The Sun. — London, England, 1853-02-28 00:00:00

• 'WEST LONDON RAILWAY COMPANY• Notice is Hereby Given, that the next HALF-YE kRLY G'e;_s ER :L MEETING of the West London Railway Company will be held i pursuant to the provisions of the Act of Incorporation) at the London Tavern, Bishopsgate-street, in the City of London, on THURsDAY, the 10th day of March next, at 2 o'clock preci.e7. And Notice Is also Hereby G ven, that the Books kept for the registration of Shares in the said Company will be closed on the Ist day of March next, and will remain closed until the said 10th day of March, both days inclusive. S rEPHEN BIRD, Chairman. Office, 13, Old Jewry Chambers, London, 7th February, 1853. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Farewell season of Mr. Benjamin Webster as Lessee and Manager. THIS EVENING, FEB. 28, Will be performed the new and original Comedy, in five acts, Called NOT SO BAD AS WE SEEM; or, Many Sides to a Charac ter. Supported by Messrs. B. Webster, Barry Sullivan, Keeley, Buckstone, Leigh Murray, Stuart, Howe, Miss Rosa Bennett, Miss A. Vining, Mrs. Leigh Murray. To conclude with, at second price, the Comedy of MASKS AND FACES; or, Before and Behind the Curtain. ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE. Under the Management of Madame Vestria. THIS EVENING, FEB. 28, Will be performed A PHENOMENON IN A SMOCK-FROCK. Characters by Messrs. C. Mathews, F. Matthews, and Borricastle ; Mks F. Baker and Miss C. Mitchell. After which, the popular new Fairy Fxtravaganza entitled TIIF: GOOD WOMAN IN THE. WOOD, in which Messrs. F. Matthews, Suter, Horricastle, and Templeton ; Madame Vestris, Miss Julia St. George, Illiss Robertson, Miss Martindale, Miss Ellis, Miss Wynd ham, Miss Egiinron, and Miss Rosins Wright will appear. To conclude wit/ LITTLE TODDLEKINS. 'aoie Agent for the Private Boxes, Mr. W. Allcroft, 15, New B o-street. THEATRE ROYAL ADELPHI. Frepletor, Mr. B. Webster.—Directress, Madame Celeste. THIS EVENING, FEB. 28, By desire, revival of the historical Drama of JACK SHEPPARD , by Mrs. Keeley, Miss P. Maskell, Miss Keeley, Messrs. Paul Bed ford, 0. Smith, Emery, &c. A Grand Pas Seul, by Mdlle. Auriol. After which, at second price, the Drama of SLAVE LIFE ; or, Uncle Tom', Cabin. ROYAL PRINCESS'S TEIEATIPI, OXFORD-STREET. Under the ManagernP_nt of Mr. C. Kean. THIS EVF:NING, FEB. 28, Will be produced Shat%pere's Tragedy of MACBETH (as acted at Windsor ca,tle, by T.toyal command). Principal characters by Mr. and Mrs. C. Kea', To conclude wlt' d the new and criginal Grand Comic Christ mas Pantomime, entitled HARLEQUIN CHERRY AND FAIR STAR; or, Tne Green Bird, the Dancing Waters, and the Singing Tree , ROYAL OLYMPIC: THE 'ATRE. Lessee and Manager, Mr. Parma. THIS EVENING, FEE. 28, 'Will be presented ROMEO AND JULIET. Supported by Messrs. 'Compton, W. Farren, jun., Hoskins, Cooke, Edgar, Bender, and Clifton; Hrs. Bartlett and Miss Davenport (her first appearance). After which, the TYROLESE SINGERS will give their National Entertainmen r. To conclude with THE SWISS COTTAGE. Nalztiek, Mr. Compton. Box-otlice open from Eleven till Five, under the superintendence or Mr. E. Chatterton. ASTLET'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE. Proprietor and Manager, Mr. W. Batty. LAST WEEK BUT ONE of Mr. BATTY'S MANAGEMENT. Brilliant Routine of Equestrian Achievements. THIS EVENING, FEB. 28, And during the Week, the Entertainments will commence with the superb Spectacle of MIZEPPA AND THE WILD HORSE, reproduced with all its original magnificent effects. To be followed by an inc ,, mparable display of Equestrian and yranastic wonders in the Scenes of the Arena. to conclude with a popular Farce. Uvure ~pe . nt tall-ensc Six ,'clock. To commence at Seven. )Sox-oirce open daily from Eleven to Four. Stage Manager. Mr. W. West. MGR WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tins DAs —Morning 59 min. after 4 I Evening 18 min.aft. 5 To-Moaaow—Morning 41 min. after 5 I Evening 1 min.aft. 6 DAILY WEATHER TABLE. MONDAY, FEB. 28, 1853. State of the wind and weather at each of the following places at nine o'clock on Saturday morning. The stations are arranged in order of latitude. HASTINGS—W., strong breeze—rain. SOUTHAMPTON—W., strong breeze—rain. FOLKESTONE—S.W., strong breeze—rain. TUNBRIDGE—S.W., hard wind—overcast. BASINGSTOKE — S. W. , hard wind—scud, rain. GREENWICH--S.W., strong breeze—rain. STROOD—W. gentle breeze—rain. SWINDON—W. gentle breeze—partially cloudy. LEIGHTON—W., strong breeze—partially cloudy. CAMBRIDGE—S.W., strong breeze—rain. YARMOUTH— S.W. hard wind —sno w . HOLYHEAD—N.N.W., strong gale—hail, s h owers . LANCASTER—N.W., hard wind—rain. :WHITBY — Cahn—overcast. DARLINGTON—W.S.W. ; gentle breeze overcast, snow, light frost. SHAP—N., calm—snow. The returns from the following places indicate the state of the weather on Friday morning at nine o'clock : LANCASTER -LN.E. hard wind— c l ou dl ess . WHITBY — N., hard wind—frost, snow. DARLINGTON —N., strong breeze—cloudy, frost, snow. SNAP—N., strong breeze—partially i eloudy, hard frost. THE WEATHER.-SUN OFFICE, FEB. 27. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 39—highest since noon yesterday. 28—lowest this morning and during the night. 34—this day at noon. BAROMETER, 29'60. WIND, W.N.W.—Fresh breeze, _with snow. FEBRUARY 28. 37 highest since noon yesterday. 22—lowest this morning and during the night. 32—this day, at noon. BAROMETER, 29'95. WIND, N.W. to W.N. W.—Fresh breeze, and sunshiny Weather. THE PUBLICATION OF " THE SUN" COMMENCES EVERY AFTERNOON AT THREE O'CLOCK, AND THE LATE OR THIRD _EDITION, CONTAINING THE tEBATES IN PARLIAMENT THE SAME EVENING, With all other News 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. Ott 'tS " r IAA 31 LONDON, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1853. The Copyright Question—already satisfactorily arranged between France and Great Britain—is, at length, about to be definitively settled between the two countries chiefly interested in the preser vation and encouragement of English literature. After so many disappointments, the authors of the United States and of the United Kingdom are at last to reciprocate the benefits accruing from the operation of the long-desired international arrange ment. A treaty, based in all essential particulars upon that at present acted upon between ourselves ancl.. our Continental neighbours, is, we are given tr, understand, on the very eve of being com pleted ; so that, we doubt not, before many more days have elapsed, we shall have the satisfaction of announcing its ultimate ratification. Several months back the provisions of this important treaty were mutually agreed upon by Mr. WEB RITE, the late Secretary of State at Washington, and Mr. CROMPTON, her Britannic Majesty's Am bassador. Subsequently it was duly transmitted to this country for the acceptance, or rather for the approval, of the English Government. After wards it was returned to the American Cabinet with a few trifling alterations, for the purpose of receiving the sanction of the Republican Govern ment. It now only requires the approbation of the Senate at Washington. Having obtained this, the treaty will then be finally ratified, and the ad vantages of an international copyright will be thenceforth interchanged by the two great families of the Anglo-Saxon race in the eastern and the wes tern hemisphere. Like the one upon w hi ch i t has, as already observed, been modelled, the present and America will affect treaty between England the interests not only of the writers of books, but of the authors likewise of dramatic works, of musical compositions, of drawings, of paintings, of sculptures, of engravings, of lithographs, and, in fact, of any productions whatsoever, either in the fine arts or in literature. Whatever works of this character may hereafter be published and copyrighted in the United States will, under the prote c ti on o f th e p ropose d t rea ty, enjoy all the privileges of an English copyright, upon the simple understanding that the American author shall have each composition duly registered at Stationers'-hall, and shall at the same time trans mit a copy of the production (in the instance of engravings and publications) to the British Museum, for the purpose o f h av i ng it a dd e d to the treasures of that noble repository. ' Precisely in the same manner, of course, the English author may secure to th e f ru it s o f hi s li terary or artistic labours the rights of American copyright, on forwarding a specimen of the work to the institu tion legally appointed in the United States for its preservation, having his work at the same time officially registered in the establishment set apart for such registration at Washington. It may here be remarked that, as the copyright question stands at this moment between France and Great Britain, it would appear that each volume, in order to command the benefits resulting from the international convention, requires to have upon its title-page, or in some other conspicuous part of the book, a distinct and formal notification warning all publishers on the opposite side of the Channel against pirating the production, if not by reprint, at any rate by translation. The necessity for any such notification should, we conceive, be at once and permanently obviated. It should be obviated, not merely in regard to translations in France, but also in reference to reprints in the United States. Otherwise the rights of in ternational copyright, on the one • hand, be tween this country and our continental neighbours, and on the other between ourselves and our brethren on the opposite shores of the Atlantic, will be dependent upon the punctilious regard shown by individuals to this petty and irksome formality. A casual oversight may de prive any one of the products of his intellect ; and surely any such slovenly system ought to be guarded against by every enlightened Govern ment. If the treaties are to hold good, let their influence be of universal application—upon the simple conditions, of course, which we have al ready particularised. Let registration be required in the one instance at Paris, and in the other at London—in the one case at Stationer-se-hall, and in the other at the corresponding institution at Washington—let it be regarded as essential that copies of the works shall be deposited in the British Museum, as well as in the National Repo sitories of France and of America; but so arrange matters that it shall henceforth be needless to have the volumes published in either country dis figured by the above-mentioned notifications. Everything considered, however, there is in the treaties referred to matter for very earnest and peculiar gratulation. The boon for which Sir THOMAS NOON TALFOURD struggled so ardently but unavailingly years ago in the popular branch of the English Parliament has at length been se cured, so far at least as our relations with France are concerned ; and, yet more, is now on the brink of being obtained so far as relates to the American Republic. Yearned for so long, that it came at last almost to be despaired of, the privileges of internStional copyright are rapidly extending the facilities for their realisation. How enormous the advantages will be to the authors of Great Britain and the United States, it were as unneces sary to insist upon as it would be to assert that incalculable benefits must be thereby conferred upon English literature. We have' not forgotten the remarl9,ble statement made a year or so since by one of 's the most illustrious men of letters of our generation certainly the most universal genius of our living literature ; need we say that our allusion is here made to Sir EDWARD BULWER LYTTON ? We have not forgotten the startling declaration made by Sir BumwEß, Lyrrox on the occasion of a large public meeting held in the metropolis, and over which meeting he was pre siding at the time as chairman—a declaration to the effect, that the absence of a reciprocal copy- right between England and the United States had been a loss to himself personally of no less an amount than 60,000/. sterling, and this, more- over, at even a moderate calculation. Neither have we forgotten, neither would it be possible for us for a single moment to overlook, the deteriora tion of native American literature, in consequence of the wholesale piracy of the literary masterpieces of the United Kingdom. The happy consequences of the apprOaching change must very 'speedily be manifest. ' Until the interests of. British authors can be protected by means of an international law of copyright, the American writers, must continue to be denied ail available market among their own publishers. For it would be absurd to expect that a New York house in the book trade would be disposed to pay any native novelist very hand somely for an original romance, so long as it can reprint gratis, at pleasure, the last story composed by a DICKENS -car a IltriwEß LYTTON. Once hav ing obtained t e secu *ty of this copyright treaty . ' between the) TJ ited S tes and the United 13King dom—in addi 'n to e one already ratified be tween France and Great Britain—the literary world in this country will, we confidently trust, dedicate the whole of its energies to the removal of the odious Taxes upon Knowledge. " The King of France, with all his men, Went up the hill, and down again." The ATTORNEY-GENERAL of Ireland manifestly approves of t • he Royal precedent. With all his staff—a formidable array of Crown prosecutors and Crown witnesses—he proceeded to Ennis, as Special Counsel fOr the Crown, to bring to justice the parties charged with the Six-Mile-Bridge homicide. Mr. DELMERGE and the military de fendants were duly warned to appear to stand their trials, and every indication was exhibited of a determined and serious prosecution. No ex pense was spared on the part of the Exe cutive. Every witness that could by any possibility throw light on the transaction was in attendance. Men of the highest respectability were, perhaps for the first time in their lives, summoned on the petty jury ; the first law-officer attended specially, in addition to the standing Crown prosecutors of the Munster Circuit ; the supernumeraries for the county of Clare were also retained, and voluminous briefs, marked with handsome fees, delivered to the learned gentlemen. Everything, in fact, gave note of dreadful prepa ration. Under such circumstances, it was, of course, incumbent on the accused to exhibit equal activity in preparing for the defence. Their wit nesses also were in attendance ; their briefs pre pared and delivered with suitable honoraria to the elite of the Circuit; and Mr. WRITES/DE, Solicitor- General to the late Government, brought down special as a fitting opponent to the new Attorney- General. The forensic conflict between such men was looked forward to with no ordinary curiosity, and numerous spectators congregated together to witness the collision of these doughty champions. But alas for human hopes! The most high-wrought expectations are but too frequently doomed to dis appointment ! What was the result 9 Nothing more ridiculous appeared since the tiny mouse was hailed as the anxiously-looked-for heir of the teaming moun tains. The Grand Jury first ignored the bills, determined that they, at least, would exonerate themselves from the imputation of being promi nent actors in the truly national farce. The find ing on the Coroner's inquisition, however, remained, and on that the parties might be arraigned—aye, and convicted too, if good grounds could be shown for such a decision. The Counsel for the prosecution might have called their witnesses, and still endeavoured to obtain a verdict, and at first it appeared as if such had been the intention, for immediately after the fact that the bills had been rejected, notice was served upon the traversers, requiring their attendance on the following day to take their trial in pursuance of their recognisances. The mystery was maintained to the last moment. No hint was given that might have removed the suspense or allayed the anxiety of the defendants. Not even the Junior Counsel for the Crown knew of the course about to be adopted. The same un certainty continued during the swearing in of the jury, and only one of the parties impli cated was given in charge, lest the Jury panel might be exhausted by the challenges to which the defendants were entitled. It was not, indeed, until close upon the termination of a rather lengthy oration that the Right Hon. Gentleman intimated his intention of not offering any evidence in support of the indictment, and of entering a node prosequi with respect to the other defendants. And • thus ended the Ennis State Prosecutions of 1853. Now this is all very absurd. The costs of the transaction either to the county or the defendants must have been very considerable. The Attorney- General himself must be handsomely remunerated ; and the services of Mr. WHITESIDE could not have been obtained at a low figure. But the expen ses , although very onerous to the private parties con cerned, was by far the least important part of the transaction. An excitement was fostered and maintained very prejudicial to the district, and by no meatus calculated to promote its peace and tranquillity. The legal opinions enunciated will give additional courage to those inclined to im pede the military in the discharge of their impor tant duties. We do not question the law laid down by Mr. Justice PERRIN. The great expe rience, acknowledged learning, and unblemished integrity of that learned Judge, confer high authority on his dicta. It was his busi ness not to make the law, but to ex pound it, and any inconveniences that may arise are to be attributed to the law itself, and not to its conscientious interpreter. That law may be absurd, it may toss the soldier on the horns of a very unpleasant dilemma, placing his military and civil duties in direct collision. But all these, although not merely justifying, but imperatively demanding new legislation, consti tute no sufficient grounds for censuring the pre siding Judge, who conscientiously discharged his duty, interpreting the law as it is, not as his critics may imagine it ought to be. But why, we again ask, did not the :Attorney- General exercise his undoubted prerogative of entering •a - nolle prosequi on the indictment ? Why make all the unnecessary and uncalled for parade of a serious prosecution, when, from the deposi tions, he must have known that there could not by any possibility have been a conviction. As well might there have teen a prosecution of Lord JouN RUSSELL on the Coroner's inquisition which declared him guilty of the wilful murder of an unfortunate person who, in the famine of 1847, died of destitution. There would have been as much chance of an adverse verdict of one case as in the other. And what would now be said if the Leader of the House of Commons was called upon to find bail to abide his trial at Castle bar, and compelled to retain counsel specially for his defence. And yet such a proceeding would be as fully warranted as that which has just taken place ! We do not, for a moment, sup pose that the Right Hon. functionary could have been actuated by any sordid motive. We would not do Mr. BREWSTER the gross injustice of ima gining for a single moment the possibility of such an occurrence. But there must have been some thing, and what was it ? Could it have been any thing in the shape of the Compromise that was so earnestly repudiated ? Could it have been as the only way, of obtaining an adequate excuse for the non-prosecution of Messrs. BURKE and CLUNE, of casting a shield over these Reverend Gentlemen ? We leave our readers to draw their own conclusions. The Attorney-General declared that their conduct was perhaps (! ! !) criminal, but most certainly reprehensible ; but he thought it indelicate to send bills before the Grand Jury against persons who had been produced as witnesses before them. The prosecution of the soldiers, then, averted the pro secution ,of the priests. They were saved from annoyance, but , at a heavy expense to the country as well as ito Mr. DELMERGE and to those who provided the'unds for the defence of the soldiers. One result must, however, follow. Legal Refor mers must direct their attention to the subject, so as to prevent at all future times the impolitic conflict between the military and the civil law. The SPOONER debate is over. One more ob struction to business isremoved—we hope removed for ever. Wealthy Protestantism railing at Po pish beggary, while it gives it a crust, is no par ticular credit to the former. For the reputation of Protestantism, both at home and abroad, the less of this sort of thing the better. Irish Popery was, no doubt, very ill-behaved at the last election, but sometimes it is very hard to know how much of it is simply Irish, and how much Popery; shil lelahs And broken heads being always'lrish; and Irish Protestants not being altogether lambs and doves. And also, .as Sir J. YouNd remarked, there were unusual excitements at the last elec tion. The Durham Letter, the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill, the Proclamation against Processions, and the Stockport Riots, had heated priestly ire seven times hotter than usual, and some allowance must be made for it. Mr. SPOONER went to work quite philosophically. He first arranged a large assortment of facts proving one great conclusion, the 'rath of the priests, and the bitterness of their denunciations. He next sought amongst the verce causce, and found the true cause in a compound of St. THOMAS AQUINAS, Cardinal BEL LARMINE, and the Bull in Coen& Domini. Mr. DUFFY, however, follows, and affirms that the newspapers quoted are all calumniators of Catho lics, the facts calumnies, and that they were not denied because no one deemed such journals worth contradicting. As to the SPOONER mode of interpreting May nooth class-books, Mr. DUFFY and Mr. LUCAS agree that Protestants know nothing about it, and that such far-fetched arguments are unworthy of an answer. Now it must be owned that the whole class of Spoonerites are grievously inconsistent on the oath business. Mr. S. laboured most strenu ously to prove that Catholic oaths of allegiance are not held binding by them in regard to excommu nicated princes ; that Protestant princes are ex communicated—,therefore, &c., Q. E. D., the logic is perfect. Yet Mr. SPOONER reminded Roman Catholic members of their oath not to hurt the Irish Church, at the very outset of his speech ! reminds them first of their oath, and then labours m t o r p e r o o v v e e r th a l atheir l t the p oath ee s does t h n r o o t b u ghind out Great them ! Britain and Ireland are vehement advocates of sw om ea na rinon g awill let them. the Cath t oli e cs as If f ee t p he deeply paosptshecaHn absolve e lv o e f C a a n t d least hold common hfrmiomsellanabosaotlhv,edMfrr. SPOONER cownNristenccayn sense. But if these teachings, and bulls, and canons are now obsolete, why not do away with them ? Mr. S POON ER had better not ask that question. He did not go beyond Rugby. Had he ventured to 'Oxford, he would have found oaths deliberately sworn to there with the full knowledge that they will not and cannot be kept. He will find also, on inquiry, that the Canons of his own Church de clare every impugner of the Prayer-book ipso facto excommunicate until lie abjure his wicked and damnable errors. Of course, his respected neigh bour, the Rev. ANGELL JAMES, and all Dissenters with him, are in Mr. SPOONER'S view excom municate ; and, as EXETER hath it, " consigned to the uncovenanted mercies of GOD." He will •find, too, that Lord LYNDH.URST dared not, through fear of the Bishops, repeal a whole batch of the persecuting statutes of his own Church, but only the penalties ther eof, leaving offenders against them still open to prosecution for a misdemeanour. We assuredly plead not for the persecuting canons and bulls of Popery—only there is an old proverb we 'could not forget anent those hoof ive inresent glass houses. Sir J. YO UNG, on the part the p Government, and Lord STANLEY, on the part of the late one, both opposed the motion ; Sir J. YOUNG, at some length, citing amp l e authorities, alleging that Catholics contributed nearly one tenth of our revenue --that the 30,000/., there fore, was but an acknowledgment of that fact, and representing Mr. SPOONER as a Protestant Grand Duke of TUSCANY, only wanting the power to im prison and to b anish Catholics. Mr. SCHOLE FIELD moved his amendment in a short but able speech, objecting to the Acts which endowed May nooth. He did so o n no merely sectarian grounds. Although a member o f the Chureh of England, he equally objected to Acts of a similar kind which gave endowments t o that and other Pr Churches ;he specified several —one for the Esta blishment in Jamaica, amounting to 20,300/. an nually, and others, amounting altogether to upwards of 40,0001., besides several minor, but equally ob jectionable grants. He demanded the support of all advocates of religious equality for his amendment, as, by abolishing all State grants, it dealt equally by all. He justly denounced Mr. SPOONER'S one-sided care for Protestant consciences, while he evinced no concern for Roman Catholic consciences, which must be quite as burdened by being taxed for Protestant grants, as those of Protestants by taxa tion for Maynooth. It will hardly have escaheped the notice of tho se who have waded through t debate, that extreme views on the subject of State endowments are gaining ground in the House. Mr: FREDERICK PEEL, in his speech on the Clergy Reserves, pretty plainly intimated that it was for the Church in the Colonies to rely on the charac ter of its doctrines and its ministers for its future success. Mr. SCHOLEFIELD represented the special SITN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 28, 1853. endowment, or favouring of one sect, as, pro tanto, the persecution of the rest. Sir Wm. CLAY, in seconding the amendment, asserted that, as Pro testantism rested upon the right of private judg ment, and as ecclesiastical establishments were op posed to the right of private judgment, there could in a Protestant community be no logical defence of them. Mr. MIALL was cheered for refusing to vote for the motion, because it would con stitute the House a judge of religious truth and error, and even his startling parodox— " that .he would rather give the money of the State for the support of error than for the support of truth," was also cheered, when he explained himself to mean, " that he would rather do some thing to support by external means a bad system, than kill the vitality of a good one, and that the last creed he would consent to endow was his own, and that because he believed in it." When Mem bers of the Government, and independent Mem bers are listened to with respect, and even appro bation, while discoursing in this way, it seems pretty clear that we shall hear of no more ecclesi astical grants. Nor ought we. The wealth al ready set apart to religious purposes is surely am ple. Let it only be rightly used. In regard to the main question, we decidedly oppose meddling with the grant singly. When ever the day shall come that all similar acts can be repealed upon a broad ground, it will be an other case. Heartily do we wish that each creed would maintain itself, and spare us these Parlia mentary theological quarrels. Till then, in common with the great mass of honourable Englishmen, we should regard the abolition of the Act as a piece of petty persecution, as having at least every ap pearance of it. We would err rather on the side of generosity than of persecution, even towards a system which hits incurred the just detestation of the English nation. COURT CIRCULAE. Her Majesty and Prince Albert, with the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, and the Princess Alice, the Duchess of Kent, the Princess Adelaide of Hohenlohe, the ladies and gentlemen in waiting, and the domestic household, attended divine service, yesterday morning, in the private chapel of Buckingham Palace. The Hon. and Rev. Gerald Wellesley officiated. Prince Albert rode out on horseback on Saturday, at tended by Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. A. Gordon. Her Majesty had a dinner party on Saturday at Buckingham Palace. The company included the Duchess of Kent, the Princess Adelaide of Hohenlohe, the Duchess of Sutherland, the Marquis d'Azeglio, the Turkish Mini s t er an d Madame Musurus, L a dy anny Howard, the Baroness de Speth, the Earl and Countess of Clarendon, Viscount and Viscountess Emlyn, Vis count and Viscountess Enfield, Lord and Lady Stanley of Alderley, the Right Hon. W. E. and Mrs. Gladstone, Sir Pyam Martin, Admiral of the Fleet, and Colonel Wylde. The band of the Royal Horse Guards was in attend ance in the palace during dinner, and played the follow ing music : Overture—" Raymond" Selection—" Catering Cornaro" . A. Thomas. . Loaner. Waltz—" Queen of Roses" D'Albert. Grand Pot Pourri on A irs from the Opera "Le Caid" A. Thomas. Galop Militaire Kuhner. Herr Schnitzer bad the honour of attending at Buck ingham Palace on Saturday evening, and performing on the Zitter before her Majesty and the distinguished party assembled after dinner. The Queen's private band attended in the palace on Saturday evening, and performed the following composi tions : Overture—" Das Wunderwasser" Flotow. Trio—" Le Pre aux Clercs" Herold. The deputation appointed at the Manchester Peace Conference had an interview with the Earl of Aberdeen, on Saturday, at his official residence in Downing-street. The deputation consisted of Messrs. T. Milner Gibson, M.P., Richard Cobden . , M.P., George Hadfield, M.P., W: LaSiett, M.P., jOsePli Crook, M.P., Joseph Hume, 'M.P.; William Brown, M.P., John Cheetham, M.p ., James Kershaws, M.P., William Ewart, Joseph Brotherton, M.P., James Bell, M.P., Frank Ciossley, M.P., W. A. Wilkinson,,M.P,, •J. B. Smith, .P., YVilliam Ewart, M.P., J. B. Smith, M.P., Edward Miall, M.P., Samuel Gurney, Edward Smith ' Samuel Carter, Joseph Sturge , Henry Pease, John Lee, LL.D., Lawrence Heyworth, Frederick Ashby , George Edmunds, Robert Charleton, E. F. Collins, John Mor land, Richard Sterry, J. D. Bassett, Samuel Lucas, Samuel Gurney, jun., the Rev. John Bu rne t, M essrs. William, Edwards, Russell, Jeffrey, James Ellis, M.D., Joseph Cooper, George W. Alexander, the Rev. Henry Richard; Mr. John Jenkins, Mr. Charles Gilpin, &c. The Turkish Minister and Madame Musurus enter tained at dinner, on Thursday last, their Excellencies Lord and Lady Stratford de Redcliffe and the Hon. Miss Canning, prior to his lordship's departure for Con stantinople, to resume his post as ambassador to the Sultan. A select party was invited to meet their Ex cellencies. Mr. W. Beckford, of Jamaica, had a long interview on Friday with the Duke of Newcastle at the Colonial office. A deputation of Postmasters had an interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Saturday, at his official residence in Downing-street, upon the subject of the Post Horse Duty and Tax on Carriages let to hire, by which all postmasters are charged on the average 20 per cent. on their gross earnings, besides a heavy assessed tax on their carriages, whilst railways pay but 5 per pent. on their passenger traffic, and no tax on their carriages or goods traffic. The deputation was introduced by Mr. T. S. buncombe, M.P., and was accompanied by the Lord Mayor, M.P., Sir James Duke, Bart., M.P., Mr. Masterman, M.P M.P. Sir J ame 4 A n d erson, M.P., Mr. list ~ Mr. Langton, M.P., Lord Dudley St uar t, M a .P. i , e' and Mr. Tattersall. Th e eputation consisted of Messrs. Robert Newman, C. Newman, Chancellor, Bry ant, Wilson, Pawley, Dyer, Cole, Goodrham, Thumwood, Gray, Yeomans, Andrews, and G. Shillibeer, secretary of the London Committee, and the following delegates Mr. Croall (Edinburgh), Mr. Mallalieu, Mr. Wylie (Glasgow), Mr. Folwell (Bristol), Mr. Billington(Preston); Mr. Johnson (Newcastle) Mr. Goodrham (Guildford), Mr. Cole (Godalming)Mr. Watson (Ramsgate), Mr. Thumwood (Farnham) Mr. G. Waddell (Birmingham), Mr. C. J. Waddell (Oxford), Mr. Giles (Didcot), Mr. Silverthorne (Brighton), Mr. Bottom (Newmarket), Mr. Lovegrove Mr. Goldsmith (Reig a t e ) M r . H e ff er, (Sheffield), Mr. Chater (Windsor), an d 111 r. L M(M o r d a.i d Wdt e e r ne ( lBl ß ea a d gstoke). Mr. John Wood, chairman of Board of Inland Revenue, and Mr. Pressly, were present at the interview. A deputation from Chorley had an interview on Sa turday with the General Board of Health, at their office, Whitehall, in reference to the application of the Public Health Act to that town. The deputation con sisted of Mr. Richard Smethurst, jun., and Mr. Richard Jackson. They were introduced by Mr. W. Brown, my., Mr. Cheetham, M.P., and Mr. James Pilking ton, M.P. Dispatches were received at the Colonial-office on Sa turday from the Governor of New Zealand. The Turkish Minister transacted business on Satur day at the Foreign-office. Mr. James M`Queen had an interview with Viscount Palmerston on Saturday, at the Home-Office. • Dispatches were received yesterday at the Colonial office from the Governors of Sierra Leone, the Gambia, and the Gold Coast. A Cabinet Council was held at the Foreign-office, Downing-street, on Saturday afternoon. The Ministers present were the Earl of Aberdeen, the Lord Chancellor, Earl Granville, the Duke of Argyll, Viscount Palmers ton, the Earl of Clarendon, the Duke of Newcastle, Lord John Russell, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir James Graham, Sir Charles Wood, the Right Hon. Sid ney Herbert, and Sir William Melesworth. The Coun cil sat three hours and a half. The Speaker's second parliamentary dinner was held on Saturday. The following gentlemen attended - Right Hon. B. Disraeli, Right Hon. Lord Mandeville; Right Hon. Lord Stanley, Right Hon. Lord John Man ners, Right - Hon. Lord Claud Hamilton, Right Hon. Lord Naas, Right Hon. E. Walpole, Right Hon. Sir John Pakington, Right Hon. R. Christopher, Right Hon. G. Bankes, Right Hon. Sir John Trollope, Rig ht Hon. J. W. Henley, Right Hon. C. For rester , Right Hon. W. Beresford, Right Ho n . J. Napier, Admiral Sir Thomas Herbert, K.C.8., Captain Hon. Arthur Duncombe, R.N., Sir William Jolliffe, Sir F. Thesiger, Sir Fitzroy Kelly, Mr. Forb es Mack enzie , Sir G. A: Hamilton, Mr. Stafford, Mr. Cumming Bruce, Mr. H. J. Baillie. Marquis of Chandos, General Sir Geo. Berkeley, K.C.8., and Mr. Bateson were unavoidably absent. The right hon. gentleman will hold his first levde on Saturday, March 5, at ten o'clock. MELANCHOLY SUICIDE OF MR. N. DORMER, PROPRIE TOR OF BETTY'S CHOP-HOUSE, STRAND.—This forenoon, Mr. Bedford, the coroner, received information of the melancholy self-destruction, by prussic acid, of Mr. N. Dormer, licensed victualler„ and who for many y ears was the proprietor of Betty's Chop-house, adjoining the Church of St. Mary-le-Strand, which took Dog Tavern, Holywell-lane, of which house he has been the landlord some months. Shortly before that time he was in the parlour in conversation with Mrs. Dormer, when he was called upon . by Mr. Baker, summoning officer of the parish of St. Clement Danes, in reference to the renewal of his licence, application for which would have to be made before the magistrates on Thursday next. He spoke to his wife about the document connected with the transfer, and directed her to give them to Mr. Baker on Monday morning. He afterwards left the parlour just as the house was about to close ; he was searched for, as he was not to be found attending to the business of either house. Mrs. Dormer entered his bedroom, upon which he was discovered apparently lifeless. An alarm was given, and medical assistance was sent for. Mr. Dunn, surgeon, promptly arrived, who pronounced life extinct. A phial was on the bed, which had con tained prussic acid. Mr. Dormer was in the 48th year of his age. He had appeared latterly depressed in spirits, but not so much as to lead to a supposition that he wo uld commit the act of self-destruction. MONEY AND COMMERCIAL NEWS. CITY, TWO O'CLOCK. The sales of cotton at Liverpool on Saturday were estimated at 4,000 bales, of which 500 were taken for export. The market closed heavily, at previous rates. The sales comprised 3,500 Ameri can, 200 Egyptian, 61-d. to 121 d.; and 200 Surat, at 3kd. to 4-id. per lb. Railway shares were fiat, at rather lower prices. The railway meetings announced are the fol lowing : Company. Aberdeen Date. Place. Mar. 3, Radley's Hotel Ambergate Belfast and County Down: Feb. 28, Belfast. Blackburn City of Toronto & L. Huron Mar. 7, 13, St. Helen's-pl. Edinburgh and Glasgow Mar. 1, Glasgow. Glasgow and South- Western Mar. 9, Glasgow. Lancashire and Yorkshire Mar. 2. Manchester. Lancaster and Carlisle Mar. 4, Liverpool. Londonderry & Enniskillen Mar. 1, 4,Coleman-st.-blgs Loughor Lowestoft Mar. 12, Lowestoft. Manch., Buxton, & Matlock Mar. 2, Derby. Manchester, & Lin. Feb. 28, Manchester. Manchester & Southport Mid. Gt. Western Ireland Mar. 4, Dublin. Norfolk Royston and Hitchin South-Eastern Feb. 2s, 15A,St.Helen's:pl. Mar.l7, Bridgebouse-hotel, London-bridge. To urn., Jurb., Land., & Hass. Mar. 17, Brussels. West Corn wall Western of France Feb. 28, Paris. The Cape of Good Hope steamer has arrived, with very late news. Business was quiet, and there was a full supply of all the leading commo dities. By way of the Cape of Good Hope, we learn that the yield of gold at Port Philip, up to the middle of December, was extraordinarily large, and the ar rivals at Melbourne from the diggins were as im portant as ever. The most novel circumstance, however, is the entire confirmation of the news given under this head more than two months since, that gold was likely to be discovered to a consider able amount in South Australia, private individuals in the course of their " prospecting" having picked up a large sum. The Government Commissioner had reported that there were great gains being made at the Echunga " Diggins," and although the suc cess of parties was very unequal, pounds weight were freely spoken of where ounces before were deemed an adequate reward. Land was certain to advance rapidly in value, and there is great interest manifested to obtain later information from the Agent of the South Austra lian Land Company, who will probably send a full statement by the next mail steamer. Passengers just arrived from Australia state that the yield of gold in Port Philip was about 100,000 ounces per week, and no doubt with the production of the Sydney mines the total will exceed half a million sterling per week. This is more likely to increase than diminish, because of the large influx of population, even though the individual average may be much smaller. One of the most satisfactory items of intelligence by this opportunity for those who have friends in the colonies, is that provisions were becoming abund ant, owing to large imports, and all fears of scarcity were at an end. The Roxburgh Castle has arrived with about 155,000 ounces of gold, or, according to some ver sions, even more. This vessel has had rather a narrow escape in the Channel, having lost an anchor. The Chrowringee brings 63,000 oz. This is more than 800,0001. in one day. Besides this, the Frances Henty was at the Cape when the steamer left with 70,000 ounces, and the Lochnagar with 4,000 ounces. A great many vessels are coming home by way of Cape Horn, which at this time of year offers the most favourable winds. The steamers Sydney and Great Britain, are hourly expected. Notice has been given at the Post-office, that the mails on board the steamer Australian, at Ply mouth, will be sent by the Overland Mail, viA, Singapore, on the 4th. The Hellespont, how ever, takes out fresh mail bags also this evening. The steamer Canada brings satisfactory commer cial advices from New York, and has 90,000 dol lars'ip. specie on board. , There were three steam- Vessels in the port from California, with three millions of dollars, on board. Some bad losses are reported at Lloyd's this morning, including two ship s w ith r i c h cargoes from th United States. The highly cheering accounts from Australia have not yet made much imprestion on the funds, notwithstanding the announcement that the Aus trian Government has not broken off negotiations with Turkey, because of the rumoured demand of Russia, Austria, and France for the expulsion of Kossuth and others. The value of Consols has been 99g to / for transfer, and 99/ to / for ac count. The New 31 per. Cents have realised Nag to 11, and the 3 per Cents 1048 to I. Bank Stock is dull at 2261, and India Stock at 2671. Ex chequer Bills have been quoted 12s. to 17s. pre mium, and India Bonds 40s. premium. In the foreign market very little business is doing, but prices are firm. Mexican Stock has im proved to 24f Brazilian New 41 per Cents: of 1852 have been done at 971 ; Chilian 3 per Cents. are worth 78 ; Spanish 3 per Cents. have been done at 48 ; and the Committee's Certificate has touched 6. Sardinian Bonds are at 95 ; and Dutch 4 per Cents. at 99 to I, being full prices. Peruvian De ferred are nominally 64k. The Gold Mine Shares are brisker, but the ad vices received this morning are not generally known to the public yet. The Australian, how ever, has risen 1/. Port Philip are also dearer. The Laud Companies' Shares have been higher, especially those of small denomination. Bank Shares have been improving. The Railway Share Market is a little flatter, principally for Caledonian, Eastern Counties, Lan caster and Yorkshire, and South Eastern. French Shares were lower, but are now up again. BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY. (From, the Official List.) ' Business Gone. Bank Stock 3 per Cent. Reduced Annuities lOO4 4 3 per Cent. Consols Annuities New 31 per Cont. Annuities..... ..... ... Long Annuities, Expire sth Jan., 1860 ... , Ditto 30 Years, Expire 10th Oct., 1859 6l India Stock India Bonds, £lOOO — Ditto, under £lOOO 4O Consols for Account 10th March 9 94 i a Exchequer Bills 14d. £lO00. £SOO Small 8 11 PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS THIS D.Y. Brazilian Bonds, 5 per Cent. — Ditto New, 1852, 43 per Cent 97i 8 Chilian Bonds, 3 per Ceut. Grenada Bonds, Deferred, Ditto Ex Dec., 1849, Coupon 2l Mexican 3 per Cent 241 4 Portuguese 4 per Cent Russian Bonds, 5 per Cent. Ditto, 44 per cent lO4 Sardinian Bonds, 5 per Cent. Sp finish Bonds, 3 per Cent . 48 Spanish New Deferred, 3 per Cent 234 Spanish Committee Cert. of Coup. not fun 64 p o Swedish Loan 2 d Turkish Loan, 6 per Cent., 1852 ll 1 p Venezuela Bonds 33 per Cent. Belgian Bonds, 43 per Cent. Ex. 25fr 99 Dutch Exchange 23 per Cent 661 Ditto 4 per Cent. Certificates... .... Consols Ditto Marc.h Account THREE O'CLOCK. 996 B 990 THE MAILS FOR AUSTRALIA. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SlR,—The Australian mail packet which ought to have left Plymouth on the 2nd of this month has not left yet, and it appears 'probable that she will be detained for some days. She has a very heavy mail on board, and supplementary mails will, there is no doubt, be made up daily for her until she starts. Now, on Friday next the Australian mail via Indi will be dispatched, which ought to contain in regular course all letters posted since the 2nd inst., but which will in fact contain very few letters, because all the correspondence will be put on board the Australian packet at Plymouth. Now the Australian mail via India, which leaves on Friday, is due at King George's Sound on the Ist of May, Adelaide on the 7th, Port Philip on the 10th, and Sydney on the 13th of May. There is no doubt punctuality will be observed, because the mail will be conveyed by the ships of the Peninsular and Oriental Company. Even if the Australian packet, via the Cape of Good Hope, leaves Plymouth in a few days, there is no knowing when she will reach her destination. Certainly there is no chance of her reaching Australia as early as the mail via India. It is most unfortunate, therefore, for the mercantile commu nity, that all their Australian correspondence should be on board. the Plymouth packet, when it could be sent much quicker by way of India. Could not the mails be trans-shipped from the Plymouth steamer, and placed on board the Southampton packet which takes out the Australian mail via India on Friday ? If this cannot be done, I submit that the Post-office authorities should not send any supplementary mail to Plymouth between this and Friday. AN AUSTRALIAN MERCHANT. London, Feb. 26. 7- ST. LAWRENCE AND ATLANTIC RAILWAY.—We are pleased to learn that Mr. C. P. Roney has just received, through the Colonial-office, the appointment of general superintendent of this railway ; and that Mr. John M. Grant, of Dublin, a gentleman formerly connected with the London press, accompanies him as his assistant. CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT-(THIS DAY.) The February sessions of the Central Criminal Court were opened this morning, before the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, the Recorder, several members of the Court of Aldermen, the Sheriffs and Under• Sheriffs, and other civic functionaries. The Recorder, in his address to the Grand Jury, said he regretted to state that the calendar promised more than the average amount of business, not only in regard to the number of cases it contained, but also to their importance and gravity. There were no less than six cases involving the destruction of human life, and assum ing a more or less serious complexion, and they would come before the grand jury eirther as charges of man slaughter or of murder. There were three cases of mur der, all of a very grave character, to which he felt it necessary to briefly allude. The first was a charge of murder against a man named Saunders, who attacked his victim on the high road, and in a manner and under cir cumstances which would leave no doubt in their minds as to the propriety of finding a true bill against him. The next case was against a woman named Fisher, and was one of a very peculiar description. It appeared that this person lived twelve or fourteen years as housekeeper to a very aged gentleman, who had reached nearly his 84th year, and who was possessed of very considerable property. The neighbours, it seemed, had for some time heard noises in the house, which led them to believe that this woman was ill-treating the old man ; and on the sth of January last a medical man was called in to attend him, it having been reported by them that he was in all probability dead. He found the old man lying dead in the house, and he also saw the woman there. He discovered on the body of the deceased va rious wounds, which appeared to have been inflicted at various times ; but the direct mode in which his death was brought about was involved in considerable doubt and mystery. If they should be of opinion that his death was accelerated by any of those wounds, and that those wounds were caused or inflicted by the prisoner, and were the result of a long course of deliberate ill usage on her part, he knew nothing that would relieve her from the presumption that hers was a case in which death was caused by malice. If it should appear at the trial that she had no intention to destroy life, though she might be guilty of misconduct, the offence would be re duced to manslaughter ; button the other hand, if she could clear herself altogether of the charge, of course she would be entitled to a verdict of acquittal. It,' however, ap peared from the depositions that there was a strong pre sumption that death was the result of a long course of ill usage to the old man, and under those circumstances the jury would most likely think it better to return a true bill for murder. The other case of murder was also one of some peculiarity. It was that of a young man who was charged with, the wilful murder of a young woman with whom he had formerly cohabited. It ap peared that shortly before her death he ceased his con nection with her, and married another woman. The circumstances were simply these : —A noise, as if from a person drowning, was heard on a dark night near the Regent's-canal. Before her body was found she was dead. It would be seen from the depositions that the prisoner was in company with her the greater portion of the same day. The body was found at about a quarter or half-past eleven o'clock at night, and the evidence traced the prisoner distinctly to that neighbourhood up to as late an hour as eleven the same evening. It would also be seen from the depositions that, when taken into custody, there was in his possession some of the property which she had upon her that day. Fur ther, it appeared that, when the alarm was given of a woman being in the water, he was close to the spot, and actually went to the side of the water, but when the persons were attempting to rescue her, he made his escape. On being arrested he protested his innocence, but it would be for them to say whether, under the cir cumstances, they were not justified in sending the case for investigation before a petty jury. There was a charge of manslaughter, under somewhat singular circumstances, against a woman who was tried at this court for the very cruel act of placing a hot coal in the hands of a child, by which it was very much burnt. The charge, on that occasion, assumed the shape of an aggravated assault. He (the learned recorder) was not present at the trial, but he believed that, in consequence of it hav ing transpired that the woman bore a very excellent character, that she had shown great contrition for her offence, and that she committed the act in a moment of thoughtlessness, the child having aggravated her by going near the fire when she had cautioned her not to do so, she received what was called a merciful sentence. About six weeks after her conviction the child died, and she was now brought, upon the Coroner's requisition, to meet a charge of manslaughter. No doubt, if she com mitted that cruel act, and death ensued in consequence, she was liable to be indicted for manslaughter, notwith standing she had already undergone some punishment, for the assault. On looking over the depositions, he must confess he was astonished at the verdict to which the jury had come. Public opinion had a right to exer cise a certain degree of control over the acts of courts of justice, but there was a limit beyond which the control so exercised defeated rather than promoted the ends of justice. The verdict of the jury, he regretted to find, was against the direction of the coroner as well as the evidence of several eminent men, who were examined before them, and who all said the child did not die from the effects of the burn, but from water on the b ra i n — a c h ron i c di sease to which it had been for some time subject. If they found the evidence in the depositions to be true he should recommend them not to do the gross injustice of putting the woman on her trial for manslaughter, it being clearly shown by that evidence that the assault for which she was originally punished had nothing to do with the child's death. The learned recorder then alluded to the case of manslaughter against a man who professed to be a disciple of Dr. Coffin, and who caused the death of a woman by administering to her some poisonous herbs, and explained the law respecting the responsibility which attached to non-qualified persons who acted in the capacity of medical advisers. After referring to some other cases in the calendar, he said he felt it his duty to make some observations to the grand jury with respect to the secondary punishments which were now in a state of transition. The general impression was, that the Government intended to make great changes in the punishment of transportation. They were at this moment engaged in solving a most difficult question—a question that had puzzled mankind of all nations, and o in all times—namely, what was the best mode of secon dary punishment to be adopted in order to prevent crime. There has lately been, a general impression on the public mind on this subject with regard to two mat ters which, however, were entirely incorrect, —first, that transportation was to be entirely abolished and, secondly, that as gold had now been discovered in Aus tralia, it was a positive benefit to De transported to that colony. With regard to the first, he believed it was the intention of the Government to ab stain from sending further convicts to Van Diemen's Land, but there were portions of Western Australia to which they proposed.to transport criminals, at all events for some time to come. However, they are certainly not decided to abolish transportation altogether. This was not a place to give opinions or discuss a theory; but he believed he was right in thinking that the Govern ment would find other places to which they might con tinue transportation. What, however, he was most anxious to do on the present occasion was to prevent the suspicion that there was any advantage or prospect of immediate gain for those who were sent out of the country as transports. When convicted they were not im mediately transported, but had, in the first instance, to undergo 12 months' severe correction and discipline in prison, then they were sent to the prison at Portland, where they were compelled to work at the severest ma nual labour, without obtaini ng th e s li ghtest remunera tion. If they were transported for seven years they had to labour at that place two years ; if for ten years, three and a-half years ;if for fifteen years, six years ;if for twenty years, eight and a-half years ; and if for life, ten and a-half years ; and it was only by continued good conduct during those periods that they were enabled to procure for themselves the advantage of being sent out otherwise thhn as prisoners, namely, with a ticket of leave. He thought he was justified in putting the jury, and through them the public, in possession of these facts, in order to prevent any misconception on this subject, and he trusted they would not think he had detained them unnecessarily. The grand jury then retired to their private room. MARLBOROUGH-STREET, -(THIS DAY.) - - STEALING A CHEST OF TEA. —George Freeman, and his wife, Mary Ann Freeman, were brought up for final exa mination, charged with having stolen a chest of tea, value 161., the property of Mr. Josiah Hawthorn, tea and coffee dealer, 38, Tottenham-court-road. The prosecutor deposed that on the Bth inst., about eight in the evening, he missed from within his shop a chest containing about 841bs. weight of tea, his property, and worth 161., which he had seen there an hour or so before. The pieces of wood now produced, forming the front of a tea chest, is the part of the chest he missed ; it bears the same words, marks, and numbers, and the tea now produced he believed to be part of the contents ; it is of the same quality as that I missed. Mr. Robert Hall, coffee-house keeper, 97, Drury lane, said he had known the male prisoner between 13 and 14 years, by his dealing at his place. On Wednes day morning, the 9th instant, between six and seven o'clock, he came into witness's shop with a parcel in his hand, and said he had found it in the watering-place near the brew-house, and thought it felt like tea. He said he would leave it, and call again, and he delivered to witness the parcel now produced, containing about two pounds and three quarters of tea, and wentaway. Witness saw no more o f prisoner till he saw him in cus tody ; witness had previously given information to the police. James Brown, 142 F, stated that on Wednesday, the 9th inst., from information he received, he went to the shop of last witness, who gave hi m a pa rce l c o n tai n ing two pounds and three-quarters of black tea, which he now produced. On the next day, witness went to Messrs. Combe and Delafield's brewery, in Castle-street, Long-acre, in company with Sergeant Pocock, where the male prisoner, who was employed there as a dray man, was called into a private room, and in answer to questions put to him, he said he picked up the parcel in Neal's-yard, when coming to work in the morhing. Pocock then told him he would be taken into custody for having a quantity of tea in his possession. Sergeant Pocock, 14 F, said, on the evening of Thurs day, the 10th inst., he went with Brown to Messrs. Combe and Delafield's, and after telling the prisoner the object of his visit, he asked him where he lived. pl - told him he lodged at 13, Great St. Andrew's street, in the first floor front room, and that his wife lived there with him. Witness then proceeded there, and saw the female prisoner, and told her her husband was in custody for felony, and he had come to search the room. Witness then looked into a box, which was un locked, and found eleven sheets of brown paper, corre sponding with the two sheets in which was the tea pro duced by Brown.—The prisoners were fully committed. ELECTION COMMITTEES-(THIS DA Y). FROME. At the meeting of this committee this morning, Mr' Serjeant Kinglake proceeded to argue that although by the decision of the committeo, Colonel Boyle had been declared disqualified, Mr. Hall Dare could not claim the seat thus vacated. The learned serjeant took three ob jections. That no p o ll h a d b een demanded on behalf of Mr. Hall Dare, and therefore he could not claim a seat,' That no objection had been made to Colonel Boyle qualification until after the nomination ; and that the committee had not power to decide the ques tion until it r could be proved that each voter had received notice of such objection. The learned serjeant was citing eas e° in support of his position when our report left. BRIDGNORTH. The committee sat this morning at 12 o'clock. Mr. Whateley applied, in behalf of Mr. Whitmore, t°, declare the petition against that gentleman frivolous an a vexatious—the effect of which would be to f ix the expenses of this petition on the petitioner. The argu . ment of the learned counsel had not terminated vibe° our report left CAMI3RIDGE. This committee sat this morning at 1.,9 o c lock the examination of witnesses was proceeded with. Tile case was proceeding when our report left. when CLITHEROE. The committee sat this morning at 12 o'clock. the Mr. Pigott this morning, after commenting o n • et evidence of the petitioners, announced that it vas ° the intention of the sitting member to call any witnesseL The room was then cleared. On the parties being re-admitted, the comraittee nounced that they had come to the following resole' tion : "That J. Wilson, Esq., is not duly elected as a b ur ' gess for the borough of Clitheroe. That the late election for the borough of Clitheroet so far as regarded the election of J: Wilson, Esq. , is a void election. "Th- J. Wil gu ilty of iat u. , son, Esq., was, by his agen bribery and treating." GENERAL POST-OFFICE. Owing to the very rapid increase of business, it 1 0 now become absolutely necessary to provide further se; commodation for the various departments of official s the General Post-office, St. Martin's-le-Grand, a nd mediate measures to that effect are in contempla,tiol: Our readers will learn, perhaps with surprise, that srio though in 1846, the penny postage had been for 5 Y e ` t i a in operation, the present average excess of businees,,4 an interval of something more than 6 years over wa average at that time, amounts to 260,000 letters sr r la, 14,000 newspapers daily. In other words, the G ene o Post-office in the course of 1853 will transmit 94, 000,0 0 Tatters, and 1,825,000 newspapers over and above oh e passed through it 6 years ago. If the gigantic Ob eli' of an Oceanic penny postage should ever come into is ration, it is quite clear that the present building, wil e le r a is incapable of any great extension on either its n orth h r or eastern side, will have to be exchanged for an st . e e far larger and more commodious. The present buildisi • h b" was erected in 1829, when the business, which, hitherto been transacted at the old office in Lorni"" 00 street, was transferred to it ; and at that tune it la s calculated th a t it wou ld am ply su ffi ce for the w 831t ,,,, of the nation fo r a cen t ur y a t l eas t to com e . A quarw: a century h as p rove d th e f a l s ity o f suc h an anticips t ra, We understand that Mr. Phipps, of the Board of t lic Works, h as h a d an i n t erv i ew w ith th e a uthoriti es : St. Martin's-le-Grand on the subject of the conteino alteration. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. SPORTING NOTES.—No. CCCLXXSTI• g ee list of sport fo r th e p resen t we e k furnishes „ niable evidence that we are a b ou t to c o mmence the so), son in earnest. What, with the Steeplechases 3t Ue t ventry to-day, the me e ti ng o f th e Carmarthenshire ~-f to-morrow and Thursday, the Liverpool Grand l Na ti°ll ses on Wednesday, and Sutton and St. lye's Steepleeh%B on Friday, the most invete r ate speculator in ec1 11 , 1 ,41 chances will find the work cut out for him quite e n ° \7 ‘ l for one week. The Market Rasen Steeplechases, rea i r qb e e for to-day, are postponed until further notice ; a nd the Kirkham Steeplechases are altered from the 9th to following day. heir Hazard is said to be a good thing for the Caraiart shire, and Oscar for the Liverpool Steeplechase, Bfor I 3 ellewstown for the Spring Cup at• Liverpool ; " of h t t he my decision on the latter re , the "• mountstest principal jocks in the Grand National. and the moves and particulars concerning this Derby of SteeP chases—see The Sun of to-morrow, for it will throlf ray of light on the subject. . THE SPIRIT OF THE TIITO COVENTRY RACES--SATURDAY. fOr The TRIAL STAKES of 5 sovs. each, and 30 ad.e-t.„O three - year - olds and upwards. One mile. •°' subs. Mr. G. Monro's Father Th am es, 4 yrs, walked ov°' Bst 71b, SWEEPSTAKES of 3 sovs. each, and 20 added, for th' year-olds and upw ar d s . Wi nner to b e sol d f or 1 &c. One mile. Four subs. 1 Mr. Thorlby's Black Jack, 3 yrs, (251.), 7st (Wel''' ) Mr. C. H Smith's Miss Marian, age d (251 . ) , B s t 121" , ' (HicknoAet), Betting-3 to lon Black Jack. Won by half a l e1 "100 The COVENTRY FREE HANDICAP of 10 sovs each 010 added ; the second to save his stake. One mile a nd 0 ' Captain Lane's Conmore, 4 yrs, 7st 91b (G. E. Slia Mr. Phillips's Le Juif, syrs, 7st slb ( l oot% 3 ( We 1 1 9,) 0 Mr. Stevens's Chilton, 3 yrs, fist 31b (Preec e ,/ 0 Mr. Lands Odiham, yrs, 7st 1 llb ($e Cliff) 0 Mr. Rayner's Presto, 5 yrs, Est 21b Mr. 0. Monro's Flora, 5 yrs, Est 81b ............. ( Clilll fo re Betting even on Le Juif, 4 to 1 each agst and Chilton, and 7to 1 agst Odiham. Won in 3 ' by three-parts of a length. a The TWO-YEAR-OLD Stakes of 5 sous each, f ile' added ; colts, Bst 41b ; fillies, Bst llb. Lasth Thirteen subs. , 1 Mr. Treen's I Clio fir, Shs ll3/ Mr. G. Taylor nd fby Annand a l e , out of M. „A e— ) lioe 5 -10. 5 (De n Mr. Drewe's Vi xen (lCnig t ' eA ' Mr. T. Stevens's Adelaide ("a Betting.-7 to 4 agst Clio, 2to 1 agst Vixen' : 3 1 to 2 agst Madeline filly. W on by a l eng th ; two le b between second and third. da d ' The CITY HANDICAP of 3 sovs. each, and 2A - 5 Three-quarters of a mile. Sixteen s ubs. ) 1 Mr. J. Adkin's Heroine, aged, 7st 91b ...... (Pr e A e a c i e ) Mr. Land's The Gre e k, 4 yrs, Est 121 b Mr. G. Drewe's Fidelity, 4 yrs, Est 121 b ( /v 3 ;410 Mr. C. Higgins's Maria Bennett, ag ed, Est 31b (.(" t Betting.-5 to 4on Heroine, and 2to 1 ati Greek. Wo n b y a l engt h ; The Greek a bad tlw m le MESSRS. HOW ARD AND C LINTON TO SUBS- c - v-_, IMPORTANT. —Th e Liverpool Steeple Chase 111 ,1 1 4 , ° ' struggle from end to end between No. 10 and No. 1 19 is not good enough to beat these. No. 2S vi ' t'f' e u be dangerous should No. 10 fail. FinallY; eg rAr 31 and 10 for a stake. Important t e ' t ber ) t just r ece i ve d . The sudden change in the rao: the g rea t pro b abil i ty of the ground 10,,13'est1,'5:;¢ and the re f ore part i cularly adapted to No. 24, u"'"so._: an entire change in the intentions of the owner' are will consequ en tl y come w ith a grea t rus h to - tn - ho ire", still Ms does not change the opinion expresse d iOOP 24 cannot win. Spring Cup--No. 6 or N °. both.—F ee f or th e meet i ng, lO s 6d ; to Met ro P 3700 it. is ; to D er by, 2/. 2 s ; t o G oo d woo d, 3/. 3s' d ' g tree ts 51. ss. —Address, H. & C., Post-office, Coven tr r Soho. g . Of t" INTRAMURAL INTERMENTS.—At the triee,..s, Marylebone Vestry on Saturday Sir James kt A T it it: warden, visited the vaults under the Bart., said that on Monday last he, as Crown c ll, parish nou'e the t he by company with the medical inspector appom",:" seire f • government td examine the condition of tu e burial places in the parish. It would be inWe es ,elti e L him (Sir J. H am ilt on ) t o g i ve an id ea of 0 1 %17 th e- 0 spectacle th a t th ose vau lt s p resen t e d. In I ' o oo/. / 6 were sold 60 of those vaults fo r 1501. each or , oft hes the aggregate. As they had sold the fee sin3Pl e „„pd r e ; vaults, they could not interfere with them b el , commending the proprietors to close thero it :o s 3 entrance stones. The state of the public va u • positive disgrace to Christianity and the to of ce p ; the coffins were piled to the very ceiling in a 42 '1 a °.; fusion. He begged to move the appointment the() „ire mittee to inspect and report upon the state of al 'oti ci j vaults in the parish.—Mr. Filmore seconded,.th„axiesthil which, after some observations from Messrs. 17"" Lewis, was carried. I,oB i TREMENDOUS HURRICANE AT LIVERE Ou by . on OF LIFE.—On Saturday Liverpool was vis ited has ba the most fearful gales from the north-west that the orie l experienced since 1839. Fo r the last few day 00 4 i t had been fresh, but at fi ve o'clock in the ili a perf ec a began to increase, and at noon was bloyi n g nr ted, ° hurricane. Already sevral disasters ar e rq - n el. doubtless many will have occurred in the cho- d usual ferry steamers to Egremont, Seacombe, bon" mere had to cease plying ; while the Ni r e2 3 ,:rein tt ril which usually run across the Mersey. in e yfr o e 0- generally required an hour, and in one , c l;at re he the wind was at its height, the W o odsin e re. J uig cupied nearly an hour and three-guarteriveci tP morning, broke from her anchor City of Glasgow (screw-steamer), which a r .„ er , a i c ; preparedAfriAfrica w after • • drifting about went ashore ea r - n .1 ste° in the go r e l i Fer b fl e ' where she remains. The Royal ga l ' and ' O O chainsa t attempting (mid n et ha s h e she r board • , owing to the severity of the gale, an chee te the foras s a ta d d ve i r n t g is ; ed bu to t hsaerilmoani mails could be p ut 4 iP detained until yesterday The fiat John, 01( u i of ate mp o ti f n t g h e to George's la m n a d k in e g t - h st e a : ge,and st ß ...u asZ u r e a 'bride Tie e , carried away masts, bowsprit, and bulwarks.na hie v ole was cut in two by portions of the tackling, 3 board ; . 0 0 with that of another n was washed °ver ve prl r , latter was saved bymeans m of a life-buoY• f o ot of \Vales steamer of foul of the landing-atag'and ' 0 5 0 tied away her figure-head, .tc. A scho° ll ., e l e ,f• &s l e d sloops were aground at Ho lake, with sign:: telegiaa l flying. A large vessel, totally disniasted, __„ th a as at anchor seven miles west of liofilch ~e lyheadt:via of distress flying on a flagstaff. The ',, e ui s ione dog gone ashore near the Potteries. Several L' Tha taken place in the river, and fiats driftinffe.roon, was brought up in the river on Satur da Y damaged, and driven aground at Georges.'