The Sun. — London, England, 1853-11-21 00:00:00

CITY OF LONDON COMMISSION. --- The Commissioners met on Thursday, in the Privy Council Chamber, and renewed their investigation. Commissioners present :—Right Hon. Mr. Labouchere (the chairman), Sir John Patteson, and Mr. Cornwall Lewis. Mr. Acland presented a memorial to the commis sioners from the resident magistrates, churchwardens, and 200 inhabitant householders of Croydon, praying for relief from the heavy and unjust dues now levied within and around the metropolis upon coals, by the corporation of London. of the \ The first witness examined was Mr. Keeling , firm of Keeling and Hunt, fruit merchants of the city of London, who deposed—l wish to direct attention to tax levied by the City meters on fruit imported from abroad. If we hav e a car g o of nuts, consisting of 2,000 bags, all of one measurement and weight, the Custom-house authorities are satisfied to take two bags as a sample, and take for g ranted that all the remaining bags contain the same quantity ; but the meters of the City corporation, on the contrary, insist upon measur inc.- every separate bag for the sake of the dues. They claim' a metage of 2d. for each bag, making altogether 161. 13s. 4d. as the sum which is exacted . by the City meters, whose services are required neither by the Customs authorities, nor by the importers themselves, nor the buyer or seller. The duty charged by the Crown on oranges and lemons is le vied in a different manner than that levied on nuts, viz., by the bushel, and when the tariff was introdu ced the Cit y claim for metage on oranges and lemons was removed. The City claims metage on all kinds of nuts, except Paranas, a species of nut imported from Brazil ; and their claim also extends to onions, apples, and plums. The Customs department, therefore, are contented to measure only a small quan tity of goods as a sample, but the City meters claim the right to measure the whole cargo. At the outports the Custom -house officers do, free of charge, the duty w hi c h the City meters claim the right to do in London, and to charge the importer for doing it. On the article of chestnuts the Government some time ago repealed the duty, but the City meters, still continue their charge of 2d. per barrel for metage. Our house paid 2151. Bs. 11d. in 1851 in the shape of these dues for which we received no value whatever. The Lord Mayor used to claim a sample of every cargo entering the port of London, and as this gave rise to great annoyance, we compromised the matter by paying 2s. 6d. on every cargo, and that fine is now regularly demanded and paid. The conse quence of the various dues cha r g ed b y the city authori ties is to cause a great discrepancy between the cost upon cargoes of fruit delivered in London and cargoes delivered in Liverpool and other ports. Metage is also charged upon potatoes, but potatoes are not a part of our trade. In the case of perishable fruit, the goo d s a re often landed a fter the ordinary hours, and then the City meters come down and claim their fees without service whatever. The fees paid to four City meters, I am told, exceed 5,0001. a year. We are compell e d in mos t cases to have fruit measured whether we want it done or not. My own opinion is, that the City dues do not legally apply to foreign fruit imported, but to articles brought by the coasting trade. We have paid as much as 1,9391. 4s. Bd. in nine months to the City Fellowship of Porters. Ido not mean that we were losers to that amount, but only that we ought not to be compelled to employ one set of porters and no others. Ido not think our pecuniary loss is very considerable by being obliged to have our porterage performed by the fellowship ; but the business of the porters ought to be thrown open to competition, as well as every other branch of labour. Tile witness then withdre - w. Mr. Edward Hales, corn merchant, of Bush-lane, City, examined—l have been in business in the City for twenty-five years. I was a member of a committee re cently appointed by the corn trade of the City to sup port a memorial presented by them to the corporation on the subject of the heavy charges for porterage and metage on corn exacted in the port of London. The Chairman—Are there any points in that memo rial to which you wish to call the attention of the com missioners ? Mr. Hales—Yes ; that document and others I hold in my hand contain all our grievances. The committee of which I spoke was appointed eighteen months ago, and I conceive that it fairly represented the corn trade of the city of London. Mr. C. Lewis—What was the prayer of your memo rial ? Mr. Hales—We asked the corporation to reduce their charges, and to collect them in a more uniform manner. There were twenty-five different modes of levying the dues, and we recommended them to establish only one mode for light corn and another for heavy corn, and that the duty should be levied on the seller, it having been the practice in some instances to levy it on the buyer, and in other instances on the seller. At the request of the corporation itself, the committee drew up a report embodying the changes which the trade wished to see effected in the rates and in the mode of levying them. The memorial addressed to the corporation was as follows : "To the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council of the City of London. " We, the undersigned, merchants and factors inte rested in the corn trade of the city of London, think it due to ourselves and to the public to draw your serious attention at this time to the very heavy charges on all corn delivered within the City, arising from old muni cipal privileges, and comprised under the heads of me tage, tillage, porterage, holdage, and lastage. These charges are not only out of all proportion to the amount of actual labour performed, and of actual benefit derived from such labour, but are in all cases much hea vier, and in many nearly double, the rates charged for the same description of labour at most of the other ports in the United Kingdom. " The increase of railway communication, the advance ment of commerce, and the competition in trade all over the kingdom, fostered by the facilities of intercourse, and the swelling population of this country, have all tended to equalise business throughout the realm, and conse quently to interfere more or less with metropolitan dealers. Of this interference we do not complain, but we desire that in the new, and we trust improved, state of things brought about by these means, aided by modern intelligence and enlightened views, these old fashioned burthens and restraints shall be revised and adapted to the existing position of our commercial rela tions. " It is wished that the supervision of the measuring and delivering of grain should remain with your honour able court, and there is not any desire on the part of your memorialists to escape payment of a fair price for labour performed. " What we suggest is, that in lieu of the present com plicated system of charges, comprising no less than 25 distinct rates, or heads of which causes great expense and confusion in the collection, an uniform and more direct and simple mode of charge should be substituted, and that such charge should be paid by the sellers or importers. Your memorialists have no doubt that if a proper charge were made a large proportion of the grain deli vered from granaries in the port of London, and from railway termini, and which now pays nothing, ' would,. in that event, be metered by sworn meters, and paid for at a fair labour price, as the trade would obviously in all cases prefer the certificate of a o metei:, cr a secu rity which they are now obliged to for r e n cr heavy expense ; and many cargoes of r ozin,, to the di verted altogether from this port would be g brou n cth n t ow here to the benefit of the trade, and metered in manner.like' " Your memorialists, therefore, respectfully billi to the consideration of your court, whether the time is t not passed when such charges can be fairly enforced (they have become obsolete). They fall oppressively on the merchant, and unjustly on the consumer, and °wino. to the increased competition in business, and the diid nished profits under the operation of causes we have already partially referred to, they now form an item o f impost in the corn trade within this City which cannot longer be borne without a firm and determined attempt at its removal. " Your memorialists therefore trust that you will be pleased to take this matter into your earnest and imme diate consideration, and they are prepared to form a committee from their body to meet and communicate with a like number of gentlemen appointed by your honourable court to discuss the subject, and to arrange and carry out a plan for alleviating the grievances in question, against which they feel they have so just and unanswerable grounds of complaint. " And your memorialists will ever pray, &c." After the presentation of this memorial the committee received a letter from Mr. Sergeant Merewether, dated 15th October, 1852, and written by the direction of the corporation, and which letter made a request that the memorialists would prepare a statement of their grie vances, and the mode in which they wished them to be redressed, and lay it before the Court of Common Council. In accordance with this suggestion the Committee of the Corn Trade drew up a report to be submitted to the corporation, which document was as follows : " RnoRT of the Committee appointed at a general meeting of Corn Factors of the City of London, held at Jack's Coffee-house, Mark-lane, on the 21st day of October, 1852, for the purpose of supporting the memorial presented to the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council of the City of London, on the subject of the charges for inetage, &c., and complying with the invitation contained in the letter of Mr. Sergeant Merewether, dated the 15th of October, 1852, relative to the objects specified therein : "The committee have taken the subject into their serious consideration, find as follows : " That the corporation of the city of London have for a long period of time, and by virtue of several charters granted to the said corporation, particularly a charter of James 1., dated 20th of August, ad J ames 1., 1604, claimed the exclusive right of measuring all corn de livered within the city and port of London, and of charging for such admeasurement. " That an order or by-law emanating from the Com mon Council of the City, and dated sth October, 1620, created a body called the fellowship porters, which body claim to perform all the porterage work connect e d w i th the loading and unloading of cargoes of corn, &c w ithin the port of London, and of charging for the same. "That the total amount of the said two classes o f charges for such measurement and porterage since the reduction was made on the 3d day of May, 1852, average 4d. per quarter ex ship, and *I. per quarter ex granary. "That on the arrival of a cargo of corn in the port of London, the consignee of the said cargo gives to his lighterman, granary keeper, or purchaser, as the case may require, an order on the captain for the delivery of the corn; and the holder of such order then proceeds to the meter's office to procure a sworn meter, upon receipt of which intimation the meter summons to hi.; aid and proceeds with six, seven, and sometimes eight fellowship porters, on board the vessel, to perform the work of un loading the cargo, which is done by three of the porters THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 21, 1853. descending into the hold of the vessel with the meter. 1 The meter stands with a shovel in his hand. Two porters hold the bushel and force it into the bulk of corn, the meter filling it simultaneously with his shovel. A third porter holds the sack whilst the first two porters fill it, one of them strikes the bushel, the meter at the same time taking tally with a chalk mark on his shovel. Three, four, or five other porters are on deck to hoist the sack up out of the hold of the ship into the barge. " That in cases where corn is delivered out of granary, and a City admeasurement is required, an order is given to the buyer, who applies for and proceeds with a meter and three or more porters to the granary. The meter and porters merely fill and strike the bushel and fill the 1 sacks, leaving the remainder of the labour and the deli very to be performed by the granary keeper, and for this metage, ex granary, a charge of about 2id. per quarter is made. " That the following are the rates of charge for metage, &c.,.. in several of the outports of the United K in g dom. IN o doubt in many instances the same objectionable sys tem prevails as in the port of London, for it must be apparent that corn can be measured for i d. p er q uarter I as well at most if not all the other ports of the United Kingdom, as at Wakefield, Bristol, Plymouth, Ports mouth, or Lynn. "Liver pool.—Metage and porterage, 2d uarter. . per q " Ditto.— Weighing, -&d. per quarter. " Wakefield.—Metage and weighing, id. per gum ter. "Bristol.—Metage alone, id. per quarter. " Gloucester.—Metage, with trimming, bagholding, weighing, and landing, 2,i,d. per quarter. "Ipswich.—Metage and porterage, 1 1-sd. per quar- ter. " Ditto.—lf weighed, in all, 11d. per quarter. Wisbeach.-IVletage and porterage, about 11d. per Quarter. If weighed, 31d. per 10 quarters extra. Boston.—Metage and porterage, wheat, 2d. ; oats, Id. per quarter. " Portsmouth.—Metage, ld. per quarter ; sackhold ing, 6d. per 20 quarters. • Plymouth.—Metage, bagholding, and weighing, ld.; delivering over ships' side, id. per quarter. " Lynn.—Metage and tumbling, per ten quarters, 6d. "Southampton.—Metage a n d p or t erage , a b ou t 1g d. per quarter. - "Hull.—Metage, labour, and weighing, 27-10 d. per quarter. " Glasgow.—Measuring and porterage, 2id. per qaarter. _ - "That it is the dnty of the master and crew of every vessel arriving at any port of the United Kingdom, pursuant to the ordinary terms of the charter-parties and bills of lading in use amongst merchants, to assist in the delivery of all cargoes entrusted to their care ; and in the port of London all goods, including even flour, except corn are delivered by, or at the expense of the captain ; and it is obvious from this, that the practice which has prevailed (however originating) with respect to corn, has imposed upon the merchants and consignees of the city of London a burden and expense which does not of right belong to them, and which has tended, and is continuing, to divert business from this port ; and, in fact, a very large quantity of corn is now brought to London by railways, chiefly to avoid the heavy charge of metage. " That as evidence of the result of the charge for met age ex granary, and in support of the general views of the trade on the entire effect of the system complained of, it should be added, that from 20,000 to 30,000 quarters of grain were only a few years since measured ex granary, in the port of London, by sworn meters, whilst not more 2,000 quarters are now so measured. "That there is no doubt that if the merchants and factors engaged in the corn trade in the city of London were left quite unfettered to make their own arrange ments with respect to the measuring and delivering of corn, they could procure responsible parties to perform the whole for 11d. per quarter ex ship, and id. per quarter ex granary. The committee, however, desiring to take an extremely liberal view of the remuneration to be paid for the work done, and having regard to the guarantee afforded by the superintendence of the city of London, recommend that the present numerous charges, amounting in the whole to the before-mentioned sum of about 4d. per quarter ex ship, and 2/d. ex granary, should be reduced to 2d. per quarter on heavy grain, and 10. on light grain ex ship, and lld on heavy grain, and ld. on light grain ex granary, to be paid by the importer or seller, thus avoiding the great expense and trouble of collection from buyers in all parts of the country. "That as the result of the elaborate and expensive manner in which the privileges claimed are carried into effect, a profit income, as the committee are assured, of from 15,0001. to 20,0001. a year, is derived by the corporation ; and however meritoriously this annual sum may be applied, it is submitted that the levying of any such impost, even if sustainable in a point of law, is wrong in principle and prejudicial in effect, amounting, in fact, to a tax on the consumers of grain throughout the most populous part of the United Kingdom, and further it is submitted that the charge complained of can only be sustained as a reasonable compensation for the measuring, to perform which the corporation claim the exclusive right, and that any charge beyond such reasonable amount could not be en forced in a court of justice. " This committee, however, wish to express in the i strongest manner their confident hope that the corpora tion, by voluntarily reducing the charge to the amount above suggested, as enough and more than enough am ply to pay for the services rendered, will themselves do justice to all parties concerned. " Dated the 11th day of January, 1853. (Signed) " Daniel Birkett, Edward Hales, John Gar. ford, Robert Wright, John Hutchinson, W. Bardgett, Millis Coventry, John John son, K. Kingsford, James Giles." Such was the statement of the grievances of the corn trade, and after all this correspondence matters still re mained as they were before. The last letter received by the committee of the trade from the corporation was dated April, 1853 ; but the committee had not taken any further step since then, their reason being that they knew the present commission was to be appointed, and the corn trade wished for the present to delay pushing matters to extremities, as they had intended to do. In fact, they had intended (and, if necessary, they would still persevere in the intention), to adopt a similar course to that which had been pursued by Messrs. Combe and Delafield, viz., they would not refuse to pay the dues altogether, but would tender payment of what they considered to be a reasonable amount, and leave the City, if it declined to accept it, to show its right to exact the full amount of its claim. With regard to the fellowship of City porters, it used to consist of about 3,000 men, for many of whom there often was very little employment, and the body is very distressed, and has for some time past been sinking into decay. The re cent active demand for labour in other branches of busi ness has also induced many of them to leave so precari ous a calling, and they are not to be found now on the banks of the river. The various dock companies of London succeeded in excluding the fellowship porters from their premises, but when they accomplished this the dock companies themselves created as great a mono poly as the City had exercised, because when they shut out the City porters they charged the same rates of por terage within the docks as the fellowship porters do ; and now the docks pay men ld. per quarter of corn for doing the work, while their charge to merchants is 3d. per quarter. The Chairman—ls there any advantage in placing the metage in the hands of the City corporation ? Mr. Hales—There is. The import of foreign corn into the city of London is now as great as the quantity imported into the whole kingdom was formerly, and this year it will amount to four million quarters. I believe the fellowship-porters have at last been thrown over board by the corporation, which tells us now that we can employ anybody that we please. The charges for metage and porterage are usually made together, but I do not think that the City claim to both charges rests on the same footing. The fellowship porters were ap pointed by an act of the corporation two hundred years ago.te I think it would be satisfactor y to the trade of City if th e cor p ora t ion s till re t a i ne d th e su p erv i s i on of the metage of corn, because it is desirable that the to have meters authenticated quantities should be certified as between buyer and seller by an independent public public want, bodyin fact, o f credit. I think, be exercised by private v t i h d a u t a l the s I think the ought t desiree of the trade is that the City s hould mete all corn, and that if they have not the rigt now to do so, they should be T v h e e st c ed ha w ir i m th a s n u_ch u a avig rig n ht. re ,gard to caseyslu havei tt kethatoef the Messrs. Combe and Delafield,would metage so regulated that parties mightableo beto t th e 2 refuse or to accept the metage as their ow n i n t rests di e Mr. Hales--I would ; but I would have i t t o so h r a e v g e ul t a h t e e i d r as it would be the in te r est of all parties corn meted by the City, and I believe thatinth of the case of foreign imported corn particularly, nine -tenths traded would desire to have it meted by an independent authority, even if the charge were somewhat higher than it is. (The witness then went into evidence to show that the metage dues of the city of London tended to re strict the trade, not only of London, but of the country at large ; and read letters from his own correspondents at Plymouth, Boston, and other outports, in which the me of a the g aex cessive stated that they were prevented from sending many cargoesand x extravagant v g a r g a a i porterage.) He then continued—ln regard to foreign nnttcohaLrogneds reasonoenxacbtyedfo corn, I would have the metage by pulsory. The Board of Customs in London takes the the city made com- City meters' measurements, but in the outports the Cus toms mete the corn by their own officers, in which case, however, the work is very wretchedly done. The City charges are ingeniously amalgamated, but I believe the City meters receive three' farthiNg per quarter for work performed, and the City authorities receive another three farthings, or rather more, for doing nothing. With re gard to the dock companies again, they profess to take in a large ship and dock and undock her for the sum of 10s. 6d. • but it is clear that that amount can never pay them, and that the dock companies must look to the por terage charges to remunerate them. Mr. C. Lewis— Do you think it likely that if the rates of the City porters were reduced, the porterage of the docks would also be lowered ? Mr. Hales—l think it would be so. The next witness examined was Bank of L.K2nsglaynedar.s. Mr. T. Hankey, who stated—l am a merchant of the city war _o s f Lo_ondon, where I have carried on business for up wards have et never year resided s w i d a e s d i governorn the City, of andthe neither myself nor o any of my artners has ever beencon merochrpaonrtastioofnthe nected with the affairs of o c f h t a l i i r e ni c a o u rp_o rTa of City the take city. any Sc i a m r r c t el i y u any of the leading Chairman —To do you attribute their indis position Mr. Hankey—lt a r i ses partly becauseth the great mer city, and partly chants heave ceased to reside in from the onerous nature of the dutiees ts . .ched to the higher offices in the corporation. Theatautmleasaiosfteitihael I aldermen, for instance, are so mixed up with and other functions, occupying so large a portion of a person's time, that a merchant could not feel justified in undertaking them. The Chairman--Do you think it desirable that any attempt should be made to connect more closely with the corporation the great mercantile body in the city of London ? Mr. Hankey—lt has always appeared to me to be matter for regret that the merchants, as a body, have no voice and take no part in the management of the corporate affairs of the town with which they are so intimately connected, and in which they carry on their business. The Chairman—Can you suggest any means by which the great merchants would be likely to be induced to take a greater interest in the management of the affairs of the corporation ? Mr. Hankey—l do not think the merchants would ever be willing to take part in the corporation as its affairs are at present conducted. They consider that there are many abuses connected with the corporation, and whilst the parties who hold its principal offices con sist chiefly of the class of small retail traders, who are now ambitious to fill such situations, I do not think the leading merchants would be disposed to share in the exercise of municipal duties. No indisposition is, how ever, shown by the leading merchants to act as income tax commissioners, or as churchwardens, or to fill other parochial offices in they respective districts where they reside ; and I do not, therefore, see any insuperable reason why the great merchants of London should be less ready to act in conjunction with the corporation, if that body were rightly constituted. I think the hos pitality of the Lord Mayor might be made less ostenta tious and more useful than it is at present. The annual dinner at the Guildhall entails a very heavy and most useless expense upon the corporation. Mr. C. Lewis—Does not the great number of persons who attend the banquet at Guildhall tend to prevent the speeches of the Ministers present from being so well heard as they would be if the attendance was smaller ? Mr. Hankey—As far as the object of the banquet is to bring the members of her Majesty's Government into mutual contact with the authorities of the City, I think that object would be much better attained by confining the assemblage to the Mansion-house, instead of holding it in the Guildhall. I always find, on occasions of pub lic interest, or in times of political excitement, that the persons present take great interest in the speeches, and an opportunity is afforded for meeting the members of Government and distinguished foreigners, when the as semblages are held at the Mansion-house ; but I never knew any good to be attained by the Guildhall enter tainments. Mr. C. Lewis—ls it not the fact that the speeches delivered in Guildhall are totally inaudible to the great majority ? Mr. Hankey—Whilst I was an officer of the Bank I was always invited to the Guildhall banquets, and al though I was always accommodated with a place of honour, I never could hear a thing that was said. Mr. C. Lewis—Do you know what is the feeling in the City with regard to the Lord Mayor's show 1 Mr. Hankey— I believe that no interest is taken in it, except by the idlers and the children who are _taken to see it. Mr. C. Lewis—ls it acceptable to the persons who witness it in the streets ? Mr. Hankey—l should think not. I should think the trades Men in the City must consider it a great in convenience and annoyance, and the upper classes must derive little enjoyment from it. It can only afford gra tification to children, and to the idlers who often come up to the City to see it, and then spend their money in riot and drunkenness. Mr. C. Lewis—ls it conducive to the dignity of the office of the Lord Mayor that his carriage should form part of the procession ? Mr. Hankey—l think that so long as there is a Lord Mayor he ought to move about in a carriage calculated to show the importance attached by his fellow-citizens to the office; but as the pageantry is at present conducted, I do not think it is of any use whatever, and, so far from adding to the dignity of the office, it is perfectly ridicu lous. The Chairman—The procession has undergone alters• tion lately, I believe. It used to be a memorial of anti quity, and it is now of an allegorical character, is it not? Mr. Hankey—l think the altered character it has as sumed since I have lived in the City has only served to make it still more ridiculous. The Chairman—lt never recalls the days of antiquity? Mr. Hawkey—No, except it be by the antiquity of the coach. The allegory is got up by Astley's and similar establishments. The Chairman—Then it is no longer a type of the pro cessions of the middle ages ? Mr. Hankey—l think not. Mr. C. Lewis—But supposing, as some seem to think, it were desirable to keep up such an entertainment, ought the Lord Mayor to form part of the procession ? Mr. Hankey—lt is absurd enough now ; but if the Lord Mayor were to be left out it would degenerate into an unmeaning absurdity. The Chairman—You would have the Lord Mayor, as the chief magistrate of the first commercial city in the land, to exercise a decent, and even a splendid, hospi tality, would you not ? Mr. Hankey—l would, and in a manner that would command the respect of those who attach importance to such ceremonial observances. The Chairman—Do you know anything of the hospi. tality exercised by the Mayor of Liverpool or of Man. chester 1 Mr. Hankey—l believe it is conducted in a quieter manner than in the city of London, and at the same time in a manner to secure the respect of the inhabitants of both Liverpool and Manchester. The Chairman--Do the Mayors of Manchester or Liverpool ever invite distinguished visitors ? Mr. Hankey—l believe so. Sir J. ratteson—Great part of the company at the Guildhall banquets consists of common councilmen and their families, and not of guests, does it not ? Mr. Hankey—Yes ; and the banquet at the Guildhall is a farce, unless it is to be considered as a mere oppor tunity for giving certain people a dinner, for they neither see nor hear anything, and very few can even see the guests as they first enter the room. The Chairman—Suppose the Lord Mayor was not chosen from the aldermen, do you think that leading merchants would be found willing then to accept the office of Lord Mayor ? Mr. Hankey—l think the duties of the corporation might be so arranged that the merchants would not be unwilling to undertake corporate offices. The Chairman—Don't you think a great merchant, as a matter of public duty, might be willing to accept the office of lord mayor, although he might not consent all his life to hold the office of an alderman ? Mr. Hankey—That might be so ; but I see no reason why the office of alderman should continue for life, any more than the office of churchwarden, and many other public offices, which men will undertake for one year, but which they would be quite as unwilling to hold for life as they are the office of alderman. The Chairman—Have you turned your attention to what would be the best form of municipal government for the city of London ? Mr. Hankey—l certainly have often thought upon that subject, and it appears to me that the functions of the corporation are by no means useless in London, but I think they are inapplicable to the present state of affairs, being confined to the city of London alone. There are certain functions which could be better exer cised by a corporation throughout all London, and I would have corporations for all London. With regard to the question whether there ought to be only one cor poration for all London or not, I think it would be much better to adopt the system established in Paris, which is divided into certain arrondissements or departments, each arrondissement having its own mayor and a sepa rate staff of officers. I think that in Paris each mayor and his subordinate officers attend to the duties of their own arrondissement; and in London you might have similar divisions formed, each having its mayor and staff of officers annually elected) and these separate divisions might be all combined together for certain purposes, re quiring them to act in a general capacity. The improve. ment of the streets is a very useful function, and I should be sorry to see it taken away from the City corporation until a better body was formed for the discharge of that duty, not only in the City but throughout the whole metropolis in a more effective manner. I think many abuses exist in the City corporation, but I am no advocate for abolishing the system altogether. On the contrary, I think it ought to be extended through the whole of London. At the same time I consider that the office of magistrate forms no part of muni cipal functions. The system of paid magistracy in the metropolitan districts generally works very well, and I can see no object as regards the City in devolv7 ing judicial duties on men — who cannot be so well fitted for fulfilling them as educated lawyers who have devoted their whole time to legal pursuits. I hold that the business connected with drainage, water supply, cleansing, paving, and lighting, can always be best man aged by a corporation. If, for instance, it were left to the vestry of each parish, one parish might begin to improve a street, and when it got to the parish boundary there it might have to stop, because the views of dif ferent parishes might clash, whereas there would be no fear of such collisions in matters of jurisdiction if the business Nvou w lad a y s bee conducted by a body acting in a corporate capacity. we S r i e r t J e . h Patteson—lf the other parts of the metropolis would it haveke y d t_to i o s t obi i et n l c mda t irivigg c hod o te rp dtno o o2 ra f t o i r o ra ns, oo d e o o y o o rp u or t a h t i i n o k u, the or City corporation, but that na M tur r e . I :f a s n uch general arrangements , question would m b w e eo too large a l sd a r me g pi e eguhd f t o br upon apdoesuei deemed t g eh l de e n re ec in essity o r f lis. a ex b p so e l d u ie te nt or for iu t h h e e re e n n t ti City should begin and end with Term There can be no instance, ieb why the the-abr.rid The con ductl the river show their inaptitude for takingcagreees of the corporation with regard toPevinced f c n r ct o eh s cei s interests of the public traffic. The hesitation by them in purchasing Southwark-bridge, because they would not give 50,0001 . more or less, for an o tj ec t so imperatively, demanded by the public convenience, argues great want of sagacity or sympathy with the public re quirements. Mr. C. Lewis — A t p resent there is no taxa tion ap. toe in a the de City throughout funds to entire th e public exchequer ? e is not, because there is no cor porationto hich is co-extensi ve metropolisii i,in ith P o r° u v t en g l o e i n n t g s Mrli with the whole metropolis. Mr. C. Lewis—Might ther e not be a b oard of works paonskseeys—sinTghaer jurisdictionw s establishedoudl to effect for the p whole ublic of im pitl.ioevmemeternotpso?lis, whose duty h Mr. Hankey—l think there might be. Mr. C. Lewis—Would you have that board ap pointed by the Government, or popularly elected ? Mr. Hankey—lt would be desirable that the tax payers should have a voice in the elections. Mr. C. Lewis—Would you give such . a board a power of taxation extending over the whole metropolis, and have a representative of the Government present to guard the general interests of the State ? Mr. Hankey- -I cannot see that that would be objec tionable ; at all events I think it would be more accept able) to the public than the existing system. The Chairman—Have you any other observations whi. ::11 you wish to make? Hankey—l would just say a word respecting cham bers ,pf commerce, which are a subject more in my line. I do iao t think that either a chamber of commerce or a tribunwd of commerce would be at all useful in the city of London. Chambers of commerce may have been, and pia )bably are found to be, useful on the Continent, because , they are so general there ; but in England I think t hey are very liable to degenerate into merely political bo dies. This tendency, I think, has been seen in the case of the Chambers of Commerce in Liverpool and in Manchester. Such bodies may be more useful in pro vincial towns ; but in the City of London there is such a diversity of interests among so large a mercantile com munity, that there is very little common ground among the merchants on which joint action by means of a cham ber of commerce would be practicable, or even possible. Besides, ti 'ere are distinct bodies already in existence in counectioi i with particular branches of commerce. There are the West India Association, the Baltic Coffee-house, Lloyd's Sh ipping-offices, and associations for those en gaged in tt Le East India and in the Levant trade, and similar al:tier bodies for different branches of commerce, and at the se places any information can be obtained and any questions discussed relating to distinct branches ; but a chat) iber of commerce for the city of London would be upon 1;eo large a scale for such questions to he satisfactorily entertained. Then, as to the facilities which it is said tthat a chamber of commerce would afford for communicating upon questions affecting the interests of commerce 'with the members or with departments of the Government, I can only say for myself that I have ex perienced no difficulty in the course of my business in making any representation which I have felt to be neces sary, to any member of the Government, from the highest to the loweist. Of course it is evident that the merchants of Liverpool and Manchester have not equal advantages (in putting themselves in communication with the Go vernment) with the merchants of the City, who carry on their business at the very seat of the great departments of the State. _ Mr. Rankey then withdrew. Mr. Alcock, wholesale dealer in the City, examined— I have paid attention to the constitution of the corpora tion. I consider that the constituency is too narrow to represent the general body of the inhabitants of the City, and I would extend the franchise to every householder paying scot and lot and residing for six months. I would not allow a liveryman to vote as a liveryman, but simply as a householder. I live in the ward of Aldgate, where the number of freemen having votes is only 209, whereas the number of inhabitant householders (who I think ought all to have the municipal franchise) is 900. By extending the constitue icy, you would obtain a better class of representatives. The election of aldermen is very objectionable, and ought not to be for life. The wards ought to be reduced in number and equalised in extent. I think there ought to be paid magistrates to administer justice in the City instead of the aldermen. I would abolish the Court of Aldermen as a separate court, deprive them of their magisterial duties, and subject them to pe riodical election. If the Court of Common Council were elected by the constituency I propose, I think that court might be safely inti listed with the appointment of the Chamberlain, and other officers now elected by the Com mon-hall ; but I would still reserve to the general body of the constituency the privilege of choosing the chief magistrate, the Lord Mayor. Mr. C. Lewis—Would not that mode of election in crease the expense to the Lord Mayor ? Mr. Alcock—He need not go to any great expense if he does not wish to be elected by improper means. In the ward of Bassisshaw, in one instance, an alderman made freemen of twelve persons by paying the fees for them, in order that they might be enabled to vote as he wished —an act which, if not bribery itself, was very close upon The commissioners then adjourned till twelve o'clock next day. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. MALTA, Nov. 12. Letters from Constantinople to the sth are in town. The English and French beets are lying off Therapia. The Russian Consuls throughout the dominions of Turkey have, without exception, lowered their flags or their armorial bearings and departed, leaving under the protection of Austria their subjects, native or protected. The reports of the attack on the fortress of Isaktchi are confirmed. The action lasted five hours, and the Rus sians lost their commander, 30 men, and two gun-boats. Thy Turks were driven from their entrenchments, and retired to the heights. This was the result of an acci dent, the explosion of a powder magazine, by the burst ing of a shell from the Russian boats; the town also took fire, and the inhabitants fled in the greatest consterna tion. This event, however, is trifling compared to those which have since succeeded. The action at Batoum, though not generally credited, has also been confirmed ; it seems, however, not to have been more than a skirmish, yet a Russian General and six soldiers were made prisoners, and have reached Con stantinople. The only movement in our port has been the arrival of the steam-frigate Leopard, on Wednesday last, with detachments, and her departure yesterday with invalids and prisoners, under the command of Lieutenant Boyle, R. A. The Shearwater, from Corfu, has arrived, and is in dock for repairs. Several of our ships have been on shore. The Furious, with Admiral Dundas on board—no damage. The Ad miral proceeded to Constantinople by the Tiger. The Rodney was on shore six hours, in a calm; got off without damage. The Arethusa, going nine knots, has also gone ashore, but escaped without damage. The Retribution has also touched the ground. The Albion has fouled a merchant vessel, and carried away her mainmast (the merchantman's). The Fury left for Constantinople on the Ist inst. PORTSMOUTH, Nov. 20. In consequence of the complaints lately made in the public prints (first brought under the notice of the autho rities in the United Service Gazette) of the extravagance of junior officers' messes in the navy, a return has been called for by Vice-Admiral Sir T. Cochrane, the Com mander-in-chief at this port, from each ship under his command, demanding the amount of entrance-money, of monthly expenses of mess, wine, &c., of each officers' mess on board ; also the hour at which the ward and gun-room officers, and the respective ships' companies dine ; the information relative to officers' messes to be furnished by the caterers (officers), who are to be held responsible for the correctness thereof. No movement is as yet ordered to be made in the fleet at Spithead, and it js not considered probable by those on board that any move will be made under the present aspect of Eastern affairs. The Duke of Wellington's crew have not been paid wages yet, and the St. Jean d'Acre is not ready to join, having only left the steam basin yesterday, after being docked to receive false keel, &c., and she is 90 short of her complement. The Frolic, 14, Commander Nolloth, is not yet manned. No fact could speak louder than this in support of the support of the supposition that a scarcity of seamen pre vails at all the ports, as the Frolic is a class of vessel that men-of-war's men will "hold on" for months and years to get into in preference to heavier ships. The Frolic has entered upwards of 100, and has sent to open a ren dezvous at Plymouth to endeavour to obtain the re mainder—only about 20. The Princess Charlotte, 104, was brought down from the ordinary yesterday to be docked and prepared for service. The Boscawen, 70, at Chatham, is ordered to be fitted immediately for a flag, supposed to relieve the Cumber land on the West India and North American station. The Hastings, 72, is being fitted as a permanent re ceiving hulk in this harbour, and will take the place of the Blake, unfit for her great age and decay to receive ships' companies without great danger to their health, and a total absence of comfort. The hulk Victorious is nothing better. The Gladiator, 6, paddle-frigate, is ordered to undergo very considerable alterations in her engine department, which will occupy at least two months. She is not to be brought forward in her rigging at present, as at first ordered. The Growler, 5, paddle-sloop, having undergone a sur vey and been condemned to be broken up, was begun upon in one of the docks yesterday. The Admiralty have just 4irdered a return to the ticket-of-leave system, which has lapsed into desuetude in the navy, and in future no petty officer, seaman, ma rine, or boy is to be allowed to go ashore without a ticket-of-leave, which gives a full and accurate descrip tion of his person, name of his ship, length of leave, &c., signed by the commanding officer pro tent. Thus, any of the above classes found ashore without one of these tickets will be liable to apprehension. Forfeiture of pay will commence the day after the expiry of the ticket-of-leave and the non-appearance of the holder. The Spy, 3, b r i ga ntine, Lieut.-Commander Beresford, arrived at Cowes last night, and Spithead this morning, from the coast of Africa station. She sailed from Ascension on the 23d of September, and Sierra Leone October 4. The Penelope, 22, Rear-Admiral Bruce ; the Tortoise, 12, Captain Kitchen ; and the Myrmidon, 4, Lieutenant Jolliffe, were at Ascension at that date, but affairs at this great "cinder island" do not progress so smoothly, satisfactorily, or harmoniously as they did when Captain Hutton was the Governor. The latter officer was much venerated at Ascension and in the African squadron. The Alecto, 5, Commander Crofton ; the Volcano, 5, Commander Coote ; the Waterwitch, 8, Commander Gardener ; and the Crane, 6, Commander Miller, were on the south coast when the Spy sailed ; and the Britomart, 8, Commander Heseltine ; the Poly phemus, 6, Commander Phillips ; and the Linnet, 6, Commander Need, were on the north coast. The Com mander of the Spy, during the early part of her com mission (Lieutenant Hill), died on board about two years and a half since. She has taken three prizes (one schooner and two boats), but one of them was not con demned. Mr. G. Brand, her Majesty's Vice-Consul at St. Paul de Loando ; Mr. G. S. Thunder, acting chief engineer of the Teazer ; Mr. G. R. Harvey, acting mate of the Polyphemus ; and Mr. Forest, midshipman of the Crane, have come home in the Spy, which has sailed over 40,000 miles during her commission of two years and ten months. The Spy has had exceedingly bad weather. On the 2d, 3d, and 4th inst., she en countered a severe gale from the N.W., in which she lost jibboom and foretopmast, and was compelled to ap propriate the mainyard to supply the loss of the jib boom. It was feared she must part with her guns, but sh'e weathered it out in safety. She spoke, on the 4th of nveinber, in' lat. 41 12, long. 27 40, the ship Araminta, of Liverpool; Noy. 15, the Confederance, Evans master, 49 days from Marseilles to Glasgow ; same day, the Dutch bark Margatina, Wilcken master, 55 days from Bahia, in long. 49 13, lat. 9 10 ; also the Dutch bark Bantano, two days from Portland-roads, on the 18th. The Royal Yacht t quadron yacht Sylphide, Mr. Thomas Leyland owner, Mr. Richard Mowll master, arrived at Spithead this morning from Marseilles and Gibraltar. She sailed from the former port on the 9th ult., and the latter on the 31st. She spoke on the Bth of November, lat. 45 15, long. 14 10, the ship Har mony ; on the 14th, lat. 49 40, long. 9 50, the ship Seringapatam ; on the 15tIn lat. 48, long. 8 15, a screw steam-bark, second distinguishing pendant No. 8,045. PLYMOUTH, Nov. 20. Her Majesty's screw steam-ship Agamemnon, 91, Captain W. R. Mends, left the port, between 7 and 8 this morning, for the Mediterranean, to take the flag of Rear-Admiral Sir Edmund Lyons, second in command at that station. She went outside the Breakwater under steam, and then set all plain sail, and stood away to the S.W. Wind, N. W. The steam-tender Sprightly, Master Commander Allen, arrived from Portsmouth on Friday with supernumeraries for the Agamemnon, and left again the same evening. The screw steam-ship Nile, 90, is ordered to be fitted for commission with the utmost speed. Her copper has been taken off, and she is to have her bottom caulked. The brig Saracen was masted to-day, and brought alongside the jetty, preparatory to being put into com mission. WOOLWICH, Nov. 19. APPOINTMENTS. Surgeons—James Laird (1852), to the Medea paddle wheel steam-sloop at Portsmouth, vice Harvey ; Charles W. White (1841), to the St. Jean d'Acre, 101, screw steam-ship, at Portsmouth. Midship — man—R. J. Hancock, to the Victory flag ship, at Portsmouth. Acting Second-Master Syndercombe, to the Monkey steam-vessel, at Woolwich. Master's-Assistant—E. A. Deane, to the Princess Royal, 90, screw steam-ship, at Portsmouth. Naval Cadet—E. C. Haworth, to the St. Jean d'Acre. Clerk—Adderly W. Chimmo (1848), recently serving in the Cleopatra, 26, on the East India station, to the 'Magicienne, 16, paddle-wheel steam-frigate. The Saracen brig, commissioned on Thursday, at De vonport, by Master-Commander Joh:- Richards, is in tended for surveying service on the coast and rivers of China. The Jasper being now ready for service, and a steam tuz required at Devonport, Master-Commander Allen, of the Lightning steam-vessel, received the charge of her, and, with the crew of the Lightning to navigate her, left Woolwich this morning for Devonport. The Widgeon paddle-wheel steam-vessel, at present serving as a tug steam-vessel at Pembroke, is ordered round to this port, and Master-Commander Peter Rundle and the crew of the Widgeon are to be turned over to the Prospero steam-vessel, now fitted fur tug service, and will return to Pembroke with her to do duty at that port. The Tyne storeship, Master-Commander James B. Tucker, was taken out of the basin to-day, and is now at moorings in the stream, preparatory to her departure for Ascension and Rio. The Black Eagle steam-vessel, master-Commander Petley, was taken into the west:dock to-day to be ex amined. A very melancholy circumstance has occurred during the week, in connexion with this dockyard, by the sui cide of a fine young officer, William A. Ward (1846), borne on the books of the Fisgard flagship at this port since December, 1850, and who was appointed in the latter part of the last week to be clerk in charge of the Rifleman screw steam-sloop at Woolwich, preparing for foreign service. Mr. Ward went to the office where the books of the Fisgard are kept on shore on Monday morn ing last as usual, but he had not been there long when he pulled off his naval uniform coat, and went out with his overcoat on, and since that period no traces were ob tained of him until the police on the Essex side of the river reported that the body of a suicide had been found by some men in Wanstead Forest, death having taken place by a stab with a knife in the jugular vein. Mr. Ward's father went over from Woolwich to Wanstead, and identified the body as that of his son, who had been missing fJr some days, and a coroner's inquest is to be held upon it to-day. No reason can be assigned for the rash act, but that it had been observed for several weeks past the deceased was low spirited, since the death of one of his children and indisposition of his wife. When he went from home on Monday he left his watch, his rings, and his money, but no traces of where he was going. COMBINED FLEETS AT CONSTANTINOPLE. The Debats publishes the following relative to the movements of the fleet : " The combined fleets have at length shown their colours before Constantinople. The causes which have hitherto prevented their movements are now known ; it is simply the wind from the north, and the strength of the currents which kept them fast at their anchorage from the 22d to the 28th ult., notwithstanding the assistance of the steamers. This is a very important fact to note for the future. In keeping the fleets at the anchorage at Besika Bay, it was thought that, at the most, only 36 hours were required to have the ships towed up to Con. stantinople. It required six days for the Henri IV. and Jupiter to arrive at San Stefana, although each of them had two steamers ; and yet they arrived 48 hours before the two English vessels, the Albion and Vengeance, with which they have since gone and taken up a position between Therapia, in the waters of Beicos. As it was agreed that everything should be done together, the French, who arrived the first, waited for the English for two days, but afterwards, when they were to pass before Constantinople, the English, owing to some mis understanding, passed the first, and alone. The morn ing before last the Vengeance appeared the first, towed by two steam.frigates, before Seraglio Point; and such is the strength of the current at that spot, that in order to pass from thence to Tophani—that is to say, to cross the width of the Golden Horn—it required more than an hour ; the Albion, which endeavoured to pass the Ven geance, was obliged to give up the attempt, and remain until the next day, followed by the Jupiter, and this morning the Henri IV. passed in her turn. These four line•of-battle ships and some steamers are all that have been as yet sent into the Bosphorus ; as to the remain. der, they are anchored in different places below Constan tinople, but none of the vessels appear to be going to station themselves before the capital of the empire." ThE ARMY. The following promotions, appointments, and re movals have recently taken place in the Army and Ord nance medical departments : Army Department— Deputy Inspector General William Dawson, M.D., pro moted inspector general, and removed from Madras to Bengal, vice Dr. St. John, deceased. Staff Surgeons of the First Class—J. P. Hawkey, M.D., removed from London to Hong Kong, vice Dr. M'Andrew, promoted deputy inspector general ; W. Austin, removed from the West Indies to Canada; Thomas David Hume, M.D., removed from Liverpool to the West Indies ; Thomas Foss, recently promoted from 92d Highlanders, ordered to do duty at Liverpool. Staff Surgeon of the Second Class G. F. Bone, M.D., recently promoted from 36th Regiment, ordered to do duty in the West Indies, vice Dr. Gordon, appointed to the 69th Regiment. Staff Assistant Surgeons—J. R. M. Lewis, M.D., removed from Chatham to Dublin ; George Smyth King, M.D., removed from Canada to Chatham ; John Hendley, from Cape Coast Castle to Chatham ; W. B. Wallis, H. Poison and A. C. Ross, M.D., from Chatham to the West Indies ; William Stewart, M.D., from Chatham to Bermuda. Ordnance Department—Assistant Surgeons —D. F. Rennie, M.D., on passage to Australia ; A. Scott Fogo, M.D., on passage with troops from the Cape of Good Hope ; and J. C. H. Wright, M.D., on pas sage with troops to Ceylon and Hong Kong. Captain Daubeney's company of the 62d Regiment proceeded from Kilkenny to Duncannon fort on Wed nesday, for Minie rifle target practice, where they relieve Captain Rynd's company, which have returned to Kilkenny, having completed its Minie rifle practice. Major Shearman proceeded to Carlow on Wednesday to take command of the two companies of the 62d at that post. We regret to state that Captain Dallas, 11th Hussars, whilst hunting near Kilkenny a few days since, received severe internal injuries, from which he is at present suffering, from his horse having fallen and rolled over him. Lieut. John Pitt Kennedy, 42d, previously 14th Dra. goons, has retired on half pay. Lieut. Peel, 53d, is appointed paymaster of the regi• ment. Major Hart, 49th, has sailed for Malta. The wooden bedsteads of the 63d at Linenhall-bar• racks, Dublin, are condemned, and iron bedsteads are ordered. The Board of Ordnance have purchased the houses 70 and 71, Stephen-street, Dublin, belonging to the Dean and Chapter of Christ Church, to be added to Great Ship-street-barracks, which will greatly increase the accommodation for troops. Major Hoy, 30th depot, Fermoy, having proceeded on leave of absence, Captain Rose is in command. Colonel Bloomfield, R.H.A., has arrived in Galway on a visit to his sisters, Mrs. Harlow Dennis and Miss Bloomfield. _ _ Captain Macdonald, 14, has exchanged with Captain Proby, 74th depot, who will shortly retire from the service. _ _ _ Ensign Dwyer, 14th, has left for Winfield, Shinrone. The adjutantcy of the 72d . depot, at Limerick, is vacant by the promotion of Lieutenant Alison to a company. Ensign Basset, 67th, is appointed to the 72d. There is a report that the Tralee-barracks have been condemned in consequence of imperfect sewerage, and that the military is therefore to be withdrawn. The military authorities complain that they cannot make a main sewer into the river that runs from the barrack, which would obviate the unwholesomeness. Mr. William Denny has, on the part of Sir Edward Denny, offered to have the sewer carried through the part of the Green demesne adjoining. The removal of a depot from Tralee would involve the loss of an outlay of 12,0001. a.year to the town. PERFORMANCE OF " ANTIGONE " AT OXFORD.—The organist of Christ Church Cathedral, Dr. Corfe, has an nounced a public performance of Antigone, with the music and choruses of Mendelssohn, to take place at the Star Assembly Room, on Tuesday, Dec. 6. The dialogue of the tragedy will be read by that eminent tragedian, Mr. Vandenhoff, who has been engaged for the occasion. - SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. WOLVERHAMPTON STEEPLECHASES. HANDICAP SWEEPSTAKES of 20 sovs. each, 10 ft, and 5 only if declared on or before the 23d of November, with 100 . added. The second to save his stake. About four miles of fair hunting country. Age. st. lb. Peter Simple a, 11 8 Sir Peter Laurie a 11 6 Bourton Oscar British Yeoman a 10 8 Peter a 10 7 Abd-el-Kader Bedford Tomboy Half-and-Half Pride oftheNorth a 10 0 Forest Lad Thickleby a 913 Victress Com eaway Sir Philip a 911 FREE HANDICAP HURDLE RACE of 5 sovs. each, with 40 added ; forfeits to be declared by the 23d of No vember. Twice round and a distance, over eight flights of hurdles. Age. st. 71). The Colonel a 9 11 Graziella (h b) ... 6 9 11 Spring Escape Diana a 9 9 I Labyrinth The Screw a 9 8 Cervus The Old Rake Bastion Little Charley , Topsy 6 9 3 IThe Beaver (h b) a 9 3 ,Trout Stanley Age et. lb. The Alp Bourton a 11 4 Tomboy 6 11 4 Spring 5 10 13 Nonsuch 4 10 10 Half-and-Half Needwood a 10 10 Beresford a 10 8 Star of England 6 10 7 Massa Mongo 5 10 7 Thirkleby a 10 6 Sir Philip 6 10 4 Escape 5 10 3 Victress a 10 1 Fazeley • a 10 0 Napoleon the Se- Age st. lb. Sir Harry......... a 911 Chatham ti 9 10 Theodine 4 2 10 Little Charley a 9 9 The Macaw 5 9 8 Maria Monk a 9 8 I Merry Lass 6 9 7 _ _ Old Rake 5 9 7 Teddesley 4 9 7 Squire of Malton a 9 7 Oxford a 9 6 The Admiral 3 9 3 Luck's All a 9 3 Wee Mickey a 9 2 Dubious 4 9 2 Friendless The Tumbler 4 9 2 Union Jack 4 9 0 Bads worth 3 8 10 Ducrow (h b) Gaffer Green a 8 10 Gipsey a 8 8 cond 4 10 0 Colt by Drayton out of Spring's dam - 4 913 John Bright 4 913 Timothy 6 913 HUNTING APPOINTMENTS. STAGHOUNDS. Hon. F. Peter's—Thursday, Long Barns (Abbott's Roding)—at half-past 11. Baron Rothschild's—Thursday, Wing—at 11. FOXHOUNDS. Albrighton (Mr. Hellier's)—Tuesday, Enville ; Thurs day, Stewponey ; Saturday, Hinley—at half-past 10. Duke of Beaufort's—Wednesday, Compton Bassett ; Friday, Trouble-house ; Saturday, Woreester-ladge— at half-past 10. Bedale-- Wednesday, Langton Viilage—Friday, Busby Stoop—at half-past 10. Cleveland—Thursday, Seamer - at half-past 10. Mr. Collyer's —Tuesday, The Hop Pole, Farningham ; Thursday, Hartley Court ; Saturday, Swanscombe Park—at half-past 10. Cottesmore—Tuesday, Tilton-wood—at 11 ; Wednes day, Greetham-inn—at 12 ; Thursday, Seaton-windmill ; Saturday, Brooke-hall—at 11. Essex (Mr. H. G. Greaves's)—Wenesday, Potter's hall ; Saturday, High Roothing-street—at 11. East Essex--Tuesday, Bul.mer-plough ; Thursday, Mark's-hall ; Saturday, Moor•guardens—at half-past 10. South Essex... Tuesday, Crown-inn, Langdon-hills ; Saturday, Wennington—at half-past 10. Earl Fitzwilliam's—Wednesday, Bythorn Toll-bar ; Friday, Elton Toll-bar—at 10. F. i3.—Tuesday, Stonemason's•arms ; Friday, Tregas. son-mill-- at half-past 10. _ _ Mr. Garth's—Wednesday, Sandhurst-lodge ; Friday, Winehfield-house—at half-past 10. Goggerddan (Mr. Pryse)—Wednesday, Foeorhydy galed ; Saturday, the Three-shoes. Herefordshire (Lord Gifford's) —Tuesday, Wormelow jump ; Friday, Egdon-hill—at half-past 10. Mr. Littleton's—Tuesday, Berry-down ; Friday, Ben down. Ludlow—Tuesday, Hopton-park ; Friday, The Ser pent—athalf-past 10. New Forest - -Wednesday, Bowlesbury-farm ; Friday, Beaulieu-village—at half-past 10. South Oxfordshire (Mr. Phillips's)—Tuesday, Sher. burn-castle ; Friday, Watterperry-common—at a guar. ter-past 10. Mr. Lort Phillips's—Thursday, Houghton Village. at half•past 10. Puckeridge—Wednesday, Elsenham ; Saturday, As tonbury—at half-past 10. Duke of Rutlatid's--Tuesda,y, Weaver's-lodge ; Wed nesday, Piper-hole ; Friday, Aswarby-park—at half past 10. Mr. A. Smith's—Tuesday, Manningford ; Wednesday, Wherwell-wood ; Friday, Weyhill ; Saturday, Everleigh and Roche-court—at 11. Somerset Subscription—Tuesday, Wick-park ; Friday, St. Audries—at half-past 10. Lord Southampton's—Wednesday, Winslow ' • Friday, Wappenham ; Saturday, Hanslope park—at 11. Mr. Cook's—Southwolds, Tuesday, Wood Enderby ; Thursday, Girsby • Saturday, Winceby—at half past 10. East Sussex—Friday, Beaufort-park—at half-past 11. Tredegar Friday, Coedkernew-pound —at half past 11. Mr. Wheble's Tuesday, loglefield; Wednesday, Yattenden ; Friday, Jack's-booth—at 11. HARRIERS. Brighton, Wednesday, Race-course ; Friday, Dyke— at a quarter to 11. Brookside, Thursday, Telcombe Tye—at a quarter past 10. Cawthorne (Barnesley), Thursday, Silkstone•common —at a quarter past 10. Craven (Yorkshire), Tuesday, Eshton Tarn ; Bradley. lane End—at 11. Mr. Evans's, Tuesday, Whitefield-hill; Friday, Man nington—at 11. High Peak, Tuesday, Monegash ; Thursday, Grange Mill ; Saturday, Newhaven—at 11. Capt. Hampton Lewis's (Beaumaris), Tuesday, Col lege—at 11 ; Friday, Llanbedrgoch school (deer)—at a quarter to 1 ; Saturday, Kennels--at 11. Lord Lonsdale's, Thursday, World's End—at 12. Whitchurcb, Tuesday, Bere-hill ; Friday, Bullington cross—at half•past 10. _ _ Worthing -:- Tuesday, Muntham ; Saturday, Steep Down—at 11. SCOTCH. FOXHOUNDS. Duke of Buccleuch's—Tuesday, Drinkstone ; Thurs. day, Clifton ; Saturday, Spottiswood—at half•past 10. Linlithgow and Stirlingshire— Tuesday, Barnton• house; Thursday, Polmount Covert; Saturday, Wall house—at a quarter to 11. HARRIERS. Mr. A. D. Tait's—Wednesday, Hopkins' Cross•roads —at half-past 11. IRISH. FOXHOUNDS. Duhallow—Wednesday, Rosskeen-bridge ; Saturday, Copstown Abbey—at 11. HARRIERS. Abingdon -- Thursday, Boher Cross ; Tullamore, Thursday, Black Lion. SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. CUSTOM HOUSE, Nov. 19. ENTERED INWARDS.—The Glaneur, from Amsterdam ; Denmark, Tonning ; Active, Malmoe ; Hercules, Memel ; Perseverance, Leer ; Memnon, Dantzic ; Margaret Reid, Memel ; Secret, Patras ; Amethyst, Hamburgh ; Bel wether, Memel • Conjictor, do. ; Ernst, Stockholm ; Jo hanna Fredericka, Memel ; Plenty, do. ; Judy, Rotterdam ; Aden, Uleaborg ; Mercury, St. Petersburgh ; Johanna, Riga; Joseph Haire, Callao; Clar a Cath a ri na , Carolinen seil ; Cairngorm , Canton ; Correggio, Gothenburg ; Ein dragt, Groningen ; Cherub, Cephalonia ; Fylla, Dantzic ; Anna Maria, Lillesand • Bellona Drobuck, Ingeborg ; Ca roline, Arendahl ; Emilia, Malaga ; Dion, Stettin • ' City of Hamilton, Queec • Hector, Gravelines ; Albert, Bor deaux ; Condor, Gede ; Trenton, Bic River, St. Law rence. ENTERED OUTWARDS FOR LOADING.—The Robert Mor rison, for Calcutta ; Jane, Havre ; Catherine Charlotta, Antwerp ; Condor, Monte Video and Buenos Ayres ; Eleonore, Stettin ; Friendship, Dunkirk ; Providence, Havre ; Active, St. Michael's ; Johanna Frederika, do. ; Baron Martin, Dunkirk ; Ciellie, Stavanger ; Christianee, Laurvig ; Mangalore, Port Philip ; Norma, Altona ; Brahmin, Sydney ; Hilleginda, Amsterdam ; Hindostan, Adelaide. CLEARED OUTWARDS WITH CARGO.—The Blandone, for Harburg ; Mary and Elizabeth, Cape of Good Hope ; Con dor, Monto Video and Buenos Ayres ; Margaret and Sarah, Dunkirk ; Rapid, do. ; Genna Leer Bland, Sydney ; Henriet Bruno, Hamburgh ; John Brooks, Tobago and Antigua ; Alma, Christiania ; Margaret Evans, New York ; Triton, Yong Kong and Whampoa ; Dinapore, Madras ; Kent, Melbourne, Hyderabad, Adelaide, and Calcutta ; Asbert, Barbadoes and Dominica ; Unity, Ant werp. LIVERPOOL, Nov. 19. The Bee, arrived from Arica, was in contact with a ship coming up the river, and lost foretopmast, &c. The Arthur, of Halifax, from Tatmagouche to Liver pool, was fallen in with Nov. 9, lat. 44 N., long. 54 W., dismasted, and leaking 400 strokes per hour. The crew were taken off by the Glasgow (s.s.), arrived at the Clyde. The Arthur lost her masts Nov. 5, in lat. 55, by being in contact with a barque. A ship was off Point Lynas. inward bound, at Ham, with loss of mainmast and fore and mizen topgallantmasts. A brig was off Holyhead at 9 a.m. with loss of bowsprit and foretopmast. The Avon, out thirty-two days, from Quebec, has ar rived at Beautnaris—all well. VESSELS SPOKEN WITH. The Gipsy, from London to Singapore, Nov. 9, lat. 48 N., long. 9 W. The Emerald (barque), from Newport to City Point, Nov. 13, lat. 51 N., long. 6 W. [ADVERTISEMENT.]--Th e Earl of Aldhorough and Hol• loway's Pills.—An astounding cure by this miraculous medicine after every other means had failed. See ex tract from his lordship's letter, dated " Villa Messina, Leghorn, Feb. 21, 1845. To Professor Holloway. Sir,—l 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) ALDBO - These wonderful pills will cure any disorders of the liver or stomach.—Sold also Holloway's ointment, at Professor Holloway's Establishment, 244, Strand, London and by all medicine venders throughout iihe kingdom COUNTRY MARKETS. ITA.DDINGTON—Nov. 18. The supply of all kinds of grain was much the same as in last market. Sales wore dull. Old wheat 2s down on the top, and new wheat is. Barley on the top the same aslast week. Oats on the top same as last week. Beans on the top is up. The following are the prices of grain at our market to-day : WhEAT. BARLEY. I OATS. BEAN S . First B6s Od 43s 3a 33s Od 64s Od Second Bls ld 403 9d i 29s 10d 61 3 4d Third 7Bs Oct 30s Od I 243 Od 543 ed Total quantity of wheat in market, 338 qrs., 279 sold PP PP barley „ 648 qrs., 599 sold PP PP oats PP 403 qrs., 382 sold PP PP beans PP 28 qrs., 19 sol d Average of wheat £3 17 10 10-12ths Ditto of Barley ... 2 0 9 G-12ths Ditto of Oats Ditto of Beaus DALKEITH GRAIN MARKET—Nov. 17. There was a large supply of all kinds of grain at or market to-day, with the exception of. peas and beans, and sales heavy. Wheat on the top is up, and lowest 2s 6d up. Oats on the top is down, and lowest 3s 4d down. Barley on the top Gd up, and lowest is Gd up. Peas and beans 3s down on the top, and 2s up on the lowest price. Qrs. Best. Current. Inferior. 249 Wheat 85s Od 1269 02,',:s 32s 01 24s Od. 1004 Barley 43 s Od 37 s Gd 35 Peas & beans 59 s Od s ss Od Average of wheat, 31. 13s 80. ABERDEEN—Nov. 18. The prices of grain are—Old oats, 268 Od to 2 60 6at 401138 per bushel; new oa t s , 25 s Od to 25s 6d, 401b8 Pe r bushel ; bere, 36s Od to 38s 6d, 531bs per bushel ; barley, 378 Od to 373 6d, 531bs per bushel • wheat, red, 58s 04.,, t° 60s Od, 621b3 per bushel ; white,' 688 Od to 7 1 s 621bs per nush€l ; oatmeal, 203 Od to 21s 6d per b° 11 ; flour, 58s Od to 60s Od per sac k. P rov i s i ons —B ee f, per lb, Gd to 8d ; mutton, ditto, 6d to Sd ; veal, ditto, Gd to 241,. pork, per lb, Os 5d to Os 7d •, salmon, per lb, Os Od to Os Od rabbits, each, Od to Od ; tallow, per stone, Os 3d to Os ( X), potatoes, per peck, 9d to 10d ; butter, per lb, 9d to 11 eggs, per doz, Os 101 to Os 12d ; h ens , per pa i r , 2s 6d sA 38 Od; chickees, ditto, 18 3d t o 2 s Od ; ducks, ditto, is go to 2s al ; ducklings, ditt o , 2 s Gd to Os Od ; turker± each, 33 Od to 4s Od ; geese, ditto, 3s Od to 4s Od • butter for exeortation (prese n t cure ), per cw t , 76 s to 00s ; ditto (summer cured), COs to 00s Od • eggs, wholesale pr's' per dozen, Od. to 8d ; 41b loaf, 9d ; 21b l oa f, 4id • pork;, fine small, Os Od to Os Od ; p or k, l arge, Os Od. Os (Yu lamb, per lb., Os 6d. to 8d ; cheese, per imperial ston e ' 5s 6d to 7s. RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, Nov. 19. STOCK EXCHANGE.—We have had no change to notice in the share market, prices continuinc , very firm. Calel; nian, 27i 8 ; Eastern Cou n ti es , 13 4- • b East Lancashire, 16 7-16; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 65 ; London and No t Western, 1021 ; Midl an d 62i ; North British, 7 t f,' South-Eastern and Do ver , 18i ; 9-16 ; York, Neiscas and Berwick, G.N.E. Pu rc h ase , 3 dis. MANCHESTER, Nov. 19. STOCK EXCHANGE. The sales were :—Blackburnh : 1-16 ; Caledonian, 27-4; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 6 1' London and North-W es t ern , 103 ; Manchester, Sheffieli and B Lincoln, 6/. pref., 3-16 pm.; South-Eastern and DO*" • BIRMINGHAM, Nov. 19. STOCK EXCHANGE.—There was no business of artl le ; cription in the Stock Exchange to-day. The follow ,inc were among the closing quo t a ti ons : —Bi rm i ng h am , t. verhampton, and Stour Valley, buyers 9, sellers 9i ; em Counties, buyers 12-; London and North-WeLtelZ buyers, 102 1 1 ; do. Eighth s , b u y ers i, sellers dis. ; Jo"; chester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, New 101. Prefersol sellers 9; Midland, buyers 62i ; do. (Birmingham Derby), buyers 35, seller s 37 ; Sh rews b ury aneßirmin ham, buyers, 61, sellers, 62; Shropshire Union, 0111 ' 4- 3g dis. BRISTOL, NOV. 19. STOCK EXCHANGE.—There was a fair amount of tress done to-day, and, influenced by the tone of the j' o don market, prices w ere fi rm . G rea t W es t erns we re 0, 4 at 82i ; London and South-W es t ern , 76k ; Midl an d, 13 ' and York and North Midland, 49. SEA BORNE MAILS. (N signifies that the mails are s en t f rom th e General post-00 by the night—and M by the morning —dispatch.] _...." Day when made up From what W l ll COUNTRIES. in General Post- P or t jut: And . Office, London.* Dispatched. El . f . > America(hyßrit.pack)N Every Friday .... Liverpool ... Ege .5"11 America (by United Sts. 25 packet) ..........N,Nov. 20...... Liverpool ... •••io • • America (by U. States; packet) .........N;Nov. 27 .. • • ... Southampton Novt 11. Australia (via South.; ampton) 4.. ••.. • . Southampton Dec. ' lO l Ditto (via Marseilles) N Jan. 4.. Ditto (via Cape of Good' • . Liverpo o l ... u n eert Blll. Hope) ...... • • • ...N Dec. 4 Africa (West Coast).. N; 13d of the month .. Plymouth .. Nov. 29 Alexandria.......... N,'B, 9, 24, & 23 o f in. Dover Nov. lu , Alexandria .......... M 4th & 20th 0: mon.' Southampton Cect 4 B e a l h g a iu m m as rl)7tiy .. iNoV. h l of the D So o u v t e h r a . m . p .. 16 to:: Brazil a 16 • 9th of the month.. Southampton Dec. Buenos AYreS M 9th attic month.. Southampton Dec. lfi Cape of Good Hope ..N 14th of the month Plymouth „ Nov. r Cape of Good Hope ..N 14th of the month. Southampton Nov. ! . 7 Cape de Verde ......N9th of the month.. Ply Ceylon (see India) v• 56 Ceylon ............ ..N 'l4th of the month; PI3 - mouth .. No 54t Channel Isles N'Mon ~Wed.,&Fi Id.i Southampton Cu. D.', Plymouth .. NOV. 3° Chili—. 3112 d & 17th of month ISouthamp ton NOV. ' China (see India) Constantinople ......N;7,8,17,21,&27 of m. , Dover NoN'•, 26 Constantinople ........;4th St. 20th of mon.lSouthampton Dec. wont. of Europe M & N Twic e d a ily • . 'Dover ...... Tw.c v " Egypt (see India) 111 France ........ M & N Twice Dover TWI C .4 Gibraltar ..........31i4, 7,17, 20, 27 ofm. South a mpt o n NoV• • Greece (see India) Greytown .3 1 1' 2nd & 17th of mon. ; Southampton Nov. s o. Hamburgh ..........NiTuesday & Friday ,'London Havannah ..... 3,2nd of the m on thlSo' uthampton Dec. ,i D gf Holland .. M' Wednesday & Sat.' London ... •• I g ° "' 16 Honduras .........Mll7th of the month.' Soul hampton ; Nov' India (viaSoutnampt.)M 4th & 20th of mon. Southampton ec• 4 3 0 India (via Marseilles)M' Bth&2lth o f mon th ; D over ...... 3 10 * 10 lonian Isles (see India)'7, 17, &27 of mon Dover „ „ Nov : 0 111 Ireland &N; Twice daily ......111olyhead .. rwl ( 21 Lisbon • • • • • • • • • • • • .. Ml 7, 9, 17, & 24 of m.' Southampton Nov. , t; Isfadeira ............Nl , 9th of the month Southa m pt o n Dec. ' 2O Madeira • • • • • Nl23d of month Plymouth .. s ol * Malta (see India) Malta ...... • . ......N7,17,19,28, 30 of m.,Dover .. Nor' Mauritius (see India) Mauritius 14th of the month; Plymouth .. 14 ° v• Mexico . ..31;2nd of the month..; Southampton Dee' Naples • . ....N.sthl6th2sthof m on .' D over ...... NOT; 2 16 New Granada ......M;2d & 17th of month:Southampton Now ' 14 .15 New 41y private skip .. Various ports Croc c o Papal States ..N tsthlsth2Sthothion. 'Dover ...... 5 ° .1 • 24 Peninsula, .. ........ I7thlith2Sthotinon. !Southampton Nov. ,6 Peru .. Port Natal of the month, Plymouth .. ; Nov. 21 Sicily „„„ „, ....XsthlStb2sthotmon,'Dover 02 Tuscany „ „N 5 0115th25thofinon.IDover 16 Venezuela M 2cl & 17th of m °n l onthiSouthampt No l " Van Diemen's Land ( , :ee; Australia) ..... •• I 16 West Indies ........M,2d & 17th oi month Southampton,Nov' Southarnpton!liov. 16 * When any of these dates ta:l cm it Sunday, the mails Ai ' dispatched on the following day. with th e exce pti on o f the Inu Southampton), and the Malta, both of which w ill b e dispatCh`" lA ay preceding. vp DEATH OP CAPTAIN GREGO RY , R OYAL ENGINEE R li en Captain William Gregory, who was for the las t . •e 9 years almost entirely h e lpl ess , ow i ng t o t h e infir° 3 o , contracted during hi s milit ar y serv i ces i n th e co lon' 0 , died on Friday morn i ng a t W oo l w i c h . He vos:f9 pointed a lieutenant in the corps of Royal Eng oa ou July 20, 1813, an d a tt a i ne d t h e ran k o f e re Oct. 6, 1831. He serve d s i x years i n C ana d a ; ~- he was frost bitten, and lost part of his toes. i le also served in Barbadoes , from 1826 to 1831, and 1 the on the passa ge t o th a t stat i on, i n the command tho 3d company of Royal Sappers and Miners, 11 19, Shipley transport ship, h e was wrecked on AP" . 0 0 1826, on the Cobblers Rocks, near Kitridge-head . that occasion he was the last person on board, an an the gratification of witnessing every man, w i ° 7 o 9o and child safely carried to the rocks, v;biel„., l , tOf effected through his cool and judicious arrangew: 9 lo and in a few minutes after he quitted the ves * ;B34, became a total wreck. He went to Ceylon ill to where he remained nearly nine years. On his retur,Fthe England his rob us t f rame gave way to th e effect olio climates in whi c h h e h a d served, and he has ev er 4 .: co. been unable to le ave hi s room w ith ou t assis—ricor During his milita r y serv i ce h e h a d b een a ctiveli bo tb ployed in superintending several important work s ' „ of at home and ab roa d. Th e d ecease d was a b"L o tila the late Ho n . J o h n G regory, w h o di e d a few '— ago, while Governor of the Bahamas. BIRTHS. A SON On the 17th i ns t., at F Hastings . , the wife Of Willy Robinson, Esq., Madras Civil Service. 135. On the 17th inst., at Dublin, the Hbn. Cens hame. OF A DAUGHTER. ' 11 '. go e f L' e i On the 15th i ns t., at Cheltenham, the w Colonel Ruth er f ur d, Bengal Army. ' U FA" of On the 16th i ns t., the wife of Francis Russo • 14, Douro-place, Kensington. ' ----•"*"...* MARRIED. -ury J. Cccs On the 17th inst., at Merstham, by the WOO Wynter, Granville G. Wells, Esq son of the late e. „ 00 c1, Wells, Esq., and Lady Elizabeth Wells, of Sohn (;,. sir Huntingdon, to Allada Harriott, second ' (laughter William G. Hylton Jolliffe, Bart. C R . 11.31 1 ' On the 17th inst ., at Waresido , by the Rev; 'g o lfer' Charles Edward, eldest son of the late Rev; Ater ° Esq., of Hampstead, to Martha Elizabeth, dau° William Flack, Esq., of Waters-place, DIED. ella On the night of tho 6th ult , with her infan t d by the foundering of a boat on the bar o f th the J-' wi f e ol e nt River, near Bombay, Mary Sophia Nitro Arthur Mall e t, E sq ., Chief Secretary to the 1 - 1-u hby, 9(1.1 of Bombay, an d thi r d d aug ht er of J. P. Vi r ill °uff late naember of Council, Bombay, aged 26. se On On the 17th inst. at Bury-street, BloorasbilrY widow of the late M. Sidney Hall. _ jee d-cres cat ' On the 17th inst., at his residence, ICinsw William Brooks, Esq., in his 78th year. the yung:ll On Friday morning, the 18th inst., Alic,cZA Lea d e rill daughter of Richard and Nancy May, of street, City, aged 13 months. 1"01 2 LONDON : Printed and Published by Ml 7 , , 33 2 6 , d of No. 112, Strand, Pri m ter!. at_7ie n tug Iry Strand, in the Preein; Middlesex, Monday, ict of the Stivoy, On' KO/i3e Ag t h , • k ' 4ll :ted wit TUE TitA, abet° a 1, a nd Who ar e ,Pwards of 1 -v _ 4ru nediitely thbory. L, A TK.I: WAREHAN tiou, bri dge-road, THE IL I'•1( 75 , West] akta t i.„ , Far 1. ! 4 1 0 er of Contr -N-Ceni)tio: tors ar e pre Bras s s 3. Lou on 4. Copp er a . Canvas Ca Pet 1' AZles Coals ertleib'4 1.. earring, 4. Colours 1 3 : 4 n brYBalt 1 • Cotton 4 'fteh Lent . I' 4 * Leah ' er 9 . Lead, 7 1 BP' ellicatic ovens 41 :tOn D 4 ;: i rinS or ia apply then th, E a ten , Stall from t i ::_ ed on ftp , Tenders to fiber 7tl 4 gton su IX.VER In s' of Gat Nell Joseph Lc The Messrs. kanchester Messrs, Itekrs. Can The eomn t t l le at OUP tow& br the N ot ~aace of p The fertile t Ter al villa 4 ,•• Aessock w 'e Basin ai The comp aldietrkt ..—ten the that th( th,„ .411111 k in a —",.. ughout t lengtl i,,litY" down 4u gell cent With rein ts ult , t tho lini "ult offer h tor, tractor, . "11 t 8 and ~g slit tract DI 4 ne land Penes, new NA In au ?ft)* on the p l iwY Insta l ib ile ttred, 1 4 Works It is Well oia hither oow t ., wilregh T o the this ll 'den I °' t I, h 41414 ~N a t 'At A IA