The Sun. — London, England, 1840-12-26 00:00:00

LNlicG EDITION. i i THE ! •., _ , CHINA S 1 " CONTAINING A MAP, AND WISTORY 1 - )F CHINA, WIT 'H TIIF , LATEST NEWS, , 4()* OR Malt Pri . :e SIXPENCE. O r d ers ma y de given to all News -agents, or sent direct to th e Sum 01 fir , e , 112, Strand, London. Also, CPRONATION SUN, ItINT.Txt IY LETTERS OF GOLD, WITH A EA uTir,FLIL PORTRAIT OF -; Pe. 111.AJTSTY THE QUEEN, iae sent by post free to all parts of the P Pire Pri , •• SIXPENCE. an Office, 112, Strand, London. .. •-.. . ~I OMMODORE NAPIEIt'S _ LIFE and 4ri EXPLOITS during Thi rty Y ears , I s., post free •, five Pla (es, with Portrait, second edition, eontaisi his 1 4 , 1 . 4 R deeds it. the American Wa r , hi s b ravery i n t h e W est l i 44 , victort” on the Italian coast, glorious action in his 4 1 Pri brig against three French 74 gun ships, memorable ie and capture or the entire Portuguese fleet, and success 0 7,2 , Fhant t'ho Egyptian War, viz. burntrardment of Beyrout, Af' 4 ., lns' of Sidon, si ege o f A cre, Ra i l tr i umphant entry i nto qandria, with his itrilli..nt d e f ea t o f Ib rl hi m on the heights sir4 rlls eLog°uen , la., istst free Is. 4d„ Fire Plates, with Por ;4 tee( .nd edition. n 4 4don : Strange , 21, Paters oster-row ; and Purkiss, I\tpton.. greet, So',lo. 0 ri ci a --- - n , sirs •./ next, the 31 , ,t inst. in 3 cols. post Bro. t IPl' 0 0 S inst., L TAU N. AN HISTORPCAL ROMANCE. 1ii7,,, Be 'CAPTAIN NI',, , ',ADOWS TAYLOR, IRE , ERVICE OF HIS HIGHNESS THE NIZAM. Authc,r of " Confe,sions of a Thug." Richard B ent l ey, N ew Burlington-street. ---. —_,Burlington-street. ",i, , N - ,O ‘' EL, EDP:ED by THEOD'ORE HOOK, Esq. uway nr xt, in 3 cols. post Bve., with Illustrations by Phiz, tIE7L'E It PFLIGGINS; li, E, lited by THEODORE HOOK, Esq. \. II TY Col burn, P ü bli s h er , In, Great Marlborough-street. •-•-___ _ MR. HOR ACE SMITH'S NEW NOVEL. tlll. E Jult ready, in. 3 cols, post Byo., MONEYED MAN; Or, THE LESSON OF A LIFE. A ar By HOR ACE SMITH, Esq., li, -i Sr •,f " Briambletye House,'' " Reuben Apsley," &c. \!.',." 1 'Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough-street. U IS . MAJESTY the EMPEROR of 4. L AUSTRIA haying AUTHORISED and MlA tit STEED several DISTRIBUTIONS of MONEY 11 tIDENDS, which (though they are NO LOTTERIES) tr many possit ilities of obtaining LARGE FORTUNES. A HEINIi BROTHERS, at IANIBRGII, now SEW, NG BONDS for the sa i d DIR U T 11l BIT TIONS. tons desirous t o p urc h ase f or t h e next Di str i but i on, may re ,,td a, RREVP. - )US to giving any order, the PROS -3 ECTUS ,PARTICULARS, upon addr ess i ng WITHOUT DE ' r, a line to HEINE, BROTHERS, at HAMBURGI I I. THE , , E NE. CI . DISTRIBUTION, managed and guaranteed t he Austrian Go7ernment, contai ns 'WENT Y-FIB - E THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED DIVIDENDS, Amountinr4 to £954,685, Tile Dividends being 4 15,000 £6OO £7O 0 £37 10 7,504 P, 300 50 0 37 0 3,80 0 200 42 0 36 0 1,410 150 40 10 35 0 1.2 00 100 39 0 th, TP,EATRE 7 •IOYAL, COVENT GARDEN. "jSER the MANAGEMENT of MADAME VESTAL;. THIS EVENING, DEC. 26. Will be reperted, liertumont and Fletcher's Comedy of THE SPANISH CURATE. Henrique, Mr. Cooper; Don Juan, Mr. Anderson Pk.,' ki nes Mr. Chas. Mathews ; Lopez (the Curate), Mr. W ti 4 V l ; Bart olus, Mr. Bartley ; Diego, Mr. Keeley ; Ann- M atie . me Vestris ; Jacintha, Mrs. W. West. 4 kel l / 4 ,e, After which, J GRAND CHRISTMAS PANTOMIME will be Ti ty . produced, entitled • CASTLE OF OTRANTO; OR, HARLEQUIN AND THE GIANT HELMET. arlequin, Mr. C. J. Smith ; Clown, Mr. T. Ridgway; Laaleon, Mr. ; Columbine, Miss Fairbrother. ' d oors to be oTiened at hall-past Six—the pertuiruances to tuiene e at Se ten o'Clock. 4 1 ,i'tkets an d Oa( es for the BOW.; to be taken of Mr. Grogan Box-offi from Ten till Four, where Season Tickets be had upon application. f.'r..s s Boxes, 79. ; Second Price, 3s. 6d. - First and Second s s . ; :f.cond Price, :Is. 6d. ; Pit, Ss.; Second Price. qallery, ls. 16, t i,vate Boxts to be had so!ely of Mr. And: ens, bookseller Bond -street. tit ROYAL SURREY THEATRE. It Night of th.e Grand Christmas Pantomime, and Grand l oramic Antraal, The principal Characters in the Panto '''jrne by the. B o l eno F am il y; M r. S out hb y, t h e P opu l ar \j lown; and Signior Felix Carlo, from Franconia, at Paris. THIS EVENING, DEC. 26, Will be r epresented a New Domestic Drama, entitled MART HA WILLIS, THE AIAID SERVANT. Martha Willis, *Airs. Henry Vining. After which will be produced the New Cowie Pantomime . , entitled - ' l, -E'QITIN AND MY LADY LEE ; OR, GOOSEY ~LANI)ER AND THE SPELLBOUND GOSLINGS. a njer - - • - k or „ d WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TOMORROW. 8 minutes after 4 I Evening 73 mulutes after 4. rulgication of tre Evening Edition of Lis Sux core.. manned at 10 minutes after Three. *!4 'ftlwor LONDON: SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1840. The Morning Post has an article against de- I nocraey, in which the authority of ARISTOTLE 4 :d of M. DE T OCQUEVILLE i s quo t e d as qu i te d ecisive against democracy. ARISTOTLE said, ig of all terannies the utmost is democracy." But b efore, we can admit this assertion to be now of 411 Y weight, much less admit it to be conclusive, /1 ) must be quite certain that the word democracy, W hen used by a Greek nearly 2,200 years ago, deans precisely what is now meant by the same *01 (1• The written words of a language remain "altered---even the sounds of those words may be Ind are handed down from generation to generation, Without any perceptible change; while the ideas, or the actual things for which the words stand, and for which they are signs, have undergone a perpe tual and prodigious change. Take, for example, the word signifyin g our planet, whatever it may be in The various languages of the Old World, and it is 'pinin that it could not possibly embrace more know ledge than the then existing race of men possessed ; but that word now stands for all the knowledge which Subse quent ages have enabled us tekquile of the earth, including its globular form and relative importance, 11 1.', little better than a mite in a vast system, and its Istronomical characteristics. Gradually the mean ing of the words fy,, as used by the Greeks, and Term, as used by the Romans, has changed from B iviifying their contracted to our enlarged know tedge, and we arc perpetually exposed to mistakes ascribing to the Ancients the posession of our ideas, because we continue to use their words or corresponding words. The same fact is true of every branch of knowledge. To set forth what were the ideas actually affixed by the Ancients to Words which have become incorporated into our tongue at different periods, would he a noble work for some scholar, far more useful and more worthy of attention than the much renowned labours of ?ORSON or BENTLEY. in all the States of Greece, at the time A Rts- ToTLE wrote, slavery existed. The press was unknown ; Christianity had never been heard of ; the passions of men were untamed and violent ; division of labour was circumscribed, and little or no interchange knit together the several classes or the several States ; between th e aristocracy, which usurped or possessed power under various names, and the middle classes, but not the slaves—who most resembled our lower classes -there was a continual contest for power, an d, as faction succeeded against faction, the de `` eated Tarty was driven into banishment or out the aristocracy exercised their usurped :`pOirtf More consistently and steadily, but not less _erueTly, than the democracy ; but when the den o• cracy gained the upper hand, they drove the others with fury into exile, or put them to death. This peculiar feature of the democracies of antiquity is what ARISTOTLE, we believe, meant by the phrase—" or all tyrannies the utmost is democracy." 1-1 , 5 ari'hori►ty, therefore, is about as valid in this controversy as if he had simply asserted that those who were most violent were most to be condemned. At any rate the knowledge which ARISTOTLE could have of society—because society was so dif ferent in his days fiom what it is in ours—is so different from our own knowledge, that we should as soon quote him as an authority for now construct ing ploughs or building ships, as for forming a Government. M. DE TOCQUEVILLE is of as little authclity as ARISTOTLE. In a passage which the Post quotes, he says : I am not acquainted with any country in which there is so little true independence of mind and so dont of diseusAion as in America ln any Contitutional State in Europe every sort of religious or political theory may be freely promulgated, for there is none of its nations so subdued by any siagle autho rity as not to contain eitizlns who are ready to protect the man who rakes his voice in the cause of truth. If he is unfortunate enough to live under an absolute Go vernment, the people are on his side. If he inhabits n free country he nay find the shelter he requires behind the authority of the throne. In some countries the aristocracy will support him, in others the democracy ; but in a nation where the democracy is organised, as it is in the United States, there is but one sole authority, one single element of force and success, with nothing beyond it. . . . In America the majority draws a formidable circle round the exercise ollhought. Within its limits an author is at liberty to write what he pleases ; but woe to him to dares to pass them. Not that he is threatened with an auto da fe, but ho is ex posed to annoyance of every sort, arid to daily perse cutions. His political care„ is for ever closed if once he °Ends the only power which can open it to him. Every kind of compensation is refused to him, even that of celebrity. Before he published his opinions he imagined he had partisans ; but no sooner has he de clared them open!y than he is loudly censured by his op ponents, whilst those who think with him, without having equal courage to give expression to their thoughts, hold their peace and abandon him. He yields at length, op. pressed by the daily efforts he has been making. and he subsides into silence as if he were tormented by remorse for having spoken the truth. In the Papers, however, of yesterday, it is stated that two men were arrested in the Place Ven dome for crying out " Vive la Republique." Not long ago Mr. HETHERINGTON was convicted of blasphemy for publishing a book which attacked an established opinion- About the same period, a gentleman, every way qualified, was excluded from the Civic Chair of Edinburgh because he does not follow the teaching of the endowed priesthood. A little longer ago, another gentleman was excluded from the Civic Chair of the Metropolis for rot professing the dominant religious opinions. In Ireland men and women are turned off the land to die in a ditch, because they are Catholics. In Scotland the tenants are told they shall not be al lowed to hold farms unless they subscribe to the landlord's opinions. In England they must not sub-let a barn, or use it, to promote their own opi nions, or support any kind of education but educa tion in the opinions of their landlords. All these things take place in the most free aristocratic country in Europe, and vet M. DE TOCQUEVILLE and the Post would have the world believe that opinion is more free in Europe under despotism and aristo cracy than in the United States. Will the reader believe that while the Post talks of the constraints on opinion in America, it regrets the want of a law in England to put down political truth? To speak truth is to provoke dis content with injustice, and the Post would have all political discussion. which provokes discontent, or rouses mei' against injustice, put down by law. We are not surprised that such a writer is highly dissatisfied with the democracy of the United States. Both M. DE TOCQUEVILLIL and the writer in he Post, fail to notice that in Europe certain opi nions are prohibited by the law, while in the United States ail opinions are freely published. Here cer tain opinions are punished ; in the States they are only kept in subjection by public opinion. There, in fact, public opinion, much more than positive enactment, is the law of the land. Here public opinion plays its part also ; and to make a fair com parison between the constraint imposed on the for mation of opinion LI Europe, and in the United States, all the restraints imposed by law in the for mer, including the restraints imposed on the press, should be added to the restraints imposed solely by public opinion in the latter; and then it will pro bably be found that the restraints in the United States arc less than the restraints in Europe. No person in Europe, more than in America, can rise to power, or even succeed in the ordinary pursuits of life, without conforming to public opinion. Per haps we are so long accustomed to ;its chains that We scarcer• perceive them, while society in America, consisting in part of a continual stream of emi grants, marks and feels the weight :Which tl-e pub lic opinion of democratic Ametica, different from that of aristocratic Europe, imposes on all comers. After all, what is the despotism of public opinion of which M. DE TOCQUEVILLE complains? Is it not the security of life—is it not the security of property—is it not the security of industry ? Can men in the - United States complain that they are injured in their persons or property, as they justly complain in Europe ? Even GARRISON, the ardent enemy of the slave-holders, though sometimes threatened, is still at liberty to prosecute unharmed his benevolent projects. It will be very long, we be lieve, before such an example of intolerance can be quoted against the United States as the exile and death of THOMAS PAINE. M. DE TOCQUEVILLE is, by birth and educa tion, an aristocratic Frenchman ; and he associated principally, of course, with the aristocratic classes in the United States. He there found that his own ideas and theirs were kept in strict subjection to democratic opinions; and it is that subjectio n which he expresses by the voice of complaint and latnen tation, just as if Mr. BRONTER RE OBRIEN, or FEARGUS O'CONNOR, were to complain of the restraints imposed on democratic opinions and on democracy in England. Their case is parallel to that of M. DE TOCQUEVILLE, with this addition, that they are punished for their demo cratic opinions under the name of sedition, while the only punishment inflicted on the aristocracy in America is, that they are obliged to make a show of conforming to democratic manners. When M. DE TOCQUEVILLE and the Post complain of the restraint of public opinion, they betray a lamentable ignorance of the fact, that to public opinion we are at all times indebted for enforcing the laws, and consequently for all the security we now enjoy. If that be greater in the United Stites than here, as we affirm it is, the conclu sion is that public opinion in the United States is a better guardian than the law in Europe. The Sun conta►ns an account of a meeting held at Manchester, on Tuesday last, to consider the most effectual means of assisting HENRY HETHER INGTON. The persons who came forward on tha t occasion did themselves honour by their straight forward, manly proccodings. There was no vio lence, no unseemly language ; but the right of free publication was ably vindicated. There a•as a time when the noble duty of defending the tight to print freely was much more generally practised than it has been since it was violated in the person of Mr. —HETHERINGTON. To neglect that duty in his case, gives rise to the suspicion that certain parti es and certain writers regard persons much more than principles. The Morning Herald had the good fortune, thtough the agency o►f a weit-kuown ex-Sc.eretar.,. f Legation, to obtain, shoitly after the signing of the Quadruple Treaty, some inkling of what W 43 going forward relative to the Eastern Question, and was thus enabled to take the lead of its Contemporaries in making certain small revelationF, whose prema ture disclosure contributed in no small degree to in flame the ire of the war faction in France, and to mislead for a moment public opinion in England as to the real drift of Lord PALMERSTON'S policy. The first disclosures made by the Herald proved to be well founded, and since then it has perpe trated a number of semi-official paragraphs, with a view to show that its sources of exclusive informa tion arc in no way diminished by the change which has taken place in the administration of French policy. Unluckily the grave statements made in several of these paragraphs have not been con firmed, and we now begin to attach very little credit to them. The following semi-official announce ment, hearing the stamp of the URQUHART mint, which appears in the Herald of this morning, is given for just as much as the reader may think it is worth : We learn from Paris that the English Government have united their remonstrances against the extraordi nary armaments of France to keep up that contradic tion, a " paj.c armee," to those previously made by Austria and Prussia ; and the English Government have a lso signified their intention to increase consider ably their navy, if' the naval armaments of France should be increased, as England could only, by these means, make head against the superiority which France has in her armies. This is followed by another directly in the teeth of a statement twice made in The Sun, on what we regard as higher authority than the Herald's Parisian oracle. Be it also observed, that the re port that the Great Powers had approved of Com modore NAPIER's Convention with BoGtws BEY, was announced in the columns of the Afoul!cur:— We arc able to contradict the report in a Ministe rial Evening Journal, " that the Powers had expressed their approval of the Convention between Commodore Napier and Mehemet A'i ;" that Convention, as yet, not having been communicated to them through the of ficial channel, Sir Robert Stopford. The Madrid Gazelle, of the 16th inst., pub lishes the Decrees of the Regency for abolishing thejacros of the Basque Provinces, and establish ing the system of government recognised by the Constitution of 1837 throughout Spain. Copies of the Decrees will be found in another part of The Sun. There can be no question that it is ex tremely desirable to establish an uniform system of Government in every part of Spain, but befO're we shall have ascertained that the inhabitants iiof thv Basques, so long and so devotedly attached .o pri vileges which secured them the rights of fpemen when the mass of their fellow-subjects w 4 little better than slaves, voluntarily accepted the Consti tution in exchange for them, we cannot With the Chronicle laud the Regency for having achieved with mere Gazelle decrees, so important an undertaking Our readers all know well, that it was the prema ture attempt of the Queen's Government to wrest their, fueros from the Basques which elevated the standard of rebellion under Don CA It Los, and cost Spain all the horrors of a seven years' civil war. Now, if, instead of arbitrarily depriving the Basques of their fueros, proper means had been taken to impress them with the local and national advantages of voluntarily resigning them, we can have little doubt that the result would have been as pacific as it was hostile. We find it, however, stated in the Madrid papers that the leading NR varrese have been consulted by ESPA RTERO, and have agreed to the leading points -of the law, which is to be submitted to the Coates fur confirming the decrees of the Regency. There is no news of any interest, save a report of the proceedings in the Ninth Bureau of the Chamber of Deputies on the financial condition of France, i❑ the Paris Journals of Thursday. This report will be found below, and will naturally at tract the notice of our commercial readers. The Courricr Francais maintains that a note from the Cabinets of Vienna and Berlin, protesting against the armaments of France, has been in the hands of M. Guizot more than a " It is said to be couched," the Courtier adds, "in terms of such a nature that a Minister the least suserptible, with regard to national honour, cottld not fail of being moved by it. M. Guizot, if his friends are to be credited, has replied to it with a certain degree of dignity " The Journal of Lyons gives some account of Mr. Vincent Million, who was seized and carried o'iu suck an audacious manner in the evening of the 18th inst. According to the ReFaralcur, at two o'clock in the af ternoon of the 20th, a gendarme sent from Givers brought word to the Magistrates that Mr. Million had been found in a cellar near Girors with the kidnappers, who had hem seized and delivered into the hands of justice. The Courrier de Lyon of the 21st says—" We are this moment informed that Mr. V. Million has just re turned home. The police had discovered the place where he passed the first night, and continuing its in quiry in the direction cif Givors, found him at Ternay. Two men who accompanied him were arrested.—Lq Gaeette de France. has, however, adopted a system which may ono day break through the guardianship whieli there is a desir to impose GSI him. By express commands, the Ministers give hint a detailed account of affairs, and he discusses them with them. lie has often interviews with the fo reign Ambassadors since hostilities have commenced in Syr;a. Gmcral Mehemed Rechid, Director-General of Ar tillery at Constantinople, and Governor of the arsenal of Taphane, has just been deprived of his office, owing to a whim of Riza Pacha. Mehctned Rechid Paella was brought up in France, and passed several years at the Artillery School of Metz. The re-action against France has been pushed on by fanatic!: to such a pitch as to destroy all that had been organised with so much trouble and expense at the arsenal of artillery of Tap bane, according to the system in force with us, in order to substitute that of Prussia. The work of destruc tion is commenced by the personnel—the materiel will follow. General Mehewed Rechid is replaced by a young man of the Palace, a former plge of Alahmnud, who is ignorant of the nature of a cannon or of an ord nance carriage. The first act of administration on the part of the young Meherned Ali Paella dates from yesterday, and is well worthy of being recorded. The nen dignitary has thought proper, in order to in stall himsdf with all his attendants, to dispose of the :millings fortuit , the Artillery School, and to disband all the cadets belonging to that establishment. Hence forth there will be no artillery at Constantinople, but the Director-Gf•neral will be well lodged. The healthy state of the capital is excellent, notwithstanding the continual arrival of vessels fro:n Syria with prisoners and the sick. Several of the latter have died of typhus fever, and others have not been able to stand the change of climate. The plague has broken out about en hour's walk front 13 , •yrout, but owing to the quarantine regulations the contaminlacd village is ivolated. The plague of Varna has just ceased, and that of Erzeroum is at an end since the 25th of October. A Russian steamer has.arrived arid anchored opposite the Seraglio. After being stationed there for a few hours it went up the Bosphorus as far as I3tiyukdere, during which time Prince Candjorli, Conseiller of the Russian Emhas-y, proceeded with all possible speed on a post•horse to the Turkish Minister's. GERMANY. WAR PREPARATIONS. AUGSBURG, DEC. 20.—Our warliko preparations assume at length a more tangible form. The advanced gu trd of the Austrian army of observation, which will assemble iii the Voralla!rg, is already on its march, and is expected to pass through Munich. It consists of five regiin. nts of cavalry (one of hussars, one lancers, two chasseurs, one dragoons,) four regiments of infan try, and six batteries of field artillery—in all between 15,000 and 16,000 men. Two Austrian regiments (Richter and Archduke Charles) are on their route to reinforce the garrison of Mayence, which will also re ceive a Prnssian reinforcement. The twenty millions of fl,rins which have long been in the hands of Roth schild and Co., of Frankfort, at an intereq of four per cent., have hem withdrawn try the military commis. ion to be applied on emergency. The sum agreed to be ex pended by the Diet in the preparation and defensive measures to be adopted is, however, as I s t a t e d in a former letter, fixed for the preent at one hundred mil lion florins. Tile troops of the eight corps of the Confederation and the Bavarians have orders to be ready to march by the first we k in February ; and amongst others, the organiz ttion of the Lindwehr of the Grand Duchy of Baden is talked of, which will amount to 25,000 men• DUTCH FUNDS.—AmsTEnnard, DEC. 29. Money. Bilk. 4i:qua! 1/tit, t'.,, per Cent .ditto, ditto 5 per cent. A iii.rt Svndic,4li percent 8 i '4 8 ' ii Ditto, ditto, :".i . ,,i per cen' 7l 71'4 Commercial Company, 4 , -, per cent lol4 WO. Ditto (h5;;5 and 1137) 5 per cent. Loan 1%07, 5 per cunt. FAchatige on LonduN, Chet mouth l:2 0 Two months Dutch Papers, Dec. 23. • • AUSTRIAN FUNDS.--NIFNNA, DEC. 1i ' ' '''.l'7' livelier Cunt,. Metalliques FOIll per Cents. :1— .. Friree p.r Cents. Bank Shari, ....... ............. ... ..... .......... .......... ... ,dllgour2rse &wring, Dec. •.i0 HAMBURG BOIDIENHALLE Dec. N Bills. Money Austrian 5 per Cents. - tlaiik Shares 1 .70 _ Ifi7.'i . . Ano In-Russian Loan 1 0 ,3i,', .05% liwisi4i] 0 per (''nt. tat series, Curtiticate inscription, Ist Scrws Russian 5 per Cent. Hop, and Lo, 3d and 4th Series Ditto in Certilic:ites Dutch _:anal Debt, 2% pc Cent 4,N, . Ditto -- l'obsh 13011d5 „, 143 New ticket Anglo-Danish Loan, 3 per Cer • NL., wegi an loan, 1834, 4 per Ciui:..... . sp.nish,, New .11. e: Cents. _. _ -- .. rxCHn crx CP4 LONDON. flsmiltqlo, Dr.c. 13 —l3 tA.—'rwo months. 13 1%. , Tucsttot.m, Dec. IL—Seventy-five days, 11, 38. I.EIPSIe, Dec. 14.—Two inn ths, 6. M t , VIENNA. Ore. 10.—Three months, 9. .1"N . Purr ItSgUlt6ll, DEC. ti. —Two months, 3911 pence Di RtsrlANIA. DEC. q.—Three months, 4 r,lB. BR nmEN,QUEG. It —No months, 613. PRUSSIAN FUN DS.— I.lmmis„ Dec. 13 Itints. Money St. Schuh!. Sch., 4', per cent lies% 1 , 354 Prussian E.051] Loan, IRI4I, 4 per cunt. PS.)., 9:J5 . 4 I]:xerlsoge on I.godon, three months 6 16% —Prussian Slate Gazelle, Dec :6..,, THE CORN-LkliTS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Wiltsldi e Independent OfilCe, Devizes, Dve. 23. SIR,—In the Standard of Friday, the 18th inst., and in the 7invs of the following day, is an extract from the Devizes Gazette of the 17th inst., containing an affidavit from a person named Dark, i mput i ng to Mr. Sidney Smith that he had at a lecture on the Corn -laws at Market Marquis of Lansdowne was w a member of the Anti Corn-la Lavington, asserted that the League. I was present at that lecture ; and am quite ready to affirm that Mr. Smith did nut say so, nor any thi n g t h a t could be con_ itrued into it. Indeed the improbab:lity that he would make a statement , knowing it to be false, and one which he must know would not remain uneontradicted for a single day, ought to exonerate him fro m the charge in the eyes of all unpr.judieed person; ; but t h e T o ries arc so exas perated at his success here, that th ere is nothing they will not say or do to create a prejudice a gainst him. You will find in the Wiltshire Independent of yesterday, a copy of which has as usual, been sent to you, a notice of Mr. Dirk's affidavit, in the last column of the second page; and two separate declar at i ons c ontradicting Mr. Dark's statement in the sixth colu mn o f the third page. I hr.vc the honour to be your o b e dient servant, WILLIAM BURROWS. (Editor of the Wiltshire Independent.) The Cologne Gazelle contains the following letter :-- VIENNA, Dec. 1 I.—For some time past a great deal has been said about our armaments, and all kinds of reports have been circulated on the subject. Thus it was lately pretended that Lieutenant Field-Marshal Count Latour, had orders to proceed to May ence with three regiments of infantry and one of cavalry, which is abso.utely false. It is true that the armaments of France oblige Germany to take measures of precaution. It is solely with this view that it can be intended to canton some regiments along the western frontier. But till France shall have replied to the latest notes of Austria and Prussia, and till General Hess shall have returned from his mission to the southern States of Germany, the troops will not even be exercised, though it is true that the regiments have already been desig tinted which are to hold themselves in readiness to march.—Constitutionnel. Tim • ITN, LONDON. SATURDAY. DECEMBER 96, 1840. THE MARKETS.-(THIS Y.) COLONIAL MARKET. But few parties were in the market, and the amount of business done was very limited in all articles. The arc. vals were spntill from all quarters. WHITECHAPEL MEAT MARKET. The fupply was very smsll, and the trade was dull at lower prices. The decline in Veal and Pork was Bd. per stone; Mutton 2d. and Beef full 41. WEIETECiIAPEL HAY MARKET. The supply was very scan , y ; the demand has here study, rrartieularly for the better quality, and prices were well maintained, with the prospect of an advance. Clover. 5/. lbs. to 6/ ; 6lidriling, 51. to 5/ 104. ; Hay, 4/. 12s. to 41 18s.: Middling and Inferior, 4/. to 41. 10c. Toe up pl y of Straw was moderate, with a limited demand ; prices from 325. to 345. per load. Ll4O YD'S SHIPPING.-(THIS DAY.) LCNDON, Drc. 26.—Wind this day at noon, light ;)reeze from the northward, with a sharp frost. DEAL, DEC 24.— Wind E. S. E , moderate. 25, E. S. E. lig►ht._Sa:lad the Roekliff, Harrison, for Ceylon; Lima, Furd, Mauritius; Heron. Cacacc, Malta; Essex, Pakeley, Launceston ; Principe Victoriosa, Rio Janeiro ; Syeford, Stayncr, Grenada; Philadelphia, Stark, New York; Maria, Collings, Gibraltar; Bailey, Sinclair, New Zu land ; AtlAs, Reynolds, J.tmaica. LIVERPOOL, DEC. 24.— Wind E. fresh. 25, E. light. --Arrived the Roscius, Collins, New York. Sailed the Eliza, Woolley, Valparaiso; Franklin, Rogers, New Or. leans ; Scotland, Robinson. New York ; Patriot Minin, Tiedman, Havannali ; Messenger, Tailor, New o.lcans; Congress, !Marshall, ditto ; Patrick Henry, Delany, New York. LiaisToL, DEC. 24.—Sailed the St. Martin, Vaughan, for Savannah. CLYDE, DEC. 23.—Arrived the Hero, Millar, from Quebec. Sailed the Barlow, Nl`Callune, for Savannah ; Mountaineer, Stickney, Charleston. PORTSNIOUTII, DEC 25.—Wind E. N. E.—Arrived the Peggy, Morgan, from Jamaica. Cowes, Dec. 25.—Arrived the Charles Hendrick, Valentine, from Monte Video ; Dolphin, Spille, ditto. CORK, DEC. 23.—Sailed the Victory, Brooks, for Ber muda. A ship of about 500 toni, with painted ports and loss of topmasts, was seen off Cape Clear on the 21st inst , and was expected to get into Crookhaven. WEXFORD, DEC 22.—A jolly-boat, of thirteen feet keel, clinker built, copper fastentd, with stern out, green bottom, four planks outsido black, and four inside top planks green, nearly new, come on shore on the 19. h nst. to the northward of the harbour. MONEY and COMMERCIAL NEWS. CITY, TWELVE O'CLOCK. We have no Liverpool letter this morning, conse quently we suppose there are no arrivals to announce. (From the French Papers.) The naval division under the command of Vice- Admiral Mackau arrived before Monte Video about the end of September, and M. Mackau appeared be fore Buenos Ayres on the 10th October. It is said that he is the bearer of an arrangement, the terms of which have been accepted by Rosas, therefore the first packet boat expected in England will bring the news of the affairs being adjusted between France and the Argentine Republic. A report prevails in Paris that M. Humann had re signed. It is expected that the packet ship of the 13th (the Sheffield) will bring the President's Me sage. , .01&:. zifik sllll+ COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, FRIDAY.—Her Majesty, his Royal Hi g h_ nest Prince Albert, and the Royal household, attended divine. th ec sasi;r Castle. e e this T 13e morning; e,,: in Isaac , o,spri etty private e ffie ci fler Majecy and Prince Albert afterwards vrtil!:ed on the terrace for half an hour. Hcr Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, attended by Lady Fanny Howard, took her usual walking exer cise this morning. Prince Albert, attended by Lord Liiford, Mi• G. E. Anson, Sir E. Bowater, Captain Seymour, Mr. Ri c h, and Dr. Pretorius, took the exercise of skating f or Some time on the lake in Proginore-gardens. Lord and Lady Kinnaird and Mr. and the Hon. Mrs. G. E. Anson wilt have the honour of joinin g t h e RoAviarl.dainniinetrhepairit(yma.ttihres. C G a . s E tl . e A tl n ii i s o e n v i e lad nin t g h , e honour of dining with the Royal party on Th ursda y ev ening. The Duke of Cambridge attended divine serv i ce yesterday morning in Grosvenor Chapel , South Audle. street. Baron Knescbeek was in waiting on his ' R oyal Highness. The onThu C rs h a a a n y ee f l r l o o m r of s t t r h a e tto E n.xp e , h il e k q , u \ e ‘ r riti re ci t l u e r s n te o r d t otown , Hants, the seat of Sir Thomas Baring, Bart. Despatches from Upper Canada and also from Lower Canada were received yesterday at the Colonial office. Despatches for the Hague were sent off last evening !rem the Foreign-office. FASHIONABLE INTELLItiENCE. ARRIVALS. s'rect, from a tour; the Dowager Viscounte ss Dil lon, at !grave- The Marnuis and Marchioness of Douro, i n 13, Gore House, Kensington, from .Brighton ; s l ,. Mr. F. Hodgson, M. P. Harcourt Lees, Bart., from Biackrock House, his seat i n I reland ; , in Carlton-gardens, from a tour; tic Ilan. Lady Murray, in Wimpole-street, from Glouces tershire ; Lord Huntingtower, from Sussex ; the Dowager Lady Kinloch, from Cheltenham ; Mr. Robert a n d Lady Augusta Bevao, in Harley-street, from Brighton. DEPARTURES. Viscount S:rangford, from Harley-street, for the North; the Earl and Countess of Cardigan, from Portman-square, fur Deane Park, Northamptonshire ; the Rev. John and Mrs. Peel and family, from N n livart's H urd, ....rooK.street. Charlotte Gre fvoiroeN,VrosulieyileHitirial,yen.setarreeSt,toruorrpooratt;lanLdasd, to Lord and Lady Frances Eg ert on ; the Lady Charlotte on a visit Earl of Strad broke, from Jermyn-strect, for Suffolk ; Mr, and the Hon. Mrs. W a t s on, from Curzon-street, for Bri g h ton ; the Wei lion. the Speaker of th e H ou se of Conann... , us, from 10.;!tton- CHANGES. place, for his seat in Hants. THE FUNDS. Toe Stock Exchange and Foreign Markets arc open to-day, but up to the present hour there is a thin at tendance of its members, consequently very little doing at present. Consols opened this morning at the leaving-off price of Thursday, BSi for the account, with rather a heavy market, and downward appearance. Exchequer Bills 2 4 prem. ; Bank Stock 156 157 ; India Bonds for the opening 237 239. _ _ _ . In the Foreign Market, Spanish, which left off on Thursday at 221 4, has rather improved, and may be quoted at 231 ; Deferred, 11 12 ; Passive, .54 6 ; Portuguese much the same as they left off, 304 31 ; 3 per Cents., 204 ; Brazilian same as they closed, 71 72 ; Colomban, 221 23 ; Danish, 761 771 ; Mexican, 271 : Russian ; 1121 1131 ; Dutch Two-and-a-Half per Cents. rather higher ; they lett off, 501 4, at present 504 51 ; Five per Cents. closed at 961 974, may be quoted rather SHARES.—Great Western 22 23 preen., Now 91 104 prem. ; London and Bri g hton, 81 4 dis. ; 54 dis. ; Birmingham, 79 81 prem. ; South ampton, .54 55 per share; Croydon,. 121 ; Greenwich, 71 81 ; Manch°•ater and Birmingham, 15 13 discount ; South Eastern and Dover, 161 16 discount. PRICES OF SHARES THIS DAY AT ONE. awiLwAvs. Paid. Per Share. Eastern Counties Ditto Debentures Great Western Ditto Fifths .. . 4 .... 10i...... to lull and Selby London and Greenwich ..... ...... 20 Ditto Scrip London and South Western 3Si 55 .. to JOINT STOCK BANKS. British North American .. 40 London and Westminster .... 20 Provincial of Ireland .. 434 to - 311SCELLA N NOV s. General Steam .k\i'avigation PRICES OF IRISH STOCKS, DUBLIN, DEC. 24 3 per Cent. Consols Three and Half Stock 97 Grand Canal 5t0ck......... Ditto Reduced Ditto New, 1830 97,4 r Ditto 4 per c•nt . • 3 per Cent. Debt. _ . HALF-PAST ONE. Private letters received from Philadelphia be the Great Western, stetethat a second Committee had gone toNew York, for the purpose of endeavouring to close the negociation for the arrangement in aid of the resump tion of specie payments by the banks of Philadelphia ; rnd that it is proposed that post notes shall be is sued for the loan, payable in nine to eighteen months, and that neither the United States Bank, nor any other bank in Philadelphia, shell issue any other notes until these are paid, The bank which are applicants of this loan, have not heretofore issued any post notes, and it. is not probable that without any stipulation to that effect they would have any disposition to issue them, except fur the purpose now in view. We are glad to learn that the proposed arrangement is likely to be car ried into effect. The Dutch mail has arrived of the date of the 0 4th inst., with papers of the same date. It appears that the Dutch Budget has passed without opposition. Amsterdam Prices of the '23d instant.—Last price, five o'clock, Two-and•a• Half per Cents, 49 ; Five per Cents, 96: 4 1 ; Ardoin's Spanish, 22. Tue Funds remain stationary. Consols reached, in the early part of the morning, 88i for the Account, since which they have receded to 88 for the Opening ; Reduced 881 ; Exchequer Bills 1 4 prem. ; Bank Stock nothing done ; India Bonds the same. In the Foreign Market very little doing. Spanish Active receded from 234 to '23 ; Portuguese, 31 ; Co lombian lower, has been '23, at present 22e ; Dutch 'FI,o-and-a-Half per Cents. nothing doing. No quo tations. Both markets are very nactive, with scarce a bar gain doing. The Share market is in the same state as the above. No alteration in the prices. CURRENTS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN. Some years ago Capt. Smyth, haying procured specimens of sea-water at different depths from thcStraits ofGibraltar ' SU)* mittcd .them t o Dr. Wollaston, who examined them, and published the results of his experiments in the Philos. Trans. 1829, Part. I. From these he concluded that t h er e is a current setting into the Straits, and an under current setting out to the Atlantic. Mr. Lyell, without referring to Ray, offers some objections to this opinion, but if he had q uoted the Physico-Theological Discourses,' we s hould have been supplied with a full discussion of the interesting topic ; for says Ray, " I do not understand how w aters can run backward and forward in the same channel at the same time. For there being but one de clivity, this is as much as to affirm that a heavy body should ascend. It is a ciossing of proverbs, cc/ making rivers ascend to their fountains, affirming tnat to be done which all the world bath hitherto looked upon as absurd and impossible." Ray was also well aware of the arguments adduced in favour of an under-current at the Propontis and the Baltic Sound, which he likewise discusses at great length, and with great ability. " M. Afar:i ll y ," he observes, " affirms that the low er water in the channel of the Thracian Bosphorus is driven northward into the Euxine Sea, while the upper flews constantly from the Euxine southward, and that that which flows from the south is salter and heavier; which he found by letting down a vessel close shut up, fitted with a valve to open at pleasure, and let in the lowest water, which b e ing brought up and weighed, was found to be ten grains laeavier tban the upper. That the upper and lower flow contrary ways he found by the fishermen's nets, which, b e ing l e t down deep from vessels that were fixed, were always, by the observation of the fishermen, by the force of the current driven towards the Black Sea, and b y the l e tting down of a plummet ; for if it were stopped and de tained at about five or six feet depth, it did al gays incline to wards the Marmera or Proponti, It is obvious that," Dr. Wollaston must have been unacquainted with these facts, otherwise he would not have considered it necessary to have submitted a paper to the Royai Society, the con tents of which had been an obviously anticipated by upwards of a century ; the three localities alluded to being so ana logous, that Ray applies the same reasoning to them all.— Atbencrum. The Fo:t Anipt Gazelle of Frankfort mentions the circulation of sinister reports at llanovzr con cerning the health of the Prince Royal. Frequent consultations arc said to held at the Palace by his Royal Highness's physicians. A Pi E.— Ain ongst the delicacies at the dinner of tho Commercial Travellers' Association on Christmas eve, was a pie presented by the proprietor of a well.known Inn, at Kendal, which attracted much curiosity. Its con tents consisted of two fat geese, two large turkeys, four fowls, two pheasants, four grouse, two hares, four prize rabbits, three tongues, and eight pounds of beef steak and 1 ham. It measured in circumference six feet ten inches, a nd was ten inch,:s in depth. Its weight was fi,e store e ight pounds. BO URSE.--,PARIS, THUR3DAY, DEC. 24. irst Highest Lowest Last Price !'rice. Pricy. Price Frei ch ver Cents 4 per Lents 9O 75 .. 96 75 ... 426 75 .. 7 i 3 pert outs 76 50.. 6 tis ... 76 5u ... 76 75 Sank of eranc;... I,i,ftitte Bank I.ot.js. 1065 —.1005 ...1 0 ; 5 5000 f. Spares 517) ...5175 ...5175 —5175 • olgian Rank 5 ;.er Cvnts...... 97% ... 97% ... 9i% ... 977 i 3 per Cents 69 30 ... 63 30 ... 69 30 ... 69 30 Nctv Loan 1)utell 2% per Cents 5l ... 51 ... 52 ... 52 , i .-‘0.,11 rt, [Mit 1:3% ... 24 1 4 ...• 23% ..• 24 Passive 5% ... 5 % ... 5% ... 5% POCLUVICSC 3 per Cents :O% ... :20% ... 20% ... CO% ,capunt.ni ;soma') FAILWAY SHARES, ._ St t;e:rostir, Ve'snllcp.,l4. ;-; 363 ^5 ... :Y55 ... 383 75 ... 3-:, .L.B. .... 3Ol ... •kt 0 .. 200 .. 310 Orleans .. S'a:tst ur s to Bile We have received advices from Constantinople of the 4th inst. More troops were preparing to sail to reinforce the Turkish army on the coast of Syria. Laid and Lady LONDONDERRY were treated with touch distinction by the Austrian Am bassador. The following private correspondence of a foreign Journal, of a date two days earlier, contains a good deal of interesting details of the political intrigues now at work in the Turkish ca pital : CONSTANTINOI'LE, DEC. 2.—On the third day of the Beiram (Nov. 28) the Visits of the Rikiab ttok place at the summer palace of Bachitach. There is every reason to believ e that in a few days sundry changes wid be effected. It would be difficult to say whether the reform or the retrograde party w:ll carry the day. Stites the death of Sultan Mahmoud there has been a certain coalition between these two opposite opi nions, and conciliatin g Ministries have endeavoured to govern the empire. The retrograde party, which is sensible of its incapacity, has not dared, in the face of the grave incidents touching the question of Syria, to overthrow its antagonists, which it abhors from the bottom of its heart, but, as it hopes that a :olutio❑ of some kind is near at hand, it is intriguing at this moment in order to get into power. Tile Sul tang Mother is the principal prop of that party, which has the Grand Marshal, Riza Pacha, as its leader. Ater the example of the vicissitudes of which the East has invariably been the scene of action, the singular good fortune of that personage may be easily conceived. Four years ago Riza was but a simple grocer's shopman at the Egyptian Bazaar at Stamboul. Sultan Mahmoud made hint one of his pages, and on the accession of the new Sovereign he was named Generalissimo of the Guards and Governor of the Imperial Palace. He has irti 111 Ci: se inflactic:2, having 1:11111.11WE aCCCSS to ill:. Young Sultan, owing to the nature of his functions, in nothing can reach the Sovereign's car but through the medium of the Grand Marshal. The present Sultan Lord ar.cl Lady Massaieene, at Dublin, from Stillor ,an ; Mr. and Lady Eleanor Law, at Leamington Spa. Cheltenham , --a-rbrtret ,ocae, from From S' ann io m re c, ; .on t l h p e ,in f ic a d rl by an L d ad C y i ountc , •ss of Somers, at the Dowa"cr r Lady can l :a C a ti n s c il et,h the nearuo Hon. ed A t i ) i u m r s y e: Rendlesham H all, Norfolk, on a vis it to Lord and Lady Rendiesham , from the Continent; Lo r d and Lady Mus kerry, at Spring fi e ld Castle, near Drurneollo:er, from a tour ; Count Metaxa , at W eymouth, from Cheltenham; V! s count Alford , M. P. , at Torquay, on a vi s it t o the Earl ; and Countess of Br ow n low, from a tourThelluson, at the Countess of Westmoreland, at Leamington Spa, from a tour in the North ; Sir Arthur de Capel Brooke, at hi s sea t, near Northampton , from Warwickshire ; Sir Wm. Boothby, at Ravensworth, from his scat near Ashbourne; Lord A. Loftus, at Ely Lodge, the scat of the Marquis and Mar chioness of Ely, in Ireland, from Cambridge ; Sir Charles Lamb and Lady Montgomerie, at Beaufort Home, from a Vila to Lady,Cunninghamo, at Brighton. FREE LABOUR. Colonial produce shippedfrom British Guiana in the third quarter of 1840, as compared with the average quantity of the corresponding quarter of 1839 : THIRD QUARTER, 1839. Sugar.—Demerara-6,366 hhds. ; 412 trs. ; 746 brls. Berbice-1,097 hhds. ; 71 tts. ; 229 brls. Total —7,463 hhds. ; 483 trs. ; 975 brls. Rum.—Demerara-2,437 puns. ; 734 hhds. ; 210 brls. Berbice-715 puns. ; 84 hhds. ; 1 brl. Total 3,152 puns. ; 818 hhds. ; 211 brls. Molasses.—Demerara-1,927 casks ; Berbice-277 casks. Total, 2,204 casks. Coffee.—Demerara-176,400 pounds: Berbice -169,950 pounds. Total-346,350 pounds. Cotton.—Demerara-379 bales. Berbice-75 bales. Total-4.52 bales. THIRD QUARTER, 1840. Sugar.—Demerara-7,361 hhds. ; 477 trs. ; 891 bris. Bcrbice-1,744 hhds. ; 190 trs. ; 5 brls. Total -9.105 hhds. ; 667 trs. ; 896 brls. Rum.—Demerara-2,842 puns.; 865 hhds. ; 175 brls. Berbice-726 puns.; 122 hhds. ; 3 bras. Total —3,568 puns. ; 987 blids.; 178 brls. Molasses.—Demerara-2,278 casks. Berbicc-490 casks. Total-2,768 casks. Coffee—Demerara-272 700 pounds. Berbiee -265,300 pounds. Total, .528,000 pounds. Cotton—Dyrnerarn-28 bales. llcrbice-4 bales. Total, 32 bales. INCREASE. Sugar-1,643 Ghds. ; 884 trs, Rum-416 puns. ; 169 hhds. Molasses-564 casks. Coffee—lBl,6so pounds. DECREASE. Sugar-70 brls. Rum-33 bris. Cotton,42o bales. (Signed) CH ARLES STEWART, Collector. Custom House, Demerara, Oct. 13, 1840. Lord Holland, late Minister to the Court of Tuscany, and Lady Holland, have arrived at Lord Lil ford's, in Grcsvenor-place. from Genoa, on a visit to the Dowager Lady Holland. His Lordship will remain sometime in this country before proceeding to Frankfort to assume his duties as Minister to the Germanic Confedera tion fi um the British Court. Lord Morpeth, after leaving Dublin and arriving in England, visited the Duke of Devonshire at Chats. worth, from which his Lordship proceeded to Howard Castle, the seat of his Noble Father, in Yorkshire, and is expected in town about the 10th of next month. DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.-This morning at eight o'clock an extensive and destructive fire occurred on the extensive premises belonging to Mr. Goodhart, sugar baker, No. 4, Ratcliffe Highway, which unfortunately has been attended with serious accidents. The fire commenced in the w,rkmen's mess-room or kitchen, by the boiling over of some fat in a copper. The flames immediately spread over that portion of the premises, and communicated to the large warehouses and baking houses. Several of the fire-engines belonging to the London Fire Establishment, with brigademen, arrived, and from a good supply of water commenced vigorous operations, apparently without effect At nine o'clock some of the floorings and roof fell in with a loud crash, burying beneath the ruins four firemen, he• longing to the London Fire Brigade, one of the German labourers, and Mr. Brenston, ginger-beer maker, residing next door. Immediate assistance was procured, and a t 11 , 1 f-past nine o'clock all the unfortunate sufferers were dug out of the ruins, two of the firemen having received compound fractures of their legs and thighs; the other two and the German labourer are also serious:y injured. All were removed to Guy's Hospital. lip to eleven o'clock the flames were raging with great fury, and it is feared the whole of the valuable stock and premises will be destroyed, notwithstanding every exertion to extinguish them. Two Spanish soldiers, who had enlisted in the French foreign legion, and had subsequently murdered one of their comrades, were shot, in pursuance of a sentence by Court Martial, in presence of the garrison of Per pignan, a few days ago. The criminals behaved with great firmness, and refused to have their eyes bandaged. They received the last succours of religion with much devotion. The central Committee for the relief of the sufferers by the inundations in the south have received letter from the Receiver-General of the Rhone, stating that the misery of the poorer classes cf sufferers has been much increased by the hard weather, and particularly by the sudden freezing of the Saone. The letter add., that along the banks of the Soanc, as far as Macon, the buildings have been thrown down, as if by an earthquake, sad all the crops entirely destroyed. DIVORCE EXTRAORDINA RY.--An American paper gives an account of the manner in which a Justice of the Peace lately dissolved the hymeneal union of an unhappy pair, whom he had united but a short time be fore t.II death should part them. Upon the request of the parties to be unmarried he placed a live cat on the block, and directed one to pull at the head and the other at the tail, while he with an axe cut puss in two, exclaiming, " Death separates you 1 ." The couple went away satisfied that they were legally unmarried, and have riot lived toge ther since MRS. BARBAULD.—,-A beautiful marble tablet, in memory of the poetess. has just been erected in the tii.i uu inn ehipel, Newington-green, Middlesex. • We understand that no less than sixty thousand pounds cash down, havq h en paid for the Trot stone only, of seventy acres of land, on an estate in the neighbourbo,d of Airdrie. The coal on the same land, in addition to this, is also of great value.—Glasyete Chronicle. CHELSEA HOSPITAL.-The veterans of this great national asylum were yesterday provided with the usual fare of plum-pudding, &c., and porter, by order of the Council. The number which sat down to dinner was 331, and each was provided with an extra allowance of Porter. DR. JOHNSON AND MRS. SIDDONS.—In spite of the ill.lounded and vulgar contempt which John son professed to entertain for actors, be persuaded li;m -s •if to treat Mrs. Siddona a ith all the politeness he co - ild muster. When this lady called on him in Bolt court, and Frank, his servant, could not immediately ravide her with a chair, Johnson said, " You see, Madam, wherever you go there are no seats to he got." CALAMITOUS FIRE. Yesteiday mornifig (Christmas-day) the extensive cotton factory of Messrs. Hollins, Siddon, and Co., at Pleasley, near Mansfield, Notts, was destroyed by fire: the whole of the valuable machinery, with which the interior had only recently been fitted up, and the stock in trade was entirely consumed, and the building reduced to a wreck. Nearly 300 hands will, by this calamity be deprived of employment. The loss is estimated at about 15,0001 So sudden was tho occurrence that no aid could be rendered ; and by the time engines were obtained from Mansfield the fire bad so far advanced as to render them useless, save for the purpose of protecting the steam engine by which the ma chinery was driven. Workmen were on the premises un til after 12 o'clock, and other persons were about at two o'clock. and no trace of fire was then observed. It was first nen about three o'clock, and in two hours from that time the factory was destroyed. The building and ma chinery were insured in the Royal Exchange and Norwich Fire Offices, but the insurance will not, it is expected, cover the loss. As an illustration of the factory system, we may state that one of two girls who laboured at the mill, and who were standing by during the fire, observed to the other, " Well, Ise shall get out of the old hole at last." A WORTHY EXAMPLE.—The most noble, the Marquis of Anglesey met his tenantry at the Town-half, Burton-oh-Trent, on Monday last, where a sumptuous dinner was provided. The well-known liberality ut the Noble Marquis was apparent on this occasion, and was responded to by the persons present in the most enthusias tic manner. At a time when so many of the aristocracy are dealing out dismissals to their tenants, who have the independence and intelligence to vote in oppositicn to them, it is extremely gratifying to meat with an instance, such as the present, in which a most influential Nobleman expresses himself happy to waive all claim to such ques tionable authority, and gives unbiassed scope to the wishes and principles of his tenantry. While the names of such despotic landlords as the Duke of Newcastle, Lord Mon tague, Sir William Maxwell, mac., arc execrated, the illus trious and cheering examples of the Dukes of Sutherland and Cleveland, the Earl of Lichfield, Lords Hatherton and Stafford, and last, though not least, we have the pleasure of adding the Nob!e Marquis of Anglesey, are and will he cherished, because they are, and will be, appreciated. Dtrby Reporter. WRECK AT SALCONIBE.—GALLANT CON DUCT.—On the night of the 7th, during a hurricane at S. S. E., the French brig l'Esperance, of l'Orient, Rolland, master, from Adrax, boned to Dunkirk, laden with lead, having struck on a rock at the entrance of Salcombe har bour, a preventive man on duty reported her perilous situation to Lieutenant Leworthy. The surf was awful, although the attempt was made at the imminent risk of himself and crew, he succeeded in reaching the vessel, and was fortunate in saving the lives of all on board—eight persons. He had considerable difficulty in persuading the master, who was part owner, to quit his vessel ; to effect which. this gallant officer was compelled, at all hazards, to go on board, and at the moment be regained his boat a heavy sea broke over the vessel, and nearly swamped her. The whole of the cargo being lead, amounting to 4,0001., was subsequently saved by the active exertions of Lieut. Leworthy and his men.—Sherborne Journal. The weight of the Mammoth ox, Brother Jona than, slaughtered at Boston la'St week, is 164 st. 111 h. ; loose fat 22st. 41b.—Stamford Mercury. ROME, DEC. 4.—The following appointments have been made in consequence of the death of Cardinal Falzacappa : —Cardinal Gamberini has resigned the office of Secretary of State for Internal Affairs, and has been succeeded by Cardinal Mattel. The office of Prefect of the Signatura or Court of Caseation has been conferred on Cardinal Gamberini. In the next consistory, Cardinal Pedicini will be translated from the sec of Palestina to that of Porto and Civita Vecchia, which is always bestowed on the subdcan or second member of the Sacred College. On Monday, Dec. 14, will be held a secret consistory, which the new Cardinals will be named. The names of of those who arc on this occasion to be honoured with the purple are, Monsignor Mastai, Bishop of Imola, and Mon signor Pianetti, Bishop of Viterbo. On Thursday, 1701, a public consistory will be held, in which they will receive the Cardinal's hat. Oil November the Very Rev. Dr. Baines, V. A., had an audience of hi s H o li ness. On taking leave, his Holiness took the opportunity of testifying h is regard for the English Colle ge , b y sen di ng a large and elegant box of the choicest confectionary. The lidis°"" mented with a beautifully painted group of the Holy family, and the inside is adorned with the arms of the Holy See. His Holiness was in the best of health, and enjoyed his usual flow of excellent spirits.— Tablet. Prince Esterhazy has arrived at Chandos House from a visit to the Earl and Countess of Jersey, at Mid dleton Park. EVENpNG EDiTIO PARTIES TN THE UNITED STATES. , No sooner were the United Steles recognieed as te' nation than the powers vested in Congress during the - war were found utterly insufficient for the ptirewees peace. The British Government, perhaps not s.lrry ecxeee, mortify the new State, refused to sign a treaty tili . ,iheyi).%ey:c . were increased. A project of a constitution wale eordingly submitted to a Convention of Delegates it 5 .41 .., ty, 1787, and, after a warm discussion, adopted by the- "I'. majority. The most enlightened and (with twee. or three exceptions) most distinguished statesmen stro.egly advocated the expediency of giving the largest amo ant of power to the supreme central authorities. The nen of local influence, backed by the lower class, tit ruggl, td , hard to maintain the supremacy of the provincial it gislatures, on which the popular voice could be brought to bear with full effect. The views of the former were- . explained in a seri( s of letters called " The Federaliet." This gate a name to the party ; and Federalist andi Anti Federalist were thenceforward the designa tions of the two grand divisions into which them entire country was split. Jay, Madison, aid Hamilton were the chief leaders of the Fcrie raliets, who had also the support of Wash , - ington. The principal speaker on the other side was; Patrick Henry, but their real leader wes Lfferton,, then absent on a diplomatic mission. But after the, death of Washington the popular pare , rapidly gained ground, and the election of Jetrsrson to the Presidency . in 1801 was the crowing trinmpo of democracy. His friends then took the name of Democrats or Rep üb. titans. The name of Federal et cootinued tell a much later period ; but in 1824, vrhe, r J. Quincy Adams was elected President, it war chanewl for that, of National- Republicans, and about the same perk d the democrats who opposed him began to he eallej'Jackson-men. .In 1834 both patties were baptised anew. 'elshe old... Fed eralists, or aristocrats, were christened : and the democrats (who supported Van Buren) Tree e ;es,—whirls had been regarded as a term of opprobrium ever since the revolution, when the adherents of the \ Mother country were so called. Some of these new Tr, Ties had a meeting at Tammany Hail, New York ; the knolls being accidentally extinguished, the hall was reloLte.ed by Locoloco (Lucifer) matches, and thus arose :.the term Lorofucos, by which ate ultra-Radicals of tie e United States are designated. We need hardly ack t that these lines have been occasionally crossed by both parties ; thus Jeckson's proclamation against Southi Caroline in 18:33 was, to all intents and purposes, a. strong Federalist manifesto. Of late years, too, other questions, not strictly referable to either set of princi ples, hate been chosen for rallying points, as the bank,. the tariff, the abolition of slavery ; and at the present; moment topics of a purely personal nature are most inn fashion. The suffrages of an enlightened public have been demanded for General Harrison (the Whig. i. c. Conservative, candidate for the Presidency) on the ground of his dwelling in a log-house and drinking hard cider of his own reeking ; and it is deemed patriotic to use letter-paper headed ov a vignette representt.lg him seated in front of such a residence with a cup ,a his hand and a licgsbead by hie. side.—Quarteely Rev.;etu THE WINE AND SPIRIT TRADE. •4r -- The total actual quantity of wines aoci foreign kpirits on which duty has been paid for home coirsumption in the pelt of London, from the conmencernclit of the present year up to Thursdly, the lith of DL ccmb 1840, instant, as shown by the official returns mcde up to that date, and to ►which period the latest repot JS made out, is ns follows, namely : WINES. CAM—Hitherto this year 187,739 gallor.s, againse 204,603 gallons, which were cleared for home consump-• lion durii g the same period in the last year, showing a decrease in the quantity used this year us compared with the same time in the last year, of 10,864 gallons, being within a very small fraction of nine per cent., of more precisely, eight and ninety-eight hund.-edths psi cent., or one-eleventh proportion of the the total T4O - consumed in the previous year. CLARET, CHAMPAGNE, and BURGUNDY, and calf other French wines collectively, up to the present time this year, 239,172 gallons, against 270,738 galloon, on which duty was paid for home consumption within :the corresponding portion of the last yew:, showing a de crease in the quantity used hitherto this year, as coal pared wi'h the same time in the last year, of 31,5661 gallons, being thirteen and one-ti:th, very nearly per cent., or exceeding thirteen and nineteen hundredths per cent., and a falling off in the proportion f one gallons in every seven and a halt gallons on the wuole quantity consumed in the preceding year. _ M A DEIRA.-1 - iithorto, - this year, 8-1.018 gallons. against $4,083 gallons on which duty ;via paid for home consumption within the parallel dates 1 1i the last year, showing, contrary to the above two de, ariptions of trines, a very trilling and insignificant decrease, n:nountini,r, - "to rin more than seventy galena, b. log a small fraction more than eight hutalred per cen.%, Al compared with the whole. quantity consumed is the Th the tune in the last scar, 1839. PonT.—Up to the present time this year there hart been duty paid on 1,593,017 gallons against 1,714,115 gai!ons which were cleared for home consumntion during the corresponding period in the last year, showing a di minution in the quantity used hitherto this year, as compared with the same time in the.lasi year o 1121,098; gallons, lining seven and a minute fraction exceeding six-tenths per cent., and in the proportion of one ,;allow in every thirteen and one-sixth gallops less cons.atinca this year than up to the same date in the last year. Huc IC, and all other Rhenish wines, hitherto ft is }ear, 44,091 gallons, which, compared w.th 45,957 xkti-, lons, the quantity cleared for home ecnsumption up to the similar period in the last year, shows a decreases this year of 1,866 gallons, being nearly four and a quar ter per cent., or, more exactly, tour and twenty-throe hundredths per cent. ; and a failing oil' of one gallo n in ever y twenty-three and ttvo.thirds gallons o n t h e tota l quantity confirmed during the same time in th e pre ceiling year, 1839. SHERRY, and all other wines of the growth a n d produce of Spain, of whatever denomination, duty b ss been paid for home consumption in the port of Leedom since the beginning of the present year up to tins time on 1,586,735 gallons, against 1,591,518 gallons, width were cleared for home ute during the corresponding period in the last y ear—showing a diminution in the , consumpti , at hitherto this year, as compared with the 8•.100 time in the last year, of 4,783 gallons—being less than one-third per cent., or more accurately, a very sand! fraction exceeding thirty-hundredth. per cent, and in the propot tine of one gallon decrease in every three hundred and thirty gallons, on the total quantity coat sumed in the last year 1839, up to the s ime period. \VINES of all other descripions, collectively, not otherwise onumerated, nor particularised, nor included in any of the above classes, duty has been paid for home consumption since the Ist day of .January of the current year, up to the present year on 209,669 gal lons, against 203,754 gallons, which were cleared for home use during the corresponding period in the last year, 1839, showing an increase in the quantity of mis cellaneous or non.enumerated wines, hitherto, this year, as compared with the same time in the last year, of 5,915 gallons, being a very minute fraction, exceeding two and nine-tenths, or ninety-hundredths per cent. on the total quantity consumed. AN INGENIOUS DEVICE.-A newspaper Cor respondent says—" Going the other day into me cellar, for the purpose of drawinc, some ale, I was much surprised at seeing three immense rats sitting on one of the barrels, putting their tails down through the Lung•hole and atter. %iard: sucking them. Thee had taken this ingenious me thod, as the hole was so small and the ale too low for them to get at it by any other means." , PRIME MINISTERS.—The subjoined list o t , Prime Ministers of this country since the cornmeneemen of the reign of George the Third, will convey some idea of the changes to which cur Constitutiond Government is subj , et : —Earl of Bute, May 29, 1762 ; Mr. Grenville, April 10, 1763 ; Nlirquis of Buckingham, Juiy 12, 1765; thu Duke of Graf!on August 2, 1766 ; Lord North, Januaryo, 1770; the Marquis of Rockingham, M arc h 3 Lord Bhelbourne, July 13, 1782; Duk e o f 178, ; 28, Portland, April —, 1783; Mr. Pitt, December 27, 1782; Mr. Addington, March 17. 1801 ; Mr. Vitt, May 15, 1804; Lord Grenville, Feb. 11, 1806; Duke of Portland, March 3, 1807; Mr. Percival, Dec. 2, 1803 ; Lord Liverpool, June 9, 1812; Mr. Canning, April 24, 1 827; Lord Goderich, September 25 , 1 827 ; Duke of Welling ton, January 25, 1 8 2 8 ; Earl Grey, Novemb,,T 2.- ), 1830 ; 1 July 18, 1834 ; Sir Robert Peel, and N r lcount M e lb ourne aga i n , 2 April 18, 1835. I;e'ece°lulinbter Melbourne,6 : 534 ; J CONSTANTINOPLE, D EC. 2.—The Marchioness was presented to the Sultan last Monday. of ta i,I L o \ n \a. d .,, o ink n e, d scr e o, r7 She VC s r. . ' pawed on the occasion by the lady of Cap er Walker Pac"ia, .as he is now generally styled, and both of them were very g raciously received. To Mrs. Walker his Majesty spoke iii tee most flattering terms of the services of her husband. wh , ..m he looked upon, he said, as the right arm of his navy. Captain Walker h as s i nce hi s re t r y n been presented with a magni— cent snuff-box in briilimits. Ihe jewellers of the Sultan, are 110 W employed ii the making of a gorgeous diamond. necklace for her Majesty. DEATH OF THE REV. DR. CORMACK OP ow . church , o e ,. k STow.-0 0 Sabbath las t the Rev. Mr Br y don officiated in the church of St 1 who had entered the goodtilesel7clacietii,nwra. C o m brse ravca to drop his heath on his breast, and was immediately borne 1 During in o ut spparcntly in a faint. We lament to add, that Lefor t , t h e set vice was cor.eimicd, a tote was handed to the p re acher, and toad by bin , to the conw [;anon, c announcing. t hat their esteemed pastor had expired , which produced, as m ay he supposed, a deep sen sation. _Edinburgh P aper. The il!uminations at Wnidsor on Wednesday evening, in honour of her 3,loijet,ty's visit to Windsor, were tip.Al a more extentive scale than has been witnessed in that town (with tie exception of the evening of the Queen's marriage) for many years. There w as sca rcely u house in the town that did not tliplay the loyalty of its occupant in oil or gas. 'The Marquis of Northampton, t7colopanied h\ Lady Marianne Coxipton and E ar l Compton, have rr . turned to Castle Ashby, Northamptonshire, for the Chris mas holidays. A select family circle will ti;:sentble at tb s plendid scat during the festive season.