The Sun. — London, England, 1847-04-01 00:00:00

the favourable rate at which they are now enabled to make their remittances, and also by the improbability of their succeeding in establi-hing any advance until a decided falling off is observable in imports, or stocks in the interior are much required. Coloured and Printed Goods.—We have but little change to notice in this market, Turkey red cloths con tinuing in fair demand at fall prices, whilst prints are placed with difficulty even at the previous low currency. Woollens—Continue. almost unsaleable, and, as the season is now over, will most probably continue so for some months to come. Mule Twist—The great advance in the value of the raw material at home, as advised by the mail of the 24th of December, has enabled holders here to establish an advance of from 2 to 4 pies. per Morah, at which a fair amount of business has been done, both for actual con sumption and on speculation, and the market is now firin. Coloured Yarn—A moderate extent of sales is re ported in Turkey red at the previous currency, but in other colours we are not aware of any transactions. Metali--T here has, if anything, been rather less doing in this market during the last twelve days, as might have been expected from the pressure in the money market; but as the inquiry continues, we trust, as this passes off, that business will be resumed to its previous extent. We have no change to notice in the value of any descrip tions, but the more favourable rate at which remittances are now being effected is equivalent to an advance of one or two per cent. Beer—Holders of Bass's are firm for 55 rupees per hogshead, at which several sales have been effected ; Allsopp's has also sold to a limited extent at 50 and 55 rupees, and stock of both brands are now considerably reduced. Exchange—The rate of our exchange on England has been steadily advancing, that now current for good paper being 2s. Id. per rupee, at 10 months' date ; its future ruling must of course depend in a great measure on that of Government, as any advance in the latter would in the present state of things most probably be followed by an equivalent advance in the commf rcial trade. MONEY MARKET. The tightness in the money market, as noticed in our last, has coutinued, and would doubtless be more de cidedly manifested were it not for the large amount advanced by Government on the hypothecation of goods ; as it is, however, Government Securities and Bank Stock have declined in value, our quotations being completely nominal. CURRENT VALUE OF GOVERNMENT SECURITIES, BANE STOCK, &C. Rs. As. Rs. As. Transfer Five per Cent. Second ditto ll2 2 8 disc. Third ditto New ditto 0 2 0 4 " Company's rupees, 4 per cent. 9 8 10 8 Sicca rupees, 4 per cent ll 0 11 8 " Bank of Bengal Shares, Co.'s rs. 40,000 each 9 ,400 0 —2,450 0 prem. Union Bank do„ 1,000 each 45 0 55 0 " Agra Bank do., 500 each Oriental Bank do., 500 each 170 0 180 0 " North West Bank of India ditto, 500 each, Old l9O 0 200 0 " Ditto, 500 each, New lOO 0 130 0 " Freights.—The small amount of shipping at present in the river, combined with the brisk inquiry lately ex perienced for tonnage to Great ,Britain, has enabled consignees to establish a further considerable advance on the high rates current when we last wrote; and as shipping are at present fully employed in most ports, both on this side and at home, it is therefore improbable that we shall be abundantly supplied for some time to come. We think the unusually heavy stocks of produce already at market, combined with the prospect of an other abundant sugar crop, which will commence to ar rive in about two months, justify us in anticipating that no very material decline will take place for some months to come, should the home advices continue at all favourable. The following are about the rates now current, viz : To London and Liverpool. Saltpetre ... £6 60t0£6 10 0 per ton of 20 cwt. Sugar ... 6 10 0 to 6 15 0 ditto _ _ 6 150 to 7 00 ditto Hides 5 10 0 to 5 17 6 14 cwt. Bum ... Molasses ... 6 15 0 to 7 0 0 4 lands. 7 10 0 to 0 00 Oilseeds, jute and lace Nominal. Indigo, silk piece goods, and silk, 61. 15s. to 71. for London, 61. 10s. to 61. 15s. for Liverpool. CHANCERY.-(THIS DAY.) The Lord Chancellor sat to-day for the last time previous to the Easter recess, in the Old Ilall, Lin coln's Inn. His Lordship heard lunatic S and bankrupt petitions. CHArPELL V. PURDAY. LORDSHIP gave judgment this morning in this Cv!se, dismissing the bill without costs. We have already given a statement of the facts of the case, which our readers will recollect relate to the publication of the opera of Fra Diavo'o. The Lord Chancellor will resume his sittings after the Easter recess two days previous to the first day of term, Mundy, Tuesday, the 13th of the present month. VICE -CHANCERY.-(THIS DAY.) (Before the VICE-CHANCELLOR of ENGLAND.) MOSLEM V. ALSTON.—TIIE OXFORD AND BIRMINGDAM JUNCTION RAILWAY COMPANY. 'MIS LONDON AND NOItTII•WESTERN RAILWAY COMPANY V. THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY COMPANY. Mr. BOLT resumed and concluden his arguments to day, following Sir Fitzroy Kelly and Mr. Stuart in support of the demurrer put in to this bill by the defendants. Mr. GEORGE RUSSELL also followed on the same side. Mr. BETUELL opposed the demurrer that had been put in to the bill. That bill had been filed in conse quence of the determination expressed by the directors themselves, against all law and right, to retain their office, and thereby destroy the corporation, and set at nought the rule and Parliamentary- direction for the conduct of it. The bill had also been filed for the pur pose of preventing the directors from violating altogether the rules as to the formation of the governing body itself, and from using th e a u tho r ity, th e c h arac t er , an d title of the corporation, in order to justify in effect the completion of those acts which were in excess of the Act of Parliament, and at variance with the existence of the corporation itself, and therefore regarded in a court of equity as acts which it was its duty to put an end to. (The Learned Counsel was addressing the Court when our Afternoon Edition went to press.) THE STEAM FRIGATE DAUNTLESS.—This splendid new steam-ship has now reached the mouth of the Clyde, on her way to the I3roomielaw, where she is to be fitted with her powerful and beautiful machinery. On her voyage from Portsmouth, where she was built, she has encountered very stormy and squally weather, and her progress under her towing convoy has been consequently slow. In one of the heavy gales by which she was assailed, she lost her mizen mast, and will in consequence take up her berth at the Broomielaw equipped somewhat like a brig. She reached Campbelton on the evening of Wednesday se'nnight, and in her disabled condition was necessarily making but little way, the comparatively unassisted power of the towing steamer being inadequate to impel so large a vessel with much speed. It is expected, nevertheless, that she will be safely moored alongside the Lancefield Quay in the beginning of next week, where her engines are to be put on board, these having been prepared by Robert Napier, Esq., of the Vulcan and Lance field Foundries. The engines, which are to work on the horizontal principle, are admirable specimens of mechanism, and of nearly 800-horse power.—Glasgow Citizen. INFLUX OF IRISII PAUPERS AND SPREAD OF FEVER.—We understand that the Committee of the Liverpool Guardians Society have appointed a sub committee for the purpose of investigating the causes of the great increase of fever in the town, and the con tinued influx of Irish paupers, and suggesting remedies to avert the evil, and counteracting the spread of infec tion. In taking this course the Guardian Society will add one more to the many claims on public gratitude, and we cannot doubt but that its aid will be most accept able to the municipal and parochial authorities. Unfortu nately, there is but to much occasion for the united exertions of all classes to stop the progress of the pending calamity.—Liverpool Mercury. PORTLAND.—The news circulating in Portland the last few days is more interesting than ordinary. We may expect soon to see located on our common 7,000 convicts; and, it is said, the same number of troops will encamp in a field midway between the Traveller's Rest and the villages. Further, that Government has abandoned the plan of excavating the " mare" for naval docks, but will construct the basin just above the Ferry Bridge, and on the Portland side erect its dock-yard. This plan is greatly to be preferred to the former ; the site is more out of harm's way, and there is plenty of sea room upwards to hold all the ships in the navy ; besides, no stint of space for timber yards, &c., and, above all, lying under the lea of Chisel Beach, which off here is quite of mountainous dimensions.—Sherborne Journal. COAL TAR AND THE POTATO DISEASE.—The ap plication of the coal tar, which has been rather exten sively used as a remedy fur the potato blight in this neighbourhood, has, in some instances, destroyed the vitality of the seed. We, therefore, warn our agricul tural readers to be extremely cautious in using it. If this should turn out to be generally the case, the remedy will prove worse than the disease. We had little faith in gas tar proving a specific for the potato disease, even if it had not proved injurious; for although it will de stroy fungi, yet it should be understood that fungi are only the effect, not the cause of the disease. The seeds of fungi are almost everywhere—in the earth, in the air, and are not placed thus to act as destructive agents healthy vegetation—if so, they would be always in operation ; but, on the contrary, we can never trace their effects as primary agents of healthy, vigorous life, but °llly in diseased plants. The cause which produced the disease is still hid from our view.—" Qui potent return cognoseere oausas."— West Briton. A letter from Vienna of the 13th says that the C ommttee for the embellishment of Pesth has received orders from the Government to employ for the future the Hungarian language in their detiberatiens, instead of the German. Hungarian is also to be henceforth em- Voyed in all the public establishments of the country. the Archduke Stephen lately replied in that language to a letter of congratulation from the committee, on hi s 4Ppointment as Lieuteuant-General of the kingdom. JFALMOUTH HARBOUR.—The Trinity Board has ust laid in Falmouth harbour a buoy un a flat rock, under water, called the Miss Lugos, about thirty-five Yards rd s f rom St. Melees Castle Point, and in a line with thec,esterrnost part of St. Mawes town from the Black wit Bea con. The spot buoyed has been attended greater danger to boats than to vessels of any larger t81:1 although, in the charts, two fathoms are given as quantity of water thereon.— West Briton. ti. au ERR INGS.—A num b er o f herrings of a very superior quality, were taken at Shieldaig last week, ee kst. "Pa-rariees indicate that there are more on the Rice THE SEJ.N, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, APRIL 1, 1847. PROVIDENT CLERKS' MUTUAL BENEFIT ASSOCIATION. Yesterday evening a public meeting was held at the Eastern Institution, Commercial-road, for the purpose of all - online' information and explanation of the advan tages offered by the society. The hall of the Institution was filled with a numer ous and highly respectable audience. Soon after seven o'cl ,, ek, George Frederick - Yonne:, Esq., John Abel Smith, Esq., M.P., Dr. Major, Rev. V. Mumery, Captain Rutherford, Rev. Mr. Hooper, G. Parker, Esq., Secretary of the College of Preceptors ; Dr. Maclean, Physician to the Christian Mutual Asso ciation ; J. Taylor, Esq. ; Messrs. R. 11. Jones, J. W. Welch, W. S. Sawtell, W. Maitland, Samuel Jepps, J. Clarke, W. J. Jordan, W. Honey, J. Lintott, E. Gus bell, Richard Kemp, Esq., and Captain Shepherd, ap peared upon the platform. On the motion of Mr. COLEMAN, George Frederick Young, Esq., was called to the chair. The CHAIRMAN said—Gentlemen, I have frequently been called upon by my neighbours and friends to oc cupy the position which, by your kindness and confi dence, I am called on to fill on this occasion; but I can with the utmost sincerity assure you that I recollect no occasion on which I have consented to preside at a public meeting in which the objects *.o be ads cated have my most entire and complete concurrence and approval than the present. It sometimes happens that, in a meeting convened for public objects, matters in which great differences of opinnon prevail, are so in definitely stated and understood, that it is almost impos sible that such a meeting can arrive at any definite con clusion.—(Hear, hear.) Sometimes it happens that, even among persons of the most benevolent inten tions, differences arise which prevent that unani mous cordiality for which they ought t o b e dis tinguished. In uncerta,king to preside over y ou I have given this subject my best consideration, and I find myself at a loss to conceive any possible ob jection why all persons of well-regulated minds and con duct should not give, to an institution like this, the most hearty, and cordial, and sincere, and full support.— Gentlemen, we know that in the highest and most praiseworthy objects of beneficence there are many draw backs which present themselves, and men of acute intelli gence, individuals of excellent intention, unite to pro• mote the taking that cordial part in public meeting which I sincerely hope to see, and expect to find, on this occa sion. There are not wanting those who, when appealed to for the purposes of benevolence, even go this I , ngtla, and say that they consider all assistance rendered by man to his fellow-men as so many inducements to de stroy that spirit of self dependence which is so exceed ingly valuable—that solid and sound foundation of all that is great and good in the human character. Gentle men, I do not consider that on this occasion this associa tion will be subjected to such drawbacks, because, as far as my consideration has enabled me to form an esti mate of the question, I can conceive no object whatever that secures a more complete and satisfactory result., that is managed with more foresight, or that gives more effectually to every man a power of depending and fall ing back on his own resources. On the whole, Ima conceive no system more likely to develop the capability of men, or that more appeals to that spirit of philan thropy which every good man desires to see the ruling motives of our actions.—(Cheers.) We propose, in deed, just to do this (and the history of the institution gives the most unanswerable proofs that we have done so), to do all we can to help ourselves. I believe that this is simply the principle which actuates the Provident Clerks' Association, and we call on those who are placed in the position to be the recipients of benefits of this nature, that they reflect on the advantages which it is calculated to afford to them. We say that we make an appeal to the public at large, but more especially is it to one class that we hold out the advantages of this society. We have a very large number of members from the clerks of the metropolis, but they, as compared with the total number who are fitted to be the recipients of the benefits of the association, are limited indeed. The num ber of clerks engaged in mercantile and manufacturing pursuits, in and around London, are variously estimated, but the lowest estimate is so great as almost to stagger the belief of those who have not directed their attention to the subject. I believe that the number of clerks in this metropolis dues not fall short of 50,000. (Hear, hear.) I desire not to employ any fulsome adu _ lation in speaking of those men, biltt believe that there is no class of men, comparing one class with another, so distinguished for capability and, habits of reflecting, and fur the importance of the trusts which devolve upon its members, and, consequently, for the very important position they occupy in the scale of political power, and in the commercial and social arrangements of this country. Now, I have stated that they are distinguished for habits of reflection, and when one considers what are the objects of this institution, it seems marvellous that, notwithstanding the success which has attended the labour of those who have founded this in stitution, the field of its operations should not have taken a wider range, so as to comprehend a more con• siderable proportion of those who are fitted to be the recipients of its benefits. What is the reason of this ? I believe the fact to be that, notwithstanding the efforts made to give publicity to its objects, a very large num ber of individuals are ignorant of all but the name of the institution. One of the purposes, therefore, of this meeting is to render those objects more generally known, to display the importance of the society, and to give e very assistance to those who are anxious to ascertain a hat are the benefits which the association is calculated to give. It is not to be conceived that, notwithstanding the intelligence and habits of reft'ction which pervafe the clerks as a body, they, in common with other classes of the community, are not uniformly given to habits of provident care in that degree that we should suppose these habits of reflection would call into exercise; there fore another object in view is to bring forward as pro minently as we can the leading features of the institu tion. It is an endeavour to bring home to the consciences end conviction of every individual the duty which he owes to himself, to his family, and to society, of which he constitutes so important a part, not to neglect the means II Inch this society holds out for the effecting objects of such importance ; nor ought it to be forgotten that the best guarantee for the in tegrity of the association is that it owes its origin to men who are not themselves likely to derive any benefit from its advantages.—(Cheers.) One of the best feel ings of the heart is the desire that is universally ex pressed, and too seldom acted on, to leave those whom we love in some degree of comfort, and how can this b e better done than by appropriating a small portion of that which all of us possess in a greater or less degree for making a provision for them which, without such an agency as this institution, would be utterly inadequate for the purpose ? But I will not appeal to your feelings for that assistance which I would rather claim from your deliberate judgment.—(Cheers.) I ask you, therefore, to listen this night, and to judge for yourselves. Listen to that which will be better told by those who are more fitted than I am for the task. I think that the enumeration of the advantages which a connexion with this institution confers will induce many here not to delay a day or an hour before adding their names to the list of members, a list which I sin happy to find has grown so great. By doing that ycat will but consult your own interests and the interests of those dependent on you.—(Cheers.) When I lock to this great philanthropic and practical measure ; when I see the names of those gentlemen eminent in rank and station, and wealth and character, as any in the metropolis; when I see them come forward to recommend to the clerks of this city to become mem bers of this institution, of which they themselves can never be recipients of its benefits, I have at once the strongest assurance of the correctness of the judgment which originated, and the wisdom which has carried out, the objects of this association. lam thereby assured that those on whom the management of the concerns of this institution devolve are men on whom we can rely with confidence. Then I come, in conclusion, to this fact, that the board of management consists of persons of name and character, who are not to be surpassed in capability of managing what they have taken in hand by any body of individuals, and we may, therefore, rest satisfied that they will carry forward the affairs of this association to the most certain success.—(Cheers.) For me to reason the question further would be out of place, and I shall, therefore, call upon my friend, Richard H. Jones, the Chairman of the Board of Management, who will develope the objects of the institution which you are called upon to consider. Perhaps, before he comes forward, I may be permitted to express my gratification at the personal honour paid to myself, and my still higher gratification at witnessin g our friend, Mr. Joh nAliel Smith, among us. lam sorry to announce to you that another gentlemen, well known to the friends of the association —I mean Mr. Thomson Ilankey—has addressed a note which I will read to you. (The chairman then read Mr. Hankey's letter, which apologised for his non attendance on the ground of indisposition. The writer expressed his sympathy with the ob.ic:cts of the meeting, and his hope that the success which had attended the association in past years would be an earnest of still greater success in the future.) I have taken the chair here in the hope that I may be an humble instrument for recommending in this uistrict, with which I have been so long and so intimr,tely connected, the objects of the Provident Clerks' Institution, and for making the knowledge of that society more widely known among the clerks with wllom this part of the metropolis so greatly abounds—(Cheers.) Mr. R. H. J'oxEs said—Gentlemen, the chairman has so fully stated all that I had to offer to your considera tion, that I have little more to do than to ask the secre tary to inform you as to the principles on which the business of the association is conducted. This meeting was suggested to be called at the annual meeting which was held in the London Tavern on the 18th of January last ; and the managers, always anxious to forward the objects of this society, have come forward to co-operate with tho,e parties who were instrumental in calling the meeting. The association, as you will probably now be aware, was formed six years ago, during which time it has not all been smooth work with us. We have had a great deal of anxiety and labour • at the same time the success which has attended our efforts has been most satisfactory. We have had to contend with many opponents, such as pride, jealousy, prejudice, and dis trust ; but, notwithstanding all these, we have per severed, and you are now reaping the benefit of that perseverance.—(Cheers.) The association will not now be retarded in its progress, for has taken a posi tion which nothing can destroy. The chairman has told you that the number of clerks who are members of the institutions, as compared with the total number of clerks in the metropolis, is exceedingly small. The fact is so, yet, compared with other associations of a similar character, the progress of the Provident Clerks' lustitu • tion has been very rapid indeed. I can only add that the managers are ever anxious to adopt means which are likely to aid in the success of our plan, and they are ready (as on this evening) to make known the principles of the association at such meetings as may be held for the purpose. I would suggest, that after the secretary has made his statement, any gentleman present shall put such questions as he sees fit, and we shall answer them to the best of our ability, We have nothing to aide, and it will therefore give us great pleasure to satisfy all inquiries. I cannot conceal my exceeding gratifies tion, that our treasurer, Mr. John Abel Smith, has come here this evening, and lam only too happy to make this public acknowledgment of it. He is not well, but rather than disappoint us, he has attended. I have no thing further to add, and will just call on the secretary to make his statement. The Ctrairtatax—Gentlemen, I will call your atten tion to Dr. Mullinder, the secretary of the association. Dr. MULLINDER. said that the history of this country would furnish a great many important facts and events which had taken place for its benefit; but he thought they would agree with him that the year 1840 had pro duced one of the most important facts in this history. It was in that year that the Provi dent Clerks' Association was estat'lished, and that was one of the most important facts with reference to the social condition of the clerks of this country which had ever occurred. It was a deed of partnership executed between the principals of the com mercial empire and the clerks, The principals did not give up any one point, nor did their clerks. They aided each other mutually, for their interests were combined. The principals said that they wished to promote the condition of the clerks, and the clerks wished to help themselves and to benefit their principals also ; so that a deed of partnership and mutual assistance was passed. When, however, the principals came forward, and gave their 500/, 4001., 300/, 2001, and 100/, saying that they did not wish to impose any single liability upon the clerks, it was an assistance and a benefit to one class of tlir commercial world, and it was sought to be carried out by assisting individuals. As the poet said, Can he love all, who loves no part? He be a nation's friend who is the friend of no man there? He be a nation's friend who loves no one there? Can he be strenuous in his country's cause Who slights her charities? For whose dear sake that country, if at all, Must be beloved. He did not mean charity as it was referred to in that expression, or in the common acceptation of the word—he meant it as displaying mutual assistance and kindness. He did not appeal at all to their beneficence or their feelings, but to their sense of justice to themselves and those dependent upon them. Their treasurer, the Hon. Member for Chichester, who had stood by the institution since it first commenced, would tell them, in confirmation of what he (Dr. Mul linder) had stated, that there was not one single item of expenditure in the way of common charity. What had been received was merely a testimonial of what the prin• cipals estimated their clerks by. The money which had been given to the society had never been given to exercise any undue influence, and at any election of persons entitled to relief there was never any person to say to them, " I have given my money to you, and this is my candidate." With this statement he would at once go on to state the progress of the association—one which had been made between the principals and their clerks, and which would be eventually of the greatest benefit to the commercial classes of England. He knew many instances where principals bad subscribed 5,000/., 10,0001., or 20,0001., for the benefit of public associations like the present one, but they had done it as charity. That was not, however, the principle which had been followed in this case, for the clerks had said that they wanted to assist themselves, and the principals had turned round and said that they would assist them—not in order to put them down while they benefited them—but really with a regard, a sincere regard, for their interest. They then subscribed money to the amount of 10,800 L, for the purpose of aiding the clerks iu their system of mutual assurance—one of the best and most perfect ways of providing for their families. Those who saw the in stitution commenced did not entirely give it their con fidence, but in 1841 there were 73 policies effected, Such, however, had been the amount of in crease d cre di t and confidence manifested, that last year 374 had joined the institution.—(Hear, hear.) With regard to the policies effected, he did not look upon it as a mere matter of amount, but merely as a return of the number of persons who had been induced to be provident. In the year 1846 three hundred and seventy-four men, who had thought, and thought deeply, of the way of providing for themselves and their families, had joined the in stitution. He believed the question to be a national one, although it was made up of units; for there could not be any possibility of preserving the national character un less they endeavoured to preserve individual character also. Those men who had formed them had not formed them for the purpose of making money, but for the pur pose of preserving their families, their wives and children, from the contingencies that might arise. They all knew that a clerk must be a man of education and of mind to fulfil the situation which he held, and he should be able to bring up his family in accordance with the station in life which he hirn;elf held. Let that clerk, however, be suddenly taken away from his family, and what was the consequence? They would take an inferior dwelling, they would be brought in contact with those with whom they had never associated before, and they would eventually become domesticated with them, and a prey to the seducer, as he had too often seen. Ile would, however, drop this un pleasant subject, and go on to consider what were the effects and benefits of the institution. Ile presumed that the audience which he addressed were dependent on their personal exertions. What then would be the consequence of their illness, misfortune, or death? It would be the ruin of those who relied on them for their support. And why should they attempt to deprive those who were nenr and dear to them of something like a respectable competence by delaying at once to join such an institution as the present one ? They might say that it was all very well, but they were not married, and had no ono dependent upon them. lie would refer to a ease which would show the beneficial result which might eventually accrue to them. Some two or three months ago, an individual residing in Liver pool, who had a young and rising family, was asked to join the institution. The answer was, that he was very busy just at that time, but that in May next. he should have more leisure. He happened, however, to have a friend near him who per suaded him to join at once. The man did so, and soon afterwards, in consequence of the immigration of the poor Irish, he caught a fever, which was prevalent among them, and died of it. lle had only paid 51. or 61., but something near to the sum of 2001. was forthcoming for the benefit of his widow. " Time presses—the present is to be prized—we may think ourselves well, but the morrow may find us a corpse." Let them not, there fore, delay, nor think of deterring, that which involved the prosperity, the interest, the comfort, and the welfare of their families. Th e r e was a certa i n po i nt connected with the association to which he was bound to allude. The meeting would, perhaps, allow him to trespass for a few moments longer upon their time. It was not merely a life assurance, butit was a life assurance of a very beneficial quality. There was nothing to be deducted from the profits for directors or the shareholders, all the benefits arising from it went to the increase of the institution, except what the members might vote to the managers. lie would candidly state that he wished as much as possible to promote general and mutual assurance, . when ever and whereever it could be done, as a benefit society. 1 , The system had one beneficial result, which was peculiar one—there was no necessity for the formality of making a will, or the expense of proving one ; it was simply tilling up the nomination paper, and that was enough. That prevented all expense, trouble, and an noyance afterwards. Another peculiarity which was connected with the institution was, that the Legislature had in this instance said to a man—if you insure your life in the Provident Clerks' Institution you will not be compelled to pay legacy duty, as has hitherto been done in these cases. The policy could not be taken away or removed by distress, for no bankruptcy or insolvent court could by any possibility claim that policy. The opening of the benefit department had created a confidence between the principals and their clerks. lle then came to the benevolent department, which, with all due deference to those present, was a misnomer; for there was no benevolence in it at all—it was a bene ficial department. The principals of the mercantile houses had said at once, that what we give is to assist your own endeavours, we claim no right to interfere in the manage ment. They might talk of charity—it was wrong, for they did not know charity. They admitted that the clerks were the body upon whom they themselves depended for a due execution of their duties. They could do, and had o t u h r e s y el meantve s , an t d o dwoe that—didw llhe help theyyou th It m done more than an act of charity, f o r th e y h a d sa id t o eclerks—youaskedhelp ho w y mean to publish the names o f t h ose whom they assisted, as if i t were a common charity ? He would answer that they did not, and had not done so ; for not one single case had ever come before the board of management of the Provident Clerks' Association which had been desig nated as an act of charity. The institution had always met in a fair way the demands or calls of those who were members of it. It might be interesting to ask, whether all these regulations were carried out. Last Christmas twelvemonths he had a very painful and yet a very pleasing duty to perform. An individual, aged 89, was brought before him on Christmas-eve. Not being a member, of course the institution could not take his case into consideration; but to show what were the feelings of the board of managers, they at once subscribed a sum out of their own pockets to make the poor old man comfortable upon the Christmas-day. lle had another case similar to that. The case of a gentleman, well known in the city of London as connected with the press, was brought, or rather a party connected with him, was brought be fore the board. lie was not described as a clerk, and therefore he could not be relieved from the funds of the institution, but the board had subscribed 10s. each from their own pockets for his relief. Ile wished to call the particular attention of the meeting to a fact which spoke much for the moral character of the clerks who had joined the association. The institution had the power of granting loans of 251. These loans were granted upon certain conditions, and he was happy to tell the meeting that out of all the money granted and which amounted to 1,8171., they had only had one single individual with whom they had had any trouble. During the time of the railway mania there were im mense numbers of applications for loans, but they thought that the applicants were going rather too fast, and the applications were not granted. Out of the whole number of loans, which amounted to 94, they had not lost 251. With respect to the situation-book, it had been the instrument of obtaining situations for a great many gentlemen whose names he could tell them if such a course did not lead to their identification. The situation book was open to all. The applicant had only to go to the office, and if he could not go, he had only to write a letter stating what he wanted, his age, capabilities, and expectations, and it was at once attended to. With regard to the medical advice department, he had the pleasure of saying that, during the seven years which the institution had been established, only 56 clerks had sought advice. In May next they were about to elect two persons to the benefits of the institution, and he challenged any person to say that these individuals were receiving charity. Who were the parties ? They were the relatives of wen Who had died suddenly. One party, in April last, had dressed himself to dine with his em ployer—for employers were not above dining with their clerks, or clerks not above serving their employers. He got into an omnibus at the Elephant and Castle, and be tore he reached St. George's Church he was dead. lie left four children, and a wife in the family-way. The other case was that of a man who left his family as usual, and went into the City to attend to his duties, and while walking along fell down dead. The institu tion did not propose to give them very high advantages, but they were sterling ones. He only asked them to do that which common sense dictated. Would they dare to refuse to endeavour to do the best for themselves and their families, by joining the Provident Clerks' Associa tion—an institution so likely to benefit them, and those whom they might afterwards leave behind them ? The CHAIRMAN then said, that if any gentleman had any question to ask, or any observations to make, they should be most happy to hear him, and to give him every information in their power. No person making any observation, Mr. FREDERICK YOUNG, jun., then proposed the first resolution. lie said that he had entered that ball that evening under the impression that he was to be a listener rather than a speaker. He felt deeply inte rested in the welfare of that honourable class for vvh .so benefit they were assembled that evening, and he felt that an institution like the present one ought to meet the support of every clerk in this great metropolis. He sincerely wished success to the labours of those gentle men who had undertaken the management of the insti tution, and hoped that they would meet with the sun-- port they deserved. He woukl no longer trespass upon their time, but should propose the first resolutio❑ : `• Resolved,—That from the statements just made of the principles and operations of the Provident Clerks' Association it appears to this meeting that the associa tion is eminently entitled to public support, and is cal culated to effect great and permanent good for all who become members of its body ; and this meeting feels called upon to suggest to every clerk in this locality the propriety of at once connecting himself with the society by either of the modes pointed out in the rules." Mr. FREAKE said, that as a member of this association, he begged to second the resolution. Mr. JOHN ABEL SMITH, who rose amidst loud cheers, said that he confessed that he had, in coming forward on that occasion, yielded to the solicitations and wish of those near him, that, as holding an official capacity in the institution, he should state his opinion of it. He had but a few words to say, and if he were expected to signify his personal approbation of that society, or his knowledge of its value, he had long since done so, and his exertions in furtherance of its success had long since been made. He believed that this institution was founded upon principles which in England, sooner or later, must succeed. He believed that it was an institution which, as long as independence was valuable in its effects upon the human character, as long as providence was respected, so long would it be supported by gradually increasing numbers. When it was first established, those who had not the same reliance in the success of the prirciple as was now generally entertained had held aloof, but now that the institution was more generally known, it had made considerable progress. It had exceeded the most sanguine expectations of all those who had watched its progress, because it was founded upon an object and a principle ♦aluable in itself, and likely to be of benefit to those concerned in it. He con fessed, that whether from vanity or from any other motive, he thought he could add a few words in still fuller explanation of the plans and principles of the institution. There were two classes of persons for whom the establish ment was intended, namely, those who were able, by saving from their income, to make a provision for their widows and children, and those who might be exposed to poverty and distress by the misfortunes of their princi pals. The secretary had said, and truly said, that charity, in the ordinary acceptation of the term, was not one of the influencing motives in the foundation of the institution ; but they were no less anxiously desirous to make a fund which would provide against unforeseen distress in the cases of persons employed as clerks in the metropolis. There was no man who employed many clerks who did not know how the best and most valued E of them sunk under over-exertion, and how difficult it was in all cases to make the sympathy of their em ployers arise. —(Hear, hear.) The object was to found an institution which was not liable to that which he admitted was an imputation, namely, that of being a charity. The plan was, to make, out of the insurances of the clerks themselves, a fund to which the distressed might apply for relief. The object proposed to be attained by voting to the benevolent fund a certain pro portion of the profits of the insurances effected by the clerks themselves, was to give to the cleric a fund to which he could conscientiously resort, without having it upon his mind that he had received charitable assistance. Such an institution was calculated to be most beneficial in its effects, and needed no great praise as an induce ment for the clerks in the metropolis to join it. Dr. MULLINDER said that during the current year, up to the end of February, 1847, there were eighty poli cies effected to the amount of 16,0001., and up to this day, 31st March, 1847, there had been 124. The sum total of the policies effected was 185,070 t, and the aver age income of the establishment was 5,6114, or rather more.—(Cheers.) A GENTLEMAN below the platform wished to know the amount of annual subscription, and whether the effecting of the insurance made, or constituted to the party insuring, a claim on the benevolent fund? Mr. J. A. 63trni said that the annual subscription was 11. Is., and the insurance did constitute a claim, the party being a clerk. Mr. OSMOND LEWIS said, that he had observed the progress of the institution from the first, and he had no doubt that in a few years its business would be increased immensely.—((sheers.) It was somewhat similar in character to another institution, brought into existence in the year 1825,in the northern portion of the kingdom; he alluded to the Widow s ' Fund Institution. For three or four years they had struggled on almost hopelessly, and it became at one time a question whether it should be given up. The principles of life assurance were im perfectly understood at the time, but that company had now an annual business of 280,000/.—(llear, hear.) This institution was of a similar character, and he an ticipated for it, in some twenty years mote, a similar suc cess.—(Cheers.) He with great pleasure supported the resolution. The CHAIRMAN said, that as the gentleman who had last spoken had seen the formation of the association, it I must be matter of congratulation to him to observe its increasing prosperity, and he (the chairman) trusted that he might live to witness its lull maturity.—(Cheers.) They already numbered above a thousand members, and it was a singular fact, that in one of the largest and most flourishing of the institutions of the metropolis— one which excited attention by the magnitude of its transactions—h e meant the Equitable—that institution only numbered between six and seven thousand mem bers; and he did not see why, with such an immense number of clerks in the metropolis, this association should not also, in a few years, number its six or seven thousand members.—(Cheers.) Mr. J. A. Smrru said that he was not going to make another speech, but he rose to propose a resolution which was not incumbent upon them, and which was not merely a matter of form. He proposed that a vote of thanks be given to G. F. Young, Esq., for his assist. ance and support upon the present occasion. His per sonal influence in the neihbourhood would greatly as sist the vie ws an d objects of the institution, and he had no doubt that it would be used effectually. Their thanks should be expressed to him, as he had so kindly sacri ficed an evening to their interests and to the interests of an institution of the country at large. Mr. COLEMAN seconded the resolution, which was put and carried non. con. Mr. G. F. Yotnic assured the meeting that all that lay in his power he would do to forward the interests of the institution, and he hoped that he should be cordially joined by them. If there were any gentlemen present who were disposed to come forward and join the institu tion, they could do so at the close of the proceedings. He thanked them most sincerely for the honour they had done him, and he hoped to hear and see in future that the institution would be properly supported by those whose interest it was to keep it up and carry it out to the extent it deserved. The meeting then separated. Mr. Peter Rolt, where the clerk of those stupendous works, Mr. IL Woods, produced the plans, and explained the nature of the undertaking and progress since the last visit of their Lordships. At the steam basin the board were joined by Rear • Admiral Sir Charles Napier, K.C.8., and Captain Hen • derson, C. 8., of the Sidon steam- frigate, whose arrival and performances we notice lower down. From the steam basin their Lordships' progress was checked by rain and snow, which fell heavily for some time. After the storm they got down as far as the dock in which the Fairy was lying, and inspected her bottom ; after this the party went to the Commander-in-Chief's to luncheon. At three o'clock their Lordship's resumed their inspection of the dockyard, commencing with the St. Vincent, 120, flag ship, in the basin, and witnessed Lord Kielmansegg's new plan for setting up lower rig ging, to do away with the necessity of having dead eyes and lanyards for the same purpose. This mode is much better adapted for shrouds near the ports, as it leaves the port clear of everything for firing. The plan was fully explained to the Board by Captain Milne and Mr. Biddlecombe, Master of the St. Vincent, and wss declared to answer perfectly. From the St. Vincent the brigs in the adjacent dock, the Champion, 18, and Serpent, 16, the former to be sheathed with Mr. Muntz's new patent metal, were inspected ; thence their Lordships proceeded to view the Undine, in the basin, which vessel is ordered to take them out to the Sidon, at Spithead, in the morning ; thence round by the Leander, 50, building ; under the stern of the Royal Yacht, which will be undocked to-morrow. They then viewed the Ajax, steam guard-ship, in d oc k ; an d thence, about four o'clock, we understood they would emba r k a t th e King's-stairs and go on board the Excellent, to witness gun drill, &e., and return to dine with Rear-Admiral Superintendent Hyde Parker, sleeping at the George Hotel. The Admiralty flag was hoisted at the dock yard-gate during the time their Lordships were making their inspection. The Princess Royal, 90, is to be altered; but her de signer, Sir W. Symonds, Surveyor of the Navy, is to have the direction of her alterations himself. The Fairy was undocked this afternoon ; and this evening the Undine was taken out of the basin, in order to bp , got ready for their Lordships' reception to morrow The Sidon steam-frigate, Captain Henderson, C. 8., returned from her Channel cruise this morning. She is officially reported to have answered remarkably well. She went as far as Falmouth, and, under sails, with top sails, topgallant-sails, foresail, and fore and aft sails, made 10} knots per hour, the inclination not exceeding five degrees, and under steam Ilf knots; she was very stiff and perfectly dry. She made 17 evolutions under the latter speed, which was the maximum attained, and drew aft 17 feet 2 inches; forward 16 feet 10 inches ; had 630 tons of coals on board, and all her shells, powder, and such like stores, and water and pro visions for three mouths, stowed away, for the full com plement intended for her, viz., 320, officers and men. She put in for a short time to Plymouth Sound yester day, and Admiral Sir John West, 1i,C.8., Commander in-Chief at that port, and afterwards Rear-Admiral Sir Joh❑ Louis, Bart., Superintendent of the Dockyard, went on board and inspected every part of her, with which, both internally and externally, those gallant and experienced officers expressed themselves highly grati fied. To-morrow morning the Lords of the Admiralty, augmented by Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Adam, K.C.8., who joins his colleagues this evening, will go on board the Sidon, to inspect and judge for themselves. The Cygnet brigantine, Commander Montritior, is now (half-past five P.m.) working up to Spithead from the coast of Africa station. The Edinburgh, 56, block-ship, was taken out of the basin to-day, and the Retribution steam-frigate, and the [lncline dispatch-vessel, were taken in. The Echo steam-tug has gone round to Woolwich, to repair numerous defects. Major-General Lord Frederick Fitzclarence, the newly-appointed Lieutenant •Governor and Commander in-chief of the south-west district, accompanied by Lady Augusta and daughter, will arrive here to-morrow about three o'clock, and sojourn at the George Hotel until the Government house is re-embellished and ready for his Lordship's reception. His Aide-de-Camp, Brevet Major Harvey, arrived to-day, to make the necessary prepara tions for his Lordship's reception. Wooi.wicu, Marten 31.—The following information will be useful to persons desirous of entering her Majesty's naval service : " The examination of-naval cadets, master attendants, and other candidates for entry into her Majesty's ser vice, will in future take place on Mondays and Fridays, and all candidates for such examination, as well as those who may wish to be examined as to their qualifi cations for higher rank in the service, are to present themselves for that purpose on board the William and Mary yacht, at Woolwich Dockyard, on the days abo ve mentioned, between the hours of ten and twelve o'clock in the forenoon, when the necessary orders for their examination will be issued on the receipt of the usual applications from the several candidates. " By command of the Commodore." _ _ _ The Salamander steam-sloop, from South America, and last from Portsmouth, arrived at Woolwich to-day, and will be paid off here. The Terrible steam-frigate, under the command of Captain Ilall, is under orders to leave Woolwich for Portsmouth and Ireland with provisions. MAGAZINE DAY. BLACKWOOD. Our venerable Eusebius opens with a caustic though unusually dispassionate criticism up on M r . Carlyle's " C romwe ll.' 'I he reviewer acknowledges to a certain admiration for the genius of this bold and eloquent writer. He remembers him of the thrilling majesty of the " Sartor Resartus," and of the graphic and passionate " History of the French Re volution," and almost relents from the expression of the indignation excited in his bosom by this mar vellous work upon the man Oliver. He expresses his indignation nevertheless, and very bluntly too. First of all he revolts from the religious laudation which Mr. Carlyle has lavished upon the sectarianism of the Lord Protector. He impeaches Mr. Carlyle as a rank Roundhead, and accuses him of out-puritaning the Puritans. Upon the whole, Blackwood is here not very much at fault; for ethical madmen are ! scarcely the right sort of people to hold up to popular reverence—they are scarcely the class which it is judicious to eulogize when their extravagances are among the most worthless lumber in the repositoryof dead fanaticism—they are not exactly the body of whom we should speak as of " the last glimpse of the Godhead, vanishing from this England." Yet —with submission to our ear nest, anti-Puritan Ebony—we would observe, that some such panegyrics as those contained in Mr. Car lyle's work upon the religionists of the Cromwellian age, were requisite to enforce upon the minds of the supercilious and contemning many a wholesome repect for the spiritual ardour which kindled the hearts of Cromwell and his brethren of the conven ticle. Granted that that spiritual ardour vented itself in their case in a most fantastic and exaggerated form granted that their God-worship almost amounted to buffoonery—still there was a sincerity at bottom which commands our reverence, and ren ders ridicule indecent, and vituperation base. Even the reviewer in Blackwood confesses that there was this sincerity ; he sws, and says truly, that the " Machiavellian explanation" or hypothesis of Oliver's character "is henceforth entirely dismissed." " If," says he, " there is any one who still believes that Cromwell was a thorough hypocrite, that his religion was a systematic feint to cover his ambitious designs, the perusal of these volumes"—(rneaning Carlyle's) —" will entirely undeceive him." Cromwell, then, the foremost man among the Puritans—the very type and essence of Puritanism in his proper person—is avowed to have been sincere and truthful in his creed at bottom. Therefore, as respect for the sincere belief of another (however odd and eccentric may be the manifestations of that belief) is the core and spirit of Religious Toleration, it is certain that respect for the sincerity of the belief of the Puritans is essential before we can form any just estimate of their charac ter, and especially of the character of their chieftain. Now Cromwell was not one jot more contemned than Puritanism was ridiculed. It was the bounden duty, then, of Mr. Carlyle in reclaiming Cromwell from abhorrence to reclaim Puritanism from ridicule ; it was a part of his work as a biographer ; unless he had effected the latter, he could not by possibility have effectually accomplished the former. Ile became consequently the ex culpator, not the apologist, of Puritanism ; and to obtain his end in the readiest manner that could well be contrived, to startle the million from scorn to respect, he became at once the panegyrist of Puri tanism. That is the plea upon which we hold Mr. Carlyle as excused in his otherwise incomprehensible and inexcusable eulogiums upon the Roundheads. But it is the style of Thomas Carlyle in his interpo lated commentaries that principally excites the wrath of Blackwood. The introduction especially is de scribed as containing " such an amount of extrava gant assertion, uttered in such fantastic jargon as can nowhere be paralleled." Now be it observed, that a very few sentences before this botched and blundering condemnation, this same Blackwood speaks of this same work as frequently containing specimens of Mr. Carlyle's happier manner, " where concen tration of style, a spirit of humour and re flection, and a power of vivid portraiture have not degenerated into mere quaintness, into a species of slang, into Carlylisms, into vague generalities about infinitudes and eternities." It is because Mr. Carlyle has a genius that spurns all the lacing and boddice-work of a prim grammatical construction, it is because he clothes his thoughts in a robust and masculine diction, and has no affection for pottering incessantly among the quincunxes of syntax, or for thumbing a schoolboy's dilectus, that he is now-a- I days jeered as a sort of monstrosity in the world of letters. Upon the same system of prudery Martin has been derided as a violator of all the rules of Art. But what abysses of the sublime have not the pencil and the imagination of Martin opened to us ; and what worlds and universes of thought have not the pen and the genius of Carlyle revealed! The most exquisite torso is still nothing more than a decapitated trunk, leg less and armless—but, viewed rightly, it conveys to the mind a vivid conception of the beautiful. The Theseus of the Elgin collection in the British Mu seum, is, to the best of our recollection, noseless ; and yet, looked at clearly and justly, and not through the smoked spectacles of hypercriticism, it impresses NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PORTSMOUTH, MARCH 31.—This morning at ten o'clock, in the first train from London on the South- Western Railway, a Board of Admiralty—comprising the Earl of Auckland, First Lord; Rear-Admiral Dun das; Captain Lord John Hay; tho Hon. Mr. Cowper. M.P.; Mr. Ward, First Secretary; accompanied by Cul. Irvine, Royal Engineers, Director of Engineering and Architcetural Works—arrived at this port on an official visit. Their Lordships were received on arriving in the Cla rence yard (where their flag was immediately hoisted) by Admiral Sir Charles Ogle, Bart., the Commander in -Chief; Rear-Admiral Hyde Parker, C. 8., Superin tendent of the Dockyard; Captain Sir W. E. Parry, Su perintendent of the Clarence yard and the Royal Hospi tal at Haslar ; Mr. Davies, Master Attendant; Mr. Grant, F.R.S., Storekeeper; Captain, Milne, Fl ag Cap tain to Sir Charles Ogle; and Lieutenants Cechran and Spencer. They embarked in the Admiral's barge, and were steered to the Sallyport stairs (under salutes from the Victory, with yards man ne d, and the platform battery), where they disembarked, and proceeded to the George Hotel, High-street, to breakfast. At half past eleven the Board left the George and re embarked at the Sallyport, and were steered to the King's stairs, in the dockyard, where th e y l an d e d at a quarter to twelve, and were received by Captain Pasco, of the Victory; Mr. Brown, master-attendant; Mr. Bel lamy, assistant-master attendant; Mr. Fincham, master shipwright; Mr. Murray, chief engineer ; Mr. Pennell, storekeeper; Mr. Vinter, store receiver; Messrs. Watts and Rice, assistants to the master shipwr ig ht ; an d Li eu. tenant Hall, R.N., director of police. From the landing place their Lordships were conducted to th e A venger steam-frigate, alongside the jetty, on board which the party went, and were received, with all the usual honours, by Commander Potbury, her temporary com mander. Whilst on board the Avenger, Admiral Sir Charles Ogle and Rear-Admiral P ar k er, w i th their respective attendant officers, joined their Lordships, and conducted them from the Avenger to the Kestrel brigantine, in the basin (late the p roperty of the Earl of Yarborough), just commissioned; thence to the build ing slips, and went on board the Princess Royal, 90, building after the lines of the Albion ; the master shipwright explained to their Lordships the nature of the intended improvements in that ship. Thence they" went under the stern of the Royal Frederick, 110;after wards the Queen, and on to the Arrogant, auxiliary screw steam frigate, of 46 guns, built on the design of Mr. Fincham and rearly ready for launching, and inspected her, particularly the aperture for the screw, which is cut on the plan of the patentee of the screw propeller, Mr. Smith. After the Arrogant, their Lordships inspected the new slips and dock building by Mr. Bramble, mayor of Portsmouth, at the north corner of the yard ; and went from there to the new steam hasin, building by . the mind with peculiar ideas of the grand and the majestic. Give us the comprehensive judgment that can recognise the intrinsic greatness of an object, with out carping at the minor details ! After inveighing against Carlylisms and Anti-Dryasdustism s , "Ebony" pursues " The Lays and Legends of the Thames," with some humour, and very considerable sprinklings of slang. " Vampyrism "is the subject next exa mined among the various truths contained in Popular Superstitions; it is a decided improvement upon ß the preceding article about the " Divining Rod. The " New Sentimental Journey " promises to be as diversified, if not as touching in its sentimen tality, as the famous one of Laurence Sterne. The contribution immediately afterwards is a sketch of the renowned regiment, " The Fighting Eighty-eighth." It is the best article in the whole number, written with delightful esprit, and recalling to the memory many of the most interesting passages in those Peninsular campaigns whose records have been so well penned by the historian Napier. In a review of the Hon. George Pellew's " Life of Lord Sidmouth," a brilliant outline is given of the career and times of that nobleman, from the period of his disrelish for politics, when William Pitt rallied his depreciation of his powers for statesmanship by re peating the lines of Waller : " The lark that shuns on lofty boughs to build Her humble nest, lies silent in the field; But should the promise of a brighter day, Aurora smiling, bid her rise and play; Quickly she'll show 'twas not for want of voice, Or power to climb, she made so low a choice: Singing she mounts, her airy notes are stretch'd Towards heaven, as if from heaven alone her notes she fetch'd." The progress of henry Addington up to his elevation to the peerage is detailed with some impartiality., In the course of the paper we are glad to observe the following vindication of, perhaps, the grandest phi lippic ever uttered by man—Sheridan 's speech on Warren Hastings and the Begum Question : "It has been the habit of late critics to decry the merits of ,this famous oration, and even to charge it with being frivolous, outrageous, and bombastic, an im mense accumulation of calumny and clap-trap, which the craft of Sheridan would not submit to the public ordeal, and which he has therefore left to its chance of a fan tastic and visionary fame. But this we find it impossible to believe. That in a speech of five hours and a half, there may have been—nay, there must have been, passages of extravagance, and even errors of taste, is perfectly probable ; but they must have been overcome by countless passages of lustre and beauty,—by power ful conceptions and brilliant examples of language ; at once resistless and refined,—by living descriptions, and thoughts of daring and dazzling energy, sufficient to have made it one of the most memorable triumphs of senatorial eloquence in the world. how, on any other supposition, is it possible to account for the effects which we know it to have produced ? " Addington's letter, alluding to this subject, says, • The papers will convey but a faint idea of a speech, which I heard Fox declare to be the most wonderful effort of the human mind that perhaps had ever been made. Mr. Pitt, and indeed the whole llouse, spoke of it in terms of admiration and astonishment, scarcely in ferior to those of Mr. Fox.' " The papers, indeed, convey a worse than inadequate idea of this wonderful oration, for they give merely a few fragments, in which they have contrived either to select their examples with the most curious infelicity, or to blunder them into bombast. But nothing can be more childish than to suppose, that Pitt would have given his praise to tawdry metaphor, that Burke would have done honour to feeble truisms, that Fox should have been un able to distinguish between logic and looseness of reason ing, or that the whole assembly, who had been in the habit of hearing those pre-eminent orators, should have been tricked by theatric dexterity or charlatan rhetoric into homage. T he oration must have been a most mag nificent performance, and we have only to deplore the loss of a great work of genius." Upon American oratory, and American orators (a fitting bathos by the way, from the sublime of Sheri dan), there is some capital sarcasm in a paper en titled " How they Manage Matters in the Model Republic." " Hone Catullianre," and a delightfully absurd cockcrow upon the presumed downfal of the Free-trade principle, terminate the number for All- Fool's Day very appropriately. FRASER. In an article on the " Aspect of Contemporary Literature" with which the present number of Fraser opens, we meet with some excellent observa- - - tions on the prevalent complaint among artists and litterateurs of want of patronage. "It never occurs to them to imagine," says this writer, " that patron age is but the homage which men, poor in fancy but rich in the gifts of fortune, pay to the intellectually endowed. The act frequently is not voluntary, but results from a sort of mechanical necessity, accom panied by pleasurable emotions." It is time that this cant of want of patronage should cease, and that the canters should be told that it is want of merit that is in nine cases out of ten the cause of failure, not want of patronage ; and that where there is merit the public is the best patron. If, instead of toadying for aristocratic patronage, artists would look to the public alone for the reward of their labours, they woul:l become much richer and much more inde rendent men. The writer looks upon the prevailing taste for farcical literature as an indication that the mental energies of the people have been worked out, and that they feel that nothing is left but fur them to make themselves merry and pass away. The next paper is an agreeable piece of antiquarian gossip, about the " Ancient PAlace of Greenwich (Placentia) and the Days of the Tudors ;" and then comes a spirit-stirring scene in the Ns ilds of Mexico, entitled the " Bison Hunters." The night ad venture with the grizzly bear of the Prairies is most graphically narrated. The most amusing article, however, in the present number is certainly the "Asking a Governor to Dine." It is from the pen of " Sam Slick," and is not only amusing, hut in structive also, as is everything that proceeds from his pen. No author ever possessed in such per fection the happy art of mingling the utile with the duke as Sam Slick. The following sketch of a Colonial Bishop is admirable : " The door now opened, and several persons (not necessary to enumerate or describe) were announced, among whom were the Bishop of the Isle of Sable, recently arrived from England on his way to his diocese, and Colonel Percy of the thixty-thixth."rhere was nothing remarkable about the former. One bishop is very like another bishop. Their dress is similar, and their conversation generally embraces the same topics. You hear a little too much of what they are pleased to call church architecture, though why I could never quite understand ; and you are somewhat fatigued with prosy dissertations on towers, spires, transepts, gall( ries, and buttresses. This, however, is a matter of taste, and they have as good a right to select church architec ture' for their hobby, as a sportsman has his dog and his gun. Ile was, however, a new one; and it is singular that these novi episcopi bear a still more striking re semblance to each other than the senior class do. Be 'ides the never-ending topic just mentioned, which they have in common with all their brethren, they have a great deal to say about themselves—a subject no less interesting than the other. New dignity, like a new coat, is awkward and inconvenient. It is stiff and formal, and has not a natural set.' Time takes off the vulgar gloss of both, and directs your attention from things that annoy yourself, and are apt to excite re mark in others. They have also (I mean colonial bishops) one grand object in view from the moment of their landing in a colony ; and that is, the erection of a cathedral so large as to contain all the churchmen of the province, and so expensive as to exhaust all the liberality of their friends ; and this unfinished monu ment of ill directed seal they are sere to place in a situ ation where it can be of no use whatever. " His Lordship, Job Sable Island, as usual, had his model, his plans, and his subscription-list ; and, as usual, though warned that no suitable foundation for such a massive structure could be found on that enor mous accumulation of sand, was determined to per severe and exhibit another melancholy instance of failure, to warn the Christian public how careful they should be into whose hands they entrust their donations. We hope our readers will attend to this last ad monition, and not entrust their donations for pious or charitable purposes to a bishop merely because he happens to be a bishop. There is no political article in Fraser thin month, unless the Chronique de Paris an unmerciful "show up" of all the French statesmen who have administered the affairs of that country since 1830, can be considered as such ; but we have in the notice of Lord Mahon, as one of the literary legis lators, an admirable retrospect of the political history of the days of the Reform Bill, and of the fears which were then entertained by the party of which at that time Lord Mahon was one of the most rising and influential members. We fully agree with this writer in the high estimation which he has formed of the talents and integrity of Lord Mahon. His Lordship is, from what cause we know not, much underrated. We have an article on the famine in Ireland, w hi c h i s me rely a reproduction of the various accounts which have appeared in the newspapers of the distress at Skibbereen, Bantry, and throughout the south and west of Ireland ; a not altogether unsuccessful imitation of poor Tom I n _ goldsby, in a legend entitled " The Lent Pig ;" an admirable notice, by Morgan Rattler, of Sir F ranc i s Head's book on Canada, and some amusing papers of light literature. FIRE.—FATAL ACCIDENT TO ONE Or THE FIRE BRIGADE.-Last night a fire broke out in the house in Den mark-street, Soho, originating in the chimney, and was making great progress, when the Crown-street brigade engine attended, and one of the firemen, named Benjamin Cummings, while proceeding up the ladder, fell off the t o p of the h o u se i nto t h e street. No time was lust in procuring medical assistance, but so dreadful were the injuries the poor fellow had received, that he died in a very short time. The deceased has left a wife and five children to lament his loss. A GOOD RETURN.—A party, in Portsoy, last week realised upwards of SOL for turnip seeds, the produce of an acre ! ! - . The translation of the Rev. IL Macleod, of Logie, camo before the Free Presbytery of Tain last week. Three Commissioners appeared from the Presbytery of Greenock, and several individuals in behalf of the church of Logie. After hearing parties, it was finally decided that the call from Greenock be dismissed, THE WESTMINSTER COUNTY COURTS. Yesterday the Westminster County Court of Middle sex, was opened before D. C. Moylan, Esq., tbe judge, and Francis Smedley, Esq., the high bailiff of West minster, for the trial of causes under the New Small Debts Act, at the Court-house, Castle-street, St. Mar tin's-lane. There were S 3 cases set down for trial, and being the first sitting, in any court, the proceedings ex cited an unusual degree of interest. The Learned Judge took his seat at eleven o'clock. EJECTMENT.—LANGLEY v. Penn.—This WAS a sum mons taken out under the 122 d section of the Act, which gives power to the judges to order possession of pre mises to be given up where the rent does not exceed 501. per annum, to order the defendant to give up possession o arih f eawean c reln e eee r ondk t tr a li,yef i onehr:epremises which he occupied of the plaintiff at found that, defendant,b th i r a . t having l oa f e tl p e2l o ro2 i oa n dkd t , ems (eali section solicitor, attiitontngh ihe A.aesc stre w uro h ivf: o dcil a ab p ory. - the 126th section, which set forth that "if the person by whom any such warrant was sued out, had not at the time any lawful right to the premises in question, then the suing out of any such warrant shall be deemed a trespass." Now, what he wished to do was to proceed with an action of trespass against the plaintiff in a superior court, the de fendant questioning the lawful right of the plaintiff. He did not wish to enter into detail, but to give in bail. The Learned Judge said, before he could make an order that the warrant was bad, and that the execution of it would be a trespass, it was the duty of the defendant ctoougidivpereolvio dence that the plaintiff no legal right to the pr em i ses. Mr. Griffith, the plaintiff's agent, s that he held a lease of the premises from the Duke of Bedford, and that the defendant paid a weekly rent at the rate of 261. per annum to him for his portion. Evi dence was then given, showing that the defendant had occupied the premises since February, 1840, and that he had been several times summoned under the Westmin ster Court of Requests for arrears of rent. The notice to quit the premises on the 15th of March was served on the Bth. After a lengthened discussion the Learned Judge made an order for the defendant to give up pos session within ten days. The defendant said if that was the decision of the court, it would be a loss to him of 5001. The Learned Judge was sorry to hear that, and trusted that some amicable arrangement might be come to between the plaintiff and defendant before the law was put in force. LAW OF LITERARY PROPERTY, AND AGAINST LITERARY PIRACY IN AUSTRIA. The Austrian Government has just promulgated a law on literary property and against literary piracy in the Austrian dominions. It bears the date of 19th Oc tober, 1846, and consists of thirty-nine articles. The following are the most important terms of the law The author of a literary composition or work of art, may dispose of his property as best suits him, and allow its reproduction to whomsoever he likes. Similar rights of an author are enjoyed by the editor of a literary composition or work of art, by the editor of an anony mous work, or written under a fictitious name, and also a b c y p cor e d r i s n o g ns to w t h h o eir un o d w e n rta p k l e an the and pu a b t l t ic h a e t i i r o o n of a wnexpwenosrk expense. The translation of a work from another language is re garded as the property of the translator, and a transla tion of the same work, which should not offer any marked distinctiou, is regarded as counterfeit. The translation of an original work is not regarded as coun terfeit, unless the author has inserted on the title-page, or in the preface, that he himself intends having a translation of his work made ; in this latter case; any translation appearing in the same year that the original work was published, without the consent of the author, is regarded as counterfeit. The re-production of works of art, no matter by what mechanical process, is regarded as coun terfeit. The same protection is accorded, not only to an original production, but to any copy, made by the author or with his consent. The reproduction, without the author's consent, of public lectures for instruction, edi fication, or amusement, is regarded as counterfeit, even should the editor have become the legitimate purchaser of the manuscript. Geographical and topographical maps, architectural designs and others, come under the category of literary productions and works of art, as also musical compositions. The quotations of passages from an author, in an original work, is not regarded as piracy ; extracts from works of the day, however, in books for instruction, may net exceed one sheet, and their source must always be given. Exceptions to this rule are variations, fantasies, or studios on musical com positions. The representation of a dramatic work, or the production in public of a musical composition, is the exclusive right of the author ; and neither the one nor the other can be produced without the consent of tha author, or before they have been published. The law awards the privilege of enjoyment, not only for the author's lifetime, but for thirty years after the death. This privilege is extended to fifty years after the author's death, as regards works published by academies, and scientific and artistical societies under the auspices of the Government. Works published by other societies ceme under the category of thirty years. Works pub lished by the State come under the same category, unless the State thinks fit to allow their reproduction. The representation of a dramatic work, or the produc tion of a musical composition, does not become public property till ten years after the death of Use author. Counterfeit is punished by the confiscation of all the counterfeit copies, and all the apparatus employed in printing them, accompanied by a fine varying from 21. 10s. to 1001., and imprisonment in default of p a y ment the fine from 2/. 10s. to 10/, being equivalent to from eight days' to one month's imprisonment, that of 40/. to 100/. to from three to six months'. In case of a repeti tion of counterfeit, the right of publishing will be taken iron the offender. Prosecutions for counterfeit can broughto tv,i. il r l il : e,su b i c oliforeverySp, cie,, b rights. t h author, h a e u a x o t r en b d y s persons its pro t e c ti enjoying on t o without regard to the nation of the author; it is :applicable to all the states of the Ger man Confederation. As regards works published in states not forming part of the German Confederation, this protection will only be extended to them in the Austrian states, on the ground of reciprocity. ETON COLLEGE, MONDAY.—We believe we may now state that there is not the least chance of the Provost of Eton and the head master giving way on the subject of the Montem. There is now (from what has transpired since Saturday) not the least doubt entertained that the Rev. Mr. Hodgson and the Rev. Mr. Hawtrey are determined to abide by the determination they came to in January last, and that the festival has been finally abolished. A new Byes court, for the amusement of the Etonians, to be free to the whole school, is immediately to be erected in the close vi cinity of the college, by subscriptions entered into by old Etonians, under the superintendence of a committee composed of the following gentlemen :—Rev. G. W. Cookesley, Rev. E. 11. Pickering, Rev. J. G. Mountain, and W. Johnson and C. W. Johnson, Esc's. The head master, who had been con sulted on the subject, immediately expressed his approval of the plan. . X man has been arrested at Vienna on a charge of throwing stones at the windows of the Imperial Palace. He was found to be insane, and has been sent to a lunatic asylum. DEATH FROM DRINKING.—On Monday afternoon, as a cart was passing through the West India Dock-gate, Blackwall, the tail of the cart not having been properly secured, a puncheon of ruin was tilted out, and the cask having started, it was iimnediately surrounded by a number of individuals, who greedily swallowed the spirit, which was 39 degrees over proof. One man, named William I'attison, drank such a quantity that he was found yesterday morning, at one o'clock, by a constable, lying in a state of insensibility outside the Railway Tavern, Poplar. lie was immediately removed to the Arbour-square station, when medical aid was sent for. 1)r. Baillie was in prompt attendance, and, on using the stomach-pamp, extracted no less than a pint and a half of pure spirit, and not a particle of food. Every effort that medical skill could suggest was used, but the unfortunate man gradually sunk till two o'clock, when he expired. Exc err SUGGESTION.—Mr. Taylor, of Roby, has suggested,aud we believe communicated to our parochial authorities, an excellent expedient in connexion with the regulation of Irish immigration into this town. If the au thorities have the power of putting Mr. Taylor's plan into operation, it would nut only have important sanatory results, but would gradually tend to check the lavish importation of Irish paupers. The suggestion is, that all steamers or other vessels bringing over this class of passengers should be com pelled to proceed up the river, direct to the lazarette, where the whole of the passengers should be examined, and none permitted to laid but those who were in good health. Such a regulation would check the influx of fever patients into au already too insalubrious town, and would at the same time render proprietors and masters of vessels cautious how they took on board a class of individuals who would subject them to E 0 much trouble and detention.—Liverpool MURDERS BY POISON IN NORFOLK.—We regret very much to find that the dreadful and insidious means of destroying human life by poison has again been resorted to, and the object has been accomplished to a frightful extent in the county of Norfolk. The news is of so recent a date, and the place where they have occurred (Tibbenham) being four teen miles from Norwich, a full detail of the particulars cannot be given by this (Monday's) post. Suffice it to say that on Sunday evening, March 28, Mrs. Pearson, the wife of a farmer of that name, at Tibbenham, invited a Mrs. Eve rett, the wife of another farmer, in the same village, to take tea with her. She accepted the invitation, and these women and other persons of the family sat down and took tea to gether. S oo n after each of the women, and several eth ers o f the party were taken ill, and_ and Mrs. Everett are dead, and others (whose names we are not able to give, nor can wo say how many in number), are lying in a very precarious state, and some of those also may be dead by this time. At present we have no knowledge whatever of the means by which the poison (which, we un dwill hold erstand, is arsenic)tttiyeer,esadministered. rhphe c oir o nr u i. ntidtt: ilgmee b rtoai bodies : no oni t rNe, l i i lto e lhf be t te e dieee , lecie o coai r .utsene b ,dtl y y: whom itwas all Tibben ham is a large agricultural parish, with a straggling popula tion of only 709 inhabitants, with 3,254 acres of land. It is about three and a half miles east of New Buckenham, and is in the hundred of Depwade. IRON SAUCEPANS WITH WHITE ENAMEL LININGS. —Some time ago a paragraph, copied from some one of the London papers, appeared in our columns, warning parties against the " use of iron saucepans lined with a white enamel." The patentees of these utensils, we find, have proved by long experience, that the caution was quite unnecessary, inasmuch as the utensils are as safe for use as any other metal. They have been analysed at various times by Dr. Ure, Mr. Cooper, and other eminent chemists, and pronounced by them to be perfectly harmless. The paragraph, in all probability, had its unfair origin with some rival in the saucepan trade. We have tilt it to be no more than our duty to say thus much on the subject.—Hampshire Advertiser. MEAT STEALING.—At the petty sessions, held at St Anstell, on Tuesday last, a woman named Elizabeth Stocker, belonging to that place, was brought up charged with stealing some meat from the shop of Mr. 11. Wil liams, butcher. It appeared that Mr. Williams, having lost several pieces of meat, on Saturday last marked his meat ; and this woman having entered his sbop net walked out again without purchasing any, he followed her, and found some meat, which ho had previously marked, concealed under her arm. She was given into custody, and is now out ou bail to appear at thQ 116814". Briton, ••••••• 41.• ;fads dist° rities •alue, been CSta . lined that : hink high Ault ° the zr. Lhe will abli 1 To lie o re' ;on I. be we