The Sun. — London, England, 1853-02-07 00:00:00

THE FRENCH EMPIRE. A document has just made its appearance in France, which shows the lamentable extent to which religious intolerance will some times carry even a dignit ar y o f th e R oman C at h o li c C hurch. Besotted, indeed, must be that Cardinal who can view the introduction of railways as a curse from Heaven, and it is satisfactory to know that the con duct of the Cardinal in question is not likely to escape the just rebuke of the Parisian press. The Cardinal Archbishop of Besancon has pub lished on the occasion of Lent a mandement, in which he dwells on the non-observance of the Lord's-day. " He maintains," says the Journal des Debats " that temporal visit a ti ons , such as the sterility of fields, the ruin an d bankruptcy of traders, dre. , are the consequence and the chastise ment thereof. The prelate cites as an example hotel and innkeepers :—They, he says, for having neg lected to observe fast days ordered by the Church by supplying their gues t s w ith mea t, have seen the pestilence of railways fall on them. It is true that since railways convey travellers with rapidity to their destinations, hotel and innkeepers esta blished inintermediate places have seen their houses deserted by the crowds who used to frequent them when people travelled on horseback or on foot, or even in diligences. But we should not have be lieved that this result could be ascribed to the anger of Heaven against the poor inn-keepers." History proves that while all the other nations of Europe have of late years been making rapid strides in wealth and population, France alone has been standing still. Now, much of this retrogression, for retrogession it is, some people attribute to her long neglect of the railway system, and it must be some what disheartening for her friends to know that the narrow-minded prejudice which animated an English stage coachman thirty years ago has at length found refuge in the breast of a prince of the most powerful Church in the world. Another prelate, the Bishop of Rochelle, exhorts his flock to destroy all " heretical " books, meaning all books not approved of by the Roman Catholic Church. Addressing booksellers, he tells them that the only way to make their peace with the Church is reso lutely to burn all books of- this description, even if they should ruin themselves by so doing ; and he touchingly exhorts private individuals not to hesi tate out of admiration for style, beauty of print or binding, or affection for a family relic, but to com mit all literary poison at once to the flames. There was a Council of Ministers on Saturday, at which the Emperor presided. The Minister of Public Works introduced the question of granting the concession of a line of railway which had been previously voted by the late Legislative Assembly, and one of those lines recognised as the most useful 1 France. The Minister not being, it is supposed, in favour of the company which presented itself, though containing some of the financial names in -raris, represented that he considered that the Go vernment should hold itself within the limits of the communique, and not accord more than 3 per cent. guarantee to the company. After some debate, it Was decided by the Council, seeing that the Bourse was what is called cha'rgee, not to accord any rail way concessions for the next six months. This de cision of the Government may be much questioned as regard s its wisdom, as, while it postpones French railways, it will not prevent, but rather encourage, the bringing out of lines in Spain and Italy, which Will have undisputed possession of the Bourse. It was rumoured yesterday that one person, if not more, connected with the public press, had been arrested. The order for the arrest came, in one instance at least, not from the Minister of rolice, but from the Minister of the Interior. The gentleman was taken out of his bed at seven in the morning. His papers were all searched, and though the commissary of police admitted that he had found nothing to compromise him, he was car ved off in a cabriolet, and his friends do not, up to the present moment, know what has become of hi m . The Boulevards were crowded the whole day by persons anxious to see the procession of the bceuf gras• The cortege paraded through the usual line of march, and was unusually numerous. The wea ther was cold, but dry. The usual procession of the Bceuf-Gras began Yesterday. The promenaders of the Boulevards Were numerous, though not so numerous as on the last occasion, owing, perhaps, to the cold, which has for th e l as t d a y or two tained a degree not e xperienced during the winter. The masks are *v ery few, the police regulations having imposed Several restrictions, or perhaps in consequence of the growing distaste for them. Now and then a carriage, containing a par; - ,y of fantastically dressed Young men and women, with a few flags here and there, pass on, and horns are blown announ cin g their departure. At the 1.1_, - ual hour of the morn ing, the fat ox, to whom no name of Shelby has been given, set out on It's tour of visits from the Faubourg du itoule slaughter-house to the per sons whom ho is wont to honour on such occa sions. The Palace of t'ie Elyc Se was the first, and his next was to have been the English Embassy. This last mention-1 vi :it has been postponed in consequence of the horn being that of divine ser vice ; but on Tuesday he will present his respects at 39, Fabourg St. Honore. Of the oxen ex hibited at the Poitsy market five had been noted as the finest ; they proceed from the grazing grounns of Brucourt, the property of the Countess Hope, daughter of General Rapp, and the purchaser is the same al last year, namely, M. Bellamy, the Imperial fournisseur. The three selected for the coreage in Paris and the Banlieu are named Uncle Tom, Shelby (the hero of this day), and St. Clair. Uncle Tom will do the honours on Tuesday. The weight of each of these oxen is said to be about 1,500 hilogrammes, or 3,003 lbs. The cortege began at 10 o'clock, and was opened by two run ners showily dressed, and carrying the batons of office. Six venerable Druids, crowned with the tradi tional oaken chaplet, clothed in white robes, imme diately preceded the Reuf-Gras who was accom panied by the sacrificer, and escorted by two men in fantastic costume carrying banners. Next the Bceuf- Gras came the massive car filled with persons repre senting an agricultural fête of the period of the Gauls. The car was drawn by four horses, capari soned in the usual style, the two first with posti lions, and the bridle was held by esquires, while a grave personage, with hoary locks and a flowing white beard, intended to represent Time, held the reins. Mercury, Force, Commerce, Industry, and Other allegorical figures filled the car. Parties of men, mounted and on foot, wearing the costume of the time of Louis XIII., or of Francis 1., and other periods, closed the picturesque part of the cortege. A detachment of about 100 mounted gen darmerie d'elite escorted the procession. The Bourse was exceedingly dull on Saturday, and the speculators for a rise appeared to have lost all confidence. A change of Ministry was again mentioned as imminent, and it was added that the delay arose Flom M. de Morny wishing to inaugu rate his return to office by a fin ;her reduction of the army, and other measures calculated to con vince the powers of Europe of the Emperor's de termination to maintain peace. The Three per Cents, opened at 79f. 10c., rose to 79f. 45c., and fell subsequently to 79f., at which they closed for the end of the month. The Four-and-a-Half per Cents. closed at 105 f. Orleans Railway Shares, 990 f. ; Rouen, 950 f. : Havre, 445 f. ; Great Northern, 832 f. 50c. ; Paris and Strasburg, 750 f. ; Paris and Lyons, 853 f. 75c. ; Lyons and the Medi terranean, 715 f.: Caen. and Cherbourg, 590 f. ; Bordeaux and Cette, 555 f. ; Shares of the Bank of Credit Mobilier, 715 f. At the Casino yesterday the French Three per Cents. were done at 79f. 10c. SPAIN. There is now ha.dly any doubt that the result o the elections will be favourable to Government. Madrid Bolsa, Feb . I.—The following are the Prices ofi St oc k s : —Three per Cents., 421 ; Ditto Deferred, 221 ; Redeemable Debt, first - class, 10 ; ditto, second class, 51 ; Coupon Certificates, 4 ; Exchange on London, 51 25. The Gazette states that the receipts of the Trea sury in 1852 amounted to 1,288,845,667 reals, ex ceeling by 37,365,739 the sum at which they were estimated in the budget. ITALY. - - - - General de la Marmora, the Piedmontese Minis ter of W ar an d an d the Marine, is actively engaged in placing th e army an d navy in an effective condi tion, in anticipation of whatever may happen. Letters from Naples states the Neapolitan Go vernment is also making active preparations against war ; and it is known that Austria is making a large increase of its forces on the frontiers of Pied mont and Switzerland. Letters from the Romagna state that a battalion of Austrian troops had been sent by forced marches to Rimini, where ther e were some d i stur b ances. The t _ troop s in question t oo k m ili tary possession of he town, notwithstandin g th e protestations of the Pontifical governor. BERLIN FRB PRUSSIA. , . —The Second Chamber re sumed the debate on the bill for revoking the communal law of 1850, the day before yesterday, when, after a discussion of unusual warmth on the part of two or three members, the Government project was carried by 184 to 152, showing a large increase since the last sitting of the Government majority, and thereby showing that this majority of 42 was not dependent upon the capricious vote of the twelve Polish deputies. Tne old law having been this annulled, the newregulations will undergo a strict and long scrutiny, and will probably occupy a month ere they be finally voted. At the com mencement of Thursday's sitting, M. Aldenhoven, who had distinctly accused the Minister of the Ir.- terior of having made wilful mis-statements, written in a report to the King, rose to explain, and assured the house that he had no intention of insulting or specifying any particular person. The Minister of Public Works, a practical man, though in some things somewhat impracticable, has brought forward three or four new Government projects of law, of which one is a bill for the better regulation of emigration, and more strict control over emigration companies, so as to protect emi grants from their constantly occurring deceptions. A second is for the purpose of amending the law as regards factory children, and of changing the age of admission into factories from nine to twelve years. On Friday the Second Chamber proceeded with the debate on the bill of which the first clause was adopted on the previous evening, and terminated by adopting the whole project, with an amendment to the effect that there was nothing in the adoption contrary to the Constitution. The result of this amendment will be that two or three articles of the Constitution must be amended, in order to accom modate the new law to the Constitution. THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 7, 1853. AUSTRIA. The Lloyd attempts to explain away the common impression that the good understanding between France and the Northern Powers has been disturbed by recent events. " There is no real enmity to wards the Emperor in the Conservative camp, al though there is much stupid railing, much unneces sary coarseness. In those circles in which the fate of millions is decided, we find none of that impru dence, none of that sensitiveness, none of that pride which could endanger the peace of Europe." The fact is, that this Government is extremely sorry that it has not been able to oblige both parties. It had to choose between France and Russia, and it naturally decided in favour of the latter. Al though the French Emperor entitles himself a parvenu, he is little inclined to be treated like one, and he deeply resents being treated as an intruder ;by the very Powers whose game he has so successfully played for the last two years. It is to be presumed that the friendly rela aons which appear to exist between the French imperor and the British Ambassador are particu ily annoying to M. de Hubner, as the telegraphic doopatohoa from Paris so frequently mention Lord Cowley's name in connexion with that of the Empe ror. People here are also jealous of Prussia, because Count Hatzfeld appears to be better received. by Napoleon than the Austrian Minister. The Oest. Corsespond,ez says that measures will be taken to prevent the return of those emigrants to Austria " who bring back nothing more valu able than the political opinions they have picked up among the German fugitives in North America." The whole of the garrison of Vienna and its environs-24 or 25 battalions, and many squadrons of cavalry—has received orders to march to the Bosnian frontier, in which neighbourhood and in Austrian Albania, an army of 70,000 men is to be concentrated. Between 120 and 130 guns will also be forwarded from Vienna. Ban Jel lachich has been appointed Commander-in-Chief of this mighty army. Troops from Bohemia and Upper Austria will supply the place of the Vienna garrison, which was to commence its march on the 4th or sth. It is whispered that the Russian infantry corps in Bessarabia and the Crimea have received orders to occupy the Danubian principalities. Some diplomatists are of opinion that it was by M. de Lavalette's counsel that the Porte undertook the campaign against Montenegro. Should this be the case, what will his Imperial master say to the occupation of a great part of European Turkey by the two Northern Powers ? BELGIUM. In the Chamber cf Representatives of Belgium, in its sitting of the 4th, the Minister of Foreign Affairs presented a bill, calling for a credit of 60,000 f., to be applied to the expenses of a Minis ter and a Councillor of Legation to the Russian Government, " with which," said the honour able Minister, " the Belgian Government is on the point of establishing intimate and constant relations." MONTENEGRO. Various accounts continue to be received from the seat of war, but the truth appears to be that the Montenegrins are in a very sorry plight, and closely pressed by a formidable army ; while Austria is drawing a chain of bayonets across her frontier, to prevent the arrival of Turkish troops by sea. The invaders, however, are perfectly justified in transporting soldiers over necks of land called the Sistorina and Kleck, which belong to Turkey. Although in time of peace this Government was allowed to convey troops over these strips of foreign territory, they have not yet attempted it. As to the ex cesses attributed to the Turks, they are fully equalled by those committed by the Montenegrins savage and ferocious tribe, whose independence, like the rocky mountains they inhabit, places them at once above and below the very commonest arts of civilisation. Sir J. Gardiner Wilkinson esti mates the population of Montenegro (so called by the ancient Venetians, on account of the dark pine forests of its mountains, since cleared) at 101,000 souls. The country is divided into eight districts, or " natrias." The average height of the moun tains is about 7,000 feet. Trade and commerce, except with cattle, are known only by name to these mountaineers, who are perpetually armed, either for the purpose of plunder or defence. They are a brave and hardy race, inured to the fatigues and privations of guerilla warfare ; and little more can be said for them. A correspondent of the Lloyd, from the Narenta, speaks of the Turkish army havin' been increased to 70,000 men. A telegraphic dispatch from Vienna, dated the 4th inst., announces that the 9 th division of the Austrian army has been ordered to be ready to march at a moment's notice to the Turkish frontier. SMALL-PDX HOSPITAL—On Friday, the annual gene- St. :al meeting of the friends and subscribers to this useful 59 charity was held in the board-room of the hospital at Highgate-hill, Mr. J. T. Bedford in the chair. The re- St. port stated that the committee had to regret the decease 50 of Dr. George Gregory, physician to the hospital, after a zealous service of 31 years. The number o f patients "2 admitted during the year had been 800, of that number 12i 110 had died, and 690 were discharged cured. During 25 the same period, 666 had been vaccinated, and 555 sup plies of lymph had been distributed to the medical 10 profession. The committee reported that they have 6 at length obtained the payment of the sum of 12i , 1,350/. Three-and-a-Quarter per Cents., and they 12i have also received from the executors of the late Admiral Sir Charles Ogle, Bart., the d onation of 4701. St. St. His Grace the Duke of Bedford had .consented to act as president for the year ensuing. The medical report 16i states that " there is in many respects considerable 20 similarity between the years 1852 and 1851 as regards 5 the general results ; 1851 was also an epidemic year, 2 when 682 patients were admitted to the hospital." St. The statements of accounts appended to the report 20 showed the total receipts from all sources to have St. been 2,352/. lid., and the expenditure 1,8601. 19s. 15 3d., leaving a balance in the hands of the treasurer of 4971. is. Bd. The repot having been moved and ° 10 seconded, was carried nem. con., a',Ler which, the officers , for the year ensuing were appointed, and the meeting 10 separated. 25 THREATENED STRIKE OF WOOLWICH AND DEPTFORD 10 SHIPWRIGRTS.—NearIy 600 shipwrights connected with 1.0.1 the Woolwich and Deptford dockyards have formed themselves into a society for the purpose of emigrating 20 to Australia, and have invited Mrs. Chisholm to make St arrangements for their pasLaga out. The reason the society has been formed is in consequence of a serious 17 reduction of the men's wages by order of the Admiralty, 25 and the difficulty of obtaining any prospect of an in crease. Several representations have been made to the Admiralty upon the subject, but no reply of any sort has been m en en re l t e u ft rn b ed Du both yard r: , n a g n t d he past ebtaine w d e e e m k a pley la m rg e e nt nu en mber the r: r v e e s rTh t mB y s . the e d ay,being Admiralty, just wdhoiul while e s whate haveis a t en allowedaes at b obtained employment at Liverpool and other om places. 21 Several meetings of the men Faye recently been held, 21 and it has been stated that in the event of the reply of the 2, Admiralty to their representations being adverse to their claims by far the greater portion of the men will turn 2 out. DEPARTURE OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADIAN MAILS----On Saturday afternoonthe British and N or th asnailreodyfralommtahile steam-ship American, C a pt a i n Mersey for Boston an d; H a lif ax, AL wi em t i h tecri' the ilc mails for the United States and Biftish North America, fifty-eight passengers, and a very la rge cargo of valuable merch an di se on freight. ' The mails were carried out in char ge o f Lieutenant Ward, R N kiAdmi ralty agent. Prior to h er l eav i ng the river, copies ..' of the - London papers were placed on b oard by Messrs. Willme r and Smith, for the public press and news rooms of the Western Continent. TESTIMONIALS TO MR. W. J. Fox, M.P AT OLDHAM. —Upwards of 3,500 electors a n d non-electors of Old ham, assembled on Friday evening (after partaking of tea in six separate parties) in the Working Men's Hall, to congratulate Mr. Fox, one of their rep resentat i ves, ' on his re-election for that borough. Mr. John Platt presided. One of the most gratifying proceedings of the evening was the presentation to Mr. Fox, by Miss Rye, on behalf of 1,646 of the women of Oldham (most of whom were present) of a testimonial, which consisted of a beautiful crimson velvet purse, containing 112 sovereigns (the number of the majority by which Mr. Fox won the late election), a signet ring, having a cor nelian stone, and the motto, " Education the birthright of all," and an elegant volume, in which the names of the ladies who contributed these gifts were inscribed. The sentiments of the fair donors were conveyed in a poetical tribute to the honourable gentleman, written on behalf of -the ladies by Mr. Critchley Prince, was read by Malty'', • TILE SHARE MARKETS. BRITISH RAILWAYS. RAILWAYS. Closing Prices Saturday. 27 - 281 61 - 10 - 101 6i - 6itl 22 - 221 3 - ( 1 106 - 108 63 - 631! 21 22 1 17 - 1711 1 d - p 8 - 9 51 - 4 44 124 - 12 10-- 12 - 81 74 - 76 55 -- 60 76 -- 78 id Ap 25 -- 27 60 -- 62 76A —77 i 42 -- 44 117 - 119 104 A -105 A 864 -- 871 61 -- 7 89 -- 91 12 13 p 76i -- 77 4* -- 4Ad -24 d 15 1 -- 16 8 9 14 IG6 119 2 p 1 p 89 5,1 a 44d 'losa 1 118§ 11 884 - 56 - 11 - - 19 - i2B - 3- 76 - I 4 - 50 52 - 31 3 -3 d 2# 2 8 - El 52 54 8 34 3 54 24 1 - 2 d . 4 d 8 3 —4 p 49 - 50 96 - 98 63 - 65 67 - 69 70 - 80 18 - 20 9 - 10 14 - 15 3 - 3 21 - 22 77i - 78 36 - 38 13 -13 i 4 - 21 14 -- 1 5 9 i 26q 2 9 7 9 Par p 69 70 7$ 7gd 28 20 54 55 Bas ness done this day. ;t. 100 0 84 .4 kil a 1 28 ',7il all O all O all O all O 45 5 all 51 all ;5 all .8 all O all Z all 5 8? 1 1 5 all ;t. 100 'OO all ;t. 100 .0 1A ;t. 100 it. 100 it. 100 it.lloo. ;t. 100 it. 100 12 11 i 0 all 6i 113 it. 100 ;a 15 .4 11. j 0 all !O all .1A all st. 100 3t. 100 ;0 12 0 i 0 42i LO 34 ~ 5 all 5 all it• 100 - it. 100 i 0 47i 17 10 alf 3t. 100 6 3 Z 16 () I all it. 100 5 I all L 6 I 13 l 6 8 all I 8 5 K) 17.4 :0 all 0 10 It. 100 It. 100 it. 100 it. 100 it. 100 .0 I 8 Sil all all 3 a 1 0 6 1 all ;t. 100 pa I all 9 I 15 1 161 5 19 Aberdeen Ambg. Nottag. Bost Eastn. Birmng. Wolvo~h. Stour Valley Birkenhd. Lancsh. Cheshire Junct Do. Chesil. & Birk., £5O & £25 Cons Do., £20... ri sto 1 & Exe *,,er Caledonian. Chester & Holyhead Cork and Bandon Cork, Black. & Pass Dublin&BelfastJunc Dundee Perth &Aber deen Junction Do. New East Anglian (£25 L. & E. & L. & D.) Do., (£lB E. & Eastern Counties Eastern Union, Class A. late E. U. Sh Do., do.. Do., B. & C... . East Lancashire Ea ;t & West Ind. Dk. & Binning. June Edinburgh & Glasgow Edinb. and Peebles Edinb. Prth. &Dundee Glasgow & S. Western Gr .t Northern Stk Do., A. Stock Do., B. Stock Gt. Sth. &West. (Ire ) Great Western Irish South-Easters Lancaster & Carlisle Do., Thirds Lancash. &Yorkshire Do., Fifths Do., Wst. Riding Un Leeds Northern Liv. Crsby. & So nthpt. London & Blackwall Loud. Tilb. & Sthend. rond.Bright.&S.Cst. London & N. Western Do. Fifths Do. ,10/.Sh.,M&B 0 London & S. Western Do., £50........ ••• ••• Do., £49 Ludndrry.&Coleraine r -dndrry. & Ennisk. War ch•Shef.&Lincln. Do., Man. it Lin. Un. Midland .......... Do. Birming.& Derby Ylidland G. West. (Ir. ) 30. Sha es .......... Newcastle & Carlisle.. New market ......... • • Do. Bury Extensions Newpt.Aberg.&Htfd. New.y & Enniskillcu Newry Wairenpoint , & Rostrevor Norfolk.- ...... Do., New..... gorthn. Count' es Un North British North Devon, No.l Do., No. ...... Do., A Deferred Do., 6 B Guaranteed North Staffordshire North Western N. & S. Westrn. June Oxford Worces'ikr h Wolverhampton Scottish Central Scottish Midland Shrewsbury & Birmg Do., L. & N. We7tu Guaranteed Stock Shrewsby. & Herefd Shrewsby. & Chester (Nor. W. Min.) Do. Halvcs, do Do. Oswestry Shropshire Union South Devon South Eastern South Wales S. Yorkoh. River Dun Stockton & Hartlepl. Thames Haven Dock and Railway 17 Vale of Neath all Waterfd. & Kilkenny all Waterford&Limellek 13 West C0rnwa11......., 21s. Wimbledon &Croydon 1 W00df0rd....... ..... 100 York Newctl. &Berw. 20 Do. Extensions 11i Do. G.N.E. Purchase 100 York &N. Midland PREFERENCE SHARES. 100 Aberdeen ......... all Do., No: 2, 7 p. e... 100 Bris. & Ex. 4p. c. St. 5 Do. 4 p. c. S 'arcs ... 100 Ca'cOoni...n V 0 ...... all Chester & Holyreael Guar. 5 s, per cent... 34 Gork&BactionM p.c. all Dundee Pertli&Abey-1 (leen Junction....... all CastAnglian ('3los) 6 per cent............ all Do. (£5) 7 per cent.. 2 Do. (X 7 17s) 7 p. cL.. all Eastern Counties Ex- tension, sp. c. No.l all Do., No. 2 ....... all Do., New 6p. c. St.. all Eastern Union, Scrip Guar. 6 per cent.... 100 EastLancash. 6 p.cts. all Edinb.Prth.dtDundee 5. per cent .......... 100 Glasgow & S.Westorn guar. 5 per cent.... 100 Great Northu. 5 p.c. 100 Do. sp. c., Redeem. at 10 p. c. preen • • •'' all Gt. Southn. &Westn. (Ireland) Eighths... 6 Gt. Westn. (Berks & Rants Ex. 5 p. c.).. 1.00 G. West. fixed 4i pc. 6 Lan. & York. P. g2O, 100 Do., 6p. e., Stock... 100 London and Brighton Guaranteed 5 p. 100 Do. Pref., sp. c. St. all Do. Convertible, sp. c., 1852 . ....... . 100 Do. New Guar. 6 p.c. 5 London &S. Western, Con. Thirds 10 Londonderry&Coler Shares all Londy. & Ennis. ASb all Manch.,Shef., &Lin., , . i Shares, No. 1...... all Do. New, £10......... 3 Do., £6...:... all Marypt. &Carl. 4 p c. all Do. 46 per, cent....... 8i Do • • • 100 Mid. Consol. 6p.c. St 100 Do. Consol. Bristol cl: Birm. 6 per cent 5 Do. Pref. 46 per cent all Norfolk Extension all Do. Guar. 5-1 per ct all Do. Way. Val. 5 p c 100 North British all North Staffordshire ICO Oxford Worcester &, Wolverh. £15,6p. e. 9 Do Shrews& Birm. N. G. Shrewsby. & Chester (Nor.W.Min),B p. c. 10 Do. 5 per cent all South Devon II Do. New. all . Eastern (Reading Ann.,) of 21 08.6 d. all S.Yorksh.4p.c.Guar. 3 Waterfd.&Kilk.Bp.c. ICO York Newcastle and Berwick, 4 p.c.Pref. 5 Do 10 York& N. Midland H & S. Purch. .07 - 1091 04 - 11 19 - 20 6 - - 3 A - -- 1i p! 14 -- 1 p, Y4g 16 -• 19 ... - 3 - 126 - 12 1112 114 81 - 9 el 7.ixe LO6 108 par p 150 152 3i - 4 Pi 8 - 8 131 13 9 - 10 10 - - i - 1.,-1--pl 151 - 153 - P 221 - 23 5 - 61 - 2 104 - 106 25 -26 i 11 a p 11 -- 11 h 17 — l7 - p 16 17 par— P 26 —26 i 19 20 id P 103 - 105 51 - 5 - i PI 3 kntwerp&Rotterdam 3 3elgianEastn. Junct. all Tjhr rleroi & Erquelin . 6 Dijon and Besanon 8 Dutch Rhenish all East Indian . . 1 Do. Extension .... all 174. Indian Peninsula 7 rid. Junct. of France 15 7.4 -.. Western of Canada Shares 1 I Lucca & Pistoja sp.e 15 Luxembourg 10 Do. (Railway) 2 Do. 3 Do. (Canal) Do. 6 p. et. prof 7 ~yona & Mediterran 4A Madras all gamur & Liege (with interest) all Do. (ex interest) all Northern of France all Do. 20i. 3p. c. Bds (fmy. B. &Ams. Shs.) all NorwegianTrunkPref 10 Paris and Lyors all Paris and Orleans all Paris and Rouen all Paris and SLrasbou . 4 ParisCaen & Cherbrg. 5,; Quebec &Richmond all Rouen and Havre all Sambre and Meuse 4 Do. 5 p. ct. pref 4 Southern of France 21. Upper Irdia Scrip all West Fland ers . . 6 Do. 5i per c. Pref 9 Western of France 2 West. of Switzerland 3 Z ea1and......... ..... -• 1 2 13 14 par A p 2A 2 dis —6 p la la p 2hp Adis— par P -7ix ih 4 - - 4 - 1 1. 7 -9 P 2 - 2ip 7i - 8 6i - 7 33 -32 i 18_9 4 14 —l4i p 38 40 38 39 29 —30 i p 18 19 et 9 l i t - 2i p LI -- 511 d id 1 ip C d LINES LEASED AT FIXED RENTALS. Sh. Paid RA , WAYS. Leasing Ciosina• P:ice Bus , nes , Compaus. Saturday. this day. 50 all Bedford and Lo Won & Bletchley .... N. West •.. •• • 304 all Birm. & Oxfd. guarantee ... Gt.Westn. 30 3 1 304 all Do. vithoutgr Do 29i :40 304 all Birm.Wolv. & Dudley guar. Do 3O 31 304 all , Do.wthtguar. Do 29 30 St. 100 Bucl.ghamsh. L. &N.W lOB 110 50 all ClydesdalaJc. Caledon 53 St. 100 E.Lincoln. gr. 6p. cent ..... Gt.Notrhu '49 151 25 all . Gt.Westn. 32i —33isd a. d. 100 all lirtlpl. Dk. & Yk. New. Railway & Berw.. • • • - 50 all [lull & Selby Y.&N.Md. 11 3 115 25 all Do. i Shares Do ......... 5 6i 57 ! 56 1 121 all Do. Shares Do 27 28 27 12/ all Lon.&Greenw S. Eastern l3l —l44xe. 20 all Do.Prefercnce Do .. 20 all Lowestoft gr. 4 per cent... Norfolk 194 19i,s 20 all Do. 6 r, :r ct... Do 23 —25 xd 54 all Manc:i.Batou. Lu.&N.W and 1 :atlock & Midld 3 3 4 50 all Middlesbro' & Stcktou & Re'' •ar - ••• 100 all Bradfd Midland._ 108 109 50 all Northern and Easternsp.c. E. Count.. 64 66 50 all Do. 6 per ct Do ......... 50 all Do. Fixed sp.c Do ... ..... 25 all Prest. & Wyre L. &:\. W. dtLn& Yk • 121 113 Do. Shares. Do .. .. — Pm St. 100 - Roys..n.&Hit. Gt.Nort 151 153 St. 100 Do.Shepth.St. Do .... .. . . 150 152 25 18 chef. Roth. & Lancash.di Goole g.5.p.c Yorksh.. 3.2 9, S. Staffordsh MrMClea n I d 50 all WearValleygr Stockt. & 6 per cent 25 all Do Do . . . .. . ... 3 . 1 A 324 St. 100 Wilts dtSomrst Gt.Westn. 102 103 MINES. 1 all all 10 2 !O 5 1 all 1 all 1 all 1 all 1 all .t 0 13.5 35 24 Agua Fria Anglo Californian Australasian Australian Australian Cordillera Australian Freehold Ave Maria Raden (Gd. Duchy of) British Arstrin. Gold British Iron 1 is p P - 61 p --5 f p Par p d p ar id— id par 1 p P —lO Brazilianlmp.(isauedl at 25 pm 1 10 all 9 15 1 9 all Do. Coeaes & Cuiada Do. St. John Del Rey C..rsons's Creek Cobre Copper Colonial Gold Copiapo Copper Min. of Eng Do. Pref. 7i p. cent Engllsh and Austin 3 s 4 2i 29 30 Par 414 42; 24 .6 7 14 lt. al :5 all 5 all - ... Copper Smelt;. Co General !O all 2 all 8 all 1 all 1 all 1 all 2 I,Ad 144 15 24-3 L pl 14 p d A d I P 41 —i d d pr 4 P 1 1A p 1f lgp par p 23 25 7 8 id- ip 11 - 12 - 2g p P d P a P Great Nugget Vein Great Polgooth Lake Bathurst Liberty Loud. &Californ. Gold Quartz Crush. Co Mariquita .. Mexican&S.Amerien. New Granada Nouveau Monde Port Philip Quartz Rock Rhy ,nme Iron Do. New Santiago de Cuba South Australian Tin Croft .. United Mexican Wailer West Granada West Mariposa Yuba 1 all !O 9 1 all 1 all 5 1 1 all ii) all WI 10i 1 all LO :8 all 1 all 1 all 1 all 1 all JOINT-STOCK BANKS. 40 all Australasia Bl 82 811 50 all British N. American 26 2 Cl—td. Bnk. of India, Australia, & China I 1 3A 100 25 Colonial •• ••. P 10D 20 Commercial of Lond —x d ... 4 English Scottish and Aust ulian 1 1i p 20 7i bonci. Chart. Bk. o Australia 3 4ip 11a 50 20 London and County — t') 10 Lo - ion Joint 5t0ck.. ... - 10 20 Lone . k Weatminstei 100 35 National Prov. of Eng. 20 10 Do. New • ••• 50 22? National of Ireland — 25 all - 01:ental Bank of Corporation. • 45.1 25 5 Do. New — ••• 100 25 Provincial of 'relax(' ..• 10 all Do. New • ••• 5 1 Royal Australn•Bkg & Cold Imp Co ... 25 all South Australia 43 45 45 4} 25 all Union of Australia 7l 73 723 21 Do. Now 7l —7/ X d Fiblo Union of London ... 40 all Union of Madrid MISCELLANEOUS 100 35 Australian Agricu 235 '230 20 4 Australsn.Pcific.Mail x.d. 10 5 Australis. Royal Mail 38, Brit. American Land 100 32 Canada — 5 5 Crystal Palace • .. 5 4 2 Crystal Pal.of France ..• 20 1 Eastern Steam ••• ••• 1 1 Electric Teleg. of Ir 15 14 Gen. Steam Navif . , ,at 100 50 General Screw Steam 20 2.1 Irish Beetroot Sugar 1 all Nat. Pat. Steam Fuel ••• ••• 10 2 Netherlands Land , 20 2i Nrth.ofEuropeSteam 50 all Peninsular& Oriental ..„ 86i 50 25 Do. Do. ..• 100 60 Royal Mail Steam ... ..• 25 25 South Austral. Land 42 -- 1 1 Submar. Telegraph .. ••• 5 2 Univeral Emigration and Colonization.... 100 284 Van Diemen's Land 14 16 LLOYD'S SHIPPING -(THIS DAY.) LONDON, Feb. 7.—Wind at Noon ' Southerly, light breeze, and fine. The Her r i es (ship), loaded, and to sail this day for Ceylon, took fire yesterday evening in the West India Docks, and was still burning at ten o'clock. DEAL, Feb. 6.—Wind, S.S.B. Arrived—Vivid, Green, Mauritius. Sailed—Lady M`Naughton, Port Philip ; Caro line, Hong Kong ; Alexander Hall, Lima; Leander, Rio Janeiro •, Hugh Belmont, Barbadoes • Forester, Tobago ; Mary, Malta; Queen Leghorn; Devonshire, New York; Stantsrand, Smyrna. I,lvEnroor , , Feb. 6.—Wind, S.E. Arrived—Nautilus, Nancollis, Laguna ; Vanguard, Norton, New Orleans ; Arabia (s), Judkais, New York. Sailed—Tridert, Ade laide, S. A. ; Ochter'qre, Sandwich, Melbourne ; Temple man, Pernam, Valparaiso ; Bosphorus, Buenos Ayres ; La Guayra ; Jersey, New Orleans ; Anadine, Rio Grande ; Ranger, Bahia ; Clementa, Havan 'vondale, and America (s), Boston ; Constantinople ; Cresar, Mel 3111b:oliihuinns°A:mn;Nn'lleaw'SounmGY:Eri!jea:enrEAa, Port Philip; Landisfarno, Bahia; Beatrice, Pernambuco ; Ann, Porto Rico ; Geo. A. Hopley, Charleston ; A. Y. Chandeler, New York ; Zenobia, Bos ton ; William Pitt, Teneriffe. Off Port—Andrew foster, from New York. COWES, Feb. s. —Wind, E.NE. Arrived—Mentor, Abe lin, Charleston. DUBLIN, Feb. s.—The Young England, from Singapore to Liverpool, which sank off Balbriggan, Nov. 14, and was got out of her dock and laid on harder ground, Jan. 29, went to pieces in the gale of last night. RAMSGATE, Feb. s. —The wreck of the Sadah, from Smyrna to London, which was towed on the main, near Dumpton Gap,. has been washed off. The Nathaniel Kemball, from New Orleans to Liverpool, was on shoi , ? on Dry Loch, near Sand Key, Jan. 17 ; cargo expected to be saved, partly damaged. TE e r eh t A s h c o er. yo u E nr g a ne :h en i se t t ro h fn e o e. ts fog hq ue ofar westernTues daye le f. .— in On K F en ri s d al ay N t e h w e Eo forwaDUßlNGrded life,l R o L t following Loss night,o i casesL werei F district of Middlesex :—About half -past six, Mr. John Lane, aged 45, foreman to Messrs. Peters and Co , t coach a - c b t u o i r l y de t rs o , pr G oc e e o e r d ge t -builders, Town. He was last seen alive by a police-constable, walking along the towing-path of the Grand Junction Canal, on his way homeward, and nothing more was heard of him until his lifeless body was discovered in the canal on Thursday morning. There can be no doubt but that deceased, in consequence of the density of the fog, walked into the water. The unfortunate man, who had been many years in Mr. Peters's employ, has left a widow and seven children to deplore his untimely end. The second case is that of Thomas Pearce, aged 42, a gangs man in the employ of the Grard Junction Canal Com pany. Deceased, with three ot'lere) were proceeding homeward on the night i n question, along the towing path of the canal ; when near L ow - place-bridge they missed their way, and lost each other. One of deceased's companions heard a splash in the water, but, in conse quence of the cog, he was unable to see who had fallen in. All the parties, with the exception of deceased, reached their homes, and his lifeless body was found the next morning in the canal. THIEF CATCHING BY ELECTRICITY.—. The utility of the electic telegraph, as a means of police, was demonstrated on Frday last. The female servant of a tradesman at Carlsruhe, having stolen a sum of 500 florins belong ing to her master, took to flight with a young man of 21, for whom she had conceived a violent affection. On arriving at Witzembourg, she treated with a shipping office for the conveyance of herself and lover from Havre to New Orleans, and she paid 216 f. on account. Her master, who was at church when the robbery was com mitted, made a declaration to the police, and they hav ing discovered the trace of the pair, sent off a telegraphic dispatch to Strasburg to have them arrested. They could not be found in that city, and as it was supposed they had left for Paris, a dispatch with a description of their persons was sent up. Two police agents were sent to the railway station, and they found the couple in the train which arrived at five o'clock in the morning. They immediately arrested them, and they are to be sent to Baden.. SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. (From the Times.) It has been said that writers are an irritable race, and we recollect that a certain anonymous correspondent of this journal who attacked us some what vehemently a few weeks ago appealed to what he thought must be our susceptibilities in justifica tion of his own. As far as a private opinion can be taken in such a matter, we really conceive that we are not much exposed to the imputation. We can assure the reader that we receive with great equanimity many flattering communications of which he never hears, and we do think that we display some patience under visitations of a diffe rent kind. Being perfectly content with what we know and feel to be our position, we are willing to let all disquisitions on our abilities or our useful ness pass without notice or interference for what they are worth, and the result must be at least thus far agreeable to the public—that it learns the intelligence and politics of the day, instead of being regaled with private controversies and squabbles. If we depart at all from this observance, it is in the interests of journalism at large ; and on no other principle than this do we now refer to the latest harangue of Mr. Cobden, delivered this week at Holmfirth. The part played by the press in the affairs of this country is so important that no re flections on its office or influence can be prudeutly passed by. " You will find," said Mr. Cobden to his audience, " that people will resort to news-rooms, not to read the leading articles, for, with all respect for the talented writers of the public press, I regard the leaders as of far less importance than the articles of news in the paper. Take a newspaper up, and you will find news brought from all parts of the world ; nineteen-twentieths of the whole paper consists of news, and only one-twentieth part of original articles or leaders ; therefore, with all respect to the editors of these newspapers, I believe these original articles, so far as guidance and direction are concerned, are the least useful and interesting parts of their papers facts and intelligence being more sought after by readers. There are far more newspapers inn America than here, but they have less political influence." Such are Mr. Cobden's views, nor will there be much difficulty in discerning what they imply as well as what they express. If we pleased to be short with our depreciator, we might argue, in his own words, that as only one-twentieth part of the House of Commons consists of Mr. Cobden's friends, and nineteen-twentieths of other parties, therefore Mr. Cobden's party, as far as public guidance is concerned, is the least useful part of Cie house. Or we might inquire how that " political influence" which Mr. Cobden begrudges us could ever have arisen if no readers sought guidance and direction from what we wrote. If the leading articles of the paper are of so little in terest that they are forsaken for " facts and intelli gence," why should these articles be thus attacked as unduly influential ? Either Mr. Cobden's facts are unreal, or his arguments are good for nothing. The effect cannot exist without the cause, and yet he first ignores the cause and then complains of the effect. We prefer, however, to reason otherwise with our antagonist, especially as his opinions on this point are not now intimated for the first time, though they happen to be conveyed with unusual plainness. He contends that the proper functions of the press consist in the distribution of news, and not in discussion, inquiry, or argument. He wants " facts and intelligence," not " leading articles ;" and, with the view of superseding what he dislikes by what he desires, he has often insisted on the excellence of small penny newspapers, comprising nothing but " facts," and retaining, of course, no talent above that of the compositor. Now, in the first place, we must ask him what are " facts and intelligence" a s thus invidiously particularised for contrast ? We beg the reader to believe that it is from no fault of our own inten tions if the leading articles of this journal do not convey the most accurate facts and the best-sifted intelligence contained in the paper. We cannot, of course, always rely implicitly on the accuracy of our correspondents, surrounded as they frequently are with difficulties of various kinds, but we can appreciate these conditions in each particular case ; we can compare their reports with those from other sources of information ; and we present the public in our remarks with the conclusions most probably approximating to the substantial truth. In point of fact, those very articles selected by Mr. Cobden as least concerned with the " news," which he thinks should be the exclusive produce of a paper, are those in which the news is most carefully given. And this is not only naturally, but even necessarily the case. Our news arrives from every quarter of the world, and, as every day brings its own delivery, the most anxious vigilance would be insufficient to certify it in all particulars. Laborious as is the discretion exercised in this respect—and we can assure the reader that he has little conception o! the duty—it is of course impossible to secure perfect infallibility iq five hun dred correspondents ; and yet Mr. Cobden's pro posal would pin the reader's faith upon a corner paragraph, to the excho• ion of those expository articles on which all the experience and discern ment at the command of the journal have been carefully engaged. Again, how is a " fact" to be measured ? If by nothing but the words rc luired to communiel.te an occurrence, then the model of Mr. Cobden's news papers would be coats;ned in our submarine ex presses, and it would have been quite sufficient last Monday to have announced as ;;be first and last notice of the subject, " The Emperor of the French is married." If our own observations on this topic did not partake of that " intelligence" which news papers ought to convey, then neither did the letters of our Paris correspondent, for they were only " articles" in another form. Precisely the same remark, too, may be made of every report which reaches us from the suburbs or the provincial districts, from Scotland, o Cirom Ireland. An " alleged murder" or a " railway accident" could be reported as a bare " fac';' in two lines, but we suspect the utility of this Lind of " intelligence" would not be Brea '.4 It can scarcely, however, b e needful to insist on this argument. The obvious truth is, that no facts can be Irefully conveyed without collateral in!ormation, and few without some admixture of opinion. But there is another, and a much more critical point of inquiry —a point on which we are in clined to think that the whole question, as really viewed by Mr. Cobden, would be found to turn. Pray let us ask b;na what, in our selection of " facts and intelligence," we are to do with reports of public meetings, and speeches there delivered ? Mr. Cobden's visits to Manchester yesterday week and to Holmfirth on Wednesday were " facts," no doubt ; and, considering the hon. member's reputation, would be very properly chronicled ; but what were his addresses ? Should we have discharged our whole duty as purveyors of " news," if, instead of letting him talk for himself last week through twenty of our columns, we had an nounced that " Mr. Cobden spoke at a Peace Congress, and has written a book ?" Is this what a newspaper should have done ? If so, we can only say that we might have spared ourselves some cost, and the public, as we have reason to know, some impatience. If not, and if speeches are to be considered as facts and intelligence deserving all publication, will Mr. Cobden inform us why we may not address the public as well as he, or why his opinions on current politics should be impressed upon everybody, while those of others are to be discarded as offering no " guidance or direction ?" It is perfectly evident, from his own deportment, that he looks upon popular meetings and orations as fit and proper means of public instruction, and it is of course notorious that the chief effect of such addresses must be accomplished afterwards by the agency of the press. Mr. Cobden, in short, works upon public opinion through the columns of the Times as directly as if he had written and sent to us on paper what our reporters dispatch to us as taken down from his words. We must needs presume that he does not regard this " part of the paper" as deficient in interest or use ; yet, if ho does not, with what face can he claim for his own views a consideration which he denies to others ? He surely would not demand to have all the speaking to himself ; and yet what he here de mands is nothing less than all the writing. Only a short time ago he was pleased to characterise certain leading articles as " the most transcendant things, in point of style and. intellect, of any productions of the present day," and, at any rate as commentaries on public affairs, they are as much like " facts and intelligence" as his own speeches, and deserve as much perusal. Without any desire to be uncharitable, we can give but one explanation of arguments so incon sistent, and that is, that Mr. Cobden would fain demolish every influence but his own. He would make us the vehicle of his opinions without ad mitting us to any like privilege of speech. He wants more newspapers, because more newspapers, he thinks, might bring him more readers, and he wants "no leading articles," because those articles are occasionally devoted to the correction of speeches published side by side with them. Ho would like to address his persuasions to the public without check or interference—to be undisturbed in his history, his politics, and his prophecies ; and to have all these accepted as " facts and intelli gence," whilst the reflections of others on the same subject were rejected as neither " useful nor in teresting." Considering the occurrences of the last few years, it may surprise many readers to ob serve such a conclusion. A free press means free discussion. There is no Government in Europe, however absolute, whether at Naples, Pa r i s , ,or Vienna, which would care to control the publica tion of " facts." What such rulers object to is the expression of opinions ; and very strange it may possibly seem that the first objection of this kind in England should have proceeded from a politician avowing views of extreme liberalism. In reality, however, this intolerance is nothing but an ordinary symptom of democratic excess—a symptom which, if free course were given to the malady, would be seen not only in this, but in every department of politics. Fortunately, the danger is not great in this country that such a consummation will ever arrive ; nor is Mr. Cobden indeed taking the right steps to promote it. He is indefatigable in his efforts, and plausible in his talk ; but among so sensible a people as Englishmen he will gain no converts to his doctrines by disclosing his anxiety tosuppress all teachers but himself. (From the Morning Herald.) Wo do not think it necessary to adjudicate upon the respective merits of the Quarterly reviewer and M. Disraeli. The late brilliant leader of the House of Com mons was relieved from any responsibility with re spect to the best abstract policy to be pursued— first by his own promise, and secondly by the ex pressed wish of the country. It is enough to know that if the present Chancellor of the Exchequer did not defeat the late ministry factiously—that is, for the sake of the defeat—he did so for the sake of a principle which is false in the abstract, unjust in practice, and obnoxious to all parties—that of the present income-tax. Laying aside, therefore, the dis cussion of budgets, we jo'n issue with the leading journal (so-called from being led ?) on the sub ject of the navigation laws. We are amused at the confidence with which so great a cause is reposed on the evidence of the consistent Mr. W. S. Lindsay, and we are prepared to con tend that the present prosperity of the ship ping interest is in no way the result of the re peal of the navigation laws, for that repeal opened up no new markets, and the advance in the value of shipping has been greater during the last six months than during the whole of the preceding two years and a half. He who will take the trouble to cast his eye down the entering-out notices for London, Liverpool, and even Dundee, and there behold the evidence of a trade to Australia larger than we pos sess to any other part of the world, and which has sprung up suddenly like the prophet's gourd, will have no difficulty in accounting for the sudden change in the prospects of the shipowners. If the same person will then reflect that the voy age to Australia is three times as long as that to the United States, and that at least 100,000 to 200,000 tons of shipping are lying in the various Australian ports without crews to remove them, he will have some idea of the displacement of tonnage which has resulted from the discovery of gold in our own colonies. This discovery, acting on a gold cur rency, restored confidence, suspended the opera tion of the Bank Charter Act, and created as active and immediate demand for labourers and for manu facturers. How the Times is to prove that we have more men than we used to have, we are at a loss to con ceive ; and we confess that we look with some ap prehension to the ultimate effect of the present mania, which, assisted by foreign shipping, is aid ing the operations of emigration ; and owing to the scarcity of small Li:tish vessels (which the most sanguine were afraid to build in the face of foreign competition) is giving over much of our le gitimate and ordinary trade to foreign vessels. The effect of the export of gold to the Danube, &c., for grain is very likely, in conjunction with an unfa vourable harvest, to produce a sudden reaction, especially as much of the gold produced in the colo nies will find investment on the spot. Mr. W. S. Lindsay being paraded as the cham pion of Mr. Labouchere's measure, it is necessary to remind our readers of his sudden conver sion from declared hostility to a firm belief in its merits. It is remarkable that the sudden change which we refer to took place at a time when the shipping interest was undoubtedly depressed, and his conduct requires some further explanation than it has yet received. He might, with his re markable foresight, have become in a mysterious manner informed of the revelations to be made at the antipodes ; but that his modesty should have led him to keep his knowledge a profound secret re quires more faith than we have at command. It is well known that he is an eminent shipbroker as well as owner, though he makes a greater par a d e of the latter than of the former profession, and that it is usual with men in that description of business to take small shares in expensive ves sels, with a view to acting as agents and ships' husbands. It is, therefore, natural to suppose that persons so situated would be more sanguine under a depression of the shipping interest than those whose incomes are entirely derived from the profits of the voyage. Be this as it may, the re peal of the navigation laws, irrespective of the com mercial question, was a pernicious measure, and, in conjunction with the Merchant Seamen's Act, de , mands the prompt attention of the Legislature. (Front the Morning Post.) The increasing ,unpopularity of the Courts of Bankruptcy is notorious. Each succeeding Gazette bears testimony to it. As for the district courts, they will soon have a holiday the whole year round. So far from being all work and no play with their rustic honours, it will be soon all play and no work. Nor are matters in Basinghall-street much more promising. Punch's lively representation of the judges playing at shuttlecock may, so far as leisure is concerned, be speedily realised there. But the interests of commissioners, and of official assignees and messengers, are far from being identical. " What's sport to you is death to us." The com- missioners, secure of their quarter's salary, may smile at the diminishing bankruptcy column of the Gazette. In their eyes it may be growing " beau tifully less ;" but with offiCal assignees, messen gers, and those subordinates who live upon the wrecks of ruined traders, and who are paid by per tentage—whose perquisites, like those who strip the slain on the battle field, are in proportion to the bavoc—with these functionaries things are assum ing a serious aspect. In turning over the pages of one of those pon derous blue -books in which so many useful facts are entombed, we happened to light upon a piece of evidence given by Mr. Miller, the gentleman who drew up the Bankruptcy Consolidation Act, and whose testimony may be relied upon. Having been asked by the chairman of the Commons' Com mittee on Bankruptcy, if official assignees would not prefer a fixed salary, with some additional per tentage, to the existing mode of remuneration, he replied, "No ; they have been questioned on the subject, and all refused; they preferred the present lottery system." That, no doubt, was the case in 1848 ; but that was just after the panic, which was as beneficial to official assignees as an epidemic to physicians. They would now, probably, in the hackneyed language of the poet, exclaim, " Tem pera mutantur nos et mutamur in illis!" By way of making things better for them, their charges have, by the New Rules and Orders, been aggravated. The public complained of the monstrous expenses of bankruptcy, and their complaints were met by an increased scale of fees. The authoi:ties else where acted very differently. Look at the new scale of fees in the common law courts, and see the reductions which have taken place in Chancery. But bankruptcies decline ; therefore, let the credi tors under those which come in be more heavily mulcted—about as good policy as the landlord who would raise the rents of his farms because his tenants were leaving them. " My lords," said the late Lord Chancellor, in his speech on law reform on the 16th of November last, " I have been anxiously inquiring what can be the reason why the business in the Court of Bankruptcy has fallen off, especially when I find that the fees received in respect of business in that court are insufficient to meet the ex pense r." The unfortunate creditors who find the assets of their debtor absorbed by official assignees, messengers, brokers, accountants, de cayed or decaying commissioners, &c., &c., could answer the question with great force at d simplicity. They complain of a scanty dividend, and they are comforted with the assurance that the bankrupt's books were very voluminous, that was necessary to raise a " supplemental ledger," and that the accountant's charge alone was 601. or 801. Let us not be understood as saying n against official assignees personay.Th e ey e word are ll a respectable, clever, painstaking, a n d a t present, we believe, a very ill-paid body. The t ru th i s, We_ have .the present system is radically bad. fre quently pointed out its gross anomalies, and the grievous injustice it inflicts ; the only remedy i s it s e a en tire remodelling, or its complete destruction, and the transfer of its jurisdi c ti on to a tribunal whose constitution is more in accordance with the require ments of a commercial nation —a tribunal whose machinery would be less complicated and expen sive, which would deserve and obtain the confi dence of the mercantile public. We are glad to perceive that Lord Brougham's bill for rtahned the t abolition of the Dist r i c t C our t s o f Bank ruptcy,ransfer of their jurisdiction to the county courts, stands upon the order-bOok of the Lords ; and still more pleased to be able to announce that it is the intention of the veteran law reformer to persevere with it. In reply b y to in quiries addressed that noble an d learned lord to Mr. Arthur James Janes, one of the county court judges, that gentleman, in a letter published in the last number of the Law Review, states his reasons why it, is expedient to transfer to the 63i 5 44 4 5i 12i 13 26i 6 I SI S 773 2) Ills 106 5 1 87i 7 761 I a 7i 1C fi 8 15 11 1196 1119 18i 19i 19 89 1 t 291 76/ 74 t 45 35i I pm. 78 i 70 i 9 Mi li pm la pm 33i * 3 241 4 29i 30 fl 3 a i tall d county courts the country jurisdiction in bank- ruptcy. He says, the present courts of bankruptcy in the country, having been established only in a few. of the principal towns of the kingdom, are too remote from most of the country districts to dispense the bankruptcy law to those districts with simplicity and economy. He considers the constitution of the present coun try bankruptcy courts, by the expense, trouble, and risk which legal redress in them occasions, amounts to a practical denial of justice. Nor does he think the objections to the present system would be got rid of by sending commissioners on circuit ; " for," he justly observes, " the amount of business .in all districts except the largest commercial towns is too small to furnish any reasonable justification for throwing, either on the Government or on creditors in bankruptcy, the expenses incident to a circuit for the single purpose of bankruptcy cases." But Mr. Johnes urges a still stronger, it appears to us an unanswerable, reason against the circuit project, namely, the absolute necessity for the constant pre sence of the inferior officers employed in taking possession of the estate, in making out the accounts, in carrying ou t a ll the details of management, and final distribution among the creditors. Mr. Johnes's remedy is to transfer the country jurisdiction in bankruptcy to the county courts, be cause those courts possess in themselves all the requi sites which are wanted in any separate bankruptcy, jurisdiction. He is of opinion that, except in popu lous commercial neighbourhoods, where he would make a slight addition in the number of county court judges, the bankruptcy business would form only an imperceptible addition to the labours of those functionaries. " There is a county clerk and a high bailiff resident in each locality in which a county court is held. They are constant residents, and not mere attendants on the judge, who has to visit commonly twelve districts in each month. They are local officers in the strictest sense, and thus have an opportunity, at the smallest possible expense, of personally superintending the management and final distribution of a bankrupt's estate, under the eyes of the creditors, and subject to the periodical superintendence of the judge. These very func , tions they have already exercised in insolvency cases (embracing the failures of all traders owing less than 3001.), &c., &c. As a class, they are un doubtedly quite equal in intelligence, &c., to those officers to whom analogous duties are confided in the Courts of Bankruptcy." The jurisdiction of the London Bankruptcy Court now extends over the counties of Middlesex, Herts, Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, southern divi sion of Wiltshire, such parts of Dorsetshire as are within one hundred miles of London (including the towns of Poole, Wimborne Minister, Blandford, Sturminster and Shaftesbury), Oxfordshire, Berk shire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Northamp tonshire, Huntingdonshire, Rutlandshiie, Cam bridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex. The new bill has the following restrictive provisions :—"From. and after the commencement of this act, the jurisdic tion of her Majesty's Court of Bankruptcy, and the Commissioners thereof shall, save and except as here in-after mentioned, be restricted to cases in which the petitioners in any matter of arrangement, or the trader in any matter of bankruptcy, or the trader debtor in any matter of trader-debtor summons, shall have resided or carried on business for six months next immediately preceding the time of filing the petition for arrangement, or petition for adjudication of bankruptcy, or of the issuing of any summons against any trader-debtor, within any parish the distance whereof, as measured by the nearest highway from the General Post-office in London to the parish church of such parish, shall not exceed the distance of twenty miles." We entertain no doubt but that, sooner or later, Lord Brougham's bill, or some such measure, will find its way into the statute-book, and that the grievous hardship of dragging creditors from such remote places as Yarmouth and Lowestoft to Bas- inghall-street, in order to establish a disputed claim, or expose a knavish bankrupt, will cease to exist. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. SPORTING NOTES.—No. CCCLXXI. NOTTINGHAM SPRING MEETING. The sporting public, if fine weather continues, will be gratified with a day's capital sport at Nottingham to morrow. The meeting is under the stewardship of Captain Percy Williams and J. Whitaker, Esq., with Mr. Richard Johnson, of York, as Judge, and Mr. Bradfield, as usual, Clerk of the Course. To the last- named person's energy we are indebted for a Spring, as well as a Summer Meeting, in this locality. The sport commences at half-past twelve with the Nottingham Spring Handicap of 10 sous. each, 5 ft., NA ith 50 added (mile and a half). This stake has obtained an ac ceptance of seventeen, above a moiety of which will be found at the post. The range is only two stone between the top and bottom weights. Mr. T. Parr has a couple —Bardolph and Pride—one at the top, and the other one at the bottom of the list. I cannot imagine that either has a chance of winning. May-day is over weighted at Bst. 71b. Humphrey, same _weight, I have no doubt will run very well, and there sr, mere apparently impossible things brought about than his winning. Little Davie's running is du bious. Prestige, at Bst. 511)5., if her former self, is not weighted too much ; but I fancy she is not in that perfection she on boasted of. Psyche, I pre sume, will not run. The Bishop, although he has never accomplished anything particularly grand, yet, I fancy, from his present condition and appearance, vial be the winner on this occasion. Ricardus de Pigburn I know nothing about. Tower is a perfect brute. Chilton, the best horse in the entry, is overweighted. Llanforda, if meant, ought to run well. Bold Davie, lam given to understand, is sure to figure in front. Lady Sarah. Anne Page, and the Liverpool filly are not likely to trouble the judge this time. The Grace Darling filly, whose performance hitherto, have been anything but re spectable, is an improving animal, and will do something good presently, but not this bout I reckon. To sum tip their pretensions, I shor'd place THE BISHOP and Bold Davie fii.:l and second ; with Old Humphrey and Mr. T. Parr's animal in the next two berths. A Sweepstakes of 5 sovs. each, with 30 added,if or two year-olds, is the second race on the card, colts. Ist 71b ; fillies, Bst 41b (about half a mile on the straight run in). This race will, of course, be nothing more than a spurt, the horse in the best condition, and first off, if possessed of speed, being almost certain to be the winner. Taking into consideration that not one of the twelve entries have yet appeared in public, it is not altogether he easiest task to select the Nik Inner. I have ascertained, however, that the majority are not forward enough in their pre paration ; and that the race is almost certain to be con fined to the Jewess, Bridesmaid, and Lady Audrey, all three of whom are in very good condition, considering the time o' year. I feel inclined to give the palm to Lady Audrey, and to place Bridesmaid and the Jewess in the second and third positions. The Selling Sweepstakes of 5 sovs each, with 25 added does not close and name until this evening. The Free Handicap Hurdle Race is said to be a posi tive certainty for Caurire or Sir Robert ; but about this race I know but little. The Hunters' Stakes is also said to be a good thing for Cropwell, a well-known hunter in those parts. A Sweepstakes of 5 sovs, to c'ose to-night, brings the day's sports to a conclusion. THE SPIRIT OF TIIR TURF. WILTSHIRE CHAMPION COURSING MEETING.- -FEB. 1 TO 4. The Druid Cup for all ages (16 subs.) was won by Mr. Brown's Bedlam Bess ; Mr. Rendall's Rabbi ran up. The Great Western Stakes for 12 puppies of 1851, were won by Mr. Jardine's Marmora and Miss Hannah. The Amesbury Stakes for 16 puppies of 1851, were won by Mr. Etwall's Evangeline ; Mr. Lawrence's Lucy Locket ran up. The Stonehenge Stakes were won by Mr. Etwall's Egypt. The Elston Stakes were divided by Mr. Erowei Bright Eye. The Beacon Hill Stakes were won by Mr. Riley's Roscelle. B The ulford Stakes were won by Captain Wyndham's Whiff and Caffree. HILTON COURSING MEETING. This great coursing meeting took place on Thursday and Friday last, when the following was the .result of the two days' sport, which was of a first class character : The Hilton Cup by 16 dogs, all aged. at 21.1044. each, the winner to receive IS 7 , the secondll., and winner' of two courses 21. Hs. each, was won by Mr. T. C. Con stable's r. d. Luck's All, Mr. Gouland's Bonnie DundeP, Mr. Aungle's Sandy o'er the Lea, and Mr. Hilton's Ti;) received the second and aird monies, having won two courses each. The Levey Stakes, by 13 dogs, at 11. 10s. each ; the winner to receive 101., the second 31., and winners of two courses 11. 10s. each. Our correspondent from Stockton on-Tees has omitted to say which dog won this match, but but Mr. A ung l e ' s Zilpha, Mr. Sweedy's Voltigeur, ' Mr. Menburn's Macaroon won two courses each. The meeting on the whole was a very successful one. RACING PIXY JRES FOR 1858. • , hesis denote the number of The figures within parent] days' FEBR Nottingham Spring (1) 8 Lincoln Spring (2) 15 MA] acing JARY Hereford (2). CCNlTc'e:neatsr.:loBl)Snng (2). Spring ( 2).,..2S Leamington (1) 29 Cattcrick Bridge (2), 29 Northampton (2) 3O .Abergavenny (1).. 3l ....1 Carmarthenshire Hunt 1 Liverpool Spring (1) 2 Doncaster Spring (2) S Salisbury (2) . lO Warwick Spring (2)••••• 15 Kiplin Coates (11 17 AP: IL. , c rex t en Park ( 2 ) 5 York Spring (2)....:...,.10 Epsom Spring (1) 7 Mahon (2) •.,„21 N ew market Craven (5) ...11 Newmarket F. S. (5). .25 MAY. . .. , s Chester (4) _ . 3 Redditch (2) ' ' 16 Newmarket Sec Sp (3)-10 Bath (2) • l7 Liverpool Hunt (2) li Manchester (3) z :...18 Shrewsbury (2) Edinburgh (2) : ,...,, ....... 12 I ____ _____ ____ :IGN. ex in x in Z in x in