The Sun. — London, England, 1847-12-30 00:00:00

THE ZOLLVEREIN -PROTEC- 1 TION VERSUS FREE TRADE. The following is a report of a committee of the Senate of Hamburgh, on the subject of the Naviga tion League and Trade Union proposed by Prussia to several of the North Sea States of Germany. It has been presented to the House of Commons by coin =and of her Majesty : PRUSSIAN PROPOSAL. CL. 1. The states of the German Zollverein on the one part, and the other states of the German Confedera tion on the other part, shall form a union for naviga tion and trade. CL. 2. The purpose of this union is, in matters of naviga trade and trade, not only to establish the principle of the national unity of Germany in the mutual re lations of the states to one another, but also to obtain the recognition thereof, in their relations with other states. CL. 3. Every state of the union, carrying on navigation by sea, shall grant to each and every of the other states of the union all the rights enjoyed by the vessels of such state, in such manner that every cargo which a national vessel is entitled to import into, or export from the ports of all or any other country, may be imported into or exported from such ports, without any difference being made between national vessels or those belonging to states of the union, in the ports of the union, on arrival or departure, in regard to the navigation and harbour dues fur ship or cargo, or of the inwards, outwards, or passage dues. CL. 4. The states of the union will agree as to a German flag in common. CL. 5. They will further agree what requisites shall be complied with, to entitle a vessel to carry the Ger man flag; as regards origin, crew, how her papers shall be made out, and how her measurement and registry shall be regulated, and how the discipline on board and the police in port shall be arranged, Stc. CL. 6. The states of the union reserve for themselves to facilitate on their interior lines of customs, the traffic and reciprocal trade ; and particularly to favour the reciprocally bringing in and out of their respective productions of the soil and manufacturing industry, by the remission or diminution of the inward and outward duties, and to promote the trade with other countries, in so far as shall be deemed necessary, by the abolition or reducing of the transit duties. CL 7. They reserve no less to agree as to the adoption of a uniform system of coinage, weights, and measures. CI:. 8. The states of the union expect that all other states shall recognise the union flag to be agreed upon, and, accordingly, that every vessel carrying this flag shall be treated on entering the harbours of such other states, in respect to dues and impositions on ship and cargo, as if the vessel had come from a home port with productions and crew of the country of such vessel; notwithstanding the port from which the vessel came, and the productions and crew were those of some other state of the union. CL. 9. The states of the union are willing to grant or continue the same rights mutually agreed on to the vessels of other states; but they expect that other states will, on their part, concede like privileges in their harbours to the vessels of the union. CL. 10. The states of the union are willing to treat the ships and productions of all other countries, in regard to the ship dues and customs, on a footing of equality; and aot to give the ships and productions of one state a preference before those of another. But they ex pect that their ships and productions, on entering the harbours, or within the customs' districts of other states, shall be treated as favourably as the ships and productions of any other state. CL. 11. Should any other state not comply with the ex pectation signified in clause 8, the union states will be compelled to impose on the ships of such other states, on their entering the harbours of the union stater ' higher charges (double harbour dues and extra flag money). CL. 12. In so far as foreign states shall not admit, or shall treat more unfavourably, ships of the union states, coming from the ports of another state and laden with the productions of another state not of the union, than they do those which come from a port of the union states, or which are laden with the productions of any of the union states (indirect traffic) ; then the union states reserve to themselves to impose on the ships of such foreign states, on their entering the ports of any of the union states, additional ship dues or additional duties on the goods imported in such vessels, or even on the goods coming from the ports of such states. CL. 13. In so far as other states may treat more favourably the ships or the productions belonging to a third state, on their entering their ports or crossing their land frontiers respectively, than they do those of the states of the union, then the latter reserve the option of im posing differential duties to the disadvantage of the ship and productions of such state. CL. 14. Similar measures may also be enforced against those states which, by the granting of monopolies and privileges, or insisting on the compliance with other regulations, may place obstacles in the way of the trade and navigation of the states of the union. CL. 15. The principles laid down in clauses 8-10 shall be the basis, as well in respect to all treaties for trade and navigation, to be concluded on the part of the union with other atates, as also to serve to regulate the conduct to be observed towards other states where no directions prescribed by treaty may exist. CL. 16. The states of the union will, from henceforth, as a rule, only conclude le.eaties for trade and navigation with other states in common, and in the name of the union. Should particular states of the union, as ex ception, conclude separate treaties with other states, this may only be done under the condition and with the reservation, that the state so contracting with the particular state of the union, shall grant to the trade and navigation of every state of the union, if it be required, like advantages or privileges, on such state also agreeing to afford similar or reciprocal advan tages. CL. 17. All the states of the union engage to give notice to terminate as soon as possible all treaties of. com merce and navigation existing between their and other states, or where this cannot be done before the expi ration of a term agreed on by treaty, at least not to prolong the same for themselves separately, and only to renew the same according to the conditions of clause 16. CL. 18. The states of the union propose for the protection of the interests of the union, and at their joint charge, to nominate consuls in foreign ports. CL. 19. In respect to the measures to be adopted by the states of the union, regarding neutrality, quarantine regulations, protection in cases of vessels stranded, &c., the laws to be observed thereby shall be reserved for consideration. Berlin, March 27, 1847. THE SYSTEM OF DIFFERENTIAL DUTIES, AB CONTAINED IN A PROJECT FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF A GERMAN UNION FOR NAVIGATION AND TRADE, SUB MITTED TO THE CONSIDERATION OF SEVERAL OF THE NORTH SEA STATES OF GERMANY. The confused and antiquated system of prohibitory import regulations adopted by England, and usually comprised under the " Navigation Laws," has, in the course of the present century, been imitated by several other nations. These nations hoped, by introducing similar laws, to attain an equal degree of commercial power, or at least, by adopting a system of retaliation, to put a stop to England's usurpations. It was, however, considered necessary in some measure to yield to the growing knowledge of the subject which prevailed, and which was decidedly opposed to all prohibitive systems; and differential duties were therefore sub stituted for prohibitions. The importation of the products of certain countries in foreign ships was not actually forbidden, but it was rendered difficult anddut.es. almost impossible by th e i m p os iti on o f hi g h er These nav i ga ti on -l aws o f mo d ern i nvent i on have been introduced successively into France, the Netherlands,Sj havin g realised Portugal, and Belgium, with ou t, however, a s y grealised the end proposed ; f or these countries have not obtained more favourable En terms for their shi ps in h gla . nd or in other foreign c ountries, nor is their shipping interest in a ver y flourishing condition. Yet ipPln otwithstanding this, there is in Germany a growing clamour for daily introduc tion of similar measures, and a increasing navigation laws. first in v desire that Germany also should have e i laws. The views expressed and developed,cmaner the public journals and pamphlets of l afterwards in the debates of the Chambers andyin and counsels of influential statesmen, could not fail to .xercise an influence over the Government authori ties, and the memorial of April, 1845, from the Prussian Department of Trade, made public by means of the press, may be considered as compris• - ing those views of the subject which are most likely to prevail when the matter comes to be taken into ultimate consideration, Several projects, more or less in accordance with these views, have since then been debated, without being any nearer their execution. The question has, however assumed a more definite form by being embodied in the sketch of a treaty, which, divided into paragraphs, entitled, " Proposals for the formation of a Union for German Navigation and Trade" (Vorschlage fur die Einrichtung eines Deutschen Schufffahrts-und ilandels-Vereins), has been laid before the Governments of Hanover, Oldenburgh, Bremen, and Hamburgh, for confiden tial preliminary discussion. As in the other state., the :result of these discussions seems to have been generally in favour of the project, it behoves us the more clearly to develope and explain the prepondera ting reasons which in our case may lead to a different result. We must enter into details—we must consider our relations to every foreign country in particular ; nay, we must dwell upon the statistics of various articles of commerce, even at the risk of rendering the general survey of the question more difficult by the minuteness of our inquiries. It will no longer suffice simply to indicate the danger with which the destruc tion of commercial liberty threatens the sea port trade of Germany ; least of all will this suffice, in opposition to a projected treaty, which adopts the principle of commercial freedom as its starting point, and as its goal. The projected treaty proposes that the German states shall not only mutually bestow equal rights upon the shipping and the produce of their respective states, but that they shall grant the same rights to the ships and produce of foreign countries ; but with this reservation, that should the foreign states not adopt an equally liberal system, measures of retaliation must or may be adopted against them in German ports. Now, as by the carrying out of the first and most important principle here laid down, in point of fact nothing would be altered in the actually existing re lations, the true nature of the proposed change must be sought for in the additional reservation, the execu tion of which would be opposed to the system of com mercial freedom. Further, as it clearly follows from the first proposition, in connexion with the said re servation, that when countries treating us unfavour ably shall desist from so doing, Germany shall like wise desist from her measures of retaliation against them, it is evident that to establish commercial free dom as the basis of Germany's relations with foreign countries is the ultimate object of the treaty. But as long as this object is not attained the proposed system will in its operation act, not in accordance with, but in opposition to, commercial freedom. Herein lies the danger—this is the main substance of the question, to show the doubtful character of which we have entered into the following explana tions. The louder and more unanimously public opi nion in a great part of Germany (if we are to con• sider certain journals as its true organs) pronounces itself in favour of measures such as those alluded to, the greater claims has our report for a just degree of attention and an impartial examination. For pre cisely in the one point most important to commerce does the projected treaty coincide with the various other schemes that have been propounded ; and this point we shall also here designate by the sufficiently significative, though not quite correct title, " A Com mon Navigation Act for all Germany." This title hardly requires explanation; it means a general system of laws and treaties relative to the footing on which ships and their cargoes shall be placed in German ports, but only so far as relates to their admission, or rather to the duties to be im posed. But this system is not to be copied from the English ; like that of France, Portugal, and Belgium, it is to be a protective not a prohibitive system. But already the observation forces itself upon us, that the system is nevertheless one of commercial restriction ; and in order to avoid all misunderstanding, we beg to be allowed to preface our inquiry—which i n it s tendency will be thoroughly practical—with a short and seemingly more theoretical definition of the views contained therein. Commerce will open the safest channels for itself when allowed its free choice; it will be most pros perous when left undisturbed to pursue its natural course. To such freedom of trade a moderate duty is by no means opposed, for without imposing any restraint upon commerce, the latter seems merely to lighten the burden of direct taxes for the tax payer. But a system which goes beyond this, which, besides the financial object, has a view to the interests of industry ; which not only aims at filling the coffers of the State, but endeavours to direct trade ; which forces the merchant to choose one market instead of another ; which obliges the im porter to freight one ship in preference to another, and induces the consumer to purchase 'one class of goods instead of another ;--such a system is one of commercial restriction, and like all other coercion, it weighs heavily upon those immediately concerned, and acts prejudicially against the development of the general interest ; those not so immediately con cerned, and who do not at first feel the pressure of the burden, do not, however, escape it. In general, a minority of the citizens of a state profit by burdens imposed upon the majority. The smaller the comparative number of the former, the greater and more evident will be the dispropor tion. To protect the small number of persons inte rested in maritime trade, the whole mass of consumers must pay the higher duty as well as the higher price ; to favour a small number of shipowners, merchants must submit to pay higher freights ; for the advan tage of the comparatively small number of merchants who obtain their goods direct from distant regions, every one in the country must forego the cheaper goods which he might perhaps obtain in the nearest European market. This is the nature of the system in its most obvious features. Hitherto the protective duties of the Zollverein were limited, with some few unimportant exceptions, to imposing a heavy charge equally upon all foreign manufactures, so as to secure native fabrics against all competition in the German markets. What the Governments in the interior, in their wisdom, considered right to enact relative to this subject, we will not here comment upon. The states on the coast, however, which are more dependent upon trade than upon manufactures, retained that freedom in their relations with foreign countries which is so necessary for their commerce. But if the system is to be extended to navigation also, it I must assume a new form. In this case differential duties must be added to high but equal duties. Foreign productions must not only be taxed, because they are foreign, but they must be differently taxed, according to the ships by which they are imported. The consumer is henceforward not only to be re stricted in his choice between native and foreign produce, but the merchant is to be equally restricted in his choice of a place whence to procure his goods, and of the means of importing them. The more complicated the system becomes, the more burden some will be the restrictions. The differential system will be manifested, partly in the charges on vessels (double harbour dues, extra impositions on particular flags), partly in the rate of duties (higher import duties). The difference of duty is to be re gulated with reference to the flag under which the goods are imported, the place from which they are shipped, and the country in which they are produced. The protection afforded by differential duties is intended to operate in favour—first, in favour of German shipping; secondly, of German trade; thirdly, of German industry. These three points must be separately dwelt upon in the sequel. Further, the purpose of this protection is— I. Directly and immediately, though not tempo rarily, to render foreign competition more difficult as regards foreign shipping, trade, and produce. 2. Indirect ly, and, as the ultimate object proposed, to compel other nations, from whose markets we have hitherto been excluded, or into which we have been admitted on disadvantageous conditions only, to allow us the means of entering into fair competition with their native industry. It has been observed above, that this latter purpose is, undoubtedly, in accordance with the principles of free trade, but that the former is in direct opposition to those principles. The one will, in consequence, be obliged to yield to the other. In the same degree as the fulfilment of the latter purpose is approached, the efficacy of the measure, with regard to the former, will be diminished, until at last, when the ultimate object shall be attained, the former must be entirely abandoned. The memorial of the Prussian department of trade above mentioned, as well as the projected treaty now under consideration, represent the establishment of a universal system of commercial freedom, with regard to the intercourse between Germany and other coun tries as the chief aim and purport of this measure, but notwithstanding this, the most numerous as well as the most important reasons in favour of the com mon navigation act, adduced and explained in the said memorial, as also in various pamphlets and public journals, all relate to the state of affairs as it will be previous to the attainment of the ultimate object; all dwell upon the benefits which the shipping in terest, the trade, and the manufactures of Germany are to derive from the system of differential customs duties. We have, therefore, to take into consideration two questions of different import. First, we must consider what effect the new system will produce on the several commercial interests of Germany, before the attainment of the so oft-mentioned ultimate ob ject, and whether the advantages to be derived from it are likely to of the evils which it may occasion. Secondly, we: must consider the ultimate object by itsel t. The proposed investiga tions may thus properly be brought under two heads. Whatever, then., remains to be said of the new project can be co rnprised in a third division. The whole must, however, be preceded by a prelimi nary survey of the MP xitime relations of Germany with the most important commercial powers, as those relati ons are establishe d by laws and treaties, and as they will in reality a ppear when the projected treaty shall have been put i .nto excution. If the working cif the new system is to be con s i- I. dered somewhut •detailit be viewed as actual l y in operation, cee s and sar thatnecessary that e t should sh e ud picture to ourselve s as c l early as possible, the results as to the state of the customs which so complicated a system of leLrislat ion would bring about. At the same time, we must p resume that the reservation contained in the projected treaty, relative to the restrictions to under be jawed )n foreign ships and ports, certain conditions, has actually been enforced, where there are no treaties in existence which could pre vent it. In the projected treaty, (sec. 9) the expec tation is expressed, that foreign states will afford to the ships of the countries which have conformed to the treaty, the same privileges as are granted to their ships in the German ports ; and further (sec. 10) that the ships and produce of the countries belonging to the union will not be placed on a more unfavourable footing in foreign ports than those of any other nation. Should any foreign state, how ever, not realise these expectations, the states of the union reserve to themselves the power of placing the ships and produce of such country under a disadvan tage, by the imposition of differential duties (sec. 13). Similar disadvantages may be imposed upon any state which, by particular privileges, monopolies, or other such measures, shall place obstacles in the way of the shipping and commercial interests of the states be longing to the union (sec. 14). If other states should treat the indirect imports of the ships of the union less favourably, a differential duty is reserved for the ships of such states, as also for the imports of their ports (sec. 12); and, finally, when foreign states treat ships and produce belonging to one state of the union, but coming from another, as coming from a third state (not belonging to the same country) (sec. 8), then the imposition of double harbour dues and extra ordinary tonnage dues is reserved for the ships of such foreign states (sec. 11). Supposing these reservations to be actually en forced, and the existing customs and navigation laws of the more important commercial countries to be still in force, the system of customs in our German ports would assume pretty nearly the following aspect:— Great Britain, according to the general rule, ad mits German ships into her European ports only when laden with German produce, or coming from German ports ; and into her colonies only when laden with German produce and coming from German ports. The exceptions to the first rule, namely, with regard to such goods as were not included in the so-called " enumerated articles," were according to the former English tariff, of two little importance to be taken into consideration ; as matters now stand, they may, however, become of importance for instance, with regard to flour, cattle, and refined sugar. In accordance with th e above-mentioned reservation, we should thus have to impose higher dues upon English vessels, as well as upon all produce, not British, imported under the English flag, and all produce, not British, coming from British ports would also be subjected to differential duties. As, inasmuch as regards vessels and goods coming from the different German states England does not consider these states as belonging to one country (though of late many favourable exceptions to this rule have been admitted), we would also have to impose double harbour dues and extraordinary ton nage duties upon English ships in our ports. But as such an alteration in the shipping dues would be contrary to the treaty concluded between England and Prussia in 1824 (which treaty must not be confounded with that of 1841, to terminate which it is understood notice has already been given), as also to existing treaties between England and Hanover, Mecklenburgh, Oldenburgh, and the Hanse Towns, such treaties may at once be abrogated. Here we immediately meet with a difficulty : the British treaty with Hanover, concluded in 1844, is binding until 1854, and the difficulty is increased by the circumstance that this treaty contains a clause by which the contracting parties mutually bind them selves not to grant to the subjects of any other state any diminution of charges, or any advantages, privi leges, or immunities relative to navigation and trade which shall not immediately be extended to the sub jects of the other contracting party also (except when the concessions shall be coupled with conditions stipu lating the granting of a fair compensation). Although we do not mean to enter into long dis cussions and explanations of this clause, we are obliged to admit that the kingdom of Hanover can not avoid placing English ships in future, i. e., until 1854, in every respect on an equal footing with German ships. It will thus only be the indirect im ports of non-English goods from English ports, with out regard to the flag under which they are imported, which will not come within this clause, and which can consequently be subjected to the imposition of different duties by Hanover. It is further clear that, supposing the existence of a German navigation union, the essential condition of which is to ensure the uniform treatment of foreign flags by all the states of the union, the most important German ma ritime power on the North Sea, cannot at the very outset desire to act differently from the principles followed by the other states with regard to the Eng lish flag, the most powerful of all ; it follows, there fore, that in this case that which is right by law in Hanover, must also be considered so in the other states of the union. The whole of the retaliatory measures against England, i. e., against that state whose navigation laws gives the German shipowners the most grounds for complaint, will thus be limited to imposing an additional duty in German ports on non-English products imported from England. The Netherlands levy no higher tonnage duty on ships belonging to German states which practise re ciprocity than they do upon their own, but all im ports under the national flag are favoured with a deduction of duty, amounting on most goods to 10 per cent, and on some to still more; but as all foreign flags are, according to the general rule, treated alike, this is a case for which the projected treaty (section 13) has reserved no retaliatory measures. In so far, however, as according to the treaties which Holland has entered into with Great Britain, France, North America, Belgium, and Russia, ships belonging to these countries, and trading direct between their own ' country and the kingdom of the Netherlands, enjoy this same advantage of a diminution of duty, which German ships do not enjoy, and from which even Russian ships will be excluded at the expiration of the treaty of 1837 ; in so far there would be reason to impose a differential duty in our ports upon imports under the Dutch flag. As regards the Nether land colonies, all foreign ships trading with these are subjected to the higher import and export duties than are levied upon ships belonging to the mother country, when trading direct with the colonies. Though no reservation relative thereto has been made in the projected treaty, this circumstance might justify the union in placing Netherland ships in German ports under the disadvantage of differential duties, if such justification were not rather to be sought for (according to section 14) in the monopoly enjoyed by the Handelsmaatschappy. For imposing higher duties on non-Dutch products coming from Dutch ports there seems to be no grounds, inasmuch as there i 3 no corresponding regulation in the Dutch laws; such grounds could therefore only be sought for in the preference given, in accordance with the above-men tioned treaties, to the vessels of those particular countries, coming direct from their own ports. The preference given in Java to the productions of the Netherlands would hardly (and according to section 13 of the projected treaty certainly not) justify the imposing of a higher duty in German ports on the produce of the Dutch colonies, as has, we understand, been proposed by Bremen; for the produce of Ger many is not there treated more favourably than any other third country (Belgium partly excepted). The customs laws of Belgium, which, with respect to shipping dues and the refunding of the Scheldt duty, place most German vessels on the same footing as her own, make, on the other hand, with regard to the duties on goods, a difference three or fourfold in favour of the Belgian flag and of direct importation, as also of importation from non-European ports, and thus afford sufficient grounds for charging importa tions into Germany under the Belgian flag, and im portations of non-Belgian produce coming from Bel gium, with differential duties. As yet, however, the treaties of Belgium with Hanover and with the Zollverein form an obstacle to this proceeding. The former treaty, which, if notice to determine it were not given in February last, will be in force at least until February, 1849, contains the above-cited clause from the treaty between Great Britain and Hanover, which secures the Belgian flag against being in future placed under disadvantages with regard to the ships of other nations ; and the latter treaty (between Belgium and the Zollverein), which will be in force until 1851, likewise contains this clause, in addition to two others, which must also here be taken into consideration. The first of these, which will remain in force until 1851, secures to Belgian ships and their cargoes imported from Belgium, "the same bounties, compensations, duties, and other privileges of this kind," which may be granted to the national ships. The second, notice to terminate which may indeed be given in 1848, places all Belgian vessels trading directly between Belgium and the states of the Zollverein, and without reference to the country of which their cargoes may be the produce, on an equal footing with Prussian vessels. Under the circumstances thus established by treaties, it seems that at present it would not be feasible to impose differential duties on Belgian ships coming direct from Belgian ports, and it even seems doubtful whether it could be effected on those trading indirectly between the two countries. We should probably be obliged to place Belgian ships on an equal footing with our own, and only the non-Bel gian produce imported from Belgium would be sub jected to differential duties. France follows, with regard to her customs, the same system as Belgium—that is to say, she makes differences in the customs dues in favour of her own flag ; and, besides this, she imposes on German vessels a high tonnage duty from which French ships are entirely, and the ships of some other countries partly, exempted. With regard to France, therefore, all the reserved differences as to shipping dues and customs duties might at once be imposed, particularly as the existing treaty between France and Mecklenburgh is not in any essential point opposed to it. The same may be said of Spain, where indeed the difference in the shipping charges is very insignifi cant; but where, oil the other hand, the difference between the duties paid on goods imported under the ' Spanish flag, an i those imported under foreign flags, and between the duties on direct and indirect impor tation, is so great as almost to exclude German ships, as well as all indirect importations. Portugal has also established her own navigation act by a Royal decree of 1841, according to which foreign ships are only to be placed on an equality with,the ships of the country when they import the produce of their own countries. The produce of Mecklenburgh, imported under the Prussian flag, pays an additional duty of 20 per cent. The treaties with Portugal, entered into by some of the states of the Zollverein, such as Mecklenburgh and Olden burgh (in 1844 and 1845) have effected no ameliora tion herein, but they afford a remarkable proof of how little heiitation has been evinced in acknowledg ing this new navigation act, though not one practical benefit can be derived from it. Here the expectation expressed in section 8 of the projected treaty, that foreign states would consider all the states of the union as forming one and the same country, becomes of great importance ; and the reservation regarding the levying of doutle harbour dues and extraordinary tonnage duties, would here come into force, as on the Ist of January, 1848, notice may be given to terminate all these treaties mentioned above, which might otherwise interfere with this arrangement. In addition to this, differential duties would be levied on non-Portuguese produce, imported into German ports under the Portuguese flag. With Sardinia there exist treaties by which Prus sia is bound till 1852, Hanover and Denmark till 1853, and the Hanse Towns till 1854 ; and which will prevent up to those dates all additional differential charges on Sardinian shipping. The duties on goods are also, according to these treaties, to continue equal, the German States having, however, reserved to them selves the right (Prussia and Denmark from 1848, and Hanover from 1849) of imposing differential duties on olive oil, corn, and wine imported in Sar dinian vessels from the Mediterranean, if Sardinia does not before that period abolish her duties—an exception which, during the course of the present more general considerations, may be left out of view. Naples allows a discount of 10 per cent. on the duties on direct imports under her own flag, and un der the flag of certain favoured nations importing their own produce; advantages in which German ships (those of Austria, Prussia, and Holstein excepted) have not as yet participated. In retaliation, imports L in Neapolitan vessels would also be subjected to dif ferential duties. In Tuscany the national flag is favoured, inasmuch as double anchorage dues and double fees for permis sion to clear out are imposed upon foreign ships. Some foreign flags are, however, by reciprocity trea ties or by declarations, placed on an equal footing with the national flag; and it would probably not be difficult for the German states to obtain an exchange of similar declarations. The other states of the Mediterranean give the German states no cause for complaint, and conse quently afford no grounds for retaliatory measures. In Russia the ships of the German states are, in virtue of an interchange of declarations, placed on an equal footing with Rnssian ships. In Sweden and Norway the same is done, in accordance with existing treaties; but Sweden allows a discount of 15, 20, and 33/ per cent. (according to the distance from which they come) on the duties on all direct importations from non-European pro ducing countries; a measure which certainly oper ates to the detriment of such produce when coming from European ports. For such an instance as this the treaty has not reserved any retaliatory mea sure ; however, should one be adopted, it cannot consistently be other than the imposition of differential duties on non-European productions imported from Swedish ports, whereby it must be taken into con sideration that, even as it is, such importations seldom or never take place. The United States of North America act on the principle of complete reciprocity, so that the differen tial shipping charges on the additional duty of ten per cent. imposed on goods imported under foreign flags, are not levied on ships belonging to such states as declare and prove that in their ports North American ships enjoy the same right as their own. The German States can, consequently, at once place their flags in North America on an equal footing with the national flag, and have in some instances already done so by treaty; as regards the United States, therefore, no cause for differential duties exists. The treatment which the ships of the German States meet within other transatlantic countries, does not afford grounds for complaint; they are there generally placed on an equal footing with the national ships; and German produce enjoys equal rights with the most favoured nations. Here again, then, there are no grounds for retaliatory measures. Finally, we have to mention Denmark, though no decided opinion has been pronounced as to the pro priety of inviting this state to join a German anion for trade and navigation. To distinguish between all or some of the German ports of, the monarchy and the Danish ports, would he attended with much diffi culty, as no difference is made between the ships of Holstein and those of Denmark Proper. But for the purposes of the present section of our inquiry, this question will only he taken into consideration in so far as Denmark, should she join the union, would probably, by existing treaties with France, be pre vented for an indefinite period from placing French vessels, with regard to shipping dues, under any dis advantages not participated in by her own vessels. Should Denmark not join the union, her vessels would, nevertheless, in virtue of existing treaties, which cannot immediately be abrogated, enjoy in German ports equal rights with German ships. Judging from this rapid survey of the relations of Germany to each foreign state in particular, and supposing, as we have in the first instance done, that the reserved conditions have at once been carried into effect, matters would, under the new navigation system, stand thus : in all German ports there would be levied, 1. Higher shipping dues, i. e., double port charges, and extra tonnage duties on Dutch, French, and Spanish vessels. 2. Higher duties (regulated according to the flag) on all goods imported under the Dutch, French, Spanish, or Portuguese flags. 3. Higher customs duties (according to the port of shipment, without distinction of flag) on non-British produce coming from Great Britain, of non-Belgian produce coming from Belgium, on goods from France not French produce, and on • goods not the produce of Spain or Portugal, bnt coining from the ports of the Peninsula. In this statement of the practical workings of the new system, we have left out of consideration such measures as are not explicitly mentioned in the pro jected treaty, but which are pointed out by those who are in favour of the treaty as necessarily result ing from the other measures, and are warmly recom mended by them. It has been remarked that the end to be gained by the imposition of additional duties on the indirect importations of certain countries, or on the indirect importations of certain commodities, might be evaded, if these importations were allowed to pass untaxed through the ports of such states as may not have afforded any grounds for complaint; and if a similar distinction between direct and indirect imports were not to be made on the land frontiers also. It is re commended, as the least evil, to treat all such im portations as if they were indirect. Supposing that it were possible that the union could answer its pur pose, even if it should not comprise all the German states, or at least if it should not immediately com prise them all, then the retaliatory measures would also probably be applied to those German states that had not acceded to the union. It is sufficient to allude to those grievances; they could not, however, be passed over in silence, as it will be necessary, in the course of our statement, to refer to these proposals also. (To be continued.) INSTITUTION FOR THE ADULT DEAF AND DUMB, RED LION SQUARE.—Yesterday, at a meeting of the committee of management of the institution for provid ing employment and religious instruction, and teaching trades to the adult deaf and dumb, it was stated that the secretary, James G. Simpson, Esq., had received various applications from reverend and other gentlemen in the provincial districts, interceding for the admission of affli c ted youths into the institution, to be instructed in the trades of shoemaking, tailoring, &c.. The cases in several instances were understood to be of a very de serving nature, but owing to the pressure upon the funds of the charity, the applications were compelled to be deferred or refused, although principally of an urgent character. An earnest hope was expressed that the co operation of the affluent would not be wanting during the coming winter, to enable the committee to meet at least the more urgent demands upon the institution. It was mentioned as a singular fact, that during the recent great prevalence of the influenza, when scarcely a single house was free from the epidemic, that not one of the several inmates of this charity, either male or female, had been in the slightest degree attacked. - PRESENCE OF MIND IN A BOY.—A few Sabbath nights since, a lad of about Dine or ten years old fell asleep in the parish church of Cley, Essex, during Di vine service, and did not wake until some time after the departure of the congregation. On awaking he found himself alone and in the dark ; summoning up courage, he g roped about to find the door, in order to try and bolt,e b w a n d ic n h ot wo st u r l e d ng h t a h ve topf errm next liberated o this, however, ilndaa he tried a window with as little success ; nothing daunted, the youngster thought of the bell, the rope of which he soon discovered, and thereby did "a tale unfold" to the clerk and sexton, who soon came to his rescue. The boy's family, alarmed at his absence, were about pro ceeding to the ch urc h in search of him, when the bell told th tale of his imprisonment. How many "children of a larger growth" would have died with terror ? Local Paper. A frightful accident occurred a few days ago in a sugar refinery in the Faubourg d'lsle of Saint Quentin; a young workman fell into a vat full of boiling sugar. Lie was immediately dragged out by one of his fellow workmen, bat was so much injured that he died two days afterwards. LAW INTELLIGENCE.' COURT OF BANKRUPTCY, Dec. 29. (Before Mr. Commissioner EvANs.) IN RE CITHEY. The bankrupt, a merchant in Philpot-lane, City, came up on his last examination, and passed without opposition. Mr. Lawrence appeared for the bankrupt. IN RE LEWIS. W. H. Lewis, a honnet•maker, on Ludgate-hill, came up for his certificate, and obtained it without opposition. Mr. Lawrence was solicitor to the fiat. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MANSION-HOUSE. A boy about twelve years of age, named William Lipley, was brought before the Lord Mayor and Alderman Hughes, charged with having stolen a piece.of beef. From the statement of Spittle, the city officer, it appeared that the prisoner belonged to a most dan gerons gang of little boys, who were very much prac tised in robbing females in Bishopsgate-street and Leadenhall market, and whose diminutive size gave them facilities unknown to children of larger growth. The witness had frequently turned the prisoner out of the neighbourhood and threatened to bring him before the Lord Mayor, and mentioned some of his former misdeeds in order to procure for him a most unwelcome addition to the usual punishment in a sound flogging, which the City magistrates have long considered it necessary to revive against customers of the class. All expostulation however had proved un availing—every day the prisoner was to be seen, with his active associates, at the heels of women, who were sure, upon reaching home, to miss their money or parts of their. dress. The prisoner was known to be expert at the game, but he was seen distinctly ap propriating the piece of beef, which he slipped off a block in the market, and was taking to get made into soup. The LORD MAYOR—Do you say this boy is an old hand at thieving ? The Officer—Certainly my Lord ; he has often been in custody. When I caught i him, I asked him where he supposed he should at last go to ? "Goto I" said he, " why to the gallows to be sure." The LORD MAYOR—Did you say so, prisoner? —The boy—Yes, the man's right enough. I did say so. The Loan MAYOR Well, if something be not done to prevent it, I am of opinion that you are right in your conjecture. We are determined to send you to prison for fourteen days, to live upon bread and water, and to be well flogged before you are set at liberty. The prisoner then, without exhibiting any appre hension, left the bar. Although he will not meet Jack Ketch, of whom it seems he often speaks, on the platform, he will certainly meet that functionary armed with the lash, as the hangman is about to resume his old favourite method of infliction imme diately amongst the juvenile incorrigibles. George Lee, a rough, down-looking fellow, who had been lately pardoned, was charged with having stolen a watch, to get at which he had broken two large panes of plate glass, value 51., in the •shop of Mr. Mitchell, of No. 30, Cornhill, watchmaker and jeweller. The shopman of Mr. Mitchell, at about a quarter past five o'clock, heard a crash at the window, and saw that two panes had been broken, and that one watch was missing from the tray. The offence was scarcely committed before the prisoner was in the custody of a policeman, who seized him, and took the missing watch out of his trousers pocket. The LORD MAYOR—Have you anything to say, prisoner? Prisoner—Nothing at all. On the prisoner's person was found a certificate from the proper officer, stating that the prisoner, who was sentenced to be transported in the year 1842, had received a free pardon from her Majesty on the 3d of December, on which day he had been discharged from the hulks with 4/. 4s. 6d. in his pocket, to which he was considered entitled on his discharge. The LORD MAYOR—Prisoner, what were you found guilty of on the former occasion ? Prisoner—The same sort of thing—a watch. The LORD MAYOR—Had he any money about him ? The officer—Not a farthing. The LORD MAYOR—Why, prisoner, you had not the excuse of no money to plead here, for you were in possession of 4/. 4s. 611. at once upon leaving the hulks. The prisoner nodded assent. Some gentlemen of the trade and neighbourhood said they had still to lament the want of adequate protection. The LORD MAYOR said the evidence of the promp titude with which the apprehension of the offender was made by the policeman was quite satisfactory, and he did not see how it was possible to prevent a man who provided himself with a stone from smashing a window. It was represented upon the part of the jewellers, that there was a marked. disproportion between the punishment to which the last person convicted of smashing windows and stealing watches was ad judged and the offence, and a hope was expressed that the evidence in the present case would not prove weak. is The LORD MAYOR said the prisoner was sure to be convicted, and that the former conviction being exhi bited against him there could be no doubt as to his removal from this country. The prisoner was then committed for trial. A lad named Henry Deniard, who was in the ser vice of Mr. Marks, a broker, was charged with having robbed his master of two looking-glasses. The prisoner had put the glasses into a bag and was taking them to a place of sale, when he was met by a policeman, who suspected that all was not right, and found upon questioning him that all was the other way. The prisoner not liking the position iii which he stood, made a rapid movement towards a crowd of persons who were able and willing to render assiatance to an individual so unfortunately circum stanced, but the attempt was vain. Tne officers afterwards found that the prisoner had previously disposed of a looking-glass which he had also stolen from his master. The prisoner told a rambling story, one word of which did not obtain credit, in excuse for the rob bery, and said he was in vain importuned by a r3lative of the master to take away the property for a long time, and when at last he did take it he meant to do nothing with it but to return it to the real owner immediately. It was quite clear to everybody that this attempt to cast the blame upon another boy was a most out rageous violation of truth, and an act of the grossest villany. The prisoner was at once committed for trial. A young woman, named Catherine Hamilton, was charged with having committed a desperate assault upon a respectable female. The prosecutrix never beheld the defendant before she received a blow which levelled her. A policeman, hearing screams and seeing a crowd, ran to the spot, and asked who knocked the lady down ? "It was I," said the defendant, who looked as if she had es notwithstanding the presence of t he numbers of per teahepesdamfremnsorat."maTd - h, action anwdaslslul i gi ted ve t h o e t r h m e o w r o e r o a f , sons around and the policeman. The defendant seized the prosecutrix by the hair, and dragged her along. The poor woman was attacked with convulsive fits, and it was some time before the fury could be sepa rated from her. The assailant had been all the morn ing paying court to the bottle.—Committed for trial. GUILDHALL. CHRISTMAS-BOXES FOR POSTMEN.—An elderly person of the name of Gordon was placed in the dock, charged with attempting to obtain money under the pretence of being a postman. James Green, a postman, stated that he understood the prisoner had called at several places in the City, and representing himself as a postman, asked for a Christmas-box. On seeing him yesterday he gave him into custody. Henry Taylor, clerk to Mr. Lochner, proctor, 13, Great Carter-street, stated that the prisoner had, about eleven o'clock yesterday, applied for a Christ mas-box. He told him that the Post-office authorities bad abolished the practice of Christmas-boxes, and he was therefore surprised that any claim should be made for one. Other persons gave testimony of a similar nature. An inspector from the Post-office said that the pri soner had been in the service of the Post-office, but had been discharged about eleven months ago. The prisoner solemnly assured the magistrate that be was not the person. The case was remanded. Thomas Ridgway, a tailor, was finally examined on suspicion of having passed a bad half-crown, by sending a little girl into a baker's shop to purchase a loaf. The prisoner was apprehended half an hour afterwards, near the spot, being pointed out by the girl to a policeman, who followed the prisoner as far as Sermon-lane before he stopped him, the prisoner running, or walking fast, over the intermediate distance. Mr. Wontner, on behalf of the prisoner, explained that his conduct in this respect arose from his having come out in his working slippers to buy some trim mings, and a fine rain beginning to fall. was countervailed by the evidence of a little boy who mi A sse ft d er th a e l c o h n a g rg h e eaoribsnegrv, observing gIAhl that the e r g m ir s Gin's recoicn ditiis on was employed in the same manner by the same cul prit, and who said that the prisoner was not the per son. The prisoner had received such an excellent character that he thought no jury would convicthil and he therefore discharged him. about thirty Douglas, a soldier - like - looking man, 0 33 11: thirty years of age, was charged on his own confes- 1 sion, with having surrendered to the poliee as a de- 1 serter from the 50th Foot, in 1835. He said the regiment was now serving in India, and he had never joined it. While he was in the justice room he rescinded his confession, and declared it was all untrue, and that he was a labourer in the docks. Mr. Alderman GIBBS, in the absence of any proof that he was a deserter, committed him for fourteen days as a rogue and vagabond for pretending to be one, when, upon his own admission, he was not so. THAMES. STABBING. John Robinson, an elderly grey headed man, who was formerly in the army, and is at present in the receipt of a pension, was charged with feloniously wounding Mr. Edward Hodges, landlord of the White Horse public-house, Poplar. It appeared that, yesterday morning, as Mr. Hodges was standing in the passage of his house, he heard his barman having a dispute with some person, and on inquiring what was the matter, the barman told him that the prisoner had been supplied with twopenny worth of rum, but positively declared he would not pay for it. Mr. Hodges on this collared the prisoner. Angry words ensued, and Mr. Hodges's daughter, who was present, suddenly exclaimed, " Oh, my God, father ! he has a sword in his hand." This naturally made him draw back, and at the same time he felt the point of something enter his left thigh, which he found to be the sharp edge of what is termed a sword-stick, and which the prisoner was brandishing in his hand. On examination, Mr. Hodges found a small wound on his thigh. Watkins, the police-constable, who took the pri soner in charge, produced the sword-stick, which was a most murderous looking weapon, the blade being shaped like a bayonet, very long and pointed as a stiletto. In defence the prisoner alleged that if he touched Mr. Hodges at all, it must have been by accident. Mr. YARDLET said his duty was to commit him to take his trial for the felonious wounding. SO UFHWARK. Two young women, inmates of St. George's work house, were brought before Mr. Seeker, charged with creating a disturbance, and threatening the life of the matron. The latter said that the prisoners were a complete terror to all the other inmates, and had been twenty times in prison for riotous conduct. That morning they refused to get up at the usual hour, and upon being remonstrated with, used most dreadful lan guage. At ten o'clock they came down stairs, exclaiming that they would murder her unless they were served with their breakfast. Witness was then in the bread-room, and the prisoners attempted to force their way into the place; and had not the porter and some of the females come to her assistance, she really believed that she would have been mur dered. The police were then called in, and they were given into custody. In answer to the charge, the prisoners said that it was all a tissue of falsehoods. Police-constable 80 M said that when he was called to take the prisoners into custody, they used most disgusting language, and threatened to murder the matron. Mr. SECKER said he should sentence them to twenty-one days' impri , ontnent each. CLEI?KENIVELL. James Moss, a pauper was charged with selling a suit of workhouse clothes, the property of the direc tors of the poor of St. Pancras parish. The prisoner, it appeared, had been in the workhouse, and supplied with clothes on three occasions, with which he ab sconded and sold them. The prisoner acknowledged his guilt, and said he would repeat the offence every opportunity he had. Mr. COOMBE sentenced him to the extreme penalty of the law, viz., three months' imprisonment with hard labour. MARYLEBONE. EXTENSIVE SYSTEM OF ROBBERY.—John Phillip son and Henry Anderson (a showily dressed man), alias Fair, were placed at the bar before Mr. Broughton), for re-examination on the charge of having broken and entered the dwelling house of Major-General Fleming, No. 11, Baker-street, Portman-square. They were also charged with having violently assaulted a female servent, by whom they were discovered in the apartment in question. The particulars of what previously transpired in reference to this case have already appeared, and it will be rem-mbered that the prisoners were remanded at the request of Inspector Barker of the S division, who alleged that he should no doubt be able to sub stantiate another case of extensive and daring plunder against the accused parties. The Inspector now brought forward witnesses with regard to the connexion of the prisoners with others concerned in a large robbery at a furnished but untenantA house, belonging to Hugh Riley, at 36, Upper Grosvenor-street. The evidence was exceedingly voluminous, but the short facts are these :—On the 2d ult., in the evening, some one went to the house of Mr. Dark, a carman, in Robert-street, Grosvenor-square, and ordered that a ran should be sent to Mr. Riley's house, for the purpose of removing goods. The van was accord ingly sent at once, and on its arriving there a large quantity of property, consisting of no fewer than seven beds, thirty-Iwo blankets, some carpets, cur tains, pictures, Stc., were placed in the vehicle, which was completely loaded by four men, who were on the premis( s, two of whom were the prisoners; the ran, with its various contents, was, agreeably to direction* given to the driver, drawn up at the shop of a shoe maker named Ray, in Tenter-street, Spitalfields (he has since absconded, fearing that he should get into trouble, as it was well known that he had been in the habit of receiving stolen goods), but as there was a per son then present who was a stranger, when he (Ray) was requested to take them in, the van went on some distance further, and it was ultimately taken posses sion of 1w Mr. Barker, who had received such infor mation from the said visitor at the shop as fully satis fied him that an extensive robbery had been perpe trated. The property found in the van was proved to belong to Mr. Riley. The prisoners were committed for trial upon this charge, and also upon General Fleming's. PROVIDENTIAL ESCAPE OF A MAIL TRAIN AND PASSENGERS. A DRUNKEN ENGINE DRIVER AND FIREMAN.— Yesterday, at the New Bail , y, two men, named \\*H ham Hatfield and Mark Clegg, the former an engine driver and the latter a fireman in the employ of the London and North-Western Railway Corn• pang, were brought up before Mr. Trafford, the stipendiary magistrate, and Captain Whittaker, charged with drunkenness and gross negligence in the discharge of their duty. Mr. Wagstaff, solicitor, of Warrington, appeared on behalf of the company, and from his statement and the evidence of the wit ases it appeared that the prisoners had charge of the night mail train from Liverpool to London on Satur day. The number of carriages and passengers was not stated, but the pointsman at the Warrington Junction being at his post waiting for the train was surprised to hear it coining at a very rapid rate. He had been preparing to turn the points in order to shunt the train on to the ‘Varrington Junction ; but as the train did not diminish in speed, but rather increased as it approached, he, anticipating great danger if he should turn the points, determined on the instant upon letting the train take its course, and not turning them. Most fortunate was it that he exercised so much judgment and sagacity, for, in consequence of the acuteness of the curve at the Warrington Junction, and the tre mendous rate at which the train was proceeding — not less than forty miles an hour—it does not appear I that anything could have otherwise prevented the train from being overturned, and a frightful sacrifice of human life ensuing. Meantime the train continued its frightful progress; but the mail guard seated at the end of the train perceiving that it was going on towards Manchester instead of staying at the junc tion, signalled to the engine-driver and fireman, but without effect, no notice whatever being taken of his signals. Finding this to be the case he, at very con siderable risk, passed over from carriage to carriage till he reached the engine, where he found both the prisoners lying drunk, and apparently insensible from the effects of liquor. They resisted for some time all his efforts to stop the train, and he was unable to bring them to a sense of their duty and their peril till they were near to Patricroft. At length, how ever, he succeeded in stopping the train just bef ore it reached that station, a dis tance of fourteen miles from Warrington. This again appears to be almost a miraculous circumstance; for, at the Patricroft station, on the same line as that on which the mail train was running, was another train, containing a number of passenger s , who thus escaped from the consequences of a d rea df u l collision. The prisoners were , of co urse, immediately given into custody, and conveyed to the New Bailey prison, while, other assistance being obt4ined, the train was 4aken back to the Warrington Junction. The regu lation is, in consequence of the sharp curve at this junction, that the trains shall not run at more than live miles per hour. Hatfield appeared very penitent, and wept bitterly at the danger to life and property of which he had been the cause. Clegg said that he had been out all the previous night with a train, and had not taken his clothes off; that before he started for Liverpool he had taken three glasses of spirits and water, but that he went into the office before the train started, and did not feel any effects from what he had drunk till after the train started, when he supposed it was the keen air, coupled with his having been up all the previous night, which caused him to fall asleep. The magistrates had power to commit the prisoners summarily fur two months' hard labour, or to inflict a fine of 101., or to send the prisoners for trial at the sessions, at which they would be liable to a sentence of two years imprisonment. After some consultation, the bench appearing to be of opinion that some negligence had been exhibited at the office in Liverpool, or the men would not have been allowed to have left there in such a state of intoxication, de cided upon the first alternative, and sentenced both prisoners to two months' hard labour.—Manchestcr Examiner. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PORTSMOUTH, WEDNESDAY.—Wo have received letters by the Crane from Sir Thomas Herbert's squadron in the River Plata, which inform us that the inhabitants of Rio are on the point of raising a subscription to erect a statue in bronae to the memory of the late Emperor Don Pedro 1., in the Place del Constitution, to be executed at Munich. The Comus, 16, Commander D'Eynecourt, is still under water at Colonia, all efforts hitherto applied having failed to raise her, and from the rocky nature:of the ground it is feared she must remain sunk. The Fury steam-sloop, Commander Willcox, arrived at Rio from Madeira and England on the 12th of November, and found the America, 90-gun ship, the Eagle, 50, Captain Martin, the Crescent receiving ship, and the Griffon and Crane packets. The Modeste, 18, Lieut.- Commander Macdonald, arrived at Rio from the Pacific on the 12th ult., after a splendid run of 36 days. One of our letters says—" We took out the news of the Americans' victory over the Mexicans at Mexico, where the former lost 1,000 men, and we sent the American two-decker the copy of your paper containing that news, which they had not been Possessed of ten minutes before they rattled off a royal salute, I suppose in compliment to General Scott, with four Yankee flags hoisted. The Eagle, 50, is lying guardship at Rio, and the Kestrel sailed on the 30th of October with the last arrived mails for Monte Video and Buenos Ayres. Commodore Sir Thomas Herbert, K.C.8., the Commander-in-Chief, is still down at Buenos Ayres with his squadron, as the French are still carrying on the blockade. He has with him his flag-ship the Raleigh, 50, Captain Fremantle ; the Grecian, 16, Commander Tindal; the Firebrand steam-frigate, Captain Hope; and the Lizard and Harpy,ironsteamers." The Fury beat the West India packet by two days, on the passage to Madeira. The Modeste was to sail from Rio for England, with a small freight, on the 18th of November. Letters from Alexandria of the 7th instant state that Captain Henderson, C. 8., of the Sidon steam frigate, accompanied the Governor-General of India (Earl Dalhousie) to Suez ; after seeing his Excellency off he rejoined his vessel, and proceeded to Malta. The Sidon was to be at Alexandria again on the 4th of February, to embark Viscount llardinge, when it would depend entirely upon his Lordship's wishes whether the Sidon took him to England, or landed him in France. The Sharpshooter, iron steam- vessel upon the screw principle, was taken out of No. 2 Dock this morning, completed with Mr. Hay's coating of his adhesive substances ; and the two iron fire-floats attached to this dockyard were taken in, to receive a coating each of the same composition. The Avon steam- surveying. vessel, Commander Otter, has been taken alongside the Topaz hulk to day to refit, for the conveyance of marines to Ireland. The Rolla has also been taken alongside the Mersey hulk to refit, for the purpose to which she will in future be devoted—the instruction of boys in the practical duties of seamanship and navigation for the navy. Wind S. by W., fresh breezes ; weather dark, cloudy, threatening, and very cold. Five P.M. CHATHAM, DEC. 29.—The Sealark, 10 guns, com missioned last week, received her marines this day, consisting of one sergeant, one corporal, and 10 pri• vates, belonging to this division. It is with much regret we have to announce the death of another officer belonging to this division of Royal Marines—that of First Lieutenant W. J. Burney, who expired last evening at Melville Hospi tal. This officer, whose seniority is dated the 18th of. May, 1843, came to England in April last, having served on board the Talbot, 26 guns, for three years, on the South American station. Latterly he was removed to Woolwich in command of a company, and three weeks ago he returned to the head-quarters of this division on the sick list. On his arrival he was admitted into the hospital. His death was caused by a bilious fever. Lieutenant Burney was much respected by his brother officers. WooLwlcH, DEC. 29.—The Earl of Auckland , First Lord of the Admiralty, visited the new Royal Marine Barracks yesterday, and then walked to the dockyard, where his Lordship went over several of the departmentS. _ _ The Acheron steam-vessel, Captain Lort Stokes, is to leave Greenhithe today, at ter having her com passes adjusted, and will take out mails from Ports' mouth for New Zealand. The Mountstuart Elphinston, having free convicts on board, went down the River yesterday for New South Wales, and takes out the following officers and men :—Lieutenant Paul, 65th Regiment of Foot, stationed in New Zealand; Lieutenant Anderson, 96th Regiment of Foot, stationed in 'New South Wales ; and three sergeants, three corporals, and 50 privates of the 99th Regiment of Foot, to join the head quarters of the regiment in New South Wales. The General Palmer hired transport ship. is ex pected down the River from Deptford this afternoon or to-morrow, to embark the third company of Royal Sappers and Miners for a passage to Corfu. The third company is under the command of ,Captain Ogle, Royal Engineers. The General Palmer will also take on board 60 privates, to fill up the two com panies of Royal Sappers and Miners employed on the works at Gibraltar, rand detachments of the 4th and sth battalions of Royal Artillery to fill up the eonci" panics of that branch of the service at Corfu. The urgency to have the works of the numerous steam-veisels preparing for sea at Woolwich finished with every expedition has caused the whole of the shipwrights to be taken from the Nankin, 50 gun frigate, and from all the new works, that the others may be made ready first. RAILWAY SHARE 3IARKETS• LIVERPOOL, Dac. 29. STOCK EXCHANGE.-The sales are-A mbergate and East ern Jnnction, 2% dis.-Bolton, Blackb ur n, Clitheroe, an d West Yorkshire, 61; ciis.- Lancashire and Yorkshire, Halves (late Huddersfield and Sheffi e ld), 10 dis.-Ditto, (Nest Riding Union), 31i;, dis.-London and North-Weees: 148 c.-Ditto, New Quarters, 5% p.-Ditto, Quarters , ( 7 andß), 4 p.-Ditto, ditto (C), 3 3 4 il.-Manchester, SheP le and Lincolnshire, 69-Midl an d, 110-Di tto, 4 01. S h lre7 i s .' 41 5 / 4 -Ditto, Halves, 1% dis.-North Staffordshire, A -Shrew,bury, Oswestry, and Chester, 4% dis.-Ditto, P r r, ference. 3 1 / 2 p.-South-Eastern and Dov er , N ew , No. 1, 4,4 dis.-Ditto, No. 4, Thirds, 1% dis.- Whitehaven and For' ness, 8 1 4 dis.-York, Newcastle, and Berwick, Extension s ' No. 2, 2 1 / 4. p.- Ditto, G. N. E. Purchase, 11. i c. p- MANCHESTER, DEC. t 9. STOCK EXCHANGE.-The sales are-East Anglian, clew Preference 1-16 dis.-Eastern Counties, 153 i dis.--Lan ce " shire and Yorkshire (West Riding Union), 3 dis.-Dit to (Preston and Wvre), 3414-Ditto, Halves (B), 1). --L 1 don and North-Western, 149-Manchester, Sheffield, an Lincolnshire, Eighths, 2% dis.-Ditto (Sheffield and L in " colnshire), 4 13.16 is.-North Staffordshire, N_South' Eastern and Dover, No. 4, 13 4 dis. BIRMINGHAM, Dac. 29. STOCK EXCHANGE.-The sales are-London and North,'2 1 Western, 149-Ambergate, Nottingham, and Boston , , die.-Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Stour Valley, IN dis. (for pre. acc.)-North Staffordshire, 65. 3d. dis. (fo r pre. sec. )-Shrewsbury and Birmingham (A), 3 1 j ; dis. LEEDS, Dac. 28. STOCK EXCIIAXOE.-The following prices have been ob tained to-day, but not much business has been done :-East Lancashire,3i i i c. dis.-Ditto, New, 3 3 / 4 n. die.-Lancashire and Yorkshire (West Riding Union), dia.-Leeds and Thirsk, 16 t,i dis.-North British, Thirds, 35. die.-Ditto, Quarters, 10s. c. dis.-North Staffordshire, 6s. dis.-North- Western, 4/. 11s. 3d. dis.-York, Newcastle, and Berwick, Preference, 20s. c. p.-Ditto, Ns. 2 (New Berwick), 21,i, p. YORK, Dsc. 28. STOCK EXCHANGE.-The salesare- Great Northern, 41. 7s. -North British, Thirds, 11. 165.-Ditto, Extension, I 3'- York, Newcastle. and Berwick, No. 2 (New Berwicks), 12Ws Ditto, G. N. E. Purchase, 9 1 4 . EDINBURGH, DEC. 28. STOCK EXCHANGE.-The sales are-rd'aledenian, 361. Ditto, New, 225. 6d.-Dundee and Northern, 275.-East Lothian Central, 855.-Edinburgh and Northern, 15/. 151.- - Ditto. Newport, New, 255.-Great Northern, 41. 75.-North British, Quarters, 86s. 6d.-Ditto, Thirds, 365. BIRTHS. On the 24th inst., the wife of J. T. Cookson, Esq., New" beggin House, Northumberland, of a daughter. On the 26th inst., in Blackfriars-road, airs. James J. Blsket of a son. On the 26th inst., at Montalto, county of Down, Ireland' the lady of.D. S. Ker, Esq., of a son. On the 27th inst., at Barnsbury-square, Islington, the wife of the Rev. J. G. lleisch, of a son. On the 27th inst., at Gloucester-road, Hyde-park-gsrden S f Mrs. D. Scaramangs, of a daughter. On the 27th inst., at Lower Whitecross-street, Mrs. ' l% Burdon, of a son. On the 28th inst., at Rutland-gate, Hyde-park, the wif e of Frederick Pratt Barlow, Esq., jun., of a son. MAXICIND. Re- marriage.—Dec. 24, by special permission of the Regis trar-General, London, and Dec. 28, at Clifton Chords. Clifton, by the Rev. J. Hensman, Alfred Thomas Bridget' , youngest son of John Carter, Esq., Claremont House, Clifton, to Jane Sophia, youngest daughterof the late William Quead e ', Esq., Captain of the 77th Regiment, and granddaughter or Henry Whyte, Esq., of Whatley, in the county of Somerset, and of the Upper Crescent, Bath. On the 2ith inst., at St. Mary's, Bryanston-square, the Right Hon. Henry Lord Montfort, to Miss Ann BurstreW , daughter of the late William Burgham, Esq., of LIPt OII Bishop, Herefordshire. BILL On the 16th inst., at Brompton, T. J. Downs, Esq., aged 63. On the 2Uth inst., at Milton next Gravesend, Mrs. JasP il. Allen, aged 86. On the 23d inst., Mrs. French, late of Maryland point, Essex. On the 24th inst., at Bentley-green, limits, Henry Mon tague Morison, Esq., aged 40. On the 24th inst., at Epping, Benjamin Doubleday. On the 25th inst., Mr. C. NV. Knight, of Berners-street. On the 25th inst., Hannah, the wife of Mr. John Gillis., Peckham-grove, Camberwell. On the 27th inst., at Brixton-villas, Brixton, wife of Edward James Smith, E.g. On the 27th inst.. at Northampton Cottage, Canonb ur Y , Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Dean, aged 64. Mary 'natio, --- London: Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG, No. 112, Strand, Printer, at the Sun Office, No. ID; Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in th e count}' °` ALiddleaex, Thursda.y, December 30, 1347. THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 30, 1847.