The Sun. — London, England, 1853-01-08 00:00:00

THE FRENCH EMPIRE. We have received the Paris journals of yesterday. The Union and. the Pays are at variance as to the probable effect of the recent changes in the constitution. The former regards those changes as hostile to the principle of rational liberty, but it does not condescend to give us any definition of the term "rationalliberti," while the latter, in a lengthy and forcible article, defends them, and pronounces emphatically that they are all for the advantage of the country. The article contends that the modification respecting the legislative control over the budget does not deprive the depu ties of the power of protecting the interests of their constituents ; it only prevents, it says, the display of captious and prejudicial opposition. 42 regards the power given to the Emperor to make commer cial treaties and modify tariffs, the writer states that this power is absolutely necessary, and is a great point gained for the public prosperity. In the Constitutionnel there is another article in opposition to free trade, but as it contains nothing new upon the subject, we may content ourselves with extracting from tile same journal the follow ing observations on the peace of Europe : "We yesterday said that the peace of Europe was secure. Thanks not only to the policy of the French Go vernment, but also to the sympathies of the foreign powers for a government which has had the glory of vanquishing anarchy, and which supports itself on the enlightened will of the whole of France. The event i has just fulfilled our previsions. Russia has newly accredited M. de Kisseleff, her Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary 4 to Napoleon 111. The - United States have sent the necessary powers to its minister, and the us an,s Wurtefilberg, Bavarian, Hanoverian, Baden, :and;! axon ministers will immediately have audiences to '0 VreSpnt their n.ew,letters of credence. .The empire is accepted and recognised by all the civilised nations of the world. How could it be otherwise ? Is not the sovereign whom France has placed over her the resolute prince, who, from the commencement of his career of government, when his authority was menaced by a hos tile assembly, frankly adopted a policy of order, sent a French army to raise up the Papal throne at Rome, overcame the spirit of insurrection in the streets of Paris on the 13th June, 1849, before reducing it to weakness by the success of a coup d'etat Can Europe, which was ravaged and deluged with blood by civil war after 1848, be wanting in justice and gratitude towards him who, in saving society in France, prevented fresh and more terrible commotions abroad ?" _ _ M. Michel Chavelier, in a letter to the Siecle, pretends to ' ()rive us some account of the manner in which Free Trade was brought about in England. He attributes the success of that measure to our large political freedom, and demands of his reader if " Free trade has triumphed in England, do you think it would have done so in Russia ? If Cobden, instead of having been born on the banks of the Thames, had been born on those of the Neva, he would assuredly have been now meditating on the advantages of his system amidst the snows of Si beria. In order to achieve liberty by persuasion, it is necessary in the first place to have the liberty to persuade. A man has one day, in England, the iniative of an idea. That idea is unknown to the country and misunderstood by the Government ; but that is of no consequence. That man said to himself one morning : Idea in a free country is the power of powers. Freedom of commerce is now denied around me. With the sacred wea pon of speech, I will come out of my obscurity, as a simple manufacturer, and will teach my con viction to the country, and impose it on the Govern ment. The Prime Minister of England opposes my principle ; I will place it in his hand by force, and he shall apply it himself ; and in applying it, he will acquire the greatest glory that has ever crowned the head of a statesman. And what Cob den said, he openly p erformed. What did h e re quire to accomplish this miracle ? One thing only —liberty. Liberty of the press, liberty of associa tion, and liberty of meeting. Take from him one of these, and his reform would have gone with him into his tomb. We shall not now discuss the merits of that reform. Is the system of free trade as applied in England equally applicable in all other countries ? This, entrenous, i s a re served question." In the conclusion of the letter it would lead one to believe that the recogni tion of freedom of commerce in the despotic nations of Europe would be the precursor to the adoption of every other species of liberty. An imperial decree, dated the 3d, promulgates and brings into effect the convention concluded be tween France and Belgium on the 9th ult. This convention, it will be remembered, adjourns the exchange of the ratifications of the literary and commercial treaty of 22d August last until a new commercial treaty shall be negotiated ; and it en acts that until then the commercial treaty of 13th December, 1845, shall be in force, subject to mo dification in favour of French salt imported into Belgium.—Another decree enacts that from the :15th the duty on coal imported by land by a line drawn from the sea up to Halluin, on the Belgian frontier exclusively, shall be 50e. the 100 kilo grammes ; by the river Meuse, and the depart ment of the Moselle 10c., and by all other points of the frontier 15c.; and that the duty on unwrought cast iron pigs weighing 15 kilos., or upwards, im ported from the adjacent countries by the frontier from Blancmisseron inclusively to Mont Geneve exclusively, shall be 4fr. the 100 kilos., and by all other points 7fr. By another decree the regula tions relative to the retiring pensions of function aries and employes of the Ministry of State are de clared applicable to the functionaries, agents, and employees of the Ministry of the Emperor's house hold. And by another decree it is enacted that the fines to be paid by newspapers condemned for any offence,within three days after the definiti v e judg ment, hall henceforth be paid into the Caisse des Consignations at Paris, or one of its branches in the country, and shall remain there for three months at the disposal of the Treasury; after which, in the event of there being no a pp eal in Cassation and no pardon, they are to be paid over by the Cai sse d es Consignations to the Receveur de rEuregistrement. The Moniteur says—" Count de Hatzfeldt, Mi nister of Prussia ; Minister of M. de Hubner, Austria ; and M. Rumpff, Resident Minister of the Free and Hansa towns, have received their ne w letters of credence, and will shortly be admitted to present them to the Emperor. M. Tourangin, Councillor of State, has been n at tached to the Section de Contentieux, in the room of M. Conte, who takes his place in the section of Legislation. M. Flandin, Councillor of State, has been appointed member of the Mixed Commission of Public Works, in the room of M. de VuillefroY The Imperial Council of Public Instruction has . been convoked for Monday, the 17th inst., for an ordinary session of a month. The Patrie announces that the Emperor intends to give several fetes at the Tuileries this • t a nd to invite successively a great numbe r of winter, Per sons. The first ball will, it is said, take place o n the 12th inst. The Journal de Oise say s it is rumo ured there that the Emperor will have a g a d hunt in the forest of Compiegne on the 15th inst., and that he will return to Paris in th e evening. " The poor Irish emigrants, and the crew of the St. George, which was burnt at sea, are still at Havre, but they are to leave on Monday. E very attention has been paid to them. Being almost entirely without clothing, clothes have been given to them, and a subscription, exceedi ng 4 000 f , has been raised. _ Cadiz ; Murcia to Almeria • Cordova to Malaga ; Barcelona, to Martorell ; Moncada to Sabadell ; Sarragossa to Barcelona; Martorell to Reus. Be fore 1851 the lines open were Barcelona to Mataro, and Madrid to Ara.njuez ; and in 1852 the lines opened were Gras to Valencia, Silla, and Bene fago ; and Langreo to Gijon. AUSTRIA. A telegraphic dispatch dated Vienna, Thursday, says :—" Baron Prokesch Osten is named Minister Plenipotentiary and President of the Germanic Confederation." A letter from Vienna states that the coronation of the Emperor of Austria is to take place in May next. " The system of a separate coronation," says the letter, " has been abandoned, and the coronation this time will put the seal to the unity of the Empire• Sir H. Lytton Bulwer has left Florence, on leave of absence. Mr. Erskine carries on the business of the embassy until his return. HANOVER. The Post-Ampt Gazette of Frankfort contains a letter from Hanover of the 3d, which says :—" The King, on the occasion of the new year, received a very friendly autograph letter from the Emperor of Austria. The Emperor has conferred on the King the command of the regiment of the Duke of Wellington. His Majesty has also sent several decorations for the officers who accompanied the King to Berlin." A passenger, who arrived at Hav re est,. ray by the American hip the Isaac Bill, was arrested fo r h av i n g , a number of socialist publications in his possession. The prices of public securities declined again at th e Bourse to-day, as compared with th e prices of y e sterday, in consequence of a very heavy de faulter having been declared. The Foicilro-ndd-a Half per Cents. opened at 105 f., an d . closed at 104 f. 90c. for the end of the month ; th e per Cents. closed at 80f. 10c, ; Orleans Railway Twee Shares, 1,020 f. ; Rouen, 980 f. .; Havre, 5 1 cf. Great Northern, 857 f. 50c. , ; Paris and Strasbur g ' 785 f. • Paris an Lyons, 892 f. 50c. ; Lyons a iia Marseilles,' 735 f. ; Caen to Cherbourg, 622 f. 50c. ; Bordeaux to Cette, 590 f. ' • Shares of the Bank of Credit Mobilier (issued at 500 f.), 825 f. SPAIN. We have received the Madrid journals of the 2d. The Gazette publishes a Royal decree fixing the 4th of February for the elections for the Cortes. The -Diario g i ves an accoun t o f th e s tate of railway en terprise in Spain. It appears from it that, in 1852, ithdie ridfolluozing lines were c onc eded to companies or n ls--Barcelona to Tarragona ; Seville to Cordov a and Andujuar ; Alcazar de San Juan to Ciudadi Zia' 1 ; Mataro to Aveyns ; Tarragona to cia to Ai manza to Jativa • Seville to Cadiz ; Mur- Martor e li mer i l. ‘ a l ; Cordova to ' Malaga ; Barcelona to Barcelona; M a rt i to Sabadell ; Sarragossa to t inesl open were Barcelona to Reus. Before 1852 the rjoe ; and d arcelona to Mataro, and Madrid Gras to Valencia in 1852 the lines opened were gres to Gijon. , i3 Silla, and Benefauo • and Lan metrical decimal sv Y a decree the G azette, the in ° into operation i n g b ,n, which was to have come in January, 1853, is post letteronedto January, VP y 11 ° 1 :I. —The Espana publishes a addressed b eisweller, in the name of the English cominitt oe ' o -W f holders of Spanish bonds, recapitulating th e t ke the Spanish Government. C la ims of these parties on M. Castillo Ayensa, the new Spanish ambassador to the Holy See, arrived a t lee on the 22d ult. The Diario gives an account appears the state of rail way enterprise in Spain. in 1852, the following lines we re conceded from it that, conceded to com panies or individuals :—Barcelona to Tarragona ; Seville to Cordova and Andul a r - cazar de San Juan to Ciudad Real ; Mataro to' to Beim A sal ai • Ali nan t o Ja - v°Ylls ; Tana ; ilVa i Seville to 14 10 1 2 Australasian THE SUN, _LONDON, SATURDAY EVE NING, JANUARY 8, 1853. Leasing Compans. London &, 1 N. West. IGt.Westn Do Do Do L. dr N.W Caledon IGt.Notrhn' Gt. Westn. Caledon.., Do Yk. New & Berw , Y.&N.bid Do Do S. Eastern Do Norfolk Do Ln. &N. W. & Midld. Stekton & Darlingt. Midland... E. Count Do L. &Is . W &Ln& Yk Do IGt.Northn' Do Lancash.di Yorksh Mr3lClean l Stockt. & Darliug 1 Do IGt.West - ri RAILWAYS. BelgianEastn. Janet, Central of France(Or• leans & Vierzon , Charleroi & Erquelin Demerara Dijon and Besancon Dutch Rhenish East Indian Gt. Indian Peninsula Gd. Junct. of France Gt. Western of Canada Shares Do.Bds. (Ist i55.)1857 Do.Bds. (2d i55.)1862 Luxembourg Do. (Railway).. Do. (Canal) Lyons & Mediterran Madras Maria Antonia. Do. Now Namur & Liege (with ) interest) Do. (ex Interest) Northern of Prince. Do. 201. 3 p. c. Bds, (fmy. B. &Ams. Shs., NorwegianTrunkPre: Orleans & Bordeaux , Paris and Lyons Do. Bonds Paris and Orleans Paris and Rouen Paris and Strasbourg ParisCaen& Cherbrg. Quebec &Richmond Rouen and Havre Sambre and Meuse Southern of France St. And. & Quebec(A) Tours and Nantes Upper India Scrip West Flanders Do. 5,1 per c. Pref.,. Western of France._ Agua Fria ..... nglo Californian ... Australian Australian Cordillera Australian Freehold Ave Maria Baden (Gd. Duchy of) British Anstrin. Gold British Iron Brazilianlmp.(issued at £5 pm Do. Comes & Cuiada Do. St. John Del Roy Carson's Creek 'Cob re Copper ... 'Colonial Gold. • Copiapo English and Austin. Copper Smeltg. Co General Golden Mountain , Great Polgooth . RUSSIA. A letter from St. Petersburg announces that the Church of the East has triumphed to a certain ex tent in the question of the sanctuaries. The read ing of the firman favourable to the Greek Church has led to a marked reparation to the consul-gene ral of Russia at Jerusalem. Neither the patriarchs of the Latin and Armenian Churches, nor the con sul of France were invited to a meeting in presence of the members of the Divan, magistrates, and of the Greek patriarch. The firman accorded to the Greeks in 1840 is confirmed by a new ordonnance of the Sultan. The firman of 1840 permits the Greeks to celebrate mass twice in the chapel of the Mount of Olives, whilst the Roman Catholics can only celebrate it once. The pretensions of the Greeks to the Holy Sepulchre have been admitted. Tne official journal of Wurtemburg states that the difference between the Porte and Montenegro will be soon removed, as Russia and Austria intend interfering to regulate the matter amicably. The St. Petersburgh Journal states that on the morning of the 26th ult. there were 504 cholera pa tients, and that in the course of the day there were 43 new cases, 63 cures, and 12 deaths ; on the 27th, in the morning, there were 472 patients, and in the course of the day 27 new eases, 38 cures, and 12 deaths. A letter from Kalisch, states that the cholera has never raged more fearfully than this year in the countries where it has prevailed. Out of 90,000 persons attacked, 35,000 have perished. RAILWAYS. Basins's done this day. Aberdeen ...... ....... Ambg. Nottng. Bost & Eastn. June....... Birmug. Wolverh & Stour Valley Birkenhd. Lancsh do Cheshire Junct...... Do. Chesh. & Birk., £5O & £25 Cons.... Do., .£2o_ Bristol & Exeter- Caledonian. . Chester & Holyhead Cork and Bandon.... D üblin&Belfast June. Dundee Perth &Aber deen Junction Do. New ...... • East Anglian (£25 L. &E. &L. &D.) Do., (XlB E. & H.) Eastern Counties Eastern Union, Class A. late E. U. Sh Do., do. 1.08 1 67i 1 23 : i f 421 Do. , B. & C. ...... East Lancashire East & West Ind. Dk & Binning. June Edinburgh & Glasgow Edinb. Prth . &Dundee Glasgow & S.Western Great Northern Stk Do., A. Stock Do., B. Stock.... Great Southern and . Western (Ireland) Great Western Irk& South-Easters. Lancaster & Carlisle Do., Thirds Laneash. & Yorkshire Do., Fifths Do., Wst. Riding Un Leeds Northern Liv. Crsby. & So uthpt London & Blackwall Lond. Tilb. & Sthend. Lond.Bright.& S.Cst. London &N. Western Do. Fifths 1061 94 3i London & S.Westorn Do., £50..•••••• Do., .£4O Lndndrry. &Coleraine Lndndrry. & Ennisk. Manch . Shef. &Lincln. Do., Man. &Lin. Un. Midland ..... Do. Birming. dr Derby Midland G. West. (Ir.) Do. Shares Newcastle &Carlisle Newmarket... . . Newpt.Aberg.iitfi Newry & Enniskillen Newry Warrenpoint & Rostrevor Norfolk ...... ........ , Do., New Northn. Counties Un North British North Devon, No.l Do., No. 2... : . ...... 'IDo., A Deferred Do., B Guaranteed North Staffordshire North Western.... * N. & S.Westrn. Oxford Worcester & Wolverhampton Scottish Central Scottish Midland Shrewsbury & Birmg Do., L. & N. Westn Guaranteed Stock Shrewsby. & Herefd Shrewsby. & Chester (Nor. W. 3fin.) Do. Halves, do Do. Oswestry Shropshire Union Do . , A.B. C . &D. fully paid up at p. c. South Devon South Eastern.. South Wales S. Yorksh. River Dun Do. Stockton & 13artl — lep Thames Haven Dock and Railway Vale of Neath Waterfd. & Kilkenny Waterford&Limerick West Cornwall West London Woodford :i York Newetl.ct Berw. Do. Extensions....... Do. G.N.E. Purchase York & N. Midland.. PREFERENCE SHARES, Aberdeen Do., No. 2, 7 p. C... Bristol & Exeter 4 p. cent. Stock Do. 4 p. c. Shares ... Caledonian £lO ...... Chester dr Holyhead Guar. 5i per cent... Cork&Bandon 52 p.c. Dundee Perth&Aber deen Junction ....... EastAnglian (£3 10s) 6 per cent. Do. (25) 7 per cent.. Do. (£7l7s) 7 p ct.. Eastern Counties Ex tension, sp. c. No.l Do., No. 2.... ••• ••• Do., New 6 p. c. St.. Eastern Union, Scrip Guar. 6 per cent.... Do., £lO Deben. Sh. EastLancash. 6 p.ets. East &WcstYorkshire Junction, Fifths..... Edinb.Prth.&Dundee Glasgow & S.Wostern guar. 5 per cent.... Great Northn. 5 P.C. Do. 5 p. c., Redeem., at 10 p. c. prem Gt. Southn. &Wostn. (Ireland) Eighths... Gt. Westu. (Berks & Hants Ex. 5 p. c.).. Great Western, fixed 4i per cent Lancash. & Yorksh., F. £20..• • • ..... ••• •• • Do., 6 p• c., Stock... Leeds Northern, 6 p. cent., No. 1 Do., No. 2 Do., No. 3. Do. , Quarters, 1848. London and:Brighton Guaranteed 5 p. c.. Do. Pref., 5 p. c. St. Do. Convertible, 5 p. c., 1852 ....... • Do. New Guar. 6 p.c. Lon. & N West. Cov. & Nun., 5 p. c. Stock. London & S. Western, Con. Thirds Londonderry& Color. 5hare5......... Londndry. & Ennisk Shares Manch. ,Shef., & Lin., 1 Shares, No. 1 Do. New, £lO Marypt. &Carl. 4 p. c Do. 4i per cent Mid. ConsoL 6 p. c. St. Do. Consol. Bristol & Birm. 6 per cent Do. Pref. 4i per cent Norfolk Extension Do. Guar. 5i per ct Do. Waveney Valley 5 per cent North British North Staffordshire Oxford Worcester & Wolverh. £15,6p. c Do Shrewsbury & Birm. New Guaranteed Shrewsby. & Chester (Nor.W.Min),B p. c. Do. 5 per cent South Devon Do. New S. Eastern (Reading Ann.,) of 21 08.6 d. Do. 4i per cent S.Yorksh.4p.c.Guar Stock. & Ilartl. Guar sp. Ju1y,1856 Water:d. &Kilk. 6p. c. York Newcastle and Berwick, 4 p.c.Pref. Do. York& N. Midland H & S. Parch JOINT-STOP Australasia British N. American Colonial 'Commercial of Lon don English Scottish and Australian Loud. Chart. Bk. of Australia London and County London Joint Stock Lond. & Westminster NationalProv.ofEng. Do. New National of Ireland Oriental Bank of Corporation Do. New Provincial of Ireland, Do. New Royal Australn.Bkg & Gold Importing Company South Australia Union of Australia Do. New UnionC,l London,... 83i 4 1081 , 1241 4 A 91i 2 pm. 73 130 P 128 7 109/ 6i pm. 50i 14 a. d. LONDON INSTITUTION. On Thursday last, Mr. P. W. Bragley, jun., F.L.S., F.G.S., delivered his second lecture on "Physical Geography." Resuming part of the subject relating to the ocean and its currents as treated in the first lecture, he began by reminding the audience of various facts re garding the comparative extent of land and sea, and their respective distribution upon the globe. Some par ticulars were also given of the whaling grounds of the Atlantic and Pacific, occasioned by the production of extensive tracts of quiet water inclosed by the circulat ing torrents, to which the whales and other marine animals resort. To these succeeded a view of the gene ral nature and configuration of the bed of the ocean, with a recital and discussion of the series of facts and principles affecting and regulating the maintenance of the actual level of the sea. It was stated that indepen dently of the secular elevation of great portions of the sea bed, and of other causes of the variation of its level, tending to maintain the balance of land and sea, such is the immense disproportion between the magnitude of the planet and the power of the agencies at work upon its surface that, as had been shown by Mr. Alfred Tylor, F.G.S. (a mem ber of the committee of visitors of the London Institu tion), in a paper recently communicated to the Geologi cal Society, the constant action of the ocean in the de gradation of the sea cliffs and coast, together with that of the rivers on the land over and through which they flow—if the matter they wear from the land, and trans port into the depths of the (ocean, wero uniformly dis tributed over its entire bed, the level of the sea would not he raised more than about three inches in ten thou sand years. The results of various recent measurements of the depth of the ocean in various parts of the globe were then related, from which it appeared that we do not actually know of a greater depth than about five miles and a quarter, but that indications are on record of a depth probably extending to six miles ; and as these are amounts equalling, or slightly exceeding, the altitudes of the highest mountains, it might be said that the only por tion of our planet which is open to the direct observation of man is a spheroidal shell of about 10 or 12 miles in thick ness, consisting partly of land and air, and partly of sea. The vast structures of coral abounding in the Pacific and In dian Oceans, and in the China Sea, termed lagoon islands, barrier-reefs, &c., were described, their forms and ap pearances illustrated by reference to views and plans of some of the more remarkable, and the mode of their growth related, together with the inductions of Mr. Darwin, founded on the united consideration of volcanic and coral actions, relative to the present existence in the Pacific of immense tracts of the sea-bed gradually rising, in alternation with others which are subsiding, thus adding a further cause of the permanent mainten ance of the level of the sea. The inquiry respecting the sources whence the coral-polypes could obtain the lime, of which, in union with carbonic acid, th e i r s t ructure; essentially consist, led to the consideration of the amount and nature of the saline matter dissolved in the sea-water ; and on this subject it was remarked that Mr. A. Tylor, in the paper already referred to, had been the first to point out how immense a quantity of solid mat ter in a state of chemical solution must be conveyed from the land to the ocean by river action, in addition to that mechanically suspended in their waters, and eventually deposited at their mouths in the form of sand and mud. COLLEGE OF PRECEPTORS.—The half-yearly meeting of the College of Preceptors was held yesterday at the offices of the institution, 28, Bloomsbury-square. Dr. Jacob, of the Collegi a t e School, Sheffield, the president of the college, took the chair, and read a lengthy and most instructive opening address, wherein he adverted to the hold which the college was gradually taking in society, and the value of a certificate of a competency from the board of examiners, which - no longer brought the properly qualified teacher down to the level of the ignoramus who adopted the scholastic profession because he was unfit for other employment. The learned doctor concluded by calling on the whole of the profes sion to look to their own interests in time before they were supplanted by Government schemes. A vote of thanks was unanimously passed to the doctor for his address. Mr. Parker, the secretary, then read his re port, from which it appeared that a society in unison with the college had been formed in Adelaide, South Australia, which was making great progress. A dis cussion ensued upon a recommendation from the Not tingham local board respecting the propriety of com pelling every teacher to pass a proper examination by order of Government. A list of prizes at the last ex amination was then read, when the usual votes were passed, and the proceedings terminated. ANTIPODAL PEDESTRIANISM.—Mr. Sands, the well known equestrian proprietor, has arrived in London from New York. It is Mr. Sands' 'object to give a public demonstration of his newly discovered principle by means of which he resists the laws of gravitation in walking across the ceiling of a theatre with his feet up and his head down. ATTEMPT AT SUlClDE.—Yesterday morning, a man, named James Irving, residing at No. 25, Holliday-yard, Ludgate-hill, made a determined attempt to destroy his life. It appears that the unfortunate man, who was a widower, had a large family, and had been in the employ ment of Mr. Debaufer, the gas-fitter of Creed-lane, but he had left th a t employment on Saturday last, and since that period he had been in a very low and desponding state. Yesterday morning he got up earlier than usual, and having bound the handle of a razor round with wax thread and two pieces of firewood, to prevent the blade from slipping, he deliberately cut his throat in a frightful manner. From the excessive hemorrhage little hopes can be entertained of the unfortunate man's recovery. THE STEAMER AUSTRALIAN.—The rates of insurance for the steam-ship Australian have not increased, and the general confidence in her safety is undiminished. When it was announced that 10 per cent. had been demanded at Lloyd's, many private parties came forward to take risks upon her at considerably lower terms, and the pro bability is therefore, that even if she should keep out for a much longer period, it would still be possible to effect policies within that limit. THE ELSR CAR COLLIERY EXPL OSION . —E LSECAR, THURSDAY.—After a protracted deliberation, the jury came to a verdict of "Accidental death " as regarded the whole of the ten persons. They also desired to re commend that the suggestions of the Government t h o ou t ld he be di f s o c rt ip h l wi ine th a e n a d rri g ed en o era ut l . inspectorem management orfeftehreenpciet s manag The coroner, in discharging the jury, thanked them for the patient attention which they had devoted to this case, which he hoped would be the last it would be his painful duty to investigate. FEARFUL COLLIERY EXPLOSION. Loss OF FOUR LIVES.—Early on Monday morning a fearful explosion took place at the Leasing Thorn Colliery, in the neigh bourhood of Bishop Auckland, n b d y , twhheieproperty ofeNnicahnodlaa boy have lost Nicholas Wood, Esq., and partn ers, their lives. From the particulaorsrdwetrheera(eti have been gathere d it would appear or earyl d n men Monday ppeartliastit were the o they took a sent into the pit on Sunday t m o o t ain e g a , tloammpa,kiensitterad of eadylheh for vi night, work, and a it is t c a a k n e d n le p , l w ae h e ich at w a as lat t e h r e h c o a u u r se in of t t h h e e m ex o p•oi rn l in s g o. ,nwhllad when ntb i e t havemen h b a e d en all f g ea o r t in in i t . o t o he u workings,idnngessd, Wednesday m lo o s r s n o in f g life nn w o o t u h l e c l l . b m y an th l e ns f t al h l h •to the cause is of lif a e at the BlackOnlßvoeyd,ntesed aaydjaoninii.nnqguciorlyliew7,B o o f pe t n he ed de b a y th tb s e in c t o o ro L n e e a r si f n o g r S T o h u o t rn h D c u o r me a r m y. in Ample time Dunn,will b Esq., giv to ntpourtvheeyGovernm ent the pit . Inspector, Matthias THE SHARE MARKET'S. 100 1 8s 18i 100 100 all all 45 all all 111 100 114 all all all 3 100 100 100 all 3 i 100 100 100 100 100 all 100 all 15 5 16i all 1 100 20 17 6 9 100 all 8 1 100 100 5 25 all 1 BRITISH RAILWAYS. Closing Prices Yestalay. 31 —31 i 6i - 7 loi 11 61, 6 d 22 - 223: 5 107 109 66 —67 i 23 !- - 1 24 173 18 ' 3 2 cl 8i - 91; - 6 44 41 13 -13 j 91 - 10' 7i - 8 76 - 78 55 -• 60 75 - 77 28 - 29 61 - 63 80 - 81 41 - 43 120 - 122 105 107 93i -94 i fit 7 88 90 111 -- 12Ap 83 81 3 3$ d 2 . -2/ 17t -17 i 1i -- • 2 p 107 i -108 i i 123 A -- 1246 3i -- 4 P 14 -- 2 91 -92 p 51 -- 41 d -- 4 . 3i d 11. -12 i 20 -- 21 301 -- -- 301 3. 3 89, -- 80 46 -- 48 50 52 4 - d 2 - 2a - 55 57 8 2 -23 d 39 40 61 d 2a # d 4. 3 d 31 4a p 494, - 95 - 97 63 - 65 65 - 67 75 - 80 19 - 20 9i - 10 14 - 15 3i - 211 23 - 24 81i - 824, 3:n - 391 -1 4 3 13i - 2 21 13k- 14 9X - 9i 2r - 28 9 - 10 72 73 7 6id 2i 20 58 59 ... - 1100 - 111' 1106 iosj 19 20 it d — fir 6 641 311 - 3i -_-_ 1i - 2 p 14 1$ - p - 15 1 18 I -1 - -ii --- 129 11.1 -- 113 8 i - 9 1 —is p 1091 1103 par I p 152 155 ... ..- 1,1 Si-4 1 8 -- 13i -- 14 9 -- 10 10i -- 114 $-$ 1' * 1 11 1 - .# 1-, 150 152 23 —z3 6 bbl 2- 21 101 A -102 A 25 -- 26 2] El 2i p 11 -- ll 171 -17 i k p 16i -17 i per- p 26 -26 i 19 - 20 id par 103 105 5i N i - t 3 PI "K BANKS, 81 - 83 .. - ... ii -1,, 21 -3:, all all 210 49 - 51 74 -72 i BAELWAYS. Bedford and Bletchley Birm. & Oxfd. guarantee Do. withoutgr Birm.Wolv. & Dudley guar. Do.wtht guar. Buckghamsh. Clydesdale Jc. E. Lincoln. gr. 6 p. cent Glstr.&Dn.Fr Glas. Barr. Neilsn.Direct Do. New Hrtlpl. Dk. & Railway Hull & Selby Do. Shares Do. Shares Lou.&Greenw Do. Preference Lowestoft gr. 4 per cent Do. 6 per ct Mauch.Bxton and Matlock Middlesbro' & Redcar Midld.Bradfd: Northern and Easternsp.c. Do. 6 per et.. Do.Fixedsp.c Prest. &Wyre Do. Shares. Roystn. di Hit. Do.Shepth.St. Shef. Roth. & Goole g. 5. p. c S. Sta.ffordsh WearValleygr 6 per cent Do.. I Wilts &Somrsti FOREIGN. Lake Bathurst.. Liberty Lond.&Californ. Gold Quartz Crush. Co Mariquita Moxie.an&S.Amerien. New Granada Nouveau Monde Port Philip Quartz Rock Rhymme Iron Santiago do Cuba South Australian Tin Croft . United Mexican West Mariposa Yuba Closing Prices Yesterday. 30 - 31 29i - 30' 30 - 31 29 - 30 109 - 111 54 148 - 150 33 - 34 112 .114 56 -- 57 27 -- 28 14 -- 141 25i -26 i 19i -- 201.. 23 -- 25' 3 - 31 1071 -- 104 64 -- 60 - pm 151 - 153 151 - 153 -i - A €l 31A- 32; 1051 -1061 i Closing Prices Yesterday. 1 - 2 ii = in 1 i P 14 1 a 64 —7 pan 2 —2} p , Par — 1 p 1 —IA p - - 5i - 1 - 11 L_ 12 p 2i- I -34 71 - 34, 14i -- 151 -16 p 38 - 40 37i - 38 31 - 31 4 - - 3p 19 , 2 - 20 10f - 10 3 - 3 - 5f - 51 9 - 10 p —4, 1 1 33 pia• MISCE: 35 I 32 all all Australian Agricult Canada Copper Miners of Eng Do. Preference Crystal Palace Eastern Steam Electric Teleg. of Ir. Gen. Steam Navigat. General Screw Steam Irish Beetroot Sugar Netherlands Land._ Peninsular & Oriental Royal Mail Steam South Austral. Land, Univeral Emigration and Colonizatio n.... Van Diemen's Land Submar. Telegraph :01IS ' 70 - J . .• --- ... 6 4 - CG 17 i~j 70 63 21 20 LLOYD'S SHIPPING ---(THIS DAY.) LONDON, Jan. B.—Wind at Noon, S., moderate breeze, and fine clear weather. DEAL, Jan. 7.—Wind, S " blowing hard. Arrived — An American cli pp er, china. The Pyrenees, for Swan River, got in contact with the Lyra, for Trinidad, and both received slight damage. LIVERPOOL, Jan. 7.—Wind, S.S.W. to W.N.W. A r . rie H d— Trinton, Savannah ; Geo. Owen, Huma. The Carolina, f rom Havannah, and not A v .op A ity ta , la Ai nt e a, anx Dza a e . rara oft i Port —John Fielden, Elvera the St. Catherine, was wrecked near Southport on the 25th December, as before reported. The Elizabeth, for Sa vannah, has been got off shore. LAMLASH.-Put back—Henrys, Greenock, for Barbadoos, with damage, The Lochinvar of Gl asgow ma k es a littl e water, having been on shore. a SHIELDS,ban Jan. 7.—The Willia m an d M ary of L i nn has boon abandoned in a sinking stato off the Staple Light; crew saved. ELSINORE, Jan. I.—The Henrietta of Banff is on shore on Falsterboeriff, and full of water ; p of cargo saved. The Jong() Lembki, Wismar to Leith, has put in leaky. S.W., strong gale. Ar- Corazon de kluna, Ha dJa o s .n The Nile CN Nv aily i ee n s d, ; (s) drove foul of the Princes ri — V aVtF:hnACleallMateet FALMOUT H , r odiiicHb lO i st bowsprit, &c. BRISTOL, Jan. 7.--Wind, ' Tr " . 8 •W• Arrived—Glonelg, Demerara. _ ----- SOUTHAMPTON, Jan. 7.—Wind, S.W. Put back—Her mann (s), New York, with fore deck stove in by a heavy tro Q se u , sea. 6 — .—Wind, w. Large,w. A Arrived—Mon trose,Barbadoes. E p E aci Ns u T i o ci w ue N . , J s a a n ifed. 6_. LOWESTOFFE, Jan. 7.—Th B laarY, Sunderland to Ips wich, has been totally wrecked on the Newsome. YARMOUTH, Jan. 7.—The Princess Victoria California, which put in here leaky , and with, Shields to damage, is considerably strained. HOLYHEAD, Jan. 7.—The "Crow, Wilmington to Liver pool, which drove on shore on the 4th instant, has become a total wreck. MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT TO EMIGRANTS.—A. lament able accident, which has proved fatal to several passen gers by the Wanderer, occurred while she w the Cove of Cork. The Wan de rer sailed from Leith y as respectable lying i n feomrigrPoarnttsPhailbipout withthree bodyalargweeeks of hi ago, and has since encountered, of course, the seriou s gales which, with more or less severity, have been felt over the entire island. She has, accordingly, been lying in the Cove for some days. Communication was effected with the town by means of boats from the shore. O ne o f th ese reached the ship's side, and was immediately filled by several of the emigrants. The boatmen immediately demanded as their fare 2d. from each passenger ; but as this charge was considered , for the distance, of an exor bitant character, an altercation ensued, which soon assumed such a height that the boat was suddenly upset, and the whole of its o ccupants were precipitated into the sea. Every a ssistance was immediately rendered to the poor fellows struggling helplessly among the waves, and several of them were rescued in a very exhausted condition, but others were doomed to a watery grave, the following five passengers having been drowned Mr. Smith, of Leith, Mr. M‘Leod, Mr. John Younger, of Alloa, Mr. Charles M'Lellan, of Skye, Mr. John stone, of Musselburgh. Every exertion -was imme diately made to recover the bodies of the persons drowned; but only that of Mr. M`Leod had been dis covered. LITERARY A.ND ARTISTIC' RINNER IN BIRMINGHAM. The festival of literature and art, of which the note of preparation has been sounding for the last two months, took place on Thursday evening, and in its agreeable, character, and we trust in its results, has fulfilled the expectation of its projectors. The idea of thus honour ing literature and art arose out of the increased atten tion which had been called to one of these departments by the establishment of a prize -fund ; and it is due to the Society of Artists, and to its vice-president, to say, that they cordially co - operated in carrying out the in tentions of its originat oz Very soon after the 1 our fixed for the minor incident of the day—the pres'zhatation of the testimonial to Mr. Dickens—the roomy of the Society of Artists were crowded by as ga,y and distinguished an assemblage as has ever met in, Birmingham or any other provincial town. It waa not until nearly half-past five that the presentation was made. A circle being then formed at the upper end of the principal room (the Iliad salver and the diamond ring being placed on a handsome pa pier mache table in the centre), Mr. Councillor Brisband, as chairman of the testimonial committee, briefly stated the nature of the presentation about to be made, and called upon Mr. G. 141 Banks to read the following ad dress : " 7 -0 CHARLES DICKENS, ESQ, " requesting your acceptance of the accom panying rir,g and salver, it may be necessary for your personal gratification, as well as for the satisfaction of those w hose opinions are therein embodied, to explain the ri.lasons which have led to this open expression of a feeling as sincere and deeply seated as it is humbly and imperfectly conveyed. It has been remarked that a regard for our national writers enters into and forms part of the sacred emotions of every educated man ; and perhaps to this sentiment, no less than to the high moral purpose by which your works are distinguished, your Birmingham readers may appeal for the sanction of this grateful acknowledgment of your varied and well-applied talents. The lightest work of fiction, if _ written with a pure aim, tends to universal exaltation ; and this admitted, who shall affect to speak slightingly of that genial mind, and the mingled wit and wisdom exhibited in those writings, which have secu re d f or their author a f ame not confined to this kingdom,. nor . yet circumscribed by the language of its people. It has , been your aim "to hold, as 'twere, the mirror up to nature ; to show virtue her own feature, scorn her own image, and the very age and body of the time his form and pressure." Seeking this end, you have striven to instruct the social mind of the country, to establish a kindly sympathy between all classes, to reconcile men to the discipline of calamity and the harsh treatment of fortune, and to maintain in its integrity that great law of God which teaches us to feel that all mankind are brothers. Hence, while unconsciously building up for yourself a name among the ' world's great, and making that name " familiar in our mouths as household words," you have drawn towards you the sympathy of all loving hearts, and the esteem and admiration of the English people. With these feel ings we ask you to honour us by accepting these two articles of Birmingham manufacture, adding a hope that the day is not far distant when there shall be a national value set upon such services as yours, when, before eve n the bright chivalry of bi r th, there hall be a public re cognition of that higher order which is derived from the sovereignty of genies, and whose letters patent are a grant from Heaven." Mr. DICKENS then said—Gentlemen, I feel it very dif ficult, I assure you, to tender my acknowledgments to you, and through you to those many friends of mine whom you represent, for the honour and distinction you have thus conferred upon me. I can most honestly as sure you that it is not in the power of one great repre sentative of numbers of people to awaken such happiness in me as is inspired by this token of good-will and re membrance, coming to me directly and fresh from the numbers themselves. (Hear, hear.) . lam truly sensible, gentlemen, that my friends who have united in this ad address are partial in their kindness, and regard what I have done with too much favour ; but I may say, with reference to one class, some members of which, I pre sume to be included there, that I should bei n my own eyes very unworthy of their generous gift and gene rous feeling, and this occasion, instead of pleasure, could give me nothing but pain, if I were unable to as sure you, and those in front of this assembly, that what the working people have found me towards them in my books lam throughout my life. (Rear, hear.) Gentle men, whenever I have tried to hold up to admiration their fortitude, patience, gentleness, the reasonableness of their nature, their accessibility to persuasion, and their extraordinary goodness one towards another, I have done so because I have first genuinely felt that ad miration myself, and have been thoroughly imbued with the sentiment which I have sought to communicate to others. (Hear.) Gentlemen, I accept this salver and this ring, so far above all price to me, and so very valuable in themselves, as beautiful specimens of the workmanship of this great town, with much emotion, I assure you, and with the liveliest gratitude. You re member something, I dare say, of the old romantic sto ries of those charmed rings that would lose their brilli ancy when their wearer was in danger, or would press his finger reproachfully when he was going to do wrong. In the very improbable event of my being in the least danger of deserting the principles which have won me these tokens, I am quite sure that diamond (pointing to the presentation ring) would assume a clouded aspect in my faithless eyes, and would squeeze a throb of pain out of my treacherous heart ; but I have not the least mis giving on that point. And in this confident expectation I intend to remove my own diamond ring to my left hand, and in future wear my Birmingham ring on my right, where its presence will keep me in mind of my good friends here, and preserve a very vivid remem brance of this very happy hour. (Hear, hear.) Gentle men, in conclusion, allow me to thank you and the so eiety to whom these rooms belong, that this presenta tion has taken place in an atmosphere so congenial, in an apartment decorated with so many beautiful works of art, amongst which I recognise the productions of pro fessional friends of mine whose labours and triumphs will never be subjects of indifference to me. I thank those gentlemen for the opportunity which enables me to meet so many of those friends, and though last, not least, that charming presence which is here, without which nothing beautiful can be complete, which is endearingly associated with rings of a plainer description—(laughter) —and which, gentlemen, I must confess, awakens in my mind at the present moment a very strong feeling of re gret that I am not in a condition to offer those testi monials. (Renewed laughter.) I beg you, gentlemen, to commend me very earnestly and gratefully to our ab sent friends, and to assure them of my affection and heartfelt respects. We may here state that the salver formed one of the specimens of Birmingham art manufacture sent to the Great Exhibition by Messrs. Elkington, Mason, and Co. It bore the following inscription :—" This salver, to gether with a diamond ring, was presented to Charles Dickens, Esq., by a number of his admirers in Birming ham, on the occasion of the Literary and Artistic Ban quet in that town, on the 6th of January, 1853, as a sincere testimony of their appreciation of his varied lite rary acquirements, and of the genial philosophy and high moral teaching which characterise his writings." The ring is in its way a no less creditable specimen of our manufactures. It was " got up" at the establishment of Mr. .Thomas Aston, jeweller, Regent-place. It is very valuable, and is a novel and appropriate design, the feather of a pen being introduced. Immediately after the presentation the company pro ceeded to Dee's Hotel, where the banquet took place. The Mayor presided, the Presidents on either side being Alderman Smith and Mr. John Jaffray (Chairman of the Committee of the Fine Arts Prize Association). The Vice-Presidents were—Mr. Peter Hollins, Mr. Henry Harris, and Mr. G. L. Banks. Sir Chas. East lake, President of the Royal Academy, sat on the Chair man's right, and Mr. Dickens on his left hand. Amongst those present were—Lord Lyttelton, Mr. Muntz, M.P., Mr. Scholefield, M.P., Mr. Geach, M.P., the Ven. Archdeacon Sandford, the Rev. Chancellor Law, the Rev. E. H. Gifford, the Rev. J. B. Owen, the Re v . C Clarke, the Rev. C. Bradley, the Rev. A. Vaughan, the Rev. E. Landells, Mr. G. Dawson, M.A., Mr. David Roberts, R.A., Mr. T. Creswick, R.A., Mr. D. Maclise, R.A., Mr. S. A. Hart, R.A., Mr. C. R. Cockerill, R.A., Mr. John Hollins, A.R.A., Mr. E. M. Ward, A.R.A., Mr. Willmore, A.E.R.A., Mr. David Cox, Mr. K. Meadows, Mr. John Forster (author of the " Life of Goldsmith"), Mr. J. Pye, Messrs. Martineau, Peyton, J. T. Lawrence , Baron D. Webster, W. Lucy, S. Beale A. Ryland, Chance, jun., J. 0. Mason, John Rawlinse ; Dr. Heslop, Dr. Bell Fletcher, Dr. Evans, Dr. Russell. Altogether, about 200 gentlemen sat down to table, forming one of the most intellectual and influential parties ever assembled in Birmingham. After the usual loyal toasts, Mr. J. T. LAWRENCE, in a few complimentary obser vations, gave "The Clergy;" which was acknowledged by the Venerable Archdeacon Sandford. Mr. GEACH, M.P., then observed that if they were accustomed generally to do honour to the clergy and the ministers of all denominations, this was more especially an occasion when it should be so, when the clergy and ministers assembled with them to do honour to literature and art. He would not interpose longer between them and their illustrious guests than to say that he hoped the time had come when no longer jealousy between profes sors of literature and the ministers of religion would ex exist, believing that their union was absolutely necessary. He would give, therefore, " The Ministers of all Religi ous Denominations." The toast having been most cordially honoured, The Rev. R. A. VAUGHAN acknowledged the compli ment. HENRY &full, 'Esq., proposed "The Royal Academy and the Fine Arts of Great Britain." (Applause.) Sir CHARLES EASTLAKE, on the part of the Royal Academy, returned thanks. Mr. SCHOLEFIELD, M.P., proposed the health of Mr. Charles Dickens. Mr. CHARLES DICKENS, who was loudly cheered bn presenting himself, said—Mr. Mayor and gentlemen, I am happy, first, in behalf of many labourers in that great field of literature to which you have pledged the toast, to thank you for the tribute you have paid to it. Such an honour, rendered by acclamation in such a place as this, seems to me, if I may follow on the same side as the rev. archdeacon who lately addressed you, and who has inspired me with a gratification I can never forget— (cheers)—such an honour, gentlemen, rendered here, seems to me th e t wo - s id e d i llustration of the position' that literature holds in these latter, and of course " de generate" days, (Cheers and laughter,) To the great compact phalanx of the people, by whose industry, per severance, and intelligence in their results, such places as Birmingham, and many others like it, have arisen— to that great centre of support, that comprehensive ex perience, and that beating heart, literature has turned happily from individual patrons, sometimes munificent, often sordid, always few —and has there found at once its highest purpose, its natural range of action, and its best reward. (Loud cheers.) Therefore it is right also, as it seems to me, not only that literature should receive honour here, but that it should render honour too, re membering that if it had undoubtedly done good to Bit:- mingham, Birmingham undoubtedly has done good to it. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, front the shame of the purchased' dedication, from the scurrilous and dirty work of Grub street, from the dependent state of sufferance at my lord duke's table to-day, and from the sponging - hou se an d Marshalsea to-morrow, from that venality, which, by a fine moral retribution, has degraded statesmen even to a greater extent than authors, because the statesman had but one idea as to his low belief in the universality of cor ruption, while the author, yielding to his dire necessity; brought such evils on his calling as set literature free ; and my creed in the exercise of that profession is that lite rature cannot be too faithful to the people in return, or cannot too ardently advocate the cause of their advance ment, happiness, and prosperity. (Loud applause.) Gentlemen, I have heard it sometimes said, and, what is worse, as expressing more coldblooded—l have some times seen it written, that literature has suffered by this change—that it has degenerated by being made cheaper. I have not found that to be the case. (Cries of " Hear, hear.") Nor do I believe that you have made the dis covery either. But let a good book, in these "bad times," be made accessible, even upon an abstruse and difficult subject, so that it be one of legitimate interest to mankind, and, my life on it, it shall be extensively bought, read, and well considered. (Cheers.) Why do I say this ? Because I believe there are in Birmingham at this moment many working men infinitely better versed in Shakspeare and Milton than the average of fine gentlemen in the days of bought and sold dedications and dear books ; and I ask any one to consider for him self what would have been the use or the motive of dis seminating such useful works as Macaulay's History, Layard's Researches, Tennyson's Poems, the Duke of Wellington's published Dispatches, or the minutest truths, if any truth can be called minute, discovered by the genius of a Herschel or a Faraday ? (Great ap plause.) It is with all these things as with the great music of Mendelssohn, or a lecture upon art delivered to-morrow by my distinguished friend, the Presi dent of the Royal Academy—and how happy we should be if such was the case. (Great cheering.) However small the audience, however contracted the circle in the water in the first instance, the people are now the wider range outside ; and the Sister Arts, while they instruct them, derive wholesome advantage and improvement from their ready sympathy and cordial response. (Ap plause.) I may instance the case of my friend Mr. Ward's magnificent picture—(cheers)—and the reception of that picture here is an example that it is not now the province of art in painting to hold itself in monastic seclusion—that it cannot hope to rest on a single foun dation for its great temple, on the mere classic pose of a figure, or the folds of a drapery—but that it must be im bued with human passions and action, human right and wrong, and being so formed, it may fearlessly put itself upon its trial, like the criminal of old, to be judged by God and its country. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, to return and conclude—as I shall have occasion to trouble you again—(loud cries of " Go on")—for this time, gentle men, I have only once again to repeat what I have already said, as I begun with literature I shall end with it. I would simply say that I believe no true man, with anything to tell, need have the least misgiving either for himself or his message before a large num ber of hearers—always supposing that he be not afficted with the coxcombical idea of writing down to the popu lar intelligence, instead of writing the popular intelli gence up to himself, if, perchance, he be above it, and provided always that he deliver himself plainly of what is in him, which seems to be no unreasonable stipulation, it being supposed that he has some dim design of making himself understood. ("Oh !" and laughter.) On behalf of that literature to which you have done so much honour, I beg to thank you most cordially ; and on my own behalf for the most flattering reception you have given to one whose claim is, that he has the distinction of making it his profession. (Mr. Dickens resumed his seat amidst enthusiastic cheering.) Mr. JOHN FORSTER, who was loudly cheered on pre senting himself, said—Mr. Mayor and gentlemen, I am requested to ask you to drink " Prosperity and success to the Birmingham Society of Artists," which in this great town supports an annual exhibition of paintings, which gives large and liberal premiums to its exhibitors, which supplies them with an additional market for their works, and by its example stimulates the hope of the younger aspirant, educates his taste, and holds out the promise of those sure rewards when he too shall become a painter. (Cheers.) It is not for me to speak gene rally on such a theme as this, after what has been said by the President of the Royal Academy—by him who has been deservedly placed at the head of one of the most important of those societies in Europe—for he is their knight of the shire, and represents them all. (Cheers.) I should find it difficult to say whether lo cally or generally the advantages of such an institution are most entitled to our warmest praise. Your local artists are enabled by its means to study the best ex amples of the modern school of art—such examples as those referred to by my friend Mr. Dickens ; his educa tion is made altogether easier to him, and he is also en abled to profit very largely by the improved taste which such institutions as those encourage and keep active among his fellow-townsmen. But, gentlemen, far beyond yourselves the advant.6,ges of such societies extend, and if I may be allowed to add anything to what has been already so well said by Mr. Smith and others who have preceded me on the subject of art and painting, I would say that I know of no professions in which it is so essen tial that it should be accessible to all—that there should be as many courts of appeal as possible from hasty and ill-considered judgments. Painting is a language which everybody can pretend to judge, although it is certainly a language that everybody cannot pretend to know, and against judgment founded on imperfect knowledge, I know of no greater advantage than those annual exhi bitions do supply a Court of Appeal of that kind, where many pictures of the so-called unsuccessful artists. mis judged or ill-appreciated, may boldly plead, may appeal to you, for tardy but complete justice, and that has been done over and over again ; and their pictures have at last found a home in the halls of your merchant princes. (Applause.) Gentlemen, there never was a time when commerce so well deserved to be called princely as now. If nobler and happier days have arisen for the fine arts, it is due mainly to men of whom you have so many illustrious examples among yourselves—men who have raised themselves above their fellow-townsmen, by their honest labour and enterprise, to be the aristocracy, as I may ca ll th em , o f th e working men. (Cheers.) Gen tlemen, it is the happiest omen for the painter, that such an institution, and similar ones, in the rich and prospe rous t owns of. Birmingham, Liverpool, and Manchester, have been established ; and it is well to observe how such patronage will be repaid ; for these improved taste, towns will be th e fi rs t t o pro fit b y t h e taste, and that new and better spirit which their wealth and enterprise have so largely and generously contributed to foster. (Cheers.) As, for example, as I spoke of the working men and their aristocracy, I may as well speak of that great conception of an illustrious Prince who does not disdain to be a working man—(great cheering)—l will say that the realisation of that scheme will mainly depend on the continued success of such societies as these ; for they educate the popular sense of beauty— they train the public mind in the principles of taste, and contribute to work out that valuable truth which is the very corner-stone of Prince Albert's magnificent scheme, that our material wealth can never be separated from our intellectual advancement and enjoyment—that com merce cannot enrich, or freedom ennoble us to the full extent of which both are capable, unless the fine arts are invoked to soften, refi ne , and elevate the character of the people. (Loud applause.) I give you, gentlemen, " The Birmingham Society of Artists, and the health of Mr. Peter Hollins." The toast was drank with much enthusiasm. Mr. PETER HOLLINS responded, apologising for his in ability properly to thank them, and proceeded to say that he had thought the most interesting way in which he could acknowledge their kindness would be to give a his tory of the rise, progress, and present position of the arts in Birmingham. (Laughter.) That he found would not do, so ho thought of touching on the more prominent features in that history ; but on reviewing them, he found them so mixed up with matters that had produced the bitterest feelings in Birmingham, that he abandoned the idea altogether. He hoped, nevertheless, that he should carry the sense of the meeting with him, if he considered that assembly as passing an act of obli vion of all that was painful in the past, and as an earn est of an undivided, successful, and glorious future. (Cheers.) He would content himself with remarking that as respects the past, the course the artists had pursued was that which their sense of public duty pointed out. To such an assembly it was not necessary, he continued, to enlarge on the advantages the Society of Artists con ferred, more especially as there were few present who were not aware the mass of the articles in Birmingham required elegance of design, beauty of form, and propor tion. Many, however, might imagine that these quali ties could be conferred by a School of Design. Now, the Artists' Society was founded for the purpose of giving an artistic educatio n , w hil e t h e G overnment School of Design, or of Ornamental Art, was established to edu cate the artisan. Their provinces were thus entirely dis tinct, altfiough tending to one end. The artists re qu i red an expensive building for their exhibitions and acade mies, while the School of Design need a less expnsiv building, in a less public, and consequently lessd expensive oserdoteosfedunthat the town a new insti tsuittuioanti.on.(Llotudwaschteherser.e)foreltprwoup l e s for a school of should raise a subscription, erect buildingrivileges attached, so design, the subscribers to have no that the Society of Arts and School ) of Design would save present building, which could the whole income of their be devoted to the e mploymei f it of a larger staff of masters, institution. The Societs e extending the benefits of the and thereby be the mean the large and expensive yi of Artists would be placed in the increased revenue arising building now occupied by the School of Design, com f e r wouldom exhibitions be there, augmented and y thus the two societies might cordially join to promote the (Cheers.) The general improvement and education of all classes. need not be expensive g ro d an fo d r th th e e g n o e v w ern S o ch rs oo o l f s K of in D g es E ig a n_ Ed ward's School, who had won for themselves an imperish able name by their liberality in extending their own in stitution, w ou ld a dd greatly to their reputation by giving a site for the new buildings, and thus entitle themselves to the gratitude of succeeding generations. (Cheers.) In the event of this plan being accepted by the_tora :orised Hollins said, in conclusion, the artists d DX% (Loud cheers, him to say that they would head the subscription list with The Rev. J. B. OWEN proposed the " Fine -Arts prize Fund Association." Mr. JAFFRAY, in responding to the toast,, remarked upon the humble origin of the Fine Arts Prize Fund Association, which originated with two gentlomezi and himself, who one evening last summer held a rnee ting, and with all imaginable gravity resolved, "that it was expedient for the interests of the fine arts in Bin:m:l%. ham that a prize should be established." The associa• tion thus humbly ushered into the world soon grew in favour. The press very discriminatingly gave it their support ; the immediate •predecessor of the present mayor, with characteristic good taste and liberality, gave it the sanction of his name and the aid of his con tributions--(hear, hear)—one of the principal manufac turers of the town, who had done much to raise the standard of manufacturing taste in Birmingham, and to elevate the character of Birmingham produce wherever his bronzes, and his skilful application of electricity to manufacture, were known, added his five guineas to the list ; and from that time the prosperity of the institution was secured ; it needed only judicious management to become a permanent and an important aid to the Society of Artists. Lord LYTTELTON, in proposing "The Guild of Litera ture and Art," said, as this was an institution not yet commenced, he might perhaps be a llowed, in a very few words, to state its object. It was an institution with a twofold object :-1. To establish a Branch Insurance and Provident Society for persons connected with the different branches of literature and art. 2. To recom mend and enforce the duties of prudence and foresight by the establishment and endowment of an institute hav ing attached to it certain salaries and certain duties. It was simply to provide a fund for the members of the in stitute, who were to be divided into two classes, but in every case the advantages to be derived had attached to them the performance of certain duties and certain work in connexion with ,literature and art. (Cheers.) The principle of the institute, _therefor; was not eleemosy nary, but had for its object to inculcate and encourage self-help and self-support among its members, and it would look to no extrinsic source for its funds. (Hear.) The bane and the fault of literary men during the time that literature had been a profession had been dependence-- (hear)—and it had been so through various stages. Im mediately after the invention of printing literature was in dependence on kings and great men, and, after passing through this stage, it became, in more recent times, what Mr. Dickens had so well described it, for though that stage was an improvement on the one that went before it, still the profession of literature was one of dependence. (Hear, hear.) Now, it was the object of the proposed Guild to remedy in some degree this evil. Considerable sums had been raised towards the establishment of this institute by means of voluntary theatrical performances. He believed the objections of certain persons to stage performances applied rather to collateral and accidental circumstances connected with them than to the per formances themselves, and he was sure that if such per formances were ever praiseworthy and free from censure s it was when they were employed in a cause like this. (Cheers.) In the name of the literary men of England, therefore, he must thank Sir E. L. Bulwer for what he had done in this respect in aid of the new Guild of Literature and Art. (Hear, hear.) The toast was then drunk with great applause. Mr. W. H. WELLS responded to the toast. Mr. C. DICKENS gave " The Educational Institution of Birmingham," in a laudatory speech, and the toast was responded to by the Rev. E. H. GIFFORD. "The Periodical Press of England" was proposed by Mr. G. DAWSON, and responded to by Mr. J. FORSTER, A variety of other toasts followed, including "The Health of the Mayor," and "The Town and County Members," and the party separated about 12 o'clock.— Abridged front the Birmingham Journal. ELECTION INTELLIGENCE. OXFORD UNIVERSITY. OXFORD, FRIDAY.----Mr. Gladstone's Mends spiritedly came to the poll to-day, and had, at half-past eleven o'clock, the pleasure of seeing him at the head of the poll. HALF-PAST TEN O'CLOCK. Gladstone.. Perceval ... Gladstone Perceval.. ELEVEN O'CLOCK. 319 835 HALF-PAST ELEVEN O'CLOCK. Gladstone Perceval Majority for Gladstone TWELVE O'CLOCK. .. 362 .. 357 ..-5 Gladstone. Perceval... Majority for Gladstone HALF-FAST TWELVE O'CLOCK. Gladstone 390 Perceval 372 Majority for Gladstone -18 QUARTER-PAST ONE O'CLOCK. Gladstone . Perceval 372 363 _9 401 376 --25 Majority for Gladstone Poll adjourned until two o'clock. HALF-PAST TWO O'CLOCK. Gladstone R Perceval .... Majority for Gladstone TURM O'CLOCK. it = 4 - 5 2 - 3 29 - 30 - P 42 - 44 3 i 7 - 7i 11— id 1 $ --- d' 1 1 1 pi Par P 1 4p 3 - 4 - 4 11 - Ipi 2 - 25 - 27 P n - P - 1 - 94 - P I)I 3 li 1G 3ZI .101 4i I A tainess th is day. 3 I Caidness done this day. ex new i pin. x.n. 27i li i i 422 386 .----36 Gladstone . Perceval ... Majority for Gladstone -49 EALF-PAST FOUR O'CLOCK. 443 ~ 394 Gladstone . Perceval Majority for Gladstone 5l FIVE O'CLOCK.—CLOSE OF FOURTH DAY's POLL. Gladstone Perceval Majority for Gladstone -56 The poll was resumed this morning. . 462 .. 411 The following letter has been addressed by Mr. Glad stone to Sir W. ileatheote, the chairman of the London Committee for promoting Mr. Gladstone's return " Hawarden, Jan. 6. "My Dear Heathcote,—l take this opportunity of ad dressing to you, in terms substantially identical with those I have just employed in a letter to Mr. Greswell, a few words by way of answer to two question. which have now been proposed to me. "The first, whether I conceive that the interests of the Church are as safe under the administration of Lord Aber deen as they were under that of Lord Derby ? " And the second, whether in accepting office under Lord Aberdeen I have compromised pr changed the principles which I have hitherto held, and on the faith of which the University has twice returned me to Parliament. " With respect to the first, my answer is as follows : Unless I had had a full and clear conviction that the in terests of the Church, whether as relates to the legislative functions of Parliament, or the impartial and wise recom mendation of fit persons to her Majesty for high ecclesiasti cal offices were at least as safe in the hands of Lord Aber deen as in those of Lord Derby (though I would on no account disparage Lord Derby's person a l senti m ents tow ar d the Church), I should not have accepted office under Lord Aberdeen. " As regards the second, if it be thought that during 20 years of public life, or that during the latter part of them, I have failed to give guarantees of attachment to the in terests of the Church, to such as so think I can offer neither apology nor pledge. " To those who think otherwise, I tender the assurance that I have not by my recent assumption of office made any change whatever in that particular, or in my prin ciples relating to it. " I should have hoped that those who think these ques tions needful, and who may be influenced by the answers, would have put them to me at an earlier period, had I not recollected that they, like myself, have been taken by sur. prise by this wholly unexpected contest. " As it is, however, I have only further to tender to you my cordial thanks for the confi( , l , e .w nce . whi ch , : LAD , undseTrocir:- stances of no common order, you have reposed in me. " I remain, yours very sincerely, "Sir W. Heathcote." TITHE COMMUTATION. TO THE EDITOR OF THE BUN. sin,—As your agricultural, as well as clerical, readers may feel anxious to know the result of the corn averages for the seven years to Christmas last, published is the London Gazette of this evening, viz. : Wheat 68. 0 d. per imperial bushel. Barley ... .•. 3s. 9d . PP Oats •.. •.. 2s. d. PP I beg to state for thei r information that each tithe rent-charge will, f oe the year 1853, amount to 91/. f 13s. 5d., which is a reduction of more than 2 per cent. from last year' s va l ue. m The on following statement from my " Annual Tithe-Com utati Tables" will show the worth of 1001. of tithe rent-charge for each year since the passing of the Tithe Commutation Act, viz. : For the year 1837 1838 1839 . 1840 . 1841 . 1842 . 1843 . 1844 . 1845 . 1846 . 1847 . 1848 . 1849 . 1850 . 1851 . 1852 . 1853 . £9B 13 91 97 7 11 95 7 9 98 15 9 102 12 5 105 8 2 105 12 2 104 3 5 103 17 11 102 17 99 18 10 102 1 0 100 3 7 1 98 16 10 96 11 93 16 111 91 13 5. General average for 17 years, 991. 178. n I am, Sir, your most obedient servant, H. CHARLES WILLIC, d 6 . 97 19 43 25, Suffolk-street, Pall-mall East, Jan. 7, 1853. ___.....--- asL oLrdordCrachnworth will special cases and --------TERSE —On Tuesday THE FORTHCOMING HILART • next aneellor, also Sir George tHakilaeryhisTseerrt fcoormtnhleencefirl Turner as one of the Lords j u t . ,as a ices, and Sir W. Page Wood as Vice-Chancellor. The lists of a w ti h m e e n just exhibited number 93 rules. In the Court of Queen'srra Bench there are 50 rules, consisting of 6 c „ • d emurre rs for judgment, and 8 for argument in the new trial p a per 3 for judgment ,ther e are m eet, whilst of enlarged rules there , and 21 for a rgu . 6 f ro m a county court. I n th are ii, and 1 th e re are only 18 rules, o f Court of c appeal WI ' b lic„ 4 ommon Pleas larged rules, 9 new trials, are d courts. There are 25 and 3 appeal fromperemptory county judgment, and 2 paper, lin the ci ' uer including for e special paper for 3 for jud argument. Of iilAsUlt,' a lul 16 for argument. new trials there are I 26i 13i 20 20 St. St.r, 64, 12 12 25 1211 124 12 St. St. 161 20 5 2 10 25 10 1.0.6 40 100 100 100 50 100 100 20 50 25 12 12 20 20 20 20 334 10 20 20 20 20 20 20 30 20 1 40 all all all all 11? 100 1 100 181 all all 13.5 24A