The Sun. — London, England, 1853-02-10 00:00:00

CLERICAL, MEDICAL, and GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY. No. 99, GREAT IttfisELL-STREET, BLOOMSBURY. The Annual General Meeting of Proprietors will be held at the Office of the Society, on THURSDAY, the 3d day of March next, at One o'Clock precisely, at which Meeting five Directors, one Trustee, and one Auditor (on the part of the Proprietors), will be elected. Any Proprietor desirous of proposing a candidate for the office of Director, Trustee, or Auditor, must send the name of such candidate to the Secretary, at least fourteen days before the day of Meeting. The Ballot will commence at Eleven and close at Two o'Clock. An election of an Auditor on the part of the Assured will also take place on WEDNESDAY. the 2d day of March, between the hours of Eleven and Two o'Clock. All persons Assured for the whole term of life, and qualified to vote, are hereby referred to the conditions indorsed on ther Policies, for information concerning the candidate to be proposed. GEORGE 11. PINCKARD, Resident Secretary. February 10th, 1853. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. yafewell Season of Mr. Benjamin Webster as Lessee and Manager. THIS EVENING, FEB,. 10, win be performed the popular and highly successful Comedy of MASKS AND FACES; or, Before and Behind the Curtain—by Messrs. Benjamin Webster, Leigh Murray, Stuart, Parselle, and Lambert ; .Nfrs. Stirling, Mrs. Leigh Murray, Miss F. Vining, and Miss Rosa Benntht. Aft e r which, et e new and original Farce, called TO PARIS AND BACK FOR FIVE POUNDS. To conclude with the Farce of BOX and COX MARRIED and SETTLED. ROYAL LYCEUM TIIEATRE. Under the Management of Madame Vestrla. THI3 EVENING, I'm 10, Nyill be performed the Comic Drama called A PHENOMENON IN A. SMOCK•FROCK. Characters by Messrs. C. Mathews, F. Matthews, and Horncastle ; Miss F. Baker and Miss C. Mitchell. After which, the new and popular original Fairy Extravaganza, entitled THE GOOD WOMAN IN THE WOOD, in which Messrs. F. Matthew!, Suter, Horncastle, and Templeton ; Mada.ne Vestris, Miss Julia St. George, Miss Robertson, Miss Martindale, Miss Ellis, Miss Wyndham, Miss Eglinton, and Miss Itosina Wright will appear. To conclude with LITTLE TODDLEKINS. Sole Agent for the Private Boxes, Mr. W. Alleroft, 15, New B.,nd-street. THEATRE ROYAL ADELPHI. Proprietor, Mr. B. Webster.—Directress, Madame Celeste. Tlll3 EVENING, FEB, 10, Will be presented the powerful new Drama of SLAVE LIFE ; or, II acie Tom's Cabin—by Messrs. Alfred Wigan, 0. Smith, aad Emery ; Madame Celeste, Miss Woolgar, Miss Harding, Miss Keeley, and Mrs. Keeley. To conclude with the successful new Comic Pantomime, called NELL GWYNNE ; or, Harlequin Merrie Monarch. Principal Danseuse, Mdlle. Auriol ; Clown, Mr. Flearnore. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STREET. Under the Management of Mr. C. Kean. THIS EVENING, FEB. 10, WIB be performed the new and original Comedy, in three acts, by Douglas Jerrold, entitled ST. CUPID ; or, Dorothy's Fortune (as played at Windsor Castle, by Royal Command). Principal charac ters by Messrs. Wright, W. Lacy, Harley, J. Vining, Ryder, F. Cooke, Everett, and Chester ; Mrs. W. Lacy and Mrs. C. Kean. To conclude with the new and original Grand Comic Christ mas Pantomime, entitled MARLEQUIN CHERRY AND FAIR STAR; or, The Green Bird, the Dancing Waters, and the Singing Tree. Harlequin, Mr. Cormack ; Clown, Mr. Huline ; Pan taloon, Mr. Paulo; Columbine, Miss Desborough. ROYAL OLYMPIC: THEATRE. Lessee and Manager, Mr. Farren. THIS EVENING, FEB. 10, Will be presented LILIAN GERVAIS Supported by Messrs. Compton, W. Farren, jun., Hoskins, Cooke, Edgar, Bender, and Clifton; Misses Anderton and H. Gordon. After which, WANTED ONE THOUSAND SPIRITED YOUNG MILLINERS FOR THE GOLD DIGGINGS. To conclude with ROMEO AND JULIET; or, Harlequin Queen Mab and the World of Dreams. Clown, Mr. Edwin Edwardes, with his highly-trained Dogs. Box-uflice open from Eleven till Five, under the superintendence of Mr. E. Chatterton. ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE. Proprietor and Manager, Mr. W. Batty. Crowded Nightly to witness the Extraordinary Holiday Attractions. LAST WEEK BUT FOUR of Mr. BATTY'S MANAGEMENT, And positively the Last Week of the Grand Comic Pantomime. In consequence of the numerous appltcations for the reproduction of the superb Spectacle of MAZEPPA, or THE WILD HOR-E, Mr. Batty has much pleasure in terminating his professional career in acquiescing in the generally expressed desire of his patrons and the public, and will produce the above Spectacle with all its origi nal splendour on the 13th February instant. THIS EVENING, FEB. 10, And during the Week the Curtain will rise at Seven o'clock, to the 68th Representation of UNCLE TOM'S CABIN. After which, new and splendid Scenes in the Circle, by French and English Artistes. To conclude with the Grand Comic Pantomime of FORTUNIO AND HIS HORSE COMRADE ; or, Harlequin and the Seven Gifted Men. Doors open at Ralf-past Six o'clock. To commence at Seven. Box-ouice open daily from Eleven to Four. stage Manager, Mr. W. West. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tnrs DAT --Morning 26 min. after 3 Evening 44 min.aft. 3 To-Moartow—Morning 2 min. after 4 Evening 20 min.aft. 4 .DAILY IVBAIIIER TABLE. THURSDAY, FEB. 10, 1853. State of the wind and weather at each of the following places at nine o'clock yesterday morning. The stations are arranged in order of latitude. HASTINGS—N.E., fresh breeze—overcast. FOLKESTONE—E., fresh breeze—overcast. TUNBRIDGE—N.E., gentle breeze—partially cloudy. BASINGSTOKE—S. W., gentle breeze—scud, rain. GREENWICH—E., gentle breeze—overcast. SmooD—S.E., strong breeze—partially cloudy. LEIGHTON—N.E., gentle breeze—cloudy. CAMBRIDGE—E., gentle breeze—cloudy. The returns from the following places indicate the state of the weather on Tuesday morning at nine o'clock : Mn LLIN G AR— W. , gentle breeze—partially cloudy. YARMOUTH—S.E., gentle breeze—overcast. LANCASTER—S., calm—foggy. WHITBY— —Calm—foggy, frost, snow. DARLINGTON—W., gentle breeze - overcast, frost, foggy, SHAP—N., calm—principally clear. THE WEATHER.-SUN OFFICE, FEB, 10. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 37—highest since noon yesterday. 31—lowest this morning and during the night. 32—this day at noon, BAROMETER, 20'1S—rising. WIND, N.N.E.—Smart breeze, and dull weather, wiL sleet. CPI) " tk, LONDON, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1853. Parliament resumes its sittings this evening under more than usually important circumstances. It was only very recently that we directed atten tion to the peculiarity of the internal situation of Great Britain at the present juncture when the destinies of the Empire are committed to the keeping of a suddenly constituted and strangely coalesced Administration. Possibly, it may not be superfluous to recapitulate succinctly the prin cipal characteristics of that situation—now that the nation may be said to stand more directly in the presence of the Coalition Government. The ABERDEEN Cabinet, to speak plainly upon a mat ter in regard to which there has hitherto been so much confusion, finds itself surrounded by difficulties of its own creation, and those diffi culties of more than ordinary magnitude. It will have, first of all, to reconcile an almost incal culable number of interior differences. It will have to sustain in a direct policy the various opinions of the conflicting parties joined together for the time being, as a sort of Make-shift Minis try. Besides this, it will require to exercise over its councils an extraordinary amount of authority in the way of prudential forethought, so as to avoid, if possible, the peril of swelling the already compact and formidable phalanx of the DERBYITE Opposition. That Opposition, it is obvious, may otherwise at any moment be transformed from a minority into a majority, by combining the Inde pendent Liberals and the Irish Uripurchaseables with the powerful body lead by Mr. DISRAELt— the resolute and united body of the Tory Re formers. Upon some questions we cannot forget that those same Tory Reformers would be enabled to go to the country under more propitious colours, under a more auspicious pretext, than their banded antagonists—the Whig-Peelites. Such, for example, as the Income-tax Question ! Whereas, if the Ministerial cards be only adroitly played, the tables may be turned by the present holders of office even at the eleventh hour before the necessity of a dissolution—by staking the fortunes of the Cabinet upon the prevention of the enhancement of the House Tax, and by the reor ganising of the entire system of our so- called national represen tation. Latterly, it has unh a ppil y b een only too apparent that the prudent occupants of Downing-street are prepared to rid themselves of any immediate annoyance in the way of legislati ve reform and of further retrenchment, by resorting to the old and atrocious alternative which, to wards the close of the last century, plunged this country into a war, which cost it a d e bt of 500,000,0001. sterling, a sanguinary struggle originated by England, and one which, c orn _ menced in the prostituted name of Liberty, closed by binding, more firmly even than of yore, in the iron bonds of Despotism the ravaged re-ilms and prostrate peoples of the Conti nent. The alternative submitted to themselves in 1793 by the aristocratic monopolists of power in Great Britain was simply this—Peace with abuses to remove, and leisure for the Re formers, and an unavoidable necessity for retrenchment, or—War with all these evils indefi nitely postponed. History tells us in letters of , blood how the rulers of that ac ,, resolved to pre tarkjerittter course in defiance of all the dictates --- or., 'e ity, in spite of all the promptings of pi** in contempt of all the ills inevitable 'CIT) from a retarded civilisation. Again, the alterna tive appears to be now, in this year of Grace, 1853, submitted to themselves by the aristocratic monopolists of power in the United Kingdom. Otherwise, we should never hear so much of this execrable and preposterous war-panic, at a period when France and England are in a state of pro found tranquillity. Otherwise, we should not listen to so much blustering about not merely the en hancement of our national defences, but about the necessity of increasing our army by 20,000 or 30,000 men, when our neighbours across the Channel have been decreasing theirs by 30,000 or 40,000, and their navy by 2,000,000 francs, in their annual scale of mari time expenditure. Otherwise, moreover, we should not witness the indecorous spectacle of two Cabinet Ministers—one at Carlisle, the other at Halifax—availing themselves of a hustings' audi ence to vituperate, in language of the most coarse and scurrilous description, the elected chief of 8, 000, 000 of Frenchmen. Everything, in deed, appears to intimate that the Govern ment of England is prepared to deprive the real Reformers of anything like an oppor tunity for improvement, by plunging the nation once more into an expensive, a perilous, and a sanguinary contest, under the pretext of advancing the cause of liberty and civilisation, but in reality with a view to serve the interests of despotism and retrogression. Europe, meanwhile, presents to the view in various quarters a gigantic conspiracy by way of simultaneous preparation. Notwithstanding that tranquillity has been again restored to the majority of the races of Christendom, there are visible here and there warning tokens that that tranquillity, if interrupted forcibly by England, may be the signal for a wide-spread convulsion, such as even in our days shall have been altogether unparalleled. Montenegro at war with Turkey, has, moreover, precisely at this period, called in the aid of the Austrian soldiers, under the command of the Ban of Croatia, the renowned and formidable JELLACHICH. Austria, mean while, though at heart the slave of the Russian Autocrat, is lording it as haughtily as ever upon those fair fields of Lombardy, where the volcanic flame of insurrection has again flashed out from the city of Milan, to the sound, if /hot at the signal, of the oratorical thunders of the exiled KOSSUTH. Switzerland, it is true, is no longer ravaged by internecine contentions. Schleswig and Holstein are no longer pitted against each other in the name of the Danish Sovereign and of the Germanic Confederation. Spain, relieved of NARVAR; is no more threatened by per petual interruptions to the deliberative labours of her Representative Legislature. Portugal, rid at last of CABRAL, can find at least temporary consolation from the councils of other patriotic statesmen besides SALDANHA. There is a lull in the lonian Islands. There is a momentary cessation of intrigue at the Court of OTHo. Naples is no longer frightened into quietude by the lion - eyes and glittering blades of the lazzaroni. Prussia, allowed for a while to escape from the difficulty of the great problem of national development, is coquetting al ternately with the Imperial Councils at Paris and at Petersburg. Algeria has become in a manner permanently tranquillised by the unconditional submission of ABD-EL-KADER to his magnanimous liberator—now that they have respectively " set tled down," the Emir at Broussa, and the Emperor at the Tuileries. Egypt, again, is calmly extend ing the internal resources of her system of exotic manufactures. Russia is stagnating in that stupen dous servitude which requires a standing army of nearly 1, 000, 000 disciplined soldiers for its continu ance. Leaving Europe for a moment, and turning our gaze towards the Western Hemisphere, we find ae the present juncture the American Republic restricting its warlike energies to the carrying out of the American Japanese expedition ; while, southwards, Mexico is overawed, and, north wards, Canada is cajoled into tranquillity. Eng land all the while finds her conquering arms called again into action merely in two parts of her enormous and scattered dominions, in Africa and in Asia, against the Kafirs and against the Bur mese. At this critical interval it is that our Ministers appear prepared to interrupt the per vading prosperity by fomenting the angry passions lulled by thirty-eight years of peace into some thing like rational reconciliation. At this junc ture we hear two of the leading Members of the Cabinet swelling the war-cry by abuse directed against a neighbouring and friendly Govern ment. It is thus that 1853 is becoming rapidly the counterpart of 1793—that our popu lation is being hurried into a blind hostility against a race that should be regarded by us rather with remorse than with hatred—a people to whom we should proffer not angry words and evil deeds, but an honourable and repentant repa ration. Formerly, in 1793, the alternative we have already particularised was submitted to themselves, as we have said, by the aristocratic monopolists of power in England. Nowadays, in 1853, in a more enlightened age, and a more instructed generation, the alternative cannot be thus comfortably decided upon—it must be drawn from the obscurity of Ministerial Councils—it must be an alternative to be decided between the people and the Government. The last remnant of Protection has expired, or rather, like patients of whose recovery there was no longer a hope, has been mercifully put out of pain by its friends and well-wishers ! S tart not, gentle reader—the deplorable fact is but too true. The National Association for the Protection of British Industry is no longer in existence, and the fatal blow that consigned it to the tomb of " all the CAPULETS," was inflicted by the parri cidal hands of Mr. G. F. YOUNG, its favourite child, aided and abetted not only by his Grace of RICHMOND, but also by, the consistent BALL, the valorous CHOWLER, and the energetic ELLM AN. One solitary voice was raised on behalf of the un happy victim—which had long exhibited but very slight symptoms of vitality, barely sufficient to avert a premature interment ; but even the re doubted IVENS, like Serjeant LENS, in the cele brated case in Term Reports, moved " very faintly, and as if with no hope of success." The single negative, or rather protest, however, effected no diversion in favour of the afflicted sufferer. The fell resolution was carried into execution, and " The Na tional Association for the Protection of British In dustry" no longer cumbereth the earth—nay, more, and that was " the unkindest cut of all," the re solution for its immediate dissolution declared that " the continuance of the Association would be in consistent with its character" (! ! I)—at the same time announcing the termination of "the con test ;" a conclusion in which we suppose the 53 impracticables will fully concur, and that we may accept the pledge thus given for future peace and tranquillity on the subject of the taxes on human food. Something, indeed, was said anent the Asso ciation, Phcenix-like, arising from its ashes, and " when the fitting time arrived" (alas for the vague and indeterminate time of action) pre senting the " same bold front it had heretofore maintained 1" This, however, as well as the general professions of undying devotion to the sacred cause of " Protection," and unflinching confidence in the accuracy of the principles that justified the levying a black mail on the rest of the community, might be regarded as excuseable under the circumstances. It was what DANIEL O'CON NELL was accustomed to denominate " Tallaght ' hill talk," where persons attempted to take all the grace from the concessions they were compelled to make, and with excessive bombast to assure their auditors that only for something nothing could in duce them to do as they were actually doing. The leek was, however, swallowed—not a shred or vestige was suffered to remain ; and we shall exhibit the like indulgence for the pompous plati tudes, so energetically enunciated, that FLUELLEN did to " the mighty valorous orts " of Ancient PISTOL, while engaged in his unsavoury task. We may be permitted to say, that if everything was so strongly in favour of Protection, and that its principles could be sustained by reason and argument, the cessation of th e s t rugg l e can scarcely be accounted for. It was not by such conduct that COBD.E.N . organised his forces under the Anti- , Corn-Law standard ; nor was any great reform ever achieved by such strange apathy and excessive pusillanimity. If the parties had such unqualified confidence in the justice of their cause, they would not have so hastily flung aside their " harness" and abandoned the lists in which they had once appeared as champions. The defection of others would only have increased their energies and in duced them to make up for the desertion of the " traitors" by additional activity on their own part. It was, however, deemed expedient to act differently, and it is not for those belonging to the victorious party to question the prudence of the course which induced the seceders to prefer an inglorious peace to the maintenance of a hopeless contest. And although we cannot very highly estimate the chivalry evinced by the leaders, we must confess that they have shown a greater de gree of common sense—a more valuable quality than "chivalry" in these "piping times of peace" —than we had given them credit for. One remarkable feature of the proceedings was the pertinacity with which the chief orators con tinued to ascribe the general prosperity, which could not be denied, to every or any cause but the true one. As Mr. SNODGRASS avowed that the too apparent symptoms of inebriety arose " not from the wine, but from the salmon," they disco vered sundry matters to which the mercantile and manufacturing activity, the general employment at remunerative prices by which every man able and willing to labour is certain of obtaining " a fair day's wages for a fair day's work," the dimi nution of the poor-rates, and other unmis takeable indications of the national 'wel fare might be attributed, and it is but simple justice to say that great ingenuity was evinced by the parties. The Australian and Californian dis coveries were, of course, turned to good account. It could not be that matters so obvious would be lost sight of, or overlooked. A little inquiry might, however, have satisfied the parties that, up to this moment, more gold has left England in conse quence of these discoveries then has yet arrived from the " diggins." The results of the almost miraculous quantities of specie collected, and in course of collection from the auriferous soil, will arrive in due time, and England will, un less some untoward accident should mar her auspicious prospects, enjoy a greater degree of prosperity than at any period recorded in her annals. But that time is yet to arrive, and to neither Australia nor California can we attribute the superabundance of specie, and the easiness of the money market. The suggestion, however, was plausible, and, as RICHARD CARSTONE, would say, " answers as well as anything else for the time." The idea, however, that the present prosperity was owing to the revolutionary spirit that prevailed on the Continent in 1848— was indeed a discovery that showed the sharp sightedness of the worthy Alderman by whom it was made. Had his vision been assisted by the " ROSSE " or the " CRAIG " telescope, he could not have seen " farther into the millstone." The quondam. Protectionists will now, however, become the best Free-traders. BALL demnnded " Free Trade in everything." CHOWLER declared that it was " the bounden duty of Parliament to carry that principle fully and fairly into effect;" while ELLMAN added, " Let it " (i. e. Free Trade), "be carried out fairly, and let us have it in its full extent." Bravo, BALL ! Proceed, most excellent CHOWLER. Be not discouraged—oh, energetic ELLMAN ! We shall be good friends yet. Arrayed under the same banner, and strug gling for the establishment of unrestricted compe tition in all its integrity, we tender our hearty support to the new agitation, and are delighted to witness the enlistment of such promising recruits. Meanwhile peace to the manes of the deceased, requiescat in pace. May no sacrilegious hand dis turb its ashes. It has departed gracefully, " vanishing" like the Cock-lane Ghost, "with an oderiferous twang," in the shape of a number of laudatory resolutions in which everybody moved votes of thanks couched in the most eulogistic terms to every body else for incessant and valuable exertions in favour of the cause, whose obsequies were in course of celebration, and accepted on their own account the praise so freely and lavishly bestowed. North Lincolnshire, Halifax, and Manchester have favoured us with a little whet for the grand feast of debates on which we are now entering. We must own that they impress upon us the con viction that our surmises of late have been cor rect, that as little as possible will be done this session, that our strong Cabinet is to drive a vigorous trade in good intentions, promises, and dilatory expedients, and that everything depends on the vigilance and determination of Reformers. Mr. CHRISTOPHER, indeed, meeting the farmers at the ordinary at Lincoln, with his colleague, Mr. STANHOPE, appeared to have very serious fears for the Conservatism of the Government— his dread was, not that the Liberals and Radicals would be Torified at all, but that Lord JOHN RUSSELL and Sir W. MOLESWORTH had converted t e e s that p ered our people,fears Lord ABERDEEN. We must confess are all the other way. Goocod certainly, aro the Lincolnshire farmers. The Athenians used to cut off their generals' heads if they lost a battle, the Roman Senate to thank a defeated Consul for not despairing of the Republic; precedent,ra d h E n t t e o L h i n ai s c p o p l e n a s rh heart's t r e fhca have : m et e e e r n h s t , pre ,ear se d f er he rmi narrated r t rc h aHt e rh t o e i - r s s h l o w pe ce l s e s s f s u ab l b o a u t t r for eagainst an protection,st the and odious stout wise and , just, and beneficial " epithets, when all contest about anything but epithets was perfectly useless. It would seem from the report of the meeting as if the farmers were in a very cheerful mind (it was after dinner), for they even said, " Hear, hear," when Mr. CHRISTOPHER descanted on the mischief of a Government which could leave the Ballot an open question. We doubt not, however, that the majority of Lincolnshire farmers would still rote, Ballot or no Ballot, for any of the " old and tried farmers' friends." On the subject of the Income Tax these meet ings give us some encouragement. Sir CHARLES WOOD, indeed, was ominously silent about it at Halifax. Still this may be interpreted as shame for the past ; it would have been a most unfor tunate :thing to talk to Halifax manufacturers (his colleague himself being a very large one) on the impossibility of doing justice to trade in comes. Silence was discretion in regard to the past at least, and even if Sir CHARLES does not wish to amend for the future, his silence showed very plainly his estimate of the opinion of his au dience—an opinion he cannot afford to disregard. If, however, nothing was said at Halifax, no such timidity was evinced at Lincoln and Manchester. r greati We can may e begin to hope Mr. STANHOPE laid stress on the measure of In come-tax equity p roffered by the late Ministry, and invited the atte ntion of the farmers to it, as one the merits of w hich they could fully appre ciate ; and at Man chester, Mr. BRIGHT paid a handsome and well -deserved tribute to his politi cal antagonists, "f or their bold deed in regard to the Income Tax"—" for the country g entlemen of England, themselves the owners of a vast propor tion of the fixed la nded p roperty of the country— for them to come fo rward and support a proposi tion which made a distinction in the rate charged on fixed property, and that on income derived f rom trade and other precarious sources, wa s a ste p which we ought not io lose sight of , and that we in this district are bo und to applaud." This is as it ought to be, and wh en we find Lincoln and Man chester in harmony , and Mr. BRIGHT applauding what *Mr. STANHOPE, th e staunch Protectionist , deemsoofficialal m well h d ope eoh that no ov es er- w ri hi in th t e h se e House o o f b C e sr o tti minomar iu , we d c o oy n s s o r t he p gentlemen represent . that Income-tax reform is sure. Thanks for that without a question to the " boldness" of the DERBY Ministry. At Halifax, Sir C. WOOD declaimed against the Ballot from the old story of France, as if he had betted not 10,000/., but a hundred times that sum, in favour of invasion. Now, we may fairly ask the gentlemen who argue in this style which side they will choose of the dilemma ? Either the Ballot, which elected Louis NAPOLEON Emperor, expressed the choice of the French people, or it did not. If it did, is it not a breach of all inter. THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 10, 1853. national courtesy and propriety to abuse both the EMPEROR and the people for establishing a Go vernment over themselves in their own way ? for observe, it was not a question of oppressing Hun gary or Italy, but of governing themselves. If it did not, why then, of course, they assume that the Government officers, by retaining the ballot boxes in their own hands, and permitting no scrutiny, were guilty of fraud—that it was not, in fact, a free and real ballot. But, then, what becomes of it as an argument against the Ballot if it was no real ballot after all ? Anything more un becoming in Ministers of the Crown we can hardly imagine than such attacks upon a Monarch to whose Court they send an Ambassador. If it may be questioned what licence the press should grant itself, there can be no question as to what a Minister should do. Lord PALMERSTON'S noble remarks to the KOSSUTH Deputation, were trivial grounds of complaint in deed from a Foreign Court, compared with the severe language both of Sir CHARLES Woon and Sir JAMES GRAHAM. To return to the Ballot, however. We ha% e shown that Sir CHARLES is oither unwarrantably warlike, or that his argu ment, as against the Ballot, is not worth a straw. The Manchester gentlemen were, this time, wholly on the right tack —commending the good points Tea Duties in of the late Budget, th e mo difi e d I ncome Tax, and of fe Reform Ta they are manly style. On the questi on quite aware of the intended shuffling of the Government, but they will not let them have it all their own way. South Lan cashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire are amongst the districts more disproportionately re presented than any. In Manchester alone 48,000 houses are represented by only 2 Members ; elsewhere 48,000 houses are represented by 64 Members I We observe that Mr. BRIGHT strenu ously asserted the view which we ourselves have presented, that better distribution of the represen tatives, and Secret voting, are the things which will be resisted to the uttermost, and that they would hardly object to any extension of the suffrage, if allowed to retain the present distribution of Mem bers, and voting open to bribery and intimidation. These are the points over which Reformers must fight to the last. We shall not forget to drop illustrations every now and then of the gross in equalities of our representation. It seems that, according to its population, Manchester could claim 58 Members; according to its rating, 46; and if the mean of them were taken, 52. Mr. BRIGHT mentioned that a friend from Montreal had told him that in that city they had just adopted the Ballot for municipal elections, and that doing so had transformed the elections from such Bowies of violence and disorder to per fect peace and quiet, that though on former occa sions he could not vote on account of the disturb ance, this time he could do so with pleasure. Mr. BRIGHT also produced at the meeting a Massa chusetts voting envelope. It was stamped with the arms of the State. The elector goes with it to the polling-booth ; his name and address are found to accord with the register ; he has pre viously put his voting ticket, with the candidates' names upon it for whom he votes, into the en velope, and sealed it by means of the adhesive part. The officer takes it, ascertains that but one envelope is given him, and drops it into the box. It is compulsory on all to vote thus ; hence, none can bribe with safety, there can be no watching the state of the roll till 2 p.m., and then getting enor mous bribes at the eleventh hour. Riot has no object, as it cannot be known whether the riotous man is ahead or otherwise ; indeed, were colours and processions permitted, how easy would it be for the voter to put on the colours of the men who were rioting against his candidate, and thus miry his vote to the box safely. On the other hand, no man of character, who wished his vote for any reason to be known, could be hindered from telling it. The rogue's word would not be trusted by the W.B.s and FRAMS, nor that of the victim of oppression by his oppressor ; but all others, though compelled to use the envelope, would enjoy the advantage of publishing or concealing their vote as circumstances required. We honestly believe that there is nothing, and can be nothing, but bribery and intimidation in opposition to the Ballot. Reformers must have it. It is worth more than any Ministry which we have, or are likely to have ; and the Manchester Reformers shall always find its amongst their steadiest friends in all such really national objects. ely shat l e v t o t 1 a e r d e justified in saying also, confidently,. Sunday Desecration is—we blush to say it--aefi grant nitl v t for its I q v u e es s t h io a n ll l s o t o il k l e r a em ge a r i l n y i , n a g nd to G b o e D d the present session of the Imperi a l settle ment by the popular branch of the Legislat ure during Parliament. Frequently as we have our selves enlarged upon the cruelty of the cla mour raised by our dear old friends the Sabba tarians--oftel as we have endeavoured to explain with more ant more lucidity the incorrectness of their ethical reasoning, as well as the narrowness of their religious views as to the observance of the LORD'S Dar-46 day consecrated to GOD and to repose, not in commemoration of the Sabbath, but of the Resurrection—we are rejoiced to refer those of our readers who are more peculiarly in terested in the subject to a very charming essay upon it excerpted from the pages of one of the most popular and intelligent of our cheap periodi cals. Perhaps it will be as well for the poorer classes of the community to bear in especial remembrance humour of those wh o a d voca t e thethe n non-closing Sundays of the Gardens now in process of formation at Sydenham, and of their vobdurate, very petulant, and i ng ery antagonists, the leade rs o f th e liSabbatarians. Take th e ar ti c l e already etetri.ylyp e re squadesros of l referred resolute, , r to as appearing in another por tion of our impression of this evening, take that article as an illustration. Compare the sweetness and serenity of its tone with the harsh and in temperate rrotests entered against arguments of this nature by the sticklers for a merely cold and puritanical observance. It is an old say ing, and a tolerably true one into the bargain, that in a controversy, no matter upon what topic, whichever of the disputants loses his temper is, as a ma;ter of certainty, the one in the wrong. Judged by this criterion, the Sabbatarians appear by no means in a favourable light before the calmer and more impartial sections of the population. Judged, indeed, by any criterion, we have long insisted that they can be regarded by no means advantageously —but judged by that par ticular one, they stand forth, we maintain, in an as pect at once false and ludicrous. As affording another indication of this by the vividness of its contrast.. ing serenity, the remarks of our literary weekly contemporary are gladly afforded by us this even ing the benefit of our circulation. They are re marks, moreover, apart from the consideration above intimated, such as must appeal directly to the right reason and the better judgment of the community. ACCIDENT TO SIR JAMES GRAHAM.—The Right Hon. the First Lord of the Admiralty narrowly escaped serious injury yesterday morning. He was on his way I from the Palace to the Admiralty, in a Hansom's cab, when just opposite to the Duke of York's Column, in Pall-mall, the horse dropped down dead, and Sir James was violently jerked out of the cab on his head. W e are glad to learn, however, that although the right hon. baronet sustained an injury to the nose and mouth, from which he lost some blood, he was not seriously hurt, and was enabled to attend to board duties at the Admiralty in the course of the day. THE SWISS TELEGRAPH.—The Opinione of Turin states from Berne that a treaty has been concluded between Switzerland and Austria for the junction of their tele graphic lines. The Austrian Government undertakes to construct at its own expense the lines connecting Milan, Como, Feldkirch, and Bregenz, as far as the frontier while the Swiss Government engages to prolong its lines to its frontier to meet the former. DEPARTURE OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADIAN MAlLS.—Yesterday, at twelve o'cloek, the United States Mail steam-ship Europa, Captain Nye, sailed from the Mersey, for New York, with the usual bi-weekly mails, 40 passengers, and a large cargo of merchandise on freight. The Attorney. General has appointed Thomas Hall Terrell, Esq., to represent him as counsel in all cases relating to charities in the Courts of Chancery, the office lately held by Mr. James, Q.C. THE BRITISH COLONIAL BANK and Loan Company have issued a circular to their shareholders, giving the particulars of about 20,000 acres of land, and also town allotments, &c., held by them in Now South Wales, together with 120 acres of land within two miles of Melbourne, Victoria. MONEY AND COMMERCIAL NEWS. CITY, Two o'CLocx. The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday were estimated at 5,000 bales, of which 1,000 American were taken for export and 500 on specu lation. The market closed heavily—American under 5/d., were in some cases nearly /l per lb. lower. The sales comprised 4,000 American, 250 Pernam and Maranham at 6i-d. to 7d., 200 Egyp tian at 61d. to 70., 500 Surat at 31d. to 4.0., and 100 Sea Island is. Bd. to ls. 9d. per lb. The railway share market opened flat, but closed rather firmer. The six weeks' average price of wheat is 465. par, and the sales of the past week, officially reported, are 99,266 qrs. Accounts from Russia state that a new law, re gulating the employment of children in factories is coming into operation. After May next, 10 years will be the lowest age at which children can be em ployed, and in May, 1855, none under 13 years, and then only for seven hours daily, until they reach the age of 14 years. There will be three hours daily devoted to instruction. The agitation produced among the speculators ant others in the city by the intelligence received from Milan causes a revival of discussion as to the present condition of the money market, and there is certainly, so far as our observation and inquiry extend, not the slightest cause at present for further action on the part of the Bank of England. This day the Directors of the Bank of England separated after their usual weekly meeting, and as we anticipated, have made no further alteration in the minimum, rate. Looking merely to the surface of things, a contrary conclusion might be arrived at ; but, al though the demand for money is steady at from 2i up to 31 per cent., according to the character of the bills offered, and the date they have to run, we should say that the banks generally have sufficient capital to supply applicants for several weeks, even should there be no Australian arrivals, without charging more than they do at present. Of course, if bul lion leaves us steadily, and nothing returns, as a mere matter of business, there will be more asked for temporary loans, upon the ground that it is necessary to check speculation. There is not the slightest cause for action on the part of the Bank of England. Everything at the present moment looks dull, and rather tonds downwards than otherwise, although the demand for various staples to be con sumed immediatelyris most healthy. The large em ployment of our population in the manufacturing districts is sufficient cause for this. Speculation for higher prices is at present perfectly harmless. A little has been done in cotton, and that is almost the only article that has been taken for " time." The public sales of wool commenced to-day, and these will absorb some amount, those of indigo being also in progress will temporarily attract capital, but all these channels are sources of prosperity to the coun try at large. If the Bank were to administer a further " corrective," as some parties would call it, by applying the screw, there would be danger of exciting a feeling of alarm which it might not be easy to allay. In the Stock Exchange this morn ing cash is plentiful, at 1 per cent., and even less, notwithstanding the settlement of the account. The steamer Harbinger, to Austra lia, takes out a considerable amount of bullion, not yet precisely ascertained, but probably upwards of 400,0001. This includes, we believe, the prelimi nary capital of one of the new Australian Banks, and is therefore a special case. The Mining Com panies also are sending out funds to extend operations with. In the meantime we are daily expecting very large sums, not only by the steamers that are nearly due from Port Philip, but likewise by the Roxburgh Castle and other sailing ships. The settlement of the account in Consols has en grossed this morning the principal share of atten tion, and fortune, as upon so many previous occa sions, has favoured the " Bears.' The tendency of prices was upwards until yesterday morning, when the Milan news was received, and this im mediately checked the " buying back," and ren dered the borrowing of stock more facile. On the other hand, probably, parties who had in tendel to take up stock may feel timid, and defer so doing for the present. In no other way can be explained the easy settlement after the recent heavy speculative sales. The weather this morning is calculated to aggravate the feeling of uncertainty that prevails, and the general topic of conversation is the possibility of a renewed and general insurrection throughout the Continent. Whatever may be thought of the chances of suc cess in such case, the mere apprehension is against an improvement in values. Consols have been at 991 and since at 99i 1 for transfer, the quota tions for March being 99f The new 3i per Cents. have been done at 1031 to f, and the Three p er C en t. R e d uce d A nnu i t i es at 100 to k. Exchequer Bills of March have realised 535. to 575. prem. The Foreign Securities have been comparatively neglected. The Swedish Loan is worth only discount, and the Turkish has not been lower than I discount. Grenada Deferred Bonds have been per e v l r e 2 c o b l e e n e f n t o .r at R t helenolt3fte.i Renter Five havepues r as_,lll%alft per the exchange e n tCents. baye at b e 2 e s n 2 a o t . 981, and Dutch Fourper Cents. at 97i tot; Austrian Scrip has not felt the slightest influence from the Milan insurrection, being 8 premium. The Mining share market is steady, and at previous rates ; the Colonial, Mexican, and South American, and British Australian Gold, have been in some request. be The shares of the Australian Land Companies at a ea ennnit Fivessßelgian. tooneFaTekophduhaeeerra:_FslaC;bnneBeeednne2:cun. :BaotTnonilly2dreeossethierday's prices. Brazi lian are nominally rather flatter, but British American Land are very firm. _ In the Australian Bank shares there is nothing doing. The last week's railway receipts ascertained up to this day, are in round figures as under : 1853. 1852. Great Western 17,039 16,041 North Western 44,125 41,302 South Western 9,831 8,734 Brighton Midland South Eastern Caledonian Great Northern 9,091 7,861 22,009 20,233 11,768 9,701 8,537 7,766 13,552 10,837 Lancashire and Yorkshire York and North Midland Newcastle and Berwick 13,788 13,276 Railway shares, generally, have been good this morning, and in some cases mark higher. Eastern Counties are in request, and also Lancashire and Yorkshire, North-Western, and York and North Midland. French shares have been heavy within the last half hour. The East Indian lines keep in favour. BRITISH FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK THIS DAY. (Bunn the Officia/ List.) _ Business clone. 3 per Cent. Reduced Annuities.. 3 per Cent. Consols Annuities New 31 per Cent. Annuities. Long Annuities, Expire sth Jan., 1860 6 7-16 a Consols for Account 10th March 99i 4 Excheauer Bills lid. March. June. £1000;. 56 7 3 £5OO — Small 53 7 PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK. Austrian Scrip, 5 per Cent 8 Brazilian Bonds, 5 per Cent. Grenada Bonds, Deferred, Russian Bonds, 5 per Cent. Ditto, 4i per cent lO3l Swedish Loan ll d Turkish Loan, 6 per Cent., 1852 A d French Rentes, 3 per Cent Belgian Bonds, 41 per Cent. Ex. 25fr. 9Bl Dutch Exchange 21 per Cent 65 Ditto 4 per Cont. Certificates....,.... ~. HA LI-PAST TWO. Consols Ditto March Account 9 The accounts from the Continental Bourses to-day were generally satisfactory. The telegraphic quotations from Paris showed that the news of the Milan insurrec tion had made no impression upon prices. From St. Petersburg the dates are to the Ist inst., when the rate of exchange was again more favoUrable for this country, the quotation being 38d. 13-16 to i. Some consider. able portion of the gold sent from London had also yet to arrive. At Vienna yesterday the money market re lapsed to its former state, the intelligence of the pre vious day regarding some probable adjustment of the Montenegro question not having been confirmed.— Times. THE FRENCH EMBASSY.—His Excellency the Count a ,nd Countess Walewski are expected to arrive at the em iassy in Grosvenor-square to-day, from the French capi tal, where the count has been staying some time on i mportant political business relating, it is understood, to t he "ministerial question." The personnel at the French h 3gation now consists of M. E. Baudin, chief secretary, A. I. de Saux, second, and MM. Demon and de Viellur, at, 'aches to the legation. NFGH..tir Wousx.—They tie a black handkerchie rom id their heads over their caps. They divide the hair over their faces, and plait into two locks, which fasten at the back of their heads. Their orna ments are. strings of Venetian sequins, worn round their herds, and chains of gold and silver, which are hooked up over the forehead, pass round the head, and end in tv ro large balls, which hang down near the ears. Ear pend ants and rings on the fingers are also worn, as are pen& ints in the middle cartilage of the nose, which was formerly the custom in Persia and is still in India and Arabia. Such is the dress of the married women ; the unmans ed are distinguished by wearing white trousers, and by, ‘ having their hair i?ose.-9rienta/ Costume. LAW INTELLIGENCE-(THIS DAY.) COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH. (Sittings at Nisi Prius at Westminster, before Lord Campbell.) THE QUEEN V. ORCHARD AND COX.-THE JUDGMENT OF THE COURT. On Tuesday last, the defendants, William Henry Orchard and George Cox, were found guilty on an in dictment charging them with having conspired together to defraud a person named Rackstraw, and also to de ceive and defraud the Court of Common Pleas, and the Master thereof; but, on the application of their counsel, the passing of sentence upon them was postponed until this morning. Some affidavits in mitigation of punishment having been put in and read, Lord Campbell directed that the defendants should be " called ;" but the criers of the court, after resounding their names throughout the pas sages and hall, informed his lordship that they were not in attendance. Lord Campbell said he had now to discharge the painful task that devolved upon him, namely, the pronouncing of judgment on the two defendants who had been convicted of conspiracy to defraud. They both belonged to an honourable profession, and might have reputably maintained themselves and their families, had they been so disposed ; but the judgment which was about to be pronounced would not only disgrace them, but materially interfere with their progress in life. They were indicted for conspiracy to defraud the defendant in an action in which Orchard acted as the plaintiff's attor ney, and in which Cox assisted as Orchard's clerk ; and the specific charge against them consisted in pretending that they had paid to certain witnesses for their attend ance sums of money which they had never paid, and which they intended to appropriate to their own uses. That accusation was brought home to them by the clearest possible evidence ; it was shown that the means by which they carried their object into effect were perjury and fraud. The affidavit stating that the sums in question had been paid to the witnesses was sworn to by Cox and Orchard, who well knew at the time that the allegations it contained were entirely false. The one, therefore, was guilty of perjury, and the other of subornation of perjury. In some instances they suc ceeded in cheating witnesses of the whole of the allow ance made to them by the master, and in others they pretended that the allowance of the master was smaller than it actually was, and it appeared that it was their intention to divide the money thus improperly obtained among themselves. A case involving such a complica tion of perjury and fraud was seldom, if ever, seen in a court of justice, and he was sho c k e d t o o b serve the reck lessness with which the defendants had proceeded, for it would almost seem, from their conduct, that they were wholly unconscious of doing what was wrong. The sentence of the Court for these offences was, that Orchard be imprisoned in her Majesty's gaol of Newgate for the term of six calendar months, and that Cox, who was a younger man, and only an arti c l e d clerk, be im prisoned in the same gaol for three calendar months. He trusted that the punishment thus inflicted would operate as a warning to others not to engage in similar disgraceful proceedings. SURREY SESSIONS.-(THIS DAY.) TOO FOND OF MUSIC. James Phillips, 34, was indicted for stealing a con certina, value 21., the property of Thomas Fisher, musi cal instrument manufacturer, Great Charlotte-street, Blackfriars-road. Prosecutor stated that, on Friday morning last, a little before nine o'clock, he took down his shutters, and shortly afterwards entered the back room to partake of breakfast. While there, he heard a shuffling noise inside the shop, when he looked round, and perceived the pri soner close to the window, and about to leave the shop. Witness instantly rushed out of the room, and seized hold of him, when he found under his coat a concertina, which was, a minute or so previous, safe in the window. The prisoner endeavoured to get away from him, but a constable came up and secured him. The jury found him guilty, and the Court sentenced him to six months' hard labour at Wandsworth House of Correction. BOW-ST.REET--(THIS DAY.) DRUNKEN SERVANTg.—SamueI Clark. and George Har rison, the former coachman, and the latter footman, in the service of Mr. Madely, Westbourne-terrace, Hyde park, were brought before Mr. Hall, charged with being drunk and incapable of taking care of their master's carriage and pair of horses. Constable 119 F said last night he was on duty in. Tavistock-street when he saw the defendants with a gen tleman's carriage and pair of horses in the rank waiting for the close of the concert at Exeter-hall. The defen dants were both drunk, and the coachman so much so, that the footman was obliged to hold him on the box. Seeing the state they were in witness took them to the station. The defendants' master was subsequently obliged to drive the carriage home himself. Mr. Hall said no doubt the defendants would lose their situations, and as Harrison was the soberest of the two he should discharge him ; the coachman he fined 1.05., or seven days. DARING ROBBERY. —EIIen Collins, a girl about 15 years of age, was charged with stealing a cloak, value 10s., under the following circumstances : It appeared from the evidence of Mary Ann Wilson, an intelligent little girl, nine years of age, that on the afternoon of Wednesday last, she was on her way to school in Drury-lane, when the prisoner came up to her, and asked her to accompany her home, and she would give her some cups and saucers, which she did not want, as she was going to France the next day. The child re fused, and prisoner persuaded her to walk with her as far as Lincoln's-inn -fields, and when they got there she (prisoner) asked her to take off her cloak, and on her de clining to do so, the prisoner snatched it from off her shoulders and ran away. Witness then returned home and told her mother what had happened, and she went to the station and informed the police of the occurrence, and the result was, the prisoner was taken into custody last night at a low lodging-house in Wild -street. The prisoner, who had nothing to say in her defence, was fully committed for trial. SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY, EXETER -MOLL. —Mozart's celebrated Requiem was performed last night, by the Sacred Harmonic Society, to a crowded audience, the prin c ip a l parts being su s t a i ne d b y Mi ss Pyne, Miss ? Williams, Mr. Lockey, and Mr. Lawler. The execution of the whole work was careful and good, and reflects credit on M. Costa, who has expended great labour in its production. It was preceded by Mendelssohn's Hymn of Praise, which was given with considerable effect. The audience was very numerous, and applauded both productions warmly. Mr. ALLOROFT'S CONCERT.—Mr. Allcroft's usual Ash- Wednesday entertainment took place last night. The bill of fare comprehended all the leading professionals, vocalists and instrumentalists, with an interesting pro gramme of popular music. Nothing could be more brilliant and successful. DARIEN CANAL.—A letter published to-day from Sir Charles Fox on the projected Darien Canal calls only for limited remark, as its allegations are inaccurate. In stead of the Nicaragua Canal being intended to run from San Juan del Norte to the Gulf of Fonseca, its Pacific terminus will be at Brito Bay. Instead of the estimate of its cost, even at twenty feet depth, being 10,000,000/., it is believed to be less than 7,000,0001. (including a most unusual addition for contingencies). Instead of the draught of any considerable number of modern vessels being 28 feet, that of La Plata, the largest of the West India steamers, when she arrives, at Southampton, before baggage and cargo have been landed, is only between 18 and 19 feet. Instead of the work involving 100 miles of canalised river, the surveys of Colonel Childs show only 47 miles. Instead of the country being very unhealty, it has been demonstrated to be one of the most favourable districts within the tropics. Instead of the transit occupying six days, it it is calculated to occupy between two and three days, about 700 miles being at the same time saved in the dis tance to California beyond what would be saved by a canal at Darien ; and, finally, instead of there being "no fear that American capitalists will enter upon such a work" as the Nicaragua Canal, the necessity of hastening every political negotiation that would enable it to be com menced formed one of the prominent topics in the message of President Fillmore last December, months after the whole details of the Darien scheme had been known and dis cussed in the United States. It is useless, moreover, to enter here upon arguments which can never have any satisfac tory. termination. D ur i ng the past century, whenever the junction of the oceans has been recommended, the public have always been deterred from its accomplishment by the perplexities created from the advocates of rival routes contending each that his own scheme was perfect and that all the others would prove ruinous or impracti cable. The question, therefore, is never likely to be settled by theoretical disquisitions. Happily the time is ar rived when the undertaking must be oarried out some where ; and inasmuch as the Americans are now every month crossing the isthmus by thousands, we may rely that the selection of the best line will soon be decided from the test of popular observation and experience. At that period the public—remembering that the New York Company, when they obtained their concession for the Nicaragua Canal —were willing to share it on equitable terms with this country— wiil be in a con dition to form an opinion whether the general inte rests of the world were best understood by those who would have urged English capitalists to ac cept the invitation, or by those who have endea voured to arouse them to furnish a separate sub scription of 15,000,0001. for Darien. Meanwhile it will not be irrational, at all events until the route for which this sum is contemplated has been actually crossed and surveyed, to decline entering into any controversy as to its comparative merits. Ifs the public can be persuaded that the Ni car agua cana l is not likely to be made or that, being made, the Darien c ana l will not be subsidiary to it either as to date of comple tionor years e o a r conveniencersbeen tiin timidly ly of hesitating tai ng or aftert a h t a t t bei de the a o f w e o r r e l a d tliinags f ono canal it is now expedient to begin with two, th ey traffic, will, perhaps, be quite right in subscribing to the present project ; but as they can inform themselves up on t h ese questions with very little trouble, they will p ro b a bl y , not consider the caution suggested yesterday as calcu lated in the interval to prove damaging in any way to the cause of sound commercial enterprise.—Times Money Article. COURT. CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, FEB. 9. The following had the honour of dining with her 1 45 1 jesty yesterday :—Her Royal Highness the Duchess o; Kent, her Serene Hi g h ness th e P r incess Adelaide of Hohenlohe, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the pok e and Duchess of Wellington, the Lady in Waiting to the Duchess of Kent, the Baroness de Speth, Lady Caroline Barrington, Viscount Hardinge, and Sir James Grah aln. The band of the 2d Life Guards attended in the Castle during dinner, and played th e f o llo w i n g music March. _ Overture, "Les Montenegrins" Limnander. Recitative and Aria "Martyri," solo trombone, E. Vimeux Donizetti. Waltz, " Overland" Labitzky. Grand selection, "Huguenots" Meyerbeer. Quadrille, " Florence' MuFard. Galop, " Ehestands Freuden" ll ungl. God save the Queen. and Her Majesty's private band a ft erwar ds attended, performed the following compositions : Overture, "Don Carlos Ries. Melange, "Robert le Diable" Meyerbeen Selection, " Lestocq" Auber. The Queen and Prince Albert drove out in an °Pr carriage this afternoon ; Lord Alfred Paget and L ieu ' . Colonel Hon. A. Gordon were in attendance on hor se. back. Her Royal Highness the Princess Augusta of Sal e ' Coburg is expected this afternoon on a visit to the Queen; Lord George Lennox and the Rev. Dr. Pulling ha/ been invited, and are also expected to-day. The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Duke and Do ch „ egg e of Wellington, and Sir James Graham, left the Cast s this forenoon for London. A deputation on the subject of Battersea Park, 011. sisting of Mr. Williams, M.P., Mr. Hunt, Mr. Je iler ' Mr. Jones, Mr. Smesdon, Mr. Wilson, and Mr. isl's' te ' had an interview with Sir William Molesworth, Y este , n r day, at the office of Works and Public Building* Whitehall-place. The Duke of Buccleuch, Lord Ashburton, ; co i Maxwell, secretary of the Royal Highland and Agn,, o ; tural Society of England, had an interview with Right Hon. E. Cardwell and Lord Stanley of Ald eri ar i el' at the Board of Trad e , y es t er d ay , on th e su bj e ct of li ar ce : cultural statistics. The Right H on . M. T. Baines, P— sident of the Poor-law Board, was also present. _ v . The Bishop of Quebec had an i n t erv i e w with the of Newcastle, yesterday, at the Colonial-office. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. • tbe Six,—Having observed in your esteemed paper °d f o lt Bth instant an article expressive of the pleasure Y°.,, r( l in ascertaining it to be the intention of the First of the Ad m i ra lty t o a b o li s h th e s y s t em o f appoi_,, ll " l o . naval paymasters as secretaries to capt a ins, and COwi dore-superintendents of dock-yards, and reconcil e° o f further step to be taken in that direction—namely' to also discontmuing the appointment of military offieello. these establi s h men t s , t o th e p re j u di ce o f th e ir engie ee t be Perhaps, Sir, you will be good enough to a dvocate ther s discontinuance of appointi ng n av al c a pt a ins and °' n tS as naval s t ore k eepers an d agen t v i c t ua ll ers — a ppointic e o which s t r i c tl y b e l ong t o nava l paymas t ers , to wh these appointments should be invariably given. Your kind attention to this subject would oblige AN OLD SUBSCBI Devonport, Feb. 9, 1853. THE BRITISH SQUADRON MEDITERRANEAN. f ist. Our accounts from Malta to noon of the -- er announce the ar r i va l th ere , an h our prev i o usly, „ 1 , Vi ; 0 01 Admiral Di m d as i n the Britannia, with the 1 1 -• Tyafalgar, and Bellerophon, ships of the line, Arethoa frigate, Retribution and Sampson, steam-frigates ;,;01 Niger, steam-corvette, severally from Gibraltar , oui te , port they left on the ' 2sth ult. The Modeste, 0 rve .0,6 was also at M a l ta, and the Tiger, steam-frig ate ' hourly looked for from Tunis. PEMBROKE DOCKYARD FORTIFICATION.—Lur"Le.ttriefiId progressing, s n s o i n w in course of construction, for the dui- 4 ; w og Milford Haven and the Dockyard, at Pater, are , 10 0. alterations tee r ,e k p s a t t t h ht e eh r e e a o pw n per m sot o a g, under the direction of Lieutenant - 0 0 t he Victor and his corps of engineers. Thorn Island, at the entrancewo of the haven, will be strongly fortifieC i c i an d c e oalra bat i: / .,, i1 0; end htet n g o t o f g ut thehnes whichh dock av e y n a• willr i s underg: en t l rations consequent upon the chancre in its arl e3 t here from the 24 -pounder guns, present b moup e te.d .. , t w e i ° den eci l of 32-pound calibre to place 8 and 10. guns, to admit the latter •The embrazures are h co nt ete plar are ca-inch and it is likewise JA en th 0 ° formidableoured av al . means of d og e uu f tn e alterations very n s tch a e t e. the balt tt a e n ri sygl will prov tha t a large fort, for the protection of this imPt i l tan arsenal,t n on the land side, will shortl be w — Or''' . FREEHOLD LAND SOCIETIES AND ere OLD Co Ac,, TOWNS.-- No place in England suffer T e l :more SeV ere ' J of the introduction of the railway system tan the t°Nc o•re ti at Hounslow, so well known to every traveller on the b a j,.'' western highway in the good old times of "the r ° 0f .3 Nearly three hundred coa :hes were driven o ff the f iv e' by the monopolist locomotive ; and Hounslow' the aoal' liest, became one of th e d u ll es t towns i n t h e king tire ee Property in the town, which in the busy c oaching hae readily realised from 41. t o 51. p er foot frontagtiv, been depreciated at least one-third, and the good..,vi3st of course, for a long time fervently blessed the re' l cos is having in the interval taken to economical et; l te cle' their meditations on the past, they begin to hail „dace' stroyer as the probable restorer of business to the rf r oo With a healthy situation, a convenient distan ce o f th e town, a good line, as railways go in this quarte. r , e irie g globe—a station to match—and very numerous iT ey a re after building lots --the good people find that t io .hiog , not quite ruined yet. They have left off nib s i hoe f and begin to hope for better times coming. 00 0 I° , has been considerably raised of late in c onseclnl l fol , the agitations by, and purchases of land on be'l_ e 10 0 , freehold land societies. The right hand of welcowe_ ~so been held out to the promoters of these societies' there is every prospect of the movement being le 10 0 advantageous. The Conservative Land Society o eta' purchased a valuable estat e a djoi n i ng the rail:01 ad' tion, which in the course of a very few months a little town of elegant first-class houses to $° 7101°' A public meeti ng , p res id e d over by M r . P a rnell, 0: worth, was held on Friday evening, when Colonorb at° son, Mr. C. E. Lewis, the solicitor, Mr. Grun ei c l:a ae secretary, and Mr. Morgan, the surveyor, attend . 0 4 r deputation to explain the principles and plan of T o ol ciety. After a full explanation, resolutions e_tP e f tl ) of the principles, and pledging the warm supr &J r meeting in favou r o f th e soc i ety, were passe d, fig tr . siderable number of additional shares were at on_., scribed for. I n th e course of the proceed i ng s it • o i c , naficantly remar k e d that " Hounslow must n ot wool 00 before, to th e Hi g h -street, but to the railway 8 and to the freehold land societies, to recover h er I prosperity." ra l o d FUNERAL OF V ISCOUNT MELBOURNE.—Ths; 08.7 the late Vi scount Melbourne took place Y om" 401 Church, o n F r id ay morning. The late lord left,7 be injuncti on th at all pomp should be avoided, e t „. of !h 1 ,.. 0 companied this w ith a l egacy of 2001. to t h e 1) ( 1,,t neighbouring p ar i s h es, evidently inten di n g t 1 d money which was not expended on the fun elll ,auc te j be given t o th em. The funeral was, therefore , l o we e rs in a stri c tl y pr i vate manner. The hearse wa g first 14Ter,-,1 by only three mourning carriages. In th,e Earl Co w p er, H on. W. F. Cowper, Lord Fo ru ije• Viscount Palmerston in the second, the Cowper, the Right Hon. E. Ellice, Lord De ;110174 and Mr. J. T. C ookney (solicitor to the deeeas to of" and in th e thi r d , f our of the domestic Beryl° ° f lordship.—Herts County Press. ae 3 .4ltr FATAL ACCIDENT.— We have to record the Captain Nathaniel Middleton, of Tredegar - eq u lot o e end, who has for many years filled the of 6ce o , ",r• the surveyors to Lloyd's Register Society, an Oro. just and impartial conduct in the discharge 0 ' ", e d c° o o taut duties had procured for him the respeca' d oth tst fidence of a large body of - shipowners 11 ,! c oo_ 0 0 connected with the mercantile marine of th' f , 0 , 0/3 1 P0 Captain Middl e t on was engage d i n a s urvey ( . ) 01; 4 0 0 g6 Lavender Deck, on Monday last, and 017 . 1 03 a i s , he careless and highly culpable manner in No% is hic' te d had been put up on the outside of the ship ° ree ipi t ,‘; Of was standing, it suddenly gave way, and P a clegb,„ e s, this much respected officer into the dock, „ go 1) 1 ' 0 0 about 20 feet. One of his legs was broken in died (Wed the other most seriously injured. "c" . ___Shii , (nesday) morning about four o'clock. oe de° I Gazette. or . .. ti ce So, after all, not a Romish bishop, P ries t , ° with b l ' n 'aorl 1 , 50 honoured Lord St. Germans' levee The meaning of this is plain. Lord %%las it• o the them precedence. Lord St. Germans wit" ba cks ° f they "levee'd " the one, and turned their hase o r et other. Thus, therefore, the boasted Pur',, the_ o ot Brigade now stands. Eight votes securet4:6. plea s lost. And the priesthood holding aloof ses sion I w hat prospect for Lord Aberdeen in the coming ; t ion, nn what is of real import to us is the spo t ' hi ° stir further amount of concession will be ornu te ",in O r principled and desperate Government to re ltis it: ho t tg , port they had originally counted upon? e t' main business to watch. The frightful de' dis ora yield ground in the hour of danger ie t ° , t he io ly- t ioo! versary, seems to hang over the councils 01 f ~,c o and to inspire its organs. The whole fore "est jie :og indignation must be brought into play to 3° ,10 ° gress of su c h fatal, such disastrous blunder s ' ti lt Herald. ra ileg e P ig hl CURRENTS OF THE OCEAN.—The Nu eees a bott le d, fishes the following, which was found in I s lay jo lt/ 0 miles S, W. of Arkansas Pass, on Mustang Ad°l4l'il is signed by Lieutenant Newenhara, : - choe ct i agent, of the Royal Mail steam -ship of,e, ef eri makes the fourth bottle which I have throdw°up (isttrel from this packet to ascertain, when Pi cks _ x i s tiog e o ° 0 the currents of the Gulf, and any other e arc l 0 if lie overb ° fte efs , o l , 47 For this purpose I have thrown do 0 0 Jacrnel, St. Domingo ; one off the colora • th a th i one In proceeding for Havannah in April, lB ; gaY a ; e re Passage, when going to St. Thomas's, ho• lis one now, when nearly a day out from Jl l we ll t for Havannah and Honduras. We a re al o aorw _ o l e some—s ou l s , an d h ave h a d no seriona,L n uncl. four months' (No v . 17) absence from X° Lb