The Sun. — London, England, 1853-12-21 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE. GUILDHALL.—Mr. Jones, a refiner of gold and sil ver, carrying on business in Wilderness-row, was sum moned before Alderman Humphery under the following circumstances : Mr. R. R. Rowell said he was a watchmaker, residing at Oxford, and on the 19th of last July his shop was broken into, and watches to the value of 801. stolen. Nothing was traced of the property until the 28th of October last, when one of the missing watches was offered to him for sale by a dealer with whom he had done business. He traced the watch to Barnard Philips, of Castle-street, Houndsditch, who said he purchased it of Mr. Jones. Complainant went to the defendant, in company , with Philips and an officer from Oxford, and at Mr. Jones's request he left the watch with him, to try and discover of whom he purchased it ; but at the end of six weeks he called on Mr. Jones, who said he had learned nothing respecting the watch, and refused to give it up unless complainant would give bhp a guarantee that he should hear no more of the matter. Complainant de clined to do so, and left the shop, but was shortly after called back, and the watch was restored to him on his giving a receipt for it. Alderman Humphery—Well, Mr. Jones, can you tell now of whom you purchased this watch ?—Mr. Jones— I have asked a great many of my customers, and among them Myers, but they all know nothing of it. Alderman Humphery —Of course, any one would deny having sold you stolen property. Have you no books by which - you could ascertain who you bought it of ? Mr. Jones—l have my cheque-book by which I can always account for transactions of a large amount. Alderman Humphery—Did you pay the cheque for 151. that was found upon Myers, who stands charged with being concerned in the robbery at Leighton Buz zard? Mr. Jones—l did, sir ; but it was in exchange for cash, and not for goods. Alderman Humphery—Did you ever buy any watches • of Myers ? —Mr. Jones—Oh yes, sir. I should think, as many as 150 during the three years I have known him. He has sometimes had parcels from America, which he has sent on to me directly he received them. Alderman Humphery—Do you keep any account of the purchases you make ? Mr. Jones—l have so many small transactions during the day that it would be im possible to keep an account of all of them, as it fre quently happens that I buy a lot of one customer and sell it to the next that comes in. Alderman Humphery—l suppose you have crucibles in your establishment ? Mr. Jones—Certainly, sir. I am a gold and silver r e finer, a nd a dealer in plate and watches, and have crucibles a lways at work. Alderman Humphery—Then I think you ought to be more careful in purchasing property of this kind. Mr. Jones—l do business with dealers who are known in the trade, and if I were to refuse to purchase of them I might as well give up business. A friend of Mr. Jones's, who said he was a watch maker, said that everybody was liable to purchase stolen property, and he had no doubt that if he took a parcel o f watches to Mr. Jones, he would buy them without asking many questions. Alderman Humphery—That is the very thing corn -4 . plained of. There must be some way of getting rid of valuable property, and if more inquiries were made by purchasers, there would be less inducement to persons to steal. But when watches are purchased without any questions, and there are crucibles always at work handy, there is very little 'chance of detecting either receivers or thieves. Mr. Jones's friend said, the fact of Mr. Jones always having his crucibles at work was nothing out of the ordinary course, as nearly every jeweller had crucibles to melt their own metals, and I believe there is not one in twenty free from having, at some time, bought stolen property. Alderman Humphery—You must not tell me that so many respectable jewellers are, or have been, receivers of stolen property. If every jeweller is allowed to melt his own metals, the facility for the disposal of stolen goods is greatly increased. Mr. Jones- -If Mr. Rowell will let me have the watch again, I will see if I can find the person I bought it of. Alderman Humphery—l don't think Mr. Rowell feels inclined to trust you, as you may want a guarantee be fore you give it up again. Mr. Jones— Certainly not, sir ; and I should not have required it. in the present case, but I was labouring under the mistake, that - it was Barnard Philips that deposited the watch with me. Inspector Shelford—When I called on Mr. Jones, he said he never gave 'a cheque to Myers, and on my telling him I had one of his that was found on Myers, he then said it must b e num b ere d as g i ven in exchange for cash. There was a 101. note found on Myers, which Mr. Jones paid to him for some gold chains. • Alderman Humphery then dismissed the summons, with a recommendation to Mr. Jones to keep an ac count of all business transactions, and as he was ex ' spedingly liable to have stolen plate and jewellery Mered to him for sale, to make a little inquiry before purchasing. Mr. Rowell said lie saw the circumstances of a cheque of Mr. Jones's being found on Myers reported in the newspapers, and thought it due to public justice that the facts connected with this case should become known. The Parties then retired. CLERKENWELL.—Just before Mr. Tyrwhitt left his seat on the bench, Captain William Martin, of the Conqueror, lying in the London Docks, was placed at the bar, charged by Mary Ann Macklin, a young woman of respectable appearance, and good-looking, a gover ness, residing with her widowed mother, at No. 17, Clarendon-street, Somers-town, with having intermarried with her while his first wife was alive. It appeared from the evidence, that about 13 months ago, she met the prisoner at a party, when he intro duced himself to her as a single man, and professed attachment and love towards her. His addresses were sanctioned by her mother, and he corresponded with her by letter in such terms that kft no doutdon their minds that he. was truthful and sincere. He passed his time at her mother's house, took her out, and treated her in .every respect as if his intentions were purely honour able ; at length he proposed marriage, which was con sented to, and they were married on Tuesday last, at St. Andre W's Church, .Holborn." After the ceremony the prisoner propiised that the prosecutrix and her mo ther should go to the Loudon Docks to see his ship, when they went together in a cabriolet to Blackwall, where the prisoner left them in . the vehicle for upwards of three hours, and, on making inquiries after the pri soner,. they ascertained that he was a married man, and that his wife was living at Hartlepool. They left Black wall ; and prosecutrix. to satisfy herself, immediately addressed a letter to his wife, at Hartlepool, to which she received the following reply, viz. : " It is with s orrow f u l heart I received artle y poo our l kin D d letter, which I received this morning, and, in answer to your re quest, I am the wife of William Martin, and if you will be so, kind as to write and let rim know where he is, and what ho is doing, and, if you see him, as to tell him to write home to me and let me know what ho intends to do, as•ho is well acquainted with my present circumstances. Tell him, if he has made up his mind to forsake me and his dear children, to write and let me know. I should have been in London to-night, but I was SO ill I am not able to leave my bed. I have been very ill this last fortnight, and also my youngest child.—l remain, . " William Martin's broken-hearted wife and your well-wisher, MARY MARTIN." The prosecutrix, on receiving this letter, gave infor mation to the police, when the prisoner was traced and given into custody. Mr. Tyrwhitt inquired whether the prisoner said any . thing when he was given into custody ? • Sergeant William Mepham, 147 S, replied that 'when asked by the inspector at the station-house if he had his first wife living, he replied that his former wife was The prisoner now said nothing to the charge. Mr. Tyrwjiitt remanded the prisoner for a week, with instructions that all necessary evidence should ,be brought forward at the next examination. He was then conveyed to prison. It was stated that the prisoner has four children, and his wife is now enceinte. SOUTHWARK.—Murray - Hollis, a costermonger, was brought before Mr. Combo, alleged with commit ting a violent assault on Mary Hollis, his wife. The complainant, a decent-looking young woman, whose face was literally covered with cuts and bruises, stated that she had been married to the prisoner a little more than three years, and had one young child living. She lived with him at No. 6, Windmill-street, New-cut, and assisted in selling fish in the street, while her mother remained at home to look after the child. On the previous day she returned to their lodgings, and handed the money she had taken for the fish, retaining only one shilling to get supper with. He immediately abused her, telling her that she had been with other men, and when she remonstrated with him he knocked • her down like a bullock, and dragged her several times across the floor by the hair of the head. He then lifted her up, and threw her on the ground several timer, and Bhe was sure he would have murdered her had not a policeman entered the house and prevented him from ;IloiElinagat, further injury to he r . H e no t on l y b ea t h er w i t h t threw th e c hi mne y ornamen t s at h er, an d cut h e poker r Ol when the t arms and f ace . He also seized up a to knock e police-constable entered, and th rea t ene d .both their brai n s ou t. I n fl our i s hi ng t h at about he s truck her on the arms., The poor creature here exhibited her head, neck, and arms to the magistrate, however were a mass of bruises, black and blue, e againstnizver, appeared reluctant to press the charge Mr. Combe—Has h, sir, fi e _ e ever ill-used you b e f ore ? it patiently. C om plainant --Yes quently ; but r p u t u p with Mr. Combo — Have you complained here ab ou t his conduct before ? Complain4nt—Yes. I have taken out two summonses against him ; but when they came for hearin g , y o. ther prevailed with mo not to a pp ea r against hint. m I should have been murdered last night had not the con stable nome and took the poker to my assistance, from him. The prisoner declared that his wife was a vixen. She made his house like a taproom with her relations, and robbed him daily; and when he remonstrated with her about her extravagance, she abused him and aggra vated Mr. Coombe asked him what he had to say for brutally ill-treating her on the previous night, as well as other times ? He replied that it was all her own fault; she should not aggravate him, and treat her familyNvith his money. The wife here declared that she worked as hard as he did, and only kept her old mother at home to take care of her young child, as it was cheaper than having a girl. As he had made such a false accusation against her, she must tell his worship that on ly a f or t n i g h t ago he broke her head with a poker, and she was compelled to go to THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 21, 1853. the hospital. She then put up with his brutal conduct without complaining. Police-con Stable 134 L; - said: he was on-duty on the previous evening, when he heard cries of murder proceed from Windmill-street. He went towards the spot, and on entering N0..6, he saw the prisoner dragging his wife across the room by the hair of her head. He then seized up a poker and threatened to smash his brains out, as Well as his wife's, if he interfered, He, however, wrenched the poker from him, and conveyed him to the station-house. Mr. Combe told the prisoner that he was a brutal fellow, and deserved to be severely punished. There was no pretence for such ill-treatment, therefore he should give him the full penalty of the law by sentencing him to six months' hard labour in Wandsworth House of Correction. Mr. Combe received 101. for the poor-box from " C. V.," which the donor requested the reporter to acknowledge. WESTMINSTER.—Mr. Charles P. Eigginsl Wag charged upon a peace warrant with having threatened his wife, Mrs. Amelia Vertue Higgins, the daughter of Sir Richard Joddrell. The warrant had been granted upon an application made by the lady on the previous day to Mr. Arnold. She stated that her husband, who was constantly in difficulties, and who had only supported her by getting into debt for two years, was in the habit of treating her cruelly and threatening her. He was discharged from a debtors' prison in July last year, and was in the habit of coming to the house where she was being maintained by her lather, and forcing his way at all hours of the night, while in a state of intoxication, into her bed, where he pinched her, and forced the bolster and pillows over her face. She had taken all sorts of precautions for her safety, but he had repeatedly threatened her. He had been for the last nine months in the Queen's Bench prison, during which she was in no peril ; but as his last words at parting with her before he went, were, that he would do for her, she now felt, upon his being again at large, serious apprehensions for her safety. Defendant urged that the threat complained of had been made nine months ago and had not been since re peated. Mr. Broderip expressed himself in some difficulty in that respect. He could not say whether during that lengthened period defendant might not have reformed, and inquired whether, under the circumstances, Mrs. Higgins's solicitor would be content with defendant's entering into his own recognizances to keep the peace. The solicitor said he would, if the warrant were sus pended, so that it might be again executed if necessity required. Mr. Broderip could not doubt that, but intimated that another warrant could be immediately obtained, if needed. Having again pointed out the difficulty which arose in the case, The solicitor reluctantly consented to defendant's dis charge upon his own•recognizances. MARYLEBONE.—BURGLARY AND EXTENSIVE ROB BERY or JEWELLERY, &c.—Yesterday three determined looking fellows, named Frederick Green, Alexander Green, and Thomas .Burdett, were brought up hand. cuffed, and placed at the bar before Mr. Broughton, charged with having burglariously entered the pre mises of Mr. Georg'e Thomson, a pawnbroker, jeweller, &c., in Harmood-street, Hampstead-road, and stolen property to the amount of several hundred pounds. The table in front of the bench was almost covered with gold and silver watches, jewellery, &c., forming only a small portion of the plunder. The watches, jewellery, &c., were produced, and iden tified by Mr. Thomson, who said that had it not been for the vigilance of 71 S he might have been plundered to the extent of 2,0001. Mr. Thomson said he was of opinion that the property taken away by the prisoners, and picked up in the road and gardens, and which he now valued at 1001., was not more than a third of the property which he had lost. He could not as yet say to what extent he had been robbed, as he had not had time for examination. On being asked what they had to say, the first pri soner said, in the most impudent manner, " I'm sorry I did not get away with the swag." The second said, " I wish you would give me a clean shirt, old fellow, as I dirtied mine in getting over the wall ;" and the third said, " I'm blest if I was in it at all." They were remanded till Tuesday next. • RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. NORFOLK RAILWAY COMPANY. A meeting of shareholders in the above company was held on Monday at Guildhall-buildings for the purpose of considering, and, if approved of, of ratifying an agree ment or amalgamation with the Eastern Counties Rail way Company. The chair was taken by S. M. PETO, Esq., M.P., who, in opening the proceedings, said—Before reading the resolution which it would be his duty to propose it would be necessary that he should make a few remarks upon the business which had called them together. The last time .he had had the pleasure of meeting them in that room he had. not the slightest idea, nor had he seen any prospect, of again meeting them, at least on the present subject, on so early a day ; but the fact of the Eastern Union Company having entered into a nego tiation with the Eastern Counties, and the receipt of a communication on the subject from Mr. Waddington himself, made it appear to his (Mr. Peto's) colleagues and himself that it was all-important to the interests of the three companies that all should be parties to the agreements about to be entered into. That was the view taken by Mr. Waddington also, because all parties foresaw that it was only by a combination of all the ih terests in the district that the wisest results could be obtained for the public and the best dividends for the respective shareholders. He had stated to them on the last occasion they had met together that he never would be a party to the , acceptance from the Eastern Counties Company of a his dividend'than had been paid up to the present time, and he thought he could now put before the meeting a few figures and facts which would sho w them that they could never have a worse dividend than they received at the present. moment ; besides which, there was the great fact that, by the combination of all the interests in the district, the greatest possible amount of development would be given to the traffic, the greatest prospect of augmentation in the receipts, and the bst hope of a minimum of working expenses being obtained. (Hear.) The arrangement which had been acquiesced in by the Eastern Union and the Eastern Counties boards, and their own, was that the gross receipts of the lines should be divided into sevenths, of which five sevenths were to go to the Eastern Counties, one-seventh to the Eastern Union, and one-seventh to . the Norfolk. Hefound their" laid receipts from all sources up to June 1, 1853, to be 137,817/. - He found the increase of receipts from the Ist July up to the present period, and from thence up to the Ist of June, 1854, calcu lating the . rate of increase at that of the similar period this , . year, to be 15,798 1 ., being a total of 153,615/. This, deducting 46 per cent, for working expenses, left 82,9531. Now, taking the receipts of the three companies collectively to be 1,100,0001., then deducting 46 per cent. for working expenses, and one-seventh of the loss arising from the East Anglian, Northern, and Newmarket arrangement, he found the residue applicable to Norfolk dividend would be 81,9571., being within a trifle of the amount they had received under the old arrangement. (Hear.) In an agreement of this kind he need hardly say that it was very import ant that all parties should see that their interests were mutually served, so that when once ratified it might be carried out with mutual good faith and good feeling. (Hear.) His belief was that a more equitable agreement than that now submitted by himself and colleagues had never been entered into by any company. Because, in the first place, they got results equal to their whole pre sent receipts, and under what he did not hesitate to say were the most advantageous circumstances for work- Besides this, he felt that he should not have of actin g f a ithf u ll y i n hi s capac it y o f c h a i rman their company had he permitted any separate agreement to have been made with the Eastern Union while they (the Norfolk) had another agreement with the Eastern Counties, as in that case there would have been a risk of having them worked one against the other. They had, therefore, entered into the present negotia tion, and in securing a dividend at least equal to what the shareholders enjoyed at present, he felt that they got no more than they had a right to expect, and that leas would not have been worthy their acceptance. The loss sustained by the agreements with the Great North ern could be easily explained, as it was simply a matter of account. The proportion of that loss which fell on the Norfolk Company was about 401. a week: He did not hesitate to tell them that in consequence of the agreement entered into by Mr. Waddington with the Great Northern, there would- be an increase of five times the receipts on the whole line. (Hear, hear.) It was not proper to go into details at present, but any proprietor calling at the office should have full information. Another point to which he must allude was their dividend. Last year it had been 2/ per cent. He took it at that, and working out the result as given by the gross receipts and deducting the Hitchin loss, would leave them a return for dividend of 27,1781., or 21 on their capital. He did not think that that total would represent their earnings when they came to work conjointly, as he did not hesitate to say that the recent increase in their traffic had arisen solely from the good understanding with the Eastern' Counties Company. A similar understanding with the Eastern Union would, he had no doubt, produce similar results. (Hear.) If they made any concession to the Eastern Union Com pany in this agreement it wasp'iore than counterbalanced by the effects which would arise from the good under standing between the three companies. (Hear, hear.) Theresol t ution was then - put ratifying the agreement, upon whiCh a few questions were asked, and on being answered to the satisfaction of the meeting, the resolu- - tioii was carried unanimously. The proceeding,s termi nated with a vote of thanks to the chairman. EASTERN COUNTIES. • A special general meeting of the Eastern Counties Railway Company was held in the London Tavern on Monday, to consider the propriety of authorising the directors to carry into effect certain arrangements for tho amalgamation of the Norfolk Railway Company and tho Eastern Union Railway Company with the Eastern Counties Railway Company. In a circular letter addressed by the chairman adult st izetitry to the shareholders, the bash; of the agreement was described as being " that on and after the first of January, 1864, these three companies shall be carried on by the Eastern Counties Company, under a working agreement, until the sanction of Parliament can be 'ob tained for a complete amalgamation, for which applica tion Will be made in the ensuing session. The terms of the proposed arrangement are, that the lines shall be worked by the EaStern Counties Board of Directors with the' assistance of two directors from each of the Norfolk and Eastern Union boards; that the praseeds of the eptire,-worlting, term, (ine common fund, qnt Qf which'the . Eatstern Union and Norfolk Companies shall each receive 1-7th, subject to the deduction of 46 per cent. for working expenses to be allowed to the Eastern Counties Company, and subject also to a proportionate deduction of any loss that may arise to the Eastern Counties Company from the working of the Royston and Hitchin, Newmarket and Chesterford, and East Anglian lines, the remainder of the proceeds to be re tained by the Eastern Counties Company. The work ing plant of the Eastern Union to be taken and paid for by the Eastern Counties Company upon a valuation ; the Norfolk and Eastern Counties Companies to consi der all claims upon each other as settled." The CaeuntAN explained the circumstances connected with the proposal to effect an amalgamation. In reply to the Eastern Union directors, he had stated that the Eastern Counties Company were prepared to meet the other. One condition of the agreement then adopted was that the Norfolk Company should be made parties to the union. An interview having been held with the directors of the Norfolk line, they stated that, agreeing in the opinion that it was desirable to secure peace and harmony for ever, they would forego the advan tages which were considered as attaching to the ex isting agreement up to 1855. The three companies met by deputation, and finally arranged the details, which produced the result now laid before the meet ing. The Chairman then entered into a statement with respect to the receipts of the three railways, from which it appeared that the united amount of the traffic alto gether would, it was estimated, be 1,100,0001. in June, 1851; and that if the railways were worked all to gether, the shareholders would receive 15s. 5(1. per share ;if separately, 14s. 11d. per share. He antici pated a much larger development of traffic in the dis trict than had hitherto taken place, and concluded by moving "That this meeting approve the proposed ar rangement for the amalgamation of this company with the Norfolk and Eastern Union Companies ; and they hereby authorise the directors, till the sanction of Par liament is obtained, to take the working management of the lines of all these railways on the terms submitted to this meeting." After some discussion, with reference especially to the working expenses, a shareholder objecting that 46 per cent. was not sufficient, the resolution was unani mously agreed to, and the proceedings terminated. EASTERN UNION. A special meeting of this company was held on Monday at Radley's Hotel, to consider, and, if approved, to sanc tion and authorise the directors to carry into full effect, an arrangement with the Eastern Counties Railway Company, for the permanent working by that company of the line of the Eastern Union Railway, in conjunction with those of the Eastern Counties and Norfolk Railway Companies, on certain conditions ; to authorise the directors to raise the sum of 200,0001. on shares, and to borrow 66,6661.; Mr. J. C. Cobbold, M.P., in the chair. The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, said that for a long time there had been on the part of the Eastern Union shareholders a conviction that. sooner or later, it would be necessary that the three lines in the Eastern Counties district should become one. He regretted that differences had prevented this project being car ried out three years ago. He then adverted to the hostilities and rivalries that had existed between the companies which had distracted their internal affairs, and at length it was unanimously agreed that an end must be put to such a state of things. The arrangements now pro posed were as favourable as they could expect. The traffic receipts for the year ending the 30th of June last amounted on the Eastern Counties to 756,5481. ; on the Norfolk, to 137,817/. ; and on the Eastern Union to 125,1171. The expenses were respectively as follows : Eastern Counties, 293,4031., or about 40 per cent. ; the Norfolk, 66,2021., or 48 per cent. ; and the Eastern Union, 71,2021., or 56 per cent. In proportion, there fore, the expenses of the Eastern Union were greater and the receipts were smaller per mile than either of the other two companies. It was intended to apply to Parliament in the ensuing session for powers to carry out the agreement, but, in the meantime, under a man aging committee, operations would commence on the Ist of January next ; the proceeds of the entire working to form one common fund, out of which the Eastern Union and Norfolk Companies are to receive each one-seventh, subject to a deduction of 46 per cent. for working expenses, to be allowed to the Eastern Counties Company, and subject also to a deduction of any loss which may arise to the Eastern Counties Com pany from the working of the Royston and Hitchin, the Newmarket and Chesterford, and the East Anglian lines. The Eastern Union plant would be taken and paid for by the Eastern Counties Companies at a valua tion. It was thought that, while this arrangement would afford a great increase in the accommodation to the public, it would also prove remunerative to the shareholders. The Eastern Counties Company were constructing the Loughton Line, and under the agree ment they are to receive 4 per cent. oh its cost be fore the proceeds of the traffic fall into the common fund ; and similar deductions would have to be made for sums expended by other companies, such as the amount on the Woodbridge line expended by the Eastern Union Company. He concluded by moving a resolution for the adoption of the measure. Mr. T. STURGE objected to the proposal, and•put in a formal protest against it. A discussion ensued, in which Mr. L. WEBB and other proprietors took part, and, after explanations froin the CHAIRMAN, formal resolutions were passed autho rising the directors to enter into the necessary arrange. ments with the Eastern Counties and Norfolk Com panies to raise the requisite capital, and to borrow 66,6661. on mortgage. The proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to the chairman and directors. GREAT LUXEMBOURG. On Monday an.influentialmeeting of the holders of the 6/. per cent. guaranteed shares in the above company was held at the London Tavern, for the purpose of taking into consideration the best measures to be adopted for the protection of their interests with reference to the proposed scheme of the directors for the destruction of the privileges of these shares ; Mr. G. E. Taunton, of Liverpool presided. The CrioramArr, in opening the proceedings, stated that he represented a large number of gentlemen in Liverpool, the holders of 7,000 shares, 4,000 of them guaranteed, and the remaining 3;000 of various classes. Since he had entered the meeting he had received letters from numerous gentlemen, all of whom disapproved of the scheme of the directors, and one of them so entirely expressed his opinions on the subject that he would read it to the' meeting. The writer stated that the statutes of the company could only be altered by the Belgian Legis lature ; that if petitions were presented by the sharehold ers, showing the injustice of their being made liable to further calls of 101. a share, the sanction of the Legis lature would not be obtained, and the Belgian Govern ment would be jealous of the French influence in the company, and of the gross injustice proposed to be car ried out. The letter concluded as follows :—" If it is said the company offer to pay preference shares at par, it may be assumed that it would be most unfair. I myself purchased them at a premium ; but there are still the other shares, as to which no such offer was made. The above should be brought prominently be fore the meeting, as it is generally supposed that the arrangement is complete if voted at a meeting here and at Brussels, and consequently holders are inclined to think it is hopeless to stir in the matter." Having remarked that it WAS stated at the meeting last week that the objection able scheme had only been settled the day before, and then presented to the shareholders in an elaborate re port, he said that such a report should have been given to them at least one week before, for it was impossible, from the hurried way in which it was read over, to form any adequate idea of its details. He might mention here that their interests were not identical with the general body of the shareholders, for they had boughttheir shares at a premium, or at a great cost. lie should now read the pa ragraph in the report which referred to them, and which was as follows :—" For the holders ofthe 60,00010/. half shares guaranteed 6 per cent., upon which five pounds have been paid, the following is the amount proposed:— That they shall receive in exchange 30,000 shares (101. paid) to bearer, subject to the payment of the other 101., and a bonus of 30,0001. paid up 41. obligations, bearing in terest at Si. per cent., and reimbursable at 51.; there would thus be given to the shareholders of this class one share of 201. (101. paid) and one 41. obligation, reimbursable at 51. for two half-shares of 101. each, upon which 51. have been paid." By that paragraph they would see that they were called upon to receive 5 per cent. instead of 6 per cent., and which, with the obligations, was tantamount to buying shares at a discount of 4. The gentlemen whom he represented did not want any change, and would sooner remain as they were than accept the terms pro posed by the directors. He had purchased his shares as a security, and [not as a speculation ; and he knew se veral persons who had invested trust-money in them. After entering into the subject at length, he concluded by moving the following resolution :—" That this meet ing disapproves of the proposed scheme of the directors for the conversion of the 6 per cent. guarantee shares, as submitted to the meeting held at the London Tavern, on the 14th inst., and pledges itself to resist the same." Mr. READ& seconded the motion, and said that the plan proposed by the directors was a deception and a cheat. Mr. MooRE entered into a lengthened statement, to show that by the plan proposed by the directors, he should, by selling his 5001, worth of the proposed new stock, at the current quotations of to-day, viz., 71, be a direct gainer of 50/. ; and said that it was admitted on all sides that the directors' plan would greatly benefit the company. A PROPRIETOR stated that he was so dissatisfied with the directors' proposal, that he had written a letter to the board, in which he told them that he would not ac cept their terms, aad that if they attempted to force it upon him he would take the matter into the law courts. A long discussion having taken place, the motion was put and carried. A committee having been appointed, and subscriptions entered into, the meeting separated. RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS. LONDON AND 8013111-EASTERN KAlLWAY.—Tra,ffic re turn for the week ending Doc. 17, 1853 £12,819 19 5 Corresponding week last year. 12,329 3 .2 Increase in 1853 £490 16 .3 LONDON, BRIGHTON, AND SOUTH COAST RAILWAY.— Traffic return for the week ending Deo. 17, 1853 £10,019 9 8 Corresponding weok lad year 10;001 4 2 Total Of the half-year to this elate, 1853 348,325 17 0 Total of the half-year to this date, 1852 315,408 17 8 GLASGOW AND SOUTH-WJSTEBN RAlLWAY.—Traffic re :aim for the week ending Dec. 17,1853 £ ,585 19 0 corresponding week last year 3,832 10 5 Increase in 1853 £733 8 7 ---J:J: _JI: 491-4. L 111 1. 111 'ARY,AC; f 4P,P1V4 7 •r , WOOLWICH, DEC. 20; A board of officers of the Ordnance corps assembled in the hall of the gentlemen cadets' barracks, in the Royal Arsenal, at 11 o'clock a.m. to-day—Lieutenant. General Sir John Fox Burgoyne, G.C.8., Royal En gineers, President • Lieutenant-General Sir H. Dal rymple Ross, Royal Artillery; Major-General Griffith George Lewis, C. 8., Royal Engineers ; and Colonel Thomas Blanchard, C. 8., members—for the pur pose of examining the gentlemen cadets of the practical class as to their qualifications for obtaining-commissions in the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers. Colonel James A. Chalmer, Inspector of Artillery ; Lieutenant- Colonel Wilson, Director of the Laboratory ; Lieute nant-Colonel Alexander Tullob, Inspector, Royal car riage department ' • Lieutenant-Colonel Harding, K.H., Superintendent of the Royal Military Repository ; Lieu tenant-Colonel Portlock, inspector of the Royal Military Academy ; and Captain Eardley Wilmot,. Captain of the Gentleman Cadets, were also present to witness the exa mination ; and Lieutenant-General Sir Charles William Pasley, K.C.8., Royal Engineers, with a number of officers of the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers, were in the hall during the examination. The examination of the senior division, Practical Class of Gentlemen Cadets, comprehended a thorough know ledge of practical artillery, the initial force of gunpowder and its effect upon a projectile when fired from a gun, the laws of windage, the velocity of projectiles, the use of wads and their various descriptions, the most ap proved method of forming a breach, the resistance of the atmosphere to projectiles when moving with a cer tain velocity, the use of lever sheers for raising guns, the rests for mortar beds, the materials of which the moulds for bronze guns are composed, the construction of guns and their three principal points . requir ing consideration, the proofs they are subjected to before being admitted into the service, the. construction of gun-carriages, the composition of Congreve rockets, and the rate of burning of meal powder, fuze composi tion, and port-fire composition. The gentlemen cadets were also examined in the raising of field works, mili tary mining, 'the passage of rivers by trestle bridges, rafts, and other means when an enemy disputed the pas sage, and the whole was concluded by examining them as to their knowledge of surveying, when the following gentlemen cadets were passed as qualified for commis sions in the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers, on the list being approved by the Master-General of the Ordnance : 1. The Hon. Cameron Wrottesley. 2. Mr. Lonsdale Augustus Hale. 3. „ Arthur Kennedy Hideout. 4. „ Henry William Hart Davis Dumaresq. 5. „ William Henry Watson. 6. „ Arthur Reid Lempriere. 7. ~ George Longley. 8. „ Henry Percy Tillard. 9. „ Edward Chichester Bolton. 10. „ Oliver Henry Atkins Nicholls. 11. „ Donald George Campbell Maclachlan. 12. „ James Barton. 13. „ Charles James Hope Johnstone. 14. „ Robert Horsley Cockerell. 15. „ 'Benjamin Humfrey. 16. „ Charles Watson Wilson. 17. „ Legh Delves Broughton. 18. „ George Albert Augustus Walker. The following gentlemen cadets of the practical and theoretical classes were then called forward to the boa] d-table, and the prizes which had been awarded to them for merit in particular branches of study were pre sented by Lieutenant-General Sir John Fox Burgoyne, President of ,the Board. PRACTICAL CLASS. Practical Artillery—Mr. Dumaresq,' a best military telescope ; Mr. Lampriere, next in merit. Chemistry—The Hon. Cameron Wrottesley, a blow- pipe apparatus. THEORETICAL CLASS. First Class Mathematics—Mr. Darrah, a case of mathematical intruments ; Mr. Gosset, next in merit. Second Class Mathematics—Mr. Smith Neill, best prismatic compass, with silver ring ; Mr. Boileau, next in merit. Third Class Mathematics —Mr.,Marindin, a sketching case ; Mr. Daniel, next in merit. Fourth Class Mathematics—Mr. Wyndham, a recon noiting telescope ; Mr. De Molyne, next in merit. First Class Fortification—Mr. Magnay, a work in French ; Mr. Darrab, next in merit. Second Class Fortification—Mr. Frankland, a work on the sieges in Spain and Portugal ; Mr. Pitt next' in merit. First Prize, Freric4—Mr. Eden, Voyages on Zigzag ; Mr. Darrah, next in merit. _ _ Second Prize, French—Mr. Stockley, a work in French ; Mr. C. Wilson, next in merit. First Prize, German, and History and Geography, two prizes —Mr. Malcolm, a work in the German language ; Mr. Ellis, next in merit for German. Second Class, German—Mr. De Cello, a work in Ger man ; Mr. Straubenze,next in merit. History and Geography—Mr. Malcon, a work on Greek and Roman Antiquities ; Mr. Grant, next in merit. Historical Themes—Mr. Majendie, a dictionary of dates. • Military Plan-drawing and Sketching, and Fifth Room Landscape Drawing, two prizes—Mr. Hewett, a photo graphic camera ; Mr. Hall, next in merit. Sixth 'RooM, Landscape Drawing—Mr. Stace, a work on Italian painters ; Mr. Sandy s, next in merit. The examination of the gentlemen cadets and presen tation of the prizes were concluded shortly after one o'clock, and the whole.obtained leave for the Christmas vacation, which will expire in six weeks from this time, and during that interval the gentlemen cadets who passed to-day will be appointed to commissions in the Royal Ar tillery or Royal Engineers, and, on returning to Wool wich, will join the respective branches of the Ordnance corps to which the Master-General may appoint, after her Majesty has signed their.commissions. The gentlemen cadets of the theoretical class studying at the Academy on Woolwich-common obtained their leave for the Christmas vacation yesterday. Previously to their departure an examination took place, when the 'following were found qualified for the practical class, and, on returning after the vacation, will join that class at the Royal Arsenal : C. J. Darrah; J. P. Magnay. Constantine P. Carey. John M. Henniker. Edward 0. Hewett. W. R. Gosset. R. N; Dawson. Frederick R. Mould. Oswald Carr. H. W. Briscoe. Frederick G. Baylay. P. H. Sandilands. William J. Hale. Morton T. Eden. William G. Martin. Charles D. Gilmour. Henry A. do Vismes. Alexander D. Burnaby. Charles G. Luard. Edward J. Ward. Wilmot B. Ellis. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. BETTING AT MANCHESTER.—YESTERDAY. A very moderate attendance, and speculation still very flat. LIVERPOOL STEEPLECHASE. 9to 1 agst Miss Mowbray (taken). 16 to 1 agst Sir Peter Laurie (taken). 20 to 1 agst Charley (taken). CHESTER CUP. 40 to 1 agst Virago (taken and offered). 5000 to 100 agst Newminster (taken). 2500 to 50 agst Tom (taken). 2000 to 30 agst Kennyside Hero (taken). 1000 to 10 agst Astonishment (taken). DERBY. '7 to 1 agst Autocrat (taken). 9to 1 agst King Tom (offered). 13 to 1 agst Dervish (offered). 20 to 1 agst Ruby (taken to 701). 33 to 1 agst Meteor, (taken). DEATH OF THE REV. DE. WARDLAW.—The Patriot thus announces the death of a gentleman extensively known beyond the limits of the community which he adorned :—lt is sue melancholy duty to announce to the Congregational body the loss of one of its brightest orna ments by the decease of the Rev. Dr. Wardlaw. We have received the intelligence too recently to do justice to so great a name and so bright a character, and can at this moment do no more than mingle ouil griefs with those of our brethren in all parts of the United King dom at this so great a loss ; remembering, however, amidst our lamentations, the rich legacies of piety and learning which the venerable deceased has bequeathed to the Evangelical Nonconformist Church. [ADvEarrsEmENT.]—Holloway's Pills, an Effectual Remedy for Gout and Rheumatism.--Extract of a letter from Mr. W. Moon, at Messrs. Godwi n ' s , auc tioneers, Winchester, dated April 8, 1852. To Professor Holloway.—Sir,—l beg to inform you that for years I was a sufferer from chronic rheumatism, and often laid uy for weeks together, unable to move. I was attended by the most eminent surgeons here, but obtained no relief; and was iuduced to go into our county hospital. The medical trestment there, however, being of no avail, I left, and commenced using your pills, which, I am happy to say, in a short time effected a perfect cure, and enabled me to resume my employment. —Sold by all druggists, and at Professor Holloway's Establishment, 244, Strand, London. _ [ADVERTIBEMENTj-Fifty thousand Cures have been effected by Du Barry's delicious Revalenta Arabica Food, without medicine, inconvenience, or expense (as it saves fifty times its cost in other rernedi es). —"Twen ty-fiv e years nervousness, constipation, indigestion, and debility, from which I had suffered.great misery, and which no medi cine could remove or relieve, have been effectually cured by Du Barry's Food in a very short time. W. R. Reeves, Pool Anthony, Tiverton." " Eight years' dys pepsia, nervousness, debility, with cramps, spasms, and nausea, for which my servant had consulted the advice of many, have been effectually removed by Du Barry's delicious food in_ a very short time. I shall be happy to answer any inquiries. Rev. John W. Flavel, Rid lington Rectory, - Norfolk." " Three years' excessive nervousness, with pains in my neck and left arm, and general debility, which rendered my life very miserable, has been radically removed by Du Barry's excellent food. Alexs, Stuart, Archdeacon of Ross, Skibbereen." —`.•` Fifty years' indescribable aging from dyspepsia, nervousness ; asthma, cough, constipation, flatulency, spasms, sickness at the stomach, and vomittings, has been removed by Du Barry's excellent food. Maria Jolly, Wortham Ling, near Digs, Norfolk." —Copies of testi monials of 50,000 cures (including those of Lord Stuart de Decies, Major-General Thomas King, Drs. Ure, Shorland, and Harvey (gratis). In canisters, with full instructions, 11b., 2s. 9d. ; 21b., 4s. 6d. ; 51b., lls. ; 121 b., 225. ; super-refined, 51b., 225. ; 101 b., 335. The 101 b. and 121 b. carriage free. Barry Du Barry and Co., .77, Regent-street, London ; also, Fortnum, Mason, and Co., purveyors to her Majesty, .Piccadilly. siuJ t.SW ,f R, 0 YA,L, SOCIETY. • At the lest-meeting of this NUtfieil, Protestair Bell, vice-president, in the chair. The following extract of a letter, from Dr. Vogel to Colonel Sabine, was read. Dr. Vogel is engaged in a scientific expedition in Cen tral Africa. The letter is dated Mouzuk, October 14, 1853 : " You will receive, through the Foreign-office, a packet of astronomical, meteorological, and magnetical obser vations made on the way from Tripoli, and since my arrival here. My instruments are almost all in good condition, although their cases have been split from the effects of heat and dryness, notwithstanding their double, and in some instances triple, leather protection. I saw the great .comet for the first time on the 23d Aug., but others had seen it three days earlier. Its necleus was very bright, resembling a star of the first magnitude, with a distinctly defined disc of the apparent diameter of Jupiter. The tail made an angle of 86 deg. or 87 deg. with the horizon, inclining to the north. It was a single tail, with almost precisely parallel sides. Its length was 10 deg. on 25th August, 12 deg. on the 26th, and 15 deg. on the 27th and 29th of August. I have repeatedly seen here the apparent fluctuations in the position of stars which is spoken of in the third volume of Cosmos, and have sent the particulars of my observa tions to Baron von Humboldt. There is no regular rainy season at Mouzuk ; but slight showers occur sometimes in the winter and spring; seldom in the autumn. A heavy rain is considered a great calamity, as it destroys all the houses, which are built of mud dried in the sun. It also kills the date trees, by dissolving the salt which exists in large quantities in the soil. About 12 years ago above 12,000 date trees perished in the neighbourhood of Mou zuk on account of rain which continued for seven days. The prevailing winds are south and east, the strongest generally west or north-west. I have seen whirl winds two or three times pass through the town, a phe nomenon which was common in the desert, between Bencoloud and Mouzuk. All the whirlwinds which I observed turned in the direction from east by north ; and west to south. In Decomber, and during the first half of January, the thermometer falls at sunrise at Mouzuk as low as 42 deg. ; and in places exposed to the wind water freezes during the night. At Sakna I could not find any one who could remember having seen snow. At Tripoli we had heavy dews at night, and I observed the same until we had passed a small chain of mountains fifteen miles north of Sakna. From thence we had no dew, and it was often impossible to obtain the dew point with Daniell's hygrometer. In the desert the thermometer generally rose till four p.m., from the sand (which was - sometimes heated to 140 deg. at one p.m.) giving out its heat: Earthquakes are sometimes felt. Shooting stars were observed in great quantities (about forty an hour) on the 7th, Bth, and 31st of July ; very few on the evenings of the 9th, 10th, and 11th of August, averaging 15 an hour, mostly coming from Cas siopea and Ursa Minor. They were very numerous on the Ist, 2d, and 3d of October." A paper was read, " On the amount of Acid, Sugar, and Alcohol in Wine, Beer, and Spirits," by Dr. Bence Jones, F.R.S. The author states that all the wines, beer, agd spirits which he examined were furnished to him by parties of the highest respectability, and thus all the samples experimented on were genuine. The method which he adopted for testing the amount of acid was as follows :—A standard solution of caustic soda was so prepared that each division of a graduated tuba con tained 0.15 of a grain of caustic soda. A thousand grain bottle was filled with the fluid to be examined, it was weighed at 60 deg. Fahrenheit, and the quantity of test alkali necessary for neutralisation was determined by Clarke's test paper. The same method was followed throughout all the experiments, and the general results may be thus stated : In a quantity of sherry equal in bulk to 1,000 grains of water, the quantity of acid was equivalent to from 1.95 grs. to 2.85 grs. of caustic soda. In Madeira gr- to 3.6 Claret • Port Burgundy 2.55 to 4.05 Champagne 2.40 to 3.15 Rhine wine Moselle 2.85 to 4.50 Brandy 0.15 to 0.60 Rum • 0.15 to ' 0.30 Geneva 0.07 to Whiskey 0.07 to Bitter ale 0.90 to 1.65 Porter Stout 1.35 to 2.25 Cider 2.85 to 3.90 The result of the examination of the samples for sugar was that, out of 18 samples of sherry and other wines, no Sherry, Port, Madeira, or Champagne wan found that did not contain sugar ; and the author met with no Claret, Burgundy, Rhine, or Moselle, excepting only one sample of Sauterne, which was not free from all traces of sugar. In hard cider no trace of sugar was found, whilst in all kinds of ale, porter, and stout, much sugar was present. Usually spirits contain no sugar, but one sample of genuine French brandy had cane sugar added to it. The results of the examination of the samples for the amount of alcohol correspond very nearly with those obtained by Mr. Brande and others in the or dinary distillation process. The discrepancies were found to exist in Burgundy and Claret, which have less alchohol. The sherry was stronger • the port not so strong ; the Marsala wea k er , and the ruin and porter much stronger than formerly. IYSTITUTION OP CIVIL ENGINEERS. At the last meeting of this society, Mr. J'ames Mea dows llendel, president, in the chair, the discussion was resumed on Mr. Harrison's paper, " On the Drainage of the District South of the Thames," and was continued throughout the evening. The complete system of sewerage introduced at Ham burg, since the great fire, by Mr. Lindley, M. Inst. C. E., was alluded to, as a good instance of the efficiency of the plan of flushing sewers, even in very flat districts, and with syphon dips, when there existed a head of water like that from the Alster lake, which was 13 feet above the high-water mark of the Elbe. The culvert through which the river Froome passes beneath the float, and flows into the Bristol river, was also described, and from these and other examples of the advantages of flushing sewers, that system was urged to be preferable to the labour and expense of pumping up from depths below low water the ordinary sewage contents, without dealing with the rain water falling during thunder storms, which it was contended could not bo raised by any amount of steam power which could be practi cally adopted. In fact the employment of steam power for pumping out the sewage was opposed on the grounds of the constant expense, and the liability to stoppage from accidental causes. It was also argued that tne drainage of fen lands by steam power was not ana logous, as the fen water-courses were so large as to form reservoirs, whence the pumps lifted the water. in a given, but lengthened period of time ; and even then, not so as to avoid such back flooding as could not be admitted for town drainage. The best systems pro posed were stated to he the interception of the highland waters, the carrying away* by gravitation all the con tents of the sewers which could be discharged into a low point of the Thames by natural means; and re sorting to pumping only for such portions of the metro. polis as were too low, for any other system. Such, it t was contended, was the plan which had been proposed by Mr. J. R. M'Clean, to the Commissioners of Sewers, in 1849 ; and in a review of the systems proposed by Capt. Veitch, the late Mr. Forster, and Mr. Bazalgette, the ac cordance with and deviations from the original plan were pointed out and commented on. The necessity for provid ing against any chance of flooding the basements of the houses, by allowing the main sewers to become filled and beunderpressure, wasinsisted on. Doubts were expressed as to the possibility of obtaining sufficient velocity to scour out such main sewers as those proposed to be flushed from the Thames, and having their outlet at Greenwich. The question of pipe drains and brick sewers was again entered upon, and it,appeared that experience confirmed the previous impressions, of the applicability of the pipes to house drainage only, when they had rapid fall and were of sufficient area, but that nothing could be relied upon for street sewers, except brick constructions sufficiently large to permit access within them ; they should also be permeable, so as to act as drains in conveying away the land water from the district which they traversed. It was stated, that in Lambeth there were spots which about 25 years since were full of water, but which at present, during the summer, were found to have been .thoroughly dried by the action of the sewers passing through or near them. It was urged that the question of the proper outlet for the sewerage could only be fixed by careful investigation of the period during which the matter remained suspended, and the distances it travelled up and down the river with the ebbing and flowing tides. The experiments already made on this point did not appear to be received as authority. In treating the questions of detail, it was shown that the brick sewers never, practically, became elongated cess pools, as bad been asserted ; that there was really greater scouring power in an egg-shaped sewer than in a pipe drain ; that the alleged smooth interior of the pipes was illusory, as their joints were more liable to occasion stoppages than the joints of the hrickword ; that the interior of • the latter did, prac tically, soon become covered with a slimy matter, which aided the flow, and that deposits rarely occurred, except when the sewers were too flat and too small. As to the question of cost, it was shown that the state ments of the comparative expense of the metropolitan and of the country drainage works, as published "by authority," must be received with caution ; the cases were not analagous, from the impossibility of comparing the duots made to convey sewage one quarter of a mile, with those intended to convey the cumulative proceeds of many miles of dwellings. The mere difference of the cost of labour between London and the country would preclude comparison as to the expenses of works ' • and the local difficulties of cutting under g r ound in large cities must be taken into consideration. , The discussion occupied so much time, without any definite point being arrived at that it was decided to ad journ the further consideration of the question until the evening of Tuesday, Jan. 10, 1854, when it was hoped the members and visitors would come prepared to argue the best mode of attaining the general drainage of the two districts north and south of the Thames, on ascer tained principles, and with due regard to the questions of practicability and expense. iwpm THE GAZETTE OF LAST NIGHT. BOARD OF TRA.DE, WHITEHALL, DEPARTMENT, DEC. 19. The Right Honourable tho Lords of the Committee of the Privy Council for Trade arid Plantations have received, through the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, a copy of a despatch from her Majesty's Minister at Copenhagen, inclosing copy of a notification issued by the Danish Go vernment (a translation of which is subjoined), of an im provement about to be made in the Eastern Beacon Light at List, on the Island of Sylt. • (Copy.) (Translation.) NOTICE TO MARINERS. In order that the Eastern Beacon Light at List may be more easily distinguished from the ,western one, the former will be raised from 97 to 110 Danish feet above the sea. This is hereby made known to Mariners, with the ad dition that, as soon as the work is completed, a further notice will be published. Ministry of the Navy, Dec. 3. (Signed) STEEN BILLE. COHHISSION SIGNED BY THE LORD-LIEUTENANTS. Hampshire Regiment of Mil iti a. Leonard. Aust Law- Pence, Surgeon, to be Assistant-Surgeon, Dec. 12. BANKRUPTS William Hinde, plumber, Bedford, to surrender, Dcc. 31, and Feb. 8, at eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Pennell, official assignee, Basinghall-street ; J. and J. IL Linklater, Sise-lane. Caleb Ambrose, Ironmonger, Sheerness, Jan. 9, at eleven, and Feb. 8, at twelve, at tha Court of Bankruptcy. Pen nell, official assignee, Basinghall-street ; Wethertield, Bas i ughall-street. Henry Wheeler, baker, Richmond, Dec. 29, at half-past twelve, and Jan. 2t3, at two, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Johnson, official assignee, Basinghall-street ; Reynell, Stale inn. Gilliam Cutler, jun., carpenter, Ryde, Dec. 29, at eleven, and Jan. 23, at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Bell, official assignee, Coleman-street-buildings; Buchanan, Basinghall-street: Robert Frederick Miller, coach builder, Hammersmith, Jan. 4 and 31, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Stans feld, official assignee; G. and C. Smith, Southampton buildings. _ Thomas Hayward, confectioner, Gloucester, Jan. 4 and Feb. 1, at eleven, at the Bristol District Court. Hutton, official assignee, Bristol ; Smallridge, Gloucester. John Innell, grocer, Weston, Herefordshire, Jan. 2 and Feb. 1, at half:past twelve, at the Bristol District Court. Acraman, official assignee, Bristol ;• Kearsey, Stroud. Joseph Johnson, jun., estate agent, Liverpool, Jan. 4 and 25, at eleven, at the. Liverpool District Court. Caze nove, official assignee, Liverpool; Evans and Son, Liver pool. Jonathan Andrew, commission agent, 9th-January, and Ist February, at twelve, at t'le Manchester District Court. Fraser, official assignee, Manchester; De Lard and Fogg, Manchester. DIVIDENDS. John Smith Daintry, John Ryle, and William Richard Ravenscroft, of Manchester, bankers, second dividend of lid. in the pound, payable at 7, Charlotte-street, Man chester, on any Tuesday. Johu Malley, of Lancaster, silversmith, first dividend of 4s. 3d. in the pound, payable at 7, Charlotte-street, Mau chester, on any Tuesday. Joseph Raleigh, of Manchester, merchant, third divi dend of 4 11-32 d in the pound (separate estate), payable at 7, Charlotte-street, Manchester, on any Tuesday. James Rothwell Hunt, of Manchester, flour-dealer, second dividend of ls. in the pound, payable at 7, Charlotte street, on any Tuesday. Joseph Peverelle, of Liverpool, hardware dealer, first dividend of Bs. in the pound, payable at 11, Eldon-cham bers, South John-street, Liverpool, on any Thursday. Joseph Skaife, of Keighley, Yorkshire, corn miller, first dividend of ss. in the pound , payable at 5, Park,row, Leeds on and after the 22d inst. Jane Walker, of Halifax, draper, first dividend of Sid. in the pound, payable at 5, Park•row, Leeds, on and after the 22d inst. Joshua Shaw, of Huddersfield, Yorkshire, fruiterer, first and final dividend of Is. in the pound, payable at the office of Mr. F. R. Jones, Queen-street, Huddersfield, on and after the 20th inst. Thomas Spiller Pickard, late of Exeter, hat manufac turer, a dividend of ls. OAd. in the pound, payable at 5, Portugal-street, Lincoln's-inn. RichaM Thomas, late of Hirwain, Glamorganshire, grocer, a dividend of 2s. in the pound, payable at 5, Por tugal-street, Lincoln's-inn. Richard 'Worcester ' late of Pembroke Dock, Pembroke shire, shipwright, a dividend of is, 74d. in the pound, payable at 5, Portugal. street, Lincoln's-inn. Jessup Halliwell, late of Worsley, Lancashire, farmer, a dividend. of 4s. 54d. in the pound, payable at 5, Portugal street, Lincoln's-inn. Edwin Hutton, late of Sheffield, publican, a dividend of 2s. sd. in the pound, payable at 5, Portugal-street, Lin coln's-inn. Henry Bird, late of John-street, Upper Holloway, sur geon, a dividend of is. 84d. iu the pound, payable at 5, Portugal-street, Lincoln's-inn. William James liingaye, late of Southwark-bridge-road. captain R.N., a dividend of sid. in the pound, payable at 5, Portugal-street, Lincoln's-inn. William John 'Verity, late of Greenwich, cheesomonger, a dividend of is. lid. in the pound, payable at 5, Portugal street, Lincoln's-inn. Joseph Allort, late of Winsford, Cheshire, out of busi ness, a dividend of is. in the pound, payable a t 5, Por tugal-street, Michael Wardle, late of Soaham-harbour, Durham, grocer, a dividend of 10d. in the pound, payable at 5, Portugal-street, Lincoln's-inn. Samuel Wood, late of Old Drentford, Middlesex, hair dresser, a dividend of 2s. 2d. in the pound, payable at 5, Portugal-street, Lincoln's-inn. Eleanor BroNVn; late of Hayes, near Uxbridge. Middle sex, out of business, a dividend of 2s. sd. in the pound, payable at 5, Portugal-street, Lincoln's-inn. INSOLVENT PETITIONERS. Job Goody, of Belchanip St. Paul's, Essex. miller--So lomon Beal, of Millbrook, Bedfordshire, tailor—William Seddon, of Manchester ' watchmaker—Charles Abbott ; of Chelmsford, Essex, innkeeper—George Chovee, jun., of Heather, Leicestershire, licensed victualler —William Stone, of Exeter, baker—Jane Sicklemore, of Leaves, Sussex, baker—Charles Malpass, of Lower Carn, Gloucestershire, tailor—George Weisman, of Exeter, upholsterer—Arehi bald Gillespie, of Morpeth, South Shields, prison warder— Thomas Trafford, of Goniceby, Lincolnshire, boot and shoe maker—Charles Aphs, of Worcester, tailor. PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED. Thothas Cardus, Thomas Armstrong, Edward Dixon, and' Bernard Samuelson, of Eling, Southampton, brick manu facturers (so far as regards B. Samuelson)--Nicholas Wood, Martin Dunn', Robert Hansel!, and R. P. Philipson, of the Westerton. Colliery, Darham—J. Hickson and T. Stant forth, of Sheffield, masons—S. Moses Lotinga, Calmerl Moses Lotinga, jun., and Noah Samuel Lotinga, of New castle-upon-Tyne and North Shields, coal fitters—William Rich and Thomas Cox, of 20, Maddox-street, Reg -nt-street, tailors—Stephen Bromley Johnson and William Galloway, jun., of Manchester, corn dealers—John Byles Eisdell and William Jannings, of Burdett-street, Walworth-comtnon, brewers—John Howard and T. Howard, of Norwich, but chers— Jabez James Purkiss and George Augustus Mert.gs, of 256, High-street, Southwark, bath keepers —RichareLa tham and Richard Latham, jun., of Bahia, Brazils, mer chants —Emma Lacey and Jane Lacey, of 25, Little Wild street,Lincoln's-in n-fields, bookbinders—George Walter and Thos. Walter, of Week, Coombe, and Chillaton, Devonshire, farmers—Robert Huntley and Andrew Johnson Maughan, of 40, New Gravel-lane, sailmakers— E. Sigley, C. Sigley, and Walter Sigley, of Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, con tractors—Joseph Bagshawo and Robert Kelah Humphreys, of Liverpool, marine store dealers—Alexander Adams and Thomas William Maddox, of Tavistock, Devonshire, prin iers—Edward Challis and William Challis, of 17, Church street, Greenwich, oilman—Jane Herbert anti William Walters, of Pontypool, Monmouthshire, maltsters—Regi nald Massey and Henry Clegg, of Accrington, Lancashire, cotton manufacturers—Samuel Solomon and Benjamin I Solomon, of 43, Borough-road, Southwark, cigar dealers— Charles Beardshaw and Anthony Penrith, of Leeds, stock brokers—Joseph Staples and Samuel Lea, of Newbury, Berkshire, ironmongers—Henry Charlton and Benjamin Vanes (deceased), of Dudley and Halosowen—nail manu facturers—Albert Smith, Robert Dymond, Charles Bar tholomew, Percy Smith, and John Knight, of Rotherham, Yorkshire, flax spinners (so far as regards John Knight)— William Jordan and William Islip, of St. Neots, Hunting donshire, carriers—Thompson Johnson and Thomas More ton Johnson, of Lichfield, architects—Edward Walter Haines and Samuel Haines, of 16, Great Marlborough street, attorneys—Richard Noverre Bacon and William Kinnebrook, of Norwich, printers- 7 • John Dolan and Ber nard Dromgoole, of Harrington, Lancashire, tailors. SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS. William Hunter, overseer, Grandholm-works, Aberdeen, to meet at the Royal Hotel, Aberdeen, Dec. 28, at two. Simon Mackenzie Ross, Aldie, Ross-shire; to meet Dec. 27, at Mackay's Hotel, Tain. Fenton and Barles, builders, Maryland Quarry, near Glasgow, Jan. 4. JamesM`Pherson, draper and hosier, Perthshire, Dec. 29. Daniel M'lntosh, shipowner, Campbeltown, Argyleshire; to meet at the White Hart Inn, Dec. 31. SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. CUSTOM HOUSE, DEC. 20. ENTERED INWARDS.—Tho Ebenezer, from Aveiro ; Har binger, Cronstadt ; Frangiska, Rostock ; Spring, Wyburg ; Cores, Stettin ; Sef, Odessa ; American Eagle, New York ; Mayaden, Gala,tz ; Idas, Smyrna ; Adelma, Seville ; Han nah Codner, Tenedos ; Teueriffe, Patras, ; Champion, Moro Castle, New York; Urnea, Cadiz ; Catharina, Gothenburg; Alfred Heloese, Bordeaux ; For tune, Valparaiso ; Loch lebo, Callao, Grampion, Callao ; Florence, Zeeplocq, Oporto ; Vestalindon, Drammen ; Abraham and Sarah, Para ; Devereaux, Quebec ; Atkinson, Belize ; Heroine, James Gibson, Demerara; Mangeston, Bombay. ENTERED OUTWARDS FOR LOADING.—The Antje for Odessa ; Catharina, Antwerp ; Nonsuch, Malta ; Wit liam and Mary, Dunkirk ; Odessa, Constantinople ; Ame rica, Geelong ; Lady Franklin, Algoa Bay ; Helene, Ant werp ; John Banks, Melbourne ; Tom Bowline, ditto ; Alice, Dunkirk ; Joshua Bates, New York ; Derby, Bou logne ; Wave, Dunkirk ; Othello, Rio Janeiro. CLEARED OUTWARDS WITH CARGO.—The Norden, for Calcutta : Ceira, Sydney ; Triton, Geelong ; Christine, Tonsburg ; Chalmers, San Francisco ; Active, Malmo ; Antelope, New Orleans ; Faith, Africa. VESSELS SPOKEN WITH. The Diamond, from Grimbsy to Aden, Nov. 30, lat. 40 N., long. 12 W. The Margaret Elizabeth, London to the Cape, Dec. 5, lat. 47 N., long. 10 W. The arles Hamerton, of Whitektven, Dec. 5, dis masted and stripped of everything moveable. The Nimrod, of Bristol, Dec. 15, lat. 50 N., long. 7 W. The John o' Gaunt, Sept. 3, off Cape Parini...tn. The Victor, from Singapore to London, in the Straits of Sunda. The Baltimore, of Amsterdam, from Calcutta to Lou don, Oct. 6, lat. 26 S., long. 57 E. The Countess of Elgin, from Bombay to Liverpool, Nov. 7, lat. 7 S., long. 15 W. The Victoria Regina, from Calcutta to London, Nov. 5, lat 1 N.,long. 21 W. The rins Carl (Swedish ship), bound southward, Nov. 11, lat. 3 N., long. 23 W. The Janet, from Callao to Liverpool, Nov. 17, lat. 12 N., long. 31 W. The Thomas Mitchell, from Calcutta to London, Nov. 27, lat. 31 N., long. 35 W. The Tonnej (Dutch ship), from Callao to Queenstown, Nov. 28, lat. 35 N., long. 34 W. The Bato, from London to Australia, Dec. 6. The Hungarian, bound to Calcutta, off Timor, Sept. 18, Tho Tigris, from Liverpool to Calcutta, July lilt. 40 N., long. 20 W. 5, lat. 3 The Majestic., from the Clyde to CalcattarikAig• S., long. 27 nt W. The Coent, from Aberdeen to Melbourne, A. 14.10, 22 S., long. 28 W. COUNTRY MARKETS. LIVERPOOL—DEC. 20. A good attendance of millers and dealers at our Cern. exchange this morning, who bought to a moderately fear extent of wheat and flour, paying an advance on the prices of Tuesday last of 4d to 6d per bushel on wheat, choice and of 6d t° is per barrel and sack on flour. One largo parcel Michigan white wheat changed hands a t lls 3d per • 701bs. Fur Indian fine yellow round corn 44 s 6 d to 45s per 4801bs: was obtained. In oats no change. Oa tmeal 6d p e r load dearer. Barley, beans, and peas unchanged in value. IPSWICH—DEO. 20. We had a large show of wheat and barley At market 10 day The sale of both was free and animated, and An ad vance of .3s to 4s per qr. on wheat, and 23 to 331 err 1 1:; fully established, high prices being asked awl o Po' btain"`. before the buyers could make purch : .ses. Be and also dea.r,:r. Wheat, red (old) 72s to 78s Barley, grinding PER QUARTER. PER evAltl g ,',' Ditto (uew) 00s to I;Os Beaus ........... .. ; . 50s tl n . Ditto will (now) , 1 e7Bs to 84Peas ................ '.. 48s to '1: Ditto (old) 8ar1ey,.... 00s 4a ° es malting AVERAGES FOR THE WEER ENDING'DEC. 17, 1853. Wheat ... 365 to 45 Barley Oats Beaus Peas 54s 5d HULL—DEC. 20. t foal At to-day's market we had a good show of who 0 9 the farmers,. who were generally asking very extrede. prices, and showed no disposition to moderate ti l l 35 mantis. The business done was at an advance of fu to 4s per qr. upon the rates current last week . SOB paid for good reds to the farmer. For foreign there w,,, good demand, and 80s paid for good Dantzic, 601bs. d. ley may be quoted 2s. per qr. dearer, with mo re dera!ri'"et For beans more speculative inquiry, at'ls to 2 s more ra°,'er New foreign, if dry, cannot be quoted at less than sklo, qr., 5041b5. Oats and Indian corn attract more atteetwor, The linseed and cake markets very quiet. Bono a rell' inquired for. S• 0 'peas, gray and black 4S to ° 53 Linseed, Black Sea... 521° 51 Ditto Petersburgh .• • 44 to Ditto Riga and .Arch ....... to s s Wheat, English, red 76 to 80 Ditto white BO tollt Dantzic and Konigs berg Pomeranian and Ham- burgh Danish, Holstein, and I angel .... - ........ ; - Ditto Konigsberg and 44 Memel ........... .- per • 40 ;o. , 00 , Lius. c.,Hull 10/ Os oa foot!. 10 , Ditto fine for. 91 Os oa Ditto inf. for O/ Os Od to R a p esee d oolos to 0 0 ' v „ 0 , Rape cakes 125 s Od to pM Tares, English...... to vus "" eiS Ditto f ore i g n oos Guano . . to lb Bones llss Od to Rye Meal ............... . Fliesland - 68 to 72' Russian and Odessa 60 to 68 Oats, English Ditto Danish Ditto Friesland Ditto Russian 26 to 28 Barley, malting Ditto grinding 3l to 33 Beans Ditto foreign Peas, white and poi 52 to 60 RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, DEC. 20. u si . STOCK EXCHANGE.—We have to report a ocasclf u otw ness in the Stock Exchange, closing firmly at the 6 10 tions :—Caledonian, 28i ; Eastern Counties, 1 3 1; Li . Lancashire, 16g ; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 6 8 caster and Carlisle New Third Shares, 13i prem.; 3 4 ° ., i tiii• and North-Western, 104* ; Midland, 64j ; North 8 1 4 ; Shrewsbury and Hereford, 1i dis.; South .v-" and Dover; 19 5-16. MANCHESTER, DEC. 20. bti t STocS EXCHANGE.—There is but a small businet,l6; at slightly higher prices. Eastern Counties, 1 3 i Oir East Lancashire, Pref. Qrs., 8 13-16 ; M anc hester al e icls, mingham, C. Qrs., 5-16 p ; Midlands, 641; Sh e 231 ; Dovers, 19. k 5-16 ; Leeds, 681. LEDS,. 2. jos STOCK EXCHANGE.— E The sh w are market this morTilf.reo quite recovered the decline of yesterday, and closes r o e' the highest quotation. The following aro the latest 4. actions : —Midland Stock, 441 ; North-Westerns, 9d.; Lancashire and Yorkshires, 68/. DUBLIN, DEC. 20. oi! STOCK MECHAM:E.—Belfast and Ballymena, 501. 43 ex div.; Cork, Blackrock, and Passage, 20/. Dubl Dublin and Belfast Junction, 451. paid, 46i ; in Wicklow, 61. paid, 31 ; Great Southern and Western, ' paid, 521. COURSE OF EXCHANGE-YESTERDAY. 'll 141 4 CFI .. • • •• • • 3 0 3 0 Ditto, threo:montha ... 11 16 ..eghorn •••••• •• 2 5 60 Rotterdam ...... •• .. 11 16 !,L Genoa ........ •••- • • • .•••• Antwerp .............. 25 20 Milan •• •• Brussels .............. 25 20 Venice ••••• • • • " Hamburg/1 Altona ................ Palermo ........ ..... • 1 2;;5 Paris— ............ _25 5 Messina. .••• • • • 5 3 , Ditto, three months .. 25 32% Lisbon • • • • • 25 35 Oporto .............. .. Bourdeaux ........ .11.10 Janeiro ...........• Frankfort-on• Maine 118% Buenos Ayre5.......... Berlin ;New York, 60 days' sight Vienna ................ 11 38 ;Philadelphia .......... Trieste ........ .. •• .. 11 42 PIIIOES OF BULLION, peS Petersburgh............ 37% !Foreign Gold in Bars £3 11 , 0 Madrid 50V4 Portu g al Gold Coin Sevtile ........ " 0 5 0 0 Oy Cadiz •• I` New Dollars ...• ' 5 () lvtrg SEA BORN M AILS. • • O le (N signifies that the mails are sent from the General Post by the night—and M by the morning —dispatch.) COU.NTRIZS, Day when hi General Pom °like, Loudon.* America(byltrit : pack)N I Every Friday .... From %%Alai Purl Dispatched. America(6y United SOLI • packet) ..........N I)cc. 27 .. America (by U States! packet) •• •• •. Australia (via • South ampton) ...........l; Jan. 4.... ~...... Ditto (via Mat seilles) N Jan. Ditto (via Cape of Good Hope) ............N Feb. 4 .. Africa (West Coast) .. N .34 of the month.. Alexandria.......... N 8 , 9,24, & 30 of & 20t1i of mon. Bahamas ...........Mll7th of the month Belgium ...... Brazil .......... , 11i9th of the month .. Buenos of the month Cape of Good Hope ..Nll4th of the nnlitlL Cape of Good Hope of the month., Cape do nerds of the month.. Ceylon (sec India) Ceylon .... ........ Nll4th of the month Channel Mon ~Weil„&Frid. M ,Id & 17th of mouth; Liverpool.... LlTerp ' ool ~ Sou hx rnpt Ent ia, ll ' China (see India) • - Constantinople N 7,8,17,21.&270rm. Constantinople ........ 4th & 20th of mon Cont. of Europe M & N Twice daily .. Egypt (see India) France ........ 9I & N,Twice daily Gibraltar .......... 3T, 7, 17, 20, 27 olio , Greece (see India) Greytown ;....... M 2tid & 17th of monJ llaltburgh NlTuesday & Friday fiavannah .. 2nd of the month Holland ............ :11: Wednesday & Sat. Gondola. m!l7th of the month. India (NilaSoutaampt.)l.l . 4th & 20th of moo. In'lla (via Marseilles)M Bth&24th of month ; lonian isles (see India)!7, 17, & 27 of mon, Ireland &. Ni'rwiee daily 11117, 9, 17. & of tn. Madeira 9th of the month Madeira ............ 23d of month .... Malta (se.alndfa) Dee' 51 Afieltrt N 7,17,19,28, 30 am Liverpool ... .1 1 .Y1/101 1 ! h M C '29 'Dover 'Pec. 4 Southawr,t(,,, Jan. ..ioutimmp tot , Jan. Doter .i;.t.: Tat ' 1:." gouttlar:tt . o • ,4 , •Sotithampton JO' 1 6 Plymouth Soutiounplonk t Plymouth Plymouth ..15 ° ;,1 3 .°6 0 4 0 4 toutliamplon'Tl L. ; iStouthatuptoi,4o. tiouthaTripti , Dover Mauritius (see India) Dover 3 0 4 South amilteil J3ll. call/ DoVer Po' I e 41 .111 Dover 69utliarnpion 1)0' Aonthanipton l Jan' 1 London ....•i I Southampton Jan* f p..:f' London .....I c n 'l6 f•tonkharopion JO: 94 SOut li.trupeon Re' Dover ......IDe e *l9 Dover .• .16 Southamptonr ,, "' 16 140ottonnoton:Jon: ;6 Li] •..;00-" Dover • " IV)if' twirl this .......... N jl4 th of the month Plymouth Mexico ..... l2nd of the month. Southampton,. r c Naples . N l,hth if•th2sthormen, . • ••I I) jao New lratiacla 111 12d & 17th of month . Southainf' t°n uOO. l New Zealand Illy private skip j Various fivrtss cc , 9 6 Papal :mates ..Nistlllsth2cthonnon. Dover ...• " (pec. Peninsula ;. t 7th 1 70 , 28thotinon. Southamptoll.,. n , Peru . M d? •d7th of moo Southampton' r ¢ Port Natal .... 14th of the moats Plymouth •• . ( I; c e. 2 , ; Sicily .... ..Ni s thi 6 tll2stholmon.iDover •• •• no , Tuscany th 5 th2s tholina n.l Dover • • "." . - • *er .. • • ~.0. Venezuela .. M ,2d & 7th of month 'I southampton r Van I>ieznen's Lano (see Australia) West Indies .... M t 7th 0: month ;Southampton, - I When any of these datea cri a Sunday the 03114 ,,ii 311%: : dispatcho lon tilt) following day with the exception of the / Southampton), and the Malta, both of whi c h w ill bo dispa's-°' , day preceding. voe l ‘A A VORACIOUS BOA CONSTRICTOR.—On F110..7 'rife, Wombwell's magnific en t co ll ec ti on o f w ild beasts sr to it s in this city from Stockt o n. A f ew d a ys previ° 4ls „ o rrd' arrival in this city a singular circumstance °°: con'' throwing Charles Dickens' story of the blanke t t pletely into the sh a de. Du r i ng the cold weather tactect it beginning of last wee k th e b oa cons t r ictor, to p ro d tiv° from the cold, was carefully wrapped in flannel, ° _gt young crocodiles put beside it, with the object °fu row ing heat ; on the keeper, however, opening out the nel to look after his cha rge , to his utter astonisbmi°loo6l discovered that one of the crocodiles had been sv(l'„nelel by the boa! This is consid ere d to be a feat u n P ar " in natural history.—Durhan Chronicle. B A IRTII OF S. BON. 1 ,111 0 On the 18th inst., at Torquay, the wife of Sir Pa ter, Dart. the ' Cifj On the 10th inst., at No. I], Mansfield-street, of James Hill, Esq. OF A DAUGHTEI . f the w ife ° co O n n t t h h e e l l 9 9 t t h h : est., et Highgate, the wi fe of Gee inst., at Carlton hill, Kilburn, th e joie ~ Edward Stillwell, Esq. ford, Esq. MARRIED. Du bIin, T i l On the 16th inst , at St. Peter's Church, ,itore J. Neville, Esq., to Amelia E. Ransom, eldest da tj•S'' the Hon. Leander Ransom, Survey Theo dora America. Theoder° On the 23d ult., at St. Thomas, West I n dies, _ __btor H. Schwabe, Esq., of Glasgow, to Tully', elde st(lsul of S. Rothschi:d, Esq., St. Thomart______ ------ — D 1 "'lit' p ‘ a °il r - lc, the t l a 6 n t o h P 4l o s li t L a ri t , a l- g s edl Wend scq r.D'k..village East, the ' l'' On the 17th inst., at the Church -house, 1 . , sole° Rev. John na w t re y , rector of King ston Serreeu on setshire, aged 72. nal' , se e — On the 17th inst., at 'Watford, flats, Sus 3n 2:ih:lllst., at 53, mtneet,Grodaughter of the late Jonathan King, Esq . sve noreg nare' alre• Fox, of Huddersfield, aged 57. vri.ro. -1 you 1 U 3ilTßii- s 1 ' LONDON : Printed and Published or ~,i , office , o. 4 of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at Die z !",_ 4 , (3 cou nty u mi Stra u nd ese ; iztvirhooPthrieetcyt, ol)fetcheerainSar2yl; 11.537 50% AlexGn Dollars I t t t 1 c 3