ected to a fine, and aft er wards to suspension, to be terminated in still refusing to submit to the order as the commissioners may think fit. OVERFLOW OF THE THAMES. — Yesterday morning the tide agai n rose to an almost un p rec edented height. Such an event is rather unusual at the new moon spring tides, which, under ordinary circumstances, never attain a vkry great altitude ; but the heavy gales that have been blowing for the last two days assisted by the land freshets i n th e r i ver and i ts t r ibutary streams, caused by the continual rains, tended greatly to increase the flow of water ; and had it not been for the warning con veyed by the high tides of the two previous day, causing the inhabitants of waterside premises to take precautions in order to prevent as far as possible the ingress of water to their dwellings, the destruction of property must have been much greater than it is, no twithstanding the pre ventive measures that had been adopted. PROJECTED ENLARGEMENT OF COVENT-GARDEN MAR KET.—In consequence of recent regulations restricting the vendors of fruits, vegetables, and flowers within the kerb-stone bounding the market, beyond which none are allowed to sell articles under a severe penalty, it is con templated to extend the market westwardly by removing the parish church of St. Paul's within the churchyard, close to the next boundary wall, and converting i ts pre sent site, with all the spare ground around it, into stalls and standings, the whole area being protected by a glass rooffing similar to the central colonnade of the present market, which can be easily effected as soon as the law prohibiting intramural burials comes into effect—a desi deratum much looked for by many of the inhabitants, especially those whose dwellings abut upon and _look over the churchyard, Which often presents a spectacle very offensive, and it is even said occasionally emits a noxious effluvia. It will be remembered that St. Paul's Church, Covent-garden was burned down some years ago, MONEY AND COMMERCIAL NEWS. CITY, Two o'CLocK. The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday were estimated at 7,000 bales, of which 500 American were taken on speculation. The market closed firmly. The sales comprised 5,000 American ; 200 Pernam and Maranham, at 6d. to 6d. ; 400 Bahia, at 6d. to 61d. ; 600 Egyptian, at 6d. to 71d. ; 500 Surat, at W. to 4id. ; and 40 Sea Island, at ls. 7d. to 2s. id. per lb. ailway Shares were flat. The average price of wheat for the six weeks is 445. 3d. per quarter ; and last week's sales were 90,701 quarters. The miserable plight in which the creditors of Portugal are placed by the repeated confiscations forced upon them, and which would amount, if the last decree were carried out, to no less than 80 per cent., call for the intervention of our Government, and it is to be hoped Lord John Russell will imitate the example of his predecessor, Lord Palmerston, and energetically press upon the Lisbon Government the necessity of rescinding , the order for the last deduction. As to the hold ers, they can do no good by converting. What greater security have they now than formerly that they will receive their dividends ? They sacrifice two-fifths of their capital, and get the same waste paper for the reduced amount in return. Roths child's loan, let it be remembered, was contracted at 72 for 3 per cent. interest, and had 40 per cent. of the capital deducted in the year 1840. Mr. Thornton having laid the case before the Stock Exchange Committee, has received a very satisfactory reply, and the latter are deter mined not to countenance the new swindle. This is as it should be. If the Portugese Government can only pay an instalment of intrest on its debt, let it do so, but upon the existing bonds. In con versions there is always jugglery. The following is the committee's reply to Mr. Thornton's letter, with the resolution they have passed -- " Committee-room, Stock Exchange, London, Jan. 10, 1853. " Sir,—Your letler of the sth inst., addressed to the chairman, has been laid before the committee, together with a letter addressed to me by the directors of the Bank of Portugal, of which I herewith transmit you a copy ; and both having been this day taken into deli berate consideration, I am instructed to forward you a copy of the resolution which was passed unanimously on the occasion.—l have the honour to be, sir, your obe dient servant, " GEO. WEBB, Sec. " Richard Thornton, Esq., Chairman of the Committee of Portuguese Bondholders."' " The Committee of the Stock Exchange, at the re quest of the directors of the Bank of Portugal, and of the chairman of the committee of Portuguese Bond holders, having taken into considerntion the iniquitous decree of the Portuguese Government, bearing date the 18th of December last, whereby a large portion of the property of the English bondholders is confiscated, " Resolved,—That it is with deep regret that they feel themselves con strained, out of consideration for the existing holders, to allow the bonds of Portugal to be still quoted in the official list of prices ' • they, however, pledging them selves that no pretended security of this Government, which by this infamous decree has placed itself in such a degraded position, shall be recognised on the Stock Ex change until that decree be annulled, or ample justice be rendered to the bondholders of Portugal. " ' By order of the Committe, (Signed) " GEORGE WEBB, Sec. " Stock Exchange, London, Jan. 10, 1853.' " The Bank of England meeting of Directors has broken up, and no further alteration has been made in the rate of discount. The weekly return in to-morrow evening's Gazette will show a further decrease of bullion, and this week a good deal has also been shipped. The Stock Market has been very agitated this morning. It opened for Consols at 99i to par, then fell to 99i and when the Bank meeting broke up, rallied to 1001. The continued decline at the Paris Bourse has likewise its effect as show ing how unsound the recent speculation has been there ; for although French railways are good pro perty, the late buyers must have been weak to submit to such high charges for " continuation." The New 31 per Cents. have been marked 104 to -a, and the 3 per Cents. 100 k to :mi. East India Stock has realised 273 to 274. Exchequer Bills have been quoted 675. to 705., and India Bonds 775. to 79s premium, being previous rates. The foreign market is very dull, as the prelimi nary arrangements for the settlement are in pro gress. Grenada Deferred are at 12 to 12±, Mexi can at 23g to and Peruvian at 1031. Brazilian Small are worth 103. Spanish 3 per Cents. have been marked 44, and the Deferred are about 23i to ft. Dutch 4 per Cents. bring 98k to ft. The last week's Railway receipts, ascertained up to this day, are in round figures as under 1853. 1852. Great Western 17,951 14,609 North Western 42,662 38,389 South Western 8,501 8,692 Brighton Midland 45,727 40,102 South Eastern North Stafford 5,346 4,509 Caledonian Great Northern .. 12,719 9,403 Lancashire and Yorkshire York and North Midland Newcastle and Berwick 13,249 12,937 The market for railways is rather worse, but this being settling day, parties are taking up shares apparently, and prices are thereby supported. The South Eastern are flattest. On Caledonian there is rather a heavy " continuation." The French Railway Shares are better within the last half-hour. The Gold Mine Shares have all been depressed as the list shows, but are better just now. The Land Companies' Shares have been all lower, but are now rallying. BRITISH FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK THIS DAY. (From the Officio 2 List.) _ Business done. 3 per Cent. Reduced Annuities.... .... 1001 4 3 per Cent. Consols Annuities Now 31 per Cent. Annuities .. 1041 41 India Stock India Bonds, £lOOO 77 9 Ditto, under £lOOO 77 9 South Sea Stock Consols for Opening 18th January Exchequer Bills lid. March. June. £lO00.. £500 Small 67 70 PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK. Brazilian Bonds, 5 per Cent. Ditto Small Grenada Bonds, Deferred, Mexican 3 per Cent.. Peruvian 6 per Cent. Peruvian Deferred 3 per Cent 64 Portuguese 4 per Cent. 4oi Sardinian Bonds, 5 per Cent. ............. Spanish Bonds, 3 per Cent . Dutch Exchange 2i per Cent — x d Ditto 4 per Cent. Certificates. . HALF-PAST TWO. Consols for Opening 18th January lOO i ex d. MARKET NEWS-(THIS DAY.) GENEItAL AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN For the Week ended Jan. 13, 1853, made up from the Returns of the Inspectors in the different Cities and Towns in England and Wales per Imperial Quarter. .. IWHEAT. BARLEY. I OATS. RYE. BEANS. I PEAS. 46s Od 29s 8d 18s 6d 129 s I d 34s 83 32s 5d DUTIES ON FOREIGN CORN. WHEAT. I EASLEY. I OATS. I RTE. BEANS. PEAL 18 Od Is Od. is Od is Od II is Od is Od QUANTITIES OF GRAIN SOLD LAST WEEK. Wheat, 90,701; Barley, 88 153 ;0417/Z - 19,3i6; 8ye,121; 8011139, 5.240; Peas, 2,169 quarters. HAY MARKETS. SMITHFIELD.—Meadow hay, 2/ 15s to 4/ Os ; clover ditto, 3/ 15s to 5/ Os • and straw, 1/ 53 to 1/ 13 s per load. Supply good, and tre:de rather dull. CIIMBERLAND.—Meadow hay, 2/ 175 to 4/ 4s ; clover ditto, 3/ 15s to 4/ 18s ; and straw, 1/ 5s to 1/ 12s per load. A full average supply, and a sluggish demand. WHITECHAPEL. —Meadow hay, 2/ 15s to 4/ Os ; clover ditto, 3/ 15s to Si Os ; and straw, 11 4 s to 1/ 12$ per load. Trade dull, at late rates. MEAT MARICETS. NEWGATE AND LEADENHALL.—The general demand at this market to-day ruled very steady, at full prices. Beef, 2s 4d to 38 6d ; Mutton, 38 2d to 48 6d ; Veal, 38 Od to 48 4d ; Pork, 2s 8d to 4s per 81bs, by the carcase. SOUTHALL, JAN. 12.—The general demand ruled steady, at improved prices. Beef, 3s Od to 4s Od ; Mutton, 38 6dto 5s Od ; Veal, 3s 2d to 4s 2d ; Pork 3s Od to 3s 10d. per 81bs, to sink the offal. ROXFORD, JAN. 12.—Our market was firm to-day, and prices may be said to have an upward tendency. Beef, from 3s Od to 4s Od ; Mutton, 3s 4d to 5s 2d ; Veal, 3s Od to 4s 2d ; Pork, 2s 10d to 3s 10d per 81bs. Quarter old Store Pigs, 20s to 23s each. HAILSHAM, JAN. 12.—The general demand ruled steady, as follows : Beef, from 3s 4d to 4s 2d ; Mutton, As Od 5s 2d ; Pork, 3s Od to 3s 8d per 81b. ARUNDEL, JAN. 11—Beasts and sheep higher, other stock steady. Beef, from 3s 4d to 4s 2d ; Mutton, 3s 8d to 5s Od ; Veal, 3s 4d to 4s Od ; Pork, 3s Od to 38 10d per 81bs. CHICHESTER, JAN. 12.—Each kind of stock ruled steady, at full prices. Beef, from 3s 4d to 4s 2d ; Mutton 4s Od to 5s 2d; Veal, 3s 4d to 4s Od; Pork, 3s 2d to 3s 8d per 81bs.. CLERICAL OBITUARY' Or 1852.—During the year which has just ended no fewer than 291 clergymen have died, and thereby caused the transference, in the course of that period, of ecclesiastical revenues to the amount of 101,449/. 1 Of these 291 clergymen who died during last year, several were pluralists, holding, in some cases, two or three, and even four, different appointments ; so that we may reckon the number of distinct benefices at about 350 ; and as the whole is shown to be worth 101,449/. it will be seen that the average value of each of these benefices or appointments is within a fraction of 3004 per annum. OVERLAND MAIL. We have received the following telegraphic mes sage in anticipation of the Overland Mail, dated " TRIESTE, JAN. 12. " The steamer Adria arrived this morning, with the Calcutta mail of the Bth of December. " Pegu was taken on the 21st of November, and will be annexed. " The campaign may be considered at an end, unless the Burmese forces should invade our new territory, which they will probably do. In such a case we should march on Ava. " The North-Western Frontier is quiet. " Calcutta Exchange firm, at 2s. id. to 2s. ld. " The supply of money continues abundant. From China we hear that the insurrection gains ground. " From Sydney we have advices to the Bth of November, and from Swan River to the 21st of November." LAW INTELLIGENCE-(THIS DAY). COURT OP CHANCERY. (Before the Lords Justices.) Their lordships were this morning occupied with the part-heard appeal motion of the Attorney-General v. the Sheffield Gas Company. (Before Vice-Chancellor Kindersley.) MURRAY V. BOGITE.-COPYWRIGHT. This was an application for an injunction by Mr. Murray, the publisher, to restrain Mr. Bogue, of Fleet street, from continuing to publish a book entitled " Swit zerland and the Savoy," which it was alleged was printed from a book previously published on the same subject by Mr. Murray. It appeared that in 1838 Mr. Murray first published a hand-book for " Switzerland, the Alps of Savoy and Piedmont," one of the famous red series so well-known to continental travellers, which reached its fifth edition last year. Soon after Mr. Bogue advertised a series of hand-books for travellers, of which two were published—" Belgium and the Rhine" and Switzerland and the Savoy," which were bound and lettered in exactly the same manner as Mr. Murray's series. On examining the latter book, Mr. Murray was of opinion that it was a mere copy in design, and in many instances in the text also, of his book, and accord ingly made the present application for an injunction to restrain the present publication. The case was argued at some length last term. His Honour this morning gave judgment. After comparing both the books with other works published in Germany and in America, on the subject, he was of opinion that the defendant had not made an unfair use of the plaintiff's book, and that no case had been made out for the interference of the Court. He must, therefore, refuse the application. Injunction refused. No business of importance came before the other Courts. COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH. WALSH V. lONIDES. This was an application fora prohibition to stay all proceedings on a plaint in the Liverpool County Court. The action was brought on a contract by which it was agreed by one party to sell a cargo on board a ship, and to deliver it at any portion of the United Kingdom ; and by the other to pay the price agreed upon, on the delivery of the shipping documents and the policy of insurance. At Liverpool a demand on the vendor was made for the shipping documents and policy of insurance, but he failed to produce em, and proceedings were taken against him by thrpurchaser ; but in his par ticulars of demand he stated that he brought the action, for not delivering the cargo, which was a cause of aotion not arising within the jurisdiction of the County Court at Liverpool, because the cargo was to have been delivered at Drogheda. Lord Campbell, this morning, stated that the Court were of opinion that the rule shoUld be made absolute, with certain modifications. They were extremely re luctant to interfere with the jurisdiction of County Courts, unless where it was clearly exceeded, and, in that case it was their bounden duty to grant a prohibi tion. As the contract in the present case was made in Liverpool, they could not say that a general prohibition should proceed. It appeared, from ancient authorities, that in ecclesiastical matters partial prohibitions were issued, and the Court thought the proper course• with regard to this application would be to grant a prohibi tion against all proceedings as to that breach, which was not within the jurisdiction of the Liverpool County Court, namely, not delivering the, cargo, leaving the plaintiff still at liberty to proceed under the plaint for not delivering shipping documents and policy of insurance, the judge of the Court having discretion to allow the particulars of demand to be amended, and restricted to that part of the contract. Rule absolute accordingly. BOW-STREET.--(THIS DA Y). Mary Ann Liddel was placed at the bar before Mr. Hall, charged with stealing a purse containing nine sovereigns and some silver, the property of Robert Ramin. Police-constable 138 F was on duty in the Strand about three o'clock this morning, when he heard the cry of " Police." He went to the spot and saw the pri soner, who was struggling with the prosecutor, and the latter told him that prisoner had robbed him, and swal lowed eight sovereigns and a-half. He directly took her to the station, where she was searched, and a sovereign and some silver was found upon her. The prosecutor was very drunk at the time. The prisoner, who denied the charge, was fully com mitted for trial. DEATH OF THE EARL OF STAIR. This venerable and excellent nobleman expired on Monday evening, at his seat of Oxenfoord Castle, in the county of Edinburgh. As one of the greatest landed proprietors in Scotland, and as long, actively, and honourably connected with Scottish politics, the an nouncement of Lord Stair's death will create a wide spread interest and sorrow ; but the deepest grief—a sincere and poignant grief—will be among those who were privileged to know his kindness and steadiness as a private friend. John Hamilton Dalrymple, son of Sir John Dalrymple, Bart., was born in 1771, and was consequently eighty-two years of age at his death. He entered the army in 1790 ; became a general in 1838 ' • and colonel of th e 46th Foot in 1843. At one time he held an acting command of one of the Regi ments of Life Guards, and in that capacity occupied his always active mind in devising, with marked success, means of avoiding the infliction of corporal punishment. Many years afterwards, he was sent for by the Duke of Wellington, and requested to explain the nature and re sults of the experiments, which his Grace had come to think of importance. In 1810, Sir John Dalrymple succeeded his father in the baronetcy and estates. As soon as he quitted active connection with the army, he busied himself in politics, and espoused the Whig or Liberal cause, when its friends were few, and its prospects desperate. He made several attempts to enter Parliament for. Mid-Lothian under the old constituency, and on one occasion came within a few votes of success. When the Reform Bill of Earl Grey was brought forward, Sir John Dalrymple was amongst the most zealous and influential of its Scottish supporters ; and on its passing, he was re warded by being returned as the first freely chosen member for Mid-Lothian, beating Sir George Clerk by a majority of 69. He only held the seat till 1835, when the constituency was swamped by Tory fictitious votes. In 1840, by the death of his kinsman, the 7th Earl, he succeeded to the Earldom and estates of Stair, and next year received a Peerage of the United Kingdom, a s Baron Oxenfoord. The brother of the deceased Peer, North Dalrymple, of Cleland and Fordel, father of Captain Dalrymple, M.P. for Wigtonshire, is now Earl of Stair, and there remains the consolation of a con fidence that in his hands the honours of the station will not be tarnished, nor its influence misdirected. SCARCITY OF COALS IN SOUTHAMPTON.—There is, at the present time, such a scarcity of coals in that town, that 14,000 tons have been brought by rail from London this week for the Orinoco steamer, which leaves there on the 17th inst. MYSTERIOUS DEATH.—Yesterday morning, between six and seven o'clock, considerable sensation was created in the neighbourhood of Lin coln - inn -fields, in conse quence of the mysterious death of a man of the name of William Readin, aged 70 years, who resided in Wind mill-street, Tottenham•court-road, being found dead in a sewer. DEATH BY DROWNING. —On Tuesday afternoon, i n the river Tees, below Stockton, a boat go i ng to Middlesbro', with four seam en , named George Tinkler, Jeffery Wil son, Henry Williamson, and John Harll, was u pset by the heavy wi n d. Th e three latter met a watery gr ave the former was saved, he having succeeded in getting on the boat's bottom, from whence he was taken by the crew of a steamer, after having been in this perilous situation for nearly three hours. What adds to this melancholy catastrophe is, that Harll is the third son his bereaved parents have to lament during the short space of six years, by drowning. THE FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE EASTERN COUNTIES RAlL WAY.—Yesterday Mr. William Baker resumed and concluded an inquiry at the Crown and Anchor, Cheshire -street, Bethnal-green, respecting the death of Mr. Richard Pratt, aged 53 years, late landlord of the above -named public-house, who lost his life from certain injuries received by jumping from a train on the Eastern Counties Railway, some particulars of which appeared in this journal of Monday last. The jury having re ceived some additional evidence, returned a verdict of " Accidental death." 1 THE GRAVE OF ABD-EL-riADER'S ARAB FOLLOWERS, The mayor of Amboise has just opened a subscription for erecting a tomb over the Arabs who died at the château of Amboise during the residence of Abd-el-Kader in that place. i THE FRENCH EMPIRE. The Ottoman Ambassador, accompanied by ttie whole body of the Legation, presented yesterday his credentials to the Emperor. The Emperor received, on Tuesday, in privat e audience at the Tuileries, M. de Oerthling, resident Minister to H.R.H. the Grand Duke of Meeklen burg-Schwerin., to present his new letters of ere" deuce to his Imperial Majesty. Count de Hadala presented in public audience the letters which act' credit him as Envoy Extraordin ar y and Minister Plenipote n ti ary o f t h e King of Prussia. The Era" peror also received in public audience. M. Huhll er l to present hi s l e tt ers as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the Emperor of Austria: The Austrian and Prussian Ministers were conveyed to the audience in a carriage of the Imperial• Court• Another carriage of the Court conveyed to a publ ic/ audience his Grand Ducal Highness Prince Frede rick of Hesse to present, on the part of his nephew , the Grand Duke of Hesse, a private letter of con gratulation to the Emperor. His Majesty the Emperor honoured the Italian Opera on Tuesday evening with his presence. By decree of the Emperor, dated Tuesday, w e sum of 5,403,150 fr., inscribed in the budget of the State for 1853, for the char ges o f th e personnel 01 the Imperial palaces and manufactories, is trap_" ferred from the budget to the charge of the elw, list of his Majesty. Another decree of the same date extends to Algeria the benefit of the decree! published in France for the remission of fines 0 01 imprisonment for offences of the press, of penalties pronounced by the councils of discipline, of the National Guards, of those for offences against the fishery l aws , and those committed against the laWs regulating the circulation of carriages, &c. An Imperial decree of the 31st ult. increases. from the Ist instant the salary of the Secretary" General of the Prefecture of Police from 8,000 fr• to which it had been reduced in 1848, to 12,000 fr• P" annum. Baron d'Andre, Envoy Extraordina r y and nister Plenipotentiary of the Emperor of the" French, in the Netherlands, has been raised to the' grade of Commander in the Order of the Legion of Honour. M. Lemerle, Viscount de Beaufond, commissar! of marine at avre, has been removed to Roche fort, and is to be replaced at the former port by the commissary of marine at Bayonne. The Pays of Wednesday has an article on the' late operations of the Paris Bourse, in which, with: out making any direct allusion to the remarks 0 1 the Siecle of the day before on the same subject/ evidently desires to show that the reasons assigned by its contempora r y f or th e l a t e heavy fall are now the true ones. The Pays adduces no arguments° prove that the Bourse is no longer under the in"' fluence of certain financial notabilities, but, heil l g . left totally free to its own workings, rises and feu'. according to the pulse of public feeling at the ni o i ment, acted on by the abundance or scarcity 0 money, or the state of manufactures, and other in' dustrial interests. The Siecle also has an interesting article conor l !,. ing the establi s h men t o f a service of transat l ant ic steamers from some French port on the coast of Atlantic. Our contemporary sets out with laying It down as an incontestible principle that any com pany, however p ower f u l it m i g h t b e, would scf, e l find itself unabl e t o ac t with vigour, if it divi" its strength bet ween various ports, and that, 43 °. , sequently, some one st ar ti ng po i nt must b e se l e cw; along the western coas t o f F rance. The eon diti°• of concentration of the service, the Siècle I °L. on as absolut e ly i n di s p ensa bl e to success; and, ott).;,:. having assigned its reasons for this opinion-10 31 'g indeed, w e ma y o b serve , scarce l y required so ran elucidation as our contemporary bestows on its it proceeds thus : "The ports whi c h now di spu t e to b e selecte d a s u the _, L „,. place of departur e are : i n th e Ch annel, Havre an d burg ; in the Atlantic, Nantes and Bordeaux; and the Mediterrane an , M arse ill es, wh i ch is alrea d y in ,?-as,., 0 1 session of the Levant line. We hav e again to what importance is the union of all the services in ' lha hands of one com p any , if th ey are not concentrated "0" one point and in the same port ? The question of the unity of port bei ng a d m itt e d th e next po i nt i s t o dee' on that which is the best suited to respond to the eeegi l ; tial conditions f or th e success o f the transa t a lellt packets. These conditions may be thus summed 1113 ,4 Ist, in time of pea ce t o serve w ith th e max imal'. safety, safety, speed, and e c o nom y th e i n t eres t s o f th e counties whose relations with France they are to develops, and particular, the interests of French manufactures and cots _ merce ; and 2dly, in time of war, to add the greatest pt, sible amount of naval power to the country. One P 0 1; alone appears to us to unite all the conditions o f a g ood transatlantic establishment, and that is Cherbur g . If the line to New York does not appear to be seriously disputed at Cherburg, it is not the same with the other lin,. Nantes founds its claims on the law of 1840, which granted it the Brazils and La Plata ; but Nantes has ceased to be what may be called a seaport, and St. Nazaire, which is situated at the mouth of the Rhone, has only one dock in an unfinished state, and the road stead is difficult of approach in the day, unapproachabl e at night, and dangerous in foggy weather. Bordeat and Marseilles claim, in addition to the line to th i e . Brazils, that which is to serve th e F renc h and Span's' West India Islands, Guatemala, New Grenada, Val" uela, Hayti, New Orleans, and French Guyana. 13 :„ Bordeaux, separated from the sea by a river 25 leagul: in length, is only accessible at high water to vese7 drawing from 14 to 15 feet of water. It is generally mitted that the Mexican line would require steamers, ; 800-horse power. The roadstead of Pauillac has, it true, become the place of anchorage of the navigation Bordeaux, but Pauillac is 12 leagues from Bordenllt and this roadst ea d, at t h e t i me when the current "" very rapid, would not be safe for the shipment of 01e1.• chandise on board transatlantic steamers. Bordentr pretends to off er an a d vantage of 48 hours over the other ports ; but this advant age wou ld b e mor e tl than sacrificed by the difficulties of the navigai'l" of the Gironde. Marseilles, with nautical leonditiollt infinitely superior, Marseilles, the only one of our gr e : e commercial ports w hi c h d oes not f eel any inconven i e ll o from the tides, is un f or t una t e l y too far removed fro m Paris and th e p r i nc i pa l manu f actur i ng districts, an d ° of the great current of emigration. Marseilles 1 305 _„ large and d ee p p or t, b u t h er d ry docks can only 'se: for the repairs of vessels of ordinary tonnage. Ol e o burg, as we have before said, unites all the c onditie v which are wanting to th e o th er ports. When made tot centre of trans-oceani c commun i cat i ons, the por t Cherburg would change nothing in the ordinary curre n e i of transactions. Placed in the centre of the Chad coast, united by her railway with Paris, the North. Europe, Alsace, G ermany, an d Switzerland, it might, tx, by attracting all the freight which now goes from Havre.ai Southampton, become not only the rival of the Eng' port, but also the possessor of a great part of the tit sit trade of Havre, without, however, depriving t 11 :, 1 important po r t o f th e colonial market which it 13,1, possesses. A pow er f u l company has proposed to th e Government to u n d er t a k e the establishment of all Transatlantic steamers at Cherburg, and the nab alone of its principal founder, M. Levavasseur, sos,„r, page, of Havre an d d eputy for Rouen, renders ~_o;s age, in our o pi n i on, to the superiority a to port. The different services will, according to the ten" der of the comp any, b e organised as follows :—Fro m Cherburg to New York ; five vessels of 1,000 how power each, the fifth to remain in reserve ; departi n twice a month ; speed, 11 knots an hour ; length passage, 11 d a y s , F rom Cherburg to the Ant . and Mexico : Fi ve vessels of 500 horse-power ea ch' departures twice a - mont h ; run from Cherburg to _., tinique, 14 days. From Martinique branch line communication by steamers of 250 horse-power, to r? . to Guadeloupe, Vera Cruz, New Orleans, Cuba, Domingo, Grenada, Cayenne, &c. From the Brazils : Three vessels of 800 horse-Pfcre2rl days. departures once a-month ; run from the French These vessels to call at Lisbon, Madeira, f r ica, and from establishment of Goree on the coast 2 _ 0 5 horse-power to Rio Janeiro additional vessels of herbu:g to In all 21 ves sels to Monte Video and Ayres.Buenoso . t i-s o e- f pr o g o r f.. p T e h r e h c o o r s m e • eels giving a total of 14,500 and of 1,200 f. for those pany solicits an annual sublivneen, power for the New York line, a difference which is ne• of the Antilles and theaßsed wear and tear of the latter t ir e r o e n f a r n e average from 11460 to o Ypi cessary from the i ld ere be at sea 175 days every years vessels, which Th wh e ile to t tal he 20 years. This cernl would be millions a-year for notbecome at a ne t considerable d new and abundant source of pre? ex pense, but would it perlo a very rench commerce and of riches for the pub° sfuobrix:raionul d would,on l perity di f s e ta r windosduringblewe unusually thes o v lasti o h l i e g n th t w:. y o a o t r Havre from fyrosm, the that and the se wers having tw t h re eT. a s s ht. u iewd ry e.. been - more than filled, some of the streets we re inundated for several hours. We read in the _Wats :—" Some persons 11 __a' + : e ex pressed surprise at th e announcement of the "".4 of the gallery of pict ures of the late Duke Orleans for the 18th and 19th inst. Th e Ba le • sufficiently explained by the position of the cilt dren of the duk e as minors, and of whom Duchess of Orl eans i s the natural guardian. The advisers of .EI.R.H. the Duchess of Orleans only taken the same course as that pursued by the advisers of H.R.11 . the Duchess de Berry in 18`'a';' for the sale of the cabinet of the Duke de Berry ,d General Wald ner d e Freundstein, comma' the 6th m ilit ary division at Strasburg, has beir• appointed a member of the cavalry com mittee 11 1 the plac e o f G eneral Grand, who has receiv e another desti na ti on ; General Rilliet is named to,e replace Gener a l W a l dner de Freundstein in command of the 6th di v i sion. General de Salle° b - appointed to the command of the 10th mili mte s . division at Montpellier, in place of General de it° a tolan, who has received another destination ; e o f General Tartas is appointed to the command of the 14th military division at Bordeaux in Pinceaje Generale Pay s d e B our j o ll y , .whoi has.been a senator, and placed en disponihilite. Accounts from the French West India Islae e , received to the 16th. The yellow fever vrasZ i li dining% Almond its Wed iotiz !A4 Y." I I