The Sun. — London, England, 1853-01-20 00:00:00

THE COLONY OF VICTORIA. (Front the Melbourne Argus.) S Accordance with our usual custom, we com -; summary of news for transmission to England `.!ce Formosa steamer. As, however, the vessel intends to stay a few hours in the harbour, (sae review, is of necessity, more imperfect and lief than we should desire. We hope that on all future occasions the steamers will either make a reasonable stay in our port prior to their departure :.'_segive the public warning of their intention to leave immediately on their arrival from Sydney. The previous summary of the Argus developed the wect of this colony up to the 27th of September, the date of the departure of the Australian steamer and the chief incidents of importance and our pre sent condition are as below detailed ; — The yield of gold still continues very large, although it scarcely keeps pace with the increasing number of diggers. It is not to be supposed, how ever, that the gold is inexhaustably a b un d ant, and qtri ways be obtained by the simplest processes. It is evident that in proportion as a given locality is worked the necessity for finer scientific modes of operation will increase. That necessity is be ginning to be felt at the most prolific fields, and the average gain of the digger is observably diminishing. Gold-digging is of all pursuits the most fortuitous, not only with respect to individual success, but in regard to the auriferous capa bilities of given localities. The wealth of a par ticular spot cannot be known till it is fully worked, and this involves the necessity of unsuccessful la bour in some cases. Hence arise the fluctuations in the pursuit—the, alternate success and failure of individuals, and the changing value of particular localities. That gold does abound to a most sur prising extent every one admits ; but it is not so easy to point out the spot in which the digger can v - srk with, certain success. The whole pursuit .xas to be a series of experiments at best : the suarvel is that here they should have been so arria.z ingly successful. The largest mass of gold yet found was picked sr a month ago at Bendigo, near the spot where 281 b. lump was found. It weighed 461 b., and was valued at 2,1001. It was a singular specimen, deeply coated with quartz in many places. It has been sent to England by the Choringhee, for exhi bition. The Ovens Diggings are not proving as produc -Us eas was at first anticipated. The experiment, however, has not been fully carried out there. Tile general impression seems to be that there is a v e ry rich field in that district. In South Australia, gold has been found at a spot 25 miles from Adelaide. The number of diggers who have tried the Echunga Diggings has not yet teen sufficiently large to admit of a decisive esti lt,cate of their auriferous capabilities being formed. la at we think we are warranted in saying that there is a st rong probability that Echun ga i s on ly one of the innumerable localities in Australia where gold exi s t s, b ut in such ' a finely diffus e d s t a t e , th a t thie rude process of the digger will never make "working them remunerative, whatever may here after be accomplished by science and combination. The commencement of steam communication— the event so anxiously looked for by the colonies as so advantageous to both countries —has not been very auspicious. Fi ve s t eamers have arrived up to the present time, and none of them have achieved a passage much superior to that of many sailing vessels. The Australia and the Sydney were the Worst cases ; judging from these specimens, we are not disposs,d to augur much for the Australian Sssara Navigation Company's enterprise. The Cleisark and Formosa, were better, but not equal to what we should expect from the splendid fleet under the control of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company; The Great Britain made a passage of 83 days ; but probably she would 'stave distanced all her rivals by some days had it not been for a mistake about the coals. We hope very soon to witness the results to be attained by the Panama route ; but meantime we beg to im press upon . the proprietors of steamers to Australia that they may just as well send out sailing-vessels if the steamers cannot make passages of about 60 to 70 slays. The prolonged passage of the Sydney was a positive evil of great magnitude ; it detained the !nails needlessly, confused commercial transac tions, and caused very great anxiety. In connexion with this subject, we may mention Vaat an immense increase in intercolonial traffic had fs. iced a corresponding rise in the value of steam- ' vessels for the trade. A striking instance recently occurred. The Clarence, a small steamer built in ±: s nglan d for the Australian colonies, was sold for 2 .1,95(')/. ; w hil e h er first cost, including the expense of bl_inging her out, was about 13,0001. She is tile. property of a company in Van Diemen's Land, Ll runs between this port and Lauuneeston. Au •Y, her instance was the Keera ; she cost about t,OOO/. in England not many months since, and vss sold the other clay for 10,0001. These facts s soak for themselves as to the profits made upor rue exportation of steamers, alul the rate of remu :aeration at which they can be worked. The financial prosperity of the colony is evidenced I‘s - the fact that the revenue for the past September quarter amounted to 462,3401. ls. 5d., while in the sTesponding quarter of the previous year it was tinly 53,1941. 6s. ld. Land was sold. during the quarter to the value of 267,7541. 4s. 10d. The golf: licenses yield 100,7951. 10s. 4d., besides 10,897/. 4s. 11d. for escort fees. The Customs' duties alone realised 55,3781. Bs. 10d. On the other hand the public expenditure has enormously increased. The estimates for next year have just been laid before the Legislative Cev.ncil. The ways and means are set down at 33,6001., the expenditure at 1,749,0421. Of Va is latter sum not less- than 412,715/. is for the is lice establishments, 94,4491. for penal establish ments, the administration of justice 42,2801. I eilitary 67,4891., m a ki ng a t o t a l o f 616,933/. to be spent in protecting life and property and repressins seine. That such a sum should be deemed ilecs:ssary for the purpose in so limited a corn soanity, is sufficiently significant of the blessings to be reaped from close proximity to a penal colony. The Secretary of State has very wisely ceded the entire control of the revenue derivable from gold to our Legislative Council. Acting upon a mggestion contained in the official dispatch which announced that boon, our Executive most le)wisel.ye announced its intention of levying an export duty of 2s. 6d. an ounce on gold. No tax could be more unpopular, injudicious, or unn'acessary—unpopular, because it is univer sally opposed by th e diggers, who already pay the tax of 30a. a-month; injudicious, because it would promote smuggling and disarrange our commercial relations with neighbouring colonies ; and unnecessary, because the license fee, if pro- PerLy collected, would yield a revenue sufficiently large for the public requirements. The measure htis not yet, however, obtained the consent of the 'Legislature, and the probability is, that it will be rejected ; should it be passed, there might be a movement on the part of the diggers to refuse pay ment of the license fee. On a former occasion the Government sustained a signal defeat when it at tempted to double the fee. A similar result is by no means impossible in the present case ; but pub lic opinion has been declared so strongly, and in so many ways, against the new impost, that it is scarcely likely to be exacted even by a body which is mesh a mockery of representation as our Colonial Legislature. All recent advices agree in showing the extreme aix e nx i e ty aof that is felt among the woollen manufac effect of the Great Britain with respect to the probable We arr 3 hayp gold, discovery upon our yield of wool. o pigherefore, to be able to report so far .r .voura.bl ..,:g i s proceednion matter as to state that the shear -seivlmith its usual regularity, that the .:tfiers find numbe r u o l f ty in securing the services of au. adequat© re . moving the fleece, andmen, both for washing and of the Wotholat there is every reason 7-:db probability ousts for shipment withoutbeing conveyed to the serious delaany very ruinous ex panse or any very ,- The prices realised in the British .ery poor encouragement to Australian ish markets affords nteet a high rate of wages, thediffi settlers to tr.nding with disease, and of getting up of for wardingcon- their wool in first-rate style. and before warned those interested in tl importune have trade, and we now - warn them again most nn P°rt p a h nt tica.ily, that there is a process going on vrh e i ni ch . has - il. most marked tendency to lead to the deteriora fn of our beautiful Australian wools. The rapid ittflux of population, all immediately becoming ligrge consumers of animal food, and able to pay handsomely for it, must at no distant date, lead to such a predominance of the value of the carcass, in z•ropor'cion to that of the fleece, as to cause the l:i,tter to be comparatively neglected. Considering the enormous additions to our point- In-ii?.111 from the mother country and other quarters, r.F.ich _are now and for the last few months hay. 1 `'E -an flowing in upon us, report favourably `'.: gratification to us that we . can it is a source of the great '3fl tne condition of the crops in the We believe Veoclucing districts of these colonies. principal grain il'^t 1• 7 -- a most universaLy, a succession oftis ivNo-nor ha.s led to their present state being sa fa . vour . able fact ory. The high rates of prices have induced the fa mew to make considerableefforts LizArm,dtls. of land sown, and the present prospects of riv-_,. hest lead to keep up the ~ to a well-grounded hope of at least 4%.7 average crop. In his c l ony b thequantity of .tr ricl under wheat is lesstharth iio last few seasons, but what trereeen the case for to be good, and there is little dont, seemslikely t of its being rtromptly and energetically harvssted. 0 But, looking at our prospects in our there can In the most f avoura b le point of view ,sin crops , still be no doubt w h a t ever, that we shall shortly require very large supplies of breadstuffs from abroad. The harvests of our own colonies have rarely been more than sufficient for our own wants even m old times, and before the recent vast addi tions to our population. The consumption of flour for this colony alone has been calculated to amount to upwards of 100 tons a-day, and our own produce will go but little way to meet such a demand as this. Hitherto we have received no extraneous as sistance whatever. Intimately connected with this subject is the anomalous condition of the colony with respect to the difficulties i n th e way of settlement and occu pation of the waste lands. Tens of thousands of successful miners are willing and anxious to invest their drofits in the most natural mode—the pur chase of a f arm or gar d en near the scene of their successful labours as gold-diggers. By the absurd system, however, of locking up theAlands in the hands of the squatters, this most natural and ne cessary process appears to be surrounded with suf ficient difficulties to prevent our Executive from taking any means to give a settled character to our population, or removing the very great evils neces sarily resulting from continuing to place nearly the whole adult population of the colony in the position of mere reckless and scrambling adven turers. LAW IETELLIGENC,E. action on the promissory note, and now summoned the defendant under the Small Debts Act. COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH-JAN. 19. The defendant represented the case as a very hard one, that for Bs. he should have been put to all the law costs. He had waited on the Rev. Mr. Dalton, and that gen tleman interceded, and was willing to give 51. to get the matter settled. CONSTANT DEBRA DE MERODA V. DAWSON, TINDAL, PEYTON, AND RYLAND, This was an action on the case brought by the plaintiff, a young man of Hungarian family, against the four de fendants, who were residents of the town of Birmingham, to recover from them compensation in damages for having falsely and maliciously, and without reasonable and probable cause, charged him with having, by false pretences, obtained a sum of money from one of the de feßdants. The cause was tried before Mr. Baron Alder sox at the last summer assizes at Warwick, when it appeared in evidence that the plaintiff had come over to England in 1851, in order to see the Great Exhibition, and that while here he had become acquainted with a lady who was known as the Baroness Von Beck. This lady had published a work, entitled "Personal Adven tures of a Lady during the late War of Independence in Hungary." She bad engaged to publish another work, and for this new work she desired to get subscribers. A considerable part of this work had been written, and was in the hands of an English gentleman for the purpose of being translated. Madame Von Beck went down to Birmingham, and was there introduced to Mr. Dawson, who, on reading h e r papers of int ro d uc ti on , subscribed for her work, and paid her the sum of 1/. 4s. Through Mr. Dawson, Madame Von Beck was introduced to the other defen dants, and especially became acquainted with Mr. and Mrs. Tindal. She was received among them with apparently the greatest kindness, and this kindness con tinued for between a fortnight and three weeks, till, on one Friday night, when Madame Von Beck was a guest at the house of Tindal, one of the defendants, she was suddenly apprehended on a warrant issued by a Mr. James, a magistrate of Birmingham, on the information of Tindal and Ryland. She was charged in the warrant with the offence of obtaining money under false pre tences ; the false pretence being that she called herself the Baroness Von Beck, without having any legal right to that title. The present plaintiff,. who had accom panied the Baroness and appeared to be her intimate friend, was included in the charge, and was likewise appre hended. The Baroness Von Beck, who had previously been in a very poor state of health, and had been staying at Tindal's house in consequence of indisposition, died immediately afterwards. The plaintiff was taken before the magistrates, where the charge against him was heard, the defendants and a Mr. Toulmin Smith appear ing in support of it, but it was instantly dismissed. When these facts had been proved evidence was required to show the warrant, and to connect the defendants with the issuing of it. This e v id ence was attempted to be supplied by calling a policeman named Tandy, but he stated that though he made the arrest, he did it in the presence of his superior officer, and never had had the warrant in his possession. The officer who had possession of the warrant had not been subpoenaed, and the warrant was not in court. Mr. Baron Alderson thought the evi dence defective in this particular, and that there was not in the rest of the case enough to go to the jury to show that the defendants had made the charge, though he ex pressed a clear opinion that the charge itself could not be supported, for that there was a want of reasonable and probable cause. His lordship nonsuited the plain tiff. In the course of Michaelmas term, Mr. Sergeant Miller (with whom wa s M r . Fi e ld) had btained a rule to show cause why the nonsuit should not be set aside, and a new trial granted on th e groun d, fi rst, that -the plaintiff had been taken by surprise by the policeman's evidence, and next, that even without the production of the warrant there was enough to show that the charge had been made, and had been made by the defendants. Mr. Macaulay, Mr. Mellor, and Mr. Hayes now showed cause against the rule. As to the ground of surprise, they contended that that was answered on the face of the affidavits put in by the defendants, which showed that the person who on behalf of the plaintiff had subpoenaed the policeman knew that the superintendent, Stevens, was in possession of the warrant, for though he had not subpoenaed Stevens, he had obtained from that person a copy of the warrant. As to the other ground, the insufficiency of the evidence to connect the defendants with the issuing of the warrant, they insisted that the evidence merely showed that the defendants had made a statement before a magistrate, and did not show that they had made a charge of obtaining money under false pretences. If the magistrate thought fit to convert their statement of facts into that substantive charge, and to issue his warrant in that form, they could not be made liable in this form of proceeding for his acts. Mr. Sergeant Miller and Mr. Field were not called on. The plaintiff alleged that two years' tithe-charge was due by the insolvent. He had not proceeded, and had charged less than he was entitled to, through charity. Mr. Doyle was a Catholic, and had perhaps made a vow not to pay it. Mr. Commissioner Law said they would not talk of "charity." Practically, it bad been a great oppression. It was very lamentable that the few shillings owing by the insolvent were not paid ; and although the rector was entitled to his rights, he could not believe that he knew of the great expenses that had b een incurred. The matter was adjourned to Friday next for further fai mutation. 1 POLICE INTELLIGENCE. BOW-STREET.—EIijah. Eagle, a young man in the employ of Messrs. W. H. Smith and Son, the news agents and publishers, of the St ran d, was charged with embezzling several sums of his employers' money. It appeared that the prisoner was a clerk to Messrs. Smith, and it was part of his duty to keep a registry of the parcels delivered at their establishment, but neither the prisoner nor any one else had authority to open them unless in the presence of one of the firm. The parcels in question contained the money remitted from the va rious stations on the South -Western Railway—being the produce of the sale of newspapers and books. They were delivered to the prisoner ' who always signed th e porter's receipt-book, and was further required to make an entry of the same in his own private book ; after which it was his duty to hand the parcels to Mr. Smith, jun. The prisoner was first detected in having appro priated 101., the contents of one of the Windsor par cels, but was now prosecuted on one of 13 other cases. Mr. Joseph Sutton, the station-master at Barnes, de posed to having sent a parcel to Messrs. Smith and Son, containing 31., and produced an acknowledgment of the sum in the prisoner's handwriting, which was brought back to him the same day (the Bth inst.). William Staples, a lad in the employ of the prosecu tors at the Waterloo-station, proved that he delivered the above with two other similar parcels on the Bth inst. to the prisoner, who signed the receipt book. Mr. W. I. Smith, jun., having explained the mode in which the remittances were made from week to week at the stations of the different railways which the firm supplied with newspapers and railway literature, de posed that the 31. in respect to the Barnes parcel was not entered in the prisoner's private book, nor had ever been paid to him (prosecutor). There was an entry of the amount in the daily ledger, in the prisoner's hand writing, which showed his knowledge of the contents of the Barnes parcel. The probable object of this entry was to prevent an application to Mr. Sutton for the money. But, while all sorts of difficulties are thrown in the way of the miners investing their newly-gained wealth in the soil, or in the erection of houses for themselves and their families, our Government can distort the Land Sales Act so far as to alienate large tracts for the gratification and enrichment of their friends the squatters ; and the monstrous anomaly is thereby exhibited of land being with held from the people to be given to the personal friends or political supporters of the Government. The digger, with his few hundreds, may " knock down " his earnings at the public-house or seek an investment for them in other colonies, while the pampered squatter may claim his hundreds of acres, valued by a probably friendly commissioner, lock ing round the digger an iron circle of monopoly, preventing him from raising sustenance for himself, and interrupting his supplies of animal food, &c., when coming through any other than the favoured channel. This great injustice, and the absolute necessity for immediate measures being adopted to adapt our land regulations to the rapidly progressive condi tion of the colony, are shown by the fact that our population is increasing at present at the rate of some thousands a week. Since our last summary, about six months ago, the balance of arrivals against departures amounts to more than 20,000 souls actually entered through the customs ; but, as the captains of many vessels conceal the real number they bring, in consequence of their infrac tion of the Passengers' Act, the number actually added to our population will very greatly exceed the number we have stated. When, then, it is recollected that our whole population, previous to the discovery of gold, was only about 80,000, and that additions to our inhabitants are taking place at the rate of at least 200,0001. a year ; and when it is also borne in mind that our exports, represent ing the income of the community, have been raised in one year from a little over 1,000,000/. sterling to a rate of something like 15,000,0001. or 16,000,0001., and that for all this enormous sum of annual wealth there is scarcely any other possible investment than is afforded by the public lands of the colony, the cruelty, the injustice, and the wan ton impolicy of locking up these lands in the hands of a few hundreds of squatters are so transparently manifest as to render such a national robbery, we should hope, impossible. With regard to our social condition, we regret that we cannot speak much more favourably than before. Crime still continues fearfully rife, and neither life nor property is' invested with anything approaching to proper. security. An act has just come into operation for the purpose of cutting off the ready access to our gold fields, hitherto afforded to the felons which England still so wickedly and foolishly persists in sending into our immediate neighbourhood. The act has yet, indeed, been in operative, as most acts are in the hands of our feeble Government, and while we continue to be deluged with escaped or conditionally-pardoned criminals, it is not to be wondered at if our streets, and roads, and villages supply constant scenes of outrage and villany. The soldiers, considerately sent out by the English Government, have indeed arrived, and will, we dare say, when called upon, endeavour to force down the throats of the colo nists some of the absurd crochets of a very shallow executive, but as thief-catchers they are as useless as soldiers always are, and, how ever ornamental they may be, we have yet to record many instances of their practical inutility. Our police arrangements, indeed our whole sys tem of Government, is as bad as it well can be. It is one complete tissue of the grossest favouritism and jobbery. A mean, cringing sycophancy is the only passport to viceregal favour, and, as is always the case under such circumstances, the whole course of Government is a complication of shifti ness, of faithless neglect of duty, and of disregard to the public interests. Our Lieutenant-Governor writes home laboured dispatches, which are got up with sufficient art to succeed in persuading the Downing -street clerks that he is a very able and a very zealous man. Bat here, surrounded as he habitually is, with a circle of incompetent idlers, incapable of earning a livelihood for themselves, and therefore fattening upon the public, both his Excellency and his advisers are invariably spoken of and thought of in a strain of contempt, which is sadly opposed to the feelings which ought to be en couraged in the minds of good citizens towards those in authority over them. A motion of want of confidence in the Adminis tration of M. Latrobe is to come on immediately for discussion in the Colonial Legislature, and con taining, as that body does, a large proportion of Government officers and nominees, there is little doubt that the votes will be passed by a large ma jority. This, as a constitutional protest against the employment of the pack of incapables con stituting the favourites of the Lieutenant-Governor, may act as a timely warning to him from continu ing to make his Government in these critical times an asylum for the very lame, halt, and blind of the political world. Failing this effect, we must look elsewhere for reform, and we should pro bably require larger doses in proportion to the distance which we have to go. We perceive large concessions in the way of self-government have just been made to New Zealand, and we would urge our claims for at least an equal share of that most necessary right. At present we are little better than mere slaves, subjected to the follies and caprice of a nominee of some irresponsible power in England. This, resulting, as it naturally does, in bad government, with all its myriad evils, is irri tating in the highest degree to a people conscious of what freedom is, and quite capable of taking care of themselves. That the universal anxiety to get hold of a certain quantum of the gold which is now so profusely scattered around us prevents people from paying much attention to public affairs, is no proof that they are satisfied with them, or believe that they are administered with even decent honesty and vigour. The time will come when things will settle into more regular channels, when the money value of time will not be quite so high as at present ; and if by that period measures are not taken to enable us to govern ourselves, which no one else ever can or will do properly, the result will be neither very certain nor possibly very satis factory. The prisoner, who implored the mercy of the court for the sake of his wife, was fully committed for trial. THAMES.—Mr. James Duncan, a respectable trades man, residing at Wapping, appeared to show cause why he did not assist in the support of his son, who is at pre sent an inmate of the lunatic establishment at Colney hatch. The case was one of a very peculiar nature. The young man alluded to by Mr. Sergeant, the relieving officer of Wapping, has occupied some position in the public eye as the laureate of Chartism, and one of the most strenuous supporters of all the points. Having been brought before the magistrates upon various occa sions, charged with breaches of the peace, and with even assaulting his own father—they decided that he was a person no longer fit to be trusted with his liberty. He was accordingly removed to the county lunatic asylum. Mr. Duncan, who keeps a chandler's shop, pleaded his inability to pay. He had other children to provide for, and though he had to pay 351. a-year and taxes, he had to make up the rent by letting the principal apartments. Mr. Yardley— Up to a certain time you did all you were bound to do. You have given him a superior edu cation, but it beconies you to take care that he is not chargeable-to the'parish.- . Mr. Sergeant—The cost to us is Bs. fid., but we will halve it with the defendant. Mr. Duncan—My income is not 11. per week, and with the other claims on me, I do not see how I can af ford Anything. . _ After some further discussion, it was agreed that the defendant should pay 4s. 3d. per week. Lord Campbell said that the question for the Court was whether there was any evidence to submit to the jury, that the defendants, or any of them, had made this charge against the plaintiff of obtaining money under false pretences. If there was no evidence to go to the jury on that point, the nonsuit was right, but if there was evidence to that point, then the non-suit was wrong. The learned judge here had very properly said that there was no probable cause for making this charge. There was therefore a want of probable cause, and from that alone malice might be inferred. So that the two ingre dients for maintaining this action were here malice and want of probable cause. The action was, therefore, maintainable. He did not say that there was strong evidence of this. It was enough for the purpose of this rule that there was some evidence to go to the jury. Could it be doubted by any reasonable man, from what was given in evidence, that a charge was made by some one against the plaintiff for having obtained money under false representation ? There could be no doubt that some one did make that charge. Then, was there not some evidence that that charge was made by the defendants As the case was to be tried again, he abstained from entering minutely into the evidence or into the question of the weight to be given to that evidence, but he had no difficulty in point of law that there was some evidence to go to the jury against these defendants. The jury would have said what interpretation was to be given to the state ments made before the magistrates. But the case was withdrawn from the consideration of the jury by the de cision of the learned judge, and the plaintiff was non suited on the ground that there was not any evidence to offer to the jury. He thought that the case should have been left to the jury. The jurymen might or might not have found for the defendants; but as the case had been withdrawn from their consideration, he thought that a new trial ought to be granted. Mr. Justice Wightman ,was entirely of the same opinion. The only question for the court to consider was whether there had been a charge of obtaining money under false pretences, and if so, whether, as the charge was made by some body, it was not made by the de fendants. Taking the whole of the evidence together, it seemed to him that there was evidence to go to the jury on both points. If each part of the evidence was taken separately, it might be said that there was not enough on that part to make the defendants liable ; but taking the whole together, there was enough to go to the jury on the question whether the defendants had not made this charge. Mr. Justice Crompton concurred. The only doubt he had ever entertained was, whether the court was tied up to consider only the information taken before the magis trate. He thought that the court was not so restricted. Rule for a new trial absolute. "CAPTAIN" JOHNSOA' AND .MATRIMONIAL ADVERTISEMENT& Amongst the numerous letters and varied correspond ence brought forth by the apprehension and examination of Captain Johnson, in connection with the adroit swin dling transactions of that remarkable personage, are the following, which have been received by Mrs. Stewart, and which have been handed by that lady to her solici tor, Mr. Binns. The letters are given verbatim, with the exception of the name and address, but these, for obvious reasons, are omitted : House Castle, Palverhatch, near Shrewsbury, Jan. 15, 1853. " Madam,—Having seen, a short time since, an adver tisement in the Hereford paper of a matrimonial adver tisement of an English retired officer, advertising for a wife, I immediately answered it in behalf of a young lady, and, in reply, received the enclosed letter, which now I have every reason to think was written by the person who goes by the name of Captain Johnson, who was last week brought up for conspiring with other per. sons to cheat and defraud you of several railway shares. I should feel greatly obliged if you would favour me by writing a few lines, stating whether the enclosed letter and the advertisement correspond with his handwriting and appearance. " Ever yours, truly, "Mrs. Stewart, 20, Brunswick-place, Canonbury road, Islington, London." The following is the advertisement alluded to, which had, evidently been cut out of a newspaper, and which was inclosed with the preceding and following letter : " Matrimony.—An English retired officer, with a foreign title, in which his wife would share, is desirous of forming an alliance with a lady of education and ac complishments. The gentleman is in the prime of life, and enjoying excellent health ; speaks several foreign languages, and is otherwise highly talented; travels much in the finest climates of Europe, and is in the pos session of a genteel income. The lady will be expected to have an adequate fortune ; she will be treated in every way most affectionately, and rendered as happy as the most ardent mind can desire. Address, in the first instance, by letter, post free, in the strictest con fidence, to L. A. F., 13, Frances-street, York-road, near Waterloo-road (care of Mr. Miles), London." (Confidential), " December 31, 1852. " Dear Madam,—l am in receipt of your letter. It is not sufficiently explicit, but I have no doubt you will rectify that point when I shall next have the plea sure of hearing from you. I can assure you every thing stated in the advertisement is bond fide true. As to sending my picture, it is at present along with uniforms and other valuables in Paris. In a correspondence of this nature, of course, I am aware it is necessary to be exceedingly cautious, as there are many idly-disposed persons who write merely to practice a hoax, although I do not for one moment sus pect you of anything of the kind. With regard to my self, imagine a young-looking man of 36, fair, middle height, moustachios, and a dashing hussar uniform ; have been presented and kissed hands; accomplished, eloquent, and of the kindest disposition. You. will find me disposed to meet you in the most candid and liberal manner. What do you say to an interview with the lady ? At Paris ? London ? or half way between this and your present address ? Let me have your decision, and speedily.—Ever yours faithfully, If FREDEIRICK DE BAIL COURT.-JAN. 19. MACKINTOSH AND WIFE V. MACKINTOSH AND ANOTHER ASSAULT. Both the plaintiff and defendant were railway contrac- tors, and this action was brought for an alleged assault by the defendants on the plaintiffs. Mr. Chambers and Mr. Petersdorff were for th© plaintiffs ; and Mr. James and Mr. Pearson for the de fendants. It appeared that on an evening in March last the de fendant, Hugh Mackintosh (a brother of the plaintiff ), and a person called Mackay, went to the plaintiffs' house, and having taken supper, and remained some time, rose up to leave at half-past twelve o'clock, when the defendant, Hugh Mackintosh, under the influence of brandy-and-water, began to swear and seized the plain tiff's wife by the arms, using very disgusting l anguage towards her. She made her escape from him and ran into her bed-room, when the plaintiff and the defendant Mackay, who had been waiting below for Hugh Mackintosh, came up stairs, and as soon as the plaintiff entered the room he was assaulted by the de fendant, his brother, and Mackay, who inflicted such severe injuries upon him that he was confined to his bed for some weeks. His wife, who was in a delicate state at the time, was also very ill after the assault, and their doctor's bill and other expenses amounted to about 301. It was urged on the part of the defendants that the case of the plaintiffs had been greatly exaggerated. The defendants stated that they had all spent the evening in a very friendly manner ; but, as they were going away, the plaintiff, Robert Mackintosh, took up a pocket-book from the table and put it into his pocket. Hugh Mac kintosh claimed it as his own, but the plaintiff refused to give it up. He put his hand on the plaintiff's pocket who thereupon hit it so severely that he had since lost one of his nails. Both defendants denied having had their hands on the female plaintiff. The jury found a verdict for the plaintiff against Hugh Mackintosh for putting his hand on plaintiff's pocket, damages one farthing, and for the defendants on the other part of the case. The handwriting and style of this note is decidedly more mercantile than gentlemanly, and does not re semble in any way the specimens of his writings that have been put in during the hearing of the case ; but at the same time it should be mentioned that the captain could vary his writing and style in a very surprising manner, so much so that very excellent judges could not, on comparing two notes of his, discover that they had been written by the same hand. Before concluding this hasty summary, we must again advert to the evils arising from the sending out of large numbers of passengers in single ships. We lately alluded to several cases in which the mortality during the voyage had arrived at a fright ful extent. Since then, large English vessels have arrived, also furnishing a sad list of deaths. Seve ral vessels are now in quarantine, among them the Ticomleraga, which recently arrived with the ter rible loss of 104 lives. When she anchored in our port many scores of passengers were still ill, the doctor and his assistant were both laid up, and the medical stores were all consumed. From the result of such experience it seems improper that any ship, however large, however splendid her accommoda tions, should endeavour to bring many hundred passengers for so long a voyage. Those vessels which have conveyed 200 or 300 passengers each have usually arrived without any very serious loss of life ; but those conveying 600 or 700, and up wards, have frequently furnished such a li s t o f casualties as to lead us strongly to recommend ship owners to abstain from sending them, and passen gers to avoid coming by them. fA , SUSPENSION BRIDGE OVER THE NIAGARA.—The Lockport Journal says that labourers are busily em ployed in pushing the Niagara suspension bridge to completion. Imagine a span 800 feet in length, forming a straight hollow beam, 20 feet wide, and about 18 feet deep, with top, bottom, and sides. Thera will be an upper floor to support the railroad and cars, 20 feet wide between the railings, and suspended by two wire cables, assisted by stays. The lower floor, 19 feet wide and 15 feet high i n th e clear, is connected to the upper floor by vertical tru sses. The cohesion of good iron wire, the towers ng t quality. a The limestone when properly un it e d i nto ca bl es or r opes, is found to be from 90,000 t o 1 30,000 poun d s per square i nc h, ac ill bear cording pressureo f s u o s o e used in ns constructingupon every r square foot. The towers are 60 feet high, 15 feet square at the base, and 8 at the top. When this bridge is covered with a train of cars the whole length, it will sustain a pressure of not less than 405 tons. The speed is supposed to add 10 per cent. to the pressure, equal to 61 tons. The weight of superstructure added, estimated at 782 tons, makes the total aggregate weight sustained 1,273 tons. Assuming 2,000 tons as the greatest tension to which the cables can be subjected, it is con sidered safe to allow five times the regular strength, and providing for a weight of 10,000 tons. For this 13,000 miles of wire are required. The number of wires in one cable is 3,000, the diameter of cable about 91 inches. The bridge, we believe, is the longest between the points of support of any in the world. [ADVERTISEMENTI—Tho Earl of Aldborough and Holloway's Pills.—An astounding cure by this miracu lous medicine, after every other means had failed.—See extract from his lordship's letter, dated " Villa Messina , Leghorn, Feb. 21, 1845. To Professor Holloway.—Sir —I beg to acquaint you that your pills have effected a cure of a disorder in my liver and stomach, which all the most eminent of the faculty at home and all over the Continent had not been able to effect—nay, not even the waters of Carlsbad or Marienbad. (Signed) ALD BOROUGH." These wonderful pills will cure any dis orders of the liver or stomach. Sold (also Holloway's ointment) at Professor Holloway's Establishment, 244. Strand, London, and by•all• medicine vendors through• out the world. INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT.-JAN. 19. JONES V. DOYLE. This was a proceeding under the Small Debts Act, arising out of extraordinary circumstances. The de fendant, a clerk in the Post-office, was summoned to show cause why he should not pay the plaintiff, an at torney, 161. 10s. on a judgment in one of the superior courts. .i.DVERTISEMENT.I Deafness—New Discovery,— 39, Albemarle-st reet, rvf li ni o , te s l. all 7ie o anPiiiadilly, observe, opposite the York newiy4evevitbrator, an extraordinary power ',hers to surpass different from all (e3(2. instrument, for deafness, en tirelyprobably ever can b bkeinindgthofatthhase same colour or as the skin, is not rpass anything of the perceproduc ed, ptible ; it enables deaf persons to hear distinctly at church and at public assemblies ; the unpleasant sensation of singinc , noises in the ears are entirely removed ; and it affords' possibly could be desired. The very wa su b l itt i : all the assistance that Royal Exhibition—valuable newl -i powerful waistcoat pocket glass,Ytlusevesnit;ll' ryacli , t i ! e n g , to discern minute objects at a distance oef°tfotroam four to that somel. five miles, which is found to be invaluable, and to sportsmen, gentlemen, and gamekeepers. Tele scopes, possessing such extraordinary power, Si incises, with an extra eye piece, will show distinctly Jupiter's moons, Saturn's ring, and the double stars They supersede every other kind, and are of all sizes for the waistcoat pocket, shooting, military purposes, & c. Opera and race-course glasses with wonderful power ; a minute object can be clearly seen, from 10 to 12 miles distant. Invaluable newly-invented spectacle.—S. &B. Solomons, Aurists and Opticians, 39, Albemarle-street, P iccadilly, observe opposite the York Hotel. From the examination of the plaintiff and defendant by the Court, it appeared that the insolvent had rented a small house in Lambeth, which he took of a Mr. Por ter, who was solicitor to a lady named Hart. A claim of 16s. was made on the house by the Rev. Mr. Daltca, the rector of Lambeth, under the Tithe Commutation Act, as a rent-charge. The insolvent was out of town, and the members of his 'family did not pay the money. He alleged that he only owed Bs. as the rent-charge, which was ono year's rent as tithe-charge. An action was brought against the insol ven t, an d the expenses were 141. lOs. Subsequently. proceedings were taken to get possession, and the sheriff turned the defendant and his furniture into the street. The articles were put into a waggon, and in the care of some neigh bours, until a house could be taken. Being in posses sion, the rector, under the 6th and 7th Wm. IV., was was sp agreed to his landlord , between the and so get rid d of h. Tones)and liability. It that attorney the defendant he should give a promissory note for 161. lOs., and pay 21. 10s. in cash. The note was given, which was to be paid at 21. per quarter, hut no further payment had been made. Mr. Jones thoni brought an THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 20, 1$ 58. COLLISIONS ON THE LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE RAILWAY. On Tuesday, two collisions took place on the Bolton and Preston line of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Rail way Company, but fortunately did not result in any loss of human life. In the morning, as a goods train was standing at the Chorley station, on the down line from Manchester, a coal train came up behind, and ran into it with such force as to make considerable havoc with both trains. Mr. Blackmore, the superintendent at Manchester, was sent for, and was present during a considerable portion of the day, for the purpose of taking the most prompt steps to get the rails cleared, to pre vent interruption to the regular traffic. It appears that the collision resulted entirely from the neglect of persons in charge of the Chorley station not turning on the pro per signal. Mr. Blackmore was standing on the platform at the Chorley station in the evening, ready to return to Man chester, when information reached him that, three quarters of a mile short of Chorley, the express train from Preston to Manchester had run into a cattle train coming in the same direction. The latter con sisted of nineteen waggons filled with cattle, and the express train, which left Preston at five o'clock, con sisted of five first and second-class carriages. It appears that the cattle train was ascending one of the steepest gradients on the line, at the time, and had been impeded by the slipperiness of the rails. 'The express train came upon it in a very sharp curve of the line, and, conse quently, its conductors could not see any great distance in advance, but the driver succeeded in arresting the train so as to prevent the collision being a severe one. Three of the cattle trucks were smashed, and six sheep were killed, but in the express train the passengers were, some of them, scarcely conscious of the shock. Some ladies in a first-class carriage said they did not feel it all. A gentleman, named Dalrymple, from Manchester, who was travelling in a second-class carriage, got a blow on the left cheek bone, w hi c h bl ac k ene d hi s e y e ; a nd being in a delicate state of health and under medical treatment, he perhaps felt the shock more severely than he other wise would have done. Mr. Blackmore procured the assistance of a surgeon from Chorley, and Mr. Dalrymple, after the train had been detained about an hour, was able to go on to Manchester by it, and appeared to be doing well. None of the carriages of the express train were thrown off the line, nor w e r e th e y apparen tl y i n any wayinjured. A strict investigation into the circum stances by the directors was expected to take place yes terday. STATE OF TRADE. (From the Manchester Guardian of yesterday.) MANCHESTER, JAN. 18.—The New Orleans markets declined ic. to c, per lb. on the receipt of unfavourable advices from this side to the 10th December ; but ac counts hence of five days' later date caused that loss to be regained, freights having fallen to id. The excess in the receipts is now 445,000 in all, and for the week 42,000. In various circulars, the excess is expected to reach 465,000, and th en t o fall off very materially ; and they talk of not more than 3,100,000 being ultimately realised. But there are others, of the highest name, who do not at all diminish the late extreme estimates ; and, in general, the best informed parties in this district can see nothing whatever, in the known facts of the case, to warrant a reduction of estimates. As a curious illustration of the arts adopted to influ ence prices on this side, and of the origin of those arts, we make the following quotation from the advice of the highly-respectable firm of M'Connell, Wanroy, and Co. of Mobile, dated 25th December :—" The Liver pool letters of 26th and 30th November reached here on the 19th and 21st inst., and yesterday those of the 4th December came to hand ; these letters bring us the first intimation of severe killing frost over the entire cotton legion, in the middle of November, also of injury to cot tan by floods, and a wet picking season, all of which we were entirely ignorant of before." Surely, with a statement like this in their hands, with a stock of cotton in Liverpool exceeding that of this time last year by 200,000 bales, and with an excess in the receipts at the American ports of near 450,000 bales, while the price of the article with us is /d. to Zd. higher than it was a year ago—our spinners will not now, as they have too often done, allow themselves to be made the instruments for transferring money out of their own pockets into those of speculators on this side the Atlan tic, and planters on the other side. - They are, at this moment, suffering from prices gratuitously raised by th e ill-advised orders they themselves sent out some time back, without sufficiently restricted limits. We are glad, however, to see that a more wary and guarded spirit is prevailing among those who arc most deeply in terested in this matter. Still, these advices have contributed with other and more legitimate circumstances, to impart a hardening tendency to our yarn and cloth markets. The advices from the East, which will be found below, together with an apparently permanent improvement in the weather, have had a greater share in inducing some increase of demand, and slighly strengthening the hands of pro ducers in regard to prices. We had mere inquiry for mule twist and shirtings for. Calcutta ; for shirtings for Shanghae ; and for water twist for Canton ; and a mo derate business has been effected for those markets. This has operated favourably in other departments by an in direct influence. The continental houses are taking rather more yarns, and so are the home consumers. Slowly, too, the buyers of domestics appear to be ap proaching towards business. ROCHDALE, JAN. 17.—We had a rather still market to-day, and the amount of business transacted has been more limited on account of the prices demanded by the manufacturers, who ask more money for their pieces to meet the extra price of wool and oil. There is little change in the wool market worthy of notice. MACCLESFIELD, JAN. 18.—Business has been done to a fair extent in silk manufactured goods during the past week. The shippers are free buyers of anything that will come at their prices. Stocks continue low, and the prospects for the spring trade are favourable. Thrown Silks.—There has been more business transacted for the home market. The demand for the continent is, how ever, on a diminishing scale for the present, but as prices at Lyons and St. Etienne, are ranging high, a re sumption of purchases is shortly expected. Stocks here are insignificant, and in the finer descriptions a great scarcity is felt. Raw Silks—There is no new feature to notice. The China mail just in, reports shipments to the extent of 21,000 bales. Prices were slightly lower at Shanghae, owing to our advices of August and Sep tember reporting :fall here. Italians, remain firm, and Brazils without alteration, excepting the coarse and in ferior descriptions, which are in demand. HALIFAX, JAN. 15.-0 wing probably to the very heavy rain which fell all the morning, there was but a slender muster of merchants and manufacturers in our Piece ball to-day, and the sales of goods were consequently extremely limited. There is no material change in still aspect of the yarn market, and the spinners are t struggling for an advance corresponding with that on the raw material. Wools are scarcely so active, andthe quotations are again somewhat higher. HUDDERSFIELD, JAN. 18.—The attendance of buyers to-day at the Cloth Hall has not been so numerous as last week • still a fair trade has been done this one week. mostly in spring goods ; more has been done to o Stocks in the cloth hall are extremely low. There is at present no run upon any particular class of goods. Union cloths have been enquired for, and found purchasers at from 2s. to 2s. 6d. During the week there most of rehas bee t n h a e good trade doing in the warehouses,. a shippers are extremely busy with orders for the Ameri can markets. • BIRMINGHAM, JAN. 17.—The quarterly meetings of the iron trade of last week passed off with spirit, and prices have been well maintained for every denomination of iron —indeed, in some instances the figures that have ruled have been in advance of the declared rates. Plates and sheets are reported to have reached 141. per ton, and rails 121., delivered in Liverpool. Some temporary misgivings were felt, or at least were expressed, in the early part of the week, which induced consumers to give out rather dribbling orders at Wolverhampton, but confidence re vived as the reports from different localities came in, all bearing a favourable aspect. In our Town-hall, on Thursday, the attendance was very numerous, with an improved inclination for doing business ; and the aggre gate result of the meeting shows as full an amount of con tracts negotiated as the previously crowded state of order books, and the precarious ability to execute, would admit. The insufficiency of the supply of coals for the requirements of the trade is daily becoming more apparent. Iron manufactories cannot be kept at full work for want of fuel, and several blast furnaces, after working for a time upon a reduced scale, are now report ed to be upon the eve of being put out from the same cause. Ironstone also, though not so much in request, fetches exceedingly high prices ; aud, under the circumstances, the probability is that the present amount of make, either in raw or finished iron, cannot be maintained ; while the demand, especially for export, still continues to increase. Pig iron has realised unwarrantably high prices. The determination of one or two usually exten sive purchasers to abstain from buying, seemed to have little or no influence on the market. The furnace owners in Shropshire fixed their rates at 61. per ton, and the same was obtained for the best Staffordshire snakes. In ferior qualities were sold from Si. 10s to Si. ss. Pecu niary engagements have on all hands been unexception ably satisfied, and the closing feeling seems to have been one of cheerful acquiescence in the present advancedprices. The position now o ccu pi e d d oes no t appear to be beyond the actual progres s o f th e t ra d e , an d is fully justified the relative amount of demand and supply. So long as this continues unaltered, there is no cause for uneasiness, and no reason to anticipate any approaching retrogression. iron, and the In consequence of the high price of prin cipal metals used in the manufactures of Birmingham, manufactured goods of various descriptions of a a n re ld ra v p a i n d c ly e advancing. The merchants, in anticipation in the price of locks, have issu m e e d e l t trg g e o of rd t e h r e s, laonckdminakcoerns sequence of this demand, la v will be held this evening consider the present state(l‘.?fotnhdec) at Wolverhampton, to trade. The currycomb makers issued circulars during the past week, announcing and advance to from 20 to 25 percent. on best combs, and severed other articles have gone up in price. The cop per trade is still much agitated. Another advance of Si. tan has taken place, and we understand that large per orders: even on that advance have been refused. Many Per sons in the trade are therefore unable to enter int o contracts, unless subject to the price of copper at the time of delivery.—Aris's Birmingham Gazette. Mo RE DEATHS FROM YELLOW FEVER,—The man on board the Parana, who was so ill of the fever when the ship arrived at Southampton, died on Wednesday ever - ing. His wife was allowed to come on board to attend on hor husband in his last moments. The poor man name was Daverstock. He was the baker of the ship. Intelligence has reached Southampton that Mr. ThomaF, a midshipman on board the Conway, died at Navy Bay, of yellow fever, on the 18th ult. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PORTSMOUTH, JAN. 19 The Prometheus, 5, steam-sloop, Commander H. R. Foote, arrived at Spithead this afternoon from the west coast of Africa station, bringing a freight in gold dust and ivory, from Lagos, Accra, and Cape Coast Castle, estimated, we are informed, at about 10,0001. sterling. She left Sierra Leone on the 27th ult., at which date her Majesty's steamer Penelope, 20, Rear-Admiral Bruce, Commander-in-Chief ; the Firefly, 4, steam sloop, Commander G. A. Seymour ; the Polyphemus, 5, steam-sloop, Commander C. G. Phillips ; the Blood hound, iron steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Commander H. Christian ; the Ferret, 8, sloop, Commander Macdonald, and the Pluto, 4, steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Commander H. West, were at that station. The mail steam-packet Propontis arrived on the night of the 26th. Commander Heseltine, of the Britomart, 10, was senior officer in the Bights, with the Cygnet, 8, Commander R. D. White ; and the Alecto, steam-sloop, 2, Commander Crofton. On the south coast were the Harlequin, 12, Commander Wilinot ; the Waterwitch, 8, Commander A. H. Gard ner ; the Volcano, 5, steamsloop, Commander Coote ; and the Spy, 3, Lieutenant-Commander Beresford. No slave trade is reported as going on. The Prometheus left Teneriffe on the 7th inst., and Madeira on the 10th, having put in at these places for coals. She brought mails. She has only made one slaver prize during the two years and seven months she has been in commission. Lieutenant G. W. Towsey, senior lieutenant of the Fire fly, has invalided in the Prometheus, which vessel has been very sickly, having never been without fever since employed on the coast. She has sent upwards of 50 cases to the hospital (of whom several were invalided), almost all from fever, and has lost two officers—a lieu tenant and the gunner—and three men by death. She has had a fine passage home, with the exception of having experienced a heavy gale of wind for two days in the Bay of Biscay. Her Majesty's ship Linnet, 8, Commander H. Need, was reported to the Prometheus, by the mail packet Propontis, to have been at Teneriffe on the 23d of December, after a heavy gale, in which she had lost three men overboard. The boats of the Polyphemus steam-sloop had landed at the river Shebar, and had burnt some slave factories and captured 10 slaves. The Prometheus will come into this harbour to-morrow to coal, and will then proceed to Woolwich to be paid off. Advice has just reached Messrs. Smith, the owners of the Marlborough, 1,600 tons, frigate-built Indiaman, of her safe arrival at Port Adelaide, on the 4th o f Novem ber last, after a passage of 78 days from the Lizard. It will be a source of much satisfaction to the friends and relatives of upwards of 300 passengers who emigrated in this noble ship to know they all arrived at their destina tion in excellent health and spirits, and expressed their warm admiration of ship and officers. The Marlborough left Plymouth on the 14th of August, 10 days after the Royal Mail steamer Sydney, and arrived at Port Ade laide two days before her ! ROYAL MARINES. Captain and Brevet-Major Charles W. Pierce, of the Portsmouth division, has been allowed to retire upon full pay. By this First-Lieutenant William Alfred Garner Wright, of the Plymouth division, becomes Captain ; and Second-Lieutenant George Oliver Evans, of the Wool wich division, becomes First-Lieutenant. PLYMOUTH, JAN. 19. Her Majesty's ship Vengeance, 84, Captain Lord Edward Russell, arrived in the Sound yesterday morn ing from the eastward. La Hogue, 60, screw steam block-ship, Captain Ram sey, and the Confidence and Pike steam-vessels, steamed round the Eddystone on Monday to try their engines and exercise the crews. I The Vulture steam-vessel arrived on Sunday, and went into Barnpool to make good defects, having carried away her capstan. By the steam-ship Canada, which arrived at Liverpool on Monday, we have a Bermuda Herald of the 30th ult., containing extracts from the Trinidad Herald of the 15th of December, two days later than the last mail. Her Majesty's ship Cumberland, 70, flag of Captain Sir George H. Seymour, sailed from Trinidad on the 16th of December for La Guayra, in consequence of some disturbances in that locality. Commander Henry J. Matson, Of her Majesty's screw steam-frigate Highflyer, 21, has died from the effects of the epidemic prevailing on board that ship, after a very short attack. The body was borne to the grave on a gun-carriage drawn by seamen, and followed by a detachment of Artillery and Infantry, with arms reversed, the officers of the Cum berland and Highflyer, Doctors Anderson, De Verteuil, and Van Buren, Mr. Davenport, Assistant Commissary- General, and Mr. R. H. Stewart, harbour-master. The carriage of the Governor contained his Excellency and Admiral Sir George Seymour. The venerable Arch deacon Cummins was accompanied by the Rev. H. Richards and the Rev. Mr. Jemmett. The town-clerk and chiefs of police closed the procession, which extended nearly a quarter of a mile, and was attended by the band of the 36th Regiment. Mr. Thomas Weiss, Master's-Assistanf of her Ma jesty's surveying-vessel . Scorpion, died of yellow fever at Grand Cay, Turk's Island, on the 18th of Dec., aged 22. CHATHAM, JAN. 19. Considerable improvements have been recently made at this dockyard, more especially since the appointment of Captain Peter Richards, C. 8., in May, 1849, to be Captain-Superintendent. Three spacious slips have been built, and the roofs constructed of iron, supported upon iron pillars, as a protection from fire. These slips are all capable of building the largest ships in the Royal Navy ; and another spacious slip is in progress of con struction, the foundations of it having been all laid out, and a considerable portion of the wharf or stone wall raised next the Medway. Some idea may be formed of the shipbuilding capabilities already pos sessed at Chatham dockyard, when it is stated that there are five 80-gun ships on the stocks, equal in ton nage to many of the first-rate ships of war, and two 50-gun frigates, all of which are to be fitted with screw propellers. The names of these fine vessels, several of which will be ready for launching as soon as the alter ations necessary for their screw propellers are effected, Surveyor 89ton e s, f and all in a very forward state, are as follows : , a The Cressy, 80, screw steam-ship, of 2 , 4 7 3 tons, fro m a design by Read, Chatfield, and Cruese. The Majestic, 80, scWilliamrleiawm steam-ship, symends of f e 5 from a design by Sir the Navy. The Irresistible, 80, screw steamship, of 2,598 tons, from a design by Sir William Symonds. The Hoot 80, screw steam-3hip, of 2,600 tons, from a dn O by the the BNavy-office. eamship, of 2,600 tons, from a de e s Ts i i g igie nb rio yNa scr vy-office. This vessel is to be length iron 28 feet, and with th e t wo preceding, is u n d er th e 50, was or i g i nally designed as a screw ste ll ai re o -: E l f i e i uY pdr sl , and will be fitt e d w i th engines by John Penn and T h S e on Se . vern, 50, was designed as a sailing-vessel, but is to be converted into a screw steam-ship. The Royal George, 120, built at Chatham in 1827, of 2,616 tons, on a similar plan to the Caledonia, is at pre sent in dock at Chatham, for the purpose of being 0 7 w 12 at Plymouth, lyfini.emouathd, con verted into a screw steam-ship. The Caledonia, 120, 2 n e w si a g s n b b y uil ß t n a l t e. that port in 1808, of The Imperieuse, 50, screw steam-frigate, Captain R. B. Watson, C.B. ' is only wa iti ng f or d ry wea th er t o have her rigging all put up. She has now upwards of 220 on her books, and among these are about 70 able seamen. Captain Watson has numerous promises of entry of seamen from those who have served with him on previous occasions. SHEERNESS, JAR. 19, 8 A.M. Her Majesty's steam-vessels Myrtle and Adder pro ceeded to Blackstakes yesterday, and towed the Phiuton down to the docking basin buoy. In consequence of the tides, she cannot be taken into the basin until Mon. day next's afternoon tide. The crew have commenced stripping her, and before sunset last evening her topgal lantmasts were sent down, sails dried and unbent, and all her running rigging, blocks, &c., with spare gear, were sent on shore to the dockyard. The steam-vessel Myrtle, Mr. Mugford, acting-master, pro tem. in com mand, has been placed at the service of Capt. Geo. Elliot, in order to facilitate the return of her stores to the dock yard. There are only about 20 ordinary seamen in this frigate, and, to their credit it may be remarked they have principally been promoted from first-class boys trained in this ship. It appears none of the crew will volunteer for any ship unless they are permitted to have two months' leave of absence and borne out on such ship's books, as usual in such cases. Six weeks leave of absence has generally been granted volunteers on paying off, and therefore several of the officers from the ships fitting here have promised the Phaeton's crew that they will make an especial application to obtain them the two months' leave, provided they volunteer. They are cer tainly men to be desired, being thoroughly disciplined men-of-war's-men. _ _ _ Mer Majesty's screw steam-sloop Miranda is now ready for the pendant, having been rigged by the crew of her Majesty's steam screw guard-ship Horatio, under the directions of First-Lieutenant John Seccombe of this frigate. iler Majesty's sloop Rattlesnake, Commander Henry Trollope.—The hot air pipes of 20 inches by 4 inches are being fixed from the stove forward throughout all the cabins on both sides of the main deck, and there is no doubt she will be quite ready by the 27th inst., as far as the dockyard is concerned. WOOLWICH, JAN. 19. APPOINTMENT. Acting Assistant-Surgeon Archibald Stevenson (1852), from the Victory flag-ship at Portsmouth, for service in a naval hospital, to the Rodney, 90, at Portsmouth. Sir James Graham, Captain Alexander Milne, and the Hon. William Cowper, Lords of the Admiralty, and Mr. Bernal Osborne, secretary, transacted business at Somerset -house until a late hour on Tuesday evening. RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS. THE GREAT NORTHERN RAlLWAY.—Traffic return :o: the week ending Jan. 9, 1853 (285:3 miles) £12,507 13 3 Corresponding week last year (2414 miles) 9,744 17 11 LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE RAlLWAY.—Traffic TO turn for the week ending Jan. 16, 1853 £16,568 8 3 Corresponding week last year 15,315 9 6 CHESTER AND 1 3 10:.THEAD RAILWAY.—TraffiC return for railway and steam-boats for f he week ending Jan. 16, 1853 Corresponding week last year 2,326 6 5 Increase in 1853 ~. a. £667 0 6 - Day when made up From what when COUNTRIES. in General Post- Port duo. Office, London. Dispatched. America (byllrit.pack.N ran. 21.. Liverpool ... Jan. 24 America (by United Sts. packet) N Jan. 25 ...... Liverpool ... Jan. 20 America (by U States packet) N ................ Southampton Australia (via South ampton) _hi 20th of each month Southampton Jan. 24 Ditto (via Marseilles N 24th of the month Dover ...... Feb. 1 *Ditto (via Cape of Coed Hope) N 2d of February.... Plymouth .. Jan. 30 Africa (West Coast) N 23rd of the month. Plymouth .. Feb. 12 Alexandria* N 19th&30th of mon. Dover ...... Jan. 28 B e l g i u m „ „ „... _N Daily_ Dover ...... Daily Brazil 9th of the month.. Southampton Feb. 16 Buenos Ayres ....M 9th of the month.. Southampton Feb lb California - Md & 17th of month Southampton Feb. I t Cape of Good Hope N 14thof tho month.. Southampton Jan. 26 Cape de Verde ......N i4thof the month.. Southampton Jan. 26 Constantinople*. ..N 7thi7th27thof inn.. D0ver...... Jan. 20 Central America 2nd & 17th of mon. Southampton Feb. 1 Channel Isles _N Mon.Wed.SpFriday Southampton Tu Chili ...... „ „ „ m 2d & 17th ofmonth ' 4 outhampton Feb. 1 France M & N Twice daily Dover ...... Twicedallf Greece* N Ithl7th27th oftnon. Dover ...... Jan. 20 Hamburgh Tuesday & Friday London Tues. , Sat. Holland Wednesday & Sat London ..... Sun.Thurt. Honduras N 17th of the month Southampton Feb. 16 Ireland ........M 84:1s1 Twice daily Holyhead ... Twicedalli India (viaSouthampt.)M 20th of the month.. Southampton att. 24 India (via Marseilles) N 8 th&24th of month Dover ...... Feb. 1 India (via Cape of Good 14th of the month.. Southampton Jan. 26 Mauritius 14th of the month.. Southampton Jan. 26 Mediterranean (via Southampton 20th of the month., Southampton Jan. 24 24th Ditto ( via Marseillea ). N :3th& o i f l m on o t n h. month sDooSouthamptonraptoi Feb., ..... , Feb. 1 1 2nd of the Madeira .▪ ...........M 9th&23dofthemon. Southampton Feb. 12 t tt 3 1 1 11 : 01 1 t 551 I hth : h 2 2f i ti ttiletO°lin9ni:l O D o o y v e e r r : : : Malta Dover ...... Jan. 22 N . l : m an.. 2 2 2 0 Naples* Ithl7th27thormon Southampton Jan. 26 Papal penin Peru 2d & 17th of month Q outhampton Feb. I Tuscany* ▪ ..........N sth i s th 2s thoffrion, Dover .... Jan. 22 west Indies ........ /II 2d & 17th of month Southampton Feb. 1 Van Diemen's Land (see Australia) * The mails for Australia via the Cape of Good Hope are made up on the 2d of every alternate month. Those made up on the 20t0 ru.d 24th of each month via Southampton and Marseilles are seat b sailing vessels at present from Singapore. _ . Malls are also made up on the 2d of every alternate month for the Cape of Good Hope. (C) are conv e y e d 10 • The mails to th ose coun t r ies thus mar k ed French packet to Marseilles. BIRTHS. OF A SON. On the 17th inst., at Garboldisham, Norfolk, the Hew Mrs. Fitz Gerald Foley. On the 12th inst.; at Priory-place Bath, prematurely, the wife of Captain Jarvis, 82d Regiment, stillborn. OF A DAUGHTER. On the 19th inst., the wife of William White,. jun•P Esq., of 'Upper Bedford-place. On the 18th inst., at 7, Thurloe-square, Prince. Mrs. Alexander MARRIED. On the 18th inst., at St. Barnabas', South Kennington' G. J. Squibb, Esq., of Orchard-street, Portman-squaro , to Emma Jane Nosworthy, only child of It. Hayward, Esq., of Stockwell, Surrey. On the 12th insb., at the New Parish-church, South Ossett, near Wakefield, Jacob Archer, Esq., West Field House, South Ossett, to Sarah only daughter of the lat e Joshua Thorns, Esq., of Ossett-green. DIED. On tho 14th inst., at Blue Ilaize, St. Martin's, Jersep A. G. Van Ilonarigh, Esq., late of the 95th Regiment' aged 44. On the 15th inst., at Queenstown, Thomas Bolton, Esq late of Ballykisteen, Tipperary. On the 16th inst., at 95, Milton-street, Dorset-SqUarOf Mrs. Mary Bozea, aged 72. On the 17th inst., at Highfield, Exmouth, Devon, Brownlow Bourdillon, Esq., of Bath, aged 74. On the 17th in s t., a t Woodford, CaptainW. S. StockleY' late of the H.E.1.C.5., aged 74. On the 17th inst., at 19, Foxley-road, Kennington, fir' J. Penningto n , l a t e of the H.E.I.C. H ome S erv i ce , aged On the 17th i ns t., a t Barnsbury-cottage, Islington, _o_ n Harvey, Esq., aged 70. LONDON : Printed and Published by MITIIDO YOUNG' of No. 112, Stra r d, P r i n t er, at The Sun Office, No. 11 , 1 Strand, in the P rec i nc t o f th e S avoy , i n th e co unt! ° Middlesex, Thursday, January 20,1853. Jan. 20 Jan. 22 Jan. 22 Jan. 26 Feb. 1 Jan. 22 Feb. 1 MORTALITY IN TBE METROPOLIS. NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES REGISTERED IN THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, J. 15. Zymotic Diseases Diseases of Uncertain Seat Tubercular Diseases Diseases of the Brain. Nerves, and Senses.. Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels Diseases of the Lungs and other Organs of Respirati on 153 Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs of Digeston Diseases of the Kidneys, &c. Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus &c. Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles Diseases of the Skin, &c. Malformations Premature Birth and Debility A trophy Old Age 5udden................................................... 4 Violence, Privation, Cold, and Intemperance........ 15 Causes not specified2s . 216 ... 10 ... 9 DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSER Population Deaths in corre- Deaths Enumerated. spending week in the itibl. of 15 52. Week. West Districts North Districts 490,396 226 Central Districts 393,256 East Districts 485,522 South Districts Totals Males Females 2,362,236 I,OOG 1,001 492 509 BIRTHS IN THE WEEK. Males... Females Total .. 755 841 1,566 COUNTRY MARKETS. EDINBURGH MEAL MARKET—JAN. 18. There were in the market to-day, 4 sacks oatmeal, each weighing 2801bs imperial, which sold at 31s. EDINBURGH HAY AND STRAW MARKET— JAN. 18. Supplies of all kinds these last six days again large. Oat straw, from 7s 6d to 9s Od per kemple of 16 stones tron ; wheat do., 6s 6d to 7s 6d ; barley do., 4s 6d to 5s 6d. Hay from 8d to 10c1 per stone. DALKEITH MEAL MARKET-JAN. 17. There were in the market to-day 94 bags oatmeal, 34 bags of barleymeal, and 2 bags pot-barley ; sales dull. The top price of oatmeal the same as last week, second quality, 3d per bag up, and the lowest 3d per bag down ; the top and second prices of barleymeal 6d per bag down ; the pot-barley was not sold. . Oatmeal, per sack of 2801bs First. Second. Third. imperial Barleymeal, per ditto Peasemeal, per ditto ... - ‘Pr d Flour, per ditto Pot-barley, per ditto —s Od I—s Od I—m Od —s Od I --s Od I --s Od COAL MARKET—.TAN. 19. Prices of Coal per ton at the close of the market : s. d. Bate's West Hartley 15 1:1 Buddle's West Hartley 15 6 Buruhope l4 6 Carr's Hartey l5 6 Chester Main 15 9 Davison's West Hartley 15 6 Hasting's Hartley 15 6 Howard's West Hartley Netherton 15 6 Stewart's Hartley 15 0 Longridge's W. Hartley 15 6 North Percy Hartley l5 0 Tyne Main • •.14 0 Pelton Main l6 0 Ravensworth W. Hartley 15 6 South Peareth l4 0 Tanfield Moor l5 6 West Hartley . l6 6 West Wylam Trader 15 6 Wall's End, &c. 8. d. Marton l7 0 ,Johnson 15 9 Lawson l6 0 Walker l6. 3 Eden Main 17 6 Lambton Primrose 17 6 Belmont 17 6 Braddyll 18 0 Hetton lB 6 Haswell lB 6 Kepier Grange l7 6 Lambton lB 0 Hetton Lyons raised 17 6 Plummer l7 9 Stewart's. lB 6 Cassop l7 9 Heugh . Hall. l7 3 Kelloe 18 0 Adelaide Tees 17 9 Tees lB 6 iCowpen Hartley l5 6 IRarusay's Canal 20 6 ElI j 501 d............ 160. Brown 15 Si Killingsworth E. l5 31 Ships at market 4 . RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, JAN. 19. STOCK EXCHANGE.—We have a very dull, inactive mar ket for shares to-day, chiefly occasioned by the uncertainty of the Bank of England's movements to-morrow. A ge neral impression exists that the rate of discount will be again raised, which would temporarily depress the market. We quote—Aberdeen, 143 ; Ambergate and Eastern Junc tion, 1 d. ; Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire (Ches ter and Birkenhead), 21i ; Caledonian, 32i ; Eastern Counties, 12i ' • Lancashire and Yorkshire, 81i ; ditto, ' Fifths, 4 dis. • London and North W e st ern , 1214 ; laud, 77 ; North British, 8 15-16 ; South Eastern and Doe., .23t; (sreat Northern (10t. scrip shares, 44 per cent.), fi pm. ; Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln, 10/. preference shares), 104 ; Dutch Rhenish, 2i dis. mA.NCHESTER. JAN. 19. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The market has been quiet, and with the exception of London and North Western shares, which sold at 122, prices are rather weaker, Kendal, 14. ; Leeds, 81$ ; Sheffield t en per cent., 10,.; Midland, 71i ; South Eastern, 231; North British, 9. BIRMINGHAM, JAN. 19. STOCK EXCHANGE. —This market continues dull, with very little business doing of any kind. South Si a!Torde were done at dis., and old Birmingham Canals at 106. LEDS, JAN. 19. S TOCK EXCHANGE.—E There has been a slight re-action in the share market this morning, though its effect has been only to a trifling extent. The transactions have b een few. The following are the closing prices :—North Westerns, 8$ ; Lancashire and Yorkshires, 81} ; London and North Western stock, 1221. SEABORNE MAILS. (N signifies that the mails are sent from the General Post-office by the night—and M by the morning—dispatch.] 49 177 119 37 39 25 •