The Sun. — London, England, 1840-12-24 00:00:00

EVENING EDITION. MONEY MARKET and CITY NEWS. (WEDNESDAI! EVENIXG.) CHRONICLE.—The proceedings in the French Chamber relative to the fortifications of Paris, with the renewed reports on the Bourse about a loan, and the strange story concerning the Douro question, have de pressed the funds. It is said, also, that a speculation of some extent has been entered into in the corn trade, for importation in the spring, and that orders to a consider able extent have been sent off to the various northern ports. The grounds on which this speculation has been resolved on are certainly precarious. They, of course, expect to work up the averages before the na vigation is open, in order to force down the duties. The success is doubtful, although the system of averages is so unsound that it leaves wide scope for such enterprises. The prices of wheats in the dif ferent Baltic ports range at present at from thirty-five to forty-two shillirgs per quarter, and the expense of transport here may be estimated at a further expense of about 6s. It is said that the parties chiefly engaged in the speculation are acting for Irish account, in which country the wheat is likely to turn out deficient. If it be true that large orders for grain have been despatched, the consequent operations will produce a farther flatness in the foreign exchanges, and carry off the bullion in the coffers of the Bank. Although the general opinion is that the misun derstanding between Spain and Portugal will ho ad justed through the friendly mediation of England, and that the threat on the part of Spain, of in vading Purtugal, will not be carried into effect, yet the menace held out by the latter country of aierin g into renewed hostilities, when the Government Was engaged in an important measure of finance, is locked u e o , as rash and injudicious, tending to destroy confidaace to tne aienee and judgment of the Provisional Regency, and thus adverse to the maintenance of their credit. The accounts received from Portugal arc indeed so much at va ria.,,ee with the past conduct of the Spanish Regency, that at they were not so specially detailed and corroborated by the decrees of the Portuguese Government, for levying - troops and putting the country in a state of defence, we *Wald ba oisposed to doubt their authenticity. fIMES.—The fall in Consols to-day, which was steady hall per cent., although attributed to the distrust occasioned by the preparations making for the expected hostilities between Spain and Portugal, would, it is consi dered in some quarters, have been more limited had not the j , ,bbers been rather anxious to get rid of stock which it would seem they had previously taken freely of the brokers. _ _ _ A eorrespondent expresses surprise that, lately ad verting to the capital of a joint-stock bank, the sum .of 35 000/ should have been considered a very small sum, and treated as little more than a respectable private bank ought to pOESCSF, adding his belief that in the private country banks there are more capitals und. r 10,000/. than above it. As there can be no means of access to the secrets of private accounts, we cannot say whether our correspondent is correct or not in the fact stated ; but this at least may be safely affirmed, that any private bank with a lower capital than 30,000/ would cease, if it became known, to retain the confidence of its depositors. Still, it may be added. that nu imprudences like those not merely charged upon, but confessed by, the Walsall Joint-stock Bank, of al lowing overdrawn accounts" to the extent of half as much again as its capital, was ever committed by any private bank. But it was the private banks of London, lather than those of the country, to which the remark ap plied, where the truth confessedly lies so completely the contrary way, that probably a single banking-house of the city could be named with a capital equal to that of ail ttie joint stuck banking companies of London put together. s om e o f them are sensible of the false glitttr they present in this respect, and are calling for additional capital ; but there prevails this objection to carrying out the principle to the full extent—that the business of the joint-stock hanks will hardly furnish a suitable dividend to answer such increase of capital, and it must at once ba admitted, that the increase of confidence which large capi tals would bring, might soon alter this state of things; and it should always be taken into the account that small pre fits, with a certainty, are better than large profits with an uncertainty of continuance. Some suggestions have been made to the conductera of joint stock-banks by way of obvi• sting this difficulty, that they should allow a portion of their capital to be represented by Consols absolutely, and the remainder either in money or in such securities as may be deemed suitable by the Managing Directors, taking a relative dividend in each, and reserving the capital held absolutely in stock for any exigency that might occur. As it is, the protection to the public in dealing with joint stock banks is far less perfect than it is generally supposed to be. The alteration of the usury laws is much complained of by the class of small tradesmen, who say that they are li t.rally ground down by the working of the system. The interest commonly asked fur short loans is from 40 to 60 per cent., and the slightest embarrassment to which the tradesmen may bec-yme subject, almost infallibly becomes the cause of crushing him altogether. The suddenness of the change, since five per cent. was the maximum of interest has not been one of the least causes of the evil ; since from being able to obtain money at this moderate rate, the tradesmen, within a few mnths, lied themselves under the absolute power of money lenders, who have set no bounds to their extortion. Nor is the change thus produced in the monetary sistbn *wary confined to the borrowers, and the diffi cultly; to which they are subjected by being exposed to the extortions of professed usurers, but an important effect is produced in the change given to the direction of ca bal ; since the rate which money can command in the -4 of Oil vestriction on usury, is found to be con •-•.• ;ha* hny profit which can arise from cm • •- commercial pursuit. It is even ' -4 the effect of deadening between men --d by Soso.._. stder.bly barLix it sal l 6be,mesest system has the irioadk which formerly embus_ of bitsjbc:sl; snit that the tempting profit to be gas— , usury fins 'induced many, who would freely have lent money at pgshapo no interest at all, to seek for a source of advan toge it the misfortunes of their neighbours. A correspond ent, who has written a lettor on the sulsject, goes so far as to say, that many rich tradesmen have altogether with drawn their capital from business in order that they may employ it at exorbitant interest, the profession of usurer being tree from all trouble while it is by far the most pro .hle. The feeling seems to be not so *lb against all of the former system, but that sate more gradual modification should have taken place, and that the alters: tion has gorse too far. It is curious to observe ii stance, the difference that there is between an unrestricted trade in money and one in commodities, since whereas liberty of c immerce produces results univotsally beneficial, this absolute liberty in fixing a rate to capital is found to be productive of nothing but ruin to all the smaller classes of traders. POST.—The markets for the public securities were exceedingly flat. The dulness which existed is ascribed chiefly, but not exclueively, to political causes. The state of the exchanges is such as to load to an apprehension, on the part of the commercial interest, that the Bank Direc tors may shortly become more sparing in their discounts, which is certainly not at all impossible ; but there is an ex pectation, by which many are guided in their money ar. vangements and dealings in the fuaded securities, that a fresh issue of Exchequer paper may take place at no very diatant period. The unsettled aspect of affairs on the Continent, as well as in the Peninsula, continues, no doubt, to exercise a depressing influence on prices. It is understood, moreover, that, independently of the specula tion known to be going on in the corn markets of the north, the borne supply of grain is, after all, essentially lower than has been commonly reported and believed. It is now fully admitted by well-informed persons that the deficiency of wheat alone will prove at least 1,000 qrs. SUN.—There has been a run of speculation in Con sols to-day, and, favoured by the various reports in circu .lption respecting the probability of England being draved into the dispute between Spain and Portugal as an active ally of the latter, oa account of existing treaties, a further decline was brought about to the extent of nearly per cent. , In the morning Consols brought 884, gra dually receded subsequently to 88i to 88k, and closed at 684 to 681. Various opinians and conjectures are 'hazarded with regard to the probable issue of the Douro business, but, after all, they amount to nothing more than conjec ture. There are parties who incline to the side of Spain, and think that Power fully justified in the line of proceed ings it has adopted, as the only means of bringing matters to an issue ; while others imagine Portugal to have been treated with indignity by the threats and menaces indulged in against her. The free navigation of the Douro is pretty generally admitted to be a question of some com mercial, importauce to England, but epinions are by no means unanimous as to whether the advantages we might deriie from it, are worth fighting for, especially as the natural ally of Spain would ho France. Exchequer Bills were Steady to-day at 2to 4 premium, and India Bonds at lb discount. Bank Stock was dull at 157, the Reduced Three per,Cent. A nnu i t i es d ec li ne d t o 88 1 to 88i, and the lbeee-and-a-Half p er C ents . at 97 v i to The principal b arga i ns i n t h e oreign Market to-day is been in Spanish and Portuguese stock for the Account. There has been a further depression in the value of each, viz, in Ole former from 23i to 22i, and in the latter from aj 4 to 301. Colombian Six per Cents. have been heavy 223 4 Mexican Bonds at 26; Chilian at 56, and pA t ajwo-nnii-a- Half Cents. at 501; French Three per Cents( improved to 77f. 50c. The ,Shace Market has been declining to-day, being dfft.cted by the condition of those for the public securities. There was not , a large amount of business doing, but the saiez made were only at a trifling decline. Great "Western realised 244 to 25, the New 101 to 101, and the Fifths, 61; the London and Birmingham, 793, the New, 2di to 25 ; the Manchester and Leeds, ~...4 to 41, th e N ew, 2; the South Western, 151; and the Greenwich scrip, If to l 3 premium. Brighton were marked 'q to 15 pr dis remium count, and Eastern Counties debentures, 2i emiu p m. Australasia Bank shares were at 14i to London and Westminster Bank at 3 3 premium, and Pro ; - vincial Bank of Ireland at 19 to 194 premium. The parish church of South Hackney, in which i has so fr,quently been raised the cry of " Church n dan ger," very narrowly escaped destruction on Sunday n i g ht. lietaeen twelve and one, the policemen on duty observ ing a Feat glare through the windows, gave an alarm, when a portion of the fl,oor and the pews surrounding the stove were discovered to be in flames. The police and parish officers succeeded in getting the fire under before any of the London eng i nes arr i ve d . Th e d amag e is not very serious. ----- The Governors of Harrow School have sanc tioned the extension of the Christmas holiiays from the 13th to the 20th of 2 anuary, on the joyful occasion of the birth of the Princess Royal. SKATING.—This graceful and healthful amuse ment WAS never more practised than since the present frost &forded opportlitty for engagin g in it. Prince Albert, who is a preficcot in the art, is daily on the ice formed on the ornamental water in the grounds of Buckingham Pa ace...•Globe. SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS• FROM THE MORNING PAPERS OF THIS DAY. (From the Morning chronicle.) " One false step leads to many, says the adage. We have a striking exemplification of its truth in the case of the Horse Guards and the Earl of Cardigan. After dismissing his Lordship from the 15th Hussars for causes which peculiarly denoted his unfitness for command, the Horse Guards, in an evil hour, were per suaded to entrust another regiment to him. The mili tary authorities ought to have considered that ungentle manly conduct indicates, in a man of rank, an inherent and irremediable defect of character, and that the com passion which restores such a man to command is the extreme of cruelty to all who may be subjected to his control. The best of men may err, hut there is a wide difference between accidental faults of omission or com mission, and the systematic tyranny of which Lord Car digan had been proved guilty. His Lordship is inca pable of reform. When he was driven from the 15th, he did not feel that he had done anything wrong. He pitied the army which had lost his valuable services. When Sir John Macdonald read him a lecture at Brighton, he felt not the rebuke, but argued that, as all that he had done when in command of the 11 th had been sanctioned by the Horse Guards, Lord Hill could not reprimand him without reprimanding himself. We have copied paragraphs from two of our Con temporaries (the Times and Mori iog Advertiser), which describe the reception of the Noble Earl at Drury-lane Theatre on Tuesday night. He was lite rally expelled the house. What an indication of the sense entertained by the public of the condact of this protege of the Hcrse Guards! But the truth is, the military authorities are the parties who are to blame. Lord Cardigan, from an inherent defect in his character, is evidently insensible to all these displays of public in dignation against him. But Lord Hill must have anti cipated all that has taken place. Where is all this to end ? An extract of a letter from Brighton, in another column, communicates the information that Captain Reynolds (the black :male man) three weeks ago ten dered his resignation, and asked leave to sell out. Three other officers, the initials of whose names are given, have applied to be exchanged or re moved from the 11th Hussars. What further proofs of the insupportable nature of the tyranny to which the officer; of the 1I th are sub jected, will satisfy the Horse Guards ? We trust this will be a lesson to Lord Hill to beware how he hereafter suffers himself to be influenced by considerations as led to the restoration of Lord Cardigan. To that ill-judged measure is attributable the ruin of about a score of gentlemen who found it impossible to exist under the command of the Earl of Cardigan. Lord Hill has not done enough for justice, but be has done more than enough for his own condem nation ; for it will not be forgotten that in the docu ment read by Sir John Macdonald, at Brighton, on the part of Lord Hill, it was declared that the disgensions of the 11th Hussars, which were placed to the account of Lord Cardigan, would interfere with the efficiency of the regiment, were its services required against an enemy. ;Tare, rcddc milli legiones,—restore my re giment of 11th Hussars, is a demand which her Ma jesty is entitled to put to the Commander-in-Chief. We cannot close these remarks without availing our selves of the following striking picture from the " Offi cer's Tale," by Harriet Lee, drawn, we have no doubt, from the life, of the effects of the injustice of a com manding officer on a gallant youth : " had felt himself rapidly rising in general estimation. Even those who, from envious motives, did not personally like, yet joined to applaud him ; and he already antici pated in imagination the most exquisite of all pleasures, that of triumphing by the mere force of merit over the ar rogance or the accidental prejudice of one who, whatever might be his failings, he yet believed to possess judgment and military ardour enough to applaud desert. From all these towering hopes, these high-raised expectations, he fell at once; a glance, a ward of Colonel Mordaunt's an nihilated them. Every officer in my regiment, I pre sume, does his duty,' said the Colonel, coldly turning his back on the parade both to Montague and his own son, as the latter, perceiving a marked neglect or iaattention in his father, somewhat too officiously interfered. The speech, the manner, and the circumstances that accompa nied or succeeded both, though not immediately obvi ous in their effect, were nevertheless decisive. All who hoped, all who feared, all who, without opinion or judg ment of their own, follow that of the majority, gra dully shrunk from the intimacy of a young man, who what ever his merit, was guilty of the crime of not pleas ing. Such, however, were the habits of subordination, or the effects of consciousness, that what each man observed, no one commented upon, lest its operation upon his own conduct should become remarkable to his hearer. Monta gue, therefore, condemned without being arraigned, and and shunned without having trangressed, bad in a very few weeks but too much opportunity to observe that, Our genuine virtues do more sweet and clear In fortune's graceful dress appear,' since the gallant spirit that had lately extorted praise, and the approbation that seemed to ensure esteem, was by turns sneered at as Quixotic or pedantry, when the favouring smile was no longer likely to gild them. The feelings of an enthusiastic and aspiring young man, who saw himself enthralled in a bondage it was useless to complain of, and hopeless soon to escape, may much more easily be imagined than described. Injury be might have atoned=-error be might have corrected—nay, even prejudice, as man to man, he might have baldly stepped forward to contradict or rectify; but his opprosnr, Ives front the circumstances of situation, armed with weapons 'Ale% he could encounter on no equal terms either of reason or of force ; and thongh the iron daily we into his very soul, he was eMiged to s s e m;th i, hisbro w er h , o a f n o d rg f e ve d o the I h ns i into . a smile tl'ee' pre- f him •-s r i :;',`!n the Times.) The age ettehing quarrel between the two nations of the Peninsula hag b'tcome the ell engrossing object of attention, and, as both ige.'etie* bare appealed to Eng land for a justification of the Votincie on which they have respectively entered into it, it iitte become highly important that the whole country should Comprehend exactly the facts and arguments by which that appeal setteported4 To commence, than, with the Spanish riAe.et Memoratadatn which has been submitted to the British' dabinet. it sett froth we understand, that the convention grit'Weeh the tyro' eroeent for the navigation of the Douro was e;tsilCleided on thy gist of August, 1835, stipulating that the s,fetiot dtktiei on Mer chandise should be very light. 'Ravi; a ref t ereel the convention of 1835 shows that atilt* i's' entirely misstatement, for none of the articles ment . : l 6* these duties nor their amount, but, on the contrary, LS' regulations of the navigation and the tariff are left to the oonsideration of a mixed commission. It is further to be observed, that one of the articles of the Treaty provides that the tariff and regulations shall form a part of the Treat;; ee neon as approved of by the contracting parties. This CfSeS2ll shows ; that, as far as these regulations are concern ed, the' lessty is incomplete until. both the Governments have apprdiPei of it ; and that therefore it is impossible to treat it as if broken. Another point set forth by the Spanish me morandum is, we are informed, that the Spanish diplo matist, after repeated endeavours to obtain a declara tion that foreign produce introduced into Spain by the Douro should be free from the payment of duty on its entrance into Portugal, could not obtain such a con cession, and therefore proposed that a silence as to this matter should be preserved in the Convention, Them entreavours to obtain such a declaration, which would have seriously damaged the Customs revenue of Por tugal, could not but be resisted by that Power. No pro duce could be brought down from Spain by the Douro other than Spanish produce, and hence it seemed most unreasonable that Spain should require that the produce of foreign countries should be brought up the Douro without paying on their entrance into Portugal. The re jection of such a demand. which has nothing in common with the spirit of the Convention of 1835, could not there fore with any reason, be urged as a matter of complaint. It appears that. something of the sort was agreed to by one of the first set of Portuguese Commissioners, whose report was rejected by the Cortes, and which is totally distinct from the matter now under discussion. In fact, the insertion of such a claim in the first report would rather put the Portuguese in a better position, since it shows what a just pretext they had for rejecting such a Treaty. The Spanish memorandum afterwards, wo un derstand, alludes to this report of the first Commission in express terms, making it a subject of serious com plaint that the Portuguese were unwilling to sanction two points—viz., the exemption of duty on foreign pro duce just described, and the admission of Spanish wines by the Oporto depot on paying ao more duty than that levied on the wines of Portugal. The first point has been disposed of : with respect to the latter, it must be seen that such a concession by the Portuguese would have introduced a stipulation solely in favour of Spain, since the Douro is not very navigable within the Spa nish territory. while the mouth of the river, which of course is in Portugal, would have been thrown open for the exportation of Spanish produce. In such a se rious light is anything affecting the winegrowers re garded in Portugal, that persons well acquainted with the country say that an insurrection in the Douro provinces would have been the result of such a conces sion. Bat, it is said, the most important assertion as'- , vanced in the Spanish memorandum is, that her Catho lic Majesty stated that she was ready to conclude the Treaty immediately, if the Portuguese Government woulli likewise agree to it, but that the latter showed weakness or bad faith in not wishing to approve of the Treaty before it was submitted to the Cortes. The Treaty here referred to is that agreed to by the new Commission last May, and the one which was under the consideratio n o f t h e L eg i s l ature d ur i ng th e s ess ion just closed. This point, it will be seen, embraces a great constitutional question as to the power of the Government to conclude such a Treaty without legis lative sanction ; and this h as b een ra th e r involved by the fact that the constitution of Portugal in 1835, when the convention was signed, having, been changed during the progress of the nego tiation, a different law now prevails as to the power of the Government. In 1835 Portugal was governed by the constitutional charter, which dirt not require the approbation of the Cortes to commercial treaties ; but the Constitution of 1338, which rules at present, re quires the consent of the Legislature to render such a treaty valid, and the matters of detail which appear in the Mixed Commission are the treaty as agreed on by THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, iSiO. precisely such as are fitted for the deliberation of the Cortes. These are the reasonings Pro and con. in the political circles connected with Spain and Portugal, and they certainly tend to confirm the opinion we have already expressed on the side of the Portuguese Govern ment ; while the fixing so short a period as 25 days for the termination of this affair, before hostilities are actu ally commenced, can only be treated as a predetermina tion to provoke them. (From the Morning Herald.) Again and again have we to solicit the admiration of Englishmen for the glorious privilege of property ; again have we to dwell upon the triumphs of the pocket over the common sense and common feeling of the subject. Again have we to impreis upon the free-born Briton a recollection of this golden social truth—that he only keeps his teeth in his head,—only enjoys an ex emption from black eyes and bruised limbs upon suf erance ; that if it be the pleasure of his fellow Briton " after dinner" to knock out his incisors, or beat him insensible," such recreation is to be had, at a price to be hereafter fixed upon by the Magistrate. These last few days have afforded divers illustrations of the de lights of" property." On Monday at Mary lebone Po lice-office, Charles William Phillips and Henry Johnston, both in a monetary sense " gentlemen," were convicted of having beaten a boy in the most cruel manner, and further with outrageously assaulting the police. The de fence of the culprits was—they had " dined out." Mr. Rawlinson fined the offenders in the sum of 15/. ; which sum—doubtless, to the severe punishment of moneyed brutality—vvae " instantly paid!" On the same day, Bradshaw appears at Union Ball, charged with destroying a chimney-glass at a public-house in Tooley-street. The glass was valued at ten guineas, but under the Wilful Damage Act the Magistrate, Mr. Maltby, could kfliet a penalty of only 51., which penalty, however, Bradshaw could not pay, and he was committed for two months to hard labour in the House of Correction. Had Bradshaw possessed 151. he might have beaten an unoffending boy—might have knocked down the police, and all who aided them ; this enjoy ment—this infliction of pain and suffering! on human flesh and bones—was purchascable with cesh like bil liards—or any other pleasureable excitement. The man, however, breaks a glass, and being unable to repair the wrong, be is sent to the wheel. Now, when the law makes no difference between mirrors and men— when to break one or bruise the other is a mere ques tion of money, an affair of the pocket, the heroes of Marylebone surely evince greater spirit in their recrea tion than the poltroon of Union Hall. Such gentlemen are justified in their sport, because they can pay for it —the pauper who assaults either men or tnerrors is rightly imprisoned for such amusement ; and for this good reason, he cannot afford it. Should Mr. Henry Johnston, of " Ulster-terrace. Regent's-park," become acquainted with the case of William Bradshaw, we think, however, it would but show a proper sympathy in him to forward, without dela), the sum of 5/. to the House of Correction. (From the Morning Advertiser.) The Sun of last night contains some extracts from a latter addressed by Mr. Childs to a private friend, rela tive to the imprisonment of Mr. Baines, of Leicester, for his resistance to the payment of Church-rates. Tue circumstances connected with the incarceration of Mr. Baines are very peculiar. The threat of incar ceration for his opposition to the exactions of an ava ricious and extortionate Church, bad been held over his head for upwards of twelve months, and during a con siderable portion of that period the proceedings against him had reached such a state of meturity as to render it competent for his ecclesiastical persecutors to commit him at any moment they pleased to the dungeon in which he is now immured. But they postponed the execution of their merciful purposes until a particular moment. And what moment, do cur readers suppose, was the one fixed upon for Mr. Baines' incarceration ? Hear it, ye wives and mothers! bear it, ye husbands and fathers of England ! The very moment at which Mrs. Baines was in the agonies of child-labour! It that delicate and critical moment, a moment in which the sufferer needed more than at any other period of her life the soothing attentions of an affectionate husband, was Mr. Baines pounced upon by a State Church, drugged, at the imminent risk of her life, from the em braces of the wife of his bosom and the home of his chil dren, and consigned to the dungeon in which he is now im mured ! We will not make one word cf comment on this : to add to it would only be to weaken its force. Mr. Cnilds suggests that, as Mr. b'aines was imprisoned, and his wife delivered of a daughter in the same: week as that in which the Queen brought is Princess into the world, the matter ought to be brought before her Ma jesty. Mr. Childs' letter being addressed to a gentle man who is on terms of friendship with Lord Albe marle, will explain some of the references contained in the following paragraph : Mr. Childs, we oaght to ob serve, dates his letter from Leicester gaol, being at the time of writing it on a visit to Mr. Baines. " I wish you would make a point of calling on my Lord Albemarle, who is one of the kindest hearted men that lives in the world, and tell the affecting tale, which relates to the immediate capture of our noble friend who is here, imprisoned for life, for aught that the law will do. Lord Albemarle is much about the person of the Queen now, and I think if she were told in the affecting terms which his Lordship is so well able to use, that in the very same week in which her Majesty was blessed by a daughter, and the day after Mr. Baines was committed to this prison, his wife, dear to him as his own soul, and dear as the QdCCO to the Prince, also brought forth a daughter, and I will defy the power of man to deseribe the feelings of these excellent and pious young people under the trying circumstances in which they arc, iced have been placed. Wilt the Queen refuse her sym pathy, and thence her admonition to the Bishops, when she shall came to know what is being done in their name —what is being inflicted on peaceful, pious, retiring Chris tian people, who believe the Word of God to be the rule which they are bound to take for their conduct in religious things as well as in all others, and who dare not violate the dictates of their conscience SO please any class of men ?" We hope the recommendation contained in this para graph will be acted on without delay. If it be, we anti cipate the best results. SECOND EDITION. THE FUNDS—(CLosING PRICES.) FOREIGN FUNDS. A ustriai, tr per cent Portuguese, 5 per cent. Ikelgian, 5 per cent — Ditto, New Ditto..... •31 brefiliatt Bonds 71.1 Prussian, 5 per cent.... Buenoshyres',-6per cent Russian, 5 per cent. Chilian, 6 01 1 eqnt — Ditto, Metallic Colombian, 6 pe. , Cent -- Spanish, 5 per cent Ditto, 1824 22- Ditto Deferred .. 116 , Danish, 3 per cent..... Frencl,s per cent... —f. —c. Greek, 182.5, spercent. Exchange —f. —c. Mexican, 5 per cent.... French,3 per cent —f. —e. Ditto, 6 per cent, 1825. Gish, 2- per cent...—. 501 rtoiefiltn,l 825,6 per ct. Ditto, 5 per cent..... S HARES. Birmitiermn and Gloucester Railway (90 p) 67 Great Westerii Railway (65 paid) B9 Ditto New Shares- (19 paid) ~.. ... 50 Ditto Fifths ( 4 paid) London and Brighton Railway (50 paid) 42 London and Birmingham Railway (90 pd) --- Ditto New Shares (24 paid) ............... 49 London and South Western Railway 541 Manchester and Birmingham Railway (40p) 27i SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOUKNAI•~• FROM THE EVES/14G. PAPERS OF THIS DAY. (From the Globe.) The power of commanding officers over those who constitute the regiments placed under their control is well nigh absolute ; while, in some instances at least, the manner in which they exercise their authority is arbitrary and oppressive. Lord Cardigan has suc ceeded in illustrating the servile subjection in which even " officers and gentlemen" may be placed, if the Colonel, in the insolence of an overween ing conceit of his own importance, and relieved from apprehensions of personal consequences by the partial protection of the Horse Guards, forgets that men are something more than mere machines, and that subalterns have feelings which ought to be re spected, as well as duties which they arc bound to per form. The impunity with which the aristocratic com• mender of the 11th Hussars has been allowed to in dulge his peculiar presensitics, n otwithstanding the urgent applications of his victims for inquiry, and the loud, general, and indignant demand of the pub lic for rigorous investigation, will have some humble imitators of his mode of enforcing mi litary discipline and official respect. It is almost impossible that an example, rendered conspicuous by rank and sanctioned by tacit approbation at head-quar ters, should fail to influence kindred spirits, and raise up rivals in the pursuit of that distinction which his Lordship has obtained ; which, if it. has not shed lustre on his name, has effectually prevented his command of, the 15th Hussars from being consigned to oblivion. Colonel Molyneux of the Bth Hussars, now sta tioned at Norwich, has taken a bolder flight. Not content with the amount of power he possesses as the commanding officer of a regiment, and the awe inspired by his rank and authority in those subjected to his command, he seeks an extension of submission, and ac tually demands that the " salute" which miii'.ary law re quires, as an expression of homage, as the recognition of the presence of superior rank from inferiors in the ser vice, should be given, as an act of imperative obligation, by the police constables when on duty, as an act of ho mage to his rank, and not as the mere spontaneous ex pression of personal respect ? The Norwich and Bury Post of W ednesday has recorded, with a precision worthy of the occa s ion, the insolent demand of this mi litary martinet—which he had the presumption to urge upon the Magistrates when seated on the Bench in the administration of justice (From the Courier.) The French Papers of Tuesday have arrived, but they again present hardly any feature of interest or novelty. The Muni/cur states officially that Lord Palmerston had sent it letter to the Lord s o f t h e Ad miralty ratifying the Convention agreed to at Alexan dria. It also states that the other p o " era had made a similar oulowiwicatio.i , likid that., iu s pit e o f all the confident reports about the abandoment of the plan of fortifying Faris--or , as the French papers have it, the onbastillonent—the interruption to the works was caused solely by the cold, and that they have since been partially resumed. It is gratifying to us to see that the Journals are beginning to assume a somewhat more sober tone. There is an evident and striking diminution in the virulence and asperity of the Theirs and Guizot controversy, so that it is to be hoped the Journalists are beginning to see that• all their biterness and all their anxious aspirations after war and confusion have been utterly thrown away, and that the only effect of the inflated tone which has disgraced a pertion of the French press, has been to alarm the timid, who might otherwise have been induced to give some sort of sanction to a well made out case for war. Nothing is yet settled about a loan. Indee '1 it is now said that nothing can be done in reference to it until the supplies are voted, which will not be for sonic months. The Chamber is principally occupied with the factory question, which, although looked to with much anxiety by the manufacturers, appears to attract but little attention in the Legislature. We do not think it would interest our readers were we _ to give the speeches made on the subject at acy length, because the gist of an the arguments resolves itself into the question whether manufacturers ought or ought not to he allowed to force the chil dren whom they employ to labour as long as they pleAse. The difficulties connected with the question arc such that in England the Facto!) , Bill hag been post- poned for two or three successive sessions, and it is not to be wondered, therefore, if there should be the same diversity of opinion in France. This point is well put by the Courrier Francais, which says— " No amelioration in these matters can come from the Chamber, which wants experience—which dislikes these economical questions, and abandons their solution to those organs of private interest that are so numerous. Interests are pleaded but not discussed. Thus on Monday the sitting opened late, yet there was scarcely a house, not more than forty Deputies; not more than 150 in the very midst of the sitting ; and the whole 150 might have clubbed their wits without being able to con coct a good discourse on the subject before the Chamber. The chiefs of parties were all absent." (From the Standard.) The project for fora) mg Paris, • bequeathed Is) M. Thiess to his successors in office, is likely to meet with some serious opposition. The lii;rig and his present Ministers have very prudently resigned the matter into the hands of the Chamber, and, as if desirous that the Thiess faction should have the task of nursing their own offspring, have taken care that M. Tillers, M. Odillon Barret, and their friends, should constitute a majority on the Commission ap pointed to make the legislative preparations for the work. This exposes his Majesty and his Cabinet to the charge of indifference, and even of reluctance to take part in a proceeding which must lead to a cost otforty or Ail/ millions sterling! without holding out tue least promise of any equivalent good ; a charge which will pro ba'..ly be understood by wise men as involving a very high compliment. At present the Commission is divided as to the nature of the projected works ; one party contending for a continuous line of wall or rampart to e:.circle the city with bastions and small outworks at convenient intervials. The other party insists ❑pon a circuit of strong detached forts, fourteen in num ber, surroueding the city. The advocates of the con tinuous line of wall or rampart argue. that their plan will not place the capital at the mercy of any Go vernrnent which may be disposed to abuse its power. 'They who recommend the chain of detached forts, on the other side, say that if a continuous line of wall or rampart will be little formidable to the liberties of the Parisians, it will be still less formidable to the enterprise of an invader, while it must cost at least four or five times as much as the system of defences which they propose. The question is properly a problem for military men ; but the least-informed in military science cannot fail to see that the chain of torts unit be far more effectual, as far as mere defence is is concerned, while there CIIII be no doubt of its cost ing a great deal less than the rival scheme. An cnciente of less than twelve English miles would hardly embrace Paris, and as the width of this belt must be 600 or 700 yards of the most highly rented land in France, the bare purchase of the soil would probably amount to a greater sum than would be necessary to cover the whole cost of the fourteen forts which it is proposed to substitute, beside the great injury to the trade of the French metropolis, a consideration which has been already submitted to the Commission. The case, too. may be easily conceived, when an enemy havin pierced the barrier line—which any enemy strong enough to reach Paris could easily effect—the enclosure of the city within one wall might place it wore absolutely in his power. Still the apprehensions for the safety of public liberty, of those who object to the chain of isolated fortresses, are not altogether groundless. Paris so invested would have little security for freedom, save in the good disposition of the Sovereign ; and it is to be feared that for a generation or two before us Paris must continue to be what. it has hitherto been—the virtual France. Mr. Ashton Yates, according to a statement made at the Repeal meeting in Dublin on Monday last, does not intend coming forward again for the county Carlow. The Liberals there, however, are making preparations to bring forward two candidate's. ' - -- - Viscount and Viscountess Leveson have left town for Badminton, where a large party is about to as semble on visits to the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort. LAW IN TELLIGENCE. COURT OF CHANCERY, DEC. 23. ATTORNEY-GENERAL V. CRADDOCK. The Court was occupied the entire day with this case. The object of the information was to set aside an agreement entered into with Mr. Sheldon Craddock for an exchange of a farm called Slightholme, belong ing to Hutchins Charity, in Yorkshire, for certain other lands the property of Mr. Craddock. It appeared that Slightholme Farm, consisting of 84 acres, was a portion of certain lands bequeathed by a gentleman named Hutchins, of Claments lan, in the year 1693, for charitable purposes. The land, in 1832, was \valued at the desire of the Trustees, and t oget h er w i t h a p i ece of moor land, called Charity Pasture, transferred to Colonel Craddock, and Archdeacon Headlam, for a small piece of ground, consisting of only six acres, but which produced a renta l o f a b out hi. a-year more than the Charity property. That trans fer was made under the Ist and 2d Geurge IV., chap. 92, but it was contended by Counsel, in support of the information, that the exchange ought to ho set aside on the ground of improp er valuation. The information prayed that the exchange might b e se t as ide, and for a reference to the Master , to appro ve de scheme, and to , appoint new trustees. ihe defene.ants, by their answer, su bmitted that the exchange was beneficial to the Cha rity, and that it h a d taken place after a regular and lust valuation under the authority of the Bishop of the .Dio cese, and in the form presented by the statute. The Loan CHANCELLOR, at the conclusion of the arguments, desired to be furnished with a copy of the pleadings, and stated that he would give judgment on a future day. ROLLS' COURT, DEC. 23. The Court took motions. SLOYER V. COMYNS. Mr. PEMBERTON (with whom was Mr. Lloyd) moved that the i n j unct i on whic h h a d b een o b ta i ned ex parte i n th i s es" by the plaintiff, the Rev. John Sloper, of Westwood Com , Hay es , B er ks, against the defendant, Mrs. ..Yusz,. might be dissolved with costs. KINDER SLEY and Mr. ROMILLY opposed the marten. The MAalta of the ROLLS dissolved the injunction upon the ground that the injunction had been obtained upon a suppicssion of material facts in the cause. Mr. KIND FRANK V. MANWARIN O .. set down for fu rt h er di rect i ons an d cos t s , m i g ht b e a d- EASLEY applied that this cause, which was v a nced and placed at the head of the paper for the first day of causes in Hilary Term next. An issue had been directed to tr y whether Mr. Frank, the father of the plaintiffs, was, at th e d ate o f cer t a i n deeds executed by him in their favour, of unsound mind. That issue was tried in the Court o f Common Pleas on the s th of the pres ent month, a n d the Jury foun d t h a t h e was not . The plaintiffs in consequence of that finding would become entitled to considerable property, and as they were now merely linin g upon the bounty of their friends, it was hoped the Court would advance the cause in order that their ri ght might be established as early as possible. The MASTER of the ROLLS thought that in justice to the other suitor s he could not accede to the appli cation. There were no doubt many suitors in the same, and perhaps even worse situation than the plain tiffs. He had never acceded to such an application, ex cept on one occasion, an d th a t w a s in a most lament able and distressing ea se . Th e plaintiffs must there fore make out a stronger case before the application co uld be acceded to. U OuilallFdh QUEEN'S BENCH, DEC. 23 . (Sittings , before Lord DENMAN and a Lon don S pec i a l J u ry.) MOFFATT V. SIDNEY. S Sir W. Follett. and Mr. Hayward ap peared fer the C i O r F. Ra Pollock, tTG Plaintiff; and Mr. Kelly, Mr. Wightman, and Mr. Butt for the defendant. This was an action brought by the plaintiffs, ,Messrs. Mctratt and Co , tea.ruerchants, to recover from the de fendact, a tea - dealer, carrying on lousiness in F,astcheap, 1,353 1 . 7 s. 2d., b eing the amount of loss incurred by t h e m, in consequence of th e refusal of the defend ant to ;3% 1 having an establishme n t on Ludgate-hill, the s um of perform a contract entered into by him for the purchase of two lots of teas, consisting chests of Congou , at 2 s. mid. per lb. It appeared fr om the M ev idence of Mr. Delafosse, a tea-broker, that he w as em ployed b) respectively of 480 chests and 280 _Assn. M o ff att to se ll t h e teas in question, and that ho went to Mr. Sidney's counting-house in the morning of the 6th of January last when some con versation took place about the purchase of teas, on which occasion Mr. Sidney mentioned 23. 91. per lb. as the sum he should be inclined to give, which Mr. Delafose rc roF,,-..i. Diirio i;,c d.ay he tutu. Mr. Sidney et Ev .,, '• ' , -t'l sale, and then told him that 25. 100. wi-s the price lsxeo 1 upon the tea ; and then Mr. Delafosee stated that Mr. 1 Sidney authorised him to purchase the teas in question for him at 2s. 100. per lb. On that evening, when the On- w ELECTION tract stating the price was put into Mr. Sidney's hands, he immediately went upon 'Change, saw Mr. Delafosse, and returning the contract, said he had never authorised him to purchase the teas at a higher price than 2s. The teas were subsequently sold at a loss of 1,031 73 2d., and to recover this sum the present action had neon brought. Mr. KELLY, for the defence, contended that Mr. Dela fosse was entirely mistaken as to the nature of the autho rity which he had received from defendant, who, in fact, had never authorised him to give more than 2a. 9d., as appeared from his repudiating the contract the instant he became aware of its contents. Lord DENMAN summed up, and the Jury, after retiring for an hour. returcei a verdict for the plaintiff—Damages, 1,353/. 7s. 2d. CORTUE V. WIGGINS. The Attorney-General and Mr. Hoggins conducted the case for the plaintiff, and Sir W. Follett and Mr. Butt appeared for the defence. This was an action brought by the plaintiffs, who were tea merchants, against the defendant, for not fulfilling a.con tract for the delivery of 137 chests of tea at Is. 101 per lb. on the 6th Of December last. From the statement of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL it ap pra,ed that the defendant had in 1639 imported the teas in question per the ship Moffatt, and had authorized Messrs. Styam and Soma tea-brokers, to sell the tea for him. It appeared that at the September tea-sale of that year they had been put up, and that no bid had been offered beyond Is. 03-d. per lb., when they were bought in at Is. 10,..t,j., the instructions of the defendant being that their price should be from Is. 103, to 2s. per lb. The plaintiff cn the 6'h of September offered the broker Is. 10d. per lb. the prompt, or payment, and consequent delivery of the teas to take place on 6th December. At this time defendant was out of town ; the next, Saturday, inconsequence of the ar rival of news from China, a great rise took place in the price of tea, and the defendant refused to deliver the tea. On Dcc. 6: the price of the same quality tea had risen to 2s. 1 Id., and the present action had been brought for 6091. I ls., being the difference between Is. 10d. and 2s 11d. per lb on the tea in question. Sir W. FOLLETT having taken several objections, which were reserved, pro'ceeded to address the Jury, and contended that Styams had only authority to sell at the outside price, and then only to sell by public auction acd not by private contract at all, and that the plaintiff had his remedy by action against them, and not against Mr. Wig gins. Indeed, it appeared that an action had been brought by the plaintiff a, , aitist them, in which the proceedings had been stayed, and the present action commenced. Lord DENMAN having summed up, the Jury retired shortly before seven o'clock, and after an absence of an hour, returned into Court with a verdict for the defendant. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, Dec 23 LIABILITY OF SLIAREHOLDERS.-STBIGNBERGER V. CARR Thy plaintiff is a 'Ty►olcve iriner, who, with seven others, was brought ovrr to this country in 183 b by the agent of the then newly formed Minas Gcraea (Brazilian) Mining Company, to work the Company's mines in South Ame rica. The plaintiff - was employed as principal mining offi cer, at a salary of 3001. for the first year, 4001. for the second, and 5001. for the third, fourth, and fifth years, when the contract was to determine or be renewed. Tie mine becoming exhausted, the miners returned to Europa, and the Company was broken up. This action is brought to recover from the defendant, an alleged shareholder, the sum of 489/, 19:,. 5d., the balance of salary due to plain tiff for the expired part of the term of his engagement. The defence was the general issue, whereby the proof is thrown on the plaintiff that the defendant was a sharehol der. Evidence of the plaintiff's engagement and services, atul that the defendant held 150 shares in the Company from the commencernem was given. It wet further proved that all the calls upon his shares were paid ezeept the last. Mr. Sergeant CUANNELL addressed the Jury for the de fendant, and, after much discussion, his Lordship put it to the Jury to say whether Carr, by his acts proved, au thorized the Directors to act for him? They having an swered in the affirmative, a verdict was entered for the plaintiff, with leave to defendant to move for a nonsuit, on the ground that the Company was not complete. The Sittings being concluded, several causes, which stood in the paper for the day, stand over to the 11th Ja nuary, 1841. mersas.,,al2llaß•MOlMl POLICE INTELLIGENC E. GUILDHALL. John Baxter Brice, a potboy, at the Welch Harp pub. lie-house, it Essex -street, Blackfriar's, was charged before Mr. Alderman Brown, with robbing James Beard, who stated that on the 25th of November, he went into ithe above public-house, and being rather intoxicated, he soon afterwards fell asleep. He found, when he awoke, after sleeping for about three hours, that his watch had been taken. At the time he attached no suspicion to the prisoner. William Easom, the landlord of the Welch Harp, said that circumstances having occurred which induced him to suspect the prisoner, he searched his trunk, and thgre found the duplicate of a watch, pledged in Blackfriar's road, in the name of Maxwell, the day after the robbery was committed, and information being given :o the police, it was found to be the one stolen. The watch being produced and identified by Beard, the prisoner was fully committed for trial. Richard Sorabray was placed at the bar on a charge of being possessed of a number of sacks, the property of Mr. Samuel Kidd, a miller, residing in Isleworth, without satisfactorily accounting for them. Mr. Kidd said he never saw the prisoner before. The sacks must have been stolen from him, as he never autho rised any person to sell them. He also stated that he was a great sufferer from theft of this discription, as it cost him nearly 500/. a-year for bags. The prisoner was fined 51. or, in default of payment , to I be imprisoned for two months. THE LEGALITY OF A CON ''EN- TION. FINAL CLOSE OF THE POLL. • COLEMAN-STREET WARD. Yesterday the polling terminated in this Ward in fa vour of Mr. Griffiths and Mr. Cousins, and the defeat of Mr. Bracher ananu s Mr. Phillips, after a very active contest. At four o'clock Sir William Ileygate announced the numbers, which were as follows:—Deputy Allen, 210; Davis, 205; Hale, -204 ; Hunter, 197; Hall, 185 ; John son, 181 ; Griffiths, 1i.47; Cousins, 141 ; Bracher, 111 ; Phillips, 38. ded in protests against M. Bracher and Mr. Cons t the return of Mr. Cousins, on the grOunt; of non-residence in the Ward. The several candidates then r eturned thanks to the con stituency, and after some discussio n the \Vardmote :was dissolved. CORDWAINERS' WARD. Mr. Deputy Muddell, 65; Mr. Croucher, 63; Mr. Joyce, 60 ; Mr. Lott, 58; Mr. Jolliffe, 51 ; Mr. Jones, 48; Mr. Williams, 47; Mr. Herman, 3. Mr. Williams and Mr. Denman were thrown out. CHEAP WARD. Mr. Deputy Brook, 76 ; Mr. Fenning, 61 ; Mr. Gan thony, 55; kr. Watson. 40; Mr. Hardwick, 58; Mr. May, 54; Mr. Hickson, 56; Mr. Oliver, 60; Mr. New. ton, 39. The first eight were returned. VINTRY WARD. The gentlemen returned by this are—Mr. Deputy Whitby, Mr. Ingall, Mr. Eirns, Mr. Marsden, Mr. White, Mr. Lepard, Mr. Green, Mr, King. CORNHILL WARD. Mr. Deputy Angall, Mr. Eyton, Mr. Thomas, Mr. All natt, Mr. R. Thoraa., Mr Harrison. DOWGATE WARD. Those elected are—Mr. Deputy Brown, Mr. Price, Mr, B cn oett, Mr. Mortimer, Mr. Kipling, Mr. Gandell, Mr. Prior, .Mr. Powell BILLINGSGATE WARD. Mr. Curtin%; Mr. Francis, Mr. Old. Mr. Pottar, Mr. —aster. Bawer, Mr, Kolt;, Mr, Johnson. Mr. Hosnoeßostock.Per Qu ti*Atn BROti,D.STREET WARD. Arainttce Mr. Deputy Corney, Mr, Jupp, Mr. Heppcl, Mr. Moon, li•ighton Mr. Gadsden, Mr. 310 g-rove, Mr. White, Mr. Wharto n. Chichester..,,, PORT,S (),KEN WARD. Dunmow ;4r. Christie, Mr. Hawkins, G r rint i tidlM Mr. Tyas, Mr. Parker, - Mr. Wright, Mr. Saul, Mr. iloard, Mr. Chandler, Mr. 2,7, 1 ,;,1 ` : l r . Phillips, Mr. nous- Hitchin Heywood, Mr. Anvils, Mr. Witt', ,;, field, Mr. Smith, Mr. Saul Saul , ..`fr- S . Ipswich purgin Lew , . BISEIOPSG ATE r. Day, Mr. Lien Mr. Deputy S:evens, Mr. Peacock, -•.- Maidstone Davg, Mr. Patton, Mr. Welsh, Mr, Gibson, Mr. Soloman, Mr, Bennett, Fetcher, M r. Jones, Zr. Thomas, gi,,,,,,cinh Itomford Mr. Barks, Mr. Wilkinson, Mr. C , ..rr: S a ndwich Tnettord :BRIDGE WARD. r wrAheor, Mr. Thomas Pewress, 72; M.. John Locke, 70; IN, Witham larmoutti William Knott, 66 ; Mr. Jahn Sharp, 70 ; Mr. Jacob Genre Cape, 70; Mr. George Davidson, 66; Mr. Henry v OIEAT, Fee[ Matthew, 67 ; Mr. John Hill, 60 ; Mr. limos Low, 46 ; I Mr. Stephen Ponder, 27 ; and Mr. Thomas Cooper, 12. The first eight are elected. FARRINGDON WITHOUT. Mr. Black , q, 458 ; Mr. Obbard, 413 ; Mr. Woollatt, 391 ; Mr. Harding, 391 ; Mr. Bedford, 389 ; Mr. Hod son, 378; Mr. Taylor, 378; Mr, Anderton, 362 ; Mr. Burn, 356; Mr. Rarnshaw, 351 ; Mr. Edkins, 343 ; Mr. Charles, 337 ; Mr. Galloway, 333 ; Mr. Beckwith, 332 ; Mr. Marriott, 301 ; Mr. Price, 297 ; Mr. Wells, 290 ; Mr. Barnard, 277; Mr. Sweet, 40. The Alderman was about to declare the first sixteen named gentlemen elected, When Mr. Wells demanded a ecrutiny. TOWER WARD. Finnis, 143 ; Robinson, 120; Briggs, 109; Edwards, 106; Selson, 105 ; Redhead, 102 ; Oakley, 93; Brain, 83; Maitland, 77 ; Young, 67 ; Goodridge, 50. LANGBOURNE WARD. Stubbings, 96 ; 93 ; Adanzon, 83; Collin. son, 85; Frodaham, 83 ; Dixon, 80 ; Howard, 79 ; Un win, 70 ; Sully, 57 ; Nicholson, 49 ; Gude, 25. TILE JEWS. The following extracts are taken from Der Orient, a German newspaper. They seem to betoken a movement among the Continental Jews in relation to the late crisis in Syria We have a country, the inheritance of our fathers, finer, more fruitful, better situate for Commerce, than many of the most celebrated portions of the globe. Eavironed by the deep-delled Taurus, the lively shores of the' Eu phrates, the lofty steppes of Arabia, and of rocky Stiatti, our country extends along the shores of the Mediterrnean, crowned by the towering cedars of Lebanon, the source of a hundred rivulets and brooks, which spread fruitfulness' over shady dales, and confer wealth on the contented in habitants. A glorious land! situate at the farthest ex tremity of the sea which connects three quarters of the globe, over which the Phoenicians, our brethren, sent their numerous fleets to the shores of Albion, and the rich coasts of Lithuania, near to both the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf; the perpetual courses of the traffic of the world, on the way from Persia and India to the Caspian and Black Sea ; the central country of the commerce between the east and west. " Every country hail its peculiarity ; every people their own nature. Syria, with its extensive surrounding plains unfavourable to regular cultivation, is a land of transit, of communication, of caravans. No people of the earth have lived so true to their calling from the first as we have done. We are a trading people, born for the country where little food is necessary, and this is furnished by nature almost spontaneously to the temperate inhabitants, but not for the heavy soils of the ruder north. " In no country of the earth are our brethren . so nume rous as in Syria; in none do they live in as dense masses, so independent of the surrounding inhabitants ; in none do they persevere so steadfastly in their faith in the pro mise of the fathers, as on the beautiful shores of the Orontes. In Damascus alone live near 60,000. " The Arab has maintained his language and his ori ginal country ; on the Nile, in the deserts, as far as Sinai, and beyond Jordan, he feeds his flocks. In the elevated plains of Asia Minor the Turkonian has con quered for himself a second country, the birthplace of the Osman ; but Syria and Palestine are depopulated. For centuries the battle-field between the sons of Altai and of the Arabian wilderness, the inhabitants of the West and the half-nomadic Persians, none have been able to esta blish themselves and meintain their nationality ; no nation can claim the name of Syrian. A chaotic mixture of all tribes and tongues, remnants of migrations from north and south, they disturb one another in the possession of the glorious land where our fathers foe so many centuries emptied the cup of joy and woe, where every clod is drenched with the blood of our heroes when their bodies were buried under the ruins of Jerusalem. " The power of our enemies is gone, the angel of dis cord has long since mown down their mighty hosts, end yet ye do not bestir yourselves, people of Jehovah I What hinders? Nothing but your own supineness. " Think you, that Mehemet Ali or the Sultan in Stam boul will not be convinced that it would be better fur him to be the protector of a peaceful and wealthy people, than with infinite less of men and money to contend against the ever-repeated, mutually provoked insurrections of the Turks and Arabs, of whom neither the one nor the other are able to give prosperity to the country ? " Our probation was long, in all countries, from the North Pole to the South J There is no trade, no art, which we have not practised, no science in which we cannot show splendid examples. Where will you find better proclaimers of civilization, to the wild tribes of the East ? " People of Jehovah, raise yourselves from your thou sand years' slumber ! Rally round leaders I have really the will, a Moses will not be wanting. The rights of nations will never grow old; take possession of the land of your fathers; build a third time the temple on Zion, greater and more magnificent than ever. Trust in the Lord, who has led you safely through the vale of misery thousands of years. He also will not forsake you in your last conflict." THE YOUNG SULTAN.—The Leapsie Gazette informs us, that the Prussian painter Kretschmer, atter having taken Mehemet Ali's portrait in Egypt, pro ceeded to Constantinople, where he was admitted to the Sublime Porte, for the purpose of painting the portrait of the Sultan, Herr Kretschmer was pre sented on the 15th of October, and had his first sitting a few days after. The. Sultan wore a blue coat with red collar, not unlike the uniform of the Prussian cavalry officers On his breast was displayed the Nishan, that distinguished Ottoman order, composed of sparkling brilliants. The embroidery on his outer garment glit tered with gold and pree'aus stones. "He fixed his eyes on mine," writes Herr Kretshmer, " took the attitude in %shish he was desirous that I should paint him, and said, I feel assured that you will answer my expectations in the first portrait you make of me.' I then commenced my work, and I had an abundance of time to study the inte resting physiognomy of this youthful sovereign. It is less handsome than intelligent. The smallpox has left deep ravages on his countenance. His complexioa is pale. He looks more like a man of twenty-two than a youth of eighteen years of age. His beard is tolerably strong at the chin, but the mustachios are scanty. Amiability and goodness of disposition are perceptible in his features ; they even breathe from the tones of his voice. This organ is at once soft and sonorous, and his conversation is inte resting. Fatigued by diplomatic receptions and visits of etiquette, the Sultan seemed to take much pleasure is our little familiar interview. The Sultan gave the young artist six sittings in all. The portrait was pro nounced to be a perfect likeness, and the Sultan gave Herr Kretschmer permission to take a copy for his own use, and have it lithographed. TILE CHINA EXPEDITION.—Extract of a letter from a gentleman resident at Niece() to his brother at Edinburgh:—" 25th July, 1840.—0 f the likelihood of a settlement of the existing differences with the Chinese it is difficult to form an opinion at present, hut if one may judge from the recent proceedings of the Chinese Government, the nature of the demands about to he made, together with the half-conciliating tone and apparently undecided mea sures of our authorities here, their adjustment will be a matter of very many months. The Chinese can offer no effectual resistance to our troops, but their government exercise so wonderful a power over the people, who are the most etihrnissive on the face of the earth, that a sort of passive resistance will be made, much more perplexing ann difficult to overcome. At one time, when the coast of China was tlireatenecl by some foreign enemy, the Emperor issued air order withdrawing the population feorn the whole line of coast 60 miles inland! Nothing on record is equal to this. The population on the coast is enormous, several of their sea-port towns containing from two to four hundred thousand people I If the nd o expe o ditio wi o not proceed against Pekin I te ar little real god ll b done. To reach this city the Gulf of Pc-ho must be crossed. But the north-east monsoon sets in there to e wards the end of September with such overpowerif!cloo knee that the water is actually forced out of the (ett f t such an extent, as to render the navigation dangerous for the smallest vessels. Tbus, for six weeks, must operations a* 11 51) ,-. ..u:d nut be 9orrised if the. ilset % lied to winter in :Lat that having effected anything fa rther than the taking of. ialpd."....Calcdoniazt Mercury. TO THE EDITOR OF THE LEEDS TIMES. Darrynane Abbey, Dec. 12, 1840. SIR—In an editorial article is the Leeds Times, of the sth instant, I find it laid down positively that my plan of a Reform Convention is decidedly illegal. This assertion is rather a bad compliment to a lawyer of my long experience. I fully and unequivocally admit that if such convention be illegal—the objection to my plan is conclusive. But althougis I have not here the English statutes, I have more than once examined them with a view to this point, and I do venture to assert that the convention I prd pose is perfectly legal. Part of the statute you refer to, 39th Geo. 111. c. 79, was temporary, as I recollect, and has expired. The rest is a permanent law. My recollection is, that the clauses pro hibiting a meeting of delegates was temporary, and have ex pired. It is not safe for a lawyer to trust to his memory with respect to the details of the statute law, but I am convinced of the legality of my plan. However, I intend to be in Dublin on this day week, and I will then look once more into the English statutes, and communicate to your readers the re stilt. If Ibe wrong, I will at once cancliely avow my error—but I do pretty confidently anticipate a different conclusion. If I be wrong, then the meeting of Anti- Corn Law delegates in London last year was au illegal meeting. You assert, I see, that Feargus O'Connor's convention of the working classes was illegal. lam confident von are mis taken. Had it been so the Tories would have taunted the Attorney-General to suppress it, or blamed him for not suppressing it. He could not have allowed so plain a breach of the law to continue from day to day—if the law be as you assert. However, I will again form my judgment on the law of the case, and you shall know the result. At present I have no other doubt on the subject, save what arises from the positive nature of your assertion. I have the honour to be, your obedient servant, DANIEL O'CONNELL. [We would not have so positively asserted the ille gality of the proposed Convention, in opposition to the opinion of so distinguished a legal authority as Mr. O'Connell, bad we not previously consulted seve ral eminent English anthorities on the subject, and carefully perus.zd the provisions of the Act to which Mr. O'Connell refers, and which yet stands on our sta. bite book unrepealed. The law was enacted by Mr. Pitt to put down the political associations of fifty years ago; it prohibited all correspondence between these So cieties, all dcputltic , ne- to or from such Societies, and all contributions of mceTey or other assistance of any kind. The Act 57th of George 111. chap. 19, which was passed by the Castlereagh Administration, compre hends every political Society. It enacts that " Every Society or Club that shall elect, nominate, or employ any committee, delegate, representative, or mis. sionary, to meet, confer, or communicate with any other Society or club, or with any committee, delegate, or in duce, or persuade any person to become a member thereof, shall be liable to the penalties of 39 Gco. 3, cap. 79," namely Fine, Imprisonment, and Transportation for seven years It does not, however, extend to delegates appointed by public meetings, and it is probably in this light that Mr. O'Connell views the matter. Yet the meshes of the law would be constantly around the delegates appointed even by public meetings, and they never would be a day secure from the machinations of a tyrannical Government. We believe that " Feargus O'Connor's Convention" was illegal. We distinctly reee I lect that Mr. D. W. Harvey strongly discountanced tho proceedings of the Co nvention, on the gillegal round that it was ; and Mr. P. Cobbett withdrew from it, alleging, we believe, the very same reason. It is also the opinion of several e minent lawyers, that even the Anti-Corn -law Association which sat in London for these last two sessions was illegal, according to the strict con siruc,ion of the above Acts. We shall look with interest for the further communication of Mr. O'Connell on the subject.—Eo. Leeds Times. The Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch, Duke and Duchess of Rexburghe, Viscount and Viscountess 11 0 ,i c k, and a distinguished circle, have been visiting the Earl of Tinto, at Mint() House.—Edinburgh Advertiser. DEATH IN GILTSPUIt-STREET PRISON.— On Tuesday evening Mr. Payne, the Coroner, held an in que,t in Giltspur-street Pri..on, on view of the body of liichard BraithtTaite, aged sixty. From the evidence of the sr:vcral witnesses examined, it appeared that about three o'clock on Sunday morning the deceased was found City policeman No. 267 in a state of drunkenness, clinging to a post in Warwick- lane, Newgate-street. The police man took him to the Smithfield station-house, and from there to the above-named prison, where be was placed in a cell and left. At about eight o'clock one of the turnkeys, on opening the cell door, observed deceased lying on the atone flooring, and almost insensible. He was immediately removed to the infirmary ward ; but before the medical gentlemen belonging to the prison could be summoned — only a period of ten minutes, he expired, He was in a 11 ,04 filthy dirty condition ,vhon broucht in. He was for merly a ;- !-: tiro City, and 'late to t;t. thlc vvoikinous..!. Mr. thc surgeon , said disease of the brain had occasioned the deceased's death. Verdict, " Natural Death." ON COUN- CIL M EN EVENING ED WON. CORN AVERAGJ GENERAL AVERAGE RWICES OF ISRATTSI4 COITNI For the Week ended Dec. IS 1-1 , 1. mactc,ini 'the the Inspector, ii the diliercnc Cale.; ami 'fawn; in I:!i3lan.. alQs, per imperial flnirter. Wheat.... 5 9 ,. Oats 0 1 , . 4d. I ...... Barley 6.1. Rye; - 4& 5.1 AVERAGES OF THE EAST SIX WEEK'S. Week ending WHEAT. BARLEY.' OATS. I EVE. 1 BEANS. I PEASE ----- -.- ---- P; - 62 2 1 34, 8 22 0 35 5 43 71 42 ,i' r 2 .0 6l 51 34 7 21 11 3, 5 ' 4.1 0,42 10 7 6O 0 33 6 22 2 31 10 ;43 10 j 43 7 Dec. 4 11 18 5O 1 31 6 21 4 32 II) 41 ' ;40 5 IMPERIAL AGGREGATE AVERAGES OF THE SIX W . F. KF Wheat (0.. si. I Oats Barley,. l3i "'. I Rye '',l3 uti, I Pease 41s 10i, DUTIES ON FOREIGN CORN. .rhea` 26s. Sd. I Oats BarleT l2s. 4d. I Rye THE MARKETS. UARKET market-nay, 2, COAL. hips arrived sine( 5... s. n, s. d Adair's Buddle's West Hartley 2O 0 Walls End retnberton a3 3 M. lywed Man . ,1 0 Walls End Russell's Hetton :4 6 Poinop Windsor 2O 0 Walls End Stewart's own y . .... . ... T o . 'West Hartley l l. 0 I N ,:ills End Caradoc 24 6 Wyla , Walls E d Betvic , e andC, l3 6 Walls .i.ld Hartlepool 24 6 Walls End Clennell Walls End Clarke and C 0... sO 6 ; ennant's Ziart::spool 24 Or alls End ,losfs , th .... 23 t W..ok End Asiel• ,,, :e •14 3 Walls ,nd Heaton .. "3 :, Walls End CoLdforth tm 0 Walk End Hilda ..........,. 11 0 Wall, Endnichaxlso a .. Tess '.2 t) walls End Killingwerth ... 2 Si 'A'alls End youth I2urhain... 23 3 Wails Endis rnu bcrla d'..l 4 Wall- End Tee: ... 24 (4 W..ik End Riddell's. . W. E. Braddyll'sHetton , 24 I Cowpen . ... 20 6 Walls End Hearin `..'4 t 6taniey Main .... '2O 0 Walls End Lioribton COUNTRY CORN MARKETS. Wheat. i Barley. I Oats. nears. Feast. B. to A. I Ft. to .. i. to 4. 3. tO A. 58 63 33 38 19 26 35 444 55 65 2- 31 i 6 30 :J8 46 56 67 28 36 22 2'' 1 , 0 47 4 1 32 ..... 41 88 61 :•2 21 1 .0 46 CO 23 36 24 30 '25 41 5t. , 1 ;0 I 1:8 35 20 30 44 55 60 35 39 20 26 42 44 52 69 A; :w 22 29 46 stl 60 jOO 33 i 22 30 24 31 50 60 :6 34 94 23 28 441 LB 66 34 26 j2l 23 34 38 5..5. 61 36 39 i2l 38 19. 44 59 65 j 36 39 211 32 40 50 56 eg ' l 5 43 28 30 42 44 53 6 i 33 30 98 33 46 4 8 56 61 28 38 20 23 04 46 56 67 31 4+ 37 34 23 45 5f 57 t 8 32 2) 30 33 40 • 63 66 2:3 .' , l 24 :'''4l 44 45 :..-, 63 2, 34 `.5 23 .36 4 7 131 4 2 60 tii , ' 27 31 % 31. i ie 42 33 39 ~ VE it POOL CORN MA !ZICET.—D.e. '22 ~3311, White, per 7011, . „, --- lied ___ - 13cotch, Wrlch, and Manx ' Iris') W h'e t i 4 _ R g ed 3 4 ~ ''t. . n 7 o JO v . r ‘,•‘Veish, and Scotch, per , 511, 2 ..: :3 OATS, Englii„ , 3 0 3 I N' ..--- Irish • Foreign ~,Zai. t inl g , per Imp. qt. exter .... ...... TA 0 1 s li 17__.+1thrs, S E e n o g te il l ' i h a ' nd It." , Pe l 4 :l l , : s e 'r 3 10 3 5 3' " ----- I. , :eding . 48 0 50 o Brans, Engtish, per I mon, 't I V. 0 44 3 ----- Irish, Are. . ----- Forego as a ~ 42 0 • PEASE, Eng,lisn, per Imperial guar:" • 40 0 42 (.? --• Foreign • 4B 0 :-. 4) " Clollit, En;lish, per 2.80!b: --- trk s h 3 OATM RA T., English and Ir ish, p er 2410.• "0 05 I N O IAN CORN, pc r 4801 h .._ :T4 Si 2 0 40 1, RIO, per 'imperial quarter 45 P MALT, per Imperial q uarter HULL CORN MARKET 5 8 ' '. White (per Quarter) lied 465. •• 8 `• v . , 5,,. (Os. Foreign Malting 1.325• :il , Grin ,ling (Utz, British ~. l6s. 18'. 245. foreign OD bond) Beans Pease, Grey ' 345. 955. ,3;. Linwed ßlue and N . V . hite - : ******************************************************* 4 :21: Vs . . Vs: Flour (per sack) Rapeseed (per ;0 quarters) *********************************************************** 'TS CHELTENHAM MAIM:, .• • d tc ' Pet th• fer Bushel. is. d. to 5. d.l Wheat tiarley . . :- s i.. „6441••• :3001.: 4 0 4 6 Mutton ***** ........, ***** ',.; 8 Oats Beaus . reAGO Hay *************** 41. 10s. to 5/. pa. 547 06 ; 0 0 5 1 8PV:erakf1".....................0...E. ..................................... ..... 2 1 i_...„......t ~......:::C A 6 N: 555 1. 8 '. :, 11 .. 8 14 ° J 34( R .0 1 ; ,... am bi1A .11 ;:; r 1r . d. . E n 1 ir d............. . i . : . .. . ....i5 5 . ....t ti 0 00 1 ........... i . to 665. •••••••• u1d.............. • • Wheat, white Barley, Malting, --..... 30 • 0tkaat5n,•:„.................................^,^^..."'",....... 77 , 5 ; .... . o•ro•••••••• • It 278. .-..........„. 01.1............ —s. to --s, 0 , s Ol d ~w.».. . 42s to 47, .)s to —s. ....• Grey ......• 40s. to .s. ?case .............----- 4.. . „ CHELMSFORD M..R.K LT. Wheat, Re' ............... 5.., 35 White ... .......... 40 4R White ............. 64 1 to i t i r i P O e a a ts s: .................................. ...... 2 4 `1 to :ft Barley ........... •, .......... 3= Grinding .. —.............mEM5ffris (Thera!, r ......... 17 05 r i Beans, I } ' l i a c z k a . g . a ..; .. .................. 3; 44: _ 40 44 zis 40 SS 41 44 • 40 oq 4'2 3t 40:Se T 2 44 44 '° 36 44 3= , 40 ;$ Wheat, Barley, F "a" d ' -- A NOT HER DREADFUL COAL-PIT A C CIDENT. .On Saturday forenoon an occurred at Ringley Fold CG! eee;,dent of a serious character from this town, and four from Be:". It aPPears which lieyies, about seven miles the neighbourhood abounds with cer`al mi nes ' w`-c -have been very productive, and yield.: 5. Stott and profits to the owners. The mines of Mess: Knowles, near the margin of the river, h „:e been in work a considerable period. and are somewhat d coneiderable constructed. It is common in some pits to ascee' d , I _ l l a ladder or bucket ; but, the bed of coal in . "'l p,-culiarly being near the surface, it was entered by an incliner' tunnel, through which the coals were also dragged by means of ropes. The mine has been worked for a great number of years, and has not been the scene of any accident of a melancholy nature, until Saturday last Being near the river, and the excavations having been extended under its bed, it was found, on Saturday morning, to give way, and the workmen, about thirty in number, began to make their escape by running up the tunnel. The earth gave way for at least ten yards ti he the bed of the river ; an d the water, loose earth, &c., rushed in with siech force , as com p letely to fill the mine, and, for some time, to drain th e river dry. It was found also, that we two of the drae e e rs ( y oun g men) re entombed in the awful grave ; for, upon some alarm being occasioned, they tried to gain their tools from the extremity of the mine, and before they code: escape, were met by the mils of earth and water, which immediately overwhelmed th em . red. One of the lads named all the rest escaped uni n j u Fox, bee succeeded in gettin,e: all his tools, with the ex ception of his riddle. He was' reminded of this by . his uncle, and ran back, never to reten. The earth has since given way in several places, aied for some distance the mine exhihits numerous chasms, In consequence of the loss of life, w or kmen ou wee b rom , d , were imnaed,ately employed to pump out the water; but owing to the other break ages, they have not been at all successful; and, it is sup posed, they will not be able to effect eteir purpose for two or three months. Wc understand Ave this aeci dent, lamentable as it was, had nearly been far more calamitous and destructive. It seems that ale beds of coal, near the place where it occurred, are divided by what is technically called a " fault ;" that is, a vertical wall or partition of earth, which effectually ei. is off the flow of the water beneath the surface. Messrs. Stott and Knowles having pits at w ork on both in siesdes; for of' the fault, were comp elled to use two pumping ; and they had, cansequently, determined on removing a portion of the fault, in order that the water might flow from the higher to the lower side, by which they would have been enabled to dispense with one of their pumping engines. Several yards of earth bad been re. moved when this accident happened; but fortonately, the work was not completed ; had it been so, the other mines. on the lower side of the fault, would have been crn), letely filled with water ; and in all probability, not c o mae In Clifton, or Kearsley, would have escapedould the inu vendation which, in this manufac turin g district, w ha been a however, mo st serious matter. Mr. Ranssden, on behalf 1 of the trustees of th e late Ellis Fletcher, Esq. has caused a notice to be served up on Messrs . Stott and Knowles, prohibiting them from removing the fault.—Manchester Guardian. THE floi. MRS. NORTON'S POEMS.---WO are glad to find that a sue d ,di of Mrs. Norton's Nevi Poems has just been i containing several additionai productions of the clever writer's. justly styled by the Quarterly Review, 'the Byron of our modern poetesses.' Among the new matter which gives additional value to this reprint, is that tou ching appeal for almost friendless infancy. " A Voice from the Factories," which was published anonymously in 1836. In her preface to the present edition, the authoress speaks of the "chance of having to correct a third, through the indulgence of her reader." There cat be little doubt of this, for there is nothing more beautiful in contemporary poetry than many of these de. lightful compositions. SPOONS, FORKS, &c., superior to Silver for du rability, equal in appearance. Table Spoons or Forks, 12s. Dessert, 10s. ; Tea Spoons, hs. per dozen ; Table Candlesticks, 1 inches high, 7s. per pair; the particular metal of which these articles are made is so like silver, that it ono only be told from it by the stamp ; every article made in silver , s snalsofaa tured in this material by RII 3 PON and BURTON, Wells-street , Oxford -street, Who, to prevent imposition, confine the sale of it to themselves Catalogues of prifeL/retamosis BIRTHS. On the 19th inst., at 13allindeau , the Hon. Mrs. Trotter, of a daughter. , a t Writtle , Essex, the lady flf J. A. On the 20th inst ., Ite n . Ii the . .) llardcaptle, Esq ,o f a son. Northumberland the wife of the O v On the 2.'d inst., the lad y of J. B. Wathen, Esq., of Tor rington-squaN., of a daugh ter. .I%lla s l t tb i y, n , Of ' . at d l ;u in g ( b le t n er , . On the 22d inst., the lady of E. Partmgton, Esq., of a eon. O n the 23d inst., at Kennington, Mrs. Schmidt, ofa daughter'. MARRIED. At St. Mary' , the-Less, Cambridge, R. Walters, Erq , bar.• rister-at-lavr, to Ann Grant; eldest daughter of the late Sir P. Macgregor, Bart. o n the 22d inst., J. S. Phillips, Esq., of Culham House, Oxen, to Anna, daughter of T. Duffield, of Marcham Park, am 131.1). for the borough of Abingdon. On the 23d inst., W. W. Moore, son of Mr. T. W. Moores of the Camden Cottages, Camden-town, to Elizabeth Bri ce, second daughter of R. Brice, of Covent-garden. DIED. On Tuesday, the 22d inst., at Hampton, nine- Bath, Dire. n o ., e Lloyd Browne, wi , e. of George Towusliend Brou-ne, Esq., of Westport, in the county of Mayo, after a linger in, and painful illness of 13 months. 'On the 14th inst., at Bow, W. 13oulnois, Esq., aged 72. At Melford, Suffolk, Frances, wife of It. Alrnaek, Esq. , and only daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Hors, aged 31• On the 18th i ns t., W. Fairelough, Esq., of her Majesty's Customs, aged 61. On thn 18th inst., Henry,; the only son of H. 13randreth, Esq., of Houghton House, near Dunstable, Bedfordshire. •- - - On the 19th inst., Mr.•T. M. Edwards, aged 36. On the f22d inst., S. P. Pearce, Esq., of Swithin's.dane. . Frie,ea Ana full 0 i No. 11:1, strand at The SUM Oilice, No. 11'2, Strai.4l, in the county of Mitldleies...Thursday , December, 24, 164°. -4 I Mi 4.4