The Sun. — London, England, 1857-01-20 00:00:00

THE QUEEN v. MARIA CLARKE. (From the Times.) Had the case of "The Queen v. Maria Clarke (in re Alicia Race)," which was tried on Saturday at the Queen's Bench, been what is called a jury case, we should have abstained from all comment upon it until the delivery of judgment. This, however, is not so. The facts of the case are told i n half-a-dozen brief sentences, but the decision upon the legal argument which was raised upon th e m rests with Lord Campbell and Justices Wightman and Crompton. Now we presume that even the advocates of the Roman party will scarcely venture to assert that any statement or comment which we offer upon the case will warp the minds of the learned personages whom we have just named, or influence their judgment. We do not take up the legal balances and affect to deter mine nice distinctions between the rights of the "testamentary guardian" and the "guardian of nurture," and other such recondite matters. It is the business of the Judges to decide such points, and no doubt they will do so in accordance with the doctrines of English law. Our only object is to spare the patience of our readers, not many of whom will have been at the pains of watling, through four portentous columns of legal report in order to ascertain the subject of Saturday's argument in the Queen's Bench. Here is the story :—There was a certain sergeant of Marines, named Lauman Race, who seems to have been a very fine fellow, who was killed under fire at Petropaulovski, in Sep tember, 1854. He belonged to the Pique. Now, this sergeant was married, and he had by hi s w if e t wo children, a boy and a girl. The boy, John, is now about 12 years old ; the girl, Alicia, is about 10. The mother's name is Alicia Race, and she still survives, a widow. Sergeant Race, on the 24th of August, 1854, made a will, which concluded with these words : "I do hereby nominate, constitute, and appoint my w ife, Alicia Race, executrix of this my will and testa ment, feeling confident that she will do justice to my dear children as a wife and a mother." The mother is a Roman Catholic, the father was a Protestant. " The father (said Mr. O'Malley) "Always brought up his children as Protestants, and sent them to Protestant schools. He himself always at tended the services of the Church of England . . It was found, also, that for eight months after their father's death the children attended a Pr'testant school and Protestant worship, and the mother went with them." We quote the very words of the counsel em ployed lest we be charged with inaccuracy of any kind. The elder child, the boy John Race, after his father's death was sent to the Sailors' Orphan Boys' School and Home at Chardstock, in Dorsetshire, which is supported from the Patriotic Fund. In July, 1855, the little girl Alicia was also sent to the Sailors' Orphan Girls' School and Home at Hampstead, which is maintained in the same man ner. Things appear to have gone on reasonably well for a time, but at length the Romanists got hold of the mother and persuaded her to remove her son from Chardstock. This done, they informed her that they could do nothing for the boy until the girl too was taken away from the Protestant school at Hampstead. Hereupon Mrs. Race en deavoured to regain possession of the child, but the girl strongly resisted all endeavours to remove her, and expressed her determination to remain at Hampstead and her wish to be brought up in the tenets of Protestantism. Upon this due applica tion was made, and there was issued a writ of habeas corpus, directed to the matron of the Sai lors' Orphan Girls' School and Home at Hampstead and requiring her to produce Alicia Race in the Queen's Bench on Saturday last, which was ac cordingly done. The effort on one side, of course, was to reinstate the mother in possession of the child ; on the other, that the child should be at liberty to ohoose for herself. Now, as we before said, it is not our province to determine nice questions of testamentary guardian ship, orguardianship of nurture, but certainly, in the eye of common sense, nothing would appear more unreasonable than to compel this child to adopt against her will that religion which was not the religion of her father. The way in which the widow herself interpreted the will of her late hus band may very readily be gathered from the facts, that she herself conducted the children, for eight months after the intelligence of his death had been received in England, to a Protestant church, and that she placed them in Protestant schools. Were this case reversed, and had Sergeant Race been a Romanist, and had his Protestant widow endea voured to remove her young daughter from a Roman convent in order to bring her up as a Pro testant, we cannot hut think we should hear an outcry about "proselytism in its most hideous form," and other amenities of the like kind. The father was a Protestant, he brought his children up Protestants, they were taken to Protestant places of worship during his life and after his death ; after his death, too, they were placed in Protestant institutions, and now the mother seeks to take back this little Protestant girl in order to turn her into a Romanist. What would Sergeant Race havt done had he been alive ? That is the point. No violence is used towards the child ; the doors of the Orphan School at Hampstead are open to her if she chooses to rejoin her mother, hut she anxiously desires to stay where she is. Under these circum stances, will the Court of Queen's Bench do vio lence to the child, and actually tear her from the asylum in which she desires to stay, in open de fiance of all that we can conceive to have been the wishes of her dead father ? We cannot pretend to argue the question of law, but we trust that in this case the conclusions et law and of common sense may be found to coincide with each other. ( From the Daily News ) The report published in our yesterday's impres sion of the p roceedings insti'uted in the Court of Queen's Bench by a Roman Catholic mother, in order to remove her child from a Protes tant school, will doubtless have been perused with considerable interest by the great majority of our readers. The juthlment of the Court has not yet been delivered, and we need not say that we make no attempt to anticipate on which side that judg ment will be pronounced : as little, we trust, can it he necessary to disclaim any intention to discuss the matter as a question between Romanist and Protestant. Our sole object will be to lay before those who are repelled and confused by a long ; n d intricate discussion of affidavits and counter affidavits a plain narrative of the undisputed facts of the case, and a few observations on the more obvious legal principles that seem to be involved in it. The facts were these :—Lantaan Race, a sergeant of Marines, hail by his wife, Alicia Race, two children—a boy, now aged about twelve, and a daughter, whose name was also Alicia, now about ten and a half. Sergeant Race was a Protestant, his wife a Catholic. Both children were baptised by a Protestant clergyman, and both, during the whole period of their father's lifetime, were in the habit, as soon as their years permitted, of attend ing a Protestant school and a Church of England place of worship. The father, however, did not interfere with the mother's natural function of teaching the children to pray, and accordingly, with his sanction, she appears to have taught them some of the prayers of the Romish Church. On the 25th of August, 1854, Sergeant Race—who seems to have been as noble-hearted and fine a fellow as ever marched under British colours—one of those heroes of humble life of whom the nation has so much right to he proud—being then in sight , of Petropaulovski, and just about to enter into action, wrote a letter to his wife, which was not to he sent to her excopt in the event of his falling in the conflict. Ho also at the same time male his will. The letter, which was in every way worthy of th e man —th e l e tt e r, as Lord Campbell truly characterised it "of a Christian and a aoldier"—containe? this expression with regard to the c hild ren • " iarwd.i,,sh you to bring them up in the f ear of t h e L By his will ho appointed wife guard i an, were his words—" "feeling confident"—these my dear child ren as i that she willdojustice to awife and a mother." Apart from these expressions, neither i n th e w ill nor i n the letter w as there any a ' intimati on as to the parti cular form of f a i t h in which he wi s h e d t h e c hi l d ren to be brought up. The epo widow o left d es tit u t e w i t h poor man was kill e d b e f ore The Petropaulovski, and the two orphan c hild ren. Royal Commi s . sinners of the Patri o ti c F und wer P)wpo,lirepdlace to, and they, with the full a s s en t o f the weida B boy in the Sailors' O r ph an S choo l f girl in th YBthe Chardstock, in Dorsetshire—th e spending school for girls at Hampstead. Boathe°thrrease. schools are exclusively Protestant. The moth e r was perfectly aware of this ; and, as Captain Con nolly distinctly swears, remarked, in reference to this circumstance, " that her great desire was that they should be brought up as Protestants, accord. ng to the wish of her deceased husband." After the children had been some months at these schools the mother, acting—as the evidence leaves no room to doubt—under the influence of the Roman Catholic clergyman of whose congrega tion she was a member, removed the boy from the Protestant school at Chardstock to place him in a Roman Catholic school. Finding, however, as she states, " that her clergyman would not provide a school for the one child without the other," she proceeded to insist upon the removal of the girl also, though, as she allowed on one occasion, "it went to her heart to do so ; and though," as she also admitted, "she had no fault to find with the school at which her daughter was placed, M rs . Clarke(the mistress of the sch ool) being very kind to her." The mother app l have made several an- plications for the purpo , o of removing thegirl w ithout • UCCelifi. The girl herself, who is described—and as it THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 20, 1857. appears truly described--:to be a child of quick intel lect, and p recoc i ous ly developed mind, on having the matter plainly put before her, steadily declined to be removed from the school. On an interview with her mother, she persisted in this refusal; and in a letter to the governess, which is distinctly sworn to be of her own unaided composition, gives reasons for her refusal which certainly go far to prove that in mind, if not years, she is abundantly capable of exercising a discretion on the point for herself. The Executive Committee, on this, decline to permit the removal of the child, and the mother then applies to the Court of Queen's Bench for a writ of habeas corpus on Mary Clarke, the mistress of the school, commanding her to bring the body of the child into court, with a view of her being deli vered over to her mother. It was upon this appli cation that the argument arose which was reported in our columns yesterday. The main question before the Court is whether, under these circumstances, it is bound to hand the girl over to the mother, either as such or as " tes tamentary guardian of the child ; or whether it may exercise a discretion in the matter. If the application of the mother be merely rested on the ground of her maternal character, it would seem that the discr e ti o n of the Court would not, upon the current of authority and precedent, be ex cluded. This is not the place for a legal argument, but it would certainly appear difficult to escape from the authority of the case of " In re Lloyd" (3 Mau. and Gr. 547), cited during the discussion, in which, on an application for an habeas corpus by the mother, Chief Justice Tindal allowed a child be tween eleven and twelve years of age to choose for herself whether she would go with her mother or not, and on her expressing a strong disinclina tion to do so, would permit no step to be taken to coerce her will, and on the mother's attempting to take forcible possession of the child, caused an officer of the court to interfere for its protection. " Had the child been under seven years of age," the Chief Justice said, " the Court would have held that she could exercise no discretion ; but she is old enough to choose for herself, and therefore we do not feel called upon to exercise a discretion for her." This case, the authority of which is un questioned, certainly seems to dispose of the argu ment that the Court of Queen's Bench is bound to decide in favour of the application of Mrs. Race solely on the ground that it is made by the mother. But then, it is said, the mother here claims in the character of a " testamentary guardian." Be it so : but in order to see how this affects the case, we must surely look at the nature of the circumstances under which that character was imposed on her. The father, a Protestant, appoints the mother guardian, " feeling confident"—so he expresses it —" that she will do justice to my dear children as a wife and a mother." Now, what does he mean by this expression ? Surely his whole previous conduct with reference to the children must be looked at in order to ascertain this. The baptism by a Protestant minister—the constant attendance by the children, during his lifetime, at Protestant places of worship and Protestant schools,—all this shows pretty plainly what he meant when he con fided in the mot her to do justice to his children, those children whom in his last letter—the letter, be it observed, of an eminently pious and religious man—he had earnestly prayed her " to bring up in the fear of the Lord." What do such words as these mean from a religious man, consciously writing on the very verge of eternity about the children who throughout life had been the objects of his pious solicitude and his most anxious affection ? But it does not rest even here. The mother herself told Captain Conolly, as he distinctly swears, that " her great desire was that her children should be brought up as Protestants, according to the wishes of her late husband." Surely under such circumstances as these, to hand over the reluctant child of his Pro testant father, on the application of the mother, to be trained up in a Roman Catholic school, would be to give that effect to the wish of a " testamentary guardian," which is not conceded to the will of the testator himself. It would be to make the altered wishes of the mother—in plain words, the desire of "her clergyman" —paramount over her own former wish when the influence of her recently deceased husband was stronger with her,—ovtr the expressed repugnance of her intelligent child— over the desire, as she herself understood it of that pious father who died in the form of faith to which during life he had trained up his children. It is not, of course, for us to say wh a t wea p ons ma y b e furnished from she armoury of legal erudition against the simple and common-sense view here ex pressed. We shall watch the termination of the case with great interest, but we own it would cause us much concern, and not a little surprise, if the Court of Queen's Bench should either consider itself so bound by precedents as to have no discretion in the matter, or having a discretion, should exer cise it by delivering up, contrary to her wish, the helpless daughter of this brave dead soldier to be educated in a faith against which, as a training for his children, his whole practice while in life was a protest. I ANNEXATION OF THE STATES OF RAJPOOTANA. We hear there is not a doubt that the Stales of Rajpootana will be annexed the moment Govern ment can conveniently do so, as orders are out from the Court of Directors dated, so we are in formed, the 11th of July, 1856, directing that all the lesser States be annexed to the Government of India whenever circumstances will admit of such a course. It is supposed by Sir Henry Lawrence, K.C.8., and the Hon. Mr. Colvin, Lieutenant- Governor of the North-Western Provinces, that those circumstances have arisen, first, from the remonstrance of the Thacoors in conjunction with the Commissioner of the King of Nepanl about the taxing of Sodabut lands ; secondly, from the pre valence of infanticide in the Thacoor States ; and thirdly, from the prevalence of Thuggee. Tee camp of exercise now forming at Xlehidpore is said to have something to do with the contem plated annexation, and further, that the State of Odeypore is to be the first of those that will be swallowed up. The Government of the North. Western Provinces think that the States of Raj pootana will yield, after the expenses of Govern ment and contingents have been defrayed, the sum of 32,000,000 rupees per annum, and will give centralisation and uniformity to the seven neigh bouring districts of the Company's territories, and place at the entire disposal of Government the bravest of the Hindoo warriors, in the same manner that the annexation of Oude has placed the nursery for Mahomedan soldiers in the grasp of Government. The Government, so it is re ported, think it contrary to policy to have inde pendent States within 200 miles of the seat of Government, and that, as the railways of the Jumna Valley were hastening towards prooTess, the evil of jurisdiction would be severely felt in the action of government and the administration of justice. As a salve to the undoubted right of the Thacoors, the annexers state that to the Raj poot chiefs an honourable competency would be far preferable to the irksome task of governing, espe cially as the rulers were so sunk in debauchery that it required a thunderclap to rouse them from their habitual lethargy to the responsibilities of their situation and the wants of India and their own peoples. It is stated that three-fifths of the Ranas, instead of spending their time, as their ancestors did, in martial exercises, in the judgment seat, and looking after public improvements, now delegate them to subor dinates and spend their time amid buffoons and Cyprians ; that the Ministers, instead of being chosen for birth or probity, are selected for their knowledge of a new pleasure and the grand art of extracting money from their impoverished tenantry ; that both the Thacoor and his instrument are thoroughly despised by the people ; and, finally, that improvements in states do not arise from any preconceived plan or conviction, but from impulse or outward pressure ; that directly that ceases the dancing girls, their paramours, awl tr a i ners usurp the sway and treasury, and reduce the country to abject misery, until the British Government steps in—almost by violence steps in—and forces a change, which only lasts as long as the undivided pressure lasts ; but the instant the pressure of the Government of India is relaxed the State falls back into the slough from which it was dragged out. Such are the outlines of the principal reasons, so we are informed, which have weighed with the Hon- Court in ordering, when expedient, the an nexation of the St a t es of Rajpootana. The Supreme Government of India forgets the Damin-i-koh, and that not long ago we had a servile war not a 100 miles from the seat of empire, and all for the very sins we are about punishing in the Thacoors of Rajpootana.—. Calcutta Morning Chronicle, De cenatier 2. MEMORIAL OF THE LATE Ma. BRITTON.—At a recent meeting of the Royal Institute of Architects the Council submitted a proposition to the members present, to the effect that it would be a graceful tribute of respect to the memory of oue whose services to the profession have been of an unexampled characte r , if a memorial tablet were erected by the Institute, to c , romemorate those services, and to record their regard for Mr. Britton. And it was further suggested that it would be expedient to make an application to the Dean and Chapter of Salisbury, expres4ing the hope that permission would be granted for the erection of the memorial in that cathed i al —which is at the same time the mother church of th e diocese, and of the county in which he was boin, and also the first cathedral of which he undertook the graphic illustration. The proposition was received withaccla wation, and will be acted on forthwith . — The Builder_ POLICE INTELLIGENCE—Jan. 19. MANSION-HOUSE. Mr. Hodgson, the superin tendent of the City police, attended, at the request of the Lord Mayor, upon the subject of some public meetings of artisans that have recently been held in Smithfield. The Lord Mayor said he had been given to understand that a report was prevalent that he had sanctioned the holding of the meetings. He had never given any per mission for their being held, nor had he sanctioned them in any way ; and nothing could be further from his thoughts tha❑ doing so. He at the same time bad no means of preventing meetings being held in Smithfield so long as they were properly conducted and did not cause inconvenience to the public. He was desirous of learning from Mr. Hodgson of what class of persons they consisted. Mr. Hodgson—They are very orderly, well-conducted persons, and are generally what they represent them selves to be. They are principally mechanics, and others engaged in industrial pursuits, stonemasons and brick• layers. The Lord Mayor—ls there a large number of this class out of employment at the present time Mr. Hodgson—There is. Their object in meeting is to impress upon the unions the necessity of relieving all persons out of employment. They intend to apply to the unions for relief. The Lord Mayor—lf a man cannot get employment, and is destitute, he must go to the union and receive re lief ; but from what I know of the working classes of teis country—a most respectable body—l am satisfied that they will conduct themselves orderly and peaceably, and there can be no doubt that their wants will be at tended to. Mr. Hodgson—The spot on which they meet is actu ally beyond the bounds of the City. We are only de sirous of preventing public inconvenience, and doubtless your lordship's statement, when it goes forth to the public, will have the effect of removing the impression, which is very general, that the meetings are held under your sanction. The Lord Mayor—l cannot imagine how such an impression ever got abroad. Mr. Hodgson--I believe that one of the orators pub• licly made the statement. The sabject then dropped. GUILDHALL.—MiaII Meagher, a respectably dressed young man, described in the charge sheet as a soldier attached to the Warley Barracks at Brentwood, was charged with obtaining seven shawls, value 321. 10s., of Messrs. Kerr and Scott, warehousemen, of 58, Can non-street West, by means of a forged order. Mr. "liner said he was manager in the establishment of Messrs. Kerr and Scott, wholesale warehousemen, of Cannon-street West. On Thursday last his firm received a letter by post purporting to corns from Messrs. Smeaton and Co., drapers, of Leeds, stating that Mr. J. H. Moor, their traveller, would call upon Messrs. Kerr and Scott, and recommending them to do business with him if po•sible. Witness saw the prisoner on Friday when he called. Mr. J. Patten, employed in the same establishment, said that when the prisoner came ou the Friday, he se lected seven shawls, value 321. 10s., which he directed to be sent to Pa u l' s coffeehouse to be conveyed to Leeds by a person who would take them free of charge. Other goods which he selected were to be sent direct to Messrs. Smeaton at Leeds, and some were to be directed to him self at St. Paul's coffeehouse. The seven shawls were packed up and sent as directed. Mr. Kilner said that on Saturday, in consequence of some suspicions entertained by the firm, they telegraphed to Leeds, and received a reply from Messrs. Smeaton, denying all knowledge of any person of the na.ne of Moor, or that they had authorised any person to order his goods in question on their account. Richards, the officer, said he had no further evidence at present to offer in this case ; but there was another charge against the prisoner. Mr. Bradbury, of the firm of Bradbury, Greatorex, and Beall, of Aidermanbury, said he received a letter purporting to come from the same parties as in the last case at Leeds, but in consequence of information he re ceived from Messrs. Kerr and Scott, when the prisoner came he interrogated him upon the letter be brought, and the order for silk goods which he had received. The prisoner said he lived in the house of Kerr and Scott, where the goods were to be sent for enclosure to Messrs. Smeaton. Mr. Bradbury proceeded to look for the order, and in his absence the prisoner made some excuse to get away, and was leaving the premises when he was detained by Mr. Beall. Mr. Beall said as soon as he heard the prisoner say he came from Kerr and Scott he left his desk, when the prisoner said he had two or three places to call at, and as they closed early, it being Saturday afternoon, lie wished to send them the goods for enclosure to Kerr and S .ott. He was then going out when Mr. Beall stopped him, and the prisoner then said, " Good God! I am done for. I have been made a dupe of. I have been a tool, and have been compelled to do it." Richards,aftertakieg the prisoner into custody, searched him, and found 13 duplicates of goods in pledge, some letters and memorandums, among which were a list of wholesale warehousemen in the City, and an unopened letter addressed to Sir J. Melville. There was also a furlough paper made out in the name of M. R. Meagher, lance corporal in the Hon. East India Company's service. Alderman Wire directed the officer to deliver the letter to Sir James Melville, and inform him of the manner in which it came into his possession. The prisoner seemed very much annoyed that the let ter ehould be forwarded, and said he did not wish to dis grace his friends. He was then remanded ; and as he was leaving the dock a gentleman from the firm of Bevington and Morrie came forward and said he had a charge of a similar character against the prisoner. WORSHIP-STREET.—Thomas Reid, a malicious looking youth, by trade a shoemaker, was charged with a brutal assault upon his mother. Th e p r i soner , w h o h as frequently been punished fo r ser i ous ou t rages upon th e complainant, returned home on the previous evening, and commenced putting out t , e fire. On being remonstrated with he strteck the prosecutrix two heavy blows with the poker, which rendered her senseless, and she was after wards conveyed to the hospital for medical treatment. The prisoner, who asserted that the injuries were ac cidentally inflicted, was fully oommitted for trial. James Smith and Michael Gess, working men by ap pearance, were charged with stealing a horse, gig, and harness, the property of William Lambert, Hill-street, Hackney-road, value 15/. At 8 o'clock p.m. on the 2d inst, the prosecutor had occasion to call upon a friend in Hyde-place, Hoxton, l eav i ng hi s g ig unattended ; on returning a few minutes afterwards it had disappeared. On the 9th he visited the New Cattle Market and there saw the horse in posses. sion of Smith, who was offering it for sale to a butcher and d e manding 61 . for it. Smith was then given in t am to e d w a a y n T dB vr iv is o s r , tb 4 , s a ti o N d , i f n ro a m la i n n e fo t r h n e i r a e . charge. On received,On twheens found the gig. Gess was standing near, aud, in reply to the officer's q uestions, asserted that it was his pro perty, having purchased it of three men on the previous Saturday, with the horse and harness, for the small sum of 2/. The hor-e and•harness had since been sold. Stur geon, 492 N, found the harness in the possession of a man named Gore, at Battersea, who admitted that be had bought it of Gess for 4e. Gess now persisted in his statement made to the con stable, that he had bought the whole for 21, of strangers, and that, having but 30s. they accep t e d th a t, p rom ising to call for the remainder, which they had never done. Witnesses were called to substantiate the sale, but the magistrate fully committed both prisoners for trial, agreeing to admit them to bail. WESTAINSTER.—James Archer and Edwd. Kelly were yesterday placed at the bar, charged with stealing a great quantity of plate and other valuables from Gun ton Hall, Norfolk, the seat of Lord Suffield. On the nigh , . of the 12th of December it is supposed that the thieves concealed themselves in some way on the premises, arid broke out of them during the morn ing. Although part of the family resided at the time at the hall the robbers were completely undisturbed, and ransacked several apartments in the hou-e, carrying off with them valuable plate and property of all descrip tions. Placards were posted offering a reward of 1001. for the apprehension of the offenders, and it was not until Saturday night that the accused were captured. Information having been given to the Metropolitan Po lice—it having been conjectured that they had come to London, their abode had been ascertained by Sergeant Moore, of the B division, who had been watching their proceedings for some days past, in order to bring the charge home to them, but was anticipated in the capture of Archer by Mr. Best, a greengrocer, at 5, Marlborough road, Chelsea, who having seen a descriptv.n of him identified the man as he passed by last Saturday night, and secured him. Sergeant Moore immediately appre hended the other at his lodgings. The evidence connect ing the prisoners with the robbery is that Archer was a discharged servant fron the hall, who well knew the WAN and habits of the family, wh!ch knowledge was indis pensable for the commission of the robbery. The prison ers were seen in company shortly before the robbery, in the neighbourhood of the ball, and Archer, in the pre sence of the other, was found disposing of part of the stolen property, while more of it was diseovered in pledge in the country. In London the accused were also to gether selling different stolen articles, and Archer, when captured, was wearing a pair of his master's shooting boots. Mr. Paynter inquired of the superintendent of the Norwich Police what course he intended to pursue re- specting the prisoners The Superinten4lent replied that, with the magistrate's authority, he would immediately convey them to Nor wich. Tey were accordingly sent there. LAMBETH.—dames Welsh, a Kent-street mendi cant, was charged before Mr. Elliott with attempting to rob Harriet Christm as on t h e Queen's highway. The prosecutrix, a young woman, depose d that on Saturday night she h a d b een ou t for some things, and when returning to th e h ouse o f h er m aster, 3, Albion-place, H gb-street, Peckham, she had to pass a dead wall, and there met the prisoner. lie asked her for alms, and she told him she had nothing to give, upon which he placed one hand round her neck and the other towards her purse in her hand. By a sadden jerk she got away from bin and ran home and told her master. Mr, Robert Coulson said that, on his servant coming home and telling him of the outrage that had been attempted he went in pursuit of the prisoner, and en coining up with him ho charged him with the offence, but he stoutly denied it. Having no doubt, however, thmt he was the person, as be had asked charity from himself but a short time before, he gave him into the custody of a constable. Policeman 44 P d e p ose d th a t the prioner had admit ted that he had bee n begging, and he found is. 11d. on him. The prisoner denied the charge of attempting robbery, and was told by the magistrate that there could be no d )übt of h's vitt, that such outrages could not be per mitted. He was untenced to three months' hard labour. LIFE IN THE UNITED STATES. (Frain the Times Correspondent.) NEW YORK, JAN. 3. If the present letter contains nothing that relates to business or politics, or what is called news, it will only obey the spirit of the time ; tor a brief space festivity and social observances, moulded by tradition, have the upper hand even of debates on slavery and the course of exchange. Without these topics the mail you will re ceive by this steamer is likely to be a meagre one, unless a little of the social doings of the season is thrown in. New York has been keepinc , holiday, an indulgenc e it seldom allows itself—so seldom, ' that it may be interest ing to know how it does it, having a little practice in the art. The three holidays of the American year are, in the North, the Thanksgiving-day, fixed by the Governor of each State, generally in November, when, once in four years at least, the escape from the Presidential election is a just cause of gratification ; New Year's-day, arid the 4th of July. Christmas-day is not observed so de cidedly as t) entitle it to mention ; though not quite di-regarded, it is not considered a total holiday. In the New England States the people have transferred the celebrations they refu3e it to the official and traditional Thanksgiving day, originally a tribute of prayer and urmons in acknowledgment of the happy harvest that saved the first colony of the Pilgrim Fathers from star vation, but in after times expanded by their descendants into a day of festivity —a natural and laudable illustra tion of the theory of development. On this day the race of the Puritan stock meet in family gatherings, and the turkey falls a sacrifice to them as numerously as at the period so fatal to that fowl in Norfolk of the old coun- try. Of other aids of festivity it is difficult to speak with the same certainty in the region of stringent liquor laws ; but it is whispered they are not wanting, the strong statutes applying only to the public sale of wine and alcohol, not the private consumption thereof, which may be left in the algebraic uncertainty of en unknown quantity. Something of the old quarrel which mince pie and the disparagement of the materials of appointed feasting which began in England still remains ; but the innate necessity of some point of time to break the hard monotony of life has triumphed, and the descendants of the Puritans have now a newer tradition of their own, and a day according to it that answers the purpose. The Pilgrims were a great race of men, but they were a little too hard on amusement, something peevish that way, and overdid the thing, the old Adam breaking out even among themselves in unexpected places. Hawthorne (of the "Seven Gables" and " Scarlet Letter"), who has studied their colonial history, says he has not been able to discover that these stern fathers ever indulged in merriment, except at funerals ! On such occasions they relaxed, and cultivated a grim kind of joviality. That this could continue was impossible as a conse quence, Boston has not only Th a nksgiving- ; day, but four taeatres. Christmas, however, is ignored to this hour. In New York the Puritan spirit was never so marked. The theology of the Dutch settlement was as decided, perhaps, but its practice was not the same—not quite so rigid. The pastors preached in Geneva cloaks, and the sermons were long enough, but the Flemish and German nature was always more genial, aed imported some cheerful observances which their descendants not only retained but have handed down to the present time. New York still keeps Christmas, principally for the be hoof of the children, to whom gt. Claus still brings his nocturnal gifts of toys. There is a brisk business in Broadway arising out of the custom, and there are presents to be made to those of larger growth—books and jewellery, and articles costly and indescribable, and indescribably costly. Trade is not suspended but increased, and the outdoor traffic of the day is unusually active. In the Episcopal and the Dutch church there is divine worship, but the religious element does pre ' dominate. The evening of Christrna's-day is the great night of the theatres ; at the "Bowery," and other houses of the second class—the Surreys and Victories if the city—they give two performances, an extra one in the afternoon ; but there is no Christmas-eve and no " Boxing-day." The real fete of the season, however, is New Year's day ; it is kept as a close bolyday by everybody, rich and poor ; there is no work, no shops are open, and -ten those abodes of unrest, the newspaper offices, give all their machines, editors included, a respite. Yeeter day morning New York breakfasted without a journal ; next to the sun omitting to rise it is the greatest proof of the general suspension of ordinary life. It is only the usual life, however, that is suspended ; another kind of activity takes its place, and continues in full rush till evening. The day is devoted by all classes to calling on each other with wishes of a happy new year. This is also a custom of Dutch origin, unknown out of New York. Those who have a large circle of acquaintance have a busy time of it ; it is a thing that must be done, a call on New Year's-day covering a multitude of sins of omission during the past year, while neglecting the compliment aggravates them, converting them almost into the cut direct. The ladies stay at home to receive the visits, the gentlemen alone paying them ; the effect on the appearance of the streets is peculiar ; there is not a lady to be seen ; the black coats have all the pavements to them selves ; all bright colours have disappeared from the promenades, and, though the loss of brilliancy is very marked, the gain of space is considerable ; the difference made by the subtraction of hoops and skirts is amazing. The carriages passing by are full • fraen, the omnibtses are packed with men ; there .rc men everywhere, as if all the female portion of the community had been sent out of the city in expectation of a siege. Any stranger landing from Europe ou the lit of Jan. would have thought New York bewitched and under a very evil spell indeed, unless a native took him in charge and, like a kindly Asmodeus, dissipated his misgivings by showing him the bright and cheerful interiors, where the vanished 'adiee sit in state, gorgeously apparelled, dispensing -miles and refreshments to all comers. Tne gentlemen of the house are not to be seen ; they are on the round of visits elsewhere. It is a harvest day of profit to the back drivers, as from the expansion of the city he has very few acquaintance, very exceptionally located, who can make his calls on foot. By rule the snow ought to be on the ground, to admit of sleighing ; a lash down the long avenues in a neatly turned out sledge, with a pair of fast horses in gay harness and strings of silver bells, is an animating addition to the holiday. But this year the skies are perverse ; there nave only been a few threats of snow, and that at Christmas—just enough to tempt a few sledges, give them a few hours run, and then by a dull thaw let them down to the stones, on which the grating and thumping soon disgusted the most enthu-iastic lovers of the exercise, and sent them to wheels again. Last year the winter was unusually severe, and on N ew Year's-day there was a double sledge road along the whole of Broadway, with a high dividing ridge of snow between, which cost the corporation something incredible in dollars to remove. This year sledging has been an experiment only, soon abandoned, t h e " sliding cars, indebted to n o wheels," merely Corning out and going in again, while all the public vehicles, so to speak, kept their feet. The day was clear and open, and rather muddy withal, while, provokingly, there is this morning a fine coating of snow on the ground, just too late. On favourable occasions sledges are in such demand that strong prices are paid for the hire of a dashing turn-out. Some of them are very brilliantly appointed indeed ; but whatever the vehicles employed the duty of the day must be done. In the simple days of the Dutch dynasty, when the city was only a small corner of the present metropolis, and when the residences of wealth and . respectabilit y fashion i s o f more mo d ern growt h) were grouped round the Battery, the old Knickerbockers could pay their visits leisurely, and on foot, with time enough to discuss a dram sedately and fill their capacious pockets with cake, as the manner was ; now, all those who can be visited dwell far from the city proper, scattered over miles of avenue., to say nothing of lateral streets Iren e "Eighth" to "Fortieth." It now requires an early start, a good pair of horses, and tolerably hard work to get through a moderate list by twilight.. There is also a peril of detention where the fires are so bright on the marble hearths, the toilettes so brilliant, and the otto mans so inviting ; there are costly gifts of the season to he shown and examined, diamond bracelets or gigantic bouquets of exotics ; there is also exquisite Madeira prof fered, only to be found in certain ancient cellars. Alto gether, without the support of a stern sense of duty the round of visits may be brought to an abrupt conclusion, and all parties agree to make a day of it, leaving the rest of the list of friends to fate and the next year. Generally, however, a few minutes suffice for each visit ; you are relieved by new comers an I depart. For merly, when the city and "society" were smaller, and everybody haul more time, the hospitality of the day, frequently tested and longer indulged, was somewhat perilous, and the staircases ascended late in the day all were thisa p apt t a o grow 9 been u n n b a n c n c g o e u d n t f a n b r l y narrow row a better, n d t p h e e r p s x l g e n f things is lighter and more elegant, the refreshment table is not the main feature of the day—it is an agreeable part of the decorations, and little more. On the whole, the custom is a pleasant one, an.d deserves not to die out ; yet it is to be feared the continual extension of the city will make it mere and more difficult to comply with every year, and it may gradually degenerate, as it has done in , 1 Germany, to an annual leaving of carts, a poor, formal process, which may be abandoned without loss. A round of New York interiors on New Year's-day leaves a very distinct impression of the luxury and love of decoration which the wealth of this commercial com munity has produced. Many of the palaces of Europe must look meagre and bare to any one accustomed to the rich and lavish comfort of most of the fashionable mansions. Those of the Fifth Avenue have the most. ersiotihrnaittnhcemonagtnrryaanstdrespects, though net so striking ex celebrity, but there are others in older qaarters ternally. T of h T e ahem a p t a t an e l m :ito p ina t l to make the most of small ass superior d s i t s r a e n et va ls n a tn a g c e o n m us p ly ell w ed itb so t m h e e cnounttsriidve wehithijnu'etaifindes theto the eh e i e n xpe fm n t s n e et o h f in r g o omwhi o f nacla6defeier:t attempto o bta fr in o e n d tag a oe t pr th es e u e l t s h p e len t d ff7ct r. ox expense American adjective " bogus," The produce t u i c i e e older houses on Hudson -square and some ofa m. the side streets are far nobler in their interior pp • en but they are all admirably warn - lei, and fully, ro- softly, ortls ; and richly furnished—very Castles of Indolence. The modern republic has nothing to learn from any empire, French or Reinan ; and now and then a growl may be heard from some Juveiaal, condemning the general tendency to extravagance ; but the age of republican simplicity has departed for Commercial, ,sea New York. I t is h showy, and luxurious; those who are "roasting turnips ou their Sabii.e farms are in the " Far West." The Great Western and South Western Railway Companies open their lines for through traffic to Wey mouth this day. Weymouth, the favourite sea-side resort •f George 111., is thus brought within 24 few hours' journey of London, MANCHESTER COMMERCIAL ASSOCIATION. The annual meeting of this association was held at Manchester yesterday, Mr. J. A. Turner, presiding. The Chairman, in commenting upon the annual report, referred to the proud position which this country held during the negotiations for the conclusion of peace last year. He believed we might look back with satisfaction to the course of trade since peace was established, for a , no 1 eriod in the annals of our commerce had any ap proach been made to the amount of business carried on. Our exports had exceeded those of any other period by 20.000,0001. for they amounted to the enormous sum of 115,000,0001., and he believed that while the mercantile interests had been flourishing, the population of the country had been well employed, that generally con tentment had prevJled, and that we might on the whole consider ourselves in a very prosperous condition. But there was one cloud in the distance, and that was the probable distress we were likely to experience before long from the inadequate supply of the raw material which gave employment to such vast numbers of the inhabitants of this disti ict. In ten years, from 1847 to 1856, the imports of cotton into this country had exactly doubled, for in 1847 they were 1,234,090 bale , while in 1856 they were 2,467,000 bales ; but such had been the progress of the cotton trade that , whereas at the end of 1847 the stock in Liverpool was 451,000 bales, or 20 weeks' consumption, at the end of 1856 the stock was only 332,000 bales, or eight weeks' consumption. That was the total stock at the end of a year which gave an American crop of 3,500,000 bales, and all authentic accounts pretty nearly concurred in the anticipation that there would only be 3,000,000 bales to meet the require ments of the present year. We might depend upon it that we should he the sufferers by the deficiency, for it was rather startling to know that the United States and the Continent were now, unitedly, using about as much cotton as Great Britain. In looking back, again, on the past year, there was one cause for feelings of humiliation among commercial society in the numerous crime- , , frauds, and infamies that had taken place in the year 1856. (Hear, hear.) In conclusion, he referred in terms of deep regret to the death of Mr. Brotherton, whose loss would be especially felt by all who had had occasion to communicate with the representatives of that ' community. (Applause.) On the motion of Sir J. Potter, seconded by Mr. M. Ross, the report was una nimously received. The proceedings concluded with the appointment of directors and auditors and a vote of thanks to the directors of the past year. THE BOOT ANL) SHOE TRADE. Last night a large meeting of master boot and shoe makers in the metropolis, including many of the princi pal members of the trade, was held at the Freemasons' Tavern, with the view of adopting some common course of action to accommodate their interests to the unpre cedented rise in the price of leather of late, and especially within the last six weeks. Mr. Med win, of Regent's. quadrant, acted as chairman, and from the statements that he and the several other speakers made to the meeting it appears that from a variety of concurrent causes the price of leather is from 50 to SO per cent., many estimating it at even a higher figure than that, more than it was a year ago. This is not confined to London, but is general throughout the whole country. Not wishing to run the risk of losing old customers by making a corresponding increase in the price of boots and shoes the masters during the last year have struggled on at the old prices, Eloping that the rise was only temporary and exceptional, but they have done so in many cases without deriving a farthing of profit on the whole transactions for the 12 months, and in others by sustaining heavy losses. The case of one well known tradesmau was cited, who paid a rent of 4001. a.year for his premises, and who estimated the whole of his profits on his trade for the last year at only 801., and that with out taking into account his necessary household ex. penses. This state of things, it was stated, has become so serious to the trade that the members of it have been driven to bring th e mater under public co ns id era ti on with the view of justifying them in making an equivalent advance in the prices of boots and shoes of all kinds, not for the purpose of obtaining greater profits, which they repudiate, but simply as a measure of necessary protec tion and justice to tbemselves as a body. The scarcity and consequent high cost of leather aro chiefly attri buted by the trade to the enormous consumption of the article during the war, when at the same tine no raw hides were imported into this country from St. Petersburg ; to the greatly increased quantities of lea ther now being exported to the United States ; to the murrain among cattle in South America, whence we have been accustomed to derive large supplies of raw hides; to the exportation of boots and shoes in in cre dibl y large quantities ; and to a decrease in the supply of lea ther we have heretofore received from France, resulting from the extensive substitution of leather for wooden es the of the iides of anything French e s The hoe meetingsam on g the lower entirely repudiatedclasses like a combination among themselves or the trade of which they are members for the purpose of forcing a rise of prices in the public. Besides the chairman the meeting was addressed by gr. Simpson, of Tottenham court-road ; Mr. Moore, of the firm of Berrall and Co., Marylebone-lane ; Mr. Bird, Oxford-street ; Mr. Green, Shoreditch ; Messrs. Cornell, Hewitt, Hooker, and others ; and eventually a resolution was passed by ac clamation recommending the adoption by the trade of an average advance in the price of bouts and shoes in pro ' portion to the rise in the price of leather. Other reso lotions were also adopted for giving effect to the wishes of the meeting, and the proceedings terminated. TEE NEW STEAM BATTERY. The great iron war steamer, which is now in construc tion at Hoboken for the Government, being an object of much interest, we have been at considerable pains to collect reliable information in regard to her, principally through the medium of our Washington correspondents ; and, as it differs very materially train the stateme , ,ts recently made in various quarters, we give it to our readers. In 1842 the late Mr. Robert L. Stevens first broached to the Government the subject of harbour defence by means of steam batteries of iron, which should be shot and shell proof, and in 1843 Congress, by a special act, directed that the Navy Department should contract with him for such a vessel. In 1844 a contract was accordingly made with him by Mr. Mason, then Secretary of the Navy, under which Mr. Stevens com mencedn to building. construct a M w r a . r Stevens bsteamer collecting materials and constructing the dry dock kin himself which by ethviesl econtract l is t now e suitable for use in the waters of New York, from Sandy Hook upward. It was stipulated that she should be built of iron, that she should be shot and shell proof against ordnance then in use on ships of war, that she should have four engines, and be propelled by a sub ' merged propeller which should give great speed. Her dimensions were to be not less than 250 feet in length and 40 feet beam, and her cost complete, including an armament of not less than 0 heavy guns, was not to ex ceed $537,000. For the faithful fulfiitnentof this contract the Government required and received from Mr. Stevens ample se3urity, as it was further stipulated that payments ' should be made to him as he proceeded with the c ,n -struction up t 05500,000, and that the remaining $87,000 should be paid when the ship was completed and received. Mr. Stevens encountered many difficulties in making his preliminary arrangements, and it was not until July, 1654, that the actual construction was commenced. Meantime he had decided, alter more fully studying the subject, to increase the dimensions of the vessel very much. Instead of a length of 250 feet she is nearly 420 feet long, and her other dimensions are increased in pro. portion. Instead of 4 engines and 1 propeller, she has 8 engines and 2 propellers. Her boilers are 10 in number, of large dimensions, and her power will be nearly equal to 9,000 horses. The vessel is in a very advanced state, and the machinery and boi'ere, and dependencies, are all complete and in place. Owing to her greatly increased dimensions beyond those stipulated for in the contract the cost will be much increased, but how much we are not able to state. The payments by the Go vernment caunot exceed 500,000 dollars until the vessel is delivered and received, unless Congress should make further appropriations. Since the construction was commenced the original projector, Mr. Robert L. Ste vens, has died, but it is stated that his brother, Mr. E, A. Stevens, is determined to complete the vessel ; that a good force is now at work, under the same general supervision which has been employed from the com mencement. Mr. Stevens is prosecuting the work from his own resources, we are told, in the fullest con. fidence that the ship will in all respects meet public expectation, arid that Congress will not suffer him to sistain any loss.—American paper. TIIE ADULTERAHOY OF FLOUR AND BREAD The Lancet has just commenced a new series of re ports under the old title of the " Analytical Sanitary Commission on the Adulteration of Food and Medicine." That contained in the Lancet of the 17th inet. is upon the adulteration of flour and bread. It appears that there is an article in common and daily use by bakers deno rainated " Cones," or "Cones' flour ;" this when genuine consi.ts entirely of the flour of a particular kind of wheat, denominated " Rivit wheat." It is used by bakers to dust the boards upon which the dough is made into bread, as well as the dough itself, the object being to prevent the dough from adhering to the boards, or the loaves to each other ; hut, as will appear immediately, it is likewise employed for other purposes. Of 22 tiara. pies of Cones' flour subjected to examination five only were genuine, and the other 17 adulterated, consisting of mixtures of rice, bean, barley, rye flour, and Indian corn meal, together with, in one or two cases, salt and alum. Cones' flour is, therefore, subject to an enormous amount of adulteration, the object of the various addi tions made to it being to cheapen the article as well as to adapt it for adulteration. That Cones' flour is fre. quently employed in the adulteration of bread is shown in some cases by the character of some of the adulterations to which it is subject, as those by admixture with bean flour, alum, and salt. Now bean flour is actually of a more glutinous nature than pure wheat flour of good quality, and therefore its presence in Cones' flour tends to unfit it for the very purpose for which it is alleged that it is deigned. Snme b a k ers h ave oven ac know. e hedged to the employment of Cones' fl our f or the purpose of adulteration. In the article C ones ' flour, prepared by the millers, " bakers, then," states the report, " are furnished with a material avowedly wheat flour, but which, consisting of mixt ures o f different and cheaper ' flours, is in every wa y su i ted for the adulteration of bread, and that it is extensively used for this purpose cannot be doubted. The public kno w no thi ng o f t hi s article ; the mas t er bakers themselves are ignorant of its real composition, while the journeyman, in most cases, when he adds, by his master's directions, ab us h e 'l of Cones' to a sac k of flour, ' has no ide a th a t h e i s ad;' terating the bread." BANK RET URNS. An Account, pursuant to the Act seventh and eighth Victoria, cap. 32, of the Average Amount of Bank Notes of the several Banks of Issue in England and Wales, in Circulation during the Week ending Satur day, the 10t, day of January, 1857 : Average PRIVATE BANKS. Amount. Andover Bank, Andover—Heath and Co. ..... 10,960 Ashford Bank, Ashford—Jemmitt and Pomfret 10,233 Aylsham Bank, Aylsham—G. and T. Copeman --- Aylesbury Old Bank, Aylesbury—Z. D. Hunt 31,567 Baldock Bank and Baldock and Biggleswade Bank, Baldock—Wells, Hogge, and Co Barnstaple Bank, Barnstaple—Marshall and Co Basingstoke and Odiham Bank, Basingstoke— Seymour, Lamb, and Co.. Bedford Bank. Bedford—T. Barnard and Sons 31,983 Bewdley Bank, Bewdley Nichols, Baker, and Co Bicester and Oxfordshire Bank and Oxford Bank, Bicester—H. M. and G. Tubb 13,944 Birmingham Bank, Birmingham —Attwoods, Spooner, and Co 22,979 Birmingham and Warwickshire Bank, Bir mingham—J. L. Moilliet and Sons Blandford Bank, Blandford—Oak and Co. Boston Bank, Boston—Garfit and Co 71,015 Boston Bank, Boston—H. and T. Gee and Co 14,792 Bridgwater Bank, Bridgwater—J. and J. L Sealey Bristol Bank, Bristol—Miles, Miles, and Co 31,778 Broseley and Bridgnorth and Bridgnorth and Broseley Bank, Broseley—Pritchards, Boy cott, and Co. Buckingham Bank, Buckingham—Bartlett, Par rott, and Co. Bury and Suffolk Bank, Sudbury Bank, and Stowmarket Bank, Bury St. Edmunds — Oakes, Bevan, and Co. Banbury Bank, Banbury Gillet, Tawney, and Co. Banbury Old Bank, Banbury—Cobb and Son 29,757 Bath City Bank, Bath--G. Moger and Son Bedfordshire Leighton Buzzard Bank, Leighton Buzzard—Bassett, Grant, and Co . 33,242 Birmingham Bank, Birmingham—Taylor and Lloyds 27,581 Bradford Old Bank, Bradford, Yorkshire—H. A. and W. M. Harris and Co. Brecon Old Bank, Brecon—Wilkins and Co 61,224 Brighton Union Bank, Brighton—Hall, West, and Borrer Burlington and Driffield Bank, Burlington — Harding, Smith, and Co Bury St. Edmunds Bank, Bury St. Edmunds — J. Worlledge Cambridge Bank, Cambridge—Mortlock & Co. 16,046 Cambridge and Cambridgeshire Bank, Cam bridge—Messrs. Fosters Canterbury Bank, Canterbury—Hammond and Co Carmarthen Bank, Carmarthen—David Morris and Sons 21,513 Chertsey Bank, Chertsey—La Coste and Son 2,330 Colchester Bank, Colchester—Round & Green 16,955 Colchester and Essex Bank, and Witham and Essex Bank, and Hadleigh, Suffolk, Bank, Colchester—Mills, Bawtree, and Co Cornish Bank, Truro—Tweedy and Co Coventry Bank, Coventry—Little & Woodcock City Bank, Exeter—Milford and Co Craven Bank, Settle—Alcocks, Birkbecks, and 31,393 9,062 11,385 47,811 30,300 33,618 45,180 6,983 19,301 69,267 Co Cardiff Bank, Cardiff—Towgood and Co Chepstow Old Bank, Chepstow Bank, Mon mouth Old Bank, Monmouth Bank, Brecon Bank, and Ross and Herefordshire Bank, Chepstow—Promage, Snead, and Co Derby Bank, Derby—W. and S. Evans &Co Derby Bank, Derby—Samuel Smith and Co Derby Old Bank and Scarsdale and High Peak Bank, Derby—Crompton, Newton, and Co Devizes and Wiltshire Bank, Devizes—Locke 9,111 10,495 35,684 25,369 andCo Diss Bank, Diss--Oakes, Fincham, and Co Doncaster Bank and Retford Bank, Doncaster —Cooke and Co Darlington Bank, Durham Bank, and Stockton on-Tees Bank, Darlington—Backhouse &Co )evonport Bank. Devonport— Hodge and Co Dorchester Old Bank and Dorsetshire Bank, Dorchester—R. and H. Williams Fast Cornwall Bank, Liskea.rd—Robins, Fos ter, and Co East Riding Bank, Beverley—Bower and Co Essex Bank and Bishop's Stortford Bank Chelmsford—Sparrow, Round, and Co Exeter Bank, Exeter—Sanders and Co Fakenham Bank, Fakenham—Gurneys, Birk beck, and Co Farringdon Bank and Bank of Wantage, Far ringdon—Barnes, Medley, and Co Farnham Bank, Farnham Messrs Knight Faversham Bank, Faversham—Hilton and Co Godalming Bank, Godalming—Mellersh and Keen Guildford Bank, Guildford—Messrs. Haydon.. Grantham Bank, Grantham—Hardy and C 0... Hastings Old Bank, Hastings—Smith, Hilder, and Co. 8,899 10,285 70,703 80,680 3,290 45,745 94,369 47,952 42,641 23,515 7,835 11,182 5,629 Hereford City and County Bank, Hereford— Matthews and Co. Hull Bank and Kingston-upon-Hull Bank, Hull, Smith, Brothers, and Co. Huntingdon Town and County Bank, Hunting don—Rust and Veaseys Harwich sank, Harwich—Cox, Cobbold, and Co. Hertfordshire, Hitchin Bank, Hitchin Sharpies, and Co. Hereford, Ross and Archenfield Bank, and Ross and Archenfield Bank, Hereford— Morgan and Co Ipswich Bank, Ipswich—Bacon and Co. Ipswich and Needham Market Bank, Suffolk, Hadleigh Bank, Manningtree and Mistley Bank, and Woodbridge Bank, Ipswich— Alexanderl and Co. Kentish Bank, Maidstone—Mercer, Randall, and Co. - Kington and Radnorshire Bank, Kington— Davies and Co. ' Knighton Bank, Knighton—Davies and Co Knaresborough Old Bank and Ripon Old Bank, Knaresborough—Harrison and Co Kendal Bank, Kendal—Wakefield, Crewdson and Co. Kettering Bank, Kettering—J. C. Gotch and 4,551 28,718 32,709 15,744 20,028 52, 45 9 5,143 31,116 20,042 20,896 62,536 13,545 25,19 20,693 40,365 8 ,600 Sons and d ta s ff n o n rdshire Bank, Lane End—C L Leedsae Harvey Bank, d n i 0 n L e B e d a s Bank B e ke Leech--W. e t d . t and 3—‘v C 0........... Williams, LewesLeßicreoswtoenrl Old Bank, Co. u an a k nk , , Lei r Le c w es e t s e_ m P n agt lin e eu s and Kirby, xandcn... Lichfield Bank, Lichfield—Palmer and Greene Lincoln Bank, Lincoln—Smith, Ellison, and Co. Llandovery Bank, Lampeter Bank, and Llan dilo Bank, Llandovery—D. Jones and Co Loughborough Bank, Loughborough—Middle ton and Cradock Lymington Bank, Lymington—St. Barbe and Co. ............................... Lynn Regis and Lincolnshire Bank, Lynn Regis —Gurneys and Co. ........................ Lynn Regis and N or f o lk B ank, Lynn Regis— Jarvis and Co Macclesfield Bank, Macclesfield—Brocklehurst and Co. Manningtree Bank, Manning - tree—Nunn and Co. Marlborough Bank, Marlborough and Wilts Old Bank, Marlborough Old Bank, Marl borough Old Bank and Hungerford Bank, and Hungerford Bank, Marlborough—Tan ner and Co Merionethshire Bank, Dolgelly—Williams and Son Miners' Bank, Truro—Willyams and Co Monmouthshire Agricultural and Commercial Bank, Abergavenny—Bailey and Co Monmouth Cld Bank, Monmouth Bank, Bre con Bank, Chepstow Bank, Chepstow Old Bank, and Ross and Herefordshire Bank, Newark Mo n m Bank,ou th— N B r e o w m a a r k g Snead ,Go dfrey a a n n d C 0..... d Riddell Newark and Sleaford Bank, and Sleaford and Newark Bank, Sleaford—Handley, Peacock, andCo Newbury Bank, Newbury—Bunny & Slocock Newmarket Bank, Newmarket—Eaton, Ham mond, and Co Norwich Crown Bank and Norfolk and Suffolk Bank, Norwich—Harveys and Hudsons... Norwich and Norfolk Bank, Norwich —Gur neys and Birkbeck ......... : ............ ........... Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Bank, Not tingham, Hart, Fellows, and C 0,........ 10 79 1 Nuneaton Bank, Nuneaton—Craddock and Co 3' 3 7 ... Plymouth — Harr . 331:66° Naval Bank .......... ............ ............................. and Co. . arum Bank, Bank N S: 8,414 Nottingham NewS and Co. ................. .. ............ ...... . 30 , 765 Oswestry Bank and Oswestry Old Bank " westry—Croxon and Co .... 12,552 Oxford Oid Bank, Oxford R b . ........ 1) Bank, Tonbriage . , — To — rib — ri " d . g . e . .. *••••• 30 , 230 0 Ola nd and Co. .......... ..,:;/ Ton bridge W e ll s Old Bank, Tonbricl and Ton.Ton bridge W ells and Sevenoaks ank, Ton bridge—T. H. and S. Beechi Oxfordshire Witney Bank, Clinch and Co. Pease's Old Bank, Hull, t/''' and 'Beverley Bank, liv ir 7T Penzance Bar. 4, Penzan" 7 Peterborough Bank ax borough —D. Yorl , Pembrokeshire Bar i ' W. Walters.... ; ;; Reading Bank, Reading Ban)' and o Ce d / r / Richmn Rochdale and CT Roche 4. terror Ro, 5,335 52,490 37,511 30,012 26,140 89,56 23,688 7,199 3,206 37,1140 13,535 13,903 2,237 7,638 17,647 28,380 15,459 26,5 50,857 20,280 19,85 50,096 95,42 . 8, 767 ...... 10,811 Hull Old Bank -Pease and Co 47,075 Batten and Co. 10,650 Oundle Bank, Peter ,'and Co. Haverfordwest—J. and 12,76'3 ;ading--Simonds and C 0..... 29,010 !eading—Stephens, Blandy, ........................................ 28,529 ink, Richmond—l.-toper and Co. 6,230 ,nk, Rochdale—Clement, Royds, 3,751 Chatham, and Strood Bank, Roches )ay and Nicholson 7,242 Jn Bank, Royston—Fordham and Sons 13,414 ;y Bank, Rugby—A. Butlin and Son 7,780 ie Bank, Rye—R. C. Pomfret, & 13 , 7 40 ;toss Old Bank, Heredfordshire, Ross Allaway and Macdougal Saffron Walden and North Essex Bank, S a f. fron Walden—Gibsons and Co 4 % 0 1: 6 4 FR Colchester Harwich Leigh Maldon Country Markets. CHELMSFORD-JAN, 16. The trade to-day was extremely dull, beat wheats being in very slow demand, and barely maintaining last week's prices, whilst second-rate qualities were lower at least is per qr. barleys stood their ground at last week's prices, with a brisk trade. Peas, beans, and oats had a slow sale at last week's prices. Wheat, white, old, per s. s. qr. 36 74 new.... 39 73 red, old ..... 34 64 new.... 34 64 ...3 5 44 ..38 52 ~33 44 ~73 77 ..75 79 Oats, Peas, 8. 8. .24 30 .41 43 .39 46 .40 47 .37 39 .36 40 140 4S ..35 37 .35 38 per qr Partridge White.. Boiling Barley Chevalier Grinding Dun Beane, Tisk Harrow ticks Mazagan Ditto, new Malt _ Chevalier :it- JAN. 17. COLCHEST A fair supply of wheat, which met a poor sale, at barely last week's prices. Barley more plentiful, and no advance established on last week. Beans and peas in better demand and for seed purposes is per qr. dearer. Prices to-daywere as follow :—Virheat, white, 62i to 745; red, 58s to 665; barley, 44s to 525 ; oats, 23s to 284 ; beaus, Mazagan, 36s to 38s ; middle and small, 40s to 46s ; you s, white, 44s to 48s ; grey, 40s to 445. Official Statement of the Quantities of Corn, &c. , in the port of London, from the following po Jan. 12 to Jan. 11, both inclusive. , rece] rts, f iyei 'roak KIRKCALDY-z.JAN. 17. To-day we had a large supply of wheat, moderate of oats but small of barley. Sales quick, and an a d vanc e of is per qr. paid on barley. Wheat. Barley. Oats. I B ea ns. I First 6ls Od 43s Od 27s Od 1. Os Od Second s6s Od 41s Od 24s Od Os oa I Third 32s Od 31s 01 I 21s Od Os ad Oatmeal, —s to —s per bag of 2801 b. :ET.—JAN. 19. the close of the market. 1 Wallseud, tie. s d• Evenwood 16 0 Derwentwater Hartley l5 6 Bell's Primrose l4 6 Elunwiek l7 0 iitewart's Kepier Grainge . 18 9 Lambton l9 0 Whitworth l6 6 Eden Main lB 0 Eden ' Hetton l9 6 Hartlepool Hetton 18 8 ,South Kelloe - 18 6 I f Sold COAL KAR, Prices of Coal per ton at s. d.' Holywell ....... ..... l7 0 Bebside's Hartley 15 6 Howard's West Hartley Netherton 15 6 Davison's West Hartley 15 6 Hastings' Hartley l5 3 North Percy Hartley _l5 0 Canfield Moor l4 6 "Canfield Moor Butes l4 6 1 Walker Primrose l3 9 Walloon& /td. Northumberland ... l6 0 liengh Hall 17 6 Haswell 19 6, Sihlpa at market... 99 LOCAL SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, JAN. 19. "'STOOK EXCHANGE.—The market has been doing a Ye/ steady business to-day, and prices were about the same as Saturday. Caledonian, 30i—Dutch Rhenish, k die. Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, 33i— Londolt and North Western, 1064 6 6i—Eastern Counties, 94 Midland, 824—Great Western of Canada, 24i—Lancashire and Yorkshire, 964 I—North British, 94 — East Lanes' shire, 23 i—South Eastern, 22g. MANCHESTER, Jew. 19. tiTOOIC EXOHANGIL—The marker; was a shade weaker to• day, and prices closed rather lower. Midlands, 82d Eastern Counties, 9 7-16—Leeds, 961—Sheffiehls, 34 3$ Great Western, 66k—East Lancashire, 238 8— Cheshire Junction, 65 t i —East Anglian, 1 13.16 - Electric Telegraphs Grand Trunk of Canada, 12i —Londons, 106. BIRMINGHAM, JAN. 19. STOCK EXCHANGE. There was a quiet market W: day again at the opening, and a dull business doing so rather lower rates. R' , "minghara and Stour Valleys, 811- -- Great Western, Birmingham Guaranteed Stock, 74 6- - Ditto, Stour Valley Gu aran t ee d, 63 , 4 6 —Midl an d s, 82i —South Stafforda, 96. SEABORNE MAILS. [When the date for making up a mail falls on a Sunday, the mail remains open until the day following ; except in tho case of the India mail, via Southampton, which, on such occasions, is mado up the previous evening.] (Fos Thom ...........--....-- Made up at Whence By what When By wh at . the des- Vessel. expected Vese ou T .--- -----'- agU5 .Tan; 24 ....... Post• Office. patched. Lisbon...... 7 7 th, 17 th, fic I South- Alban" Spain .. . i.. IN nth or the Gibraltar .. month. am p t un bra. Gibraltar ..1 Ni alto • • • • • • Egypt .. •• .. 4th & 20th ~_ 4th and Ceylon -•• . M of the Ninth- ~ 20th of 'IOUS India Mauritius Month. (via Ceylon) China Penang .. ••1 31 the }. South- .......• Feb. 4 ...• •••'" Singapore • so Australia(vial m South- Morning the Cape)• • •••••.... Cape of Good ampton Jan. 31 Li g ht Hope ...... tiu Dart- Harbin- Tan. 25 Ki e t udi Ceylon .•. E Feb. 5.. . * mouth get w India • Lisbon. • • • • • Madeira .... CapedeVerds Brazil BuenosAyres • • South i ampton Falkland Is. I J lands ..... • j Wes , Indies • (except Ha- Yana and Honduras). let and Venezuela .. 2dandl7th South- 16th of Grey To wn. M of the ampton Orinoco the Atratel New Gra n a da month. month. Chill .. •... P ero .. ... Californi; . • Honduras .. st j 17 .. } South- 16th of h assail •. • • an. Mexico .... ampton Orinoc the ......•• month. South- Fob. 1 Atrato Havana •• • • Feb. 2....} ampton ... Madeira . . • • 'reneriffe .. 1 Jan. 23 ..1 mouth Pl y - Candace Feb 6 gthiops W C.ofAfrica British North L iver .. 1 Every Fri./ L pool Arabia Jan. 19 Europa United States United States •lan.2o and} Li ver- British North alternate pool Balt'e Jan. 15 Haiti., America .. Tuesday s. I United States British North 31 Jen. 14 •• / ampton Arage Feb. 19 A rn e - America .. Canada ••• • 1 E Jan. 27 Amy' Liver- An g l o . sr. .. 3 pool Saxon Feb' 4 1 Num. hi—Morning. E_Evening. LORD STANLEY AND THE FALKLAND ISLANDEL—It has been matter of surprise to persons acquainted with the eligibility of the Falkland Islands as a place of deporta tion for our convicts, as so often recommended in this journal, that Lord Stanley, in reviewing the various settlements which hare been suggested for this purpose, at a meeting of the Law Amendment Society last week, did not allude to them at all. He stated that insuper• able objections existed to North Australia, Hudson's Bay, and Vancouver's Island, and was unable to suggest any other place which appeared to him satisfactory. The Press (,Ir. Di srae li' s organ ) , o f S a t ur d ay, i n not i r• ing an omission so remarkable, expressed the opinion that the Falklands are unobjectionable in point of sitria ' tion, and are not likely to receive any considerable number of free settlers. The conditions of soil and climate, it was observed, might be harsh, but transpor tation offers the fairest chance of combining what should be the two great ends of all punishment--the security of society and the reformation of the criminal, and no place has yet been proposed where these objects can be attained more conveniently than at the Falkland Islands, In this we fully concur, but the disparagement of th e soil and climate is founded in error, as the former prod u ces all kinds of vegetables, and the latter is remark ably salubrious.—Liverpool BIRTH OF A so x . Et Ca mbri dg eoxn-W t g a r. arta, stree t, 't e H w y i wife :f a r D k Jones, • s g to ? a : r o : ho h ter e hlp7 l ar it B nh t ot h ignni. as i m r: B ,r t msa . t. Ei\Bay.2t OP A DAITGHTER. On the 18th inst., at Loughton, Essex, the wife of Robt. King, of Fenchurch-buildings, London, solicitor. On the 19th inst., at 50, Westbourne-terrace, the wife o f John Noble, Esq. On the 17th inst., at St. James's, MARRIED. Hyde park, Thomas Nelson, Esq., Captain West York Rifles, to Jane Kirkus, younger daughter of the late J. Layborn, Esq., gold Cottage, Yorkshire. Westbottrne-terraee, On the 17th inst at St. Giles, Camberwell, Mr. E. R. Wallis, of 368, Strand, to Sarah, eldest daughter of the late W. ri Reed, of Osborne Villas, Peckham-rye, and Charing-eross. On the 19th inst., at the Lodge, Ralph Tatham, D.D., Master o f S t. John's College, Cambridge, aged 78. On the 17th inst. at Mr. Joseph Bonsor, of 134, Fon ch u rch-street, adss On the 18th inst., at ' Grosvenor House, Southampton, Wm. Oke,Esq., aged 70. yu the 18th ins 6 t suddenly, John Pickett, Esq., of Brul g ,ew ater-square, " aged 77- Ou the 18th iust., at Twickenham, Madame de Perpig nan. On the 18th inst., at 22, Jewin-street, Mr. H. Treggon, aged 52. On the 18th inst., at 66, Westbourne•terrace, Arthur 11°t hanl, youngest son of Sir Bald win)W. Walker, Bart., aged 3 years and 9 months. On the 18th inst., John Wreford, Esq., of Broughton Rouse, near Riverhead, Kent ; aged 86. ---- --_ --- - - - - _ - --- LONDON : Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, No. 112, Strand, in tho Precinct of the Savoy, in the ~ :0..10 ty of Middlesex, TuesUy, January 20, 1857. J